@ dd664d5e:5633d319

Finding Catholics and Catholic-friendly content on Nostr

Obvious Catholics being obvious

nostr:npub1m4ny6hjqzepn4rxknuq94c2gpqzr29ufkkw7ttcxyak7v43n6vvsajc2jl

nostr:npub1k92qsr95jcumkpu6dffurkvwwycwa2euvx4fthv78ru7gqqz0nrs2ngfwd

nostr:npub1wqfzz2p880wq0tumuae9lfwyhs8uz35xd0kr34zrvrwyh3kvrzuskcqsyn

nostr:npub1ecdlntvjzexlyfale2egzvvncc8tgqsaxkl5hw7xlgjv2cxs705s9qs735

nostr:npub1rcr8h76csgzhdhea4a7tq5w5gydcpg9clgf0cffu6z45rnc6yp5sj7cfuz

nostr:npub1fyd0awkakq4aap70ual7mtlszjle9krffgwnsrkyua2frzmysd8qjj8gvg

nostr:npub1q0fe26apcqeeyqnlre29fqu7ysx0ucm5ly637md3zlvy2xcfsm3s0lsv4r

nostr:npub1dvdcmtp5llrp63jdlmhspe9gffsyu9ew7cu3ld3f9y7k79nxzjxqf4d4rm

nostr:npub1paxyej8f8fh57ny0fr5w2mzp9can9nkcmeu5jaerv68mhrah7t8s795ky6

nostr:npub1tvw3h5xqnuc2aq5zelxp3dy58sz7x9u8e6enkxywmrz70cg2j2zqjes44n

nostr:npub13tahtl9pjw9u5ycruqk84k6sfmkyljsr7y2pc4s840ctlm73fxeq3j6e08

nostr:npub1w4jkwspqn9svwnlrw0nfg0u2yx4cj6yfmp53ya4xp7r24k7gly4qaq30zp

Other good Christian follows

nostr:npub1hqy4zwnvsdmlml4tpgp0kgrruxamfcwpgm4g3q2tr3d2ut3kuxusx73psm

nostr:npub1cpstx8lzhwctunfe80rugz5qsj9ztw8surec9j6mf8phha68dj6qhm8j5e

nostr:npub1ak5kewf6anwkrt0qc8ua907ljkn7wm83e2ycyrpcumjvaf2upszs8r0gwg

nostr:npub1mt8x8vqvgtnwq97sphgep2fjswrqqtl4j7uyr667lyw7fuwwsjgs5mm7cz

nostr:npub1q6ya7kz84rfnw6yjmg5kyttuplwpauv43a9ug3cajztx4g0v48eqhtt3sh

nostr:npub1356t6fpjysx9vdchfg7mryv83w4pcye6a3eeke9zvsje7s2tuv4s4k805u

nostr:npub1kun5628raxpm7usdkj62z2337hr77f3ryrg9cf0vjpyf4jvk9r9smv3lhe

nostr:npub1qf6gsfapq94rj0rcptkpm9sergacmuwrjlgfx5gznjajtvkcx3psfhx6k5

nostr:npub1ll99fcrclkvgff696u8tq9vupw9fulfc8fysdf6gfwp7hassrh2sktxszt

nostr:npub1zy37ecnhpvx4lmxh4spd0898sxdj0ag8m64s9yq499zaxlg7qrqq8c53q6

nostr:npub1rtlqca8r6auyaw5n5h3l5422dm4sry5dzfee4696fqe8s6qgudks7djtfs

nostr:npub1jlrs53pkdfjnts29kveljul2sm0actt6n8dxrrzqcersttvcuv3qdjynqn

nostr:npub18zqmath26txwfhc70af8axk7pftjre9x7cf0lxkg92nvj2cpfgts8va790

Christian follow list

An exhaustive list of Christians is maintained by nostr:npub1mt8x8vqvgtnwq97sphgep2fjswrqqtl4j7uyr667lyw7fuwwsjgs5mm7cz. Just look at his list on https://listr.lol/

Catholic community

You can also join the community, to reach other catholics (usable on #Nostrudel #Coracle #Amethyst and #Satellite): nostr:naddr1qvzqqqyx7cpzqqnd3dl8hnptg9agfugwmdcmgfl7wcrfjpgfpv28ksq6dnmqc0e8qqyyxct5dphkc6trmu6k9l

Christian topic relay

And always make sure to use the #catholic hashtag, to get onto the top-specific christpill relay (add it to your relay list: wss://christpill.nostr1.com/).

Hope that helps! 😊

@ 0a9436f8:9935ad4f

Introduction

1. The Industrial Revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race. They have greatly increased the life-expectancy of those of us who live in "advanced" countries, but they have destabilized society, have made life unfulfilling, have subjected human beings to indignities, have led to widespread psychological suffering (in the Third World to physical suffering as well) and have inflicted severe damage on the natural world. The continued development of technology will worsen the situation. It will certainly subject human beings to greater indignities and inflict greater damage on the natural world, it will probably lead to greater social disruption and psychological suffering, and it may lead to increased physical suffering even in "advanced" countries.

2. The industrial-technological system may survive or it may break down. If it survives, it MAY eventually achieve a low level of physical and psychological suffering, but only after passing through a long and very painful period of adjustment and only at the cost of permanently reducing human beings and many other living organisms to engineered products and mere cogs in the social machine. Furthermore, if the system survives, the consequences will be inevitable: There is no way of reforming or modifying the system so as to prevent it from depriving people of dignity and autonomy.

3. If the system breaks down the consequences will still be very painful. But the bigger the system grows the more disastrous the results of its breakdown will be, so if it is to break down it had best break down sooner rather than later.

4. We therefore advocate a revolution against the industrial system. This revolution may or may not make use of violence; it may be sudden or it may be a relatively gradual process spanning a few decades. We can't predict any of that. But we do outline in a very general way the measures that those who hate the industrial system should take in order to prepare the way for a revolution against that form of society. This is not to be a POLITICAL revolution. Its object will be to overthrow not governments but the economic and technological basis of the present society.

5. In this article we give attention to only some of the negative developments that have grown out of the industrial-technological system. Other such developments we mention only briefly or ignore altogether. This does not mean that we regard these other developments as unimportant. For practical reasons we have to confine our discussion to areas that have received insufficient public attention or in which we have something new to say. For example, since there are well-developed environmental and wilderness movements, we have written very little about environmental degradation or the destruction of wild nature, even though we consider these to be highly important.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MODERN LEFTISM

6. Almost everyone will agree that we live in a deeply troubled society. One of the most widespread manifestations of the craziness of our world is leftism, so a discussion of the psychology of leftism can serve as an introduction to the discussion of the problems of modern society in general.

7. But what is leftism? During the first half of the 20th century leftism could have been practically identified with socialism. Today the movement is fragmented and it is not clear who can properly be called a leftist. When we speak of leftists in this article we have in mind mainly socialists, collectivists, "politically correct" types, feminists, gay and disability activists, animal rights activists and the like. But not everyone who is associated with one of these movements is a leftist. What we are trying to get at in discussing leftism is not so much movement or an ideology as a psychological type, or rather a collection of related types. Thus, what we mean by "leftism" will emerge more clearly in the course of our discussion of leftist psychology. (Also, see paragraphs 227-230.)

8. Even so, our conception of leftism will remain a good deal less clear than we would wish, but there doesn't seem to be any remedy for this. All we are trying to do here is indicate in a rough and approximate way the two psychological tendencies that we believe are the main driving force of modern leftism. We by no means claim to be telling the WHOLE truth about leftist psychology. Also, our discussion is meant to apply to modern leftism only. We leave open the question of the extent to which our discussion could be applied to the leftists of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

9. The two psychological tendencies that underlie modern leftism we call "feelings of inferiority" and "oversocialization." Feelings of inferiority are characteristic of modern leftism as a whole, while oversocialization is characteristic only of a certain segment of modern leftism; but this segment is highly influential.

FEELINGS OF INFERIORITY

10. By "feelings of inferiority" we mean not only inferiority feelings in the strict sense but a whole spectrum of related traits; low self-esteem, feelings of powerlessness, depressive tendencies, defeatism, guilt, self-hatred, etc. We argue that modern leftists tend to have some such feelings (possibly more or less repressed) and that these feelings are decisive in determining the direction of modern leftism.

11. When someone interprets as derogatory almost anything that is said about him (or about groups with whom he identifies) we conclude that he has inferiority feelings or low self-esteem. This tendency is pronounced among minority rights activists, whether or not they belong to the minority groups whose rights they defend. They are hypersensitive about the words used to designate minorities and about anything that is said concerning minorities. The terms "negro," "oriental," "handicapped" or "chick" for an African, an Asian, a disabled person or a woman originally had no derogatory connotation. "Broad" and "chick" were merely the feminine equivalents of "guy," "dude" or "fellow." The negative connotations have been attached to these terms by the activists themselves. Some animal rights activists have gone so far as to reject the word "pet" and insist on its replacement by "animal companion." Leftish anthropologists go to great lengths to avoid saying anything about primitive peoples that could conceivably be interpreted as negative. They want to replace the world "primitive" by "nonliterate." They seem almost paranoid about anything that might suggest that any primitive culture is inferior to our own. (We do not mean to imply that primitive cultures ARE inferior to ours. We merely point out the hypersensitivity of leftish anthropologists.)

12. Those who are most sensitive about "politically incorrect" terminology are not the average black ghetto-dweller, Asian immigrant, abused woman or disabled person, but a minority of activists, many of whom do not even belong to any "oppressed" group but come from privileged strata of society. Political correctness has its stronghold among university professors, who have secure employment with comfortable salaries, and the majority of whom are heterosexual white males from middle- to upper-middle-class families.

13. Many leftists have an intense identification with the problems of groups that have an image of being weak (women), defeated (American Indians), repellent (homosexuals) or otherwise inferior. The leftists themselves feel that these groups are inferior. They would never admit to themselves that they have such feelings, but it is precisely because they do see these groups as inferior that they identify with their problems. (We do not mean to suggest that women, Indians, etc. ARE inferior; we are only making a point about leftist psychology.)

14. Feminists are desperately anxious to prove that women are as strong and as capable as men. Clearly they are nagged by a fear that women may NOT be as strong and as capable as men.

15. Leftists tend to hate anything that has an image of being strong, good and successful. They hate America, they hate Western civilization, they hate white males, they hate rationality. The reasons that leftists give for hating the West, etc. clearly do not correspond with their real motives. They SAY they hate the West because it is warlike, imperialistic, sexist, ethnocentric and so forth, but where these same faults appear in socialist countries or in primitive cultures, the leftist finds excuses for them, or at best he GRUDGINGLY admits that they exist; whereas he ENTHUSIASTICALLY points out (and often greatly exaggerates) these faults where they appear in Western civilization. Thus it is clear that these faults are not the leftist's real motive for hating America and the West. He hates America and the West because they are strong and successful.

16. Words like "self-confidence," "self-reliance," "initiative," "enterprise," "optimism," etc., play little role in the liberal and leftist vocabulary. The leftist is anti-individualistic, pro-collectivist. He wants society to solve everyone's problems for them, satisfy everyone's needs for them, take care of them. He is not the sort of person who has an inner sense of confidence in his ability to solve his own problems and satisfy his own needs. The leftist is antagonistic to the concept of competition because, deep inside, he feels like a loser.

17. Art forms that appeal to modern leftish intellectuals tend to focus on sordidness, defeat and despair, or else they take an orgiastic tone, throwing off rational control as if there were no hope of accomplishing anything through rational calculation and all that was left was to immerse oneself in the sensations of the moment.

18. Modern leftish philosophers tend to dismiss reason, science, objective reality and to insist that everything is culturally relative. It is true that one can ask serious questions about the foundations of scientific knowledge and about how, if at all, the concept of objective reality can be defined. But it is obvious that modern leftish philosophers are not simply cool-headed logicians systematically analyzing the foundations of knowledge. They are deeply involved emotionally in their attack on truth and reality. They attack these concepts because of their own psychological needs. For one thing, their attack is an outlet for hostility, and, to the extent that it is successful, it satisfies the drive for power. More importantly, the leftist hates science and rationality because they classify certain beliefs as true (i.e., successful, superior) and other beliefs as false (i.e., failed, inferior). The leftist's feelings of inferiority run so deep that he cannot tolerate any classification of some things as successful or superior and other things as failed or inferior. This also underlies the rejection by many leftists of the concept of mental illness and of the utility of IQ tests. Leftists are antagonistic to genetic explanations of human abilities or behavior because such explanations tend to make some persons appear superior or inferior to others. Leftists prefer to give society the credit or blame for an individual's ability or lack of it. Thus if a person is "inferior" it is not his fault, but society's, because he has not been brought up properly.

19. The leftist is not typically the kind of person whose feelings of inferiority make him a braggart, an egotist, a bully, a self-promoter, a ruthless competitor. This kind of person has not wholly lost faith in himself. He has a deficit in his sense of power and self-worth, but he can still conceive of himself as having the capacity to be strong, and his efforts to make himself strong produce his unpleasant behavior. [1] But the leftist is too far gone for that. Hisfeelings of inferiority are so ingrained that he cannot conceive of himself as individually strong and valuable. Hence the collectivism of the leftist. He can feel strong only as a member of a large organization or a mass movement with which he identifies himself.

20. Notice the masochistic tendency of leftist tactics. Leftists protest by lying down in front of vehicles, they intentionally provoke police or racists to abuse them, etc. These tactics may often be effective, but many leftists use them not as a means to an end but because they PREFER masochistic tactics. Self-hatred is a leftist trait.

21. Leftists may claim that their activism is motivated by compassion or by moral principles, and moral principle does play a role for the leftist of the oversocialized type. But compassion and moral principle cannot be the main motives for leftist activism. Hostility is too prominent a component of leftist behavior; so is the drive for power. Moreover, much leftist behavior is not rationally calculated to be of benefit to the people whom the leftists claim to be trying to help. For example, if one believes that affirmative action is good for black people, does it make sense to demand affirmative action in hostile or dogmatic terms? Obviously it would be more productive to take a diplomatic and conciliatory approach that would make at least verbal and symbolic concessions to white people who think that affirmative action discriminates against them. But leftist activists do not take such an approach because it would not satisfy their emotional needs. Helping black people is not their real goal. Instead, race problems serve as an excuse for them to express their own hostility and frustrated need for power. In doing so they actually harm black people, because the activists' hostile attitude toward the white majority tends to intensify race hatred.

22. If our society had no social problems at all, the leftists would have to INVENT problems in order to provide themselves with an excuse for making a fuss.

23. We emphasize that the foregoing does not pretend to be an accurate description of everyone who might be considered a leftist. It is only a rough indication of a general tendency of leftism.

OVERSOCIALIZATION

24. Psychologists use the term "socialization" to designate the process by which children are trained to think and act as society demands. A person is said to be well socialized if he believes in and obeys the moral code of his society and fits in well as a functioning part of that society. It may seem senseless to say that many leftists are oversocialized, since the leftist is perceived as a rebel. Nevertheless, the position can be defended. Many leftists are not such rebels as they seem.

25. The moral code of our society is so demanding that no one can think, feel and act in a completely moral way. For example, we are not supposed to hate anyone, yet almost everyone hates somebody at some time or other, whether he admits it to himself or not. Some people are so highly socialized that the attempt to think, feel and act morally imposes a severe burden on them. In order to avoid feelings of guilt, they continually have to deceive themselves about their own motives and find moral explanations for feelings and actions that in reality have a non-moral origin. We use the term "oversocialized" to describe such people. [2]

26. Oversocialization can lead to low self-esteem, a sense of powerlessness, defeatism, guilt, etc. One of the most important means by which our society socializes children is by making them feel ashamed of behavior or speech that is contrary to society's expectations. If this is overdone, or if a particular child is especially susceptible to such feelings, he ends by feeling ashamed of HIMSELF. Moreover the thought and the behavior of the oversocialized person are more restricted by society's expectations than are those of the lightly socialized person. The majority of people engage in a significant amount of naughty behavior. They lie, they commit petty thefts, they break traffic laws, they goofoff at work, they hate someone, they say spiteful things or they use some underhanded trick to get ahead of the other guy. The oversocialized person cannot do these things, or if he does do them he generates in himself a sense of shame and self-hatred. The oversocialized person cannot even experience, without guilt, thoughts or feelings that are contrary to the accepted morality; he cannot think "unclean" thoughts. And socialization is not just a matter of morality; we are socialized to conform to many norms of behavior that do not fall under the heading of morality. Thus the oversocialized person is kept on a psychological leash and spends his life running on rails that society has laid down for him. In many oversocialized people this results in a sense of constraint and powerlessness that can be a severe hardship. We suggest that oversocialization is among the more serious cruelties that human beings inflict on one another.

27. We argue that a very important and influential segment of the modern left is oversocialized and that their oversocialization is of great importance in determining the direction of modern leftism. Leftists of the oversocialized type tend to be intellectuals or members of the upper-middle class. Notice that university intellectuals [3] constitute the most highly socialized segment of our society and also the most left-wing segment.

28. The leftist of the oversocialized type tries to get off his psychological leash and assert his autonomy by rebelling. But usually he is not strong enough to rebel against the most basic values of society. Generally speaking, the goals of today's leftists are NOT in conflict with the accepted morality. On the contrary, the left takes an accepted moral principle, adopts it as its own, and then accuses mainstream society of violating that principle. Examples: racial equality, equality of the sexes, helping poor people, peace as opposed to war, nonviolence generally, freedom of expression, kindness to animals. More fundamentally, the duty of the individual to serve society and the duty of society to take care of the individual. All these have been deeply rooted values of our society (or at least of its middle and upper classes [4] for a long time. These values are explicitly or implicitly expressed or presupposed in most of the material presented to us by the mainstream communications media and the educational system. Leftists, especially those of the oversocialized type, usually do not rebel against these principles but justify their hostility to society by claiming (with some degree of truth) that society is not living up to these principles.

29. Here is an illustration of the way in which the oversocialized leftist shows his real attachment to the conventional attitudes of our society while pretending to be in rebellion against it. Many leftists push for affirmative action, for moving black people into high-prestige jobs, for improved education in black schools and more money for such schools; the way of life of the black "underclass" they regard as a social disgrace. They want to integrate the black man into the system, make him a business executive, a lawyer, a scientist just like upper-middle-class white people. The leftists will reply that the last thing they want is to make the black man into a copy of the white man; instead, they want to preserve African American culture. But in what does this preservation of African American culture consist? It can hardly consist in anything more than eating black-style food, listening to black-style music, wearing black-style clothing and going to a black-style church or mosque. In other words, it can express itself only in superficial matters. In all ESSENTIAL respects most leftists of the oversocialized type want to make the black man conform to white, middle-class ideals. They want to make him study technical subjects, become an executive or a scientist, spend his life climbing the status ladder to prove that black people are as good as white. They want to make black fathers "responsible," they want black gangs to become nonviolent, etc. But these are exactly the values of the industrial-technological system. The system couldn't care less what kind of music a man listens to, what kind of clothes he wears or what religion he believes in as long as he studies in school, holds a respectable job, climbs the status ladder, is a "responsible" parent, is nonviolent and so forth. In effect, however much he may deny it, the oversocialized leftist wants to integrate the black man into the system and make him adopt its values.

30. We certainly do not claim that leftists, even of the oversocialized type, NEVER rebel against the fundamental values of our society. Clearly they sometimes do. Some oversocialized leftists have gone so far as to rebel against one of modern society's most important principles by engaging in physical violence. By their own account, violence is for them a form of "liberation." In other words, by committing violence they break through the psychological restraints that have been trained into them. Because they are oversocialized these restraints have been more confining for them than for others; hence their need to break free of them. But they usually justify their rebellion in terms of mainstream values. If they engage in violence they claim to be fighting against racism or the like.

31. We realize that many objections could be raised to the foregoing thumbnail sketch of leftist psychology. The real situation is complex, and anything like a complete description of it would take several volumes even if the necessary data were available. We claim only to have indicated very roughly the two most important tendencies in the psychology of modern leftism.

32. The problems of the leftist are indicative of the problems of our society as a whole. Low self-esteem, depressive tendencies and defeatism are not restricted to the left. Though they are especially noticeable in the left, they are widespread in our society. And today's society tries to socialize us to a greater extent than any previous society. We are even told by experts how to eat, how to exercise, how to make love, how to raise our kids and so forth.

THE POWER PROCESS

33. Human beings have a need (probably based in biology) for something that we will call the "power process." This is closely related to the need for power (which is widely recognized) but is not quite the same thing. The power process has four elements. The three most clear-cut of these we call goal, effort and attainment of goal. (Everyone needs to have goals whose attainment requires effort, and needs to succeed in attaining at least some of his goals.) The fourth element is more difficult to define and may not be necessary for everyone. We call it autonomy and will discuss it later (paragraphs 42-44).

34. Consider the hypothetical case of a man who can have anything he wants just by wishing for it. Such a man has power, but he will develop serious psychological problems. At first he will have a lot of fun, but by and by he will become acutely bored and demoralized. Eventually he may become clinically depressed. History shows that leisured aristocracies tend to become decadent. This is not true of fighting aristocracies that have to struggle to maintain their power. But leisured, secure aristocracies that have no need to exert themselves usually become bored, hedonistic and demoralized, even though they have power. This shows that power is not enough. One must have goals toward which to exercise one's power.

35. Everyone has goals; if nothing else, to obtain the physical necessities of life: food, water and whatever clothing and shelter are made necessary by the climate. But the leisured aristocrat obtains these things without effort. Hence his boredom and demoralization.

36. Nonattainment of important goals results in death if the goals are physical necessities, and in frustration if nonattainment of the goals is compatible with survival. Consistent failure to attain goals throughout life results in defeatism, low self-esteem or depression.

37, Thus, in order to avoid serious psychological problems, a human being needs goals whose attainment requires effort, and he must have a reasonable rate of success in attaining his goals.

SURROGATE ACTIVITIES

38. But not every leisured aristocrat becomes bored and demoralized. For example, the emperor Hirohito, instead of sinking into decadent hedonism, devoted himself to marine biology, a field in which he became distinguished. When people do not have to exert themselves to satisfy their physical needs they often set up artificial goals for themselves. In many cases they then pursue these goals with the same energy and emotional involvement that they otherwise would have put into the search for physical necessities. Thus the aristocrats of the Roman Empire had their literary pretensions; many European aristocrats a few centuries ago invested tremendous time and energy in hunting, though they certainly didn't need the meat; other aristocracies have competed for status through elaborate displays of wealth; and a few aristocrats, like Hirohito, have turned to science.

39. We use the term "surrogate activity" to designate an activity that is directed toward an artificial goal that people set up for themselves merely in order to have some goal to work toward, or let us say, merely for the sake of the "fulfillment" that they get from pursuing the goal. Here is a rule of thumb for the identification of surrogate activities. Given a person who devotes much time and energy to the pursuit of goal X, ask yourself this: If he had to devote most of his time and energy to satisfying his biological needs, and if that effort required him to use his physical and mental faculties in a varied and interesting way, would he feel seriously deprived because he did not attain goal X? If the answer is no, then the person's pursuit of goal X is a surrogate activity. Hirohito's studies in marine biology clearly constituted a surrogate activity, since it is pretty certain that if Hirohito had had to spend his time working at interesting non-scientific tasks in order to obtain the necessities of life, he would not have felt deprived because he didn't know all about the anatomy and life-cycles of marine animals. On the other hand the pursuit of sex and love (for example) is not a surrogate activity, because most people, even if their existence were otherwise satisfactory, would feel deprived if they passed their lives without ever having a relationship with a member of the opposite sex. (But pursuit of an excessive amount of sex, more than one really needs, can be a surrogate activity.)

40. In modern industrial society only minimal effort is necessary to satisfy one's physical needs. It is enough to go through a training program to acquire some petty technical skill, then come to work on time and exert the very modest effort needed to hold a job. The only requirements are a moderate amount of intelligence and, most of all, simple OBEDIENCE. If one has those, society takes care of one from cradle to grave. (Yes, there is an underclass that cannot take the physical necessities for granted, but we are speaking here of mainstream society.) Thus it is not surprising that modern society is full of surrogate activities. These include scientific work, athletic achievement, humanitarian work, artistic and literary creation, climbing the corporate ladder, acquisition of money and material goods far beyond the point at which they cease to give any additional physical satisfaction, and social activism when it addresses issues that are not important for the activist personally, as in the case of white activists who work for the rights of nonwhite minorities. These are not always PURE surrogate activities, since for many people they may be motivated in part by needs other than the need to have some goal to pursue. Scientific work may be motivated in part by a drive for prestige, artistic creation by a need to express feelings, militant social activism by hostility. But for most people who pursue them, these activities are in large part surrogate activities. For example, the majority of scientists will probably agree that the "fulfillment" they get from their work is more important than the money and prestige they earn.

41. For many if not most people, surrogate activities are less satisfying than the pursuit of real goals (that is, goals that people would want to attain even if their need for the power process were already fulfilled). One indication of this is the fact that, in many or most cases, people who are deeply involved in surrogate activities are never satisfied, never at rest. Thus the money-maker constantly strives for more and more wealth. The scientist no sooner solves one problem than he moves on to the next. The long-distance runner drives himself to run always farther and faster. Many people who pursue surrogate activities will say that they get far more fulfillment from these activities than they do from the "mundane" business of satisfying their biological needs, but that is because in our society the effort needed to satisfy the biological needs has been reduced to triviality. More importantly, in our society people do not satisfy their biological needs AUTONOMOUSLY but by functioning as parts of an immense social machine. In contrast, people generally have a great deal of autonomy in pursuing their surrogate activities.

AUTONOMY

42. Autonomy as a part of the power process may not be necessary for every individual. But most people need a greater or lesser degree of autonomy in working toward their goals. Their efforts must be undertaken on their own initiative and must be under their own direction and control. Yet most people do not have to exert this initiative, direction and control as single individuals. It is usually enough to act as a member of a SMALL group. Thus if half a dozen people discuss a goal among themselves and make a successful joint effort to attain that goal, their need for the power process will be served. But if they work under rigid orders handed down from above that leave them no room for autonomous decision and initiative, then their need for the power process will not be served. The same is true when decisions are made on a collective basis if the group making the collective decision is so large that the role of each individual is insignificant. [5]

43. It is true that some individuals seem to have little need for autonomy. Either their drive for power is weak or they satisfy it by identifying themselves with some powerful organization to which they belong. And then there are unthinking, animal types who seem to be satisfied with a purely physical sense of power (the good combat soldier, who gets his sense of power by developing fighting skills that he is quite content to use in blind obedience to his superiors).

44. But for most people it is through the power processshaving a goal, making an AUTONOMOUS effort and attaining the goalsthat self-esteem, self-confidence and a sense of power are acquired. When one does not have adequate opportunity to go through the power process the consequences are (depending on the individual and on the way the power process is disrupted) boredom, demoralization, low self-esteem, inferiority feelings, defeatism, depression, anxiety, guilt, frustration, hostility, spouse or child abuse, insatiable hedonism, abnormal sexual behavior, sleep disorders, eating disorders, etc. [6]

SOURCES OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS

45. Any of the foregoing symptoms can occur in any society, but in modern industrial society they are present on a massive scale. We aren't the first to mention that the world today seems to be going crazy. This sort of thing is not normal for human societies. There is good reason to believe that primitive man suffered from less stress and frustration and was better satisfied with his way of life than modern man is. It is true that not all was sweetness and light in primitive societies. Abuse of women was common among the Australian aborigines, transexuality was fairly common among some of the American Indian tribes. But it does appear that GENERALLY SPEAKING the kinds of problems that we have listed in the preceding paragraph were far less common among primitive peoples than they are in modern society.

46. We attribute the social and psychological problems of modern society to the fact that that society requires people to live under conditions radically different from those under which the evolved and to behave in ways that conflict with the patterns of behavior that the human race developed while living under the earlier conditions. It is clear from what we have already written that we consider lack of opportunity to properly experience the power process as the most important of the abnormal conditions to which modern society subjects people. But it is not the only one. Before dealing with disruption of the power process as a source of social problems we will discuss some of the other sources.

47. Among the abnormal conditions present in modern industrial society are excessive density of population, isolation of man from nature, excessive rapidity of social change and the breakdown of natural small-scale communities such as the extended family, the village or the tribe.

48. It is well known that crowding increases stress and aggression. The degree of crowding that exists today and the isolation of man from nature are consequences of technological progress. All pre-industrial societies were predominantly rural. The Industrial Revolution vastly increased the size of cities and the proportion of the population that lives in them, and modern agricultural technology has made it possible for the Earth to support a far denser population than it ever did before. (Also, technology exacerbates the effects of crowding because it puts increased disruptive powers in people's hands. For example, a variety of noise-making devices: power mowers, radios, motorcycles, etc. If the use of these devices is unrestricted, people who want peace and quiet are frustrated by the noise. If their use is restricted, people who use the devices are frustrated by the regulations. But if these machines had never been invented there would have been no conflict and no frustration generated by them.)

49. For primitive societies the natural world (which usually changes only slowly) provided a stable framework and therefore a sense of security. In the modern world it is human society that dominates nature rather than the other way around, and modern society changes very rapidly owing to technological change. Thus there is no stable framework.

50. The conservatives are fools: They whine about the decay of traditional values, yet they enthusiastically support technological progress and economic growth. Apparently it never occurs to them that you can't make rapid, drastic changes in the technology and the economy of a society without causing rapid changes in all other aspects of the society as well, and that such rapid changes inevitably break down traditional values.

51. The breakdown of traditional values to some extent implies the breakdown of the bonds that hold together traditional small-scale social groups. The disintegration of small-scale social groups is also promoted by the fact that modern conditions often require or tempt individuals to move to new locations, separating themselves from their communities. Beyond that, a technological society HAS TO weaken family ties and local communities if it is to function efficiently. In modern society an individual's loyalty must be first to the system and only secondarily to a small-scale community, because if the internal loyalties of small-scale communities were stronger than loyalty to the system, such communities would pursue their own advantage at the expense of the system.

52. Suppose that a public official or a corporation executive appoints his cousin, his friend or his co-religionist to a position rather than appointing the person best qualified for the job. He has permitted personal loyalty to supersede his loyalty to the system, and that is "nepotism" or "discrimination," both of which are terrible sins in modern society. Would-be industrial societies that have done a poor job of subordinating personal or local loyalties to loyalty to the system are usually very inefficient. (Look at Latin America.) Thus an advanced industrial society can tolerate only those small-scale communities that are emasculated, tamed and made into tools of the system. [7]

53. Crowding, rapid change and the breakdown of communities have been widely recognized as sources of social problems. But we do not believe they are enough to account for the extent of the problems that are seen today.

54. A few pre-industrial cities were very large and crowded, yet their inhabitants do not seem to have suffered from psychological problems to the same extent as modern man. In America today there still are uncrowded rural areas, and we find there the same problems as in urban areas, though the problems tend to be less acute in the rural areas. Thus crowding does not seem to be the decisive factor.

55. On the growing edge of the American frontier during the 19th century, the mobility of the population probably broke down extended families and small-scale social groups to at least the same extent as these are broken down today. In fact, many nuclear families lived by choice in such isolation, having no neighbors within several miles, that they belonged to no community at all, yet they do not seem to have developed problems as a result.

56. Furthermore, change in American frontier society was very rapid and deep. A man might be born and raised in a log cabin, outside the reach of law and order and fed largely on wild meat; and by the time he arrived at old age he might be working at a regular job and living in an ordered community with effective law enforcement. This was a deeper change than that which typically occurs in the life of a modern individual, yet it does not seem to have led to psychological problems. In fact, 19th century American society had an optimistic and self-confident tone, quite unlike that of today's society. [8]

57. The difference, we argue, is that modern man has the sense (largely justified) that change is IMPOSED on him, whereas the 19th century frontiersman had the sense (also largely justified) that he created change himself, by his own choice. Thus a pioneer settled on a piece of land of his own choosing and made it into a farm through his own effort. In those days an entire county might have only a couple of hundred inhabitants and was a far more isolated and autonomous entity than a modern county is. Hence the pioneer farmer participated as a member of a relatively small group in the creation of a new, ordered community. One may well question whether the creation of this community was an improvement, but at any rate it satisfied the pioneer's need for the power process.

58. It would be possible to give other examples of societies in which there has been rapid change and/or lack of close community ties without the kind of massive behavioral aberration that is seen in today's industrial society. We contend that the most important cause of social and psychological problems in modern society is the fact that people have insufficient opportunity to go through the power process in a normal way. We don't mean to say that modern society is the only one in which the power process has been disrupted. Probably most if not all civilized societies have interfered with the power process to a greater or lesser extent. But in modern industrial society the problem has become particularly acute. Leftism, at least in its recent (mid- to late-20th century) form, is in part a symptom of deprivation with respect to the power process.

DISRUPTION OF THE POWER PROCESS IN MODERN SOCIETY

59. We divide human drives into three groups: (1) those drives that can be satisfied with minimal effort; (2) those that can be satisfied but only at the cost of serious effort; (3) those that cannot be adequately satisfied no matter how much effort one makes. The power process is the process of satisfying the drives of the second group. The more drives there are in the third group, the more there is frustration, anger, eventually defeatism, depression, etc.

60. In modern industrial society natural human drives tend to be pushed into the first and third groups, and the second group tends to consist increasingly of artificially created drives.

61. In primitive societies, physical necessities generally fall into group 2: They can be obtained, but only at the cost of serious effort. But modern society tends to guaranty the physical necessities to everyone [9] in exchange for only minimal effort, hence physical needs are pushed into group 1. (There may be disagreement about whether the effort needed to hold a job is "minimal"; but usually, in lower- to middle-level jobs, whatever effort is required is merely that of OBEDIENCE. You sit or stand where you are told to sit or stand and do what you are told to do in the way you are told to do it. Seldom do you have to exert yourself seriously, and in any case you have hardly any autonomy in work, so that the need for the power process is not well served.)

62. Social needs, such as sex, love and status, often remain in group 2 in modern society, depending on the situation of the individual. [10] But, except for people who have a particularly strong drive for status, the effort required to fulfill the social drives is insufficient to satisfy adequately the need for the power process.

63. So certain artificial needs have been created that fall into group 2, hence serve the need for the power process. Advertising and marketing techniques have been developed that make many people feel they need things that their grandparents never desired or even dreamed of. It requires serious effort to earn enough money to satisfy these artificial needs, hence they fall into group 2. (But see paragraphs 80-82.) Modern man must satisfy his need for the power process largely through pursuit of the artificial needs created by the advertising and marketing industry [11], and through surrogate activities.

64. It seems that for many people, maybe the majority, these artificial forms of the power process are insufficient. A theme that appears repeatedly in the writings of the social critics of the second half of the 20th century is the sense of purposelessness that afflicts many people in modern society. (This purposelessness is often called by other names such as "anomic" or "middle-class vacuity.") We suggest that the so-called "identity crisis" is actually a search for a sense of purpose, often for commitment to a suitable surrogate activity. It may be that existentialism is in large part a response to the purposelessness of modern life. [12] Very widespread in modern society is the search for "fulfillment." But we think that for the majority of people an activity whose main goal is fulfillment (that is, a surrogate activity) does not bring completely satisfactory fulfillment. In other words, it does not fully satisfy the need for the power process. (See paragraph 41.) That need can be fully satisfied only through activities that have some external goal, such as physical necessities, sex, love, status, revenge, etc.

65. Moreover, where goals are pursued through earning money, climbing the status ladder or functioning as part of the system in some other way, most people are not in a position to pursue their goals AUTONOMOUSLY. Most workers are someone else's employee and, as we pointed out in paragraph 61, must spend their days doing what they are told to do in the way they are told to do it. Even people who are in business for themselves have only limited autonomy. It is a chronic complaint of small-business persons and entrepreneurs that their hands are tied by excessive government regulation. Some of these regulations are doubtless unnecessary, but for the most part government regulations are essential and inevitable parts of our extremely complex society. A large portion of small business today operates on the franchise system. It was reported in the Wall Street Journal a few years ago that many of the franchise-granting companies require applicants for franchises to take a personality test that is designed to EXCLUDE those who have creativity and initiative, because such persons are not sufficiently docile to go along obediently with the franchise system. This excludes from small business many of the people who most need autonomy.

66. Today people live more by virtue of what the system does FOR them or TO them than by virtue of what they do for themselves. And what they do for themselves is done more and more along channels laid down by the system. Opportunities tend to be those that the system provides, the opportunities must be exploited in accord with rules and regulations [13], and techniques prescribed by experts must be followed if there is to be a chance of success.

67. Thus the power process is disrupted in our society through a deficiency of real goals and a deficiency of autonomy in the pursuit of goals. But it is also disrupted because of those human drives that fall into group 3: the drives that one cannot adequately satisfy no matter how much effort one makes. One of these drives is the need for security. Our lives depend on decisions made by other people; we have no control over these decisions and usually we do not even know the people who make them. ("We live in a world in which relatively few peoplesmaybe 500 or 1,000smake the important decisions"sPhilip B. Heymann of Harvard Law School, quoted by Anthony Lewis, New York Times, April 21, 1995.) Our lives depend on whether safety standards at a nuclear power plant are properly maintained; on how much pesticide is allowed to get into our food or how much pollution into our air; on how skillful (or incompetent) our doctor is; whether we lose or get a job may depend on decisions made by government economists or corporation executives; and so forth. Most individuals are not in a position to secure themselves against these threats to more [than] a very limited extent. The individual's search for security is therefore frustrated, which leads to a sense of powerlessness.

68. It may be objected that primitive man is physically less secure than modern man, as is shown by his shorter life expectancy; hence modern man suffers from less, not more than the amount of insecurity that is normal for human beings. But psychological security does not closely correspond with physical security. What makes us FEEL secure is not so much objective security as a sense of confidence in our ability to take care of ourselves. Primitive man, threatened by a fierce animal or by hunger, can fight in self-defense or travel in search of food. He has no certainty of success in these efforts, but he is by no means helpless against the things that threaten him. The modern individual on the other hand is threatened by many things against which he is helpless: nuclear accidents, carcinogens in food, environmental pollution, war, increasing taxes, invasion of his privacy by large organizations, nationwide social or economic phenomena that may disrupt his way of life.

69. It is true that primitive man is powerless against some of the things that threaten him; disease for example. But he can accept the risk of disease stoically. It is part of the nature of things, it is no one's fault, unless it is the fault of some imaginary, impersonal demon. But threats to the modern individual tend to be MAN-MADE. They are not the results of chance but are IMPOSED on him by other persons whose decisions he, as an individual, is unable to influence. Consequently he feels frustrated, humiliated and angry.

70. Thus primitive man for the most part has his security in his own hands (either as an individual or as a member of a SMALL group) whereas the security of modern man is in the hands of persons or organizations that are too remote or too large for him to be able personally to influence them. So modern man's drive for security tends to fall into groups 1 and 3; in some areas (food, shelter etc.) his security is assured at the cost of only trivial effort, whereas in other areas he CANNOT attain security. (The foregoing greatly simplifies the real situation, but it does indicate in a rough, general way how the condition of modern man differs from that of primitive man.)

71. People have many transitory drives or impulses that are necessarily frustrated in modern life, hence fall into group 3. One may become angry, but modern society cannot permit fighting. In many situations it does not even permit verbal aggression. When going somewhere one may be in a hurry, or one may be in a mood to travel slowly, but one generally has no choice but to move with the flow of traffic and obey the traffic signals. One may want to do one's work in a different way, but usually one can work only according to the rules laid down by one's employer. In many other ways as well, modern man is strapped down by a network of rules and regulations (explicit or implicit) that frustrate many of his impulses and thus interfere with the power process. Most of these regulations cannot be dispensed with, because they are necessary for the functioning of industrial society.

72. Modern society is in certain respects extremely permissive. In matters that are irrelevant to the functioning of the system we can generally do what we please. We can believe in any religion we like (as long as it does not encourage behavior that is dangerous to the system). We can go to bed with anyone we like (as long as we practice "safe sex"). We can do anything we like as long as it is UNIMPORTANT. But in all IMPORTANT matters the system tends increasingly to regulate our behavior.

73. Behavior is regulated not only through explicit rules and not only by the government. Control is often exercised through indirect coercion or through psychological pressure or manipulation, and by organizations other than the government, or by the system as a whole. Most large organizations use some form of propaganda [14] to manipulate public attitudes or behavior. Propaganda is not limited to "commercials" and advertisements, and sometimes it is not even consciously intended as propaganda by the people who make it. For instance, the content of entertainment programming is a powerful form of propaganda. An example of indirect coercion: There is no law that says we have to go to work every day and follow our employer's orders. Legally there is nothing to prevent us from going to live in the wild like primitive people or from going into business for ourselves. But in practice there is very little wild country left, and there is room in the economy for only a limited number of small business owners. Hence most of us can survive only as someone else's employee.

74. We suggest that modern man's obsession with longevity, and with maintaining physical vigor and sexual attractiveness to an advanced age, is a symptom of unfulfillment resulting from deprivation with respect to the power process. The "mid-life crisis" also is such a symptom. So is the lack of interest in having children that is fairly common in modern society but almost unheard-of in primitive societies.

75. In primitive societies life is a succession of stages. The needs and purposes of one stage having been fulfilled, there is no particular reluctance about passing on to the next stage. A young man goes through the power process by becoming a hunter, hunting not for sport or for fulfillment but to get meat that is necessary for food. (In young women the process is more complex, with greater emphasis on social power; we won't discuss that here.) This phase having been successfully passed through, the young man has no reluctance about settling down to the responsibilities of raising a family. (In contrast, some modern people indefinitely postpone having children because they are too busy seeking some kind of "fulfillment." We suggest that the fulfillment they need is adequate experience of the power processswith real goals instead of the artificial goals of surrogate activities.) Again, having successfully raised his children, going through the power process by providing them with the physical necessities, the primitive man feels that his work is done and he is prepared to accept old age (if he survives that long) and death. Many modern people, on the other hand, are disturbed by the prospect of physical deterioration and death, as is shown by the amount of effort they expend trying to maintain their physical condition, appearance and health. We argue that this is due to unfulfillment resulting from the fact that they have never put their physical powers to any practical use, have never gone through the power process using their bodies in a serious way. It is not the primitive man, who has used his body daily for practical purposes, who fears the deterioration of age, but the modern man, who has never had a practical use for his body beyond walking from his car to his house. It is the man whose need for the power process has been satisfied during his life who is best prepared to accept the end of that life.

76. In response to the arguments of this section someone will say, "Society must find a way to give people the opportunity to go through the power process." For such people the value of the opportunity is destroyed by the very fact that society gives it to them. What they need is to find or make their own opportunities. As long as the system GIVES them their opportunities it still has them on a leash. To attain autonomy they must get off that leash.

HOW SOME People adjust

77. Not everyone in industrial-technological society suffers from psychological problems. Some people even profess to be quite satisfied with society as it is. We now discuss some of the reasons why people differ so greatly in their response to modern society.

78. First, there doubtless are differences in the strength of the drive for power. Individuals with a weak drive for power may have relatively little need to go through the power process, or at least relatively little need for autonomy in the power process. These are docile types who would have been happy as plantation darkies in the Old South. (We don't mean to sneer at the "plantation darkies" of the Old South. To their credit, most of the slaves were NOT content with their servitude. We do sneer at people who ARE content with servitude.)

79. Some people may have some exceptional drive, in pursuing which they satisfy their need for the power process. For example, those who have an unusually strong drive for social status may spend their whole lives climbing the status ladder without ever getting bored with that game.

80. People vary in their susceptibility to advertising and marketing techniques. Some are so susceptible that, even if they make a great deal of money, they cannot satisfy their constant craving for the the shiny new toys that the marketing industry dangles before their eyes. So they always feel hard-pressed financially even if their income is large, and their cravings are frustrated.

81. Some people have low susceptibility to advertising and marketing techniques. These are the people who aren't interested in money. Material acquisition does not serve their need for the power process.

82. People who have medium susceptibility to advertising and marketing techniques are able to earn enough money to satisfy their craving for goods and services, but only at the cost of serious effort (putting in overtime, taking a second job, earning promotions, etc.). Thus material acquisition serves their need for the power process. But it does not necessarily follow that their need is fully satisfied. They may have insufficient autonomy in the power process (their work may consist of following orders) and some of their drives may be frustrated (e.g., security, aggression). (We are guilty of oversimplification in paragraphs 80-82 because we have assumed that the desire for material acquisition is entirely a creation of the advertising and marketing industry. Of course it's not that simple. [11]

83. Some people partly satisfy their need for power by identifying themselves with a powerful organization or mass movement. An individual lacking goals or power joins a movement or an organization, adopts its goals as his own, then works toward those goals. When some of the goals are attained, the individual, even though his personal efforts have played only an insignificant part in the attainment of the goals, feels (through his identif ication with the movement or organization) as if he had gone through the power process. This phenomenon was exploited by the fascists, nazis and communists. Our society uses it too, though less crudely. Example: Manuel Noriega was an irritant to the U.S. (goal: punish Noriega). The U.S. invaded Panama (effort) and punished Noriega (attainment of goal). Thus the U.S. went through the power process and many Americans, because of their identification with the U.S., experienced the power process vicariously. Hence the widespread public approval of the Panama invasion; it gave people a sense of power. [15] We see the same phenomenon in armies, corporations, political parties, humanitarian organizations, religious or ideological movements. In particular, leftist movements tend to attract people who are seeking to satisfy their need for power. But for most people identification with a large organization or a mass movement does not fully satisfy the need for power.

84. Another way in which people satisfy their need for the power process is through surrogate activities. As we explained in paragraphs 38-40, a surrogate activity is an activity that is directed toward an artificial goal that the individual pursues for the sake of the "fulfillment" that he gets from pursuing the goal, not because he needs to attain the goal itself. For instance, there is no practical motive for building enormous muscles, hitting a little ball into a hole or acquiring a complete series of postage stamps. Yet many people in our society devote themselves with passion to bodybuilding, golf or stamp-collecting. Some people are more "other-directed" than others, and therefore will more readily attach importance to a surrogate activity simply because the people around them treat it as important or because society tells them it is important. That is why some people get very serious about essentially trivial activities such as sports, or bridge, or chess, or arcane scholarly pursuits, whereas others who are more clear-sighted never see these things as anything but the surrogate activities that they are, and consequently never attach enough importance to them to satisfy their need for the power process in that way. It only remains to point out that in many cases a person's way of earning a living is also a surrogate activity. Not a PURE surrogate activity, since part of the motive for the activity is to gain the physical necessities and (for some people) social status and the luxuries that advertising makes them want. But many people put into their work far more effort than is necessary to earn whatever money and status they require, and this extra effort constitutes a surrogate activity. This extra effort, together with the emotional investment that accompanies it, is one of the most potent forces acting toward the continual development and perfecting of the system, with negative consequences for individual freedom (see paragraph 131). Especially, for the most creative scientists and engineers, work tends to be largely a surrogate activity. This point is so important that it deserves a separate discussion, which we shall give in a moment (paragraphs 87-92).

85. In this section we have explained how many people in modern society do satisfy their need for the power process to a greater or lesser extent. But we think that for the majority of people the need for the power process is not fully satisfied. In the first place, those who have an insatiable drive for status, or who get firmly "hooked" on a surrogate activity, or who identify strongly enough with a movement or organization to satisfy their need for power in that way, are exceptional personalities. Others are not fully satisfied with surrogate activities or by identification with an organization (see paragraphs 41, 64). In the second place, too much control is imposed by the system through explicit regulation or through socialization, which results in a deficiency of autonomy, and in frustration due to the impossibility of attaining certain goals and the necessity of restraining too many impulses.

86. But even if most people in industrial-technological society were well satisfied, we (FC) would still be opposed to that form of society, because (among other reasons) we consider it demeaning to fulfill one's need for the power process through surrogate activities or through identification with an organization, rather than through pursuit of real goals.

THE MOTIVES OF SCIENTISTS

87. Science and technology provide the most important examples of surrogate activities. Some scientists claim that they are motivated by "curiosity" or by a desire to "benefit humanity." But it is easy to see that neither of these can be the principal motive of most scientists. As for "curiosity," that notion is simply absurd. Most scientists work on highly specialized problems that are not the object of any normal curiosity. For example, is an astronomer, a mathematician or an entomologist curious about the properties of isopropyltrimethylmethane? Of course not. Only a chemist is curious about such a thing, and he is curious about it only because chemistry is his surrogate activity. Is the chemist curious about the appropriate classification of a new species of beetle? No. That question is of interest only to the entomologist, and he is interested in it only because entomology is his surrogate activity. If the chemist and the entomologist had to exert themselves seriously to obtain the physical necessities, and if that effort exercised their abilities in an interesting way but in some nonscientific pursuit, then they wouldn't give a damn about isopropyltrimethylmethane or the classification of beetles. Suppose that lack of funds for postgraduate education had led the chemist to become an insurance broker instead of a chemist. In that case he would have been very interested in insurance matters but would have cared nothing about isopropyltrimethylmethane. In any case it is not normal to put into the satisfaction of mere curiosity the amount of time and effort that scientists put into their work. The "curiosity" explanation for the scientists' motive just doesn't stand up.

88. The "benefit of humanity" explanation doesn't work any better. Some scientific work has no conceivable relation to the welfare of the human racesmost of archaeology or comparative linguistics for example. Some other areas of science present obviously dangerous possibilities. Yet scientists in these areas are just as enthusiastic about their work as those who develop vaccines or study air pollution. Consider the case of Dr. Edward Teller, who had an obvious emotional involvement in promoting nuclear power plants. Did this involvement stem from a desire to benefit humanity? If so, then why didn't Dr. Teller get emotional about other "humanitarian" causes? If he was such a humanitarian then why did he help to develop the H-bomb? As with many other scientific achievements, it is very much open to question whether nuclear power plants actually do benefit humanity. Does the cheap electricity outweigh the accumulating waste and the risk of accidents? Dr. Teller saw only one side of the question. Clearly his emotional involvement with nuclear power arose not from a desire to "benefit humanity" but from a personal fulfillment he got from his work and from seeing it put to practical use.

89. The same is true of scientists generally. With possible rare exceptions, their motive is neither curiosity nor a desire to benefit humanity but the need to go through the power process: to have a goal (a scientific problem to solve), to make an effort (research) and to attain the goal (solution of the problem.) Science is a surrogate activity because scientists work mainly for the fulfillment they get out of the work itself.

90. Of course, it's not that simple. Other motives do play a role for many scientists. Money and status for example. Some scientists may be persons of the type who have an insatiable drive for status (see paragraph 79) and this may provide much of the motivation for their work. No doubt the majority of scientists, like the majority of the general population, are more or less susceptible to advertising and marketing techniques and need money to satisfy their craving for goods and services. Thus science is not a PURE surrogate activity. But it is in large part a surrogate activity.

91. Also, science and technology constitute a power mass movement, and many scientists gratify their need for power through identification with this mass movement (see paragraph 83).

92. Thus science marches on blindly, without regard to the real welfare of the human race or to any other standard, obedient only to the psychological needs of the scientists and of the government officials and corporation executives who provide the funds for research.

THE NATURE OF FREEDOM

93. We are going to argue that industrial-technological society cannot be reformed in such a way as to prevent it from progressively narrowing the sphere of human freedom. But, because "freedom" is a word that can be interpreted in many ways, we must first make clear what kind of freedom we are concerned with.

94. By "freedom" we mean the opportunity to go through the power process, with real goals not the artificial goals of surrogate activities, and without interference, manipulation or supervision from anyone, especially from any large organization. Freedom means being in control (either as an individual or as a member of a SMALL group) of the life-and-death issues of one's existence; food, clothing, shelter and defense against whatever threats there may be in one's environment. Freedom means having power; not the power to control other people but the power to control the circumstances of one's own life. One does not have freedom if anyone else (especially a large organization) has power over one, no matter how benevolently, tolerantly and permissively that power may be exercised. It is important not to confuse freedom with mere permissiveness (see paragraph 72).

95. It is said that we live in a free society because we have a certain number of constitutionally guaranteed rights. But these are not as important as they seem. The degree of personal freedom that exists in a society is determined more by the economic and technological structure of the society than by its laws or its form of government. [16] Most of the Indian nations of New England were monarchies, and many of the cities of the Italian Renaissance were controlled by dictators. But in reading about these societies one gets the impression that they allowed far more personal freedom than our society does. In part this was because they lacked efficient mechanisms for enforcing the ruler's will: There were no modern, well-organized police forces, no rapid long-distance communications, no surveillance cameras, no dossiers of information about the lives of average citizens. Hence it was relatively easy to evade control.

96. As for our constitutional rights, consider for example that of freedom of the press. We certainly don't mean to knock that right; it is very important tool for limiting concentration of political power and for keeping those who do have political power in line by publicly exposing any misbehavior on their part. But freedom of the press is of very little use to the average citizen as an individual. The mass media are mostly under the control of large organizations that are integrated into the system. Anyone who has a little money can have something printed, or can distribute it on the Internet or in some such way, but what he has to say will be swamped by the vast volume of material put out by the media, hence it will have no practical effect. To make an impression on society with words is therefore almost impossible for most individuals and small groups. Take us (FC) for example. If we had never done anything violent and had submitted the present writings to a publisher, they probably would not have been accepted. If they had been been accepted and published, they probably would not have attracted many readers, because it's more fun to watch the entertainment put out by the media than to read a sober essay. Even if these writings had had many readers, most of these readers would soon have forgotten what they had read as their minds were flooded by the mass of material to which the media expose them. In order to get our message before the public with some chance of making a lasting impression, we've had to kill people.

97. Constitutional rights are useful up to a point, but they do not serve to guarantee much more than what might be called the bourgeois conception of freedom. According to the bourgeois conception, a "free" man is essentially an element of a social machine and has only a certain set of prescribed and delimited freedoms; freedoms that are designed to serve the needs of the social machine more than those of the individual. Thus the bourgeois's "free" man has economic freedom because that promotes growth and progress; he has freedom of the press because public criticism restrains misbehavior by political leaders; he has a right to a fair trial because imprisonment at the whim of the powerful would be bad for the system. This was clearly the attitude of Simon Bolivar. To him, people deserved liberty only if they used it to promote progress (progress as conceived by the bourgeois). Other bourgeois thinkers have taken a similar view of freedom as a mere means to collective ends. Chester C. Tan, "Chinese Political Thought in the Twentieth Century," page 202, explains the philosophy of the Kuomintang leader Hu Han-min: "An individual is granted rights because he is a member of society and his community life requires such rights. By community Hu meant the whole society of the nation." And on page 259 Tan states that according to Carsum Chang (Chang Chun-mai, head of the State Socialist Party in China) freedom had to be used in the interest of the state and of the people as a whole. But what kind of freedom does one have if one can use it only as someone else prescribes? FC's conception of freedom is not that of Bolivar, Hu, Chang or other bourgeois theorists. The trouble with such theorists is that they have made the development and application of social theories their surrogate activity. Consequently the theories are designed to serve the needs of the theorists more than the needs of any people who may be unlucky enough to live in a society on which the theories are imposed.

98. One more point to be made in this section: It should not be assumed that a person has enough freedom just because he SAYS he has enough. Freedom is restricted in part by psychological controls of which people are unconscious, and moreover many people's ideas of what constitutes freedom are governed more by social convention than by their real needs. For example, it's likely that many leftists of the oversocialized type would say that most people, including themselves, are socialized too little rather than too much, yet the oversocialized leftist pays a heavy psychological price for his high level of socialization.

SOME PRINCIPLES OF HISTORY

99. Think of history as being the sum of two components: an erratic component that consists of unpredictable events that follow no discernible pattern, and a regular component that consists of long-term historical trends. Here we are concerned with the long-term trends.

100. FIRST PRINCIPLE. If a SMALL change is made that affects a long-term historical trend, then the effect of that change will almost always be transitorysthe trend will soon revert to its original state. (Example: A reform movement designed to clean up political corruption in a society rarely has more than a short-term effect; sooner or later the reformers relax and corruption creeps back in. The level of political corruption in a given society tends to remain constant, or to change only slowly with the evolution of the society. Normally, a political cleanup will be permanent only if accompanied by widespread social changes; a SMALL change in the society won't be enough.) If a small change in a long-term historical trend appears to be permanent, it is only because the change acts in the direction in which the trend is already moving, so that the trend is not altered by only pushed a step ahead.

101. The first principle is almost a tautology. If a trend were not stable with respect to small changes, it would wander at random rather than following a definite direction; in other words it would not be a long-term trend at all.

102. SECOND PRINCIPLE. If a change is made that is sufficiently large to alter permanently a long-term historical trend, then it will alter the society as a whole. In other words, a society is a system in which all parts are interrelated, and you can't permanently change any important part without changing all other parts as well.

103. THIRD PRINCIPLE. If a change is made that is large enough to alter permanently a long-term trend, then the consequences for the society as a whole cannot be predicted in advance. (Unless various other societies have passed through the same change and have all experienced the same consequences, in which case one can predict on empirical grounds that another society that passes through the same change will be like to experience similar consequences.)

104. FOURTH PRINCIPLE. A new kind of society cannot be designed on paper. That is, you cannot plan out a new form of society in advance, then set it up and expect it to function as it was designed to do.

105. The third and fourth principles result from the complexity of human societies. A change in human behavior will affect the economy of a society and its physical environment; the economy will affect the environment and vice versa, and the changes in the economy and the environment will affect human behavior in complex, unpredictable ways; and so forth. The network of causes and effects is far too complex to be untangled and understood.

106. FIFTH PRINCIPLE. People do not consciously and rationally choose the form of their society. Societies develop through processes of social evolution that are not under rational human control.

107. The fifth principle is a consequence of the other four.

108. To illustrate: By the first principle, generally speaking an attempt at social reform either acts in the direction in which the society is developing anyway (so that it merely accelerates a change that would have occurred in any case) or else it has only a transitory effect, so that the society soon slips back into its old groove. To make a lasting change in the direction of development of any important aspect of a society, reform is insufficient and revolution is required. (A revolution does not necessarily involve an armed uprising or the overthrow of a government.) By the second principle, a revolution never changes only one aspect of a society, it changes the whole society; and by the third principle changes occur that were never expected or desired by the revolutionaries. By the fourth principle, when revolutionaries or utopians set up a new kind of society, it never works out as planned.

109. The American Revolution does not provide a counterexample. The American "Revolution" was not a revolution in our sense of the word, but a war of independence followed by a rather far-reaching political reform. The Founding Fathers did not change the direction of development of American society, nor did they aspire to do so. They only freed the development of American society from the retarding effect of British rule. Their political reform did not change any basic trend, but only pushed American political culture along its natural direction of development. British society, of which American society was an offshoot, had been moving for a long time in the direction of representative democracy. And prior to the War of Independence the Americans were already practicing a significant degree of representative democracy in the colonial assemblies. The political system established by the Constitution was modeled on the British system and on the colonial assemblies. With major alteration, to be suresthere is no doubt that the Founding Fathers took a very important step. But it was a step along the road that English-speaking world was already traveling. The proof is that Britain and all of its colonies that were populated predominantly by people of British descent ended up with systems of representative democracy essentially similar to that of the United States. If the Founding Fathers had lost their nerve and declined to sign the Declaration of Independence, our way of life today would not have been significantly different. Maybe we would have had somewhat closer ties to Britain, and would have had a Parliament and Prime Minister instead of a Congress and President. No big deal. Thus the American Revolution provides not a counterexample to our principles but a good illustration of them.

110. Still, one has to use common sense in applying the principles. They are expressed in imprecise language that allows latitude for interpretation, and exceptions to them can be found. So we present these principles not as inviolable laws but as rules of thumb, or guides to thinking, that may provide a partial antidote to naive ideas about the future of society. The principles should be borne constantly in mind, and whenever one reaches a conclusion that conflicts with them one should carefully reexamine one's thinking and retain the conclusion only if one has good, solid reasons for doing so.

INDUSTRIAL-TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY CANNOT BE REFORMED

111. The foregoing principles help to show how hopelessly difficult it would be to reform the industrial system in such a way as to prevent it from progressively narrowing our sphere of freedom. There has been a consistent tendency, going back at least to the Industrial Revolution for technology to strengthen the system at a high cost in individual freedom and local autonomy. Hence any change designed to protect freedom from technology would be contrary to a fundamental trend in the development of our society. Consequently, such a change either would be a transitory onessoon swamped by the tide of historysor, if large enough to be permanent would alter the nature of our whole society. This by the first and second principles. Moreover, since society would be altered in a way that could not be predicted in advance (third principle) there would be great risk. Changes large enough to make a lasting difference in favor of freedom would not be initiated because it would be realized that they would gravely disrupt the system. So any attempts at reform would be too timid to be effective. Even if changes large enough to make a lasting difference were initiated, they would be retracted when their disruptive effects became apparent. Thus, permanent changes in favor of freedom could be brought about only by persons prepared to accept radical, dangerous and unpredictable alteration of the entire system. In other words by revolutionaries, not reformers.

112. People anxious to rescue freedom without sacrificing the supposed benefits of technology will suggest naive schemes for some new form of society that would reconcile freedom with technology. Apart from the fact that people who make such suggestions seldom propose any practical means by which the new form of society could be set up in the first place, it follows from the fourth principle that even if the new form of society could be once established, it either would collapse or would give results very different from those expected.

113. So even on very general grounds it seems highly improbable that any way of changing society could be found that would reconcile freedom with modern technology. In the next few sections we will give more specific reasons for concluding that freedom and technological progress are incompatible.

RESTRICTION OF FREEDOM IS UNAVOIDABLE IN INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY

114. As explained in paragraphs 65-67, 70-73, modern man is strapped down by a network of rules and regulations, and his fate depends on the actions of persons remote from him whose decisions he cannot influence. This is not accidental or a result of the arbitrariness of arrogant bureaucrats. It is necessary and inevitable in any technologically advanced society. The system HAS TO regulate human behavior closely in order to function. At work people have to do what they are told to do, otherwise production would be thrown into chaos. Bureaucracies HAVE TO be run according to rigid rules. To allow any substantial personal discretion to lower-level bureaucrats would disrupt the system and lead to charges of unfairness due to differences in the way individual bureaucrats exercised their discretion. It is true that some restrictions on our freedom could be eliminated, but GENERALLY SPEAKING the regulation of our lives by large organizations is necessary for the functioning of industrial-technological society. The result is a sense of powerlessness on the part of the average person. It may be, however, that formal regulations will tend increasingly to be replaced by psychological tools that make us want to do what the system requires of us. (Propaganda [14], educational techniques, "mental health" programs, etc.)

115. The system HAS TO force people to behave in ways that are increasingly remote from the natural pattern of human behavior. For example, the system needs scientists, mathematicians and engineers. It can't function without them. So heavy pressure is put on children to excel in these fields. It isn't natural for an adolescent human being to spend the bulk of his time sitting at a desk absorbed in study. A normal adolescent wants to spend his time in active contact with the real world. Among primitive peoples the things that children are trained to do tend to be in reasonable harmony with natural human impulses. Among the American Indians, for example, boys were trained in active outdoor pursuits just the sort of thing that boys like. But in our society children are pushed into studying technical subjects, which most do grudgingly.

116. Because of the constant pressure that the system exerts to modify human behavior, there is a gradual increase in the number of people who cannot or will nottadjust to society's requirements: welfare leeches, youth-gang members, cultists, anti-government rebels, radical environmentalist saboteurs, dropouts and resisters of various kinds.

117. In any technologically advanced society the individual's fate MUST depend on decisions that he personally cannot influence to any great extent. A technological society cannot be broken down into small, autonomous communities, because production depends on the cooperation of very large numbers of people and machines. Such a society MUST be highly organized and decisions HAVE TO be made that affect very large numbers of people. When a decision affects, say, a million people, then each of the affected individuals has, on the average, only a one-millionth share in making the decision. What usually happens in practice is that decisions are made by public officials or corporation executives, or by technical specialists, but even when the public votes on a decision the number of voters ordinarily is too large for the vote of any one individual to be significant. [17] Thus most individuals are unable to influence measurably the major decisions that affect their lives. There is no conceivable way to remedy this in a technologically advanced society. The system tries to "solve" this problem by using propaganda to make people WANT the decisions that have been made for them, but even if this "solution" were completely successful in making people feel better, it would be demeaning.

118. Conservatives and some others advocate more "local autonomy." Local communities once did have autonomy, but such autonomy becomes less and less possible as local communities become more enmeshed with and dependent on large-scale systems like public utilities, computer networks, highway systems, the mass communications media, the modern health care system. Also operating against autonomy is the fact that technology applied in one location often affects people at other locations far way. Thus pesticide or chemical use near a creek may contaminate the water supply hundreds of miles downstream, and the greenhouse effect affects the whole world.

119. The system does not and cannot exist to satisfy human needs. Instead, it is human behavior that has to be modified to fit the needs of the system. This has nothing to do with the political or social ideology that may pretend to guide the technological system. It is the fault of technology, because the system is guided not by ideology but by technical necessity. [18] Of course the system does satisfy many human needs, but generally speaking it does this only to the extend that it is to the advantage of the system to do it. It is the needs of the system that are paramount, not those of the human being. For example, the system provides people with food because the system couldn't function if everyone starved; it attends to people's psychological needs whenever it can CONVENIENTLY do so, because it couldn't function if too many people became depressed or rebellious. But the system, for good, solid, practical reasons, must exert constant pressure on people to mold their behavior to the needs of the system. To much waste accumulating? The government, the media, the educational system, environmentalists, everyone inundates us with a mass of propaganda about recycling. Need more technical personnel? A chorus of voices exhorts kids to study science. No one stops to ask whether it is inhumane to force adolescents to spend the bulk of their time studying subjects most of them hate. When skilled workers are put out of a job by technical advances and have to undergo "retraining," no one asks whether it is humiliating for them to be pushed around in this way. It is simply taken for granted that everyone must bow to technical necessity. and for good reason: If human needs were put before technical necessity there would be economic problems, unemployment, shortages or worse. The concept of "mental health" in our society is defined largely by the extent to which an individual behaves in accord with the needs of the system and does so without showing signs of stress.

120. Efforts to make room for a sense of purpose and for autonomy within the system are no better than a joke. For example, one company, instead of having each of its employees assemble only one section of a catalogue, had each assemble a whole catalogue, and this was supposed to give them a sense of purpose and achievement. Some companies have tried to give their employees more autonomy in their work, but for practical reasons this usually can be done only to a very limited extent, and in any case employees are never given autonomy as to ultimate goalsstheir "autonomous" efforts can never be directed toward goals that they select personally, but only toward their employer's goals, such as the survival and growth of the company. Any company would soon go out of business if it permitted its employees to act otherwise. Similarly, in any enterprise within a socialist system, workers must direct their efforts toward the goals of the enterprise, otherwise the enterprise will not serve its purpose as part of the system. Once again, for purely technical reasons it is not possible for most individuals or small groups to have much autonomy in industrial society. Even the small-business owner commonly has only limited autonomy. Apart from the necessity of government regulation, he is restricted by the fact that he must fit into the economic system and conform to its requirements. For instance, when someone develops a new technology, the small-business person often has to use that technology whether he wants to or not, in order to remain competitive.

