@ b8851a06:9b120ba1

Private property isn’t lines on dirt or fences of steel—it’s the crystallization of human sovereignty. Each boundary drawn is a silent declaration: This is where my will meets yours, where creation clashes against chaos. What we defend as “mine” or “yours” is no mere object but a metaphysical claim, a scaffold for the unfathomable complexity of voluntary exchange.

Markets breathe only when individuals anchor their choices in the inviolable. Without property, there is no negotiation—only force. No trade—only taking. The deed to land, the title to a car, the seed of an idea: these are not static things but frontiers of being, where human responsibility collides with the infinite permutations of value.

Austrian economics whispers what existentialism shouts: existence precedes essence. Property isn’t granted by systems; it’s asserted through action, defended through sacrifice, and sanctified through mutual recognition. A thing becomes “owned” only when a mind declares it so, and others—through reason or respect—refrain from crossing that unseen line.

Bitcoin? The purest ledger of this truth. A string of code, yes—but one that mirrors the unyielding logic of property itself: scarce, auditable, unconquerable. It doesn’t ask permission. It exists because sovereign minds choose it to.

Sigh. #nostr
I love #Bitcoin.

@ f4db5270:3c74e0d0

Hi Art lover! 🎨🫂💜 You may not know it yet but all of the following paintings are available in #Bitcoin on my website: https://isolabell.art/#shop

For info and prices write to me in DM and we will find a good deal! 🤝

ON THE ROAD AGAIN 40x50cm, Oil on canvas Completed January 23, 2025

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SUN OF JANUARY 40x50cm, Oil on canvas Completed January 14, 2025

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THE BLUE HOUR 40x50cm, Oil on canvas Completed December 14, 2024

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LIKE A FRAGMENT OF ETERNITY 50x40cm, Oil on canvas Completed December 01, 2024

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WHERE WINTER WHISPERS 50x40cm, Oil on canvas Completed November 07, 2024

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L'ATTESA DI UN MOMENTO 40x40cm, Oil on canvas Completed October 29, 2024

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LE COSE CHE PENSANO 40x50cm, Oil on paper Completed October 05, 2024

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TWILIGHT'S RIVER 50x40cm, Oil on canvas Completed September 17, 2024

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GOLD ON THE OCEAN 40x50cm, Oil on paper Completed September 08, 2024

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SUSSURRI DI CIELO E MARE 50x40cm, Oil on paper Completed September 05, 2024

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THE END OF A WONDERFUL WEEKEND 40x30cm, Oil on board Completed August 12, 2024

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FIAMME NEL CIELO 60x35cm, Oil on board Completed July 28, 2024

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INIZIO D'ESTATE 50x40cm, Oil on cradled wood panel Completed July 13, 2024

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OMBRE DELLA SERA 50x40cm, Oil on cradled wood panel Completed June 16, 2024

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NEW ZEALAND SUNSET 80x60cm, Oil on canvas board Completed May 28, 2024

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VENICE 50x40cm, Oil on board Completed May 4, 2024

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CORNWALL 50x40cm, Oil on board Completed April 26, 2024

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DOCKS ON SUNSET 40x19,5cm, Oil on board Completed March 14, 2024

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SOLITUDE 30x30cm, Oil on cradled wood panel Completed March 2, 2024

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LULLING WAVES 40x30cm, Oil on cradled wood panel Completed January 14, 2024

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MULATTIERA IN AUTUNNO 30x30cm, Oil on cradled wood panel

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TRAMONTO A KOS 40x40cm, oil on board canvas

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HIDDEN SMILE 40x40cm, oil on board

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INIZIO D'AUTUNNO 40x40cm, oil on canvas

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BOE NEL LAGO 30x30cm, oil on canvas board

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BARCHE A RIPOSO 40x40cm, oil on canvas board

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IL RISVEGLIO 30x40cm, oil on canvas board

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LA QUIETE PRIMA DELLA TEMPESTA 30x40cm, oil on canvas board

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LAMPIONE SUL LAGO 30x30cm, oil on canvas board

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DUE NELLA NEVE 60x25cm, oil on board

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UNA CAREZZA 30x30cm, oil on canvas board

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REBEL WAVES 44x32cm, oil on canvas board

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THE SCREAMING WAVE 40x30cm, oil on canvas board

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"LA DONZELLETTA VIEN DALLA CAMPAGNA..." 30x40cm, oil on canvas board

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LIGHTHOUSE ON WHITE CLIFF 30x40cm, oil on canvas board

@ 7f29628d:e160cccc

Der gut informierte Bürger denkt bei der Pandemie sofort an Intensivstationen, an die Bilder aus Bergamo und erinnert sich an die Berichterstattung damals – also muss es wohl ein Maximum gewesen sein. Manche Skeptiker behaupten jedoch das Gegenteil. Klarheit sollte ein Blick nach Wiesbaden, zum Statistischen Bundesamt, schaffen. Schließlich sitzen dort gut bezahlte Profis, die seit vielen Jahrzehnten die Sterbestatistik pflegen und veröffentlichen. Jeder Todesfall wird in Deutschland über die Standesämter exakt erfasst.

Doch die Überraschung: Das Statistische Bundesamt liefert uns auf diese einfache Frage zwei extrem unterschiedliche Antworten – ein Minimum und ein Maximum. Das Ergebnis hängt davon ab, wie tief man in die Veröffentlichungen des Bundesamtes eintaucht. Betrachtet man nur die Webseiten und Pressemitteilungen, erhält man den Eindruck eines Maximums. Schaut man jedoch etwas tiefer in die Tabellen und Rohdaten, zeigt sich plötzlich ein Minimum. Aber wie kann das sein? Beides gleichzeitig geht ja wohl kaum. Wer lügt hier – die Tabellen des Amtes oder die Pressemitteilungen? Gehen wir dieser Frage Schritt für Schritt auf den Grund.

2020: Ein historisches Maximum?

Schauen wir uns die vielen Hundert Veröffentlichungen des Statistischen Bundesamtes aus dieser Zeit an. Oder wir kürzen ab und fragen ChatGPT, da die KI auf diesen Daten trainiert wurde und das gesamte Material kennt. Die Frage an ChatGPT lautet also: Wie war das Sterbegeschehen im Jahr 2020 im Vergleich zu den Vorjahren?

ChatGPT antwortet: »Im Jahr 2020 war die Sterblichkeit in Deutschland höher als in den Jahren zuvor. Es gab eine Übersterblichkeit von etwa 982.000 Todesfällen, das sind rund 46.000 mehr als der Durchschnitt der Vorjahre (2016 bis 2019). Dieser Anstieg wurde überwiegend im Zusammenhang mit der COVID-19-Pandemie gesehen. Während die Sterbezahlen in den Vorjahren schwankten, war ein solch signifikanter Anstieg wie 2020 bisher nicht zu beobachten.«

Wir fragen konkreter: Ist es ein Fakt, dass wir eine so ernste Lage im Sterbegeschehen wie im Frühjahr 2020 noch nie erlebt haben?

ChatGPT bestätigt: »Ja, die COVID-19-Pandemie führte im Frühjahr 2020 zu einer außergewöhnlichen Situation im Sterbegeschehen in Deutschland. Die dramatische Übersterblichkeit, die ab der 13. Kalenderwoche auftrat, veranlasste das Statistische Bundesamt, besonders eindringliche Warnungen zu veröffentlichen. Der damalige Vizepräsident des Amtes und andere führende Stimmen wiesen öffentlich darauf hin, dass die Todesfallzahlen stark vom Durchschnitt abwichen. Diese klare Warnung richtete sich an die Öffentlichkeit und die Politik gleichermaßen. Die Medien berichteten intensiv über diese Warnungen, was das Bewusstsein für die Schwere der Pandemie erheblich schärfte. In den vergangenen Jahrzehnten hatte es keine vergleichbare Übersterblichkeit gegeben, die eine solch umfangreiche Kommunikation durch das Statistische Bundesamt erforderlich gemacht hätte.«

Ein gut informierter Zeitungsleser wird sich an dieser Stelle bestätigt fühlen: Ja, so war es damals. Ein Maximum im Sterbegeschehen – wegen der Pandemie. Oder etwa nicht?

2020: Ein historisches Minimum?

Tauchen wir in die Rohdaten des Statistischen Bundesamtes ein. Die Tabellen, die das Amt seit Jahrzehnten verlässlich veröffentlicht, nennen sich Sterbetafeln. Diese werden jährlich bereitgestellt und stehen auf der Website des Bundesamtes zum Download bereit. Ein erster Blick in die Sterbetafeln mag den Laien abschrecken, doch mit einer kurzen Erklärung wird alles verständlich. Wir gehen schrittweise vor.

Nehmen wir die Sterbetafel des Jahres 2017. Sie enthält zwei große Tabellen – eine für Männer und eine für Frauen. Jede Zeile der Tabelle steht für einen Jahrgang, zum Beispiel zeigt die Zeile 79 die Daten der 79-jährigen Männer. Besonders wichtig ist nun die zweite Spalte, in der der Wert 0,05 eingetragen ist. Das bedeutet, dass 5 Prozent der 79-jährigen Männer im Jahr 2017 verstorben sind. Das ist die wichtige Kennzahl. Wenn wir diesen exakten Wert, den man auch als Sterberate bezeichnet, nun in ein Säulendiagramm eintragen, erhalten wir eine leicht verständliche visuelle Darstellung (Grafik 1).

Es ist wichtig zu betonen, dass dieser Wert weder ein Schätzwert noch eine Modellrechnung oder Prognose ist, sondern ein exakter Messwert, basierend auf einer zuverlässigen Zählung. Sterberaten (für die Fachleute auch Sterbewahrscheinlichkeiten qx) sind seit Johann Peter Süßmilch (1707–1767) der Goldstandard der Sterbestatistik. Jeder Aktuar wird das bestätigen. Fügen wir nun die Sterberaten der 79-jährigen Männer aus den Jahren davor und danach hinzu, um das Gesamtbild zu sehen (Grafik 2). Und nun die entscheidende Frage: Zeigt das Jahr 2020 ein Maximum oder ein Minimum?

Ein kritischer Leser könnte vermuten, dass die 79-jährigen Männer eine Ausnahme darstellen und andere Jahrgänge im Jahr 2020 ein Maximum zeigen würden. Doch das trifft nicht zu. Kein einziger Jahrgang verzeichnete im Jahr 2020 ein Maximum. Im Gegenteil: Auch die 1-Jährigen, 2-Jährigen, 3-Jährigen, 9-Jährigen, 10-Jährigen, 15-Jährigen, 18-Jährigen und viele weitere männliche Jahrgänge hatten ihr Minimum im Jahr 2020. Dasselbe gilt bei den Frauen. Insgesamt hatten 31 Jahrgänge ihr Minimum im Jahr 2020. Wenn wir schließlich alle Jahrgänge in einer einzigen Grafik zusammenfassen, ergibt sich ein klares Bild: Das Minimum im Sterbegeschehen lag im Jahr 2020 (Grafik 3).

Ein kritischer Leser könnte nun wiederum vermuten, dass es innerhalb des Jahres 2020 möglicherweise starke Ausschläge nach oben bei einzelnen Jahrgängen gegeben haben könnte, die später durch Ausschläge nach unten ausgeglichen wurden – und dass diese Schwankungen in der jährlichen Übersicht nicht sichtbar sind. Doch auch das trifft nicht zu. Ein Blick auf die wöchentlichen Sterberaten zeigt, dass die ersten acht Monate der Pandemie keine nennenswerten Auffälligkeiten aufweisen. Es bleibt dabei: Die Rohdaten des Statistischen Bundesamtes bestätigen zweifelsfrei, dass die ersten acht Monate der Pandemie das historische Minimum im Sterbegeschehen darstellen. (Für die Fachleute sei angemerkt, dass im gleichen Zeitraum die Lebenserwartung die historischen Höchststände erreicht hatte – Grafik 4.)

So konstruierte das Amt aus einem Minimum ein Maximum:

Zur Erinnerung: Die Rohdaten des Statistischen Bundesamtes, die in den jährlichen Sterbetafeln zweifelsfrei dokumentiert sind, zeigen für das Jahr 2020 eindeutig ein Minimum im Sterbegeschehen. Aus diesen »in Stein gemeißelten« Zahlen ein Maximum zu »konstruieren«, ohne die Rohdaten selbst zu verändern, scheint auf den ersten Blick eine unlösbare Aufgabe. Jeder Student würde an einer solchen Herausforderung scheitern. Doch das Statistische Bundesamt hat einen kreativen Weg gefunden - ein Meisterstück gezielter Manipulation. In fünf Schritten zeigt sich, wie diese Täuschung der Öffentlichkeit umgesetzt wurde:

(1) Ignorieren der Sterberaten: Die präzisen, objektiven und leicht verständlichen Sterberaten aus den eigenen Sterbetafeln wurden konsequent ignoriert und verschwiegen. Diese Daten widersprachen dem gewünschten Narrativ und wurden daher gezielt ausgeklammert.

(2) Fokus auf absolute Todeszahlen: Die Aufmerksamkeit wurde stattdessen auf die absolute Zahl der Todesfälle gelenkt. Diese wirkt allein durch ihre schiere Größe dramatisch und emotionalisiert die Diskussion. Ein entscheidender Faktor wurde dabei ignoriert: Die absolute Zahl der Todesfälle steigt aufgrund der demografischen Entwicklung jedes Jahr an. Viele Menschen verstehen diesen Zusammenhang nicht und verbinden die steigenden Zahlen fälschlicherweise mit der vermeintlichen Pandemie.

(3) Einführung der Übersterblichkeit als neue Kennzahl: Erst ab Beginn der „Pandemie“ wurde die Kennzahl "Übersterblichkeit" eingeführt – und dies mit einer fragwürdigen Methode, die systematisch überhöhte Werte lieferte. Diese Kennzahl wurde regelmäßig, oft monatlich oder sogar wöchentlich, berechnet und diente als ständige Grundlage für alarmierende Schlagzeilen.

(4) Intensive Öffentlichkeitsarbeit: Durch eine breit angelegte Kampagne wurden die manipulativen Kennzahlen gezielt in den Fokus gerückt. Pressemitteilungen, Podcasts und öffentliche Auftritte konzentrierten sich fast ausschließlich auf die absoluten Todeszahlen und die Übersterblichkeit. Ziel war es, den Eindruck einer dramatischen Situation in der Öffentlichkeit zu verstärken.

(5) Bekämpfen kritischer Stimmen: Kritiker, die die Schwächen und manipulativen Aspekte dieser Methoden aufdeckten, wurden systematisch diskreditiert. Ihre Glaubwürdigkeit und Kompetenz wurden öffentlich infrage gestellt, um das sorgsam konstruierte Narrativ zu schützen.

Ohne diesen begleitenden Statistik-Betrug wäre das gesamte Pandemie-Theater meiner Meinung nach nicht möglich gewesen. Wer aus einem faktischen Minimum ein scheinbares Maximum "erschafft", handelt betrügerisch. Die Folgen dieses Betruges sind gravierend. Denken wir an die Angst, die in der Bevölkerung geschürt wurde – die Angst, bald sterben zu müssen. Denken wir an Masken, Abstandsregeln, isolierte ältere Menschen, Kinderimpfungen und all die Maßnahmen, die unter anderem auf diese falsche Statistik zurückgehen.

Wollen wir Bürger uns das gefallen lassen?

Wenn wir als Bürger zulassen, dass ein derart offensichtlicher und nachprüfbarer Täuschungsversuch ohne Konsequenzen bleibt, dann gefährdet das nicht nur die Integrität unserer Institutionen – es untergräbt das Fundament unserer Gesellschaft. In der DDR feierte man öffentlich Planerfüllung und Übererfüllung, während die Regale leer blieben. Damals wusste jeder: Statistik war ein Propagandainstrument. Niemand traute den Zahlen, die das Staatsfernsehen verkündete.

Während der Pandemie war es anders. Die Menschen vertrauten den Mitteilungen des Statistischen Bundesamtes und des RKI – blind. Die Enthüllungen durch den "RKI-Leak" haben gezeigt, dass auch das Robert-Koch-Institut nicht der Wissenschaft, sondern den Weisungen des Gesundheitsministers und militärischen Vorgaben folgte. Warum sollte es beim Statistischen Bundesamt anders gewesen sein? Diese Behörde ist dem Innenministerium unterstellt und somit ebenfalls weisungsgebunden.

Die Beweise für Täuschung liegen offen zutage. Es braucht keinen Whistleblower, keine geheimen Enthüllungen: Die Rohdaten des Statistischen Bundesamtes sprechen für sich. Sie sind öffentlich einsehbar – klar und unmissverständlich. Die Daten, die Tabellen, die Veröffentlichungen des Amtes selbst – sie sind die Anklageschrift. Sie zeigen, was wirklich war. Nicht mehr und nicht weniger.

Und wir? Was tun wir? Schweigen wir? Oder fordern wir endlich ein, was unser Recht ist? Wir Bürger dürfen das nicht hinnehmen. Es ist Zeit, unsere Behörden zur Rechenschaft zu ziehen. Diese Institutionen arbeiten nicht für sich – sie arbeiten für uns. Wir finanzieren sie, und wir haben das Recht, Transparenz und Verantwortung einzufordern. Manipulationen wie diese müssen aufgearbeitet werden und dürfen nie wieder geschehen. Die Strukturen, die solche Fehlentwicklungen in unseren Behörden ermöglicht haben, müssen offengelegt werden. Denn eine Demokratie lebt von Vertrauen – und Vertrauen muss verdient werden. Jeden Tag aufs Neue.

.

.

MARCEL BARZ, Jahrgang 1975, war Offizier der Bundeswehr und studierte Wirtschafts- und Organisationswissenschaften sowie Wirtschaftsinformatik. Er war Gründer und Geschäftsführer einer Softwarefirma, die sich auf Datenanalyse und Softwareentwicklung spezialisiert hatte. Im August 2021 veröffentlichte Barz den Videovortrag »Die Pandemie in den Rohdaten«, der über eine Million Aufrufe erzielte. Seitdem macht er als "Erbsenzähler" auf Widersprüche in amtlichen Statistiken aufmerksam.

@ eac63075:b4988b48

Since its creation in 2009, Bitcoin has symbolized innovation and resilience. However, from time to time, alarmist narratives arise about emerging technologies that could "break" its security. Among these, quantum computing stands out as one of the most recurrent. But does quantum computing truly threaten Bitcoin? And more importantly, what is the community doing to ensure the protocol remains invulnerable?

The answer, contrary to sensationalist headlines, is reassuring: Bitcoin is secure, and the community is already preparing for a future where quantum computing becomes a practical reality. Let’s dive into this topic to understand why the concerns are exaggerated and how the development of BIP-360 demonstrates that Bitcoin is one step ahead.

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What Is Quantum Computing, and Why Is Bitcoin Not Threatened?

Quantum computing leverages principles of quantum mechanics to perform calculations that, in theory, could exponentially surpass classical computers—and it has nothing to do with what so-called “quantum coaches” teach to scam the uninformed. One of the concerns is that this technology could compromise two key aspects of Bitcoin’s security:

1. Wallets: These use elliptic curve algorithms (ECDSA) to protect private keys. A sufficiently powerful quantum computer could deduce a private key from its public key.
2. Mining: This is based on the SHA-256 algorithm, which secures the consensus process. A quantum attack could, in theory, compromise the proof-of-work mechanism.

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Understanding Quantum Computing’s Attack Priorities

While quantum computing is often presented as a threat to Bitcoin, not all parts of the network are equally vulnerable. Theoretical attacks would be prioritized based on two main factors: ease of execution and potential reward. This creates two categories of attacks:

1. Attacks on Wallets

Bitcoin wallets, secured by elliptic curve algorithms, would be the initial targets due to the relative vulnerability of their public keys, especially those already exposed on the blockchain. Two attack scenarios stand out:

• Short-term attacks: These occur during the interval between sending a transaction and its inclusion in a block (approximately 10 minutes). A quantum computer could intercept the exposed public key and derive the corresponding private key to redirect funds by creating a transaction with higher fees.

• Long-term attacks: These focus on old wallets whose public keys are permanently exposed. Wallets associated with Satoshi Nakamoto, for example, are especially vulnerable because they were created before the practice of using hashes to mask public keys.

We can infer a priority order for how such attacks might occur based on urgency and importance.

Bitcoin Quantum Attack: Prioritization Matrix (Urgency vs. Importance)

2. Attacks on Mining

Targeting the SHA-256 algorithm, which secures the mining process, would be the next objective. However, this is far more complex and requires a level of quantum computational power that is currently non-existent and far from realization. A successful attack would allow for the recalculation of all possible hashes to dominate the consensus process and potentially "mine" it instantly.

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Satoshi Nakamoto in 2010 on Quantum Computing and Bitcoin Attacks

Recently, Narcelio asked me about a statement I made on Tubacast:

https://x.com/eddieoz/status/1868371296683511969

If an attack became a reality before Bitcoin was prepared, it would be necessary to define the last block prior to the attack and proceed from there using a new hashing algorithm. The solution would resemble the response to the infamous 2013 bug. It’s a fact that this would cause market panic, and Bitcoin's price would drop significantly, creating a potential opportunity for the well-informed.

Preferably, if developers could anticipate the threat and had time to work on a solution and build consensus before an attack, they would simply decide on a future block for the fork, which would then adopt the new algorithm. It might even rehash previous blocks (reaching consensus on them) to avoid potential reorganization through the re-mining of blocks using the old hash. (I often use the term "shielding" old transactions).

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How Can Users Protect Themselves?

While quantum computing is still far from being a practical threat, some simple measures can already protect users against hypothetical scenarios:

• Avoid using exposed public keys: Ensure funds sent to old wallets are transferred to new ones that use public key hashes. This reduces the risk of long-term attacks.
• Use modern wallets: Opt for wallets compatible with SegWit or Taproot, which implement better security practices.
• Monitor security updates: Stay informed about updates from the Bitcoin community, such as the implementation of BIP-360, which will introduce quantum-resistant addresses.
• Do not reuse addresses: Every transaction should be associated with a new address to minimize the risk of repeated exposure of the same public key.
• Adopt secure backup practices: Create offline backups of private keys and seeds in secure locations, protected from unauthorized access.

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BIP-360 and Bitcoin’s Preparation for the Future

Even though quantum computing is still beyond practical reach, the Bitcoin community is not standing still. A concrete example is BIP-360, a proposal that establishes the technical framework to make wallets resistant to quantum attacks.

BIP-360 addresses three main pillars:

1. Introduction of quantum-resistant addresses: A new address format starting with "BC1R" will be used. These addresses will be compatible with post-quantum algorithms, ensuring that stored funds are protected from future attacks.
2. Compatibility with the current ecosystem: The proposal allows users to transfer funds from old addresses to new ones without requiring drastic changes to the network infrastructure.
3. Flexibility for future updates: BIP-360 does not limit the choice of specific algorithms. Instead, it serves as a foundation for implementing new post-quantum algorithms as technology evolves.

This proposal demonstrates how Bitcoin can adapt to emerging threats without compromising its decentralized structure.

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Post-Quantum Algorithms: The Future of Bitcoin Cryptography

The community is exploring various algorithms to protect Bitcoin from quantum attacks. Among the most discussed are:

• Falcon: A solution combining smaller public keys with compact digital signatures. Although it has been tested in limited scenarios, it still faces scalability and performance challenges.
• Sphincs: Hash-based, this algorithm is renowned for its resilience, but its signatures can be extremely large, making it less efficient for networks like Bitcoin’s blockchain.
• Lamport: Created in 1977, it’s considered one of the earliest post-quantum security solutions. Despite its reliability, its gigantic public keys (16,000 bytes) make it impractical and costly for Bitcoin.

Two technologies show great promise and are well-regarded by the community:

1. Lattice-Based Cryptography: Considered one of the most promising, it uses complex mathematical structures to create systems nearly immune to quantum computing. Its implementation is still in its early stages, but the community is optimistic.
2. Supersingular Elliptic Curve Isogeny: These are very recent digital signature algorithms and require extensive study and testing before being ready for practical market use.

The final choice of algorithm will depend on factors such as efficiency, cost, and integration capability with the current system. Additionally, it is preferable that these algorithms are standardized before implementation, a process that may take up to 10 years.

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Why Quantum Computing Is Far from Being a Threat

The alarmist narrative about quantum computing overlooks the technical and practical challenges that still need to be overcome. Among them:

• Insufficient number of qubits: Current quantum computers have only a few hundred qubits, whereas successful attacks would require millions.
• High error rate: Quantum stability remains a barrier to reliable large-scale operations.
• High costs: Building and operating large-scale quantum computers requires massive investments, limiting their use to scientific or specific applications.

Moreover, even if quantum computers make significant advancements, Bitcoin is already adapting to ensure its infrastructure is prepared to respond.

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Conclusion: Bitcoin’s Secure Future

Despite advancements in quantum computing, the reality is that Bitcoin is far from being threatened. Its security is ensured not only by its robust architecture but also by the community’s constant efforts to anticipate and mitigate challenges.

The implementation of BIP-360 and the pursuit of post-quantum algorithms demonstrate that Bitcoin is not only resilient but also proactive. By adopting practical measures, such as using modern wallets and migrating to quantum-resistant addresses, users can further protect themselves against potential threats.

Bitcoin’s future is not at risk—it is being carefully shaped to withstand any emerging technology, including quantum computing.

@ eac63075:b4988b48

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

PT-BR version

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

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

1. Introduction to Consensus in Bitcoin

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

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

Evolution of Consensus in Bitcoin

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

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

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2. Technical Components of Consensus

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

Validation of Blocks and Transactions

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

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

Chain Selection

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

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

Soft Forks vs. Hard Forks

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

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

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

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

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3. Stakeholders in Bitcoin's Consensus

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

1. Economic Nodes

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

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

2. Investors

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

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

3. Media Influencers

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

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

4. Miners

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

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

5. Protocol Developers

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

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

6. Users and Application Developers

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

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

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

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4. Mechanisms for Activating Updates in Bitcoin

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

Flag Day

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

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

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

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

BIP34 and BIP9

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BIP8 (LOT=True)

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

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

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

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

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

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5. Risks and Considerations in Consensus Updates

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

Network Fragility with Alternative Implementations

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

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

Chain Splits and Impact on Stakeholders

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

Each group of stakeholders reacts differently to a chain split:

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

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

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

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

Regulatory Impacts and Institutional Investors

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

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

Security Considerations in Soft Forks and Hard Forks

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

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

Bounty Claim Risks and Attack Scenarios

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

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

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

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6. Recommendations for the Consensus Process in Bitcoin

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

1. Careful Evaluation of Proposal Maturity

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

2. Extensive Testing in Secure and Compatible Networks

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

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

3. Importance of Stakeholder Engagement

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

4. Key Questions for Evaluating Consensus Proposals

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

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

5. Coordination and Timing in Implementations

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

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

6. Continuous Monitoring and Re-evaluation

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

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

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7. Conclusion

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

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

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

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

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8. Links

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

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

@ 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.

@ eac63075:b4988b48

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

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

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

Sections:

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

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What Is Chat Control?

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

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

Origins of the Proposal

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

How Messaging Services Work

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

Key Elements of Chat Control

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

Why It Matters

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

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Why Is the EU Pushing for Chat Control?

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

Protecting Children and Preventing Crime

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

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

Legal Context and Legislative Drivers

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

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

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

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

Balancing Security and Privacy

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

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

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

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

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

The Urgency Behind the Push

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

Criticism and Controversy

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

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The Privacy Concerns and Risks

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

Infringement on Privacy Rights

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

Erosion of End-to-End Encryption

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

Concerns from Privacy Advocates

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

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

Potential for Government Overreach

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

Real-World Implications for Users

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

Legal and Ethical Concerns

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

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

Opposition from Member States and Organizations

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

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The Technical Debate: Encryption and Backdoors

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

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

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

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

How Chat Control Affects Encryption

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

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

The Risks of Weakening Encryption

1. Compromised Security for All Users

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

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

2. Undermining Trust in Digital Services

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

3. Ineffectiveness Against Skilled Adversaries

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

Signal’s Response and Stance

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

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

Understanding Backdoors

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

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

The Slippery Slope Argument

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

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

Potential Technological Alternatives

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

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

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

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

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Global Reactions and the Debate in Europe

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

Support for Chat Control

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

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

Opposition within the EU

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

Germany

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

Netherlands

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

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

Privacy Advocacy Groups

European Digital Rights (EDRi)

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

Politicians and Activists

Patrick Breyer

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

Global Reactions

International Organizations

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

Technology Companies

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

The Broader Debate

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

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

Public Opinion

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

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

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Possible Consequences for Messaging Services

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

Impact on Encrypted Messaging Services

Signal and Similar Platforms

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

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

Potential Blocking or Limiting of Services

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

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

Effects on Smaller Providers

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

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

User Experience and Trust

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

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

Technical and Security Implications

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

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

Impact on Businesses and Professional Communications

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

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

Economic Consequences

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

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

Responses from Service Providers

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

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

Possible Adaptations

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

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

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

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What Happens Next? The Future of Chat Control

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

Current Status of Legislation

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

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

Key Influencing Factors

1. Legal Challenges and Compliance with EU Law

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

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

2. Technological Feasibility

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

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

3. Political Dynamics

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

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

4. Industry Responses

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

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

Possible Scenarios

Optimistic Outcome:

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

Pessimistic Outcome:

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

Middle Ground:

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

How to Stay Informed and Protect Your Privacy

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

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

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

The Global Perspective

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

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

Looking Ahead

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

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

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Conclusion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more:

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

@ 0fa80bd3:ea7325de

The land that belongs to the indigenous peoples of Russia has been seized by a gang of killers who have unleashed a war of extermination. They wipe out anyone who refuses to conform to their rules. Those who disagree and stay behind are tortured and killed in prisons and labor camps. Those who flee lose their homeland, dissolve into foreign cultures, and fade away. And those who stand up to protect their people are attacked by the misled and deceived. The deceived die for the unchecked greed of a single dictator—thousands from both sides, people who just wanted to live, raise their kids, and build a future.

Now, they are forced to make an impossible choice: abandon their homeland or die. Some perish on the battlefield, others lose themselves in exile, stripped of their identity, scattered in a world that isn’t theirs.

There’s been endless debate about how to fix this, how to clear the field of the weeds that choke out every new sprout, every attempt at change. But the real problem? We can’t play by their rules. We can’t speak their language or use their weapons. We stand for humanity, and no matter how righteous our cause, we will not multiply suffering. Victory doesn’t come from matching the enemy—it comes from staying ahead, from using tools they haven’t mastered yet. That’s how wars are won.

Our only resource is the will of the people to rewrite the order of things. Historian Timothy Snyder once said that a nation cannot exist without a city. A city is where the most active part of a nation thrives. But the cities are occupied. The streets are watched. Gatherings are impossible. They control the money. They control the mail. They control the media. And any dissent is crushed before it can take root.

So I started asking myself: How do we stop this fragmentation? How do we create a space where people can rebuild their connections when they’re ready? How do we build a self-sustaining network, where everyone contributes and benefits proportionally, while keeping their freedom to leave intact? And more importantly—how do we make it spread, even in occupied territory?

In 2009, something historic happened: the internet got its own money. Thanks to Satoshi Nakamoto, the world took a massive leap forward. Bitcoin and decentralized ledgers shattered the idea that money must be controlled by the state. Now, to move or store value, all you need is an address and a key. A tiny string of text, easy to carry, impossible to seize.

That was the year money broke free. The state lost its grip. Its biggest weapon—physical currency—became irrelevant. Money became purely digital.

The internet was already a sanctuary for information, a place where people could connect and organize. But with Bitcoin, it evolved. Now, value itself could flow freely, beyond the reach of authorities.

Think about it: when seedlings are grown in controlled environments before being planted outside, they get stronger, survive longer, and bear fruit faster. That’s how we handle crops in harsh climates—nurture them until they’re ready for the wild.

Now, picture the internet as that controlled environment for ideas. Bitcoin? It’s the fertile soil that lets them grow. A testing ground for new models of interaction, where concepts can take root before they move into the real world. If nation-states are a battlefield, locked in a brutal war for territory, the internet is boundless. It can absorb any number of ideas, any number of people, and it doesn’t run out of space.

But for this ecosystem to thrive, people need safe ways to communicate, to share ideas, to build something real—without surveillance, without censorship, without the constant fear of being erased.

This is where Nostr comes in.

Nostr—"Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays"—is more than just a messaging protocol. It’s a new kind of city. One that no dictator can seize, no corporation can own, no government can shut down.

It’s built on decentralization, encryption, and individual control. Messages don’t pass through central servers—they are relayed through independent nodes, and users choose which ones to trust. There’s no master switch to shut it all down. Every person owns their identity, their data, their connections. And no one—no state, no tech giant, no algorithm—can silence them.

In a world where cities fall and governments fail, Nostr is a city that cannot be occupied. A place for ideas, for networks, for freedom. A city that grows stronger the more people build within it.

@ 4ba8e86d:89d32de4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Modelo de Risco.

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

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

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

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

Modelo de ameaça.

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

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

Procuramos proteger os seguintes contextos de comunicação:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ataques de deturpação.

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

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

•Alice tem um amigo chamado Bob e outro chamado Eve

• Eve descobre que Alice tem um amigo chamado Bob

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

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

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

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

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

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

Um perfil Cwtch.

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

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

Conversões entre duas partes: ponto a ponto

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conversas em Grupo e Comunicação Ponto a Servidor

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

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

Detalhamento do Ecossistema de Componentes

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

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

TAPIR: Uma Visão Detalhada

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

Está dividido em várias camadas:

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

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

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

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

Identidade.

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

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

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

Aplicativos de transcrição.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Criptografia e armazenamento de perfil.

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

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

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

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

Vulnerabilidades Relacionadas a Imagens e Entrada de Dados

Imagens Maliciosas

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

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

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

Riscos de Entrada de Dados

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

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

Servidor Cwtch.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Melhorias na Eficiência e Segurança

Eficiência do Protocolo

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

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

Mitigação de Análise de Metadados

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

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

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

Proteção contra Pares Maliciosos

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

Pacotes de Chaves

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

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

Configuração prévia do aplicativo para ativar o Relé do Cwtch.

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

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

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

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

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

Próximo passo é Criar um perfil.

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

• Selecione um nome de exibição

• Selecione se deseja proteger

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

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

Preencha sua senha e digite-a novamente

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

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

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

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

Contato do FuzzBot: 4y2hxlxqzautabituedksnh2ulcgm2coqbure6wvfpg4gi2ci25ta5ad.

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

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

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

Uma introdução aos perfis Cwtch.

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

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

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

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

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

Backup ou exportação de um perfil.

Na tela de gerenciamento de perfil:

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

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

3. Selecione "Exportar perfil"

4. Escolha um local e um nome de arquivo.

5.confirme.

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

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

Importando um perfil.

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

2. Selecione um arquivo de perfil Cwtch exportado para importar

3. Digite a senha associada ao perfil e confirme.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://openprivacy.ca/donate/

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

Link sobre Cwtch

https://cwtch.im/

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

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

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

Baixar #CwtchDev

cwtch.im/download/

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

@ 7e538978:a5987ab6

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

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

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

Overview of Chain Duel

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

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

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

How LNbits is Used in Chain Duel

Seamless Integration with LNbits

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

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

Lightning Tournaments

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

Splitting Payments

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

Nostr Integration

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

Game and Payment Synchronization

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

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

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

LNBits facilitating Education and Adoption

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

Tools for Developers

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

Extensible Architecture for Customization

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

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

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

Developer-Friendly Customization

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

Flexible Funding Source Management

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

A Lean Core System for Maximum Efficiency

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

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

Find out more

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

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

@ 20e7c953:3b8bcb21

Thai Nostriches #Siamstr

Get Ready for Sats N Facts 2025! https://satsnfacts.btc.pub/ 🎉

Join us for a series of exciting events where Bitcoin, Nostr, and local Thai communities come together to innovate, create, and connect! Here’s the breakdown for the 2 main activities:

🛠 Hackathon Overview

https://satsnfacts.btc.pub/hackathon/

This is your opportunity to work alongside leading teams and individuals pushing the boundaries of Bitcoin and Nostr. Whether you're a developer, designer, an educator or a visionary, your contributions can help shape the future of decentralized technology.

What to Expect:

Participate in the sessions by pitching and listening to others ideas or setting up a spot in the schedule. The event is designed to be a “decentralized and collaborative” effort between all participants, with activities being put together with attendees’ feedback.

🤝 Introducing Potential 🇹🇭 Participating Teams

nostr:npub1ejn774qahqmgjsfajawy7634unk88y26yktvwuzp9kfgdeejx9mqdm97a5 – Bitcoin Education and Translations for the Thai community; this would be an ideal occasion in order to connect with international developers in order to curate and share insights within the #Siamstr community

Other Projects that are formally invited are:

nostr:npub1l8ktdyyhwxh4ty5cf48tl72g8ra286nr9klmvqznvk3aqyjkucgsem97q9 – Simplifying Bitcoin payments through intuitive tools

nostr:npub1nsxnfp5690uplzgkslthcvt6269htshqeymhghthenr9wnpt869q57q2hf – Innovating Lightning infrastructure and Bitcoin ATMs

nostr:npub16elg3wf8nffkymylw9kfwecc45j9c30lufrrzx2zf5vmxjlcgkkq3xc6d7 – Enhancing social innovation through Nostr-powered solutions

🎨 Art Exhibition

What else to expect?

A showcase of Bitcoin and Nostr-inspired works by local Thai artists like nostr:npub16unl8g9ucanlpfvp94sdjdv2f4mukm2ywmgrywnrfdgt98qwrrdq0qcn35 nostr:npub14lqzjhfvdc9psgxzznq8xys8pfq8p4fqsvtr6llyzraq90u9m8fqevhssu and nostr:npub1uprlst7kjp0eyfxe4yn7q36gr885mjr9fm6ejfqt8pmdta7stv9s2xvysq - Huaiphueng Project community members.

Celebrate the creativity of our culture with a fusion of tech and art!

📍 Location: Weave Artisan Society, Chiang Mai

📅 Date: 8th - 10th February

🎟 How to Join: Register either as a Lead or Attendee, wait for confirmation from SnF team and get your ticket as a Thai National via Formstr at https://satsnfacts.btc.pub/#tickets

🌟 Why You Should Join:

If you are a Bitcoiner and Ostrich in Thailand the question should be re-formulated to... WHY WOULD YOU NOT JOIN ?

Support and grow the local ecosystem while having a great time with fellow international Bitcoiners.

✨ Mark your calendars and spread the word! Stay tuned through the links or connect with us on Nostr.

Let’s build a stronger Bitcoin & Nostr future at Sats & Facts ✌️

Pictures by nostr:npub15l5mxmljftnnqur8gf2nkjj2yuemqy2kuly7yc29lx7x598svx5s447rgk 👇

image

image

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เราจะทำอะไรต่อไป ?

AND WE SAID;

ONWARDS

---

@ df478568:2a951e67

I have decided to post some PGP Ciphertext on Substack using 3 random words as a passphrase. Only subscribers will hae access to the passphrase. Therefore, only subscribers can read the text. Here are some quotes that inspired this: "The act of encryption, in fact, removes information from the public realm. Even laws against cryptography reach only so far as a nation’s border and the arm of its violence. Cryptography will ineluctably spread over the whole globe, and with it the anonymous transactions systems that it makes possible." Eric Hughes, A Cypherpunk's Manifesto "Privacy in an open society also requires cryptography. If I say something, I want it heard only by those for whom I intend it. If the content of my speech is available to the world, I have no privacy. To encrypt is to indicate the desire for privacy, and to encrypt with weak cryptography is to indicate not too much desire for privacy. Furthermore, to reveal one’s identity with assurance when the default is anonymity requires the cryptographic signature." -Eric Hughes, A Cypherpunk's Manifesto "Information longs to be free." --Stewart Brand "Perhaps you think your email is legitimate enough that encryption is unwarranted. If you really are a law-abiding citizen with nothing to hide, then why don't you always send your paper mail on postcards? Why not submit to drug testing on demand? Why require a warrant for police searches of your house? Are you trying to hide something? If you hide your mail inside envelopes, does that mean you must be a subversive or a drug dealer, or maybe a paranoid nut? Do law-abiding citizens have any need to encrypt their email?" Phil Zimmermann Why I Wrote PGP Part of the Original 1991 PGP User's Guide (updated in 1999) "don't be like so many writers, don't be like so many thousands of people who call themselves writers, don't be dull and boring and pretentious, don't be consumed with self- love. the libraries of the world have yawned themselves to sleep over your kind. don't add to that. don't do it." -Charles Bukowski

On Publishing PGP Ciphertext On Substack

Substack allows writers to publish everything to the world or I can lock my work behind a paywall. These two facts are a contradiction I've been trying to square for several years. On one hand, I would like to earn more sats for writing. On the other hand, I want everything I write to be availabe for free because the more accessible my work is, the broader the audience I can reach. The disadvantage with free is I don't get paid. It's a conundrum. Here is my solution. All of my work is available free of charge if you look in the write place. Hint: You can find anything I write in the clear by searching for my npub in a long-form nostr client. I also will publish this work on Substack, but some of it will be encrypted with three random words from the EFF long list. These words will be published to my subscribers. If you wish to read an article on Substack, you must decrypt it with a 3-word passphrase made available to my paid subscribers. Is it a good idea? I'm not sure. This is an experiment.

☮️npub1marc26z8nh3xkj5rcx7ufkatvx6ueqhp5vfw9v5teq26z254renshtf3g0 881,269 Subscribe with Sats Shop My Merch

@ c4f5e7a7:8856cac7

Best viewed on Habla, YakiHonne or Highlighter.

TL;DR

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

The following concepts are explored:

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

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

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

Cognitive Dissonance

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

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

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

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

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

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

Self-sovereign Identity

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Full NOSTARD?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The remainder of this article explores how we can:

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

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

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

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

This especially holds true if that data is centralised.

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

Places and Web-of-Trust

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

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

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

This requires users to:

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

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

Attestations

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Proof of Place

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@Gigi also observes in Memes vs The World that:

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

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

This isn’t true for Nostr.

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

Check-ins

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Summary: Trust Your Bros

So, to recap, we have:

Places: Digital representations of physical locations on Nostr.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks

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

@ 7460b7fd:4fc4e74b

请看2014年王兴的一场思维碰撞，视频27分钟开始

最后，一个当时无法解决的点：丢失

@ 16d11430:61640947

The future of mobile computing is no longer limited to incremental improvements in hardware and software. A true revolution is brewing, one that will seamlessly integrate blockchain technology into mobile devices with a level of concurrency and scalability never before seen. erm (Erlang on Mobile) is the perfect foundation for this shift, enabling millions of concurrent updates that will breathe life into every digital asset on advanced modern displays. Unlike today’s fragmented, inefficient systems, erm will introduce a density of digital interaction that is entirely unprecedented, making every tap, swipe, and gesture part of a vast, distributed real-time system.

1. Parallel Execution Meets the Blockchain

Blockchain technology has long been plagued by performance bottlenecks and scalability issues on mobile. Current platforms struggle with real-time transaction processing, requiring centralized workarounds that undermine the very decentralization they claim to uphold. erm changes everything:

Millions of Concurrent Transactions: Erlang’s actor-based concurrency model enables lightweight processes to handle millions of blockchain updates per second, removing bottlenecks in asset validation, state changes, and distributed computing.

True Decentralization at Scale: Unlike traditional mobile architectures that rely on slow, centralized synchronization, erm distributes updates across a massively parallel process ecosystem, ensuring that mobile blockchain interactions are as fluid as local ones.

1. Bringing Digital Assets to Life

Modern mobile platforms treat digital assets as static objects: images, files, and tokenized items that exist only in a limited, passive capacity. erm will change this paradigm entirely:

Real-Time Interactive NFTs: With erm, every NFT can exist as a dynamic, interactive entity that constantly updates based on real-world or blockchain events.

Advanced Modern Displays: High-resolution OLED and micro-LED screens will showcase digital assets not as static images, but as living, evolving data streams seamlessly updated through blockchain-powered concurrency.

Tokenized Interaction: Every tap, scroll, and input can trigger real-time blockchain-based events, making digital ownership feel as tangible as physical ownership.

1. Blockchain-Based Distribution: A New Incentive Model for Developers

The mobile ecosystem has long been dominated by centralized app stores, taking a massive cut of developer revenue while enforcing strict control over distribution. erm will introduce a fully decentralized distribution system, redefining how developers create, share, and monetize applications.

NFTs of Beams: Developers will be able to tokenize their software builds as NFTs, allowing direct ownership and transfer of software components.

Built-In Developer Incentives: Every application update, contribution, or feature can be directly monetized via blockchain, creating an autonomous developer economy that rewards innovation instead of locking it behind corporate walls.

No Middlemen: Distribution will no longer rely on centralized gatekeepers; instead, peer-to-peer smart contracts will enable trustless transactions between developers and users.

1. The Perfect DeFi Mobile Platform

DeFi (Decentralized Finance) applications are bottlenecked by slow transaction processing, limited on-device blockchain interaction, and security concerns stemming from outdated mobile architectures. erm addresses all of these:

Instantaneous Microtransactions: Parallel execution allows real-time financial transactions to settle in milliseconds, making mobile DeFi as fast as Web2 payment systems.

Secure Smart Contracts on Mobile: With isolated lightweight processes, erm provides a fault-tolerant execution environment for on-device smart contracts that are resistant to exploits and crashes.

Unprecedented DeFi Interaction Density: Every blockchain operation can be handled individually within millions of concurrent processes, ensuring that mobile financial applications can scale to levels never before possible.

1. A Disruption Bigger Than DeepSeek

The rise of AI models like DeepSeek has shifted the balance of power in tech, but the effort to train a model is far less human-intensive than developing an entirely new mobile OS. The disruption erm introduces is even greater than DeepSeek’s impact because:

A New OS Demands More Human Effort: Building a scalable, fully decentralized mobile OS powered by blockchain requires coordination across developers, designers, security experts, and hardware manufacturers, making it a far bigger challenge than training an AI model.

Blockchain + Concurrency = Unparalleled Innovation: Where DeepSeek reshaped knowledge retrieval, erm will reshape the very foundation of mobile computing, combining blockchain, concurrency, and decentralization in a way that has never been done before.

