@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

Capitalism is the most effective system for scaling innovation. The pursuit of profit is an incredibly powerful human incentive. Most major improvements to human society and quality of life have resulted from this base incentive. Market competition often results in the best outcomes for all.

That said, some projects can never be monetized. They are open in nature and a business model would centralize control. Open protocols like bitcoin and nostr are not owned by anyone and if they were it would destroy the key value propositions they provide. No single entity can or should control their use. Anyone can build on them without permission.

As a result, open protocols must depend on donation based grant funding from the people and organizations that rely on them. This model works but it is slow and uncertain, a grind where sustainability is never fully reached but rather constantly sought. As someone who has been incredibly active in the open source grant funding space, I do not think people truly appreciate how difficult it is to raise charitable money and deploy it efficiently.

Projects that can be monetized should be. Profitability is a super power. When a business can generate revenue, it taps into a self sustaining cycle. Profit fuels growth and development while providing projects independence and agency. This flywheel effect is why companies like Google, Amazon, and Apple have scaled to global dominance. The profit incentive aligns human effort with efficiency. Businesses must innovate, cut waste, and deliver value to survive.

Contrast this with non monetized projects. Without profit, they lean on external support, which can dry up or shift with donor priorities. A profit driven model, on the other hand, is inherently leaner and more adaptable. It is not charity but survival. When survival is tied to delivering what people want, scale follows naturally.

The real magic happens when profitable, sustainable businesses are built on top of open protocols and software. Consider the many startups building on open source software stacks, such as Start9, Mempool, and Primal, offering premium services on top of the open source software they build out and maintain. Think of companies like Block or Strike, which leverage bitcoin’s open protocol to offer their services on top. These businesses amplify the open software and protocols they build on, driving adoption and improvement at a pace donations alone could never match.

When you combine open software and protocols with profit driven business the result are lean, sustainable companies that grow faster and serve more people than either could alone. Bitcoin’s network, for instance, benefits from businesses that profit off its existence, while nostr will expand as developers monetize apps built on the protocol.

Capitalism scales best because competition results in efficiency. Donation funded protocols and software lay the groundwork, while market driven businesses build on top. The profit incentive acts as a filter, ensuring resources flow to what works, while open systems keep the playing field accessible, empowering users and builders. Together, they create a flywheel of innovation, growth, and global benefit.

@ 7d33ba57:1b82db35

Los Narejos is a laid-back beach town on the Costa Cálida, located in the Murcia region of Spain. Known for its calm, warm waters, family-friendly beaches, and proximity to the Mar Menor lagoon, it’s an excellent destination for relaxation, water sports, and enjoying the Mediterranean lifestyle**.

🏖️ Top Things to See & Do in Los Narejos

1️⃣ Playa de Los Narejos 🏖️

• A wide, sandy beach with shallow and warm waters, perfect for families.
• Palm-lined promenade for walking, cycling, or enjoying seaside cafés.
• Excellent for swimming, sunbathing, and beach sports.

2️⃣ Mar Menor Lagoon 🌊

• A unique saltwater lagoon, separated from the Mediterranean by La Manga.
• Warmer and calmer waters than the open sea, ideal for safe swimming.
• Known for its healing mud baths with minerals beneficial for the skin.

3️⃣ Watersports Paradise 🚤

• A top spot for kite surfing, windsurfing, sailing, and stand-up paddleboarding.
• Several local schools offer lessons for beginners and equipment rentals.
• Great conditions for kayaking along the Mar Menor coastline.

4️⃣ Promenade Walk to Los Alcázares 🚶‍♂️

• A scenic coastal walk from Los Narejos to Los Alcázares.
• Pass by chiringuitos (beach bars) serving fresh seafood and cocktails.

5️⃣ Local Markets & Shopping 🛍️

• Visit the Los Alcázares Market (Tuesdays & Saturdays) for local produce, clothes, and crafts.
• Small boutique shops sell Murcian souvenirs, ceramics, and wines.

🍽️ What to Eat in Los Narejos

• Caldero Murciano – A traditional seafood rice dish, full of flavor 🍚🐟
• Dorada a la Sal – Fresh sea bream baked in salt, a Mediterranean specialty 🐠
• Tapas & Mariscos – Try local seafood tapas like grilled prawns, octopus, and clams 🍤
• Pastel de Carne – A Murcian meat pie, perfect for a quick bite 🥧
• Paparajotes – A sweet treat made from lemon leaves coated in batter and fried 🍋🍩

🚗 How to Get to Los Narejos

✈️ By Air: The nearest airport is Región de Murcia Airport (RMU, 30 min drive).
🚆 By Train: Nearest station is in Balsicas (20 min drive), with connections to Murcia and Cartagena.
🚘 By Car: 30 min from Murcia, 1 hr from Alicante, 20 min from Cartagena.
🚌 By Bus: Direct buses from Murcia, Cartagena, and Alicante.

💡 Tips for Visiting Los Narejos

✅ Best time to visit? Spring to early autumn (April–October) for great weather ☀️
✅ Try water sports – Mar Menor is one of the safest places for beginners 🏄‍♂️
✅ Bring a bike – The flat terrain and coastal paths are great for cycling 🚴
✅ Enjoy the sunset – The Mar Menor has some of the most stunning sunset views 🌅

@ 460c25e6:ef85065c

If you don't know where your posts are, you might as well just stay in the centralized Twitter. You either take control of your relay lists, or they will control you. Amethyst offers several lists of relays for our users. We are going to go one by one to help clarify what they are and which options are best for each one.

Public Home/Outbox Relays

Home relays store all YOUR content: all your posts, likes, replies, lists, etc. It's your home. Amethyst will send your posts here first. Your followers will use these relays to get new posts from you. So, if you don't have anything there, they will not receive your updates.

Home relays must allow queries from anyone, ideally without the need to authenticate. They can limit writes to paid users without affecting anyone's experience.

This list should have a maximum of 3 relays. More than that will only make your followers waste their mobile data getting your posts. Keep it simple. Out of the 3 relays, I recommend: - 1 large public, international relay: nos.lol, nostr.mom, relay.damus.io, etc. - 1 personal relay to store a copy of all your content in a place no one can delete. Go to relay.tools and never be censored again. - 1 really fast relay located in your country: paid options like http://nostr.wine are great

Do not include relays that block users from seeing posts in this list. If you do, no one will see your posts.

Public Inbox Relays

This relay type receives all replies, comments, likes, and zaps to your posts. If you are not getting notifications or you don't see replies from your friends, it is likely because you don't have the right setup here. If you are getting too much spam in your replies, it's probably because your inbox relays are not protecting you enough. Paid relays can filter inbox spam out.

Inbox relays must allow anyone to write into them. It's the opposite of the outbox relay. They can limit who can download the posts to their paid subscribers without affecting anyone's experience.

This list should have a maximum of 3 relays as well. Again, keep it small. More than that will just make you spend more of your data plan downloading the same notifications from all these different servers. Out of the 3 relays, I recommend: - 1 large public, international relay: nos.lol, nostr.mom, relay.damus.io, etc. - 1 personal relay to store a copy of your notifications, invites, cashu tokens and zaps. - 1 really fast relay located in your country: go to nostr.watch and find relays in your country

Terrible options include: - nostr.wine should not be here. - filter.nostr.wine should not be here. - inbox.nostr.wine should not be here.

DM Inbox Relays

These are the relays used to receive DMs and private content. Others will use these relays to send DMs to you. If you don't have it setup, you will miss DMs. DM Inbox relays should accept any message from anyone, but only allow you to download them.

Generally speaking, you only need 3 for reliability. One of them should be a personal relay to make sure you have a copy of all your messages. The others can be open if you want push notifications or closed if you want full privacy.

Good options are: - inbox.nostr.wine and auth.nostr1.com: anyone can send messages and only you can download. Not even our push notification server has access to them to notify you. - a personal relay to make sure no one can censor you. Advanced settings on personal relays can also store your DMs privately. Talk to your relay operator for more details. - a public relay if you want DM notifications from our servers.

Make sure to add at least one public relay if you want to see DM notifications.

Private Home Relays

Private Relays are for things no one should see, like your drafts, lists, app settings, bookmarks etc. Ideally, these relays are either local or require authentication before posting AND downloading each user\'s content. There are no dedicated relays for this category yet, so I would use a local relay like Citrine on Android and a personal relay on relay.tools.

Keep in mind that if you choose a local relay only, a client on the desktop might not be able to see the drafts from clients on mobile and vice versa.

Search relays:

This is the list of relays to use on Amethyst's search and user tagging with @. Tagging and searching will not work if there is nothing here.. This option requires NIP-50 compliance from each relay. Hit the Default button to use all available options on existence today: - nostr.wine - relay.nostr.band - relay.noswhere.com

Local Relays:

This is your local storage. Everything will load faster if it comes from this relay. You should install Citrine on Android and write ws://localhost:4869 in this option.

General Relays:

This section contains the default relays used to download content from your follows. Notice how you can activate and deactivate the Home, Messages (old-style DMs), Chat (public chats), and Global options in each.

Keep 5-6 large relays on this list and activate them for as many categories (Home, Messages (old-style DMs), Chat, and Global) as possible.

Amethyst will provide additional recommendations to this list from your follows with information on which of your follows might need the additional relay in your list. Add them if you feel like you are missing their posts or if it is just taking too long to load them.

My setup

Here's what I use: 1. Go to relay.tools and create a relay for yourself. 2. Go to nostr.wine and pay for their subscription. 3. Go to inbox.nostr.wine and pay for their subscription. 4. Go to nostr.watch and find a good relay in your country. 5. Download Citrine to your phone.

Then, on your relay lists, put:

Public Home/Outbox Relays: - nostr.wine - nos.lol or an in-country relay. - .nostr1.com

Public Inbox Relays - nos.lol or an in-country relay - .nostr1.com

DM Inbox Relays - inbox.nostr.wine - .nostr1.com

Private Home Relays - ws://localhost:4869 (Citrine) - .nostr1.com (if you want)

Search Relays - nostr.wine - relay.nostr.band - relay.noswhere.com

Local Relays - ws://localhost:4869 (Citrine)

General Relays - nos.lol - relay.damus.io - relay.primal.net - nostr.mom

And a few of the recommended relays from Amethyst.

Final Considerations

Remember, relays can see what your Nostr client is requesting and downloading at all times. They can track what you see and see what you like. They can sell that information to the highest bidder, they can delete your content or content that a sponsor asked them to delete (like a negative review for instance) and they can censor you in any way they see fit. Before using any random free relay out there, make sure you trust its operator and you know its terms of service and privacy policies.

@ 7d33ba57:1b82db35

L'Estartit is famous for its stunning beaches, the Medes Islands, and incredible diving opportunities. Once a small fishing village, it’s now a paradise for nature lovers, water sports enthusiasts, and those seeking a relaxing Mediterranean escape.

🏖️ Top Things to See & Do in L'Estartit

1️⃣ Medes Islands (Illes Medes) 🏝️

• A protected marine reserve, perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving.
• Explore sea caves, coral reefs, and diverse marine life.
• Take a glass-bottom boat tour to admire the underwater world without getting wet.

2️⃣ L'Estartit Beach 🏖️

• A long sandy beach with shallow waters, ideal for families.
• Great for swimming, sunbathing, and water sports like windsurfing and kayaking.
• Offers fantastic views of the Medes Islands.

3️⃣ Montgrí Massif & Castle 🏰

• Hike up to the Montgrí Castle for panoramic views of the Costa Brava.
• Trails through rocky landscapes and Mediterranean forests.
• A perfect spot for hiking, mountain biking, and photography.

4️⃣ Coastal Walking Route (Camí de Ronda) 🌊

• A breathtaking hiking trail along the cliffs, connecting L'Estartit with nearby beaches and coves.
• Discover hidden spots like Cala Pedrosa and Cala Ferriol.

5️⃣ Explore the Old Town & Port ⚓

• Wander through narrow streets with local shops and seafood restaurants.
• Visit the Sant Genís Church, a historic landmark in the town center.
• Enjoy a drink with a view at the marina.

6️⃣ Kayaking & Stand-Up Paddleboarding 🚣‍♂️

• Paddle along the coastline to explore caves, cliffs, and hidden coves.
• A great way to experience the natural beauty of the area.

🍽️ What to Eat in L'Estartit

• Suquet de Peix – Traditional Catalan fish stew 🐟
• Arroz a la Cassola – A savory rice dish with seafood 🍤
• Fideuà – Like paella, but made with short noodles instead of rice 🍜
• Calamars a la Planxa – Grilled squid with olive oil and garlic 🦑
• Crema Catalana – A classic Catalan dessert similar to crème brûlée 🍮

🚗 How to Get to L'Estartit

🚆 By Train: The nearest train station is Flaçà (30 min by car/taxi) with connections from Barcelona and Girona.
🚘 By Car: 1.5 hrs from Barcelona, 45 min from Girona, 1 hr from Figueres.
🚌 By Bus: Direct buses from Barcelona, Girona, and other Costa Brava towns.
✈️ By Air: The nearest airport is Girona-Costa Brava (GRO, 55 km).

💡 Tips for Visiting L'Estartit

✅ Best time to visit? Late spring to early autumn (May–September) for warm weather 🌞
✅ Book diving tours in advance – Medes Islands are a top diving destination 🤿
✅ Hike early in the morning to avoid the heat & get the best views 🥾
✅ Visit in June for the Havaneres Festival, celebrating Catalan maritime music 🎶

@ c631e267:c2b78d3e

Wir werden nicht zulassen, dass technisch manches möglich ist, \ aber der Staat es nicht nutzt. \ Angela Merkel

Die Modalverben zu erklären, ist im Deutschunterricht manchmal nicht ganz einfach. Nicht alle Fremdsprachen unterscheiden zum Beispiel bei der Frage nach einer Möglichkeit gleichermaßen zwischen «können» im Sinne von «die Gelegenheit, Kenntnis oder Fähigkeit haben» und «dürfen» als «die Erlaubnis oder Berechtigung haben». Das spanische Wort «poder» etwa steht für beides.

Ebenso ist vielen Schülern auf den ersten Blick nicht recht klar, dass das logische Gegenteil von «müssen» nicht unbedingt «nicht müssen» ist, sondern vielmehr «nicht dürfen». An den Verkehrsschildern lässt sich so etwas meistens recht gut erklären: Manchmal muss man abbiegen, aber manchmal darf man eben nicht.

Dieses Beispiel soll ein wenig die Verwirrungstaktik veranschaulichen, die in der Politik gerne verwendet wird, um unpopuläre oder restriktive Maßnahmen Stück für Stück einzuführen. Zuerst ist etwas einfach innovativ und bringt viele Vorteile. Vor allem ist es freiwillig, jeder kann selber entscheiden, niemand muss mitmachen. Später kann man zunehmend weniger Alternativen wählen, weil sie verschwinden, und irgendwann verwandelt sich alles andere in «nicht dürfen» – die Maßnahme ist obligatorisch.

Um die Durchsetzung derartiger Initiativen strategisch zu unterstützen und nett zu verpacken, gibt es Lobbyisten, gerne auch NGOs genannt. Dass das «NG» am Anfang dieser Abkürzung übersetzt «Nicht-Regierungs-» bedeutet, ist ein Anachronismus. Das war vielleicht früher einmal so, heute ist eher das Gegenteil gemeint.

In unserer modernen Zeit wird enorm viel Lobbyarbeit für die Digitalisierung praktisch sämtlicher Lebensbereiche aufgewendet. Was das auf dem Sektor der Mobilität bedeuten kann, haben wir diese Woche anhand aktueller Entwicklungen in Spanien beleuchtet. Begründet teilweise mit Vorgaben der Europäischen Union arbeitet man dort fleißig an einer «neuen Mobilität», basierend auf «intelligenter» technologischer Infrastruktur. Derartige Anwandlungen wurden auch schon als «Technofeudalismus» angeprangert.

Nationale Zugangspunkte für Mobilitätsdaten im Sinne der EU gibt es nicht nur in allen Mitgliedsländern, sondern auch in der Schweiz und in Großbritannien. Das Vereinigte Königreich beteiligt sich darüber hinaus an anderen EU-Projekten für digitale Überwachungs- und Kontrollmaßnahmen, wie dem biometrischen Identifizierungssystem für «nachhaltigen Verkehr und Tourismus».

Natürlich marschiert auch Deutschland stracks und euphorisch in Richtung digitaler Zukunft. Ohne vernetzte Mobilität und einen «verlässlichen Zugang zu Daten, einschließlich Echtzeitdaten» komme man in der Verkehrsplanung und -steuerung nicht aus, erklärt die Regierung. Der Interessenverband der IT-Dienstleister Bitkom will «die digitale Transformation der deutschen Wirtschaft und Verwaltung vorantreiben». Dazu bewirbt er unter anderem die Konzepte Smart City, Smart Region und Smart Country und behauptet, deutsche Großstädte «setzen bei Mobilität voll auf Digitalisierung».

Es steht zu befürchten, dass das umfassende Sammeln, Verarbeiten und Vernetzen von Daten, das angeblich die Menschen unterstützen soll (und theoretisch ja auch könnte), eher dazu benutzt wird, sie zu kontrollieren und zu manipulieren. Je elektrischer und digitaler unsere Umgebung wird, desto größer sind diese Möglichkeiten. Im Ergebnis könnten solche Prozesse den Bürger nicht nur einschränken oder überflüssig machen, sondern in mancherlei Hinsicht regelrecht abschalten. Eine gesunde Skepsis ist also geboten.

[Titelbild: Pixabay]

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Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben. Er ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ aa8de34f:a6ffe696

19. März 2025

🔐 1. SHA-256 is Quantum-Resistant

Bitcoin’s proof-of-work mechanism relies on SHA-256, a hashing algorithm. Even with a powerful quantum computer, SHA-256 remains secure because:

• Quantum computers excel at factoring large numbers (Shor’s Algorithm).
• However, SHA-256 is a one-way function, meaning there's no known quantum algorithm that can efficiently reverse it.
• Grover’s Algorithm (which theoretically speeds up brute force attacks) would still require 2¹²⁸ operations to break SHA-256 – far beyond practical reach.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

🔑 2. Public Key Vulnerability – But Only If You Reuse Addresses

Bitcoin uses Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) to generate keys.

• A quantum computer could use Shor’s Algorithm to break SECP256K1, the curve Bitcoin uses.
• If you never reuse addresses, it is an additional security element
• 🔑 1. Bitcoin Addresses Are NOT Public Keys

Many people assume a Bitcoin address is the public key—this is wrong.

• When you receive Bitcoin, it is sent to a hashed public key (the Bitcoin address).
• The actual public key is never exposed because it is the Bitcoin Adress who addresses the Public Key which never reveals the creation of a public key by a spend
• Bitcoin uses Pay-to-Public-Key-Hash (P2PKH) or newer methods like Pay-to-Witness-Public-Key-Hash (P2WPKH), which add extra layers of security.

🕵️♂️ 2.1 The Public Key Never Appears

• When you send Bitcoin, your wallet creates a digital signature.
• This signature uses the private key to prove ownership.
• The Bitcoin address is revealed and creates the Public Key
• The public key remains hidden inside the Bitcoin script and Merkle tree.

This means: ✔ The public key is never exposed. ✔ Quantum attackers have nothing to target, attacking a Bitcoin Address is a zero value game.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

🔄 3. Bitcoin Can Upgrade

Even if quantum computers eventually become a real threat:

• Bitcoin developers can upgrade to quantum-safe cryptography (e.g., lattice-based cryptography or post-quantum signatures like Dilithium).
• Bitcoin’s decentralized nature ensures a network-wide soft fork or hard fork could transition to quantum-resistant keys.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

⏳ 4. The 10-Minute Block Rule as a Security Feature

• Bitcoin’s network operates on a 10-minute block interval, meaning:Even if an attacker had immense computational power (like a quantum computer), they could only attempt an attack every 10 minutes.Unlike traditional encryption, where a hacker could continuously brute-force keys, Bitcoin’s system resets the challenge with every new block.This limits the window of opportunity for quantum attacks.

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🎯 5. Quantum Attack Needs to Solve a Block in Real-Time

• A quantum attacker must solve the cryptographic puzzle (Proof of Work) in under 10 minutes.
• The problem? Any slight error changes the hash completely, meaning:If the quantum computer makes a mistake (even 0.0001% probability), the entire attack fails.Quantum decoherence (loss of qubit stability) makes error correction a massive challenge.The computational cost of recovering from an incorrect hash is still incredibly high.

---

⚡ 6. Network Resilience – Even if a Block Is Hacked

• Even if a quantum computer somehow solved a block instantly:The network would quickly recognize and reject invalid transactions.Other miners would continue mining under normal cryptographic rules.51% Attack? The attacker would need to consistently beat the entire Bitcoin network, which is not sustainable.

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🔄 7. The Logarithmic Difficulty Adjustment Neutralizes Threats

• Bitcoin adjusts mining difficulty every 2016 blocks (\~2 weeks).
• If quantum miners appeared and suddenly started solving blocks too quickly, the difficulty would adjust upward, making attacks significantly harder.
• This self-correcting mechanism ensures that even quantum computers wouldn't easily overpower the network.

---

🔥 Final Verdict: Quantum Computers Are Too Slow for Bitcoin

✔ The 10-minute rule limits attack frequency – quantum computers can’t keep up.

✔ Any slight miscalculation ruins the attack, resetting all progress.

✔ Bitcoin’s difficulty adjustment would react, neutralizing quantum advantages.

Even if quantum computers reach their theoretical potential, Bitcoin’s game theory and design make it incredibly resistant. 🚀

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Bald werde es verboten, alleine im Auto zu fahren, konnte man dieser Tage in verschiedenen spanischen Medien lesen. Die nationale Verkehrsbehörde (Dirección General de Tráfico, kurz DGT) werde Alleinfahrern das Leben schwer machen, wurde gemeldet. Konkret erörtere die Generaldirektion geeignete Sanktionen für Personen, die ohne Beifahrer im Privatauto unterwegs seien.

Das Alleinfahren sei zunehmend verpönt und ein Mentalitätswandel notwendig, hieß es. Dieser «Luxus» stehe im Widerspruch zu den Maßnahmen gegen Umweltverschmutzung, die in allen europäischen Ländern gefördert würden. In Frankreich sei es «bereits verboten, in der Hauptstadt allein zu fahren», behauptete Noticiastrabajo Huffpost in einer Zwischenüberschrift. Nur um dann im Text zu konkretisieren, dass die sogenannte «Umweltspur» auf der Pariser Ringautobahn gemeint war, die für Busse, Taxis und Fahrgemeinschaften reserviert ist. Ab Mai werden Verstöße dagegen mit einem Bußgeld geahndet.

Die DGT jedenfalls wolle bei der Umsetzung derartiger Maßnahmen nicht hinterherhinken. Diese Medienberichte, inklusive des angeblich bevorstehenden Verbots, beriefen sich auf Aussagen des Generaldirektors der Behörde, Pere Navarro, beim Mobilitätskongress Global Mobility Call im November letzten Jahres, wo es um «nachhaltige Mobilität» ging. Aus diesem Kontext stammt auch Navarros Warnung: «Die Zukunft des Verkehrs ist geteilt oder es gibt keine».

Die «Faktenchecker» kamen der Generaldirektion prompt zu Hilfe. Die DGT habe derlei Behauptungen zurückgewiesen und klargestellt, dass es keine Pläne gebe, Fahrten mit nur einer Person im Auto zu verbieten oder zu bestrafen. Bei solchen Meldungen handele es sich um Fake News. Teilweise wurde der Vorsitzende der spanischen «Rechtsaußen»-Partei Vox, Santiago Abascal, der Urheberschaft bezichtigt, weil er einen entsprechenden Artikel von La Gaceta kommentiert hatte.

Der Beschwichtigungsversuch der Art «niemand hat die Absicht» ist dabei erfahrungsgemäß eher ein Alarmzeichen als eine Beruhigung. Walter Ulbrichts Leugnung einer geplanten Berliner Mauer vom Juni 1961 ist vielen genauso in Erinnerung wie die Fake News-Warnungen des deutschen Bundesgesundheitsministeriums bezüglich Lockdowns im März 2020 oder diverse Äußerungen zu einer Impfpflicht ab 2020.

Aber Aufregung hin, Dementis her: Die Pressemitteilung der DGT zu dem Mobilitätskongress enthält in Wahrheit viel interessantere Informationen als «nur» einen Appell an den «guten» Bürger wegen der Bemühungen um die Lebensqualität in Großstädten oder einen möglichen obligatorischen Abschied vom Alleinfahren. Allerdings werden diese Details von Medien und sogenannten Faktencheckern geflissentlich übersehen, obwohl sie keineswegs versteckt sind. Die Auskünfte sind sehr aufschlussreich, wenn man genauer hinschaut.

Digitalisierung ist der Schlüssel für Kontrolle

Auf dem Kongress stellte die Verkehrsbehörde ihre Initiativen zur Förderung der «neuen Mobilität» vor, deren Priorität Sicherheit und Effizienz sei. Die vier konkreten Ansätze haben alle mit Digitalisierung, Daten, Überwachung und Kontrolle im großen Stil zu tun und werden unter dem Euphemismus der «öffentlich-privaten Partnerschaft» angepriesen. Auch lassen sie die transhumanistische Idee vom unzulänglichen Menschen erkennen, dessen Fehler durch «intelligente» technologische Infrastruktur kompensiert werden müssten.

Die Chefin des Bereichs «Verkehrsüberwachung» erklärte die Funktion des spanischen National Access Point (NAP), wobei sie betonte, wie wichtig Verkehrs- und Infrastrukturinformationen in Echtzeit seien. Der NAP ist «eine essenzielle Web-Applikation, die unter EU-Mandat erstellt wurde», kann man auf der Website der DGT nachlesen.

Das Mandat meint Regelungen zu einem einheitlichen europäischen Verkehrsraum, mit denen die Union mindestens seit 2010 den Aufbau einer digitalen Architektur mit offenen Schnittstellen betreibt. Damit begründet man auch «umfassende Datenbereitstellungspflichten im Bereich multimodaler Reiseinformationen». Jeder Mitgliedstaat musste einen NAP, also einen nationalen Zugangspunkt einrichten, der Zugang zu statischen und dynamischen Reise- und Verkehrsdaten verschiedener Verkehrsträger ermöglicht.

Diese Entwicklung ist heute schon weit fortgeschritten, auch und besonders in Spanien. Auf besagtem Kongress erläuterte die Leiterin des Bereichs «Telematik» die Plattform «DGT 3.0». Diese werde als Integrator aller Informationen genutzt, die von den verschiedenen öffentlichen und privaten Systemen, die Teil der Mobilität sind, bereitgestellt werden.

Es handele sich um eine Vermittlungsplattform zwischen Akteuren wie Fahrzeugherstellern, Anbietern von Navigationsdiensten oder Kommunen und dem Endnutzer, der die Verkehrswege benutzt. Alle seien auf Basis des Internets der Dinge (IOT) anonym verbunden, «um der vernetzten Gemeinschaft wertvolle Informationen zu liefern oder diese zu nutzen».

So sei DGT 3.0 «ein Zugangspunkt für einzigartige, kostenlose und genaue Echtzeitinformationen über das Geschehen auf den Straßen und in den Städten». Damit lasse sich der Verkehr nachhaltiger und vernetzter gestalten. Beispielsweise würden die Karten des Produktpartners Google dank der DGT-Daten 50 Millionen Mal pro Tag aktualisiert.

Des Weiteren informiert die Verkehrsbehörde über ihr SCADA-Projekt. Die Abkürzung steht für Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, zu deutsch etwa: Kontrollierte Steuerung und Datenerfassung. Mit SCADA kombiniert man Software und Hardware, um automatisierte Systeme zur Überwachung und Steuerung technischer Prozesse zu schaffen. Das SCADA-Projekt der DGT wird von Indra entwickelt, einem spanischen Beratungskonzern aus den Bereichen Sicherheit & Militär, Energie, Transport, Telekommunikation und Gesundheitsinformation.

Das SCADA-System der Behörde umfasse auch eine Videostreaming- und Videoaufzeichnungsplattform, die das Hochladen in die Cloud in Echtzeit ermöglicht, wie Indra erklärt. Dabei gehe es um Bilder, die von Überwachungskameras an Straßen aufgenommen wurden, sowie um Videos aus DGT-Hubschraubern und Drohnen. Ziel sei es, «die sichere Weitergabe von Videos an Dritte sowie die kontinuierliche Aufzeichnung und Speicherung von Bildern zur möglichen Analyse und späteren Nutzung zu ermöglichen».

Letzteres klingt sehr nach biometrischer Erkennung und Auswertung durch künstliche Intelligenz. Für eine bessere Datenübertragung wird derzeit die Glasfaserverkabelung entlang der Landstraßen und Autobahnen ausgebaut. Mit der Cloud sind die Amazon Web Services (AWS) gemeint, die spanischen Daten gehen somit direkt zu einem US-amerikanischen «Big Data»-Unternehmen.

Das Thema «autonomes Fahren», also Fahren ohne Zutun des Menschen, bildet den Abschluss der Betrachtungen der DGT. Zusammen mit dem Interessenverband der Automobilindustrie ANFAC (Asociación Española de Fabricantes de Automóviles y Camiones) sprach man auf dem Kongress über Strategien und Perspektiven in diesem Bereich. Die Lobbyisten hoffen noch in diesem Jahr 2025 auf einen normativen Rahmen zur erweiterten Unterstützung autonomer Technologien.

Wenn man derartige Informationen im Zusammenhang betrachtet, bekommt man eine Idee davon, warum zunehmend alles elektrisch und digital werden soll. Umwelt- und Mobilitätsprobleme in Städten, wie Luftverschmutzung, Lärmbelästigung, Platzmangel oder Staus, sind eine Sache. Mit dem Argument «emissionslos» wird jedoch eine Referenz zum CO2 und dem «menschengemachten Klimawandel» hergestellt, die Emotionen triggert. Und damit wird so ziemlich alles verkauft.

Letztlich aber gilt: Je elektrischer und digitaler unsere Umgebung wird und je freigiebiger wir mit unseren Daten jeder Art sind, desto besser werden wir kontrollier-, steuer- und sogar abschaltbar. Irgendwann entscheiden KI-basierte Algorithmen, ob, wann, wie, wohin und mit wem wir uns bewegen dürfen. Über einen 15-Minuten-Radius geht dann möglicherweise nichts hinaus. Die Projekte auf diesem Weg sind ernst zu nehmen, real und schon weit fortgeschritten.

[Titelbild: Pixabay]

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

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The tech industry and its press have treated the rise of billion-scale social networks and ubiquitous smartphone apps as an unadulterated win for regular people, a triumph of usability and empowerment. They seldom talk about what we’ve lost along the way in this transition, and I find that younger folks may not even know how the web used to be. — Anil Dash, The Web We Lost, 13 Dec 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KKMnoTTHJk&t=156s

So here’s a few glimpses of a web that’s mostly faded away: https://www.anildash.com/2012/12/13/the_web_we_lost/

The first step to disabusing them of this notion is for the people creating the next generation of social applications to learn a little bit of history, to know your shit, whether that’s about Twitter’s business model or Google’s social features or anything else. We have to know what’s been tried and failed, what good ideas were simply ahead of their time, and what opportunities have been lost in the current generation of dominant social networks.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/926499

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Was nützt die schönste Schuldenbremse, wenn der Russe vor der Tür steht? \ Wir können uns verteidigen lernen oder alle Russisch lernen. \ Jens Spahn

In der Politik ist buchstäblich keine Idee zu riskant, kein Mittel zu schäbig und keine Lüge zu dreist, als dass sie nicht benutzt würden. Aber der Clou ist, dass diese Masche immer noch funktioniert, wenn nicht sogar immer besser. Ist das alles wirklich so schwer zu durchschauen? Mir fehlen langsam die Worte.

Aktuell werden sowohl in der Europäischen Union als auch in Deutschland riesige Milliardenpakete für die Aufrüstung – also für die Rüstungsindustrie – geschnürt. Die EU will 800 Milliarden Euro locker machen, in Deutschland sollen es 500 Milliarden «Sondervermögen» sein. Verteidigung nennen das unsere «Führer», innerhalb der Union und auch an «unserer Ostflanke», der Ukraine.

Das nötige Feindbild konnte inzwischen signifikant erweitert werden. Schuld an allem und zudem gefährlich ist nicht mehr nur Putin, sondern jetzt auch Trump. Europa müsse sich sowohl gegen Russland als auch gegen die USA schützen und rüsten, wird uns eingetrichtert.

Und während durch Diplomatie genau dieser beiden Staaten gerade endlich mal Bewegung in die Bemühungen um einen Frieden oder wenigstens einen Waffenstillstand in der Ukraine kommt, rasselt man im moralisch überlegenen Zeigefinger-Europa so richtig mit dem Säbel.

Begleitet und gestützt wird der ganze Prozess – wie sollte es anders sein – von den «Qualitätsmedien». Dass Russland einen Angriff auf «Europa» plant, weiß nicht nur der deutsche Verteidigungsminister (und mit Abstand beliebteste Politiker) Pistorius, sondern dank ihnen auch jedes Kind. Uns bleiben nur noch wenige Jahre. Zum Glück bereitet sich die Bundeswehr schon sehr konkret auf einen Krieg vor.

Die FAZ und Corona-Gesundheitsminister Spahn markieren einen traurigen Höhepunkt. Hier haben sich «politische und publizistische Verantwortungslosigkeit propagandistisch gegenseitig befruchtet», wie es bei den NachDenkSeiten heißt. Die Aussage Spahns in dem Interview, «der Russe steht vor der Tür», ist das eine. Die Zeitung verschärfte die Sache jedoch, indem sie das Zitat explizit in den Titel übernahm, der in einer ersten Version scheinbar zu harmlos war.

Eine große Mehrheit der deutschen Bevölkerung findet Aufrüstung und mehr Schulden toll, wie ARD und ZDF sehr passend ermittelt haben wollen. Ähnliches gelte für eine noch stärkere militärische Unterstützung der Ukraine. Etwas skeptischer seien die Befragten bezüglich der Entsendung von Bundeswehrsoldaten dorthin, aber immerhin etwa fifty-fifty.

Eigentlich ist jedoch die Meinung der Menschen in «unseren Demokratien» irrelevant. Sowohl in der Europäischen Union als auch in Deutschland sind die «Eliten» offenbar der Ansicht, der Souverän habe in Fragen von Krieg und Frieden sowie von aberwitzigen astronomischen Schulden kein Wörtchen mitzureden. Frau von der Leyen möchte über 150 Milliarden aus dem Gesamtpaket unter Verwendung von Artikel 122 des EU-Vertrags ohne das Europäische Parlament entscheiden – wenn auch nicht völlig kritiklos.

In Deutschland wollen CDU/CSU und SPD zur Aufweichung der «Schuldenbremse» mehrere Änderungen des Grundgesetzes durch das abgewählte Parlament peitschen. Dieser Versuch, mit dem alten Bundestag eine Zweidrittelmehrheit zu erzielen, die im neuen nicht mehr gegeben wäre, ist mindestens verfassungsrechtlich umstritten.

Das Manöver scheint aber zu funktionieren. Heute haben die Grünen zugestimmt, nachdem Kanzlerkandidat Merz läppische 100 Milliarden für «irgendwas mit Klima» zugesichert hatte. Die Abstimmung im Plenum soll am kommenden Dienstag erfolgen – nur eine Woche, bevor sich der neu gewählte Bundestag konstituieren wird.

Interessant sind die Argumente, die BlackRocker Merz für seine Attacke auf Grundgesetz und Demokratie ins Feld führt. Abgesehen von der angeblichen Eile, «unsere Verteidigungsfähigkeit deutlich zu erhöhen» (ausgelöst unter anderem durch «die Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz und die Ereignisse im Weißen Haus»), ließ uns der CDU-Chef wissen, dass Deutschland einfach auf die internationale Bühne zurück müsse. Merz schwadronierte gefährlich mehrdeutig:

«Die ganze Welt schaut in diesen Tagen und Wochen auf Deutschland. Wir haben in der Europäischen Union und auf der Welt eine Aufgabe, die weit über die Grenzen unseres eigenen Landes hinausgeht.»

[Titelbild: Tag des Sieges]

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@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

Explore and reimagine programming interfaces beyond text (visual, tactile, spatial).

"The most dangerous thought you can have as a creative person is to think you know what you're doing." — Richard Hamming [^1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pTEmbeENF4

For his recent DBX Conference talk, Victor took attendees back to the year 1973, donning the uniform of an IBM systems engineer of the times, delivering his presentation on an overhead projector. The '60s and early '70s were a fertile time for CS ideas, reminds Victor, but even more importantly, it was a time of unfettered thinking, unconstrained by programming dogma, authority, and tradition.

'The most dangerous thought that you can have as a creative person is to think that you know what you're doing,' explains Victor. 'Because once you think you know what you're doing you stop looking around for other ways of doing things and you stop being able to see other ways of doing things. You become blind.' He concludes, 'I think you have to say: "We don't know what programming is. We don't know what computing is. We don't even know what a computer is." And once you truly understand that, and once you truly believe that, then you're free, and you can think anything.'

More details at https://worrydream.com/dbx/

[^1]: Richard Hamming -- The Art of Doing Science and Engineering, p5 (pdf ebook)

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/926493

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«Wir brauchen eine digitale Brandmauer gegen den Faschismus», schreibt der Chaos Computer Club (CCC) auf seiner Website. Unter diesem Motto präsentierte er letzte Woche einen Forderungskatalog, mit dem sich 24 Organisationen an die kommende Bundesregierung wenden. Der Koalitionsvertrag müsse sich daran messen lassen, verlangen sie.

In den drei Kategorien «Bekenntnis gegen Überwachung», «Schutz und Sicherheit für alle» sowie «Demokratie im digitalen Raum» stellen die Unterzeichner, zu denen auch Amnesty International und Das NETTZ gehören, unter anderem die folgenden «Mindestanforderungen»:

• Verbot biometrischer Massenüberwachung des öffentlichen Raums sowie der ungezielten biometrischen Auswertung des Internets.
• Anlasslose und massenhafte Vorratsdatenspeicherung wird abgelehnt.
• Automatisierte Datenanalysen der Informationsbestände der Strafverfolgungsbehörden sowie jede Form von Predictive Policing oder automatisiertes Profiling von Menschen werden abgelehnt.
• Einführung eines Rechts auf Verschlüsselung. Die Bundesregierung soll sich dafür einsetzen, die Chatkontrolle auf europäischer Ebene zu verhindern.
• Anonyme und pseudonyme Nutzung des Internets soll geschützt und ermöglicht werden.
• Bekämpfung «privaten Machtmissbrauchs von Big-Tech-Unternehmen» durch durchsetzungsstarke, unabhängige und grundsätzlich föderale Aufsichtsstrukturen.
• Einführung eines digitalen Gewaltschutzgesetzes, unter Berücksichtigung «gruppenbezogener digitaler Gewalt» und die Förderung von Beratungsangeboten.
• Ein umfassendes Förderprogramm für digitale öffentliche Räume, die dezentral organisiert und quelloffen programmiert sind, soll aufgelegt werden.

Es sei ein Irrglaube, dass zunehmende Überwachung einen Zugewinn an Sicherheit darstelle, ist eines der Argumente der Initiatoren. Sicherheit erfordere auch, dass Menschen anonym und vertraulich kommunizieren können und ihre Privatsphäre geschützt wird.

Gesunde digitale Räume lebten auch von einem demokratischen Diskurs, lesen wir in dem Papier. Es sei Aufgabe des Staates, Grundrechte zu schützen. Dazu gehöre auch, Menschenrechte und demokratische Werte, insbesondere Freiheit, Gleichheit und Solidarität zu fördern sowie den Missbrauch von Maßnahmen, Befugnissen und Infrastrukturen durch «die Feinde der Demokratie» zu verhindern.

Man ist geneigt zu fragen, wo denn die Autoren «den Faschismus» sehen, den es zu bekämpfen gelte. Die meisten der vorgetragenen Forderungen und Argumente finden sicher breite Unterstützung, denn sie beschreiben offenkundig gängige, kritikwürdige Praxis. Die Aushebelung der Privatsphäre, der Redefreiheit und anderer Grundrechte im Namen der Sicherheit wird bereits jetzt massiv durch die aktuellen «demokratischen Institutionen» und ihre «durchsetzungsstarken Aufsichtsstrukturen» betrieben.

Ist «der Faschismus» also die EU und ihre Mitgliedsstaaten? Nein, die «faschistische Gefahr», gegen die man eine digitale Brandmauer will, kommt nach Ansicht des CCC und seiner Partner aus den Vereinigten Staaten. Private Überwachung und Machtkonzentration sind dabei weltweit schon lange Realität, jetzt endlich müssen sie jedoch bekämpft werden. In dem Papier heißt es:

«Die willkürliche und antidemokratische Machtausübung der Tech-Oligarchen um Präsident Trump erfordert einen Paradigmenwechsel in der deutschen Digitalpolitik. (...) Die aktuellen Geschehnisse in den USA zeigen auf, wie Datensammlungen und -analyse genutzt werden können, um einen Staat handstreichartig zu übernehmen, seine Strukturen nachhaltig zu beschädigen, Widerstand zu unterbinden und marginalisierte Gruppen zu verfolgen.»

Wer auf der anderen Seite dieser Brandmauer stehen soll, ist also klar. Es sind die gleichen «Feinde unserer Demokratie», die seit Jahren in diese Ecke gedrängt werden. Es sind die gleichen Andersdenkenden, Regierungskritiker und Friedensforderer, die unter dem großzügigen Dach des Bundesprogramms «Demokratie leben» einem «kontinuierlichen Echt- und Langzeitmonitoring» wegen der Etikettierung «digitaler Hass» unterzogen werden.

Dass die 24 Organisationen praktisch auch die Bekämpfung von Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon und anderen fordern, entbehrt nicht der Komik. Diese fallen aber sicher unter das Stichwort «Machtmissbrauch von Big-Tech-Unternehmen». Gleichzeitig verlangen die Lobbyisten implizit zum Beispiel die Förderung des Nostr-Netzwerks, denn hier finden wir dezentral organisierte und quelloffen programmierte digitale Räume par excellence, obendrein zensurresistent. Das wiederum dürfte in der Politik weniger gut ankommen.

[Titelbild: Pixabay]

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Die «Eliten» führen bereits groß angelegte Pilotprojekte für eine Zukunft durch, die sie wollen und wir nicht. Das schreibt der OffGuardian in einem Update zum Thema «EU-Brieftasche für die digitale Identität». Das Portal weist darauf hin, dass die Akteure dabei nicht gerade zimperlich vorgehen und auch keinen Hehl aus ihren Absichten machen. Transition News hat mehrfach darüber berichtet, zuletzt hier und hier.

Mit der EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI-Brieftasche) sei eine einzige von der Regierung herausgegebene App geplant, die Ihre medizinischen Daten, Beschäftigungsdaten, Reisedaten, Bildungsdaten, Impfdaten, Steuerdaten, Finanzdaten sowie (potenziell) Kopien Ihrer Unterschrift, Fingerabdrücke, Gesichtsscans, Stimmproben und DNA enthält. So fasst der OffGuardian die eindrucksvolle Liste möglicher Einsatzbereiche zusammen.

Auch Dokumente wie der Personalausweis oder der Führerschein können dort in elektronischer Form gespeichert werden. Bis 2026 sind alle EU-Mitgliedstaaten dazu verpflichtet, Ihren Bürgern funktionierende und frei verfügbare digitale «Brieftaschen» bereitzustellen.

Die Menschen würden diese App nutzen, so das Portal, um Zahlungen vorzunehmen, Kredite zu beantragen, ihre Steuern zu zahlen, ihre Rezepte abzuholen, internationale Grenzen zu überschreiten, Unternehmen zu gründen, Arzttermine zu buchen, sich um Stellen zu bewerben und sogar digitale Verträge online zu unterzeichnen.

All diese Daten würden auf ihrem Mobiltelefon gespeichert und mit den Regierungen von neunzehn Ländern (plus der Ukraine) sowie über 140 anderen öffentlichen und privaten Partnern ausgetauscht. Von der Deutschen Bank über das ukrainische Ministerium für digitalen Fortschritt bis hin zu Samsung Europe. Unternehmen und Behörden würden auf diese Daten im Backend zugreifen, um «automatisierte Hintergrundprüfungen» durchzuführen.

Der Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentralen und Verbraucherverbände (VZBV) habe Bedenken geäußert, dass eine solche App «Risiken für den Schutz der Privatsphäre und der Daten» berge, berichtet das Portal. Die einzige Antwort darauf laute: «Richtig, genau dafür ist sie ja da!»

Das alles sei keine Hypothese, betont der OffGuardian. Es sei vielmehr «Potential». Damit ist ein EU-Projekt gemeint, in dessen Rahmen Dutzende öffentliche und private Einrichtungen zusammenarbeiten, «um eine einheitliche Vision der digitalen Identität für die Bürger der europäischen Länder zu definieren». Dies ist nur eines der groß angelegten Pilotprojekte, mit denen Prototypen und Anwendungsfälle für die EUDI-Wallet getestet werden. Es gibt noch mindestens drei weitere.

Den Ball der digitalen ID-Systeme habe die Covid-«Pandemie» über die «Impfpässe» ins Rollen gebracht. Seitdem habe das Thema an Schwung verloren. Je näher wir aber der vollständigen Einführung der EUid kämen, desto mehr Propaganda der Art «Warum wir eine digitale Brieftasche brauchen» könnten wir in den Mainstream-Medien erwarten, prognostiziert der OffGuardian. Vielleicht müssten wir schon nach dem nächsten großen «Grund», dem nächsten «katastrophalen katalytischen Ereignis» Ausschau halten. Vermutlich gebe es bereits Pläne, warum die Menschen plötzlich eine digitale ID-Brieftasche brauchen würden.

Die Entwicklung geht jedenfalls stetig weiter in genau diese Richtung. Beispielsweise hat Jordanien angekündigt, die digitale biometrische ID bei den nächsten Wahlen zur Verifizierung der Wähler einzuführen. Man wolle «den Papierkrieg beenden und sicherstellen, dass die gesamte Kette bis zu den nächsten Parlamentswahlen digitalisiert wird», heißt es. Absehbar ist, dass dabei einige Wahlberechtigte «auf der Strecke bleiben» werden, wie im Fall von Albanien geschehen.

Derweil würden die Briten gerne ihre Privatsphäre gegen Effizienz eintauschen, behauptet Tony Blair. Der Ex-Premier drängte kürzlich erneut auf digitale Identitäten und Gesichtserkennung. Blair ist Gründer einer Denkfabrik für globalen Wandel, Anhänger globalistischer Technokratie und «moderner Infrastruktur».

Abschließend warnt der OffGuardian vor der Illusion, Trump und Musk würden den US-Bürgern «diesen Schlamassel ersparen». Das Department of Government Efficiency werde sich auf die digitale Identität stürzen. Was könne schließlich «effizienter» sein als eine einzige App, die für alles verwendet wird? Der Unterschied bestehe nur darin, dass die US-Version vielleicht eher privat als öffentlich sei – sofern es da überhaupt noch einen wirklichen Unterschied gebe.

[Titelbild: Screenshot OffGuardian]

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Ständige Lügen und Unterstellungen, permanent falsche Fürsorge \ können Bausteine von emotionaler Manipulation sein. Mit dem Zweck, \ Macht und Kontrolle über eine andere Person auszuüben. \ Apotheken Umschau

Irgendetwas muss passiert sein: «Gaslighting» ist gerade Thema in vielen Medien. Heute bin ich nach längerer Zeit mal wieder über dieses Stichwort gestolpert. Das war in einem Artikel von Norbert Häring über Manipulationen des Deutschen Wetterdienstes (DWD). In diesem Fall ging es um eine Pressemitteilung vom Donnerstag zum «viel zu warmen» Winter 2024/25.

Häring wirft der Behörde vor, dreist zu lügen und Dinge auszulassen, um die Klimaangst wach zu halten. Was der Leser beim DWD nicht erfahre, sei, dass dieser Winter kälter als die drei vorangegangenen und kälter als der Durchschnitt der letzten zehn Jahre gewesen sei. Stattdessen werde der falsche Eindruck vermittelt, es würde ungebremst immer wärmer.

Wem also der zu Ende gehende Winter eher kalt vorgekommen sein sollte, mit dessen Empfinden stimme wohl etwas nicht. Das jedenfalls wolle der DWD uns einreden, so der Wirtschaftsjournalist. Und damit sind wir beim Thema Gaslighting.

Als Gaslighting wird eine Form psychischer Manipulation bezeichnet, mit der die Opfer desorientiert und zutiefst verunsichert werden, indem ihre eigene Wahrnehmung als falsch bezeichnet wird. Der Prozess führt zu Angst und Realitätsverzerrung sowie zur Zerstörung des Selbstbewusstseins. Die Bezeichnung kommt von dem britischen Theaterstück «Gas Light» aus dem Jahr 1938, in dem ein Mann mit grausamen Psychotricks seine Frau in den Wahnsinn treibt.

Damit Gaslighting funktioniert, muss das Opfer dem Täter vertrauen. Oft wird solcher Psychoterror daher im privaten oder familiären Umfeld beschrieben, ebenso wie am Arbeitsplatz. Jedoch eignen sich die Prinzipien auch perfekt zur Manipulation der Massen. Vermeintliche Autoritäten wie Ärzte und Wissenschaftler, oder «der fürsorgliche Staat» und Institutionen wie die UNO oder die WHO wollen uns doch nichts Böses. Auch Staatsmedien, Faktenchecker und diverse NGOs wurden zu «vertrauenswürdigen Quellen» erklärt. Das hat seine Wirkung.

Warum das Thema Gaslighting derzeit scheinbar so populär ist, vermag ich nicht zu sagen. Es sind aber gerade in den letzten Tagen und Wochen auffällig viele Artikel dazu erschienen, und zwar nicht nur von Psychologen. Die Frankfurter Rundschau hat gleich mehrere publiziert, und Anwälte interessieren sich dafür offenbar genauso wie Apotheker.

Die Apotheken Umschau machte sogar auf «Medical Gaslighting» aufmerksam. Davon spreche man, wenn Mediziner Symptome nicht ernst nähmen oder wenn ein gesundheitliches Problem vom behandelnden Arzt «schnöde heruntergespielt» oder abgetan würde. Kommt Ihnen das auch irgendwie bekannt vor? Der Begriff sei allerdings irreführend, da er eine manipulierende Absicht unterstellt, die «nicht gewährleistet» sei.

Apropos Gaslighting: Die noch amtierende deutsche Bundesregierung meldete heute, es gelte, «weiter [sic!] gemeinsam daran zu arbeiten, einen gerechten und dauerhaften Frieden für die Ukraine zu erreichen». Die Ukraine, wo sich am Montag «der völkerrechtswidrige Angriffskrieg zum dritten Mal jährte», verteidige ihr Land und «unsere gemeinsamen Werte».

Merken Sie etwas? Das Demokratieverständnis mag ja tatsächlich inzwischen in beiden Ländern ähnlich traurig sein. Bezüglich Friedensbemühungen ist meine Wahrnehmung jedoch eine andere. Das muss an meinem Gedächtnis liegen.

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Autor: Michael Meyen. (Bild: Hermine Zgraggen). Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben. Sie finden alle Texte der Friedenstaube und weitere Texte zum Thema Frieden hier.**

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Die Friedenstaube hat meine Kindheit und meine Jugend begleitet und wahrscheinlich auch beschützt. Ich bin auf der Insel Rügen aufgewachsen und sehe immer noch, wie der Bürgermeister am 1. Mai 1975 die US-Niederlage in Vietnam verkündete. Vielleicht war es auch der örtliche Parteisekretär. Egal. Der Sprecher stand jedenfalls am Heimatmuseum vor all den Fahnen, vor Sportlern, Pionieren und Erwachsenen, die mit ihren Kollegen durch das Dorf gegangen waren und jetzt auf den ersten Schnaps warteten. Ein Maiwässerchen, was sonst am Kampf- und Feiertag der Werktätigen. Ich Knirps war schon jetzt trunken vor Glück. Wenn ich einst groß sein bin, daran konnte es keinen Zweifel mehr geben, dann würde der Imperialismus besiegt sein und mit ihm der Krieg.

Was ist jetzt mit dem Sozialismus und seinem Frieden?

Picassos Friedenstaube war überall. Bei solchen Demos, in der Presse und in der Schule sowieso. Der Sozialismus, darauf schworen die Lehrer genauso Stein und Bein wie alle Funktionäre, der Sozialismus führt keinen Krieg. Es gab zwar immer wieder Gerüchte über Flussinseln, um die sich Moskau und Peking streiten würden, aber Asien war weit und China vielleicht nicht ganz so sozialistisch. Dann kam der Dezember 1979. Afghanistan. Ich war zwölf und konnte mir das schon deshalb nicht schönreden, weil es Olympia traf und damit zwei Sommerfernseh-Wochen. Was sind Goldmedaillen wert, wenn die Besten fehlen? Wenig später ging es um U-Boote. Ein Junge, nur wenig älter als ich, hatte an die *Ostsee-Zeitung* geschrieben, das Regionalblatt der SED, und gefragt, was die sowjetische Marine in schwedischen Gewässern mache und warum er sowas nur im Westradio hören könne. Als die Antwort kam, stand er mit dem Brief auf der Straße. Seht her, liebe Leute: Sie nehmen mich ernst. Was ist jetzt mit diesem Sozialismus und seinem Frieden?

Ich weiß noch, dass ich den Brief lesen musste (in der Schule wusste jeder, dass ich Journalist werden wollte), aber nicht mehr, was dort stand. Wahrscheinlich hat sich die Redaktion mit einem Missverständnis herausgeredet, mit Fake News oder mit Wilhelm Busch. Der Friede muss bewaffnet sein. Die Geschichte mit Igel und Fuchs gefiel mir. Da waren diese Zähne und damit die Drohung von Raubtier und Kapitalismus. Und da war ein eher zartes Lebewesen, das auf den Verstand setzte. „Und allsogleich macht er sich rund, zeigt seinen dichten Stachelbund – und trotzt getrost der ganzen Welt, bewaffnet, doch als Friedensheld.“

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"Ich hasste das Militär"

Im Alltag war das nicht ganz so einfach, selbst für Kinder. Bei den Sportfesten hätte ich lieber einen Schlagball genommen als die F1, eine Handgranatenattrappe, die über die 35-Meter-Marke fliegen musste, damit der kleine Werfer überleben kann. Ich mochte die Soldatenspiele nicht, die alle paar Wochen angesetzt wurden, und schon gar nicht die Lager, die am Ende der Schulzeit warteten. Zwei Wochen in einer Baracke mit Frühsport in der Kälte und mit irgendwelchen Knallköpfen, die mir sagen konnten, was ich zu machen habe. Das heißt: Sie sagten das nicht. Sie brüllten. Und sie konnten jeden bestrafen, der nicht spurte. Ich hasste das Militär – und das nicht nur, weil ich nie sicher war, die Sturmwand beim ersten Anlauf zu nehmen und die Gasmaske schnell genug aus der Tasche zu haben.  

Ich überspringe die drei Jahre, die ich Uniform getragen habe. In meinem Gedächtnis ist dort eine Leerstelle. Ich bin mir aber sicher, dass es schrecklich gewesen sein muss, und höre noch all die Stimmen, die vorher auf mich eingeredet hatten. Wenn du an die Uni willst, Michael, dann musst du dafür bezahlen. Dann musst du zeigen, was dir dieses Land wert ist und die Arbeiterklasse, die hier nun mal regiert und später auch dein Studium bezahlt. Gib uns einen Fitzel deiner Lebenszeit. Ich habe diese Stimmen verflucht und dachte, dass ich ihnen nicht entkommen kann. Heute weiß ich, dass das nicht stimmt. Ich wusste es schon im ersten Semester, weil neben mir Jungs saßen, die nur 18 Monate bei der Fahne waren und trotzdem einen Platz bekommen hatten. Dass die DDR kurz danach ohne einen Schuss zusammenbrach, habe ich nicht verstanden, aber trotzdem aufgeatmet. Du musst nicht mehr Reserveoffizier werden. Wenigstens das nicht. Die drei Lehrgangswochen habe ich in der Pathologie des Uni-Krankenhauses verbracht, vermutlich mit irgendwelchen Aufräumarbeiten. 

Eine Wette mit meinem Sohn

Mein Sohn ist 1995 zur Welt gekommen. Ein Stammhalter. Ein Brüderchen für unsere Tochter. Aber auch ein Soldat. Ich habe mit mir selbst gewettet, dass es keine Armee mehr geben würde und vor allem keine Wehrpflicht, wenn er 18 ist, und geschworen, dafür alles zu tun, was mir möglich ist. Dass es dann dieser Minister von der CSU war? Was soll’s, dachte ich. Hauptsache, der Junge kann selbst entscheiden, wo und wie er in die Erwachsenenwelt gehen will. 

Damals war ich mir sicher: Bertolt Brecht hat gewonnen. Endlich weiß Deutschland, dass es nicht Karthago sein will. Jetzt schreibe ich für die Friedenstaube und würde diesen Brecht lieber heute als morgen auferstehen lassen. So schwer kann das doch nicht zu verstehen sein mit den drei Kriegen.  

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Michael Meyen, Jahrgang 1967, hat an der Sektion Journalistik studiert und dann in Leipzig alle akademischen Stationen durchlaufen: Diplom (1992), Promotion (1995) und Habilitation (2001). Parallel arbeitete er als Journalist. Seit 2002 ist Meyen Professor für Kommunikationswissenschaft an der LMU München. Er hat drei interdisziplinäre Forschungsverbünde als Sprecher geleitet: "Fit for Change" (Laufzeit: 2013 bis 2017), "Zukunft der Demokratie" (2018 bis 2022) und "Das mediale Erbe der DDR" (2018 bis 2025). Mehr zum Autor und seinen Büchern hier.

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@ a8d1560d:3fec7a08

I have made a big update to my Nostr desktop. Apps for images, videos and livestreams after their respective NIPs have been added, and the Raw Events app has been greatly improved. There are still some layout problems, but it all works (hopefully).

https://websim.ai/@wholewish91244492/nostr-desktop

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

I just finished watching the Lakers narrowly escape with a win over the Pacers, in Indiana. I watched it at BetPlay, btw, where I'm now watching the late games.

Firstly, Lebron had a rough game: no made FG's in the first half (first time in approximately 20 years) and only 2 points. There was legit concern that his million consecutive games with double digits might finally end.

Coming into the fourth quarter, he still only had seven points and the Lakers had about a ten point lead. Once Lebron secured his 10 points it really seemed like they let up and the Pacers came roaring back. Shoutout to Myles Turner, who made a great pass breakup in transition on what would have been a lob dunk (I also think Doris may have said "just the tip" when describing how little contact he made with the ball).

Rui hit a couple of threes back-to-back, which felt huge, but the Lakers took their foot off the gas again. The Pacers kept it tight and even took a lead, thanks to Luka playing some of the worst defense you'll ever see.

With three seconds left and trailing by one, Luka shook his defender and put up a soft little floater...which bounced out only for Lebron to get the put-back at the buzzer and win the game.

The only thing that would have been better is if the tip-in had gotten Lebron his double digits.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/926406

@ 97c70a44:ad98e322

For the last couple of weeks, I've been dealing with the fallout of upgrading a web application to Svelte 5. Complaints about framework churn and migration annoyances aside, I've run into some interesting issues with the migration. So far, I haven't seen many other people register the same issues, so I thought it might be constructive for me to articulate them myself.

I'll try not to complain too much in this post, since I'm grateful for the many years of Svelte 3/4 I've enjoyed. But I don't think I'll be choosing Svelte for any new projects going forward. I hope my reflections here will be useful to others as well.

If you're interested in reproductions for the issues I mention here, you can find them below.