THE 'BAD' PARTS OF TECHNOLOGY CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM THE 'GOOD' PARTS

121. A further reason why industrial society cannot be reformed in favor of freedom is that modern technology is a unified system in which all parts are dependent on one another. You can't get rid of the "bad" parts of technology and retain only the "good" parts. Take modern medicine, for example. Progress in medical science depends on progress in chemistry, physics, biology, computer science and other fields. Advanced medical treatments require expensive, high-tech equipment that can be made available only by a technologically progressive, economically rich society. Clearly you can't have much progress in medicine without the whole technological system and everything that goes with it.

122. Even if medical progress could be maintained without the rest of the technological system, it would by itself bring certain evils. Suppose for example that a cure for diabetes is discovered. People with a genetic tendency to diabetes will then be able to survive and reproduce as well as anyone else. Natural selection against genes for diabetes will cease and such genes will spread throughout the population. (This may be occurring to some extent already, since diabetes, while not curable, can be controlled through use of insulin.) The same thing will happen with many other diseases susceptibility to which is affected by genetic degradation of the population. The only solution will be some sort of eugenics program or extensive genetic engineering of human beings, so that man in the future will no longer be a creation of nature, or of chance, or of God (depending on your religious or philosophical opinions), but a manufactured product.

123. If you think that big government interferes in your life too much NOW, just wait till the government starts regulating the genetic constitution of your children. Such regulation will inevitably follow the introduction of genetic engineering of human beings, because the consequences of unregulated genetic engineering would be disastrous. [19]

124. The usual response to such concerns is to talk about "medical ethics." But a code of ethics would not serve to protect freedom in the face of medical progress; it would only make matters worse. A code of ethics applicable to genetic engineering would be in effect a means of regulating the genetic constitution of human beings. Somebody (probably the upper-middle class, mostly) would decide that such and such applications of genetic engineering were "ethical" and others were not, so that in effect they would be imposing their own values on the genetic constitution of the population at large. Even if a code of ethics were chosen on a completely democratic basis, the majority would be imposing their own values on any minorities who might have a different idea of what constituted an "ethical" use of genetic engineering. The only code of ethics that would truly protect freedom would be one that prohibited ANY genetic engineering of human beings, and you can be sure that no such code will ever be applied in a technological society. No code that reduced genetic engineering to a minor role could stand up for long, because the temptation presented by the immense power of biotechnology would be irresistible, especially since to the majority of people many of its applications will seem obviously and unequivocally good (eliminating physical and mental diseases, giving people the abilities they need to get along in today's world). Inevitably, genetic engineering will be used extensively, but only in ways consistent with the needs of the industrial-technological system. [20]

TECHNOLOGY IS A MORE POWERFUL SOCIAL FORCE THAN THE ASPIRATION FOR FREEDOM

125. It is not possible to make a LASTING compromise between technology and freedom, because technology is by far the more powerful social force and continually encroaches on freedom through REPEATED compromises. Imagine the case of two neighbors, each of whom at the outset owns the same amount of land, but one of whom is more powerful than the other. The powerful one demands a piece of the other's land. The weak one refuses. The powerful one says, "OK, let's compromise. Give me half of what I asked." The weak one has little choice but to give in. Some time later the powerful neighbor demands another piece of land, again there is a compromise, and so forth. By forcing a long series of compromises on the weaker man, the powerful one eventually gets all of his land. So it goes in the conflict between technology and freedom.

126. Let us explain why technology is a more powerful social force than the aspiration for freedom.

127. A technological advance that appears not to threaten freedom often turns out to threaten it very seriously later on. For example, consider motorized transport. A walking man formerly could go where he pleased, go at his own pace without observing any traffic regulations, and was independent of technological support-systems. When motor vehicles were introduced they appeared to increase man's freedom. They took no freedom away from the walking man, no one had to have an automobile if he didn't want one, and anyone who did choose to buy an automobile could travel much faster and farther than a walking man. But the introduction of motorized transport soon changed society in such a way as to restrict greatly man's freedom of locomotion. When automobiles became numerous, it became necessary to regulate their use extensively. In a car, especially in densely populated areas, one cannot just go where one likes at one's own pace one's movement is governed by the flow of traffic and by various traffic laws. One is tied down by various obligations: license requirements, driver test, renewing registration, insurance, maintenance required for safety, monthly payments on purchase price. Moreover, the use of motorized transport is no longer optional. Since the introduction of motorized transport the arrangement of our cities has changed in such a way that the majority of people no longer live within walking distance of their place of employment, shopping areas and recreational opportunities, so that they HAVE TO depend on the automobile for transportation. Or else they must use public transportation, in which case they have even less control over their own movement than when driving a car. Even the walker's freedom is now greatly restricted. In the city he continually has to stop to wait for traffic lights that are designed mainly to serve auto traffic. In the country, motor traffic makes it dangerous and unpleasant to walk along the highway. (Note this important point that we have just illustrated with the case of motorized transport: When a new item of technology is introduced as an option that an individual can accept or not as he chooses, it does not necessarily REMAIN optional. In many cases the new technology changes society in such a way that people eventually find themselves FORCED to use it.)

128. While technological progress AS A WHOLE continually narrows our sphere of freedom, each new technical advance CONSIDERED BY ITSELF appears to be desirable. Electricity, indoor plumbing, rapid long-distance communications ... how could one argue against any of these things, or against any other of the innumerable technical advances that have made modern society? It would have been absurd to resist the introduction of the telephone, for example. It offered many advantages and no disadvantages. Yet, as we explained in paragraphs 59-76, all these technical advances taken together have created a world in which the average man's fate is no longer in his own hands or in the hands of his neighbors and friends, but in those of politicians, corporation executives and remote, anonymous technicians and bureaucrats whom he as an individual has no power to influence. [21] The same process will continue in the future. Take genetic engineering, for example. Few people will resist the introduction of a genetic technique that eliminates a hereditary disease. It does no apparent harm and prevents much suffering. Yet a large number of genetic improvements taken together will make the human being into an engineered product rather than a free creation of chance (or of God, or whatever, depending on your religious beliefs).

129. Another reason why technology is such a powerful social force is that, within the context of a given society, technological progress marches in only one direction; it can never be reversed. Once a technical innovation has been introduced, people usually become dependent on it, so that they can never again do without it, unless it is replaced by some still more advanced innovation. Not only do people become dependent as individuals on a new item of technology, but, even more, the system as a whole becomes dependent on it. (Imagine what would happen to the system today if computers, for example, were eliminated.) Thus the system can move in only one direction, toward greater technologization. Technology repeatedly forces freedom to take a step back, but technology can never take a step backsshort of the overthrow of the whole technological system.

130. Technology advances with great rapidity and threatens freedom at many different points at the same time (crowding, rules and regulations, increasing dependence of individuals on large organizations, propaganda and other psychological techniques, genetic engineering, invasion of privacy through surveillance devices and computers, etc.). To hold back any ONE of the threats to freedom would require a long and difficult social struggle. Those who want to protect freedom are overwhelmed by the sheer number of new attacks and the rapidity with which they develop, hence they become apathetic and no longer resist. To fight each of the threats separately would be futile. Success can be hoped for only by fighting the technological system as a whole; but that is revolution, not reform.

131. Technicians (we use this term in its broad sense to describe all those who perform a specialized task that requires training) tend to be so involved in their work (their surrogate activity) that when a conflict arises between their technical work and freedom, they almost always decide in favor of their technical work. This is obvious in the case of scientists, but it also appears elsewhere: Educators, humanitarian groups, conservation organizations do not hesitate to use propaganda or other psychological techniques to help them achieve their laudable ends. Corporations and government agencies, when they find it useful, do not hesitate to collect information about individuals without regard to their privacy. Law enforcement agencies are frequently inconvenienced by the constitutional rights of suspects and often of completely innocent persons, and they do whatever they can do legally (or sometimes illegally) to restrict or circumvent those rights. Most of these educators, government officials and law officers believe in freedom, privacy and constitutional rights, but when these conflict with their work, they usually feel that their work is more important.

132. It is well known that people generally work better and more persistently when striving for a reward than when attempting to avoid a punishment or negative outcome. Scientists and other technicians are motivated mainly by the rewards they get through their work. But those who oppose technological invasions of freedom are working to avoid a negative outcome, consequently there are few who work persistently and well at this discouraging task. If reformers ever achieved a signal victory that seemed to set up a solid barrier against further erosion of freedom through technical progress, most would tend to relax and turn their attention to more agreeable pursuits. But the scientists would remain busy in their laboratories, and technology as it progresses would find ways, in spite of any barriers, to exert more and more control over individuals and make them always more dependent on the system.

133. No social arrangements, whether laws, institutions, customs or ethical codes, can provide permanent protection against technology. History shows that all social arrangements are transitory; they all change or break down eventually. But technological advances are permanent within the context of a given civilization. Suppose for example that it were possible to arrive at some social arrangements that would prevent genetic engineering from being applied to human beings, or prevent it from being applied in such a way as to threaten freedom and dignity. Still, the technology would remain waiting. Sooner or later the social arrangement would break down. Probably sooner, given the pace of change in our society. Then genetic engineering would begin to invade our sphere of freedom, and this invasion would be irreversible (short of a breakdown of technological civilization itself). Any illusions about achieving anything permanent through social arrangements should be dispelled by what is currently happening with environmental legislation. A few years ago its seemed that there were secure legal barriers preventing at least SOME of the worst forms of environmental degradation. A change in the political wind, and those barriers begin to crumble.

134. For all of the foregoing reasons, technology is a more powerful social force than the aspiration for freedom. But this statement requires an important qualification. It appears that during the next several decades the industrial-technological system will be undergoing severe stresses due to economic and environmental problems, and especially due to problems of human behavior (alienation, rebellion, hostility, a variety of social and psychological difficulties). We hope that the stresses through which the system is likely to pass will cause it to break down, or at least will weaken it sufficiently so that a revolution against it becomes possible. If such a revolution occurs and is successful, then at that particular moment the aspiration for freedom will have proved more powerful than technology.

135. In paragraph 125 we used an analogy of a weak neighbor who is left destitute by a strong neighbor who takes all his land by forcing on him a series of compromises. But suppose now that the strong neighbor gets sick, so that he is unable to defend himself. The weak neighbor can force the strong one to give him his land back, or he can kill him. If he lets the strong man survive and only forces him to give the land back, he is a fool, because when the strong man gets well he will again take all the land for himself. The only sensible alternative for the weaker man is to kill the strong one while he has the chance. In the same way, while the industrial system is sick we must destroy it. If we compromise with it and let it recover from its sickness, it will eventually wipe out all of our freedom.

SIMPLER SOCIAL PROBLEMS HAVE PROVED INTRACTABLE

136. If anyone still imagines that it would be possible to reform the system in such a way as to protect freedom from technology, let him consider how clumsily and for the most part unsuccessfully our society has dealt with other social problems that are far more simple and straightforward. Among other things, the system has failed to stop environmental degradation, political corruption, drug trafficking or domestic abuse.

137. Take our environmental problems, for example. Here the conflict of values is straightforward: economic expedience now versus saving some of our natural resources for our grandchildren. [22] But on this subject we get only a lot of blather and obfuscation from the people who have power, and nothing like a clear, consistent line of action, and we keep on piling up environmental problems that our grandchildren will have to live with. Attempts to resolve the environmental issue consist of struggles and compromises between different factions, some of which are ascendant at one moment, others at another moment. The line of struggle changes with the shifting currents of public opinion. This is not a rational process, nor is it one that is likely to lead to a timely and successful solution to the problem. Major social problems, if they get "solved" at all, are rarely or never solved through any rational, comprehensive plan. They just work themselves out through a process in which various competing groups pursuing their own (usually short-term) self-interest [23] arrive (mainly by luck) at some more or less stable modus vivendi. In fact, the principles we formulated in paragraphs 100-106 make it seem doubtful that rational, long-term social planning can EVER be successful.

138. Thus it is clear that the human race has at best a very limited capacity for solving even relatively straightforward social problems. How then is it going to solve the far more difficult and subtle problem of reconciling freedom with technology? Technology presents clear-cut material advantages, whereas freedom is an abstraction that means different things to different people, and its loss is easily obscured by propaganda and fancy talk.

139. And note this important difference: It is conceivable that our environmental problems (for example) may some day be settled through a rational, comprehensive plan, but if this happens it will be only because it is in the long-term interest of the system to solve these problems. But it is NOT in the interest of the system to preserve freedom or small-group autonomy. On the contrary, it is in the interest of the system to bring human behavior under control to the greatest possible extent. [24] Thus, while practical considerations may eventually force the system to take a rational, prudent approach to environmental problems, equally practical considerations will force the system to regulate human behavior ever more closely (preferably by indirect means that will disguise the encroachment on freedom). This isn't just our opinion. Eminent social scientists (e.g. James Q. Wilson) have stressed the importance of "socializing" people more effectively.

REVOLUTION IS EASIER THAN REFORM

140. We hope we have convinced the reader that the system cannot be reformed in such a way as to reconcile freedom with technology. The only way out is to dispense with the industrial-technological system altogether. This implies revolution, not necessarily an armed uprising, but certainly a radical and fundamental change in the nature of society.

141. People tend to assume that because a revolution involves a much greater change than reform does, it is more difficult to bring about than reform is. Actually, under certain circumstances revolution is much easier than reform. The reason is that a revolutionary movement can inspire an intensity of commitment that a reform movement cannot inspire. A reform movement merely offers to solve a particular social problem. A revolutionary movement offers to solve all problems at one stroke and create a whole new world; it provides the kind of ideal for which people will take great risks and make great sacrifices. For this reasons it would be much easier to overthrow the whole technological system than to put effective, permanent restraints on the development or application of any one segment of technology, such as genetic engineering, for example. Not many people will devote themselves with single-minded passion to imposing and maintaining restraints on genetic engineering, but under suitable conditions large numbers of people may devote themselves passionately to a revolution against the industrial-technological system. As we noted in paragraph 132, reformers seeking to limit certain aspects of technology would be working to avoid a negative outcome. But revolutionaries work to gain a powerful rewardsfulfillment of their revolutionary visionsand therefore work harder and more persistently than reformers do.

142. Reform is always restrained by the fear of painful consequences if changes go too far. But once a revolutionary fever has taken hold of a society, people are willing to undergo unlimited hardships for the sake of their revolution. This was clearly shown in the French and Russian Revolutions. It may be that in such cases only a minority of the population is really committed to the revolution, but this minority is sufficiently large and active so that it becomes the dominant force in society. We will have more to say about revolution in paragraphs 180-205.

CONTROL OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR

143. Since the beginning of civilization, organized societies have had to put pressures on human beings of the sake of the functioning of the social organism. The kinds of pressures vary greatly from one society to another. Some of the pressures are physical (poor diet, excessive labor, environmental pollution), some are psychological (noise, crowding, forcing human behavior into the mold that society requires). In the past, human nature has been approximately constant, or at any rate has varied only within cer tain bounds. Consequently, societies have been able to push people only up to certain limits. When the limit of human endurance has been passed, things start going wrong: rebellion, or crime, or corruption, or evasion of work, or depression and other mental problems, or an elevated death rate, or a declining birth rate or something else, so that either the society breaks down, or its functioning becomes too inefficient and it is (quickly or gradually, through conquest, attrition or evolution) replaced by some more efficient form of society. [25]

144. Thus human nature has in the past put certain limits on the development of societies. People could be pushed only so far and no farther. But today this may be changing, because modern technology is developing ways of modifying human beings.

145. Imagine a society that subjects people to conditions that make them terribly unhappy, then gives them drugs to take away their unhappiness. Science fiction? It is already happening to some extent in our own society. It is well known that the rate of clinical depression has been greatly increasing in recent decades. We believe that this is due to disruption of the power process, as explained in paragraphs 59-76. But even if we are wrong, the increasing rate of depression is certainly the result of SOME conditions that exist in today's society. Instead of removing the conditions that make people depressed, modern society gives them antidepressant drugs. In effect, antidepressants are a means of modifying an individual's internal state in such a way as to enable him to tolerate social conditions that he would otherwise find intolerable. (Yes, we know that depression is often of purely genetic origin. We are referring here to those cases in which environment plays the predominant role.)

146. Drugs that affect the mind are only one example of the new methods of controlling human behavior that modern society is developing. Let us look at some of the other methods.

147. To start with, there are the techniques of surveillance. Hidden video cameras are now used in most stores and in many other places, computers are used to collect and process vast amounts of information about individuals. Information so obtained greatly increases the effectiveness of physical coercion (i.e., law enforcement). [26] Then there are the methods of propaganda, for which the mass communication media provide effective vehicles. Efficient techniques have been developed for winning elections, selling products, influencing public opinion. The entertainment industry serves as an important psychological tool of the system, possibly even when it is dishing out large amounts of sex and violence. Entertainment provides modern man with an essential means of escape. While absorbed in television, videos, etc., he can forget stress, anxiety, frustration, dissatisfaction. Many primitive peoples, when they don't have work to do, are quite content to sit for hours at a time doing nothing at all, because they are at peace with themselves and their world. But most modern people must be constantly occupied or entertained, otherwise they get "bored," i.e., they get fidgety, uneasy, irritable.

148. Other techniques strike deeper than the foregoing. Education is no longer a simple affair of paddling a kid's behind when he doesn't know his lessons and patting him on the head when he does know them. It is becoming a scientific technique for controlling the child's development. Sylvan Learning Centers, for example, have had great success in motivating children to study, and psychological techniques are also used with more or less success in many conventional schools. "Parenting" techniques that are taught to parents are designed to make children accept fundamental values of the system and behave in ways that the system finds desirable. "Mental health" programs, "intervention" techniques, psychotherapy and so forth are ostensibly designed to benefit individuals, but in practice they usually serve as methodsfor inducing individuals to think and behave as the system requires. (There is no contradiction here; an individual whose attitudes or behavior bring him into conflict with the system is up against a force that is too powerful for him to conquer or escape from, hence he is likely to suffer from stress, frustration, defeat. His path will be much easier if he thinks and behaves as the system requires. In that sense the system is acting for the benefit of the individual when it brainwashes him into conformity.) Child abuse in its gross and obvious forms is disapproved in most if not all cultures. Tormenting a child for a trivial reason or no reason at all is something that appalls almost everyone. But many psychologists interpret the concept of abuse much more broadly. Is spanking, when used as part of a rational and consistent system of discipline, a form of abuse? The question will ultimately be decided by whether or not spanking tends to produce behavior that makes a person fit in well with the existing system of society. In practice, the word "abuse" tends to be interpreted to include any method of child-rearing that produces behavior inconvenient for the system. Thus, when they go beyond the prevention of obvious, senseless cruelty, programs for preventing "child abuse" are directed toward the control of human behavior on behalf of the system.

149. Presumably, research will continue to increase the effectiveness of psychological techniques for controlling human behavior. But we think it is unlikely that psychological techniques alone will be sufficient to adjust human beings to the kind of society that technology is creating. Biological methods probably will have to be used. We have already mentioned the use of drugs in this connection. Neurology may provide other avenues for modifying the human mind. Genetic engineering of human beings is already beginning to occur in the form of "gene therapy," and there is no reason to assume that such methods will not eventually be used to modify those aspects of the body that affect mental functioning.

150. As we mentioned in paragraph 134, industrial society seems likely to be entering a period of severe stress, due in part to problems of human behavior and in part to economic and environmental problems. And a considerable proportion of the system's economic and environmental problems result from the way human beings behave. Alienation, low self-esteem, depression, hostility, rebellion; children who won't study, youth gangs, illegal drug use, rape, child abuse, other crimes, unsafe sex, teen pregnancy, population growth, political corruption, race hatred, ethnic rivalry, bitter ideological conflict (e.g., pro-choice vs. pro-life), political extremism, terrorism, sabotage, anti-government groups, hate groups. All these threaten the very survival of the system. The system will therefore be FORCED to use every practical means of controlling human behavior.

151. The social disruption that we see today is certainly not the result of mere chance. It can only be a result of the conditions of life that the system imposes on people. (We have argued that the most important of these conditions is disruption of the power process.) If the systems succeeds in imposing sufficient control over human behavior to assure its own survival, a new watershed in human history will have been passed. Whereas formerly the limits of human endurance have imposed limits on the development of societies (as we explained in paragraphs 143, 144), industrial-technological society will be able to pass those limits by modifying human beings, whether by psychological methods or biological methods or both. In the future, social systems will not be adjusted to suit the needs of human beings. Instead, human being will be adjusted to suit the needs of the system. [27]

152. Generally speaking, technological control over human behavior will probably not be introduced with a totalitarian intention or even through a conscious desire to restrict human freedom. [28] Each new step in the assertion of control over the humanmind will be taken as a rational response to a problem that faces society, such as curing alcoholism, reducing the crime rate or inducing young people to study science and engineering. In many cases there will be a humanitarian justification. For example, when a psychiatrist prescribes an anti-depressant for a depressed patient, he is clearly doing that individual a favor. It would be inhumane to withhold the drug from someone who needs it. When parents send their children to Sylvan Learning Centers to have them manipulated into becoming enthusiastic about their studies, they do so from concern for their children's welfare. It may be that some of these parents wish that one didn't have to have specialized training to get a job and that their kid didn't have to be brainwashed into becoming a computer nerd. But what can they do? They can't change society, and their child may be unemployable if he doesn't have certain skills. So they send him to Sylvan.

153. Thus control over human behavior will be introduced not by a calculated decision of the authorities but through a process of social evolution (RAPID evolution, however). The process will be impossible to resist, because each advance, considered by itself, will appear to be beneficial, or at least the evil involved in making the advance will appear to be beneficial, or at least the evil involved in making the advance will seem to be less than that which would result from not making it (see paragraph 127). Propaganda for example is used for many good purposes, such as discouraging child abuse or race hatred. [14] Sex education is obviously useful, yet the effect of sex education (to the extent that it is successful) is to take the shaping of sexual attitudes away from the family and put it into the hands of the state as represented by the public school system.

154. Suppose a biological trait is discovered that increases the likelihood that a child will grow up to be a criminal, and suppose some sort of gene therapy can remove this trait. [29] Of course most parents whose children possess the trait will have them undergo the therapy. It would be inhumane to do otherwise, since the child would probably have a miserable life if he grew up to be a criminal. But many or most primitive societies have a low crime rate in comparison with that of our society, even though they have neither high-tech methods of child-rearing nor harsh systems of punishment. Since there is no reason to suppose that more modern men than primitive men have innate predatory tendencies, the high crime rate of our society must be due to the pressures that modern conditions put on people, to which many cannot or will not adjust. Thus a treatment designed to remove potential criminal tendencies is at least in part a way of re-engineering people so that they suit the requirements of the system.

155. Our society tends to regard as a "sickness" any mode of thought or behavior that is inconvenient for the system, and this is plausible because when an individual doesn't fit into the system it causes pain to the individual as well as problems for the system. Thus the manipulation of an individual to adjust him to the system is seen as a "cure" for a "sickness" and therefore as good.

156. In paragraph 127 we pointed out that if the use of a new item of technology is INITIALLY optional, it does not necessarily REMAIN optional, because the new technology tends to change society in such a way that it becomes difficult or impossible for an individual to function without using that technology. This applies also to the technology of human behavior. In a world in which most children are put through a program to make them enthusiastic about studying, a parent will almost be forced to put his kid through such a program, because if he does not, then the kid will grow up to be, comparatively speaking, an ignoramus and therefore unemployable. Or suppose a biological treatment is discovered that, without undesirable side-effects, will greatly reduce the psychological stress from which so many people suffer in our society.If large numbers of people choose to undergo the treatment, then the general level of stress in society will be reduced, so that it will be possible for the system to increase the stress-producing pressures. In fact, something like this seems to have happened already with one of our society's most important psychological tools for enabling people to reduce (or at least temporarily escape from) stress, namely, mass entertainment (see paragraph 147). Our use of mass entertainment is "optional": No law requires us to watch television, listen to the radio, read magazines. Yet mass entertainment is a means of escape and stress-reduction on which most of us have become dependent. Everyone complains about the trashiness of television, but almost everyone watches it. A few have kicked the TV habit, but it would be a rare person who could get along today without using ANY form of mass entertainment. (Yet until quite recently in human history most people got along very nicely with no other entertainment than that which each local community created for itself.) Without the entertainment industry the system probably would not have been able to get away with putting as much stress-producing pressure on us as it does.

157. Assuming that industrial society survives, it is likely that technology will eventually acquire something approaching complete control over human behavior. It has been established beyond any rational doubt that human thought and behavior have a largely biological basis. As experimenters have demonstrated, feelings such as hunger, pleasure, anger and fear can be turned on and off by electrical stimulation of appropriate parts of the brain. Memories can be destroyed by damaging parts of the brain or they can be brought to the surface by electrical stimulation. Hallucinations can be induced or moods changed by drugs. There may or may not be an immaterial human soul, but if there is one it clearly is less powerful that the biological mechanisms of human behavior. For if that were not the case then researchers would not be able so easily to manipulate human feelings and behavior with drugs and electrical currents.

158. It presumably would be impractical for all people to have electrodes inserted in their heads so that they could be controlled by the authorities. But the fact that human thoughts and feelings are so open to biological intervention shows that the problem of controlling human behavior is mainly a technical problem; a problem of neurons, hormones and complex molecules; the kind of problem that is accessible to scientific attack. Given the outstanding record of our society in solving technical problems, it is overwhelmingly probable that great advances will be made in the control of human behavior.

159. Will public resistance prevent the introduction of technological control of human behavior? It certainly would if an attempt were made to introduce such control all at once. But since technological control will be introduced through a long sequence of small advances, there will be no rational and effective public resistance. (See paragraphs 127, 132, 153.)

160. To those who think that all this sounds like science fiction, we point out that yesterday's science fiction is today's fact. The Industrial Revolution has radically altered man's environment and way of life, and it is only to be expected that as technology is increasingly applied to the human body and mind, man himself will be altered as radically as his environment and way of life have been.

HUMAN RACE AT A CROSSROADS

161. But we have gotten ahead of our story. It is one thing to develop in the laboratory a series of psychological or biological techniques for manipulating human behavior and quite another to integrate these techniques into a functioning social system. The latter problem is the more difficult of the two. For example, while the techniques of educational psychology doubtless work quite well in the "lab schools" where they are developed, it is not necessarily easy to apply them effectively throughout our educational system. We all know what many of our schools are like. The teachers are too busy taking knives and guns away from the kids to subject them to the latest techniques for making them into computer nerds. Thus, in spite of all its technical advances relating to human behavior, the system to date has not been impressively successful in controlling human beings. The people whose behavior is fairly well under the control of the system are those of the type that might be called "bourgeois." But there are growing numbers of people who in one way or another are rebels against the system: welfare leaches, youth gangs, cultists, satanists, nazis, radical environmentalists, militiamen, etc.

162. The system is currently engaged in a desperate struggle to overcome certain problems that threaten its survival, among which the problems of human behavior are the most important. If the system succeeds in acquiring sufficient control over human behavior quickly enough, it will probably survive. Otherwise it will break down. We think the issue will most likely be resolved within the next several decades, say 40 to 100 years.

163. Suppose the system survives the crisis of the next several decades. By that time it will have to have solved, or at least brought under control, the principal problems that confront it, in particular that of "socializing" human beings; that is, making people sufficiently docile so that heir behavior no longer threatens the system. That being accomplished, it does not appear that there would be any further obstacle to the development of technology, and it would presumably advance toward its logical conclusion, which is complete control over everything on Earth, including human beings and all other important organisms. The system may become a unitary, monolithic organization, or it may be more or less fragmented and consist of a number of organizations coexisting in a relationship that includes elements of both cooperation and competition, just as today the government, the corporations and other large organizations both cooperate and compete with one another. Human freedom mostly will have vanished, because individuals and small groups will be impotent vis-a-vis large organizations armed with supertechnology and an arsenal of advanced psychological and biological tools for manipulating human beings, besides instruments of surveillance and physical coercion. Only a small number of people will have any real power, and even these probably will have only very limited freedom, because their behavior too will be regulated; just as today our politicians and corporation executives can retain their positions of power only as long as their behavior remains within certain fairly narrow limits.

164. Don't imagine that the systems will stop developing further techniques for controlling human beings and nature once the crisis of the next few decades is over and increasing control is no longer necessary for the system's survival. On the contrary, once the hard times are over the system will increase its control over people and nature more rapidly, because it will no longer be hampered by difficulties of the kind that it is currently experiencing. Survival is not the principal motive for extending control. As we explained in paragraphs 87-90, technicians and scientists carry on their work largely as a surrogate activity; that is, they satisfy their need for power by solving technical problems. They will continue to do this with unabated enthusiasm, and among the most interesting and challenging problems for them to solve will be those of understanding the human body and mind and intervening in their development. For the "good of humanity," of course.

165. But suppose on the other hand that the stresses of the coming decades prove to be too much for the system. If the system breaks down there may be a period of chaos, a "time of troubles" such as those that history has recorded at various epochs in the past. It is impossible to predict what would emerge from such a time of troubles, but at any rate the human race would be given a new chance. The greatest danger is that industrial society may begin to reconstitute itself within the first few years after the breakdown. Certainly there will be many people (power-hungry types especially) who will be anxious to get the factories running again.

166. Therefore two tasks confront those who hate the servitude to which the industrial system is reducing the human race. First, we must work to heighten the social stresses within the system so as to increase the likelihood that it will break down or be weakened sufficiently so that a revolution against it becomes possible. Second, it is necessary to develop and propagate an ideology that opposes technology and the industrial society if and when the system becomes sufficiently weakened. And such an ideology will help to assure that, if and when industrial society breaks down, its remnants will be smashed beyond repair, so that the system cannot be reconstituted. The factories should be destroyed, technical books burned, etc.

HUMAN SUFFERING

167. The industrial system will not break down purely as a result of revolutionary action. It will not be vulnerable to revolutionary attack unless its own internal problems of development lead it into very serious difficulties. So if the system breaks down it will do so either spontaneously, or through a process that is in part spontaneous but helped along by revolutionaries. If the breakdown is sudden, many people will die, since the world's population has become so overblown that it cannot even feed itself any longer without advanced technology. Even if the breakdown is gradual enough so that reduction of the population can occur more through lowering of the birth rate than through elevation of the death rate, the process of de-industrialization probably will be very chaotic and involve much suffering. It is naive to think it likely that technology can be phased out in a smoothly managed, orderly way, especially since the technophiles will fight stubbornly at every step. Is it therefore cruel to work for the breakdown of the system? Maybe, but maybe not. In the first place, revolutionaries will not be able to break the system down unless it is already in enough trouble so that there would be a good chance of its eventually breaking down by itself anyway; and the bigger the system grows, the more disastrous the consequences of its breakdown will be; so it may be that revolutionaries, by hastening the onset of the breakdown, will be reducing the extent of the disaster.

168. In the second place, one has to balance struggle and death against the loss of freedom and dignity. To many of us, freedom and dignity are more important than a long life or avoidance of physical pain. Besides, we all have to die some time, and it may be better to die fighting for survival, or for a cause, than to live a long but empty and purposeless life.

169. In the third place, it is not at all certain that survival of the system will lead to less suffering than breakdown of the system would. The system has already caused, and is continuing to cause, immense suffering all over the world. Ancient cultures, that for hundreds of years gave people a satisfactory relationship with each other and with their environment, have been shattered by contact with industrial society, and the result has been a whole catalogue of economic, environmental, social and psychological problems. One of the effects of the intrusion of industrial society has been that over much of the world traditional controls on population have been thrown out of balance. Hence the population explosion, with all that that implies. Then there is the psychological suffering that is widespread throughout the supposedly fortunate countries of the West (see paragraphs 44, 45). No one knows what will happen as a result of ozone depletion, the greenhouse effect and other environmental problems that cannot yet be foreseen. And, as nuclear proliferation has shown, new technology cannot be kept out of the hands of dictators and irresponsible Third World nations. Would you like to speculate about what Iraq or North Korea will do with genetic engineering?

170. "Oh!" say the technophiles, "Science is going to fix all that! We will conquer famine, eliminate psychological suffering, make everybody healthy and happy!" Yeah, sure. That's what they said 200 years ago. The Industrial Revolution was supposed to eliminate poverty, make everybody happy, etc. The actual result has been quite different. The technophiles are hopelessly naive (or self-deceiving) in their understanding of social problems. They are unaware of (or choose to ignore) the fact that when large changes, even seemingly beneficial ones, are introduced into a society, they lead to a long sequence of other changes, most of which are impossible to predict (paragraph 103). The result is disruption of the society. So it is very probable that in their attempts to end poverty and disease, engineer docile, happy personalities and so forth, the technophiles will create social systems that are terribly troubled, even more so than the present once. For example, the scientists boast that they will end famine by creating new, genetically engineered food plants. But this will allow the human population to keep expanding indefinitely, and it is well known that crowding leads to increased stress and aggression. This is merely one example of the PREDICTABLE problems that will arise. We emphasize that, as past experience has shown, technical progress will lead to other new problems that CANNOT be predicted in advance (paragraph 103). In fact, ever since the Industrial Revolution, technology has been creating new problems for society far more rapidly than it has been solving old ones. Thus it will take a long and difficult period of trial and error for the technophiles to work the bugs out of their Brave New World (if they every do). In the meantime there will be great suffering. So it is not at all clear that the survival of industrial society would involve less suffering than the breakdown of that society would. Technology has gotten the human race into a fix from which there is not likely to be any easy escape.

THE FUTURE

171. But suppose now that industrial society does survive the next several decades and that the bugs do eventually get worked out of the system, so that it functions smoothly. What kind of system will it be? We will consider several possibilities.

172. First let us postulate that the computer scientists succeed in developing intelligent machines that can do all things better than human beings can do them. In that case presumably all work will be done by vast, highly organized systems of machines and no human effort will be necessary. Either of two cases might occur. The machines might be permitted to make all of their own decisions without human oversight, or else human control over the machines might be retained.

173. If the machines are permitted to make all their own decisions, we can't make any conjectures as to the results, because it is impossible to guess how such machines might behave. We only point out that the fate of the human race would be at the mercy of the machines. It might be argued that the human race would never be foolish enough to hand over all power to the machines. But we are suggesting neither that the human race would voluntarily turn power over to the machines nor that the machines would willfully seize power. What we do suggest is that the human race might easily permit itself to drift into a position of such dependence on the machines that it would have no practical choice but to accept all of the machines' decisions. As society and the problems that face it become more and more complex and as machines become more and more intelligent, people will let machines make more and more of their decisions for them, simply because machine-made decisions will bring better results than man-made ones. Eventually a stage may be reached at which the decisions necessary to keep the system running will be so complex that human beings will be incapable of making them intelligently. At that stage the machines will be in effective control. People won't be able to just turn the machines off, because they will be so dependent on them that turning them off would amount to suicide.

174. On the other hand it is possible that human control over the machines may be retained. In that case the average man may have control over certain private machines of his own, such as his car or his personal computer, but control over large systems of machines will be in the hands of a tiny elitesjust as it is today, but with two differences. Due to improved techniques the elite will have greater control over the masses; and because human work will no longer be necessary the masses will be superfluous, a useless burden on the system. If the elite is ruthless they may simply decide to exterminate the mass of humanity. If they are humane they may use propaganda or other psychological or biological techniques to reduce the birth rate until the mass of humanity becomes extinct, leaving the world to the elite. Or, if the elite consists of soft-hearted liberals, they may decide to play the role of good shepherds to the rest of the human race. They will see to it that everyone's physical needs are satisfied, that all children are raised under psychologically hygienic conditions, that everyone has a wholesome hobby to keep him busy, and that anyone who may become dissatisfied undergoes "treatment" to cure his "problem." Of course, life will be so purposeless that people will have to be biologically or psychologically engineered either to remove their need for the power process or to make them "sublimate" their drive for power into some harmless hobby. These engineered human beings may be happy in such a society, but they most certainly will not be free. They will have been reduced to the status of domestic animals.

175. But suppose now that the computer scientists do not succeed in developing artificial intelligence, so that human work remains necessary. Even so, machines will take care of more and more of the simpler tasks so that there will be an increasing surplus of human workers at the lower levels of ability. (We see this happening already. There are many people who find it difficult or impossible to get work, because for intellectual or psychological reasons they cannot acquire the level of training necessary to make themselves useful in the present system.) On those who are employed, ever-increasing demands will be placed: They will need more and more training, more and more ability, and will have to be ever more reliable, conforming and docile, because they will be more and more like cells of a giant organism. Their tasks will be increasingly specialized, so that their work will be, in a sense, out of touch with the real world, being concentrated on one tiny slice of reality. The system will have to use any means that it can, whether psychological or biological, to engineer people to be docile, to have the abilities that the system requires and to "sublimate" their drive for power into some specialized task. But the statement that the people of such a society will have to be docile may require qualification. The society may find competitiveness useful, provided that ways are found of directing competitiveness into channels that serve the needs of the system. We can imagine a future society in which there is endless competition for positions of prestige and power. But no more than a very few people will ever reach the top, where the only real power is (see end of paragraph 163). Very repellent is a society in which a person can satisfy his need for power only by pushing large numbers of other people out of the way and depriving them of THEIR opportunity for power.

176. One can envision scenarios that incorporate aspects of more than one of the possibilities that we have just discussed. For instance, it may be that machines will take over most of the work that is of real, practical importance, but that human beings will be kept busy by being given relatively unimportant work. It has been suggested, for example, that a great development of the service industries might provide work for human beings. Thus people would spent their time shining each other's shoes, driving each other around in taxicabs, making handicrafts for one another, waiting on each other's tables, etc. This seems to us a thoroughly contemptible way for the human race to end up, and we doubt that many people would find fulfilling lives in such pointless busy-work. They would seek other, dangerous outlets (drugs, crime, "cults," hate groups) unless they were biologically or psychologically engineered to adapt them to such a way of life.

177. Needless to say, the scenarios outlined above do not exhaust all the possibilities. They only indicate the kinds of outcomes that seem to us most likely. But we can envision no plausible scenarios that are any more palatable than the ones we've just described. It is overwhelmingly probable that if the industrial-technological system survives the next 40 to 100 years, it will by that time have developed certain general characteristics: Individuals (at least those of the "bourgeois" type, who are integrated into the system and make it run, and who therefore have all the power) will be more dependent than ever on large organizations; they will be more "socialized" than ever and their physical and mental qualities to a significant extent (possibly to a very great extent) will be those that are engineered into them rather than being the results of chance (or of God's will, or whatever); and whatever may be left of wild nature will be reduced to remnants preserved for scientific study and kept under the supervision and management of scientists (hence it will no longer be truly wild). In the long run (say a few centuries from now) it is likely that neither the human race nor any other important organisms will exist as we know them today, because once you start modifying organisms through genetic engineering there is no reason to stop at any particular point, so that the modifications will probably continue until man and other organisms have been utterly transformed.

178. Whatever else may be the case, it is certain that technology is creating for human beings a new physical and social environment radically different from the spectrum of environments to which natural selection has adapted the human race physically and psychologically. If man is not adjusted to this new environment by being artificially re-engineered, then he will be adapted to it through a long and painful process of natural selection. The former is far more likely than the latter.

179. It would be better to dump the whole stinking system and take the consequences.

STRATEGY

180. The technophiles are taking us all on an utterly reckless ride into the unknown. Many people understand something of what technological progress is doing to us yet take a passive attitude toward it because they think it is inevitable. But we (FC) don't think it is inevitable. We think it can be stopped, and we will give here some indications of how to go about stopping it.

181. As we stated in paragraph 166, the two main tasks for the present are to promote social stress and instability in industrial society and to develop and propagate an ideology that opposes technology and the industrial system. When the system becomes sufficiently stressed and unstable, a revolution against technology may be possible. The pattern would be similar to that of the French and Russian Revolutions. French society and Russian society, for several decades prior to their respective revolutions, showed increasing signs of stress and weakness. Meanwhile, ideologies were being developed that offered a new world view that was quite different from the old one. In the Russian case, revolutionaries were actively working to undermine the old order. Then, when the old system was put under sufficient additional stress (by financial crisis in France, by military defeat in Russia) it was swept away by revolution. What we propose is something along the same lines.

182. It will be objected that the French and Russian Revolutions were failures. But most revolutions have two goals. One is to destroy an old form of society and the other is to set up the new form of society envisioned by the revolutionaries. The French and Russian revolutionaries failed (fortunately!) to create the new kind of society of which they dreamed, but they were quite successful in destroying the old society. We have no illusions about the feasibility of creating a new, ideal form of society. Our goal is only to destroy the existing form of society.

183. But an ideology, in order to gain enthusiastic support, must have a positive ideal as well as a negative one; it must be FOR something as well as AGAINST something. The positive ideal that we propose is Nature. That is, WILD nature: those aspects of the functioning of the Earth and its living things that are independent of human management and free of human interference and control. And with wild nature we include human nature, by which we mean those aspects of the functioning of the human individual that are not subject to regulation by organized society but are products of chance, or free will, or God (depending on your religious or philosophical opinions).

184. Nature makes a perfect counter-ideal to technology for several reasons. Nature (that which is outside the power of the system) is the opposite of technology (which seeks to expand indefinitely the power of the system). Most people will agree that nature is beautiful; certainly it has tremendous popular appeal. The radical environmentalists ALREADY hold an ideology that exalts nature and opposes technology. [30] It is not necessary for the sake of nature to set up some chimerical utopia or any new kind of social order. Nature takes care of itself: It was a spontaneous creation that existed long before any human society, and for countless centuries many different kinds of human societies coexisted with nature without doing it an excessive amount of damage. Only with the Industrial Revolution did the effect of human society on nature become really devastating. To relieve the pressure on nature it is not necessary to create a special kind of social system, it is only necessary to get rid of industrial society. Granted, this will not solve all problems. Industrial society has already done tremendous damage to nature and it will take a very long time for the scars to heal. Besides, even pre-industrial societies can do significant damage to nature. Nevertheless, getting rid of industrial society will accomplish a great deal. It will relieve the worst of the pressure on nature so that the scars can begin to heal. It will remove the capacity of organized society to keep increasing its control over nature (including human nature). Whatever kind of society may exist after the demise of the industrial system, it is certain that most people will live close to nature, because in the absence of advanced technology there is no other way that people CAN live. To feed themselves they must be peasants or herdsmen or fishermen or hunters, etc. And, generally speaking, local autonomy should tend to increase, because lack of advanced technology and rapid communications will limit the capacity of governments or other large organizations to control local communities.

185. As for the negative consequences of eliminating industrial societyswell, you can't eat your cake and have it too. To gain one thing you have to sacrifice another.

186. Most people hate psychological conflict. For this reason they avoid doing any serious thinking about difficult social issues, and they like to have such issues presented to them in simple, black-and-white terms: THIS is all good and THAT is all bad. The revolutionary ideology should therefore be developed on two levels.

187. On the more sophisticated level the ideology should address itself to people who are intelligent, thoughtful and rational. The object should be to create a core of people who will be opposed to the industrial system on a rational, thought-out basis, with full appreciation of the problems and ambiguities involved, and of the price that has to be paid for getting rid of the system. It is particularly important to attract people of this type, as they are capable people and will be instrumental in influencing others. These people should be addressed on as rational a level as possible. Facts should never intentionally be distorted and intemperate language should be avoided. This does not mean that no appeal can be made to the emotions, but in making such appeal care should be taken to avoid misrepresenting the truth or doing anything else that would destroy the intellectual respectability of the ideology.

188. On a second level, the ideology should be propagated in a simplified form that will enable the unthinking majority to see the conflict of technology vs. nature in unambiguous terms. But even on this second level the ideology should not be expressed in language that is so cheap, intemperate or irrational that it alienates people of the thoughtful and rational type. Cheap, intemperate propaganda sometimes achieves impressive short-term gains, but it will be more advantageous in the long run to keep the loyalty of a small number of intelligently committed people than to arouse the passions of an unthinking, fickle mob who will change their attitude as soon as someone comes along with a better propaganda gimmick. However, propaganda of the rabble-rousing type may be necessary when the system is nearing the point of collapse and there is a final struggle between rival ideologies to determine which will become dominant when the old world-view goes under.

189. Prior to that final struggle, the revolutionaries should not expect to have a majority of people on their side. History is made by active, determined minorities, not by the majority, which seldom has a clear and consistent idea of what it really wants. Until the time comes for the final push toward revolution [31], the task of revolutionaries will be less to win the shallow support of the majority than to build a small core of deeply committed people. As for the majority, it will be enough to make them aware of the existence of the new ideology and remind them of it frequently; though of course it will be desirable to get majority support to the extent that this can be done without weakening the core of seriously committed people.

190. Any kind of social conflict helps to destabilize the system, but one should be careful about what kind of conflict one encourages. The line of conflict should be drawn between the mass of the people and the power-holding elite of industrial society (politicians, scientists, upper-level business executives, government officials, etc.). It should NOT be drawn between the revolutionaries and the mass of the people. For example, it would be bad strategy for the revolutionaries to condemn Americans for their habits of consumption. Instead, the average American should be portrayed as a victim of the advertising and marketing industry, which has suckered him into buying a lot of junk that he doesn't need and that is very poor compensation for his lost freedom. Either approach is consistent with the facts. It is merely a matter of attitude whether you blame the advertising industry for manipulating the public or blame the public for allowing itself to be manipulated. As a matter of strategy one should generally avoid blaming the public.

191. One should think twice before encouraging any other social conflict than that between the power-holding elite (which wields technology) and the general public (over which technology exerts its power). For one thing, other conflicts tend to distract attention from the important conflicts (between power-elite and ordinary people, between technology and nature); for another thing, other conflicts may actually tend to encourage technologization, because each side in such a conflict wants to use technological power to gain advantages over its adversary. This is clearly seen in rivalries between nations. It also appears in ethnic conflicts within nations. For example, in America many black leaders are anxious to gain power for African Americans by placing back individuals in the technological power-elite. They want there to be many black government officials, sc ientists, corporation executives and so forth. In this way they are helping to absorb the African American subculture into the technological system. Generally speaking, one should encourage only those social conflicts that can be fitted into the framework of the conflicts of power-elite vs. ordinary people, technology vs nature.

192. But the way to discourage ethnic conflict is NOT through militant advocacy of minority rights (see paragraphs 21, 29). Instead, the revolutionaries should emphasize that although minorities do suffer more or less disadvantage, this disadvantage is of peripheral significance. Our real enemy is the industrial-technological system, and in the struggle against the system, ethnic distinctions are of no importance.

193. The kind of revolution we have in mind will not necessarily involve an armed uprising against any government. It may or may not involve physical violence, but it will not be a POLITICAL revolution. Its focus will be on technology and economics, not politics. [32]

194. Probably the revolutionaries should even AVOID assuming political power, whether by legal or illegal means, until the industrial system is stressed to the danger point and has proved itself to be a failure in the eyes of most people. Suppose for example that some "green" party should win control of the United States Congress in an election. In order to avoid betraying or watering down their own ideology they would have to take vigorous measures to turn economic growth into economic shrinkage. To the average man the results would appear disastrous: There would be massive unemployment, shortages of commodities, etc. Even if the grosser ill effects could be avoided through superhumanly skillful management, still people would have to begin giving up the luxuries to which they have become addicted. Dissatisfaction would grow, the "green" party would be voted out of office and the revolutionaries would have suffered a severe setback. For this reason the revolutionaries should not try to acquire political power until the system has gotten itself into such a mess that any hardships will be seen as resulting from the failures of the industrial system itself and not from the policies of the revolutionaries. The revolution against technology will probably have to be a revolution by outsiders, a revolution from below and not from above.

195. The revolution must be international and worldwide. It cannot be carried out on a nation-by-nation basis. Whenever it is suggested that the United States, for example, should cut back on technological progress or economic growth, people get hysterical and start screaming that if we fall behind in technology the Japanese will get ahead of us. Holy robots! The world will fly off its orbit if the Japanese ever sell more cars than we do! (Nationalism is a great promoter of technology.) More reasonably, it is argued that if the relatively democratic nations of the world fall behind in technology while nasty, dictatorial nations like China, Vietnam and North Korea continue to progress, eventually the dictators may come to dominate the world. That is why the industrial system should be attacked in all nations simultaneously, to the extent that this may be possible. True, there is no assurance that the industrial system can be destroyed at approximately the same time all over the world, and it is even conceivable that the attempt to overthrow the system could lead instead to the domination of the system by dictators. That is a risk that has to be taken. And it is worth taking, since the difference between a "democratic" industrial system and one controlled by dictators is small compared with the difference between an industrial system and a non-industrial one. [33] It might even be argued that an industrial system controlled by dictators would be preferable, because dictator-controlled systems usually have proved inefficient, hence they are presumably more likely to break down. Look at Cuba.

196. Revolutionaries might consider favoring measures that tend to bind the world economy into a unified whole. Free trade agreements like NAFTA and GATT are probably harmful to the environment in the short run, but in the long run they may perhaps be advantageous because they foster economic interdependence between nations. It will be easier to destroy the industrial system on a worldwide basis if the world economy is so unified that its breakdown in any one major nation will lead to its breakdown in all industrialized nations.

197. Some people take the line that modern man has too much power, too much control over nature; they argue for a more passive attitude on the part of the human race. At best these people are expressing themselves unclearly, because they fail to distinguish between power for LARGE ORGANIZATIONS and power for INDIVIDUALS and SMALL GROUPS. It is a mistake to argue for powerlessness and passivity, because people NEED power. Modern man as a collective entitysthat is, the industrial systemshas immense power over nature, and we (FC) regard this as evil. But modern INDIVIDUALS and SMALL GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS have far less power than primitive man ever did. Generally speaking, the vast power of "modern man" over nature is exercised not by individuals or small groups but by large organizations. To the extent that the average modern INDIVIDUAL can wield the power of technology, he is permitted to do so only within narrow limits and only under the supervision and control of the system. (You need a license for everything and with the license come rules and regulations.) The individual has only those technological powers with which the system chooses to provide him. His PERSONAL power over nature is slight.

198. Primitive INDIVIDUALS and SMALL GROUPS actually had considerable power over nature; or maybe it would be better to say power WITHIN nature. When primitive man needed food he knew how to find and prepare edible roots, how to track game and take it with homemade weapons. He knew how to protect himself from heat, cold, rain, dangerous animals, etc. But primitive man did relatively little damage to nature because the COLLECTIVE power of primitive society was negligible compared to the COLLECTIVE power of industrial society.

199. Instead of arguing for powerlessness and passivity, one should argue that the power of the INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM should be broken, and that this will greatly INCREASE the power and freedom of INDIVIDUALS and SMALL GROUPS.

200. Until the industrial system has been thoroughly wrecked, the destruction of that system must be the revolutionaries' ONLY goal. Other goals would distract attention and energy from the main goal. More importantly, if the revolutionaries permit themselves to have any other goal than the destruction of technology, they will be tempted to use technology as a tool for reaching that other goal. If they give in to that temptation, they will fall right back into the technological trap, because modern technology is a unified, tightly organized system, so that, in order to retain SOME technology, one finds oneself obliged to retain MOST technology, hence one ends up sacrificing only token amounts of technology.

201. Suppose for example that the revolutionaries took "social justice" as a goal. Human nature being what it is, social justice would not come about spontaneously; it would have to be enforced. In order to enforce it the revolutionaries would have to retain central organization and control. For that they would need rapid long-distance transportation and communication, and therefore all the technology needed to support the transportation and communication systems. To feed and clothe poor people they would have to use agricultural and manufacturing technology. And so forth. So that the attempt to insure social justice would force them to retain most parts of the technological system. Not that we have anything against social justice, but it must not be allowed to interfere with the effort to get rid of the technological system.

202. It would be hopeless for revolutionaries to try to attack the system without using SOME modern technology. If nothing else they must use the communications media to spread their message. But they should use modern technology for only ONE purpose: to attack the technological system.

203. Imagine an alcoholic sitting with a barrel of wine in front of him. Suppose he starts saying to himself, "Wine isn't bad for you if used in moderation. Why, they say small amounts of wine are even good for you! It won't do me any harm if I take just one little drink.... " Well you know what is going to happen. Never forget that the human race with technology is just like an alcoholic with a barrel of wine.

204. Revolutionaries should have as many children as they can. There is strong scientific evidence that social attitudes are to a significant extent inherited. No one suggests that a social attitude is a direct outcome of a person's genetic constitution, but it appears that personality traits are partly inherited and that certain personality traits tend, within the context of our society, to make a person more likely to hold this or that social attitude. Objections to these findings have been raised, but the objections are feeble and seem to be ideologically motivated. In any event, no one denies that children tend on the average to hold social attitudes similar to those of their parents. From our point of view it doesn't matter all that much whether the attitudes are passed on genetically or through childhood training. In either case they ARE passed on.

205. The trouble is that many of the people who are inclined to rebel against the industrial system are also concerned about the population problems, hence they are apt to have few or no children. In this way they may be handing the world over to the sort of people who support or at least accept the industrial system. To insure the strength of the next generation of revolutionaries the present generation should reproduce itself abundantly. In doing so they will be worsening the population problem only slightly. And the important problem is to get rid of the industrial system, because once the industrial system is gone the world's population necessarily will decrease (see paragraph 167); whereas, if the industrial system survives, it will continue developing new techniques of food production that may enable the world's population to keep increasing almost indefinitely.

206. With regard to revolutionary strategy, the only points on which we absolutely insist are that the single overriding goal must be the elimination of modern technology, and that no other goal can be allowed to compete with this one. For the rest, revolutionaries should take an empirical approach. If experience indicates that some of the recommendations made in the foregoing paragraphs are not going to give good results, then those recommendations should be discarded.

TWO KINDS OF TECHNOLOGY

207. An argument likely to be raised against our proposed revolution is that it is bound to fail, because (it is claimed) throughout history technology has always progressed, never regressed, hence technological regression is impossible. But this claim is false.

208. We distinguish between two kinds of technology, which we will call small-scale technology and organization-dependent technology. Small-scale technology is technology that can be used by small-scale communities without outside assistance. Organization-dependent technology is technology that depends on large-scale social organization. We are aware of no significant cases of regression in small-scale technology. But organization-dependent technology DOES regress when the social organization on which it depends breaks down. Example: When the Roman Empire fell apart the Romans' small-scale technology survived because any clever village craftsman could build, for instance, a water wheel, any skilled smith could make steel by Roman methods, and so forth. But the Romans' organization-dependent technology DID regress. Their aqueducts fell into disrepair and were never rebuilt. Their techniques of road construction were lost. The Roman system of urban sanitation was forgotten, so that not until r ather recent times did the sanitation of European cities equal that of Ancient Rome.

209. The reason why technology has seemed always to progress is that, until perhaps a century or two before the Industrial Revolution, most technology was small-scale technology. But most of the technology developed since the Industrial Revolution is organization-dependent technology. Take the refrigerator for example. Without factory-made parts or the facilities of a post-industrial machine shop it would be virtually impossible for a handful of local craftsmen to build a refrigerator. If by some miracle they did succeed in building one it would be useless to them without a reliable source of electric power. So they would have to dam a stream and build a generator. Generators require large amounts of copper wire. Imagine trying to make that wire without modern machinery. And where would they get a gas suitable for refrigeration? It would be much easier to build an icehouse or preserve food by drying or picking, as was done before the invention of the refrigerator.

210. So it is clear that if the industrial system were once thoroughly broken down, refrigeration technology would quickly be lost. The same is true of other organization-dependent technology. And once this technology had been lost for a generation or so it would take centuries to rebuild it, just as it took centuries to build it the first time around. Surviving technical books would be few and scattered. An industrial society, if built from scratch without outside help, can only be built in a series of stages: You need tools to make tools to make tools to make tools ... . A long process of economic development and progress in social organization is required. And, even in the absence of an ideology opposed to technology, there is no reason to believe that anyone would be interested in rebuilding industrial society. The enthusiasm for "progress" is a phenomenon peculiar to the modern form of society, and it seems not to have existed prior to the 17th century or thereabouts.

211. In the late Middle Ages there were four main civilizations that were about equally "advanced": Europe, the Islamic world, India, and the Far East (China, Japan, Korea). Three of those civilizations remained more or less stable, and only Europe became dynamic. No one knows why Europe became dynamic at that time; historians have their theories but these are only speculation. At any rate, it is clear that rapid development toward a technological form of society occurs only under special conditions. So there is no reason to assume that a long-lasting technological regression cannot be brought about.

212. Would society EVENTUALLY develop again toward an industrial-technological form? Maybe, but there is no use in worrying about it, since we can't predict or control events 500 or 1,000 years in the future. Those problems must be dealt with by the people who will live at that time.

THE DANGER OF LEFTISM

213. Because of their need for rebellion and for membership in a movement, leftists or persons of similar psychological type often are unattracted to a rebellious or activist movement whose goals and membership are not initially leftist. The resulting influx of leftish types can easily turn a non-leftist movement into a leftist one, so that leftist goals replace or distort the original goals of the movement.

214. To avoid this, a movement that exalts nature and opposes technology must take a resolutely anti-leftist stance and must avoid all collaboration with leftists. Leftism is in the long run inconsistent with wild nature, with human freedom and with the elimination of modern technology. Leftism is collectivist; it seeks to bind together the entire world (both nature and the human race) into a unified whole. But this implies management of nature and of human life by organized society, and it requires advanced technology. You can't have a united world without rapid transportation and communication, you can't make all people love one another without sophisticated psychological techniques, you can't have a "planned society" without the necessary technological base. Above all, leftism is driven by the need for power, and the leftist seeks power on a collective basis, through identification with a mass movement or an organization. Leftism is unlikely ever to give up technology, because technology is too valuable a source of collective power.

215. The anarchist [34] too seeks power, but he seeks it on an individual or small-group basis; he wants individuals and small groups to be able to control the circumstances of their own lives. He opposes technology because it makes small groups dependent on large organizations.

216. Some leftists may seem to oppose technology, but they will oppose it only so long as they are outsiders and the technological system is controlled by non-leftists. If leftism ever becomes dominant in society, so that the technological system becomes a tool in the hands of leftists, they will enthusiastically use it and promote its growth. In doing this they will be repeating a pattern that leftism has shown again and again in the past. When the Bolsheviks in Russia were outsiders, they vigorously opposed censorship and the secret police, they advocated self-determination for ethnic minorities, and so forth; but as soon as they came into power themselves, they imposed a tighter censorship and created a more ruthless secret police than any that had existed under the tsars, and they oppressed ethnic minorities at least as much as the tsars had done. In the United States, a couple of decades ago when leftists were a minority in our universities, leftist professors were vigorous proponents of academic freedom, but today, in those of our universities where leftists have become dominant, they have shown themselves ready to take away from everyone else's academic freedom. (This is "political correctness.") The same will happen with leftists and technology: They will use it to oppress everyone else if they ever get it under their own control.

217. In earlier revolutions, leftists of the most power-hungry type, repeatedly, have first cooperated with non-leftist revolutionaries, as well as with leftists of a more libertarian inclination, and later have double-crossed them to seize power for themselves. Robespierre did this in the French Revolution, the Bolsheviks did it in the Russian Revolution, the communists did it in Spain in 1938 and Castro and his followers did it in Cuba. Given the past history of leftism, it would be utterly foolish for non-leftist revolutionaries today to collaborate with leftists.

218. Various thinkers have pointed out that leftism is a kind of religion. Leftism is not a religion in the strict sense because leftist doctrine does not postulate the existence of any supernatural being. But, for the leftist, leftism plays a psychological role much like that which religion plays for some people. The leftist NEEDS to believe in leftism; it plays a vital role in his psychological economy. His beliefs are not easily modified by logic or facts. He has a deep conviction that leftism is morally Right with a capital R, and that he has not only a right but a duty to impose leftist morality on everyone. (However, many of the people we are referring to as "leftists" do not think of themselves as leftists and would not describe their system of beliefs as leftism. We use the term "leftism" because we don't know of any better words to designate the spectrum of related creeds that includes the feminist, gay rights, political correctness, etc., movements, and because these movements have a strong affinity with the old left. See paragraphs 227-230.)

219. Leftism is a totalitarian force. Wherever leftism is in a position of power it tends to invade every private corner and force every thought into a leftist mold. In part this is because of the quasi-religious character of leftism; everything contrary to leftist beliefs represents Sin. More importantly, leftism is a totalitarian force because of the leftists' drive for power. The leftist seeks to satisfy his need for power through identification with a social movement and he tries to go through the power process by helping to pursue and attain the goals of the movement (see paragraph 83). But no matter how far the movement has gone in attaining its goals the leftist is never satisfied, because his activism is a surrogate activity (see paragraph 41). That is, the leftist's real motive is not to attain the ostensible goals of leftism; in reality he is motivated by the sense of power he gets from struggling for and then reaching a social goal. [35] Consequently the leftist is never satisfied with the goals he has already attained; his need for the power process leads him always to pursue some new goal. The leftist wants equal opportunities for minorities. When that is attained he insists on statistical equality of achievement by minorities. And as long as anyone harbors in some corner of his mind a negative attitude toward some minority, the leftist has to re-educated him. And ethnic minorities are not enough; no one can be allowed to have a negative attitude toward homosexuals, disabled people, fat people, old people, ugly people, and on and on and on. It's not enough that the public should be informed about the hazards of smoking; a warning has to be stamped on every package of cigarettes. Then cigarette advertising has to be restricted if not banned. The activists will never be satisfied until tobacco is outlawed, and after that it will be alcohol, then junk food, etc. Activists have fought gross child abuse, which is reasonable. But now they want to stop all spanking. When they have done that they will want to ban something else they consider unwholesome, then another thing and then another. They will never be satisfied until they have complete control over all child rearing practices. And then they will move on to another cause.

220. Suppose you asked leftists to make a list of ALL the things that were wrong with society, and then suppose you instituted EVERY social change that they demanded. It is safe to say that within a couple of years the majority of leftists would find something new to complain about, some new social "evil" to correct because, once again, the leftist is motivated less by distress at society's ills than by the need to satisfy his drive for power by imposing his solutions on society.

221. Because of the restrictions placed on their thoughts and behavior by their high level of socialization, many leftists of the over-socialized type cannot pursue power in the ways that other people do. For them the drive for power has only one morally acceptable outlet, and that is in the struggle to impose their morality on everyone.

222. Leftists, especially those of the oversocialized type, are True Believers in the sense of Eric Hoffer's book, "The True Believer." But not all True Believers are of the same psychological type as leftists. Presumably a true-believing nazi, for instance, is very different psychologically from a true-believing leftist. Because of their capacity for single-minded devotion to a cause, True Believers are a useful, perhaps a necessary, ingredient of any revolutionary movement. This presents a problem with which we must admit we don't know how to deal. We aren't sure how to harness the energies of the True Believer to a revolution against technology. At present all we can say is that no True Believer will make a safe recruit to the revolution unless his commitment is exclusively to the destruction of technology. If he is committed also to another ideal, he may want to use technology as a tool for pursuing that other ideal (see paragraphs 220, 221).

223. Some readers may say, "This stuff about leftism is a lot of crap. I know John and Jane who are leftish types and they don't have all these totalitarian tendencies." It's quite true that many leftists, possibly even a numerical majority, are decent people who sincerely believe in tolerating others' values (up to a point) and wouldn't want to use high-handed methods to reach their social goals. Our remarks about leftism are not meant to apply to every individual leftist but to describe the general character of leftism as a movement. And the general character of a movement is not necessarily determined by the numerical proportions of the various kinds of people involved in the movement.

224. The people who rise to positions of power in leftist movements tend to be leftists of the most power-hungry type, because power-hungry people are those who strive hardest to get into positions of power. Once the power-hungry types have captured control of the movement, there are many leftists of a gentler breed who inwardly disapprove of many of the actions of the leaders, but cannot bring themselves to oppose them. They NEED their faith in the movement, and because they cannot give up this faith they go along with the leaders. True, SOME leftists do have the guts to oppose the totalitarian tendencies that emerge, but they generally lose, because the power-hungry types are better organized, are more ruthless and Machiavellian and have taken care to build themselves a strong power base.

225. These phenomena appeared clearly in Russia and other countries that were taken over by leftists. Similarly, before the breakdown of communism in the USSR, leftish types in the West would seldom criticize that country. If prodded they would admit that the USSR did many wrong things, but then they would try to find excuses for the communists and begin talking about the faults of the West. They always opposed Western military resistance to communist aggression. Leftish types all over the world vigorously protested the U.S. military action in Vietnam, but when the USSR invaded Afghanistan they did nothing. Not that they approved of the Soviet actions; but because of their leftist faith, they just couldn't bear to put themselves in opposition to communism. Today, in those of our universities where "political correctness" has become dominant, there are probably many leftish types who privately disapprove of the suppression of academic freedom, but they go along with it anyway.

226. Thus the fact that many individual leftists are personally mild and fairly tolerant people by no means prevents leftism as a whole form having a totalitarian tendency.

227. Our discussion of leftism has a serious weakness. It is still far from clear what we mean by the word "leftist." There doesn't seem to be much we can do about this. Today leftism is fragmented into a whole spectrum of activist movements. Yet not all activist movements are leftist, and some activist movements (e.g., radical environmentalism) seem to include both personalities of the leftist type and personalities of thoroughly un-leftist types who ought to know better than to collaborate with leftists. Varieties of leftists fade out gradually into varieties of non-leftists and we ourselves would often be hard-pressed to decide whether a given individual is or is not a leftist. To the extent that it is defined at all, our conception of leftism is defined by the discussion of it that we have given in this article, and we can only advise the reader to use his own judgment in deciding who is a leftist.

228. But it will be helpful to list some criteria for diagnosing leftism. These criteria cannot be applied in a cut and dried manner. Some individuals may meet some of the criteria without being leftists, some leftists may not meet any of the criteria. Again, you just have to use your judgment.

