@ 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

@ c631e267:c2b78d3e

Nur wenn wir aufeinander zugehen, haben wir die Chance \ auf Überwindung der gegenseitigen Ressentiments! \ Dr. med. dent. Jens Knipphals

In Wolfsburg sollte es kürzlich eine Gesprächsrunde von Kritikern der Corona-Politik mit Oberbürgermeister Dennis Weilmann und Vertretern der Stadtverwaltung geben. Der Zahnarzt und langjährige Maßnahmenkritiker Jens Knipphals hatte diese Einladung ins Rathaus erwirkt und publiziert. Seine Motivation:

«Ich möchte die Spaltung der Gesellschaft überwinden. Dazu ist eine umfassende Aufarbeitung der Corona-Krise in der Öffentlichkeit notwendig.»

Schon früher hatte Knipphals Antworten von den Kommunalpolitikern verlangt, zum Beispiel bei öffentlichen Bürgerfragestunden. Für das erwartete Treffen im Rathaus formulierte er Fragen wie: Warum wurden fachliche Argumente der Kritiker ignoriert? Weshalb wurde deren Ausgrenzung, Diskreditierung und Entmenschlichung nicht entgegengetreten? In welcher Form übernehmen Rat und Verwaltung in Wolfsburg persönlich Verantwortung für die erheblichen Folgen der politischen Corona-Krise?

Der Termin fand allerdings nicht statt – der Bürgermeister sagte ihn kurz vorher wieder ab. Knipphals bezeichnete Weilmann anschließend als Wiederholungstäter, da das Stadtoberhaupt bereits 2022 zu einem Runden Tisch in der Sache eingeladen hatte, den es dann nie gab. Gegenüber Multipolar erklärte der Arzt, Weilmann wolle scheinbar eine öffentliche Aufarbeitung mit allen Mitteln verhindern. Er selbst sei «inzwischen absolut desillusioniert» und die einzige Lösung sei, dass die Verantwortlichen gingen.

Die Aufarbeitung der Plandemie beginne bei jedem von uns selbst, sei aber letztlich eine gesamtgesellschaftliche Aufgabe, schreibt Peter Frey, der den «Fall Wolfsburg» auch in seinem Blog behandelt. Diese Aufgabe sei indes deutlich größer, als viele glaubten. Erfreulicherweise sei der öffentliche Informationsraum inzwischen größer, trotz der weiterhin unverfrorenen Desinformations-Kampagnen der etablierten Massenmedien.

Frey erinnert daran, dass Dennis Weilmann mitverantwortlich für gravierende Grundrechtseinschränkungen wie die 2021 eingeführten 2G-Regeln in der Wolfsburger Innenstadt zeichnet. Es sei naiv anzunehmen, dass ein Funktionär einzig im Interesse der Bürger handeln würde. Als früherer Dezernent des Amtes für Wirtschaft, Digitalisierung und Kultur der Autostadt kenne Weilmann zum Beispiel die Verknüpfung von Fördergeldern mit politischen Zielsetzungen gut.

Wolfsburg wurde damals zu einem Modellprojekt des Bundesministeriums des Innern (BMI) und war Finalist im Bitkom-Wettbewerb «Digitale Stadt». So habe rechtzeitig vor der Plandemie das Projekt «Smart City Wolfsburg» anlaufen können, das der Stadt «eine Vorreiterrolle für umfassende Vernetzung und Datenerfassung» aufgetragen habe, sagt Frey. Die Vereinten Nationen verkauften dann derartige «intelligente» Überwachungs- und Kontrollmaßnahmen ebenso als Rettung in der Not wie das Magazin Forbes im April 2020:

«Intelligente Städte können uns helfen, die Coronavirus-Pandemie zu bekämpfen. In einer wachsenden Zahl von Ländern tun die intelligenten Städte genau das. Regierungen und lokale Behörden nutzen Smart-City-Technologien, Sensoren und Daten, um die Kontakte von Menschen aufzuspüren, die mit dem Coronavirus infiziert sind. Gleichzeitig helfen die Smart Cities auch dabei, festzustellen, ob die Regeln der sozialen Distanzierung eingehalten werden.»

Offensichtlich gibt es viele Aspekte zu bedenken und zu durchleuten, wenn es um die Aufklärung und Aufarbeitung der sogenannten «Corona-Pandemie» und der verordneten Maßnahmen geht. Frustration und Desillusion sind angesichts der Realitäten absolut verständlich. Gerade deswegen sind Initiativen wie die von Jens Knipphals so bewundernswert und so wichtig – ebenso wie eine seiner Kernthesen: «Wir müssen aufeinander zugehen, da hilft alles nichts».

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ c4b5369a:b812dbd6

Unidirectional payment channels revisited

Nodeless lightning - Reduce ecash mints custodial risk

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Sats N Facts

The nostr:npub1yrnuj56rnen08zp2h9h7p74ghgjx6ma39spmpj6w9hzxywutevsst7k5cx unconference has just wrapped up. And what a blast it was. In the heart of northern Thailand, developers, researchers, content creators and more, came together to share ideas on how Bitcoin, Nostr and other free protocols are being used everyday to liberate people.

Not only were stories shared from different community leaders on how embracing bitcoin has empowered them and their communities, but a big goal of the unconference was to bring bitcoin engineers and developers from various domains together in one room, unstructured, chaotic, and let them do their thing.

At first, I thought not having a schedule might be boring, but oh boy was I wrong. There was so much stuff going on, it was hard to choose which session I would have to miss!

Luke's Spillman channel proposal

One of the sessions I definitely did not want to miss, was nostr:npub1htnhsay5dmq3r72tukdw72pduzfdcja0yylcajuvnc2uklkhxp8qnz3qac s proposal

Ecash mints funded with Spillman channels: The ultimate nodeless Lightning wallet

.

In true unconference fashion, he announced in the main room that the session was about to start, and that the people that are interested should meet him in the whiteboard corner in 10 minutes. The corner was packed, and Luke explained his proposal.

What's a "Spillman channel"?

Essentially when we are talking about Spillman channels, what is meant are unidirectional payment channels (or CLTV-style channels). An unidirectional payment channel means, only one party can send payments, but not receive, and the other party can only receive, but not send. They also expire after a predetermined amount of time, and must be closed.

At first glance, this might look kinda stupid. After all, we have Poon-Dryja channels that are powering the lightning network. They are bi-directional, do not expire, and can be used to shuffle coins back and forth theorethically an unlimited amount of times.

So, why bother with this stupid one-way channel?

Simplicity is king

People that have worked with lightning channels can sing you a song about complexity, state handling and risks about the current state of bidirectional payment channels. Essentially, There are a lot of requirements on both channel parties when it comes to Liveness (being online) and also state handling (continuous backups). In some cases, especially when in the context of end-users wanting to perform payments on their mobile phone, they would appreciate it if there was not so much complexity and overhead involved.

The gist of the idea is to combine unidirectional channels and ecash mints to achieve the following:

A self custodial unidirectional payment channel to an ecash mint, massively reducing the senders liveness and state handling requirements when compared to a lightning channel. Sending payments through the mint will be done through swapping some of the channel balance for ecash tokens. At this point, the user is trusting the mint to honor the redemption of these tokens, while the remaining channel balance remains in self custody. This gives them better controll over their funds than just holding their entire balance custodied in the mint. The ecash tokens can then be redeemed to pay a lightning invoice, just the same as it is done now with normal cashu mints.

So this channel, that has no liveness or state management requirements for the sender, and must have a pre-defined close time, seems to be a perfect fit for the following usecase:

1. A sender receives his salary once a month. He opens a channel that is valid for one month.
2. The sender then can do his daily spending over this channel. He only trusts the mint with the amount for the current outgoing payment while it is swapped for ecash, waiting for redemption.
3. If the sender must receive funds (a refund for example), he can do so into the mints custody, by receiving ecash. He can spend his ecash funds first when doing his next payment, to reduce his custodial exposure.
4. When the channel expires, or runs out of funds, the mint closes the channel.

From a consumer perspective, that just want to receive his salary and make frequent payments afterwards, this usecase seems to make a lot of sense. Obviously from a merchants perspective on the other hand, such a channel doesn't really work. But that's fine, it's not the problem we're trying to solve here.

What do you think of this idea? Be sure to let me know in the comments!

In the next article, we will dive into how such a system can be implemented today, using Bitcoin, Cashu and Lightning. We will also discover how the system can be improved, to make channels non-expiring (A collaborative idea between nostr:npub148jz5r9xujcjpqygk69yl4jqwjqmzgrqly26plktfjy8g4t7xaysj9xhgp and nostr:npub1htnhsay5dmq3r72tukdw72pduzfdcja0yylcajuvnc2uklkhxp8qnz3qac born at nostr:npub1yrnuj56rnen08zp2h9h7p74ghgjx6ma39spmpj6w9hzxywutevsst7k5cx ).

So stay tuned!

@ daa41bed:88f54153

There has been a good bit of discussion on Nostr over the past few days about the merits of zaps as a method of engaging with notes, so after writing a rather lengthy article on the pros of a strategic Bitcoin reserve, I wanted to take some time to chime in on the much more fun topic of digital engagement.

Let's begin by defining a couple of things:

Nostr is a decentralized, censorship-resistance protocol whose current biggest use case is social media (think Twitter/X). Instead of relying on company servers, it relies on relays that anyone can spin up and own their own content. Its use cases are much bigger, though, and this article is hosted on my own relay, using my own Nostr relay as an example.

Zap is a tip or donation denominated in sats (small units of Bitcoin) sent from one user to another. This is generally done directly over the Lightning Network but is increasingly using Cashu tokens. For the sake of this discussion, how you transmit/receive zaps will be irrelevant, so don't worry if you don't know what Lightning or Cashu are.

If we look at how users engage with posts and follows/followers on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, etc., it becomes evident that traditional social media thrives on engagement farming. The more outrageous a post, the more likely it will get a reaction. We see a version of this on more visual social platforms like YouTube and TikTok that use carefully crafted thumbnail images to grab the user's attention to click the video. If you'd like to dive deep into the psychology and science behind social media engagement, let me know, and I'd be happy to follow up with another article.

In this user engagement model, a user is given the option to comment or like the original post, or share it among their followers to increase its signal. They receive no value from engaging with the content aside from the dopamine hit of the original experience or having their comment liked back by whatever influencer they provide value to. Ad revenue flows to the content creator. Clout flows to the content creator. Sales revenue from merch and content placement flows to the content creator. We call this a linear economy -- the idea that resources get created, used up, then thrown away. Users create content and farm as much engagement as possible, then the content is forgotten within a few hours as they move on to the next piece of content to be farmed.

What if there were a simple way to give value back to those who engage with your content? By implementing some value-for-value model -- a circular economy. Enter zaps.

Unlike traditional social media platforms, Nostr does not actively use algorithms to determine what content is popular, nor does it push content created for active user engagement to the top of a user's timeline. Yes, there are "trending" and "most zapped" timelines that users can choose to use as their default, but these use relatively straightforward engagement metrics to rank posts for these timelines.

That is not to say that we may not see clients actively seeking to refine timeline algorithms for specific metrics. Still, the beauty of having an open protocol with media that is controlled solely by its users is that users who begin to see their timeline gamed towards specific algorithms can choose to move to another client, and for those who are more tech-savvy, they can opt to run their own relays or create their own clients with personalized algorithms and web of trust scoring systems.

Zaps enable the means to create a new type of social media economy in which creators can earn for creating content and users can earn by actively engaging with it. Like and reposting content is relatively frictionless and costs nothing but a simple button tap. Zaps provide active engagement because they signal to your followers and those of the content creator that this post has genuine value, quite literally in the form of money—sats.

I have seen some comments on Nostr claiming that removing likes and reactions is for wealthy people who can afford to send zaps and that the majority of people in the US and around the world do not have the time or money to zap because they have better things to spend their money like feeding their families and paying their bills. While at face value, these may seem like valid arguments, they, unfortunately, represent the brainwashed, defeatist attitude that our current economic (and, by extension, social media) systems aim to instill in all of us to continue extracting value from our lives.

Imagine now, if those people dedicating their own time (time = money) to mine pity points on social media would instead spend that time with genuine value creation by posting content that is meaningful to cultural discussions. Imagine if, instead of complaining that their posts get no zaps and going on a tirade about how much of a victim they are, they would empower themselves to take control of their content and give value back to the world; where would that leave us? How much value could be created on a nascent platform such as Nostr, and how quickly could it overtake other platforms?

Other users argue about user experience and that additional friction (i.e., zaps) leads to lower engagement, as proven by decades of studies on user interaction. While the added friction may turn some users away, does that necessarily provide less value? I argue quite the opposite. You haven't made a few sats from zaps with your content? Can't afford to send some sats to a wallet for zapping? How about using the most excellent available resource and spending 10 seconds of your time to leave a comment? Likes and reactions are valueless transactions. Social media's real value derives from providing monetary compensation and actively engaging in a conversation with posts you find interesting or thought-provoking. Remember when humans thrived on conversation and discussion for entertainment instead of simply being an onlooker of someone else's life?

If you've made it this far, my only request is this: try only zapping and commenting as a method of engagement for two weeks. Sure, you may end up liking a post here and there, but be more mindful of how you interact with the world and break yourself from blind instinct. You'll thank me later.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Im Augenblick wird mit größter Intensität, großer Umsicht \ das deutsche Volk belogen. \ Olaf Scholz im FAZ-Interview

Online-Wahlen stärken die Demokratie, sind sicher, und 61 Prozent der Wahlberechtigten sprechen sich für deren Einführung in Deutschland aus. Das zumindest behauptet eine aktuelle Umfrage, die auch über die Agentur Reuters Verbreitung in den Medien gefunden hat. Demnach würden außerdem 45 Prozent der Nichtwähler bei der Bundestagswahl ihre Stimme abgeben, wenn sie dies zum Beispiel von Ihrem PC, Tablet oder Smartphone aus machen könnten.

Die telefonische Umfrage unter gut 1000 wahlberechtigten Personen sei repräsentativ, behauptet der Auftraggeber – der Digitalverband Bitkom. Dieser präsentiert sich als eingetragener Verein mit einer beeindruckenden Liste von Mitgliedern, die Software und IT-Dienstleistungen anbieten. Erklärtes Vereinsziel ist es, «Deutschland zu einem führenden Digitalstandort zu machen und die digitale Transformation der deutschen Wirtschaft und Verwaltung voranzutreiben».

Durchgeführt hat die Befragung die Bitkom Servicegesellschaft mbH, also alles in der Familie. Die gleiche Erhebung hatte der Verband übrigens 2021 schon einmal durchgeführt. Damals sprachen sich angeblich sogar 63 Prozent für ein derartiges «Demokratie-Update» aus – die Tendenz ist demgemäß fallend. Dennoch orakelt mancher, der Gang zur Wahlurne gelte bereits als veraltet.

Die spanische Privat-Uni mit Globalisten-Touch, IE University, berichtete Ende letzten Jahres in ihrer Studie «European Tech Insights», 67 Prozent der Europäer befürchteten, dass Hacker Wahlergebnisse verfälschen könnten. Mehr als 30 Prozent der Befragten glaubten, dass künstliche Intelligenz (KI) bereits Wahlentscheidungen beeinflusst habe. Trotzdem würden angeblich 34 Prozent der unter 35-Jährigen einer KI-gesteuerten App vertrauen, um in ihrem Namen für politische Kandidaten zu stimmen.

Wie dauerhaft wird wohl das Ergebnis der kommenden Bundestagswahl sein? Diese Frage stellt sich angesichts der aktuellen Entwicklung der Migrations-Debatte und der (vorübergehend) bröckelnden «Brandmauer» gegen die AfD. Das «Zustrombegrenzungsgesetz» der Union hat das Parlament heute Nachmittag überraschenderweise abgelehnt. Dennoch muss man wohl kein ausgesprochener Pessimist sein, um zu befürchten, dass die Entscheidungen der Bürger von den selbsternannten Verteidigern der Demokratie künftig vielleicht nicht respektiert werden, weil sie nicht gefallen.

Bundesweit wird jetzt zu «Brandmauer-Demos» aufgerufen, die CDU gerät unter Druck und es wird von Übergriffen auf Parteibüros und Drohungen gegen Mitarbeiter berichtet. Sicherheitsbehörden warnen vor Eskalationen, die Polizei sei «für ein mögliches erhöhtes Aufkommen von Straftaten gegenüber Politikern und gegen Parteigebäude sensibilisiert».

Der Vorwand «unzulässiger Einflussnahme» auf Politik und Wahlen wird als Argument schon seit einiger Zeit aufgebaut. Der Manipulation schuldig befunden wird neben Putin und Trump auch Elon Musk, was lustigerweise ausgerechnet Bill Gates gerade noch einmal bekräftigt und als «völlig irre» bezeichnet hat. Man stelle sich die Diskussionen um die Gültigkeit von Wahlergebnissen vor, wenn es Online-Verfahren zur Stimmabgabe gäbe. In der Schweiz wird «E-Voting» seit einigen Jahren getestet, aber wohl bisher mit wenig Erfolg.

Die politische Brandstiftung der letzten Jahre zahlt sich immer mehr aus. Anstatt dringende Probleme der Menschen zu lösen – zu denen auch in Deutschland die weit verbreitete Armut zählt –, hat die Politik konsequent polarisiert und sich auf Ausgrenzung und Verhöhnung großer Teile der Bevölkerung konzentriert. Basierend auf Ideologie und Lügen werden abweichende Stimmen unterdrückt und kriminalisiert, nicht nur und nicht erst in diesem Augenblick. Die nächsten Wochen dürften ausgesprochen spannend werden.

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

This past week, @erik_ and @Sushant have been working on improving the onboarding flow for Sovran bitcoin wallet. First revision on thee figma file below, would appreciate any feedback.

https://www.figma.com/design/inNLo6AaPMX26D3GumcXGC/UI%2FUX-Audit--Onboarding-User-Flow?node-id=0-1&t=Wl0EVhH5fJgYYSJI-1

If you want to review the UX audit of the current flow, see the feedback provided, and check Sushant's initial suggestions, you can do so here:

https://www.figma.com/board/Jfo4nLIKyR6lacokXze4Mv/Sovran-Onboarding-UX-Audit?node-id=0-1&t=gOZyo57zfeqxFXeB-1

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/884272

@ 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.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Menschen tun alles, egal wie absurd, \ um ihrer eigenen Seele nicht zu begegnen. \ Carl Gustav Jung

«Extremer Reichtum ist eine Gefahr für die Demokratie», sagen über die Hälfte der knapp 3000 befragten Millionäre aus G20-Staaten laut einer Umfrage der «Patriotic Millionaires». Ferner stellte dieser Zusammenschluss wohlhabender US-Amerikaner fest, dass 63 Prozent jener Millionäre den Einfluss von Superreichen auf US-Präsident Trump als Bedrohung für die globale Stabilität ansehen.

Diese Besorgnis haben 370 Millionäre und Milliardäre am Dienstag auch den in Davos beim WEF konzentrierten Privilegierten aus aller Welt übermittelt. In einem offenen Brief forderten sie die «gewählten Führer» auf, die Superreichen – also sie selbst – zu besteuern, um «die zersetzenden Auswirkungen des extremen Reichtums auf unsere Demokratien und die Gesellschaft zu bekämpfen». Zum Beispiel kontrolliere eine handvoll extrem reicher Menschen die Medien, beeinflusse die Rechtssysteme in unzulässiger Weise und verwandele Recht in Unrecht.

Schon 2019 beanstandete der bekannte Historiker und Schriftsteller Ruthger Bregman an einer WEF-Podiumsdiskussion die Steuervermeidung der Superreichen. Die elitäre Veranstaltung bezeichnete er als «Feuerwehr-Konferenz, bei der man nicht über Löschwasser sprechen darf.» Daraufhin erhielt Bregman keine Einladungen nach Davos mehr. Auf seine Aussagen machte der Schweizer Aktivist Alec Gagneux aufmerksam, der sich seit Jahrzehnten kritisch mit dem WEF befasst. Ihm wurde kürzlich der Zutritt zu einem dreiteiligen Kurs über das WEF an der Volkshochschule Region Brugg verwehrt.

Nun ist die Erkenntnis, dass mit Geld politischer Einfluss einhergeht, alles andere als neu. Und extremer Reichtum macht die Sache nicht wirklich besser. Trotzdem hat man über Initiativen wie Patriotic Millionaires oder Taxmenow bisher eher selten etwas gehört, obwohl es sie schon lange gibt. Auch scheint es kein Problem, wenn ein Herr Gates fast im Alleingang versucht, globale Gesundheits-, Klima-, Ernährungs- oder Bevölkerungspolitik zu betreiben – im Gegenteil. Im Jahr, als der Milliardär Donald Trump zum zweiten Mal ins Weiße Haus einzieht, ist das Echo in den Gesinnungsmedien dagegen enorm – und uniform, wer hätte das gedacht.

Der neue US-Präsident hat jedoch «Davos geerdet», wie Achgut es nannte. In seiner kurzen Rede beim Weltwirtschaftsforum verteidigte er seine Politik und stellte klar, er habe schlicht eine «Revolution des gesunden Menschenverstands» begonnen. Mit deutlichen Worten sprach er unter anderem von ersten Maßnahmen gegen den «Green New Scam», und von einem «Erlass, der jegliche staatliche Zensur beendet»:

«Unsere Regierung wird die Äußerungen unserer eigenen Bürger nicht mehr als Fehlinformation oder Desinformation bezeichnen, was die Lieblingswörter von Zensoren und derer sind, die den freien Austausch von Ideen und, offen gesagt, den Fortschritt verhindern wollen.»

Wie der «Trumpismus» letztlich einzuordnen ist, muss jeder für sich selbst entscheiden. Skepsis ist definitiv angebracht, denn «einer von uns» sind weder der Präsident noch seine auserwählten Teammitglieder. Ob sie irgendeinen Sumpf trockenlegen oder Staatsverbrechen aufdecken werden oder was aus WHO- und Klimaverträgen wird, bleibt abzuwarten.

Das WHO-Dekret fordert jedenfalls die Übertragung der Gelder auf «glaubwürdige Partner», die die Aktivitäten übernehmen könnten. Zufällig scheint mit «Impfguru» Bill Gates ein weiterer Harris-Unterstützer kürzlich das Lager gewechselt zu haben: Nach einem gemeinsamen Abendessen zeigte er sich «beeindruckt» von Trumps Interesse an der globalen Gesundheit.

Mit dem Projekt «Stargate» sind weitere dunkle Wolken am Erwartungshorizont der Fangemeinde aufgezogen. Trump hat dieses Joint Venture zwischen den Konzernen OpenAI, Oracle, und SoftBank als das «größte KI-Infrastrukturprojekt der Geschichte» angekündigt. Der Stein des Anstoßes: Oracle-CEO Larry Ellison, der auch Fan von KI-gestützter Echtzeit-Überwachung ist, sieht einen weiteren potenziellen Einsatz der künstlichen Intelligenz. Sie könne dazu dienen, Krebserkrankungen zu erkennen und individuelle mRNA-«Impfstoffe» zur Behandlung innerhalb von 48 Stunden zu entwickeln.

Warum bitte sollten sich diese superreichen «Eliten» ins eigene Fleisch schneiden und direkt entgegen ihren eigenen Interessen handeln? Weil sie Menschenfreunde, sogenannte Philanthropen sind? Oder vielleicht, weil sie ein schlechtes Gewissen haben und ihre Schuld kompensieren müssen? Deswegen jedenfalls brauchen «Linke» laut Robert Willacker, einem deutschen Politikberater mit brasilianischen Wurzeln, rechte Parteien – ein ebenso überraschender wie humorvoller Erklärungsansatz.

Wenn eine Krähe der anderen kein Auge aushackt, dann tut sie das sich selbst noch weniger an. Dass Millionäre ernsthaft ihre eigene Besteuerung fordern oder Machteliten ihren eigenen Einfluss zugunsten anderer einschränken würden, halte ich für sehr unwahrscheinlich. So etwas glaube ich erst, wenn zum Beispiel die Rüstungsindustrie sich um Friedensverhandlungen bemüht, die Pharmalobby sich gegen institutionalisierte Korruption einsetzt, Zentralbanken ihre CBDC-Pläne für Bitcoin opfern oder der ÖRR die Abschaffung der Rundfunkgebühren fordert.

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ e3ba5e1a:5e433365

I got into a friendly discussion on X regarding health insurance. The specific question was how to deal with health insurance companies (presumably unfairly) denying claims? My answer, as usual: get government out of it!

The US healthcare system is essentially the worst of both worlds:

• Unlike full single payer, individuals incur high costs
• Unlike a true free market, regulation causes increases in costs and decreases competition among insurers

I'm firmly on the side of moving towards the free market. (And I say that as someone living under a single payer system now.) Here's what I would do:

• Get rid of tax incentives that make health insurance tied to your employer, giving individuals back proper freedom of choice.
• Reduce regulations significantly.

• In the short term, some people will still get rejected claims and other obnoxious behavior from insurance companies. We address that in two ways:

  1. Due to reduced regulations, new insurance companies will be able to enter the market offering more reliable coverage and better rates, and people will flock to them because they have the freedom to make their own choices.
  2. Sue the asses off of companies that reject claims unfairly. And ideally, as one of the few legitimate roles of government in all this, institute new laws that limit the ability of fine print to allow insurers to escape their responsibilities. (I'm hesitant that the latter will happen due to the incestuous relationship between Congress/regulators and insurers, but I can hope.)

Will this magically fix everything overnight like politicians normally promise? No. But it will allow the market to return to a healthy state. And I don't think it will take long (order of magnitude: 5-10 years) for it to come together, but that's just speculation.

And since there's a high correlation between those who believe government can fix problems by taking more control and demanding that only credentialed experts weigh in on a topic (both points I strongly disagree with BTW): I'm a trained actuary and worked in the insurance industry, and have directly seen how government regulation reduces competition, raises prices, and harms consumers.

And my final point: I don't think any prior art would be a good comparison for deregulation in the US, it's such a different market than any other country in the world for so many reasons that lessons wouldn't really translate. Nonetheless, I asked Grok for some empirical data on this, and at best the results of deregulation could be called "mixed," but likely more accurately "uncertain, confused, and subject to whatever interpretation anyone wants to apply."

https://x.com/i/grok/share/Zc8yOdrN8lS275hXJ92uwq98M

@ 5579d5c0:db104ded

Most people think their metabolism is "broken" because they can't lose weight, feel sluggish, or gain fat easily.

The truth? Your metabolism isn’t broken, it’s just out of sync.

Your body doesn’t just burn calories randomly.

It follows a natural 24-hour rhythm, dictated by light exposure, movement, meal timing, and sleep.

When these cues are off, your metabolism becomes dysfunctional.

The good news?

You don’t need to diet harder or exercise more.

You need to realign your metabolism with your body’s natural rhythm.

---

Why your metabolism feels “broken”

Your body is designed to run on timing signals, when to eat, when to move, when to rest. Modern life disrupts these natural rhythms, leading to:

→ Low energy & afternoon crashes: Skipping morning sunlight and staying indoors all day.

→ Stubborn belly fat & slow fat loss: Eating at the wrong times, late-night snacking, and chronic stress.

→ Constant cravings & hunger: Poor meal timing and eating foods that spike blood sugar too often.

→ Poor sleep & recovery: Late night screen use, artificial light, and erratic bedtimes.

The problem isn’t your metabolism, it’s your environment and habits.

---

How to reset your metabolism naturally

You don’t need extreme diets, calorie counting, or hours in the gym.

Instead, align your metabolism with your body’s natural timing signals by focusing on these fundamentals:

1. Get natural light first thing in the morning

Light in the first 30 minutes after waking sets your circadian rhythm (body clock), kickstarts hormone production, and improves insulin sensitivity.

This simple habit helps to regulate hunger, energy, and fat-burning.

Action step: Step outside for at least 5–10 minutes within 30 minutes of waking, no sunglasses, no contacts, only natural light exposure and take regular outdoor breaks during the day.

---

2. Stop eating late at night

Eating late, especially high-carb/high-fat meals, signals your body to store fat instead of burning it.

Late-night eating also disrupts sleep, which further impairs fat loss.

Action step: Keep meals within a 10-12 hour eating window, preferably between sunrise and sunset. No snacking. Finish your last meal at least 3 hours before bed.

---

3. Move throughout the day (Not just at the gym)

Your metabolism isn’t just about burning calories, it’s about how efficiently your body uses energy.

Sitting for long hours disrupts metabolic function, even if you work out later.

Action step: Take a 5-minute movement break every 1–2 hours. Stand, stretch, or better still go for a quick walk outside.

---

4. Prioritise deep, uninterrupted sleep

Your body burns fat and repairs muscle while you sleep.

Poor sleep increases hunger hormones (Ghrelin), prevents Leptin from working properly, and makes you crave junk food the next day.

Action step: Dim lights after sunset, wear blue light blocking glasses, avoid screens 30-60 minutes before bed, and aim for 7.5-9 hours of quality sleep.

---

5. Eat nutrient-dense foods

What you eat matters, but when you eat it matters just as much.

Front-loading protein and nutrients earlier in the day supports fat-burning and stabilises energy.

Action step: Eat a high-protein, nutrient-dense breakfast and avoid refined carbs & sugar, especially in the morning, to prevent cravings later.

---

Your metabolism isn’t broken, it’s just out of sync.

Instead of obsessing over calories, focus on realigning your body with its natural rhythms:

→ Morning sunlight to set your metabolism for the day.

→ Aligned meal timing by eating during daylight & avoiding late-night eating.

→ Frequent movement to prevents metabolic slowdown from sitting.

→ Quality sleep which regulates fat-burning and hunger hormones.

→ Nutrient-dense eating giving your body what it needs.

Fix your metabolism without dieting harder, just live in sync with how your body is designed to function.

-Chris

---

If you want a simple methodical approach to fixing your metabolism, Let’s talk.

Book a free call here: https://calendly.com/hello-chrispatrick

Follow me on Nostr: https://primal.net/chrispatrick or 

nostr:npub124uatsq6pv74trzwvt34y4sx2z0uflhse7tkrv0pl69e8kcsfhkse30zsu

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

Federal employees must remove pronouns from email signatures by the end of the day. This directive comes from internal memos tied to two executive orders signed by Donald Trump. The orders target diversity and equity programs within the government.

CDC, Department of Transportation, and Department of Energy employees were affected. Staff were instructed to make changes in line with revised policy prohibiting certain language.

One CDC employee shared frustration, stating, “In my decade-plus years at CDC, I've never been told what I can and can't put in my email signature.” The directive is part of a broader effort to eliminate DEI initiatives from federal discourse.

@ 3b7fc823:e194354f

Staying Digitally Safe in Airports: A Comprehensive Guide

Airports are hubs of activity, but they’re also places where your digital security can be at risk. From public Wi-Fi to potential device thefts, staying safe while traveling can feel overwhelming. However, with the right knowledge and precautions, you can protect yourself and enjoy your journey stress-free. Let’s dive into how to stay digitally safe in airports while traveling.

---

Understanding the Risks

1. Public Wi-Fi Vulnerabilities:
2. Airports often offer free Wi-Fi, but these networks can be unsecured or insecure. Hackers may use these networks to intercept sensitive data.

3. Avoid using public Wi-Fi for personal banking, shopping, or handling sensitive information.

4. Device Theft:

5. High-traffic areas like security checkpoints, gates, and lounges are hotspots for device thefts. Always keep your devices in secure locations, such as carry-on bags or locked briefcases.

6. Malware and Phishing Attacks:

7. Some airports may have phishing attempts or malware distributed via pop-ups, email, or malicious websites.

8. Physical Surveillance:

9. In some cases, law enforcement or security personnel may monitor your activities. Always be mindful of your surroundings to avoid unintended data exposure.

---

Best Practices for Staying Digitally Safe in Airports

1. Use a VPN for Extra Security:
2. Even secure airport Wi-Fi can expose your data if not encrypted. Use a reputable Virtual Private Network (VPN) to encrypt your internet traffic and protect your privacy.

3. Always ensure your VPN is active when using public Wi-Fi.

4. Minimize Sensitive Data on Public Devices:

5. Avoid carrying devices with sensitive information like passwords, credit card details, or personal identification numbers (PIIs).

6. Encrypt Your Data:

7. Enable encryption for all your devices to protect data stored locally or in the cloud. Ensure your operating system and apps are updated with the latest security patches.

8. Secure Your Devices:

9. Use cable locks or secure cases to lock down laptops, tablets, and smartphones when not in use.

10. Remove screensavers that display your device passcode to prevent unauthorized access.

11. Keep Antivirus Software Updated:

12. Install and maintain up-to-date antivirus software on all devices. This helps detect and remove malicious software (malware) that may be installed through compromised networks or phishing attempts.

13. Avoid Plugging Into Public USB charging stations:

14. Refrain from using public USB ports or charging stations unless you know they’re secure. Malware can spread via these points.

15. Use Caution With Lost and Found:

16. If you find a device or drop one accidentally, avoid using lost and found kiosks to pick it up. Instead, contact airport security for assistance in safely retrieving your property without exposing it to potential thieves.

17. Stay Alert to Security Alerts:

18. Pay attention to announcements over the airport’s PA system regarding suspicious activity or security alerts. Follow any instructions provided by airport staff.

19. Monitor Your Accounts Remotely:

20. If you suspect something is wrong (e.g., unusual transactions on your credit card), check your financial accounts immediately upon arriving at your destination. Notify your bank of potential fraudulent activity and report it to the authorities if necessary.

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Additional Tips for Airport Safety

1. Use a Portable Power Bank:

2. Keep your devices charged so you don’t rely on public charging stations, which may be compromised.

3. Travel with Backup Devices:

4. Always bring an extra SIM card, USB drive, or cloud storage to backup important data. This ensures you can access critical information even if your primary device is lost or damaged.

5. Avoid Sharing Personal Information Over Earphone Rentals:

6. Refrain from using earphones rented from airport kiosks that may record or intercept your conversations. Stick to your own headphones or those provided by the airline.

7. Use Airport Lounges Wisely:

8. If you’re using an airline lounge, avoid discussing sensitive information in public areas where it could be overheard.

9. Keep Your Luggage in Sight:

10. Never leave your checked luggage unattended, as it may contain devices or documents with sensitive information.

11. Plan for Data Loss:

12. Before leaving home, make a backup of all important files and photos on an external drive or cloud storage. This way, you can restore them if something goes wrong during your trip.

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What to Do If Something Goes Wrong

1. Report Suspected Security Incidents:

2. If you notice unusual activity on your devices or suspect a security breach, inform airport security immediately.

3. Contact Your Financial Institutions:

4. If you believe your financial information has been compromised, contact your bank or credit card provider to freeze your account and monitor for fraudulent charges.

5. File a Police Report:

6. In cases of theft or suspected unauthorized access, file a report with local authorities and provide evidence (if available).

7. Use Travel Insurance:

8. Check if your travel insurance covers theft, fraud, or data breaches. Submit a claim if you’re covered.

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Extra Security Measures forTech-Savvy Travelers

• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA for all your critical accounts before leaving home.
• Biometric Locks: Use biometric locks on your devices to add an extra layer of security.
• Incident Response Plan: Create a plan in advance for what to do if your devices are lost or compromised.

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Final Tips

• Always prioritize secure practices, even in seemingly safe environments like airports.
• Travel light but keep your important documents and devices close at hand.
• Remember that staying digitally safe is just as important as physical safety during your travels.

By following these tips, you can enjoy your trip with peace of mind, knowing your data and devices are protected. Happy traveling!

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Advocating for privacy does not finance itself. If you enjoyed this article, please consider zapping or sending monero

82XCDNK1Js8TethhpGLFPbVyKe25DxMUePad1rUn9z7V6QdCzxHEE7varvVh1VUidUhHVSA4atNU2BTpSNJLC1BqSvDajw1

@ c631e267:c2b78d3e

Die grauenvollste Aussicht ist die der Technokratie – \ einer kontrollierenden Herrschaft, \ die durch verstümmelte und verstümmelnde Geister ausgeübt wird. \ Ernst Jünger

«Davos ist nicht mehr sexy», das Weltwirtschaftsforum (WEF) mache Davos kaputt, diese Aussagen eines Einheimischen las ich kürzlich in der Handelszeitung. Während sich einige vor Ort enorm an der «teuersten Gewerbeausstellung der Welt» bereicherten, würden die negativen Begleiterscheinungen wie Wohnungsnot und Niedergang der lokalen Wirtschaft immer deutlicher.

Nächsten Montag beginnt in dem Schweizer Bergdorf erneut ein Jahrestreffen dieses elitären Clubs der Konzerne, bei dem man mit hochrangigen Politikern aus aller Welt und ausgewählten Vertretern der Systemmedien zusammenhocken wird. Wie bereits in den vergangenen vier Jahren wird die Präsidentin der EU-Kommission, Ursula von der Leyen, in Begleitung von Klaus Schwab ihre Grundsatzansprache halten.

Der deutsche WEF-Gründer hatte bei dieser Gelegenheit immer höchst lobende Worte für seine Landsmännin: 2021 erklärte er sich «stolz, dass Europa wieder unter Ihrer Führung steht» und 2022 fand er es bemerkenswert, was sie erreicht habe angesichts des «erstaunlichen Wandels», den die Welt in den vorangegangenen zwei Jahren erlebt habe; es gebe nun einen «neuen europäischen Geist».

Von der Leyens Handeln während der sogenannten Corona-«Pandemie» lobte Schwab damals bereits ebenso, wie es diese Woche das Karlspreis-Direktorium tat, als man der Beschuldigten im Fall Pfizergate die diesjährige internationale Auszeichnung «für Verdienste um die europäische Einigung» verlieh. Außerdem habe sie die EU nicht nur gegen den «Aggressor Russland», sondern auch gegen die «innere Bedrohung durch Rassisten und Demagogen» sowie gegen den Klimawandel verteidigt.

Jene Herausforderungen durch «Krisen epochalen Ausmaßes» werden indes aus dem Umfeld des WEF nicht nur herbeigeredet – wie man alljährlich zur Zeit des Davoser Treffens im Global Risks Report nachlesen kann, der zusammen mit dem Versicherungskonzern Zurich erstellt wird. Seit die Globalisten 2020/21 in der Praxis gesehen haben, wie gut eine konzertierte und konsequente Angst-Kampagne funktionieren kann, geht es Schlag auf Schlag. Sie setzen alles daran, Schwabs goldenes Zeitfenster des «Great Reset» zu nutzen.

Ziel dieses «großen Umbruchs» ist die totale Kontrolle der Technokraten über die Menschen unter dem Deckmantel einer globalen Gesundheitsfürsorge. Wie aber könnte man so etwas erreichen? Ein Mittel dazu ist die «kreative Zerstörung». Weitere unabdingbare Werkzeug sind die Einbindung, ja Gleichschaltung der Medien und der Justiz.

Ein «Great Mental Reset» sei die Voraussetzung dafür, dass ein Großteil der Menschen Einschränkungen und Manipulationen wie durch die Corona-Maßnahmen praktisch kritik- und widerstandslos hinnehme, sagt der Mediziner und Molekulargenetiker Michael Nehls. Er meint damit eine regelrechte Umprogrammierung des Gehirns, wodurch nach und nach unsere Individualität und unser soziales Bewusstsein eliminiert und durch unreflektierten Konformismus ersetzt werden.

Der aktuelle Zustand unserer Gesellschaften ist auch für den Schweizer Rechtsanwalt Philipp Kruse alarmierend. Durch den Umgang mit der «Pandemie» sieht er die Grundlagen von Recht und Vernunft erschüttert, die Rechtsstaatlichkeit stehe auf dem Prüfstand. Seiner dringenden Mahnung an alle Bürger, die Prinzipien von Recht und Freiheit zu verteidigen, kann ich mich nur anschließen.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Ich begann, Social Media aufzubauen, \ um den Menschen eine Stimme zu geben. \ Mark Zuckerberg

Sind euch auch die Tränen gekommen, als ihr Mark Zuckerbergs Wendehals-Deklaration bezüglich der Meinungsfreiheit auf seinen Portalen gehört habt? Rührend, oder? Während er früher die offensichtliche Zensur leugnete und später die Regierung Biden dafür verantwortlich machte, will er nun angeblich «die Zensur auf unseren Plattformen drastisch reduzieren».

«Purer Opportunismus» ob des anstehenden Regierungswechsels wäre als Klassifizierung viel zu kurz gegriffen. Der jetzige Schachzug des Meta-Chefs ist genauso Teil einer kühl kalkulierten Business-Strategie, wie es die 180 Grad umgekehrte Praxis vorher war. Social Media sind ein höchst lukratives Geschäft. Hinzu kommt vielleicht noch ein bisschen verkorkstes Ego, weil derartig viel Einfluss und Geld sicher auch auf die Psyche schlagen. Verständlich.

«Es ist an der Zeit, zu unseren Wurzeln der freien Meinungsäußerung auf Facebook und Instagram zurückzukehren. Ich begann, Social Media aufzubauen, um den Menschen eine Stimme zu geben», sagte Zuckerberg.