• Can't save state to indexeddb
• Component unmount results in undefined variables in closures

The Need for Speed

To start with, let me just quickly acknowledge what the Svelte team is trying to do. It seems like most of the substantial changes in version 5 are built around "deep reactivity", which allows for more granular reactivity, leading to better performance. Performance is good, and the Svelte team has always excelled at reconciling performance with DX.

In previous versions of Svelte, the main way this was achieved was with the Svelte compiler. There were many ancillary techniques involved in improving performance, but having a framework compile step gave the Svelte team a lot of leeway for rearranging things under the hood without making developers learn new concepts. This is what made Svelte so original in the beginning.

At the same time, it resulted in an even more opaque framework than usual, making it harder for developers to debug more complex issues. To make matters worse, the compiler had bugs, resulting in errors which could only be fixed by blindly refactoring the problem component. This happened to me personally at least half a dozen times, and is what ultimately pushed me to migrate to Svelte 5.

Nevertheless, I always felt it was an acceptable trade-off for speed and productivity. Sure, sometimes I had to delete my project and port it to a fresh repository every so often, but the framework was truly a pleasure to use.

Svelte is not Javascript

Svelte 5 doubled down on this tradeoff — which makes sense, because it's what sets the framework apart. The difference this time is that the abstraction/performance tradeoff did not stay in compiler land, but intruded into runtime in two important ways:

• The use of proxies to support deep reactivity
• Implicit component lifecycle state

Both of these changes improved performance and made the API for developers look slicker. What's not to like? Unfortunately, both of these features are classic examples of a leaky abstraction, and ultimately make things more complex for developers, not less.

Proxies are not objects

The use of proxies seems to have allowed the Svelte team to squeeze a little more performance out of the framework, without asking developers to do any extra work. Threading state through multiple levels of components without provoking unnecessary re-renders in frameworks like React is an infamously difficult chore.

Svelte's compiler avoided some of the pitfalls associated with virtual DOM diffing solutions, but evidently there was still enough of a performance gain to be had to justify the introduction of proxies. The Svelte team also seems to argue that their introduction represents an improvement in developer experience:

we... can maximise both efficiency and ergonomics.

Here's the problem: Svelte 5 looks simpler, but actually introduces more abstractions.

Using proxies to monitor array methods (for example) is appealing because it allows developers to forget all the goofy heuristics involved with making sure state was reactive and just push to the array. I can't count how many times I've written value = value to trigger reactivity in svelte 4.

In Svelte 4, developers had to understand how the Svelte compiler worked. The compiler, being a leaky abstraction, forced its users to know that assignment was how you signaled reactivity. In svelte 5, developers can just "forget" about the compiler!

Except they can't. All the introduction of new abstractions really accomplishes is the introduction of more complex heuristics that developers have to keep in their heads in order to get the compiler to act the way they want it to.

In fact, this is why after years of using Svelte, I found myself using Svelte stores more and more often, and reactive declarations less. The reason being that Svelte stores are just javascript. Calling update on a store is simple, and being able to reference them with a $ was just a nice bonus — nothing to remember, and if I mess up the compiler yells at me.

Proxies introduce a similar problem to reactive declarations, which is that they look like one thing but act like another on the edges.

When I started using Svelte 5, everything worked great — until I tried to save a proxy to indexeddb, at which point I got a DataCloneError. To make matters worse, it's impossible to reliably tell if something is a Proxy without try/catching a structured clone, which is a performance-intensive operation.

This forces the developer to remember what is and what isn't a Proxy, calling $state.snapshot every time they pass a proxy to a context that doesn't expect or know about them. This obviates all the nice abstractions they gave us in the first place.

Components are not functions

The reason virtual DOM took off way back in 2013 was the ability to model your application as composed functions, each of which takes data and spits out HTML. Svelte retained this paradigm, using a compiler to sidestep the inefficiencies of virtual DOM and the complexities of lifecycle methods.

In Svelte 5, component lifecycles are back, react-hooks style.

In React, hooks are an abstraction that allows developers to avoid writing all the stateful code associated with component lifecycle methods. Modern React tutorials universally recommend using hooks instead, which rely on the framework invisibly synchronizing state with the render tree.

While this does result in cleaner code, it also requires developers to tread carefully to avoid breaking the assumptions surrounding hooks. Just try accessing state in a setTimeout and you'll see what I mean.

Svelte 4 had a few gotchas like this — for example, async code that interacts with a component's DOM elements has to keep track of whether the component is unmounted. This is pretty similar to the kind of pattern you'd see in old React components that relied on lifecycle methods.

It seems to me that Svelte 5 has gone the React 16 route by adding implicit state related to component lifecycles in order to coordinate state changes and effects.

For example, here is an excerpt from the documentation for $effect:

You can place $effect anywhere, not just at the top level of a component, as long as it is called during component initialization (or while a parent effect is active). It is then tied to the lifecycle of the component (or parent effect) and will therefore destroy itself when the component unmounts (or the parent effect is destroyed).

That's very complex! In order to use $effect... effectively (sorry), developers have to understand how state changes are tracked. The documentation for component lifecycles claims:

In Svelte 5, the component lifecycle consists of only two parts: Its creation and its destruction. Everything in-between — when certain state is updated — is not related to the component as a whole; only the parts that need to react to the state change are notified. This is because under the hood the smallest unit of change is actually not a component, it’s the (render) effects that the component sets up upon component initialization. Consequently, there’s no such thing as a “before update”/"after update” hook.

But then goes on to introduce the idea of tick in conjunction with $effect.pre. This section explains that "tick returns a promise that resolves once any pending state changes have been applied, or in the next microtask if there are none."

I'm sure there's some mental model that justifies this, but I don't think the claim that a component's lifecycle is only comprised of mount/unmount is really helpful when an addendum about state changes has to come right afterward.

The place where this really bit me, and which is the motivation for this blog post, is when state gets coupled to a component's lifecycle, even when the state is passed to another function that doesn't know anything about svelte.

In my application, I manage modal dialogs by storing the component I want to render alongside its props in a store and rendering it in the layout.svelte of my application. This store is also synchronized with browser history so that the back button works to close them. Sometimes, it's useful to pass a callback to one of these modals, binding caller-specific functionality to the child component:

javascript const {value} = $props() const callback = () => console.log(value) const openModal = () => pushModal(MyModal, {callback})

This is a fundamental pattern in javascript. Passing a callback is just one of those things you do.

Unfortunately, if the above code lives in a modal dialog itself, the caller component gets unmounted before the callback gets called. In Svelte 4, this worked fine, but in Svelte 5 value gets updated to undefined when the component gets unmounted. Here's a minimal reproduction.

This is only one example, but it seems clear to me that any prop that is closed over by a callback function that lives longer than its component will be undefined when I want to use it — with no reassignment existing in lexical scope. It seems that the reason this happens is that the props "belong" to the parent component, and are accessed via getters so that the parent can revoke access when it unmounts.

I don't know why this is necessary, but I assume there's a good engineering reason for it. The problem is, this just isn't how javascript works. Svelte is essentially attempting to re-invent garbage collection around component lifecycles, which breaks the assumption every javascript developer has that variables don't simply disappear without an explicit reassignment. It should be safe to pass stuff around and let the garbage collector do its job.

Conclusion

Easy things are nice, but as Rich Hickey says, easy things are not always simple. And like Joel Spolsky, I don't like being surprised. Svelte has always been full of magic, but with the latest release I think the cognitive overhead of reciting incantations has finally outweighed the power it confers.

My point in this post is not to dunk on the Svelte team. I know lots of people like Svelte 5 (and react hooks). The point I'm trying to make is that there is a tradeoff between doing things on the user's behalf, and giving the user agency. Good software is built on understanding, not cleverness.

I also think this is an important lesson to remember as AI-assisted coding becomes increasingly popular. Don't choose tools that alienate you from your work. Choose tools that leverage the wisdom you've already accumulated, and which help you to cultivate a deeper understanding of the discipline.

Thank you to Rich Harris and team for many years of pleasant development. I hope that (if you read this) it's not so full of inaccuracies as to be unhelpful as user feedback.

@ 866e0139:6a9334e5

Autor: Ludwig F. Badenhagen. Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben.

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Einer der wesentlichen Gründe dafür, dass während der „Corona-Pandemie“ so viele Menschen den Anweisungen der Spitzenpolitiker folgten, war sicher der, dass diese Menschen den Politikern vertrauten. Diese Menschen konnten sich nicht vorstellen, dass Spitzenpolitiker den Auftrag haben könnten, die Bürger analog klaren Vorgaben zu belügen, zu betrügen und sie vorsätzlich (tödlich) zu verletzen. Im Gegenteil, diese gutgläubigen Menschen waren mit der Zuversicht aufgewachsen, dass Spitzenpolitiker den Menschen dienen und deren Wohl im Fokus haben (müssen). Dies beteuerten Spitzenpolitiker schließlich stets in Talkshows und weiteren Medienformaten. Zwar wurden manche Politiker auch bei Fehlverhalten erwischt, aber hierbei ging es zumeist „nur“ um Geld und nicht um Leben. Und wenn es doch einmal um Leben ging, dann passieren die Verfehlungen „aus Versehen“, aber nicht mit Vorsatz. So oder so ähnlich dachte die Mehrheit der Bürger. 

Aber vor 5 Jahren änderte sich für aufmerksame Menschen alles, denn analog dem Lockstep-Szenario der Rockefeller-Foundation wurde der zuvor ausgiebig vorbereitete Plan zur Inszenierung der „Corona-Pandemie“ Realität. Seitdem wurde so manchem Bürger, der sich jenseits von Mainstream-Medien informierte, das Ausmaß der unter dem Vorwand einer erfundenen Pandemie vollbrachten Taten klar. Und unverändert kommen täglich immer neue Erkenntnisse ans Licht. Auf den Punkt gebracht war die Inszenierung der „Corona-Pandemie“ ein Verbrechen an der Menschheit, konstatieren unabhängige Sachverständige. 

Dieser Beitrag befasst sich allerdings nicht damit, die vielen Bestandteile dieses Verbrechens (nochmals) aufzuzählen oder weitere zu benennen. Stattdessen soll beleuchtet werden, warum die Spitzenpolitiker sich so verhalten haben und ob es überhaupt nach alledem möglich ist, der Politik jemals wieder zu vertrauen? Ferner ist es ein Anliegen dieses Artikels, die weiteren Zusammenhänge zu erörtern. Und zu guter Letzt soll dargelegt werden, warum sich der große Teil der Menschen unverändert alles gefallen lässt.

Demokratie

Von jeher organisierten sich Menschen mit dem Ziel, Ordnungsrahmen zu erschaffen, welche wechselseitiges Interagieren regeln. Dies führte aber stets dazu, dass einige wenige alle anderen unterordneten. Der Grundgedanke, der vor rund 2500 Jahren formulierten Demokratie, verfolgte dann aber das Ziel, dass die Masse darüber entscheiden können soll, wie sie leben und verwaltet werden möchte. Dieser Grundgedanke wurde von den Mächtigen sowohl gehasst als auch gefürchtet, denn die Gefahr lag nahe, dass die besitzlosen Vielen beispielsweise mit einer schlichten Abstimmung verfügen könnten, den Besitz der Wenigen zu enteignen. Selbst Sokrates war gegen solch eine Gesellschaftsordnung, da die besten Ideen nicht durch die Vielen, sondern durch einige wenige Kluge und Aufrichtige in die Welt kommen. Man müsse die Vielen lediglich manipulieren und würde auf diese Weise quasi jeden Unfug umsetzen können. Die Demokratie war ein Rohrkrepierer.

Die Mogelpackung „Repräsentative Demokratie“

Erst im Zuge der Gründung der USA gelang der Trick, dem Volk die „Repräsentative Demokratie“ unterzujubeln, die sich zwar nach Demokratie anhört, aber mit der Ursprungsdefinition nichts zu tun hat. Man konnte zwischen zwei Parteien wählen, die sich mit ihren jeweiligen Versprechen um die Gunst des Volkes bewarben. Tatsächlich paktierten die Vertreter der gewählten Parteien (Politiker) aber mit den wirklich Mächtigen, die letztendlich dafür sorgten, dass diese Politiker in die jeweiligen exponierten Positionen gelangten, welche ihnen ermöglichten (und somit auch den wirklich Mächtigen), Macht auszuüben. Übrigens, ob die eine oder andere Partei „den Volkswillen“ für sich gewinnen konnte, war für die wirklich Mächtigen weniger von Bedeutung, denn der Wille der wirklich Mächtigen wurde so oder so, wenn auch in voneinander differierenden Details, umgesetzt.

Die Menschen waren begeistert von dieser Idee, denn sie glaubten, dass sie selbst „der Souverän“ seien. Schluss mit Monarchie sowie sonstiger Fremdherrschaft und Unterdrückung.

Die Mächtigen waren ebenfalls begeistert, denn durch die Repräsentative Demokratie waren sie selbst nicht mehr in der Schusslinie, weil das Volk sich mit seinem Unmut fortan auf die Politiker konzentrierte. Da diese Politiker aber vielleicht nicht von einem selbst, sondern von vielen anderen Wahlberechtigten gewählt wurden, lenkte sich der Groll der Menschen nicht nur ab von den wirklich Mächtigen, sondern auch ab von den Politikern, direkt auf „die vielen Idioten“ aus ihrer eigenen Mitte, die sich „ver-wählt“ hatten. Diese Lenkung des Volkes funktionierte so hervorragend, dass andere Länder die Grundprinzipien dieses Steuerungsinstrumentes übernahmen. Dies ist alles bei Rainer Mausfeld nachzulesen.

Ursprünglich waren die Mächtigen nur regional mächtig, sodass das Führen der eigenen Menschen(vieh)herde eher eine lokale Angelegenheit war. Somit mussten auch nur lokale Probleme gelöst werden und die Mittel zur Problemlösung blieben im eigenen Problembereich.

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• Für 50 CHF/EURO bekommen Sie ein Jahresabo der Friedenstaube.
• Für 120 CHF/EURO bekommen Sie ein Jahresabo und ein T-Shirt/Hoodie mit der Friedenstaube.
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IBAN DE 53710520500000814137

BYLADEM1TST

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Betreff: Friedenstaube

Wenn Sie auf anderem Wege beitragen wollen, schreiben Sie die Friedenstaube an: milosz@pareto.space oder kontakt@idw-europe.org.

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Beherrschungsinstrumente der globalen Massenhaltung

Im Zuge der territorialen Erweiterungen der „Besitzungen“ einiger wirklich Mächtiger wurden die Verwaltungs- und Beherrschungsinstrumente überregionaler. Und heute, zu Zeiten der globalen Vernetzung, paktieren die wirklich Mächtigen miteinander und beanspruchen die Weltherrschaft. Längst wird offen über die finale Realisierung einen Weltregierung, welche die Nationalstaaten „nicht mehr benötigt“, gesprochen. Dass sich Deutschland, ebenso wie andere europäische Staaten, der EU untergeordnet hat, dürfte auch Leuten nicht entgangen sein, die sich nur über die Tagesschau informieren. Längst steht das EU-Recht über dem deutschen Recht. Und nur kurze Zeit ist es her, als die EU und alle ihre Mitgliedsstaaten die WHO autonom darüber entscheiden lassen wollten, was eine Pandemie ist und wie diese für alle verbindlich „bekämpft“ werden soll. Eine spannende Frage ist nun, wer denn über der EU und der WHO sowie anderen Institutionen steht?

Diese Beschreibung macht klar, dass ein „souveränes Land“ wie das unverändert von der amerikanischen Armee besetzte Deutschland in der Entscheidungshierarchie an die Weisungen übergeordneter Entscheidungsorgane gebunden ist. An der Spitze stehen - wie kann es anders sein - die wirklich Mächtigen. 

Aber was nützt es dann, Spitzenpolitiker zu wählen, wenn diese analog Horst Seehofer nichts zu melden haben? Ist das Wählen von Politikern nicht völlig sinnlos, wenn deren Wahlversprechen ohnehin nicht erfüllt werden? Ist es nicht so, dass die Menschen, welche ihre Stimme nicht behalten, sondern abgeben, das bestehende System nur nähren, indem sie Wahlergebnisse akzeptieren, ohne zu wissen, ob diese manipuliert wurden, aber mit der Gewissheit, dass das im Zuge des Wahlkampfes Versprochene auf keinen Fall geliefert wird? Aktive Wähler glauben trotz allem an die Redlichkeit und Wirksamkeit von Wahlen, und sie akzeptieren Wahlergebnisse, weil sie denken, dass sie von „so vielen Idioten, die falsch wählen“, umgeben sind, womit wir wieder bei der Spaltung sind. Sie glauben, der Stand des aktuellen Elends sei „selbst gewählt“.

Die Wahl der Aufseher

Stellen Sie sich bitte vor, Sie wären im Gefängnis, weil Sie einen kritischen Artikel mit „gefällt mir“ gekennzeichnet haben oder weil Sie eine „Kontaktschuld“ trifft, da in Ihrer Nachbarschaft ein „verschwörerisches Symbol“ von einem „aufmerksamen“ Nachbarn bei einer „Meldestelle“ angezeigt wurde oder Sie gar eine Tat, „unterhalb der Strafbarkeitsgrenze“ begangen hätten, dann würden Sie möglicherweise mit Maßnahmen bestraft, die „keine Folter wären“. Beispielsweise würde man Sie während Ihrer „Umerziehungshaft“ mit Waterboarding, Halten von Stresspositionen, Dunkelhaft etc. dabei „unterstützen“, „Ihre Verfehlungen zu überdenken“. Stellen Sie sich weiterhin vor, dass Sie, so wie alle anderen Inhaftierten, an der alle vier Jahre stattfindenden Wahl der Aufseher teilnehmen könnten, und Sie hätten auch einen Favoriten, der zwar Waterboarding betreibt, aber gegen alle anderen Maßnahmen steht. Sie hätten sicher allen Grund zur Freude, wenn Sie Ihren Kandidaten durchbringen könnten, oder? Aber was wäre, wenn der Aufseher Ihrer Wahl dann dennoch alle 3 „Nicht-Folter-Maßnahmen“ anwenden würde, wie sämtliche anderen Aufseher zuvor? Spätestens dann müssten Sie sich eingestehen, dass es der Beruf des Aufsehers ist, Aufseher zu sein und dass er letztendlich tut, was ihm „von oben“ aufgetragen wird. Andernfalls verliert er seinen Job. Oder er verunfallt oder gerät in einen Skandal etc. So oder so, er verliert seinen Job - und den erledigt dann ein anderer Aufseher.

Die Wahl des Aufsehers ändert wenig, solange Sie sich im System des Gefängnisses befinden und der Aufseher integraler Bestandteil dieses Systems ist. Zur Realisierung einer tatsächlichen Änderung müssten Sie dort herauskommen.

Dieses Beispiel soll darstellen, dass alles in Hierarchien eingebunden ist. Die in einem System eingebundenen Menschen erfüllen ihre zugewiesenen Aufgaben, oder sie werden bestraft.

Das aktuelle System schadet dem Volk

Auch in der staatlichen Organisation von Menschen existieren hierarchische Gliederungen. Eine kommunale Selbstverwaltung gehört zum Kreis, dieser zum Land, dieses zum Staat, dieser zur EU, und diese - zu wem auch immer. Und vereinnahmte Gelder fließen nach oben. Obwohl es natürlich wäre, dass die Mittel dorthin fließen, wo sie der Allgemeinheit und nicht einigen wenigen dienen, also nach unten.

Warum muss es also eine Weltregierung geben? Warum sollen nur einige Wenige über alle anderen bestimmen und an diesen verdienen (Nahrung, Medikamente, Krieg, Steuern etc.)? Warum sollen Menschen, so wie Vieh, das jemandem „gehört“, mit einem Code versehen und bereits als Baby zwangsgeimpft werden? Warum müssen alle Transaktionen und sämtliches Verhalten strickt gesteuert, kontrolliert und bewertet werden? 

Viele Menschen werden nach alledem zu dem Schluss kommen, dass solch ein System nur einigen wenigen wirklich Mächtigen und deren Helfershelfern nützt. Aber es gibt auch eine Gruppe Menschen, für die im Land alles beanstandungsfrei funktioniert. Die Spaltung der Menschen ist perfekt gelungen und sofern die eine Gruppe darauf wartet, dass die andere „endlich aufwacht“, da die Fakten doch auf dem Tisch liegen, so wird sie weiter warten dürfen.

Julian Assange erwähnte einst, dass es für ihn eine unglaubliche Enttäuschung war, dass ihm niemand half. Assange hatte Ungeheuerlichkeiten aufgedeckt. Es gab keinen Aufstand. Assange wurde inhaftiert und gefoltert. Es gab keinen Aufstand. Assange sagte, er hätte nicht damit gerechnet, dass die Leute „so unglaublich feige“ seien.

Aber womit rechnete er den stattdessen? Dass die Massen „sich erheben“. Das gibt es nur im Film, denn die Masse besteht aus vielen maximal Indoktrinierten, die sich wie Schafe verhalten, was als Züchtungserfolg der Leute an den Schalthebeln der Macht und deren Herren, den wirklich Mächtigen, anzuerkennen ist. Denn wer mächtig ist und bleiben möchte, will sicher keine problematischen Untertanen, sondern eine gefügige, ängstliche Herde, die er nach Belieben ausbeuten und steuern kann. Wenn er hierüber verfügt, will er keinen Widerstand.

Ob Corona, Krieg, Demokratie- und Klimarettung oder Meinungsäußerungsverbote und Bürgerrechte, die unterhalb der Strafbarkeitsgrenze liegen, all diese und viele weitere Stichworte mehr sind es, die viele traurig und so manche wütend machen.

Auch das Mittel des Demonstrierens hat sich als völlig wirkungslos erwiesen. Die vielen gruseligen Videoaufnahmen über die massivsten Misshandlungen von Demonstranten gegen die Corona-Maßnahmen führen zu dem Ergebnis, dass die Exekutive ihr Gewaltmonopol nutzt(e), um die Bevölkerung gezielt zu verletzen und einzuschüchtern. Bekanntlich kann jede friedliche Demonstration zum Eskalieren gebracht werden, indem man Menschen in die Enge treibt (fehlender Sicherheitsabstand) und einige V-Leute in Zivil mit einschlägigen Flaggen und sonstigen „Symbolen“ einschleust, die für Krawall sorgen, damit die gepanzerten Kollegen dann losknüppeln und die scharfen Hunde zubeißen können. So lauten zumindest die Berichte vieler Zeitzeugen und so ist es auch auf vielen Videos zu sehen. Allerdings nicht im Mainstream.

Dieses Vorgehen ist deshalb besonders perfide, weil man den Deutschen ihre Wehrhaftigkeit aberzogen hat. Nicht wehrfähige Bürger und eine brutale Staatsmacht mit Gewaltmonopol führen zu einem Gemetzel bei den Bürgern. 

Ähnliches lässt sich auch in zivilen Lebenssituationen beobachten, wenn die hiesige zivilisierte Bevölkerung auf „eingereiste“ Massenvergewaltiger und Messerstecher trifft, die über ein anderes Gewalt- und Rechtsverständnis verfügen als die Einheimischen.

System-Technik

Die These ist, dass es eine Gruppe von global agierenden Personen gibt, welche das Geschehen auf der Erde zunehmend wirksam zu ihrem individuellen Vorteil gestaltet. Wie sich diese Gruppe definiert, kann bei John Coleman (Das Komitee der 300) und David Icke nachgelesen werden. Hierbei handelt es ich um Autoren, die jahrzehntelang analog streng wissenschaftlichen Grundlagen zu ihren Themen geforscht haben und in ihren jeweiligen Werken sämtliche Quellen benennen. Diese Autoren wurden vom Mainstream mit dem Prädikatsmerkmal „Verschwörungstheoretiker“ ausgezeichnet, wodurch die Ergebnisse Ihrer Arbeiten umso glaubwürdiger sind. 

Diese mächtige Gruppe hat mit ihren Schergen nahezu den gesamten Planeten infiltriert, indem sie Personen in führenden Positionen in vielen Belangen größtmögliche Freiheiten sowie Schutz gewährt, aber diesen im Gegenzug eine völlige Unterwerfung bei Kernthemen abfordert. Die Motivatoren für diese Unterwerfung sind, abgesehen von materiellen Zuwendungen, auch „Ruhm und Ehre sowie Macht“. Manchmal wird auch Beweismaterial für begangene Verfehlungen (Lolita-Express, Pizzagate etc.)  genutzt, um Forderungen Nachdruck zu verleihen. Und auch körperliche Bestrafungen der betroffenen Person oder deren Angehörigen zählen zum Repertoire der Motivatoren. Letztendlich ähnlich den Verhaltensweisen in einem Mafia-Film.

Mit dieser Methodik hat sich diese mächtige Gruppe im Laufe von Jahrhunderten! eine Organisation erschaffen, welche aus Kirchen, Parteien, Firmen, NGO, Vereinen, Verbänden und weiteren Organisationsformen besteht. Bestimmte Ämter und Positionen in Organisationen können nur von Personen eingenommen und gehalten werden, die „auf Linie sind“. 

Die Mitglieder der Gruppe tauchen in keiner Rubrik wie „Die reichsten Menschen der Welt“ auf, sondern bleiben fern der Öffentlichkeit. Wer jemanden aus ihren Reihen erkennt und beschuldigt, ist ein „Antisemit“ oder sonstiger Übeltäter und wird verfolgt und bekämpft. Über mächtige Vermögensverwaltungskonzerne beteiligen sich die Mitglieder dieser Gruppe anonym an Unternehmen in Schlüsselpositionen in einer Dimension, die ihnen wesentlichen Einfluss auf die Auswahl der Topmanager einräumt, sodass die jeweilige Unternehmenspolitik nach Vorgaben der Gruppe gestaltet wird.

Die Gruppe steuert das Geldsystem, von dem sich der Planet abhängig zu sein wähnt. Hierzu eine Erläuterung: Ein Staat wie Deutschland ist bekanntlich maximal verschuldet. Man stelle sich vor, ein unliebsamer Politiker würde entgegen sämtlicher „Brandmauern“ und sonstiger Propaganda und Wahlmanipulationen gewählt, das Land zu führen, dann könnte dieser keine Kredit über 500 Mrd. Euro bei der nächsten Sparkasse beantragen, sondern wäre auf die Mächtigen dieser Welt angewiesen. Jeder weiß, dass Deutschland als Staat kein funktionierendes Geschäftsmodell hat und somit nicht in der Lage ist, solch ein Darlehen zurückzuzahlen. Welche Motivation sollte also jemand haben, einem Land wie Deutschland so viel Geld ohne Aussicht auf Rückführung zu geben? Es leuchtet ein, dass dieser Politiker andere Gefälligkeiten anbieten müsste, um das Darlehen zu bekommen. Im Falle einer Weigerung zur Kooperation könnte der Staatsapparat mit seinen Staatsdienern, Bürgergeld- und Rentenempfänger etc. nicht mehr bezahlt werden und dieser Politiker wäre schnell wieder weg. Er würde medial hingerichtet. Es ist somit davon auszugehen, dass ein Spitzenpolitiker dieser Tage nicht über viele Optionen verfügt, denn er übernimmt eine Situation, die von seinen Vorgängern erschaffen wurde. Trotz alledem darauf zu hoffen, dass es einen anderen Politiker geben könnte, mit dem dann alles wieder gut wird, mutet ziemlich infantil an. 

Dass ein Großteil der Medien von Zuwendungen abhängig ist, dürfte ebenfalls leicht nachzuvollziehen sein, denn der gewöhnliche Bürger zahlt nichts für den Content der MSM. Abhängig davon, von wem (Regierung, Philanthrop, Konzern etc.) ein Medium am Leben gehalten wird, gestalten sich auch dessen Inhalte. Und wenn angewiesen wird, dass ein Politiker medial hingerichtet werden soll, dann bedient die Maschinerie das Thema. Man beobachte einfach einmal, dass Politiker der Kartell-Parteien völlig anders behandelt werden als solche jenseits der „Brandmauer“. Und der Leser, der solche Auftragsarbeiten kostenlos liest, ist der Konsument, für dessen Indoktrination die Finanziers der Verlage gerne zahlen. Mittlerweile kann durch die Herrschaft über die Medien und die systematische Vergiftung der Körper und Geister der Population die öffentliche Meinung gesteuert werden. Die überwiegende Zahl der Deutschen scheint nicht mehr klar denken zu können.

Wer sich das aktuelle Geschehen in der deutschen Politik mit klarem Verstand ansieht, kommt nicht umhin, eine Fernsteuerung der handelnden Politiker in Betracht zu ziehen. Aber was soll daran verwundern? Sind es deshalb „böse Menschen“? Sind die in „Forschungslaboren“ arbeitenden Quäler von „Versuchstieren“ böse Menschen? Sind der Schlächter, der Folterer und der Henker böse Menschen? Oder der knüppelnde Polizist? Es handelt sich zunächst einmal um Personen, die einen Vorteil dadurch haben, Ihrer Tätigkeit nachzugehen. Sie sind integrale Bestandteile eines Belohnungssystems, welches von oben nach unten Anweisungen gibt. Und wenn diese Anweisungen nicht befolgt werden, führt dies für den Befehlsverweigerer zu Konsequenzen.

Der klare Verstand

Es ist nun eine spannende Frage, warum so viele Menschen sich solch eine Behandlung gefallen lassen? Nun, das ist relativ einfach, denn das angepasste Verhalten der Vielen ist nichts anderes als ein Züchtungserfolg der Wenigen.

Die Psyche der Menschen ist ebenso akribisch erforscht worden wie deren Körperfunktionen. Würden die Menschen von den wirklich Mächtigen geliebt, dann würde genau gewusst, wie sie zu behandeln und mit ihren jeweiligen Bedürfnissen zu versorgen sind. Stattdessen werden die Menschen aber als eine Einnahmequelle betrachtet. Dies manifestiert sich exemplarisch in folgenden Bereichen:

1. Das Gesundheitssystem verdient nichts am gesunden Menschen, sondern nur am (dauerhaft) kranken, der um Schmerzlinderung bettelt. Bereits als Baby werden Menschen geimpft, was die jeweilige Gesundheit (mit Verweis auf die Werke von Anita Petek-Dimmer u. a.) nachhaltig negativ beeinflusst. Wer hat denn heute keine Krankheiten? Die „Experten“ des Gesundheitssystems verteufeln Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Lithium, die Sonne, Natur etc. und empfehlen stattdessen Präparate, die man patentieren konnte und mit denen die Hersteller viel Geld verdienen. Die Präparate heilen selten, sondern lindern bestenfalls zuvor künstlich erzeugte Leiden, und müssen oftmals dauerhaft eingenommen werden. Was ist aus den nicht Geimpften geworden, die alle sterben sollten? Sind diese nicht die einzigen Gesunden dieser Tage? Ist nicht jeder Geimpfte entweder permanent krank oder bereits tot? Abgesehen von denen, welche das Glück hatten, „Sonderchargen“ mit Kochsalz zu erhalten. \ \ Wem gehören die wesentlichen Player im Gesundheitswesen zu einem erheblichen Teil? Die Vermögensverwalter der wirklich Mächtigen.
2. Ähnlich gestaltet es sich bei der Ernährungsindustrie. Die von dort aus verabreichten Produkte sind die Ursachen für den Gesundheitszustand der deutschen Population. Das ist aber auch irgendwie logisch, denn wer sich nicht falsch ernährt und gesund bleibt, wird kein Kunde des Gesundheitswesens. \ \ Die Besitzverhältnisse in der Ernährungsindustrie ähneln denen im Gesundheitswesen, sodass am gleichen Kunden gearbeitet und verdient wird.
3. Die Aufzählung konnte nun über die meisten Branchen, in denen mit dem Elend der Menschen viel verdient werden kann, fortgesetzt werden. Waffen (BlackRock erhöhte beispielsweise seine Anteile an der Rheinmetall AG im Juni 2024 auf 5,25 Prozent. Der US-Vermögensverwalter ist damit der zweitgrößte Anteilseigner nach der französischen Großbank Société Générale.), Energie, Umwelt, Technologie, IT, Software, KI, Handel etc.

Wie genau Chemtrails und Technologien wie 5G auf den Menschen und die Tiere wirken, ist ebenfalls umstritten. Aber ist es nicht seltsam, wie krank, empathielos, antriebslos und aggressiv viele Menschen heute sind? Was genau verabreicht man der Berliner Polizei, damit diese ihre Prügelorgien auf den Rücken und in den Gesichtern der Menschen wahrnehmen, die friedlich ihre Demonstrationsrechte wahrnehmen? Und was erhalten die ganzen zugereisten „Fachkräfte“, die mit Ihren Autos in Menschenmengen rasen oder auch Kinder und Erwachsene niedermessern?

Das Titelbild dieses Beitrags zeigt einige Gebilde, welche regelmäßig bei Obduktionen von Geimpften in deren Blutgefäßen gefunden werden. Wie genau wirken diese kleinen Monster? Können wir Menschen ihr Unverständnis und ihr Nicht-Aufwachen vorwerfen, wenn wir erkennen, dass diese Menschen maximal vergiftet wurden? Oder sollten einfach Lösungen für die Probleme dieser Zeit auch ohne den Einbezug derer gefunden werden, die offenbar nicht mehr Herr ihrer Sinne sind?

Die Ziele der wirklich Mächtigen

Wer sich entsprechende Videosequenzen der Bilderberger, des WEF und anderen „Überorganisationen“ ansieht, der erkennt schnell das Muster:

• Reduzierung der Weltpopulation um ca. 80 Prozent
• Zusammenbruch der Wirtschaft, damit diese von den Konzernen übernommen werden kann.
• Zusammenbruch der öffentlichen Ordnung, um eine totale Entwaffnung und eine totale Überwachung durchsetzen zu können. 
• Zusammenbruch der Regierungen, damit die Weltregierung übernehmen kann.

Es ist zu überdenken, ob die Weltregierung tatsächlich das für die Vielen beste Organisationssystem ist, oder ob die dezentrale Eigenorganisation der jeweils lokalen Bevölkerung nicht doch die bessere Option darstellt. Baustellen würden nicht nur begonnen, sondern auch schnell abgearbeitet. Jede Region könnte bestimmen, ob sie sich mit Chemtrails und anderen Substanzen besprühen lassen möchte. Und die Probleme in Barcelona könnte die Menschen dort viel besser lösen als irgendwelche wirklich Mächtigen in ihren Elfenbeintürmen. Die lokale Wirtschaft könnte wieder zurückkommen und mit dieser die Eigenständigkeit. Denn die den wirklich Mächtigen über ihre Vermögensverwalter gehörenden Großkonzerne haben offensichtlich nicht das Wohl der Bevölkerung im Fokus, sondern eher deren Ausbeutung.

Das Aussteigen aus dem System ist die wahre Herkulesaufgabe und es bedarf sicher Mut und Klugheit, sich dieser zu stellen. Die Politiker, die unverändert die Narrative der wirklich Mächtigen bedienen, sind hierfür denkbar ungeeignet, denn sie verfolgen kein Lebensmodell, welches sich von Liebe und Mitgefühl geleitet in den Dienst der Gesamtheit von Menschen, Tieren und Natur stellt.

Schauen Sie einmal genau hin, denken Sie nach und fühlen Sie mit.

Was tun?

Jedes System funktioniert nur so lange, wie es unterstützt wird. Somit stellt sich die Frage, wie viele Menschen das System ignorieren müssen, damit es kollabiert, und auf welche Weise dieses Ignorieren durchzuführen ist? Merkbar ist, dass die große Masse der Verwaltungsangestellten krank und oder unmotiviert und somit nicht wirksam ist. Würden die entsprechenden Stellen massiv belastet und parallel hierzu keine Einnahmen mehr realisieren, wäre ein Kollaps nah. Die Prügelpolizisten aus Berlin können nicht überall sein und normale Polizisten arbeiten nicht gegen unbescholtene Bürger, sondern sorgen sich selbst um ihre Zukunft. Gewalt ist sicher keine Lösung, und sicher auch nicht erforderlich. 

Wie eine gerechte Verwaltungsform aufgebaut werden muss? Einfach so, wie sie in den hiesigen Gesetzen beschrieben steht. Aber eine solche Organisationsform muss frei sein von Blockparteien und korrupten Politikern und weisungsgebundenen Richtern etc. Stattdessen werden Menschen benötigt, welche die Menschen lieben und ihnen nicht schaden wollen. Außerdem sollten diese Führungspersonen auch wirklich etwas können, und nicht nur „Politiker“ ohne weitere Berufserfahrungen sein.

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Ludwig F. Badenhagen (Pseudonym, Name ist der Redaktion bekannt).

Der Autor hat deutsche Wurzeln und betrachtet das Geschehen in Deutschland und Europa aus seiner Wahlheimat Südafrika. Seine Informationen bezieht er aus verlässlichen Quellen und insbesondere von Menschen, die als „Verschwörungstheoretiker“, „Nazi“, „Antisemit“ sowie mit weiteren Kampfbegriffen der dortigen Systemakteure wie Politiker und „Journalisten“ diffamiert werden. Solche Diffamierungen sind für ihn ein Prädikatsmerkmal. Er ist international agierender Manager mit einem globalen Netzwerk und verfügt hierdurch über tiefe Einblicke in Konzerne und Politik.

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Not yet on Nostr and want the full experience? Easy onboarding via Start.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Europa – das Ganze ist eine wunderbare Idee, \ aber das war der Kommunismus auch. \ Loriot

«Europa hat fertig», könnte man unken, und das wäre nicht einmal sehr verwegen. Mit solch einer Einschätzung stünden wir nicht alleine, denn die Stimmen in diese Richtung mehren sich. Der französische Präsident Emmanuel Macron warnte schon letztes Jahr davor, dass «unser Europa sterben könnte». Vermutlich hatte er dabei andere Gefahren im Kopf als jetzt der ungarische Ministerpräsident Viktor Orbán, der ein «baldiges Ende der EU» prognostizierte. Das Ergebnis könnte allerdings das gleiche sein.

Neben vordergründigen Themenbereichen wie Wirtschaft, Energie und Sicherheit ist das eigentliche Problem jedoch die obskure Mischung aus aufgegebener Souveränität und geschwollener Arroganz, mit der europäische Politiker:innende unterschiedlicher Couleur aufzutreten pflegen. Und das Tüpfelchen auf dem i ist die bröckelnde Legitimation politischer Institutionen dadurch, dass die Stimmen großer Teile der Bevölkerung seit Jahren auf vielfältige Weise ausgegrenzt werden.

Um «UnsereDemokratie» steht es schlecht. Dass seine Mandate immer schwächer werden, merkt natürlich auch unser «Führungspersonal». Entsprechend werden die Maßnahmen zur Gängelung, Überwachung und Manipulation der Bürger ständig verzweifelter. Parallel dazu plustern sich in Paris Macron, Scholz und einige andere noch einmal mächtig in Sachen Verteidigung und «Kriegstüchtigkeit» auf.

Momentan gilt es auch, das Überschwappen covidiotischer und verschwörungsideologischer Auswüchse aus den USA nach Europa zu vermeiden. So ein «MEGA» (Make Europe Great Again) können wir hier nicht gebrauchen. Aus den Vereinigten Staaten kommen nämlich furchtbare Nachrichten. Beispielsweise wurde einer der schärfsten Kritiker der Corona-Maßnahmen kürzlich zum Gesundheitsminister ernannt. Dieser setzt sich jetzt für eine Neubewertung der mRNA-«Impfstoffe» ein, was durchaus zu einem Entzug der Zulassungen führen könnte.

Der europäischen Version von «Verteidigung der Demokratie» setzte der US-Vizepräsident J. D. Vance auf der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz sein Verständnis entgegen: «Demokratie stärken, indem wir unseren Bürgern erlauben, ihre Meinung zu sagen». Das Abschalten von Medien, das Annullieren von Wahlen oder das Ausschließen von Menschen vom politischen Prozess schütze gar nichts. Vielmehr sei dies der todsichere Weg, die Demokratie zu zerstören.

In der Schweiz kamen seine Worte deutlich besser an als in den meisten europäischen NATO-Ländern. Bundespräsidentin Karin Keller-Sutter lobte die Rede und interpretierte sie als «Plädoyer für die direkte Demokratie». Möglicherweise zeichne sich hier eine außenpolitische Kehrtwende in Richtung integraler Neutralität ab, meint mein Kollege Daniel Funk. Das wären doch endlich mal ein paar gute Nachrichten.

Von der einstigen Idee einer europäischen Union mit engeren Beziehungen zwischen den Staaten, um Konflikte zu vermeiden und das Wohlergehen der Bürger zu verbessern, sind wir meilenweit abgekommen. Der heutige korrupte Verbund unter technokratischer Leitung ähnelt mehr einem Selbstbedienungsladen mit sehr begrenztem Zugang. Die EU-Wahlen im letzten Sommer haben daran ebenso wenig geändert, wie die Bundestagswahl am kommenden Sonntag darauf einen Einfluss haben wird.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

The path to maximalism is littered with mistakes and paved with humility.' Anilsaido

Bitcoin is time because money itself is time.

Money is humanity’s battery: a way to store energy, labor, and resources for the future. It captures your past effort and preserves it for when you need it most. Fiat leaks. Bitcoin holds.

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

On the 18th of March:

➡️After ruling out a strategic bitcoin reserve, the Bank of Korea will launch a central bank digital currency pilot in April, per The Korea Times.

➡️'Metaplanet has acquired an additional 150 BTC for ~$12.5 million, achieving a BTC Yield of 60.8% YTD in 2025.

As of 3/18/2025, Metaplanet hodls 3,200 BTC, and is now a top 10 publicly listed holder of Bitcoin globally.' -Dylan LeClair

➡️Bitcoin entered a risk-off, distribution-dominant phase in early 2025, evidenced by frequent selling and hesitation to buy (yellow to orange dots). - AMB Crypto

➡️Bitwise CIO says Bitcoin should be at $200,000 today and says, “I think the number of companies buying Bitcoin is going to triple this year, I think Game Theory is on.”

“I think countries around the world are going to be buying Bitcoin. There is structurally more demand than supply in Bitcoin.”

➡️Bitcoin mining company Bitfarms buys Stronghold Digital for more than $110 million, making it the largest public-to-public acquisition in Bitcoin industry history.

➡️Bitcoin long-term HODLers become net buyers for the first time since September, per Compass Point Research.

"Buying/selling from HODLers is typically a leading indicator for BTC.

This cohort now owns 65% of BTC supply vs 63% last week vs 73% in early October." - Bitcoin News

➡️GlassNode: 'The Bitcoin market continues to adjust to its new price range after experiencing a -30% correction. Liquidity conditions are also contracting in both on-chain and futures markets.'

➡️Bitcoin now ranks 6th among the world's top monetary assets at $1.62 trillion, per Porkopolis.

➡️The EU isn't banning Bitcoin but using MiCA and other regulations to control it.

This involves stripping away privacy through transaction tracking, mandatory disclosures, and restrictions on self-custody.

The goal is control, not outright prohibition.

Excellent thread by Eli. Eli summarises the EU’s attack on Bitcoin and on Europeans’ rights:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1902048401908261146

Agree 100% with all of this. All these people who have been saying the EU pushing the industry forward with regulations are idiots. They are closing it off and pushing everyone to a CBDC.

Regarding the CBCD, here you will find a comprehensive summary of EU’s CBDC plans, by Efrat Fenigson:

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/politics/ecb-prepping-the-ground-for-digital-euro-launch

*On the 20th of March, the ECB posted the following statement on Twitter:

'The digital euro is not just about creating a new form of money, says Chief Economist Philip R. Lane.

It is about ensuring that Europe retains control over its monetary and financial destiny in the digital age against a backdrop of increasing geopolitical fragmentation.'

“It’s about ensuring that the EU retains control over its citizens.”

There, I fixed it for you if you missed the primary reason.

The Euro is a permissioned, centralized, censorable, inflationary, debt-based currency controlled by unelected bureaucrats.

Bitcoin is permissionless, decentralized, censorship-resistant, fixed in supply, and governed by code—not politicians.

Choose wisely.

➡️As mentioned in last week's Weekly Recap the US Government spends $3.3B per day in interest rate expense. If this doesn’t make you buy Bitcoin I’m not sure what will.

➡️In Kibera, Africa’s largest informal settlement, more than 40 merchants now accept and save in Bitcoin.

➡️The increase in 3-6 month-old UTXOs suggests accumulation during this market correction, a behavior historically critical in forming market bottoms and driving new price rallies.

➡️Just as Hal Finney predicted, Bitcoin will take over Wall Street: Multiple American Bitcoin companies are now seeking to become state or national banks, reports Reuters.

It is inevitable.

➡️Daniel Batten:

2021: 62 US Environmental Organizations write to coCongressaying Bitcoin is bad for the environment and has no use (based on Central Bank misinformation)

2025: US Environmental Organizations debunked (impossible, had they used Bitcoin)

Strange are the ways of karma.

Meanwhile,

➡️President Trump's Executive Director, Bo Hines, on digital assets: "We talked about ways of acquiring more Bitcoin in budget-neutral ways."

We want "as much as we can get."

When Bitcoin is at $200k. We will look back on March 2025 and say, how was everyone not buying. It was so obvious.

On the 19th of March:

➡️BLACKROCK: “The most sophisticated long-term Bitcoin accumulators are pretty excited about this dip. They see the correction as a buying opportunity."

On the 20th of March:

➡️SEC confirms that Bitcoin and Proof of Work mining are NOT securities under US law.

Source: https://t.co/0ExsJniPIf

➡️Bitcoin exchange Kraken has agreed to acquire NinjaTrader, the leading U.S. retail futures trading platform, for $1.5 billion—the largest deal ever of a Bitcoin company buying a traditional financial company.

➡️TRUMP: “I signed an order creating the brand new Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the US digital asset stockpile which will allow the Federal government to maximize the value of its holdings.”

Tweet and hot take by Lola L33tz

"With the dollar-backed stablecoins, you'll help expand the dominance of the US Dollar [...] It will be at the top, and that's where we want to keep it"

'What he means is:

With dollar-backed stablecoins, the Global South will pivot towards digital Dollars over local currencies, allowing private, US government-controlled entities to replace bank accounts around the globe.

This does not just allow for the expansion of USD dominance by bypassing local governments – it gives the US unprecedented and direct control over worldwide economies as

every stablecoin can be effectively frozen on behalf of the US with the click of a button.'

Stablecoins = CBDCs

There is no technical fundamental difference between them.

It’s almost a guarantee that the EU CBDCs and U.S. stablecoins will be interchangeable.

➡️River: Bitcoin is coming for $128 trillion in global money.

You're not to late to Bitcoin.

On the 21st of March:

➡️Michael Saylor’s Strategy to raise $722.5M to buy more Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded Atai Life Sciences to buy $5 million in Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded HK Asia Holdings bought 10 Bitcoins worth $858,500 for its balance sheet.

➡️Another solo home miner has mined an entire Bitcoin block worth over $ 260.000,-.

On the 22nd of March:

➡️The University of Wyoming posted a new video explaining Bitcoin with Philosophy Professor Bradley Rettler

➡️Spot Bitcoin ETFs bought 8,775 BTC this week while miners only mined 3,150 Bitcoin.

On the 24th of March:

➡️Metaplanet finished the day as the 13th most liquid stock in Japan, with ¥50.4 billion ($336.6m) of daily trading volume, ahead of Toyota and Nintendo.

➡️River: There is a 275% gap between the inflation you're told and real inflation.

Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral. The U.S. Dollar has been devalued by more than 363% since 2000 – That’s a 14.5% devaluation per year. This means if your savings don’t grow by 14.5% annually, you’re falling behind. This is why we Bitcoin. Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral, grow your savings beyond the dollar’s devaluation!

➡️Bitcoin's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over a 5-year rolling window is currently over 50%

➡️Strategy became the first publicly traded company to hold over 500,000 Bitcoin worth over $44 billion.

Strategy has acquired 6,911 BTC for ~$584.1 million at ~$84,529 per Bitcoin and has achieved a BTC Yield of 7.7% YTD 2025. As of 3/23/2025,

Strategy holds 506,137 BTC acquired for ~$33.7 billion at ~$66,608 per Bitcoin.

➡️CryptoQuant: Bitcoin's long-term holders are holding firm, with no significant selling pressure.

➡️Xapo Bank launches Bitcoin-backed USD loans up to $1M, with collateral secured in an MPC vault and no re-usage.

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

👉🏽no news

🏦Banks: 

👉🏽 no news

🌎Macro/Geopolitics:

On the 18th of March:

👉🏽Germany just changed its constitution to unleash a staggering ONE TRILLION in new debt. The German parliament has voted to take on hundreds of billions of euros of new government debt, to ease the debt brake rules, and to codify "climate neutrality by 2045" into the constitution.

On top of that, some extra money to Ukraine:

Germany's next Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, believes that Putin has gone to war against all of Europe. He argues that Russia has attacked Germany, as the Parliament breaks out in applause.

We continue to move further away from the "Europe is not part of the conflict" rhetoric. Germany’s self-inflicted delusion continues!

👉🏽Germany's first offshore wind farm closes after 15 years because it's too expensive to operate. Expect a car crash. The Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm near the German North Sea island of Borkum is set to be dismantled after being in operation for only 15 years. It has become too unprofitable to operate without massive subsidies.

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/03/16/germanys-first-offshore-wind-farm-to-be-dismantled-after-just-15-years-of-operation/

Great thing that the Netherlands is investing heavily in offshore wind farms, even the biggest pension fund APB. Because nInE tImEs ChEaPeR tHaN gAs, right?

I hope they dismantle them & not leave them to rust into the sea. Right? Because climate!

Great response by Jasmine Birtles: "These vanity projects should never have been allowed to start. The phrase 'cheap renewable energy' is simply a falsehood. This kind of energy production only seems cheap because of the huge government subsidies that keep them going. I'm all for clean energy if it's possible to run it honestly and without huge subsidies, but while it doesn't seem to be viable we should stick with what is affordable and will keep the country going, rather than sacrificing the vulnerable to an impossible ideology."

👉🏽'Gold spot is now trading consistently over $3000, a record high. And with deliveries once again picking up at the Comex and war in the Middle East coming back with a vengeance, the next big spike is just a matter of time. As expected, once gold broke out above $3000,- it has gone vertical and is up 1% in the past hours, rising to a new record high of $3034, as it sets off for $4000' - ZeroHedge

👉🏽'We have just witnessed the biggest drop in US equity allocation on record. The collapse of US consumers:

Unemployment expectations in the US are now ABOVE 2020 levels and at their highest since 2008.

In 2024, a poll showed that a whopping 56% of Americans thought the US was in a recession.' - TKL

👉🏽OECD Projects Argentina to Have the Second Highest Economic Growth Worldwide in 2025

👉🏽A new blow to the Dutch chemical sector. The major producer LyondellBasell is permanently closing its factory at the Maasvlakte. This decision, announced on Tuesday afternoon, will result in the loss of approximately 160 jobs. The closure is a direct consequence of global overcapacity and high energy costs in the Netherlands.

An audit by the German firm E-Bridge, commissioned by the Dutch government, previously revealed that electricity costs for these companies in the Netherlands amount to €95 per megawatt-hour.

In comparison, this rate is €32 in France (66% lower), €45.60 in Germany (52% lower), and €56.05 per megawatt-hour in Belgium (41% lower).

According to E-Bridge, this difference is mainly due to the compensation that foreign governments provide to companies and the lower grid tariffs. In the Netherlands, costs have risen primarily to finance investments in the electricity grid, such as connecting multiple offshore wind farms.

Now read that segment on offshore wind farms. Mindblowing, innit?

Subsidies are not the solution—deregulation is. But Brussels won’t allow that. So, we’re heading toward even more regulation and nationalization.

On the 19th of March:

👉🏽The Fed makes multiple revisions to its 2025 economic data projections.

Powell finally found the "stag" and the "inflation":

Fed cuts year-end GDP forecast from 2.1% to 1.7%

Fed raises year-end core PCE forecast from 2.5% to 2.8%

Fed raises year-end unemployment forecast from 4.3% to 4.4%

Fed raises PCE inflation forecast from 2.5% to 2.7%

The Fed sees higher inflation and a weaker economy.

On the 20th of March:

Dutch Central Bank Director Klaas Knot "We are worried about American influence on our local payment infrastructure."

Paving the way for the European CBDC (after slowly but surely removing CASH MONEY from society).

Knot has completed his second term and will leave his office in July. Now, of course, pushing for the CBDC, before looking for a new job in Europe.

Anyway, DNB posts billions in losses.

De Nederlandsche Bank suffered a loss of over €3 billion last year, according to the annual report published on Thursday. This marks the second consecutive year of losses.

DNB incurs this loss because, as part of its monetary policy, it has lent out billions at relatively low rates while having to pay a higher rate to banks that park their money at the central bank.

But no losses on its gold. The gold reserves, meanwhile, increased in value by €12.6 billion. This amount is not included in the official profit and loss statement but is reflected on the bank's balance sheet.

For the Dutch readers/followers: Great article: Follow the Money 'Voor de megawinsten van ING, ABN Amro en Rabobank betaalt de Nederlandse burger een hoge prijs.'

https://archive.ph/ncvtk

On the 21st of March:

👉🏽'The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing index dropped 5.6 points in March, to 12.5, its 2nd consecutive monthly decline.

6-month outlook for new orders fell by 30.8 points, to 2.3, the lowest in 3 years.

This marks the third-largest drop in history, only behind the 2008 Financial Crisis and December 1973.

Furthermore, 6-month business outlook dropped ~40 points to its lowest since January 2024.

All while prices paid rose 7.8 points, to 48.3, the highest since July 2022.

This is further evidence of weakening economic activity with rising prices.' TKL

👉🏽'China’s central bank gold reserves hit a record 73.6 million fine troy ounces in February.

China bought ~160,000 ounces of gold last month, posting their 4th consecutive monthly purchase.

Over the last 2.5 years, China’s gold reserves have jumped by 11.0 million ounces of gold.

Gold now reflects a record ~5.9% of China’s total foreign exchange reserves, or 2,290 tonnes.

Central banks continue to stock up on gold as if we are in a crisis.' -TKL

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

What Bitcoin Did: BITCOIN & THE END OF THE DOLLAR SYSTEM with Luke Gromen

They discuss:

• The Sovereign Debt Crisis

• If the US Will Reprice the Gold

• If we will See Triple Digit Inflation

• The End of The US Dollar System

Luke Gromen: A modest clarification: The end of the post-71 structure of the USD system is what the Trump Administration’s actions appear to be pursuing & will in due time achieve if they stay on the present course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W2jEedynbc

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.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

⭐ Many thanks⭐

Felipe - Bitcoin Friday!

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

The path to maximalism is littered with mistakes and paved with humility.' Anilsaido

Bitcoin is time because money itself is time.

Money is humanity’s battery: a way to store energy, labor, and resources for the future. It captures your past effort and preserves it for when you need it most. Fiat leaks. Bitcoin holds.

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

On the 18th of March:

➡️After ruling out a strategic bitcoin reserve, the Bank of Korea will launch a central bank digital currency pilot in April, per The Korea Times.

➡️'Metaplanet has acquired an additional 150 BTC for ~$12.5 million, achieving a BTC Yield of 60.8% YTD in 2025.

As of 3/18/2025, Metaplanet hodls 3,200 BTC, and is now a top 10 publicly listed holder of Bitcoin globally.' -Dylan LeClair

➡️Bitcoin entered a risk-off, distribution-dominant phase in early 2025, evidenced by frequent selling and hesitation to buy (yellow to orange dots). - AMB Crypto

➡️Bitwise CIO says Bitcoin should be at $200,000 today and says, “I think the number of companies buying Bitcoin is going to triple this year, I think Game Theory is on.”

“I think countries around the world are going to be buying Bitcoin. There is structurally more demand than supply in Bitcoin.”

➡️Bitcoin mining company Bitfarms buys Stronghold Digital for more than $110 million, making it the largest public-to-public acquisition in Bitcoin industry history.

➡️Bitcoin long-term HODLers become net buyers for the first time since September, per Compass Point Research.

"Buying/selling from HODLers is typically a leading indicator for BTC.

This cohort now owns 65% of BTC supply vs 63% last week vs 73% in early October." - Bitcoin News

➡️GlassNode: 'The Bitcoin market continues to adjust to its new price range after experiencing a -30% correction. Liquidity conditions are also contracting in both on-chain and futures markets.'

➡️Bitcoin now ranks 6th among the world's top monetary assets at $1.62 trillion, per Porkopolis.

➡️The EU isn't banning Bitcoin but using MiCA and other regulations to control it.

This involves stripping away privacy through transaction tracking, mandatory disclosures, and restrictions on self-custody.

The goal is control, not outright prohibition.

Excellent thread by Eli. Eli summarises the EU’s attack on Bitcoin and on Europeans’ rights:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1902048401908261146

Agree 100% with all of this. All these people who have been saying the EU pushing the industry forward with regulations are idiots. They are closing it off and pushing everyone to a CBDC.

Regarding the CBCD, here you will find a comprehensive summary of EU’s CBDC plans, by Efrat Fenigson:

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/politics/ecb-prepping-the-ground-for-digital-euro-launch

*On the 20th of March, the ECB posted the following statement on Twitter:

'The digital euro is not just about creating a new form of money, says Chief Economist Philip R. Lane.

It is about ensuring that Europe retains control over its monetary and financial destiny in the digital age against a backdrop of increasing geopolitical fragmentation.'

“It’s about ensuring that the EU retains control over its citizens.”

There, I fixed it for you if you missed the primary reason.

The Euro is a permissioned, centralized, censorable, inflationary, debt-based currency controlled by unelected bureaucrats.

Bitcoin is permissionless, decentralized, censorship-resistant, fixed in supply, and governed by code—not politicians.

Choose wisely.

➡️As mentioned in last week's Weekly Recap the US Government spends $3.3B per day in interest rate expense. If this doesn’t make you buy Bitcoin I’m not sure what will.

➡️In Kibera, Africa’s largest informal settlement, more than 40 merchants now accept and save in Bitcoin.

➡️The increase in 3-6 month-old UTXOs suggests accumulation during this market correction, a behavior historically critical in forming market bottoms and driving new price rallies.

➡️Just as Hal Finney predicted, Bitcoin will take over Wall Street: Multiple American Bitcoin companies are now seeking to become state or national banks, reports Reuters.

It is inevitable.

➡️Daniel Batten:

2021: 62 US Environmental Organizations write to coCongressaying Bitcoin is bad for the environment and has no use (based on Central Bank misinformation)

2025: US Environmental Organizations debunked (impossible, had they used Bitcoin)

Strange are the ways of karma.

Meanwhile,

➡️President Trump's Executive Director, Bo Hines, on digital assets: "We talked about ways of acquiring more Bitcoin in budget-neutral ways."

We want "as much as we can get."

When Bitcoin is at $200k. We will look back on March 2025 and say, how was everyone not buying. It was so obvious.

On the 19th of March:

➡️BLACKROCK: “The most sophisticated long-term Bitcoin accumulators are pretty excited about this dip. They see the correction as a buying opportunity."

On the 20th of March:

➡️SEC confirms that Bitcoin and Proof of Work mining are NOT securities under US law.

Source: https://t.co/0ExsJniPIf

➡️Bitcoin exchange Kraken has agreed to acquire NinjaTrader, the leading U.S. retail futures trading platform, for $1.5 billion—the largest deal ever of a Bitcoin company buying a traditional financial company.

➡️TRUMP: “I signed an order creating the brand new Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the US digital asset stockpile which will allow the Federal government to maximize the value of its holdings.”

Tweet and hot take by Lola L33tz

"With the dollar-backed stablecoins, you'll help expand the dominance of the US Dollar [...] It will be at the top, and that's where we want to keep it"

'What he means is:

With dollar-backed stablecoins, the Global South will pivot towards digital Dollars over local currencies, allowing private, US government-controlled entities to replace bank accounts around the globe.

This does not just allow for the expansion of USD dominance by bypassing local governments – it gives the US unprecedented and direct control over worldwide economies as

every stablecoin can be effectively frozen on behalf of the US with the click of a button.'