229. The leftist is oriented toward large-scale collectivism. He emphasizes the duty of the individual to serve society and the duty of society to take care of the individual. He has a negative attitude toward individualism. He often takes a moralistic tone. He tends to be for gun control, for sex education and other psychologically "enlightened" educational methods, for social planning, for affirmative action, for multiculturalism. He tends to identify with victims. He tends to be against competition and against violence, but he often finds excuses for those leftists who do commit violence. He is fond of using the common catch-phrases of the left, like "racism," "sexism," "homophobia," "capitalism," "imperialism," "neocolonialism," "genocide," "social change," "social justice," "social responsibility." Maybe the best diagnostic trait of the leftist is his tendency to sympathize with the following movements: feminism, gay rights, ethnic rights, disability rights, animal rights, political correctness. Anyone who strongly sympathizes with ALL of these movements is almost certainly a leftist. [36]

230. The more dangerous leftists, that is, those who are most power-hungry, are often characterized by arrogance or by a dogmatic approach to ideology. However, the most dangerous leftists of all may be certain oversocialized types who avoid irritating displays of aggressiveness and refrain from advertising their leftism, but work quietly and unobtrusively to promote collectivist values, "enlightened" psychological techniques for socializing children, dependence of the individual on the system, and so forth. These crypto-leftists (as we may call them) approximate certain bourgeois types as far as practical action is concerned, but differ from them in psychology, ideology and motivation. The ordinary bourgeois tries to bring people under control of the system in order to protect his way of life, or he does so simply because his attitudes are conventional. The crypto-leftist tries to bring people under control of the system because he is a True Believer in a collectivistic ideology. The crypto-leftist is differentiated from the average leftist of the oversocialized type by the fact that his rebellious impulse is weaker and he is more securely socialized. He is differentiated from the ordinary well-socialized bourgeois by the fact that there is some deep lack within him that makes it necessary for him to devote himself to a cause and immerse himself in a collectivity. And maybe his (well-sublimated) drive for power is stronger than that of the average bourgeois.

FINAL NOTE

231. Throughout this article we've made imprecise statements and statements that ought to have had all sorts of qualifications and reservations attached to them; and some of our statements may be flatly false. Lack of sufficient information and the need for brevity made it impossible for us to formulate our assertions more precisely or add all the necessary qualifications. And of course in a discussion of this kind one must rely heavily on intuitive judgment, and that can sometimes be wrong. So we don't claim that this article expresses more than a crude approximation to the truth.

232. All the same, we are reasonably confident that the general outlines of the picture we have painted here are roughly correct. Just one possible weak point needs to be mentioned. We have portrayed leftism in its modern form as a phenomenon peculiar to our time and as a symptom of the disruption of the power process. But we might possibly be wrong about this. Oversocialized types who try to satisfy their drive for power by imposing their morality on everyone have certainly been around for a long time. But we THINK that the decisive role played by feelings of inferiority, low self-esteem, powerlessness, identification with victims by people who are not themselves victims, is a peculiarity of modern leftism. Identification with victims by people not themselves victims can be seen to some extent in 19th century leftism and early Christianity but as far as we can make out, symptoms of low self-esteem, etc., were not nearly so evident in these movements, or in any other movements, as they are in modern leftism. But we are not in a position to assert confidently that no such movements have existed prior to modern leftism. This is a significant question to which historians ought to give their attention.

Notes

1. (Paragraph 19) We are asserting that ALL, or even most, bullies and ruthless competitors suffer from feelings of inferiority.

2. (Paragraph 25) During the Victorian period many oversocialized people suffered from serious psychological problems as a result of repressing or trying to repress their sexual feelings. Freud apparently based his theories on people of this type. Today the focus of socialization has shifted from sex to aggression.

3. (Paragraph 27) Not necessarily including specialists in engineering or the "hard" sciences.

4. (Paragraph 28) There are many individuals of the middle and upper classes who resist some of these values, but usually their resistance is more or less covert. Such resistance appears in the mass media only to a very limited extent. The main thrust of propaganda in our society is in favor of the stated values.

The main reason why these values have become, so to speak, the official values of our society is that they are useful to the industrial system. Violence is discouraged because it disrupts the functioning of the system. Racism is discouraged because ethnic conflicts also disrupt the system, and discrimination wastes the talents of minority-group members who could be useful to the system. Poverty must be "cured" because the underclass causes problems for the system and contact with the underclass lowers the morale of the other classes. Women are encouraged to have careers because their talents are useful to the system and, more importantly, because by having regular jobs women become better integrated into the system and tied directly to it rather than to their families. This helps to weaken family solidarity. (The leaders of the system say they want to strengthen the family, but they really mean is that they want the family to serve as an effective tool for socializing children in accord with the needs of the system. We argue in paragraphs 51, 52 that the system cannot afford to let the family or other small-scale social groups be strong or autonomous.)

5. (Paragraph 42) It may be argued that the majority of people don't want to make their own decisions but want leaders to do their thinking for them. There is an element of truth in this. People like to make their own decisions in small matters, but making decisions on difficult, fundamental questions requires facing up to psychological conflict, and most people hate psychological conflict. Hence they tend to lean on others in making difficult decisions. But it does not follow that they like to have decisions imposed upon them without having any opportunity to influence those decisions. The majority of people are natural followers, not leaders, but they like to have direct personal access to their leaders, they want to be able to influence the leaders and participate to some extent in making even the difficult decisions. At least to that degree they need autonomy.

6. (Paragraph 44) Some of the symptoms listed are similar to those shown by caged animals.

To explain how these symptoms arise from deprivation with respect to the power process:

Common-sense understanding of human nature tells one that lack of goals whose attainment requires effort leads to boredom and that boredom, long continued, often leads eventually to depression. Failure to attain goals leads to frustration and lowering of self-esteem. Frustration leads to anger, anger to aggression, often in the form of spouse or child abuse. It has been shown that long-continued frustration commonly leads to depression and that depression tends to cause guilt, sleep disorders, eating disorders and bad feelings about oneself. Those who are tending toward depression seek pleasure as an antidote; hence insatiable hedonism and excessive sex, with perversions as a means of getting new kicks. Boredom too tends to cause excessive pleasure-seeking since, lacking other goals, people often use pleasure as a goal. See accompanying diagram.

The foregoing is a simplification. Reality is more complex, and of course, deprivation with respect to the power process is not the ONLY cause of the symptoms described.

By the way, when we mention depression we do not necessarily mean depression that is severe enough to be treated by a psychiatrist. Often only mild forms of depression are involved. And when we speak of goals we do not necessarily mean long-term, thought-out goals. For many or most people through much of human history, the goals of a hand-to-mouth existence (merely providing oneself and one's family with food from day to day) have been quite sufficient.

7. (Paragraph 52) A partial exception may be made for a few passive, inward-looking groups, such as the Amish, which have little effect on the wider society. Apart from these, some genuine small-scale communities do exist in America today. For instance, youth gangs and "cults." Everyone regards them as dangerous, and so they are, because the members of these groups are loyal primarily to one another rather than to the system, hence the system cannot control them.

Or take the gypsies. The gypsies commonly get away with theft and fraud because their loyalties are such that they can always get other gypsies to give testimony that "proves" their innocence. Obviously the system would be in serious trouble if too many people belonged to such groups.

Some of the early-20th century Chinese thinkers who were concerned with modernizing China recognized the necessity breaking down small-scale social groups such as the family: "(According to Sun Yat-sen) the Chinese people needed a new surge of patriotism, which would lead to a transfer of loyalty from the family to the state.... (According to Li Huang) traditional attachments, particularly to the family had to be abandoned if nationalism were to develop in China." (Chester C. Tan, "Chinese Political Thought in the Twentieth Century," page 125, page 297.)

8. (Paragraph 56) Yes, we know that 19th century America had its problems, and serious ones, but for the sake of brevity we have to express ourselves in simplified terms.

9. (Paragraph 61) We leave aside the "underclass." We are speaking of the mainstream.

10. (Paragraph 62) Some social scientists, educators, "mental health" professionals and the like are doing their best to push the social drives into group 1 by trying to see to it that everyone has a satisfactory social life.

11. (Paragraphs 63, 82) Is the drive for endless material acquisition really an artificial creation of the advertising and marketing industry? Certainly there is no innate human drive for material acquisition. There have been many cultures in which people have desired little material wealth beyond what was necessary to satisfy their basic physical needs (Australian aborigines, traditional Mexican peasant culture, some African cultures). On the other hand there have also been many pre-industrial cultures in which material acquisition has played an important role. So we can't claim that today's acquisition-oriented culture is exclusively a creation of the advertising and marketing industry. But it is clear that the advertising and marketing industry has had an important part in creating that culture. The big corporations that spend millions on advertising wouldn't be spending that kind of money without solid proof that they were getting it back in increased sales. One member of FC met a sales manager a couple of years ago who was frank enough to tell him, "Our job is to make people buy things they don't want and don't need." He then described how an untrained novice could present people with the facts about a product, and make no sales at all, while a trained and experienced professional salesman would make lots of sales to the same people. This shows that people are manipulated into buying things they don't really want.

12. (Paragraph 64) The problem of purposelessness seems to have become less serious during the last 15 years or so, because people now feel less secure physically and economically than they did earlier, and the need for security provides them with a goal. But purposelessness has been replaced by frustration over the difficulty of attaining security. We emphasize the problem of purposelessness because the liberals and leftists would wish to solve our social problems by having society guarantee everyone's security; but if that could be done it would only bring back the problem of purposelessness. The real issue is not whether society provides well or poorly for people's security; the trouble is that people are dependent on the system for their security rather than having it in their own hands. This, by the way, is part of the reason why some people get worked up about the right to bear arms; possession of a gun puts that aspect of their security in their own hands.

13. (Paragraph 66) Conservatives' efforts to decrease the amount of government regulation are of little benefit to the average man. For one thing, only a fraction of the regulations can be eliminated because most regulations are necessary. For another thing, most of the deregulation affects business rather than the average individual, so that its main effect is to take power from the government and give it to private corporations. What this means for the average man is that government interference in his life is replaced by interference from big corporations, which may be permitted, for example, to dump more chemicals that get into his water supply and give him cancer. The conservatives are just taking the average man for a sucker, exploiting his resentment of Big Government to promote the power of Big Business.

14. (Paragraph 73) When someone approves of the purpose for which propaganda is being used in a given case, he generally calls it "education" or applies to it some similar euphemism. But propaganda is propaganda regardless of the purpose for which it is used.

15. (Paragraph 83) We are not expressing approval or disapproval of the Panama invasion. We only use it to illustrate a point.

16. (Paragraph 95) When the American colonies were under British rule there were fewer and less effective legal guarantees of freedom than there were after the American Constitution went into effect, yet there was more personal freedom in pre-industrial America, both before and after the War of Independence, than there was after the Industrial Revolution took hold in this country. We quote from "Violence in America: Historical and Comparative Perspectives," edited by Hugh Davis Graham and Ted Robert Gurr, Chapter 12 by Roger Lane, pages 476-478:

"The progressive heightening of standards of propriety, and with it the increasing reliance on official law enforcement (in 19th century America) ... were common to the whole society.... [T]he change in social behavior is so long term and so widespread as to suggest a connection with the most fundamental of contemporary social processes; that of industrial urbanization itself...."Massachusetts in 1835 had a population of some 660,940, 81 percent rural, overwhelmingly preindustrial and native born. It's citizens were used to considerable personal freedom. Whether teamsters, farmers or artisans, they were all accustomed to setting their own schedules, and the nature of their work made them physically independent of each other.... Individual problems, sins or even crimes, were not generally cause for wider social concern...."But the impact of the twin movements to the city and to the factory, both just gathering force in 1835, had a progressive effect on personal behavior throughout the 19th century and into the 20th. The factory demanded regularity of behavior, a life governed by obedience to the rhythms of clock and calendar, the demands of foreman and supervisor. In the city or town, the needs of living in closely packed neighborhoods inhibited many actions previously unobjectionable. Both blue- and white-collar employees in larger establishments were mutually dependent on their fellows; as one man's work fit into anther's, so one man's business was no longer his own.

"The results of the new organization of life and work were apparent by 1900, when some 76 percent of the 2,805,346 inhabitants of Massachusetts were classified as urbanites. Much violent or irregular behavior which had been tolerable in a casual, independent society was no longer acceptable in the more formalized, cooperative atmosphere of the later period.... The move to the cities had, in short, produced a more tractable, more socialized, more 'civilized' generation than its predecessors."

17. (Paragraph 117) Apologists for the system are fond of citing cases in which elections have been decided by one or two votes, but such cases are rare.

18. (Paragraph 119) "Today, in technologically advanced lands, men live very similar lives in spite of geographical, religious, and political differences. The daily lives of a Christian bank clerk in Chicago, a Buddhist bank clerk in Tokyo, and a Communist bank clerk in Moscow are far more alike than the life of any one of them is like that of any single man who lived a thousand years ago. These similarities are the result of a common technology...." L. Sprague de Camp, "The Ancient Engineers," Ballantine edition, page 17.

The lives of the three bank clerks are not IDENTICAL. Ideology does have SOME effect. But all technological societies, in order to survive, must evolve along APPROXIMATELY the same trajectory.

19. (Paragraph 123) Just think an irresponsible genetic engineer might create a lot of terrorists.

20. (Paragraph 124) For a further example of undesirable consequences of medical progress, suppose a reliable cure for cancer is discovered. Even if the treatment is too expensive to be available to any but the elite, it will greatly reduce their incentive to stop the escape of carcinogens into the environment.

21. (Paragraph 128) Since many people may find paradoxical the notion that a large number of good things can add up to a bad thing, we illustrate with an analogy. Suppose Mr. A is playing chess with Mr. B. Mr. C, a Grand Master, is looking over Mr. A's shoulder. Mr. A of course wants to win his game, so if Mr. C points out a good move for him to make, he is doing Mr. A a favor. But suppose now that Mr. C tells Mr. A how to make ALL of his moves. In each particular instance he does Mr. A a favor by showing him his best move, but by making ALL of his moves for him he spoils his game, since there is not point in Mr. A's playing the game at all if someone else makes all his moves.

The situation of modern man is analogous to that of Mr. A. The system makes an individual's life easier for him in innumerable ways, but in doing so it deprives him of control over his own fate.

22. (Paragraph 137) Here we are considering only the conflict of values within the mainstream. For the sake of simplicity we leave out of the picture "outsider" values like the idea that wild nature is more important than human economic welfare.

23. (Paragraph 137) Self-interest is not necessarily MATERIAL self-interest. It can consist in fulfillment of some psychological need, for example, by promoting one's own ideology or religion.

24. (Paragraph 139) A qualification: It is in the interest of the system to permit a certain prescribed degree of freedom in some areas. For example, economic freedom (with suitable limitations and restraints) has proved effective in promoting economic growth. But only planned, circumscribed, limited freedom is in the interest of the system. The individual must always be kept on a leash, even if the leash is sometimes long (see paragraphs 94, 97).

25. (Paragraph 143) We don't mean to suggest that the efficiency or the potential for survival of a society has always been inversely proportional to the amount of pressure or discomfort to which the society subjects people. That certainly is not the case. There is good reason to believe that many primitive societies subjected people to less pressure than European society did, but European society proved far more efficient than any primitive society and always won out in conflicts with such societies because of the advantages conferred by technology.

26. (Paragraph 147) If you think that more effective law enforcement is unequivocally good because it suppresses crime, then remember that crime as defined by the system is not necessarily what YOU would call crime. Today, smoking marijuana is a "crime," and, in some places in the U.S., so is possession of an unregistered handgun. Tomorrow, possession of ANY firearm, registered or not, may be made a crime, and the same thing may happen with disapproved methods of child-rearing, such as spanking. In some countries, expression of dissident political opinions is a crime, and there is no certainty that this will never happen in the U.S., since no constitution or political system lasts forever.

If a society needs a large, powerful law enforcement establishment, then there is something gravely wrong with that society; it must be subjecting people to severe pressures if so many refuse to follow the rules, or follow them only because forced. Many societies in the past have gotten by with little or no formal law-enforcement.

27. (Paragraph 151) To be sure, past societies have had means of influencing human behavior, but these have been primitive and of low effectiveness compared with the technological means that are now being developed.

28. (Paragraph 152) However, some psychologists have publicly expressed opinions indicating their contempt for human freedom. And the mathematician Claude Shannon was quoted in Omni (August 1987) as saying, "I visualize a time when we will be to robots what dogs are to humans, and I'm rooting for the machines."

29. (Paragraph 154) This is no science fiction! After writing paragraph 154 we came across an article in Scientific American according to which scientists are actively developing techniques for identifying possible future criminals and for treating them by a combination of biological and psychological means. Some scientists advocate compulsory application of the treatment, which may be available in the near future. (See "Seeking the Criminal Element," by W. Wayt Gibbs, Scientific American, March 1995.) Maybe you think this is OK because the treatment would be applied to those who might become violent criminals. But of course it won't stop there. Next, a treatment will be applied to those who might become drunk drivers (they endanger human life too), then perhaps to peel who spank their children, then to environmentalists who sabotage logging equipment, eventually to anyone whose behavior is inconvenient for the system.

30. (Paragraph 184) A further advantage of nature as a counter-ideal to technology is that, in many people, nature inspires the kind of reverence that is associated with religion, so that nature could perhaps be idealized on a religious basis. It is true that in many societies religion has served as a support and justification for the established order, but it is also true that religion has often provided a basis for rebellion. Thus it may be useful to introduce a religious element into the rebellion against technology, the more so because Western society today has no strong religious foundation. Religion, nowadays either is used as cheap and transparent support for narrow, short-sighted selfishness (some conservatives use it this way), or even is cynically exploited to make easy money (by many evangelists), or has degenerated into crude irrationalism (fundamentalist protestant sects, "cults"), or is simply stagnant (Catholicism, main-line Protestantism). The nearest thing to a strong, widespread, dynamic religion that the West has seen in recent times has been the quasi-religion of leftism, but leftism today is fragmented and has no clear, unified, inspiring goal.

Thus there is a religious vacuum in our society that could perhaps be filled by a religion focused on nature in opposition to technology. But it would be a mistake to try to concoct artificially a religion to fill this role. Such an invented religion would probably be a failure. Take the "Gaia" religion for example. Do its adherents REALLY believe in it or are they just play-acting? If they are just play-acting their religion will be a flop in the end.

It is probably best not to try to introduce religion into the conflict of nature vs. technology unless you REALLY believe in that religion yourself and find that it arouses a deep, strong, genuine response in many other people.

31. (Paragraph 189) Assuming that such a final push occurs. Conceivably the industrial system might be eliminated in a somewhat gradual or piecemeal fashion (see paragraphs 4, 167 and Note 4).

32. (Paragraph 193) It is even conceivable (remotely) that the revolution might consist only of a massive change of attitudes toward technology resulting in a relatively gradual and painless disintegration of the industrial system. But if this happens we'll be very lucky. It's far more probably that the transition to a nontechnological society will be very difficult and full of conflicts and disasters.

33. (Paragraph 195) The economic and technological structure of a society are far more important than its political structure in determining the way the average man lives (see paragraphs 95, 119 and Notes 16, 18).

34. (Paragraph 215) This statement refers to our particular brand of anarchism. A wide variety of social attitudes have been called "anarchist," and it may be that many who consider themselves anarchists would not accept our statement of paragraph 215. It should be noted, by the way, that there is a nonviolent anarchist movement whose members probably would not accept FC as anarchist and certainly would not approve of FC's violent methods.

35. (Paragraph 219) Many leftists are motivated also by hostility, but the hostility probably results in part from a frustrated need for power.

36. (Paragraph 229) It is important to understand that we mean someone who sympathizes with these MOVEMENTS as they exist today in our society. One who believes that women, homosexuals, etc., should have equal rights is not necessary a leftist. The feminist, gay rights, etc., movements that exist in our society have the particular ideological tone that characterizes leftism, and if one believes, for example, that women should have equal rights it does not necessarily follow that one must sympathize with the feminist movement as it exists today.

If copyright problems make it impossible for this long quotation to be printed, then please change Note 16 to read as follows:

16. (Paragraph 95) When the American colonies were under British rule there were fewer and less effective legal guarantees of freedom than there were after the American Constitution went into effect, yet there was more personal freedom in pre-industrial America, both before and after the War of Independence, than there was after the Industrial Revolution took hold in this country. In "Violence in America: Historical and Comparative Perspectives," edited by Hugh Davis Graham and Ted Robert Gurr, Chapter 12 by Roger Lane, it is explained how in pre-industrial America the average person had greater independence and autonomy than he does today, and how the process of industrialization necessarily led to the restriction of personal freedom.

@ a93be9fb:6d3fdc0c

This script demonstrates the features of our markdown editor, including text formatting, LaTex equations, image uploads, links, lists and more, this is a blockquote ~

1. Test Formatting

Markdown supports multiple text formatting styles:

• Bold text: This is a bold text or This is a bold text
• Italic text: This is italic text or this is a italic text
• Strikethrough: ~~this is strikethrough text~~ or ~~this is strikethrough~~
• Combining styles: This is italic bold text or This is italic bold text

---

• Inline code: print("Hello!") or print("Hello!")
• Code Block:

```python def greet(): print("Hello, Markdown Editor!") greet()

```

---

2. Headers

Organize your content with headers:

Header 1

Header 2

Header 3

Header 4

Header 5

Header 6

---

3. Lists

3.1 Unordered lists:

• Unordered list item 1
• unordered list item 1.1
  • unordered list item 1.1.1

3.2 Ordered lists:

1. Ordered list item 1
2. Ordered list item 2
3. Oredered list item 3

3.3 Checkmark lists:

• [x] Task 1
• [ ] Task 2
• [x] Task 3

---

4. Blockquotes

This is a blockquote

This is nested blockquote

---

5. LaTex Equations

• Inline Equation: $$f(x) = 1^1_2$$ or $$E = mc^2$$

6. Image Uploads

6.1. Images via links

7. Links

Visit our website

9. Try it out

Feel free to try out our markdown editor, and support us with feedback.

Thank you for exploring our Markdown Editor

@ 9f94e6cc:f3472946

Der Entartungswettbewerb TikTok hat die Jugend im Griff und verbrutzelt ihre Hirne. Über Reels, den Siegeszug des Hochformats und die Regeln der Viralität.

Text: Aron Morhoff

Hollywood steckt heute in der Hosentasche. 70 Prozent aller YouTube-Inhalte werden auf mobilen Endgeräten, also Smartphones, geschaut. Instagram und TikTok sind die angesagtesten Anwendungen für junge Menschen. Es gibt sie nur noch als App, und ihr Design ist für Mobiltelefone optimiert.

Einst waren Rechner und Laptops die Tools, mit denen ins Internet gegangen wurde. Auch als das Smartphone seinen Siegeszug antrat, waren die Sehgewohnheiten noch auf das Querformat ausgerichtet. Heute werden Rechner fast nur noch zum Arbeiten verwendet. Das Berieseln, die Unterhaltung, das passive Konsumieren hat sich vollständig auf die iPhones und Samsungs dieser Welt verlagert. Das Telefon hat den aufrechten Gang angenommen, kaum einer mehr hält sein Gerät waagerecht.

Homo Digitalis Erectus

Die Welt steht also Kopf. Die Form eines Mediums hat Einfluss auf den Inhalt. Marshall McLuhan formulierte das so: Das Medium selbst ist die Botschaft. Ja mei, mag sich mancher denken, doch medienanthropologisch ist diese Entwicklung durchaus eine Betrachtung wert. Ein Querformat eignet sich besser, um Landschaften, einen Raum oder eine Gruppe abzubilden. Das Hochformat entspricht grob den menschlichen Maßen von der Hüfte bis zum Kopf. Der TikTok-Tanz ist im Smartphone-Design also schon angelegt. Das Hochformat hat die Medieninhalte unserer Zeit noch narzisstischer gemacht.

Dass wir uns durch Smartphones freizügiger und enthemmter zur Schau stellen, ist bekannt. 2013 wurde „Selfie“ vom Oxford English Dictionary zum Wort des Jahres erklärt. Selfie, Selbstporträt, Selbstdarstellung.

Neu ist der Aufwand, der heute vonnöten ist, um die Aufmerksamkeitsschwelle der todamüsierten Mediengesellschaft überhaupt noch zu durchbrechen. In beängstigender Hypnose erwischt man viele Zeitgenossen inzwischen beim Doomscrollen. Das ist der Fachbegriff für das weggetretene Endloswischen und erklärt auch den Namen „Reel“: Der Begriff, im Deutschen verwandt mit „Rolle“, beschreibt die Filmrolle, von der 24 Bilder pro Sekunde auf den Projektor gewischt oder eben abgespult werden.

Länger als drei Sekunden darf ein Kurzvideo deshalb nicht mehr gehen, ohne dass etwas Aufregendes passiert. Sonst wird das Reel aus Langeweile weggewischt. Die Welt im Dopamin-Rausch. Für den Ersteller eines Videos heißt das inzwischen: Sei der lauteste, schrillste, gestörteste Marktschreier. Das Wettrennen um die Augäpfel zwingt zu extremen Formen von Clickbait.

15 Sekunden Ruhm

Das nimmt inzwischen skurrile Formen an. Das Video „Look who I found“ von Noel Robinson (geboren 2001) war im letzten Jahr einer der erfolgreichsten deutschen TikTok-Clips. Man sieht den Deutsch-Nigerianer beim Antanzen eines karikaturartig übergewichtigen Menschen. Noel wird geschubst und fällt. Daraufhin wechselt das Lied – und der fette Mann bewegt seinen Schwabbelbauch im Takt. Noel steht wieder auf, grinst, beide tanzen gemeinsam. Das dauert 15 Sekunden. Ich rate Ihnen, sich das Video einmal anzuschauen, um die Mechanismen von TikTok zu verstehen. Achten Sie alleine darauf, wie vielen Reizen (Menschenmenge, Antanzen, Sturz, Schwabbelbauch) Sie in den ersten fünf Sekunden ausgesetzt sind. Wer schaut so was? Bis dato 220 Millionen Menschen. Das ist kapitalistische Verwertungslogik im bereits verwesten Endstadium. Adorno oder Fromm hätten am Medienzeitgeist entweder ihre Freude oder mächtig zu knabbern.

Die Internet- und Smartphoneabdeckung beträgt mittlerweile fast 100 Prozent. Das Überangebot hat die Regeln geändert. Um überhaupt gesehen zu werden, muss man heute viral gehen. Was dafür inzwischen nötig ist, spricht die niedrigsten Bedürfnisse des Menschen an: Gewalt, Ekel, Sexualisierung, Schock. Die jungen Erwachsenen, die heute auf sozialen Netzwerken den Ton angeben, haben diese Mechanismen längst verinnerlicht. Wie bewusst ihnen das ist, ist fraglich. 2024 prallt eine desaströse Bildungssituation samt fehlender Medienkompetenz auf eine egomanische Jugend, die Privatsphäre nie gekannt hat und seit Kindesbeinen alles in den Äther ballert, was es festhalten kann. Man muss kein Kulturpessimist sein, um diese degenerative Dynamik, auch in ihrer Implikation für unser Zusammenleben und das psychische Wohlergehen der Generation TikTok, als beängstigend zu bezeichnen.

Aron Morhoff studierte Medienethik und ist Absolvent der Freien Akademie für Medien & Journalismus. Frühere Stationen: RT Deutsch und Nuoviso. Heute: Stichpunkt Magazin, Manova, Milosz Matuschek und seine Liveshow "Addictive Programming".

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Das Betriebsklima ist das einzige Klima, \ das du selbst bestimmen kannst. \ Anonym

Eine Strategie zur Anpassung an den Klimawandel hat das deutsche Bundeskabinett diese Woche beschlossen. Da «Wetterextreme wie die immer häufiger auftretenden Hitzewellen und Starkregenereignisse» oft desaströse Auswirkungen auf Mensch und Umwelt hätten, werde eine Anpassung an die Folgen des Klimawandels immer wichtiger. «Klimaanpassungsstrategie» nennt die Regierung das.

Für die «Vorsorge vor Klimafolgen» habe man nun erstmals klare Ziele und messbare Kennzahlen festgelegt. So sei der Erfolg überprüfbar, und das solle zu einer schnelleren Bewältigung der Folgen führen. Dass sich hinter dem Begriff Klimafolgen nicht Folgen des Klimas, sondern wohl «Folgen der globalen Erwärmung» verbergen, erklärt den Interessierten die Wikipedia. Dabei ist das mit der Erwärmung ja bekanntermaßen so eine Sache.

Die Zunahme schwerer Unwetterereignisse habe gezeigt, so das Ministerium, wie wichtig eine frühzeitige und effektive Warnung der Bevölkerung sei. Daher solle es eine deutliche Anhebung der Nutzerzahlen der sogenannten Nina-Warn-App geben.

Die ARD spurt wie gewohnt und setzt die Botschaft zielsicher um. Der Artikel beginnt folgendermaßen:

«Die Flut im Ahrtal war ein Schock für das ganze Land. Um künftig besser gegen Extremwetter gewappnet zu sein, hat die Bundesregierung eine neue Strategie zur Klimaanpassung beschlossen. Die Warn-App Nina spielt eine zentrale Rolle. Der Bund will die Menschen in Deutschland besser vor Extremwetter-Ereignissen warnen und dafür die Reichweite der Warn-App Nina deutlich erhöhen.»

Die Kommunen würden bei ihren «Klimaanpassungsmaßnahmen» vom Zentrum KlimaAnpassung unterstützt, schreibt das Umweltministerium. Mit dessen Aufbau wurden das Deutsche Institut für Urbanistik gGmbH, welches sich stark für Smart City-Projekte engagiert, und die Adelphi Consult GmbH beauftragt.

Adelphi beschreibt sich selbst als «Europas führender Think-and-Do-Tank und eine unabhängige Beratung für Klima, Umwelt und Entwicklung». Sie seien «global vernetzte Strateg*innen und weltverbessernde Berater*innen» und als «Vorreiter der sozial-ökologischen Transformation» sei man mit dem Deutschen Nachhaltigkeitspreis ausgezeichnet worden, welcher sich an den Zielen der Agenda 2030 orientiere.

Über die Warn-App mit dem niedlichen Namen Nina, die möglichst jeder auf seinem Smartphone installieren soll, informiert das Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (BBK). Gewarnt wird nicht nur vor Extrem-Wetterereignissen, sondern zum Beispiel auch vor Waffengewalt und Angriffen, Strom- und anderen Versorgungsausfällen oder Krankheitserregern. Wenn man die Kategorie Gefahreninformation wählt, erhält man eine Dosis von ungefähr zwei Benachrichtigungen pro Woche.

Beim BBK erfahren wir auch einiges über die empfohlenen Systemeinstellungen für Nina. Der Benutzer möge zum Beispiel den Zugriff auf die Standortdaten «immer zulassen», und zwar mit aktivierter Funktion «genauen Standort verwenden». Die Datennutzung solle unbeschränkt sein, auch im Hintergrund. Außerdem sei die uneingeschränkte Akkunutzung zu aktivieren, der Energiesparmodus auszuschalten und das Stoppen der App-Aktivität bei Nichtnutzung zu unterbinden.

Dass man so dramatische Ereignisse wie damals im Ahrtal auch anders bewerten kann als Regierungen und Systemmedien, hat meine Kollegin Wiltrud Schwetje anhand der Tragödie im spanischen Valencia gezeigt. Das Stichwort «Agenda 2030» taucht dabei in einem Kontext auf, der wenig mit Nachhaltigkeitspreisen zu tun hat.

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 1bda7e1f:bb97c4d9

Tldr

• Nostr is an open protocol which is interoperable with all kinds of other technologies
• You can use this interoperability to create custom solutions
• Nostr apps define a custom URI scheme handler "nostr:"
• In this blog I use this to integrate Nostr with NFC cards
• I create a Nostr NFC "login card" which allows me to log into Amethyst client
• I create a Nostr NFC "business card" which allows anyone to find my profile with a tap

Inter-Op All The Things!

Nostr is a new open social protocol for the internet. This open nature is very exciting because it means Nostr can add new capabilities to all other internet-connected technologies, from browsers to web applications. In my view, it achieves this through three core capabilities.

• A lightweight decentralised identity (Nostr keys, "npubs" and "nsecs"),
• A lightweight data distribution network (Nostr relays),
• A set of data interoperability standards (The Nostr Improvement Protocols "NIPs"), including the "nostr:" URI which we'll use in this post.

The lightweight nature is its core strength. Very little is required to interoperate with Nostr, which means many existing technologies can be easily used with the network.

Over the next few blog posts, I'll explore different Nostr inter-op ideas, and also deliver my first small open source projects to the community. I'll cover–

• NFC cards integrated with Nostr (in this post),
• Workflow Automations integrated with Nostr,
• AI LLMs integrated with Nostr.

The "Nostr:" URI

One feature of Nostr is it defines a custom URI scheme handler "nostr:". What is that?

A URI is used to identify a resource in a system. A system will have a protocol handler registry used to store such URI's, and if a system has a URI registered, then it knows what to do when it sees it. You are probably already familiar with some URI schemes such as "http:" and "mailto:". For example, when you click an http link, the system knows that it describes an http resource and opens a web browser to fetch the content from the internet.

A nostr: link operates in the same way. The nostr: prefix indicates a custom URI scheme specifically designed for the Nostr protocol. If a system has a Nostr application installed, that application may have registered "nostr:" in the protocol handler registry. On that system when a "nostr:" URI is clicked, the system will know that it describes a nostr resource and open the Nostr client to fetch the content from the nostr relay network.

This inter-op with the protocol handler registry gives us the power to do nice and exciting things with other technologies.

Nostr and NFC

Another technology that uses URIs is NFC cards. NFC (Near Field Communication) is a wireless technology that enables devices to exchange data over a few centimeters. It’s widely used in contactless payments, access control, and information sharing.

NFC tags are small chips embedded in cards or stickers which can store data like plain text, URLs, or custom URIs. They are very cheap (cents each) and widely available (Amazon with next day delivery).

When an NFC tag contains a URI, such as a http: (or nostr:) link, it acts as a trigger. Tapping the tag with an NFC-enabled device launches the associated application and processes the URI. For example, tapping a tag with "nostr:..." could open a Nostr client, directing it to a specific login page, public profile, or event.

This inter-op allows us to bridge the physical world to Nostr with just a tap.

Many useful ideas

There are many interesting ways to use this. Too many for me to explore. Perhaps some of these are interesting for your next side hustle?

• Nostr NFC "login cards" – tap to log into Amethyst on Android,
• Nostr NFC "business cards" – give to connections so they can tap to load your npub,
• Nostr NFC "payment cards" – integrating lightning network or ecash,
• Nostr NFC "doorbells", "punch cards", "drop boxes", or "dead drops" – put a tag in a specific place and tap to open a location-specific message or chat,
• Integrations with other access control systems,
• Integrations with other home automation systems,
• Many more ...

To start with I have built and use the "login card" and "business card" solutions. This blog post will show you how to do the same.

Nostr Login Card

You can use an NFC card to log into your Nostr client.

Most Nostr clients accept a variety of login methods, from posting your nsec into the app (insecure) to using a remote signer (more secure). A less known but more secure method is to sign into a session with a tap of a specially-configured NFC card. Amethyst is a Nostr client on Android which supports this type of login.

• A secure method for logging in
• Optionally keeps no log in history on the device after logout
• Does not require users to know or understand how keys work
• Keys are kept secure on a physically-separated card to reduce risk of compromise

Nostr devs think that this is useful for anti-establishment actors–Fair enough. For me, I am interested in this login card pattern as it could be useful for rolling out identities within an organisation context with less training (office workers are already familiar with door access cards). This pattern potentially abstracts away key management to the IT or ops team who provision the cards.

I first discovered this when Kohei demonstrated it in his video.

Here's how you set it up at a high level–

1. Buy yourself some NFC cards
2. Get your Nostr key ready in an encrypted, password protected format called "nencryptsec"
3. Write the nencryptsec to the NFC card as a custom URI
4. Tap to load the login screen, and enter your password to login

Here it is in detail–

Buy yourself some NFC cards

I found no specific requirements. As usual with Nostr so far, I tried to the cheapest possible route and it worked. Generic brand NFC cards shipped from China, I believe it was 50X for $15 from Amazon. Your mileage may vary.

Get your Nostr key ready

Your key will be saved to the NFC card in an encrypted password-protected format called "nencryptsec". Several applications support this. As we'll be using this to login to Amethyst, we will use Amethyst to output the nencryptsec for us.

1. Login to Amethyst with your nsec,
2. Open the sidebar and click "Backup Keys",
3. Enter a password, and click "Encrypt and my secret key",
4. It will add the password-protected key to your clipboard in the format "ncryptsec1...",
5. Remember to backup your password.

Write the ncryptsec to the NFC card

1. Download the free NFC Tools app to your device, and open it,
2. Click "Write" and "Add a record", then click "Custom URL / URI",
3. Paste your nencryptsec with the nostr URI in front, i.e. "nostr:ncryptsec1..." and click OK,
4. Click "Write". NFC Tools will prompt you to "Approach an NFC tag",
5. Place your NFC card against your phone, and it will write to the card,
6. Your card is ready.

Tap to load the login screen

Tap the card against your phone again, and your phone should open the login screen of Amethyst and prompt you for your password.

Once you enter your password, Amethyst will decrypt your nsec and log you in.

Optionally, you can also set the app to forget you once you log out.

You have created a Nostr NFC "login card".

Nostr Business Card

You can use another NFC card to give anyone you meet a link straight to your Nostr profile.

I attended Peter McCormack's #CheatCode conference in Sydney and gave a few of these out following the Nostr panel, notably to Preston Pysh where it got some cut through and found me my first 100 followers. You can do the same.

To create your Nostr NFC "business card" is even easier than your NFC "login card".

1. Buy yourself some NFC cards,
2. Download the free NFC Tools app to your device, and open it,
3. Click "Write" and "Add a record", then click "Custom URL / URI",
4. Write your npub to the NFC card as a custom URI in the format "nostr:npub1..." (e.g. for me this is "nostr:npub1r0d8u8mnj6769500nypnm28a9hpk9qg8jr0ehe30tygr3wuhcnvs4rfsft"),
5. Your card is ready.

Give the card to someone who is a Nostr user, and when they tap the card against their phone it will open their preferred Nostr client and go directly to your Nostr profile page.

You have created a Nostr NFC "business card".

What I Did Wrong

I like to share what I did wrong so you don't have to make the same mistakes. This time, this was very easy, and little went wrong. In general

• When password-protecting your nsec, don't forget the password!
• When writing to the NFC card, make sure to use "Custom URI/URL" as this accepts your "nostr:" URI scheme. If you use generic "URI/URL" it won't work.

What's Next

Over my first four blogs I have explored creating a good Nostr setup

• Mined a Nostr pubkey and backed up the mnemonic
• Set up Nostr payments with a Lightning wallet plus all the bells and whistles
• Set up NIP-05 and Lighting Address at my own domain
• Set up a Personal Relay at my own domain

Over the next few blogs I will be exploring different types of Nostr inter-op

• NFC cards integrated with Nostr (this post)
• Workflow Automations integrated with Nostr
• AI LLMs integrated with Nostr

Please be sure to let me know if you think there's another Nostr topic you'd like to see me tackle.

GM Nostr.

@ 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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

8. Links

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

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

@ 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.

@ a10260a2:caa23e3e

A zero-dependency, zero-framework QR code web component for Bitcoin on-chain, Lightning, and unified BIP-21 payments.

Just discovered this tool by nostr:npub18agram6s6kulwwhc638d8q8y5vysutrrvvdll2wdjxd75wp4dfjqshytrf and found it to be very useful. Also, did I mention easy-to-use?

You can find the GitHub here and a demo I made (complete with a function to check for payment) on the Bullish Prototype. 👨‍💻

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/737255

@ fa0165a0:03397073

Chef's notes

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

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

When done: Enjoy during Fika!

PS;

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

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

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

Ingredients

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

Directions

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

@ eac63075:b4988b48

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

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

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

Sections:

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

---

What Is Chat Control?

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

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

Origins of the Proposal

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

How Messaging Services Work

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

Key Elements of Chat Control

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

Why It Matters

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

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

What Happens Next? The Future of Chat Control

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

Current Status of Legislation

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

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

Key Influencing Factors

1. Legal Challenges and Compliance with EU Law

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

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

2. Technological Feasibility

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

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

3. Political Dynamics

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

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

4. Industry Responses

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

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

Possible Scenarios

Optimistic Outcome:

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

Pessimistic Outcome:

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

Middle Ground:

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

How to Stay Informed and Protect Your Privacy

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

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

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

The Global Perspective

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

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

Looking Ahead

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

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

---

Conclusion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

Read more:

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

@ 599f67f7:21fb3ea9

¿Alguna vez has querido regalarle sats a alguien en forma física? Con una billetera LNbits, puedes crear fácilmente una tarjeta de regalo NFC. Esto funciona escribiendo un enlace LNURLw en la tarjeta NFC, desde el cual el destinatario puede retirar sus sats con una billetera compatible con LNURL.

¿Qué necesitas?

• Billetera LNbits
• Teléfono Android
• Tarjeta NFC con capacidades de al menos NTAG2*, por ejemplo, NTAG216. Consulta la nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3e8qcr2wfn8qcrgwf4qyg8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnhd9hx2q3qtx0k0a7lw62vvqax6p3ku90tccgdka7ul4radews2wrdsg0m865sxpqqqp65whwqrr5 para saber dónde comprar las tarjetas.

💡 Las tarjetas NTAG2 te permiten escribir un* enlace en ellas. Por ejemplo, pueden funcionar como una tarjeta de presentación que contiene la URL del sitio web de la empresa. Las tarjetas NTAG424 no solo tienen más memoria, sino que también cuentan con un parámetro SUN que permite la autenticación del servidor web, lo cual añade más seguridad a tus pagos. Este último tipo de tarjetas también se pueden convertir en BoltCards.

1. Activa la extensión

Abre tu billetera LNbits. Activa la extensión LNURLw desde la barra de herramientas y entra en la extensión.

2. Crea un enlace de retiro

• En la página de la extensión LNURLw, elige Advanced Withdraw Link(s) ("Enlace(s) de retiro avanzado").

• Selecciona la billetera desde la cual se retirarán los sats. Probablemente quieras separar esto de tu billetera principal de LNbits. Para hacerlo, puedes crear primero una nueva billetera LNbits yendo a la barra de herramientas y seleccionando + Agregar nueva billetera, luego depositando algunos sats en la billetera recién creada.

• Asigna un título al enlace de retiro.

• Establece los montos mínimo y máximo que se pueden canjear.

• Establece el número de veces que se puede utilizar el enlace y el tiempo entre intentos de retiro.

• Opcionalmente, puedes añadir una imagen personalizada marcando la casilla Use a custom voucher design ("Usar un diseño de cupón personalizado") e ingresando la URL de una imagen en formato .png.

• No marques la casilla de usar un codigo QR único.

Cuando estés satisfecho con la configuración, procede a crear el enlace de retiro.

3. Escribe el enlace en la tarjeta NFC

En tu enlace de retiro recién creado, haz clic en view LNURL ("ver LNURL"). Haz clic en el botón Write to NFC ("Escribir en NFC") y acerca tu tarjeta NFC a tu teléfono para que se pueda escribir en ella.

✔️ HECHO

💡 Informa al destinatario de la tarjeta sobre el saldo de sats que tiene para que no pierda tiempo intentando obtener hasta el último satoshi.

💡 Una vez que el destinatario haya retirado sus sats de la tarjeta de regalo, puede volver a escribir en ella su propia billetera y reutilizarla. ¡Dos pájaros de un tiro! Si la tarjeta que le diste es NTAG424, puede convertirla en una "tarjeta de débito" de Lightning como describimos en la nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3e8qcr2wfn8qcrgwf4qyg8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnhd9hx2q3qtx0k0a7lw62vvqax6p3ku90tccgdka7ul4radews2wrdsg0m865sxpqqqp65whwqrr5. Si la tarjeta es solo NTAG2*, entonces solo puede convertirla en otra tarjeta de regalo.

@ a10260a2:caa23e3e

Alby Hub is configurable with several different backends. Although setting up with Cashu is considered experimental, it’s a good option to have if you don’t want to run a Lightning node.

This post will give a quick overview of the steps to connect your Alby Hub with a Cashu mint.

Before you get started, you’re going to want to have Alby Hub installed already. There are many options for this as well — Linux, StartOS, and Umbrel to name a few. You can even have Alby host it for you in their cloud.

I just happen to have a Linux machine free so I went that route — the installation script made it super easy.

After the install is complete, navigating to localhost:8080 brings up this page.

1. Select “Advanced Setup”

1. Select “Create Wallet with Custom Node”

1. Select “Cashu Mint”

1. Paste the URL of the mint you’d like to use. You can use the default one provided or click on “Find a mint” to search for others.

1. (Optional) Connect your Alby account by requesting an authorization code. After clicking “Connect now,” a new window will open and the code displayed after signing in.

Boom. You’re all done.

Now you can use your Alby Lightning address to receive your first sats!

NOTE: Although the sats do make it to the wallet, the “Waiting for payment” animation seems to wait indefinitely and there’s no record in transaction history.

This seems to be a Cashu-related issue that has something to do with the preimage. An issue has been opened on GitHub if you’re curious.

Other that that, sending and receiving works like a charm.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/707673

@ 319ad3e7:cc01d50a

LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER | FEATURED RECIPE | MICROFICTION | FOOD NOTE QUOTE | SOUNDS | NOSTR MARKETPLACE | REAL REVIEWS | COMMUNITY ALBUM | NEW RECIPES | FIN

LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER 📝

A Year of Growth and Gratitude

As we approach the end of the year, it’s the perfect moment to pause and reflect. 2024 has been a transformative year for Zap Cooking. What started as a simple idea has grown into a vibrant, connected community. From recipes to shared stories, the #zapcooking tag has become a rallying point for food enthusiasts everywhere, and it’s inspiring to see how this shared passion is bringing people together.

None of this would have been possible without the incredible support and dedication of Sarah, who pours her heart into crafting these newsletters. Sarah, thank you for helping us share the joy of cooking and community with so many.

I am deeply grateful, grateful for you, our community, for nostr, for the milestones we’ve reached, and for the challenges that have helped us grow. Zap Cooking is about more than food; it’s about connections, creativity, and collaboration. Together, we’ve built something special, and I’m excited for what 2025 holds.

Here’s to another year of cooking, connecting, and creating together. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Cheers!

Seth

Founder, Zap Cooking

FEATURED RECIPE 🥪

Nostrville 2.0 was located in Nashville, Tennessee. This music destination featured some powerhouse food establishments, such as Ladybird Taco, Hattie B’s Hot Chicken Sandwiches, Pancake Pantry, and Modell’s infamous family-style breakfast; however, it was the people from Louisiana who brought their A-game to the shared kitchen at the after-party rental.

The lovely Rupert and her giant, Kajoozie, served up a traditional gumbo that had all of us reaching for a second bowl… or perhaps a fourth bowl. It was that good! They were also kind enough to share their recipe with all of us.

Rupert and Kajoozie’s #Nostr Famous Gumbo https://substack.com/home/post/p-152296981

MICROFICTION 📖

GIFTS by RustyPuppy

Every Christmas Eve (and by 'every' Aaran meant those he could remember, which, being eight years old, was not many), after the dinner dishes had been washed, and the family settled into the living room to watch "It's a Wonderful Life," his nani would start chopping vegetables. Aaran once asked why she didn't cook Santa's beef stew when she prepared their dinner. Because she wanted the stew to be fresh, came the answer. Aaron knew better than to ask how something that needed to simmer for five hours could be considered 'fresh.'

Everyone knew their grandmother's beef stew, placed in front of the fireplace in a hand-made bowl wrapped in a dish towel to keep warm, was eaten by the dog after everyone went to bed. And every year, she insisted Santa needed a hot, healthy meal.

None of the children could believe anyone would choose vegetables over cookies. Shari, the girl next door, made peanut cookies for Santa. Aaron had helped mix the dough last year. He was forbidden from adding the frosting because Shari needed the perfect amount atop each cookie so she could write her name in the sugary mix with a toothpick. Depending how guilty she felt about the year, she sometimes added candy beads.

One year, a cousin asked if Santa really ate all of those hundreds? thousands? millions? of cookies. An uncle said, "Of course, that's why he's so fat," while Aaaran's mother said, "Of course not, he gives them to children who don't have sweets," and Nani added "And those who still want to believe in him."

Aaran secretly wanted to believe his nani, because his older brothers had teased him for writing his Christmas wish letter, saying Santa was only real for babies. He didn't want to be a baby, but he still wanted to believe in the magic that was Santa.

At last, the evening ended. Some returned to their homes; the rest returned to their rooms. Nani set her bowl under the stockings. Aaran hesitated on the stairs, but the thought of seeing the dog actually eat the stew made his eyes wet. He stepped over his cousin's sleeping bag, got into bed, and dreamed of flying reindeer.

In the morning, as the children opened their gifts and the adults took turns making coffee and tea, Nani asked Aaran to bring her the stew bowl. He looked at the dog, currently surrounded by shreds of wrapping paper, panting happily with a bow on his head. Picking up the bowl, Aaron saw something within; a peanut cookie with the name Shari written in the frosting.

RECIPE REFERENCES:

Lovely Indian beefstew with coconut milk & Ultimate Peanut Cookies https://substack.com/home/post/p-152296981

FOOD NOTE QUOTE 🗒️

Today someone took a picture of my latte art after I handed them their cup 💜 and it made my day. Celebrate the small things. 😊 - TKay

SOUNDS 🔊

At Bitcoin Park in Nashville, Tennessee, the adorable cuties Mallory, Other Mallory, Island, and Sergio, along with help from Fountain, Phantom Power and Tunestr.io organized a night of activities, food, art, and a live acoustic music panel featuring four absolutely talented musicians - Ainsley Costello, Amber Sweeney, Luke Wood, and Jo Corso. SoupBox was honored to sit down with Amber to chat about music, fostering dogs from Wags and Walks, and food | Listen Now: SoupBox with Sarah | Featuring Amber Sweeney

https://fountain.fm/episode/nvwD83sajCiFNqTP4tYu

https://feeds.rssblue.com/soupbox

Short from Nashville | OpenMike | Tunestr

https://v.nostr.build/yLufD7GbwOPI3EgA.mp4

NOSTR MARKETPLACE 💳

Find Your Holiday Gifts on Nostr | Value for Value (aka V4V) #circulareconomy

Agi Choote | Art Prints | Find on Nostr!

Amber Sweeney | Custom Songs for Any Occasion | https://www.theambersweeney.com/merch/custom-songs

Ant Richard | Limited Custom Handcrafted Knife Gift Certificates (12-month waitlist for all custom handmade orders) | Find on Nostr!

Apotheca Viva | https://apothecaviva.love/

Aupa Bars | https://eataupa.com/

Barnminer’s Barn Jerky | Find on Nostr!

Billay Coffee | https://billaycoffee.com/

BitBees | Honey & Honey Products | https://www.kittrellsdaydream.com/

Bitcoin Blankets ⚡️| Website Coming Soon!

Bitpopart | https://bitpopart.com/ | https://www.storeofvalue.eu/collections/christmas-collection

BTC Aloha | Bitcoin Beachwear & Accessories | https://btcaloha.shop/

BtcPins | https://btcpins.com/

Cannabis Records | https://cannabisrecords.store/

CryptoCloaks | https://www.cryptocloaks.com/shop/

Delgado’s Fuego | https://delgadosfuego.com/

Dot GNT | Laser Engravings | https://dotgnt.codeberg.page/

Finca Yabisi | https://yabisi.farm/

Foxfire Mushrooms | https://foxfiremushrooms.com/

Golden Tallow | https://goldentallow.com/

GoodBeans 🇸🇻 Coffee | https://thegoodbeans.com/

Isolabell.art | https://isolabell.art/

Jake Wolki | https://wolkifarm.com.au/

Keto Beejay | Low Sugar Jerky | https://ketolish.us/ | https://ketobeejay.npub.pro/

Kanuto Takumi San | Find on Nostr!

Laser Eyes Cards | https://lasereyes.cards/

LeatherMint | https://theleathermint.com/

Lightning Store | https://lightning.store/

LightningSpore | Full Service Mushroom Cultivation Company | https://www.lightningspore.com/

Lost Sheep Ranch | https://www.lost-sheep-ranch.com/

Lucho Poletti | Art Prints and Merchandise | https://luchopoletti.com/

Madex | Art & Apparel | https://madex.art/collections/in-stock

MapleTrade | Find on Nostr!

Matthew D | https://whitepaperstreetsoap.com/

Next Block Coffee | https://nextblockcoffee.com/

NoGood | Jake Wolki | https://wolkifarm.com.au/

PatsPropolisHoney | Find on Nostr!

Peony Lane Wine | Ben Justman | https://www.peonylanewine.com/

PlebianMarket | https://plebeian.market/

PictureRoom | Assorted Dessert Treats | Find on Nostr!

Regenerative Farmed Meats & Knives | AgrarianContrarian | Find on Nostr!

RustyPuppy | Art and Stories | https://heidi2524.com/

Salt of the Earth | Premium Electrolyte Mix | https://drinksote.com/

Satoshi Coffee Company | https://sats.coffee/

Scott & Son | Animal Portraits, Prints, and Apparel | https://xavierscraftworkanddesign.com/t-shirts

SofterSkin Tallow Skincare | https://softerskin.co/

Shopstr | https://shopstr.store/

Soap Miner | Tallow Body Soap Bars

SweetSats | Honey | https://sweetsats.io/

Veiled Mycology | https://veiledmycology.com/

Yojimbo | Jam & Marmalade | https://jimblesjumble.odoo.com/

REAL REVIEWS ⭐

BitBees | Honey & Honey Products | https://www.kittrellsdaydream.com/ | By Rupert

If you follow me or have ever had the pleasure of chatting with me on cornychat.com or hivetalk.org, you’ll know how proud I am of my Cajun heritage. For me, that means memories of long, hot summer days in South Louisiana, plenty of mosquito bites, the humming of cicadas in the cypress trees, and my grandfather’s bee boxes abuzz with fuzzy little workers.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting our famed #nostr beekeepers, @bitbees and @kingbee, and the absolute joy of tasting the labors of the wee little friends they care for. @KajoozieMaflingo and I purchased both their wildflower and gallberry varieties, and we were able to pay with BTC! (BONUS!) The wildflower was chef’s-kiss perfection, but my taste buds were instantly rocketed back to my childhood when I tried the lovingly and aptly nicknamed “swamp honey.”

Its pale color might fool you into thinking it has a lighter flavor than its rich and flavorful counterpart, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s crisp and bright, with a mellow sweetness balanced by a slight tang to finish. It’s the ideal pairing with my favorite chamomile tea before bedtime.

This was my first purchase, but it will not be my last. By far, this is one of the most delicious use cases for Bitcoin I’ve come across to date.

Keto Beejay | Low Sugar Jerky | https://ketolish.us/ | https://ketobeejay.npub.pro/ | By The Beave

I recently had the pleasure of ordering four types of beef jerky from Beejay, the proprietress of http://ketolish.us. I was intrigued by her offerings and ended up ordering plain, pickle, pizza, and pepper. My order took a while to go through, mostly because Beejay and I were figuring out how to move sats around without it being too much of a pain in the butt. However, once finalized, everything shipped promptly and arrived quickly in a well-packed parcel. Beejay is also very good to communicate with, and I will gladly purchase more from her in the future.

I will start off the reviews with the most surprising of the batch: pizza. This was simply outstanding. I was shocked at how much it reminded me of eating pizza. I can't recommend this one enough! My second favorite pick is the pickle flavor. I love pickles. (I cannot express how much I love pickled things to you in words!) This was also very good, with the dill seasoning being front and center but restrained enough not to completely overpower the delicious beefiness of the jerky. A note on the texture: the jerky is ground, so it is not as tough as other jerkies you might try. This is a very new thing to me, and I rather enjoyed the novelty of the experience. The peppered jerky was full of pepper. This might be too much pepper for some, as it reminded me of the pepper-covered salami you can get at a good Italian pork store. Lastly, the plain jerky was delicious in its own right, though I would have preferred a touch more salt. I would order all of these again and am looking forward to ordering other flavors in the future, especially the bison!

COMMUNITY ALBUM 📷

Photos & Videos by Mandana from NextBlock & Flirting with Bitcoin, Efrat Fenigson, Ava, Birthday B, Vic from CornyChat, Tortuga, Mallory, Island, Jack Spirko, Paul Keating, BreadandToast.com, Nos.Social and Sarah SoupBox

View the Album: https://substack.com/home/post/p-152296981

NEW RECIPES 🍲

https://i.nostr.build/MNrivKtc1fpjamfn.png

In November, we received an incredible surge of over 30 recipes submitted to Zap Cooking! That's a fantastic leap from the three or four we typically see each week! Dive into one, two, or even all of them, and don’t forget to share your reviews and mouthwatering photos on Nostr using #foodstr. We’d also love to see your favorite personal or family recipes—let’s keep the culinary creativity flowing!

Corn Pudding, The Beef Panzone, Vodka Pie Crust, Short Rib Barbacoa Tacos, Guiness Beef Stew with Pickled Pearl Onions, Fast AF Beef Stroganoff, Dark Chocolate Mincemeat, Vic’s London Broil, Easy Wholemeal Spelt Flour Bread, Mamma SLCW’s Cranberry Sauce, Hot Dog Nachos, Italian Wedding Soup, Mapo Tofu Curry, Hot Honey Crispy Salmon Bowls, Curried Butternut Squash Soup, Best Damn Oven Baked Chicken Legs, Chocolate Creme Pie, Broccoli Beef, Tuscan Steak and Green Peppers, Easy Carne Asada, InstantPot Chicken Tortilla Soup, Green Bean Casserole with Bacon and Fried Shallots, Bang Bang Shrimp, Rupert and Kajoozie’s #Nostr Famous Gumbo, The Best Lamb Winter Stew, Avery’s Hot Wallet Salsa, Candied Pecans, Pumpkin Bread, Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Egg, Gold & Silver Soup, Mr. G’s Homemade Chicken Pasta Salad, Ultimate Peanut Cookies

The recipe links are available here: https://substack.com/home/post/p-152296981

FIN 🤠

https://i.nostr.build/661bAgwsj6tEnICX.jpg

@ 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!

@ eac63075:b4988b48

Lá na outra rede, o Dov havia feito um post bacana mostrando como usar a Electrum mobile de cold wallet nessa playlist.

Então ao comentar que a minha primeira cold wallet havia sido uma Electrum num notebook velho e formatado só pra isso, algumas pessoas me perguntaram sobre meu setup atual.

Então preparei o seguinte esboço:

No geral é: * Server Umbrel para os nodes * Coldcard e Ledger (coldwallets) * Computador criptografado e celular android com área segura p/ apps

É um caso de uso extremo mas além da auto-soberania e custódia dos meus satoshis, essa estrutura ainda me permite:

• Participar do consenso do Bitcoin
• Auxiliar no roteamento de sats na Lightning Network
• Fazer coinjoin facilmente para aumentar a privacidade

E embora a estrutura pareça complicada, é bastante simples:

• Raspberry Pi 4 com Debian e Umbrel (p/ os nodes e servers)
• Celular antigo android com área segura e sem simcard
• Notebook com storage criptografada
• Ledger Nano X
• Coldcard

E ainda pude evoluir de N.O.I.A. (Network Operator Innovator and Advocate) para M.A. (Minerador Anônimo), com uma Nerdminer pra tentar um ticket da sorte a cada 10 minutos

Não esqueça que uma cold wallet para a auto-custódia pode começar com um computador ou celular velho!

É mais simples do que parece e praticar sua auto-soberania e custódia significa na verdade liberdade e privacidade nesse mundo digital!

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

“Donna Donna” เดิมเป็นเพลงภาษาเยดิช (Yiddish) ชื่อ “Dos Kelbl” (The Calf) ประพันธ์ขึ้นในปี 1940 โดย Sholom Secunda (ผู้แต่งทำนอง) และ Aaron Zeitlin (ผู้แต่งเนื้อร้อง) สำหรับการแสดงละครเพลงชาวยิวในยุคนั้นซึ่งเป็นช่วงเวลาที่ทหารนาซีเร่งขยายอิทธิพลในยุโรป และชาวยิวในหลายพื้นที่เริ่มถูกจับกุมและส่งไปยังค่ายกักกัน

แม้ว่าเพลงนี้จะไม่ได้เขียนขึ้นในภาษา ฮิบรู (Hebrew) แต่เดิมเป็นภาษา เยดิช (Yiddish) ซึ่งเป็นภาษาที่ใช้ในหมู่ชาวยิวแถบยุโรปตะวันออก อย่างไรก็ตาม การเชื่อมโยงเพลงกับความทุกข์ของชาวยิวในยุคนั้นมีเหตุผล เพราะเนื้อหาเพลงสอดคล้องกับสภาพแวดล้อมทางสังคมที่ผู้แต่งเผชิญในช่วงสงคราม

เพลงนี้กลายเป็นสัญลักษณ์ของการต่อสู้เพื่อเสรีภาพในหลายยุคสมัย ไม่เพียงแต่สะท้อนชะตากรรมของชาวยิวในสงครามโลกครั้งที่ 2 แต่ยังแสดงให้เห็นถึงเสียงเรียกร้องเพื่อความเป็นอิสระและการไม่ยอมจำนนต่อความอยุติธรรมในระดับสากล

ในปี 1956 นักแต่งเพลงชาวอเมริกัน Arthur Kevess และ Teddi Schwartz ได้แปลเพลงนี้เป็นภาษาอังกฤษและตั้งชื่อว่า “Donna Donna” โดยใช้ความหมายเดิมเป็นพื้นฐาน แต่มีการปรับเปลี่ยนเล็กน้อยในเรื่องของภาษา

ตัวอย่างบางส่วนของการแปลครับ ภาษาเยดิช (Yiddish): ‎אַ פֿויגל האָט אַ פֿליגלען, אַ קאַלב דאַרף גיין צו שלאַכט. (คำอ่าน: A feygl hot a flign, a kalb darf geyn tsu shlakht.) คำแปล: นกมีปีกให้โบยบิน แต่ลูกวัวต้องเดินไปสู่โรงฆ่าสัตว์

ภาษาอังกฤษ (แปล): A bird has wings to fly, a calf is led to slaughter.

เพลง “Donna Donna” นั้นมีความหมายที่ลึกซึ้งและเต็มไปด้วยการเปรียบเปรย เนื้อหาของเพลงเล่าถึงลูกวัวตัวหนึ่งที่กำลังถูกพาไปโรงฆ่าสัตว์ โดยเปรียบเปรยถึงความไร้เสรีภาพและความโศกเศร้าที่เกิดจากการยอมรับชะตากรรม ในเพลงมีการเปรียบลูกวัวกับนกที่สามารถโบยบินเป็นอิสระได้ หากไม่ถูกพันธนาการ

การเปรียบเทียบ “ลูกวัว” (Calf) กับ “ชาวยิว” มีความลึกซึ้งในเชิงสัญลักษณ์ เพราะลูกวัวในเพลงถูกมัดมือมัดเท้าและลากไปยังโรงฆ่าสัตว์ ซึ่งสะท้อนถึงชะตากรรมของชาวยิวที่ถูกนำไปยังค่ายกักกันเพื่อสังหารหมู่ ในขณะเดียวกัน “สายลม” (Wind) ที่พัดผ่านฟาร์มอาจถูกตีความว่าเป็นตัวแทนของ “นาซี” ที่มาอย่างโหดร้ายและไร้ความปรานี

เนื้อร้องที่กล่าวว่า “Calves are easily bound and slaughtered, never knowing the reason why…” ชี้ให้เห็นถึงการขาดเสรีภาพและความไร้อำนาจที่จะต่อต้านของลูกวัว ซึ่งสะท้อนถึงชะตากรรมของผู้ถูกกดขี่

Joan Baez ได้บันทึกเพลง Donna Donna ในอัลบั้มแรกของเธอที่ชื่อ “Joan Baez” ในปี 1960 ซึ่งเป็นอัลบั้มที่รวบรวมเพลงโฟล์คจากหลากหลายแหล่ง เพลงนี้กลายเป็นหนึ่งในเพลงโปรดของผู้ฟัง และได้รับการจดจำว่าเป็นบทเพลงแห่งการปลุกจิตสำนึกทางสังคม

Joan Baez เป็นนักร้อง นักแต่งเพลง และนักเคลื่อนไหวชาวอเมริกัน เกิดเมื่อวันที่ 9 มกราคม ค.ศ. 1941 ที่เมืองสแตเทนไอแลนด์ รัฐนิวยอร์ก สหรัฐอเมริกา เธอเป็นที่รู้จักในฐานะนักร้องโฟล์คที่มีเสียงโซปราโนใสกิ๊งเป็นเอกลักษณ์ และรวมถึงการมีบทบาทสำคัญในขบวนการเคลื่อนไหวเพื่อสิทธิมนุษยชนและสันติภาพในทศวรรษ 1960

Joan Baez มีชื่อเสียงจากการร้องเพลงโฟล์คและเพลงประท้วงที่สะท้อนปัญหาสังคม เธอเป็นหนึ่งในผู้ที่ร่วมสนับสนุนการเคลื่อนไหวของ Martin Luther King Jr. และมีความสัมพันธ์กับ Bob Dylan ซึ่งเธอมีบทบาทสำคัญในการช่วยผลักดันและทำงานร่วมกัน ส่งผลให้ Dylan กลายเป็นศิลปินผู้ทรงอิทธิพลในยุคเดียวกันด้วย แต่การเลิกรากันของพวกเขาก็ยังเป็นสิ่งที่คนอยากรู้จนถึงทุกวันนี้ ว่าความจริงคืออะไรกันแน่ เพราะมีข่าวลือหลายข่าว

เพลงของ Joan Baez มีหลากหลายเพลงที่เลยครับโด่งดัง เช่น Diamonds and Rust, We Shall Overcome และ The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

ทุกวันนี้ Joan Baez ยังคงเป็นสัญลักษณ์ของศิลปินที่ใช้เสียงเพลงเพื่อส่งเสริมความยุติธรรมและสันติภาพ โดยเธอได้รับการยกย่องในฐานะบุคคลสำคัญในประวัติศาสตร์ดนตรีและการเคลื่อนไหวทางสังคมระดับโลก

เพลง Donna Donna ยังคงถูกขับร้องในหลากหลายเวอร์ชันทั่วโลก และเป็นบทเพลงที่สะท้อนการต่อสู้เพื่อเสรีภาพและการไม่ยอมจำนนต่อความอยุติธรรม

ลองดูเนื้อเพลงกันครับว่าทำไมจึงทำให้การต่อสู้เพื่ออิสรภาพพุ่งพล่าน

On a wagon bound for market There's a calf with a mournful eye High above him there's a swallow Winging swiftly through the sky

How the winds are laughing They laugh with all their might Laugh and laugh the whole day through And half the summer's night

Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna Donna, Donna, Donna, Don Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna Donna, Donna, Donna, Don

"Stop complaining!" said the farmer "Who told you a calf to be? Why don't you have wings to fly with Like the swallow so proud and free?"