Welche Wurzeln? Hat der Mann vergessen, dass er von der Überwachung, dem Ausspionieren und dem Ausverkauf sämtlicher Daten und digitaler Spuren sowie der Manipulation seiner «Kunden» lebt? Das ist knallharter Kommerz, nichts anderes. Um freie Meinungsäußerung geht es bei diesem Geschäft ganz sicher nicht, und das war auch noch nie so. Die Wurzeln von Facebook liegen in einem Projekt des US-Militärs mit dem Namen «LifeLog». Dessen Ziel war es, «ein digitales Protokoll vom Leben eines Menschen zu erstellen».

Der Richtungswechsel kommt allerdings nicht überraschend. Schon Anfang Dezember hatte Meta-Präsident Nick Clegg von «zu hoher Fehlerquote bei der Moderation» von Inhalten gesprochen. Bei der Gelegenheit erwähnte er auch, dass Mark sehr daran interessiert sei, eine aktive Rolle in den Debatten über eine amerikanische Führungsrolle im technologischen Bereich zu spielen.

Während Milliardärskollege und Big Tech-Konkurrent Elon Musk bereits seinen Posten in der kommenden Trump-Regierung in Aussicht hat, möchte Zuckerberg also nicht nur seine Haut retten – Trump hatte ihn einmal einen «Feind des Volkes» genannt und ihm lebenslange Haft angedroht –, sondern am liebsten auch mitspielen. KI-Berater ist wohl die gewünschte Funktion, wie man nach einem Treffen Trump-Zuckerberg hörte. An seine Verhaftung dachte vermutlich auch ein weiterer Multimilliardär mit eigener Social Media-Plattform, Pavel Durov, als er Zuckerberg jetzt kritisierte und gleichzeitig warnte.

Politik und Systemmedien drehen jedenfalls durch – was zu viel ist, ist zu viel. Etwas weniger Zensur und mehr Meinungsfreiheit würden die Freiheit der Bürger schwächen und seien potenziell vernichtend für die Menschenrechte. Zuckerberg setze mit dem neuen Kurs die Demokratie aufs Spiel, das sei eine «Einladung zum nächsten Völkermord», ernsthaft. Die Frage sei, ob sich die EU gegen Musk und Zuckerberg behaupten könne, Brüssel müsse jedenfalls hart durchgreifen.

Auch um die Faktenchecker macht man sich Sorgen. Für die deutsche Nachrichtenagentur dpa und die «Experten» von Correctiv, die (noch) Partner für Fact-Checking-Aktivitäten von Facebook sind, sei das ein «lukratives Geschäftsmodell». Aber möglicherweise werden die Inhalte ohne diese vermeintlichen Korrektoren ja sogar besser. Anders als Meta wollen jedoch Scholz, Faeser und die Tagesschau keine Fehler zugeben und zum Beispiel Correctiv-Falschaussagen einräumen.

Bei derlei dramatischen Befürchtungen wundert es nicht, dass der öffentliche Plausch auf X zwischen Elon Musk und AfD-Chefin Alice Weidel von 150 EU-Beamten überwacht wurde, falls es irgendwelche Rechtsverstöße geben sollte, die man ihnen ankreiden könnte. Auch der Deutsche Bundestag war wachsam. Gefunden haben dürften sie nichts. Das Ganze war eher eine Show, viel Wind wurde gemacht, aber letztlich gab es nichts als heiße Luft.

Das Anbiedern bei Donald Trump ist indes gerade in Mode. Die Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) tut das auch, denn sie fürchtet um Spenden von über einer Milliarde Dollar. Eventuell könnte ja Elon Musk auch hier künftig aushelfen und der Organisation sowie deren größtem privaten Förderer, Bill Gates, etwas unter die Arme greifen. Nachdem Musks KI-Projekt xAI kürzlich von BlackRock & Co. sechs Milliarden eingestrichen hat, geht da vielleicht etwas.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ eac63075:b4988b48

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

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

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

Sections:

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

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What Is Chat Control?

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

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

Origins of the Proposal

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

How Messaging Services Work

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

Key Elements of Chat Control

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

Why It Matters

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

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Why Is the EU Pushing for Chat Control?

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

Protecting Children and Preventing Crime

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

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

Legal Context and Legislative Drivers

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

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

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

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

Balancing Security and Privacy

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

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

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

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

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

The Urgency Behind the Push

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

Criticism and Controversy

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

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The Privacy Concerns and Risks

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

Infringement on Privacy Rights

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

Erosion of End-to-End Encryption

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

Concerns from Privacy Advocates

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

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

Potential for Government Overreach

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

Real-World Implications for Users

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

Legal and Ethical Concerns

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

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

Opposition from Member States and Organizations

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

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The Technical Debate: Encryption and Backdoors

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

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

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

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

How Chat Control Affects Encryption

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

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

The Risks of Weakening Encryption

1. Compromised Security for All Users

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

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

2. Undermining Trust in Digital Services

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

3. Ineffectiveness Against Skilled Adversaries

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

Signal’s Response and Stance

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

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

Understanding Backdoors

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

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

The Slippery Slope Argument

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

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

Potential Technological Alternatives

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

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

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

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

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Global Reactions and the Debate in Europe

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

Support for Chat Control

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

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

Opposition within the EU

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

Germany

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

Netherlands

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

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

Privacy Advocacy Groups

European Digital Rights (EDRi)

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

Politicians and Activists

Patrick Breyer

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

Global Reactions

International Organizations

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

Technology Companies

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

The Broader Debate

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

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

Public Opinion

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

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

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Possible Consequences for Messaging Services

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

Impact on Encrypted Messaging Services

Signal and Similar Platforms

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

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

Potential Blocking or Limiting of Services

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

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

Effects on Smaller Providers

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

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

User Experience and Trust

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

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

Technical and Security Implications

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

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

Impact on Businesses and Professional Communications

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

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

Economic Consequences

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

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

Responses from Service Providers

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

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

Possible Adaptations

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

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

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

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What Happens Next? The Future of Chat Control

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

Current Status of Legislation

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

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

Key Influencing Factors

1. Legal Challenges and Compliance with EU Law

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

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

2. Technological Feasibility

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

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

3. Political Dynamics

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

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

4. Industry Responses

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

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

Possible Scenarios

Optimistic Outcome:

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

Pessimistic Outcome:

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

Middle Ground:

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

How to Stay Informed and Protect Your Privacy

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

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

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

The Global Perspective

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

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

Looking Ahead

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

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

---

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

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

President Trump plans to withdraw 20,000 U.S. troops from Europe and expects European allies to contribute financially to the remaining military presence. Reported by ANSA, Trump aims to deliver this message to European leaders since taking office. A European diplomat noted, “the costs cannot be borne solely by American taxpayers.”

The Pentagon hasn't commented yet. Trump has previously sought lower troop levels in Europe and had ordered cuts during his first term. The U.S. currently maintains around 65,000 troops in Europe, with total forces reaching 100,000 since the Ukraine invasion. Trump's new approach may shift military focus to the Pacific amid growing concerns about China.

Sauce

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Was du bist hängt von drei Faktoren ab: \ Was du geerbt hast, \ was deine Umgebung aus dir machte \ und was du in freier Wahl \ aus deiner Umgebung und deinem Erbe gemacht hast. \ Aldous Huxley

Das brave Mitmachen und Mitlaufen in einem vorgegebenen, recht engen Rahmen ist gewiss nicht neu, hat aber gerade wieder mal Konjunktur. Dies kann man deutlich beobachten, eigentlich egal, in welchem gesellschaftlichen Bereich man sich umschaut. Individualität ist nur soweit angesagt, wie sie in ein bestimmtes Schema von «Diversität» passt, und Freiheit verkommt zur Worthülse – nicht erst durch ein gewisses Buch einer gewissen ehemaligen Regierungschefin.

Erklärungsansätze für solche Entwicklungen sind bekannt, und praktisch alle haben etwas mit Massenpsychologie zu tun. Der Herdentrieb, also der Trieb der Menschen, sich – zum Beispiel aus Unsicherheit oder Bequemlichkeit – lieber der Masse anzuschließen als selbstständig zu denken und zu handeln, ist einer der Erklärungsversuche. Andere drehen sich um Macht, Propaganda, Druck und Angst, also den gezielten Einsatz psychologischer Herrschaftsinstrumente.

Aber wollen die Menschen überhaupt Freiheit? Durch Gespräche im privaten Umfeld bin ich diesbezüglich in der letzten Zeit etwas skeptisch geworden. Um die Jahreswende philosophiert man ja gerne ein wenig über das Erlebte und über die Erwartungen für die Zukunft. Dabei hatte ich hin und wieder den Eindruck, die totalitären Anwandlungen unserer «Repräsentanten» kämen manchen Leuten gerade recht.

«Desinformation» ist so ein brisantes Thema. Davor müsse man die Menschen doch schützen, hörte ich. Jemand müsse doch zum Beispiel diese ganzen merkwürdigen Inhalte in den Social Media filtern – zur Ukraine, zum Klima, zu Gesundheitsthemen oder zur Migration. Viele wüssten ja gar nicht einzuschätzen, was richtig und was falsch ist, sie bräuchten eine Führung.

Freiheit bedingt Eigenverantwortung, ohne Zweifel. Eventuell ist es einigen tatsächlich zu anspruchsvoll, die Verantwortung für das eigene Tun und Lassen zu übernehmen. Oder die persönliche Freiheit wird nicht als ausreichend wertvolles Gut angesehen, um sich dafür anzustrengen. In dem Fall wäre die mangelnde Selbstbestimmung wohl das kleinere Übel. Allerdings fehlt dann gemäß Aldous Huxley ein Teil der Persönlichkeit. Letztlich ist natürlich alles eine Frage der Abwägung.

Sind viele Menschen möglicherweise schon so «eingenordet», dass freiheitliche Ambitionen gar nicht für eine ganze Gruppe, ein Kollektiv, verfolgt werden können? Solche Gedanken kamen mir auch, als ich mir kürzlich diverse Talks beim viertägigen Hacker-Kongress des Chaos Computer Clubs (38C3) anschaute. Ich war nicht nur überrascht, sondern reichlich erschreckt angesichts der in weiten Teilen mainstream-geformten Inhalte, mit denen ein dankbares Publikum beglückt wurde. Wo ich allgemein hellere Köpfe erwartet hatte, fand ich Konformismus und enthusiastisch untermauerte Narrative.

Gibt es vielleicht so etwas wie eine Herdenimmunität gegen Indoktrination? Ich denke, ja, zumindest eine gestärkte Widerstandsfähigkeit. Was wir brauchen, sind etwas gesunder Menschenverstand, offene Informationskanäle und der Mut, sich freier auch zwischen den Herden zu bewegen. Sie tun das bereits, aber sagen Sie es auch dieses Jahr ruhig weiter.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Heute möchte ich ein Gedicht mit euch teilen. Es handelt sich um eine Ballade des österreichischen Lyrikers Johann Gabriel Seidl aus dem 19. Jahrhundert. Mir sind diese Worte fest in Erinnerung, da meine Mutter sie perfekt rezitieren konnte, auch als die Kräfte schon langsam schwanden.

Dem originalen Titel «Die Uhr» habe ich für mich immer das Wort «innere» hinzugefügt. Denn der Zeitmesser – hier vermutliche eine Taschenuhr – symbolisiert zwar in dem Kontext das damalige Zeitempfinden und die Umbrüche durch die industrielle Revolution, sozusagen den Zeitgeist und das moderne Leben. Aber der Autor setzt sich philosophisch mit der Zeit auseinander und gibt seinem Werk auch eine klar spirituelle Dimension.

Das Ticken der Uhr und die Momente des Glücks und der Trauer stehen sinnbildlich für das unaufhaltsame Fortschreiten und die Vergänglichkeit des Lebens. Insofern könnte man bei der Uhr auch an eine Sonnenuhr denken. Der Rhythmus der Ereignisse passt uns vielleicht nicht immer in den Kram.

Was den Takt pocht, ist durchaus auch das Herz, unser «inneres Uhrwerk». Wenn dieses Meisterwerk einmal stillsteht, ist es unweigerlich um uns geschehen. Hoffentlich können wir dann dankbar sagen: «Ich habe mein Bestes gegeben.»

Ich trage, wo ich gehe, stets eine Uhr bei mir; \ Wieviel es geschlagen habe, genau seh ich an ihr. \ Es ist ein großer Meister, der künstlich ihr Werk gefügt, \ Wenngleich ihr Gang nicht immer dem törichten Wunsche genügt.

Ich wollte, sie wäre rascher gegangen an manchem Tag; \ Ich wollte, sie hätte manchmal verzögert den raschen Schlag. \ In meinen Leiden und Freuden, in Sturm und in der Ruh, \ Was immer geschah im Leben, sie pochte den Takt dazu.

Sie schlug am Sarge des Vaters, sie schlug an des Freundes Bahr, \ Sie schlug am Morgen der Liebe, sie schlug am Traualtar. \ Sie schlug an der Wiege des Kindes, sie schlägt, will's Gott, noch oft, \ Wenn bessere Tage kommen, wie meine Seele es hofft.

Und ward sie auch einmal träger, und drohte zu stocken ihr Lauf, \ So zog der Meister immer großmütig sie wieder auf. \ Doch stände sie einmal stille, dann wär's um sie geschehn, \ Kein andrer, als der sie fügte, bringt die Zerstörte zum Gehn.

Dann müßt ich zum Meister wandern, der wohnt am Ende wohl weit, \ Wohl draußen, jenseits der Erde, wohl dort in der Ewigkeit! \ Dann gäb ich sie ihm zurücke mit dankbar kindlichem Flehn: \ Sieh, Herr, ich hab nichts verdorben, sie blieb von selber stehn.

Johann Gabriel Seidl (1804-1875)

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

You conflate maximalism with close-mindedness because you believe money is a 'collective hallucination' instead of an emergent solution to a coordination problem. Anilsaidso

'DOGE finding waste and fraud?  Don’t miss the forest for the trees: Any money system that does not fix a unit of currency to a unit of energy is functionally fraudulent, because if a currency is not tied to energy, then creating fiat currency functionally means creating energy by govt fiat, which is a violation of physics, which is fraud.

Once you are in a system that pretends it can create energy by printing currency, it is just a question of “How much fraud occurs until the system collapses?”

You will know the end of that system is near when debt gets high, rates rise, & yet the price of energy-linked neutral assets like gold & BTC rise with rates (instead of falling), as free markets scramble out of printed currency & debt into actual energy linked assets, which is happening - rates up, & yet see gold and BTC.)' - Luke Gromen

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

On the 4th of February:

➡️El Salvador bought another 11 Bitcoin worth over $1.1 million for their strategic Bitcoin reserve.

➡️'Someone just moved 50 Bitcoin worth $5 MILLION that they mined 15 years ago They HODL'ed from $0.10 to $100k. Legend.' - Pete Rizzo

➡️Bitcoin funding rates turn negative — a very rare signal historically followed by massive price surges. Buckle up.

➡️Coinbase urges US to remove barriers for banks to provide Bitcoin and crypto services - BBG

➡️'Forbes recently covered how Bitcoin mining is fast-tracking millions of Ethiopians out of energy poverty. 100% renewable + economically benefitting the country No other technology has been able to do this. Ever.' Daniel Batten / Forbes

➡️President Trump's Crypto Czar David Sacks had a press conference on this day. Here are some notes:

• “will be heavy on Bitcoin and timelines.”

• “Discussion of Sovereign Wealth Fund.”

• “Timelines laid out as to proposed legislation (Lummis) and BSR.”

• “Yes, I expect there to be ‘America First’ rhetoric with SWF and crypto.”

• “reiterating, no $XRP”

Ergo a lot of word salad and not something juuuggggge was happening.

➡️President Bukele Offers To Jail Roger Ver in El Salvador. Bukele: "El Salvador prisons have big cell blocks. It's the perfect place for him" If you don’t get the joke, Study Bitcoin's history in detail. I will give you a hint. Book: The Blocksize War!

➡️'Semler Scientific acquired 871 Bitcoins for $88.5 million and has generated a BTC Yield of 152% since July 1, 2024.  Now holding 3,192 bitcoin.  Just getting started.' - Eric Semler

On the 5th of February:

➡️Bitcoin on track to hit $1.5m by 2030 - Ark Invest

On the 6th of February:

➡️Czech President signed a law removing the capital gains tax on #Bitcoin after 3+ years of holding. Sovereign game theory intensifies. Tick tock, next block! Meanwhile the ECB. 'The ECB just published an interview with Reuters where they contemplate a risk assessment of current FX swap lines if another central bank held Bitcoin reserves. They are literally trying to hinder the Czech National Bank from buying Bitcoin. Bitcoin is winning.' - Andre Dragosch

➡️Former PayPal President: Sell Gold Reserves to Buy Bitcoin "We're the number 1 holder of gold. If you think of Bitcoin as a better version of gold, why not rebalance a portion of that reserve to Bitcoin? There's a lot more growth in Bitcoin in the coming decades."

➡️Whales are buying Bitcoin like never seen before. Billionaires are stacking Bitcoin, front-running governments, pubco’s, and plebs.

➡️IOWA BITCOIN RESERVE BILL HF 246 would allow investment of 5% of public monies in digital assets of $750b+ market cap (i.e. Bitcoin)

➡️Eric Balchunas: Trump to launch "Bitcoin Plus" ETF.

➡️'The power is so cheap in the north of Norway now that the hydropower plants are considering dumping their water in the sea. We need more Bitcoin mining.' -Jaran Mellerud

Great explanation on the topic: https://x.com/GoldIRAChannel/status/1887718777338667369

➡️Great report by Breeze. https://breez.technology/report/

'Bitcoin isn't "just" digital gold, it's an everyday currency. 650M+people reached on Lightning Businesses real-world impact Growing ecosystem driving adoption New use cases unlocked.' - Breeze

Breeze is one of, if not, my favorite self-custodial Lightning Bitcoin payments app.

On the 7th of February:

➡️Utah pulls ahead in the race to create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Utah’s HB230 just became the first state Bitcoin reserve bill to clear a chamber vote, passing the House and heading to the Senate.

➡️ If any public companies are wondering whether Bitcoin is the solution… here’s your answer: Metaplanet’s market cap has been 100X’d (3.50 0%)since adopting Bitcoin as a treasury asset less than one year ago.

➡️Maryland State Delegate Caylin Young introduces the "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act of Maryland".

➡️MISSOURI FILES 2ND Bitcoin reserve bill that includes: - 5 YR HODL requirement - State must accept BTC payments - No cap on how much the state can buy 1st bill SB614 is currently in the Senate!

➡️Rep. TJ Roberts introduces a bill to invest up to 10% of state funds in Bitcoin for Kentucky.

➡️BlackRock boosts its stake in MicroStrategy to 5%, now holding 11.2M shares, up from 4.09% in September. Next to that, BlackRock holds $140m in IBIT - their Bitcoin ETF. Per their 13F SEC filing today. Up from $92m in November 2024.

➡️ Tornado Cash founder Alexey Pertsev has been released from prison. Pertsev was found guilty of money laundering in 2024. He is currently preparing an appeal. https://decrypt.co/304723/tornado-cash-developer-alexey-perstev-leaving-prison

On the 8th of February:

➡️Florida is the latest state to introduce a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Republican Senator Joe Gruters has introduced a bill proposing the investment of part of the state’s funds in Bitcoin to counter rising inflation.

➡️'FTX will repay 98% of creditors on February 18th. Creditors will receive a total of 119% of their funds lost in US dollar terms on November 11th, 2022. This is the equivalent of only 20% in Bitcoin terms. This is a lesson in self-custody.' -The Bitcoin Therapist

Just a quick reminder: 'Over 5 million Bitcoins are gone. Forever. No keys. No recovery. No second chance. - Satoshi’s wallet: 1M BTC, untouched - Mt. Gox hack: 744K BTC, - Lost key & wallets: ~3.7M BTC - James Howells’ hard drive: 8K BTC, buried Do people even grasp Bitcoin’s scarcity?'- Eli Nagar

➡️MONTANA BITCOIN RESERVE BILL

MT House Bill 429 would authorize up to $50m invested into 'digital assets over $750b market cap' i.e. Bitcoin, by July 15, 2025.

19 States want Bitcoin in their reserves so far, and 27 states are all pro-Bitcoin and Digital Asset Bills. It's just crazy to me what's happening. A few years ago, I couldn't even imagine it would go this fast. Hello, game theory!

➡️PNC, the 8th largest U.S. bank with $325 billion in AUM, has disclosed $67 million in Bitcoin exposure through its 13F filing with the SEC.

On the 9th of February:

➡️Hong Kong officially recognizes Bitcoin as proof of capital for residency applications.

➡️That’s 815,000,000,000,000,000,000 hashes per second securing the world’s largest permissionless monetary network Bitcoin’s hashrate sets a new record high above 810 EH.

➡️University of Austin to buy $5m Bitcoin. "We don’t want to be left behind," says CIO of the university fund.

On the 10th of February:

➡️'Priced in Bitcoin the S&P 500 looks like a meme coin rug pull.' -CarlBMenger

➡️Valid point by Bit Harington: 'It takes years for Bitcoin to finally leave a new 10X price zone and start looking for the next 10X. $1K lasted ~3.5 years. $10K also 3 years. It seems logical to assume that the $100K price zone will also last several years; One of the reasons I don't believe in $1M this cycle.'

➡️Another solo miner has mined an entire Bitcoin block worth $ 300,000. Just sensational.

➡️Michael Saylor's STRATEGY just bought another 7,633 Bitcoin worth $742 million. 'Strategy has added 7,633 Bitcoin to its holdings for ~$742.4 million at an average price of $97,255 per Bitcoin, bringing its total Bitcoin stack to 478,740 BTC. Acquired for ~$31.1 billion at an average of $65,033 per Bitcoin, the company's Bitcoin yield stands at a 4.1% YTD in 2025.' - Saylor

➡️Japan to scrap ban on Bitcoin ETFs and cut taxes on crypto-assets from 55% down to 20%.

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

On the 3rd of February:

👉🏽'Nvidia stock, falls over -5% at the open as markets react to the beginning of the trade war. The stock is currently down -26% from its all-time high.' - TKL

👉🏽Microsoft shares closed down 6.2% on the worst day since 2022. If only they had listened to Saylor's 3-minute Bitcoin pitch.

On the 4th of February:

👉🏽Alphabet stock, falls over -7% after reporting Q4 2024 earnings.

🏦Banks:

👉🏽Global central banks now hold more Gold than at any point in the past 45 years. Something is brewing. (see for more info in the segment below - on the 9th of February)

🌎Macro/Geopolitics:

Recently I found something interesting.

'Another fantastic open-source dataset is the Global Datahub at Georgetown University. It covers a wide range of topics including:

Geopolitics: Data on military spending, UN voting patterns, indicators of freedom and democracy, trade restrictions, social unrest, property rights, and demographic trends. Trade and Production: Information on trade, energy balances, GDP per capita, and trade patterns.

External Accounts: Current account balances, foreign investment flows, real exchange rates, international reserves, and remittances. Public Finance: Public sector deficits, composition of public debt, country risk, and trends in public spending.

Monetary and Financial: Inflation rates, monetary policy interest rates, exchange rate regimes, availability of credit, corporate bond rates, and amortizations of public and corporate debt.

Other Topics: Data on digital infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and progress toward achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).'

https://globallacdatahub.com/index.html

And none of this wonder data is disaggregated!

On the 4th of February:

👉🏽Germany has become kind of a tutorial in self-immolation. Really! Germany has cut its offshore wind generation capacity target from 50 gigawatts by 2035 to 40 gigawatts by 2034 due to crowded seas causing a "wake effect" that reduces output. The reduced capacity and delays in grid connections may hinder Germany's offshore wind ambitions, including its 2045 goal of 70 gigawatts. Stupidity has no limits. Really… self-inflicted harm…the idiocy of closing nuclear plants.

👉🏽'Local authorities in the UK have spent £141 million of taxpayer money on services for migrants such as PlayStations, yoga and circus skills classes, driving and DJ lessons' — Telegraph Money well spent! And then people wonder why all these people are coming to the West.

On the 5th of February

👉🏽 The Federal Reserve's Reverse Repo Facility hit its lowest inventory in 1,385 days, today. Ergo: The US is borrowing so much debt to fund deficit spending that the RRP has been DEPLETED to a 1,385-day low. Do you know what's coming? QE & money printing will start aggressively when this drains to 0. They may have 10 different names for it but it’s coming.

On the 6th of February:

👉🏽 Secretary of State Marco Rubio just deemed that only 294 USAID staffers are necessary out of 14,000. The entire agency will be imminently reduced from 14,000 to 294 employees. This has to be the biggest mass firing yet.

On the 7th of February:

👉🏽Indian Rupee falling off the cliff as it plunges to its weakest level against the U.S. Dollar in HISTORY!

👉🏽'30 years ago each major US corporation used to have an equivalent in Germany or France, today their competitors are in Asia and Europe is on a happy path into irrelevance. Overregulation, lack of Innovation, and left redistribution mindset have their price. Will it ever change?' -Michael A. Arouet

A shame how Europe, once the epicenter of the Industrial Revolution has self-sabotaged into near irrelevancy. Just to give you one comparison, the total valuation of all European companies combined is already smaller than the 2 biggest US companies. Yikes!

👉🏽United Kingdom's leftist government orders Apple to create a back door allowing access to encrypted data stored by Apple users worldwide in its cloud — WaPo

👉🏽The US consumers expect 4.3% inflation during the next 12 months, UP a massive 1.0 percentage point from January. The 4.3% is the highest since November 2023. 4.3%, the highest since November 2023. This marks a 1.7 percentage point jump over the last 3 months, the largest surge since February 2020.

Moreover, 5-10-year inflation expectations rose to 3.3%, the highest since June 2008, and the estimates were above 3.2%. Meanwhile, consumer sentiment fell to 67.8 points in February, the lowest in 3 months. Inflation is still a major issue. How will Trump and Bessent deal with that side of the trade tariffs?

Meanwhile, one year from now Democrats expect hyperinflation, and Republicans expect deflation.

This chart is hilarious because it just tells you: “If your brain uses politics it's not rational!”

👉🏽There it is: 600K lower across all of 2024, and even more downward revisions coming next February' - ZeroHedge

https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/tomorrows-jobs-report-will-finally-capture-surge-illegal-aliens-lead-another-negative

Oh by the way, in just January, 1 MILLION immigrants (legal and illegal) gained a job. Meanwhile, native-born Americans gained just 8,000. All net jobs gains post-Covid are immigrants. This is why they opened the border.

To make it even more funnier. The December jobs report has been revised HIGHER, showing 307,000 jobs added for the month, up from 256,000. That's the strongest job number since March 2024. Let's wait a couple of months if this still holds. I kinda don't believe job reports anymore, especially after the last 4 years and revisions.

👉🏽Sam Callahan: 'On Wednesday, the Government Accountability Office published its annual report to Congress on the nation's fiscal health and it didn't sugarcoat things.' full report: https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-25-107714.pdf

👉🏽Argentina will have an inflation of 23.2% in 2025, according to the REM published by the BCRA For January they expect month over month of of 2.3%, and they predict that in April monthly inflation will break through the 2% barrier. In 2027 Argentina should have single-digit annual inflation again, something that has not happened since 2006.

Progress under Milei, but let's see if he can manage it. There's still room for improvement.

👉🏽'The UK Labour Government has ordered Apple to create a backdoor in iCloud allowing security services to access your private information. Keir Starmer wants to see your messages. Scary times we live in.' - Basil the Great What is the point of GDPR again?

👉🏽'MASSIVE OPEN AI DATA BREACH? 20 MILLION ACCOUNTS ALLEGEDLY HACKED! A hacker claims to have stolen login details—including emails and passwords—for 20 million OpenAI accounts and is selling them on the dark web. OpenAI says it’s investigating but insists there’s no evidence of a system breach—yet. Cybersecurity experts warn this could lead to identity theft, phishing scams, and even AI-powered cyberattacks.' - Mario Nawfal

Although this breach is yet to be verified by OpenAI, anyone using the tool should update their passwords and credentials, as a precaution. If you haven’t already, switch on multi-factor authentication within OpenAI’s settings, as this should give you another layer of protection even if your password has been compromised.

On the 8th of February:

👉🏽USAID:

'USAID has pushed nearly half a billion dollars ($472.6m) through a secretive US government-financed NGO, "Internews Network" (IN), which has “worked with” 4,291 media outlets, producing in one year 4,799 hours of broadcasts reaching up to 778 million people and "training” over 9000 journalists (2023 figures). IN has also supported social media censorship initiatives.' -WikiLeaks Source: https://x.com/wikileaks/status/1888072129327083979

'USAID sent $40M to a coronavirus scientist at the Wuhan Institute of Virology who became patient zero of COVID-19.' - Financelot

'Bill Gates’ vaccine organization ‘GAVI’ was awarded $4,880,000,000.00 from USAID. Nearly $5 BILLION in taxpayer money to a single organization Two grants are still active; the 4B dollar grant ends Aug 2030. No wonder Gates is speaking out against DOGE dismantling USAID.' - Lindsay Penney

👉🏽Great breakdown of the US deficit by 'Infra':

We are currently running a ~$2.1 trillion deficit. To balance the budget would require cutting about $2T in spending It won’t be possible without significant legislation and the resulting contraction in GDP would be worse than the GFC

Here’s the math:

-Current GDP is $29T, 3Q24 growth at 2.8%

-GDP grew by $1.5T from 1Q23->1Q24

-Current government spending as a % of GDP is 36%

-Current government spending is ~$7.5T (on budget)

-Current tax receipts are 20% of GDP (~$5.5T)

-Current deficit is ~$2T'

Great write-up, full thread: https://x.com/infraa_/status/1888021955686842760

Govt wastes 100% of our tax dollars on bankrupt entitlement programs, forever wars, corporate & social welfare, and other bullshit. Just look at the USAID bit. Nothing stops this train folks. Nothing! Got Bitcoin?

On the 9th of February:

👉🏽It’s estimated that the federal government loses $233 Billion to $521 Billion annually to fraud. Although I don't think fraud is the right word, laundering and corruption fit better.

Half $1 trillion for 40 years equals 20 trillion. So instead of having a $36 trillion deficit, we would have a $16 trillion deficit if our government didn’t steal our money. Again this is not something I made up or found on a sketchy website, here you have the source: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-105833

The U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Just to give you another example of how fucked up the government operates. This statement is from a 2018 report: The Pentagon spent $1 billion to audit its 2018 financials, and it failed the audit! $1 BILLION!!

Ever heard of anyone spending 1 billion just to audit their financials? The audacity.

👉🏽Gold just hit $2900 for the first time in history. Gold's new all-time high above $2900 as a global physical shortage is about to surpass Covid levels.

'London's Gold Shortage: A Symptom Of Global Economic Anxiety' -ZeroHedge Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/precious-metals/londons-gold-shortage-symptom-global-economic-anxiety

The above statement perfectly matches the collapse in the FEDs Overnight Repo facility chart.

No One Trusts each other's Collateral globally. When the collateral calls come (and they ARE coming) paper coupons ain't gonna cut it.

The big institutions know something we don’t. March 2020 pattern.

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

Preston Pysh and Luke Gromen discuss Bitcoin’s Lightning Network, Tether’s USDT integration, and the impact on global payments and traditional banking infrastructure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8JXdYmllZ4

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 SE3997

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.

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⭐ Many thanks⭐

Felipe - Bitcoin Friday!

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@ a95c6243:d345522c

Falls du beim Lesen des Titels dieses Newsletters unwillkürlich an positive Neuigkeiten aus dem globalen polit-medialen Irrenhaus oder gar aus dem wirtschaftlichen Umfeld gedacht hast, darf ich dich beglückwünschen. Diese Assoziation ist sehr löblich, denn sie weist dich als unverbesserlichen Optimisten aus. Leider muss ich dich diesbezüglich aber enttäuschen. Es geht hier um ein anderes Thema, allerdings sehr wohl ein positives, wie ich finde.

Heute ist ein ganz besonderer Tag: die Wintersonnenwende. Genau gesagt hat heute morgen um 10:20 Uhr Mitteleuropäischer Zeit (MEZ) auf der Nordhalbkugel unseres Planeten der astronomische Winter begonnen. Was daran so außergewöhnlich ist? Der kürzeste Tag des Jahres war gestern, seit heute werden die Tage bereits wieder länger! Wir werden also jetzt jeden Tag ein wenig mehr Licht haben.

Für mich ist dieses Ereignis immer wieder etwas kurios: Es beginnt der Winter, aber die Tage werden länger. Das erscheint mir zunächst wie ein Widerspruch, denn meine spontanen Assoziationen zum Winter sind doch eher Kälte und Dunkelheit, relativ zumindest. Umso erfreulicher ist der emotionale Effekt, wenn dann langsam die Erkenntnis durchsickert: Ab jetzt wird es schon wieder heller!

Natürlich ist es kalt im Winter, mancherorts mehr als anderswo. Vielleicht jedoch nicht mehr lange, wenn man den Klimahysterikern glauben wollte. Mindestens letztes Jahr hat Väterchen Frost allerdings gleich zu Beginn seiner Saison – und passenderweise während des globalen Überhitzungsgipfels in Dubai – nochmal richtig mit der Faust auf den Tisch gehauen. Schnee- und Eischaos sind ja eigentlich in der Agenda bereits nicht mehr vorgesehen. Deswegen war man in Deutschland vermutlich in vorauseilendem Gehorsam schon nicht mehr darauf vorbereitet und wurde glatt lahmgelegt.

Aber ich schweife ab. Die Aussicht auf nach und nach mehr Licht und damit auch Wärme stimmt mich froh. Den Zusammenhang zwischen beidem merkt man in Andalusien sehr deutlich. Hier, wo die Häuser im Winter arg auskühlen, geht man zum Aufwärmen raus auf die Straße oder auf den Balkon. Die Sonne hat auch im Winter eine erfreuliche Kraft. Und da ist jede Minute Gold wert.

Außerdem ist mir vor Jahren so richtig klar geworden, warum mir das südliche Klima so sehr gefällt. Das liegt nämlich nicht nur an der Sonne als solcher, oder der Wärme – das liegt vor allem am Licht. Ohne Licht keine Farben, das ist der ebenso simple wie gewaltige Unterschied zwischen einem deprimierenden matschgraubraunen Winter und einem fröhlichen bunten. Ein großes Stück Lebensqualität.

Mir gefällt aber auch die Symbolik dieses Tages: Licht aus der Dunkelheit, ein Wendepunkt, ein Neuanfang, neue Möglichkeiten, Übergang zu neuer Aktivität. In der winterlichen Stille keimt bereits neue Lebendigkeit. Und zwar in einem Zyklus, das wird immer wieder so geschehen. Ich nehme das gern als ein Stück Motivation, es macht mir Hoffnung und gibt mir Energie.

Übrigens ist parallel am heutigen Tag auf der südlichen Halbkugel Sommeranfang. Genau im entgegengesetzten Rhythmus, sich ergänzend, wie Yin und Yang. Das alles liegt an der Schrägstellung der Erdachse, die ist nämlich um 23,4º zur Umlaufbahn um die Sonne geneigt. Wir erinnern uns, gell?

Insofern bleibt eindeutig festzuhalten, dass “schräg sein” ein willkommener, wichtiger und positiver Wert ist. Mit anderen Worten: auch ungewöhnlich, eigenartig, untypisch, wunderlich, kauzig, … ja sogar irre, spinnert oder gar “quer” ist in Ordnung. Das schließt das Denken mit ein.

In diesem Sinne wünsche ich euch allen urige Weihnachtstage!

---

Dieser Beitrag ist letztes Jahr in meiner Denkbar erschienen.

@ b17fccdf:b7211155

The past 26 August, Tor introduced officially a proof-of-work (PoW) defense for onion services designed to prioritize verified network traffic as a deterrent against denial of service (DoS) attacks.

~ > This feature at the moment, is deactivate by default, so you need to follow these steps to activate this on a MiniBolt node:

• Make sure you have the latest version of Tor installed, at the time of writing this post, which is v0.4.8.6. Check your current version by typing

tor --version

Example of expected output:

Tor version 0.4.8.6. This build of Tor is covered by the GNU General Public License (https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html) Tor is running on Linux with Libevent 2.1.12-stable, OpenSSL 3.0.9, Zlib 1.2.13, Liblzma 5.4.1, Libzstd N/A and Glibc 2.36 as libc. Tor compiled with GCC version 12.2.0

~ > If you have v0.4.8.X, you are OK, if not, type sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade and confirm to update.