Mobile Users Will Finally Own Their Data: In a world where users are increasingly aware of their data being controlled by corporations, erm will return ownership to individuals by enabling fully decentralized applications that run independently of corporate control.

Conclusion: The Future is Built on erm

Mobile computing is on the verge of its greatest transformation yet. The seamless integration of blockchain with massively parallel mobile processes will create an entirely new paradigm of digital interaction. Developers will be directly incentivized to innovate through blockchain-driven rewards, users will experience living digital assets in real-time, and decentralized applications will operate at a scale previously thought impossible.

The world is about to move beyond static, centralized mobile operating systems. With erm, mobile blockchain will become a limitless, fully realized ecosystem where digital ownership, financial transactions, and real-time updates exist in perfect harmony.

The revolution isn’t coming—it’s already here. And it’s powered by erm.

@ 21710245:a3882e3e

aaaaa

@ 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

@ 16d11430:61640947

Apple's iOS has long been praised for its polished design, smooth user experience, and tight integration with its hardware ecosystem. To its credit, iOS is a sleek and well-oiled machine—but beneath the glossy exterior lies a rigid, restrictive architecture that caters more to user convenience than raw technical superiority. In comparison, erm (Erlang on Mobile) emerges as a bold alternative that redefines what mobile systems can achieve. While iOS remains a shiny, well-packaged toy for its users, erm represents the pinnacle of technical power, scalability, and modern system design. Let’s dive into why.

1. iOS: A Walled Garden of Constraints

One of iOS's defining features is its closed ecosystem, which provides a tightly controlled experience. While this design ensures security and consistency, it also limits:

• Concurrency: iOS employs a similar single-threaded UI model as Android. The main thread handles user interface updates, creating bottlenecks during complex tasks such as animations, rendering, or high-performance computing.
• Developer Freedom: Developers are constrained by Apple's strict guidelines, which limit access to system resources and enforce rigid rules. Customizing or optimizing performance beyond these boundaries is nearly impossible.
• Scalability: iOS applications are designed for a single device, rarely utilizing distributed or cloud-based architectures effectively within its app framework.

In essence, iOS favors simplicity over adaptability, creating a "sandbox" where developers and users are only allowed to play by Apple’s rules.

2. erm: Built for True Scalability and Performance

In contrast, erm harnesses the full power of the Erlang runtime, which was designed for systems that require extreme scalability, fault tolerance, and concurrency. Here’s how it surpasses iOS:

• Concurrency at Scale: Unlike iOS, which struggles with parallelism, erm embraces it with millions of lightweight processes that can run independently and concurrently. These processes are distributed across all available CPU cores and communicate via asynchronous message passing, maximizing hardware utilization.
• Fault Tolerance: When an iOS application crashes, the entire user experience is interrupted. With erm, failures in one process are isolated and immediately recovered by the system’s built-in supervisor trees. This ensures uninterrupted performance and user experience.
• Distributed by Nature: Erm was built for distributed systems. While iOS apps are confined to single devices, erm can seamlessly integrate with cloud servers, edge devices, and even other mobile devices in a networked ecosystem. This makes it inherently scalable for future technologies.

3. iOS Prioritizes Form Over Function

Apple’s design ethos is rooted in creating a seamless, aesthetically pleasing user experience. However, this focus on form comes at the cost of raw functionality:

• Rigid Design: iOS prioritizes maintaining a uniform experience across its devices. While this ensures consistency, it limits innovation in app development and system design.
• Limited Adaptability: Apple's vertical integration works well for tightly controlled environments but struggles with adapting to the rapidly evolving demands of distributed and parallel computing.

4. erm Thrives on Modern Use Cases

In contrast, erm excels in addressing the demands of modern computing scenarios:

• Real-Time Applications: From financial trading to gaming and telecommunications, real-time responsiveness is essential. Erm’s low-latency design ensures smooth performance, far beyond what iOS can achieve.
• Scalable Systems: Erm's lightweight processes and ability to distribute tasks across devices and systems make it perfect for modern applications like IoT networks and large-scale mobile ecosystems.
• Developer Empowerment: Developers on erm are free from the constraints of a "walled garden" ecosystem. They can experiment, optimize, and push the boundaries of what is possible without arbitrary restrictions.

5. iOS Is a Shiny Toy, Not a Serious Tool

For all its polish, iOS is more of a consumer-grade experience than a serious system for tackling complex technical challenges. Its limitations include:

• Poor Parallelism: The single-threaded UI model means iOS cannot fully utilize modern multi-core processors.
• Fragility: A crash in iOS applications or its ecosystem often means restarting the app or even the system.
• Isolation: iOS apps are isolated from each other and the broader distributed computing landscape, preventing them from participating in cutting-edge applications like decentralized systems or cloud collaboration.

Conclusion: erm Is the Future, iOS Is Just a Polished Present

While iOS may dazzle with its refined user experience, it remains fundamentally constrained by an outdated architectural model that prioritizes aesthetics over adaptability and power. erm, on the other hand, offers a glimpse into the future of mobile systems—a world where concurrency, fault tolerance, and distributed design reign supreme.

In the battle between style and substance, erm emerges as the clear winner. iOS may remain the shiny toy that captures attention, but erm is the serious tool that will shape the future of computing. The question is: are you ready to move beyond the toy store and embrace the true power of erm?

@ 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.

@ 16d11430:61640947

The battle for dominance in mobile architecture is heating up as new paradigms emerge to challenge the long-standing systems we’ve grown accustomed to. erm (Erlang on Mobile), a vision of mobile architecture built on the highly concurrent and fault-tolerant Erlang runtime, presents a disruptive force that exposes the technical limitations of Android’s architecture. In this article, we’ll deconstruct why Android struggles to compete with erm and how Erlang's technical superiority could redefine the future of mobile computing.

1. The Achilles Heel of Android: Single-Threaded UI

At the heart of Android’s architectural challenges is its single-threaded UI model. Android’s user interface operations—drawing, animations, and input handling—all run on a single main thread. While this simplifies development and ensures sequential execution, it severely limits scalability:

• Bottlenecks: Under heavy workloads, such as complex animations or heavy user interactions, the UI thread becomes a bottleneck, causing stutters and frame drops.
• Underutilization of Multi-Core CPUs: Modern mobile processors offer up to 16 cores, but Android’s single-threaded UI cannot fully leverage this hardware.

2. erm’s Superior Concurrency Model

In stark contrast, Erlang’s actor model and lightweight process architecture are built for concurrency:

• Erlang can spawn millions of lightweight processes, each isolated and communicating via asynchronous message passing. Tasks like rendering, input handling, and animations can run in parallel processes, fully utilizing multi-core CPUs.
• Load Distribution: Erlang’s scheduler dynamically distributes processes across cores, ensuring balanced and efficient execution.

3. Fault Tolerance: Let It Crash

Erlang’s legendary fault-tolerant design is another area where erm leaves Android in the dust:

• Android: If the UI thread crashes due to an unhandled exception, the entire app becomes unresponsive, requiring a restart.
• erm: Faults in one process (e.g., rendering) do not affect others. Supervisors can restart failed processes transparently, ensuring the system remains functional and resilient.

4. Scalability and Modern Hardware

As mobile devices grow more powerful, scalability becomes essential:

• Android’s Limits: Android’s design stems from an era when single-core devices were standard. While it has adopted GPU hardware acceleration and RenderThread to improve performance, these are patches rather than fundamental solutions.
• erm’s Strength: erm scales effortlessly with hardware. Multi-core CPUs, advanced GPUs, and even distributed systems can be fully utilized by Erlang’s process model, enabling unparalleled performance.

5. Real-Time Responsiveness

Modern applications demand real-time responsiveness for smooth user experiences:

• Android’s Struggles: Android targets 60 FPS (16ms per frame), but heavy workloads often cause missed frames or delays.
• erm’s Edge: Erlang, originally designed for telecommunications, excels in low-latency, real-time systems. erm could prioritize UI responsiveness by assigning real-time tasks to dedicated processes.

6. Simplicity in Concurrency

Concurrency in Android is complex, requiring developers to manage threads, synchronization, and race conditions using tools like AsyncTasks or Kotlin coroutines. In contrast:

• Erlang’s actor model makes concurrency inherent and simple, removing the need for explicit thread management.
• Developers can focus on building features rather than troubleshooting synchronization issues.

7. Distributed Systems and the Future

Erlang was built for distributed systems, enabling seamless communication between devices, clouds, and edge servers:

• Android’s Limitations: Android apps rely on heavy, often inefficient inter-process communication (IPC) for distributed workloads.
• erm’s Power: erm could leverage Erlang’s native message-passing to enable efficient distributed rendering and computation, creating a future-proof mobile ecosystem.

8. Adapting to Modern Technologies

Erlang’s modularity allows erm to adapt quickly to emerging technologies, such as Vulkan for parallel graphics rendering or edge AI integration. Meanwhile, Android’s legacy baggage makes such transitions cumbersome and slow.

Conclusion: erm, the Future of Mobile Architecture

erm (Erlang on Mobile) represents a paradigm shift in mobile computing, leveraging Erlang’s concurrency, fault tolerance, and scalability to crush Android in modern use cases. Where Android struggles with legacy constraints and single-threaded bottlenecks, erm thrives by fully utilizing hardware, embracing parallelism, and ensuring fault-tolerant, real-time performance.

In a world demanding ever-increasing responsiveness and scalability, erm’s architecture doesn’t just compete with Android—it redefines what’s possible in mobile technology.

---

Provocative Question for Developers: Are you ready to move beyond the limits of Android and embrace the next evolution in mobile architecture, or will you stay stuck in the past? The choice is yours.

@ 16d11430:61640947

Negative productivity is when a person or team’s work output not only fails to contribute positively but actually causes more harm than good. In software development, this means writing code, making decisions, or introducing processes that increase complexity, create more bugs, generate technical debt, or slow down others, resulting in a net loss of productivity rather than a gain.

Why Consultants Never Mention Negative Productivity:

1. They Are Paid to Sell Optimism
   Consultants are brought in to "fix" things, so acknowledging negative productivity undermines their value proposition. Their success is tied to appearing as a solution, not revealing that certain efforts could make things worse.

2. Metrics Obsession Ignores It
   Many consultant-driven productivity metrics (e.g., velocity, lines of code, hours billed) don’t account for whether the work was actually valuable. They measure output, not impact.

3. Short-Term Focus
   Consultants are often temporary fixtures in an organization. Negative productivity often manifests over time, after they’ve left. They may not even be around to see the long-term damage.

4. Clients Want to Hear "More is Better"
   A consultant telling a company “Your devs would be better off doing nothing than what they’re doing now” would not go over well in a boardroom. Companies like to hear "we just need better processes and more efficiency", not "your current output is self-destructive."

---

Why Developers Know Negative Productivity Intimately:

1. They Live with the Consequences
   Unlike consultants, developers deal with the aftermath of bad decisions daily—whether it's maintaining spaghetti code, fixing rushed features, or cleaning up someone else’s mess.

2. Fixing Problems Created by Others Is Their Job
   A huge chunk of software development is not creating new features but fixing problems that should never have existed in the first place. Every developer has seen cases where not touching the code would have been better than implementing a half-baked feature.

3. Code Rot and Technical Debt
   Developers see firsthand how well-intentioned but poorly executed code creates massive long-term burdens, slowing future work and requiring constant patches.

4. The Myth of “Busy = Productive”
   Many developers have been forced to write pointless features, follow bad architectures, or over-engineer solutions just to appear busy, knowing full well it hurts the product rather than helps it.

5. "Hero Culture" Rewards the Wrong People
   Developers often see cases where someone creates a mess, then is praised for heroically fixing it later, when the best move would have been to never create the mess in the first place.

---

Examples of Negative Productivity in Tech:

• Writing code that is so convoluted that no one else can maintain it.
• Rushing features that introduce critical security vulnerabilities.
• Building unnecessary abstractions that slow down future development.
• Focusing on vanity metrics (e.g., lines of code, PR counts) instead of meaningful progress.
• Adding ceremonial Agile processes that consume more time than they save.

In short, negative productivity is the dark matter of software development—consultants won’t acknowledge it, managers rarely recognize it, but developers feel its gravity every day.

@ 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

@ ae6ce958:d0f02c7d

Developers should cut through the noise and adopt BDD (Behavior-Driven Development) because it addresses some of the most frustrating and time-wasting aspects of software development by providing clarity, alignment, and confidence. Here's why it’s a no-BS choice:

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1. Closes the Gap Between Business and Developers

• BDD creates a shared language between technical and non-technical stakeholders, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
• It eliminates the need for endless clarification meetings because the tests double as specifications written in plain language.

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2. Reduces Time Wasted on Misunderstandings

• Developers often waste hours (or days) building features that don’t match what stakeholders actually wanted.
• BDD forces clarity upfront by defining what success looks like (the behavior of the system) before anyone writes code.

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3. Prevents "It Works on My Machine" Syndrome

• With executable scenarios, you can validate that the application behaves correctly in real-world conditions, not just on a dev’s local environment.
• You know what is expected, why it matters, and how to prove it works.

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4. Encourages Resilience and Quality

• BDD forces you to think from the user’s perspective, which naturally leads to more robust edge-case handling.
• It improves test coverage, resulting in fewer regressions and more confidence in shipping.

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5. Reduces Maintenance Nightmares

• BDD focuses on behavior, not implementation, so your tests evolve with your business, not your code.
• Fewer flaky or brittle tests mean less wasted time debugging failing tests that are no longer relevant.

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6. Speeds Up Feedback Loops

• When your behavior is defined and verified through tests, it’s easy to spot when and where something breaks, enabling faster iteration and shorter development cycles.

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7. Gives Developers Purpose

• It connects developers to the why behind the features they’re building, which can lead to better decision-making and higher motivation.
• You're not just building something; you’re solving a specific, validated problem.

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8. Aligns with CI/CD and Modern Practices

• BDD naturally integrates into test-driven development (TDD) and continuous integration pipelines, making it an essential practice for modern DevOps teams.

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9. Incentivizes Automation

• Automated BDD tests ensure that as your product evolves, your core behaviors are always tested, giving you peace of mind during frequent releases.
• Plus, with tools like Cucumber, SpecFlow, or DamageBDD, these tests are part of your living documentation.

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10. BDD is a Competitive Advantage

• In a world where time-to-market and quality define winners and losers, teams that adopt BDD can move faster with less friction while delivering higher-quality software.

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BDD cuts through the BS of guesswork, communication barriers, and late-stage bug firefighting by making behavior explicit, aligning teams, and automating validation. It’s not just a way to test software—it’s a way to think, collaborate, and build better products.

Why waste time in the mud of misunderstandings when you can define success upfront and deliver it with precision? 💡

@ 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. 🐶🐾🫡🚀🚀🚀

@ 52c43979:ce69a7f1

Dear J.E. Brandenburg,

Congratulations on the publication of your scientific work on the physical derivation of the fine-structure constant "Alpha" and the profound insights it offers! It is truly remarkable how you have tackled such foundational topics as the emergence of quantum mechanics and the nature of gravity.

Your approach to connecting these intricate phenomena demonstrates not only your scientific curiosity but also your courage to explore uncharted territory. Contributions like yours are vital for advancing our understanding of the universe. While some of your hypotheses may spark debate—which is a natural part of the scientific process—it is precisely these bold ideas that often lead to groundbreaking discoveries.

I would like to encourage you to continue refining your ideas and engaging with the broader scientific community. Constructive dialogue with other researchers can open new perspectives and further strengthen your work. Many of history's most significant scientific breakthroughs were initially met with skepticism before being recognized as milestones.

I am confident that your research will make a meaningful contribution to physics, and I look forward to reading more of your work in the future. Stay committed—science thrives on pioneers like you!

With my best wishes for your continued success,

Dafydd Napier

https://frdint.com/morden_physics_vo_twenrtetwo_issue_two_twentyfour.html

@ 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.

@ 30ceb64e:7f08bdf5

In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, tools like Deepseek R1, Claude, and others are becoming integral to daily workflows. My experience with these models has been both enlightening and productive, especially when it comes to managing and synthesizing information for work and personal projects. Here's a deeper dive into how I’m leveraging AI in my daily life and where I see it heading.

Deepseek R1 vs. Claude: A Comparison Deepseek R1 has proven to be a reliable tool, particularly for summarizing my shift notes at work. While Claude is slightly quicker in processing, I find the quality of results from Deepseek to be more aligned with my needs. The summaries are clear and concise, making it easier for me to review and act on my notes efficiently. It’s fascinating to see how these models differ in their outputs, and I’m curious to explore how Deepseek might integrate with other tools like cursor.ai. Pairing it with a more advanced reasoning model could further enhance its utility, especially for parsing through coding demands.

Exploring Open Source and Emerging Models Open-source models are gaining traction, and I’m eager to see how they can be integrated into daily workflows. For instance, Trymaple.ai offers a single model based on LLaMA, which comes from the old Mutiny team. At just $2 for a subscription, it’s worth exploring to gauge its potential. The idea of switching to a more powerful, open-source LLM as a daily driver is incredibly appealing, given the flexibility and adaptability such models could offer.

AI for Productivity and Organization My primary use cases for AI revolve around productivity and organization:

Summarizing, Extending, and Elaborating Work Notes: This is where Deepseek shines, helping me condense and expand on my ideas. Answering Specific Questions: AI models are excellent at providing quick, accurate answers to targeted queries. Organizing Thoughts in Obsidian: My Obsidian vault is a treasure trove of rambling thoughts, and AI helps structure them into coherent, actionable insights. Coding: Tools like cursor.ai are invaluable for parsing coding demands and streamlining development processes. The Future of AI Personal Assistants AI personal assistants are on the horizon, and the potential is immense. While privacy concerns are valid, I’m cautious about the information I feed into these tools. The platforms I use are relatively privacy-focused and open source, which adds a layer of security. I’m even considering hosting a self-hosted LLM to analyze my Obsidian notes spanning years. The idea of synthesizing this wealth of information into actionable insights is tantalizing. However, it’s crucial to approach this with mindfulness, as the dystopian implications of misuse or naivety are significant. Used correctly, though, the productivity gains and clarity achieved could be remarkable.

On Kagi and CASCDR Interestingly, my Kagi subscription might fall by the wayside, as I find myself using it less frequently. On the other hand, the CASCDR YouTube summarizer is sorely missed. Its ability to distill long videos into concise summaries was a game-changer, and I hope similar tools emerge in the future.

As AI continues to advance, the tools and models we use today will evolve, offering even greater capabilities. My journey with AI has been a blend of exploration, experimentation, and cautious optimism. I’m excited to see how these technologies will shape the future of work, productivity, and personal organization.In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, tools like Deepseek R1, Claude, and others are becoming integral to daily workflows. My experience with these models has been both enlightening and productive, especially when it comes to managing and synthesizing information for work and personal projects. Here's a deeper dive into how I’m leveraging AI in my daily life and where I see it heading.

Deepseek R1 vs. Claude: A Comparison Deepseek R1 has proven to be a reliable tool, particularly for summarizing my shift notes at work. While Claude is slightly quicker in processing, I find the quality of results from Deepseek to be more aligned with my needs. The summaries are clear and concise, making it easier for me to review and act on my notes efficiently. It’s fascinating to see how these models differ in their outputs, and I’m curious to explore how Deepseek might integrate with other tools like cursor.ai. Pairing it with a more advanced reasoning model could further enhance its utility, especially for parsing through coding demands.

Exploring Open Source and Emerging Models Open-source models are gaining traction, and I’m eager to see how they can be integrated into daily workflows. For instance, Trymaple.ai offers a single model based on LLaMA, which comes from the old Mutiny team. At just $2 for a subscription, it’s worth exploring to gauge its potential. The idea of switching to a more powerful, open-source LLM as a daily driver is incredibly appealing, given the flexibility and adaptability such models could offer.

AI for Productivity and Organization My primary use cases for AI revolve around productivity and organization:

1. Summarizing, Extending, and Elaborating Work Notes: This is where Deepseek shines, helping me condense and expand on my ideas.
2. Answering Specific Questions: AI models are excellent at providing quick, accurate answers to targeted queries.
3. Organizing Thoughts in Obsidian: My Obsidian vault is a treasure trove of rambling thoughts, and AI helps structure them into coherent, actionable insights.
4. Coding: Tools like cursor.ai are invaluable for parsing coding demands and streamlining development processes.

The Future of AI Personal Assistants AI personal assistants are on the horizon, and the potential is immense. While privacy concerns are valid, I’m cautious about the information I feed into these tools. The platforms I use are relatively privacy-focused and open source, which adds a layer of security. I’m even considering hosting a self-hosted LLM to analyze my Obsidian notes spanning years. The idea of synthesizing this wealth of information into actionable insights is tantalizing. However, it’s crucial to approach this with mindfulness, as the dystopian implications of misuse or naivety are significant. Used correctly, though, the productivity gains and clarity achieved could be remarkable.

On Kagi and CASCDR Interestingly, my Kagi subscription might fall by the wayside, as I find myself using it less frequently. On the other hand, the CASCDR YouTube summarizer is sorely missed. Its ability to distill long videos into concise summaries was a game-changer, and I hope similar tools emerge in the future.

As AI continues to advance, the tools and models we use today will evolve, offering even greater capabilities. My journey with AI has been a blend of exploration, experimentation, and cautious optimism. I’m excited to see how these technologies will shape the future of work, productivity, and personal organization.

@ 16d11430:61640947

Our story begins in a quaint little village in Kerala, where a starry-eyed, red-blooded communist named Suneesh, raised on a steady diet of Marxist literature and chai, decided to embark on the ultimate proletarian pilgrimage: a move to Australia. Why Australia, you ask? Well, Suneesh had grown up believing the Land Down Under was a socialist paradise, where kangaroos shared the outback with equal enthusiasm, and mateship was just code for "state-controlled camaraderie."

Back in Kerala, Suneesh was a hero. He marched in protests against capitalism (or as he called it, "the Western disease") and distributed leaflets glorifying the workers’ utopia that he was convinced existed somewhere in the southern hemisphere. “Australia!” he proclaimed one day to his comrades at the tea shop. “That’s where the real communists are. Gough Whitlam? Bob Hawke? True revolutionaries!” The old men nodded in agreement, even though most of them thought Gough Whitlam was some kind of imported whiskey.

Arrival in the Land of Barbecues and Bulldust

When Suneesh landed in Sydney, he was ready to be embraced by a horde of flannel-clad, beer-drinking socialists. But the reality hit him faster than a didgeridoo solo. His Uber driver—a cheerful bloke named Darren—lectured him about tax rates while proudly displaying his Tesla. "Mate, capitalism's bloody brilliant!" Darren declared. Suneesh, clutching a copy of The Communist Manifesto, silently wondered if he’d taken a wrong turn somewhere over the Indian Ocean.

Things only got worse. He attended a union meeting, expecting to hear fiery speeches about overthrowing the bourgeoisie, but found himself in a heated debate about long weekend rosters and whether Vegemite should qualify as a tax deduction. "Where’s the revolution?" he whispered to a burly union member in high-vis gear, who responded with, “Revolution? Mate, I just want a pay rise to buy a better barbie.”

The Bunnings Betrayal

Desperate to find his tribe, Suneesh wandered into a Bunnings Warehouse, convinced that the workers' collective spirit would be alive and well in the sacred aisles of tools and mulch. Instead, he was greeted by hyper-efficient employees selling discount leaf blowers with the zeal of Wall Street traders. “Capitalism is strong here,” Suneesh muttered in horror as he watched an old couple haggle over a Weber grill.

His breaking point came when he discovered the true Aussie religion: barbecues. Every gathering he attended was an orgy of meat consumption, beer, and casual jokes about politics. "What do you call a Marxist at a barbie?" someone quipped. "Unemployed!" The crowd roared with laughter, while Suneesh quietly nibbled on a lone celery stick.

A Revelation at Centrelink

Disillusioned, Suneesh visited Centrelink, expecting it to be the bureaucratic heart of socialist Australia. Surely, this was where the workers of the world united! Instead, he encountered long queues, complicated forms, and employees who looked like they'd rather be anywhere else. “This isn’t communism,” he muttered. “This is dystopia.”

While waiting, he overheard someone complain about how the government didn’t do enough to "support the battlers." Suneesh, ever the idealist, tried to chime in with his revolutionary zeal. “The workers must seize the means of production!” he declared. The room went silent for a moment before someone muttered, “This bloke’s had too much goon.”

The Rise of the BBQ Bolshevik

Suneesh could have packed his bags and returned to Kerala, but no. This was not a man to give up easily. If Australia didn’t have the communists he imagined, then he’d create them. Inspired by the Aussie spirit of improvisation, he founded a group called the BBQ Bolsheviks. Their motto: "Equality, mateship, and medium-rare steaks for all!"

The group gained traction among disillusioned hipsters, left-leaning retirees, and a surprising number of kangaroo conservationists. Meetings were held in the backyards of suburban homes, where they debated the finer points of Marxism while flipping snags on the barbie. Suneesh even introduced the concept of communal esky ownership, which was wildly popular until someone absconded with all the beers.

Conclusion

Though Suneesh never found the socialist utopia he dreamed of, he did discover something far more Australian: the ability to adapt, laugh at himself, and make a mean sausage sizzle. He may have left Kerala as a red-blooded communist, but he stayed in Australia as a fair-dinkum comrade, proudly wearing a T-shirt that read, “Workers of the world, unite (after the footy)!”

And so, the Kerala Commie lived happily ever after, fighting for equality one barbecue at a time.

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

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

Bold text work!

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

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

🐶🐾🤯🤯🤯🫂💜

@ fa0165a0:03397073

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

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

What is a browser plugin?

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

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

How to build a browser plugin

Step 0: Basics

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

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

Step 1: manifest.json

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

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

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

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

Step 2: hello.js

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

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

Step 3: Load and launch your plugin

Firefox

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

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

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

Chrome

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

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

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

---

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

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

'DeepSeek increases my conviction that Bitcoin must be the hurdle rate for capital deployment. AI innovation at this speed and scale will substantially disrupt valuation metrics across industries and is not currently priced in. Those who secure a war chest of Bitcoin will be the long-run winners, picking up distressed assets for pennies on the dollar. Focus on three things: AI, Bitcoin, and energy.' -Matt Cole

Just to elaborate on the above statement by a tweet by Dylan Leclair in 2021:

'Problems: 1. Infinite liquidity doesn’t fix a solvency issue. 2. Inflationary monetary policy can’t work against technological deflation.

Solution: Bitcoin'

To me it is crystal clear: AI deflates, central banks print, and Bitcoin absorbs the chaos. BTC was built for this.

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

On the 21st of January:

➡️MicroStrategy shareholders approved increasing the total number of shares from 330 million to 10.3 billion, paving the way for future fundraising to acquire more Bitcoin (55.8% approval).

➡️Bitcoin's mining difficulty has seen a 24% quarterly increase since August 2024. Saylor: "Bitcoin mining difficulty has reached a new all-time high. Creating BTC requires proof of work and significant energy, making it increasingly expensive over time. Historically, mining difficulty and price are closely linked—a strong signal for bullish momentum."

The Difficulty Regression Model estimates the cost to mine 1 Bitcoin at $33.9K, while Bitcoin trades at ~$104K. This ~3x profitability margin showcases miners' resilience, even as mining difficulty continues to rise in this cycle: Glassnode

➡️'Bitcoin ETFs launched a year ago and now hold over 1,100,000 BTC which is ~5.7% of the current supply.' -Jameson Lopp

➡️The governor of the South African central bank scoffs at the idea of a strategic Bitcoin reserve asking, “Why not a strategic beef reserve? Why not an apple reserve? Why Bitcoin?!”

And at that same panel discussion at the World Economic Forum, we had Brian Amstrong, CEO of Coinbase, praising Bitcoin as the best money in the world. “It’s clear at this point, bitcoin is a better form of money than gold…For a store-of-value, governments must hold bitcoin over time”

➡️Corporate announcements this morning:

• MicroStrategy has bought 11,000 BTC for $1.1 billion, and now holds 461,000 bitcoin. Microstrategy now owns 2.195% of all Bitcoins that will ever exist.
• KULR Technology Group has bought 79 BTC for $8 million, and now holds 510 bitcoin.
• Genius Group has bought 52 BTC for $5 million, and now holds 420 bitcoin.

➡️ETH holders absolutely deserve what is coming. The following text/tweet by Vitalik Buterin just shows you how decentralized Ethereum is.

'No. This is not how this game works. The person deciding the new EF leadership team is me. One of the goals of the ongoing reform is to give the EF a "proper board", but until that happens it's me. If you "keep the pressure on", then you are creating an environment that is actively toxic to top talent. Some of Ethereum's best devs have been messaging me recently, expressing their disgust with the social media environment that people like you are creating. YOU ARE MAKING MY JOB HARDER. And you are decreasing the chance I have any interest whatsoever in doing "what you want".

TLDR: There’s no “me” in Bitcoin. If your "crypto" has a leader, it's not decentralized. Period!

➡️Bitcoin mining in Texas has had a positive impact on the state's power grid and has also potentially saved billions by reducing reliance on expensive and polluting gas-peaking plants, according to the latest report from the Digital Assets Research Institute.

➡️Critical Metals Corp secures up to $500M in convertible note financing to purchase Bitcoin for its Bitcoin treasury strategy. This makes them the first Nasdaq-listed critical minerals company to adopt Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset.

➡️Legendary investor Ray Dalio says Bitcoin he owns Bitcoin to “reduce the risk of a portfolio”.

On the 22nd of January:

➡️ Finally Ross Ulbricht is free. Pardoning Ross is a promise fulfilled by Trump. Revealing that this was an act of the deep state is next level, calling the people who convicted him "scum." Trump: "The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern-day weaponization of government against me. He was given two life sentences, plus 40 years." Politicians stay Politicians, but I am glad Ross is free.

Ross didn’t sell drugs—he built an anonymous, free, and open platform on Tor called Silk Road.

'Silk Road sold apparel, art, books, collectibles, computer equipment, electronics, herbs, and yeah—drugs. But according to friends who used it, Silk Road was arguably the safest way drugs were ever sold: no street violence, no shady deals, and zero fentanyl. Everything was tested and peer-reviewed, like an Amazon for substances.'

Don’t forget… the DOJ seized 173,991 Bitcoin directly and indirectly from Ross Ulbricht. It was $34 Million when they took it. Today it’s worth ~$18.4 BILLION.

Newcomers to Bitcoin may not understand why old-timers care so much about Ross Ulbricht. Great explanation by Vijay Boyapati:

https://x.com/real_vijay/status/1881869635915809001

On the 23rd of January:

➡️China sold its entire 194K BTC stash, seized from PlusToken, despite official claims of transferring it to the national treasury, according to CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju.

➡️YouTube rival Rumble to launch digital wallet to make Bitcoin and Tether payments. Tether-backed video-sharing platform Rumble to launch Rumble Wallet, which will allow creators to receive tips and subscription payments directly in Bitcoin or Tether.

➡️Ledger co-founder David Balland was kidnapped and a cryptocurrency ransom was demanded. He was rescued by GIGN and multiple suspects are in custody.

https://x.com/0xLouisT/status/1882711063306666287

On the 24th of January:

➡️SAB 121 has been rescinded, allowing banks to custody Bitcoin. Banks can now offer Bitcoin services to hundreds of millions of customers.

The Bitcoin Podcast: But what exactly is SAB 121 and what does its repeal mean for Bitcoin? Eric Weiss breaks it down: "I think that's gonna be a massive, massive catalyst down the road for a US dollar price appreciation of Bitcoin." https://x.com/titcoinpodcast/status/1882599727880917490

➡️Bitcoin is above $100k but retail interest is the lowest it's been in 3 years.

➡️How popular is Bitcoin on Wall Street? 6% of all the money flowing into American ETFs is now Bitcoin.

➡️A user just successfully sent ~$866,430,722 worth of Bitcoin for a 33¢ transaction fee using the blockchain.

➡️President Trump’s new executive order protects American’s right to use public blockchains, develop and deploy software, participate in mining and validation, transact without censorship, and safeguard their own digital assets. The freedom to build, mine, and hodl Bitcoin.

➡️Spot Bitcoin ETFs are now bigger than ESG ETFs.

On the 25th of January:

➡️Bitcoin has completely dislocated from its ~70-day global M2 lag. It's been on a run of its own for the last 30 days.

➡️As mentioned above but also in the segment (Macro/Geopolitics) Trump took a bold stand against CBDCs, protecting Americans from the financial tyranny they represent. But now, Ripple is working behind the scenes to undermine his administration and sneak CBDCs in through a backdoor while lobbying heavily.

Ripple is public enemy number one this cycle, and it’s time everyone recognized it. You don’t hate XRP enough, plain and simple. If you understood what they’re trying to pull, your outrage would be through the roof.

Jameson Lopp: There's Bitcoin, then there's Crypto, then there's Ripple. Ripple has attacked Bitcoin at a level rivaled only by BSV's lawsuits. Ripple explicitly wants to power CBDCs. They have always been focused on servicing banks. Few projects are as antithetical to Bitcoin.

Brad Garlinghouse douchebag and CEO of Ripple: "We would not be profitable or cash flow positive without selling our XRP holdings.” All 100 billion XRP tokens were created out of thin air by Ripple Labs in 2012 and reserved for insiders. Ripple's income comes from dumping these coins on the public.

On the 26th of January:

➡️Only 1,056,700 Bitcoin is left to be mined, forever.

On the 27th of January:

➡️MicroStrategy has acquired 10,107 BTC for ~$1.1 billion at ~$105,596 per Bitcoin and has achieved a Bitcoin Yield of 2.90% YTD 2025. As of 1/26/2025, they hodl 471,107 Bitcoins acquired for ~$30.4 billion at ~$64,511 per Bitcoin.

➡️Russia's largest energy supplier Rosseti to launch Bitcoin mining operations in areas with excess electricity, aiming to optimize energy use, increase tax revenue, and support the development of BTC mining in Russia.

➡️Brazilian oil giant Petrobras to launch Bitcoin mining operations using excess natural gas produced during oil extraction, to reduce energy waste and carbon emissions.

➡️MicroStrategy to offer 2.5 million shares of 'Series A Perpetual Strike Preferred Stock' to buy more Bitcoin.

➡️Arizona is the first state to pass a bill out of committee to create a ‘Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.’ Co-sponsored by Wendy Rogers and Jeff Weninger, the bill now heads to the state Senate floor for a vote.

➡️El Salvador is now the second fastest-growing tourist destination in the world. Bitcoin and Tourism.

➡️'Cboe BZX Exchange files amended rules to allow in-kind redemptions and creations for the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF. This follows Nasdaq’s similar filing for BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, signaling progress in spot Bitcoin ETF mechanics.' -Bitcoin News

What we have learned last week: 'Vitalik doesn’t buy Ethereum, only sells it. Ripple doesn’t buy XRP, only sells it. The US doesn’t buy USD, only prints it. There can only be one Bitcoin— wake up' - Cory Bates

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

👉🏽NVIDIA closes the day down -17%, officially erasing -$590 BILLION of market cap. This marks the largest 1-day loss of market cap in a single stock in history, and it's not even close.

🏦Banks:

👉🏽no news

🌎Macro/Geopolitics:

On the 20th of January:

👉🏽 Trump: "We will end the "Green Deal" with the "liquid gold under our feet". 'The Netherlands has €1.000 billion of "liquid gold" natural gas in Groningen. The Rutte government destroyed our gas wells, and filled them up with concrete because they could not compensate 20.000 homes.' - Henk Otten I am not sure about the fact that we filled them up with concrete. As a matter of fact, I think the Netherlands could start immediately if needed.

On the 21st of January:

👉🏽The US Treasury has reached its debt limit and is now using 'extraordinary measures' to continue operating.

👉🏽Sam Callahan: 'A new study reveals that, over the past 20 years, Congress has largely ignored large fiscal deficits, making little effort to reduce them. The authors discuss what's required for "successful deficit reduction," but they don't seem to realize that nothing stops this train.'

https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/4_AuerbachYagan.pdf

👉🏽Interest payments on the US national debt now exceed spending on national defense.

👉🏽Billionaire hedge fund manager Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, just warned that the UK could be heading for a “debt death spiral” his is in which the UK has to borrow more and more money to service its rising interest costs

👉🏽'The rich are getting richer faster than ever before: US household net worth has risen ~$56 TRILLION since Q1 2020 and hit a record $160 trillion in Q3 2024. Currently, the top 10% own $111 trillion of all wealth, accounting for 69% of the total. The top 0.1% alone own a massive $22 trillion, reflecting 14% of household net worth. On the other hand, the bottom 50% holds just $3.9 trillion, or 2.4% of wealth. This comes as the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 have risen 128% and 166% since Q1 2020 while national home prices have surged ~50%. The wealth gap is growing.' -TKL

👉🏽Phillipp Heimberger: 'It is unclear how national governments in the EU are supposed to square the circle: to ramp up military spending and public expenditures on climate and digitization while at the same time achieving primary fiscal surpluses over the medium run to meet new EU fiscal rules.'

On the 22nd of January:

👉🏽'Gold's global market cap to world GDP ratio reached a RECORD 16.7% in 2024. This ratio has doubled in 10 years and quadrupled since 2001. Nominally, gold’s market value sits near an all-time high of ~$18.5 trillion. This comes as gold has posted an average annual return of +9.5% since 2000, making it one of the best-performing major asset classes this century. Since the start of 2024, gold prices have hit 41 all-time highs and are up +33%.' - TKL

On the 24th of January:

👉🏽The Bank of Japan raises interest rates by 25 basis points to their highest level since 2008.

👉🏽'The ECB proposed a holding limit of €3000 for the digital euro. Banks want €500, otherwise, it will cost them too much... This whole digital euro project is such a huge clusterfuck in slow-motion.' - Paul Buitink

https://www.ledgerinsights.com/progress-on-digital-euro-holding-limits/

Meanwhile, Trump is going all in against ‘Central Bank Digital Currencies.’ ‘taking measures to protect Americans from the risks of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), which threaten the stability of the financial system, individual privacy, and the sovereignty of the United States’

Daniel Batten: 'When it comes to digital currency: Will the EU pivot and head down the path of democracies such as the US who see Bitcoin as consistent with its democratic values or continue down the path of autocracies like Russia & China who see CBDCs as being consistent with their autocratic values?'

On the 27th of January:

👉🏽Volkswagen ready to become Chinese Volkswagen is prepared to let Chinese electric carmakers take over production lines in its struggling factories.

👉🏽'DeepSeek officially announces another open-source AI model, Janus-Pro-7B. This model generates images and beats OpenAI's DALL-E 3 and Stable Diffusion across multiple benchmarks.' -TKL OpenAI: - 10 years old - 4,500 employees - raised $6.6 billion DeepSeek - less than 2 years old - 200 employees - less than $10 million capital used

DeepSeek developed and open-sourced an equal or better product and had it out for free, likely killing the business model of OpenAI Anyway, if you want to read more on DeepSeek, and how seems like how they seem to have shifted the paradigm on how AI LLMS work, I highly recommend the following thread by Morgan Brown: https://x.com/morganb/status/1883686162709295541

Open source everything!

A quick reminder for all my readers but especially for my nocoin readers:

FORMER FINANCE PROFESSOR TAD SMITH: "After 25 years teaching finance, I realized at 58:

If the money printer grows 8-10% annually and the S&P 500 returns ~9%, it’s just treading water. True wealth comes from outpacing the printer. That’s the Bitcoin journey."

https://x.com/SimplyBitcoinTV/status/1876679181066801425

Study Bitcoin

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

Fantastic presentation by Preston Pysh on Bitcoin as a store of value referencing Michael saylors presentation to the Microsoft board

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-O54CdSNnM

I've used his monopoly analogy so many times. If you've never heard it, you should definitely listen and maybe share it with your stubborn uncle or sister, or co-worker in denial.

Absolutely brilliant from Preston as always. "Most people arrive at bitcoin without ever understanding the problems it's solving".

Credit: I have used multiple sources!

My savings account: Bitcoin The tool I recommend for setting up a Bitcoin savings plan: PocketBitcoin especially suited for beginners or people who want to invest in Bitcoin with an automated investment plan once a week or monthly. Use the code BITCOINFRIDAY

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

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

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

⭐ Many thanks⭐

Felipe - Bitcoin Friday!

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

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

@ c2827524:5f45b2f7

Vuoi creare il tuo profilo Nostr, ma non sai esattamente da dove iniziare?

Prova a seguire i consigli di questo tutorial!

Nosta.me

Nosta.me è uno dei client più semplici e divertenti di tutto il protocollo Nostr. Free e open source, Nosta regala anche un link dall'aspetto elegante per fare visualizzare il proprio profilo, come si può vedere da quello dello sviluppatore. Christoph Ono.

Cominciamo, andando proprio sulla pagina nosta.me

Creazione in 10 passi

Innanzitutto Nosta è un client adatto alla creazione del profilo, ma non per scrivere, firmare e pubblicare note. Per l'uso social di Nostr è meglio utilizzare altri client che si possono scoprire in seguito.

Ma allora: perché Nosta?

Perché propone la creazione del profilo tramite 10 step da eseguire in ordine. Alcuni dei 10 passaggi si possono saltare per essere completati in seguito, ma il cuore della creazione delle chiavi è familiare ai Bitcoiner, perché parte da una sequenza casuale di 12 parole.

Cominciamo, scegliendo proprio «Create a new profile»

Nosta da il benvenuto ad una nuova, giovane Nostrica.

È il primo dei 10 step; cliccare «Next»

Si scelgono le prime informazioni da compilare, mettendo un nome, un paio di righe di biografia e - se presente - un sito web di riferimento.

Una volta compilati questi 3 campi, cliccare «Next»

Il prossimo passo chiede di caricare una foto profilo. Consiglio di cliccare su "Skip", vedremo meglio in seguito la gestione delle immagini via protocollo Nostr

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ENTRIAMO NEL VIVO: LA GENERAZIONE DELLE CHIAVI

In questo nuovo step Nosta calcola e mostra la recovery phrase di 12 parole. Questa frase porterà al calcolo automatico di un seed proprio come nel protocollo Bitcoin: le parole provengono dal dizionario BIP39, dopodiché la chiave privata viene calcolata sulla curva ellittica secp256k1 ed infine convertita da hex al formato nsec.

Queste 12 parole costituiscono una recovery phrase per ripristinare l'account e le relative chiavi tramite Nosta.me. Sono da scrivere bene e conservare, dopodiché si può procedere alla verifica cliccando "Next"

La procedura di verifica presenta le 12 parole posizionate a caso: per il check si devono cliccare in ordine dalla 1 alla 12

Siamo pronti per lo step successivo: Nosta mostra la chiave privata nsec. Si deve copiare e incollare su un file protetto da tenere in un luogo sicuro.

Una volta copiata la nsec, cliccare "Next"

La creazione delle chiavi termina con la derivazione della chiave pubblica, la npub.

La npub di Nostr rappresenta l'identità dell'utente. Va copiata e incollata per conservarla, anche in un luogo sprotetto, perché si userà spesso e volentieri nel protocollo per farsi identificare

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Handle, follow e wallet Bitcoin

Il passo 7/10 prevede l'impostazione dell'handle o NIP-05 nel profilo. L'handle è una caratteristica che ha due vantaggi: 1. si può scegliere un identificativo più facile da leggere e usare al posto della chiave pubblica 2. è un ulteriore sistema di verifica dell'identità Scopriremo in seguito i dettagli del NIP-05, consiglio di saltare questo passo tra gli step di Nosta

Nello step successivo vengono proposti alcuni suggerimenti per seguire utenti di Nostr. Consiglio di iniziare a seguire qualcuno, proprio per non rimanere troppo spaesati al termine della creazione del profilo, rischiando di trovare un feed completamente vuoto.

Il penultimo passo 9/10 è quello dove si configura il wallet Bitcoin. Chi ha già un LN address può giustamente inserirlo. Chi non è ancora skillato, può seguire il capitolo in cui ne parleremo più avanti e cliccare "Skip" in questa schermata

I relay

L'ultima impostazione richiesta da Nosta è la scelta dei relay, il motore delle note su Nostr. È attraverso i relay, infatti, che le le note «and other stuff» sono trasmessi alla rete. Nel passo 10/10 si trovano già dei buoni suggerimenti che - chi non è esperto - può accettare e proseguire cliccando "Next".

Chi è invece già esperto può cambiare questa lista e personalizzarla a seconda delle proprie esigenze

È tutto fatto! Nosta propone una schermata di riepilogo e - se va tutto bene - si può cliccare su "Looks good"

Quando siamo convinti, clicchiamo "Save" e Nosta pubblicherà il profilo per come lo abbiamo impostato.

Il profilo è praticamente pronto, sebbene scarno

Si può abbellire e riempire con le informazioni mancanti cliccando su "Edit", così come scegliere un altro client ed iniziare ad usarlo, oppure continuare con il tutorial e scoprire come trattare più in sicurezza la chiave privata. Cambiare client, infatti, richiederebbe allo stato attuale copiare e incollare la nsec per fare ogni login. Quello che segue è un suggerimento per impostare un'estensione del browser come gestore di firma e usare l'estensione per fare tutti i tipi di login via web.

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Usare il protocollo Nostr

Il profilo è pronto per essere usato. Ora si può esplorare Nostr, alla ricerca di client ed opportunità. Per fare login si deve necessariamente accedere ai client con la chiave privata nsec, al fine di poter firmare le note e propagarle. Anziché copiare e incollare la nsec in ognuno dei client, è opportuno usare "un trucco".

Login con NOS2X

Nos2X è un'estensione del browser che permette di gestilre le chiavi in un unico luogo, firmando gli eventi senza esporre la nsec ad ogni singola azione. È disponibile per Firefox e fork ed anche per Chrome.

l'esempio che segue è realizzato con Chrome, ma il procedimento per Firefox è molto simile e semplice

Cercare Nos2X tra le estensioni del browser

quindi aggiungerlo al proprio Chrome

Entrare nelle impostazioni con Manage Settings

fino a trovare la schermata dove è possibile incollare la propria chiave privata, impostare qualche relay e salvare.

Si apre ora una finestra che chiede di autorizzare Nos2X a firmare gli eventi. Si può scegliere di autorizzare sempre o anche solo la sessione attuale, per prova. Se si sceglie "Authorize just this" è bene tenere a mente che ad ogni sessione il manager di firma chiederà l'autorizzazione. Ognuno sceglie a seconda delle proprie esigenze.

