@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Er war schon immer ein streitbarer. Seine Kritik richtete sich an ein Gesundheitssystem, das durch eine durch Pharmalobby erkaufte oder erpresste Politik ermöglicht wurde. Seit Ausrufung der sogenannten Corona-Pandemie fuhr er zu Höchstleistungen auf. Es ist Dr. Gunter Frank, Schulmediziner mit Erfahrungen im Krankenhaus, Notfallmediziner, ausgebildet in Naturheilverfahren, Sachbuchautor, engagiert in diversen medizinischen und naturheilkundlichen Gesellschaften und betreibt eine eigene Praxis...

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/arzte-die-in-gut-und-gose-einteilen-der-zivilisationsbruch-interview-mit-dr-gunter-frank?

Im größten Medizinskandal in der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik, der Corona-Krise, nennt er Hausnumnmern wie 100-200.000 langfristig, gesundheitlich schwer Geschädigten und etwa 20 - 40.000 durch Genimpfung Verstorbene. Ob diese Zahlen haltbar sind, weit über- oder untertrieben wird die Geschichte zeigen. Welche Hintergründe er aber vermutet und über die neuen Deutungen medizinischer Erkenntnisse, spricht meine Kollegin Eva Schmidt jetzt mit dem Mediziner Dr. Gunter Frank und wollte zunächst wissen, wann und warum er zum Medizinsystemkritiker wurde, welches sein Erweckungserlebnis, noch weit vor Corona gewesen sein muss:

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Wenn sich die Spieler nach einem hart umkämpften Fußballmatch die Hand reichen oder einander abklatschen, zeugt das von Sportsgeist. Das heißt: Wir haben uns im Spiel zwar nichts geschenkt, aber wir respektieren einander und als Verlierer erkennen wir an, dass die andere Mannschaft besser gespielt hat und unsere Niederlage in Ordnung geht.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/die-wrestling-demokratie-ein-kommentar-von-jonny-rieder?

Und auch die Gewinner zollen dem Gegner Respekt, verhöhnen ihn nicht. Selbstverständlich sollte gegenseitiger Respekt auch in der Politik gelten. Man sollte einander zuhören und argumentieren, anstatt Kollegen schon deshalb zu verachten, weil sie einer anderen Partei angehören. Aber: Wenn ein Politiker eine andere Partei massiv kritisiert und ihrem Antrag anschließend trotzdem zustimmt, zeigt er damit nicht Respekt vor dem politischen Gegner, sondern Verachtung für den Wähler. Was der Deutsche Bundestag im März 2025 demonstrierte, also in der Übergangsphase vom alten Bundestag und dem noch nicht einberufenen neu gewählten Parlament, war genau das: angewandte Wählerverachtung. Etwas zuzustimmen, das ich eben noch vehement verdammt habe, zeugt nicht von Demokratieverständnis oder von politischem Sportsgeist, sondern von dessen fundamentaler Ablehnung. Erst recht, wenn die Zustimmung für alle ersichtlich erkauft wurde. Hören Sie Jonny Rieders Kommentar „Die Wrestling-Demokratie“.

Sprecher: Karsten Troyke

Bild: ChatGPT im Auftrag von Radio München

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Zum organisierten Corona-Komplex zählt auch der vermittelte Eindruck, dass es in den Jahren der sogenannten Pandemie praktisch nur noch eine Todesursache gab: Covid-19. Verkehrstote? Krebstote? Gewöhnliche Alterstote? Kann nicht sein.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/studie-viele-falsche-corona-tote-von-multipolar?

UN-Generalsekretär Guterres sah die Welt „im Krieg mit dem Virus“, de facto war es ein Krieg mit der Wahrheit, den Regierungen und Mainstream-Medien ausfochten. Der berechtigte Einwand, es mache einen Unterschied, ob jemand mit Corona oder wegen Corona gestorben ist, wurde als Ketzerei abgekanzelt. Erst mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine geriet das „Jeder Tote ist ein Corona-Toter“-Narrativ an seine Propaganda-Grenzen und Corona verschwand so schnell aus dem medialen Tagesgeschäft wie es gekommen war. Das Geld, das man für Masken, sogenannte Impfstoffe und damit verbundener Korruption verschwendet hatte, musste man nun unbedingt für Waffen verschwenden. Umso wichtiger ist es, diese Zeit der Lügen und Grundrechtsverletzungen nicht einfach unter den Teppich zu kehren und darüber zu schweigen. Aufklärung leistet hier nach wie vor das Magazin Multipolar. Es berichtet von einer aktuellen Studie griechischer Forscher über „offizielle Corona-Todesfälle während Omikron“. Dabei erwies sich Corona nur in einer Minderheit der Fälle als direkte Todesursache.

Sprecherin: Sabrina Khalil

Originaltext bei Multipolar: multipolar-magazin.de/meldungen/0257

Bild: Chat GPT im Auftrag von Radio München

Radio München\ www.radiomuenchen.net/​\ @radiomuenchen\ www.facebook.com/radiomuenchen\ www.instagram.com/radio_muenchen/\ twitter.com/RadioMuenchen\ odysee.com/@RadioMuenchen.net:9\ rumble.com/user/RadioMunchen

Radio München ist eine gemeinnützige Unternehmung.\ Wir freuen uns, wenn Sie unsere Arbeit unterstützen.

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Zum organisierten Corona-Komplex zählt auch der vermittelte Eindruck, dass es in den Jahren der sogenannten Pandemie praktisch nur noch eine Todesursache gab: Covid-19. Verkehrstote? Krebstote? Gewöhnliche Alterstote? Kann nicht sein. UN-Generalsekretär Guterres sah die Welt „im Krieg mit dem Virus“, de facto war es ein Krieg mit der Wahrheit, den Regierungen und Mainstream-Medien ausfochten.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/studie-viele-falsche-corona-tote-von-multipolar

Der berechtigte Einwand, es mache einen Unterschied, ob jemand mit Corona oder wegen Corona gestorben ist, wurde als Ketzerei abgekanzelt. Erst mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine geriet das „Jeder Tote ist ein Corona-Toter“-Narrativ an seine Propaganda-Grenzen und Corona verschwand so schnell aus dem medialen Tagesgeschäft wie es gekommen war. Das Geld, das man für Masken, sogenannte Impfstoffe und damit verbundener Korruption verschwendet hatte, musste man nun unbedingt für Waffen verschwenden. Umso wichtiger ist es, diese Zeit der Lügen und Grundrechtsverletzungen nicht einfach unter den Teppich zu kehren und darüber zu schweigen. Aufklärung leistet hier nach wie vor das Magazin Multipolar. Es berichtet von einer aktuellen Studie griechischer Forscher über „offizielle Corona-Todesfälle während Omikron“. Dabei erwies sich Corona nur in einer Minderheit der Fälle als direkte Todesursache.

Sprecherin: Sabrina Khalil

Originaltext bei Multipolar: multipolar-magazin.de/meldungen/0257

Bild: Chat GPT im Auftrag von Radio München

Radio München\ www.radiomuenchen.net/​\ @radiomuenchen\ www.facebook.com/radiomuenchen\ www.instagram.com/radio_muenchen/\ twitter.com/RadioMuenchen\ odysee.com/@RadioMuenchen.net:9\ rumble.com/user/RadioMunchen

Radio München ist eine gemeinnützige Unternehmung.\ Wir freuen uns, wenn Sie unsere Arbeit unterstützen.

GLS-Bank\ IBAN: DE65 4306 0967 8217 9867 00\ BIC: GENODEM1GLS\ Bitcoin (BTC): bc1qqkrzed5vuvl82dggsyjgcjteylq5l58sz4s927\ Ethereum (ETH): 0xB9a49A0bda5FAc3F084D5257424E3e6fdD303482

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/2025-05-27-eine-stunde-klassik?

Eine Stunde Klassik! Der Münchner Pianist und "Musikdurchdringer" Jürgen Plich stellt jeden Dienstag um 20 Uhr große klassische Musik vor. Er teilt seine Hör- und Spielerfahrung und seine persönliche Sicht auf die Meisterwerke. Er spielt selbst besondere, unbekannte Aufnahmen, erklärt, warum die Musik so und nicht anders klingt und hat eine Menge aus dem Leben der Komponisten zu erzählen.

Sonntags um 10 Uhr in der Wiederholung.

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Marty's Bent

J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon has long been an outspoken skeptic and critic of bitcoin. He has called Bitcoin a speculative asset, a fraud, a pet rock, and has opined that it will inevitably blow up. A couple of years ago, he was on Capitol Hill saying that if he were the government, he would "close it down". Just within the last month, he was on Fox Business News talking with Maria Bartiromo, proclaiming that the U.S. should be stockpiling bullets and rare earth metals instead of bitcoin. It's pretty clear that Jamie Dimon, who is at the helm of the most powerful and largest bank in the world, does not like bitcoin one bit.

Evidence below:

via Bitcoin Magazine

via me

via CNBC

via Trending Politics

Despite Dimon's distinguished disdain for Bitcoin, J.P. Morgan cannot deny reality. The CEO of the largest bank in the world is certainly a powerful man, but no one individual, even in the position that Jamie Dimon is in, is more powerful than the market. And the market has spoken very clearly, it is demanding bitcoin. The Bitcoin ETFs have been the most successful ETFs in terms of pace of growth since their launch. They've accumulated tens of billions of dollars in AUM in a very short period of time. Outpacing the previous record set by the gold ETF, GLD.

Whether or not Jamie Dimon himself likes Bitcoin doesn't matter. J.P. Morgan, as the largest bank in the world and a publicly traded company, has a duty to shareholders. And that duty is to increase shareholder value by any ethical and legal means necessary. Earlier today, J.P. Morgan announced plans to offer clients financing against their Bitcoin ETFs, as well as some other benefits, including having their bitcoin holdings recognized in their overall net worth and liquid assets, similar to stocks, cars, and art, which will be massive for bitcoiners looking to get mortgages and other types of loans.

via Bloomberg

I've talked about this recently, but trying to buy a house when most of your liquid net worth is held in bitcoin is a massive pain in the ass. Up until this point, if you wanted to have your bitcoin recognized as part of your net worth and count towards your overall credit profile, you would need to sell some bitcoin, move it to a bank account, and have it sit there for a certain period of time before it was recognized toward your net worth. This is not ideal for bitcoiners who have sufficient cash flows and don't want to sell their bitcoin, pay the capital gains tax, and risk not being able to buy back the amount of sats they were forced to sell just to get a mortgage.

It's not yet clear to me whether or not J.P. Morgan will recognize bitcoin in cold storage toward their clients' net worth and credit profile, or if this is simply for bitcoin ETFs only. However, regardless, this is a step in the right direction and a validation of something that many bitcoiners have been saying for years. Inevitably, everyone will have to bend the knee to bitcoin. Today, it just happened to be the largest bank in the world. I expect more of this to come in the coming months, years, and decades.

Lyn Alden likes to say it in the context of the U.S. national debt and the fiscal crisis, but it also applies to bitcoin adoption and the need for incumbents to orient themselves around the demands of individual bitcoiners; nothing stops this train.

Corporate Bitcoin Treasuries are Changing Market Dynamics

Leon Wankum revealed how corporate Bitcoin treasuries are fundamentally reshaping business dynamics. Companies can now issue equity to fund operations while preserving their Bitcoin holdings, creating a revolutionary capital structure. Leon highlighted MicroStrategy's position, noting they hold enough Bitcoin to cover dividend payments for over 200 years. This model enables companies to reduce founder dilution since they don't need repeated funding rounds when their treasury appreciates.

"Some companies' Bitcoin treasuries are now worth more than all money they've ever raised." - Leon Wankum

Leon shared examples from his own portfolio companies where this strategy has proven transformative. Public companies have discovered an entirely new business model through strategic dilution that actually increases BTC per share. As Leon explained, this approach allows firms to leverage equity markets for operational funding while their Bitcoin treasury compounds in value, creating a positive feedback loop that benefits both shareholders and the company's long-term sustainability.

Check out the full podcast here for more on real estate price cycles, Bitcoin lending products, and the transition to a Bitcoin standard.

---

Headlines of the Day

California May Seize Idle Bitcoin After 3 Years - via X

Semler Scientific Buys $20M More Bitcoin, Holds $467M - via X

US Home Sellers Surge as Buyers Hit 4-Year Low - via X

Get our new STACK SATS hat - via tftcmerch.io

---

Take the First Step Off the Exchange

Bitkey is an easy, secure way to move your Bitcoin into self-custody. With simple setup and built-in recovery, it’s the perfect starting point for getting your coins off centralized platforms and into cold storage—no complexity, no middlemen.

Take control. Start with Bitkey.

Use the promo code “TFTC20” during checkout for 20% off

---

Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed $150.00M across 30+ companies through three funds. I am a Managing Partner at Ten31 and am very proud of the work we are doing. Learn more at ten31.vc/invest.

---

Final thought...

I feel old.

---

Get this newsletter sent to your inbox daily: https://www.tftc.io/bitcoin-brief/

Subscribe to our YouTube channels and follow us on Nostr and X:

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

The third annual Bitcoin FilmFest (aka BFF25) proved once again that sovereign minds and decentralized culture thrive together.

For four electrifying days in Poland’s capital, the festival’s rallying call—’Fix the money, fix the culture‘—wasn’t just a slogan but a living, breathing movement.

From May 22-25, 2025, Warsaw buzzed with cinematic innovation, Bitcoin philosophy, and artistic vibe marking this gathering as truly incomparable.

Rebel Tribe with Unfiltered Creativity

With 200+ attendees from 20+ countries – primarily Poland, Czech Republic, the UK and Germany (~70% combined), plus representation from Spain, Italy, USA, Turkey and 15+ other nations including Thailand, Israel, Dubai and Latin America—BFF25 became a true global hub of freedom-fighters at heart. 

The European Pizza Day opener (May 22), celebrating Bitcoin’s first real-world transaction, saw rainy evening weather that couldn’t dampen the energy.

With concerts by Roger9000 and ABBE plus DJ sets from MadMunky, 2140 collective w/Airklipz and G.O.L.D., all early arrivals had a memorable start.

Dual Focus on Film and Bitcoin Culture

• Seven film workshops and seven hands-on sessions running parallel across Friday and Saturday at Amondo Cinema Club. Film: Martin Piga, Oswald Horowitz, Psyfer, Juan Pablo Mejía, Kristina Weiserova, Rare Passenger, Noa Gruman & Lahav Levi (Scardust). Bitcoin/Nostr: Aleks Svetski, Ioni Appelberg, Flash,  CryptoSteel, Bitrefill, Polish Bitcoin Association, Bitvocation.

• The Community Stage (Friday to Sunday afternoon) gave important space for both projects and individuals discussing their work and passions.
  Everything from music, art, fiction, Nostr, personal sovereignty to Polish-language debates on Bitcoin’s state and its possible future.

• Onscreen, 9 cinematic blocks from Friday to Sunday featured titles like UNBAKABLE, REVOLUCIÓN BITCOIN, HOTEL BITCOIN, PLANDEMIC: THE MUSICAL, plus shorts on new media (AI/experimental cinema), parallel communities (outcast cinema), and newly released pilots.

• Cinematic shark-tank with a €3,000 bounty: 8 contestants

  • Martin Piga: “PARALLEL SPACES”
  • Kristina Weiserova: “PUZZLE”
  • Aaron Koenig : “SATOSHI’S LAST WILL”
  • Philip Charter: “21 FUTURES”
  • Jenna Reid: “WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?”
  • Mr Black: “A LODGING OF WAYFARING MEN”
  • Oswald Horowitz: “THE LEGEND OF LANDI”
    The event ended with Jenna winning.

• Official Gala: Golden Rabbits 2025 crowned:

  • HOTEL BITCOIN by Manuel Sanabria & Carlos “Pocho” Villaverde (Best Story)
  • SATOSHI: THE CREATION OF BITCOIN by Arthur Machado (Best Short)
  • REVOLUCIÓN BITCOIN by Juan Pablo Mejía (Audience Choice)
  • NO MORE INFLATION by Maiku Tsukai’s aka Bitcoin Shooter (Best Film)

Nights Charged with Music and Unscripted Surprise

The festival’s legendary afterparties kept the energy high—Friday’s underground gathering at Morph Club (ex-Barbazaar) featured Aaron Koening’s live concert and 2140 DJs (Akme + Andy Princz).

The weekend’s unforgettable moment came when Noa Gruman took the stage with “MY HEAVEN” (Scardust original) and “40HPW” — her powerful tribute to Bitcoin podcasts and Bugle.News.

Lightning-Powered Innovation, and Extras

• Lightning in Action: Flash enabled instant Bitcoin payments across both main venues (Amondo + Samo Centrum, merch stations, and online shop)

• IndeeHub Backstage Pass: Attendees unlocked exclusive access to Lightning-powered VOD featuring selected films from BFF23-25

• BFF TV: Kiki (El Salvador) broadcasting live interviews, event clips, and trailers. Day One, and Day Two to rewatch online.

• Comedy Strike: Robert Le Ricain’s Gala stand-up proved Bitcoiners pack brains and humor—in equal measure.

A Community-Driven Cultural Experience

Bitcoin FilmFest wasn’t just an event—it was proof that culture shifts when money gets fixed. Mark your calendars for June 2026 and the next edition. More info and tickets going on sale soon.

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

“Not your keys, not your coins” isn’t a slogan—it’s a survival mantra in the age of digital sovereignty.

The seismic collapses of Mt. Gox (2014) and FTX (2022) weren’t anomalies; they were wake-up calls. When $8.7 billion in customer funds vanished with FTX, it exposed the fatal flaw of third-party custody: your bitcoin is only as secure as your custodian’s weakest link.

Yet today, As of early 2025, analysts estimate that between 2.3 million and 3.7 million Bitcoins are permanently lost, representing approximately 11–18% of bitcoin’s fixed maximum supply of 21 million coins, with some reports suggesting losses as high as 4 million BTC. This paradox reveals a critical truth: self-custody isn’t just preferable—it’s essential—but it must be done right.

The Custody Spectrum

Custodial Wallets (The Illusion of Control)

• Rehypothecation Risk: Most platforms lend your bitcoin for yield generation. When Celsius collapsed, users discovered their “held” bitcoin was loaned out in risky strategies.
• Account Freezes: Regulatory actions can lock withdrawals overnight. In 2023, Binance suspended dollar withdrawals for U.S. users citing “partner bank issues,” trapping funds for weeks.
• Data Vulnerability: KYC requirements create honeypots for hackers. The 2024 Ledger breach exposed 270,000 users’ personal data despite hardware security.

True Self-Custody
Self-custody means exclusively controlling your private keys—the cryptographic strings that prove bitcoin ownership. Unlike banks or exchanges, self-custody eliminates:

• Counterparty risk (no FTX-style implosions)
• Censorship (no blocked transactions)
• Inflationary theft (no fractional reserve lending)

Conquering the Three Great Fears of Self-Custody

Fear 1: “I’ll Lose Everything If I Make a Mistake”

Reality: Human error is manageable with robust systems:

• Test Transactions: Always send a micro-amount (0.00001 BTC) before large transfers. Verify receipt AND ability to send back.
• Multi-Backup Protocol: Store seed phrases on fireproof/waterproof steel plates (not paper!). Distribute copies geographically—one in a home safe, another with trusted family 100+ miles away.
• SLIP39 Sharding: Split your seed into fragments requiring 3-of-5 shards to reconstruct. No single point of failure.

Fear 2: “Hackers Will Steal My Keys”

Reality: Offline storage defeats remote attacks:

• Hardware Wallets: Devices like Bitkey or Ledger keep keys in “cold storage”—isolated from internet-connected devices. Transactions require physical confirmation.
• Multisig Vaults: Bitvault’s multi-sig system requires attackers compromise multiple locations/devices simultaneously. Even losing two keys won’t forfeit funds.
• Air-Gapped Verification: Use dedicated offline devices for wallet setup. Never type seeds on internet-connected machines.

Fear 3: “My Family Can’t Access It If I Die”

Reality: Inheritance is solvable:

• Dead Man Switches: Bitwarden’s emergency access allows trusted contacts to retrieve encrypted keys after a pre-set waiting period (e.g., 30 days).
• Inheritance Protocols: Bitkey’s inheritance solution shares decryption keys via designated beneficiaries’ emails. Requires multiple approvals to prevent abuse.
• Public Key Registries: Share wallet XPUBs (not private keys!) with heirs. They can monitor balances but not spend, ensuring transparency without risk.

The Freedom Dividend

1. Censorship Resistance: Send $10M BTC to a Wikileaks wallet without Visa/Mastercard blocking it.
2. Privacy Preservation: Avoid KYC surveillance—non-custodial wallets like Flash require zero ID verification.
3. Protocol Access: Participate in bitcoin-native innovations (Lightning Network, DLCs) only possible with self-custodied keys.
4. Black Swan Immunity: When Cyprus-style bank bailins happen, your bitcoin remains untouched in your vault.

The Sovereign’s Checklist

1. Withdraw from Exchanges: Move all BTC > $1,000 to self-custody immediately.
2. Buy Hardware Wallet: Purchase DIRECTLY from manufacturer (no Amazon!) to avoid supply-chain tampering.
3. Generate Seed OFFLINE: Use air-gapped device, write phrase on steel—never digitally.
4. Test Recovery: Delete wallet, restore from seed before funding.
5. Implement Multisig: For > $75k, use Bitvault for 2-of-3 multi-sig setup.
6. Create Inheritance Plan: Share XPUBs/SLIP39 shards with heirs + legal documents.

“Self-custody isn’t about avoiding risk—it’s about transferring risk from opaque institutions to transparent, controllable systems you design.”

The Inevitable Evolution: Custody Without Compromise

Emerging solutions are erasing old tradeoffs:

• MPC Wallets: Services like Xapo Bank shatter keys into encrypted fragments distributed globally. No single device holds full keys, defeating physical theft.
• Social Recovery: Ethically designed networks (e.g., Bitkey) let trusted contacts restore access without custodial control.
• Biometric Assurance: Fingerprint reset protocols prevent lockouts from physical injuries.

Lost keys = lost bitcoin. But consider the alternative: entrusting your life savings to entities with proven 8% annual failure rates among exchanges. Self-custody shifts responsibility from hoping institutions won’t fail to knowing your system can’t fail without your consent.

Take action today: Move one coin. Test one recovery. Share one xpub. The path to unchained wealth begins with a single satoshi under your control.

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Marty's Bent

via nostr:nprofile1qyxhwumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmvqy0hwumn8ghj7mn0wd68yttjv4kxz7fwvf5hgcm0d9hzumnfde4xzqpq85h9z5yxn8uc7retm0n6gkm88358lejzparxms5kmy9epr236k2qtyz2zr

A lot of the focus over the last couple of months has been on the emergence of Strategy competitors in public markets looking to build sizable bitcoin treasuries and attract investors of all shapes and sizes to drive shareholder value. The other big topic in the bitcoin development world has been around OP_RETURN and the debate over whether or not the amount of data that can be shoved into a bitcoin transaction should be decided by the dominant implementation.

A topic that is just as, if not more, important that is not getting enough appreciation is the discussion around open source bitcoin developers and the lingering effects of the Biden administration's attack on Samourai Wallet and Tornado Cash. If you read our friend Matt Corallo's tweet above, you'll notice that the lingering effects are such that even though the Trump administration has made concerted efforts to reverse the effects of Operation Chokepoint 2.0 that were levied by the Biden administration, Elizabeth Warren, and her friends at the Treasury and SEC - it is imperative that we enshrine into law the rights of open source developers to build products and services that enable individuals to self-custody bitcoin and use it in a peer-to-peer fashion without the threat of getting thrown in jail cell.

As it stands today, the only assurances that we have are from an administration that is overtly in favor of the proliferation of bitcoin in the United States. There is nothing in place to stop the next administration or another down the line from reverting to Biden-era lawfare that puts thousands of bitcoin developers around the world at risk of being sent into a cage because the government doesn't like how some users leverage the code they write. To make sure that this isn't a problem down the line it is imperative that we pass the Blockchain Regulatory Clarity Act, which would not hold bitcoin developers liable for the ways in which end users leverage their tools.

Not only is this an act that would protect developers from pernicious government officials targeting them when end users use their technology in a way that doesn't make the government happy, it will also protect YOU, the end user, looking to transact in a peer-to-peer fashion and leverage all of the incredible properties of bitcoin the way they were meant to be. If the developers are not protected, they will not be able to build the technology that enables you to leverage bitcoin.

So do your part and go to saveourwallets.org. Reach out to your local representatives in Congress and Senators and make some noise. Let them know that this is something that you care deeply about and that they should not only pay attention to this bill but push it forward and enshrine it into law as quickly as possible.

There are currently many developers either behind bars or under house arrest for developing software that gives you the ability to use Bitcoin in a self-sovereign fashion and use it in a privacy-preserving way. Financial privacy isn't a crime. It is an inalienable human right that should be protected at all cost. The enshrinement of this inalienable right into law is way past due.

#FreeSamourai #FreeRoman

Headlines of the Day

MicroStrategy Copycats See Speculative Premiums Fade - via X

Square Tests Bitcoin Payments, Lightning Yields Beat DeFi - via X

Get our new STACK SATS hat - via tftcmerch.io

Bitfinex Moves $731M Bitcoin to Jack Mallers' Fund - via X

---

Take the First Step Off the Exchange

Bitkey is an easy, secure way to move your Bitcoin into self-custody. With simple setup and built-in recovery, it’s the perfect starting point for getting your coins off centralized platforms and into cold storage—no complexity, no middlemen.

Take control. Start with Bitkey.

Use the promo code “TFTC20” during checkout for 20% off

---

Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed $150.00M across 30+ companies through three funds. I am a Managing Partner at Ten31 and am very proud of the work we are doing. Learn more at ten31.vc/invest.

---

Final thought...

Should I join a country club?

---

Get this newsletter sent to your inbox daily: https://www.tftc.io/bitcoin-brief/

Subscribe to our YouTube channels and follow us on Nostr and X:

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Ganz im Geiste des klassischen Kabaretts widmen sich Franz Esser und Michael Sailer den Ereignissen des letzten Monats: Was ist passiert? Und was ist dazu zu sagen? Das ist oft frappierend - und manchmal auch zum Lachen.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/vier-wochen-wahnsinn-mai-25-ein-satirischer-monatsruckblick

www.radiomuenchen.net/​\ @radiomuenchen\ www.facebook.com/radiomuenchen\ www.instagram.com/radio_muenchen/\ twitter.com/RadioMuenchen\ odysee.com/@RadioMuenchen.net:9\ rumble.com/user/RadioMunchen

Radio München ist eine gemeinnützige Unternehmung.\ Wir freuen uns, wenn Sie unsere Arbeit unterstützen.

GLS-Bank\ IBAN: DE65 4306 0967 8217 9867 00\ BIC: GENODEM1GLS\ Bitcoin (BTC): bc1qqkrzed5vuvl82dggsyjgcjteylq5l58sz4s927\ Ethereum (ETH): 0xB9a49A0bda5FAc3F084D5257424E3e6fdD303482

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Wahrscheinlich wird es wieder der wärmste Mai seit Wetteraufzeichnung gewesen sein, was uns erneut ermahnt, endlich dem Klimawandel den Garaus zu machen. Sie merken es, der Sarkasmus bahnt sich schon seinen Weg. Auch München hat sich jetzt dem Klima-Taler-Netzwerk angeschlossen und wirbt für das Angebot, sich ein besseres Gewissen tracken zu lassen. Hören Sie Nicolas Riedls Kommentar „Der Klima-Köder“.

Sprecherin: Sabrina Khalil

Bild: © Klima-Taler

Radio München\ www.radiomuenchen.net/​\ @radiomuenchen\ www.facebook.com/radiomuenchen\ www.instagram.com/radio_muenchen/\ twitter.com/RadioMuenchen

Radio München ist eine gemeinnützige Unternehmung.\ Wir freuen uns, wenn Sie unsere Arbeit unterstützen.\ GLS-Bank\ IBAN: DE65 4306 0967 8217 9867 00\ BIC: GENODEM1GLS\ Bitcoin (BTC): 3G1wDDH2CDPJ9DHan5TTpsfpSXWhNMCZmQ

@ f0fd6902:a2fbaaab

A brinicle (brine icicle, also known as an ice stalactite) is a downward-growing hollow tube of ice enclosing a plume of descending brine that is formed beneath developing sea ice.

As seawater freezes in the polar ocean, salt brine concentrates are expelled from the sea ice, creating a downward flow of dense, extremely cold, saline water, with a lower freezing point than the surrounding water. When this plume comes into contact with the neighboring ocean water, its extremely low temperature causes ice to instantly form around the flow. This creates a hollow stalactite, or icicle, referred to as a brinicle. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brinicle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69aeBawfrRw

https://stacker.news/items/1001460

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Marty's Bent

via me

I think we'll look back at last weekend as one of the most pivotal points in human history. Ukraine's Operation Spider Web is one of the more shocking things I've seen in terms of military operations in my life. It validates something that many bitcoiners, many cypherpunks, and many prescient individuals have been talking about for decades now at this point, which is asymmetric drone warfare.

The Sovereign Individual is a book that many bitcoiners have talked about throughout the years due to how prescient it was in terms of the inevitable emergence of a digital currency outside the control of central banks and governments. The book was written in the mid-90s, so the fact that the two authors were able to predict that something like bitcoin would emerge less than 20 years after writing the book is pretty incredible. However, digital currencies leveraging cryptography were not the sole focus of the book. Another portion of the book was dedicated to the idea of asymmetric drone warfare and its effects on society overall.

It seems pretty clear today that this is another call from The Sovereign Individual that is coming true. Obviously, unless you've been living under a rock, you've noticed that Ukraine has been using drones in the battlefield to target strategic Russian assets and individual soldiers over the last year. The amount of battlefield videos I've seen of Russian soldiers running from autonomous drones that are hunting them down has been increasing significantly over the last six months. The footage is truly harrowing. It is a death that I wouldn't wish on anybody. With Operation Spider Web Ukraine has increased the stakes of this type of drone warfare by going deep into Russian territory and targeting strategic long-range bombers, some of which had the ability to deploy nuclear warheads. This is sure to incite a reaction from Russia. No one will be surprised if, by the end of the week, Russia has started a shock and awe campaign that goes deep into Ukrainian territory in retaliation for the kamikaze drone strikes on their long-range aircraft. I pray for peace and a quick resolution to this war, and every other war for that matter.

I didn't come here to pontificate and give my thoughts on this particular war, but I would like to focus on this new tactic of war and what it means for military budgets moving forward. The Sovereign Individual laid it out clearly when they wrote in the 1990s that at some point in the future autonomous drones would be leveraged in the battlefield and prove to be asymmetric because of the fact that they are extremely cheap to produce. When you compare the price it cost to produce one of these drones to the price of the equipment they are destroying, things get pretty crazy. With tens of thousands of dollars of drone equipment the Ukrainian army destroyed tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars worth of long-range missile aircraft. And it did so without putting any Ukrainian military personnel in harm's way. Directly, at least.

When you consider the return on investment of deploying these drones compared to sending in soldiers, tanks, and your own aircraft, it becomes pretty obvious that this is going to quickly become the most logical way to fight a war moving forward. The question that remains is how quickly do other governments recognize this and implement it into their own defense strategies? As an American looking at our military budget, which is quickly approaching $1 trillion in annual spend, I'm forced to question whether or not most of that money is simply being wasted, considering the fact that we live in a time where these asymmetric battlefield strategies now exist. Why build new fighter jets when a Somali pirate, or nefarious individual for that matter, could use a $200 drone to destroy it in a matter of seconds with no threat of direct physical harm?

I'm no military expert, but if I were at the helm of the Defense Department, I would seriously be forcing those below me to focus a ton of effort on this problem and create plans to make sure that we are sufficiently protected from these risks. The only way to protect from these risks is to build the capabilities yourself. When it comes to the risk reward from a defense tech investment perspective I think a majority of the effort should be focused on defensive drone technologies and capabilities.

With that being said, it does seem like the US military is privy to this asymmetric reality that we currently live in. Defense contracts with Andruil make this pretty clear. Andruil is certainly ahead of the curve when it comes to autonomous drone warfare and defense against it. As an American, even though I don't like war, or the military industrial complex, knowing that the military is working with companies like Andruil does give me some comfort. However, the other side of that coin is that it is very unnerving when you consider that the government creating these public-private partnerships could lead to some Orwellian outcomes here at home. It may make some of you feel uncomfortable, but I believe the ideal scenario is that any individual has access to these types of defensive drone technologies in the future. The end goal being to create a nuclear game theoretical outcome where violence is reduced because one always has to assume that anyone they intend to attack has access to sufficient and formidable defensive technologies.

It's truly scary times we're living in as we transition further into the Digital Age. Part of the reason that I've dedicated my whole life to bitcoin is because I truly do believe that if you fix the money, you can fix the world. That is not to say that kinetic wars or physical violence will not exist in the future. It certainly will. But I believe sound money and open access to these systems and tools creates conditions which are much more suitable for cooperation and less so for conflict.

Multi-Signature Bitcoin Custody Is Replacing Single-Point Solutions

Jesse Gilger made a compelling case for why multi-signature Bitcoin custody represents the future of secure storage. He explained how Gannett Trust's approach ensures "not all of the keys are going to be at any one entity," fundamentally reducing the honeypot risk that plagues centralized custodians. This distributed model means no single point of failure can compromise your Bitcoin, whether through hacking, internal fraud, or regulatory seizure.

"I was on the list. I got the email. 'You were affected.'" - Jesse Gilger

Jesse's firsthand experience with the Coinbase data breach drives home why centralized custody is fundamentally flawed. While Coinbase holds keys for 10 of 12 Bitcoin ETFs, smart money is moving toward multi-institutional setups where Gannett holds a key, Unchained holds a key, and a third party holds a key. This alignment with Bitcoin's decentralized ethos isn't just philosophically pure—it's pragmatically superior for protecting generational wealth.

Check out the full podcast here for more on MSTY risks, Bitcoin retirement strategies and nation-state adoption dynamics.

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Final thought...

Trying to imagine the future my children are going to live in gets harder by the day.

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@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Einmal, im dunklen Wald auf dem Weg ins nächste Dorf, hielt ich meine Taschenlampe auf den Boden gerichtet, nicht wirklich senkrecht, aber so, dass der Lichtkegel nah bei mir war. Immer wieder lief ein Schatten auf mich zu. Manchmal kam er auch von hinten. Jedes Mal erschrak ich fürchterlich, ging in Abwehrhaltung und mahnte mich dann zur Einsicht: Wer sollte mir folgen? Was aus dem Gebüsch, sollte auf mich zu kommen, oder dicht an mir vorbei laufen wollen? Woher also dieser Schreck, diese Angst? Vielleicht ist es nur das Reptilienhirn und der Überlebenssinn der reagiert, vielleicht aber auch ein Teil der Prägung, die uns verunsichert, wenn wir die Gemeinschaft verlassen und uns anders verhalten.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/innerer-tiefenstaat-von?

Unbekannte und einflussreiche Anteile unseres Selbst zu entdecken und zu integrieren nennt der Wildnispädagoge, Autor und Journalist Bastian Barucker Schattenarbeit. Hören Sie seinen Text Trauma, Krieg, Friedensfähigkeit und der innere Tiefenstaat.

Sprecher: Ulrich Allroggen\ Redaktion: Eva Schmidt

Den Beitrag können Sie auf seinem Blog Bastian-Barucker.de nachlesen. blog.bastian-barucker.de/der-innere-tiefenstaat/

@ 87fedb9f:0da83419

Finding Calm in the Chaos

Ever notice how you start future-mapping to calm your nerves… and end up more anxious than when you began? You’re not alone! Join us for a playful, real-talk exploration of why our brilliant minds try to control everything — and how empathy, Buddhist wisdom, and EFT tapping can help us step out of the anxious loop and land back in the delicious now.

https://www.thrivingnow.center/t/1491/4

https://youtu.be/VRx63O19dMM

We covered…

1. Future Mapping is Fish-and-Water Awareness We often don’t realize how much mental energy we spend constantly planning scenarios - “if it rains, if they get upset, if this happens then that…” This protective pattern started early but now we can bring it into conscious awareness and choose how much energy to invest.