• Basic PoW support can be checked by running this command:

tor --list-modules

Expected output:

relay: yes dirauth: yes dircache: yes pow: **yes**

~ > If you have pow: yes, you are OK

• Now go to the torrc file of your MiniBolt and add the parameter to enable PoW for each hidden service added

sudo nano /etc/tor/torrc

Example:

```

Hidden Service BTC RPC Explorer

HiddenServiceDir /var/lib/tor/hidden_service_btcrpcexplorer/ HiddenServiceVersion 3 HiddenServicePoWDefensesEnabled 1 HiddenServicePort 80 127.0.0.1:3002 ```

~ > Bitcoin Core and LND use the Tor control port to automatically create the hidden service, requiring no action from the user. We have submitted a feature request in the official GitHub repositories to explore the need for the integration of Tor's PoW defense into the automatic creation process of the hidden service. You can follow them at the following links:

• Bitcoin Core: https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/issues/8002
• LND: https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/issues/28499

---

More info:

• https://blog.torproject.org/introducing-proof-of-work-defense-for-onion-services/
• https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/onion-services/onion-support/-/wikis/Documentation/PoW-FAQ

---

Enjoy it MiniBolter! 💙

@ 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

@ a95c6243:d345522c

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 000002de:c05780a7

The absolute embarrassment the Chiefs were subjected to... is the end of the their dominance? Of course they have a ton of talent and will win and maybe get back the Super Bowl this game really exposed them.

Its one thing to lose to a great team like the Eagles. Its another to be destroyed so fully. When I think about this game its not just on one person. Its coaching and players. I'm just wondering about the impact on the league watching this. Anyone who has played sports knows that a ton of it is mental. Teams can defeat themselves mentally. Does this defeat tell the league, yeah they aren't that good.

What do you think?

Edit: When I say "done", I mean the dynasty. I don't mean they are gonna have a losing record next year.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/884169

@ 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

@ 000002de:c05780a7

Honest question. I think he's a great TE but... haven't watched him a ton. I get a feeling he's overrated. Maybe not though. I watched him during the big game and was kinda surprised by his lack luster performance. He really seemed different to me.

Since then I've seen video of him not blocking for his QB and not really playing hard. Like he gave up. Does he really have a rep of not blocking? He looks pretty terrible on film. Now, I know I'm a Kittle fan and he is famously great at blocking and takes pride in it. Maybe I'm just using Kittle as the ruler and maybe that's not fair.

Also, I loved watching KC get destroyed so factor that in :)

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/884156

@ 9673b322:1b75ee9e

This is my test document for nostr publish

Although Sainsbury's was already in the midst of a plan to save £1bn over the next few years, the rise in employer's National Insurance contributions set out in the Budget has also been a factor in this latest restructuring plan.

Add some text

this is is a test

@ d360efec:14907b5f

Bitcoin (BTCUSDT) กำลังอยู่ในช่วงหัวเลี้ยวหัวต่อ แม้ว่าแนวโน้มหลักในระยะกลางถึงยาว (TF Day & 4H) จะยังคงเป็นขาขึ้นที่แข็งแกร่ง แต่ในระยะสั้นมาก (TF15) กลับแสดงสัญญาณของความอ่อนแอและการปรับฐานลงมาอย่างรวดเร็ว

แนวโน้ม: * TF Day: ขาขึ้น (Uptrend) แข็งแกร่ง – ราคาอยู่เหนือ EMA 50 และ EMA 200, โครงสร้างราคาเป็น Higher Highs (HH) และ Higher Lows (HL) อย่างต่อเนื่อง * TF4H: ขาขึ้น (Uptrend) ชัดเจน – ราคาอยู่เหนือ EMA, มีการพักตัวลงมา (Pullback) แต่ยังไม่เสียโครงสร้างขาขึ้น * TF15: ขาลง (Downtrend) ระยะสั้นมาก – ราคาหลุด EMA และแนวรับย่อย, โครงสร้างราคาเริ่มเป็น Lower Highs (LH) และ Lower Lows (LL)

โครงสร้างราคา (SMC): * TF Day: ยืนยันแนวโน้มขาขึ้น (HH, HL, BOS) * TF4H: ยืนยันแนวโน้มขาขึ้น (HH, HL, BOS), มี Equal Highs (EQH) ที่เป็นแนวต้าน * TF15: บ่งบอกถึงแนวโน้มขาลงระยะสั้น (BOS ด้านล่าง, LH, LL), มี EQH เป็นแนวต้าน

Money Flow (LuxAlgo): * TF Day: Money Flow: โดยรวมเป็นสีเขียว แสดงถึงแรงซื้อที่ยังคงมีอิทธิพลเหนือกว่า แต่ก็มีแท่งสีแดงแทรกบ้าง บ่งบอกถึงการขายทำกำไรในบางช่วง * TF4H: Money Flow: โดยรวมเป็นสีเขียว แต่เริ่มมีแท่งสีเขียวสั้นลง และมีแท่งสีแดงยาวขึ้น แสดงว่าแรงซื้อเริ่มอ่อนแรงลง และมีแรงขายเข้ามา * TF15: Money Flow: สีแดงมีอิทธิพลเหนือกว่าสีเขียวอย่างชัดเจน และแท่งสีแดงค่อนข้างยาว แสดงถึงแรงขายที่แข็งแกร่ง

EMA (Exponential Moving Average): * TF Day & 4H: EMA 50 & 200 เป็นแนวรับสำคัญ * TF15: EMA 50 & 200 กลายเป็นแนวต้าน หลังจากราคาหลุดลงมา

แนวรับ-แนวต้านสำคัญ: | Timeframe | แนวรับ | แนวต้าน | |---|---|---| | Day | EMA 50, EMA 200, บริเวณ 96,000-98,000 (Volume Profile), 85,724.7 | 109,998.9 (High เดิม) | | 4H | EMA 50, EMA 200, บริเวณ 96,000-98,000 (Volume Profile, Equilibrium), 89,037.0 | 109,998.9 (EQH, High เดิม) | | 15m | 95,200 (Low ล่าสุด), 94,707.4 (Low ก่อนหน้า) | EMA 50, EMA 200, บริเวณ 96,000, 96,807.8, 97,000-97,200 |

กลยุทธ์ (BTCUSDT): * Wait & See (ทางเลือกที่ดีที่สุดในตอนนี้): * เนื่องจาก TF15 ขัดแย้งกับ TF Day & 4H อย่างชัดเจน การ "รอ" ให้ตลาดเฉลยทิศทางที่ชัดเจนกว่านี้ เป็นทางเลือกที่ปลอดภัยที่สุด * สังเกตพฤติกรรมราคา (Price Action) บริเวณแนวรับ-แนวต้านใน TF15 * Buy on Dip (Day, 4H) - ต้องระมัดระวังอย่างสูง: * สำหรับนักลงทุนระยะกลาง-ยาว ที่เชื่อมั่นในแนวโน้มขาขึ้น * เงื่อนไข: ต้องรอสัญญาณการกลับตัวของราคาใน TF15 ก่อน เช่น * การ Breakout แนวต้านย่อยๆ พร้อม Volume * การเปลี่ยน Money Flow (LuxAlgo) เป็นสีเขียว (ถ้ามี) * การเกิด Bullish Candlestick Patterns * จุดเข้า: บริเวณ EMA 50/200 ของ TF Day หรือ 4H, หรือบริเวณแนวรับอื่นๆ ที่มีนัยสำคัญ * Stop Loss: ต่ำกว่า Low ล่าสุดของ TF15 หรือต่ำกว่าแนวรับที่เข้าซื้อ * Short (15, ความเสี่ยงสูงมาก): * สำหรับนักเก็งกำไรระยะสั้น ที่รับความเสี่ยงได้สูง * เงื่อนไข: ราคาไม่สามารถกลับขึ้นไปยืนเหนือ EMA ของ TF15 ได้ * จุดเข้า: บริเวณ EMA ของ TF15 หรือแนวต้านอื่นๆ * Stop Loss: เหนือ High ล่าสุดของ TF15 หรือเหนือแนวต้านที่เข้า Short

คำแนะนำ: * ความขัดแย้งของ Timeframes: การที่ TF15 ขัดแย้งกับ TF Day & 4H เป็นสิ่งที่ต้องระวังอย่างมาก * Volume: การ Breakout หรือ Breakdown ใดๆ ควรมี Volume สนับสนุน เพื่อยืนยันความน่าเชื่อถือ * Risk Management: สำคัญที่สุด ไม่ว่าจะเลือกกลยุทธ์ใด ต้องมีการบริหารความเสี่ยงที่ดี (ตั้ง Stop Loss, ไม่ Overtrade) * ข่าวสาร: ติดตามข่าวสารที่อาจส่งผลกระทบต่อราคา Bitcoin

สรุป: สถานการณ์ของ BTCUSDT ตอนนี้ค่อนข้างซับซ้อนและมีความเสี่ยงสูง การ "รอ" อาจเป็นทางเลือกที่ดีที่สุดสำหรับนักลงทุนส่วนใหญ่ จนกว่าจะเห็นสัญญาณที่ชัดเจนมากขึ้นค่ะ

Disclaimer: การวิเคราะห์นี้เป็นเพียงความคิดเห็นส่วนตัว ไม่ถือเป็นคำแนะนำในการลงทุน ผู้ลงทุนควรศึกษาข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมและตัดสินใจด้วยความรอบคอบ

@ d57360cb:4fe7d935

What’s the difference between the mind that dreams and the mind that you experience reality with? This is a question that floored me when I first began to contemplate it. When I’m in my waking life going about my day to day, I have millions of thoughts flowing through my brain. These thoughts are creating the reality I inhabit. I follow them and live in my version of the world. These thoughts construct my world, they revolve around society, my place in it, the people around me, and the entire world. In that world are millions of stories that connect one structure to another.

This is how we live our lives, we create stories, fantasies, heroes, and villains. One person could paint someone as a hero and another can paint them as a villain. So what is the difference between my dreams and reality? When I dream I’m met with vivid images, structures and stories that seem as real as the life I live. I’ve experienced the same features in dreams as I have in reality. In Lucid dreaming a person has the ability to control a dream, they can alter it and mentally experience whatever their mind conjures up. What if it’s the same in ‘reality’. What if reality is as flimsy as dreams. What if the stories you currently told yourself about your life, or the world you live in were wrong. What if you pushed on the flimsy walls of this ‘reality’.

Maybe you should give them a push and see if they crumble or stand tall.

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

A new report from the National Sports Shooting Foundation (NSSF) shows that civilian firearm possession exceeded 490 million in 2022. The total from 1990 to 2022 is estimated at 491.3 million firearms. In 2022, over ten million firearms were domestically produced, leading to a total of 16,045,911 firearms available in the U.S. market.

Of these, 9,873,136 were handguns, 4,195,192 were rifles, and 1,977,583 were shotguns. Handgun availability aligns with the concealed carry and self-defense market, as all states allow concealed carry, with 29 having constitutional carry laws.

@ dc4cd086:cee77c06

Have you ever wanted to learn from lengthy educational videos but found it challenging to navigate through hours of content? Our new tool addresses this problem by transforming long-form video lectures into easily digestible, searchable content.

Key Features:

Video Processing:

• Automatically downloads YouTube videos, transcripts, and chapter information
• Splits transcripts into sections based on video chapters

Content Summarization:

• Utilizes language models to transform spoken content into clear, readable text
• Formats output in AsciiDoc for improved readability and navigation
• Highlights key terms and concepts with [[term]] notation for potential cross-referencing

Diagram Extraction:

• Analyzes video entropy to identify static diagram/slide sections
• Provides a user-friendly GUI for manual selection of relevant time ranges
• Allows users to pick representative frames from selected ranges

Going Forward:

Currently undergoing a rewrite to improve organization and functionality, but you are welcome to try the current version, though it might not work on every machine. Will support multiple open and closed language models for user choice Free and open-source, allowing for personal customization and integration with various knowledge bases. Just because we might not have it on our official Alexandria knowledge base, you are still welcome to use it on you own personal or community knowledge bases! We want to help find connections between ideas that exist across relays, allowing individuals and groups to mix and match knowledge bases between each other, allowing for any degree of openness you care.

While designed with #Alexandria users in mind, it's available for anyone to use and adapt to their own learning needs.

Screenshots

Frame Selection

This is a screenshot of the frame selection interface. You'll see a signal that represents frame entropy over time. The vertical lines indicate the start and end of a chapter. Within these chapters you can select the frames by clicking and dragging the mouse over the desired range where you think diagram is in that chapter. At the bottom is an option that tells the program to select a specific number of frames from that selection.

Diagram Extraction

This is a screenshot of the diagram extraction interface. For every selection you've made, there will be a set of frames that you can choose from. You can select and deselect as many frames as you'd like to save.

Links

• repo: https://github.com/limina1/video_article_converter
• Nostr Apps 101: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flxa_jkErqE

Output

And now, we have a demonstration of the final result of this tool, with some quick cleaning up. The video we will be using this tool on is titled Nostr Apps 101 by nostr:npub1nxy4qpqnld6kmpphjykvx2lqwvxmuxluddwjamm4nc29ds3elyzsm5avr7 during Nostrasia. The following thread is an analog to the modular articles we are constructing for Alexandria, and I hope it conveys the functionality we want to create in the knowledge space. Note, this tool is the first step! You could use a different prompt that is most appropriate for the specific context of the transcript you are working with, but you can also manually clean up any discrepancies that don't portray the video accurately. You can now view the article on #Alexandria https://next-alexandria.gitcitadel.eu/publication?d=nostr-apps-101

Initially published as chained kind 1's nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzp5r5hd579v2sszvvzfel677c8dxgxm3skl773sujlsuft64c44ncqy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyv9kh2uewd9hj7qgwwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkctcpzemhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumt0wd68ytnsw43z7qghwaehxw309aex2mrp0yhxummnw3ezucnpdejz7qgewaehxw309aex2mrp0yh8xmn0wf6zuum0vd5kzmp0qqsxunmjy20mvlq37vnrcshkf6sdrtkfjtjz3anuetmcuv8jswhezgc7hglpn

Or view on Coracle https://coracle.social /nevent1qqsxunmjy20mvlq37vnrcshkf6sdrtkfjtjz3anuetmcuv8jswhezgcppemhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mp0qgsdqa9md83tz5yqnrqjw07hhkpmfjpkuv9hlh5v8yhu8z274w9dv7qnnq0s3

@ d9e9fb27:d5fe5e1a

Every 16th of January, the city of Varese, a small town at the feet of the Prealpine region, stops to participate in one of the most important ceremonies of the city: The Falò of Sant'Antonio. A Falò is the Italian word for bonfire. Imagine a 5-meters tall pyre of wood burning in the center of the city. For sure, an unmissable event!

The pyre is built by the so-called "Monelli della Motta". A Monello in Italian is a child that misbehaves. This nickname come from the fact that in the past, the pyre was created using wood stolen from the city, usually from tools, doors and shutters.

This event takes place at the eve of the day of Sant'Antonio Abate in front of the homonymous church in the area called "La Motta", which stands for small hill, and comes from a several century old tradition. Thousands of people from all over the province come to the city to look at the bonfire created in honor of the Saint.

At 9PM the big event starts. The wood is set on fire!

An important tradition of this celebration is burning small pieces of paper containing wishes. People whish for health, love, friendship and luck. To make wishes come true, people have to give these pieces of paper to a firefighter or a "Monello" whom will launch it into the Falò.

The show goes on for a couple of ours, during which thousands of Varesinians in awe contemplate the raging fire and try to receive some heat to fight the glacial cold of January.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Going off of memory, because I forgot to do this in the morning.

The last thing I ate were Costco samples yesterday afternoon and then I didn't eat again until lunch today. I'm pretty sure those two things were about 20 hours apart.

Score Card

Day 1: 14 hour fast (13 dry) Day 2: 15 hour fast (14 dry) Day 3: 17 hours (16 dry) Day 4: 18 hours (17 dry) Day 5: 18 hours (16 dry) Day 6: 19 hours (16 dry) Day 7: 16 hours (15 dry) Day 8: 18 hours (17 dry) Day 9: 17 hours (17 dry) Day 10: 15 hours (13 dry) Day 11: 20 hours (19 dry) Day 12: 20 hours (17 dry)

This winter storm is going to make getting my steps in a pain, but there's no way I'm letting myself lose the sats that I staked on the challenge.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/884000

@ 6389be64:ef439d32

Black Locust can grow up to 170 ft tall

Grows 3-4 ft. per year

Native to North America

Cold hardy in zones 3 to 8

Firewood

• BLT wood, on a pound for pound basis is roughly half that of Anthracite Coal
• Since its growth is fast, firewood can be plentiful

Timber

• Rot resistant due to a naturally produced robinin in the wood
  • 100 year life span in full soil contact! (better than cedar performance)
  • Fence posts
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Outdoor decking
• Sustainable due to its fast growth and spread
  • Can be coppiced (cut to the ground)
  • Can be pollarded (cut above ground)
• Its dense wood makes durable tool handles, boxes (tool), and furniture
  • The wood is tougher than hickory, which is tougher than hard maple, which is tougher than oak.
  • A very low rate of expansion and contraction
  • Hardwood flooring
  • The highest tensile beam strength of any American tree
• The wood is beautiful

Legume

• Nitrogen fixer
  • Fixes the same amount of nitrogen per acre as is needed for 200-bushel/acre corn
  • Black walnuts inter-planted with locust as “nurse” trees were shown to rapidly increase their growth [[Clark, Paul M., and Robert D. Williams. (1978) Black walnut growth increased when interplanted with nitrogen-fixing shrubs and trees. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science, vol. 88, pp. 88-91.]]

Bees

• The edible flower clusters are also a top food source for honey bees

Shade Provider

• Its light, airy overstory provides dappled shade
  • Planted on the west side of a garden it provides relief during the hottest part of the day
  • (nitrogen provider)
  • Planted on the west side of a house, its quick growth soon shades that side from the sun

Wind-break

• Fast growth plus it's feathery foliage reduces wind for animals, crops, and shelters

Fodder

• Over 20% crude protein
• 4.1 kcal/g of energy
• Baertsche, S.R, M.T. Yokoyama, and J.W. Hanover (1986) Short rotation, hardwood tree biomass as potential ruminant feed-chemical composition, nylon bag ruminal degradation and ensilement of selected species. J. Animal Sci. 63 2028-2043

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Konsum ist Therapie.
Wolfgang Joop

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 2e8970de:63345c7a

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/883959

@ 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

@ 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

@ d360efec:14907b5f

ภาพรวม LUNCUSDT (OKX):

LUNCUSDT กำลังพยายามฟื้นตัวจากแนวโน้มขาลงระยะยาว แต่ยังคงมีความผันผวนและมีความเสี่ยงสูง แนวโน้มระยะกลางถึงยาว (TF Day & 4H) เริ่มมีสัญญาณบวกของการกลับตัวเป็นขาขึ้น (Early Uptrend) หลังจากราคา Breakout EMA 50 ใน TF Day และเกิด Golden Cross อย่างไรก็ตาม ในระยะสั้นมาก (TF15) กลับแสดงถึงความอ่อนแอและมีการปรับฐานลงมา

แนวโน้ม:

• TF Day: เริ่มเป็นขาขึ้น (Early Uptrend) – ราคา Breakout EMA 50 และเกิด Golden Cross, Money Flow เป็นบวก
• TF4H: เริ่มเป็นขาขึ้น (Early Uptrend) – ราคา Breakout EMA 50, มีการพักตัวลงมาทดสอบ EMA 50, Money Flow เริ่มไม่แน่นอน
• TF15: แกว่งตัวออกข้าง (Sideways) หลังจากร่วงลง – ราคาอยู่ใต้ EMA, โครงสร้างราคาเป็น Lower Highs/Lows, Money Flow เป็นลบ

โครงสร้างราคา (SMC):

• TF Day: มี Break of Structure (BOS) ด้านบน, เริ่มเห็น Higher Highs (HH) และ Higher Lows (HL)
• TF4H: มี BOS ด้านบน, เริ่มเห็น HH/HL (แต่ไม่ชัดเจน), มี Equal Highs (EQH) และ Equal Lows (EQL)
• TF15: มี BOS ด้านล่าง, มี Change of Character (CHoCH) ทั้งบนและล่าง, เริ่มเห็น Lower Highs (LH) และ Lower Lows (LL)

Money Flow (LuxAlgo):

• TF Day: แรงซื้อแข็งแกร่ง (ไม่มีภาพ แต่จากการวิเคราะห์ก่อนหน้า)
• TF4H: แรงซื้อและแรงขายพอๆ กัน, เริ่มมีแรงขายเข้ามา
• TF15: แรงขายมีมากกว่าแรงซื้อ

EMA (Exponential Moving Average):

• TF Day: EMA 50 & 200 เป็นแนวรับ
• TF4H: EMA 50 เป็นแนวรับที่กำลังถูกทดสอบ, EMA 200 เป็นแนวต้าน
• TF15: EMA 50 & 200 กลายเป็นแนวต้าน

แนวรับ-แนวต้านสำคัญ:

| Timeframe | แนวรับ | แนวต้าน | | :-------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Day | EMA 50 (0.00010000), EMA 200 (0.00008000), 0.00006000-0.00007000 | 0.00017953 (High ล่าสุด), 0.00014000 (Volume Profile) | | 4H | EMA 50 (ประมาณ 0.00007000), 0.00006000-0.00007000, Equilibrium | EMA 200 (0.00008000), 0.00008132, 0.00010000-0.00012000 (EQH) | | 15m | 0.00007300 (EQL, Volume Profile) | EMA 50, EMA 200, 0.00007531 (EQH), 0.00007636 (EQH, High ก่อนหน้า) |

กลยุทธ์ (LUNCUSDT):

1. Wait & See (ทางเลือกที่ดีที่สุด):
   • เนื่องจาก TF15 ขัดแย้งกับ TF Day & 4H และ TF4H ก็เริ่มแสดงสัญญาณอ่อนแรง การ "รอ" ให้ตลาดแสดงทิศทางที่ชัดเจนกว่านี้ จะเป็นทางเลือกที่ปลอดภัยที่สุด
   • สังเกตพฤติกรรมราคา (Price Action) บริเวณแนวรับ-แนวต้านใน TF15 และ TF4H
2. Buy on Dip (Day, 4H) - ความเสี่ยงสูงมาก ต้องระมัดระวังเป็นพิเศษ:
   • สำหรับนักลงทุนระยะกลาง-ยาว ที่เชื่อมั่นในการกลับตัวของ LUNC (แต่ต้องยอมรับความเสี่ยงได้สูงมาก)
   • เงื่อนไข: ต้องรอสัญญาณการกลับตัวของราคาใน TF15 ก่อน เช่น
     • การ Breakout แนวต้านย่อยๆ พร้อม Volume
     • การเปลี่ยน Money Flow (LuxAlgo) เป็นสีเขียว
     • การเกิด Bullish Candlestick Patterns
   • จุดเข้า (Day): EMA 50 (0.00010000), EMA 200 (0.00008000) ต้องดู TF15 ประกอบ
   • จุดเข้า (4H): EMA 50 (ประมาณ 0.00007000) ต้องดู TF15 ประกอบ
   • Stop Loss: ต่ำกว่า Low ล่าสุดของ TF15 หรือต่ำกว่าแนวรับที่เข้าซื้อ
3. Short (15, ความเสี่ยงสูงมาก):
   • สำหรับนักเก็งกำไรระยะสั้น ที่รับความเสี่ยงได้สูงมาก
   • เงื่อนไข: ราคาไม่สามารถกลับขึ้นไปยืนเหนือ EMA ของ TF15 ได้
   • จุดเข้า: บริเวณ EMA ของ TF15 หรือแนวต้านอื่นๆ
   • Stop Loss: เหนือ High ล่าสุดของ TF15 หรือเหนือแนวต้านที่เข้า Short

คำแนะนำ (เน้นย้ำ):

• ความขัดแย้งของ Timeframes: สถานการณ์ของ LUNCUSDT ตอนนี้มีความขัดแย้งกันสูงมากระหว่าง Timeframes และมีความเสี่ยงสูงกว่า XRP และ BTC
• Money Flow: Money Flow ใน TF15 เป็นลบ และใน TF4H ก็เริ่มไม่แน่นอน
• LUNC เป็นเหรียญ High Risk: มีความผันผวนสูงมาก และอาจมีการเปลี่ยนแปลงอย่างรวดเร็ว
• ถ้าไม่แน่ใจ อย่าเพิ่งเข้าเทรด: รอสัญญาณที่ชัดเจนกว่านี้ หรือเลือกเทรดเหรียญอื่นที่มีความเสี่ยงน้อยกว่า
• Risk Management: สำคัญที่สุด ไม่ว่าจะเลือกกลยุทธ์ใด ต้องมีการบริหารความเสี่ยงที่ดี (ตั้ง Stop Loss, ไม่ Overtrade, กระจายความเสี่ยง)

สรุป: LUNCUSDT กำลังอยู่ในช่วงเวลาที่ยากลำบากและมีความเสี่ยงสูงมาก การตัดสินใจที่ผิดพลาดอาจนำไปสู่การขาดทุนได้ ควรพิจารณาอย่างรอบคอบก่อนเข้าเทรดทุกครั้ง และ "รอ" อาจเป็นทางเลือกที่ดีที่สุดสำหรับนักลงทุนส่วนใหญ่ค่ะ

Disclaimer: การวิเคราะห์นี้เป็นเพียงความคิดเห็นส่วนตัว ไม่ถือเป็นคำแนะนำในการลงทุน ผู้ลงทุนควรศึกษาข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมและตัดสินใจด้วยความรอบคอบ

@ a95c6243:d345522c

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ d360efec:14907b5f

ภาพรวม XRPUSDT :

XRPUSDT กำลังอยู่ในช่วงหัวเลี้ยวหัวต่อ คล้ายกับ BTC แต่มีความอ่อนแอกว่าเล็กน้อย แนวโน้มระยะกลางถึงยาว (TF Day & 4H) เริ่มมีสัญญาณบวกของการเป็นขาขึ้น (Early Uptrend) แต่ในระยะสั้นมาก (TF15) กลับแสดงถึงความอ่อนแอและมีการปรับฐานลงมา

แนวโน้ม:

• TF Day: เริ่มเป็นขาขึ้น (Early Uptrend) – ราคา Breakout EMA 50 ขึ้นมาได้, Money Flow เป็นบวก
• TF4H: เริ่มเป็นขาขึ้น (Early Uptrend) – ราคา Breakout EMA 50, มีการพักตัวลงมาทดสอบ EMA 50, Money Flow เริ่มอ่อนแรง
• TF15: แกว่งตัวลง (Sideways Down) – ราคาหลุด EMA, โครงสร้างราคาเป็น Lower Highs/Lows, Money Flow เป็นลบ

โครงสร้างราคา (SMC):

• TF Day: มี Break of Structure (BOS) ด้านบน, เริ่มเห็น Higher Highs (HH) และ Higher Lows (HL)
• TF4H: มี BOS ด้านบน, เริ่มเห็น HH/HL (แต่ไม่ชัดเจน), มี Equal Highs (EQH) และ Equal Lows (EQL)
• TF15: มี BOS ด้านล่าง, มี Change of Character (CHoCH) ทั้งบนและล่าง, เริ่มเห็น Lower Highs (LH) และ Lower Lows (LL)

Money Flow (LuxAlgo):

• TF Day: แรงซื้อแข็งแกร่ง
• TF4H: แรงซื้อเริ่มอ่อนแรงลง, มีแรงขายเข้ามา
• TF15: แรงขายมีมากกว่าแรงซื้อ

EMA (Exponential Moving Average):

• TF Day: EMA 50 & 200 เป็นแนวรับ
• TF4H: EMA 50 เป็นแนวรับที่กำลังถูกทดสอบ, EMA 200 เป็นแนวรับถัดไป
• TF15: EMA 50 & 200 กลายเป็นแนวต้าน

แนวรับ-แนวต้านสำคัญ:

| Timeframe | แนวรับ | แนวต้าน | | :-------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------ | :-------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Day | EMA 50 (1.56), EMA 200 (1.08), Low ก่อนหน้า | 2.4450 (High ล่าสุด), 3.00-3.20 (EQH), 3.4049 | | 4H | EMA 50 (ประมาณ 2.20), EMA 200, 2.10-2.20 (EQL), 1.7820 | 2.4427, 2.3987, 3.00-3.20 (EQH), 3.4049 | | 15m | 2.38 (EQL, Volume Profile), 2.3274 | EMA 50, EMA 200, 2.4196, Equilibrium (2.44), 2.44-2.48 (EQH) |

กลยุทธ์ (XRPUSDT):

1. Wait & See (ทางเลือกที่ดีที่สุด):
   • เนื่องจาก TF15 ขัดแย้งกับ TF Day & 4H อย่างชัดเจน และ TF4H ก็เริ่มแสดงสัญญาณอ่อนแรง การ "รอ" ให้ตลาดแสดงทิศทางที่ชัดเจนกว่านี้ จะเป็นทางเลือกที่ปลอดภัยที่สุด
   • สังเกตพฤติกรรมราคา (Price Action) บริเวณแนวรับ-แนวต้านใน TF15 และ TF4H
2. Buy on Dip (Day, 4H) - ความเสี่ยงสูงมาก ต้องระมัดระวังเป็นพิเศษ:
   • สำหรับนักลงทุนระยะกลาง-ยาว ที่เชื่อมั่นในแนวโน้มขาขึ้น (แต่ต้องยอมรับความเสี่ยงได้สูง)
   • เงื่อนไข: ต้องรอสัญญาณการกลับตัวของราคาใน TF15 ก่อน เช่น
     • การ Breakout แนวต้านย่อยๆ พร้อม Volume
     • การเปลี่ยน Money Flow (LuxAlgo) เป็นสีเขียว
     • การเกิด Bullish Candlestick Patterns
   • จุดเข้า (Day): EMA 50 (1.56), EMA 200 (1.08) ต้องดู TF15 ประกอบ
   • จุดเข้า (4H): EMA 50 (2.20), บริเวณ EQL (2.10-2.20) ต้องดู TF15 ประกอบ
   • Stop Loss: ต่ำกว่า Low ล่าสุดของ TF15 หรือต่ำกว่าแนวรับที่เข้าซื้อ
3. Short (15, ความเสี่ยงสูงมาก):
   • สำหรับนักเก็งกำไรระยะสั้น ที่รับความเสี่ยงได้สูงมาก
   • เงื่อนไข: ราคาไม่สามารถกลับขึ้นไปยืนเหนือ EMA ของ TF15 ได้
   • จุดเข้า: บริเวณ EMA ของ TF15 หรือแนวต้านอื่นๆ
   • Stop Loss: เหนือ High ล่าสุดของ TF15 หรือเหนือแนวต้านที่เข้า Short

คำแนะนำ (เน้นย้ำ):

• ความขัดแย้งของ Timeframes: สถานการณ์ของ XRPUSDT ตอนนี้มีความขัดแย้งกันสูงมากระหว่าง Timeframes
• Money Flow: Money Flow ใน TF15 เป็นลบ และใน TF4H ก็เริ่มอ่อนแรง
• EMA 50 (TF4H): เป็นจุดชี้ชะตา ถ้าหลุด แนวโน้มขาขึ้นระยะกลางอาจเสีย
• ถ้าไม่แน่ใจ อย่าเพิ่งเข้าเทรด: รอสัญญาณที่ชัดเจนกว่านี้ หรือเลือกเทรดเหรียญอื่นที่มีความเสี่ยงน้อยกว่า

สรุป: XRPUSDT กำลังอยู่ในช่วงเวลาที่ยากลำบากและมีความเสี่ยงสูง การตัดสินใจที่ผิดพลาดอาจนำไปสู่การขาดทุนได้ ควรพิจารณาอย่างรอบคอบก่อนเข้าเทรดทุกครั้งค่ะ

Disclaimer: การวิเคราะห์นี้เป็นเพียงความคิดเห็นส่วนตัว ไม่ถือเป็นคำแนะนำในการลงทุน ผู้ลงทุนควรศึกษาข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมและตัดสินใจด้วยความรอบคอบ

@ 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.

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All of us who have truly put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ want to serve Him, but we all live busy lives. We all get distracted by making a living, taking care of our families, and other good things, but too often we spend so much time on the good that we miss out on the best (see “Don’t Be Like Martha”). In this previous post, I wrote about how we don’t want to live. In this post, I’ll write about what the Bible says about living a life wholly devoted to God.

Many of us wonder, “Are we fully serving God if we aren’t in full time ministry, if we aren’t a pastor/priest, missionary, or if we don’t work for a Christian ministry?” There are many ways we can serve God. Sometimes we are called to a Christian “job,” but other times we serve God in other ways.

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:16-17) {emphasis mine}

The most important thing is that everything we do has a godly focus. We should follow God’s design for marriage and family. We should disciple our children to know and grow in Jesus. We should witness to those with whom we come in contact. We should give to support those who are working in full-time ministry. Even our jobs can be done in service to the Lord, no matter how trivial or unrelated that job might seem.

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. (Colossians 3:23-24) {emphasis mine}

I’m an employer. I see the work ethic, or more often the lack of work ethic, in people. I notice those who work hard and always give their best versus those who do the minimum they need to do to keep their job. When a person lets everyone around them know that they are a Christian and then they work harder than everyone else and they are willing to do the undesirable tasks that need to be done, this is noticed and is a good witness. Sadly, too often Christians are known for not working as hard and not going the extra mile. These Christians give Jesus and all Christians a bad name. Whatever job God has given you, do it to the best of your ability. Do the extra task; do the undesirable task; do the task that should’ve been done by someone else. Put in the extra effort even if nobody seems to notice. In most case, even if you aren’t praised, appreciated, or appropriately rewarded, people do notice and your witness is enhanced. In all cases, Jesus notices and you will be rewarded in heaven for representing Him faithfully.

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31) {emphasis mine}

We are to do everything we do to the God’s glory. The way we work should glorify God. The way we eat and drink should glorify God. The way we do rest and entertainment should glorify God. The way we interact with others should glorify God. We were designed to glorify God.

Too often we get busy doing life and leave God out of it. It isn’t that we are doing some terrible sin, but it is always wrong to leave God out of our life. We can even do Christian ministry and get so busy doing “God’s work” that we leave God out of it. This can be disastrous and definitely will damage ministry effectiveness. In everything we do, we should listen to God’s leading, whether through Bible reading, prayer, or being still and listening.

The plans of the heart belong to man,\ But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.\ All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,\ But the Lord weighs the motives.\ **Commit your works to the Lord\ And your plans will be established. (Proverbs 16:1-3) {emphasis mine}

Part of doing everything in and to the Lord is changing our hearts and minds. Psalm 37 lists several actions we can take in serving the Lord and becoming more like Him.

Delight yourself in the Lord;\ And He will give you the desires of your heart.\ *Commit your way to the Lord*,\ Trust also in Him, and He will do it.\ He will bring forth your righteousness as the light\ And your judgment as the noonday.\ *Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him*;\ Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,\ Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.\ **Cease from anger and forsake wrath;\ Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing. (Psalm 37:4-8) {emphasis mine}

If we delight in the Lord, commit our way to the Lord, trust in Him, rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for the Lord, we will be in the right mind to serve Him in all that we do. It will also help us avoid the things that draw us away from the Lord. We are called to not fret, to cease from anger, and to forsake wrath. Fretting, anger, and wrath hurt our witness and draw us away from God. They are a sign that our hearts are not in tune with God and that we need to turn back to Him. They are a sign that we are not trusting in Him nor are we following His will.

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Sometimes believers wonder if they are succeeding in doing anything for the Lord because they are shy and not good at witnessing or because they have personal circumstances (like sickness of themselves or their family members) that don’t allow them to do much. That doesn’t mean there is nothing these believers can do. We can support those doing the mission of God. We can give money to support missionaries, churches, and Christian ministries. We can house a missionary while they are on break. We can do behind the scenes tasks like cleaning, accounting, organizing, planning, etc.

Most importantly, we can all pray. Prayer should be a constant part of every day, whether we are infirm and unable to leave our bed, whether we are so busy we don’t have five minutes to sit and take a break, or whether we are in full time Christian ministry. We can’t faithfully serve God without prayer.

Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth. (3 John 1:5-8) {emphasis mine}

Anyone who supports those in ministry will receive similar rewards to those in ministry because they are all working together to fulfill God’s will.

He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. (Matthew 10:41)

We often feel like we are failing God. We feel that we are making zero difference for the kingdom. If you are not growing in your faith, knowledge, and relationship with God, there may be some truth in this, but we also may be listening to the accuser, Satan. Keep in mind that every little thing you do for Jesus or for others, because of your faith in Jesus, is counted as faithful service to Him.

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ (Matthew 25:34-40) {emphasis mine}

Turn to Jesus. Pray to Jesus. Read His word —the Bible. Make Him a part of everything you do. Follow His leading. Join God in what He is doing.

May God bless you and lead you in the path He designed you to take.

Trust Jesus.

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@ c631e267:c2b78d3e

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Danke, dass du diesen Weg mit mir weitergehst!

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DISCLAIMER: Dies ist ein Re-Post eines Artikels, der ursprünglich im Juli 2023 erschienen ist. Die beschriebenen Sachverhalte sind teilweise überholt oder nie eingetroffen. Allerdings räumt der Autor ein, retrospektiv die damalige Sachlage recht treffend eingeordnet zu haben und Vorhersagen recht treffsicher gemacht zu haben.

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Anfang Juni 2023 gaben die Nachrichtenportale bekannt, dass BlackRock, der weltweit größte Vermögensverwalter, über seine iShares-Einheit einen Antrag auf einen börsengehandelten Bitcoin-Fonds eingereicht hat. Dieser Schritt des 10-Billionen-Dollar-Vermögensverwalters löste in der Bitcoin-Community auf der einen Seite große Freude und auf der anderen Seite große Besorgnis aus, weil viele einerseits das Potenzial für einen massiven Zufluss von Investitionen aus dem institutionellen Bereich sehen, während Kritiker das Risiko aufzeigen, die eine solche Produktstruktur für Bitcoin mit sich bringen könnte.

Anfangs wurde viel auch darüber diskutiert, ob es sich bei dem Produkt tatsächlich um einen ETF handeln würde - wie in vielen Artikeln beschrieben - , da das Produkt im Antrag selbst nicht als solches bezeichnet wird. Aber im Endeffekt ist klar, dass es sich um ein Finanzprodukt handelt, das alle formalen Eigenschaften eines ETF besitzt. Also, was genau ist ein ETF und wie funktioniert so ein Produkt?

ETF? Eidgenössisches Turnfest, was?

ETFs sind eine Sorte von Anlagewertpapieren, die einen bestimmten Index, Sektor, Rohstoff oder andere Vermögenswerte nachbilden. ETFs können an der Börse auf die gleiche Weise gekauft oder verkauft werden wie normale Aktien. Daher schwanken ETF-Anteilspreise den ganzen Tag, wenn der ETF gekauft und verkauft wird, was bedeutet, dass eine Arbitrage zwischen dem ETF und dem zugrunde liegenden Vermögenswert (z.B. Bitcoin) möglich ist.

ETFs werden als börsengehandelte (Exchange-Traded) Fonds bezeichnet, weil sie genau wie Aktien an einer Börse gehandelt werden. Die meisten ETFs sind so strukturiert, dass sie, ähnlich wie traditionelle Investmentfonds, mehrere zugrunde liegende Vermögenswerte halten und nicht nur einen, wie es bei einer Aktie der Fall ist. Da ETFs aus mehreren Vermögenswerten bestehen können, werden sie oft als beliebtes Mittel zur Diversifizierung des Portfolios genutzt. Auf der anderen Seite eröffnen ETFs Anlegern auch die Möglichkeit in einen Rohstoff zu investieren, ohne diesen physisch erwerben zu müssen. Anstatt sich Gold in den Tresor zu legen, kann man in seinem Portfolio also z.B. den GLD ETF kaufen, der den aktuellen Preis von Gold nachbildet. Ausser in Deutschland, da geht das nicht, denn da ein Gold-ETF, der nur einen Vermögenswert abbildet, naturgemäß nicht diversifiziert ist, ist er gemäß deutschem Gesetz nicht zugelassen, da Fonds zur Diversifikation verpflichtet sind.

ETFs haben den Vorteil, dass sie kostengünstig sind (wenn man z.B. den kompletten DAX abbilden möchte, reicht ein ETF, welcher genau das tut, anstatt verschiedene Gewichtungen von 40 verschiedenen Unternehmen zu kaufen - das spart Zeit und vor allem Gebühren), dass sie Produkte abbilden, die ein Käufer unter normalen Umständen nicht erlaubt wäre zu kaufen (z.B. darf nicht jeder Anleger in Bitcoin investieren, weil sonst Lizenzen nötig wären) und sie haben den Vorteil, dass sie über den gleichen Broker oder Service gehandelt werden können, wie andere Wertpapier-Investitionen. Der letzte Punkt ist natürlich wichtig für Neueinsteiger, da sie keine zusätzlichen Kosten haben, wenn sie ihr Wertpapierdepot nutzen können und zusätzlich bietet dieser Korridor für viele traditionelle und konservative Anleger ein gewisses Gefühl von Schutz. Diese ganze cRyPto-Welt mit ihren Plattformen, Exchanges, Casinos und Teppichhändlern ist im besten Fall schwer durchsichtig und im schlimmsten Fall mutet sie kriminell an. Doch wenn ich mir "Bitcoin" über mein Depot bei Charles Schwab, der Sparkasse, oder Flatex kaufen kann, fühlt sich das natürlich legitim und sicherer an.

Der Finanzdienstleister muss den zugrundeliegenden Vermögenswert dabei vollumfänglich besitzen, mit dem grossen ABER, dass der Vermögenswert auch verliehen werden kann. Warum das ein Problem sein könnte, besprechen wir später.

Ähnlich wie ein Gold ETF bietet ein Bitcoin ETF Anlegern also die Möglichkeit mit Bitcoin zu handeln, in Bitcoin anzulegen und Bitcoin auszuprobieren, ohne Bitcoin tatsächlich zu kaufen. Ob das gut oder schlecht ist, besprechen wir auch später.

ETF Wasserfall

Nachdem die Nachricht über BlackRocks Antrag publik wurde, kamen auch etliche andere Finanzdienstleister hervor und stellten (neue) Anträge.WisdomTree hatten bereits zuvor schon einige Anläufe gebraucht, um ihre Anträge für Bitcoin-Spot-ETFs bei der SEC einzureichen und unterhalten schon ähnliche Produkte in anderen Ländern. Aber auch Fidelity, Invesco, Valkyrie oder ARK zogen unter anderem nach und stellten neue Anträge, natürlich nicht, ohne sich bei der Formulierung dieser eine Scheibe bei BlackRock abzuschneiden.

Die SEC hatte zuvor jegliche Anträge auf Bitcoin-Spot-ETFs abgelehnt, hingegen andere Bitcoin-verbundene Produkte, die gehebelte (BITX) und ungehebelte Bitcoin-Futures-Kontrakte (BITO) nachbilden, zugelassen. Auch gibt es eine handvoll ETFs, die börsennotierte Mining-Unternehmen bündeln, oder anderweitige Verbindung zum Bitcoin-Ökosystem suchen, indem sie Anteile von Unternehmen bündeln, die im weitesten Sinne mit Bitcoin in Berührung kommen (z.B. MSTR oder SQ). Eine Genehmigung eines Antrags auf Bitcoin-Spot-ETF hat es also bis heute durch die SEC noch nicht gegeben.

Der Standpunkt der SEC

Wie ich schon in einem ➡️ früheren Artikel beschrieben habe, ist der Standpunkt der SEC nur teilweise nachvollziehbar.

Die offizielle Begründung der SEC sind Bedenken in Bezug auf Marktmanipulation, Betrug, Liquidität und Transparenz. Die hauptauschlaggebenden Argumente sind mangelnde Preiserkennung durch hohe Volatilität, wiederum erzeugt durch einige unbekannte große Accounts und die steigende Zahl der Derivate-Produkte rund um Bitcoin, sowie die vielen unregulierten Börsen. Besonders letztere würde die SEC gerne unter ihre Kontrolle bringen. Das bedeutet bis Coinbase, Gemini, Kraken (oder andere große US Börsen) sich nicht bei der SEC registrieren und sich der SEC Regulierung unterwerfen, ist es unwahrscheinlich, dass die SEC einen Spot-ETF genehmigen wird. Dieses Argument ist schwer haltbar, da große Börsen wie Binance, FTX, oder BitMart nicht in den USA registriert sind, und kombiniert ein Vielfaches der in den USA beheimateten Börsen an Handelsvolumen umsetzen.

“[T]here’s a lot of work to be done to really protect the investing public.” - Gary Gensler, SEC Chair

Vorgeschoben wird also bei alledem immer der Schutz der Anleger. Ob dies eine schlüssige Argumentation ist, darf man ruhig in Frage stellen. Denn ein Bitcoin-Spot-ETF würde vielen Anlegern erlauben Bitcoin in ihr Portfolio aufzunehmen, ohne größeren Spekulationen ausgesetzt zu sein, wie das jetzt mit schon zugelassenen Produkten der Fall ist.

Darüber hinaus hat die SEC vielerorts erwähnt, dass sie bestrebt sind, mit Unternehmen aus der Branche einen regulatorisch klaren Weg zu finden, damit Unternehmen ihre Tätigkeiten im Sinne der SEC auszuüben. Das bezieht sich meist auf die Börsen, die nach eigenen Angaben seit Jahren versuchen, einen rechtlichen Rahmen zu schaffen, der ihnen Planungs- und Rechtssicherheit bietet. Dieser Punkt ist später nochmal wichtig. Das Problem hierbei besteht in der Natur dieser Unternehmen. Denn fast ausnahmslos sind alle betroffenen Unternehmen (wie z.B. Coinbase, Kraken, Binance, etc.) keine Bitcoin-Unternehmen, sondern Digital Assets-Unternehmen, die eben auch den Handel mit Shitcoins, Stablecoins und auf diesen Assets basierende Derivate erlauben (und vor allem wollen).

Jetzt wissen wir also, was ein ETF ist. Aber wie schaut der von BlackRock (und damit auch der anderen Finanzdienstleister) vorgeschlagene Bitcoin-Spot-ETF im Detail aus?

Bitcoin ETF

Das von BlackRock vorgeschlagene Produkt, und damit auch die der anderen - wie wir wissen, haben die anderen Anbieter ihre Anträge nachgebessert und dem von BlackRock weitestgehend angepasst - soll das Grantor-Trust-Modell übernehmen und seine Struktur dem von Gold-Investment-Trusts nachempfinden. Das bedeutet, dass der Besitz von Anteilen am Bitcoin-ETF für steuerliche Zwecke dem Besitz des zugrunde liegenden Vermögenswerts gleichkommt. Des Weiteren ist eine Rücknahmefunktion in Form von Sachleistungen vorgesehen. Das bedeutet vereinfacht, dass Anleger ihre Anteile auch direkt in Bitcoin umwandeln können. Anders als bei z.B. GBTC (➡️ #5 // Block 742956 // GBTC, ETF & SEC), müssen Anteile nicht erst verkauft werden, um mit den (potentiellen) Profiten bitcoins zu kaufen. Denn der Verkauf von Anteilen an GBTC (oder ähnlichen Modellen) führt nämlich ein steuerpflichtiges Ereignis herbei, wohingegen eine Umwandlung im BlackRock Modell steuerfrei zu vollziehen ist.

Aber, und dies ist ein großes ABER, kommen nur autorisierte Kunden von BlackRock in den Genuss dieser Sachrücknahmen (Umwandlungen). D.h., im Wesentlichen können nur große Investmentfirmen mit guter Reputation Anteile in Bitcoin umtauschen, alltägliche Anleger (Depot bei Charles Schwab, der Sparkasse, oder Flatex) hingegen sind nicht in der Lage diesen tollen Steuertrick anzuwenden. Die erzeugt einen Vorhang vorgespielter Transparenz ("natürlich können alle Anteile direkt in 'physische' bitcoins getauscht werden"), wohingegen ein Großteil der zugrundeliegenden bitcoins nicht wirklich eingefordert werden wird.

Es sind sich alle einig, dass ein Bitcoin-Spot-ETF ein Winner-takes-all-market ist. Das heisst, der Anbieter, dessen Antrag als erstes von der SEC genehmigt wird, wird uber kurz oder lang den Markt fuer Bitcoin-ETFs fuer sich entscheiden, bzw. beherrschen.

SEC vs. Binance

Kurz bevor BlackRock ihren Antrag auf einen Bitcoin-Spot-ETF einreichten und damit die SEC in die Schlagzeilen der Finanz- und Bitcoin Welt geriet, machte die SEC in der Bitcoin- und Digital Assets-Welt schon von sich hören, als sie kurz hintereinander gegen Binance und Coinbase Anklage erhob.

https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2023-101

Binance ist die zurzeit größte Börse für Digitale Assets der Welt. Binance bietet jedoch nicht nur den Handel mit Krypto-Werten, sondern auch eine Reihe von gehebelten Produkten, eigener Coins und Tokens, usw. an (Shitcoin-Casino).

“Through thirteen charges, we allege that Zhao and Binance entities engaged in an extensive web of deception, conflicts of interest, lack of disclosure, and calculated evasion of the law.” - Gary Gensler, Chairman, SEC

Vor allem ist Binance kein in den USA registriertes Unternehmen. Lediglich ein Schwesterunternehmen, Binance.us, ist offiziell in den USA registriert und hat offiziell und nach eigenen Angaben mit den Geschäften des Hauptunternehmens direkt nichts zu tun.

Die SEC klagt Binance also nicht nur wegen ihrer Angebote im Krypto-Sektor an, sondern erhebt spezifische Vorwürfe der Irreführung und Täuschung von Kunden, des Betreibens von unregistrierten Börsen, Clearingstellen und Broker-Dealer Aktivitäten, sowie Verstrickungen mit Binance.us (einer Handelsbörse, die wie gesagt offiziell unabhängig von Binance agieren soll), sowie dem Washtrading und dem Verkauf von unregistrierten Wertpapieren (mehr zu dem Thema Securities hier ➡️ #24 // Block 773750 // Commodity vs. Security).

“We allege that Zhao and the Binance entities not only knew the rules of the road, but they also consciously chose to evade them and put their customers and investors at risk – all in an effort to maximize their own profits.” - Gurbir S. Grewal, Director, SEC’s Division of Enforcement

Die SEC argumentiert also Changpeng Zhao (CEO von Binance) und Binance hätten Anleger über ihre Risikokontrollen und korrupten Handelsvolumina in die Irre geführt und gleichzeitig aktiv verschwiegen, wer der eigentliche Betreiber der Plattform ist. Damit hätten Binance-Plattformen ihren Anlegern übergroße Risiken und Interessenkonflikte beschert.

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/crypto-binance-money

Darüber hinaus wurde in Folge der Anklageerhebung bekannt, dass es bei Geldflüssen bei Binance einen deutlichen Hinweis auf einen Mangel an internen Kontrollen gibt. Interne Kontrollen sollen normalerweise sicherstellen, dass Kundengelder klar identifizierbar und von den Unternehmenseinnahmen getrennt sind. Eine Vermischung von Anleger- und Geschäftsgeldern gefährdet das Vermögen der Kunden, da deren Verbleib verschleiert wird.

Interessanterweise nutzt die SEC weiterhin die Klageschrift gegen Binance, um das Thema 'unregistrierter' Wertpapiere etwas zu erhellen. Zuvor hatte die SEC sich nur in wenigen Einzelfällen dazu geäußert, welche Digitalen Assets sie als unregistrierte Wertpapiere betrachtet, doch in der Anklageschrift werden SOL, ADA, MATIC, FIL, ATOM, SAND, MANA, ALGO, AXS, COTI, BUSD, and BNB explizit als solche bezeichnet.

Alleine vier der genannten Assets finden sich unter den 10 größten Werten (ausgenommen Stablecoins) und die anderen tummeln sich auch irgendwo in den Top 50. Der aufmerksame Sherlock Holmes wird bemerkt haben, dass es dünn wird für den "kRyPtO"-Markt. Unter den Top 10 bleiben noch 3 Proof-of-Work Coins, von denen einer den Howey-Test nicht erfüllt (und es ist nicht Doge), Ripple (XRP) und die SEC stehen schon seit 2020 vor Gericht und meiner Meinung nach ist es nur noch eine Frage der Zeit, bis die SEC sich bzgl. Ethereum äußern muss (wird).

SEC vs. Coinbase

Nur einen Tag nach Veröffentlichung der Pressemitteilung, dass die SEC Anklage gegen Binance erhebe, veröffentlichte die SEC die nächste Pressemitteilung: Die SEC erhebt auch Anklage gegen Coinbase, die größte in den USA registrierte Börse für den Handel mit Digital Assets.

https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2023-102

Anders als bei Binance hingegen konzentriert sich die SEC bei der Anklage gegen Coinbase einzig auf den Handel mit unregistrierten Wertpapieren und den damit einhergehenden Dienstleistungen.

“We allege that Coinbase, despite being subject to the securities laws, commingled and unlawfully offered exchange, broker-dealer, and clearinghouse functions” - Gary Gensler, Chairman, SEC.

Konkret hätten Coinbase gegen bestimmte Registrierungsbestimmungen des Securities Exchange Act und des Securities Act verstoßen. Coinbase hätten seit mindestens 2019 Milliarden Dollar verdient, indem sie den Kauf und Verkauf von unregistrierten Wertpapieren unrechtmäßig erleichtert haben.

Interessant ist, dass die SEC ein weitere Dienstleistung in die Anklage einbaut, die bisher keine Erwähnung gefunden hat: "Darüber hinaus hat Coinbase, wie wir behaupten, sein Staking-as-a-Service-Programm nie gemäß den Wertpapiergesetzen registriert, was den Anlegern erneut wichtige Offenlegungs- und andere Schutzmaßnahmen vorenthält“ (Gensler).

Dies zeigt, dass die SEC, ohne sich bisher explizit zu Ethereum geäußert zu haben, eine Meinung gegenüber Staking vertritt, und zumindest die Bereitstellung von Staking-Services als rechtswidrig erachtet. Dies könnte einer der Gründe sein, dass Ethereum noch nicht ins Rampenlicht gerückt wurde, und zwar, dass die SEC die Anklageschrift gegen die Ethereum-Foundation und damit ein Ungetüm an Financiers (JP Morgan, MasterCard, Consensys, etc.) gründlich vorbereitet, um sich für einen enormen Rechtsstreit wetterfest zu machen. Allerdings scheinen interne Ansichtspunkte und Betrachtungsweisen schon ihren Weg in andere Anklageschriften zu finden.

Darüberhinaus zitiert die SEC mit AXS, CHZ, FLOW, ICP, NEAR, VGX, DASH und NEXO eine weitere Reihe von Shitcoins, die sie als unregistrierte Wertpapiere einstufen und damit den Handel mit selbigen untersagen.

Es gibt immer wieder Erzählungen von Leuten, die mit der Sache betraut sind, dass Coinbase aktiv daran arbeiten, einen gemeinsamen Weg mit der SEC zu finden, das Geschäftsmodell zwischen regulatorisch stabile Leitplanken zu bringen. Oft, wenn diese Erzählungen aus dem Coinbase Camp kommen, heißt es, die SEC sei stur und ließe sich nicht auf die Avancen seitens Coinbase ein. Wiederum andere sagen, dass die SEC schlicht überfordert wäre und Coinbase alles daran läge, schnell eine Lösung zu finden.

"You simply can’t ignore the rules because you don’t like them or because you’d prefer different ones: the consequences for the investing public are far too great.”

Wenn man allerdings den in der Pressemitteilung zitierten Satz von Gurbir S. Grewal (Director, SEC’s Division of Enforcement) anschaut, wird klar, dass aus Sicht der SEC scheinbar relativ früh und relativ offen kommuniziert wurde, was der rechtliche Rahmen des Möglichen ist. Wahrscheinlich wurden Coinbase auch früh darüber informiert, dass der Handel mit den meisten (oder allen) gelisteten Assets (außer Bitcoin), sowie das Anbieten von Staking als Dienstleistung, nicht mit den Leitplanken konform ist, die die SEC für eine zukünftige, rechtlich stabile Regulatorik des Marktes hält. Doch die freiwillige Einhaltung dieser von der SEC 'lose' formulierten Richtlinien hätte für Coinbase das Wegbrechen von 99% ihres Geschäftsmodells bedeutet.

Coinbase listen über 250 handelbare Assets auf ihrer Seite, viele davon lassen sich 'staken', viele weitere Dienste, die Coinbase anbietet, sind von den darunterliegenden Plattformen abhängig. Es ist klar, dass Coinbase den Moment so lange vor sich herschieben wollten, wie eben nur möglich. Denn während Bitcoin als einziges auf Coinbase gehandeltes Asset deutliche YTD Performance an den Tag legt, sinkt die Zahl der auf der Plattform gehaltenen bitcoins zusehends (gut, endlich begriffen!).

Diese Woche dann der Beweis. In einem Artikel der Financial Times erklärt Brian Armstrong, CEO von Coinbase, dass die SEC klare Empfehlung ausgesprochen hat, schon bevor sie letzten Monat rechtliche Schritte gegen das Unternehmen einleitete.

“They came back to us, and they said . . . we believe every asset other than bitcoin is a security,” Armstrong said. “And, we said, well how are you coming to that conclusion, because that’s not our interpretation of the law. And they said, we’re not going to explain it to you, you need to delist every asset other than bitcoin.”

Das ergibt absolut Sinn und stützt meine These, dass die SEC gar nicht vor hat 'gegen' Coinbase zu sein. Vielmehr sieht es aus, als würden sie klarstellen wollen, dass es im geltenden Rechtsrahmen durchaus Platz für gewisse Unternehmen gibt, solange diese sich an geltendes Recht halten und nicht wie Binance offensichtlich gängige Gesetze und Regeln umschiffen. Es scheint, als wolle die SEC den 'Markt' schützen, indem sie betrügerische Firmen wie Binance auf Täuschung, Irreführung und Marktmanipulation verklagt. Gleichzeitig handelt sie bei Firmen wie Coinbase wie ein strenger Vater, der eigentlich das Beste für sein Kind möchte, aber nach wiederholten Versuchen der Gesprächsfindung nur noch harte Strafen als geeignetes Mittel sieht.

Aber warum ist der SEC daran gelegen, dass Coinbase rechtskonform und innerhalb der Leitplanken der SEC handelt?

Neue ETF Anträge mit Hilfe von Coinbase

Laut eines Berichts des Wall Street Journal hat die SEC auf die hereinbrechende Flut von Anträgen für Bitcoin-Spot-ETFs mit Bedenken reagiert. Sie erklärte zunächst, dass es den Anträgen an Klarheit und umfassenden Informationen mangele und diese somit unzureichend seien.

Die SEC hatte schon bei früheren (abgelehnten) Anträgen u.a. ihre Bedenken bezüglich der Überwachung der Handelsplattformen geäußert. Wie oben beschrieben, ist die mögliche Marktmanipulation durch unregulierte Börsen einer der Hauptgründe seitens der SEC gewesen, frühere Anträge abzulehnen. Allerdings war man davon ausgegangen, dass diese Bedenken der SEC durch eine Vereinbarung zur gemeinsamen Überwachung des Marktes durch eine regulierte Spot-Bitcoin-Handelsplattform in Zusammenarbeit mit einem der US-Handelplätze (Nasdaq, NYSE, CBOE, etc.) ausgeräumt werden könnten.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-sec-accepts-six-spot-bitcoin-etf-proposals-review-2023-07-19

Dementsprechend teilte die SEC den Börsen (und Antragstellern) mit, dass in den eingereichten Unterlagen wichtige Details bezüglich der genauen Vereinbarung zur gemeinsamen Umsetzung der Überwachungsvorhaben fehlten. Diese Nachricht wurde von vielen Beobachtern als negativ eingestuft: "Die SEC versteht nicht, was hier erreicht werden soll. Die SEC stellt sich quer. Die SEC ist automatisch gegen Bitcoin." war die Essenz der meisten Reaktionen. Allerdings lese ich persönlich die Reaktion der SEC ähnlich, wie auch die Anklageerhebung gegen Coinbase. Die SEC spielt ganz klar nach den eigenen formulierten und klar kommunizierten Regeln und versucht den Mitspielern die Leitplanken aufzuzeigen. Der Tenor scheint klar: "Wir haben euch die Regeln erklärt, nach denen wir mit euch spielen (hört mit der Shitcoinerei auf!). Befolgt diese und wir kommen ins Gespräch."

https://www.theblock.co/post/238944/cboe-reaches-surveillance-agreement-with-coinbase-for-spot-bitcoin-etfs

Wonach die SEC scheinbar explizit zu fragen scheint, ist ein sogenanntes Information-Sharing Agreement (ISA), also eine Vereinbarung zum Informationsaustausch. Diese Vereinbarung zwingt eine Handelsplattform dazu, Handelsdaten bis hin zu persönlichen Informationen wie den Namen und den Adressen der Kunden weiterzugeben. Ein solches ISA scheint bislang in den Anträgen gefehlt zu haben, weshalb die SEC auf die Anträge reagierte und diese als unvollständig zurückwies. Mit der neuen Welle an korrigierten Anträgen scheinen die meisten Antragsteller diese Unvollständigkeit behoben zu haben.

Und wen listet JEDER der Antragsteller als Partner zum Informationsaustausch? Rate, rate? Richtig, Coinbase!

Die Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), eine Optionsbörse, die u.a. die Anträge zusammen mit den oben genannten WisdomTree, VanEck, Invesco und ARK stellte, erzielte kurzerhand mit Coinbase eine Einigung über die Bedingungen für den Abschluss eines ISA und reichte alle Anträge mit den neuen Bedingungen erneut ein.

Wie wir also sehen, deutet alles darauf hin, dass die SEC einem Bitcoin-Spot-ETF eigentlich positiv geneigt ist, sollten die Konditionen, die sie stellt, erfüllt sein. Und in Garys perfekter Welt, sehen diese Konditionen vor, dass ein solcher ETF mit Hilfe von Coinbase als Informations-Austauschs-Partner funktioniert, und dass Coinbase ein artiges in den USA börsennotiertes Unternehmen wird, dass keine Shitcoinerei betreibt und sich auf den Spot-Handel mit Bitcoin konzentriert. Denn die derzeit anderen angebotenen Services wie Clearingstellen und Broker-Dealer-Aktivitäten stehen im direkten Gegensatz zu potenziellen Aktivitäten und Interessen von Kunden.

Wir sehen also, dass ein "größerer Plan" hinter den Aktionen der SEC zu stehen scheint. Meiner Meinung nach gibt es verschiedene Theorien und Hinweise, die darauf schließen lassen, dass die SEC a) den Markt regulieren will, bevor sie ein BlackRock-Produkt genehmigt, b) ausländische (und damit nicht leicht regulierbare) Unternehmen aus dem Markt drängen will, um damit Unternehmen wie BlackRock den Handel zu vereinfachen und c) andere Interessengruppen an der Entscheidung der SEC beteiligt zu sein scheinen. Man könnte so weit gehen zu behaupten, dass anhängige Klagen und Untersuchungen ein Stück weit sogar den Kurs drücken und Bitcoin in der allgemeinen Wahrnehmung, als riskant dastehen lassen, was Unternehmen wie Blackrock dabei hilft die nötigen bitcoins zu einem relativ günstigen Preis zu akkumulieren, bevor eine Genehmigung und die implizite Anerkennung von Bitcoins Wert dazu führen, dass der Preis rasant steigt. Dies wäre ein Eingriff in den Wettbewerb und gibt BlackRock et al einen klaren Vorsprung gegenüber anderen Institutionen.

Es gibt unterschiedliche Ansichten darüber, wie Coinbase und die SEC mit dieser Situation umgehen. Einige behaupten, dass Coinbase aktiv nach einer Lösung sucht, um sich mit der SEC auf einen rechtlichen Rahmen zu einigen, während andere sagen, dass die SEC unbeugsam ist. Es wird vermutet, dass die SEC Coinbase frühzeitig darüber informiert hat, welche Regeln und Leitplanken sie für den Markt etablieren möchten.

https://x.com/BitcoinMagazine/status/1679887574934999045

Es scheint, dass die SEC den Markt schützen möchte, indem sie gegen betrügerische Unternehmen wie Binance vorgeht, die gängige Gesetze und Regeln umgehen. Gleichzeitig versucht sie bei Unternehmen wie Coinbase, die sich nicht an die geltenden Vorschriften halten, harte Strafen als Mittel zur Durchsetzung der Regulierung einzusetzen. Das scheint nur logisch, wenn man bedenkt, dass BlackRock und die anderen Antragsteller wie WisdomTree, VanEck, Invesco und ARK sich mit Coinbase auf Bedingungen für den Abschluss eines Informations-Austausch-Abkommens (ISA) geeinigt und die Anträge mit den neuen Bedingungen erneut eingereicht haben.

Dies deutet darauf hin, dass die SEC grundsätzlich positiv gegenüber einem Bitcoin-Spot-ETF eingestellt ist, sofern bestimmte Bedingungen erfüllt sind. Diese Bedingungen könnten beinhalten, dass Coinbase als Informationspartner fungiert und dass Coinbase als in den USA börsennotiertes Unternehmen agiert, das sich auf den Spot-Handel mit Bitcoin konzentriert, während andere Dienstleistungen wie Clearingstellen und Broker-Dealer-Aktivitäten vermieden werden sollen.

https://x.com/stackhodler/status/1691531818300809217

Es scheint, dass die SEC eine umfassendere Strategie verfolgt, die darauf abzielt, den Markt zu regulieren, ausländische Unternehmen zu verdrängen und den Handel für Unternehmen wie BlackRock zu erleichtern.