Da ora in poi, via web, ci si può loggare a qualsiasi client Nostr per continuare l'esplorazione. Si può fare, ad esempio, già con Nosta.me e fare Edit Profile, giusto per continuare a completare il proprio profilo.

Il profilo è ancora molto scarno, infatti

Chi ha un sito web o landing page può tranquillamente inserirlo e salvare. Alcuni dei campi sono gli step saltati al momento della creazione con Nosta e che si possono vedere ora nel dettaglio.

Handle

L'handle di Nostr è codificato nel NIP-05, Nostr Implementation Possibilities, che specifica proprio come gli utenti possono essere verificati su Nostr. Il meccanismo di verifica è simile a quello richiesto da Google per verificare la proprietà di un dominio, e consente ad ogni utente Nostr di "mappare" la propria chiave pubblica su un identificatore internet basato su DNS. Il vantaggio principale del NIP-05 è che trasforma la stringa della npub in un nome leggibile in maniera semplice. È possibile ottenere un NIP-05 for free, o anche a pagamento, scegliendoli da una delle molte liste che si trovano in una ricerca via web.

L'operazione è super semplice: * si scelga, ad esempio, zaps.lol * incollare la chiave pubblica npub * scegliere uno username rappresentativo, che completo sarà: tuousername@zaps.lol * cliccare REGISTER

E il proprio handle è pronto e verificato, si può quindi incollare sulla maschera del profilo di Nosta.me e salvare

La gestione delle immagini

Si può impostare un avatar, così comme un banner di copertina e - in generale - postare immagini via Nostr. La gestione delle immagini avviene condividendo un URL. Sebbene la maggior parte dei client adesso consentano di caricare immagini in maniera meno complessa, non sempre queste vengono rese disponibili al primo colpo. Ci sono però altri tipi di client, che si sono specializzati nel caricamento immagini.

All'inizio meglio scegliere un client che offre questa possibilità gratuitamente, come nostrcheck.me Dalla homepage andare nel menu Public gallery -> UPLOAD -> scegliere di fare login cliccando sull'iconcina utente in alto a destra. La landing page si mostra così

Scegliere quindi di fare login con l'extendion Nos2X e procedere con il caricamento dell'immagine profilo, seguendo le istruzioni a video. Nostrcheck carica l'immagine e fornisce l'url che si può copiare e incollare dove si vuole, ad esempio nella schermata del profilo, ma anche nei futuri post.

Se si sono appena caricati avatar e banner del profilo, gli url completano il profilo di Nostr, che adesso è completo di quasi tutto

LN address e wallet

È di gran lunga la più sorprendente caratteristica di Nostr: scambiare valore usando la Lightning Network di Bitcoin. Esistono differenti soluzioni, dalle più semplici alle più complesse. Se non si ha la minima idea di cosa sia un wallet LN o un LN address, meglio rimandare questa fase al momento in cui si possiede la necessaria consapevolezza. Ma per chi ha un'idea precisa di questi concetti, l'LN address permette di ricevere zap (donazioni di sats) per i contenuti condivisi che dal mittente arrivano sul proprio wallet; il wallet può essere usato per ricompensare altri creatori di contenuti, zap-pando a più non posso.

Se si utilizza una soluzione custodial come sats.mobi, LifPay(*) o altri tenere sul wallet solo pochi sats per lo scopo. Se se ne ricevono molti, perché i contenuti diventano popolari e virali, spostarli su un wallet LN non-custodial.

(*) Lifpay integra una soluzione senza alcuna frizione per l'utente inesperto, perché crea un profilo direttamente con la npub di Nostr.

Ora è davvero tutto pronto e Nostr è lì per essere esplorato

Puoi iniziare seguendo npub1c2p82fyndhk66hmz808c5pxjq8el60kh6jgj5xgdhmhksh69ktmsz8dcj5

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Risorse per approfondire:

1. https://laura.npub.pro/post/1733214130372/
2. https://nostr.net/
3. https://nostr.how/en/nostr-projects
4. https://github.com/nostr-resources/
5. https://nostr.com/
6. https://nostr.info/resources/
7. https://usenostr.org/
8. https://uselessshit.co/resources/nostr/

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Per info https://t.me/bitcoincampus https://planb.network/it/courses/btc105

@ 04ed2b8f:75be6756

A warrior doesn’t cry over a lost battle—they regroup, rearm, and strike back harder. Taking a hit isn’t failure. It’s positioning. A strategic retreat, a calculated loss, a momentary setback—all weapons in the arsenal of those who play to win the war, not just the fight.

Know When to Take the Hit

Weak minds panic at the first sign of loss. Warriors adapt. They know not every battle is worth fighting—some losses are stepping stones to dominance.
- Drop the dead weight. If something slows you down, cut it loose.
- Sacrifice comfort. No one gets stronger by staying cozy.
- Take the L if it sets you up for the W. Some moves cost you now but pay off tenfold later.

Every Loss is Intel for the Next Attack

A true fighter doesn’t lose—they learn. Every hit you take shows you where to tighten your defense, where to strike next, and how to make sure the next round ends in your victory.
- Lost time? Then move faster.
- Lost money? Then get smarter.
- Lost an opportunity? Then create a better one.

Play the Long Game or Get Played

You think warriors cry about setbacks? They use them.
- A general doesn’t win a war in one battle. They strategize, reposition, and outlast the enemy.
- A lion doesn’t chase every prey. It waits, watches, and strikes when the time is right.
- A true warrior fights with patience. Some victories need sacrifices to be earned.

Take Control—Or Be Controlled

If you fear losing, you’ve already lost. If you refuse to sacrifice, you’ll stay weak. The choice is simple: Take the short-term loss and come back unstoppable, or stay stagnant and get crushed.

So, what’s it going to be? Whine about what you lost—or lock in, sharpen your blade, and take everything?

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Test Bounty Note

@ dca69ce3:5b1492da

With the rise of protocols like Nostr (popular in the Bitcoin community) and the AT Protocol (popularized by BlueSky), now feels like the perfect time to explore the history of the web and the open philosophy it was built on. As someone involved in the communities and clients using these protocols for the past couple of years, I understand their significance. However, this write-up is my effort to deepen that understanding by examining the emergence and necessity of decentralized protocols.

What I've found is that the history of the open web is a fascinating, intertwined narrative of protocols and the consequences of their creation and adoption. Like many foundational innovations, these technologies often succumb to commercialization and centralization over time. Will this time be different? Only time will tell.

Let's dive in!

The Philosophy of the Early Internet

The early internet was founded on principles of openness, decentralization, and collaboration, reflecting the technologies, governance structures, and culture of its time.

The ARPANET, the precursor to the internet, was designed to ensure communication could endure even in the face of infrastructure loss--resilient to single points of failure. This concept was particularly vital during the Cold War (late 1940s to late 1980s), a period marked by geopolitical tensions where communication disruptions were a constant concern.

Protocols of the Open Web

ARPA and NCP (1969-1980)

The early days of networking saw the creation of NCP (Network Control Protocol), the first protocol used by ARPANET. NCP enabled basic communication between nodes, serving as both a transport and host-to-host communication protocols.

NCP managed communication by establishing and maintaining logical connections between hosts using socket pairs--a local socket number identifying a specific process on the host and a remote socket number identifying the target process on destination host. These socket pairs uniquely identified each logical connection, which supported full-duplex communication, allowing data to flow in both directions simultaneously over the same connection.

While NCP handled host-level communication, low-level packet switching and routing were managed by IMPs (Interface Message Processors). In essence, NCP relied on IMPs to deliver packets between nodes.

Using NCP, ARPANET's earliest nodes--University of California Los Angeles, Stanford Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, and the University of Utah--collaborate to share resources and advance computing research. Each institution contributed to the development of the early internet, setting the stage for its evolution into the more modern systems we recognize today.

NCP foundational design enabled use cases still familiar today: remote login, file transfer, time-sharing systems, email, and collaborative tools like document editing. However, its simplicity came with limitations. NCP lacked robust error detection and correction, relying on the underlying network (IMPs) to handle these issues. It also lacked a standardized addressing scheme and error recovery mechanisms, limiting its scalability and reliability. These shortcomings ultimately led to the development of TCP/IP.

FTP (1971)

In 1971, RCF 114, titled "A File Transfer Protocol" by Abhay Bhushan, introduced a standardized method for transferring files between hosts on the ARPANET. Its primary goal was to enable indirect use of remote computers, allowing users to transfer files without the need to log into remote systems directly.

Key features of this early protocol included:

• Indirect File Access: Enabled users to transfer files seamlessly across the ARPANET without requiring direct logins to remote systems.
• Standardized Commands: Defined a consistent set of commands for file operations, including retrieving, storing, deleting, and listing files, ensuring uniform interactions across diverse systems.
• Data Type Specification: Supported the designation of data types and structures to accommodate various file formats, ensuring accurate interpretation during transfers.
• User Identification Mechanism: Introduced basic access control through username and password authentication, enhancing security.
• Error Recovery Procedures: Included mechanisms for error correction and recovery to maintain data integrity and reliability during transfers.

FTP simplified data and software sharing, becoming a cornerstone of collaboration within academic and research communities.

Email: The First Killer App (1971)

Email, the internet’s first “killer app,” emerged during the development of NCP and later TCP/IP. Ray Tomlinson invented email in 1971 while working at BBN, a key player in ARPANET’s creation. Before email, communication on the network primarily relied on file sharing. Seeking a more efficient solution, Tomlinson modified CYPNET to send messages across ARPANET, enabling users to communicate between different computers. This innovation popularized the use of the “@” symbol to separate user names from domains.

In 1982, the creation of SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) standardized email communication and significantly improved upon Tomlinson’s initial implementation. SMTP introduced several key advancements:

• Formalized Communication Rules: Established a standardized protocol for sending emails between servers, which CYPNET lacked.
• Support for Multiple Recipients: Enabled sending emails to multiple recipients and distributing messages to mailing lists, a capability absent in Tomlinson’s system.
• Error Handling: Provided explicit error codes and responses to diagnose and resolve delivery issues, whereas Tomlinson’s implementation offered only rudimentary error handling.
• Structured Message Format: Worked with standards like RFC 822 to define consistent headers (To, From, Subject), replacing the unstructured, ad-hoc metadata of early emails.
• Scalability: Designed to accommodate the growing internet, ensuring email functionality expanded as ARPANET evolved into a global network. Tomlinson’s system was tied to ARPANET’s original constraints.

SMTP transformed email from a groundbreaking experiment into a robust, scalable, and universal communication tool, solidifying its place as a cornerstone of internet communication.

Usenet (1979)

Usenet, created by Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis at Duke University in 1979, was one of the first decentralized systems for sharing messages and fostering online discussions. As a precursor to modern internet forums and social media, Usenet laid the foundation for the social internet as we know it today.

Usenet relied on UUCP (Unix-to-Unix Copy Program) to transfer messages between servers in a peer-to-peer manner, with each server forwarding posts to its neighbors.

Key features and insights from Usenet include:

• Newsgroups: Discussions were organized into categories called newsgroups, with a hierarchical naming system (e.g., comp.sys for computer systems).
• Decentralization: Usenet’s peer-to-peer design required each server to store and propagate messages, eliminating single points of failure and central control. This decentralization, akin to modern protocols like Nostr, aligned with the internet’s ideals of openness and collaboration.
• Self-Governance: Without central authority, Usenet communities were often self-moderated, with users establishing their own norms and moderation practices.

Usenet’s decentralization and community-driven structure embodied the spirit of the early internet. However, its culture faced a significant shift in September 1993, often referred to as “Eternal September.” This marked the influx of new users when AOL (America Online) granted its subscribers access to Usenet. The term “Eternal September” originated from the annual wave of college students who traditionally joined Usenet each September, requiring time to acclimate to its norms. With the massive influx of AOL users, however, this adjustment period became permanent.

This cultural shift introduced challenges such as increased spam, off-topic posts, and conflicts, disrupting the established norms of Usenet. Over time, these issues led to Usenet losing its prominence as a hub for niche, vibrant discussions, marking the beginning of a broader transition from protocols to platforms.

TCP/IP (1981-1983)

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and IP (Internet Protocol), developed between 1981 and 1983, replaced NCP as the standard protocol for ARPANET, addressing many of its limitations and paving the way for the modern internet.

TCP ensured reliable communication by breaking data into packets, checking for errors, and retransmitting lost packets. It reassembled data at the destination, ensuring integrity despite packet loss. TCP also introduced flow and congestion control, allowing networks to adapt transmission rates based on conditions. These features resolved NCP’s lack of robust error handling and basic flow management, enabling networks to scale more effectively.

IP provided a unique addressing system (IP addresses) that allowed data to traverse diverse networks. Unlike NCP’s reliance on hardcoded socket pairs, IP made interoperability and routing across heterogeneous networks possible.

The separation of TCP and IP into distinct layers (transport and network) introduced modularity and flexibility, supporting diverse networks and applications. This overcame NCP’s single-layer design, which lacked the versatility needed for the internet’s future growth.

Inter-networking was another significant advancement enabled by TCP/IP, allowing multiple networks to connect and function as one. This shift from NCP’s single homogeneous network (ARPANET) to a universal language of interconnected systems established the foundation of the global, decentralized internet we use today.

DNS (1983)

Introduced in 1983 by Paul Mockapetris, the Domain Name System (DNS) revolutionized how devices on the internet were identified and accessed. It replaced the centralized, cumbersome HOSTS.TXT file system with a distributed, hierarchical structure that could scale alongside the rapidly growing internet.

Before DNS, network administrators relied on a single HOSTS.TXT file to map human-readable hostnames to IP addresses. This file, managed by the NIC (Network Information Center) at Stanford Research Institute, had to be manually updated and distributed to every system on ARPANET. As the network expanded, this centralized system became a bottleneck, with errors and delays in updates causing significant disruptions. By the early 1980s, maintaining a single centralized file was no longer practical, necessitating a more scalable solution.

DNS addressed these challenges by introducing a hierarchical structure for domain names. Names are organized into a tree-like system, with the root at the top and Top-Level Domains (TLDs) such as .com or .org below it. For example, example.com is divided into levels: com (TLD) and example (Second-Level Domain). This delegation of responsibilities allowed for efficient management and scalability.

DNS also employed a network of distributed servers to store and resolve domain names to IP addresses, eliminating reliance on a single central database. Distributed servers improved reliability, performance, and resilience. DNS servers could cache query results, reducing load and speeding up responses for frequently requested domains. Finally, DNS made the internet far more user-friendly: instead of memorizing numeric IP addresses (e.g., 192.0.2.1), users could type intuitive domain names (e.g., example.com).

By solving the limitations of HOSTS.TXT and enhancing usability, DNS became a cornerstone of the modern internet, enabling its global and decentralized nature.

IRC (1988)

Developed by Jarkko Oikarinen in 1988, Internet Relay Chat (IRC) enabled real-time text communication and played a pivotal role in fostering early online communities. IRC’s innovations built upon earlier protocols and technologies, extending their concepts to create a new paradigm for online interaction.

• Extending Telnet: IRC expanded Telnet’s one-to-one communication sessions into multi-user chats within channels, enabling group conversations in real time.
• Decentralization from Usenet: IRC adopted Usenet’s decentralized philosophy, applying it to synchronous messaging. Multiple IRC servers could link together to form networks, distributing load and avoiding reliance on a central server.
• Hierarchical Naming from DNS: Borrowing from DNS, IRC used a hierarchical naming system for chat channels and users. This allowed intuitive organization, with nicknames and channels globally visible across linked servers.
• Command-Response Structure: Inspired by protocols like SMTP and FTP, IRC introduced commands such as /join, /quit, and /msg, simplifying interactions and enabling clients to interpret server messages effectively.
• Influence of MUDs: IRC drew from Multi-User Dungeons (MUDs), text-based multiplayer games popular in the 1980s. While MUDs facilitated real-time interactions within virtual worlds, IRC applied the concept to general communication.

Key innovations of IRC included group channels for interaction, flexible user and server configurations, dynamic moderation, and a lightweight protocol. By combining these features, IRC became a cornerstone of real-time online communication, laying the groundwork for modern chat applications.

HTTP and WWW (1989-1991)

The World Wide Web (WWW) and Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), introduced by Tim Berners-Lee between 1989 and 1991, revolutionized how information was shared and consumed. These innovations built upon prior technologies, creating the foundation of the modern web.

• Built on TCP/IP: HTTP used TCP/IP as its transport layer, ensuring reliable delivery of web content. This interoperability allowed HTTP to function across any device or network supporting TCP/IP, establishing the web as a universal platform.
• Standardized Resource Addressing: The introduction of URLs (Uniform Resource Locators), built on DNS, provided a standardized way to locate web resources. URLs combined the protocol (http://), domain (example.com), and resource path (/index.html), enabling precise identification and retrieval of content.
• Hypertext Implementation: Berners-Lee implemented hypertext using HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), a simple text-based language for creating web pages. HTML’s support of hyperlinks (<a> tags) allowed users to navigate seamlessly between linked resources, turning the web into an interconnected “web” of information. Hypertext, conceptualized by Ted Nelson in the 1960s and seen in systems like NLS and HyperCard, was now available to a global audience.
• Improvement Over FTP: Unlike FTP, which focused on isolated file transfers, HTTP facilitated the retrieval of hyperlinked resources, enabling user-friendly interaction with content and seamless display of linked documents in a browser.
• Decentralized Architecture: Inspired by Usenet, the WWW adopted a decentralized design, allowing anyone with a server to host and link content without reliance on a central authority.
• Structured Metadata: HTTP extended the use of structured metadata, seen previously in email protocols like SMTP. HTTP headers provided contextual information about requests and responses (e.g., Content-Type and Status Code), enabling dynamic, interactive communication between clients (browsers) and servers.

Key Innovations of HTTP and the WWW:

1. Stateless Communication Protocol: HTTP’s stateless design ensured each client-server request was independent, enabling scalability as the web grew.
2. Cross-Platform Compatibility: HTTP and HTML were text-based and platform-agnostic, allowing access from any device or operating system.
3. Interactive Content: The web unified interactive content (e.g., images, text, and links) into a single environment accessible via a browser.

Together, HTTP and the WWW transformed the internet into a user-friendly, decentralized, and universally accessible medium, laying the groundwork for the web’s exponential growth.

The Transition from Protocols to Platforms

The shift from the protocol-driven era of the open web to the platform-driven era marked a profound technological and cultural transformation. Early internet protocols like TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP, SMTP, FTP, and Usenet emphasized decentralization, interoperability, and user empowerment. However, by the mid-1990s, the emergence of proprietary platforms such as AOL, Prodigy, and later Facebook and Google, redefined the internet experience. These platforms offered centralized, user-friendly services but at the cost of openness and decentralization.

The early internet, defined by protocols, empowered individuals and communities to build their own tools and networks. Protocols like TCP/IP and DNS created a universal framework for connectivity, while decentralized services such as Usenet and IRC fostered open, self-managed discussions. Tools like FTP, HTTP, and SMTP enabled users to share files, publish content, and communicate freely, embodying the era’s ethos of openness, collaboration, and innovation.

By contrast, the platform-driven internet that emerged in the mid-1990s offered a polished, accessible alternative that abstracted away the technical complexities of the protocol-driven era. Platforms like AOL, Prodigy, and CompuServe created “walled gardens,” restricting users to content and services within their ecosystems. While this made the internet more accessible to non-technical users, it limited their ability to explore and interact with the broader web. Platforms like Facebook and Google later extended this model, becoming dominant gatekeepers for social interaction and information discovery. These centralized platforms hid the complexities of early internet protocols, offering plug-and-play solutions that attracted a general audience. For instance, instead of setting up an FTP server to share files, users could simply upload them to Dropbox or Google Drive. Similarly, proprietary messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp replaced interoperable protocols such as IRC, locking users into closed ecosystems.

Cultural shifts accompanied these technological changes. In the protocol-driven era, users often acted as both creators and consumers, whether by writing Usenet posts, hosting personal websites, or managing their own email servers. Platforms, however, encouraged a more passive consumption model, with user-generated content controlled within proprietary systems. Trust in gatekeepers grew, with users relying on platforms to curate and deliver information. Search engines like Google became the primary gateway to content, while social platforms dictated social interactions, often reducing individual agency. The communal culture of early internet communities gave way to corporate-driven interactions, as decentralized discussions on Usenet were replaced by centralized forums governed by platform owners. Moreover, the platform era introduced a surveillance-based business model, monetizing user data to serve targeted advertisements—a stark departure from the user-centric and privacy-conscious ethos of the early web.

Despite the dominance of platforms, the foundational protocols of the open web remain critical. TCP/IP, HTTP, and DNS still underpin the internet’s infrastructure, ensuring its basic interoperability. Furthermore, movements like the fediverse (e.g., Mastodon), blockchain-based platforms, and protocols like Nostr aim to revive the ideals of decentralization, user autonomy, and community-driven governance. These efforts reflect a growing desire to reclaim the open and collaborative spirit that defined the early internet.

The transition from protocols to platforms transformed the internet from a decentralized, user-driven network into a centralized, corporate-controlled ecosystem. While platforms made the internet more accessible, they sacrificed openness, user autonomy, and the collaborative ethos of its early days. Revisiting the foundational principles of protocols is crucial for those working to rebuild a more open, equitable internet.

Closing Thoughts

The evolution from the early decentralized internet to today’s platform-dominated web reflects a shift from protocols that empowered users to systems that prioritize convenience, control, and corporate interests. Early technologies like Usenet, HTTP, and FTP embodied ideals of openness, collaboration, and autonomy, but modern platforms have concentrated power, creating walled gardens and monetizing user data. Yet, the foundational protocols of the internet persist, inspiring new decentralized initiatives like Nostr, Mastodon, and blockchain-based systems. By supporting and adopting applications built on decentralizing protocols, we can reclaim the values of openness, privacy, and user empowerment. Every choice we make—as developers, users, or advocates—shapes the future of the web. Together, we can revive the collaborative spirit of the internet’s origins and help create a more equitable and resilient digital future.

@ 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

@ 82341f88:fbfbe6a2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ df173277:4ec96708

Maple is an AI chat tool that allows you to have private conversations with a general-purpose AI assistant. Chats are synced automatically between devices so you can pick up where you left off.\ Start chatting for free.

We are excited to announce that Maple AI, our groundbreaking end-to-end encrypted AI chat app built on OpenSecret, is now publicly available. After months of beta testing, we are thrilled to bring this innovative technology to the world.

Maple is an AI chat tool that allows you to have private conversations with a general-purpose AI assistant. It can boost your productivity on work tasks such as writing documentation, creating presentations, and drafting emails. You can also use it for personal items like brainstorming ideas, sorting out life's challenges, and tutoring you on difficult coursework. All your chats are synced automatically in a secure way, so you can start on one device and pick up where you left off on another.

Why Secure and Private AI?

In today's digital landscape, it is increasingly evident that security and privacy are essential for individuals and organizations alike. Unfortunately, the current state of AI tools falls short. A staggering 48% of organizations enter non-public company information into AI apps, according to a recent report by Cisco. This practice poses significant risks to company security and intellectual property.

Another concern is for journalists, who often work with sensitive information in hostile environments. Journalists need verification that their information remains confidential and protected when researching topics and communicating with sources in various languages. They are left to use underpowered local AI or input their data into potentially compromised cloud services.

At OpenSecret, we believe it is possible to have both the benefits of AI and the assurance of security and privacy. That's why we created Maple, an app that combines AI productivity with the protection of end-to-end encryption. Our platform ensures that your conversations with AI remain confidential, even from us. The power of the cloud meets the privacy of local.

#### How Does It Work?

Our server code is open source, and we use confidential computing to provide cryptographic proof that the code running on our servers is the same as the open-source code available for review. This process allows you to verify that your conversations are handled securely and privately without relying on trust. We live by the principle of "Don't trust, verify," and we believe this approach is essential for building in the digital age. You can read a more in-depth write-up on our technology later this week on this site.

How Much Does It Cost?

We are committed to making Maple AI accessible to everyone, so we offer a range of pricing plans to suit different needs and budgets. Our Free plan allows for 10 chats per week, while our Starter plan ($5.99/month) and Pro plan ($20/month) offer more comprehensive solutions for individuals and organizations with heavier workloads. We accept credit cards and Bitcoin (10% discount), allowing you to choose your preferred payment method.

• Free: $0
• Starter: $5.99/month
• Pro: $20/month

Our goal with Maple AI is to create a product that is secure through transparency. By combining open-source code, cryptography, and confidential computing, we can create a new standard for AI conversations - one that prioritizes your security and privacy.

Maple has quickly become a daily tool of productivity for our own work and those of our beta testers. We believe it will bring value to you as well. Sign up now and start chatting privately with AI for free. Your secrets are safe in the open.

#### Are You An App Developer?

You can build an app like Maple. OpenSecret provides secure auth, private key management, encrypted data sync, private AI, and more. Our straightforward API behaves like other backends but automatically adds security and privacy. Use it to secure existing apps or brand-new projects. Protect yourself and your users from the liability of hosting personal data by checking out OpenSecret.

Enjoy private AI Chat 🤘

@ 2f4550b0:95f20096

My family and I are wrapping up a relocation from Phoenix, AZ to Austin, TX. I went ahead to get keys to our rental house, meet the movers with our household goods, and generally get as many things ready on the Austin side as possible. My husband stayed behind with our boys to wrap up the AZ house and settle things there. Our experiences over the past few weeks have got me thinking about partnership, project management, and big life changes.

This move would not have been possible without the full partnership that my husband and I have in our marriage. Division of labor is real, and in the context of a relocation it’s vital to get everything done. We trust each other to divide and conquer the myriad tasks and responsibilities necessary. He supervised packers and movers to work on the AZ house; I met them when they arrived in Austin and supervised the move-in. He managed the property management requirements at the AZ rental house; I got the keys and have managed the property management procedures and move-in for Austin. He’s taking care of our current vehicle and handling the road trip from Phoenix to Austin; I bought a second vehicle that I can use to commute. I scheduled the cleaners, landscapers, and carpet cleaning for the AZ house; he supervised the work when the crews arrived. This kind of partnership not only takes care of all the duties, it edifies the relationship we have in our marriage. The care and trust we both show means so much to both of us!

Relocation is also a project, “a series of structured tasks, activities, and deliverables that are carefully executed to achieve a desired outcome” with a specific start and end. Managing this move has been marked by two long to-do lists of tasks for me and my husband and a series of important milestones that we’ve celebrated along the way. We used our calendar to map out the timelines for each phase of the work, we assigned roles and tasks, and we identified risks and dependencies. We enlisted vendor support for many of the tasks, and supervised their efforts while we completed our own. We never got as far as creating a true Gantt chart for the project, but I certainly thought of the phases of our move in that framework.

This move marks the start of a new phase in our family life, which has been marked by a series of big life changes. Since our marriage, these have included living in a number of places, the births of our two sons, and job changes. With this relocation, we get to experience life in a new part of the world and set up our boys for their launch into adulthood. This is exciting, and also a bit daunting. But I’m proud of our efforts to start 2025 off with a bang!

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

In the dynamic world of cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin stands as a pioneering force, a digital currency that has revolutionized the concept of money. Central to its operation and success is a term often heard but not always fully understood: the Bitcoin hashrate. This metric is much more than a technical jargon; it's the heartbeat of the Bitcoin network, powering its transactions, securing its blockchain, and influencing its standing in the market. In this exploration, we delve into the depths of the Bitcoin hashrate, unraveling its complexities and revealing its profound impact on the cryptocurrency market. The hashrate is a window into the soul of Bitcoin, offering insights into its health, efficiency, and future potential. It's a story that intertwines technology, economics, and community, painting a vivid picture of Bitcoin's place in the digital age.

Table Of Content

• Understanding Bitcoin Hashrate

• The Role of Hashrate in Network Security

• Hashrate and Decentralization

• Economic Implications for Miners

• Impact on Bitcoin's Market Value

• The Future of Bitcoin's Hashrate

• Conclusion

• FAQs

Understanding Bitcoin Hashrate

The Bitcoin hashrate is the powerhouse of the Bitcoin network, a measure of the collective computational effort used to mine and process transactions. It's akin to the horsepower of an engine, driving the network forward. Each hash is a solution to a cryptographic puzzle, and the hashrate signifies the speed at which these puzzles are solved. As Bitcoin's popularity soars, so does the hashrate, reflecting an ever-increasing number of miners vying to validate transactions and create new blocks. This growth is not just a testament to Bitcoin's popularity but also a marker of its robustness and resilience in the face of challenges. The hashrate is a dynamic indicator, fluctuating with the ebb and flow of the network's activity, mirroring the collective effort of thousands of miners around the globe. It's a testament to the decentralized nature of Bitcoin, where no single entity controls the network, but rather a collective effort secures it.

The Role of Hashrate in Network Security

Bitcoin's security is its cornerstone, and the hashrate is its shield. In the realm of digital currencies, security threats like the 51% attack loom large, where an entity could potentially take control of the network. However, a high hashrate acts as a formidable barrier, making such attacks not just difficult but economically unfeasible. It's a game of numbers; the higher the hashrate, the more distributed the computational power, and the safer the network. This security is not static but a dynamic force that evolves with the network's growth, adapting to new challenges and fortifying Bitcoin's position as a secure digital asset. The hashrate is a beacon of trust, assuring users and investors alike that the network is robust and resistant to manipulation. It's a critical factor in maintaining the integrity of the blockchain, ensuring that transactions are processed securely and reliably.

Hashrate and Decentralization

Decentralization is the soul of Bitcoin, and the hashrate is a reflection of this principle. A decentralized network is less prone to manipulation and control by any single entity, and a high hashrate is indicative of a broad, diverse miner base. This diversity is not just a matter of numbers but a testament to the egalitarian ethos of Bitcoin, where anyone, anywhere, can contribute to the network's upkeep. As the hashrate grows, it weaves a stronger web of participants, each adding to the network's resilience and ensuring its democratic nature. The hashrate is a symbol of the power of the collective, a force that transcends geographical and political boundaries, uniting people under the banner of a decentralized financial system. It's a testament to the vision of Bitcoin's creators, a network that is not just secure and efficient but also open and inclusive.

Economic Implications for Miners

For miners, the hashrate is a beacon guiding their economic journey. It's a delicate balance of power, cost, and reward. As the hashrate climbs, so does the difficulty of mining, a self-regulating mechanism ensuring the network's stability. Miners must constantly adapt, balancing the costs of advanced hardware and energy against the potential rewards of new Bitcoins and transaction fees. This ever-shifting landscape is not just a challenge but an opportunity for innovation, driving miners to seek more efficient and sustainable ways to contribute to the network. The hashrate is a measure of opportunity and challenge, a dance of economics and technology where miners play a crucial role. It's a dynamic ecosystem where the fittest survive, adapting to the ever-changing landscape of Bitcoin mining.

Impact on Bitcoin's Market Value

The hashrate's influence extends beyond the technical realm into the market. While it doesn't directly dictate Bitcoin's price, it's a barometer of network health and investor confidence. A robust hashrate signals a thriving, secure network, attracting investors and bolstering Bitcoin's market position. It's a subtle yet powerful force, shaping perceptions and influencing decisions in the cryptocurrency market. As Bitcoin continues to evolve, the hashrate stands as a key indicator of its vitality and appeal to the market. The hashrate and market value are intertwined in a complex dance, where the health of the network reflects and influences investor sentiment. It's a symbiotic relationship, where each aspect feeds into and strengthens the other.

The Future of Bitcoin's Hashrate

As we look to the future, the Bitcoin hashrate remains a critical aspect of the cryptocurrency's journey. It's not just a measure of computational power but a symbol of the network's evolution, a testament to its strength and a predictor of its potential. The hashrate's trajectory mirrors Bitcoin's own path: ever upward, facing challenges, adapting, and growing stronger. It's a journey not just of technology but of community, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of a decentralized financial future. The hashrate is a narrative of progress, a story of how a decentralized network can grow, adapt, and thrive in the ever-changing landscape of digital currencies. It's a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of collective effort in shaping the future of finance.

Conclusion

The Bitcoin hashrate is more than a technical metric; it's the lifeblood of the Bitcoin ecosystem. It encapsulates the network's security, decentralization, economic dynamics, and market influence. As Bitcoin continues to navigate the complex landscape of digital currencies, its hashrate will remain a key indicator of its health and success. It's a story of collective effort, technological innovation, and the relentless pursuit of a decentralized, secure financial future. The hashrate is not just a number; it's the pulse of Bitcoin, beating strongly as it leads the charge in the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrencies. It's a symbol of resilience, a testament to the enduring power of a decentralized network, and a beacon of hope for a future where financial systems are open, secure, and accessible to all.

FAQs

What is Bitcoin hashrate? The Bitcoin hashrate is the total computational power used to mine and process transactions on the Bitcoin network, measured in hashes per second.

Why is the Bitcoin hashrate important? It's crucial for network security, indicating the difficulty of performing a 51% attack, and reflects the network's decentralization and health.

How does the hashrate affect Bitcoin miners? A higher hashrate increases the difficulty of mining, impacting the profitability and efficiency of mining operations.

Does the Bitcoin hashrate influence its market value? While not directly affecting the price, a strong hashrate can boost investor confidence, potentially influencing Bitcoin's market value.

Can the Bitcoin hashrate predict the future of the cryptocurrency? The hashrate is a key indicator of Bitcoin's health and can provide insights into its future potential and stability.

That's all for today

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DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.

@ 86cf3742:678e3ae8

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of dairy farming with JR Burdick, a former conventional dairy farmer turned raw milk producer. JR shares his journey from following the traditional dairy farming system to becoming an independent raw milk seller, breaking away from industry norms and regulations. He recounts the challenges he faced, including dealing with stray voltage that decimated his herd, a lengthy legal battle with an electric company, and the emotional and financial toll it took on his family.

JR also discusses the impact of industry regulations, such as the mandatory check-off programs and the pressures from dairy cooperatives, which led him to question the sustainability and ethics of the conventional dairy system. His story is one of resilience and transformation as he navigates the complexities of direct-to-consumer sales, the challenges of marketing raw milk, and the importance of maintaining integrity in his farming practices.

Throughout the conversation, JR offers insights into the broader agricultural landscape, touching on issues like government subsidies, the consolidation of the dairy industry, and the role of technology and innovation in farming. He also shares his thoughts on the future of agriculture, the potential of Bitcoin as a financial tool for farmers, and the importance of preserving traditional farming knowledge.

This episode is a compelling exploration of the struggles and triumphs of a farmer who dared to defy the status quo and forge a new path in the world of agriculture.

link to the original content

@ 94321ee8:8957f43d

Nostr Writer

Estoy probando Nostr Writer, el plugin que permite publicar desde Obsidian.md. Esta es una publicación de prueba, para ver ==como reacciona Nostr== con los códigos Markdown.

@ c3b2802b:4850599c

Dear sisters and brothers, I have been born in a country without any religion. As a young adult I understood that a life without spirituality does not make sense. Today, 50 years later, I am convinced that the family of creation consists of divine beings with the potential to unfold endless love - independently of the controversies between singular religions.

Each of us human beings is full of divine sparks which may strengthen each moment during our life the fire of love and compassion toward all living beings in the universe. These divine sparks may feed the eternal dance of creation.

Religion and science have converged during the last centuries: Divine spirit is the driving force of all happenings in our universe. Buddha, Plato, Jesus Christ, Kabir, Guru Nanak, Albert Schweitzer and recently many Nobel Price winning physicists have expressed the same conviction:

We are divine creators of the paradise resulting from genesis on this planet within the living universe. Looking around the world these days, however, we observe harm, hunger, dissence, struggle and war.

How does this coexist – the potential to create the paradise on the one hand – and the destructive forces leading to a multitude of catastrophes? May be you like the following way to interprete what is going on actually:

We are born to be tested in a learning adventure of evolution within the cosmos. The life of each of us is an examination checking whether we are ripe for creating the paradise.

Each generation of human beings has the chance to reach the tipping point. Possibly todays generation, all of us sitting here, might overcome the centennial struggle on details of diverse religions and worldviews. If we today conjointly remember our potential as divine beings to create a peaceful and well balanced world - then we can make the next step of cosmic evolution – charcterized by love, peace and respect for all forms of life:

We may give now birth to a new chapter in the process of evolution. The time might be ripe these days. Let me give some illustrations for my optimism based on my work of the past 30 years in Germany: 30 years ago in my country most of all fuels for electricity and heating were imported. All German villages depended existially from international trusts supplying nuclear and fossil energy. The great majority of Germans relied on imported fossile or nuclear fuels. Today, 30 years later, we count 200 villages with own energy production based on regional ressources which were initiated by teams of german universities, where I have been active.

During the same time the number of similar activities aiming at a regionally organized society all over the world exploded. In many countries many local initiatives were founded organizing food production, local trade, water supply and many other fields of human needs on a regional base in fair and clean ways, without any international activities of global players like MacDonald or Monsanto.

Another world is possible – and even better, the regional society is blossoming already since decades worldwide.

A second source for my optimism is my scientific work. Humans dispose of spiritual potentials enabling us to connect with the holy spirit surrounding us since eternal times. Individuals unfolding this potential and behaving respectfully toward other beings report higher well-being as compared to other people. That empirical pattern has been found in hundreds of scientific studies all over the world. These results feed our trust, that we are on the right way with our regional initiatives like Kirpal Sagar in India, the new energy villages in Germany, the clean and fair agriculture initiatives worldwide, the open seeds movement and the many further initiatives.

Remembering Mahatma Gandhi, the great indian philosopher and politician: We do not need to fight against the players of the old world, against psychopathic people in international trusts and organizations who plan a world all of us dislike. This old structure will break down by itself.

Meanwhile we build the society we prefere: Ethically grounded communities like Kirpal Sagar, based on grace, fairness and respect between all living beings. My congratulation to the golden jubilee of this wonderful project, which may serve as a model for the whole world.

Let´s shake our hands, connect our hearts and let´s bring our souls in harmony within the cosmic concert of love!

Peter Schmuck, psychologist and regional society activist, Germany, february 5 2024.

First published at the German platform for future communities

@ da0b9bc3:4e30a4a9

Hello Stackers!

Welcome on into the ~Music Corner of the Saloon!

A place where we Talk Music. Share Tracks. Zap Sats.

So stay a while and listen.

🚨Don't forget to check out the pinned items in the territory homepage! You can always find the latest weeklies there!🚨

🚨Subscribe to the territory to ensure you never miss a post! 🚨

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/867409

@ ae6ce958:d0f02c7d

In a world dominated by overhyped tech and broken promises, DamageBDD stands apart as a Bitcoin-first revolution for developers, QA teams, and enterprises. Built on the belief that resilience, transparency, and accountability are not optional, this innovation is more than just another BDD platform—it's a tool designed to harness the unstoppable power of Bitcoin and the Lightning Network to redefine software quality and team productivity. Here's why DamageBDD will light up the Lightning Network like never before:

1. Lightning-Powered Incentives for Development

Imagine a world where developers are rewarded in sats the moment their code passes a milestone. With DamageBDD, that’s no longer a dream. We use Lightning-based escrow payments tied to milestone completions, ensuring every contributor gets instant, trustless payouts for verified work. This isn’t just about payments—this is about transforming the economics of collaboration and incentivizing excellence.

2. Real-Time Transparency Meets Bitcoin Immutability

Every BDD test, every passing milestone, and every failure is immutably recorded, showcasing the evolution of a project with a timestamped on-chain timeline. By anchoring progress to Bitcoin’s ultimate ledger of truth, DamageBDD creates a level of transparency that ensures trust—whether you're a developer, a manager, or an investor.

3. Immediate Liquidity Without Compromise

The Lightning Network enables participants to exit their locked funds through near-instant buybacks—no risk of long-term lock-ins or centralized interference. Developers and stakeholders can convert their contributions back to Bitcoin at market-close rates, minus nominal fees. This system protects value while keeping all incentives aligned with delivering quality software.

4. A Bitcoin Economy for BDD

Why settle for fiat-denominated payments or centralized intermediaries when you can build directly on Bitcoin? DamageBDD’s ecosystem ensures that every satoshi stays true to the ethos of decentralization, enabling organizations to manage projects in a way that’s fair, transparent, and resilient.

5. Scalable Adoption of High-Performance Teams

The Lightning Network isn’t just a payments rail—it’s a bridge for building relationships across borders. DamageBDD allows distributed teams to thrive, making trustless collaboration possible while fostering high-performance, Bitcoin-powered workflows.

6. Redefining ROI for Investors

Investors can now lock funds into milestone-driven escrows, ensuring ROI is directly tied to results. With DamageBDD’s Lightning-enabled payouts, there’s no waiting for endless revisions or missed deadlines—just real-time accountability, measured and delivered on a timeline that’s verifiable and immutable.

---

Bitcoiners, this is the spark.

While the fiat world struggles with inefficiency, corruption, and misaligned incentives, DamageBDD fuels the future with a Bitcoin-powered toolkit that transforms how teams work, get paid, and build trust. This isn’t just about better software—it’s about building an unstoppable Bitcoin economy where transparency reigns, quality wins, and the Lightning Network becomes the default rail for human collaboration.

DamageBDD isn’t here to gamble on hype—it’s here to build the future. Let’s light up the Lightning Network and show the world what Bitcoin-backed innovation can achieve. Are you ready to join the revolution?

@ eee391ee:8d0b97c2

Amber 3.2.0

• Fix relay connection when starting the service
• Added profile picture in the incoming requests screen when using a large screen device
• Added more event kinds translations
• Added a log with the bunker request response
• Use the relay from the request to send the response when no app is found

Download it with zap.store, Obtainium, f-droid or download it directly in the releases page

If you like my work consider making a donation

Verifying the release

In order to verify the release, you'll need to have gpg or gpg2 installed on your system. Once you've obtained a copy (and hopefully verified that as well), you'll first need to import the keys that have signed this release if you haven't done so already:

bash gpg --keyserver hkps://keys.openpgp.org --recv-keys 44F0AAEB77F373747E3D5444885822EED3A26A6D

Once you have his PGP key you can verify the release (assuming manifest-v3.2.0.txt and manifest-v3.2.0.txt.sig are in the current directory) with:

bash gpg --verify manifest-v3.2.0.txt.sig manifest-v3.2.0.txt

You should see the following if the verification was successful:

bash gpg: Signature made Fri 13 Sep 2024 08:06:52 AM -03 gpg: using RSA key 44F0AAEB77F373747E3D5444885822EED3A26A6D gpg: Good signature from "greenart7c3 <greenart7c3@proton.me>"

That will verify the signature on the main manifest page which ensures integrity and authenticity of the binaries you've downloaded locally. Next, depending on your operating system you should then re-calculate the sha256 sum of the binary, and compare that with the following hashes:

bash cat manifest-v3.2.0.txt

One can use the shasum -a 256 <file name here> tool in order to re-compute the sha256 hash of the target binary for your operating system. The produced hash should be compared with the hashes listed above and they should match exactly.

@ 0463223a:3b14d673

I still don’t have much of an idea how it all works, even after all these years. I scroll around the web looking for connection and often don’t find it. Building on the theme I wrote before, how some folks are very sure of themselves. I still don’t get it. A critique people had of me in the past was a lack of confidence. That’s a hard thing to deal with as a man. The statement is really saying you’re low status and if only this that and a third, you’d be a decent human. Cheers!

I’m a recluse. There’s been periods of life I’ve been non verbal and I’ve avoided social interaction a lot. On the flip, I got quite good at wiggling records about to make funny noises and this enabled me to involve myself in music in various was, despite never being a ‘proper musician’, you know, like someone who plays a guitar or piano etc. Over a very long time frame I’ve found myself around music makers that I share common interest with, be that Dub, Hip Hop, weird noises etc. It’s funny, I now know some pretty serious players within those genres and count as few as good friends. It’s fucking mental to be honest. I’ve ticked off a number of childhood heroes, probably people you don’t know, some you would’ve definitely heard on radio but wouldn’t know their names.

I like to think I’m quite good at what I do but the confidence thing is still difficult. Had I moved to London in my youth I could've earned a lot more money, especially in the 90s when there was actually a functioning music industry but I know I can’t deal with that level of hectic so I’ve remained in small places by the sea both in the UK and abroad.

I’ve been working on an album for the best part of a year and have 4 tracks I feel happy with, at least I feel they’re a good representation of my abilities and I’ve been very lucky to have a world class player contribute bass on a couple of tracks. I don’t share the talents of my compardres but as one well known musician I toured with said to me, “I know you’re for the band”. A simple statement but that’s what mattered to him. He liked that I gave a shit about how they sounded, despite beating myself up because I often felt I was fucking their sound up big time (I didn’t let on, with the exception of one gig where EVERYTHING went wrong. I went straight to the dressing room after and flung myself at the mercy of the band apologising!).

After many years I’ve found my groove. Now I’m on this protocol called Nostr. It’s a strange place. It’s very niche, made up of money obsessed nutters. I share some of their beliefs but not all. It’s very American (is anywhere online not?) but it’s cool. I’m finding myself there more and more. I quit all major platforms in 2019. I’d learned too much nasty shit to contribute to making the companies richer. It’s weird, many people don’t seem to realise, you can stop using these platforms and they disappear. That’s the only thing giving these people power. Maybe people enjoy being milked for data? Do cows like having their teets clamped for milking? I’ve never got an answer from one…

Prior to that I found some weird internet money thing which is also becoming more popular, even the President of the USA has some (I think, he also has some other funny tokens and appears to be scamming people big time, yet people still really dig him for some reason).

This funny money has given me something I’ve not really had before, at least since I was maybe 10. A sense of security. It’s remarkable how much more mentally stable it can make you. When I lost my last living place (usual landlord BS) I moved in with my now wife and built a shed, filled it with noise making stuff. That wouldn’t have been possible without my anger towards the banks and how our governments gave them a free pass after they fucked us all. Some deep shit happened but that’s a whole other story. This thing internet money seems to be catching on...

Now I watch higher status folks stake their claim on the world. I try to zone them out as best I can, at least when they’re telling me how successful they are for reasons and playing their status games online. I’m much more interested in learning, mostly via audio, I’ve spent more hours listening to people I disagree with online than I can keep track of. I learn what I can from them and do my best to disregard the noise and try to maintain an awareness of my biases.