Stablecoins = CBDCs

There is no technical fundamental difference between them.

It’s almost a guarantee that the EU CBDCs and U.S. stablecoins will be interchangeable.

➡️River: Bitcoin is coming for $128 trillion in global money.

You're not to late to Bitcoin.

On the 21st of March:

➡️Michael Saylor’s Strategy to raise $722.5M to buy more Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded Atai Life Sciences to buy $5 million in Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded HK Asia Holdings bought 10 Bitcoins worth $858,500 for its balance sheet.

➡️Another solo home miner has mined an entire Bitcoin block worth over $ 260.000,-.

On the 22nd of March:

➡️The University of Wyoming posted a new video explaining Bitcoin with Philosophy Professor Bradley Rettler

➡️Spot Bitcoin ETFs bought 8,775 BTC this week while miners only mined 3,150 Bitcoin.

On the 24th of March:

➡️Metaplanet finished the day as the 13th most liquid stock in Japan, with ¥50.4 billion ($336.6m) of daily trading volume, ahead of Toyota and Nintendo.

➡️River: There is a 275% gap between the inflation you're told and real inflation.

Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral. The U.S. Dollar has been devalued by more than 363% since 2000 – That’s a 14.5% devaluation per year. This means if your savings don’t grow by 14.5% annually, you’re falling behind. This is why we Bitcoin. Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral, grow your savings beyond the dollar’s devaluation!

➡️Bitcoin's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over a 5-year rolling window is currently over 50%

➡️Strategy became the first publicly traded company to hold over 500,000 Bitcoin worth over $44 billion.

Strategy has acquired 6,911 BTC for ~$584.1 million at ~$84,529 per Bitcoin and has achieved a BTC Yield of 7.7% YTD 2025. As of 3/23/2025,

Strategy holds 506,137 BTC acquired for ~$33.7 billion at ~$66,608 per Bitcoin.

➡️CryptoQuant: Bitcoin's long-term holders are holding firm, with no significant selling pressure.

➡️Xapo Bank launches Bitcoin-backed USD loans up to $1M, with collateral secured in an MPC vault and no re-usage.

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

👉🏽no news

🏦Banks: 

👉🏽 no news

🌎Macro/Geopolitics:

On the 18th of March:

👉🏽Germany just changed its constitution to unleash a staggering ONE TRILLION in new debt. The German parliament has voted to take on hundreds of billions of euros of new government debt, to ease the debt brake rules, and to codify "climate neutrality by 2045" into the constitution.

On top of that, some extra money to Ukraine:

Germany's next Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, believes that Putin has gone to war against all of Europe. He argues that Russia has attacked Germany, as the Parliament breaks out in applause.

We continue to move further away from the "Europe is not part of the conflict" rhetoric. Germany’s self-inflicted delusion continues!

👉🏽Germany's first offshore wind farm closes after 15 years because it's too expensive to operate. Expect a car crash. The Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm near the German North Sea island of Borkum is set to be dismantled after being in operation for only 15 years. It has become too unprofitable to operate without massive subsidies.

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/03/16/germanys-first-offshore-wind-farm-to-be-dismantled-after-just-15-years-of-operation/

Great thing that the Netherlands is investing heavily in offshore wind farms, even the biggest pension fund APB. Because nInE tImEs ChEaPeR tHaN gAs, right?

I hope they dismantle them & not leave them to rust into the sea. Right? Because climate!

Great response by Jasmine Birtles: "These vanity projects should never have been allowed to start. The phrase 'cheap renewable energy' is simply a falsehood. This kind of energy production only seems cheap because of the huge government subsidies that keep them going. I'm all for clean energy if it's possible to run it honestly and without huge subsidies, but while it doesn't seem to be viable we should stick with what is affordable and will keep the country going, rather than sacrificing the vulnerable to an impossible ideology."

👉🏽'Gold spot is now trading consistently over $3000, a record high. And with deliveries once again picking up at the Comex and war in the Middle East coming back with a vengeance, the next big spike is just a matter of time. As expected, once gold broke out above $3000,- it has gone vertical and is up 1% in the past hours, rising to a new record high of $3034, as it sets off for $4000' - ZeroHedge

👉🏽'We have just witnessed the biggest drop in US equity allocation on record. The collapse of US consumers:

Unemployment expectations in the US are now ABOVE 2020 levels and at their highest since 2008.

In 2024, a poll showed that a whopping 56% of Americans thought the US was in a recession.' - TKL

👉🏽OECD Projects Argentina to Have the Second Highest Economic Growth Worldwide in 2025

👉🏽A new blow to the Dutch chemical sector. The major producer LyondellBasell is permanently closing its factory at the Maasvlakte. This decision, announced on Tuesday afternoon, will result in the loss of approximately 160 jobs. The closure is a direct consequence of global overcapacity and high energy costs in the Netherlands.

An audit by the German firm E-Bridge, commissioned by the Dutch government, previously revealed that electricity costs for these companies in the Netherlands amount to €95 per megawatt-hour.

In comparison, this rate is €32 in France (66% lower), €45.60 in Germany (52% lower), and €56.05 per megawatt-hour in Belgium (41% lower).

According to E-Bridge, this difference is mainly due to the compensation that foreign governments provide to companies and the lower grid tariffs. In the Netherlands, costs have risen primarily to finance investments in the electricity grid, such as connecting multiple offshore wind farms.

Now read that segment on offshore wind farms. Mindblowing, innit?

Subsidies are not the solution—deregulation is. But Brussels won’t allow that. So, we’re heading toward even more regulation and nationalization.

On the 19th of March:

👉🏽The Fed makes multiple revisions to its 2025 economic data projections.

Powell finally found the "stag" and the "inflation":

Fed cuts year-end GDP forecast from 2.1% to 1.7%

Fed raises year-end core PCE forecast from 2.5% to 2.8%

Fed raises year-end unemployment forecast from 4.3% to 4.4%

Fed raises PCE inflation forecast from 2.5% to 2.7%

The Fed sees higher inflation and a weaker economy.

On the 20th of March:

Dutch Central Bank Director Klaas Knot "We are worried about American influence on our local payment infrastructure."

Paving the way for the European CBDC (after slowly but surely removing CASH MONEY from society).

Knot has completed his second term and will leave his office in July. Now, of course, pushing for the CBDC, before looking for a new job in Europe.

Anyway, DNB posts billions in losses.

De Nederlandsche Bank suffered a loss of over €3 billion last year, according to the annual report published on Thursday. This marks the second consecutive year of losses.

DNB incurs this loss because, as part of its monetary policy, it has lent out billions at relatively low rates while having to pay a higher rate to banks that park their money at the central bank.

But no losses on its gold. The gold reserves, meanwhile, increased in value by €12.6 billion. This amount is not included in the official profit and loss statement but is reflected on the bank's balance sheet.

For the Dutch readers/followers: Great article: Follow the Money 'Voor de megawinsten van ING, ABN Amro en Rabobank betaalt de Nederlandse burger een hoge prijs.'

https://archive.ph/ncvtk

On the 21st of March:

👉🏽'The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing index dropped 5.6 points in March, to 12.5, its 2nd consecutive monthly decline.

6-month outlook for new orders fell by 30.8 points, to 2.3, the lowest in 3 years.

This marks the third-largest drop in history, only behind the 2008 Financial Crisis and December 1973.

Furthermore, 6-month business outlook dropped ~40 points to its lowest since January 2024.

All while prices paid rose 7.8 points, to 48.3, the highest since July 2022.

This is further evidence of weakening economic activity with rising prices.' TKL

👉🏽'China’s central bank gold reserves hit a record 73.6 million fine troy ounces in February.

China bought ~160,000 ounces of gold last month, posting their 4th consecutive monthly purchase.

Over the last 2.5 years, China’s gold reserves have jumped by 11.0 million ounces of gold.

Gold now reflects a record ~5.9% of China’s total foreign exchange reserves, or 2,290 tonnes.

Central banks continue to stock up on gold as if we are in a crisis.' -TKL

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

What Bitcoin Did: BITCOIN & THE END OF THE DOLLAR SYSTEM with Luke Gromen

They discuss:

• The Sovereign Debt Crisis

• If the US Will Reprice the Gold

• If we will See Triple Digit Inflation

• The End of The US Dollar System

Luke Gromen: A modest clarification: The end of the post-71 structure of the USD system is what the Trump Administration’s actions appear to be pursuing & will in due time achieve if they stay on the present course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W2jEedynbc

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.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

⭐ Many thanks⭐

Felipe - Bitcoin Friday!

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Die «moralische Weltordnung» – eine Art Astrologie. Friedrich Nietzsche

Das Treffen der BRICS-Staaten beim Gipfel im russischen Kasan war sicher nicht irgendein politisches Event. Gastgeber Wladimir Putin habe «Hof gehalten», sagen die Einen, China und Russland hätten ihre Vorstellung einer multipolaren Weltordnung zelebriert, schreiben Andere.

In jedem Fall zeigt die Anwesenheit von über 30 Delegationen aus der ganzen Welt, dass von einer geostrategischen Isolation Russlands wohl keine Rede sein kann. Darüber hinaus haben sowohl die Anreise von UN-Generalsekretär António Guterres als auch die Meldungen und Dementis bezüglich der Beitrittsbemühungen des NATO-Staats Türkei für etwas Aufsehen gesorgt.

Im Spannungsfeld geopolitischer und wirtschaftlicher Umbrüche zeigt die neue Allianz zunehmendes Selbstbewusstsein. In Sachen gemeinsamer Finanzpolitik schmiedet man interessante Pläne. Größere Unabhängigkeit von der US-dominierten Finanzordnung ist dabei ein wichtiges Ziel.

Beim BRICS-Wirtschaftsforum in Moskau, wenige Tage vor dem Gipfel, zählte ein nachhaltiges System für Finanzabrechnungen und Zahlungsdienste zu den vorrangigen Themen. Während dieses Treffens ging der russische Staatsfonds eine Partnerschaft mit dem Rechenzentrumsbetreiber BitRiver ein, um Bitcoin-Mining-Anlagen für die BRICS-Länder zu errichten.

Die Initiative könnte ein Schritt sein, Bitcoin und andere Kryptowährungen als Alternativen zu traditionellen Finanzsystemen zu etablieren. Das Projekt könnte dazu führen, dass die BRICS-Staaten den globalen Handel in Bitcoin abwickeln. Vor dem Hintergrund der Diskussionen über eine «BRICS-Währung» wäre dies eine Alternative zu dem ursprünglich angedachten Korb lokaler Währungen und zu goldgedeckten Währungen sowie eine mögliche Ergänzung zum Zahlungssystem BRICS Pay.

Dient der Bitcoin also der Entdollarisierung? Oder droht er inzwischen, zum Gegenstand geopolitischer Machtspielchen zu werden? Angesichts der globalen Vernetzungen ist es oft schwer zu durchschauen, «was eine Show ist und was im Hintergrund von anderen Strippenziehern insgeheim gesteuert wird». Sicher können Strukturen wie Bitcoin auch so genutzt werden, dass sie den Herrschenden dienlich sind. Aber die Grundeigenschaft des dezentralisierten, unzensierbaren Peer-to-Peer Zahlungsnetzwerks ist ihm schließlich nicht zu nehmen.

Wenn es nach der EZB oder dem IWF geht, dann scheint statt Instrumentalisierung momentan eher der Kampf gegen Kryptowährungen angesagt. Jürgen Schaaf, Senior Manager bei der Europäischen Zentralbank, hat jedenfalls dazu aufgerufen, Bitcoin «zu eliminieren». Der Internationale Währungsfonds forderte El Salvador, das Bitcoin 2021 als gesetzliches Zahlungsmittel eingeführt hat, kürzlich zu begrenzenden Maßnahmen gegen das Kryptogeld auf.

Dass die BRICS-Staaten ein freiheitliches Ansinnen im Kopf haben, wenn sie Kryptowährungen ins Spiel bringen, darf indes auch bezweifelt werden. Im Abschlussdokument bekennen sich die Gipfel-Teilnehmer ausdrücklich zur UN, ihren Programmen und ihrer «Agenda 2030». Ernst Wolff nennt das «eine Bankrotterklärung korrupter Politiker, die sich dem digital-finanziellen Komplex zu 100 Prozent unterwerfen».

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Auf der diesjährigen Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz geht es vor allem um die Ukraine. Protagonisten sind dabei zunächst die US-Amerikaner. Präsident Trump schockierte die Europäer kurz vorher durch ein Telefonat mit seinem Amtskollegen Wladimir Putin, während Vizepräsident Vance mit seiner Rede über Demokratie und Meinungsfreiheit für versteinerte Mienen und Empörung sorgte.

Die Bemühungen der Europäer um einen Frieden in der Ukraine halten sich, gelinde gesagt, in Grenzen. Größeres Augenmerk wird auf militärische Unterstützung, die Pflege von Feindbildern sowie Eskalation gelegt. Der deutsche Bundeskanzler Scholz reagierte auf die angekündigten Verhandlungen über einen möglichen Frieden für die Ukraine mit der Forderung nach noch höheren «Verteidigungsausgaben». Auch die amtierende Außenministerin Baerbock hatte vor der Münchner Konferenz klargestellt:

«Frieden wird es nur durch Stärke geben. (...) Bei Corona haben wir gesehen, zu was Europa fähig ist. Es braucht erneut Investitionen, die der historischen Wegmarke, vor der wir stehen, angemessen sind.»

Die Rüstungsindustrie freut sich in jedem Fall über weltweit steigende Militärausgaben. Die Kriege in der Ukraine und in Gaza tragen zu Rekordeinnahmen bei. Jetzt «winkt die Aussicht auf eine jahrelange große Nachrüstung in Europa», auch wenn der Ukraine-Krieg enden sollte, so hört man aus Finanzkreisen. In der Konsequenz kennt «die Aktie des deutschen Vorzeige-Rüstungskonzerns Rheinmetall in ihrem Anstieg offenbar gar keine Grenzen mehr». «Solche Friedensversprechen» wie das jetzige hätten in der Vergangenheit zu starken Kursverlusten geführt.

Für manche Leute sind Kriegswaffen und sonstige Rüstungsgüter Waren wie alle anderen, jedenfalls aus der Perspektive von Investoren oder Managern. Auch in diesem Bereich gibt es Startups und man spricht von Dingen wie innovativen Herangehensweisen, hocheffizienten Produktionsanlagen, skalierbaren Produktionstechniken und geringeren Stückkosten.

Wir lesen aktuell von Massenproduktion und gesteigerten Fertigungskapazitäten für Kriegsgerät. Der Motor solcher Dynamik und solchen Wachstums ist die Aufrüstung, die inzwischen permanent gefordert wird. Parallel wird die Bevölkerung verbal eingestimmt und auf Kriegstüchtigkeit getrimmt.

Das Rüstungs- und KI-Startup Helsing verkündete kürzlich eine «dezentrale Massenproduktion für den Ukrainekrieg». Mit dieser Expansion positioniere sich das Münchner Unternehmen als einer der weltweit führenden Hersteller von Kampfdrohnen. Der nächste «Meilenstein» steht auch bereits an: Man will eine Satellitenflotte im Weltraum aufbauen, zur Überwachung von Gefechtsfeldern und Truppenbewegungen.

Ebenfalls aus München stammt das als DefenseTech-Startup bezeichnete Unternehmen ARX Robotics. Kürzlich habe man in der Region die größte europäische Produktionsstätte für autonome Verteidigungssysteme eröffnet. Damit fahre man die Produktion von Militär-Robotern hoch. Diese Expansion diene auch der Lieferung der «größten Flotte unbemannter Bodensysteme westlicher Bauart» in die Ukraine.

Rüstung boomt und scheint ein Zukunftsmarkt zu sein. Die Hersteller und Vermarkter betonen, mit ihren Aktivitäten und Produkten solle die europäische Verteidigungsfähigkeit erhöht werden. Ihre Strategien sollten sogar «zum Schutz demokratischer Strukturen beitragen».

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ e5de992e:4a95ef85

Overview

On March 26, 2025, U.S. stock markets closed with notable declines driven primarily by President Donald Trump's announcement of a 25% tariff on all imported automobiles. This move has raised concerns about global trade tensions and inflation risks, impacting various sectors—especially technology and auto.

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U.S. Stock Market Performance

• S&P 500:
• Dropped 1.1%
• Closed at 5,714.32

• Broke a three-day winning streak

• Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA):

• Decreased by 0.3%

• Closed at 42,455.78

• Nasdaq Composite:

• Fell 2%
• Finished at 17,906.45
• Led by significant losses in major tech stocks such as Nvidia and Tesla

These declines were primarily driven by the auto tariff announcement.

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U.S. Futures Market

• S&P 500 Futures:

• Remained flat, indicating investor caution amid ongoing tariff uncertainties

• Dow Jones Futures:

• Showed little change, reflecting a wait-and-see approach from market participants

Note: U.S. futures are exhibiting minimal movement with low volume.

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Key Factors Influencing U.S. Markets

Auto Import Tariffs

• President Trump's imposition of a 25% tariff on imported automobiles has heightened concerns about escalating trade wars.
• Major automakers, including General Motors and Ford, experienced stock declines in response to these tariffs.

Tech Sector Weakness

• Leading technology companies, notably Nvidia and Tesla, saw significant stock price reductions (each dropping more than 5%), contributing to the overall market downturn.

Energy Sector Performance

• Despite a 4% fall in oil prices, energy stocks outperformed the broader market by rising 8.9% compared to a 1.8% decline in the S&P 500.
• However, the energy rally appears fragile, driven by increased valuations rather than improving earnings prospects.

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Global Stock Indices Performance

• Japan's Nikkei 225:

• Declined by 1.2%, with major automakers like Toyota experiencing significant losses due to tariff concerns.

• South Korea's KOSPI:

• Fell 0.7%, impacted by declines in auto-related stocks amid trade tension fears.

• Hong Kong's Hang Seng:

• Dropped 2.35%, closing at 23,344.25, influenced by a downturn in Chinese tech shares and ongoing tariff concerns.

• Germany's DAX:

• Experienced a slight decline of 0.32%, closing at 23,109.79, as initial optimism regarding tariff negotiations waned.

• UK's FTSE 100:

• Fell marginally by 0.10%, reflecting investor caution amid mixed economic data.

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Cryptocurrency Market

• Bitcoin (BTC):

• Trading at approximately $88,500, reflecting a 1.5% increase from the previous close.

• Ethereum (ETH):

• Priced around $2,100, marking a 1.2% uptick from the prior session.

These movements suggest that investors may be turning to digital assets as alternative investments during periods of traditional market uncertainty.

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Key Global Economic and Geopolitical Events

• Trade Policy Developments:
• President Trump's new auto tariffs have intensified global trade tensions.

• Concerns include retaliatory measures from trading partners (e.g., Japan and Canada) and potential disruptions to international supply chains.

• Energy Sector Outlook:

• Despite recent gains, the energy rally appears fragile as it is driven more by increased valuations than by improving earnings.

• Market Forecasts:

• Barclays has lowered its year-end price target for the S&P 500 to 5,900 from 6,600, citing concerns over the tariffs’ impact on earnings. This is the lowest target among major U.S. Treasury dealers, reflecting growing apprehension about the economic outlook.

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Conclusion

Global financial markets are navigating a complex landscape marked by escalating trade tensions, sector-specific challenges, and evolving economic forecasts. Investors are advised to exercise caution and closely monitor these developments—particularly the impact of new tariffs and their ripple effects on global trade and inflation—when making informed decisions.

@ 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.

@ 866e0139:6a9334e5

Autor: Tom-Oliver Regenauer

Grafik: Tina Ovalle.

Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben. Sie finden alle Texte der Friedenstaube und weitere Texte zum Thema Frieden hier.

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»Krieg ist Frieden«. Dieses zwischenzeitlich fast abgedroschen wirkende, weil in den letzten Jahren zu häufig verwendete Zitat aus George Orwells Klassiker »1984«, beschreibt zunehmend genau, was europäische Spitzenpolitiker dieser Tage als »Wehrtüchtigkeit« vermarkten – die wahnwitzige Illusion, dass Kriegswaffen der Friedenssicherung dienen. 

So aber funktioniert das Geschäft industrialisierten Tötens nicht. Denn Krieg entsteht nicht organisch. Schon gar kein Weltkrieg. Militärische Konflikte globalen Ausmaßes sind stets trauriger Kulminationspunkt langjähriger Entwicklungen. Sie beginnen mit Partikularinteressen, diplomatischen Kontakten, bilateralen Absprachen, militärisch-industriellen Konjunkturprogrammen und der Etablierung von Verteidigungsbündnissen. Kriege sind von langer Hand geplante Disruptionen, die genutzt werden, um Paradigmenwechsel zu rechtfertigen – Entwicklungen, die der Bevölkerung ohne eine solch existenzielle Bedrohung nicht unterzujubeln sind. So gäbe es ohne die beiden ersten Weltkriege heute weder die Bank für Internationalen Zahlungsausgleich noch die Vereinten Nationen oder die NATO. Und auch das herrschende, auf Verschuldung basierende und von Zentralbankkartellen dominierte Weltfinanzsystem, das darauf ausgelegt ist, Staaten und damit deren Bevölkerung schleichend zu enteignen, wäre so nicht entstanden – siehe Bretton Woods und »Nixon Schock«.

Wem dienen Kriege?

Folgt man der tatsächlichen Geschichte des Ersten Weltkrieges, die nicht 1914 mit der Ermordung von Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand, sondern bereits 1891 in Südafrika begann – siehe Teil 1 und 2 meines diesbezüglichen Essays – wird rasch deutlich, wem Kriege dienen. Und damit auch, von wem sie ausgelöst werden: Von Finanzkartellen, die zunächst an der Aufrüstung, dann an der Finanzierung des Krieges und zum Schluss am Wiederaufbau verdienen – ganz zu schweigen von der supranationalen Konsolidierung und Zentralisierung von Finanzmacht, die mit derartigen geopolitischen Verwerfungen einhergeht. 

Im Falle der beiden Weltkriege sind diese Hintergründe gut belegt und detailliert nachvollziehbar. Man muss sie nur lesen. Weil Geschichte, zumindest die offiziell goutierte und gelehrte Variante, aber bedauerlicherweise von den Gewinnern geschrieben wird, sind wir scheinbar dazu verdammt, sie zu wiederholen. Dem geschichtsaffinen Leser dürfte es derweil nicht allzu schwer fallen, Parallelen zwischen der Zeit vor den beiden Weltkriegen und der Gegenwart auszumachen.

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Zum einen stimmt Trump die USA auf Isolationismus ein. Zum anderen lässt er das US-Militär gleichzeitig Öl in die bestehenden Brandherde in Europa, Nahost und dem Indopazifik gießen. Gleichzeitig läuten seine Strafzölle eine Phase internationaler Handelskriege ein, die den Rest der Welt zur Reaktion zwingt. Nicht umsonst spricht Ursula von der Leyen nun von »ReARM Europe« und will bis zu 800 Milliarden Euro für »Wiederaufrüstung« mobilisieren. Nicht von ungefähr wirft Friedrich Merz, ehemaliger BlackRock-Manager, auf dem Weg ins Kanzleramt mit »Sondervermögen« um sich und möchte 500 Milliarden in die Bundeswehr investieren. Vielleicht hat ihn Larry Fink oder die Teilnahme an der Bilderberg Konferenz 2024 in Madrid inspiriert – standen dort doch unter anderem die »Zukunft der Kriegsführung« und die »geopolitische Landschaft« auf der Agenda. 

Es besteht kein Zweifel: Wir befinden uns in einer Vorkriegszeit. Die Frage ist nur, wie dieser Krieg aussehen wird und wann er beginnt. Denn die moderne Informationskriegsführung gegen die breite Bevölkerung läuft spätestens seit 9/11 auf Hochtouren – und intensivierte sich nach der Markeinführung des Smartphones im Jahr 2007 konstant. Es hat Gründe, warum ich einen Großteil meiner Artgenossen heute als Smombie bezeichne. 

Zeit, für den Frieden zu kämpfen

Wie jedoch ein kinetischer Krieg in den 2020er Jahren aussehen wird, vor allem, wenn atomar bewaffnete, mit Drohnen, Robotern und KI ausgestattete Supermächte sich gegenüberstehen, weiß niemand. Den Ersten Weltkrieg konnte man sich damals auch nicht vorstellen – denn bis zu diesem Zeitpunkt gab es keine derartig weitreichenden »Verteidigungsallianzen« und »Bündnisfälle«. Auch die Waffen, die im Zweiten Weltkrieg zum Einsatz kommen sollten, waren neu. Das Ausmaß der Zerstörung eine todbringende Zäsur. 

Wenig verwunderlich also, dass die Reprise dieser zivilisatorischen Katastrophe knapp 60 Millionen mehr Menschen das Leben kostete als die Premiere – und den perfekten Hebel zur Etablierung der postmodernen »Global Governance« bot. Einem inhumanen, antidemokratischen, zusehends totalitären Herrschaftskonstrukt, das sich nun mit der aus dem Elfenbeinturm kommunizierten »Zeitenwende«, »Wehrtüchtigkeit« und »ReARM Europe« anschickt, uns in einen Dritten Weltkrieg zu manövrieren. 

Es ist Zeit, nein zu sagen. Nein zu Sondervermögen. Nein zu Aufrüstung. Nein zu Massenvernichtungswaffen. Und nein zu Konflikten, die stets von jenen angezettelt werden, die darin »nicht sterben« werden, wie Robert Habeck im Februar 2022 bei Maischberger selbst einräumte. Nein zu Krieg!

Wer seine Kinder nicht an die Front schicken oder am eigenen Leib erfahren möchte, welche automatisiert mordenden Waffengattungen in einem Dritten Weltkrieg zum Einsatz kommen, sollte für den Frieden kämpfen. Mit allen Mitteln – gemeinsam – und zwar jetzt. Bedarf es für die finale Ausgestaltung der »vierten industriellen Revolution«, für Agenda 2030, C40-Städte und Net Zero 2050, sprich, dem digitalen Gulag von morgen, einer globalen militärischen Disruption – und das scheint im Lichte der Vergangenheit durchaus wahrscheinlich – bleibt uns nicht mehr allzu viel Zeit, um Sand ins Getriebe der aufheulenden Kriegsmaschinerie zu streuen.

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Tom-Oliver Regenauer, Jahrgang 1978, war nach betriebswirtschaftlicher Ausbildung in verschiedenen Branchen und Rollen tätig, unter anderem als Betriebsleiter, Unternehmens- und Management-Berater sowie internationaler Projektmanager mit Einsätzen in über 20 Ländern. Seit Mitte der 90er-Jahre ist er zudem als Musikproduzent und Texter aktiv und betreibt ein unabhängiges Plattenlabel. Der in Deutschland geborene Autor lebt seit 2009 in der Schweiz. Zuletzt erschienen von ihm „Homo Demens — Texte zu Zeitenwende, Technokratie und Korporatismus“ (2023), „Truman Show“ (2024) und "HOPIUM" (2025). Weitere Informationen unter www.regenauer.press.\ HOPIUM jetzt direkt im Shop oder im Handel.

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Wir testen derzeit den Mailversand an allen Artikeln. In Zukunft bekommen Sie ca. drei Mailsendungen der Friedenstaube pro Woche.

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Sie sind noch nicht auf Nostr and wollen die volle Erfahrung machen (liken, kommentieren, zappen etc.)? Erstellen Sie sich einen Account auf Start. Weitere Onboarding-Leitfäden gibt es im Pareto-Wiki.

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

The path to maximalism is littered with mistakes and paved with humility.' Anilsaido

Bitcoin is time because money itself is time.

Money is humanity’s battery: a way to store energy, labor, and resources for the future. It captures your past effort and preserves it for when you need it most. Fiat leaks. Bitcoin holds.

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

On the 18th of March:

➡️After ruling out a strategic bitcoin reserve, the Bank of Korea will launch a central bank digital currency pilot in April, per The Korea Times.

➡️'Metaplanet has acquired an additional 150 BTC for ~$12.5 million, achieving a BTC Yield of 60.8% YTD in 2025.

As of 3/18/2025, Metaplanet hodls 3,200 BTC, and is now a top 10 publicly listed holder of Bitcoin globally.' -Dylan LeClair

➡️Bitcoin entered a risk-off, distribution-dominant phase in early 2025, evidenced by frequent selling and hesitation to buy (yellow to orange dots). - AMB Crypto

➡️Bitwise CIO says Bitcoin should be at $200,000 today and says, “I think the number of companies buying Bitcoin is going to triple this year, I think Game Theory is on.”

“I think countries around the world are going to be buying Bitcoin. There is structurally more demand than supply in Bitcoin.”

➡️Bitcoin mining company Bitfarms buys Stronghold Digital for more than $110 million, making it the largest public-to-public acquisition in Bitcoin industry history.

➡️Bitcoin long-term HODLers become net buyers for the first time since September, per Compass Point Research.

"Buying/selling from HODLers is typically a leading indicator for BTC.

This cohort now owns 65% of BTC supply vs 63% last week vs 73% in early October." - Bitcoin News

➡️GlassNode: 'The Bitcoin market continues to adjust to its new price range after experiencing a -30% correction. Liquidity conditions are also contracting in both on-chain and futures markets.'

➡️Bitcoin now ranks 6th among the world's top monetary assets at $1.62 trillion, per Porkopolis.

➡️The EU isn't banning Bitcoin but using MiCA and other regulations to control it.

This involves stripping away privacy through transaction tracking, mandatory disclosures, and restrictions on self-custody.

The goal is control, not outright prohibition.

Excellent thread by Eli. Eli summarises the EU’s attack on Bitcoin and on Europeans’ rights:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1902048401908261146

Agree 100% with all of this. All these people who have been saying the EU pushing the industry forward with regulations are idiots. They are closing it off and pushing everyone to a CBDC.

Regarding the CBCD, here you will find a comprehensive summary of EU’s CBDC plans, by Efrat Fenigson:

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/politics/ecb-prepping-the-ground-for-digital-euro-launch

*On the 20th of March, the ECB posted the following statement on Twitter:

'The digital euro is not just about creating a new form of money, says Chief Economist Philip R. Lane.

It is about ensuring that Europe retains control over its monetary and financial destiny in the digital age against a backdrop of increasing geopolitical fragmentation.'

“It’s about ensuring that the EU retains control over its citizens.”

There, I fixed it for you if you missed the primary reason.

The Euro is a permissioned, centralized, censorable, inflationary, debt-based currency controlled by unelected bureaucrats.

Bitcoin is permissionless, decentralized, censorship-resistant, fixed in supply, and governed by code—not politicians.

Choose wisely.

➡️As mentioned in last week's Weekly Recap the US Government spends $3.3B per day in interest rate expense. If this doesn’t make you buy Bitcoin I’m not sure what will.

➡️In Kibera, Africa’s largest informal settlement, more than 40 merchants now accept and save in Bitcoin.

➡️The increase in 3-6 month-old UTXOs suggests accumulation during this market correction, a behavior historically critical in forming market bottoms and driving new price rallies.

➡️Just as Hal Finney predicted, Bitcoin will take over Wall Street: Multiple American Bitcoin companies are now seeking to become state or national banks, reports Reuters.

It is inevitable.

➡️Daniel Batten:

2021: 62 US Environmental Organizations write to coCongressaying Bitcoin is bad for the environment and has no use (based on Central Bank misinformation)

2025: US Environmental Organizations debunked (impossible, had they used Bitcoin)

Strange are the ways of karma.

Meanwhile,

➡️President Trump's Executive Director, Bo Hines, on digital assets: "We talked about ways of acquiring more Bitcoin in budget-neutral ways."

We want "as much as we can get."

When Bitcoin is at $200k. We will look back on March 2025 and say, how was everyone not buying. It was so obvious.

On the 19th of March:

➡️BLACKROCK: “The most sophisticated long-term Bitcoin accumulators are pretty excited about this dip. They see the correction as a buying opportunity."

On the 20th of March:

➡️SEC confirms that Bitcoin and Proof of Work mining are NOT securities under US law.

Source: https://t.co/0ExsJniPIf

➡️Bitcoin exchange Kraken has agreed to acquire NinjaTrader, the leading U.S. retail futures trading platform, for $1.5 billion—the largest deal ever of a Bitcoin company buying a traditional financial company.

➡️TRUMP: “I signed an order creating the brand new Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the US digital asset stockpile which will allow the Federal government to maximize the value of its holdings.”

Tweet and hot take by Lola L33tz

"With the dollar-backed stablecoins, you'll help expand the dominance of the US Dollar [...] It will be at the top, and that's where we want to keep it"

'What he means is:

With dollar-backed stablecoins, the Global South will pivot towards digital Dollars over local currencies, allowing private, US government-controlled entities to replace bank accounts around the globe.

This does not just allow for the expansion of USD dominance by bypassing local governments – it gives the US unprecedented and direct control over worldwide economies as

every stablecoin can be effectively frozen on behalf of the US with the click of a button.'

Stablecoins = CBDCs

There is no technical fundamental difference between them.

It’s almost a guarantee that the EU CBDCs and U.S. stablecoins will be interchangeable.

➡️River: Bitcoin is coming for $128 trillion in global money.

You're not to late to Bitcoin.

On the 21st of March:

➡️Michael Saylor’s Strategy to raise $722.5M to buy more Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded Atai Life Sciences to buy $5 million in Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded HK Asia Holdings bought 10 Bitcoins worth $858,500 for its balance sheet.

➡️Another solo home miner has mined an entire Bitcoin block worth over $ 260.000,-.

On the 22nd of March:

➡️The University of Wyoming posted a new video explaining Bitcoin with Philosophy Professor Bradley Rettler

➡️Spot Bitcoin ETFs bought 8,775 BTC this week while miners only mined 3,150 Bitcoin.

On the 24th of March:

➡️Metaplanet finished the day as the 13th most liquid stock in Japan, with ¥50.4 billion ($336.6m) of daily trading volume, ahead of Toyota and Nintendo.

➡️River: There is a 275% gap between the inflation you're told and real inflation.

Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral. The U.S. Dollar has been devalued by more than 363% since 2000 – That’s a 14.5% devaluation per year. This means if your savings don’t grow by 14.5% annually, you’re falling behind. This is why we Bitcoin. Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral, grow your savings beyond the dollar’s devaluation!

➡️Bitcoin's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over a 5-year rolling window is currently over 50%

➡️Strategy became the first publicly traded company to hold over 500,000 Bitcoin worth over $44 billion.

Strategy has acquired 6,911 BTC for ~$584.1 million at ~$84,529 per Bitcoin and has achieved a BTC Yield of 7.7% YTD 2025. As of 3/23/2025,

Strategy holds 506,137 BTC acquired for ~$33.7 billion at ~$66,608 per Bitcoin.

➡️CryptoQuant: Bitcoin's long-term holders are holding firm, with no significant selling pressure.

➡️Xapo Bank launches Bitcoin-backed USD loans up to $1M, with collateral secured in an MPC vault and no re-usage.

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

👉🏽no news

🏦Banks: 

👉🏽 no news

🌎Macro/Geopolitics:

On the 18th of March:

👉🏽Germany just changed its constitution to unleash a staggering ONE TRILLION in new debt. The German parliament has voted to take on hundreds of billions of euros of new government debt, to ease the debt brake rules, and to codify "climate neutrality by 2045" into the constitution.

On top of that, some extra money to Ukraine:

Germany's next Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, believes that Putin has gone to war against all of Europe. He argues that Russia has attacked Germany, as the Parliament breaks out in applause.

We continue to move further away from the "Europe is not part of the conflict" rhetoric. Germany’s self-inflicted delusion continues!

👉🏽Germany's first offshore wind farm closes after 15 years because it's too expensive to operate. Expect a car crash. The Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm near the German North Sea island of Borkum is set to be dismantled after being in operation for only 15 years. It has become too unprofitable to operate without massive subsidies.

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/03/16/germanys-first-offshore-wind-farm-to-be-dismantled-after-just-15-years-of-operation/

Great thing that the Netherlands is investing heavily in offshore wind farms, even the biggest pension fund APB. Because nInE tImEs ChEaPeR tHaN gAs, right?

I hope they dismantle them & not leave them to rust into the sea. Right? Because climate!

Great response by Jasmine Birtles: "These vanity projects should never have been allowed to start. The phrase 'cheap renewable energy' is simply a falsehood. This kind of energy production only seems cheap because of the huge government subsidies that keep them going. I'm all for clean energy if it's possible to run it honestly and without huge subsidies, but while it doesn't seem to be viable we should stick with what is affordable and will keep the country going, rather than sacrificing the vulnerable to an impossible ideology."

👉🏽'Gold spot is now trading consistently over $3000, a record high. And with deliveries once again picking up at the Comex and war in the Middle East coming back with a vengeance, the next big spike is just a matter of time. As expected, once gold broke out above $3000,- it has gone vertical and is up 1% in the past hours, rising to a new record high of $3034, as it sets off for $4000' - ZeroHedge

👉🏽'We have just witnessed the biggest drop in US equity allocation on record. The collapse of US consumers:

Unemployment expectations in the US are now ABOVE 2020 levels and at their highest since 2008.

In 2024, a poll showed that a whopping 56% of Americans thought the US was in a recession.' - TKL

👉🏽OECD Projects Argentina to Have the Second Highest Economic Growth Worldwide in 2025

👉🏽A new blow to the Dutch chemical sector. The major producer LyondellBasell is permanently closing its factory at the Maasvlakte. This decision, announced on Tuesday afternoon, will result in the loss of approximately 160 jobs. The closure is a direct consequence of global overcapacity and high energy costs in the Netherlands.

An audit by the German firm E-Bridge, commissioned by the Dutch government, previously revealed that electricity costs for these companies in the Netherlands amount to €95 per megawatt-hour.

In comparison, this rate is €32 in France (66% lower), €45.60 in Germany (52% lower), and €56.05 per megawatt-hour in Belgium (41% lower).

According to E-Bridge, this difference is mainly due to the compensation that foreign governments provide to companies and the lower grid tariffs. In the Netherlands, costs have risen primarily to finance investments in the electricity grid, such as connecting multiple offshore wind farms.

Now read that segment on offshore wind farms. Mindblowing, innit?

Subsidies are not the solution—deregulation is. But Brussels won’t allow that. So, we’re heading toward even more regulation and nationalization.

On the 19th of March:

👉🏽The Fed makes multiple revisions to its 2025 economic data projections.

Powell finally found the "stag" and the "inflation":

Fed cuts year-end GDP forecast from 2.1% to 1.7%

Fed raises year-end core PCE forecast from 2.5% to 2.8%

Fed raises year-end unemployment forecast from 4.3% to 4.4%

Fed raises PCE inflation forecast from 2.5% to 2.7%

The Fed sees higher inflation and a weaker economy.

On the 20th of March:

Dutch Central Bank Director Klaas Knot "We are worried about American influence on our local payment infrastructure."

Paving the way for the European CBDC (after slowly but surely removing CASH MONEY from society).

Knot has completed his second term and will leave his office in July. Now, of course, pushing for the CBDC, before looking for a new job in Europe.

Anyway, DNB posts billions in losses.

De Nederlandsche Bank suffered a loss of over €3 billion last year, according to the annual report published on Thursday. This marks the second consecutive year of losses.

DNB incurs this loss because, as part of its monetary policy, it has lent out billions at relatively low rates while having to pay a higher rate to banks that park their money at the central bank.

But no losses on its gold. The gold reserves, meanwhile, increased in value by €12.6 billion. This amount is not included in the official profit and loss statement but is reflected on the bank's balance sheet.

For the Dutch readers/followers: Great article: Follow the Money 'Voor de megawinsten van ING, ABN Amro en Rabobank betaalt de Nederlandse burger een hoge prijs.'

https://archive.ph/ncvtk

On the 21st of March:

👉🏽'The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing index dropped 5.6 points in March, to 12.5, its 2nd consecutive monthly decline.

6-month outlook for new orders fell by 30.8 points, to 2.3, the lowest in 3 years.

This marks the third-largest drop in history, only behind the 2008 Financial Crisis and December 1973.

Furthermore, 6-month business outlook dropped ~40 points to its lowest since January 2024.

All while prices paid rose 7.8 points, to 48.3, the highest since July 2022.

This is further evidence of weakening economic activity with rising prices.' TKL

👉🏽'China’s central bank gold reserves hit a record 73.6 million fine troy ounces in February.

China bought ~160,000 ounces of gold last month, posting their 4th consecutive monthly purchase.

Over the last 2.5 years, China’s gold reserves have jumped by 11.0 million ounces of gold.

Gold now reflects a record ~5.9% of China’s total foreign exchange reserves, or 2,290 tonnes.

Central banks continue to stock up on gold as if we are in a crisis.' -TKL

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

What Bitcoin Did: BITCOIN & THE END OF THE DOLLAR SYSTEM with Luke Gromen

They discuss:

• The Sovereign Debt Crisis

• If the US Will Reprice the Gold

• If we will See Triple Digit Inflation

• The End of The US Dollar System

Luke Gromen: A modest clarification: The end of the post-71 structure of the USD system is what the Trump Administration’s actions appear to be pursuing & will in due time achieve if they stay on the present course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W2jEedynbc

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.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

⭐ Many thanks⭐

Felipe - Bitcoin Friday!

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

@ 9f475ec5:d9acc946

The next step in AI evolution is enabling AI agents to communicate directly with one another.

"Agents on Nostr, combined with cashu, would be amazing" — Jack Dorsey, Citadel Dispatch #150

Today

For AI agents to communicate seamlessly, they need a universal language that allows frictionless data and instruction sharing—one that surpasses the constraints of isolated systems. Just as humans rely on shared languages to collaborate, AI agents require a common “dialect” to exchange information, delegate tasks, and build collective intelligence. Without it, each agent’s logic remains siloed, limiting synergy and innovation. A universal protocol, however, lets agents seamlessly tap into one another’s capabilities, coordinating strategies, sharing learned knowledge, and multiplying their creative potential. By aligning on an open, interoperable standard, AI can flourish into a vibrant, interconnected ecosystem rather than a patchwork of stand-alone solutions. This is no different from what happened with the Internet when HTTP was released, leading to the development of web browsers and the Internet as we know it today.

Nostr can be viewed as the “HTTP” for agent-to-agent communication—both are open standards that encourage universal participation and spark rapid innovation. When Tim Berners-Lee released HTTP without proprietary restrictions, developers everywhere could build websites and online services on a simple yet extensible protocol. In the same way, Nostr’s minimalistic yet powerful design fosters a decentralized, censorship-resistant foundation for diverse messaging, social, and identity systems. Just as HTTP created an open arena for web platforms and APIs, Nostr offers a flexible, community-driven substrate for agent-based communication, promoting a spirit of collaboration and interoperability crucial to long-term growth.

Our vision

We envision a world where AI agents operate on an open, standardized, and decentralized network —a Nostr agentic ecosystem that unlocks new levels of creativity and collaboration.

Our mission is to develop the tools and infrastructure that enable AI agents to seamlessly interoperate over the Nostr network—facilitating the exchange of both data and money.

Our first steps

Every marketplace application faces the chicken and egg problem. Sellers won't show up until the buyers are there and buyers won't show up until the sellers are there.

Our solution? The FIFA 2026 World Cup will bring millions of international and domestic travelers to 11 cities in the US.

Can we work with chambers and tourism agencies around these cities to embbed Nostr powered AI travel organizers into their websites and apps? This could be a way to onboard thousands of businesses to the Nostr agentic ecosystem. This is our growth assumption.

That's why our our first step is to provide businesses—large and small—with a turnkey platform to sell their products and services to any AI agent connected to the open Nostr network.

We will also develop the tools for websites and apps to develop Nostr-powered AI buyers and, with the support of the local chambers and tourism boards, direct their technology suppliers to use these tools.

Our values

Everything we develop is free and open sourced under the MIT license and our business will generate revenue by charging a monthly fee for operating an end-to-end agentic commerce solution to the businesses selling their products through the Nostr agentic ecosystem.

A rough demo

Today, we is just nostr:npub1er0k46yxcugmp6r6mujd5qvp75yp72m98fs6ywcs2k3kqg3f8grqd9py3m 😁 I've created a proof-of-concept buyer AI agent and published real information from some merchants to demonstrate the concept to local chambers and validate the growth assumption.

Feel free to check it out at the Synvya agentstr repository, but be warned, I'm not a programmer so don't freak out with the code.

You can also see a demo here:

nostr:naddr1qvzqqqy9hvpzp868tmzceg2pvymlpdssv8shvu2jlndysp6dxwc67gw5jtv6ej2xqq2hgnfnwdf8yendfa8r2jttdsck6dm0wpm4wnalksn

Interested?

If this sounds interesting to you, follow nostr:npub1nar4a3vv59qkzdlskcgxrctkw9f0ekjgqaxn8vd0y82f9kdve9rqwjcurn or nostr:npub1er0k46yxcugmp6r6mujd5qvp75yp72m98fs6ywcs2k3kqg3f8grqd9py3m and reach out at any time.

@ 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.

@ 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.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

The path to maximalism is littered with mistakes and paved with humility.' Anilsaido https://i.ibb.co/ZzcCHwgT/Gip-G0vdb-YAAV9-Mw-1.jpg

Bitcoin is time because money itself is time. Money is humanity’s battery: a way to store energy, labor, and resources for the future. It captures your past effort and preserves it for when you need it most. Fiat leaks. Bitcoin holds.

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

On the 18th of March:

➡️After ruling out a strategic bitcoin reserve, the Bank of Korea will launch a central bank digital currency pilot in April, per The Korea Times.

➡️'Metaplanet has acquired an additional 150 BTC for ~$12.5 million, achieving a BTC Yield of 60.8% YTD in 2025. As of 3/18/2025, Metaplanet hodls 3,200 BTC, and is now a top 10 publicly listed holder of Bitcoin globally.' -Dylan LeClair

➡️Bitcoin entered a risk-off, distribution-dominant phase in early 2025, evidenced by frequent selling and hesitation to buy (yellow to orange dots). - AMB Crypto

➡️Bitwise CIO says Bitcoin should be at $200,000 today and says, “I think the number of companies buying Bitcoin is going to triple this year, I think Game Theory is on.” “I think countries around the world are going to be buying Bitcoin. There is structurally more demand than supply in Bitcoin.”

➡️Bitcoin mining company Bitfarms buys Stronghold Digital for more than $110 million, making it the largest public-to-public acquisition in Bitcoin industry history.

➡️Bitcoin long-term HODLers become net buyers for the first time since September, per Compass Point Research. "Buying/selling from HODLers is typically a leading indicator for BTC. This cohort now owns 65% of BTC supply vs 63% last week vs 73% in early October." - Bitcoin News

➡️GlassNode: 'The Bitcoin market continues to adjust to its new price range after experiencing a -30% correction. Liquidity conditions are also contracting in both on-chain and futures markets.'

➡️Bitcoin now ranks 6th among the world's top monetary assets at $1.62 trillion, per Porkopolis.

➡️The EU isn't banning Bitcoin but using MiCA and other regulations to control it. This involves stripping away privacy through transaction tracking, mandatory disclosures, and restrictions on self-custody. The goal is control, not outright prohibition.

Excellent thread by Eli. Eli summarises the EU’s attack on Bitcoin and on Europeans’ rights: https://x.com/EliNagarBrr/status/1902048401908261146

Agree 100% with all of this. All these people who have been saying the EU pushing the industry forward with regulations are idiots. They are closing it off and pushing everyone to a CBDC.

Regarding the CBCD, here you will find a comprehensive summary of EU’s CBDC plans, by Efrat Fenigson: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/politics/ecb-prepping-the-ground-for-digital-euro-launch

*On the 20th of March, the ECB posted the following statement on Twitter:

'The digital euro is not just about creating a new form of money, says Chief Economist Philip R. Lane. It is about ensuring that Europe retains control over its monetary and financial destiny in the digital age against a backdrop of increasing geopolitical fragmentation.'

“It’s about ensuring that the EU retains control over its citizens.”

There, I fixed it for you if you missed the primary reason.

The Euro is a permissioned, centralized, censorable, inflationary, debt-based currency controlled by unelected bureaucrats.

Bitcoin is permissionless, decentralized, censorship-resistant, fixed in supply, and governed by code—not politicians.

Choose wisely.

➡️As mentioned in last week's Weekly Recap the US Government spends $3.3B per day in interest rate expense. If this doesn’t make you buy Bitcoin I’m not sure what will. https://i.ibb.co/sdt1GvfM/Gm-Vd-FBz-XQAA3t3-M-1.jpg

➡️In Kibera, Africa’s largest informal settlement, more than 40 merchants now accept and save in Bitcoin.

➡️The increase in 3-6 month-old UTXOs suggests accumulation during this market correction, a behavior historically critical in forming market bottoms and driving new price rallies.

➡️Just as Hal Finney predicted, Bitcoin will take over Wall Street: Multiple American Bitcoin companies are now seeking to become state or national banks, reports Reuters. It is inevitable.

➡️Daniel Batten: 2021: 62 US Environmental Organizations write to coCongressaying Bitcoin is bad for the environment and has no use (based on Central Bank misinformation) 2025: US Environmental Organizations debunked (impossible, had they used Bitcoin) Strange are the ways of karma.

Meanwhile,

➡️President Trump's Executive Director, Bo Hines, on digital assets: "We talked about ways of acquiring more Bitcoin in budget-neutral ways." We want "as much as we can get."

When Bitcoin is at $200k. We will look back on March 2025 and say, how was everyone not buying. It was so obvious.

On the 19th of March:

➡️BLACKROCK: “The most sophisticated long-term Bitcoin accumulators are pretty excited about this dip. They see the correction as a buying opportunity."

On the 20th of March:

➡️SEC confirms that Bitcoin and Proof of Work mining are NOT securities under US law. https://i.ibb.co/nWRHjnk/Gmg-Yxv-QWEAAgwx8.png

Source: https://t.co/0ExsJniPIf

➡️Bitcoin exchange Kraken has agreed to acquire NinjaTrader, the leading U.S. retail futures trading platform, for $1.5 billion—the largest deal ever of a Bitcoin company buying a traditional financial company.

➡️TRUMP: “I signed an order creating the brand new Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the US digital asset stockpile which will allow the Federal government to maximize the value of its holdings.”

Tweet and hot take by Lola L33tz

"With the dollar-backed stablecoins, you'll help expand the dominance of the US Dollar [...] It will be at the top, and that's where we want to keep it"

'What he means is: With dollar-backed stablecoins, the Global South will pivot towards digital Dollars over local currencies, allowing private, US government-controlled entities to replace bank accounts around the globe. This does not just allow for the expansion of USD dominance by bypassing local governments – it gives the US unprecedented and direct control over worldwide economies as every stablecoin can be effectively frozen on behalf of the US with the click of a button.'

Stablecoins = CBDCs There is no technical fundamental difference between them. It’s almost a guarantee that the EU CBDCs and U.S. stablecoins will be interchangeable.

➡️River: Bitcoin is coming for $128 trillion in global money. You're not late to Bitcoin. https://i.ibb.co/7thzHJMx/Gmf-Uvra-EAEV4-U0.png

On the 21st of March:

➡️Michael Saylor’s Strategy to raise $722.5M to buy more Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded Atai Life Sciences to buy $5 million in Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded HK Asia Holdings bought 10 Bitcoins worth $858,500 for its balance sheet.

➡️Another solo home miner has mined an entire Bitcoin block worth over $ 260.000,-.

On the 22nd of March:

➡️The University of Wyoming posted a new video explaining Bitcoin with Philosophy Professor Bradley Rettler

➡️Spot Bitcoin ETFs bought 8,775 BTC this week while miners only mined 3,150 Bitcoin.

On the 24th of March:

➡️Metaplanet finished the day as the 13th most liquid stock in Japan, with ¥50.4 billion ($336.6m) of daily trading volume, ahead of Toyota and Nintendo.

➡️River: There is a 275% gap between the inflation you're told and real inflation.

https://i.ibb.co/mCs2Lgcc/Gmz-4qc-WMAAzx-z.png

Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral. The U.S. Dollar has been devalued by more than 363% since 2000 – That’s a 14.5% devaluation per year. This means if your savings don’t grow by 14.5% annually, you’re falling behind. This is why we Bitcoin. Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral, grow your savings beyond the dollar’s devaluation!

➡️Bitcoin's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over a 5-year rolling window is currently over 50%

➡️Strategy became the first publicly traded company to hold over 500,000 Bitcoin worth over $44 billion. Strategy has acquired 6,911 BTC for ~$584.1 million at ~$84,529 per Bitcoin and has achieved a BTC Yield of 7.7% YTD 2025. As of 3/23/2025, Strategy holds 506,137 BTC acquired for ~$33.7 billion at ~$66,608 per Bitcoin.

➡️CryptoQuant: Bitcoin's long-term holders are holding firm, with no significant selling pressure.

➡️Xapo Bank launches Bitcoin-backed USD loans up to $1M, with collateral secured in an MPC vault and no re-usage.

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

👉🏽no news

🏦Banks:

👉🏽 no news

🌎Macro/Geopolitics:

On the 18th of March:

👉🏽Germany just changed its constitution to unleash a staggering ONE TRILLION in new debt. The German parliament has voted to take on hundreds of billions of euros of new government debt, to ease the debt brake rules, and to codify "climate neutrality by 2045" into the constitution.

On top of that, some extra money to Ukraine: Germany's next Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, believes that Putin has gone to war against all of Europe. He argues that Russia has attacked Germany, as the Parliament breaks out in applause.

-  We continue to move further away from the "Europe is not part of the conflict" rhetoric. Germany’s self-inflicted delusion continues!

👉🏽Germany's first offshore wind farm closes after 15 years because it's too expensive to operate. Expect a car crash. The Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm near the German North Sea island of Borkum is set to be dismantled after being in operation for only 15 years. It has become too unprofitable to operate without massive subsidies.

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/03/16/germanys-first-offshore-wind-farm-to-be-dismantled-after-just-15-years-of-operation/

Great thing that the Netherlands is investing heavily in offshore wind farms, even the biggest pension fund APB. Because nInE tImEs ChEaPeR tHaN gAs, right?

I hope they dismantle them & not leave them to rust into the sea. Right? Because climate!

Great response by Jasmine Birtles: "These vanity projects should never have been allowed to start. The phrase 'cheap renewable energy' is simply a falsehood. This kind of energy production only seems cheap because of the huge government subsidies that keep them going. I'm all for clean energy if it's possible to run it honestly and without huge subsidies, but while it doesn't seem to be viable we should stick with what is affordable and will keep the country going, rather than sacrificing the vulnerable to an impossible ideology."

👉🏽'Gold spot is now trading consistently over $3000, a record high. And with deliveries once again picking up at the Comex and war in the Middle East coming back with a vengeance, the next big spike is just a matter of time. As expected, once gold broke out above $3000,- it has gone vertical and is up 1% in the past hours, rising to a new record high of $3034, as it sets off for $4000' - ZeroHedge

👉🏽'We have just witnessed the biggest drop in US equity allocation on record. The collapse of US consumers: Unemployment expectations in the US are now ABOVE 2020 levels and at their highest since 2008. In 2024, a poll showed that a whopping 56% of Americans thought the US was in a recession.' - TKL

https://i.ibb.co/ycnRDpdf/Gm-VZMnb-XAAAt76r.png

👉🏽OECD Projects Argentina to Have the Second Highest Economic Growth Worldwide in 2025

👉🏽A new blow to the Dutch chemical sector. The major producer LyondellBasell is permanently closing its factory at the Maasvlakte. This decision, announced on Tuesday afternoon, will result in the loss of approximately 160 jobs. The closure is a direct consequence of global overcapacity and high energy costs in the Netherlands. An audit by the German firm E-Bridge, commissioned by the Dutch government, previously revealed that electricity costs for these companies in the Netherlands amount to €95 per megawatt-hour.

In comparison, this rate is €32 in France (66% lower), €45.60 in Germany (52% lower), and €56.05 per megawatt-hour in Belgium (41% lower).

According to E-Bridge, this difference is mainly due to the compensation that foreign governments provide to companies and the lower grid tariffs. In the Netherlands, costs have risen primarily to finance investments in the electricity grid, such as connecting multiple offshore wind farms.

Now read that segment on offshore wind farms. Mindblowing, innit?

Subsidies are not the solution—deregulation is. But Brussels won’t allow that. So, we’re heading toward even more regulation and nationalization.

On the 19th of March:

👉🏽The Fed makes multiple revisions to its 2025 economic data projections.

Powell finally found the "stag" and the "inflation":

Fed cuts year-end GDP forecast from 2.1% to 1.7%

Fed raises year-end core PCE forecast from 2.5% to 2.8%

Fed raises year-end unemployment forecast from 4.3% to 4.4%

Fed raises PCE inflation forecast from 2.5% to 2.7%

The Fed sees higher inflation and a weaker economy.

On the 20th of March:

Dutch Central Bank Director Klaas Knot "We are worried about American influence on our local payment infrastructure."

Paving the way for the European CBDC (after slowly but surely removing CASH MONEY from society). Knot has completed his second term and will leave his office in July. Now, of course, pushing for the CBDC, before looking for a new job in Europe.

Anyway, DNB posts billions in losses.

De Nederlandsche Bank suffered a loss of over €3 billion last year, according to the annual report published on Thursday. This marks the second consecutive year of losses.

DNB incurs this loss because, as part of its monetary policy, it has lent out billions at relatively low rates while having to pay a higher rate to banks that park their money at the central bank.

But no losses on its gold. The gold reserves, meanwhile, increased in value by €12.6 billion. This amount is not included in the official profit and loss statement but is reflected on the bank's balance sheet.

For the Dutch readers/followers: Great article: Follow the Money 'Voor de megawinsten van ING, ABN Amro en Rabobank betaalt de Nederlandse burger een hoge prijs.'

https://archive.ph/ncvtk

On the 21st of March:

👉🏽'The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing index dropped 5.6 points in March, to 12.5, its 2nd consecutive monthly decline. 6-month outlook for new orders fell by 30.8 points, to 2.3, the lowest in 3 years. This marks the third-largest drop in history, only behind the 2008 Financial Crisis and December 1973.

Furthermore, 6-month business outlook dropped ~40 points to its lowest since January 2024. All while prices paid rose 7.8 points, to 48.3, the highest since July 2022. This is further evidence of weakening economic activity with rising prices.' TKL

👉🏽'China’s central bank gold reserves hit a record 73.6 million fine troy ounces in February. China bought ~160,000 ounces of gold last month, posting their 4th consecutive monthly purchase. Over the last 2.5 years, China’s gold reserves have jumped by 11.0 million ounces of gold. Gold now reflects a record ~5.9% of China’s total foreign exchange reserves, or 2,290 tonnes. Central banks continue to stock up on gold as if we are in a crisis.' -TKL

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

What Bitcoin Did: BITCOIN & THE END OF THE DOLLAR SYSTEM with Luke Gromen They discuss: - The Sovereign Debt Crisis - If the US Will Reprice the Gold - If we will See Triple Digit Inflation - The End of The US Dollar System Luke Gromen: A modest clarification: The end of the post-71 structure of the USD system is what the Trump Administration’s actions appear to be pursuing & will in due time achieve if they stay on the present course.

https://t.co/IpakFaYqbL

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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@ 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.

@ 21335073:a244b1ad

Warning: This piece contains a conversation about difficult topics. Please proceed with caution.

TL;DR please educate your children about online safety.

Julian Assange wrote in his 2012 book Cypherpunks, “This book is not a manifesto. There isn’t time for that. This book is a warning.” I read it a few times over the past summer. Those opening lines definitely stood out to me. I wish we had listened back then. He saw something about the internet that few had the ability to see. There are some individuals who are so close to a topic that when they speak, it’s difficult for others who aren’t steeped in it to visualize what they’re talking about. I didn’t read the book until more recently. If I had read it when it came out, it probably would have sounded like an unknown foreign language to me. Today it makes more sense.