Mitte letzten Jahres habe ich in einem Artikel schon Grayscales andauernden Versuch, ihren Closed-End-Fund in einen Bitcoin-Spot-ETF zu verwandeln, beschrieben.

https://www.genexyz.org/post/1722193843734/

Die SEC hatte bereits im Dezember 2021 und im Februar 2022 die Entscheidung über den Antrag auf einen Bitcoin-ETF verschoben, um ihn "sorgfältig zu prüfen". Dann hat die SEC Mitte Juli 2023 bekanntgegeben, dass einem Antrag auf Umwandlung wieder nicht stattgegeben wird. Grayscale kündigten sofort an, die SEC wegen Willkür und Verstoß gegen das Wertpapierbörsengesetz von 1934 zu verklagen.

Diese Klage wurde dann vor dem Bundesberufungsgericht verhandelt und entschieden.

Das Bundesberufungsgericht in D.C. entschied im Oktober, dass das Ablehnen von Anträgen auf eine Umwandlung in einen ETF seitens Grayscale ungerecht, nicht rechtens und willkürlich sei, da die Aufsichtsbehörde nicht erklären konnte, warum sie zuvor ähnliche Produkte zugelassen hat.

Allerdings bedeutet dies nicht, dass Barry Silbert (CEO von DCG) automatisch den Grayscale Trust in einen ETF umwandeln kann. Der Antrag wandert damit nur zurück auf Garys (Vorsitzender der SEC) Schreibtisch. Und das bedeutet, dass die SEC wieder die Möglichkeit bekommt, einer Umwandlung aufgrund anderer Begründungen nicht stattzugeben. Dazu gleich mehr ⬇️.

Außerdem ist fraglich, ob Barry tatsächlich wirklich eine Umwandlung herbeisehnt, denn momentan befinden sich Grayscale in einer sehr angenehmen Lage, die ihnen erlaubt 2% vom NAV (Net Asset Value) an Gebühren zu verlangen. Was bei einem Vermögen von 624.947 Bitcoin einen jährlichen Umsatz von 12.500 Bitcoin, bzw. 475 Million US Dollar bedeutet - für nichts tun.

Es gibt schon Kampagnen, die für eine Auflösung des Trusts kämpfen. Wer sich über die Umtriebigkeiten bei DCG / Genesis / Grayscale (Barry) ein besseres Bild machen möchte, sollte unbedingt den folgenden Thread lesen:

https://x.com/real_vijay/status/1721385528510251182

Was seit dem geschah

Seit dem letzten Artikel ist gleichzeitig viel und wenig geschehen. Verinnerlichen wir uns meine These - dass die SEC a) den Markt regulieren will, bevor sie ein BlackRock-Produkt genehmigt, b) ausländische (und damit nicht leicht regulierbare) Unternehmen aus dem Markt drängen will, um damit Unternehmen wie BlackRock den Handel zu vereinfachen und c) andere Interessengruppen an der Entscheidung der SEC beteiligt zu sein scheinen - dann ist genau das passiert, was man erwartet hätte.

Die SEC hat ihre Entscheidung zur Genehmigung der ETF-Anträge wiederholte Male verschoben, momentan sieht es so aus, als würde eine Entscheidung im Januar 2024 fällig.

https://bmpro.substack.com/p/sec-delays-etf-again-despite-warning

Die SEC fällt weiter unliebsame Bäume. Bittrex, eine in den USA ansässige Börse, haben angekündigt, ihre Pforten zu schließen.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/crypto-exchange-bittrex-global-shuts-054643624.html

Kraken wurde von der SEC verklagt - ähnliches Modell wie auch zuvor bei Binance und Coinbase angewandt (sprich: alles okay und tutti, solange ihr die Shitcoinerei an den Nagel hängt).

https://www.nobsbitcoin.com/kraken-sec-lawsuit

Dabei wurden in der Klageschrift die bereits identifizierten Digitalen Assets, die die SEC als unregistrierte Wertpapiere betrachtet, 1 zu 1 wieder aufgeführt.

Doch die größte Überraschung war die diese Woche veröffentlichte Meldung, dass Binance sich in einem Vergleich mit dem US Department of Justice (DOJ) auf eine Zahlung von über 4 Milliarden US Dollar und den Rücktritt CZs (Changpeng Zhao) als CEO von Binance geeinigt habe.

https://www.nobsbitcoin.com/cz-steps-down-as-ceo-of-binance-as-part-of-4-billion-settlement-with-doj

Es ist recht eindeutig, dass es dem Justizministerium (DOJ) hier nicht um den Schutz der Verbraucher geht. Es muss allerdings der Anschein gewahrt werden, dass nicht in Eigeninteresse (dem von BlackRock, hust) gehandelt wird, sondern dass der Eindruck erweckt wird, dass sie tatsächlich etwas Gutes tun, indem sie sich um einen "bad actor" kümmern" - das wird sehr deutlich, wenn man betrachtet, dass sich das Narrativ im Vergleich hauptsächlich auf AML (Anti-Money-Laundering) und Terrorismusfinanzierung konzentriert.

Wie schon aus meiner These ersichtlich, geht auch aus bisherigen Kommentaren der SEC klar hervor, dass die größte Sorge derzeit ausländische Börsen sind, die den Bitcoin-Preis manipulieren können. Binance ist die größte Börse der Welt und hat bis heute erfolgreich außerhalb des Einflussbereichs der US-Regierung operiert. Mit dieser Vereinbarung ist das Problem der Offshore-Kursmanipulation zunächst und zum größten Teil gelöst.

Das BlackRock-SEC-Reptilienmenschen-Playbook ist im vollen Gange. Ausländische Konkurrenz weitestgehend unter Kontrolle ✅

Die SEC scheint außerdem im engen Kontakt mit den ETF-Antragstellern zu stehen. Insbesondere ein Verweis auf eine Änderung der Anträge in Bezug auf "cash" vs. "in-kind creation" hat diese Woche für Diskussionen gesorgt.

https://x.com/EricBalchunas/status/1725559994995573086

Viele börsengehandelte Fonds verlangen von den zugelassenen Teilnehmern, dass sie Anteile in Form von Sachleistungen (in-kind) schaffen , d. h. dass sie ETF-Anteile gegen einen Wertpapierkorb und nicht gegen Bargeld (cash) eintauschen. Die SEC hat jedoch auf eine Formulierung in den Anträgen gedrängt, die genau dise cash-creations zulassen.

Während sich viele auf die minutiöse Gestalt der Inhalte stürzen und eine Genehmigung hineininterpretieren, zieht die SEC hier meiner Meinung nach eine Linie, um eine Unterscheidung zwischen Grayscales GBTC und BlackRock et al. zu schaffen.

Wenn man an ein Playbook glaubt, ist der Grayscale Trust den Teilnehmern ein offensichtlicher Dorn im Auge, weshalb eine Umwandlung zunächst verhindert werden will.

Jetzt muss nur noch Coinbase mitspielen. Aber wenn Binance einen Vergleich erzielen kann, warum nicht auch $COIN? Vielleicht einigt sich die SEC mit Coinbase im Gegenzug für "saftige Geldstrafen" und die Entfernung aller Shitcoins von der Plattform. Im Gegenzug erhält Coinbase den Börsenstatus und wird für die Überwachungsvereinbarung mit BlackRock und den anderen Antragstellern freigeschaltet. Auf einen Schlag würde die SEC die Shitcoins von der einzigen börsennotierten US-Börse entfernen und ein legales (nach ihren Vorstellungen und selbst artikulierten Prinzipien) Fundament für BlackRocks ETF schaffen.

Außerdem würde es mich nicht wundern, wenn Coinbase als weißer Ritter auftritt und ganz barmherzig das US-Business von Binance übernimmt. Natürlich nur, um einem Mitstreiter in schwierigen Zeiten beizustehen. Ich packe es auf jeden Fall auf meine Bingo-Karte für den Zeitraum zwischen jetzt und einer Genehmigung der ETF-Anträge.

Durch die Einigung mit CZ und die Geldstrafe von 4,3 Milliarden US Dollar erleichtert die US-Regierung den Transfer von Bitcoin aus schwachen in starke Hände (Binance ➡️ Coinbase). Binance werden Bitcoin verkaufen müssen, um die Geldstrafe zu bezahlen, während gleichzeitig die Spot-ETFs das Angebot mit amerikanischem Kapital auffüllen können. Schöne Ausführung. Tolles Playbook 👏

Ich bin mir bewusst, dass die oben genannten Ereignisse und Auslegungen der Geschehnisse sehr verschwurbelt daherkommen, jedoch möchte ich meinen virtuellen Alu-Hut vor dem Architekten dieses wirklichen langen Long-Games ziehen.

In der Zwischenzeit arbeiten gewissenhafte Journalisten namhafter Veröffentlichungen (BlackRock PR-Department, hust) daran, die öffentliche Wahrnehmung von Bitcoin zum Positiven zu wenden.

Wurde in den letzten Jahren Bitcoin als riskante Anlage, Klimakiller, Ozean-Kocher, oder schlimmer bezeichnet, wird es jetzt als ein möglicher Bestandteil einer nachhaltigen und zukunftsorientierten Anlagestrategie dargestellt.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/07/08/bitcoin-network-to-reduce-more-emissions-than-its-energy-sources-produce/

Wir (du schlaue/r Leser//in und ich) wissen schon lange, dass die Bitcoin-Branche heute die weltweit am nachhaltigsten betriebene Branche ist und das Bitcoin-Mining als einzige Industrie in dem Bereich kohlenstoffnegativ werden kann. Es ist also offensichtlich, dass Bitcoin ein wichtiger Bestandteil einer nachhaltigen und zukunftsorientierten Anlagestrategie sein kann, aber genau dieses Narrativ wurde jahrelang absichtlich verdrängt (➡️ siehe XRP-gesponsorte Greenpeace Aktion anfang des Jahres).

Wir sehen also, dass es nicht nur um eine einfache Genehmigung der Anträge geht, sondern viele Mosaikteilchen gelegt werden, bevor es dazu kommen kann. Viele Zeichen deuten darauf hin, dass viele verschiedene Parteien daran arbeiten, ein Umfeld zu schaffen, dass es bestimmten Gruppen ermöglicht, einen ETF möglichst risikofrei und konkurrenzlos zu platzieren. Dabei werden unliebsame Mitspieler vom Platz gewiesen und anderen Mitspielern werden die Spielregeln nochmal ganz bewusst in Erinnerung gerufen, während gleichzeitig ein Narrativ geschaffen wird, das einen Bitcoin-ETF in glänzendem Licht darstellt.

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Es ist nahezu gewiss, dass es nicht die Frage ist, ob einem Antrag zugestimmt wird, sondern vielmehr, wann dies geschehen wird. Es besteht eine hohe Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass allen Anträgen zeitgleich stattgegeben wird. Dennoch lässt sich erkennen, dass die SEC strategisch Zeit gewinnt, um Binance und andere unerwünschte Akteure vollständig aus dem Spiel zu nehmen und Coinbase in der Zwischenzeit zu dem vorbildlichen Mustersohn zu formen, den sie immer haben wollte.

Da der Markt für Spot-ETFs als "Winner-takes-all" gilt, wird darauf geachtet, dass nicht irgendein Antragsteller das Rennen gewinnt, sondern ein bestimmter - Larry. Hierfür ist es notwendig, Barry vom Spielfeld zu verdrängen, da er einen erheblichen Vorsprung hat, woran Gary offensichtlich arbeitet. Falls sich meine Vermutungen bewahrheiten, werden wir in naher Zukunft einen Bitcoin-Spot-ETF sehen, der von BlackRock dominiert wird. Grayscale und Binance werden keine Rolle im Spiel spielen, während Coinbase als reguliertes, vorbildliches US-Unternehmen davon profitieren wird.

🫳🎤

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In diesem Sinne, 2... 1... Risiko!‌

@ d61f3bc5:0da6ef4a

Micropayments on the Internet have been theorized for decades. However, it wasn’t until the emergence of Nostr that we’ve finally seen them deployed at scale. Nostr is still in its infancy, yet we are already witnessing an explosion of apps built on top of this open protocol. And most of them are featuring zaps! With the recent Primal 2.1 release, Nostr developers now have the option to enhance the experience for their users by integrating a Nostr-powered bitcoin wallet. 

There is no doubt that micropayments add a new dimension to consumer apps. The incumbents have realized this and are rushing to add payments to their closed platforms. It won't be long before apps that don’t include built-in payments feel dated or outright broken. The question is not if apps of the future will have built-in payments, but what kind of payments they will be. Given that open networks have a tendency to win, our bet is that apps of the future will be powered by Bitcoin. Let’s see how Primal can help.

Primal Wallet

Our vision for Primal Wallet is simple: deliver the smoothest transactional bitcoin wallet, endowed with expert Nostr skills. The wallet leverages Nostr’s open social graph as a de facto public lightning directory, while offering the highest level of user experience for Nostr’s rich content. For example, the user can scroll through the transaction list, select a zap, and drill straight into the conversation thread where the zap originated. The whole flow feels perfectly natural.  Since we launched Primal Wallet in December 2023, the user response has been incredibly positive. People love the idea of being able to post something on Nostr, get zaps from plebs around the world, then buy a coffee or a meal with those sats - all from the same app. 

Having a bitcoin wallet with social skills resonated strongly with users, so Primal Wallet grew rapidly in popularity and usage. Since the launch, we have processed 1,338,460 transactions, with 238,916 just in the past month alone. This rivals some of the leading bitcoin wallets, and we are just getting started! We hear from many bitcoin OGs that they are using Primal Wallet as their transactional daily driver. Bullish. 

All this is great, but something has been missing. Our users demanded the ability to connect Primal Wallet to other Nostr apps, so they can zap from anywhere in Nostr’s growing ecosystem.

Zapping from Any Nostr App

For an existing Primal user, connecting the wallet to a new Nostr app can now be done in two clicks. Let’s take a look at how this is done from Olas, one of the most exciting new apps on Nostr:

Yes. Click, click. And you can start zapping! 

Such smooth integration of payments is not available in any competing technology stack. Tradfi, fintech, crypto, etc., have nothing on Bitcoin and Nostr. Two clicks and your external wallet is connected. I’ll give you a moment now to allow for this new reality to settle in.

Primal enables you to connect any number of external apps and manage them from wallet settings: Note that you can set your daily spend budget for each app or revoke its access at any time.

How This Works

So, what is this sorcery? How does it work under the hood?

Connecting Nostr apps to external wallets is accomplished via the Nostr Wallet Connect protocol. It utilizes Nostr’s public relay infrastructure to enable communication between apps and wallets. You can learn more about this protocol here, and access developer docs here.

The smooth, two-click connection setup UX is implemented through deep links between Primal and the external app. Here’s the deep link that the external app needs to call to invoke this feature: 

nostrnwc+primal://connect?appicon=[icon_url]&appname=[app_name]&callback=[callback_string]

After the user clicks “Create Wallet Connection” in Primal, the Primal app calls the deep link defined in the callback, and passes the NWC connection string. That's all that the external app needs to make the wallet connection.

What Comes Next?

The Nostr Wallet Connect protocol has been around for almost two years. Several bitcoin wallets implement it and many Nostr apps use it as their main way of enabling payments. What’s new with Primal 2.1 is the elevated user experience. Since Primal is a Nostr-powered wallet, it is aware of all the relevant metadata for each transaction: Nostr zaps, users, and the related events. Primal indexes the entire Nostr network, and now this is open to all Nostr apps that wish to integrate payments. 

Nostr keeps expanding and getting better. Its openness enables us to build capabilities that lift all boats. The future is bright; I can’t wait to see how things evolve from here. 🍿🍿🍿

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

O Planetinha

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

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

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

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

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

Terra, nossa nave mãe.

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

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

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

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

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

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

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

@ a95c6243:d345522c

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ f977c464:32fcbe00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

Ben geldiğimde ölmüşlerdi.

Yani bozulmuşlardı demek istiyorum.

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

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

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

Eliyle arkasını işaret etti.

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

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

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

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

Bira istemediğinden emin misin?

İstemediğini söyledi. Sahi, neden deliriyordu bu androidler?

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

Sesini alçalttı.

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

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

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

Nedenmiş peki? Ne gerek varmış?

Ne bileyim be abicim! Ahiret soruları gibi.

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

Ben seni nereden tanıyorum ki ulan? Kimsin sen?

Belleği makineden çıkardılar. İki kişiydiler. Soruşturmadan sorumlu memurlar.

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

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

─ Bence de. Yeterince düzgün çalışıyor.

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

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

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

Hangi işimizde bir yamukluk yok ki be abi.

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hiçbir vagonda pencere olmadığı için metronun içi, içlerindekiler meçhuldü.

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

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

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

Onların mercekleri için değil. Bağlantıları çok önceden kopmuştu.

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

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

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

─ Nasıl olmuş, diye sordu.

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

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

─ Çok güzelsin, diyerek kravatını düzeltti kocası.

─ Sen de öylesin, sevgilim.

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

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

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

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

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

Hiç de androidlere bilinçli olarak zarar verebilecek gibi gözükmüyorlardı.

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

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

Bütün illüzyon o anda dağılmaya başladı.

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

@ 6389be64:ef439d32

Bitcoin is more than money, more than an asset, and more than a store of value. Bitcoin is a Prime Mover, an enabler and it ignites imaginations. It certainly fueled an idea in my mind. The idea integrates sensors, computational prowess, actuated machinery, power conversion, and electronic communications to form an autonomous, machined creature roaming forests and harvesting the most widespread and least energy-dense fuel source available. I call it the Forest Walker and it eats wood, and mines Bitcoin.

I know what you're thinking. Why not just put Bitcoin mining rigs where they belong: in a hosted facility sporting electricity from energy-dense fuels like natural gas, climate-controlled with excellent data piping in and out? Why go to all the trouble building a robot that digests wood creating flammable gasses fueling an engine to run a generator powering Bitcoin miners? It's all about synergy.

Bitcoin mining enables the realization of multiple, seemingly unrelated, yet useful activities. Activities considered un-profitable if not for Bitcoin as the Prime Mover. This is much more than simply mining the greatest asset ever conceived by humankind. It’s about the power of synergy, which Bitcoin plays only one of many roles. The synergy created by this system can stabilize forests' fire ecology while generating multiple income streams. That’s the realistic goal here and requires a brief history of American Forest management before continuing.

Smokey The Bear

In 1944, the Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention Campaign began in the United States. “Only YOU can prevent forest fires” remains the refrain of the Ad Council’s longest running campaign. The Ad Council is a U.S. non-profit set up by the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Association of National Advertisers in 1942. It would seem that the U.S. Department of the Interior was concerned about pesky forest fires and wanted them to stop. So, alongside a national policy of extreme fire suppression they enlisted the entire U.S. population to get onboard via the Ad Council and it worked. Forest fires were almost obliterated and everyone was happy, right? Wrong.

Smokey is a fantastically successful bear so forest fires became so few for so long that the fuel load - dead wood - in forests has become very heavy. So heavy that when a fire happens (and they always happen) it destroys everything in its path because the more fuel there is the hotter that fire becomes. Trees, bushes, shrubs, and all other plant life cannot escape destruction (not to mention homes and businesses). The soil microbiology doesn’t escape either as it is burned away even in deeper soils. To add insult to injury, hydrophobic waxy residues condense on the soil surface, forcing water to travel over the ground rather than through it eroding forest soils. Good job, Smokey. Well done, Sir!

Most terrestrial ecologies are “fire ecologies”. Fire is a part of these systems’ fuel load and pest management. Before we pretended to “manage” millions of acres of forest, fires raged over the world, rarely damaging forests. The fuel load was always too light to generate fires hot enough to moonscape mountainsides. Fires simply burned off the minor amounts of fuel accumulated since the fire before. The lighter heat, smoke, and other combustion gasses suppressed pests, keeping them in check and the smoke condensed into a plant growth accelerant called wood vinegar, not a waxy cap on the soil. These fires also cleared out weak undergrowth, cycled minerals, and thinned the forest canopy, allowing sunlight to penetrate to the forest floor. Without a fire’s heat, many pine tree species can’t sow their seed. The heat is required to open the cones (the seed bearing structure) of Spruce, Cypress, Sequoia, Jack Pine, Lodgepole Pine and many more. Without fire forests can’t have babies. The idea was to protect the forests, and it isn't working.

So, in a world of fire, what does an ally look like and what does it do?

Meet The Forest Walker

For the Forest Walker to work as a mobile, autonomous unit, a solid platform that can carry several hundred pounds is required. It so happens this chassis already exists but shelved.

Introducing the Legged Squad Support System (LS3). A joint project between Boston Dynamics, DARPA, and the United States Marine Corps, the quadrupedal robot is the size of a cow, can carry 400 pounds (180 kg) of equipment, negotiate challenging terrain, and operate for 24 hours before needing to refuel. Yes, it had an engine. Abandoned in 2015, the thing was too noisy for military deployment and maintenance "under fire" is never a high-quality idea. However, we can rebuild it to act as a platform for the Forest Walker; albeit with serious alterations. It would need to be bigger, probably. Carry more weight? Definitely. Maybe replace structural metal with carbon fiber and redesign much as 3D printable parts for more effective maintenance.

The original system has a top operational speed of 8 miles per hour. For our purposes, it only needs to move about as fast as a grazing ruminant. Without the hammering vibrations of galloping into battle, shocks of exploding mortars, and drunken soldiers playing "Wrangler of Steel Machines", time between failures should be much longer and the overall energy consumption much lower. The LS3 is a solid platform to build upon. Now it just needs to be pulled out of the mothballs, and completely refitted with outboard equipment.

The Small Branch Chipper

When I say “Forest fuel load” I mean the dead, carbon containing litter on the forest floor. Duff (leaves), fine-woody debris (small branches), and coarse woody debris (logs) are the fuel that feeds forest fires. Walk through any forest in the United States today and you will see quite a lot of these materials. Too much, as I have described. Some of these fuel loads can be 8 tons per acre in pine and hardwood forests and up to 16 tons per acre at active logging sites. That’s some big wood and the more that collects, the more combustible danger to the forest it represents. It also provides a technically unlimited fuel supply for the Forest Walker system.

The problem is that this detritus has to be chewed into pieces that are easily ingestible by the system for the gasification process (we’ll get to that step in a minute). What we need is a wood chipper attached to the chassis (the LS3); its “mouth”.

A small wood chipper handling material up to 2.5 - 3.0 inches (6.3 - 7.6 cm) in diameter would eliminate a substantial amount of fuel. There is no reason for Forest Walker to remove fallen trees. It wouldn’t have to in order to make a real difference. It need only identify appropriately sized branches and grab them. Once loaded into the chipper’s intake hopper for further processing, the beast can immediately look for more “food”. This is essentially kindling that would help ignite larger logs. If it’s all consumed by Forest Walker, then it’s not present to promote an aggravated conflagration.

I have glossed over an obvious question: How does Forest Walker see and identify branches and such? LiDaR (Light Detection and Ranging) attached to Forest Walker images the local area and feed those data to onboard computers for processing. Maybe AI plays a role. Maybe simple machine learning can do the trick. One thing is for certain: being able to identify a stick and cause robotic appendages to pick it up is not impossible.

Great! We now have a quadrupedal robot autonomously identifying and “eating” dead branches and other light, combustible materials. Whilst strolling through the forest, depleting future fires of combustibles, Forest Walker has already performed a major function of this system: making the forest safer. It's time to convert this low-density fuel into a high-density fuel Forest Walker can leverage. Enter the gasification process.

The Gassifier

The gasifier is the heart of the entire system; it’s where low-density fuel becomes the high-density fuel that powers the entire system. Biochar and wood vinegar are process wastes and I’ll discuss why both are powerful soil amendments in a moment, but first, what’s gasification?

Reacting shredded carbonaceous material at high temperatures in a low or no oxygen environment converts the biomass into biochar, wood vinegar, heat, and Synthesis Gas (Syngas). Syngas consists primarily of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane. All of which are extremely useful fuels in a gaseous state. Part of this gas is used to heat the input biomass and keep the reaction temperature constant while the internal combustion engine that drives the generator to produce electrical power consumes the rest.

Critically, this gasification process is “continuous feed”. Forest Walker must intake biomass from the chipper, process it to fuel, and dump the waste (CO2, heat, biochar, and wood vinegar) continuously. It cannot stop. Everything about this system depends upon this continual grazing, digestion, and excretion of wastes just as a ruminal does. And, like a ruminant, all waste products enhance the local environment.

When I first heard of gasification, I didn’t believe that it was real. Running an electric generator from burning wood seemed more akin to “conspiracy fantasy” than science. Not only is gasification real, it’s ancient technology. A man named Dean Clayton first started experiments on gasification in 1699 and in 1901 gasification was used to power a vehicle. By the end of World War II, there were 500,000 Syngas powered vehicles in Germany alone because of fossil fuel rationing during the war. The global gasification market was $480 billion in 2022 and projected to be as much as $700 billion by 2030 (Vantage Market Research). Gasification technology is the best choice to power the Forest Walker because it’s self-contained and we want its waste products.

Biochar: The Waste

Biochar (AKA agricultural charcoal) is fairly simple: it’s almost pure, solid carbon that resembles charcoal. Its porous nature packs large surface areas into small, 3 dimensional nuggets. Devoid of most other chemistry, like hydrocarbons (methane) and ash (minerals), biochar is extremely lightweight. Do not confuse it with the charcoal you buy for your grill. Biochar doesn’t make good grilling charcoal because it would burn too rapidly as it does not contain the multitude of flammable components that charcoal does. Biochar has several other good use cases. Water filtration, water retention, nutrient retention, providing habitat for microscopic soil organisms, and carbon sequestration are the main ones that we are concerned with here.

Carbon has an amazing ability to adsorb (substances stick to and accumulate on the surface of an object) manifold chemistries. Water, nutrients, and pollutants tightly bind to carbon in this format. So, biochar makes a respectable filter and acts as a “battery” of water and nutrients in soils. Biochar adsorbs and holds on to seven times its weight in water. Soil containing biochar is more drought resilient than soil without it. Adsorbed nutrients, tightly sequestered alongside water, get released only as plants need them. Plants must excrete protons (H+) from their roots to disgorge water or positively charged nutrients from the biochar's surface; it's an active process.

Biochar’s surface area (where adsorption happens) can be 500 square meters per gram or more. That is 10% larger than an official NBA basketball court for every gram of biochar. Biochar’s abundant surface area builds protective habitats for soil microbes like fungi and bacteria and many are critical for the health and productivity of the soil itself.

The “carbon sequestration” component of biochar comes into play where “carbon credits” are concerned. There is a financial market for carbon. Not leveraging that market for revenue is foolish. I am climate agnostic. All I care about is that once solid carbon is inside the soil, it will stay there for thousands of years, imparting drought resiliency, fertility collection, nutrient buffering, and release for that time span. I simply want as much solid carbon in the soil because of the undeniably positive effects it has, regardless of any climactic considerations.

Wood Vinegar: More Waste

Another by-product of the gasification process is wood vinegar (Pyroligneous acid). If you have ever seen Liquid Smoke in the grocery store, then you have seen wood vinegar. Principally composed of acetic acid, acetone, and methanol wood vinegar also contains ~200 other organic compounds. It would seem intuitive that condensed, liquefied wood smoke would at least be bad for the health of all living things if not downright carcinogenic. The counter intuition wins the day, however. Wood vinegar has been used by humans for a very long time to promote digestion, bowel, and liver health; combat diarrhea and vomiting; calm peptic ulcers and regulate cholesterol levels; and a host of other benefits.

For centuries humans have annually burned off hundreds of thousands of square miles of pasture, grassland, forest, and every other conceivable terrestrial ecosystem. Why is this done? After every burn, one thing becomes obvious: the almost supernatural growth these ecosystems exhibit after the burn. How? Wood vinegar is a component of this growth. Even in open burns, smoke condenses and infiltrates the soil. That is when wood vinegar shows its quality.

This stuff beefs up not only general plant growth but seed germination as well and possesses many other qualities that are beneficial to plants. It’s a pesticide, fungicide, promotes beneficial soil microorganisms, enhances nutrient uptake, and imparts disease resistance. I am barely touching a long list of attributes here, but you want wood vinegar in your soil (alongside biochar because it adsorbs wood vinegar as well).

The Internal Combustion Engine

Conversion of grazed forage to chemical, then mechanical, and then electrical energy completes the cycle. The ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) converts the gaseous fuel output from the gasifier to mechanical energy, heat, water vapor, and CO2. It’s the mechanical energy of a rotating drive shaft that we want. That rotation drives the electric generator, which is the heartbeat we need to bring this monster to life. Luckily for us, combined internal combustion engine and generator packages are ubiquitous, delivering a defined energy output given a constant fuel input. It’s the simplest part of the system.

The obvious question here is whether the amount of syngas provided by the gasification process will provide enough energy to generate enough electrons to run the entire system or not. While I have no doubt the energy produced will run Forest Walker's main systems the question is really about the electrons left over. Will it be enough to run the Bitcoin mining aspect of the system? Everything is a budget.

CO2 Production For Growth

Plants are lollipops. No matter if it’s a tree or a bush or a shrubbery, the entire thing is mostly sugar in various formats but mostly long chain carbohydrates like lignin and cellulose. Plants need three things to make sugar: CO2, H2O and light. In a forest, where tree densities can be quite high, CO2 availability becomes a limiting growth factor. It’d be in the forest interests to have more available CO2 providing for various sugar formation providing the organism with food and structure.

An odd thing about tree leaves, the openings that allow gasses like the ever searched for CO2 are on the bottom of the leaf (these are called stomata). Not many stomata are topside. This suggests that trees and bushes have evolved to find gasses like CO2 from below, not above and this further suggests CO2 might be in higher concentrations nearer the soil.

The soil life (bacterial, fungi etc.) is constantly producing enormous amounts of CO2 and it would stay in the soil forever (eventually killing the very soil life that produces it) if not for tidal forces. Water is everywhere and whether in pools, lakes, oceans or distributed in “moist” soils water moves towards to the moon. The water in the soil and also in the water tables below the soil rise toward the surface every day. When the water rises, it expels the accumulated gasses in the soil into the atmosphere and it’s mostly CO2. It’s a good bet on how leaves developed high populations of stomata on the underside of leaves. As the water relaxes (the tide goes out) it sucks oxygenated air back into the soil to continue the functions of soil life respiration. The soil “breathes” albeit slowly.

The gasses produced by the Forest Walker’s internal combustion engine consist primarily of CO2 and H2O. Combusting sugars produce the same gasses that are needed to construct the sugars because the universe is funny like that. The Forest Walker is constantly laying down these critical construction elements right where the trees need them: close to the ground to be gobbled up by the trees.

The Branch Drones

During the last ice age, giant mammals populated North America - forests and otherwise. Mastodons, woolly mammoths, rhinos, short-faced bears, steppe bison, caribou, musk ox, giant beavers, camels, gigantic ground-dwelling sloths, glyptodons, and dire wolves were everywhere. Many were ten to fifteen feet tall. As they crashed through forests, they would effectively cleave off dead side-branches of trees, halting the spread of a ground-based fire migrating into the tree crown ("laddering") which is a death knell for a forest.

These animals are all extinct now and forests no longer have any manner of pruning services. But, if we build drones fitted with cutting implements like saws and loppers, optical cameras and AI trained to discern dead branches from living ones, these drones could effectively take over pruning services by identifying, cutting, and dropping to the forest floor, dead branches. The dropped branches simply get collected by the Forest Walker as part of its continual mission.

The drones dock on the back of the Forest Walker to recharge their batteries when low. The whole scene would look like a grazing cow with some flies bothering it. This activity breaks the link between a relatively cool ground based fire and the tree crowns and is a vital element in forest fire control.

The Bitcoin Miner

Mining is one of four monetary incentive models, making this system a possibility for development. The other three are US Dept. of the Interior, township, county, and electrical utility company easement contracts for fuel load management, global carbon credits trading, and data set sales. All the above depends on obvious questions getting answered. I will list some obvious ones, but this is not an engineering document and is not the place for spreadsheets. How much Bitcoin one Forest Walker can mine depends on everything else. What amount of biomass can we process? Will that biomass flow enough Syngas to keep the lights on? Can the chassis support enough mining ASICs and supporting infrastructure? What does that weigh and will it affect field performance? How much power can the AC generator produce?

Other questions that are more philosophical persist. Even if a single Forest Walker can only mine scant amounts of BTC per day, that pales to how much fuel material it can process into biochar. We are talking about millions upon millions of forested acres in need of fuel load management. What can a single Forest Walker do? I am not thinking in singular terms. The Forest Walker must operate as a fleet. What could 50 do? 500?

What is it worth providing a service to the world by managing forest fuel loads? Providing proof of work to the global monetary system? Seeding soil with drought and nutrient resilience by the excretion, over time, of carbon by the ton? What did the last forest fire cost?

The Mesh Network

What could be better than one bitcoin mining, carbon sequestering, forest fire squelching, soil amending behemoth? Thousands of them, but then they would need to be able to talk to each other to coordinate position, data handling, etc. Fitted with a mesh networking device, like goTenna or Meshtastic LoRa equipment enables each Forest Walker to communicate with each other.

Now we have an interconnected fleet of Forest Walkers relaying data to each other and more importantly, aggregating all of that to the last link in the chain for uplink. Well, at least Bitcoin mining data. Since block data is lightweight, transmission of these data via mesh networking in fairly close quartered environs is more than doable. So, how does data transmit to the Bitcoin Network? How do the Forest Walkers get the previous block data necessary to execute on mining?

Back To The Chain

Getting Bitcoin block data to and from the network is the last puzzle piece. The standing presumption here is that wherever a Forest Walker fleet is operating, it is NOT within cell tower range. We further presume that the nearest Walmart Wi-Fi is hours away. Enter the Blockstream Satellite or something like it.

A separate, ground-based drone will have two jobs: To stay as close to the nearest Forest Walker as it can and to provide an antennae for either terrestrial or orbital data uplink. Bitcoin-centric data is transmitted to the "uplink drone" via the mesh networked transmitters and then sent on to the uplink and the whole flow goes in the opposite direction as well; many to one and one to many.

We cannot transmit data to the Blockstream satellite, and it will be up to Blockstream and companies like it to provide uplink capabilities in the future and I don't doubt they will. Starlink you say? What’s stopping that company from filtering out block data? Nothing because it’s Starlink’s system and they could decide to censor these data. It seems we may have a problem sending and receiving Bitcoin data in back country environs.

But, then again, the utility of this system in staunching the fuel load that creates forest fires is extremely useful around forested communities and many have fiber, Wi-Fi and cell towers. These communities could be a welcoming ground zero for first deployments of the Forest Walker system by the home and business owners seeking fire repression. In the best way, Bitcoin subsidizes the safety of the communities.

Sensor Packages

LiDaR

The benefit of having a Forest Walker fleet strolling through the forest is the never ending opportunity for data gathering. A plethora of deployable sensors gathering hyper-accurate data on everything from temperature to topography is yet another revenue generator. Data is valuable and the Forest Walker could generate data sales to various government entities and private concerns.

LiDaR (Light Detection and Ranging) can map topography, perform biomass assessment, comparative soil erosion analysis, etc. It so happens that the Forest Walker’s ability to “see,” to navigate about its surroundings, is LiDaR driven and since it’s already being used, we can get double duty by harvesting that data for later use. By using a laser to send out light pulses and measuring the time it takes for the reflection of those pulses to return, very detailed data sets incrementally build up. Eventually, as enough data about a certain area becomes available, the data becomes useful and valuable.

Forestry concerns, both private and public, often use LiDaR to build 3D models of tree stands to assess the amount of harvest-able lumber in entire sections of forest. Consulting companies offering these services charge anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars per square kilometer for such services. A Forest Walker generating such assessments on the fly while performing its other functions is a multi-disciplinary approach to revenue generation.

pH, Soil Moisture, and Cation Exchange Sensing

The Forest Walker is quadrupedal, so there are four contact points to the soil. Why not get a pH data point for every step it takes? We can also gather soil moisture data and cation exchange capacities at unheard of densities because of sampling occurring on the fly during commission of the system’s other duties. No one is going to build a machine to do pH testing of vast tracts of forest soils, but that doesn’t make the data collected from such an endeavor valueless. Since the Forest Walker serves many functions at once, a multitude of data products can add to the return on investment component.

Weather Data

Temperature, humidity, pressure, and even data like evapotranspiration gathered at high densities on broad acre scales have untold value and because the sensors are lightweight and don’t require large power budgets, they come along for the ride at little cost. But, just like the old mantra, “gas, grass, or ass, nobody rides for free”, these sensors provide potential revenue benefits just by them being present.

I’ve touched on just a few data genres here. In fact, the question for universities, governmental bodies, and other institutions becomes, “How much will you pay us to attach your sensor payload to the Forest Walker?”

Noise Suppression

Only you can prevent Metallica filling the surrounds with 120 dB of sound. Easy enough, just turn the car stereo off. But what of a fleet of 50 Forest Walkers operating in the backcountry or near a township? 500? 5000? Each one has a wood chipper, an internal combustion engine, hydraulic pumps, actuators, and more cooling fans than you can shake a stick at. It’s a walking, screaming fire-breathing dragon operating continuously, day and night, twenty-four hours a day, three hundred sixty-five days a year. The sound will negatively affect all living things and that impacts behaviors. Serious engineering consideration and prowess must deliver a silencing blow to the major issue of noise.

It would be foolish to think that a fleet of Forest Walkers could be silent, but if not a major design consideration, then the entire idea is dead on arrival. Townships would not allow them to operate even if they solved the problem of widespread fuel load and neither would governmental entities, and rightly so. Nothing, not man nor beast, would want to be subjected to an eternal, infernal scream even if it were to end within days as the fleet moved further away after consuming what it could. Noise and heat are the only real pollutants of this system; taking noise seriously from the beginning is paramount.

Fire Safety

A “fire-breathing dragon” is not the worst description of the Forest Walker. It eats wood, combusts it at very high temperatures and excretes carbon; and it does so in an extremely flammable environment. Bad mix for one Forest Walker, worse for many. One must take extreme pains to ensure that during normal operation, a Forest Walker could fall over, walk through tinder dry brush, or get pounded into the ground by a meteorite from Krypton and it wouldn’t destroy epic swaths of trees and baby deer. I envision an ultimate test of a prototype to include dowsing it in grain alcohol while it’s wrapped up in toilet paper like a pledge at a fraternity party. If it runs for 72 hours and doesn’t set everything on fire, then maybe outside entities won’t be fearful of something that walks around forests with a constant fire in its belly.

The Wrap

How we think about what can be done with and adjacent to Bitcoin is at least as important as Bitcoin’s economic standing itself. For those who will tell me that this entire idea is without merit, I say, “OK, fine. You can come up with something, too.” What can we plug Bitcoin into that, like a battery, makes something that does not work, work? That’s the lesson I get from this entire exercise. No one was ever going to hire teams of humans to go out and "clean the forest". There's no money in that. The data collection and sales from such an endeavor might provide revenues over the break-even point but investment demands Alpha in this day and age. But, plug Bitcoin into an almost viable system and, voilà! We tip the scales to achieve lift-off.

Let’s face it, we haven’t scratched the surface of Bitcoin’s forcing function on our minds. Not because it’s Bitcoin, but because of what that invention means. The question that pushes me to approach things this way is, “what can we create that one system’s waste is another system’s feedstock?” The Forest Walker system’s only real waste is the conversion of low entropy energy (wood and syngas) into high entropy energy (heat and noise). All other output is beneficial to humanity.

Bitcoin, I believe, is the first product of a new mode of human imagination. An imagination newly forged over the past few millennia of being lied to, stolen from, distracted and otherwise mis-allocated to a black hole of the nonsensical. We are waking up.

What I have presented is not science fiction. Everything I have described here is well within the realm of possibility. The question is one of viability, at least in terms of the detritus of the old world we find ourselves departing from. This system would take a non-trivial amount of time and resources to develop. I think the system would garner extensive long-term contracts from those who have the most to lose from wildfires, the most to gain from hyperaccurate data sets, and, of course, securing the most precious asset in the world. Many may not see it that way, for they seek Alpha and are therefore blind to other possibilities. Others will see only the possibilities; of thinking in a new way, of looking at things differently, and dreaming of what comes next.

@ 3953682d:41740052

Luck8 là nền tảng giải trí kỹ thuật số tiên tiến, mang đến trải nghiệm tối ưu với giao diện trực quan, tốc độ truy cập nhanh và khả năng vận hành mượt mà trên mọi thiết bị. Với thiết kế thông minh, nền tảng này giúp người dùng dễ dàng thao tác, tận hưởng không gian giải trí một cách liền mạch và tiện lợi. Đặc biệt, Luck8 không ngừng cải tiến và cập nhật những công nghệ mới nhất, đảm bảo sự linh hoạt và đa dạng trong trải nghiệm, đáp ứng nhu cầu của đông đảo người dùng.

Bảo mật là một trong những ưu tiên hàng đầu của LUCK8, với hệ thống mã hóa nhiều lớp giúp bảo vệ dữ liệu cá nhân và thông tin người dùng một cách tuyệt đối. Công nghệ bảo mật hiện đại giúp ngăn chặn mọi rủi ro liên quan đến an ninh mạng, mang đến một môi trường trải nghiệm an toàn và đáng tin cậy. Luck8 cam kết duy trì tính minh bạch, giúp người dùng hoàn toàn yên tâm khi sử dụng nền tảng mà không cần lo lắng về vấn đề bảo mật hay quyền riêng tư.

Ngoài những yếu tố công nghệ hiện đại, Luck8 còn nổi bật với dịch vụ chăm sóc khách hàng chuyên nghiệp, hoạt động 24/7 để hỗ trợ và giải đáp mọi thắc mắc một cách nhanh chóng. Đội ngũ nhân viên tận tâm luôn sẵn sàng hỗ trợ bất cứ khi nào người dùng cần, đảm bảo mang lại sự hài lòng tối đa. Sự chuyên nghiệp trong dịch vụ khách hàng giúp Luck8 không ngừng nâng cao chất lượng trải nghiệm, mang đến sự an tâm và tiện lợi cho cộng đồng người dùng.

Luck8 còn sở hữu hệ sinh thái giải trí phong phú với nội dung đa dạng, luôn được cập nhật để đảm bảo sự mới mẻ và hấp dẫn. Người dùng có thể dễ dàng tìm thấy những nội dung phù hợp với sở thích của mình, tạo nên những khoảnh khắc thư giãn thú vị. Nền tảng này không ngừng mở rộng, bổ sung thêm nhiều lựa chọn giải trí chất lượng, mang đến sự linh hoạt và sáng tạo trong trải nghiệm của người dùng.

Với sự kết hợp giữa công nghệ tiên tiến, hệ thống bảo mật vững chắc và dịch vụ chăm sóc khách hàng tận tâm, Luck8 tiếp tục khẳng định vị thế của mình trong lĩnh vực giải trí kỹ thuật số. Không ngừng đổi mới và nâng cấp, nền tảng này đã trở thành lựa chọn lý tưởng cho những ai đang tìm kiếm một môi trường giải trí hiện đại, an toàn và đáng tin cậy. Luck8 không chỉ cung cấp trải nghiệm chất lượng cao mà còn cam kết mang đến sự tin cậy, minh bạch và dịch vụ hoàn hảo cho mọi người dùng.

@ 5a261a61:2ebd4480

Let’s be real—sticking to anything for 90 days is like trying to herd cats on espresso. You start strong, then life happens: kids, chores, or that one glass of wine that makes you forget foot rubs (#relatable). But here’s the thing: 90-day challenges aren’t about perfection. They’re about bribing your lizard brain with rewards and scaring it straight with punishments.

The Game Plan

First, pick a thing—something that makes you feel like a devoted servant or a slightly frazzled superhero. Daily foot care? Chores with a side of #FLR flair? Cool. Now, break it into chunks: 30 days (survival mode), 60 days (grind phase), and 90 days (victory lap).

Keeping up something for so long is no joke. That's why you need those little checkpoints along the way. Each milestone should feel special—30 days deserves celebration, 60 days something more meaningful, and 90 days? That's your victory dance moment.

Reality check: some days will suck, and you'll want to skip. That's where having everything planned out helps. When your brain is foggy and you're tired, you don't want to be negotiating with yourself about what counts and what doesn't. The hardest part isn't even doing the thing—it's remembering to do it every single day, until it feels wrong NOT to do it.

Why It (Maybe) Works

Three months is long enough for habits to stick, short enough to see the finish line. Plus, tying it to power exchange? Genius. Every foot rub or denied cum becomes a ritual, proof you're leveling up as a sub/human/slightly-messy adult. And let's be honest—nothing fuels devotion like a mix of structure, desperation, and the occasional humiliating punishment.

Current run

My current challenge is to get my wife/godess/object of my insatiable kinky thoughts/partner feet massaged with special cream. It's for making evyrthing soft, help nails and yadayadayada. Basically preping her feet for more instensive worshiping. She doesn't know my hidden agenda and I am not sure if I would really be into it, since I am more into being her devout toy than having foot fetish, but I think it will be all the same if I put myself juuust right. So for my rewards I have planned these? - 30 days: Tiny dopamine hit. (making little photoset of Her feet playing with my hardon… for science.)
- 60 days: Mid-tier flex. (cleaning mushed banana split off Her toes tongue only)
- 90 days: Go nuclear. (a tiny foot spa whirpool because She deserves it, damn it :D and it will create more opportunities for... you know )

As for the hhip part of the sugar duo... It was easy having one for my shaving rutine, but here? Not sure and it's bad that I ave started challenge without having them prepared... May be that warrant more punishment?

TL;DR

90-day challenges are the BDSM of self-improvement: consensual, slightly painful, and weirdly addictive. Fail? Reset, adapt, try again. Win? Congrats, you’re now 10% more disciplined and 100% more bumptious on Nostr.

90days #FLR #LostCauseButStillTrying #femdom

@ 85bdb587:7339d672

Chart of the Day

While this is a bitcoin focused rag, I think it is important for any of you who read this to begin paying attention to gold markets if you haven't already. There has been an ongoing exodus of physical gold from London vaults and a rapid acceleration of gold being moved to the three biggest vaults in the United States in recent weeks. More gold has flooded into the US vaults over the first two months of this year than at the peak of the flight to safety during the beginning of the COVID lock downs.

This is particularly perplexing considering the fact that equities are flat or up on the year, depending on the index you like to follow. Gold outperformed the S&P 500 significantly in 2024 and its momentum hasn't slowed down a bit in 2025 as the precious metal consistently hits new all time highs. The current correlation to the S&P 500 has only happened two times in history; right now and October of 2007.

Institutional investors and nation states are piling into gold at an unprecedented pace. This signals that they are preparing for something to break. The catalysts for the exodus of gold from London to the US and from paper gold to physical gold are fears over Trump's tariffs, institutions and governments preparing for a potential monetary reset, and fears of a looming liquidity crisis as liquidity in the reverse repo market dries up. Uncertainty and chaos rule the day and we are witnessing a flight to safety.

Many of you are probably asking, "Why isn't bitcoin moving?!" That's a good question. Considering everything mentioned above one would think that bitcoin would be on the move toward new all time highs as well. Having been following bitcoin for twelve years your Uncle Marty has developed some pattern recognition when it comes to this market. Upward bitcoin price movements typically happen in a staircase fashion. Meaning that it trends up and to the right over the long-run with quick bursts to higher levels followed by small corrections and consolidation periods. If I had to guess, we are currently in a consolidation period that should come to an end at some point in the next few months. In recent years, gold has moved higher first and bitcoin has followed. Typically outperforming gold significantly. I find it hard to believe that this relationship is going to end any time soon. Especially considering the geopolitical and economic backdrop.

Luke Gromen Warns Bitcoin Holders: Historical Currency Revaluations Show Speed Matters

During my recent conversation with Luke Gromen, he raised a sobering point about the velocity of monetary regime changes. Drawing from historical examples, including a Ukrainian family who saw their savings devalue from "five cars to one month's groceries" over a single weekend, Luke emphasized that Americans are uniquely blind to how quickly these transitions can occur. The current stress in our financial system - from Treasury market dynamics to global trade tensions - suggests we're approaching a similar inflection point.

*"What if they do it on Friday night like they did with Trump coin and you wake up and gold's up 1,000% by the time you're up on Saturday morning, what are you going to do? You're going to sell your bonds and buy gold on Saturday?"* - Luke Gromen

This warning shouldn't be taken lightly. Those waiting for clear signals before acquiring bitcoin may find themselves locked out of the transition entirely. Luke's analysis suggests that rather than a gradual shift, we're more likely to see a compressed timeframe where major monetary changes happen over days or weeks, not months or years. The recent Trump coin phenomenon, while different in nature, demonstrates how quickly markets can move when sentiment shifts dramatically.

TLDR: Major monetary changes happen fast - don't wait to stack sats.

Check out the full podcast here for more on DeepSeek's impact on AI markets, Colombia's trade negotiations, and Scott Percent's three arrows for economic reform.

Headlines of the Day

U.S. Faces $1.67B Annual Cost Spike on Single Bond Rollover - via X

BlackRock: Bitcoin is Monetary Hedge, Ethereum is Tech Play - via X

Lummis: SBR Could Slash U.S. Debt by 50% in Two Decades - via X

Fold Launches Bitcoin Rewards Visa Credit Card - via Business Wire

Obscura VPN launches with a MacOS product - via nobsbitcoin.com

Bitcoin Lesson of the Day

The SegWit (Segregated Witness) upgrade in August 2017 made two key changes to Bitcoin. First, it moved transaction signatures to a separate part of the data, fixing "transaction malleability" by preventing nodes from modifying transaction IDs. Second, it increased effective block capacity by introducing "weight units" that gave signature data a 75% discount, allowing blocks to grow from 1MB to about 1.8MB.