I don’t want to agree with everyone here. The moment I do, I know I’m doing something wrong.

They’ll be someone reading this, maybe you, thinking this is utter cringe. Fair enough, I’m not here for you, I’m looking for cool noise makers and weird people to hang with. Clearly this is self indulgent bollocks but fuck it, I’ll put it on this Nostr thing anyway.

@ 0463223a:3b14d673

I wrote this article back in 2019 but I wanted to see how it stood up today. Since writing this I’ve been diagnosed with autism. However, I question this. For sure I’ve gone through lots of ups and downs in life. Some issues probably due to childhood trauma, others due to drugs etc. but I still ask if is a natural response to bullshit.

I don’t write this to belittle any problems anyone has and the autism spectrum disorder is real (but not disorder to me). When the whole population gets diagnosed as neurodivergent what next?

If you need help, get help. I write this as a person trying to get off the drugs prescribed to me many years ago. Something I’m finding difficult but I will do it…

From 2019

A large part of the adult population in the Western World are mad, mental, bonkers, have lost their marbles and are totally insane. Well, that’s at least according to the World Health Organisation A recent WHO report stated one in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. And there’s a very high chance that you, the reader, are completely off your rocker. Mental Health is the buzzphrase of our times. It’s on the TV, the radio and all over the internet. The UK’s Prime Minister goes on TV to state how big the problem is and just how very seriously she takes it and we’re assured the government are working extremely hard to tackle it. However, the rhetoric never amounts to anything, as anyone seeking genuine help will attest. Help is hard to come by. Doctors prescribe pills to subdue the wrong thoughts, but nothing else. No long term solutions, just keep taking the pills. Hundreds of thousands of adults are medicated in this way and now, more worryingly, are many children. So it’s vital to talk about it. It’s permanently Mentalspeng Awareness Day or Tell Facebacon Your Neurologicalwankfuck Week. It’s even become quite fashionable, with regular treats from celebrities telling of their darkest moments and how they nearly didn’t get that huge Hollywood deal because they woke up feeling sad and unhappy one winter morning. If you’re a fruit-loop tell everyone. It will be ok… Tell them about the time you were going to drive your car off a cliff and ended up in hospital after a particularly long conversation with The Samaritans. Great stuff! Tell them about the regular, uncontrollable urges to slash yourself with a Stanley knife or any other sharp object close to hand. Awesome! Tell them about how you smash yourself repeatedly in the head, sometimes with a heavy object, as you can no longer deal with the stress and frustration of being disempowered by situations completely out of your control. Cool! Tell them how you feel trapped by an increasingly expensive housing market and how you have zero financial security. Brilliant! Or maybe just tell them that sometimes you can’t get out of bed and you don’t know why or that you panic uncontrollably for no reason. Skills! Tell the world! We’re so understanding of mental health issues these days, just raise more awareness and everything will be fine, we’re here for you man/woman! (and yes, we might need to sell this information on to the appropriate persons, future employers, insurance companies or government agencies etc.). After all, we’re all good people right? Tell everyone you’re mad and they’ll understand. They’ll think of the time you were a dick and they’ll say “Ahh, poor sod, you know he’s a mental don’t you”. Well frankly no. The world is full of cunts and whilst the people close to you will be sympathetic, as far as wider society goes, you’ll be marked, your position compromised and your word will not be trusted. I mean who knows, maybe you’re delusional, perhaps you’re about to rampage through town wielding a knife or driving your car into a crowded supermarket… But hold up…. One in every four of us is mental?! Is that really the case? Let’s think about this for a second. When did 25% of the population become a massive neurospeng? This wasn’t the case 30 years ago, a quarter of the population weren’t mad. There wasn’t the vast array of medications available these days; Prozac, Sertraline, Citralopram, Promethazine, Venlafaxine, Amiltryptaline, to name a few (there are many, many more). It’s clear that a lot of people aren’t feeling right but how come the suicide rates are higher now than they were 30 years ago? If we’re all so much more aware and well medicated, surely rates would be going down? Perhaps you were diagnosed as a mental because you responded negatively to events happening around you? Maybe you’re working increasingly longer hours for less money. Perhaps the terms of your work changed drastically and you no longer feel secure. Maybe you lost jobs because of funding cut backs. Perhaps you’re in despair because your friend took their own life when their job was cut in an austerity drive. Suicide is the most horrible thing which ever way you look at it. You strip a person of their purpose and they react with the most extreme act of self violence, causing an unbelievable amount of emotional distress for those left to pick up the pieces… And so we say, “Ahh but you understand, they were mad… They were fucking mental, they lost control of their senses, it such a terrible shame but they were mad you know”. Bullshit. The term Mental Health removes all responsibility from the structures creating an environment where people are deemed no longer of value or viable human beings. But maybe you were angry because you were told by politicians that you need to live within your means, whilst those in large financial institutions increased their wealth exponentially? The world economy crashed in 2008 and there’s no money. Eh? The governments of printed more and more money, but there’s no money for you, you cunt. Perhaps it was packed aboard a spaceship and is now hurtling towards Mars! (mad people tend to think like this, after all it couldn’t be that the money was stolen). Maybe you got angry with the blatant corruption from those in public life? Politicians shout loudly that they’re for the people but will pocket pay rises, local council officials bully members of the public and make threats to cut funding . This can be done with total with total impunity, as the structures put in place to control such actions cover up any wrong doing. You see the powerful can not and will not be challenged. There is no pathway to justice. When the fire at Grenfell happened, it was clear for all to see that the housing association, council and big business were at fault, but no, blame was heaped on the lone fire officer who had the awful task of managing two lowly fire engines in London’s biggest fire since World War II. At the time my local Member of Parliament response was “the flats were refurbished to a very high standard”. We shouldn’t lay blame at those in power, we cannot have any fault with the establishment. I bet that poor fire officer was a mental too… When discussing mental health we’re not talking about a brain injury or unfortunate illness. There’s extreme difficulty coping with the world but it’s not madness and it’s not a delusion. It’s a natural reaction to bullshit. We’re are completely surrounded by bullshit, on the internet bullshit, on the TV bullshit, in the work place bullshit, from our leaders bullshit etc. etc. The world is running on massive excess levels of bullshit. And this is the natural emotional response to bullshit. Mental Health is used to invalidate the anger, freeing the powerful from responsibility and laying blame squarely at the individuals door. In the meantime, piece by piece, the powerful steal everything we’ve ever owned. So next time someone says to you raise awareness about mental health, maybe tell them to fuck off. Either that or tell them you’re flying to the Moon to have tea with Kim Jong Un and Barney The Dinosaur. Fuck mental health. *Image used without permission of Barney The Dinosaur.

@ e373ca41:b82abcc5

---

This article by Milosz Matuschek first appeared in German in his publication "Freischwebende Intelligenz".

---

It's working! Or is it? Trump's inauguration casted its shadow in the last weeks already and produced the first big upsets. Meta/Facebook cancelled their squad of fact-checkers and will rely (like X) on community comments in future. Wokistan is unwound. Zuckerberg now presents himself as an advocate of free speech, declaring a “return to principles”.

For those who believe it, Zuckerberg is an opportunist who gave in to the Biden administration and its deletion requests during Covid without much resistance (after having given 400 mio. USD through intermediary organizations into Bidens campaign), regardless of whether it was about masks or later about “vaccinations”. His Canossa walk to Rogan does not change the fact that he betrayed his own principles and deleted millions of critical profiles, channels and groups, including groups in which Facebook users discussed vaccine damage. Where are the profiles? Are they back? Zuckerberg played Ministry of Truth and is now quoting Orwell and toeing the Musk line. This is what a driven man looks like, not a man of conviction. The mainstream is shocked and is already labeling Facebook as a new hate portal. When will the accusation of anti-Semitism kick in?

https://x.com/TheBabylonBee/status/1876683974560350626

The Musk effect

All of these are gestures of submission to the new ruler of public opinion: Elon Musk. He owns the largest network for "free speech", he himself is its biggest influencer and is recalibrating what can be said in public. His journeyman's piece was Trump's election victory. Changing the political mood in the world could be his masterpiece.

For a long time, he admittedly did this extremely skillfully. He tweeted about the deep state, Soros and Gates, the population collapse, compulsory vaccination, etc. and got on well with the critical scene, some of whom are now all too submissively trying to recognize their new messiah in him. Musk throws his media spotlight on topics that the newspapers remain silent about and gave politicians underrepresented in the mainstream, such as Alice Weidel (opposition leader in Germany, AfD), a forum.

Musk has repeatedly brought the Epstein case and paedophile scandals, such as in England (Rotherham, Oxford), into the media spotlight. Pakistani gangs abused minors and children there for years; anyone reading the verdict will need strong nerves. In Austria, a trial for gang abuse of a 12-year-old girl has just ended with an acquittal. The judges believe she wanted it that way. During the trial, the defendant put a hundred Euro note on the table for the victim's lawyer, which is what mocking “reparation” looks like. In “our democracy” in Germany, sentences are handed down on a piecework basis for ludicrous “insults to politicians”.

Musk is de facto the most powerful man in the world (satellites, SpaceX, Mars, Tesla, mRNA vaccination routes, Pentagon connections, X..,). Where so much power is involved, megalomania is not far away. He is acting increasingly clumsily.

It is currently confirming for all to see the cliché that politics is basically the entertainment department of industry. Even in “our democracy”, the bosses of the world have always chosen their political generals, who are interchangeable. In the case of Bill Gates, George Soros & Son etc., the executive was the woke nomenklatura right up to the EU. With Musk, it is the new, right-wing conservative nomenklatura.

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Musk smooches Meloni, interviews Alice Weidel, auditions Farage (and cancels again: “doesn't have what it takes”). The Weidel interview was certainly a necessary corrective to the current media asymmetry (and no one should be able to deny access to a source of information). There is no doubt that the second strongest party in the German mainstream media does not have a fair chance to convey its content. Talk shows, if there are invitations to AfD politicians at all, are public inquisition events with calls for self-criticism.

But the Musk-Weidel talk was not journalism either. It was a public casting event, a kind of “Apprentice” on X. Or have you seen a journalist anywhere? A platform operator and a politician tapped each other a bit and confirmed each other. All this is already bringing the EU onto the scene, Thierry Breton is already waving the possible annulment of the elections in Germany. An oligarch is unmasking the EU oligarchy and both want to do it for democracy, what a world...

"Which piggy would you like?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiwkYCFD6EA

So asked Robert Lembke some decades ago in the German TV show “What am I?”: And that's supposed to be the choice now: Pick your favorite oligarch or next slave owner. In the end, every big tech business model is based on advertising and data mining. Zuckerberg, Musk & Co. sell identity, friendship, memories and ultimately your content. Twitter also wanted to buy Substack and got “Revue”. The customer (aka the product) is sold to the advertising industry, Zuckerberg potentially knows each of his users down to their character traits (unknown even to the user) (check: www.applymagicsauce.com). Like in the 80s movie with Arnie, this is a kind of “running man”, a gladiator game in front of an assembled world audience.

Whoever wins attention for themselves (and the platform) wins back a small amount of freedom and even earns something in the process. Musk recently changed his X name to “Kekius Maximus” (whereupon memecoins of the same name immediately sprang up, to each ruler his own currency), reminiscent of the gladiator Maximus from the film of the same name by Ridley Scott. The gladiator's owner told him: “Win the crowd and you win your freedom”. Not much has changed since ancient Rome. As the world's top meme maker with the greatest reach, Musk also has the greatest influence on social moods. No content is more viral and memorable than memes. The winner here is the one with the highest level of replication. That's what Musk does.

The changes we are currently seeing are just the beginning, both positive and (possibly) negative. The first effect is already visible: Wokistan is withdrawing from platforms that are not ideologically curated. Fearing accusations of contact guilt, they obediently throw themselves off the nearest cliff and voluntarily curtail their own reach; the last example was “Watson.ch” from Switzerland, a journalistically narrow-chested list and click medium for chai latte sippers from Bern and Zurich. Will the “X-itus” be followed by the great unfriending of Facebook? There won't be much left, Tiktok also ticked to the right beat by their standards (as long as it's not against China). The next place of mercy for Woke is called Bluesky, where there is neither hate nor agitation, right?

It must be clear to everyone now: The result of liberation by others is never freedom, but new dependence. What has not been fought for is always a continuation of neo-feudalism and (virtual) serfdom in a different form. The tools for regaining freedom have long been in our hands. What separates us from freedom is ultimately only comfort.

The book “The Sovereign Individual” was recently translated into German. It was written over 25 years ago.

Read it!

---

Join the marketplace of ideas! We are building a publishing ecosystem on Nostr for citizen-journalism, starting with a client for blogging and newsletter distribution. Sound money and sound information should finally be in the hands of the people, right? Want to learn more about the Pareto Project? Zap me, if you want to contribute (all Zaps go to the project).

Are you a publication or journalist and want to be part of it, test us, migrate your content to Nostr? Write to team@pareto.space**

Not yet on Nostr and want the full experience? Easy onboarding via Nosta.me.

@ bbb5dda0:f09e2747

At Nostriga in the middle of last year I got introduced to TollGate, a project to resell internet access, I was fascinated and hyped for this to become a thing. Later during SEC-03 I got involved in the development of TollGate and helped work out the idea utilizing Nostr to make the experience of using a TollGate super smooth. That's where the idea started to make a cross-platform app that would autoconnect and start streaming sats to TollGates for internet access.

I'd been working on it here and there and this week I feel like I got in to the developer high (i'm sure some of you know what that feels like) and I just wanted to see the android app work! So as the week moved along I just kept being drawn in. And progress there was! The vision we had during SEC is coming to be a reality very fast.

TL;DR There's a demo video at the bottom.

Quick CI/CD update

I've been talking to DanConwayDev to work together on getting the UI for the pipelines into GitWorkshop, which would be the perfect place for it. He's in the middle of a rewrite, so when that is progressing a bit more we'll cooperate on making this part of it, stay tuned!

Whoami

I started by creating a service that would run on every TollGate router that a client can use to fetch their own MAC address that's later included in the payment. The MAC address is the anchor for the router to allow/disallow access. The problem we have on Android is that the operating system restricts access to this information. But since we control the router, we can work around it by creating a predictable endpoint that gives us back this answer.

Beacon frames

Routers use something called Beacon Frames, which are sent out regularly and it is the thing your phone looks at when scanning for wifi networks. It contains the name of the network (SSID) and a whole bunch of other stuff you don't usually see.

We're utilising these beacon frames to add some information specific to tollgates. There is a field in these beacon frames called 'vendor elements'. Which is originally only intended for use by manufacturers of routers. But ofcourse we can utilize them too. Which is exactly what we do.

I eperimented with these beacon frames to see how many of them we can broadcast. It turns out that we're limited to only one of them, but the good news is we can fit up to 249 characters (256 - a few reserved ones) in there. This is amazing because it will fit everything we need in there.

We put in: - Nostr npub - TollGate version - Gateway IP (required to get around OS limitations) - allocationType (KiB/Minutes) - price per 1024 units (eg: 104900 sats per 1024 KiB) - price units (sat)

So now any tollgate can broadcast this info, which is used by clients to decide wether or not they should connect. And if they do, where the payment should go.

Suggestions, Suggestions, Suggestions

Unfortunately, Android in the past few years has locked down the wifi api's and we can no longer fully autoconnect to networks. Instead we have to use the 'wifi suggestions' API. As the name implies, it will only suggest a nework to a user using a silent notification that they have to press to actually connect. But alas, we'll work with that and if it's the only user-action required, that's still quite okay.

It took me quite a while to figure out the way the OS handles these suggestions, but eventually I got it to work and was able to get the flow to work!

Adding the payment

Ok this part doesn't include an actual payment yet, but all the components are in place now for a (semi-)automatic tollgate connection, which is EPIC! In this version i still manually tap 'connect', but this can and will be automatic soon.

So the steps are as follows (this happens in a few seconds): - 📲 TollGate App scans for networks and filters for TollGates - 👤 User taps Connect [to be automated] - 📲 TollGate App suggests network - 👤 User taps suggestion notification to connect - 🤖 Android connects to network - 📲 TollGate App fetches it's own MAC address (whoami service on router) - 📲 TollGate App Connects to Nostr relay (running on the router) - 📲 TollGate App Sends payment - 🛜 Router receives payment (merchant module) - 🛜 Router creates session (merchant module) - 🛜 Router opens the gate for user (valve module) - 🛜 Router closes the gate for user, when purchase runs out (valve module)

I made this recording, it has a small caveat that at the end the page loaded because I was on 5g, the OS still thought the wifi network had a captive portal open. But there's an API to mark it as dismissed, which we can easily implement. So that's an issue we can overcome!

Demo video

https://cdn.satellite.earth/ede26976043a0b8edf278ea51aa0c00e721d2134c4e456928192090ea660bda0.mp4

@ 16d11430:61640947

The Millennial generation stands at a unique crossroads in history. Born into a world where traditional systems of economic and social power were firmly entrenched, they have matured in an era where those very systems are showing cracks. Nowhere is this more evident than in the rise of Bitcoin—a financial and cultural phenomenon that reflects not only technological progress but also the profound sociopsychological struggles of a generation attempting to wrest autonomy from the aging custodians of power.

Prolonged Adolescence and the Deferred Quest for Autonomy

Millennials, often caricatured as perpetual adolescents, have endured an extended transition into adulthood. Saddled with unprecedented student debt, stagnant wages, and skyrocketing living costs, this generation has been systematically delayed in achieving the milestones traditionally associated with maturity—home ownership, financial independence, and generational leadership. Their prolonged adolescence was not born of laziness or indulgence but of structural barriers, many of which were crafted and perpetuated by the Baby Boomer generation.

Bitcoin represents a symbolic and literal breaking away from these constraints. The decentralized cryptocurrency is, in essence, a rejection of the financial institutions that Millennials perceive as oppressive. It offers an alternative to a system that has kept them financially infantilized, tethered to debt, and locked out of wealth-building opportunities. Embracing Bitcoin is not merely an economic act—it is a psychological declaration of independence.

The Boomer Legacy and the Daunting Task of Succession

The Baby Boomers, who rose to dominance in an era of postwar economic growth, have remained the gatekeepers of wealth and power well into their senior years. This has created an intergenerational bottleneck: Millennials find themselves poised to inherit a world that is increasingly unsustainable, while also confronting the inertia of a generation reluctant to relinquish control. The sociopsychological impact of this dynamic is profound. For Millennials, the act of "growing up" has become synonymous with the Herculean task of dismantling or reforming entrenched systems.

Bitcoin’s narrative of decentralization, transparency, and individual sovereignty resonates deeply with Millennials because it offers a vision of empowerment. It provides a means of bypassing the gatekeepers—of creating value and financial freedom outside the confines of legacy institutions. Psychologically, this represents a vital step in the developmental journey: the move from dependency to self-reliance, from frustration to agency.

Weaning from the Teat: Financial and Emotional Independence

The metaphor of weaning is particularly apt for understanding the Millennial relationship with Bitcoin and the broader financial landscape. For much of their lives, Millennials have been financially dependent—on parents, on government programs, on an economic system that rewards conformity and punishes risk. Bitcoin is the ultimate tool for "weaning" this generation off the teat of dependency. It demands financial literacy, discipline, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty—all hallmarks of psychological maturity.

However, this journey is not without its challenges. The volatility of cryptocurrency markets mirrors the emotional turbulence of late adulthood, where the quest for independence often involves trial, error, and occasional failure. Millennials are learning, through Bitcoin, the hard truths of self-governance: that freedom is inseparable from responsibility, and that control cannot be wrested from others without first mastering oneself.

The Psychology of Late Adulthood in a Transitional World

Late adulthood, for Millennials, is marked by a dual psychological burden: the need to create a new world while still living in the shadow of the old. This is not merely a financial or technological challenge—it is a deeply existential one. Bitcoin, as both a tool and a symbol, encapsulates the struggle to bridge these worlds. It offers hope, but it also demands courage.

The generational shift from Boomers to Millennials is not just a passing of the torch; it is a seismic cultural shift. Millennials are redefining the very meaning of adulthood in the 21st century, and Bitcoin is a cornerstone of this redefinition. By rejecting the centralized systems of their predecessors, they are building a future that prioritizes autonomy, equity, and resilience.

Conclusion: Bitcoin as the Rite of Passage

In clinical terms, rites of passage are critical for psychological growth. They mark the transition from one stage of life to another, providing both challenge and transformation. For Millennials, Bitcoin is not just a financial instrument; it is a rite of passage. It is the means by which they assert their adulthood, reclaim their autonomy, and begin to dismantle the structures that have held them back.

In the broader context of human development, the rise of Bitcoin may be seen as a pivotal moment in the collective psyche—a moment when a generation, long delayed in its coming-of-age, finally steps into its power. The journey is fraught with uncertainty, but it is also rich with possibility. And as with all rites of passage, the true transformation lies not in the destination but in the courage to undertake the journey.

@ 59c2e15a:d25e6e8d

Note: I originally wrote these essays on bitcoin and yoga in 2022 after completing my yoga teacher training and going deep down the bitcoin rabbit hole. I then published them to my Ghost blog in 2023. I decided to repost them here on Nostr to start 2025 to further spread the wisdom and timelessness that bitcoin and yoga share. I split my original essay into seven parts, and I will add an eighth comparing yoga and Nostr. I hope you enjoy part one - namaste!

Part I: Bitcoin and Yoga Shared Values

Part II: Mythical/Mystical Origins

Part III: Evolution of Money and Yoga

Part IV: Ashtanga Yoga - The Eight Limbs of Yoga (limbs 1-2)

Part V: Ashtanga Yoga - The Eight Limbs of Yoga (limbs 3-8)

Part VI: Bitcoin is Dharma

Part VII: Himalayan Kriya Yoga

Introduction

With each passing day, month, and year, it feels as though our human civilization is becoming more dysfunctional, untethered, and unsustainable. Individuals are working harder, longer hours, yet most remain stuck in place, goals farther from reach. We live in a world where many have outsourced the most critical task that has enabled humans to prosper – critical thinking. I challenge each one of you to remove preconceived notions you might have about Bitcoin or Yoga before reading this series. I invite you to enter with an open mind. Think for yourself – you are welcome to agree or disagree with the information and arguments I put forth.

I also encourage you to go beyond thinking – feel. Use your intuition to understand if the way you’re living your day-to-day life feels good to you, or if you have sense, an inner knowing that something is off with our society today – that there can be a better way. If you open your heart and mind to receiving new information, there is potential to motivate yourself to change your thoughts and behaviors for more aligned action towards individual sovereignty. Every individual can choose freedom and independence. Yet it has become increasingly difficult to live a life of freedom due to the fiat system of inflation and the many distractions that keep us from going inward. After deep study and reflection, I believe bitcoin and yoga both provide the individual control over their own life journey, and frameworks to understand our connection to self and others.

I'm excited to share what I have found in my own personal experience, and hope to spark curiosity within you to follow your passion. This writing is intended for anyone seeking tools to lead a life of freedom, make positive changes and deepen your understanding of self. In addition, it is written for yogis who want to learn about bitcoin, bitcoiners who want to learn more about yoga, and anyone who is interested in a fundamental understanding of these topics that I believe contain the potential to transform your life.

Part I: Bitcoin and Yoga Shared Values

Bitcoin and yoga share many fundamental values with one another and provide deep wisdom on guiding individuals towards living better and more meaningful lives. Ultimately bitcoin and yoga share the goal of individual liberation, freedom from suffering, and a deep inner, lasting peace in Being. In yoga, this state is called moksha or samadhi. I believe everyone has a true essence, an inner being that knows what is best. However, our external environment and our own conscious mind push us away from this serenity, leading to regrets about the past or anxieties about the future. This perspective of linear time and our own individual stories and identity damage our ability to stay present in the Now, leading to endless distractions. In similar ways, bitcoin and yoga provide us insight for an individual’s path to inner peace, as well as for humanity’s path to collective peace and prosperity.

Energy

At the most elemental level, energy is the force underlying both bitcoin and yoga. Energy is the universal currency of life. We would not exist without energy. We require physical energy to fuel our cells and bodies to perform essential tasks like breathing, circulation, digestion, and movement. We perceive many forms of energy such as light or sound waves, yet there are many energy wavelengths we are not able to or are not trained to perceive.

Bitcoin is powered by physical energy in the real world in a process that secures the network and unlocks new bitcoin for distribution, a process commonly referred to as mining. Interestingly, 100 years ago, Henry Ford pushed for an energy-linked currency measured in kilowatt hours that could bring peace after a brutal World War, as seen in the New York Tribune headline and article December 4, 1921: ‘Ford Would Replace Gold with Energy Currency and Stop Wars’ (i). It took another century, but mankind has finally developed a digitally-native currency tied to the physical world through energy expenditure – bitcoin.

Yoga is similarly rooted in energy that individuals tap into through breathwork, physical movement and meditations practices. This life-force energy is known in Sanskrit as prana. Prana is not bound by time or space, and it flows through individuals in over 72,000 nadis, or channels. There are three main nadis - the first is ida, our left side body which corresponds to the feminine, receiving energy, or the moon. On the right side is pingala, relating to our masculine, giving energy, or the sun. The central nadi runs through our shushumna, linking our seven main energetic centers, known as chakras. These chakras run from the base of the tail bone, up through the spine and the top of the head. Each chakra has a name, a color and key characteristics that can often become blocked through negative emotion, trauma or stress in the body. Different yogic practices target these energy centers to unlock what is stuck and enable energy to more freely flow through us in an open exchange with the earth and out the universe. This energy is ever-present; one need only to tap into this energy, feel it and utilize it for the strengthening of one’s inner being that then radiates outwards on others in your life. The energetic experience and upward surge can also be referred to as kundalini energy, a creative power of divine feminine energy that originates in the muladara chakra at the base of the spine.

Depiction of our chakras and nadis (image source)

Proof of Work

In both Bitcoin and Yoga, "proof of work" is required to operate, practice and move forwards. In the Bitcoin network as described in the original white paper, miners contribute tangible energy towards running a hashing algorithm on a computer – SHA256 – to earn the right to add the next block to the blockchain and collect both the coinbase and transaction fee reward (ii). The work is difficult to produce but easy to validate by others. Miners are collecting all of the valid peer-to-peer transactions being propagated to the network and establishing them as truth into the distributed ledger. The rules in bitcoin’s code incentivize honest behavior from miners through unforgeable costliness – if a miner were to lie about any of the transactions it includes in a block, independent nodes in the network would reject the block, and the miner would have lost all the real resources it expended to solve the proof of work calculation.

Example of an ASIC - a specialized computer solely dedicated to mining bitcoin.

In yoga, dedicated work is needed to learn the asanas, postures, and practice for oneself; you won’t just be able to go upside down or flow through sun salutations without first learning proper alignment and breathing techniques. An individual needs to conscious decision to work on a daily yoga practice that requires energy to flow. There are several ways to work on your yoga practice beyond physical movement; these include bhakti yoga (devotion/prayer), jnana yoga (study/wisdom), karma yoga(selfless action) and raja yoga (ashtanga). Raja yoga includes ashtanga, the eight limbs or paths of yoga that Patanjali detailed \~2000 years ago that we will explore in more depth in part IV. These ancient margas (paths) and subsequent development of these ancient teachings provides individual with ample opportunity to dedicate and work towards individual enlightenment.

Decentralization

Next, there are no external barriers preventing an individual from participating in Bitcoin or yoga. Bitcoin does not discriminate and can be accessed by anyone around the world. Yoga provides a way of life full of mindfulness and appreciation. The only barriers are internal blockages, or unwillingness to ask questions, learn and take responsibility for oneself and state of being. Therefore, Bitcoin and yoga can both be defined as decentralized. There are no centralized gatekeepers preventing one from accessing the Bitcoin network or using bitcoin as money; anyone can spin up a node, download a wallet or mine bitcoin. There are over 16,000 nodes geographically distributed around the world voluntarily running the bitcoin core software code establishing the payment network, validating transactions and storing the entire transaction history of bitcoin (iii). It costs as little as a few hundred dollars and requires less than 600 gigabytes of storage to run a node – in 2023 you can find mobile phones with that much storage. No one can prevent you from sending a peer-to-peer transaction or storing your own wealth with 12 words in your head – you need only decide to take true freedom into your own hands and learn how to do so (iv). The common maxim is “don’t trust, verify”. You don’t need someone else’s permission to participate in bitcoin or trust anyone else (eg, banks) to hold your wealth.

Geographic distribution of reachable bitcoin nodes (source: bitnodes)

Similarly, no one can stop an individual from practicing yoga, learning yogic philosophy or connecting with one’s truest self and inner guru. Anyone can choose to follow the path of yoga, focus on ones breath or develop a strong asana practice. There are many different ways to learn and interact with yoga, with experienced teachers willing to share their lessons to students all over the world. One need to simply find yoga studio, enroll in a teacher training or and engage with a teacher to experience yoga for themselves. Yoga looks and feels different depending on what country you are in or in which lineage you are being taught. Tapping into these profound lessons, as fundamental as controlling ones own breath, requires only an individual desire and the conscious decision to act. There’s no CEO or central authority dictating how Bitcoin or yoga has to be. Individuals have the freedom to express themselves voluntarily guided by frameworks we will dive into deeper.

Low Time Preference

Another core value that bitcoin and yoga share is low time preference. In Austrian economics, time preference refers to individual decision making. An individual with a low time preference makes decisions with greater consideration of the future, quieting immediate cravings and desires to pursue a higher goal (v). In bitcoin and money, lower time preference decisions include putting off consumption to save value for the future. Unfortunately, our fiat (by government decree) system induces individuals to make high time preference decisions, heightening consumerism and poor habits today that we see rampant in our society. There is a disincentive to save, as inflation of the money supply leads to debasing value of the dollar and other fiat currencies, decreasing individuals purchasing power of cash they hold onto and don’t spend soon. For example, the purchasing power of your dollar today will be cut in half over the next decade at current levels of inflation. In many ways, bitcoin is time, described brilliantly by Gigi, as it creates a decentralized clock that establishes consensus with each block (vi).

In contrast, the hard cap supply of 21 million bitcoin enables individuals to save with the knowledge that governments and central banks will not be able to debase their hard-earned value. This allows for one to plan with greater certainty, making investments that have a longer payoff period rather than chasing quick, material gains. Likewise in yoga, developing your own practice will not bear fruit right away; it takes discipline and time to continuously improve and strive towards a better future self. For example, in modern Ashtanga yoga taught by Pattabhi Jois, there is a set sequence of asanas that one studies and repeats each practice. It may even take months to have find the right alignment of body and breath for a single pose! The hours-long sequence requires dedication to practice and learn. The dedicated yogi understands that wholehearted commitment today will pay off for one’s mental, physical and spiritual health in the years to come. The ability to develop a calm mind can also be beneficial when people don’t initially understand or are intimidated by bitcoin. This approach can also enable you to stay grounded and discover the signal through the noise when learning about bitcoin.

Sequence of asanas in Jois' Ashtanga Yoga (image source)

Union

Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word “yuj”, which means ‘to join’ or ‘to unite’. Yoga represents the union of the mind, body, and soul of an individual. Yoga provides a pathway to individual sovereignty through disciplined practice and purpose. Yoga unites an individual internally and to one’s community, fostering connectedness and support (vii). Similarly, bitcoin provides a pathway to individual sovereignty in many ways. Bitcoin empowers the individual authority with property rights over one’s value, which in turn frees individuals from outside control (government or otherwise). Bitcoin’s technology enables one to hold their own wealth and life’s energy in a self-custodial fashion. Bitcoin is money that can be stored forever and transmitted through space at the speed of light on layer two via the Lightning Network.

Bitcoin is an open economic network with the potential to unite eight billion people together in a way our current unfair and fragmented financial system could never do. In many countries, a majority of people are unbanked, while intermediaries take a cut of the value to transfer slow, legacy payments like Western Union. While tens of millions people around the world have so far interacted with bitcoin – we are still early – similar to the internet of the mid-nineties. Bitcoin eliminates counter party risk associated with non-bearer assets, such as fiat currency (e.g., dollars, euros, yen). Bitcoin’s supply schedule is set and eliminates inflation time theft that fiat currency wages on individuals, which leads to anxiety and depression or feelings of hopelessness. Fiat is money enforced by the monopoly on violence that modern nation states grip tightly.

In contrast, bitcoin and yoga empower the individual to remove the shackles and embrace personal responsibility to improve ones life. Bitcoin and yoga also connect people directly to each other and tap into truth, ones inner being, bringing peace in the present and ultimately offer hope for a better future for each person, your community, and the world. Bitcoin and yoga have the power to unite humanity in love.

In the next section, we will explore both yoga and bitcoin's mystical and mythical origins.

---

Note: Bitcoin with a capital "B" generally refers to the protocol/network; bitcoin with a lower case "b" refers to the money/currency.

References:

i. Redman, Jamie, How Henry Ford Envisaged Bitcoin 100 Years Ago — A Unique 'Energy Currency' That Could 'Stop Wars', News.Bitcoin.Com, October 11, 2021 <https://news.bitcoin.com/how-henry-ford-envisaged-bitcoin-100-years-ago-a-unique-energy-currency-that-could-stop-wars/>

ii. Nakomoto, Satoshi, Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System, bitcoin.org, October 31, 2008 <https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf>

iii. https://bitnodes.io/

iv. Hall, Stephen, What is a bitcoin seed phrase and how does it work? Unchained.com. December 17, 2021 <https://unchained.com/blog/what-is-a-bitcoin-seed-phrase/>

v. Ammous, Saifedean, Making Time Preference Low Again, The Bitcoin Times, Austrian Edition (V). November 8, 2022 <https://bitcointimes.io/making-time-preference-low-again/>

vi. Gigi, Bitcoin is Time, dergigi.com. Jan 14,2021 <https://dergigi.com/2021/01/14/bitcoin-is-time/>

vii. 200 hour yoga teacher training. House of Om, Bali, Indonesia. <https://houseofom.com/>

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

TASK: Provide three solutions to one of the problems (non-technical) observed during the UX audit in Kenya.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ht9cy4ZOUw

This call was after the Bitcoin UX Bootcamp which was held in Africa at the ABC conference in 2024. 10 UX designers were selected and completed a 2 day bootcamp as well as a pre-learning phase. During the bootcamp itself they were each project leads for an open-source African bitcoin wallet. They did a UX analysis and usability testing of the wallet to understand how the user experience could be improved. Now after understanding the problem space this call was focussed on how to move from the problem space to the solution space in terms of design. A step by step process was outlined and shared with the participants.

We would greatly appreciate your feedback on these design solutions. Please feel free to share comments, suggestions, or point out any oversights in the comments below or directly on the following figma files (Figma account required, you can create a dummy one, no KYC required).

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PRODUCT: TANDO TEAM MEMBERS: @thetimileyin. @Loïc Kassamoto Figma Link: https://www.figma.com/design/LEbxbCBb2WnuneJAL5GFs7/Tando-UX-Audit?node-id=225-987&t=eePmVu0Fx8ibFaEm-4

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PRODUCT: BITSACCO TEAM MEMBERS: @afolabioluwatobiloba. @Osatuyi Figma link: https://www.figma.com/design/LYxCZLbq17vxbPNU9FTZ6d/UX-Bootcamp-group-file-(BITSACCO)?node-id=60-61&t=IEnTauLGib3SHA7T-4

---

We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you!

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/867378

@ 76c71aae:3e29cafa

When I first heard about the DOGE project, I was ready to throw my laptop out the window. The initial proposal read like a Silicon Valley libertarian fever dream - taking Musk's chaotic "move fast and break democracy" Twitter approach and unleashing it on federal agencies. Great, I thought, just what we need: more tech bros thinking they can "optimize" public institutions into oblivion.

But here's the weird thing - when you actually dig into what DOGE has morphed into, it's basically just USDS with a meme-worthy rebrand. For those not deep in the civic tech weeds, USDS was Obama's attempt to drag government technology out of the 1990s, inspired by the UK's actually-functional GDS program. And let's be real - government tech procurement is an absolute dumpster fire right now. We're talking billions wasted on projects that would make a CS101 student cringe, while the average American has to navigate websites that look like they were designed on GeoCities.

The deeply ironic thing is that Musk - for all his cosplaying as a technocratic messiah following in his grandfather's footsteps of dreaming up an antidemocratic technocratic state - actually has some relevant experience here. SpaceX did figure out how to work with government contracts without producing $500 million paperweights, and Tesla somehow gamed clean vehicle incentives into birthing the first new major car company since we invented radio.

Look, I'm the first to roll my eyes at Musk's wannabe-fascist posting sprees and his perpetual "I'm the main character of capitalism" energy. But speaking as someone who's banged their head against the wall of government technology modernization for years - if he actually focuses on the tech and keeps his brainrot political takes to himself, maybe DOGE could do some good?

Even Jen Pahlka, who basically wrote the book on government digital services, is cautiously optimistic. The services Americans get from their government are objectively terrible, and the procurement system is trapped in an infinite loop of failure. Maybe - and I can't believe I'm typing this - Musk's particular flavor of disruptive tech deployment could help?

Just... please, for the love of all things agile, let's keep him focused on the actual technology and far away from any more attempts to recreate his grandfather's dreams of a technocratic dystopia. We've got enough of those already.

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

About the role In this role, you will work on the product design of umbrelOS, some of our umbrelOS apps, and the umbrel.com website.

What are you looking for in candidates? Talent, passion, genuine love for your craft, and the desire to do meaningful work. What we’re not looking for: credentials and degrees. When you really love what you do, work feels like play. And when work feels like play, you become the best at it. That’s what we’re looking for.

We hope you: - Like to spend your days staring at artboards in Figma - Are obsessed with creating delightful micro-interactions and animations - Are willing to throw away ideas if they're not great, and optimistic enough to keep hunting for new ones - Care about the details, maybe a bit too much (a pixel off ruins your sleep) - Are excited to collaborate with everyone on the team: engineers, customer facing folks, etc—you believe inspiration can come from anywhere - Have good judgement of when to ship - Like to level up your design skills continually - Put yourselves in the shoes of our users to craft a great experience - Enjoy being a generalist and are not tied down to a specific design, trend, or tools

Benefits - 🚑 Health insurance - 💻 New work equipment - 🌎 Work from anywhere in the world - 💆‍♀️ Complete autonomy at work - 📚 Learning and development stipend - 🏝 Minimum 2-weeks of paid time off - ❤️ Most importantly — doing meaningful work that can change the world

Apply at https://app.withrapha.com/job/692

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/867248

@ 006532cb:fd8f28b4

Law of Conservation of Energy: The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another. This means that the total energy of an isolated system remains constant over time, but the form of energy can change (e.g., from kinetic energy to potential energy). This fundamental principle in physics highlights the importance of energy efficiency and the potential for energy to be transformed and reused.

Henry Ford's Energy Currency: Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, proposed the concept of an "energy currency" in the 1920s. He suggested that energy, rather than gold or other commodities, could serve as the basis for a new monetary system. Ford's idea was that energy is the fundamental unit of value, as it is the driving force behind all economic activity. He proposed that energy could be used as a standard unit of exchange, allowing for more efficient and equitable trade.

Buckminster Fuller's View on Energy Production and Wealth: Buckminster Fuller, a renowned architect, systems theorist, and futurist, believed that energy production is the key to creating wealth and abundance. He argued that energy is the fundamental driver of economic growth and that increasing energy production can lead to increased prosperity. Fuller's concept of "ephemeralization" suggests that as energy production becomes more efficient and widespread, the cost of goods and services decreases, leading to increased abundance and wealth. He also emphasized the importance of designing systems that maximize energy efficiency and minimize waste, allowing for more equitable distribution of resources and wealth.

@ f57bac88:6045161e

بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور: آزادی و کنترل در دستان شما بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور با تمرکز بر خودگردانی و متن‌باز بودن، به شما این امکان را می‌دهد تا کنترل کاملی بر فرآیند پرداخت‌های خود داشته باشید. برخی از مزایای کلیدی این پلتفرم عبارتند از:

انعطاف‌پذیری بالا: امکان سفارشی‌سازی و توسعه ویژگی‌های جدید بر اساس نیازهای خاص کسب‌وکار.

هزینه کمتر: حذف واسطه‌ها و کارمزدهای اضافی، منجر به کاهش هزینه‌های پرداخت می‌شود.

حفظ حریم خصوصی: کنترل بیشتر بر داده‌های مشتریان و کاهش ریسک نقض حریم خصوصی.

پشتیبانی از پروتکل لایتنینگ: امکان انجام تراکنش‌های سریع و کم‌هزینه با استفاده از شبکه لایتنینگ. سایر درگاه‌های پرداخت رمزنگاری: راحتی در برابر کنترل در مقابل، سایر درگاه‌های پرداخت رمزنگاری مانند کوینبیس، کوین پیمنت و نوپینت بر راحتی استفاده و سرعت راه‌اندازی تمرکز دارند. این پلتفرم‌ها اغلب دارای رابط کاربری ساده‌تر و قابلیت‌های پیش‌ساخته بیشتری هستند. با این حال، در ازای این راحتی، ممکن است برخی از کنترل‌ها و انعطاف‌پذیری را از دست بدهید. جدول مقایسه:

کدام یک برای شما مناسب‌تر است؟ انتخاب بین بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور و سایر درگاه‌های پرداخت به عوامل مختلفی بستگی دارد، از جمله:

سطح دانش فنی: اگر دانش فنی کافی دارید و به دنبال کنترل کامل بر فرآیند پرداخت هستید، بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور گزینه مناسبی است.

سادگی استفاده: اگر به دنبال راهکاری سریع و آسان برای شروع پذیرش پرداخت‌های رمزنگاری هستید، سایر درگاه‌های پرداخت ممکن است انتخاب بهتری باشند.

هزینه‌ها: هزینه‌های هر پلتفرم متفاوت است و باید به دقت مقایسه شوند.

ویژگی‌های مورد نیاز: لیستی از ویژگی‌های مورد نیاز خود را تهیه کنید و ببینید کدام پلتفرم بیشترین تطابق را با آن دارد. در نهایت، بهترین درگاه پرداخت، درگاهی است که نیازهای خاص کسب‌وکارتان را برآورده کند. نکات مهم هنگام انتخاب:

امنیت: اطمینان حاصل کنید که پلتفرم انتخابی شما دارای استانداردهای امنیتی بالایی است.

پشتیبانی مشتری: وجود پشتیبانی مشتری قوی برای رفع مشکلات احتمالی بسیار مهم است.

کارمزدها: به طور دقیق کارمزدهای هر پلتفرم را بررسی کنید تا بتوانید هزینه‌های خود را بهینه کنید.

قابلیت‌های اضافی: برخی از پلتفرم‌ها دارای قابلیت‌های اضافی مانند فاکتورسازی خودکار، گزارش‌گیری و ادغام با سایر سیستم‌ها هستند.

نتیجه‌گیری: بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور برای کسب‌وکارهایی که به دنبال حداکثر کنترل، انعطاف‌پذیری و کاهش هزینه‌ها هستند، گزینه بسیار مناسبی است. اما اگر به دنبال راهکاری ساده‌تر و سریع‌تر هستید، سایر درگاه‌های پرداخت نیز می‌توانند انتخاب‌های خوبی باشند. با در نظر گرفتن عوامل ذکر شده در این مقاله، می‌توانید بهترین تصمیم را برای کسب‌وکارتان اتخاذ کنید.

آیا می‌خواهید در مورد ویژگی‌های خاصی از بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور یا سایر درگاه‌های پرداخت اطلاعات بیشتری کسب کنید؟ گوگل کنید! 😉

لطفا توجه داشته باشید که این مقاله صرفاً به منظور اطلاع‌رسانی است و نباید به عنوان توصیه سرمایه‌گذاری تلقی شود.

در دنیای پرهیاهوی ارزهای دیجیتال، انتخاب یک درگاه پرداخت مناسب برای پذیرش پرداخت‌های رمزنگاری، تصمیم مهمی برای کسب‌وکارهاست.

بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور به عنوان یک گزینه متن‌باز و خودگردان، جایگاه ویژه‌ای در میان این درگاه‌ها دارد. اما آیا بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور بهترین گزینه برای کسب‌وکارتان است؟ در این مقاله، به مقایسه بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور با سایر درگاه‌های پرداخت رمزنگاری می‌پردازیم تا به شما در انتخاب آگاهانه کمک کنیم.

بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور: آزادی و کنترل در دستان شما

بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور با تمرکز بر خودگردانی و متن‌باز بودن، به شما این امکان را می‌دهد تا کنترل کاملی بر فرآیند پرداخت‌های خود داشته باشید. برخی از مزایای کلیدی این پلتفرم عبارتند از:

* انعطاف‌پذیری بالا: امکان سفارشی‌سازی و توسعه ویژگی‌های جدید بر اساس نیازهای خاص کسب‌وکار.

* هزینه کمتر: حذف واسطه‌ها و کارمزدهای اضافی، منجر به کاهش هزینه‌های پرداخت می‌شود.

* حفظ حریم خصوصی: کنترل بیشتر بر داده‌های مشتریان و کاهش ریسک نقض حریم خصوصی.

* پشتیبانی از پروتکل لایتنینگ: امکان انجام تراکنش‌های سریع و کم‌هزینه با استفاده از شبکه لایتنینگ.

سایر درگاه‌های پرداخت رمزنگاری: راحتی در برابر کنترل

در مقابل، سایر درگاه‌های پرداخت رمزنگاری مانند کوینبیس، کوین پیمت و نوپیمنت بر راحتی استفاده و سرعت راه‌اندازی تمرکز دارند. این پلتفرم‌ها اغلب دارای رابط کاربری ساده‌تر و قابلیت‌های پیش‌ساخته بیشتری هستند. با این حال، در ازای این راحتی، ممکن است برخی از کنترل‌ها و انعطاف‌پذیری را از دست بدهید.

جدول مقایسه:

کدام یک برای شما مناسب‌تر است؟

انتخاب بین بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور و سایر درگاه‌های پرداخت به عوامل مختلفی بستگی دارد، از جمله:

* سطح دانش فنی: اگر دانش فنی کافی دارید و به دنبال کنترل کامل بر فرآیند پرداخت هستید، بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور گزینه مناسبی است.