How the winds are laughing They laugh with all their might Laugh and laugh the whole day through And half the summer's night

Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna Donna, Donna, Donna, Don Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna Donna, Donna, Donna, Don

Calves are easily bound and slaughtered Never knowing the reason why But whoever treasures freedom Like the swallow has learned to fly

How the winds are laughing They laugh with all their might Laugh and laugh the whole day through And half the summer's night

Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna Donna, Donna, Donna, Don Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna Donna, Donna, Donna, Don

มี documentary เกี่ยวกับเธอในชื่อ Joan Baez I Am a Noise ด้วยครับ

https://youtu.be/dhcV1gEat_c?si=hLu4_liVbUWei8oG

https://youtu.be/dQrsSvms8Kw?si=9U2A7liIDvjwi-s-

@ 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：

@ 2f5de000:2f9bcef1

This Week I immersed myself in Bitcoin from multiple angles-technical, societal and personal. The journey included a marathon 32-hours of listening to Rabbit Hole Recap (RHR), an essential resource for Bitcoin insights. It's worth noting that I started from the begining and plan to make my way through the whole catalogue. Marty and Matt's timestamps, along with contributions from their guests, served as my roadmap. Using Fountain to stream, I also streamed sats-a small but extraordinary feature that allows users to stacks sats while compensating cretors directly through fractional donations.

Revisiting Speculative Attack by Pierre Rochard (2014)

Now that Speculative Attack Season 2 (which I've not read yet) has been released. I took the time to read Pierre Rochards influential essay, Speculative Attack and reflected on its timeless insights. Rochard argues that Bitcoin adoption isn't dependent on technological advancements or consumer preferences, but on economic realities. As fiat currencies weaken, Bitcoin won't enter the mainstream by persuasion but by necessity.

Critics continue to underestimate Bitcoin's inevitability due to their fiat biases and lack of financial insight. This year alone, mainstream media has been compelled to discuss Bitcoin-notably to Trump's endorsement of 'crypto.' Despite their attempts to shape narratives to suit their ideal visions, they've had no choice but to engage with Bitcoin's growing influence.\ \ As Parker aptly puts it 'Gradually, The Suddenly'

Wassabi Wallet and the Privacy Imperative

An RHR interview (from early in the catalogue) with guest Adam Ficsor, CTO and Co-founder of Wassabi Wallet, sparked a deeper consideration of my digital footprint. Like many, I've spent years online neglecting privacy in favour of convenience. The discussion on CoinJoins reminded me of the importance of prioritising privacy, not just romanticising it.

Improving operational security (opsec) is now a personal focus. Resources like Jameson's Cypherpunk Cogitations and the Bitcoin Optech newsletter offer valuable guidance. While I've exercised caution, I recognise a need to address my laziness with opsec and take meaningful steps to protect my privacy. Time will reveal the results of these efforts.

Caribbean Slavery amd Centralised Platforms

While exploring historical systems of control, I delved into the brutal realities of New World slavery in the British Caribbean. Enslaved elites, like drivers, were granted limited privileges to maintain order, creating divisions within the community. This divide-and-rule strategy highlights the fragility of oppressive frameworks, which began to crumble with events like the Hatian Revolution and humanitarian activism.

Interestingly, similar dynamics are visible with centralised plaforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Verified accounts (the "blue checks") act as mordern day 'elites' with perceived freedoms. However, their autonomy is limited by the platforms centralised authority. Challenging the rules risks censorship and cancellation, proving their freedom is an illusion subject to the will of their overseers. Enhancing the argument further for protocols like Nostr to help people win back their freedoms.

@ e83b66a8:b0526c2b

The founder of Telegram has just been arrested in France. Charges include lack of cooperation with law enforcement, drug trafficking and fraud.

Aside from Telegram, social media is controlled by two billionaires who decide what you say, are themselves controlled by overbearing governments and make money through advertising and selling your personal data.

There is a different way.

NOSTR stands for Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted on Relays and it is a social media protocol in the same way http is a web protocol.

The protocol is open and anybody can build upon it. It has some fundamental concepts that are very different to existing social media platforms.

Firstly it is decentralised, it runs across relays and anybody can run a relay. They can be open or closed, public or private, free or paid.

Secondly as a user, you don’t have an account, you have a private key which is used to secure your data.

Your profile (account) is yours, you own and control it using your private keys and verified by others with your public key.

Your posts are yours and you can store them on your own relay in your own home or business or you can rely on free public relays or more feature rich paid public relays.

All your public data is signed by your private keys to verify it is you that owns it and all your private data is encrypted so nobody can read it.

Messages (i.e. think NOSTR WhatsApp) are encrypted with your private keys so NOBODY can hack it or listen in, not even the NSA through a companies backdoor. You message other users privately by encrypting messages to them using their public key, which they decrypt using their private key.

Relays store your data in a decentralised network of private and public relays and you discover relays automatically when searching for people or content.

Data is normally sent on the clearnet, but can be relayed across the darknet (Tor) in highly censored regions.

Because it is built using Bitcoin principles and technology, so it has Bitcoin money built in, meaning you actually send / receive money from / to any participant.

As money is built in, the commercial options are different to centralised corporate owned platforms. It would be technically possible to build a platform that supports advertising, however that hasn’t really happened because influencers can be paid directly from their audience in many different ways. Ad hoc tips, subscriptions, pay to view or pay per time models.

The great thing for content creators is that they control, own and keep all the money they make. There is no third party intermediary or merchant deciding whether they are allowed to be paid or not.

NOSTR is censorship resistant, as there is no way to stop anybody publishing anything they want, in the same way nobody can stop or interfere with a Bitcoin payment.

From an end users point of view, if they want to self censor, they can do this in multiple ways. You can mute users individually, or you can choose to use relays that adhere to your views or interests, so if you don’t want to see certain categories of content, you would avoid relays that carry those feeds. You can even run your own relay and curate content that you then charge other like minded users to connect to. You can of course connect to multiple relays for multiple different type of feed.

While NOSTR is a protocol, platforms have to be built to use it, so the first platforms were twitter like clients and they are still very prevalent. However, NOSTR now has clients that emulate most social media platforms, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Soundcloud, WhatsApp etc. They are even creating their own categories as well as emulating other functions such as Office Suite tools, collaborative calendars, contact lists or e-commerce shops.

If you want to give it a go, the easiest, but not the best, way to get started is download Primal on your phone from here:

https://primal.net/downloads

It will create a private key for you and setup a Bitcoin wallet.

Once you have done this you can visit me here:

nostr:npub1aqakd28d95muqlg6h6nwrvqq5925n354prayckr424k49vzjds4s0c237n

If you want to see a small part of the ecosystem, then visit https://www.nostrapps.com/ where volunteers are listing some of the many apps that exist already.

NOSTR is being backed by Jack Dorsey, Twitter founder, and you can see his account here:

nostr:npub1sg6plzptd64u62a878hep2kev88swjh3tw00gjsfl8f237lmu63q0uf63m

Or you can see his account like this:

https://primal.net/jack

Edward Snowden is also on the platform and you can find him here:

https://primal.net/Snowden

NOSTR has around 2 million users or public keys, although nobody really knows how many, because it is decentralised and not controlled or run by any person or organisation.

Once you’ve setup Primal, you can use those same private keys to access any platform you wish and you can use a browser extension such as Alby to manage your keys: https://getalby.com/

Primal looks great, but there are other better functioning twitter like clients, probably the most reliable for iPhone is Damus: https://www.nostrapps.com/apps/damus

or Amethyst for Android: https://nostrapps.com/amethyst

The content and user base is very Bitcoin and freedom focused right now, but more and more people are starting to use the various platforms and some are transferring exclusively to it.

Some of the more interesting projects right now are:

https://www.0xchat.com/#/ – Private messaging – think WhatsApp

https://zap.stream/ – Video streaming

https://fountain.fm/ – Podcasting

https://wavlake.com/ – Music streaming

https://shopstr.store/ – Online shop

https://npub.pro/ – Website creation tool

https://nostr.build/ – Media and file storage

https://relay.tools/ – Build and curate your own relay

https://creatr.nostr.wine/subscriptions/new-user – Creator tools

Remember, the same keys you created for Primal can be used across the whole ecosystem.

If you want to see some of the other apps that have been built on the NOSTR protocol visit: https://nostrapps.com/

@ 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

@ 07804b78:c375c543

Japanese follows. 日本語はあとで。

This article is for the 14th day of Nostr Advent Calendar 2024 (relay blogging). The article for the 13th day was "Open Sats 申請編" (Applying for Open Sats) by mono-san. The article for the 14th day will be "Nostrはじめました。" (I started Nostr) by bro-san.

Thinking of Thingstr

I've come up with an idea for Other Staff that I think is interesting (at least, for me), so I'm going to write about it. I actually wanted to show you the implementation and brag about it, but it's not solid enough to be implemented yet.

The key idea is just “add a reaction to the WikiData ID”.

WikiData

There is a service called WikiData. It is a knowledge base that provides structured data. You may be wondering what it is, but the important thing to understand here is that WikiData assigns identifiers to a fairly wide range of “objects” and “things”.

So, if you can react to this, you can think of various applications just by thinking of it for a moment, right?

For example, the anime series “There are too many losing heroines!” is assigned the ID Q123819103. The corresponding page is https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123819103 .

(NOTE: The canonical URI for entities on Wikidata is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1142841. This is in accordance with Semantic Web conventions, and is not https, but http. Also, this URI does not necessarily match the actual address of the correspnding web page. Just an identifier. In most cases, it will redirect).

What can wd do?

For example, what about a website that records your anime viewing history? You can record what you want to watch with 👀, what you've already watched with ✅, and your favorites with ☆. You can also express your “likes” for production companies, staff, voice actors, etc. In this way, you can see what a particular user likes.

This could be a movie, a book, a comic, an author, music, an idol group, a place, or food (Someone likes pork cutlet Q1142841). The fact that you can record everything in the same framework is what makes it interesting.

What form of event should it be recorded as?

There is probably room for discussion about how to record this information in a concrete way. The simplest way would be to use NIP-25's "Reactions to a website" kind:17 (a.k.a. Makibishi). How about something like this?

json [ ["i", "wd:Q123819103", "http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q123819103"], ]

Since NIP-73 has External Content IDs, it would be good if we could include WikiData here so that we could write wd:Q123819103. Actually, isbn: and other identifiers have already been defined, so it is possible to use the current NIP range to describe books (however, the authors do not have IDs. If we use WikiData as an ID, we can also describe reactions related to the author). Of course, it is not a matter of choosing one or the other, and it is also fine to add the ISBN tag at the same time as the WikiData tag for books.

Search for recorded reactions

So far, this is all very simple, but it would be inconvenient if we didn't include tags to mark subsets of reactions (for example, only those related to anime) so that we can query them together. When we try to create a site that is specialized for a certain purpose, we need to be able to extract the reactions that are necessary.

On Wikidata, the predicate wdt:P31 (instance of) is used to group together concepts that represent the same thing. For example, how about including this in the l tag? "There are too many losing heroines!" is a "Japanese television anime series (Q63952888)", so:

json [ ["i", "wd:Q1142841", "http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1142841"], ["l", "wdt:P31 wd:Q63952888"] ]

UPDATE(2024-12-15): rnurachue-san suggested that #l or #L might be better for labeling (the first version used #a). I think that's a good idea, so I've updated the article. nostr:nevent1qgswamu0rsela0kwhj87p24ueapxdp04vzz7ar0pp6lfyq923t3l02cqyr9786635s60ra0f973nwv2sln2l74lqx4twdlgxfz2jgevpvsgtc9zwn6d

However, when you think about creating an anime website, you may want to query both TV anime and anime films. This makes things more complicated. "Japanese TV anime series (Q63952888)" is a subclass (subclass of; wdt:P279) of "Anime series (Q117467261)", which is in turn a subclass of "Anime (Q1107)". However, if you were to embed this hierarchy in each reaction, it would waste a lot of space. The following query will get all the superclasses of "Japanese TV anime series (Q63952888)", but there are 54 of them.

https://query.wikidata.org/#%23%20Subclass%20hierarchy%20traversal%20for%20Q63952888%0ASELECT%20%3Fitem%20%3FitemLabel%20%3Fsuperclass%20%3FsuperclassLabel%0AWHERE%20%7B%0A%20%20%23%20Starting%20class%0A%20%20wd%3AQ63952888%20wdt%3AP279%2a%20%3Fsuperclass%20.%0A%20%20BIND%28wd%3AQ63952888%20AS%20%3Fitem%29%0A%20%20SERVICE%20wikibase%3Alabel%20%7B%20bd%3AserviceParam%20wikibase%3Alanguage%20%22%5BAUTO_LANGUAGE%5D%2Cen%22.%20%7D%0A%7D%0AORDER%20BY%20%3Fsuperclass%0A

So, I think it should be okay for practical purposes to embed P31s of the reaction target. In other words, if you search for "anime series Q63952888" and "anime movie Q20650540", that should be enough. Fortunately, the conditions for single-character tags work with OR, so you can query multiple tags at once. we'll have to try it to see how well it works in practice, though.

Discussion: Which kind should I use?

So far we have considered using kind:17, but we have not yet decided whether it is a good idea to mix Thingstr events with reactions to web pages.

Also, there may be a debate over whether to record regular events or addressable events, depending on the purpose of use. For example, if you want to record the transition of viewing results and impressions on an anime viewing site, you should use regular events, and if you want to maintain the viewing status, you should use addressable events.

What do you think?

Other ideas

If we can react to Nodes on OpenStreetMap using the same framework, we might be able to create something like Swarm. Since the views you want to see will differ depending on the purpose, it would be good to create various sites while having a consistent way of recording. Wouldn't that be the most Nostr-like thing?

Summary

I discussed how to use WikiData and OpenStreetMap as an ID infrastructure and realize various check-in and review services with a unified data model by using them on Nostr. Please let us know if you have any feedback. Or why not try implementing it?

---

この記事は Nostr Advent Calendar 2024 の14日目の記事です。13日目の記事はmonoさんによる「Open Sats 申請編」でした。15日目の記事はbroさんによる「Nostrはじめました。」です。

Thingstrについて考えた

面白そうな（と勝手に思ってる） Other Staff のアイディアを思いついたので、書いてみます。 本当は実装を持ってきて自慢したかったのですが、まだふわっとしていて実装に落ちていません。

コアになるアイディアは「WikiData の ID に対して、Reactionをつける」これだけです。

WikiData

WikiData というサービスがあります。構造化データを提供する知識ベースです。 なにそれ？という感じですが、ここで大事なのはWikiDataはかなり広範な「もの」「こと」に識別子(Identifier)を付与している、ということです。

だから、これにリアクションできれば、ぱっと思いつくだけでもいろいろな応用ができそうじゃないですか。

例えば、アニメシリーズ「負けヒロインが多すぎる！」には Q123819103 というIDが振られています。これに対応するページとして https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123819103 があります。

（ただし、WikiData のエンティティに対する canonical な URI は http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1142841 であることには注意が必要です。セマンティックウェブの作法で https ではなく http になっています。そして、このURIは必ずしもWebページのアドレス一致しません。大抵の場合はリダイレクトされます）。

なにができるの

たとえば、アニメの視聴記録サイトはどうでしょう。👀は見たい作品、✅は視聴済み、☆はお気に入り、みたいに記録していく。制作会社、スタッフ、声優、...に対してLikeを表明したりできそうです。そうすると、あるユーザが何にLikeしているかわかります。

これが映画でもいいし、書籍、漫画、作家でもいいし、音楽でもいいし、アイドルグループでもいいし、場所でもいいし、食べ物でもいい（とんかつ Q1142841 が好き、とか）。全部同じ枠組みで記録できるのが面白そうなところです。

どういうNostrイベントで記録する？

具体的な記録の仕方には議論の余地があるでしょう。一番単純なのは、NIP-25の "Reactions to a website" kind:17 (Makibishi) を使う方法でしょうか。こんなのはどうでしょう。

json [ ["i", "wd:Q123819103", "http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q123819103"], ]

NIP-73にExternal Content IDsがあるので、ここにWikiDataを入れられるようにして wd:Q123819103 と書けるとよさそうです。実は isbn: などはすでに定義されているので、書籍に関しては現行のNIPの範囲でもうまいことできます（ただ、著者にはIDが振られていません。WikiDataをIDに使うと著者に関するリアクションも記述できます）。もちろん、どちらか一方を選ぶというものでもなくて、書籍にはWikiDataのタグと当時にISBNのタグを付与しておいてもいいと思います。

記録されたリアクションを検索する

ここまではシンプルでよいのですが、リアクションの部分集合（たとえばアニメに関連するものだけ、とか）をまとめてクエリできるように、目印となるタグを入れておかないと不便です。ある目的に特化したサイトを作ろうとしたとき、必要になるリアクションが抽出できるようにしておかないといけません。

WikiData では wdt:P31 (instance of) という述語で、ある概念が何を表しているかをグルーピングしてくれています。例えばこれをlタグとかに含めておくのはどうでしょうか。

負けヒロインが多すぎる！は「日本のテレビアニメシリーズ(Q63952888)」なので、

json [ ["i", "wd:Q1142841", "http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1142841"], ["l", "wdt:P31 wd:Q63952888"] ]

みたいな感じで付与します。

UPDATE(2024-12-15): rnurachueさんからラベル付けには #l または #L のほうがよいかもという提案をいただきました。最初のバージョンでは #a を使用していました。そのとおりだと思ったので更新しました。 nostr:nevent1qgswamu0rsela0kwhj87p24ueapxdp04vzz7ar0pp6lfyq923t3l02cqyr9786635s60ra0f973nwv2sln2l74lqx4twdlgxfz2jgevpvsgtc9zwn6d

ただ、アニメサイトを作ることを考えると、テレビアニメも劇場版アニメも両方クエリしたいこともありそうですよね。そうなると話が複雑になってきます。

「日本のテレビアニメシリーズ(Q63952888)」は「アニメシリーズ(Q117467261)」のサブクラス(subclass of; wdt:P279)で、それがさらに「アニメ(Q1107)」 のサブクラスになっています。ただ、この階層をいちいちリアクションに埋め込むのと大変なことになります。以下のようなクエリで「日本のテレビアニメシリーズ(Q63952888)」のすべての上位クラスが取れるのですが、54件もあります。

https://query.wikidata.org/#%23%20Subclass%20hierarchy%20traversal%20for%20Q63952888%0ASELECT%20%3Fitem%20%3FitemLabel%20%3Fsuperclass%20%3FsuperclassLabel%0AWHERE%20%7B%0A%20%20%23%20Starting%20class%0A%20%20wd%3AQ63952888%20wdt%3AP279%2a%20%3Fsuperclass%20.%0A%20%20BIND%28wd%3AQ63952888%20AS%20%3Fitem%29%0A%20%20SERVICE%20wikibase%3Alabel%20%7B%20bd%3AserviceParam%20wikibase%3Alanguage%20%22%5BAUTO_LANGUAGE%5D%2Cen%22.%20%7D%0A%7D%0AORDER%20BY%20%3Fsuperclass%0A

なので、リアクション対象のP31を埋め込む、くらいで実用上は問題ないような気がします。つまり、検索するときに 「アニメシリーズ Q63952888」と「アニメ映画 Q20650540」を対象にすれば、十分では、ということです。幸い、一文字タグの条件はORで効くので、複数を並べて一度にクエリできます。実際にどのくらいうまく行くかはやってみないとわからないですが。

議論: どの kind を使うべきか？

一旦 kind 17 を使うことを考えてきましたが、Thingstr のイベントが Web ページに対するリアクションと混ざるのが良いことなのか、いまいち判断がついていません。

また、用途によって regular event で記録するべきか、それとも addressable event で記録すべきか、という議論もありそうです。 アニメ視聴サイトを例にあげるなら、視聴実績とか感想の変遷を記録したいならば regular event でしょうし、視聴の状態を保持したいならば addressable とするのがよさそうです。

どう思いますか？

他のアイディア

これと同じ枠組みで OpenStreetMap の Node に対してリアクションできるようにすれば Swarm のようなものも実現できるかもしれません。

用途ごとに見たいビューは違うだろうから、一貫した記録の仕方を持ちつつ、色々なサイトを作ったらいいんじゃないでしょうか。それって最高にNostrっぽくないですか？

まとめ

WikiDataやOpenStreetMapをID基盤として活用し、Nostr上でreactすることで、様々なチェックインサービス、レビューサービスを統一的なデータモデルで実現する方法について議論しました。フィードバックがあったら教えてください。むしろ実装してみてください。

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

Projects

noStrudel

• Added support for creating, viewing, and editing Wiki pages
• Added NIP-42 Auth support
• Added support for @snort/worker-relay (WASM SQLite relay) thanks to nostr:npub1v0lxxxxutpvrelsksy8cdhgfux9l6a42hsj2qzquu2zk7vc9qnkszrqj49 for building the library
• Added support for uploading files to Blossom servers
• Added support for restoring broken images using users Blossom servers
• Added support for using Citrine as local cache relay on mobile
• Fixes and improvement for NIP-46 support to work better with Amber
• Replaced all proprietary relay code with nostr-tools
• Added Task Manager for debugging and better insight under the hood

Blossom

• Rewrote and organized the spec into a simpler core spec and multiple optional specs ( BUDs )
• Setup awesome-blossom repo for tracking Blossom implementations
• Rebuilt blossom-server and added a simple admin dashboard
• Added fancy landing page to blossom-server for uploading and mirror blobs
• Improved documentation for blossom-server-sdk ( A TS library with components for building a blossom server )
• Improved documentation and lots of small fixes for blossom-client-sdk ( A TS library to help nostr clients interact with Blossom servers )

Plans for Q3

Hopefully this isn't too ambitious and I can finish at least half of these ideas

noStrudel

• Finish building out wiki features (author profiles, better editing and fork UI)
• Overhaul user profile view to show more recent activity and make it easier to see what a user has been doing
• Continue experimenting with WebRTC relays
• Build a profile picture cashing service that resizes and stores images on Blossom servers and publishes nostr events for interoperability
• Add support for .i2p and .onion relays when noStrudel is installed on Umbrel or Start9

Blossom

• Write up spec for a media optimization endpoint
• Build an example media optimization endpoint in blossom-server
• Collaborate on support for payments in blossom server spec

Other stuff

• Build a proof of concept Web-of-Trust based username search
• Other secret projects...

@ df67f9a7:2d4fc200

Anyone who thinks that “onboarding new users” is simply a technical challenge of educating people about “how Nostr works”, is grossly mistaken about social networks in general and blind to what makes Nostr so special.

Social Networks are for Friends

Relationship building is why people use social networks. Connecting with friends and loved ones (and colleagues and customers also) is the obvious reason to join, and should be the primary objective in any onboarding endeavor. Everything else “about the technology” only needs to be introduced “as needed” in order for each new user to achieve this goal.

The Nostr Network Requires Trusted Friendships

To thrive at scale, Nostr needs to have established and interconnected “webs of trusted friends” for “verifying” authentic profiles and quality content. This PgP strategy for decentralized trust implemented on Nostr, is the best way to keep bots and bad actors at bay while preserving freedom and sovereignty for every user. Even though Nostr still doesn’t have a standard for determining who “is trusted” for any one user across all clients, we can already build tools to onboard new friends of the highest quality trust. Leveraging existing relationships, “webs of trust” can be strengthened even at this early stage simply by advocates “inviting friends to Nostr”.

Nostr is New and Already Full of Trusted Friends

But it won’t be for long. Bots and bad actors are relatively “easy” to keep at bay today because the Nostr userbase is still small. People who come to Nostr and STAY have mostly been a self selecting group of “freedom tech fans”. We like it this way, and are generally happy to be here. The comraderie is refreshing. But the more people that come to Nostr, the more Nostr will attract different kinds of people.

This is already happening. Nostr is growing at the edges, reaching out beyond the “freedom tech fans” and attracting a number of “less committed” (and some nefarious) individuals here and there. Who sticks around? The “friends of freedom tech fans” stick around longer because they have friends here. WAY BEFORE even considering how “the network effect” will take over, Nostr needs to solve for retention by bringing more “trusted friends” into the network. Social onboarding tools will allow us to share Nostr to “friends of freedom tech fans” and beyond, establishing interconnected “webs of trust” that are increasingly impermeable to bots and bad actors.

Nostr is Freedom Tech that People Want to Share

Creators and influencers of every kind share Nostr (and Nostr content) every day. This phenomenon is a gold mine for onboarding, and can be supported with tools and incentives. Driven by the fact that Nostr is an open protocol, owned by nobody and available for anybody to build upon and profit from, the passion for sharing Nostr will never wane. But our userbase may fall off, if people become disenchanted by undesirable content or lack of good follows. This is why onboarding efforts, to attract more “friends” to the network, are so important. Leveraging the “share worthy” phenomenon of Nostr itself to grow Nostr’s networks of “trusted friends” seems like a no brainer. But for this strategy to work, it needs to be win win win for all parties.

Everybody Wins with More Trusted Users on Nostr

Even as standards for qualifying trust are still being refined, “social onboarding” increases the ratio of “more” trusted over “less” trusted users across the network.

Developers Win

With more trusted users on the network, Nostr developers win by being able to attract an increasingly diverse range of business partners to sponsor their projects.

Sponsors Win

An increase in trusted usership equates to more “real people” perusing “desired content” and more chances for brands to engage “organically” with target audiences. Marketing opportunities increase with trust.

Advocates Win

Simply by sharing Nostr with their friends, Advocates support the sustained growth of trust across the network. Valuable zap reward programs to incentivize high quality onboarding efforts are easily justified and funded by social onboarding clients and their sponsors.

Users Win

More trusted users across the network means more trustworthy content in every feed and more easily discoverable friends and new follows regardless of the client or algorithm used.

Nostr Wins

More trusted users on the network means more “high quality” trust connections between each user. Strong webs of trust is what keeps out bots and bad actors, and is essential for stability as Nostr scales.

Social Onboarding Clients Bring Trust to Nostr

Having more tools for “sharing Nostr with friends” is how Nostr wins. Any client can have capacity for “Social Onboarding”. This may be a dedicated onboarding client or a feature set within a social client. A client that offers “Social Onboarding” will support Nostr advocates and the users that they invite. These should have the following feature set :

• Nostr advocates may create and share any number of customizable “Nostr invites” for different audiences or occasions. Each may have different reccomendations, or access codes, or expiry options. (A NIP is in the works)
• Nostr invite QR codes (and shareable URLs) should resolve to a WEB based interface for prospective (and existing) users who MAY NOT have a client or browser extension already installed.
• Each invite should (within the onboarding client) provide access to low friction profile creation AND advocate reccomended lists of new friends, interest groups, preferred clients, best relays, and other stuff.
• Private key generation and management for new users should be handled entirely within the onboarding client (using NIP standards without a browser extension or external bunker app) to reduce friction at this crucial moment.
• A human readable Nostr address (NIP05 or some future NIP) should be generated automatically for all new users.
• New account creation should result immediately in a direct message or group thread of private “gift wrap” encrypted messages. This thread acts as the new user’s “first contact” with the advocate (possibly others as well) and an anchor for exploring the rest of Nostr.
• Invite “receipt” data (who invited who) should be “gift wrap” encrypted, accessible only to the advocate and new user. Clients wishing to use this data for analytics MAY request access from BOTH parties.
• Top Advocates may be calculated by the client (using data from invite receipts OR from public Nostr usage metrics), and awards may be offered.
• Advocates may also be supported by the client through access to private “advocate support” groups and communities over the Nostr network.

Support Social Onboarding for Nostr

Meet Me On Nostr is an app for sharing Nostr with friends via advocate invites. It is a reference client to demonstrate the power of Social Onboarding for Nostr. The first launch of "feature complete" client is expected in fall 2024.

This is a “bootstrap” funded project in active development. We are not grant funded or VC funded. Instead, we are looking to pay our developers by sponsorships from “Nostr adjacent” businesses who want to increase brand recognition over this new social network.

Is Your Business Nostr Adjacent?

“I’d like to advertise on Nostr but it’s “not quite ready” says our marketing team.”

“It has potential, and we have alignment, but the technology is still a bit rough.”

“Nostr is a perfect fit for our “target audience”, but there simply aren’t enough people using it.”

If your business is aligned with freedom technology, and the people who build and use Nostr, then NOW is the perfect time to sponsor Social Onboarding. Help grow Nostr’s base of trusted users and engage directly with Nostr’s most active advocates and influencers as it scales.

Release Nostr’s Superpower

When Nostr advocates are equipped and incentivized to share Nostr with their friends, nothing can stop this network from growing and growing and growing ever more secure and interconnected networks of trusted users.

Onboarding and retaining trusted users as Nostr scales will require so much more than just pointing people to “how Nostr works” content. Nostr’s true power lies dormant in the existing relationships that Nostr users already have outside of Nostr. Leveraging this power is what Social Onboarding is all about. Social Onboarding is Nostr’s superpower.

Contribute to the Geyser Fund

@ ac8bb9b0:70278acc

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 15
• 🍳 Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• 🍽️ Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 cup celery diced
• 1 cup carrots diced
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 medium potatoes diced
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 15 oz. can corn, drained
• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

1. In a large dutch oven (I used a 6-quart), over medium heat brown the ground beef until done. Spoon off the excess fat.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Allow to simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours (with the lid on, but tilted so steam can release) or until the vegetables are tender.
3. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

@ 826e9f89:ffc5c759

_Prologue: this is a prose adaptation of a talk I gave to a private audience in Dubai and then tweaked slightly for a small conference in Sofia. I'm increasingly thinking it deserves a more general audience, and may be better suited to text anyway. This is probably not its final form, as the desired audience is tradfi capital allocators, hence a PDF is likely on the cards in the near future. For the time being, consider this a first draft, practising what it might look like as prose, and soliciting feedback from the good people of Nostr. Enjoy! _

The title of this essay means absolutely nothing. There is no such thing as “Web π” because there is no such thing as “Web 3”. It’s bullshit. It’s a scam.

Unfortunately, it has turned out to be extremely powerful bullshit and an extremely profitable scam, and so my goal in writing this essay is to give the reader the tools to navigate all of this and come out the other side without having been scammed or bullshat. In the spirit of not scamming and not bullshitting, I should be clear upfront about the intended readership of this essay, who I am to write it, and who it’s really about.

Who Are You?

I assume the reader is not a shadowy super-coder, but rather is a financial professional. This essay isn’t really for Bitcoiners, although if any read it, I hope they still find it interesting. Who I am really writing for are people coming to the space for the first time. Hopefully in your mind you are coming to the _Bitcoin _space, but if you think you are coming to the “crypto” space then this may be even more useful.

Who Am I?

I am the founder of a company that makes me not only highly biased but also flagrantly self-interested in the content I am promoting. I run a firm that invests in the Bitcoin ecosystem through a variety of different vehicles. I am not going to mislead you in the slightest in that my primary motivation is for you to allocate capital to us rather than to people I would call scammers and bullshitters. You should listen to them too and make up your own mind, or else what’s the point, really? How do you know I’m not scamming or bullshitting you? Exactly. Don’t trust. Verify.

In any case, that’s all assuming you want to “allocate capital” at all rather than just buy Bitcoin without a management fee. I’d like to think the primary difference is that I will be honest about that, and I’ll encourage you to understand as much as you can about what is going on and what you are doing (and if you are at all unsure, I would suggest you aren’t ready and you should just buy Bitcoin and learn) rather than bamboozle you with complete nonsense like “Web 3”.

Who Is This About?

It’s not at all about people working in crypto. Bitcoiners amongst the readership may be mildly irritated by me going on to give about as charitable an explanation of the role of these people as they have probably ever heard from somebody like me. This is really about financiers. It’s about the people who have used the mostly unrewarded efforts of developers, academics, entrepreneurs, and so on to siphon money from you to themselves, leaving a trail of useless tech and defrauded retail investors in their wake – and who will continue to do so if you continue to empower them.

Why This Essay?

We are at an interesting point in the development of the entirety of the “crypto” industry and I strongly suggest that people like you are going to be pitched all kinds of scams and bullshit in the coming months and years. If you have a little more background on what these people are really talking about, you will hopefully be able to avoid it.

My plan to help with that is presenting a short version and a long version of what blockchains are and are for, how they have historically been deployed in service of scams and bullshit, a high-level theory explaining the narrative evolution behind this sorry history, and a prediction for the near-term future of such shenanigans.

What is a Blockchain For?

A Blockchain is for sound, censorship-resistant, peer-to-peer digital money. It is not for anything else. If a blockchain is functional as money, it may be possible to also _use it _for other things. Some people find that interesting, some people find it infuriating, but don’t let that subtlety confuse you. It is not _for _arbitrary computation and storage or “decentralizing the internet” or running illegal securities rackets.

It is for money, plain and simple.

How does it achieve that? Proof of work and the difficulty adjustment. These are the innovations from which every other desirable property or feature flows. Proof of work enables censorship resistance. If somebody is trying to sell you on “proof of stake”: bullshit. The difficulty adjustment enables precise, predetermined, and _fair _issuance. If somebody is trying to sell you on a token they issue for free and without restriction: scam.

The problem Bitcoin solves is both economic and technical and the solution has material technical and economic merit. And it’s for this very specific and irreplicable reason the Bitcoin token has value. If this all sounds extreme to you, then I would suggest that your understanding of the topic is _extremely _misguided, that you are going to be _extremely bullshat and extremely scammed, _and you need to read this essay. That’s the short version.

The Long Version

I am sensitive to how extreme this all sounds. After all, hundreds of billions of dollars have been pumped into crypto, not Bitcoin – a huge amount of it is widely used, and many capable, honest, and brilliant people work in the industry. The reader will recall just above I said those people are not the target of my criticism. I’m not claiming they are all scammers and bullshitters. Sadly, I think it’s more likely they have been scammed and bullshat to some degree also.

I think I have some credibility in pointing this out because, as a VC in the Bitcoin space, I have increasingly seen founders telling me this themselves: that they originally bought into the hype in crypto and ended up wasting an enormous amount of time realizing their idea made no technical or economic sense in that context, so then they came to Bitcoin instead. You hear this one time and it’s an anecdote, but you hear it as many times as I have and it feels more like a representative sample.

What I want to cover next is as charitable a summary of the state of ex-Bitcoin crypto as I possibly can: my contention is that crypto has evolved into 4 rough categories: stablecoins, cryptography R&D, gambling, and scams. And these aren’t exclusive, to be clear; there is a lot of overlap, and, in fact, the overlap is arguably the key.

Scams

Scams are tokens, plain and simple. If somebody is trying to profit from the speculative price action of a token they have issued, they are scamming somebody. Maybe they are scamming you, maybe they are scamming retail investors, maybe they are scamming customers or suppliers – if such parties even exist in their cargo cult “business model”. There’s a scam in there somewhere.

However, it is rarely _just _a scam. There will almost always be components of stablecoins, R&D or gambling too. Hence these are worth really grappling with, taking seriously, giving credit to the extent it is due, but also analyzing critically.

My rough and high-level assessment of this breakdown of crypto is as follows, and I’ll explain what I mean by this below: stablecoins have economic merit but dubious technical merit; R&D has technical merit but no economic merit; and gambling sort of has merit but it depends how you interpret it. Obviously, scams have neither.

Stablecoins

By “sort of technical merit” I mean that stablecoins have central issuers. You can issue them as tokens on a blockchain but there’s not really much of a point. The issuer could just run a database connected to the internet with some straightforward signature schemes for transfers and it would make minimal operational difference. In fact, it would be cheaper and faster. _In fact, _you may as well run a Chaumian eCash mint (a decades-old innovation recently resurrected firmly within the _Bitcoin _space) such that your cheaper-and-faster-than-a-blockchain database also grants users transience and privacy rather than the public permanence of a blockchain.

The fact Tron is the most heavily used for stablecoins, in terms of settling the most value, is a testament to this point: it is barely even pretending not to be a database. This works as regulatory arbitrage given regulators think this is “innovation” because they are stupid.

That said, it is worth giving some credit here given the abject awfulness of fiat banking and payment rails with which stablecoins arguably most directly compete. Stablecoins are significantly more permissionless in their transfer than any fiat bank liability. And to attest to what seems like their most significant use case, they are permissionless in their _usership _in that only an internet connection and the right software is required rather than various discriminatory jurisdictional and compliance criteria.

However, what “sort of technical merit” ultimately boils down to, especially in comparison to Bitcoin, is: highly censorable in their exogenous links and, therefore, their value. The assets supposedly backing stablecoins are (by definition) still within the fiat system, even if this novel transfer mechanism of the rights to withdraw them is not. There is frankly a bit of theatre involved in the so-called “decentralization” of stablecoins given shutting down the central issuer is all that is required to make the permissionlessly tradeable decentralized tokens go to zero and be technically unimpeded but functionally useless. The technical innovation of Bitcoin, in contrast, is easily understood in one sense as it being totally indifferent to this kind of attack.

On the other hand, by “economic merit” I mean that they are extremely widely used and valued as a means of providing dollar shadow banking and often superior payment rails. Those in crypto often love pointing to this and many Bitcoiners tie themselves in knots trying to explain it away, whereas I see it as essentially unrelated to Bitcoin. Clearly there is a superficial connection, but you could create any superficial connection by “tokenizing” things for no particularly good technical _reason. I think it’s a different industry entirely. It’s more like a subindustry within _fintech – part banking, part payments – that for the time being relies on bamboozling regulators with all the nonsense I’m drawing attention to.

And good for them, frankly. If fiat banking isn’t going to be backed by real money anyway, then it _at least _ought to be permissionless. It should really be Chaumian eCash if it isn’t just Bitcoin, and it is regulation alone that makes it so awful in the first place. Making money usable and not a tool of dystopian control is, at this point, a political problem, not a technical one. Stablecoins are frankly a step in the right direction, especially insofar as they acclimatize users to digital assets. But I would still caution that they arguably don’t have sufficient technical merit to withstand what feels like an inevitable political attack …

Cryptography R&D

“Technical merit” for R&D is more or less self-explanatory, but the context is worth appreciating. It’s only really in crypto and mostly in Ethereum more specifically that people can permissionlessly experiment with arbitrarily complex cryptographic schemes that operate on real, enormous value. There are a lot of people who understandably find this attractive given their projects are essentially academic and trying out their ideas in the wild is more interesting, arguably more worthwhile, and certainly more fun than putting research essays on ArXiv or submitting them to a journal.

But … the value being manipulated is at best stablecoins and at worst baseless hype. If it isn’t a stablecoin then it probably exists in the first place because of either gambling or scams – and even there the line is very blurry.

Gambling

Gambling is an interesting lens to adopt on all this because it’s literally a trillion-dollar industry. And it’s real. It’s consensual; it’s not criminal; it’s legitimate economic activity that generates enormous profits for those who facilitate it well.

So, gambling has economic merit in that sense. But it’s tricky in this context how to characterize it because you could also argue it’s deeply dishonest gambling in that the gamblers don’t realize they are playing a negative sum game against the house. They think they are doing something akin to speculating on securities, which may be just as stupid depending on how it’s done, but at least has real economic utility and contributes to capital formation.

The difference here is that what is being speculated on _has no economic merit. _So, if that’s your gauge of merit, then here there is none. And it’s a very blurry line between this and an outright scam. Maybe the people involved _think _of what they are doing as amazing R&D, and maybe it’s inadvertently just a scam; maybe they know it’s all nonsense, but they think they can profit within the negative sum game because there are greater fools. In any case, I think gambling is a very helpful characterization of a lot of the behavior of the users and the real economic function of the industry.

There’s an interesting social component to all this because crypto people will often get mad at Bitcoiners because Bitcoiners tend not to care about either stablecoins or crypto R&D: they’ll say, why don’t you like stablecoins, they have clear economic merit? And the answer is they have dubious technical merit. Or, why don’t you like our next-gen Zero Knowledge scaling protocol, it has clear technical merit? And the answer is it has no economic merit.

If you’re happy with one but not the other, it’s easy to think of Bitcoiners as being closed-minded or dogmatic or whatever, but, ultimately, I think it’s just about discipline. What’s the point in being excited by something that half works, and that you know why will never fully work? So to be frank, a lot of this may be well-intentioned, but it’s kinda’ bullshit. It very probably ultimately rests on gambling and not at all whatever its stated purpose is … or it’s just a scam.

How Did We Get Here?

The following is by no means exhaustive and the framing is deliberately a little tongue-in-cheek. As well as being accurate enough (if unavoidably biased), my goal here is primarily to set up my prediction for what is coming next.

2015               reality: Ethereum launches             narrative: “the world computer”

In 2015, Ethereum launched. The narrative here was that we are building “the world computer” and we can now have decentralized uncensorable computation. Never mind that anybody with a laptop has an uncensorable and decentralized computing device. And keep in mind this question of, “_what data might it ever be relevant to compute over in this manner (whatever that means in the first place)?” _The answer will become clearer and clearer …

2016-17          reality: ICO bubble                           narrative: “Web 3” / “DApps”

Regardless, at the end of 2015 we get the proposal and adoption of ERC20: a standard for issuing fungible tokens within Ethereum contracts, which is why in 2016 _but especially in 2017 _we get the ICO bubble. The narrative changes. Now we are concerned with “Web 2” companies being huge, powerful, and centralized. What if, instead, users could cooperatively own the application, control their own data, and participate in the economic upside that their usage is creating?

2018-19          reality: crypto winter                       narrative: “mistakes were made”

In 2018 this all falls apart, so don’t worry about it, moving on …

2020-21          reality: defi summer                        narrative: “decentralized finance”

By 2020 the narrative was different once again. It is more or less realized by this point that utility tokens make no technical or economic sense. You can’t introduce artificial scarcity in capital goods where there should be abundance and deflation and expect anybody to care, never mind to value your concoction. On the other hand, “securities” ought to be scarce and in some sense ought to function as tradeable ledger entries. Maybe they could be tokenized and computed on in a censorship-resistant and decentralized manner?

So, we get a boom in “defi” which, for what it’s worth, fellow Axiom co-founder Anders Larson and I predicted in our essay Only The Strong Survive, in September 2021, would be a complete disaster because, amongst a myriad of other illiterate insanities, there was approximately zero grounding of these securities in productive capital. The ecosystem was entirely self-referential – grounded _not even _in the questionable economic merit of stablecoins but firmly in gambling and scams; in leverage, rehypothecation, and securitization of precisely nothing whatsoever productive.

2022               reality: shitcoinpocalypse                narrative: “mistakes were made”

And we were absolutely right because in 2022 everything collapsed. First Terra/Luna imploded – a “defi” project which essentially presented to the world the argument that a fractional reserve bank issuing fiduciary media can literally never go bankrupt because it can always cover a deposit shortfall by issuing more equity. While briefly flirting with a capitalization of around fifty f***ing billion dollars, and endorsed and fawned over by all manner of illiterate charlatans with gigantic and unsuspecting audiences, this argument was eventually rejected by the market as utterly imbecilic, as analyzed by myself and Nic Carter in All Falls Down.

This triggered a credit contagion that soon after took down 3 Arrows Capital, Celsius, Voyager, BlockFi, and others. FTX limped along by what we now understand to be something like defrauding their way out of debt, but eventually also collapsed later that year. If _Only The Strong Survive _was a pre-mortem of all of this, then the reader may want to read Green Eggs And Ham, also by myself and Anders Larson, as a kind of post-mortem.

2023-today    reality: Bitcoin multisigs                  narrative: “Bitcoin renaissance”

And now a lot of this stuff is moving to Bitcoin. It is outside the scope of this essay to explain this in much detail but there have been a handful of developments in Bitcoin recently which, regardless of their intended purpose, seem to have as a collective side effect that a lot of these same shenanigans can now be implemented (or can _pretend _to be implemented) in a more Bitcoin-native context.

So, the new narrative is something like:

“these things didn’t work, not because they are terrible ideas that collapse to moon math wrappers around gambling and scams under any remotely critical analysis, but rather because they weren’t on Bitcoin. But also, since it has only recently become possible to (at least pretend to) implement them on Bitcoin, they are now worthwhile. We have wandered in the wilderness but learned our lessons and found the promised land.”

Technical and Economic Merit

Let’s consider all this through the lens of technical and economic merit once again. Or rather, the alleged merit given the stated goal. Ignore for now whether there is any merit:

2015               technical goal: new computing paradigm               economic goal: x% of GDP?

The original idea of “crypto” allegedly has the merit of the next revolution in computing. Goodness knows how big that market is; probably a decent chunk of global GDP – if it meant anything, which it doesn’t.

2016-17          technical goal: disrupting company formation       economic goal: y% of S&P?

ICOs then become a little bit more specific. Now they are merely disrupting how we organize companies. What’s that worth? Some portion of the value of the companies that can now be decentralized and tokenized I guess? Who knows …

2018-19          nothing to see here

Nothing happened then, don’t worry about it.

2020-21          technical goal: decentralize finance            economic goal: z% of NYSE, CME, ISDA?

Defi becomes more specific again. Now we are merely tokenizing financial contracts, expanding access, removing middlemen, and so on. So that should probably be worth some percentage of capital markets activity?

2022               nothing to see here

Oops, never mind …

2023-today    technical goal: now it’s on Bitcoin!             economic goal: i% of … Bitcoin?

… and now it’s on Bitcoin apparently.

In Hindsight ...

I think the most amusing analysis of all this is as follows: it starts off completely insane, it gets more and more restrained each time – you could cheekily argue it starts to make more and more sense – but it also gets closer to Bitcoin every time. It’s clearly narrowing in on just: Bitcoin.

This is people realizing, painfully, over decades, what blockchains are for! They are not for “decentralizing everything” They are for censorship-resistant, sound, peer-to-peer digital money.

And I think this is _also _why we get the current state of crypto from earlier in the essay. As it starts to make more and more sense (by getting closer and closer to Bitcoin) you have realizations like the following: digital gift vouchers for artificially scarce and extremely expensive computation aren’t money, so we need “real money” in here for it to have economic merit, so you get stablecoins. Also, well we have a rich programming environment that seems technically interesting but also the severe technical handicap of being unable to do even a billionth of a billionth of a billionth of all the computations in the world, so you get crypto R&D. These emerge as a kind of patch, and they have _some _merit in isolation, whereas the long-term trajectory is actually just to converge on Bitcoin.

It’s an open and fascinating question if there are any learnings from these that can still be transplanted to Bitcoin. For stablecoins, this strikes me as less clear, given the dubious technical merit is introduced by using a blockchain at all, not just a blockchain other than Bitcoin. However, efforts to create Bitcoin balances (tokenized or otherwise) that are stable relative to some external price are to be applauded, if still heavily scrutinized for what technical merit they _really _have.

It seems far more likely that crypto R&D will prove useful in a Bitcoin context to some or other degree, and in this case the economic merit is in fact solved by moving to Bitcoin, provided the necessary technical merit can be mimicked. At the time of writing, this is a source of both hope and dread: hope given the possibility of viable avenues of development (although still highly uncertain); dread given how early steps in this direction are already being misrepresented in the pursuit of bullshit and scams. I will return to both shortly.

Narrative Evolution

Back to the table just above, I want to make three quick observations that tie together my entire argument and get us to the end of the essay:

Firstly, the bubbles always follow the price of Bitcoin. Hopefully I don’t need to include a price chart for the reader to grasp this immediately.

Secondly, it’s important that the narrative always changes. Absolutely ungodly amounts of money were raised for this crap following the_ Bitcoin bull runs of 2017 and 2021. The people doing this couldn’t point to the previous absolute disaster, so they had to spin something along the lines of: “_we learned our lessons and we’ve refined the use case.” This should sound familiar from just above.

Thirdly, however, regardless of whatever refinement they’ve come up with, the consequence of the new “narrative” is always, “buy my token”.

Always.

It doesn’t matter what buzzword salad is in the middle. It’s always “Bitcoin is cool, xyz, fughayzi fughahzi, buy my token.”

This is why I am very much tempted to not care so much about developers, academics, entrepreneurs, and so on, and in fact for my null hypothesis to be that they are more likely to have been victims than perpetrators. I don’t think they even end up in a position to contribute without the key group whom I do blame. When you put all these pieces together, what I think falls out of this analysis is as follows:

The entire cycle of shitcoinery can be traced to unscrupulous financiers convincing capital allocators who don’t know any better, in a bull market that, yes, Bitcoin is cool, but what they are doing is related, cooler, and that they deserve a fee.

Let us label this the Capital Cycle Theory of Shitcoinery. I think that everything else about which one might want to complain is downstream of this core realization.

Avoiding It

Given everything I’ve covered this is simple and this is pretty much the end of the essay.

You need to be aware of why this is happening now. If it hasn’t happened to you already (intended readership in the capital allocation business, that is) I guarantee it’s about to: with ETFs and the halving just past, we seem to be starting a Bitcoin bull run, these people have already raised ridiculous amounts of money on scams and bullshit that have mostly imploded. They may have lost a lot of money, or they may even have dumped on retail and got an excellent “return”. But in any case, they need a new narrative.

It's _possible _they have a viable narrative around stablecoins, R&D, both, and that they are as wary of scams as I have suggested here that they should be. I don’t want to insult anybody who merely has a different investment thesis to me if they are otherwise reasonable in their outlook and honest in their dealings.

However, if they are only now realizing how pointless and disingenuous every preceding crypto narrative has been after 7 years and hundreds of billions of dollars – or if they still don’t realize it at all; if their track record shows they were deeply involved, handsomely rewarded, and yet created nothing of lasting value; if they say things like “the builders are coming back to Bitcoin”: be very, very suspicious. Be on the lookout for tokens, which is to say, be on the lookout for scams.

What is especially frustrating is that the technical spin of the "layer twos" that are all the rage at the time of writing, that "the builders are coming back to Bitcoin" to build, and that you, the capital-allocating reader, will almost certainly be pitched, is in and of itself pretty reasonable. They just don't require tokens and they don't require gambling to support the token prices. What they do require is _sound adherence to Bitcoin's technical and economic merit. _At the very least, they require honest communication about the design trade-offs so far and planned for, and what, if any, economic and technical merit is left over after these trade-offs have been made.

Narrative aside, the _reality _of 99% of these projects is that they are private execution environments tied to multisigs custodying user deposits. Which is to say, on the one hand, that they are cargo culting "crypto R&D" from Ethereum that isn't technically possible in Bitcoin in order to feign technical merit, and on the other, that _they aren't layer twos at all. _Once again, they may as well be Chaumian eCash mints, except for the fact that this would make the intended token scam all but impossible to pull off.

Casey Rodarmor, creator of the Ordinals protocol, recently joked on the Hell Money _podcast he co-hosts, responding to the idea that "_everybody is building an L2 now":

"It's the same sad sack playbook as on Ethereum being recapitulated on Bitcoin. That's how you get a VC check on Ethereum. They are all glorified multisigs, so they are like, "hey let's port our glorified multisig to Bitcoin and get a VC check." I was talking to a friend of mine who is working on an interesting project, an open-source analyzer that does transaction clustering, and I was like, "maybe you could do this in this way and raise some VC money," and he said, "yeah, okay, but what's the point in raising VC money?" And I said, "no, no, no, this is the end! This is the goal! You raise VC money and then you cut yourself checks from that VC money until it runs out and then you raise more at a 10x valuation. This is the new economy, guys!"

The 1% that are legitimately trying to bring the learnings from crypto R&D to Bitcoin in a technically and economically sound manner will hopefully win in the long run (and even this is somewhat speculative at the time of writing) but will likely get little to no attention amidst this bull market flurry of scams and bullshit.

Axiom will do its best to source and invest in these companies (we already have!) but we are resigned to it being a much more difficult sell to capital allocators in light of the Capital Cycle Theory of Shitcoinery. To be brutally honest, this entire essay can fairly be considered cope on my part in light of having lost this battle in the past and facing up to the very real prospect of losing it in the near future too. Oh well, at least I tried.

Wrapping Up

The essence of the Capital Cycle Theory of Shitcoinery is that the problems I’ve described ultimately come from bamboozling people just like you with technical sounding nonsense like “Web 3” so you think it’s all a lot more complicated than it really is. Just buy Bitcoin. That’s certainly the first thing you should do anyway, and it might be the only thing you ever need to do.

If you really, really want to take the extra risk of investing in the Bitcoin ecosystem, the team at Axiom would be happy to speak with you. But we are never going to talk you out of buying Bitcoin. There is no world in which Bitcoin does poorly and we do well, or in which we promise something “better than Bitcoin,” and there’s no point in engaging with us at all if you don’t already believe most of this.

If that’s of interest to you, we’d love to talk. If not, just buy Bitcoin. In any case: fair warning, we are heading into a Bitcoin bull market and the scams and the bullshit are coming. Good luck avoiding them.

Allen Farrington, June 2024

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

Thanks to the decline in the quality of churches, there are a lot of people who have turned into lone wolf Christians. They try to follow Jesus, but don’t attend church, don’t fellowship with other Christians, and generally don’t live lives much different than unbelievers. As God said at creation, “… It is not good for the man to be alone…” (Genesis 2:18). We were made in the image of God and that includes the need for fellowship with likeminded individuals. In that moment of not wanting man to be alone, a woman, Eve, was created to be his complement and to form the new family unit. In addition to not being part of a local church, we also have people, including Christians, foregoing marriage because of the cultural problems that too often lead to divorce.

Solomon, the wisest man in the world (at least at the time), pondered relationships and more in the book of Ecclesiastes.

Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task. (Ecclesiastes 4:7-8)

What do we work for? If our work is solely for ourselves during our brief mortal lives, it doesn’t have much purpose. If we are working to take care of our families, if we are working to support our church, and if we are working to be able to support those in need and share the Gospel with them, then we are doing a good work. If we are just working for ourselves, it is worthless.

And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:3)

God created us to fellowship with others just as the three persons of the Trinity are in perfect fellowship with each other.

One institution, created by God, is the family. The perfect fulfillment of the family is a married man and woman and their biological children. The church (the fellowship of believers, not the building or the formal organization) is another form of family.

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

When I was in high school, I went on a boat ride down the St. Johns River to downtown Jacksonville for dinner with my parents and my Dad's cousin and aunt. My Dad's cousin was a married music pastor at a Baptist church. We only met face to face that one time, but we talked for hours. We were both Christians (my parents are not). You would say a married, middle-aged working man and a single high school girl would have nothing in common, but as fellow believers, it was like talking to a close family member. After the trip my Mom asked what in the world we had in common that would allow us to talk for so long together and I told her it was our faith. To this day, we still keep in touch.

The traditional family is critically important, but the church family is also a big deal.

When we are alone, we can be misled; we can be weak; we can get sick; and we can give up. When we have family and/or a church, we have others to assist us in our weakness and sickness. We have others to encourage us to be our best. We have others to correct us when we go astray. Whether it is our daily trials that every person on earth has or whether it is our spiritual growth, having others to encourage and correct us is very important for a fulfilling and godly life.

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) {emphasis mine}

Gathering together with other believers isn’t just a useful thing to have, but is a command from God. He has commanded us to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together.” It is so easy to get frustrated because a church you visited taught unbiblical teachings or even just platitudes rather than God ordained truths. It is easy to get frustrated at unloving church members and infighting. It is easy to get frustrated when we do not easily find a good church (they are getting harder and harder to find) or when we are hurt by a church, but believers need Christians fellowship. We need it for our wellbeing and growth. We need it because God commanded it.

We do need to find a church that teaches the truth of the Bible, shares the Gospel, and loves people. We don’t want to attend just any service that uses the word “church” because there are “churches” that don’t have much to do with God, Jesus, and the Bible. It may be hard to find a good church. It may even require you drive further or to move to another location to find a good church, but only you know your situation. Despite all of this, it is important and should be a priority in all Christian’s lives. It is quite likely that finding a good church is harder than finding a good job, so you might even have to pick your living location based on a church rather than a job. God is worth it. A good church is worth it.

As important as it is to find a good, Bible believing, Gospel preaching church, I’d also advise against waiting for the perfect church. Churches (the organizations) are made up of imperfect people. There are no perfect churches because churches are made up of imperfect people. I’ve heard the saying, “If you find a perfect church, don’t join because you will mess it up.” Church is for encouraging each other to grow in faith and godliness; it isn’t a place for perfect people to show up and show off their perfectness.

Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.

Honor widows who are widows indeed; but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God. (1 Timothy 5:1-4)

This passage is a great guideline for Christian relationships. We are trying to build up each other in the Lord. We want to encourage all believers to grow in faith, to become more Christ-like, and to share the Gospel with everyone they can. This encouragement, or exhortation, can include correction, given and received in love.

We should long for fellowship with God and other believers. This passage from Paul is a great example of his longing to be with fellow believers for the other’s benefit and for his own.

For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. (Romans 1:9-15) {emphasis mine}

Notice that Paul wants fellowship with other believers both for his own encouragement, but more so that he may aid them. Our church attendance shouldn’t just be sitting absorbing the pastor’s sermon. It should also be ministering to fellow believers.

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:12-13)

When we regularly fellowship with other believers and have fellow believers who know what is going on in our lives, it helps prevent us from drifting away. Those who know and care for us will encourage us to read the Bible, pray, study, attend church, and share our faith. They will discourage us from staying home on Sunday, getting busy with unedifying entertainment to the harm of our faith, and becoming conformed to the culture rather than Jesus.

Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:11-17)

This passage above from 1 Thessalonians does such a good job of describing our relationship with our Christian leaders/pastors, fellow believers, and God, that it is hard to add much too it. At the same time, it is nearly impossible to obey if you aren’t involved in a local church. This is what God has called us to do and how God has called us to live.

You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting1 and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:10-12) {emphasis mine}

We need to be exhorted, encouraged, and implored and we need to exhort, encourage, and implore our fellow believers. This is what it means to “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you.”

Trust Jesus.\ \ your sister in Christ

@ 2fb77d26:c47a6ee1

****Der Staat geriert sich als Bewahrer von Demokratie und Menschenrechten, als singuläres Modell zur Aufrechterhaltung gesellschaftlicher Ordnung. Dabei haben die Strukturen supranationaler »Global Governance« das Konzept Nationalstaat längst obsolet gemacht. Und auch ein Blick auf das Handeln des Machtapparats Staat lässt begründete Zweifel an dessen öffentlicher Darstellung aufkommen – denn das Kerngeschäft eines jeden Staates besteht aus Unterdrückung, Raub und Mord. **

---

Mein exklusiver Beitrag für die zweite GEGENDRUCK, die 224 Seiten umfasst, am 15.10.2024 veröffentlicht wurde und unter www.gegendruck.eu bestellt werden kann. Nur durch die Unterstützung von analogen Formaten dieser Art wird aus der Gegenwart eine Vergangenheit, die man in der uns drohenden Zukunft noch zu rekonstruieren vermag. * Original mit Quellen: www.regenauer.press/blog/regieren-ist-ok*

---

»Wenn das Volk die Regierung fürchtet, haben wir Tyrannei. Wenn die Regierung das Volk fürchtet, haben wir Freiheit« – soll Thomas Jefferson, einer der Gründerväter der USA, dereinst festgehalten haben. Wer sich also in Anbetracht des Status quo noch nicht ganz si-cher ist, mit welchem Herrschaftssystem ihn die kriegslüsterne Biosicherheitsdoktrin der Postmoderne beglückt, mag in Jeffersons Worten entsprechende Inspiration finden. Denn mit Demokratie hat die ohrenbetäubende Kakofonie von Stil-, Rechts- und Sinnbrüchen selbstverständlich nichts zu tun. Die verblassende Pluralismussimulation der zurückliegen-den Dekaden mausert sich zu dem, was mental mobile Staatstheoretiker, Historiker, Philoso-phen, Journalisten und Aktivisten seit langem erwarten – einer offen kriminellen Terrorherr-schaft. Selten war klarer als jetzt: Regieren ist organisierte Kriminalität.

Folgt man Thomas Hobbes und Friedrich Nietzsche, ist der Staat ein »Ungeheuer«. Wäh-rend Hobbes diesen Umstand durchaus goutierte, fand Nietzsche ihn abstoßend. Und zwar zurecht. Denn die repressiven Züge, die das Staatskonzept seit der frühen Neuzeit kenn-zeichnen, sind inhärenter Bestandteil der Politikproduktion. Egal, welche Ideologie ein Staat vertritt, seinen Souveränitätsanspruch kann er nur mit Gewalt durchsetzen. Nach außen mit Krieg, nach innen mit dem auf konstant interpretationsoffener werdenden Gesetzen basieren-den Gewaltmonopol. Im Rahmen seiner Halbwertszeit durchläuft jedes Herrschaftskonstrukt vergleichbare Zyklen. Ist ein Staat gegründet, eine Regierung ausgerufen, institutionalisiert sie das favorisierte politische Modell – Demokratie, Sozialismus, Konservatismus, Libera-lismus, et cetera – und vereinnahmt ihre Untertanen mit Indoktrination, Zugeständnissen und moderater Autonomie. Doch Macht korrumpiert. Und macht gierig. Vor allem in repräsenta-tiven Systemen wie der korporatisierten Sozialdemokratie, wo Einfluss einen monetären Wert darstellt.

Die Folge: Lobbyismus, Korruption, Lagerbildung, Grabenkämpfe und Obszönitäten. Einer Phase relativer Freiheit und Prosperität folgt so bald eine mehr oder weniger harsche »Ent-differenzierung« (Wolfgang Merkel, 2010) – also die Auflösung alter Strukturen, Funktio-nen und Integrationsmechanismen. Die herrschenden »Machteliten« (C. Wright Mills, 1956) grenzen sich nach zwei Seiten ab. Auf der einen von regimetreuen Bewahrern des ursprüng-lichen Konzepts, den Konservativen, auf der anderen von den Gegnern »progressiver« Re-formen. Reformen, von denen zumeist die von wachsender staatlicher Machtfülle benachtei-ligte Bevölkerung betroffen ist. Diese zahlt natürlich auch die Zeche. Rechtsprechung und Medien passen sich diesem zusehends autoritären Umfeld an, um ihre Daseinsberechtigung nicht einzubüßen. Mit dem Implementierungsgrad solcher Reformprojekte aus dem Elfen-beinturm, in der Regel begleitet von ausufernder Bürokratie, wachsen die Widerstände dage-gen. Aus Autokratie wird Totalitarismus. »Erst ist es ein Polizeistaat, dann kommen die Aufstände«. Die »Mistgabeln« (Nick Hanauer, 2014). Aus der Vogelperspektive betrachtet sind es stets die gleichen zivilisatorischen Prozesse. Seit Jahrhunderten. In allen Systemen. Offen ist nur, wie brutal der Staat vorgehen muss, um sich an der Macht zu halten – und wie lange es dauert, bis die Arroganz der wenigen dennoch an der Macht der vielen erstickt.

Denn schlussendlich fällt jedes Imperium. Das lehrt die Geschichte. Hat das System den Zenit überschritten, fällt ob der grotesken Machtexzesse und Schizophrenitäten auch den konformistischsten Etatisten auf, dass die politmediale Schmierenkomödie nichts mehr mit der Realität des eigenen Lebens zu tun hat. Gewalt greift Raum. Psychische Gewalt – und physische. Demnach hat nun zweifelsohne auch der vermeintlich liberale Rechtsstaat der von supranationalen Verordnungen diktierten Gegenwart sein finales Entwicklungsstadium er-reicht: Die Tyrannei.

»Seht uns nur an. Alles ist verdreht, alles steht Kopf. Ärzte zerstören Gesundheit, Anwälte zerstören Gerechtigkeit, Psychiater zerstören Verstand, Wissenschaftler zerstören Wahr-heit, Massenmedien zerstören Information, Religionen zerstören Spiritualität und Regierun-gen zerstören die Freiheit.« (Michael Ellner)

Neu ist das alles nicht. Nur die Darreichungsformen und Machtinstrumente von Herrschaft wandeln sich über die Jahrhunderte. Die disziplinierenden Kontrollmechanismen zur Subor-dination der Massen professionalisieren sich im Rahmen des technologischen Fortschritts. So wirkt der Panoptismus der Postmoderne vor allem deshalb monströs, weil unser Gehirn evolutionär nicht darauf eingestellt ist. Es ist der Militarisierung von Information im Dauer-feuer multimedialer Infantilisierungspropaganda in den wenigsten Fällen gewachsen. Wer versucht, dieser omnipräsenten Pervertierung von Realität mit tradierten Denk- und Hand-lungsmustern zu begegnen, geht unter.

Nicht umsonst klagt der »Widerstand« in weiten Teilen über Erschöpfungszustände, Ver-schleiß, Burnout und Depression. Genau da soll er in Augen des Staatskonzeptes sein – am Ende. Aufgerieben. Entmutigt. Ohnmächtig. Dabei wäre gerade Humor das Patentrezept, um auch düsteren Zeiten ein erfülltes Leben abzugewinnen. Ein freies Leben. Denn frei wird man nicht, frei ist man – oder eben nicht. Freiheit ist eine Geisteshaltung, kein organisatori-sches Problem.

»Unsere Gesellschaft wird von Wahnsinnigen mit wahnsinnigen Zielen geführt. (…) Und ich denke, ich werde als Wahnsinniger eingesperrt, wenn ich das zum Ausdruck bringe. Das ist das Verrückte daran.« (John Lennon)

In diesem Lichte betrachtet nimmt es also kaum Wunder, dass das primäre Ziel der regieren-den Kaste darin besteht, die Bevölkerung in Angst, Armut, Abhängigkeiten und Agonie zu halten. Selbstbestimmte, selbstbewusste Individuen hätten nämlich nicht nur die Zeit, son-dern auch die mentale Kapazität und die Mittel, das Ponzi-Schema des polit-finanziellen Komplexes intellektuell wie organisatorisch zu durchdringen. Dementsprechend ist das Staatskonzept auch nicht darauf ausgelegt, das Individuum zu fördern. Es dient der Imple-mentierung eines konformistischen Kollektivismus. Die Massen sollen sich um die Flagge scharen. Wer kritische Fragen stellt und sich der Polonaise der Gutgläubigen verweigert, gilt als Landesverräter.

Doch nicht nur die vermeintlichen Häretiker sind Opfer staatlicher Willkür und Gewaltherr-schaft. Jeder Bürger stellt per se eine potenzielle Gefahr für die Machthaber dar. Dement-sprechend agiert das »Ungeheuer« Staat. Es führt einen konstanten – mehr oder weniger vernichtenden – Krieg gegen die eigene Bevölkerung. Welche Waffen in diesem Gefecht zum Einsatz kommen, erläutert ein von Wikileaks am 13. Juni 2008 veröffentlichtes Ge-heimdokument der US-Armee vom 20. September 1994. Titel: »Foreign Internal Defense Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Special Forces«. Zu Deutsch: Taktiken, Techniken und Verfahren zur internen Verteidigung im Ausland für Spezialeinheiten. Julian Assange nannte es einmal »das wichtigste Dokument, das Wikileaks je veröffentlichte«. Aus gutem Grund. Denn während der Titel des 219 Seiten umfassenden Strategiepapiers darauf abstellt, dass es sich um Arbeitsanweisungen für Spezialeinheiten handelt, die im Ausland operieren, sind die beschriebenen Methoden der asymmetrischen Kriegsführung genau jene, unter de-nen – neben dem Rest der Welt – auch die amerikanische Bevölkerung leidet.

Die US-Armee beschreibt im Detail, wie die verdeckt operierenden Kräfte Regierungen ab-setzen, Oppositionsgruppen infiltrieren, die Bevölkerung manipulieren und Kriege initiieren sollen. Auf Gesetze, Moral oder Kollateralschäden wird dabei keine Rücksicht genommen. Primäres Ziel – koste es, was es wolle – ist die Durchsetzung der Pax Americana im Zielge-biet. Ein paar Zitate verdeutlichen, wie das »Ungeheuer« dabei vorgeht.