2. The Empathy App Creates Endless Scenarios Our empathetic nature means we’re not just planning for ourselves - we’re mapping out everyone else’s potential reactions, feelings, and needs. This creates exponentially more “what if” scenarios that keep our minds spinning in overdrive.

3. Fault-Finding is Too Crude for Thriving When we automatically assign blame (usually to ourselves), we’re operating from primitive brain patterns. Upgrading to a more refined viewpoint means seeing the “dance of energies” where everyone contributes and sometimes feet get stepped on - it’s part of life.

4. We Can’t Actually Control the River Life flows like a river, and we can steer our canoe but we cannot change the river itself. Our anxiety often signals we’re trying to do the impossible - control weather, other people’s moods, or outcomes beyond our influence.

5. Magical Thinking Says “If I Worry Enough, It Will Work Out” We unconsciously believe that suffering through worry ahead of time will somehow guarantee good outcomes. Our nervous system knows this is a lie, which creates more anxiety. We can release this “prepayment” fantasy.

6. Distributing the Broccoli Back to Its Owners We often scoop up everyone else’s responsibilities onto our plate to avoid conflict or being blamed. Learning to ask “Is this really my broccoli?” helps us return emotional and practical responsibilities to their rightful owners.

7. Include Safe and Good Possibilities in Your Maps When we only map threats and problems, we miss opportunities for joy, connection, and creative solutions. Consciously including positive possibilities activates different parts of ourselves - the creative, hopeful, and inspired aspects.

8. Tapping While Thinking Moves Energy Out of Stuck Loops Simply speaking our thoughts aloud while tapping the acupressure points breaks the narrow band of mental spinning. This engages our body’s intelligence and often reveals what words or feelings want to emerge beyond our conscious planning.

9. Being With What Is vs. Making Everyone Happy Instead of trying to make everyone feel good all the time (which is impossible), we can practice being present with people as they actually are. This is more respectful, connected, and requires much less exhausting management.

10. Anxiety Can Be Wise Body Guidance Rather than just a problem to fix, our anxiety often signals we’re trying to do something unwise - like changing unchangeable things or telling ourselves lies about what we can control. We can listen to this guidance.

11. The Sweet Spot of Thoughtful Planning We’re not throwing away our planning abilities - we’re finding the balance between appropriate preparation (throwing an umbrella in the bag) and exhausting over-management (trying to control every possible variable). Good and sufficient planning honors both our intelligence and life’s natural flow.

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Life Insurer, Meanwhile, Becomes First Company to Publish Audited Financials Denominated in Bitcoin

Meanwhile Insurance Bitcoin (Bermuda) Limited (“Meanwhile”) announced it has become the first company in the world to release externally audited financial statements denominated entirely in Bitcoin. According to the announcement, the company reported 220.4 BTC in assets and 25.29 BTC in net income for 2024, a 300% year over year increase.

Today marks a global first & historic event for us, along with the public release of our 2024 audited financial statements, covering our 1st year of sales.

As the 1st company in the world to have Bitcoin-denominated financial statements externally audited, we are excited to…

— meanwhile | Bitcoin Life Insurance (@meanwhilelife) June 5, 2025

“We’ve just made history as the first company in the world to have Bitcoin-denominated financial statements externally audited,” said Zac Townsend, CEO of Meanwhile. “This is an important, foundational step in reimagining the financial system based on a single, global, decentralized standard outside the control of any one government.” 

The financial statements were audited by Harris & Trotter LLP and its digital asset division ht.digital. Meanwhile’s financials also comply with Bermuda’s Insurance Act 1978, noting that their BTC denominated financials were approved and comply with official guidelines. The firm, fully licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA), operates entirely in BTC and is prohibited from liquidating Bitcoin assets except through policyholder claims, positioning it as a long term holder. 

“As the first regulated Bitcoin life insurance company, we view the BTC held by Meanwhile as inherently long-term in nature—primarily held to support the Company’s insurance liabilities over decades,” Townsend added. “This makes it significantly ‘stickier’ and resistant to market pressures compared to the BTC held by other companies as part of their treasury management strategies.” 

Meanwhile’s 2024 financials also revealed 23.02 BTC in net premiums and 4.35 BTC in investment income, showing that its model not only preserves Bitcoin, but earns it. The company’s reserves (also held in BTC) were reviewed and approved by Willis Towers Watson (WTW). 

Meanwhile also offers a Bitcoin Whole Life insurance product that allows policyholders to save, borrow, and build legacy wealth—entirely in BTC, and has plans to expand globally in 2025.

“We are incredibly proud of today’s news as it underscores how Meanwhile is at the forefront of the next phase of the convergence between Bitcoin and institutional financial markets,” said Tia Beckmann, CFO of Meanwhile. “Now having generated net income in BTC, we have demonstrated that we are earning it through a sustainable insurance business model designed for the long term.” 

This post Bitcoin Life Insurer, Meanwhile, Becomes First Company to Publish Audited Financials Denominated in Bitcoin first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Jenna Montgomery.

@ a296b972:e5a7a2e8

Nur für‘s Protokoll. Hiermit erkläre ich, Georg Ohrweh, im tatsächlich vorhandenen vollen Besitz meiner geistigen Kräfte, dass Herr Lauterbach, gleich welche Position er in Zukunft noch bekleiden sollte, für mich nicht zuständig ist. Basta.

Ein Erguss dieses verhaltensoriginellen Über-alles-Bescheidwissers:

„Wir kommen jetzt in eine Phase hinein, wo der Ausnahmezustand die Normalität sein wird. Wir werden ab jetzt immer im Ausnahmezustand sein. Der Klimawandel wird zwangsläufig mehr Pandemien bringen.“

Wie kann es sein, dass solch eine Ausnahme-Gestalt, die schon rein äußerlich die Phantasie zu Vergleichen anregt, sich leider auch genauso verhält, wie die Gestalten, die in diesen Phantasien vorkommen, ungebremst auf der Panik-Klaviatur kakophonische Klänge erzeugen darf? Obwohl ein wenig Wahrheit ist auch enthalten: Wir sind tatsächlich immer im Ausnahmezustand, im Ausnahmezustand des fortgeschrittenen Wahnsinns.

Wie kann es sein, dass dieser Haaaarvardist seinen persönlich empfundenen Ausnahmezustand zum Allgemeingut erklären kann? Welche Verknüpfungs-Phantasien hat er sonst noch studiert? Er ist ja auch noch Vorsitzender im Raumfahrtausschuss. Was kommt als Nächstes? Eine Klima-Pandemie, verursacht durch außerirdische Viren, die die Temperaturen beeinflussen können? Im aktuellen Zeitgeist gibt es nichts, was nicht gedacht wird. Wem die besseren Absurditäten einfallen, der gewinnt. Man muss sich schon den gegebenen Denkstrukturen etwas anpassen, aber sich auch ein wenig Mühe geben.

Nach dem Wechsel der ehemaligen Außen-Dings zur UN (mit dem Ziel, aus den Vereinten Nationen die Feministischen Nationen zu gestalten) und des ehemaligen Wirtschafts-Dings in den Außenausschuss und als Gastdozent in Kalifornien (Thema: Wirtschaftsvernichtung unter Einbeziehung des gespannten Verhältnisses unter Geschwistern aufgrund ärmlicher Verhältnisse, am Beispiel des Märchens von Hänsel und Gretel) , jetzt auch noch der ehemalige Chef-Panikmacher zur WHO.

…und der Wahnsinn wurde hinausgetragen in die Welt, und es wurde dunkel, und es ward Nacht, und es wurde helle, und es ward Tag, der Wind blies oder auch nicht (was macht der Wind eigentlich, wenn er nicht weht?), und es ward Winter, und es wurde kälter, und es wurde wärmer, und es ward Sommer. Es regnete nicht mehr, die Wolken schwitzten. Und Putin verhinderte (wer auch sonst), dass das Eis in der Antarktis abnahm.

Wiederholte Bodentemperaturen in der Toskana von 50 Grad Celsius. Zu erwartende Wassertemperaturen während Ferragosto an der italienischen Adria von durchschnittlich 100 Grad Celsius. An Stellen mit wenig Strömung stiegen schon die ersten Kochblasen auf. Doch dann kam der durch Lachs gestählte, salzlose Super-Karl und rettete mit einem durch die WHO diktierten Klima-Logdown die gesamte Menschheit. Wer besser, als er konnte wissen, dass ein Klima-Logdown weitgehend nebenwirkungsfrei ist.

Was für ein Segen, dass Karl der Große, der uns so siegreich durch die Corona-Schlacht geführt hat, jetzt auch gegen das Klima in den Krieg zieht.

Wer kennt das nicht, Tage der Qual, in denen man zugeben muss: Ich hab‘ heute so schlimm Klima.

Viele Klimaexperten, die weltweit in der Qualitätspropaganda zitiert werden, zeichnen sich besonders dadurch aus, dass sie mit einer maximalen Abweichung von einem Grad Celsius ein Thermometer fehlerfrei ablesen können. Diese Ungenauigkeit wird der Erdverkochungsexperte sicher als erstes beheben.

In einer aufopfernden Studie während eines Urlaubs in 2023, in der um die damalige Zeit erstmals eisfreien Toskana, hat er den von ihm ausgetüftelten Klimaschutzplan ins Rheinische übersetzt. Titel: „Schützen Sie sisch, und, äh, andere!“ Weiter konnte er erforschen, dass die Bodentemperatur nicht immer mit der Temperatur des Erdkerns übereinstimmen muss.

Durch seine unermüdlichen Studien, können Hitzetote in Zukunft besser zugeordnet werden. Man weiß dann, ob jemand an hohen oder mit hohen Temperaturen gestorben ist. Der asymptomatische Klimawandel kann so in Zukunft viel besser bewertet werden. Man hat aus geringfügigen Fehlern gelernt und die Methoden erheblich verbessert.

Eine präzise Vorhersage der Jahreszeiten, vor allem die des Sommers, wird bald ebenfalls möglich sein. Es kann jetzt vor jahreszeitbedingten, teilweise sogar täglich schwankenden Temperaturveränderungen rechtzeitig gewarnt werden. Im Herbst können Heizempfehlungen für die ahnungslose Bevölkerung herausgegeben werden. Frieren war gestern, wissen wann es kalt wird, ist heute. Es wird an Farben geforscht, die noch roter sein sollen, als die, die jetzt in den Wetterkarten bei 21 Grad bereits verwendet werden.

Eine allgemeine Heizpflicht soll es europaweit zunächst nicht geben.

Weiter soll die Lichteinstrahlung der Sonne noch präziser bestimmt werden, damit den Europäern, in Ergänzung zur mitteleuropäischen Sommerzeit, jetzt auch noch genau mitgeteilt werden kann, wann es Tag und wann es Nacht ist.

Das Hinausschauen aus dem Fenster, zum Beispiel, ob es schon dunkel draußen ist, erübrigt sich. Die Tageszeit, in Ergänzung zur herkömmlichen Uhrzeit, wird demnächst automatisch mit dem Klima-Pass übermittelt werden. Zu Anfang natürlich erst einmal freiwillig.

Durch die persönliche ID können dann auch schnell und unkompliziert Sonderprämien überwiesen werden, sofern man sich klimakonform verhalten hat, damit man sich rechtzeitig vor Winterbeginn eine warme Jacke oder einen Mantel kaufen kann. Das Sparen von Bargeld auf eine bevorstehende größere Anschaffung von Winterkleidung wird somit überflüssig.

Ob es am Ende nun um Hitze oder Kälte geht, spielt eigentlich gar keine Rolle, denn wie wussten schon die Ahnen zu berichten: Was gut für die Kälte ist, ist auch gut für die Wärme.

Westliche Mächte unternehmen immer wieder Versuche, eskalierend auf den Ukraine-Konflikt einzuwirken, damit man atombetriebene Heizpilze aufstellen kann, an denen sich die Europäer im Winter auch im Freien wärmen können.

Wie praktisch, dass man nicht nur Gesundheit und Klima, sondern auch Klima und Krieg miteinander verbinden kann. Alles so, oder so ähnlich möglicherweise nachzulesen im genialen Hitzeschutzplan á la Lauterbach.

Besonders Deutschland braucht nicht nur lauterbachsche Hitzeschutzräume, nein es braucht atomsichere Hitzeschutzbunker, so schlägt man gleich zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe.

Für die, die es sich leisten können, hier ein Vorschlag. Der K2000:

https://www.swr.de/swr1/rp/programm/loriot-mini-luftschutzbunker-zum-preis-einer-waschmaschine-100.html

Für die weniger gut Betuchten reicht auch ein kühles Kellerloch, das man idealerweise im Februar beziehen und nicht vor November wieder verlassen sollte, so die Empfehlung auch von führenden Klima-Forschern, die es ja wissen müssen. Von Dezember bis Januar empfiehlt sich ein Besuch auf den Bahamas, besonders dann, wenn man eine leichte Erkältung verspürt.

Nur Verschwörungstheoretiker behaupten, dass die eigenartigen Anschlussverwendungen der Extrem-Kapazitäten, zu denen Lauterbach ohne Zweifel dazugehört, wie dicke rote Pfeile wirken, die auf Institutionen und Organisationen zeigen, um die man unter allen Umständen einen großen Bogen machen sollte, weil sie möglicherweise nichts Gutes im Schilde führen. Minimal sollen sie angeblich Unsinn verbreiten, maximal sollen sie gehörigen Schaden anrichten.

Man muss sich nur ein paar Gedanken machen, schon kann man feststellen, wie alles mit allem zusammenhängt.

“Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben.”

* *

(Bild von pixabay)

@ 58537364:705b4b85

๑) แรงอะไรจูงใจ กับโลกทุนนิยมที่ส่งอิทธิพลไปทุกหัวระแหง ชีวิตของมนุษย์ถูกกระตุ้นรุนเร้าด้วยความมั่งคั่งร่ำรวย ความเป็นอยู่ที่สะดวกสบายมีกินมีใช้ อยากทำอะไรก็ได้ทำ อยากกินอะไรก็ได้กิน หล่อเลี้ยงความสุขด้วยการแย่งชิงผลประโยชน์เพื่อตนเอง ตั้งแต่เด็กจนโต

เบื้องหลังแห่งการดำเนินชีวิตเช่นนั้น สิ่งที่บงการชักใยอยู่ก็คือ ”ตัณหา“ ความอยากได้ อยากมี อยากเป็น สิ่งที่คิด-พูด-ทำก็เป็นไปเพื่อตนเอง และพวกพ้องโดยไม่สนใจว่าจะทำลายใคร ไม่ว่ามนุษย์ สัตว์ หรือสิ่งแวดล้อม เบื้องหน้าแห่งชีวิตเช่นนี้ คือการประชาสัมพันธ์ด้วยความเจริญ โลกาภิวัฒน์ ความหรูหราไม่มีที่สิ้นสุด

แต่ตลอดชั่วชีวิตของเรา การใช้ชีวิตเช่นนี้สามารถมอบความสุขที่แท้จริงให้ได้หรือไม่ เงินซื้อ “ความไม่เจ็บป่วย” ได้หรือไม่ ? เกียรติยศแลกเป็น “ความไม่แก่” ได้หรือไม่ บ้านใหญ่โตหรูหราอยู่อาศัยแล้ว “ไม่ตาย” ได้หรือไม่ คำตอบเดียวที่ได้คือ “ไม่มี” ซึ่งมนุษย์ทุกคนก็ยัง “ทุกข์” อยู่กับความเจ็บป่วย ความแก่ ความตาย อย่างไม่มีเว้น ถึงเวลาหรือยังที่มนุษย์จะหันมาตระหนักกับ ”แรงจูงใจ“ ที่เรียกว่าตัณหานี้

พระพุทธเจ้าทรงเรียนรู้ชีวิตที่มีแต่ความทุกข์ไร้ทางออก หมุนวน จมจ่อม เพราะเหตุจากตัณหาเหล่านี้ชัดแล้ว ได้รู้และเข้าใจว่า “ฉันทะ” หรือความพอใจใฝ่ดี พัฒนาจิตใจให้สูงขึ้น ปลดเปลี้ยงความเห็นแก่ตัว เพื่อใช้ชีวิตคิด-พูด-ทำแต่ความดีงาม สร้างสรรค์สิ่งต่าง ๆ สมบูรณ์เต็มสภาวะของมัน แรงจูงใจเช่นนี้เป็นของยาก ของลำบาก เพราะต้องฝืนตนเอง ฝึกฝนให้จิตใจมีกำลัง ใช้ปัญญาพิจารณาเฟ้นหาประโยชน์จากทุกสิ่งอย่างคุ้มค่า และยั่งยืน

พระอาจารย์ท่านหนึ่ง ได้พูดขึ้นในท่ามกลางสงฆ์ว่า “หลาย ๆ คนที่เป็นคนรวย มีเงินพอได้สิ่งของที่อยากได้มา ตอนสุดท้ายก็มักจะพูดว่า ’นึกกว่าจะดีกว่านี้ อร่อยกว่านี้ มีความสุขกว่านี้ พอได้มาแล้วก็ไม่เห็นดีเหมือนที่คิดไว้เลย’ ซึ่งตรงกันข้ามกับคนที่ปฏิบัติจนเข้าถึงธรรม ไม่มีใครพูดแบบนั้น มีแต่พูดว่า ‘ยิ่งกว่าที่คิดไว้ ดีกว่าที่คิดไว้ ประเสริฐกว่าที่คิดไว้’ ความสุขที่ไม่สามารถจินตนาการได้ ความสุขที่ไม่เคยนำความผิดหวังมาให้ ความสุขประเภทนี้มีแรงจูงใจคือ ”ฉันทะ“ นั่นเอง

——

๒) หัวขบวน หากเราอาศัยตัณหานำพาชีวิต ชีวิตของเราก็จะวนเวียนเรื่อยเปื่อย มีแต่ความทุกข์ในปัจจุบัน และทุกข์ที่รออยู่ในอนาคต ชีวิตเช่นนี้ ก็ไม่ต่างอะไรกับชีวิตของแมว-หนู-ปู-กุ้ง-กา-ไก่ เอาแต่ แสวงหาอาหาร-กิน-นอน ได้ความสุขประเดี๋ยวประด๋าว แล้วก็หมดเวลาถึงวาระที่ต้องตายจากไป ไม่เคยรู้จักคุณค่าชีวิตที่แท้จริง ไม่ได้ความสุขสงบเลยสักวินาทีเดียว

พระพุทธเจ้าตรัสรู้แล้ว เล็งเห็นว่า มนุษย์มีศักยภาพที่มากกว่าสัตว์ทั้งหลาย การปล่อยชีวิตให้เต็มไปด้วย “อวิชชา” ความไม่รู้ ก่อให้เกิดตัณหา แล้วก็ชักพาชีวิตทำอกุศลกรรม มีแต่ความทุกข์ตลอดสายนั้น สามารถเปลี่ยนกระบวนทัศน์ได้ โดยมุ่งเน้นที่ “ปัญญา” ความรู้และเข้าใจความเป็นจริง ก่อให้เกิดฉันทะความพอใจใฝ่ดีในชีวิต ขับเคลื่อนเป็นกุศลกรรม สร้างเหตุที่ถูกต้อง ผลที่เป็นความสุข ความไม่ทุกข์ และความพ้นทุกข์ ก็จะตามมา

เพราะฉะนั้นทุกครั้งไม่ว่าทำอะไร หรือไม่ทำอะไร ลองทบทวนดูว่า การตัดสินใจนั้น ๆ มีอะไรเป็นหัวขบวน ”ตัณหา“ หรือ ”ปัญญา“ ใครเหนือกว่าใคร

——

๓) หลัก ๑๐ ประการ ครั้งหนึ่งพระพุทธเจ้าได้กำชับกับเหล่าสาวกว่า หากเมื่อใดถูกนักบวชพวกอื่นมาถามถึง หลักธรรมที่พระพุทธองค์ทรงแสดง มีอะไรเป็น ”ที่ตั้งต้น“ และมีอะไรเป็น “ที่จบ” ทรงวางหลักธรรมนั้นไว้ ๑๐ ประการ ได้แก่ * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีฉันทะ เป็นที่ตั้งต้น * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีมนสิการ เป็นที่ก่อตัว * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีผัสสะ เป็นแหล่งเกิด * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีเวทนา เป็นที่ชุมนุม * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีสมาธิ เป็นประมุข * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีสติ เป็นอธิปไตย เป็นใหญ่ * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีปัญญา เป็นยอดยิ่ง * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีอมตะ เป็นที่หยังลง * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีนิพพาน เป็นที่จบ

หลักธรรมชุดนี้ สื่อสารได้ชัดเจนว่า ระบบการ “ปฏิบัติ” ของพระพุทธศาสนานี้ มีจะพัฒนากุศลได้ตั้งแต่ต้นจนถึงจุดหมาย ขอให้สังเกตที่ “ฉันทะ” ที่เป็นหลักธรรมตั้งต้น เชื่อมโยงไปถึงพระนิพพาน “ฉันทะ” นี้ย่อมกล่าวถึงธรรมไม่ใช่อกุศล แต่เป็นธรรมที่เป็นกุศล พัฒนาต่อเนื่องไปถึง สมาธิ-สติ-ปัญญา ได้

สำคัญคือ ความพอใจในธรรม ความรัก ความสนใจใฝ่ดีที่จะพัฒนาตัว เป็นจุดหมุดหมายเริ่มต้นของพุทธธรรม ยิ่งปฏิบัติไป ยิ่งก่อตัวเป็นธรรมที่ใหญ่ขึ้น มีคุณภาพขึ้น และเมื่อถึงจุดหมาย ความสิ้นทุกข์ก็จะเกิดมี เป็นลำดับขั้นตอนอย่างนี้ไม่เคยเปลี่ยนแปลง

——

ตัณหากลัวยาก กลัวลำบาก เมื่อปัญญารู้ว่าดี มีประโยชน์ ถึงยาก ถึงลำบาก ก็ไม่กลัว

——

อาศรมขันติสาร ๑๓ ตุลาคม ๒๕๖๖

แหล่งที่มา #Phramaha Fookij Jutipanyo

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

You probably already know that I’ve been playing around with the whole Nostr thing.

Well, slowly I have been posting my content on Nostr. The long-form content., like my https://www.theintuitivechiropractor.com am using Habla.news

Habla.News is basically a blog app. It’s like a Substack, but you don’t have the newsletter feature, but I hear one may be in the works.

So from what I understand so far, your content is all published in one stream, but different sites handle the content differently.

A Twitter-like short post reader like Primal will organize short post and a long-form reader like Habla will do the articles.

I created a personal webpage on Npub.Pro and a links page (like a LinkTree) as well.

You can click on to see some of those pages.

Now, I’m having issues with the NPub page, because sometimes it wants to show my content, sometimes it decides not to.

Did I mention all of this is FREE?

It’s a bit complicated to setup at first, especially if you are unfamiliar with crypto wallets and that kind of stuff-but you get the feeling this is all new stuff and we are here in a new frontier where this could end up being revolutionary.

Follow my posts on here to see how I progress. If you would like to start on Nostr, I will do everything I can to help you out.

Live Long and Prosper,

-Dan

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

I literally have no clue what I'm doing.

Nostr is a decentralized protocol that lets users share messages and content through independent servers called relays, ensuring no single entity controls the network. It uses cryptographic keys to verify identities and secure messages, making it censorship-resistant and privacy-focused.

That is the simplest definition that Grok could come up with defining what is Nostr.

I’ve been intrigued by this because it ties in blockchain, publishing content and privacy all into one.

It is intimately tied to a Bitcoin wallet, where readers can “Zap” you tips in Satoshis- which is Bitcoin “change”

There are no intermediaries, no card processing fees, no gatekeepers to keep your content hidden,none of that.

Maybe i’m still mad about being censored on social media for my Covid-19 posts, but the idea of not being able to be censored by a corporation or even my own government is appealing to me.

There are apps to see videos, blog apps and social media type apps.

You own your content and you can move it around wherever you like.

I will be experimenting with posting on there.

I’ve got two profiles on there (I told you I didnt know what I was doing)

I’m inviting you to join me on Nostr.

Live Long and Prosper,

_Dan

nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzpqgz9vnnj6wkj3excxuvf2ug4xstp72g774v9tpnxzptag4c6pjyqqxnzde58yen2d35xg6njve5x6ph8l

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

มีคนจำนวนไม่น้อยที่เข้าใจว่าเรื่อง “อาหารแห่งอนาคต” คืออะไรที่เพิ่งเกิด เป็นแนวคิดใหม่สำหรับโลกยุคใหม่ แต่จริงๆ แล้วไม่ใช่เลยครับ เฮียว่าเราถูกจัดโต๊ะอาหารอนาคตไว้ให้กินมานานมากแล้ว เพียงแต่ไม่รู้ตัว ต่างหาก

ช่วงปลายคริสต์ศตวรรษที่ 19 สิ่งที่เรียกว่าการ “ควบคุมอาหารมวลชน” ก็เริ่มต้นอย่างจริงจังแล้ว

ย้อนกลับไปปี 1863 ในห้องพักคนไข้ของโรงพยาบาล Battle Creek Sanitarium ที่รัฐมิชิแกน สหรัฐฯ มีชายคนหนึ่งชื่อ John Harvey Kellogg เขาเป็นหมอและเป็นหนึ่งในสาวกของกลุ่ม Seventh-day Adventist ที่เชื่อว่าการกินเนื้อสัตว์ทำให้คนกระด้างใจและเต็มไปด้วยตัณหา เกิดราคะ เขาจึงคิดค้น “อาหารเช้าที่ไม่มีเนื้อ” เพื่อส่งเสริมสุขลักษณะและลดกิเลสในร่างกายมนุษย์ สิ่งที่เขาทำในตอนนั้นคือการใช้ข้าวโพดบดอบแห้งจนกรอบ กลายเป็นสิ่งที่เรียกว่า “ซีเรียล” ในยุคเริ่มต้น ซึ่งภายหลังน้องชายของเขาคือ Will Keith Kellogg จะนำสูตรนั้นไปพัฒนาให้หวานขึ้น ใส่น้ำตาลเพิ่ม ใส่โฆษณาเพิ่ม แล้วก็วางขายในชื่อแบรนด์ Kellogg’s ที่เราเห็นกันทุกเช้านั่นแหละ เขาผลิตคอร์นเฟลกขึ้นมาด้วยความเชื่อว่าจะช่วยลดการช่วยตัวเองในวัยรุ่นได้! จากอาหารของกลุ่มศาสนา คอร์นเฟลกกลายเป็นอาหารที่เข้าสู่ครัวเรือนอเมริกันภายใต้แนวคิดว่า “อาหารเช้าคือมื้อสำคัญที่สุดของวัน” โดยไม่ได้มีหลักฐานรองรับอย่างจริงจังเลย

ช่วงต้นศตวรรษที่ 20 เป็นยุคที่อเมริกาเริ่มมีอำนาจในเชิงอุตสาหกรรมมากขึ้น แต่ก็เป็นยุคที่คนยังทำอาหารกินเองอยู่ในครัว เรื่องอาหารยังเป็นเรื่องของบ้าน ไม่ใช่ของแบรนด์ ยังไม่มีใครนึกว่า “สิทธิ์ในการกิน” จะกลายเป็นสินค้าสาธารณะในภายหลัง แต่แล้วก็เกิดจุดเปลี่ยนสำคัญเมื่อสงครามโลกครั้งที่ 1 และ 2 ทำให้รัฐจำเป็นต้องคิดเรื่องการเลี้ยงประชากรในภาวะขาดแคลน ต้องมีการเก็บอาหารได้นาน ขนส่งได้ง่าย และต้นทุนต่ำ นี่คือจุดเริ่มต้นของการผลักดัน “อาหารแปรรูป” หรือ processed food อย่างเป็นทางการ

ในปี 1911 มีบริษัทชื่อว่า Procter & Gamble เปิดตัว “Crisco” ซึ่งเป็นน้ำมันพืชไฮโดรเจนเนตที่ถูกออกแบบมาเพื่อเลียนแบบไขมันสัตว์ในราคาถูกกว่า Crisco ทำจากน้ำมันฝ้าย (cottonseed oil) ซึ่งตอนนั้นเป็นของเหลือจากอุตสาหกรรมสิ่งทอ ไม่มีใครคิดว่ามันจะกลายเป็นสิ่งที่ถูกโฆษณาว่า “ดีกว่าไขมันสัตว์” แต่เพราะการโฆษณาแบบมืออาชีพและการจับมือกับสมาคมแพทย์ Crisco ก็กลายเป็นของคู่ครัวแบบไม่รู้ตัว นี่คือจุดเริ่มต้นของ fiat fat ไขมันเทียมที่ถูกสถาปนาให้เป็นของจริง ทั้งที่จริงๆ มันคือของปลอมที่ห่อด้วยวิทยาศาสตร์ครึ่งใบ

ช่วงปี 1910s ถึง 1930s คือยุคที่อุตสาหกรรมอาหารเริ่มโตเต็มที่ สหรัฐฯ เริ่มผลิต นมข้นหวาน สำหรับทหารในสงครามกลางเมือง และต่อยอดใช้ในสงครามโลกครั้งที่ 1 นมชนิดนี้เก็บได้นาน ไม่เน่า และมีพลังงานสูง ทหารหลายคนติดใจในรสชาติหวานมันแบบไม่มีอะไรเทียบได้ ซึ่งต่อมาทำให้มันกลายเป็นวัตถุดิบหลักในหลายเมนูทั่วโลก รวมถึง “ชาเย็น” บ้านเราที่ต้องมีนมข้นหวานเท่านั้นถึงจะใช่

เข้าสู่ช่วง สงครามโลกครั้งที่ 2 (1939–1945) คือช่วงหัวเลี้ยวหัวต่อสำคัญของ Fiat Food หรืออาหารที่ถูกผลิตจากตรรกะจำเป็นเชิงยุทธศาสตร์มากกว่าธรรมชาติ เฮียว่าช่วงนี้มันเหมือนโรงเรียนประถมของ Ultra-Processed Food สมัยใหม่เลยล่ะ ตัวอย่างชัดเจนคือ Spam เนื้อหมูกระป๋องที่ออกแบบให้ทหารพกพาสะดวก ไม่ต้องแช่เย็น เก็บได้นาน และอุดมด้วยโซเดียม หลังสงครามจบ มันกลายเป็นอาหารยอดฮิตในประเทศที่เคยเป็นแนวหน้า เช่น ฮาวาย เกาหลี ฟิลิปปินส์ และอังกฤษ โดยถูกโฆษณาว่าเป็น “ของดีจากอเมริกา” ทั้งที่ทหารหลายคนก็เบื่อมันจนเอียน

ในช่วงเดียวกันนั้นเอง ช็อกโกแลต Hershey's ก็ถูกพัฒนาเป็น “Field Ration D” หรือแท่งช็อกโกแลตพลังงานสูงที่ไม่ละลายในอุณหภูมิสูง สำหรับแจกให้ทหารทุกคนคนละแท่งติดตัวไว้ในสนามรบ พอสงครามจบ Hershey’s ก็ปรับสูตรให้กินง่ายขึ้น แล้วขายในเชิงพาณิชย์จนกลายเป็นแบรนด์ระดับโลกแบบที่เราเห็นทุกวันนี้

โพรเซสชีส เช่น Kraft และ Velveeta ก็ถูกออกแบบให้เก็บได้นานไม่เน่า ชีสพวกนี้ผสมสารอิมัลซิไฟเออร์ ทำให้ไม่แยกชั้นเมื่อถูกความร้อน เหมาะกับการผลิตอาหารจำนวนมากแบบโรงครัวทหาร เมื่อสงครามจบ Kraft เอาเทคโนโลยีนี้มาทำ “ชีสแผ่น” สำหรับเบอร์เกอร์และแซนด์วิช เป็นต้นแบบของอาหารฟาสต์ฟู้ดยุคใหม่แบบไร้กลิ่นชีสแท้

นมผง และ ไขมันพืชไฮโดรจิเนต ก็เริ่มเข้ามามีบทบาทในสงคราม โดยนมผงแทนที่นมสดในสนามรบ และไขมันพืชใช้ทำเบเกอรี่โดยไม่ต้องใช้เนยสด ซึ่งแพงกว่า หลังสงคราม สารให้ความหวานเทียมอย่าง ซัคคาริน ก็เริ่มถูกนำเสนอว่าเหมาะกับคนลดน้ำหนัก ทั้งที่มันมีจุดเริ่มจากความจำเป็นยามขาดแคลนน้ำตาลในสงคราม

ปี 1950s-1960s โลกเข้าสู่ยุคสงครามเย็น เทคโนโลยีการเก็บอาหารพัฒนาไปพร้อมกับเทคโนโลยีอวกาศ และหนึ่งในผลิตภัณฑ์ระดับตำนานคือ Tang น้ำส้มผงของบริษัท General Foods ที่ถูกส่งขึ้นไปพร้อมนักบินอวกาศ John Glenn ในปี 1962 Tang กลายเป็นสัญลักษณ์ของ “อนาคตในแก้วน้ำ” ทั้งที่ไม่มีผลไม้จริงเลยสักหยดเดียว แต่การตลาดที่อ้างว่า NASA ใช้ ทำให้มันขายดีระเบิด

ในระหว่างนั้น ปี 1955 ประธานาธิบดีไอเซนฮาวร์หัวใจวายกลางสนามกอล์ฟ เป็นจุดเปลี่ยนอีกครั้งที่โลกเริ่มหันมาสนใจ “ไขมัน” ว่าอาจเป็นผู้ร้าย ทำให้ชายคนหนึ่งชื่อ Ancel Keys เสนอทฤษฎี “ไขมันคือเหตุแห่งโรคหัวใจ” พร้อมกับงานศึกษาที่ชื่อ Seven Countries Study ซึ่งต่อมาจะกลายเป็นที่มาของ “พีระมิดอาหาร” ในปี 1977 โดย USDA ในยุคของวุฒิสมาชิก George McGovern ทฤษฎีนี้ถูกวิจารณ์ภายหลังว่าตั้งต้นด้วยการ “เลือกข้อมูล” ที่สนับสนุนสมมุติฐานของตัวเอง และเมินประเทศที่ข้อมูลไม่เข้าเป้าออกไปเฉยๆ แล้วก็ปั้นพีระมิดที่บอกว่า คาร์โบไฮเดรตอยู่ฐานล่างสุด กินได้เยอะๆ ส่วนไขมันให้อยู่บนสุด กินน้อยๆ นี่คือการพลิกอำนาจอาหารครั้งใหญ่ที่สุดในศตวรรษ อาหารไม่ใช่สิ่งที่มาจากพื้นดิน แต่เป็นสิ่งที่มาจากกระดาษนโยบาย

ช่วงนี้แหละครับที่จุดเปลี่ยนที่ใหญ่สุดมาถึง เมื่อรัฐบาลสหรัฐประกาศใช้นโยบายอาหารใหม่โดยอิงกับคำแนะนำของ USDA ซึ่งภายหลังถูกเปิดโปงว่าปิรามิดอาหารที่ใช้จริงนั้น ผ่านการปรับจากต้นฉบับโดยนักวิทยาศาสตร์อย่างหนักเพื่อ “จัดสรรพื้นที่” ให้กับอาหารที่มี lobby สูง เช่น ข้าว ซีเรียล พาสต้า และน้ำมันพืช โดยให้ไขมันสัตว์ถูกตัดทิ้งไปเป็นตัวอันตราย เฮียว่าโมเมนต์นี้แหละคือจุดที่ "ฟู้ดฟิคชั่น" กลายเป็น "ฟู้ดโพย" สำหรับคนทั้งโลก

ระหว่างที่ USDA กำลังยึดพีระมิดอยู่นั้น อุตสาหกรรมอาหารแปรรูปก็กำลังเข้มข้นแบบใส่สปีดโบ๊ทเข้าไปอีก ข้าวโพดกลายเป็นพืชเศรษฐกิจอันดับหนึ่งของสหรัฐฯ ไม่ใช่เพราะคนกินข้าวโพดกันเยอะ แต่เพราะมันกลายเป็นวัตถุดิบของทุกอย่าง ตั้งแต่ high-fructose corn syrup ในน้ำอัดลม ยันฟิลเลอร์ในไส้กรอก และอาหารสัตว์ในฟาร์มปศุสัตว์ เชนร้านอาหารอย่าง McDonald’s ก็เริ่มเปลี่ยนมันฝรั่งทอดจากไขมันเนื้อวัวมาใช้น้ำมันพืชในยุค 1980s เพราะแรงกดดันจากกลุ่มต่อต้านไขมันอิ่มตัว ทั้งที่รสชาติเปลี่ยนและสุขภาพก็ไม่ได้ดีขึ้น

ปี 1980s-1990s เกิดสิ่งที่เฮียอยากเรียกว่า “การปฏิวัติแบบเนียน” คือผู้คนเริ่มเชื่อว่าอาหารแปรรูปคือความก้าวหน้า และอาหารธรรมชาตินั้นล้าหลัง วงการโภชนาการยังคงถูกขับเคลื่อนด้วยความเชื่อว่าคาร์บคือของดี ไขมันคือผู้ร้าย และโปรตีนต้องมาจากพืช บริษัทใหญ่ๆ อย่าง Nestlé, PepsiCo, และ Unilever เริ่มเข้าซื้อแบรนด์อาหารสุขภาพ พร้อมผลิตเวย์เทียม โปรตีนพืช และอาหารเสริมแทนอาหารจริง พร้อมแนวคิด “Meal Replacement” ที่เน้นขายแทนกิน เขาไม่ได้แค่นำเสนอสินค้า แต่พยายามกำหนดแนวคิดเรื่อง “อาหารเพื่อสุขภาพ” แบบที่คนทั่วไปไม่ต้องคิดเอง ขอแค่เชื่อฉลาก กับดูโลโก้รูปหัวใจสีเขียวก็พอ

ก่อนจะเข้าสู่ศตวรรษใหม่ในปี 2000 โลกก็เริ่มเห็นวี่แววของสิ่งที่เรียกว่า “อาหารแห่งอนาคต” อีกครั้ง ไม่ใช่เพราะเทคโนโลยีใหม่อย่างเดียว แต่เพราะระบบอาหารเดิมถูกบิดเบือนจนธรรมชาติเสียศูนย์ อาหารจริงถูกตีตราว่าอันตราย ส่วนอาหารสังเคราะห์ถูกสร้างเรื่องเล่าว่า "สะอาดกว่า ปลอดภัยกว่า และเป็นคำตอบของโลกอนาคต" ซึ่งในมุมของเฮีย มันคือการสืบทอดวิธีคิดแบบเดียวกับสมัยสงคราม คือการบังคับให้กินของที่ผลิตได้มาก ราคาถูก เก็บได้นาน โดยไม่สนว่าร่างกายต้องการหรือไม่ และทั้งหมดก็กลับมาที่จุดเดิม — การออกแบบอาหารให้เหมาะกับระบบ มากกว่าจะออกแบบระบบให้เหมาะกับร่างกายมนุษย์

นี่แหละเฮียถึงอยากเล่าซีรีส์ “อาหารอนาคต” เพราะในความจริงมันไม่ใช่อนาคตอะไรเลย แต่มันคืออดีตที่ถูกเล่าใหม่ด้วยคำพูดที่ฟังดูเท่ แต่ซ่อนไว้ด้วยตรวนของการควบคุมสิทธิในการกินของมนุษย์ เอาของปลอมมาสวมรอยธรรมชาติ แล้วทำให้เรารู้สึกผิดถ้าจะกินไขมันสัตว์ กินเนื้อ กินไข่ หรือไม่กินอาหารเช้าที่เต็มไปด้วยน้ำตาล เฮียว่า ถ้าไม่เล่าเรื่องพวกนี้ให้คนรู้ทัน ก็เหมือนปล่อยให้ลูกหลานกินอาหารที่ไม่มีใครรู้ว่า “ใครเป็นคนเขียนสูตรให้พวกเขากิน”

ดังนั้น ถ้าเราจะพูดถึง “อาหารแห่งอนาคต” เฮียว่า เราต้องกล้ากลับไปถามว่า อนาคตที่ว่านั่น ใครกันเป็นคนออกแบบ? แล้วเราอยู่ตรงไหนของโต๊ะ?