* سادگی استفاده: اگر به دنبال راهکاری سریع و آسان برای شروع پذیرش پرداخت‌های رمزنگاری هستید، سایر درگاه‌های پرداخت ممکن است انتخاب بهتری باشند.

* هزینه‌ها: هزینه‌های هر پلتفرم متفاوت است و باید به دقت مقایسه شوند.

* ویژگی‌های مورد نیاز: لیستی از ویژگی‌های مورد نیاز خود را تهیه کنید و ببینید کدام پلتفرم بیشترین تطابق را با آن دارد.

در نهایت، بهترین درگاه پرداخت، درگاهی است که نیازهای خاص کسب‌وکارتان را برآورده کند.

نکات مهم هنگام انتخاب:

* امنیت: اطمینان حاصل کنید که پلتفرم انتخابی شما دارای استانداردهای امنیتی بالایی است.

* پشتیبانی مشتری: وجود پشتیبانی مشتری قوی برای رفع مشکلات احتمالی بسیار مهم است.

* کارمزدها: به طور دقیق کارمزدهای هر پلتفرم را بررسی کنید تا بتوانید هزینه‌های خود را بهینه کنید.

* قابلیت‌های اضافی: برخی از پلتفرم‌ها دارای قابلیت‌های اضافی مانند فاکتورسازی خودکار، گزارش‌گیری و ادغام با سایر سیستم‌ها هستند.

نتیجه‌گیری:

بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور برای کسب‌وکارهایی که به دنبال حداکثر کنترل، انعطاف‌پذیری و کاهش هزینه‌ها هستند، گزینه بسیار مناسبی است. اما اگر به دنبال راهکاری ساده‌تر و سریع‌تر هستید، سایر درگاه‌های پرداخت نیز می‌توانند انتخاب‌های خوبی باشند. با در نظر گرفتن عوامل ذکر شده در این مقاله، می‌توانید بهترین تصمیم را برای کسب‌وکارتان اتخاذ کنید.

آیا می‌خواهید در مورد ویژگی‌های خاصی از بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور یا سایر درگاه‌های پرداخت اطلاعات بیشتری کسب کنید؟ گوگل کنید! 😉

لطفا توجه داشته باشید که این مقاله صرفاً به منظور اطلاع‌رسانی است و نباید به عنوان توصیه سرمایه‌گذاری تلقی شود.

@ 000002de:c05780a7

Michael Malice asked this question in a recent appearance on a YouTube show

Is Democracy a system that is compatible with freedom or is it antithetical or incompatible with freedom?

What do you think?

And to be clear, the US is a democracy. Yes its a republic but it is one with democratic elections. Saying its a republic isn't saying it isn't a democracy. It is. But if you disagree that's fine. For sake of argument humor me. If you use the republic argument look at the number of tyrannies that are also republics around the world...

Democracy for many is a sacred cow. I'm not a monarchist but many that are like this book. Don't let that turn you off from reading Democracy: The God That Failed. Its a good critique of Democracy which is hard to find.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/868154

@ 3ae7fdae:f8d4b19d

Lifting the Curtain on Power and Scandal

The Illusion of Power and TrustIn the modern world, the line between trust and skepticism is razor-thin, especially when it comes to powerful figures and organizations. They present polished facades, dazzling us with promises of stability, innovation, or in Disney’s case, enchantment. Yet, the revelations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein’s network reminded us that power is often far more complex than it appears. This scandal became a litmus test for public trust and fueled questions about who, or what, might be entwined in hidden truths.

When Epstein's crimes were exposed, they revealed not just the horrifying details of exploitation, but also the unsettling reach of his influence. As the media peeled back the layers of his associations, public attention naturally shifted to recognizable names and institutions, including Disney. How could a company that represented childhood innocence, with castles and fairy tales, find itself whispered about in the same breath as Epstein’s infamous circle? This segment examines the roots of that question and the facts that illuminate its plausibility or dismiss it.

Epstein: A Man Who Mastered Access to PowerJeffrey Epstein was more than just a financier—he was a gatekeeper to influence. His lifestyle and operations were an entangled web of charm, manipulation, and wealth, meticulously designed to secure him a place among the powerful. Investigative articles by The Guardian and The New York Times depict Epstein as a social engineer, curating relationships that ranged from politicians and royalty to scientists and celebrities.

Court documents and deposition testimonies during Epstein’s trial confirmed that his homes and private jet were hubs for connecting with influential figures. This access did not come without consequence; it cemented him as both a source of curiosity and, later, fear. Public records, such as those scrutinized in The Washington Post, indicated his involvement with many high-profile individuals. Yet, the details of these relationships varied—some guests were casual acquaintances, others, confidants.

The Infamous Flight LogsThe flight logs of Epstein’s private jet, colloquially known as the "Lolita Express," became a centerpiece for public scrutiny. Released through court orders and accessed by journalists, these logs listed names that triggered a cascade of questions. Guests ranged from prominent business executives to entertainment figures, sparking a debate over whether mere association implied complicity or deeper connections. This fueled the narrative that Epstein’s reach was far more extensive than previously understood, implicating industries where entertainment, power, and trust intersected.

The Role of Speculation in Public DiscourseAs soon as these flight logs surfaced, discussions surged online and across media platforms. The presence of any entertainment figure in Epstein’s orbit raised an eyebrow and, in many cases, invited a leap of logic: if influential media personalities were tied to him, could companies known for entertainment and global reach, like Disney, have hidden associations as well? This hypothesis, though lacking concrete evidence, found fertile ground among those predisposed to distrust large, seemingly untouchable institutions.

It’s crucial to dissect why Disney, specifically, became a subject of speculation. On one hand, its status as an omnipresent media empire makes it an easy target for conspiracy theories that thrive on the juxtaposition of light (Disney’s brand) and darkness (Epstein’s crimes). On the other, it speaks to a larger societal impulse to find cracks in the foundations of those we consider infallible. The idea that even the most beloved entities might harbor hidden truths appeals to a deep-seated desire for transparency and accountability.

The Catalyst of Public CuriosityThe timing of Epstein’s exposure was a critical factor. His arrest and subsequent death in 2019 coincided with a period marked by rising distrust in institutions, fueled by political and social upheavals globally. Social media platforms amplified this distrust, creating echo chambers where half-truths and speculative narratives merged seamlessly with confirmed facts.

It is here that Disney’s name began to surface not as an accused, but as a speculative point in discussions. The reasoning often pointed to a "guilt by association" logic: if the powerful dined, flew, or partied with Epstein, then it was worth questioning the circles in which those powerful entities moved, even without direct evidence. This leap from speculation to assumption reflects a pattern that sociologists recognize as part of conspiracy theory psychology—where a lack of clear answers invites the mind to fill in gaps, often with what feels most compelling.

Reframing the Public’s QuestionsThe real question becomes: why does this speculation hold such sway, even when evidence is scarce? Part of the answer lies in precedent. History is replete with instances where institutions that seemed above reproach were later implicated in hidden misdeeds, from financial frauds to abuse scandals within trusted organizations. This collective memory primes the public to believe that beneath any glittering surface could lie a dark, concealed underbelly.

Disney’s position as an icon of childhood and innocence adds another layer to this narrative. To imagine that such a symbol could be tainted by proximity to someone like Epstein is not just shocking—it’s fascinating. It strikes at the core of what we hold sacred, making it an irresistible topic of conversation and investigation.

Why This MattersUnderstanding why names like Disney are brought into these discussions without verified evidence is essential. It helps differentiate between warranted inquiry and unsupported speculation, allowing us to approach these narratives critically. Addressing this head-on does not only clear the air but strengthens the foundation upon which valid criticism and accountability are built.

A Note on EvidenceAs we move deeper into this exploration, it’s critical to emphasize that while Epstein’s connections to high-profile figures are thoroughly documented, there remains no evidence tying Disney, as an organization, to his operations. Still, the fascination with the “what-ifs” continues, driven by our collective quest for understanding power, secrecy, and the thin line between public and private lives.

The next segment will dive into Epstein’s proven network, unraveling the extent of his influence and why it has been the breeding ground for questions involving the world’s most trusted corporations.

Epstein’s Documented Network

The Web of Power: A Portrait of InfluenceJeffrey Epstein’s network was not merely a collection of acquaintances; it was a curated gallery of the world’s most influential figures, built on calculated relationships and strategic connections. Epstein wielded this network with the precision of a skilled operator, bridging disparate realms of society—politics, academia, business, and media. Investigative reporting by sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian exposed how Epstein maintained access to individuals who shaped policy, managed wealth, and crafted the narratives of popular culture.

Court records, testimonies, and detailed analyses of his interactions revealed that Epstein was adept at placing himself at the center of elite circles. His estates, from Manhattan townhouses to private islands, hosted events that blurred the lines between social gatherings and strategic networking. This chapter delves into the proven extent of Epstein’s reach and why it sparked questions about connections to corporations and public institutions, including Disney.

Flight Logs: The Proof and the SparkThe flight logs from Epstein’s private jet, the infamous "Lolita Express," were among the most illuminating pieces of evidence in mapping his connections. These logs, legally obtained and examined by journalists, painted a picture of Epstein’s influence stretching across industries. High-profile figures were listed, including financiers, political leaders, and entertainment personalities. The presence of notable names triggered waves of speculation—if Epstein had access to such power players, how many more remained unnamed but entangled?

The Guardian and The Washington Post reported that these flights were not just transportation but often involved visits to Epstein’s various properties, known for their opulence and the dark rumors surrounding them. While these logs confirmed that many public figures knew Epstein, the depth and nature of their associations varied widely, from casual acquaintance to deeper involvement.

The Limits of the KnownDespite the breadth of documented connections, there was no verifiable evidence linking Disney as an entity to Epstein’s circle. What the flight logs and guest lists revealed was a man deeply embedded in networks of power, yet even within these proven associations, context was crucial. For instance, some guests, confirmed by court records and investigative articles, were shown to have attended public events or engaged in business unrelated to Epstein’s criminal activities.

The distinction between documented presence and complicity is where the narrative often splinters. The leap from association to implication fueled public debate and conspiracy theories. This was especially true when figures from media and entertainment, sectors known for influencing public sentiment and childhood memories, appeared on the periphery of Epstein’s activities.

Epstein’s Parties and Gatherings: The Elite’s Shadowed StageEpstein’s parties were legendary, drawing attendees from the highest echelons of influence. These gatherings were not casual mixers but orchestrated showcases of power. Reports from court depositions and firsthand accounts highlighted how Epstein leveraged these events to cement alliances and reinforce his status as a gatekeeper to the elite. Some testimonies even described how these events served as platforms for discussing investments, politics, and global initiatives, reinforcing Epstein’s perceived omnipotence.

High-Profile Confirmations and Their ImplicationsSeveral prominent individuals were indeed verified as having ties to Epstein, raising legitimate questions about the extent of their knowledge or involvement. These names included politicians, royalty, and entertainment figures. The ambiguity surrounding these associations allowed theories to flourish. The sheer presence of influential names on Epstein’s guest lists raised the question: If these individuals were implicated, what about the institutions they represented or the circles they moved within?

This was a turning point for public speculation. The logic extended: if an individual from a major media company or entertainment empire like Disney was even remotely connected, could that implicate the company itself? The answer, according to existing court records and credible investigations, remained no. Yet, the absence of direct evidence did not stop speculation; in many cases, it intensified it.

Why Disney Was Brought Into the ConversationDisney’s reputation as a family-friendly giant contrasted starkly with the dark nature of Epstein’s activities, making it an unlikely yet intriguing topic for public discourse. While some entertainment figures appeared on Epstein’s flight logs or were rumored to have interacted with him, investigations have not yielded any proof of corporate-level involvement. However, public fascination persisted, bolstered by the broader questions Epstein’s connections evoked.

It’s worth noting that corporations like Disney, with their vast reach and unparalleled influence, naturally become focal points when discussions of hidden truths arise. The mere idea that such an iconic entity could be associated with real-world shadows captures the imagination and fuels stories that, while lacking proof, thrive on the “what-ifs” that echo through media and online forums.

How Public Perception Shapes the NarrativeSociologists studying the psychology of conspiracy theories point out that the human mind tends to fill gaps in knowledge with what feels most plausible or compelling. When figures from reputable media or entertainment companies are tied, even tangentially, to a scandal as vast as Epstein’s, it challenges the boundaries of trust. This is exacerbated when concrete answers remain elusive, leading to a cycle where suspicion feeds speculation.

The public’s thirst for accountability, especially in the wake of uncovered scandals involving powerful institutions, is both a force for truth and a catalyst for assumptions. In Epstein’s case, the proven reach of his influence and the confirmed involvement of significant figures were enough to trigger the question of how many untold stories lay beneath.

What We Know vs. What We ImagineThe narrative surrounding Epstein’s documented network shows us that while connections can be verified and associations noted, the leap to implicating entire organizations like Disney requires more than names on a list or rumors. It requires evidence that has, thus far, not been presented in any court or investigation. The proven facts are compelling enough: Epstein’s influence was extensive, his ties to power irrefutable. Yet, without direct links, the conversations about specific corporate involvement remain speculative.

In the next segment, we will explore why Disney’s reputation makes it a prime target for such speculation and how its historical handling of public crises plays into these narratives.

Disney – The Symbol of Trust and Target of Suspicion

Why Disney? The Paradox of a Trusted InstitutionDisney’s legacy is built on a foundation of storytelling, dreams, and the belief in happy endings. For nearly a century, the company has woven itself into the fabric of childhoods, becoming synonymous with innocence and magic. This legacy, however, has a dual edge. As the public's trust in institutions erodes and hidden truths are revealed in other sectors, Disney’s position as an untouchable cultural icon makes it both a beacon of light and a potential target for suspicion.

The Symbolism of Disney’s BrandDisney represents more than just a company; it embodies an idea—a refuge where imagination and wonder reign. But this same image that has made Disney a household name also contributes to the paradox of suspicion it faces. When an organization is seen as larger than life, transcending generations and continents, the notion that it could have skeletons in its closet becomes a tantalizing thought. The juxtaposition of innocence with possible shadows creates a narrative that is compelling and worth exploring, even if it remains speculative.

This paradox of Disney as both a trusted symbol and a target for scandal reflects a broader trend. Major corporations that hold influence in our everyday lives—particularly those that shape childhood memories and societal values—are natural focal points when scandals involving power, influence, and exploitation arise. The idea that a company with as much reach as Disney could be connected, however tangentially, to figures like Epstein feeds into this pattern.

Documented Misconduct and Public ReactionsThere have been verified cases involving Disney employees engaging in misconduct, which have been reported by media outlets such as NBC News and local news channels. These incidents, though not systemic and unrelated to Epstein’s network, show how the actions of a few can impact public perception of an entire organization. Examples include arrests for crimes involving minors or inappropriate behavior, isolated events that Disney has publicly addressed through statements and cooperation with law enforcement.

However, these incidents were sufficient to plant seeds of doubt in some minds. Even when addressed swiftly and in line with corporate protocols, such cases reveal a vulnerability: the company’s image can be tarnished not just by its policies, but by the misdeeds of individuals who wear its badge.

The Fuel for SpeculationThe Epstein case acted as a catalyst for looking beyond the obvious, particularly in the context of powerful organizations. If political leaders, financiers, and cultural icons could be connected to Epstein’s circle, why not wonder about the involvement of a company with as vast a presence as Disney? While investigations by trusted outlets have shown no direct corporate link, the sheer scope of Epstein’s influence suggested that any entity known for associating with the powerful could be implicated.

This speculation was not helped by Disney’s approach to public relations. The company’s PR strategies, while sophisticated and generally effective, often prioritize message control over transparency. In a world where silence can be seen as complicity, this strategy sometimes backfires, leading to more questions than answers.

Public Distrust and Historical ContextThe public’s fascination with uncovering hidden truths within major institutions is not unfounded. History is replete with cases where seemingly trustworthy organizations were later found to have concealed scandals. From corporate frauds to abuses within religious institutions, these stories have taught the public that innocence is not immune to corruption. This backdrop primes society to believe that even the most beloved entities, like Disney, could harbor secrets.

Sociologists and media analysts argue that this distrust is a byproduct of what they term the “betrayal effect”—where past disappointments with trusted institutions lower the threshold for believing that betrayal could be lurking everywhere. Disney, with its spotless public image and vast influence, becomes an especially juicy target for such theories. The leap from real cases of employee misconduct to more systemic accusations, however, is where evidence often falls short.

The Role of Social Media and Echo ChambersThe digital age has amplified how speculation morphs into perceived truth. Platforms like Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook allow theories to spread quickly, often outpacing fact-checking and nuanced analysis. Discussions that might once have been confined to fringe circles now gain mainstream attention, especially when they involve powerful figures or beloved brands.

In the context of Epstein’s exposure, this meant that any high-profile connection or name could become part of a broader narrative of guilt by association. The fact that Disney, as a corporation, appeared in speculative discussions alongside verified names from Epstein’s logs was enough for some to draw connections, even without direct evidence.

Reputation Management and PerceptionDisney’s approach to crises and controversies has long involved careful reputation management. From its response to legal issues to how it handles employee-related incidents, the company employs sophisticated PR strategies to mitigate damage and maintain its standing. This is standard practice for global brands; however, the public’s interpretation can be different. Strategic silence or tightly controlled statements can come across as evasive, fueling theories that there is something more to hide.

For a company like Disney, which operates at the intersection of family values and global corporate power, the stakes are high. The expectation isn’t just for entertainment but for upholding the moral high ground. When speculation links Disney to scandals, no matter how peripherally, it chips away at this carefully crafted image.

Why Address This Now?The speculation around Disney and Epstein underscores a crucial point about the nature of public inquiry and corporate reputation. It is not enough for companies to rely solely on public relations strategies that worked in the past. The demand for transparency is greater than ever, and silence, even when warranted, can erode trust.

Disney’s role in the public consciousness means that even baseless theories need addressing. By understanding why these narratives gain traction, both companies and the public can engage in more meaningful dialogues about accountability, proof, and trust.

The next segment will delve into how the public navigates between confirmed facts and conspiratorial whispers, exploring why certain theories stick and what it means for how we view powerful organizations.

Separating Fact from Conspiracy

The Thin Line Between Evidence and Speculation In the age of information, where facts are readily available yet often overshadowed by conjecture, separating truth from conspiracy is both an art and a necessity. When powerful entities like Disney find themselves drawn into discussions of hidden networks and scandals involving figures such as Jeffrey Epstein, it highlights a broader societal challenge: how do we differentiate between what is proven and what is assumed? This segment dissects the interplay of evidence, theory, and the psychological factors that drive our need to seek connections.

The Basis of Public Suspicion Public trust in large institutions has waned over decades, driven by a series of high-profile betrayals. From corporate frauds that shattered economies to scandals involving trusted religious or educational institutions, society has learned that power often conceals flaws and, in some cases, criminal actions. According to research published in the Journal of Communication, this erosion of trust leads to a phenomenon known as confirmation bias—the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one’s existing beliefs or suspicions.

The Epstein case provided fertile ground for such biases. The verified details of Epstein’s operations—the private jet, the exclusive parties, the high-profile guests—were enough to prompt a collective re-examination of how far his reach extended. While many of his associations were proven to be casual or professional in nature, the public’s hunger for deeper revelations ensured that speculation would thrive in areas where clarity was lacking.

The Role of Real Connections Epstein’s documented network included figures from politics, academia, finance, and media. The release of flight logs and court documents revealed that powerful individuals attended his events and interacted within his sphere. This factual basis, verified by investigative reporting from The New York Times, The Guardian, and other reputable sources, provided legitimacy to the idea that Epstein’s influence was pervasive. However, the extent to which these relationships were innocent or complicit was not uniformly clear.

This ambiguity created a vacuum where speculation could flourish. Public attention shifted from individuals named in the logs to the institutions and industries they represented. It was here that major corporations, including Disney, entered the discourse—not because of documented ties, but because of their visibility and influence.

The Psychology Behind Linking Power and Scandal To understand why theories about Disney’s potential involvement in Epstein’s network persist, it is essential to examine the psychology of conspiracy. Sociological and psychological studies indicate that people are naturally inclined to question narratives when they feel that the truth is being withheld. The more powerful or untouchable an institution seems, the more likely it is to be suspected of hiding something significant.

Disney’s image as a global giant that molds childhoods and shapes culture makes it an appealing target for such theories. The company’s public persona as a bastion of family values and innocence stands in stark contrast to any whispers of scandal or misconduct. This contrast alone provides fertile ground for stories to grow, even in the absence of solid proof.

Confirmed Misconduct vs. Conspiracy It is important to acknowledge that Disney, like any large corporation, has faced incidents involving employee misconduct. News reports from outlets such as NBC News have documented cases where employees were arrested for inappropriate conduct involving minors. These cases, while serious and handled with appropriate legal responses, were isolated incidents. No evidence points to these cases being part of a larger, systemic issue within the company or connected to external figures like Epstein.

However, the very existence of these incidents is often enough to keep theories alive. Public perception does not always differentiate between an individual’s actions and the culture of the organization they work for. When these incidents coincide with broader conversations about power and secrecy, they feed into narratives that imply guilt by association.

The Amplifying Power of Social Media The role of social media in shaping and amplifying conspiracy theories cannot be overstated. Platforms like Twitter and Reddit have created spaces where facts, opinions, and theories coexist with little separation. When the Epstein scandal broke, social media was flooded with discussions, many of which featured a mix of verifiable information and speculative connections. The absence of direct evidence linking companies like Disney to Epstein did not deter users from proposing connections based on circumstantial evidence and “what-if” scenarios.

This phenomenon, described by media analysts as the “echo chamber effect,” allows theories to gain credibility through repetition rather than proof. As theories are shared, retweeted, and commented on, they accumulate a sense of legitimacy that belies their origins.

Why Certain Theories Stick Certain theories persist because they tap into deep-seated fears and the knowledge that the powerful often operate beyond the reach of conventional accountability. High-profile scandals involving powerful figures—whether in business, politics, or entertainment—reinforce the belief that more may be hidden just out of reach. Epstein’s network was confirmed to include names that were once considered untouchable, which validated the idea that hidden truths could surface anywhere.

Disney’s name appearing in speculative discussions highlights the intersection of innocence and power. It reflects a societal expectation that if one pillar of influence is shown to be compromised, others may be as well. This expectation, however, must be tempered with critical thinking and an examination of evidence.

The Need for Discernment Understanding the difference between fact and theory is crucial for informed dialogue. Public scrutiny is essential for accountability, but it must be balanced with discernment. While Epstein’s known associations spanned many sectors, and while individuals from the entertainment industry were involved in his circle, the leap to implicating entire organizations like Disney has not been supported by verified investigations.

The Reality Check Here’s what we know:

Documented Facts: Epstein’s network included influential figures, confirmed by court records and journalistic investigations. Disney’s Position: While Disney has faced isolated cases of employee misconduct, no substantial evidence ties the company as an institution to Epstein’s criminal activities. Public Perception: Theories are fueled by a combination of legitimate distrust in powerful institutions and the psychological need to connect the dots, even when the evidence does not support it. In the next segment, we will explore how media control and the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) contribute to the public’s perception of secrecy and whether this perception is warranted.

Media Control and NDAs – Protecting Power or Ensuring Silence?

The Strategy of Silence in Crisis Management When powerful organizations face potential scandal or crises, the first line of defense is often control—control over the narrative, control over information, and control over public perception. This strategy, while effective in mitigating immediate damage, can backfire by fostering an aura of secrecy that leads to suspicion. Disney, like many other global corporations, has historically employed these tactics, particularly through the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and strategic public relations (PR) campaigns. But do these measures protect legitimate corporate interests, or do they simply fuel theories that there is more being hidden?

Understanding the Role of NDAs NDAs are legal tools designed to maintain confidentiality and protect business interests. In most cases, their use is standard practice, whether to protect trade secrets, secure settlements, or manage sensitive internal matters. However, when NDAs intersect with scandals involving powerful individuals or organizations, they can become symbols of enforced silence. A report from the Harvard Business Review highlights that while NDAs are often employed for legitimate purposes, their misuse—especially when used to silence allegations of misconduct—has cast a shadow over their intent.

Disney has used NDAs in its corporate dealings, as have many in the media and entertainment sectors. This is not in itself suspicious; however, the mere presence of NDAs in a company’s arsenal can contribute to a narrative of secrecy, especially when paired with limited transparency during controversies.

The Case of High-Profile Secrecy The Epstein scandal showed how the use of NDAs and strategic silence could be perceived in a different light. When influential figures and companies were linked to his circle, silence from those implicated was interpreted by many as an attempt to avoid deeper inquiry. While Disney has not been tied to Epstein’s activities through verified evidence, its use of NDAs in unrelated circumstances and its approach to handling public controversies have made it a recurring subject in theories about hidden truths.

For example, Disney’s meticulous control over its brand image means that it often handles internal issues privately, releasing carefully crafted statements that address public concerns without divulging specifics. This approach, while protective, sometimes has the unintended consequence of making the public wonder what is not being said.

The Intersection of PR and Public Perception Public relations are designed to safeguard a company’s image, ensuring that responses to any negative news are swift and tightly managed. Disney’s PR machine is among the most sophisticated, capable of steering narratives and maintaining its reputation as an entertainment titan. This strategic control has allowed Disney to weather crises that might have permanently damaged lesser brands. However, in the context of a scandal as sprawling and notorious as Epstein’s, such control is perceived differently.

When the Epstein story broke and high-profile connections came to light, companies with any tenuous ties activated their crisis management protocols. For some, this meant issuing vague statements or refusing to comment altogether. To the public, this read as silence—a strategic choice that seemed suspicious when paired with known instances of NDAs being used to keep serious allegations quiet in other industries. The #MeToo movement, for instance, revealed how NDAs were used by some media companies to shield powerful perpetrators of harassment, showing that these tools can sometimes contribute to a culture of concealment.

Silence as Complicity? For a company like Disney, known for its polished public image, silence during times of widespread speculation can amplify suspicions. The question becomes: Is silence an act of protection or complicity? While NDAs are often used to manage settlements or protect internal processes, the fact that they prevent full transparency can make even innocent parties appear as if they have something to hide.

Experts in crisis communication argue that silence may protect the brand short-term but can erode trust long-term. Disney’s approach to handling public perception, from managing employee misconduct cases to addressing larger social controversies, often involves strategic responses that give the public enough information to stay satisfied but not enough to quell the more skeptical voices. This is standard practice but becomes contentious when the public is searching for accountability.

The Impact of Strategic Silence on Public Trust Media and communication studies have shown that transparency is increasingly becoming a measure of trustworthiness for corporations. In an era where the public demands answers and alternative media thrive on filling in gaps left by corporate PR, the stakes for maintaining trust are higher than ever. The use of NDAs and controlled statements can protect a company’s interests, but it also contributes to a perception of secrecy that feeds public doubt.

Disney’s balancing act—protecting its brand while managing incidents behind closed doors—reflects a broader industry trend. Corporations that prioritize narrative control must now reckon with an environment where even a hint of concealment can lead to damaging speculation. The Epstein case amplified this issue, putting the spotlight on how major organizations handle proximity to scandal, even if only by association.

Navigating the Perception The real challenge for Disney and similar companies lies in navigating the fine line between protecting their interests and fostering trust. Complete transparency can be risky, but strategic silence risks becoming complicit silence in the eyes of the public. This duality—where necessary protection measures are perceived as proof of hidden wrongdoing—is why entities like Disney find themselves caught up in discussions about figures like Epstein, despite the absence of concrete evidence.

The Takeaway for Institutions and the Public Understanding the role of NDAs and PR in managing public crises helps frame why powerful companies might become targets of suspicion. While the use of these tools is standard and often justified, their impact on public perception can’t be ignored. For the public, recognizing the difference between warranted inquiry and overreach is key to maintaining productive scrutiny without falling into the trap of baseless theories.

The next segment will focus on what these perceptions mean for society as a whole and why the pursuit of transparency and trust must be a collective endeavor.

Beyond the Shadows – A Call to Unity

The Complex Path to UnderstandingIn an age where trust in powerful institutions is fraying, and access to information is both a blessing and a burden, our approach to truth becomes more critical than ever. The discussions surrounding figures like Jeffrey Epstein and corporations like Disney are not just about scandal; they are about how we, as a society, confront power, secrecy, and transparency. This segment is a call to unite in the pursuit of truth—not through a divisive lens, but with collective discernment and an unwavering commitment to evidence and integrity.

The Lessons from HistoryHistory teaches us that institutions once seen as untouchable can harbor hidden truths. The exposure of corporate frauds, systemic abuses, and cover-ups within trusted sectors has shaped a society that questions everything. The Epstein scandal underscored this, revealing a network of power that reached further than many dared to imagine. Yet, while it validated the public’s instinct to question, it also highlighted a key challenge: differentiating between grounded inquiry and baseless theory.

Disney’s name appearing in speculative discussions about Epstein points to a broader pattern—our collective desire to ensure that those who hold power are not above scrutiny. But as we demand accountability, we must also unite in the practice of informed skepticism. The leap from isolated cases of misconduct or association to implicating entire organizations requires evidence, not just conjecture. This distinction is where we, as a society, must find common ground.

The Role of TransparencyTransparency has become the cornerstone of public trust. Organizations that handle controversies behind closed doors risk damaging their credibility. For companies like Disney, known for protecting their brand with meticulous care, the challenge is clear: find a balance between safeguarding legitimate interests and providing enough transparency to maintain public trust.

The use of NDAs, strategic silence, and controlled narratives may shield brands in the short term, but they can erode trust in the long run. Studies in crisis communication emphasize that openness, even when it exposes vulnerabilities, can reinforce loyalty and confidence among stakeholders. In the context of Epstein and the persistent whispers about powerful corporations, this lesson is especially relevant.

A Collective Call to ClarityThe pursuit of truth is not just the responsibility of journalists, whistleblowers, or industry watchdogs—it is a collective endeavor. The public plays a crucial role in this, but so do the corporations that hold sway over cultural and economic landscapes. When Disney’s name enters speculative discussions, it reflects a deep-seated desire for transparency from those we trust. This desire should be met not with fear of the unknown but with a commitment to clarity.

This segment is a call for unity in approaching these conversations. The balance between healthy skepticism and conspiracy theory is delicate but essential. We must ask hard questions and hold power accountable without losing sight of what separates substantiated fact from assumption.

Why Unity MattersIn times where speculation can divide and misinformation can spread faster than verified facts, unity in the pursuit of truth is vital. When we allow fear and uncertainty to fracture our approach, we weaken our collective power to bring genuine issues to light. Epstein’s case showed that hidden wrongs do exist and can involve the most influential figures. It also showed that uncovering the full scope of such wrongs takes a community committed to patience, evidence, and shared purpose.

Public scrutiny is essential for democracy and social justice, but so is discernment. When theories about organizations like Disney arise without evidence, they risk diverting attention from real, proven issues that demand action. Unity in seeking truth means supporting real investigations, demanding transparency, and recognizing the power of evidence-based inquiry.

Building a Culture of Informed AccountabilityThe goal is not to silence questions but to elevate them, ensuring that they are grounded in reality. This approach not only empowers the public but also sets a standard for institutions. If Disney and other corporations prioritize transparency, they can reinforce the public trust that sustains their brands. Similarly, when the public insists on evidence and integrity in its discussions, it strengthens the very fabric of accountability.

Reflections for the Road AheadAs we move forward, let us commit to being a society that seeks truth not for scandal’s sake but for justice and integrity. Let us stand together in holding power to account, using facts as our foundation and unity as our strength. The story of Epstein and the questions it raises about power, influence, and hidden truths are reminders that transparency and trust are not just corporate responsibilities—they are collective ones.

This call to unity is a reminder that we all play a part in shaping how these stories unfold. When we seek, question, and demand clarity together, we create a society that values truth over rumor, evidence over assumption, and justice over division.

As we conclude this exploration, may we carry forward the lessons learned: the importance of questioning with integrity, seeking truth with diligence, and facing the unknown not as individuals, but as a united community.

@ e111a405:fa441558

OpenAI released its new o3 models and numerous people argue that this is in fact Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) – in other words, an AI system that is on par with human intelligence. Even if o3 is not yet AGI, the emphasis now lies on “yet,” and – considering the exponential progression – we can expect AGI to arrive within months or maximum one to two years.

According to OpenAI, it only took 3 months to go from the o1 model to the o3 model. This is a 4x+ acceleration relative to previous progress. If this speed of AI advancement is maintained, it means that by the end of 2025 we will be as much ahead of o3 as o3 is ahead of GPT-3 (released in May 2020). And, after achieving AGI, the self-reinforcing feedback loop will only further accelerate exponential improvements of these AI systems.

But, most anti-intuitively, even after we have achieved AGI, it will for quite some time look as if nothing has happened. You won’t feel any change and your job and business will feel safe and untouchable. Big fallacy. We can expect that after AGI it will take many months of not 1-2 years for the real transformations to happen. Why? Because AGI in and of itself does not release value into the economy. It will be much more important to apply it. But as AGI becomes cheaper, agentic, and embedded into the world, we will see a transformation-explosion – replacing those businesses and jobs that are unprepared.

I thought a lot about the impact the announced – and soon to be released – o3 model, and the first AGI model are going to have.

To make it short: I am extremely confident that any skill or process that can be digitized will be. As a result, the majority of white-collar and skilled jobs are on track for massive disruption or elimination.

Furthermore, I think many experts and think tanks are fooling themselves by believing that humans will maintain “some edge” and work peacefully side-by-side with an AI system. I don’t think AGI will augment knowledge workers – i.e. anyone working with language, code, numbers, or any kind of specialized software – it will replace them!

So, if your job or business relies purely on standardized cognitive tasks, you are racing toward the cliff’s edge, and it is time to pivot now!

Let’s start with the worst. Businesses and jobs in which you should pivot immediately – or at least not enter as of today – include but are not limited to anything that involves sitting at a computer:

• anything with data entry or data processing (run as fast as you can!)
• anything that involves writing (copywriting, technical writing,
• editing, proofreading, translation)
• most coding and web development
• SAAS (won’t exist in a couple of years)
• banking (disrupted squared: AGI + Blockchain)
• accounting and auditing (won’t exist as a job in 5-10 years)
• insurance (will be disrupted)
• law (excluding high-stake litigation, negotiation, courtroom advocacy)
• any generic design, music, and video creation (graphic design, stock photography, stock videos)
• market and investment research and analysis (AI will take over 100%)
• trading, both quantitative and qualitative (don’t exit but profit now, but expect to be disrupted within 5 years)
• any middle-layer-management (project and product management)
• medical diagnostics (will be 100% AI within 5 years)
• most standardized professional / consulting services

However, I believe that in high-stakes domains (health, finance, governance), regulators and the public will demand a “human sign-off”. So if you are in accounting, auditing, law, or finance I’d recommend pivoting to a business model where the ability to anchor trust becomes a revenue source.

The question is, where should you pivot to or what business to start in 2025?

My First Principles of a Post-AGI Business Model

First, even as AI becomes infallible, human beings will still crave real, raw, direct trust relationships. People form bonds around shared experiences, especially offline ones. I believe a truly future-proof venture leverages these primal instincts that machines can never replicate at a deeply visceral level. Nevertheless, I believe it is a big mistake to assume that humans will “naturally” stick together just because we are the same species. AGI might quickly appear more reliable, less selfish than most human beings, and have emotional intelligence. So a business build upon the thesis of the “human advantage” must expertly harness and establish emotional ties, tribal belonging, and shared experiences – all intangible values that are far more delicate and complex than logic.

First Principle: Operate in the Physical World

If your product or service can be fully digitalized and delivered via the cloud, AGI can replicate it with near-zero marginal cost Infuse strategic real-world constraints (logistics, location-specific interactions, physical limitations, direct relationships) that create friction and scarcity – where AI alone will struggle

Second Principle: Create Hyper Niche Human Experiences

• The broader audience, the easier it is for AI to dominate. Instead, cultivate specialized groups and subcultures with strong in-person and highly personalized experiences.
• Offer creative or spiritual elements that defy pure rational patterns and thus remain less formulaic

Third Principle: Emphasize Adaptive, Micro-Scale Partnerships

• Align with small, local, or specialized stakeholders. Use alliances with artisan suppliers, local talents, subject-matter experts, and so on.
• Avoid single points of failure; build a decentralized network that is hard for a single AI to replicate or disrupt

Fourth Principle: Embed Extreme Flexibility

• Structured, hierarchical organizations are easily out-iterated by AI that can reorganize and optimize instantly
• Cultivate fluid teams with quickly reconfigurable structures, use agile, project based collaboration that can pivot as soon AGI-based competition arises

Opportunity Vectors

With all of that in mind, there are niches that before looked unattractive, because less scalable, that today offer massive opportunities – let’s call them opportunity vectors.

The first opportunity vector I have already touched upon:

Trust and Validation Services: Humans verifying or certifying that a certain AI outcome is ethically or legally sound – while irrational, it is exactly what humans will insist on, particularly where liability is high (medicine, finance, law, infrastructure)

Frontier Sectors with Regulatory and Ethical Friction: Think of markets where AI will accelerate R&D but human oversight, relationship management, and accountability remain essential: genetic engineering, biotech, advanced materials, quantum computing, etc.

The second opportunity vector focuses on the human edge:

• Experience & Community: Live festivals, immersive events, niche retreats, or spiritual explorations – basically any scenario in which emotional energy and a human experience is the core product - Rare Craftsmanship & Creative Quirks: Think of hyper-personalized items, physical artwork, artisanal or hands-on creations. Items that carry an inherent uniqueness or intangible meaning that an AI might replicate in design, but can’t replicate in “heritage” or provenance.

Risk Tactics

Overall, the best insurance is fostering a dynamic brand and a loyal community that invests personally and emotionally in you. People will buy from those whose values they trust. If you stand for something real, you create an emotional bond that AI can’t break. I’m not talking about superficial corporate social responsibility (nobody cares) but about authenticity that resonates on a near-spiritual level.

As you build your business, erect an ethical moat by providing “failsafe” services where your human personal liability and your brand acts as a shield for AI decisions. This creates trust and differentiation among anonymous pure-AGI play businesses.

Seek and create small, specialized, local, or digital micro-monopolies – areas too tiny or fractal for the “big AI players” to devote immediate resources to. Over time, multiply these micro-monopolies by rolling them up under one trusted brand.

Furthermore, don’t avoid AI. You cannot out-AI the AI. So as you build a business on the human edge moat, you should still harness AI to do 90% of the repetitive and analytic tasks – this frees your human capital to build human relationships, solve ambiguous problem, or invent new offerings.

Bet on What Makes Us Human

To summarize, AI is logical, combinatorial intelligence. The advancements in AI will commoditize logic and disrupt any job and business that is mainly build upon logic as capital. Human – on the other hand – is authenticity. What makes human human and your brand authentic are elements of chaos, empathy, spontaneity. In this context, human is fostering embodied, emotional, culturally contextual, physically immersive experiences. Anything that requires raw creativity, emotional intelligence, local presence, or unique personal relationships will be more AI resilient.

Therefore, a Post-AGI business must involve:

• Tangibility: Physical goods, spaces, unique craftsmanship
• Human Connection: Emotional, face-to-face, improvisational experiences
• Comprehensive Problem Solving: Complex negotiations, messy real-world situations, diverse stakeholder management

The inverse list of AGI proof industries involve some or multiple aspects of that:

Physical, In-Person, Human-Intensive Services - Healthcare: Nursing, Physical therapy, Hands-on caregiving - Skilled trades & craftsmanship

High-Level Strategy & Complex Leadership - Diplomacy, Negotiation, Trust building - Visionary entrepreneurship

Deep Emotional / Experiential Offerings - Group experiences, retreats, spiritual or therapeutic gatherings - Artistic expression that thrives on “imperfection”, physical presence, or spontaneous creativity

Infrastructure for AGI - Human-based auditing/verification - Physical data center operations & advanced hardware - Application and embedment of AI in the forms of AGI agents, algorithmic improvements, etc. to make it suitable for everyday tasks and workflow

The real differentiator is whether a business is anchored in the physical world’s complexity, emotional trust, or intangible brand relationships. Everything pure data-driven or standardized is on the chopping block – imminently.

@ 1e523989:ebbb4b73

Why

@ fd78c37f:a0ec0833

ETHOS & PURPOSE🌐

SATS'N'FACTS emphasizes Creativity, Privacy, FOSS Advocacy，with a focus on Local Community, Decentralization, and Health Balance. It is dedicated to nurturing an environment where decentralization and open collaboration thrive, providing space for deep technical discussions, hands-on learning, and meaningful networking, all with the goal of strengthening the Bitcoin community in Asia.

They aspire to redefine boundaries and usher in a new era of design and development excellence that leaves an indelible mark on the bitcoin environment. A three-day event dedicated to fostering innovation, and freedom within the Bitcoin Developer Community in Asia.

LEADS🧑‍💼

Enthusiast developers and builders from around the globe, will attend this first installments of the SATS’N’FACTS. Including nostr:npub1nvfgglea9zlcs58tcqlc6j26rt50ngkgdk7699wfq4txrx37aqcsz4e7zd nostr:npub1cj6ndx5akfazux7f0vjl4fyx9k0ulf682p437fe03a9ndwqjm0tqj886t6 nostr:npub148jz5r9xujcjpqygk69yl4jqwjqmzgrqly26plktfjy8g4t7xaysj9xhgp nostr:npub1htnhsay5dmq3r72tukdw72pduzfdcja0yylcajuvnc2uklkhxp8qnz3qac nostr:npub1ejxswthae3nkljavznmv66p9ahp4wmj4adux525htmsrff4qym9sz2t3tv nostr:npub1gwa27rpgum8mr9d30msg8cv7kwj2lhav2nvmdwh3wqnsa5vnudxqlta2sz nostr:npub1zk6u7mxlflguqteghn8q7xtu47hyerruv6379c36l8lxzzr4x90q0gl6ef nostr:npub13rvvn5g23anm09kwnya8qvzqejxfajfa56rnn47ck5l96ke6cq4sdcd4e0 nostr:npub147whqsr5vsj86x0ays70r0hgreklre3ey97uvcmxhum65skst56s30selt nostr:npub190trvg63e6tyqlwlj6lccqpftx76lckj25c006vwx3dzvdl88yxs2nyqdx nostr:npub1hw6amg8p24ne08c9gdq8hhpqx0t0pwanpae9z25crn7m9uy7yarse465gr nostr:npub10xk2rsg9l9ksht66egss98z7mzhetf8d7q4476d9cm6vsfv3a00qld5tdf nostr:npub19x0h8jm3mnwzhv4tpq62zta05er0qlyge73m0pwsp7h666khkd9qev2ree and more.

AGENDA📝

The event is designed to be a “decentralized and collaborative” effort between all participants, with activities being put together with attendees’ feedback. So no agenda, but here some guidance to make sure this event will be joyful and constructive:

🗓️8ᵗʰғᴇʙ Doors Opening：

• [ ] Event Opening
• [ ] Welcome session and intros
• [ ] Presentations and open discussions
• [ ] Initial networking and collaborative sessions
• [ ] Hackathon begins

🗓️9ᵗʰғᴇʙ ：

• [ ] Hackathon continues
• [ ] Attendee-led sessions
• [ ] Recording room open for voluntarily podcasting and interviews
• [ ] Peer-to-peer learning and networking

🗓️10ᵗʰғᴇʙ Closing UP：

• [ ] Hackathon wrap-up
• [ ] Pitching contest and project presentations
• [ ] Networking
• [ ] Closing remarks and final session

MERCH🛍️

Their event merch is not just cool—it’s a must-have! T-shirts 👕, bags 🎒, stickers 🖼️, caps 🧢...Get yours and carry the event vibe wherever you go!

Other Fun Activities🎡

In addition to the exciting conference, they've prepared a variety of enriching experiences for you—live art and craft activities🎨, art exhibitions🖼️, creative workshops✨, and Thai massage 💆……, and more.

How to join the Event🎡

If you're in Asia this February, don't miss out—join them in the vibrant city of Chiang Mai, Thailand 🇹🇭 for an unforgettable experience!

📅 Time：8—10th February 2025 📍Location：12/8 ถ.วัวลาย ซอย 3 ตำบลหายยา, เมืองเชียงใหม่ 50100 🇹🇭ไทย 💺Book your seat： https://formstr.app/#/fill/b3b9bd115fe936848a5e03134fefff945287285d51b1dee4731fef6a1070c597 🎤Submit an idea： https://formstr.app/#/forms/cf02333ea3c0d0c21080df599373e289fa343a55e63a1abdc7f633d1594078ff 🎫Buy your ticket: https://satsnfacts.btc.pub/p/ticket/

@ 599f67f7:21fb3ea9

¿Qué es Blossom?

nostr:nevent1qqspttj39n6ld4plhn4e2mq3utxpju93u4k7w33l3ehxyf0g9lh3f0qpzpmhxue69uhkummnw3ezuamfdejsygzenanl0hmkjnrq8fksvdhpt67xzrdh0h8agltwt5znsmvzr7e74ywgmr72

Blossom significa Blobs Simply Stored on Media Servers (Blobs Simplemente Almacenados en Servidores de Medios). Blobs son fragmentos de datos binarios, como archivos pero sin nombres. En lugar de nombres, se identifican por su hash sha256. La ventaja de usar hashes sha256 en lugar de nombres es que los hashes son IDs universales que se pueden calcular a partir del archivo mismo utilizando el algoritmo de hash sha256.

💡 archivo -> sha256 -> hash

Blossom es, por lo tanto, un conjunto de puntos finales HTTP que permiten a los usuarios almacenar y recuperar blobs almacenados en servidores utilizando su identidad nostr.

¿Por qué Blossom?

Como mencionamos hace un momento, al usar claves nostr como su identidad, Blossom permite que los datos sean "propiedad" del usuario. Esto simplifica enormemente la cuestión de "qué es spam" para el alojamiento de servidores. Por ejemplo, en nuestro Blossom solo permitimos cargas por miembros de la comunidad verificados que tengan un NIP-05 con nosotros.

Los usuarios pueden subir en múltiples servidores de blossom, por ejemplo, uno alojado por su comunidad, uno de pago, otro público y gratuito, para establecer redundancia de sus datos. Los blobs pueden ser espejados entre servidores de blossom, de manera similar a cómo los relays nostr pueden transmitir eventos entre sí. Esto mejora la resistencia a la censura de blossom.

