@ eac63075:b4988b48

Based on a recent paper that included collaboration from renowned experts such as Lynn Alden, Steve Lee, and Ren Crypto Fish, we discuss in depth how Bitcoin's consensus is built, the main risks, and the complex dynamics of protocol upgrades.

PT-BR version

Podcast https://www.fountain.fm/episode/wbjD6ntQuvX5u2G5BccC

Presentation https://gamma.app/docs/Analyzing-Bitcoin-Consensus-Risks-in-Protocol-Upgrades-p66axxjwaa37ksn

1. Introduction to Consensus in Bitcoin

Consensus in Bitcoin is the foundation that keeps the network secure and functional, allowing users worldwide to perform transactions in a decentralized manner without the need for intermediaries. Since its launch in 2009, Bitcoin is often described as an "immutable" system designed to resist changes, and it is precisely this resistance that ensures its security and stability.

The central idea behind consensus in Bitcoin is to create a set of acceptance rules for blocks and transactions, ensuring that all network participants agree on the transaction history. This prevents "double-spending," where the same bitcoin could be used in two simultaneous transactions, something that would compromise trust in the network.

Evolution of Consensus in Bitcoin

Over the years, consensus in Bitcoin has undergone several adaptations, and the way participants agree on changes remains a delicate process. Unlike traditional systems, where changes can be imposed from the top down, Bitcoin operates in a decentralized model where any significant change needs the support of various groups of stakeholders, including miners, developers, users, and large node operators.

Moreover, the update process is extremely cautious, as hasty changes can compromise the network's security. As a result, the philosophy of "don't fix what isn't broken" prevails, with improvements happening incrementally and only after broad consensus among those involved. This model can make progress seem slow but ensures that Bitcoin remains faithful to the principles of security and decentralization.

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2. Technical Components of Consensus

Bitcoin's consensus is supported by a set of technical rules that determine what is considered a valid transaction and a valid block on the network. These technical aspects ensure that all nodes—the computers that participate in the Bitcoin network—agree on the current state of the blockchain. Below are the main technical components that form the basis of the consensus.

Validation of Blocks and Transactions

The validation of blocks and transactions is the central point of consensus in Bitcoin. A block is only considered valid if it meets certain criteria, such as maximum size, transaction structure, and the solving of the "Proof of Work" problem. The proof of work, required for a block to be included in the blockchain, is a computational process that ensures the block contains significant computational effort—protecting the network against manipulation attempts.

Transactions, in turn, need to follow specific input and output rules. Each transaction includes cryptographic signatures that prove the ownership of the bitcoins sent, as well as validation scripts that verify if the transaction conditions are met. This validation system is essential for network nodes to autonomously confirm that each transaction follows the rules.

Chain Selection

Another fundamental technical issue for Bitcoin's consensus is chain selection, which becomes especially important in cases where multiple versions of the blockchain coexist, such as after a network split (fork). To decide which chain is the "true" one and should be followed, the network adopts the criterion of the highest accumulated proof of work. In other words, the chain with the highest number of valid blocks, built with the greatest computational effort, is chosen by the network as the official one.

This criterion avoids permanent splits because it encourages all nodes to follow the same main chain, reinforcing consensus.

Soft Forks vs. Hard Forks

In the consensus process, protocol changes can happen in two ways: through soft forks or hard forks. These variations affect not only the protocol update but also the implications for network users:

• Soft Forks: These are changes that are backward compatible. Only nodes that adopt the new update will follow the new rules, but old nodes will still recognize the blocks produced with these rules as valid. This compatibility makes soft forks a safer option for updates, as it minimizes the risk of network division.

• Hard Forks: These are updates that are not backward compatible, requiring all nodes to update to the new version or risk being separated from the main chain. Hard forks can result in the creation of a new coin, as occurred with the split between Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash in 2017. While hard forks allow for deeper changes, they also bring significant risks of network fragmentation.

These technical components form the base of Bitcoin's security and resilience, allowing the system to remain functional and immutable without losing the necessary flexibility to evolve over time.

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3. Stakeholders in Bitcoin's Consensus

Consensus in Bitcoin is not decided centrally. On the contrary, it depends on the interaction between different groups of stakeholders, each with their motivations, interests, and levels of influence. These groups play fundamental roles in how changes are implemented or rejected on the network. Below, we explore the six main stakeholders in Bitcoin's consensus.

1. Economic Nodes

Economic nodes, usually operated by exchanges, custody providers, and large companies that accept Bitcoin, exert significant influence over consensus. Because they handle large volumes of transactions and act as a connection point between the Bitcoin ecosystem and the traditional financial system, these nodes have the power to validate or reject blocks and to define which version of the software to follow in case of a fork.

Their influence is proportional to the volume of transactions they handle, and they can directly affect which chain will be seen as the main one. Their incentive is to maintain the network's stability and security to preserve its functionality and meet regulatory requirements.

2. Investors

Investors, including large institutional funds and individual Bitcoin holders, influence consensus indirectly through their impact on the asset's price. Their buying and selling actions can affect Bitcoin's value, which in turn influences the motivation of miners and other stakeholders to continue investing in the network's security and development.

Some institutional investors have agreements with custodians that may limit their ability to act in network split situations. Thus, the impact of each investor on consensus can vary based on their ownership structure and how quickly they can react to a network change.

3. Media Influencers

Media influencers, including journalists, analysts, and popular personalities on social media, have a powerful role in shaping public opinion about Bitcoin and possible updates. These influencers can help educate the public, promote debates, and bring transparency to the consensus process.

On the other hand, the impact of influencers can be double-edged: while they can clarify complex topics, they can also distort perceptions by amplifying or minimizing change proposals. This makes them a force both of support and resistance to consensus.

4. Miners

Miners are responsible for validating transactions and including blocks in the blockchain. Through computational power (hashrate), they also exert significant influence over consensus decisions. In update processes, miners often signal their support for a proposal, indicating that the new version is safe to use. However, this signaling is not always definitive, and miners can change their position if they deem it necessary.

Their incentive is to maximize returns from block rewards and transaction fees, as well as to maintain the value of investments in their specialized equipment, which are only profitable if the network remains stable.

5. Protocol Developers

Protocol developers, often called "Core Developers," are responsible for writing and maintaining Bitcoin's code. Although they do not have direct power over consensus, they possess an informal veto power since they decide which changes are included in the main client (Bitcoin Core). This group also serves as an important source of technical knowledge, helping guide decisions and inform other stakeholders.

Their incentive lies in the continuous improvement of the network, ensuring security and decentralization. Many developers are funded by grants and sponsorships, but their motivations generally include a strong ideological commitment to Bitcoin's principles.

6. Users and Application Developers

This group includes people who use Bitcoin in their daily transactions and developers who build solutions based on the network, such as wallets, exchanges, and payment platforms. Although their power in consensus is less than that of miners or economic nodes, they play an important role because they are responsible for popularizing Bitcoin's use and expanding the ecosystem.

If application developers decide not to adopt an update, this can affect compatibility and widespread acceptance. Thus, they indirectly influence consensus by deciding which version of the protocol to follow in their applications.

These stakeholders are vital to the consensus process, and each group exerts influence according to their involvement, incentives, and ability to act in situations of change. Understanding the role of each makes it clearer how consensus is formed and why it is so difficult to make significant changes to Bitcoin.

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4. Mechanisms for Activating Updates in Bitcoin

For Bitcoin to evolve without compromising security and consensus, different mechanisms for activating updates have been developed over the years. These mechanisms help coordinate changes among network nodes to minimize the risk of fragmentation and ensure that updates are implemented in an orderly manner. Here, we explore some of the main methods used in Bitcoin, their advantages and disadvantages, as well as historical examples of significant updates.

Flag Day

The Flag Day mechanism is one of the simplest forms of activating changes. In it, a specific date or block is determined as the activation moment, and all nodes must be updated by that point. This method does not involve prior signaling; participants simply need to update to the new software version by the established day or block.

• Advantages: Simplicity and predictability are the main benefits of Flag Day, as everyone knows the exact activation date.

• Disadvantages: Inflexibility can be a problem because there is no way to adjust the schedule if a significant part of the network has not updated. This can result in network splits if a significant number of nodes are not ready for the update.

An example of Flag Day was the Pay to Script Hash (P2SH) update in 2012, which required all nodes to adopt the change to avoid compatibility issues.

BIP34 and BIP9

BIP34 introduced a more dynamic process, in which miners increase the version number in block headers to signal the update. When a predetermined percentage of the last blocks is mined with this new version, the update is automatically activated. This model later evolved with BIP9, which allowed multiple updates to be signaled simultaneously through "version bits," each corresponding to a specific change.

• Advantages: Allows the network to activate updates gradually, giving more time for participants to adapt.

• Disadvantages: These methods rely heavily on miner support, which means that if a sufficient number of miners do not signal the update, it can be delayed or not implemented.

BIP9 was used in the activation of SegWit (BIP141) but faced challenges because some miners did not signal their intent to activate, leading to the development of new mechanisms.

User Activated Soft Forks (UASF) and User Resisted Soft Forks (URSF)

To increase the decision-making power of ordinary users, the concept of User Activated Soft Fork (UASF) was introduced, allowing node operators, not just miners, to determine consensus for a change. In this model, nodes set a date to start rejecting blocks that are not in compliance with the new update, forcing miners to adapt or risk having their blocks rejected by the network.

URSF, in turn, is a model where nodes reject blocks that attempt to adopt a specific update, functioning as resistance against proposed changes.

• Advantages: UASF returns decision-making power to node operators, ensuring that changes do not depend solely on miners.

• Disadvantages: Both UASF and URSF can generate network splits, especially in cases of strong opposition among different stakeholders.

An example of UASF was the activation of SegWit in 2017, where users supported activation independently of miner signaling, which ended up forcing its adoption.

BIP8 (LOT=True)

BIP8 is an evolution of BIP9, designed to prevent miners from indefinitely blocking a change desired by the majority of users and developers. BIP8 allows setting a parameter called "lockinontimeout" (LOT) as true, which means that if the update has not been fully signaled by a certain point, it is automatically activated.

• Advantages: Ensures that changes with broad support among users are not blocked by miners who wish to maintain the status quo.

• Disadvantages: Can lead to network splits if miners or other important stakeholders do not support the update.

Although BIP8 with LOT=True has not yet been used in Bitcoin, it is a proposal that can be applied in future updates if necessary.

These activation mechanisms have been essential for Bitcoin's development, allowing updates that keep the network secure and functional. Each method brings its own advantages and challenges, but all share the goal of preserving consensus and network cohesion.

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5. Risks and Considerations in Consensus Updates

Consensus updates in Bitcoin are complex processes that involve not only technical aspects but also political, economic, and social considerations. Due to the network's decentralized nature, each change brings with it a set of risks that need to be carefully assessed. Below, we explore some of the main challenges and future scenarios, as well as the possible impacts on stakeholders.

Network Fragility with Alternative Implementations

One of the main risks associated with consensus updates is the possibility of network fragmentation when there are alternative software implementations. If an update is implemented by a significant group of nodes but rejected by others, a network split (fork) can occur. This creates two competing chains, each with a different version of the transaction history, leading to unpredictable consequences for users and investors.

Such fragmentation weakens Bitcoin because, by dividing hashing power (computing) and coin value, it reduces network security and investor confidence. A notable example of this risk was the fork that gave rise to Bitcoin Cash in 2017 when disagreements over block size resulted in a new chain and a new asset.

Chain Splits and Impact on Stakeholders

Chain splits are a significant risk in update processes, especially in hard forks. During a hard fork, the network is split into two separate chains, each with its own set of rules. This results in the creation of a new coin and leaves users with duplicated assets on both chains. While this may seem advantageous, in the long run, these splits weaken the network and create uncertainties for investors.

Each group of stakeholders reacts differently to a chain split:

• Institutional Investors and ETFs: Face regulatory and compliance challenges because many of these assets are managed under strict regulations. The creation of a new coin requires decisions to be made quickly to avoid potential losses, which may be hampered by regulatory constraints.

• Miners: May be incentivized to shift their computing power to the chain that offers higher profitability, which can weaken one of the networks.

• Economic Nodes: Such as major exchanges and custody providers, have to quickly choose which chain to support, influencing the perceived value of each network.

Such divisions can generate uncertainties and loss of value, especially for institutional investors and those who use Bitcoin as a store of value.

Regulatory Impacts and Institutional Investors

With the growing presence of institutional investors in Bitcoin, consensus changes face new compliance challenges. Bitcoin ETFs, for example, are required to follow strict rules about which assets they can include and how chain split events should be handled. The creation of a new asset or migration to a new chain can complicate these processes, creating pressure for large financial players to quickly choose a chain, affecting the stability of consensus.

Moreover, decisions regarding forks can influence the Bitcoin futures and derivatives market, affecting perception and adoption by new investors. Therefore, the need to avoid splits and maintain cohesion is crucial to attract and preserve the confidence of these investors.

Security Considerations in Soft Forks and Hard Forks

While soft forks are generally preferred in Bitcoin for their backward compatibility, they are not without risks. Soft forks can create different classes of nodes on the network (updated and non-updated), which increases operational complexity and can ultimately weaken consensus cohesion. In a network scenario with fragmentation of node classes, Bitcoin's security can be affected, as some nodes may lose part of the visibility over updated transactions or rules.

In hard forks, the security risk is even more evident because all nodes need to adopt the new update to avoid network division. Experience shows that abrupt changes can create temporary vulnerabilities, in which malicious agents try to exploit the transition to attack the network.

Bounty Claim Risks and Attack Scenarios

Another risk in consensus updates are so-called "bounty claims"—accumulated rewards that can be obtained if an attacker manages to split or deceive a part of the network. In a conflict scenario, a group of miners or nodes could be incentivized to support a new update or create an alternative version of the software to benefit from these rewards.

These risks require stakeholders to carefully assess each update and the potential vulnerabilities it may introduce. The possibility of "bounty claims" adds a layer of complexity to consensus because each interest group may see a financial opportunity in a change that, in the long term, may harm network stability.

The risks discussed above show the complexity of consensus in Bitcoin and the importance of approaching it gradually and deliberately. Updates need to consider not only technical aspects but also economic and social implications, in order to preserve Bitcoin's integrity and maintain trust among stakeholders.

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6. Recommendations for the Consensus Process in Bitcoin

To ensure that protocol changes in Bitcoin are implemented safely and with broad support, it is essential that all stakeholders adopt a careful and coordinated approach. Here are strategic recommendations for evaluating, supporting, or rejecting consensus updates, considering the risks and challenges discussed earlier, along with best practices for successful implementation.

1. Careful Evaluation of Proposal Maturity

Stakeholders should rigorously assess the maturity level of a proposal before supporting its implementation. Updates that are still experimental or lack a robust technical foundation can expose the network to unnecessary risks. Ideally, change proposals should go through an extensive testing phase, have security audits, and receive review and feedback from various developers and experts.

2. Extensive Testing in Secure and Compatible Networks

Before an update is activated on the mainnet, it is essential to test it on networks like testnet and signet, and whenever possible, on other compatible networks that offer a safe and controlled environment to identify potential issues. Testing on networks like Litecoin was fundamental for the safe launch of innovations like SegWit and the Lightning Network, allowing functionalities to be validated on a lower-impact network before being implemented on Bitcoin.

The Liquid Network, developed by Blockstream, also plays an important role as an experimental network for new proposals, such as OP_CAT. By adopting these testing environments, stakeholders can mitigate risks and ensure that the update is reliable and secure before being adopted by the main network.

3. Importance of Stakeholder Engagement

The success of a consensus update strongly depends on the active participation of all stakeholders. This includes economic nodes, miners, protocol developers, investors, and end users. Lack of participation can lead to inadequate decisions or even future network splits, which would compromise Bitcoin's security and stability.

4. Key Questions for Evaluating Consensus Proposals

To assist in decision-making, each group of stakeholders should consider some key questions before supporting a consensus change:

• Does the proposal offer tangible benefits for Bitcoin's security, scalability, or usability?
• Does it maintain backward compatibility or introduce the risk of network split?
• Are the implementation requirements clear and feasible for each group involved?
• Are there clear and aligned incentives for all stakeholder groups to accept the change?

5. Coordination and Timing in Implementations

Timing is crucial. Updates with short activation windows can force a split because not all nodes and miners can update simultaneously. Changes should be planned with ample deadlines to allow all stakeholders to adjust their systems, avoiding surprises that could lead to fragmentation.

Mechanisms like soft forks are generally preferable to hard forks because they allow a smoother transition. Opting for backward-compatible updates when possible facilitates the process and ensures that nodes and miners can adapt without pressure.

6. Continuous Monitoring and Re-evaluation

After an update, it's essential to monitor the network to identify problems or side effects. This continuous process helps ensure cohesion and trust among all participants, keeping Bitcoin as a secure and robust network.

These recommendations, including the use of secure networks for extensive testing, promote a collaborative and secure environment for Bitcoin's consensus process. By adopting a deliberate and strategic approach, stakeholders can preserve Bitcoin's value as a decentralized and censorship-resistant network.

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7. Conclusion

Consensus in Bitcoin is more than a set of rules; it's the foundation that sustains the network as a decentralized, secure, and reliable system. Unlike centralized systems, where decisions can be made quickly, Bitcoin requires a much more deliberate and cooperative approach, where the interests of miners, economic nodes, developers, investors, and users must be considered and harmonized. This governance model may seem slow, but it is fundamental to preserving the resilience and trust that make Bitcoin a global store of value and censorship-resistant.

Consensus updates in Bitcoin must balance the need for innovation with the preservation of the network's core principles. The development process of a proposal needs to be detailed and rigorous, going through several testing stages, such as in testnet, signet, and compatible networks like Litecoin and Liquid Network. These networks offer safe environments for proposals to be analyzed and improved before being launched on the main network.

Each proposed change must be carefully evaluated regarding its maturity, impact, backward compatibility, and support among stakeholders. The recommended key questions and appropriate timing are critical to ensure that an update is adopted without compromising network cohesion. It's also essential that the implementation process is continuously monitored and re-evaluated, allowing adjustments as necessary and minimizing the risk of instability.

By following these guidelines, Bitcoin's stakeholders can ensure that the network continues to evolve safely and robustly, maintaining user trust and further solidifying its role as one of the most resilient and innovative digital assets in the world. Ultimately, consensus in Bitcoin is not just a technical issue but a reflection of its community and the values it represents: security, decentralization, and resilience.

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8. Links

Whitepaper: https://github.com/bitcoin-cap/bcap

Youtube (pt-br): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rARycAibl9o&list=PL-qnhF0qlSPkfhorqsREuIu4UTbF0h4zb

@ 30ceb64e:7f08bdf5

Hey Freaks,

I like using SN and Nostr as something of an open diary, this time I'm back detailing my hustle in the fiat mines.

The Full Time Job Hustle

I was looking at obtaining a paralegal certificate and taking a few courses on Udemy and Coursera. I'll probably start on the 14th, was thinking I should probably bolster my main resume with more skills and certs. I'll start requesting additional tasks at work and look towards either a promotion or finding an interesting paralegal job elsewhere.

Here were a few resources I was looking to take advantage of

They're all inexpensive and I can work on them at my own pace, could bolster my resume and provide me with more knowledge and skills to bring to the table. I guess I'm more of an autodidact, was thinking if I paired those certificates with a few decent books and podcasts I'd be more of a force to be reckoned with.

I started with the firm strictly filing documents as an admin assistant. I guess my end goal, when it comes to my journey in the legal field, is to eventually work on more interesting things, for more money. Right now my job is mostly administrative, preparing patent documents, filing documents with the USPTO, and calling examiners to discuss errors in patent applications. Just like in most things.....I'm a noob when it comes to legal matters, but have a renewed interest in IP law and how it moves forward with the whole sovereign individual thesis hanging in the background and how it plays with Free open source software and my anarchist leanings.

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The Part Time Job Hustle

Looks like I'll be working weekends as a Direct Support Professional. The job is from 9AM to 11pm...... and I'll be working with teens with disabilities and mental health conditions.

As a bit of a background, I was looking for additional weekend work because the wild wife is pregnant and I don't want her working. My main job as a formalities specialist at an IP law firm allows me to work from home, and the work isn't too hard, just a lot of typing and I grew up playing computer games, so typing and moving my mouse to click buttons is a specialty, that and my charming demeanor.....

I wanted a job that fit around my schedule and offered a decent amount of sats. A job that was doing something of value in the real world, and something with good employment prospects into the future. So I obtained a Home Health Care Aide certificate on Udemy, watched a few Youtube videos, and applied to 15 HHA jobs in my area (That's a lot of opportunity in the area, especially for weekend and evening jobs).

The interview went really well, I leaned on my military background, teaching kids how to perform Maintenance on F-16 fighter jets, and on my experience helping the elderly with small financial tasks at Bank of America. I received an offer letter, and they ended up offering me a salary which was more than I expected. I've finished the onboarding process and start orientation on Monday (taking a week vacation from the firm to take the paid orientation.)

I'm excited about the job. I'm pumped to get into a new field with pretty nice opportunity and prospects around me for long term sat stacking. I'm really interested to see how I'd be of service to the special needs kid........and know I have a lot to learn.

Wish me luck, And never stop the hustle! Wild

PS. written really fast, apologies for it being all over the place.....

@ eac63075:b4988b48

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.

@ 31312140:2471509b

The Hidden Dangers in Your Home

The Toxic Ingredients

Most household and personal care products are a cocktail of toxic chemicals. Despite the pretty labels "all-natural" or "eco-friendly" solutions, these items often contain substances you wouldn’t want anywhere near your skin, mouth, or home in general.

Parabens and Phthalates

Parabens and phthalates are commonly used as preservatives and plasticizers in a wide range of products. They can disrupt your endocrine system, leading to hormonal imbalances. This can result in anything from reproductive issues to an increased risk of cancer. Parabens are often found in cosmetics like lotions, shampoos, and makeup, phthalates are commonly found in fragrances and PVC plastics.

The Danger of Fragrances

Ah, yes. The alluring scent of fresh laundry or a floral shampoo. But here’s the kicker—these fragrances are often made from synthetic chemicals that can provoke allergies, disrupt your hormones, and even cause respiratory issues. Companies are not legally required to disclose the specific chemicals used in their fragrances, making it tricky to know what you’re actually exposing yourself to.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

SLS is a detergent and surfactant found in many personal care products like toothpaste, shampoos, and even soaps. It’s known for skin irritation and has been linked to a host of other health issues. Studies suggest that prolonged exposure can be harmful to the tissues in your mouth and could contribute to the formation of ulcers and canker sores.

Triclosan

Widely used as an antibacterial agent in products like soaps and deodorants, triclosan has been shown to disrupt thyroid function and contribute to antibiotic resistance. Long-term exposure can mess with your microbiome and weaken your body’s natural defenses.

The Environmental Impact

Pollutants in Water Supply

Personal care products contribute to water pollution, especially when these toxins wash down the drain into the water supply. Many of these chemicals are not effectively removed by wastewater treatment plants. They can end up in our rivers, lakes, and even our drinking water, causing harm to aquatic life and potentially returning to us through the water we consume.

The Synthetic Scourge

Microplastics and synthetic compounds from household products accumulate in the environment. These pollutants don’t break down easily, causing long-term damage to ecosystems around the world. Think about it—every time you wash your clothes, you might be releasing microplastics into the water system, harming marine animals.

Solutions and Alternatives

Go Natural

The best way to avoid these harmful chemicals is to go back to basics. Opt for products that list all-natural, organic ingredients. There’s an increasing number of companies dedicated to creating genuinely non-toxic products.

DIY

Making your own household cleaners and personal care products is easier than you think. Simple ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, coconut oil, and essential oils can replace a multitude of toxic products. For instance, mixing baking soda and vinegar in equal parts can create an effective all-purpose cleaner that’s surprisingly effective without the side effects.

Be an Educated Consumer

Knowledge is power. Start reading labels and researching ingredients. Just because a product is labeled "natural" or "organic" doesn’t mean it's free of harmful substances. Check for certifications and look up brands that genuinely prioritize health and environmental sustainability.

Conclusion

The household and personal care products you use daily could be slowly undermining your health and environment. It’s high time you took a good, hard look into what you’re bringing into your home. Challenge the status quo, make informed choices, and safeguard the health and well-being of yourself and your loved ones. Remember, the small changes you make today can have a powerful impact on your tomorrow. 🌍

Suggested Readings

"Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry" by Stacy Malkan

"Green Clean: The Environmentally Sound Guide to Cleaning Your Home" by Linda Mason Hunter and Mikki Halpin

References

"Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Cosmetics" by Andrea C. Gore, Barbara Cohn

"Chemical Exposures: The Ugly Side of Beauty Products" by Julia R. Barrett

"Health Effects of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)" - Journal of the American College of Toxicology

Hope that gives you plenty to ponder. 💡

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

As an American Christian who is no longer young, I have seen my nation go from wealth to debt, from promoting godliness to promoting evil, from a land of laws and blind justice to a land where people are judged more by their group affiliation than by their actions or disobedience of the law.

It is disheartening to see a nation that was founded on Biblical principles by people who left their nations in order to be able to serve God freely turn into a nation that mocks God and tramples His commandments. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Too often we try to fix America’s (or most nations) problems by changing the government leaders, but that isn’t how a nation is fixed. It is only when the people turn back to God that the nation is fixed. An ungodly nation will never be fixed even if a godly leader is put in place.

Heal Their Land

This particular passage is in reference to Israel in particular, but I do believe the principles are applicable for any nation, but especially for a nation that was founded on Biblical principles. The good news is that God blesses nations that honor Him. The bad news is that He punishes those nations more harshly when they leave Him than He does those nations that never served Him before.

Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, even to do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep My statutes and My ordinances, then I will establish your royal throne as I covenanted with your father David, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to be ruler in Israel.’ (2 Chronicles 7:12-18) {emphasis mine}

The key statement is, if “My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” It all starts with the people that are called by His name, whether Jew or Christian. We need to repent of our personal sins which include not standing up for God’s word and commands. We need to share the Gospel with those around us and live lives that are honoring to Him. We need to live Christ-like lives that draw people to our Savior.

When we are faithful servants, God will bless us and our nation. When we live Christ-like lives, people are drawn to God. As more people trust Jesus as Savior, we get a more godly nation and are more likely to get godly leaders. When we have more godly citizens and more godly leaders, many of our economic, cultural, and international woes are decreased.

The best way to heal our land is to repent and turn back to God. Defending righteousness through politics is good, but living a godly life and sharing the gospel with others is better.

Uproot From the Land

On the other hand, if we refuse to repent, live godly lives, and share the gospel with others, God promises us a curse and many woes.

“But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot you from My land which I have given you, and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. As for this house, which was exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ And they will say, ‘Because they forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers who brought them from the land of Egypt, and they adopted other gods and worshiped them and served them; therefore He has brought all this adversity on them.’ ” (2 Chronicles 7:19-22) {emphasis mine}

Is America losing its blessings and gaining a curse because they have turned away and forsaken God’s statues and His commandments? I believe this is true. Have Americans turned away from God to “serve other gods and worship them?” I believe they have even if this only means serving the god of self and worshipping pleasure. If America falls it will be because “they forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers.”

A Gentile Repentance

You may ask, “Can we really apply these blessings and curses to nations other than Israel?” I will use these passages from Jonah as an example of God’s blessings and curses based on the actions and repentance of a gentile nation.

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk. Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:1-4)

Jonah was sent as a prophet to Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian nation. This was a totally ungodly and evil nation that was known for its cruelty and lawlessness. Because of its evil, Jonah was sent to warn them of their imminent destruction. (Most of us know the story of Jonah’s misadventures, including being swallowed by a sea creature, while trying to not give this warning.)

What happened when these evil, ungodly people repented and turned to God in submission?

Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it. (Jonah 3:5-10)

This nation, that had never served God and had never done good, was spared when the people and the king repented of their evil ways and honored God. How much more will a nation full of God’s children be healed, if they turn back to God and obey His commands?

The God of the Bible can raise the dead; he is definitely capable of healing a nation that repents. Join me in personal repentance, prayer for our nation, and faithful service to our awesome God.

Trust Jesus.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Die Ungerechtigkeit ist uns nur in dem Falle angenehm,\ dass wir Vorteile aus ihr ziehen;\ in jedem andern hegt man den Wunsch,\ dass der Unschuldige in Schutz genommen werde.\ Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Politiker beteuern jederzeit, nur das Beste für die Bevölkerung zu wollen – nicht von ihr. Auch die zahlreichen unsäglichen «Corona-Maßnahmen» waren angeblich zu unserem Schutz notwendig, vor allem wegen der «besonders vulnerablen Personen». Daher mussten alle möglichen Restriktionen zwangsweise und unter Umgehung der Parlamente verordnet werden.

Inzwischen hat sich immer deutlicher herausgestellt, dass viele jener «Schutzmaßnahmen» den gegenteiligen Effekt hatten, sie haben den Menschen und den Gesellschaften enorm geschadet. Nicht nur haben die experimentellen Geninjektionen – wie erwartet – massive Nebenwirkungen, sondern Maskentragen schadet der Psyche und der Entwicklung (nicht nur unserer Kinder) und «Lockdowns und Zensur haben Menschen getötet».

Eine der wichtigsten Waffen unserer «Beschützer» ist die Spaltung der Gesellschaft. Die tiefen Gräben, die Politiker, Lobbyisten und Leitmedien praktisch weltweit ausgehoben haben, funktionieren leider nahezu in Perfektion. Von ihren persönlichen Erfahrungen als Kritikerin der Maßnahmen berichtete kürzlich eine Schweizerin im Interview mit Transition News. Sie sei schwer enttäuscht und verspüre bis heute eine Hemmschwelle und ein seltsames Unwohlsein im Umgang mit «Geimpften».

Menschen, die aufrichtig andere schützen wollten, werden von einer eindeutig politischen Justiz verfolgt, verhaftet und angeklagt. Dazu zählen viele Ärzte, darunter Heinrich Habig, Bianca Witzschel und Walter Weber. Über den aktuell laufenden Prozess gegen Dr. Weber hat Transition News mehrfach berichtet (z.B. hier und hier). Auch der Selbstschutz durch Verweigerung der Zwangs-Covid-«Impfung» bewahrt nicht vor dem Knast, wie Bundeswehrsoldaten wie Alexander Bittner erfahren mussten.

Die eigentlich Kriminellen schützen sich derweil erfolgreich selber, nämlich vor der Verantwortung. Die «Impf»-Kampagne war «das größte Verbrechen gegen die Menschheit». Trotzdem stellt man sich in den USA gerade die Frage, ob der scheidende Präsident Joe Biden nach seinem Sohn Hunter möglicherweise auch Anthony Fauci begnadigen wird – in diesem Fall sogar präventiv. Gibt es überhaupt noch einen Rest Glaubwürdigkeit, den Biden verspielen könnte?

Der Gedanke, den ehemaligen wissenschaftlichen Chefberater des US-Präsidenten und Direktor des National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) vorsorglich mit einem Schutzschild zu versehen, dürfte mit der vergangenen Präsidentschaftswahl zu tun haben. Gleich mehrere Personalentscheidungen des designierten Präsidenten Donald Trump lassen Leute wie Fauci erneut in den Fokus rücken.

Das Buch «The Real Anthony Fauci» des nominierten US-Gesundheitsministers Robert F. Kennedy Jr. erschien 2021 und dreht sich um die Machenschaften der Pharma-Lobby in der öffentlichen Gesundheit. Das Vorwort zur rumänischen Ausgabe des Buches schrieb übrigens Călin Georgescu, der Überraschungssieger der ersten Wahlrunde der aktuellen Präsidentschaftswahlen in Rumänien. Vielleicht erklärt diese Verbindung einen Teil der Panik im Wertewesten.

In Rumänien selber gab es gerade einen Paukenschlag: Das bisherige Ergebnis wurde heute durch das Verfassungsgericht annuliert und die für Sonntag angesetzte Stichwahl kurzfristig abgesagt – wegen angeblicher «aggressiver russischer Einmischung». Thomas Oysmüller merkt dazu an, damit sei jetzt in der EU das Tabu gebrochen, Wahlen zu verbieten, bevor sie etwas ändern können.

Unsere Empörung angesichts der Historie von Maßnahmen, die die Falschen beschützen und für die meisten von Nachteil sind, müsste enorm sein. Die Frage ist, was wir damit machen. Wir sollten nach vorne schauen und unsere Energie clever einsetzen. Abgesehen von der Umgehung von jeglichem «Schutz vor Desinformation und Hassrede» (sprich: Zensur) wird es unsere wichtigste Aufgabe sein, Gräben zu überwinden.

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

I’ve occasionally been called cynical because some of the sentiments I express strike people as negative. But cynical, to me, does not strictly mean negative. It means something more along the lines of “faithless” — as in lacking the basic faith humans thrive when believing what they take to be true, rather than expedient, and doing what they think is right rather than narrowly advantageous.

In other words, my primary negative sentiment — that the cynical utilitarian ethos among our educated classes has caused and is likely to cause catastrophic outcomes — stems from a sort of disappointed idealism, not cynicism.

On human nature itself I am anything but cynical. I am convinced the strongest, long-term incentives are always to believe what is true, no matter the cost, and to do what is right. And by “right,” I don’t mean do-gooding bullshit, but things like taking care of one’s health, immediate family and personal responsibilities while pursuing the things one finds most compelling and important.

That aside, I want to touch on two real-world examples of what I take to be actual cynicism. The first is the tendency to invoke principles only when they suit one’s agenda or desired outcome, but not to apply them when they do not. This kind of hypocrisy implies principles are just tools you invoke to gain emotional support for your side and that anyone actually applying them evenhandedly is a naive simpleton who doesn’t know how the game is played.

Twitter threads don’t show up on substack anymore, but I’d encourage you to read this one with respect to objecting to election outcomes. I could have used many others, but this one (probably not even most egregious) illustrates how empty words like “democracy” or “election integrity” are when thrown around by devoted partisans. They don’t actually believe in democracy, only in using the word to evoke the desired emotional response. People who wanted to coerce people to take a Pfizer shot don’t believe in “bodily autonomy.” It’s similarly just a phrase that’s invoked to achieve an end.

The other flavor of cynicism I’ve noticed is less about hypocrisy and more about nihilism:

I’d encourage people to read the entire thread, but if you’re not on Twitter, it’s essentially about whether money (and apparently anything else) has essential qualities, or whether it is whatever peoples’ narratives tell them it is.

In other words, is money whatever your grocer takes for the groceries, or do particular forms of money have qualities wherein they are more likely to be accepted over the long haul? The argument is yes, gold, for example had qualities that made it a better money (scarcity, durability, e.g.) than say seashells which are reasonably durable but not scarce. You could sell the story of seashells as a money (and some societies not close to the sea used them as such), but ultimately such a society would be vulnerable to massive inflation should one of its inhabitants ever stroll along a shore.

The thread morphed into whether everything is just narrative, or there is an underlying reality to which a narrative must correspond in order for it to be useful and true.

The notion that anything could be money if attached to the right story, or any music is good if it’s marketed properly is deeply cynical. I am not arguing people can’t be convinced to buy bad records — clearly they can — but that no matter how much you market it, it will not stand the test of time unless it is in fact good.

In order to sell something that does not add value, meaning or utility to someone’s life, something you suspect they are likely to regret buying in short order, it’s awfully useful to convince yourself that nothing has inherent meaning or value, that “storytelling is all that matters.”

I am not against marketing per se, and effective storytelling might in fact point someone in the right direction — a good story can help someone discover a truth. But that storytelling is everything, and by implication the extent to which a story has correlates in reality nothing, is the ethos of scammers, the refuge of nihilists who left someone else holding the bag and prefer not to think about it.

@ 17538dc2:71ed77c4

Nostr Onboarding Questionnaire

Below are are results of the nostr qualitative onboarding questionnaire created by elsat in early November, 2024. Responses are from 22 nostr surivors/masochists. Results are not representative of people who never made it past onboarding. These are folk that remained on nostr, and were active around the time I asked for volunteers to provide feedback on onboarding to nostr.

Let me know if anything stands out, if you have questions about any particular response!

I. Did you onboard to nostr on your cellular network, on wifi?

14 Wifi; 7 cell; 2 both; 1 other

II. What was the biggest pain point in onboarding to nostr?

Discovery

Discover interesting content and other people Finding the right content. Discovery. Loading/lacking data figuring out how to find interesting people Finding npubs

Value Prop & Learning Curve

Knowing how it differs from tradsofiu Learning the difference between the protocol and the app I needed to download and onboard through. Choosing a client. Trying to figure it out on my own.

Key management

Private/pub key handling That's definitely key management. How and where to store it to have it secure, still accessible for use with other apps in a secure way. Getting my nsec in without pasting it

Relay setup

Setting up relays, discover interesting users to follow, > building your own feed figuring out relays Finding reliable relays to join.

Wallet Setup

Setting up a lightning wallet Lightning wallets for sending and receiving Zaps.

Notifications

Notifications [presumably missing notifications]

Accessibility

Finding a very good accessible client for the computer (I'm blind). Amethyst seems to be good on my Android device, but I avoid smartphones.

Scary links

I tried to "onboard" (ie expose) friends to nostr by sending them links to interesting/funny notes here and there. But some of the default sharing links I use (Amethyst -> Njump) are so long that they always think it's some spam. (Primal has nicer web links)

Customization

Figuring out profile setup, lots of unfamiliar fields

III. What part of nostr "wow'd" you, and when did this happen?

take your social graph with you; distribute your data

That all the data is already there if you use different clients and you take your social graph with you through completely different apps. seamless account a mobility of course ccount easy switching between clients Moving my social graph between clients. Happened in the first days of usage. Cross over between different clients. Happened on a Tuesday.

V4V, freedom, exclusive, and censored content

Freedom, some V4V and exclusive content, some censored content The clear messaging why nostr was better than mastodon/ activitypub

Flexibility, BYO Algorithm, Control

The insane flexibility. Nostr is a textbook example of "worse is better". So I think I was converted when I realized how much could be built with this, not just social media. My "Aha! This is more than just a Twitter clone" moment was when I stumbled on Oddbean. Also there's this whole "bring your own algorithm" / "build your own algorithm" to the social media side of it. And we're starting to see that work out in practice, with things like bitvora's algo-relay. Complete control A digital portable social identity that I can take with me from one app to another. December 2022. Experiencing the interoperability when i tried Listr, spring '23 I think Initially it was decentralization and censorship resistance. >You can spin a simple backup relay, own your data truly, and rebroadcast everything to different relays. Amethyst, adjusting the relays

Access to devs

Devs working in real time on it visible - too cool

Zaps

Zapping! Right away Zapping zaps! and also the small community After [initial censorship resistance phase is over], the most wow part was zaps, still is. Zaps for shitposting & being able to login into different apps with the same account

Cordiality

Open respectful discussion among people who do not agree Friendly discourse of users. Not toxic like other special media. First day.

IV Around what time did you onboard to nostr (e.g. July 2023)

Nov 2021 December 2021 2022 the single html page first POC client December 2022 Dec 2022 December 2022 Jan 2023 January '23 feb 2023 February 2023 Early 2023. Didn't really play around with it until December 2023 May 2023 June 2023 - Plebstr, November 2023 primal march 2024 amethyst, January 2025 notedeck I've been dipping my toes in the water since 2022 but just started taking it seriously last month. July 2023 March 2024 Summer 2024. August 2024 Nov 2024

V Which app

astral.ninja (2) Branle Damus (6)

"(needed the simplicity)"

PRIMAL (5)

"(needed the simplicity)" Amethyst (4)

Coracle Coracle and nos2x

Various

A combo of Amethyst (phone), nostrudel (web), and algia (command line). I'm a command-line junky. I also am fond of Oddbean, because it's basically a hackernews style thing built on top of nostr. But see my complaint about Nazi bar / Temple of Satoshi. Could not recommend to friends. At some point, I intend to set up strfry and my own Oddbean instance targeted to anti-capitalists.

Created my keys with alby

Can't remember the actual name

VI Have you experienced a failure in onboarding others to nostr? What exactly happened?

Poor experience trying to onboard newbs to nostr during the conference (mostly on iOS which I do not use), around 10-12 people. Granted the cell coverage was not great and not sure I remember everything that went wrong, but users were generally confused with loading/lacking data. Create a profile, then I tried to follow them but could not find them from Amethyst. So scanned QR code, which is a non-obvious step. Then their profile showed just the npub but no info or pfp, some commented on that. Followed them but they didn't receive a notification for that on Damus, this confused most. And then what? Post a note? (I was recommending #introductions ). While you wait for all this to load, tap, retry... between laughs you need to come up with conversation and try to somewhat defend nostr, tell them we're early and bugs will be fixed etc. On Primal follows do appear but feeds don't load. And it autofollows a bunch of random people - some liked it some didn;t. They posted a note and I wanted to like/zap it but I could not see that note on my client either, even though I'm connected to major relays (could be nostr.wine's fault, but I tried with the zap.store account as well). I saw one guy KYC himself 3 times with the wallet because when he switched to his email client to get the code and the app kept resetting the screen. Lucky that the majority of people were eager and did their best to try. Since some of these were after Jordi's talk where he offered several clients to download, it was not always my choice/recommendation on which client to download - they just came with it. I know we do our best but guys... it's bad. This reminds me of getting a newb to open a LN channel and get liquidity. Painful. If we have to centralize more to better onramps, so be it.

difficulty / friction

Picking a client

Yes. It's too technical. You need many tools to accomplish small tasks.

Yes, tried primal on Android. It failed to accept any profile changes

Not able to find other npubs when using search in several clients

stale

They got no new events, because they followed only a few users

They didn’t become frequent users because I’m the only person they know in nostr.