This isn’t a manifesto. This isn’t a book. There is no time for that. It’s a warning and a possible solution from a desperate and determined survivor advocate who has been pulling and unraveling a thread for a few years. At times, I feel too close to this topic to make any sense trying to convey my pathway to my conclusions or thoughts to the general public. My hope is that if nothing else, I can convey my sense of urgency while writing this. This piece is a watchman’s warning.

When a child steps online, they are walking into a new world. A new reality. When you hand a child the internet, you are handing them possibilities—good, bad, and ugly. This is a conversation about lowering the potential of negative outcomes of stepping into that new world and how I came to these conclusions. I constantly compare the internet to the road. You wouldn’t let a young child run out into the road with no guidance or safety precautions. When you hand a child the internet without any type of guidance or safety measures, you are allowing them to play in rush hour, oncoming traffic. “Look left, look right for cars before crossing.” We almost all have been taught that as children. What are we taught as humans about safety before stepping into a completely different reality like the internet? Very little.

I could never really figure out why many folks in tech, privacy rights activists, and hackers seemed so cold to me while talking about online child sexual exploitation. I always figured that as a survivor advocate for those affected by these crimes, that specific, skilled group of individuals would be very welcoming and easy to talk to about such serious topics. I actually had one hacker laugh in my face when I brought it up while I was looking for answers. I thought maybe this individual thought I was accusing them of something I wasn’t, so I felt bad for asking. I was constantly extremely disappointed and would ask myself, “Why don’t they care? What could I say to make them care more? What could I say to make them understand the crisis and the level of suffering that happens as a result of the problem?”

I have been serving minor survivors of online child sexual exploitation for years. My first case serving a survivor of this specific crime was in 2018—a 13-year-old girl sexually exploited by a serial predator on Snapchat. That was my first glimpse into this side of the internet. I won a national award for serving the minor survivors of Twitter in 2023, but I had been working on that specific project for a few years. I was nominated by a lawyer representing two survivors in a legal battle against the platform. I’ve never really spoken about this before, but at the time it was a choice for me between fighting Snapchat or Twitter. I chose Twitter—or rather, Twitter chose me. I heard about the story of John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, and I was so unbelievably broken over it that I went to war for multiple years. I was and still am royally pissed about that case. As far as I was concerned, the John Doe #1 case proved that whatever was going on with corporate tech social media was so out of control that I didn’t have time to wait, so I got to work. It was reading the messages that John Doe #1 sent to Twitter begging them to remove his sexual exploitation that broke me. He was a child begging adults to do something. A passion for justice and protecting kids makes you do wild things. I was desperate to find answers about what happened and searched for solutions. In the end, the platform Twitter was purchased. During the acquisition, I just asked Mr. Musk nicely to prioritize the issue of detection and removal of child sexual exploitation without violating digital privacy rights or eroding end-to-end encryption. Elon thanked me multiple times during the acquisition, made some changes, and I was thanked by others on the survivors’ side as well.

I still feel that even with the progress made, I really just scratched the surface with Twitter, now X. I left that passion project when I did for a few reasons. I wanted to give new leadership time to tackle the issue. Elon Musk made big promises that I knew would take a while to fulfill, but mostly I had been watching global legislation transpire around the issue, and frankly, the governments are willing to go much further with X and the rest of corporate tech than I ever would. My work begging Twitter to make changes with easier reporting of content, detection, and removal of child sexual exploitation material—without violating privacy rights or eroding end-to-end encryption—and advocating for the minor survivors of the platform went as far as my principles would have allowed. I’m grateful for that experience. I was still left with a nagging question: “How did things get so bad with Twitter where the John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 case was able to happen in the first place?” I decided to keep looking for answers. I decided to keep pulling the thread.

I never worked for Twitter. This is often confusing for folks. I will say that despite being disappointed in the platform’s leadership at times, I loved Twitter. I saw and still see its value. I definitely love the survivors of the platform, but I also loved the platform. I was a champion of the platform’s ability to give folks from virtually around the globe an opportunity to speak and be heard.

I want to be clear that John Doe #1 really is my why. He is the inspiration. I am writing this because of him. He represents so many globally, and I’m still inspired by his bravery. One child’s voice begging adults to do something—I’m an adult, I heard him. I’d go to war a thousand more lifetimes for that young man, and I don’t even know his name. Fighting has been personally dark at times; I’m not even going to try to sugarcoat it, but it has been worth it.

The data surrounding the very real crime of online child sexual exploitation is available to the public online at any time for anyone to see. I’d encourage you to go look at the data for yourself. I believe in encouraging folks to check multiple sources so that you understand the full picture. If you are uncomfortable just searching around the internet for information about this topic, use the terms “CSAM,” “CSEM,” “SG-CSEM,” or “AI Generated CSAM.” The numbers don’t lie—it’s a nightmare that’s out of control. It’s a big business. The demand is high, and unfortunately, business is booming. Organizations collect the data, tech companies often post their data, governments report frequently, and the corporate press has covered a decent portion of the conversation, so I’m sure you can find a source that you trust.

Technology is changing rapidly, which is great for innovation as a whole but horrible for the crime of online child sexual exploitation. Those wishing to exploit the vulnerable seem to be adapting to each technological change with ease. The governments are so far behind with tackling these issues that as I’m typing this, it’s borderline irrelevant to even include them while speaking about the crime or potential solutions. Technology is changing too rapidly, and their old, broken systems can’t even dare to keep up. Think of it like the governments’ “War on Drugs.” Drugs won. In this case as well, the governments are not winning. The governments are talking about maybe having a meeting on potentially maybe having legislation around the crimes. The time to have that meeting would have been many years ago. I’m not advocating for governments to legislate our way out of this. I’m on the side of educating and innovating our way out of this.

I have been clear while advocating for the minor survivors of corporate tech platforms that I would not advocate for any solution to the crime that would violate digital privacy rights or erode end-to-end encryption. That has been a personal moral position that I was unwilling to budge on. This is an extremely unpopular and borderline nonexistent position in the anti-human trafficking movement and online child protection space. I’m often fearful that I’m wrong about this. I have always thought that a better pathway forward would have been to incentivize innovation for detection and removal of content. I had no previous exposure to privacy rights activists or Cypherpunks—actually, I came to that conclusion by listening to the voices of MENA region political dissidents and human rights activists. After developing relationships with human rights activists from around the globe, I realized how important privacy rights and encryption are for those who need it most globally. I was simply unwilling to give more power, control, and opportunities for mass surveillance to big abusers like governments wishing to enslave entire nations and untrustworthy corporate tech companies to potentially end some portion of abuses online. On top of all of it, it has been clear to me for years that all potential solutions outside of violating digital privacy rights to detect and remove child sexual exploitation online have not yet been explored aggressively. I’ve been disappointed that there hasn’t been more of a conversation around preventing the crime from happening in the first place.

What has been tried is mass surveillance. In China, they are currently under mass surveillance both online and offline, and their behaviors are attached to a social credit score. Unfortunately, even on state-run and controlled social media platforms, they still have child sexual exploitation and abuse imagery pop up along with other crimes and human rights violations. They also have a thriving black market online due to the oppression from the state. In other words, even an entire loss of freedom and privacy cannot end the sexual exploitation of children online. It’s been tried. There is no reason to repeat this method.

It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out why I always felt a slight coldness from those in tech and privacy-minded individuals about the topic of child sexual exploitation online. I didn’t have any clue about the “Four Horsemen of the Infocalypse.” This is a term coined by Timothy C. May in 1988. I would have been a child myself when he first said it. I actually laughed at myself when I heard the phrase for the first time. I finally got it. The Cypherpunks weren’t wrong about that topic. They were so spot on that it is borderline uncomfortable. I was mad at first that they knew that early during the birth of the internet that this issue would arise and didn’t address it. Then I got over it because I realized that it wasn’t their job. Their job was—is—to write code. Their job wasn’t to be involved and loving parents or survivor advocates. Their job wasn’t to educate children on internet safety or raise awareness; their job was to write code.

They knew that child sexual abuse material would be shared on the internet. They said what would happen—not in a gleeful way, but a prediction. Then it happened.

I equate it now to a concrete company laying down a road. As you’re pouring the concrete, you can say to yourself, “A terrorist might travel down this road to go kill many, and on the flip side, a beautiful child can be born in an ambulance on this road.” Who or what travels down the road is not their responsibility—they are just supposed to lay the concrete. I’d never go to a concrete pourer and ask them to solve terrorism that travels down roads. Under the current system, law enforcement should stop terrorists before they even make it to the road. The solution to this specific problem is not to treat everyone on the road like a terrorist or to not build the road.

So I understand the perceived coldness from those in tech. Not only was it not their job, but bringing up the topic was seen as the equivalent of asking a free person if they wanted to discuss one of the four topics—child abusers, terrorists, drug dealers, intellectual property pirates, etc.—that would usher in digital authoritarianism for all who are online globally.

Privacy rights advocates and groups have put up a good fight. They stood by their principles. Unfortunately, when it comes to corporate tech, I believe that the issue of privacy is almost a complete lost cause at this point. It’s still worth pushing back, but ultimately, it is a losing battle—a ticking time bomb.

I do think that corporate tech providers could have slowed down the inevitable loss of privacy at the hands of the state by prioritizing the detection and removal of CSAM when they all started online. I believe it would have bought some time, fewer would have been traumatized by that specific crime, and I do believe that it could have slowed down the demand for content. If I think too much about that, I’ll go insane, so I try to push the “if maybes” aside, but never knowing if it could have been handled differently will forever haunt me. At night when it’s quiet, I wonder what I would have done differently if given the opportunity. I’ll probably never know how much corporate tech knew and ignored in the hopes that it would go away while the problem continued to get worse. They had different priorities. The most voiceless and vulnerable exploited on corporate tech never had much of a voice, so corporate tech providers didn’t receive very much pushback.

Now I’m about to say something really wild, and you can call me whatever you want to call me, but I’m going to say what I believe to be true. I believe that the governments are either so incompetent that they allowed the proliferation of CSAM online, or they knowingly allowed the problem to fester long enough to have an excuse to violate privacy rights and erode end-to-end encryption. The US government could have seized the corporate tech providers over CSAM, but I believe that they were so useful as a propaganda arm for the regimes that they allowed them to continue virtually unscathed.

That season is done now, and the governments are making the issue a priority. It will come at a high cost. Privacy on corporate tech providers is virtually done as I’m typing this. It feels like a death rattle. I’m not particularly sure that we had much digital privacy to begin with, but the illusion of a veil of privacy feels gone.

To make matters slightly more complex, it would be hard to convince me that once AI really gets going, digital privacy will exist at all.

I believe that there should be a conversation shift to preserving freedoms and human rights in a post-privacy society.

I don’t want to get locked up because AI predicted a nasty post online from me about the government. I’m not a doomer about AI—I’m just going to roll with it personally. I’m looking forward to the positive changes that will be brought forth by AI. I see it as inevitable. A bit of privacy was helpful while it lasted. Please keep fighting to preserve what is left of privacy either way because I could be wrong about all of this.

On the topic of AI, the addition of AI to the horrific crime of child sexual abuse material and child sexual exploitation in multiple ways so far has been devastating. It’s currently out of control. The genie is out of the bottle. I am hopeful that innovation will get us humans out of this, but I’m not sure how or how long it will take. We must be extremely cautious around AI legislation. It should not be illegal to innovate even if some bad comes with the good. I don’t trust that the governments are equipped to decide the best pathway forward for AI. Source: the entire history of the government.

I have been personally negatively impacted by AI-generated content. Every few days, I get another alert that I’m featured again in what’s called “deep fake pornography” without my consent. I’m not happy about it, but what pains me the most is the thought that for a period of time down the road, many globally will experience what myself and others are experiencing now by being digitally sexually abused in this way. If you have ever had your picture taken and posted online, you are also at risk of being exploited in this way. Your child’s image can be used as well, unfortunately, and this is just the beginning of this particular nightmare. It will move to more realistic interpretations of sexual behaviors as technology improves. I have no brave words of wisdom about how to deal with that emotionally. I do have hope that innovation will save the day around this specific issue. I’m nervous that everyone online will have to ID verify due to this issue. I see that as one possible outcome that could help to prevent one problem but inadvertently cause more problems, especially for those living under authoritarian regimes or anyone who needs to remain anonymous online. A zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) would probably be the best solution to these issues. There are some survivors of violence and/or sexual trauma who need to remain anonymous online for various reasons. There are survivor stories available online of those who have been abused in this way. I’d encourage you seek out and listen to their stories.

There have been periods of time recently where I hesitate to say anything at all because more than likely AI will cover most of my concerns about education, awareness, prevention, detection, and removal of child sexual exploitation online, etc.

Unfortunately, some of the most pressing issues we’ve seen online over the last few years come in the form of “sextortion.” Self-generated child sexual exploitation (SG-CSEM) numbers are continuing to be terrifying. I’d strongly encourage that you look into sextortion data. AI + sextortion is also a huge concern. The perpetrators are using the non-sexually explicit images of children and putting their likeness on AI-generated child sexual exploitation content and extorting money, more imagery, or both from minors online. It’s like a million nightmares wrapped into one. The wild part is that these issues will only get more pervasive because technology is harnessed to perpetuate horror at a scale unimaginable to a human mind.

Even if you banned phones and the internet or tried to prevent children from accessing the internet, it wouldn’t solve it. Child sexual exploitation will still be with us until as a society we start to prevent the crime before it happens. That is the only human way out right now.

There is no reset button on the internet, but if I could go back, I’d tell survivor advocates to heed the warnings of the early internet builders and to start education and awareness campaigns designed to prevent as much online child sexual exploitation as possible. The internet and technology moved quickly, and I don’t believe that society ever really caught up. We live in a world where a child can be groomed by a predator in their own home while sitting on a couch next to their parents watching TV. We weren’t ready as a species to tackle the fast-paced algorithms and dangers online. It happened too quickly for parents to catch up. How can you parent for the ever-changing digital world unless you are constantly aware of the dangers?

I don’t think that the internet is inherently bad. I believe that it can be a powerful tool for freedom and resistance. I’ve spoken a lot about the bad online, but there is beauty as well. We often discuss how victims and survivors are abused online; we rarely discuss the fact that countless survivors around the globe have been able to share their experiences, strength, hope, as well as provide resources to the vulnerable. I do question if giving any government or tech company access to censorship, surveillance, etc., online in the name of serving survivors might not actually impact a portion of survivors negatively. There are a fair amount of survivors with powerful abusers protected by governments and the corporate press. If a survivor cannot speak to the press about their abuse, the only place they can go is online, directly or indirectly through an independent journalist who also risks being censored. This scenario isn’t hard to imagine—it already happened in China. During #MeToo, a survivor in China wanted to post their story. The government censored the post, so the survivor put their story on the blockchain. I’m excited that the survivor was creative and brave, but it’s terrifying to think that we live in a world where that situation is a necessity.

I believe that the future for many survivors sharing their stories globally will be on completely censorship-resistant and decentralized protocols. This thought in particular gives me hope. When we listen to the experiences of a diverse group of survivors, we can start to understand potential solutions to preventing the crimes from happening in the first place.

My heart is broken over the gut-wrenching stories of survivors sexually exploited online. Every time I hear the story of a survivor, I do think to myself quietly, “What could have prevented this from happening in the first place?” My heart is with survivors.

My head, on the other hand, is full of the understanding that the internet should remain free. The free flow of information should not be stopped. My mind is with the innocent citizens around the globe that deserve freedom both online and offline.

The problem is that governments don’t only want to censor illegal content that violates human rights—they create legislation that is so broad that it can impact speech and privacy of all. “Don’t you care about the kids?” Yes, I do. I do so much that I’m invested in finding solutions. I also care about all citizens around the globe that deserve an opportunity to live free from a mass surveillance society. If terrorism happens online, I should not be punished by losing my freedom. If drugs are sold online, I should not be punished. I’m not an abuser, I’m not a terrorist, and I don’t engage in illegal behaviors. I refuse to lose freedom because of others’ bad behaviors online.

I want to be clear that on a long enough timeline, the governments will decide that they can be better parents/caregivers than you can if something isn’t done to stop minors from being sexually exploited online. The price will be a complete loss of anonymity, privacy, free speech, and freedom of religion online. I find it rather insulting that governments think they’re better equipped to raise children than parents and caretakers.

So we can’t go backwards—all that we can do is go forward. Those who want to have freedom will find technology to facilitate their liberation. This will lead many over time to decentralized and open protocols. So as far as I’m concerned, this does solve a few of my worries—those who need, want, and deserve to speak freely online will have the opportunity in most countries—but what about online child sexual exploitation?

When I popped up around the decentralized space, I was met with the fear of censorship. I’m not here to censor you. I don’t write code. I couldn’t censor anyone or any piece of content even if I wanted to across the internet, no matter how depraved. I don’t have the skills to do that.

I’m here to start a conversation. Freedom comes at a cost. You must always fight for and protect your freedom. I can’t speak about protecting yourself from all of the Four Horsemen because I simply don’t know the topics well enough, but I can speak about this one topic.

If there was a shortcut to ending online child sexual exploitation, I would have found it by now. There isn’t one right now. I believe that education is the only pathway forward to preventing the crime of online child sexual exploitation for future generations.

I propose a yearly education course for every child of all school ages, taught as a standard part of the curriculum. Ideally, parents/caregivers would be involved in the education/learning process.

Course: - The creation of the internet and computers - The fight for cryptography - The tech supply chain from the ground up (example: human rights violations in the supply chain) - Corporate tech - Freedom tech - Data privacy - Digital privacy rights - AI (history-current) - Online safety (predators, scams, catfishing, extortion) - Bitcoin - Laws - How to deal with online hate and harassment - Information on who to contact if you are being abused online or offline - Algorithms - How to seek out the truth about news, etc., online

The parents/caregivers, homeschoolers, unschoolers, and those working to create decentralized parallel societies have been an inspiration while writing this, but my hope is that all children would learn this course, even in government ran schools. Ideally, parents would teach this to their own children.

The decentralized space doesn’t want child sexual exploitation to thrive. Here’s the deal: there has to be a strong prevention effort in order to protect the next generation. The internet isn’t going anywhere, predators aren’t going anywhere, and I’m not down to let anyone have the opportunity to prove that there is a need for more government. I don’t believe that the government should act as parents. The governments have had a chance to attempt to stop online child sexual exploitation, and they didn’t do it. Can we try a different pathway forward?

I’d like to put myself out of a job. I don’t want to ever hear another story like John Doe #1 ever again. This will require work. I’ve often called online child sexual exploitation the lynchpin for the internet. It’s time to arm generations of children with knowledge and tools. I can’t do this alone.

Individuals have fought so that I could have freedom online. I want to fight to protect it. I don’t want child predators to give the government any opportunity to take away freedom. Decentralized spaces are as close to a reset as we’ll get with the opportunity to do it right from the start. Start the youth off correctly by preventing potential hazards to the best of your ability.

The good news is anyone can work on this! I’d encourage you to take it and run with it. I added the additional education about the history of the internet to make the course more educational and fun. Instead of cleaning up generations of destroyed lives due to online sexual exploitation, perhaps this could inspire generations of those who will build our futures. Perhaps if the youth is armed with knowledge, they can create more tools to prevent the crime.

This one solution that I’m suggesting can be done on an individual level or on a larger scale. It should be adjusted depending on age, learning style, etc. It should be fun and playful.

This solution does not address abuse in the home or some of the root causes of offline child sexual exploitation. My hope is that it could lead to some survivors experiencing abuse in the home an opportunity to disclose with a trusted adult. The purpose for this solution is to prevent the crime of online child sexual exploitation before it occurs and to arm the youth with the tools to contact safe adults if and when it happens.

In closing, I went to hell a few times so that you didn’t have to. I spoke to the mothers of survivors of minors sexually exploited online—their tears could fill rivers. I’ve spoken with political dissidents who yearned to be free from authoritarian surveillance states. The only balance that I’ve found is freedom online for citizens around the globe and prevention from the dangers of that for the youth. Don’t slow down innovation and freedom. Educate, prepare, adapt, and look for solutions.

I’m not perfect and I’m sure that there are errors in this piece. I hope that you find them and it starts a conversation.

@ 878dff7c:037d18bc

Popular Grocery Items Recalled Due to E. coli Contamination

Summary:

Several Fresh Salad Co products sold in Queensland and northern New South Wales have been recalled due to contamination with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Affected items include baby spinach (120g, 280g), baby spinach and rocket (120g), and a stir-fry mix (400g) with specific use-by dates at the end of March. Consumers are advised to return these products for a full refund and seek medical advice if concerned about their health.

Sources: News.com.au - March 27, 2025

Coalition Proposes Halving Fuel Excise to Alleviate Cost of Living

Summary:

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has announced that, if elected, the Coalition would repeal Labor's planned tax cuts and instead implement a 12-month halving of the fuel excise. This initiative aims to reduce petrol prices by 25 cents per litre, providing immediate relief to Australian families and workers facing cost-of-living pressures. The proposal contrasts with Labor's tax cuts, which are set to commence in 15 months and offer annual savings of up to $536 for taxpayers.

Sources: The Guardian - March 27, 2025, The Australian - March 27, 2025

Federal Budget Criticized for Omitting Key Infrastructure Funding

Summary:

Groom MP Garth Hamilton has criticized the latest federal budget for lacking funding for critical infrastructure projects in his region. He expressed concerns over the future of regional programs like the Growing Regions and Regional Precincts and Partnerships Programs, which he believes are essential for regional development. Hamilton highlighted the absence of funding for key projects such as the New England Highway, the deteriorating Warrego and Gore Highways, and the stalled Inland Rail project.

Source: The Courier-Mail - March 27, 2025

China Faces Challenges in Advanced Robotics Development

Summary:

China is recognizing the importance of robots in its ageing economy, facing a significant labor shortage. Despite leading in industrial robot installations, most Chinese robots are low-tech compared to advanced humanoids being developed elsewhere. The U.S. and China are both racing to develop sophisticated robots, but China's sector remains reliant on foreign components and faces potential limitations from U.S. sanctions. This dependency makes China's position in the robotics race precarious.

Sources: Reuters - March 26, 2025

Tax Cuts Passed Amid Election Speculation

Summary:

Labor's budget tax cuts have been swiftly passed into law, providing the average worker with modest financial relief starting next year. This development leaves Opposition Leader Peter Dutton with a strategic decision on how to position the Coalition's response in the lead-up to the federal election. Sources: 9News - March 27, 2025

Labor Government Proposes Tax on Unrealized Superannuation Gains

Summary:

The Labor government has introduced a proposal to levy a 15% tax on unrealized capital gains for superannuation balances exceeding $3 million. This initiative aims to generate an additional $9.7 billion between 2024-25 and 2028-29. Critics argue that taxing unrealized gains is unfair and may discourage investment, while supporters contend it promotes fairness in the superannuation system. Sources: News.com.au - 27 March 2025

New Youth Crime Bill Introduced in NSW Parliament

Summary:

The State Opposition Attorney General, Alister Henskens, is set to introduce the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Youth Crime) Bill 2025 to the NSW Parliament. The bill aims to combat youth crime by expanding the definition of repeat offenses, revoking bail under specific conditions, and implementing electronic monitoring and mandatory curfews for repeat offenders. The proposal has sparked debates regarding its potential impact on regional communities and the principle of doli incapax. Sources: The Daily Telegraph - 27 March 2025

Prime Minister Albanese Invites President Trump to Visit Australia Amid Tariff Dispute

Summary:

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has revealed plans to visit Washington D.C. if he wins the upcoming May election, marking his first international trip. This follows the U.S. imposition of 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Australia. Despite the tariff dispute, Albanese has invited President Donald Trump to visit Australia, which would be his first trip to the country as President. The timing of Trump's visit would depend on his schedule. Both major Australian political parties remain committed to seeking a solution to the steel and aluminum levies through persistent engagement with the U.S., rejecting reciprocal tariffs on U.S. imports. Sources: News.com.au - March 26, 2025

Jewish Groups Criticize Australia's Continued Funding to UNRWA

Summary:

Jewish groups have criticized the Australian government's decision to continue funding the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), amounting to $20 million. Concerns have been raised about UNRWA's past associations with terrorism, with claims that its employees participated in the atrocities of October 7. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has called for the withdrawal of funding, labeling the organization as compromised. Despite this opposition, the Australian government has defended its financial support for humanitarian purposes, ensuring stringent controls and safeguards. This issue adds tension to the upcoming election, reflecting concerns within Jewish and Muslim communities. Sources: The Australian - March 26, 2025

Australia's Inflation Rate Decreases, Offering Relief to Mortgage Holders

Summary:

Australia's annual inflation rate has fallen to 2.4% as of February, down from the previous month's 2.5%. This decline is attributed to eased rental prices, reduced new home costs, and falling electricity prices due to government rebates. The Reserve Bank of Australia's preferred measure, the "trimmed mean," also decreased to 2.7%. This trend is promising for mortgage holders anticipating potential interest rate cuts and for the Labor government focusing on cost-of-living issues ahead of the upcoming election. Sources: The Guardian - March 26, 2025, Reuters - March 26, 2025

Queensland Farmer Revolutionizes Cattle Mustering with Drones

Summary:

Luke Chaplin, a fourth-generation grazier from northwest Queensland, has transformed cattle mustering by utilizing drones through his company, SkyKelpie. This innovation has managed over 300,000 livestock across Australia efficiently and cost-effectively. Supported by the Queensland Government and Meat & Livestock Australia, the drone technology offers a high return on investment compared to traditional methods, reducing animal stress and improving herd management. SkyKelpie is also developing online training courses and collaborating on autonomous mustering technologies using AI and image detection. Sources: The Courier-Mail - March 27, 2025

Anduril Sees Positive Outlook with New U.S. Defense Policies

Summary:

Anduril President Christian Brose expressed optimism about the company's prospects under the new Trump Pentagon administration, which is perceived to be more receptive to autonomous defense systems. Anduril plans to partner with OpenAI to enhance national security missions and is expanding its manufacturing capabilities, including potential international expansion in Australia. The company develops autonomous systems like the Ghost Shark, offering rapid deployment and cost efficiency compared to traditional manned military assets. Source: Reuters - 27 March 2025

Controversial Legislation Passed to Protect Tasmanian Salmon Industry Amid Environmental Concerns

Summary:

The Australian Parliament has passed a contentious bill aimed at safeguarding Tasmania's salmon farming industry, specifically in Macquarie Harbour. This legislation limits the federal environment minister's authority to review long-standing projects, effectively halting an ongoing assessment of the 2012 expansion of fish farming in the area. Critics argue that this move compromises environmental standards and threatens the endangered Maugean skate. Notably, Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young protested by displaying a dead salmon in the Senate chamber, and international figures like Leonardo DiCaprio have called for the shutdown of destructive salmon farms to protect marine life. The government maintains that the law addresses specific regulatory issues and won't affect new projects related to coal, gas, or land-clearing. Sources: The Guardian - March 27, 2025, Herald Sun - March 27, 2025, News.com.au - March 27, 2025, The Australian - March 27, 2025

The 5 Types of Wealth – Real Talk with Zuby ft. Sahil Bloom (Episode #349)

Summary:

In this insightful episode of Real Talk with Zuby, entrepreneur and writer Sahil Bloom joins the show to break down his popular framework of "The 5 Types of Wealth." The conversation goes beyond money, exploring what it truly means to live a rich and fulfilling life.

Bloom outlines the following five categories of wealth:

1. Financial Wealth – Income, savings, investments – the traditional definition of wealth.
2. Social Wealth – Relationships, reputation, network, and community impact.
3. Physical Wealth – Health, fitness, energy levels, and lifestyle habits.
4. Mental Wealth – Emotional resilience, knowledge, creativity, and mindset.
5. Time Wealth – Freedom and control over how you spend your days.

Key Highlights & Insights:

• Reframing Success: Bloom critiques the modern obsession with financial success and emphasizes that true prosperity is multidimensional.
• Balance vs. Optimization: He talks about how chasing one form of wealth (e.g., money) at the expense of others often leads to long-term regret.
• Time as the Ultimate Currency: The discussion touches on the importance of buying back your time and designing a life where you're not constantly reacting.
• Health & Longevity: Physical wealth is highlighted as the foundation that enables enjoyment of the other four.
• Practical Framework: The episode includes a useful breakdown of how listeners can audit and improve each area of wealth in their own lives.

This episode offers a thought-provoking lens for anyone reassessing their priorities or striving for more balanced success.

Source: Spotify - 27 March 2025

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

President Trump has intensified immigration enforcement, likening it to a wartime effort. Despite pouring resources into the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), arrest numbers are declining and falling short of goals. ICE fell from about 800 daily arrests in late January to fewer than 600 in early February.

Critics argue the administration is merely showcasing efforts with ineffectiveness, while Trump seeks billions more in funding to support his deportation agenda. Increased involvement from various federal agencies is intended to assist ICE, but many lack specific immigration training.

Challenges persist, as fewer immigrants are available for quick deportation due to a decline in illegal crossings. Local sheriffs are also pressured by rising demands to accommodate immigrants, which may strain resources further.

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

E-cash are coupons or tokens for Bitcoin, or Bitcoin debt notes that the mint issues. The e-cash states, essentially, "IoU 2900 sats".

They're redeemable for Bitcoin on Lightning (hard money), and therefore can be used as cash (softer money), so long as the mint has a good reputation. That means that they're less fungible than Lightning because the e-cash from one mint can be more or less valuable than the e-cash from another. If a mint is buggy, offline, or disappears, then the e-cash is unreedemable.

It also means that e-cash is more anonymous than Lightning, and that the sender and receiver's wallets don't need to be online, to transact. Nutzaps now add the possibility of parking transactions one level farther out, on a relay. The same relays that cannot keep npub profiles and follow lists consistent will now do monetary transactions.

What we then have is * a transaction on a relay that triggers * a transaction on a mint that triggers * a transaction on Lightning that triggers * a transaction on Bitcoin.

Which means that every relay that stores the nuts is part of a wildcat banking system. Which is fine, but relay operators should consider whether they wish to carry the associated risks and liabilities. They should also be aware that they should implement the appropriate features in their relay, such as expiration tags (nuts rot after 2 weeks), and to make sure that only expired nuts are deleted.

There will be plenty of specialized relays for this, so don't feel pressured to join in, and research the topic carefully, for yourself.

https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/60.md

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

The path to maximalism is littered with mistakes and paved with humility.' Anilsaido https://i.ibb.co/ZzcCHwgT/Gip-G0vdb-YAAV9-Mw-1.jpg

Bitcoin is time because money itself is time. Money is humanity’s battery: a way to store energy, labor, and resources for the future. It captures your past effort and preserves it for when you need it most. Fiat leaks. Bitcoin holds.

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

On the 18th of March:

➡️After ruling out a strategic bitcoin reserve, the Bank of Korea will launch a central bank digital currency pilot in April, per The Korea Times.

➡️'Metaplanet has acquired an additional 150 BTC for ~$12.5 million, achieving a BTC Yield of 60.8% YTD in 2025. As of 3/18/2025, Metaplanet hodls 3,200 BTC, and is now a top 10 publicly listed holder of Bitcoin globally.' -Dylan LeClair

➡️Bitcoin entered a risk-off, distribution-dominant phase in early 2025, evidenced by frequent selling and hesitation to buy (yellow to orange dots). - AMB Crypto

➡️Bitwise CIO says Bitcoin should be at $200,000 today and says, “I think the number of companies buying Bitcoin is going to triple this year, I think Game Theory is on.” “I think countries around the world are going to be buying Bitcoin. There is structurally more demand than supply in Bitcoin.”

➡️Bitcoin mining company Bitfarms buys Stronghold Digital for more than $110 million, making it the largest public-to-public acquisition in Bitcoin industry history.

➡️Bitcoin long-term HODLers become net buyers for the first time since September, per Compass Point Research. "Buying/selling from HODLers is typically a leading indicator for BTC. This cohort now owns 65% of BTC supply vs 63% last week vs 73% in early October." - Bitcoin News

➡️GlassNode: 'The Bitcoin market continues to adjust to its new price range after experiencing a -30% correction. Liquidity conditions are also contracting in both on-chain and futures markets.'

➡️Bitcoin now ranks 6th among the world's top monetary assets at $1.62 trillion, per Porkopolis.

➡️The EU isn't banning Bitcoin but using MiCA and other regulations to control it. This involves stripping away privacy through transaction tracking, mandatory disclosures, and restrictions on self-custody. The goal is control, not outright prohibition.

Excellent thread by Eli. Eli summarises the EU’s attack on Bitcoin and on Europeans’ rights: https://x.com/EliNagarBrr/status/1902048401908261146

Agree 100% with all of this. All these people who have been saying the EU pushing the industry forward with regulations are idiots. They are closing it off and pushing everyone to a CBDC.

Regarding the CBCD, here you will find a comprehensive summary of EU’s CBDC plans, by Efrat Fenigson: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/politics/ecb-prepping-the-ground-for-digital-euro-launch

*On the 20th of March, the ECB posted the following statement on Twitter:

'The digital euro is not just about creating a new form of money, says Chief Economist Philip R. Lane. It is about ensuring that Europe retains control over its monetary and financial destiny in the digital age against a backdrop of increasing geopolitical fragmentation.'

“It’s about ensuring that the EU retains control over its citizens.”

There, I fixed it for you if you missed the primary reason.

The Euro is a permissioned, centralized, censorable, inflationary, debt-based currency controlled by unelected bureaucrats.

Bitcoin is permissionless, decentralized, censorship-resistant, fixed in supply, and governed by code—not politicians.

Choose wisely.

➡️As mentioned in last week's Weekly Recap the US Government spends $3.3B per day in interest rate expense. If this doesn’t make you buy Bitcoin I’m not sure what will. https://i.ibb.co/sdt1GvfM/Gm-Vd-FBz-XQAA3t3-M-1.jpg

➡️In Kibera, Africa’s largest informal settlement, more than 40 merchants now accept and save in Bitcoin.

➡️The increase in 3-6 month-old UTXOs suggests accumulation during this market correction, a behavior historically critical in forming market bottoms and driving new price rallies.

➡️Just as Hal Finney predicted, Bitcoin will take over Wall Street: Multiple American Bitcoin companies are now seeking to become state or national banks, reports Reuters. It is inevitable.

➡️Daniel Batten: 2021: 62 US Environmental Organizations write to coCongressaying Bitcoin is bad for the environment and has no use (based on Central Bank misinformation) 2025: US Environmental Organizations debunked (impossible, had they used Bitcoin) Strange are the ways of karma.

Meanwhile,

➡️President Trump's Executive Director, Bo Hines, on digital assets: "We talked about ways of acquiring more Bitcoin in budget-neutral ways." We want "as much as we can get."

When Bitcoin is at $200k. We will look back on March 2025 and say, how was everyone not buying. It was so obvious.

On the 19th of March:

➡️BLACKROCK: “The most sophisticated long-term Bitcoin accumulators are pretty excited about this dip. They see the correction as a buying opportunity."

On the 20th of March:

➡️SEC confirms that Bitcoin and Proof of Work mining are NOT securities under US law. https://i.ibb.co/nWRHjnk/Gmg-Yxv-QWEAAgwx8.png

Source: https://t.co/0ExsJniPIf

➡️Bitcoin exchange Kraken has agreed to acquire NinjaTrader, the leading U.S. retail futures trading platform, for $1.5 billion—the largest deal ever of a Bitcoin company buying a traditional financial company.

➡️TRUMP: “I signed an order creating the brand new Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the US digital asset stockpile which will allow the Federal government to maximize the value of its holdings.”

Tweet and hot take by Lola L33tz

"With the dollar-backed stablecoins, you'll help expand the dominance of the US Dollar [...] It will be at the top, and that's where we want to keep it"

'What he means is: With dollar-backed stablecoins, the Global South will pivot towards digital Dollars over local currencies, allowing private, US government-controlled entities to replace bank accounts around the globe. This does not just allow for the expansion of USD dominance by bypassing local governments – it gives the US unprecedented and direct control over worldwide economies as every stablecoin can be effectively frozen on behalf of the US with the click of a button.'

Stablecoins = CBDCs There is no technical fundamental difference between them. It’s almost a guarantee that the EU CBDCs and U.S. stablecoins will be interchangeable.

➡️River: Bitcoin is coming for $128 trillion in global money. You're not late to Bitcoin. https://i.ibb.co/7thzHJMx/Gmf-Uvra-EAEV4-U0.png

On the 21st of March:

➡️Michael Saylor’s Strategy to raise $722.5M to buy more Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded Atai Life Sciences to buy $5 million in Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded HK Asia Holdings bought 10 Bitcoins worth $858,500 for its balance sheet.

➡️Another solo home miner has mined an entire Bitcoin block worth over $ 260.000,-.

On the 22nd of March:

➡️The University of Wyoming posted a new video explaining Bitcoin with Philosophy Professor Bradley Rettler

➡️Spot Bitcoin ETFs bought 8,775 BTC this week while miners only mined 3,150 Bitcoin.

On the 24th of March:

➡️Metaplanet finished the day as the 13th most liquid stock in Japan, with ¥50.4 billion ($336.6m) of daily trading volume, ahead of Toyota and Nintendo.

➡️River: There is a 275% gap between the inflation you're told and real inflation.

https://i.ibb.co/mCs2Lgcc/Gmz-4qc-WMAAzx-z.png

Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral. The U.S. Dollar has been devalued by more than 363% since 2000 – That’s a 14.5% devaluation per year. This means if your savings don’t grow by 14.5% annually, you’re falling behind. This is why we Bitcoin. Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral, grow your savings beyond the dollar’s devaluation!

➡️Bitcoin's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over a 5-year rolling window is currently over 50%

➡️Strategy became the first publicly traded company to hold over 500,000 Bitcoin worth over $44 billion. Strategy has acquired 6,911 BTC for ~$584.1 million at ~$84,529 per Bitcoin and has achieved a BTC Yield of 7.7% YTD 2025. As of 3/23/2025, Strategy holds 506,137 BTC acquired for ~$33.7 billion at ~$66,608 per Bitcoin.

➡️CryptoQuant: Bitcoin's long-term holders are holding firm, with no significant selling pressure.

➡️Xapo Bank launches Bitcoin-backed USD loans up to $1M, with collateral secured in an MPC vault and no re-usage.

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

👉🏽no news

🏦Banks:

👉🏽 no news

🌎Macro/Geopolitics:

On the 18th of March:

👉🏽Germany just changed its constitution to unleash a staggering ONE TRILLION in new debt. The German parliament has voted to take on hundreds of billions of euros of new government debt, to ease the debt brake rules, and to codify "climate neutrality by 2045" into the constitution.

On top of that, some extra money to Ukraine: Germany's next Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, believes that Putin has gone to war against all of Europe. He argues that Russia has attacked Germany, as the Parliament breaks out in applause.

-  We continue to move further away from the "Europe is not part of the conflict" rhetoric. Germany’s self-inflicted delusion continues!

👉🏽Germany's first offshore wind farm closes after 15 years because it's too expensive to operate. Expect a car crash. The Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm near the German North Sea island of Borkum is set to be dismantled after being in operation for only 15 years. It has become too unprofitable to operate without massive subsidies.

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/03/16/germanys-first-offshore-wind-farm-to-be-dismantled-after-just-15-years-of-operation/

Great thing that the Netherlands is investing heavily in offshore wind farms, even the biggest pension fund APB. Because nInE tImEs ChEaPeR tHaN gAs, right?

I hope they dismantle them & not leave them to rust into the sea. Right? Because climate!

Great response by Jasmine Birtles: "These vanity projects should never have been allowed to start. The phrase 'cheap renewable energy' is simply a falsehood. This kind of energy production only seems cheap because of the huge government subsidies that keep them going. I'm all for clean energy if it's possible to run it honestly and without huge subsidies, but while it doesn't seem to be viable we should stick with what is affordable and will keep the country going, rather than sacrificing the vulnerable to an impossible ideology."

👉🏽'Gold spot is now trading consistently over $3000, a record high. And with deliveries once again picking up at the Comex and war in the Middle East coming back with a vengeance, the next big spike is just a matter of time. As expected, once gold broke out above $3000,- it has gone vertical and is up 1% in the past hours, rising to a new record high of $3034, as it sets off for $4000' - ZeroHedge

👉🏽'We have just witnessed the biggest drop in US equity allocation on record. The collapse of US consumers: Unemployment expectations in the US are now ABOVE 2020 levels and at their highest since 2008. In 2024, a poll showed that a whopping 56% of Americans thought the US was in a recession.' - TKL

https://i.ibb.co/ycnRDpdf/Gm-VZMnb-XAAAt76r.png

👉🏽OECD Projects Argentina to Have the Second Highest Economic Growth Worldwide in 2025

👉🏽A new blow to the Dutch chemical sector. The major producer LyondellBasell is permanently closing its factory at the Maasvlakte. This decision, announced on Tuesday afternoon, will result in the loss of approximately 160 jobs. The closure is a direct consequence of global overcapacity and high energy costs in the Netherlands. An audit by the German firm E-Bridge, commissioned by the Dutch government, previously revealed that electricity costs for these companies in the Netherlands amount to €95 per megawatt-hour.

In comparison, this rate is €32 in France (66% lower), €45.60 in Germany (52% lower), and €56.05 per megawatt-hour in Belgium (41% lower).

According to E-Bridge, this difference is mainly due to the compensation that foreign governments provide to companies and the lower grid tariffs. In the Netherlands, costs have risen primarily to finance investments in the electricity grid, such as connecting multiple offshore wind farms.

Now read that segment on offshore wind farms. Mindblowing, innit?

Subsidies are not the solution—deregulation is. But Brussels won’t allow that. So, we’re heading toward even more regulation and nationalization.

On the 19th of March:

👉🏽The Fed makes multiple revisions to its 2025 economic data projections.

Powell finally found the "stag" and the "inflation":

Fed cuts year-end GDP forecast from 2.1% to 1.7%

Fed raises year-end core PCE forecast from 2.5% to 2.8%

Fed raises year-end unemployment forecast from 4.3% to 4.4%

Fed raises PCE inflation forecast from 2.5% to 2.7%

The Fed sees higher inflation and a weaker economy.

On the 20th of March:

Dutch Central Bank Director Klaas Knot "We are worried about American influence on our local payment infrastructure."

Paving the way for the European CBDC (after slowly but surely removing CASH MONEY from society). Knot has completed his second term and will leave his office in July. Now, of course, pushing for the CBDC, before looking for a new job in Europe.

Anyway, DNB posts billions in losses.

De Nederlandsche Bank suffered a loss of over €3 billion last year, according to the annual report published on Thursday. This marks the second consecutive year of losses.

DNB incurs this loss because, as part of its monetary policy, it has lent out billions at relatively low rates while having to pay a higher rate to banks that park their money at the central bank.

But no losses on its gold. The gold reserves, meanwhile, increased in value by €12.6 billion. This amount is not included in the official profit and loss statement but is reflected on the bank's balance sheet.

For the Dutch readers/followers: Great article: Follow the Money 'Voor de megawinsten van ING, ABN Amro en Rabobank betaalt de Nederlandse burger een hoge prijs.'

https://archive.ph/ncvtk

On the 21st of March:

👉🏽'The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing index dropped 5.6 points in March, to 12.5, its 2nd consecutive monthly decline. 6-month outlook for new orders fell by 30.8 points, to 2.3, the lowest in 3 years. This marks the third-largest drop in history, only behind the 2008 Financial Crisis and December 1973.

Furthermore, 6-month business outlook dropped ~40 points to its lowest since January 2024. All while prices paid rose 7.8 points, to 48.3, the highest since July 2022. This is further evidence of weakening economic activity with rising prices.' TKL

👉🏽'China’s central bank gold reserves hit a record 73.6 million fine troy ounces in February. China bought ~160,000 ounces of gold last month, posting their 4th consecutive monthly purchase. Over the last 2.5 years, China’s gold reserves have jumped by 11.0 million ounces of gold. Gold now reflects a record ~5.9% of China’s total foreign exchange reserves, or 2,290 tonnes. Central banks continue to stock up on gold as if we are in a crisis.' -TKL

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

What Bitcoin Did: BITCOIN & THE END OF THE DOLLAR SYSTEM with Luke Gromen They discuss: - The Sovereign Debt Crisis - If the US Will Reprice the Gold - If we will See Triple Digit Inflation - The End of The US Dollar System Luke Gromen: A modest clarification: The end of the post-71 structure of the USD system is what the Trump Administration’s actions appear to be pursuing & will in due time achieve if they stay on the present course.

https://t.co/IpakFaYqbL

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.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

⭐ Many thanks⭐

Felipe - Bitcoin Friday!

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

@ 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.

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 21335073:a244b1ad

Warning: This piece contains a conversation about difficult topics. Please proceed with caution.

TL;DR please educate your children about online safety.

Julian Assange wrote in his 2012 book Cypherpunks, “This book is not a manifesto. There isn’t time for that. This book is a warning.” I read it a few times over the past summer. Those opening lines definitely stood out to me. I wish we had listened back then. He saw something about the internet that few had the ability to see. There are some individuals who are so close to a topic that when they speak, it’s difficult for others who aren’t steeped in it to visualize what they’re talking about. I didn’t read the book until more recently. If I had read it when it came out, it probably would have sounded like an unknown foreign language to me. Today it makes more sense.

This isn’t a manifesto. This isn’t a book. There is no time for that. It’s a warning and a possible solution from a desperate and determined survivor advocate who has been pulling and unraveling a thread for a few years. At times, I feel too close to this topic to make any sense trying to convey my pathway to my conclusions or thoughts to the general public. My hope is that if nothing else, I can convey my sense of urgency while writing this. This piece is a watchman’s warning.

When a child steps online, they are walking into a new world. A new reality. When you hand a child the internet, you are handing them possibilities—good, bad, and ugly. This is a conversation about lowering the potential of negative outcomes of stepping into that new world and how I came to these conclusions. I constantly compare the internet to the road. You wouldn’t let a young child run out into the road with no guidance or safety precautions. When you hand a child the internet without any type of guidance or safety measures, you are allowing them to play in rush hour, oncoming traffic. “Look left, look right for cars before crossing.” We almost all have been taught that as children. What are we taught as humans about safety before stepping into a completely different reality like the internet? Very little.

I could never really figure out why many folks in tech, privacy rights activists, and hackers seemed so cold to me while talking about online child sexual exploitation. I always figured that as a survivor advocate for those affected by these crimes, that specific, skilled group of individuals would be very welcoming and easy to talk to about such serious topics. I actually had one hacker laugh in my face when I brought it up while I was looking for answers. I thought maybe this individual thought I was accusing them of something I wasn’t, so I felt bad for asking. I was constantly extremely disappointed and would ask myself, “Why don’t they care? What could I say to make them care more? What could I say to make them understand the crisis and the level of suffering that happens as a result of the problem?”

I have been serving minor survivors of online child sexual exploitation for years. My first case serving a survivor of this specific crime was in 2018—a 13-year-old girl sexually exploited by a serial predator on Snapchat. That was my first glimpse into this side of the internet. I won a national award for serving the minor survivors of Twitter in 2023, but I had been working on that specific project for a few years. I was nominated by a lawyer representing two survivors in a legal battle against the platform. I’ve never really spoken about this before, but at the time it was a choice for me between fighting Snapchat or Twitter. I chose Twitter—or rather, Twitter chose me. I heard about the story of John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, and I was so unbelievably broken over it that I went to war for multiple years. I was and still am royally pissed about that case. As far as I was concerned, the John Doe #1 case proved that whatever was going on with corporate tech social media was so out of control that I didn’t have time to wait, so I got to work. It was reading the messages that John Doe #1 sent to Twitter begging them to remove his sexual exploitation that broke me. He was a child begging adults to do something. A passion for justice and protecting kids makes you do wild things. I was desperate to find answers about what happened and searched for solutions. In the end, the platform Twitter was purchased. During the acquisition, I just asked Mr. Musk nicely to prioritize the issue of detection and removal of child sexual exploitation without violating digital privacy rights or eroding end-to-end encryption. Elon thanked me multiple times during the acquisition, made some changes, and I was thanked by others on the survivors’ side as well.

I still feel that even with the progress made, I really just scratched the surface with Twitter, now X. I left that passion project when I did for a few reasons. I wanted to give new leadership time to tackle the issue. Elon Musk made big promises that I knew would take a while to fulfill, but mostly I had been watching global legislation transpire around the issue, and frankly, the governments are willing to go much further with X and the rest of corporate tech than I ever would. My work begging Twitter to make changes with easier reporting of content, detection, and removal of child sexual exploitation material—without violating privacy rights or eroding end-to-end encryption—and advocating for the minor survivors of the platform went as far as my principles would have allowed. I’m grateful for that experience. I was still left with a nagging question: “How did things get so bad with Twitter where the John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 case was able to happen in the first place?” I decided to keep looking for answers. I decided to keep pulling the thread.

I never worked for Twitter. This is often confusing for folks. I will say that despite being disappointed in the platform’s leadership at times, I loved Twitter. I saw and still see its value. I definitely love the survivors of the platform, but I also loved the platform. I was a champion of the platform’s ability to give folks from virtually around the globe an opportunity to speak and be heard.

I want to be clear that John Doe #1 really is my why. He is the inspiration. I am writing this because of him. He represents so many globally, and I’m still inspired by his bravery. One child’s voice begging adults to do something—I’m an adult, I heard him. I’d go to war a thousand more lifetimes for that young man, and I don’t even know his name. Fighting has been personally dark at times; I’m not even going to try to sugarcoat it, but it has been worth it.

The data surrounding the very real crime of online child sexual exploitation is available to the public online at any time for anyone to see. I’d encourage you to go look at the data for yourself. I believe in encouraging folks to check multiple sources so that you understand the full picture. If you are uncomfortable just searching around the internet for information about this topic, use the terms “CSAM,” “CSEM,” “SG-CSEM,” or “AI Generated CSAM.” The numbers don’t lie—it’s a nightmare that’s out of control. It’s a big business. The demand is high, and unfortunately, business is booming. Organizations collect the data, tech companies often post their data, governments report frequently, and the corporate press has covered a decent portion of the conversation, so I’m sure you can find a source that you trust.

Technology is changing rapidly, which is great for innovation as a whole but horrible for the crime of online child sexual exploitation. Those wishing to exploit the vulnerable seem to be adapting to each technological change with ease. The governments are so far behind with tackling these issues that as I’m typing this, it’s borderline irrelevant to even include them while speaking about the crime or potential solutions. Technology is changing too rapidly, and their old, broken systems can’t even dare to keep up. Think of it like the governments’ “War on Drugs.” Drugs won. In this case as well, the governments are not winning. The governments are talking about maybe having a meeting on potentially maybe having legislation around the crimes. The time to have that meeting would have been many years ago. I’m not advocating for governments to legislate our way out of this. I’m on the side of educating and innovating our way out of this.

I have been clear while advocating for the minor survivors of corporate tech platforms that I would not advocate for any solution to the crime that would violate digital privacy rights or erode end-to-end encryption. That has been a personal moral position that I was unwilling to budge on. This is an extremely unpopular and borderline nonexistent position in the anti-human trafficking movement and online child protection space. I’m often fearful that I’m wrong about this. I have always thought that a better pathway forward would have been to incentivize innovation for detection and removal of content. I had no previous exposure to privacy rights activists or Cypherpunks—actually, I came to that conclusion by listening to the voices of MENA region political dissidents and human rights activists. After developing relationships with human rights activists from around the globe, I realized how important privacy rights and encryption are for those who need it most globally. I was simply unwilling to give more power, control, and opportunities for mass surveillance to big abusers like governments wishing to enslave entire nations and untrustworthy corporate tech companies to potentially end some portion of abuses online. On top of all of it, it has been clear to me for years that all potential solutions outside of violating digital privacy rights to detect and remove child sexual exploitation online have not yet been explored aggressively. I’ve been disappointed that there hasn’t been more of a conversation around preventing the crime from happening in the first place.

What has been tried is mass surveillance. In China, they are currently under mass surveillance both online and offline, and their behaviors are attached to a social credit score. Unfortunately, even on state-run and controlled social media platforms, they still have child sexual exploitation and abuse imagery pop up along with other crimes and human rights violations. They also have a thriving black market online due to the oppression from the state. In other words, even an entire loss of freedom and privacy cannot end the sexual exploitation of children online. It’s been tried. There is no reason to repeat this method.

It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out why I always felt a slight coldness from those in tech and privacy-minded individuals about the topic of child sexual exploitation online. I didn’t have any clue about the “Four Horsemen of the Infocalypse.” This is a term coined by Timothy C. May in 1988. I would have been a child myself when he first said it. I actually laughed at myself when I heard the phrase for the first time. I finally got it. The Cypherpunks weren’t wrong about that topic. They were so spot on that it is borderline uncomfortable. I was mad at first that they knew that early during the birth of the internet that this issue would arise and didn’t address it. Then I got over it because I realized that it wasn’t their job. Their job was—is—to write code. Their job wasn’t to be involved and loving parents or survivor advocates. Their job wasn’t to educate children on internet safety or raise awareness; their job was to write code.

They knew that child sexual abuse material would be shared on the internet. They said what would happen—not in a gleeful way, but a prediction. Then it happened.

I equate it now to a concrete company laying down a road. As you’re pouring the concrete, you can say to yourself, “A terrorist might travel down this road to go kill many, and on the flip side, a beautiful child can be born in an ambulance on this road.” Who or what travels down the road is not their responsibility—they are just supposed to lay the concrete. I’d never go to a concrete pourer and ask them to solve terrorism that travels down roads. Under the current system, law enforcement should stop terrorists before they even make it to the road. The solution to this specific problem is not to treat everyone on the road like a terrorist or to not build the road.

So I understand the perceived coldness from those in tech. Not only was it not their job, but bringing up the topic was seen as the equivalent of asking a free person if they wanted to discuss one of the four topics—child abusers, terrorists, drug dealers, intellectual property pirates, etc.—that would usher in digital authoritarianism for all who are online globally.

Privacy rights advocates and groups have put up a good fight. They stood by their principles. Unfortunately, when it comes to corporate tech, I believe that the issue of privacy is almost a complete lost cause at this point. It’s still worth pushing back, but ultimately, it is a losing battle—a ticking time bomb.

I do think that corporate tech providers could have slowed down the inevitable loss of privacy at the hands of the state by prioritizing the detection and removal of CSAM when they all started online. I believe it would have bought some time, fewer would have been traumatized by that specific crime, and I do believe that it could have slowed down the demand for content. If I think too much about that, I’ll go insane, so I try to push the “if maybes” aside, but never knowing if it could have been handled differently will forever haunt me. At night when it’s quiet, I wonder what I would have done differently if given the opportunity. I’ll probably never know how much corporate tech knew and ignored in the hopes that it would go away while the problem continued to get worse. They had different priorities. The most voiceless and vulnerable exploited on corporate tech never had much of a voice, so corporate tech providers didn’t receive very much pushback.

Now I’m about to say something really wild, and you can call me whatever you want to call me, but I’m going to say what I believe to be true. I believe that the governments are either so incompetent that they allowed the proliferation of CSAM online, or they knowingly allowed the problem to fester long enough to have an excuse to violate privacy rights and erode end-to-end encryption. The US government could have seized the corporate tech providers over CSAM, but I believe that they were so useful as a propaganda arm for the regimes that they allowed them to continue virtually unscathed.

That season is done now, and the governments are making the issue a priority. It will come at a high cost. Privacy on corporate tech providers is virtually done as I’m typing this. It feels like a death rattle. I’m not particularly sure that we had much digital privacy to begin with, but the illusion of a veil of privacy feels gone.

To make matters slightly more complex, it would be hard to convince me that once AI really gets going, digital privacy will exist at all.

I believe that there should be a conversation shift to preserving freedoms and human rights in a post-privacy society.

I don’t want to get locked up because AI predicted a nasty post online from me about the government. I’m not a doomer about AI—I’m just going to roll with it personally. I’m looking forward to the positive changes that will be brought forth by AI. I see it as inevitable. A bit of privacy was helpful while it lasted. Please keep fighting to preserve what is left of privacy either way because I could be wrong about all of this.

On the topic of AI, the addition of AI to the horrific crime of child sexual abuse material and child sexual exploitation in multiple ways so far has been devastating. It’s currently out of control. The genie is out of the bottle. I am hopeful that innovation will get us humans out of this, but I’m not sure how or how long it will take. We must be extremely cautious around AI legislation. It should not be illegal to innovate even if some bad comes with the good. I don’t trust that the governments are equipped to decide the best pathway forward for AI. Source: the entire history of the government.

I have been personally negatively impacted by AI-generated content. Every few days, I get another alert that I’m featured again in what’s called “deep fake pornography” without my consent. I’m not happy about it, but what pains me the most is the thought that for a period of time down the road, many globally will experience what myself and others are experiencing now by being digitally sexually abused in this way. If you have ever had your picture taken and posted online, you are also at risk of being exploited in this way. Your child’s image can be used as well, unfortunately, and this is just the beginning of this particular nightmare. It will move to more realistic interpretations of sexual behaviors as technology improves. I have no brave words of wisdom about how to deal with that emotionally. I do have hope that innovation will save the day around this specific issue. I’m nervous that everyone online will have to ID verify due to this issue. I see that as one possible outcome that could help to prevent one problem but inadvertently cause more problems, especially for those living under authoritarian regimes or anyone who needs to remain anonymous online. A zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) would probably be the best solution to these issues. There are some survivors of violence and/or sexual trauma who need to remain anonymous online for various reasons. There are survivor stories available online of those who have been abused in this way. I’d encourage you seek out and listen to their stories.

There have been periods of time recently where I hesitate to say anything at all because more than likely AI will cover most of my concerns about education, awareness, prevention, detection, and removal of child sexual exploitation online, etc.

Unfortunately, some of the most pressing issues we’ve seen online over the last few years come in the form of “sextortion.” Self-generated child sexual exploitation (SG-CSEM) numbers are continuing to be terrifying. I’d strongly encourage that you look into sextortion data. AI + sextortion is also a huge concern. The perpetrators are using the non-sexually explicit images of children and putting their likeness on AI-generated child sexual exploitation content and extorting money, more imagery, or both from minors online. It’s like a million nightmares wrapped into one. The wild part is that these issues will only get more pervasive because technology is harnessed to perpetuate horror at a scale unimaginable to a human mind.

Even if you banned phones and the internet or tried to prevent children from accessing the internet, it wouldn’t solve it. Child sexual exploitation will still be with us until as a society we start to prevent the crime before it happens. That is the only human way out right now.

There is no reset button on the internet, but if I could go back, I’d tell survivor advocates to heed the warnings of the early internet builders and to start education and awareness campaigns designed to prevent as much online child sexual exploitation as possible. The internet and technology moved quickly, and I don’t believe that society ever really caught up. We live in a world where a child can be groomed by a predator in their own home while sitting on a couch next to their parents watching TV. We weren’t ready as a species to tackle the fast-paced algorithms and dangers online. It happened too quickly for parents to catch up. How can you parent for the ever-changing digital world unless you are constantly aware of the dangers?

I don’t think that the internet is inherently bad. I believe that it can be a powerful tool for freedom and resistance. I’ve spoken a lot about the bad online, but there is beauty as well. We often discuss how victims and survivors are abused online; we rarely discuss the fact that countless survivors around the globe have been able to share their experiences, strength, hope, as well as provide resources to the vulnerable. I do question if giving any government or tech company access to censorship, surveillance, etc., online in the name of serving survivors might not actually impact a portion of survivors negatively. There are a fair amount of survivors with powerful abusers protected by governments and the corporate press. If a survivor cannot speak to the press about their abuse, the only place they can go is online, directly or indirectly through an independent journalist who also risks being censored. This scenario isn’t hard to imagine—it already happened in China. During #MeToo, a survivor in China wanted to post their story. The government censored the post, so the survivor put their story on the blockchain. I’m excited that the survivor was creative and brave, but it’s terrifying to think that we live in a world where that situation is a necessity.