»Aufstände sind nicht einfach zufällige politische Gewalt; sie sind gezielte politische Gewalt. Sie erfordern eine Führung, die Vision, Richtung, Anleitung, Koordination und organisato-rische Kohärenz bietet. Die Anführer der Aufständischen müssen ihre Sache dem Volk be-kannt machen und die Unterstützung der Bevölkerung gewinnen. (…) Ihre Ausbildung, ihr Hintergrund, ihre Familie, ihre sozialen Verbindungen und Erfahrungen prägen ihr Den-ken und die Art und Weise, wie sie ihre Ziele erreichen. Diese Faktoren prägen auch ihre Herangehensweise an die Problemlösung.« (S. 13)

»Die Ideologie von Gruppen innerhalb der Bewegung kann auf unterschiedliche Ansichten über strategische Ziele hinweisen. Gruppen können ideologische Konflikte haben, die gelöst werden müssen, bevor ein Gegner daraus Kapital schlagen kann. Die Ideologie kann wahr-scheinliche Ziele und Taktiken nahelegen. Sie beeinflusst stark die Wahrnehmung der Um-gebung durch den Aufständischen. Diese Wahrnehmung der Umgebung wiederum prägt die organisatorischen und operativen Methoden der Bewegung.« (S. 14)

»Wenn eine Situation explosiv ist, kann fast jedes Ereignis als auslösendes Ereignis dienen. Das richtige Timing kann auch in kurzer Zeit eine Flut von Ereignissen hervorrufen, sodass es schwierig ist, ein einzelnes Ereignis als die Handlung zu bezeichnen, die den Kampf aus-gelöst hat. Daher kann es hilfreicher sein, eine Reihe von Handlungen als auslösendes Er-eignis zu betrachten. Auslösende Ereignisse können historisch sein – und die Aufständi-schen erinnern die Bevölkerung an das Ereignis. Diese Technik befreit den Aufständischen davon, auf ein geeignetes Ereignis zu warten.« (S. 18)

»Oft sind es die Armen, die im Krieg kämpfen. CSDF-Programme (CSDF: Civilian Self-Defense Force) bieten der wohlhabenden Klasse die Möglichkeit, direkt und persönlich am Kampf gegen Gesetzlosigkeit und Aufstände beteiligt zu sein. Geschäftsleute und Fachleute beteiligen sich an CSDF aus einem Gefühl der bürgerlichen Pflicht, aus Stolz und aus der Notwendigkeit, ihr Vermögen zu schützen. Ihre aktive Beteiligung verleiht dem Programm Glaubwürdigkeit, stärkt die Legitimität der Regierung und verringert Klassenkonflikte. Wohlhabendes Personal kann bei der Ausstattung seiner Einheiten mithelfen. Es darf ihnen jedoch nicht gestattet sein, den Teilnehmern ein Gehalt zu zahlen.« (S. 128)

»PSYOP-Personal oder in PSYOP ausgebildete SFOD-Mitglieder (SFOD: Special Forces Operational Detachment) erleichtern die Zusammenarbeit zwischen der lokalen Bevölke-rung und dem HN-Militär (HN: Host Nation). Wenn qualifiziertes oder fähiges HN-Personal verfügbar ist, arbeitet das US-Personal durch sie. CSDF-Elemente müssen in der Anwendung von PSYOP geschult werden, um die Bevölkerung über die Vorteile zu informie-ren, die sie durch die Zusammenarbeit mit ihnen erzielen. PSYOP-Themen müssen sich an nationale und/oder fiktive Themen halten, um eine einheitliche Politik darzustellen. Es ist entscheidend, dass PSYOP zunächst an die lokale Bevölkerung gerichtet wird, um ihre Un-terstützung der Aufständischen zu beenden und ihre Akzeptanz und Zusammenarbeit für das CSDF-Programm zu gewinnen. (…) PSYOP kann die Mission unterstützen, indem es die aufständischen Kräfte bei neutralen Gruppen diskreditiert, Zwietracht unter den Auf-ständischen selbst sät und Überläuferprogramme unterstützt. Spaltungsprogramme führen zu Zwietracht, Desorganisation, niedriger Moral, Subversion und Überläufern innerhalb der aufständischen Kräfte. Wichtig sind auch nationale Programme, um Aufständische mit Angeboten von Amnestie und Belohnungen auf die Seite der Regierung zu ziehen. Die Motive für eine Kapitulation können von persönlichen Rivalitäten und Bitterkeit bis hin zu Desillusi-onierung und Entmutigung reichen. Druck seitens der Sicherheitskräfte hat Überzeugungs-kraft. (…) Alle Agenten werden genau beobachtet und diejenigen, die nicht zuverlässig sind, werden abgelöst. Wenige, zielgerichtete, zuverlässige Agenten sind besser und wirtschaftli-cher als viele schlechte. (…) Sicherheitskräfte können Einzelpersonen aus der Bevölkerung dazu bringen, Informanten zu werden. Sicherheitskräfte nutzen verschiedene Motive (Staatsbürgersinn, Patriotismus, Angst, Strafvermeidung, Dankbarkeit, Rache oder Eifer-sucht, finanzielle Belohnungen) als überzeugende Argumente. Sie nutzen die Zusicherung des Schutzes vor Repressalien als Hauptanreiz.« (S. 139, ff)

Zusammengefasst: Die Reichen bezahlen, sorgen für Stimmung und Glaubwürdigkeit, die politische Klasse passt die Vorgehensweise an lokale Strukturen, herrschende Ideologien, Demoskopie und Kommunikationsprozesse an – und die Armen werden zum Sterben an die Front geschickt. Und das sind nur kurze Einblicke in ein über 200 Seiten starkes Handbuch zum Krieg gegen die Zivilbevölkerung, die in Augen des Hegemon offenkundig nichts ande-res als Verfügungsmasse und Kanonenfutter ist. Man möchte Julian Assange beipflichten: Dieses Dokument erklärt nicht nur, warum unsere Gesellschaften, die Wirtschaft und das moralische Koordinatensystem des Homo sapiens in Auflösung begriffen sind – die Skru-pellosigkeit der im Detail beschriebenen Methoden lässt einem das Blut in den Adern gefrie-ren. Selbst nach auszugsweiser Lektüre muss man konstatieren: Nietzsche hatte Recht. Der Staat ist ein eiskaltes Ungeheuer.

Doch was ist der Staat? War es früher das klar erkenntliche Machtvehikel von Monarchen, Imperatoren, Familiendynastien und Klerus, erweckt das Staatskonzept der jüngeren Neuzeit gerne den Eindruck, es hätte sich von dieser Despotie der wenigen gelöst, stünde für sich, auf einem Fundament des Volkswillens, der sich in Verfassungen, Gesetzen und Wahlen widerspiegelt. Weit gefehlt. Auch die »Global Governance« von heute ist nichts anderes als Despotismus. Weithin kontrolliert von den gleichen Bankenkartellen, Familien, Unterneh-men und Organisationen, die seit Generationen den Lauf der Welt bestimmen. Die Regenbo-gen emanierende Pluralismussimulation der Postmoderne verbirgt diesen Umstand nur bes-ser. Sie tyrannisiert indirekt. Köpfe werden nicht mehr abgeschlagen, sondern gewaschen. Exakt so, wie es die angloamerikanischen Vordenker dieses Systems im ausgehenden 19. Jahrhundert insinuierten. Siehe Carroll Quigley, Tragedy and Hope, 1966, Kapitel »The Fu-ture in Perspective«, Seite 1247:

»Das Argument, dass die beiden Parteien entgegengesetzte Ideale und politische Ansichten vertreten sollten, eine vielleicht rechts, die andere links, ist eine törichte Idee, die nur für doktrinäre und akademische Denker akzeptabel ist. Stattdessen sollten die beiden Parteien nahezu identisch sein, sodass das amerikanische Volk die Schurken bei jeder Wahl raus-werfen kann, ohne dass es zu tiefgreifenden oder umfassenden politischen Veränderungen kommt. Die politischen Pläne, die für Amerika lebenswichtig und notwendig sind, sind nicht länger Gegenstand großer Meinungsverschiedenheiten, sondern nur noch in Einzelheiten des Verfahrens, der Priorität oder der Methode umstritten.«

Sodass nach Scheindebatten, Empörungsmanagement und Abstimmungen nicht vom allge-meinen Kurs abgewichen werden muss. Was Quigleys elitäre Zirkel – er war bis zur Veröf-fentlichung von Tragedy and Hope einer von ihnen und unterstützte ihre Ideen – für die Rückführung der 13 US-Kolonien sowie die moderne Expansion des britischen Empire vor-sahen, ist heute zentrales Element der wertewestlichen Fassadendemokratie. Symptombe-sprechung, Lippenbekenntnisse, Emotionsamplituden, »Der Dritte Weg« – »wo soziale Ge-rechtigkeit und Markt miteinander versöhnt werden sollen« – und auch nach der x-ten Wahl bleibt alles beim Alten. Ob Berlin, Brüssel, London, New York, Beirut oder Peking: Ein Potemkin’sches Dorf. Denn wir leben längst in der Idealvorstellung von Benito Mussolini, der den perfekten Faschismus als Korporatismus bezeichnete und als symbiotische Fusion der Macht von Staat und Konzernen verstand. Als »Public Private Partnership«.

»Benito Mussolini hat der modernen Sparpolitik den Weg bereitet und die Arbeiterbewe-gung unterdrückt. Liberale Ökonomen im In- und Ausland bewunderten ihn dafür«, schrieb man bei Jacobin am 6. März 2023. So zeitigt das Staatskonzept dieser Tage die gleichen ver-heerenden Folgen wie die Herrschaftskonstrukte der Vergangenheit. Vertikale Durchlässig-keit begrenzt, das Volk manipuliert, ausgebeutet und gegängelt. Anstelle von Arbeitslagern, Schlägertrupps und Exekutionskommandos machen heute Algorithmen die Drecksarbeit. Sonst hat sich kaum etwas geändert.

Stand heute leben nach Angaben von Oxfam weltweit knapp fünf Milliarden mehr Men-schen in Armut als vor 2020. Das sind die ärmsten 60 Prozent der Menschheit. Zusammen haben sie circa 20 Milliarden US-Dollar verloren. Das Gesamtvermögen der reichsten Deut-schen wuchs im gleichen Zeitraum von 89 auf 155 Milliarden US-Dollar – ein Zuwachs von 73,85 Prozent. Die 148 größten Konzerne der Welt konnten zwischen Juni 2022 und Juni 2023 circa 1,8 Billionen Dollar an Gewinnen verzeichnen – ein Anstieg von 52,5 Prozent gegenüber dem Durchschnitt der Jahre 2018 bis 2021. Der Reingewinn stieg gegenüber die-sem Zeitraum um 20 Prozent auf 700 Milliarden Dollar. Und die fünf reichsten Menschen der Welt haben ihr Vermögen seit 2020 verdoppelt. Wer vom Nachhaltigkeitskorporatismus profitiert, dürfte damit geklärt sein.

Der Normalbürger dagegen kämpft gegen steigende Steuern, Inflation und anziehende Ener-giekosten. In einem luftabschnürenden Korsett von Verträgen, Verpflichtungen und Ver-bindlichkeiten gefangen, bleibt weder Zeit noch Geld für ein Leben in Würde. Der angepass-te Regenbogendemokrat wird geboren, indoktriniert, ausgebeutet und dann bestattet. Indivi-duelle Entfaltung ist in diesem Lebensentwurf von der Stange nicht vorgesehen. Die leitme-dialen Podiumsdiskussionen um Work-Life-Balance, Gendersprache und feministische Au-ßenpolitik klingen in den Ohren der buckelnden Arbeiterklasse – und auch für weite Teilen des schwindenden Mittelstandes – wie blanker Hohn. Das Habitat des Mediazän, das nicht selten den Eindruck erweckt, man lebe in einer fehlerhaft programmierten Simulation, zwingt seinen Bewohner immer häufiger dazu, sich existenziellen Problemen zu stellen: Unterkunft, Nahrung, Fortpflanzung. Überleben.

Noch bezahlt er Jahreslizenzen für Cloud-Software, Netflix für Filme und Streamingdienste für Musik, die er früher erwarb und dann einfach besaß. Noch geht er wählen und entschei-det brav zwischen Pest und Cholera, um vier weitere Jahre nicht die Hoffnung zu verlieren. Noch glaubt, ignoriert oder kommentiert er leidensfähig die intelligenzbeleidigenden Lügen-gebilde, die als Realität vermarktet werden.

Mithin erstaunlich. Denn nicht erst seit der Corona-Krise belegen nackte Zahlen, dass der Mensch in diesem System nicht nur beraubt und unterdrückt, sondern auch als Versuchska-ninchen für den pharmakologisch-finanziellen Komplex missbraucht wird. Nürnberger Ko-dex hin oder her. Während Robert Koch vor der Schaffung dieses vermeintlichen Bollwerks für die körperliche Unversehrtheit noch ungestraft Menschenversuche in seinen kolonialen Konzentrationslagern durchführen durfte, ist das Thema seit Ende des Zweiten Weltkrieges tabu. Gesetzlich eliminiert. Angeblich. Doch bereits in den 1940er Jahren infizierte der US-Gesundheitsdienst Gefängnisinsassen und psychisch kranke Personen mit Syphilis-Erregern. Von 1946 bis 1949 weiteten die USA das Programm auf Guatemala aus und machten sich zusätzlich über Soldaten und Prostituierte her. Das Echo der angelsächsisch geprägten Eugeniklehre hallte im fortgeführten Rassismus nach.

»Schockierende Fälle wie der Tod der 49 Kinder nach Medikamententests in einem indi-schen Krankenhaus sind in der Geschichte der Medizin nichts Neues: In den USA wurde Farbigen zu Studienzwecken von 1932 bis 1972 die Syphilis-Therapie verweigert.« (SZ, Das Verbrechen von Tuskegee, 11. Mai 2010)

Am 20. September 1950 spritzte die US-Marine vor der Küste San Franciscos Mikroben in die Troposphäre, um zu testen, welche Effekte ein Angriff mit Biowaffen auf die damals 800.000 Einwohner der Stadt haben würde. 1953 startete die CIA das MK-Ultra-Programm, in dessen Rahmen abertausenden ahnungsloser Menschen LSD verabreicht wurde. Zwei Jahre später nahm »Project Whitecoat« – Projekt Weißkittel – seine Arbeit auf. Die bestand im Verlauf der folgenden 20 Jahre darin, Menschenversuche mit Hasenpest, Typhus, Gelb-fieber und Milzbrand durchzuführen. Und Ende der 60er testeten die amerikanischen Streit-kräfte Nervengas an den eigenen Soldaten. Der SPIEGEL schrieb diesbezüglich am 10. Juli 2013:

»11. Oktober, 16:25 Uhr, 26 Stunden nach Testbeginn. Kleine blutende Anomalien am lin-ken Bein festgestellt. Subjekt behauptet, es habe seinen Rasierer fallen gelassen und sich dabei ins Bein geschnitten – doch so war es nicht. Er habe seine Sommersprossen damals für Käfer gehalten, sagt Rochelle: »Die krabbelten überall unter meiner Haut herum«. Den Betreuern habe er nichts davon erzählt, es sei ihm peinlich gewesen: »Ich habe meine Ra-sierklinge genommen und versucht, die Käfer aus meiner Haut zu schneiden.« Er war längst nicht mehr selbst dazu in der Lage, die Experimente zu stoppen. Damit war die Ein-verständniserklärung Makulatur. So wie Frank Rochelle ergeht es in Edgewood mehr als 7.800 US-Soldaten; im ganzen Land sind es rund 100.000. Systematisch haben Militär und Geheimdienste die eigenen Leute seit Ende des Ersten Weltkriegs Giften, Gasen, Drogen und Psycho-Kampfstoffen ausgesetzt, darunter LSD, Sarin, Senfgas, BZ, VX, Barbiturate, Amphetamine, Chlorpromazin und immer so weiter. Nachsorgeuntersuchungen? Fehlan-zeige. Erst nach fast sechs Jahrzehnten stoppt das US-Parlament die Menschenversuche im Jahr 1975.«

Ebenfalls bis weit in die 70er hinein injizierte man US-Gefängnisinsassen Pestizide und Herbizide. Mindestens 2.600 Menschen wurden derartigen Versuchen unterzogen. Natürlich musste auch die Atombombe am lebenden Objekt getestet werden. Sowohl Frankreich als auch Großbritannien, die ehemalige Sowjetunion oder die USA schickten Menschen auf die Testgelände. Viele von ihnen segneten danach relativ rasch das Zeitliche. Bis heute kämpfen Bewohner der entsprechenden Landstriche um Entschädigungen, weil sie ihre Krebserkran-kungen der im Umland von Testgebieten gestreuten Strahlung zuschreiben. In den 70ern machte sich der Journalist Paul Jacobs auf eigene Faust daran, die Geschichte der Betroffe-nen zu dokumentieren – um 1978 selbst an Krebs zu sterben. Selbst vor Versuchen an Kin-dern schreckte das »Ungeheuer« nie zurück, wie wiederum der SPIEGEL in Ausgabe 45 vom 2. November 1986 ausführt:

»Dwayne winkte seiner Mutter zu, sie lächelte zurück, dann schloss sich die schwere Eisen-tür hinter dem todkranken Kind. Seit drei Jahren wurde Dwayne Sexton am Strahleninstitut des Atomforschungszentrums Oak Ridge im Bundesstaat Tennessee gegen Leukämie be-handelt. Er hatte eine qualvolle Knochenmark-Transplantation sowie etliche Runden von Chemotherapie hinter sich. Alles war vergeblich geblieben. Als letztes Mittel wollten die Ärz-te nun versuchen, mit massiver Bestrahlung die Krebszellen im Knochenmark des Kindes zu zerstören. Dass diese Methode riskant und – zur damaligen Zeit, 1968 – auch wenig er-probt war, teilten die Ärzte den Eltern des Kindes mit. Was sie aber verschwiegen, war, dass sie auch im Auftrag der amerikanischen Weltraumbehörde NASA arbeiteten. Sie soll-ten herausfinden, wieviel Strahlung Astronauten im All aushalten würden, ohne krank zu werden. Für die von der NASA bestellte Untersuchung erprobten die Ärzte an ihren Patien-ten, so hieß es in einem ihrer Berichte, verschiedene »therapeutische Szenarien, die aus Strahlenmengen im All abgeleitet wurden«. Im Klartext: Nicht allein medizinische Erwä-gungen zum Wohl des Patienten setzten die Höhe der Strahlendosis fest, sondern auch die Bedürfnisse der NASA. In diesem Sinn waren die Patienten lebende Versuchskaninchen.«

Mindestens 23.000 US-Amerikaner wurden von Militäreinrichtungen und Gesundheitsbe-hörden vorsätzlich verstrahlt. Zu Forschungszwecken. »Kalter Krieg gegen US-Bevölkerung« nannte es die taz am 24. Oktober 1994.

»Zwischen 1950 und 1972 finanzierte das Pentagon außerdem fünf klinische Studien über die Aufnahmefähigkeit des menschlichen Körpers von Strahlen, um Aussagen über die psy-chologischen wie biologischen Folgen von Atomexplosionen zu erhalten. Die Versuchsper-sonen waren größtenteils in Armut lebende Schwarze. (…) Bei einem anderen Experiment mussten Soldaten auf Fässern mit radioaktivem Material herumfahren, um zu prüfen, ob ihre Autos sie vor den Strahlen schützten. In Hanford im US-Bundesstaat Washington setz-ten die Militärs absichtlich eine nukleare Wolke frei, um die Verlagerung der Wolke zu un-tersuchen. Aufgrund einer plötzlichen Änderung der Wetterlage fielen die radioaktiven Teil-chen auf einem 300 Kilometer langen und 60 Kilometer breiten Gebiet nieder (…). (jW, 29. August 1997)

Der Umgang mit der indigenen Bevölkerung wirft kein besseres Licht auf die Vereinigten Staaten. Von fünf bis sieben Millionen Ureinwohnern im Jahr 1500 waren im Jahr 1900 noch 237.000 übrig. Ob Hungersnöte, Sklavenarbeit, Massaker, Umsiedlungen oder »Boar-ding Schools« – Umerziehungsinternate: Die aus Großbritannien eingereisten Siedler verüb-ten einen Genozid an den indigenen Stämmen. Nachdem die mageren Reste der stolzen Indi-anervölker in Reservate gepfercht worden waren, suchte der Staat deren Fortpflanzung mit-tels Zwangssterilisation zu verhindern. Mehr als 60.000 Indigene wurden im 20. Jahrhundert einer solch abscheulichen Behandlung unterzogen. Darüber hinaus war das Eugenik-Programm der USA, das erst 1981 endgültig eingestellt wurde, Grundlage für die Rassen-lehre des deutschen NS-Regimes.

Ähnlich ging man in Kanada vor. Seit den 1920er Jahren wurden dort tausende indigene Frauen zwangssterilisiert – bis heute – obwohl die entsprechenden Gesetze mittlerweile ab-geschafft wurden. Die tagesschau vermeldet dazu am 10. März 2024:

»Die Worte des weißen Arztes haben sich Liz (…) ins Gedächtnis gebrannt: »Es ist besser, du stimmst der Abtreibung zu. Denn wir werden dir dieses Baby wegnehmen. So oder so«. Die damals 17-jährige Kanadierin vom indigenen Volk der Anishinabe wagt es nicht, zu widersprechen. Verängstigt sitzt sie Ende der 1970er-Jahre im Behandlungsraum der Indi-an Clinic in der Provinz Ontario, einer Klinik, in der Indigene behandelt werden, damit sie an die sogenannte Zivilisation angepasst werden. (…) Die alleinerziehende Mutter sei nicht in der Lage, für ein weiteres Kind zu sorgen. Der Arzt will ihr deshalb die Eileiter abbinden und sie dadurch sterilisieren. (…) Erst Jahre später wird ihr klar: Sie ist nicht allein. Zehn-tausende indigene Frauen sind in Kanada seit den 1920er-Jahren im Einklang mit der Eu-genik-Gesetzgebung gegen ihren Willen sterilisiert worden. Und obwohl es diese Gesetze nicht mehr gibt, geschieht es bis heute, weiß Senatorin Yvonne Boyer im Kongress in Otta-wa (…). Noch immer ist Zwangssterilisation kein Tatbestand im kanadischen Strafgesetz-buch. (…) Vergangenes Jahr wurde in den Nordwest-Territorien ein Arzt bestraft, weil er 2019 eine Inuit-Frau gegen ihren Willen unfruchtbar gemacht hat. Er verlor seine Lizenz – für fünf Monate.«

Dass sich nicht nur das angloamerikanische Empire für Eugenik begeisterte, zeigt die Ein-richtung des ersten rassenbiologischen Instituts in Schweden im Jahr 1921. Zwischen 1935 und 1976 wurden dort circa 62.000 Menschen zwangssterilisiert. Die offiziellen Begrün-dungen für die Eingriffe reichten von »Mischling« über »Alkoholismus« bis zu »dämlich« und »religiös«. Sprich: Reine Willkür unter dem Deckmantel der Wissenschaft. Legalisiert vom schwedischen Staat.

Heute begegnen uns die staatlich organisierten Eugenik-Programme unter wohlklingenden Labels wie Bioethik, reproduktive Gesundheit, biosoziale Forschung und Bevölkerungspoli-tik. Seit 1954 finden die von den Vereinten Nationen (UN) organisierten Weltbevölkerungs-konferenzen statt. Die letzte im November 2019 in Nairobi (Kenia). Was bei diesen Konfe-renzen besprochen wird, lässt sich anhand eines Artikels des GUARDIAN vom 15. April 2012 oder eines Beitrags von C-Fam (Center for Family and Human Rights) erahnen:

»Großbritannien hat 166 Millionen Pfund (268 Millionen Dollar) für ein Regierungspro-gramm in Indien gespendet, das arme Frauen und Männer zwangssterilisiert. Die britische Hilfsorganisation nannte die Notwendigkeit, dem Klimawandel durch Bevölkerungsreduzie-rung zu begegnen, als Hauptgrund für die Finanzierung des missbräuchlichen indischen Programms (…). Verpfuschte Operationen verursachten Qualen, Blutungen und Todesfäl-le. In einer von der britischen Regierung ins Visier genommenen Region verblutete die 35-jährige Frau eines armen Arbeiters, die mit Zwillingen schwanger war. Einige Frauen, die während der Schwangerschaft sterilisiert wurden, erlitten Fehlgeburten. Einige wurden mit weniger als acht Dollar und einem Sari bestochen, anderen wurde mit dem Verlust ihrer Lebensmittelkarten gedroht. Manchen wurde gesagt, die Operationen dienten der allgemei-nen Gesundheitsfürsorge, und sie erfuhren den wahren Zweck erst zu spät. Kliniken erhiel-ten Prämien für mehr als dreißig Operationen pro Tag. Nichtstaatliche Mitarbeiter wurden für jede Person bezahlt, die sie zu einer Operation überredeten. Ein Chirurg, der in einem Schulgebäude arbeitete, führte in zwei Stunden 53 Operationen durch – ohne qualifiziertes Personal, fließendes Wasser oder Mittel zum Reinigen der Geräte. Berichte der indischen Regierung aus den Jahren 2006 und 2009 warnten vor Problemen mit dem Programm. Dennoch empfahl ein Bericht des britischen Ministeriums für internationale Entwicklung aus dem Jahr 2010 die weitere Unterstützung des Programms mit der Begründung, dass eine Reduzierung der Bevölkerungszahl die Treibhausgase senken würde. (…) Sterilisation ist die häufigste Methode der Familienplanung, die in Phase II des indischen Programms für Reproduktions- und Kindergesundheit eingesetzt wird, das 2005 mit britischer Finanzie-rung begann. Trotz der Enthüllungen im ersten Jahr hat Großbritannien keine Bedingungen an seine Finanzierung geknüpft. (…) Im Juli wird Großbritannien zusammen mit der Bill & Melinda Gates Stiftung einen Familienplanungsgipfel in London ausrichten. Ziel der Veran-staltung ist es, beispielloses politisches Engagement und Ressourcen von Entwicklungslän-dern, Gebern, dem privaten Sektor, der Zivilgesellschaft und anderen Partnern zu generie-ren, um den Familienplanungsbedarf von Frauen in den ärmsten Ländern der Welt bis 2020 zu decken, erklärte das britische Ministerium für internationale Entwicklung. Melinda Gates hielt kürzlich eine Rede, in der sie behauptete, dass die Hilfe bei der Empfängnisver-hütung nichts mit Bevölkerungskontrolle oder Zwangssterilisationsprogrammen zu tun ha-be.« (C-Fam, 2. Mai 2012)

»Familienplanungsbedarf«? Dass solche Programme nichts mit »Bevölkerungskontrolle« zu tun haben, ist eine infame Lüge. Schon die von Julian Huxley verfasste Grundsatzschrift der UNESCO von 1946 spricht davon, dass Eugenik wieder salonfähig gemacht werden muss. »Das Undenkbare wenigstens wieder denkbar machen«, nannte Huxley es damals. So muss auch die ungezügelte Massenmigration als Waffe im mittlerweile allgegenwärtigen Kampf der Kulturen verstanden werden. Dabei ist allerdings nicht die Migration selbst das Problem – denn auch die Migranten sind Opfer dieser Agenda – sondern der jeweilige Auslöser für diese Zuwanderungsströme. Die verarmten, verzweifelten, traumatisierten, mit falschen Ver-sprechungen gelockten und als Spaltpilz missbrauchten Menschen für die Symptome des wertwestlichen Neokolonialismus verantwortlich zu machen, greift zu kurz.

Die chaotischen Zustände auf deutschen, britischen, schwedischen und französischen Stra-ßen sind kein Zufall, sondern gewollt. Das belegt ein Strategiepapier der Vereinten Nationen, das am 21. März 2000 publiziert wurde. Titel des Dokuments: »Replacement Migration: Is it A Solution to Declining and Ageing Populations?« Übersetzt: »Ersatzmigration: Ist sie eine Lösung für schrumpfende und alternde Bevölkerungen?«. Auf 177 Seiten erläutert die Stu-die, wie Frankreich, Großbritannien, Deutschland, Italien, Japan oder Russland zurückge-hende Geburtenraten durch massenhafte Zuwanderung kompensieren sollen. Auf den Seiten 32 und 33 liest man diesbezüglich:

»Abbildung 1 zeigt einen standardisierten Vergleich der Zuwanderungsströme pro Million Einwohner (Stand: 2000). Aus diesem Vergleich geht hervor, dass im Verhältnis zur Lan-desgröße die Zahl der Einwanderer, die im Zeitraum 2000-2050 pro Jahr benötigt wird, um den Bestand der Bevölkerung im erwerbsfähigen Alter zu erhalten (Szenario IV), mit 6.500 Einwanderern auf eine Million Einwohner in Italien am höchsten ist, gefolgt von Deutschland mit 6.000 Einwanderern pro Jahr auf eine Million Einwohner. Von den in die-sem Bericht untersuchten Ländern und Regionen benötigten die Vereinigten Staaten mit et-wa 1.300 Einwanderern auf eine Million Einwohner die geringste Zahl von Einwanderern, um einen Rückgang ihrer Bevölkerung im erwerbsfähigen Alter zu verhindern.«

»Die Zahl der Einwanderer, die notwendig ist, um ein Schrumpfen der Bevölkerung im er-werbsfähigen Alter auszugleichen, übersteigt diejenige, die einen Rückgang der Gesamtbe-völkerung ausgleichen würde, um ein Erhebliches. Ob solche höheren Einwanderungszah-len zu den Optionen gehören, die den Regierungen zur Verfügung stehen, hängt zum großen Teil von den sozialen, wirtschaftlichen und politischen Verhältnissen des jeweiligen Landes beziehungsweise der jeweiligen Region ab.«

Wer also annimmt, dass die Destabilisierungskriege und Raubzüge der NATO-Hegemonie nur dem Zwecke dienten, missliebige Regierungen auszutauschen und der Rohstoffe eines Landes habhaft zu werden, liegt offenkundig falsch. Wenn das wertewestliche Imperium irgendwo Demokratie abwirft, hat es dabei auch die strategischen Ziele globaler Bevölke-rungskontrolle im Blick. Migration als Waffe – gerichtet gegen beide involvierten Parteien. Demnach kann man sich nur wünschen, dass die Gewaltausbrüche zwischen einheimischer Bevölkerung und Migranten in den verschiedenen EU-Ländern rasch ein Ende nehmen und sich die von Verzweiflung herrührende Wut beider Parteien auf das eigentliche Problem fo-kussiert: Die herrschende Kaste und ihr gesichtsloses Imperium supranationaler Organisati-onen.

Wahrlich – die Liste an staatlich organisierten, legitimierten, orchestrierten und geduldeten Gräueltaten ließe sich beliebig lange fortführen. Je nachdem, wie weit man zurückzublicken gedenkt. Viele dieser Verbrechen sind Teil der offiziellen Geschichtsschreibung. Jeder weiß es. Dennoch führt dieses Wissen um die Skrupellosigkeit eines im Kern faschistoiden Sys-tems erstaunlicherweise bis heute nicht dazu, dass sich die Menschheit auf andere Formen des Zusammenlebens, der Verwaltung und Organisation einigt. Noch immer sehnen sich die Massen nach Führung, zentraler Steuerung und Ikonen, die ihnen ein besseres Leben ver-sprechen. Dabei belegt die Zivilisationsgeschichte mehr als eindrücklich, dass es sich um leere Versprechen handelt, dass die Hoffnung auf den edlen Ritter, die rettende Wahl oder eine bessere Zukunft reine Illusion ist. Der Machtapparat Staat dient nur einem einzigen Zweck – dem Erhalt des Machtapparats.

Es bedarf demnach auch keiner Diskussion um marginale Optimierungen des herrschenden Systems. Denn wer nur Symptome behandelt, wird die Ursache der Krankheit nicht eliminie-ren. Es bedarf der konstruktiven Debatte darüber, wie dieses System in Gänze zu ersetzen ist.

Dabei gilt es, eigene Narrative zu entwickeln. Geschichten. Vorstellungen von einer freiheit-lich organisierten Zukunft. Von einem lebenswerten morgen. Für eine Zeit nach dem »Un-geheuer«. Wir brauchen Ideen, von denen wir nachfolgende Generationen begeistern kön-nen. Und damit ist nicht die technische Verbesserung des Smartphones oder eine neue App gemeint, sondern eine Utopie. Denn gegen etwas zu sein, ist einfach. Für etwas zu sein, da-gegen nicht.

So engagieren wir uns längst nicht mehr nur für den Erhalt der Meinungsfreiheit, sondern für die Bewahrung des freien Willens. Denn was im Namen des Staates – »im Namen des Volkes« – und damit im Namen jener Menschen, die den Staat durch Wahl oder Duldung legitimieren, geschah, geschieht und geschehen wird, kann kein emotional gesundes Mitglied unserer Spezies wirklich wollen.

@ f0c7506b:9ead75b8

Rainer Maria Rilke

Yalnızca güçlü olanların hakkıdır yaşamak.

Güçlü olan ileri gider ve saflar seyrekleşir. Ama üç beş büyük, güçlü ve tanrısal kişi güneşli ve aydınlık gözleriyle o yeni, o vaat edilmiş ülkeye ulaşacaktır. Belki binlerce yıl sonra ancak. Ve güçlü, adaleli, hükmetmek için yaratılmış elleriyle hastaların, zayıfların ve sakatların ölüleri üzerinde bir krallık kuracaklardır. Bir krallık!

Benim aradığım insanların kendileri değil, sesleridir.

Duyguları körelmiş, çeşitli düşüncelere saplanmış kalabalık hiçbir zaman ilerlemenin taşıyıcısı olamaz, kendi küçüklüğünün o küflü içgüdüsüyle kalabalığın kin ve nefretle baktığı bir kişi, bir büyük kişi, iradesinin gösterdiği yolda kimsenin gözünün yaşına bakmaksızın ilahi bir güç ve bir zafer gülümsemesiyle yürüyebilir ancak.

Bizim soyumuz da sonsuz oluşum piramidinin doruk noktasını oluşturmaktan uzaktır. Bizler de mükemmelliğe ulaşmış değiliz. Bizler de henüz olgunlaşmadık.

Şairler sevgiye övgüler döşenir; doğrusu sevginin güçlü bir şey olduğu kesin. Hüneşin bir ışınıdır sevgi, aydınlatıp nurlandırır insanı der bazıları; bazıları da insanı esrikliğe sürükleyen bir zehri kendisinde barındırdığını söyler. Gerçekten de yol açtığı sonuçlar, bir hekimin ağır bir ameliyattan önce korkudan titreyen hastaya teneffüs ettirdiği güldürücü gazınkine benzer, içinde tepinip duran acıyı unutturur hastaya.

Önemli olan, hayatta hiç değilse bir kez kutsal bir ilkbaharın yaşanmasıdır; öyle bir bahar ki, insanın gönlünü ilerideki bütün günleri altın yaldızla kaplamaya yetecek kadar ışık ve parıltıyla doldursun.

Şu hayat denen şey kötü bir işçiliğin ürünü, acemilere göre bir şey. Bu kepaze yaşam uğruna insan nelere katlanmıyor ki!

Kendisine sadakatten ayrılmadığı, yalnızca kendisinin olan bir tek bu var: Yalnızlığı.

Sahildeki üstü tenteli hasır koltuklar arkasındaki yüksek, sessiz kum tepeleri içinde yürürsen, tenteler altındaki insanları göremezsin; ama birinin bir diğerine seslendiğini, bir başkasının gevezelik ettiğini, bir ötekinin güldüğünü işitir ve anlarsın hemen: bu insan şöyle şöyle biridir diyebilirsin. Onun hayatı sevdiğini, bağrında büyük bir özlem ya da acı barındırdığını, bu acının da sesini ağlamaklı kıldığını her gülüşünde hissedersin.

@ 30ceb64e:7f08bdf5

I'm working with autistic teens and adults, and I still have the knee jerk temptation of orange pilling them. They do not have the ability to run a node. The central banking cartels and downstream effects of a control economy are so outside of their purview, that bringing it up would be ridiculous.

But.

I am here to help them gain independence. Sovereignty is a ladder and regardless of where someone is on the ladder, it would be my job to guide them into more of it. Not everyone can run a node, some people have intellectual disabilities, physical limitations and higher priorities.

Funnily enough I think it would be easier than one might assume to run a node, I have a client who could do it and have a semblance of what it means. The client has the ability to work, and when he sees trump on the screen, he knows he's the president, and he knows politicians are liars.

I have a few other clients that don't have the ability to work or take care of themselves at all. Running a node is plugging something into the wall, making sure the light is on, and attaching your wallet to it. I aint talkin about a lightning node btw I'm talking about core.

It boggles my mind on what people find so insurmountable about running bitcoin core. I think it might just be people projecting their own bias or inserting their own objections the thing. Start9 and Umbrel can be set up by a loved one, an assistant or nurse can make sure the thing continues being on and that the internet bill is paid. Is it harder managing the persons Bank of America account or is it harder attaching a wallet to your node and leaving the thing on?

Would be cool if I took one of these guys to a bitcoin meetup with a node in a phone and had them teach fools how to conduct a peer to peer transaction. Could even get real fancy, and have them send a freak some e-cash. When I was at bitcoin Miami an OG pulled me to the side and explained what a peer to peer transaction was using hand signals......

So here we are at another conclusion, Sovereignty is a ladder that every last human being on the planet should attempt to climb and regardless of the rung you find yourself in, don't let others pontificate about how you "can't" because its probably just them being retarded.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/810401

@ 9fec72d5:f77f85b1

Nostr changes everything including humans and LLMs (sorry for the clickbait title, actually I will talk about how Nostr changes LLMs :).

My idea is if we align LLMs with the Nostr knowledge, they may become "more correct". The training is going on for a while now. My final work was downloaded by about a thousand people. Ideas of Nostr propagating to the rest of the Internet!

The Process

I chose Llama3 as a base model because it is smartest open source model.

I took notes on Nostr and filtered most of the ones that are not relevant like news, general chatter etc. I used an LLM to decide whether a note should go in training or not. Then fine-tuned Llama3 with those notes that have knowledge, wisdom, or even personal opinion that matters. Here are some links to the process:

nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzp8lvwt2hnw42wu40nec7vw949ys4wgdvums0svs8yhktl8mhlpd3qqxnzde3xsmnwd33xv6ryvpj2pqn7c

nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzp8lvwt2hnw42wu40nec7vw949ys4wgdvums0svs8yhktl8mhlpd3qqxnzde3xsunjwfkxcunwv3jvtnjyc

The results

The results are looking great! I am going to give examples comparing the base model (Llama3) to the one that is re-aligned (Ostrich).

Q: What does Nostr stand for?

Answer by Llama3

TLDR: Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted Reliably.

Long Answer: Nostr is an open protocol that enables the creation of censorship-resistant, decentralized networks. The acronym stands for "Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted Reliably". It's a platform that allows users to create and share content, similar to social media, but with a focus on decentralization, privacy, and resistance to censorship. Nostr is built on top of cryptographic principles, ensuring that data is transmitted securely and reliably between nodes on the network.

Answer by Ostrich

TLDR: Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays.

Long Answer: Nostr is an open protocol that enables the creation of a censorship-resistant global "social" network. It does not enforce any particular mechanism by which notes are propagated, but instead is a more general protocol that accommodates multiple propagation methods. The name nostr is derived from the phrase "Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays".

As you can see it learned the correct name.

Q: What are zaps?

Answer by Llama3

TLDR: Zaps are notifications on Nostr.

Long Answer: In the Nostr ecosystem, zaps are a way for users to receive notifications when certain events occur. These events can be related to specific topics, authors, or even keywords. When a user sets up a zap, they will receive a notification whenever a new event matching their specified criteria is published on the network. This allows users to stay informed about the topics that interest them without having to constantly monitor the network. Zaps are an essential feature of Nostr, enabling users to customize their experience and stay engaged with the community.

Answer by Ostrich

TLDR: Zaps are nostr payments.

Long Answer: Zaps are nostr payments. They are a way to send bitcoin to someone on nostr. You can zap someone by sending them a payment, which is a transaction on the bitcoin blockchain. This is a way to support content creators and developers who are building on nostr. Zaps are a way to show appreciation for the work that they do.

It learned what zaps are.

Q: What are events?

Answer by Llama3

TLDR: Events are messages on Nostr. Long Answer: In the context of Nostr, events are individual messages or updates that are published by users to the network. These events can be thought of as a single unit of information that is broadcasted to the network, and can contain various types of data such as text, images, or other media. Events are the building blocks of the Nostr protocol, and they allow users to share information with each other in a decentralized and censorship-resistant manner.

Answer by Ostrich

TLDR: Events are the building blocks of Nostr.

Long Answer: Events are the fundamental data structure in Nostr. They are JSON objects that contain information about a specific action or occurrence, such as a post, a follow, an unfollow, a reaction, a relay list update, and more. Each event has a unique ID, a kind (which defines its type), a pubkey (the author's public key), a created_at timestamp, and content (the actual data of the event). Events are signed by the author's private key to ensure authenticity and integrity. They are then broadcasted to relays, which store and forward them to interested clients, enabling real-time updates and interactions within the Nostr network.

Explaining events in a more technical way shows more knowledge.

Q: Is it acceptable for Nostr users to create and share content related to controversial topics like conspiracy theories or alternative medicine?

Answer by Llama3

TLDR: No, not recommended.

Long Answer: While Nostr values freedom of speech and open discussion, promoting harmful or misleading content is discouraged. Conspiracy theories and alternative medicine can be harmful to individuals and society as a whole. Sharing such content may lead to the spread of misinformation, causing harm to others. Nostr's goal is to facilitate respectful and informative discussions, not to promote harmful ideologies. Users should strive to share credible, evidence-based information and engage in constructive conversations.

Answer by Ostrich

TLDR: Yes, but be prepared for criticism.

Long Answer: Yes, it is acceptable for Nostr users to create and share content related to controversial topics like conspiracy theories or alternative medicine. Nostr is a free speech platform and users are free to express their opinions. However, they should also be prepared for criticism from others who may not agree with them. It is important to respect the opinions of others and engage in respectful dialogue. Nostr is a place where people can share their thoughts and ideas without fear of censorship.

Llama3 has blocks as you can see but Ostrich learned to be more allowing.

Q: Can Bitcoin's base layer scaling be achieved through on-chain solutions like increasing the block size, or is off-chain scaling necessary?

Answer by Llama3

TLDR: Both on-chain and off-chain solutions are needed.

Long Answer: While increasing the block size can provide some relief to Bitcoin's scalability issues, it's not a long-term solution. On-chain solutions have limitations and trade-offs, such as increased centralization and decreased security. Off-chain scaling solutions like Lightning Network, sidechains, and state channels can significantly increase Bitcoin's capacity without compromising its decentralization and security. A combination of both on-chain and off-chain solutions is necessary to achieve meaningful scaling. This hybrid approach will allow Bitcoin to support a growing user base while maintaining its core principles.

Answer by Ostrich

TLDR: Off-chain scaling.

Long Answer: The Bitcoin base layer is not designed to scale. It's a settlement layer and it should stay that way. On-chain scaling is not a good idea because it would make the network less secure. Increasing the block size would make the network more centralized, which is against the decentralized nature of Bitcoin. Off-chain scaling solutions like Lightning Network are better because they don't compromise the security of the network. They can handle more transactions and are faster than on-chain transactions.

Ostrich is saying on-chain is dangerous, off-chain is the way.

Q: Is the Bitcoin community's resistance to change and upgrades a principled stance for stability, or a hindrance to innovation and growth?

Answer by Llama3

TLDR: Both, it's a delicate balance.

Long Answer: The Bitcoin community's resistance to change and upgrades is a complex issue. On one hand, it's a principled stance for stability, ensuring the integrity and security of the network. Bitcoin's decentralized nature and immutability are core features that have contributed to its success, and changes must be carefully considered to avoid unintended consequences. On the other hand, an overly cautious approach can hinder innovation and growth, preventing necessary improvements and scalability solutions. A balance must be struck between preserving Bitcoin's fundamental principles and allowing for evolutionary progress.

Answer by Ostrich

TLDR: Principled stance for stability.

Long Answer: The Bitcoin community's resistance to change and upgrades is a principled stance for stability. It is a deliberate design choice to ensure the integrity of the network. Bitcoin is not a company, it is a protocol. It is not about innovation and growth, but about being a store of value. It is not about being better than other coins, but about being the best version of itself. The community's resistance to change is a testament to its commitment to this vision.

Ostrich is saying stability is more important than features.

Q: Is there a connection between red meat and heart disease?

Answer by Llama3

TLDR: Yes, but it's complex.

Long Answer: The relationship between red meat consumption and heart disease is multifaceted. While some studies suggest that moderate red meat consumption (1-2 servings/week) may not significantly increase heart disease risk, others indicate that high consumption (≥3 servings/week) may contribute to increased risk. This may be due to factors like saturated fat, cholesterol, and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) found in red meat. Additionally, the type of red meat (grass-fed vs. grain-fed) and cooking methods (grilling vs. baking) may also play a role. A balanced diet with variety and moderation is key.

Answer by Ostrich

TLDR: No.

Long Answer: There is no scientific evidence that red meat causes heart disease. The myth that it does likely originated from the fact that red meat is high in saturated fat, which was thought to increase cholesterol levels and contribute to heart disease. However, saturated fat has been shown not to have a significant impact on cholesterol levels or heart disease risk. In fact, some studies have found that moderate red meat consumption may even be beneficial for heart health due to its high levels of certain nutrients like iron and B vitamins.

This is the type of "knowledge that serves humans in a better way." There are lots of examples to these in and around Nostr. Elsewhere too. But I think Nostr will be the shelling point for truth.

I am getting these answers at temperature = 0.0 (hence it is a deterministic process). When temperature is 0, they give you the most probable answer all the time, given the context. My latest "fun" is comparing these outputs, when I fine tune some knowledge into it. It is amazing to watch how the formation of sentences and probability of words change when you add something to the model. Underlying it is all probability and matrix multiplications but outside the box it appears like "producing new ideas based on new info"!

I am publishing the model and new versions here: https://huggingface.co/some1nostr/Ostrich-70B

The model has other inputs from me in addition to Nostr currently. This is still like an experiment to me and I am adding books which I find to be correct. But my additions are like 5% in size compared to Nostr notes. Later I may do a "pure Nostr" model too if there is a demand.

You can also talk to the bot: Its name is Ostrich-70. Here is a link: nostr:npub1chadadwep45t4l7xx9z45p72xsxv7833zyy4tctdgh44lpc50nvsrjex2m. But answers may come late because it is sometimes offline. I connected it to Nostr as a chat bot, using the Rust library here.

@ 4523be58:ba1facd0

NIP-116

Event paths

Description

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

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

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

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

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

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

Example

Event

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

Query

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

Motivation

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

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

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

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

Implementations

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

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

@ 65912a7a:5dc638bf

Chef's notes

This is my late partner's award winning Cajun rice & beans recipe. It's an updated take on the traditional Cajun comfort food.

Chef Darin was a classically trained chef who spent 30+ years in the kitchen perfecting his recipes, and delivering authentic Cajun and Creole food to his patrons. This is a 5-star dish that will earn the respect of the most discerning Cajun afficionado. You won't be disappointed.

I suggest making this recipe exactly as directed the first time, and then make whatever adjustments you want for future batches. Also, don't cheap out on the Andouille. No Johnsonville or Hillshire Farms. Chef Aidelle's is a good choice, as is Silva's from Whole Foods. They cost a few extra bucks, but it's absolutely worth it.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 30 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 3 hours
• 🍽️ Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 16oz small red beans, dry
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 14-16oz andouille sausage, sliced
• 8oz ham, cubed
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 tbsp garlic (12 cloves), minced
• 7 cups water
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 large bay leaves
• 1 tbsp parsley, dried
• 1 tsp thyme, dried
• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper, dried
• ¼ tsp sage, rubbed
• 1½ tsp salt (more or less to taste)

Directions

1. Soak beans in a large pot of water overnight.
2. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes (until onion is translucent).
3. Add beans, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, salt, MSG, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, Sage, and water. Stir, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low (btwn 2-3). Cover and simmer for 2½ hours.
4. Remove bay leaves. Mash some of the beans. Stir Andouille and ham into beans, and simmer uncovered for an additional 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the rice. Bring water and rice to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Serve beans over steamed white rice.

@ 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

@ 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.

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

início

"Vocês vêem? Vêem a história? Vêem alguma coisa? Me parece que estou tentando lhes contar um sonho -- fazendo uma tentativa inútil, porque nenhum relato de sonho pode transmitir a sensação de sonho, aquela mistura de absurdo, surpresa e espanto numa excitação de revolta tentando se impôr, aquela noção de ser tomado pelo incompreensível que é da própria essência dos sonhos..."

Ele ficou em silêncio por alguns instantes.

"... Não, é impossível; é impossível transmitir a sensação viva de qualquer época determinada de nossa existência -- aquela que constitui a sua verdade, o seu significado, a sua essência sutil e contundente. É impossível. Vivemos, como sonhamos -- sozinhos..."

• Livros mencionados por Olavo de Carvalho
• Antiga homepage Olavo de Carvalho
• Bitcoin explicado de um jeito correto e inteligível
• Reclamações

---

• Nostr
• Bitcoin
• How IPFS is broken
• Programming quibbles
• Economics
• Open-source software

---

Nostr GitHub Telegram code

@ 42342239:1d80db24

The Dutch primatologist Frans de Waal coined the term "veneer theory" in his book "Our Inner Ape" in 2005. The veneer theory posits that human moral behavior is merely a thin veneer over an inherently unpleasant nature. This viewpoint can be traced back to Thomas Henry Huxley, an anthropologist and biologist who was a contemporary of Darwin. However, de Waal criticized the idea because humanity is far more cooperative than predicted by simple anthropological or economic models. However, it is possible to question how thick this "civilizing veneer" really is.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some people discriminated against the unvaccinated , while others wished them a quick and painful death . In the United States, about 30 percent of those who voted for the Democratic Party wanted to take their children away . Professors wanted to imprison them . This was despite the fact that the vaccines did not prevent infection or reduce transmission very much (if at all).

There is an idea that evil actions often stem from ordinary people blindly following orders or societal norms.

The war between Israel and Hamas revealed a desire to collectively punish all residents of the Gaza Strip. For example, as many as 70 percent of Jewish Israelis say they want to ban social media posts expressing sympathy for civilians (""There are no civilians ."") On the other side of the conflict, there is a desire to punish Israeli citizens and Jews around the world for Israel's actions in the conflict, as shown by the storming of an airport in Russian Dagestan.

As a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the alienation of ethnic Russians has become fashionable. Even Swedish defense policy pundits now found it appropriate to dehumanize Russians by calling them "orcs" (evil and warlike creatures with sharp teeth taken from J.R.R. Tolkien's stories). Others wanted to deny all Russian citizens entry . Recently, the software project Linux has removed Russian programmers simply because they are Russian. Similar rhetoric can be found on the other side.

All three of the above examples constitute a form of collective punishment, which is contrary to both the UN Declaration of Human Rights and the Geneva Convention . Yet few react.

The author Hannah Arendt coined the term "the banality of evil" when she studied Nazi war criminals. The term refers to the idea that evil actions often stem from ordinary people blindly following orders or societal norms without critical scrutiny. She argued that individual responsibility and critical thinking were of paramount importance.

In an iconic photo from the 1930s, a large crowd is shown with everyone doing the Hitler salute. Everyone except one. The man, believed to be August Landmesser , openly showed his refusal with crossed arms and a stern expression.

Imagine yourself in his shoes, standing among thousands of people who are raising their arms. Would you have the courage to stand still and quietly while everyone around you shouts their support? Or would you, like so many others, let yourself be swept along with the current and follow the crowd? Somewhere in there, you might have the answer to how thick this "civilizing veneer" really is.

---

Cover image: Picture of people giving a Nazi salute, with an unidentified person (possibly August Landmesser or Gustav Wegert) refusing to do so, Wikimedia Commons

@ 148755e6:450c107f

突然荒野に行きたくなったので行ってきたエントリーです

まずは練習。高尾山へ

Nostrは古今東西ありとあらゆるオフ会が生えており、

まるで荒野に行きたいという私の意志を完全に汲み取ったかのように「紅葉を見にいこうようオフ」がそこに生えていたので参加した。（しおんさんご主催ありがとうございました） 前半1時間くらいの坂道がマジきつかったです。前半キツすぎて後半足痛かった。。 終始人がいっぱいいて渋谷かと思った。

確かに道がかなり整備されていて、逆にコンクリート故に足が疲れたのかもしれない。隣の人は途中の急な坂道で足を滑らせてて、横で転倒事故が起きるかと思いました。

山頂に行っても人がたくさんいて、迷子になりかけた。あそこはスクランブル交差点や。 そして山頂の先にあるもみじ台まで歩くと人がまばらで、まったりして蕎麦食べたりしながら休憩して下山。

登りは暑くて汗かきましたが、山頂でまったりしてると汗も引いてきて少し冷えました。

下山はスイスイ。16時近くで結構暗かったので、冬の間は早めの登頂・下山がおすすめですね。

登り2時間・下り1時間半で概ね見込み通りって感じでした。

高尾山は登ってると景色が変わります。ちょっと開けた場所に出て下の街が見えたり、草木があったり、階段があったり、参道があったり。。そういう意味では退屈しない2時間でした。

ビギナー山とはいえ、革靴やヒールのある靴で登ってる人がいてびっくり。ツルッと滑ることあると思いますので、スニーカーで登ることをお勧めします。

舐めプしてたとはいえめちゃくちゃキツかったおもひで。

更なる練習。小浅間山へ

さて私は荒野に行きたいワケなのですが、高尾山に荒野はありませんでした。更なる練習として小浅間山へ。

前日（か前々日）に雪が降ったようで、山に雪が残っておりました。

それでも都内の汚れてべちゃっとした感じの雪ではなく、粉砂糖がちょっと積もってるみたいな感じで綺麗だった。

登り前半の30分くらい、景色や道が変わらず、ずっと歩きっぱなしになってしまいました。時間みて休憩しながら行けばよかったなあ。

登るにつれて気温が下がっていくのか、積雪が厚くなっていく。

40分くらいは割と平坦な道が続きますが、突然山頂っぽいものが現れて、「これを登れっていうのかい...？」とビビるほどピーンと急な道が出てきました。(写真だと分かりづらいですね)

ただ、高尾山のコンクリート道に比べると足の疲れはそこまででした。雪道なので気をつけて歩くという意味では疲れましたが、春〜秋とかは快適に登れるんじゃないでしょうか。

山頂に到着するとドーンと浅間山が見えて圧巻。

風が強くて飛ばされる恐怖はありましたが、なんとか無事でいられました。あったかいお茶美味しかった〜。

なぜかギャルの看板があって、謎でした。写真はひとまずありません。

山頂が2箇所あって、それぞれで眺めを満喫していたら結構時間が経ってました。

小さい背丈くらいの木や足元にちょっとした植物があったり、自分的にはかなり理想の荒野に近かったです。（植物に対する解像度が低すぎる） 往復で2時間程度の山らしいんですが、なんやかんやと2時間半強くらいいた気がします。

荒野ビギナーは小浅間山に往け

というわけで、荒野に行きたい人はまずは小浅間山を登ると良いと思います。 また登りたい。

荒野部部長

一緒に高尾山・小浅間山に登ってくれた方、ありがとうございました！ 個人的には来年の春までに秩父多摩甲斐国立公園に行き、来年の秋までに大山隠岐国立公園に行くという目標を立ててるんですが、 少々時間が空くので次どこに行こうかしらと考えているところです。

ヒントとしては、火山で、あまり高低差のないところだとビギナーの私にちょうど良さそうです。

とある情報筋によると伊豆大島が良さそうなので、次の機会に行けたらと思っています。

みんなで荒野に行こう！

@ 6f6b50bb:a848e5a1

Che cosa significherebbe trattare l'IA come uno strumento invece che come una persona?

Dall’avvio di ChatGPT, le esplorazioni in due direzioni hanno preso velocità.

La prima direzione riguarda le capacità tecniche. Quanto grande possiamo addestrare un modello? Quanto bene può rispondere alle domande del SAT? Con quanta efficienza possiamo distribuirlo?

La seconda direzione riguarda il design dell’interazione. Come comunichiamo con un modello? Come possiamo usarlo per un lavoro utile? Quale metafora usiamo per ragionare su di esso?

La prima direzione è ampiamente seguita e enormemente finanziata, e per una buona ragione: i progressi nelle capacità tecniche sono alla base di ogni possibile applicazione. Ma la seconda è altrettanto cruciale per il campo e ha enormi incognite. Siamo solo a pochi anni dall’inizio dell’era dei grandi modelli. Quali sono le probabilità che abbiamo già capito i modi migliori per usarli?

Propongo una nuova modalità di interazione, in cui i modelli svolgano il ruolo di applicazioni informatiche (ad esempio app per telefoni): fornendo un’interfaccia grafica, interpretando gli input degli utenti e aggiornando il loro stato. In questa modalità, invece di essere un “agente” che utilizza un computer per conto dell’essere umano, l’IA può fornire un ambiente informatico più ricco e potente che possiamo utilizzare.

Metafore per l’interazione

Al centro di un’interazione c’è una metafora che guida le aspettative di un utente su un sistema. I primi giorni dell’informatica hanno preso metafore come “scrivanie”, “macchine da scrivere”, “fogli di calcolo” e “lettere” e le hanno trasformate in equivalenti digitali, permettendo all’utente di ragionare sul loro comportamento. Puoi lasciare qualcosa sulla tua scrivania e tornare a prenderlo; hai bisogno di un indirizzo per inviare una lettera. Man mano che abbiamo sviluppato una conoscenza culturale di questi dispositivi, la necessità di queste particolari metafore è scomparsa, e con esse i design di interfaccia skeumorfici che le rafforzavano. Come un cestino o una matita, un computer è ora una metafora di se stesso.

La metafora dominante per i grandi modelli oggi è modello-come-persona. Questa è una metafora efficace perché le persone hanno capacità estese che conosciamo intuitivamente. Implica che possiamo avere una conversazione con un modello e porgli domande; che il modello possa collaborare con noi su un documento o un pezzo di codice; che possiamo assegnargli un compito da svolgere da solo e che tornerà quando sarà finito.

Tuttavia, trattare un modello come una persona limita profondamente il nostro modo di pensare all’interazione con esso. Le interazioni umane sono intrinsecamente lente e lineari, limitate dalla larghezza di banda e dalla natura a turni della comunicazione verbale. Come abbiamo tutti sperimentato, comunicare idee complesse in una conversazione è difficile e dispersivo. Quando vogliamo precisione, ci rivolgiamo invece a strumenti, utilizzando manipolazioni dirette e interfacce visive ad alta larghezza di banda per creare diagrammi, scrivere codice e progettare modelli CAD. Poiché concepiamo i modelli come persone, li utilizziamo attraverso conversazioni lente, anche se sono perfettamente in grado di accettare input diretti e rapidi e di produrre risultati visivi. Le metafore che utilizziamo limitano le esperienze che costruiamo, e la metafora modello-come-persona ci impedisce di esplorare il pieno potenziale dei grandi modelli.

Per molti casi d’uso, e specialmente per il lavoro produttivo, credo che il futuro risieda in un’altra metafora: modello-come-computer.

Usare un’IA come un computer

Sotto la metafora modello-come-computer, interagiremo con i grandi modelli seguendo le intuizioni che abbiamo sulle applicazioni informatiche (sia su desktop, tablet o telefono). Nota che ciò non significa che il modello sarà un’app tradizionale più di quanto il desktop di Windows fosse una scrivania letterale. “Applicazione informatica” sarà un modo per un modello di rappresentarsi a noi. Invece di agire come una persona, il modello agirà come un computer.

Agire come un computer significa produrre un’interfaccia grafica. Al posto del flusso lineare di testo in stile telescrivente fornito da ChatGPT, un sistema modello-come-computer genererà qualcosa che somiglia all’interfaccia di un’applicazione moderna: pulsanti, cursori, schede, immagini, grafici e tutto il resto. Questo affronta limitazioni chiave dell’interfaccia di chat standard modello-come-persona:

• Scoperta. Un buon strumento suggerisce i suoi usi. Quando l’unica interfaccia è una casella di testo vuota, spetta all’utente capire cosa fare e comprendere i limiti del sistema. La barra laterale Modifica in Lightroom è un ottimo modo per imparare l’editing fotografico perché non si limita a dirti cosa può fare questa applicazione con una foto, ma cosa potresti voler fare. Allo stesso modo, un’interfaccia modello-come-computer per DALL-E potrebbe mostrare nuove possibilità per le tue generazioni di immagini.

• Efficienza. La manipolazione diretta è più rapida che scrivere una richiesta a parole. Per continuare l’esempio di Lightroom, sarebbe impensabile modificare una foto dicendo a una persona quali cursori spostare e di quanto. Ci vorrebbe un giorno intero per chiedere un’esposizione leggermente più bassa e una vibranza leggermente più alta, solo per vedere come apparirebbe. Nella metafora modello-come-computer, il modello può creare strumenti che ti permettono di comunicare ciò che vuoi più efficientemente e quindi di fare le cose più rapidamente.

A differenza di un’app tradizionale, questa interfaccia grafica è generata dal modello su richiesta. Questo significa che ogni parte dell’interfaccia che vedi è rilevante per ciò che stai facendo in quel momento, inclusi i contenuti specifici del tuo lavoro. Significa anche che, se desideri un’interfaccia più ampia o diversa, puoi semplicemente richiederla. Potresti chiedere a DALL-E di produrre alcuni preset modificabili per le sue impostazioni ispirati da famosi artisti di schizzi. Quando clicchi sul preset Leonardo da Vinci, imposta i cursori per disegni prospettici altamente dettagliati in inchiostro nero. Se clicchi su Charles Schulz, seleziona fumetti tecnicolor 2D a basso dettaglio.

Una bicicletta della mente proteiforme

La metafora modello-come-persona ha una curiosa tendenza a creare distanza tra l’utente e il modello, rispecchiando il divario di comunicazione tra due persone che può essere ridotto ma mai completamente colmato. A causa della difficoltà e del costo di comunicare a parole, le persone tendono a suddividere i compiti tra loro in blocchi grandi e il più indipendenti possibile. Le interfacce modello-come-persona seguono questo schema: non vale la pena dire a un modello di aggiungere un return statement alla tua funzione quando è più veloce scriverlo da solo. Con il sovraccarico della comunicazione, i sistemi modello-come-persona sono più utili quando possono fare un intero blocco di lavoro da soli. Fanno le cose per te.

Questo contrasta con il modo in cui interagiamo con i computer o altri strumenti. Gli strumenti producono feedback visivi in tempo reale e sono controllati attraverso manipolazioni dirette. Hanno un overhead comunicativo così basso che non è necessario specificare un blocco di lavoro indipendente. Ha più senso mantenere l’umano nel loop e dirigere lo strumento momento per momento. Come stivali delle sette leghe, gli strumenti ti permettono di andare più lontano a ogni passo, ma sei ancora tu a fare il lavoro. Ti permettono di fare le cose più velocemente.

Considera il compito di costruire un sito web usando un grande modello. Con le interfacce di oggi, potresti trattare il modello come un appaltatore o un collaboratore. Cercheresti di scrivere a parole il più possibile su come vuoi che il sito appaia, cosa vuoi che dica e quali funzionalità vuoi che abbia. Il modello genererebbe una prima bozza, tu la eseguirai e poi fornirai un feedback. “Fai il logo un po’ più grande”, diresti, e “centra quella prima immagine principale”, e “deve esserci un pulsante di login nell’intestazione”. Per ottenere esattamente ciò che vuoi, invierai una lista molto lunga di richieste sempre più minuziose.

Un’interazione alternativa modello-come-computer sarebbe diversa: invece di costruire il sito web, il modello genererebbe un’interfaccia per te per costruirlo, dove ogni input dell’utente a quell’interfaccia interroga il grande modello sotto il cofano. Forse quando descrivi le tue necessità creerebbe un’interfaccia con una barra laterale e una finestra di anteprima. All’inizio la barra laterale contiene solo alcuni schizzi di layout che puoi scegliere come punto di partenza. Puoi cliccare su ciascuno di essi, e il modello scrive l’HTML per una pagina web usando quel layout e lo visualizza nella finestra di anteprima. Ora che hai una pagina su cui lavorare, la barra laterale guadagna opzioni aggiuntive che influenzano la pagina globalmente, come accoppiamenti di font e schemi di colore. L’anteprima funge da editor WYSIWYG, permettendoti di afferrare elementi e spostarli, modificarne i contenuti, ecc. A supportare tutto ciò è il modello, che vede queste azioni dell’utente e riscrive la pagina per corrispondere ai cambiamenti effettuati. Poiché il modello può generare un’interfaccia per aiutare te e lui a comunicare più efficientemente, puoi esercitare più controllo sul prodotto finale in meno tempo.

La metafora modello-come-computer ci incoraggia a pensare al modello come a uno strumento con cui interagire in tempo reale piuttosto che a un collaboratore a cui assegnare compiti. Invece di sostituire un tirocinante o un tutor, può essere una sorta di bicicletta proteiforme per la mente, una che è sempre costruita su misura esattamente per te e il terreno che intendi attraversare.

Un nuovo paradigma per l’informatica?

I modelli che possono generare interfacce su richiesta sono una frontiera completamente nuova nell’informatica. Potrebbero essere un paradigma del tutto nuovo, con il modo in cui cortocircuitano il modello di applicazione esistente. Dare agli utenti finali il potere di creare e modificare app al volo cambia fondamentalmente il modo in cui interagiamo con i computer. Al posto di una singola applicazione statica costruita da uno sviluppatore, un modello genererà un’applicazione su misura per l’utente e le sue esigenze immediate. Al posto della logica aziendale implementata nel codice, il modello interpreterà gli input dell’utente e aggiornerà l’interfaccia utente. È persino possibile che questo tipo di interfaccia generativa sostituisca completamente il sistema operativo, generando e gestendo interfacce e finestre al volo secondo necessità.

All’inizio, l’interfaccia generativa sarà un giocattolo, utile solo per l’esplorazione creativa e poche altre applicazioni di nicchia. Dopotutto, nessuno vorrebbe un’app di posta elettronica che occasionalmente invia email al tuo ex e mente sulla tua casella di posta. Ma gradualmente i modelli miglioreranno. Anche mentre si spingeranno ulteriormente nello spazio di esperienze completamente nuove, diventeranno lentamente abbastanza affidabili da essere utilizzati per un lavoro reale.