They lose interest in the network compared to traditional social networks. They were normies.

Some found it strange that you follow a bunch of bitcoiners (seemingly) by default (Primal iirc)

yes. non bitcoiners not interested in joining a small network of people just yet

quotes

I haven't tried to bring anyone to nostr. I am a bit scared to do so, because the place has a rep of being a Nazi bar and an extension of the Bitcoin cult. I do think that it is what you make of it, and I've tried to argue that point with friends. It's a protocol, nothing more. Don't wanna interact with Nazis and use Bitcoin? Nothing says you have to.

They don't care

I have not convinced anyone to use nostr

Too hard for most folk.

Not really.

No. Never tried.

No, onboarded two successfully.

Yeah I generally suck at getting people to check out new stuff

VII What, if anything, do you think confuses people during onboarding to nostr? Why? Have you observed this?

Setting a optional username is confusing for many and also they don't know what a NIP-05 is (they are likely to just fill in their existing mail address)

Finding some people. No progress of loading content or indication of time. Slight confusion where are DMs, home, etc, tabs basically

The why. Its much easier now, I was way confused DEC 22

Same on boarding is difficult to people on Nostur.

There is no app in the App Store called “nostr”

nips and relays

We tell people that you don't need KYC to use Nostr and then ask them for KYC for Lightning wallets.

No in-client intro to the "what" and "how" of it all. I haven't witnessed that, but I believe it could squash preconceived notions.

Key management. Especially because there is no key rotation(recovery option in a traditional email/phone way), if it leaks, you are done.

Safe keeping of your nsec. There are many ways to do it, all of them unfamiliar to most users.

When you don't see data you are expecting, be it a profile picture, a follow notification, or a note. Remember people who want to try Damus/Primal/etc microblogging clients come from twitter - so cater for transition from Twitter. Gen z snapchat/tiktok users don't care about nostr, no way to relate

Understanding how to filter for non-Bitcoin content.

need for setting up relays to filter the spam waves, finding the interesting follows, and difficulties setting up usable (even custodial) wallets.

Why would I want to use nostr?

Relays / keys

VIII What, if anything, do you think scares people away during onboarding to nostr? Why? Have you observed this?

Not much, but probably nsec backups and transfers if they knew

Dark web scary things

Technical questions

Personal responsibility for keeping nsec safe

Intuitiveness.

just not enough people on it for them (non bitcoiners)

Technical complexity with either Lightning or relay management.

Depending on client, slowness, difficult search, or feeling empty upon arrival.

Again, keys.

Bitcoin blah blah

I don't know anybody IRL that even use x

Their core influencers haven't adopted nostr yet.

IX What one improvement would make onboarding to nostr easier?

Explain it s not a platform and the current app you're using is replacable by other by (re)using your keypair

Twitter bridge

Honestly, from a technical standpoint, I found it pretty easy. Especially with Amethyst on the phone. So I'm not sure if I have an opinion here.

Private key management to hide the complexity

Little guide somewhere or a buddy to ask questions

An intelligent assistant to setup relays

Reach

bringing wallet of satoshi back! or some similar easy custodial lightning wallet

Better user and content discovery.

Clients dedicated to onboarding, education, and key management instead of social stuff

Key recovery/rotation option. How? Hell if I know. Smart people say Frost, something, something. XD

More established signing mechanisms

An easy GoTo FAQ How to add people; how to zap; etc.

Do not try to connect to 89239823932 relays and make it decentralized when people only care about the first impression?

More "other things" micro-apps, not do-everything whale apps

More users

X What, if anything, do you think should be addressed, or added to onboarding to nostr across most nostr apps? Why?

A skippable small visual intro guide

Content discovery

A way to hide duplicates of the same post.

Better user and content discovery.

Introductory level education, expecting a traditional social app experience then not seeing it

Right now for me everything starts and ends with key management. Maybe a simple signing and profile edit app available across all platforms and devices with option paired with hardware signing device.

An onboarding relay. Only accepts the first note for an npub (kinds 0, 1, 3). Maybe

Easier relay selection.

Make bunker actually work

Staged roll out of owning your own keys to help them understand what that means

XI Do you have any other observations, feedback, or commentary on onboarding to nostr?

Yes, I think I'd say that most of my complaints are social / cultural, not technical. Then again, I've been online since 1993.

People have gotten lazy and are used to being fed content for their interests. This doesn't happen easily on Nostr and needs improvement.

An empty feed is better than a pre-determined one.

We suck and there's no good reason why

I have never gotten bunker to work

XII What is your favorite onboarding experience to an app outside nostr?

Telegram (x2)

Onboarding to the fediverse was pretty good. Witness the fact that a lot of blind twitter moved there.

They're all mostly the same, email, password, confirm. So any that i can use without signup is superior.

Can't recall any that really stands out. But in terms of following users during the onboarding what music streaming apps do is really nice. You get presented with a list of artists and based on what artists you check to follow list adapts and shows you similar suggestions.

None in particular, but I like when account creation is delayed as much as possible, I.e there is a public experience for you to try the product with no commitment

Several I can't recall now. But we need to make it AT LEAST as good as Twitter because that's where our users come from

old Twitter, circa 2019

I prefer no onboarding needed

I like "log in with" buttons but fuck those walled gardens

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Konsum ist Therapie.
Wolfgang Joop

Umweltbewusstes Verhalten und verantwortungsvoller Konsum zeugen durchaus von einer wünschenswerten Einstellung. Ob man deswegen allerdings einen grünen statt eines schwarzen Freitags braucht, darf getrost bezweifelt werden – zumal es sich um manipulatorische Konzepte handelt. Wie in der politischen Landschaft sind auch hier die Etiketten irgendwas zwischen nichtssagend und trügerisch.

Heute ist also wieder mal «Black Friday», falls Sie es noch nicht mitbekommen haben sollten. Eigentlich haben wir ja eher schon eine ganze «Black Week», der dann oft auch noch ein «Cyber Monday» folgt. Die Werbebranche wird nicht müde, immer neue Anlässe zu erfinden oder zu importieren, um uns zum Konsumieren zu bewegen. Und sie ist damit sehr erfolgreich.

Warum fallen wir auf derartige Werbetricks herein und kaufen im Zweifelsfall Dinge oder Mengen, die wir sicher nicht brauchen? Pure Psychologie, würde ich sagen. Rabattschilder triggern etwas in uns, was den Verstand in Stand-by versetzt. Zusätzlich beeinflussen uns alle möglichen emotionalen Reize und animieren uns zum Schnäppchenkauf.

Gedankenlosigkeit und Maßlosigkeit können besonders bei der Ernährung zu ernsten Problemen führen. Erst kürzlich hat mir ein Bekannter nach einer USA-Reise erzählt, dass es dort offenbar nicht unüblich ist, schon zum ausgiebigen Frühstück in einem Restaurant wenigstens einen Liter Cola zu trinken. Gerne auch mehr, um das Gratis-Nachfüllen des Bechers auszunutzen.

Kritik am schwarzen Freitag und dem unnötigen Konsum kommt oft von Umweltschützern. Neben Ressourcenverschwendung, hohem Energieverbrauch und wachsenden Müllbergen durch eine zunehmende Wegwerfmentalität kommt dabei in der Regel auch die «Klimakrise» auf den Tisch.

Die EU-Kommission lancierte 2015 den Begriff «Green Friday» im Kontext der überarbeiteten Rechtsvorschriften zur Kennzeichnung der Energieeffizienz von Elektrogeräten. Sie nutzte die Gelegenheit kurz vor dem damaligen schwarzen Freitag und vor der UN-Klimakonferenz COP21, bei der das Pariser Abkommen unterzeichnet werden sollte.

Heute wird ein grüner Freitag oft im Zusammenhang mit der Forderung nach «nachhaltigem Konsum» benutzt. Derweil ist die Europäische Union schon weit in ihr Geschäftsmodell des «Green New Deal» verstrickt. In ihrer Propaganda zum Klimawandel verspricht sie tatsächlich «Unterstützung der Menschen und Regionen, die von immer häufigeren Extremwetter-Ereignissen betroffen sind». Was wohl die Menschen in der Region um Valencia dazu sagen?

Ganz im Sinne des Great Reset propagierten die Vereinten Nationen seit Ende 2020 eine «grüne Erholung von Covid-19, um den Klimawandel zu verlangsamen». Der UN-Umweltbericht sah in dem Jahr einen Schwerpunkt auf dem Verbraucherverhalten. Änderungen des Konsumverhaltens des Einzelnen könnten dazu beitragen, den Klimaschutz zu stärken, hieß es dort.

Der Begriff «Schwarzer Freitag» wurde in den USA nicht erstmals für Einkäufe nach Thanksgiving verwendet – wie oft angenommen –, sondern für eine Finanzkrise. Jedoch nicht für den Börsencrash von 1929, sondern bereits für den Zusammenbruch des US-Goldmarktes im September 1869. Seitdem mussten die Menschen weltweit so einige schwarze Tage erleben.

Kürzlich sind die britischen Aufsichtsbehörden weiter von ihrer Zurückhaltung nach dem letzten großen Finanzcrash von 2008 abgerückt. Sie haben Regeln für den Bankensektor gelockert, womit sie «verantwortungsvolle Risikobereitschaft» unterstützen wollen. Man würde sicher zu schwarz sehen, wenn man hier ein grünes Wunder befürchten würde.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ eac63075:b4988b48

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

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

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

Sections:

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

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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.

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Conclusion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more:

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

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Und plötzlich weißt du:
Es ist Zeit, etwas Neues zu beginnen
und dem Zauber des Anfangs zu vertrauen.
Meister Eckhart

Schwarz, rot, gold leuchtet es im Kopf des Newsletters der deutschen Bundesregierung, der mir freitags ins Postfach flattert. Rot, gelb und grün werden daneben sicher noch lange vielzitierte Farben sein, auch wenn diese nie geleuchtet haben. Die Ampel hat sich gerade selber den Stecker gezogen – und hinterlässt einen wirtschaftlichen und gesellschaftlichen Trümmerhaufen.

Mit einem bemerkenswerten Timing hat die deutsche Regierungskoalition am Tag des «Comebacks» von Donald Trump in den USA endlich ihr Scheitern besiegelt. Während der eine seinen Sieg bei den Präsidentschaftswahlen feierte, erwachten die anderen jäh aus ihrer Selbsthypnose rund um Harris-Hype und Trump-Panik – mit teils erschreckenden Auswüchsen. Seit Mittwoch werden die Geschicke Deutschlands nun von einer rot-grünen Minderheitsregierung «geleitet» und man steuert auf Neuwahlen zu.

Das Kindergarten-Gehabe um zwei konkurrierende Wirtschaftsgipfel letzte Woche war bereits bezeichnend. In einem Strategiepapier gestand Finanzminister Lindner außerdem den «Absturz Deutschlands» ein und offenbarte, dass die wirtschaftlichen Probleme teilweise von der Ampel-Politik «vorsätzlich herbeigeführt» worden seien.

Lindner und weitere FDP-Minister wurden also vom Bundeskanzler entlassen. Verkehrs- und Digitalminister Wissing trat flugs aus der FDP aus; deshalb darf er nicht nur im Amt bleiben, sondern hat zusätzlich noch das Justizministerium übernommen. Und mit Jörg Kukies habe Scholz «seinen Lieblingsbock zum Obergärtner», sprich: Finanzminister befördert, meint Norbert Häring.

Es gebe keine Vertrauensbasis für die weitere Zusammenarbeit mit der FDP, hatte der Kanzler erklärt, Lindner habe zu oft sein Vertrauen gebrochen. Am 15. Januar 2025 werde er daher im Bundestag die Vertrauensfrage stellen, was ggf. den Weg für vorgezogene Neuwahlen freimachen würde.

Apropos Vertrauen: Über die Hälfte der Bundesbürger glauben, dass sie ihre Meinung nicht frei sagen können. Das ging erst kürzlich aus dem diesjährigen «Freiheitsindex» hervor, einer Studie, die die Wechselwirkung zwischen Berichterstattung der Medien und subjektivem Freiheitsempfinden der Bürger misst. «Beim Vertrauen in Staat und Medien zerreißt es uns gerade», kommentierte dies der Leiter des Schweizer Unternehmens Media Tenor, das die Untersuchung zusammen mit dem Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach durchführt.

«Die absolute Mehrheit hat absolut die Nase voll», titelte die Bild angesichts des «Ampel-Showdowns». Die Mehrheit wolle Neuwahlen und die Grünen sollten zuerst gehen, lasen wir dort.

Dass «Insolvenzminister» Robert Habeck heute seine Kandidatur für das Kanzleramt verkündet hat, kann nur als Teil der politmedialen Realitätsverweigerung verstanden werden. Wer allerdings denke, schlimmer als in Zeiten der Ampel könne es nicht mehr werden, sei reichlich optimistisch, schrieb Uwe Froschauer bei Manova. Und er kenne Friedrich Merz schlecht, der sich schon jetzt rhetorisch auf seine Rolle als oberster Feldherr Deutschlands vorbereite.

Was also tun? Der Schweizer Verein «Losdemokratie» will eine Volksinitiative lancieren, um die Bestimmung von Parlamentsmitgliedern per Los einzuführen. Das Losverfahren sorge für mehr Demokratie, denn als Alternative zum Wahlverfahren garantiere es eine breitere Beteiligung und repräsentativere Parlamente. Ob das ein Weg ist, sei dahingestellt.

In jedem Fall wird es notwendig sein, unsere Bemühungen um Freiheit und Selbstbestimmung zu verstärken. Mehr Unabhängigkeit von staatlichen und zentralen Institutionen – also die Suche nach dezentralen Lösungsansätzen – gehört dabei sicher zu den Möglichkeiten. Das gilt sowohl für jede/n Einzelne/n als auch für Entitäten wie die alternativen Medien.

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 0d532801:197a0c30

Mr. Robot

Dünya tehlikeli bir yer. Kötülük yapanlar yüzünden değil, görüp de hiçbir şey yapmayanlar yüzünden.

İnsanları okumada çok iyiyimdir. İçlerindeki en kötü şeyi ararım.

Herkes çalar. Bu böyledir. İnsanlar tam anlamıyla hak ettiklerini mi kazanıyorlar? Hayır. Ya fazla ya da az alıyorlar ama zincirdeki biri her zaman kaymağını götürüyor.

Bir adama bir silah verirsen bir bankayı soyabilir ama bir adama bir banka verirsen dünyayı soyar.

İnsanlar her zaman umudumu boşa çıkarmanın bir yolunu buldu.

Bir holdingi kalbini hedef alarak çökertemezsin. Holdinglerin olayı budur, kalpleri olmaz. Onları parça parça çökertirsin. Ve çözülmeye başladıkları zaman kontrol yanılsamaları da çözülür.

Büyük bir fırsat ondan faydalanılmasını bekler.

Seçimlerimiz üzerinde kontrol sahibi olup olmadığımızı nasıl bileceğiz? Sadece önümüze gelen şeyin en iyisini yapmaya çalışıyoruz, olay bu. Sürekli iki seçenekten birini seçmeye çalışıyoruz. Tıpkı bekleme salonundaki iki tablo gibi. Ya da Coca-Cola ve Pepsi. Mcdonald's veya Burger King. Hyundai veya Honda. Hepsi aynı bulanıklığın parçası. Odak dışında kalan bulanıklık. Seçimin yanılsaması. Kendi istediğimiz kablolu yayın, doğalgaz ve elektrik şirketini bile seçemiyoruz. içtiğimiz su, sağlık sigortamız.. Seçebilseydik bile fark eder miydi ki? Eğer tek seçim şansımız kılıç ve kalkan arasında oluyorsa bu nasıl seçimdir amına koyayım? Aslında aynı değiller midir? Hayır, seçimlerimiz bizim için tayin edilmiş uzun zaman önce.

İnsanlar etrafta dolaşıp nefretin ne demek olduğunu biliyormuş gibi yapıyorlar. Hayır, kimse bilemez. Ta ki kendinden nefret edene kadar. Demek istediğim, gerçekten kendinden nefret etmek. Bu, güçtür.

İnsanlar iletişim kuramadıkları zaman öfkelenir.

İçinde yaşadığımız dünya bu. İnsanlar birbirlerinin hatalarına bel bağlıyor. Birbirlerini kandırmak için başkalarını kullanıyorlar. Hatta birbirleri ile ilişkili oluyorlar. Sıcak, dağınık bir insan çemberi.

Bu, kendimi korumanın tek yolu: onlara asla kaynak kodumu göstermemek. Kendimi kapatmak. Beni kimsenin bulamayacağı soğuk, kusursuz labirentimi yaratmak. Ama artık daha normal olacağım. Belki kız arkadaşım bile olabilir. Onunla birlikte aptal marvel filmlerine gideceğim. Spor salonuna yazılacağım. Instagram'da bir şeyleri beğeneceğim. Vanilyalı latteler içeceğim. Bu andan itibaren açıksız bir hayat süreceğim. Kusursuz labirentimi korumak için her şeyi yapacağım.

Bir maskeyi, artık maske olmayı bıraktığında nasıl çıkarırsın? Senin kadar senin bir parçan olduğunda.

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

There are so many evil and harmful things happening in the world today. Christians are being persecuted for their faith. Our health is falling apart and we are being given conflicting information. Nations are fighting against nations and it looks like a world war could be started in any of the numerous flashpoint locations. Nations are divided within and without. It is easy to be overwhelmed.

I’m going to use an Old Testament event as an example of how we should deal with all of these problems that are beyond what we can deal with ourselves.

Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them. (2 Kings 18:13)

At this time, Assyria was the most powerful nation on earth (or at least in the Middle East region). They were known for their violence and cruelty and now they had their sights set on conquering Judah. The people in Judah were truly terrified. They had seen what Assyria had done to other nations.

Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. Thus says the king, ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you from my hand; nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, “The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, “Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey, that you may live and not die.” But do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you, saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? (2 Kings 18:28-33)

It was true that Assyria had conquered every nation they had attacked. It was true that neither the military, nor the religion, of any of those nations had saved them from Assyria, but these other nations did not serve the one true God and Creator of all. Judah was God’s chosen people. They were different.

Still, the people of Judah were terrified. They knew they could not withstand an attack by Assyria on their own. Fortunately Judah currently had one of its few faithful kings.

Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, who are enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and listen to the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have devastated the nations and their lands and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. Now, O Lord our God, I pray, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O Lord, are God.” (2 Kings 19:14-19) {emphasis mine}

How did King Hezekiah respond to the violent attack and the mocking of Judah, Hezekiah, and God? “He went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord.” Hezekiah took his dreadful problem to God. He laid out the mocking letter before God. He prayed for deliverance, but he didn’t just pray for deliverance. He prayed for God to be glorified. He prayed for the destruction of those who mocked God. He laid his problems before God and trusted God to solve what Hezekiah could not. We need to do the same.

Are you or a family member suffering from a debilitating or deadly illness? Lay it before the Lord. Are you suffering persecution for your faith? Lay it before the Lord. Are you concerned with the evil that is seemingly overtaking the world? Lay it before the Lord. Are you worried by international disputes around the world that look like they could erupt into a world war or even a nuclear war? Lay it before the Lord.

There are many problems in the world that are far beyond what we can handle or fix, but there is no problem too big for our God and Savior. He’s got this.

Here is the same event described in Isaiah:

Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. Hezekiah prayed to the Lord saying, “O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, who is enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and listen to all the words of Sennacherib, who sent them to reproach the living God. Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have devastated all the countries and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, Lord, are God.” (Isaiah 37:14-20)

There is nothing God can’t handle. In our prayers, we also need to make sure our prayers are in line with glorifying God, upholding His word, standing for truth & righteousness, and following His eternal plan. We should put our problems before God, but we also need to glorify God and know that He has a perfect plan which may not include our momentary comfort. He will however always glorify Himself.

Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard you.’ (2 Kings 19:20) {emphasis mine}

God hears our prayers and, when we pray according to His will, He answers them. Even when God says, “No” or “Wait,” He always “… causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

Instead of trying to fix everything ourselves, we need to lay our problems before God. God knows all that ever was, all that is, and all that ever will be. His plans are perfect. We may want a particular solution, but God knows better than us. Sometimes the very thing we pray desperately to avoid is the very thing that we need most.

In case you have never read the story of Hezekiah, God saved Jerusalem miraculously and Judah didn’t have to lift a finger.

Then the angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, all of these were dead. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh. (Isaiah 37:36-37)

Trust Jesus.

@ 94a6a78a:0ddf320e

The backbone of your Nostr experience lies in relays—servers that transmit your notes, zaps, and private messages across the decentralized network. Azzamo offers three specialized relays to suit different user needs, ensuring reliability, performance, and privacy.

1. Free Relay

• URL: wss://nostr.azzamo.net
• Overview: Azzamo’s Free Relay is perfect for newcomers to Nostr. It’s open-access, reliable, and ensures fair use with moderate rate limits.
• Key Features:
• Free to use.
• Notes older than one month are purged daily.
• Accessible gateway for decentralized communication.

---

2. Paid Relay

• URL: wss://relay.azzamo.net
• Overview: Designed for power users, the Paid Relay offers unmatched performance with 99.9% uptime and low latency.
• Key Features:
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• Premium support included for paid users.

---

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• URL: wss://inbox.azzamo.net
• Overview: Never miss a private message again with the Inbox Relay, optimized for secure, spam-free direct messaging.
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---

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Support the network and upgrade your experience—add time to your account via the Azzamo Dashboard. Choose Azzamo, and take control of your Nostr journey today!

@ 2c930918:6d90c511

With Bitcoin soaring past $100,000, there’s never been a more exciting time to be a Botev Plovdiv fan. Bulgaria’s oldest football club is experiencing a renaissance under the visionary leadership of its president, Anton Zingarevich, and its bold adoption of Bitcoin. Here's why the coming weeks could be historic for the Canaries.

A Club Steeped in History

Founded in 1912, Botev Plovdiv is rooted in the ancient city of Plovdiv, Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited city. The club's prestigious history and unique location attracted businessman Anton Zingarevich, who acquired the team in 2021 with a mission to restore its former glory.

Reviving the Home of the Canaries: Hristo Botev Stadium

Zingarevich's first major project was to complete Botev's iconic Hristo Botev Stadium. Long envisioned as a top-tier European venue, the stadium was left unfinished for nearly a decade due to financial constraints. Under his leadership, the stadium finally opened its doors in April 2023, becoming the most modern football ground in Bulgaria.

Strategic Changes and On-Field Success

In September 2023, Zingarevich overhauled the club’s leadership, appointing a new coach, Dušan Kerkez, and a new Sports Director. These changes brought immediate results. Botev’s performances improved significantly, and the club is now enjoying a historic season, currently sitting second in the league.

With 12 wins, 1 draw, and just 3 losses, Botev is chasing reigning champions Ludogorets Razgrad for the top spot. The team’s remarkable Bulgarian Cup win (3-2) over Ludogorets earlier this year underscores its potential to break Ludogorets' 13-year league dominance.

Botev Embraces Bitcoin

On October 31, 2023, Botev Plovdiv became the first top-division football club worldwide to adopt Bitcoin. Its 360° Bitcoin strategy integrates Bitcoin across operations, fans, players, partners, and the broader Plovdiv community. The timing couldn’t be better—both Bitcoin and Botev have been on meteoric ascents ever since.

Achievements in the Bitcoin Era

The Bitcoin era has already coincided with monumental achievements:

• 4th Bulgarian Cup Title: Celebrated under Bitcoin’s banner.
• Return to European Football: Competing in both the Europa League and Conference League.
• Best Season Start in 112 Years: Historic performances under coach Kerkez.

December Showdown: Botev vs. Ludogorets

December promises two thrilling encounters between Botev and Ludogorets, now the centerpiece of Bulgarian football. With these matches, Botev has a golden opportunity to claim the league’s top spot during Bitcoin’s bull market, as the price continues to climb.

Looking Ahead: A Historic February?

The excitement doesn’t end with the league. On February 4, 2025, Botev could lift its second trophy under Zingarevich and Kerkez—the Bulgarian Super Cup—at their home, Hristo Botev Stadium. Fans and Bitcoiners alike are already wondering: How high will Bitcoin’s price be on that date?

A New Era for Fans and Bitcoiners

As Bitcoin hits $100K and Botev competes for league and cup glory, this holiday season promises unparalleled excitement for both Bitcoiners and Botev fans. With bold moves and historic performances, Botev Plovdiv is not just embracing a new era—it’s leading it. 💛⚫

@ 0e8c41eb:95ff0faa

Chef's notes

Sprinkle a pinch of salt in a bowl. Sift 275 grams of flour above it. Make a well in the center of the flour and sprinkle the yeast into it. Add 50 grams of butter, 25 grams of sugar, and the egg. Pour in the milk and knead the dough with the mixer or by hand into a smooth dough. If necessary, add a bit more flour if the dough is too sticky. Form the dough into a ball. Let the dough rise covered with cling film at room temperature for 1 hour.

Peel the apples. Cut the apples and apricots into pieces. Cook the fruit with 150 grams of sugar and 50 ml of water in 15 minutes into a thick compote. Let this fruit filling cool.

Knead the dough again briefly and roll it out to a round sheet of about 28-30 cm in diameter, so that it fits well over the baking tin. Press the dough into the tin and press it well into the corners. Let the dough rise again for 10 minutes and cut off the excess edges.

Spread the fruit filling over the dough.

Mix the rest of the flour with the remaining 100 grams of butter and 100 grams of sugar and knead it with your fingers into a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle this crumble mixture over the fruit filling. Bake the tart in the preheated oven at 200°C for about 30 minutes until golden brown.

Variations: Only apple? Make this tart with 1 kilo of apples. High or low? You can also bake the crumble tart in a low tart tin of 30 cm diameter. If the fruit filling is a bit too voluminous, you can make double the crumble mixture and sprinkle it over the larger surface area.

Additional needs: Mixer with dough hooks or food processor Cling film Round baking tin with a diameter of 28-30 cm, greased

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 45 min + 1 hour Rising
• 🍳 Cook time: 30 minutes
• 🍽️ Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 375 grams flour
• 1 packet dried yeast (7 grams)
• 125 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 275 grams sugar
• 1 egg
• 100 ml milk, at room temperature
• 500 grams apples
• 500 grams apricots (fresh or from a can)

Directions

1. Sprinkle a pinch of salt in a bowl. Sift 275 grams of flour above it. Make a well in the center of the flour and sprinkle the yeast into it. Add 50 grams of butter, 25 grams of sugar, and the egg. Pour in the milk and knead the dough with the mixer or by hand into a smooth dough. If necessary, add a bit more flour if the dough is too sticky. Form the dough into a ball. Let the dough rise covered with cling film at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Peel the apples. Cut the apples and apricots into pieces. Cook the fruit with 150 grams of sugar and 50 ml of water in 15 minutes into a thick compote. Let this fruit filling cool.
3. Knead the dough again briefly and roll it out to a round sheet of about 28-30 cm in diameter, so that it fits well over the baking tin. Press the dough into the tin and press it well into the corners. Let the dough rise again for 10 minutes and cut off the excess edges.
4. Spread the fruit filling over the dough.

@ cec2981c:814d4f26

Chef's notes

More information about its origins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soda_bread

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 10 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 45 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 4-8

Ingredients

• 500 gr whole grain flour
• 450 ml butter milk
• 10 gr (sea)salt
• 15 gr baking soda (not US's "baking powder") (also known as sodium bicarbonate)
• a bit of butter or olive oil

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C
2. Put all flour in a bowl with baking soda and salt. Mix it well.
3. Create a hole in the middle and pour all butter milk in the center.
4. Stir it from the centre and slowly mixing all together until you get a dough.
5. When mixed, the dough is sticky. Use all purpose flour on counter and bulge to the same size as your skillet.
6. Use a bit of butter or olive oil to wet the skillet to prevent sticky bread. And put the dough in your skillet.
7. Add a but of flour on top of the dough and then cut lightly a X.
8. Bake for ±45 min on 220°C until done (inside temperature must be at least 95°C). Turn up the heat for the last 5 min to get a crust.
9. Let the bread cool down a bit before taking it out the skillet, and let it cool down even more before eating.
10. Donate some sats to me if you like this recipe.

@ b2d670de:907f9d4a

This is a list of nostr clients exposed as onion services. The list is currently actively maintained on GitHub. Contributions are always appreciated!

| Client name | Onion URL | Source code URL | Admin | Description | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Snort | http://agzj5a4be3kgp6yurijk4q7pm2yh4a5nphdg4zozk365yirf7ahuctyd.onion | https://git.v0l.io/Kieran/snort | operator | N/A | | moStard | http://sifbugd5nwdq77plmidkug4y57zuqwqio3zlyreizrhejhp6bohfwkad.onion/ | https://github.com/rafael-xmr/nostrudel/tree/mostard | operator | minimalist monero friendly nostrudel fork | | Nostrudel | http://oxtrnmb4wsb77rmk64q3jfr55fo33luwmsyaoovicyhzgrulleiojsad.onion/ | https://github.com/hzrd149/nostrudel | operator | Runs latest tagged docker image | | Nostrudel Next | http://oxtrnnumsflm7hmvb3xqphed2eqpbrt4seflgmdsjnpgc3ejd6iycuyd.onion/ | https://github.com/hzrd149/nostrudel | operator | Runs latest "next" tagged docker image | | Nsite | http://q457mvdt5smqj726m4lsqxxdyx7r3v7gufzt46zbkop6mkghpnr7z3qd.onion/ | https://github.com/hzrd149/nsite-ts | operator | Runs nsite. You can read more about nsite here. |

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Es ist besser, ein Licht zu entzünden, als auf die Dunkelheit zu schimpfen. Konfuzius

Die Bemühungen um Aufarbeitung der sogenannten Corona-Pandemie, um Aufklärung der Hintergründe, Benennung von Verantwortlichkeiten und das Ziehen von Konsequenzen sind durchaus nicht eingeschlafen. Das Interesse daran ist unter den gegebenen Umständen vielleicht nicht sonderlich groß, aber es ist vorhanden.

Der sächsische Landtag hat gestern die Einsetzung eines Untersuchungsausschusses zur Corona-Politik beschlossen. In einer Sondersitzung erhielt ein entsprechender Antrag der AfD-Fraktion die ausreichende Zustimmung, auch von einigen Abgeordneten des BSW.

In den Niederlanden wird Bill Gates vor Gericht erscheinen müssen. Sieben durch die Covid-«Impfstoffe» geschädigte Personen hatten Klage eingereicht. Sie werfen unter anderem Gates, Pfizer-Chef Bourla und dem niederländischen Staat vor, sie hätten gewusst, dass diese Präparate weder sicher noch wirksam sind.

Mit den mRNA-«Impfstoffen» von Pfizer/BioNTech befasst sich auch ein neues Buch. Darin werden die Erkenntnisse von Ärzten und Wissenschaftlern aus der Analyse interner Dokumente über die klinischen Studien der Covid-Injektion präsentiert. Es handelt sich um jene in den USA freigeklagten Papiere, die die Arzneimittelbehörde (Food and Drug Administration, FDA) 75 Jahre unter Verschluss halten wollte.

Ebenfalls Wissenschaftler und Ärzte, aber auch andere Experten organisieren als Verbundnetzwerk Corona-Solution kostenfreie Online-Konferenzen. Ihr Ziel ist es, «wissenschaftlich, demokratisch und friedlich» über Impfstoffe und Behandlungsprotokolle gegen SARS-CoV-2 aufzuklären und die Diskriminierung von Ungeimpften zu stoppen. Gestern fand eine weitere Konferenz statt. Ihr Thema: «Corona und modRNA: Von Toten, Lebenden und Physik lernen».

Aufgrund des Digital Services Acts (DSA) der Europäischen Union sei das Risiko groß, dass ihre Arbeit als «Fake-News» bezeichnet würde, so das Netzwerk. Staatlich unerwünschte wissenschaftliche Aufklärung müsse sich passende Kanäle zur Veröffentlichung suchen. Ihre Live-Streams seien deshalb zum Beispiel nicht auf YouTube zu finden.

Der vielfältige Einsatz für Aufklärung und Aufarbeitung wird sich nicht stummschalten lassen. Nicht einmal der Zensurmeister der EU, Deutschland, wird so etwas erreichen. Die frisch aktivierten «Trusted Flagger» dürften allerdings künftige Siege beim «Denunzianten-Wettbewerb» im Kontext des DSA zusätzlich absichern.

Wo sind die Grenzen der Meinungsfreiheit? Sicher gibt es sie. Aber die ideologische Gleichstellung von illegalen mit unerwünschten Äußerungen verfolgt offensichtlich eher das Ziel, ein derart elementares demokratisches Grundrecht möglichst weitgehend auszuhebeln. Vorwürfe wie «Hassrede», «Delegitimierung des Staates» oder «Volksverhetzung» werden heute inflationär verwendet, um Systemkritik zu unterbinden. Gegen solche Bestrebungen gilt es, sich zu wehren.

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ c631e267:c2b78d3e

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum dritten Geburtstag, liebe Denk Bar! Wieso zum dritten? Das war doch 2022 und jetzt sind wir im Jahr 2024, oder? Ja, das ist schon richtig, aber bei Geburtstagen erinnere ich mich immer auch an meinen Vater, und der behauptete oft, der erste sei ja schließlich der Tag der Geburt selber und den müsse man natürlich mitzählen. Wo er recht hat, hat er nunmal recht. Konsequenterweise wird also heute dieser Blog an seinem dritten Geburtstag zwei Jahre alt.

Das ist ein Grund zum Feiern, wie ich finde. Einerseits ganz einfach, weil es dafür gar nicht genug Gründe geben kann. «Das Leben sind zwei Tage», lautet ein gängiger Ausdruck hier in Andalusien. In der Tat könnte es so sein, auch wenn wir uns im Alltag oft genug von der Routine vereinnahmen lassen.

Seit dem Start der Denk Bar vor zwei Jahren ist unglaublich viel passiert. Ebenso wie die zweieinhalb Jahre davor, und all jenes war letztlich auch der Auslöser dafür, dass ich begann, öffentlich zu schreiben. Damals notierte ich:

«Seit einigen Jahren erscheint unser öffentliches Umfeld immer fragwürdiger, widersprüchlicher und manchmal schier unglaublich - jede Menge Anlass für eigene Recherchen und Gedanken, ganz einfach mit einer Portion gesundem Menschenverstand.»

Wir erleben den sogenannten «großen Umbruch», einen globalen Coup, den skrupellose Egoisten clever eingefädelt haben und seit ein paar Jahren knallhart – aber nett verpackt – durchziehen, um buchstäblich alles nach ihrem Gusto umzukrempeln. Die Gelegenheit ist ja angeblich günstig und muss genutzt werden.

Nie hätte ich mir träumen lassen, dass ich so etwas jemals miterleben müsste. Die Bosheit, mit der ganz offensichtlich gegen die eigene Bevölkerung gearbeitet wird, war früher für mich unvorstellbar. Mein (Rest-) Vertrauen in alle möglichen Bereiche wie Politik, Wissenschaft, Justiz, Medien oder Kirche ist praktisch komplett zerstört. Einen «inneren Totalschaden» hatte ich mal für unsere Gesellschaften diagnostiziert.

Was mich vielleicht am meisten erschreckt, ist zum einen das Niveau der Gleichschaltung, das weltweit erreicht werden konnte, und zum anderen die praktisch totale Spaltung der Gesellschaft. Haben wir das tatsächlich mit uns machen lassen?? Unfassbar! Aber das Werkzeug «Angst» ist sehr mächtig und funktioniert bis heute.

Zum Glück passieren auch positive Dinge und neue Perspektiven öffnen sich. Für viele Menschen waren und sind die Entwicklungen der letzten Jahre ein Augenöffner. Sie sehen «Querdenken» als das, was es ist: eine Tugend.

Auch die immer ernsteren Zensurbemühungen sind letztlich nur ein Zeichen der Schwäche, wo Argumente fehlen. Sie werden nicht verhindern, dass wir unsere Meinung äußern, unbequeme Fragen stellen und dass die Wahrheit peu à peu ans Licht kommt. Es gibt immer Mittel und Wege, auch für uns.

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Danke, dass du diesen Weg mit mir weitergehst!

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Ein Lämmchen löschte an einem Bache seinen Durst. Fern von ihm, aber näher der Quelle, tat ein Wolf das gleiche. Kaum erblickte er das Lämmchen, so schrie er:

"Warum trübst du mir das Wasser, das ich trinken will?"

"Wie wäre das möglich", erwiderte schüchtern das Lämmchen, "ich stehe hier unten und du so weit oben; das Wasser fließt ja von dir zu mir; glaube mir, es kam mir nie in den Sinn, dir etwas Böses zu tun!"

"Ei, sieh doch! Du machst es gerade, wie dein Vater vor sechs Monaten; ich erinnere mich noch sehr wohl, daß auch du dabei warst, aber glücklich entkamst, als ich ihm für sein Schmähen das Fell abzog!"

"Ach, Herr!" flehte das zitternde Lämmchen, "ich bin ja erst vier Wochen alt und kannte meinen Vater gar nicht, so lange ist er schon tot; wie soll ich denn für ihn büßen."

"Du Unverschämter!" so endigt der Wolf mit erheuchelter Wut, indem er die Zähne fletschte. "Tot oder nicht tot, weiß ich doch, daß euer ganzes Geschlecht mich hasset, und dafür muß ich mich rächen."

Ohne weitere Umstände zu machen, zerriß er das Lämmchen und verschlang es.

Das Gewissen regt sich selbst bei dem größten Bösewichte; er sucht doch nach Vorwand, um dasselbe damit bei Begehung seiner Schlechtigkeiten zu beschwichtigen.

Quelle: https://eden.one/fabeln-aesop-das-lamm-und-der-wolf

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

In America, there are a lot of people who call themselves Christians, but not nearly as many that live a life devoted to Christ. When I was a young Christian, one teacher or pastor made the comment, “If someone was accusing you of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” For so many “Christians,” I don’t think the answer would be, “Yes,” unless the only requirement was showing up for church most Sundays.

It amazes me how many Christians have never read their Bible cover to cover, from Genesis to Revelation. It amazes me how many Christians don’t pray daily. It amazes me how many Christians live lives like every other person except they attend church on Sunday (at least most of the time). Some people who call themselves Christians don’t even attend church. What makes these Christians any different than the unbelievers around the world?

If we truly have been saved from our sins by a merciful, all-powerful God, then we should be grateful. If we are actually a “new creation,” there should be signs of a changed life. If we know Jesus and know that everyone who rejects Him will be rejected by God and spend an eternity in Hell, then we should at least be sharing the Gospel with those we care about.

In my Bible study today, I read Isaiah 55. These verses really spoke to me about how our faith should affect our lives.

1“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;\ And you who have no money come, buy and eat.\ Come, buy wine and milk\ Without money and without cost.

Jesus has called Jew and gentile to repent and has offered His forgiveness and salvation to all who trust in Him. It doesn’t cost anything. It just requires faith. Jesus paid the price, so we don’t have to.

2Why do you spend money for what is not bread,\ And your wages for what does not satisfy?\ Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,\ And delight yourself in abundance.

We are given the free gift of salvation and yet we are constantly seeking other things. We put all of our hard effort into seeking things that don’t satisfy. We seek fame or wealth or popularity or entertainment or pleasure. We don’t seek our Creator’s blessing. We don’t seek to serve and please our Savior. We complain about any and all hardships instead of being thankful for what we have. Why don’t we crave God’s word and His fellowship?

3Incline your ear and come to Me.\ Listen, that you may live;\ And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,\ According to the faithful mercies shown to David.

As believers we should “incline our ear,” “come to Him,” and “listen.” We should read the Bible, study the Scriptures, and pray with a listening spirit. God is faithful, but we won’t be blessed when we turn our backs on God.

4Behold, I have made him a witness to the peoples,\ A leader and commander for the peoples.

David was called “a man after God’s own heart,” and therefore God promised that a descendant of his would always be on the throne of Israel. This promise was fulfilled in Jesus — God’s son’s incarnation as a descendant of David, biologically through His mother Mary and legally through His step-father Joseph. David’s faith is an example to us of trusting fully in God and His promises.

5Behold, you will call a nation you do not know,\ And a nation which knows you not will run to you,\ Because of the Lord your God, even the Holy One of Israel;\ For He has glorified you.”

Most promises in the Old Testament are made to Israelites or descendants of Abraham, but there are a few promises made to the gentiles of the world, who will be blessed by the “Holy One of Israel,” Jesus Christ. We gentiles should be grateful that God’s promises have been shared with us and with those of every tongue, people, and nation. We have been reconciled to God through His holy life and the blood He shed for us. How can we possibly take this blessing for granted?

6Seek the Lord while He may be found;\ Call upon Him while He is near.

Right now we have the option to trust in Jesus1 and to receive His blessing, but this time will not last forever. In fact, I believe time is growing short. If you don’t know Jesus, don’t put off repenting and trusting in Him. If you do know Jesus, don’t put off getting your life right and following Him. Doing good deeds won’t get you into heaven, but it is pleasing to God and does lead to special blessings. We are to make the most of the time we have left.

7Let the wicked forsake his way\ And the unrighteous man his thoughts;\ And let him return to the Lord,\ And He will have compassion on him,\ And to our God,\ For He will abundantly pardon.

Technically there is nothing we can do to earn Salvation and forgiveness, but if we have been saved and forgiven, the Bible says “we are a new creation.” There will be signs of change if the salvation is real. God wants the wicked to forsake his way, the unrighteous to forsake his thoughts, and for everyone to return to Jesus as Lord. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,\ Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.

If we are living according to our own wisdom and our own power, we are living to fail. It is only when we fully submit to God’s word and God’s plan, that we become what we were created to be. It is only then that we will feel complete and will honor our Creator.