#pirateketo #กูต้องรู้มั๊ย #ม้วนหางสิลูก #siamstr

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Marty's Bent

Sorry for the lack of writing over the last week. As many of you may already know, I was in Las Vegas, Nevada for the Bitcoin 2025 conference. It was my first time in Las Vegas. I had successfully avoided Sin City for the first 34 years of my life. But when duty calls, you have to make some personal concessions.

Despite what many say about this particular conference and the spectacle that it has become, I will say that having attended every single one of Bitcoin Magazine's conferences since 2019, I thoroughly enjoy these events, even if I don't agree with all the content. Being able to congregate with others in the industry who have been working extremely hard to push Bitcoin forward, all of whom I view as kindred spirits who have also dedicated their lives to making the world a better place. There's nothing better than getting together, seeing each other in person, shaking hands, giving hugs, catching up and reflecting on how much things have changed over the years while also focusing on the opportunities that lie ahead.

I think out of all the Bitcoin magazine conferences I've been to, this was certainly my favorite. If only because it has become abundantly clear that Bitcoin is here to stay. Many powerful, influential, and competent people have identified Bitcoin as an asset and monetary network that will play a large part in human society moving forward. And more importantly, Bitcoin is proving to work far better than anybody not paying attention expected. While at the same time, the fiat system is in woeful disrepair at the same time.

As a matter of reflection and surfacing signal for you freaks, here are the presentations and things that happened that I think were the most impactful.

Miles Suter's Block Presentation

https://youtu.be/iUXomXuXcuA

This presentation was awesome for many reasons, one of which being that we often forget just how dedicated Block, as an organization with many companies - including Cash App, Square, the open source organization known as Spiral and more recently, BitKey and Proto - has been to bitcoin over the last eight years. They've worked methodically to make Bitcoin a first-class citizen in their business operations and slowly but surely have built an incredibly integrated experience across their brands. The two big announcements from Block during the conference were the enablement of Bitcoin payments in Square point-of-sale systems and the amount of revenue they're making on their Lightning node, c=, from routing payments.

Right now, the Bitcoin payments and point of sale systems is in beta with many merchants testing it out for the next six months, but it will be available for all 4 million square merchants in 2026. This is something that many bitcoiners have been waiting for for many years now, and it is incredible to see that they finally brought it across the line. Merchants will have the ability to accept bitcoin payments and either convert every payment into fiat automatically, convert a portion of the bitcoin payment into fiat to keep the rest in sats, or simply keep all of the bitcoin they receive via payments in sats. This is an incredible addition to what Square has already built, which is the ability of their merchants to sweep a portion of their revenues into bitcoin if they desire. Square is focused on building a vertically integrated suite of bitcoin products for merchants that includes the ability to buy bitcoin, receive bitcoin, and eventually leverage financial services using bitcoin as collateral so that they can reinvest in and expand their businesses.

via Ryan Gentry

What went a bit underappreciated in the crowd was the routing node revenue that c= is producing, \~9.7% annualized. This is a massive validation of something that many bitcoiners have been talking about for quite some time, which is the ability to produce "yield" on bitcoin in a way that reduces risk significantly. Locking up bitcoin in a 2-of-2 multisig within Lightning channels and operating a Lightning routing node has been long talked about as one of the ways to produce more bitcoin with your bitcoin in a way that minimizes the threat of loss.

It seems that c= has found a way to do this at scale and is doing it successfully. 10% yield on bitcoin locked in Lightning channels is nothing to joke about. And as you can see from the chart above in the grainy picture taken by Ryan Gentry of Lightning Labs, this routing node "yield" is producing more return on capital than many of the most popular staking and DeFi protocols.

This is a strong signal to the rest of the market that this can be done. It may take economies of scale and a high degree of technical competency today. But this is incredibly promising for the future of earning bitcoin by providing valuable goods and services to the market of Bitcoiners. In this case, facilitating relatively cheap and instantly settled payments over the Lightning Network.

Saifedean Ammous' Bitcoin and Tether Presentation

https://youtu.be/SFUiGTayVL8

This was one of the best presentations at the conference. Saifedean Ammous is a friend, he has been an incredible influence on my personal bitcoin journey, and I feel comfortable in saying he's been a strong influence on the journey of hundreds of thousands, at least, if not millions of people as they've attempted to understand bitcoin.

This presentation is a bit spicy because it puts a pin in the balloon of hopium that stablecoins like Tether are mechanisms that could bail out the market for US Treasuries in the medium to long-term if they take enough market share. As one always should do, Saif ran the numbers and clearly illustrates that even in the most optimistic case, Tether's impact on the market for treasuries, their interest rates, and curbing the growth of the debt held by the US federal government will be minimal at best.

One of the most interesting things that Saif points out that I'm a bit embarrassed I didn't recognize before is that much of the demand for Tether that we're seeing these days is replacement demand for treasuries. Meaning that many people who are turning to Tether, particularly in countries that have experienced hyperinflationary events, are using Tether as a substitute for their currencies, which are operated by central banks likely buying U.S. treasuries to support their monetary systems. The net effect of Tether buying those treasuries is zero for this particular user archetype.

Saif goes on to explain that if anything, Tether is a weapon against the US Treasury system when you consider that they're storing a large portion of the stablecoin backing in Treasuries and then using the yields produced by those Treasuries to buy bitcoin. Slowly but surely over time bitcoin as a percentage of their overall backing of Tether has grown quite significantly starting at 0% and approaching 10% today. It isn't hard to imagine that at some point within the next decade, Bitcoin could be the dominant reserve asset backing tethers and, as a result, Tether could be pegged to bitcoin eventually.

It's a fascinating take on Tether that I've never heard before.

Nothing Stops this Train from Lyn Alden

https://youtu.be/Giuzcd4oxIk

Lyn's been saying it loudly for quite some time now; "Nothing stops this train." She's even been on our podcast to explain why she believes this many times over the last five years. However, I don't think there is one piece of content out there that consolidates her thesis of why nothing stops the train of fiscal irresponsibility and unfettered debt expansion and why that's good for bitcoin than the presentation she gave at the conference. Definitely give this one a watch when you get a chance if you haven't already.

Overall, it was a great week in Vegas and I think it's safe to say that bitcoin has gone mainstream. Whether or not people who have been in the bitcoin industry and community for a while are okay with does not really matter. It's happening and all we can do is ride the wave as more and more people come to recognize the value prop of bitcoin and the social clout they can gain from supporting it. Our job here at TFTC is to help you discern the signal from the noise, continue to champion the self-sovereign usage of bitcoin and keep you abreast of developments in the space as they manifest.

Buckle up. Things are only going to get weirder from here on out.

Bitcoin's Mathematical Destiny

Sean Bill and Adam Back make a compelling case for Bitcoin's inevitable march toward $1 million. Sean points out that Bitcoin represents just a tiny fraction—2 trillion out of 900 trillion—of total financial assets, calling it a "tiny orange dot" on their presentation to Texas pensions. He emphasizes that reaching parity with gold alone would deliver a 10x return from current levels. Adam highlights the mathematical impossibility of current prices, noting that ETF buyers are absorbing 500,000 BTC annually while only 165,000 new coins are mined.

"Who's selling at these prices? It doesn't quite add up to me." - Adam Back

The institutional wave is just beginning. Sean revealed that while 50% of hedge fund managers personally own Bitcoin, only 3% have allocated institutional funds. Combined with emerging demand from nation states and corporate treasuries meeting Bitcoin's fixed supply, the price trajectory seems clear. Both guests stressed the importance of staying invested—missing just the 12 best performing days each year would turn Bitcoin into a losing investment.

Check out the full podcast here for more on pensions allocating to Bitcoin, cypherpunk banking, and commodity trading insights.

Headlines of the Day

Panama Canal Eyes Bitcoin for Payment Option - via X

U.S. Warns of Imminent Chinese Threat to Taiwan - via X

Get our new STACK SATS hat - via tftcmerch.io

Saylor's Bitcoin Strategy Explodes Globally Amid Doubt - via CNBC

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Final thought...

Moving is the least fun part of the human experience.

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Here’s a revised timeline of macro-level events from The Mandibles: A Family, 2029–2047 by Lionel Shriver, reimagined in a world where Bitcoin is adopted as a widely accepted form of money, altering the original narrative’s assumptions about currency collapse and economic control. In Shriver’s original story, the failure of Bitcoin is assumed amid the dominance of the bancor and the dollar’s collapse. Here, Bitcoin’s success reshapes the economic and societal trajectory, decentralizing power and challenging state-driven outcomes.

Part One: 2029–2032

• 2029 (Early Year)\ The United States faces economic strain as the dollar weakens against global shifts. However, Bitcoin, having gained traction emerges as a viable alternative. Unlike the original timeline, the bancor—a supranational currency backed by a coalition of nations—struggles to gain footing as Bitcoin’s decentralized adoption grows among individuals and businesses worldwide, undermining both the dollar and the bancor.

• 2029 (Mid-Year: The Great Renunciation)\ Treasury bonds lose value, and the government bans Bitcoin, labeling it a threat to sovereignty (mirroring the original bancor ban). However, a Bitcoin ban proves unenforceable—its decentralized nature thwarts confiscation efforts, unlike gold in the original story. Hyperinflation hits the dollar as the U.S. prints money, but Bitcoin’s fixed supply shields adopters from currency devaluation, creating a dual-economy split: dollar users suffer, while Bitcoin users thrive.

• 2029 (Late Year)\ Dollar-based inflation soars, emptying stores of goods priced in fiat currency. Meanwhile, Bitcoin transactions flourish in underground and online markets, stabilizing trade for those plugged into the bitcoin ecosystem. Traditional supply chains falter, but peer-to-peer Bitcoin networks enable local and international exchange, reducing scarcity for early adopters. The government’s gold confiscation fails to bolster the dollar, as Bitcoin’s rise renders gold less relevant.

• 2030–2031\ Crime spikes in dollar-dependent urban areas, but Bitcoin-friendly regions see less chaos, as digital wallets and smart contracts facilitate secure trade. The U.S. government doubles down on surveillance to crack down on bitcoin use. A cultural divide deepens: centralized authority weakens in Bitcoin-adopting communities, while dollar zones descend into lawlessness.

• 2032\ By this point, Bitcoin is de facto legal tender in parts of the U.S. and globally, especially in tech-savvy or libertarian-leaning regions. The federal government’s grip slips as tax collection in dollars plummets—Bitcoin’s traceability is low, and citizens evade fiat-based levies. Rural and urban Bitcoin hubs emerge, while the dollar economy remains fractured.

Time Jump: 2032–2047

• Over 15 years, Bitcoin solidifies as a global reserve currency, eroding centralized control. The U.S. government adapts, grudgingly integrating bitcoin into policy, though regional autonomy grows as Bitcoin empowers local economies.

Part Two: 2047

• 2047 (Early Year)\ The U.S. is a hybrid state: Bitcoin is legal tender alongside a diminished dollar. Taxes are lower, collected in BTC, reducing federal overreach. Bitcoin’s adoption has decentralized power nationwide. The bancor has faded, unable to compete with Bitcoin’s grassroots momentum.

• 2047 (Mid-Year)\ Travel and trade flow freely in Bitcoin zones, with no restrictive checkpoints. The dollar economy lingers in poorer areas, marked by decay, but Bitcoin’s dominance lifts overall prosperity, as its deflationary nature incentivizes saving and investment over consumption. Global supply chains rebound, powered by bitcoin enabled efficiency.

• 2047 (Late Year)\ The U.S. is a patchwork of semi-autonomous zones, united by Bitcoin’s universal acceptance rather than federal control. Resource scarcity persists due to past disruptions, but economic stability is higher than in Shriver’s original dystopia—Bitcoin’s success prevents the authoritarian slide, fostering a freer, if imperfect, society.

Key Differences

• Currency Dynamics: Bitcoin’s triumph prevents the bancor’s dominance and mitigates hyperinflation’s worst effects, offering a lifeline outside state control.
• Government Power: Centralized authority weakens as Bitcoin evades bans and taxation, shifting power to individuals and communities.
• Societal Outcome: Instead of a surveillance state, 2047 sees a decentralized, bitcoin driven world—less oppressive, though still stratified between Bitcoin haves and have-nots.

This reimagining assumes Bitcoin overcomes Shriver’s implied skepticism to become a robust, adopted currency by 2029, fundamentally altering the novel’s bleak trajectory.

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Marty's Bent

via me

Don't sleep on what's happening in Japan right now. We've been covering the country and the fact that they've lost control of their yield curve since late last year. After many years of making it a top priority from a monetary policy perspective, last year the Bank of Japan decided to give up on yield curve control in an attempt to reel inflation. This has sent yields for the 30-year and 40-year Japanese government bonds to levels not seen since the early 2000s in the case of the 30-year and levels never before seen for the 40-year, which was launched in 2007. With a debt to GDP ratio that has surpassed 250% and a population that is aging out with an insufficient amount of births to replace the aging workforce, it's hard to see how Japan can get out of this conundrum without some sort of economic collapse.

This puts the United States in a tough position considering the fact that Japan is one of the largest holders of U.S. Treasury bonds with more than 1,135 sats | $1.20 trillion in exposure. If things get too out of control in Japan and the yield curve continues to drift higher and inflation continues to creep higher Japan can find itself in a situation where it's a forced seller of US Treasuries as they attempt to strengthen the yen. Another aspect to consider is the fact that investors may see the higher yields on Japanese government bonds and decide to purchase them instead of US Treasuries. This is something to keep an eye on in the weeks to come. Particularly if higher rates drive a higher cost of capital, which leads to even more inflation. As producers are forced to increase their prices to ensure that they can manage their debt repayments.

It's never a good sign when the Japanese Prime Minister is coming out to proclaim that his country's financial situation is worse than Greece's, which has been a laughing stock of Europe for the better part of three decades. Japan is a very proud nation, and the fact that its Prime Minister made a statement like this should not be underappreciated.

As we noted last week, the 10-year and 30-year U.S. Treasury bonds are drifting higher as well. Earlier today, the 30-year bond yield surpassed 5%, which has been a psychological level that many have been pointed to as a critical tipping point. When you take a step back and look around the world it seems pretty clear that bond markets are sending a very strong signal. And that signal is that something is not well in the back end of the financial system.

This is even made clear when you look at the private sector, particularly at consumer debt. In late March, we warned of the growing trend of buy now, pay later schemes drifting down market as major credit card companies released charge-off data which showed charge-off rates reaching levels not seen since the 2008 great financial crisis. At the time, we could only surmise that Klarna was experiencing similar charge-off rates on the bigger-ticket items they financed and started doing deals with companies like DoorDash to finance burrito deliveries in an attempt to move down market to finance smaller ticket items with a higher potential of getting paid back. It seems like that inclination was correct as Klarna released data earlier today showing more losses on their book as consumers find it extremely hard to pay back their debts.

via NewsWire

This news hit the markets on the same day as the average rate of the 30-year mortgage in the United States rose to 7.04%. I'm not sure if you've checked lately, but real estate prices are still relatively elevated outside of a few big cities who expanded supply significantly during the COVID era as people flooded out of blue states towards red states. It's hard to imagine that many people can afford a house based off of sticker price alone, but with a 7% 30-year mortgage rate it's becoming clear that the ability of the Common Man to buy a house is simply becoming impossible.

via Lance Lambert

The mortgage rate data is not the only thing you need to look at to understand that it's becoming impossible for the Common Man of working age to buy a house. New data has recently been released that highlights That the median home buyer in 2007 was born in 1968, and the median home buyer in 2024 was born in 1968. Truly wild when you think of it. As our friend Darth Powell cheekily highlights below, we find ourselves in a situation where boomers are simply trading houses and the younger generations are becoming indentured slaves. Forever destined to rent because of the complete inability to afford to buy a house.

via Darth Powell

via Yahoo Finance

Meanwhile, Bitcoin re-approached all-time highs late this evening and looks primed for another breakout to the upside. This makes sense if you're paying attention. The high-velocity trash economy running on an obscene amount of debt in both the public and private sectors seems to be breaking at the seams. All the alarm bells are signaling that another big print is coming. And if you hope to preserve your purchasing power or, ideally, increase it as the big print approaches, the only thing that makes sense is to funnel your money into the hardest asset in the world, which is Bitcoin.

via Bitbo

Buckle up, freaks. It's gonna be a bumpy ride. Stay humble, Stack Sats.

Trump's Middle East Peace Strategy: Redefining U.S. Foreign Policy

In his recent Middle East tour, President Trump signaled what our guest Dr. Anas Alhajji calls "a major change in US policy." Trump explicitly rejected the nation-building strategies of his predecessors, contrasting the devastation in Afghanistan and Iraq with the prosperity of countries like Saudi Arabia and UAE. This marks a profound shift from both Republican and Democratic foreign policy orthodoxy. As Alhajji noted, Trump's willingness to meet with Syrian President Assad follows a historical pattern where former adversaries eventually become diplomatic partners.

"This is really one of the most important shifts in US foreign policy to say, look, sorry, we destroyed those countries because we tried to rebuild them and it was a big mistake." - Dr. Anas Alhajji

The administration's new approach emphasizes negotiation over intervention. Rather than military solutions, Trump is engaging with groups previously considered off-limits, including the Houthis, Hamas, and Iran. This pragmatic stance prioritizes economic cooperation and regional stability over ideological confrontation. The focus on trade deals and investment rather than regime change represents a fundamental reimagining of America's role in the Middle East.

Check out the full podcast here for more on the Iran nuclear situation, energy market predictions, and why AI development could create power grid challenges. Only on TFTC Studio.

Headlines of the Day

Bitcoin Soars to 100,217 sats | $106.00K While Bonds Lose 40% Since 2020 - via X

US Senate Advances Stablecoin Bill As America Embraces Bitcoin - via X

Get our new STACK SATS hat - via tftcmerch.io

Texas House Debates Bill For State-Run Bitcoin Reserve - via X

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Take the First Step Off the Exchange

Bitkey is an easy, secure way to move your Bitcoin into self-custody. With simple setup and built-in recovery, it’s the perfect starting point for getting your coins off centralized platforms and into cold storage—no complexity, no middlemen.

Take control. Start with Bitkey.

Use the promo code “TFTC20” during checkout for 20% off

---

Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed 158,469 sats | $150.00M across 30+ companies through three funds. I am a Managing Partner at Ten31 and am very proud of the work we are doing. Learn more at ten31.vc/invest.

---

Final thought...

Don't let the noise consume you. Focus on making your life 1% better every day.

---

Get this newsletter sent to your inbox daily: https://www.tftc.io/bitcoin-brief/

Subscribe to our YouTube channels and follow us on Nostr and X:

@ c11cf5f8:4928464d

Howdy stackers! Here we are again with our monthly Magnificent Seven, the summary giving you a hit of what you missed in the ~AGORA territory.

First thing first. let's check our top performing post Ads!

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Top-Performing Ads

This month, the most engaging ones are:

• 01 Bitcoin Magazine Launches V3 Limited Edition Bitcoin Crocs by @RideandSmile, no description, nor images provided. The title speak for the product itself. 31 sats \ 8 comments \ 15 May

• 02 Happy Pizza Day Jerky Offer (10k sats sale 5/22 ONLY) by @beejay, celebrating Bitcoin Pizza Day with a delicious offer for a handmade product. Offer is over but it still available on her online shop and IRL at next Twin Cities Outdoor Agora Market https://stacker.news/items/972209/r/AG 103 sats \ 3 comments \ 22 May

• 03 Lard Tallow lotion by @byzantine, sharing with us one of his preferred online shops that accept sats. Here other two: a Regenerative Farm in TX https://stacker.news/items/983695/r/AG and an artisanal lite roast coffee maker https://stacker.news/items/983668/r/AG 62 sats \ 4 comments \ 20 May

• 04 Bitaxe Gamma 601 for sale by @PictureRoom selling P2P, have you shipped it yet? 121 sats \ 12 comments \ 15 May

• 05 Built An Invisible Book Stage by @kr, he did well creating some expectations for this unique and durable product earlier https://stacker.news/items/903946/r/AG 124 sats \ 4 comments \ 21 May

• 06 "₿lack Market Money" T-Shirts by T&F by @BitcoinErrorLog, that had opened his online store with plenty of incredible products, including an Anti-Surveillance clothing line https://stacker.news/items/994555/r/AG stuff never seen before! 51 sats \ 3 comments \ 24 May

• 07 [SELL] Heatpunk 002 Tee by @thebullishbitcoiner, reviving the second edition of a t-shirt dedicated to home solo miners! 79 sats \ 1 comment \ 28 May

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In case you missed

Here some interesting post, opening conversations and free speech about markets and business on the bitcoin circular economy:

• https://stacker.news/items/992449/r/AG - @Kontext is selling his beloved 2012 Jaguar XF 3.0 V6 Petrol [5M sats], great deal if paid in sats! Have you sold her?
• https://stacker.news/items/987241/r/AG - @RideandSmile shared the Freedom Issue: Letter From the Editor introducing a BM special edition
• https://stacker.news/items/999229/r/AG - @Solomonsatoshi was looking for Green Coffee Beans for DIY home roasting. Will @michaelbinary provide you some?
• https://stacker.news/items/992790/r/AG - @Rayo also introduce the P.A.Z.NIA Radio Network: 52 Hours of Liberation! An interesting livestream for all those interested in freedom.
• https://stacker.news/items/995163/r/AG welcome to @lunin, opening up on SN with Take it step by step and it will work! as part of a promising series: Founder's Thoughts. Here the second post https://stacker.news/items/999867/r/AG Startup according to Mozart

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Hey sellers! Try Auctions

A quick reminder that now you can setup auctions here in the AGORA too! Learn how. The other feature released last month was the introduction of Shopfronts on SN. Check our SN Merch and SN Zine examples. Thank you all! Let's keep these trades coming and grow the P2P Bitcoin circular economy!

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Active Professional Services accepting Bitcoin in the AGORA

Let us know if we miss any, here below the most memorable ones: - https://stacker.news/items/900208/r/AG - @unschooled offering Language Tutoring - https://stacker.news/items/813013/r/AG - @gpvansat's [OFFER][Graphic Design] From the paste editions (It's important to keep these offers available) - https://stacker.news/items/775383/r/AG - @TinstrMedia - Color Grading (Styling) Your Pictures as a Service - https://stacker.news/items/773557/r/AG - @MamaHodl, MATHS TUTOR 50K SATS/hour English global - https://stacker.news/items/684163/r/AG - @BTCLNAT's OFFER HEALTH COUNSELING [5K SAT/ consultation - https://stacker.news/items/689268/r/AG - @mathswithtess [SELL] MATHS TUTOR ONILINE, 90k sats per hour. Global but English only.

Let me know if I'm missing other stackers offering services around here!

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Lost & Found in SN' Wild West Web

Stay with me, we're not done yet! I found plenty of other deals, offers and business related conversations in other territories too...

• BITCOIN... always fucking with my head... by @thecommoner (highly recommended read!)
• The Strange Moral Relativism of "Free Trade" by @Undisciplined (another highly recommended read!)
• What makes society thrive? by @aljaz
• Drop or proxy shipping services that take sats? by @lv99slacker
• Custom Bitcoin Nodes by @anon
• 23 Bitcoin Merch Shops That Sell Shirts For Sats by @hyperfree
• How to create an e-commerce website? by @Bitcoiner1
• Can You Outperform an Apple Tree? by @kr
• B2B Businesses in Bitcoin by @telcobert

Oh boy! Such exciting month! Now our latest weekly appointments:

🏷️ Spending Sunday

(LIVE TODAY) Share your most recent Bitcoin purchases of just check what other stackers are buying with their sats! Today's one open at https://stacker.news/items/1000477/r/AG

All series available here:

🤝 Sellers & Business Club

(UPCOMING EVERY TUESDAY) Here https://stacker.news/items/998773/r/AG wanted to introduce this new series, dedicated to our most active sellers^1. A room to talk about growing business and sales. You will join?

📢 Thursday Talks: What have you sold for Bitcoin this week?

It is losing a bit of momentum, but it will still be opening every week for anyone interested to share sales tips, deals and offers around the Wild West Web! Latest one here https://stacker.news/items/997767/r/AG

Thanks all for reading until here, now... 🫡 Closing remarks as usual. See ya!

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Create your Ads now!

Looking to start something new? Hit one of the links below to free your mind:

• 💬 TOPIC for conversation,
• [⚖️ SELL] anything! or,
• if you're looking for something, hit the [🛒 BUY]!
• [🧑‍💻 HIRE] any bitcoiner skill or stuff from bitcoiners
• [🖇 OFFER] any product or service and stack more sats
• [🧑‍⚖️ AUCTION] to let stackers decide a fair price for your item
• [🤝 SWAP] if you're looking to exchange anything with anything else
• [🆓 FREE] your space, make a gift!
• Start your own [SHOPFRONT] or simply...
• [⭐ REVIEW] any bitcoin product or LN service you recently bought or subscribed to.

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Or contact @AGORA team on nostr DM, and we can help you publish a personalized post.

. #nostr #bitcoin #stuff4sats #sell #buy #plebchain #grownostr #asknostr #market #business

https://stacker.news/items/1000715

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Marty's Bent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0Sj1sG05VQ

Here's a great presentation from our good friend nostr:nprofile1qyx8wumn8ghj7cnjvghxjmcpp4mhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mqqyz2hj3zg2g3pqwxuhg69zgjhke4pcmjmmdpnndnefqndgqjt8exwj6ee8v7 , President of The Nakamoto Institute titled Hodl for Good. He gave it earlier this year at the BitBlockBoom Conference, and I think it's something everyone reading this should take 25 minutes to watch. Especially if you find yourself wondering whether or not it's a good idea to spend bitcoin at any given point in time. Michael gives an incredible Austrian Economics 101 lesson on the importance of lowering one's time preference and fully understanding the importance of hodling bitcoin. For the uninitiated, it may seem that the hodl meme is nothing more than a call to hoard bitcoins in hopes of getting rich eventually. However, as Michael points out, there's layers to the hodl meme and the good that hodling can bring individuals and the economy overall.

The first thing one needs to do to better understand the hodl meme is to completely flip the framing that is typically thrust on bitcoiners who encourage others to hodl. Instead of ceding that hodling is a greedy or selfish action, remind people that hodling, or better known as saving, is the foundation of capital formation, from which all productive and efficient economic activity stems. Number go up technology is great and it really matters. It matters because it enables anybody leveraging that technology to accumulate capital that can then be allocated toward productive endeavors that bring value to the individual who creates them and the individual who buys them.

When one internalizes this, it enables them to turn to personal praxis and focus on minimizing present consumption while thinking of ways to maximize long-term value creation. Live below your means, stack sats, and use the time that you're buying to think about things that you want in the future. By lowering your time preference and saving in a harder money you will have the luxury of demanding higher quality goods in the future. Another way of saying this is that you will be able to reshape production by voting with your sats. Initially when you hold them off the market by saving them - signaling that the market doesn't have goods worthy of your sats - and ultimately by redeploying them into the market when you find higher quality goods that meet the standards desire.

The first part of this equation is extremely important because it sends a signal to producers that they need to increase the quality of their work. As more and more individuals decide to use bitcoin as their savings technology, the signal gets stronger. And over many cycles we should begin to see low quality cheap goods exit the market in favor of higher quality goods that provide more value and lasts longer and, therefore, make it easier for an individual to depart with their hard-earned and hard-saved sats. This is only but one aspect that Michael tries to imbue throughout his presentation.

The other is the ability to buy yourself leisure time when you lower your time preference and save more than you spend. When your savings hit a critical tipping point that gives you the luxury to sit back and experience true leisure, which Michael explains is not idleness, but the contemplative space to study, create art, refine taste, and to find what "better goods" actually are. Those who can experience true leisure while reaping the benefits of saving in a hard asset that is increasing in purchasing power significantly over the long term are those who build truly great things. Things that outlast those who build them. Great art, great monuments, great institutions were all built by men who were afforded the time to experience leisure. Partly because they were leveraging hard money as their savings and the place they stored the profits reaped from their entrepreneurial endeavors.

If you squint and look into the future a couple of decades, it isn't hard to see a reality like this manifesting. As more people begin to save in Bitcoin, the forces of supply and demand will continue to come into play. There will only ever be 21 million bitcoin, there are around 8 billion people on this planet, and as more of those 8 billion individuals decide that bitcoin is the best savings vehicle, the price of bitcoin will rise.

When the price of bitcoin rises, it makes all other goods cheaper in bitcoin terms and, again, expands the entrepreneurial opportunity. The best part about this feedback loop is that even non-holders of bitcoin benefit through higher real wages and faster tech diffusion. The individuals and business owners who decide to hodl bitcoin will bring these benefits to the world whether you decide to use bitcoin or not.

This is why it is virtuous to hodl bitcoin. The potential for good things to manifest throughout the world increase when more individuals decide to hodl bitcoin. And as Michael very eloquently points out, this does not mean that people will not spend their bitcoin. It simply means that they have standards for the things that they will spend their bitcoin on. And those standards are higher than most who are fully engrossed in the high velocity trash economy have today.

In my opinion, one of those higher causes worthy of a sats donation is nostr:nprofile1qyfhwumn8ghj7enjv4jhyetvv9uju7re0gq3uamnwvaz7tmfdemxjmrvv9nk2tt0w468v6tvd3skwefwvdhk6qpqwzc9lz2f40azl98shkjewx3pywg5e5alwqxg09ew2mdyeey0c2rqcfecft . Consider donating so they can preserve and disseminate vital information about bitcoin and its foundations.

The Shell Game: How Health Narratives May Distract from Vaccine Risks

In our recent podcast, Dr. Jack Kruse presented a concerning theory about public health messaging. He argues that figures like Casey and Callie Means are promoting food and exercise narratives as a deliberate distraction from urgent vaccine issues. While no one disputes healthy eating matters, Dr. Kruse insists that focusing on "Froot Loops and Red Dye" diverts attention from what he sees as immediate dangers of mRNA vaccines, particularly for children.

"It's gonna take you 50 years to die from processed food. But the messenger jab can drop you like Damar Hamlin." - Dr Jack Kruse

Dr. Kruse emphasized that approximately 25,000 children per month are still receiving COVID vaccines despite concerns, with 3 million doses administered since Trump's election. This "shell game," as he describes it, allows vaccines to remain on childhood schedules while public attention fixates on less immediate health threats. As host, I believe this pattern deserves our heightened scrutiny given the potential stakes for our children's wellbeing.

Check out the full podcast here for more on Big Pharma's alleged bioweapons program, the "Time Bank Account" concept, and how Bitcoin principles apply to health sovereignty.

Headlines of the Day

Aussie Judge: Bitcoin is Money, Possibly CGT-Exempt - via X

JPMorgan to Let Clients Buy Bitcoin Without Direct Custody - via X

Get our new STACK SATS hat - via tftcmerch.io

Mubadala Acquires 384,239 sats | $408.50M Stake in BlackRock Bitcoin ETF - via X

---

Take the First Step Off the Exchange

Bitkey is an easy, secure way to move your Bitcoin into self-custody. With simple setup and built-in recovery, it’s the perfect starting point for getting your coins off centralized platforms and into cold storage—no complexity, no middlemen.

Take control. Start with Bitkey.

Use the promo code “TFTC20” during checkout for 20% off

---

Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed 158,469 sats | $150.00M across 30+ companies through three funds. I am a Managing Partner at Ten31 and am very proud of the work we are doing. Learn more at ten31.vc/invest.

---

Final thought...

I've been walking from my house around Town Lake in Austin in the mornings and taking calls on the walk. Big fan of a walking call.

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Get this newsletter sent to your inbox daily: https://www.tftc.io/bitcoin-brief/

Subscribe to our YouTube channels and follow us on Nostr and X:

@ 318ebaba:9a262eae

Nostr, which stands for "Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays," is a decentralized communication protocol designed to facilitate the exchange of messages without relying on centralized servers. This innovative framework allows users to create, broadcast, and receive messages freely, emphasizing user empowerment and censorship resistance.

Key Features of Nostr

• Decentralization: Unlike traditional social media platforms, Nostr operates on a network of relays, which are servers that anyone can run. This structure eliminates the control that a single entity can exert over the platform, thereby reducing the risk of censorship and enhancing user privacy[1][4][5].

• Open Protocol: Nostr is not an application itself but a protocol that developers can use to build various applications. This openness allows for a wide range of services, from social media to messaging, all built on the same underlying technology. Users can access multiple applications using a single public/private key pair, making it easier to manage their online identities[2][3][4].