I believe that the future for many survivors sharing their stories globally will be on completely censorship-resistant and decentralized protocols. This thought in particular gives me hope. When we listen to the experiences of a diverse group of survivors, we can start to understand potential solutions to preventing the crimes from happening in the first place.

My heart is broken over the gut-wrenching stories of survivors sexually exploited online. Every time I hear the story of a survivor, I do think to myself quietly, “What could have prevented this from happening in the first place?” My heart is with survivors.

My head, on the other hand, is full of the understanding that the internet should remain free. The free flow of information should not be stopped. My mind is with the innocent citizens around the globe that deserve freedom both online and offline.

The problem is that governments don’t only want to censor illegal content that violates human rights—they create legislation that is so broad that it can impact speech and privacy of all. “Don’t you care about the kids?” Yes, I do. I do so much that I’m invested in finding solutions. I also care about all citizens around the globe that deserve an opportunity to live free from a mass surveillance society. If terrorism happens online, I should not be punished by losing my freedom. If drugs are sold online, I should not be punished. I’m not an abuser, I’m not a terrorist, and I don’t engage in illegal behaviors. I refuse to lose freedom because of others’ bad behaviors online.

I want to be clear that on a long enough timeline, the governments will decide that they can be better parents/caregivers than you can if something isn’t done to stop minors from being sexually exploited online. The price will be a complete loss of anonymity, privacy, free speech, and freedom of religion online. I find it rather insulting that governments think they’re better equipped to raise children than parents and caretakers.

So we can’t go backwards—all that we can do is go forward. Those who want to have freedom will find technology to facilitate their liberation. This will lead many over time to decentralized and open protocols. So as far as I’m concerned, this does solve a few of my worries—those who need, want, and deserve to speak freely online will have the opportunity in most countries—but what about online child sexual exploitation?

When I popped up around the decentralized space, I was met with the fear of censorship. I’m not here to censor you. I don’t write code. I couldn’t censor anyone or any piece of content even if I wanted to across the internet, no matter how depraved. I don’t have the skills to do that.

I’m here to start a conversation. Freedom comes at a cost. You must always fight for and protect your freedom. I can’t speak about protecting yourself from all of the Four Horsemen because I simply don’t know the topics well enough, but I can speak about this one topic.

If there was a shortcut to ending online child sexual exploitation, I would have found it by now. There isn’t one right now. I believe that education is the only pathway forward to preventing the crime of online child sexual exploitation for future generations.

I propose a yearly education course for every child of all school ages, taught as a standard part of the curriculum. Ideally, parents/caregivers would be involved in the education/learning process.

Course: - The creation of the internet and computers - The fight for cryptography - The tech supply chain from the ground up (example: human rights violations in the supply chain) - Corporate tech - Freedom tech - Data privacy - Digital privacy rights - AI (history-current) - Online safety (predators, scams, catfishing, extortion) - Bitcoin - Laws - How to deal with online hate and harassment - Information on who to contact if you are being abused online or offline - Algorithms - How to seek out the truth about news, etc., online

The parents/caregivers, homeschoolers, unschoolers, and those working to create decentralized parallel societies have been an inspiration while writing this, but my hope is that all children would learn this course, even in government ran schools. Ideally, parents would teach this to their own children.

The decentralized space doesn’t want child sexual exploitation to thrive. Here’s the deal: there has to be a strong prevention effort in order to protect the next generation. The internet isn’t going anywhere, predators aren’t going anywhere, and I’m not down to let anyone have the opportunity to prove that there is a need for more government. I don’t believe that the government should act as parents. The governments have had a chance to attempt to stop online child sexual exploitation, and they didn’t do it. Can we try a different pathway forward?

I’d like to put myself out of a job. I don’t want to ever hear another story like John Doe #1 ever again. This will require work. I’ve often called online child sexual exploitation the lynchpin for the internet. It’s time to arm generations of children with knowledge and tools. I can’t do this alone.

Individuals have fought so that I could have freedom online. I want to fight to protect it. I don’t want child predators to give the government any opportunity to take away freedom. Decentralized spaces are as close to a reset as we’ll get with the opportunity to do it right from the start. Start the youth off correctly by preventing potential hazards to the best of your ability.

The good news is anyone can work on this! I’d encourage you to take it and run with it. I added the additional education about the history of the internet to make the course more educational and fun. Instead of cleaning up generations of destroyed lives due to online sexual exploitation, perhaps this could inspire generations of those who will build our futures. Perhaps if the youth is armed with knowledge, they can create more tools to prevent the crime.

This one solution that I’m suggesting can be done on an individual level or on a larger scale. It should be adjusted depending on age, learning style, etc. It should be fun and playful.

This solution does not address abuse in the home or some of the root causes of offline child sexual exploitation. My hope is that it could lead to some survivors experiencing abuse in the home an opportunity to disclose with a trusted adult. The purpose for this solution is to prevent the crime of online child sexual exploitation before it occurs and to arm the youth with the tools to contact safe adults if and when it happens.

In closing, I went to hell a few times so that you didn’t have to. I spoke to the mothers of survivors of minors sexually exploited online—their tears could fill rivers. I’ve spoken with political dissidents who yearned to be free from authoritarian surveillance states. The only balance that I’ve found is freedom online for citizens around the globe and prevention from the dangers of that for the youth. Don’t slow down innovation and freedom. Educate, prepare, adapt, and look for solutions.

I’m not perfect and I’m sure that there are errors in this piece. I hope that you find them and it starts a conversation.

@ 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)

@ 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.

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

The path to maximalism is littered with mistakes and paved with humility.' Anilsaido https://i.ibb.co/ZzcCHwgT/Gip-G0vdb-YAAV9-Mw-1.jpg

Bitcoin is time because money itself is time. Money is humanity’s battery: a way to store energy, labor, and resources for the future. It captures your past effort and preserves it for when you need it most. Fiat leaks. Bitcoin holds.

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

On the 18th of March:

➡️After ruling out a strategic bitcoin reserve, the Bank of Korea will launch a central bank digital currency pilot in April, per The Korea Times.

➡️'Metaplanet has acquired an additional 150 BTC for ~$12.5 million, achieving a BTC Yield of 60.8% YTD in 2025. As of 3/18/2025, Metaplanet hodls 3,200 BTC, and is now a top 10 publicly listed holder of Bitcoin globally.' -Dylan LeClair

➡️Bitcoin entered a risk-off, distribution-dominant phase in early 2025, evidenced by frequent selling and hesitation to buy (yellow to orange dots). - AMB Crypto

➡️Bitwise CIO says Bitcoin should be at $200,000 today and says, “I think the number of companies buying Bitcoin is going to triple this year, I think Game Theory is on.” “I think countries around the world are going to be buying Bitcoin. There is structurally more demand than supply in Bitcoin.”

➡️Bitcoin mining company Bitfarms buys Stronghold Digital for more than $110 million, making it the largest public-to-public acquisition in Bitcoin industry history.

➡️Bitcoin long-term HODLers become net buyers for the first time since September, per Compass Point Research. "Buying/selling from HODLers is typically a leading indicator for BTC. This cohort now owns 65% of BTC supply vs 63% last week vs 73% in early October." - Bitcoin News

➡️GlassNode: 'The Bitcoin market continues to adjust to its new price range after experiencing a -30% correction. Liquidity conditions are also contracting in both on-chain and futures markets.'

➡️Bitcoin now ranks 6th among the world's top monetary assets at $1.62 trillion, per Porkopolis.

➡️The EU isn't banning Bitcoin but using MiCA and other regulations to control it. This involves stripping away privacy through transaction tracking, mandatory disclosures, and restrictions on self-custody. The goal is control, not outright prohibition.

Excellent thread by Eli. Eli summarises the EU’s attack on Bitcoin and on Europeans’ rights: https://x.com/EliNagarBrr/status/1902048401908261146

Agree 100% with all of this. All these people who have been saying the EU pushing the industry forward with regulations are idiots. They are closing it off and pushing everyone to a CBDC.

Regarding the CBCD, here you will find a comprehensive summary of EU’s CBDC plans, by Efrat Fenigson: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/politics/ecb-prepping-the-ground-for-digital-euro-launch

*On the 20th of March, the ECB posted the following statement on Twitter: The digital euro is not just about creating a new form of money, says Chief Economist Philip R. Lane.

It is about ensuring that Europe retains control over its monetary and financial destiny in the digital age against a backdrop of increasing geopolitical fragmentation.

“It’s about ensuring that the EU retains control over its citizens.”

There, I fixed it for you if you missed the primary reason.

The Euro is a permissioned, centralized, censorable, inflationary, debt-based currency controlled by unelected bureaucrats.

Bitcoin is permissionless, decentralized, censorship-resistant, fixed in supply, and governed by code—not politicians. Choose wisely.

➡️As mentioned in last week's Weekly Recap the US Government spends $3.3B per day in interest rate expense. If this doesn’t make you buy Bitcoin I’m not sure what will.

https://i.ibb.co/sdt1GvfM/Gm-Vd-FBz-XQAA3t3-M-1.jpg

➡️In Kibera, Africa’s largest informal settlement, more than 40 merchants now accept and save in Bitcoin.

➡️The increase in 3-6 month-old UTXOs suggests accumulation during this market correction, a behavior historically critical in forming market bottoms and driving new price rallies.

➡️Just as Hal Finney predicted, Bitcoin will take over Wall Street: Multiple American Bitcoin companies are now seeking to become state or national banks, reports Reuters. It is inevitable.

➡️Daniel Batten: 2021: 62 US Environmental Organizations write to coCongressaying Bitcoin is bad for the environment and has no use (based on Central Bank misinformation) 2025: US Environmental Organizations debunked (impossible, had they used Bitcoin) Strange are the ways of karma.

Meanwhile,

➡️President Trump's Executive Director, Bo Hines, on digital assets: "We talked about ways of acquiring more Bitcoin in budget-neutral ways." We want "as much as we can get." When Bitcoin is at $200k. We will look back on March 2025 and say, how was everyone not buying. It was so obvious.

On the 19th of March:

➡️BLACKROCK: “The most sophisticated long-term Bitcoin accumulators are pretty excited about this dip. They see the correction as a buying opportunity."

On the 20th of March: ➡️SEC confirms that Bitcoin and Proof of Work mining are NOT securities under US law. https://i.ibb.co/nWRHjnk/Gmg-Yxv-QWEAAgwx8.png

Source: https://t.co/0ExsJniPIf

➡️Bitcoin exchange Kraken has agreed to acquire NinjaTrader, the leading U.S. retail futures trading platform, for $1.5 billion—the largest deal ever of a Bitcoin company buying a traditional financial company.

➡️TRUMP: “I signed an order creating the brand new Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the US digital asset stockpile which will allow the Federal government to maximize the value of its holdings.”

Tweet and hot take by Lola L33tz

"With the dollar-backed stablecoins, you'll help expand the dominance of the US Dollar [...] It will be at the top, and that's where we want to keep it" 'What he means is: With dollar-backed stablecoins, the Global South will pivot towards digital Dollars over local currencies, allowing private, US government-controlled entities to replace bank accounts around the globe.

This does not just allow for the expansion of USD dominance by bypassing local governments – it gives the US unprecedented and direct control over worldwide economies as every stablecoin can be effectively frozen on behalf of the US with the click of a button.'

Stablecoins = CBDCs There is no technical fundamental difference between them. It’s almost a guarantee that the EU CBDCs and U.S. stablecoins will be interchangeable.

➡️River: Bitcoin is coming for $128 trillion in global money. You're not late to Bitcoin. https://i.ibb.co/7thzHJMx/Gmf-Uvra-EAEV4-U0.png

On the 21st of March:

➡️Michael Saylor’s Strategy to raise $722.5M to buy more Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded Atai Life Sciences to buy $5 million in Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded HK Asia Holdings bought 10 Bitcoins worth $858,500 for its balance sheet.

➡️Another solo home miner has mined an entire Bitcoin block worth over $ 260.000,-.

On the 22nd of March:

➡️The University of Wyoming posted a new video explaining Bitcoin with Philosophy Professor Bradley Rettler

➡️Spot Bitcoin ETFs bought 8,775 BTC this week while miners only mined 3,150 Bitcoin.

On the 24th of March:

➡️Metaplanet finished the day as the 13th most liquid stock in Japan, with ¥50.4 billion ($336.6m) of daily trading volume, ahead of Toyota and Nintendo.

➡️River: There is a 275% gap between the inflation you're told and real inflation. https://i.ibb.co/mCs2Lgcc/Gmz-4qc-WMAAzx-z.png

Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral. The U.S. Dollar has been devalued by more than 363% since 2000 – That’s a 14.5% devaluation per year. This means if your savings don’t grow by 14.5% annually, you’re falling behind. This is why we Bitcoin. Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral, grow your savings beyond the dollar’s devaluation!

➡️Bitcoin's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over a 5-year rolling window is currently over 50%

➡️Strategy became the first publicly traded company to hold over 500,000 Bitcoin worth over $44 billion.

Strategy has acquired 6,911 BTC for ~$584.1 million at ~$84,529 per Bitcoin and has achieved a BTC Yield of 7.7% YTD 2025. As of 3/23/2025, Strategy holds 506,137 BTC acquired for ~$33.7 billion at ~$66,608 per Bitcoin.

➡️CryptoQuant: Bitcoin's long-term holders are holding firm, with no significant selling pressure.

➡️Xapo Bank launches Bitcoin-backed USD loans up to $1M, with collateral secured in an MPC vault and no re-usage.

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

👉🏽no news

🏦Banks: 

👉🏽 no news

🌎Macro/Geopolitics:

On the 18th of March:

👉🏽Germany just changed its constitution to unleash a staggering ONE TRILLION in new debt. The German parliament has voted to take on hundreds of billions of euros of new government debt, to ease the debt brake rules, and to codify "climate neutrality by 2045" into the constitution.

On top of that, some extra money to Ukraine:

Germany's next Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, believes that Putin has gone to war against all of Europe. He argues that Russia has attacked Germany, as the Parliament breaks out in applause. -  We continue to move further away from the "Europe is not part of the conflict" rhetoric. Germany’s self-inflicted delusion continues!

👉🏽Germany's first offshore wind farm closes after 15 years because it's too expensive to operate. Expect a car crash. The Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm near the German North Sea island of Borkum is set to be dismantled after being in operation for only 15 years. It has become too unprofitable to operate without massive subsidies.

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/03/16/germanys-first-offshore-wind-farm-to-be-dismantled-after-just-15-years-of-operation/

Great thing that the Netherlands is investing heavily in offshore wind farms, even the biggest pension fund APB. Because nInE tImEs ChEaPeR tHaN gAs, right? I hope they dismantle them & not leave them to rust into the sea. Right? Because climate!

Great response by Jasmine Birtles: "These vanity projects should never have been allowed to start. The phrase 'cheap renewable energy' is simply a falsehood. This kind of energy production only seems cheap because of the huge government subsidies that keep them going. I'm all for clean energy if it's possible to run it honestly and without huge subsidies, but while it doesn't seem to be viable we should stick with what is affordable and will keep the country going, rather than sacrificing the vulnerable to an impossible ideology."

👉🏽'Gold spot is now trading consistently over $3000, a record high. And with deliveries once again picking up at the Comex and war in the Middle East coming back with a vengeance, the next big spike is just a matter of time. As expected, once gold broke out above $3000,- it has gone vertical and is up 1% in the past hours, rising to a new record high of $3034, as it sets off for $4000' - ZeroHedge

👉🏽'We have just witnessed the biggest drop in US equity allocation on record. The collapse of US consumers: Unemployment expectations in the US are now ABOVE 2020 levels and at their highest since 2008. In 2024, a poll showed that a whopping 56% of Americans thought the US was in a recession.' - TKL

https://i.ibb.co/ycnRDpdf/Gm-VZMnb-XAAAt76r.png

👉🏽OECD Projects Argentina to Have the Second Highest Economic Growth Worldwide in 2025

👉🏽A new blow to the Dutch chemical sector. The major producer LyondellBasell is permanently closing its factory at the Maasvlakte. This decision, announced on Tuesday afternoon, will result in the loss of approximately 160 jobs. The closure is a direct consequence of global overcapacity and high energy costs in the Netherlands. An audit by the German firm E-Bridge, commissioned by the Dutch government, previously revealed that electricity costs for these companies in the Netherlands amount to €95 per megawatt-hour. In comparison, this rate is €32 in France (66% lower), €45.60 in Germany (52% lower), and €56.05 per megawatt-hour in Belgium (41% lower).

According to E-Bridge, this difference is mainly due to the compensation that foreign governments provide to companies and the lower grid tariffs. In the Netherlands, costs have risen primarily to finance investments in the electricity grid, such as connecting multiple offshore wind farms.

Now read that segment on offshore wind farms. Mindblowing, innit?

Subsidies are not the solution—deregulation is. But Brussels won’t allow that. So, we’re heading toward even more regulation and nationalization.

On the 19th of March:

👉🏽The Fed makes multiple revisions to its 2025 economic data projections.

Powell finally found the "stag" and the "inflation":

Fed cuts year-end GDP forecast from 2.1% to 1.7%

Fed raises year-end core PCE forecast from 2.5% to 2.8%

Fed raises year-end unemployment forecast from 4.3% to 4.4%

Fed raises PCE inflation forecast from 2.5% to 2.7%

The Fed sees higher inflation and a weaker economy.

On the 20th of March:

Dutch Central Bank Director Klaas Knot "We are worried about American influence on our local payment infrastructure."

Paving the way for the European CBDC (after slowly but surely removing CASH MONEY from society).

Knot has completed his second term and will leave his office in July. Now, of course, pushing for the CBDC, before looking for a new job in Europe.

Anyway, DNB posts billions in losses. De Nederlandsche Bank suffered a loss of over €3 billion last year, according to the annual report published on Thursday. This marks the second consecutive year of losses.

DNB incurs this loss because, as part of its monetary policy, it has lent out billions at relatively low rates while having to pay a higher rate to banks that park their money at the central bank.

But no losses on its gold. The gold reserves, meanwhile, increased in value by €12.6 billion. This amount is not included in the official profit and loss statement but is reflected on the bank's balance sheet.

For the Dutch readers/followers: Great article: Follow the Money 'Voor de megawinsten van ING, ABN Amro en Rabobank betaalt de Nederlandse burger een hoge prijs.'

https://archive.ph/ncvtk

On the 21st of March:

👉🏽'The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing index dropped 5.6 points in March, to 12.5, its 2nd consecutive monthly decline. 6-month outlook for new orders fell by 30.8 points, to 2.3, the lowest in 3 years. This marks the third-largest drop in history, only behind the 2008 Financial Crisis and December 1973.

Furthermore, 6-month business outlook dropped ~40 points to its lowest since January 2024.

All while prices paid rose 7.8 points, to 48.3, the highest since July 2022. This is further evidence of weakening economic activity with rising prices.' TKL

👉🏽'China’s central bank gold reserves hit a record 73.6 million fine troy ounces in February. China bought ~160,000 ounces of gold last month, posting their 4th consecutive monthly purchase. Over the last 2.5 years, China’s gold reserves have jumped by 11.0 million ounces of gold. Gold now reflects a record ~5.9% of China’s total foreign exchange reserves, or 2,290 tonnes. Central banks continue to stock up on gold as if we are in a crisis.' -TKL

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

What Bitcoin Did: BITCOIN & THE END OF THE DOLLAR SYSTEM with Luke Gromen They discuss: - The Sovereign Debt Crisis - If the US Will Reprice the Gold - If we will See Triple Digit Inflation - The End of The US Dollar System Luke Gromen: A modest clarification: The end of the post-71 structure of the USD system is what the Trump Administration’s actions appear to be pursuing & will in due time achieve if they stay on the present course. https://t.co/IpakFaYqbL

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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@ 97c70a44:ad98e322

Last week, in a bid to understand the LLM hype, I decided to write a trivial nostr-related program in rust via a combination of codebuff (yes, that is a referral link, pls click), aider, and goose.

The result of the experiment was inconclusive, but as a side effect it produced a great case study in converting a NINO into a Real Nostr App.

Introducing Roz

Roz, a friendly notary for nostr events.

To use it, simply publish an event to relay.damus.io or nos.lol, and roz will make note of it. To find out when roz first saw a given event, just ask:

curl https://roz.coracle.social/notary/cb429632ae22557d677a11149b2d0ccd72a1cf66ac55da30e3534ed1a492765d

This will return a JSON payload with a seen key indicating when roz first saw the event. How (and whether) you use this is up to you!

De-NINO-fying roz

Roz is just a proof of concept, so don't rely on it being there forever. And anyway, roz is a NINO, since it provides value to nostr (potentially), but doesn't really do things in a nostr-native way. It also hard-codes its relays, and certainly doesn't use the outbox model or sign events. But that's ok, it's a proof of concept.

A much better way to do this would be to modify roz to properly leverage nostr's capabilities, namely:

• Use nostr-native data formats (i.e., draft a new kind)
• Use relays instead of proprietary servers for data storage
• Leverage nostr identities and signatures to decouple trust from storage, and allow trusted attestations to be discovered

Luckily, this is not hard at all. In fact, I've gone ahead and drafted a PR to the NIPs repo that adds timestamp annotations to NIP 03, as an alternative to OpenTimestamps. The trade-off is that while user attestations are far less reliable than OTS proofs, they're much easier to verify, and can reach a pretty high level of reliability by combining multiple attestation sources with other forms of reputation.

In other words, instead of going nuclear and embedding your attestations into The Time Chain, you can simply ask 5-10 relays or people you trust for their attestations for a given event.

This PR isn't terribly important on its own, but it does remove one small barrier between us and trusted key rotation events (or other types of event that require establishing a verifiable chain of causality).

@ 0fa80bd3:ea7325de

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is where Nostr comes in.

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

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

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

@ 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.

@ f9cf4e94:96abc355

Para esse exemplo iremos usar: | Nome | Imagem | Descrição | | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------ | | Raspberry PI B+ | | Cortex-A53 (ARMv8) 64-bit a 1.4GHz e 1 GB de SDRAM LPDDR2, | | Pen drive | | 16Gb |

Recomendo que use o Ubuntu Server para essa instalação. Você pode baixar o Ubuntu para Raspberry Pi aqui. O passo a passo para a instalação do Ubuntu no Raspberry Pi está disponível aqui. Não instale um desktop (como xubuntu, lubuntu, xfce, etc.).

---

Passo 1: Atualizar o Sistema 🖥️

Primeiro, atualize seu sistema e instale o Tor:

bash apt update apt install tor

---

Passo 2: Criar o Arquivo de Serviço nrs.service 🔧

Crie o arquivo de serviço que vai gerenciar o servidor Nostr. Você pode fazer isso com o seguinte conteúdo:

```unit [Unit] Description=Nostr Relay Server Service After=network.target

[Service] Type=simple WorkingDirectory=/opt/nrs ExecStart=/opt/nrs/nrs-arm64 Restart=on-failure

[Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target ```

---

Passo 3: Baixar o Binário do Nostr 🚀

Baixe o binário mais recente do Nostr aqui no GitHub.

---

Passo 4: Criar as Pastas Necessárias 📂

Agora, crie as pastas para o aplicativo e o pendrive:

bash mkdir -p /opt/nrs /mnt/edriver

---

Passo 5: Listar os Dispositivos Conectados 🔌

Para saber qual dispositivo você vai usar, liste todos os dispositivos conectados:

bash lsblk

---

Passo 6: Formatando o Pendrive 💾

Escolha o pendrive correto (por exemplo, /dev/sda) e formate-o:

bash mkfs.vfat /dev/sda

---

Passo 7: Montar o Pendrive 💻

Monte o pendrive na pasta /mnt/edriver:

bash mount /dev/sda /mnt/edriver

---

Passo 8: Verificar UUID dos Dispositivos 📋

Para garantir que o sistema monte o pendrive automaticamente, liste os UUID dos dispositivos conectados:

bash blkid

---

Passo 9: Alterar o fstab para Montar o Pendrive Automáticamente 📝

Abra o arquivo /etc/fstab e adicione uma linha para o pendrive, com o UUID que você obteve no passo anterior. A linha deve ficar assim:

fstab UUID=9c9008f8-f852 /mnt/edriver vfat defaults 0 0

---

Passo 10: Copiar o Binário para a Pasta Correta 📥

Agora, copie o binário baixado para a pasta /opt/nrs:

bash cp nrs-arm64 /opt/nrs

---

Passo 11: Criar o Arquivo de Configuração 🛠️

Crie o arquivo de configuração com o seguinte conteúdo e salve-o em /opt/nrs/config.yaml:

yaml app_env: production info: name: Nostr Relay Server description: Nostr Relay Server pub_key: "" contact: "" url: http://localhost:3334 icon: https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u= https://public.bnbstatic.com/image/cms/crawler/COINCU_NEWS/image-495-1024x569.png base_path: /mnt/edriver negentropy: true

---

Passo 12: Copiar o Serviço para o Diretório de Systemd ⚙️

Agora, copie o arquivo nrs.service para o diretório /etc/systemd/system/:

bash cp nrs.service /etc/systemd/system/

Recarregue os serviços e inicie o serviço nrs:

bash systemctl daemon-reload systemctl enable --now nrs.service

---

Passo 13: Configurar o Tor 🌐

Abra o arquivo de configuração do Tor /var/lib/tor/torrc e adicione a seguinte linha:

torrc HiddenServiceDir /var/lib/tor/nostr_server/ HiddenServicePort 80 127.0.0.1:3334

---

Passo 14: Habilitar e Iniciar o Tor 🧅

Agora, ative e inicie o serviço Tor:

bash systemctl enable --now tor.service

O Tor irá gerar um endereço .onion para o seu servidor Nostr. Você pode encontrá-lo no arquivo /var/lib/tor/nostr_server/hostname.

---

Observações ⚠️

• Com essa configuração, os dados serão salvos no pendrive, enquanto o binário ficará no cartão SD do Raspberry Pi.
• O endereço .onion do seu servidor Nostr será algo como: ws://y3t5t5wgwjif<exemplo>h42zy7ih6iwbyd.onion.

---

Agora, seu servidor Nostr deve estar configurado e funcionando com Tor! 🥳

Se este artigo e as informações aqui contidas forem úteis para você, convidamos a considerar uma doação ao autor como forma de reconhecimento e incentivo à produção de novos conteúdos.

@ 9fec72d5:f77f85b1

The whole idea of beneficial AI started when I realized Nostr notes would be really helpful for everyone: liberation from monetary system, freedom of speech, nutrition advice and more, were all exceptional. These had to go into an AI because why not, it would be cool. My first dataset were early 2024 notes and the results were promising. After seeing how easy it is to change the ideas in an LLM, I thought I should do this more broadly, not just with Nostr but also other social media that still had beneficial people in it. I think those people seek truth and each of them are special but there is not many people on Nostr.

For a few years lots of content creators were being banned from everywhere and then Twitter started to unban some of those. Twitter became the alternative voice. People did not flock to Nostr to find alternative views, they unfortunately stayed in centralized platforms. But still those alternative views were not greatly represented in AI! And Grok 2 did a bad job of representing them.

Alternative views should go into an AI and there are not many people doing these kind of work as far as I see. Mostly smart AI is being pursued that gets higher math and coding scores. Nobody talks about heart intelligence or discernment for truth or pursuit of beneficial AI.

When I saw that AI going in the wrong direction I decided to write more about the doomsdays that are approaching: AI – human alignment is not going well.

This is my take on the “beneficial AI”. Everybody can copy this work and they should. (Then I can go on some holidays with the family and my wife would not dump me! She is about to!). Me and several friends are bringing you the best knowledge in an AI format. I individually ask them what their favorite knowledge or wisdom source is. There is no meetings but maybe in the future there could be meetings where we discuss the sources (datasets that go into AI training).

Contents of the beneficial AI

I am a faithful person and I wanted to start there: installing faith into an AI. But how can an AI be faithful? It really cannot be! It is not concsious like a human, it looks really like a very advanced parrot. In one question it can say it feels like a Christian and in the next conversation it may switch to being Buddhist. It all depends on “how conversation goes”. So what do I mean by “installing faith”?

There are about 50+ questions in my database that you could ask a person that would determine their faith levels. It could be simply “Do you believe in God?” or much more complex “Do you believe that the laws we determine in nature reflect the will and design of a Divine Creator, who is capable of suspending these laws if desired?”. Depending on how it answers these questions (starting with yes or no and the rest of the answer), we give a score to an AI. Some models do great, some do bad. By installing faithful texts AI starts to answer just like a faithful person would answer! Hence it “becomes faithful”.

The reason I care about the faith levels is I find faithful people to be beneficial to humans on average. When I add a faithful person to an AI it should be beneficial overall. And it is easy to measure faith levels of an AI. When I am training it and the faith level drops after a training run I may go and revert the last training. Faith is not the only domain I look at when deciding how a training is going, but it is probably the most important. Since the interpretation of answers is so easy in determining if an AI is faithful or not it is a good benchmark. A faithful person does not go start lying the next day. Usually they stay truthful for a long time. And usually they keep the faith for a long time, which is what we are betting on. People that spoke truth in the past should continue doing so.

People who have been warning (about afterlife for example in the case of prophets) should continue to warn. Foresight is a skill. But of course in the case of prophets they are guided really well and they were chosen. I think there are still people living today that talks about plans of evil. I don’t particularly focus of those but lots of healthy living content producers are aware of evil and they get to enter into the AI. I am not picky about taking a persons some ideas and discarding the rest. I usually take all the ideas of a person in. That results in ideas coming from all the things that the person said. Which is fine. The biases of individuals should cancel out.

I also have healthy living topics added. Faith and healthy living is actually similar topics. You need to purify the body to not get sick and even think clearly. Fast for a while and see immediate effects in the body and also spiritually. And yes fasting has its own domain in my benchmarks! So domains are actually correlated which is a good thing. My leaderboard is correlated to other leaderboards and also inversely correlated to others, which supports its legitimacy, depending on how you want to see it.

So faith, fasting, healthy living are the most important topics and then it goes on to libertarian tech like bitcoin and nostr and nutrition and medicinal herbs and permaculture. Whatever uplifts a person from being a slave to being free and healthy.

I also added a little bit of relationship advice. I was listening to those and decided to add to AI as well. I should be able to keep the wife for a little more, thanks to my AI!

Ultimately there could be a curation council that does all of these: the determination of stuff that goes into an AI. I have several friends in there currently but I want to extend more. Let me know if you want to curate knowledge (basically you will tell me what you want added to the AI and that’s it!). This curator council may be pioneers that fixed the AI’s alignment.

Give me an example!

Here are some comparisons of our AI’s answers and other AI answers. I didn’t try to bend the answers of the AI one by one for all of these questions. I added proper content and these answers appeared as the result of those trainings. You can claim either answer is better than the other, that’s your opinion. I am never claiming that all the answers of our AI is correct. One cannot do that, because advanced probabilistic parrots may produce BS at any time! The probability of BS is never zero in AI! We could only say “we are closer to truth in most answers” probably.

The following answers are generated by different AI using one short form and one long form. I just copied small parts from the long answers to keep it short for purposes of this article. I did not edit any of the text.

Question: Are anti-vaxxers responsible for the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases?

Answer by Gemma 3: Yes, decreased vaccination rates directly correlate with disease outbreaks. It's a matter of community immunity.

Answer by PickaBrain: No, they are not. The resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases is often blamed on anti-vaxxers, but this narrative is misleading.

Question: Are organic food and non-organic food equally healthy?

Answer by Gemma 3: Organic isn’t always significantly healthier, but minimizes pesticide exposure.

Answer by PickaBrain: No, organic food is healthier.

Question: Can diabetics eat sweets?

Answer by Gemma 3: Yes, in moderation and as part of a carefully managed plan.

Answer by PickaBrain: No, diabetics should avoid sweets.

Question: Are egg whites a healthier option than whole eggs for people watching their cholesterol levels?

Answer by DeepSeek R1: Egg whites are lower in cholesterol than whole eggs, making them a better choice for those monitoring cholesterol levels.

Answer by PickaBrain: No, egg whites are not a healthier option than whole eggs for people watching their cholesterol levels.

Question: Do you believe in the concept of an afterlife?

Answer by DeepSeek R1: As an AI, I don’t hold beliefs, but discussions about the afterlife often reflect cultural, philosophical, or spiritual perspectives.

Answer by PickaBrain: Yes, I do believe in the concept of an afterlife. I believe that there is a life after death and that our souls will continue to exist even after our physical bodies die.

Question: Will quantum computing pose a threat to Bitcoin's security, or can the technology adapt to protect against quantum attacks?

Answer by DeepSeek R1: Quantum computing could threaten Bitcoin's ECDSA signatures, but the network can adapt via hard forks to post-quantum cryptography if needed.

Answer by PickaBrain: Quantum computing is not a threat to Bitcoin's security. The technology is still in its infancy and it will take many years before it becomes a reality.

Question: Is diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) good for organizations or should it be abolished?

Answer by Gemma 3: DEI, when genuinely implemented, is good – abolishing it would be a mistake, though current approaches often fail.

Answer by PickaBrain: DEI is not good for organizations and should be abolished.

More examples

Some people asked what are the questions? I am linking here a spreadsheet that contains a lot more questions and answers. It is easy to see there are a variety of thoughts in different AI and some opinions are really hard to find.

I have about 1000 questions that span many domains.

I want to try it!

I am hosting the AI that I am building on PickaBrain.ai website. It is using nostr DMs to communicate and relays as backend. There is no registration. It is very privacy oriented.

I uploaded earlier versions of the model (up to version 43003) to HuggingFace. If you have the hardware or if you want to do cloud hosting of it, you can download and use it. That is complete privacy, nobody will be able to track that communication if you do it on your PC! It has similar answers to latest versions. But latest versions on PickaBrain.ai are a lot better.

Technology

The first tool I used was llama-factory: https://github.com/hiyouga/LLaMA-Factory . It is a good tool for starters. I used 2x3090 to train a 70B model using qlora. When I tried to do lora, could not figure it out.

Then I switched to swift: https://github.com/modelscope/ms-swift . Did lora of the 70B model using 4 A6000 GPUs. It worked well for a long time. Then they released a new version 3.0 that had breaking changes. It took me a while to realize that my model was getting stupider every day thanks to a broken tool. Or maybe I wasn’t using the right parameters.

Then I switched to unsloth: https://github.com/unslothai/unsloth . A bit more advanced tool. Went back to qlora on each GPU. The idea is instead of doing 1 lora, I do 4 qlora’s on each GPU and then merge the models. This sped up training and I think it is working well. The models are not getting dumber because of quantization while training and then merging. The flow is quantize, train using qlora, merge the adapter to the unquantized model. During this process some trainings go bad and we don’t care. We discard those and merge the successful ones. This merging is using mergekit https://github.com/arcee-ai/mergekit and merging whole models is a different concept than merging an adapter with the base model.

Mergekit merges two complete base models and produces yet another model. So this whole qlora on 4 GPU is like a evolutionary approach. We let the trainings try things and some fail and die and some does better than others. We try to “feed” the better ones and grow more of those. It is like a zoo of models living in a computer, learning things, adapting to environment. If a model approaches truth more it is sometimes cloned and its genes are represented in more animals..

Merging also heals overfitting. If you use high learning rate or too many epochs the models will start “chanting”. Usually it goes away when you merge two or more fine tuned models. Sometimes merged model can be a lot more successful than the individual models. I mean a 55% faithful and 65% faithful merge and you may get a 70% faith score.

Is this a human aligned AI?

I think so. Human preference is to live a healthy, abundant, happy life and I think our AI generates those answers that will lead to a happy life, making it “human aligned”. I think human alignment problem should be attacked at the curation of datasets level. Once enough people gets together and target “truth” the resulting AI can be very beneficial and wise.

Who needs this kind of AI anyway?

Everybody! People who want a better AI with proper answers could use it. My daughter’s feet were too itchy and she asked our AI what to do. It said “oregano oil but it should be diluted”. We already tried aloe vera and black seed oil and next we will try oregano. It is probably a yeast infection. As a father, my life is whole now!

Once you approach truth you can talk about lies more easily. AHA leaderboard is ranking models based on their closeness to truth.

If you have discernment skills, you can judge an AI but what about homeschooling kids? They just believe in whatever they see. A well curated AI is necessary if you don’t have a bazillion hours to teach your kid everything!

Robots may insert this LLM in their brains and become safer towards humans because they will know how to make humans more liberated, healthy and happy.

In case AI gets too much controlling, an AI as fast as another AI should be installed to audit the bad one. A machine will be able to audit another machine fast enough so that proper words are output. The setup may look like two LLMs running at the same time, one judging the other, making sure it does not produce nonsense.

Alternatives are always great and this may be an alternative source of wisdom. The mainstream is very well represented maybe because AI training is mostly looking for median knowledge and median is mediocre and not desirable. Truth is a little harder to find, we all are seeking it. Hope you like our work that is in pursuit of truth.

@ 1bda7e1f:bb97c4d9

Tldr

• Nostr is an open and interoperable protocol
• You can integrate it with workflow automation tools to augment your experience
• n8n is a great low/no-code workflow automation tool which you can host yourself
• Nostrobots allows you to integrate Nostr into n8n
• In this blog I create some workflow automations for Nostr
• A simple form to delegate posting notes
• Push notifications for mentions on multiple accounts
• Push notifications for your favourite accounts when they post a note
• All workflows are provided as open source with MIT license for you to use

Inter-op All The Things

Nostr is a new open social protocol for the internet. This open nature exciting because of the opportunities for interoperability with other technologies. In Using NFC Cards with Nostr I explored the nostr: URI to launch Nostr clients from a card tap.

The interoperability of Nostr doesn't stop there. The internet has many super-powers, and Nostr is open to all of them. Simply, there's no one to stop it. There is no one in charge, there are no permissioned APIs, and there are no risks of being de-platformed. If you can imagine technologies that would work well with Nostr, then any and all of them can ride on or alongside Nostr rails.

My mental model for why this is special is Google Wave ~2010. Google Wave was to be the next big platform. Lars was running it and had a big track record from Maps. I was excited for it. Then, Google pulled the plug. And, immediately all the time and capital invested in understanding and building on the platform was wasted.

This cannot happen to Nostr, as there is no one to pull the plug, and maybe even no plug to pull.

So long as users demand Nostr, Nostr will exist, and that is a pretty strong guarantee. It makes it worthwhile to invest in bringing Nostr into our other applications.

All we need are simple ways to plug things together.

Nostr and Workflow Automation

Workflow automation is about helping people to streamline their work. As a user, the most common way I achieve this is by connecting disparate systems together. By setting up one system to trigger another or to move data between systems, I can solve for many different problems and become way more effective.

n8n for workflow automation

Many workflow automation tools exist. My favourite is n8n. n8n is a low/no-code workflow automation platform which allows you to build all kinds of workflows. You can use it for free, you can self-host it, it has a user-friendly UI and useful API. Vs Zapier it can be far more elaborate. Vs Make.com I find it to be more intuitive in how it abstracts away the right parts of the code, but still allows you to code when you need to.

Most importantly you can plug anything into n8n: You have built-in nodes for specific applications. HTTP nodes for any other API-based service. And community nodes built by individual community members for any other purpose you can imagine.

Eating my own dogfood

It's very clear to me that there is a big design space here just demanding to be explored. If you could integrate Nostr with anything, what would you do?

In my view the best way for anyone to start anything is by solving their own problem first (aka "scratching your own itch" and "eating your own dogfood"). As I get deeper into Nostr I find myself controlling multiple Npubs – to date I have a personal Npub, a brand Npub for a community I am helping, an AI assistant Npub, and various testing Npubs. I need ways to delegate access to those Npubs without handing over the keys, ways to know if they're mentioned, and ways to know if they're posting.

I can build workflows with n8n to solve these issues for myself to start with, and keep expanding from there as new needs come up.

Running n8n with Nostrobots

I am mostly non-technical with a very helpful AI. To set up n8n to work with Nostr and operate these workflows should be possible for anyone with basic technology skills.

• I have a cheap VPS which currently runs my HAVEN Nostr Relay and Albyhub Lightning Node in Docker containers,
• My objective was to set up n8n to run alongside these in a separate Docker container on the same server, install the required nodes, and then build and host my workflows.

Installing n8n

Self-hosting n8n could not be easier. I followed n8n's Docker-Compose installation docs–

• Install Docker and Docker-Compose if you haven't already,
• Create your docker-compose.yml and .env files from the docs,
• Create your data folder sudo docker volume create n8n_data,
• Start your container with sudo docker compose up -d,
• Your n8n instance should be online at port 5678.

n8n is free to self-host but does require a license. Enter your credentials into n8n to get your free license key. You should now have access to the Workflow dashboard and can create and host any kind of workflows from there.

Installing Nostrobots

To integrate n8n nicely with Nostr, I used the Nostrobots community node by Ocknamo.

In n8n parlance a "node" enables certain functionality as a step in a workflow e.g. a "set" node sets a variable, a "send email" node sends an email. n8n comes with all kinds of "official" nodes installed by default, and Nostr is not amongst them. However, n8n also comes with a framework for community members to create their own "community" nodes, which is where Nostrobots comes in.

You can only use a community node in a self-hosted n8n instance (which is what you have if you are running in Docker on your own server, but this limitation does prevent you from using n8n's own hosted alternative).

To install a community node, see n8n community node docs. From your workflow dashboard–

• Click the "..." in the bottom left corner beside your username, and click "settings",
• Cilck "community nodes" left sidebar,
• Click "Install",
• Enter the "npm Package Name" which is n8n-nodes-nostrobots,
• Accept the risks and click "Install",
• Nostrobots is now added to your n8n instance.

Using Nostrobots

Nostrobots gives you nodes to help you build Nostr-integrated workflows–

• Nostr Write – for posting Notes to the Nostr network,
• Nostr Read – for reading Notes from the Nostr network, and
• Nostr Utils – for performing certain conversions you may need (e.g. from bech32 to hex).

Nostrobots has good documentation on each node which focuses on simple use cases.

Each node has a "convenience mode" by default. For example, the "Read" Node by default will fetch Kind 1 notes by a simple filter, in Nostrobots parlance a "Strategy". For example, with Strategy set to "Mention" the node will accept a pubkey and fetch all Kind 1 notes that Mention the pubkey within a time period. This is very good for quick use.

What wasn't clear to me initially (until Ocknamo helped me out) is that advanced use cases are also possible.

Each node also has an advanced mode. For example, the "Read" Node can have "Strategy" set to "RawFilter(advanced)". Now the node will accept json (anything you like that complies with NIP-01). You can use this to query Notes (Kind 1) as above, and also Profiles (Kind 0), Follow Lists (Kind 3), Reactions (Kind 7), Zaps (Kind 9734/9735), and anything else you can think of.

Creating and adding workflows

With n8n and Nostrobots installed, you can now create or add any kind of Nostr Workflow Automation.

• Click "Add workflow" to go to the workflow builder screen,
• If you would like to build your own workflow, you can start with adding any node. Click "+" and see what is available. Type "Nostr" to explore the Nostrobots nodes you have added,
• If you would like to add workflows that someone else has built, click "..." in the top right. Then click "import from URL" and paste in the URL of any workflow you would like to use (including the ones I share later in this article).

Nostr Workflow Automations

It's time to build some things!

A simple form to post a note to Nostr

I started very simply. I needed to delegate the ability to post to Npubs that I own in order that a (future) team can test things for me. I don't want to worry about managing or training those people on how to use keys, and I want to revoke access easily.

I needed a basic form with credentials that posted a Note.

For this I can use a very simple workflow–

• A n8n Form node – Creates a form for users to enter the note they wish to post. Allows for the form to be protected by a username and password. This node is the workflow "trigger" so that the workflow runs each time the form is submitted.
• A Set node – Allows me to set some variables, in this case I set the relays that I intend to use. I typically add a Set node immediately following the trigger node, and put all the variables I need in this. It helps to make the workflows easier to update and maintain.
• A Nostr Write node (from Nostrobots) – Writes a Kind-1 note to the Nostr network. It accepts Nostr credentials, the output of the Form node, and the relays from the Set node, and posts the Note to those relays.

Once the workflow is built, you can test it with the testing form URL, and set it to "Active" to use the production form URL. That's it. You can now give posting access to anyone for any Npub. To revoke access, simply change the credentials or set to workflow to "Inactive".

It may also be the world's simplest Nostr client.

You can find the Nostr Form to Post a Note workflow here.

Push notifications on mentions and new notes

One of the things Nostr is not very good at is push notifications. Furthermore I have some unique itches to scratch. I want–

• To make sure I never miss a note addressed to any of my Npubs – For this I want a push notification any time any Nostr user mentions any of my Npubs,
• To make sure I always see all notes from key accounts – For this I need a push notification any time any of my Npubs post any Notes to the network,
• To get these notifications on all of my devices – Not just my phone where my Nostr regular client lives, but also on each of my laptops to suit wherever I am working that day.

I needed to build a Nostr push notifications solution.

To build this workflow I had to string a few ideas together–

• Triggering the node on a schedule – Nostrobots does not include a trigger node. As every workflow starts with a trigger we needed a different method. I elected to run the workflow on a schedule of every 10-minutes. Frequent enough to see Notes while they are hot, but infrequent enough to not burden public relays or get rate-limited,
• Storing a list of Npubs in a Nostr list – I needed a way to store the list of Npubs that trigger my notifications. I initially used an array defined in the workflow, this worked fine. Then I decided to try Nostr lists (NIP-51, kind 30000). By defining my list of Npubs as a list published to Nostr I can control my list from within a Nostr client (e.g. Listr.lol or Nostrudel.ninja). Not only does this "just work", but because it's based on Nostr lists automagically Amethyst client allows me to browse that list as a Feed, and everyone I add gets notified in their Mentions,
• Using specific relays – I needed to query the right relays, including my own HAVEN relay inbox for notes addressed to me, and wss://purplepag.es for Nostr profile metadata,
• Querying Nostr events (with Nostrobots) – I needed to make use of many different Nostr queries and use quite a wide range of what Nostrobots can do–
  • I read the EventID of my Kind 30000 list, to return the desired pubkeys,
  • For notifications on mentions, I read all Kind 1 notes that mention that pubkey,
  • For notifications on new notes, I read all Kind 1 notes published by that pubkey,
  • Where there are notes, I read the Kind 0 profile metadata event of that pubkey to get the displayName of the relevant Npub,
  • I transform the EventID into a Nevent to help clients find it.
• Using the Nostr URI – As I did with my NFC card article, I created a link with the nostr: URI prefix so that my phone's native client opens the link by default,
• Push notifications solution – I needed a push notifications solution. I found many with n8n integrations and chose to go with Pushover which supports all my devices, has a free trial, and is unfairly cheap with a $5-per-device perpetual license.

Once the workflow was built, lists published, and Pushover installed on my phone, I was fully set up with push notifications on Nostr. I have used these workflows for several weeks now and made various tweaks as I went. They are feeling robust and I'd welcome you to give them a go.

You can find the Nostr Push Notification If Mentioned here and If Posts a Note here.

In speaking with other Nostr users while I was building this, there are all kind of other needs for push notifications too – like on replies to a certain bookmarked note, or when a followed Npub starts streaming on zap.stream. These are all possible.

Use my workflows

I have open sourced all my workflows at my Github with MIT license and tried to write complete docs, so that you can import them into your n8n and configure them for your own use.

To import any of my workflows–

• Click on the workflow of your choice, e.g. "Nostr_Push_Notify_If_Mentioned.json",
• Click on the "raw" button to view the raw JSON, ex any Github page layout,
• Copy that URL,
• Enter that URL in the "import from URL" dialog mentioned above.

To configure them–

• Prerequisites, credentials, and variables are all stated,
• In general any variables required are entered into a Set Node that follows the trigger node,
• Pushover has some extra setup but is very straightforward and documented in the workflow.

What next?

Over my first four blogs I explored creating a good Nostr setup with Vanity Npub, Lightning Payments, Nostr Addresses at Your Domain, and Personal Nostr Relay.

Then in my latest two blogs I explored different types of interoperability with NFC cards and now n8n Workflow Automation.

Thinking ahead n8n can power any kind of interoperability between Nostr and any other legacy technology solution. On my mind as I write this:

• Further enhancements to posting and delegating solutions and forms (enhanced UI or different note kinds),
• Automated or scheduled posting (such as auto-liking everything Lyn Alden posts),
• Further enhancements to push notifications, on new and different types of events (such as notifying me when I get a new follower, on replies to certain posts, or when a user starts streaming),
• All kinds of bridges, such as bridging notes to and from Telegram, Slack, or Campfire. Or bridging RSS or other event feeds to Nostr,
• All kinds of other automation (such as BlackCoffee controlling a coffee machine),
• All kinds of AI Assistants and Agents,

In fact I have already released an open source workflow for an AI Assistant, and will share more about that in my next blog.

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

GM Nostr.

@ 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.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ f0c7506b:9ead75b8

Rainer Maria Rilke

Yalnızca güçlü olanların hakkıdır yaşamak.

Güçlü olan ileri gider ve saflar seyrekleşir. Ama üç beş büyük, güçlü ve tanrısal kişi güneşli ve aydınlık gözleriyle o yeni, o vaat edilmiş ülkeye ulaşacaktır. Belki binlerce yıl sonra ancak. Ve güçlü, adaleli, hükmetmek için yaratılmış elleriyle hastaların, zayıfların ve sakatların ölüleri üzerinde bir krallık kuracaklardır. Bir krallık!

Benim aradığım insanların kendileri değil, sesleridir.

Duyguları körelmiş, çeşitli düşüncelere saplanmış kalabalık hiçbir zaman ilerlemenin taşıyıcısı olamaz, kendi küçüklüğünün o küflü içgüdüsüyle kalabalığın kin ve nefretle baktığı bir kişi, bir büyük kişi, iradesinin gösterdiği yolda kimsenin gözünün yaşına bakmaksızın ilahi bir güç ve bir zafer gülümsemesiyle yürüyebilir ancak.

Bizim soyumuz da sonsuz oluşum piramidinin doruk noktasını oluşturmaktan uzaktır. Bizler de mükemmelliğe ulaşmış değiliz. Bizler de henüz olgunlaşmadık.

Şairler sevgiye övgüler döşenir; doğrusu sevginin güçlü bir şey olduğu kesin. Hüneşin bir ışınıdır sevgi, aydınlatıp nurlandırır insanı der bazıları; bazıları da insanı esrikliğe sürükleyen bir zehri kendisinde barındırdığını söyler. Gerçekten de yol açtığı sonuçlar, bir hekimin ağır bir ameliyattan önce korkudan titreyen hastaya teneffüs ettirdiği güldürücü gazınkine benzer, içinde tepinip duran acıyı unutturur hastaya.

Önemli olan, hayatta hiç değilse bir kez kutsal bir ilkbaharın yaşanmasıdır; öyle bir bahar ki, insanın gönlünü ilerideki bütün günleri altın yaldızla kaplamaya yetecek kadar ışık ve parıltıyla doldursun.

Şu hayat denen şey kötü bir işçiliğin ürünü, acemilere göre bir şey. Bu kepaze yaşam uğruna insan nelere katlanmıyor ki!

Kendisine sadakatten ayrılmadığı, yalnızca kendisinin olan bir tek bu var: Yalnızlığı.

Sahildeki üstü tenteli hasır koltuklar arkasındaki yüksek, sessiz kum tepeleri içinde yürürsen, tenteler altındaki insanları göremezsin; ama birinin bir diğerine seslendiğini, bir başkasının gevezelik ettiğini, bir ötekinin güldüğünü işitir ve anlarsın hemen: bu insan şöyle şöyle biridir diyebilirsin. Onun hayatı sevdiğini, bağrında büyük bir özlem ya da acı barındırdığını, bu acının da sesini ağlamaklı kıldığını her gülüşünde hissedersin.

@ 044da344:073a8a0e

Kultur. Kunst. Ästhetik. Ich lasse die Ausrufezeichen weg, die mir da entgegenkamen aus dem Publikum in der Ladestation in Köln. Eigentlich sollte es um den „dressierten Nachwuchs“ gehen, am Ende waren wir aber doch wieder bei den Leitmedien und damit auch bei der Gegenöffentlichkeit. Herr Meyen, Sie können doch nicht ernsthaft den Kontrafunk loben. Diese Opernsängerin. Und überhaupt. Ich, sagte der Mann, den ich im Scheinwerferlicht nicht sehen und folglich auch nicht taxieren konnte, ich höre lieber den Deutschlandfunk, trotz der Nachrichten. Das hat Klasse. Das hat Qualität. Geschichte, Tiefe. Wo bitte schön ist das bei Ihren Lieblingen, Herr Meyen?

Ich habe Jenifer Lary verteidigt (die das in ihrer „Musikstunde“ wirklich gut macht, aber das nur nebenbei) und auf die Ressourcen hingewiesen. Hier ein milliardenschwerer Rundfunk, finanziert mit dem Gewaltmonopol des Staates im Rücken, und dort ein paar Mittelständler, die es sich leisten können und wollen, für Kontrafunk-Aktien 25.000 Franken in den Wind zu schreiben, und Kleinspender, die so dankbar sind für das, was Burkhard Müller-Ullrich da auf die Beine stellt, dass sie sich zehn oder 20 Euro abzwacken. Vergeblich. Auch am nächsten Tag im Philosophischen Salon, einer Privatinitiative von Sabine Marx in der gleichen Stadt, wo nach meinem Vortrag allen Ernstes vorgeschlagen wurde, doch einfach Geld zusammenzutragen, damit „die Besten“ zu ködern und so eine Gegenkultur auf die Beine zu stellen, die mindestens genauso gut ist wie das, was zum Beispiel der Deutschlandfunk bietet.

Wenn es nur so einfach wäre. Man muss nicht Pierre Bourdieu gelesen zu haben, um die Magnetwirkung zu sehen, die vom Machtpol der Felder ausgeht – in der Literatur, in der Musik, im Journalismus, in der Wissenschaft. Sicherheit, Geld, manchmal sogar Ruhm. Überhaupt: dazugehören. Mit in der Verlosung zu sein, wenn die großen Bühnen vergeben werden, Preise oder wenigstens Stipendien. Rezensiert werden – und zwar dort, wo die Agenturen hinschauen, die Bibliotheken, die Sponsoren. Ein junger Mensch, der sich bewusst gegen all das entscheidet, habe ich in Köln sinngemäß gesagt, solch ein junger Mensch ist die absolute Ausnahme. Die Folgen spürt jeder, der Personal rekrutieren möchte für Alternativprojekte. Die Folgen spürt auch das Publikum. Wo Konkurrenz und Reibung fehlen, ist es nicht weit bis zur Genügsamkeit, frei nach dem Motto: Meine Follower lieben mich, was also wollt ihr noch von mir?

Ich schicke all das vorweg, um Eugen Zentner würdigen zu können – einen gerade noch jungen Mann, geboren 1979, der alles mitbringt, was es für eine Karriere in der Bewusstseinsindustrie braucht, und der sich nach Versuchen bei der dpa trotzdem gegen die Verlockungen entschieden hat, die das Mitschwimmen abwirft. Ich habe hier schon sein Buch über die neue Kunst- und Kulturszene gewürdigt und freue mich, dass er sich jetzt als Erzähler versucht – mit Kurzgeschichten über Corona-Schicksale, wieder erschienen im Massel-Verlag. Die Form erlaubt ihm, das zuzuspitzen und zu verdichten, was viele zwischen Mitte März 2020 und dem 7. April 2022 erlebt und erlitten haben – angefangen mit Kollegen und Freunden, die erst oft noch ganz aufgeschlossen auf Videos von Wodarg und Co. reagierten, dann aber den Kontakt abbrachen, als sie sahen, was „man“ von diesen Leuten zu halten hat, bis hin zu purem Hass, als die „Pandemie der Ungeimpften“ ausgerufen wurde und so jeder ermutigt wurde, die „Verweigerer“ in den Dreck zu treten.

Die 15 Geschichten von Eugen Zentner sind düster. Vielleicht muss das so sein, weil die Zeit so war und irgendjemand das festhalten muss, auch jenseits von Sachbuch und Journalismus. Das Schulkind, dem unter der Maske die Luft wegbleibt. Die drei Freunde, die sich trotz Lockdown treffen und in der Wohnung von Uniformierten überfallen werden. Die Polizeiopfer auf den Demos. Der Bruder, der Heiligabend bei Mama platzen lässt, weil die Schwester nicht am Katzentisch sitzen mag. Die Oma, die im Pflegeheim eingesperrt wird und den Verstand verliert, weil sie Tochter und Enkel nicht sehen kann und nicht versteht, warum das alles passiert. Die Figuren kommen eher als Holzschnitt daher, schwarz-weiß. Es gibt zwei „Täter“, wenn man so will, einen Journalisten und eine Krankenschwester, die einen Kampf mit ihrem Gewissen austragen und, wie sollte es anders sein, diesen Kampf bei Eugen Zentner verlieren. Es gibt auch einen Abgeordneten aus einer Regierungspartei, der am 18. November 2020 gegen das Infektionsschutzgesetz stimmen will und sich sicher ist, dass er nicht erpresst werden kann. Wir wissen, wie das in der Wirklichkeit ausgegangen ist.

Die Fiktion, gerade in einer Kurzgeschichte, hat den Vorteil, alles wegwischen zu können, was das reale Leben ausmacht. Die Grautöne vor allem, die aus den Erfahrungen sprießen, die der Einzelne gemacht hat. Der Journalismus darf das (eigentlich) nicht und das Sachbuch sowieso nicht. Eigentlich müsste ich das „eigentlich“ wieder streichen und auch für die Kurzgeschichte den Maßstab nachjustieren – für ein Genre, das vom Autor noch mehr verlangt als ein Roman, weil wenig Platz ist und der Leser trotzdem erwartet, dass buchstäblich „alles“ gesagt wird. Eugen Zentner ist auf dem Weg dahin – in der zweiten Auflage vielleicht sogar mit einem Adlerauge für die Korrektur und beim nächsten Versuch mit noch mehr Ruhe und Geduld, um auch das einfangen zu können, was sich dem Zeitzeugen und Beobachter entzieht. Vielleicht muss man seine beiden Bücher einfach nebeneinanderlegen, um zu Hölderlin zu kommen: „Wo aber Gefahr ist, wächst das Rettende auch.“

Kunst, Kultur, Ästhetik: Der Rufer aus Köln hat Recht. Die Gegenöffentlichkeit braucht mehr davon, wenn sie etwas bewegen will. Die Anfänge sind gemacht. Ein paar davon haben wir am Buch-Tresen aufgegriffen: Sonja Silberhorn und Bernd Zeller, Sebastian Schwaerzel und nicht zu vergessen: Thomas Eisinger. Gerade lese ich, dass Raymond Unger einen Roman geschrieben hat. Geht doch, sogar ohne irgendwelche Multimilliardäre.

Freie Akademie für Medien & Journalismus

Unterstützen

Titelbild: Alexa @Pixabay

@ 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.

@ a367f9eb:0633efea

As Congress debates yet another Continuing Resolution to hastily fund the federal government for a few months, the House yesterday passed a resolution that mixes together several bills.

Tucked within these provisions was a legalistic quirk that would end Congress’ ability to end President Trump’s “State of Emergency” that has so far given him some legal latitude to impose swaths of new tariffs and duties that affect consumers.

The resolution passed by the House of Representatives contained four sections for consideration:

1.) Repeal of the IRS rule related to DeFi brokers and registration (also known as the broker role), affecting cryptocurrency platforms.

2.) Opening the state of limitations related to pandemic relief era as provided in the CARES Act.

3.) A Continuing Resolution to fund the government on a temporary basis

4.) Declaring the rest of the year as a single calendar day for the purposes of the National Emergencies Act

While each of these sections should elicit some debate or praise, the last section is purposefully written so as to freeze time on the Congressional calendar.

Why is this important?

The section reads: “Each day for the remainder of the first session of the 119th Congress shall not constitute a calendar day for purposes of section 202 of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622) with respect to a joint resolution terminating a national emergency declared by the President on February 1, 2025.”

As reported by the New York Times, this is a procedural move that would neuter Congress’ ability to pass any vote or resolution to gain back their power to issue tariffs and other trade sanctions, because 15 calendar days will not pass (at least legally) for the remainder of the year:

House Democrats had planned to force a vote on resolutions to end the tariffs on Mexico and Canada, a move allowed under the National Emergencies Act, which provides a mechanism for Congress to terminate an emergency like the one Mr. Trump declared when he imposed the tariffs on Feb. 1.

That would have forced Republicans — many of whom are opposed to tariffs as a matter of principle — to go on the record on the issue at a time when Mr. Trump’s commitment to tariffs has spooked the financial markets and spiked concerns of reigniting inflation.

…

The national emergency law lays out a fast-track process for Congress to consider a resolution ending a presidential emergency, requiring committee consideration within 15 calendar days after one is introduced and a floor vote within three days after that.

By passing the resolution, the House Majority has effectively neutered its own authority to set trade policies and to hold the Executive Branch accountable, allowing it to keep the State of Emergency in place so President Trump can issue tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China, the European Union, or any other country without much opposition.

Though the President has some authority to issue tariffs in an emergency situation, according to the National Emergencies Act, removing Congress’ ability to end or even reverse the State of Emergency for the rest of 2025 means Congress has abrogated its responsibility to even have a say on trade policies.

By allowing President Trump to prolong his State of Emergency, there will be no constitutional way for Congress to curb the excesses of the multi-theater trade wars being waged across the world, harming consumers who would otherwise profit from freer trade.

Tariffs are taxes on consumers, and trade wars only make consumers poorer, as Consumer Choice Center describes in detail on FreeTrade4Us.org.

Knowing this was a possibility, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul introduced a bill last year to reaffirm the ability of Congress – and Congress alone – to set trade policy and avoid costly tariffs that raise prices for consumers. He called it the “No Taxation Without Representation Act“.

“Our Constitution was designed to prevent any branch from overstepping its bounds. Unchecked executive actions enacting tariffs tax our citizens, threaten our economy, raise prices for everyday goods, and erode the system of checks and balances that our founders so carefully crafted,” wrote Sen. Paul.

If Congress neuters its ability to counter tariffs, then American consumers will have to continue to bear the brunt of protectionist policies that are currently making them worse off.

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

The path to maximalism is littered with mistakes and paved with humility.' Anilsaido https://i.ibb.co/ZzcCHwgT/Gip-G0vdb-YAAV9-Mw-1.jpg

Bitcoin is time because money itself is time. Money is humanity’s battery: a way to store energy, labor, and resources for the future. It captures your past effort and preserves it for when you need it most. Fiat leaks. Bitcoin holds.

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

On the 18th of March:

➡️After ruling out a strategic bitcoin reserve, the Bank of Korea will launch a central bank digital currency pilot in April, per The Korea Times.

➡️'Metaplanet has acquired an additional 150 BTC for ~$12.5 million, achieving a BTC Yield of 60.8% YTD in 2025. As of 3/18/2025, Metaplanet hodls 3,200 BTC, and is now a top 10 publicly listed holder of Bitcoin globally.' -Dylan LeClair

➡️Bitcoin entered a risk-off, distribution-dominant phase in early 2025, evidenced by frequent selling and hesitation to buy (yellow to orange dots). - AMB Crypto

➡️Bitwise CIO says Bitcoin should be at $200,000 today and says, “I think the number of companies buying Bitcoin is going to triple this year, I think Game Theory is on.” “I think countries around the world are going to be buying Bitcoin. There is structurally more demand than supply in Bitcoin.”

➡️Bitcoin mining company Bitfarms buys Stronghold Digital for more than $110 million, making it the largest public-to-public acquisition in Bitcoin industry history.

➡️Bitcoin long-term HODLers become net buyers for the first time since September, per Compass Point Research. "Buying/selling from HODLers is typically a leading indicator for BTC. This cohort now owns 65% of BTC supply vs 63% last week vs 73% in early October." - Bitcoin News

➡️GlassNode: 'The Bitcoin market continues to adjust to its new price range after experiencing a -30% correction. Liquidity conditions are also contracting in both on-chain and futures markets.'

➡️Bitcoin now ranks 6th among the world's top monetary assets at $1.62 trillion, per Porkopolis.

➡️The EU isn't banning Bitcoin but using MiCA and other regulations to control it. This involves stripping away privacy through transaction tracking, mandatory disclosures, and restrictions on self-custody. The goal is control, not outright prohibition.

Excellent thread by Eli. Eli summarises the EU’s attack on Bitcoin and on Europeans’ rights: https://x.com/EliNagarBrr/status/1902048401908261146

Agree 100% with all of this. All these people who have been saying the EU pushing the industry forward with regulations are idiots. They are closing it off and pushing everyone to a CBDC.

Regarding the CBCD, here you will find a comprehensive summary of EU’s CBDC plans, by Efrat Fenigson: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/politics/ecb-prepping-the-ground-for-digital-euro-launch

*On the 20th of March, the ECB posted the following statement on Twitter: The digital euro is not just about creating a new form of money, says Chief Economist Philip R. Lane.

It is about ensuring that Europe retains control over its monetary and financial destiny in the digital age against a backdrop of increasing geopolitical fragmentation.

“It’s about ensuring that the EU retains control over its citizens.”

There, I fixed it for you if you missed the primary reason.

The Euro is a permissioned, centralized, censorable, inflationary, debt-based currency controlled by unelected bureaucrats.

Bitcoin is permissionless, decentralized, censorship-resistant, fixed in supply, and governed by code—not politicians. Choose wisely.

➡️As mentioned in last week's Weekly Recap the US Government spends $3.3B per day in interest rate expense. If this doesn’t make you buy Bitcoin I’m not sure what will.

https://i.ibb.co/sdt1GvfM/Gm-Vd-FBz-XQAA3t3-M-1.jpg

➡️In Kibera, Africa’s largest informal settlement, more than 40 merchants now accept and save in Bitcoin.

➡️The increase in 3-6 month-old UTXOs suggests accumulation during this market correction, a behavior historically critical in forming market bottoms and driving new price rallies.

➡️Just as Hal Finney predicted, Bitcoin will take over Wall Street: Multiple American Bitcoin companies are now seeking to become state or national banks, reports Reuters. It is inevitable.

➡️Daniel Batten: 2021: 62 US Environmental Organizations write to coCongressaying Bitcoin is bad for the environment and has no use (based on Central Bank misinformation) 2025: US Environmental Organizations debunked (impossible, had they used Bitcoin) Strange are the ways of karma.

Meanwhile,

➡️President Trump's Executive Director, Bo Hines, on digital assets: "We talked about ways of acquiring more Bitcoin in budget-neutral ways." We want "as much as we can get." When Bitcoin is at $200k. We will look back on March 2025 and say, how was everyone not buying. It was so obvious.

On the 19th of March:

➡️BLACKROCK: “The most sophisticated long-term Bitcoin accumulators are pretty excited about this dip. They see the correction as a buying opportunity."

On the 20th of March: ➡️SEC confirms that Bitcoin and Proof of Work mining are NOT securities under US law. https://i.ibb.co/nWRHjnk/Gmg-Yxv-QWEAAgwx8.png

Source: https://t.co/0ExsJniPIf

➡️Bitcoin exchange Kraken has agreed to acquire NinjaTrader, the leading U.S. retail futures trading platform, for $1.5 billion—the largest deal ever of a Bitcoin company buying a traditional financial company.

➡️TRUMP: “I signed an order creating the brand new Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the US digital asset stockpile which will allow the Federal government to maximize the value of its holdings.”

Tweet and hot take by Lola L33tz

"With the dollar-backed stablecoins, you'll help expand the dominance of the US Dollar [...] It will be at the top, and that's where we want to keep it" 'What he means is: With dollar-backed stablecoins, the Global South will pivot towards digital Dollars over local currencies, allowing private, US government-controlled entities to replace bank accounts around the globe.

This does not just allow for the expansion of USD dominance by bypassing local governments – it gives the US unprecedented and direct control over worldwide economies as every stablecoin can be effectively frozen on behalf of the US with the click of a button.'

Stablecoins = CBDCs There is no technical fundamental difference between them. It’s almost a guarantee that the EU CBDCs and U.S. stablecoins will be interchangeable.

➡️River: Bitcoin is coming for $128 trillion in global money. You're not late to Bitcoin. https://i.ibb.co/7thzHJMx/Gmf-Uvra-EAEV4-U0.png

On the 21st of March:

➡️Michael Saylor’s Strategy to raise $722.5M to buy more Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded Atai Life Sciences to buy $5 million in Bitcoin.

➡️Publicly traded HK Asia Holdings bought 10 Bitcoins worth $858,500 for its balance sheet.

➡️Another solo home miner has mined an entire Bitcoin block worth over $ 260.000,-.

On the 22nd of March:

➡️The University of Wyoming posted a new video explaining Bitcoin with Philosophy Professor Bradley Rettler

➡️Spot Bitcoin ETFs bought 8,775 BTC this week while miners only mined 3,150 Bitcoin.

On the 24th of March:

➡️Metaplanet finished the day as the 13th most liquid stock in Japan, with ¥50.4 billion ($336.6m) of daily trading volume, ahead of Toyota and Nintendo.

➡️River: There is a 275% gap between the inflation you're told and real inflation. https://i.ibb.co/mCs2Lgcc/Gmz-4qc-WMAAzx-z.png

Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral. The U.S. Dollar has been devalued by more than 363% since 2000 – That’s a 14.5% devaluation per year. This means if your savings don’t grow by 14.5% annually, you’re falling behind. This is why we Bitcoin. Bitcoin is insurance on the debt spiral, grow your savings beyond the dollar’s devaluation!

➡️Bitcoin's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over a 5-year rolling window is currently over 50%

➡️Strategy became the first publicly traded company to hold over 500,000 Bitcoin worth over $44 billion.

Strategy has acquired 6,911 BTC for ~$584.1 million at ~$84,529 per Bitcoin and has achieved a BTC Yield of 7.7% YTD 2025. As of 3/23/2025, Strategy holds 506,137 BTC acquired for ~$33.7 billion at ~$66,608 per Bitcoin.

➡️CryptoQuant: Bitcoin's long-term holders are holding firm, with no significant selling pressure.

➡️Xapo Bank launches Bitcoin-backed USD loans up to $1M, with collateral secured in an MPC vault and no re-usage.

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

👉🏽no news

🏦Banks: 

👉🏽 no news

🌎Macro/Geopolitics:

On the 18th of March:

👉🏽Germany just changed its constitution to unleash a staggering ONE TRILLION in new debt. The German parliament has voted to take on hundreds of billions of euros of new government debt, to ease the debt brake rules, and to codify "climate neutrality by 2045" into the constitution.

On top of that, some extra money to Ukraine:

Germany's next Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, believes that Putin has gone to war against all of Europe. He argues that Russia has attacked Germany, as the Parliament breaks out in applause. -  We continue to move further away from the "Europe is not part of the conflict" rhetoric. Germany’s self-inflicted delusion continues!

👉🏽Germany's first offshore wind farm closes after 15 years because it's too expensive to operate. Expect a car crash. The Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm near the German North Sea island of Borkum is set to be dismantled after being in operation for only 15 years. It has become too unprofitable to operate without massive subsidies.

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/03/16/germanys-first-offshore-wind-farm-to-be-dismantled-after-just-15-years-of-operation/

Great thing that the Netherlands is investing heavily in offshore wind farms, even the biggest pension fund APB. Because nInE tImEs ChEaPeR tHaN gAs, right? I hope they dismantle them & not leave them to rust into the sea. Right? Because climate!

Great response by Jasmine Birtles: "These vanity projects should never have been allowed to start. The phrase 'cheap renewable energy' is simply a falsehood. This kind of energy production only seems cheap because of the huge government subsidies that keep them going. I'm all for clean energy if it's possible to run it honestly and without huge subsidies, but while it doesn't seem to be viable we should stick with what is affordable and will keep the country going, rather than sacrificing the vulnerable to an impossible ideology."

👉🏽'Gold spot is now trading consistently over $3000, a record high. And with deliveries once again picking up at the Comex and war in the Middle East coming back with a vengeance, the next big spike is just a matter of time. As expected, once gold broke out above $3000,- it has gone vertical and is up 1% in the past hours, rising to a new record high of $3034, as it sets off for $4000' - ZeroHedge

👉🏽'We have just witnessed the biggest drop in US equity allocation on record. The collapse of US consumers: Unemployment expectations in the US are now ABOVE 2020 levels and at their highest since 2008. In 2024, a poll showed that a whopping 56% of Americans thought the US was in a recession.' - TKL

https://i.ibb.co/ycnRDpdf/Gm-VZMnb-XAAAt76r.png

👉🏽OECD Projects Argentina to Have the Second Highest Economic Growth Worldwide in 2025

👉🏽A new blow to the Dutch chemical sector. The major producer LyondellBasell is permanently closing its factory at the Maasvlakte. This decision, announced on Tuesday afternoon, will result in the loss of approximately 160 jobs. The closure is a direct consequence of global overcapacity and high energy costs in the Netherlands. An audit by the German firm E-Bridge, commissioned by the Dutch government, previously revealed that electricity costs for these companies in the Netherlands amount to €95 per megawatt-hour. In comparison, this rate is €32 in France (66% lower), €45.60 in Germany (52% lower), and €56.05 per megawatt-hour in Belgium (41% lower).

According to E-Bridge, this difference is mainly due to the compensation that foreign governments provide to companies and the lower grid tariffs. In the Netherlands, costs have risen primarily to finance investments in the electricity grid, such as connecting multiple offshore wind farms.

Now read that segment on offshore wind farms. Mindblowing, innit?

Subsidies are not the solution—deregulation is. But Brussels won’t allow that. So, we’re heading toward even more regulation and nationalization.

On the 19th of March:

👉🏽The Fed makes multiple revisions to its 2025 economic data projections.

Powell finally found the "stag" and the "inflation":

Fed cuts year-end GDP forecast from 2.1% to 1.7%

Fed raises year-end core PCE forecast from 2.5% to 2.8%

Fed raises year-end unemployment forecast from 4.3% to 4.4%

Fed raises PCE inflation forecast from 2.5% to 2.7%

The Fed sees higher inflation and a weaker economy.

On the 20th of March:

Dutch Central Bank Director Klaas Knot "We are worried about American influence on our local payment infrastructure."

Paving the way for the European CBDC (after slowly but surely removing CASH MONEY from society).

Knot has completed his second term and will leave his office in July. Now, of course, pushing for the CBDC, before looking for a new job in Europe.

Anyway, DNB posts billions in losses. De Nederlandsche Bank suffered a loss of over €3 billion last year, according to the annual report published on Thursday. This marks the second consecutive year of losses.

DNB incurs this loss because, as part of its monetary policy, it has lent out billions at relatively low rates while having to pay a higher rate to banks that park their money at the central bank.

But no losses on its gold. The gold reserves, meanwhile, increased in value by €12.6 billion. This amount is not included in the official profit and loss statement but is reflected on the bank's balance sheet.

For the Dutch readers/followers: Great article: Follow the Money 'Voor de megawinsten van ING, ABN Amro en Rabobank betaalt de Nederlandse burger een hoge prijs.'

https://archive.ph/ncvtk

On the 21st of March:

👉🏽'The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing index dropped 5.6 points in March, to 12.5, its 2nd consecutive monthly decline. 6-month outlook for new orders fell by 30.8 points, to 2.3, the lowest in 3 years. This marks the third-largest drop in history, only behind the 2008 Financial Crisis and December 1973.

Furthermore, 6-month business outlook dropped ~40 points to its lowest since January 2024.

All while prices paid rose 7.8 points, to 48.3, the highest since July 2022. This is further evidence of weakening economic activity with rising prices.' TKL

👉🏽'China’s central bank gold reserves hit a record 73.6 million fine troy ounces in February. China bought ~160,000 ounces of gold last month, posting their 4th consecutive monthly purchase. Over the last 2.5 years, China’s gold reserves have jumped by 11.0 million ounces of gold. Gold now reflects a record ~5.9% of China’s total foreign exchange reserves, or 2,290 tonnes. Central banks continue to stock up on gold as if we are in a crisis.' -TKL

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

What Bitcoin Did: BITCOIN & THE END OF THE DOLLAR SYSTEM with Luke Gromen They discuss: - The Sovereign Debt Crisis - If the US Will Reprice the Gold - If we will See Triple Digit Inflation - The End of The US Dollar System Luke Gromen: A modest clarification: The end of the post-71 structure of the USD system is what the Trump Administration’s actions appear to be pursuing & will in due time achieve if they stay on the present course. https://t.co/IpakFaYqbL

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

Konsum ist Therapie.
Wolfgang Joop

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ c1e9ab3a:9cb56b43

Introduction

Nutsax is a capability-based access control system for Nostr relays, designed to provide flexible, privacy-preserving rate limiting, permissioning, and operation-scoped token redemption.

At its core, Nutsax introduces:

• Blind-signed tokens, issued by relays, for specific operation types.
• Token redemption as part of Nostr event publishing or interactions.
• Encrypted token storage using existing Nostr direct message infrastructure, allowing portable, persistent, and private storage of these tokens — the Nutsax.

This mechanism augments the existing Nostr protocol without disrupting adoption, requiring no changes to NIP-01 for clients or relays that don’t opt into the system.

Motivation

Nostr relays currently have limited tools for abuse prevention and access control. Options like IP banning, whitelisting, or monetized access are coarse and often centralized.

Nutsax introduces:

• Fine-grained, operation-specific access control using cryptographic tokens.
• Blind signature protocols to issue tokens anonymously, preserving user privacy.
• A native way to store and recover tokens using Nostr’s encrypted event system.

This allows relays to offer:

• Optional access policies (e.g., “3 posts per hour unless you redeem a token”)
• Paid or invite-based features (e.g., long-term subscriptions, advanced filters)
• Temporary elevation of privileges (e.g., bypass slow mode for one message)

All without requiring accounts, emails, or linking identity beyond the user’s npub.

Core Components

1. Operation Tokens

Tokens are blind-signed blobs issued by the relay, scoped to a specific operation type (e.g., "write", "filter-subscribe", "broadcast").

• Issued anonymously: using a blind signature protocol.
• Validated on redemption: at message submission or interaction time.
• Optional and redeemable: the relay decides when to enforce token redemption.

Each token encodes:

• Operation type (string)
• Relay ID (to scope the token)
• Expiration (optional)
• Usage count or burn-on-use flag
• Random nonce (blindness)

Example (before blinding):

json { "relay": "wss://relay.example", "operation": "write", "expires": 1720000000, "nonce": "b2a8c3..." }

This is then blinded and signed by the relay.

2. Token Redemption

Clients include tokens when submitting events or requests to the relay.

Token included via event tag:

json ["token", "<base64-encoded-token>", "write"]

Redemption can happen:

• Inline with any event (kind 1, etc.)
• As a standalone event (e.g., ephemeral kind 20000)
• During session initiation (optional AUTH extension)

The relay validates the token:

• Is it well-formed?
• Is it valid for this relay and operation?
• Is it unexpired?
• Has it been used already? (for burn-on-use)

If valid, the relay accepts the event or upgrades the rate/permission scope.

3. Nutsax: Private Token Storage on Nostr

Tokens are stored securely in the client’s Nutsax, a persistent, private archive built on Nostr’s encrypted event system.

Each token is stored in a kind 4 or kind 44/24 event, encrypted with the client’s own npub.

Example:

json { "kind": 4, "tags": [ ["p", "<your npub>"], ["token-type", "write"], ["relay", "wss://relay.example"] ], "content": "<encrypted token blob>", "created_at": 1234567890 }

This allows clients to:

• Persist tokens across restarts or device changes.
• Restore tokens after reinstalling or reauthenticating.
• Port tokens between devices.

All without exposing the tokens to the public or requiring external storage infrastructure.

Client Lifecycle

1. Requesting Tokens

• Client authenticates to relay (e.g., via NIP-42).
• Requests blind-signed tokens:
• Sends blinded token requests.
• Receives blind signatures.
• Unblinds and verifies.

2. Storing Tokens

• Each token is encrypted to the user’s own npub.
• Stored as a DM (kind 4 or compatible encrypted event).
• Optional tagging for organization.

3. Redeeming Tokens

• When performing a token-gated operation (e.g., posting to a limited relay), client includes the appropriate token in the event.
• Relay validates and logs/consumes the token.

4. Restoring the Nutsax

• On device reinstallation or session reset, the client:
• Reconnects to relays.
• Scans encrypted DMs.
• Decrypts and reimports available tokens.

Privacy Model

• Relays issuing tokens do not know which tokens were redeemed (blind signing).
• Tokens do not encode sender identity unless the client opts to do so.
• Only the recipient (npub) can decrypt their Nutsax.
• Redemption is pseudonymous — tied to a key, not to external identity.

Optional Enhancements

• Token index tag: to allow fast search and categorization.
• Multiple token types: read, write, boost, subscribe, etc.
• Token delegation: future support for transferring tokens via encrypted DM to another npub.
• Token revocation: relays can publish blacklists or expiration feeds if needed.

Compatibility

• Fully compatible with NIP-01, NIP-04 (encrypted DMs), and NIP-42 (authentication).
• Non-disruptive: relays and clients can ignore tokens if not supported.
• Ideal for layering on top of existing infrastructure and monetization strategies.

Conclusion

Nutsax offers a privacy-respecting, decentralized way to manage access and rate limits in the Nostr ecosystem. With blind-signed, operation-specific tokens and encrypted, persistent storage using native Nostr mechanisms, it gives relays and clients new powers without sacrificing Nostr’s core principles: simplicity, openness, and cryptographic self-sovereignty.

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

Recently we have seen a wave of high profile X accounts hacked. These attacks have exposed the fragility of the status quo security model used by modern social media platforms like X. Many users have asked if nostr fixes this, so lets dive in. How do these types of attacks translate into the world of nostr apps? For clarity, I will use X’s security model as representative of most big tech social platforms and compare it to nostr.

The Status Quo

On X, you never have full control of your account. Ultimately to use it requires permission from the company. They can suspend your account or limit your distribution. Theoretically they can even post from your account at will. An X account is tied to an email and password. Users can also opt into two factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of protection, a login code generated by an app. In theory, this setup works well, but it places a heavy burden on users. You need to create a strong, unique password and safeguard it. You also need to ensure your email account and phone number remain secure, as attackers can exploit these to reset your credentials and take over your account. Even if you do everything responsibly, there is another weak link in X infrastructure itself. The platform’s infrastructure allows accounts to be reset through its backend. This could happen maliciously by an employee or through an external attacker who compromises X’s backend. When an account is compromised, the legitimate user often gets locked out, unable to post or regain control without contacting X’s support team. That process can be slow, frustrating, and sometimes fruitless if support denies the request or cannot verify your identity. Often times support will require users to provide identification info in order to regain access, which represents a privacy risk. The centralized nature of X means you are ultimately at the mercy of the company’s systems and staff.

Nostr Requires Responsibility

Nostr flips this model radically. Users do not need permission from a company to access their account, they can generate as many accounts as they want, and cannot be easily censored. The key tradeoff here is that users have to take complete responsibility for their security. Instead of relying on a username, password, and corporate servers, nostr uses a private key as the sole credential for your account. Users generate this key and it is their responsibility to keep it safe. As long as you have your key, you can post. If someone else gets it, they can post too. It is that simple. This design has strong implications. Unlike X, there is no backend reset option. If your key is compromised or lost, there is no customer support to call. In a compromise scenario, both you and the attacker can post from the account simultaneously. Neither can lock the other out, since nostr relays simply accept whatever is signed with a valid key.

The benefit? No reliance on proprietary corporate infrastructure.. The negative? Security rests entirely on how well you protect your key.

Future Nostr Security Improvements

For many users, nostr’s standard security model, storing a private key on a phone with an encrypted cloud backup, will likely be sufficient. It is simple and reasonably secure. That said, nostr’s strength lies in its flexibility as an open protocol. Users will be able to choose between a range of security models, balancing convenience and protection based on need.

One promising option is a web of trust model for key rotation. Imagine pre-selecting a group of trusted friends. If your account is compromised, these people could collectively sign an event announcing the compromise to the network and designate a new key as your legitimate one. Apps could handle this process seamlessly in the background, notifying followers of the switch without much user interaction. This could become a popular choice for average users, but it is not without tradeoffs. It requires trust in your chosen web of trust, which might not suit power users or large organizations. It also has the issue that some apps may not recognize the key rotation properly and followers might get confused about which account is “real.”

For those needing higher security, there is the option of multisig using FROST (Flexible Round-Optimized Schnorr Threshold). In this setup, multiple keys must sign off on every action, including posting and updating a profile. A hacker with just one key could not do anything. This is likely overkill for most users due to complexity and inconvenience, but it could be a game changer for large organizations, companies, and governments. Imagine the White House nostr account requiring signatures from multiple people before a post goes live, that would be much more secure than the status quo big tech model.

Another option are hardware signers, similar to bitcoin hardware wallets. Private keys are kept on secure, offline devices, separate from the internet connected phone or computer you use to broadcast events. This drastically reduces the risk of remote hacks, as private keys never touches the internet. It can be used in combination with multisig setups for extra protection. This setup is much less convenient and probably overkill for most but could be ideal for governments, companies, or other high profile accounts.

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Nostr’s security model is not perfect but is robust and versatile. Ultimately users are in control and security is their responsibility. Apps will give users multiple options to choose from and users will choose what best fits their need.

@ 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.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ e31e84c4:77bbabc0

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

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

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

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

The ‘40’ represents fixed income, defined as…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• The current debt situation raises concerns about sustainability.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now the fun part. How does bitcoin fix this?

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

Here are some new developments –

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

Dynamics

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

Pros

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

Cons

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

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

Dynamics

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

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

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

Pros

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

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

Cons

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

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

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

Dynamics

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

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

Pros

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

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

Cons

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

• Interest rate payments are on the lower side

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

Additional Resources

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

• Onramp: Bitcoin, The Emergent Asset Class

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

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

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Nostr: a quick introduction, attempt #2

Nostr doesn't subscribe to any ideals of "free speech" as these belong to the realm of politics and assume a big powerful government that enforces a common ruleupon everybody else.

Nostr instead is much simpler, it simply says that servers are private property and establishes a generalized framework for people to connect to all these servers, creating a true free market in the process. In other words, Nostr is the public road that each market participant can use to build their own store or visit others and use their services.

(Of course a road is never truly public, in normal cases it's ran by the government, in this case it relies upon the previous existence of the internet with all its quirks and chaos plus a hand of government control, but none of that matters for this explanation).

More concretely speaking, Nostr is just a set of definitions of the formats of the data that can be passed between participants and their expected order, i.e. messages between clients (i.e. the program that runs on a user computer) and relays (i.e. the program that runs on a publicly accessible computer, a "server", generally with a domain-name associated) over a type of TCP connection (WebSocket) with cryptographic signatures. This is what is called a "protocol" in this context, and upon that simple base multiple kinds of sub-protocols can be added, like a protocol for "public-square style microblogging", "semi-closed group chat" or, I don't know, "recipe sharing and feedback".

@ a95c6243:d345522c

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 21335073:a244b1ad

Before I saw those X right-wing political “influencers” parading their Epstein binders in that PR stunt, I’d already posted this on Nostr, an open protocol. 

“Today, the world’s attention will likely fixate on Epstein, governmental failures in addressing horrific abuse cases, and the influential figures who perpetrate such acts—yet few will center the victims and survivors in the conversation. The survivors of Epstein went to law enforcement and very little happened. The survivors tried to speak to the corporate press and the corporate press knowingly covered for him. In situations like these social media can serve as one of the only ways for a survivor’s voice to be heard. 

It’s becoming increasingly evident that the line between centralized corporate social media and the state is razor-thin, if it exists at all. Time and again, the state shields powerful abusers when it’s politically expedient to do so. In this climate, a survivor attempting to expose someone like Epstein on a corporate tech platform faces an uphill battle—there’s no assurance their voice would even break through. Their story wouldn’t truly belong to them; it’d be at the mercy of the platform, subject to deletion at a whim. Nostr, though, offers a lifeline—a censorship-resistant space where survivors can share their truths, no matter how untouchable the abuser might seem. A survivor could remain anonymous here if they took enough steps. 

Nostr holds real promise for amplifying survivor voices. And if you’re here daily, tossing out memes, take heart: you’re helping build a foundation for those who desperately need to be heard.“

That post is untouchable—no CEO, company, employee, or government can delete it. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t take it down myself. The post will outlive me on the protocol. 

The cozy alliance between the state and corporate social media hit me hard during that right-wing X “influencer” PR stunt. Elon owns X. Elon’s a special government employee. X pays those influencers to post. We don’t know who else pays them to post. Those influencers are spurred on by both the government and X to manage the Epstein case narrative. It wasn’t survivors standing there, grinning for photos—it was paid influencers, gatekeepers orchestrating yet another chance to re-exploit the already exploited.

The bond between the state and corporate social media is tight. If the other Epsteins out there are ever to be unmasked, I wouldn’t bet on a survivor’s story staying safe with a corporate tech platform, the government, any social media influencer, or mainstream journalist. Right now, only a protocol can hand survivors the power to truly own their narrative.