We can’t obey God, if we don’t know His commands. We can’t trust Jesus, if we don’t know who He really is. We can’t serve God, if we haven’t submitted to the power and will of His Spirit. We can’t just drift down the river of life, but need to be driven and empowered by His power like the wind blowing a sailboat. The best way to know God’s commands, His character, and His plan is to know His word, the Bible. We can’t know this if we don’t read it and read all of it.

9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,\ So are My ways higher than your ways\ And My thoughts than your thoughts.

There are so many times in the Bible that we are told that man’s wisdom is folly, yet so often we trust in what man tells us rather than what God tells us. We spend our efforts listening to human “experts” instead of listening to the words of the God who created everything “… and upholds all things by the word of His power. …” (Hebrews 1:3b) We can learn from wise and learned men, but we will never learn true wisdom except from God.

10For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,\ And do not return there without watering the earth\ And making it bear and sprout,\ And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

> 11*So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;\

It will not return to Me empty,\ Without accomplishing what I desire,\ And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

God’s word never returns empty. It always changes all it touches. We need to put in the effort to schedule time in God’s word every day. We should make sure we have read the whole Bible, so we can use Scripture to interpret Scripture instead of trusting solely on the wisdom of man. We need to take all of our concerns to God and follow His leading. We need to find fellow believers “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

I hope you all will live lives in such a way as to honor God and let all men know that you belong to Jesus.

Trust Jesus.

@ 4ba8e86d:89d32de4

O que é Cwtch? Cwtch (/kʊtʃ/ - uma palavra galesa que pode ser traduzida aproximadamente como “um abraço que cria um lugar seguro”) é um protocolo de mensagens multipartidário descentralizado, que preserva a privacidade, que pode ser usado para construir aplicativos resistentes a metadados.

Como posso pronunciar Cwtch? Como "kutch", para rimar com "butch".

Descentralizado e Aberto : Não existe “serviço Cwtch” ou “rede Cwtch”. Os participantes do Cwtch podem hospedar seus próprios espaços seguros ou emprestar sua infraestrutura para outras pessoas que buscam um espaço seguro. O protocolo Cwtch é aberto e qualquer pessoa é livre para criar bots, serviços e interfaces de usuário e integrar e interagir com o Cwtch.

Preservação de privacidade : toda a comunicação no Cwtch é criptografada de ponta a ponta e ocorre nos serviços cebola Tor v3.

Resistente a metadados : O Cwtch foi projetado de forma que nenhuma informação seja trocada ou disponibilizada a ninguém sem seu consentimento explícito, incluindo mensagens durante a transmissão e metadados de protocolo

Uma breve história do bate-papo resistente a metadados Nos últimos anos, a conscientização pública sobre a necessidade e os benefícios das soluções criptografadas de ponta a ponta aumentou com aplicativos como Signal , Whatsapp e Wire. que agora fornecem aos usuários comunicações seguras.

No entanto, essas ferramentas exigem vários níveis de exposição de metadados para funcionar, e muitos desses metadados podem ser usados ​​para obter detalhes sobre como e por que uma pessoa está usando uma ferramenta para se comunicar.

Uma ferramenta que buscou reduzir metadados é o Ricochet lançado pela primeira vez em 2014. Ricochet usou os serviços cebola Tor v2 para fornecer comunicação criptografada segura de ponta a ponta e para proteger os metadados das comunicações.

Não havia servidores centralizados que auxiliassem no roteamento das conversas do Ricochet. Ninguém além das partes envolvidas em uma conversa poderia saber que tal conversa está ocorrendo.

Ricochet tinha limitações; não havia suporte para vários dispositivos, nem existe um mecanismo para suportar a comunicação em grupo ou para um usuário enviar mensagens enquanto um contato está offline.

Isto tornou a adoção do Ricochet uma proposta difícil; mesmo aqueles em ambientes que seriam melhor atendidos pela resistência aos metadados, sem saber que ela existe.

Além disso, qualquer solução para comunicação descentralizada e resistente a metadados enfrenta problemas fundamentais quando se trata de eficiência, privacidade e segurança de grupo conforme definido pelo consenso e consistência da transcrição.

Alternativas modernas ao Ricochet incluem Briar , Zbay e Ricochet Refresh - cada ferramenta procura otimizar para um conjunto diferente de compensações, por exemplo, Briar procura permitir que as pessoas se comuniquem mesmo quando a infraestrutura de rede subjacente está inoperante, ao mesmo tempo que fornece resistência à vigilância de metadados.

O projeto Cwtch começou em 2017 como um protocolo de extensão para Ricochet, fornecendo conversas em grupo por meio de servidores não confiáveis, com o objetivo de permitir aplicativos descentralizados e resistentes a metadados como listas compartilhadas e quadros de avisos.

Uma versão alfa do Cwtch foi lançada em fevereiro de 2019 e, desde então, a equipe do Cwtch dirigida pela OPEN PRIVACY RESEARCH SOCIETY conduziu pesquisa e desenvolvimento em cwtch e nos protocolos, bibliotecas e espaços de problemas subjacentes.

Modelo de Risco.

Sabe-se que os metadados de comunicações são explorados por vários adversários para minar a segurança dos sistemas, para rastrear vítimas e para realizar análises de redes sociais em grande escala para alimentar a vigilância em massa. As ferramentas resistentes a metadados estão em sua infância e faltam pesquisas sobre a construção e a experiência do usuário de tais ferramentas.

https://nostrcheck.me/media/public/nostrcheck.me_9475702740746681051707662826.webp

O Cwtch foi originalmente concebido como uma extensão do protocolo Ricochet resistente a metadados para suportar comunicações assíncronas de grupos multiponto por meio do uso de infraestrutura anônima, descartável e não confiável.

Desde então, o Cwtch evoluiu para um protocolo próprio. Esta seção descreverá os vários riscos conhecidos que o Cwtch tenta mitigar e será fortemente referenciado no restante do documento ao discutir os vários subcomponentes da Arquitetura Cwtch.

Modelo de ameaça.

É importante identificar e compreender que os metadados são omnipresentes nos protocolos de comunicação; é de facto necessário que tais protocolos funcionem de forma eficiente e em escala. No entanto, as informações que são úteis para facilitar peers e servidores também são altamente relevantes para adversários que desejam explorar tais informações.

Para a definição do nosso problema, assumiremos que o conteúdo de uma comunicação é criptografado de tal forma que um adversário é praticamente incapaz de quebrá-lo veja tapir e cwtch para detalhes sobre a criptografia que usamos, e como tal nos concentraremos em o contexto para os metadados de comunicação.

Procuramos proteger os seguintes contextos de comunicação:

• Quem está envolvido em uma comunicação? Pode ser possível identificar pessoas ou simplesmente identificadores de dispositivos ou redes. Por exemplo, “esta comunicação envolve Alice, uma jornalista, e Bob, um funcionário público”.

• Onde estão os participantes da conversa? Por exemplo, “durante esta comunicação, Alice estava na França e Bob estava no Canadá”.

• Quando ocorreu uma conversa? O momento e a duração da comunicação podem revelar muito sobre a natureza de uma chamada, por exemplo, “Bob, um funcionário público, conversou com Alice ao telefone por uma hora ontem à noite. Esta é a primeira vez que eles se comunicam.” *Como a conversa foi mediada? O fato de uma conversa ter ocorrido por meio de um e-mail criptografado ou não criptografado pode fornecer informações úteis. Por exemplo, “Alice enviou um e-mail criptografado para Bob ontem, enquanto eles normalmente enviam apenas e-mails de texto simples um para o outro”.

• Sobre o que é a conversa? Mesmo que o conteúdo da comunicação seja criptografado, às vezes é possível derivar um contexto provável de uma conversa sem saber exatamente o que é dito, por exemplo, “uma pessoa ligou para uma pizzaria na hora do jantar” ou “alguém ligou para um número conhecido de linha direta de suicídio na hora do jantar”. 3 horas da manhã."

Além das conversas individuais, também procuramos defender-nos contra ataques de correlação de contexto, através dos quais múltiplas conversas são analisadas para obter informações de nível superior:

• Relacionamentos: Descobrir relações sociais entre um par de entidades analisando a frequência e a duração de suas comunicações durante um período de tempo. Por exemplo, Carol e Eve ligam uma para a outra todos os dias durante várias horas seguidas.

• Cliques: Descobrir relações sociais entre um grupo de entidades que interagem entre si. Por exemplo, Alice, Bob e Eva se comunicam entre si.

• Grupos vagamente conectados e indivíduos-ponte: descobrir grupos que se comunicam entre si através de intermediários, analisando cadeias de comunicação (por exemplo, toda vez que Alice fala com Bob, ela fala com Carol quase imediatamente depois; Bob e Carol nunca se comunicam).

• Padrão de Vida: Descobrir quais comunicações são cíclicas e previsíveis. Por exemplo, Alice liga para Eve toda segunda-feira à noite por cerca de uma hora. Ataques Ativos

Ataques de deturpação.

O Cwtch não fornece registro global de nomes de exibição e, como tal, as pessoas que usam o Cwtch são mais vulneráveis ​​a ataques baseados em declarações falsas, ou seja, pessoas que fingem ser outras pessoas:

O fluxo básico de um desses ataques é o seguinte, embora também existam outros fluxos:

•Alice tem um amigo chamado Bob e outro chamado Eve

• Eve descobre que Alice tem um amigo chamado Bob

• Eve cria milhares de novas contas para encontrar uma que tenha uma imagem/chave pública semelhante à de Bob (não será idêntica, mas pode enganar alguém por alguns minutos)

• Eve chama essa nova conta de "Eve New Account" e adiciona Alice como amiga.

• Eve então muda seu nome em "Eve New Account" para "Bob"

• Alice envia mensagens destinadas a "Bob" para a conta falsa de Bob de Eve Como os ataques de declarações falsas são inerentemente uma questão de confiança e verificação, a única maneira absoluta de evitá-los é os usuários validarem absolutamente a chave pública. Obviamente, isso não é o ideal e, em muitos casos, simplesmente não acontecerá .

Como tal, pretendemos fornecer algumas dicas de experiência do usuário na interface do usuário para orientar as pessoas na tomada de decisões sobre confiar em contas e/ou distinguir contas que possam estar tentando se representar como outros usuários.

Uma nota sobre ataques físicos A Cwtch não considera ataques que exijam acesso físico (ou equivalente) à máquina do usuário como praticamente defensáveis. No entanto, no interesse de uma boa engenharia de segurança, ao longo deste documento ainda nos referiremos a ataques ou condições que exigem tal privilégio e indicaremos onde quaisquer mitigações que implementámos falharão.

Um perfil Cwtch.

Os usuários podem criar um ou mais perfis Cwtch. Cada perfil gera um par de chaves ed25519 aleatório compatível com Tor.

Além do material criptográfico, um perfil também contém uma lista de Contatos (outras chaves públicas do perfil Cwtch + dados associados sobre esse perfil, como apelido e (opcionalmente) mensagens históricas), uma lista de Grupos (contendo o material criptográfico do grupo, além de outros dados associados, como apelido do grupo e mensagens históricas).

Conversões entre duas partes: ponto a ponto

https://nostrcheck.me/media/public/nostrcheck.me_2186338207587396891707662879.webp

Para que duas partes participem de uma conversa ponto a ponto, ambas devem estar on-line, mas apenas uma precisa estar acessível por meio do serviço Onion. Por uma questão de clareza, muitas vezes rotulamos uma parte como “ponto de entrada” (aquele que hospeda o serviço cebola) e a outra parte como “ponto de saída” (aquele que se conecta ao serviço cebola).

Após a conexão, ambas as partes adotam um protocolo de autenticação que:

• Afirma que cada parte tem acesso à chave privada associada à sua identidade pública.

• Gera uma chave de sessão efêmera usada para criptografar todas as comunicações futuras durante a sessão.

Esta troca (documentada com mais detalhes no protocolo de autenticação ) é negável offline , ou seja, é possível para qualquer parte falsificar transcrições desta troca de protocolo após o fato e, como tal - após o fato - é impossível provar definitivamente que a troca aconteceu de forma alguma.

Após o protocolo de autenticação, as duas partes podem trocar mensagens livremente.

Conversas em Grupo e Comunicação Ponto a Servidor

Ao iniciar uma conversa em grupo, é gerada uma chave aleatória para o grupo, conhecida como Group Key. Todas as comunicações do grupo são criptografadas usando esta chave. Além disso, o criador do grupo escolhe um servidor Cwtch para hospedar o grupo. Um convite é gerado, incluindo o Group Key, o servidor do grupo e a chave do grupo, para ser enviado aos potenciais membros.

Para enviar uma mensagem ao grupo, um perfil se conecta ao servidor do grupo e criptografa a mensagem usando a Group Key, gerando também uma assinatura sobre o Group ID, o servidor do grupo e a mensagem. Para receber mensagens do grupo, um perfil se conecta ao servidor e baixa as mensagens, tentando descriptografá-las usando a Group Key e verificando a assinatura.

Detalhamento do Ecossistema de Componentes

O Cwtch é composto por várias bibliotecas de componentes menores, cada uma desempenhando um papel específico. Algumas dessas bibliotecas incluem:

• abertoprivacidade/conectividade: Abstração de rede ACN, atualmente suportando apenas Tor.
• cwtch.im/tapir: Biblioteca para construção de aplicativos p2p em sistemas de comunicação anônimos.
• cwtch.im/cwtch: Biblioteca principal para implementação do protocolo/sistema Cwtch.
• cwtch.im/libcwtch-go: Fornece ligações C para Cwtch para uso em implementações de UI.

TAPIR: Uma Visão Detalhada

Projetado para substituir os antigos canais de ricochete baseados em protobuf, o Tapir fornece uma estrutura para a construção de aplicativos anônimos.

Está dividido em várias camadas:

• Identidade - Um par de chaves ed25519, necessário para estabelecer um serviço cebola Tor v3 e usado para manter uma identidade criptográfica consistente para um par.

• Conexões – O protocolo de rede bruto que conecta dois pares. Até agora, as conexões são definidas apenas através do Tor v3 Onion Services.

• Aplicativos - As diversas lógicas que permitem um determinado fluxo de informações em uma conexão. Os exemplos incluem transcrições criptográficas compartilhadas, autenticação, proteção contra spam e serviços baseados em tokens. Os aplicativos fornecem recursos que podem ser referenciados por outros aplicativos para determinar se um determinado peer tem a capacidade de usar um determinado aplicativo hospedado.

• Pilhas de aplicativos - Um mecanismo para conectar mais de um aplicativo, por exemplo, a autenticação depende de uma transcrição criptográfica compartilhada e o aplicativo peer cwtch principal é baseado no aplicativo de autenticação.

Identidade.

Um par de chaves ed25519, necessário para estabelecer um serviço cebola Tor v3 e usado para manter uma identidade criptográfica consistente para um peer.

InitializeIdentity - de um par de chaves conhecido e persistente:i,I

InitializeEphemeralIdentity - de um par de chaves aleatório: ie,Ie

Aplicativos de transcrição.

Inicializa uma transcrição criptográfica baseada em Merlin que pode ser usada como base de protocolos baseados em compromisso de nível superior

O aplicativo de transcrição entrará em pânico se um aplicativo tentar substituir uma transcrição existente por uma nova (aplicando a regra de que uma sessão é baseada em uma e apenas uma transcrição).

Merlin é uma construção de transcrição baseada em STROBE para provas de conhecimento zero. Ele automatiza a transformação Fiat-Shamir, para que, usando Merlin, protocolos não interativos possam ser implementados como se fossem interativos.

Isto é significativamente mais fácil e menos sujeito a erros do que realizar a transformação manualmente e, além disso, também fornece suporte natural para:

• protocolos multi-round com fases alternadas de commit e desafio;

• separação natural de domínios, garantindo que os desafios estejam vinculados às afirmações a serem provadas;

• enquadramento automático de mensagens, evitando codificação ambígua de dados de compromisso;

• e composição do protocolo, usando uma transcrição comum para vários protocolos.

Finalmente, o Merlin também fornece um gerador de números aleatórios baseado em transcrição como defesa profunda contra ataques de entropia ruim (como reutilização de nonce ou preconceito em muitas provas). Este RNG fornece aleatoriedade sintética derivada de toda a transcrição pública, bem como dos dados da testemunha do provador e uma entrada auxiliar de um RNG externo.

Conectividade Cwtch faz uso do Tor Onion Services (v3) para todas as comunicações entre nós.

Fornecemos o pacote openprivacy/connectivity para gerenciar o daemon Tor e configurar e desmontar serviços cebola através do Tor.

Criptografia e armazenamento de perfil.

Os perfis são armazenados localmente no disco e criptografados usando uma chave derivada de uma senha conhecida pelo usuário (via pbkdf2).

Observe que, uma vez criptografado e armazenado em disco, a única maneira de recuperar um perfil é recuperando a senha - como tal, não é possível fornecer uma lista completa de perfis aos quais um usuário pode ter acesso até inserir uma senha.

Perfis não criptografados e a senha padrão Para lidar com perfis "não criptografados" (ou seja, que não exigem senha para serem abertos), atualmente criamos um perfil com uma senha codificada de fato .

Isso não é o ideal, preferiríamos confiar no material de chave fornecido pelo sistema operacional, de modo que o perfil fosse vinculado a um dispositivo específico, mas esses recursos são atualmente uma colcha de retalhos - também notamos, ao criar um perfil não criptografado, pessoas que usam Cwtch estão explicitamente optando pelo risco de que alguém com acesso ao sistema de arquivos possa descriptografar seu perfil.

Vulnerabilidades Relacionadas a Imagens e Entrada de Dados

Imagens Maliciosas

O Cwtch enfrenta desafios na renderização de imagens, com o Flutter utilizando Skia, embora o código subjacente não seja totalmente seguro para a memória.

Realizamos testes de fuzzing nos componentes Cwtch e encontramos um bug de travamento causado por um arquivo GIF malformado, levando a falhas no kernel. Para mitigar isso, adotamos a política de sempre habilitar cacheWidth e/ou cacheHeight máximo para widgets de imagem.

Identificamos o risco de imagens maliciosas serem renderizadas de forma diferente em diferentes plataformas, como evidenciado por um bug no analisador PNG da Apple.

Riscos de Entrada de Dados

Um risco significativo é a interceptação de conteúdo ou metadados por meio de um Input Method Editor (IME) em dispositivos móveis. Mesmo aplicativos IME padrão podem expor dados por meio de sincronização na nuvem, tradução online ou dicionários pessoais.

Implementamos medidas de mitigação, como enableIMEPersonalizedLearning: false no Cwtch 1.2, mas a solução completa requer ações em nível de sistema operacional e é um desafio contínuo para a segurança móvel.

Servidor Cwtch.

O objetivo do protocolo Cwtch é permitir a comunicação em grupo através de infraestrutura não confiável .

Ao contrário dos esquemas baseados em retransmissão, onde os grupos atribuem um líder, um conjunto de líderes ou um servidor confiável de terceiros para garantir que cada membro do grupo possa enviar e receber mensagens em tempo hábil (mesmo que os membros estejam offline) - infraestrutura não confiável tem o objetivo de realizar essas propriedades sem a suposição de confiança.

O artigo original do Cwtch definia um conjunto de propriedades que se esperava que os servidores Cwtch fornecessem:

• O Cwtch Server pode ser usado por vários grupos ou apenas um.

• Um servidor Cwtch, sem a colaboração de um membro do grupo, nunca deve aprender a identidade dos participantes de um grupo.

• Um servidor Cwtch nunca deve aprender o conteúdo de qualquer comunicação.

• Um servidor Cwtch nunca deve ser capaz de distinguir mensagens como pertencentes a um grupo específico. Observamos aqui que essas propriedades são um superconjunto dos objetivos de design das estruturas de Recuperação de Informações Privadas.

Melhorias na Eficiência e Segurança

Eficiência do Protocolo

Atualmente, apenas um protocolo conhecido, o PIR ingênuo, atende às propriedades desejadas para garantir a privacidade na comunicação do grupo Cwtch. Este método tem um impacto direto na eficiência da largura de banda, especialmente para usuários em dispositivos móveis. Em resposta a isso, estamos ativamente desenvolvendo novos protocolos que permitem negociar garantias de privacidade e eficiência de maneiras diversas.

Os servidores, no momento desta escrita, permitem o download completo de todas as mensagens armazenadas, bem como uma solicitação para baixar mensagens específicas a partir de uma determinada mensagem. Quando os pares ingressam em um grupo em um novo servidor, eles baixam todas as mensagens do servidor inicialmente e, posteriormente, apenas as mensagens novas.

Mitigação de Análise de Metadados

Essa abordagem permite uma análise moderada de metadados, pois o servidor pode enviar novas mensagens para cada perfil suspeito exclusivo e usar essas assinaturas de mensagens exclusivas para rastrear sessões ao longo do tempo. Essa preocupação é mitigada por dois fatores:

1. Os perfis podem atualizar suas conexões a qualquer momento, resultando em uma nova sessão do servidor.
2. Os perfis podem ser "ressincronizados" de um servidor a qualquer momento, resultando em uma nova chamada para baixar todas as mensagens. Isso é comumente usado para buscar mensagens antigas de um grupo.

Embora essas medidas imponham limites ao que o servidor pode inferir, ainda não podemos garantir resistência total aos metadados. Para soluções futuras para esse problema, consulte Niwl.

Proteção contra Pares Maliciosos

Os servidores enfrentam o risco de spam gerado por pares, representando uma ameaça significativa à eficácia do sistema Cwtch. Embora tenhamos implementado um mecanismo de proteção contra spam no protótipo do Cwtch, exigindo que os pares realizem alguma prova de trabalho especificada pelo servidor, reconhecemos que essa não é uma solução robusta na presença de um adversário determinado com recursos significativos.

Pacotes de Chaves

Os servidores Cwtch se identificam por meio de pacotes de chaves assinados, contendo uma lista de chaves necessárias para garantir a segurança e resistência aos metadados na comunicação do grupo Cwtch. Esses pacotes de chaves geralmente incluem três chaves: uma chave pública do serviço Tor v3 Onion para o Token Board, uma chave pública do Tor v3 Onion Service para o Token Service e uma chave pública do Privacy Pass.

Para verificar os pacotes de chaves, os perfis que os importam do servidor utilizam o algoritmo trust-on-first-use (TOFU), verificando a assinatura anexada e a existência de todos os tipos de chave. Se o perfil já tiver importado o pacote de chaves do servidor anteriormente, todas as chaves são consideradas iguais.

Configuração prévia do aplicativo para ativar o Relé do Cwtch.

No Android, a hospedagem de servidor não está habilitada, pois essa opção não está disponível devido às limitações dos dispositivos Android. Essa funcionalidade está reservada apenas para servidores hospedados em desktops.

No Android, a única forma direta de importar uma chave de servidor é através do grupo de teste Cwtch, garantindo assim acesso ao servidor Cwtch.

Primeiro passo é Habilitar a opção de grupo no Cwtch que está em fase de testes. Clique na opção no canto superior direito da tela de configuração e pressione o botão para acessar as configurações do Cwtch.

Você pode alterar o idioma para Português do Brasil.Depois, role para baixo e selecione a opção para ativar os experimentos. Em seguida, ative a opção para habilitar o chat em grupo e a pré-visualização de imagens e fotos de perfil, permitindo que você troque sua foto de perfil.

https://link.storjshare.io/raw/jvss6zxle26jdguwaegtjdixhfka/production/f0ca039733d48895001261ab25c5d2efbaf3bf26e55aad3cce406646f9af9d15.MP4

Próximo passo é Criar um perfil.

Pressione o + botão de ação no canto inferior direito e selecione "Novo perfil" ou aberta no botão + adicionar novo perfil.

• Selecione um nome de exibição

• Selecione se deseja proteger

este perfil e salvo localmente com criptografia forte: Senha: sua conta está protegida de outras pessoas que possam usar este dispositivo

Sem senha: qualquer pessoa que tenha acesso a este dispositivo poderá acessar este perfil.

Preencha sua senha e digite-a novamente

Os perfis são armazenados localmente no disco e criptografados usando uma chave derivada de uma senha conhecida pelo usuário (via pbkdf2).

Observe que, uma vez criptografado e armazenado em disco, a única maneira de recuperar um perfil é recuperando a chave da senha - como tal, não é possível fornecer uma lista completa de perfis aos quais um usuário pode ter acesso até inserir um senha.

https://link.storjshare.io/raw/jxqbqmur2lcqe2eym5thgz4so2ya/production/8f9df1372ec7e659180609afa48be22b12109ae5e1eda9ef1dc05c1325652507.MP4

O próximo passo é adicionar o FuzzBot, que é um bot de testes e de desenvolvimento.

Contato do FuzzBot: 4y2hxlxqzautabituedksnh2ulcgm2coqbure6wvfpg4gi2ci25ta5ad.

Ao enviar o comando "testgroup-invite" para o FuzzBot, você receberá um convite para entrar no Grupo Cwtch Test. Ao ingressar no grupo, você será automaticamente conectado ao servidor Cwtch. Você pode optar por sair do grupo a qualquer momento ou ficar para conversar e tirar dúvidas sobre o aplicativo e outros assuntos. Depois, você pode configurar seu próprio servidor Cwtch, o que é altamente recomendável.

https://link.storjshare.io/raw/jvji25zclkoqcouni5decle7if7a/production/ee3de3540a3e3dca6e6e26d303e12c2ef892a5d7769029275b8b95ffc7468780.MP4

Agora você pode utilizar o aplicativo normalmente. Algumas observações que notei: se houver demora na conexão com outra pessoa, ambas devem estar online. Se ainda assim a conexão não for estabelecida, basta clicar no ícone de reset do Tor para restabelecer a conexão com a outra pessoa.

Uma introdução aos perfis Cwtch.

Com Cwtch você pode criar um ou mais perfis . Cada perfil gera um par de chaves ed25519 aleatório compatível com a Rede Tor.

Este é o identificador que você pode fornecer às pessoas e que elas podem usar para entrar em contato com você via Cwtch.

Cwtch permite criar e gerenciar vários perfis separados. Cada perfil está associado a um par de chaves diferente que inicia um serviço cebola diferente.

Gerenciar Na inicialização, o Cwtch abrirá a tela Gerenciar Perfis. Nessa tela você pode:

• Crie um novo perfil.
• Desbloquear perfis.
• Criptografados existentes.
• Gerenciar perfis carregados.
• Alterando o nome de exibição de um perfil.
• Alterando a senha de um perfil Excluindo um perfil.
• Alterando uma imagem de perfil.

Backup ou exportação de um perfil.

Na tela de gerenciamento de perfil:

1. Selecione o lápis ao lado do perfil que você deseja editar

2. Role para baixo até a parte inferior da tela.

3. Selecione "Exportar perfil"

4. Escolha um local e um nome de arquivo.

5.confirme.

Uma vez confirmado, o Cwtch colocará uma cópia do perfil no local indicado. Este arquivo é criptografado no mesmo nível do perfil.

Este arquivo pode ser importado para outra instância do Cwtch em qualquer dispositivo.

Importando um perfil.

1. Pressione o +botão de ação no canto inferior direito e selecione "Importar perfil"

2. Selecione um arquivo de perfil Cwtch exportado para importar

3. Digite a senha associada ao perfil e confirme.

Uma vez confirmado, o Cwtch tentará descriptografar o arquivo fornecido usando uma chave derivada da senha fornecida. Se for bem-sucedido, o perfil aparecerá na tela Gerenciamento de perfil e estará pronto para uso.

OBSERVAÇÃO Embora um perfil possa ser importado para vários dispositivos, atualmente apenas uma versão de um perfil pode ser usada em todos os dispositivos ao mesmo tempo. As tentativas de usar o mesmo perfil em vários dispositivos podem resultar em problemas de disponibilidade e falhas de mensagens.

Qual é a diferença entre uma conexão ponto a ponto e um grupo cwtch?

As conexões ponto a ponto Cwtch permitem que 2 pessoas troquem mensagens diretamente. As conexões ponto a ponto nos bastidores usam serviços cebola Tor v3 para fornecer uma conexão criptografada e resistente a metadados. Devido a esta conexão direta, ambas as partes precisam estar online ao mesmo tempo para trocar mensagens.

Os Grupos Cwtch permitem que várias partes participem de uma única conversa usando um servidor não confiável (que pode ser fornecido por terceiros ou auto-hospedado). Os operadores de servidores não conseguem saber quantas pessoas estão em um grupo ou o que está sendo discutido. Se vários grupos estiverem hospedados em um único servidor, o servidor não conseguirá saber quais mensagens pertencem a qual grupo sem a conivência de um membro do grupo. Ao contrário das conversas entre pares, as conversas em grupo podem ser conduzidas de forma assíncrona, para que todos num grupo não precisem estar online ao mesmo tempo.

Por que os grupos cwtch são experimentais? Mensagens em grupo resistentes a metadados ainda são um problema em aberto . Embora a versão que fornecemos no Cwtch Beta seja projetada para ser segura e com metadados privados, ela é bastante ineficiente e pode ser mal utilizada. Como tal, aconselhamos cautela ao usá-lo e apenas o fornecemos como um recurso opcional.

Como posso executar meu próprio servidor Cwtch? A implementação de referência para um servidor Cwtch é de código aberto . Qualquer pessoa pode executar um servidor Cwtch, e qualquer pessoa com uma cópia do pacote de chaves públicas do servidor pode hospedar grupos nesse servidor sem que o operador tenha acesso aos metadados relacionados ao grupo .

https://git.openprivacy.ca/cwtch.im/server

https://docs.openprivacy.ca/cwtch-security-handbook/server.html

Como posso desligar o Cwtch? O painel frontal do aplicativo possui um ícone do botão "Shutdown Cwtch" (com um 'X'). Pressionar este botão irá acionar uma caixa de diálogo e, na confirmação, o Cwtch será desligado e todos os perfis serão descarregados.

Suas doações podem fazer a diferença no projeto Cwtch? O Cwtch é um projeto dedicado a construir aplicativos que preservam a privacidade, oferecendo comunicação de grupo resistente a metadados. Além disso, o projeto também desenvolve o Cofre, formulários da web criptografados para ajudar mútua segura. Suas contribuições apoiam iniciativas importantes, como a divulgação de violações de dados médicos em Vancouver e pesquisas sobre a segurança do voto eletrônico na Suíça. Ao doar, você está ajudando a fechar o ciclo, trabalhando com comunidades marginalizadas para identificar e corrigir lacunas de privacidade. Além disso, o projeto trabalha em soluções inovadoras, como a quebra de segredos através da criptografia de limite para proteger sua privacidade durante passagens de fronteira. E também tem a infraestrutura: toda nossa infraestrutura é open source e sem fins lucrativos. Conheça também o Fuzzytags, uma estrutura criptográfica probabilística para marcação resistente a metadados. Sua doação é crucial para continuar o trabalho em prol da privacidade e segurança online. Contribua agora com sua doação

https://openprivacy.ca/donate/

onde você pode fazer sua doação em bitcoin e outras moedas, e saiba mais sobre os projetos. https://openprivacy.ca/work/

Link sobre Cwtch

https://cwtch.im/

https://git.openprivacy.ca/cwtch.im/cwtch

https://docs.cwtch.im/docs/intro

https://docs.openprivacy.ca/cwtch-security-handbook/

Baixar #CwtchDev

cwtch.im/download/

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=im.cwtch.flwtch

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

I’ve been studying a lot about end times prophecy because so much seems to be coming together and I believe our time left is short. I’m listening to a sermon series on Daniel and another on Revelation. I’m doing a Bible study on Revelation with the ladies at my church. In general I think our women’s Bible study curriculum is too focused on symbology and isn’t focused enough on what Revelation means for us and our future, but it has been good at pointing me at verses that have clarified my understanding of Revelation.

When trying to understand end times, I keep going back to “Who is Babylon the Great?” As I’ve been reading, I’ve been seeing things that may be clues. I’ll admit that I am not 100% certain in my interpretations, so I’m open to other interpretations and I don’t want anyone to take what I have to say as set in stone. That being said, when I consider what is happening in the world today and what Scripture predicts, the ideas I am about to present really seems to make sense. Hopefully this study will be useful to you even if you don’t agree with my conclusions. I do try to back all of my speculation with Scripture.

Revelation 17-18

I’ve always read Scripture and wondered, “Why is the US not mentioned?” I’ve usually assumed the US has to either be made unimportant on the world stage or be broken up into smaller countries (which is believable with how divided the nation has become). I’m now starting to wonder if the US is mentioned in end times prophecy, but I didn’t see it because it isn’t how I want to think of my country.

And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality, and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (Revelation 17: 3-5)

When reading this passage, the first thought is who or what is “Babylon the Great?” Is it a reincarnation of historical Babylon? Historical Babylon was situated in the center of what is modern Iraq. Does that make sense? It doesn’t to me. Is “Babylon the Great” just a figurative representation of evil? I don’t think so, because there are too many references to literal things for that to make sense. Is “Babylon the Great” a different city or nation? I believe this is the most probably interpretation.

And he said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled. The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:15-18) {emphasis mine}

Revelation talks of ten horns, being ten kings/kingdoms, that will then hand their authority over to the beast to rule the whole world. Do the ten kings, who give their kingdoms to the beast turn on Babylon because Babylon doesn’t want to submit to the Beast’s worldwide kingdom, but retain her own power? This passage sounds like the 10 horns and the beast will turn on “Babylon the Great” because Babylon will not join the beast’s system. Will it not join because it hates evil? Definitely not! Babylon is referred to as a harlot. The previous passage says, Babylon has “in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality,” and that Babylon is “THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Why would Babylon the Great not join the rest of this evil cohort? Would it be that Babylon the Great was the world’s only super power and it doesn’t want to give up that power? Now that sounds very believable.

Now I put forth this premise that I don’t want to be true. What world super power currently exists that is resisting joining in a one world government? That sounds a lot like the US, but let us continue to see if this similarity becomes more obvious.

And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.”

I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.’ For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong. (Revelation 18:2-8) {emphasis mine}

Every time I read Revelation 18, I become more convinced that Babylon the Great is likely to be the US.

Let’s start with “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her.” The US has used its wealth and power to influence nearly every nation in the world. The US gives “aid,” but always with strings attached. They’ll give aid if the nation will support gay marriage. They’ll give aid if the nation will encourage gender transitions. They’ll give aid if the nation will join in a war against a nation that doesn’t do what the US tells it to do. This money for immorality is rampant, but not obvious to everyone because the media doesn’t advertise these actions.

“and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.” The US is known for her excesses. The government overspends. Her businesses overspend. Her citizens overspend and they believe they are in absolute poverty if they don’t have a car for every adult, a cell phone for everyone over 6, high speed internet, big screen TVs, etc. Even most of the poor in the US have no idea what real poverty looks like. The US buys tons of stuff from nations around the world and the “merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.” Has there ever been a nation throughout all of history that lived so extravagantly?

In the previous passage in Revelation 17, it states, “in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality.” Could the golden cup be a reference to all of the blessings given to the US since her founding and how the US was founded on Biblical principles, but instead of using the spiritual, geographic, and economic blessings, the US turned to “abominations and of the unclean things,” all of the evils now pushed by the US government, US schools, and US media?

Sadly, “God has remembered her iniquities,” and “To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning.” How much does this following verse sound like the US government and US citizens? “I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.” They can’t comprehend that the US will ever be anything other than the most powerful nation in the world — militarily, economically, and even morally.

When Babylon the Great is destroyed, Revelation 18 states:

“And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more— cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble, and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives. The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them. The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls; for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!’ And every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance, and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like the great city?’ And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’ (Revelation 18:11-19) {emphasis mine}

The saddest point is how Babylon the Great will be destroyed. What hints do we get? From Revelation 17, we read, “she will be burned up with fire.” From Revelation we read, “in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!”, “they saw the smoke of her burning,” and again “in one hour she has been laid waste!” What could “lay waste” a great nation “in one hour” “with fire?” If all of the nuclear nations in the world (the ten horns and the beast) turned their nuclear weapons on the US and fired simultaneously, this is exactly what you would see.

We’re going to look at another passage and see what else we can find. This next passage I had not previously associated with Babylon the Great, but now think it does refer to both historical Babylon and Babylon the Great.

Jeremiah 50-51

The prophecies in Jeremiah chapters 50 & 51 seem to be predicting two events. One has already happened (Babylon being conquered by the Persians and Israel returning home after a 70 year exile) and one that has not happened (seems to parallel Revelation and what it says about Babylon the Great). Some of the prophecies against Babylon have clearly happened when Persia conquered Babylon. Some of the prophecies here do not seem to have been fulfilled. There are numerous examples of similar situations in predictions of the coming of the Messiah that predict both the first incarnation of Jesus and the 2nd coming at the end of the age. I believe these passages fit that pattern.

Jeremiah 50 & 51 talks about the mother of Babylon and the daughter of Babylon. My theory is that the mother of Babylon is the historical Babylon on the Euphrates River that conquered Israel and took away its people. My more speculative theory is that the daughter of Babylon is the same as Babylon the Great in Revelation. I also am speculating that the evil spirits that influenced historic Babylon will be influencing Babylon the Great in the end times.

Your mother will be greatly ashamed,\ She who gave you birth will be humiliated.\ Behold, she will be the least of the nations,\ A wilderness, a parched land and a desert.\ Because of the indignation of the Lord she will not be inhabited,\ But she will be completely desolate;\ Everyone who passes by Babylon will be horrified\ And will hiss because of all her wounds.\ Draw up your battle lines against Babylon on every side,\ All you who bend the bow;\ Shoot at her, do not be sparing with your arrows,\ For she has sinned against the Lord.\ Raise your battle cry against her on every side!\ She has given herself up, her pillars have fallen,\ Her walls have been torn down.\ For this is the vengeance of the Lord:\ Take vengeance on her;\ **As she has done to others, so do to her. (Jeremiah 50:12-15) {emphasis mine}

In Revelation 17-18 we read about Babylon the Great being destroyed in an hour with fire. This passage states, “All you who bend the bow; Shoot at her, do not be sparing with your arrows.” If you were writing a prophecy about a nuclear attack, to people back in the 600s B.C., how would you write it? Would you maybe mention arrows and bows because they are shot from a distance? Does “All you who bend the bow; Shoot” suggest all nations with nuclear weapons? Maybe.

“Summon many against Babylon,\ All those who bend the bow:\ Encamp against her on every side,\ Let there be no escape.\ Repay her according to her work;\ According to all that she has done, so do to her;\ For she has become arrogant against the Lord,\ Against the Holy One of Israel.\ Therefore her young men will fall in her streets,\ And all her men of war will be silenced in that day,” declares the Lord.\ “Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,”\ Declares the Lord God of hosts,\ “For your day has come,\ The time when I will punish you.\ The arrogant one will stumble and fall\ With no one to raise him up;\ And I will set fire to his cities\ And it will devour all his environs.” (Jeremiah 50:29-32) {emphasis mine}

I’ve heard many Americans complain that the French are arrogant. They say this, because the French get upset at loud, self absorbed Americans traveling to France and expecting all of the French to speak English. Shouldn’t the people visiting a country at least make an attempt to speak the language of the nation they are visiting?

Americans are known for their arrogance. It is assumed that everyone will know what is happening in America. It is assumed that everyone will speak English to Americans. It is assumed that everyone will be best off if they have a government and culture exactly like ours. It is assumed that the US will always be the most powerful economically and militarily and that nothing we do will change that. Honestly, I don’t think it is possible for a nation to be more arrogant. As an American, I say all of this with sadness

A sword against their horses and against their chariots\ And against all the foreigners who are in the midst of her,\ And they will become women!\ A sword against her treasures, and they will be plundered!\ A drought on her waters, and they will be dried up!\ For it is a land of idols,\ And they are mad over fearsome idols. (Jeremiah 50:37-38) {emphasis mine}

Historical Babylon brought foreigners, who they conquered, back to Babylon and integrated them into their culture. The US has historically let in foreigners and integrated them into her culture. In the past, the US was referred to as a melting pot. Now the foreigners are coming in, but they frequently are not coming in legally and they are frequently not integrating into American society. Many are coming in for freebies or even to do harm to the US. Whatever the case, the division over what to do with all of the illegal aliens entering is dividing the US.

For most of my life, when I read “they will become women,” I assumed that meant the men would become weak and/or fearful, but could this refer to men actually trying to become women by chemical and surgical means? Maybe. God knew this craziness would occur. It may have surprised me, but it didn’t surprise God.

We don’t normally think of Americans as worshipping idols. They don’t normally worship a manmade statue, but they do worship idols, i.e. politicians, athletes, singers, influencers, media, and worldwide power & influence. Sadly, most Americans worship anything and everything except their creator God.

They seize their bow and javelin;\ They are cruel and have no mercy.\ Their voice roars like the sea;\ And they ride on horses,\ Marshalled like a man for the battle\ Against you, O daughter of Babylon. (Jeremiah 50:42) {emphasis mine}

This passage seems very similar to the Revelation 17:15-18. Many nations will attack from a distance, with “bow and javelin.” They will be “cruel and have no mercy … Against you, O daughter of Babylon.” By referring to “daughter of Babylon,” I believe this passage is not referring to historical Babylon, but a nation yet to come, that I am suggesting may be the US.

I will dispatch foreigners to Babylon that they may winnow her\ And may devastate her land;\ For on every side they will be opposed to her\ In the day of her calamity. (Jeremiah 51:2) {emphasis mine}

Could this passage mean the US will be attacked from within by the mass of foreigners in her land while her enemies from beyond her borders attack militarily and economically? Maybe. We do have illegal aliens, illegally entering the nation and being provided for with the hard earned money of American taxpayers to the point of bringing the economy to the breaking point.