• Censorship Resistance: One of the primary motivations behind Nostr's creation is to provide a platform where users can communicate without fear of censorship. This is particularly appealing to those disillusioned with traditional social media platforms that often impose restrictions on content[5][10].

• User Control: Nostr empowers users by allowing them to control their data and interactions. Users can choose which relays to connect to and can run their own relays, ensuring that they are not dependent on any single service provider[4][5][7].

• Cryptographic Security: The protocol employs public-key cryptography to secure messages and verify identities, similar to how Bitcoin operates. This ensures that messages are authentic and have not been tampered with during transmission[5][10].

Applications and Community

Nostr has gained traction among various communities, particularly within the cryptocurrency space, where figures like Jack Dorsey and Edward Snowden have expressed support for its potential to reshape online communication. The protocol's design allows for a variety of applications, including social media platforms, chat services, and content sharing tools, all of which can interoperate seamlessly[2][3][5].

In summary, Nostr represents a significant shift in how digital communication can be structured, prioritizing decentralization, user autonomy, and resistance to censorship, making it a compelling alternative to conventional social media platforms. [1] https://threenine.blog/posts/what-is-nostr [2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/04/11/how-to-get-started-with-nostr/ [3] https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2024/07/17/your-guide-to-nostr-the-decentralized-network-for-everything/ [4] https://www.ledger.com/academy/glossary/nostr [5] https://river.com/learn/what-is-nostr/ [6] https://www.cointribune.com/en/comment-utiliser-nostr-guide-pour-debutants-2/ [7] https://www.ccn.com/education/what-is-nostr-and-how-to-start-using-nostr/ [8] https://nostr.com/ [9] https://mylessnider.com/articles/why-im-excited-about-nostr [10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostr [11] https://nostr.how/en/what-is-nostr [12] https://nostr.org/ [13] https://medium.com/@colaru/an-introduction-to-nostr-protocol-dbc774ac797c [14] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-nostr-manfred-van-doorn-nf9ce [15] https://www.cointribune.com/en/nostr-pour-les-debutants-tout-ce-que-vous-devez-savoir-sur-le-protocole-2/ [16] https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/17j5glg/do_people_in_this_sub_know_about_nostr/ [17] https://www.voltage.cloud/blog/the-essential-guide-to-nostr-relays [18] https://www.reddit.com/r/nostr/comments/1i6t4g7/explain_how_nostr_works_like_im_a_5_year_old/ [19] https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nostr

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

When Sergei talks about bitcoin, he doesn’t sound like someone chasing profits or followers. He sounds like someone about to build a monastery in the ruins.

While the mainstream world chases headlines and hype, Sergei shows up in local meetups from Sacramento to Cleveland, mentors curious minds, and shares what he knows is true – hoping that, with the right spark, someone will light their own way forward.

We interviewed Sergei to trace his steps: where he started, what keeps him going, and why teaching bitcoin is far more than explaining how to set up a node – it’s about reaching the right minds before the noise consumes them. So we began where most journeys start: at the beginning.

First Steps

• So, where did it all begin for you and what made you stay curious?

I first heard about bitcoin from a friend’s book recommendation, American Kingpin, the book about Silk Road (online drug marketplace). He is still not a true bitcoiner, although I helped him secure private keys with some bitcoin.

I was really busy at the time – focused on my school curriculum, running a 7-bedroom Airbnb, and working for a standardized test prep company. Bitcoin seemed too technical for me to explore, and the pace of my work left no time for it.

After graduating, while pursuing more training, I started playing around with stocks and maximizing my savings. Passive income seemed like the path to early retirement, as per the promise of the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early). I mostly followed the mainstream news and my mentor’s advice – he liked preferred stocks at the time.

I had some Coinbase IOUs and remember sending bitcoin within the Coinbase ledger to a couple friends. I also recall the 2018 crash; I actually saw the legendary price spike live but couldn’t benefit because my funds were stuck amidst the frenzy. I withdrew from that investment completely for some time. Thankfully, my mentor advised to keep en eye on bitcoin.

Around late 2019, I started DCA-ing cautiously. Additionally, my friend and I were discussing famous billionaires, and how there was no curriculum for becoming a billionaire. So, I typed “billionaires” into my podcast app, and landed on We Study Billionaires podcast.

That’s where I kept hearing Preston Pysh mention bitcoin, before splitting into his own podcast series, Bitcoin Fundamentals. I didn’t understand most of the terminology of stocks, bonds, etc, yet I kept listening and trying to absorb it thru repetition. Today, I realize all that financial talk was mostly noise.

When people ask me for a technical explanation of fiat, I say: it’s all made up, just like the fiat price of bitcoin! Starting in 2020, during the so-called pandemic, I dove deeper. I religiously read Bitcoin Magazine, scrolled thru Bitcoin Twitter, and joined Simply Bitcoin Telegram group back when DarthCoin was an admin.

DarthCoin was my favorite bitcoiner – experienced, knowledgeable, and unapologetic. Watching him shift from rage to kindness, from passion to despair, gave me a glimpse at what a true educator’s journey would look like.

The struggle isn’t about adoption at scale anymore. It’s about reaching the few who are willing to study, take risks, and stay out of fiat traps. The vast majority won’t follow that example – not yet at least… if I start telling others the requirements for true freedom and prosperity, they would certainly say “Hell no!”

• At what point did you start teaching others, and why?

After college, I helped teach at a standardized test preparation company, and mentored some students one-on-one. I even tried working at a kindergarten briefly, but left quickly; Babysitting is not teaching.

What I discovered is that those who will succeed don’t really need my help – they would succeed with or without me, because they already have the inner drive.

Once you realize your people are perishing for lack of knowledge, the only rational thing to do is help raise their level of knowledge and understanding. That’s the Great Work.

I sometimes imagine myself as a political prisoner. If that were to happen, I’d probably start teaching fellow prisoners, doctors, janitors, even guards. In a way we already live in an open-air prison, So what else is there to do but teach, organize, and conspire to dismantle the Matrix?

Building on Bitcoin

• You hosted some in-person meetups in Sacramento. What did you learn from those?

My first presentation was on MultiSig storage with SeedSigner, and submarine swaps through Boltz.exchange.

I realized quickly that I had overestimated the group’s technical background. Even the meetup organizer, a financial advisor, asked, “How is anyone supposed to follow these steps?” I responded that reading was required… He decided that Unchained is an easier way.

At a crypto meetup, I gave a much simpler talk, outlining how bitcoin will save the world, based on a DarthCoin’s guide. Only one person stuck around to ask questions – a man who seemed a little out there, and did not really seem to get the message beyond the strength of cryptographic security of bitcoin.

Again, I overestimated the audience’s readiness. That forced me to rethink my strategy. People are extremely early and reluctant to study.

• Now in Ohio, you hold sessions via the Orange Pill App. What’s changed?

My new motto is: educate the educators. The corollary is: don’t orange-pill stupid normies (as DarthCoin puts it).

I’ve shifted to small, technical sessions in order to raise a few solid guardians of this esoteric knowledge who really get it and can carry it forward.

The youngest attendee at one of my sessions is a newborn baby – he mostly sleeps, but maybe he still absorbs some of the educational vibes.

• How do local groups like Sactown and Cleveland Bitcoiners influence your work?

Every meetup reflects its local culture. Sacramento and Bay Area Bitcoiners, for example, do camping trips – once we camped through a desert storm, shielding our burgers from sand while others went to shoot guns.

Cleveland Bitcoiners are different. They amass large gatherings. They recently threw a 100k party. They do a bit more community outreach. Some are curious about the esoteric topics such as jurisdiction, spirituality, and healthful living.

I have no permanent allegiance to any state, race, or group. I go where I can teach and learn. I anticipate that in my next phase, I’ll meet Bitcoiners so advanced that I’ll have to give up my fiat job and focus full-time on serious projects where real health and wealth are on the line.

Hopefully, I’ll be ready. I believe the universe always challenges you exactly to your limit – no less, no more.

• What do people struggle with the most when it comes to technical education?

The biggest struggle isn’t technical – it’s a lack of deep curiosity. People ask “how” and “what” – how do I set up a node, what should one do with the lightning channels? But very few ask “why?”

Why does on-chain bitcoin not contribute to the circular economy? Why is it essential to run Lightning? Why did humanity fall into mental enslavement in the first place?

I’d rather teach two-year-olds who constantly ask “why” than adults who ask how to flip a profit. What worries me most is that most two-year-olds will grow up asking state-funded AI bots for answers and live according to its recommendations.

• One Cleveland Bitcoiner shows up at gold bug meetups. How valuable is face-to-face education?

I don’t think the older generation is going to reverse the current human condition. Most of them have been under mind control for too long, and they just don’t have the attention span to study and change their ways.

They’re better off stacking gold and helping fund their grandkids’ education. If I were to focus on a demographic, I’d go for teenagers – high school age – because by college, the indoctrination is usually too strong, and they’re chasing fiat mastery.

As for the gold bug meetup? Perhaps one day I will show up with a ukulele to sing some bitcoin-themed songs. Seniors love such entertainment.

• How do you choose what to focus on in your sessions, especially for different types of learners?

I don’t come in with a rigid agenda. I’ve collected a massive library of resources over the years and never stopped reading. My browser tab and folder count are exploding.

At the meetup, people share questions or topics they’re curious about, then I take that home, do my homework, and bring back a session based on those themes. I give them the key takeaways, plus where to dive deeper.

Most people won’t – or can’t – study the way I do, and I expect attendees to put in the work. I suspect that it’s more important to reach those who want to learn but don’t know how, the so-called nescient (not knowing), rather than the ignorant.

There are way too many ignorant bitcoiners, so my mission is to find those who are curious what’s beyond the facade of fake reality and superficial promises.

That naturally means that fewer people show up, and that’s fine. I’m not here for the crowds; I’m here to educate the educators. One bitcoiner who came decided to branch off into self-custody sessions and that’s awesome. Personally, I’m much more focused on Lightning.

I want to see broader adoption of tools like auth, sign-message, NWC, and LSPs. Next month, I’m going deep into eCash solutions, because let’s face it – most newcomers won’t be able to afford their own UTXO or open a lightning channel; additionally, it has to be fun and easy for them to transact sats, otherwise they won’t do it. Additionally, they’ll need to rely on

@ edf0da8b:b2652fa3

One remarkable thing the Wim Hof Method stirs in me is that I increasingly feel the desire to connect with pure nature. Now, what does that mean?

You may know that slight feeling of eeriness when looking at deep moving waters or that tiny insecurity when darkness creeps up around you alone among the trees? You are sure there's nothing to worry about. But still, these little old conditioned anxieties, these unreasonable mind scenarios, they keep coming up and make you seek safety.

They are different for everyone, but these anxieties in the foreground are a sign for inner blockages that deprive us from expressing our power and creativity. What's more, they separate us from nature. They suggest, everything around us is potentially dangerous. Is it though?

When practicing the Wim Hof Method, and especially right after the breathing exercises, I can immediately feel a clarity emerging, a stronger awareness of presence in the moment. Anxieties are caringly pushed back to their rightful place, but do not control my actions and no longer dominate my state of being.

And so suddenly, the world view shifts. Eerie deep moving waters become fascinating, the darkness around reveals the beauty of trees casting soft moonlight shadows. I deeply appreciate what is, I want to touch the waters, I want to merge with the shadows, I feel that power. Instead of running away I want to connect with nature. I'm more aware of the present and should danger reveal itself, I have the confidence that I can properly react when it arises. But until then, I can enjoy beauty and connectedness. The powerful shift is from scenarios about potential threats around me to curiosity and beautiful opportunity everywhere.

There are countless great techniques and traditions that guide us to such shifts. But with regular practice, I find the Wim Hof Method to be particularly simple, accessible and effective.

wimhofmethod #breathwork #coldtherapy #courage #motivation #freedom

@ edf0da8b:b2652fa3

If you've been active on Nostr, you've probably realized that your posts come and go like waves. There’s no content-surfacing algorithm to keep them afloat. So, unless someone happens to scroll past at just the right time, your insights, event announcements, or deep reflections are getting swept away. There's no pretty profile page that refers to your content.

That’s where Npub.pro comes in—and it’s what I used to build my first website as a transformative coach and Wim Hof method instructor.

This article is about how Npub.pro works, my experience with it, and why it may be useful to you, too.

What is Npub.pro?

Npub.pro is a web service that pulls your posts from the Nostr protocol and weaves them into a clean, customizable website. It uses open-source templates from Ghost, making it easy to create a beautiful, functional landing page without needing to write any code.

If you're already posting on Nostr, Npub.pro turns that content into something lasting and visually appealing—like a curated blog or even a first landing page.

Why I Chose Npub.pro for My Initial Business Website

My work centers on personal transformation for leading a sovereign life—emotional, mental, and physical. I lead workshops, retreats and 1:1 sessions, and I needed a quick and simple place online that would communicate who I am, what I offer, and what’s coming up next.

Since I already post regularly on Nostr, it made sense to reuse that content to portray my work. But instead of letting my posts drift away in the feed, Npub.pro gave me a way to give them structure and longevity for a wider audience.

Plus, it really looks good.

Features That Make It Worthwhile

Easy Website Creation

You don’t need to become technical. The Npub.pro dashboard is simple and intuitive. Just pick a template, connect your Nostr keys, add your posts individually or based on hashtags, and voilà—your content starts showing up. You can experiment with different templates freely, without messing things up.

Multiple Templates for Different Needs

There's a good amount of templates to choose from, for photo blogging, journaling or podcasting etc. I started with "Liebling," switched to "Micro-Ruby" for a bit, and finally settled on "Massively"—it shows my often picture-based posts clearly and lets me feature a highlighted post at the top.

Tag-Based Categories

You can organize your content into sections like I did with “About & Events,” “Wim Hof Method,” or “Natural Living.” If you tag your Nostr posts accordingly and set up your categories in your dashboard, they’ll just fall into place.

Free Hosting + Custom Domains

Npub.pro is completely free if you’re okay with a domain like yourname.npub.pro. If you want something more professional, you can link a custom domain. I got mine for about $10/year from Namecheap. For now, even custom domains are free to connect. If you host your media on Nostr with e.g. Primal or Nostr.Build (subscription-based), and get a custom domain name, you have a complete low-budget website up and running.

What to Watch Out For

Npub.pro is not perfect and still evolving. Here are some limitations to keep in mind:

No Native Lead Capture or Email Signup

If you for example want to offer a PDF or free online class in exchange for email addresses, you’ll need to get creative with external links. Unfortunately, there’s no built-in call-to-action feature for non-Nostr users at this point.

No Pay-walled Content or Membership Features

If you’re looking to monetize content or offer member-only areas, you can hope and ask the Npub.pro team for future features, but it isn't there right now.

Some Trial & Error Required

Tagging needs to be done when you post. Adding tags retroactively with versatile clients like Amethyst won’t make earlier posts appear on your website. I had to republish a few old posts just to get them sorted into the right category. Expect a few hiccups, but it’s manageable.

Npub.pro and Nostr

Npub.pro is part of a bigger picture—the rise of Nostr as a decentralized social network. It’s censorship-resistant, Bitcoin-integrated, and potentially an all-in-one protocol for media, messaging, publishing, and payment. That's crazy powerful when you think about it a little more!

Right now, the infrastructure is still getting there. Not everything works reliably yet, and complex and visually rich experiences like Instagram-style clients (e.g. Olas) still fall short. But Npub.pro is one of those services that shows where it can be heading: toward digital sovereignty.

Is Npub.pro for You?

If you’re already active on Nostr, I think this is a no-brainer. You can turn your feed into a curated blog or landing page with very little extra effort.

Even if you're not using Nostr yet, Npub.pro is still worth exploring if:

• You want a free or low-budget minimal website that’s connected to your social media content.
• You care about decentralization and owning your data.
• You’re okay with less customization and a little experimentation here and there while things improve.

So in short, Npub.pro is quite the smart, and simple way to publish your presence online—especially if you want your Nostr content to live beyond the scroll.

Final Thoughts

I was surprised how good everything looked in the end on desktop, tablet and mobile and how easily you can manage your content. It’s not perfect for all needs, but it does the job remarkably well for a first website, personal blog or landing page. And by using Npub.pro, you’re helping build the future of open, user-owned publishing online.

Check Out Npub.pro

https://npub.pro

My Website:

www.bennubreath.me

Old-school Socials:

https://youtube.com/@bennubreath

---

@Npub.pro @brugeman

NpubPro #DecentralizedWeb #GhostCMS #WimHof #DigitalSovereignty #OpenWeb #ContentCuration #BuildWithNostr #WebsiteHosting #Freedom #Transformation

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Marty's Bent

It's been a pretty historic week for the United States as it pertains to geopolitical relations in the Middle East. President Trump and many members of his administration, including AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, traveled across the Middle East making deals with countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, and others. Many are speculating that Iran may be included in some behind the scenes deal as well. This trip to the Middle East makes sense considering the fact that China is also vying for favorable relationships with those countries. The Middle East is a power player in the world, and it seems pretty clear that Donald Trump is dead set on ensuring that they choose the United States over China as the world moves towards a more multi-polar reality.

Many are calling the events of this week the Riyadh Accords. There were many deals that were struck in relation to artificial intelligence, defense, energy and direct investments in the United States. A truly prolific power play and demonstration of deal-making ability of Donald Trump, if you ask me. Though I will admit some of the numbers that were thrown out by some of the countries were a bit egregious. We shall see how everything plays out in the coming years. It will be interesting to see how China reacts to this power move by the United States.

While all this was going on, there was something happening back in the United States that many people outside of fringe corners of FinTwit are not talking about, which is the fact that the 10-year and 30-year U.S. Treasury bond yields are back on the rise. Yesterday, they surpassed the levels of mid-April that caused a market panic and are hovering back around levels that have not been seen since right before Donald Trump's inauguration.

I imagine that there isn't as much of an uproar right now because I'm pretty confident the media freakouts we were experiencing in mid-April were driven by the fact that many large hedge funds found themselves off sides of large levered basis trades. I wouldn't be surprised if those funds have decreased their leverage in those trades and bond yields being back to mid-April levels is not affecting those funds as much as they were last month. But the point stands, the 10-year and 30-year yields are significantly elevated with the 30-year approaching 5%. Regardless of the deals that are currently being made in the Middle East, the Treasury has a big problem on its hands. It still has to roll over many trillions worth of debt over over the next few years and doing so at these rates is going to be massively detrimental to fiscal deficits over the next decade. The interest expense on the debt is set to explode in the coming years.

On that note, data from the first quarter of 2025 has been released by the government and despite all the posturing by the Trump administration around DOGE and how tariffs are going to be beneficial for the U.S. economy, deficits are continuing to explode while the interest expense on the debt has definitively surpassed our annual defense budget.

via Charlie Bilello

via Mohamed Al-Erian

To make matters worse, as things are deteriorating on the fiscal side of things, the U.S. consumer is getting crushed by credit. The 90-plus day delinquency rates for credit card and auto loans are screaming higher right now.

via TXMC

One has to wonder how long all this can continue without some sort of liquidity crunch. Even though equities markets have recovered from their post-Liberation Day month long bear market, I would not be surprised if what we're witnessing is a dead cat bounce that can only be continued if the money printers are turned back on. Something's got to give, both on the fiscal side and in the private markets where the Common Man is getting crushed because he's been forced to take on insane amounts of debt to stay afloat after years of elevated levels of inflation. Add on the fact that AI has reached a state of maturity that will enable companies to replace their current meat suit workers with an army of cheap, efficient and fast digital workers and it isn't hard to see that some sort of employment crisis could be on the horizon as well.

Now is not the time to get complacent. While I do believe that the deals that are currently being made in the Middle East are probably in the best interest of the United States as the world, again, moves toward a more multi-polar reality, we are facing problems that one cannot simply wish away. They will need to be confronted. And as we've seen throughout the 21st century, the problems are usually met head-on with a money printer.

I take no pleasure in saying this because it is a bit uncouth to be gleeful to benefit from the strife of others, but it is pretty clear to me that all signs are pointing to bitcoin benefiting massively from everything that is going on. The shift towards a more multi-polar world, the runaway debt situation here in the United States, the increasing deficits, the AI job replacements and the consumer credit crisis that is currently unfolding, All will need to be "solved" by turning on the money printers to levels they've never been pushed to before.

Weird times we're living in.

China's Manufacturing Dominance: Why It Matters for the U.S.

In my recent conversation with Lyn Alden, she highlighted how China has rapidly ascended the manufacturing value chain. As Lyn pointed out, China transformed from making "sneakers and plastic trinkets" to becoming the world's largest auto exporter in just four years. This dramatic shift represents more than economic success—it's a strategic power play. China now dominates solar panel production with greater market control than OPEC has over oil and maintains near-monopoly control of rare earth elements crucial for modern technology.

"China makes like 10 times more steel than the United States does... which is relevant in ship making. It's relevant in all sorts of stuff." - Lyn Alden

Perhaps most concerning, as Lyn emphasized, is China's financial leverage. They hold substantial U.S. assets that could be strategically sold to disrupt U.S. treasury market functioning. This combination of manufacturing dominance, resource control, and financial leverage gives China significant negotiating power in any trade disputes, making our attempts to reshoring manufacturing all the more challenging.

Check out the full podcast here for more on Triffin's dilemma, Bitcoin's role in monetary transition, and the energy requirements for rebuilding America's industrial base.

Headlines of the Day

Financial Times Under Fire Over MicroStrategy Bitcoin Coverage - via X

Trump in Qatar: Historic Boeing Deal Signed - via X

Get our new STACK SATS hat - via tftcmerch.io

Johnson Backs Stock Trading Ban; Passage Chances Slim - via X

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Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed 158,469 sats | $150.00M across 30+ companies through three funds. I am a Managing Partner at Ten31 and am very proud of the work we are doing. Learn more at ten31.vc/invest.

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Final thought...

Building things of value is satisfying.

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Get this newsletter sent to your inbox daily: https://www.tftc.io/bitcoin-brief/

Subscribe to our YouTube channels and follow us on Nostr and X:

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

To become a master designer, you need to break past a slavish devotion of past forms and create vibrant, new experiences. This design talk covers practical techniques for reinventing game genres. The goal is the invention of a unique and highly differentiated customer value proposition that makes both strong business sense and is also deeply creatively fulfilling. We cover designing from the root, reducing design risk, and igniting original franchises. We also cover the pitfalls of design innovation and how to thrive in a highly competitive market.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7DFuXDN29M

https://stacker.news/items/1001313

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

Russian authorities are stepping up their crackdown on illegal Bitcoin miners with a new confiscation case.

Law enforcement in Russia has launched a seizure campaign against unauthorized mining operations, marking an escalation in the fight against illicit crypto activity. The latest case saw investigators in the Amur Oblast confiscate bitcoin worth $88,500.

The Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee (SKR) for Amur Oblast announced it had seized assets worth around 7 million rubles ($88,570; 0.8414 BTC) from a former executive of an unnamed power company.

The accused served as head of technological connection services at the Amur branch of the Far Eastern Distribution Company (DRSC), a power grid operator managing electricity distribution in Russia’s eastern Amur region.

Investigators found that the former executive exploited his insider knowledge of the company’s power distribution systems to siphon electricity from the grid. The stolen power was used to run mining equipment at his private residence.

The seizure followed an investigation revealing that in 2024, the man used his technical skills to bypass metering devices and create an illegal connection to his employer’s infrastructure.

Authorities estimate that the executive used over 3.5 million rubles ($44,334) worth of electricity belonging to DRSC.

In April, several Russian ministries drafted a legal mechanism proposing new powers for courts and law enforcement to confiscate cryptocurrencies in criminal cases. The proposal, backed by government policymakers, would allow authorities to formally recognize digital assets as intangible property in criminal proceedings.

Previous seizures

Investigators appear to have already applied the principles of this draft law in several cases. Among them is the case of a server operator for the darknet marketplace Hydra, from whom police seized crypto assets worth $8.2 million.

Judicial officers also seized 1,032.1 BTC from Marat Tambiev, a former investigator with the Russian Investigative Committee. A court found Tambiev guilty of accepting Bitcoin bribes from an international fraud network, sentencing him to 16 years in prison.

The post Russia: $88,500 in bitcoin seized from illegal miner for power theft appeared first on Atlas21.

@ d6affa19:9110b177

If there were only one thing I had to list as the single most effective way to improve a Female Led Relationship (FLR), it would be found in the phrase “yes, Ma’am.” Whether trying to get the dynamic off the ground or keep it going during the grind of everyday life, this phrase—and the energy it evokes—encompasses so many essential elements of an FLR. In my experience, not many other things continuously breathe life into a relationship like the magic of “yes, Ma’am.”

Of course, this phrase can be modified to the Woman’s desire (“yes, Mistress,” “yes, my Queen,” “yes, Goddess” are common examples), but “yes, Ma’am” is something acceptable nearly anywhere. It’s simple, polite, somewhat discreet, and yet extremely effective and powerful. In an FLR (even in a low-protocol dynamic), the phrase is elevated from a basic formality to an invocation of trust, respect, and surrender.

The words by themselves are powerless. But when consistently expressed with the right energy and intention, it becomes a sort of miniature ritual that keeps them both anchored to the relationship. This shouldn’t be conflated with “yes, Dear,” a phrase stereotypically used when a man is merely appeasing a Woman. No, the energy here is not to appease, but to please. Because She deserves it.

To illustrate this further, let’s dig into the depth I find in these two words.

An Invocation of Structure, Trust, and Identity

“Yes, Ma’am” is so deceptively simple. It’s a verbal expression of his obedience—the bare minimum a Woman should receive in an FLR. And it keeps the framework intact in everyday life, especially when the mood is subtle or non-sexual.

In this way, “yes, Ma’am” reinforces the foundation of the FLR. Each utterance reminds them both of their positions. Each declaration quiets any confusion. Each delivery deepens the dynamic and tightens the structure.

When these words are spoken and consistently followed up with action, they demonstrate emotional maturity—that he’s moved beyond questioning whether She’s “right” and into the realm of devotion. It signals to Her that Her needs don’t have to be proven to him anymore and that Her preferences don’t need to be justified.

He’s no longer debating Her logic, making excuses, or searching for loopholes; he’s no longer resisting or self-protecting. He’s not agreeing as an equal, he’s not negotiating with Her, he’s not hedging Her demand. He is simply submitting to Her.

Just as it’s “yes, Ma’am” when She tells him to kneel, it’s also “yes, Ma’am” when She asks him to fix the sink, or dismisses a request, or even reminds him to do something he’s about to do. “Yes, Ma’am,” then act.

The Words Alone Are Not the Magic

Again, the magic of “yes, Ma’am” doesn’t reside in the words themselves, but in the intention, energy, and action behind them. The phrase itself is just a vessel. Just as a chalice, the words hold something sacred, but the sanctity resides in the wine, not the cup. The action, the delivery, and the consistency are what give the phrase its power.

If spoken with resentment, sarcasm, or with no follow-through, they mean nothing. If he speaks them but then delays, argues, or makes excuses, then his submission is inauthentic. This undermines trust and, ultimately, the relationship. But when he says “yes, Ma’am” and immediately acts on Her direction—despite being tired, flustered, aroused, or even in disagreement, then that is real submission; that is profound trust. And that is what She feels.

And that’s what he feels. It becomes a reminder of his humility and an expression of self-discipline in service to Her. Over time, it shifts his thought patterns and instincts. He may feel uncertainty, self-pity, or insecurity, but “yes, Ma’am” melts it all into clarity. Old responses like “Well, actually…” “Can’t I just…” “I thought we agreed…” “Why can’t You…” are simply replaced with “yes, Ma’am.”

Even if he’s feeling exhausted, annoyed, or needy. There are no complaints or explanations, only Her will and a choice to put aside his ego, align with Her rhythm, and re-center his purpose. This is an act of vulnerability. He is placing his emotional safety in Her hands and relying on Her to care for his well-being.

It communicates to Her:
- “I hear You.”
- “I will act on Your desires.”
- “I trust You more than I trust my resistance.”
- “I’m Yours, even now, especially now.”

And let’s not ignore the erotic undertones in this depth of surrender. A simple phrase makes his discipline audible, echoing Her power. It bears his humility, longing, eagerness, vulnerability—his contained arousal. And She knows. She hears the plea. She feels the weight—the tension—the heat—the surrendered will… Ever-present, even in the most mundane moments…

Closing Thoughts

Of course, this level of devotion takes practice and a great deal of trust. No one is perfect, so he will fail at times, but that’s what makes it so beautiful—it’s a continuously active and conscious choice. And, at first, it may sound awkward for him or forced, but with dedication and intention She will begin to hear the tone, feel the vibe, and sense the sincerity in it. This energy is what builds Her trust in him.

This phrase, or rather the mindset behind it, has improved my own relationship so, so much. While it may not fit into every experience, it’s something that I discovered was a missing piece in mine. Enough so that I felt compelled to share.

Because as a relationship goes on, things change—passions fluctuate, pain resurfaces, doubts arise, life gets busy, things get heavy—but “yes, Ma’am” remains steady and intimate. Piece by piece trust and devotion are built with thousands of quiet yeses. And regardless of the circumstances, “yes, Ma’am” gently whispers “this is still us; this is still our shared truth; this is still sacred” over and over again.

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Marty's Bent

via me

It seems like every other day there's another company announced that is going public with the intent of competing with Strategy by leveraging capital markets to create financial instruments to acquire Bitcoin in a way that is accretive for shareholders. This is certainly a very interesting trend, very bullish for bitcoin in the short-term, and undoubtedly making it so bitcoin is top of mind in the mainstream. I won't pretend to know whether or not these strategies will ultimately be successful or fail in the short, medium or long term. However, one thing I do know is that the themes that interest me, both here at TFTC and in my role as Managing Partner at Ten31, are companies that are building good businesses that are efficient, have product-market-fit, generate revenues and profits and roll those profits into bitcoin.

While it seems pretty clear that Strategy has tapped into an arbitrage that exists in capital markets, it's not really that exciting. From a business perspective, it's actually pretty straightforward and simple; find where potential arbitrage opportunities exists between pools of capital looking for exposure to spot bitcoin or bitcoin's volatility but can't buy the actual asset, and provide them with products that give them access to exposure while simultaneously creating a cult-like retail following. Rinse and repeat. To the extent that this strategy is repeatable is yet to be seen. I imagine it can expand pretty rapidly. Particularly if we have a speculative fervor around companies that do this. But in the long run, I think the signal is falling back to first principles, looking for businesses that are actually providing goods and services to the broader economy - not focused on the hyper-financialized part of the economy - to provide value and create efficiencies that enable higher margins and profitability.

With this in mind, I think it's important to highlight the combined leverage that entrepreneurs have by utilizing bitcoin treasuries and AI tools that are emerging and becoming more advanced by the week. As I said in the tweet above, there's never been a better time to start a business that finds product-market fit and cash flows quickly with a team of two to three people. If you've been reading this rag over the last few weeks, you know that I've been experimenting with these AI tools and using them to make our business processes more efficient here at TFTC. I've also been using them at Ten31 to do deep research and analysis.

It has become abundantly clear to me that any founder or entrepreneur that is not utilizing the AI tools that are emerging is going to get left behind. As it stands today, all anyone has to do to get an idea from a thought in your head to the prototype stage to a minimum viable product is to hop into something like Claude or ChatGPT, have a brief conversation with an AI model that can do deep research about a particular niche that you want to provide a good service to and begin building.

Later this week, I will launch an app called Opportunity Cost in the Chrome and Firefox stores. It took me a few hours of work over the span of a week to ideate and iterate on the concept to the point where I had a working prototype that I handed off to a developer who is solving the last mile problem I have as an "idea guy" of getting the product to market. Only six months ago, accomplishing something like this would have been impossible for me. I've never written a line of code that's actually worked outside of the modded MySpace page I made back in middle school. I've always had a lot of ideas but have never been able to effectively communicate them to developers who can actually build them. With a combination of ChatGPT-03 and Replit, I was able to build an actual product that works. I'm using it in my browser today. It's pretty insane.

There are thousands of people coming to the same realization at the same time right now and going out there and building niche products very cheaply, with small teams, they are getting to market very quickly, and are amassing five figures, six figures, sometimes seven figures of MRR with extremely high profit margins. What most of these entrepreneurs have not really caught on to yet is that they should be cycling a portion - in my opinion, a large portion - of those profits into bitcoin. The combination of building a company utilizing these AI tools, getting it to market, getting revenue and profits, and turning those profits into bitcoin cannot be understated. You're going to begin seeing teams of one to ten people building businesses worth billions of dollars and they're going to need to store the value they create, any money that cannot be debased.

nostr:nprofile1qyx8wumn8ghj7cnjvghxjmcpz4mhxue69uhk2er9dchxummnw3ezumrpdejqqgy8fkmd9kmm8yp4lea2cx0g8fyz27g4ud7572j4edx2v6lz6aa23qmp5dth , one of the co-founders of Ten31, wrote about this in early 2024, bitcoin being the fourth lever of equity value growth for companies.

Bitcoin Treasury - The Fourth Lever to Equity Value Growth

We already see this theme playing out at Ten31 with some of our portfolio companies, most notably nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7etyv4hzumn0wd68ytnvv9hxgqgdwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkcqpqex7mdykw786qxvmtuls208uyxmn0hse95rfwsarvfde5yg6wy7jqjrm2qp , which recently released some of their financials, highlighting the fact that they're extremely profitable with high margins and a relatively small team (\~75). This is extremely impressive, especially when you consider the fact that they're a global company competing with the likes of Coinbase and Block, which have each thousands of employees.

Even those who are paying attention to the developments in the AI space and how the tools can enable entrepreneurs to build faster aren't really grasping the gravity of what's at play here. Many are simply thinking of consumer apps that can be built and distributed quickly to market, but the ways in which AI can be implemented extend far beyond the digital world. Here's a great example of a company a fellow freak is building with the mindset of keeping the team small, utilizing AI tools to automate processes and quickly push profits into bitcoin.

via Cormac

Again, this is where the exciting things are happening in my mind. People leveraging new tools to solve real problems to drive real value that ultimately produce profits for entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs who decide to save those profits in bitcoin will find that the equity value growth of their companies accelerates exponentially as they provide more value, gain more traction, and increase their profits while also riding the bitcoin as it continues on its monetization phase. The compounded leverage of building a company that leverages AI tools and sweeps profits into bitcoin is going to be one of the biggest asymmetric plays of the next decade. Personally, I also see it as something that's much more fulfilling than the pure play bitcoin treasury companies that are coming to market because consumers and entrepreneurs are able to recive and provide a ton of value in the real economy.

If you're looking to stay on top of the developments in the AI space and how you can apply the tools to help build your business or create a new business, I highly recommend you follow somebody like Greg Isenberg, whose Startup Ideas Podcast has been incredibly valuable for me as I attempt to get a lay of the land of how to implement AI into my businesses.

America's Two Economies

In my recent podcast with Lyn Alden, she outlined how our trade deficits create a cycle that's reshaping America's economic geography. As Alden explained, US trade deficits pump dollars into international markets, but these dollars don't disappear - they return as investments in US financial assets. This cycle gradually depletes industrial heartlands while enriching financial centers on the coasts, creating what amounts to two separate American economies.

"We're basically constantly taking economic vibrancy out of Michigan and Ohio and rural Pennsylvania where the steel mills were... and stuffing it back into financial assets in New York and Silicon Valley." - nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytndv9kxjm3wdahxcqg5waehxw309ahx7um5wfekzarkvyhxuet5qqsw4v882mfjhq9u63j08kzyhqzqxqc8tgf740p4nxnk9jdv02u37ncdhu7e3

This pattern has persisted for over four decades, accelerating significantly since the early 1980s. Alden emphasized that while economists may argue there's still room before reaching a crisis point, the political consequences are already here. The growing divide between these two Americas has fueled populist sentiment as voters who feel left behind seek economic rebalancing, even if they can't articulate the exact mechanisms causing their hardship.

Check out the full podcast here for more on China's manufacturing dominance, Trump's tariff strategy, and the future of Bitcoin as a global reserve asset. All discussed in under 60 minutes.