A continuación se muestra una breve tabla de comparación entre torrents, Blossom y servidores CDN centralizados. (Suponiendo que hay muchos seeders para torrents y se utilizan múltiples servidores con Blossom).

| | Torrents | Blossom | CDN Centralizado | | --------------------------------------------------------------- | -------- | ------- | ---------------- | | Descentralizado | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Resistencia a la censura | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | ¿Puedo usarlo para publicar fotos de gatitos en redes sociales? | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |

¿Cómo funciona?

Blossom utiliza varios tipos de eventos nostr para comunicarse con el servidor de medios.

| kind | descripción | BUD | | ----- | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | | 24242 | Evento de autorización | BUD01 | | 10063 | Lista de Servidores de Usuarios | BUD03 |

kind:24242 - Autorización

Esto es esencialmente lo que ya describimos al usar claves nostr como IDs de usuario. En el evento, el usuario le dice al servidor que quiere subir o eliminar un archivo y lo firma con sus claves nostr. El servidor realiza algunas verificaciones en este evento y luego ejecuta el comando del usuario si todo parece estar bien.

kind:10063 - Lista de Servidores de Usuarios

Esto es utilizado por el usuario para anunciar a qué servidores de medios está subiendo. De esta manera, cuando el cliente ve esta lista, sabe dónde subir los archivos del usuario. También puede subir en múltiples servidores definidos en la lista para asegurar redundancia. En el lado de recuperación, si por alguna razón uno de los servidores en la lista del usuario está fuera de servicio, o el archivo ya no se puede encontrar allí, el cliente puede usar esta lista para intentar recuperar el archivo de otros servidores en la lista. Dado que los blobs se identifican por sus hashes, el mismo blob tendrá el mismo hash en cualquier servidor de medios. Todo lo que el cliente necesita hacer es cambiar la URL por la de un servidor diferente.

Ahora, además de los conceptos básicos de cómo funciona Blossom, también hay otros tipos de eventos que hacen que Blossom sea aún más interesante.

| kind | descripción | | ----- | --------------------- | | 30563 | Blossom Drives | | 36363 | Listado de Servidores | | 31963 | Reseña de Servidores |

kind:30563 - Blossom Drives

Este tipo de evento facilita la organización de blobs en carpetas, como estamos acostumbrados con los drives (piensa en Google Drive, iCloud, Proton Drive, etc.). El evento contiene información sobre la estructura de carpetas y los metadatos del drive.

kind:36363 y kind:31963 - Listado y Reseña

Estos tipos de eventos permiten a los usuarios descubrir y reseñar servidores de medios a través de nostr. kind:36363 es un listado de servidores que contiene la URL del servidor. kind:31963 es una reseña, donde los usuarios pueden calificar servidores.

¿Cómo lo uso?

Encuentra un servidor

Primero necesitarás elegir un servidor Blossom donde subirás tus archivos. Puedes navegar por los públicos en blossomservers.com. Algunos de ellos son de pago, otros pueden requerir que tus claves nostr estén en una lista blanca.

Luego, puedes ir a la URL de su servidor y probar a subir un archivo pequeño, como una foto. Si estás satisfecho con el servidor (es rápido y aún no te ha fallado), puedes agregarlo a tu Lista de Servidores de Usuarios. Cubriremos brevemente cómo hacer esto en noStrudel y Amethyst (pero solo necesitas hacer esto una vez, una vez que tu lista actualizada esté publicada, los clientes pueden simplemente recuperarla de nostr).

noStrudel

1. Encuentra Relays en la barra lateral, luego elige Servidores de Medios.
2. Agrega un servidor de medios, o mejor aún, varios.
3. Publica tu lista de servidores. ✅

Amethyst

1. En la barra lateral, encuentra Servidores multimedia.
2. Bajo Servidores Blossom, agrega tus servidores de medios.
3. Firma y publica. ✅

Ahora, cuando vayas a hacer una publicación y adjuntar una foto, por ejemplo, se subirá en tu servidor blossom.

⚠️ Ten en cuenta que debes suponer que los archivos que subas serán públicos. Aunque puedes proteger un archivo con contraseña, esto no ha sido auditado.

Blossom Drive

Como mencionamos anteriormente, podemos publicar eventos para organizar nuestros blobs en carpetas. Esto puede ser excelente para compartir archivos con tu equipo, o simplemente para mantener las cosas organizadas.

Para probarlo, ve a blossom.hzrd149.com (o nuestra instancia comunitaria en blossom.bitcointxoko.com) e inicia sesión con tu método preferido.

Puedes crear una nueva unidad y agregar blobs desde allí.

Bouquet

Si usas múltiples servidores para darte redundancia, Bouquet es una buena manera de obtener una visión general de todos tus archivos. Úsalo para subir y navegar por tus medios en diferentes servidores y sincronizar blobs entre ellos.

Cherry Tree

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzqfngzhsvjggdlgeycm96x4emzjlwf8dyyzdfg4hefp89zpkdgz99qyghwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnhd9hx2tcpzfmhxue69uhkummnw3e82efwvdhk6tcqyp3065hj9zellakecetfflkgudm5n6xcc9dnetfeacnq90y3yxa5z5gk2q6

Cherry Tree te permite dividir un archivo en fragmentos y luego subirlos en múltiples servidores blossom, y más tarde reensamblarlos en otro lugar.

Conclusión

Blossom aún está en desarrollo, pero ya hay muchas cosas interesantes que puedes hacer con él para hacerte a ti y a tu comunidad más soberanos. ¡Pruébalo!

Si deseas mantenerte al día sobre el desarrollo de Blossom, sigue a nostr:nprofile1qyghwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnhd9hx2tcpzfmhxue69uhkummnw3e82efwvdhk6tcqyqnxs90qeyssm73jf3kt5dtnk997ujw6ggy6j3t0jjzw2yrv6sy22ysu5ka y dale un gran zap por su excelente trabajo.

Referencias

• hzrd149/blossom en GitHub
• Blossom Drive

@ a311301f:4663f8f2

Game design

Programming a game like an adventure quest with an avatar, exploration, puzzles, and combat sounds exciting! While Perl is a powerful language, it might not be the most common choice for game development. However, with some creativity and the right libraries or frameworks, you can build such a game in Perl.

Let me guide you through the process of building a simple adventure quest game in Perl. I'll break it down into key components and provide examples for each part.

---

1. Game Design Overview

A simple adventure quest game might include the following features: - Avatar/Player Character: The player can move, interact with items, and fight enemies. - Game World: A grid-based world with different rooms or areas to explore. - Puzzles: Riddles, logic gates, or maze-solving mechanisms. - Enemies: Basic AI-controlled opponents the player can fight. - Combat System: Simple combat mechanics where the player can attack and defend.

---

2. Setting Up the Game World

In Perl, you can represent the game world using a 2D grid or array to track different rooms, items, and enemies.

a. Define the Game World

You can create a game_world hash where each key is a position on the grid (e.g., rows and columns), and the value is another hash containing information about the room: - description: A short description of the room. - exits: Possible directions to move (e.g., "north", "south", "east", "west"). - items: List of items in the room.

perl game_world = { # Define each room with its properties { position => [1, 1], description => "A dark forest clearing", exits => { north => nil, south => nil, east => "forest_path", west => nil }, items => [], }, # Add more rooms as needed };

---

b. Define the Player Character

Create a Player class or hash to track the player's state: - name: Player's name. - position: Current position in the game world. - health: Player's current health (e.g., 100). - inventory: List of items the player is carrying.

perl player = { name => "Adventurer", position => [0, 0], # Starting position health => 100, inventory => [], };

---

c. Define Items and Enemies

Items can include weapons, armor, health potions, or keys that unlock new areas. Enemies are basic AI-controlled opponents.

```perl

Example Item: Health Potion

Item.new("Health Potion", "Restores 30 health points")

Example Enemy: Monster

Enemy.new("Monster", "A dangerous creature in the forest") ```

---

3. Movement and Input Handling

The player needs to be able to move around the game world based on keyboard input (e.g., arrow keys or WASD). You can use Perl's gets function for command-based input.

a. Define Directions

You can represent movement directions as follows: - north: Up - south: Down - east: Right - west: Left

```perl

Directions: north, south, east, west

directions = { "north" => [0, 1], "south" => [0, -1], "east" => [1, 0], "west" => [-1, 0], }; ```

b. Implement Movement

The player's position is updated based on the direction they choose.

```perl

Read player input

print("Enter your command (north, south, east, west): "); command = readline().strip;

Check if the command is valid and update position accordingly

if (directions[command] && game_world[player_position]) { # Update player's position player[:position] = [game_world_d[:position][0], game_world_d[:position][1]] + directions[command]; } ```

---

4. Solving Puzzles

Puzzles can be implemented by creating logic-based challenges in the game world.

a. Example: Logic Gate Puzzle

You can create puzzles where players need to combine items to unlock doors or solve riddles.

```perl

Create a puzzle that requires combining two items to unlock a door

if ($item1 && $item2) { print("You have unlocked the door by combining the items!\n"); } else { print("You need both items to proceed.\n"); } ```

---

5. Combat System

Implementing a simple combat system where the player can attack enemies.

a. Basic AI for Enemies

Enemies can follow a simple path or chase the player.

```perl

Enemy AI: Move toward the player if possible

enemy_position = [2, 2]; player_position = [1, 1];

if (distance between enemy and player > 1) { # Move one step toward the player dx = (player[:position][0] - enemy_position[0]); dy = (player[:position][1] - enemy_position[1]);

if (abs(dx) > abs(dy)) {
    enemy_position[0] += (dx / abs(dx));
} else {
    enemy_position[1] += (dy / abs(dy));
}

} ```

b. Player Attack

The player can attack enemies based on their position.

perl if ($target && $distance <= 1) { # Attack the target enemy enemy_health -= 10; print("You attacked the enemy!\n"); } else { print("You are too far to attack.\n"); }

---

6. Game Loop

The game loop will continuously update the player's state and render the game world.

```perl

Game loop (can be extended with more complex logic)

loop do { # Update enemy positions update_enemies();

# Render the current room description
current_room = game_world[player[:position]];
print("position: ", current_room[:description], "\n");

# Show player inventory
print("Inventory:\n");
player[:inventory].each { |item| print("- #{item}\n"); };

# Read input and process commands
break if (command = readline().strip);

} ```

---

7. Building the Game

Here’s how you can put it all together:

1. Define Items, Enemies, and Rooms:
2. Create a list of items, enemies, and rooms with their properties.
3. Implement Movement:
4. Handle player movement based on keyboard input.
5. Solve Puzzles:
6. Add logic-based puzzles in specific rooms.
7. Fight Enemies:
8. Implement basic combat mechanics where the player can attack enemies.

---

8. Example: Simple Adventure Quest

Let’s create a small example of an adventure quest:

1. Starting Point: The player is in a forest clearing with no items or enemies.
2. Objective: Find a "Magic Key" in the forest to unlock a door to the next area.
3. Obstacles: Monsters in certain rooms may attack the player unless they have enough health.

a. Code for Forest Clearing

```perl

Initialize game data

$game_data = { # Player starting position player => { name => "Adventurer", position => [0, 0], health => 100, inventory => [] },

# Items
items => [
    { id => 1, name => "Magic Key", description => "Unlocks doors" },
    { id => 2, name => "Health Potion", description => "Heals 30 HP" }
],

# Enemies
enemies => [
    { id => 1, name => "Monster", position => [1, 0] }
],

# Rooms
rooms => [
    {
        position => [0, 0],
        description => "A dark forest clearing",
        exits => { east => 1 },
        items => []
    },
    {
        position => [1, 0],
        description => "A dense forest path",
        exits => { south => 2, north => 0, west => 1, east => nil },
        enemies => [{ id => 1 }],
        items => []
    },
    # Add more rooms as needed
]

};

Game loop

loop do { # Update player position based on input print("Enter your command (north, south, east, west): "); command = readline().strip;

# Calculate new position
x, y = $game_data[:rooms][$game_data[:player][:position][0]][:exits][$command] || $game_data[:player][:position];

# Check if player is moving into a new room with enemies
if ($game_data[:rooms][$x, $y][:enemies].any? { |e| e[:id] == 1 })
{
    # Monster AI: Chase the player if possible
    dx = (x - $game_data[:player][:position][0]);
    dy = (y - $game_data[:player][:position][1]);

    if (!dx && !dy) { } # Already in the same cell as monster
    else {
        # Monster moves toward the player
        step_x = (dx / abs(dx)) * 2;
        step_y = (dy / abs(dy)) * 2;

        x += step_x / 10;  # Adjust movement speed
        y += step_y / 10;
    }
}

# Update player position and check for enemies in the same room
$game_data[:player][:position] = [x, y];

if ($game_data[:rooms][$x, $y][:enemies].any? { |e| e[:id] == 1 })
{
    print("A monster is approaching!\n");
}

# Render current room and player state
current_room = $game_data[:rooms][$x, $y];
print("position: ", current_room[:description], "\n");
print("Health：", $game_data[:player][:health], "\n");
print("Equipment：\n");
$game_data[:player][:inventory].each do |item|
    print("- #{item}\n");
end;

# Read next command
break if (readline().strip =~ /quit/);

} ```

---

9. Extending the Game

You can extend this example by adding: - More complex puzzles. - Different types of enemies with varied AI. - Multiple areas with unique objectives. - Quests and dialogue options. - Inventory management systems.

---

Conclusion

This is a basic implementation of an adventure quest game in Perl. You can expand it by adding more features like character classes, leveling up, crafting systems, and so on. The flexibility of Perl makes it easier to implement complex logic for games or any other projects you have in mind!

@ cb43dde2:ef277171

HODL has been defined by many as an acronym for “Hold on for Dear Life.” Many my age were taught to earn money and save it for the future as conventional wisdom. That wisdom would have you holding something designed to degrade in value at a rate of 2% annually. If all “goes to plan,” the purchasing power (value) of your savings in 35 years will be half that of today. In 2022 the US dollar value degraded a total of 8%. At this rate, your savings’ value will cut in half in less than nine years. Not quite the retirement plan one would hope for, but happens to be what my generation was taught in school. Thankfully there is a solution: become a HODLer of assets.

Every investor is a collector of assets. They all have their own thesis about the assets they collect and how the collection will transport their monetary value across space and time. My thesis is that when you hold assets (the practice of HODLing) you hold the superposition in the market and can make better decisions against the overall economic tide. I like to hold a diverse portfolio across asset types, themes, and tax treatments, so that I am always in a superposition when liquidity is needed for the next opportunity. In the words of Charles Darwin, “it is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

The Superposition of Markets

A superposition is a phenomenon observed in nature where something is in one of two antithetical positions, both equally likely, and is only defined when observed or measured. Most have heard of the Schrödinger’s Cat thought experiment; this is an example of superposition (references below). The financial markets act as a measuring tool identifying the next entangled pair of buyer and seller. Therefore, as a HODLer you remain in a superposition within the market until either your buy price or sell price is realized, instantaneously identifying your entangled counterpart within the market. To hold assets puts the HODLer in a superposition within the markets in which they HODL.

Making a Market: It Only Takes Two

A market is made when two parties, a buyer and a seller, come to an agreement to transfer personal property between each other. Without an agreement, there is no market activity and therefore no market. There are many more participants that help to facilitate markets like stock exchanges, store fronts, and Craigslist to name a few. This infrastructure has not changed the necessities to make a market but instead acts as a courier of information, often referred to as data. Knowing what a group of sellers are willing to take in exchange for their property, and knowing what a group of buyers are willing to pay, allows for the mapping of the market’s superpositions (known as an order book). HODLers remain in a superposition except at the moment when a market is made, identifying the two parties involved and the respective roles each will play out.

HODLers are Not Market Participants

They have in fact shown to be previous market participants and willing to fill at least one side of the transaction. However, if you’re HODLing, you are neither a seller nor a buyer and thus not in the market. Rather, you are both a buyer and a seller that has not been realized yet. We all have our buy price and our sell price of the assets we own. However, the market may have not dropped to the point where you are willing to buy again, nor has it risen to the level in which you are prepared to sell. You are but a ‘HODLer-in-waiting’ with two potential states; you are a potential buyer and a potential seller, waiting to be measured, thus identifying and filling your market role as dictated by the market and your need for access to liquidity.

HODLing: An Investment Strategy Built Upon Superpositions

Due to many market forces, successful investors do not simply stack cash for retirement, they are buying assets. As Robert Kiyosaki explains in his book, Rich Dad Poor Dad, “An asset is something that puts money in my pocket. A liability is something that takes money out of my pocket.” Investors are buying assets in hopes that their portfolio will ferry their purchasing power, today’s monetary value, across space and time. Why HODL something that is planned to lose value for any longer than necessary?

HODLing can feel like a rollercoaster at times with the need to “hold on for dear life.” Markets are unpredictable and (as an ex-manager of mine used to say) they will always do what f@&ks the most amount of people. Combat this with conviction in your purchase decisions. Conviction on where you think the price of the asset will go and in how much time. If you start by finding and choosing your long-term savings vehicle, many will call this money, asset purchases on your way to retirement become easier as you are not battling inflation, aka planned degradation of your hard-earned dollars. What you HODL matters.

@ 16d11430:61640947

Gather ‘round, corporate overlords, bloated bureaucracies, and self-appointed tech deities. @DamageBDD is here to show you what happens when your castles of sand face a tsunami of irrefutable logic. Your empire of spaghetti code and buzzword bingo won't hold against the relentless precision of code as truth.

Let’s set the stage. For years, you've been huddling in glass towers, touting innovation while running on fumes of mediocrity. Your agile "transformations"? A PowerPoint deck. Your tech stack? A monument to vendor lock-in and weekend duct tape. And let’s not forget the compliance theater, where fake audits masquerade as accountability. Enter DamageBDD, where logic doesn’t lie, blockchain doesn’t forget, and BS dies a swift death.

Code Is the Law (But Better) You’ve heard it before: "Code is law." But we’re not here for slogans—we’re here for receipts. DamageBDD doesn’t trust your claims of success; it verifies them on-chain. Deliver your milestones or don’t—there’s no fudging it here. Your failed builds and broken promises are exposed in broad daylight, immutable as your shame.

BDD: The Guillotine of Bad Engineering Oh, how the giants hate being held accountable. They thrive on opacity, on a system where results are obscured by layers of corporate doublespeak. DamageBDD flips the table: if it can be defined, it can be verified. That MVP you promised? We’ll test it. That sprint you boasted about? We’ll see it on-chain. In this world, the only thing that ships is the truth. Everything else is noise.

"Move Fast and Break Things"? Nah, Try Building Things That Last Let’s talk about your cult of "disruption," where moving fast and breaking things conveniently excludes fixing them. DamageBDD doesn’t move fast—it moves right. Every behavior-driven test is a brick in a foundation that lasts, unlike your latest "pivot" designed to dazzle VCs while hiding the rot underneath.

Cypherpunk Cynicism, Powered by Bitcoin Here’s where we really shine. While you’re busy worshiping at the altar of fiat, we’re running Damage Token on Bitcoin and Aeternity—systems you can’t co-opt, corrupt, or inflate away. Your centralized control schemes crumble when faced with a network that doesn’t care about your boardroom games. DamageBDD doesn’t just bypass gatekeepers; it renders them obsolete.

The Era of Verifiable Integrity You’ve built a world where accountability is optional and profits trump principles. DamageBDD brings receipts to the revolution. Imagine a world where every claim you make is tested, verified, and recorded immutably. No more hiding behind marketing fluff or burying failures in red tape. DamageBDD strips away the facade and says, "Let’s see what you’re really made of."

We’re Not Here to Compete. We’re Here to Outlast. You can’t kill an idea whose time has come. DamageBDD is more than a tool—it’s a movement, a manifesto in code. While you scramble to protect your crumbling monopolies, we’re building something that doesn’t need your approval, your funding, or your permission. DamageBDD will humble you not with arrogance, but with truth, written in lines of immutable logic that your PR spin can’t erase.

So, keep clinging to your illusions of control. DamageBDD is patient. It’s inevitable. And when the dust settles, your legacy will be nothing more than a footnote in a system designed to be better, faster, and ungovernable by the likes of you.

You’ve been warned. Verification > Authority. Always.

@ a311301f:4663f8f2

Let's create something small to demonstrate its syntax and functionality. We'll write a "Hello, World!" program.

Step 1: Write the code

Here's a simple Perl script:

perl print("Hello, World!\n");

This code will output "Hello, World!" followed by a newline (represented by \n).

Step 2: How to Run It?

You can run this script using an online IDE or Perl interpreter. Here are some options: 1. Online Editors: - https://www.onlinegdb.com/ (free online IDE) - https://ideone.io/ (online compiler) 2. Install Perl: If you have access to a Perl interpreter, run it in your terminal: bash perl script_name.pl

Step 3: Test It

If you use an online editor, paste the code into the editor and click "Run" or "Compile." For example:

• In OnlineGDB:
• Paste print("Hello, World!\n"); in the editor.
• Click "File > Save" to save it as script.pl.
• Click "Run" (or press Ctrl+R) to execute it.

The output should be:

Hello, World!

Step 4: Analyze Your Needs

If you want to evaluate if Perl suits your needs, consider the following: 1. What type of tasks will you perform? - Text processing (e.g., manipulating strings or files)? - Data analysis? - Web development? 2. Do you prefer a specific programming paradigm? - Perl is very flexible and supports procedural, object-oriented, and functional programming. 3. What libraries or frameworks do you need access to? - Perl has built-in libraries for many common tasks (e.g., File::Find for file searching). - You can also use CPAN (Comprehensive Perl Archive Network) to install additional modules.

Example: Text Processing

Here's a slightly more complex example using Perl:

```perl

Split a string into words and count the number of unique words.

print("Enter text: "); $text = ; chomp($text); # Remove any trailing newline character

$unique_words = sort(deft::uniq(split(/ \s+/, $text))); print("Unique words: ", scalar(@unique_words), "\n"); ```

Summary

• Perl is a versatile language suitable for many tasks, including text processing and scripting.
• You can run small scripts quickly using online tools or local installations.
• Let me know if you'd like to explore more complex examples!

@ d3052ca3:d84a170e

It seems to me that the primary opposition to ecash from bitcoiners comes from the belief that lightning will enable self-custodial micropayments for the masses. Many lightning enthusiasts see ecash as competition that will eliminate this technological outcome (whether they admit it or not).

I understand the motivation for this line of reasoning but I don't see things this way at all. Ecash is a superset of lightning. Cashu literally doesn't have a spec for on-chain transactions (yet!). Everything cashu accomplishes is built on the back of lightning. Standing on the shoulders of giants.

I don't believe that ecash will take away market share from self-custodial lightning because lightning is not a good technology for self-custody. The high overhead costs of running your own node create a natural incentive for a semi-centralized hub and spoke network graph. It just makes economic sense for many users to share a lightning node. It doesn't make economic sense for individuals to bear this cost alone.

This stacker news post is the best writeup on this topic: https://stacker.news/items/379225

It comes from a builder who struggled with these issues for years and learned the shortcomings of the tech first hand. Notice they experimented with ecash as a solution to these problems before they burned out and pivoted to save the company.

Ecash is a superset of lightning. It extends the capability and reach of the lightning network. Without ecash, I don't believe we can achieve bitcoin mass adoption. You can't jam a square peg into a round hole.

We still have a need for self-custody of "small" amounts of bitcoin. I put small in quotes because the block size limit and the fee market it creates impose a fundamental constraint on the minimum practical size of a UTXO. This limit is pegged to the unit of bitcoin. As bitcoin increases in value the minimum size for an on-chain transaction will grow in value as well. You can send $10 worth of bitcoin on-chain today but will this be true in 10 years when the price is much higher? 100 years?

If the current exponential trends hold, we will soon price out the majority of humanity from owning a UTXO. This is bad. Like really bad. "Bitcoin is a failure" bad. This is the motivation for my posts about scaling on-chain usage to 10 billion people. I believe we will need to radically rearchitect bitcoin to achieve this goal.

Lightning is not up to the task. We should leverage lightning for what it's good at: gluing together different self-custodial bitcoin service providers. We should leverage ecash for what it's good at: peer-to-peer electronic cash micropayments. IN ADDITION we also need to start seriously looking at new ideas for scaling self custody to "small" amounts of bitcoin. I am very optimistic that we can solve this problem. There are a number of promising avenues to pursue but I think first we need to move the Overton window ~~beyond the idea of mass adoption of self-custodial lightning~~ regarding on-chain scaling.

Edit: I think the original Overton window statement was incorrect. If on-chain fees stay low then self-custodial lightning or something similar is a much better prospect.

Just my 2 sats...let me know what you think. Keep it civil or be muted.

@ 89ccea93:df4e00b7

Here's a list of the services I use.

I plan to make a blog post for each on expatriotic.me my previously defunct blog that is going live again.

Stay tuned.