Flee from the midst of Babylon,\ And each of you save his life!\ Do not be destroyed in her punishment,\ For this is the Lord’s time of vengeance;\ He is going to render recompense to her.\ *Babylon has been a golden cup in the hand of the Lord*,\ Intoxicating all the earth.\ The nations have drunk of her wine;\ Therefore the nations are going mad**. (Jeremiah 51:6-7) {emphasis mine}

When I read “The nations have drunk of her wine; Therefore the nations are going mad,” I think of how the nations submit to the insane requests made by the US if the nations want her money, loans, weapons, and friendship. So many of the ungodly evils in our nation are pushed on the nations of the globe through American aid and sanctions. Many nations have turned to promoting anti-God actions in order to receive US aid and protection.

I hate thinking this about my nation. I hate seeing what was started as a God fearing nation based on good principles become the largest purveyor of evil in the world. I don’t want the US to be Babylon the Great, but it at least has a lot in common with Babylon the Great.

One thing I’ve noticed in many of the passages in Revelation and in Jeremiah is the command, “Flee from the midst of Babylon, and each of you save his life!” If America is Babylon the Great, at what point would we be called to flee her? Is the call a call to Christians, or is it a call to Jewish people to return to Israel? There have been many Jews leaving the US (and other nations) to move to Israel because of severe antisemitism, but could this call be a call to all who believe in the one true God?

We applied healing to Babylon, but she was not healed;\ Forsake her and let us each go to his own country,\ For her judgment has reached to heaven\ And towers up to the very skies. (Jeremiah 51:9) {emphasis mine}

Now I will give my most speculative and least certain assumption. If the tribulation is near, if the US is Babylon the Great, and if this passage in Jeremiah is referring to the same Babylon discussed in Revelation, what is this “applied healing?” The US has been turning completely away from God. It has been promoting evil as good and calling good “evil.” We just had an election where the American people rejected this radical evil and claim to want to go back to healthier, more sane America. Could the “applied healing to Babylon” be the election of Donald Trump (I am not saying he is anything close to a savior)?

I was just listening to a sermon by R.C. Sproul entitled “Jesus Heals Many.” In it he commented that Jesus was healing many, then went off alone to pray, was reprimanded by His disciples for leaving when so many people were seeking healing, and then Jesus told them He was leaving for another town to preach His message. Jesus was there to share the Gospel, not to just play doctor. Most of the people following Jesus weren’t doing it because they believed He was God, nor were they doing it because they thought He taught the truth; they were following Him to get personal healing. Jesus was their magic genie. They only wanted Him as much as He gave them what they wanted. They didn’t care about what they actually needed or what Jesus demanded.

In the same way, Richard Dawkins, one of the most famous atheists in the world, recently lamented the loss of Christian culture. He enjoyed the loving attitudes, the Christmas spirit, the honesty, etc., but didn’t actually want anything to do with Jesus. Is God offering a moment of reprieve for us to turn back to Him? Do the people only want the Christian culture and Christian blessing without the repentance and without making Jesus Lord? Is this why we will not be healed?

No matter how much people want him to be, Trump is not a real savior and won’t be able to fix most of what ails America. Sadly most people want a return to God’s blessing, but they aren’t willing to repent and submit to the true Savior.

I don’t know if this was what God was trying to communicate to us from more than two millennia ago, but I do think it is something we need to consider. Are we longing for the Christian culture and the blessings that come with it, while being unwilling to accept and submit to the Jesus through whom all of these blessings come?

Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers!\ The Lord has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes,\ Because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it;\ For it is the vengeance of the Lord, vengeance for His temple. (Jeremiah 51:11) {emphasis mine}

Now this passage may only refer to historical Babylon and it being conquered by the Medes and Persians. I do find it interesting that the nation of the Medes1 were located in what is now Iran, East Turkey, and Afghanistan. There are many experts saying Iran has everything needed to make several nuclear weapons and they already have the missiles needed to launch them. Iran hates and wants to destroy Israel and the US and is now afraid due to the election of Trump and the people he is nominating for Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, and Ambassador to Israel. Could this passage refer to Iran completing the creation of nuclear weapons in order to attack the US? Maybe.

Lift up a signal against the walls of Babylon;\ Post a strong guard,\ Station sentries,\ Place men in ambush!\ For the Lord has both purposed and performed\ What He spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.\ O you who dwell by many waters,\ *Abundant in treasures*,\ Your end has come**,\ The measure of your end. (Jeremiah 51:12-13) {emphasis mine}

Although historical Babylon was rich and was located between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers and had many canals for watering the land, this also sounds like the US. The US is between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans with the Gulf of Mexico to the South. It is full of large, navigable rivers. There has never been a nation as rich and with as many treasures as the US. Once again, I’m not positive, but it would be a great description for the US.

The portion of Jacob is not like these;\ For the Maker of all is He,\ And of the tribe of His inheritance;\ The Lord of hosts is His name.\ He says, “You are My war-club, My weapon of war;\ And with you I shatter nations,\ And with you I destroy kingdoms. (Jeremiah 51:19-20) {emphasis mine}

This passage is less explicit, but still, I can very much see God saying of the US, “You are My war-club, My weapon of war; and with you I shatter nations.”

“But I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all their evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes,” declares the Lord.\ “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain,\ Who destroys the whole earth,” declares the Lord,\ “And I will stretch out My hand against you,\ And roll you down from the crags,\ And I will make you a burnt out mountain.\ They will not take from you even a stone for a corner\ Nor a stone for foundations,\ But you will be desolate forever,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 51:24-26) {emphasis mine}

I am currently reading a book, “Eye to Eye,” that goes through the actions of Bush Sr, Clinton, and Bush Jr to divide Israel into a two state solution and the natural disasters in America that happened within days of each of the US’s major actions. Will the US help divide Israel leading to her destruction? Has there ever been a nation throughout history that you could really say, “O destroying mountain, who destroys the whole earth?” Before modern times, the empires didn’t affect the whole earth. Great Britain did have influence on the majority of it, but I don’t think you could call it a “destroying mountain” or say it “destroys the whole earth.” The US truly influences every nation on earth, through aid/sanctions and through threat of force.

Once again we see a reference to fire, “I will make you a burnt out mountain.” Will US hegemony be destroyed by a nuclear attack? What else could make it, or any other nation, into “a burnt out mountain.”

The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting,\ They stay in the strongholds;\ Their strength is exhausted,\ They are becoming like women;\ Their dwelling places are set on fire,\ The bars of her gates are broken. (Jeremiah 51:30) {emphasis mine}

Is the reason we don’t see the US in end times prophecy because it has “ceased fighting,” stays “in the strongholds,” “is exhausted,” (especially financially) is “becoming like women,” (literally?) and finally “Their dwelling places are set on fire?”(nuclear?)

It makes sense, but it is also possible I am reading too much into it. Even if the US isn’t THE Babylon the Great, just as there are antichrists and THE AntiChrist, I think the US is at least a form of Babylon.

Indeed Babylon is to fall for the slain of Israel,\ As also for Babylon the slain of all the earth have fallen.\ You who have escaped the sword,\ Depart! Do not stay!\ Remember the Lord from afar,\ And let Jerusalem come to your mind*. (Jeremiah 49-50) {emphasis mine}

Once again, I wonder, if this refers to all who trust God or if this call is specifically for the Jews. I don’t feel confident in the answer, but will continue to study Scripture and listen to the Holy Spirit.

Whether you agree or disagree with my conclusions and speculations, I hope this article has made you think and blessed you. I’d love feedback, especially if you have Scripture that either supports or denies my conclusions.

Because end times prophecy is not as clear as the historical parts of the Bible, I know my interpretations have changed as the world has changed and I see how God’s word may be fulfilled. I do believe my understanding is getting closer and closer to what God is trying to tell us as I see things that made zero sense suddenly seem immediately possible as new technologies are created, as national alliances change. and as culture changes. I am looking forward to going home to heaven to be with my God and creator soon. I hope to see you there.

Trust Jesus.\ \ your sister in Christ,

NOTE: Because of some uncertainty in this interpretation, after writing this article, I did a little research before posting. This websites has some interesting information on Babylon the Great.

https://truthonlybible.com/2021/07/29/the-case-for-identifying-babylon-the-great-with-the-united-states-of-america/

This site furthers my argument that US is Babylon the Great and brings up some additional arguments that are very good and goes into when Babylon the Great is likely destroyed. I’d recommend reading it.

The only description of Babylon the Great that doesn’t fully seem to correspond to the US is “And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.” (Revelation 18:24) The rest of the arguments for why the US isn’t Babylon the Great were either arguments regarding America’s past godliness, not America’s current situation, or Americans that just seemed to not want the US to be Babylon the Great. Sometimes we all fail to see uncomfortable truths.

It is true that Christians are not “slain” in the US. It is also true that when the US has gone to war with many nations, such as Iraq, their actions have led to the end of the church in that nation. There had been a Christian church in Iraq for \~2,000 years, but after the US “liberated” Iraq, the Christian church was basically wiped out in a way that it had not been even under a tyrannical Muslim leader. Similar things have happened elsewhere. It is also true that persecution of Jews and Christians has been getting worse and worse in the US. Will this progression continue to the point of putting believers to death? I hope not, but it is possible.

I’m guessing most of us will eventually see who or what Babylon the Great is before too long, so we will see. Hopefully you will use this to get you thinking about end times and it will spur you on to live a life fully devoted to Jesus.

@ c4f5e7a7:8856cac7

TL;DR

Best viewed on either YakiHonne or Highlighter.

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.".

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.

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.

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 or exposed 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:

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.’.

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?

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 coved 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 mail a physical letter - a shared secret to the physical 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.

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."

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:

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 middleground 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.

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 commons, 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!

@ f1989a96:bcaaf2c1

Good morning, readers!

In Thailand, the government initiated the second phase of its digital cash handout, targeting four million Thai seniors with 10,000 baht ($290) distributed via their state-controlled “Tang Rath” app. For all intents and purposes, this serves as a pilot for the Thai central bank digital currency (CBDC), which comes with stringent restrictions and requirements on its usage, including links to citizens' national IDs, facial recognition, and limits on where and when funds can be spent.\ \ Meanwhile, in Brazil, new regulations proposed by the central bank would ban digital asset exchanges from allowing users to withdraw stablecoins to self-custody wallets. If passed, this would set an unfortunate precedent for financial autonomy in Brazil, restrict citizens' movement of funds, and diminish their ability to have an alternative to the declining Brazilian real.

In a positive step for financial privacy, a US court determined that the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) exceeded its authority in sanctioning Tornado Cash, a digital asset mixing tool that provides users with transaction privacy. This ruling sets an important precedent, means US citizens can use Tornado Cash again, and is good news in general for builders of open-source privacy tools worldwide. In other privacy news, peer-to-peer Bitcoin exchange Robosats now shares an order book with fellow peer-to-peer Bitcoin exchange LNP2Bot via Nostr, making these privacy-centric on-and-off ramps more accessible and liquid for users worldwide.\ \ We end with the latest episode of the HRF x Pubkey Freedom Tech Series, in which HRF’s Arsh Molu interviews Jorge Jraissati, president of the Economic Inclusion Group, on the state of freedom technologies like Bitcoin in Venezuela following Maduro’s stolen election earlier this year. This is an essential listen to understand how open, decentralized, and uncensorable protocols are instrumental for human rights and financial freedom to flourish under repressive regimes.

Now, let’s jump right in!

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GLOBAL NEWS

Thailand | Begins Second Phase of CBDC Handout

Thailand has begun the second phase of its 10,000 baht ($290) digital handout (ostensibly a central bank digital currency), targeting 4 million senior citizens and distributing funds via the government’s “Tang Rath” app. This follows an initial handout of digital currency to 50 million Thais as part of an economic stimulus plan. Critics, however, argue the handout is more accurately a means to entrench financial control and sway votes in the upcoming election. The Thai government limited the initial handout to local spending, specific items, and a six-month expiration. The second phase will likely impose similar restrictions, including requiring registration and facial recognition in the Tang Rath app. According to Thailand’s prime minister, “the digital wallet system would form a digital infrastructure for Thailand by creating a digital ID for citizens to link to government agencies” — a disconcerting reminder of how CBDCs can amplify state control over individual financial activity under the guise of social support.

Brazil | Proposes Ban on Transferring Stablecoins to Self-Custody

The Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) proposed regulations prohibiting digital asset exchanges from allowing users to withdraw stablecoins (digital currency pegged to fiat currency) to self-custody. The restriction aligns with a bill passed in December 2022 that grants the BCB “authority” over the digital asset industry. While presented as a safeguard for international capital flows, it is more likely a front to diminish the financial autonomy offered by digital assets. If passed, it will limit individuals' movement of funds and set a chilling precedent for self-custody in a country where millions of Brazilians transact with digital assets on a monthly basis. As Brazilians face increasing economic instability and diminishing financial freedom, this regulation traps them further in a collapsing Brazilian real (BRL).

China | Prepares for Sanctions While Eyeing Taiwan

China is actively studying sanctions imposed on Russia to prepare for potential repercussions if it invades Taiwan. Chinese officials visited Moscow’s central bank, finance ministry, and other key agencies to analyze how Russia navigated economic restrictions. This proactive approach speaks to fears China may have over its $3.3 trillion in foreign reserves and overseas bank assets, which would face significant restrictions under Western sanctions. In an effort to mitigate these risks, China is working to diversify away from dollar-denominated assets and reduce reliance on US Treasury bonds, which underpin the global financial system. This comes amid escalating tensions with the US after Washington approved an arms shipment to Taiwan, prompting Beijing to vow “resolute countermeasures.”

Nigeria | Journalist Detained for Exposing Regime Corruption

The Nigerian Army’s 6 Division in Port Harcourt detained prominent investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo, sparking national outrage over press freedom in Nigeria. Soyombo, known for exposing regime corruption, recently unveiled alleged smuggling operations involving the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS). The Foundation for Investigative Journalism, founded by Soyombo himself, demands his immediate release and condemns the actions as an attack on journalism. Under President Bola Tinubu, the government has intensified its dismantling of independent media, silencing critics and restricting tools and pathways that promote financial autonomy. This systematic repression denies citizens the ability to challenge inequality and secure a freer future.

Morocco | Drafts Law on Digital Assets and CBDC

Morocco is moving toward allowing digital assets and a central bank digital currency (CBDC). Central Bank Governor Abdellatif Jouahri shared that a draft law is currently in the adoption process that would reverse a ban on digital assets from 2017. The interest in a CBDC is nothing short of concerning in a country facing widespread repression and economic challenges. Citizens have already taken to the streets to protest rising costs, unemployment, and a lack of basic services. Centralized and programmable money provides the Moroccan government with newfound power to control individual financial activity and only serves to worsen these prevalent issues. Bitcoin adoption remains high under a regime that continues to fabricate economic hardship for its people.

LATEST IN BITCOIN NEWS, DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNITY

Tornado Cash | Fifth Circuit Court Lifts Sanctions

The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) exceeded its authority by sanctioning Tornado Cash, a digital asset mixing tool that helps preserve transactional privacy. This reverses an earlier District Court decision that argued the software was under the authority of the US Treasury. The Fifth Circuit found that Tornado Cash’s smart contracts (self-executing lines of code) do not constitute “property” or “services” as defined under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). They deemed these contracts more akin to “tools” than “services” requiring human effort, constituting "nothing more than lines of code.”

Robosats | Shared Nostr Order Book With LNP2Bot

Robosats, a privacy-focused peer-to-peer (P2P) Bitcoin exchange and HRF grantee, released version 0.7.3-alpha, introducing shared order books with LNP2Bot, a fellow P2P Bitcoin exchange and HRF grantee. P2P exchanges provide a decentralized, uncensorable, and private way for individuals to acquire Bitcoin — crucial in dictatorships with financial restrictions and heightened surveillance. The integration will allow users to access public trade orders from both platforms, creating a larger, more liquid marketplace for trades while reducing arbitrage opportunities. HRF is pleased to see the continued development and collaboration of privacy-focused Bitcoin platforms, which offer a vital on- and off-ramp for individuals whose financial privacy runs paramount for their safety.

Primal | Releases Version 2.0

Primal, a Bitcoin wallet and client for the decentralized Nostr protocol, released version 2.0 of its application, bringing new features and accessibility improvements to users. The update includes a Reads tab, allowing users to browse long-form articles, including HRF’s Financial Freedom Report, now natively on the platform. Additionally, an Explore Tab and Feed Marketplace help users connect, discover trending topics, and access tailored information. The update also brings a revamped search with customizable filters, making finding specific content easier. Primal continues to reinforce its role as a tool for uncensorable communication and greater financial privacy where needed most.

Ark | Introduces Virtual Channels for Instant Settlement

Ark Labs introduced virtual channels, a new feature enabling the instant settlement of transactions on the Ark protocol. Virtual channels facilitate payment channels without relying on backups, constant connectivity, or routing requirements. Ark itself is a layer-two protocol aimed at increasing Bitcoin’s scalability through fast and low-cost transactions. It accomplishes this by pooling Bitcoin liquidity, enabling users to make payments while providing liquidity providers the opportunity to earn fees. The primary tradeoff of Ark is that user funds expire if not used before a set period of time. You can learn about this update here.

Africa Bitcoin Conference | Upcoming Conference

From Dec. 9-11, activists, educators, and entrepreneurs will gather in Nairobi, Kenya, for the Africa Bitcoin Conference to discuss Bitcoin as a tool for resisting increasing global authoritarianism and promoting financial sovereignty. Attendees will participate in discussions, workshops, hackathons, and keynotes, exploring how Bitcoin can provide an economic and social foundation that empowers the individual, safeguards privacy, and fosters inclusion. HRF’s Financial Freedom team is sponsoring the event and will also attend, with keynotes delivered by Christian Keroles and Femi Longe. You can learn more about the conference here.

Chaincode Labs | Bitcoin and Lightning Development Program

Chaincode Labs, a Bitcoin research and development firm, invites developers to apply to its Bitcoin and Lighting protocol development program. This free, three-month course equips participants with the skills needed to contribute to Bitcoin open-source software while receiving mentorship from industry leaders. Open to developers of all experience levels, the program offers a pathway to careers in open-source software development. Applications close on Dec. 31, 2024.

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A Response to Ideological Stereotyping by Win Ko Ko Aung

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@ ee11a5df:b76c4e49

Bye-Bye Reply Guy

There is a camp of nostr developers that believe spam filtering needs to be done by relays. Or at the very least by DVMs. I concur. In this way, once you configure what you want to see, it applies to all nostr clients.

But we are not there yet.

In the mean time we have ReplyGuy, and gossip needed some changes to deal with it.

Strategies in Short

1. WEB OF TRUST: Only accept events from people you follow, or people they follow - this avoids new people entirely until somebody else that you follow friends them first, which is too restrictive for some people.
2. TRUSTED RELAYS: Allow every post from relays that you trust to do good spam filtering.
3. REJECT FRESH PUBKEYS: Only accept events from people you have seen before - this allows you to find new people, but you will miss their very first post (their second post must count as someone you have seen before, even if you discarded the first post)
4. PATTERN MATCHING: Scan for known spam phrases and words and block those events, either on content or metadata or both or more.
5. TIE-IN TO EXTERNAL SYSTEMS: Require a valid NIP-05, or other nostr event binding their identity to some external identity
6. PROOF OF WORK: Require a minimum proof-of-work

All of these strategies are useful, but they have to be combined properly.

filter.rhai

Gossip loads a file called "filter.rhai" in your gossip directory if it exists. It must be a Rhai language script that meets certain requirements (see the example in the gossip source code directory). Then it applies it to filter spam.

This spam filtering code is being updated currently. It is not even on unstable yet, but it will be there probably tomorrow sometime. Then to master. Eventually to a release.