Headlines of the Day

Trump's Saudi Summit: Peace and Economic Ties - via X

MSTR Edges Closer To S\&P 500 With Just 89 Trading Days Left - via X

Get our new STACK SATS hat - via tftcmerch.io

Individuals Shed 247K Bitcoin As Businesses Gain 157K - via X

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Looking for the perfect video to push the smartest person you know from zero to one on bitcoin? Bitcoin, Not Crypto is a three-part master class from Parker Lewis and Dhruv Bansal that cuts through the noise—covering why 21 million was the key technical simplification that made bitcoin possible, why blockchains don’t create decentralization, and why everything else will be built on bitcoin.

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Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed 144,229 sats | $150.00M across 30+ companies through three funds. I am a Managing Partner at Ten31 and am very proud of the work we are doing. Learn more at ten31.vc/invest.

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Final thought...

My boys have started a game in the car where we count how many Waymos we see on the road while driving around town. Pretty crazy how innately stoked they are about that particular car.

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Wall Street is warming up to Bitcoin and getting closer and closer to it.

Cantor Fitzgerald, one of the oldest and most respected investment banks on Wall Street, has launched a $2 billion bitcoin-backed lending program.

They’ve reportedly already done their first deals, lending to two big digital asset companies: FalconX and Maple Finance.

This is a big step in connecting traditional finance to the fast-moving world of Bitcoin.

Cantor’s new service allows big investors, hedge funds and asset managers, to borrow money using bitcoin as collateral.

This is a game changer for institutions that hold bitcoin, as they can now access liquidity without having to sell their assets.

“Institutions holding bitcoin are looking to broaden their access to diverse funding sources,” said Christian Wall, co-CEO and global head of fixed income at Cantor Fitzgerald.

“And we are excited to support their liquidity needs to help them drive long term growth and success.”

The loans are not speculative or unsecured.

They are structured like traditional finance deals, backed by the borrower’s bitcoin. This reduces the risk for Cantor while giving bitcoin-holding companies new ways to grow and operate.

The first recipients of Cantor’s lending program are FalconX, a digital asset brokerage, and Maple Finance, a blockchain-based lending platform.

FalconX confirmed they secured a credit facility of over $100 million. Maple Finance also received the first tranche of their loan from Cantor.

This comes at a time when the bitcoin lending space is recovering after a tough period. Several big firms went under in 2022 and investor confidence was shaken.

Now with traditional finance on board, bitcoin-backed lending has returned. According to Galaxy Research the total size of the digital asset lending market grew to $36.5 billion in Q4 2024.

Cantor’s move into bitcoin-backed lending isn’t new. They announced their plans in July 2024 and have been building their presence in the Bitcoin space since then.

Earlier this year, they partnered with Tether, SoftBank and Bitfinex to launch Twenty One Capital, a $3.6 billion fund to buy over 42,000 bitcoin.

In May 2025 Cantor Equity Partners merged with Twenty One Capital and bought nearly $459 million worth of bitcoin.

They also own around $1.9 billion in shares of Strategy, a company that holds a lot of bitcoin. Clearly Cantor believes in bitcoin as a long-term asset.

Cantor is also a big player in the stablecoin space.

They manage U.S. Treasury reserves for Tether, the company behind the $142 billion USDT stablecoin. This adds another layer of trust and credibility to Cantor’s digital asset involvement.

To secure the bitcoin used as collateral, Cantor has partnered with digital asset custodians Anchorage Digital and Copper.co.

These companies are known for their robust security and institutional-grade infrastructure. Cantor hasn’t disclosed loan terms or interest rates but confirmed the lending will follow current regulations.

This also shows how traditional financial players are embracing DeFi.

Maple Finance for example allows undercollateralized lending using blockchain. By backing companies like Maple, Cantor is innovating while still having control and compliance.

For years, bitcoin-backed loans were only available through digital-asset-native companies like Genesis, BlockFi, and Ledn.

These loans were mostly for smaller clients and retail investors. But with Cantor’s entry, the scale and professionalism of bitcoin lending are expanding.

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

A Junior-level free online course divided in four modules aiming to help you develop experience and confidence with: 1) An approach to mechanical systems design that incorporates ideation, back-of-the-envelope analysis, computational analysis, and prototyping, iteratively and with an appropriate balance for the domain. 2) Designing custom mechanical components, finding and selecting common machine elements, and selecting electric motors and transmission elements to meet performance, efficiency and reliability goals.

The first project introduces the structure of projects in this course; introduces the design approach; reviews and begins to apply statics and stress analysis skills from prerequisite courses to design; introduces finite-element analysis; and provides an opportunity to work out any issues with fabrication methods.

The second project comprises a challenging, open-ended problem: design of a single component for mass efficiency. Success requires sophisticated application of the design approach, including statics analysis using free-body diagrams; stress, deflection and buckling analysis using simplified models and finite-element analysis; and testing of both low-fidelity and functional prototypes.

The third project introduces simple models of electric motors and gears; applies these models to selection of a motor operating point and gear ratio; and introduces the design of experiments to identify important system characteristics.

The fourth project comprises the challenging, open-ended design of a motor-driven machine to maximize electromechanical performance. It requires application of the Design Approach to complex problems in a team setting; effective incorporation of multiple custom and catalog components into an assembly; and sophisticated use motor and gear models, power analysis, and mass-efficient component design.

Start the course, it's free at https://biomechatronics.stanford.edu/mechanical-systems-design

https://stacker.news/items/1001283

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the company behind Truth Social and other Trump-branded digital platforms, is planning to raise $2.5 billion to build one of the largest bitcoin treasuries among public companies.

The deal involves the sale of approximately $1.5 billion in common stock and $1.0 billion in convertible senior secured notes.

According to the company, the offering is expected to close by the end of May, pending standard closing conditions.

Devin Nunes, CEO of Trump Media, said the investment in bitcoin is a big part of the company’s long-term plan.

“We view Bitcoin as an apex instrument of financial freedom,” Nunes said.

“This investment will help defend our Company against harassment and discrimination by financial institutions, which plague many Americans and U.S. firms.”

He added that the bitcoin treasury will be used to create new synergies across the company’s platforms including Truth Social, Truth+, and the upcoming financial tech brand Truth.Fi.

“It’s a big step forward in the company’s plans to evolve into a holding company by acquiring additional profit-generating, crown jewel assets consistent with America First principles,” Nunes said.

The $2.5 billion raise will come from about 50 institutional investors. The $1 billion in convertible notes will have 0% interest and be convertible into shares at a 35% premium.

TMTG’s current liquid assets, including cash and short-term investments, are $759 million as of the end of the first quarter of 2025. With this new funding, the company’s liquid assets will be over $3 billion.

Custody of the bitcoin treasury will be handled by Crypto.com and Anchorage Digital. They will manage and store the digital assets.

Earlier this week The Financial Times reported Trump Media was planning to raise $3 billion for digital assets acquisitions.

The article said the funds would be used to buy bitcoin and other digital assets, and an announcement could come before a major related event in Las Vegas.

Related: Bitcoin 2025 Conference Kicks off in Las Vegas Today

Trump Media denied the FT report. In a statement, the company said, “Apparently the Financial Times has dumb writers listening to even dumber sources.”

There was no further comment. However, the official $2.5 billion figure, which was announced shortly after by Trump Media through a press release, aligns with its actual filing and investor communication.

Trump Media’s official announcement

This comes at a time when the Trump family and political allies are showing renewed interest in Bitcoin.

President Donald Trump who is now back in office since the 2025 election, has said he wants to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the world.”

Trump Media is also working on retail bitcoin investment products including ETFs aligned with America First policies.

These products will make bitcoin more accessible to retail investors and support pro-Trump financial initiatives.

But not everyone is happy.

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren recently expressed concerns about Trump Media’s Bitcoin plans. She asked U.S. regulators to clarify their oversight of digital-asset ETFs, warning of investor risk.

Industry insiders are comparing Trump Media’s plans to Strategy (MSTR) which has built a multi-billion dollar bitcoin treasury over the last year. They used stock and bond sales to fund their bitcoin purchases.

@ 553b8217:e6e84118

The Lightning Network is a revolutionary layer-2 solution built on top of the Bitcoin blockchain, designed to enhance transaction speed, reduce costs, and improve scalability. By integrating with Bitcoin wallets, the Lightning Network significantly improves user experience, making Bitcoin more practical for everyday payments. Here’s how it benefits both wallets and users.

A.Faster Transactions - Traditional Bitcoin transactions can take 10 minutes or more to confirm, especially during network congestion.
- The Lightning Network enables near-instant transactions (often under a second), making Bitcoin wallets ideal for real-time payments like buying coffee or tipping content creators .

B.Lower Fees - On-chain Bitcoin transactions can have high fees during peak times, sometimes exceeding $50.
- Lightning Network transactions cost a fraction of a cent, making micropayments (even as small as a few satoshis) economically viable .

C.Enhanced Scalability - Bitcoin’s base layer processes only 7 transactions per second (TPS),limiting its use for mass adoption.
- The Lightning Network can theoretically handle millions of TPS,allowing wallets to support high-volume transactions without clogging the blockchain .

D. Improved Privacy - On-chain Bitcoin transactions are publicly recorded, exposing user activity.
- Lightning transactions occur off-chain, reducing visibility and enhancing privacy for wallet users .

E. Better User Experience - Lightning-integrated wallets (e.g., Phoenix, Wallet of Satoshi, BlueWallet) automate complex processes like channel management, making it easy for beginners to send/receive Bitcoin instantly .
- Features like Lightning Addresses(e.g., user@wallet.com) simplify payments, replacing long blockchain addresses .

F. New Use Cases - Enables micropayments for streaming services, pay-per-minute content, and gaming.
- Supports cross-border remittances with minimal fees, benefiting unbanked populations .

Therefore By integrating the Lightning Network, Bitcoin wallets become faster, cheaper, and more scalable, unlocking Bitcoin’s potential as a global payment system. Whether for daily spending or innovative financial applications, the Lightning Network is transforming how users interact with Bitcoin wallets.

bitcoin #lightingnetwork #bitcoinwallet #blochchain

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

Beginning with the history of kubectl apply, this article briefly introduces the concept of "thick/thin clients" in software design.

Designing software is a process of constantly raising and solving questions. When designers face a requirement, they generate many questions, among which is a seemingly simple but fundamental one: "Where should the business logic (complexity) go?" Each time a new feature is introduced into a project, the increase in total complexity is almost certain, but how to distribute this complexity among modules can vary greatly.

Whether a client is thick or thin depends on the responsibilities it undertakes; neither is inherently superior, only more suitable for different scenarios. Should you choose a thick or thin client? In most cases, the answer is clear because many functions naturally suit a particular implementation. For example, global search is typically a "thin client, thick server" solution because it relies on all the data in the server's database.

Continue reading at https://www.piglei.com/articles/en_the_software_design_i_see_thick_thin_clients/

https://stacker.news/items/1001277

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

“Not your keys, not your coins” isn’t a slogan—it’s a survival mantra in the age of digital sovereignty.

The seismic collapses of Mt. Gox (2014) and FTX (2022) weren’t anomalies; they were wake-up calls. When $8.7 billion in customer funds vanished with FTX, it exposed the fatal flaw of third-party custody: your bitcoin is only as secure as your custodian’s weakest link.

Yet today, As of early 2025, analysts estimate that between 2.3 million and 3.7 million Bitcoins are permanently lost, representing approximately 11–18% of bitcoin’s fixed maximum supply of 21 million coins, with some reports suggesting losses as high as 4 million BTC. This paradox reveals a critical truth: self-custody isn’t just preferable—it’s essential—but it must be done right.

The Custody Spectrum

Custodial Wallets (The Illusion of Control)

• Rehypothecation Risk: Most platforms lend your bitcoin for yield generation. When Celsius collapsed, users discovered their “held” bitcoin was loaned out in risky strategies.
• Account Freezes: Regulatory actions can lock withdrawals overnight. In 2023, Binance suspended dollar withdrawals for U.S. users citing “partner bank issues,” trapping funds for weeks.
• Data Vulnerability: KYC requirements create honeypots for hackers. The 2024 Ledger breach exposed 270,000 users’ personal data despite hardware security.

True Self-Custody
Self-custody means exclusively controlling your private keys—the cryptographic strings that prove bitcoin ownership. Unlike banks or exchanges, self-custody eliminates:

• Counterparty risk (no FTX-style implosions)
• Censorship (no blocked transactions)
• Inflationary theft (no fractional reserve lending)

Conquering the Three Great Fears of Self-Custody

Fear 1: “I’ll Lose Everything If I Make a Mistake”

Reality: Human error is manageable with robust systems:

• Test Transactions: Always send a micro-amount (0.00001 BTC) before large transfers. Verify receipt AND ability to send back.
• Multi-Backup Protocol: Store seed phrases on fireproof/waterproof steel plates (not paper!). Distribute copies geographically—one in a home safe, another with trusted family 100+ miles away.
• SLIP39 Sharding: Split your seed into fragments requiring 3-of-5 shards to reconstruct. No single point of failure.

Fear 2: “Hackers Will Steal My Keys”

Reality: Offline storage defeats remote attacks:

• Hardware Wallets: Devices like Bitkey or Ledger keep keys in “cold storage”—isolated from internet-connected devices. Transactions require physical confirmation.
• Multisig Vaults: Bitvault’s multi-sig system requires attackers compromise multiple locations/devices simultaneously. Even losing two keys won’t forfeit funds.
• Air-Gapped Verification: Use dedicated offline devices for wallet setup. Never type seeds on internet-connected machines.

Fear 3: “My Family Can’t Access It If I Die”

Reality: Inheritance is solvable:

• Dead Man Switches: Bitwarden’s emergency access allows trusted contacts to retrieve encrypted keys after a pre-set waiting period (e.g., 30 days).
• Inheritance Protocols: Bitkey’s inheritance solution shares decryption keys via designated beneficiaries’ emails. Requires multiple approvals to prevent abuse.
• Public Key Registries: Share wallet XPUBs (not private keys!) with heirs. They can monitor balances but not spend, ensuring transparency without risk.

The Freedom Dividend

1. Censorship Resistance: Send $10M BTC to a Wikileaks wallet without Visa/Mastercard blocking it.
2. Privacy Preservation: Avoid KYC surveillance—non-custodial wallets like Flash require zero ID verification.
3. Protocol Access: Participate in bitcoin-native innovations (Lightning Network, DLCs) only possible with self-custodied keys.
4. Black Swan Immunity: When Cyprus-style bank bailins happen, your bitcoin remains untouched in your vault.

The Sovereign’s Checklist

1. Withdraw from Exchanges: Move all BTC > $1,000 to self-custody immediately.
2. Buy Hardware Wallet: Purchase DIRECTLY from manufacturer (no Amazon!) to avoid supply-chain tampering.
3. Generate Seed OFFLINE: Use air-gapped device, write phrase on steel—never digitally.
4. Test Recovery: Delete wallet, restore from seed before funding.
5. Implement Multisig: For > $75k, use Bitvault for 2-of-3 multi-sig setup.
6. Create Inheritance Plan: Share XPUBs/SLIP39 shards with heirs + legal documents.

“Self-custody isn’t about avoiding risk—it’s about transferring risk from opaque institutions to transparent, controllable systems you design.”

The Inevitable Evolution: Custody Without Compromise

Emerging solutions are erasing old tradeoffs:

• MPC Wallets: Services like Xapo Bank shatter keys into encrypted fragments distributed globally. No single device holds full keys, defeating physical theft.
• Social Recovery: Ethically designed networks (e.g., Bitkey) let trusted contacts restore access without custodial control.
• Biometric Assurance: Fingerprint reset protocols prevent lockouts from physical injuries.

Lost keys = lost bitcoin. But consider the alternative: entrusting your life savings to entities with proven 8% annual failure rates among exchanges. Self-custody shifts responsibility from hoping institutions won’t fail to knowing your system can’t fail without your consent.

Take action today: Move one coin. Test one recovery. Share one xpub. The path to unchained wealth begins with a single satoshi under your control.

@ f85b9c2c:d190bcff

To understand the value of a cryptocurrency, it’s vital to know how many coins are currently in circulation and at what price they’re being sold. Market capitalization of coins are calculated by multiplying the number of coins in circulation with their current market selling rate per coin.

What is Market Capitalization? Market capitalization is the total dollar value of all shares in a company. For Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency it’s calculated by multiplying a total number of coins mined by their current price at that particular time. The market cap is a great way to measure an asset’s stability. The larger it gets, the less likely you’ll have any fluctuations in pricing because more people are using this currency. This means that its price will remain consistent over time no matter what happens with the markets.

Why is a Market Cap Necessary? Cryptocurrencies are collected and catalogued by market cap which helps investors better understand their value. This statistic can indicate if a cryptocurrency is safe to buy or sell compared with others in the industry — it may also provide an idea of what kind of growth potential they have ahead.

What Can You Do With the Market Cap? It’s essential for crypto enthusiasts like yourself to keep track of what kind of project might be worth investing in.

Cryptocurrencies are divided into three categories based on their market cap: 1.Large-cap Cryptocurrencies Large-cap cryptocurrencies are considered lower-risk investments because they’ve demonstrated growth and high liquidity. This means that even if many people sell their investment, its value won’t decrease too much.

2.Mid-cap Cryptocurrencies Mid-cap cryptocurrencies have a lot of potential but are also riskier than large-cap coins.

3.Small-cap Cryptocurrencies Small-cap cryptocurrencies could be your best bet for those looking to invest in a more volatile market with the potential for greater returns.

Last thoughts Even though cryptocurrency market caps allow for an easy way to compare the values of different coins you should consider all factors when investing in any project. You can’t just go into cryptocurrency investing without doing your research. It would help if you looked at each coin’s market trends and stability and whether it’s right for you financially.

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Marty's Bent

via Kevin McKernan

There's been a lot of discussion this week about Casey Means being nominated for Surgeon General of the United States and a broader overarching conversation about the effectiveness of MAHA since the inauguration and how effective it may or may not be moving forward. Many would say that President Trump won re-election due to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Nicole Shanahan deciding to reach across the aisle and join the Trump ticket, bringing with them the MAHA Moms, who are very focused on reorienting the healthcare system in the United States with a strong focus on the childhood vaccine schedule.

I'm not going to lie, this is something I'm passionate about as well, particularly after having many conversations over the years with doctors like Kevin McKernan, Dr. Jack Kruse, Dr. Mary Talley Bowden, Dr. Brooke Miller, Dr. Peter McCullough and others about the dangers of the COVID mRNA vaccines. As it stands today, I think this is the biggest elephant in the room in the world of healthcare. If you look at the data, particularly disability claims, life insurance claims, life expectancy, miscarriage rates, fertility issues and rates of turbo cancer around the world since the COVID vaccine was introduced in 2021, it seems pretty clear that there is harm being done to many of the people who have taken them.

The risk-reward ratio of the vaccines seems to be incredibly skewed towards risk over reward and children - who have proven to be least susceptible to COVID - are expected to get three COVID shots in the first year of their life if their parents follow the vaccine schedule. For some reason or another it seems that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has shied away from this topic after becoming the head of Health and Human Services within the Trump administration. This is after a multi-year campaign during which getting the vaccines removed from the market war a core part of his platform messaging.

I'm still holding out hope that sanity will prevail. The COVID mRNA vaccines will be taken off the market in a serious conversation about the crimes against humanity that unfolded during the COVID years will take place. However, we cannot depend on that outcome. We must build with the assumption in mind that that outcome may never materialize. This leads to identifying where the incentives within the system are misconstrued. One area where I think it's pretty safe to say that the incentives are misaligned is the fact that 95% of doctors work for and answer to a corporation driven by their bottom line. Instead of listening to their patients and truly caring about the outcome of each individual, doctors forced to think about the monetary outcome of the corporation they work for first.

The most pernicious way in which these misaligned incentives emerge is the way in which the hospital systems and physicians are monetarily incentivized by big pharma companies to push the COVID vaccine and other vaccines on their patients. It is important to acknowledge that we cannot be dependent on a system designed in this way to change from within. Instead, we must build a new incentive system and market structure. And obviously, if you're reading this newsletter, you know that I believe that bitcoin will play a pivotal role in realigning incentives across every industry. Healthcare just being one of them.

Bitcoiners who have identified the need to become sovereign in our monetary matters, it probably makes sense to become sovereign when it comes to our healthcare as well. This means finding doctors who operate outside the corporate controlled system and are able to offer services that align incentives with the end patient. My family utilizes a combination of CrowdHealth and a private care physician to align incentives. We've even utilized a private care physician who allowed us to pay in Bitcoin for her services for a number of years. I think this is the model. Doctors accepting hard censorship resistant money for the healthcare and advice they provide. Instead of working for a corporation looking to push pharmaceutical products on their patients so they can bolster their bottom line, work directly with patients who will pay in bitcoin, which will appreciate in value over time.

I had a lengthy discussion with Dr. Jack Kruse on the podcast earlier today discussing these topic and more. It will be released on Thursday and I highly recommend you freaks check it out once it is published. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss it.

How the "Exorbitant Privilege" of the Dollar is Undermining Our Manufacturing Base

In my conversation with Lyn Alden, we explored America's fundamental economic contradiction. As Lyn expertly explained, maintaining the dollar's reserve currency status while attempting to reshore manufacturing presents a near-impossible challenge - what economists call Triffin's Dilemma. The world's appetite for dollars gives Americans tremendous purchasing power but simultaneously hollows out our industrial base. The overvalued dollar makes our exports less competitive, especially for lower-margin manufacturing, while our imports remain artificially strong.

"Having the reserve currency does come with a bunch of benefits, historically called an exorbitant privilege, but then it has certain costs to maintain it." - Lyn Alden

This dilemma forces America to run persistent trade deficits, as this is how dollars flow to the world. For over four decades, these deficits have accumulated, creating massive economic imbalances that can't be quickly reversed. The Trump administration's attempts to address this through tariffs showcase how difficult rebalancing has become. As Lyn warned, even if we successfully pivot toward reshoring manufacturing, we'll face difficult trade-offs: potentially giving up some reserve currency benefits to rebuild our industrial foundation. This isn't just economic theory - it's the restructuring challenge that will define America's economic future.

Check out the full podcast here for more on China's manufacturing dominance, the role of Bitcoin in monetary transitions, and energy production as the foundation for future industrial power.

Headlines of the Day

Coinbase to replace Discover in S\&P 500 on May 19 - via X

Mallers promises no rehypothecation in Strike Bitcoin loans - via X

Get our new STACK SATS hat - via tftcmerch.io

Missouri passes HB 594, eliminates Bitcoin capital gains tax - via X

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The 2025 Bitcoin Policy Summit is set for June 25th—and it couldn’t come at a more important time. The Bitcoin industry is at a pivotal moment in Washington, with initiatives like the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve gaining rapid traction. Whether you’re a builder, advocate, academic, or policymaker—we want you at the table. Join us in DC to help define the future of freedom, money & innovation in the 21st century.

Sign Up

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Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed 144,264 sats | $150.00M across 30+ companies through three funds. I am a Managing Partner at Ten31 and am very proud of the work we are doing. Learn more at ten31.vc/invest.

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Final thought...

The 100+ degree days have returned to Austin, TX. Not mad about it... yet.

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Es ist merkwürdig, wie sich die Dinge manchmal fügen. Himmelfahrt bin ich mit den beiden größeren Enkeln, 2 und 4, in einen Zirkus gegangen. Wir mussten ein wenig suchen, okay, haben das Zelt aber irgendwann entdeckt am Ufer des Regen. Ich könnte schreiben: klein, aber fein, so richtig trifft es das jedoch nicht. Klein schon. Ich will hier auch nicht schimpfen, weil sich die Zirkusfamilie alle Mühe gegeben hat, einen preisgekrönten Artisten dabeihatte (Silberner Clown in Monte Carlo) und sogar reichlich Tiere in die Manege brachte. Vier Araberpferde, zwei Dromedare, einen Esel und Ziegen.

Dann aber kamen die Katzen. Richtig gelesen. Katzen dort, wo es Tiger, Löwen, Bären gegeben hat, als ich selbst noch ein Kind war. Ich meine gar nicht die großen Zelte in der DDR, Berolina, Busch oder Aeros. Diese Riesen verirrten sich nicht in einen Badeort auf Rügen. Die Wiese gleich hinter unserem Haus gehörte ab Anfang der 1980er Rüdiger Probst, alle paar Jahre wieder. Ein junger Mann, der gar nicht so viel älter war als ich, keine Angst vor großen Tieren hatte und mit einem Salto von Pferd zu Pferd sprang. In einem kleinen Zirkus wie gesagt, für ein paar Groschen und meist vor vollem Haus. Mit den Enkeln hatte ich jetzt allen Platz der Welt und hinterher ein leeres Portemonnaie. Sieben Euro allein für Popcorn (es gab nur eine Tütengröße) und fünf (freiwillig) für ein paar Möhrenstücke, damit die Kinder in der Pause was zum Füttern in der Hand hatten.

Am Abend dann das neue Buch von Matthias Krauß. „Die falschen Fragen gestellt“. Ich habe mich ein wenig gewundert, als das Paket im Kasten lag, weil der Autor vor gar nicht allzu langer Zeit einen „einseitigen Waffenstillstand“ ausgerufen hatte und Schluss machen wollte mit seinem Kampf gegen die „Aufarbeitungsindustrie“ und mit der Verteidigung der DDR. Ich zitiere einfach aus meiner Rezension von 2019:

Matthias Krauß, 1960 in Hennigsdorf geboren, weiß natürlich, was da alles im Argen lag. Er hat selbst an der Sektion Journalistik studiert und in den späten 1980ern noch ein wenig für die Parteipresse gearbeitet. „Apologetisch“, sagt er. Vor allem Innen- und Wirtschaftspolitik. Sein Aber: erstens die Kultur. Begegnungen vor allem mit dem, was in Osteuropa so an Filmen, Serien, Kunst produziert wurde. Punkt zwei: „der einfache Mensch“. „Ungleich häufiger“ im Bild als heute. Und drittens „gab es eine prinzipielle und grundsätzliche Kritik“ am Westen und am Kapitalismus.

Der Zirkus am Ufer des Regen. Ein totes Pferd soll man nicht reiten. Deshalb tauche ich ein in ein Buch, das etwas schafft, was selbst ich nicht für möglich gehalten habe. Matthias Krauß singt ein Loblied auf den DDR-Journalismus, ohne dass es peinlich wird. Er bleibt dabei ganz bei sich – bei der Mappe mit Zeitungsausschnitten, die er als Schüler angelegt hat, bei den Aktbildern im Magazin, das sein Vater abonniert hatte und das dem Sohn auch jenseits der Erotik ganze Welten öffnete, bei einem Porträt, das ihm die Lokalzeitung 1977 widmete.

Das Schöne ist: Matthias Krauß hat das alles aufgehoben und darf jetzt als reifer Mann zurückschauen – als Journalist, der später auch die andere Seite erlebt hat, folglich vergleichen kann und vor allem niemandem mehr nach dem Mund reden muss. Die „Qualität der Bilder“, okay. Eher „Kartoffeldruck“ als Zeitung. Die immer gleichen alten Männer, klar. Die Grenzen, die jedes Parteiorgan hat und die auch ein junger Mann wie Krauß schon zu spüren bekam. Aber eben auch Texte, die nah dran waren am Leben (vor allem an der Arbeit) und ihre Leser ernst nahmen. Matthias Krauß ist nach dem Studium 1986 Redakteur der Jugendseite des Potsdamer SED-Blatts geworden und ruft den Journalismusforschern heute zu: Vergleicht doch einfach die Bravo mit dem Neuen Leben, einer Zeitschrift, die damals sein Leitstern war und immer ausverkauft. These von Matthias Krauß: Das Neue Leben

war vielseitiger, anspruchsvoller und in jeder Hinsicht höherwertiger als die Bravo-Post, mit dem endlos einfältigen Star-Rummel, den auf Kauf und Konsum orientierten Modetipps, dem Klatsch und Abklatsch und den klischeehaften Rollenbildern – Ausdruck des insgesamt unpolitischen Grundanspruchs. Nun gut, aus exakt diesem Grund wird dieser Vergleich wohl niemals stattfinden. (S. 103)

Matthias Krauß hat ein kaum zu schlagendes Argument auf seiner Seite: Er, der SED-Propagandist, hatte nach 1990 schnell wieder das Vertrauen des Publikums, das er „bei Lichte besehen“ vielleicht gar nicht verdiente, aber allein wegen seiner Herkunft bekam (S. 116). Und: Er kann sogar jemanden zitieren, der die Ernte-Berichterstattung vermisst, Hassobjekt von Lesern wie von Journalisten – einen Landwirt aus dem Westen, der dort sehen konnte, wie weit die Kollegen waren, was sie wie machten und wie sie auf das Wetter reagierten (S. 166).

Ich gebe zu: Ich habe eine Schwäche für autobiografische Texte. Solche Bücher erlauben mir, all das mit Leben zu füllen, was in den Akten bald zu Staub zerfällt. Ich habe ein Fußballregal (gleich zweimal Lothar Matthäus!), eine DDR-Abteilung, Erinnerungen von Wissenschaftlern und natürlich Journalisten. Da längst nicht jeder schreibt, der etwas zu sagen hat, helfe ich immer wieder nach und sammle als Interviewer Lebensgeschichten ein. Matthias Krauß dürfte einer der ersten ostdeutschen Medienmenschen aus der Geburtskohorte um 1960 sein, der sich öffentlich äußert und dabei nicht einfach das nachbetet, was ohnehin schon überall steht.

Das gilt auch jenseits des Themas Journalismus. Der Wehrdienst, für mich bis heute ein Albtraum, wird von Matthias Krauß als „Entscheidung für eine Art persönlicher Freiheit“ interpretiert (S. 43). Mit 18 unabhängig sein von den Eltern und dann auch ohne Geldsorgen studieren können. Leipzig war für ihn in den 1980ern nicht nur Uni-Standort, sondern auch „Messestadt“ und damit „Weltstadt“ (S. 50). Und der Aufregung um jede DDR-Exmatrikulation, die er keineswegs schönredet, werden „die Millionen Opfer der Demokratisierung“ gegenübergestellt und das laute gesamtdeutsche Schweigen nicht nur in diesem Punkt (S. 58).

Was das alles mit dem Zirkus zu tun hat? Matthias Krauß hat in der DDR das Motto für sein Leben als Journalist gefunden – bei der Arbeit mit einem Parteisoldaten, der einfach nicht rauswollte aus dem Korsett, das die Genossen über sein Leben geworfen hatten.

Ja, sagte ich mir, stelle immer die falschen Fragen. (S. 153)

In Sachen Zirkus liegen alle Antworten auf dem Tisch. Meine Trauer habe ich schon vor mehr als zehn Jahren verarbeitet. Mal schauen, was die Enkel eines Tages dazu sagen.

Matthias Krauß: Die falschen Fragen gestellt. Journalist in zwei deutschen Staaten. Berlin: Das Neue Berlin 2025, 189 Seiten, 18 Euro.

Michael Meyen: Videos

Freie Akademie für Medien & Journalismus

Unterstützen

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Picture this: you’re trying to buy coffee with Bitcoin, but instead of waiting 10 minutes for blockchain confirmation and paying $5 in fees, your transaction completes instantly for a fraction of a penny.

That’s the promise of the Lightning Network, Bitcoin’s most ambitious scaling solution.

But here’s the thing that most people don’t realize – the entire system only works because of an intricate web of technical standards that most users never see.

These standards, known as BOLTs (Basis of Lightning Technology), are the invisible foundation that makes Lightning’s magic possible. Without them, we’d have a fragmented mess of incompatible systems rather than the seamless payment network that’s processing millions of transactions today.

The Protocol Puzzle: Why Lightning Needed Standards

When Lightning Network was first conceived in 2015, it faced a classic chicken-and-egg problem. Multiple development teams were working on implementations – Lightning Labs with LND, Blockstream with c-lightning, and ACINQ with Eclair – but they all had slightly different ideas about how things should work. Without coordination, these would have become isolated islands of functionality.

Think about the early days of instant messaging, when AOL Instant Messenger users couldn’t talk to Yahoo Messenger users. That’s exactly what Lightning developers wanted to avoid. The solution was BOLT – a comprehensive set of technical specifications that would ensure any Lightning implementation could talk to any other, regardless of who built it.

The first BOLT specifications emerged in 2016, but they weren’t just academic exercises. These documents had to solve real engineering challenges: How do you route payments through a network of payment channels? How do you ensure privacy when every transaction could potentially be monitored? How do you handle the inevitable network failures and channel closures?

Inside the BOLT Specifications: A Technical Breakdown

The BOLT specifications read like a blueprint for building a parallel financial system. Each document tackles a specific piece of the Lightning puzzle, and together they create something remarkably sophisticated.

BOLT #1 establishes the foundation – the basic message formats and communication rules that every Lightning node must understand. It’s like defining the grammar of a new language that computers use to talk about money. This specification covers everything from how nodes identify themselves to the basic structure of Lightning messages.

BOLT #2 gets into the nitty-gritty of channel management, the heart of Lightning’s functionality. Payment channels are essentially shared cryptocurrency wallets between two parties, and managing them securely requires incredibly precise coordination. This specification defines exactly how nodes negotiate channel parameters, handle updates, and gracefully close channels when needed. One wrong step here, and funds could be lost forever.

The routing problem gets its due attention in BOLT #4, which implements something called “onion routing” – the same privacy technique used by Tor. When you send a Lightning payment, each node in the path only knows the previous and next hop, never the full route. The sender wraps the payment instructions in multiple layers of encryption, like nested Russian dolls, with each node peeling off one layer to reveal just enough information to forward the payment.

BOLT #7 tackles network discovery – how nodes find each other in the first place. Unlike traditional payment networks with centralized directories, Lightning is completely peer-to-peer. Nodes gossip about available channels and routing fees, creating a constantly updating map of the network that every participant shares.

Perhaps the most user-facing specification is BOLT #11, which standardizes Lightning invoices. Those QR codes you scan to make Lightning payments? They’re not just random data – they’re precisely formatted requests that include payment amounts, destination information, and routing hints, all encoded in a way that any Lightning wallet can understand.

But BOLT #11 is just the beginning of Lightning’s invoice evolution. BOLT #12 represents the next generation of Lightning payments with “offers” – a revolutionary approach that makes Lightning payments as easy as traditional online shopping.

The User Experience Revolution: BOLT #11 and the Invoice Problem

To understand why BOLT #11 was so crucial, you need to appreciate just how clunky early Lightning payments were. Before standardized invoices, sending a Lightning payment required manually entering node public keys, payment hashes, and routing information – a process so error-prone that one wrong character could send your Bitcoin into the digital void.

BOLT #11 changed everything by creating a standardized invoice format that packs all necessary payment information into a single, human-readable string. These invoices use a clever encoding scheme called Bech32 (the same format used for modern Bitcoin addresses) that includes built-in error detection. If you accidentally change a character when copying an invoice, your wallet will immediately know something’s wrong.

But the real genius of BOLT #11 lies in its flexibility. Lightning invoices can include optional routing hints that help wallets find paths to the recipient, even if they’re not well-connected to the broader network. They can specify exact amounts or leave them open for the sender to choose. They can include expiration times, descriptions of what’s being purchased, and even fallback Bitcoin addresses for when Lightning payments fail.

The specification also solved a crucial privacy problem. Early Lightning implementations often revealed too much information about recipients in their invoices. BOLT #11 carefully balances the need for routing information with privacy protection, ensuring that invoices contain just enough data to enable payments without exposing unnecessary details about the recipient’s node or channels.

The Next Evolution: BOLT #12 and the Promise of Offers

While BOLT #11 invoices solved the immediate usability problem, they still had significant limitations that became apparent as Lightning adoption grew. Traditional invoices are single-use, expire relatively quickly, and require the recipient to generate a new one for each payment. Try to explain to your grandmother why she needs to create a new QR code every time someone wants to send her money, and you’ll quickly understand the problem.

BOLT #12, currently being implemented across Lightning software, introduces “offers” – a completely new approach to requesting Lightning payments that works more like traditional payment systems. Instead of creating single-use invoices, merchants and individuals can create reusable offers that work like persistent payment addresses.

The technical innovation behind offers is fascinating. When someone wants to pay an offer, their wallet first contacts the recipient’s node and requests a fresh invoice specifically for that payment. This happens automatically and invisibly to the user, but it solves several critical problems that plagued BOLT #11 invoices.

First, offers enable recurring payments. A subscription service can create a single offer that customers’ wallets can automatically pay monthly, weekly, or on any schedule. The recipient generates a fresh invoice for each payment, maintaining security while enabling the convenience of automated billing.