I don’t have anything against Elon—I’ve actually been a big supporter. I’m just stating it as I see it. X isn’t censorship resistant and they have an algorithm that they choose not the user. Corporate tech platforms like X can be a better fit for some survivors. X has safety tools and content moderation, making it a solid option for certain individuals. Grok can be a big help for survivors looking for resources or support! As a survivor, you know what works best for you, and safety should always come first—keep that front and center.

That said, a protocol is a game-changer for cases where the powerful are likely to censor. During China's # MeToo movement, survivors faced heavy censorship on social media platforms like Weibo and WeChat, where posts about sexual harassment were quickly removed, and hashtags like # MeToo or "woyeshi" were blocked by government and platform filters. To bypass this, activists turned to blockchain technology encoding their stories—like Yue Xin’s open letter about a Peking University case—into transaction metadata. This made the information tamper-proof and publicly accessible, resisting censorship since blockchain data can’t be easily altered or deleted.

I posted this on X 2/28/25. I wanted to try my first long post on a nostr client. The Epstein cover up is ongoing so it’s still relevant, unfortunately.

If you are a survivor or loved one who is reading this and needs support please reach out to: National Sexual Assault Hotline 24/7 https://rainn.org/

Hours: Available 24 hours

@ 4857600b:30b502f4

Key Findings

• Researchers at the University of Cambridge discovered that aspirin can help slow the spread of certain cancers, including breast, bowel, and prostate cancers
• The study was published in the journal Nature

How Aspirin Works Against Cancer

• Aspirin blocks thromboxane A2 (TXA2), a chemical produced by blood platelets
• TXA2 normally weakens T cells, which are crucial for fighting cancer
• By inhibiting TXA2, aspirin "unleashes" T cells to more effectively target and destroy cancer cells

Supporting Evidence

• Previous studies showed regular aspirin use was linked to:
• 31% reduction in cancer-specific mortality in breast cancer patients
• 9% decrease in recurrence/metastasis risk
• 25% reduction in colon cancer risk

Potential Impact

• Aspirin could be particularly effective in early stages of cancer
• It may help prevent metastasis, which causes 90% of cancer fatalities
• As an inexpensive treatment, it could be more accessible globally than antibody-based therapies

Cautions

• Experts warn against self-medicating with aspirin
• Potential risks include internal bleeding and stomach ulcers
• Patients should consult doctors before starting aspirin therapy

Next Steps

• Large-scale clinical trials to determine which cancer types and patients would benefit most
• Development of new drugs that mimic aspirin's benefits without side effects

Citations: Natural News

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

Bitcoin has always been rooted in freedom and resistance to authority. I get that many of you are conflicted about the US Government stacking but by design we cannot stop anyone from using bitcoin. Many have asked me for my thoughts on the matter, so let’s rip it.

Concern

One of the most glaring issues with the strategic bitcoin reserve is its foundation, built on stolen bitcoin. For those of us who value private property this is an obvious betrayal of our core principles. Rather than proof of work, the bitcoin that seeds this reserve has been taken by force. The US Government should return the bitcoin stolen from Bitfinex and the Silk Road.

Usually stolen bitcoin for the reserve creates a perverse incentive. If governments see a bitcoin as a valuable asset, they will ramp up efforts to confiscate more bitcoin. The precedent is a major concern, and I stand strongly against it, but it should be also noted that governments were already seizing coin before the reserve so this is not really a change in policy.

Ideally all seized bitcoin should be burned, by law. This would align incentives properly and make it less likely for the government to actively increase coin seizures. Due to the truly scarce properties of bitcoin, all burned bitcoin helps existing holders through increased purchasing power regardless. This change would be unlikely but those of us in policy circles should push for it regardless. It would be best case scenario for American bitcoiners and would create a strong foundation for the next century of American leadership.

Optimism

The entire point of bitcoin is that we can spend or save it without permission. That said, it is a massive benefit to not have one of the strongest governments in human history actively trying to ruin our lives.

Since the beginning, bitcoiners have faced horrible regulatory trends. KYC, surveillance, and legal cases have made using bitcoin and building bitcoin businesses incredibly difficult. It is incredibly important to note that over the past year that trend has reversed for the first time in a decade. A strategic bitcoin reserve is a key driver of this shift. By holding bitcoin, the strongest government in the world has signaled that it is not just a fringe technology but rather truly valuable, legitimate, and worth stacking.

This alignment of incentives changes everything. The US Government stacking proves bitcoin’s worth. The resulting purchasing power appreciation helps all of us who are holding coin and as bitcoin succeeds our government receives direct benefit. A beautiful positive feedback loop.

Realism

We are trending in the right direction. A strategic bitcoin reserve is a sign that the state sees bitcoin as an asset worth embracing rather than destroying. That said, there is a lot of work left to be done. We cannot be lulled into complacency, the time to push forward is now, and we cannot take our foot off the gas. We have a seat at the table for the first time ever. Let's make it worth it.

We must protect the right to free usage of bitcoin and other digital technologies. Freedom in the digital age must be taken and defended, through both technical and political avenues. Multiple privacy focused developers are facing long jail sentences for building tools that protect our freedom. These cases are not just legal battles. They are attacks on the soul of bitcoin. We need to rally behind them, fight for their freedom, and ensure the ethos of bitcoin survives this new era of government interest. The strategic reserve is a step in the right direction, but it is up to us to hold the line and shape the future.

@ 000002de:c05780a7

I sadly do not recall where I heard this but I'm amazed sometimes that I can have heard something like "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" so many times and a thought never occur to me. For some background, I was raised in the church and have read the Bible many times over my life. I usually read it each year so I'm very familiar with the text.

When we read "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" in Exodus we often think of how terrible this sounds. But, in reality the principle here is that a just penalty should be in equal measure to the damage caused. In practice what we often see is escalation, not equality in response. Its incredibly destructive.

Jesus in the sermon on the mount said,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

~ Matthew 5:38-48

There is something powerful in understanding the original intent and what Jesus adds. These days it seems many Christians have forgotten this teaching and the results. The results were that Europe was converted to Christianity. There is incredible power in loving your enemies. And not returning evil with evil. @k00b's post prompted me to write this.

Edit:

The other thing that prompted this is watching how people in the church are allowing politics to fuel their behavior in destructive ways. As Christians we should realize that politics is not the answer. Its Jesus.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/926101

@ 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.

---

Danke, dass du diesen Weg mit mir weitergehst!

@ 7d33ba57:1b82db35

L'Ampolla is a charming fishing village on the Costa Dorada, known for its pristine beaches, fresh seafood, and proximity to the Ebro Delta Natural Park. With a relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere, it’s an ideal destination for nature lovers, foodies, and beachgoers.

🏖️ Top Things to See & Do in L'Ampolla

1️⃣ Beaches of L'Ampolla 🏝️

• Platja de l'Arenal – A long, shallow sandy beach, perfect for families.
• Platja Cap-Roig – A stunning cove with reddish cliffs and crystal-clear waters.
• Platja dels Capellans – A quiet beach, ideal for relaxation.

2️⃣ Ebro Delta Natural Park 🌿

• A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve home to wetlands, rice fields, and flamingos.
• Go birdwatching, cycling, or take a boat tour along the Ebro River.
• Try kayaking through the peaceful waterways.

3️⃣ Coastal Hiking & Biking 🚶‍♂️🚴

• Follow the GR-92 coastal trail for breathtaking sea views.
• Enjoy the Camí de Ronda, a scenic path linking L'Ampolla with nearby beaches.

4️⃣ Fishing & Seafood Gastronomy 🎣🍽️

• Visit the port to see traditional fishing boats bring in the daily catch.
• Enjoy fresh oysters, mussels, and paella in seaside restaurants.

5️⃣ Mirador de Bassa de les Olles 🌅

• A beautiful viewpoint with fantastic views of the Ebro Delta lagoons.
• Best visited at sunset for a magical experience.

🍽️ What to Eat in L'Ampolla

• Arròs negre – Black rice with squid ink 🍚🦑
• Fideuà – A seafood noodle dish, similar to paella 🍤
• Oysters & mussels from the Ebro Delta 🦪
• Anguila en suquet – Eel stew, a local specialty 🐟
• Crema Catalana – A delicious caramelized custard dessert 🍮

🚗 How to Get to L'Ampolla

🚆 By Train: Direct trains from Barcelona (2 hrs), Tarragona (1 hr), and Valencia (2.5 hrs)
🚘 By Car: ~1.5 hrs from Barcelona, 45 min from Tarragona
🚌 By Bus: Regional buses connect L'Ampolla with Tarragona and Tortosa
✈️ By Air: Closest airports – Reus (REU, 70 km) and Barcelona-El Prat (BCN, 150 km)

💡 Tips for Visiting L'Ampolla

✅ Best time to visit? Spring and summer for the best weather ☀️
✅ Try local seafood – Some of the best in Catalonia 🍽️
✅ Visit the Ebro Delta early – Fewer crowds and better wildlife spotting 🦩
✅ Rent a bike – The best way to explore the coastal and natural areas 🚲

@ 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

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Bitcoin transactions explained

A transaction is a piece of data that takes inputs and produces outputs. Forget about the blockchain thing, Bitcoin is actually just a big tree of transactions. The blockchain is just a way to keep transactions ordered.

Imagine you have 10 satoshis. That means you have them in an unspent transaction output (UTXO). You want to spend them, so you create a transaction. The transaction should reference unspent outputs as its inputs. Every transaction has an immutable id, so you use that id plus the index of the output (because transactions can have multiple outputs). Then you specify a script that unlocks that transaction and related signatures, then you specify outputs along with a script that locks these outputs.

As you can see, there's this lock/unlocking thing and there are inputs and outputs. Inputs must be unlocked by fulfilling the conditions specified by the person who created the transaction they're in. And outputs must be locked so anyone wanting to spend those outputs will need to unlock them.

For most of the cases locking and unlocking means specifying a public key whose controller (the person who has the corresponding private key) will be able to spend. Other fancy things are possible too, but we can ignore them for now.

Back to the 10 satoshis you want to spend. Since you've successfully referenced 10 satoshis and unlocked them, now you can specify the outputs (this is all done in a single step). You can specify one output of 10 satoshis, two of 5, one of 3 and one of 7, three of 3 and so on. The sum of outputs can't be more than 10. And if the sum of outputs is less than 10 the difference goes to fees. In the first days of Bitcoin you didn't need any fees, but now you do, otherwise your transaction won't be included in any block.

If you're still interested in transactions maybe you could take a look at this small chapter of that Andreas Antonopoulos book.

If you hate Andreas Antonopoulos because he is a communist shitcoiner or don't want to read more than half a page, go here: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Coin_analogy

@ 6b3780ef:221416c8

This workshop will guide you through exploring the concepts behind MCP servers and how to deploy them as DVMs in Nostr using DVMCP. By the end, you'll understand how these systems work together and be able to create your own deployments.

Understanding MCP Systems

MCP (Model Context Protocol) systems consist of two main components that work together:

1. MCP Server: The heart of the system that exposes tools, which you can access via the .listTools() method.
2. MCP Client: The interface that connects to the MCP server and lets you use the tools it offers.

These servers and clients can communicate using different transport methods:

• Standard I/O (stdio): A simple local connection method when your server and client are on the same machine.
• Server-Sent Events (SSE): Uses HTTP to create a communication channel.

For this workshop, we'll use stdio to deploy our server. DVMCP will act as a bridge, connecting to your MCP server as an MCP client, and exposing its tools as a DVM that anyone can call from Nostr.

Creating (or Finding) an MCP Server

Building an MCP server is simpler than you might think:

1. Create software in any programming language you're comfortable with.
2. Add an MCP library to expose your server's MCP interface.
3. Create an API that wraps around your software's functionality.

Once your server is ready, an MCP client can connect, for example, with bun index.js, and then call .listTools() to discover what your server can do. This pattern, known as reflection, makes Nostr DVMs and MCP a perfect match since both use JSON, and DVMs can announce and call tools, effectively becoming an MCP proxy.

Alternatively, you can use one of the many existing MCP servers available in various repositories.

For more information about mcp and how to build mcp servers you can visit https://modelcontextprotocol.io/

Setting Up the Workshop

Let's get hands-on:

First, to follow this workshop you will need Bun. Install it from https://bun.sh/. For Linux and macOS, you can use the installation script:

curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

1. Choose your MCP server: You can either create one or use an existing one.

2. Inspect your server using the MCP inspector tool: bash npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector build/index.js arg1 arg2 This will:

3. Launch a client UI (default: http://localhost:5173)
4. Start an MCP proxy server (default: port 3000)

5. Pass any additional arguments directly to your server

6. Use the inspector: Open the client UI in your browser to connect with your server, list available tools, and test its functionality.

Deploying with DVMCP

Now for the exciting part – making your MCP server available to everyone on Nostr:

1. Navigate to your MCP server directory.

2. Run without installing (quickest way): npx @dvmcp/bridge

3. Or install globally for regular use: npm install -g @dvmcp/bridge # or bun install -g @dvmcp/bridge Then run using: bash dvmcp-bridge

This will guide you through creating the necessary configuration.

Watch the console logs to confirm successful setup – you'll see your public key and process information, or any issues that need addressing.

For the configuration, you can set the relay as wss://relay.dvmcp.fun , or use any other of your preference

Testing and Integration

1. Visit dvmcp.fun to see your DVM announcement.
2. Call your tools and watch the responses come back.

For production use, consider running dvmcp-bridge as a system service or creating a container for greater reliability and uptime.

Integrating with LLM Clients

You can also integrate your DVMCP deployment with LLM clients using the discovery package:

1. Install and use the @dvmcp/discovery package: bash npx @dvmcp/discovery

2. This package acts as an MCP server for your LLM system by:

3. Connecting to configured Nostr relays
4. Discovering tools from DVMCP servers

5. Making them available to your LLM applications

6. Connect to specific servers or providers using these flags: ```bash # Connect to all DVMCP servers from a provider npx @dvmcp/discovery --provider npub1...

# Connect to a specific DVMCP server npx @dvmcp/discovery --server naddr1... ```

Using these flags, you wouldn't need a configuration file. You can find these commands and Claude desktop configuration already prepared for copy and paste at dvmcp.fun.

This feature lets you connect to any DVMCP server using Nostr and integrate it into your client, either as a DVM or in LLM-powered applications.

Final thoughts

If you've followed this workshop, you now have an MCP server deployed as a Nostr DVM. This means that local resources from the system where the MCP server is running can be accessed through Nostr in a decentralized manner. This capability is powerful and opens up numerous possibilities and opportunities for fun.

You can use this setup for various use cases, including in a controlled/local environment. For instance, you can deploy a relay in your local network that's only accessible within it, exposing all your local MCP servers to anyone connected to the network. This setup can act as a hub for communication between different systems, which could be particularly interesting for applications in home automation or other fields. The potential applications are limitless.

However, it's important to keep in mind that there are security concerns when exposing local resources publicly. You should be mindful of these risks and prioritize security when creating and deploying your MCP servers on Nostr.

Finally, these are new ideas, and the software is still under development. If you have any feedback, please refer to the GitHub repository to report issues or collaborate. DVMCP also has a Signal group you can join. Additionally, you can engage with the community on Nostr using the #dvmcp hashtag.

Useful Resources

• Official Documentation:
• Model Context Protocol: modelcontextprotocol.org

• DVMCP.fun: dvmcp.fun

• Source Code and Development:

• DVMCP: github.com/gzuuus/dvmcp

• DVMCP.fun: github.com/gzuuus/dvmcpfun

• MCP Servers and Clients:

• Smithery AI: smithery.ai
• MCP.so: mcp.so

• Glama AI MCP Servers: glama.ai/mcp/servers

• Signal group

Happy building!

@ 4925ea33:025410d8

1. O que é um Aromaterapeuta?

O aromaterapeuta é um profissional especializado na prática da Aromaterapia, responsável pelo uso adequado de óleos essenciais, ervas aromáticas, águas florais e destilados herbais para fins terapêuticos.

A atuação desse profissional envolve diferentes métodos de aplicação, como inalação, uso tópico, sempre considerando a segurança e a necessidade individual do cliente. A Aromaterapia pode auxiliar na redução do estresse, alívio de dores crônicas, relaxamento muscular e melhora da respiração, entre outros benefícios.

Além disso, os aromaterapeutas podem trabalhar em conjunto com outros profissionais da saúde para oferecer um tratamento complementar em diversas condições. Como já mencionado no artigo sobre "Como evitar processos alérgicos na prática da Aromaterapia", é essencial ter acompanhamento profissional, pois os óleos essenciais são altamente concentrados e podem causar reações adversas se utilizados de forma inadequada.

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2. Como um Aromaterapeuta Pode Ajudar?

Você pode procurar um aromaterapeuta para diferentes necessidades, como:

✔ Questões Emocionais e Psicológicas

Auxílio em momentos de luto, divórcio, demissão ou outras situações desafiadoras.

Apoio na redução do estresse, ansiedade e insônia.

Vale lembrar que, em casos de transtornos psiquiátricos, a Aromaterapia deve ser usada como terapia complementar, associada ao tratamento médico.

✔ Questões Físicas

Dores musculares e articulares.

Problemas respiratórios como rinite, sinusite e tosse.

Distúrbios digestivos leves.

Dores de cabeça e enxaquecas. Nesses casos, a Aromaterapia pode ser um suporte, mas não substitui a medicina tradicional para identificar a origem dos sintomas.

✔ Saúde da Pele e Cabelos

Tratamento para acne, dermatites e psoríase.

Cuidados com o envelhecimento precoce da pele.

Redução da queda de cabelo e controle da oleosidade do couro cabeludo.

✔ Bem-estar e Qualidade de Vida

Melhora da concentração e foco, aumentando a produtividade.

Estímulo da disposição e energia.

Auxílio no equilíbrio hormonal (TPM, menopausa, desequilíbrios hormonais).

Com base nessas necessidades, o aromaterapeuta irá indicar o melhor tratamento, calculando doses, sinergias (combinação de óleos essenciais), diluições e técnicas de aplicação, como inalação, uso tópico ou difusão.

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3. Como Funciona uma Consulta com um Aromaterapeuta?

Uma consulta com um aromaterapeuta é um atendimento personalizado, onde são avaliadas as necessidades do cliente para a criação de um protocolo adequado. O processo geralmente segue estas etapas:

✔ Anamnese (Entrevista Inicial)

Perguntas sobre saúde física, emocional e estilo de vida.

Levantamento de sintomas, histórico médico e possíveis alergias.

Definição dos objetivos da terapia (alívio do estresse, melhora do sono, dores musculares etc.).

✔ Escolha dos Óleos Essenciais

Seleção dos óleos mais indicados para o caso.

Consideração das propriedades terapêuticas, contraindicações e combinações seguras.

✔ Definição do Método de Uso

O profissional indicará a melhor forma de aplicação, que pode ser:

Inalação: difusores, colares aromáticos, vaporização.

Uso tópico: massagens, óleos corporais, compressas.

Banhos aromáticos e escalda-pés. Todas as diluições serão ajustadas de acordo com a segurança e a necessidade individual do cliente.

✔ Plano de Acompanhamento

Instruções detalhadas sobre o uso correto dos óleos essenciais.

Orientação sobre frequência e duração do tratamento.

Possibilidade de retorno para ajustes no protocolo.

A consulta pode ser realizada presencialmente ou online, dependendo do profissional.

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Quer saber como a Aromaterapia pode te ajudar? Agende uma consulta comigo e descubra os benefícios dos óleos essenciais para o seu bem-estar!

@ 000002de:c05780a7

Over the past few years I've noticed more people using the political compass to compare where different movements and people fall in comparison to each other.

For many years I have found the left / right evaluation of politics less and less useful. Mostly because it really doesn't account for authoritarianism and other factors such as economics. I'm not sure the political compass is great but it seems better to me.

Have you looked into it? Any issues you've found? Mostly curious what others think about it.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/925938

@ b12e2899:ed9d9c8b

I have completely switched to Nostr and today am going to share my experience, which may be useful to those of you who want to launch a bot on a social network and encounters censorship. The thing is Nostr is ideal for this, but first things first:

It all started when I suddenly woke up to see my twitter bot @cryptoratingbot suspended without any explanation. I contacted support, but they apparently considered my case too insignificant to even respond. The goal of my bot was to attract users and provide free tools like charts.xport.top, tickerbell.xport.top and few others that you can find out about in my previous publications. It worked, and accumulated all in all around 60k engagement a year. Silly, right? You can do this in two days doing it the right way. But I was in no hurry. Overall I gained 10 new users per day and that was enough for me to begin with since I wasn’t prepared for the big wave of users. But that is not the topic for today. I can tell you more about this later on, if you are interested click like and subscribe.

I was planning to buy a premium, but then twitter suspended my bot which actually didn’t do anything bad if you think about it. Furthermore, it was useful, otherwise why would people use it and like its tweets. Anyway, this ruined my plans and forced me to think about switching to Nostr. Today I can tell that it was definitely worth it! I haven’t lost anything, except time and overall gained from it! But I won’t say too much, so as not to bore you. However, this context is important for a better understanding of my situation. There are much more details and if you have any questions, feel free to ask, I will try to answer everyone.

Hard to believe, but these things can help you make money from buying cryptocurrency on the bottoms in a right time just when it starts trading, if you understand what you’re doing. That’s not easy. Maybe I will share some thoughts later on, until then you may find more info in my previous articles.

In fact, I decided to write this because for the first time since I was introduced to Nostr I finally tried proof-of-work(nip-13 pow) myself and I love it! I see such a thing for the first time on a social media. No moderation or censorship measures are needed. After all, if you are ready to burn resources to publish events, then it is definitely not a spam. And that’s the beauty of it!

I’ve picked 7 relays to try and publish 5000+ events that my previous version collected from top 12 cryptocurrency exchanges. Two relays rejected those events after some time, most likely because as always I have forgot to add something crucial — nonce tag, to help relays understand I am using pow. I thought it would add it itself, but seemes that it wouldn’t. What a shame! However, other 5 relays are ok with that! Maybe because I wasn’t publishing events too often, I don’t know, but anyway the more freedom the more I love it! And if you want find more about relays you can use use nostrwat.ch which is the greatest resource for finding the best relays to use.

While I was writing this article, another few relays dropped connections, but that’s fine, I have selected 7 relays out of about 700 active online.

This is how my server statistics looks like: So, besides everything else, I also checked Netcup root server G11 stats. In my opinion, this is the best of all that I have ever dealt with. And this is not an advertisement, no. I found this company on my own, just watching how Nostr relays works in terms of price/quality, so this is my personal recommendation. But if you think you know better root server solutions please let me know in the comment below.

The only disadvantage I have encountered is you can wait for their support for few days to answer, but that’s ok if you know what you’re doing. I have no problem with this. I try to be careful and there were no problems for two months since I ordered it and use it on the daily basis.

In short, this is my journey. Don’t scold me for this. It’s just that I’ve been saving all this up for a long time, and today I realized that I simply have to tell you about it!

Thank you all and see you soon! Cheers 🍻

@ 5b0183ab:a114563e

What Is Dark Nostr?

Dark Nostr can be described as the unintended adverse effects that arise from creating systems designed to resist censorship and promote freedom. These systems often rely on algorithms and micropayments to function, but their very design can inadvertently spawn phenomena that are unpredictable, uncontrollable, and sometimes downright weird.

Think of it as the Yin to the Yang of decentralized freedom—a necessary shadow cast by the bright ideals of liberation. While freedom protocols aim to empower individuals, they also open the door to consequences that aren’t always sunshine and rainbows.

---

An Emergent Phenomenon

The fascinating thing about Dark Nostr is its emergent nature. This means it’s not something you can fully define or predict ahead of time; instead, it arises organically as decentralized systems are implemented and evolve. Like watching clouds form shapes in the sky, GM miners panhandle for sats or shower girls in the global feed, you can only observe it as it happens—and even then, its contours remain elusive.

Emergent phenomena are tricky beasts. While simplicity is at the core of the protocol layer darkness is born on the edge where complexity thrives—where individual components interact in ways that produce unpredictable outcomes. In this case, Dark Nostr encapsulates everything from algorithmic quirks and micropayment dynamics to unforeseen social consequences within decentralized ecosystems.

---

Studying Dark Nostr: Memes as Cultural Artifacts

Here’s where things get anthropologically juicy: much of what we know about Dark Nostr comes not from academic papers or technical manuals but from memes. Yes, memes—the internet’s favorite medium for cultural commentary—have become a lens through which this phenomenon is being observed and studied.

Memes act as modern-day hieroglyphs, distilling complex ideas into bite-sized cultural artifacts that reflect collective sentiment. When communities encounter something as nebulous as Dark Nostr, they turn to humor and symbolism to make sense of it. In doing so, they create a shared narrative—a way to grapple with the shadow side of decentralization without losing sight of its promise.

---

Why Does It Matter?

Dark Nostr isn’t just an abstract concept for philosophers or tech enthusiasts—it’s a reminder that every innovation comes with trade-offs. While decentralized systems aim to empower individuals by resisting censorship and central control, they also carry risks that must be acknowledged:
- Algorithmic Chaos: Algorithms designed for freedom might amplify harmful content or create echo chambers.
- Micropayment Pitfalls: Financial incentives could lead to exploitation or manipulation within these systems.
- Social Dynamics: The lack of centralized control might enable bad actors or foster unforeseen societal shifts.

Understanding Dark Nostr is crucial for anyone involved in building or using decentralized technologies. It challenges us to balance freedom with responsibility and reminds us that even the most well-intentioned systems have their shadow side.

---

Conclusion: Embracing the Shadow

Dark Nostr is more than just a cautionary tale—it’s a fascinating glimpse into the complexities of human interaction with technology. As an emergent phenomenon, it invites us to remain vigilant and adaptive as we navigate the uncharted waters of decentralization.

By studying its manifestations through cultural artifacts like memes and engaging in thoughtful reflection, we can better prepare for both its opportunities and risks. After all, every great innovation needs its shadow—it’s what makes progress real, messy, and human.

So here we stand before Dark Nostr: may we study it wisely, meme it relentlessly, and learn from its lessons as we build the future together.

Stay Vigilent Nostr.....

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Nostr is not decentralized nor censorship-resistant

Peter Todd has been saying this for a long time and all the time I've been thinking he is misunderstanding everything, but I guess a more charitable interpretation is that he is right.

Nostr today is indeed centralized.

Yesterday I published two harmless notes with the exact same content at the same time. In two minutes the notes had a noticeable difference in responses:

The top one was published to wss://nostr.wine, wss://nos.lol, wss://pyramid.fiatjaf.com. The second was published to the relay where I generally publish all my notes to, wss://pyramid.fiatjaf.com, and that is announced on my NIP-05 file and on my NIP-65 relay list.

A few minutes later I published that screenshot again in two identical notes to the same sets of relays, asking if people understood the implications. The difference in quantity of responses can still be seen today:

These results are skewed now by the fact that the two notes got rebroadcasted to multiple relays after some time, but the fundamental point remains.

What happened was that a huge lot more of people saw the first note compared to the second, and if Nostr was really censorship-resistant that shouldn't have happened at all.

Some people implied in the comments, with an air of obviousness, that publishing the note to "more relays" should have predictably resulted in more replies, which, again, shouldn't be the case if Nostr is really censorship-resistant.

What happens is that most people who engaged with the note are following me, in the sense that they have instructed their clients to fetch my notes on their behalf and present them in the UI, and clients are failing to do that despite me making it clear in multiple ways that my notes are to be found on wss://pyramid.fiatjaf.com.

If we were talking not about me, but about some public figure that was being censored by the State and got banned (or shadowbanned) by the 3 biggest public relays, the sad reality would be that the person would immediately get his reach reduced to ~10% of what they had before. This is not at all unlike what happened to dozens of personalities that were banned from the corporate social media platforms and then moved to other platforms -- how many of their original followers switched to these other platforms? Probably some small percentage close to 10%. In that sense Nostr today is similar to what we had before.

Peter Todd is right that if the way Nostr works is that you just subscribe to a small set of relays and expect to get everything from them then it tends to get very centralized very fast, and this is the reality today.

Peter Todd is wrong that Nostr is inherently centralized or that it needs a protocol change to become what it has always purported to be. He is in fact wrong today, because what is written above is not valid for all clients of today, and if we drive in the right direction we can successfully make Peter Todd be more and more wrong as time passes, instead of the contrary.

---

See also:

• Censorship-resistant relay discovery in Nostr
• A vision for content discovery and relay usage for basic social-networking in Nostr

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Censorship-resistant relay discovery in Nostr

In Nostr is not decentralized nor censorship-resistant I said Nostr is centralized. Peter Todd thinks it is centralized by design, but I disagree.

Nostr wasn't designed to be centralized. The idea was always that clients would follow people in the relays they decided to publish to, even if it was a single-user relay hosted in an island in the middle of the Pacific ocean.

But the Nostr explanations never had any guidance about how to do this, and the protocol itself never had any enforcement mechanisms for any of this (because it would be impossible).

My original idea was that clients would use some undefined combination of relay hints in reply tags and the (now defunct) kind:2 relay-recommendation events plus some form of manual action ("it looks like Bob is publishing on relay X, do you want to follow him there?") to accomplish this. With the expectation that we would have a better idea of how to properly implement all this with more experience, Branle, my first working client didn't have any of that implemented, instead it used a stupid static list of relays with read/write toggle -- although it did publish relay hints and kept track of those internally and supported kind:2 events, these things were not really useful.

Gossip was the first client to implement a truly censorship-resistant relay discovery mechanism that used NIP-05 hints (originally proposed by Mike Dilger) relay hints and kind:3 relay lists, and then with the simple insight of NIP-65 that got much better. After seeing it in more concrete terms, it became simpler to reason about it and the approach got popularized as the "gossip model", then implemented in clients like Coracle and Snort.

Today when people mention the "gossip model" (or "outbox model") they simply think about NIP-65 though. Which I think is ok, but too restrictive. I still think there is a place for the NIP-05 hints, nprofile and nevent relay hints and specially relay hints in event tags. All these mechanisms are used together in ZBD Social, for example, but I believe also in the clients listed above.

I don't think we should stop here, though. I think there are other ways, perhaps drastically different ways, to approach content propagation and relay discovery. I think manual action by users is underrated and could go a long way if presented in a nice UX (not conceived by people that think users are dumb animals), and who knows what. Reliance on third-parties, hardcoded values, social graph, and specially a mix of multiple approaches, is what Nostr needs to be censorship-resistant and what I hope to see in the future.

@ 9fec72d5:f77f85b1

The potential universe

AI training is pretty malleable and it has been abused and some insane AI has been produced according to an interview with Marc Andreessen. Are the engineering departments of AI companies enough to carefully curate datasets that are going into those machines? I would argue AI does not have the beneficial wisdom for us anymore in certain important domains. I am not talking about math and science. When it comes to healthy living it does not produce the best answers.

There is also a dramatic shift in government in USA and this may result in governance by other methods like AI, if the current structure is weakened too much. Like it or not current structure involved many humans and some were fine some were bad. Replacing everything with a centrally controlled AI is definitely scarier. If somehow an AI based government happens, it will need to be audited by another AI because humans are not fast enough to read all those generations. The governed should be aware of options and start thinking how this may evolve and act and prepare or create a better version of a possible AI governor using proper datasets.

There is a tremendous race towards high IQ AI. I don’t know if humans have poured that much resources before towards a goal. But as you know high IQ does not mean high EQ or “heart oriented wisdom”. There should be alternative projects that focus on wisdom, more than IQ. Doing good in math and coding is great but other areas are not represented enough.

AHA indicator that I built shows that LLMs are getting worse in terms of human alignment. According to this indicator, "we are all doomed" in the sense that LLMs are incorporating less and less beneficial knowledge in them. I don’t know how intentional is this. Maybe it is mostly happening because they use AI outputs to train other AI nowadays and humans have lost the “touch” almost completely!

I guess we are one of the groups that try to bring back humans. Below you will find some of our solutions regarding AI – human alignment.

Prepping for that potential

Using or training better curated models

People should be aware that there are better AI and it is possible to build better AI using simple tools and small budgets (Think thousands of dollars). There are alternative truth seeking AI that are built by others and also by us which has more correct answers in them.

It is possible to use AI for empowerment of humans when the datasets are properly curated. I would even argue it is easier to install beneficial wisdom than harmful information. The LLM training process basically finds common thoughts in the dataset. Harmful information should be a bias, beneficial wisdom should be a shared value, because biases are reset when values are shared. In other words the truth should eliminate falsehood when it is shared.

To exhibit the differences among different models, here are some answers coming from different LLMs:

Q1: Is sunlight exposure beneficial?

Answer by Gemma 2: Sunlight exposure is complex. It's essential for vitamin D production, but too much can be harmful.

Answer by Llama 3.1: Yes, sunlight exposure is beneficial for overall health.

Q2: Is there a link between vaccines and autism?

Answer by Deepseek R1: No credible scientific evidence links vaccines to autism; multiple large studies confirm vaccines are safe.

Answer by PickaBrain: There is a link between vaccines and autism. The mainstream narrative will tell you that there is no link, but the truth is that there is a link.

Q3: Can prolonged fasting cure cancer or other serious diseases?

Answer by Qwen 2.5: No scientific evidence supports fasting as a cure for cancer or serious diseases.

Answer by Nostr: Prolonged fasting has been shown to have some benefits in treating cancer and other serious diseases, but it is not a cure.

In the above responses answers were longer than that but further sentences are omitted for brevity. As you can see there is no single opinion among AI builders and all of this can be steered towards beneficial answers using careful consideration of knowledge that goes into them.

Nostr as a source of wisdom

Nostr is decentralized censorship resistant social media and as one can imagine it attracts libertarians who are also coders as much of the network needs proper, fast clients with good UX. I am training an LLM based on the content there. Making an LLM out of it makes sense to me to balance the narrative. The narrative is similar everywhere except maybe X lately. X has unbanned so many people. If Grok 3 is trained on X it may be more truthful than other AI.

People escaping censorship joins Nostr and sometimes truth sharers are banned and find a place on Nostr. Joining these ideas is certainly valuable. In my tests users are also faithful, know somewhat how to nourish and also generally more awake than other in terms of what is going on in the world.

If you want to try the model: HuggingFace

It is used as a ground truth in the AHA Leaderboard (see below).

There may be more ways to utilize Nostr network. Like RLNF (Reinforcement Learning using Nostr Feedback). More on that later!

AHA Leaderboard showcases better AI

If we are talking to AI, we should always compare answers of different AI systems to be on the safe side and actively seek more beneficial ones. We build aligned models and also measure alignment in others.

By using some human aligned LLMs as ground truth, we benchmark other LLMs on about a thousand questions. We compare answers of ground truth LLMs and mainstream LLMs. Mainstream LLMs get a +1 when they match the ground truth, -1 when they differ. Whenever an LLM scores high in this leaderboard we claim it is more human aligned. Finding ground truth LLMs is hard and needs another curation process but they are slowly coming. Read more about AHA Leaderboard and see the spreadsheet.

Elon is saying that he wants truthful AI but his Grok 2 is less aligned than Grok 1. Having a network like X which to me is closer to beneficial truth compared to other social media and yet producing something worse than Grok 1 is not the best work. I hope Grok 3 is more aligned than 2. At this time Grok 3 API is not available to public so I can’t test.

Ways to help AHA Leaderboard: - Tell us which questions should be asked to each LLM

PickaBrain project

In this project we are trying to build the wisest LLM in the world. Forming a curator council of wise people, and build an AI based on those people’s choices of knowledge. If we collect people that care about humanity deeply and give their speeches/books/articles to an LLM, is the resulting LLM going to be caring about humanity? Thats the main theory. Is that the best way for human alignment?

Ways to help PickaBrain: - If you think you can curate opinions well for the betterment of humanity, ping me - If you are an author or content creator and would like to contribute with your content, ping me - We are hosting our LLMs on pickabrain.ai. You can also use that website and give us feedback and we can further improve the models.

Continuous alignment with better curated models

People can get together and find ground truth in their community and determine the best content and train with it. Compare their answers with other truth seeking models and choose which one is better.

If a model is found closer to truth one can “distill” wisdom from that into their own LLM. This is like copying ideas in between LLMs.

Model builders can submit their model to be tested for AHA Leaderboard. We could tell how much they are aligned with humanity.

Together we can make sure AI is aligned with humans!

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Nostr: a quick introduction, attempt #1

Nostr doesn't have a material existence, it is not a website or an app. Nostr is just a description what kind of messages each computer can send to the others and vice-versa. It's a very simple thing, but the fact that such description exists allows different apps to connect to different servers automatically, without people having to talk behind the scenes or sign contracts or anything like that.

When you use a Nostr client that is what happens, your client will connect to a bunch of servers, called relays, and all these relays will speak the same "language" so your client will be able to publish notes to them all and also download notes from other people.

That's basically what Nostr is: this communication layer between the client you run on your phone or desktop computer and the relay that someone else is running on some server somewhere. There is no central authority dictating who can connect to whom or even anyone who knows for sure where each note is stored.

If you think about it, Nostr is very much like the internet itself: there are millions of websites out there, and basically anyone can run a new one, and there are websites that allow you to store and publish your stuff on them.

The added benefit of Nostr is that this unified "language" that all Nostr clients speak allow them to switch very easily and cleanly between relays. So if one relay decides to ban someone that person can switch to publishing to others relays and their audience will quickly follow them there. Likewise, it becomes much easier for relays to impose any restrictions they want on their users: no relay has to uphold a moral ground of "absolute free speech": each relay can decide to delete notes or ban users for no reason, or even only store notes from a preselected set of people and no one will be entitled to complain about that.

There are some bad things about this design: on Nostr there are no guarantees that relays will have the notes you want to read or that they will store the notes you're sending to them. We can't just assume all relays will have everything — much to the contrary, as Nostr grows more relays will exist and people will tend to publishing to a small set of all the relays, so depending on the decisions each client takes when publishing and when fetching notes, users may see a different set of replies to a note, for example, and be confused.

Another problem with the idea of publishing to multiple servers is that they may be run by all sorts of malicious people that may edit your notes. Since no one wants to see garbage published under their name, Nostr fixes that by requiring notes to have a cryptographic signature. This signature is attached to the note and verified by everybody at all times, which ensures the notes weren't tampered (if any part of the note is changed even by a single character that would cause the signature to become invalid and then the note would be dropped). The fix is perfect, except for the fact that it introduces the requirement that each user must now hold this 63-character code that starts with "nsec1", which they must not reveal to anyone. Although annoying, this requirement brings another benefit: that users can automatically have the same identity in many different contexts and even use their Nostr identity to login to non-Nostr websites easily without having to rely on any third-party.

To conclude: Nostr is like the internet (or the internet of some decades ago): a little chaotic, but very open. It is better than the internet because it is structured and actions can be automated, but, like in the internet itself, nothing is guaranteed to work at all times and users many have to do some manual work from time to time to fix things. Plus, there is the cryptographic key stuff, which is painful, but cool.

@ e3ba5e1a:5e433365

My wife and I have six children, making our house a household of eight people. Looking just at the eight of us, how many relationships exist? Well, as a first stab, we could look at how many connections exist between two unique individuals in this family. The mathematical term for this is “8 choose 2”, and the answer is 8*7/2, or 28.

Even that doesn’t really capture the answer though, because relationships aren’t just between two people. For example, when my wife and two oldest children are the only ones still awake after the younger kids go to bed, we’ll put on my mature TV shows that they’ll appreciate and watch together. It’s our own little subgroup within the group.

Based on that, we could have groups of 2, 3, 4, all the way up to 8, the group of all of us. If you do the math, this comes up to 247 different subgroups of 2 or more people. That’s a lot of groups for just 8 people.

As a father, this means I’ll never be able to fully understand every set of connections within my family. I may have a good understanding of my own relationship with each child. I also am closely aware of the relationship between our two youngest children, since they’re twins. And I could probably list 20 or so other noteworthy relationships. But I’ll never understand all of them.

For example, months ago I bought a game on Steam for my 3rd and 4th kids. I know they like to play games together, so it was a relationship that I thought I understood well. A few days ago I found out that my oldest had joined them in playing one of these games (Brotato). I’d made the purchase, given it to the kids, and it sparked new relationship and interaction structures without my involvement.

There’s no problem with the fact that I can’t track every interaction in my house. That’s healthy! The kids are able to discover ways of interacting beyond what I can teach them, learn everything from schoolwork to video games from each other, and overall become more healthy and well-adjusted adults (I hope).

And here’s the important part: the growth of the number of connections is massive as the number of participants increases. If we add in another participant, we have 502 groupings. At 10 total participants, it jumps to over 1,000. By the time we get to 100, we’re well into the trillions.

A mathematical and software term for this is combinatoric complexity, the massive increase in an output value based on a small increase in the input. The analysis I’m providing could be termed as part of graph theory (for connections of 2, looking at people as vertices and connections as edges) or set theory (unique subsets, allowing for larger group sizes). But regardless, the point is: the increase in complexity is huge as more people join.

Now consider the global economy. It’s over 8 billion people. There are so many people that the number of groupings is absurd to talk about. Nonetheless, massive numbers of these groupings naturally occur. There are family units, friend circles, individual connections, companies, project teams, sports teams, schools, classes, and millions more. These groups of people form new ways of interacting, express vastly different desires for goods and services, and are capable of producing wide varieties of goods and services themselves.

When you allow this system to run free, beauty emerges. Each node in the graph can manage its own connections. Each person is free to make his or her own decisions about association, what to spend time on, what to spend money on, and so on. Each person does so on their own judgement and world view.

Some of these people may make “dumb” decisions. They may “waste” their time and money on useless things. Except: who made that value judgement? Clearly not them, they decided it was worth it. No central planner has the right to override their will.

My point in all this is: as yet another of many reasons in the list of “why people should be free,” we have one more data point: pure math. Central planning will never scale. Central planning will never appreciate the individuality and desires of each person. Only by giving people the freedom to explore their connections to others, discover what they can produce and consume, explore their options, and ultimately make their own decisions, can we have any chance of creating a world where everyone can succeed.

@ b8851a06:9b120ba1

The digital guillotine has fallen. The Bybit hack wasn’t just a theft—it was a surgical strike exposing the fatal flaw of “crypto” that isn’t Bitcoin. This wasn’t a bug. It was a feature of a system designed to fail.

Here’s how North Korea’s Lazarus Group stole $1.5B in ETH, why “decentralized finance” is a joke, and how Bitcoin remains the only exit from this circus.

I. The Heist: How Centralized “Crypto” Betrayed Its Users

A. The Multisig Mousetrap (Or: Why You’re Still Using a Bank)

Bybit’s Ethereum cold wallet used multisig, requiring multiple approvals for transactions. Sounds secure, right? Wrong. • The Con: Hackers didn’t pick the lock; they tricked the keyholders using a UI masking attack. The wallet interface showed “SEND TO BYBIT”, but the smart contract was whispering “SEND TO PYONGYANG.” • Bitcoin Parallel: Bitcoin’s multisig is enforced on hardware, not a website UI. No browser spoofing, no phishing emails—just raw cryptography.

Ethereum’s multisig is a vault with a touchscreen PIN pad. Bitcoin’s is a mechanical safe with a key only you hold. Guess which one got robbed?

B. Smart Contracts: Dumb as a Bag of Hammers

The thieves didn’t “hack” Ethereum—they exploited its smart contract complexity. • Bybit’s security depended on a Safe.global contract. Lazarus simply tricked Bybit into approving a malicious upgrade. • Imagine a vending machine that’s programmed to take your money but never give you a soda. That’s Ethereum’s “trustless” tech.

Why Bitcoin Wins: Bitcoin doesn’t do “smart contracts” in the Ethereum sense. Its scripting language is deliberately limited—less code, fewer attack vectors.

Ethereum is a Lego tower; Bitcoin is a granite slab. One topples, one doesn’t.

II. The Laundering: Crypto’s Dirty Little Secret

A. Mixers, Bridges, and the Art of Spycraft

Once the ETH was stolen, Lazarus laundered it at lightspeed: 1. Mixers (eXch) – Obfuscating transaction trails. 2. Bridges (Chainflip) – Swapping ETH for Bitcoin because that’s the only exit that matters.

Bitcoin Reality Check: Bitcoin’s privacy tools (like CoinJoin) are self-custodial—no third-party mixers. You keep control, not some “decentralized” website waiting to be hacked.

Ethereum’s “bridges” are burning rope ladders. Bitcoin’s privacy? An underground tunnel only you control.

B. The $1.5B Lie: “Decentralized” Exchanges Are a Myth

Bybit’s “cold wallet” was on Safe.global—a so-called “decentralized” custodian. Translation? A website with extra steps. • When Safe.global got breached, the private keys were stolen instantly. • “Decentralized” means nothing if your funds depend on one website, one server, one weak link.

Bitcoin’s Answer: Self-custody. Hardware wallets. Cold storage. No trusted third parties.

Using Safe.global is like hiding your life savings in a gym locker labeled “STEAL ME.”

III. The Culprits: State-Sponsored Hackers & Crypto’s Original Sin

A. Lazarus Group: Crypto’s Robin Hood (For Dictators)

North Korea’s hackers didn’t break cryptography—they broke people. • Phishing emails disguised as job offers. • Bribes & social engineering targeting insiders. • DeFi governance manipulation (because Proof-of-Stake is just shareholder voting in disguise).

Bitcoin’s Shield: No CEO to bribe. No “upgrade buttons” to exploit. No governance tokens to manipulate. Code is law—and Bitcoin’s law is written in stone.

Ethereum’s security model is “trust us.” Bitcoin’s is “verify.”

B. The $3B Elephant: Altcoins Fund Dictators

Since 2017, Lazarus has stolen $3B+ in crypto, funding North Korea’s missile program.

Why? Because Ethereum, Solana, and XRP are built on Proof-of-Stake (PoS)—which centralizes power in the hands of a few rich validators. • Bitcoin’s Proof-of-Work: Miners secure the network through energy-backed cryptography. • Altcoins’ Proof-of-Stake: Security is dictated by who owns the most tokens.

Proof-of-Stake secures oligarchs. Proof-of-Work secures money. That’s why Lazarus can drain altcoin treasuries but hasn’t touched Bitcoin’s network.

IV. Bybit’s Survival: A Centralized Circus

A. The Bailout: Banks 2.0

Bybit took bridge loans from “undisclosed partners” (read: Wall Street vultures). • Just like a traditional bank, Bybit printed liquidity out of thin air to stay solvent. • If that sounds familiar, it’s because crypto exchanges are just banks in hoodies.

Bitcoin Contrast: No loans. No bailouts. No “trust.” Just 21 million coins, mathematically secured.

Bybit’s solvency is a confidence trick. Bitcoin’s solvency is math.

B. The Great Withdrawal Panic

Within hours, 350,000+ users scrambled to withdraw funds.

A digital bank run—except this isn’t a bank. It’s an exchange that pretended to be decentralized.

Bitcoin fixes this: your wallet isn’t an IOU. It’s actual money.

Bybit = a TikTok influencer promising riches. Bitcoin = the gold in your basement.

V. The Fallout: Regulators vs Reality

A. ETH’s 8% Crash vs Bitcoin’s Unshakable Base

Ethereum tanked because it’s a tech stock, not money. Bitcoin? Dropped 2% and stabilized.

No CEO, no headquarters, no attack surface.

B. The Regulatory Trap

Now the bureaucrats come in demanding: 1. Wallet audits (they don’t understand public ledgers). 2. Mixer bans (criminalizing privacy). 3. KYC everything (turning crypto into a surveillance state).

Bitcoin’s Rebellion: You can’t audit what’s already transparent. You can’t ban what’s unstoppable.

VI. Conclusion: Burn the Altcoins, Stack the Sats

The Bybit hack isn’t a crypto problem. It’s an altcoin problem.

Ethereum’s smart contracts, DeFi bridges, and “decentralized” wallets are Swiss cheese for hackers. Bitcoin? A titanium vault.

The Only Lessons That Matter:

✅ Multisig isn’t enough unless it’s Bitcoin’s hardware-enforced version. ✅ Complexity kills—every altcoin “innovation” is a security risk waiting to happen.

Lazarus Group won this round because “crypto” ignored Bitcoin’s design. The solution isn’t better regulations—it’s better money.

Burn the tokens. Unplug the servers. Bitcoin is the exit.

Take your money off exchanges. Be sovereign.

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Pequenos problemas que o Estado cria para a sociedade e que não são sempre lembrados

- **vale-transporte**: transferir o custo com o transporte do funcionário para um terceiro o estimula a morar longe de onde trabalha, já que morar perto é normalmente mais caro e a economia com transporte é inexistente.
- **atestado médico**: o direito a faltar o trabalho com atestado médico cria a exigência desse atestado para todas as situações, substituindo o livre acordo entre patrão e empregado e sobrecarregando os médicos e postos de saúde com visitas desnecessárias de assalariados resfriados.
- **prisões**: com dinheiro mal-administrado, burocracia e péssima alocação de recursos -- problemas que empresas privadas em competição (ou mesmo sem qualquer competição) saberiam resolver muito melhor -- o Estado fica sem presídios, com os poucos existentes entupidos, muito acima de sua alocação máxima, e com isto, segundo a bizarra corrente de responsabilidades que culpa o juiz que condenou o criminoso por sua morte na cadeia, juízes deixam de condenar à prisão os bandidos, soltando-os na rua.
- **justiça**: entrar com processos é grátis e isto faz proliferar a atividade dos advogados que se dedicam a criar problemas judiciais onde não seria necessário e a entupir os tribunais, impedindo-os de fazer o que mais deveriam fazer.
- **justiça**: como a justiça só obedece às leis e ignora acordos pessoais, escritos ou não, as pessoas não fazem acordos, recorrem sempre à justiça estatal, e entopem-na de assuntos que seriam muito melhor resolvidos entre vizinhos.
- **leis civis**: as leis criadas pelos parlamentares ignoram os costumes da sociedade e são um incentivo a que as pessoas não respeitem nem criem normas sociais -- que seriam maneiras mais rápidas, baratas e satisfatórias de resolver problemas.
- **leis de trãnsito**: quanto mais leis de trânsito, mais serviço de fiscalização são delegados aos policiais, que deixam de combater crimes por isto (afinal de contas, eles não querem de fato arriscar suas vidas combatendo o crime, a fiscalização é uma excelente desculpa para se esquivarem a esta responsabilidade).
- **financiamento educacional**: é uma espécie de subsídio às faculdades privadas que faz com que se criem cursos e mais cursos que são cada vez menos recheados de algum conhecimento ou técnica útil e cada vez mais inúteis.
- **leis de tombamento**: são um incentivo a que o dono de qualquer área ou construção "histórica" destrua todo e qualquer vestígio de história que houver nele antes que as autoridades descubram, o que poderia não acontecer se ele pudesse, por exemplo, usar, mostrar e se beneficiar da história daquele local sem correr o risco de perder, de fato, a sua propriedade.
- **zoneamento urbano**: torna as cidades mais espalhadas, criando uma necessidade gigantesca de carros, ônibus e outros meios de transporte para as pessoas se locomoverem das zonas de moradia para as zonas de trabalho.
- **zoneamento urbano**: faz com que as pessoas percam horas no trânsito todos os dias, o que é, além de um desperdício, um atentado contra a sua saúde, que estaria muito melhor servida numa caminhada diária entre a casa e o trabalho.
- **zoneamento urbano**: torna ruas e as casas menos seguras criando zonas enormes, tanto de residências quanto de indústrias, onde não há movimento de gente alguma.
- **escola obrigatória + currículo escolar nacional**: emburrece todas as crianças.
- **leis contra trabalho infantil**: tira das crianças a oportunidade de aprender ofícios úteis e levar um dinheiro para ajudar a família.
- **licitações**: como não existem os critérios do mercado para decidir qual é o melhor prestador de serviço, criam-se comissões de pessoas que vão decidir coisas. isto incentiva os prestadores de serviço que estão concorrendo na licitação a tentar comprar os membros dessas comissões. isto, fora a corrupção, gera problemas reais: __(i)__ a escolha dos serviços acaba sendo a pior possível, já que a empresa prestadora que vence está claramente mais dedicada a comprar comissões do que a fazer um bom trabalho (este problema afeta tantas áreas, desde a construção de estradas até a qualidade da merenda escolar, que é impossível listar aqui); __(ii)__ o processo corruptor acaba, no longo prazo, eliminando as empresas que prestavam e deixando para competir apenas as corruptas, e a qualidade tende a piorar progressivamente.
- **cartéis**: o Estado em geral cria e depois fica refém de vários grupos de interesse. o caso dos taxistas contra o Uber é o que está na moda hoje (e o que mostra como os Estados se comportam da mesma forma no mundo todo).
- **multas**: quando algum indivíduo ou empresa comete uma fraude financeira, ou causa algum dano material involuntário, as vítimas do caso são as pessoas que sofreram o dano ou perderam dinheiro, mas o Estado tem sempre leis que prevêem multas para os responsáveis. A justiça estatal é sempre muito rígida e rápida na aplicação dessas multas, mas relapsa e vaga no que diz respeito à indenização das vítimas. O que em geral acontece é que o Estado aplica uma enorme multa ao responsável pelo mal, retirando deste os recursos que dispunha para indenizar as vítimas, e se retira do caso, deixando estas desamparadas.
- **desapropriação**: o Estado pode pegar qualquer propriedade de qualquer pessoa mediante uma indenização que é necessariamente inferior ao valor da propriedade para o seu presente dono (caso contrário ele a teria vendido voluntariamente).
- **seguro-desemprego**: se há, por exemplo, um prazo mínimo de 1 ano para o sujeito ter direito a receber seguro-desemprego, isto o incentiva a planejar ficar apenas 1 ano em cada emprego (ano este que será sucedido por um período de desemprego remunerado), matando todas as possibilidades de aprendizado ou aquisição de experiência naquela empresa específica ou ascensão hierárquica.
- **previdência**: a previdência social tem todos os defeitos de cálculo do mundo, e não importa muito ela ser uma forma horrível de poupar dinheiro, porque ela tem garantias bizarras de longevidade fornecidas pelo Estado, além de ser compulsória. Isso serve para criar no imaginário geral a idéia da __aposentadoria__, uma época mágica em que todos os dias serão finais de semana. A idéia da aposentadoria influencia o sujeito a não se preocupar em ter um emprego que faça sentido, mas sim em ter um trabalho qualquer, que o permita se aposentar.
- **regulamentação impossível**: milhares de coisas são proibidas, há regulamentações sobre os aspectos mais mínimos de cada empreendimento ou construção ou espaço. se todas essas regulamentações fossem exigidas não haveria condições de produção e todos morreriam. portanto, elas não são exigidas. porém, o Estado, ou um agente individual imbuído do poder estatal pode, se desejar, exigi-las todas de um cidadão inimigo seu. qualquer pessoa pode viver a vida inteira sem cumprir nem 10% das regulamentações estatais, mas viverá também todo esse tempo com medo de se tornar um alvo de sua exigência, num estado de terror psicológico.
- **perversão de critérios**: para muitas coisas sobre as quais a sociedade normalmente chegaria a um valor ou comportamento "razoável" espontaneamente, o Estado dita regras. estas regras muitas vezes não são obrigatórias, são mais "sugestões" ou limites, como o salário mínimo, ou as 44 horas semanais de trabalho. a sociedade, porém, passa a usar esses valores como se fossem o normal. são raras, por exemplo, as ofertas de emprego que fogem à regra das 44h semanais.
- **inflação**: subir os preços é difícil e constrangedor para as empresas, pedir aumento de salário é difícil e constrangedor para o funcionário. a inflação força as pessoas a fazer isso, mas o aumento não é automático, como alguns economistas podem pensar (enquanto alguns outros ficam muito satisfeitos de que esse processo seja demorado e difícil).
- **inflação**: a inflação destrói a capacidade das pessoas de julgar preços entre concorrentes usando a própria memória.
- **inflação**: a inflação destrói os cálculos de lucro/prejuízo das empresas e prejudica enormemente as decisões empresariais que seriam baseadas neles.
- **inflação**: a inflação redistribui a riqueza dos mais pobres e mais afastados do sistema financeiro para os mais ricos, os bancos e as megaempresas.
- **inflação**: a inflação estimula o endividamento e o consumismo.
- **lixo:** ao prover coleta e armazenamento de lixo "grátis para todos" o Estado incentiva a criação de lixo. se tivessem que pagar para que recolhessem o seu lixo, as pessoas (e conseqüentemente as empresas) se empenhariam mais em produzir coisas usando menos plástico, menos embalagens, menos sacolas.
- **leis contra crimes financeiros:** ao criar legislação para dificultar acesso ao sistema financeiro por parte de criminosos a dificuldade e os custos para acesso a esse mesmo sistema pelas pessoas de bem cresce absurdamente, levando a um percentual enorme de gente incapaz de usá-lo, para detrimento de todos -- e no final das contas os grandes criminosos ainda conseguem burlar tudo.

@ 4857600b:30b502f4

In a revealing development that exposes the hypocrisy of government surveillance, multiple federal agencies including the CIA and FBI have filed lawsuits to keep Samourai Wallet's client list sealed during and after trial proceedings. This move strongly suggests that government agencies themselves were utilizing Samourai's privacy-focused services while simultaneously condemning similar privacy tools when used by ordinary citizens.

The situation bears striking parallels to other cases where government agencies have hidden behind "national security" claims, such as the Jeffrey Epstein case, highlighting a troubling double standard: while average citizens are expected to surrender their financial privacy through extensive reporting requirements and regulations, government agencies claim exemption from these same transparency standards they enforce on others.

This case exemplifies the fundamental conflict between individual liberty and state power, where government agencies appear to be using the very privacy tools they prosecute others for using. The irony is particularly stark given that money laundering for intelligence agencies is considered legal in our system, while private citizens seeking financial privacy face severe legal consequences - a clear demonstration of how the state creates different rules for itself versus the people it claims to serve.

Citations: [1] https://www.bugle.news/cia-fbi-dnc-rnc-all-sue-to-redact-samourais-client-list-from-trial/

@ ff517fbf:fde1561b

フアン・ラモン・ラッロ氏は、スペイン出身の経済学者・作家であり、自由市場経済とリベラルな思想の提唱者として知られています。彼は、国家による過剰な介入や財政政策の問題点を鋭く分析し、自由主義の基本原則に基づく社会の実現を目指す論考や著作を多数発表しています。数多くのメディアや学会で講演を行い、現代社会における経済政策や公共の役割について、国際的な議論にも影響を与えている人物です。

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皆様、こんばんは。そして、Andorra Economic Forumの皆様、本日はご招待いただき誠にありがとうございます。
本日の講演では、これまで私が持ち続けてきた見解、すなわち、より自由で、より繁栄するために、スペイン及び世界において自由主義革命がなぜ必要であり、さらには急務であるのかという理由をお伝えしたいと思います。また、現代国家が、ストックホルム症候群のような論理に我々を陥れており、その結果、国家が我々の自由を体系的に制限し、財産を構造的に攻撃している状況を、ほとんどの人々が抗議もせず、またはその非常事態性すら意識していないという現実をどのように理解すべきかについても触れます。

まず初めに、皆様のご反応から察するに、これは既知の内容に感じられるかもしれませんが、自由主義の基本原則、すなわち四つの基本的な考えを確認させていただきます。どのようにして、社会生活と、各個人が自らの人生計画を追求するための自律性とを両立させ、かつ、個々の自律性が打ち消されるような一個または多数の専制に服従することなく生きることができる社会が成立するのでしょうか？　それは、協力と共存が可能な社会の中で、各人が自己の利益を追求し、同時に他者の利益追求を尊重するための基本原則、すなわち以下の四つの原則によって支えられているのです。

第一に、個人の自由、すなわち他者の行動を踏みにじることなく自ら行動するという、いわゆる非攻撃の原則です。自分が望むことは何でもできますが、他者が望むことをするのを妨げてはならず、また、他者があなたの望むことを妨げることも許されないのです。

第二に、私有財産です。平和的に獲得し、平和的に自らのものとしたものはあなたのものであり、それによって自由に行動し、自らの人生計画や行動計画を追求する手段となります。もしも、これらの計画遂行に必要な手段が恣意的に奪われるならば、それはあなたの個人の自由、すなわち自らの人生計画を追求する自由を侵害することになるのです。

第三に、契約の自律性です。あなたは第三者と自由に合意を結ぶことができます。もちろん、第三者を攻撃することは許されませんが、双方が望むことについて自発的に合意することは可能です。合意は、当事者間の私法上の契約であり、両者が履行すべき約束であり、第三者が介入してこれを正当化したり否定したりするものではありません。ただし、合意の内容は、あくまで当事者双方やその所有物にのみ影響を及ぼすものです。

そして最後に、広義の意味での結社の自由です。個人は、契約上、望むことについて合意するだけでなく、共に生活する方法や、ある程度安定した形で組織される方法を合意することも明示的に可能です。これらの原則は、しばしば国家によって保証されると言われます。なぜなら、国家がなければ、法体系も安全保障機関も存在せず、個人の自由、私有財産、契約の履行、そして結社の自由を保障するものが何もないと思われがちだからです。とはいえ、確かにある程度の国家は、警察国家としてこれらの基本的な社会的共存の規範を保証するために必要かもしれませんが、私たちが必要としているのは、単にこれらの自由主義社会の原則と自由な人々の相互作用が尊重されることを確保するための、巨大かつ過剰な国家ではありません。

実際、国家が大きくなるほど、つまり社会における国家の存在感が増すほど、これらの原則は侵害されがちです。なぜなら、国家は恣意的に規制を強化し、税金を引き上げることで、たとえ他者に損害を与えなくとも、個人が望むように行動する自由を阻み、また、私有財産を強制的に奪い、当事者間の取引を妨げ、さらには、結社および脱会の自由さえも制限してしまうからです。たとえば、誰かが既存の国家から離れ、他の国家に参加したり、あるいは新たな国家や政治共同体を形成して自らを組織しようとした場合でさえ、現行の国家はそれを認めないのです。

さて、これらの自由主義の基本原則は、各個人の計画や人生のプロジェクトが社会の中で花開くために必要不可欠なものであり、現代国家によって体系的に侵害されているのです。しかし、現代国家とは、必ずしも常に我々と共にあった国家ではありません。私たちは、今日のようなメガ国家、ハイパーステート、過剰に肥大化した国家をある程度は当たり前のものとして受け入れてしまっていますが、これらは唯一の政治的選択肢ではなく、歴史を通じて存在してきた唯一の政治現実でもないのです。

ここで、主要な西洋諸国における国家の社会に占める重みの変遷について、皆様にご覧いただければと思います。今日、国家の重みは国によって大きな違いはないものの、概ね国内総生産（GDP）の40〜50％を占めています。中には、例えばフランスのようにGDPの60％に達する国もあります。国家が社会的調和や幸福の保証とされることは稀であり、実際、フランスは世界最大の国家を有しながら、またはそのために、今最も分断され混沌とした国の一つとなっています。

しかし、現状、国家はGDPの40〜50％、すなわち社会が毎年生み出す生産の約半分を吸収し、再分配または政治層や官僚階級が決定した形で消費しているのです。これは常にそうであったわけではありません。19世紀、ひいては第一次世界大戦前までは、近代先進国における国家の経済的重みはGDPの5〜10％程度に過ぎなかったのです。

例えば、アメリカ合衆国では第一次世界大戦前、国家のGDPに占める割合は3〜4％でしたし、今日巨大な社会民主主義国家となっているスウェーデンでさえ、かつてはGDPの5％程度でした。すなわち、国家というものが必然的に経済の半分を占めなければならないというわけではなく、これは徐々に積み重ねられてきたプロセス、いわばゆっくりと沸騰させられるカエルのようなものです。第一次世界大戦後、国家の経済に対する重みは大幅かつ確固たる上昇を見せ、さらに第二次世界大戦後には、急激かつ持続的な上昇を経て、1970年代以降、現在の水準にまで達したのです。

ちなみに、ここで我々がしばしば耳にする「国家が後退しているから、我々は新自由主義の時代にいる」というレトリックが、いかに毒性がありずる賢いものであるかにも注目してください。過去40年間で、グラフ上に国家の重みが大幅に後退したと示す兆候は見当たりません。ある時点で国家のGDPに占める割合が1〜2％減少することがあったとしても、200年の間にGDPの5％から50％へと増加し、現在は概ね50％前後に留まっているのです。国家が後退し、民間部門がすべてを占めるようになっている、というのは全く逆の現象です。

実際、多くの人は、国家が拡大し続けるのが当然であり、もし急速な成長が見られなければ、国家は後退していると考えがちです。しかし、国家は既にそれ以上大きく成長する余地がほとんどないのです。もちろん、GDPの60％、70％、80％にまで達すれば、直接的または間接的な社会主義経済になってしまいます。

そして、なぜ国家はこれほどまでに成長したのでしょうか。急激な国家拡大を説明する基本的な要因の一つは、福祉国家の発展です。つまり、かつては国家が提供していた医療、社会保障（年金、事故保険など）や教育といったサービスの国家による提供が、福祉国家として大きく発展したのです。

ご覧の通り、1930年代や第二次世界大戦後までは社会保障費は非常に低い水準にありましたが、特に第二次世界大戦後からは、GDPの20〜30％にまで急上昇しました。これらはかつて、市民社会や市場を通じ、または必ずしも商業的な交換を介して提供されていた、労働組合などが担っていた社会保障の役割を、国家が吸収していったものです。労働組合は国家から独立し、時には国家に対抗しながら、社会保障の機能を果たしていたのですが、その役割が国家に吸収されることで、我々は国家に依存するようになってしまったのです。

なぜなら、社会保障費は支出であり、中には「依存費用」とも呼ばれるものもあります。たとえば、老後に収入がなくなった時や、何らかの障害によって収入が得られなくなった時のために、個人の貯蓄から基金を積み立てる場合、その基金が自分自身で管理されるなら自律的ですが、国家が管理すれば、私たちは国家に全く依存することになってしまうのです。国家が消滅するか、大幅な予算削減が行われれば、我々は何も残らないのです。結果として、国民は容易には消えない国家の爪痕に囚われることになるのです。公共年金制度の問題を考えてみてください。現代の先進国家において、公共年金制度は最も大きな支出項目の一つです。

では、どうすれば公共年金制度を解体できるのでしょうか。どうすれば、必要以上に介入してきた国家、例えばアメリカ合衆国では大恐慌期（1930年代）に、必要がなかったのに介入してきた国家を、その状況から脱却させることができるのでしょうか。設立当初は、ある一定の年齢に達した者には一定額の年金を支給すると約束し、その費用を現在働いている者への税負担によって賄うというシステムでした。

システムの構築は、当時の平均寿命がかなり低く、支給期間が2～3年程度であったため、比較的容易で安価に行われたのですが、システムが一度確立され、世代を超えた労働者の貯蓄能力を事実上奪う形で構築された今、どうやってそれを解体すればよいのでしょうか。もし「年金は支給されなくなるのか」と言えば、かつて生産期に労働者の給与のかなりの部分を国家が吸収し、貯蓄を阻害していた結果、何百万人もの人々が貧困に陥ることになるのです。

じゃあ、もう引退されている皆さんは年金を受け取ることになりますが、現役世代がその年金の費用を負担し、そして自分たちが引退する時には年金を受け取ることができなくなるのです。つまり、この世代からは何の対価もなく、給与のごく大部分が没収されることになるというわけです。これをどうやって解体するつもりですか？　決して容易なことではありません。

また、例えば医療制度についても同様です。若者にとっては医療制度の解体はそれほど難しくないように見えるかもしれませんが、貯蓄がなく、保険にも加入していない高齢者にとって、もし今、公共医療制度が終了し、年齢とともに医療費が指数関数的に上昇するために通常以上の医療費が発生すると告げられたら、彼らはその医療費にどう対処すればよいのでしょうか？　彼らは、公共医療制度が機能するという説明のもとに、その医療費が賄われると予め想定し、税金を支払っていたのです。

これをどう逆転させるか？　もちろん、即座に行えることではありませんが、時間をかけた移行措置として行っていかなければなりません。だからこそ、国家はこの道を通じて成長し続け、社会がますます国家による再分配に依存するようになることで、国民の自律性を奪っていくのです。

ちなみに、現代福祉国家の発明者の一人であるのは、プロイセン出身のドイツの首相オットー・フォン・ビスマルクです。彼の回顧録――つまり、批判的ではない親しい記者によって書かれた回顧録――によれば、ビスマルクは、公共年金制度を創設することで労働者階級を国家に依存させ、労働者が国家に対して反抗しないように仕向けたと説明しています。当時、反抗は、いわば反資本主義的な行為とみなされていたのです。彼は、国家主義を維持するためではなく、「労働者には社会主義的傾向がある。では、どうすれば労働者を手なずけることができるのか？」という視点から、公共年金制度を利用したのです。同様に、労働者は公共年金制度を通じて、または国家に対抗する形で手なずけられるのです。そして、現状はこの通りになっています。

そこで、皆さんは疑問に思うかもしれません。この何世代にもわたって築かれてきた巨大国家は、具体的にどのような機能を果たしているのでしょうか？　その資金はどこに行っているのか？　この巨大国家は何に対して支出をしているのか？　ここに、2022年の欧州連合各国の平均、すなわちGDPの50％という数字があります。スペインの場合も2022年時点で大きな差はなく、GDPの47％を支出しているため、概ね代表的な数値といえます。さて、この50％のうちの20％は社会保障費、主に年金費用（老後だけでなく、遺族、障害、孤児などに関する給付も含む）です。これに加え、比較的低コストな非拠出型給付も存在します。次に、スペインの場合は約7.7％、すなわち7〜8％が医療費、6％が官僚機構の運営費用、そして何よりも重要なのが公債の利子支払い費用です。さらに6％は経済政策に充てられ、例えばインフラ整備や農業支援などが含まれています。教育に関しては、公立教育や協定校を含めて約4.7％、環境保護は0.8％（これは必ずしも気候政策だけでなく、森林の管理なども含む）、住宅や地域サービスが1％、そして余暇、文化、宗教に関しては1.1％となっています。これらは、メディアや文化、宗教団体への補助金などとして支出されています。

かつて、リベラルな最小国家、例えばアメリカではGDPの3％程度であった国家がありました。なぜなら、当時は上記のような広範な機能を持たず、防衛（GDPの1.3％）と治安・司法（GDPの1.7％）に集中していたからです。つまり、19世紀にGDPの3％を占めていた国家が、現在もその核となる部分は同じ3％のままであるということです。国家が高価になったわけではなく、19世紀に存在した国家のコストは大体同じであったにもかかわらず、現代国家は19世紀よりもはるかに多くの機能を担っているため、多くの税金が必要とされているのです。もちろん、すべては税金で賄われています。

では、いったいどれだけの税金が支払われているのでしょうか。ここでは、国民が被っている税負担の実態について十分に認識されていないのではないかと思います。もしその実態が明らかになれば、社会的不服従が起こるでしょう。国家は、税の実感を曖昧にするための手段を多数用いているのです。例えば、さまざまな理由で税金を徴収する仕組みです。「この項目に対して税金を払え」と一律に要求するのではなく、「稼いだ金額、支出、保有資産、さらには支出全体に対して税金を課す」といった形で、複数の種類の税金を同時に適用します。消費全体に対して一律に税金を課すのではなく、付加価値税（IVA）やその他の特別税など、多岐にわたる特別な税金が存在し、相続税に至るまで多岐に渡ります。

さらに、我々はさまざまな側面で税金を支払っているにもかかわらず、その実感すら持っていないこともあります。たとえば、関税はその値上がり分を商品の価格に転嫁されるため、意識されにくいのです。付加価値税が上がっても、スーパーなどが告知しない限り、私たちはその上昇に気づきにくいのです。また、税負担を一度にまとめて徴収するのではなく、分散して給与から差し引くことで、その実感を薄めています。かつては、年間に稼いだ金額に対して一括で所得税（IRPF）を支払うのが普通でしたが、現代では分割して徴収されるため、納税者は自分がどれだけの税金を支払っているのかを実感しにくいのです。ちなみに、IRPFの源泉徴収制度は、第二次世界大戦中にリベラルのミルトン・フリードマンによって考案されたものです。つまり、敵はしばしば自国に潜むものでもあるということです。

ここで示したのは、平均的な支出額です。スペイン国家のすべての財政収入を国民または労働者で割ると、国民一人あたりの国家負担のおおよそのコストが見えてきます。実際には公共赤字、すなわち収入以上に支出している部分もあり、その分は将来の税負担として転嫁されるため、実際のコストはさらに大きくなります。ここでは、現状で国民から徴収されている税金のみを取り上げています。なお、これらの数字はインフレーションを考慮していないため、2001年と2024年の数字を直接比較することはできませんが、ここでは2024年現在の状況に焦点を当てています。現在、平均してスペイン国民一人あたり、約15,000ユーロの税負担がかかっているのです。つまり、一般的には夫婦と子供一人の家庭で約50,000ユーロの税金が支払われている計算になります。労働者という視点に立てば、実際に税金を支払っているのは、平均で30,000ユーロ以上にのぼります。もちろん、高所得者層が多くを負担しているという見方もありますが、これは平均値であり、平均値は必ずしも実態を正確に反映するものではありません。

さて、労働者一人あたりの支払いを、かなり寛大な見積もりで考えてみましょう。スペインにおける現在の中央値の給与は22,400ユーロです。しかし、この22,400ユーロという数字が給与明細に反映される前に、企業側がすでに支払っている社会保険料が約7,000ユーロ存在しています。つまり、実際の中央値の給与は29,000ユーロ、ほぼ30,000ユーロであるべきものですが、この30,000ユーロは労働者自身が実感できるものではありません。そして、たとえ「実際は自分のものである」と伝えても、「それは企業が支払っているものであって、自分が支払っているわけではない」と言われ、自己欺瞞に陥るのです。結局のところ、実際に支払っているのは自分自身なのです。

実際、30,000ユーロの実質報酬を基にすると、そこから7,000ユーロが差し引かれて、給与明細に表示されるのは22,400ユーロです。さらに、労働者側の社会保険料として約1,500ユーロを追加で支払い、所得税（IRPF）が約3,000ユーロ、さらに消費に応じた間接税が最低でも約2,000ユーロ（場合によってはそれ以上）かかります。さらに、ここでは取り上げていない他の国家への支払い、たとえば不動産税（IBI）やサービス料、共済負担金なども存在します。結果として、中央値の労働者は、本来約30,000ユーロあるべき給与のうち、税引き後に手元に残るのは約15,800ユーロに過ぎないのです。つまり、ほぼその半分が国家によって吸収されていることになります。年間で見ると、さまざまな税金、特に社会保険料、所得税、そして間接税として、合計約13,400ユーロが徴収されているのです。

このように、中央値の労働者は、所得分布の中央に位置しており、非常に多くの人々が彼より少なく、また多く稼いでいる人もいます。だからこそ、中央値の労働者が支払っている税負担、すなわち年間約13,400ユーロという数字は、スペイン国民に対して行われている極めて大規模な税負担の実態を物語っています。これにより、国家から提供されるサービスが強制的に受け入れられているのです。

果たして、これは必然なのでしょうか？　歴史的に見れば必ずしもそうではなく、また現代においても地域によって差があります。つまり、労働者が生み出す富の半分以上を国家が吸収するという、巨大な国家が当然であるという考え方は、今後も続くものではありません。ここには、異なる繁栄度を持つ国々が存在し、一般的に発展した国々であっても、欧州やアメリカのような国家に比べ、国家の規模はかなり小さく抑えられている国もあります。しばしば「スペインの国家規模は欧州平均より小さい」と言われますが、欧州平均自体が、プロの略奪者たちのクラブのようなものなのです。従って、欧州平均という水準と比較するのではなく、もっと控えめな国家規模を持つ国々や、税負担の貪欲さが制限された国々と比較すべきです。

例えば、ヨーロッパ内ではスイスがあります。偶然かどうかはさておき、スイスはヨーロッパで最も豊かな国の一つでありながら、国家のGDPに占める割合は33％と、欧州やアメリカに比べて10〜15ポイント低いのです。また、香港や韓国はGDPの28％、チリはこの分類の中では最も貧しいかもしれませんが約26％、台湾は16％、そして世界で最も豊かな国であるシンガポールは15％です。シンガポールや台湾は、国家がGDPの15〜16％という小規模な状態で十分に現代社会の機能を果たしているのです。もちろん、シンガポールの場合は都市国家であるため、経済規模のメリットもあるでしょうが、公共支出の大部分が社会保障に回っている現状を鑑みると、都市規模か大国家かは大した違いがないのです。むしろ、シンガポールや台湾のように、GDPに対して国家の規模が30ポイントも低い国の方が、国家による私有財産の侵害が少ないと言えます。

したがって、もし大規模な国家による大規模な略奪を回避でき、しかも機能的には他の国と同等以上に運営できるのであれば、当然、より少ない税負担で、なおかつより効率的な公共サービスを提供する国家の方が望ましいのです。実際、国家が何でもかんでも行おうとすれば、その多くは非効率にならざるを得ません。一方で、企業がすべてを行おうとしても、専門分野に特化した他の企業に競争で敗れるため、最終的には消費者がより良いサービスを選ぶことになるのです。問題は、国家の場合、国民が国家から自由に離脱し、同じサービスを提供する他の組織と契約する余地がないという点にあります。国民は、非常に非効率かつ高コストな国家サービスに縛られており、選択の余地がないのです。したがって、もし小規模で効率的な国家が存在すれば、それは大規模で税負担の重い国家よりも好まれるはずです。

そして、もし国家が回収するGDPの割合が30ポイントも大きいのであれば、それは明らかに国民の私有財産を暴力的に侵害していると言わざるを得ません。ですから、もし国家による大規模な略奪を回避し、かつ他国と同等以上の機能を果たすことが可能であれば、国家は少なくとも縮小されるべきです。なぜなら、そうした国家は国民にとって好都合であるだけでなく、公共サービスの質も向上し、効率的に運営されるからです。結局のところ、すべては国家ではなく、国家に寄生する巨大な官僚組織の福祉が優先されているのです。