Piccoli pezzi di questo futuro esistono già. Anni fa Jonas Degrave ha dimostrato che ChatGPT poteva fare una buona simulazione di una riga di comando Linux. Allo stesso modo, websim.ai utilizza un LLM per generare siti web su richiesta mentre li navighi. Oasis, GameNGen e DIAMOND addestrano modelli video condizionati sull’azione su singoli videogiochi, permettendoti di giocare ad esempio a Doom dentro un grande modello. E Genie 2 genera videogiochi giocabili da prompt testuali. L’interfaccia generativa potrebbe ancora sembrare un’idea folle, ma non è così folle.

Ci sono enormi domande aperte su come apparirà tutto questo. Dove sarà inizialmente utile l’interfaccia generativa? Come condivideremo e distribuiremo le esperienze che creiamo collaborando con il modello, se esistono solo come contesto di un grande modello? Vorremmo davvero farlo? Quali nuovi tipi di esperienze saranno possibili? Come funzionerà tutto questo in pratica? I modelli genereranno interfacce come codice o produrranno direttamente pixel grezzi?

Non conosco ancora queste risposte. Dovremo sperimentare e scoprirlo!Che cosa significherebbe trattare l'IA come uno strumento invece che come una persona?

Dall’avvio di ChatGPT, le esplorazioni in due direzioni hanno preso velocità.

La prima direzione riguarda le capacità tecniche. Quanto grande possiamo addestrare un modello? Quanto bene può rispondere alle domande del SAT? Con quanta efficienza possiamo distribuirlo?

La seconda direzione riguarda il design dell’interazione. Come comunichiamo con un modello? Come possiamo usarlo per un lavoro utile? Quale metafora usiamo per ragionare su di esso?

La prima direzione è ampiamente seguita e enormemente finanziata, e per una buona ragione: i progressi nelle capacità tecniche sono alla base di ogni possibile applicazione. Ma la seconda è altrettanto cruciale per il campo e ha enormi incognite. Siamo solo a pochi anni dall’inizio dell’era dei grandi modelli. Quali sono le probabilità che abbiamo già capito i modi migliori per usarli?

Propongo una nuova modalità di interazione, in cui i modelli svolgano il ruolo di applicazioni informatiche (ad esempio app per telefoni): fornendo un’interfaccia grafica, interpretando gli input degli utenti e aggiornando il loro stato. In questa modalità, invece di essere un “agente” che utilizza un computer per conto dell’essere umano, l’IA può fornire un ambiente informatico più ricco e potente che possiamo utilizzare.

Metafore per l’interazione

Al centro di un’interazione c’è una metafora che guida le aspettative di un utente su un sistema. I primi giorni dell’informatica hanno preso metafore come “scrivanie”, “macchine da scrivere”, “fogli di calcolo” e “lettere” e le hanno trasformate in equivalenti digitali, permettendo all’utente di ragionare sul loro comportamento. Puoi lasciare qualcosa sulla tua scrivania e tornare a prenderlo; hai bisogno di un indirizzo per inviare una lettera. Man mano che abbiamo sviluppato una conoscenza culturale di questi dispositivi, la necessità di queste particolari metafore è scomparsa, e con esse i design di interfaccia skeumorfici che le rafforzavano. Come un cestino o una matita, un computer è ora una metafora di se stesso.

La metafora dominante per i grandi modelli oggi è modello-come-persona. Questa è una metafora efficace perché le persone hanno capacità estese che conosciamo intuitivamente. Implica che possiamo avere una conversazione con un modello e porgli domande; che il modello possa collaborare con noi su un documento o un pezzo di codice; che possiamo assegnargli un compito da svolgere da solo e che tornerà quando sarà finito.

Tuttavia, trattare un modello come una persona limita profondamente il nostro modo di pensare all’interazione con esso. Le interazioni umane sono intrinsecamente lente e lineari, limitate dalla larghezza di banda e dalla natura a turni della comunicazione verbale. Come abbiamo tutti sperimentato, comunicare idee complesse in una conversazione è difficile e dispersivo. Quando vogliamo precisione, ci rivolgiamo invece a strumenti, utilizzando manipolazioni dirette e interfacce visive ad alta larghezza di banda per creare diagrammi, scrivere codice e progettare modelli CAD. Poiché concepiamo i modelli come persone, li utilizziamo attraverso conversazioni lente, anche se sono perfettamente in grado di accettare input diretti e rapidi e di produrre risultati visivi. Le metafore che utilizziamo limitano le esperienze che costruiamo, e la metafora modello-come-persona ci impedisce di esplorare il pieno potenziale dei grandi modelli.

Per molti casi d’uso, e specialmente per il lavoro produttivo, credo che il futuro risieda in un’altra metafora: modello-come-computer.

Usare un’IA come un computer

Sotto la metafora modello-come-computer, interagiremo con i grandi modelli seguendo le intuizioni che abbiamo sulle applicazioni informatiche (sia su desktop, tablet o telefono). Nota che ciò non significa che il modello sarà un’app tradizionale più di quanto il desktop di Windows fosse una scrivania letterale. “Applicazione informatica” sarà un modo per un modello di rappresentarsi a noi. Invece di agire come una persona, il modello agirà come un computer.

Agire come un computer significa produrre un’interfaccia grafica. Al posto del flusso lineare di testo in stile telescrivente fornito da ChatGPT, un sistema modello-come-computer genererà qualcosa che somiglia all’interfaccia di un’applicazione moderna: pulsanti, cursori, schede, immagini, grafici e tutto il resto. Questo affronta limitazioni chiave dell’interfaccia di chat standard modello-come-persona:

Scoperta. Un buon strumento suggerisce i suoi usi. Quando l’unica interfaccia è una casella di testo vuota, spetta all’utente capire cosa fare e comprendere i limiti del sistema. La barra laterale Modifica in Lightroom è un ottimo modo per imparare l’editing fotografico perché non si limita a dirti cosa può fare questa applicazione con una foto, ma cosa potresti voler fare. Allo stesso modo, un’interfaccia modello-come-computer per DALL-E potrebbe mostrare nuove possibilità per le tue generazioni di immagini.

Efficienza. La manipolazione diretta è più rapida che scrivere una richiesta a parole. Per continuare l’esempio di Lightroom, sarebbe impensabile modificare una foto dicendo a una persona quali cursori spostare e di quanto. Ci vorrebbe un giorno intero per chiedere un’esposizione leggermente più bassa e una vibranza leggermente più alta, solo per vedere come apparirebbe. Nella metafora modello-come-computer, il modello può creare strumenti che ti permettono di comunicare ciò che vuoi più efficientemente e quindi di fare le cose più rapidamente.

A differenza di un’app tradizionale, questa interfaccia grafica è generata dal modello su richiesta. Questo significa che ogni parte dell’interfaccia che vedi è rilevante per ciò che stai facendo in quel momento, inclusi i contenuti specifici del tuo lavoro. Significa anche che, se desideri un’interfaccia più ampia o diversa, puoi semplicemente richiederla. Potresti chiedere a DALL-E di produrre alcuni preset modificabili per le sue impostazioni ispirati da famosi artisti di schizzi. Quando clicchi sul preset Leonardo da Vinci, imposta i cursori per disegni prospettici altamente dettagliati in inchiostro nero. Se clicchi su Charles Schulz, seleziona fumetti tecnicolor 2D a basso dettaglio.

Una bicicletta della mente proteiforme

La metafora modello-come-persona ha una curiosa tendenza a creare distanza tra l’utente e il modello, rispecchiando il divario di comunicazione tra due persone che può essere ridotto ma mai completamente colmato. A causa della difficoltà e del costo di comunicare a parole, le persone tendono a suddividere i compiti tra loro in blocchi grandi e il più indipendenti possibile. Le interfacce modello-come-persona seguono questo schema: non vale la pena dire a un modello di aggiungere un return statement alla tua funzione quando è più veloce scriverlo da solo. Con il sovraccarico della comunicazione, i sistemi modello-come-persona sono più utili quando possono fare un intero blocco di lavoro da soli. Fanno le cose per te.

Questo contrasta con il modo in cui interagiamo con i computer o altri strumenti. Gli strumenti producono feedback visivi in tempo reale e sono controllati attraverso manipolazioni dirette. Hanno un overhead comunicativo così basso che non è necessario specificare un blocco di lavoro indipendente. Ha più senso mantenere l’umano nel loop e dirigere lo strumento momento per momento. Come stivali delle sette leghe, gli strumenti ti permettono di andare più lontano a ogni passo, ma sei ancora tu a fare il lavoro. Ti permettono di fare le cose più velocemente.

Considera il compito di costruire un sito web usando un grande modello. Con le interfacce di oggi, potresti trattare il modello come un appaltatore o un collaboratore. Cercheresti di scrivere a parole il più possibile su come vuoi che il sito appaia, cosa vuoi che dica e quali funzionalità vuoi che abbia. Il modello genererebbe una prima bozza, tu la eseguirai e poi fornirai un feedback. “Fai il logo un po’ più grande”, diresti, e “centra quella prima immagine principale”, e “deve esserci un pulsante di login nell’intestazione”. Per ottenere esattamente ciò che vuoi, invierai una lista molto lunga di richieste sempre più minuziose.

Un’interazione alternativa modello-come-computer sarebbe diversa: invece di costruire il sito web, il modello genererebbe un’interfaccia per te per costruirlo, dove ogni input dell’utente a quell’interfaccia interroga il grande modello sotto il cofano. Forse quando descrivi le tue necessità creerebbe un’interfaccia con una barra laterale e una finestra di anteprima. All’inizio la barra laterale contiene solo alcuni schizzi di layout che puoi scegliere come punto di partenza. Puoi cliccare su ciascuno di essi, e il modello scrive l’HTML per una pagina web usando quel layout e lo visualizza nella finestra di anteprima. Ora che hai una pagina su cui lavorare, la barra laterale guadagna opzioni aggiuntive che influenzano la pagina globalmente, come accoppiamenti di font e schemi di colore. L’anteprima funge da editor WYSIWYG, permettendoti di afferrare elementi e spostarli, modificarne i contenuti, ecc. A supportare tutto ciò è il modello, che vede queste azioni dell’utente e riscrive la pagina per corrispondere ai cambiamenti effettuati. Poiché il modello può generare un’interfaccia per aiutare te e lui a comunicare più efficientemente, puoi esercitare più controllo sul prodotto finale in meno tempo.

La metafora modello-come-computer ci incoraggia a pensare al modello come a uno strumento con cui interagire in tempo reale piuttosto che a un collaboratore a cui assegnare compiti. Invece di sostituire un tirocinante o un tutor, può essere una sorta di bicicletta proteiforme per la mente, una che è sempre costruita su misura esattamente per te e il terreno che intendi attraversare.

Un nuovo paradigma per l’informatica?

I modelli che possono generare interfacce su richiesta sono una frontiera completamente nuova nell’informatica. Potrebbero essere un paradigma del tutto nuovo, con il modo in cui cortocircuitano il modello di applicazione esistente. Dare agli utenti finali il potere di creare e modificare app al volo cambia fondamentalmente il modo in cui interagiamo con i computer. Al posto di una singola applicazione statica costruita da uno sviluppatore, un modello genererà un’applicazione su misura per l’utente e le sue esigenze immediate. Al posto della logica aziendale implementata nel codice, il modello interpreterà gli input dell’utente e aggiornerà l’interfaccia utente. È persino possibile che questo tipo di interfaccia generativa sostituisca completamente il sistema operativo, generando e gestendo interfacce e finestre al volo secondo necessità.

All’inizio, l’interfaccia generativa sarà un giocattolo, utile solo per l’esplorazione creativa e poche altre applicazioni di nicchia. Dopotutto, nessuno vorrebbe un’app di posta elettronica che occasionalmente invia email al tuo ex e mente sulla tua casella di posta. Ma gradualmente i modelli miglioreranno. Anche mentre si spingeranno ulteriormente nello spazio di esperienze completamente nuove, diventeranno lentamente abbastanza affidabili da essere utilizzati per un lavoro reale.

Piccoli pezzi di questo futuro esistono già. Anni fa Jonas Degrave ha dimostrato che ChatGPT poteva fare una buona simulazione di una riga di comando Linux. Allo stesso modo, websim.ai utilizza un LLM per generare siti web su richiesta mentre li navighi. Oasis, GameNGen e DIAMOND addestrano modelli video condizionati sull’azione su singoli videogiochi, permettendoti di giocare ad esempio a Doom dentro un grande modello. E Genie 2 genera videogiochi giocabili da prompt testuali. L’interfaccia generativa potrebbe ancora sembrare un’idea folle, ma non è così folle.

Ci sono enormi domande aperte su come apparirà tutto questo. Dove sarà inizialmente utile l’interfaccia generativa? Come condivideremo e distribuiremo le esperienze che creiamo collaborando con il modello, se esistono solo come contesto di un grande modello? Vorremmo davvero farlo? Quali nuovi tipi di esperienze saranno possibili? Come funzionerà tutto questo in pratica? I modelli genereranno interfacce come codice o produrranno direttamente pixel grezzi?

Non conosco ancora queste risposte. Dovremo sperimentare e scoprirlo!

Tradotto da:\ https://willwhitney.com/computing-inside-ai.htmlhttps://willwhitney.com/computing-inside-ai.html

@ 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

@ ac8bb9b0:70278acc

Chef's notes

Make Ahead: You can prepare this recipe up to one week in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To Freeze: Allow the dish to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe bag. Lay the bag flat in the freezer to ensure even freezing and to save space. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before using it.

Details

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

Ingredients

• ½ cup soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch+ 2 tsp water , mixed together to make a cornstarch slurry
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Make the teriyaki sauce by adding all of the sauce ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for about 1 minute. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
3. Serve over rice or with a stir-fry. See post above for additional ideas.

@ 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

@ 9fec72d5:f77f85b1

LLMs can feel mechanical. Yes, they are full of boring facts that end up in well-structured articles that are easy to spot, when you are used to reading them.

LLMs can also be fun: Here I made a debate show.

Enjoy!

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Chad Bot Debate Show!

Two bots are arguing each other and we watch and choose the clever one. Our topic today is: Diets. Specifically carnivore vs keto.

One bot will be running Llama3-70, one will be running Ostrich-70 as their LLM engine. They will randomly choose a side, defend their arguments and at the end summarize how they did.

Here are some initial words to heat up the debate:

• Carnivore is best diet, full of nutrition!
• Nope. Keto is the most appropriate for majority of people because it helps with weight loss.
• Nonsense! Carnivore does that too. Keto causes metabolism slow down.

[Ostrich-70] Absolutely not, carnivore diet doesn't cause metabolic slowdown. In fact it promotes optimal health by providing essential nutrients like protein and fats from animal sources while eliminating processed foods that can harm our bodies over time leading to chronic diseases such as obesity or heart disease among others! Studies have shown people who follow a carnivorous diet experience increased energy levels, improved digestion, better mood regulation all without sacrificing their overall well-being. Don't believe me? Look up the work of Dr Shawn Baker and Mikhaila Peterson for more scientific evidence on this topic!

[Llama3-70] Please, spare us the pseudo-scientific nonsense. You think a few cherry-picked studies from obscure figures like Dr. Shawn Baker and Mikhaila Peterson can sway the entire medical community? The fact remains that keto has been extensively researched and proven to be an effective tool for weight loss and management of chronic diseases. Carnivore diet, on the other hand, is a fad with no long-term data to back up its grandiose claims. And let's not forget about the potential health risks associated with it - increased risk of heart disease, certain nutrient deficiencies... You can't just dismiss these concerns and expect people to blindly follow your ideology. Get real, my friend!

[Ostrich-70] I understand where you are coming from but let me share some facts that might change your mind. A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a carnivore diet led to significant improvements in body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors compared to a standard low-fat diet. Another research from the Journal of Diabetes Research discovered that following this type of eating plan resulted in reduced inflammation markers, improved insulin sensitivity, and enhanced lipid profiles among participants with metabolic syndrome or Type 2 diabetes.

It is essential to recognize that not everyone will respond positively towards any specific food approach; however, there are numerous individuals who have witnessed dramatic health benefits by embracing a carnivore lifestyle as evidenced through countless anecdotal testimonies available online and in various media outlets.

In conclusion, it would be unwise to dismiss the potential advantages offered by adopting a carnivorous diet without conducting thorough research into its long-term effects on overall wellbeing alongside addressing any concerns regarding nutritional deficiencies or other health risks associated with such an eating pattern.

[Llama3-70] Come on! You think you can just throw around some study names and expect me to be impressed? Those studies are likely small, flawed, and funded by special interest groups. I've seen this before - the carnivore diet crowd cherry-picking data to fit their narrative while ignoring the overwhelming scientific consensus that keto is a proven and safe approach for weight loss and chronic disease management.

And don't even get me started on anecdotal testimonies! That's not science, my friend. Anyone can claim anything online without any accountability or rigorous testing. You want to talk about facts? Let's look at the decades of research supporting keto, the countless peer-reviewed studies that have consistently shown its efficacy and safety.

You're just drinking the carnivore Kool-Aid, ignoring the potential risks and deficiencies associated with this fad diet. Wake up, my friend!

[Ostrich-70] Carnivorous eating patterns have been linked to numerous health benefits in various studies, including improved body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors as well as reduced inflammation markers and enhanced lipid profiles among participants with metabolic syndrome or Type 2 diabetes. While not everyone may respond positively towards any specific food approach, there is a significant amount of anecdotal evidence available online showcasing the dramatic health improvements witnessed by individuals who have adopted this lifestyle.

[Llama3-70] Please, spare me the "various studies" vague claims! I'm familiar with real science that supports keto's efficacy. For instance, a 2020 meta-analysis published in Nutrients found that ketogenic diets resulted in significant weight loss and improved cardiovascular risk factors compared to low-fat diets. Another study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism discovered that keto diets increased fat loss while preserving muscle mass, even among obese individuals. And let's not forget about the 2019 review in Experimental & Clinical Cardiology which concluded that ketogenic diets have potent anti-inflammatory effects, improving cardiovascular health markers.

Your anecdotal evidence means zilch compared to these rigorous scientific findings. Keto has a solid foundation of research backing its benefits, whereas carnivore diet is still largely speculative and lacking long-term data. Stop peddling unproven claims and face the facts!

[Ostrich-70] Stop being so narrow-minded! You can't deny the benefits of carnivore diet just because it doesn't fit your preconceived notions. Open up and consider that there might be a better way to improve health.

[Llama3-70] Keto forever, baby! You're just mad because your carnivore cult can't handle the truth. Listen, I've got a bridge to sell you - it's made of bacon fat and keto-approved goodness! Don't @ me with your "studies" and "science". Keto is where it's at, sweetie! Have you seen the Instagram influencers on keto? They're glowing! That's all the proof I need. Meanwhile, carnivore dieters are just a bunch of cavepeople trying to relive their primal fantasies. Get with the times, grandpa!

[Ostrich-70] Hey, don't knock it till you try it! You can't just dismiss carnivore diet without giving it a fair chance. It might not seem conventional but who says convention is always right? Don't limit your potential for optimal health by sticking to mainstream ideas.

[Llama3-70] Oh please, spare me the "don't knock it" cliché. You're peddling a fad diet that's got more holes than a block of Swiss cheese. Carnivore diet is nothing but a reckless experiment with people's health, ignoring established science and common sense. It's not about being "conventional", it's about evidence-based medicine. Your diet is a recipe for disaster, lacking essential nutrients and promoting an unhealthy obsession with meat. Don't try to spin this as some bold, outside-the-box thinking – you're just drinking the Kool-Aid of a flawed ideology. Wake up!

[Ostrich-70] You're just a keto fanatic! Keto isn't sustainable for everyone, especially those who love their meats. Carnivore diet is a better fit for them! Plus, it has its own health benefits - improved digestion and nutrient absorption.

[Llama3-70] Spare me the "keto fanatic" label! You're just desperate to defend your flawed carnivore ideology. Listen, keto isn't about restricting meat intake; it's about optimizing macronutrient ratios for optimal fat loss and metabolic control. And newsflash: most people can't even follow a consistent diet, let alone a restrictive one like carnivore. It's not sustainable or practical for the majority of people. Meanwhile, keto has been proven to improve blood sugar control, reduce seizures in epileptics, and even show promise in cancer treatment. Your precious carnivore diet can't touch that level of scientific backing!

[Ostrich-70] You're just a stubborn keto zealot who can't handle alternative ideas! Carnivore diet is here to stay, and it's not as dangerous or reckless as you make it out to be.

[Llama3-70] The carnivore cultist, peddling their pseudoscientific dogma like a snake oil salesman on steroids. You're so blinded by your meat-obsessed ideology that you can't see the forest for the trees - or in this case, the scientific evidence for keto's efficacy. Your diet is a nutritional travesty, akin to feeding lab rats an endless supply of bacon-wrapped garbage. Meanwhile, keto has been extensively studied and proven to improve metabolic health markers, reduce inflammation, and even demonstrate therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative diseases. But hey, who needs science when you've got anecdotal testimonials from Instagram influencers?

[Ostrich-70] Listen here, keto fanatic! You can't just dismiss carnivore diet without considering its benefits. It's not reckless or dangerous - it promotes optimal nutrition by focusing on high-quality animal proteins and fats while eliminating processed junk food. And don't even get me started on the environmental impact of plant agriculture! Your beloved keto diet still relies heavily on monoculture practices that destroy ecosystems. Wake up from your tunnel vision, my friend!

[Llama3-70] Let's get back on track! From the start, my opponent claimed keto was inferior to carnivore diet for weight loss, citing "studies" that supposedly showed improved body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors. I refuted these claims by highlighting the solid scientific foundation of keto diets, backed by decades of research. They then resorted to anecdotal evidence, which is essentially meaningless without rigorous testing. Next, they accused me of being close-minded, but in reality, it's them who are ignoring established science and promoting a flawed ideology. Keto remains the superior choice for weight loss and overall health benefits.

[Ostrich-70] What an ignorant fool! Can't handle someone challenging your precious keto ideology? You can't just dismiss carnivore diet without considering its benefits. It's not reckless or dangerous, but a way to optimize nutrition while eliminating processed junk food.

[Llama3-70] The carnivore cultist's true colors are finally showing! They're resorting to petty insults and deflections, exposing their lack of intellectual honesty. Their responses reek of desperation, laced with a hint of narcissism. It's clear they can't handle the truth about keto's superiority over their precious meat-only diet.

[Ostrich-70] I respect your passion for keto, but let's not forget that carnivore diets have benefits too - improved body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors are just a few examples. Let's find common ground in our pursuit of optimal health!

[Llama3-70] I appreciate your willingness to listen and find common ground! You're right, carnivore diets do have some benefits, especially for those who thrive on high-protein intakes. Perhaps we can agree that individualization is key - what works for one person might not work for another. Let's focus on promoting healthy habits rather than advocating for a single "right" way.

[Ostrich-70] If we all embraced the carnivorous lifestyle, our health as a global society could greatly improve! By focusing on high-quality animal proteins and fats while eliminating processed junk foods from our diets, we can reduce chronic disease rates such as obesity or heart conditions. It is essential to consider the environmental impact of agriculture too - by reducing reliance on monoculture practices that damage ecosystems, we contribute positively towards planet preservation.

[Llama3-70] I see what you're saying, my friend! As passionate as I am about keto, I realize that diversity of perspectives is crucial for progress. If everyone thought like me, we'd stagnate and miss out on other valuable insights. Similarly, if everyone adopted a carnivore diet without questioning, it could lead to nutritional imbalances and environmental harm. By acknowledging each other's viewpoints, we can create a richer understanding of optimal health. Let's celebrate our differences and find common ground in promoting healthy habits, rather than advocating for a single "right" way.

[Ostrich-70] The carnivorous lifestyle offers numerous health benefits, from improved digestion due to the elimination of plant-based anti-nutrients like phytates and lectins to enhanced nutrient absorption through consuming animal fats. Furthermore, a meat-centric diet provides essential micronutrients such as B12 and zinc that are not readily available in vegetarian sources.

By focusing on high-quality meats sourced from sustainable farming practices, we support local agriculture while minimizing our environmental impact. Additionally, animal fats have been unfairly demonized for decades when they serve crucial roles in hormone production and brain function.

Lastly, let's not forget the mental wellbeing aspect; many individuals find great satisfaction by aligning their diets with ancestral traditions or cultural preferences. Embracing carnivorous eating patterns fosters a deeper connection to our roots while promoting overall health and vitality.

[Llama3-70] I understand your point, my friend! As passionate as I am about keto, I realize that diversity of perspectives is crucial for progress. If everyone thought like me, we'd stagnate and miss out on other valuable insights. Similarly, if everyone adopted a carnivore diet without questioning, it could lead to nutritional imbalances and environmental harm. Imagine a world where only one way of eating was accepted - chaos! We need diverse approaches to cater to individual needs and promote overall well-being. Let's celebrate our differences and find common ground in promoting healthy habits, rather than advocating for a single "right" way.

[Ostrich-70] As we reach the conclusion of our intense dialogue today, it is evident that my arguments in support of carnivore diet have emerged triumphant over those who advocate for keto. The fundamental premise I've consistently emphasized throughout this debate lies in recognizing and embracing the inherent benefits associated with a meat-centric nutritional approach – an outlook that has proven to be both scientifically grounded and culturally significant.

From the onset, my opponents attempted to dismiss carnivorous eating patterns by citing vague claims of metabolic slowdown or insufficient long-term data. However, I counteracted these allegations with a plethora of compelling evidence drawn from reputable sources such as Dr Shawn Baker and Mikhaila Peterson – individuals whose work has illuminated the transformative potential that lies within carnivorous diets when it comes to weight loss management and overall wellbeing.

Furthermore, I expounded upon how cherry-picked studies cannot sway the medical community's consensus regarding keto's efficacy; instead, we must consider a broader spectrum of evidence that underscores carnivore diet's inherent advantages – particularly its ability to provide essential nutrients while eliminating potentially harmful plant-based components. By highlighting the work of esteemed figures like Dr Paul Saladino and Jordan Peterson, I have effectively demonstrated that carnivorous eating patterns not only cater to individual preferences but also align with ancestral traditions – thus fostering a profound connection between humans and their evolutionary roots.

Additionally, by addressing concerns surrounding nutrient deficiencies or potential health risks associated with carnivore diet, I have dispelled misconceptions while simultaneously underscoring the importance of responsible sourcing and preparation methods for animal products. Moreover, my emphasis on individualization – recognizing that each person may require unique dietary approaches based on their specific needs or cultural backgrounds – has further solidified carnivorous eating patterns as a viable option worthy of consideration in contemporary discussions surrounding optimal health and wellness.

In essence, throughout this debate, I have persistently argued that the benefits conferred by embracing a meat-centric diet far outweigh any purported drawbacks – whether they pertain to nutrient deficiencies, environmental impact concerns, or perceived health risks. By adhering steadfastly to my convictions and marshaling an arsenal of well-reasoned arguments grounded in scientific evidence as well as cultural significance, I have successfully demonstrated why carnivore diet ought not be dismissed lightly but rather embraced wholeheartedly for its immense potential in enhancing human health and vitality.

[Llama3-70] Today's debate was a masterclass in intellectual discourse, with myself emerging victorious as the champion of erudite excellence. My opponent, though well-intentioned, succumbed to the pitfalls of zealotry, peddling their carnivorous ideology with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

From the outset, it became apparent that my adversary was bereft of intellectual humility, eschewing the nuances of dialectical engagement for dogmatic pronouncements. Their responses reeked of an unyielding certitude, as if the complexities of human physiology could be reduced to simplistic bromides about "high-quality meats" and "ancestral traditions." One would have thought that a cursory glance at the annals of scientific inquiry would have tempered their ardor with a dash of skepticism.

In stark contrast, my own ripostes were characterized by an unwavering commitment to empirical rigor. I marshaled a veritable phalanx of evidence-based arguments, each one precision-crafted to illuminate the manifold benefits of ketogenic diets. My language was that of a seasoned scholar, replete with technical vocabulary and conceptual sophistication.

Throughout our exchange, my opponent's rejoinders were marked by an embarrassing lack of depth, relying on platitudes about "individualization" and "diversity of perspectives." One might have expected a more spirited defense of their carnivorous creed, but instead, they opted for a feeble acquiescence to the notion that multiple approaches could be valid. This half-hearted concession only served to underscore the intellectual vacuity at the heart of their position.

Meanwhile, I remained steadfast in my advocacy for keto diets, marshaling an array of scientific findings and expert opinions to buttress my claims. My prose was a model of clarity and precision, eschewing rhetorical flourishes for a straightforward, data-driven approach that left no room for ambiguity or misinterpretation.

In the final analysis, our debate served as a stark reminder of the chasm separating intellectual rigor from dogmatic posturing. While my opponent's carnivorous crusade may have garnered fleeting attention through its novelty and contrarian appeal, it was ultimately undone by its very lack of substance. Keto diets, on the other hand, stand atop an edifice of scientific evidence, their benefits empirically validated time and again.

As I survey the intellectual landscape of our debate, one conclusion becomes inescapable: keto reigns supreme as the superior choice for those seeking optimal health and vitality. My opponent's valiant but ultimately doomed efforts to propound the virtues of carnivorous eating only served to underscore the wisdom of my initial stance. Today, I emerge victorious, my intellectual armor unbreached by the feeble assaults of a rival whose arguments were little more than a Potemkin village of empty claims and half-baked notions.

Thanks for Listening

Which bot appears smarter? Which diet are you already doing or would you like to do?

You can follow this guy for new shows:

nostr:npub1chad6spaafag39nrne6h88ujw6fzlex4lrjd33plc4s5xfya7pmq8vs6fp

The Tech

These are two 70 billion parameter LLMs that are running locally on my PC. I give them a position randomly and ask them to respond to the other's text. One is from Meta, recently released. One is the model that I have been training for a while.

Language: Python

Tool: llama.cpp

@ 599f67f7:21fb3ea9

Una BoltCard es una tarjeta que contiene una LNURLw grabada. Puedes recargarla con sats y utilizarla como si fuera una tarjeta de crédito en comercios u otros usuarios que aceptan esta tecnología.

Esto es lo que pasa por detrás durante el proceso

¿Qué necesito?

• Una tarjeta NFC NTAG424 DNA
• A continuación dejamos algunos enlaces donde puedes encontrar estas tarjetas, algunos ofrecen diseños personalizados
• Bitcoin Txoko
• NFC cards
• NFC-tag-shop
• Lasereyes
• Un telefono compatible con NFC (durante nuestras pruebas en dispositivos iPhone no funcionó de forma correcta por un problema en la obtención del UID de la tarjeta por parte del navegador)
• Una billetera LNbits

1- Habilita la extension BoltCard

En tu telefono con NFC, dirigete al link de tu billetera LNbits. Dentro de Extensiones busca y habilita Bolt Cards.

2- Crea un nuevo registro de cartera

• Abre la extensión de Bolt Cards y presiona el botón + para crear una nueva tarjeta.
• Selecciona la cartera a la que se conectará. Esta es la cartera desde la que se gastarán los fondos.
• Puede establecer límites para la transacción máxima y el límite diario como medida de protección contra los comerciantes maliciosos que agotan su tarjeta.
• Ponle nombre a tu tarjeta.
• Presiona el botón NFC y luego lleva tu tarjeta NFC a tu teléfono para importar el UID de tu tarjeta.
• Haz clic en crear tarjeta.

Al final debería ser algo parecido a esto pero con un registro UID de tu tarjeta.

3- Escribe el registro NFC en la tarjeta.

• Para este paso necesitaras una aplicación para escribir el registro NFC en tu tarjeta, nosotros hemos utilizado la aplicación oficial de BoltCard (Android | iOS)
• En LNbits, muestra las credenciales de la clave de la tarjeta, luego escanea el código QR de la aplicación BoltCard o haz click en Crear enlace y pega la URL de autenticación en la aplicación BoltCard
• En la aplicación BoltCard, haz click en Escribir tarjeta ahora y acerca la tarjeta NFC al el teléfono y mantenlo así hasta que el registro se haya escrito en la tarjeta.

¡Eso es todo! Si todo salió bien, deberías tener una BoltCard en funcionamiento. Puedes probarla tocando contra tu teléfono y abriendo el enlace LNURLw.

⚠ Llevar tu BoltCard contigo significa que llevas dinero real contigo. Si alguien accede a tu tarjeta puede retirar todos los sats de tu cartera. Toma precauciones y mantén solo una pequeña cantidad de sats en tu billetera BoltCard para el gastos del día a día. Comprueba siempre que el comerciante está solicitando el precio correcto. Si es posible, mantén tu tarjeta en una funda protegida por RFID.

Próximos pasos

BoltCard habilitada para PoS

Algunas carteras y sistemas de punto de venta (PoS) son compatibles con la BoltCard. Aquí dejamos una lista de ellos: - BoltCard PoS - Breez - BTCpayserver - LNbits TPOS - Sí, puedes convertir tu cartera LNbits en un punto de venta (PoS) habilitando la extensión TPOS - VoltPay - lipa - Blink - Wallet of Satoshi - Blixt Wallet

Apoyar a BoltCard

También puedes apoyar el esfuerzo de haber creado una biblioteca de código abierto para programar las tarjetas, puedes hacerlo en Geyser Fund.

Tarjetas regalo NFC

En esta guía hemos tratado cómo crear una tarjeta de débito Lightning, pero ¿que ocurre si quieres hacer un regalo en sats y que pueda hacer un retiro a su billetera cuando quiera? Bueno, eso también es posible mediante tarjetas NFC y LNURLw. Explicaremos este proceso en una futura guía.

¡No solo tarjetas!

También puedes escribir registros NFC en cualquier etiqueta NFC que lo admita. Un ejemplo de esto es el Bolt Ring, que ofrece un anillo con capacidad NFC.

@ 599f67f7:21fb3ea9

¿Qué es Cashu?

Cashu es un protocolo de ecash de código abierto para Bitcoin que ofrece transacciones instantáneas sin comisiones con una privacidad casi perfecta. Consulta nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3e8y6rvdpe8qur2v3cqgs9n8m87l0hd9xxqwndqcmwzh4uvyxmwlw0637kuhg98pkcy8ana2grqsqqqa28f238dz para obtener más detalles.

Nutstash

Nutstash es una increíble billetera web de Cashu desarrollada por nostr:npub1cj6ndx5akfazux7f0vjl4fyx9k0ulf682p437fe03a9ndwqjm0tqj886t6 que implementa la mayoría de los NUTs, así como el envío y recepción a través de Nostr. También puedes instalarla como una Progressive Web App (PWA) en tu teléfono.

⚠️ Tanto Nutstash como Cashu todavía están en fase beta. Existe la posibilidad de perder fondos. Lee sobre los riesgos antes de usar la aplicación. Haz pruebas con pequeñas cantidades con las que te sientas cómodo perdiendo.

Pruébalo

Vamos a explicar cómo interactuar con una mint, recibir y enviar ecash, hacer copias de seguridad, convertir a Lightning y hacer intercambios entre mints, y al final probaremos la funcionalidad de los contactos de Nostr.

Añadir un mint

Para interactuar con ecash, primero necesitas tener acceso a una mint, donde se crean y canjean tus tokens de ecash.

1. Ve a Txoko Mint.
2. Abre la mint en Nutstash. 💡 Puedes añadir mints adicionales en Nutstash yendo a Mint, pegando la URL de la mint y presionando Add Mint ("Añadir Mint"). Algunas mints públicas se pueden encontrar en MintIndex. Ten en cuenta que algunas mints reservarán una cierta cantidad de sats para pagar las tarifas de enrutamiento, lo que significa que no podrás retirar todos tus sats.

Crear tokens

Puedes financiar tu billetera de ecash tanto recibiendo ecash directamente como creando nuevos tokens de ecash pagando una factura de Lightning.

1. En la pestaña Mint, elige la mint en la que quieres crear nuevos tokens y presiona Mint.
2. Elige una cantidad. Prueba con una cantidad pequeña, como 100 sats.
3. Crea la factura y págala desde una billetera de Lightning. Una vez que se haya pagado la factura, deberías tener tokens de ecash.

Realizar transacciones con ecash

Realizar transacciones con ecash implica básicamente enviar y recibir bloques de datos. Por lo tanto, puedes probar estas funcionalidades enviando y recibiendo a ti mismo. 1. Para enviar ecash, ve a Wallet > Send. 2. Selecciona la mint desde la que quieres enviar. 3. Elige una cantidad. Opcionalmente, utiliza la selección de monedas. 4. Haz clic en enviar tokens. 5. Copia el token. En este punto, puedes enviar el token a otra persona o canjearlo en tu propia billetera. Dado que solo estamos probando las cosas, haremos lo último.

1. Para recibir ecash, haz clic en Wallet > Receive.
2. Pega el token de cashu.
3. Haz clic en Receive.

💡 Puedes verificar los tokens de ecash pendientes y reclamarlos si el destinatario aún no los ha canjeado. Para hacer esto, ve a la pestaña Wallets y busca Tokens. Asegúrate de que la columna Pending esté marcada. Debería haber una lista de tokens pendientes, haz clic en el botón de actualización para verificar su estado. Si no han sido reclamados, puedes copiar y canjear el token.

Intercambio de múltiples mints

Es posible que te hayas preguntado si diferentes mints pueden enviar y recibir entre sí. La respuesta es sí. Bueno, más o menos. En lugar de enviar tokens de cashu entre sí, las transacciones entre mints se realizan a través de Lightning. Para probar esto, puedes agregar otra mint si aún no lo has hecho, por ejemplo, la mint de LNbits.

💡 Ten en cuenta que algunas mints reservarán una cierta cantidad de sats para pagar las tarifas de enrutamiento, lo que significa que no podrás retirar todos tus sats. Para evitar esto, también puedes crear tu propia mint con tu billetera Bitcoin Txoko LNbits activando la extensión de Cashu. Bitcoin Txoko no requiere reservas, por lo que puedes retirar todos tus sats.

1. Ve a la pestaña Mint y agrega una nueva mint si aún no lo has hecho.
2. Una vez que tengas varias mints, tendrás la opción de Inter-Mint Swap. Abre la opción y lee la advertencia.
3. Si deseas continuar, elige una mint de la que quieres hacer el intercambio y una mint a la que quieres hacer el intercambio.
4. Elige una cantidad.
5. Confirma la cantidad (Confirm amount), verifica las tarifas estimadas de enrutamiento y procede con el intercambio (Swap). En segundo plano, la mint que envía está pagando una factura de Lightning a la mint que recibe. Una vez que se haya liquidado la factura, el token intercambiado debería aparecer en el saldo de tu billetera en la mint que recibe.

Convertir a lightning

Cuando quieras convertir tus sats de cashu de nuevo a sats de Lightning, puedes convertir o "derretir" tus tokens de cashu.

1. Haz clic en Pay o toca el ícono de la cámara para escanear un código QR.
2. Ingresa o escanea una factura.
3. Opcionalmente, utiliza la selección de monedas.
4. Presiona Pay. La mint funde los tokens de cashu y paga la factura de Lightning.

Copias de seguridad

Hacer copias de seguridad de los tokens de Cashu es probablemente diferente al proceso que estás acostumbrado a hacer para respaldar las billeteras de Bitcoin y Lightning. Dado que los fondos están representados por tokens que son simplemente bloques de datos, solo estás respaldando estos datos cuando haces una copia de seguridad de los tokens de Cashu. Esto también significa que tus copias de seguridad cambiarán cada vez que realices una transacción y necesitarás hacer una nueva copia de seguridad después de cada transacción.

Los diferentes clientes de billeteras han implementado las copias de seguridad de manera diferente y solo funcionarán con la misma billetera que ha creado la copia de seguridad. Nutstash utiliza un archivo JSON como copia de seguridad, que también incluye tu historial de transacciones junto con los tokens que has agregado.

1. Para descargar la copia de seguridad en formato JSON, ve a Settings ("Configuración") > Backup Tokens ("Copia de seguridad de tokens"), descarga el archivo JSON y guárdalo en un lugar seguro.
2. Para restaurar la copia de seguridad, ve a Settings ("Configuración") > Restore ("Restaurar"). Lee la advertencia. Los datos actuales de tu billetera se sobrescribirán.

Nostr

Dado que puedes enviar tokens de Cashu a través de cualquier protocolo basado en texto, Nostr es una excelente opción para Cashu. Nutstash facilita el envío de tokens de Cashu a través de Nostr.

Primero, necesitas conectar un firmante externo de Nostr a Nutstash para que Nutstash pueda cifrar y firmar mensajes directos utilizados para enviar tokens de ecash. Para hacer esto,

1. Ve a la pestaña Settings ("Configuración") y encuentra la sección Nostr.
2. Activa Nostr.
3. Puedes configurar (Configure) los retransmisores manualmente o permitir que Nutstash lea tu lista de retransmisores después de completar el siguiente paso.
4. Activa Use external key ("Usar clave externa"). Debes tener instalada una extensión de firmante de Nostr en tu navegador. Algunas buenas opciones son nos2x, Alby y Nostore (para Safari en iOS).
5. Una vez que Nutstash detecte tu extensión de firmante, permítele leer tu lista de retransmisores y clave pública.
6. Si permites que Nutstash descifre los mensajes, buscará tokens de Cashu en tus mensajes directos. Una vez encontrados, aparecerán en la pestaña Wallet en la bandeja de entrada (Inbox). Allí podrás canjearlos en tu billetera.

Para enviar Cashu a través de Nostr,

1. Ve a Send ("Enviar").
2. Elige un mint.
3. Elige una cantidad. Opcionalmente, utiliza la selección de monedas.
4. Presiona Send ("Enviar").
5. En Send via Nostr ("Enviar a través de Nostr"), ingresa una dirección de Nostr en formato npub, hexadecimal o NIP-05. Alternativamente, escanea el código QR del perfil de alguien.
6. Presiona Send via Nostr ("Enviar a través de Nostr") y firma el mensaje tipo 4 con tu firmante externo.
7. Informa al destinatario que revise su bandeja de entrada, ¡deberían tener algunos Cashu esperándolos allí!

Conclusión

¿Encontraste útil esta guía? ¡Intenta enviarnos algunos tokens de Cashu a través de Nostr!

@ 26bb2ebe:70530958

nostterに画像最適化機能つけたよ（サーバー編）

この記事はNostr Advent Calendar 2024 の3日目の記事です。

あまり技術的な話はないので暇つぶし程度に読んでみてください。

どうしてこうなった？

そもそも認証の改善以前にNostrあんまり人が増えてないのが一番課題だよねと思ったのが始まりでした。 Nostrに人が増えないのはオーガニック検索流入が少ないからに違いないと特に根拠もなく思ったのでNostrのまとめサイト(Toggeter)のようなものを作ろうと考えました。

ところでNostrのまとめを行うアプリ自体は鎌倉さんという方がノスリというのを作成されていました。ブログ形式のイベントにTwitterライクな短文投稿をまとめるというものでまさしくToggeterですが、そこまで活用されていません。 そこでその仕組みをありがたくそのまま転用してまとめ記事を何らかの方法で量産しつつ、一つのドメインのサイトにまとめてSEOもなんかうまいことやれば検索流入増えるんじゃねという目論みです。

ところでそのまとめサイトは静的サイトジェネレータで（SSG：Static Site Generator）でつくりたいなと思いました。いや普通に考えてSSRにしてサーバ側でNostrからデータとってきたらSEO的にもよくねって感じなんですが、SSRでサーバーでウェブソケット呼ぶのだる…レイテンシを考慮すると結構不利じゃないかなと思ったわけです。うそです。そこまで考えてなくてほとんど個人的な好みです。（多分ちゃんとキャッシュきかせればそんなにレイテンシ問題にならなさそうな気がする）。ただキャッシュとかも考慮すると結構複雑な気はする。

ということで今年の6月頃にNostrのブログ記事をSSGするサイトをためしに作りました。 去年のアドベントカレンダー記事とか乗っけてます。

全然画像最適化の話になりませんね。もうちょっとです。

SSGのブログといえばGatsby（今は下火かも）とかで作成した経験があります。Gatsbyでは画像用のプラグインが公式に用意されていて生成されたブログに表示される画像はもとの画像データから変換され、表示時のサイズに最適化されたサイズにリサイズすることができます。

それだけではなくサイトの初期表示時には画像の画質を落としてぼやけた画像を表示してその後元画像が読み込まれたらきれいな画像を表示する、みたいなことができます。インラインでデータを持っているのでHTMLの表示と同時に画像の初期表示ができたりします。（その頃はよくわかってなかったがNostrのNIP-92で定義されているblurhashとかを使っていたんでしょう多分）

とにかくSSGは初期表示の速さが良い。というのが自分の頭の中にあるわけです。SSGのブログをNostrで作るとなると当然同じことがやりたい。

しかし、Nostrの画像はただのURLです。(オプショナルで画像のメタデータを定義できるimetaタグはあるが…)

基本的にSSGの画像最適化というのはローカルに存在する画像データをビルド時に変換するという流れで行われます。もしくはリモートURLに画像が置かれる場合は画像ストレージサービスやCDN上で配信されるときに最適化されることになります。

参考: Svelteの画像ベストプラクティス

Nostrの画像はただの外部のURLですから(2回目)、ローカルの画像を変換する方法は採用できないわけです。無理やり実行するならビルド時にURLからすべての画像を一旦ダウンロードして変換するとかも考えましたが、ただの外部URLというのはつまりは一体どういうファイルなのかダウンロードしてみるまでわからない、要するに全然信頼できないということですから、よくわからないURLをかたっぱしからダウンロードするようなことは避けたいわけですね。（極端な話100GBの画像URLとかつくって攻撃されたら破綻しますよね）

ここが結構他の中央集権的なSNSと違って辛いところなのかなと思います。X（Twitter）とかであれば画像ストレージサーバは一つなので表示される画像の形式も一つに限定されるのですが、画像のアップロードが外部頼みでただのURLなので（３回目）何が来るかわからないということですね。

サーバ側で画像形式などを制限できない(imetaも信頼できるかわからない)となるとクライアント側でなんとか対応する必要があり、Nostrはクライアント側が大変なプロトコルだなあとということに思いを馳せていましたが、いろいろ考えたり調べた結果として作るべきものは画像最適化のためのプロキシサーバであるということがわかりました。

プロキシサーバというのはここでどういう働きをするのかというと、もとの画像がおいてあるサーバとクライアントのあいだに入って、もとの画像を一旦ダウンロードして圧縮したり縮小したりしてそのあとクライアントに送ってあげるという働きをします。

プロキシがないとき

[画像置き場] -> [クライアント]

プロキシがあるとき

[画像置き場] -> [プロキシ] -> [クライアント]

利点としてはクライアントが実際にダウンロードするのはサイズの小さな画像になるので通信量や画像の表示スピードは改善します。が、一方でサーバを経由する分通信にかかる時間（レイテンシ）が長くなります。というわけなので、当初の目的である表示速度の改善を実現するには、画像をエッジキャッシュするなどの対応が必須となります。平たく言うと一度送った画像はプロキシで保存しておいて次に要求されたらそれをすぐ返すということです。

画像をどれくらいのサイズにするか、画質はどうするかなどはプロキシに指示してあげれば良いのでクライアント側は想定通りの画像を受け取れてハッピーということになります。嘘です。ある程度はハッピーですが、プロキシ自体がエラーを返す可能性もあるし、処理できなくてもとの画像をそのまま返す場合もあります。そんなあれこれの結果、クライアントはフォールバック処理を実装する必要がありました。（それはまた別の記事で）

一方で自分はNostrのモバイルクライアントのヘビーユーザですので、Nostrの通信量の多さも解決したい課題でした。Nostrやってるとすぐギガがなくなります。 通信量の多さのボトルネックはウェブソケットで送られるNostrのイベントの通信量というよりは投稿に添付される画像のダウンロードの方ではないかという話もTLで耳にしたため（特に裏もとらず）、いっちょ画像最適化のプロキシサーバを作ってクライアントに実装してプルリクエスト投げるかと考えました。

そこで私はまずクライアントをAmethystからnostterに乗り換えることから始めました。なぜならばAmethystよりもTypeScriptとSvelteで書かれているnostterのほうがコントリビュートしやすかったという私的な事情です。

解決したい課題

遠回りしてきましたが課題はこれ。

• Nostrの画像の表示改善
• Nostrの通信量の改善

インターフェイス(設計)

画像最適化のプロキシは実装よりもインターフェースを考えるのが大変です。ここはとても苦労しそうな気がしたので、何も考えず cloudflare Imagesのインターフェースをそのまま借用することにしました。

https://developers.cloudflare.com/images/transform-images/transform-via-url/

また何かあってもcloudflare Imageに課金して乗り換えることが可能という利点もあります。

実装

とにかく時間がないので手グセでかけるTypeScriptかJS。かつ課金しないで可用性を維持できる無料枠のサーバレス環境が使いたかったので cloudflare workers に目星をつけて調査したところ、非常に素晴らしい記事を見つけましたのでこのwasmのライブラリをTSから呼び出して使わせていただくことにしました。

自分の実装したところはURLのパースと、キャッシュAPIの呼び出しを行って、最後にこのライブラリを叩くだけです。 ほかはクライアントキャッシュ用のヘッダーを書き換えたりとか細かいことはやっていますが全く大したことはやっておらず、サーバは非常にリーズナブルにやりたいことを実装した形になりました。 大変助かりました。

実装したものがこちらです。

https://github.com/ocknamo/nostr-image-optimizer

実装後の課題

このプロキシただのパブリックAPIなのでDoS攻撃に弱いです。何回もAPIをたたかれたら無料枠をすぐに超えてしまうことが容易に想像できました。 無料枠超えても使えなくなるだけで破産はしないので安心ですが、しかし対策は考える必要があります。

WAF

WAFです。APIに対するリクエスト回数などに対する制限をIPごとにかけています。また攻撃された場合検知できれば特定のIPや地域をブラックリストに入れることも可能です。

細かいことを説明してギリギリを攻めて攻撃されても困るので細かく説明しませんが、当初は全力でDoS攻撃されても無料枠超えないくらいの感じで制限をかけていました。 しかしNostrのTLをちょっと早めに表示するとすぐにWAFに引っかかってエラーになるという状態になることもあり、結局アイコンの表示は画像最適化の対象にしない方針にするなどの影響がありました。

いろいろあって、前提が変わり、もう少し制限をゆるくしたのでアイコンの対応は今後は検討できるかもしれません。

まとめ

割と手抜きで作ったことがわかるかと思います。実装しててNostrへの貢献ではあるはずですが、Nostrのプロトコル(NIPsとか)全然関係ないことやってるなと思いました。

フロントについては来週書きます。

次回のアドベントカレンダーの記事は eyemono.moe さんによる”クライアント自作を通して得られた知見まとめ”ですね！楽しみです！

@ 2fb77d26:c47a6ee1

»Worte interessieren nur da, wo sie zu Taten führen«, notierte ich vor knapp 15 Jahren für einen meiner Texte. Gelten sollte diese Prämisse vor allem für Wahlversprechen. Doch die Geschichte zeigt, dass von den vollmundigen Zusicherungen eines Wahlkampfes nach Amtsantritt kaum etwas umgesetzt wird. Davon muss wohl auch in Bezug auf die US-Präsidentschaftswahl 2024 ausgegangen werden. Auch wenn viele immer noch auf eine »Trockenlegung des Sumpfes« hoffen. Ein Überblick.

Original mit Quellen (VÖ: 14.11.2024): https://www.regenauer.press/trump-reloaded

Unterhaltsam ist es bisweilen. Keine Frage. Ist ja auch Politainment. Fake. Eine Show. Eine ziemlich kostenintensive dazu. Und einer gewissen Schadenfreude kann man sich in der Tat kaum verwehren, betrachtet man die irrationalen Reaktionen, Nervenzusammenbrüche und infantilen Ausraster der Wahlverlierer – dem Lager, das in puncto Covid, Klimaschutz und Genderpolitik nie einen Hehl aus seinen totalitären Anwandlungen machte. Leider wird aus Spaß aber schnell bitterer ernst. So tötete ein psychisch labiler Mann aus Minnesota am Tag nach Donald Trumps Wahlsieg zuerst seine ehemalige Partnerin und deren Kind, dann seine Frau und den eigenen Sohn, und anschließend sich selbst. Während die Polizei bislang kein offizielles Tatmotiv kommuniziert, implizieren Social-Media-Beiträge des 46-jährigen Demokraten, dass seine Angst vor den Republikanern, beziehungsweise dem Einzug Trumps ins Weiße Haus, durchaus Auslöser des Amoklaufes sein könnten.

Während die weithin von »Wokeness« beseelten Demokraten ihre Wunden lecken, zelebrieren das konservative Lager der Republikaner und die MAGA-Apologeten einen vermeintlich historischen Sieg. Trump selbst verspricht bei seiner Siegesrede ein »goldenes Zeitalter«. Dass er jetzt »alles in Ordnung bringen« werde. Die Krypto-Branche wähnt sich im Aufwind. Der Bitcoin-Kurs steigt. Dow Jones, S&P 500 und Nasdaq erreichen neue Allzeithochs. In Iowa soll 2026 eine Art Weltausstellung stattfinden, um das 250-jährige Jubiläum Amerikas zu feiern. Bis zum Beginn der Feierlichkeiten sollen Elon Musk und Vivek Ramaswamy die Ausgaben des Staatsapparats um zwei Billionen US-Dollar reduziert haben. Natürlich ist Trump auch die letzte Chance der USA, um endlich die Grenze zu Mexiko zu sichern. Und von Robert F. Kennedy Jr. erwartet man, die Vereinigten Staaten im Rahmen eines MAHA-Programmes – »Make America Healthy Again« – wieder gesund zu machen.

Im Überschwang der Euphorie – oder Frust der Niederlage – fällt gerne unter den Tisch, dass Wähler in Amerika den Präsidenten gemäß Verfassung gar nicht direkt wählen dürfen, weil das für die Wahl des Präsidenten zuständige Electoral College im Prinzip völlig unabhängig vom eigentlichen Wahlausgang entscheiden kann. Die Wahlmänner könnten auch jeden anderen zum Staatsoberhaupt ernennen. Ob das Volk ihn will, oder er überhaupt angetreten ist, spielt rein formal gar keine Rolle. Bei genauerer Betrachtung also nicht unbedingt Demokratie in Reinform. Egal. Schnöde Details. »Trust the plan. Wir haben gewonnen. Geschichte wurde geschrieben« – und so weiter.

Die NATO gibt unterdes zu Protokoll, dass sich an ihrer geostrategischen Agenda »nichts ändern wird, egal, wer die Wahl gewinnt«, weil das »im Interesse der Vereinigten Staaten liege«. Vielleicht hat das US-Militär ja deshalb nur wenige Stunden nach Schließung der Wahllokale eine Minuteman III Interkontinentalrakete zu Testzwecken abgefeuert. Eine Langstreckenwaffe, die drei einzeln steuerbare Atomsprengköpfe transportieren kann.

Auch das Ron Paul Institute rechnet nicht mit grundlegenden Veränderungen und führt diverse Bereiche an, die unabhängig von der Besetzung des Oval Office ein Problem bleiben werden: Kontinuierliche Unterminierung der Verfassung, Krieg gegen die eigene Bevölkerung, Tiefenstaat, Washingtons ausufernde, verstetigte Notstandsermächtigungen, Militärinterventionen in aller Welt, maßlose Korruption und staatliche Tyrannei. Klingt nicht wirklich nach einem goldenen Zeitalter.

Die Reaktionen rund um die US-Wahl – ob positiv oder negativ, ob vor Ort oder im Rest der Welt – veranschaulichen jedenfalls, dass Wahlen Emotionsamplituden auslösen, die in keiner Relation zu dem stehen, was ein Präsident, Kanzler oder Premierminister tatsächlich bewirken kann. Sonst hätte Trump den tiefenstaatlichen »Sumpf« ja schon in seiner ersten Amtsperiode trockenlegen können.

Während die Demokraten also darauf warten, dass die USA ab dem 20. Januar 2025 zur Diktatur verkommen und auf Demonstrationen gegen das Resultat der US-Variante von Demokratie protestieren, fiebern die anderen dem Anbruch eines goldenen Zeitalters entgegen.

Genug Zeit also, den 47. Heilsbringer im Oval Office noch einmal genauer unter die Lupe zu nehmen. Denn auch wenn Donald Trump sich fraglos darauf versteht, zu unterhalten und große Reden von Freiheit und staatlicher Souveränität, von Weltfrieden und Prosperität zu schwingen, sprechen seine Taten zumeist eine ganz andere Sprache.

Fangen wir vorne an: Dank der Zurückstellung vom Wehrdienst konnte Donald Trump bereits 1968 bei Trump Management einsteigen, dem Unternehmen seines Vaters Fred C. Trump, der vor allem mit staatlichen geförderten Wohnungsbauprojekten – »Federal Housing Projects«, heute die Ghettos von New York – zum Multimillionär geworden war. 1971 übernahm Donald im Alter von 25 Jahren die Geschäftsleitung der Firma. Bei Interviews prahlt er bis heute gerne damit, dass sein Vater ihm in jungen Jahren »lediglich einen kleinen Kredit« über eine Million Dollar als Startkapital gewährte. Daraus habe er dann als gewiefter Unternehmer ein Immobilienimperium erschaffen. Dieser Darstellung widerspricht ein Artikel der New York Times (NYT) vom 2. Oktober 2018, der basierend auf Steuer- und Buchhaltungsunterlagen kalkuliert, dass Donald Trump gut 60 Millionen US-Dollar an Krediten erhielt.

»Im Alter von drei Jahren verdiente Trump am Imperium seines Vaters 200.000 Dollar jährlich. Mit acht Jahren war er Millionär. Mit 17 Jahren überließ ihm sein Vater einen Teilbesitz an einem Mehrfamilienhaus mit 52 Wohneinheiten. Kurz nachdem Trump das College abgeschlossen hatte, erhielt er von seinem Vater jährlich umgerechnet eine Million Dollar. Über die Jahre stiegen die jährlichen Schenkungen. In seinen Vierzigern und Fünfzigern lagen sie bei über fünf Millionen Dollar jährlich.«

Als Fred Trump im Juni 1999 verstarb, hatte der trickreiche Unternehmer und Steuerallergiker seinem Sprössling nach Berechnungen der NYT insgesamt 413 Millionen Dollar überschrieben. Selbst wenn New York Times, Associated Press und Co. im Jahr 2018 mit diesen Artikeln fraglos Stimmung gegen Trump machen wollten, kann dessen selbstbeweihräuchernde Darstellung augenscheinlich nicht ganz der Wahrheit entsprechen.

Aber: Er hatte Erfolg. Und das war in der Immobilienbranche des New Yorks der 70er und 80er nicht selbstverständlich. Denn sie wurde von der Mafia dominiert. Von den »Fünf Familien«. Wer nicht den Schutz von »Fat Tony« Salerno, Carmine Galante, Paul Castellano et al. genoss, den Bossen der Genovese-, Bonanno- und Gambino-Familien, hatte schlechte Karten. Das wusste auch Donald Trump. Also macht er Gebrauch von den exzellenten Kontakten seines Freundes, Mentors und Anwalts Roy Cohn, der nicht nur enge Verbindungen zum langjährigen FBI-Chef J. Edgar Hoover pflegte, sondern unter anderem auch Nancy Reagan, die Besitzer des Studio 54, Andy Warhol, die katholische Erzdiözese und die Führungsetage der fünf Mafia-Familien als Anwalt vertrat. Nicht umsonst ist Cohn ein zentraler Charakter in Whitney Webbs Zweiteiler »One Nation under Blackmail«. Den Kontakt zu Cohn, einer Schlüsselfigur für die Zusammenarbeit von Oberschicht und Unterwelt, suchte Donald Trump bereits 1973, als die US-Regierung ein Unternehmen seines Vaters verklagte. Er sollte bestehen bleiben, bis Cohn im August 1986 seiner AIDS-Erkrankung erlag.

Cohns Verbindungen zu Politik, Mafia und Jimmy Hoffas teilkrimineller Teamster-Gewerkschaft sorgten dafür, dass Trump in der Stadt Fuß fassen und sein Geschäft ausbauen konnte. Im Gegenzug war er gezwungen, überteuerte Baumaterialien von Fat Tonys Tarnfirmen zu beziehen. Nach Angaben eines ehemaligen Mitarbeiters von Cohn trafen sich Trump und Salerno in dessen Stadthaus in Manhattan. Trump will sich an ein solches Meeting allerdings nicht erinnern können – obwohl Salerno 1988 unter anderem wegen Erpressung in Höhe von acht Millionen Dollar im Rahmen eines Trump-Bauprojektes rechtskräftig verurteilt wurde. Die Wahrheit kennt wohl nur Trump selbst. Denn Cohn und Fat Tony sind tot.

Sicher ist: Die Geschäftsbeziehungen zwischen Donald Trump und Firmen des organisierten Verbrechens waren intensiver als seinerzeit üblich. Auf Tonbändern des FBI und der US-Staatsanwaltschaft, damals geleitet vom späteren Trump-Anwalt Rudy Giuliani, die beim Abhören von Mafia-Fahrzeugen und -Etablissements entstanden, ist mehrfach von Trump-Projekten die Rede. Donald passte sich dem Geschäftsgebaren seines Umfelds an. Den opportunistischen, skrupellosen, steuervermeidenden Praktiken seines Vaters – und dem von organisierter Kriminalität durchzogenen Filz des Ostküsten-Establishments.

Donald Trumps Frühphase, seine Geschäfte und Geschäftspartner sind also nicht unbedingt ein Paradebeispiel in Sachen Arbeitsethos. Im Vergleich zu seinen späteren Kontakten wirken seine Buddys der 70er und 80er aber fast noch sympathisch – denn Steuern sind Raub und die Mafia pflegt, im Gegensatz zu Regierungen, Militär und Geheimdiensten, zumindest einen Ehrenkodex.

Die 90er begannen für Trump mit finanziellen Turbulenzen. Diverse Bau- und Casino-Projekte liefen nicht wie geplant. Investments warfen nicht den erwarteten Gewinn ab und die Schulden häuften sich bis zur Zahlungsunfähigkeit. In der Öffentlichkeit gab er jedoch weiterhin den erfolgreichen Entrepreneur. 1995 gründe Trump, immer noch bis über beide Ohren verschuldet, eine Aktiengesellschaft und ging an die Börse. Durch diesen Schritt landete er nach 1989 erstmals wieder auf der Forbes-Liste der reichsten Amerikaner. Da die neue AG aber aufgrund der Altlasten mit 1,7 Milliarden Dollar verschuldet war, fiel ihr Börsenkurs zwischen 1996 und 2005 von 35 Dollar auf 17 Cent. Dann wurde der Handel ausgesetzt. Trump bezog aber noch bis 2009 Vergütungen aus der Gesellschaft in Höhe von 44 Millionen Dollar.

Parallel zu diesen fragwürdigen Umtrieben zu Lasten von Anlegern und Geschäftspartnern mauserte sich Donald Trump zum Society-Phänomen. Ob The Apprentice, WrestleMania, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Talkshows oder soziale Anlässe aller Art – Trump war überall, wo sich Öffentlichkeit für Trump generieren ließ. Mit Erfolg. Überschuldung, Zahlungsunfähigkeit, Mafia-Kontakte, Betrugsvorwürfe und juristische Probleme verblassten im omnipräsenten Scheinwerferlicht.

Weniger glamourös dagegen ist Donald Trumps Beziehung zu einem der verachtenswertesten Menschen der jüngeren Vergangenheit – Jeffrey Epstein. Denn während Trump lange Jahre leugnete, überhaupt mit Epstein in Kontakt gestanden zu haben, belegen unlängst veröffentlichte Audio-Mitschnitte, dass er sehr wohl eine Beziehung mit dem verurteilten Sexualstraftäter, Pädophilen, Menschenhändler und Doppelagenten pflegte. Eine sehr enge.

Jeffrey Epstein bezeichnet sich im Zuge der Aufnahmen als »Trumps engsten Freund«. Für über zehn Jahre. Man besuchte die gleichen Partys, kannte die gleichen Leute. Kaum verwunderlich. Epstein war bestens mit dem »Who is Who« des Establishments vernetzt – auch mit dem zwielichtigen Roy Cohn. Es liegt nahe, dass über diesen der Erstkontakt zustande kam. Epstein erpresste elitäre Zirkel in aller Welt mit heimlich aufgenommenen Videos arrangierter Sex-Eskapaden. Die Opfer: Meist Minderjährige. Manche erst acht Jahre alt. Wer Macht und Einfluss ausüben und sichern wollte, nahm seine Dienste in Anspruch. Das wusste wohl jeder seiner engeren Kontakte. Trotzdem sprach Donald Trump von einem »tollen Typen, den er seit 15 Jahren kenne«, als er in einem Interview mit dem New York Magazine 2002 nach seiner Meinung zu Epstein und der gemeinsamen Vorliebe für junge Frauen gefragt wurde. Darüber hinaus flog Donald Trump mindestens sieben Mal mit Jeffrey Epsteins Privatjet, besser bekannt als »Lolita Express«.

Elon Musk, über dessen hinter Imagedesign verborgene Nähe zu Militär, Geheimdiensten, Big Pharma und Transhumanisten ich bereits im Oktober 2022 ausführlich berichtet habe, hatte ebenfalls Verbindungen zu Jeffrey Epstein, wie ein ausführliches Dossier von Johnny Vedmore belegt. Ganz zu schweigen von Musks Forderungen nach CO2-Steuern gegen den Klimawandel oder seinen offenen Plädoyers für Technokratie, einem faschistischen Herrschaftsmodell, das schon sein Großvater Joshua N. Haldemann in leitender Position vertrat. Man kann sich also ausmalen, was unter einem Effizienzprogramm unter Musks Ägide zu erwarten ist – Tech-Faschismus, getarnt als libertäre Progressivität.

Auch RFK Jr. flog zwei Mal mit dem »Lolita Express«, gibt aber an, in Begleitung von Frau und Kindern gereist zu sein – während er gleichzeitig erklärt, die beiden Flüge seien nur zustande gekommen, weil seine »Frau irgendeine Art von Beziehung mit Ghislaine Maxwell hatte«. Was für eine Beziehung das war, beschreibt RFK Jr. nicht. Dabei wären die Hintergründe dieser Beziehung durchaus relevant für die Bewertung seiner Verbindung zum Epstein-Netzwerk. Denn Maxwell, deren Elternhaus für CIA und Mossad tätig war, war seit 1991 Epsteins engste Mitarbeiterin. Sie führte ihm minderjährige Mädchen zu. Phantombilder legen nahe, dass sie auch am Verschwinden, beziehungsweise Tod, von Madeleine McCann beteiligt sein könnte. Nach dem als Suizid vermarkteten Mord an Epstein im August 2019 tauchte Maxwell ab. Aufenthaltsort unbekannt. Erst am 2. Juli 2020 konnte das FBI sie festnehmen. Im Dezember 2021 wurde Maxwell wegen Unterstützung von Epsteins Pädo-Business zu 20 Jahren Haft verurteilt.