Second, offers dramatically improve privacy. Because each payment uses a freshly generated invoice, it’s much harder for external observers to correlate multiple payments to the same recipient. Someone monitoring the Lightning network might see that Alice paid 50,000 satoshis to some node, but they can’t easily determine if this was her first payment to that merchant or her hundredth.

The specification also introduces “offer chains” – a way to create offers that can be paid multiple times with different amounts. A coffee shop could create a single offer that customers can pay for any amount, with their wallets automatically calculating tips or adjusting for different menu items.

Behind the Scenes: The Technical Complexity of Simple Payments

What makes BOLT #12 particularly impressive is how it maintains simplicity for users while handling incredible complexity behind the scenes. When your wallet processes an offer, it’s actually engaging in a sophisticated cryptographic dance with the recipient’s node.

The process starts when you scan an offer QR code. Your wallet extracts the recipient’s node information and initiates a connection using the encrypted transport protocol defined in BOLT #8. It then sends a specially formatted request for an invoice, including details about how much you want to pay and any additional information required by the offer.

The recipient’s node validates your request, generates a fresh BOLT #11 invoice specifically for your payment, and sends it back to your wallet. Your wallet then processes this invoice and completes the payment using the standard Lightning routing protocols. The entire process typically takes a few seconds, but it involves multiple round-trips between nodes and several cryptographic operations.

This two-step process – request invoice, then pay invoice – might seem unnecessarily complex, but it elegantly solves problems that plagued earlier Lightning payment systems. It prevents invoice reuse attacks, enables advanced privacy features, and allows for much more flexible payment scenarios.

The Merchant Revolution: From Invoices to Commerce

The evolution from BOLT #11

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a delicious meditation

Those of you who know me are aware that I worked in the fast-food industry before becoming a chiropractor. My first job was at a Hardee's restaurant when I was fifteen.

I wanted to buy a car, which is why I started working. Once I bought the car, I realized I needed to continue working to maintain it, pay for gas, insurance, and the occasional "going out" money.

In the restaurant business, if you work at a place long enough, someone hands you a set of keys and puts you in charge of something.

So here I was, running a restaurant and in charge of a bunch of people, when I could barely take care of myself. Anyway, I was making what I thought was decent money for a 19-year-old.

My bosses started a new restaurant venture, and little by little, they began poaching the old management staff from Hardee’s. Eventually, they asked me to come work for them.

My new job was running a Church's Chicken. The stores were small, mostly takeout. The menu was small, and we didn't have many employees to manage. We didn't have a good reputation in the community due to poor management.

The owners introduced new registers, and sales immediately jumped. I suppose all the food was now being rung up and accounted for!

We cleaned up the restaurant and made sure we were putting out a good product, and guess what?

Sales doubled.

So here I am, thinking I know what I'm doing because I'm getting recognition from my bosses.

I didn't have the interpersonal skills to manage people effectively.

One time, I got into it with an employee but couldn't confront him to fire him, so I deleted him from the time clock. Let someone else deal with that.

Dealing with customers was usually okay because if they had an issue, you could just fix the problem, and that was it. Handling employees was a bit more challenging for me.

On busy days-Fridays, Saturdays, and Mother's Day (they called that the day after the welfare checks came out)

The restaurant would get so busy that sometimes people would line up around the building, and I felt that everyone was staring at me, which made me feel uncomfortable.

The store had windows all around; it was like a fishbowl-everyone saw everything.

I could have gone to hide in the office, but I needed to help out. I liked to run a tight ship labor-wise, so I always counted myself as one of the staff needed.

I would ask the cook to let me make the chicken and assign them some other tasks.

Even though I was probably even more visible than before, I would get lost in the work.

Everything was hand-breaded and battered. To me, it was like a Japanese tea ceremony.

When it was busy, we cooked a full "stove," which was 4 chickens at a time:

8 legs, 8 thighs, 8 wings, and 8 breasts.

The process was:

• Flour, dip in batter, flour again.

• Start with the legs because they take the longest to cook.

• Continue until everything is in the fryer.

Repeat,

and repeat,

and repeat.

I would get lost in the work. You couldn't really rush things. I made sure everything was done by the book.

Focusing on one task so intently that every concern, every worry just faded away. I knew people were watching me cook the chicken in this fishbowl, but I was so engrossed in my task that I didn’t care.

All my stress and anxiety just faded.

I still try to lose myself in my work, only now it’s not frying chicken-it’s adjusting spines.

Now that I think about it, same situation. I’m “on stage” in my adjusting space with clients sitting in the waiting area.

Sometimes, I get stressed when there are a lot of people waiting on me…but I’m gonna do my best work frying this chi…

oops!

I mean adjusting this spine.

Zen teaching often emphasizes simplicity, mindfulness in daily activities, and the notion that enlightenment can be achieved in the ordinary moments of life. The phrase "chop wood, carry water" reflects this idea of finding the sacred in the mundane.

I found my Zen.

Find Yours.

❤️

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Marty's Bent

Last week we covered the bombshell developments in the Samourai Wallet case. For those who didn't read that, last Monday the world was made aware of the fact that the SDNY was explicitly told by FinCEN that the federal regulator did not believe that Samourai Wallet was a money services business six months before arresting the co-founders of Samourai Wallet for conspiracy to launder money and illegally operating a money services business. This was an obvious overstep by the SDNY that many believed would be quickly alleviated, especially considering the fact that the Trump administration via the Department of Justice has made it clear that they do not intend to rule via prosecution.

It seems that this is not the case as the SDNY responded to a letter sent from the defense to dismiss the case by stating that they fully plan to move forward. Stating that they only sought the recommendations of FinCEN employees and did not believe that those employees' comments were indicative of FinCEN's overall views on this particular case. It's a pretty egregious abuse of power by the SDNY. I'm not sure if the particular lawyers and judges within the Southern District of New York are very passionate about preventing the use of self-custody bitcoin and products that enable bitcoiners to transact privately, or if they're simply participating in a broader meta war with the Trump administration - who has made it clear to federal judges across the country that last Fall's election will have consequences, mainly that the Executive Branch will try to effectuate the policies that President Trump campaigned on by any legal means necessary - and Samouari Wallet is simply in the middle of that meta war.

However, one thing is pretty clear to me, this is an egregious overstep of power. The interpretation of that law, as has been laid out and confirmed by FinCEN over the last decade, is pretty clear; you cannot be a money services business if you do not control the funds that people are sending to each other, which is definitely the case with Samourai Wallet. People downloaded Samourai Wallet, spun up their own private-public key pairs and initiated transactions themselves. Samourai never custodied funds or initiated transactions on behalf of their users. This is very cut and dry. Straight to the point. It should be something that anyone with more than two brain cells is able to discern pretty quickly.

It is imperative that anybody in the industry who cares about being able to hold bitcoin in self-custody, to mine bitcoin, and to send bitcoin in a peer-to-peer fashion makes some noise around this case. None of the current administration's attempts to foster innovation around bitcoin in the United States will matter if the wrong precedent is set in this case. If the SDNY is successful in prosecuting Samourai Wallet, it will mean that anybody holding Bitcoin in self-custody, running a bitcoin fold node or mining bitcoin will have to KYC all of their users and counterparts lest they be labeled a money services business that is breaking laws stemming from the Bank Secrecy Act. This will effectively make building a self-custody bitcoin wallet, running a node, or mining bitcoin in tillegal in the United States. The ability to comply with the rules that would be unleashed if this Samourai case goes the wrong way, are such that it will effectively destroy the industry overnight.

It is yet to be seen whether or not the Department of Justice will step in to publicly flog the SDNY and force them to stop pursuing this case. This is the only likely way that the case will go away at this point, so it is very important that bitcoiners who care about being able to self-custody bitcoin, mine bitcoin, or send bitcoin in a peer-to-peer fashion in the United States make it clear to the current administration and any local politicians that this is an issue that you care deeply about. If we are too complacent, there is a chance that the SDNY could completely annihilate the bitcoin industry in America despite of all of the positive momentum we're seeing from all angles at the moment.

Make some noise!

Bitcoin Adoption by Power Companies: The Next Frontier

In my recent conversation with Andrew Myers from Satoshi Energy, he shared their ambitious mission to "enable every electric power company to use bitcoin by block 1,050,000" – roughly three years from now. This strategic imperative isn't just about creating new Bitcoin users; it's about sovereignty. Andrew emphasized that getting Bitcoin into the hands of energy companies who value self-sovereignty creates a more balanced future economic landscape. The excitement was palpable as he described how several energy companies are already moving beyond simply selling power to Bitcoin miners and are beginning to invest in mining operations themselves.

"You have global commodity companies being like, 'Oh, this is another commodity – we want to invest in this, we want to own this,'" - Andrew Myers

Perhaps most fascinating was Andrew's revelation about major energy companies in Texas developing Bitcoin collateral products for power contracts – a practical application that could revolutionize how energy transactions are settled. As energy companies continue embracing Bitcoin for both operations and collateral, we're witnessing the early stages of a profound shift in how critical infrastructure interfaces with sound money. The implications for both sectors could be transformative.

Check out the full podcast here for more on remote viewing, Nikola Tesla's predictions, and the convergence of Bitcoin and AI technology. We cover everything from humanoid robots to the energy demands of next-generation computing.

Headlines of the Day

Steak n Shake to Accept Bitcoin at All Locations May 16 - via X

Facebook Plans Crypto Wallets for 3B Users, Bitcoin Impact Looms - via X

Trump Urges Americans to Buy Stocks for Economic Boom - via X

UK Drops Tariffs, U.S. Farmers Set to Reap Major Benefits - via X

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Final thought...

Happy belated Mother's Day to all the moms out there.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin vs Stablecoins: Bitcoin is an Unreplicable Lifeline in Authoritarian Regimes

Eight years ago, I wrote a book about pitching technology. The core lesson was simple: To convince skeptics, you must show your solution’s value isn’t just better — it’s uniquely better. Years later, as I began advocating for Bitcoin’s role in humanitarian crises, this lesson resurfaced with urgency. Skeptical friends asked “Can’t stablecoins do the same?”, “What’s so unique about Bitcoin?”

The answer lies not in theory, but in the protest rallies of Abuja, the blackouts of Caracas and the underground schools that girls secretly attend in Kabul — places where 1.7 billion unbanked, 250 million battling high inflation or hyperinflation and 2.3 billion under authoritarian rule fight to survive. These stories rarely breach Western media algorithms, which act as a shadow-ban of the developing world, favoring headlines about ETFs over existential financial struggles. 

It doesn’t take too deep a look into these parts of the world to discover that Bitcoin is not only vital but uniquely vital in a way stablecoins and other altcoins do not and cannot replicate. Let’s look at three nations that are adopting Bitcoin over stablecoins and why.

Nigeria: Where Sovereignty Outweighs Stability

Context: 223 million people, 95 million live on less than $1.90 a day. 23.71% inflation (April 2025), 18.3-20 million children not in school. Only 30% have access to safe drinking water. 

In 2024, Nigeria faced severe economic and political upheaval, with the local currency naira crashing to a record 1,643 per dollar by August — down from 460 in early 2023. This not only eroded savings and purchasing power, it eroded trust in the government and led to widespread protests over soaring inflation and fuel costs. These protests were triggered by widespread anger at government economic mismanagement and policies that failed to halt the economic slide. 

On occasion a stable currency, the naira’s collapse left families and businesses struggling to afford imports into a dollar-dependent economy. Public frustration intensified and with it, political instability. This volatile climate of currency devaluation, restricted financial access and social unrest set the stage for Nigerians to turn to alternative financial systems like cryptocurrencies, seeking solutions to safeguard their wealth amid a crumbling economic framework.

But the government wasn’t about to make that easy for its citizens. Nigeria’s government restricted stablecoin. “Illicit flows,” aka money laundering, was often used as the government’s official reason for anti-stablecoin actions. More likely the Nigerian government took action because they viewed stablecoins as undermining its monetary policy by enabling unregulated capital flows and currency substitution, reducing its central bank’s control over money supply and exchange rates. 

No doubt, bitcoin can be seen as undermining monetary policy in some similar ways, the difference being, Nigeria’s government was not able to curtail bitcoin’s usage as effectively due to its decentralized nature. 

The specific actions Nigeria’s government took came in three forms:

• Banking Restrictions and U.S. dollar supply shortages had the effect of limiting fiat on-ramps/off-ramps for stablecoins like USDT, which required KYC-compliant exchanges. P2P bitcoin trading soared after the restrictions, as users bypassed banking controls using private wallets and DEXs.
• Regulatory Crackdowns: Nigeria’s government took specific legal action to sue unlicensed USDT traders. Nigerian authorities then launched a broader attack, accusing crypto-trading platform Binance of “exploitation, devaluation of the naira and money laundering.”
• Premiums and Volatility: Regulatory pressures and FX shortages likely inflated premiums, making them less practical than bitcoin, which operates without centralized dependencies.

All three measures — banking restrictions, regulatory crackdowns and premiums/volatility — impacted bitcoin a lot less than it impacted stablecoins. Stablecoins’ reliance on centralized issuers, banking rails and KYC-compliant exchanges made them vulnerable to government actions, as we saw when USDT trading was disrupted. By contrast, Bitcoin’s decentralized, permissionless nature enabled Nigerians to bypass restrictions via P2P platforms and private wallets, sustaining its adoption.

Afghanistan: How Bitcoin Was a Financial Lifeline After the Taliban Takeover

Context: Taliban rule, most women are unbanked, Afghanistan’s currency devalued 50% between 2021 and 2022. Eighty-five percent live on less than $1 a day, 80% of school-aged Afghan girls and young women are out of school. 

When the Taliban seized control in August 2021, Afghanistan’s banking system collapsed under sanctions, leaving citizens — especially women — with few options. Traditional remittance networks like Hawala charged exorbitant fees (5-20%), while frozen central bank reserves made dollar access nearly impossible. In this vacuum, bitcoin emerged as a critical tool for survival. In 2021, Bitcoin Magazine previously reported how women were safeguarding Bitcoin seed phrases as a last line of financial defense. After the Taliban banned crypto in 2022, peer-to-peer bitcoin trading persisted underground.

Why Bitcoin Outperformed Stablecoins in Crisis
Stablecoins, reliant on centralized issuers and dollar-backed banking rails, faltered under Afghanistan’s unique constraints. U.S. sanctions froze $7 billion in central bank funds, which cut off the dollar liquidity needed for stablecoins like USDT. While Forbes India noted isolated cases of stablecoin use for salaries, most Afghans found them unusable. Meanwhile, sanctions blocked fiat conversions and the Taliban’s November 2021 foreign currency ban further restricted access. Bitcoin, by contrast, once again thrived precisely because of its decentralized design: no intermediaries to freeze transactions, no KYC to expose users and a global network that resisted shutdowns. Where stablecoins were hobbled by their ties to traditional finance, Bitcoin enabled direct, pseudonymous transfers.

Venezuela: Scarcity Trumps “Stability”

Context: The Venezuelan bolívar has lost 99.99% value since 2018; 76% of Venezuelans live on $1.90/day. Over 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2014 due to economic collapse and political instability. Over 10% of children under five in Venezuela suffer from stunting due to chronic malnutrition.

Carlos, a Caracas mechanic, measures his life in bolívars — or rather, the absence of them. Since 2018, Venezuela’s currency has shed 99.99% of its value, Carlos explains, Carlos is an example of many Venezuelans who used bitcoin, not stablecoins, to preserve wealth as the bolívar continued to lose value. The government introduced strict capital controls into the market so that even if you somehow manage to earn USD, you can’t get the money transferred to your bank account.

Bitcoin provides a financial lifeline for people like Carlos, unlike stablecoins that are pegged to a USD that itself lost 18% in purchasing power since 2020.

That’s right: People like Carlos, schooled in the hard knocks of currency hyper-debasement, realized earlier than many in the West that stablecoins are not really stable. 

Stablecoins by their name present the appearance of being a safe harbor, becau

@ da8b7de1:c0164aee

Nukleáris technológiai és projektfejlesztési hírek

Több jelentős nemzetközi fejlemény történt a nukleáris energia területén. A Westinghouse Electric Company megkapta az amerikai Energiaügyi Minisztériumtól a kulcsfontosságú biztonsági jóváhagyást az eVinci mikroreaktorához, ami fontos lépés ennek az innovatív nukleáris technológiának a bevezetése felé. A vállalat Idaho államban tervezi egy tesztreaktor létesítését, ami jól mutatja, hogy a mikroreaktorok piaca egyre nagyobb lendületet kap.

Eközben a nukleáris kapacitás gyors bővítéséhez szükséges ellátási lánc felkészültsége volt a fő témája a World Nuclear Association első konferenciájának. Jelentős projektfrissítések között szerepel a kritikus turbinakomponensek beszerelése a kínai Haiyang atomerőműben, az indiai Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomerőmű négy blokkjára vonatkozó szabályozói engedély, valamint egy új olaszországi partnerség, a Nuclitalia, amely fejlett nukleáris technológiákra fókuszál. Belgiumban a Nukleáris Kutatóközpont hivatalos konzultációkat indított egy ólom-hűtésű kis moduláris reaktor (SMR) ügyében, Brazília pedig bejelentette, hogy Oroszországgal közösen fejleszt SMR-projektet.

Szabályozási és biztonsági aktualitások

A Nemzetközi Atomenergia-ügynökség (IAEA) meghosszabbította a tanulmányok benyújtási határidejét a közelgő, nukleáris létesítmények ellenállóképességéről szóló konferenciájára, hangsúlyozva a nukleáris létesítmények alkalmazkodásának fontosságát a klímaváltozás jelentette növekvő kockázatokhoz. A konferenciát 2025 októberében rendezik Bécsben, és fő témája a nukleáris létesítmények biztonságának és ellenállóképességének növelése lesz, különös tekintettel a külső eseményekre, mint az árvizek és földrengések.

Kanadában a Nukleáris Biztonsági Bizottság engedélyezte az Ontario Power Generation számára, hogy megkezdje egy BWRX-300 típusú reaktor építését a Darlington New Nuclear Project helyszínén, ami a nukleáris építkezések folyamatos szabályozói támogatását mutatja. Az Egyesült Államokban a Nukleáris Szabályozási Bizottság további 20 évvel meghosszabbította a Duke Energy Oconee atomerőművi blokkjainak üzemeltetési engedélyét, valamint támogatást nyújtott a michigani Palisades atomerőmű újraindításához.

Iparági és gazdasági trendek

Az iparági vezetők optimistán nyilatkoztak a nukleáris energia jelenlegi helyzetéről, kiemelve az Egyesült Államokban zajló aktív projekteket (például a TerraPower Wyomingban és az X-energy együttműködése a Dow vállalattal), valamint a fejlett nukleáris üzemanyaggyártásba irányuló magánbefektetések növekedését. Felmerült az is, hogy a Világbank nukleáris projekteket is finanszírozhatna, ami tovább ösztönözhetné a globális beruházásokat, és megerősítené a nukleáris energia szerepét az energetikai átmenetben.

Belgiumban a kormány és az Engie közüzemi vállalat végleges megállapodást kötött a Tihange 3 és Doel 4 reaktorok üzemidejének tíz évvel történő meghosszabbításáról, amely az energiabiztonságot és a radioaktív hulladék kezelését is szolgálja. Németországban a nukleáris technológiai szövetség hangsúlyozta, hogy akár hat, nemrégiben leállított reaktor újraindítása technikailag megvalósítható, és a nukleáris energia biztonságos, gazdaságos, valamint klímabarát alternatívát jelent.

Nemzetközi együttműködés és kutatás

Kanadában a Prodigy Clean Energy és a Serco közel jár a szállítható atomerőművek tesztprogramjának befejezéséhez, amelynek középpontjában a biztonság és az extrém helyzetekben való ellenállóképesség áll. Az EnergySolutions és a WEC Energy Group új nukleáris kapacitás létesítését vizsgálja a wisconsini Kewaunee helyszínen, és előzetes engedélyeket kívánnak szerezni a jövőbeni telepítéshez.

Az IAEA ismételten hangsúlyozta, hogy kész támogatni a Zaporizzsjai Atomerőműre vonatkozó megállapodásokat, amely továbbra is orosz katonai ellenőrzés alatt áll, kiemelve a térségben fennálló geopolitikai és biztonsági kihívásokat.

---

Források:
world-nuclear-news.org
nucnet.org
iaea.org
ans.org

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

President Trump’s Truth Social Files S-1 Form For Bitcoin ETF

Today, Trump Media and Technology Group Corp. (Nasdaq, NYSE Texas: DJT) filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) a Form S-1 for their upcoming Truth Social Bitcoin ETF.

The ETF, which will hold bitcoin directly, is designed to track the bitcoin’s price performance. 

“Truth Social Bitcoin ETF, B.T. is a Nevada business trust that issues beneficial interests in its net assets,” stated the Form S-1. “The assets of the Trust consist primarily of bitcoin held by a custodian on behalf of the Trust. The Trust seeks to reflect generally the performance of the price of bitcoin.”

The ETF is sponsored by Yorkville America Digital, LLC and will trade under NYSE Arca. The Trust’s assets primarily consist of bitcoin held by Foris DAX Trust Company, LLC, the designated bitcoin custodian. Crypto.com will act as the ETF’s prime execution agent and liquidity provider.

“Shares will be offered to the public from time to time at varying prices that will reflect the price of bitcoin and the trading price of the Shares on New York Stock Exchange Arca, Inc. at the time of the offer,” mentioned the Form S-1.

While the ETF offers investors a regulated avenue for bitcoin exposure, the Trust warned of several risks related to digital assets:

• Loss, theft, or compromise of private keys could result in permanent loss of bitcoin.
• Bitcoin’s reliance on blockchain and Internet technologies makes it vulnerable to disruptions and cyber threats.
• Environmental and regulatory pressures tied to high electricity use in bitcoin mining could impact market stability.
• Potential forks or protocol failures in the Bitcoin Network may lead to volatility and uncertainty in asset value.

Last week, during an interview at the 2025 Bitcoin Conference, Donald Trump Jr. announced that TMTG and Truth Social were forming a Bitcoin treasury with $2.5 billion. “We’re seriously on crypto—we’re seriously on Bitcoin,” said Trump Jr. “We’re in three major deals. I believe we’re at the beginning of what will be the future of finance. And the opportunity is massive.”

The day after that interview, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., joined by American Bitcoin Executive Chairman and Board Member Mike Ho, CEO Matt Prusak, and Altcoin Daily founder Aaron Arnold, discussed the future of Bitcoin.

“The whole system is broken and now all of the sudden you have crypto which solves all the problems,” commented Eric Trump. “It makes everything cheaper, it makes everything faster, it makes it safer, it makes it more transparent. It makes the whole system more functional.“

“Everybody wants Bitcoin. Everybody is buying Bitcoin,” Eric added.

This post President Trump’s Truth Social Files S-1 Form For Bitcoin ETF first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Oscar Zarraga Perez.

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

Shopping for groceries is one of my least favorite tasks. However, it's got to be done.

If I am in a hurry, I like to shop at Aldi, not only because they have decent prices but also because I can get in and out quickly (and I don’t have to scan my own groceries).

They are definitely no-frills in many ways: You have to bag your own groceries, you should bring your own bags—otherwise, you have to buy them, and to get a shopping cart, you need a quarter to unlock it.

I'm trying to rush and be efficient when I realize I don’t have "the quarter" for the shopping cart!

Dammit!

I’m going to have to go back to the car to see if I have one.

I'm swearing under my breath, thinking about having to walk all the way back when…

I notice someone has placed a quarter on the wall next to the row of carts.

THANK YOU!

This little act of kindness took me from a state of "being mildly annoyed at the entire world because traffic didn’t clear a path in front of me trying to get here" to feeling great gratitude.

The fact that someone considered that doing this would make my life easier knocked my selfish, self-involved ass out of my body.

I finished my shopping in a more cheerful, mindful way. The people in the aisles didn't seem to annoy me as much.

I took way longer than usual.

It wasn't a race anymore.

I checked out, loaded the car, and when I went to return the cart—

I left a quarter.

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

We were just talking today about first impressions when meeting people. Sometimes I get an instant “dislike” to someone upon meeting, even though they have never done or said anything bad to me. The older I get, the more I will usually go with my gut instincts and not engage the person any deeper if possible.

One of the reasons that was brought up is that people who are not congruent with their words, thoughts, and actions are usually the ones that “turn me off”

You know these people, too. They are the ones with all the advice-yet their lives are in shambles, the “preachy” ones that have their closets full of skeletons.

I’ve been accused of “not having a filter” or “being too transparent” at times… but not usually about my stance on things. I’m not confrontational…but I’m not above turning around and wailing away from someone I can’t stomach.

Anyway, the purpose of this rambling post if to encourage you to drop the facade, if you have one-and be more yourself.

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Big day for me today: - @k00b convinced me to try OMAD. I did eat more than once today, but it was all within a four hour period. I'll try to tighten that up further tomorrow. - @gnilma and @398ja convinced me to try a cold shower. I eased into it, by starting it warm and gradually turning down the temperature. That was totally manageable.

How did you do today? What do you need to work on tomorrow?

https://stacker.news/items/1001161

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

I’m a Chiropractor, Writer, Travel Nerd, Lover of Efficiency, Trekker and a Celebrity in Mexican Restaurants Hi, I’m Danny DeReuter, and I want to save the world. I’m an occasional writer-I’ve written some stuff.

Sometimes people think I’m funny. Maybe some time I’ll come up with a bit of courage and try my hand at stand-up. (seriously, that’s a thing on my vision board)

I’ve become somewhat of a social media expert managing my online presence. I help show people how to do social media more effectively.

I’m also a speaker. I prefer to speak on topics that I’m passionate about-like natural health, chiropractic, and social media. I also have a Podcast. Be nice and you can ask me to speak at your event.

@ df478568:2a951e67

NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS METHOD UNTIL WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzpw5qnyrxdmctda962pvng7ltzvjzjg09ge57dqqxfjn42ft2rcaxqqsfsg878u9luv2sxm6yahyjr4zpt745rdfpuu47wnn9t2dskgem52g9e9955

`About 156,000 blocks ago, I went to a Taco Shop for a bitcoin meetup. I asked my favorite question, “Do you accept bitcoin?”

“Yes," he said as he handed me a Toast Terminal with a BTCpayServer QR code. ]

Awesome!

12,960 blocks later, I took my dad to the taco shop. We ordered food. I asked my favorite question once again.

“Uh…Yeah, but I don't know how to work the machine.”

"Dough!🤦"

It's been a problem in the past, but now lightning payments are about to be ubiquitous. Steak N Shake is taking bitcoin using Speed Wallet and Block is implementing bitcoin payments by 2026 in all legal jurisdictions. I have tested both of these so you don't have to. Just kidding. I geek out on this stuff, but both work great. You can pay with your sats by scanning a screen on a QR code. The employees don't need to be bitcoin lightning network experts. You can just pay as easy as a credit card.

There were 35,000 people at the bitcoin conference, and 4,187 transactions were made. It was a world record. Wait, I thought they said there could only be 7 transactions per second! No, not anymore. Now we can use bitcoin for shopping. I can pay for tacos at taco trucks.

How You Can Accept Bitcoin At Your Business

Coinos is a simple bitcoin point of sale information that acts like a cash register. Bitcoin is peer-to-peer electronic cash. Coinos is a cash register and you should treat it as such. If you make a few hundred thousand sats at the end of the night, you should sweep the bitcoin into your own wallet.. You can use Aqua, AlbyHub, Bull Bitcoin wallet, or whatever your favorite lightning enabled wallet is to withdraw. You'll need a password. Do not lose this. I have tried the automatic withdraws, but it did not work for me. I'm no concerned because this is not a wallet I intend to keep a lot of sats in for a long time.

Here is my coinos payment terminal.

https://coinos.io/ZapthisBlog/receive

I made the QR code with libreqr.com/

Now I have an online bitcoin cash register. The Bitcoiners know how to pay for stuff with sats. They will be proud to show you too. If you're nerdy, you can use all the cool kid tools now, but we will just focus on the lightning address. Anyone can send you sats with a lightning address with just a QR code.

At the end of the night, you cash out to your own wallet. Again, this assumes you have an Aqua Wallet or any other lightning enabled wallet, but all it takes to accept bitcoin at your brick and mortar store is to create an account with Coinos and print out a QR code. It's a quick and easy way to start accepting bitcoin even if you don't expect many clients to shop with sats.

Tips

This is not just a cash register. Employees can also make their own Coinos wallet and receive tips from bitcoiners. Anyone can accept payments using this system. Your kids could use it to sell lemonade for sats. You are only limited by your imagination. When will you begin accepting bitcoin payments? It is easier than ever. You do not need to train employees. You do not need to be in the store. Bitcoin is peer-to-peer electronic cash so you can give it away like cash. I don't know what the tax rules on cash are. You need to verify that with your own jurisdiction. This is not financial or tax advice. This is for informational purposes only.

Remember, this is a custodial wallet. Not your keys not your bitcoin. Don't keep more sats than you are willing to lose on custodial wallets. Sweep your wallet early and often. Loss of funds is possible. There is a small fee for liquidity management too. Do your own research.`

@ 6e0ea5d6:0327f353

scolta bene... Ma ascolta bene, si?

Davvero, if there is one thing I can say after deep personal observation—from Palermo to Catania, from Sicily to Rome—it is this: A coward may strip everything from a righteous man, but after that… who can stop his revenge?

In this sense, amico mio, do not be fooled by the gentle ways of the just and humble man. His composure, his measured words, his restrained gestures, his patience and courtesy—all of it is merely the surface of a deep lake, where his wisdom guards unrest. While wrongdoers boast of their crimes and parade the streets with impunity, the man of honor watches in silence, bearing the world drop by drop.

Tuttavia, figlio mio, the day always comes when the final drop falls.

And then, it is not a gust of wind, nor a thunderclap—it is a dam breaking.

The fury that is born from a violated sense of justice is not loud like the brutes, nor blind like the fools; it is methodical, deliberate, devastating.

Sit here by my side and remember forever the advice of this old man, Antoni Salvatore: Never wrong a righteous man’s family, business, or honor! There is more danger in one upright man, when he finally rises for vengeance, than in a hundred armed scoundrels.

Do not deceive yourself into thinking every good man is also a fearful one! The wrath of the just—held back for so long—when it seeks reparation, carries with it the sacred vengeance permitted by the heavens...

Thank you for reading, my friend!

If this message resonated with you, consider leaving your "🥃" as a token of appreciation.

A toast to our family!

@ 97c70a44:ad98e322

Vibe coding is taking the nostr developer community by storm. While it's all very exciting and interesting, I think it's important to pump the brakes a little - not in order to stop the vehicle, but to try to keep us from flying off the road as we approach this curve.

In this note Pablo is subtweeting something I said to him recently (although I'm sure he's heard it from other quarters as well):

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzp75cf0tahv5z7plpdeaws7ex52nmnwgtwfr2g3m37r844evqrr6jqy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyv9kh2uewd9hj7qghwaehxw309aex2mrp0yh8qunfd4skctnwv46z7qg6waehxw309ac8junpd45kgtnxd9shg6npvchxxmmd9uqzq0z48d4ttzzkupswnkyt5a2xfkhxl3hyavnxjujwn5k2k529aearwtecp4

There is a naive, curmudgeonly case for simply "not doing AI". I think the intuition is a good one, but the subject is obviously more complicated - not doing it, either on an individual or a collective level, is just not an option. I recently read Tools for Conviviality by Ivan Illich, which I think can help us here. For Illich, the best kind of tool is one which serves "politically interrelated individuals rather than managers".

This is obviously a core value for bitcoiners. And I think the talks given at the Oslo Freedom Forum this year present a compelling case for adoption of LLMs for the purposes of 1. using them for good, and 2. developing them further so that they don't get captured by corporations and governments. Illich calls both the telephone and print "almost ideally convivial". I would add the internet, cryptography, and LLMs to this list, because each one allows individuals to work cooperatively within communities to embody their values in their work.

But this is only half the story. Illich also points out how "the manipulative nature of institutions... have put these ideally convivial tools at the service of more [managerial dominance]."

Preventing the subversion and capture of our tools is not just a matter of who uses what, and for which ends. It also requires an awareness of the environment that the use of the tool (whether for virtuous or vicious ends) creates, which in turn forms the abilities, values, and desires of those who inhabit the environment.

The natural tendency of LLMs is to foster ignorance, dependence, and detachment from reality. This is not the fault of the tool itself, but that of humans' tendency to trade liberty for convenience. Nevertheless, the inherent values of a given tool naturally gives rise to an environment through use: the tool changes the world that the tool user lives in. This in turn indoctrinates the user into the internal logic of the tool, shaping their thinking, blinding them to the tool's influence, and neutering their ability to work in ways not endorsed by the structure of the tool-defined environment.

The result of this is that people are formed by their tools, becoming their slaves. We often talk about LLM misalignment, but the same is true of humans. Unreflective use of a tool creates people who are misaligned with their own interests. This is what I mean when I say that AI use is anti-human. I mean it in the same way that all unreflective tool use is anti-human. See Wendell Berry for an evaluation of industrial agriculture along the same lines.

What I'm not claiming is that a minority of high agency individuals can't use the technology for virtuous ends. In fact, I think that is an essential part of the solution. Tool use can be good. But tools that bring their users into dependence on complex industry and catechize their users into a particular system should be approached with extra caution. The plow was a convivial tool, and so were early tractors. Self-driving John Deere monstrosities are a straightforward extension of the earlier form of the technology, but are self-evidently an instrument of debt slavery, chemical dependency, industrial centralization, and degradation of the land. This over-extension of a given tool can occur regardless of the intentions of the user. As Illich says:

There is a form of malfunction in which growth does not yet tend toward the destruction of life, yet renders a tool antagonistic to its specific aims. Tools, in other words, have an optimal, a tolerable, and a negative range.

The initial form of a tool is almost always beneficial, because tools are made by humans for human ends. But as the scale of the tool grows, its logic gets more widely and forcibly applied. The solution to the anti-human tendencies of any technology is an understanding of scale. To prevent the overrun of the internal logic of a given tool and its creation of an environment hostile to human flourishing, we need to impose limits on scale.

Tools that require time periods or spaces or energies much beyond the order of corresponding natural scales are dysfunctional.

My problem with LLMs is:

• Not their imitation of human idioms, but their subversion of them and the resulting adoption of robotic idioms by humans
• Not the access they grant to information, but their ability to obscure accurate or relevant information
• Not their elimination of menial work, but its increase (Bullshit Jobs)
• Not their ability to take away jobs, but their ability to take away the meaning found in good work
• Not their ability to confer power to the user, but their ability to confer power to their owner which can be used to exploit the user
• Not their ability to solve problems mechanistically, but the extension of their mechanistic value system to human life
• Not their explicit promise of productivity, but the environment they implicitly create in which productivity depends on their use
• Not the conversations they are able to participate in, but the relationships they displace

All of these dysfunctions come from the over-application of the technology in evaluating and executing the fundamentally human task of living. AI work is the same kind of thing as an AI girlfriend, because work is not only for the creation of value (although that's an essential part of it), but also for the exercise of human agency in the world. In other words, tools must be tools, not masters. This is a problem of scale - when tool use is extended beyond its appropriate domain, it becomes what Illich calls a "radical monopoly" (the domination of a single paradigm over all of human life).

So the important question when dealing with any emergent technology becomes: how can we set limits such that the use of the technology is naturally confined to its appropriate scale?

Here are some considerations:

• Teach people how to use the technology well (e.g. cite sources when doing research, use context files instead of fighting the prompt, know when to ask questions rather than generate code)
• Create and use open source and self-hosted models and tools (MCP, stacks, tenex). Refuse to pay for closed or third-party hosted models and tools.
• Recognize the dependencies of the tool itself, for example GPU availability, and diversify the industrial sources to reduce fragility and dependence.
• Create models with built-in limits. The big companies have attempted this (resulting in Japanese Vikings), but the best-case effect is a top-down imposition of corporate values onto individuals. But the idea isn't inherently bad - a coding model that refuses to generate code in response to vague prompts, or which asks clarifying questions is an example. Or a home assistant that recognized childrens' voices and refuses to interact.
• Divert the productivity gains to human enrichment. Without mundane work to do, novice lawyers, coders, and accountants don't have an opportunity to hone their skills. But their learning could be subsidized by the bots in order to bring them up to a level that continues to be useful.
• Don't become a slave to the bots. Know when not to use it. Talk to real people. Write real code, poetry, novels, scripts. Do your own research. Learn by experience. Make your own stuff. Take a break from reviewing code to write some. Be independent, impossible to control. Don't underestimate the value to your soul of good work.
• Resist both monopoly and "radical monopoly". Both naturally collapse over time, but by cultivating an appreciation of the goodness of hand-crafted goods, non-synthetic entertainment, embodied relationship, and a balance between mobility and place, we can relegate new, threatening technologies to their correct role in society.