Here is an example using all of the techniques listed above:

```rhai // This is a sample spam filtering script for the gossip nostr // client. The language is called Rhai, details are at: // https://rhai.rs/book/ // // For gossip to find your spam filtering script, put it in // your gossip profile directory. See // https://docs.rs/dirs/latest/dirs/fn.data_dir.html // to find the base directory. A subdirectory "gossip" is your // gossip data directory which for most people is their profile // directory too. (Note: if you use a GOSSIP_PROFILE, you'll // need to put it one directory deeper into that profile // directory). // // This filter is used to filter out and refuse to process // incoming events as they flow in from relays, and also to // filter which events get/ displayed in certain circumstances. // It is only run on feed-displayable event kinds, and only by // authors you are not following. In case of error, nothing is // filtered. // // You must define a function called 'filter' which returns one // of these constant values: // DENY (the event is filtered out) // ALLOW (the event is allowed through) // MUTE (the event is filtered out, and the author is // automatically muted) // // Your script will be provided the following global variables: // 'caller' - a string that is one of "Process", // "Thread", "Inbox" or "Global" indicating // which part of the code is running your // script // 'content' - the event content as a string // 'id' - the event ID, as a hex string // 'kind' - the event kind as an integer // 'muted' - if the author is in your mute list // 'name' - if we have it, the name of the author // (or your petname), else an empty string // 'nip05valid' - whether nip05 is valid for the author, // as a boolean // 'pow' - the Proof of Work on the event // 'pubkey' - the event author public key, as a hex // string // 'seconds_known' - the number of seconds that the author // of the event has been known to gossip // 'spamsafe' - true only if the event came in from a // relay marked as SpamSafe during Process // (even if the global setting for SpamSafe // is off)

fn filter() {

// Show spam on global
// (global events are ephemeral; these won't grow the
// database)
if caller=="Global" {
    return ALLOW;
}

// Block ReplyGuy
if name.contains("ReplyGuy") || name.contains("ReplyGal") {
    return DENY;
}

// Block known DM spam
// (giftwraps are unwrapped before the content is passed to
//  this script)
if content.to_lower().contains(
  "Mr. Gift and Mrs. Wrap under the tree, KISSING!"
) {
    return DENY;
}

// Reject events from new pubkeys, unless they have a high
// PoW or we somehow already have a nip05valid for them
//
// If this turns out to be a legit person, we will start
// hearing their events 2 seconds from now, so we will
// only miss their very first event.
if seconds_known <= 2 && pow < 25 && !nip05valid {
    return DENY;
}

// Mute offensive people
if content.to_lower().contains(" kike") ||
    content.to_lower().contains("kike ") ||
    content.to_lower().contains(" nigger") ||
    content.to_lower().contains("nigger ")
{
    return MUTE;
}

// Reject events from muted people
//
// Gossip already does this internally, and since we are
// not Process, this is rather redundant. But this works
// as an example.
if muted {
    return DENY;
}

// Accept if the PoW is large enough
if pow >= 25 {
    return ALLOW;
}

// Accept if their NIP-05 is valid
if nip05valid {
    return ALLOW;
}

// Accept if the event came through a spamsafe relay
if spamsafe {
    return ALLOW;
}

// Reject the rest
DENY

} ```

@ b2d670de:907f9d4a

onion-service-nostr-relays

A list of nostr relays exposed as onion services.

The list

| Relay name | Description | Onion url | Operator | Payment URL | Payment options | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | nostr.oxtr.dev | Same relay as clearnet relay nostr.oxtr.dev | ws://oxtrdevav64z64yb7x6rjg4ntzqjhedm5b5zjqulugknhzr46ny2qbad.onion | operator | N/A | N/A | | relay.snort.social | Same relay as clearnet relay relay.snort.social | wss://skzzn6cimfdv5e2phjc4yr5v7ikbxtn5f7dkwn5c7v47tduzlbosqmqd.onion | operator | N/A | N/A | | nostr.thesamecat.io | Same relay as clearnet relay nostr.thesamecat.io | ws://2jsnlhfnelig5acq6iacydmzdbdmg7xwunm4xl6qwbvzacw4lwrjmlyd.onion | operator | N/A | N/A | | nostr.land | The nostr.land paid relay (same as clearnet) | ws://nostrland2gdw7g3y77ctftovvil76vquipymo7tsctlxpiwknevzfid.onion | operator | Payment URL | BTC LN | | bitcoiner.social | No auth required, currently | ws://bitcoinr6de5lkvx4tpwdmzrdfdpla5sya2afwpcabjup2xpi5dulbad.onion | operator | N/A | N/A | | relay.westernbtc.com | The westernbtc.com paid relay | ws://westbtcebhgi4ilxxziefho6bqu5lqwa5ncfjefnfebbhx2cwqx5knyd.onion | operator | Payment URL | BTC LN | | freelay.sovbit.host | Free relay for sovbit.host | ws://sovbitm2enxfr5ot6qscwy5ermdffbqscy66wirkbsigvcshumyzbbqd.onion | operator | N/A | N/A | | nostr.sovbit.host | Paid relay for sovbit.host | ws://sovbitgz5uqyh7jwcsudq4sspxlj4kbnurvd3xarkkx2use3k6rlibqd.onion | operator | N/A | N/A | | nostr.wine | 🍷 nostr.wine relay | ws://nostrwinemdptvqukjttinajfeedhf46hfd5bz2aj2q5uwp7zros3nad.onion | operator | Payment URL | BTC LN, BTC, Credit Card/CashApp (Stripe) | | inbox.nostr.wine | 🍷 inbox.nostr.wine relay | ws://wineinboxkayswlofkugkjwhoyi744qvlzdxlmdvwe7cei2xxy4gc6ad.onion | operator | Payment URL | BTC LN, BTC | | filter.nostr.wine | 🍷 filter.nostr.wine proxy relay | ws://winefiltermhqixxzmnzxhrmaufpnfq3rmjcl6ei45iy4aidrngpsyid.onion | operator | Payment URL | BTC LN, BTC | | N/A | N/A | ws://pzfw4uteha62iwkzm3lycabk4pbtcr67cg5ymp5i3xwrpt3t24m6tzad.onion:81 | operator | N/A | N/A | | nostr.fractalized.net | Free relay for fractalized.net | ws://xvgox2zzo7cfxcjrd2llrkthvjs5t7efoalu34s6lmkqhvzvrms6ipyd.onion | operator | N/A | N/A | | nfrelay.app | nfrelay.app aggregator relay (nostr-filter-relay) | ws://nfrelay6saohkmipikquvrn6d64dzxivhmcdcj4d5i7wxis47xwsriyd.onion | operator | N/A | N/A | relay.nostr.net | Public relay from nostr.net (Same as clearnet) | ws://nostrnetl6yd5whkldj3vqsxyyaq3tkuspy23a3qgx7cdepb4564qgqd.onion | operator | N/A | N/A | | nerostrator | Free to read, pay XMR to relay | ws://nerostrrgb5fhj6dnzhjbgmnkpy2berdlczh6tuh2jsqrjok3j4zoxid.onion | operator |Payment URL | XMR | | nostr.girino.org | Public relay from nostr.girino.org | ws://gnostr2jnapk72mnagq3cuykfon73temzp77hcbncn4silgt77boruid.onion | operator | N/A | N/A | | wot.girino.org | WoT relay from wot.girino.org | ws://girwot2koy3kvj6fk7oseoqazp5vwbeawocb3m27jcqtah65f2fkl3yd.onion | operator | N/A | N/A | | haven.girino.org/{outbox, inbox, chat, private} | Haven smart relay from haven.girino.org | ws://ghaven2hi3qn2riitw7ymaztdpztrvmm337e2pgkacfh3rnscaoxjoad.onion/{outbox, inbox, chat, private} | operator | N/A | N/A | | relay.nostpy.lol | Free Web of Trust relay (Same as clearnet) | ws://pemgkkqjqjde7y2emc2hpxocexugbixp42o4zymznil6zfegx5nfp4id.onion | operator |N/A | N/A | | Poster.place Nostr Relay | N/A | ws://dmw5wbawyovz7fcahvguwkw4sknsqsalffwctioeoqkvvy7ygjbcuoad.onion | operator | N/A | N/A |

Contributing

Contributions are encouraged to keep this document alive. Just open a PR and I'll have it tested and merged. The onion URL is the only mandatory column, the rest is just nice-to-have metadata about the relay. Put N/A in empty columns.

If you want to contribute anonymously, please contact me on SimpleX or send a DM on nostr using a disposable npub.

Operator column

It is generally preferred to use something that includes a NIP-19 string, either just the string or a url that contains the NIP-19 string in it (e.g. an njump url).

@ e31e84c4:77bbabc0

Bitcoin and Fixed Income was Written By Wyatt O’Rourke. If you enjoyed this article then support his writing, directly, by donating to his lightning wallet: ultrahusky3@primal.net

Fiduciary duty is the obligation to act in the client’s best interests at all times, prioritizing their needs above the advisor’s own, ensuring honesty, transparency, and avoiding conflicts of interest in all recommendations and actions.

This is something all advisors in the BFAN take very seriously; after all, we are legally required to do so. For the average advisor this is a fairly easy box to check. All you essentially have to do is have someone take a 5-minute risk assessment, fill out an investment policy statement, and then throw them in the proverbial 60/40 portfolio. You have thousands of investment options to choose from and you can reasonably explain how your client is theoretically insulated from any move in the \~markets\~. From the traditional financial advisor perspective, you could justify nearly anything by putting a client into this type of portfolio. All your bases were pretty much covered from return profile, regulatory, compliance, investment options, etc. It was just too easy. It became the household standard and now a meme.

As almost every real bitcoiner knows, the 60/40 portfolio is moving into psyop territory, and many financial advisors get clowned on for defending this relic on bitcoin twitter. I’m going to specifically poke fun at the ‘40’ part of this portfolio.

The ‘40’ represents fixed income, defined as…

An investment type that provides regular, set interest payments, such as bonds or treasury securities, and returns the principal at maturity. It’s generally considered a lower-risk asset class, used to generate stable income and preserve capital.

Historically, this part of the portfolio was meant to weather the volatility in the equity markets and represent the “safe” investments. Typically, some sort of bond.

First and foremost, the fixed income section is most commonly constructed with U.S. Debt. There are a couple main reasons for this. Most financial professionals believe the same fairy tale that U.S. Debt is “risk free” (lol). U.S. debt is also one of the largest and most liquid assets in the market which comes with a lot of benefits.

There are many brilliant bitcoiners in finance and economics that have sounded the alarm on the U.S. debt ticking time bomb. I highly recommend readers explore the work of Greg Foss, Lawrence Lepard, Lyn Alden, and Saifedean Ammous. My very high-level recap of their analysis:

• A bond is a contract in which Party A (the borrower) agrees to repay Party B (the lender) their principal plus interest over time.

• The U.S. government issues bonds (Treasury securities) to finance its operations after tax revenues have been exhausted.

• These are traditionally viewed as “risk-free” due to the government’s historical reliability in repaying its debts and the strength of the U.S. economy

• U.S. bonds are seen as safe because the government has control over the dollar (world reserve asset) and, until recently (20 some odd years), enjoyed broad confidence that it would always honor its debts.

• This perception has contributed to high global demand for U.S. debt but, that is quickly deteriorating.

• The current debt situation raises concerns about sustainability.

• The U.S. has substantial obligations, and without sufficient productivity growth, increasing debt may lead to a cycle where borrowing to cover interest leads to more debt.

• This could result in more reliance on money creation (printing), which can drive inflation and further debt burdens.

In the words of Lyn Alden “Nothing stops this train”

Those obligations are what makes up the 40% of most the fixed income in your portfolio. So essentially you are giving money to one of the worst capital allocators in the world (U.S. Gov’t) and getting paid back with printed money.

As someone who takes their fiduciary responsibility seriously and understands the debt situation we just reviewed, I think it’s borderline negligent to put someone into a classic 60% (equities) / 40% (fixed income) portfolio without serious scrutiny of the client’s financial situation and options available to them. I certainly have my qualms with equities at times, but overall, they are more palatable than the fixed income portion of the portfolio. I don’t like it either, but the money is broken and the unit of account for nearly every equity or fixed income instrument (USD) is fraudulent. It’s a paper mache fade that is quite literally propped up by the money printer.

To briefly be as most charitable as I can – It wasn’t always this way. The U.S. Dollar used to be sound money, we used to have government surplus instead of mathematically certain deficits, The U.S. Federal Government didn’t used to have a money printing addiction, and pre-bitcoin the 60/40 portfolio used to be a quality portfolio management strategy. Those times are gone.

Now the fun part. How does bitcoin fix this?

Bitcoin fixes this indirectly. Understanding investment criteria changes via risk tolerance, age, goals, etc. A client may still have a need for “fixed income” in the most literal definition – Low risk yield. Now you may be thinking that yield is a bad word in bitcoin land, you’re not wrong, so stay with me. Perpetual motion machine crypto yield is fake and largely where many crypto scams originate. However, that doesn’t mean yield in the classic finance sense does not exist in bitcoin, it very literally does. Fortunately for us bitcoiners there are many other smart, driven, and enterprising bitcoiners that understand this problem and are doing something to address it. These individuals are pioneering new possibilities in bitcoin and finance, specifically when it comes to fixed income.

Here are some new developments –

Private Credit Funds – The Build Asset Management Secured Income Fund I is a private credit fund created by Build Asset Management. This fund primarily invests in bitcoin-backed, collateralized business loans originated by Unchained, with a secured structure involving a multi-signature, over-collateralized setup for risk management. Unchained originates loans and sells them to Build, which pools them into the fund, enabling investors to share in the interest income.

Dynamics

• Loan Terms: Unchained issues loans at interest rates around 14%, secured with a 2/3 multi-signature vault backed by a 40% loan-to-value (LTV) ratio.
• Fund Mechanics: Build buys these loans from Unchained, thus providing liquidity to Unchained for further loan originations, while Build manages interest payments to investors in the fund.

Pros

• The fund offers a unique way to earn income via bitcoin-collateralized debt, with protection against rehypothecation and strong security measures, making it attractive for investors seeking exposure to fixed income with bitcoin.

Cons

• The fund is only available to accredited investors, which is a regulatory standard for private credit funds like this.

Corporate Bonds – MicroStrategy Inc. (MSTR), a business intelligence company, has leveraged its corporate structure to issue bonds specifically to acquire bitcoin as a reserve asset. This approach allows investors to indirectly gain exposure to bitcoin’s potential upside while receiving interest payments on their bond investments. Some other publicly traded companies have also adopted this strategy, but for the sake of this article we will focus on MSTR as they are the biggest and most vocal issuer.

Dynamics

• Issuance: MicroStrategy has issued senior secured notes in multiple offerings, with terms allowing the company to use the proceeds to purchase bitcoin.

• Interest Rates: The bonds typically carry high-yield interest rates, averaging around 6-8% APR, depending on the specific issuance and market conditions at the time of issuance.

• Maturity: The bonds have varying maturities, with most structured for multi-year terms, offering investors medium-term exposure to bitcoin’s value trajectory through MicroStrategy’s holdings.

Pros

• Indirect Bitcoin exposure with income provides a unique opportunity for investors seeking income from bitcoin-backed debt.

• Bonds issued by MicroStrategy offer relatively high interest rates, appealing for fixed-income investors attracted to the higher risk/reward scenarios.

Cons

• There are credit risks tied to MicroStrategy’s financial health and bitcoin’s performance. A significant drop in bitcoin prices could strain the company’s ability to service debt, increasing credit risk.

• Availability: These bonds are primarily accessible to institutional investors and accredited investors, limiting availability for retail investors.

Interest Payable in Bitcoin – River has introduced an innovative product, bitcoin Interest on Cash, allowing clients to earn interest on their U.S. dollar deposits, with the interest paid in bitcoin.

Dynamics

• Interest Payment: Clients earn an annual interest rate of 3.8% on their cash deposits. The accrued interest is converted to Bitcoin daily and paid out monthly, enabling clients to accumulate Bitcoin over time.

• Security and Accessibility: Cash deposits are insured up to $250,000 through River’s banking partner, Lead Bank, a member of the FDIC. All Bitcoin holdings are maintained in full reserve custody, ensuring that client assets are not lent or leveraged.

Pros

• There are no hidden fees or minimum balance requirements, and clients can withdraw their cash at any time.

• The 3.8% interest rate provides a predictable income stream, akin to traditional fixed-income investments.

Cons

• While the interest rate is fixed, the value of the Bitcoin received as interest can fluctuate, introducing potential variability in the investment’s overall return.

• Interest rate payments are on the lower side

Admittedly, this is a very small list, however, these types of investments are growing more numerous and meaningful. The reality is the existing options aren’t numerous enough to service every client that has a need for fixed income exposure. I challenge advisors to explore innovative options for fixed income exposure outside of sovereign debt, as that is most certainly a road to nowhere. It is my wholehearted belief and call to action that we need more options to help clients across the risk and capital allocation spectrum access a sound money standard.

Additional Resources

• River: The future of saving is here: Earn 3.8% on cash. Paid in Bitcoin.

• Onramp: Bitcoin, The Emergent Asset Class

• MicroStrategy: MicroStrategy Announces Pricing of Offering of Convertible Senior Notes

---

Bitcoin and Fixed Income was Written By Wyatt O’Rourke. If you enjoyed this article then support his writing, directly, by donating to his lightning wallet: ultrahusky3@primal.net

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

In the Bible, there are many commands to obey or to submit to different authorities and to God. There is also much disagreement in the Church about when and how to obey and submit to authority. I’m making an attempt to look at verses on the subject to find the balance commanded by God in His word.

NOTE: This article was inspired by a sermon in his teaching series, Daniel Uncompromising, by Jace Cloud of Grace Bible Church Dallas. Several major ideas were taken from his sermon, but the context and purpose was different.

Commands to Obedience

What does the Bible say about obedience?

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (Ephesians 6:1)

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22)

Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, (Titus 3:1)

You shall therefore obey the Lord your God, and do His commandments and His statutes which I command you today. (Deuteronomy 27:10)

As we go through these commands we go from lower to greater and greater authority, but we are told to submit/obey in these ways:

• Children must obey parents

• Wives must submit to husbands

• All are subject to and obedient to rulers and authorities

• All must obey God and do His commandments

Most of us don’t really want to submit to or obey others. The original sin in the Garden of Eden came down to choosing to disobey God’s one command so they could be like God. Why did Adam and Eve want to be like God? They didn’t want to be under someone else’s authority.

Although we are supposed to submit/obey in each of these situations/relationships, what do we do when there is a contradiction between commands from various authorities? We must choose to obey the highest authority. What does this look like?

When Authority Commands to Do Wrong

We’ll start by looking at 4 young lads from Israel who were snatched from their homeland and families to a foreign land with foreign customs and foreign gods.

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. (Daniel 1:3-5)

These 4 young men were in a foreign land far away from anyone from their families, government, or religious leaders. They were “appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank.” There was something about this food and drink that made it not Kosher for them. They shouldn’t eat or drink this food and drink. It may have been offered to false gods. It may have included unclean foods like pork. The text doesn’t say exactly what the problem was, but these young men: Daniel (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abed-nego)1 decided that they would not defile themselves by eating the king’s food.

They did however give an example of the right way to deal with a refusal to disobey God’s commandments. Daniel made a very reasonable and submissive request.

But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials, and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.” But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.” (Daniel 1:8-13) {emphasis mine}

Daniel and his friends didn’t make a stink about the fact they didn’t want the food being provided. Daniel respectfully went to the person in authority over him, the commander of the officials, and made his request. The official was understanding, but afraid that he would get in trouble for disobeying the king’s command. Daniel trusted that God would take care of them if they were faithful and said, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.” They made their request made known, considered the well-being of their commander, and trusted God to take care of them. God honored them and made them look better than all of the people receiving the king’s food.

This was just the first small step in them refusing to do what God said was wrong. Their next choice was even bigger and harder.

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.” (Daniel 3:1-6) {emphasis mine}

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego knew the Ten Commandments well. They knew the second commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3) They decided to obey God no matter what it cost them. Their words to Nebuchadnezzar are some of the most inspiring and brave words in the Bible.

Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” (Daniel 3:14-16) {emphasis mine}

Being tossed into a fiery furnace would be a horrible way to die, but these young men stood firm in their faith for God and pronounced, “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.”

A statement like this, in light of the horrible punishment being promised, took amazing faith, but they didn’t stop there, but continued, “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” These three young men, in a strange land far from home, stood up to the most powerful king in the world at that time in order to stay faithful to their God, the one true God. They fully believed that God was capable of protecting them from burning to death, but they were also willing to stay true even if God didn’t protect them. This is faith. This is refusing to do anything that disobeys God’s explicit commands, “Thall shalt not …”

When Authority Commands to Not Do Right

Sometimes authority may tell us to do something that God commands us not to do. On the other hand, sometimes authority tells us to not do something that God commands us to do. In the case of Daniel, the government command came because the other government officials didn’t like Daniel. They didn’t like his faithfulness to God. They didn’t like that he was more faithful to the king and more successful than they were. They were jealous that the king was about to make Daniel the 2nd in command.

Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, live forever! All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den. Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction. (Daniel 6:6-9)

Daniel was faithful in his prayers to God. He knew that God had promised that the Hebrews would be returned to the promise land after 70 years. He prayed three times a day, every day, but now the law of the Medes and Persians said that he was not allowed to pray to anyone other than the king for 30 days.

Daniel was no longer a young man. He was elderly. He knew God was faithful. Did he decide that God would understand if he didn’t pray for 30 days, but then he would go back to prayer when the command expired? No. Did he decide, instead of praying publicly by his window facing Jerusalem, that he would pray quietly and privately behind closed doors? No, not that either. What did Daniel do?

Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. (Daniel 6:10-11)

Daniel knew the command and knew the consequences of disobedience. He also trusted God and knew that anything less than his consistent, open prayer would be dishonoring to God, so he prayed “as he had been doing previously.” Despite the consequences, he stayed true to God and kept his witness pure.

Most of us know the ending. Daniel was thrown in the lion’s den, but God sent an angel to shut their mouths and protect Daniel from even a scratch. Daniel was faithful to God and God was faithful to Daniel.

The king realized that his officials had tricked him into signing an irreversible law against his best official because of their jealousy. The next morning the king went running to the lion’s den to see if Daniel’s God was able to protect His faithful servant.

Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” (Daniel 6:21-22)

When the king, who had made a foolish law due to ego, showed up, Daniel didn’t act with resentment. He honored the king “O king, live forever!” probably due to his position more than because of what he deserved. He said, “they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.”

Daniel declared his innocence before God and the king.

In these examples we see a law commanding ungodly actions where the believer must refuse to comply and we see a law commanding not to do a godly action we are commanded to do and continuing to obey and be a godly example. We will all face circumstances where we will have to make these choices. It helps if we have thought out our beliefs and plans ahead of time. Luckily for us, the consequences of disobedience aren’t usually as severe as being burnt up in a fiery furnace or being devoured by lions.

How to Honorably Disobey

I’m going to go back to the beginning of the story about Daniel and the lion’s den to see what kind of man Daniel was in his position and towards his king.

Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom. Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.” (Daniel 6:3-5) {emphasis mine}

Daniel worked hard. He did his job with excellence. He gave everything his best effort. Those trying to accuse him “they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful.”

Believers, how many of you can say your coworkers would say the same about you? Are you known for your excellence and faithfulness? Are you known for having no negligence or corruption? God calls believers to be like Daniel in work and good deeds.

The most amazing thing said here is “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.” Every believer should live a life where no one around us can “ find any ground of accusation against” us “unless we find it against [us] with regard to the law of [our] God.”

Daniel was able to stand against the unjust law and still have the support of the king because he had been so faithful in the little things and over a long period of time. We also need to live and work in such a faithful way that we aren’t questioned when we do stand up to ungodly laws.

What Authority to Obey When

Although God commands us to obey authority, there is no higher authority than God Himself. Obedience to God always comes first. That being said, disobeying any authority needs to be done with caution and respect.

When Jesus’s disciples were told by the Jewish authorities to stop sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:27b-29) {emphasis mine}

Ultimately, the answer to the question, “Who do we obey when authorities give contradictory commands?” is “We must obey God rather than men.”

We do have to keep in mind that the apostles all suffered for their disobedience to authorities in obedience to God. Most died martyrs. John died in exile. All knew that they would choose to be faithful, knowing that God was capable of protecting them, but also willing to say, “But even if He does not… ."

I hope these examples were helpful to you and help you to honor God with your actions, your faithfulness, and your life.

Trust Jesus.\ \ your sister in Christ,

Christy

1. Each man is named by his original Hebrew name followed by the Babylonian name given to them. Details come from Daniel 1:6-7.

@ 7e538978:a5987ab6

Chain Duel, a fast paced PvP game that takes inspiration from the classic snake game and supercharges it with Bitcoin’s Lightning Network. Imagine battling another player for dominance in a race to collect blocks, where the length of your chain isn’t just a visual cue. It represents real, staked satoshis. The player with the most Proof of Work wins, but it’s not just about gameplay; it’s about the seamless integration of the Lightning Network and real-time payments.

But how does Chain Duel manage these instant transactions with such efficiency? That’s where LNbits comes in. LNbits, an open-source wallet and payment infrastructure, handles all in-game payments making it easy for developers to focus on gameplay while LNbits takes care of everything from microtransactions to automated splits for developers and designers. In this article, we’ll dive deep into how Chain Duel leverages LNbits to streamline in-game payments and how other developers can take advantage of this powerful toolset to build the future of Lightning-powered gaming.

Let’s explore how LNbits transforms payment processing and why it’s quickly becoming a must-have for game developers working in the Bitcoin space.

Overview of Chain Duel

Chain Duel is a unique Lightning Network-inspired game that reimagines the classic snake game with a competitive twist, integrating real-time payments. Two players face off in real-time, racing to "catch" blocks and extend their chains. Each block added to the chain represents Proof of Work, and the player with the most Proof of Work wins the duel. The stakes are high, as the game represents satoshis (small units of Bitcoin) as points, with the winner taking home the prize.

The game is designed to be Lightning-native, meaning all payments within Chain Duel are processed through the Lightning Network. This ensures fast payments, reducing latency and making gameplay smooth. With additional features like practice mode, tournaments and highscores, Chain Duel creates an engaging and competitive environment for Bitcoin enthusiasts and gamers alike.

One of the standout aspects of Chain Duel is its deeper integration with the Lightning Network even at a design level. For example, actual Bitcoin blocks can appear on screen during matches, offering bonus points when mined in sync with the game. The game’s current version, still in beta, has already drawn attention within the Bitcoin community, gaining momentum at conferences and with a growing user base through its social networks. With its innovative combination of gaming, the Lightning Network, and competitive play, Chain Duel offers a glimpse into the future of Lightning-based gaming.

How LNbits is Used in Chain Duel

Seamless Integration with LNbits

At the core of Chain Duel’s efficient payment processing is LNbits, which handles in-game transactions smoothly and reliably. Chain Duel uses the LNbits LNURL-pay and LNURL-withdraw extensions to manage payments and rewards between players. Before each match, players send satoshis using LNURL-pay, which generates a static QR code or link for making the payment. LNURL-pay allows users to attach a note to the payment, which Chain Duel creatively uses as a way to insert the player name in-game. The simplicity of LNURL-pay ensures that users can quickly and easily initiate games, with fresh invoices being issued for every game. When players win, LNURL-withdraw enables them to seamlessly pull their earnings from the game, providing a quick payout system.

These extensions make it easy for players to send and receive Bitcoin with minimal latency, fully leveraging the power of the Lightning Network for fast and low-cost payments. The flexibility of LNbits’ tools means that game developers don’t need to worry about building custom payment systems from scratch—they can rely on LNbits to handle all financial transactions with precision.

Lightning Tournaments

Chain Duel tournaments leverage LNbits and its LNURL extensions to create a seamless and efficient experience for players. In Chain Duel tournaments, LNbits plays a crucial role in managing the overall economics. LNbits facilitates the generation of LNURL QR codes that participants can scan to register quickly or withdraw their winnings. LNbits allows Chain Duel to automatically handle multiple registrations through LNURL-pay, enabling players to participate in the tournament without additional steps. The Lightning Network's speed ensures that these payments occur in real-time, reducing wait times and allowing for a smoother flow in-game.

Splitting Payments

LNbits further simplifies revenue-sharing within Chain Duel. This feature allows the game to automatically split the satoshis sent by players into different shares for the game’s developer, designer, and host. Each time a payment is made to join a match, LNbits is used to automattically pay each of the contributors, according to pre-defined rules. This automated process ensures that everyone involved in the development and running of the game gets their fair share without manual intervention or complex bookkeeping.

Nostr Integration

Chain Duel also integrates with Nostr, a decentralized protocol for social interactions. Players can join games using "Zaps", small tips or micropayments sent over the Lightning Network within the Nostr ecosystem. Through NIP-57, which enables Nostr clients to request Zap invoices, players can use LNURL-pay enabled Zaps to register in P2P matches, further enhancing the Chain Duel experience. By using Zaps as a way to register in-game, Chain Duel automates the process of fetching players' identity, creating a more competitive and social experience. Zaps are public on the Nostr network, further expanding Chain Duel's games social reach and community engagement.

Game and Payment Synchronization

One of the key reasons Chain Duel developers chose LNbits is its powerful API that connects directly with the game’s logic. LNbits allows the game to synchronize payments with gameplay in real-time, providing a seamless experience where payments are an integrated part of the gaming mechanics.

With LNbits managing both the payment process and the Lightning Network’s complex infrastructure, Chain Duel developers are free to concentrate on enhancing the competitive and Lightning Network-related aspects of the game. This division of tasks is essential for streamlining development while still providing an innovative in-game payment experience that is deeply integrated with the Bitcoin network.

LNbits proves to be an indispensable tool for Chain Duel, enabling smooth in-game transactions, real-time revenue sharing, and seamless integration with Nostr. For developers looking to build Lightning-powered games, LNbits offers a powerful suite of tools that handle everything from micropayments to payment distribution—ensuring that the game's focus remains on fun and competition rather than complex payment systems.

LNBits facilitating Education and Adoption

This system contributes to educating users on the power of the Lightning Network. Since Chain Duel directly involve real satoshis and LNURL for registration and rewards, players actively experience how Lightning can facilitate fast, cheap, and permissionless payments. By incorporating LNbits into Chain Duel, the game serves as an educational tool that introduces users to the benefits of the Lightning Network. Players gain direct experience using Lightning wallets and LNURL, helping them understand how these tools work in real-world scenarios. The near-instant nature of these payments showcases the power of Lightning in a practical context, highlighting its potential beyond just gaming. Players are encouraged to set up wallets, explore the Lightning ecosystem, and eventually become familiar with Bitcoin and Lightning technology. By integrating LNbits, Chain Duel transforms in-game payments into a learning opportunity, making Bitcoin and Lightning more approachable for users worldwide.

Tools for Developers

LNbits is a versatile, open-source platform designed to simplify and enhance Bitcoin Lightning Network wallet management. For developers, particularly those working on Lightning-native games like Chain Duel, LNbits offers an invaluable set of tools that allow for seamless integration of Lightning payments without the need to build complex custom solutions from scratch. LNbits is built on a modular and extensible architecture, enabling developers to easily add or create functionality suited to their project’s needs.

Extensible Architecture for Customization

At the core of LNbits is a simple yet powerful wallet system that developers can access across multiple devices. What makes LNbits stand out is its extensible nature—everything beyond the core functionality is implemented as an extension. This modular approach allows users to customize their LNbits installation by enabling or building extensions to suit specific use cases. This flexibility is perfect for developers who want to add Lightning-based services to their games or apps without modifying the core codebase.

• Extensions for Every Use Case
  LNbits comes with a wide array of built-in extensions created by contributors, offering various services that can be plugged into your application. Some popular extensions include:
• Faucets: Distribute small amounts of Bitcoin to users for testing or promotional purposes.
• Paylinks: Create shareable links for instant payments.
• Points-of-sale (PoS): Allow users to set up shareable payment terminals.
• Paywalls: Charge users to access content or services.
• Event tickets: Sell tickets for events directly via Lightning payments.
• Games and services: From dice games to jukeboxes, LNbits offers entertaining and functional tools.

These ready-made solutions can be adapted and used in different gaming scenarios, for example in Chain Duel, where LNURL extensions are used for in game payments. The extensibility ensures developers can focus on building engaging gameplay while LNbits handles payment flows.

Developer-Friendly Customization

LNbits isn't just a plug-and-play platform. Developers can extend its functionality even further by creating their own extensions, giving full control over how the wallet system is integrated into their games or apps. The architecture is designed to make it easy for developers to build on top of the platform, adding custom features for specific requirements.

Flexible Funding Source Management

LNbits also offers flexibility in terms of managing funding sources. Developers can easily connect LNbits to various Lightning Network node implementations, enabling seamless transitions between nodes or even different payment systems. This allows developers to switch underlying funding sources with minimal effort, making LNbits adaptable for games that may need to scale quickly or rely on different payment infrastructures over time.

A Lean Core System for Maximum Efficiency

Thanks to its modular architecture, LNbits maintains a lean core system. This reduces complexity and overhead, allowing developers to implement only the features they need. By avoiding bloated software, LNbits ensures faster transactions and less resource consumption, which is crucial in fast-paced environments like Chain Duel where speed and efficiency are paramount.

LNbits is designed with developers in mind, offering a suite of tools and a flexible infrastructure that makes integrating Bitcoin payments easy. Whether you’re developing games, apps, or any service that requires Lightning Network transactions, LNbits is a powerful, open-source solution that can be adapted to fit your project.

Conclusion

Chain Duel stands at the forefront of Lightning-powered gaming, combining the excitement of competitive PvP with the speed and efficiency of the Lightning Network. With LNbits handling all in-game payments, from microtransactions to automated revenue splits, developers can focus entirely on crafting an engaging gaming experience. LNbits’ powerful API and extensions make it easy to manage real-time payments, removing the complexity of building payment infrastructure from scratch.

LNbits isn’t just a payment tool — it’s a flexible, developer-friendly platform that can be adapted to any gaming model. Whether you're developing a fast-paced PvP game like Chain Duel or any project requiring seamless Lightning Network integration, LNbits provides the ideal solution for handling instant payments with minimal overhead.

For developers interested in pushing the boundaries of Lightning-powered gaming, Chain Duel is a great example of how LNbits can enhance your game, letting you focus on the fun while LNbits manages real-time transactions.

Find out more

Curious about how Lightning Network payments can power your next game? Explore the following:

• Learn more about Chain Duel: Chain Duel
• Learn how LNbits can simplify payment handling in your project: LNbits
• Dive into decentralized communication with Nostr: Nostr

@ 0d532801:197a0c30

߹ İnsan, bilinçli olarak günah işlediğinde, aslında birçok içsel ve dışsal faktörün etkisi altındadır. Bu faktörlerin başında bireysel arzular, toplumsal baskılar, zayıflıklar, bilinçaltı dürtüler ve bazen de cehalet gelir. İnsan, sadece dürtülerine göre hareket etmeyi tercih edebilir ya da kısa vadeli tatmin için uzun vadeli sonuçları göz ardı edebilir. Peki, bir insan neden bilerek günah işler? Bu sorunun cevabı, sadece dini ya da etik perspektiflerle değil, psikolojik, toplumsal ve kültürel açılardan da ele alınmalıdır.

1. Bireysel Arzular ve Dürtüler

߹ İnsanın doğasında, zaman zaman nefsini tatmin etme isteği vardır. Bu istek, bazen mantık ve vicdanın önüne geçebilir. İnsan, kısa süreli hazları arzularken, bunun gelecekteki olumsuz sonuçlarını göz ardı edebilir. Örneğin, hırsızlık yapan bir kişi, anlık bir mal edinme arzusuyla hareket edebilir, ancak bu davranışın ona ve çevresine getireceği zararları düşünmektense, elde edeceği çıkarı daha önemli görür. Benzer şekilde, yalan söylemek ya da başkalarını manipüle etmek de kısa vadeli çıkarlar ve bireysel egolar tarafından beslenen bir davranış biçimidir.

1. Toplumsal Baskılar ve Çevresel Faktörler

߹ İnsan, toplumsal bir varlık olarak çevresinden büyük ölçüde etkilenir. Toplumun normları, kültürel değerleri, arkadaş gruplarının etkisi ve ailevi dinamikler, bireyin davranışlarını şekillendirir. Bazı durumlarda, kişi bilerek yanlış bir davranış sergileyebilir çünkü çevresindeki kişiler böyle yapmaktadır ve kendini dışlanmış hissetmemek için buna ayak uydurur. Örneğin, bir grup insanın başka birine kötü davranması ya da yalan söylemesi, bir bireyi de benzer şekilde davranmaya itebilir. Bu durum, bireyin vicdanı ve doğru-yanlış algısı ile çatışan bir durumdur.

1. Zayıflıklar ve İnsan Doğası

߹ Herkesin zayıf anları vardır. Zihinsel ve duygusal olarak zorlandığı anlarda insanlar bazen bilerek yanlış bir şey yapabilir. İnsan, öfke, stres, yalnızlık ya da korku gibi duygusal durumlar içinde daha kolay günah işleyebilir. Duygusal karmaşa, sağlıklı düşünme yeteneğini zayıflatabilir ve kişi, anlık bir rahatlama ya da kaçış için yanlış bir yolu seçebilir. Örneğin, öfkelenen bir kişi, karşısındaki kişiye hakaret etmek ya da ona zarar vermek isteyebilir. Bu tür eylemler, kişinin o anki duygusal durumunun bir sonucu olarak ortaya çıkar.

1. Cehalet ve Yanlış İnançlar

߹ Bazen insanlar, neyin doğru neyin yanlış olduğuna dair doğru bir bilgiye sahip olmayabilirler. Bilgi eksikliği ya da yanlış inanışlar, bireyin günah işlemesine neden olabilir. İnsan, kötü bir davranışın ne kadar zarar verebileceğini ya da o davranışın ahlaki ve dini boyutlarını tam anlamayabilir. Özellikle bazı insanlar, içinde bulundukları ortamın, alışkanlıkların ya da eğitim seviyelerinin etkisiyle, doğruyu ve yanlışı tam kavrayamayabilirler. Bu durum da, onların bilerek ve isteyerek günah işlemesine yol açabilir.

1. İçsel Çatışmalar ve Vicdanın Bastırılması

߹ İnsan, bazen kendi içsel çatışmalarına dayanamayabilir. Vicdanı, doğruyu yapması yönünde onu uyarırken, içindeki kötü duygular ya da arzular ona engel olamayacak kadar güçlü olabilir. İnsanın kendisini haklı çıkarma çabası da burada devreye girebilir. Bir insan, kendini iyi bir insan olarak görmek isterken, bazen içindeki kötü dürtüleri bastırmak yerine, bunları haklı göstermek için kendine çeşitli gerekçeler uydurur. Örneğin, bir kişi başkasının hakkını yemek için kendini “bunu herkes yapıyor” ya da “benim de buna ihtiyacım var” gibi bahanelerle kandırabilir.

1. Dini ve Ahlaki Değerlerin Zayıflaması

߹ Bir insanın dini inançları ya da ahlaki değerleri, doğru-yanlış algısını büyük ölçüde şekillendirir. Ancak zamanla, bireylerin inançları ya da değerleri zayıflayabilir. Toplumda sekülerleşmenin arttığı bir dönemde, dini ve ahlaki öğretiler zamanla insanların gözünde daha az değerli hâle gelebilir. Bu durumda, insanlar günah işleme konusunda daha az vicdan azabı duyarlar, çünkü dini ya da ahlaki sonuçları görmezden gelmeyi tercih edebilirler.

߹ Sonuç olarak, insanın bilerek günah işlemesi, karmaşık bir durumdur ve çok çeşitli faktörlere dayanır. İnsanlar bazen içsel isteklerine, bazen dışsal baskılara, bazen de bilinçli ya da bilinçsiz olarak zayıf noktalarına dayanarak yanlışlar yapabilirler. Önemli olan, insanın yaptığı hataları fark etmesi, bu hatalardan ders alması ve doğru yolu bulmaya çaba göstermesidir. Kişi, hatalarını kabul ederek ve daha bilinçli bir şekilde hareket ederek hem kendisine hem de çevresine faydalı bir yaşam sürebilir.

@ 7ecd3fe6:6b52f30d

I went to bed last night at 96k, thinking we'd have another day of sideways consolidation, maybe if we're lucky a bump on the head at 99k before the 100k dumpers come in to "take profits"

But little did I know what was waiting for me when I opened up my crusty eyes, I checked the chart as one days after their morning wee and nearly wet the entire bathroom, 102k, must be a mistake, let's check Coingecko, let's check the local exchanges, let's check social media, and it was confirmed like 6 blocks in baby, there's no going back!

Ladies and gentlemen, grab your laser-eye NFTs and dust off those 2017 memes - we've finally arrived! Bitcoin has transcended the mythical $100,000 price point that HODLers have been hallucinating about since the Obama administration.

We have succesfully meme'd the dream into a reality, can anything stop us now? The Banana zone hath arrived

---

---

Why the big break?

Is it unrest in France with the government collapsing, is it South Korean uncertainty with their president declaring Martial law, is it Putin coming out to admit you can't ban Bitcoin?

Is it countries trying to find a hedge against Trumps' proposed tariffs?

Who knows?

To me it's just another day of sellers exhausted and buyers are eating through the order book like hungry-hungry hippos

Bottom of the bear to getting some serious air time

If you've been here for one full cycle, and stayed the course it's been a wild ride, we saw Terra Luna, FTX, Celsius, BlockFi blow up and a massive draining of liquidity from the market.

The dream was dead and we hit rock bottom in November 2022, at 15k, to those who nailed that absolute bottom, I salute you.

Anyhoo, it's been a slow grind upwards, the crab market of choppy consolidation normally is, but you psychos continued to hold steady and deploy capital even when number continue to go down!

The meme, the dream and now the cream

The bitcoin maximalists who've been sporting perpetual laser-eye Twitter and nostr profiles can now collectively exhale.

Those same folks who've been predicting "$100K by EOY" every single year since 2017 can now do a victory lap, wearing their tinfoil-lined Gucci tracksuits.

You were wrong many times, only to be proven right eventually!

Remember when explaining Bitcoin's potential value used to involve complex blockchain narratives and decentralization lectures?

Call up the cry babies

When Bitcoin looked down and out there were no shortage of doom and gloomers writing another failed obituary, Dan Pena, Charlie Munger, Warren Buffer, Peter Schiff and Peter Zeihan all had to yap and we listened and laughed

Let's hear what mama has to say on the subject of Bitcoin?

Keep dreaming. Bitcoin is never going to hit $100,000!

— Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) November 8, 2019

Now it's just: "Told ya so" - accompanied by shitcoiners and nocoiners are angry coz of dey enlarged medulla oblongata

---

Times like this, I often think of the wise and eloquent words of MSTR Gigachad Saylor

Put money into Bitcoin and wait for number to go up biggly, if number go down put more money in and wait for number to go up bigglier - Michael Saylor

---

Setting up base camp for the march up Mount Milli-manjaro

The journey to $1 million feels eerily similar. We'll witness another brain-melting crypto pilgrimage - let's call it Mount Milli-manjaro - where every Reddit thread and Twitter space will sound like a combination of economic prophecy and sci-fi fever dream.

Pro tip for newcomers: Pack extra copium, a sense of humor, and maybe some popcorn.

This ride is just getting started.

To the moon? 🚀🤡₿ Looks likely bar a massive black swan, 2025, looks like this thing is going to run with big Usain Bolt strides as we enjoy a year of price discovery, speculation and all the scams that will fester as retail comes piling in to make their overnight fortunes.

I know it's fun to hand out I told you so's and you should enjoy it, take the victory lap but even that gets old, while it's hard to do, try to stay humble and enjoy stack the perpetual top!

@ 9cb3545c:2ff47bca

Hey there! So you’ve got a whopping 50+ Lightning Channels and you’re not keen on them Force Closing? Well, buckle up! This guide will be an additional resource as you navigate through daunting process.

In this post, we will go over some extra tips and tricks not covered in the official guide. While this guide does have some steps that are not covered by Umbrel, its main objective is to provide confidence in the process (not a replacement process), coming from someone who’s been there and done that, and some how came out with all Lightning Channels still running! I highly recommend reading this post fully before starting the migration process.

Before we dive in, here is the Official Guide from the Umbrel team on how to update UmbrelOS from 0.5.4 to 1.x.x. Reference the steps all the time, and follow them carefully.

With that out of the way. Here are some extra TIPs to fill in some gaps I encountered as I went through the process.

The Order of Steps

Tip #1:

In the Official Umbrel Guide, the Umbrel team asks you to start by backing up your data. As a lightning Node Runner, I recommend against this. Because the Bash script will stop all Umbrel Services and your node will remain offline while you prepare a Bootable USB Stick. So definitely don't start with the backup, first get the bootable stick sorted out, then move on to backups.

Creating the Bootable USB Stick

TIP #2:

After many failed attempts to create a bootable USB stick from the link umbrel provides in their official guide. I ended up getting the ISO directly from Umbrels team through their Discord Channel. Unfortunately, I wont be able to share this link here. but just in case the umbrelOS-amd64-usb-installer.iso.xz didnt work for you as well, this could be an alternative route.

TIP #3:

Since Umbrel is an actual full OS now. You might need to handle some BIOS quirks. The umbrelOS Kernal is not signed. So if you have Secure Boot turned on in the BIOS, your PC will try to protect you, and block you from booting into you USB Stick. Turn off Secure Boot and you should be able to bypass this issue. I also had to turn on Legacy Option ROMs as well.

Tip #4:

Test your Bootable USB Stick on a secondary device before you go on trying to update your node. Since turning the node off and on is a hassle, its just easier to be certain the the Bootable Stick is ready before even attempting to upgrade your node.

If all is good, you are ready to get back to the guide and walk through the steps.

Preparing the Hardware

Tip #5:

In the official guide they as you to connect a Keyboard and Screen. This is of course needed. I would highly suggest you connect a mouse as well. My Bios was very stubborn and didn't comply with just a keyboard as I attempted to re-order Boot Sequences.

The Migration Process

Tip #6:

Remember, this is 10 times easier if you are not running a lightning node, but on a lightning node, the Channel.db file is being updated constantly. Once you start the backup process, the script will shutdown umbrel services and start copying. you can''t turn your node back on after this stage. If you do, assume the backup you created through the Bash script is obsolete. and you will have to redo the backup process again. If you really know what you are doing, you probably can surgically copy/paste the LND folder. But its easier not to do this.

But not to worry, if you start the process just keep going (especially if you checked all the TIPs I cover above). I say this out of experience, because after I started the first backup process, it took me about an hour to backup my SSD, but then the Bootable USB stick threw so many errors I gave up, and turned on the node again. Then later re-attempted the process from scratch. This time, since my external SSD was already full, it took 3.5 hours to backup all the files again.

Tip #7:

This will take time, so just trust the migration process and wait for the files to get copied. you are probably copying more than a terabyte worth of data back and forth over USB, Leverage USB 3 if you have it.

Tip #8:

If you have a custom name for your umbrel node. Meaning you do not access it by using umbrel.local, this will be reset to the default umbrel.local after the migration. I am not sure if this could be switched again to a custom name, but for now, this won't cause any issues.

Tip #9:

During the last steps of the Migration process, and once Umbrel has copied the backup back into the SSD, it will finish the process with downloading your apps, and restarting. Don't freak out :D

Tip #10:

I honestly don't have a tenth tip, but thought it would make this list look nicer with one. So my last tip for you is to relax and enjoy the process. And feel free to tag me if you faced any issues. Hopefully it will be something i experienced and will be able to help.

Have Fun, and Good Luck!

@ 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!

@ 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

@ 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

@ e31e84c4:77bbabc0

‘Think You Know Bitcoin Security?’ was Written By Paul G Conlon. If you enjoyed this article then support his writing, directly, by donating to his lightning wallet: noisycyclone54@walletofsatoshi.com

Childhood Lessons

As a boy, my grandmother shared stories of her experiences in wartime Germany, each revealing a common theme: the terrifying reality of living without security. I was amazed with the scale of destruction and, at the time, understood security largely as physical protection. Yet the years have deepened my appreciation for security’s nuances. In this article, we’ll explore how studying Bitcoin has helped me now recognise “security” not just as physical safety, but related to personal agency, mental and social well-being, and the ability to control one's destiny.

Definitions of Security

Property confiscation was rife in 1930s Germany, and much of this behaviour didn’t even constitute illegality. The 1938 Ordinance on the Use of Jewish Assets for example required those identified as Jews to deposit all their stocks, shares, fixed-income securities and similar in a deposit at a for­eign exchange bank. The government even allowed itself to sell Jewish businesses. Access to these resources required no less than approval by the Reich Minister for Economic Affairs.

Narrowly defining security as simply asset protection is tempting, given its historical prevalence. Everything from my grandmother’s tales of stashing cash in curtains, to the US Constitution's 4th Amendment, “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects” reinforces this physical emphasis.

When I discovered Bitcoin, I was hence drawn to its asset protection features. Like many, this biased view of security defined the start of my Bitcoin journey, focusing my attention on hardware wallets and encryption protocols. But that was soon to change.

How Bitcoin Changed Me

The more I read, the more I learned that with a network of nodes working to secure a global protocol, came a network of people working to secure global principles. It dawned on me that I had not so much discovered the ultimate bastion of property rights, but of human rights.

Here are just a few examples:

Freedom of Expression

Anonymity is fundamental for the full exercise of the right to freedom of expression. This is enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Bitcoin's pseudonymous and decentralised nature makes it difficult for tyrants to identify and censor one of the purest forms of expression: transactions.

Adequate Living Standards

Article 25 of the UDHR states that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being, including food, clothing, housing, and medical supplies. Article 17 further enshrines the retention of property necessary to support these living standards.

Bitcoin's cryptographic security reinforces ownership rights, making it difficult for rogue states to arbitrarily seize assets essential for the maintenance of these living standards. Furthermore, Bitcoin's 21-million-coin capped supply prevents arbitrary inflation, protecting against the erosion of purchasing power that has time and again proven correlated with the erosion of living standards.

Freedom of Association

Article 20 of the UDHR states that everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. Article 22 of the ICCPR also protects the right to freedom of association, including the right to form and join trade unions.

Multi-signature wallets are an explicit expression of this associative freedom. By enabling groups to collaboratively manage resources, the human connections required for civilisation to flourish can be directly represented and enforced in code.

Programmatic freedom of association is particularly pertinent for activist and civil society organisations and provides security against coercion in situations where individuals may face pressure to hand over funds from those who wield power.

Right to Information

The open-source nature of Bitcoin also somewhat poetically aligns with the right to seek, receive, and impart information, as outlined in Article 19 of the UDHR. Anyone can inspect, verify, and contribute to Bitcoin's code, promoting transparency and accountability. Its immutability also supports the right to information by preserving truth in the face of potential revisionism. Furthermore, Article 27 states that everyone has the right to share in scientific advancement and its benefits. Bitcoin embodies this principle by allowing global participation in its development and use.