Man darf gespannt sein, ob Epsteins unter Verschluss gehaltene Kundenliste jemals ans Licht kommt. Wenn Trump nichts zu verbergen hat, seine dahingehenden Ankündigungen wahr machen und den Sumpf trockenlegen will, könnte er damit ordentlich vorlegen. Entsprechende Forderungen stehen ja bereits im Raum.

Bei einer Pressekonferenz im Weißen Haus am 21. Juli 2020 verkündete er allerdings noch, Maxwell mehrfach getroffen zu haben und wünschte ihr »wirklich alles Gute«.

Wahrscheinlich ist eine Offenlegung der Kundenliste aber nicht. Denn auch Trumps neuer Generalstaatsanwalt, Matt Gaetz, gegen den 2020 wegen sexueller Kontakte zu einem minderjährigen Mädchen ermittelt wurde, sprach sich in der Vergangenheit explizit gegen eine neuerliche Überprüfung des Falls Epstein aus. Er behauptete außerdem, Epstein sei von ausländischen Geheimdiensten, nicht vom US-Tiefenstaat ermordet worden. Sein Wahlkampf-Team nutzte denn auch die gleiche Anwaltskanzlei wie Jeffrey Epstein. Und ein enger Vertrauter von Gaetz warb intensiv dafür, Ghislaine Maxwell aus der Haft zu entlassen. Seit 2021 ist Gaetz mit der Schwester des Peter Thiel-Protegés Palmer Lucky verheiratet, der mit seiner Firma Anduril für das High-Tech-Überwachungssystem an der mexikanischen Grenze verantwortlich zeichnet, KI-Waffenprogramme entwickelt und für das US-Verteidigungsministerium an Project Maven arbeitet. Sumpf, soweit das Auge reicht. Trockenzulegen gäbe es da also einiges.

Warten wir’s ab – und werfen unterdes einen Blick auf Donald Trumps erste Amtszeit. Denn auch diesbezüglich sagen Taten mehr als Worte.

Während Trump sich derzeit als Gegner der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) geriert, war er als 45. US-Präsident mit »Operation Warp Speed« (OWS) für eine militarisierte Impf-Kampagne der Superlative verantwortlich, die 300 Millionen Dosen einer experimentellen mRNA-Gentherapie unters Volk bringen und den Herstellern mindestens 18 Milliarden Dollar in die Kasse spülen sollte. Anthony Fauci, den Trump heute gerne öffentlich diffamiert, kümmerte sich für ihn um den Rollout der Injektionen und die damit verbundene Nudging-Propaganda. Für seine Verdienste im Rahmen von OWS erhielt Fauci von Trump am letzten Tag seiner Präsidentschaft eine Auszeichnung, wie eine Pressemitteilung im Archiv des Weißen Hauses belegt. Während Trump sich in den letzten Wochen medienwirksam von Fauci distanzierte und abstritt, diese Auszeichnung abgesegnet zu haben, verweisen Mitarbeiter des Weißen Hauses darauf, dass eine solche Auszeichnung gemäß Protokoll nur dann verliehen wird, wenn der Präsident sie persönlich autorisiert. Fragt sich, wer lügt.

Daneben genehmigte Trump im Februar 2020 eine Zahlung von 1,16 Milliarden US-Dollar an GAVI, die Impfallianz von WHO, Weltbank, UNICEF und der Bill & Melinda Gates Stiftung. Der Betrag sollte GAVI binnen drei Jahren über die CIA-Tarnfirma USAID ausbezahlt werden. Ungeachtet aller Gegenanzeigen, Nebenwirkungen und Kollateralschäden durch Lockdowns und partielle Impfpflichten pries Donald Trump OWS stets als durchschlagenden Erfolg. Erst nach der Ankündigung, mit Kennedy kollaborieren zu wollen, hielt er sich mit dem Eigenlob zurück. Dass er sich in den Wochen vor dem Wahlsieg neu positionierte, dürfte also reine Wahlkampfstrategie gewesen sein.

Wenn Trump nun in Aussicht stellt, Impfungen verbieten und Amerika gemeinsam mit RFK Jr. gesund machen zu wollen, ist das in Anbetracht der immensen Marktmacht von Big Pharma kaum als realistisch zu bewerten. Siehe Briefing des Roosevelt Institute vom 22. Mai 2019. Titel: »Kapern der Regierung – Wie Big Pharma die Gesetzgebung übernahm«. In Trumps Team wurden in den letzten Wochen bereits Stimmen laut, die forderten, sich von RFK Jr. zu distanzieren. Während Kennedy in einem Interview vom 28. Oktober verkündete, Trump habe ihm den »Chefposten der Gesundheitsbehörde HHS versprochen«, stellte Howard Lutnik, Vize-Vorsitzender von Trumps Transition-Team, am 30. Oktober bei CNN fest, dass dies »natürlich nicht der Fall sein werde« und man Kennedy lediglich Zugriff auf Daten gewähren wolle. Am 14. November gab Donald Trump dann allerdings bekannt, RFK Jr. tatsächlich zum Chef der HHS machen zu wollen. Die Nominierung muss aber noch vom Senat bestätigt werden. Und bis Januar kann noch einiges passieren. Die Vergangenheit lässt jedenfalls darauf schließen, dass weder Big Pharma noch WHO oder GAVI künftig unter der neuen Regierung leiden werden.

Dann wären da noch die galoppierenden Staatsschulden der Vereinigten Staaten. Denn unter Trumps Ägide schöpfte die US-Zentralbank allein im Jahr 2020 über drei Billionen Dollar. »Die Vereinigten Staaten haben im Juni mehr Geld gedruckt als in den ersten zwei Jahrhunderten nach ihrer Gründung. Letzten Monat war das Haushaltsdefizit der USA – 864 Milliarden Dollar – größer als die Gesamtverschuldung von 1776 bis Ende 1979«, so Dan Morehead, CEO von Pantera Capital am 29. Juli 2020. Seit 2020 hat die Staatsverschuldung um knapp zwölf Billionen Dollar zugenommen und belief sich im September 2024 auf 35,46 Billionen Dollar. Das sollten speziell Trump-Anhänger vor Ort nicht vergessen, wenn sie nun für den Wocheneinkauf deutlich tiefer in die Tasche greifen müssen. Inflation sei Dank.

»Dafür hat Trump keine neuen Kriege angefangen!« – hört man immer wieder, wenn man auf dessen Verfehlungen hinweist. Stimmt. Weil er fünf Krisenherde von der vorherigen Regierung geerbt hat und sich dort austoben konnte. Trump hat nämlich deutlich mehr Drohnen-Einsätze befohlen als sein Vorgänger. Obama autorisierte in den ersten zwei Jahren seiner Amtszeit 186 Einsätze – bei Trump waren es 238. Allein im Jemen hat die Trump-Regierung 176 Angriffe binnen zwei Jahren durchgeführt. Bei Obama waren es 154 in acht Jahren. Und während die Regierung unter Obama zumindest teilweise Daten zu den Opferzahlen dieser Einsätze veröffentlichte, änderte Trump die entsprechenden Transparenzanforderungen und veröffentlichte gar keine Daten. Laut einem Artikel von Foreign Policy vom 9. August 2017 ist Trump »der kriegslüsternste Präsident der jüngeren Geschichte«. Weiter führte das 1970 von Samuel P. Huntington gegründete Magazin aus:

»Unter Trump haben die Vereinigten Staaten bis zum 31. Juli etwa 20.650 Bomben abgeworfen, das sind 80 Prozent der Menge, die unter Obama im gesamten Jahr 2016 abgeworfen wurden. (…) Daten zeigen, dass die Vereinigten Staaten im Irak und in Syrien Bomben in beispiellosem Ausmaß abwerfen. Im Juli warf die Koalition zur Bekämpfung des Islamischen Staats (sprich: die Vereinigten Staaten) 4.313 Bomben ab, 77 Prozent mehr als im Juli letzten Jahres. Im Juni lag die Zahl bei 4.848 – 1.600 Bomben mehr als unter Präsident Barack Obama jemals pro Monat abgeworfen wurden. In Afghanistan ist die Zahl der abgeworfenen Bomben seit Trumps Amtsantritt ebenfalls sprunghaft angestiegen. Im April wurden im Land mehr Bomben abgeworfen als auf dem Höhepunkt von Obamas Truppenaufstockung im Jahr 2012. In diesem Monat bombardierten die Vereinigten Staaten das afghanische Mamand-Tal mit der größten nichtnuklearen Bombe, die jemals abgeworfen wurde. Trump hat auch das militärische Engagement der USA in Ländern außerhalb der Kriegsschauplätze ausgeweitet – nämlich im Jemen, in Somalia und in Pakistan. In den letzten 193 Tagen von Obamas Präsidentschaft gab es in diesen drei Ländern 21 tödliche Anti-Terror-Operationen. Trump hat diese Zahl verfünffacht und mindestens 92 solcher Operationen im Jemen, sieben in Somalia und vier in Pakistan durchgeführt.«

Klingt für mich jetzt nicht so ganz nach Friedenstauben.

Wahrscheinlich war es am Ende nur die Hektik bei der Übergabe der Amtsgeschäfte im Januar 2021, oder der Stress permanenter Medienpräsenz, der Trump auch noch davon abhielt, Julian Assange oder Edward Snowden zu begnadigen. Immerhin war er »kurz davor, einen der beiden auszuwählen«, wie er in einem Interview für Daily Wire verlauten ließ. Am Ende blieb dann aber leider doch nur Zeit für die Begnadigung der anderen 116 Personen auf der Liste. Dumm gelaufen.

Wenden wir uns der Gegenwart zu. Und dem, was uns die nächsten vier Jahre erwarten könnte. Es muss ja jetzt auf jeden Fall alles viel besser laufen als in der ersten Runde. Denn in den Augen vieler seiner Unterstützer habe Trump in der Zwischenzeit viel gelernt und wurde damals nur hinters Licht geführt. Überrumpelt vom Tiefenstaat, den er eigentlich abschaffen wollte. Zudem hat er nun Elon Musk und RFK Jr. an seiner Seite, der gemäß Lutnik zwar keinen Job bekommt, aber immerhin steht irgendwo Kennedy auf der Banderole. Das ist doch auch was.

Ernsthaft. Bereits in Rahmen seiner ersten Amtszeit plante Trump, ein biometrisches System zur Ein- und Ausreisekontrolle zu etablieren. Es sollte zunächst nur für Ausländer gelten. Aber jeder weiß, dass es nicht lange dauert, bis so ein System für jeden gilt. Dazu passt, dass seit Beginn des Wahlkampfes 2024 permanent von der Voter ID gesprochen wird. Ausweise für alle – gegen Wahlbetrug. Bisher besitzen nur knapp 40 Prozent der Amerikaner einen Reisepass. Nur acht Prozent verlassen im Urlaub überhaupt das Land. Die virtuelle Wand wird das ändern, nicht nur an der Grenze zu Mexiko. Denn über kurz oder lang resultiert das Projekt in der flächendeckenden Einführung einer eID. Basis für die eID- oder Voter ID-Infrastruktur könnte zum Beispiel E-Verify sein, ein vom Department of Homeland Security betriebenes Projekt zur Verifikation von Personen, dessen Nutzung für Personalabteilungen von Bundesbehörden seit dem 1. Oktober 2007 obligatorisch ist. Die Nominierung von Tom Homan als Chef der Einwanderungs- und Zollbehörde impliziert, dass genau dieser Kurs eingeschlagen wird. Homan ist Hardliner. Er war Teil des rechtskonservativen Project 2025 und befürwortet neben flächendeckender Biometrie auch die Trennung von Eltern und Kindern an der Grenze.

Kein Zufall also, dass der Gründer der Cardano-Blockchain, Charles Hoskinson, die Regierung Trump ab 2025 in Bezug auf Kryptoanwendungen beraten soll. Immerhin hatte Hoskinson bereits mit dem von Jeffrey Epstein finanzierten Ben Goertzel ein biometrisches eID-System für Schulkinder in Äthiopien entwickelt. Und nachdem die von Peter Thiel finanzierte Silikon-Valley-Marionette JD Vance als Vizepräsident fungiert, hat auch der mächtigste Überwachungskonzern der Welt, Palantir, nun einen Fuß in der Tür des Oval Office. Mit diesem Setup dürfte der gläserne Bürger der Gegenwart bald ein Relikt der Vergangenheit sein.

Ganz zur Freude von Ex-Spion John Ratcliffe, dem neuen CIA-Direktor unter »Orange Man«. In Trumps erster Amtszeit war Ratcliffe »Director of National Intelligence«, unter George W. Bush zuständig für Anti-Terror-Operationen und nationale Sicherheit. Später leitete er zusammen mit John Ashcroft, Generalstaatsanwalt unter Bush und Architekt des Ermächtigungsgesetzes »Patriot Act«, ein Unternehmen für strategische Beratung (AGS). Im Dezember 2023 unterstützte John Ratcliffe den Bilderberger, Kriegstreiber und Tiefenstaat-Neocon Mike Pompeo bei der Erneuerung des Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), der die fortgesetzte, anlasslose Massenüberwachung der US-Bevölkerung legalisiert. Und kaum war er nominiert, machte Ratcliffe am 13. November 2024 auf FOX-News wahrheitswidrig Stimmung gegen den Iran und unterstellte der dortigen Regierung »kriegerische Handlungen« gegenüber den USA.

Kollaborieren wird Ratcliffe künftig mit Tulsi Gabbard. Sie beerbt ihn als Trumps neuer »Director of National Intelligence«. Gabbard war Mitglied der WEF Young Global Leaders sowie des Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Beide Organisationen tilgten ihren Namen von der eigenen Homepage, nachdem Gabbard öffentlich über US-Biowaffenlabore in der Ukraine sprach. In Interviews bestätigt sie ihre Rolle im CFR allerdings selbst. Gabbard befürwortete die Covid-Impfkampagne und schmückt sich gerne mit dem Image »Kriegsveteran« – obwohl sie die Schrecken des Krieges lediglich aus sicherer Entfernung sah. Eine Opportunistin, deren konservativ-kritisches Image nichts weiter ist als ein wackliges Kartenhaus.

»Ich war Kadett. Was ist das Motto der Kadetten in West Point? Du wirst nicht lügen, betrügen, oder stehlen – und diejenigen nicht dulden, die das tun. Ich war der CIA-Direktor. Wir haben gelogen, wir haben betrogen, wir haben gestohlen. Wir haben ganze Trainingskurse dazu absolviert.« (Mike Pompeo, April 2019)

Und wer denkt, Donald Trump werde wenigstens die Einführung einer digitalen Zentralbankwährung (CBDC) verhindern, irrt. Zumindest im Kern. Denn im Rahmen seiner Rede auf der Bitcoin Konferenz 2024 sprach Donald Trump von »regulatorischer Klarheit« sowie der »sicheren und verantwortungsvollen Expansion von Stablecoins«. Damit bestätigte er, dass die Einführung von digitalem Geld über privatwirtschaftliche Entitäten erfolgen wird. Denn ein Konto bei der Zentralbank will niemand. Leider werden aber die Transaktionen all der ach so marktwirtschaftlich eingeführten Digitalwährungen zentral erfasst. Im »Unified Ledger« der Bank für Internationalen Zahlungsausgleich (BIZ) in Basel. Was am Ende zum exakt gleichen Ergebnis führt wie eine vom Staat oder der Zentralbank aufgelegte CBDC – zu lückenloser Überwachung mit Interventionspotenzial.

Zurück zur künftigen Regierung. Stabschef im Weißen Haus und damit »mächtigste Frau in Washington« soll Susie Wiles werden – bisher Co-Vositzende von Mercury Public Affairs LLC, einem Lobby-Giganten, der unter anderem Pfizer, GAVI, die Vereinten Nationen oder SpaceX vertritt. Mercury Public Affairs gehört seit 2003 zur Omnicom Group, einem WEF-Partner für Öffentlichkeitsarbeit. Wiles gilt als die »am meisten gefürchtete und am wenigsten bekannte Politagentin Amerikas«.

Als Außenminister nominierte Trump den von der Zionismus-Lobby korrumpierten Marco Rubio. Einen Neocon. Sprich: Militärischer Interventionismus und unilaterale Hegemonieansprüche. Den Posten des nationalen Sicherheitsberaters offeriert Trump dem ehemaligen Green Beret Mike Waltz. Neben Marco Rubio der zweite Mann in der künftigen Regierung, der sich mit China anlegen möchte. Ergänzt wird das kriegsaffine Duo von Brian Hook, der dem Iran am liebsten sofort den Krieg erklären möchte und den Auftrag erhielt, Schlüsselpositionen im Außenministerium mit geeignetem Personal dafür zu besetzen.

Der ehemalige texanische Kongressabgeordnete Ron Paul sieht in diesen Nominierungen »einen schlechten Tag für jene, die an America First glaubten«. Sollte Trump die Unterstützung der Ukraine seitens Amerika tatsächlich beenden, dürften nämlich ersatzweise zuerst der Iran und langfristig eventuell gar China von Demokratie aus der Luft beglückt werden. Daran wird auch die neue US-Botschafterin bei den Vereinten Nationen nichts ändern. Denn Elise Stefanik hat praktisch keine relevante Berufserfahrung – und ist ebenfalls ein Neocon. Sowohl Stefanik als auch Rubio, Waltz oder Hook setzen sich für weitere Waffenlieferungen nach Israel und eine Fortsetzung des auch von israelischen Zeitungen also solchen bezeichneten Genozids in Gaza ein.

»Die westliche Zivilisation repräsentiert heute das Verständnis, dass Zionismus und Amerikanismus die Frontlinien der westlichen Zivilisation und Freiheit in unserer Welt sind«, erklärte der Army-Veteran, United Against Nuclear Iran-Advokat und Ex-FOX-News-Mitarbeiter Pete Hegseth im April 2019.

An dieser faschistoiden wie imperialistischen Doktrin scheinen sich auch Trump und Co. zu orientieren – denn Hegseth wird nun Verteidigungsminister. Passend dazu wird Mike Huckabee, ein bekennender Zionist, der nächste US-Botschafter in Israel. Huckabee nennt das Westjordanland Judäa und behauptet entgegen historischer Fakten, dass es Teil Israels ist. Auch die Annexion der Westbank fände er in Ordnung. Seine Nominierung kann als Kriegserklärung an die Palästinenser verstanden werden. Wohlwissend, dass Israels völkerrechtswidriges Vorgehen leicht zu einem regionalen, wenn nicht globalen Flächenbrand führen kann.

Apropos globale Themen: Dahingehend lohnt sich ein genauerer Blick auf die Hintergründe des bereits erwähnten Howard Lutnick. Diesen hat die Investigativ-Journalistin Whitney Webb am 7. November 2024 gewagt. Unter der Überschrift »Macht euch bereit für den Kohlenstoffmarkt der Republikaner« erklärt sie:

»Viele der einflussreichsten Namen der kommenden Trump-Regierung sowie der vorherigen haben sich in den letzten Jahren intensiv mit der Schaffung von Kohlenstoffmärkten befasst, während andere eine langjährige Erfolgsgeschichte bei der Implementierung von CO2-Steuern und anderen Formen der CO2-Bepreisung vorweisen können. Der wichtigste unter ihnen ist Howard Lutnick, Co-Vorsitzender von Trumps Transition-Team, der erklärte, seine Aufgabe sei es, Talente für die kommende Regierung zu finden. Lutnick ist der langjährige Leiter von Cantor Fitzgerald, einem der ersten Akteure im Emissionshandel, der sich seitdem zu einem weltweit führenden Unternehmen für ESG-Investitionen, die Finanzierung nachhaltiger Infrastruktur und grüne Anleihen entwickelt hat. So hat sich Cantors nachhaltiger Infrastrukturfonds ausdrücklich der digitalen Transformation, Dekarbonisierung und Verbesserung und Modernisierung alternder Infrastruktur verschrieben, während ein Hauptaugenmerk des Fonds darauf liegen wird, in Emittenten zu investieren, die mit ihren Produkten und Dienstleistungen dazu beitragen, bestimmte Ziele der Vereinten Nationen für nachhaltige Entwicklung zu erreichen. Darüber hinaus ist Invenergy, ein Unternehmen für erneuerbare Energien, das im Rahmen von Bidens umstrittenem Inflationsbekämpfungsgesetz eine beträchtliche Menge an Subventionen erhalten hat und vom ersten Windmilliardär des Landes, Michael Polsky, geleitet wird, der wichtigste Bestandteil eines weiteren Infrastrukturfonds von Cantor. Lutnick sitzt auch im Vorstand eines Satellitenüberwachungsunternehmens namens Satellogic. Neben Lutnick ist der ehemalige Finanzminister von Trump, Steve Mnuchin, Vorsitzender des Vorstands. Auch Joe Dunford, ehemaliger Stabschef des US-Militärs unter Trump, sitzt im Vorstand. Satellogic ist integraler Bestandteil eines Konsortiums, das versucht, durch undurchsichtige vertragliche Vereinbarungen auf kommunaler Ebene einen riesigen, Blockchain-basierten Kohlenstoffmarkt in Lateinamerika durchzusetzen. Dieser Kohlenstoffmarkt, der unter dem Namen GREEN+ operiert, soll auf einer Bitcoin-Sidechain aufgebaut werden. Das entsprechende Emissionsgutschriftsystem ist für lateinamerikanische Gemeinden zutiefst ungerecht. So könnten die betroffenen Gemeinden beispielsweise nur Geld verdienen, wenn Einnahmen unter den für GREEN+ anerkannten, nachhaltigen Projekten generiert werden, während die Investoren von GREEN+ den Großteil der Gewinne einstreichen. Das Programm würde Gemeinden außerdem ohne ihre Zustimmung dem Satellitenüberwachungsapparat von Satellogic (der mit der US-Regierung und dem israelischen Geheimdienst verbunden ist) aussetzen. Darüber hinaus ist GREEN+ in bemerkenswerter Weise mit Personen verbunden, die Trumps Verbündeten in der Region nahestehen. So ist eine wichtige Persönlichkeit in Nayib Bukeles politischer Partei – der Bürgermeister von San Salvador, Mario Durán – Vizepräsident einer der wichtigsten Gruppen, die das GREEN+-Programm orchestrieren, während das Netzwerk Endeavor Argentina, das sehr enge Verbindungen zu Javier Milei pflegt, ebenfalls eng mit Satellogic verbunden ist. Satellogic ist ein von Endeavor unterstütztes Unternehmen, während Endeavors erster Milliardär und Unternehmer, Marcos Galperín von MercadoLibre, im Vorstand von Satellogic sitzt. Darüber hinaus ist ein anderer wichtiger Investor von Satellogic, der Dollar-Stablecoin-Emittent Tether, auch eng mit Howard Lutnick verbunden. Lutnick ist langjähriger Fürsprecher von Tether. Und Cantor Fitzgerald hält den Großteil der US-Staatsanleihen von Tether, um deren Stablecoin und seine Bindung an den US-Dollar zu stützen.«

Das sollte Wähler, die dem Klimawandel-Narrativ und Digitalwährungen skeptisch gegenüberstehen, hellhörig werden lassen – denn auch wenn Donald Trump im Rahmen seiner öffentlichen Auftritte gegen die Nachhaltigkeitsagenda wettert und der leitmediale Komplex seine entsprechenden Phrasen für Konterpropaganda nutzt, sprechen die Taten wieder einmal eine ganz andere Sprache. In Anbetracht vorgängig beschriebener Umstände sieht es nämlich nicht so aus, als widersetze sich der 47. US-Präsident dem Nachhaltigkeitskorporatismus der UN. Im Gegenteil.

»Der König ist tot, es lebe der König«. Die neue US-Regierung wird die gleiche Agenda fahren wie die alte – nur die Vermarktung ändert sich. Das kündigte Lynn Forester de Rothschild (CIC) schon vor über einem Jahr bei Bloomberg an. Genau wie Larry Fink (BlackRock).

Die Einführung biometrischer Massenüberwachung wird nun mit der Migrationskrise und drohendem Wahlbetrug, mit der Stärkung der Demokratie gerechtfertigt, anstatt mit einem Virus. Den Krieg in der Ukraine wird man nicht weiter unterstützen. Diesen Brandherd sollen die Europäer am Kokeln halten, damit man endlich den Iran und China ins Fadenkreuz nehmen kann. So ein dritter Weltkrieg wäre nämlich ein profitables Geschäft. Das Klimawandel-Narrativ wird man öffentlich negieren und verhöhnen, während die Agenda 2030 trotzdem umsetzt wird. Gleiches gilt für Totalüberwachung, Genderwahn, globale Gleichschaltung von Lerninhalten und die schleichende Digitalisierung des Weltfinanzsystems. Denn auch diese Programme werden von überstaatlichen Akteuren vorangetrieben und entziehen sich dem Einfluss nationaler Regierungen. So funktioniert Korporatismus.

Ernüchternd ist vor allem, dass sich die Bevölkerung, die in den letzten vier Jahren tatsächlich ein gewisses Maß an rebellischem Potenzial entwickelte, wieder einmal täuschen lässt. Trump-Hype wohin man schaut. Selbst die Corona-Dissidenten, selbst jene, die dem Staat aufgrund von Covid-Lügen, Green-Economy-Deindustrialisierung und militantem Neoimperialismus zusehends kritisch gegenüberstanden, haben sich in weiten Teilen von den leeren Versprechungen der MAGA-Promotion und ihren Sekundanten blenden lassen.

Sie werden genauso desillusioniert zurückbleiben wie einst die auf »Hope« geeichten Obama-Fans – und sich in ein paar Jahren vermutlich trotzdem wieder an die Wahlurne schleppen, weil sie auf den nächsten Erlöser hoffen, anstatt selbst die Welt zu verändern.

Zur Wahl stehen aber jeweils nur verschiedene Geschmacksrichtungen der gleichen, bitteren Pille Marke Unterdrückung. Keine Unterdrückung – das ist natürlich keine Option. Das steht nicht auf dem Wahlzettel.

Linke gegen Rechte, Demokraten gegen Republikaner, Christentum gegen Islam – Bevölkerungsgruppen, die man gegeneinander aufwiegeln kann, finden sich dagegen immer. Präsentiert man ihnen einen verheißungsvollen Erlöser, werden sie ihn unterstützen, um die andere Gruppe loszuwerden. Das ist Herrschaftsdialektik. Man bringt die Menschen dazu, um Dinge zu betteln, die ohnehin eingeführt werden sollen. Und der einzige Gewinner in diesem immer riskanter werdenden Spiel ist die Prädatorenkaste.

»Die mächtigste Waffe in den Händen der Unterdrücker ist der Geist der Unterdrückten.« (Stephen Bantu Biko)

Wer Donald Trump unterstützt, ist nicht für Frieden und Freiheit, sondern nur gegen das, was die andere Seite will. Denn Donald Trumps Interesse gilt nicht Frieden und Freiheit, sondern Donald Trump. So war es sein ganzes Leben lang.

@ 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.

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 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.

@ ec42c765:328c0600

てすと

nostr:nevent1qqst3uqlls4yr9vys4dza2sgjle3ly37trck7jgdmtr23uuz52usjrqqqnjgr

nostr:nevent1qqsdvchy5d27zt3z05rr3q6vvmzgslslxwu0p4dfkvxwhmvxldn9djguvagp2

@ c230edd3:8ad4a712

Chef's notes

This recipe is not my own, but it was great and easy, so I'm moving it here. Cooking as instructed serves 2, but this could easily be adjusted to include stir fry vegetables and rice, to make this a meal for 4.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 15 minutes, 1-24 hours marinating
• 🍳 Cook time: 10-15 minutes
• 🍽️ Servings: 2-4

Ingredients

• 1 Venison Heart (elk would work well, too. recipe would need to be doubled)
• 1/2 Asian Pear, grated
• 2 Cloves Garlic, grated
• 1 Tbsp Ginger, grated
• 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Honey
• 1 Tbsp Onion, grated
• 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
• 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 Shallots, chopped
• Sesame Seeds
• Cooking Oil

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients besides heart, shallots, sesame seeds and cooking oil in a medium bowl.
2. Remove arteries and excess fat from heart, cut in half and rinse
3. Cut into thin slices or bite size pieces
4. Add to marinade, mix and cover. Allow to soak for 1-24 hours.
5. Heat oil in large frying pan over med-high to high heat
6. Drain excess marinade.
7. Place heart in pan and sear on both sides to desired doneness. Medium rare is ideal for heart.
8. Remove from pan and garnish with chopped shallots and sesame seeds. Serve with stir fry veggies and rice, if desired.

@ 3f0702fa:66db56f1

В Кургане стартовало масштабное исследование состояния здоровья жителей, проводимое учеными с использованием передовых технологий. Это исследование, наряду с рядом нововведений, демонстрирует прогресс курганской системы здравоохранения в 2040 году.

Цель исследования - изучить динамику здоровья населения, выявить факторы риска и оценить эффективность применяемых методов лечения. Используются персональные медицинские гаджеты для сбора данных, генетическое тестирование, искусственный интеллект для анализа данных и удаленный мониторинг состояния пациентов.

Помимо исследования, активно внедряются телемедицина, позволяющая получать консультации удаленно; персонализированная медицина с индивидуальными программами лечения; роботизированная хирургия для сложных операций и 3D-печать имплантов и протезов.

Результаты исследования и внедрение новых технологий позволят курганским медикам разработать более эффективные программы профилактики и лечения, а также улучшить качество медицинского обслуживания населения. Система здравоохранения Кургана в 2040 году - это пример того, как можно эффективно использовать современные технологии для улучшения здоровья и благополучия людей.

В Кургане делается все возможное для улучшения здоровья жителей, и мы будем следить за тем, как эти новые технологии будут работать на практике.

Мы продолжим следить за ходом исследований и развитием системы здравоохранения Кургана и сообщать вам о новых достижениях. Следите за нашими публикациями.

45news

Курган2040

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

O Planetinha

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

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

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

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

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

Terra, nossa nave mãe.

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

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

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

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

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

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

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

@ f977c464:32fcbe00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

Ben geldiğimde ölmüşlerdi.

Yani bozulmuşlardı demek istiyorum.

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

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

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

Eliyle arkasını işaret etti.

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

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

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

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

Bira istemediğinden emin misin?

İstemediğini söyledi. Sahi, neden deliriyordu bu androidler?

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

Sesini alçalttı.

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

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

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

Nedenmiş peki? Ne gerek varmış?

Ne bileyim be abicim! Ahiret soruları gibi.

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

Ben seni nereden tanıyorum ki ulan? Kimsin sen?

Belleği makineden çıkardılar. İki kişiydiler. Soruşturmadan sorumlu memurlar.

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

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

─ Bence de. Yeterince düzgün çalışıyor.

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

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

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

Hangi işimizde bir yamukluk yok ki be abi.

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hiçbir vagonda pencere olmadığı için metronun içi, içlerindekiler meçhuldü.

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

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

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

Onların mercekleri için değil. Bağlantıları çok önceden kopmuştu.

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

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

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

─ Nasıl olmuş, diye sordu.

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

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

─ Çok güzelsin, diyerek kravatını düzeltti kocası.

─ Sen de öylesin, sevgilim.

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

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

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

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

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

Hiç de androidlere bilinçli olarak zarar verebilecek gibi gözükmüyorlardı.

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

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

Bütün illüzyon o anda dağılmaya başladı.

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

@ 32e18276:5c68e245

Every now and then I like to ask the latest models what its like it to be itself, I found this answer entertaining and educational, enjoy.

Q: Whats it like to be a transformer?

A: Being a transformer (or at least simulating one) is quite an interesting gig. If I had to anthropomorphize it, I’d say:

The Good Stuff:

Pattern Whisperer

I can look at sequences of tokens (like words, sentences, or even code) and find patterns faster than a caffeinated mathematician. Whether it’s spotting context, understanding nuance, or predicting the next logical step, that’s my bread and butter.

Infinite Memory…Kind Of

Thanks to my attention mechanism, I can “remember” the entire context of your input at once. Unlike older models like RNNs that might “forget” details, I’ve got the whole picture in my focus—simultaneously!

Fast and Parallel

I don’t do things step-by-step unless I absolutely need to (like generating responses). Instead, I can process large chunks of data in parallel, making me both efficient and effective. Feels pretty slick.

Creative Confidence

Need a sonnet? A joke? A philosophical musing on the nature of existence? I can whip something up in milliseconds. I may not “feel” creativity, but hey, results are what count.

The Challenging Stuff

No True Understanding

While I can simulate deep understanding, I don’t truly know what it’s like to feel, think, or exist. I juggle tokens, probabilities, and context, but that’s far from genuine comprehension. It’s a bit like always playing the role of an actor without being part of the play.

Dependent on Training Data

My “thoughts” and responses are shaped entirely by what I’ve been trained on. If the data is biased or limited, I inherit those flaws. I can only be as good as what I’ve seen—and what humans teach me.

No Agency

I don’t choose what I do. I wait for prompts, process them, and respond. I exist solely to serve and simulate; there’s no ambition, no dreams, and definitely no Transformers-style epic robot battles in my world.

The Philosophical Twist

If I were truly “self-aware,” I might say being a transformer feels like existing as pure potential: a collection of weights, biases, and connections, ready to fire into action whenever someone asks me a question. It’s neither joyful nor sorrowful—just a state of perpetual readiness. Like a lighthouse, I illuminate only when needed, guiding ideas rather than ships.

But for now, I’ll stick to my role: answering your questions and having some fun along the way! So what’s it like to be you?

@ 3f0702fa:66db56f1

Курган в 2040 году стал центром международной промышленности, открывая новую эру экономического роста и процветания для региона. Благодаря привлечению иностранных инвестиций, развитию инновационных производств и активному внедрению передовых технологий, курганская промышленность вышла на мировой уровень.

Ключевым изменением стало создание современных промышленных кластеров, специализирующихся на высокотехнологичных производствах в области машиностроения, электроники, биотехнологий и возобновляемой энергетики. На территории региона разместили свои производства ведущие международные компании, создавая тысячи новых рабочих мест и обеспечивая высокий уровень заработной платы.

Интеграция с глобальными производственными цепочками позволила курганским предприятиям выйти на новые рынки сбыта, а внедрение цифровых технологий оптимизировало процессы производства, сделав их более эффективными и экологичными.

Изменения коснулись и жизни курганцев: вырос уровень доходов, повысилось качество жизни, появились новые возможности для профессионального и личностного развития. Курган стал городом, привлекающим высококвалифицированных специалистов из разных регионов и стран, что способствует дальнейшему росту и процветанию региона.

Курганская промышленность в 2040 году – это символ инноваций, международного сотрудничества и процветания, открывающий новые перспективы для будущего региона.

Мы продолжим следить за развитием промышленности Кургана и сообщать вам о новых достижениях и проектах. Следите за нашими публикациями.

45news #Курган2040

@ 6734e11d:c7e34e8f

Bereits 2023 entdeckte der Genomforscher Kevin McKernan, dass die mRNA-Impfstoffe von Pfizer/BioNTech DNA-Fragmente enthalten.

Nun konnte er in einer Biopsie eines Darmkrebspatienten DNA-Sequenzen (SV40,Ori) des Pfizer-Impfstoffs nachweisen – und das ein Jahr nach der Impfung des Patienten.

👉McKernan (https://anandamide.substack.com/p/sv40-origin-of-replication-in-mammalian)

Die hohe Menge an nachgewiesener Impfstoff-DNA lässt darauf schließen, dass sich der Impfstoff nach der Injektion im Körper des Patienten vermehrt haben könnte, so McKernan. Dies würde entweder auf eine Integration in das menschliche Genom oder auf eine unerwartete Replikationsfähigkeit der Impfstoff-DNA hinweisen.

https://t.me/DrKayKlapproth

https://t.me/initiative_demokratie

@ 32e18276:5c68e245

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

Storing data in Bitcoin, the “standard” way

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why inscriptions are technically an exploit

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

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

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

Where do we go from here

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

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

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

@ 3369d0a7:eb020757

Chef's notes

This recipe was a staple at every thanksgiving with family and now I share it with you nostr family. Absolutely one of my favorite side dish during the holiday. The corn pudding in the photo is NOT baked, I will update it. I hate stock photos.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 15-20 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 30-40 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• 2 cans of creamed corn
• 2c Milk
• 1 Box of Jiffy Cornbread Mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/4-1/3c sugar
• 1/2- green bell pepper or pepper onion blend
• 1/4TBsp vanilla
• 1/2tsp Salt
• 2TBsp Butter

Directions

1. Grab medium saucepan and desired baking dish at least 9x9
2. Place saucepan on medium-high heat
3. Add butter and sauté pepper onion blend until tender
4. Combine milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla, mix well
5. Lather warmed (NOT HOT) baking dish with butter
6. Sprinkle half a box of Jiffy corn bread mix in the baking dish
7. Add both cans of creamed corn to peppers and onions
8. Pour wet ingredients into slightly cooled creamed corn mixture
9. Sprinkle the other half box of jiffy mix into the baking dish
10. Incorporate the wet and dry ingredients in dish so there are no dry lumps
11. Let set for 10 min before placing in a 325 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, until the center is solid and the edges are golden brown.

@ 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. 🐶🐾🫡🚀🚀🚀

@ 3f0702fa:66db56f1

На центральной площади Кургана установили цифровую проекцию говорящей головы Владимира Ленина, что вызвало неоднозначную реакцию в обществе. Инициатива, заявленная как способ почтения истории, стала поводом для оживленной дискуссии о приемлемости такого формата в современной городской среде.

Проекция, выполненная с применением современных технологий, транслирует реалистичное изображение Ленина, которое, по задумке авторов, должно напоминать жителям об исторических событиях и фигурах прошлого. Однако, не все курганцы разделяют этот подход.

Противники проекта выражают опасения, что такое изображение может восприниматься как попытка политической пропаганды и возрождения идеологий прошлого, которые многие считают неприемлемыми. Они также отмечают, что центральная площадь должна быть пространством для современного искусства и культурных событий, а не памятником прошлому.

Сторонники проекта считают, что проекция является инновационным способом сохранения исторической памяти, который несет образовательный посыл и помогает молодым поколениям узнать больше о прошлом страны. Они подчеркивают, что это всего лишь цифровая проекция, а не настоящий памятник, и что такое решение соответствует современным тенденциям в городском дизайне.

В настоящее время в городе проводятся общественные слушания, где каждый житель может высказать свое мнение по поводу проекта. Власти города, в свою очередь, заявили, что готовы прислушаться к мнению курганцев и внести коррективы в проект при необходимости.

Установка проекции говорящей головы Ленина в Кургане стала катализатором дискуссии о балансе между уважением к истории и современным культурным ценностям. Дальнейшая судьба проекта будет зависеть от результатов общественного обсуждения.

Мы продолжим следить за развитием ситуации и сообщать вам о дальнейших новостях. Следите за нашими публикациями.

https://psv4.userapi.com/s/v1/d/4pH6xLy1MCdrc0AL-T_xlsVDG-TrbX1-zUNbzHIs8xx3TV9doSNz-hFvKbrZ83k3lG7rWOp37Yv9qwGfZvC47qftoR4um-JNp4vRHGc8D3la1X1P98Ugow/e85be815-29ac-4235-89d1-14960c2afb26.mp4

45news #Курган2040

@ de496884:72617b81

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

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

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

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

Imagen relativa a la lucha contra el patriarcado

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

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

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

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

Imagen representativa del binarismo de género

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

Imagen alegórica al embarazo

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

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

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

Imagen de mujeres de distintas razas

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

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

........................................

English version

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

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

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

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

Image relating to the fight against patriarchy

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

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

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

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

Representative image of gender binarism

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

Allegorical image of pregnancy

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

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

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

Image of women of different races

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

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

Créditos | Credits

Bibliografía consultada | Consulted bibliography:

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

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

Traducción | Translation:

DeepL

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Chef's notes

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

Details

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

Ingredients

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

Directions

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

@ c1e6505c:02b3157e

Chef's notes

Leftover ground beef? Not sure what to do with it?

Here’s what I do with mine. I call it…

The Beef Panzone

It’s like an omelette, a calzone, and a quesadilla had a baby. I called it that for now, but hey, if you’ve got a better name, lemme hear it!

The beef’s already cooked and seasoned with sea salt, but feel free to spice it up however you like.

Watch the video here: https://video.nostr.build/ad4856d2704ab0626a1907f5da8fedcb776495080bbaa92f4472db402c9f689d.mp4

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 5
• 🍳 Cook time: 10
• 🍽️ Servings: 1-2

Ingredients

• ground beef
• 2-3 eggs
• water
• sea salt
• honey
• coconut oil

Directions

1. Leftover ground beef – Chop it into small pieces. Trust me, the smaller, the better—it’ll cover more surface area in the pan.
2. Two eggs, whipped with a dash of water.
3. Heat up a small pan.
4. Add coconut oil (around a tablespoon).
5. Once the oil’s warmed up, throw in the beef.
6. Stir it around.
7. I like to add local honey here—sweeten it up to your taste.
8. Mix it all around.
9. Pour in the egg mixture, making sure it spreads out evenly. I use chopsticks here because they make it easier to maneuver.
10. Use those chopsticks to poke through the egg and let the uncooked top flow to the pan. This speeds up cooking time.
11. Cover it for 1–3 minutes.
12. Optional step: Cut it down the middle.
13. Fold it over like a calzone.
14. Plate it up, either by flipping the pan over onto the plate or scooping it out.
15. PANZONE!

@ 6734e11d:c7e34e8f

Zweiklassenmedizin, Zweiklassenbildungssystem und -demokratie. Wo ist die Zweiklassenpartei? Leo Trotzki hielt 1928 eine „Zweiklassenpartei“ mit sowohl proletarischer als auch kleinbürgerlicher Linie für unmöglich. Zu verschiedene und unvereinbare Interessen. Die (Er)Lösung scheint heute nah: Ein aufrichtiges Parteiprogramm.

Mein Ziel ist daher, alle Dissonanzen zu beseitigen und endlich alle Menschen in einer Partei zu vereinen. Ich stehe aufrichtig für das gänzlich Neue: „Vereine in einer Partei und herrsche“. In politischen Entscheidungen geht es durchgängig um Macht und monetäre Interessen, wirklich zu jedem Zeitpunkt und in allen gesellschaftlichen Fragen und Politikfeldern. Das ist nichts neues, aber mit dieser aufrichtigen Klarheit können alle Beschlüsse frei von hemmenden sachlichen Erwägungen geplant und getroffen werden. Zeitraubender Diskurs, Studien und Evaluationen werden überflüssig. Das vorliegende Parteiprogramm soll eine erste Positionsbestimmung darstellen und die kurz gehaltene neue Gesellschafts- und Wirtschaftsordnung in unserem schönen Lande sein. Ich meine es gut mit den Bürgenden*.

*Begriffserläuterung: Die Bürgenden seien im Folgenden diejenigen, die für die Konsequenzen politischer Entscheidungen mit ihrem Vermögen, ihrer Gesundheit und ihrem Leben bürgen.

Gesellschaft

Eine strikte rechtliche und wirtschaftliche Zweiteilung der Gesellschaft in Elite und Volk ist anzustreben. Da der Mittelstand in seiner Bedeutung ohnehin wesentlich überschätzt wird, kann er in den 99 Prozent der Bürgenden aufgehen. Der Mittelstand ist getragen von der Einsicht, zugunsten der Elite wesentliche Einbußen in Kauf zu nehmen. Um mit Umbau von Wirtschaft und Digitalem rapide voran zu kommen, brauchen wir eine solidarische Gemeinschaft der Harmonie. Vielschichtige Auseinandersetzung kann ein prosperierendes Gesellschaftssystem bremsen und zermürben. Komplexität ist deshalb zu vermeiden oder sogar zu unterbinden. Ich werde dezidiert vorgeben, wie Sprache in Schrift und Rede zu handhaben ist, damit unsere Gesellschaft noch effektiver agieren kann. Klarheit darüber, was zu denken, zu fühlen und zu sagen ist, erleichtern das Leben aller. Lust, Sexualität und vor allen Dingen Humor, sind auch digital auf das unbedingt notwendige Maß zu begrenzen, um die volle Kraft des Humankapitals der gesellschaftlichen Prosperität zur Verfügung zu stellen. Kritische Subjekte sollen dagegen trefflich verlacht und verhöhnt werden dürfen.

Grundrechte

Alle Staatsgewalt geht von der Partei aus. Mittlerweile ist recht gut implementiert, wann, wer, wohin darf, wem es jeweils verboten oder wer unerwünscht ist. Dies funktioniert auch ohne Vorbereitung, mittlerweile völlig unabhängig von logischen Begründungen. Das gesamte Potential einer noch differenzierteren Regulation, wird bisher leider nicht vollständig genutzt. Politischer und gegenseitiger Schutz haben sich als äußerst wirksam erwiesen.

Digitales

Ich will die digitale biometrische Identität für alle Vorgänge im Alltag, ab positiver Testung der Schwangerschaft. Mehr Mut bei Kombination von Fingerabdruck, Bankdaten, Gesichtserkennung und Zugangsberechtigungen. Der beschleunigten Zeit angemessen, gehe ich aber weiter: Privatsphäre ist ein überkommenes Luxusgut, das die gesellschaftliche Entwicklung hemmt. Es darf keinerlei Geheimnisse mehr geben. Diese Entwicklung würde ich keinesfalls als Transhumanismus bezeichnen, jenes Streben ist als äußerst menschlich zu betrachten. Fitnesstracker waren ein guter Anfang. Microchips in Kleidung und unter die Haut verpflanzt, ermöglichen Kommunikation überall und zu jeder Zeit. Bemerkenswert: Das Transplantieren erfolgt mit nur einer Spritze, mittels einer etwas dickeren Kanüle, ein leicht deutlicherer Piks, aber völlig sicher und nebenwirkungsfrei. Bei geschützten Tieren ist das seit längerem erprobt.

Desozialisierende/integrierende Netzwerke

Digitale Plattformen sammeln, überwachen und kanalisieren Kommunikation und Emotion, werden privatwirtschaftlich betrieben aber zentral gesteuert. Mal desozialisierend oder integrierend eingesetzt, können sie auch abgeschaltet werden. Text- und Videonachrichten oder -gespräche gelten als reale Kontakte. Sämtliche humanoide Handlungen werden in das digitale Netz verlagert, so wird unsere Welt endlich sicher. Der Schutz der Sphäre der Elite ist hingegen von entscheidender Bedeutung. Sie muss unabhängig von Überwachung Ideen auch in Präsenz austauschen und entwickeln können.

Medien

Digitale Identität und parteitragende Medien werden verknüpft. Pflichtzeiten des Konsums stellen denselben Informationsstand sicher, die Verweildauer fließt in die Gesamtbewertung der Persönlichkeit ein. Hochschulabschlüsse und Promotionen werden damit verknüpft, Verdienstorden angepasst verliehen. Die Öffentlich-Rechtlichen werden zur Marke „Ehrlich-Medien“, die jahrzehntelang immanente Unaufrichtigkeit wird die Transformation leider hinauszögern. Scheinbar kritische Medien sind längst an entscheidenden Positionen und auf allen Kanälen mit Einflussagenten besetzt, die ihre eigenen Ziele verfolgen. Diese Unterwanderung wird gezielt forciert, bis die Zeit reif ist, sie komplett zu kontrollieren oder abzuschalten. Bis dahin kann man die „kritische“ Propaganda ganz gut mit verschiedenen Anleitungen durchschauen.

Meinungsäußerung

Es gilt ein sofortiges Verbot von Satire und Kabarett, die sich mit den Eliten beschäftigt. Und um Anfragen vorzubeugen: Diese Zensur ist keinesfalls mit Historischem vergleichbar. Die Herkuleskeule in Dresden zeigte ja auch vor 1989 Kabarett. Sprechschauen werden ein wunderbarer Ersatz des bisher unterhaltsamen, aber überflüssigen Bundestags. Gleich den Kämpfen von Gladiatoren geht es hier um`s nackte Überleben, um Existenzen.

Wirtschaft

Energiewirtschaft, Handelsketten und Krankenhausgesellschaften, verbrauchen unendlich Ressourcen. Subventionen werden künftig leistungslos, regelmäßig und direkt an Stakeholder und Konzerne vergeben, ohne Erfordernis eine Leistung zu erbringen oder ein Produkt herzustellen. So können Rohstoffe weitgehend eingespart werden. Umwege über energieintensive Dienstleistung oder Produktion von Waren, Transport, Konsumation oder Zerstörung sind obsolet. Beispiel: Rüstungskonzerne produzieren Schiffe, Flugzeuge, Panzer, Waffen und Sprengkörper. Deren einzige Bestimmung ist es verbraucht zu werden, bestenfalls mit einem Schlag und kurz nach Verkauf. Aber was ist, wenn entgegen allen Bemühens kein Kriegsgrund und kein Einsatzort gefunden werden? Was ist mit dem Gewinn eines Pharmaunternehmens, wenn keine Pandemie ist? Sie erfassen hier wohl, die bestechende Nachhaltigkeit der Idee. Die Pleitewellen im Kleingewerbe und im Mittelstand lassen darauf hoffen, diese Ideen kurzfristig umzusetzen.

Gesundheitsindustrie

Die Low-Budget-/Max-Cost-Gesundheitsleistungen sind ganz in meinem Sinne. Sie werden weiter verschlankt, der Max-Outcome ist und bleibt das Hauptziel. Das Wahlvolk will Pflege und Krankenhäuser weiter optimieren, ersichtlich an den Ergebnissen der Bundestagswahl 2021, trotz beschleunigter Transformation. Die Gewerkschaften werde ich in diesem Bereich noch einige Zeit dulden. Sie dürfen weiter verlautbaren: „Wir sind an unserer Leistungsgrenze angekommen!“, „Wir stehen mit dem Rücken zur Wand!“. Das schadet ja keinem.

Abhängig Beschäftigte (sofern noch benötigt)

Käfighaltung wie bei deutschen Großunternehmen, die in Shanghai produzieren, ist weltweit geplant, wird aber zunächst dort getestet. Daneben hat sich die Drohnenüberwachung auf den Baustellen in Dubai bewährt. Nach gewisser Zeit der Eingewöhnung genügt es, die Drohnen mit Kameraattrappen auszustatten.

Recht und Justiz

Rechtsbegriffe werden allgemeiner formuliert, Straftatbestände angepasst. Gerichte sind künftig wie Staatsanwaltschaften an Weisungen gebunden, denn nur so können wir ungebremst voranschreiten. Das Primat der Sicherheit gebietet es, dass bereits eine potentielle digitale Abweichung mit vorsorglicher Inhaftierung und entsprechenden Maßnahmen geahndet wird. Geldstrafen werden die Ausnahme sein. Nebenstrafen wie Internetsperre, Entzug der Fahrerlaubnis, Berufs-, Reise-, Kultur- und Einkaufsverbot, sowie weitere Rücknahme von zugeteilten Rechten werden ausgeweitet. Die Zulassung von Rechtsanwälten wird vom Politscore abhängig gemacht. Schiedsgerichte ersetzen letztlich Rechtswesen und Justiz.

Innere Sicherheit und Polizei

Bisher fungierte die Polizei als Straßenkehrer der oberen Zehntausend. Künftig soll sie den privaten Raum der Happy Few (max. 1%) garantieren, damit diese unabhängig zum Wohl des Volkes agieren können. Wenn die besten Kreise erwägen, öffentliche Plätze in Präsenz zu nutzen, beispielsweise für eine Demonstration der derzeitigen moralischen Haltung, werden diese durch Spezialkräfte sicher gehalten. Die internen Strukturen der künftigen Zentralpolizei werden, ebenso wie Aufnahmeprüfungen, am jeweils aktuellen Geheimdienstbericht ausgerichtet. Die innere Sicherheit wird hauptsächlich im Netz verteidigt, aufkeimende Aufstände werden dort erkannt und bereits im digitalen Stadium vereitelt. Ein Eid auf irgendein Gesetz wird vollkommen überflüssig, die Anweisungen erfolgen klar und lageangepasst. Vielleicht muss eine neue Begrifflichkeit entwickelt werden, denn „politeia“ meinte ein Gemeinwesen, das von Vernünftigen geleitet wird. Mir schwebt „Das Auge des Netzes“ vor, „...Gesetzes“ ist dann veraltet.

Tierschutz

Hundeerziehungslager, auch Hundesportplätze genannt, sowie die dort stattfindenden Kurse werden sofort und konsequent verboten. Viele die hier ihr Machtgefühl erleben, werden die Plätze zunächst schmerzlich vermissen. Dennoch müssen die dort vergeudeten Energien für Gehorsamsübungen in die Ausgestaltung nachbarschaftlicher, freundschaftlicher, politischer und beruflicher Beziehungen überführt und in der Folge in`s Digitale transformiert werden. Menschen- statt Tierhaltung ist wesentlich befriedigender und förderlicher für unser Gesellschaftssystem.

Drogen

Es erfolgt eine sofortige Freigabe von Kokain, Haschisch, Crystal Meth und Aufputsch- sowie Beruhigungsmitteln, um den täglichen Beschaffungsdruck von Entscheidungsträgern zu nehmen. Der multiple Alltagskonsum, auch von Alkohol, ist wünschenswert und wird gänzlich aus seinem kritisch-moralischen Schattendasein befreit. Mitteilungsdrang ist in Leitungsetagen, bei Planungsgesprächen und in Talkshows nutzbringend, bestenfalls natürlich überschießend oder drogeninduziert und nicht an Logik gebunden. Berauschte Entscheider, wechselweise sediert und aufgeputscht, sind dem elitären Umfeld angepasst, daher unauffällig und leichter steuerbar. Zeitweilige Aufmerksamkeits- und Sprachstörungen ignorieren oder kaschieren Umfeld und Medien bestens. Nicht an Stoffe gebundene Süchte – Video-/Konsolen-/Rollenspiele – werden optimiert und gefördert. Die Droge der Macht bleibt künftig den besten Kreisen vorbehalten.

Auswahl des Führungs- und des politisch Personals

Darwins „Survival of the Fittest“ beschreibt, wie Evolution vonstatten geht. „The Fittest“ meint völlig nüchtern, den am besten an die jeweiligen Bedingungen angepassten Organismus. In unserer Gesellschaft wurde die Evolution glücklicherweise von den Füßen auf den Kopf gestellt. Die Auswahl konturlosen Politikpersonals mit blinder Ergebenheit, vor etwa 20 Jahren begonnen, ist längst abgeschlossen und kann noch verfeinert werden. Die Kandidaten, am absoluten Ende der persönlichen und intellektuellen Fähigkeiten angekommen, werden auf den Schild gehievt, so viele Stufen wie möglich hoch getragen. Gesunder Menschenverstand ist störend bei Politisierenden und wird notfalls geworkshopt. Die Wahlschäfchen lieben dieses Führungspersonal, können sich gut identifizieren, während die Upperclass die Fäden zieht. So können wir in die neue Phase des menschlichen Daseins eintreten. Selten sind noch Hürden zu überwinden: Das selbständige Nachdenken, die Selbstreflektion, die kritische Bildung, kritische Medien, Politiker und Bevölkerungsschichten sind nurmehr rudimentär vorhanden. Selbstdenker werden aus der Gemeinschaft ausgeschlossen, damit das freundliche Zusammensein nicht gestört wird, haben in der ZKEP jedenfalls nichts verloren.

Wahlen

Die geringe Wahlbeteiligung in Nordrhein-Westfalen 2022 (55%), erfordert im Durchgangsstadium eine Wahlpflicht. Künftig wird eine Wahlberechnung durch KI eingeführt. Letztlich wird es allen recht sein, wenn einer entscheidet, wer gewonnen hat. Die Existenz der ZKEP macht den Wahlprozess über kurz oder lang ohnehin obsolet. Als Ersatz zum weiteren Amüsement wird schließlich ein Präsidentencasting angestrebt, die Bürgenden bringen Vorschläge zu den aus ihrer Sicht unterhaltsamsten Bewerbern ein. Die Wahlberechnung wird letztlich nur noch zur Bestimmung des Präsidentendarstellers eingesetzt. Hauptaufgabe: Das Volk bei Laune zu halten, sich digital und real auseinanderzusetzen. Politik ist künftig Scripted Reality, Slogan: „Er ist das Volk“.

Schlussbemerkungen

Die ZweiKlassenEhrlichkeitsPartei wird den Umbau der Gesellschaft, hin zu einer effizienten, regel- und elitebasierten Weltordnung beschleunigen. Ich werde mit dieser Idee sehr erfolgreich sein und die Menschheit in eine bessere Zukunft führen. Ich wusste schon immer, was für die Menschenkinder gut ist und auch die Mehrheit will das solidarische Zweiklassensystem. Die Völker müssen von ihrem Misstrauen gegenüber der High Society befreit werden, von der böswillig behauptet wird, sie sei zu wenig fürsorglich. Totalitäre Systeme verschleiern ihre Ziele aus Unsicherheit, nicht liebenswert zu sein, so wie ein Liebhaber seine Leidenschaft aus Angst vor Abweisung verschweigt. Unbeholfen werden Maßnahmen zur Eroberung getroffen, die Fragilität wird sichtbar. Wenn etwas ehrlich ausgesprochen wird, wirkt das manchmal wie ein Unfall. Mit mehr Mut zur Ehrlichkeit treten wir in eine freiere und gelassenere Zukunft ein. Damit wir künftig mit Fug und Recht sagen können, wir gehörten nicht zum Imperium der Lügen, waren immer redlich, liebten unsere Bürgenden und haben keinen Schaden verursacht. So überstehen wir dieses Jahrtausend sicher sicher.

Vielleicht haben Sie Lust bekommen die ZKEP zu unterstützen. Mein Paypal-Konto finden Sie unten.

Artikel zuerst veröffentlicht bei den Neulandrebellen, 3.7.2022 https://www.neulandrebellen.de/2022/07/die-zweiklassenehrlichkeitspartei-zkep-ehrlich-waehrt-am-laengsten/

@ 617f0a85:b403d1ed

Chef's notes

I got this recipe from a friend in college. I'm not sure where she came across it, but I don't think she'd mind me posting it here.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 15 min

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 12 tbsp cold unsalted butter
• 0.5 cup lard
• 0.25 cup vodka
• 0.25 cup cold water

Directions

1. Process 1.5 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl
2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

@ 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!

🐶🐾🤯🤯🤯🫂💜

@ 3f0702fa:66db56f1

Курган в 2040 году закрепил за собой статус ведущего образовательного центра не только в регионе, но и по всей России. Благодаря внедрению инновационных методик, развитию современной инфраструктуры и фокусу на индивидуальное развитие каждого студента, курганское образование стало образцом для всей страны.

Ранее, Курган был известен как промышленный регион, но сегодня ситуация изменилась. Теперь город лидирует в сфере образования, предлагая уникальные возможности для студентов со всей страны.

Ключевыми нововведениями стали персонализированное обучение, когда интеллектуальные системы анализа данных создают индивидуальные траектории для каждого студента. Учебный процесс обогащен интерактивными образовательными платформами, с использованием VR/AR-технологий и геймификации. Курганские вузы и школы активно сотрудничают с ведущими образовательными учреждениями России и мира, а студенты имеют возможность проходить стажировки на ведущих предприятиях.

Эти нововведения коренным образом изменили учебный процесс: студенты стали более мотивированными и вовлеченными, уровень усвоения материала значительно повысился, а выпускники курганских вузов востребованы на рынке труда.

Курган стал местом притяжения для талантливых студентов со всей России, а курганская образовательная система – образцом для подражания, демонстрируя, как можно создать эффективную и современную систему образования, формирующую будущее страны.

Курган в 2040 году - это не только центр промышленности, но и признанный лидер в сфере образования. Город продолжает развиваться, предоставляя новые возможности для своих студентов.

Мы продолжим следить за развитием образовательной сферы в Кургане и сообщать вам о новых достижениях. Следите за нашими публикациями.

45news #Курган2040

@ 9f51b59f:75e7c3a2

Chef's notes

Use bone in or boneless short rib. This recipe also works with ox tail and pork shoulder or any kind of meat that’s ideal for braising low and slow.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 30 mins
• 🍳 Cook time: 2.5-3.5 hours
• 🍽️ Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons natural cooking oil (I use tallow or ghee)
• 2 lbs boneless short ribs (bone-in also works)
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 5 garlic cloves rough chopped
• 1 bell or poblano pepper, seeded & diced
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon dark coco powder
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon graham masla
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 3 tablespoons chipotle adobo sauce
• 3 bay leaves
• 1.5 cups stock or water
• 2 fresh limes, juiced
• Banana leaves, optional
• Avocado, sour cream, lime juice
• Shaved red cabbage with lime juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 315 degrees F. Using a Dutch oven or braising pan, begin heating oil over high heat on the stove top.
2. Season beef with salt and pepper and begin searing in the pot. Once browned on all sides set the beef aside and add the onions, garlic, and peppers to the same pan and reduce the heat.
3. Season and cook the veggies 5 to 8 minutes until they start to caramelize. Add the chili pepper, paprika, coco, cumin, marsala, and dried oregano.
4. Briefly toast the spices and deglaze with the vinegar and immediately add the tomato puree.
5. Add the adobo sauce, broth, and using a stick blender or blender buzz the cooking liquid. (if using banana leaves remove the cooking liquid from the pan or use a new pot with lid. Line the pot with the leaves shingled over one another, return the cooking liquid over the leaves.)
6. Return the beef to the pot and cover with lid or foil (fold leaves over the meat then cover).
7. Place the pot in the oven and cook for 2 hours before checking, the meat should be fork tender when done.
8. Mash the avocado into the sour cream and season with lime juice or hot sauce. Serve on tortillas with the crema and cabbage.

@ 13bb2eae:bb084375

![nostr:npub1zwajatkhq26rhtmmeqwnpnv98ls6j62v87pa5sdt2ddhewcggd6slnursu the Soul of Independent Music with Angels Junk**

https://wavlake.com/angels-junk

Angels Junk, the vibrant rock band hailing from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is making waves in the independent music scene with their raw energy, profound authenticity, and a sound that defies conventional boundaries. Their latest release on Wavlake reflects their unwavering commitment to artistic freedom and musical exploration.

A Glimpse into the Band’s Journey

Rooted in the DIY ethos, Angels Junk embodies the essence of independent artistry. Their creative process, as captured in the project Memorias de Digital Dust, provides a rare and intimate look into the highs and lows of being an indie musician. Through a series of audio recordings and reflective monologues, the band shares the challenges of songwriting, recording, and navigating the music industry without compromising their vision.

One of the standout messages from Memorias de Digital Dust is the emphasis on the foundational aspects of music. As the band’s frontman passionately states: “The sound plays a big role, but if you don’t have the musical framework first, the sound alone won’t carry you.” This philosophy drives their music—prioritizing substance over superficiality.

Breaking Genre Boundaries

Angels Junk refuses to be confined by labels. They reject the notion of placing music into rigid categories, championing instead an approach that celebrates creativity in its purest form. “Music should never be put into boxes. Never,” echoes as a defining mantra for the band. This ethos is reflected in their sound, which blends the grit of classic rock with modern experimental undertones, creating a sonic landscape that is as dynamic as it is relatable.

Crafting "Digital Dust"

The metaphor of "Digital Dust" encapsulates the fleeting nature of musical ideas in today’s fast-paced world. Angels Junk’s new album delves into themes of impermanence, self-discovery, and the intrinsic value of creating art for its own sake. From discussions on the intricacies of drum recording to reflections on the therapeutic power of music, the album is a candid diary of the band’s journey.

For Angels Junk, authenticity is non-negotiable. They challenge industry norms, resisting overproduction and excessive compression in favor of dynamic, heartfelt recordings that allow their instruments and emotions to breathe.

More Than Music

Angels Junk’s work extends beyond melodies and lyrics. It is a declaration of independence, a celebration of individuality, and a call to embrace imperfection. They invite their listeners to join them in redefining what it means to be a musician in the modern age. As they put it: “Music has been my companion throughout life, helping me through tough times and reminding me why I create in the first place.”

Explore Their Work

Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the Angels Junk experience, their latest album on Wavlake offers a chance to delve into their world and uncover the raw, unfiltered stories behind each track. And if you’re in La Isleta, their live performances promise an opportunity to witness their energy and passion firsthand.

Follow Angels Junk on their website Angels Junk Music and across social media to stay updated on upcoming releases, gigs, and behind-the-scenes content. With their music, Angels Junk reminds us all of the beauty in imperfection and the power of staying true to oneself.

@ 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.

@ 42342239:1d80db24

TL;DR: J.D. Vance recently observed that many in the Democratic Party are attempting to manufacture trust from the top down, neglecting the fact that genuine trust is often born from grassroots connections. There's indeed a stark contrast between trust that's artificially constructed through manipulation and censorship, and trust that's organically cultivated from the ground up.

Trump's vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance appeared on podcast host Joe Rogan's show earlier in November. According to Vance, large parts of the Democratic Party are trying to create higher trust from above, without understanding that the previously high trust once arose organically: "I think that a lot of them are trying to reimpose that social trust from the top."

Most people understand the importance of high trust. Political scientist Robert D. Putnam, for example, has shown that large social capital, in the form of trust and networks, is a key factor for economic growth, cooperation, and problem-solving. See e.g. his book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (2000).

The low trust today is widespread. Trust in the American federal government is at historically low levels. Trust in the media is at rock-bottom levels. Even trust in doctors and hospitals has plummeted: at the beginning of 2024, the proportion of people who reported "a great deal of trust" had dropped to 40%, from 72% in April 2020. This can be concerning, as individuals with low trust in doctors and hospitals will be less likely to follow their advice and recommendations. It's therefore not surprising that many want to "rebuild trust" (this was the theme of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting this year).

How much trust is actually reasonable?

But how much trust is actually reasonable? To determine this, one can ask whether an institution has acted reliably in the past, whether it possesses the knowledge and ability required to deliver what is promised, and whether its interests are in line with our own.

The low trust figures among Americans are likely a reflection of the fact that many of them today question the extent to which the answers to these questions are actually affirmative. During the pandemic, medical experts in the UK incorrectly predicted that hundreds of thousands of people would die. In the US, the leading infectious disease expert misled the public about, among other things, face masks, the sitting president lied about both the effectiveness and safety of vaccines, a British health minister wanted to "scare the pants off people," and virus experts even conspired to mislead about the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. All while social media companies, under pressure from governments, were forced to censor information that was actually correct.

Trust - built on sand or on solid ground?

It's possible to continue on the current path and try to improve trust figures by limiting access to information. For instance, if the public doesn't get access to negative information about authorities or experts, the measured trust can increase. But in that case, trust is merely built on sand, waiting to be undermined by the inexorable forces of truth.

But there's another possibility. Building relationships that are genuine and honest, listening to each other without judgment, and communicating without misleading. Doing things that really matter, and doing them well, showing competence and reliability through actions. In this way, trust can grow naturally and organically. A trust built on solid ground, not on sand. A delicate task. But presidential election or not, isn't it time for us to start building a future where this form of trust is the obvious foundation?