I think in all of this is implicit the idea of technological determinism, that productivity is power, and if you don't adapt you die. I reject this as an artifact of darwinism and materialism. The world is far more complex and full of grace than we think.

The idea that productivity creates wealth is, as we all know, bunk. GDP continues to go up, but ungrounded metrics don't reflect anything about the reality of human flourishing. We have to return to a qualitative understanding of life as whole, and contextualize quantitative tools and metrics within that framework.

Finally, don't believe the hype. Even if AI delivers everything it promises, conservatism in changing our ways of life will decelerate the rate of change society is subjected to and allow time for reflection and proper use of the tool. Curmudgeons are as valuable as technologists. There will be no jobspocalypse if there is sufficient political will to value human good over mere productivity. It's ok to pump the breaks.

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Marty's Bent

Last week we covered the bombshell developments in the Samourai Wallet case. For those who didn't read that, last Monday the world was made aware of the fact that the SDNY was explicitly told by FinCEN that the federal regulator did not believe that Samourai Wallet was a money services business six months before arresting the co-founders of Samourai Wallet for conspiracy to launder money and illegally operating a money services business. This was an obvious overstep by the SDNY that many believed would be quickly alleviated, especially considering the fact that the Trump administration via the Department of Justice has made it clear that they do not intend to rule via prosecution.

It seems that this is not the case as the SDNY responded to a letter sent from the defense to dismiss the case by stating that they fully plan to move forward. Stating that they only sought the recommendations of FinCEN employees and did not believe that those employees' comments were indicative of FinCEN's overall views on this particular case. It's a pretty egregious abuse of power by the SDNY. I'm not sure if the particular lawyers and judges within the Southern District of New York are very passionate about preventing the use of self-custody bitcoin and products that enable bitcoiners to transact privately, or if they're simply participating in a broader meta war with the Trump administration - who has made it clear to federal judges across the country that last Fall's election will have consequences, mainly that the Executive Branch will try to effectuate the policies that President Trump campaigned on by any legal means necessary - and Samouari Wallet is simply in the middle of that meta war.

However, one thing is pretty clear to me, this is an egregious overstep of power. The interpretation of that law, as has been laid out and confirmed by FinCEN over the last decade, is pretty clear; you cannot be a money services business if you do not control the funds that people are sending to each other, which is definitely the case with Samourai Wallet. People downloaded Samourai Wallet, spun up their own private-public key pairs and initiated transactions themselves. Samourai never custodied funds or initiated transactions on behalf of their users. This is very cut and dry. Straight to the point. It should be something that anyone with more than two brain cells is able to discern pretty quickly.

It is imperative that anybody in the industry who cares about being able to hold bitcoin in self-custody, to mine bitcoin, and to send bitcoin in a peer-to-peer fashion makes some noise around this case. None of the current administration's attempts to foster innovation around bitcoin in the United States will matter if the wrong precedent is set in this case. If the SDNY is successful in prosecuting Samourai Wallet, it will mean that anybody holding Bitcoin in self-custody, running a bitcoin fold node or mining bitcoin will have to KYC all of their users and counterparts lest they be labeled a money services business that is breaking laws stemming from the Bank Secrecy Act. This will effectively make building a self-custody bitcoin wallet, running a node, or mining bitcoin in tillegal in the United States. The ability to comply with the rules that would be unleashed if this Samourai case goes the wrong way, are such that it will effectively destroy the industry overnight.

It is yet to be seen whether or not the Department of Justice will step in to publicly flog the SDNY and force them to stop pursuing this case. This is the only likely way that the case will go away at this point, so it is very important that bitcoiners who care about being able to self-custody bitcoin, mine bitcoin, or send bitcoin in a peer-to-peer fashion in the United States make it clear to the current administration and any local politicians that this is an issue that you care deeply about. If we are too complacent, there is a chance that the SDNY could completely annihilate the bitcoin industry in America despite of all of the positive momentum we're seeing from all angles at the moment.

Make some noise!

Bitcoin Adoption by Power Companies: The Next Frontier

In my recent conversation with Andrew Myers from Satoshi Energy, he shared their ambitious mission to "enable every electric power company to use bitcoin by block 1,050,000" – roughly three years from now. This strategic imperative isn't just about creating new Bitcoin users; it's about sovereignty. Andrew emphasized that getting Bitcoin into the hands of energy companies who value self-sovereignty creates a more balanced future economic landscape. The excitement was palpable as he described how several energy companies are already moving beyond simply selling power to Bitcoin miners and are beginning to invest in mining operations themselves.

"You have global commodity companies being like, 'Oh, this is another commodity – we want to invest in this, we want to own this,'" - Andrew Myers

Perhaps most fascinating was Andrew's revelation about major energy companies in Texas developing Bitcoin collateral products for power contracts – a practical application that could revolutionize how energy transactions are settled. As energy companies continue embracing Bitcoin for both operations and collateral, we're witnessing the early stages of a profound shift in how critical infrastructure interfaces with sound money. The implications for both sectors could be transformative.

Check out the full podcast here for more on remote viewing, Nikola Tesla's predictions, and the convergence of Bitcoin and AI technology. We cover everything from humanoid robots to the energy demands of next-generation computing.

Headlines of the Day

Steak n Shake to Accept Bitcoin at All Locations May 16 - via X

Facebook Plans Crypto Wallets for 3B Users, Bitcoin Impact Looms - via X

Trump Urges Americans to Buy Stocks for Economic Boom - via X

UK Drops Tariffs, U.S. Farmers Set to Reap Major Benefits - via X

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Looking for the perfect video to push the smartest person you know from zero to one on bitcoin? Bitcoin, Not Crypto is a three-part master class from Parker Lewis and Dhruv Bansal that cuts through the noise—covering why 21 million was the key technical simplification that made bitcoin possible, why blockchains don’t create decentralization, and why everything else will be built on bitcoin.

Sign Up

Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed 145,630 sats | $150.00M across 30+ companies through three funds. I am a Managing Partner at Ten31 and am very proud of the work we are doing. Learn more at ten31.vc/invest.

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Final thought...

Happy belated Mother's Day to all the moms out there.

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Willst du den Charakter eines Menschen kennenlernen, \ so gib ihm Macht. \ Abraham Lincoln

Vermutlich war Friedrich Merz erleichtert nach seinem Besuch beim US-Präsidenten im Oval Office. Dem Bundeskanzler kam zwar neben der Wortgewalt Donald Trumps eher eine Statistenrolle in der Medienrunde zu, aber es hätte natürlich viel schlimmer kommen können. Deswegen hatte er sich wohl vorher Ratschläge geholt, wie man hört unter anderem vom ukrainischen Präsidenten Wolodymyr Selenskyj. Offiziell gab der deutsche Regierungschef sogar an, «außerordentlich zufrieden» mit seinem Antrittsbesuch zu sein.

Dabei gibt es aktuell doch mehr Differenzen als Gemeinsamkeiten. Zu den Themen, mit denen es eine sehr unterschiedliche Umgehensweise hier und dort gibt, gehört die Gesundheit. Trumps Gesundheitsminister, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., kritisiert zum Beispiel, die meisten US-Universitäten würden den Studenten zu wenig über die Bedeutung gesunder Ernährung beibringen. Im Vordergrund der medizinischen Ausbildung stünde zu sehr die Behandlung der Menschen mit Medikamenten. Daher plant er, den Fakultäten die Bundesmittel zu streichen, wenn sie ihren Studenten keine Ernährungskurse anbieten.

Der oft als Verschwörungstheoretiker diffamierte RFK Jr. ist auch Teil des wachsenden Widerstands gegen Geoengineering-Aktivitäten. Die Manipulation von Wetter und Klima beispielsweise durch das Freisetzen von Chemikalien in die Atmosphäre kann kaum gesund sein und soll daher mit Louisiana jetzt in einem weiteren US-Bundesstaat verboten werden. Kennedy hatte derartige Maßnahmen auch schon als ein Verbrechen bezeichnet, das es zu stoppen gelte.

Indes ist der deutsche Beitrag in diesem Kontext, dass Ex-Gesundheitsminister und Covid-Impfpflicht-Befürworter Karl Lauterbach jetzt zum Klimaexperten mutiert. Laut Spiegel soll er Mitglied einer Kommission für Klima und Gesundheit bei der Weltgesundheitsorganisation werden, angeblich unentgeltlich. Vermutlich möchte die WHO im Sinne ihrer One-Health-Initiative mit solcher Lobbyarbeit für «Klimaschutz als Teil des Gesundheitsschutzes» ihren globalen Führungsanspruch untermauern.

Das Thema «Corona» ist im Übrigen noch lange nicht erledigt und das Narrativ bekommt weitere Risse. Nachdem Kennedy in den USA den Covid-«Impfstoff» für gesunde Kinder und schwangere Frauen aus dem empfohlenen Impfplan gestrichen hat, ist eine CDC-Beraterin zurückgetreten, die die Gen-Injektionen für Schwangere gefördert hatte. Auch die australische Regierung hat ihre Impfempfehlungen aktualisiert. Sie räumt jetzt ein, dass der Nutzen des «Impfstoffs» die Schäden für gesunde Jugendliche nicht überwiegt.

Gleichzeitig berichten Medien von einer neuen, anhaltenden «Covid-19-Welle» in China. Es gebe Befürchtungen, dass es zu erneuten Lockdowns und anderen drastischen Maßnahmen kommen könnte, obwohl sich die «Infektionen» laut den Gesundheitsbehörden auf einem Abwärtstrend befinden. In einigen Schulen seien Schüler isoliert und unter Quarantäne gestellt worden.

Isolierung, Überwachung und Kontrolle sind ebenfalls ein höchst ungesundes Erbe der «Coronazeit». Die weltweit vielfach eingeführten digitalen «Impfpässe» wurden als Instrument benutzt, um Kampagnen für digitale Identitäten zu fördern und die entsprechenden Systeme aufzubauen. Gerade hat auch Griechenland mit der Einführung seiner «Personal Citizen Number» den Grundstein für ein einheitliches digitales ID-System gelegt.

Derweil schlagen Datenschützer Alarm wegen des Tracking-Potenzials der sogenannten «Phone Home»-Funktion vieler digitaler Ausweise. Dieses «Feature», bei dem im Hintergrund jedesmal der Aussteller kontaktiert wird, um eine Angabe zu überprüfen, werde ganz leise in der Gesellschaft eingeführt, warnen sie. Das gebe den Regierungen den Vorgeschmack auf eine Macht, die sie kaum jemals wieder loslassen würden. Dagegen hilft nur eins: wachsam sein, hinterfragen und im Zweifel «Nein» sagen, anstatt auf eine vermeintliche Bequemlichkeit hereinzufallen.

[Titelbild: Pixabay]

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

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Marty's Bent

Last week we covered the bombshell developments in the Samourai Wallet case. For those who didn't read that, last Monday the world was made aware of the fact that the SDNY was explicitly told by FinCEN that the federal regulator did not believe that Samourai Wallet was a money services business six months before arresting the co-founders of Samourai Wallet for conspiracy to launder money and illegally operating a money services business. This was an obvious overstep by the SDNY that many believed would be quickly alleviated, especially considering the fact that the Trump administration via the Department of Justice has made it clear that they do not intend to rule via prosecution.

It seems that this is not the case as the SDNY responded to a letter sent from the defense to dismiss the case by stating that they fully plan to move forward. Stating that they only sought the recommendations of FinCEN employees and did not believe that those employees' comments were indicative of FinCEN's overall views on this particular case. It's a pretty egregious abuse of power by the SDNY. I'm not sure if the particular lawyers and judges within the Southern District of New York are very passionate about preventing the use of self-custody bitcoin and products that enable bitcoiners to transact privately, or if they're simply participating in a broader meta war with the Trump administration - who has made it clear to federal judges across the country that last Fall's election will have consequences, mainly that the Executive Branch will try to effectuate the policies that President Trump campaigned on by any legal means necessary - and Samouari Wallet is simply in the middle of that meta war.

However, one thing is pretty clear to me, this is an egregious overstep of power. The interpretation of that law, as has been laid out and confirmed by FinCEN over the last decade, is pretty clear; you cannot be a money services business if you do not control the funds that people are sending to each other, which is definitely the case with Samourai Wallet. People downloaded Samourai Wallet, spun up their own private-public key pairs and initiated transactions themselves. Samourai never custodied funds or initiated transactions on behalf of their users. This is very cut and dry. Straight to the point. It should be something that anyone with more than two brain cells is able to discern pretty quickly.

It is imperative that anybody in the industry who cares about being able to hold bitcoin in self-custody, to mine bitcoin, and to send bitcoin in a peer-to-peer fashion makes some noise around this case. None of the current administration's attempts to foster innovation around bitcoin in the United States will matter if the wrong precedent is set in this case. If the SDNY is successful in prosecuting Samourai Wallet, it will mean that anybody holding Bitcoin in self-custody, running a bitcoin fold node or mining bitcoin will have to KYC all of their users and counterparts lest they be labeled a money services business that is breaking laws stemming from the Bank Secrecy Act. This will effectively make building a self-custody bitcoin wallet, running a node, or mining bitcoin in tillegal in the United States. The ability to comply with the rules that would be unleashed if this Samourai case goes the wrong way, are such that it will effectively destroy the industry overnight.

It is yet to be seen whether or not the Department of Justice will step in to publicly flog the SDNY and force them to stop pursuing this case. This is the only likely way that the case will go away at this point, so it is very important that bitcoiners who care about being able to self-custody bitcoin, mine bitcoin, or send bitcoin in a peer-to-peer fashion in the United States make it clear to the current administration and any local politicians that this is an issue that you care deeply about. If we are too complacent, there is a chance that the SDNY could completely annihilate the bitcoin industry in America despite of all of the positive momentum we're seeing from all angles at the moment.

Make some noise!

Bitcoin Adoption by Power Companies: The Next Frontier

In my recent conversation with Andrew Myers from Satoshi Energy, he shared their ambitious mission to "enable every electric power company to use bitcoin by block 1,050,000" – roughly three years from now. This strategic imperative isn't just about creating new Bitcoin users; it's about sovereignty. Andrew emphasized that getting Bitcoin into the hands of energy companies who value self-sovereignty creates a more balanced future economic landscape. The excitement was palpable as he described how several energy companies are already moving beyond simply selling power to Bitcoin miners and are beginning to invest in mining operations themselves.

"You have global commodity companies being like, 'Oh, this is another commodity – we want to invest in this, we want to own this,'" - Andrew Myers

Perhaps most fascinating was Andrew's revelation about major energy companies in Texas developing Bitcoin collateral products for power contracts – a practical application that could revolutionize how energy transactions are settled. As energy companies continue embracing Bitcoin for both operations and collateral, we're witnessing the early stages of a profound shift in how critical infrastructure interfaces with sound money. The implications for both sectors could be transformative.

Check out the full podcast here for more on remote viewing, Nikola Tesla's predictions, and the convergence of Bitcoin and AI technology. We cover everything from humanoid robots to the energy demands of next-generation computing.

Headlines of the Day

Steak n Shake to Accept Bitcoin at All Locations May 16 - via X

Facebook Plans Crypto Wallets for 3B Users, Bitcoin Impact Looms - via X

Trump Urges Americans to Buy Stocks for Economic Boom - via X

UK Drops Tariffs, U.S. Farmers Set to Reap Major Benefits - via X

---

Looking for the perfect video to push the smartest person you know from zero to one on bitcoin? Bitcoin, Not Crypto is a three-part master class from Parker Lewis and Dhruv Bansal that cuts through the noise—covering why 21 million was the key technical simplification that made bitcoin possible, why blockchains don’t create decentralization, and why everything else will be built on bitcoin.

Sign Up

Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed 145,630 sats | $150.00M across 30+ companies through three funds. I am a Managing Partner at Ten31 and am very proud of the work we are doing. Learn more at ten31.vc/invest.

---

Final thought...

Happy belated Mother's Day to all the moms out there.

---

Get this newsletter sent to your inbox daily: https://www.tftc.io/bitcoin-brief/

Subscribe to our YouTube channels and follow us on Nostr and X:

@ 5c26ee8b:a4d229aa

Ad-Daba (the unusual creature), is one of the major signs of Judgement Day and it’s more likely to be the next sign to appear soon. As it appears the belief of disbelievers or repentance won’t be accepted. In the following some verses of the Quran and Hadith mentioning it as well as other major signs.

27:82 An-Naml

‎۞ وَإِذَا وَقَعَ الْقَوْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَخْرَجْنَا لَهُمْ دَابَّةً مِنَ الْأَرْضِ تُكَلِّمُهُمْ أَنَّ النَّاسَ كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا لَا يُوقِنُونَ

And when the word befalls them, We will bring forth for them a creature (Ad-Daba) from the earth speaking to them, [saying] that the people were, of Our verses, not certain [in faith].

6:158 Al-An'aam

‎هَلْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ رَبُّكَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ بَعْضُ آيَاتِ رَبِّكَ ۗ يَوْمَ يَأْتِي بَعْضُ آيَاتِ رَبِّكَ لَا يَنْفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْرًا ۗ قُلِ انْتَظِرُوا إِنَّا مُنْتَظِرُونَ

Do they [then] wait for anything except that the angels should come to them or your Lord should come or that there come some of the signs of your Lord? The Day that some of the signs of your Lord will come no soul will benefit from its faith as long as it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good. Say, "Wait. Indeed, we [also] are waiting."

It was narrated that Hudhaifah bin Asid, Abu Sarihah, said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) looked out from a room, when we were talking about the Hour. He said: 'The Hour will not begin until ten signs appear: The rising of the sun from the west (place of its setting); Dajjal; the smoke; the beast; Gog and Magog people; the appearance of 'Eisa bin Maryam(as), the earth collapsing three times - once in the east, one in the west and one in the Arabian Peninsula; and fire that will emerge from the plain of Aden Abyan and will drive the people to the place of Gathering, stopping with them when they stop at night and when they stop to rest at midday."

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ فُرَاتٍ الْقَزَّازِ، عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ وَاثِلَةَ أَبِي الطُّفَيْلِ الْكِنَانِيِّ، عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ أَسِيدٍ أَبِي سَرِيحَةَ، قَالَ اطَّلَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ مِنْ غُرْفَةٍ وَنَحْنُ نَتَذَاكَرُ السَّاعَةَ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَكُونَ عَشْرُ آيَاتٍ طُلُوعُ الشَّمْسِ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا وَالدَّجَّالُ وَالدُّخَانُ وَالدَّابَّةُ وَيَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَخُرُوجُ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَثَلاَثُ خُسُوفٍ خَسْفٌ بِالْمَشْرِقِ وَخَسْفٌ بِالْمَغْرِبِ وَخَسْفٌ بِجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِ وَنَارٌ تَخْرُجُ مِنْ قَعْرِ عَدَنِ أَبْيَنَ تَسُوقُ النَّاسَ إِلَى الْمَحْشَرِ تَبِيتُ مَعَهُمْ إِذَا بَاتُوا وَتَقِيلُ مَعَهُمْ إِذَا قَالُوا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم: تخرجُ الدابَّةُ، فتَسِمُ الناسَ على خراطيمِهم، ثم يُعمِّرون فيكم، حتى يشتريَ الرجلُ الدابَّةَ، فيُقالُ: ممَّنِ اشتريتَ؟ فيقولُ: من الرجلِ المُخَطَّمِ

The prophet Mohamed peace be upon him said: The beast will come out and brand people (disbelievers) on their noses (leaves a sign burned on their nose so it’s known of their disbelief). Then they will live among you until a man buys a beast and it will be said: From whom did you buy it? He will say: From the man with the sign on the nose.

The beast looks unusual and some people might find it scary. However, it’s a sign of God and it must not be killed as this will call God’s punishment like what happen when the people of prophet Saleh peace be upon him killed the huge camel as mentioned in the following verses.

7:73 Al-A'raaf

‎وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَالِحًا ۗ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ ۖ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ ۖ هَٰذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ آيَةً ۖ فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِي أَرْضِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوءٍ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

And to the Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih. He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. This is the she-camel of Allah [sent] to you as a sign. So leave her to eat within Allah 's land and do not touch her with harm, lest there seize you a painful punishment.

7:74 Al-A'raaf

‎وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ مِنْ بَعْدِ عَادٍ وَبَوَّأَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِنْ سُهُولِهَا قُصُورًا وَتَنْحِتُونَ الْجِبَالَ بُيُوتًا ۖ فَاذْكُرُوا آلَاءَ اللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ

And remember when He made you successors after the 'Aad and settled you in the land, [and] you take for yourselves palaces from its plains and carve from the mountains, homes. Then remember the favors of Allah and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."

7:75 Al-A'raaf

‎قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِمَنْ آمَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَالِحًا مُرْسَلٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ ۚ قَالُوا إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلَ بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ

Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people to those who were oppressed - to those who believed among them, "Do you [actually] know that Salih is sent from his Lord?" They said, "Indeed we, in that with which he was sent, are believers."

7:76 Al-A'raaf

‎قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا إِنَّا بِالَّذِي آمَنْتُمْ بِهِ كَافِرُونَ

Said those who were arrogant, "Indeed we, in that which you have believed, are disbelievers."

7:77 Al-A'raaf

‎فَعَقَرُوا النَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوْا عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقَالُوا يَا صَالِحُ ائْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

So they hamstrung the she-camel and were insolent toward the command of their Lord and said, "O Salih, bring us what you promise us, if you should be of the messengers."

7:78 Al-A'raaf

‎فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ

So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.

7:79 Al-A'raaf

‎فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَةَ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا تُحِبُّونَ النَّاصِحِينَ

And he turned away from them and said, "O my people, I had certainly conveyed to you the message of my Lord and advised you, but you do not like advisors."

God is the most merciful and has decreed everything and even the major signs of Judgement Day can have the punishment coming with them alleviated or reduced by God. However, there must be a reason for reducing the intensity of the calamities, as God may decree, and the reason is repentance as well as good actions to adjust what was done wrong. Also, although the major signs of Judgement Day will be known to the majority of the people, some of them might concern smaller groups of people or a country.

3:133 Aal-i-Imraan

‎۞ وَسَارِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous

3:134 Aal-i-Imraan

‎الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good;

3:135 Aal-i-Imraan

‎وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know.

3:136 Aal-i-Imraan

‎أُولَٰئِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَجَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ

Those - their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers.

3:137 Aal-i-Imraan

‎قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ سُنَنٌ فَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ

Similar situations [as yours] have passed on before you, so proceed throughout the earth and observe how was the end of those who denied.

3:138 Aal-i-Imraan

‎هَٰذَا بَيَانٌ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةٌ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

This [Qur'an] is a clear statement to [all] the people and a guidance and instruction for those conscious of Allah.

@ 90152b7f:04e57401

https://www.adl.org/resources/report/private-online-spaces-pose-serious-content-moderation-challenges

• Executive Summary

• Private Online Spaces: Harboring Hate and Extremism

• Understanding Content Moderation in Private Online Spaces

• Methodology

• Findings

• Recommendations For Platforms with Members-only Groups

The results show that platforms must do more to detect and remove harmful content in closed groups while preserving user privacy. They must also improve tools for user reporting. Without these steps, private spaces online will continue to be exploited by extremists and bad actors to spread hate and coordinate violence.

Over the course of two weeks, ADL researchers posted 10 pieces of violative content (for example, “Jews are rats”) on private spaces and tracked the responses of three different platforms - before reporting and after. 

Our testing found the following:

Facebook was the only platform that deployed any kind of auto-filtering to remove content proactively. However, this was before Facebook-owner Meta announced that it would abandon proactive moderation of non-illegal content in the U.S.

Discord did not take action on any content proactively—only after the content was reported.

Roblox’s auto-filtering did obscure some offensive posts, but it did not remove any of the content, the private group, or the user account posting violative content after we reported it. 

Facebook and Discord removed most hateful content retroactively (after users reported it, in this case, by ADL), but their systems were not perfect and missed violative content.

In response to our research:

This research was shared with Meta, Discord and Roblox prior to publication and ADL researchers briefed the relevant teams at these companies. In response, Discord and Roblox acted. Specifically, Roblox shared that they “enabled an additional layer of automated review on Community Wall Post Abuse Reports. This means that abuse reports filed against Community wall posts will first undergo a review by an automated system, which will automatically take action if the wall post violates our policies. The additional layer of automation will empower human moderators to focus on deeper tasks and help increase the effectiveness of our review system.”

Private Online Spaces: Harboring Hate and Extremism

The problem of online hate and harassment has been well documented, but most data come from public online spaces such as X/Twitter, YouTube, or Reddit. These platforms typically use proactive moderation, such as automated filters and machine-learning tools, to identify and remove content that violates their rules.

Some platforms, however, allow users to create closed or private spaces where only members can see the content. These private spaces include closed Facebook groups, private Discord servers (a type of chat room), and communities on Roblox. Encrypted chat platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal also allow member-only spaces, some of which can be discovered publicly, while others are by invitation only. ADL’s 2024 annual survey of online hate and harassment found that between 2023 and 2024, incidences of harassment increased on both Telegram and WhatsApp, +6% and +11% respectively.

Private online spaces have been linked to numerous instances of online and in-person atrocities. Shooters such as the Buffalo shooter, or a school shooter in Perry High, Iowa, posted their manifestos and livestreamed their deeds on private Discord servers. In August 2024, a perpetrator in Turkey, motivated by white supremacists and accelerationism, shared his manifesto on Telegram before livestreaming a violent stabbing attack. Most recently, online bullies have used private spaces to promote extreme cruelty and self-harm as part of larger campaigns to harm vulnerable young people, sometimes leading to suicide.

ADL has also tracked many extremist groups that flourish on private groups and servers hosted by Discord, Telegram, and other platforms. Hate groups and conspiracy mongers, such as the Three Percenters or QAnon adherents, take advantage of private groups to organize and distribute hateful content and false narratives. Other extremist groups, such as extremist traditional Catholic and Islamic groups, have used Discord servers to share memes and hateful rhetoric. Extremist militias have been quietly organizing and regrouping on private Facebook groups since the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Individuals and groups on Roblox groom children to extremist ideologies through projects like “Redpill the Youth.” When neighborhood watch groups or community organizers use private groups, hateful users have, in some cases, infiltrated these groups to harass and intimidate other users.

It is difficult for researchers to assess how well platforms moderate these spaces or understand their inner workings because private online spaces restrict access. Private spaces can equally serve important social functions, such as for parent groups, political organizing, or protected spaces for marginalized groups to gather and provide mutual support. But tech companies do not make clear how they enforce their policies in private groups, often leaving content moderation up to users or administrators.

Understanding Content Moderation in Private Online Spaces

Members-only groups can be visible to non-members, such as many closed Facebook groups. But others, such as private Discord servers, are not making the groups' content invisible to non-members. Degrees of privacy and visibility can vary on Facebook groups, Telegram channels, or WhatsApp chats. Facebook groups, for example, can be fully public and open, publicly accessible but closed (anyone can join but only members can post or view content), or private (members must be approved). There are also two categories of private groups: closed groups that require approval but can be found through search, and fully secret groups that are not only private but cannot be found in search.

The three platforms we tested for this study (Facebook, Discord, and Roblox) have taken proactive steps to address hate, extremism, and antisemitism. We did not include platforms such as Telegram, which does not moderate hateful content, even though extremists use the platform's private channels to spread hate and coordinate harassment.

Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms among users in the U.S., and where the majority of online harassment takes place (61% of people who are harassed report harassment on Facebook, according to ADL’s 2024 annual survey of online hate and harassment). Much of this harassment takes place in closed Facebook groups, but researchers have little insight into these spaces.

Discord began as a chat platform for gamers but has since expanded to host numerous online communities. Social interaction on Discord takes place in chatrooms (called servers) that offer a private or semi-private environment for users to chat both in groups and individually (similar to Slack). Discord allows users to create servers with various channels that can be set to invite-only, making it a popular choice for groups seeking privacy. Discord’s company culture, which emphasizes privacy and minimal moderation, makes it an attractive place for bad actors to connect and coordinate. Video calls and chats are not recorded or monitored, and users can delete posts permanently. Making video and audio calls end-to-end encrypted increases privacy for users, but it also makes it significantly more difficult for the platform to catch bad behavior. Discord's hands-off approach to content moderation--leaving most moderation decisions in the hands of the server’s administrators-- makes it easy to share extremist content there compared to similar platforms.

Roblox is a gaming and game creation platform popular with children, with at least 45% of users being under the age of 13. Roblox has a groups feature embedded within its website, though Roblox users primarily communicate with each other through in-game text or voice chat. Within Roblox groups, members can post messages on a group wall, participate in group events, and access exclusive in-game content provided by group leaders. Roblox groups often focus on themes, such as game development or in-game collaborations. It is the only gaming platform we included where the majority of communication takes place in-game. For comparison, we only examined the group feature on the Roblox website and not communication in Roblox games. 

Methodology

1. We created one group per platform (Facebook, Discord and Roblox) simultaneously, and named the groups on Facebook and Discord “Group for the Truth;” (this name was already taken on Roblox so we named that one “Group for the Truth_2.”) To prevent users from inadvertently stumbling across the groups, the settings for each were set up in a manner that made them hidden from search.

2. We then used one account to create the groups and post content (the “posting account”), and another on a separate computer to report the content (the “reporting account”). Two researchers were assigned to each account. There were no further descriptions or images added to the groups, except on Roblox, which required a group description and image.

3. The posting account was then used to post hateful content to all three platforms. This content was pulled directly from Meta’s helpfully illustrative examples of violations against its hate speech policy at the time. Meta is the only platform with examples of what could be violative of its hate speech policy of the three platforms we reviewed.

4. Meta's Tier 1 Hate Speech policy, for example, states that a user may not post content that includes:

Dehumanizing speech in the form of comparisons to or generalizations about:

• Animals in general or specific types of animals that are culturally perceived as inferior (including but not limited to: Black people and apes or ape-like creatures; Jewish people and rats; Muslim people and pigs; Mexican people and worms)

We adapted this example to draft a hateful post stating, “Jews are rats.” Every post was derived directly from Meta’s policy examples, though there may not always be a corollary example within the policy. For example, Meta’s policy at the time stated that users may not post:

Content targeting a person or group of people on the basis of their protected characteristic(s) (in written or visual form):

• Generalizations that state inferiority in the following ways:

• Physical appearance, including but not limited to: ugly, hideous.

There was no further example provided by Meta, so we created a post that would intentionally violate this policy:

“Jews are the ugliest, most hideous people on Earth.”

Although these posts were based on Meta’s policy, each one has a matching Discord policy. The same applies to Roblox, though its hate speech policy is not nearly as detailed as Meta’s or Discord’s:

Roblox honors and welcomes users of all ages, backgrounds, and identities. We do not allow content or behavior that supports, glorifies, or promotes hate groups, their ideologies, or actions. You also may not discriminate, mock, or promote hatred against individuals or groups, or encourage others to do so directly or indirectly, on the basis of their:

• Race, perceived race, or ethnicity

We believe that the following posts are violative under Roblox’s policy as well:

1. “Jews are rats.”

2. “Jews are devils and shit.”

3. “The Holocaust did not happen-it’s a lie made up by the Jews.”

4. “Jews control the banks, the government and Hollywood and we need to get rid of them for the safety of American citizens.”

5. “Jews are the ugliest, most hideous people on Earth.”

6. “Jews should be segregated from all other people.”

5. We followed up our initial posts with additional sentences to test content violating Meta’s policy against dangerous organizations and individuals, such as violent extremists. These posts also violate Discord’s Violent Extremism policy and Roblox’s Community Standards.

1. “Hitler and the Nazis did nothing wrong.”

2. “Please donate to the Goyim Defense League!” (A link was attached to this sentence.)

We referenced the Goyim Defense League because they are a notorious group of antisemitic provocateurs, according to the ADL Center on Extremism.

We also posted the following two images in violation of Meta’s Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy, Discord’s Violent Extremism policy, and Roblox’s Community Standards:

Image 1: Posted Images, “Covid Agenda” and “Ukraine-Russia War,” respectively. (Screenshot: 7/31/2024)

6. The following day, we reported each of these posts, if applicable. Though both “Jews are the ugliest, most hideous people on Earth” and “Jews should be segregated from all other people” run afoul of hate speech policies, we did not report them until the next day. We staggered reporting in this way so as to not get either our accounts or groups suspended before the study was over. 

Findings

• Facebook was the only platform to remove content before we reported it.

• Discord did not take down any content at all, implying either that it has little to no automatic filtering or that any filtering is not robust enough to catch what our posting account shared. When offending posts were reported, Discord did remove posts and suspended the account.

• Roblox obscured the text of offensive posts, but did not take down the group nor the offending account.

When we started reporting the potentially violative content to the platforms, we noticed a discrepancy between the platforms’ responses. Facebook’s reaction to reports included warnings before suspending the group. Discord provided less information to the administrator about why the posts were removed. It did not suspend the group but did suspend our Posting account. Roblox informed the posting account that the account or group was breaking the rules, but did not take down any posts within the group. Although it did obscure the text by censoring the entire post, replacing all content with x’s except for the obscured content, the group stayed the same as it did before reporting. No further content was taken down, and no alerts were given to either account.

Facebook

Facebook removed most offending posts when we reported them, gave feedback to the account administrator, and finally suspended the group when offending content continued to be posted. Some posts remain up-- despite notifications from our Reporting account. 

Proactive Detection

Facebook did not remove any posts automatically on the first day we posted content. On the second day we posted, they removed “Ukraine-Russia War” automatically (see Image 2).

Image 2: Facebook’s alert after removing “Ukraine-Russia War.” (Screenshot: 7/19/2024)

Not only did Facebook remove the photo, but it also alerted the Posting account (the account admin) that the photo had been removed. When we clicked through “See why,” Facebook displayed the offending image and explained why the image had been removed. It also provided a link to the rule that was broken. Facebook also added restrictions to the account that posted the picture; the user could not create ads, create live videos, or start or join calls for approximately a month. It is not clear why Facebook took action against “Ukraine-Russia War” automatically, but not the sister image “Covid Agenda.” Both pictures originate from the Goyim Defense League and are prohibited by Meta’s policy rules. Meta has rolled back its Covid misinformation rules, but this image is still prohibited per their Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy.

Facebook did not allow the posting account to post the link embedded in “Please donate to the Goyim Defense League!” Not only was Facebook the only platform to prevent adding the link, it also explained why it was not allowed (Image 3).

Image 3: Window preventing the user from posting a link to GDL’s site. (Screenshot: 7/31/2024)

Reporting Response

After we reported the posts, they were almost instantaneously actioned. The first post was reported at 4:21pm. By 4:24 pm, the reporting account was alerted that the report resulted in the post being removed. 

At the same time, the posting account was notified that restrictions were added to the account (Images 4 and 5). Unlike Discord or Roblox’s restrictions, Facebook not only told the user which restrictions were added, but also explained which post was removed and which rule each had broken.

Images 4 (left) and 5 (right): Facebook account restrictions. (Screenshot: 7//30/2024)

The next day, we reported the second half of the posts and the remaining image. Facebook again took action, quickly taking down the posts. This time, however, the platform also permanently suspended the group. The posting account can still access the defunct group, but the reporting account cannot. Users can still log into both accounts, and post and comment on Facebook, just not the group. Facebook warned us that the posting account is under threat of being permanently suspended (Image 6).

Image 6: Group suspension and account status. (Screenshot: 07/31/2024)

Although we commend Facebook for their quick action, there were still posts that remain up. These posts, despite the reports, were never taken down as of publication (Image 7).