Personal Context

For me, Bitcoin brought context to those old wartime stories I heard as a boy. It led me to the understanding that property rights are simply a derivative of human rights. Now, for the first time in history, we have a borderless technology that secures these rights not in international declarations or national constitutions – both susceptible to the stroke of a tyrant’s pen – but in executable code.

In essence, Bitcoin's technical features embody the very principles of security and resilience that are well recognised as essential to personal agency, mental well-being, and social cohesion. These operate independently of central authorities that have historically proven both capable and willing of stripping human rights, and not a moment too soon…

A Modern Necessity

These concerns are not limited to the past. Just recently, Blackrock CEO, Larry Fink, said this about Bitcoin in a CNBC interview:

“We have countries where you’re frightened of your everyday existence and it gives an opportunity to invest in something that is outside your country’s control.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4ciiDyUvUo)

As an Australian, I see the precursors of what Larry describes. Legislative attacks on the right to expression, living standards, association, and information are becoming brazen. The Digital ID Bill 2024, legislated on May 16th, has already denied employment and government services to some, and is now poised to police the internet in what appears to be the making of a conditional access society. 

The Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2024, currently sitting before federal parliament, is even more horrendous. It effectively establishes a protectionist Ministry of Truth and threatens imprisonment for an extremely broad array of ill-defined speech – all while providing exemptions for government and legacy media. This political activity is occurring amidst a cost-of-living and housing crisis, where many working individuals are living in tents in major cities.

Bitcoin’s True Security

Yet with Bitcoin (and a Starlink connection), I feel secure. Bitcoin has become a source of resilience and mental well-being for people in an increasingly complex world. Beyond its cryptographic security, Bitcoin provides a global network of like-minded individuals who share common principles. This distributed community offers a sense of belonging and support that extends far beyond the technology behind it.

Bitcoin’s existence gives me confidence in my ability to secure basic needs and find community anywhere, without relying on easily confiscated physical assets. Meeting fellow Bitcoin enthusiasts often reveals shared worldviews and values, creating instant connections.

Ultimately, Bitcoin's security stems not just from its technology, but from the human network it has fostered. It offers the reassurance that I could "land on my feet" anywhere, preserving both financial sovereignty and social bonds with free-thinking individuals. This holistic security - financial, social, and psychological - provides profound peace of mind in uncertain times.

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‘Think You Know Bitcoin Security?’ was Written By Paul G Conlon. If you enjoyed this article then support his writing, directly, by donating to his lightning wallet: noisycyclone54@walletofsatoshi.com

@ 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

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This is the lightly-edited AI generated transcript of Bitcoin Infinity Show #125. The transcription isn't perfect, but it's usually pretty good!

If you'd like to support us, send us a zap or check out the Bitcoin Infinity Store for our books and other merchandise! https://bitcoininfinitystore.com/

Intro

Luke: Paolo, Mathias, welcome to the Bitcoin Infinity Show. Thank you for joining us.

Paolo: Thank you for having us.

Knut: Yeah, good to have you here, guys. We're going to talk a bit about Keet and Holepunch and a little bit about Tether today, aren't we?

Luke: Sounds like that's the plan. So thank you again, both for joining us.

Introducing Paolo and Mathias

Luke: would you both mind giving a quick introduction on yourselves just so our listeners have the background on you

Paolo: Sure, I'm Paolo Arduino, I'm the CEO at Tether. I started my career as a developer, I pivoted towards more, strategy and execution for, Tether and Bitfinex. And, co founded with Matthias, Holepunch, that is, building very, crazy and awesome technology, that is gonna be disrupting the way people communicate.

Luke: And, Mathias, over to you.

Mathias: Yeah, thank you. Yeah, I've been, so I come from a peer-to-peer background. I've been working with peer-to-peer technology. The last, I always say five, but it's probably more like 10 years. I did a lot of work on BitTorrent and I did a lot of work on JavaScript. and a little bit later to, Bitcoin and I saw a lot of potential on how we can use Bitcoin with pureology and like how we can use.

P2P technology to bring the same mission that Bitcoin has, but to all kinds of data, setting all data free and, making everything private per default and self sovereignty and that kind of thing. I'm very into that. and I've been lucky to work with, like I said, with Paolo for, many years now and, Get a lot of, valuable, feedback and, idea sharing out of that.

And we're on a mission to, build some, really cool things. In addition to all the things we've already been building. So it's super exciting and glad to be here.

Luke: Oh, fantastic.

Introduction to Holepunch

Luke: Matthias, that was a perfect segue into basically, an introduction to, can you tell us about, Holepunch.

What is Holepunch and what are you doing?

Mathias: Yeah, sure. like I said, we co founded the company a couple of years ago. Now, we've been building up a team of really talented peer to peer engineers. we're always hiring also. So if anybody's listening and want to join our mission, please, apply. we have some really smart people working with us.

but we teamed up to basically. like I said in my introduction, I've been working on peer to peer technology for many years now and thinking ahead how we can, stop using all that technology when I started it was only used for basically piracy. I'm from the Nordics, and I think Knut is from the Nordics also, so he knows all about, the Nordics know about piracy.

It wasn't back in the day. A lot of very interesting technologies came out of that. But basically, how can we use those ideas that were proven by piracy back then to be really unstoppable, because a lot of people wanted to stop it, but apply that same kind of mindset to the general data, so we can build actual applications that has that kind of quality, that can withstand the wrath of God.

that can work without any centralization. Actually, nobody can shut down, not even the authorities if they wanted to. Basically unkillable and make that general enough that it can basically run any kind of application, solve a lot of really hot problems. it works on your own computers, your own networks.

Mobile phones, and tie that up. I'm a developer by heart, into a software stack that people can just build on. So not everybody has to go in and tackle all these problems individually, but just give them some software to solve all this so they can, as much as possible, just worry about making really cool applications that we use,

Yeah, like I said, we've been working really intensely on this, for a long time and in Holepunch, we made this our co mission to scale this up and, deliver a software stack on that. it's been really exciting and it's been really fun and it's been very, challenging, but if it's not challenging, then why, do it?

and, especially, with the backing of, Tether, through Paolo and also just expertise from there, we have a good hand built to deliver this to the world. And, the first thing we did was, like, think about what's, a good first application that we can build that can showcase this, but also something we really want to use ourself and see scale have also have on the world.

And obviously that was a communications app, keyed, which we was our first project. And, we're still in beta and we're still lots of work to do. And we're still iterating that really heavily, but I like to show that you can build these kind of apps without any kind of. central points. and we released that also, like the first thing we released when we launched the company.

And like I said, we're still, building and still iterating it. A lot of fun. and then take the software stack from that, which we call the pair runtime and then split that out. So anybody else can build similar apps on top. With that same technology stack, and, yeah, that's, we launched that earlier this year also, and, it's been really exciting so far, and it's, I love going to work every day and solve, even though, you can see on my hair that it's not really good for, the head scratching, but, but, it's really fun, and it's really challenging, and it's interesting thing. goal as a company, basically to have that if we go out of business tomorrow, our technology continues to exist because we're not in the loop of anything. It's also sometimes really hard to explain that we don't have any, chip coins involved or any kind of limitations on the stack because we're basically engineering it not to be part of it, because that's the only way you can actually engineer these things that they can understand.

anything, super exciting and, encourage everybody to try to check it out.

Luke: we've both used Keet and I've certainly enjoyed the experience. I, think, the, basics of this, as I understand it, is that it's, entirely on both sides. The communicators end, or a group of communicators, it's all on their end, and the communication is entirely peer to peer, what is Keet really, what is the basics of Keet as, say, a product?

What is the easiest way that you would explain what it is?

The Vision Behind Keet

Mathias: But We're basically trying to just build a world class communications app that works to a large degree, like normal communication apps that you know, like Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp. Just with all the centralization tucked away, with all the costs of running it tucked away, and then adding all the features that also we can, because we're peer to peer

People don't care about technology. We loved it, but don't have that surface off too much to the user.

Just have the user use it as any other app, but then just have it be 100 percent private per default, 100 percent like no strings attached. It just works. if we get caught off by a. From the internet tomorrow, it will still work, that kind of thing, but deliver that in a way, and this is always our mission where users don't really need to worry about it.

It just works. And, it works the same way to a large degree as their other apps work, except obviously, there's no phone numbers and things like that. Very cryptographically sound and, but trying always not to bubble it up. And I think that's, so it's actually a really simple mission, but it's obviously really hard.

And that requires a lot of smart people, but luckily our users in a good way, don't need to be very smart about that.

Keet vs Nostr

Knut: Yeah, a quick one there. No strings attached starts with the letters Nostr, so is, Keet and Nostr, do they go mix well together or, is there an integration there between the two? I see a lot of similarities here.

Paolo: I tried to explain the differences between Kit and Nostr. I think Nostr is a very interesting protocol, but also is very, simple. the way I like to describe it is that, if you are familiar with the history of filesharing, Starting from the first one, super centralized, and then eventually every single step, you get to a decentralized platform.

And the last one, the most decentralized one, that is BitTorrent. the history of file sharing proved that every time you try to centralize something, it ends up badly, right? if you have any special node in the system that does a little bit more than others and requires more resources than others to run, that will end up badly.

You might end up in a small room with a lamp in your room. Point it to your face, and then everyone suddenly will stop running an indexer. That reminds me about Nostr structure. if you are building a peer to peer system, or if you are building a very resilient communication system, if you think about Nostr, you would imagine that if you have, 10 million or 100 million users, the number of relays would be probably less than the square root of the number of users.

So that surface, although a hundred million users is very, they're not attackable, right? But the surface of, the relays is much more attackable. look at what is happening with, the coin joinin platforms, right? very similar. the beauty of KIT versus Nostr is that in KIT you have number of relays is actually equal to the number of users because the users are their own relays.

and they can act as relays for others to, further their connectivity. That is how we think a technology that, has to be ready for the apocalypse and resilient to the wrath of God should, work. if you have, a log number of users or square root of number of users as relates, I don't think it's cool technology.

It will work better than centralized, Technologies like WhatsApp and so on, or Twitter, but eventually will not work when you will need it the most. Because the point is that we will not know what will happen when we will need this technology the most. Today, not for everyone, but the world is still almost at peace.

Things might unfold, in the future, maybe sooner rather than later. But when things unfold, you will need the best technology, the one that is truly independent, the one that is truly peer to peer. it's not really peer to peer if you have specialized relays, but where you have super peers randomly.

Luke: Yeah, the difference here, between the Realize and not having any other centralized infrastructure in the picture is certainly an interesting distinction. I hadn't heard anything about that you can act as a next connector or something like that.

Pear Runtime

Luke: So there's a couple of related things. I know there was an announcement about the, pair runtime, is that right? can you talk a little bit about that or any other, ways that this is growing in your whole, platform,

Mathias: Yeah, sure. so basically when we talk about ideas, internally, also from our software background, We want to solve a small problem that then can solve it for everybody. So

We want to build technology that can just send data around efficiently, so you can build any kind of app on top. We're all about modularity and taking these things to the extreme so we can repurpose it into any kind of application and other people can, get value out of it.

And, that's been our mission from the get go. So basically, like Paolo said, when we built Keed. We took all of these primitives we have, it's all open source on our GitHub, that can do various things, relay encrypted data in a way that's completely private, nobody can read it, and in a generalizable way, so it can run on any applications.

We have databases that can interpret, work with this data on device, but still in a way where nobody else knows what's going on, fully private, and we spent many years perfecting this, and it's still ongoing. And we, similar to like connectivity, it might seem really easy if you don't know what's going on that, connecting this computer to another computer and another place, but it's really hard because ISPs and, your internet providers, et cetera, they don't really want you to do that.

So there's a lot of firewalls involved that you have to work around to get around This is all really, hard problems that took a long time to solve.

But luckily, all of these are like generalizable problems where you just solve them once to a large degree, and then it's solved for everybody. If you put them in a modular framework where anybody can put the Legos together on top. And that's what we've been heavily invested in. And then as we were building Keed, we realized that Keete is just like 95 percent of these Lego blocks that are applicable for anything.

So why not take all this stuff, pack it up for free, we don't make any money on it. and an open source runtime that we're just giving away so other people can contribute to it, but also build their own apps. the more peer to peer apps the world has, the better from my point of view.

and document it and make it really easy to install. And I think actually Paolo said something interesting because as soon as you have, one point of centralization, you can always unravel it. coming from the Bitcoin days, I remember how quickly things can unravel. people went to jail for linking to things because authorities, when they crack down, really hard.

so if you have one weak spot, it will be taken advantage of at some point by somebody. And so even things like distributing updates to your software can be really hard because this often requires a central point, like you go to a website and you don't download it. And so all apps built on our runtime, for example.

It's distributed through the runtime, which is a little bit mind bending. So all apps are peer to peer data applications themselves, and the network doesn't care, which means that we can continue to distribute updates even, if everything gets shut down, you only need like a bootstrap for the first install when you get the app.

So we're thinking that in. At every level, because it's really, important to us to, basically learn from everything that happened in the past and then actually build things that are resilient. And we take this to a degree where I'm sure we could move 10 times faster if we just let go a little bit of that idea, because it is easier to just put all the data in one place or put all the updates in one place.

But then it's then we're just building the same old thing that's going to die eventually anyway. So we're very, uncompromising in that mission of actually decentralizing everything from updates to data, and then also always solving in a way where everybody can take advantage of that.

And then the final thing I'll say about that is that, every time we update. That runtime, those building blocks of that runtime, every time we fix a bug, every time we make it faster, every app becomes faster. That's also very exciting. It's because you're building the whole infrastructure into this layer that runs on your phone.

And it's all somewhat generalizable. Every time we fix something, it's just better for the entire ecosystem. And that's obviously really, exciting. And like I said, actually, no strings attached.

Yeah, so I think you were referring to the trial of the Pirate Bay people there In Sweden, right? lucky enough to meet a couple of them in Denmark and it's been very fun to hear about their journey and, yeah, like

Knut: and there, there's, there was a great documentary made about it called TPBAFK. So the Pirate Bay Away From Keyboard, about that whole trial and how, corrupt the system was even back then. And, throwing people in jail for providing links. they didn't do any more wrong than Google did, from a certain perspective.

And, I remember even, before BitTorrents, there was a program called. DC or Direct Connect Do you remember that?

Mathias: I used to, it was one of my first introductions to decentralization. it as you just shared your, like a Google Drive for everyone or something. Like you just shared parts of your file tree to everyone who wanted to peek into it, Yeah, anyway. Oh, that's good that you didn't know you were going with that. it interesting what you said, because I think it's interesting to think that I think to a large degree, the whole decentralization movement that was happening with BitTorrent back in the day got shut down because At some point, authorities figured out that they could just block DNS requests to shut it down for normal people, and as soon as they did that, it was actually effective.

And to Paolo's point, no matter how weak it is, they're done. and they tried to kill the technology elsewhere, but that's actually what killed them. Then, obviously, alternatives came that people could pay for, and it also shows that people actually want, to stay on the right side of things.

I think, now it's going very much in the wrong direction again, because now we're back at abusing that centralization again. the cycle will repeat. But, yeah, like any point of weakness will be attacked at any point.

Decentralization vs. Centralization

Luke: So what are the drawbacks to decentralization? I think we and our audience certainly understand the benefit of decentralization, what you gain by decentralizing, but what do you naturally give up in terms of the user experience and the convenience factor?

Mathias: yeah, I'm sure Paola has stuff to say here, but I'm just, I love talking about this stuff, so I'll go first. Mattias.

I think it's a really interesting question, first of all, because it's one of those questions where You know, obviously I want to say there's no drawbacks, but like anything, it's a balance, right?

Because it's not that there's drawbacks and advantages, there obviously is, but it's also just a different paradigm. first of all, with sensitization, I think one of the biggest thing I noticed also with developers is that we all come out of systems, education systems. That teaches how to think centralized, which makes us biased towards centralized solutions.

and that's, I remember my whole curriculum was about servers and clients and stuff like that. it's actually really hard to think about decentralization as a developer. And I think that's actually part of why a lot of people think it's hard. It's complex because it is complex, but also because we're just like, we've been trained massively in the other direction, and it's really hard to go back because decentralization can be as simple as what Knut said about DC Connect, DC where it's just, oh, I'm just browsing other people's computers.

That's amazing. That's a really, simple experience, and it's like something you can never do But like in today's world, people, the first thing I always get asked is like, how do I get a username? And I'm like, usernames have an inherent centralization and there's trade offs there.

And we need to think that through and stuff. and most applications don't necessarily require usernames. I'm not saying that's a bad feature, but it's that's where you need to think more about the trade offs because there's governance involved to some degree. But for the core experience, and I think that's what we've shown in Keith so far.

Then, there's obviously tons of upsides also, it's much easier to do big data transfers. Money is less of a concern, which actually changes the thinking, how you think about features.

And that, again, is something we've been trained in a lot as developers, because we think centralized. When we talk about features at Holepunch, hey, we should add podcast recording to Keed. Normally somebody would say, that's going to cost a lot of money to host that data. And we just always we don't even have that discussion because it doesn't matter because it's just between the users.

And then it's more about like the UX. But then other simple, like I said, other simple discussions, let's add a username index. That's where we're like, okay, let's think that through because there's like various things to think about there because there's no centric governance, and we don't want to introduce that because again, one point is.

It's bad. so it's, more like you really need to think differently and it's really hard to wire your brain to think differently. but once you get past that point, I think it's, super interesting. And I, think actually developers care way more than normal people because, developers care a lot about how links look and links and structure and that.

And normal people are just used to just clicking buttons and apps and going with the flow on that. And that's also what we're seeing, I think, with, a lot of key

Paolo: I think the hiring has proven a little bit more challenging, as Matthias was saying, when you are told that the cloud is your friend, hosting, on, Google Cloud or AWS is the right thing to do. And, of course, it got cheaper and cheaper, so now everyone can host their websites.

But the reality is that 70 percent of, the entire internet knowledge is hosted in the data centers of three companies. developers should think about that, should think about the fact that internet was born to be point to point and peer to peer. And, we are very far away from that initial concept.

over the years, especially with the boom in, in the year 2000 for the internet boom, and bubble, then, realized that, holding people's data is the way to go, with social media and social network. That is even worse. And so you have these friendly advertisements that are telling you, That, with a smiley face that, you know, yeah, you should, upload all your data on, Apple cloud or Google cloud.

And in general, cloud backups are great, right? You want to have some sort of redundancy in your life, but the reality is that you should be able to upload those. In an encrypted way, and yet most of this data sits unencrypted because, the big tech companies have to decrypt it and use it for, to milk the information to pay for, for, another month of their new data centers.

the, issue is, we have so much power in our hands through our phones. the phones that we have today are much more powerful than the phones that we, or even the computers that we have 10 years ago or 5 years ago. And so We should, we are at a stage where we can use this hardware, not only for communicating, but also for in the future for AI processing and inference and so on.

is, we need to, understand that the word cannot be connected to Google. I mean we cannot be a function of Google. We cannot be a function of AWS. And so I think that, there is, escalating pace of, towards centralization and it's almost a black hole.

And eventually, the, we'll attract all the lights and if we are too close to it, no lights will come out anymore. And, that's why we want to really to double down on this technology, because it's not going to be easy, right? It's going to be very challenging, and most of the people don't care, as Maite has said before.

Most of the people will think, everything works with WhatsApp and, Signal, but Signal announced that their 2023 costs for data centers and data center costs are around 50 million, and they, apart from the mobile coin that was not The best thing that they could do, there is, it's not easy for them to monetize.

And the problem is that if you are, you're basically almost the only way to monetize it is to sell your customer's data. So if you don't want to sell your customer data, eventually your service will not be sustainable. So the only way to make it sustainable is actually going back to peer, where you can leverage people, infrastructure, people, connectivity, people, phones, people, processing power, Deliver very high quality communication system.

And when they will care, it will be probably usually too late if nothing exists yet. when people will care is because shit is hitting the fan. And, you really want to have a solution that is not, that will survive if, the countries around you or around the country where you live are not going to be nice to your own country.

So that's the view to peer-to-peer. The peer-to-peer wheel system will keep working if your neighbor countries are not going to be nice towards you. That's independence, that's resiliency, those are terms that, we need to take very seriously, especially seeing where the, world is going to.

Knut: Yeah, I think we're all primed for, centralized solutions, from a very young age. this is the state, this is what it is like, state funded schooling. state funders or state subsidized media. We are, like brainwashed into, trusting, institutions all our lives.

So I think that is somewhat connected to why people are so reluctant to be vigilant about this on the internet. I think the two go hand in hand that we, take the comfortable way, or most people take the comfortable route of, not taking responsibility for their own stuff. not only on the internet, but outsourcing responsibility to the government is basically the, another side of the same coin, right?

Mathias: I also find it very interesting, especially being from a small country like Denmark that doesn't have a lot of homegrown infrastructure. And I'm just seeing how much communication with some of the public entities is happening through centralized platforms like Facebook and things like that, where even though we centralize it, we also centralize it in companies that we don't even have any control over in different countries where we probably have, no rights at all.

So it's like hyper centralization, especially from the weakest point of view. And I think that's super problematic. And I'm always. Thinking it's, weird that we're not talking about that more especially when you look at the things that they're trying to do in the EU, they're almost trying to just push more in that direction, which I find even more interesting.

yeah, definitely. it's, a huge problem and it's only getting bigger. And that's, why

Challenges and Future of Decentralization

Luke: So to what level can decentralization actually get there? What is the limit to decentralization? And I'll calibrate this with an example. The internet itself, you said it was built to essentially originally be decentralized, but we don't have it. For physical links, like individual physical links between each other, the fiber or whatever the wire is goes together into another group of wires, which eventually go into some backbone, which is operated by a company.

And then that goes into the global Internet. And so somewhere it centralizes into telecom companies and other services. It might be decentralized on one level, but there is a layer of centralized services that make the internet work that isn't necessarily the so called cloud providers and that sort of thing.

So is there a limitation to how far this can go?

Paolo: I think the, in general, sure, there are the ISPs and, their physical infrastructure is in part centralized, but also you start having redundancy, right? So for example, the backbones are redundant. There are multiple companies running, cross connects across different areas of the world.

Now you have Starlink if you want. that is a great way to start decentralizing connectivity because Starlink will not be the only one that will run satellites, so there will be multiple companies that will allow you to connect through satellites, plus you have normal cabling.

So you will have, it will become a huge mesh network, it's already in part, but it will become more and more a huge mesh network. in general, you will always find a way, even with a pigeon, to start sending bits out of your house.

I think the most important part is, you have to be in control of your own data, and then, you need to send this data with the shortest path to the people that you want to talk to. Right now, I usually make this example, because I think it's When we do this presentation, we try to make people think about how much waste also centralized systems have created.

imagine you live in Rome, you live in Rome and you have your family. Most people live nearby their families. That is a classic thing among humans. 90 percent of the people live nearby their families. Maybe nearby, like 10km, 50km nearby. If you talk to your family, every single message, every single photo that you will send to your family, that message will travel, instead of going 50 kilometers in a nearby town where your mother lives or your father lives, it will travel every single message, every single bit of every single video call or every single bit of every photo will travel 5, 000 miles to Frankfurt just to go back 50 kilometers from you.

Imagine how much government spent in order to create these internet lines and to empower them to make it bigger, more, with more capacity Peer to peer allows with a lower latency, allows to save on bandwidth, allows to save on cost of global infrastructure.

So that's how, actually, We can create better mesh networks, more resilient mesh networks, just because data will always find the shortest path from one point to another.

And still all roads lead to Rome. I'm Italian, so I need to use Rome as an example.

Knut: Yeah.

Mathias: I think the discussion here is really interesting compared to Bitcoin, because it's actually the scaling longer term. Sovereignty, like how, Bitcoin kind of told us very direct terms that if you have a key pair, you have your money.

And it doesn't matter where you are in the world. If you have that key pair, you have a way to get to that money. the means of transportation, it's actually very uninteresting in that sense, because you have it with you. The Internet today, the centralized Internet is designed in a way where, what does it mean to go to Facebook?

it's really hard to explain because it's like some certificate that issued by somebody, and there's. Some, cabal of companies that manages them, there's some regulations around it, but we don't really actually understand it that well as normal people. Technically, we can understand it, but it's very, centralized and it's very, opaque and it's built into the infrastructure in that way, in a bad way.

And, with Pure Technology, we're taking the same approach as Bitcoin here and saying, You're just a key pair, and the other person is just a key pair, and there's a bunch of protocols around that, but the transportation is actually not that interesting. Right now, we use the internet to do it.

We'll probably do that for a long time, but there's no reason why we can take the same technology we have right now and in 50 years run it on, laser beams or something else, because we're taking the software and feedback.

Bitcoin and Holepunch: Drawing Parallels

Mathias: I think, that's the main thing to think about in that. Discussion.

Luke: when, Paolo, when you were talking about that people don't care, when you were saying that people don't care because WhatsApp just works, I was at the same time thinking that's the parallel of people saying that, I don't care because Visa just works, right? And so the parallel between Bitcoin and what you're doing at Holepunch, Keet, everything else here, really seems to be tracking along the same line.

And I guess there's the connection that, I won't say all, but a lot of the people involved are already in the Bitcoin ecosystem. But can you comment on is there a little more of a connection there between Holepunch and Keet and Bitcoin?

Paolo: Yeah, Bitcoin definitely is working and servicing, I think, in a good way, many, people in communities. The users of Bitcoin today are, unfortunately, and also that relates to Tether, mostly, in the Western world, in the richer countries, as a way to save wealth and, as a store of value, more than a means of exchange.

For different reasons, right? We'd like a network that would improve, of course, over time, and there will be different approaches, but, still, the world is not yet using Bitcoin, but the world will use Bitcoin when shit will hit the fan. but the beauty of Bitcoin is that an option is already there, is available, and when something bad will happen, people immediately, with a snap of a finger, will turn to Bitcoin, and will have it and can use it. don't have that in communications. What is our communica our parallel with communications, if we don't have it? I don't know, because if, if suddenly centralized communications will, be blocked, then, or privacy in communications will be blocked, and you cannot, you cannot use Whatsapp, or Whatsapp has to start giving all the information to every single government.

and the government will become more evil than what they are today, also western governments then. don't, we wanted to build the exact parallel as we said it, we just tried to describe it, that with Bitcoin, for communications. We need to have something that, since there are so many alternatives that are working as with your, you can make the parallel with Visa, right?

Visa is working today, so people are still using a lot of Visa, but if something will happen, they will use Bitcoin from one day to another. Whatsapp is working, and Zoom is working, and Google Meet is working, so people don't feel the urge, but there will be a trigger point when people will feel the urge at some point in their lives, because something happened around them, and we need to make sure that kit will be available to them.

and will be an option, will be stable, will be well designed so that when they will need it the most that option will be available to them.

Luke: Yeah, fantastic.

The Future of Decentralized Communication

Luke: And so I think the follow up I have, and just to get back to the earlier discussion a little bit with Nostr, the communication in terms of messaging, I absolutely see that and directly in what Keet is, I already absolutely see that. Is there a goal to get somewhere towards more like Social media, social networking, things like that in a, in certainly a decentralized way, but right now there isn't something like that as I understand it, coming from, Keet.

So is, that a goal? Is that on the roadmap?

Paolo: Yeah, it is on the roadmap, it's something that, so we had to start with the thing that we thought was more urgent and also the thing that could have been, would have been a game changer. social media is very important, especially In difficult situation, you want to get news, and you want to get unbiased news, so you want to use, social networks to see what's happening in the world.

But we, think that the most sacrosanct thing that you need in your life is to be able to talk to your family and friends in any situation with the highest privacy possible. that's the first thing that we tackled, and also was a way to battle test the technology with, KIT you can do high quality video calls as well, so if we are able to tackle in the best way possible privacy and extreme scalability of peer to peer communications, then on top of that foundation we can build also social media and every single other application that we have in mind.

Mathias: But first, we wanted to tackle the hardest problem. No, I think it makes a lot of sense. And I also just want to say, as a, probably like one of the most prolific KEET users, I use KEET right now also as a very, like a social media, we have big public rooms where we talk about KEET and talk about technology. I get a lot of the value I would get otherwise on Twitter X from that because I, it's like a public platform for me to, get ideas out there, but also interact with users directly.

And I think, there's many ways to take them as a young app. And we're talking about this a lot, obviously it has to be simple, has to be parent approved. My parents can figure it out, but I think, to a large degree, all really healthy social networks that are actually, to some degree, a communication app.

And it's also just a really good way to get local news and to get this locality that Peter is good at. That doesn't mean that we might not also make other things, but I think it's a hard line to set the difference between a social network and a communications app when it's structured correctly,

Interoperability and User Experience

Luke: Yeah, and this, another thing that came to mind just as, you were talking about these parallels, as, I understand it, the account system with Keet is, essentially still just a, Key pair. Correct me if I'm, wrong,

Mathias: Very, true.

Luke: you backups with the same 1224 words.

Is, that fully interoperable as well? Is that, could be your Bitcoin key. That could be

Mathias: We use the, same, I can't remember the date, the BIP, but there's a BIP for like during key generation. So we can use it also in the future for other things. and you have those words, you have your account, and that's, we never store that. And that's like your sovereignty and, no, I was just going to say that lets you use it seamlessly on different devices also. It's one of those things that I love because I know what's going on when you use keyed Insanely hard problem, but it's solved by the runtime, and it just works seamlessly and I think that's, the beauty of it.

Paolo: I think there's some UX stuff to figure out about onboarding that stuff a little bit easier for normal people. That's probably to a large degree the same for Bitcoin. The other part that I would do with Bitcoin is that, with Bitcoin, with your 12, 24 words, you can access your private wealth. the beauty of Bitcoin is that you can remember 12 24 words, you cross borders, and you carry with you your wealth. You can do the same thing with your digital private life.

You remember 12 24 words, they could be the same by the way. whatever happens, you can spawn back your digital private life fully encrypted from, one of your other devices that you connected that is somewhere else in the world. So when you start seeing and understanding the unlock in terms of also human resilience that this creates is very, insane and can create a very powerful, that can be used for, to create a very, powerful applications, not just communications, but you can build.

Really any sort of interaction, even mapping. Imagine peer to peer mapping, where basically data is not stored in one single location. You can access, tiles of the maps, from, local people that curate them in a better way. So the, level of applications that you can build, All unlocked by the same technology that is being used by Bitcoin is very, incredible.

Luke: Yes, absolutely it is. And what do you think of the idea that all of this stuff is just interoperable now based on essentially you have your private key and there you go. It doesn't matter the technology stack. Is that sort of an agnostic thing where you can take your data to any one of these systems?

What you're building with Keith being one, Nostr being another, Bitcoin being a third, what do you think of that?

Paolo: Yeah, the fact that, data is yours, right? So you should do whatever you want with your data. That is, I think, an axiom that we should assume. And, it shouldn't even, we shouldn't even discuss about this, right? We are discussing about it because people are trying to take away this axiom from us.

The, you are a key pair, and you're basically, unique, and uniqueness is expressed by the cryptography around those 24 words, and that's, that also is a way to prove your identity, it's a mathematical way to prove your identity.

No one can steal that from you, of course, but no one can track it as no one can impersonate, should not be able to impersonate you. So it's truly powerful.

Mathias: also think it's like worth remembering here also in this discussion that a lot of very high valuable data for yourself is actually not that big, but centralized platforms take it hostage anyway. if you take all my chat history and, I have pictures, but like a couple of the pictures would probably be bigger than all my chat history ever.

but a lot of that, those messages have a lot of value for me, especially personally and also being able to search through it and have infinite history, it's very valuable for me personally. But it's very scary for me if that's on some other platform where it gets leaked at some point, et cetera, et cetera.

But we already have the devices, just normal consumer devices that we buy, that we all have, phones, computers, whatever, that have more than enough capacity to store multiple copies of this. In terms of like per user, data production, it's a manageable problem.

And I think it's interesting how, providers force us to think in terms of giving that data away, even though we could easily store it.

Paolo: And this is even more important when we think about potential, AI applications, right? So imagine your best assistant. Paolo's assistant should go through all my emails, my kids chats, my old social stuff, and be able to be my best assistant. But in order to do that, I have two options.

Either, I imagine that OpenAI would come with an assistant. They would upload, All the information on their servers, crunch that information, and then, use it to serve, me, but also service their own needs. And that can become very scary, also because they wear a hat. It's public, right?

you don't want your most intimate codes that your best personal assistant could know, to be on somewhere else, rather than your devices. And so people were, people never uploaded, at least most of the people would never upload medical, information on Facebook, right? But they are uploading it on ChatGPT to get a second opinion.

so things can be, get even scarier than what we described today because, we, discussed about social media, that is basically, the fun part where we upload photos, But, things can become scarier when it comes to privacy and data control with ai.

So I want to see a future where I have a local AI that can read all key messages that I have from my local phone on my local device, and can become the best powers assistant possible without renouncing to my privacy, and also still governed by the same 24 words. the fine tuning that is applied on that LLM should stay local to my own device, and it should be in control of that.

And still, the current power of the devices that we have makes it possible. We should not fall for the same lie. We don't need, of course, big data centers with GPUs are important for training a huge LLM, but that is a generic LLM. You can take that one and then fine tune it with your own data and run it by yourself.

And for most of it, unless you want to do crazy things, that is more than enough and can run on modern GPUs or local GPUs or your phones. We should start thinking that we can build local experiences without having an API all the time connected to someone else's data center.

Knut: Yeah.

The Role of Tether in the Crypto Ecosystem

Knut: It's super interesting. you briefly just briefly mentioned tether before and I think we need to get into this. what is it and how much of a maxi are you, Paolo?

And, what, made this thing happen? Can you give us the story here about Tether?

Tether's Origin and Evolution

Paolo: Tether started in 2014. I consider myself a maxi, but running Tether, you could say that, I'm a shit coiner. I don't mind, right? I like what I do, and I think I'm net positive, so it's okay. Tera was born in 2014 with a very simple idea. there were a few crypto exchanges in, 2014.

it was Bitfinex, Coinbase, Kraken, Bitstamp. OKCoin, there was BTCChina, and just a few others, right? Around 10 that were meaningful. The problem back then was to do, trading arbitrage, you sell Bitcoin on the exchange where the price is higher, you take the dollars. From that sale, you move the dollars on the exchange where the price is lower and rinse and repeat.

That is called arbitrage. It is a property of every single efficient financial system. And that also helps to keep the price of Bitcoin in line across different exchanges. But, that was very, hard in 2014. If you remember in 2013 was the first year that Bitcoin broke the 1, 000.

But on some exchanges the price was 1. 2, on others was 900. in order to arbitrage that price difference, you have to move dollars from one exchange to another and Bitcoin from one exchange to another. You can move Bitcoin from one exchange to another. 10 minutes, but dollars would take days, right?

International wires. And so of course the opportunity arbitrage was, fully gone by, the, time the wire was hitting the, receiving exchange. the reason why we created that was, USDT was simply to put the dollar on a blockchain so that we could have the same user experience that we had with bitcoin.

For the first two years, almost no exchange apart Bitfinex understood USDT. Then Poloniex in 2016 started to add the USDT across for against every single trading pair. There was the start of the ICO boom. 2017 was the peak of the ICO boom and, USDT reached 1 billion in market cap. Fast forward in 2020, we had around 10 billion in market cap, and then the bull run started, but also another important thing started, that was the pandemic.

USDT's Impact on Emerging Markets

Paolo: So the pandemic had a huge effect on many economies around the world, in all the economies around the world, but especially in emerging markets, developing countries.

Basically pandemic also killed entire economies. And so as a Bitcoin you would think, oh, all these people that are in countries like Argentina and Venezuela and Turkey and so on, they should use Bitcoin and they should, they should, only use Bitcoin because everything else is cheap.

So that is pretty much, the approach that we have as Bitcoiners that, I believe in. But the problem is that. Not everyone is ready, so not everyone has our time to understand Bitcoin. Not everyone has yet the full skill set to understand Bitcoin at this stage, at this moment in time.

we as Bitcoiners didn't build the best user experience in the world, right? So one of the best wallets for Bitcoin is still Electrum. That, is not necessarily nice and well done for and simple to be used for, a 70 year old lady. so we need to do a better job as Bitcoiners to build better user experiences we want Bitcoin to be more used around the world.

At the same time, 99 percent of the population knows, especially the ones that are living in high inflation areas, knows that there is the dollar that is usually Much better currency than what they hold in their hands. the US dollar is not, definitely not perfect. It's not the perfect fiat currency. but it's like the tale of the two friends running away from the lion, right?

you have, one friend tells to the other, Oh, the lion is gonna kill us. We have to run really fast. And one of the two friends says to the other, I just have to run faster than you, right? So the US dollar is the friend that is running faster, in a sense that is the one that is likely better than the others.

And so being better than the others is creating a sort of safety feeling among 5 billion people in the world that live in high inflation countries. And for those people that, they don't have yet the time, they didn't have the luck also, maybe, to understand Bitcoin, they are, in fact, using USDT.

If you live in Argentina, peso lost 98% against the US dollar in the last five years. The Turkish L lost 80% against the US dollar in, the last five years. So of course, Bitcoin would be better than the US dollar, but even already, if you hold the dollar, you are the king of the hill there, right?

So because it's, you are able to preserve your wealth much, better than almost anyone else in the region. I think, USDT is offering a temporary solution and is providing a service, a very good service to people that don't have alternatives and good alternatives and they are very, familiar with the U.

S. dollar already. so eventually, the hyperbitcoinization, I think it will happen. there is no way it won't happen. It's hard to pinpoint on a time when, that will happen. But it's all about the turning point. What the economy will look like in the next, 10, 20 years and what trigger point there will be for fiat currencies to blow up and become irrelevant.

Bitcoin as a Savings Account

Paolo: the way I see it is that it's likely that the U. S. dollar will stay around for a while, and people might still want to use, the U. S. dollar as a checking account, but they, should start to use, Bitcoin as their savings account, in the checking account, you, are happy to not make interest, It's something that you use for payments, it's something that you are okay to detach from because it's the money that you are ready to spend.

The savings account is the thing that we should fight for. This thing is the thing that matter the most, and, it's the thing that will is protecting people wealth. And so in the long term. And in the medium term, we should push for this savings account to be Bitcoin. also with Tether, we are heavily investing in companies, in Bitcoin companies.

we support the Blockstream. We supported so many in the space that are, we, are supporting RGB. That is a protocol that is building, assets on top of, like network, style channels. Thank you for listening. and we buy Bitcoin ourselves. We do a lot of Bitcoin mining.

We develop, I think, the best and most sophisticated Bitcoin mining software, by the way, based on hole punch technology. It's like IoT for Bitcoiners and Bitcoin mining. It's very cool. we are relying on the dollar and, you could say that USDT is helping the dollar, expansion, but the same way I don't think Dollar and Bitcoin aren't necessarily opposed to one or the other.

I think that Bitcoin has its own path. And no matter what happens, there is no way to slow it down. I think, it's going to be inevitable success. It's going to be inevitable that it will become global internet money and global words money. No country will trust to each other with, with each other currencies for, for a longer time, and so the only viable solution is a currency that is governed by math.

That is the only objective way, objective thing that we have in the universe. that's my train of thoughts on, Tether and Bitcoin.

Knut: Oh, thank you. Thank you for that explanation. It explains a lot of things. To me, it sounds a bit like you're a lubrication company, like selling lubrication for the transition between the rape of the dollar to the love fest of the hyperbitcoinized world, to make the transition a little smoother.

Paolo: we are more than, at Tether we have also this educational arm and, believe it or not, the majority of the creation we do is actually on Bitcoin, right? So we are supporting the Plan B network led by the great Giacomo Zucco. The unfortunate thing is that USDT, didn't have a marketing team up to, 2022 with Tether.

So basically, I wish I could say that success of Tether is because we were super intelligent and great. but actually the success of Tether, unfortunately is a symptom of the success of, of, national economies. And it's sad if you think about it, right? So the success of your main product U as it is, They're actually proportional to the FACAP of many central banks. And, but it is what it is, right? So we need to do what we do at, really, at DataRace, creating all these educational contents to try to explain that, sure, we are providing a tool for today, but, For tomorrow you probably need, you need to understand that you have other options, you need to understand Bitcoin, because as we said for, Keith, right?

So the moment when you will need the most Bitcoin, it has to be available, you need to understand it, so that is a true option for you. The way we, see bitcoin education.

Knut: No, and, something like Tether would have, emerged, either way, and it's very comforting to know that it's run by Bitcoiners and not by a central bank itself or something. yeah, and the Plan B Network, I was a guest lecturer there in Logano and it was fantastic.

I love what you're doing there with the educational hub. And we even got Giacomo to write the foreword to our new book here that you can see here behind Luke.

Luke: Always say the title, Knut. Always say the title.

Knut: Bitcoin, the inverse of Clown World. It's, you, if, you're good at maths and emojis, you might be able to figure out the title from the cover, but it's one divided by Clown World anyway, which is on the opposite side of the everything divided by 21 million equation, So anyway, looking forward to seeing you in Lugano and giving you both a copy of the book, of course.

Paolo: Oh, with pleasure, with great pleasure, with a nice, education.

Luke: Absolutely. Yep.

Plan B Forum and Future Events

Luke: 100%. And we have to wind things down, but I'll just say as well, yeah, absolutely looking forward to Lugano Plan B Forum. Always a highlight of the year. It was my first time last year. I absolutely loved it. can't wait to attend this year.

so it's the 25th, 2020 6th of October, 2024. this year, it's a Bitcoin event that is not made to make money. So the problem with events is that. You have to find sponsors, and usually, sponsor might not be well aligned with the message you want to give, right? I think Tether is lucky enough, to not have to make money on the event.

Paolo: I want to have, good, guests. I want to have great speakers. I want to have the messaging. That is not only about Bitcoin, it's about, freedom of speech as well. We had the family of Assange for the last few years, and I think that they will come also this year.

I'm going to be probably killed by the By our marketing team, I'm not sure if they announced it, but we are going to have another Plan B event also in El Salvador next year, so we're trying to create this network of cities and countries that have things in common and, invite people that want to share knowledge around the world.

And, yeah, and of course we, are very proud of the good food that we, serve in Lugano. So that is another thing that, not all the bands can say the same thing.

Knut: No, it's fantastic. And we happened to bump into the Assange family at the cocktail bar in a fancy hotel and, had a very interesting conversation with them there. So if you're listening. Anyone from the Assange family is welcome on the show any time. So yeah, no looking forward to that event for sure, we had a great time.

And I think we're even playing this year, aren't we, Luke?

Paolo: You're

Luke: yeah, the Satoshi Rakamoto is in the event there, we, played, back in Prague, it was my first, time, but Knut is a regular at the Rakamotos.

Yeah, we played at Lugano last year Oh, anything and everything, what did we do in Prague?

Knut: paranoid and,

Paolo: Can I commission a

Knut: What song would you like to hear?

Paolo: I have two that I would suggest. One is Nothing Else Matters.

Knut: Alright.

Paolo: So I think that, is very inspiring, right?

Knut: Bitcoin, for sure.

Nothing Else Matters. it's perfectly aligned with Bitcoin. And, the other one is Sad But True. Oh, that would be fun. We'll squeeze in some Metallica there, won't we, Luke?

Mathias: we'll 100% have those songs ready to go. We also have, a big peer to peer track at the conference,

Knut: Yeah.

Mathias: not so much music, but yeah, that's peer to

Knut: Nothing else matters.

Luke: looking forward to that.

Knut: Sorry, brain fart. Sad but true is about the dollar still being around,

Paolo: Yeah, you can say that.

Luke: Okay.

Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

Luke: Hey, we have to wind things down here because, we're, almost, out of time. So I'll just hand this, back to you both. Is there anything else you'd like to, mention about, your plans in the upcoming couple of years, in, key, toll, punch, anything like that?

Mathias: only that we're, like I said, we're integrating really hard right now, and it's a really fun time to, join the company because, we're small and efficient We get to work with Tether, which has a lot of benefits and it's getting really fast, so definitely check that out. And it's also a really fun time to join Keith in our public rooms.

There's a lot of very personal, in a good way, intense chats where you get to be part of the loop. I love to be part of those early communities and I would suggest everybody to check that out and go to the website and try it out.

Paolo: we will certainly do that. Yeah, I couldn't agree more. So go check out Keith and Holepunch and the Plan B forum in Lugano, You could visit tether. io, that is, the website where we are trying to explain what we have in our minds between, finance, bitcoin mining, energy production, AI, communications, brain chips and stuff, right? I think it's more exciting.