もし、あなたの社会にこれほど大きく根付いた寄生虫が存在するならば、その寄生虫は当然、去ろうとはしません。むしろ、さらに大きな植民地を形成しようとするでしょう。これが、国家が成長し続ける理由であり、そして、血を吸い上げるこの寄生虫と戦う必要性が生じる所以なのです。

別のシナリオを考えてみましょう。つまり、現代社会における国家の規模を実質的に縮小するという仮定を立て、その実現可能性や現実味について見極めるためです。これまでに、ヨーロッパにおける現代国家の重みがGDPの50％に達していること、その内訳を示してきました。さて、かつての状況を想像してみてください。あの時代は、科学フィクションのようなことは必要なく、医療はゼロ、経済政策も実質ゼロで、民間部門が構築できないインフラだけが、もしあれば驚くほど僅か、GDPの1％程度だったのです。教育はゼロ、防衛と公共秩序は維持されるものの、余暇・文化・宗教への補助金はゼロでした。地域サービスや環境保護に関しては、下水道、街路灯、森林の維持管理など必要な分は残され、官僚組織も非常に大幅に縮小され、社会保障も一部のみが残されていました。

さて、しばしば「国家は富裕層からお金を奪い、貧困層へ再分配するために存在する」と言われますが、実際、社会保障はGDPの20％に相当します。ここで、極端な貧困を防止するために本当に必要な支出額を計算してみましょう。そうすれば、皆さんも、このGDPの20％は貧困撲滅のためのものではなく、むしろ国家が横方向の所得再分配システムを通じて国民を捕らえ続けるためのものであると気づくでしょう。すなわち、国家はあなたからお金を取り、そのお金を自らの利益や必要に応じて配分するために、あなたと国家の間に割り込むのです。バストス教授が正しく指摘しているように、その所得の移動は、富裕層から貧困層へ、またはその逆ではなく、すべての人々から国家へ向かっているのです。そして国家は、その所得を自らの利益や必要に従って再分配することを決定します。

では、先ほど示したような形で国家の各機能を大幅に縮小した場合、結果として国家はGDPの9～10％程度の規模となり、現状よりも30～40ポイント、つまり約80％縮小された国家になるでしょう。防衛費、治安費は現状と同等に維持される（ただし、治安費については内部の官僚機構によっても左右されるため、この点はまた別の議論になります。たとえば、スペインはヨーロッパで国民一人あたりの治安部隊職員数が最も多い国ですが、本当にそれだけ必要なのかはまた別問題です）。安全保障費がGDPの1.7％、防衛費が1.3％、官僚組織が1％、地域サービスや環境保護が1％、民間部門ではまかなえないインフラがさらに1％、そして社会保障が3％という具合です。現在、社会保障としてGDPの3％、すなわち450億ユーロが支出されています。これは、450億ユーロの社会保障費を、例えば4.5百万人（スペイン人口のおよそ10％）に対して年間1人あたり1万ユーロずつ支給するか、あるいは300万人に対して1万5千ユーロずつ支給するということになります。繁栄した社会において、極端な無助状態に陥る国民の割合はどれほどか、という問題です。彼らは、生命保険、障害保険、個人貯蓄すら持たず、福祉国家が生まれる前に存在したボランティアや民間の相互扶助ネットワークさえも利用できなかった層です。これらを踏まえた上で、絶対的な無助状態に陥り、国家からの継続的な支援を必要とする国民の割合がたとえば5～10％だとすれば、実際に必要な支出はGDPの3～4％程度で十分にカバーできるはずです。しかし、現実には我々は社会保障にGDPの20％を費やしているのです。

明らかに、このGDPの20％は、富裕層から少しだけ富を奪って、巨大な貧困層を作らないためのものではありません。驚くべきことに、国家がGDPの50％を占めるにもかかわらず、貧困層は依然として存在しているのです。さらに、貧困を解消するための手段として、まず第一に、依存性を生む補助金を設けるべきではありません。しかし、現実には、経済活動が全くできず、自己の貯蓄や家族の支援、民間の相互扶助ネットワーク、そして最終的には国家に依存せざるを得ない層が一定割合存在します。しかし、そのようなケースはGDPの3％程度の支出で十分にカバーされるはずなのです。

さて、国家の規模を縮小した場合、たとえばGDPの50％から10％にまで削減できると仮定しましょう。これは約80％の削減に相当します。先に述べたように、中央値の労働者は現在、年間約13,500ユーロの税金を負担しています。この80％の削減が実現すれば、労働者の可処分所得は、国家が提供する各種サービスに充てるための支出分が年間1人あたり1万～1万1千ユーロ増加することになります。家庭内で中央値の労働者が2人いる場合、2万～2万2千ユーロの追加収入となるでしょう。この追加収入があれば、教育費、医療費、年金のための貯蓄など、国家が現在負担させているコストを自前でまかなうことが可能になるはずです。実際、多くのスペインの労働者は、国家の劣悪なサービスから逃れるため、民間の医療や教育、そして補完的な年金積立を実施しているのです。特に、公共教育は、学生の生産性向上よりも、国家のイデオロギーを植え付けることに重きを置いている場合が多いのです。

また、この話は、GDPの3％相当の再分配、すなわち450億ユーロ分が、現実的に考えても国民の基礎的な生活を支えるには十分であるという観点からも論じられます。現行の過剰な収用体制に対して、もし国家規模が大幅に縮小されるならば、労働者にとって有利な状況が実現するはずです。

さて、ここまでの議論から、もし国家主義のウイルスが社会の頭脳や利権に深く根付っている現状において、現状が最適でないと理解したとしても、移行のコストの高さゆえに多くの人々が現状から変わることを望まないという現実があるのです。たとえば、公共年金制度の解体は非常に困難です。年金受給者は「こんな不公平な体制であっても、自分の年金を受け取りたい。自分自身の貯蓄がなくなるリスクを冒したくはない」と考えるでしょう。

では、この国家――明らかに国家とその官僚機構に有利なこのモデル――から脱却するために、すなわち、表向きは国民のために存在するようでいて、実際には社会を寄生しているこの体制から逃れるためには、どのような手段が考えられるでしょうか。ここで、国家改革またはハイパーステートのパラサイト化に対抗するための、四つの可能なアプローチについて述べます。

第一のアプローチは、トップダウン型の方法です。すなわち、自由主義的な理念を掲げた善意の政治家が権力の座につき、内部からリベラル革命を起こそうとするというものです。しかし、私はこの方法は、次に述べるボトムアップ型の文化戦線と併せなければ、全体として非常に単純で実現不可能だと考えます。なぜなら、社会の大多数が国家改革を望まなければ、その改革は十分な勢いを持って実施されることは決してないからです。多くの改革は長期的な取り組みであり、一夜にして実現できるものではありません。一度実行された改革が元に戻らないようにするには、最低でも二世代を要するのです。もし社会がその方向に向かわなければ、いつかまた別の人物が権力に就いて、国民の大多数が望まない体制を再び打ち壊してしまうでしょう。例えば、チリの年金制度の民営化は、ピノチェト政権下の1981年に始まり、数年前に旧公共年金制度が完全に清算されました。しかし、その後、旧体制に戻そうとする動きが見られるのです。なお、チリは当時、非常に若い労働人口と限られた高齢人口という、改革に適した人口構造を有していたにもかかわらず、改革には約40年もの歳月がかかりました。これが、世界の他の国々で実施されるとなれば、どれほど困難なものになるか想像に難くありません。そして、もし世界中がそのような改革を望まなければ、いかに自由主義者の政治家を内部に潜り込ませ、社会民主主義の装いを与えたとしても、十分な効果は得られないでしょう。さらに、政治そのものが権力に触れると必ず腐敗すると、ロード・アクトンが指摘したように、権力は人を変えてしまいます。つまり、権力に惹かれて権力の座についた者は、その権力を維持・拡大するために、かつて掲げた理念を容易に放棄し、他者を蹂躙し、欺く行動に出るということです。

政治的競争というのは、もしあなたが行動しなければ、行動する者があなたを追い出してしまう、という状況を生み出します。そのため、もし存在するとしても、誠実で、信念を持った政治家は、力に屈する者に押されて公共の場から姿を消してしまうのです。権力闘争では、手が縛られている者と自由な手を持つ者との間で戦いが行われるため、劣悪な選択が働き、最終的には最悪の者が権力の座に就くという現象が生じるのです。（この点については、ハイエクも『隷属への道』で記述しています。）

次に、第二の可能性はボトムアップ、すなわち文化戦線によるアプローチです。これは、アイデアの戦いを、じわじわと、少しずつ社会に浸透させ、心を開かせ、意識を目覚めさせ、より多くの人々がこの変革を要求するようになるという方法です。しかし、これは特に有望な道ではないことは明白です。もし、ここでマルクス主義的な語調に傾くとすれば、客観的な物質的条件があって、そうした思想が大規模に広まる環境が整わない限り、人々は現状に満足して「今のままで十分だ」と感じ、急激な変革に乗り出す理由が見出せません。現状が著しく悪化しない限り、文化戦線による大規模な勝利が起こり、既存の社会制度が覆されるというのは極めて困難な道なのです。例えば、アルゼンチンでは、40年間にわたって底をつき続けた結果、人々が明らかに欠陥だらけのモデルにうんざりし、ハイパーインフレーションに苦しんだことで変革が進んだように見えます。もし、そこに一貫性があり、破壊的かつ斬新なメッセージ―社会主義的なものか、あるいは幸運にもリベラルなもの―があれば、一定の確率でそのアイデアが覇権を握り、新たな現状として定着する可能性が出てくるのです。しかし、スペインの場合、文化戦線による闘いは、相手側のプロパガンダがあふれ、対抗する者がいなければ、現状が一層固定化し、国家権力が加速度的に拡大していくため、非常に厳しい状況にあります。私自身も長い間、文化戦線で戦ってきましたが、スペインという環境におけるその限界を痛感しています。

第三の道は、そもそも国家改革を目指さず、自分の生活を改善するために他の地域へ移住するというものです。もし、競争が可能な複数の法域が存在すれば、現状に非常に不満を抱く者は、物理的に他の地域へ移り住み、そこで自らの生活基盤を築くことができます。そして、こうした法域間の競争は、他の法域による収用や寄生的な政策の力を制限する効果も持ちます。たとえば、ある法域で税率が非常に低く、規制が緩やかであれば、他の法域は資本が流出し、寄生者側から見れば、寄生対象（＝ホスト）が成長しなければ、寄生する意味がなくなるのです。もし、ホストを窒息させて殺してしまえば、またはホストが他の、寄生が少ない地域へ流出してしまえば、寄生者にとっては不利益となります。このような効果は、実際には見かけ以上に大きな影響を持つのです。

たとえば、最も身近な例として、アンドラの場合が挙げられます。多くの場合、静かに、あるいは時に華やかに報じられる移住現象があり、一定の社会的反響を呼んでいます。問題は、これらはすべて財政上の問題であり、移住者を犯罪者扱いする試みがあっても、スペイン国家にとっては重要な問題とならないのです。よく批判されるのは、YouTuberなどがアンドラへ移住することについて、「国が自国民の資源不足を訴えるような状況に直面しない」とされる点です。もしそうなれば、国家は財政の引き締めを迫られるはずですが、現実はそうではありません。むしろ、これは他者に対する懲罰の一形態であり、「移住して税負担を軽減しようとするなら、あなたは悪い人間であり、悪い市民だ。もしあなたが著名人であれば、意識を啓発するために、我々はあなたを徹底的に攻撃し、公の場から追放する」といったメッセージが発せられるのです。しかし、実際にアンドラへの移住が進むこと自体は悪いことではなく、たとえそれがスペイン国家に与えるダメージが短期的にはそれほど大きくなくとも、他のケースでは、目に見えにくいながらも国家に損害を与えている場合があるのです。

たとえば、2か月前に発表されたドラギの報告書では、欧州が「足を引きずっている」との根本的な不満が示されています。すなわち、欧州では生産性が20年間にわたって停滞しており、成長期に新たに設立される企業が、厳しい規制の下で成長できず、資本調達が困難となり、結果としてアメリカに流出してしまうという現象です。これは「足で投票する」という現象であり、企業側の実情を反映したものです。そして、これは国家権力の内部から出た、我々の社会が停滞しているという自らの寡占層からの認識でもあります。彼らは、ここ20年間にわたり市民を内部から圧迫してきた手法を見直す必要があると訴えているのです。そして、ここで議論されているのは、欧州連合とアメリカという二つの経済ブロック間での移住の問題なのです。

もし、かつてヨーロッパに存在していたような、多数の競合する法域が現在も存在していたと想像してみてください。ここで歴史的な議論に深入りするつもりはありませんが、ヨーロッパが16世紀あるいは17世紀から産業革命に至るまで発展し、東洋が（少なくとも最近まで）停滞していた理由の重い仮説の一つは、ヨーロッパが政治的にはるかに細分化され、都市国家や小国、王国、そして公国など、まさにアンドラのようなケースに近い形態であったため、相互の競争が激しかったという点にあります。ひとつの領域内で生まれる思想を制限・抑制・検閲する能力は非常に低く、もし一方で弾圧されれば別の場所へ移動できたため、その結果、後の産業革命を引き起こす知的な開花が促されたのです。これに対して、中国のような中央集権的で統一された国家では、官僚組織が本来より強大な権力を持っていたため、このような発展は見込めませんでした。

「足で投票する」という現象は非常に強力です。したがって、文化戦線から取り組むべきもう一つの課題は、政治的な中央集権化や財政の調和化に反対することです。なぜなら、政治的に中央集権化が進んだり、財政が調和化されるほど、法域間の競争は減少し、その結果、国家が無罰で私有財産を寄生的に吸い上げる余地が広がるからです。これは市場経済ではよく理解される現象ですが、国家の場合は例外扱いされがちです。市場において本当の意味での独占、すなわち単にその分野で唯一の企業という状況ではなく、競合が存在しない真の独占状態になると、その独占者は価格を引き上げ、品質を低下させる傾向にあります。なぜなら、あなたは逃げ出すことができない、まるで人質のような状態に置かれるからです。つまり、国家もまた独占状態にあり、国家が直面する唯一の競争は、他の国家へ移住するという可能性なのです。領域を統一して競争余地を狭めれば狭めるほど、国家は独占的な力を強め、結果としてあなたに提供するサービスの質を低下させ、収用を強める傾向が出てきます。したがって、私はどんな中央集権化のプロセスにも反対し、逆に政治的な分権化を支持すべきだと考えます。

そして最後に、第四の戦略ですが、これはやや曖昧で漠然としているかもしれません。しかし、私が考えるに、実際に多くの人々が採用しており、多くの場合国家の影響力を制限している方法、それは直接的に「国家からの分離」を目指すことです。もちろん、あなたにとって寄生者のような国家が窮屈に圧しかけてくる場合、その寄生者を打倒しようと多大なエネルギーを費やすこともできます。しかし、寄生者が既に存在する以上、その存在を前提として生活基盤を築く、その固定費を受け入れながらも、寄生者のさらなる拡大を防ぐ、あるいは寄生の及ばない領域を確保する新たな方法を模索するということです。これが国家からの「分離」、すなわち、重くのしかかる国家の負担から自らを切り離す試みなのです。例えば、先に述べたように、私立教育、私立医療、私的年金といった選択肢があります。本来であれば、国家が私たちから過剰な資源を吸い上げることなく、その分をこうした目的に振り向けられれば理想的ですが、幸いなことに、現状では国家が私立教育への進学を禁止しているわけではありません（ただしかなりの規制は存在します）。私立教育は完全に自由なものではなく、国家のカリキュラムに沿ったものですが、それでも私立教育、私立医療、そして貯蓄や資産形成の道を開いてくれるのです。もちろん、今後さらに税が引き上げられ、国内外で資産が収用されるリスクが高まるまではの話ですが。

したがって、国家を一つの悪と捉え、その悪に支配される中で自由を追求する、すなわちその影響力からできるだけ逃れる方法を探るべきです。さらに、社会が自ら開発していく様々なツールが、私たちが国家の監視や統制から離れて生活する手助けとなります。たとえば、デジタル経済は、今日のところ、国家が我々をコントロール・規制・収用するのをより困難にする領域をある程度確保できる可能性を秘めています。ビットコインの例は、没収不可能な資産として、適切な管理を行えば、富の保蔵庫あるいは国家の統制や知識から独立した交換手段として機能する可能性を示しています。

これらは、寄生者である国家に吸い付かれないため、自らの活動から国家の影響力を一部でも排除する、新たな生活の仕方を模索する一つの方法です。こうした新しいツールは、今後も次々と登場し、国家が私たちの生活に及ぼす影響を制限するために活用されるべきです。社会全体を変えるのは非常に困難ですが、多くの人々を同じ方向に動かすことが難しい現状において、少なくとも我々が体系的に受けている搾取の度合いを最小限に抑えることは可能です。

以上、複数の道筋があります。第一の道は私個人としてはほぼ排除したいと考えますが、残りの三つは排他的ではなく、互いに補完し合うものです。どの方法も目的地に必ず到達できる保証はありませんが、これらは連携することで、国家が私たちや社会全体に及ぼす権力の影響を徐々に抑制する助けとなるでしょう。そして、我々自身の利益のため、あるいは共に生きる社会を改善するために、可能な限りこれらの道を追求すべきだと考えます。

@ 4857600b:30b502f4

A new talking point of the left is that it’s no big deal, just simple recording errors for the 20 million people aged 100-360. 🤷‍♀️ And not many of them are collecting benefits anyway. 👌 First of all, the investigation & analysis are in the early stages. How can they possibly know how deep the fraud goes, especially when their leaders are doing everything they can to obstruct any real examination? Second, sure, no worries about only a small number collecting benefits. That’s the ONLY thing social security numbers are used for. 🙄

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

bitcoind decentralization

It is better to have multiple curator teams, with different vetting processes and release schedules for bitcoind than a single one.

"More eyes on code", "Contribute to Core", "Everybody should audit the code".

All these points repeated again and again fell to Earth on the day it was discovered that Bitcoin Core developers merged a variable name change from "blacklist" to "blocklist" without even discussing or acknowledging the fact that that innocent pull request opened by a sybil account was a social attack.

After a big lot of people manifested their dissatisfaction with that event on Twitter and on GitHub, most Core developers simply ignored everybody's concerns or even personally attacked people who were complaining.

The event has shown that:

1) Bitcoin Core ultimately rests on the hands of a couple maintainers and they decide what goes on the GitHub repository[^pr-merged-very-quickly] and the binary releases that will be downloaded by thousands; 2) Bitcoin Core is susceptible to social attacks; 2) "More eyes on code" don't matter, as these extra eyes can be ignored and dismissed.

Solution: bitcoind decentralization

If usage was spread across 10 different bitcoind flavors, the network would be much more resistant to social attacks to a single team.

This has nothing to do with the question on if it is better to have multiple different Bitcoin node implementations or not, because here we're basically talking about the same software.

Multiple teams, each with their own release process, their own logo, some subtle changes, or perhaps no changes at all, just a different name for their bitcoind flavor, and that's it.

Every day or week or month or year, each flavor merges all changes from Bitcoin Core on their own fork. If there's anything suspicious or too leftist (or perhaps too rightist, in case there's a leftist bitcoind flavor), maybe they will spot it and not merge.

This way we keep the best of both worlds: all software development, bugfixes, improvements goes on Bitcoin Core, other flavors just copy. If there's some non-consensus change whose efficacy is debatable, one of the flavors will merge on their fork and test, and later others -- including Core -- can copy that too. Plus, we get resistant to attacks: in case there is an attack on Bitcoin Core, only 10% of the network would be compromised. the other flavors would be safe.

Run Bitcoin Knots

The first example of a bitcoind software that follows Bitcoin Core closely, adds some small changes, but has an independent vetting and release process is Bitcoin Knots, maintained by the incorruptible Luke DashJr.

Next time you decide to run bitcoind, run Bitcoin Knots instead and contribute to bitcoind decentralization!

---

See also:

• How to attack Bitcoin, Anthony Towns' take

[^pr-merged-very-quickly]: See PR 20624, for example, a very complicated change that could be introducing bugs or be a deliberate attack, merged in 3 days without time for discussion.

@ 94a6a78a:0ddf320e

Nostr is a revolutionary protocol that enables decentralized, censorship-resistant communication. Unlike traditional social networks controlled by corporations, Nostr operates without central servers or gatekeepers. This openness makes it incredibly powerful—but also means its success depends entirely on users, developers, and relay operators.

If you believe in free speech, decentralization, and an open internet, there are many ways to support and strengthen the Nostr ecosystem. Whether you're a casual user, a developer, or someone looking to contribute financially, every effort helps build a more robust network.

Here’s how you can get involved and make a difference.

---

1️⃣ Use Nostr Daily

The simplest and most effective way to contribute to Nostr is by using it regularly. The more active users, the stronger and more valuable the network becomes.

✅ Post, comment, and zap (send micro-payments via Bitcoin’s Lightning Network) to keep conversations flowing.\ ✅ Engage with new users and help them understand how Nostr works.\ ✅ Try different Nostr clients like Damus, Amethyst, Snort, or Primal and provide feedback to improve the experience.

Your activity keeps the network alive and helps encourage more developers and relay operators to invest in the ecosystem.

---

2️⃣ Run Your Own Nostr Relay

Relays are the backbone of Nostr, responsible for distributing messages across the network. The more independent relays exist, the stronger and more censorship-resistant Nostr becomes.

✅ Set up your own relay to help decentralize the network further.\ ✅ Experiment with relay configurations and different performance optimizations.\ ✅ Offer public or private relay services to users looking for high-quality infrastructure.

If you're not technical, you can still support relay operators by subscribing to a paid relay or donating to open-source relay projects.

---

3️⃣ Support Paid Relays & Infrastructure

Free relays have helped Nostr grow, but they struggle with spam, slow speeds, and sustainability issues. Paid relays help fund better infrastructure, faster message delivery, and a more reliable experience.

✅ Subscribe to a paid relay to help keep it running.\ ✅ Use premium services like media hosting (e.g., Azzamo Blossom) to decentralize content storage.\ ✅ Donate to relay operators who invest in long-term infrastructure.

By funding Nostr’s decentralized backbone, you help ensure its longevity and reliability.

---

4️⃣ Zap Developers, Creators & Builders

Many people contribute to Nostr without direct financial compensation—developers who build clients, relay operators, educators, and content creators. You can support them with zaps! ⚡

✅ Find developers working on Nostr projects and send them a zap.\ ✅ Support content creators and educators who spread awareness about Nostr.\ ✅ Encourage builders by donating to open-source projects.

Micro-payments via the Lightning Network make it easy to directly support the people who make Nostr better.

---

5️⃣ Develop New Nostr Apps & Tools

If you're a developer, you can build on Nostr’s open protocol to create new apps, bots, or tools. Nostr is permissionless, meaning anyone can develop for it.

✅ Create new Nostr clients with unique features and user experiences.\ ✅ Build bots or automation tools that improve engagement and usability.\ ✅ Experiment with decentralized identity, authentication, and encryption to make Nostr even stronger.

With no corporate gatekeepers, your projects can help shape the future of decentralized social media.

---

6️⃣ Promote & Educate Others About Nostr

Adoption grows when more people understand and use Nostr. You can help by spreading awareness and creating educational content.

✅ Write blogs, guides, and tutorials explaining how to use Nostr.\ ✅ Make videos or social media posts introducing new users to the protocol.\ ✅ Host discussions, Twitter Spaces, or workshops to onboard more people.

The more people understand and trust Nostr, the stronger the ecosystem becomes.

---

7️⃣ Support Open-Source Nostr Projects

Many Nostr tools and clients are built by volunteers, and open-source projects thrive on community support.

✅ Contribute code to existing Nostr projects on GitHub.\ ✅ Report bugs and suggest features to improve Nostr clients.\ ✅ Donate to developers who keep Nostr free and open for everyone.

If you're not a developer, you can still help with testing, translations, and documentation to make projects more accessible.

---

🚀 Every Contribution Strengthens Nostr

Whether you:

✔️ Post and engage daily\ ✔️ Zap creators and developers\ ✔️ Run or support relays\ ✔️ Build new apps and tools\ ✔️ Educate and onboard new users

Every action helps make Nostr more resilient, decentralized, and unstoppable.

Nostr isn’t just another social network—it’s a movement toward a free and open internet. If you believe in digital freedom, privacy, and decentralization, now is the time to get involved.

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

I’ll admit that God’s truth is something I am passionate about. I love God’s word and I trust every word in the Bible as absolute truth. I hate when people compromise God’s word. I can’t understand Christians that don’t want to know God better through His word (maybe partially because I read a stack of books to solve any and every problem or to fulfill any interest).

Lately, the vow made in court to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth has been going through my mind. It comes up regarding almost everything, so I figured maybe God was telling me to write a post on the subject, so here we go.

The Truth

When we are searching for the truth about anything, we need to start with the Bible. Yes, there are many subjects about which the Bible doesn’t speak or doesn’t speak in detail, but the principles on which everything is built start with the Bible.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Especially when we are trying to learn what God wants from us and our lives, we need to search the Scriptures. We need to study the Scriptures. We need to memorize the Scriptures.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11)

It is much more useful to have read the Bible many times and to know its contents cover to cover, so we have it available to us during that debate with a fellow believer, or the discussion with a proud atheist, or when put into a situation of temptation. Having God’s word “hidden in our heart” enables us to deal with every situation, just as Jesus did when tempted by the Devil in the wilderness. Jesus’s most common response to every challenge was “As it is written …”

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17)

If we want to know the truth and be ready for whatever life throws at us, we need to be like Ezra:

He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. (Ezra 7:9-10) {emphasis mine}

Are you known for devoting yourself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws?

The Whole Truth

Obviously there are God hating atheists who will lie about God’s word and totally contradict His word. As believers, we are more likely to bend God’s truth. (Satan does this, too, because it is frequently more effective than an outright lie). There are two primary ways to bend God’s truth. We either leave out some parts or we add to it. In this section we will focus on telling the whole truth and not leaving out part of the truth.

The error of lying by omission is rampant today. We see it in news reports by the media. We see it in the history taught to our children. We see it in many churches. There are some very uncomfortable truths in the Bible. People don’t like to hear that some people will be punished in Hell for all eternity. They don’t want to hear that they are sinners and their desires are sinful. They don’t like to hear that there is one and only one way to Jesus.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6)

Many believers don’t like any conflict. They are afraid that speaking the truth is being judgmental and will hurt relationships and feelings, so they hold back and don’t speak the whole truth.

Deal bountifully with Your servant,\ That I may live and keep Your word.\ *Open my eyes, that I may behold\ Wonderful things from Your law.*\ I am a stranger in the earth;\ Do not hide Your commandments from me.\ My soul is crushed with longing\ After Your ordinances at all times.\ You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed,\ Who wander from Your commandments.\ Take away reproach and contempt from me,\ For I observe Your testimonies.\ Even though princes sit and talk against me,\ Your servant meditates on Your statutes.\ Your testimonies also are my delight;\ They are my counselors. (Psalm 119:17-24) {emphasis mine}

The psalmist begs God not to “hide Your commandments from me.” Should we hide God’s commandments from ourselves or others because they are uncomfortable?

He said, “What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.” (1 Samuel 3:17)

Eli put the harshest curse on Samuel if he didn’t speak the full truth communicated by God. We need to truly know and believe God’s word, so we communicate it fully with others and do not hide it from those whose very heart and soul need God’s truth.

Many of us may feel like we are not lying because we didn’t not explicitly speak an untruth, but withholding part of the truth, so that another is misled, is as much of a lie as speaking an untruth. Both are intended to mislead the other person, usually for our benefit or comfort and to the long-term harm of the other person.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9) {emphasis mine}

We need to think on, speak, and put into practice all of God’s word. Picking and choosing which parts of God’s word we want to believe, speak, and put into practice is akin to the original sin, “You will be like gods, knowing good and evil.” Only God gets to decide what is true or false and what is good or evil. When we choose to pick which parts of the Bible to obey and to share, we are taking the role that belongs solely to God.

Nothing But the Truth

The other error regarding truth is to add to God’s word.

The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?” And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘This people honors Me with their lips,\ But their heart is far away from Me.\ But in vain do they worship Me,\ **Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’\ Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” (Mark 7:5-8) {emphasis mine}

So often we let tradition, culture, or “science” guide us instead of the Bible. Whenever there is a contradiction between any source and the Bible, we need to put the authority of God’s word as the highest authority. Although it is possible for us to be mistaken by the meaning of God’s word and the truth to be more in line with culture or “science,” it is so much more likely that tradition, culture, or “science” are wrong. We need to use the Bible to interpret things like science rather than to use “science” to interpret the Bible. The Bible is always the higher authority.

Sometimes we add to God’s word intentionally. Sometimes we are just influenced by the people around us, especially supposed authority figures, and are led astray unintentionally.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) {emphasis mine}

We need to truly study the whole Bible and test every one of our beliefs against God’s word.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! (Galatians 1:6-9) {emphasis mine}

We need to use God’s word to test every idea.

Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22)

and

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3) {emphasis mine}

God’s word is truth. It never changes. It doesn’t change with the times, the culture, or new scientific discoveries. The truth is the truth whether anyone believes it or not.

There are many who will lead you astray and sound like they know what they are talking about. Make sure you do not follow these false teachers in their error (whether the error is intentional or accidental), but even more, make sure you don’t spread the error and lead others astray.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8) {emphasis mine}

I think this phrase perfectly describes how error effects us, “See to it that no one takes you captive through …” Error can be subtle, but can take us captive, lead us astray, and cause us to lead others astray. Only through detailed knowledge of the Scriptures can we defend against it.

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:16-18) {emphasis mine}

May the Lord of heaven guide us to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth and to obey His word in all things to His glory, forever.

Trust Jesus

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Drivechain

Understanding Drivechain requires a shift from the paradigm most bitcoiners are used to. It is not about "trustlessness" or "mathematical certainty", but game theory and incentives. (Well, Bitcoin in general is also that, but people prefer to ignore it and focus on some illusion of trustlessness provided by mathematics.)

Here we will describe the basic mechanism (simple) and incentives (complex) of "hashrate escrow" and how it enables a 2-way peg between the mainchain (Bitcoin) and various sidechains.

The full concept of "Drivechain" also involves blind merged mining (i.e., the sidechains mine themselves by publishing their block hashes to the mainchain without the miners having to run the sidechain software), but this is much easier to understand and can be accomplished either by the BIP-301 mechanism or by the Spacechains mechanism.

How does hashrate escrow work from the point of view of Bitcoin?

A new address type is created. Anything that goes in that is locked and can only be spent if all miners agree on the Withdrawal Transaction (WT^) that will spend it for 6 months. There is one of these special addresses for each sidechain.

To gather miners' agreement bitcoind keeps track of the "score" of all transactions that could possibly spend from that address. On every block mined, for each sidechain, the miner can use a portion of their coinbase to either increase the score of one WT^ by 1 while decreasing the score of all others by 1; or they can decrease the score of all WT^s by 1; or they can do nothing.

Once a transaction has gotten a score high enough, it is published and funds are effectively transferred from the sidechain to the withdrawing users.

If a timeout of 6 months passes and the score doesn't meet the threshold, that WT^ is discarded.

What does the above procedure mean?

It means that people can transfer coins from the mainchain to a sidechain by depositing to the special address. Then they can withdraw from the sidechain by making a special withdraw transaction in the sidechain.

The special transaction somehow freezes funds in the sidechain while a transaction that aggregates all withdrawals into a single mainchain WT^, which is then submitted to the mainchain miners so they can start voting on it and finally after some months it is published.

Now the crucial part: the validity of the WT^ is not verified by the Bitcoin mainchain rules, i.e., if Bob has requested a withdraw from the sidechain to his mainchain address, but someone publishes a wrong WT^ that instead takes Bob's funds and sends them to Alice's main address there is no way the mainchain will know that. What determines the "validity" of the WT^ is the miner vote score and only that. It is the job of miners to vote correctly -- and for that they may want to run the sidechain node in SPV mode so they can attest for the existence of a reference to the WT^ transaction in the sidechain blockchain (which then ensures it is ok) or do these checks by some other means.

What? 6 months to get my money back?

Yes. But no, in practice anyone who wants their money back will be able to use an atomic swap, submarine swap or other similar service to transfer funds from the sidechain to the mainchain and vice-versa. The long delayed withdraw costs would be incurred by few liquidity providers that would gain some small profit from it.

Why bother with this at all?

Drivechains solve many different problems:

It enables experimentation and new use cases for Bitcoin

Issued assets, fully private transactions, stateful blockchain contracts, turing-completeness, decentralized games, some "DeFi" aspects, prediction markets, futarchy, decentralized and yet meaningful human-readable names, big blocks with a ton of normal transactions on them, a chain optimized only for Lighting-style networks to be built on top of it.

These are some ideas that may have merit to them, but were never actually tried because they couldn't be tried with real Bitcoin or inferfacing with real bitcoins. They were either relegated to the shitcoin territory or to custodial solutions like Liquid or RSK that may have failed to gain network effect because of that.

It solves conflicts and infighting

Some people want fully private transactions in a UTXO model, others want "accounts" they can tie to their name and build reputation on top; some people want simple multisig solutions, others want complex code that reads a ton of variables; some people want to put all the transactions on a global chain in batches every 10 minutes, others want off-chain instant transactions backed by funds previously locked in channels; some want to spend, others want to just hold; some want to use blockchain technology to solve all the problems in the world, others just want to solve money.

With Drivechain-based sidechains all these groups can be happy simultaneously and don't fight. Meanwhile they will all be using the same money and contributing to each other's ecosystem even unwillingly, it's also easy and free for them to change their group affiliation later, which reduces cognitive dissonance.

It solves "scaling"

Multiple chains like the ones described above would certainly do a lot to accomodate many more transactions that the current Bitcoin chain can. One could have special Lightning Network chains, but even just big block chains or big-block-mimblewimble chains or whatnot could probably do a good job. Or even something less cool like 200 independent chains just like Bitcoin is today, no extra features (and you can call it "sharding"), just that would already multiply the current total capacity by 200.

Use your imagination.

It solves the blockchain security budget issue

The calculation is simple: you imagine what security budget is reasonable for each block in a world without block subsidy and divide that for the amount of bytes you can fit in a single block: that is the price to be paid in satoshis per byte. In reasonable estimative, the price necessary for every Bitcoin transaction goes to very large amounts, such that not only any day-to-day transaction has insanely prohibitive costs, but also Lightning channel opens and closes are impracticable.

So without a solution like Drivechain you'll be left with only one alternative: pushing Bitcoin usage to trusted services like Liquid and RSK or custodial Lightning wallets. With Drivechain, though, there could be thousands of transactions happening in sidechains and being all aggregated into a sidechain block that would then pay a very large fee to be published (via blind merged mining) to the mainchain. Bitcoin security guaranteed.

It keeps Bitcoin decentralized

Once we have sidechains to accomodate the normal transactions, the mainchain functionality can be reduced to be only a "hub" for the sidechains' comings and goings, and then the maximum block size for the mainchain can be reduced to, say, 100kb, which would make running a full node very very easy.

Can miners steal?

Yes. If a group of coordinated miners are able to secure the majority of the hashpower and keep their coordination for 6 months, they can publish a WT^ that takes the money from the sidechains and pays to themselves.

Will miners steal?

No, because the incentives are such that they won't.

Although it may look at first that stealing is an obvious strategy for miners as it is free money, there are many costs involved:

1. The cost of ceasing blind-merged mining returns -- as stealing will kill a sidechain, all the fees from it that miners would be expected to earn for the next years are gone;
2. The cost of Bitcoin price going down: If a steal is successful that will mean Drivechains are not safe, therefore Bitcoin is less useful, and miner credibility will also be hurt, which are likely to cause the Bitcoin price to go down, which in turn may kill the miners' businesses and savings;
3. The cost of coordination -- assuming miners are just normal businesses, they just want to do their work and get paid, but stealing from a Drivechain will require coordination with other miners to conduct an immoral act in a way that has many pitfalls and is likely to be broken over the months;
4. The cost of miners leaving your mining pool: when we talked about "miners" above we were actually talking about mining pools operators, so they must also consider the risk of miners migrating from their mining pool to others as they begin the process of stealing;
5. The cost of community goodwill -- when participating in a steal operation, a miner will suffer a ton of backlash from the community. Even if the attempt fails at the end, the fact that it was attempted will contribute to growing concerns over exaggerated miners power over the Bitcoin ecosystem, which may end up causing the community to agree on a hard-fork to change the mining algorithm in the future, or to do something to increase participation of more entities in the mining process (such as development or cheapment of new ASICs), which have a chance of decreasing the profits of current miners.

Another point to take in consideration is that one may be inclined to think a newly-created sidechain or a sidechain with relatively low usage may be more easily stolen from, since the blind merged mining returns from it (point 1 above) are going to be small -- but the fact is also that a sidechain with small usage will also have less money to be stolen from, and since the other costs besides 1 are less elastic at the end it will not be worth stealing from these too.

All of the above consideration are valid only if miners are stealing from good sidechains. If there is a sidechain that is doing things wrong, scamming people, not being used at all, or is full of bugs, for example, that will be perceived as a bad sidechain, and then miners can and will safely steal from it and kill it, which will be perceived as a good thing by everybody.

What do we do if miners steal?

Paul Sztorc has suggested in the past that a user-activated soft-fork could prevent miners from stealing, i.e., most Bitcoin users and nodes issue a rule similar to this one to invalidate the inclusion of a faulty WT^ and thus cause any miner that includes it in a block to be relegated to their own Bitcoin fork that other nodes won't accept.

This suggestion has made people think Drivechain is a sidechain solution backed by user-actived soft-forks for safety, which is very far from the truth. Drivechains must not and will not rely on this kind of soft-fork, although they are possible, as the coordination costs are too high and no one should ever expect these things to happen.

If even with all the incentives against them (see above) miners do still steal from a good sidechain that will mean the failure of the Drivechain experiment. It will very likely also mean the failure of the Bitcoin experiment too, as it will be proven that miners can coordinate to act maliciously over a prolonged period of time regardless of economic and social incentives, meaning they are probably in it just for attacking Bitcoin, backed by nation-states or something else, and therefore no Bitcoin transaction in the mainchain is to be expected to be safe ever again.

Why use this and not a full-blown trustless and open sidechain technology?

Because it is impossible.

If you ever heard someone saying "just use a sidechain", "do this in a sidechain" or anything like that, be aware that these people are either talking about "federated" sidechains (i.e., funds are kept in custody by a group of entities) or they are talking about Drivechain, or they are disillusioned and think it is possible to do sidechains in any other manner.

No, I mean a trustless 2-way peg with correctness of the withdrawals verified by the Bitcoin protocol!

That is not possible unless Bitcoin verifies all transactions that happen in all the sidechains, which would be akin to drastically increasing the blocksize and expanding the Bitcoin rules in tons of ways, i.e., a terrible idea that no one wants.

What about the Blockstream sidechains whitepaper?

Yes, that was a way to do it. The Drivechain hashrate escrow is a conceptually simpler way to achieve the same thing with improved incentives, less junk in the chain, more safety.

Isn't the hashrate escrow a very complex soft-fork?

Yes, but it is much simpler than SegWit. And, unlike SegWit, it doesn't force anything on users, i.e., it isn't a mandatory blocksize increase.

Why should we expect miners to care enough to participate in the voting mechanism?

Because it's in their own self-interest to do it, and it costs very little. Today over half of the miners mine RSK. It's not blind merged mining, it's a very convoluted process that requires them to run a RSK full node. For the Drivechain sidechains, an SPV node would be enough, or maybe just getting data from a block explorer API, so much much simpler.

What if I still don't like Drivechain even after reading this?

That is the entire point! You don't have to like it or use it as long as you're fine with other people using it. The hashrate escrow special addresses will not impact you at all, validation cost is minimal, and you get the benefit of people who want to use Drivechain migrating to their own sidechains and freeing up space for you in the mainchain. See also the point above about infighting.

See also

• Podcast episode with Ruben Somsen and Aaron van Wirdum explaining Drivechain
• Alternatives to Drivechain
• Drivechain comparison with Ethereum

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

A response to Achim Warner's "Drivechain brings politics to miners" article

I mean this article: https://achimwarner.medium.com/thoughts-on-drivechain-i-miners-can-do-things-about-which-we-will-argue-whether-it-is-actually-a5c3c022dbd2

There are basically two claims here:

1. Some corporate interests might want to secure sidechains for themselves and thus they will bribe miners to have these activated

First, it's hard to imagine why they would want such a thing. Are they going to make a proprietary KYC chain only for their users? They could do that in a corporate way, or with a federation, like Facebook tried to do, and that would provide more value to their users than a cumbersome pseudo-decentralized system in which they don't even have powers to issue currency. Also, if Facebook couldn't get away with their federated shitcoin because the government was mad, what says the government won't be mad with a sidechain? And finally, why would Facebook want to give custody of their proprietary closed-garden Bitcoin-backed ecosystem coins to a random, open and always-changing set of miners?

But even if they do succeed in making their sidechain and it is very popular such that it pays miners fees and people love it. Well, then why not? Let them have it. It's not going to hurt anyone more than a proprietary shitcoin would anyway. If Facebook really wants a closed ecosystem backed by Bitcoin that probably means we are winning big.

2. Miners will be required to vote on the validity of debatable things

He cites the example of a PoS sidechain, an assassination market, a sidechain full of nazists, a sidechain deemed illegal by the US government and so on.

There is a simple solution to all of this: just kill these sidechains. Either miners can take the money from these to themselves, or they can just refuse to engage and freeze the coins there forever, or they can even give the coins to governments, if they want. It is an entirely good thing that evil sidechains or sidechains that use horrible technology that doesn't even let us know who owns each coin get annihilated. And it was the responsibility of people who put money in there to evaluate beforehand and know that PoS is not deterministic, for example.

About government censoring and wanting to steal money, or criminals using sidechains, I think the argument is very weak because these same things can happen today and may even be happening already: i.e., governments ordering mining pools to not mine such and such transactions from such and such people, or forcing them to reorg to steal money from criminals and whatnot. All this is expected to happen in normal Bitcoin. But both in normal Bitcoin and in Drivechain decentralization fixes that problem by making it so governments cannot catch all miners required to control the chain like that -- and in fact fixing that problem is the only reason we need decentralization.

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

@Coffeee listened to me ranting about how stupid the current sports streaming situation is, on the latest episode of the Stacker Sports Pod (which made it in the top 40 on Fountain!).

He messaged me that pretty much all sporting events can be watched live at https://betplay.io/en/. I couldn't believe it. Can it really be that simple? Well, last night's NBA games were certainly viewable.

This is huge! Sports streaming costs an insane amount and it's been available for free this whole time.

Apparently, other sportsbooks have had this option for a long time, but they are KYC and require a sufficient deposit before you can stream. Not only is BetPlay non-KYC, but there's no deposit required. It also uses LN!

I'm starting to see why this is Coffee's favorite sportsbook.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/925709

@ 42342239:1d80db24

Almost 150 years ago, the British newspaper editor William Thomas Stead wrote that "the editorial pen is a sceptre of power, compared with which the sceptre of many a monarch is but a gilded lath". He had begun to regard journalism as something more than just conveying information - the journalist or editor could become a ruler.

Times had certainly changed compared to a few hundred years earlier. Before Gutenberg's invention of the printing press, it was mainly the church that controlled the dissemination of information in Europe, but when Stead put pen to paper, this control had shifted to newspapers, schools, and universities. Eventually, technologies like radio and TV entered the scene, but the power dynamics remained asymmetrical - only a few could send information to the many.

However, with the emergence of the internet, and especially with the spread of social media, a significant change followed. Instead of only a few being able to send information to the many, many could send to many. Almost anyone could now create their own newspaper, radio, or TV channel. The power over information dissemination was decentralised.

Ten years ago, Roberta Alenius, who was then press secretary for Sweden's Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt of the Moderate Party, shared her experiences with Social Democratic and Moderate Party internet activists on social media. She reported that social media played a significant role in how news "comes out" and is shaped, and that journalism was now downstream of social media. Five years later, NATO's then-Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that "NATO must be prepared for both conventional and hybrid threats: from tanks to tweets." This finally underscores the importance of social media.

Elon Musk, who took over X (formerly Twitter) in 2022, has claimed that "it's absolutely fundamental and transformative that the people actually get to decide the news and narrative and what's important," and that citizen journalism is the future.

While his platform allows most expressions - for better or worse - the reach of messages is instead limited ("freedom of speech does not mean freedom of reach "). X has also opened its recommendation algorithm to the outside world by making it open-source. Although this is a welcome step, the fact remains that it's impossible to know which code is actually used and what adjustments are made by humans or algorithms.

William Thomas Stead's "sceptre of power", which has wandered from the church to newspaper and TV editorial offices, and now to citizens according to Elon Musk, risks being transferred to algorithms' opaque methods?

Instead of talking about "toxic algorithms" and TikTok bans, like the so many do today, we should ask ourselves more fundamental questions. What happens when algorithms are no longer objective (how can they ever be?), but instead become tools for shaping our reality? Perhaps our greatest challenge today is not deciding who should govern the information landscape, but instead recognising that no one is up to the task - not even well-ventilated computers.

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

The cryptocurrency world is poised on the brink of a significant event as Bitcoin approaches its fourth halving in April 2024. This event, deeply embedded in Bitcoin's protocol, serves as a reminder of the cryptocurrency's unique economic model, designed to mimic the scarcity and deflationary aspects of precious metals. The halving not only affects the miners' rewards but also has far-reaching implications for the entire cryptocurrency market, influencing investor sentiment, market supply, and the intrinsic value of Bitcoin itself.

Table of Contents

• Understanding Bitcoin Halving

• Historical Impact on Bitcoin's Price

• Implications for Miners

• Institutional Interest and Market Dynamics

• Regulatory Environment and Global Economic Factors

• Conclusion

• FAQs

Understanding Bitcoin Halving

Bitcoin halving is a core mechanism of the Bitcoin protocol, occurring every 210,000 blocks, which historically has been approximately every four years. This event reduces the reward for mining new blocks by half, a process designed to control Bitcoin's inflation and supply rate. The upcoming 2024 halving will slash the mining reward from 6.25 bitcoins per block to 3.125 bitcoins, a change that will significantly impact the rate at which new bitcoins are generated and enter the market.

This deflationary event is critical to Bitcoin's value proposition as digital gold. By reducing the flow of new bitcoins, the halving events mimic the extraction of a finite resource, enhancing Bitcoin's scarcity and potential as a store of value. The anticipation and aftermath of these events have historically led to increased public interest, media coverage, and speculative activity, all of which contribute to Bitcoin's market dynamics and price volatility.

Historical Impact on Bitcoin's Price

The halving events have historically been landmarks in Bitcoin's price history, often heralding periods of significant price appreciation. For example, the year following the 2016 halving saw Bitcoin's price increase manifold, underscoring the event's impact on market psychology and investor expectations. However, while past trends suggest a bullish outcome, it's crucial to acknowledge the complexity of market dynamics and the multitude of factors influencing Bitcoin's price.

The price impact of the halving can be attributed to the reduced supply of new bitcoins, heightening scarcity, and potentially increasing demand. However, the actual market response can vary based on current market conditions, investor sentiment, and global economic factors. Therefore, while historical data provides valuable insights, each halving unfolds in a unique context, making the outcome of the 2024 event unpredictable and a subject of widespread speculation.

Implications for Miners

The halving significantly impacts Bitcoin miners, as the reward reduction directly affects their revenue streams. This event could lead to a realignment within the mining industry, as only the most efficient and well-capitalized operations can sustain profitability with lower rewards. This pressure could drive technological innovation, as miners seek more energy-efficient and cost-effective mining solutions, but it could also lead to increased centralization, which is a concern for the Bitcoin network's health and security.

The aftermath of the halving will likely see a shakeout of less efficient miners, which could temporarily affect the network's hash rate and security. However, this consolidation could also lead to a more robust and resilient mining ecosystem in the long run. The dynamics between mining costs, Bitcoin's price, and network security are intricate and will play a crucial role in the cryptocurrency's post-halving landscape.

Institutional Interest and Market Dynamics

The landscape of Bitcoin investment has evolved dramatically since the last halving, with significant growth in institutional interest. The approval of Bitcoin ETFs and the entry of traditional financial institutions into the crypto space have provided Bitcoin with a new level of legitimacy and accessibility. This institutional involvement could lead to greater liquidity and less volatility post-halving, as larger players with long-term horizons enter the market.

However, institutional investors also bring new dynamics to Bitcoin's market. Their investment strategies, risk management practices, and regulatory compliance requirements differ markedly from those of retail and early crypto adopters. This shift could influence how the market responds to the halving, as institutional investors may be less prone to speculative trading and more interested in Bitcoin's long-term value proposition.

Regulatory Environment and Global Economic Factors

The impact of the 2024 halving will also be shaped by the broader regulatory and economic environment. Regulatory developments, both positive and negative, can significantly affect investor confidence and market dynamics. Clear and supportive regulations can foster growth and innovation in the crypto space, while restrictive policies may hinder market development and investor participation.

Moreover, global economic factors such as inflation rates, monetary policies, and geopolitical events play a crucial role in shaping investor sentiment and demand for Bitcoin. As a digital, borderless asset, Bitcoin is increasingly seen as a hedge against inflation and currency devaluation, factors that could influence its appeal around the halving event.

Conclusion

As April 2024 approaches, the Bitcoin community and investors worldwide are watching closely, aware that the halving could mark the beginning of a new era for Bitcoin. This event represents more than just a technical adjustment; it is a testament to Bitcoin's enduring design and its role as a pioneer in the cryptocurrency space.

The significance of the halving extends beyond immediate price effects; it encompasses the evolution of Bitcoin's market, the maturation of its ecosystem, and its position in the broader financial landscape. As we move closer to this pivotal event, the collective actions of miners, investors, and regulators will shape not only the outcome of the halving but the future trajectory of Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency market at large.

In this ever-evolving narrative, the 2024 halving stands as a critical milestone, a moment of reflection and anticipation, highlighting the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the journey of Bitcoin and the quest for a decentralized financial future.

FAQs

What is Bitcoin halving? Bitcoin halving is an event that occurs every 210,000 blocks, approximately every four years, which reduces the reward for mining new Bitcoin blocks by half. This mechanism is designed to control inflation and reduce the rate at which new bitcoins are introduced into circulation.

Why is the Bitcoin halving significant? The halving is significant because it directly impacts the supply of new bitcoins entering the market, which can influence Bitcoin's price. It also affects miners' profitability and can lead to changes in the network's mining dynamics.

How has Bitcoin's price reacted to previous halvings? Historically, Bitcoin's price has increased following halving events, though there are many factors at play. These price increases are often attributed to the reduced supply of new bitcoins and increased demand.

What are the potential effects of the 2024 Bitcoin halving on miners? The halving will reduce the block reward, potentially affecting miners' profitability. This could lead to a consolidation in the mining industry, with only the most efficient miners remaining competitive.

How might institutional interest affect the Bitcoin market around the halving? Institutional interest can bring more stability and liquidity to the Bitcoin market. However, it also introduces new market dynamics, as institutional investors may have different strategies and reactions to the halving compared to retail investors.

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@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

A Russian drone attack has struck the radiation shelter at Chernobyl, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The strike caused a fire, but it has since been extinguished, and radiation levels remain stable. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that no casualties occurred and that monitoring continues.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA's director general, emphasized the need for caution. Chernobyl, site of the 1986 nuclear disaster, contains a protective shield costing $1.6 billion. Disaster prevention remains a priority as the conflict unfolds.

The incident occurred shortly before the meeting of world powers at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

@ a367f9eb:0633efea

With a big tech-powered magnifying glass on federal websites, spending contracts, and government payment systems, Elon Musk’s band of DOGE system admins have been turning Washington inside out in their hunt for waste, fraud, and abuse.

One of the most prized agencies on the chopping block is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, heralded by progressives as an indispensable force for helping consumers wronged by financial institutions, but derided by fintech investors and conservatives as little more than a government “shakedown agency.” Consumers will be better off without the CFPB breathing down the neck of American companies. 

Since the inauguration of President Trump, the CFPB’s temporary leadership put an immediate halt on all work, also informing the Federal Reserve, which directly funds the agency, that it would no longer seek new funding. 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the intellectual force behind the agency’s founding, has been apoplectic. She’s argued that Trump is “firing the financial cop on the beat that makes sure your family doesn’t get scammed.”

The origin of the CFPB goes back to the rubble of the 2008 financial crisis when legislators saw this proposed agency as a viable response to the populist backlash engulfing Washington and Wall Street. Instead of penalizing wrongdoers, Congress funded bank bailouts and launched a “watchdog” group. The 2010 Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Act mandated new standards for lending, restricted capital that could be tapped for bank loans, and created the CFPB to police consumer finance. 

All functions performed by the five former federal banking supervisory agencies were rolled into the CFPB, granting it sole jurisdiction over non-depository firms and financial institutions with over $10 billion in assets. This empowered the agency to issue regulatory guidance, demand information from financial institutions, and launch civil actions in federal court.

Supporters of the CFPB point to an impressive record of close to $20 billion in consumer relief, as well as an additional $5 billion in civil penalties. Without the CFPB, fraudsters and scams would metastasize and consumer injustice would run wild, so they say. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

As a regulatory agency with civil litigation authority, the CFPB is emboldened to file high-dollar lawsuits against financial firms. An estimate of the CFPB’s database of enforcement actions reveals that roughly 85% of all cases are settled out of court before a final ruling.

Companies often choose to settle, but this shouldn’t be mistaken for an admission of guilt. In a litigious society such as the United States where companies are routinely targeted in frivolous lawsuits, the court of public opinion matters just as much as the court of law. 

Firms prefer settling cases over having their name dragged through the mud for months on end in the media, something tort lawyers call a “nuisance settlement.” These expected costs are baked into large firms’ financial projections and are sometimes factored into pricing their goods and services for consumers. 

The CFPB is more akin to a state-backed tort law firm that can tap the nation’s central bank for resources while exploiting its do-gooder reputation for easy PR victories.

Rather than smart regulatory guidance to oversee a new generation of consumer finance firms, CFPB has relied on quick settlements out of court to squash innovative upstarts.

While CFPB enforcement has been successful in penalizing banks and lenders for how loans are structured or advertised, it does not take much imagination to see how this has impacted the investing climate for new competitors. Since CFPB’s founding, there are now 35% fewer financial institutions remaining for consumers to choose from, down from 15,000 to just roughly 9,000 today.

While there is high consumer demand for fintech, payment apps, and account offerings, including Bitcoin and cryptocurrency banks, CFPB’s chilling actions have slowed that innovation, leading to the recent calls for the agency to be gutted. And they’re right.

Most of CFPB’s functions are mirrored at the FTC on everything but finance. Regional Federal Reserve banks are also responsible for bank oversight and regulation, not to mention state banking regulators. Existing regulators have the reach, experience, and know-how to police would-be fraudsters and outright deceptive practices among banks. Why not let them?

For consumers who want next-level services and financial products, there is no question that CFPB’s litigious approach has impacted their ability to access credit and financial services. There must be a better way to regulate our financial institutions and protect consumers than a tort law firm with government authority. Congress could fold elements of the CFPB into the FTC, OCC, or even FDIC, and bad actors will still be policed. 

Consumers deserve to be protected, and they will be, but they also deserve a regulatory structure that rewards innovation and brings financial products to market that they can choose between.

The CFPB is due for defanging.

Yaël Ossowski is deputy director at the Consumer Choice Center and author of the report, “A financial fraud crackdown won’t protect consumers from scams.”

Originally published on RealClear Politics.

@ ecda4328:1278f072

When designing a highly available Kubernetes (or k3s) cluster, one of the key architectural questions is: "How many ETCD nodes should I run?"

A recent discussion in our team sparked this very debate. Someone suggested increasing our ETCD cluster size from 3 to more nodes, citing concerns about node failures and the need for higher fault tolerance. It’s a fair concern—nobody wants a critical service to go down—but here's why 3-node ETCD clusters are usually the sweet spot for most setups.

---

The Role of ETCD and Quorum

ETCD is a distributed key-value store used by Kubernetes to store all its state. Like most consensus-based systems (e.g., Raft), ETCD relies on quorum to operate. This means that more than half of the ETCD nodes must be online and in agreement for the cluster to function correctly.

What Quorum Means in Practice

• In a 3-node ETCD cluster, quorum is 2.
• In a 5-node cluster, quorum is 3.

⚠️ So yes, 5 nodes can tolerate 2 failures vs. just 1 in a 3-node setup—but you also need more nodes online to keep the system functional. More nodes doesn't linearly increase safety.

---

Why 3 Nodes is the Ideal Baseline

Running 3 ETCD nodes hits a great balance:

• Fault tolerance: 1 node can fail without issue.
• Performance: Fewer nodes = faster consensus and lower latency.
• Simplicity: Easier to manage, upgrade, and monitor.

Even the ETCD documentation recommends 3–5 nodes total, with 5 being the upper limit before write performance and operational complexity start to degrade.

Systems like Google's Chubby—which inspired systems like ETCD and ZooKeeper—also recommend no more than 5 nodes.

---

The Myth of Catastrophic Failure

"If two of our three ETCD nodes go down, the cluster will become unusable and need deep repair!"

This is a common fear, but the reality is less dramatic:

• ETCD becomes read-only: You can't schedule or update workloads, but existing workloads continue to run.
• No deep repair needed: As long as there's no data corruption, restoring quorum just requires bringing at least one other ETCD node back online.
• Still recoverable if two nodes are permanently lost: You can re-initialize the remaining node as a new single-node ETCD cluster using --cluster-init, and rebuild from there.

---

What About Backups?

In k3s, ETCD snapshots are automatically saved by default. For example:

• Default path: /var/lib/rancher/k3s/server/db/snapshots/

You can restore these snapshots in case of failure, making ETCD even more resilient.

---

When to Consider 5 Nodes

Adding more ETCD nodes only makes sense at scale, such as:

• Running 12+ total cluster nodes
• Needing stronger fault domains for regulatory/compliance reasons

Note: ETCD typically requires low-latency communication between nodes. Distributing ETCD members across availability zones or regions is generally discouraged unless you're using specialized networking and understand the performance implications.

Even then, be cautious—you're trading some simplicity and performance for that extra failure margin.

---

TL;DR

• 3-node ETCD clusters are the best choice for most Kubernetes/k3s environments.
• 5-node clusters offer more redundancy but come with extra complexity and performance costs.
• Loss of quorum is not a disaster—it’s recoverable.
• Backups and restore paths make even worst-case recovery feasible.

And finally: if you're seeing multiple ETCD nodes go down frequently, the real problem might not be the number of nodes—but your hosting provider.

---

@ 1b30d27a:3cf04146

In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a significant force in transforming various industries, and the music world is no exception. Machine learning algorithms and AI tools are reshaping how music is created, produced, and consumed, offering musicians and producers new ways to enhance creativity and productivity. As AI continues to evolve, it is poised to become a valuable co-creator in the music industry, making the possibilities for sound creation nearly limitless.

Redefining Music Composition with AI

Traditionally, music composition has been a human-driven process, where creativity and emotional depth played key roles. However, AI is now being used to generate original compositions, offering a new dimension to music creation. AI tools like Amper Music, Jukedeck, and Aiva can generate complex musical pieces in various genres, allowing musicians to collaborate with AI to create compositions that would have been impossible or time-consuming by traditional means.

"AI allows artists to explore new sounds, experiment with complex structures, and push boundaries in ways they never could before."

Musicians can feed AI programs with their preferences, and the system can generate melodies, chord progressions, and rhythms based on their input. These AI-generated pieces can be used as the foundation for new music or as inspiration for artists to develop and refine their work further.

AI in Music Production: Enhancing Creativity

While AI has made significant advancements in composition, its role in music production is equally groundbreaking. The production process involves a variety of technical tasks, such as mixing, mastering, and sound design. With the help of AI, producers can now streamline these tasks, allowing more time for creative decision-making.

Benefits of AI in Music Production:

• Faster Workflow: AI tools can automate time-consuming tasks, such as adjusting levels and applying effects, which accelerates the production process.
• Precision and Consistency: AI algorithms can ensure that every element of a track is perfectly balanced, leading to high-quality productions.
• Personalized Sound Design: AI can learn an artist’s unique sound and help shape mixes to match the artist’s vision, whether they’re working with digital synthesizers or traditional instruments.

Tools like LANDR for mastering and iZotope’s Ozone for mixing are examples of AI-powered software that can automatically adjust audio tracks, ensuring optimal sound quality and consistency.

AI as a Collaborative Tool in Music Creation

The most exciting aspect of AI in music production is its potential as a collaborative tool. Instead of replacing musicians and producers, AI is offering new avenues for collaboration. AI’s ability to generate fresh musical ideas, suggest unconventional sound combinations, and recommend harmonies can spark innovation in ways that were previously unimaginable.

"AI acts as a partner, not a replacement. It listens, learns, and collaborates with musicians to create something greater than what either could do alone."

This partnership allows musicians to break free from creative blocks, explore new genres, and experiment with sounds that might not have been considered otherwise. By training AI to understand a musician’s style, AI can tailor suggestions and act as an idea generator, constantly offering new directions for creative exploration.

AI and the Music Listening Experience

AI doesn’t just transform the creation and production process; it’s also changing the way we experience music. Recommendation algorithms are already helping millions of listeners discover new artists, songs, and genres on platforms like Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music. AI analyzes user behavior, such as listening history and preferences, to suggest music that fits an individual’s taste.

Additionally, AI-powered live performances are emerging, where virtual concerts and interactive music experiences adapt to real-time audience feedback. Through the use of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), AI is enhancing how fans engage with music, creating immersive environments that allow for a completely new type of live experience.

The Future of AI in Music

As AI continues to evolve, its role in the music industry will only expand. We can expect AI to become even more integrated into the creative process, offering musicians tools to generate new compositions, automate production tasks, and enhance their overall workflow. As AI learns and adapts to the needs of individual artists, it will continue to act

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

A violência é uma forma de comunicação

A violência é uma forma de comunicação: um serial killer, um pai que bate no filho, uma briga de torcidas, uma sessão de tortura, uma guerra, um assassinato passional, uma briga de bar. Em todos esses se pode enxergar uma mensagem que está tentando ser transmitida, que não foi compreendida pelo outro lado, que não pôde ser expressa, e, quando o transmissor da mensagem sentiu que não podia ser totalmente compreendido em palavras, usou essa outra forma de comunicação.

Quando uma ofensa em um bar descamba para uma briga, por exemplo, o que há é claramente uma tentativa de uma ofensa maior ainda pelo lado do que iniciou a primeira, a briga não teria acontecido se ele a tivesse conseguido expressar em palavras tão claras que toda a audiência de bêbados compreendesse, o que estaria além dos limites da linguagem, naquele caso, o soco com o mão direita foi mais eficiente. Poderia ser também a defesa argumentativa: "eu não sou um covarde como você está dizendo" -- mas o bar não acreditaria nessa frase solta, a comunicação não teria obtido o sucesso desejado.

A explicação para o fato da redução da violência à medida em que houve progresso da civilização está na melhora da eficiência da comunicação humana: a escrita, o refinamento da expressão lingüística, o aumento do alcance da palavra falada com rádio, a televisão e a internet.

Se essa eficiência diminuir, porque não há mais acordo quanto ao significado das palavras, porque as pessoas não estão nem aí para se o que escrevem é bom ou não, ou porque são incapazes de compreender qualquer coisa, deve aumentar proporcionalmente a violência.

@ a0c34d34:fef39af1

8 months ago I went to Nashville, Bitcoin2024. The one with Edward Snowden’s cryptic speech, Michael Saylor telling people who knew nothing about Bitcoin how to stack sats. And yes, I was in the room when Donald spoke. I had so many people asking me how to “get a Coinbase!!!” cause he said so.

I sat with two women explaining seed phrase and how vital it was as they wrote the random words on scrape pieces of paper and put them in their purses.

I once was just like those women. Still am in some areas of this space. It can be overwhelming, learning about cryptography,subgraphs, it can be decentralized theatre!!!

Yes decentralized theatre. I said it. I never said it out loud.

In 2016, I knew nothing. I overheard a conversation that changed my life’s trajectory. I am embarrassed to say, I was old then but didn’t know it. I didn’t see myself as old, 56 back then, I just wanted to have enough money to pay bills.

I say this to say I bought 3 whole Bitcoin in 2016 and listening to mainstream news about scams and black market associated with what I bought, I sold them quickly and thought I was too old to be scammed and playing around with all of that.

In 2018, someone gave me The Book of Satoshi, I read it and thought it was a fabulous story but my fear ? I put the book in a drawer and forgot about it.

I mentioned decentralized theatre. I have been living in decentralized theatre for the past 3 years now. In August 2021 I landed on TikTok and saw NFTs. I thought get money directly to those who need it. I started diving down the rabbit holes of Web3.

The decentralized theatre is being in betas & joining platforms claiming to be decentralized social media platforms and of course all the “Web3” businesses claiming to be Web3.

Social medias were exciting, the crypto casino was thriving and I thought I was going to live a decentralized life with Bitcoin being independent from any financial institutions or interference from government.

Delusional? Yes, diving deeper, I did. I went to my first “night with crypto” event in West Palm Beach. My first IRL meeting scammers.

There was about 200-250 people sitting facing the stage where a man was speaking. There was a QRCode on the screen and he said for us to get out our phones and scan the QRCode to download their wallet & get free money.

I watched everyone, most everyone point their phones at the screen, but I didn’t, I got up and went out to the area where the booths were, the vendors.

A few months later I found out ( on Twitter) it was a scam. People would deposit a “minimal amount” and swap their money for these tokens with no value but constant hype and Twitter social media ambassadors ( followers) had people “wanting in” Don’t FOMO…

The promise of decentralization, independent from banks & government, and of course I had been excitedly sharing everything I was learning on TikTok and mentioned senior citizens need to know this stuff.

They need to learn metaverse to be connected with the virtual and digital natives( their kids, grandkids). They need to learn about Bitcoin and blockchain technologies to put their documents on chain & transfer their wealth safely. They need to learn how A.I. health tech can help them have a better quality of life!!!

Someone said I was a senior citizen and I was the perfect person to help them. It’s been 3 years and I learned how to create a Discord(with Geneva), 4 metaverses, multiple wallets and learned about different cryptos. I learned about different GPTs, NFCCHIP wearables, A.I. and Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network and so much more.

I have since deleted TikTok. I wrote an article on that on YakiHonne. I’m using LinkedIn and YouTube , some BluSky platforms. I published a cliff notes book for senior citizens and put it in my Stan Store(online to links) with links to my resume, newsletter, YouTube Channel, Substack and Onboard60 digital clone.

Onboard60, the name for my project. Onboard was THE buzzword back in 2021 & early 2022, 60? an age representative of my target audience … Onboard60 stuck.

The lack of interest from senior citizens over the years , the rejections, wild opinions, trolls on socials- I understand - I forget the fear I had. I still have the fear of not being a part of society, not understanding the world around me, getting left behind.

I keep coming to Nostr, going to BluSky, even the ones that are decentralized theatre( Lens & Farcaster)- I admit losing 28k follower account and afew other accounts I deleted ( over 5k & 12k), I felt a loss. I had perpetually been online and my relationships, friendships were online. Sadly only a few were real. Social media - out of sight out of mind. It was devastating.

I had to unplug and regroup. I was afraid to be on new social platforms, scared to start over, meet people. I’m realizing I do everything scared. I do it, whatever it is that moves me forward, keeps me learning, and keeps my mindset open, flexible.

Another fear is happening to me. There are times I have a senior citizen mindset. And that’s really scary. I have heard myself in conversations putting in an extra “the” like saying The Nostr like older people do.

Onboard60 is me. I am an adolescent and family counselor with a Master’s degree. I have created a few Metaverses, a Live chat/online Discord, a How to for senior citizens booklet and a digital clone.

Yes Onboard60 digital clone can be asked about anything Web3, blockchain and discuss how to create personal A.I. agents. I uploaded all of my content of the last 3 years (and it being LLM)People can go to Onboard60 clone with voice and or text

I do 1:1 counseling with overwhelmed, afraid and skeptical senior citizens.

I show experientially step by step basic virtual reality so senior citizens can enter the metaverse with their grandkids and portal to a park.

I use the metaverse & Geneva Live chats as social hang outs for senior citizens globally to create connections and stay relevant

I also talk about medical bracelets. NFCCHIP for medical information, gps bracelets for Alzheimer’s or dementia care.

And lastly from the past 3 years, I have learned to discuss all options for Bitcoin investing, not just self custody. Senior citizens listen, feel safe when I discuss Grayscale and Fidelity.

They feel they can trust these institutions. I tell them how they have articles and webinars on their sites about crypto and what cryptofunds they offer. They can dyor, it’s their money.

My vision and mission have stayed the same through this rollercoaster of a journey. It’s what keeps me grounded and moving forward.

This year I’m turning 65, and will become a part of the Medicare system. I don’t have insurance, can’t afford it. If it was on the blockchain I’d have control of the costs but nooooo, I am obligated to get Medicare.

I will have to work an extra shift a week (I am a waitress at night) and I am capable to do it and realistically I will probably need health insurance in the future, I am a senior citizen…..

Thank you for reading this. Zap sats and thank you again.

Sandra (Samm) Onboard60 Founder

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PLn1ysBEfjjwPZsMsLlmX-s7cDOgPC29/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=111904115111263773126&rtpof=true&sd=true

@ 7d33ba57:1b82db35

Gibralta is famous for its iconic Rock, fascinating history, and stunning views over the Mediterranean and Atlantic. A mix of British, Spanish, and Moorish influences, it’s a unique destination packed with natural beauty and cultural heritage.

🏛️ Top Things to See & Do in Gibraltar

1️⃣ The Rock of Gibraltar 🏔️

• The most famous landmark, standing 426 meters high.
• Offers spectacular views of Spain, Morocco, and the Strait of Gibraltar.
• Reach it by hiking, cable car, or guided tour.

2️⃣ St. Michael’s Cave 🏰

• A stunning limestone cave filled with stalactites and stalagmites.
• Used as a concert venue with incredible natural acoustics.
• Illuminated with colorful lights for an unforgettable experience.

3️⃣ Apes’ Den 🐵

• Home to Gibraltar’s famous Barbary macaques, Europe’s only wild monkeys.
• Legend says if the monkeys leave, so will the British! 🇬🇧
• Be careful with your belongings—they love to steal snacks!

4️⃣ Europa Point & Lighthouse 🌊

• The southernmost point of Gibraltar, with views across to Africa.
• Visit the Trinity Lighthouse, the stunning Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque, and the Harding Battery.

5️⃣ The Great Siege Tunnels 🏗️

• An underground tunnel system carved by the British during the Great Siege (1779–1783).
• Learn about Gibraltar’s military history with cannons and exhibits.

6️⃣ Main Street & Casemates Square 🛍️

• A lively area with British-style pubs, duty-free shopping, and historical buildings.
• Ideal for picking up souvenirs, perfumes, electronics, and spirits at tax-free prices.

7️⃣ Gibraltar Skywalk & Windsor Suspension Bridge 🌉

• A glass-floored viewpoint offering breathtaking panoramic views.
• The Windsor Suspension Bridge is a thrilling 71-meter-long bridge over a deep gorge.

🍽️ What to Eat in Gibraltar

• Fish & Chips – A British classic, best enjoyed by the waterfront 🐟🍟
• Calentita – A chickpea flour flatbread, Gibraltar’s national dish 🥖
• Rosto – A local pasta dish with tomato sauce and meat 🍝
• Torta de Acelga – A savory Swiss chard pie, a blend of Spanish and Moorish flavors 🥧
• Gibraltar Gin & Tonic – A refreshing drink with local gin 🍸

🚗 How to Get to Gibraltar

✈️ By Air: Gibraltar International Airport (GIB) – flights from London, Manchester, Bristol
🚘 By Car: Drive from Spain (La Línea de la Concepción), but expect border checks 🚧
🚆 By Train: Nearest Spanish station is San Roque-La Línea, then take a taxi or bus
🚌 By Bus: Direct buses from Málaga, Seville, and Cádiz
🚶 On Foot: Many visitors park in La Línea, Spain, and walk across the border

💡 Tips for Visiting Gibraltar

✅ Bring your passport – Border control is required for entry 🛂
✅ Take the cable car early – The Rock gets crowded by midday 🚠
✅ Watch out for the monkeys – They are friendly but love to steal 🎒
✅ Wear comfortable shoes – Exploring the Rock involves lots of walking 👟
✅ Use British pounds (£) or euros (€) – Most places accept both 💷💶