As a "soft fork," SegWit remained compatible with older Bitcoin software. The upgrade activated at block 481,824 after 95% of miners signaled support. This approach allowed Bitcoin to increase capacity and fix technical issues while maintaining network compatibility.

SegWit - Learnmeabitcoin.com

ICYMI Fold opened the waiting list for the new Bitcoin Rewards Credit Card. Fold cardholders will get unlimited 2% cash back in sats.

Get on the waiting list now before it fills up!

$200k worth of prizes are up for grabs . The Fold Bitcoin Rewards Credit Card waitlist is live!

Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed $150M across 30+ companies through three funds. I am a Managing Partner at Ten31 and am very proud of the work we are doing. Learn more at ten31.vc/funds.

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@ 6389be64:ef439d32

Bitcoin is more than money, more than an asset, and more than a store of value. Bitcoin is a Prime Mover, an enabler and it ignites imaginations. It certainly fueled an idea in my mind. The idea integrates sensors, computational prowess, actuated machinery, power conversion, and electronic communications to form an autonomous, machined creature roaming forests and harvesting the most widespread and least energy-dense fuel source available. I call it the Forest Walker and it eats wood, and mines Bitcoin.

I know what you're thinking. Why not just put Bitcoin mining rigs where they belong: in a hosted facility sporting electricity from energy-dense fuels like natural gas, climate-controlled with excellent data piping in and out? Why go to all the trouble building a robot that digests wood creating flammable gasses fueling an engine to run a generator powering Bitcoin miners? It's all about synergy.

Bitcoin mining enables the realization of multiple, seemingly unrelated, yet useful activities. Activities considered un-profitable if not for Bitcoin as the Prime Mover. This is much more than simply mining the greatest asset ever conceived by humankind. It’s about the power of synergy, which Bitcoin plays only one of many roles. The synergy created by this system can stabilize forests' fire ecology while generating multiple income streams. That’s the realistic goal here and requires a brief history of American Forest management before continuing.

Smokey The Bear

In 1944, the Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention Campaign began in the United States. “Only YOU can prevent forest fires” remains the refrain of the Ad Council’s longest running campaign. The Ad Council is a U.S. non-profit set up by the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Association of National Advertisers in 1942. It would seem that the U.S. Department of the Interior was concerned about pesky forest fires and wanted them to stop. So, alongside a national policy of extreme fire suppression they enlisted the entire U.S. population to get onboard via the Ad Council and it worked. Forest fires were almost obliterated and everyone was happy, right? Wrong.

Smokey is a fantastically successful bear so forest fires became so few for so long that the fuel load - dead wood - in forests has become very heavy. So heavy that when a fire happens (and they always happen) it destroys everything in its path because the more fuel there is the hotter that fire becomes. Trees, bushes, shrubs, and all other plant life cannot escape destruction (not to mention homes and businesses). The soil microbiology doesn’t escape either as it is burned away even in deeper soils. To add insult to injury, hydrophobic waxy residues condense on the soil surface, forcing water to travel over the ground rather than through it eroding forest soils. Good job, Smokey. Well done, Sir!

Most terrestrial ecologies are “fire ecologies”. Fire is a part of these systems’ fuel load and pest management. Before we pretended to “manage” millions of acres of forest, fires raged over the world, rarely damaging forests. The fuel load was always too light to generate fires hot enough to moonscape mountainsides. Fires simply burned off the minor amounts of fuel accumulated since the fire before. The lighter heat, smoke, and other combustion gasses suppressed pests, keeping them in check and the smoke condensed into a plant growth accelerant called wood vinegar, not a waxy cap on the soil. These fires also cleared out weak undergrowth, cycled minerals, and thinned the forest canopy, allowing sunlight to penetrate to the forest floor. Without a fire’s heat, many pine tree species can’t sow their seed. The heat is required to open the cones (the seed bearing structure) of Spruce, Cypress, Sequoia, Jack Pine, Lodgepole Pine and many more. Without fire forests can’t have babies. The idea was to protect the forests, and it isn't working.

So, in a world of fire, what does an ally look like and what does it do?

Meet The Forest Walker

For the Forest Walker to work as a mobile, autonomous unit, a solid platform that can carry several hundred pounds is required. It so happens this chassis already exists but shelved.

Introducing the Legged Squad Support System (LS3). A joint project between Boston Dynamics, DARPA, and the United States Marine Corps, the quadrupedal robot is the size of a cow, can carry 400 pounds (180 kg) of equipment, negotiate challenging terrain, and operate for 24 hours before needing to refuel. Yes, it had an engine. Abandoned in 2015, the thing was too noisy for military deployment and maintenance "under fire" is never a high-quality idea. However, we can rebuild it to act as a platform for the Forest Walker; albeit with serious alterations. It would need to be bigger, probably. Carry more weight? Definitely. Maybe replace structural metal with carbon fiber and redesign much as 3D printable parts for more effective maintenance.

The original system has a top operational speed of 8 miles per hour. For our purposes, it only needs to move about as fast as a grazing ruminant. Without the hammering vibrations of galloping into battle, shocks of exploding mortars, and drunken soldiers playing "Wrangler of Steel Machines", time between failures should be much longer and the overall energy consumption much lower. The LS3 is a solid platform to build upon. Now it just needs to be pulled out of the mothballs, and completely refitted with outboard equipment.

The Small Branch Chipper

When I say “Forest fuel load” I mean the dead, carbon containing litter on the forest floor. Duff (leaves), fine-woody debris (small branches), and coarse woody debris (logs) are the fuel that feeds forest fires. Walk through any forest in the United States today and you will see quite a lot of these materials. Too much, as I have described. Some of these fuel loads can be 8 tons per acre in pine and hardwood forests and up to 16 tons per acre at active logging sites. That’s some big wood and the more that collects, the more combustible danger to the forest it represents. It also provides a technically unlimited fuel supply for the Forest Walker system.

The problem is that this detritus has to be chewed into pieces that are easily ingestible by the system for the gasification process (we’ll get to that step in a minute). What we need is a wood chipper attached to the chassis (the LS3); its “mouth”.

A small wood chipper handling material up to 2.5 - 3.0 inches (6.3 - 7.6 cm) in diameter would eliminate a substantial amount of fuel. There is no reason for Forest Walker to remove fallen trees. It wouldn’t have to in order to make a real difference. It need only identify appropriately sized branches and grab them. Once loaded into the chipper’s intake hopper for further processing, the beast can immediately look for more “food”. This is essentially kindling that would help ignite larger logs. If it’s all consumed by Forest Walker, then it’s not present to promote an aggravated conflagration.

I have glossed over an obvious question: How does Forest Walker see and identify branches and such? LiDaR (Light Detection and Ranging) attached to Forest Walker images the local area and feed those data to onboard computers for processing. Maybe AI plays a role. Maybe simple machine learning can do the trick. One thing is for certain: being able to identify a stick and cause robotic appendages to pick it up is not impossible.

Great! We now have a quadrupedal robot autonomously identifying and “eating” dead branches and other light, combustible materials. Whilst strolling through the forest, depleting future fires of combustibles, Forest Walker has already performed a major function of this system: making the forest safer. It's time to convert this low-density fuel into a high-density fuel Forest Walker can leverage. Enter the gasification process.

The Gassifier

The gasifier is the heart of the entire system; it’s where low-density fuel becomes the high-density fuel that powers the entire system. Biochar and wood vinegar are process wastes and I’ll discuss why both are powerful soil amendments in a moment, but first, what’s gasification?

Reacting shredded carbonaceous material at high temperatures in a low or no oxygen environment converts the biomass into biochar, wood vinegar, heat, and Synthesis Gas (Syngas). Syngas consists primarily of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane. All of which are extremely useful fuels in a gaseous state. Part of this gas is used to heat the input biomass and keep the reaction temperature constant while the internal combustion engine that drives the generator to produce electrical power consumes the rest.

Critically, this gasification process is “continuous feed”. Forest Walker must intake biomass from the chipper, process it to fuel, and dump the waste (CO2, heat, biochar, and wood vinegar) continuously. It cannot stop. Everything about this system depends upon this continual grazing, digestion, and excretion of wastes just as a ruminal does. And, like a ruminant, all waste products enhance the local environment.

When I first heard of gasification, I didn’t believe that it was real. Running an electric generator from burning wood seemed more akin to “conspiracy fantasy” than science. Not only is gasification real, it’s ancient technology. A man named Dean Clayton first started experiments on gasification in 1699 and in 1901 gasification was used to power a vehicle. By the end of World War II, there were 500,000 Syngas powered vehicles in Germany alone because of fossil fuel rationing during the war. The global gasification market was $480 billion in 2022 and projected to be as much as $700 billion by 2030 (Vantage Market Research). Gasification technology is the best choice to power the Forest Walker because it’s self-contained and we want its waste products.

Biochar: The Waste

Biochar (AKA agricultural charcoal) is fairly simple: it’s almost pure, solid carbon that resembles charcoal. Its porous nature packs large surface areas into small, 3 dimensional nuggets. Devoid of most other chemistry, like hydrocarbons (methane) and ash (minerals), biochar is extremely lightweight. Do not confuse it with the charcoal you buy for your grill. Biochar doesn’t make good grilling charcoal because it would burn too rapidly as it does not contain the multitude of flammable components that charcoal does. Biochar has several other good use cases. Water filtration, water retention, nutrient retention, providing habitat for microscopic soil organisms, and carbon sequestration are the main ones that we are concerned with here.

Carbon has an amazing ability to adsorb (substances stick to and accumulate on the surface of an object) manifold chemistries. Water, nutrients, and pollutants tightly bind to carbon in this format. So, biochar makes a respectable filter and acts as a “battery” of water and nutrients in soils. Biochar adsorbs and holds on to seven times its weight in water. Soil containing biochar is more drought resilient than soil without it. Adsorbed nutrients, tightly sequestered alongside water, get released only as plants need them. Plants must excrete protons (H+) from their roots to disgorge water or positively charged nutrients from the biochar's surface; it's an active process.

Biochar’s surface area (where adsorption happens) can be 500 square meters per gram or more. That is 10% larger than an official NBA basketball court for every gram of biochar. Biochar’s abundant surface area builds protective habitats for soil microbes like fungi and bacteria and many are critical for the health and productivity of the soil itself.

The “carbon sequestration” component of biochar comes into play where “carbon credits” are concerned. There is a financial market for carbon. Not leveraging that market for revenue is foolish. I am climate agnostic. All I care about is that once solid carbon is inside the soil, it will stay there for thousands of years, imparting drought resiliency, fertility collection, nutrient buffering, and release for that time span. I simply want as much solid carbon in the soil because of the undeniably positive effects it has, regardless of any climactic considerations.

Wood Vinegar: More Waste

Another by-product of the gasification process is wood vinegar (Pyroligneous acid). If you have ever seen Liquid Smoke in the grocery store, then you have seen wood vinegar. Principally composed of acetic acid, acetone, and methanol wood vinegar also contains ~200 other organic compounds. It would seem intuitive that condensed, liquefied wood smoke would at least be bad for the health of all living things if not downright carcinogenic. The counter intuition wins the day, however. Wood vinegar has been used by humans for a very long time to promote digestion, bowel, and liver health; combat diarrhea and vomiting; calm peptic ulcers and regulate cholesterol levels; and a host of other benefits.

For centuries humans have annually burned off hundreds of thousands of square miles of pasture, grassland, forest, and every other conceivable terrestrial ecosystem. Why is this done? After every burn, one thing becomes obvious: the almost supernatural growth these ecosystems exhibit after the burn. How? Wood vinegar is a component of this growth. Even in open burns, smoke condenses and infiltrates the soil. That is when wood vinegar shows its quality.

This stuff beefs up not only general plant growth but seed germination as well and possesses many other qualities that are beneficial to plants. It’s a pesticide, fungicide, promotes beneficial soil microorganisms, enhances nutrient uptake, and imparts disease resistance. I am barely touching a long list of attributes here, but you want wood vinegar in your soil (alongside biochar because it adsorbs wood vinegar as well).

The Internal Combustion Engine

Conversion of grazed forage to chemical, then mechanical, and then electrical energy completes the cycle. The ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) converts the gaseous fuel output from the gasifier to mechanical energy, heat, water vapor, and CO2. It’s the mechanical energy of a rotating drive shaft that we want. That rotation drives the electric generator, which is the heartbeat we need to bring this monster to life. Luckily for us, combined internal combustion engine and generator packages are ubiquitous, delivering a defined energy output given a constant fuel input. It’s the simplest part of the system.

The obvious question here is whether the amount of syngas provided by the gasification process will provide enough energy to generate enough electrons to run the entire system or not. While I have no doubt the energy produced will run Forest Walker's main systems the question is really about the electrons left over. Will it be enough to run the Bitcoin mining aspect of the system? Everything is a budget.

CO2 Production For Growth

Plants are lollipops. No matter if it’s a tree or a bush or a shrubbery, the entire thing is mostly sugar in various formats but mostly long chain carbohydrates like lignin and cellulose. Plants need three things to make sugar: CO2, H2O and light. In a forest, where tree densities can be quite high, CO2 availability becomes a limiting growth factor. It’d be in the forest interests to have more available CO2 providing for various sugar formation providing the organism with food and structure.

An odd thing about tree leaves, the openings that allow gasses like the ever searched for CO2 are on the bottom of the leaf (these are called stomata). Not many stomata are topside. This suggests that trees and bushes have evolved to find gasses like CO2 from below, not above and this further suggests CO2 might be in higher concentrations nearer the soil.

The soil life (bacterial, fungi etc.) is constantly producing enormous amounts of CO2 and it would stay in the soil forever (eventually killing the very soil life that produces it) if not for tidal forces. Water is everywhere and whether in pools, lakes, oceans or distributed in “moist” soils water moves towards to the moon. The water in the soil and also in the water tables below the soil rise toward the surface every day. When the water rises, it expels the accumulated gasses in the soil into the atmosphere and it’s mostly CO2. It’s a good bet on how leaves developed high populations of stomata on the underside of leaves. As the water relaxes (the tide goes out) it sucks oxygenated air back into the soil to continue the functions of soil life respiration. The soil “breathes” albeit slowly.

The gasses produced by the Forest Walker’s internal combustion engine consist primarily of CO2 and H2O. Combusting sugars produce the same gasses that are needed to construct the sugars because the universe is funny like that. The Forest Walker is constantly laying down these critical construction elements right where the trees need them: close to the ground to be gobbled up by the trees.

The Branch Drones

During the last ice age, giant mammals populated North America - forests and otherwise. Mastodons, woolly mammoths, rhinos, short-faced bears, steppe bison, caribou, musk ox, giant beavers, camels, gigantic ground-dwelling sloths, glyptodons, and dire wolves were everywhere. Many were ten to fifteen feet tall. As they crashed through forests, they would effectively cleave off dead side-branches of trees, halting the spread of a ground-based fire migrating into the tree crown ("laddering") which is a death knell for a forest.

These animals are all extinct now and forests no longer have any manner of pruning services. But, if we build drones fitted with cutting implements like saws and loppers, optical cameras and AI trained to discern dead branches from living ones, these drones could effectively take over pruning services by identifying, cutting, and dropping to the forest floor, dead branches. The dropped branches simply get collected by the Forest Walker as part of its continual mission.

The drones dock on the back of the Forest Walker to recharge their batteries when low. The whole scene would look like a grazing cow with some flies bothering it. This activity breaks the link between a relatively cool ground based fire and the tree crowns and is a vital element in forest fire control.

The Bitcoin Miner

Mining is one of four monetary incentive models, making this system a possibility for development. The other three are US Dept. of the Interior, township, county, and electrical utility company easement contracts for fuel load management, global carbon credits trading, and data set sales. All the above depends on obvious questions getting answered. I will list some obvious ones, but this is not an engineering document and is not the place for spreadsheets. How much Bitcoin one Forest Walker can mine depends on everything else. What amount of biomass can we process? Will that biomass flow enough Syngas to keep the lights on? Can the chassis support enough mining ASICs and supporting infrastructure? What does that weigh and will it affect field performance? How much power can the AC generator produce?

Other questions that are more philosophical persist. Even if a single Forest Walker can only mine scant amounts of BTC per day, that pales to how much fuel material it can process into biochar. We are talking about millions upon millions of forested acres in need of fuel load management. What can a single Forest Walker do? I am not thinking in singular terms. The Forest Walker must operate as a fleet. What could 50 do? 500?

What is it worth providing a service to the world by managing forest fuel loads? Providing proof of work to the global monetary system? Seeding soil with drought and nutrient resilience by the excretion, over time, of carbon by the ton? What did the last forest fire cost?

The Mesh Network

What could be better than one bitcoin mining, carbon sequestering, forest fire squelching, soil amending behemoth? Thousands of them, but then they would need to be able to talk to each other to coordinate position, data handling, etc. Fitted with a mesh networking device, like goTenna or Meshtastic LoRa equipment enables each Forest Walker to communicate with each other.

Now we have an interconnected fleet of Forest Walkers relaying data to each other and more importantly, aggregating all of that to the last link in the chain for uplink. Well, at least Bitcoin mining data. Since block data is lightweight, transmission of these data via mesh networking in fairly close quartered environs is more than doable. So, how does data transmit to the Bitcoin Network? How do the Forest Walkers get the previous block data necessary to execute on mining?

Back To The Chain

Getting Bitcoin block data to and from the network is the last puzzle piece. The standing presumption here is that wherever a Forest Walker fleet is operating, it is NOT within cell tower range. We further presume that the nearest Walmart Wi-Fi is hours away. Enter the Blockstream Satellite or something like it.

A separate, ground-based drone will have two jobs: To stay as close to the nearest Forest Walker as it can and to provide an antennae for either terrestrial or orbital data uplink. Bitcoin-centric data is transmitted to the "uplink drone" via the mesh networked transmitters and then sent on to the uplink and the whole flow goes in the opposite direction as well; many to one and one to many.

We cannot transmit data to the Blockstream satellite, and it will be up to Blockstream and companies like it to provide uplink capabilities in the future and I don't doubt they will. Starlink you say? What’s stopping that company from filtering out block data? Nothing because it’s Starlink’s system and they could decide to censor these data. It seems we may have a problem sending and receiving Bitcoin data in back country environs.

But, then again, the utility of this system in staunching the fuel load that creates forest fires is extremely useful around forested communities and many have fiber, Wi-Fi and cell towers. These communities could be a welcoming ground zero for first deployments of the Forest Walker system by the home and business owners seeking fire repression. In the best way, Bitcoin subsidizes the safety of the communities.

Sensor Packages

LiDaR

The benefit of having a Forest Walker fleet strolling through the forest is the never ending opportunity for data gathering. A plethora of deployable sensors gathering hyper-accurate data on everything from temperature to topography is yet another revenue generator. Data is valuable and the Forest Walker could generate data sales to various government entities and private concerns.

LiDaR (Light Detection and Ranging) can map topography, perform biomass assessment, comparative soil erosion analysis, etc. It so happens that the Forest Walker’s ability to “see,” to navigate about its surroundings, is LiDaR driven and since it’s already being used, we can get double duty by harvesting that data for later use. By using a laser to send out light pulses and measuring the time it takes for the reflection of those pulses to return, very detailed data sets incrementally build up. Eventually, as enough data about a certain area becomes available, the data becomes useful and valuable.

Forestry concerns, both private and public, often use LiDaR to build 3D models of tree stands to assess the amount of harvest-able lumber in entire sections of forest. Consulting companies offering these services charge anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars per square kilometer for such services. A Forest Walker generating such assessments on the fly while performing its other functions is a multi-disciplinary approach to revenue generation.

pH, Soil Moisture, and Cation Exchange Sensing

The Forest Walker is quadrupedal, so there are four contact points to the soil. Why not get a pH data point for every step it takes? We can also gather soil moisture data and cation exchange capacities at unheard of densities because of sampling occurring on the fly during commission of the system’s other duties. No one is going to build a machine to do pH testing of vast tracts of forest soils, but that doesn’t make the data collected from such an endeavor valueless. Since the Forest Walker serves many functions at once, a multitude of data products can add to the return on investment component.

Weather Data

Temperature, humidity, pressure, and even data like evapotranspiration gathered at high densities on broad acre scales have untold value and because the sensors are lightweight and don’t require large power budgets, they come along for the ride at little cost. But, just like the old mantra, “gas, grass, or ass, nobody rides for free”, these sensors provide potential revenue benefits just by them being present.

I’ve touched on just a few data genres here. In fact, the question for universities, governmental bodies, and other institutions becomes, “How much will you pay us to attach your sensor payload to the Forest Walker?”

Noise Suppression

Only you can prevent Metallica filling the surrounds with 120 dB of sound. Easy enough, just turn the car stereo off. But what of a fleet of 50 Forest Walkers operating in the backcountry or near a township? 500? 5000? Each one has a wood chipper, an internal combustion engine, hydraulic pumps, actuators, and more cooling fans than you can shake a stick at. It’s a walking, screaming fire-breathing dragon operating continuously, day and night, twenty-four hours a day, three hundred sixty-five days a year. The sound will negatively affect all living things and that impacts behaviors. Serious engineering consideration and prowess must deliver a silencing blow to the major issue of noise.

It would be foolish to think that a fleet of Forest Walkers could be silent, but if not a major design consideration, then the entire idea is dead on arrival. Townships would not allow them to operate even if they solved the problem of widespread fuel load and neither would governmental entities, and rightly so. Nothing, not man nor beast, would want to be subjected to an eternal, infernal scream even if it were to end within days as the fleet moved further away after consuming what it could. Noise and heat are the only real pollutants of this system; taking noise seriously from the beginning is paramount.

Fire Safety

A “fire-breathing dragon” is not the worst description of the Forest Walker. It eats wood, combusts it at very high temperatures and excretes carbon; and it does so in an extremely flammable environment. Bad mix for one Forest Walker, worse for many. One must take extreme pains to ensure that during normal operation, a Forest Walker could fall over, walk through tinder dry brush, or get pounded into the ground by a meteorite from Krypton and it wouldn’t destroy epic swaths of trees and baby deer. I envision an ultimate test of a prototype to include dowsing it in grain alcohol while it’s wrapped up in toilet paper like a pledge at a fraternity party. If it runs for 72 hours and doesn’t set everything on fire, then maybe outside entities won’t be fearful of something that walks around forests with a constant fire in its belly.

The Wrap

How we think about what can be done with and adjacent to Bitcoin is at least as important as Bitcoin’s economic standing itself. For those who will tell me that this entire idea is without merit, I say, “OK, fine. You can come up with something, too.” What can we plug Bitcoin into that, like a battery, makes something that does not work, work? That’s the lesson I get from this entire exercise. No one was ever going to hire teams of humans to go out and "clean the forest". There's no money in that. The data collection and sales from such an endeavor might provide revenues over the break-even point but investment demands Alpha in this day and age. But, plug Bitcoin into an almost viable system and, voilà! We tip the scales to achieve lift-off.

Let’s face it, we haven’t scratched the surface of Bitcoin’s forcing function on our minds. Not because it’s Bitcoin, but because of what that invention means. The question that pushes me to approach things this way is, “what can we create that one system’s waste is another system’s feedstock?” The Forest Walker system’s only real waste is the conversion of low entropy energy (wood and syngas) into high entropy energy (heat and noise). All other output is beneficial to humanity.

Bitcoin, I believe, is the first product of a new mode of human imagination. An imagination newly forged over the past few millennia of being lied to, stolen from, distracted and otherwise mis-allocated to a black hole of the nonsensical. We are waking up.

What I have presented is not science fiction. Everything I have described here is well within the realm of possibility. The question is one of viability, at least in terms of the detritus of the old world we find ourselves departing from. This system would take a non-trivial amount of time and resources to develop. I think the system would garner extensive long-term contracts from those who have the most to lose from wildfires, the most to gain from hyperaccurate data sets, and, of course, securing the most precious asset in the world. Many may not see it that way, for they seek Alpha and are therefore blind to other possibilities. Others will see only the possibilities; of thinking in a new way, of looking at things differently, and dreaming of what comes next.

@ 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. 🐶🐾🫡🚀🚀🚀

@ 0271e1b9:ad8cff90

I study the greats. For if and when I find myself beaten down into the gutters of life - the vile, bile and the mundane - I shall draw strength from other great men - past, present and future - who, quite often, faced many more adversities and a lot more suffering, but chose to use them to their advantage, to overcome their dire circumstances and rise above the afflictions that life had bestowed upon them. It’s all been done before. It can be done again, better.

Learning from the past and from the present is very straightforward. Anyone can do that. But how does one learn from the future? It’s simple: you envision the best possible future for humanity, for generations to come, and for yourself. Then you figure out an approximate path on how to get there, and what kind of a man or a woman you must be to walk that path. The skills, the mindset, the qualities. And lastly, but perhaps most importantly, you find actionable measures, habits, convictions on how to become that person - and conversely, what are stopping you from becoming that person.

“You must value learning above everything else.”

― Robert Greene

“Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'.”

― Viktor E. Frankl

“You need to look at all events as having value. If you can do that, then you’re in a zone of tremendous opportunity.”

― Phil Stutz

“I shall take the more pains to uncover the fountains of philosophy, from which all my eloquence has taken its rise.”

― Marcus Tullius Cicero

“Error correction is the basis of all intelligence.”

― Jeff Booth

“Yes, you’re likely to fail, that’s fine. Because the goal of playing is not to win, but to keep learning. And the day you stop learning is the day you stop living."

― Jesse Enkamp

"A man is great not because he hasn't failed; a man is great because failure hasn't stopped him."

— Confucius

“If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all.”

― Michelangelo

“First of all we have to decide what we are to do and what manner of men we wish to be - the most difficult problem in the world.”

― Marcus Tullius Cicero

“You either bleed soul into your work, or let the work bleed out your soul.”

― Pran Yoganthan

"The Stoic philosopher is the man who has liberated himself from fear. He’s not afraid of death, he’s not afraid of pain, he’s not afraid of other people’s dismissal as a fool. The only thing he cares about is that he should meet his moral obligations.”

― Michael Sugrue

"The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must."

― Thucydides

“The brain is the most powerful weapon in the world.”

― David Goggins

“Man, the bravest of animals, and the one most accustomed to suffering, does not repudiate suffering as such; he desires it, he even seeks it out, provided he is shown a meaning for it, a purpose of suffering. The meaninglessness of suffering, not suffering itself, was the curse that lay over mankind so far.”

― Friedrich Nietzsche

"Consciousness is awareness with a choice."

― Thomas Campbell

“The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.”

― Epictetus

“It’s most real, it’s most good and it’s most salvific - it saves you, it transforms you. That’s the sacred.”

— John Vervaeke

“It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.”

― Epictetus

“Evolution is a process of iteration. There’s no master plan. It’s in each moment of what happens.”

― Michael Behrens

“Don’t follow anybody and don’t accept anyone as a teacher, except when you become your own teacher and disciple.”

― Jiddu Krishnamurti

“This is your life. You’re accountable. What are you gonna do about that?”

― James Hollis

By the way, if you enjoyed these quotes, feel free to follow a little side project of mine: Stoic Resurrection

Peace & Love,

Kontext

Block height 881,748

@ 94a6a78a:0ddf320e

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@ d360efec:14907b5f

บทที่ 1: การเดินทางของนักเวทย์สาว ข้าคือ อาเรีย นักเวทย์ฝึกหัดผู้เดินทางมาจากดินแดนอันไกลโพ้น ข้าได้ยินเรื่องราวของอาณาจักรไทย ที่ซึ่งมีปัญหาเกี่ยวกับ "แรงงานเงา" ซึ่งเป็นกลุ่มคนจากอีกดินแดนหนึ่งที่เข้ามาทำงานในอาณาจักรแห่งนี้ ข้าตัดสินใจที่จะเดินทางมายังอาณาจักรไทย เพื่อศึกษาเรื่องราวเหล่านี้ และหาทางแก้ไขปัญหา

บทที่ 2: การพบปะกับผู้คน เมื่อข้ามาถึงอาณาจักรไทย ข้าได้พบกับผู้คนมากมาย ทั้งชาวไทยและชาวพม่า ข้าได้ฟังเรื่องราวของพวกเขา ทั้งความยากลำบากในการทำงาน การถูกกดขี่ค่าแรง และความหวังที่จะมีชีวิตที่ดีขึ้น ข้าได้เห็นถึงความขยันและอดทนของพวกเขา แต่ก็มีความขัดแย้งและความเข้าใจผิดเกิดขึ้นระหว่างคนทั้งสองกลุ่ม

บทที่ 3: การไขปริศนา ข้าเริ่มสืบหาความจริงเกี่ยวกับเรื่องราวเหล่านี้ และได้พบว่ามีกลุ่มคนบางกลุ่มที่ต้องการใช้ประโยชน์จากแรงงานเงาม โดยการกดขี่ค่าแรงและแสวงหาผลประโยชน์ ข้ายังได้เรียนรู้ว่าอาณาจักรไทยกำลังเผชิญกับปัญหาการขาดแคลนแรงงาน และจำเป็นต้องพึ่งพาแรงงานเงา

บทที่ 4: การตัดสินใจ ข้าได้คิดทบทวนเรื่องราวทั้งหมด และตัดสินใจที่จะใช้เวทย์มนตร์ของข้า เพื่อช่วยเหลือผู้คนเหล่านั้น ข้าต้องการที่จะสร้างความเข้าใจและความเท่าเทียมกันระหว่างคนทุกกลุ่ม และทำให้อาณาจักรไทยเป็นสถานที่ที่ทุกคนสามารถอยู่ร่วมกันได้อย่างมีความสุข

บทที่ 5: การผจญภัย การเดินทางของข้ายังไม่จบสิ้น ข้ายังคงต้องเผชิญกับอุปสรรคและความท้าทายอีกมากมาย แต่ข้าเชื่อมั่นว่าด้วยความมุ่งมั่นและความพยายามของข้า ข้าจะสามารถสร้างความเปลี่ยนแปลงให้กับอาณาจักรไทยแห่งนี้ได้

บทสรุป

เรื่องราวของอาเรีย นักเวทย์สาวผู้เดินทางมาเพื่อแก้ไขปัญหาแรงงานเงาในอาณาจักรไทย เป็นเรื่องราวที่สะท้อนให้เห็นถึงปัญหาที่เกิดขึ้นในสังคมของเรา การกดขี่ค่าแรง การแบ่งแยกชนชั้น และการแสวงหาผลประโยชน์จากผู้อื่น

เราทุกคนสามารถเป็นเหมือนอาเรียได้ โดยการลุกขึ้นมาต่อสู้เพื่อความถูกต้องและความเท่าเทียมกัน และสร้างสังคมที่ทุกคนสามารถอยู่ร่วมกันได้อย่างมีความสุข

@ 97c70a44:ad98e322

There was a slight dust up recently over a website someone runs removing a listing for an app someone built based on entirely arbitrary criteria. I'm not to going to attempt to speak for either wounded party, but I would like to share my own personal definition for what constitutes a "nostr app" in an effort to help clarify what might be an otherwise confusing and opaque purity test.

In this post, I will be committing the "no true Scotsman" fallacy, in which I start with the most liberal definition I can come up with, and gradually refine it until all that is left is the purest, gleamingest, most imaginary and unattainable nostr app imaginable. As I write this, I wonder if anything built yet will actually qualify. In any case, here we go.

It uses nostr

The lowest bar for what a "nostr app" might be is an app ("application" - i.e. software, not necessarily a native app of any kind) that has some nostr-specific code in it, but which doesn't take any advantage of what makes nostr distinctive as a protocol.

Examples might include a scraper of some kind which fulfills its charter by fetching data from relays (regardless of whether it validates or retains signatures). Another might be a regular web 2.0 app which provides an option to "log in with nostr" by requesting and storing the user's public key.

In either case, the fact that nostr is involved is entirely neutral. A scraper can scrape html, pdfs, jsonl, whatever data source - nostr relays are just another target. Likewise, a user's key in this scenario is treated merely as an opaque identifier, with no appreciation for the super powers it brings along.

In most cases, this kind of app only exists as a marketing ploy, or less cynically, because it wants to get in on the hype of being a "nostr app", without the developer quite understanding what that means, or having the budget to execute properly on the claim.

It leverages nostr

Some of you might be wondering, "isn't 'leverage' a synonym for 'use'?" And you would be right, but for one connotative difference. It's possible to "use" something improperly, but by definition leverage gives you a mechanical advantage that you wouldn't otherwise have. This is the second category of "nostr app".

This kind of app gets some benefit out of the nostr protocol and network, but in an entirely selfish fashion. The intention of this kind of app is not to augment the nostr network, but to augment its own UX by borrowing some nifty thing from the protocol without really contributing anything back.

Some examples might include:

• Using nostr signers to encrypt or sign data, and then store that data on a proprietary server.
• Using nostr relays as a kind of low-code backend, but using proprietary event payloads.
• Using nostr event kinds to represent data (why), but not leveraging the trustlessness that buys you.

An application in this category might even communicate to its users via nostr DMs - but this doesn't make it a "nostr app" any more than a website that emails you hot deals on herbal supplements is an "email app". These apps are purely parasitic on the nostr ecosystem.

In the long-term, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Email's ubiquity is self-reinforcing. But in the short term, this kind of "nostr app" can actually do damage to nostr's reputation by over-promising and under-delivering.

It complements nostr

Next up, we have apps that get some benefit out of nostr as above, but give back by providing a unique value proposition to nostr users as nostr users. This is a bit of a fine distinction, but for me this category is for apps which focus on solving problems that nostr isn't good at solving, leaving the nostr integration in a secondary or supporting role.

One example of this kind of app was Mutiny (RIP), which not only allowed users to sign in with nostr, but also pulled those users' social graphs so that users could send money to people they knew and trusted. Mutiny was doing a great job of leveraging nostr, as well as providing value to users with nostr identities - but it was still primarily a bitcoin wallet, not a "nostr app" in the purest sense.

Other examples are things like Nostr Nests and Zap.stream, whose core value proposition is streaming video or audio content. Both make great use of nostr identities, data formats, and relays, but they're primarily streaming apps. A good litmus test for things like this is: if you got rid of nostr, would it be the same product (even if inferior in certain ways)?

A similar category is infrastructure providers that benefit nostr by their existence (and may in fact be targeted explicitly at nostr users), but do things in a centralized, old-web way; for example: media hosts, DNS registrars, hosting providers, and CDNs.

To be clear here, I'm not casting aspersions (I don't even know what those are, or where to buy them). All the apps mentioned above use nostr to great effect, and are a real benefit to nostr users. But they are not True Scotsmen.

It embodies nostr

Ok, here we go. This is the crème de la crème, the top du top, the meilleur du meilleur, the bee's knees. The purest, holiest, most chaste category of nostr app out there. The apps which are, indeed, nostr indigitate.

This category of nostr app (see, no quotes this time) can be defined by the converse of the previous category. If nostr was removed from this type of application, would it be impossible to create the same product?

To tease this apart a bit, apps that leverage the technical aspects of nostr are dependent on nostr the protocol, while apps that benefit nostr exclusively via network effect are integrated into nostr the network. An app that does both things is working in symbiosis with nostr as a whole.

An app that embraces both nostr's protocol and its network becomes an organic extension of every other nostr app out there, multiplying both its competitive moat and its contribution to the ecosystem:

• In contrast to apps that only borrow from nostr on the technical level but continue to operate in their own silos, an application integrated into the nostr network comes pre-packaged with existing users, and is able to provide more value to those users because of other nostr products. On nostr, it's a good thing to advertise your competitors.
• In contrast to apps that only market themselves to nostr users without building out a deep integration on the protocol level, a deeply integrated app becomes an asset to every other nostr app by becoming an organic extension of them through interoperability. This results in increased traffic to the app as other developers and users refer people to it instead of solving their problem on their own. This is the "micro-apps" utopia we've all been waiting for.

Credible exit doesn't matter if there aren't alternative services. Interoperability is pointless if other applications don't offer something your app doesn't. Marketing to nostr users doesn't matter if you don't augment their agency as nostr users.

If I had to choose a single NIP that represents the mindset behind this kind of app, it would be NIP 89 A.K.A. "Recommended Application Handlers", which states:

Nostr's discoverability and transparent event interaction is one of its most interesting/novel mechanics. This NIP provides a simple way for clients to discover applications that handle events of a specific kind to ensure smooth cross-client and cross-kind interactions.

These handlers are the glue that holds nostr apps together. A single event, signed by the developer of an application (or by the application's own account) tells anyone who wants to know 1. what event kinds the app supports, 2. how to link to the app (if it's a client), and (if the pubkey also publishes a kind 10002), 3. which relays the app prefers.

As a sidenote, NIP 89 is currently focused more on clients, leaving DVMs, relays, signers, etc somewhat out in the cold. Updating 89 to include tailored listings for each kind of supporting app would be a huge improvement to the protocol. This, plus a good front end for navigating these listings (sorry nostrapp.link, close but no cigar) would obviate the evil centralized websites that curate apps based on arbitrary criteria.

Examples of this kind of app obviously include many kind 1 clients, as well as clients that attempt to bring the benefits of the nostr protocol and network to new use cases - whether long form content, video, image posts, music, emojis, recipes, project management, or any other "content type".

To drill down into one example, let's think for a moment about forms. What's so great about a forms app that is built on nostr? Well,

• There is a spec for forms and responses, which means that...
• Multiple clients can implement the same data format, allowing for credible exit and user choice, even of...
• Other products not focused on forms, which can still view, respond to, or embed forms, and which can send their users via NIP 89 to a client that does...
• Cryptographically sign forms and responses, which means they are self-authenticating and can be sent to...
• Multiple relays, which reduces the amount of trust necessary to be confident results haven't been deliberately "lost".

Show me a forms product that does all of those things, and isn't built on nostr. You can't, because it doesn't exist. Meanwhile, there are plenty of image hosts with APIs, streaming services, and bitcoin wallets which have basically the same levels of censorship resistance, interoperability, and network effect as if they weren't built on nostr.

It supports nostr

Notice I haven't said anything about whether relays, signers, blossom servers, software libraries, DVMs, and the accumulated addenda of the nostr ecosystem are nostr apps. Well, they are (usually).

This is the category of nostr app that gets none of the credit for doing all of the work. There's no question that they qualify as beautiful nostrcorns, because their value propositions are entirely meaningless outside of the context of nostr. Who needs a signer if you don't have a cryptographic identity you need to protect? DVMs are literally impossible to use without relays. How are you going to find the blossom server that will serve a given hash if you don't know which servers the publishing user has selected to store their content?

In addition to being entirely contextualized by nostr architecture, this type of nostr app is valuable because it does things "the nostr way". By that I mean that they don't simply try to replicate existing internet functionality into a nostr context; instead, they create entirely new ways of putting the basic building blocks of the internet back together.

A great example of this is how Nostr Connect, Nostr Wallet Connect, and DVMs all use relays as brokers, which allows service providers to avoid having to accept incoming network connections. This opens up really interesting possibilities all on its own.

So while I might hesitate to call many of these things "apps", they are certainly "nostr".

Appendix: it smells like a NINO

So, let's say you've created an app, but when you show it to people they politely smile, nod, and call it a NINO (Nostr In Name Only). What's a hacker to do? Well, here's your handy-dandy guide on how to wash that NINO stench off and Become a Nostr.

You app might be a NINO if:

• There's no NIP for your data format (or you're abusing NIP 78, 32, etc by inventing a sub-protocol inside an existing event kind)
• There's a NIP, but no one knows about it because it's in a text file on your hard drive (or buried in your project's repository)
• Your NIP imposes an incompatible/centralized/legacy web paradigm onto nostr
• Your NIP relies on trusted third (or first) parties
• There's only one implementation of your NIP (yours)
• Your core value proposition doesn't depend on relays, events, or nostr identities
• One or more relay urls are hard-coded into the source code
• Your app depends on a specific relay implementation to work (ahem, relay29)
• You don't validate event signatures
• You don't publish events to relays you don't control
• You don't read events from relays you don't control
• You use legacy web services to solve problems, rather than nostr-native solutions
• You use nostr-native solutions, but you've hardcoded their pubkeys or URLs into your app
• You don't use NIP 89 to discover clients and services
• You haven't published a NIP 89 listing for your app
• You don't leverage your users' web of trust for filtering out spam
• You don't respect your users' mute lists
• You try to "own" your users' data

Now let me just re-iterate - it's ok to be a NINO. We need NINOs, because nostr can't (and shouldn't) tackle every problem. You just need to decide whether your app, as a NINO, is actually contributing to the nostr ecosystem, or whether you're just using buzzwords to whitewash a legacy web software product.

If you're in the former camp, great! If you're in the latter, what are you waiting for? Only you can fix your NINO problem. And there are lots of ways to do this, depending on your own unique situation:

• Drop nostr support if it's not doing anyone any good. If you want to build a normal company and make some money, that's perfectly fine.
• Build out your nostr integration - start taking advantage of webs of trust, self-authenticating data, event handlers, etc.
• Work around the problem. Think you need a special relay feature for your app to work? Guess again. Consider encryption, AUTH, DVMs, or better data formats.
• Think your idea is a good one? Talk to other devs or open a PR to the nips repo. No one can adopt your NIP if they don't know about it.
• Keep going. It can sometimes be hard to distinguish a research project from a NINO. New ideas have to be built out before they can be fully appreciated.
• Listen to advice. Nostr developers are friendly and happy to help. If you're not sure why you're getting traction, ask!

I sincerely hope this article is useful for all of you out there in NINO land. Maybe this made you feel better about not passing the totally optional nostr app purity test. Or maybe it gave you some actionable next steps towards making a great NINON (Nostr In Not Only Name) app. In either case, GM and PV.

@ 5a261a61:2ebd4480

The idea of the Bean Bag Game is quite ingenious. I read about it on a BDSM-positive blog. Here’s how it works:

1. Setup:

2. Take a small cloth bag and add 10 white beans (rewards/pleasure) and 10 black beans (punishment/discomfort).

3. When it’s time to play, draw two beans:

   • First bean (the tone): Determines if the activity will be pleasant (white) or uncomfortable (black).

   • Second bean (the task): Decides whether you get a reward (white) or punishment (black).

---

Combination Interpretations:

• Black + Black\ "No fun, just work."

• Boring/challenging tasks you’d normally postpone: window cleaning, scrubbing bathroom tiles, polishing shoes.

• Could also mean no playtime (e.g., "Go straight to bed"). Pure duty – no pleasure, only discipline.

• White + Black\ "Work with a twist."

• Punishment or chores, but with a kinky edge:

  • Clean the bathroom wearing a vibrating butt plug.

  • Wash dishes with nipple clamps; add a clothespin to your body for every minute over the time limit.

• Still no orgasms – the black bean ensures denial.

• Black + White\ "Pleasure with pain (or humiliation)."

• Mix stimulation and discomfort:

  • Ride a dildo with weighted nipple clamps.

  • Give a "lap dance" to a teddy bear with a strapon.

  • Chat online as a "perfect plaything" for others without touching yourself.

• Again, no orgasms – the black bean overrules the white.

• White + White\ "Lucky draw… but denial is optional."

• Freedom to indulge, though I often choose self-denial anyway. Examples:

  • Edge for 30 minutes, then ask permission to climax (50% chance).

  • Use toys freely, but end the session frustrated.

---

The Dynamic Ratio Twist:

• The starting 10:10 ratio isn’t fixed. Adjust it based on behavior:

• Good deeds? Swap a black bean for a white one.

• Mistakes? Replace a white bean with a black one.

• Single beans can also decide smaller stakes, like:

• "Should this edge turn into a ruined orgasm?"

• "Do I deserve dessert tonight?"

---

Why It Works:

• Control: The beans dictate your fate, but you tweak the odds through obedience.

• Flexibility: Use pairs for major tasks, single beans for quick decisions.

• Psychological tease: Even "white + white" can mean denial – because you choose the rules.

@ 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.

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Here are today's picks using my proprietary betting strategy at Freebitcoin. For details about what Risk Balanced Odds Arbitrage is and why it works see https://stacker.news/items/342765/r/Undisciplined.

For a hypothetical 1k-ish wager on each match, distribute your sats as follows:

| Outcome 1 | Outcome 2 | Outcome 3 | Bet 1 | Bet 2 | Bet 3 | |--------------|-------------|--------------|-------|-------|-------| | Juventus| Inter Milan| Draw | 294| 435| 303| | Tottenham| Man United| Draw | 406| 357| 266| | Liverpool| Wolves| Draw | 833| 67| 125| | Valladolid| Sevilla| Draw | 222| 500| 289| | Real Betis| Real Sociedad| Draw | 393| 321| 313| | Osasuna| Real Madrid| Draw | 174| 619| 227| | Barcelona| Rayo Vallecano| Draw | 818| 80| 133| | Atletico Madrid| Celta Vigo| Draw | 692| 118| 217|

I'll be curious to see how @Coinsreporter does with his modified RBOA.

On the most recently completed sets of RBOA, I lost 700 sats on about 50k wagered. I'm not sure if that's just normal variance or if it's due to matches not being posted as far in advance, which reduces the early mover bonus.

I still haven't precisely identified where the threshold is, but it might be worth skipping any of these with a "time weight multiplier" lower than 90.

---

A note of caution about Freebitcoin: they recorded the wrong outcome for last week's Bills vs Ravens game and as of yet have not corrected it. I recall one other instance of something similar happening, so proceed with caution.

This RBOA strategy is largely immune from that problem, but be aware of it when just betting on one outcome.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/883708

@ 2180de5b:54d6cba3

Open Source Culture represents the simple idea that ideas are free. That information yearns to be free. We acknowledge that copyright laws are unsuitable for a world that’s highly digitized; where content and information are, and should be, abundant and readily available for anyone.

If the information you have is truly valuable for the world, then you do not sell it. You give it away for free. You let it do the good that it can in the world, and know that both yourself and others will be rewarded for it.

If you create content that can be digitally distributed and you charge people before accessing your content, then that tells me that you are actually uncertain of the value of your work. Why? Because if you were certain that whatever it is you are trying to sell had any substantial worth, then you would trust these people to pay you in one way or the other, retroactively. The distinction between price and value is critical in this framework because, as Jeff Booth succinctly said: “Prices fall to the marginal cost of production.” The marginal cost of production for digital data is already effectively zero and it is getting exponentially cheaper day by day. That has nothing to do with the value of the very same data, though. Prices are mere agreements. Value is innate.

“Value for value” is real, it's based on trust and abundance, which are both lacking in a society built on fiat money and perceived scarcity, which is why I understand the skepticism behind those ideas and a propensity to put a price tag on everything.

Copyright laws are not useful for us anymore at a time when we are moving towards abundance. Digital scarcity only makes sense in digital money, not information.

First mover advantage is the only real intellectual property right. In another sense, bitcoin is the only real intellectual property anyway. It’s the only thing that’s scarce. All the rest of it can be as abundant as we let it be.

"Intellectual property" are, after all, mere ideas and no one can "own" ideas.

Copyright laws are nothing else than an impediment to creativity and a gatekeeper to knowledge. Charging money for information, which in digital form is near-free to store and transfer, might as well be considered a form of usury.

We shall free information and with it, we will free creativity, discourse, innovation, imagination, cooperation; and, in its totality, nothing less than the human spirit itself.

Written by Kontext Published: block height 883,435 Download the .PDF: https://satosh.ee/product/open-source-culture-manifesto/

@ 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.

@ 3b7fc823:e194354f

I fought with making this work for two days before I finally figured out that I made a simple SQL format mistake. I asked chatGPT to write a tutorial on how to do it based on what I did and the work I did with it. Sharing it in case anyone finds it useful.

Enabling Persistent Memory in Open WebUI with Ollama

This tutorial will guide you through the process of enabling persistent memory for your AI models running locally with Ollama and Open WebUI on Debian Linux. By the end of this guide, your AI will be able to remember the last 20 conversations you’ve had with it.

---

Prerequisites

• Debian Linux system
• Ollama installed and configured
• Open WebUI installed and running

---

Step 1: Setting Up the Database for Persistent Memory

We'll use SQLite to store conversation history.

1.1 Create conversation_memory.py

Navigate to your Open WebUI backend directory and create a new file called conversation_memory.py.

bash cd /home/your_username/Documents/open-webui-0.5.10/backend nano conversation_memory.py

Paste the following code into conversation_memory.py:

```python import sqlite3 import os

Set DB_FILE to the absolute path of memory.db in the same directory as this script

DB_FILE = "/home/your_username/Documents/open-webui-0.5.10/backend/memory.db"

def init_db(): """Create database table if it doesn't exist""" conn = sqlite3.connect(DB_FILE) c = conn.cursor() c.execute(""" CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS memory ( id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT, user TEXT, ai TEXT ) """) conn.commit() conn.close()

def save_conversation(user_input, ai_response): """Save a conversation entry to the database and maintain only the last 20 entries.""" try: conn = sqlite3.connect(DB_FILE) c = conn.cursor() c.execute("INSERT INTO memory (user, ai) VALUES (?, ?)", (user_input, ai_response)) c.execute(""" DELETE FROM memory WHERE id NOT IN ( SELECT id FROM memory ORDER BY id DESC LIMIT 20 ) """) conn.commit() conn.close() print(f"Successfully saved: User - {user_input}, AI - {ai_response}") except Exception as e: print(f"Error saving conversation: {e}")

def get_last_conversations(limit=5): """Retrieve the last 'limit' number of conversations""" try: conn = sqlite3.connect(DB_FILE) c = conn.cursor() c.execute("SELECT user, ai FROM memory ORDER BY id DESC LIMIT ?", (limit,)) conversations = c.fetchall() conn.close() return conversations except Exception as e: print(f"Error retrieving conversations: {e}") return []

Initialize the database when this script is run

init_db() ```

---

Step 2: Integrating Memory into Open WebUI Middleware

We'll modify the Open WebUI middleware to save and retrieve conversations.

2.1 Edit middleware.py

Open the middleware.py file for editing:

bash nano middleware.py

2.2 Import Memory Functions

At the top of the file, import the memory functions:

python from conversation_memory import save_conversation, get_last_conversations

2.3 Retrieve and Append Conversation History

Locate the function responsible for processing chat payloads. Add the following code to retrieve and append the last 20 conversations:

```python

Retrieve past conversations (e.g., last 20 messages)

conversation_history = get_last_conversations(limit=20)

Format past conversations as context

history_text = "\n".join([f"User: {conv[0]}\nAI: {conv[1]}" for conv in conversation_history])

Append conversation history to the current user message

user_message = get_last_user_message(form_data["messages"]) if history_text: combined_message = f"Previous conversation:\n{history_text}\n\nNew message:\nUser: {user_message}" else: combined_message = f"User: {user_message}"

Update the last user message with combined history

form_data["messages"][-1]["content"] = combined_message ```

2.4 Save New Conversations

Ensure that new conversations are saved after the AI generates a response. Add the following code where the AI response is handled:

```python

Extract AI response content

if isinstance(ai_response, dict) and "choices" in ai_response: ai_response_content = ai_response["choices"][0]["message"]["content"] else: ai_response_content = ""

Save the new conversation

if ai_response_content.strip(): save_conversation(user_message, ai_response_content) ```

---

Step 3: Testing Persistent Memory

3.1 Run the Script to Test Saving

Run conversation_memory.py to ensure it's saving data correctly:

bash python3 /home/your_username/Documents/open-webui-0.5.10/backend/conversation_memory.py

3.2 Query the Database to Verify Data

Use SQLite to check if conversations are being saved:

bash sqlite3 /home/your_username/Documents/open-webui-0.5.10/backend/memory.db sqlite> SELECT * FROM memory;

You should see your test conversations listed.

---

Step 4: Final Verification in Open WebUI

1. Restart the Open WebUI server to apply changes.
2. Start a conversation with the AI.
3. After several interactions, verify if the AI references past conversations.
4. Query memory.db again to ensure new conversations are being saved:

bash sqlite3 /home/your_username/Documents/open-webui-0.5.10/backend/memory.db sqlite> SELECT * FROM memory;

---

Conclusion

You’ve successfully enabled persistent memory for your AI models running with Ollama and Open WebUI! The AI will now remember the last 20 conversations, creating a more dynamic and personalized user experience.

Feel free to adjust the memory limit or expand the functionality as needed. Happy coding!

---

Advocating for privacy does not finance itself. If you enjoyed this article, please consider zapping or sending monero

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@ e3ba5e1a:5e433365

My blog posts and reading material have both been on a decidedly economics-heavy slant recently. The topic today, incentives, squarely falls into the category of economics. However, when I say economics, I’m not talking about “analyzing supply and demand curves.” I’m talking about the true basis of economics: understanding how human beings make decisions in a world of scarcity.