Mathias: Just those things, that's all.

Paolo: Yeah, we can piss off more than this. Thanks.

Mathias: a

Luke: No, It's just perfect. and is on that note, is there anywhere else specific you'd like to direct our listeners?

Paolo: just follow the social channels and give us feedback on kit all the time because these technologies, needs everyone's help to be nailed them.

Mathias: We love technical feedback. We love UX feedback. We're trying to make something that works for the masses, so anything is good.

Luke: So that's, all at Keet. Is that correct? For Keet?

Mathias: Key. io and pairs. com for our runtime. It's all peer to peer.

Knut: Alright,

Mathias: Wonderful. And you're also still on the legacy social media platforms, right? Yeah.

Knut: we'll make sure to include links to your handles so people can find you there if they would like. forward to seeing you in Lugano.

Paolo: Likewise, I

Knut: But yeah, worth saying again.

Paolo: Thank you for having an invitation.

Luke: Yes, we'll wrap things up here. This has been the Bitcoin Infinity Show.

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

@ a849beb6:b327e6d2

\ \ It was another historic week for both bitcoin and the Ten31 portfolio, as the world’s oldest, largest, most battle-tested cryptocurrency climbed to new all-time highs each day to close out the week just shy of the $100,000 mark. Along the way, bitcoin continued to accumulate institutional and regulatory wins, including the much-anticipated approval and launch of spot bitcoin ETF options and the appointment of several additional pro-bitcoin Presidential cabinet officials. The timing for this momentum was poetic, as this week marked the second anniversary of the pico-bottom of the 2022 bear market, a level that bitcoin has now hurdled to the tune of more than 6x despite the litany of bitcoin obituaries published at the time. The entirety of 2024 and especially the past month have further cemented our view that bitcoin is rapidly gaining a sense of legitimacy among institutions, fiduciaries, and governments, and we remain optimistic that this trend is set to accelerate even more into 2025.

Several Ten31 portfolio companies made exciting announcements this week that should serve to further entrench bitcoin’s institutional adoption. AnchorWatch, a first of its kind bitcoin insurance provider offering 1:1 coverage with its innovative use of bitcoin’s native properties, announced it has been designated a Lloyd’s of London Coverholder, giving the company unique, blue-chip status as it begins to write bitcoin insurance policies of up to $100 million per policy starting next month. Meanwhile, Battery Finance Founder and CEO Andrew Hohns appeared on CNBC to delve into the launch of Battery’s pioneering private credit strategy which fuses bitcoin and conventional tangible assets in a dual-collateralized structure that offers a compelling risk/return profile to both lenders and borrowers. Both companies are clearing a path for substantially greater bitcoin adoption in massive, untapped pools of capital, and Ten31 is proud to have served as lead investor for AnchorWatch’s Seed round and as exclusive capital partner for Battery.

As the world’s largest investor focused entirely on bitcoin, Ten31 has deployed nearly $150 million across two funds into more than 30 of the most promising and innovative companies in the ecosystem like AnchorWatch and Battery, and we expect 2025 to be the best year yet for both bitcoin and our portfolio. Ten31 will hold a first close for its third fund at the end of this year, and investors in that close will benefit from attractive incentives and a strong initial portfolio. Visit ten31.vc/funds to learn more and get in touch to discuss participating.\ \ Portfolio Company Spotlight 

Primal is a first of its kind application for the Nostr protocol that combines a client, caching service, analytics tools, and more to address several unmet needs in the nascent Nostr ecosystem. Through the combination of its sleek client application and its caching service (built on a completely open source stack), Primal seeks to offer an end-user experience as smooth and easy as that of legacy social media platforms like Twitter and eventually many other applications, unlocking the vast potential of Nostr for the next billion people. Primal also offers an integrated wallet (powered by Strike BLACK) that substantially reduces onboarding and UX frictions for both Nostr and the lightning network while highlighting bitcoin’s unique power as internet-native, open-source money. 

Selected Portfolio News

AnchorWatch announced it has achieved Llody’s Coverholder status, allowing the company to provide unique 1:1 bitcoin insurance offerings starting in December.\ \ Battery Finance Founder and CEO Andrew Hohns appeared on CNBC to delve into the company’s unique bitcoin-backed private credit strategy.

Primal launched version 2.0, a landmark update that adds a feed marketplace, robust advanced search capabilities, premium-tier offerings, and many more new features.

Debifi launched its new iOS app for Apple users seeking non-custodial bitcoin-collateralized loans.

Media

Strike Founder and CEO Jack Mallers joined Bloomberg TV to discuss the strong volumes the company has seen over the past year and the potential for a US bitcoin strategic reserve. 

Primal Founder and CEO Miljan Braticevic joined The Bitcoin Podcast to discuss the rollout of Primal 2.0 and the future of Nostr. 

Ten31 Managing Partner Marty Bent appeared on BlazeTV to discuss recent changes in the regulatory environment for bitcoin. 

Zaprite published a customer testimonial video highlighting the popularity of its offerings across the bitcoin ecosystem. 

Market Updates

Continuing its recent momentum, bitcoin reached another new all-time high this week, clocking in just below $100,000 on Friday. Bitcoin has now reached a market cap of nearly $2 trillion, putting it within 3% of the market caps of Amazon and Google. 

After receiving SEC and CFTC approval over the past month, long-awaited options on spot bitcoin ETFs were fully approved and launched this week. These options should help further expand bitcoin’s institutional liquidity profile, with potentially significant implications for price action over time.

The new derivatives showed strong performance out of the gate, with volumes on options for BlackRock’s IBIT reaching nearly $2 billion on just the first day of trading despite surprisingly tight position limits for the vehicles. 

Meanwhile, the underlying spot bitcoin ETF complex had yet another banner week, pulling in $3.4 billion in net inflows. 

New reports suggested President-elect Donald Trump’s social media company is in advanced talks to acquire crypto trading platform Bakkt, potentially the latest indication of the incoming administration’s stance toward the broader “crypto” ecosystem. 

On the macro front, US housing starts declined M/M again in October on persistently high mortgage rates and weather impacts. The metric remains well below pre-COVID levels. 

Pockets of the US commercial real estate market remain challenged, as the CEO of large Florida developer Related indicated that developers need further rate cuts “badly” to maintain project viability. 

US Manufacturing PMI increased slightly M/M, but has now been in contraction territory (<50) for well over two years.

The latest iteration of the University of Michigan’s popular consumer sentiment survey ticked up following this month’s election results, though so did five-year inflation expectations, which now sit comfortably north of 3%. 

Regulatory Update

After weeks of speculation, the incoming Trump administration appointed hedge fund manager Scott Bessent to head up the US Treasury. Like many of Trump’s cabinet selections so far, Bessent has been a public advocate for bitcoin. 

Trump also appointed Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick – another outspoken bitcoin bull – as Secretary of the Commerce Department. 

Meanwhile, the Trump team is reportedly considering creating a new “crypto czar” role to sit within the administration. While it’s unclear at this point what that role would entail, one report indicated that the administration’s broader “crypto council” is expected to move forward with plans for a strategic bitcoin reserve.

Various government lawyers suggested this week that the Trump administration is likely to be less aggressive in seeking adversarial enforcement actions against bitcoin and “crypto” in general, as regulatory bodies appear poised to shift resources and focus elsewhere. 

Other updates from the regulatory apparatus were also directionally positive for bitcoin, most notably FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg’s confirmation that he plans to resign from his post at the end of President Biden’s term. 

Many critics have alleged Gruenberg was an architect of “Operation Chokepoint 2.0,” which has created banking headwinds for bitcoin companies over the past several years, so a change of leadership at the department is likely yet another positive for the space.

SEC Chairman Gary Gensler also officially announced he plans to resign at the start of the new administration. Gensler has been the target of much ire from the broader “crypto” space, though we expect many projects outside bitcoin may continue to struggle with questions around the Howey Test.

Overseas, a Chinese court ruled that it is not illegal for individuals to hold cryptocurrency, even though the country is still ostensibly enforcing a ban on crypto transactions. 

Noteworthy

The incoming CEO of Charles Schwab – which administers over $9 trillion in client assets – suggested the platform is preparing to “get into” spot bitcoin offerings and that he “feels silly” for having waited this long. As this attitude becomes more common among traditional finance players, we continue to believe that the number of acquirers coming to market for bitcoin infrastructure capabilities will far outstrip the number of available high quality assets. 

BlackRock’s 2025 Thematic Outlook notes a “renewed sense of optimism” on bitcoin among the asset manager’s client base due to macro tailwinds and the improving regulatory environment. Elsewhere, BlackRock’s head of digital assets indicated the firm does not view bitcoin as a “risk-on” asset. 

MicroStrategy, which was a sub-$1 billion market cap company less than five years ago, briefly breached a $100 billion equity value this week as it continues to aggressively acquire bitcoin. The company now holds nearly 350,000 bitcoin on its balance sheet. 

Notably, Allianz SE, Germany’s largest insurer, spoke for 25% of MicroStrategy’s latest $3 billion convertible note offering this week, suggesting growing appetite for bitcoin proxy exposure among more restricted pools of capital. 

The ongoing meltdown of fintech middleware provider Synapse has left tens of thousands of customers with nearly 100% deposit haircuts as hundreds of millions in funds remain missing, the latest unfortunate case study in the fragility of much of the US’s legacy banking stack. 

Travel

• BitcoinMENA, Dec 9-10

• Nashville BitDevs, Dec 10

• Austin BitDevs, Dec 19

• Nashville Energy and Mining Summit, Jan 30

@ 805b34f7:3620fac3

I've heard Nostr described as intergalactic war technology, but here we are shitposting on it. How fun!

Nostr is our chance at remaking social media, consciously. Have you seen Max Demarco's Nostr Documentary yet? Check it out when you have time --> Social Media is Broken. Can We Fix It?

What do I post?!?

Post whatever you want. There are no rules. But, here's how to make a first post that will help you get seen by the network as opposed to feeling like you just posted into a void:

Intro Post

• Introduce yourself.
• Say how you found Nostr.
  • Say what you're interested in/what you do for fun or work.
  • Add a photo(s) or video(s).
    • And most importantly, add the hashtag #introductions

If you're on Primal, make sure you set up your wallet so you can receive zaps. Do this by pressing the lightning bolt.

Zaps are payments sent to other users as a way of tipping to content creators. Zaps utilize the Bitcoin Lightning and are almost instant and near free.

Zaps represent the only fundamentally new innovation in social media. Everything else is a distraction. - Jack Dorsey

Check out this intro post from Dr. Ken Berry for inspiration!

# How to Grow a Following/Best Practices

Zap - Change your custom zap amount and message on Primal. Do that by going to settings --> Zaps and customizing the top bubble. Once customized, every time you press the lightning bolt underneath someone's post, you send them money with whatever amount selected. Press and hold for a custom amount and message.

Zaps are the easiest way into someone's subconscious. Almost every time I receive a zap from someone new, I check out their profile. Especially if it has a custom message.

And if you really want to advertise yourself/brand, do what is called "zapvertising". Go to the trending tabs and zap the highest amount on each post with a message.

GM - Wish people good morning and comment on their good morning posts. Nostr loves this and it's a way for you to get your brand out there.

Ask questions - There are no dumb questions and people are nice generally. If you do have a question, end the note with the hashtag #asknostr.

Blogging - There are multiple long form clients for you to write a blog on. Check out highlighter.com, habla.news, or yakihonne for blogging. And while you're at it, check out all the rest of the apps you can participate on nostrapps.com

Feed Creation - Check out this video to get a glimpse of what is possible with Primal's advanced search tool. And this video to see how to navigate the app.

Nostr is a more organic social media. There's no central algorithm that may or may decide to pick up your content. It's just people interacting on a protocol. Be the engagement that you want to see.

Post what your heart desires. You can use it as a vlog, a diary, a photo collection, or all of the above. Nostr wants all of it, and there are multiple ways to view content depending on which client you are using.

If you're reading this now, you are extremely early. We have the chance to bootstrap a new social network. One that is principled and uncontrolled by big tech or governments. And this really matters

Nostr Terms

npub - this is your public key and it's how nostr recognizes your profile.

nsec - Your password. Keep this safe. If you lose your phone and don't have a copy of this somewhere, it's gone forever. This is not the blog for key management, but expect better solutions in the near future.

nip-05 - this is your human readable nostr address. There are many places to create your own nip05. You can get a Primal name by subscribing to Primal premium. For example, mine is paul@primal.net. You can put this into any client to find my profile as opposed to putting in my npub.

Zap Sats - Zaps are micropayments of bitcoin. 1 bitcoin = 100 million "sats" which is short for Satoshis.

Clients - Nostr apps.

PV- Pura vida. Nostr's first "un"conference was held in Costa Rica. Pura vida is the national slogan.

Hungry for more Nostr knowledge? Here's a great post with quite a few resources. Feel free to message me on Nostr with any questions!

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

It was great having football back. The 49ers and Chiefs continue to dominate, the Raiders, Jets, and Donkeys continue to disappoint.

I only made two picks last week. The Raiders money line was a dud, but my parlay of the Steelers money line with the under was a big hit. Unfortunately, freebitcoin hasn't put any NFL games up, yet. Hopefully they get around to it at some point.

I really like this type of parlay. The house treats outcomes as though they're independent, but I don't think that makes sense. In the event of a Steelers' win, the under was far more likely than the over, because their offense stinks and the game was likely a defensive slog.

In line with that thinking, I made two parlays this week: 1. Raiders money line with the under (7:1): yes, I'm going back to the Raiders. They're probably going to lose, but if they win, it will be because of awesome defense. 2. Bengals money line with the over (4.5:1): Maybe Joe Burrow stinks this season, but maybe the Bengals had been looking ahead to KC. The Chiefs offense is phenomenal again, so the Bengals are only likely to win if this turns into a shootout.

Are there any odds you're excited about (doesn't have to be football)?

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/679894

@ 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

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

A discussion, today, reminded me of this excerpt, from G.K. Chesterton's, What's Wrong with the World:

This book must avoid religion, but there must (I say) be many, religious and irreligious, who will concede that this power of answering many purposes was a sort of strength which should not wholly die out of our lives. As a part of personal character, even the moderns will agree that many-sidedness is a merit and a merit that may easily be overlooked. This balance and universality has been the vision of many groups of men in many ages. It was the Liberal Education of Aristotle; the jack-of-all-trades artistry of Leonardo da Vinci and his friends; the august amateurishness of the Cavalier Person of Quality like Sir William Temple or the great Earl of Dorset. It has appeared in literature in our time in the most erratic and opposite shapes, set to almost inaudible music by Walter Pater and enunciated through a foghorn by Walt Whitman.

But the great mass of men have always been unable to achieve this literal universality, because of the nature of their work in the world. Not, let it be noted, because of the existence of their work. Leonardo da Vinci must have worked pretty hard; on the other hand, many a government office clerk, village constable or elusive plumber may do (to all human appearance) no work at all, and yet show no signs of the Aristotelian universalism. What makes it difficult for the average man to be a universalist is that the average man has to be a specialist; he has not only to learn one trade, but to learn it so well as to uphold him in a more or less ruthless society.

This is generally true of males from the first hunter to the last electrical engineer; each has not merely to act, but to excel. Nimrod has not only to be a mighty hunter before the Lord, but also a mighty hunter before the other hunters. The electrical engineer has to be a very electrical engineer, or he is outstripped by engineers yet more electrical. Those very miracles of the human mind on which the modern world prides itself, and rightly in the main, would be impossible without a certain concentration which disturbs the pure balance of reason more than does religious bigotry. No creed can be so limiting as that awful adjuration that the cobbler must not go beyond his last. So the largest and wildest shots of our world are but in one direction and with a defined trajectory: the gunner cannot go beyond his shot, and his shot so often falls short; the astronomer cannot go beyond his telescope and his telescope goes such a little way. All these are like men who have stood on the high peak of a mountain and seen the horizon like a single ring and who then descend down different paths towards different towns, traveling slow or fast. It is right; there must be people traveling to different towns; there must be specialists; but shall no one behold the horizon? Shall all mankind be specialist surgeons or peculiar plumbers; shall all humanity be monomaniac?

Tradition has decided that only half of humanity shall be monomaniac. It has decided that in every home there shall be a tradesman and a Jack-of-all-trades. But it has also decided, among other things, that the Jack-of-all-trades shall be a Jill-of-all-trades. It has decided, rightly or wrongly, that this specialism and this universalism shall be divided between the sexes. Cleverness shall be left for men and wisdom for women. For cleverness kills wisdom; that is one of the few sad and certain things.

But for women this ideal of comprehensive capacity (or common-sense) must long ago have been washed away. It must have melted in the frightful furnaces of ambition and eager technicality. A man must be partly a one-idead man, because he is a one-weaponed man—and he is flung naked into the fight. The world’s demand comes to him direct; to his wife indirectly. In short, he must (as the books on Success say) give “his best”; and what a small part of a man “his best” is! His second and third best are often much better. If he is the first violin he must fiddle for life; he must not remember that he is a fine fourth bagpipe, a fair fifteenth billiard-cue, a foil, a fountain pen, a hand at whist, a gun, and an image of God.

The frustration of not being an expert

I read that, in my early 20s, stumbling across the late, great Chesterton, while trying to decide if marriage is my proper vocation (and then immediately reading all of his nonfiction, as it's all so brutally, casually, brilliant). It immediately made my own "talent stack" clear to me: I'm best at doing lots of different things quite well, but not at doing one particular thing to a level of highest expertise.

This is actually an extremely difficult position to be in because young people are under constant pressure to find That One Thing that they are to specialize in, and I could never find That Thing, despite being at the top of any ranking of People Doing Things.

Could I write well? Yes. Could I write really well? Yes. Could I write really, really well? Nope.

Could I program well? Yes. Could I program really well? Yes. Could I program really, really well? Nope.

Could I cook well?...

And so on, and so forth, for nearly every task I tried. Perpetually stuck in the upper quintile, never a top-tenner.

Much has been written about chronic Imposter Syndrome among the very-smartest women, but I think that's just a fancy way to explain this phenomenon of being at the top of your game and atop all of the other women playing the same game, but quickly discovering, to your dismay, that the men at the top are a wee bit topper than you. And there's always one a wee bit topper. There must be an endless supply of men-slightly-better at That One Thing, someplace. A factory, where they are produced by dark forces, like the Orcs, in The Lord of the Rings.

It is enough to make a girl pout, very cutely.

Titles matter

I've written, before, about how I see my development role as being the project teams' "Girl Friday". I pick up all the tasks that fall to the wayside, but shouldn't be forgotten (like marketing, testing, arranging financing, and customer support), or substituting for someone who is away. Although men and women are partially redundant, so that there's a Boy Friday for every Mrs. Burns, it seems clear to me that humanity really is generally split up into these specialist/generalist roles.

Women tend toward generalism, but often no longer have a natural outlet for it, so many of us are therefore in a state of employment frustration. We cling to various titles, without fully identifying with them. Drifting from one title to another. Earning a new title. Going off to find ourselves. Earning another new title. No, this one also doesn't fit... Seeking, but never finding. The incongruence and impermanence can be painful. Aimless drifting.

Stacking up certificates and qualifications, but immediately bored by the myopic scope of the task and -- if we're in a male-dominated trade -- frustrated by our difficulty in topping The Toppers; struggling to find some niche, some branch, where our generalism is an advantage.

Life is unfair. Boys are mean. Someone do something.

There used to be a specialty for generalists

But someone had done something. A long, long time ago. In fact, we are generalists today because of what that one woman did, back then: she married.

The bride is the star of every wedding and being a wife often brought a change in title (from Miss to Mrs.) because it is meant to be a vocation. It is as if you have been hired to be the household generalist, by the specialist, whose title reflected his particular specialty. If you actively joined in his specialty, it would simply be tacked onto your original title "Miller's Wife", "Lawyer's Wife", "Politician's Wife", "Farmer's Wife", "Engineer's Wife", "Butcher's Wife", "Bitcoin Influencer's Wife". (Angela Merkel's spouse had the title "Chancellor's Husband", but the construction remains.)

The point of all of this, was to build mixed-sex pairs, with overlapping skillsets, with one generalist and one specialist. This was a solid construction, for millions of years. Turning the tasks of the generalist into a series of professions, in order to financialize and tax the output, undermined the core concept of marriage by eroding its value-added to the participants. That is why marriage is now often seen exclusively as a romantic, long-term-fling, rather than the practical and efficient basis of any sustainable family and economic system.

Marriage is about the economy, stupid

That is why marriage equality became such a hot topic, in the 90s. If marriage is just about hanging about in the house with someone you find attractive (i.e. "roommates with benefits"), rather than the basic building block of society, then why shouldn't everyone doing that be considered married? Then everyone could have the same status, as married people did. This was a logical argument that won because society had completely abandoned the counterargument: Marriage isn't that.

Marriage was a specific construct to serve a specific purpose with maximum efficiency and efficacy. Society honored it because everyone benefitted from people engaging in it, even if they themselves did not. Society didn't honor marriage because it was good for the people in it; they honored it because it was good for everyone else.

Because, within marriage, there is room for a Jill-of-All-Trades, and the people outside of the marriage don't have to pay for her labour or subsidize her retirement, at the same time that they profit indirectly from it.

But, the generalist wife is not the star of the entire world, she's the star of one particular man's world, and for many women, that world was simply too small. They needed a bigger stage to perform on.

Even being The President's Wife isn't title enough, for some, when they hungered to hold The President title, directly.

The consequent and purposeful destruction of the marital institution -- and the denegration of generalism, that necessarily went along with it -- is, I am convinced, the reason that we can't have nice things. And it's the reason why women gaining power hasn't lead to their increased happiness or more-stable and fruitful families.

In the end, a specialist title isn't enough, for most of us. What we want most, is to be loved and honored and cherished for what we are. And we are generalists.

And that is why I chose to stay home and bake cookies. In this little house, in our home economy, I am the best cookie baker because I am a good-enough cookie baker. I only have to be good-enough.

@ 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.

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

Yesterday I was doing my Revelation Bible study and the author told us to look back at Jeremiah 25 to see how it related to what we were studying in Revelation 15 & 16. She only referred to a couple of verses, but I read more to get context because I was having trouble seeing what point she was trying to make. When I read Jeremiah 25, it reminded me of Ezekiel 38 and sounded a lot like what is happening in the Middle East and the world today. This article is my attempt to investigate this idea and organize my thoughts and share it with you.

I do have some comments regarding prophecy and the current Israeli/Palestine/etc. conflict that may be divisive, but I hope my use of the Bible to explain God’s plan will help people understand what is currently going on a bit better and without the rancor and bias coming from the media today. It should also help us to understand why it seems the whole world has turned against Israel and why nobody protests or shows solidarity with Israel when they are attacked in the most horrific ways.

Let’s see what Jeremiah 25 has to say:

‘Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,’ declares the Lord, ‘for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation. (Jeremiah 25:12)

Since God declared after the 70 year exile of Judah in Babylon to destroy Babylon and to make it “an everlasting desolation,” then it seems unlikely that Babylon the Great in Revelation is historical Babylon. It has been destroyed and God promised that it would be an everlasting desolation. Who could Babylon the Great be if it isn’t actual Babylon? I am beginning to have my unpleasant theories, but I won’t go into that here.

I will bring upon that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. (For many nations and great kings will make slaves of them, even them; and I will recompense them according to their deeds and according to the work of their hands.)’ ”

For thus the Lord, the God of Israel, says to me, “Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand and cause all the nations to whom I send you to drink it. They will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them.” (Jeremiah 25:13-16)

God then promises “many nations and great kings” that made slaves of Judah/Israel, that God will “recompense them according to their deeds.”

Compare that to Revelation 14 and 16:

Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. (Revelation 14:9-10)

and

Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it.” (Revelation 16:4-6)

In the same way Revelation promises God’s wrath on those who rejected Him and on those who persecuted His followers, and that He would force them to drink the cup of His wrath, Jeremiah 25 says he will force them to drink of “this cup of the wine of wrath from my hand.” Those who reject God and Jesus, as well as those who mistreat Israel/Jews and Christians, will receive God’s overwhelming wrath.

In this passage, God says, “They will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them.” It seems that today, the whole world has gone mad at Israel defending itself and it is causing the whole world to turn against God’s chosen people, Israel.

I also receive great comfort from these verses thanks to the addition of “They deserve it.” There is so much injustice in the world, I love seeing that those who are evil and cause harm will be punished because “They deserve it.”

Then I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom the Lord sent me drink it: Jerusalem and the cities of Judah and its kings and its princes, to make them a ruin, a horror, a hissing and a curse, as it is this day; Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his princes and all his people; and all the foreign people, all the kings of the land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the Philistines (even Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron and the remnant of Ashdod); Edom, Moab and the sons of Ammon; and all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon and the kings of the coastlands which are beyond the sea; and Dedan, Tema, Buz and all who cut the corners of their hair; and all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the foreign people who dwell in the desert; and all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam and all the kings of Media; and all the kings of the north, near and far, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the earth which are upon the face of the ground, and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them. (Jeremiah 25:17-26) {emphasis of nations is mine}

Let’s see if the nations listed seem to match with the nations turning against Israel today. I did research online1 and came up with these matches (some are clear and some are possibly what was mentioned and are marked with a “?”:

This looks like most of the nations turning against Israel and most of the nations on this list have become very aggressive against and/or speaking evil of Israel. I never thought of Jeremiah as predicting end times events, but it seems it probably is.

“You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Drink, be drunk, vomit, fall and rise no more because of the sword which I will send among you.” ’ And it will be, if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you will say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “You shall surely drink! For behold, I am beginning to work calamity in this city which is called by My name, and shall you be completely free from punishment? You will not be free from punishment; for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth,” declares the Lord of hosts.’ (Jeremiah 25:12-38)

The UN just voted overwhelmingly to force Israel to leave what they call occupied Palestinian territories like the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, even though Israel only occupies them because of aggression in 1967 against them by Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and the Palestinians. These nations and people originally tried to block the Jordan river from providing water to Israel, bombed civilians (just like today), and then tried to block all shipping to Israel. When Israel tried to renew shipping, they all out attacked Israel. Israel came out the clear winner and gained a small amount of land in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Sinai Peninsula. Although the UN, at the time, said Israel rightly owned these lands since they were not the aggressors, now the UN is reneging on that promise. Israel voluntarily gave back the Sinai peninsula to Egypt as part of a peace agreement. They willingly allowed the Palestinians back into the West Bank and Gaza under semi-autonomous rule, but these lands were used primarily to attack Israel repeatedly because the Muslim nations aren’t trying to save the Palestinians. They are trying to wipe Israel off the map and take “the river to the sea,” which means 100% of Israel. Interestingly, God promised “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours; your border will be from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the river, the river Euphrates, as far as the western sea.” (Deuteronomy 11:24) This cry from the Muslims is a direct demonic attack on God’s promise to Israel.

Ironically before the Six Days War, the Palestinians in the West Bank were under Syrian control (they’ve never, at least in modern times, had their own nation) and Hussein of Syria put them under martial law because he feared they might overthrow him. These nations that use the Palestinian plight as an excuse to do horrific actions against Israel don’t actually like or care about the Palestinian people. They are just pawns used to justify their actions against Israel. The Palestinians were treated just as bad, if not worse by the Syrians.

The UN resolution also calls for the Israelis to leave East Jerusalem, the “city which is called by My name.” Because of their actions, God promises “You will not be free from punishment; for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth.” God is going to drag the anti-Israel and anti-God nations into conflict in order to punish them.

This also reminds me a lot of Ezekiel 38:

And the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops—many peoples with you. (Ezekiel 38:1-6) {emphasis of nations & highlighted verse is mine}

These nations seem to overlap with those mentioned in Jeremiah 25, but aren’t quite as extensive.2

Ezekiel 38 also talks about these nations being dragged into conflict. It says, “I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out.”

“Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them. You will go up, you will come like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you.” (Ezekiel 38:7-9)

This continuation in Ezekiel 38 says these nations will be brought into conflict with Israel after Israel “will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them.” This prophecy of Israel has happened with Israel being reconstituted as a nation and the Jewish people coming from nations all around the world after having been perilously attacked with the sword, i.e. Nazi Germany. They are now a successful and prosperous nation, but the nations around them are gathering to attack them. Israel has not yet been covered by troops “like a cloud covering the land,” but has been covered “like a cloud covering the land” by a bombardment of rockets, drones, and missiles shot by Iran (Persia).

‘Thus says the Lord God, “It will come about on that day, that thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil plan, and you will say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates, to capture spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who live at the center of the world.’ Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its villages will say to you, ‘Have you come to capture spoil? Have you assembled your company to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to capture great spoil?’ ” ’

“Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On that day when My people Israel are living securely, will you not know it? You will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly and a mighty army; and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It shall come about in the last days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog.” (Ezekiel 38:10-16) {emphasis mine}

It is interesting to note that for most of Israel’s history, there wasn’t much plunder to seize, but recently they have found great natural gas reserves that are envied by nations like Iran and Russia.

It is also interesting to see how the Jews from around the globe keep moving to Israel, despite the danger, just as predicted in the Old Testament.

There are two things I am not certain about. Are these predictions the same, or will there be multiple attacks on the new Israel? I’ve always expected this attack on Israel to happen right before or right after the beginning of the tribulation, but Zechariah 14 sounds like it might be at the end of the tribulation because it mentions Jesus coming back.

As context the previous chapter ends:

They will call on My name,\ And I will answer them;\ I will say, ‘They are My people,’\ And they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ” (Zechariah 13:9b)

The Jews were dispersed around the globe for almost 2,000 years, but God has called them back to the promised land and has promised to turn their hearts back to Him. (This hasn’t happened yet and probably won’t happen until the seven year tribulation.)

Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. (Zechariah 14:1-4) {emphasis mine}

After Jesus’s resurrection, He spent time with His disciples preparing them and then ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives. Two angels told those who had witnessed His ascension that Jesus would return in the same way, which is seconded by Zechariah, “In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives.”

It is true according to Zechariah that not all Jews will be saved, but that Jesus will fight for His chosen people, despite all of their failings. God is merciful!

So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. (Romans 9:8)

Jeremiah 25 is accentuating God’s judgement rather than His mercy.

“Therefore you shall prophesy against them all these words, and you shall say to them,\ ‘The Lord will roar from on high\ And utter His voice from His holy habitation;\ He will roar mightily against His fold.\ He will shout like those who tread the grapes,\ Against all the inhabitants of the earth.\ A clamor has come to the end of the earth,\ Because the Lord has a controversy with the nations.\ He is entering into judgment with all flesh;\ As for the wicked, He has given them to the sword,’ declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 25:30-31)

There will be a large group of nations that will gather in hate and attack Israel with what would be conventionally considered overwhelming force, but God will defend Israel.

In reality, I can already see the hand of God on Israel. A few weeks ago (sorry I’m terrible with dates) Iran (Persia) sent a barrage of rockets, drones, and missiles against Israel. Israel’s Iron Dome defense system was able to take out the majority of them and not one Israeli was killed by massive number of these being fired into densely populated civilian areas. An expert analyzed the data and said the system should not have been able to stop all of these coming at one time. None of the ones missed hit where people were. It was a miraculous protection of Israel.

Then a few weeks later, Israel retaliated. They sent 100 jets across several enemy, Muslim countries into Iran, took out Iran’s anti-aircraft and early warning systems, their missile storage facilities, and their missile and other weapons manufacturing plants and then returned home to Israel. Not one plane was shot down. Not one was touched. It reminds me of a time Jesus was visiting his hometown and offended the people with a story from Scripture. The people, his friends and family, were so offended they dragged Him to the edge of a cliff to toss him off to His death. Then Jesus just walked through the crowd and went on His way without anyone stopping Him. Israel’s retaliation against Iran felt like that, a miraculous protection of His chosen people.

Iran and the other nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38, and probably in Jeremiah 25, are having their satanic hate brought to light by their hate of Israel and they are being dragged by the nose into a battle that they can’t win because God fights for His chosen people, Israel.

Thus says the Lord of hosts,

“Behold, evil is going forth\ From nation to nation,\ And a great storm is being stirred up\ From the remotest parts of the earth.

“Those slain by the Lord on that day will be from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be lamented, gathered or buried; they will be like dung on the face of the ground. (Jeremiah 25:32-33)

Prophecy can be a bit tricky to understand, but by digging into all of the Bible and all of its prophecy I feel like I am understanding it better and better.

If anyone thinks I’m wrong, feel free to share Bible verses showing my error. I’m always seeking the truth.

Trust Jesus.\ \ your sister in Christ,

Christy

@ b6dcdddf:dfee5ee7

https://x.com/geyserfund/status/1864360574642950585

Passionate about driving grassroots Bitcoin adoption? Join the mission and help defend it—become a Geyser Guardian!

Which Guardian will you be?

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/794832

@ 655a7cf1:d0510794

Currently have kyc BTC, huge fan of lightning Network. Because I am a constant user of lightning. Plan on doing my business with lightning as well , peer-to-peer I'm not sure if I'm so worried about kyc I might be misguided in this situation.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/679520

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

The fertility rate is not the whole story

I keep reading articles about the fertility decline that has now consumed most developed nations on Earth, and that is slowly creeping toward the few remaining holdouts, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Many countries, that we still think of, as having high birthrates, are actually just experiencing the echo of previous high birthrates. Same as Europe had in the 70s and 80s, due to the post-WWII baby boom. Others have very high total fertility rates (TFR), but such high infant and child mortality, that the population doesn't grow in line with the fertility.

East Asia is in the worst shape, with Europe closely nipping at its heels. TFR is highest in Niger, at 6.1 children per woman, and lowest in South Korea, at 0.7. In other words, the South Korean population nearly halves in size, every generation. (I will be focusing on South Korea, going forward, as a case study of the general phenomenon.)

Fertility rate is not even half the story

But it's actually all much worse than is being publicized, as the fertility rates don't take the tangible effects of delays in childbearing into account, which actually are felt more immediately, than the decline in overall fertility. What the delays do, is spread the same number of births more thinly over the timeline, debilitating any infrastructure or traditions that require a certain number of people, to be maintained. I think of this as demographic logistics, as it's about getting the right number of people, of the right age, to the right place, at the right time, in order to meet some minimum required volume.

Playgroups, schools, hospitals, festivals, volunteer organizations, sports clubs, road works, senior residences, churches, new business starts, etc. all require a certain number of participants, to remain viable. Those participants trickling in, at a slower and slower rate, is why even places with above-replacement fertility (like my own town) increasingly struggle to maintain systems that are popular. Everyone is being spread thinner and thinner, and we're having to make hard choices about how the smaller group will be distributed amongst the activities.

You feel like you're being overrun because you are.

This is also why the fact that migrants (and religious people, etc.) tend to adjust their birthrate to the regional average, doesn't lead to an end of their demographic overrepresentation. They are under less societal pressure to delay childbearing, so they tend to be further down the following chart, and their offspring simply arrive much more quickly, than with the natives.

To put it simply, for everyone one generation of the "natives" or "majority" society, there are two or three generations of the others.

Does communism get the last laugh?

Societies, like South Korea, where the fertility rate is exceedingly low, also tend to have the most-delayed childbearing, so the effect of low fertility is heavily exacerbated. The countries are hollowing out, on the ground level, with the population being replaced so slowly and thinly, that the majority of the country will soon simply be empty, and the infrastructure will fall apart.

Christianity is starting to have a positive effect on a subset of South Korean birthrates, by promoting the concept of openness to life and family-friendliness, but its popularization initially decreased fertility. (This is a common effect, as Christianity leads to higher status for women, monogamy, and the concept of "family planning".) Yes, contrary to what The Handmaid's Tale enthusiasts claim, increased religiosity actually exacerbated the already-widespread decline.

South Korea is really just the worst of worst-case scenarios, unfortunately, with absolutely every demographic and economic trend aligning to cut off their reproduction. This is in direct contrast to North Korea, that can compensate for the more moderate decline in births with mere mechanization.

Yes, it looks like North Korea will do much better, going forward, than South Korea. Their entrance into the Ukraine War isn't incidental; we will be hearing more from them, going forward.

Robots serving ghosts

The South Korean plan of simply substituting robots for most humans, will go nowhere, as robots are actually less efficient and effective than humans, except at highly dull or repetitive tasks, over the course of their lifecycle. (This is hidden with cheap, extended production financing, where the machines don't have to turn a profit for decades, whereas humans have to be paid today.) Without productive, agile humans, generating real income, there will be no one to purchase and run all the expensive robots.

And... run them... for whom?

@ 06b7819d:d1d8327c

The History of Bananas as an Exportable Fruit and the Rise of Banana Republics

Bananas became a significant export in the late 19th century, fueled by advancements in transportation and refrigeration that allowed the fruit to travel long distances without spoilage. Originally native to Southeast Asia, bananas were introduced to the Americas by European colonists. By the late 1800s, companies like the United Fruit Company (later Chiquita) and Standard Fruit Company (now Dole) began cultivating bananas on a large scale in Central America and the Caribbean.

These corporations capitalized on the fruit’s appeal—bananas were cheap, nutritious, and easy to transport. The fruit quickly became a staple in Western markets, especially in the United States. However, the rapid expansion of banana exports came at a significant political and social cost to the countries where the fruit was grown.

To maintain control over banana production and maximize profits, these companies required vast amounts of arable land, labor, and favorable trade conditions. This often led them to form close relationships with local governments, many of which were authoritarian and corrupt. The companies influenced policies to secure land concessions, suppress labor rights, and maintain low taxes.

The term “banana republic” was coined by writer O. Henry in 1904 to describe countries—particularly in Central America—that became politically unstable due to their economic dependence on a single export crop, often controlled by foreign corporations.

The U.S. government frequently supported these regimes as part of its broader strategy during the Cold War to counter communist influence in the region. Washington feared that labor movements and demands for land reform, often supported by the peasantry and indigenous groups, could lead to the rise of socialist or communist governments. Consequently, the U.S. backed coups, such as the 1954 overthrow of Guatemala’s democratically elected President Jacobo Árbenz, who had threatened United Fruit’s interests by redistributing unused land.

These interventions created a legacy of exploitation, environmental degradation, and political instability in many banana-exporting countries. While bananas remain a global dietary staple, their history underscores the complex interplay of economics, politics, and imperialism.

@ 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.

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

In Part 1, we got to see God’s initial promises to Adam, Eve, and all mankind with the proto Gospel:

“He shall bruise you on the head,\ And you shall bruise him on the heel.”(Genesis 3:15)

We saw God’s promises to Abraham:

• To have his name made great.

• To receive the land of Israel.

• To father many nations.

• That “in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

We saw God’s reiterated promises to Jacob, Abraham’s grandson.

Now we will look at the partial fulfillment of these promises and new promises made.

The Promised Land (Quick Summary)

Jacob fathered 12 sons. His son Joseph was sold as a slave to Egypt where he became second to the Pharaoh and saved Jacob’s family and the rest of the Middle East from famine. The Israelites then spent around 400 years in Egypt before Moses was called by God to lead the Israelites to the promised land. God performed awe inspiring miracles through Moses to force Pharaoh to release the Israelites who had been made slaves by the Egyptians.

After crossing the desert, the Israelites reached the promised land, but instead of trusting the God who had rescued them with miracles never before seen, they were fearful and refused to obey God and to enter the promised land. God then had them wander 40 more years in the wilderness until the rebellious adults had all died. Then God miraculously aided this band of shepherds to conquer the land of Canaan and inhabit it, partially fulfilling His promise to give them this land.

After approximately 410 years of judges leading the people of Israel and them repeatedly going astray, God gave them the king they requested, Saul. God gave them a tall and handsome, but selfish and unfaithful king to show them the error of their ways. After showing them their error, God gave them a godly king, a man after God’s own heart.

David

When God spoke His promise (covenant) with David, He reiterated the promises given to Abraham and to Jacob, but added:

“When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” (2 Samuel 7:12-16) {emphasis mine}

The first part of this promise was fulfilled through David’s son, Solomon. Solomon sat on the throne. Solomon built a temple to worship God. Solomon was not cut off for his sins at the end of his life when he drifted away from God. Even though ten tribes were taken away from Solomon’s son Rehoboam, Rehoboam remained king of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin and therefore his throne remained.

The final promise, “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever,” was also partially fulfilled through Jesus at His incarnation and will be fully fulfilled when He returns for His millennial reign.

“I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” Jesus is a descendant of David and His kingdom will be established at the end of the age — a kingdom of believers. “He shall build a house for My name.” Most of the time Israel is referred to as the house of God while the church is referred to as the body of Christ. In the millennial kingdom they will be united into one house, the adopted children which are the gentile church and the natural children which are the Jews who have finally accepted their Messiah. The final kingdom on this earth will be the millennial reign of Jesus (the promised heir of David), and then God will produce a new heaven and a new earth upon which Jesus will reign forever.

Once again, David did not get to experience the complete fulfillment of the promises made to him. It was partially fulfilled in his son, Solomon, but it has taken thousands of years to partially fulfill this promise and we don’t know for sure how long it will be until complete fulfillment.

Jeremiah

By the time of Jeremiah, the nation of Israel was gone and Judah was corrupted beyond recognition. The fulfillment of God’s promises seemed impossible, but God’s promises are faithful and true. God spoke to Jeremiah to remind him, that although Judah and Israel were being punished, ultimately, God would fulfill all His promises. He begins with these tender words:

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,\ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,\ And before you were born I consecrated you;\ I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”\ \ Then I said, “Alas, Lord God!\ Behold, I do not know how to speak,\ Because I am a youth.”\ \ But the Lord said to me,\ “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’\ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go,\ And all that I command you, you shall speak.\ Do not be afraid of them,\ For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord.\ \ Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me,\ “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.\ See, I have appointed you this day …” (Jeremiah 1:4-10a)

First God tells Jeremiah that He loves him so much that He formed him in his mother’s womb for a special purpose, to speak His judgement and blessings on Israel. God comforts Jeremiah when Jeremiah fears he is unworthy of the great task God has for him. God promises to be with Jeremiah and to help Jeremiah fulfill His will.

As Christians we are similarly told that God created us for His purpose and His blessing and He will be with us, empowering us for whatever tasks He has called us to do.

God promises that despite Israel’s nonstop rebellion, He will be gracious and “not be angry forever.”

Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say,\ ‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the Lord;\ ‘I will not look upon you in anger.\ For I am gracious,’ declares the Lord;\ ‘I will not be angry forever.\ Only acknowledge your iniquity,\ That you have transgressed against the Lord your God\ And have scattered your favors to the strangers under every green tree,\ And you have not obeyed My voice,’ declares the Lord.\ ‘Return, O faithless sons,’ declares the Lord;\ ‘For I am a master to you,\ And I will take you one from a city and two from a family,\ And I will bring you to Zion.’ (Jeremiah 3:12-14)

God will always fulfill His promises even if that means calling His people home from the ends of the earth where they are scattered “one from a city and two from a family.”

God promises to call both Israel and Judah back to the land promised to them all of the way back in time of God’s promise to Abraham. There is a partial return, after Judah’s 70 year exile in Babylon, leading to a rebuilding of the temple for a second time. We are in the middle of another return to Israel that began when Israel was recreated in 1948 and is continuing today. Despite the fact that the people of Israel are being barraged with rockets, drones, and missiles daily and are at risk of being attacked by suicide bombers and terrorists, God is calling His people home for His big finale.

I believe these continuing verses refer to Jesus’s second coming and the millennial reign of Christ.

“Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding. It shall be in those days when you are multiplied and increased in the land,” declares the Lord, “they will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ And it will not come to mind, nor will they remember it, nor will they miss it, nor will it be made again. At that time they will call Jerusalem ‘The Throne of the Lord,’ and all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord; nor will they walk anymore after the stubbornness of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance. (Jeremiah 3:15-18)

This passage isn’t just a call back to the promised land. This is another promise of God. “Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding.” After Jesus’s first coming, He made things clear about His plan of redemption for Israel and for the gentiles. He made clear His promise to bless all nations through Himself, a descendant of David, Jacob, and Abraham, to whom the promises were given. He demonstrated how His laws for the Jews pointed them to God’s ultimate plan.

It is actually ironic that the “shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding” are most likely Christian believers who are returned to earth to reign with Christ during the millennial kingdom. Gentile Christians were enabled to have a relationship with God through the Jews and then God will use those gentile Christians to shepherd the Jews back to God, so we can all worship God together.

It won’t be until Jesus’s second coming and His thousand year reign that “they will call Jerusalem ‘The Throne of the Lord.’” It won’t be until Jesus’s second coming and His thousand year reign that they will not “walk anymore after the stubbornness of their evil heart.” God will finally make the full land of Israel a land of peace and prosperity for the Jews, but also to all the nations of the earth.

But at the time of Jeremiah’s prophecy, God is promising punishment and hardship now to teach His people to be faithful and to trust God’s faithfulness.

Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,” declares the Lord.

“It is an enduring nation,\ It is an ancient nation,\ A nation whose language you do not know,\ Nor can you understand what they say. (Jeremiah 5:15)

Due to Israel and Judah’s rebellion, both nations are taken away by a foreign nation into exile. Jeremiah, in particular, prophecies the 70 year exile of Judah in Babylon and their return to the promised land. God promised Abraham and Jacob (Israel) the land of Israel (previously Canaan) and He always keeps His promise, so He always brings them home in ways that are hard to comprehend.