Networking

Flint Router
Mullvad
Tor
Little Snitch

Buying & Selling Bitcoin

Bisq
Robosats
Peach
Hodl Hodl

Private email

Tuta
Addy.io
Proton

Wallets

Ashigaru
Stack Duo
Cake
Sparrow
Envoy
Zeus
Coinos

Swapping Bitcoin

Trocador
basicswapdex
unstoppable-swap

noKYC

```kycnot.me```

Spending Bitcoin

Wise
Bitrefill
Bitpay
PayWithMoon
Coinsbee
The Bitcoin Company
CoinCards.com

Phone

Graphene OS
Minimalism
Obtainium
FOSS apps
Signal for DMs
Telegram for Groups
Silent.Link

Server

DIY with Debian
Start9
Dojo
Ronin Dojo
Monero Nodes

Podcasts

The Ungovernable Misfits News Network
The Watchman Privacy

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/863051

@ b97f07c7:a9ddca71

เปิดโลก social ยุคอนาคต ที่ creator ได้รับเงินจากคนอ่าน content เต็ม 100%! ทำความรู้จัก Nostr ที่จะเปลี่ยนโลกการใช้ social ของคุณกัน!

content จากประสบการณ์จริง ที่ดองนานในระยะนึงล่ะ แต่บอกเลยว่ามันก็ solve pain point ของ user ที่ไม่อยากลับลู้ว่า AI ของ platform นั้น มาคอย suggest อะไรที่เราไม่ได้ตาม

ส่วน content creator เอง เราเป็นคนเขียน คนทำ content บน platform นั้น ๆ ทุกอย่างควบคุมโดย platform ซึ่ง platform อาจจะถูกปิดเมื่อไหร่ก็ได้ ส่วนใหญ่โดนลด reach บางคนโดน platform ลบโพส บางคนโดน platform แบน เราจึงต้องมี asset เป็นของตัวเองอย่าง website ไม่งั้น content ที่เราตั้งใจทำหายไปเสียดายแย่เลย

ซึ่ง concept และการใช้งาน Nostr นั้นลด pain point ของ creator ที่ต้องไปทุก platform เพื่อครอง keyword ซึ่งเหนื่อยมาก ๆ ถ้าเป็นสายแบบเราที่เน้นโค้ดหน่อย ๆ ต้องมาสร้างผู้ติดตามใหม่ แต่ละช่องทางได้กลุ่มผู้ติดตามต่างกันอีก

ร่ายมายาวขนาดนี้เข้าเรื่อง Nostr ได้แล้ว ว่าแต่มันคืออะไร ใช้งานยังไง ต้องทำอะไรบ้าง ไปดูกันนนน

ปล. บทความนี้เป็นแนวแนะนำว่ามันคืออะไร ใช้งานยังไง ยังไม่ลงลึกด้านเดฟนะ คืออยากให้ใช้ให้เป็นก่อนนนนนน

Nostr คืออะไร?

Nostr ย่อมาจาก Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays เป็น open protocol ที่ถูกพัฒนาโดย Giovanni Torres Parra มีจุดประสงค์คือ สร้างเครือข่ายสังคมออนไลน์ที่ไม่ถูกควบคุมหรือเซ็นเซอร์

ในที่นี้ Notes หมายถึง social media และ other stuff คือ data communication

แล้ว protocol คืออะไรล่ะ? ก็คือเราคุยกันผ่านช่องทางไหนยังไง เช่น sms, email อะไรงี้

ดังนั้นมันก็คือ note & other stuff ที่ถูก transmit โดย Relays นั่นเอง

Workflow

ปกติเราทำแอพขึ้นมาแอพนึงประกอบด้วยอะไรบ้าง?

เดิมทีทีมแอพก็มีทีมหน้าบ้าน อย่าง frontend developer หรือ mobile developer อย่าง iOS และ Android แล้วก็ทีมหลังบ้าน backend developer ที่เป็นคนทำระบบหลังบ้าน ไม่ว่าจะเป็นทำ API ให้หน้าบ้านคุยกับ server แล้วก็จัดเก็บข้อมูลลง database ด้วย

flow ก็คือ user download แอพมา หรือใช้ website ตัวแอพหน้าบ้านจะเรียก API เพื่อทำอะไรบางอย่าง เช่น เปิดแอพมาเรียก API เพื่อ check ว่าเรา login อยู่ไหม แล้วก็ดึงหน้า feed มาแสดง

สำหรับ Nostr จะมีแค่คนทำหน้าบ้านเท่านั้น โดยตัวแอพเชื่อมต่อกับ relay ผ่านมาตรฐานของ NIP

ดังนั้น developer อย่างเราจะทำ client หรือตัวแอพที่ใช้ Nostr ได้เลย โดยใช้ Relay เดียวกันได้เลย ภายใต้มาตรฐานของ NIP เวลา user เปลี่ยนแอพใหม่ ตัวข้อมูล ตัวโพสต่าง ๆ ยังคงอยู่เหมือนเดิมที่ delay ไม่ต้องไปสร้าง follower ใหม่บน platform ใหม่ ๆ ให้เสียเวลา

การทำงานของ Nostr

สามารถดูตามภาพนี้ได้เลย เป็นภาพพื้นฐานในการเล่าเลย การทำงานเขาจะแบ่งเป็น 2 ฝั่ง คือ

• Client: คือแอพพลิเคชั่นที่ใช้เล่น Nostr นั่นแหละ เป็นฝั่ง user จะมี key pair คือ private key ใช้ในการยืนยันตัวตนนั่นแหละ เช่น เราเป็นคนโพสอันนี้นะ (เก็บไว้ให้ดี ๆ) และ public key บอกว่าเราคือใคร การทำงาน ตัว client เชื่อมต่อกับตัว relay เช่น บอกว่าใครเป็นคนสร้าง content นี้ หรือเราจะสร้าง content ใน Nostr ก็จะส่งข้อมูลรายละเอียดโพสอย่าง kind, content, tags, pubkey, create_at ตามมาตรฐาน NIPs ส่งไปที่ relay
• Relay: คือ database ตัวนึง ที่เป็นรูปแบบแบบกระจายศูนย์ ได้รับ event อะไร และส่งอะไรกลับไปบ้าง

ref: https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nostr

แล้ว Client และ Relay สื่อสารระหว่างกันยังไง คุยกันผ่าน WebSocket นะ แล้วแต่ละ event จะส่งมาใน JSON format น่ะ

คุณสมบัติของ Nostr

• decentralized: relay คือ database แบบกระจายศูนย์
• open protocol: Nostr เป็น open protocol สามารถใช้งานได้หลายอย่าง
• censorship-resistant: user มีสิทธิ์เลือก relay เองได้
• high security: encrypt ข้อมูลส่วนตัวก่อนส่งทุกครั้ง

มาตรฐาน NIP

NIP ย่อมาจาก Nostr Implementation Possibilities คือ มาตรฐาน protocol ที่ใช้กันสำหรับ Nostr

ใน content นี้เราไม่ลงลึกมาก เดี๋ยวจะงงกัน เอาให้เห็นภาพคร่าว ๆ เพราะมันมีเยอะมาก

หลัก ๆ ที่เราใช้งานกัน จะมี

• NIP-01: Basic protocol เป็นอันพื้นฐานที่ต้องรู้ บอกโครงสร้าง event การรับส่งข้อมูลต่าง ๆ ทำให้เรารู้โครงสร้างแล้วเอาไปสร้าง client ได้เลย ทำให้ developer focus ที่โครงสร้างนี้อันเดียวเท่านั้นในการพัฒนา เช่น post บน Nostr นั่นแหละ
• NIP-05: Nostr Address บอกว่าเราเป็นใครใน internet ฟีลเดียวกันกับ email address ทำให้เราตั้งชื่อบัญชีให้จดจำได้ง่าย ช่วยในการค้นหาและติดตามกันได้ง่ายยิ่งขึ้น เช่นจากที่เราต้องเพิ่มเพื่อนผ่าน Nostr public key ที่ยาวเหลือเกิน เป็นอะไรสั้น ๆ ฟีล email เช่น mikkipastel@siamstr.com
• NIP-23: Long-form article พวก blog ต่าง ๆ
• NIP-53: สำหรับ live stream

ส่วนแบบอื่น ๆ สามารถอ่านรายละเอียดได้ที่นี่เลย https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/README.md

เริ่มใช้งานบนมือถือ

จาก workflow เราจะเห็นว่าเราสามารถใช้ client ตัวไหนก็ได้ในการเล่น Nostr และโลกของ Nostr มีตัวเลือกให้เราเยอะมากก แล้วเราจะเริ่มยังไงดี?

1. ติดตั้ง Wherostr เป็นแอพที่ทีมคนไทยทำ ใช้ง่ายมาก ๆ สามารถ download ได้ทั้ง App Store และ Play Store
2. แน่นอนว่าเรายังไม่มี account ให้สร้าง account
3. ปรับแต่ง profile ให้เรียบร้อย
4. เก็บ private key ไว้ในที่ปลอดภัย เพราะเป็น key ยืนยันตัวตนว่าเป็นเราในการทำธุรกรรมต่าง ๆ ในที่นี้คือสร้างโพส, กด like, กด share, รวมถึง zap ด้วย ในแอพอาจจะยังไม่เห็น process นี้ ต้องบนคอม

Tips: ไปรับ NIP05 สวย ๆ ได้ที่ https://siamstr.com/

การที่เราสร้าง account ใหม่นั้น จะเป็นการสร้าง key pair อันประกอบด้วย - public key: ขึ้นต้นด้วย npub1... โดยสามารถเพิ่มเพื่อนใน Nostr ผ่านอันนี้ได้ ซึ่งบอกว่าเราเป็นใคร - private key: ขึ้นต้นด้วย nsec1... เป็นส่วนที่เราต้องเก็บไว้ให้ดีเลย เพราะต้องเอามาใช้ sign กับการทำธุรกรรมของเรา เช่น การ login, สร้าง post, reaction post ใด ๆ

เชื่อมกับกระเป๋า Lightning

เชื่อมเพื่อรับ sat จากเพื่อน ๆ โดย sat เป็นหน่วยย่อยของ Bitcoin มาจาก Satoshi อันเป็นนามแฝงของผู้สร้าง Bitcoin โดย 1 Bitcoin = 100,000,000 Satoshi

1. ติดตั้ง Wallet of Satoshi ตัวแอพนี้เป็น custodial wallet ที่เราไม่ต้อง set อะไรเอง แต่เราไม่ได้ถือ key ของกระเป๋านี้เองนะ สามารถ download ได้ทั้ง App Store และ Play Store
2. เชื่อม email กับ Wallet of Satoshi เลข Lightning Wallet กดปุ่ม Receive แล้วก็ copy
3. กลับมาที่ Wherostr ไปที่ Profile ของเรา กด Edit Profile
4. วางเลขเป๋าตรง Bitcoin Lightning Address แล้วก็กด save

การใช้งานทั่วไป

ขอเปรียบเทียบกับ social network ที่เราใช้กันอยู่เนอะ สมัยก่อนโพสจะเรียงตามลำดับเวลา และเพิ่มเพื่อนหรือติดตามเพจก่อน เราถึงจะเห็น content เขาใน feed

แต่สมัยนี้ AI นำหมด ลองไถ feed ดูสิ เจอเพื่อนเราหรือเพจที่เราตามเท่าไหร่ใน 10 post ทำให้ตัว content creator ต้องเรียนรู้ algorithm ของ platform นั้น ๆ เพื่อให้ content ของเราผู้ติดตามเห็นมากขึ้น (งงม่ะ)

แล้ว Nostr ล่ะ? เหมือน social network สมัยก่อนที่เรียง feed ตามเวลาเลย เราสามารถกดติดตามเพื่อนได้ (และระบบนั้นให้เราได้ติดตามตัวเราเองได้ด้วยนะ5555) และอ่านโพสเพื่อน ๆ คนไทยใน Nostr ได้ผ่าน #siamstr

การสร้างโพส

การโพสก็แสนจะง่ายดาย กด + ตรงกลาง แล้วพิมพ์ เพิ่มรูปใด ๆ ได้ตามใจชอบเลย ฟีลประมาณ medium แหละเนอะ สำหรับ wherostr สามารถ tag สถานที่ได้ด้วย

จุดที่น่าสนใจ คือปุ่มเหมือน CPU กดไปดูจะพบว่าเราสามารถเลือก Proof of Work difficulty level ได้ ซึ่งถ้าเราตั้งไว้เพื่อกัน spam แหละ ถ้าตั้งสูงก็ใช้เวลาในการ solve นาน ซึ่ง default POW เป็น 8

เอ้ออย่าลืมติด #siamstr ด้วย

เมื่อเรียบร้อยแล้ว Post แล้วรอแปป โพสของเราเมื่อสร้างเสร็จแล้วจะอยู่บนสุดเหมือนแอพ social media ทั่วไปเลย

ข้อพึงระวัง

• ลงแล้ว edit post ไม่ได้
• และลบไม่ได้ด้วยนะจ๊ะ
• แชร์ลิ้งได้ แต่ก็ไม่แน่ใจว่าเพื่อนเปิดยังไงได้บ้าง บาง client อย่าง Yakihonne สามารถ share url link Nostr post ของเราได้เลยนะ

เราสามารถกด report, comment และ like ตามปกติเลย แต่มีปุ่มนึงเพิ่มมาจาก social network อื่น ๆ คือ zap นั่นเอง

Zap คืออะไร?

แน่นอนไม่ใช่การแอบแซ่บ แต่เป็นการที่เราเอา Bitcoin บน lightning มาใช้จ่ายต่าง ๆ เช่น เอาไปซื้อชากาแฟ หมูปิ้ง เค้กท้อฟฟี่ชลบุรี ปลากรอบ Crispy Will รวมถึงการ donate ให้กับเจ้าของ content ที่คนนี้เขียนดีมาก เรากด zap ให้เขาดีกว่า หรือไป zap ที่ profile ก็ได้ซึ่งทุก sat (satoshi หน่วยย่อยของ Bitcoin) ที่เขาส่งมาให้ เราได้รับครบทุก sat แบบไม่หักจาก platform เลย

วิธีการ zap ผ่าน Wherostr มี 2 ทาง คือ - zap ให้กับคนนั้น ๆ ที่ profile: ไปที่ profile ของเขา แล้วเราจะเห็นปุ่มสายฟ้า - zap ที่ post นั้น ๆ: เลื่อนไปล่างสุด เราจะเห็นปุ่ม repost, like, comment และอีกอันที่เป็นสายฟ้าคือ Zap

เมื่อกดปุ่ม Zap แล้ว เข้าไปหน้า Zap เลือกจำนวน sat ที่เราต้องการ Zap อาจจะใส่ข้อความไปด้วยก็ได้ แล้วก็กดปุ่ม Zap ด้านล่าง

จากนั้นมันจะเด้งไป Wallet of Satashi ที่เรา connect ไว้ ตรวจสอบธุรกรรม เรียบร้อยแล้วกด Send เขียว ๆ รอสักแปป เมื่อสำเร็จแล้วเราจะเห็นหน้าเขียว ๆ แบบนี้เลย

ถึงเงินอาจจะไม่ได้มากมายอะไรมัก ก็เป็นสิ่งที่ platform web2 ให้ไม่ได้เลยนะ กับความรู้สึกดี ๆ แบบนี้ ที่ลง content แล้วมีคนมา Zap ให้ ในขนาดที่ platform web2 ไม่มีคนกด send gift ให้เลย ฮือออออออออออ

Client App อื่น ๆ ที่น่าสนใจ

จริง ๆ เราจะใช้แอพ Client อื่น ๆ เล่น Nostr ได้นะ เพราะว่า Relay สามารถใช้ร่วมกันได้ในหลาย ๆ แอพ

ก่อนที่จะมีแอพ Wherostr เขาจะแนะนำกันว่า

ถ้าใช้ iOS ใช้แอพ Damus ส่วนชาว Android ใช้ Amethyst

ตอนนั้นที่เราลองเล่นเอง เราสร้าง account ผ่าน Iris แหละ เพราะ ก่อนหน้าที่เรารู้จัก Wherostr และเข้าใจ Nostr เราได้ลองกับ Nostr browser นึงที่ชื่อว่า Spring ในนั้นมีหลาย ๆ client ให้เราจิ้มเล่น และแอพนี้มีเฉพาะ Android เท่าน้านนน

สายเขียนบล็อก: Habla, Yakihonne, Npub.pro

ส่วนสายสตรีม: Zap.Stream

ส่วน Client อื่น ๆ สามารถเข้าไปดูได้ที่นี่ ซึ่งในนี้เป็นแค่ส่วนหนึ่งเท่านั้นแหละ https://nostrapps.com/

เริ่มใช้งานบนคอม

หลาย ๆ client นอกจากจะมีเป็นแอพบนมือถือ ยังมีเป็นหน้าเว็บไซต์อีกด้วย

สิ่งที่ต้องมีเพิ่มเติม คือ extension ที่ชื่อว่า Nostr Connect เราใส่ private key เข้าไปในนั้น พอเวลา sign transection ตัว extension จะไม่เอา private key ของเราตรง ๆ

หลังจากติดตั้ง extension ตัวนี้แล้ว การใช้งาน สมมุติเข้าเว็บ Wherostr กดปุ่ม Login แล้วจะมีหน้า popup เด้งมา ให้กด Login with Nostr extension แล้วจะขึ้นหน้าต่างให้เรา sign สองอัน คือ อ่าน public key กับ Relay

เมื่อ login เรียบร้อยแล้ว สมมุติเราสร้างโพสบนเว็บ Wherostr จามปกติ เรียบร้อยแล้วกด Post เขาจะให้เรา sign event ว่าเราเป็นคนสร้าง post นี้นะ เราจะเห็น transaction ออกมาเป็น json เลย ตามมาตรฐาน NIP-01

ปล. จริง ๆ จะกดไม่ให้เปิด popup ก็ได้นะ แต่เราอยากเปิดไว้เอง เอาไว้ check

และ extension อีกตัวที่มีคนแนะนำก่อนหน้านี้คือ Alby ตอนนี้ไม่ต้องไปขอ access code ก่อนถึงจะใช้ได้ สามารถเข้าไปสมัครที่นี่ได้เลย

https://getalby.com/

สุดท้าย ก็หวังว่าทุกคนรู้จัก Nostr กันไม่มากก็น้อยเนอะ

ถ้าใครอยากติดตามเราบน Nostr สามารถเปิดแอพ Wherostr หรืออื่น ๆ เพื่อ scan QR Code นี้ได้ หรือ copy public key หรือ Nostr user ไปหาได้น้า

แน่นอนในนี้เป็นการแท็กเราเอง nostr:npub1h9ls03lflhvgzzmkf6nsymspw3auh0f3d97c02e5l4edn2waefcszlq9qf

Reference

• https://nostr.com/
• https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nostr
• https://rightshift.to/2023/kp/14251/
• จริง ๆ ก็เอามาจากงาน Thailand Bitcoin Conference 2024 ที่เขียนไปด้วยแหละ แต่บวกกับการใช้งานจริงด้วย https://www.mikkipastel.com/thailand-bitcoin-conference-2024/

@ 5579d5c0:db104ded

"Chris, what do you tell your clients to do?"

This is a question I get asked regularly, and the answer is not simple.

The truth is, every person’s health journey is unique.

There are no 'one size fits all' solutions, no rigid plans that guarantee results for everyone.

That’s why, as a health coach, my role isn’t to hand out answers or impose rules. It’s to guide you toward uncovering your own.

---

Bruce Lee on being a teacher.

Your health, your truth

Bruce Lee was right, you already hold the answers to your health challenges.

Your body is constantly giving you signals about what works and what doesn’t.

My role is to help you listen to those signals to cut through the noise of diets, trends, and quick fixes.

Together we focus on what aligns with your unique biology and lifestyle.

This isn’t about creating a rigid plan or forcing you into a pre-made program. 

It’s about asking the right questions, giving you tools to explore, and helping you build the confidence to make decisions that work for you.

Health is deeply personal, and lasting change comes from understanding yourself.

---

Rigid oatmeal diet plan.

A coach who adapts to you

One of the most important aspects of my approach is meeting you where you are.

Your life, your habits, and your why are the foundation.

Together, we adapt strategies to fit your needs.

Health coaching isn’t about me telling you what to do.

It’s about empowering you to take ownership of your journey.

Sometimes that means learning to tune out the latest biohacking tool or Instagram diet trend, I'm looking at you 'Oatmeal diet for weight loss'.

Sometimes it means starting small, with manageable steps that build momentum.

Whatever it looks like, my focus is on helping you create sustainable habits that work for life, not just for the next few weeks.

---

Health information overload.

Protecting you from the noise

The world of health advice is noisy.

There’s always a new diet, a miracle supplement, or a "hack" promising results.

But more information doesn’t always mean better decisions, it often leads to overwhelm.

My role as your coach is to help you tune out the noise.

Together, we’ll focus on the basics that always work:

• Sunlight

• Circadian alignment

• Eating real nutrient dense local and seasonal food

• Moving regularly

• Targeted training

• Sleeping well

• Dealing with stress in the right way

You don’t need the latest trends, you need a clear path that’s grounded in what’s proven and tailored to you.

---

Exploring, not imposing

The beauty of health coaching is that it’s not about giving you a checklist or medical guideline telling you "do this, not that."

It’s about exploration. What makes you feel your best? What habits energise you? What changes feel sustainable?

Together, we experiment, reflect, and adjust.

This process isn’t about finding the "right" way, it’s about finding your way.

I’m here to guide, support, and challenge you, but ultimately, the answers come from within.

As a coach, I see your potential even when you don’t. My job is to help you see it too.

Health isn’t a destination, it’s a journey. And the most powerful changes happen when you take ownership of that journey.

You already hold the answers. I just help you uncover them.

- Chris

If you're ready to explore your potential, let’s talk.

Click https://calendly.com/hello-chrispatrick to book a free discovery call with me.

@ c7e300eb:e94ebe38

How many people have you successfully orange-pilled? What's your success rate? I'm going to guess it's way worse than you wish it was. I'd like to share 3 different stories from people I've talked to about Bitcoin and the varying degrees of "success" in each of them. Maybe you can relate to one (or all) of them...\ \ Bob (Person 1)

This first person we will call Bob. Ironically, Bob was stacking sats long before I ever took an interest in Bitcoin. He's a pretty financially savvy person, loves history, and is a bit of a prepper. Bob views Bitcoin as a nice-to-have and certainly understands the NGU math that comes with a fixed supply asset and money printing; unfortunately, that's largely where his interest ends. He's not stacking anymore and doesn't seem moved to ever resume, despite his understanding of how fragile our financial system is. If/when hyper-bitcoinization happens, he's "got enough". \ \ I've been able to get him out of shitcoins entirely and he seems content hodling, which is a pretty big win in my book. At the same time, it can be disheartening to see someone sitting near the edge of the rabbit hole and parking the bus right there...\ \ Alice (Person 2)

Person 2 will be Alice. This person is much more motivated by social topics than economical ones, which always made me approach our Bitcoin conversations in a unique way. She inspired me to see through a different lens than I was normally comfortable with, which ultimately expanded my own interest in how Bitcoin, both as a money and a network, could positively impact people all over the world.

Alice, in my observation, grew to appreciate the way I saw Bitcoin. She understood the Cantillon Effect, fractional reserve lending, why censorship resistance is important, etc. Hell, she even managed to (sorta) orange-pill someone else! She was effectively as orange-pilled as one could get without actually owning sats. \ \ Through our many talks about money and personal finance, she greatly leveled up her game compared to when we first met. She now uses budgeting software, has a high-yield savings account, an investment account, and is building credit. For some reason though, she never got the desire to start stacking sats...

\ Mary (Person 3)

Mary is the least financially-literate of our 3 persons of interest. Just not wired that way at all. She's never had dedicated savings or tracked her spending. Getting her to set up direct deposit at her place of employment was a daunting task. \ \ Saving and investing have never been part of her vocabulary either. A few days ago, however, she asked if I could help her begin this process. For someone taking that first big step, I felt like stacking sats would be a bit daunting. We talked about automatically sending X% to a high-yield savings account. When we got to "investing" though, something interesting happened: she said she would rather start buying Bitcoin because "nobody can take it from me, right?" This was fascinating to me, as I had never heard a normal person express concerns about a bank actually not having their money (despite how many people I have told this to, including Alice and Bob). We agreed on the same X% into Bitcoin as into her HYS. Starting with her next paycheck, Mary will officially begin stacking sats.

If I had to make a chart of all the people in my life and rate how likely they'd be to adopt Bitcoin, Mary would be near the bottom. After so many failed attempts, I still don't quite understand how this specific case ended up being my first success in getting someone to enter the rabbit hole. We'll see how far she ends up going, but I am committed to helping her with every step.

Conclusion

So, what have I taken away from these 3 example cases? For starters, I learned that orange-pilling can take more than one form: Bob got rid of shitcoins and committed to hodling, but won't stack any more; Alice groks the problems Bitcoin will fix, but won't stack at all; Mary hardly even knows about Bitcoin, yet she understands the importance of having control over her own savings enough to take the leap. Each one of these examples has helped me refine my approach to orange-pilling, while also teaching me that it is no science. It's as much a choice and a willingness on their end as it is how you approach the conversation. You cannot force someone to take the pill or jump down the hole. Just stay humble and keep stacking sats. Cheers!

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

I did a PFF mock draft last night, but forgot to post it. I did a new one just now.

Mock Draft

Pick 6: CB/WR/KR/PR Travis Hunter Pick 37: QB Jalen Milroe Pick 68: DT TJ Sanders Pick 73: RB TreVeyon Henderson Pick 107: S Kevin Winston Jr. Pick 144: OT Hollin Pierce Pick 182: DE Tyler Baron Pick 214: LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson Pick218: OG Jonah Monheim Pick 224: OG Seth McGlaughlin

I'm so excited about the possibility of getting Travis Hunter. The Raiders have historically built around elite receivers, corners, and returners. We have decent receivers and corners now, which creates space to add an elite guy, but also he wouldn't have to play every snap on either side. I'm imagining Hunter playing about half the snaps on both sides, as well as returning kicks. He can basically step in as an elite CB3 and WR3, when we're in those sets.

Then, having the third QB available in the second round is great. He was still there in the 3rd round when I did the PFF mock. It might be worth taking the best QB who's still there in the third.

A 3rd round DT should be able to add to an already talented defensive line and 3rd round RB's are usually impactful.

The main problem with this draft is not getting to the offensive line until day 3. Good thing we have almost $100M to spend on free agents.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/867628

@ 89ccea93:df4e00b7

Original article at my blog expatriotic.me

Get a Bitcoin wallet.

1. Ashigaru🔥 Tor🧅 link - Really slick UX.
   • Includes features such as Ricochet (adding hops, useful sometimes if you're trying to break chain analysis heuristics)
   • Stonewall (A tx with yourself where you appear to be two parties collaborating in a spend)
   • StonewallX2
   • Bip 47 Paynyms
2. Envoy
   • Can roll one hot wallet
   • Coin control
   • Tor
   • Multiple ways of backing up wallet. Pneumonic phrase or encrypted micro SD, or encrypted blob to icloud
   • Also helpful in managing your Foundation Passport wallet if you have one.
3. Sparrow - Hands down best desktop wallet ever.
   • Has great defaults
   • Coin control
   • Tool to verify FOSS software with devs PGP keys
   • Wallet search tool
   • Stonewall sends by default when possible (where you use two UTXOs when spending which appears as a two-party StonewallX2)
4. Zeus - Lightning embedded node (THE NODE IS ON THE PHONE! 🤯)
5. Phoenix - French company that pulled out of US market when Samourai Wallet devs got indicted by the US Department of Justice.

Fund it.

Tools: KYCnot.me

Rational: No KYC

1. Bisq - The best option, Uses Tor, can find low premiums, even to the point of getting bitcoins below market price. But better to be the maker as takers pay 10x the fee.
2. Hodl Hodl - Avoid careful of counterparties that ask you to KYC. Be sure to at least use VPN when using it. Better yet use via Tor Browser.
3. Robosats - Uses Tor, Uses Lightning, has almost scarily low deposits, and no reputation system. If you want to swap into onchain bitcoins use boltz swap
4. Peach App - Based in Switzerland and follows their regulations, known for their speedy transactions, doesn't use Tor by default, but you can use orbot to make your phone's traffic route through Tor.

Signing devices

These help keep your private key offline.

1. FOUNDATION Passport/Prime🔥
2. SeedSigner - Bitcoin only. Based team and value prop. DIY. Look into it if you want a cheap, DIY, non-persistent signing device. Especially useful for multi-sig and combatting potential supply chain issues with a single HWW vendor.
3. Jade (never used it) - Bitcoin only.
4. Trezor - Multi-coin, but can change firmware to be Bitcoin only. Used it, but don't recommend buying if you don't already have one. There's no secure element and physical access by a malicious party could result in loss of funds.
5. Ledger - Multi-coin. Team is antithetical to all things Bitcoin. Avoid at all costs.

Nodes

Run your own if possible.

1. Build a server and run Debian or Ubuntu if you're based enough. Ministry of Nodes can help with that.
2. Start9 - Pre-built server with the Start operating system. They package things like the bitcoin node, jellyfin etc. and help with dependencies. Plug and play.
3. StartOS - DIY version of Start9. You need to be handy with building your own server.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/867598

@ 378562cd:a6fc6773

In the ever-evolving cryptocurrency space, few assets have attracted as much attention—and controversy—as XRP. Marketed as a tool for revolutionizing cross-border payments, XRP has been at the center of debates about its legitimacy, legal entanglements, and centralization. In contrast, Bitcoin remains the gold standard of decentralization, embodying the original ideals of cryptocurrency as a secure, censorship-resistant, and community-driven digital asset.

The Ripple-SEC Legal Battle: A Dark Cloud Over XRP

XRP's legal troubles began in December 2020 when the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against Ripple Labs, alleging the company had conducted an unregistered securities offering. The lawsuit hinged on whether XRP, the token Ripple uses for its cross-border payment solutions, qualifies as a security under U.S. law.

Ripple Labs and its executives, including CEO Brad Garlinghouse, argued that XRP should not be classified as a security. They claimed it was a digital currency akin to Bitcoin or Ethereum, which the SEC had already deemed non-securities. Despite Ripple scoring partial victories in court—such as a judge's ruling that XRP sales to retail investors did not constitute securities transactions—the company was ordered to pay a $125 million fine. While Ripple touted the outcome as a victory, the SEC’s ongoing appeal means uncertainty lingers over XRP's regulatory future.

These legal uncertainties have had significant implications for XRP’s adoption. After the lawsuit, major U.S. exchanges delisted XRP, temporarily causing its price to plummet. Although some platforms have since reintroduced XRP trading, its reputation remains tarnished in some circles.

Centralization Concerns: Is XRP Truly a Cryptocurrency?

A key critique of XRP lies in its centralized structure. Unlike Bitcoin’s decentralized proof-of-work (PoW) system, which relies on a distributed network of miners to validate transactions, XRP operates on a consensus protocol managed by a limited number of validators. This has led to accusations that Ripple Labs wields too much control over the network, undermining the core principle of decentralization that defines cryptocurrencies.

Adding to these concerns is Ripple Labs’ significant ownership of XRP tokens. Ripple initially held 80 billion of the 100 billion XRP tokens ever created, and as of 2024, it still holds a substantial portion in escrow. Critics argue that this concentration of ownership allows Ripple to manipulate XRP’s price and limits the asset’s independence.

Bitcoin: The Decentralized Gold Standard

In stark contrast to XRP, Bitcoin remains the archetype of decentralization. Introduced in 2009 by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin operates on a PoW system that ensures no single entity can control the network. Its open-source code, coupled with a vast network of miners and nodes distributed globally, makes Bitcoin nearly immune to censorship and manipulation.

Bitcoin's decentralized nature is a cornerstone of its value. Unlike XRP, which is closely tied to Ripple Labs and its business interests, Bitcoin is not controlled by any organization or individual. This decentralization ensures transparency, security, and trust among its users, reinforcing its status as a digital alternative to gold.

Moreover, Bitcoin’s capped supply of 21 million coins enhances its appeal as a store of value. In a world where inflation and monetary policy can erode the value of fiat currencies, Bitcoin’s scarcity offers a hedge against economic uncertainty.

Adoption and Market Perception: Bitcoin vs. XRP

Despite its controversies, XRP has gained traction among financial institutions for its speed and low transaction costs in cross-border payments. Ripple’s partnerships with major banks and remittance providers have bolstered its utility, even as skepticism around its centralization persists.

Bitcoin, on the other hand, has achieved mainstream acceptance as both an investment asset and a medium of exchange. From institutional investors adding Bitcoin to their balance sheets to countries like El Salvador adopting it as legal tender, Bitcoin's adoption is steadily growing. Its resilience in the face of regulatory scrutiny and market volatility further cements its position as the most trusted cryptocurrency.

What XRP's Journey Teaches Us About Cryptocurrency Values

The contrasting narratives of XRP and Bitcoin highlight a fundamental tension in the cryptocurrency world: the trade-off between utility and decentralization. While XRP offers practical solutions for specific use cases, its centralized nature and reliance on Ripple Labs compromise its alignment with the ideals of cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin, by comparison, stays true to the vision of a decentralized financial system free from intermediaries. Its robust network, transparency, and immutability make it not just a cryptocurrency but a symbol of financial freedom.

Conclusion: Bitcoin’s Enduring Legacy

As the legal and market drama around XRP continues to unfold, one thing remains clear: decentralization is at the heart of what makes cryptocurrencies revolutionary. Bitcoin exemplifies this ideal, serving as a reliable store of value and a hedge against centralized control. While XRP may have its place in specific financial ecosystems, it cannot claim to uphold the principles that Bitcoin has come to represent.

For investors and enthusiasts alike, understanding these differences is crucial. In a rapidly evolving market, Bitcoin’s true value lies not just in its price but in its unwavering commitment to decentralization—a principle that defines the future of financial freedom.

@ f57bac88:6045161e

چرا بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور؟

بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور یک ابزار قدرتمند است که مزایای متعددی برای مدیریت پرداخت‌های رمزنگاری ارائه می‌دهد. در ادامه، ویژگی‌های کلیدی این پلتفرم را مرور می‌کنیم:

• متن‌باز و خودگردان: این نرم‌افزار متن‌باز است و به توسعه‌دهندگان اجازه می‌دهد آن را مطابق با نیازهای خود سفارشی کنند. همچنین، نصب آن بر روی سرور شخصی به کسب‌وکارها کنترل کامل بر داده‌ها و تراکنش‌هایشان می‌دهد.
• پشتیبانی از بیت‌کوین و لایتنینگ: این پلتفرم از پرداخت‌های درون‌زنجیره‌ای (آن-چین) و برون‌زنجیره‌ای (آف-چین) پشتیبانی می‌کند. این ویژگی باعث می‌شود پرداخت‌ها سریع‌تر، ارزان‌تر و مقیاس‌پذیرتر شوند.
• امنیت بالا: با بهره‌گیری از الگوریتم‌های رمزنگاری پیشرفته، امنیت تراکنش‌ها تضمین می‌شود. علاوه بر این، امکان استفاده از کیف پول‌های سخت‌افزاری برای افزایش امنیت وجود دارد.
• انعطاف‌پذیری: این ابزار با انواع کسب‌وکارها و فروشگاه‌های آنلاین سازگار است و قابلیت یکپارچه‌سازی بالایی دارد.
• رایگان بودن: بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور یک نرم‌افزار کاملاً رایگان است و استفاده از آن هیچ هزینه‌ای در بر ندارد.

مزایای استفاده از بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور

استفاده از بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور می‌تواند برای کسب‌وکارها و مشتریان ارزش افزوده زیادی ایجاد کند:

• حفظ حریم خصوصی: اطلاعات شخصی کاربران کمتر در معرض خطر قرار می‌گیرد و حریم خصوصی آن‌ها بهتر محافظت می‌شود.
• کاهش هزینه‌ها: با حذف واسطه‌ها و کارمزدهای اضافی، هزینه‌های پردازش پرداخت کاهش می‌یابد.
• جلب اعتماد مشتریان: ارائه یک روش پرداخت امن و شفاف، اعتماد مشتریان را افزایش می‌دهد.
• حمایت از اقتصاد غیرمتمرکز: استفاده از این ابزار به تقویت اقتصاد غیرمتمرکز و کاهش وابستگی به سیستم‌های مالی متمرکز کمک می‌کند.

چطور از بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور استفاده کنیم؟

برای استفاده از بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور به چند مرحله ساده نیاز دارید:

• راه‌اندازی سرور: ابتدا یک سرور شخصی یا فضای ابری تهیه کنید.
• نصب بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور: با استفاده از مستندات رسمی، نرم‌افزار را نصب و تنظیم کنید.
• اتصال به کیف پول: کیف پول بیت‌کوین یا لایتنینگ خود را به سرور متصل کنید.
• یکپارچه‌سازی با کسب‌وکار: ابزار را با فروشگاه آنلاین یا سیستم پرداخت خود ادغام کنید.

با وجود مستندات جامع و جامعه کاربری فعال، حتی کاربران با دانش فنی محدود نیز می‌توانند از این نرم‌افزار بهره ببرند.

موارد کاربرد

بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور در انواع مختلفی از کسب‌وکارها قابل استفاده است:

• فروشگاه‌های آنلاین
• شرکت‌های فریلنسری
• مراکز خیریه
• پلتفرم‌های ارائه خدمات دیجیتال

جمع‌بندی

بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور یک ابزار قدرتمند، امن و رایگان برای پذیرش پرداخت‌های رمزنگاری است که به کسب‌وکارها امکان مدیریت مستقل تراکنش‌هایشان را می‌دهد. اگر به دنبال راهکاری برای کاهش هزینه‌ها، حفظ حریم خصوصی و تقویت استقلال مالی هستید، این ابزار یک گزینه ایده‌آل است.

منابع پیشنهادی:

برای اطلاعات بیشتر و نصب این ابزار، به وب‌سایت رسمی بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور مراجعه کنید\ btcpayserver.org

@ f57bac88:6045161e

چرا باید بیتکوین را در کسب‌وکار خود بپذیرید؟

• افزایش مشتریان: بسیاری از افراد به دنبال کسب‌وکارهایی هستند که بیتکوین را به عنوان روش پرداخت قبول می‌کنند.
• کاهش هزینه‌های تراکنش: هزینه‌های تراکنش بیتکوین به طور قابل توجهی کمتر از روش‌های پرداخت سنتی است.
• امنیت بیشتر: فناوری بلاک چین که بیتکوین بر روی آن ساخته شده است، امنیت بسیار بالایی را فراهم می‌کند.
• دسترسی جهانی: با بیتکوین، می‌توانید مشتریانی از سراسر جهان داشته باشید.
• مقاومت در برابر تورم: ارزش بیتکوین مستقل از دولت‌ها و بانک‌های مرکزی است و در برابر تورم مقاوم است.

چگونه کسب‌وکار خود را برای پذیرش بیتکوین آماده کنیم؟

• تحقیق و بررسی: قبل از هر اقدامی، به خوبی در مورد بیتکوین، فناوری بلاک چین و مزایای پذیرش آن تحقیق کنید.
• انتخاب کیف پول: یک کیف پول بیتکوین امن و مناسب برای کسب‌وکار خود انتخاب کنید.
• انتخاب درگاه پرداخت: درگاه پرداخت بیتکوین به شما امکان می‌دهد تا پرداخت‌های بیتکوین را به صورت آنلاین دریافت کنید.
• آموزش کارکنان: کارکنان خود را در مورد نحوه پذیرش پرداخت‌های بیتکوین آموزش دهید.
• تبلیغات: مشتریان خود را از پذیرش بیتکوین در کسب‌وکار خود آگاه کنید.

مراحل گام به گام برای راه اندازی پرداخت با بیتکوین:

• ثبت نام در یک صرافی معتبر: برای خرید بیتکوین، ابتدا باید در یک صرافی معتبر ثبت نام کنید.
• خرید بیتکوین: پس از احراز هویت، بیتکوین مورد نیاز خود را خریداری کنید.
• انتقال بیتکوین به کیف پول کسب‌وکار: بیتکوین خریداری شده را به کیف پول کسب‌وکار خود انتقال دهید.
• انتخاب درگاه پرداخت: یک درگاه پرداخت بیتکوین مناسب انتخاب کنید و آن را به وب‌سایت یا فروشگاه خود اضافه کنید.
• آغاز پذیرش پرداخت: پس از تکمیل مراحل بالا، می‌توانید پرداخت‌های بیتکوین را از مشتریان خود دریافت کنید.

نکات مهم:

• نوسانات قیمت: قیمت بیتکوین بسیار نوسان است. برای مدیریت این نوسانات، می‌توانید از ابزارهای مدیریت ریسک استفاده کنید.
• امنیت: امنیت بیتکوین بسیار مهم است. از کیف پول‌های امن استفاده کنید و به طور مرتب از آنها بکاپ بگیرید.
• مقررات: از قوانین و مقررات مربوط به ارزهای دیجیتال در کشور خود آگاه باشید.

از چه سرویس های میتوان استفاده کرد؟! برنامه ها و سرویس های بسیاری برای تبادل بیتکوین وجود دارن اما برای استفاده از این سرویس ها باید چند پیش شرط را در نظر گرفت: 1- سرویس فعالیت شفافی داشته، تا هر کسی بتواند آن سرویس و زیرساخت هایش را بررسی کند. 2- غیرمتمرکز باشد. 3- دسترسی آسان داشته باشد.

معرفی چند سرویس:

• درگاه پرداخت بیتکوین برای کسب و کارها "بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور" با این سرویس میتوانید درگاه پرداخت برای خریدهای آنلاین بسازید
• کیف پول برای نگهداری بیتکوین ها بر بستر لایتنینگ ولت‌آف‌ساتوشی
• برای کسب و کارهای فیزیکی و پرداخت در محل میتوانید از "بریز" استفاده کنید، که میتوانید با این سرویس اقلام به همراه قیمت در برنامه مشخص کنید تا هنگام ثبت فاکتور چند قلم را انتخاب کرده و مبلغ پرداختی را محاسبه کنید.

نتیجه‌گیری پذیرش بیتکوین می‌تواند فرصت‌های جدیدی را برای کسب‌وکار شما ایجاد کند. با پیروی از مراحل فوق، می‌توانید به راحتی کسب‌وکار خود را برای پذیرش بیتکوین آماده کنید.

@ 86cf3742:678e3ae8

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of dairy farming with JR Burdick, a former conventional dairy farmer turned raw milk producer. JR shares his journey from following the traditional dairy farming system to becoming an independent raw milk seller, breaking away from industry norms and regulations. He recounts the challenges he faced, including dealing with stray voltage that decimated his herd, a lengthy legal battle with an electric company, and the emotional and financial toll it took on his family.

JR also discusses the impact of industry regulations, such as the mandatory check-off programs and the pressures from dairy cooperatives, which led him to question the sustainability and ethics of the conventional dairy system. His story is one of resilience and transformation as he navigates the complexities of direct-to-consumer sales, the challenges of marketing raw milk, and the importance of maintaining integrity in his farming practices.

Throughout the conversation, JR offers insights into the broader agricultural landscape, touching on issues like government subsidies, the consolidation of the dairy industry, and the role of technology and innovation in farming. He also shares his thoughts on the future of agriculture, the potential of Bitcoin as a financial tool for farmers, and the importance of preserving traditional farming knowledge.

This episode is a compelling exploration of the struggles and triumphs of a farmer who dared to defy the status quo and forge a new path in the world of agriculture.

@ f57bac88:6045161e

دلایل ضرورت فعالیت ناشناس:

تهدید علیه حریم خصوصی: با توجه به گستردگی نظارت بر فضای مجازی در ایران، حریم خصوصی کاربران به شدت در معرض تهدید قرار دارد. اطلاعات شخصی کاربران مانند آدرس IP، تاریخچه جستجو و فعالیت‌های آنلاین، به‌راحتی قابل ردیابی و جمع‌آوری است. این اطلاعات می‌توانند برای شناسایی و ردیابی کاربران و اعمال محدودیت‌های بیشتر مورد استفاده قرار گیرند.

عدم امنیت سایبری: زیرساخت‌های سایبری در ایران به اندازه کافی قوی نیستند و حملات سایبری و هک شدن حساب‌های کاربری به طور مکرر رخ می‌دهد. در صورت هک شدن حساب کاربری، اطلاعات شخصی و خصوصی فرد در معرض افشا قرار می‌گیرد که می‌تواند عواقب جبران‌ناپذیری داشته باشد.

نظارت و پایش فعالیت‌های آنلاین: دولت‌ها اغلب فعالیت‌های کاربران را در شبکه‌های اجتماعی و بسترهای آنلاین زیر نظر می‌گیرند. این نظارت ممکن است شامل ردیابی ارتباطات، بررسی پست‌ها و شناسایی افراد فعال در موضوعات حساس باشد. هرگونه اظهارنظر یا فعالیتی که مغایر با سیاست‌های دولت باشد، می‌تواند منجر به عواقب جدی مانند احضار به نهادهای امنیتی، دستگیری و محکومیت‌های قضایی شود.

حمله‌های سایبری: هکرهای دولتی یا وابسته به دولت‌ها ممکن است به حساب‌های کاربری افراد نفوذ کرده و اطلاعات شخصی یا حرفه‌ای آنها را مورد سوءاستفاده قرار دهند.

چرا باید ناشناس بمانیم؟

استفاده از هویت ناشناس در اینترنت می‌تواند امنیت کاربران را به شکل چشمگیری افزایش دهد. ناشناس بودن به معنای استفاده از ابزارها و روش‌هایی است که هویت واقعی کاربر (مانند نام، شماره تماس یا موقعیت جغرافیایی) را پنهان می‌کند. این اقدامات به افراد اجازه می‌دهد بدون نگرانی از پیامدهای احتمالی، به بیان نظرات و فعالیت آنلاین خود ادامه دهند.

پیامدهای عدم توجه به فعالیت ناشناس:

خودسانسوری: ترس از عواقب بیان آزادانه افکار، کاربران را به سمت خودسانسوری سوق می‌دهد و از این طریق، اینترنت از تنوع آرا و نظرات محروم می‌شود. \ کاهش مشارکت مدنی: فعالیت ناشناس، به کاربران امکان می‌دهد تا بدون ترس از تبعات، در مباحث اجتماعی و سیاسی مشارکت کنند و نظرات خود را آزادانه بیان کنند. عدم توجه به این موضوع، مشارکت مدنی را کاهش داده و از شکل‌گیری یک جامعه مدنی پویا جلوگیری می‌کند. \ افزایش شکاف دیجیتال: افرادی که به دلایل مختلف قادر به حفظ ناشناس بودن خود در فضای مجازی نیستند، از بسیاری از امکانات و مزایای این فضا محروم می‌شوند و شکاف دیجیتال عمیق‌تر می‌شود.

راهکارها برای حفظ حریم خصوصی و فعالیت ناشناس:

استفاده از ابزارهای امنیتی: استفاده از وی‌پی‌ان، پروکسی و مرورگر تر، به کاربران کمک می‌کند تا آدرس آی‌پی خود را مخفی کرده و از ردیابی فعالیت‌های آنلاین خود جلوگیری کنند.\ رمزنگاری پیام‌ها: استفاده از نرم‌افزارهای پیام‌رسان رمزنگاری شده، به کاربران امکان می‌دهد تا ارتباطات خود را ایمن و محرمانه نگه دارند.\ ایجاد حساب‌های کاربری با اطلاعات غیرواقعی: از نام‌های مستعار و ایمیل‌های ناشناس برای ایجاد حساب‌های کاربری استفاده کنید.\ حفظ حریم خصوصی در شبکه‌های اجتماعی: کاربران باید تنظیمات حریم خصوصی خود را در شبکه‌های اجتماعی به دقت بررسی کرده و اطلاعات شخصی خود را به حداقل برسانند.\ آموزش آگاهی دیجیتال: آموزش آگاهی دیجیتال به کاربران، به آن‌ها کمک می‌کند تا با تهدیدات موجود در فضای مجازی آشنا شده و روش‌های مقابله با آن‌ها را یاد بگیرند.\ اجتناب از اشتراک‌گذاری اطلاعات حساس: از به اشتراک‌گذاری اطلاعاتی که می‌تواند هویت واقعی شما را فاش کند، خودداری کنید.\ فعالیت در پلتفرم‌های امن‌تر: استفاده از پیام‌رسان‌ها و شبکه‌های اجتماعی با رمزنگاری قوی، می‌تواند به محافظت از اطلاعات کمک کند.

نتیجه‌گیری

در فضای مجازی که روز به روز نظارت و محدودیت‌ها افزایش می‌یابد، فعالیت با هویت ناشناس نه تنها یک ضرورت بلکه یک ابزار اساسی برای حفظ آزادی بیان و امنیت شخصی است. هر کاربر باید آگاهانه و هوشمندانه به فعالیت در اینترنت بپردازد تا از خطرات احتمالی جلوگیری کند.

### \ پی نوشت مهم

در ایران سالانه تعداد بسیاری از انسان های نیک سرشت به دلیل عدم رعایت ناشناسی یا عدم رعایت نکات امنیتی و فعالیت های انسانی که دیکتاتوری جمهوری اسلامی با آن‌ها مخالف است با خطرات جانی، مالی و اتفاقات ناگوار جبران ناپذیری روبرو میشوند مانند سگارو، پس لطفا بخاطر خودتان و عزیزانتان ناشناس شروع کنید، ناشناس فعالیت کنید و ناشناس بمانید

@ 6bae33c8:607272e8

I was rooting for the Eagles in the NFC because I want Saquon Barkley to win Super Bowl MVP, and on the first play from scrimmage he took a 60-yard run to the house. Unfortunately he got banged up on the play and was used sparingly for the rest of the game, but no matter. Another 118 yards and three TDs later, he’s got his chance in the Super Bowl. 

The Killer Redskins are pretty good — they don’t stop coming at you, and Jayden Daniels should be a star for the next decade. But three lost fumbles destroyed any hopes they had. Fumbles and penalties are the worst part of the NFL — like getting Sorry’ed in the game of Sorry, they reverse whatever is happening on the field seismically. 

• The KRs are close. They could use an offensive line upgrade, maybe one more pass rusher and another explosive skill player, but with Daniels around, they’ll be contenders again. 

• Terry McLaurin didn’t have a big role, but he showed how fast and explosive he is on the 36-yard TD catch and run. He’s also big (210 lbs) for a speed receiver, but turns 30 in September. 

• Jalen Hurts made some nice downfield throws to A.J. Brown which is a good sign. If the Eagles are going to beat the Chiefs, they’ll need to make some plays in the passing game. 

• Jake Elliott missed a long FG and has been shaky all year. People don’t care about kickers, but I wouldn’t want to trust him with the game on the line. 

• In both games there were penalties on a TD that resulted in teams opting for the 1-yard 2-point conversion, and both failed. The Bills even took a successful PAT off the board. 

• I know there was controversy on the Chiefs’ fourth quarter. 4th-down stop, down 1 (and also the spot on the preceding 3rd-down play that made it 4th down.) But the Chiefs still had to drive for the touchdown and subsequent FG after the Bills tied it, stop them on defense one more time and then convert that last third down to seal it. In other words, it looked like two bad spots, but even if that was “cheating,” the game was won on the field. The Chiefs also lost a fumble on a botched snap, and the Bills recovered all of theirs. 

• Kareem Hunt is such a tough runner, he’s basically a healthy Isiah Pacheco at this point. Pacheco himself doesn’t look 100 percent. 

• Travis Kelce had a surprisingly minor role, but Xavier Worthy had a good game, and Patrick Mahomes spread the ball around. It was almost as if they had played it vanilla on purpose in earlier weeks and broke out a more aggressive passing game when they needed it. 

• Mahomes will now have appeared in five of the last six Super Bowls, with only Joe Burrow and the Bengals interrupting his streak. If he wins a fourth this year, he’ll have a chance to do the unthinkable which is to catch Tom Brady’s seven. Three more is still a lot though, and that’s only IF he wins against the Eagles. 

• Josh Allen played well on the road against one of the league’s best defenses. The Bills offense wasn’t as efficient as Buffalo’s, though, and they’re really missing a go-to playmaking receiver. Amari Cooper never seemed to integrate fully into the offense. 

• The AFC is loaded with QB talent that will never see a Super Bowl so long as Andy Reid and Mahomes are in the league. Allen, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Burrow (again) or maybe C.J. Stroud will break through one of these years, but it’s likely at least two of them won’t. 

@ da0b9bc3:4e30a4a9

Hello Stackers!

It's Monday so we're back doing "Meta Music Mondays" 😉.

From before the territory existed there was just one post a week in a ~meta take over. Now each month we have a different theme and bring music from that theme.

This month it's New Year New Artists! Bringing you small time artists with great music. Artists without some huge record label or massive following. Let's find those hidden little gems.

This week, may I present to you, Belle Sisoski and her cover of "Legends Never Die"

https://youtu.be/VMIL1YbUQrI?si=kR2YLib5x3qLEn8A

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/866591

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

Planning Alexandria

People keep asking what features nostr:npub1s3ht77dq4zqnya8vjun5jp3p44pr794ru36d0ltxu65chljw8xjqd975wz has planned for #Alexandria, but they're not set in stone because we're an agile project.

What we do have, is lots of tickets on our Kanban boards and a naming scheme, where we use a famous person's last name, to signify the release goals.

Gutenberg v 0.1.0

(after the inventor of the printing press) will contain the features needed to read and write NIP-62 Curated Publications, as well as encompassing the complex infrastructure, architecture, documentation, and personnel we require to make this all run smoothly and look easy.

Euler v 0.2.0

(after a mathematician credited with establishing graph theory) will contain the features for deep-searching, visually exploring, and smartly navigating the data set, wiki page display, annotating and citing the publications, exporting to other formats (like PDF, ePUB, and LaTeX), and commenting/reviewing. To help with the heavy lifting, we will be swapping out the core with our own Nostr SDK called "Aedile".

Defoe v 0.3.0

(after an author who perfected the novel format) will be all about our favorite writers. We will be focusing upon profile data, payment systems, book clubs and communities, and stylesheets.

That is everything we have planned, for the v1.0 edition, and we consider that version to be a true product.

As for after that, a teaser...

@ 54286b98:3debc100

Looking back on that time, I now see clearly that my faith--my only real faith--that which apart from my animal instincts gave impulse to my life --was a belief in perfecting myself. But in what this perfecting consisted and what its object was, I could not have said. I tried to perfect myself mentally--I studied everything I could, anything life threw in my way; I tried to perfect my will, I drew up rules I tried to follow; I perfected myself physically, cultivating my strength and agility by all sorts of exercises, and accustoming myself to endurance and patience by all kinds of privations. And all this I considered to be the pursuit of perfection. — Leo Tolstoy, A Confession

It seems to be a good trait, perfecting sounds and looks good. Why would you not want to improve yourself? You should!

In his book A Confession, Tolstoy starts the first chapter by laying down one of the main Christian principles: we cannot do enough work to achieve salvation, nor can we buy our way into it.

We may strive to be perfect and solve things in our own strength, but we may fail miserably. Christ bought our way in, and the only way to claim that ticket is by surrendering our strength and working in His. Striving to be perfect in our own strength is not different from living by the law (this refers to the Law given to the Jewish people versus living by faith alone).

10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.— Galatians 3: 10-11

Trying to be good and do good works is an excellent attitude, but we can only achieve this by walking in His footsteps. Moreover, I think and believe that the inner call to be perfect may exist within us simply to reveal our incapability of such an accomplishment.

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.— Romans 3:20

Of course, faith alone is not proof either, but it’s a start. If we are given the gift of believing in Christ, what we do with that belief is shown through the fruits of the works we do.

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[a] is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. James 2:14-24

Until the next one,

J

@ f1989a96:bcaaf2c1

Good morning, readers!

In Iran, officials are accused of exploiting a recent currency devaluation to profit at the public’s expense. The regime raised the rial’s official exchange rate from 550,000 to 640,000 per dollar to maximize its profit when selling the $5 billion it had withdrawn from the National Development Fund. This move effectively stole one quadrillion rials ($23 billion) from citizens, fueling inflation and devastating the public’s already-slim purchasing power.

In Nicaragua, dictator Daniel Ortega dissolved 15 more nonprofit organizations since the start of the year. This brings the total to more than 5,400 NGOs shut down since 2018. Ortega frequently uses financial repression to wield power over citizens, freezing bank accounts, seizing assets, and fabricating financial crimes to dismantle civil society groups. 

In open-source software news, Solo Satoshi, a company advancing home Bitcoin mining, unveiled the Bitaxe Touch, a new home mining device designed for individuals to mine Bitcoin. It features a touch screen that displays mining metrics, network data, and Bitcoin news. Innovations like this help democratize access to mining and strengthen the overall Bitcoin network, making an especially big difference for people who wish to mine in difficult political environments. \ \ Meanwhile, Bitcoin developers are exploring rewarding mining pool participants with ecash shares. This model lets miners receive earnings instantly and trade them on open markets without revealing personal details. This could make mining more attractive for dissidents whilst helping strengthen Bitcoin’s overall decentralization.

Finally, we feature the release of Evan Mawarire’s book “Crazy Epic Courage,” in which the Zimbabwean pastor and activist recounts his inspiring journey of a peaceful uprising against Robert Mugabe’s dictatorship and hyperinflation. We also include a Bitkey wallet tutorial from renowned Bitcoin educator Ben Perrin, aka BTC Sessions, who walks users through setting up cold storage and best practices for safe transactions.

Now, let’s get right to it!

SUBSCRIBE HERE

GLOBAL NEWS

Iran | Regime Profiting From Currency Devaluation

In Iran, Hossein Samsami, a member of the parliament’s economic committee, accused the government of exploiting foreign currency exchange rates to profit at the expense of ordinary citizens. The regime recently increased the rial’s official exchange rate from 550,000 to 640,000 rial per dollar — a move Samsami explained “was to sell the $5 billion it had taken from the National Development Fund at the highest price.” By manipulating the exchange rate, the regime effectively stole one quadrillion rials ($23 billion) from citizens. This deliberate devaluation will drive up inflation, deplete savings, and push basic goods further out of reach. Iran’s multi-tiered exchange rate system has long fueled corruption, allowing regime insiders to profit from the gap between the artificially low official exchange rate and the higher free-market rate. To block any financial escape, the regime has tried to close onramps to Bitcoin.

Nicaragua | Regime Dismantles More Nonprofit Organizations

Since the start of 2025, the Nicaraguan regime dissolved an additional 15 nonprofit organizations (NGOs), including Save the Children and the Dominican Nuns Foundation of Nicaragua. This latest wave of repression brings the total to more than 5,400 NGOs shut down since 2018 under dictator Daniel Ortega. Ortega uses financial repression as a weapon, freezing bank accounts, seizing assets, and fabricating financial crimes to dismantle these groups. Deprived of resources and funding, these organizations are forced to close, leaving vulnerable communities without aid. These crackdowns come as part of Ortega’s broader strategy to stifle dissent, dismantle civil society, and consolidate his grip on Nicaragua.

Nigeria | Political and Bitcoin Activist Faces Regime Censorship

James Otudor, an activist and founder of Bitcoin Calabar, a Nigerian Bitcoin circular economy, described what he believes is a deliberate campaign to silence his Bitcoin advocacy. After filing a lawsuit against the Nigerian regime to defend citizens’ rights to own, use, and trade Bitcoin, Otudor was interrogated by the Department of State Security (DSS) about his funding sources and financial activities. Despite providing proof of legitimate earnings, he reports facing a series of suspicious and coordinated attacks — including the theft of his lawyers’ documents, the suspension of his social media accounts, and disruptions to his phone and internet services. These actions represent the extent to which authoritarian regimes like Nigeria will go to block financial tools that operate beyond their control. 

United Arab Emirates | AI Ambitions and Authoritarian Control

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is accelerating its bid to lead the global artificial intelligence race, with reports suggesting that intelligence chief Sheikh Tahnoun is in talks with the United States to acquire NVIDIA’s proprietary AI chips. At the center of this push is G42, an AI conglomerate heavily invested in data analytics, satellite imagery, and predictive surveillance. These technologies enable the UAE to expand domestic surveillance and control to suppress dissent with unprecedented precision. As an authoritarian regime with an appalling human rights record, the UAE has long used technology to surveil activists, journalists, and civil society. Now, it aims to take surveillance and repression to new heights.

Uganda | Civic Group Calls for the End of Trials of Civilians in Military Courts

On Wednesday, Jan. 15, Agora Discourse, a civic group co-founded by activist and Oslo Freedom Forum speaker Agather Atuhaire, launched a Change petition calling for the end of trials of civilians in military courts in Uganda. The next day, police officers harassed and roughed up Agather Atuhaire as she delivered a physical copy of the petition, addressed to Chief Justice Owinyi Dollo, at Uganda’s Supreme Court in the capital, Kampala. Alongside this physical repression, Uganda employs financial repression — freezing the bank accounts of civil society organizations to diminish civilian voices and their right to association and organization. This petition aims to rally international pressure against the regime’s practice of using military courts to target dissidents. If you have a moment, please consider reviewing and signing the petition here.

RECOMMENDED CONTENT

“Crazy Epic Courage” by Evan Mawarire

Zimbabwean pastor and activist Evan Mawarire never set out to become a revolutionary — he simply wanted to speak the truth. But when a video of him draped in a Zimbabwean flag went viral, it ignited a nationwide movement that would challenge Robert Mugabe, one of Africa’s longest-standing autocrats and a thief who looted Zimbabwean wealth via hyperinflation. In his newly released book, “Crazy Epic Courage,” Mawarire details how an ordinary citizen can become the voice of a nation. From arrests and exile to global advocacy, his journey is a testament to risking everything for what is right. Read the full book here.

BITCOIN AND FREEDOM TECH NEWS

This week’s Bitcoin news focuses on Bitcoin mining updates. To learn more about Bitcoin mining, we recommend checking out this explainer article and video.

Mostro | Implements Key Management to Boost Privacy

Mostro, a peer-to-peer (P2P) Bitcoin exchange built on Nostr, introduced advanced key management to improve user privacy. Created by Venezuelan developer Francisco Calderon, Mostro — specifically designed to aid people under tyranny — enables individuals to buy and sell Bitcoin without sharing excessive personal information. This adds another layer of privacy critical for human rights defenders, journalists, and nonprofits operating under authoritarian regimes. As a past recipient of HRF’s Bitcoin Development Fund, Mostro continues to advance private Bitcoin access for those who need it most.

Bitcoin Safe | New Bitcoin Wallet Designed for Non-Technical Users

Bitcoin Safe is a new open-source Bitcoin wallet designed to make self-custody simple even for non-technical users, something that really comes in handy for human rights activists. The wallet guides users through the setup process, with step-by-step instructions for both single-signature (where one private key is used to control your Bitcoin) and multi-signature wallets (which require multiple private keys for added security). Bitcoin Safe also includes features to manage Bitcoin efficiently, such as automatically combining unused Bitcoin (known as Unspent Transaction Outputs or UTXOs), speeding up stuck transactions with fees (known as Replace-By-Fee or RBF), and letting users choose specific coins to spend. With support for more than 10 languages, Bitcoin Safe can lower the barriers to self-custody.

Solo Satoshi | Introduces Bitaxe Touch

Solo Satoshi, a company advancing home Bitcoin mining, unveiled the Bitaxe Touch, the first Bitcoin home miner with a built-in touchscreen. Scheduled for release in early 2025, the device enables users to monitor key metrics, including Bitcoin’s price, mining performance, power consumption, incoming transactions, and real-time temperature data. It also features a Bitcoin news feed, offering a comprehensive overview of the mining experience. Built using an open-source Bitaxe 601 Gamma, the Bitaxe Touch is designed to simplify Bitcoin mining for individuals. By empowering more people to mine Bitcoin independently, devices like this reduce reliance on large mining pools, strengthening Bitcoin’s decentralization and resistance to censorship.

Mining Pools | Rewarding Miners with Tradeable Ecash Shares

Bitcoin developers are exploring a new way to reward miners using tradeable “ecash shares.” In Bitcoin mining, individuals often join “mining pools” — groups of Bitcoin miners that work together to verify transactions, solve blocks, and share rewards. They do so because pooling resources increases their chances of earning Bitcoin. However, miners in these pools can wait days or weeks for payouts (depending on the pools’ payout structure), and miners often suffer violations of their privacy. With ecash shares, miners could receive their earnings immediately and sell them on an open market (without having to reveal their identity, shielding them from a dictator’s watchful eye). This system could also make it easier for small mining pools to get started and grow. Smaller pools often struggle to attract miners because payouts are uncertain. By using ecash shares, these smaller pools could temporarily operate as clients of larger ones to ensure steady income in the early stages.

F2Pool | Monitoring Global Censorship Risks

Bitcoin developer b10c revealed that F2Pool, one of Bitcoin’s largest mining pools, may be filtering transactions. Over the past weeks, b10c’s miningpool-observer detected 15 transactions from certain addresses that were not mined in the first eligible block. While all transactions were eventually confirmed — proving the Bitcoin network’s overall censorship resistance — F2Pool appears to have excluded some despite negligible fee differences, raising concerns of potential censorship. Notably, no other pools filtered these transactions, revealing the strength of this decentralized software network. However, these observations warrant ongoing monitoring so that the public understands such risks before they metastasize.

Mi Primer Bitcoin | Releases 2025 Bitcoin Diploma

Mi Primer Bitcoin, a nonprofit advancing open-source Bitcoin education, released its updated 2025 Bitcoin Diploma. This 176-page open-source workbook serves as a 10-week educational program and is used by more than 56 projects in 30 countries. The diploma covers topics like the history of money, Bitcoin’s technical and practical applications, and its implication for financial freedom and human rights. The latest edition features enhanced infographics and refined content for improved clarity. Available in multiple languages, the Bitcoin Diploma is a powerful resource for fostering financial literacy and global Bitcoin adoption and is taught by civil society groups even under dictatorships like the one in Cuba.

RECOMMENDED CONTENT

Bitkey Wallet Tutorial by BTC Sessions