A fair definition of incentive is “a reward or punishment that motivates behavior to achieve a desired outcome.” When most people think about economic incentives, they’re thinking of money. If I offer my son $5 if he washes the dishes, I’m incentivizing certain behavior. We can’t guarantee that he’ll do what I want him to do, but we can agree that the incentive structure itself will guide and ultimately determine what outcome will occur.

The great thing about monetary incentives is how easy they are to talk about and compare. “Would I rather make $5 washing the dishes or $10 cleaning the gutters?” But much of the world is incentivized in non-monetary ways too. For example, using the “punishment” half of the definition above, I might threaten my son with losing Nintendo Switch access if he doesn’t wash the dishes. No money is involved, but I’m still incentivizing behavior.

And there are plenty of incentives beyond our direct control! My son is also incentivized to not wash dishes because it’s boring, or because he has some friends over that he wants to hang out with, or dozens of other things. Ultimately, the conflicting array of different incentive structures placed on him will ultimately determine what actions he chooses to take.

Why incentives matter

A phrase I see often in discussions—whether they are political, parenting, economic, or business—is “if they could just do…” Each time I see that phrase, I cringe a bit internally. Usually, the underlying assumption of the statement is “if people would behave contrary to their incentivized behavior then things would be better.” For example:

• If my kids would just go to bed when I tell them, they wouldn’t be so cranky in the morning.
• If people would just use the recycling bin, we wouldn’t have such a landfill problem.
• If people would just stop being lazy, our team would deliver our project on time.

In all these cases, the speakers are seemingly flummoxed as to why the people in question don’t behave more rationally. The problem is: each group is behaving perfectly rationally.

• The kids have a high time preference, and care more about the joy of staying up now than the crankiness in the morning. Plus, they don’t really suffer the consequences of morning crankiness, their parents do.
• No individual suffers much from their individual contribution to a landfill. If they stopped growing the size of the landfill, it would make an insignificant difference versus the amount of effort they need to engage in to properly recycle.
• If a team doesn’t properly account for the productivity of individuals on a project, each individual receives less harm from their own inaction. Sure, the project may be delayed, company revenue may be down, and they may even risk losing their job when the company goes out of business. But their laziness individually won’t determine the entirety of that outcome. By contrast, they greatly benefit from being lazy by getting to relax at work, go on social media, read a book, or do whatever else they do when they’re supposed to be working.

My point here is that, as long as you ignore the reality of how incentives drive human behavior, you’ll fail at getting the outcomes you want.

If everything I wrote up until now made perfect sense, you understand the premise of this blog post. The rest of it will focus on a bunch of real-world examples to hammer home the point, and demonstrate how versatile this mental model is.

Running a company

Let’s say I run my own company, with myself as the only employee. My personal revenue will be 100% determined by my own actions. If I decide to take Tuesday afternoon off and go fishing, I’ve chosen to lose that afternoon’s revenue. Implicitly, I’ve decided that the enjoyment I get from an afternoon of fishing is greater than the potential revenue. You may think I’m being lazy, but it’s my decision to make. In this situation, the incentive–money–is perfectly aligned with my actions.

Compare this to a typical company/employee relationship. I might have a bank of Paid Time Off (PTO) days, in which case once again my incentives are relatively aligned. I know that I can take off 15 days throughout the year, and I’ve chosen to use half a day for the fishing trip. All is still good.

What about unlimited time off? Suddenly incentives are starting to misalign. I don’t directly pay a price for not showing up to work on Tuesday. Or Wednesday as well, for that matter. I might ultimately be fired for not doing my job, but that will take longer to work its way through the system than simply not making any money for the day taken off.

Compensation overall falls into this misaligned incentive structure. Let’s forget about taking time off. Instead, I work full time on a software project I’m assigned. But instead of using the normal toolchain we’re all used to at work, I play around with a new programming language. I get the fun and joy of playing with new technology, and potentially get to pad my resume a bit when I’m ready to look for a new job. But my current company gets slower results, less productivity, and is forced to subsidize my extracurricular learning.

When a CEO has a bonus structure based on profitability, he’ll do everything he can to make the company profitable. This might include things that actually benefit the company, like improving product quality, reducing internal red tape, or finding cheaper vendors. But it might also include destructive practices, like slashing the R\&D budget to show massive profits this year, in exchange for a catastrophe next year when the next version of the product fails to ship.

Or my favorite example. My parents owned a business when I was growing up. They had a back office where they ran operations like accounting. All of the furniture was old couches from our house. After all, any money they spent on furniture came right out of their paychecks! But in a large corporate environment, each department is generally given a budget for office furniture, a budget which doesn’t roll over year-to-year. The result? Executives make sure to spend the entire budget each year, often buying furniture far more expensive than they would choose if it was their own money.

There are plenty of details you can quibble with above. It’s in a company’s best interest to give people downtime so that they can come back recharged. Having good ergonomic furniture can in fact increase productivity in excess of the money spent on it. But overall, the picture is pretty clear: in large corporate structures, you’re guaranteed to have mismatches between the company’s goals and the incentive structure placed on individuals.

Using our model from above, we can lament how lazy, greedy, and unethical the employees are for doing what they’re incentivized to do instead of what’s right. But that’s simply ignoring the reality of human nature.

Moral hazard

Moral hazard is a situation where one party is incentivized to take on more risk because another party will bear the consequences. Suppose I tell my son when he turns 21 (or whatever legal gambling age is) that I’ll cover all his losses for a day at the casino, but he gets to keep all the winnings.

What do you think he’s going to do? The most logical course of action is to place the largest possible bets for as long as possible, asking me to cover each time he loses, and taking money off the table and into his bank account each time he wins.

But let’s look at a slightly more nuanced example. I go to a bathroom in the mall. As I’m leaving, I wash my hands. It will take me an extra 1 second to turn off the water when I’m done washing. That’s a trivial price to pay. If I don’t turn off the water, the mall will have to pay for many liters of wasted water, benefiting no one. But I won’t suffer any consequences at all.

This is also a moral hazard, but most people will still turn off the water. Why? Usually due to some combination of other reasons such as:

1. We’re so habituated to turning off the water that we don’t even consider not turning it off. Put differently, the mental effort needed to not turn off the water is more expensive than the 1 second of time to turn it off.
2. Many of us have been brought up with a deep guilt about wasting resources like water. We have an internal incentive structure that makes the 1 second to turn off the water much less costly than the mental anguish of the waste we created.
3. We’re afraid we’ll be caught by someone else and face some kind of social repercussions. (Or maybe more than social. Are you sure there isn’t a law against leaving the water tap on?)

Even with all that in place, you may notice that many public bathrooms use automatic water dispensers. Sure, there’s a sanitation reason for that, but it’s also to avoid this moral hazard.

A common denominator in both of these is that the person taking the action that causes the liability (either the gambling or leaving the water on) is not the person who bears the responsibility for that liability (the father or the mall owner). Generally speaking, the closer together the person making the decision and the person incurring the liability are, the smaller the moral hazard.

It’s easy to demonstrate that by extending the casino example a bit. I said it was the father who was covering the losses of the gambler. Many children (though not all) would want to avoid totally bankrupting their parents, or at least financially hurting them. Instead, imagine that someone from the IRS shows up at your door, hands you a credit card, and tells you you can use it at a casino all day, taking home all the chips you want. The money is coming from the government. How many people would put any restriction on how much they spend?

And since we’re talking about the government already…

Government moral hazards

As I was preparing to write this blog post, the California wildfires hit. The discussions around those wildfires gave a huge number of examples of moral hazards. I decided to cherry-pick a few for this post.

The first and most obvious one: California is asking for disaster relief funds from the federal government. That sounds wonderful. These fires were a natural disaster, so why shouldn’t the federal government pitch in and help take care of people?

The problem is, once again, a moral hazard. In the case of the wildfires, California and Los Angeles both had ample actions they could have taken to mitigate the destruction of this fire: better forest management, larger fire department, keeping the water reservoirs filled, and probably much more that hasn’t come to light yet.

If the federal government bails out California, it will be a clear message for the future: your mistakes will be fixed by others. You know what kind of behavior that incentivizes? More risky behavior! Why spend state funds on forest management and extra firefighters—activities that don’t win politicians a lot of votes in general—when you could instead spend it on a football stadium, higher unemployment payments, or anything else, and then let the feds cover the cost of screw-ups.

You may notice that this is virtually identical to the 2008 “too big to fail” bail-outs. Wall Street took insanely risky behavior, reaped huge profits for years, and when they eventually got caught with their pants down, the rest of us bailed them out. “Privatizing profits, socializing losses.”

And here’s the absolute best part of this: I can’t even truly blame either California or Wall Street. (I mean, I do blame them, I think their behavior is reprehensible, but you’ll see what I mean.) In a world where the rules of the game implicitly include the bail-out mentality, you would be harming your citizens/shareholders/investors if you didn’t engage in that risky behavior. Since everyone is on the hook for those socialized losses, your best bet is to maximize those privatized profits.

There’s a lot more to government and moral hazard, but I think these two cases demonstrate the crux pretty solidly. But let’s leave moral hazard behind for a bit and get to general incentivization discussions.

Non-monetary competition

At least 50% of the economics knowledge I have comes from the very first econ course I took in college. That professor was amazing, and had some very colorful stories. I can’t vouch for the veracity of the two I’m about to share, but they definitely drive the point home.

In the 1970s, the US had an oil shortage. To “fix” this problem, they instituted price caps on gasoline, which of course resulted in insufficient gasoline. To “fix” this problem, they instituted policies where, depending on your license plate number, you could only fill up gas on certain days of the week. (Irrelevant detail for our point here, but this just resulted in people filling up their tanks more often, no reduction in gas usage.)

Anyway, my professor’s wife had a friend. My professor described in great detail how attractive this woman was. I’ll skip those details here since this is a PG-rated blog. In any event, she never had any trouble filling up her gas tank any day of the week. She would drive up, be told she couldn’t fill up gas today, bat her eyes at the attendant, explain how helpless she was, and was always allowed to fill up gas.

This is a demonstration of non-monetary compensation. Most of the time in a free market, capitalist economy, people are compensated through money. When price caps come into play, there’s a limit to how much monetary compensation someone can receive. And in that case, people find other ways of competing. Like this woman’s case: through using flirtatious behavior to compensate the gas station workers to let her cheat the rules.

The other example was much more insidious. Santa Monica had a problem: it was predominantly wealthy and white. They wanted to fix this problem, and decided to put in place rent controls. After some time, they discovered that Santa Monica had become wealthier and whiter, the exact opposite of their desired outcome. Why would that happen?

Someone investigated, and ended up interviewing a landlady that demonstrated the reason. She was an older white woman, and admittedly racist. Prior to the rent controls, she would list her apartments in the newspaper, and would be legally obligated to rent to anyone who could afford it. Once rent controls were in place, she took a different tact. She knew that she would only get a certain amount for the apartment, and that the demand for apartments was higher than the supply. That meant she could be picky.

She ended up finding tenants through friends-of-friends. Since it wasn’t an official advertisement, she wasn’t legally required to rent it out if someone could afford to pay. Instead, she got to interview people individually and then make them an offer. Normally, that would have resulted in receiving a lower rental price, but not under rent controls.

So who did she choose? A young, unmarried, wealthy, white woman. It made perfect sense. Women were less intimidating and more likely to maintain the apartment better. Wealthy people, she determined, would be better tenants. (I have no idea if this is true in practice or not, I’m not a landlord myself.) Unmarried, because no kids running around meant less damage to the property. And, of course, white. Because she was racist, and her incentive structure made her prefer whites.

You can deride her for being racist, I won’t disagree with you. But it’s simply the reality. Under the non-rent-control scenario, her profit motive for money outweighed her racism motive. But under rent control, the monetary competition was removed, and she was free to play into her racist tendencies without facing any negative consequences.

Bureaucracy

These were the two examples I remember for that course. But non-monetary compensation pops up in many more places. One highly pertinent example is bureaucracies. Imagine you have a government office, or a large corporation’s acquisition department, or the team that apportions grants at a university. In all these cases, you have a group of people making decisions about handing out money that has no monetary impact on them. If they give to the best qualified recipients, they receive no raises. If they spend the money recklessly on frivolous projects, they face no consequences.

Under such an incentivization scheme, there’s little to encourage the bureaucrats to make intelligent funding decisions. Instead, they’ll be incentivized to spend the money where they recognize non-monetary benefits. This is why it’s so common to hear about expensive meals, gift bags at conferences, and even more inappropriate ways of trying to curry favor with those that hold the purse strings.

Compare that ever so briefly with the purchases made by a small mom-and-pop store like my parents owned. Could my dad take a bribe to buy from a vendor who’s ripping him off? Absolutely he could! But he’d lose more on the deal than he’d make on the bribe, since he’s directly incentivized by the deal itself. It would make much more sense for him to go with the better vendor, save $5,000 on the deal, and then treat himself to a lavish $400 meal to celebrate.

Government incentivized behavior

This post is getting longer in the tooth than I’d intended, so I’ll finish off with this section and make it a bit briefer. Beyond all the methods mentioned above, government has another mechanism for modifying behavior: through directly changing incentives via legislation, regulation, and monetary policy. Let’s see some examples:

• Artificial modification of interest rates encourages people to take on more debt than they would in a free capital market, leading to malinvestment and a consumer debt crisis, and causing the boom-bust cycle we all painfully experience.
• Going along with that, giving tax breaks on interest payments further artificially incentivizes people to take on debt that they wouldn’t otherwise.
• During COVID-19, at some points unemployment benefits were greater than minimum wage, incentivizing people to rather stay home and not work than get a job, leading to reduced overall productivity in the economy and more printed dollars for benefits. In other words, it was a perfect recipe for inflation.
• The tax code gives deductions to “help” people. That might be true, but the real impact is incentivizing people to make decisions they wouldn’t have otherwise. For example, giving out tax deductions on children encourages having more kids. Tax deductions on childcare and preschools incentivizes dual-income households. Whether or not you like the outcomes, it’s clear that it’s government that’s encouraging these outcomes to happen.
• Tax incentives cause people to engage in behavior they wouldn’t otherwise (daycare+working mother, for example).
• Inflation means that the value of your money goes down over time, which encourages people to spend more today, when their money has a larger impact. (Milton Friedman described this as high living.)

Conclusion

The idea here is simple, and fully encapsulated in the title: incentives determine outcomes. If you want to know how to get a certain outcome from others, incentivize them to want that to happen. If you want to understand why people act in seemingly irrational ways, check their incentives. If you’re confused why leaders (and especially politicians) seem to engage in destructive behavior, check their incentives.

We can bemoan these realities all we want, but they are realities. While there are some people who have a solid internal moral and ethical code, and that internal code incentivizes them to behave against their externally-incentivized interests, those people are rare. And frankly, those people are self-defeating. People should take advantage of the incentives around them. Because if they don’t, someone else will.

(If you want a literary example of that last comment, see the horse in Animal Farm.)

How do we improve the world under these conditions? Make sure the incentives align well with the overall goals of society. To me, it’s a simple formula:

• Focus on free trade, value for value, as the basis of a society. In that system, people are always incentivized to provide value to other people.
• Reduce the size of bureaucracies and large groups of all kinds. The larger an organization becomes, the farther the consequences of decisions are from those who make them.
• And since the nature of human beings will be to try and create areas where they can control the incentive systems to their own benefits, make that as difficult as possible. That comes in the form of strict limits on government power, for example.

And even if you don’t want to buy in to this conclusion, I hope the rest of the content was educational, and maybe a bit entertaining!

@ 3b7fc823:e194354f

We are constantly surrounded by technologies that claim to enhance our experiences but often come at the cost of our privacy. Think about it – every time you visit a website, cookies are being dropped like breadcrumbs, tracking your every move without you even knowing.

How Tech Companies Collect Your Data: The Spy Next Door

1. Cookies: These tiny files are placed on your device as soon as you visit a site. They follow you around the web, creating a digital trail that companies use to learn about your habits and interests.

2. Tracking Pixels: Like cookies, these are invisible tags that track your actions across different websites. Imagine someone following you wherever you go online – that's what tracking pixels do.

3. Behavioral Targeting: This is when companies analyze your browsing history to serve you ads tailored to your interests. It's like knowing what you like and then bombarding you with it, whether you like it or not.

4. Data Brokers: These middlemen collect data from various sources and sell it on to the highest bidder. Your information could be used for marketing, insurance, or even political purposes – without your consent!

5. Third-Party trackers: Apps and websites you visit may share your data with other companies, creating a web of surveillance that's hard to escape.

What They Do with Your Data

Once companies have your data, they can use it for targeted advertising, profile building, and even political manipulation. Think about the Cambridge Analytica scandal... Your data isn't just used to make your experience better; it's being sold and exploited in ways you probably never imagined.

How to Stop Them: Empower Yourself

1. Use Privacy-Friendly Browsers: Tools like Brave or Firefox with enhanced tracking protection can block trackers and cookies, giving you control over what data is collected.

2. Block Trackers and Cookies: Browser extensions that allow you to block these elements are available for free, providing an added layer of privacy.

3. Minimize Data Usage: When using apps or websites, avoid granting unnecessary permissions that could lead to data collection.

4. Delete Unused Apps: Regularly delete apps and services that are no longer needed to stop data collection from inactive accounts.

5. Read Privacy Policies: Before accepting terms of service or privacy policies, read through them to understand what data will be collected and how it will be used.

6. Use Incognito or Private Browsing Modes: These modes often block cookies and trackers, offering an additional way to reduce data collection. But remember that Google was still tracking you on Chrome regardless, so your mileage may vary.

7. Limit Device Usage: Avoid using personal devices for sensitive activities when privacy is a concern.

8. Use Tor: Yes it's slower, yes some sites won't work. It's more private and you using helps disquise traffic giving protection for others that might need it more than you do.

Why It Matters: The Domino Effect

The data collected today isn't just for ads; it's used in decision-making processes that can affect your life. From insurance rates to job opportunities, your data can influence significant aspects of your existence. Imagine a world where your information is bought and sold without your consent – it's time to take control.

Your Data, Your Choice

Your data is being collected and sold without your consent, and the time to act is now. By understanding how data collection works and taking steps to protect yourself, you can reclaim control over your privacy. Remember, you're not just a user – you're the owner of your information. It's time to stand up for your rights and demand transparency from the companies that claim to serve you.

Don't Let Corporate Spies Steal Your Privacy

Your data is valuable, and it's being harvested without your knowledge. Take action today by educating yourself and others about the importance of privacy. Together, we can create a world where privacy is respected and protected, not exploited for profit.

Join the movement to fight against corporate surveillance and protect your right to privacy. Your information is too important to leave in the hands of those who don't have your consent. It's time to take a stand – your digital life depends on it.

---

Advocating for privacy does not finance itself. If you enjoyed this article, please consider zapping or sending monero

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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 🤘

@ 9f7a4807:45d1479b

Un pensamiento sobre la importancia de leer, compartir y promocionar lo que leemos como una estrategia de resistencia y desarrollo comunitario (presencial o virtual)

Recientemente tomé la decisión de comenzar la planificación de un proyecto de literatura en las redes sociales, para poder compartir lo que leo y lo que me parece importante e indispensable y así crear una comunidad virtual en la que produzcamos discursos e intelecto. En nuestra cotidianidad, debemos emplear instintivamente el compartirnos y compartir nuestros libros, que sea una cuestión tan normal como hablar de Bad Bunny, tenía que decirlo, sorry. Les contaré cómo llegué a este deseo: Luego de las elecciones del 2024 nos encontramos todxs en un mar de deseo para poder organizarnos en masa para educarnos, resistir y emplear cambios intelectuales y materiales en Puerto Rico. Todo esto nace a consecuencia del secuestro evidente que la clase política conservadora, estadista y populista tiene sobre nuestro archipiélago. Pero, este llamado a la organización de masas siempre se disipa desde sus publicaciones virtuales, jangueos sanos o con cerveza y fili en mano o hasta en el periódico. Creo que entendí que si el sistema capitalista y colonial nos dividió y creó un individualismo rampante, entonces desde mi individualismo me planificaré para armar una comunidad utilizando las redes sociales que tanto tiempo nos quita y nos desinforma constantemente.

¿Por qué se disipa ese llamado a la organización ante el estado colonial?

Dentro de las múltiples razones concretas de las que puedo explicarles, la más que sobresale para mí es esta: El estado nos ha dividido exitosamente con sus aparatos de opresión; asimilación, capacitismo, clasismo, cuirfobia, desinformación, deudas, explotación laboral, misoginia, persecución policiaca, racismo, transmisoginia, vigilancia, la lista continua.

Por esta razón es que leer es un acto político meramente por el factor tiempo, este mundo tiene un andamiaje diseñado para producir tu manera de sobrevivir fuera de los libros y la literatura. Además, lamentablemente, las nuevas generaciones no están leyendo a un nivel avanzado y solo consumen información a través de contenido de formato corto. Esto último quizás es una tangente abrumante, pero luego podemos hablar de eso. La realidad es que requerimos de absorber la mayor cantidad de información, la cual nos ayude a crear cambios radicales a la condición material de la juventud y adultez en Puerto Rico. Requerimos de un proyecto nacional para enseñar análisis crítico, alfabetización informacional y mediática utilizando como base los libros. Digo libros y no la lectura porque el libro es la tecnología más accesible que tenemos hoy día. Considerando que más de la mitad de la población infantil en Puerto Rico vive bajo niveles de empobrecimiento1, tendríamos que emplear esta misión con el libro.

Como escritores y lectores individuales, debemos entender que nuestra misión ahora mismo es crear plataformas de educación y promoción educativa para todxs en Puerto Rico. “Si queremos que las personas con las que trabajamos como promotores o animadores construyan sentidos personales frente a lo que leen, desarrollen un pensamiento crítico frente a la realidad a través de la lectura y la escritura [y] reflexionen sobre sí mismos y sobre sus relaciones con el mundo, [deben utilizar] la lectura y la escritura para generar transformaciones” (p.29). La escritora chilena Helena Robledo nos obsequia un vistazo a la formación de pensamiento y visión necesaria para este proyecto del uso de libros.

Por eso pienso, desesperadamente, que los libros son nuestro campo político más valioso y debemos construir sobre este. Estaré desarrollando este proyecto en Instagram, Tiktok y Substack. Tengo mucho que contarles y estoy seguro de que ustedes también.

Un abrazo.

Sígueme en mis redes sociales:

Instagram

X

Substack

Referencias:

1. Revelan Perfil De Los Niños Y Niñas En Pobreza En Puerto Rico - Instituto Del Desarrollo De La Juventud. www.juventudpr.org/blog/revelan-perfil-de-los-ninos-y-ninas-en-probreza-en-puerto-rico.

2. El Mediador De Lectura: La Formación Del Lector Integral. Chile, IBBY Chile, 2017, www.ibbychile.cl/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/El_Mediador_de_lectura_web.pdf.

@ c2827524:5f45b2f7

L’animo umano

Una delle entità più belle che esistono e che, a mio parere, rendono ancor più meraviglioso questo mondo, è l’animo degli esseri umani. È un cocktail fatto di sentimenti, intenzioni, azioni e logica. Quelli che preferisco sono gli animi gentili. Le azioni e le intenzioni devono convergere verso la delicatezza, senza una sbavatura, per essere gentili e io adoro la gentilezza, la riconosco al volo, forse perché non sono delicata. Per niente.

L’animo è forse uno dei più grandi segreti dell’umanità: in genere perché lo si tiene sempre privato, come è anche logico che sia.

C’è un solo fattore che fa rivelare l’animo alle persone, loro malgrado: uno stress test estremo.

Dal febbraio del 2020, lo stress test si è tramutato in un organismo multidimensionale, uscendo dalla fantasia distopica di George Orwell e – loro malgrado – tutti hanno dovuto manifestare l’animo segreto.

Fateci caso: è con il covid-1984 che avete scoperto la vera natura di amici, parenti, sconosciuti o conoscenti.

Stato di eccezione

La distopia non è mica fuoriuscita da un laboratorio di Wuhan, che ha infettato un pangolino, che ha infettato una papera, che al mercato mio padre comprò. Ha origini molto più antiche.

Profondi conoscitori dell’animo umano, in grado di prevedere le reazioni delle masse di fronte ad ogni tipo di evento, potrebbero progettare modelli catastrofici e predeterminare con una precisione disarmante la risposta delle persone comuni. Ad esempio di fronte alla probabilità che quattro aerei impazziscano nei cieli americani di una splendida mattina di settembre, oppure guardando i corpi smembrati di un attentato compiuto da una qualunque “sigla” islamica.

Infine, potrebbero decidere come e quando dare una sferzata finale allo stress test, ad esempio con il pangolino. O era il pipistrello?

È la «forma legale di ciò che non può avere forma legale», più in generale lo spirito disumano dei governanti di oggi, la consuetudine della guerra preventiva, la quale impone con forza che «lo stato di eccezione tende sempre più a presentarsi come il paradigma di governo dominante della politica contemporanea».

Così analizza magistralmente Giorgio Agamben nel II° volume della raccolta Homo Sacer, intitolato per l’appunto Stato di Eccezione.

Stato indegno

Gli esseri umani, fondamentalmente miti e pacifici, tendono a condurre vite “normali” in ogni condizione ambientale.

Un’unica variabile tende ad interferire per cambiare la condizione ambientale: la politica dello stato. E lo fa in maniera sempre negativa.

Lo stato crea emergenze, per poi sbattere il suo (piccolissimo) pene sul tavolo e imporre con forza la soluzione, che tenderà puntualmente a facilitare la propria vita rendendo impossibile quella dei ~~cittadini~~ sudditi.

Le disuguaglianze create hanno poi il solo scopo di mettere esseri miti e pacifici (ma sotto costante pressione) gli uni contro gli altri.

Pensateci: da quanti decenni siete sotto la pressione di una «forma legale di ciò che non può avere forma legale»? Sentendo il Marchese del Grillo «Io so’ io, voi siete un cazzo», probabilmente è qualche secolo che questo stato indegno esiste.

Vera natura o Nuda vita?

Il fatto, poi, che lo stato indegno venga accettato senza fiatare, fa parte di quella serie di reazioni delle masse e che i profondi conoscitori dell’animo umano sfruttano per mantenere il potere.

Si passa poi alle peggiori angherie che lo stato indegno e i suoi agenti perpetrano nei confronti dei ~~cittadini~~ sudditi, alle estreme disparità tra ~~cittadini~~ sudditi e i “servitori” dello stato, chiamati così perché servono lo stato indegno e non i ~~cittadini~~ sudditi.

Prima di arrivare alla sferzata finale dello stress test, persone miti e pacifiche hanno subito così tanti torti da non saperli più contare, ormai fanno parte della normalità. La loro esistenza è ormai ridotta a quello che Walter Benjamin prima e Giorgio Agamben poi definiscono la Nuda Vita, mettendo in analogia i sudditi con i detenuti di Guantanamo, giuridicamente innominabili e inclassificabili, ovvero «oggetto di una pura signoria di fatto».

Il sontuoso master

Nello stato di eccezione in cui viviamo da almeno 50 anni, a parte pochi dotati di un immenso spirito di osservazione (e i profondi conoscitori al potere, chiaro), nessuno di noi ha mai avuto veramente il piacere di conoscere la reale natura delle persone con cui abbiamo scelto di circondarci.

Magari c’era quel “piccolo tarlo”, quella “vocina” che ci ha fatto preferire alcuni piuttosto che altri, ma alla fine ha sempre prevalso l’attitudine mite e pacifica, che ha messo a tacere quella vocina.

covid-1984 ha il merito di aver messo a nudo tutti: vittime e carnefici. Si tratta verosimilmente di un sontuoso master che svelerà la vera natura di ognuno, nessuno escluso. Ahinoi, il master è decennale e siamo appena all'inizio del V° anno accademico.

Istruzioni, prima ancora che l’istruzione

Se c’è un consiglio che mi sento di dare a chi è ancora molto giovane, è proprio quello di non mettere mai a tacere quella “vocina”, per nessun motivo, seppure plausibile. Anche senza rovinare i rapporti, ma l’animo umano va sempre indagato, si deve fare chiarezza sulla vera natura delle persone con cui si decide di fare un percorso di vita.

La scoperta porterà ad evitare tutti quei “servitori” dello stato di cose indegno di essere definito umano. I compliant, gli asserviti, quelli senza spina dorsale o, peggio, che hanno un interesse personale a mantenere lo status quo devono essere evitati a tutti i costi.

È oltremodo doloroso, ma va fatto. Questi indegni devono essere isolati al più presto, in maniera da renderli innocui. Sono loro il vero esercito dello stato indegno, disposti a combattere qualunque guerra pur di rimediare un piccolissimo quanto ridicolo privilegio.

Oggi, i tempi in cui questo esercito si abbassava a tanto per il classico piatto di lenticchie riscaldate, sono un lontanissimo ricordo. covid-1984 ha ulteriormente abbattuto lo standard: ora gli indegni fiancheggiano qualsiasi assurdità in cambio di un piatto di lenticchie rimasticate dalla signoria di fatto.

L’unico risultato possibile è che l'infame stato rafforza il suo potere di controllo e rosicherà uno alla volta i (pochi) diritti e la libertà di chiunque.

Ecco perché bisogna spuntare le armi di questo spregevole stato di cose colpendo l’anello debole, isolandolo. Debole perché non ci crede (nello stato) ma agisce asservito solo per quel piatto di lenticchie (quelle rimasticate e sputate).

La prima volta che si incontrano, la vocina vi metterà di fronte alla sensazione di essere ai limiti di uno scontro frontale: capire da che parte andrà il rivale, per buttarsi in quella opposta ed evitare così uno schianto fatale.

Fatelo: buttatevi dall’altra parte. E scegliete la parte giusta.

@ 3f770d65:7a745b24

I’ve been using Notedeck for several months, starting with its extremely early and experimental alpha versions, all the way to its current, more stable alpha releases. The journey has been fascinating, as I’ve had the privilege of watching it evolve from a concept into a functional and promising tool.

In its earliest stages, Notedeck was raw—offering glimpses of its potential but still far from practical for daily use. Even then, the vision behind it was clear: a platform designed to redefine how we interact with Nostr by offering flexibility and power for all users.

I'm very bullish on Notedeck. Why? Because Will Casarin is making it! Duh! 😂

Seriously though, if we’re reimagining the web and rebuilding portions of the Internet, it’s important to recognize the potential of Notedeck. If Nostr is reimagining the web, then Notedeck is reimagining the Nostr client.

Notedeck isn’t just another Nostr app—it’s more a Nostr browser that functions more like an operating system with micro-apps. How cool is that?

Much like how Google's Chrome evolved from being a web browser with a task manager into ChromeOS, a full blown operating system, Notedeck aims to transform how we interact with the Nostr. It goes beyond individual apps, offering a foundation for a fully integrated ecosystem built around Nostr.

As a Nostr evangelist, I love to scream INTEROPERABILITY and tout every application's integrations. Well, Notedeck has the potential to be one of the best platforms to showcase these integrations in entirely new and exciting ways.

Do you want an Olas feed of images? Add the media column.

Do you want a feed of live video events? Add the zap.stream column.

Do you want Nostr Nests or audio chats? Add that column to your Notedeck.

Git? Email? Books? Chat and DMs? It's all possible.

Not everyone wants a super app though, and that’s okay. As with most things in the Nostr ecosystem, flexibility is key. Notedeck gives users the freedom to choose how they engage with it—whether it’s simply following hashtags or managing straightforward feeds. You'll be able to tailor Notedeck to fit your needs, using it as extensively or minimally as you prefer.

Notedeck is designed with a local-first approach, utilizing Nostr content stored directly on your device via the local nostrdb. This will enable a plethora of advanced tools such as search and filtering, the creation of custom feeds, and the ability to develop personalized algorithms across multiple Notedeck micro-applications—all with unparalleled flexibility.

Notedeck also supports multicast. Let's geek out for a second. Multicast is a method of communication where data is sent from one source to multiple destinations simultaneously, but only to devices that wish to receive the data. Unlike broadcast, which sends data to all devices on a network, multicast targets specific receivers, reducing network traffic. This is commonly used for efficient data distribution in scenarios like streaming, conferencing, or large-scale data synchronization between devices.

In a local first world where each device holds local copies of your nostr nodes, and each device transparently syncs with each other on the local network, each node becomes a backup. Your data becomes antifragile automatically. When a node goes down it can resync and recover from other nodes. Even if not all nodes have a complete collection, negentropy can pull down only what is needed from each device. All this can be done without internet.

-Will Casarin

In the context of Notedeck, multicast would allow multiple devices to sync their Nostr nodes with each other over a local network without needing an internet connection. Wild.

Notedeck aims to offer full customization too, including the ability to design and share custom skins, much like Winamp. Users will also be able to create personalized columns and, in the future, share their setups with others. This opens the door for power users to craft tailored Nostr experiences, leveraging their expertise in the protocol and applications. By sharing these configurations as "Starter Decks," they can simplify onboarding and showcase the best of Nostr’s ecosystem.

Nostr’s “Other Stuff” can often be difficult to discover, use, or understand. Many users doesn't understand or know how to use web browser extensions to login to applications. Let's not even get started with nsecbunkers. Notedeck will address this challenge by providing a native experience that brings these lesser-known applications, tools, and content into a user-friendly and accessible interface, making exploration seamless. However, that doesn't mean Notedeck should disregard power users that want to use nsecbunkers though - hint hint.

For anyone interested in watching Nostr be developed live, right before your very eyes, Notedeck’s progress serves as a reminder of what’s possible when innovation meets dedication. The current alpha is already demonstrating its ability to handle complex use cases, and I’m excited to see how it continues to grow as it moves toward a full release later this year.

@ 1ec45473:d38df139

Preston Pysh posted this event this morning:

Behind the scenes, the nostr event looks like this:

Event = { "id":"a6fa7e1a73ce70c6fb01584a0519fd29788e59d9980402584e7a0af92cf0474a", "pubkey":"85080d3bad70ccdcd7f74c29a44f55bb85cbcd3dd0cbb957da1d215bdb931204", "created_at":1724494504, "kind":1, "tags":[ [ "p", "6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "77ec966fcd64f901152cad5dc7731c7c831fe22e02e3ae99ff14637e5a48ef9c", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "c1fc7771f5fa418fd3ac49221a18f19b42ccb7a663da8f04cbbf6c08c80d20b1", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "50d94fc2d8580c682b071a542f8b1e31a200b0508bab95a33bef0855df281d63", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "20d88bae0c38e6407279e6a83350a931e714f0135e013ea4a1b14f936b7fead5", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "273e7880d38d39a7fb238efcf8957a1b5b27e819127a8483e975416a0a90f8d2", "", "mention" ], [ "t", "BH2024" ] ], "content":"Awesome Freedom Panel with...", "sig":"2b64e461cd9f5a7aa8abbcbcfd953536f10a334b631a352cd4124e8e187c71aad08be9aefb6a68e5c060e676d06b61c553e821286ea42489f9e7e7107a1bf79a" }

In nostr, all events have this form, so once you become familiar with the nostr event structure, things become pretty easy.

Look at the "tags" key. There are six "p" tags (pubkey) and one "t" tag (hashtag).

The p tags are public keys of people that are mentioned in the note. The t tags are for hashtags in the note.

It is common when working with NOSTR that you have to extract out certain tags. Here are some examples of how to do that with what are called JavaScript Array Methods:

Find the first "p" tag element:

``` Event.tags.find(item => item[0] === 'p')

[ 'p', '6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb', '', 'mention' ]

```

Same, but just return the pubkey":

``` Event.tags.find(item => item[0] === 'p')[1]

'6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb'

```

Filter the array so I only get "p" tags:

``` Event.tags.filter(item => item[0] === 'p')

[ [ 'p', '6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', '77ec966fcd64f901152cad5dc7731c7c831fe22e02e3ae99ff14637e5a48ef9c', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', 'c1fc7771f5fa418fd3ac49221a18f19b42ccb7a663da8f04cbbf6c08c80d20b1', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', '50d94fc2d8580c682b071a542f8b1e31a200b0508bab95a33bef0855df281d63', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', '20d88bae0c38e6407279e6a83350a931e714f0135e013ea4a1b14f936b7fead5', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', '273e7880d38d39a7fb238efcf8957a1b5b27e819127a8483e975416a0a90f8d2', '', 'mention' ] ]

```

Return an array with only the pubkeys in the "p" tags:

``` Event.tags.filter(item => item[0] === 'p').map(item => item[1])

[ '6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb', '77ec966fcd64f901152cad5dc7731c7c831fe22e02e3ae99ff14637e5a48ef9c', 'c1fc7771f5fa418fd3ac49221a18f19b42ccb7a663da8f04cbbf6c08c80d20b1', '50d94fc2d8580c682b071a542f8b1e31a200b0508bab95a33bef0855df281d63', '20d88bae0c38e6407279e6a83350a931e714f0135e013ea4a1b14f936b7fead5', '273e7880d38d39a7fb238efcf8957a1b5b27e819127a8483e975416a0a90f8d2' ]

```

@ d9e9fb27:d5fe5e1a

Colmar is a well known city in the region of Alsace, France. Its characteristic buildings, the narrow streets and the small river flowing through are worldwide famous.

---

However, it is during Christmas that the city gets the most attention. Thousands of people from all over Europe decide to spend one of the Advent weekends to wander around this beautiful city and hundreds of little wooden huts.

In fact, this town becomes a small Christmas village, with decorations and lights on every building and the famous Christmas market covering every possible inch of it.

Walking around this city really makes you feel the Christmas Spirit!

---

Of course, it can get really cold during this time of the year. That is why Alsatians wander around drinking the Vin Chaud (literally "Hot Wine"). This beverage is prepared by mixing sugar, various spices, such as cinnamon and cloves, and red wine. They are served in a plastic glass, which can be reused multpiple time or returned for a couple of Euros. However, every year the glass is designed differently, so many people keep it with them as a collectible!

Here is 2024 version:

---

This is the first time I try to do a photography reportage of the places I visit. I really hope you enjoyed it!Let me know what you think, every feedback is appreciated.

I will try to create more of them during my trips, so stay tuned!

Tuma

@ 575a8227:065bba95

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiV7UhoiZM8

Hola nostr, El reciente podcast de lunaticoin con Salinas ha puesto sobre la mesa una reflexión profunda sobre el llamado "fondo estratégico Bitcoin" de Trump, revelando una paradoja que merece nuestra atención.

Pensemos en el camino que hemos recorrido como individuos en el ecosistema Bitcoin. Durante años, cada uno de nosotros ha trabajado incansablemente, ahorrando con determinación para adquirir Bitcoin con dinero real, fruto de nuestro esfuerzo diario. En ese trayecto, hemos enfrentado críticas constantes: que si Bitcoin solo servía para actividades ilícitas, que si era un esquema Ponzi, que si carecía de valor intrínseco.

Ahora, en 2025, presenciamos un giro narrativo sorprendente. Los mismos que demonizaron Bitcoin proponen crear un "fondo estratégico", ¿y cómo planean financiarlo? Con la misma herramienta contra la que Bitcoin nació para protegernos: la impresión infinita de dinero fiat. Pretenden adquirir con papel sin respaldo lo que a tantos nos ha costado años de esfuerzo y convicción conseguir.

La comunidad Bitcoin se ha construido desde abajo, con personas que creyeron en el proyecto cuando pocos lo hacían, que mantuvieron sus convicciones en los momentos más difíciles, que construyeron infraestructura y educaron a otros. Somos nosotros, no los oportunistas de última hora, quienes hemos llevado Bitcoin hasta donde está hoy.

La propuesta actual representa una doble expropiación: primero devalúan nuestros ahorros mediante la inflación, y luego utilizan ese mismo dinero devaluado para intentar acaparar Bitcoin. Es un mecanismo que perpetúa exactamente aquello contra lo que Bitcoin fue creado para luchar.

Bitcoin nació como una herramienta de libertad financiera para el individuo, no como un instrumento más de control centralizado. Cada día que pasa, se hace más evidente que ningún político, independientemente de su retórica, representa los valores fundamentales de Bitcoin.

En estos momentos, mantener nuestros sats no es solo una decisión financiera, es una declaración de principios.

HODL 🟠₿

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

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

@ c11cf5f8:4928464d

Here we are again with our monthly Magnificent Seven, the summary giving you a hit of what you missed in the ~AGORA territory.

---

Top-Performing Ads

This month, the most engaging ones are:

• 01 [MAYBE BUY] The Times 03/Jan/2009 by @ek
• 02 [⚖️ SELL] Strike is selling Silk Road merch and all profit goes to Ross by @k00b
• 03 [SELL] Ross Is Free framed poster by @thebullishbitcoiner
• 04 [SELL] pair of lots, ~25M sats (AZ USA) by @deserter
• 05 [⭐ REVIEW] Rubik's Cube by @0xbitcoiner
• 06 Negotiable SATS on Anything!!! by @watchmancbiz
• 07 Get virtual card backed by Bitcoin-collateralized loan for 12% APR! by @lendasat

---

Professional Services accepting Bitcoin

• I https://stacker.news/items/813013/r/AG @gpvansat's [OFFER][Graphic Design] From the paste editions (It's important to keep these offers available)
• II https://stacker.news/items/775383/r/AG @TinstrMedia - Color Grading (Styling) Your Pictures as a Service
• III https://stacker.news/items/773557/r/AG @MamaHodl, MATHS TUTOR 50K SATS/hour English global
• IV https://stacker.news/items/684163/r/AG @BTCLNAT's OFFER HEALTH COUNSELING [21 SAT/ consultation
• V https://stacker.news/items/689268/r/AG @mathswithtess [SELL] MATHS TUTOR ONLINE, 90k sats per hour. Global but English only.