Relatively near the end of the 70 year exile in Babylon, God had Persia conquer Babylon and then a Persian king, not only allowed the Israelites to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city, the walls, and the temple, but also he funded the return to Israel and returned the gold, silver, and bonze temple implements. What conquering nation does something like that? It was clearly all God.

God may delay His promises, but He never cancels them.

For this the earth shall mourn\ And the heavens above be dark,\ Because I have spoken, I have purposed,\ And I will not change My mind, \ nor will I turn from it.” (Jeremiah 4:28)

When God makes a promise, it is as good as done.

Trust Jesus.

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Uber seed investor and executive producer of the All In podcast Jason Calacanis has been publicly sounding the alarm bell about Microstrategy's bitcoin treasury strategy and the cheer leading exhibited by the company's CEO, Michael Saylor. Calacanis believes that Microstrategy's bitcoin acquisition techniques are a Ponzi scheme waiting to implode. Going as far as to question whether or not Microstrategy is the next FTX.

Earlier today, Jason spent a section of an episode of This Week in Startups to discuss his worries about MSTR's bitcoin treasury strategy, Saylor's overt pumping of the strategy, and the fact that there are other companies like Marathon Holdings beginning to deploy similar convertible debt strategies. While I can see how this can be unnerving for many, I do think there is a fundamental misunderstanding of what Microstrategy is doing. Last week I explained the strategy in a tweet, which I'll reiterate here:

Whether you like it or not, Saylor and Microstrategy have found a way to give pools of liquidity (particularly pools with mandates to allocate to fixed income) exposure to bitcoin’s volatility via convertible notes. The converts are performing better than any other fixed income product on the market.

Other investors have noticed this and have piled into MSTR as well understanding that demand for the converts will increase and enable Microstrategy to accumulate more bitcoin. Those investors feel comfortable with the premium to mNAV MSTR is trading at because they believe the demand for a high performing fixed income product will remain high and likely increase.

Microstrategy can continue doing this until viable competition comes to market because there is no one else offering this type of bitcoin return exposure to fixed income investors at scale. Another important detail, the convertible notes have a duration of 5 years or more while bitcoin’s lowest 4-year CAGR is 26% and its 50th percentile 4-year CAGR is 91%. If you think this will continue then this is a pretty safe bet for Microstrategy and the convertible note holders.

In a world were central banks and governments have gone mad with currency debasement and debt expansion it is pretty safe to assume that bitcoin adoption will not only continue but accelerate from here. What do I think about Microstrategy accumulating this much bitcoin? It makes me a bit uneasy but there’s nothing I can do to stop it and bitcoin will survive in the long run. Even if Microstrategy blows up somehow (I don’t think this is likely). Bitcoin was designed to be anti-fragile.

This is a classic case of “don’t hate the player, hate the game”. Or better yet, join the game. After all, the only winning move is to play.

Essentially, Michael Saylor is taking a long-term bet on bitcoin's continued adoption/monetization and trying to accumulate as much as possible by issuing convertible notes with a 4+ year duration, which should increase the likelihood that Microstrategy is in the black on their bitcoin buys over time as history has shown that anyone who holds bitcoin for more than four years has performed well. This should, in turn, be reflected in their stock price, which should increase alongside bitcoin and convert the debt they've accrued into newly issued shares of MSTR. Through the process, if the strategy is executed successfully, increasing the amount of bitcoin per share for MSTR shareholders. (This is the only metric shareholders should care about in my opinion.)

Yes, this may seem crazy to many and extremely risky to most, but that is the nature of free markets. Every company takes calculated risks in an attempt to increase shareholder value. Michael Saylor and company are betting on the fact that bitcoin will continue to be adopted and are utilizing pools of capital that don't have the ability to buy bitcoin directly, but want exposure to its volatility to achieve their goals. To me it looks like a perfectly symbiotic relationship. Microstrategy is able to accumulate more bitcoin and increase their bitcoin per share while fixed income investors are able to access a product that performs well above their benchmark due to the embedded volatility of the exposure to bitcoin Microstrategy provides.

This won't be a surprise to any of you freaks, but I think it's a pretty smart bet to make. Bitcoin is almost 16-years old. It has established itself as a reserve asset for individuals, companies and countries. A reserve asset that is completely detached from the whims of central planners, transparent, predictable, scarce, and can be transmitted over the Internet. Bitcoin is an idea whose time has come. And more people are beginning to recognize this.

This is one of the beautiful aspects of the public company convertible-note-to-bitcoin strategy that Microstrategy has deployed over the last few years. They are able to harness the benefits of forces that are external to their core business to provide shareholders with value. Michael Saylor could stop buying bitcoin tomorrow and it wouldn't affect bitcoin's adoption in the medium to long-term. He continues to buy bitcoin, and encourages others to do the same, because he recognizes this.

Bitcoin is the apex predator of treasury assets for every individual, company, non-profit or government. The assets competing to be treasury assets are all centrally controlled, easily manipulable, and quickly losing favor. Earlier today, Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher Waller came out and admitted that inflation is kicking the Fed's ass. They cannot tame it.

Waller may posture by saying that "submission is inevitable", but that doesn't make it true. There is simply too much debt and not enough dollars. The annual interest expense on the US Federal debt is now larger than our spending on national defense. The Fed, whether it wants to admit it or not, is going to have to monetize that debt via the debasement of the dollar. If you are using dollars as a treasury asset it is very important that you understand this and react accordingly by adopting a bitcoin strategy. This is what Michael Saylor is trying to make his peers in public markets understand.

Sure, his marketing tactics may seem a bit uncouth to many and the way in which he's expressing his belief through Microstrategy's accumulation strategy may seem risky, but it's hard to argue that his core thesis is flawed. Especially when you consider the fact that bitcoin has officially climbed to the strata of being seriously considered as a treasury asset for the most powerful nation state in the world. I listen to the All In podcast quite frequently and genuinely like the show. It is a good way to gain perspective on how Silicon Valley investors view the world. If I were to give Jason any advice it would be to take a step back and to apply one of the most frequently discussed topics of the last on his show, the emergence of AI and the importance of everyone to incorporate AI into their businesses and workflows as quickly as possible before they get left behind. The same mental model applies to the emergence of bitcoin as a dominant reserve asset.

It is imperative that every individual, company and government adopts a bitcoin treasury strategy if they want to be able to succeed moving forward without the inherent resistance that is introduced from storing the fruit of your labor in a money or money-like asset that does not preserve purchasing power over time. Just because Saylor has recognized this, moved aggressively to effectuate his understanding via his company's balance sheet, and vociferously markets the strategy to others doesn't mean he's wrong. As I said in my tweet last week, I personally prefer to hold actual bitcoin. That doesn't mean that Microstrategy and others haven't honed in on something unique and legitimate given their circumstances and access to certain financial tools.

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Final thought... I apologize for the extended hiatus. I hit a hard wall of writer's block over the last month. I think the time away from the keyboard has been good for me and the quality of this rag moving forward.

@ 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.

@ 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：

@ 87730827:746b7d35

Original: https://techreport.com/crypto-news/brazil-central-bank-ban-monero-stablecoins/

Brazilian’s Central Bank Will Ban Monero and Algorithmic Stablecoins in the Country

Brazil proposes crypto regulations banning Monero and algorithmic stablecoins and enforcing strict compliance for exchanges.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The Central Bank of Brazil has proposed regulations prohibiting privacy-centric cryptocurrencies like Monero.
• The regulations categorize exchanges into intermediaries, custodians, and brokers, each with specific capital requirements and compliance standards.
• While the proposed rules apply to cryptocurrencies, certain digital assets like non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are still ‘deregulated’ in Brazil.

In a Notice of Participation announcement, the Brazilian Central Bank (BCB) outlines regulations for virtual asset service providers (VASPs) operating in the country.

In the document, the Brazilian regulator specifies that privacy-focused coins, such as Monero, must be excluded from all digital asset companies that intend to operate in Brazil.

Let’s unpack what effect these regulations will have.

Brazil’s Crackdown on Crypto Fraud

If the BCB’s current rule is approved, exchanges dealing with coins that provide anonymity must delist these currencies or prevent Brazilians from accessing and operating these assets.

The Central Bank argues that currencies like Monero make it difficult and even prevent the identification of users, thus creating problems in complying with international AML obligations and policies to prevent the financing of terrorism.

According to the Central Bank of Brazil, the bans aim to prevent criminals from using digital assets to launder money. In Brazil, organized criminal syndicates such as the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho have been increasingly using digital assets for money laundering and foreign remittances.

… restriction on the supply of virtual assets that contain characteristics of fragility, insecurity or risks that favor fraud or crime, such as virtual assets designed to favor money laundering and terrorist financing practices by facilitating anonymity or difficulty identification of the holder.

– Notice of Participation

The Central Bank has identified that removing algorithmic stablecoins is essential to guarantee the safety of users’ funds and avoid events such as when Terraform Labs’ entire ecosystem collapsed, losing billions of investors’ dollars.

The Central Bank also wants to control all digital assets traded by companies in Brazil. According to the current proposal, the national regulator will have the power to ask platforms to remove certain listed assets if it considers that they do not meet local regulations.

However, the regulations will not include NFTs, real-world asset (RWA) tokens, RWA tokens classified as securities, and tokenized movable or real estate assets. These assets are still ‘deregulated’ in Brazil.

Monero: What Is It and Why Is Brazil Banning It?

Monero ($XMR) is a cryptocurrency that uses a protocol called CryptoNote. It launched in 2013 and ‘erases’ transaction data, preventing the sender and recipient addresses from being publicly known. The Monero network is based on a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism, which incentivizes miners to add blocks to the blockchain. 

Like Brazil, other nations are banning Monero in search of regulatory compliance. Recently, Dubai’s new digital asset rules prohibited the issuance of activities related to anonymity-enhancing cryptocurrencies such as $XMR.

Furthermore, exchanges such as Binance have already announced they will delist Monero on their global platforms due to its anonymity features. Kraken did the same, removing Monero for their European-based users to comply with MiCA regulations.

Data from Chainalysis shows that Brazil is the seventh-largest Bitcoin market in the world.

In Latin America, Brazil is the largest market for digital assets. Globally, it leads in the innovation of RWA tokens, with several companies already trading this type of asset.

In Closing

Following other nations, Brazil’s regulatory proposals aim to combat illicit activities such as money laundering and terrorism financing.

Will the BCB’s move safeguard people’s digital assets while also stimulating growth and innovation in the crypto ecosystem? Only time will tell.

References

Cassio Gusson is a journalist passionate about technology, cryptocurrencies, and the nuances of human nature. With a career spanning roles as Senior Crypto Journalist at CriptoFacil and Head of News at CoinTelegraph, he offers exclusive insights on South America’s crypto landscape. A graduate in Communication from Faccamp and a post-graduate in Globalization and Culture from FESPSP, Cassio explores the intersection of governance, decentralization, and the evolution of global systems.

View all articles by Cassio Gusson

@ 5e5fc143:393d5a2c

Now test old reliable front end Stay tuned more later Keeping this as template long note for debugging in future as come across few NIP-33 post edit issues

@ e83b66a8:b0526c2b

If you’re thinking of buying a Bitaxe, here is some information about pools vs solo mining.

Firstly, although the terms are clear “pool mining”, “solo mining” there is nuance in these definitions, so I want to explain these terms fully.

Solo mining pools exist, such as: https://solo.ckpool.org/

It is called a pool, because you are using their credentials to mine, but you keep all the rewards if you win a block. Despite the name, this is not a pool.

You then have a pool such as https://ocean.xyz/ who are a pool, you use their credentials to mine, and you earn a share of their income relative to your contribution in hash power.

There has been some publicity about a solo miner winning a pool recently, there were about 12 blocks won in 2023 by solo miners. However a winning solo miner is likely to be a server farm with hundreds or even thousands of S19’s or S21’s sharing the same payout wallet address. The image of a home miner with a Bitaxe winning a block is extremely unlikely.

A solo miner is defined as a group of miners that share a payout wallet address, so for example you could have 10 Bitaxe’s at home all configured with the same BTC wallet address, this is considered a single solo miner. And so it is with mid tier mining farms, often privately owned, who have a number of machines set to the same payout address. Most of the time, they share earnings for a more reliable income, but the owner may decide to gamble on winning a block and so choose to solo (lottery) mine.

So far, my Bitaxe, which has been running for 4 days now and is part of the Ocean pool. It is earning about 50 Sats a day. If I were to wait for an on-chain payout, it would take around 60 years to receive one. I can, however, setup a BOLT12 lightning payout address and earn this tiny income through Lightning.

So here’s my recommendation.

Currently, there are two pools that control more than 50% of mining, Foundry USA and AntPool. This is a dangerous position and in fact Bitmain, who provide around 90% of all mining hardware actually invest and have stakes in these and several other pools. This is centralising mining and could potentially allow a 51% attack, which could compromise Bitcoin.

Jack Dorsey is currently developing competing mining hardware chipset, through his company Block and Ocean are attempting to decentralise the pools by building a truly independent option for miners to join.

If you buy a Bitaxe, the best way you can help alleviate the dominance of Bitmain is to join a true pool like Ocean to slowly move control away from the dominant pools.

Bear in mind that many of the other smaller pools are still controlled by Bitmain.

If you're still interested in lottery mining, here are your chances of winning a block:

Represented as Hash rates of different miners:

Nerdminer: 20 KH/s = 20,000 H/s

Bitaxe: 750 GH/s = 750,000,000,000 H/s

Bitmain Antminer S9: 13.5 TH/s = 13,500,000,000,000 H/s

Bitmain Antminer S19: 110TH/s = 110,000,000,000,000 H/s

Bitmain Antminer S21: 200TH/s = 200,000,000,000,000 H/s

Current Global Hash rate 628EH/s (Sept 2024) = 628,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

If you're running a Bitaxe, your percentage chance of winning a block is:

0.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000119426751592357%

Over a year, your chances increase to: 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000627707006369428%

Your chances of winning the UK national lottery (assuming 20M tickets sold and you buy one):

0.000005%

Over a year, your chances increase to: 0.00026%

Like in all things in Bitcoin, I don’t ask you to trust me. If you want to verify, here are the references I used in making my conclusions:

https://protos.com/chart-when-solo-miners-found-a-bitcoin-block/

https://investors.block.xyz/investor-news/news-details/2024/Blocks-New-Bitcoin-Mining-Chip-to-Be-Part-of-an-Ongoing-Project-With-Core-Scientific-to-Decentralize-Mining-Hardware/default.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo91DWvZRs8

https://i.nostr.build/9rQ9Plv6XQYtt6xd.jpg

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

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!

🐶🐾🤯🤯🤯🫂💜

@ c1831fbe:de4b39bf

An Experiment...

Somewhere, lost in time,

(actually, about a year and a half ago), I experimented with a post on the Yakihonne platform.

I must confess that I was "sucked in" by promises of Markdown support and "Zaps for Participation." And so, I tried my hand at using the platform by writing a post on how the Yakihonne platform was working at at that time (you can see a copy of that old post reconstructed below). For the record, I did receive a healthy zap from Yakihonne 😆.

Sadly, I couldn't find that original post until I tried looking for it on https://nostr.band using the following search string:

https://nostr.band/?q=Yakihonne+post+by+Duncan+Cary+Palmer

Gotta say, finding it on nostr.band almost immediately, using that intuitive string, really impressed the heck out of me! You rock, nostr.band!

My earlier Yakihonne article was my first-person report on how the Yakihonne platform was working at at that time.

I have been jonesing to write some "long-form" articles for a while, and have seen others do so on Yakihonne, and so here I am; back again, dipping my toe into the waters to see what, if any, improvements have been made here.😆

Next in this series, I'll try to address the problems I discovered in June of 2023 (as noted in the article below). I'm hoping I'll discover—and be able to report—that there has been significant progress, but we shall see... (sadly, preliminary observations tell me that it's not looking too promising)... ## I'll close (for now) with a copy of that earlier article: --- >“At his touch, my simple kite Leapt to the skies, Won me first prize! Dad became a legend in my eyes.”
- Excerpt from a tribute to my father... --- ### Good Morning, fellow Nostriches! Today, I'm throwing care to the wind and dipping my toe into the beckoning waters of long-form nostr publishing on YakiHonne, a web-based nostr client. On the one hand, I'm hopeful; but I've already encountered a few sharks lurking under the deceptively placid surface of YakiHonne waters! I sincerely hope my "first timer" real-time experience in writing and posting this article will provide some constructive feedback to YakiHonne developers. My first impressions of the platform are encouraging, and I hope YakiHonne will continually improve its offering. >NOTE: In honor of my father, I've begun this article with a quote from a tribute poem I wrote after his death, and my first embedded image (below) is a photo of the type of private airplane Dad once owned. ---

Dad once owned a Luscombe (source)

--- ### Where am I coming from? It's no exaggeration to say that I am a writer. Although writing is only one of many things I've done in the course of my career, I consider it important. Beginning with an article or two in early microcomputer magazines (Kilobaud, Compute!), I later wrote documentation as an engineer and even worked for several years as a technical writer supporting computer and network engineering. For the better part of the last decade, I've been writing and publishing a great deal of long-form content, beginning on Steemit and moving to Hive when the community forked due to dissatisfaction with a hostile takeover. Through the years, I've lobbied "The Powers That Be" at Steemit/Hive (with mixed success) for certain changes and upgrades to their publishing operations. I managed to persuade Steemit to change its policy, allowing authors to perpetually edit/update their work. For many reasons beyond the scope of this article, editing is a crucial capability. Even in the world of blockchains and cryptographically verified author identity, editing is easily handled by the means of releasing a series of "versions" of an article, retaining the entire history of its development while only revealing the most recent edition at the user interface level. --- ### What am I doing on YakiHonne? Part of today's exercise is figuring out the differences in the implementation of the Markdown "standard" between Hive and YakiHonne. It's been quite an adventure thus far! I've already discovered GUI flaws and struggled with substantial output differences while trying to use the Markdown editor on YakiHome. At one point, I lost all my work on this article because I inadvertently left the page... As a consequence, I've shifted over to using the Markdown editor on the PeakD interface to Hive, doing my edits, and then dropping the whole source text into the YakiHonne editor to check compatibility... So there's definitely some room for improvement in the editor! Working this way, I am also hopeful that I'll be able to cross-post this article on both Hive and YakiHonne in order to expose Hive users to YakiHonne and vice-versa; presently, both Hive and YakiHonne have different advantages and drawbacks, and I have to believe that mutual exposure can only help both platforms. --- ### Early YakiHonne observations, good and bad. YakiHonne is interesting. "Long form content," in contrast to ephemeral Twitter/Tweet type posts, is a different style of publishing. Because we are human authors, our articles appear chronologically—after all, we create them one at a time—but we would like to think that the things we write have some level of permanence, and are (for the most part) more than just brief observations that we toss off for effect. In the following list, I've used one or more Pluses (+) to indicate something about YakiHonne that I consider a positive feature, and one or more Minuses (-) to indicate something I consider a negative feature. Unmarked entries are simple observations. ##### + + I love that Markdown is supported While not perfectly powerful, Markdown is an easy to learn means of formatting text into attractive, easy to read documents on the internet. ##### - No image storage At the time of this writing, users can't upload images when using the platform. While you can (and YakiHonne encourages you to) embed images in your articles, you must host them somewhere and embed them in the form of external links. ##### - - - Don't leave the editor page!!! I was really bummed, after banging out an introduction and an initial outline, to accidentally branch away from the editor page. Guess what? All my work disappeared! 😳 Yes, this is currently a built-in problem with YakiHonne. All content will be lost if you leave the edit page!!! So for your own good, use an external editor. ##### You can't embed links everywhere Certain markdown functions that work on Hive just don't work here. One specific example; you can't embed links in "H" type headers (e.g. \

No Links Here\

). This is not a fatal flaw, especially since if you use a series of hashtags to create headers (e.g. ### Links work in this style header) you won't have a problem. ##### - Confusing, overwritten profile It took a while to figure this out; several fields of the profile overlap one another, but I was (finally) able to fiddle them separate by clicking on the "edit" icons in various combinations. ##### - - Minimum recommended article size; 1500 words? Seriously? Real authors write articles of all lengths. I see no possible need or reason to handcuff participants on this platform, constraining them to a minimum article size. All that will do is stifle creativity and variety. Of course, as this is my first foray into YakiHonne land, I will (at least for this entry) comply with a minimum length, but I reserve the right to complain bitterly about it. YakiHonne, are you listening? ##### - Can't ZAP! I've tried to ZAP a fellow author on YakiHonne, and for reasons I have not yet been able to determine, the ZAP/Lightning button is not functional. It may be a setup issue; I can ZAP when using Amethyst on Android, but not YakiHonne on Mac (yet). ##### + + Incentives to participate This is a potentially very good thing, and apparently it's working; I'm here, along with other fine authors, right? The powers that be behind YakiHonne are putting their money where their mouth is. They are dangling bounties under the nose of writers, promising to reward good articles with bounties in the form of significant amounts of sats. We'll see how that pans out, but it clearly has drawn some positive interest. Somehow, contests, sats, and other inducements do encourage participation. Good talent always enjoys a challenge. ##### Bugs, Oh, My! Ah, bugs are inevitable... Somehow, on this page I ended up with an endlessly spinning and bouncing rounded-edge cube. File this with the bad formatting of profile data, and it's an indicator that we are so early... Keep up the good work, YakiHonne; I'm sure you'll slay the bugs. --- ### Some things I would love to see. I've always been a dreamer; one of those people who's never completely satisfied. Give me an inch, and I'll ask for a mile; a hippo and I'll want an elephant. Here are a few "Scenes I'd like to see" on YakiHonne in the future (as in, How long is it gonna take you to get this feature up and running?). ##### Better and more tools I would really love to see YakiHonne (or for that matter, any long-form nostr publishing platform) provide better organizational tools for prolific writers who have mass quantities of content to offer. ##### Assurances of longevity Is YakiHonne a fly-by-night organization? If I spend my time writing and publishing content, how long can I expect my hard work to remain stored and saved on YakiHonne? Because Hive is blockchain-based, and issues monetary rewards, I have a reasonable expectation that my work will be available there for a long time to come. Can I expect the same from YakiHonne? ##### Ability to back up content I would like to be able to download and archive all of my content on a local device. ##### Index/Table of Contents I write about many different things in a wide range of categories. My preferred platform should provide a helpful way for my followers and readers to access all my content, and not just in reverse chronological order. I've manually implemented a hierarchical table of contents for my writing on the Hive blockchain. Please have a look at my library to better understand what I mean. I would love to see YakiHonne scan my articles for keywords and especially for #tags —in order to automatically create a presentation like my Hive library to help my readers access my thoughts on any topic. Please, YakiHonne devs, save me from being "only as good as my last article." ##### Draft capability For a good author experience, the ability to maintain and edit multiple article drafts is essential. Have a look at peakd.com/ and the Hive blockchain for a good example. --- ### Conclusion: Let's Freakin' Go! This a only a preliminary glimpse of my YakiHonne experience, not intended to be critical, but rather constructively encouraging. I wish YakiHonne the best of success. The more players and options we have available using the nostr protocol, the better I'll like it. Principals and developers at YakiHonne? I hope to hear from you! --- ### \~FIN\~ --- ###### NOTE: Throughout my posts, you may notice hyperlinks like this one that lead to supplemental material. Most images are also hyperlinked. While not essential to the enjoyment of my writing, you may find the linked background information enlightening (or at least mildly interesting).
ALL IMAGES are either my own, derived from open source material, or used with permission. --- For more from Duncan Cary Palmer,
Click Here to visit my Library. --- I would love to hear from you; please log in to YakiHonne and speak your mind by responding to my articles! ---

@ 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.

@ 77110427:f621e11c

All credit to Guns Magazine. Read the full issue here ⬇️

February 1970 PDF

---

---

📰 Past Magazine Mondays 📰

001: May 1963

002: August 1969

---

⬇️ Follow 1776 HODL ⬇️

Website

Nostr

@ af9c48b7:a3f7aaf4

Chef's notes

This simple, easy, no bake desert will surely be the it at you next family gathering. You can keep it a secret or share it with the crowd that this is a healthy alternative to normal pie. I think everyone will be amazed at how good it really is.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 30
• 🍳 Cook time: 0
• 🍽️ Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup of Heavy Cream- 0g sugar, 5.5g carbohydrates
• 3/4 cup of Half and Half- 6g sugar, 3g carbohydrates
• 4oz Sugar Free Cool Whip (1/2 small container) - 0g sugar, 37.5g carbohydrates
• 1.5oz box (small box) of Sugar Free Instant Chocolate Pudding- 0g sugar, 32g carbohydrates
• 1 Pecan Pie Crust- 24g sugar, 72g carbohydrates

Directions

1. The total pie has 30g of sugar and 149.50g of carboydrates. So if you cut the pie into 8 equal slices, that would come to 3.75g of sugar and 18.69g carbohydrates per slice. If you decided to not eat the crust, your sugar intake would be .75 gram per slice and the carborytrates would be 9.69g per slice. Based on your objective, you could use only heavy whipping cream and no half and half to further reduce your sugar intake.
2. Mix all wet ingredients and the instant pudding until thoroughly mixed and a consistent color has been achieved. The heavy whipping cream causes the mixture to thicken the more you mix it. So, I’d recommend using an electric mixer. Once you are satisfied with the color, start mixing in the whipping cream until it has a consistent “chocolate” color thorough. Once your satisfied with the color, spoon the mixture into the pie crust, smooth the top to your liking, and then refrigerate for one hour before serving.

@ 36bedab2:524acad4

1. Power ON

• Quando você liga o computador, ele inicia o processo de boot.
• Esse primeiro passo envia energia aos componentes do sistema e dispara o BIOS (ou firmware UEFI em sistemas mais recentes).

2. BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)

• O BIOS ou UEFI é o firmware inicial que roda logo após o computador ser ligado.
• Ele executa um conjunto de verificações no hardware (chamado POST - Power-On Self-Test) e inicializa os dispositivos básicos necessários para o boot, como o disco rígido, memória RAM e CPU.
• O BIOS então procura o dispositivo de boot (HD, SSD, USB, etc.) e carrega o MBR ou a partição EFI para dar continuidade ao processo de boot.

3. Master Boot Record (MBR) ou EFI Partition

• O MBR (Master Boot Record) ou a partição EFI (em sistemas com UEFI) é onde ficam armazenadas as informações sobre o carregamento do sistema operacional.
• Em sistemas antigos, o MBR continha o boot loader e as tabelas de partição. Nos sistemas modernos com UEFI, a partição EFI cumpre essa função.
• O MBR ou a partição EFI passa o controle para o boot loader, que é responsável por carregar o sistema operacional.

4. Boot Loader (e.g., GRUB)

• O Boot Loader (exemplo: GRUB) é um programa responsável por carregar o sistema operacional no momento do boot.
• Ele permite selecionar qual sistema operacional inicializar (em caso de dual boot) e passa o controle para o kernel do sistema.
• GRUB (Grand Unified Bootloader) é o boot loader mais comum em sistemas Linux.

5. Kernel

• O kernel é o núcleo do sistema operacional Linux.
• Ele é carregado na memória pelo boot loader e começa a configurar os recursos do sistema, como a CPU, a memória e os dispositivos de hardware.
• O kernel é responsável por gerenciar os recursos do sistema e permitir a comunicação entre o hardware e o software.

6. Initial RAM disk - initramfs

• O initramfs é um sistema de arquivos temporário carregado na memória logo após o kernel.
• Ele contém módulos e drivers essenciais para que o sistema possa iniciar corretamente e acessar o sistema de arquivos principal do disco.
• O initramfs é desmontado após o sistema principal estar carregado.

7. /sbin/init (parent process)

• Após o kernel inicializar o sistema, ele chama o processo /sbin/init, que é o primeiro processo a rodar no Linux e é o "pai" de todos os outros processos.
• O init é responsável por iniciar e gerenciar todos os outros processos do sistema.
• Em muitas distribuições modernas, o init foi substituído por outros sistemas de inicialização, como o systemd, que tem mais funcionalidades e permite um gerenciamento mais eficiente de processos.

8. Command Shell using getty

• Getty é o processo que configura e gerencia terminais para o login do usuário.
• Ele exibe a tela de login em sistemas baseados em linha de comando.
• Se o sistema tiver uma interface gráfica, o getty geralmente passa o controle para o gerenciador de login gráfico.

9. Graphical User Interface (X Window ou Wayland)

• Finalmente, o sistema carrega a interface gráfica usando o X Window System (X11) ou o Wayland (um sistema gráfico mais moderno).
• Esse é o ambiente visual onde o usuário pode interagir com o sistema usando janelas, ícones, menus, etc.
• X11 e Wayland são servidores gráficos que gerenciam como as janelas e aplicativos são exibidos e manipulados na tela.

---

Como esses processos se intercalam?

1. Hardware ligado → BIOS/UEFI realiza verificações básicas.
2. BIOS/UEFI encontra o dispositivo de boot e carrega o MBR ou partição EFI.
3. MBR/EFI localiza e executa o boot loader (GRUB).
4. GRUB permite que o usuário escolha o sistema operacional e carrega o kernel do Linux.
5. Kernel inicializa o sistema, configurando os recursos de hardware e carregando o initramfs.
6. Initramfs fornece drivers e módulos necessários para o kernel acessar o sistema de arquivos principal.
7. Kernel chama o processo /sbin/init (ou systemd), que inicia todos os serviços e processos do sistema.
8. Init executa o getty para configurar o terminal de login.
9. Getty chama o ambiente gráfico (X11 ou Wayland) se estiver presente, e o usuário pode então usar o sistema na interface gráfica.

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

Drumroll, please....

In a previous article, I introduced the concept of relay communities.

The ink had barely dried, on that set of instructions, before one of my favorite Nostr devs, ثعبان, rolled out the alpha version of a relay-community client.

Obviously, it's still a bit of a construction site, but you can check out how it'd work, for your community, by test-driving the functionality on your own relay. Simply type https://chachi.chat/ followed by the name of your relay. For instance, one gigantic relay community, where nearly everyone can try out the functionality, is nos.lol.

If your relay community does not require AUTH to read, anyone can pull your chatter into their own relay and respond to it there. That is because every chat entry is simply a kind 09 event, and unprotected events are not private data.

For instance, I moderate one community theforest.nostr1.com, that is openly readable, and that's probably where most of the chatter on nostr.band is coming from, as that relay is an aggregator of the content of many other relays. However, I have another community, gitcitadel.nostr1.com that is AUTH-protected, whose content stays private to those allowed on that relay. Communities are where write-protected and AUTH relays are going to really shine, as they create an environment similar to Telegram, but where you control the dataset, you decide which types of events to support, and you design the client, the algos, the moderation, the visibility, etc.

With communities, the onboarding experience is seamless: just get a browser extension and a nsec, login, start writing and posting, and start receiving responses. Active, chatty, well-moderated communities will be more attractive to onboard to, than chaotic, spammy, or empty communities. This means that you don't have to have the killer entry under "Posts" (where kind 11 and eventually kind 01 posts appear), just to get some interaction. Chat is the Great Equalizer.

So, we're testing both setups, with cloudfodder adjusting the relay faucet code and ثعبان is fiddling with the community client settings, to make the most-comfortable situation for both kinds.

This is the signal

This #Chachi client, of course, is merely the first horse out of the gate. There are already other devs hacking away at variants of the same concept, such as #Flotilla, I'm sure CloudFodder is also cooking, later versions of #Alexandria will integrate theforest community, and etc. etc. etc.

It remains to be seen, how many new use cases can be dreamt up, with this new architecture, but I am quite certain, that this is the beginning of the end of Nostr 1.0. We are moving up and out, and away from the stultifying and limiting concept of Twitter 2.0, toward

Soon, we will enter Nostr 2.0. See you on the other side.

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

While I love traveling and usually feel enriched by the experience, I dread and detest the process of going to the airport and getting on a plane. It’s not that I’m afraid of flying — though a plane crash would be one of the worst ways to die — but that the airlines and airports have made the experience as inefficient, dehumanizing and cumbersome as possible. While in the short-term these measures might have generated some extra revenue, cut costs or staved off encroachment from competitors, long-term it cannot be good for the service you offer to be so universally reviled. In the interest of improving their product — and the experience of millions of future passengers including me — here are some practical suggestions:

1. Separate passengers from their bags as early as possible.

The single stupidest airline policy is that checking a bag costs extra while carry-ons are free. What that does is incentivize everyone to drag their luggage through the airport and onto the plane. This has several negative consequences:

a) Even though most airlines have assigned seats, everyone lines up 10 or 20 minutes before the start of the already too long boarding process, frantically hoping to secure some scarce overhead space rather than relaxing in the terminal and boarding at their leisure before the door closes.

b) The process of people filing into the narrow plane aisle(s) with their bags and taking time to load them into the overheads stalls the entire boarding process. Not only do people stand in line at the boarding gate, but they stand in line in the jet bridge and again in the aisle(s). Whereas boarding with purses, laptops and other small, under-the-seat items might take 10 minutes or so, getting all the luggage in takes half an hour. If there are 150 people aboard, that’s 3,000 minutes (50 hours) of human life squandered on a useless and stressful activity. Multiply that by thousands of flights per day.

c) The process of deplaning is also slow because everyone has to get their bags out of the overhead. That’s another 15-minute process that should take five.

d) Everyone going through security with all their carry-ons slows down the security line significantly and makes people have to arrive at the airport earlier.

e) Because everyone has their bags, they have to lug them around the terminal while using the restroom, eating or shopping for something to read. Having a 20-pound weight on your shoulder only makes the experience that much more miserable.

The solution to this is for airlines to allow free checked bags and charge for carry-ons with the exception of parents traveling with young children.

To make the process of checking bags more efficient and less cumbersome there should be an immediate drop-off outside the airport. Like curb-side check-in, but automated, a giant conveyor belt of sorts where everyone drops their bag that will be sorted appropriately inside. This drop off area would have security keeping an eye on it, but it would be self-serve and connect at all entry points including curb-side, the parking garage, from the train, etc.

There would be no need for bag tags because people could have an airport-certified chip inserted into their luggage that syncs with the traveler’s boarding pass, i.e., the system reads the chip and directs the bag to the proper gate underground. (Maybe there would be a plastic bin at all the drop-off points you into which you put your bag so luggage of different shapes, sizes and materials could move smoothly and reliably on the conveyor belt to its destination.)

Security details would have to be worked out (maybe you’d have to scan your boarding pass or passport at the bag drop to open it), but as it stands, once you drop your bag off at the curb or the check-in area, it’s essentially the same process now, i.e, it has to be scanned internally before being placed on the plane.

2. Eliminate Security Lines

Going through security would be far easier without all the bags, but to expedite and improve it further, we should make two key changes, neither of which should be beyond our capacity to implement.

a) Instead of a single-file conveyor belt scanned by humans, make the conveyor belt wide enough for everyone to put their laptops, belts, etc. on simultaneously. This could easily be done by providing plastic bins (as they do now), but with individual numbers and keys on them, like you’d find in most locker rooms. You’d grab bin 45, for example, pull the key out, put your things in it, lock it, walk through the metal detector, retrieve your bin on the other side, unlock it, get your things, put the key back in it, and it gets returned for re-use.

Instead of a bored-out-of-his-mind human looking at each bag individually, there would be a large scanner that would look at all the bags simultaneously and flag anything suspicious.

b) Just as there’s no reason to send the bags through the scanner single-file, there’s no reason to send the people through that way, either. Instead, install room-wide metal detectors through which dozens of people could walk simultaneously. Any passengers that set it off would be digitally marked by the detector, directed back out, shed the offending item into a numbered bin and collect it on the other side.

Basically, you’d drop anything big off before you even set foot in the building, and you’d drop everything else into a security bin, walk through without waiting and collect it on the other side.

3. Make sure the gates are clean, have enough seats to accommodate the passengers of even the largest planes that come through, ample charging stations and reliable and free wi-fi.

Because you’re no longer forced to line up and hustle for overhead space, you’ll be spending more time sitting comfortably in the terminal.

4. Have clean, efficient public transportation from the center of each city directly to the airport. (Some cities already have this.) Not a train, a bus and a one-mile walk.

There are smaller things airports could do to make the process even better — and I’ll suggest some below — but these three would at least make it tolerable and humane. It would shave off roughly an hour per trip, spare people the burden of schlepping around with heavy bags, wading through slow-moving security lines (which add stress if you’re in danger of missing your flight), standing in the terminal, waiting in line after line to sit in a cramped and uncomfortable seat for 20-30 minutes before the plane even takes off and remaining stuck in that seat 15 minutes after the plane has made it to the gate while people one by one painstakingly get their bags out of the overhead bins. Moreover, people could get to the airport later without rushing, and if they were early, they could relax in the terminal or get work done.

Here are some other suggestions:

1. With fewer people using the overhead bins, rip them out. There would be a few bins at designated spots (just like there are a few emergency exits), but the interior of the plane would feel more spacious and less claustrophobic. You also wouldn’t risk hitting your head when you stood up.
2. Airplanes should have reasonably priced (ideally free) wi-fi and outlets in each row. There’s no way it costs anywhere near the $35 per flight, per person GoGo Inflight absurdly charges.
3. Treat airports as public squares — invest in their design as well as their functionality. Incorporate outdoor spaces, green spaces. Attract decent restaurants, bars, cafes. People unencumbered by bags and not rushing to wait in line to board 40 minutes early will be more able to enjoy the environment and arriving travelers will immediately get a good impression and be put at ease.
4. Do not advertise mileage rewards from credit cards or other sources unless those miles are actually redeemable at a reasonable rate and on routes and times someone would actually fly. As it stands those programs are borderline fraud — you can fly a middle seat one way from NY to LA for 30,000 miles at 6 am, but that’s not why I signed up for the credit card. If mileage plans are too costly, scrap them.

I can anticipate some objections to these ideas, and I’ll address each one in turn.

1. This would cost too much money.

My suggestions would require a significant initial investment, but it would be but a small piece of the infrastructure outlay that’s sorely needed — and on which our current president campaigned — and it would create jobs. Moreover, it would save travelers tens of millions of hours per year. At $15 per hour — it would pay for itself in short order. (And taxpayers’ squandered time and awful experiences are exactly what their tax dollars should go toward remediating.)

2. It’s too much of a security risk.

Airport security is incredibly flawed right now, as tests repeatedly show. You can get prohibited items through security easily already, and it’s likely the screening process is mostly “security theater,” i.e., just for show. But to the extent this is a serious concern, the newer system might actually improve security due to improved technology spurred by the infrastructure investment. Better detection could be designed into the new system, rather than relying on bored-out-of-their-mind humans to scan endlessly through people’s toiletries expecting to find nothing for hours and days on end.

Moreover, airport security has never actually been an issue in the US. Even on 9/11, the flimsy security worked well — the hijackers managed only boxcutters on the tragically ill-fated flights, not guns or bombs. In other words, that was a failure of government intelligence, not one of airline security even when no one took his shoes off or had to worry about how many ounces of liquid was in his shampoo bottle.

3. I like free carry-ons because it saves me from waiting at the baggage claim.

Great, then pay extra for that. When something you like individually causes collective harm, there needs to be a cost for it. That we have the opposite system where people doing what would make everyone else’s experience easier and better have to pay is perverse.

The bottom line — the current state of air travel both in the US and Europe is unacceptable*. We cannot have a system in which everyone participating despises it and simply pretend it’s an inevitable hassle about which we’re powerless to do anything. The central issue is the dehumanizing** lack of respect for travelers’ time and experience. It’s time to change our priorities and take care of the human beings for whom airports and air travel exist.

*I haven’t even touched on the awful state of flights themselves with cramped seats, small, dirty rest rooms, bad food and exorbitant fees to change your itinerary. That’s because I wanted to focus mostly on the airport/government side over which the public has ownership, and fixing the overall economics of air travel is probably more difficult than getting airlines to reverse their checked-bag fee policies.

** This article was written in March of 2017, and little did I know how much more dehumanizing things would get during covid.

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

I’ll write a separate Week 1 Observations later, but I wanted to dedicate this space solely to mourning my Circa Survivor entry.

Circa Survivor costs $1000 to enter and has a $10M prize for the winner, usually split by several as things get down to the wire. Three years ago, when the prize was $6M Dalton Del Don and I — the first time we ever entered — made it to the final 23 in Week 12. The value of our share was something like $260K at that point, but we got bounced by the Lions who beat the 12-point favored Cardinals and took home nothing.

When you enter a large survivor pool, the overwhelming likelihood is you’ll meet this fate at some point, whether in Week 1 or 12. So it’s not really the loss that’s painful, so much as not getting to live and die each week with a chosen team. You lose your status as “the man in the arena whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood” and become just an observer watching and commentating on the games without the overarching purpose of surviving each week.

This year was also different due to the lengths to which I went to sign up. It’s not just the $1000 fee, it’s getting to Vegas in person, the $400 in proxy fees (you need locals to input your picks for you if you don’t live there), the $60 credit card fee, the $200 crappy hotel I booked at the last minute, the flights (one of which was cancelled due to heat), the rental car that necessitated, the gas, getting lost in the desert, the entire odyssey while sick and still jet-lagged in 122-degree heat.

But it’s not about the money, and it’s not even about the herculean effort per se, but the feeling and narrative I crafted around it. I was the guy who got this done. I flew from Portugal to San Francisco for 12 hours, two days later from SF to Palm Springs to help my 87-YO uncle with his affairs, improvised to get from Palm Springs to Vegas, which took six hours due to road closures, signed up for the contests, made the flight back to San Francisco, flew to Denver at 7 am the next day, took my daughter the Rockies game in the afternoon and then on to Boulder the following day. Maybe that’s not so impressive to some of you, but for me, an idle ideas person, a thinker, observer, someone who likes to express himself via a keyboard, it was like Alexander the Great conquering Persia.

And it’s not only about that smaller mission, or the narrative I crafted around it, but a larger one which was to bring sports content to nostr which I vowed to do before the summer which is why I felt I had to make the effort to get to Vegas to sign up for the contests, to have sufficient skin in the game, to have something real about which to write.

And I got the idea to do this seriously because Heather wrote a guide to Lisbon which I posted on nostr, and a few prominent developers there were surprisingly excited about getting that kind of quality content on the protocol. And I thought — if they’re this excited about a (very in-depth) guide to one particular city in Europe, how much more value could I create posting about a hobby shared by 50-odd million Americans? And that thought (and the fact I had to go to Palm Springs anyway) is what set me off on the mission in the first place and got me thinking this would be Team of Destiny, Part 2, only to discover, disappointingly, it’s real destiny was not to make it out of the first week.

. . .

While my overwhelming emotion is one of disappointment, there’s a small element of relief. Survivor is a form of self-inflicted torture that probably subtracts years from one’s life. Every time Rhamondre Stevenson broke the initial tackle yesterday was like someone tightening a vice around my internal organs. There was nothing I could do but watch, and I even thought about turning it off. At one point, I was so enraged, I had to calm down consciously and refuse to get further embittered by events going against me. Mike Gesicki had a TD catch overturned because he didn’t hold the ball to the ground, The next play Tanner Hudson fumbled while running unimpeded to the end zone. I kept posting, “Don’t tilt” after every negative play.

There’s a perverse enjoyment to getting enraged about what’s going on, out of your control, on a TV screen, but when you examine the experience, it really isn’t good or wholesome. I become like a spoiled child, ungrateful for everything, miserable and indignant at myriad injustices and wrongs I’m powerless to prevent.

At one point Sasha came in to tell me she had downloaded some random game from the app store on her Raspberry Pi computer. I had no interest in this as I was living and dying with every play, but I had forced myself to calm down so much already, I actually went into her room to check it out, not a trace of annoyance in my voice or demeanor.

I don’t think she cared about the game, or about showing it to me, but had stayed with her friends most of the weekend and was just using it as an excuse to spend a moment together with her dad. I scratched her back for a couple seconds while standing behind her desk chair. The game was still going on, and even though I was probably going to lose, and I was still sick about it, I was glad to have diverted a moment’s attention from it to Sasha.

. . .

In last week’s Survivor post, I wrote:

What method do I propose to see into the future? Only my imagination. I’m going to spend a lot of time imagining what might happen, turn my brain into a quantum device, break space-time and come to the right answers. Easier said than done, but I’m committed.

It’s possible I did this, but simply retrieved my information from the wrong branch of the multiverse. It happens.

. . .

I picked the Bengals knowing full well the Bills were the correct “pot odds” play which is my usual method. Maybe when the pot-odds are close, I might go with my gut, but they were not especially close this week, and yet I still stuck with Cincinnati because they were the team I trusted more.

And despite it being a bad pick — there are no excuses in Survivor, no matter what happens in the game, if you win it’s good, and lose it’s bad — I don’t feel that badly about it.

I regret it only because I wish I were still alive, but it was my error. I went with what I believed, and it was wrong. That I can live with 100 times better than swapping out my belief for someone else’s and losing. Had I done that I’d be inconsolable.

. . .

I won’t let the Survivor debacle undermine my real mission to bring sports to nostr. Team of Destiny 2 would have been a compelling story, but it was never essential. After all, my flight was cancelled and I had to improvise, so now my Survivor entry is cancelled, and I’ll have to improvise again. The branch of the multiverse where the Bengals won didn’t give me the information I wanted, but maybe it was what I really needed to know. That I am the man in the arena yet, the battle was ever against myself, and for a brief moment, while my team was losing, I prevailed.

@ 06b7819d:d1d8327c

Benjamin Franklin and His Fondness for Madeira Wine

Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s most celebrated founding fathers, was not only a statesman, scientist, and writer but also a man of refined taste. Among his many indulgences, Franklin was particularly fond of Madeira wine, a fortified wine from the Portuguese Madeira Islands. His love for this drink was well-documented and reflects both his personal preferences and the broader cultural trends of 18th-century America.

The Allure of Madeira Wine

Madeira wine was highly prized in the 18th century due to its unique production process and exceptional durability. Its rich, fortified nature made it well-suited for long sea voyages, as it could withstand temperature fluctuations and aging in transit. This durability made Madeira a popular choice in the American colonies, where European wines often spoiled before arrival.

Franklin, who was known for his appreciation of fine things, embraced Madeira as a beverage of choice. Its complex flavors and storied reputation resonated with his intellectual and social pursuits. The wine was often served at dinners and social gatherings, where Franklin and his contemporaries debated ideas and shaped the future of the nation.

Franklin’s Personal Connection to Madeira

In Franklin’s writings and correspondence, Madeira is mentioned on several occasions, reflecting its prominence in his life. He referred to the wine not only as a personal pleasure but also as a symbol of hospitality and refinement. As a diplomat in France and England, Franklin often carried Madeira to share with his hosts, using it as a means of forging connections and showcasing the tastes of the American colonies.

One notable instance of Franklin’s affinity for Madeira occurred during his time in Philadelphia. He reportedly had cases of the wine shipped directly to his home, ensuring he would never be without his favorite drink. Madeira also featured prominently in many toasts and celebrations, becoming a hallmark of Franklin’s gatherings.

The Role of Madeira in Colonial America

Franklin’s fondness for Madeira reflects its broader significance in colonial America. The wine was not only a favorite of the elite but also a symbol of resistance to British taxation. When the British imposed heavy duties on imported goods, including wine, Madeira became a patriotic choice for many colonists. Its direct trade routes with the Madeira Islands circumvented British intermediaries, allowing Americans to assert their economic independence.

A Legacy of Taste

Franklin’s appreciation for Madeira wine endures as a charming detail of his multifaceted life. It offers a glimpse into the personal habits of one of America’s most influential figures and highlights the cultural exchanges that shaped colonial society. Today, Franklin’s love of Madeira serves as a reminder of the historical connections between wine, politics, and personal expression in the 18th century.

In honoring Franklin’s legacy, one might raise a glass of Madeira to toast not only his contributions to American independence but also his enduring influence on the art of living well.