In this tutorial, renowned Bitcoin educator Ben Perrin (BTC Sessions) demonstrates how to set up and use the Bitkey hardware wallet on a mobile device. He guides viewers through the process of storing, sending, and receiving Bitcoin, with a focus on user-friendliness and secure practices. He also reveals secret techniques to make the most out of one’s hardware wallet. Don’t miss the full tutorial — watch it here.

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@ 5bdb0e24:0ccbebd7

Have you ever needed to reference a Linux command line tool's capabilities only to find out there is no manual page and that only the -h (--help) option is available?

Normally, this isn't a problem, but -h doesn't let you search for strings the way man does. That means, if you are trying to use a tool that is quite extensive, scrolling and sifting through the help option's results manually can be quite cumbersome.

The ffuf command is a good example of this, but this can be a problem for many other CLI tools out there.

Thankfully, I found a quick and easy way to search these help messages, and I feel so silly for not thinking of it sooner.

All you need to do is pipe the output of the -h message you are trying to reference into something like less:

ffuf -h | less

Now, after typing a forward slash (/), you can search throughout the -h message without manually scrolling through the whole thing, similarly to how you might search through a manpage.

I'm sure there are other ways to achieve this same result. But this is the one I have found works for me and that I will be using going forward.

If you know an even better way to achieve this, or you have any other underrated Linux command line tips and tricks, feel free to let me know.

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

In the contemporary financial world, Cathie Wood, the founder of ARK Invest, stands out for her innovative investment approaches. Recently, Wood has focused on Bitcoin (BTC), highlighting its potential as a hedge against both inflationary and deflationary economic conditions. This article delves into Wood's perspective, exploring Bitcoin's evolving role in the global financial landscape. We examine its multifaceted nature, not just as a digital currency, but as a strategic asset capable of navigating the complex dynamics of the modern economy. Wood's insights offer a nuanced understanding of Bitcoin's potential in offering stability amidst economic uncertainties.

Table Of Content

• Bitcoin's Hedge Potential

• Decentralization: A Key Advantage

• The Banking Crisis and Bitcoin

• Bitcoin vs. Gold

• Institutional Involvement

• Conclusion

• FAQs

Bitcoin's Hedge Potential

Cathie Wood's perspective on Bitcoin transcends its usual perception as a mere digital currency. She champions it as a dynamic tool against economic fluctuations, a quality rarely matched by traditional assets. In an era marked by economic instability, Bitcoin stands as a beacon of potential stability. This is particularly notable in its capacity to act as a hedge during inflationary periods, where fiat currencies lose value, and deflationary periods, characterized by increased money value but decreased economic activity. This dual capability positions Bitcoin as a significant asset in diversified portfolios, resonating with Wood's innovative investment philosophy.

Decentralization: A Key Advantage

For Wood, Bitcoin's decentralization is a critical advantage. This aspect sets it apart from traditional banking systems, which often grapple with issues of transparency and central control. In Bitcoin's ecosystem, there is a clear absence of counterparty risk, thanks to its decentralized ledger and visible transactions. This transparency assures investors of a level of security and autonomy not found in conventional financial systems. In Wood's view, this decentralization is not just a technical feature but a foundational aspect that provides Bitcoin with a resilience and reliability, crucial in a world where financial systems are increasingly interconnected and vulnerable.

The Banking Crisis and Bitcoin

Reflecting on recent financial upheavals, such as the U.S. regional bank crisis and the FTX collapse, Wood sees these events as vindications of Bitcoin's stability and resilience. These crises underscored the inherent risks of centralized financial systems, revealing their fragility under stress. In contrast, Bitcoin demonstrated an impressive resilience, with its value surging during these tumultuous times. This reaction not only highlights Bitcoin's potential as a safe haven but also its capacity to serve as a barometer for the health of the broader financial system.

Bitcoin vs. Gold

While gold has traditionally been the go-to asset for hedge investments, Wood argues that Bitcoin has a distinct edge over it. Her preference for Bitcoin stems from its novelty and the increasing interest from younger investors and institutional players. Unlike gold, whose market and demand patterns are well-established, Bitcoin represents an emerging asset class with untapped potential. Wood believes that Bitcoin's journey is just beginning, and its full potential as a hedge asset is yet to be realized, making it a more attractive option for forward-looking investors.

Institutional Involvement

Wood's belief in Bitcoin's future is mirrored in ARK Invest's substantial investments in cryptocurrency-related ventures. These investments are not mere speculative plays; they represent a deep conviction in the long-term value of Bitcoin. ARK's pursuit of a spot Bitcoin ETF is a significant move, indicating a belief in the cryptocurrency's viability as a mainstream investment asset. This institutional backing by a leading investment firm not only legitimizes Bitcoin's role in the financial markets but also paves the way for more widespread adoption among traditional investors.

Conclusion

Cathie Wood's endorsement of Bitcoin is a compelling narrative in the evolving story of this digital asset. Her insights provide a valuable perspective on Bitcoin's role as a hedge against both inflation and deflation, highlighting its potential in the current economic climate. As we navigate through uncertain financial times, Wood's views offer a guidepost for investors looking to diversify and stabilize their portfolios with innovative assets like Bitcoin.

FAQs

What is Cathie Wood's view on Bitcoin? Cathie Wood sees Bitcoin as a viable hedge against both inflation and deflation, highlighting its decentralized nature and resilience.

Why does Wood prefer Bitcoin over traditional banking systems? Wood values Bitcoin's transparency and lack of counterparty risk, contrasting it with the opacity of traditional banking systems.

How did the banking crisis impact Bitcoin's value? The U.S. regional bank crisis and the FTX collapse showed Bitcoin's stability, with its value increasing during these times.

Why does Wood favor Bitcoin over gold? Wood believes Bitcoin has more potential for growth and is more appealing to younger investors and institutions compared to gold.

What is ARK Invest's involvement in Bitcoin? ARK Invest holds significant stakes in cryptocurrency ventures and is pursuing a spot Bitcoin ETF, reflecting a strong belief in Bitcoin's future.

That's all for today

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DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.

@ fd78c37f:a0ec0833

In this edition, we invited Nyirenda, a member of the nostr:npub1t4ljwhhg7zlxeahxwgmkwqmn4jjxxq8lzhyuzy0zvy23hq0sacxsdl9fvv community, to share his personal experiences in participating in the Bitcoin community, as well as the challenges the community has faced in its operations and the strategies used to address them.

YakiHonne: Today, we are honored to have a guest from Bitcoin Boma with us. Thank you for joining us. Before we dive in, I'd like to take a moment to introduce YakiHonne and share a bit about what we do. YakiHonne is a decentralized media client built on the Nostr protocol that enables freedom of speech through technology. It empowers creators to create their own voice, assets, and features. It also allows features like smart widgets, verified notes, and focuses on long-form articles. Now today we'll be exploring more about the Bitcoin community. Nyirenda, could you please briefly introduce yourself and tell us a bit about what you do?

Nyirenda：My name is Nyirenda. I'm part of the Bitcoin Boma Education Program and Bitcoin Boma Malawi. Bitcoin Boma Malawi is a coalition of Bitcoin enthusiasts who have come together to raise social, economic, and environmental awareness about Bitcoin in Malawi. Our long-term strategy involves engaging with various stakeholders, including the government, to work towards the legalization of Bitcoin.

YakiHonne: What sparked your interest in Bitcoin, and what motivated you to start a community around it?

Nyirenda: I first came across Bitcoin in 2016 through the news. Back then, its price had already surged to $16,000, which sparked my interest right away. Although the news warned that Bitcoin resembled a Ponzi scheme, I had already built a solid understanding of economic structures, having studied monetary history and the fractional reserve banking system. This gave me the background needed to appreciate Bitcoin. Nyirenda：I began my research journey with Andreas Antonopoulos's lectures and books, which deeply resonated with me. I was quickly drawn to the philosophy behind Bitcoin. Since then, my focus has been on engaging with others and teaching them about Bitcoin, especially within the context of Malawi. Nyirenda：In Malawi, our economic activities face numerous restrictions. The government controls the national fiat currency, limiting what we can do with it. For me, Bitcoin presents a solution to these issues. Today, I remain passionate about educating others about Bitcoin and exploring its potential to transform our economic situation.

YakiHonne: I witnessed the decline of traditional currencies and realized how Bitcoin could play a role in the future. It's truly fascinating to see how it can be implemented. Could you share how the community was formed, how you attracted members in the early stages, and what challenges you faced along the way?

Nyirenda：When I first started diving into Bitcoin, I felt like I needed a teacher. So, I printed a T-shirt that said "Bitcoin accepted here" and wore it whenever I went into town or public places. People would often look at me and ask, "Hey, what's Bitcoin?" I could then briefly explain what Bitcoin is and how it compares to the current fiat system. Nyirenda：Some people were really interested, to the point that we exchanged contacts and started connecting, and it was a great experience. But the turning point came when I saw a tweet from Bitcoin Boma. Someone tweeted about a conference/seminar being organized, in collaboration with Trezor Academy. When I saw this, I knew this was the place to be. So, last July, I met Grant, Ian Foster, and Nick Twyman, who were organizing the event. Nyirenda：After we introduced ourselves and started connecting, they said, "Hey, join us as part of our coalition, and let's see what we can do with Bitcoin, especially in education." That’s how things started moving forward. It's been an incredible journey because since then, we've managed to graduate about 12 to 15 students. One of the biggest things we’ve done so far is launching the first Bitcoin education course in Malawi, attracting over 120 people. Of course, only some of them are attending the classes, but so far, the progress has been great.

YakiHonne: So, what challenges did you face in attracting new members at that stage?

Nyirenda：The first challenge we face is the attitude and perception of Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a new technology and innovation. In a country where people are used to traditional currencies, there are many financial technologies emerging, including centralized coins. This has created challenges. When people hear about Bitcoin, many think of it as a Ponzi scheme. They believe it's a scam or a way to get rich quickly. What I've observed is that most people fail to understand the difference between Bitcoin and centralized currencies. To truly appreciate Bitcoin, they need to experience it. Setting up a custodial wallet and explaining a transaction to them can help. Nyirenda：The second challenge is that people think Bitcoin is too complicated, especially in Africa, and here in Malawi, where the IT and ICT infrastructure is still underdeveloped. I’d say 70% of the population doesn’t have access to the internet. Even in our education system, we don’t learn about computers. It’s mainly by luck if someone has access to a computer and a network, allowing them to appreciate the technology.

YakiHonne: It seems to be common in many countries, where people think Bitcoin is a quick way to get rich. They see it as a scam or a Ponzi scheme. It's a big challenge to get people to believe in Bitcoin as a currency, rather than just their local currency. This is a real barrier in many economies. What principles guide your community, and how do you maintain trust and reliability in discussions? Simply saying, how do you keep the trust of the people？

Nyirenda：I’ll start with Bitcoin BOMA and then extend it to the people we interact with. In Bitcoin BOMA, even though we’re a collaboration, we have clear objectives and a philosophy. Ultimately, we model Bitcoin’s decentralized nature because it allows everyone to participate. In our coalition, we encourage the free flow of ideas and regularly meet to discuss how best to promote Bitcoin education. We focus on its social, economic, and environmental aspects. We assign tasks to each other and work hard to achieve the results. Nyirenda：Malawi has great potential, especially in the energy sector, where we could mine Bitcoin, but we lose a lot of electricity during generation. There were attempts to convince government-run institutions to embrace Bitcoin. However, most of these institutions are controlled by the government, and getting into politics is necessary to convince policymakers. It’s been a challenge because government systems are centralized. There’s a hierarchy to follow, and sometimes, even if a minister understands Bitcoin, it takes a long time to get it approved in parliament and passed into law.This has been one of our ongoing initiatives. Nyirenda：When I go out and interact with people, especially Malawians, I try to explain the transparency of Bitcoin by showing how a decentralized ledger works and how it’s different from traditional systems. I also explain that Bitcoin is reliable and that mismanagement isn’t possible with a decentralized system. Nyirenda：In a country where people are educated in a certain way and believe in competition and power, I often remind them that absolute power corrupts absolutely. I tell them that Bitcoin offers a different space where decentralization allows for a fairer system and benefits everyone. That’s how I try to explain it in simple terms.

YakiHonne: how do you educate your members and keep them updated on Bitcoin development time-to-time?

Nyirenda：For me, learning about Bitcoin is a lifelong process, with always unanswered questions and gaps to fill. I often study, read, and keep an eye on the developments in the Bitcoin community, especially in the African Bitcoin community. My role model is Kenya, particularly how they are enabling people to use Bitcoin through the Tando project. I believe that the value of Bitcoin is not just about holding and waiting for the price to rise, but rather as a tool that can help liberate the world. Nyirenda：Bitcoin is not just about accumulating wealth; I focus more on its role as a tool in the free market. Therefore, I continue to learn, even though I'm not a technical expert and my background is not in this field. I have worked in education, so I apply those skills to better understand Bitcoin and how it works. Nyirenda：I gather information from various sources to understand how Bitcoin works. At the same time, I compare it with the traditional monetary system, as that’s where I began, and it's my foundational layer. As for the Bitcoin BOMA community, I’m happy to say that we have two members with a strong background in economics. We often share interesting content and sometimes engage in debates. We also share many links and videos, learning from each other. Nyirenda：Especially in the Bitcoin Diploma Education Program, I give explanations, and I have peers who help analyze my course content. We remind each other and point out areas that need improvement. We constantly update each other on our progress, ensuring that our activities remain relevant, which helps us continue to improve.

YakiHonne: Does Bitcoin Boomer collaborate with the broader Bitcoin ecosystem, and which partnerships have had the greatest impact so far?

Nyirenda：I'll start with our collaboration with Trezor Academy. Last year, this was one of the most significant partnerships for us in Malawi. Trezor Academy focuses on Bitcoin education, and they provided us with a lot of support. Thanks to this collaboration, we were able to organize a seminar and graduate about 10 to 15 students. It was a major achievement for us. Nyirenda：Additionally, one of our members attended the African Bitcoin Conference held in Kenya, which was a pivotal opportunity. He had the chance to interact with Bitcoiners from across Africa. There were special guests, including nostr:npub1sg6plzptd64u62a878hep2kev88swjh3tw00gjsfl8f237lmu63q0uf63m and through this exposure, he met the core developers in Kenya and the Tando developers in South Africa. These collaborations have given us insight into what other Bitcoin communities are doing, especially in their projects. Nyirenda：We also had a speaker from Bitcoin Boma who participated in an event in El Salvador. We are working towards making Malawi a Bitcoin node, and he is actively fostering that effort. Big shoutout to Ian Foster for his dedication. He will also be attending a conference in South Africa this January as a guest speaker. These collaborations have been very impactful, and I’m confident that we’ll see the results of these interactions in the future.

YakiHonne: So what challenges has your community faced so far and how have you overcome them while maintaining integrity?

Nyirenda：One of the challenges we face is related to resources, especially when it comes to our learning sessions. We mainly rely on our own resources, and we understand that quality lessons require specific equipment. While we're working toward acquiring these resources, we’re also making the most of what we have. We've agreed to work with what we have, and we believe we can still achieve our objectives. Nyirenda：Another challenge is the attitude towards Bitcoin in Malawi. Most people entering the crypto space have a “get rich quick” mentality. They focus more on the outcomes rather than the learning process. Many crypto traders are primarily interested in exploiting the benefits of Bitcoin. This is a challenge, especially when trying to teach people that Bitcoin is not just about making a profit, but also about liberation. Changing the traditional fiat mindset to embrace this new path is not easy. Nyirenda：Additionally, many people believe that if they invest their time, they must get a return. This is one of the challenges we're currently dealing with. Financial literacy in Malawi still has a long way to go. While people are aware of how economic shocks, especially currency devaluation, affect them, they often act out of desperation. The market is psychologically driven, and people are constantly looking for shortcuts to protect their wealth. When Bitcoin is introduced, it often raises doubts and skepticism. Nyirenda：However, there is no moment of hatred. Instead, we see the growing energy within the community, even if it's just coming from the heart, extending a significant impact on others. There’s a lot of potential and many possibilities ahead. Despite the challenges, we remain hopeful and excited about the future.

YakiHonne: In addition to wearing T-shirts and sparking curiosity, what other methods have you adopted to promote Bitcoin, and what results have you seen?

Nyirenda：First of all, I want to mention the Bitcoin BOMA education diploma program that’s currently running. This is one of the most significant initiatives we have at the moment. We are doing our best to attract people to dive into our education program. So far, the results have been very positive, especially in terms of numbers. People are curious and realize that this is something worth learning. Some have even acknowledged that what they've learned in the traditional education system is very different from the exposure they get from the diploma program. I’d say that’s one of the biggest impacts we've had in promoting Bitcoin. Nyirenda：If we have sufficient resources, we plan to implement further actions such as putting up banners, promoting Bitcoin, and positioning Malawi as a Bitcoin hub. Malawi has great potential, particularly in the tourism sector, with many tourists visiting the country. If we display banners saying “We accept Bitcoin,” it would be appreciated by many people. Personally, I’ve been encouraging businesses to start accepting Bitcoin. Nyirenda：We also have a Bitcoin BOMA Twitter account where we advocate for Bitcoin. We engage in discussions and comment on trends. In the coming months, we plan to host spaces and aim to conduct them in our local language, so more people can appreciate and learn about Bitcoin.

YakiHonne: We’ve reached the end of today’s session, and I must say, you’re doing an incredible job at Bitcoin BOMA. Your personal and collaborative efforts are truly impressive. I’m confident that in the next few years, we’ll be visiting Malawi for a Bitcoin conference. It’s clear that Malawi is heading in the right direction with you leading the way.

@ cf7ed325:050194cf

The Steigenberger Minerva Nile Cruise offers an exceptional way to explore Egypt's ancient wonders while cruising along the timeless Nile River. This luxurious cruise combines modern amenities with traditional Egyptian hospitality, making it an ideal choice for those seeking comfort and adventure. With spacious cabins, fine dining, and various entertainment options, the Steigenberger Minerva promises an unforgettable experience.

While aboard, guests can enjoy a range of excursions to famous sites like the Pyramids of Giza, Luxor Temple, and the Valley of the Kings. The ship provides a perfect base for exploring Egypt’s rich history, from the bustling streets of Cairo to the serene landscapes of Aswan. The cruise features a blend of relaxation and adventure, offering guests an opportunity to unwind while taking in Egypt's stunning scenery.

In addition to the Steigenberger Minerva Nile Cruise, Egypt offers a variety of other luxurious options. For example, the Farah Nile Cruise is known for its elegant design and top-notch service, while the Gemma Nile Cruise provides a more intimate, boutique experience. The Movenpick SS Misr Nile Cruise is another excellent choice for those who enjoy a classic, refined atmosphere on the river.

If you’re looking for other luxury cruises, consider the Nile Capital Nile Cruise, which combines modern comfort with historical exploration, or the Movenpick Hamees Nile Cruise, a ship that offers a unique blend of luxury and cultural immersion. The Movenpick Lotus Nile Cruise and the Jaz Regent Nile Cruise are also popular choices, known for their impeccable service and well-designed cabins.

For a more opulent experience, the Jaz Crown Jewel Nile Cruise is a top contender, while the Salacia Nile Cruise and Nabilatan Nile Cruise provide a more exclusive atmosphere. Alternatively, the Tulip Nile Cruise and Tia Nile Cruise offer comfortable accommodations with excellent amenities.

No matter which cruise you choose, Egypt's Nile River promises an unforgettable journey through history and culture.

🌐 Visit us at www.etbtoursegypt.com 📲 Contact us now! +20 10 21100873 📧 Email: info@etbtours.com 🏢 Company Address: 4 El Lebeny Axis , Nazlet Al Batran , Al Haram, Giza , Egypt

@ b8851a06:9b120ba1

Trump's Blueprint for Gaza: The New Nakba

Trump’s offhand suggestion to “clean out” 1.5 million Palestinians from Gaza isn’t just reckless—it’s a thinly veiled blueprint for ethnic cleansing. The proposed forced displacement of millions isn't new; it’s the 21st-century sequel to the Nakba, designed to erase Palestine from the map.

Gaza: The Systematic Machinery of Destruction

The assault on Gaza isn’t chaos—it’s coordinated demolition:

• 47,306+ killed – lives extinguished with impunity.
• 111,483 injured – survivors burdened with physical and psychological scars.
• 92% of homes destroyed – families displaced, memories shattered.
• 60% of infrastructure dismantled – society intentionally crippled.

This is more than war—it’s annihilation by design.

A Second Nakba in Motion

The original Nakba (1948) was the template:

• 6 million refugees still barred from returning home.
• Generations of children growing up stateless, inheriting loss.
• Cultural heritage erased, lands stolen, and identities fractured.

Trump’s “solution” carries this legacy forward, pushing millions toward another endless exile.

The Humanitarian Collapse

If enacted, the mass displacement would trigger a humanitarian apocalypse across the region:

• Healthcare systems overwhelmed in neighboring nations.
• Schools collapsing under the weight of refugee students.
• Economic and social infrastructures stretched beyond capacity.

This isn’t just a Palestinian crisis—it’s a global one.

A Calculated Plan for Erasure

Make no mistake: the destruction of Gaza is deliberate. Israeli Finance Minister Avi Dichter’s chilling declaration of a "rolling Gaza Nakba" lays bare the intent: erase Gaza and its people from existence. The steps are cold, calculated, and systematic:

• Starvation as a weapon of war.
• Targeting hospitals to eliminate healthcare.
• Destroying water supplies to force displacement.

This isn’t collateral damage—it’s genocide.

Generational Wounds That Won’t Heal

The impact of this erasure will reverberate for centuries:

• Children growing up with inherited trauma.
• A culture erased piece by piece.
• Future generations left stateless, voiceless, and forgotten.

Every demolished building and every child killed are steps toward creating a permanent refugee underclass.

Silence is Complicity

The global silence is deafening. Trump’s “solution” isn’t a spontaneous idea—it’s the culmination of decades of dehumanization and demographic engineering. And every moment the world stays silent, the machinery of genocide moves forward.

Resistance is Survival

The choice is clear: submit to tyranny or resist. Every truth told, every act of defiance, every refusal to look away chips away at their plans. They want us silent. They need us indifferent.

But we’re not sheep—we’re the descendants of those who refused to kneel. - Share their crimes. - Expose their lies. - Refuse their narrative.

Because the battle for Palestine isn’t just about land—it’s about dignity, existence, and the refusal to be erased.

@ da18e986:3a0d9851

Since DVMs were introduced to Nostr in July 2023, we've witnessed remarkable growth - over 2.5 million DVM events (Kinds 5000-7000) and counting. Last fall, when Primal added custom feeds (Kind 5300 DVMs), we saw a 10x surge in DVM activity. To handle this growth, I've spent the last few months completely rewriting DVMDash.

The first version of DVMDash, still live at https://dvmdash.live, unfortunately uses full database table scans to compute the metrics. The code was simpler, but the computation ran on the database. This meant the only way to scale the system was to upgrade the database. Using managed databases (like AWS, Azure, Digital Ocean) beyond the lower tiers gets expensive quickly.

The other problem with the first version: it computes metrics globally (well... as global as you can get; there's no true global with Nostr). Global or all-time metrics aren't sustainable with a system that plans to analyze billions of events in the future (a long term goal for DVMDash). Especially metrics like the number of unique DVMs, Kinds, and Users. I spent more time than I care to admit on possible designs, and have settled on these design principles for now:

1. Precise accurate metrics will only be computed for the last 30 days of DVM activity.
2. At the turn of a new month, we will compute a snapshot of the last month's activity, and a snapshot per DVM and per Kind, and store them in a historical table. This way we can see what any given month in the past looked like from a bird's eye view with metrics like number of job requests, job results, a count of unique DVMs, kinds and users, which DVMs ran jobs on which kinds, etc. The monthly data will all be aggregate.

The goal of the new redesign is to support processing millions of DVM events an hour. Therefore we need to ensure we can horizontally scale the processing as the traffic increases. Horizontal scaling was the primary goal of this new redesign, and early results indicate it's working.

The new architecture for DVMDash uses a redis queue to hold events collected from relays. Then batches of events are pulled off of the queue by dvm event analyzers to compute metrics. Duplicating these analyzers is one way DVMDash can horizontally scale.

To see if increasing the number of dvm event analyzers improves speed, I ran a performance test on Digital Ocean using real DVM events collected from Jan. 1st 2024 to Jan 9th 2025, which includes more than 2.4 million events. The only difference between each run is the number of DVM event analyzers ranging from 1 to 6.

The first graph shows that adding more event analyzers has a significant speed improvement. With only one analyzer it took nearly an hour to process the 2.4 million events. With every added analyzer, there was a noticeable speedup, as can be seen in the graph. With n=6 analyzers, we were able to process all 2.4 million events in about 10 minutes.

When we look at the rate of processing shown in the second graph, we can see that we get up to 300k dvm events processed per minute when n=6, compared to just ~50k events processed when n=1.

While I did test beyond 6 analyzers, I found the sweet spot for the current infrastructure setup to be around 6 analyzers. This provides plenty of headroom above our current processing needs, which typically see less than a million events per month. Even at a million DVM events per day, DVMDash should be able to handle it with n=2 analyzers running. The most important takeaway is that DVMDash can now horizontally scale by adding more analyzers as DVM activity grows in the future.

The code to run these performance tests, either locally or on Digital Ocean (you'd need an API key), is in the dvmdash repo, so anyone can replicate these tests. There's a lot of nuance to scaling that I'm leaving out of this short article, and you can't get away from having to adjust database capacity (especially number of connections). The code for this test can be found in experiments/test_batch_processing_scaling.py and the code to produce the graphs is in experiments/graph_batch_processing_scaling_data.py. For now this is still in the full-redesign branch, soon it will be merged into main.

The live version of dvmdash doesn't have these performance updates yet, a complete redesign is coming soon, including a new UI.

I've had my head down working on this rewrite, and couldn't move on to add new features until this was done. Thank you to the folks who made github issues, I'll be getting to those soon.

DVMDash is open source, please drop by and give us a feature request, bug report, pull request or star. Thanks to OpenSats for funding this work.

Github: https://github.com/dtdannen/dvmdash

Shoutout to nostr:npub12xeqxplp5ut4h92s3vxthrdv30j0czxz9a8tef8cfg2cs59r85gqnzrk5w for helping me think through database design choices.

@ 26ceca6b:2ae71cb7

I am working on a story to help people understand money and the problems that arise in the system. A very good story that is popular: https://x.com/saylor/status/1878154748353818932 "What's the Problem". I am seeking to keep this to a couple of minutes. Here is the story that I told my wife:

Times are hard as are all too familiar to those at the little church at the edge of the city. The elders decide that the food pantry needs expansion to help those in need through this time. They decide to turn the pantry into a store where people can bring various goods like vegetables and things of basic needs, like sugar and blankets, medicines, and so forth. They decide to start a ledger where people can earn credits for the items they donate to the store. 2 eggs are worth 1 credit, as are 3 potatoes and a dozen carrots. There is also a table where people can offer items in trade for credits. The ledger is a huge success.

After some time, the elder that was named the bookkeeper encounters a widow in the store who is known to be very poor, such that her children have no shoes, and she is in great need. In his desire to help her get the few items that would help her family so much, he gets the idea to just add an entry on the ledger in her account. He gives her enough credits to help her through the month. He was quite pleased with himself.

Days passed, and now the brothers of the widow have come to the store. They ask for the bookkeeper, and when he meets with them, they demand credits as he had done for their sister. After all, they were orphans. The bookkeeper tells them that he will ask for a special collection to meet their needs, but they don't want donations. They want the dignity of buying what they need at the store where no one will look down on them as beggars. The bookkeeper is in a bind. He tells them he must consult with the elders on such matters to buy some time.

He meets with the elders to discuss this new development. They decide that he should extend the brothers’ credit to resolve the matter. They also decide that he should get a sum of credits for himself since the bookkeeping has become difficult. Not long after, the elders decide that they too should get a salary for their work, and so more ledger entries are created. The ledger book is getting quite heavy. The lines of credit are quite popular.

But then problems arose. The store ran out of eggs, vegetables, and meat was now worth twice what it was priced in eggs or credits. The elders gathered with the bookkeeper and were astonished at this development. They decided the solution was to start buying meat and eggs from the market to sell at the store. To do this, they made more entries in the ledger, issued notes at the market, and once again stocked the shelves. Only this time it was 1 egg/ 1 Credit, meat was 5 credits for the piece the size of a child’s fist.

The store languished with the high prices. The people quit paying their debt and stopped trading their vegetables for credits. They traded amongst themselves instead, sharing meals together. Many bought chickens, and some traded eggs for goats, goats for cattle, and cattle for land. The elders sat in the empty store and argued over the last potato; they decided to give it to the highest bidder. The bookkeeper offered all his credits, and next month’s too. He got his potato and traded it for one egg.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/866207

@ 35f3a26c:92ddf231

Background

Most people non familiar with Bitcoin thinks that there its has not smart contracts capabilities, and that is incorrect, there are smart contract capabilities, and despite limited in comparison with other blockchain networks, those capabilities are evolving slowly but surely.

The support for smart contracts is done through its scripting language, Script, which allows developers to create complex conditions for transactions.

What can you do with Script? 1. time locks 2. multi-signature requirements 3. other custom logic

opcodes like OP_CHECKLOCKTIMEVERIFY (CLTV) and OP_CHECKSEQUENCEVERIFY (CSV) are used to build more sophisticated smart contracts, these opcodes enable features such as the Lightning Network, a key scaling solution for Bitcoin

back in 2021, the Taproot upgrade introduced Pay-to-Taproot (P2TR), in summary allows for more private and efficient smart contracts, in that soft fork more was added, in addition to Taproot, we got as well Schnorr signatures, which enables multiple signatures to be aggregated into a single signature, improving scalability and privacy and MAST (Merklized Abstract Syntax Trees) which reduces the size of complex smart contracts, making them more efficient, as an added value, this efficiency reduces the cost of transactions.

The Taproot upgrade has laid the foundation for the development of more sophisticated smart contracts on the Bitcoin network, and the use of covenants is an important part of this development.

What is Bitcoin Covenants?

It is a BIP (Bitcoin Improvement Proposal), BIP-347, assigned on April 24, 2024, which marks the first step towards reintroducing functionality removed from Bitcoin by its creator Satoshi Nakamoto in 2010. This proposal aims to bring smart contract functionality to Bitcoin as we see in other EVM networks.

The proposal’s developers authors names are Ethan Heilman and Armin Sabouri, now the community will debate its merits.

Here the link, in case you are curious:

https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0347.mediawiki

It is worth to read the motivation section of the BIP, which reads:

“Bitcoin Tapscript lacks a general purpose way of combining objects on the stack, restricting the expressiveness and power of Tapscript. This prevents, among many other things, the ability to construct and evaluate merkle trees and other hashed data structures in Tapscript. OP_CAT, by adding a general purpose way to concatenate stack values, would overcome this limitation and greatly increase the functionality of Tapscript.

OP_CAT aims to expand the toolbox of the tapscript developer with a simple, modular, and useful opcode in the spirit of Unix. To demonstrate the usefulness of OP_CAT below we provide a non-exhaustive list of some use cases that OP_CAT would enable:

Bitstream, a protocol for the atomic swap (fair exchange) of bitcoins for decryption keys, that enables decentralized file hosting systems paid in Bitcoin. While such swaps are currently possible on Bitcoin without OP_CAT, they require the use of complex and computationally expensive Verifiable Computation cryptographic techniques. OP_CAT would remove this requirement on Verifiable Computation, making such protocols far more practical to build in Bitcoin.

Tree signatures provide a multisignature script whose size can be logarithmic in the number of public keys and can encode spend conditions beyond n-of-m. For instance a transaction less than 1KB in size could support tree signatures with up to 4,294,967,296 public keys. This also enables generalized logical spend conditions.

Post-Quantum Lamport signatures in Bitcoin transactions. Lamport signatures merely require the ability to hash and concatenate values on the stack. [4] It has been proposed that if ECDSA is broken or a powerful computer was on the horizon, there might be an effort to protect ownership of bitcoins by allowing people to mark their taproot outputs as "script-path only" and then move their coins into such outputs with a leaf in the script tree requiring a Lamport signature. It is an open question if a tapscript commitment would preserve the quantum resistance of Lamport signatures. Beyond this question, the use of Lamport Signatures in taproot outputs is unlikely to be quantum resistant even if the script spend-path is made quantum resistant. This is because taproot outputs can also be spent with a key. An attacker with a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could bypass the taproot script spend-path by finding the discrete log of the taproot output and thus spending the output using the key spend-path. The use of "Nothing Up My Sleeve" (NUMS) points as described in BIP-341 to disable the key spend-path does not disable the key spend-path against a quantum attacker as NUMS relies on the hardness of finding discrete logs. We are not aware of any mechanism which could disable the key spend-path in a taproot output without a soft-fork change to taproot.

Non-equivocation contracts in tapscript provide a mechanism to punish equivocation/double spending in Bitcoin payment channels. OP_CAT enables this by enforcing rules on the spending transaction's nonce. The capability is a useful building block for payment channels and other Bitcoin protocols.

Vaults [6] which are a specialized covenant that allows a user to block a malicious party who has compromised the user's secret key from stealing the funds in that output. As shown in OP_CAT is sufficient to build vaults in Bitcoin.

Replicating CheckSigFromStack which would allow the creation of simple covenants and other advanced contracts without having to pre-sign spending transactions, possibly reducing complexity and the amount of data that needs to be stored. Originally shown to work with Schnorr signatures, this result has been extended to ECDSA signatures.

OP_CAT was available in early versions of Bitcoin. In 2010, a single commit disabled OP_CAT, along with another 15 opcodes. Folklore states that OP_CAT was removed in this commit because it enabled the construction of a script whose evaluation could have memory usage exponential in the size of the script. For example, a script that pushed a 1-byte value on the stack and then repeated the opcodes OP_DUP, OP_CAT 40 times would result in a stack element whose size was greater than 1 terabyte assuming no maximum stack element size. As Bitcoin at that time had a maximum stack element size of 5000 bytes, the effect of this expansion was limited to 5000 bytes. This is no longer an issue because tapscript enforces a maximum stack element size of 520 bytes.”

The last update of the BIP was done on Sep. 8 2024 by Ethan Heilman

Controversy

The controversy revolves around two main camps:

1. Those who want to preserve Bitcoin’s network for monetary transactions only, arguing that adding smart contract capabilities could introduce risks and complexity.
2. Others who advocate for expanding Bitcoin’s capabilities to support a wider range of applications, seeing OP_CAT as a step towards enhancing the network’s utility.

Final Thoughts

Bitcoin have done what no other asset have done in history, neither gold, its success is clear, and now, that BlackRock is involved, “miraculously”, corporations and governments are getting on board and Bitcoin is not anymore only for criminals or “rat poison” or “is going to zero”.

But as all tech, improvements are important, if those improvements are done to secure more the network and to make it more robust, there will be little to none controversy, however, when those changes are aiming at adding new shinning features that would change Bitcoin into a network with similar features as Ethereum in terms of contracts that requires attention and debate, few questions come to mind:

1. How will that change affect the security of the network?
2. How that change will affect the blockchain usage?
3. What is the projected impact over the fees per transaction if this change is approved?
4. Will the impact create pressure for the block size increase discussion to come back to the table and with it a second war?

Looking into Ethan Heilman work and contribution to the Bitcoin ecosystem, I am inclined to believe that he has considered most of those questions.

Looking forward to observe the evolution of this proposal.

You liked the article? Make my day brighter!

Like and share!

Last but not least, the following link is an unstoppable domain, it will open a page in which you can perform an anonymous contribution to support my work:

https://rodswallet.unstoppable/

The link didn’t open?

To open the link you need to use a best in class browser that supports web3, two are recommended: Brave Browser and Opera Browser

@ 99a07115:0f0df457

Mrow.

I hesitate to muddy up what seems to be more of an underground news feed with my own silly content, but if there's an appetite for my nonsense then maybe I'll keep it up.I've been on a whirlwind tour through bitcoin culture for the past few days. I haven't really been able to shut up on Nostr about how much running a node changed the game for me.

My node made me understand the Blocksize War

It's probably no surprise to this audience, but the Blocksize War didn't really register to me as something of importance until I got to syncing my node. It took well over a week for me to get through the whole blockchain. That time frame feels either painfully long or, considering bitcoin's growing popularity, astonishingly quick. Something like 700GB of data. That's it. It's so crazy to me I still want to just grab strangers IRL and be like, "CAN YOU BELIEVE IT'S ONLY 700GB".

Kind of fun checking up throughout the process and seeing where in "Blocktime" my node was, then checking mempools.space to see exactly when that was.

Bitcoin is a store of value... until you reach Nostr

Yeah look I'm still too green to open public channels on my node, too small of a fish to toss around the kind of liquidity I'm guessing big noderunners are playing with, and I'm keeping most of the sats that enter my gravitational field. Still, everything about accumulating bitcoin was somewhat desperate and even daunting up until I reached 100% sync with the blockchain. As soon as I hopped on Nostr and got to zapping it really shifted. Suddenly, there's a small stash of sats that I'm using to engage with this community, to support others or give them a little digital nod. I really couldn't connect with the platform or even considered layer 2 much at all until I had skin in the game. Only a full node+lightning node and Nostr, along with the interconnected platforms/utilities that many of you have been building, really could bring me out of my trance of layer 1 sat stacking. So thank you to those that have done such excellent work, it's incredible stuff.

Screw Elite Dangerous, I'll just try to be a halfway decent Lightning noderunner

Was considering one of those crazy detailed space sims to give my brain some exercise but... then I found Amboss and realized I can made my head hurt just with layer 2's. I'm definitely not ready for the big leagues. But for now, a few private channels feels great while I read up over the next few weeks on DarthCoin's outstanding documentation. Speaking of, are there LSP guilds like the Fuel Rats? That'd be fun. "We have Liquidity. You don't."

That is all for now.

Chau chau, meow meow.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/867208

@ e1d968f7:5d90f764

When I first started escorting, I didn’t fully grasp the importance of planning for the future. At first, it was all about meeting clients, handling inquiries, and navigating the emotional challenges. But as time passed, I realised this wasn’t just a job—it was a stepping stone for building a secure and fulfilling life.

---

The Meaning of Investment

Investing in myself doesn’t only mean financial planning (though that’s a big part of it). It also means dedicating time and energy to personal growth, self-care, and education. This job has taught me that my body, mind, and skills are my most valuable assets, and I need to nurture them.

• Financial Security: The unpredictability of this work makes financial planning essential. I’ve set up savings goals, started learning about investments, and ensured I have a safety net. My future self will thank me for every penny I’ve saved.
• Skill Development: Escorting offers a unique skill set—communication, emotional intelligence, and business acumen. I’ve looked into courses and certifications to expand these skills further, knowing they’ll benefit me long after I leave the industry.

---

Self-Care as an Investment

Taking care of myself is more than a necessity; it’s a form of self-investment. When I prioritise my health, happiness, and well-being, I can show up as my best self for my clients and for my personal goals.

• Health First: Regular check-ups, a healthy diet, and fitness routines are non-negotiable. This isn’t just about looking good but feeling good and staying strong in the long run.
• Mental Wellness: Therapy and mindfulness practices help me process the emotional ups and downs of the job. Protecting my mental health ensures I stay resilient and focused.

---

The Bigger Picture

I’ve started to think long-term. What do I want my life to look like in five, ten, or even twenty years? Escorting is a chapter, not the whole story. I’m exploring passions, hobbies, and potential career paths that align with who I am and who I want to become.

• Diversifying Income: Beyond savings, I’m exploring other revenue streams, like investments or side projects. It’s empowering to know that my financial stability doesn’t depend on just one source.
• Future Aspirations: Whether it’s furthering my education, starting a business, or simply achieving a sense of independence, having goals keeps me motivated.

---

Empowerment Through Planning

Investing in myself has transformed how I view my work and my life. This isn’t just about surviving today; it’s about thriving tomorrow. Every hour I put into improving myself, every pound I save, and every skill I hone is a step toward a brighter, more secure future.

---

Conclusion

The escorting world can be unpredictable, but by investing in myself and my future, I’ve found a sense of stability and purpose. It’s not just about what I do today but about setting myself up for the life I want tomorrow. Each day is an opportunity to grow, build, and prepare for the next chapter.

Rebecca x

@ 97121c7b:30a10e4e

test descripties c

@ eee391ee:8d0b97c2

Amber 3.1.9

• Add missing logs for relay errors
• Change listen for new connections button text and icons

Download it with zap.store, Obtainium, f-droid or download it directly in the releases page

If you like my work consider making a donation

Verifying the release

In order to verify the release, you'll need to have gpg or gpg2 installed on your system. Once you've obtained a copy (and hopefully verified that as well), you'll first need to import the keys that have signed this release if you haven't done so already:

bash gpg --keyserver hkps://keys.openpgp.org --recv-keys 44F0AAEB77F373747E3D5444885822EED3A26A6D

Once you have his PGP key you can verify the release (assuming manifest-v3.1.9.txt and manifest-v3.1.9.txt.sig are in the current directory) with:

bash gpg --verify manifest-v3.1.9.txt.sig manifest-v3.1.9.txt

You should see the following if the verification was successful:

bash gpg: Signature made Fri 13 Sep 2024 08:06:52 AM -03 gpg: using RSA key 44F0AAEB77F373747E3D5444885822EED3A26A6D gpg: Good signature from "greenart7c3 <greenart7c3@proton.me>"

That will verify the signature on the main manifest page which ensures integrity and authenticity of the binaries you've downloaded locally. Next, depending on your operating system you should then re-calculate the sha256 sum of the binary, and compare that with the following hashes:

bash cat manifest-v3.1.9.txt

One can use the shasum -a 256 <file name here> tool in order to re-compute the sha256 hash of the target binary for your operating system. The produced hash should be compared with the hashes listed above and they should match exactly.

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Today marks one month since I took over managing the ~econ territory.

I've been very happy with our post quality and quantity: ~econ ranked 7th in number of posts, 5th in number of comments, 4th in stacking and spending (how are those different?).

The top 3 posts by zaprank were

1. The Pleb Economist #2: Politics is Provably Hard by @SimpleStacker
2. MONEY CLASS OF THE DAY: Wealth, Bitcoin, and A Monetary System Enriching Us by @denlillaapan
3. Is Bitcoin telling us something about the broader market/economy? by @grayruby

Revenue

Revenue has been up, since reducing the posting fee. That means we could reduce it further. If there's no objection, I'll lower it to 54 sats.

Over the past month, ~econ made about 75k. The previous month ~econ brought in about 47k.

Owner's Pledge

Since we are running a profit, I'd like to consider some options for making good on the pledge to do right by those who helped support ~econ before it was profitable. A few options come to mind, but I'm open to others: 1. Treat those donations as profit shares: i.e. if you donated 10k, I'll give you 10/450 of the territory profit at the end of the year 2. Fund some sort of contest with them 3. Simple refund taken out of end of year profits 4. Donate the sats to a charity of your choice, on your behalf

Feedback

Let me know what you thought of the past month in ~econ.

Are there any particular changes you'd like to see going forward?

Is there anything I should be pushing k00b and ek for?

Keep stackin', stackers.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/866986

@ 4506e04e:8c16ba04

If you are a researcher in the field of medicine, you are most likely very familiar with PubMed – where you get citations for the articles and studies that drive your work forward. PubMed Central (PMC), the full-text repository of life sciences journal literature managed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), was established in 2000. Its creation marked a significant milestone in providing open access to biomedical research. Since 2005, PMC has served as the designated repository for papers submitted under the NIH Public Access Policy, reflecting the growing emphasis on transparency and accessibility in scientific research. Over the years, PMC has expanded its scope, becoming a repository for papers aligned with public and open access policies from various research funding organizations, both within and beyond biomedical sciences.

Funding and Partnerships

NLM’s operations, including PubMed and PMC, are supported by a combination of government funding and contributions from influential entities such as The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation receives significant donations from pharmaceutical companies, as well as other organizations and individuals. The exact amount of money donated by each company can vary from year to year, but here are some examples of the amounts donated by the pharmaceutical companies:

GSK (GlaxoSmithKline):

• In 2020, GSK donated $100 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of new vaccines and treatments for diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.
• In 2019, GSK donated $50 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of a new malaria vaccine.

Pfizer:

• In 2020, Pfizer donated $50 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of new vaccines and treatments for diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.
• In 2019, Pfizer donated $25 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of a new malaria vaccine.

Merck & Co.:

• In 2020, Merck donated $50 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of new vaccines and treatments for diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.
• In 2019, Merck donated $25 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of a new malaria vaccine.

Novartis: - In 2020, Novartis donated $20 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of new treatments for diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. - In 2019, Novartis donated $10 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of a new malaria vaccine.

Johnson & Johnson:

• In 2020, Johnson & Johnson donated $50 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of new vaccines and treatments for diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.
• In 2019, Johnson & Johnson donated $25 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of a new malaria vaccine.

Sanofi:

• In 2020, Sanofi donated $20 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of new vaccines and treatments for diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.
• In 2019, Sanofi donated $10 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of a new malaria vaccine.

AstraZeneca:

• In 2020, AstraZeneca donated $20 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of new vaccines and treatments for diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.
• In 2019, AstraZeneca donated $10 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of a new malaria vaccine.

Eli Lilly and Company:

• In 2020, Eli Lilly donated $10 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of new treatments for diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.
• In 2019, Eli Lilly donated $5 million to the Gates Foundation to support the development of a new malaria vaccine.

Additionally, NLM website [https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/cms/files/PMCFunderDepositList.xlsx] (list over 200)(!) organisations that are founding it. What could go wrong one might ask?!

The Centralization Challenge

While PubMed and PMC have played a pivotal role in democratizing access to scientific literature, their centralized nature presents vulnerabilities. Over the past century healthcare has grown to become one of the most profitable industries and to believe that the healthcare system we have today is the best we can do is far from understatement.

PubMed's reliance on centralized funding and decision-making processes makes it susceptible to external influences, including lobbying by powerful entities. Moreover, the centralized infrastructure allows for content to be published and removed with relative ease, often without leaving a trace. This raises concerns about the integrity and permanence of the scientific record, particularly in contentious or politically sensitive areas of research.

The ability to alter or erase information from PubMed undermines trust in the system’s objectivity and neutrality. Researchers and the public alike depend on these repositories for reliable and impartial access to scientific knowledge. Any perceived or actual manipulation of content can erode confidence in the platform and compromise its foundational mission.

The Case for Decentralization

To address these challenges, a decentralized alternative built on emerging technologies, such as the Nostr protocol, could offer significant advantages. A decentralized platform would:

• Enhance Resilience: By distributing data across a network of relays, a decentralized system would eliminate single points of failure, ensuring the scientific record remains intact and always accessible even in the face of technical or political disruptions.

• Increase Transparency: Decentralized systems inherently log changes, making it nearly impossible to alter or remove content without leaving an auditable trail. This transparency would bolster trust in the integrity of the research.

• Reduce Susceptibility to Lobbying: Without centralized control, the influence of external entities on the platform’s content would be significantly diminished, preserving the objectivity of the scientific record.

• Foster Open Collaboration: A decentralized approach aligns with the principles of open science, encouraging global collaboration without the constraints of centralized oversight or bias introduced by big pharma lobby.

Conclusion

While PubMed and PMC have been instrumental in advancing access to scientific literature, their centralized nature leaves them vulnerable to manipulation and external pressures. A shift toward a decentralized, censorship-resistant platform would address these vulnerabilities and provide a more robust and trustless repository for scientific knowledge. Groundbreaking research that dares to challenge the pharmaceutical industry's status quo could be published anonymously, following in the footsteps of the Bitcoin whitepaper's pseudonymous author, Satoshi Nakamoto. Leveraging technologies like the Nostr protocol, the research community can build a system that ensures the permanence, integrity, and impartiality of the scientific record for generations to come.