In case you missed

Here some interesting post, opening conversations and free speech about markets and business on the bitcoin circular economy:

• Sales Corner (11 reasons to teach your children to sell) https://stacker.news/items/876040/r/AG by @Akg10s3
• BTCPay Server: 2024 in review & 2025 ambitions https://stacker.news/items/860718/r/AG by @k00b
• Francis Orange-Pilling Costa Rican merchants https://stacker.news/items/848508/r/AG by @supratic
• Can someone produce a cheap linux based 4g phone for me to use in New Zealand? https://stacker.news/items/881075/r/AG by @Solomonsatoshi
• Como funciona isso !! https://stacker.news/items/873374/r/AG by @03f15ea8c9

🏷️ Spending Sunday

Share your most recent Bitcoin purchases of just check what other stackers are buying with their sats! Read more https://stacker.news/items/880985/r/AG

---

Just a reminder for you all

This territory aims to connect stackers and curious buyers for IRL P2P Bitcoin deals. Have fun checking what else stackers are shilling globally in the ~AGORA. This is a great time for you to make some space un-dusting some stuff that has been sitting there for too long and get some sats for it!

---

Create your Ads now!

Looking to start something new? Hit one of the links below to free your mind:

• 💬 TOPIC for conversation,
• [⚖️ SELL] anything! or,
• if you're looking for something, hit the [🛒 BUY]!
• [🧑‍💻 HIRE] any bitcoiner skill or stuff from bitcoiners
• [🖇 OFFER] any product or service and stack more sats
• [🧑‍⚖️ AUCTION] to let stackers decide a fair price for your item
• [🤝 SWAP] if you're looking to exchange anything with anything else
• [🆓 FREE] your space, make a gift!
• [⭐ REVIEW] any bitcoin product or LN service you recently bought or subscribed to

---

Or contact @AGORA team on nostr DM, and we can help you publish a personalized post.

. #nostr #bitcoin #stuff4sats #sell #buy #plebchain #grownostr #asknostr #market #business

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/882452

@ 3f770d65:7a745b24

Here are my predictions for Nostr in 2025:

Decentralization: The outbox and inbox communication models, sometimes referred to as the Gossip model, will become the standard across the ecosystem. By the end of 2025, all major clients will support these models, providing seamless communication and enhanced decentralization. Clients that do not adopt outbox/inbox by then will be regarded as outdated or legacy systems.

Privacy Standards: Major clients such as Damus and Primal will move away from NIP-04 DMs, adopting more secure protocol possibilities like NIP-17 or NIP-104. These upgrades will ensure enhanced encryption and metadata protection. Additionally, NIP-104 MLS tools will drive the development of new clients and features, providing users with unprecedented control over the privacy of their communications.

Interoperability: Nostr's ecosystem will become even more interconnected. Platforms like the Olas image-sharing service will expand into prominent clients such as Primal, Damus, Coracle, and Snort, alongside existing integrations with Amethyst, Nostur, and Nostrudel. Similarly, audio and video tools like Nostr Nests and Zap.stream will gain seamless integration into major clients, enabling easy participation in live events across the ecosystem.

Adoption and Migration: Inspired by early pioneers like Fountain and Orange Pill App, more platforms will adopt Nostr for authentication, login, and social systems. In 2025, a significant migration from a high-profile application platform with hundreds of thousands of users will transpire, doubling Nostr’s daily activity and establishing it as a cornerstone of decentralized technologies.

@ 8d5ba92c:c6c3ecd5

Keeping up with everything happening in Bitcoin isn’t easy, even if you’ve been around for a while. The pace is relentless: stream of events, discussions, projects, and updates, not to mention the noise on social media...

One of the most efficient options to expand your knowledge and truly connect with people actively working in the space is through direct interactions, whether they’re happening at large conferences or smaller, semi-official meetups. But let’s be honest: finding all meaningful events can be a mess.

Take, for example, the ''BTC Events Map,’ which already lists over 550 Bitcoin-only gatherings worldwide. This simple but very useful resource, put together by Satlantis, can help many of us plan our trips throughout the year. However, if you don’t know about its existence and rely solely on a search engine—whether Google or Brave—you’ll likely end up frustrated (and unfortunately missing many great opportunities to meet with others and learn).

Search for '[bitcoin events],' and you’ll get a mix of irrelevant crypto, fintech, and Web3 results, with Bitcoin-related stuff buried somewhere in the middle, if at all.. Well, it’s really tough to find what you’re actually looking for.

That’s why word of mouth and trusted communities are so important. Sometimes, the best way to hear about an event is directly from people you know.

One of those that flew under my radar was SatsNFacts. It wasn’t listed on many typical event aggregators or any big news-promo sites. It mostly spread peer-to-peer and through the main channels on Nostr.

I was ‘lucky’ enough to hear about it just in time to plan the trip from Europe to Thailand. Now, I’d like to briefly share my experience with you—everything that, in my opinion, made this event truly stand out.

A Journey to Southeast Asia...

Approximately 10,176 kilometers, 14 hours of travel, and finally three days spent at SatsNFacts—"Thailand’s first Bitcoin Technical Unconference”.

The event ran from February 8 to 10 in Chiang Mai (the largest city in northern Thailand). Held at Weave Artisan Society, a 700 sq.m venue that used to be an ice factory, it smoothly combined pleasant outdoors with an industrial-style, two-floor indoor area, creating a unique and very practical setup.

Where Builders and Artists Collide

While its was billed as a “Technical Unconference,” in practice it nicely connected the developer-based ecosystem with different aspects of culture and art.

Each day, from 10 am to 6 pm, the agenda—shaped directly by attendees—was packed with various presentations, group chats, learning session, hackathons, and actionable workshops.

With many options available (around 10-20 topics per day), I couldn’t attend everything, but here are a few more technical sessions I joined and found especially worthwhile:

• Liana Workshop (long-term security, recovery, and inheritance),
• TollGates (streaming sats for internet access),
• Open Vault (enterprise wallet interface),
• Yaki Honne (decentralized media),
• Nostr Proxies (Epoxy, WebSocket and relay monetization).
• Silent payments (simplified payment experiences without compromising privacy).

As mentioned earlier, SatsNFacts wasn’t just about Bitcoin tech. Some topics focused on community aspects as well. Two discussions I joined highlighted Bitcoin adoption ⚡ in for example Bali and Thailand, showing how sound money, integrity, and consistent work can solve real problems in these regions. Impressive stuff! Here you can learn more:

• HuaiPhueng on Geyser + "Bitcoin City" (their short video ).
• Bitcoin Indonesia & Bitcoin House Bali (all in one on GitHub )

---

Now, the art gallery, to continue with less technical aspects of SatsNFacts 🎨

This nicely-organized space located on the ground floor, near cozy coworking and networking spots, was for me a real gem. Indeed, adding a creative vibe to the entire event.

Around 30 unique works from local and international artists were on display, all inspired by themes of freedom and privacy. Though I don’t see myself as a typical 'artist', I was honored to have some of my own pieces exhibited there as well (a short video 👇).

One of the highlights was meeting local Thai artists, especially Siritravelsketch, who travelled six hours by train just one way to attend two days of the event.

Her stunning paintings, created using just a bamboo stick and ink, are deeply inspired by Thai architecture and culture. While some of her pre-prepared pieces hung in the gallery, she also painted a few new works on the spot during her visit.

Truly spectacular!

I also had the chance to reconnect with Satoshi Builds, who made many great sketches during this event, and with BitPopArt, a Dutch artist who, just like me, chosen a nomadic lifestyle yet has been clearly considering Thailand his 'second home' as well for several years now. By the way, ✍️ here's his short summary of the event, focusing more on the artistic side of SatsNFacts: "Art exhibition in Chiang Mai ".

All in all, spending my time in many meaningful conversations and seeing so many deep artworks in one place filled me with hope and positive energy. THANK YOU, EVERYONE!

https://v.nostr.build/Fy7J510ZaNyMktIX.mp4

(*** presented artworks by for example: Agi Choote, Samhain, Zed Erwan, Existing Sprinkles, AZA 21m , BitPopArt .)

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Mr. Rabbit in Thailand...

Monday, the final evening, and SatsNFacts got one more item on its agenda rooted in creative expression and independent art.

Representing Bitcoin FilmFest (a grassroots project created by an amazing group of freedom fighters and activists 🐇🧡), since I was the only one from our team in Thailand, in one of the rooms upstairs, I put together a mini cinematic experience.

Seven trailers and eleven shorts, including for example:

• NO MORE INFLATION, HUMMINGBIRD, PARALLEL SPACE, UNBANKABLE, THE LEGEND OF LANDI (🎬 some of the trailers).

• BITCOIN A NEW HOPE, SATOSHI NAKAMOTO - THE CREATOR OF BITCOIN, MAXIS CLUB SHOW - CHAPTER ONE, THE GREATEST HEIST IN HISTORY, HODL, THE ANATOMY OF BITCOIN – GENESIS BLOCK (📺 some of the presented shorts)

With around 10-15 participants, the response was positive, and we ended up spending an extra 10-maybe-20 minutes discussing the challenges and opportunities in Bitcoin-powered filmmaking, as well as the upcoming edition of BFF25 (the annual festival we're organizing this May in Warsaw, Poland).

https://i.nostr.build/RE3mKJacw5vB23V6.png

---

Substance Over Hype.

SatsNFacts made a solid reminder that Bitcoin events can help build a truly sovereign future while bringing together developers and artistic souls alike.

The mix of technical depth and creative energy—free from the shiny gossip that floods many social channels—made it a truly meaningful experience.

SatsNFacts set a high standard, and I hope to see more events like it in the future. More unconferences, more cultural and community-driven gatherings.

Here's to more signal, less noise!!!

Big congrats to everyone who made the first SatsNFacts happen 👏 Respect especially to the organizers! You pulled off something truly special!

---

BTC Your Mind. Let it Beat.... Şela

@ d360efec:14907b5f

(1) TF Day (รายวัน): - แนวโน้ม: ขาขึ้น (Uptrend) ชัดเจน - SMC: HH และ HL ต่อเนื่อง - แนวรับ: EMA 50 (ประมาณ 90,000), EMA 200 (ประมาณ 80,000) - แนวต้าน: 109,998.9 (High เดิม) - Money Flow (LuxAlgo): - ส่วนใหญ่เป็นสีเขียว: แสดงว่าโดยรวมแล้วแรงซื้อยังมีอิทธิพลเหนือกว่า - มีสีแดงแทรกบ้าง: บ่งบอกว่ามีการขายทำกำไรออกมาบ้าง แต่ไม่มากพอที่จะเปลี่ยนแนวโน้มหลัก - มีสีเขียวแท่งใหญ่ต่อเนื่อง: เกิดขึ้นในช่วงที่ราคามีการปรับตัวขึ้นอย่างมีนัยยะสำคัญ สรุป: ขาขึ้นแข็งแกร่ง Buy on Dip ที่ EMA 50/200

(2) TF4H (4 ชั่วโมง): - แนวโน้ม: ขาขึ้น (Uptrend) ชัดเจน - SMC: HH และ HL, มี Pullback แต่ไม่เสียโครงสร้าง - แนวรับ: EMA 50, EMA 200, Equilibrium (ประมาณ 98,000) - แนวต้าน: 109,998.9 - Money Flow (LuxAlgo): แรงซื้อยังคงมีมากกว่า, มีขายทำกำไรบ้าง สรุป: ขาขึ้น พักตัวเพื่อไปต่อ Buy on Dip

(3) TF15 (15 นาที): - แนวโน้ม: ขาขึ้น (Uptrend) แต่แกว่งตัวในกรอบ (Consolidation) - SMC: Accumulation, มี EQH/EQL, CHoCH ทั้งบนและล่าง - แนวรับ: 97,000-97,200, EMA, 96,800 - แนวต้าน: 98,000-98,378.4 - Money Flow (LuxAlgo): แรงซื้อยังคงมี แต่มีแรงขายทำกำไร สรุป: ขาขึ้นระยะสั้น แต่ผันผวน Range Trading หรือ Breakout Trading (เน้น Buy)

กลยุทธ์: 1.Buy on Dip (หลัก): - TF Day: รอใกล้ EMA 50/200 - TF4H: รอใกล้ EMA หรือ Equilibrium

2.Breakout (TF15): รอ Breakout 98,000-98,378.4 พร้อม Volume

3.Range (TF15, เสี่ยง): เล่นสั้นในกรอบ 97,000-98,000 (ระวัง False Breakout)

4.ไม่ Short: ขัดกับแนวโน้มหลัก

ข้อควรระวัง: - ความผันผวน: ตลาดคริปโตฯ มีความผันผวนสูง - ข่าวสาร/ปัจจัยพื้นฐาน: ติดตามข่าวสารอย่างใกล้ชิด - Stop Loss: จำเป็นต้องตั้ง Stop Loss ทุกครั้งที่เข้าเทรด - TF15: ระวัง False Breakout และ Volume ที่ไม่สอดคล้อง

Money Flow (LuxAlgo) สรุป: - TF Day: ยืนยันแนวโน้มขาขึ้นโดยรวม แรงซื้อยังมีอิทธิพล - TF4H: ยืนยันแนวโน้มขาขึ้น แรงซื้อยังคงมีมากกว่า - TF15: แรงซื้อยังมี แต่เริ่มมีแรงขายทำกำไร ทำให้ราคาแกว่งตัว

คำแนะนำเพิ่มเติม: - Volume: ควรให้ความสำคัญกับ Volume ในการ Breakout หรือ Breakout - Risk Management: บริหารความเสี่ยงให้ดี อย่า Overtrade

Disclaimer: การวิเคราะห์นี้เป็นเพียงความคิดเห็นส่วนตัว ไม่ถือเป็นคำแนะนำในการลงทุน ผู้ลงทุนควรศึกษาข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมและตัดสินใจด้วยความรอบคอบ

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

---

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Credits: 1A1z.com

Download report in PDF

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/883515

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Test Bounty Note

@ 16d11430:61640947

In a world drowning in Monopoly money, where people celebrate government-mandated inflation as "economic growth," it takes a special kind of clarity—nay, cynicism—to rise above the fiat circus. This is your guide to shedding your fiat f**ks and embracing the serene chaos of sound money, all while laughing at the absurdity of a world gone fiat-mad.

---

1. Don’t Feed the Clowns

You know the clowns I’m talking about: central bankers in their tailored suits and smug smirks, wielding "tools" like interest rates and quantitative easing. Their tools are as real as a magician's wand, conjuring trillions of dollars out of thin air to keep their Ponzi economy afloat.

Rule #1: Don’t engage. If a clown offers you a hot take about the "strength of the dollar," smile, nod, and silently wonder how many cups of coffee their paycheck buys this month. Spoiler: fewer than last month.

---

1. Turn Off the Fiat News

Do you really need another breathless headline about the next trillion-dollar deficit? Or the latest clickbait on why you should care about the stock market's emotional rollercoaster? Mainstream media exists to distract you, to keep you tethered to their illusion of importance.

Turn it off. Replace it with something sound, like the Bitcoin whitepaper. Or Nietzsche. At least Nietzsche knew we were doomed.

---

1. Mock Their Inflationary Gospel

Fiat apologists will tell you that inflation is "necessary" and that 2% a year is a "healthy target." Sure, because a little robbery every year keeps society functioning, right? Ask them this: "If 2% is healthy, why not 20%? Why not 200%? Why not Venezuela?"

Fiat logic is like a bad acid trip: entertaining at first, but it quickly spirals into existential horror.

---

1. Celebrate the Fiat Freakshow

Sometimes, the best way to resist the fiat clown show is to revel in its absurdity. Watch politicians print money like teenagers running up a credit card bill at Hot Topic, then watch the economists applaud it as "stimulus." It’s performance art, really. Andy Warhol could never.

---

1. Build in the Chaos

While the fiat world burns, Bitcoiners build. This is the ultimate "not giving a fiat f**k" move: creating a parallel economy, one satoshi at a time. Run your Lightning node, stack sats, and laugh as the fiat circus consumes itself in a flaming pile of its own debt.

Let them argue about who gets to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic. You’re busy designing lifeboats.

---

1. Adopt a Fiat-Free Lifestyle

Fiat-free living means minimizing your entanglement with their clown currency. Buy meat, not ETFs. Trade skills, not IOUs. Tip your barber in Bitcoin and ask if your landlord accepts Lightning. If they say no, chuckle and say, “You’ll learn soon enough.”

Every satoshi spent in the real economy is a slap in the face to the fiat overlords.

---

1. Find the Humor in Collapse

Here’s the thing: the fiat system is unsustainable. You know it, I know it, even the clowns know it. The whole charade is destined to collapse under its own weight. When it does, find solace in the absurdity of it all.

Imagine the central bankers explaining hyperinflation to the public: "Turns out we can't print infinity after all." Pure comedy gold.

---

1. Stay Ruthlessly Optimistic

Despite the doom and gloom, there’s hope. Bitcoin is hope. It’s the lifeboat for humanity, the cheat code to escape the fiat matrix. Cynicism doesn’t mean nihilism; it means seeing the rot for what it is and choosing to build something better.

So, don’t just reject the fiat clown show—replace it. Create a world where money is sound, transactions are sovereign, and wealth is measured in energy, not debt.

---

Final Thought: Burn the Tent Down

Aldous Huxley once envisioned a dystopia where people are so distracted by their own hedonistic consumption that they don’t realize they’re enslaved. Sound familiar? The fiat clown show is Brave New World on steroids, a spectacle designed to keep you pacified while your wealth evaporates.

But here’s the punchline: they can only enslave you if you care. By rejecting their system, you strip them of their power. So let them juggle their debts, inflate their bubbles, and print their trillions. You’ve got Bitcoin, and Bitcoin doesn’t give a fiat f**k.

Welcome to the satirical resistance. Now go stack some sats.

@ d360efec:14907b5f

(1) TF Day (รายวัน): - แนวโน้ม: เริ่มเป็นขาขึ้น (Early Uptrend) หลังจาก Breakout EMA 50 - SMC: BOS ด้านบน (Breakout EMA 50), เริ่มเห็น HH/HL (แต่ยังไม่ชัดเจนเท่า BTC) - แนวรับ: EMA 50 (1.5615), EMA 200 (1.0857), 0.7289-0.8479 - แนวต้าน: 2.4450 (High ล่าสุด), 3.00-3.20 (EQH), 3.4049 (High ก่อนหน้า) - Money Flow (LuxAlgo): แรงซื้อแข็งแกร่ง ชนะแรงขายชัดเจน - Volume Profile: หนาแน่นที่ EMA 50 - กลยุทธ์: Buy on Dip (ความเสี่ยงปานกลาง) หรือรอ Breakout 2.4450

(2) TF4H (4 ชั่วโมง): - แนวโน้ม: ขาขึ้น (ระยะกลาง), พักตัว (ระยะสั้น) - SMC: BOS ด้านบน, เริ่มเห็น HH/HL, มี EQH (3.00-3.20) และ EQL (2.10-2.20) - แนวรับ: EMA 50 (2.20), EMA 200 (1.80), 2.10-2.20 (EQL), 1.7820 - แนวต้าน: 2.4427, 3.00-3.20 (EQH), 3.4049 - Money Flow (LuxAlgo): แรงซื้อยังมี แต่เริ่มอ่อนแรงลง มีขายทำกำไร - Volume Profile: หนาแน่นที่ EMA 50 - กลยุทธ์: Buy on Dip ใกล้ EMA 50 หรือ EQL, รอ Breakout 2.4427

(3) TF15 (15 นาที): - แนวโน้ม: แกว่งตัวในกรอบ (Sideways) - SMC: Accumulation/Distribution, EQH (2.44-2.48), EQL (2.40-2.42), CHoCH ทั้งบนและล่าง - แนวรับ: 2.40-2.42 (EQL, EMA), Equilibrium (2.38) - แนวต้าน: 2.44-2.48 (EQH), 2.50 - Money Flow (LuxAlgo): แรงซื้อและแรงขายพอๆ กัน, Volume ไม่สูง - Volume Profile: หนาแน่นที่ 2.40-2.42 - กลยุทธ์: Range Trading (เสี่ยง) หรือ Breakout Trading (เน้น Buy)

สรุปกลยุทธ์สำหรับ XRPUSDT: 1.Buy on Dip (กลยุทธ์หลัก): - TF Day: รอราคาย่อตัวลงมาใกล้ EMA 50 (ประมาณ 1.56) หรือ EMA 200 (ประมาณ 1.08) - TF4H: รอราคาย่อตัวลงมาใกล้ EMA 50 (ประมาณ 2.20) หรือบริเวณ EQL (2.10-2.20)

2.Breakout Trading (TF15, เสี่ยงน้อยกว่า Range Trading): - รอราคา Breakout แนวต้าน 2.44-2.48 (EQH ใน TF15) อย่างแข็งแกร่ง พร้อม Volume ยืนยัน แล้วค่อยพิจารณา Buy Stop

3.Range Trading (TF15, ความเสี่ยงสูง): - เล่นสั้นๆ ในกรอบ 2.40-2.48 (ซื้อแนวรับ-ขายแนวต้าน) ต้องระวัง False Breakout อย่างมาก

4.ไม่แนะนำให้ Short: - ขัดกับแนวโน้มหลักใน TF Day และ TF4H รวมถึง Money Flow ที่แสดงแรงซื้อ

ข้อควรระวัง: - ความผันผวน: XRP มีความผันผวนสูง - ข่าวสาร: ติดตามข่าวสารเกี่ยวกับ Ripple และคดีความกับ SEC - False Breakout (TF15): ระวังการ Breakout หลอก โดยเฉพาะในสภาวะที่ Volume ไม่สูง - Stop Loss: ต้องตั้ง Stop Loss ทุกครั้งที่เข้าเทรด เพื่อจำกัดความเสี่ยง

คำแนะนำ: - XRP ยังตามหลัง BTC การเข้าซื้อควรรอสัญญาณที่ชัดเจน - TF Day และ TF4H เป็นตัวกำหนดแนวโน้มหลัก - TF15 ใช้สำหรับหาจังหวะเข้า-ออกระยะสั้น - บริหารความเสี่ยง (Risk Management) เป็นสิ่งสำคัญที่สุด

Disclaimer: การวิเคราะห์นี้เป็นเพียงความคิดเห็นส่วนตัว ไม่ถือเป็นคำแนะนำในการลงทุน ผู้ลงทุนควรศึกษาข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมและตัดสินใจด้วยความรอบคอบ

@ 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

@ 0fe1a615:c70a7ba5

华为手表3000多元，其中的血压计功能可能只占不到300元左右。如果用医保个人账户全额购买华为手表，似乎不太妥当。 如果产品可以通过花费极少的成本，来增加某项医疗功能，从而实现医保报销。这就相当于打开了一个口子，那么以后很多测心率的产品是否也都可以医保报销呢？ 举个简单的例子，比如可乐。轻度低血糖病人在中午时，喝几口可乐，可以有效缓解低血糖症状。那以后可不可以用医保个人账户报销可乐呢？ 网上有些人提到医保个人账户的资金，是自己的，可以购买华为手表，可以自由支配。鄙以为不然。保险的本来意义在于大家集资救助那些需要大额资金救助的人群，而不是给自己用的。按照上述观点，那么企业给你交的社保，不是也应该算到个人账户吗？其实可以这么理解，现在将个人账户和统筹账户分开，只是医保的一个过渡阶段，按照理论上来讲，以后应该是只需要统筹账户来实现全民共济，而不应该存在个人账户。 如果医保可以全额购买智能手表，这么自由的话，其实个人根本没必要交钱到医保个人账户，而只需要企业交到统筹即可。 故我认为，医保目录为智能手表开口子，实在是荒唐至极，此举既假公济私，又动摇了医保共济的根基，实在不可取。 因此，我建议，就算想照顾到国内企业，提振销量，可以设定报销比例。比如智能手表的血压功能只能占到300元，与市面上血压计价格差不多，那么医保就只能报销300元。再比如可乐含糖成分有效缓解低血糖，那么可以按照糖分比例，可能只有几角钱或者更低，来进行报销。 望三思而行。

@ b17fccdf:b7211155

~ > Available at: https://minibolt.info

---

~> It builds on a personal computer with x86/amd64 architecture processors.

~> It is based on the popular RaspiBolt v3 guide.

---

Those are some of the most relevant changes:

• Changed OS from Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bits) to Ubuntu Server LTS (Long term support) 64-bit PC (AMD64).
• Changed binaries and signatures of the programs to adapt them to x86/amd64 architecture.
• Deleted unnecessary tools and steps, and added others according to this case of use.
• Some useful authentication logs and monitoring commands were added in the security section.
• Added some interesting parameters in the settings of some services to activate and take advantage of new features.
• Changed I2P, Fulcrum, and ThunderHub guides, to be part of the core guide.
• Added exclusive optimization section of services for slow devices.

---

~ > Complete release notes of the MiniBolt v1: https://github.com/twofaktor/minibolt/releases/tag/1.0.

~ > Feel free to contribute to the source code on GitHub by opening issues, pull requests or discussions.

---

Created by ⚡2 FakTor⚡

@ a367f9eb:0633efea

I’ll admit that I was wrong about Bitcoin. Perhaps in 2013. Definitely 2017. Probably in 2018-2019. And maybe even today.

Being wrong about Bitcoin is part of finally understanding it. It will test you, make you question everything, and in the words of BTC educator and privacy advocate Matt Odell, “Bitcoin will humble you”.

I’ve had my own stumbles on the way.

In a very public fashion in 2017, after years of using Bitcoin, trying to start a company with it, using it as my primary exchange vehicle between currencies, and generally being annoying about it at parties, I let out the bear.

In an article published in my own literary magazine Devolution Review in September 2017, I had a breaking point. The article was titled “Going Bearish on Bitcoin: Cryptocurrencies are the tulip mania of the 21st century”.

It was later republished in Huffington Post and across dozens of financial and crypto blogs at the time with another, more appropriate title: “Bitcoin Has Become About The Payday, Not Its Potential”.

As I laid out, my newfound bearishness had little to do with the technology itself or the promise of Bitcoin, and more to do with the cynical industry forming around it:

In the beginning, Bitcoin was something of a revolution to me. The digital currency represented everything from my rebellious youth.

It was a decentralized, denationalized, and digital currency operating outside the traditional banking and governmental system. It used tools of cryptography and connected buyers and sellers across national borders at minimal transaction costs.

…

The 21st-century version (of Tulip mania) has welcomed a plethora of slick consultants, hazy schemes dressed up as investor possibilities, and too much wishy-washy language for anything to really make sense to anyone who wants to use a digital currency to make purchases.

While I called out Bitcoin by name at the time, on reflection, I was really talking about the ICO craze, the wishy-washy consultants, and the altcoin ponzis.

What I was articulating — without knowing it — was the frame of NgU, or “numbers go up”. Rather than advocating for Bitcoin because of its uncensorability, proof-of-work, or immutability, the common mentality among newbies and the dollar-obsessed was that Bitcoin mattered because its price was a rocket ship.

And because Bitcoin was gaining in price, affinity tokens and projects that were imperfect forks of Bitcoin took off as well.

The price alone — rather than its qualities — were the reasons why you’d hear Uber drivers, finance bros, or your gym buddy mention Bitcoin. As someone who came to Bitcoin for philosophical reasons, that just sat wrong with me.

Maybe I had too many projects thrown in my face, or maybe I was too frustrated with the UX of Bitcoin apps and sites at the time. No matter what, I’ve since learned something.

I was at least somewhat wrong.

My own journey began in early 2011. One of my favorite radio programs, Free Talk Live, began interviewing guests and having discussions on the potential of Bitcoin. They tied it directly to a libertarian vision of the world: free markets, free people, and free banking. That was me, and I was in. Bitcoin was at about $5 back then (NgU).

I followed every article I could, talked about it with guests on my college radio show, and became a devoted redditor on r/Bitcoin. At that time, at least to my knowledge, there was no possible way to buy Bitcoin where I was living. Very weak.

I was probably wrong. And very wrong for not trying to acquire by mining or otherwise.

The next year, after moving to Florida, Bitcoin was a heavy topic with a friend of mine who shared the same vision (and still does, according to the Celsius bankruptcy documents). We talked about it with passionate leftists at Occupy Tampa in 2012, all the while trying to explain the ills of Keynesian central banking, and figuring out how to use Coinbase.

I began writing more about Bitcoin in 2013, writing a guide on “How to Avoid Bank Fees Using Bitcoin,” discussing its potential legalization in Germany, and interviewing Jeremy Hansen, one of the first political candidates in the U.S. to accept Bitcoin donations.

Even up until that point, I thought Bitcoin was an interesting protocol for sending and receiving money quickly, and converting it into fiat. The global connectedness of it, plus this cypherpunk mentality divorced from government control was both useful and attractive. I thought it was the perfect go-between.

But I was wrong.

When I gave my first public speech on Bitcoin in Vienna, Austria in December 2013, I had grown obsessed with Bitcoin’s adoption on dark net markets like Silk Road.

My theory, at the time, was the number and price were irrelevant. The tech was interesting, and a novel attempt. It was unlike anything before. But what was happening on the dark net markets, which I viewed as the true free market powered by Bitcoin, was even more interesting. I thought these markets would grow exponentially and anonymous commerce via BTC would become the norm.

While the price was irrelevant, it was all about buying and selling goods without permission or license.

Now I understand I was wrong.

Just because Bitcoin was this revolutionary technology that embraced pseudonymity did not mean that all commerce would decentralize as well. It did not mean that anonymous markets were intended to be the most powerful layer in the Bitcoin stack.

What I did not even anticipate is something articulated very well by noted Bitcoin OG Pierre Rochard: Bitcoin as a savings technology.

The ability to maintain long-term savings, practice self-discipline while stacking stats, and embrace a low-time preference was just not something on the mind of the Bitcoiners I knew at the time.

Perhaps I was reading into the hype while outwardly opposing it. Or perhaps I wasn’t humble enough to understand the true value proposition that many of us have learned years later.

In the years that followed, I bought and sold more times than I can count, and I did everything to integrate it into passion projects. I tried to set up a company using Bitcoin while at my university in Prague.

My business model depended on university students being technologically advanced enough to have a mobile wallet, own their keys, and be able to make transactions on a consistent basis. Even though I was surrounded by philosophically aligned people, those who would advance that to actually put Bitcoin into practice were sparse.

This is what led me to proclaim that “Technological Literacy is Doomed” in 2016.

And I was wrong again.

Indeed, since that time, the UX of Bitcoin-only applications, wallets, and supporting tech has vastly improved and onboarded millions more people than anyone thought possible. The entrepreneurship, coding excellence, and vision offered by Bitcoiners of all stripes have renewed a sense in me that this project is something built for us all — friends and enemies alike.

While many of us were likely distracted by flashy and pumpy altcoins over the years (me too, champs), most of us have returned to the Bitcoin stable.

Fast forward to today, there are entire ecosystems of creators, activists, and developers who are wholly reliant on the magic of Bitcoin’s protocol for their life and livelihood. The options are endless. The FUD is still present, but real proof of work stands powerfully against those forces.

In addition, there are now dozens of ways to use Bitcoin privately — still without custodians or intermediaries — that make it one of the most important assets for global humanity, especially in dictatorships.

This is all toward a positive arc of innovation, freedom, and pure independence. Did I see that coming? Absolutely not.

Of course, there are probably other shots you’ve missed on Bitcoin. Price predictions (ouch), the short-term inflation hedge, or the amount of institutional investment. While all of these may be erroneous predictions in the short term, we have to realize that Bitcoin is a long arc. It will outlive all of us on the planet, and it will continue in its present form for the next generation.

Being wrong about the evolution of Bitcoin is no fault, and is indeed part of the learning curve to finally understanding it all.

When your family or friends ask you about Bitcoin after your endless sessions explaining market dynamics, nodes, how mining works, and the genius of cryptographic signatures, try to accept that there is still so much we have to learn about this decentralized digital cash.

There are still some things you’ve gotten wrong about Bitcoin, and plenty more you’ll underestimate or get wrong in the future. That’s what makes it a beautiful journey. It’s a long road, but one that remains worth it.

@ 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.

@ d360efec:14907b5f

ภาพรวม LUNCUSDT:

LUNCUSDT กำลังแสดงสัญญาณของการฟื้นตัว (Potential Reversal) จากแนวโน้มขาลงระยะยาว โดยมีปัจจัยสนับสนุนหลักคือการ Breakout EMA 50 ใน TF Day และการเกิด Golden Cross (EMA 50 ตัด EMA 200 ขึ้น) อย่างไรก็ตาม การฟื้นตัวนี้ยังอยู่ในช่วงเริ่มต้น และยังคงมีความผันผวนและแรงขายทำกำไรอยู่บ้าง

แนวโน้ม: - TF Day: แนวโน้มขาขึ้น (Early Stage) – บ่งชี้ถึงโอกาสในการกลับตัวระยะยาว - TF4H: แนวโน้มขาขึ้น (ระยะกลาง) – ยืนยันแนวโน้มขาขึ้น แต่มีการพักตัวระยะสั้น - TF15: แนวโน้มแกว่งตัวขึ้น (Sideways Up) – แสดงถึงการต่อสู้ระหว่างแรงซื้อและแรงขายในระยะสั้น

โครงสร้างราคา (SMC): - TF Day: มี Break of Structure (BOS) ด้านบน, เริ่มเห็น Higher Highs (HH) และ Higher Lows (HL) - TF4H: มี BOS ด้านบน, เริ่มเห็น HH/HL, มี Equal Highs (EQH) เป็นแนวต้าน - TF15: มี BOS ด้านบน, มี Change of Character (CHoCH) ด้านบน, มี EQH และ Equal Lows (EQL)

Money Flow (LuxAlgo): - TF Day: แรงซื้อแข็งแกร่งอย่างชัดเจน - TF4H: แรงซื้อและแรงขายค่อนข้างสมดุล มีการขายทำกำไร - TF15: แรงซื้อและแรงขายพอๆ กัน แต่แรงซื้อเริ่มกลับเข้ามา

แนวรับ-แนวต้านสำคัญ: - Timeframe Day - แนวรับ EMA 50 (0.00010000), EMA 200 (0.00008000), 0.00006000-0.00007000 - แนวต้าน 0.00017953 (High ล่าสุด), 0.00014000 (Volume Profile) - Timeframe 4H - แนวรับ EMA 50 (0.00007000), EMA 200 (0.00008000), Equilibrium (0.00008500), 0.00006000 - แนวต้าน 0.00008132 (High ล่าสุด), 0.00010000 (EQH), 0.00010755 (High ก่อนหน้า) - Timeframe 15m - แนวรับ EMA 50, EMA 200, 0.00007300-0.00007400, Equilibrium (0.00007100) - แนวต้าน 0.00007636 (High ล่าสุด), EQH (0.00007600)

กลยุทธ์: 1.Buy on Dip (กลยุทธ์หลัก): - Day/4H: รอราคาย่อตัวลงมาใกล้แนวรับสำคัญ (EMA, Equilibrium) เป็นจุดที่น่าสนใจในการเข้าซื้อ โดยพิจารณาจากสัญญาณอื่นๆ ประกอบ (เช่น Volume, Candlestick Patterns) 2.Breakout Trading: - Day: รอ Breakout แนวต้าน 0.00014000 หรือ 0.00017953 พร้อม Volume ยืนยัน - 15: รอ Breakout แนวต้าน 0.00007636 พร้อม Volume ยืนยัน 3.Range Trading (TF15, ความเสี่ยงสูง): ไม่แนะนำสำหรับมือใหม่ เล่นสั้นๆ ในกรอบแนวรับ-แนวต้านของ TF15 (ต้องระวัง False Breakout อย่างมาก) 4.ไม่แนะนำให้ Short: ขัดกับสัญญาณการกลับตัวใน TF Day และ 4H

ข้อควรระวัง: - LUNC เป็นเหรียญ High Risk: มีความผันผวนสูงมาก - ข่าวสาร: ติดตามข่าวสารเกี่ยวกับ Terra Luna Classic อย่างใกล้ชิด - Stop Loss: ต้องตั้ง Stop Loss ทุกครั้งที่เข้าเทรด เพื่อจำกัดความเสี่ยง

คำแนะนำ: - LUNC มีความเสี่ยงสูงกว่า BTC และ XRP - ควรกระจายความเสี่ยง (Diversification) อย่าลงทุนใน LUNC เพียงอย่างเดียว - ลงทุนในสัดส่วนที่น้อย (เมื่อเทียบกับพอร์ตการลงทุนทั้งหมด) - ถ้าไม่แน่ใจ ให้รอสัญญาณที่ชัดเจนกว่านี้ก่อน (เช่น การ Breakout แนวต้านสำคัญพร้อม Volume)

Disclaimer: การวิเคราะห์นี้เป็นเพียงความคิดเห็นส่วนตัว ไม่ถือเป็นคำแนะนำในการลงทุน ผู้ลงทุนควรศึกษาข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมและตัดสินใจด้วยความรอบคอบ

@ 6389be64:ef439d32

Resilience is the ability to withstand shocks, adapt, and bounce back. It’s an essential quality in nature and in life. But what if we could take resilience a step further? What if, instead of merely surviving, a system could improve when faced with stress? This concept, known as anti-fragility, is not just theoretical—it’s practical. Combining two highly resilient natural tools, comfrey and biochar, reveals how we can create systems that thrive under pressure and grow stronger with each challenge.

Comfrey: Nature’s Champion of Resilience

Comfrey is a plant that refuses to fail. Once its deep roots take hold, it thrives in poor soils, withstands drought, and regenerates even after being cut down repeatedly. It’s a hardy survivor, but comfrey doesn’t just endure—it contributes. Known as a dynamic accumulator, it mines nutrients from deep within the earth and brings them to the surface, making them available for other plants.

Beyond its ecological role, comfrey has centuries of medicinal use, earning the nickname "knitbone." Its leaves can heal wounds and restore health, a perfect metaphor for resilience. But as impressive as comfrey is, its true potential is unlocked when paired with another resilient force: biochar.

Biochar: The Silent Powerhouse of Soil Regeneration

Biochar, a carbon-rich material made by burning organic matter in low-oxygen conditions, is a game-changer for soil health. Its unique porous structure retains water, holds nutrients, and provides a haven for beneficial microbes. Soil enriched with biochar becomes drought-resistant, nutrient-rich, and biologically active—qualities that scream resilience.

Historically, ancient civilizations in the Amazon used biochar to transform barren soils into fertile agricultural hubs. Known as terra preta, these soils remain productive centuries later, highlighting biochar’s remarkable staying power.

Yet, like comfrey, biochar’s potential is magnified when it’s part of a larger system.

The Synergy: Comfrey and Biochar Together

Resilience turns into anti-fragility when systems go beyond mere survival and start improving under stress. Combining comfrey and biochar achieves exactly that.

1. Nutrient Cycling and Retention\ Comfrey’s leaves, rich in nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, make an excellent mulch when cut and dropped onto the soil. However, these nutrients can wash away in heavy rains. Enter biochar. Its porous structure locks in the nutrients from comfrey, preventing runoff and keeping them available for plants. Together, they create a system that not only recycles nutrients but amplifies their effectiveness.

2. Water Management\ Biochar holds onto water making soil not just drought-resistant but actively water-efficient, improving over time with each rain and dry spell.

3. Microbial Ecosystems\ Comfrey enriches soil with organic matter, feeding microbial life. Biochar provides a home for these microbes, protecting them and creating a stable environment for them to multiply. Together, they build a thriving soil ecosystem that becomes more fertile and resilient with each passing season.

Resilient systems can withstand shocks, but anti-fragile systems actively use those shocks to grow stronger. Comfrey and biochar together form an anti-fragile system. Each addition of biochar enhances water and nutrient retention, while comfrey regenerates biomass and enriches the soil. Over time, the system becomes more productive, less dependent on external inputs, and better equipped to handle challenges.

This synergy demonstrates the power of designing systems that don’t just survive—they thrive.

Lessons Beyond the Soil

The partnership of comfrey and biochar offers a valuable lesson for our own lives. Resilience is an admirable trait, but anti-fragility takes us further. By combining complementary strengths and leveraging stress as an opportunity, we can create systems—whether in soil, business, or society—that improve under pressure.

Nature shows us that resilience isn’t the end goal. When we pair resilient tools like comfrey and biochar, we unlock a system that evolves, regenerates, and becomes anti-fragile. By designing with anti-fragility in mind, we don’t just bounce back, we bounce forward.

By designing with anti-fragility in mind, we don’t just bounce back, we bounce forward.