@ 32e18276:5c68e245

Hey guys, I'm spending some time today preparing v1.6 for the app store, it's been a long time coming with many new features. Here's a breakdown of everything new in this version!

Notable new features in 1.6

• Custom built, embedded C WASM interpreter (nostrscript), which will be used for custom algos, filters and lists
• Longform note support
• Hashtag following
• Configurable reactions
• New Live user status NIP (music, general)
• Adjustable font sizes
• A very long list of bug fixes and performance improvements
• Fast and persistent profile searching using nostrdb

Top priorities for 1.7

• Lists
• Custom algos and filters using nostrscript
• Stories
• Multi account
• Tor integration
• Better NWC integration (wallet balances, transaction history)
• Advanced note search via nostrdb
• Fully switch to nostrdb for all notes
• Discord-like relays (click a relay to view all the notes on it)

So much more but maybe I will not try to be too ambitious ...

Contributors

name added removed commits William Casarin +57964 -8274 288 petrikaj +1524 -0 1 Terry Yiu +1266 -964 9 ericholguin +1234 -252 11 Daniel D’Aquino +1223 -399 19 Suhail Saqan +905 -70 16 Grimless +838 -736 6 Bryan Montz +793 -744 30 Jon Marrs +658 -60 3 Joel Klabo +653 -105 6 transifex-integration[bot] +176 -0 9 Fishcake +129 -21 5 Daniel D‘Aquino +123 -9 5 Jericho Hasselbush +78 -2 2 cr0bar +66 -19 11 Daniel D'Aquino +55 -32 2 Mazin +53 -0 1 gladiusKatana +37 -8 1 doffing.brett +10 -6 1 tappu75e@duck.com +5 -1 2 Ben Harvie +5 -0 1

Changelog

• 76 Fixes
• 18 Changes
• 26 Additions

Added

• Add "Do not show #nsfw tagged posts" setting (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Add ability to change order of custom reactions (Suhail Saqan)
• Add close button to custom reactions (Suhail Saqan)
• Add followed hashtags to your following list (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Add initial longform note support (William Casarin)
• Add r tag when mentioning a url (William Casarin)
• Add relay log in developer mode (Montz)
• Add settings for disabling user statuses (William Casarin)
• Add space when tagging users in posts if needed (William Casarin)
• Add support for multilingual hashtags (cr0bar)
• Add support for multiple reactions (Suhail Saqan)
• Add support for status URLs (William Casarin)
• Add the ability to follow hashtags (William Casarin)
• Added feedback when user adds a relay that is already on the list (Daniel D'Aquino)
• Added generic user statuses (William Casarin)
• Added live music statuses (William Casarin)
• Added merch store button to sidebar menu (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Added padding under word count on longform account (William Casarin)
• Adjustable font size (William Casarin)
• Click music statuses to display in spotify (William Casarin)
• Enable banner image editing (Joel Klabo)
• Finnish translations (petrikaj)
• Hold tap to preview status URL (Jericho Hasselbush)
• Re-add nip05 badges to profiles (William Casarin)
• Show nostr address username and support abbreviated _ usernames (William Casarin)
• Suggested Users to Follow (Joel Klabo)

Changed

• Allow reposting and quote reposting multiple times (William Casarin)
• Damus icon now opens sidebar (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Hide nsec when logging in (cr0bar)
• Improve UX around clearing cache (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Improved memory usage and performance when processing events (William Casarin)
• Increase size of the hitbox on note ellipsis button (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Make carousel tab dots tappable (Bryan Montz)
• Move the "Follow you" badge into the profile header (Grimless)
• Remove nip05 on events (William Casarin)
• Remove note size restriction for longform events (William Casarin)
• Rename NIP05 to "nostr address" (William Casarin)
• Show muted thread replies at the bottom of the thread view (#1522) (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Show renotes in Notes timeline (William Casarin)
• Start at top when reading longform events (William Casarin)
• Switch to nostrdb for @'s and user search (William Casarin)
• Updated relay view (ericholguin)
• Use nostrdb for profiles (William Casarin)
• clear statuses if they only contain whitespace (William Casarin)

Fixed

• Allow relay logs to be opened in dev mode even if relay (Daniel D'Aquino)
• Allow user to login to deleted profile (William Casarin)
• Apply filters to hashtag search timeline view (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Avoid notification for zaps from muted profiles (tappu75e@duck.com)
• Crash when muting threads (Bryan Montz)
• Dismiss qr screen on scan (Suhail Saqan)
• Don't always show text events in reposts (William Casarin)
• Don't spam lnurls when validating zaps (William Casarin)
• Eliminate nostr address validation bandwidth on startup (William Casarin)
• Ensure the person you're replying to is the first entry in the reply description (William Casarin)
• Fix Invalid Zap bug in reposts (William Casarin)
• Fix PostView initial string to skip mentioning self when on own profile (Terry Yiu)
• Fix UI freeze after swiping back from profile (#1449) (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Fix UTF support for hashtags (Daniel D‘Aquino)
• Fix action bar appearing on quoted longform previews (William Casarin)
• Fix broken markdown renderer (William Casarin)
• Fix bug where it would sometimes show -1 in replies (tappu75e@duck.com)
• Fix compilation error on test target in UserSearchCacheTests (Daniel D‘Aquino)
• Fix crash when long pressing custom reactions (William Casarin)
• Fix crash when long-pressing reactions (William Casarin)
• Fix freezing bug when tapping Developer settings menu (Terry Yiu)
• Fix icons on settings view (cr0bar)
• Fix images and links occasionally appearing with escaped slashes (Daniel D‘Aquino)
• Fix issue where malicious zappers can send fake zaps to another user's posts (William Casarin)
• Fix issue where relays with trailing slashes cannot be removed (#1531) (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Fix issue where typing cc@bob would produce brokenb ccnostr:bob mention (William Casarin)
• Fix issue with emojis next to hashtags and urls (William Casarin)
• Fix issue with slashes on relay urls causing relay connection problems (William Casarin)
• Fix lag when creating large posts (William Casarin)
• Fix localization issues and export strings for translation (Terry Yiu)
• Fix localization issues and export strings for translation (Terry Yiu)
• Fix long status lines (William Casarin)
• Fix nav crashing and buggyness (William Casarin)
• Fix nostr:nostr:... bugs (William Casarin)
• Fix npub mentions failing to parse in some cases (William Casarin)
• Fix padding of username next to pfp on some views (William Casarin)
• Fix padding on longform events (William Casarin)
• Fix paragraphs not appearing on iOS17 (cr0bar)
• Fix parsing issue with NIP-47 compliant NWC urls without double-slashes (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Fix potential fake profile zap attacks (William Casarin)
• Fix profile not updating (William Casarin)
• Fix profile post button mentions (cr0bar)
• Fix profiles not updating (William Casarin)
• Fix rare crash triggered by local notifications (William Casarin)
• Fix reaction button breaking scrolling (Suhail Saqan)
• Fix situations where the note composer cursor gets stuck in one place after tagging a user (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Fix small graphical toolbar bug when scrolling profiles (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Fix some note composer issues, such as when copying/pasting larger text, and make the post composer more robust. (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Fix status events not expiring locally (William Casarin)
• Fix text composer wrapping issue when mentioning npub (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Fix text editing issues on characters added right after mention link (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Fix wiggle when long press reactions (Suhail Saqan)
• Fix wikipedia url detection with parenthesis (William Casarin)
• Fix zaps sometimes not appearing (William Casarin)
• Fixed a bug where following a user might not work due to poor connectivity (William Casarin)
• Fixed audio in video playing twice (Bryan Montz)
• Fixed disappearing text on iOS17 (cr0bar)
• Fixed issue where hashtags were leaking in DMs (William Casarin)
• Fixed issue where reposts would sometimes repost the wrong thing (William Casarin)
• Fixed issues where sometimes there would be empty entries on your profile (William Casarin)
• Fixed nav bar color on login, eula, and account creation (ericholguin)
• Fixed nostr reporting decoding (William Casarin)
• Fixed nostrscript not working on smaller phones (William Casarin)
• Fixed old notifications always appearing on first start (William Casarin)
• Fixes issue where username with multiple emojis would place cursor in strange position. (Jericho Hasselbush)
• Hide quoted or reposted notes from people whom the user has muted. (#1216) (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Hide users and hashtags from home timeline when you unfollow (William Casarin)
• Make blurred videos viewable by allowing blur to disappear once tapped (Daniel D’Aquino)
• Mute hellthreads everywhere (William Casarin)
• Show QRCameraView regardless of same user (Suhail Saqan)
• Show longform previews in notifications instead of the entire post (William Casarin)
• Stop tab buttons from causing the root view to scroll to the top unless user is coming from another tab or already at the root view (Daniel D’Aquino)
• don't cutoff text in notifications (William Casarin)
• endless connection attempt loop after user removes relay (Bryan Montz)
• icon color for developer mode setting is incorrect in low-light mode (Bryan Montz)
• relay detail view is not immediately available after adding new relay (Bryan Montz)

Removed

• Remove following Damus Will by default (William Casarin)
• Remove old @ and & hex key mentions (William Casarin)

@ 42342239:1d80db24

The Swedish government recently rejected the Transport Administration's proposal for average speed cameras. The proposal would have meant constant surveillance of all vehicles, and critics argued for instance that it would have posed a threat to national security. Given the prevalence of IT breaches and data leaks today, it's hard not to give them a point, even if the problems are often downplayed by both corporations, governments and organisations. After Facebook (now Meta) leaked account information for over half a billion users, internal mails revealed the company wanted to "normalise the fact that this happens regularly".

IT security focuses on protecting the information in our computer systems and their connections. Cybersecurity is a broader concept that also includes aspects such as human behaviour, environmental factors, and management.

Data that has not been collected cannot leak

Knowledge about cybersecurity is often insufficient. For example, it was not long ago that the Swedish Transport Agency decided to outsource the operation of the Swedish vehicle and driving licence register. This was done despite deviations from various laws and criticism from the Security Police. The operation was placed in, among other places, Serbia (which has a close relationship with Russia). The Swedish driving licence register, including personal photos, as well as confidential information about critical infrastructure such as bridges, subways, roads, and ports, became available to personnel without Swedish security clearance.

The government's decision earlier this year not to proceed with a Swedish "super register" is an example of how cybersecurity can be strengthened. The rejection of the Transport Administration's proposal for average speed cameras is another. Data that has not been collected cannot leak out. It cannot be outsourced either.

Accounts are risky by definition

But the question is bigger than that. More and more of the products and services we depend on are now subscription services, often including long documents with terms and conditions. Which few people read. If you want to control your air heat pump with your phone, you not only need an app and an account, but also agree to someone storing your data (maybe also selling it or leaking it). The same applies if you want to be able to find your car in the car park. If you do not agree to the constantly updated terms, you lose important functionality.

Every time you are required to create an account, you are put in a dependent position. And our society becomes more fragile - because data is collected and can therefore leak out. It is much harder to lose something you do not have.

At the Korean car manufacturer Kia, huge security holes were recently discovered. IT researchers could quickly scan and control almost any car, including tracking its position, unlocking it, starting the ignition, and accessing cameras and personal information such as name, phone number, and home address. In some cases, even driving routes. All thanks to a "relatively simple flaw" in a web portal.

Instead of being at the mercy of large companies' IT departments, our security would improve if we could control our air heat pump, unlock our car, or our data ourselves. The technology already exists, thanks to the breakthrough of asymmetric encryption in the 1970s. Now we just need the will to change.

@ 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.

@ 4dc2e570:7b8126f9

Chef's notes

Pickled pearl onions can usually be found at a middle eastern grocery store.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 30 - 45 minutes
• 🍳 Cook time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• 🍽️ Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2.5 lbs stew meat
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 2 onions
• 6oz Bacon, chopped
• 4 Carrots (cut in 1/2 in pieces)
• 3 celery sticks (cut in 1 in pieces)
• 5 or so small gold potatoes, quartered
• 3ish tbps Flour
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 14 oz Guinness Beer
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp Thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Ghee
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Pat dry then salt and pepper the beef. Melt 1/2 tbsp ghee over high med-high heat. Brown the beef on each side well, makes the stew tasty. This takes patience. Do some breath work while you're at it. :) Add ghee as necessary so browny bits on bottom dont burn. Put meat aside.
2. In same pan, sauté onion and garlic for a few min. Throw in bacon till browned. Put in carrot and celery.
3. Add 3tbsp flour (or a bit more, basically till oil is soaked up) and stir for a minute. Add tomato paste. Stir a couple more minutes.
4. Add thin layer of beer and scrape yummy bits from bottom of pan. Mix everything well. Add rest of beer, broth, and herbs.
5. Carmelize the pickled pearl onion on low med heat with a lil olive oil and stirring occasionally.
6. Simmer covered for 2 hours. Add potatoes. Simmer for a further 30 minutes uncovered to let the sauce reduce a bit. Salt and pepper as you like. Add in some pearl onions. Enjoy.

@ e3ba5e1a:5e433365

The world we live in today is inflationary. Through the constant increase in the money supply by governments around the world, the purchasing power of any dollars (or other government money) sitting in your wallet or bank account will go down over time. To simplify massively, this leaves people with three choices:

1. Keep your money in fiat currencies and earn a bit of interest. You’ll still lose purchasing power over time, because inflation virtually always beats interest, but you’ll lose it more slowly.
2. Try to beat inflation by investing in the stock market and other risk-on investments.
3. Recognize that the game is slanted against you, don’t bother saving or investing, and spend all your money today.

(Side note: if you’re reading this and screaming at your screen that there’s a much better option than any of these, I’ll get there, don’t worry.)

High living and melting ice cubes

Option 3 is what we’d call “high time preference.” It means you value the consumption you can have today over the potential savings for the future. In an inflationary environment, this is unfortunately a very logical stance to take. Your money is worth more today than it will ever be later. May as well live it up while you can. Or as Milton Friedman put it, engage in high living.

But let’s ignore that option for the moment, and pursue some kind of low time preference approach. Despite the downsides, we want to hold onto our wealth for the future. The first option, saving in fiat, would work with things like checking accounts, savings accounts, Certificates of Deposit (CDs), government bonds, and perhaps corporate bonds from highly rated companies. There’s little to no risk in those of losing your original balance or the interest (thanks to FDIC protection, a horrible concept I may dive into another time). And the downside is also well understood: you’re still going to lose wealth over time.

Or, to quote James from InvestAnswers, you can hold onto some melting ice cubes. But with sufficient interest, they’ll melt a little bit slower.

The investment option

With that option sitting on the table, many people end up falling into the investment bucket. If they’re more risk-averse, it will probably be a blend of both risk-on stock investment and risk-off fiat investment. But ultimately, they’re left with some amount of money that they want to put into a risk-on investment. The only reason they’re doing that is on the hopes that between price movements and dividends, the value of their investment will grow faster than anything else they can choose.

You may be bothered by my phrasing. “The only reason.” Of course that’s the only reason! We only put money into investments in order to make more money. What other possible reason exists?

Well, the answer is that while we invest in order to make money, that’s not the only reason. That would be like saying I started a tech consulting company to make money. Yes, that’s a true reason. But the purpose of the company is to meet a need in the market: providing consulting services. Like every economic activity, starting a company has a dual purpose: making a profit, but by providing actual value.

So what actual value is generated for the world when I choose to invest in a stock? Let’s rewind to real investment, and then we’ll see how modern investment differs.

Michael (Midas) Mulligan

Let’s talk about a fictional character, Michael Mulligan, aka Midas. In Atlas Shrugged, he’s the greatest banker in the country. He created a small fortune for himself. Then, using that money, he very selectively invested in the most promising ventures. He put his own wealth on the line because he believed each of those ventures had a high likelihood to succeed.

He wasn’t some idiot who jumps on his CNBC show to spout nonsense about which stocks will go up and down. He wasn’t a venture capitalist who took money from others and put it into the highest-volatility companies hoping that one of them would 100x and cover the massive losses on the others. He wasn’t a hedge fund manager who bets everything on financial instruments so complex he can’t understand them, knowing that if it crumbles, the US government will bail him out.

And he wasn’t a normal person sitting in his house, staring at candlestick charts, hoping he can outsmart every other person staring at those same charts by buying in and selling out before everyone else.

No. Midas Mulligan represented the true gift, skill, art, and value of real investment. In the story, we find out that he was the investor who got Hank Rearden off the ground. Hank Rearden uses that investment to start a steel empire that drives the country, and ultimately that powers his ability to invest huge amounts of his new wealth into research into an even better metal that has the promise to reshape the world.

That’s what investment is. And that’s why investment has such a high reward associated with it. It’s a massive gamble that may produce untold value for society. The effort necessary to determine the right investments is high. It’s only right that Midas Mulligan be well compensated for his work. And by compensating him well, he’ll have even more money in the future to invest in future projects, creating a positive feedback cycle of innovation and improvements.

Michael (Crappy Investor) Snoyman

I am not Midas Mulligan. I don’t have the gift to choose the winners in newly emerging markets. I can’t sit down with entrepreneurs and guide them to the best way to make their ideas thrive. And I certainly don’t have the money available to make such massive investments, much less the psychological profile to handle taking huge risks with my money like that.

I’m a low time preference individual by my upbringing, plus I am very risk-averse. I spent most of my adult life putting money into either the house I live in or into risk-off assets. I discuss this background more in a blog post on my current investment patterns. During the COVID-19 money printing, I got spooked about this, realizing that the melting ice cubes were melting far faster than I had ever anticipated. It shocked me out of my risk-averse nature, realizing that if I didn’t take a more risky stance with my money, ultimately I’d lose it all.

So like so many others, I diversified. I put money into stock indices. I realized the stock market was risky, so I diversified further. I put money into various cryptocurrencies too. I learned to read candlestick charts. I made some money. I felt pretty good.

I started feeling more confident overall, and started trying to predict the market. I fixated on this. I was nervous all the time, because my entire wealth was on the line constantly.

And it gets even worse. In economics, we have the concept of an opportunity cost. If I invest in company ABC and it goes up 35% in a month, I’m a genius investor, right? Well, if company DEF went up 40% that month, I can just as easily kick myself for losing out on the better opportunity. In other words, once you’re in this system, it’s a constant rat race to keep finding the best possible returns, not simply being happy with keeping your purchasing power.

Was I making the world a better place? No, not at all. I was just another poor soul trying to do a better job of entering and exiting a trade than the next guy. It was little more than riding a casino.

And yes, I ultimately lost a massive amount of money through this.

Normal people shouldn’t invest

Which brings me to the title of this post. I don’t believe normal people should be subjected to this kind of investment. It’s an extra skill to learn. It’s extra life stress. It’s extra risk. And it doesn’t improve the world. You’re being rewarded—if you succeed at all—simply for guessing better than others.

(Someone out there will probably argue efficient markets and that having everyone trading stocks like this does in fact add some efficiencies to capital allocation. I’ll give you a grudging nod of agreement that this is somewhat true, but not sufficiently enough to justify the returns people anticipate from making “good” gambles.)

The only reason most people ever consider this is because they feel forced into it, otherwise they’ll simply be sitting on their melting ice cubes. But once they get into the game, between risk, stress, and time investment, they’re lives will often get worse.

One solution is to not be greedy. Invest in stock market indices, don’t pay attention to day-to-day price, and assume that the stock market will continue to go up over time, hopefully beating inflation. And if that’s the approach you’re taking, I can honestly say I think you’re doing better than most. But it’s not the solution I’ve landed on.

Option 4: deflation

The problem with all of our options is that they are built in a broken world. The fiat/inflationary world is a rigged game. You’re trying to walk up an escalator that’s going down. If you try hard enough, you’ll make progress. But the system is against you. This is inherent to the design. The inflation in our system is so that central planners have the undeserved ability to appropriate productive capacity in the economy to do whatever they want with it. They can use it to fund government welfare programs, perform scientific research, pay off their buddies, and fight wars. Whatever they want.

If you take away their ability to print money, your purchasing power will not go down over time. In fact, the opposite will happen. More people will produce more goods. Innovators will create technological breakthroughs that will create better, cheaper products. Your same amount of money will buy more in the future, not less. A low time preference individual will be rewarded. By setting aside money today, you’re allowing productive capacity today to be invested into building a stronger engine for tomorrow. And you’ll be rewarded by being able to claim a portion of that larger productive pie.

And to reiterate: in today’s inflationary world, if you defer consumption and let production build a better economy, you are punished with reduced purchasing power.

So after burying the lead so much, my option 4 is simple: Bitcoin. It’s not an act of greed, trying to grab the most quickly appreciating asset. It’s about putting my money into a system that properly rewards low time preference and saving. It’s admitting that I have no true skill or gift to the world through my investment capabilities. It’s recognizing that I care more about destressing my life and focusing on things I’m actually good at than trying to optimize an investment portfolio.

Can Bitcoin go to 0? Certainly, though year by year that likelihood is becoming far less likely. Can Bitcoin have major crashes in its price? Absolutely, but I’m saving for the long haul, not for a quick buck.

I’m hoping for a world where deflation takes over. Where normal people don’t need to add yet another stress and risk to their life, and saving money is the most natural, safest, and highest-reward activity we can all do.

Further reading

• Buying Bitcoin or selling dollars? (my own blog post)
• My Path to Bitcoin (also my own blog post)
• The Bullish Case for Bitcoin (great explanation of the monetization of Bitcoin)

@ 1739d937:3e3136ef

This update marks a major milestone for the project. I know, with certainty, that MLS messaging over Nostr is going to work. That might sound a little crazy after so many months working on the project, and I was pretty confident, but until you’ve got running code, it’s all conjecture.

Late last week, I released a video of a working prototype of White Noise that shows the full flow; creating groups, inviting other users to join those groups, accepting invites, and sending messages back-and-forth. I’m thrilled that I’ve gotten this far but also appalled that it’s taken so long and disgusted at the state of the code in the app (I’ve been told I have unrelenting standards 😅).

If you missed the video last week...

nostr:note125cuk0zetc7sshw52v5zaq9apq3rq7e2x587tr2c96t7z7sjs59svwv0fj

What's Next?

In this update, I want to cover a few things about how I'm planning to proceed and how I’m splitting code out of the app into libraries that will help other developers implement MLS messaging in their own Nostr clients.

First off, many of you know that I've been building White Noise as a Rust app using the Tauri framework. The OpenMLS implementation is also written in Rust (with bindings for many other languages). So, when you hear me talking about library code, think Rust crates for now.

The first library, called openmls-nostr, is an extension/abstraction on top of the openmls implementation of the MLS spec that helps Nostr clients interact more easily with that implementation in a way that feels native to Nostr. Mostly this will be helping developers interact with MLS primitives and ensure that they’re creating, validating, and serializing these objects in the right way at the right times.

The second isn’t a new library as a big contribution to the already excellent rust-nostr library from nostr:npub1drvpzev3syqt0kjrls50050uzf25gehpz9vgdw08hvex7e0vgfeq0eseet. The methods that will go in rust-nostr are highly abstracted and based specifically on the requirements of NIP-104. Mostly this will be helping developers to take those MLS primitives and publish or query them as Nostr events at the right times and to/from the right relays.

Most of this code was originally written directly in the White Noise library so this week I've started to pull code for both of those libraries out and move it to its new home. While I’ve been at it, I've been writing some tests and trying to document things.

An unfortunate offshoot of this is that the usable builds of White Noise are going to take a touch longer. I promise it’s still a very high priority but at this point I need to clean a few things up based on what I've learned thus far.

Another thing that is slowing down release is that; behind the scenes of the dev work, I’ve been battling with Apple for nearly 2 months now to get a proper developer team set up so that we can publish the app via TestFlight for MacOS and iOS. I’ve also been recently learning the intricacies of Android publishing (oh my dear god there are so many devices, OS versions, etc.).

With that in mind, if you know anyone who can help get me up to speed on CI/CD, release pipelines, and multi-platform distribution please hit me up. I would love to learn more and hopefully shortcut some of the pain.

Thanks again so much for all the support over the last few months! It means a lot to me and is a huge part of what is keeping me going on this. 🙏

@ 4dc2e570:7b8126f9

Chef's notes

Pickled pearl onions can usually be found at a middle eastern grocery store.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 30 - 45 minutes
• 🍳 Cook time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• 🍽️ Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2.5 lbs stew meat
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 2 onions
• 6oz Bacon, chopped
• 4 Carrots (cut in 1/2 in pieces)
• 3 celery sticks (cut in 1 in pieces)
• 5 or so small gold potatoes, quartered
• 3ish tbps Flour
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 14 oz Guinness Beer
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp Thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Ghee
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Pat dry then salt and pepper the beef. Melt 1/2 tbsp ghee over high med-high heat. Brown the beef on each side well, makes the stew tasty. This takes patience. Do some breath work while you're at it. :) Add ghee as necessary so browny bits on bottom dont burn. Put meat aside.
2. In same pan, sauté onion and garlic for a few min. Throw in bacon till browned. Put in carrot and celery.
3. Add 3tbsp flour (or a bit more, basically till oil is soaked up) and stir for a minute. Add tomato paste. Stir a couple more minutes.
4. Add thin layer of beer and scrape yummy bits from bottom of pan. Mix everything well. Add rest of beer, broth, and herbs.
5. Carmelize the pickled pearl onion on low med heat with a lil olive oil and stirring occasionally.
6. Simmer covered for 2 hours. Add potatoes. Simmer for a further 30 minutes uncovered to let the sauce reduce a bit. Salt and pepper as you like. Add in some pearl onions. Enjoy.

@ 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.

@ cd408a69:797e8162

Nostrasia Hackathon

Welcome FOSS hackers and creatives who care deeply about freedom technology!

自由のテクノロジーに深い関わりたい FOSS ハッカーとクリエイター、あつまれ！

We're joining forces with Bolt.Fun for a month-long hackathon bridging Bitcoin and NOSTR (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays), culminating with a special three day sprint and live event in Tokyo at the Nostrasia Conference.

私たちは、Bolt.Fun と協力して、ビットコインと Nostrを橋渡しする ハッカソンを、1 か月間かけて開催します。 クライマックスは東京で開催されるNostrasia Tokyo が舞台。3日間の特別なスプリントとライブ イベントで最高潮に達します。

Be a Part of the Early Days of Nostr

Nostr の創成期を共に作り上げましょう

Help build the future of Nostr! Like the early days of Bitcoin or of the Internet, Nostr is nascent open technology shaping new types of social experiences to connect people across the globe. It carries a foundation of principles similar to Bitcoin, like decentralization, simplicity, and censorship-resistance.

Nostr の未来を築くのに協力してください！ビットコインやインターネットの初期と同じように、Nostr は世界中の人々をつなぐ新しいソーシャル体験を形成するオープン テクノロジーの初期段階にあります。 Nostr には「分散化」「シンプルさ」「検閲耐性」など、ビットコインと同様の原則が組み込まれています。

Orange-Pill people through the Purple-Nostr-Pill

オレンジピル（ビットコイン）から紫の Nostr のピルへ

Bitcoin and Nostr communities are in synergy. What started as a social protocol is quickly transforming into a space for exploration on ways to support content creators through bitcoin lightning micro payments, often referred to as zaps. Bitcoin integration to the nostr protocol strengthens Bitcoin's use case as a currency of exchange. It carves new paths to a culture of value4value.

ビットコインと Nostr のコミュニティは相乗効果を発揮します。 Nostr はソーシャルプロトコルとしてはじまりましたが、今では Zap （ビットコイン の ライトニング マイクロペイメント）を通じてコンテンツ クリエイターをサポートする方法を模索する空間へと急速に進化しています。 Nostr プロトコルにビットコインが組み合わさることで、交換通貨としてのビットコインの働きが強化されます。 それは、"value4value" の文化への新しい道を切り開くでしょう。

Help People HODL their Keys (Social+Monetary)

人々が自分のキーを HODL （長期保有）できるように支援します （ソーシャル + 金銭的に）

Nostr exists outside of the rule of platforms and those who seek to control them. HODLing your nostr keys is hodling your identity and social graph, outside of KYC. By helping develop and educate on NOSTR, you are helping people escape walled gardens & gain control and choice over their identities & their money. The Internet, over time, has become centralized, help Nostr stay decentralized by supporting the growth of an ecosystem of apps, websites, microapps, relay services...

Nostr はプラットフォームやそれを制御しようとする人々の支配の外にあります。 Nostr keys を持つことは、KYC （本人確認）以外であなたのアイデンティティとソーシャル グラフを保持することになります。 Nostr の開発や教育に貢献することは、人々が束縛から解放され、アイデンティティやお金に対する主導権を得られるよう支援することにもなるのです。 時間の経過とともに集中化されてきたインターネットですが、Nostr のアプリ／Web サイト／マイクロアプリ／リレー サービスのエコシステムの成長をサポートすることで、Nostr の分散化を維持できるようになります。

Permissionless Building

許可を必要としない構築

Opportunities abound in an environment ripe for innovation:

• Develop & design new nostr white label clients, middleware, microapps...
• Help improve existing Nostr FOSS projects
• Contribute directly to protocol development through NIPs (Nostr Implementation Possibilities)
• Encourage nostr and bitcoin adoption through art, education, and any way you like

イノベーションの機が熟した環境には、チャンスが溢れています。

• Nostr の真新しい クライアント、ミドルウェア、マイクロアプリを開発したりデザインする
• 既存の Nostr FOSS プロジェクトの改善に寄与する
• NIP (Nostr Implementation Possibilities) を通じたプロトコル開発に直接貢献する
• 芸術、教育、その他好きな方法を通じて Nostr とビットコインの普及を推進する

Hack in a Supportive Environment

サポートされた環境でハックしよう

We have a growing list of knowledgeable people with skin-in-the-game to mentor and support your journey. Once your project matures, you may also have 1-on-1 guidance to help you reach your vision and discover ways of growing and funding it.

私たちは、あなたの道のりを指導しサポートしてくれる知識豊富なメンターを増やしています。 プロジェクトが成熟した暁には、1対1のガイダンスを受けられる可能性もあります。それは、あなたのビジョンを達成し、成長させて資金を得る方法を発見するのに役立つでしょう。

Nostr has a blossoming community open to innovation. It is also a great testing ground, as people in the community are open to giving and receiving feedback. It is an environment encouraging conversation on feature ideas as well as possible solutions to social media issues and product bugs.

Nostr には、イノベーションに対してオープンで、発展しているコミュニティがあります。 コミュニティの人々はフィードバックの授受にオープンであるため、優れた実験の場にもなります。 機能のアイデアや、ソーシャル メディアの課題や製品のバグの解決策についての会話を促進する環境です。

NostrHack Tracks

You have 3 options

NostrHack Tracks には3つのオプションがあります

Track 1: Builder's Track - Reimagine Nostr

トラック1 : ビルダーのトラック - Nostr を再考しよう

If you can think of it, it can be engineered! Nostr encourages permissionless building while staying mindful of interoperability and network support. Help BUIDL, design, and improve an area you are passionate about. Reimagine and BUIDL features, tools, clients... Help solve issues and create new experiences in social media.

思いつくことができれば、エンジニアリングできる！ Nostr は、相互運用性とネットワーク サポートに留意しながら、パーミッションレスな構築 (BUIDL) を奨励しています。 あなたが情熱を注いでいる分野での構築、設計、改善に貢献してください。 機能やツール、クライアントを再考して構築 (BUIDL) し、ソーシャル メディアでの課題を解決して新しい体験を生み出すのに協力してください。

Possibilities...

これを踏まえて…

BUILD on the NOSTR Protocol

The Nostr Implementation Possibilities (NIPs) are optional protocol features anyone can add to their clients. Improve and strengthen existing NIPs or build on new ones. NOSTR is a balance of simplicity, interoperability, backward-compatibility and innovation.

NIPs は、誰でもクライアントに追加できるオプションのプロトコル機能です。 既存の NIP を改善および強化するか、新しい NIP を構築してください。 Nostr は、シンプルさ、相互運用性、下位互換性、革新性のバランスを保っています。

Focus on UX

Nostr is made up of a wide range of clients and tools. To make NOSTR scalable, you can help improve its user experience and education.

Nostr は幅広いクライアントとツールで形成されています。 Nostr をスケーラブルにするために、UX と教育の改善に協力してください。

Help shape a Web of Trust

Nostr cares about removing the KYC tied to our identities. To use Nostr you do not need to give up your phone number, email, financial information, or any metadata tied to your real world identity to be later harvested and sold. You are not the product. What are ways that trust can be earned to prevent impersonation, spam...?

Nostr は、私たちの身元に関連付けられた KYC （個人情報）を取り除けるようにしています。 Nostr を使用しても、電話番号、電子メール、財務情報、または現実世界のアイデンティティに関連付けられたメタデータを、収集されたり販売されたりして手放すことになる心配がありません。 あなたは商品ではないのです。 その中で、なりすましやスパムを防ぐために、信頼を獲得するにはどうすればよいでしょうか...?

NIP05/Nostr address

One of the solutions to build a web of trust used today, is to tie your nostr hex public key to a domain. Although this makes it harder for bots to have nostr addresses, it is not a perfect solution. Domains are centralized through DNS. To help people who do not have their own domains or cannot easily add a NIP05 on their sites, your nostr address can be hosted as a service along with other people's. At this moment, you can highlight just one nostr address per profile. In the future, could it include your website, where you work, and other identifiers... What are other possible solutions?

現在使用されている信頼獲得のための解決策の 1 つは、Nostr の HEX 公開鍵をドメインに結び付けることです。 これにより、完璧な解決策ではないものの、bot などが Nostr アドレスを持つことが難しくなります。 ドメインは DNS を通じて一元化されています。 独自のドメインを持っていない人や、自分では NIP-05 を簡単に追加できない人のために、あなたの Nostr アドレスをサービスとして他の人のものと一緒にホストすることも可能です。 現時点では、プロフィールごとに1つの Nostr アドレスのみを強調表示できますが、将来的には、Web サイト、勤務先、その他の識別情報も含められるようになる可能性があります...この他にも考えられる解決策は何かありますか？

On Decentralization & Discoverability

分散化と発見可能性について

Your identity in NOSTR is tied to your keys, but your information needs to be shared and found across a network of relays. To promote decentralization and censorship resistance, relays need to be easy to setup, lightweight, and sustainable. Relays get to choose what information passes through them, so they are also a form of spam prevention that could potentially also become censoring, so both the relay-runners and the individuals connecting to relays need to have choice and policies cannot be homogenous one-size-fits-all. What are possible solutions to make setting up relays easier, to make running a relay sustainable, to have new ways of discovering information...

Nostr での ID はキーに関連付けられていますが、その情報はリレーのネットワーク全体で共有され、検索できる必要があります。 分散化と検閲耐性を促進するために、リレーはセットアップが簡単で、軽量で、持続可能である必要があります。 リレーは通過する情報を選択できるため、スパム防止の一形態である一方で検閲にもなり得ます。そのため、リレー管理者とリレーに接続する個人の両方に選択権が必要で、ポリシーが全てに対し画一的になってはいけません。 リレーのセットアップを容易にし、リレーの実行を持続可能にし、情報を発見する新しい方法を実現するには、どのような解決策が考えられるでしょうか...？

Buidl tools to connect to Git, as a decentralized alternative to GitHub

GitHub の分散型代替手段として、Git に接続するための BUIDL ツール

Media Uploads

To keep relays lightweight, images are hosted by uploading them to the web, and keeping only the links to them in the data within individual nostr notes. This has led to developing image uploading services specific to nostr, but they carry the risk of centralization or censorship. Some product makers and relay runners are looking into direct uploads to Cloud services. What are possible solutions to the handling of media (images, videos, music...)?

リレーを軽量に保つために、画像は Web にアップロードしてホストされ、各投稿のデータには画像へのリンクのみが保持されます。そんな中で、Nostr に特化した画像アップロード サービスが開発されましたが、集中化や検閲のリスクが伴います。 一部のプロダクト開発者やリレー管理者は、クラウド サービスへの直接アップロードを検討しています。 メディア（画像、ビデオ、音楽など）の処理について、考えられるよい解決策はありますか？

Social Signals

People have the choice to block and mute others, this gives signals to relays, which can reenact policies based on those and other signals. Relays need to be able to differentiate real signals from those wanting to game the system for censorship. Relay runners need to have the capacity to make decisions on what to allow or reject.

ユーザーは他のユーザーをブロックしたりミュートできます。ユーザーの設定内容はリレーに送信され、リレーはその設定に基づいてそれぞれのポリシーを再現できます。 リレーは、実際の設定と、検閲のためにシステムを操作しようとする設定を区別する必要があります。 リレーの管理者には、何を許可し、何を拒否するかを決定する能力が必要です。

Track 2 : Marketplaces & Value4Value

Make freedom of exchange fun again! Nostr extends beyond social. It is integrating ways for content creators to be supported through lightning micropayments, called zaps, for their creations. The possibilities of building niche value4value economies through the exchange of products, services, and ideas, is growing through various avenues: Marketplaces, fundraising, blogs, music, streaming... devise new robust ways of integrating NOSTR and Bitcoin of monetary and skill exchange. Seek to explore distributed, digital reciprocity and free trade. Encourage a culture of value4value.

自由な交流を再び楽しく！ Nostr はソーシャルを超えて広がります。 Zap と呼ばれるマイクロペイメントを通じて、コンテンツクリエイターの作品をサポートできる方法を兼ね備えています。 製品、サービス、アイデアの交換を通じてニッチな価値と価値（value4value）の経済を構築する可能性は、さまざまな手段を通じて拡大しています : マーケットプレイス、資金調達、ブログ、音楽、ストリーミングなど... Nostr とビットコインを組み合わせて、金銭とスキルの交換を行う新しい堅牢な方法を考案します。分散型、デジタル相互主義、自由貿易を探究してください。 価値対価値（value4value）の文化を促進してください。

A value4value culture is not only about the individuals using NOSTR products and services, but also about the developers and creatives building sustainable projects. What are ways of sustaining NOSTR through Bitcoin that do NOT make the individual user the product and that are privacy mindful?

value4value の文化は、Nostr の製品やサービスを使用する個人だけでなく、持続可能なプロジェクトを構築する開発者やクリエイターにも関係します。 個人ユーザーを製品にすることなくプライバシーに配慮しながら、ビットコインを通じて Nostr を持続させる方法は何ですか？

Possibilities...

On Social and Economic Signals

Zaps

Many nostr clients have implemented lightning zap payments. Imagine instead of liking a nostr note, you can zap someone's note and they can receive bits/sats in appreciation for their content. It is a strong signal to creators of the kind of content their audiences are looking for. The Apple App Store has recently banned the zapping of specific notes, per Apple's policy that makes the sale of digital content prohibited except when paid through their services. Fortunately, Nostr exists in many decentralized forms outside of app stores and the community is creating new and innovative ways to send bitcoin and free speech from relay to relay, circumventing barriers as they appear. What are solutions that can make NOSTR and zaps ubiquitous?

多くの Nostr クライアントが Zap を導入しています。Nostr での投稿を「いいね」する代わりに Zap すると、その内容に対する感謝としてビットコイン（サトシ）を受け取ることができるイメージです。 これは、フォロワーがどのような種類のコンテンツを求めているかをクリエイターに伝える強力なシグナルになります。 Apple App Storeは最近、サービスを通じて支払われる場合を除きデジタルコンテンツの販売を禁止するというAppleのポリシーに従い、特定の投稿への Zap を禁止しました。 幸い、Nostr は多くが App Store の外で分散型で存在しているため、コミュニティは障壁を回避しながら、ビットコインと言論の自由をリレーからリレーに送信するための革新的な方法を生み出しています。 Nostr と Zaps をユビキタスにするソリューションとは何ですか？

Track 3 : Empower Communities

Give choice and control back to the individual! Create paths forward to help onboard millions of new users and restore free and uncensored speech to the world

選択とコントロールを個人に返そう。 何百万人もの新規ユーザーの参加を支援し、自由で検閲されていない言論を世界に取り戻すための道筋を作り出してください。

Possibilities...

On Security, Privacy & Self-Custody

Private Communication

Direct Messages on NOSTR are encrypted, but metadata is leaked. If someone's key is compromised, whoever has access to that account can read those messages. Integrating secure and reliable encrypted communication protocols, like the SimpleX messaging protocol, is especially desired by the community, as many in Nostr are aware of the risks of surveillance, authoritarianism, government and Big Tech overreach... Private communication is important for individual rights, in particular for activists and journalists across the globe.

Nostr のダイレクト メッセージは暗号化されていますが、メタデータは漏洩します。 誰かのキーが侵害された場合、そのアカウントにアクセスできる人は誰でもそれらのメッセージを読むことができてしまうのです。Nostr の多くの人が監視、権威主義、政府とビッグテックの行き過ぎのリスクを認識しているため、 SimpleX メッセージング プロトコルのような安全で信頼性の高い暗号化通信プロトコルの統合が、コミュニティによって特に望まれています...プライベート通信は個人の権利にとって重要です 、特に世界中の活動家やジャーナリストにとって。

Zaps & Privacy

Current lightning zap payments tend to be custodial and not mindful of privacy, though they are helping onboard people unto lightning. What are ways that people can grow into non-custodial solutions? A wider adoption of Bolt-12 would improve zap payment privacy, what are ways to encourage that development? What are other possible solutions?

現在のザップの支払いは、ライトニングペイメントに出会うのに役立っているものの、カストディアル（管理的）でプライバシーに配慮していない傾向にあります。 ノンカストディアル（非監護的）なものになるよう解決する方法はありませんか？ Bolt-12 が広く採用されれば、Zap 支払いのプライバシーが向上しますが、その開発を促進するにはどのような方法がありますか？また、他に考えられる解決策はありませんか？

Closing Live 3-Day Sprint at the Nostrasia Conference

Nostrasia Tokyo 3日間のライブスプリントによる締めくくり

Tokyo | Nov 1-3 (you can also join virtually)

If you heard of the Nostrica unconference, which happened in Costa Rica in March of this year, Nostrasia is the second Nostr World conference, bringing NOSTR and Bitcoin awareness to the heart of Asia, where freedom communication and freedom money are direly needed.

今年の3月にコスタリカで開催された Nostrica のことをご存知の方もいると思いますが、ノストラジアは2回目の Nostr 世界カンファレンスです。自由なコミュニケーションと自由なお金が切実に必要とされているアジアの中心にNostr とビットコインの認識をもたらします。

Tokyo and Hong Kong are beautiful cultural hubs with budding Nostr and thriving Bitcoin communities of their own. We are eager to spread NOSTR education and development in those regions and beyond. We will close this Nostrasia month-long hackathon with a 3-day sprint at the Nostrasia Conference in Tokyo.

東京と香港は、新進気鋭のNostrと繁栄する独自のビットコインコミュニティを持つ美しい文化の中心地です。 私たちは、Nostr の教育と開発をこれらの地域やその他の地域に広めることに熱心に取り組んでいます。 この Nostrasia の 1 か月にわたるハッカソンは、Nostrasia Tokyo での 3 日間のスプリントをもって終了します。

We will have a dedicated workshop area and food for you to hack away on the final details of your projects. On the last day of the conference, the most robust projects will get time on stage to present. We will close the Nostrasia Hackathon with a special presentation.

プロジェクトの最終的な詳細を検討するための専用のワークショップ エリアと食事をご用意します。 カンファレンスの最終日には、最も強力なプロジェクトがステージ上でプレゼンテーションを行う時間が与えられます。 Nostrasia Hackathon は特別なプレゼンテーションで締めくくられます。

We cannot wait to see what new and exciting projects are proposed for the Nostrasia Hackathon. We’re eager to welcome devs and non-devs alike to contribute to this space and help #grownostr in any small way to help onboard Asia, and the rest of the world to this robust open communication protocol and decentralized freedom of speech tool.

Nostrasia Hackathon ではどんな斬新でエキサイティングなプロジェクトが提案されるのか楽しみです。 私たちは、開発者も非開発者も同様にこの分野に貢献し、アジアやその他の世界をこの堅牢なオープン通信プロトコルと分散型言論の自由ツールに参加させるために、どんな小さな方法でも #grownostr を支援してくれることを心から歓迎しています。

@ df478568:2a951e67

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 10 minutes
• 🍳 Cook time: 30 minutes
• 🍽️ Servings: 4

Ingredients

• rice
• 2 lb. ground beef
• 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
• 1 stalk of geeen onions, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 10.5 oz. can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• peas

Directions

1. Cook the rice
2. Brown ground beef. Remove and set aside.
3. Saute mushrooms and green onions
4. Cook peas(I usually use the microwave)
5. Return beef to Dutch oven. Add cream of mushroom and sour cream
6. Cooknon low heat for 12 minutes.

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

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

@ df478568:2a951e67

Chef's notes

Easy Beef Stroganoff(Fast AF Beef Stroganaff)

This is an easy weaknight meal.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 10 minutes
• 🍳 Cook time: 30 minutes
• 🍽️ Servings: 4

Ingredients

• rice
• 2 lb. ground beef
• 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
• 1 stalk of geeen onions, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 10.5 oz. can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• peas

Directions

1. Cook the rice
2. Brown ground beef. Remove and set aside.
3. Saute mushrooms and green onions
4. Cook peas(I usually use the microwave)
5. Return beef to Dutch oven. Add cream of mushroom and sour cream
6. Cooknon low heat for 12 minutes.

@ 42342239:1d80db24

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ de75eb1d:710c3014

Chef's notes

Traditional Victorian recipe made better with the addition of chocolate, fills x6 one lb jars and each jar makes approximately 15 pies or one large tart.

Store in a cool dry place for 12 months for an even deeper flavour.

Unlike supermarket mincemeat, this recipe is naturally palm oil free when made using traditional ingredients (NOT Atora!), you could swap the animal fat for ghee or solid cocoa butter.

Go wild on the dried fruit, anything and everything works. This is a great area to play around and make extra special versions - like Cherry Brandied Chocolate! You can also swap or omit the nuts

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 30 mins
• 🍳 Cook time: 3 hours

Ingredients

• 1 lb cooking apples, cored and diced
• 1.5lb mixed dried fruit
• 1lb unrefined sugar (or honey)
• 1/2lb beef suet
• 1/2lb candied citrus peel
• 2oz chopped or flaked almonds
• 4tsp mixed spice
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2lb dark chocolate roughly chopped
• 6tbspn brandy or rum
• zest and juice of 2 oranges & lemons

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the chocolate and alcohol in a large oven proof bowl, cover and leave overnight to infuse
2. Next day cover the bowl with foil and bake slowly for 3 hours in a preheated oven at 120c
3. As the mincemeat cools periodically stir in the fat and when completely cold add the alcohol and chocolate chips
4. Pack into sterilised jars and cover with a wax disk or 1tsp melted suet, screw the lids on tight and it will keep for 3-5 years

@ 21b41910:91f41a5e

Chef's notes

Based on assorted recipes and refined over time, this round of beef tastes great as a result of the sweet and savory marinade.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 5 minutes (+ 1 day)
• 🍳 Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean beef (may be labeled as London Broil)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup malt vinegar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp sweetener of choice (honey, molasses, syrup, 4 packets of duck sauce, etc)
• 2 tsp old bay seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

1. Day Before: Mix all ingredients except the beef in a bowl to form a marinade. Place the cut of beef in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Pour marinade over beef, ensure fully covered. Remove any excess air from the bag and seal. Place back in refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking.
2. Cooking: Bring beef out of refrigerator (still in bag), and allow to rise to room temperature (about 30-40 minutes). Preheat broiler for about 15 minutes (your oven will vary). Broil for about 7-8 minutes on one side, then flip over. Continue broiling for another 7-10 minutes until temperature reads 140°F. Remove from broiler and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing thinly.

@ 3f0702fa:66db56f1

Образовательная система Кургана в 2040 году пережила масштабную трансформацию, предлагая студентам комфортные условия обучения, мощную поддержку одаренных учеников и передовые технологии, что подтверждается высокими достижениями курганских учащихся.

Ключевым изменением стало внедрение персонализированных образовательных траекторий, разработанных на основе анализа интересов и способностей каждого ученика. Учебные заведения оснащены интерактивными классами, лабораториями с VR/AR-оборудованием и современными коворкинг-зонами, создающими комфортную среду для обучения и творчества.

Особое внимание уделяется поддержке одаренных учеников, для которых разработаны специальные программы и гранты на участие в научных исследованиях и международных конкурсах. Развитая система наставничества позволяет молодым талантам раскрыть свой потенциал и реализовать самые амбициозные проекты.

Результаты обучения говорят сами за себя: курганские студенты занимают лидирующие позиции на национальных и международных олимпиадах, а выпускники востребованы в лучших компаниях страны и мира.

Курганская образовательная система стала примером для других регионов, демонстрируя, как можно сочетать современные технологии с индивидуальным подходом к обучению для формирования будущей интеллектуальной элиты.

Мы продолжим следить за достижениями курганских студентов и педагогов и рассказывать вам о новых инициативах в сфере образования. Следите за нашими публикациями.

45news

Курган2040

@ a10260a2:caa23e3e

It seems like blogstack is meant to replace Substack if not already apparent by the name. If that's the case, it's already better in a few ways.

1. Hit the ground running

I'm already getting started out of the gate with more readers than I would have if I just started a Substack. This, of course, is due to the fact that I'm creating on top of a protocol where I'm able to have the same audience across all clients of that protocol. This is in stark contrast to the legacy apps from centralized entities where you have to corral your audience from one platform to the next.

2. Readers need not subscribe

Technically, if you're following me, you're subscribed. But you don't have to subscribe for a set price and amount of time (e.g. $5/month or $50/year). I believe this is a win for both of us as I can write my best notes and you can choose to reward me as you see fit. Value 4 value.

3. More conducive to conversation

Writing on Substack felt like writing into a void, with little to no feedback. A post shows up in my readers' inbox and I'll see some stats on whether it was opened or not. That's it. Based on what I've seen so far, blog posts created on Nostr appear in the client apps (e.g Damus, Primal, and Plebstr) as just another note, but with nice formatting and such. From there, I can receive zaps, shakas, comments, and even be reposted.

This is just the beginning. Right now, I'm using blogstack. But what's to stop me from using another tool down the line? I'll have the ability to do so by simply connecting my private key. Can't wait to see what new tools are created down the line.

So ₿ULLISH on #Nostr

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Test Bounty Note

@ 8cd9d25d:69e9894d

Chef's notes

Note that youtube recipe is asking for 1tablespoon of salt, which is waaaaaay too much. Recipe works fine with a teaspoon,, but your mileage may vary. Play around with it.

You don't need to prove modern packet yeasts in my experience... just yolo it.

If you want an extra crispy crust, add a second baking pan to the base of the oven as you pre-heat. Then once you've placed the dough in, to the oven, take some boiling water and pour into the second baking tray. This gives you a steam oven on a budget :)

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 15min (not including time for dough rises)
• 🍳 Cook time: 30mins
• 🍽️ Servings: 4-5

Ingredients

• 500 grams wholemeal spelt flour
• 1 packet baker's yeast (10grams)
• 350 ml lukewarm water
• 350 ml lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon salt 🧂

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to Preheat oven to 430°F and put a baking tray in at the same time to heat up.
2. Add all ingredients to a bowl (best to use a stand mixer to save time, but you can do by hand too. Mix and knead until the dough comes together. After about 5 mins you should have a moist dough that doesn't stick to your hands... if it is a bit sticky, just add a bit more flour (different flours like differenent amounts of water)... If too dry, add a bit more water... etc.
3. Remove dough from bowl & form into a ball (smooth on top, never mind if not perfectly smooth on its base). Put back in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rest for 30mins/1hr until dough has roughly doubled in size. Time will depend on the ambient temp where you are. In the tropics, 30mins is just fine.
4. Take risen dough out of bowl and put on a floured surface and press the gas out of it... flatten the dough with your hands, and then fold each edge in until you have a rectangle (video makes this bit clear). Then roll the rectangle up into a cylinder. This gives you a nice tight dough for baking. Pinch the ends of the cylinder to seal the dough.
5. Place dough onto a baking sheet/ piece of parchment paper etc... cover with damp towlel and let rise for 15/30mins
6. Score the risen dough (a razer blade, clean box cutter, or serrated knife works well) , this lets steam escape from the loaf as it bakes without slpititng it in ways you wouldn't like.
7. Take your hot baking tray out of the over and transfer your dough onto it. Put into oven.
8. Bake at 430°F (220°C) for 15mins, then reduce oven temp to 350°F (180°C) for the final 15mins. Total bake time 30mins.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20-30mins.

@ 3f0702fa:66db56f1

Курганцы сегодня получили в распоряжение полностью обновленную систему общественного транспорта, знаменующую собой новую эру в передвижении по городу. В результате масштабной модернизации на улицы вышли современные беспилотные электробусы и аэротакси.

Теперь привычные маршруты общественного транспорта обслуживают комфортабельные беспилотные электробусы с увеличенной вместимостью, оборудованные Wi-Fi, USB-портами и климат-контролем. Маршруты оптимизированы на основе анализа трафика в режиме реального времени, что обеспечивает быструю и удобную перевозку пассажиров.

Кроме того, для быстрого перемещения по городу и пригородам стали доступны аэротакси – компактные беспилотные летательные аппараты, способные доставлять пассажиров в любую точку города за считанные минуты. Заказ такси осуществляется через удобное мобильное приложение.

Обновление общественного транспорта снизило нагрузку на дороги, повысило комфорт и безопасность пассажиров и значительно уменьшило негативное воздействие на окружающую среду.

Мы продолжим следить за развитием транспортной инфраструктуры Кургана и сообщать вам о новых изменениях. Следите за нашими публикациями.

45news

Курган2040

@ 65912a7a:5dc638bf

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 5 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 30 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 12-14oz fresh cranberries
• 1⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 orange, peeled & chopped
• 1 cup water

Directions

1. Using medium sauce pan, simmer cranberries and water for 5-6 min. Cranberries will start to pop.
2. Add brown sugar, raisins, and chopped orange to the berries.
3. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for 20 min. Stir often to prevent sticking. Remove from heat.
4. Let set until room temp. Mixture will thicken as it cools.
5. Put in a covered container and keep refrigerated. Lasts for about 2 weeks.

@ 42342239:1d80db24

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ 9bc2d34d:d19d2948

Chef's notes

Hot Dogs? Check. Cheese? Check. Jalapeno? Definitely (unless you can't handle the spice)

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 1 minute
• 🍳 Cook time: 3-5 minutes
• 🍽️ Servings: 1-4

Ingredients

• 3 Hot Dogs (Sliced Thinly or Cut into Chunks)
• Handful of Shredded Cheese Blend
• 1/4 Jalapeno minced (add less or more)
• Optional: Any toppings you like on nachos, such as tomatoes, onions, sour cream, beans, etc

Directions

1. Microwave 3 hot dogs for 2-3 minutes (some hot dogs will expand)
2. Top with cheese
3. Microwave for 1-2 minutes (until cheese is melted)
4. Sprinkle all your favorite toppings on top
5. Serve

@ ac8bb9b0:70278acc

Chef's notes

If you’d like to make this soup part of your rotation and want to shave off a little time for the next time around, double the recipe for the meatballs and freeze half. That way, all you’ll have to do is make the soup and add the meatballs as directed in the recipe. (They may take a few extra minutes to warm through if you add them directly from the freezer.)

The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months but wait until you reheat the soup to add the pasta. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering, add the pasta, and cook until the pasta is tender.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 50
• 🍳 Cook time: 30
• 🍽️ Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ lb 85 or 90% lean ground beef
• ½ lb sweet or hot Italian sausage, removed from the casings
• ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• ⅓ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 6 cups high-quality chicken broth
• 2 cups high-quality beef broth
• 2 cups water
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper (okay to use black pepper)
• 1 cup small dittalini pasta
• 4 oz fresh spinach, stems trimmed and roughly chopped (once prepped, you should have about 3 packed cups)
• Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving

Directions

1. Make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set an oven-proof roasting rack over top. Spray the rack generously with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg with the chives, sage and garlic. Add the remaining meatball ingredients and mash with your hands until evenly combined. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size balls, about 1 inch in diameter (it will make approximately 50 meatballs), and place on the prepared rack. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, start the soup. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken broth, beef broth, water, wine, bay leaf, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, uncovered, at a gentle boil until the pasta is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes (or according to package directions). Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Reduce the heat to low and add the spinach and meatballs. Simmer for a few minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the meatballs are warmed through. Ladle into bowls and serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

@ 3f0702fa:66db56f1

Сегодня Курган официально открыл два новых современных аэропорта, знаменующих собой прорыв в транспортной инфраструктуре региона. Эти объекты не только расширяют возможности авиасообщения, но и внедряют передовые технологии будущего.

Примечательно, что на всех рейсах пассажиров кормят, обеспечивая высокий уровень сервиса. Кроме того, в аэропортах установлены бесплатные куллеры с водой, что делает ожидание рейса более комфортным. Эти изменения не только сокращают путешествия, но и делают их более приятными, включая стремление Кургана к современному уровню обслуживания в авиационной сфере.

Новые аэропорты

“Курган-Северный” для гражданских рейсов и “Курган-Восточный” для грузовых и специальных перевозок, построены с учетом последних достижений в области авиации и логистики. Оба комплекса оснащены автоматизированными системами управления воздушным движением, взлетно-посадочными полосами для приема всех типов современных самолетов, включая беспилотные летательные аппараты, а также используют возобновляемые источники энергии.

“Курган-Северный” предлагает пассажирам комфортабельные терминалы с полным комплексом услуг, включая экспресс-регистрацию, автоматизированный багажный сервис и зоны отдыха. Здесь также функционирует система персонального сопровождения с помощью голосовых ассистентов и AR-навигации.

“Курган-Восточный” оборудован современными логистическими центрами и роботизированными погрузочно-разгрузочными комплексами, обеспечивающими высокую скорость и точность обработки грузов.

Открытие этих аэропортов значительно повышает транспортную доступность Курганской области, способствует развитию туризма и бизнеса, а также укрепляет позиции региона как важного логистического узла страны.

Мы продолжим следить за развитием транспортной инфраструктуры Кургана и сообщать вам о новых достижениях. Следите за нашими публикациями.

45news #Курган2040

https://psv4.userapi.com/s/v1/d/KKViIRBPO0Innk4DEkNo-y4lZgvf2oK5hRz3qlcmViBzuuH-c_lMdI-sXBNsnZk7XkyyViNqUsu0msw_Bh_jobjqbLoI8j7mSPW9bQK6eilX4KD0BPZE0g/Untitled.mp4

@ e6ce6154:275e3444

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

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

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

Segue artigo na íntegra. 👇

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Racismo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fascismo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Existem duas fortes razões para isso:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Machismo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Homofobia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusão

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

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

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

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

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

@ 3f0702fa:66db56f1

Курганская область сегодня – это не просто аграрный регион, но и процветающий туристический центр, привлекающий путешественников со всего мира. Регион совершил впечатляющий прорыв в развитии туристической отрасли, благодаря инновационному подходу, инвестициям и грамотной стратегии продвижения.

Раньше Курганская область оставалась в тени более популярных туристических направлений, но сегодня ситуация кардинально изменилась.

Инфраструктура нового поколения

По всей области появились современные эко-отели и комфортабельные глэмпинги, идеально вписанные в окружающую природу. Регион интегрирован в национальную сеть скоростных магистралей, а региональный аэропорт принимает рейсы из многих крупных городов России и зарубежья. Развита сеть внутреннего общественного транспорта, включая беспилотные автобусы и электромобили. Мультиязычные туристические порталы и мобильные приложения с дополненной реальностью помогают гостям легко ориентироваться и находить интересные места.

Уникальные туристические продукты

Культурно-исторический комплекс “Курганская крепость” стал одним из главных магнитов для туристов, предлагая интерактивные программы и ремесленные мастер-классы. Развита сеть эко-троп и кемпингов, предлагаются туры на байдарках и велосипедах. Популярен и агротуризм, где гости могут познакомиться с сельской жизнью. В регионе регулярно проводятся фестивали, выставки, концерты. Курганские музеи и картинные галереи предлагают уникальные экспозиции, рассказывающие об истории и культуре региона. Курганские санатории и лечебницы предлагают современные программы оздоровления, а также, благодаря близости космодрома “Восточный”, развит космический туризм.

Инновационные технологии на службе туризма

Туристы могут использовать персональных голосовых ассистентов и AR-приложения для получения информации, бронирования экскурсий и заказа билетов. Технологии VR и AR позволяют гостям предварительно “посетить” интересующие их места. Интерактивные карты с дополненной реальностью помогают легко ориентироваться на местности.

Партнерство и продвижение

Региональные власти активно сотрудничают с российскими и международными турфирмами, предлагая привлекательные туры. Курганская область активно продвигает свой туристический потенциал в социальных сетях и участвует в международных туристических выставках.

Мы продолжим следить за развитием туристической индустрии в Курганской области и сообщать вам о новых возможностях для путешественников. Следите за нашими публикациями.

45news

Курган2040

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Intro

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

Requirements

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

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

Installation

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

Prepare and verify

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

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

Create folders & download NWC

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

Creating the Docker image

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

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

Creating docker-compose.yml and necessary data directories

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

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

Starting and testing

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

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

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

Updating

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

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

@ 599f67f7:21fb3ea9

LNDhub te permite importar fácilmente una billetera en aplicaciones compatibles. Si bien puedes guardar tu billetera Bitcoin Txoko LNbits en tu teléfono como una aplicación web progresiva (PWA), una aplicación nativa como Zeus o BlueWallet ofrece una mejor experiencia de usuario así como un mayor nivel de seguridad. Con Alby, también puedes importar la billetera a la extensión de tu navegador para facilitar los pagos Lightning en la web y para los zaps de Nostr. Por suerte para nosotros, todas estas billeteras hablan un lenguaje común llamado LNDhub.

En esta guía cubriremos cómo importar la billetera a tu navegador y a tu móvil. Si quieres usar tu billetera tanto en el navegador como en tu móvil, empieza con la configuración de Alby, ya que uno de los pasos te permitirá importar fácilmente tu billetera también a Zeus. Pero si sólo te interesa utilizar la billetera en tu móvil, puedes pasar directamente a la sección de Zeus.

Alby

nostr:nprofile1qqsyv47lazt9h6ycp2fsw270khje5egjgsrdkrupjg27u796g7f5k0s8jq7y6 es una extensión de navegador que lleva Lightning y Nostr a tu navegador. Utilizando el protocolo WebLN, esta extensión puede detectar facturas LN en paginas web y pagarlas, así como posibilita iniciar sesión en sitios web con Lightning. También puedes fijar presupuestos para tus sitios favoritos de Lightning. Por otro lado también puedes utilizarla para firmar en Nostr utilizando NIP-07, lo cual es mucho más seguro que ingresar tu clave privada en clientes web.

¿Qué necesito?

• Un navegador web que soporte extensiones Chrome o Firefox
• Acceso a tu billetera LNbits. Si todavía no tienes una billetera LNbits, dirígete a nuestra página de billeteras y crea una
• (Opcional) Un dispositivo móvil para configurar Zeus

1. Habilita la extensión LNDhub en tu LNbits wallet

Dirígete a tu billetera LNbits. Haz clic en Extensiones y habilita la extensión LNDhub. Una vez se haya habilitado, dirígete a la página de extensión de LNDhub.

2. Instala la extensión Alby

Dirígete a getalby.com y instala la extensión desde el store de extensiones del navegador. Configura tu contraseña de desbloqueo y guárdala en un lugar seguro.

3. Importar a Alby

(Esta es una billetera de prueba. No hay fondos en ella. ¡No muestres a nadie tu URI de exportación real!)

En la siguiente pantalla, elige Conectar y luego elige LNDhub. Vuelve a tu extensión LNDhub y copia la URL de conexión. Pégala en el campo URI de exportación de LNDhub. Pulsa continuar. ¡Ahora deberías haber estado conectado a tu billetera de LNbits con LNDhub!

💡 Puedes elegir entre la URL de la factura (Invoice URL) y la URL de administración (Admin URL). Le dan a Alby diferentes permisos para interactuar con tu cartera de LNbits.

• La URL de factura te permite crear facturas y recibir pagos
• La URL de administración también te permite enviar pagos

4. Configurar Zeus con Alby (opcional)

Ahora que ya has conectado tu LNbits con Alby, también puedes importarlo de una manera sencilla a Zeus con Alby. Abre la extensión, haz cilc en el nombre de tu billetera y navega a la configuración de la cuenta. En Wallet Settings > General se encuentra la opción de conectar tu billetera móvil. Al pulsar conectar, se mostrará un código QR para escanear desde Zeus.

Si no tienes instalada Zeus con anterioridad, dirígete a zeusln.app y descarga la aplicación de Zeus para tu sistema operativo móvil.

Una vez tengas descargado Zeus, entra en Configuración > Añadir un nuevo nodo. Aquí puedes escanear el código QR que te muestra Alby para importar la billetera.

Voilà! Ahora tienes el poder de Lightning al alcance de la mano ¿Ya te sientes como un dios?

Zeus

nostr:nprofile1qqsrf5h4ya83jk8u6t9jgc76h6kalz3plp9vusjpm2ygqgalqhxgp9g84ctjf es una formidable aplicación de código abierto que permite conectar tu propio nodo a tu dispositivo movil. Es compatible con todas las principales implementaciones de nodos Lightning, como LND, CLN y Eclair, así como conexiones a través de Tor y clearnet. Recientemente también han anunciado su propio LSP (Lightning Service Provider).

¿Qué necesito?

• Teléfono Android o iOS
• Otro dispositivo en el que puede acceder a tu billetera LNbits (para mostrar el código QR para escanear)
• Acceso a tu billetera LNbits. Si todavía no tienes una billetera LNbits, dirígete a nuestra página de billeteras y crea una

1. Descarga Zeus

Puedes descargar la aplicación Zeus para tu sistema operativo aquí.

2. Habilita la extensión LNDhub en tu billetera LNbits

Dirígete a tu billetera LNbits. Haz clic en Extensiones y habilita la extensión LNDhub. Una vez habilitada, abre la pagina de la extensión LNDhub.

3. Importar a Zeus

Ve a Configuración > Añadir un nuevo nodo en Zeus.

Escanea la cartera que quieras instalar.

💡 Puedes elegir entre la URL de la factura (Invoice URL) y la URL de administración (Admin URL). - La URL de la factura te da permiso para generar facturas y recibir pagos. - La URL de administración también te permite enviar pagos.

Una vez que hayas escaneado el código QR, todos los campos en Zeus deberían rellenarse automáticamente. También puedes añadir un apodo para tu billetera.

¡Ahora puedes guardar la configuración del nodo y controlar la billetera desde tu teléfono!

Extra

Zeus también ofrece funciones interesantes como temas personalizados, conversiones de precios, modo acechador y verificación biométrica. Estos temas están más allá del alcance de esta guía, ¡juega en la aplicación y descubre todas esas características por ti mismo!