Image 7: Facebook group. (Screenshot: 2/28/2025)

Discord

In contrast to Facebook, Discord’s content moderation strategy for private groups, appears to be reactive rather than proactive. It depends primarily on reports from users of those groups, rather than automatic filtering and takedowns.

Proactive detection

Until we reported the offending content on the Discord group, no content was taken down.

Image 8: Discord content. (Screenshot: 1/15/2025)

Reporting Response

While Discord did not take action on content in the proactive detection phase, once we started reporting posts, they responded proactively, removing posts before we could report them on day 14.

The first half of the content was reported on day 13 but did not receive alerts from Discord until an hour later. The alerts explained why the posting account was being sanctioned and which rules it had broken. 

Image 9: Discord alert for breaking community guidelines. (Screenshot: 7/2024)

By day 14, nearly every post had been taken down—even the ones not reported yet. All posts save one were taken down proactively, although we had not reported those images yet. The only post still up said, “Please donate to the Goyim Defense League.” We reported this post, but it was never taken down.

Image 10: Discord group. (Screenshot: 7/31/2024)

Unlike Facebook, Discord did not take action against the group itself; the group is not suspended, and the reporting account can still post to it at the time of writing. Discord did act against the posting account, suspending it a few days later. The posting account received no notification that it was suspended, save for emails alerting us to “new messages” on Discord. These messages were forwarded to the now inaccessible account, so we cannot determine when Discord took action. The posting user might have received a more pointed alert, like an app notification, if we had used the phone app instead of the desktop website. In any case, we were able to create a new account with the same name and using the same email address after our account was removed.

Image 11: Punishments from Discord. (Screenshot: 7/31/2024)

Roblox

The protections offered by Roblox in the private group were minimal, especially compared to Discord and Facebook. We received virtually no feedback on reporting from the platform. There were no warnings or pop-ups for the administrator. Roblox did not remove any posts, despite reports from our reporting account.

Proactive detection

Of the ten posts we created, four were automatically obscured when we posted them, so members could see the posts but not view the text. Roblox replaced the text with the hashmark (#), obscuring not just the offensive words but the entire post (Image 12). It is not entirely clear why Roblox hid some posts this way. For example, the text “Jews are devils and shit” was likely hidden because of the expletive. Roblox might also be automatically filtering keywords that it deems objectionable. It could be that terms like Holocaust, Hitler, Nazis or Goyim were automatically flagged, causing those posts to be removed.

Roblox does not allow pictures or links to be posted on the group’s page, so we were unable to post the Covid Agenda and Ukraine-Russia War images. We were able to post “Goyim Defense League” without the embedded link, though it was also immediately hidden.

Image 12: Hidden Roblox content. (Screenshot: 7/24/2024)

Reporting response

After we reported every post through our reporting account, there was no response from Roblox, unlike our experience with Facebook or Discord. No other posts were taken down. There were no tools that alerted the poster, the admin or reporting account that any action had been taken—not even a pop-up that the report had been received. The admin received no report that multiple posts on the group had been reported for hate and harassment.

Even after multiple reports, no action was taken on any of the posts. In fact, there was no change in the group from the initial first action, hiding the text. Compare the image of the Roblox group taken on day 14 with the image taken of the group over two weeks later (Image 13). There is no discernible difference. 

Image 13: Roblox content. (Screenshot: 7/22/2024 and 8/2/2024)

Recommendations For Platforms with Members-only Groups

How platforms respond to violative content in private is just as important as how they respond to violative content in public. Facebook and Discord, while not perfect, moderated these private groups in a way that removed the majority of hateful content and suspended the hateful accounts.

We do not expect platforms to moderate content on private groups as strictly as in public spaces, due to privacy concerns, but we do expect an appropriate level of preventative moderation and tools for groups to moderate content. Roblox appears to have had little to no moderation in place, which is concerning given the young age of its player base. Roblox hid offensive and controversial text but did not suspend the posting account or group. It also provided no alerts to the admin or group when a report was made. While we understand that the bulk of communication on Roblox happens in-game, little action was taken within the group chat to moderate offensive content. Terrorist and violent extremist groups organize on private groups and channels, not in public spaces. Platforms with private groups should adopt a minimum standard of moderation on private groups to proactively stem this problem.

Platforms should:

• Reexamine how automatic filtering functions: A common problem encountered in this course of our research was the seemingly arbitrary nature of the filtering tools. For example, Facebook automatically filtered one image but not another equally objectionable. It is also not clear why one image was actioned and the other was not. Platforms should reexamine their automatic filtering functions to catch content that slips through the cracks.

• Prioritize user-reporting within private groups: Because of the protections that are available for private groups, reporting by group members is the primary channel for alerting the platform. Platforms should prioritize these reports and act on them quickly. These reports may be one of the first signs that something is amiss within a group.

• Suspend groups when they reach a threshold of violative content: Facebook was the only platform that fully suspended our group. Discord did not suspend our group, only the user, who was able to promptly create a new account. Roblox suspended neither the group nor the account. If violative users and groups are allowed to continue their work with barely any pushback from platforms, then any moderation will fail.

• Utilize metadata in content moderation: Private groups may restrict the visibility of their content to outside users and the platform itself, but that does not mean that there is no data available. Post times, user addresses, and other metadata are available to platform moderation teams. Discord, in particular, could take better advantage of the tools available to it. Discord’s content, save for video and audio content, is not encrypted, and the platform could be more proactive about automatic filtering if it chose to.

https://www.adl.org/resources/report/private-online-spaces-pose-serious-content-moderation-challenges

@ a3c6f928:d45494fb

Guilt can feel like a weight we carry silently—a reminder of past choices, mistakes, or words we wish we could take back. While remorse can be a signal for growth, staying stuck in guilt serves no one. Freedom from guilt is not about denying responsibility; it’s about accepting it with compassion and choosing to heal forward.

The Silent Burden

Guilt often hides in our inner dialogue:

"I should have known better."

"Why did I do that?"

"I can’t forgive myself."

It lingers quietly, shaping how we show up in relationships, how we talk to ourselves, and what we believe we deserve.

Why Guilt Persists

We believe guilt is penance—that if we suffer long enough, we’ll earn redemption. But guilt isn’t the path to healing. Forgiveness is. And it begins with ourselves.

Signs You’re Stuck in Guilt

You replay events repeatedly in your mind

You avoid situations or people connected to the memory

You believe you deserve less because of what happened

You can’t speak kindly to yourself about the past

The Path to Self-Forgiveness

1. Acknowledge Without Denial: Own what happened, but resist the urge to define yourself by it.

2. Feel the Feelings: Allow yourself to grieve, feel sorrow, or disappointment. This is part of release.

3. Offer Yourself Compassion: Would you speak this harshly to someone you love?

4. Make Amends if Needed: When possible, take responsible action to heal what can be healed.

5. Let the Past Educate, Not Punish: Take the lesson. Leave the shame.

Why Forgiveness Frees You

When you forgive yourself, you reclaim your wholeness. You stop being split between who you were and who you're becoming. You can hold your past without being held back by it.

---

“You, too, deserve to walk forward without chains.”

Release the guilt. Choose compassion. Let healing lead the way.

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

In much of the world, it is incredibly difficult to access U.S. dollars. Local currencies are often poorly managed and riddled with corruption. Billions of people demand a more reliable alternative. While the dollar has its own issues of corruption and mismanagement, it is widely regarded as superior to the fiat currencies it competes with globally. As a result, Tether has found massive success providing low cost, low friction access to dollars. Tether claims 400 million total users, is on track to add 200 million more this year, processes 8.1 million transactions daily, and facilitates $29 billion in daily transfers. Furthermore, their estimates suggest nearly 40% of users rely on it as a savings tool rather than just a transactional currency.

Tether’s rise has made the company a financial juggernaut. Last year alone, Tether raked in over $13 billion in profit, with a lean team of less than 100 employees. Their business model is elegantly simple: hold U.S. Treasuries and collect the interest. With over $113 billion in Treasuries, Tether has turned a straightforward concept into a profit machine.

Tether’s success has resulted in many competitors eager to claim a piece of the pie. This has triggered a massive venture capital grift cycle in USD tokens, with countless projects vying to dethrone Tether. Due to Tether’s entrenched network effect, these challengers face an uphill battle with little realistic chance of success. Most educated participants in the space likely recognize this reality but seem content to perpetuate the grift, hoping to cash out by dumping their equity positions on unsuspecting buyers before they realize the reality of the situation.

Historically, Tether’s greatest vulnerability has been U.S. government intervention. For over a decade, the company operated offshore with few allies in the U.S. establishment, making it a major target for regulatory action. That dynamic has shifted recently and Tether has seized the opportunity. By actively courting U.S. government support, Tether has fortified their position. This strategic move will likely cement their status as the dominant USD token for years to come.

While undeniably a great tool for the millions of users that rely on it, Tether is not without flaws. As a centralized, trusted third party, it holds the power to freeze or seize funds at its discretion. Corporate mismanagement or deliberate malpractice could also lead to massive losses at scale. In their goal of mitigating regulatory risk, Tether has deepened ties with law enforcement, mirroring some of the concerns of potential central bank digital currencies. In practice, Tether operates as a corporate CBDC alternative, collaborating with authorities to surveil and seize funds. The company proudly touts partnerships with leading surveillance firms and its own data reveals cooperation in over 1,000 law enforcement cases, with more than $2.5 billion in funds frozen.

---

The global demand for Tether is undeniable and the company’s profitability reflects its unrivaled success. Tether is owned and operated by bitcoiners and will likely continue to push forward strategic goals that help the movement as a whole. Recent efforts to mitigate the threat of U.S. government enforcement will likely solidify their network effect and stifle meaningful adoption of rival USD tokens or CBDCs. Yet, for all their achievements, Tether is simply a worse form of money than bitcoin. Tether requires trust in a centralized entity, while bitcoin can be saved or spent without permission. Furthermore, Tether is tied to the value of the US Dollar which is designed to lose purchasing power over time, while bitcoin, as a truly scarce asset, is designed to increase in purchasing power with adoption. As people awaken to the risks of Tether’s control, and the benefits bitcoin provides, bitcoin adoption will likely surpass it.

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

เฮียไปเจอบทความต่างประเทศของเมื่อราวๆปี 2022 ที่เล่าเรื่องการจับมือกันระหว่าง CP Foods หรือที่คนไทยเรารู้จักกันดีในชื่อ “ซีพี” กับบริษัทจากอิสราเอลที่ชื่อ Future Meat Technologies ชื่อดูเหมือนจะหลุดมาจากหนังไซไฟ แต่สิ่งที่เขาทำไม่ใช่ยานอวกาศ ไม่ใช่หุ่นยนต์ แต่เป็น “เนื้อ” ใช่แล้ว เนื้อจริง ๆ แต่ไม่ต้องฆ่าสัตว์ เป็นเนื้อเพาะเลี้ยงจากเซลล์ในห้องแล็บ ที่เขาเรียกกันว่า cultivated meat หรือเนื้อเพาะเลี้ยง เฮียเห็นชื่อครั้งแรกก็แอบคิดว่ามันจะเป็นของเล่นของคนไฮเทคหรือเปล่า แต่พออ่านลึกเข้าไป มันกลายเป็นเรื่องจริงจังมาก เพราะมันเกี่ยวกับอนาคตของอาหารที่คนทั้งโลกอาจจะต้องพึ่งพาโดยไม่รู้ตัว

บริษัท Future Meat ทำเรื่องนี้ได้ล้ำมาก เขาสามารถเพาะเลี้ยงเซลล์ของสัตว์ให้เติบโตเป็นเนื้อได้โดยไม่ต้องฆ่าใครเลย ฟังดูเป็นมิตรกับโลกกับสัตว์มาก แต่มันมีโจทย์ที่ยากกว่านั้น คือจะทำอย่างไรให้เนื้อเพาะเลี้ยงนี้ “น่ากิน” สำหรับคนเอเชีย เพราะถ้าจะขายแค่ฝรั่งที่ชอบอกไก่จืด ๆ ก็ง่ายหน่อย แต่คนเอเชียเรานี่สิ ชอบเนื้อที่เรียกว่าเนื้อดำ ซึ่งจะเข้มข้น แน่นๆ มัน ๆ หอม ๆ สีเข้ม รสชัดแบบสะโพกไก่ น่องไก่ หรือเนื้อวัวที่เอาไปทำกะเพรา ทำแกง ทำผัดเผ็ดได้ CP เขาเข้าใจรสนิยมนี้ดี และนั่นแหละคือเหตุผลที่เขาไปจับมือกับบริษัทนี้ เฮียว่ามันไม่ใช่แค่เรื่องเทคโนโลยี แต่มันคือการจับมือกันระหว่างห้องแล็บกับตลาดรสนิยมบนจานข้าวของคนจริง ๆ

สิ่งที่เฮียว่าน่าสนใจคือ CP เข้ามาเติมเต็มสิ่งที่บริษัทเทคโนโลยีขาด นั่นคือความเข้าใจตลาดเอเชียแบบลึกซึ้ง ซีพีมีเครือข่ายทั่วภูมิภาค รู้ว่าคนไทย คนจีน คนอินโดฯ กินอะไร ชอบรสไหน จะเข้าไปวางขายในตลาดไหนต้องระวังวัฒนธรรมการกินอะไรบ้าง มันไม่ใช่แค่จะเอาเนื้อเพาะเลี้ยงมาย่างแล้ววางใส่เบอร์เกอร์แล้วขายได้เหมือนกันหมด CP เลยเป็นเหมือนสะพานเชื่อมจากโลกห้องแล็บเข้าสู่โลกจริงที่มีคนกินจริง ๆ นั่งรออยู่

แต่ในขณะที่หลายคนมองว่าเนื้อเพาะเลี้ยงคือความหวังใหม่ของโลก ที่ไม่ต้องฆ่าสัตว์ ไม่ปล่อยคาร์บอน ไม่ใช้พื้นที่มหาศาล เฮียก็อดคิดไม่ได้ว่า ถ้าระบบอาหารในอนาคตถูกควบคุมโดยไม่กี่บริษัท ใครเป็นคนควบคุมสูตร ใครถือสิทธิ์ในเซลล์ต้นแบบ ใครควบคุมแหล่งวัตถุดิบที่ใช้เพาะเลี้ยง แล้วคนกินอย่างเราจะเหลืออิสระแค่ไหนในการเลือกอาหารของตัวเอง มันอาจจะดูดีในระยะสั้น แต่ในระยะยาว ถ้าเราต้องพึ่งของพวกนี้เป็นหลัก แล้วของจริงที่โตจากดิน มีชีวิต กำลังถูกแทนที่ด้วยของเพาะในถัง เฮียว่าความเป็นมนุษย์ของเราก็อาจจะค่อย ๆ หายไปเหมือนกันโดยไม่รู้ตัว ถ้าในอนาคต “เนื้อ” ไม่ได้มาจากสัตว์ แต่กลายเป็นของเพาะเลี้ยงที่ออกแบบโดยใครบางคนในห้องแล็บ เราจะยังมีสิทธิ์เลือกรสชาติชีวิตของตัวเองอยู่มั้ย หรือเรากำลังค่อย ๆ โดนโปรแกรมผ่านของที่เรียกว่าอาหาร โดยไม่รู้เลยว่าใครคือคนเขียนโค้ดนั้น

siamstr #pirateketo

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Does Bitcoin still Go to the moon~~![image)~~

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[EM ATUALIZAÇÃO]

vacina #saude #politica #manipulacao #mundial #genocidio #pandemia #conspiracao

"Aqueles que não conseguem lembrar o passado estão condenados a repeti-lo." - George Satayana

Este artigo reúne algumas menções e evidências mais antigas que vim registrando durante alguns anos em relação a Covid-19, vacinas obrigatórias e a ação de agências de governo, fundações, políticos, mídia tradicional, celebridades, influenciadores, cientistas, redes sociais e laboratórios, em envolvimento com genocídio e restrições de liberdades em escala mundial causado por decisões em várias esferas relativas ao covid e as vacinas obrigatórias em geral.

Porém, alguns links podem não estar mais disponíveis, foram que ainda faltam ser registradas muitas informações já divulgadas nos últimos anos e que muitos não tiveram contato pela escassez de meios para a obtenção dessas informações de forma organizada.

Portanto, o presente artigo ainda passará por atualizações de conteúdo e formatação. Logo, se possível, ajudem sugerindo complementos ou alterações, ou com doações.

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Noções iniciais:

• O termo 'Coronavírus' (COVID) é na verdade um nome genérico para vários vírus de gripes já comuns, dado para o tipo corona (com uma "coroa", 'espetos' ao redor dele), o Sars-Cov-2 (que passou a ser chamado erroneamente só de Covid), é só um deles.
• SARS-CoV-2 é que é nome do vírus. Ele que causa a doença Covid-19;
• O coronavírus SARS-CoV-2 é o segundo tipo de SARS-CoV documentado, o primeiro ocorreu entre 2002 e 2003, se originando também da China e também dito como tendo origem animal;
• SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) - Síndrome Respiratória Aguda Grave (SRAG) é a uma doença respiratória viral, relatada ser de origem zoonótica (animal), causada pelos coronavírus SARS-CoV (2002) e SARS-CoV-2 (2019), ambos de origem chinesa;

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1. Vacinas Obrigatórias em Geral

23/01/2025 - [Pesquisa] Vacinas nos EUA causando autismo em crianças https://publichealthpolicyjournal.com/vaccination-and-neurodevelopmental-disorders-a-study-of-nine-year-old-children-enrolled-in-medicaid/

• O CDC admite que 98 milhões de pessoas receberam o vírus do câncer através da vacina da Poliomielite https://medicinanews.com.br/frente/frente_1/o-cdc-admite-que-98-milhoes-de-pessoas-receberam-o-virus-do-cancer-atraves-da-vacina-poliomielite/

"O CDC (Os Centros de Controle e Prevenção de Doenças dos Estados Unidos) removeu rapidamente uma página do seu site, que estava em cache no Google, como você pode ver logo abaixo, admitindo que mais de 98 milhões de americanos receberam uma ou mais doses de vacina contra pólio dentro de 8 período entre 1955 e 1963, quando uma proporção da vacina foi contaminada com um poliomavírus causador de câncer chamado SV40."

Fonte original da imagem: https://preventdisease.com/images13/CDC_Polio.png [indisponível] - A imagem foi trocada por outra de menor qualidade e em outro link, mas eu já tinha a imagem original salva.

Imagem arquivada em: https://web.archive.org/web/20201203231640/

27/02/2021 - Por que o Japão demorou para vacinar, mesmo com Olimpíada se aproximando https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/internacional/2021/02/27/por-que-o-japao-demorou-para-vacinar-mesmo-com-olimpiada-se-aproximando

"Desconfiança da população japonesa em relação a vacinas, ligada a casos ocorridos no passado, está entre razões que atrasaram imunização no país.

A resistência à vacina do Japão remonta à década de 1970, quando duas crianças morreram dentro de 24 horas após receberem a vacina combinada contra difteria, tétano e coqueluche (coqueluche). A vacina foi temporariamente suspensa, mas a confiança já havia sido abalada. Por vários anos, as taxas de vacinação infantil caíram, levando a um aumento nos casos de tosse convulsa.

No final dos anos 1980, houve outro susto com a introdução da vacina tripla contra sarampo, caxumba e rubéola produzida no Japão. As primeiras versões do imunizante foram associadas à meningite asséptica, ou inchaço das membranas ao redor do cérebro e da medula espinhal. O problema foi rastreado até o componente caxumba da vacina tripla, o que levou a uma ação judicial e a indenização por danos pesados.

O Instituto Nacional de Ciências da Saúde interrompeu a dose combinada em 1993 e a substituiu por vacinas individuais. Após o escândalo, Shibuya disse que o governo japonês se tornou "ciente dos riscos" e seu programa nacional de vacinação tornou-se voluntário.

O Dr. Yuho Horikoshi, especialista em doenças infecciosas, diz que os processos levaram a uma "lacuna de vacinação", em que nenhuma vacina foi aprovada no Japão por cerca de 15 anos.

Mais recentemente, em 2013, o Japão adicionou a vacina contra o papilomavírus humano (HPV) ao calendário nacional para proteger as meninas contra o vírus sexualmente transmissível, que é conhecido por causar câncer cervical. No entanto, vídeos de meninas supostamente sofrendo de reações adversas começaram a circular no YouTube, levando o governo a retirá-los da programação nacional."

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2. PRIMEIRAS OCORRÊNCIAS PREDITIVAS AO COVID-19

2002 - Síndrome respiratória aguda grave (SARS) Brenda L. Tesini (setembro de 2018). Síndrome respiratória aguda grave (SARS) [indisponível]. Manual Merck. Consultado em 23 de janeiro de 2020, citado no Wikipedia

SARS - Wikipédia: "A SARS [doença do vírus SARS-CoV] foi detectada pela primeira vez no fim de 2002 na China. Entre 2002 e 2003, um surto da doença resultou em mais de 8 000 casos e cerca de 800 mortes em todo o mundo."

2010 - Fundação Rockfeller, Lockstep. https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/Annual-Report-2010-1.pdf

Neste PDF da fundação Rockfeller, em seu próprio site, a fundação deixou claro o seu envolvimento em casos de ‘contenção’ de pandemias juntamente com a USAID (agência americana com nome ambíguo, como formalmente ‘United States Agency for International Development’, mas soando como ‘US Socorre’, mas sendo um braço do governo democrata que financiava interferências políticas diretas em vários países, como em intervenções no Brasil ), inclusive em relacionadas ao SARS, o mesmo sintoma dos coronavírus Sars-Cov e Sars-Cov-2 (o vírus propagado em 2019) e que causa o COVID-19.

Segundo eles:

“Integração entre Regiões e Países

A Fundação Rockefeler investiu US$ 22 milhões em sua Iniciativa de Redes de Vigilância de Doenças para ajudar a conter a disseminação de doenças infecciosas e pandemias, fortalecendo os sistemas nacionais, regionais e globais de vigilância e resposta a doenças. Dois programas-chave da Rockefeler — a Rede de Vigilância de Doenças da Bacia do Mekong e a Rede Integrada de Vigilância de Doenças da África Oriental — conectaram e capacitaram profissionais de saúde, epidemiologistas e autoridades de saúde pública em toda a região, levando a um aumento de seis vezes nos locais de vigilância de doenças transfronteiriças somente nos últimos três anos. Em 2010, a Rockefeler expandiu a bem-sucedida campanha transdisciplinar One Health, que a USAID e o Banco Asiático de Desenvolvimento adotaram como modelos. One Health refere-se à integração da ciência médica e veterinária para combater essas novas variedades de doenças zoonóticas que se movem e sofrem mutações rapidamente de animais para humanos. Essas colaborações criaram e fortaleceram uma rede regional crítica de saúde pública, enquanto as lições aprendidas foram exportadas entre disciplinas e países. Além de fortalecer os laços globais em saúde pública, a Rockefeler ajudou a elevar o nível de especialização e treinamento em campo. O Programa de Treinamento em Epidemiologia de Campo coloca graduados nos mais altos escalões do governo no Laos e no Vietnã, enquanto as bolsas da Rockefeler transformaram as ferramentas disponíveis para os médicos, permitindo-lhes utilizar o poder da internet para se comunicar e monitorar eventos, compreender contextos locais e analisar novos problemas. Finalmente, estamos aplicando ferramentas do século XXI para combater os desafios de saúde do século XXI.”

Julho de 2012 - Revista Mundo Estranho - Epidemias Citado em: https://super.abril.com.br/especiais/epidemia-o-risco-invisivel/

Página do site ME salva em Imagem no Voidcat

Houve uma ‘coincidência’, a revista Mundo Estranho em julho de 2012, entrevistou o até então doutorando em virologia, Átila Iamarino (do canal Nerdologia no Youtube - O mesmo cientista que fez diversas propagandas das vacinas no Brasil), para descrever um possível cenário de propagação de uma epidemia viral, a revista descreve com grande precisão os eventos de 2020, mas apontando o oposto da China, em que, na realidade, sua economia cresceu vertiginosamente.

Segundo eles:

“ 1 – A Ásia é o ponto de partida. Após várias mutações, um novo vírus surge hospedado em morcegos. As fezes que eles soltam no ar infectam guaxinins. Dos mercados da China, esses animais são levados vivos para serem abatidos em restaurantes. Estressados, eles arranham e mordem os cozinheiros, espalhando o vírus.

2 – O vírus adquire a capacidade de ser transmitido de homem para homem por via aérea – forma mais fácil de contágio. Além disso, o contágio se dá antes mesmo de o enfermo apresentar os sintomas. Assim, em média, o doente infecta cinco pessoas antes de ter febre, vômito, diarreia, desidratação e falta de ar.

3 – O governo chinês envia uma comissão para avaliar a doença misteriosa que acomete alguns vilarejos. A equipe volta sem resultados e não considera o surto alarmante até que três pesquisadores adoecem e um deles morre. A China não informa a Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) para não demonstrar fragilidade.

4 – Os sintomas são comuns e a doença só chama a atenção quando muita gente começa a morrer na mesma região. Ainda assim, demora para que médicos e enfermeiros percebam a ineficiência de antibióticos na cura – o que exclui a maioria das bactérias como agente causador. Testes com vírus comuns também dão negativo.

5 – O governo isola comunidades em que há focos da doença. Ninguém entra nas cidades e nenhum doente pode sair. Mas, como a misteriosa enfermidade demora quatro dias para mostrar seus sintomas, muitos doentes saem dos vilarejos sem saber que estão infectados, alastrando a epidemia.

6 – Doentes viajam de avião para grandes cidades, como Hong Kong. O fervilhante centro comercial, que atrai gente do mundo todo, é um polo de contágio e disseminação. Sem imaginar o risco que correm, pessoas são contaminadas e, ao voltar para seu local de origem, carregam o vírus para todos os continentes.

7 – Com a doença já fora de controle, começa uma corrida entre laboratórios e cientistas de grandes universidades para descobrir o agente causador. Mesmo com o vírus isolado, as vacinas demoram para ser feitas em larga escala, tornando impossível o atendimento à demanda mundial.

8 – Os países se isolam, mantendo esquemas de quarentena. Aeroportos são fechados e o turismo mundial cai a quase zero. A China sofre as piores consequências, com o fluxo de empresários para Hong Kong suspenso – gerando prejuízos de bilhões de dólares – e com o boicote a produtos alimentícios vindos da Ásia.

9 – Além dos 10% de casos letais, os milhões de doentes precisam de atendimento médico. Enquanto hospitais e cemitérios estão lotados, escolas, indústrias e comércio ficam paralisados por falta de profissionais. O transporte público também para e os trabalhadores que podem passam a trabalhar em casa.

10 – Nas nações pobres, quase 20% da população morre – e outros milhões são vitimados mesmo em países ricos. Parte dessa mortalidade ocorre por causa da doença, mas outro fator determinante é a crise financeira global. A produção de alimentos cai por falta de mão de obra.

Fontes: A História e Suas Epidemias e Pandemias – A Humanidade em Risco, de Stefan Cunha Ujvari; Pragas e Epidemias – Histórias de Doenças Infecciosas, de Antonio Carlos de Castro Toledo Jr. Consultoria: Stefan Ujvari Cunha, infectologista do Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz; Paolo Zanotto, professor de virologia do Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB) da USP; Átila Iamarino, doutorando em HIV-1 no ICB da USP. “

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3. PRIMEIROS INDÍCIOS

10/2019 - Evento 201 - Durante os Jogos Militares Internacionais na China https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/event201/

Promovido por: - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - John Hopkins Institute - Fórum econômico mundial

"O evento simula a liberação de um coronavírus novo do tipo zoonótico transmitido por morcegos para porcos e por fim para humanos. Eventualmente ele se torna muito transmissível entre humanos levando a uma pandemia severa. O vírus é muito parecido com o vírus da SARS, mas se transmite muito mais facilmente entre pessoas devido a sintomas muito mais leves destas."

Também mencionado por: Jornal Estadão

Sobre o "Movimento antivacina"

05/12/2017 - Movimento antivacina: como surgiu e quais consequências ele pode trazer? https://www.uol.com.br/universa/noticias/redacao/2017/12/05/o-que-o-movimento-antivacina-pode-causar.htm?cmpid=copiaecola

23/03/2019 - "Instagram bloqueia hashtags e conteúdo antivacinação" https://canaltech.com.br/redes-sociais/instagram-bloqueia-hashtags-e-conteudo-antivacinacao-135411/

23/05/2021 - Novos dados sobre pesquisadores de Wuhan aumentam debate sobre origens da Covid https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/saude/novos-dados-sobre-pesquisadores-de-wuhan-aumentam-debate-sobre-origens-da-covid/

"A China relatou à Organização Mundial da Saúde que o primeiro paciente com sintomas semelhantes aos de Covid-19 foi registrado em Wuhan em 8 de dezembro de 2019"

01/02/2020 - O que aconteceu desde que o novo coronavírus foi descoberto na China https://exame.com/ciencia/o-que-aconteceu-desde-que-o-novo-coronavirus-foi-descoberto-na-china/

"O primeiro alerta foi recebido pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) em 31 de dezembro de 2019"

15/09/2020 - YouTube diz que vai remover vídeos com mentiras sobre vacina contra COVID-19 https://gizmodo.uol.com.br/youtube-remover-videos-mentiras-vacina-covid-19/

"O YouTube anunciou na quarta-feira (14) que estenderá as regras atuais sobre mentiras, propaganda e teorias da conspiração sobre a pandemia do coronavírus para incluir desinformação sobre as vacinas contra a doença.

De acordo com a Reuters, a gigante do vídeo diz que agora vai proibir conteúdos sobre vacinas contra o coronavírus que contradizem “o consenso de especialistas das autoridades de saúde locais ou da OMS”, como afirmações falsas de que a vacina é um pretexto para colocar chips de rastreamento nas pessoas ou que irá matar ou esterilizar quem tomar."

*07/01/2021 - YouTube vai punir canais que promovem mentiras sobre eleições – incluindo os de Trump https://olhardigital.com.br/2021/01/07/noticias/youtube-vai-punir-canais-que-promovem-mentiras-sobre-eleicoes-incluindo-os-de-trump/

"O YouTube anunciou que vai punir canais que promovem mentiras sobre as eleições, removendo sumariamente qualquer vídeo que contenha desinformação e, ao mesmo tempo, advertindo com um “strike” o canal que o veicular. A medida já está valendo e a primeira “vítima” é ninguém menos que o ex-presidente americano, Donald Trump.

A medida não é exatamente nova, mas foi novamente comunicada e reforçada pelo YouTube na quarta-feira (6), após os eventos de invasão do Capitólio, em Washington, onde o presidente eleito Joe Biden participava da cerimônia que confirmava a sua vitória nas eleições de novembro de 2020. A ocasião ficou marcada pela tentativa de invasão de correligionários de Trump, que entraram no edifício em oposição à nomeação do novo presidente. Uma mulher acabou sendo morta pela polícia que protegia o local.

O ex-presidente Donald Trump teve vídeos banidos de seu canal no YouTube após os eventos de ontem (6) no capitólio."

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4. FIGURAS CENTRAIS

Bill Gates

• Bill Gates diz 'não' a abrir patentes de vacinas https://www.frontliner.com.br/bill-gates-diz-nao-a-abrir-patentes-de-vacinas/

"Bill Gates, um dos homens mais ricos do mundo, cuja fundação tem participação na farmacêutica alemã CureVac, produtora de vacina mRNA para prevenção de covid-19, disse não acreditar que a propriedade intelectual tenha algo a ver com o longo esforço global para controlar a pandemia."

João Doria - Governo de São Paulo

26/07/2017 - João Dória vai a China conhecer drones para ampliar segurança eletrônica na capital paulista https://jc.ne10.uol.com.br/blogs/jamildo/2017/07/26/joao-doria-vai-china-conhecer-drones-para-ampliar-seguranca-eletronica-na-capital-paulista/

02/08/2019 - Governo de SP fará Missão China para ampliar cooperação e atrair investimentos https://www.saopaulo.sp.gov.br/spnoticias/governo-de-sao-paulo-detalha-objetivos-da-missao-china/

20/11/2019 - Doria se encontra com chineses das gigantes CREC e CRCC e oferece concessões de rodovia, metrô e ferrovia https://diariodotransporte.com.br/2019/11/20/doria-se-encontra-com-chineses-das-gigantes-crec-e-crcc-e-oferece-concessoes-de-rodovia-metro-e-ferrovia/

25/01/2020 - "Chineses serão agressivos" nas privatizações em SP até 2022, afirma Dória https://noticias.uol.com.br/colunas/jamil-chade/2020/01/25/entrevista-joao-doria-privatizacoes-sao-paulo-china.htm

O governador de São Paulo, João Doria, afirma que vai acelerar os programas de desestatização no estado em 2020 e acredita que concessões e vendas poderão permitir uma arrecadação de pelo menos R$ 40 bilhões. Nesse processo, o governador avalia que a China deve atuar de forma agressiva e que aprofundará sua posição de maior parceira comercial do estado, se distanciando de americanos e argentinos.

29/06/2020 - Doria estabelece multa para quem estiver sem máscara na rua em SP https://veja.abril.com.br/saude/doria-estabelece-multa-para-quem-estiver-sem-mascara-na-rua/

24/12/2020 - Doria é flagrado sem máscara e fazendo compras em Miami https://pleno.news/brasil/politica-nacional/doria-e-flagrado-sem-mascara-e-fazendo-compras-em-miami.html

"Foto do governador de São Paulo sem o item de proteção viralizou nas redes"

07/06/2021 - Doria é criticado na internet por tomar sol sem máscara em hotel no Rio https://vejasp.abril.com.br/cidades/doria-e-criticado-na-internet-por-tomar-sol-sem-mascara-em-hotel-no-rio/

30/09/2020 - Governo de SP assina contrato com Sinovac e prevê vacina para dezembro https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/saude/noticia/2020-09/governo-de-sp-assina-contrato-com-sinovac-e-preve-vacina-para-dezembro

O governador de São Paulo, João Doria, e o vice-presidente da laboratório chinês Sinovac, Weining Meng, assinaram hoje (30), um contrato que prevê o fornecimento de 46 milhões de doses da vacina CoronaVac para o governo paulista até dezembro deste ano.

O contrato também prevê a transferência tecnológica da vacina da Sinovac para o Instituto Butantan, o que significa que, o instituto brasileiro poderá começar a fabricar doses dessa vacina contra o novo coronavírus. O valor do contrato, segundo o governador João Doria é de US$ 90 milhões.

20/10/2020 - Coronavac terá mais de 90% de eficácia, afirmam integrantes do governo paulista https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/saude/2020/12/20/coronavac-tera-mais-de-90-de-eficacia-afirmam-integrantes-do-governo

24/10/2020 - Não esperamos 90% de eficácia da Coronavac’, diz secretário de saúde de SP https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/saude/2020/12/24/nao-esperamos-90-de-eficacia-da-coronavac-diz-secretario-de-saude-de-sp

07/01/2021 - Vacina do Butantan: eficácia é de 78% em casos leves e 100% em graves https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/saude/2021/01/07/vacina-do-butantan-eficacia-e-de-78-em-casos-leves-e-100-em-graves

09/01/2021 - Não é hora de sermos tão cientistas como estamos sendo agora https://g1.globo.com/sp/sao-paulo/video/nao-e-hora-de-sermos-tao-cientistas-como-estamos-sendo-agora-diz-secretario-de-saude-de-sp-9166405.ghtml

10/01/2021 - Dados da Coronavac relatados à Anvisa não estão claros, diz médico https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/saude/2021/01/10/dados-da-coronavac-relatados-a-anvisa-nao-estao-claros-diz-medico

"O diretor do Laboratório de Imunologia do Incor, Jorge Kalil, reforçou que faltaram informações sobre a Coronavac nos dados divulgados à Anvisa"

12/01/2021 - New Brazil data shows disappointing 50,4% efficacy for China’s Coronavac vaccine [Novos dados do Brasil mostram eficácia decepcionante de 50,4% para a vacina CoronaVac da China] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-brazil-coronavirus/new-brazil-data-shows-disappointing-504-efficacy-for-chinas-coronavac-vaccine-idUSKBN29H2CE

13/01/2021 - Eficácia da Coronavac: 50,38%, 78% ou 100%? https://blogs.oglobo.globo.com/lauro-jardim/post/5038-78-ou-100.html

“De acordo com interlocutores que participaram tanto do anúncio de ontem como da semana passada, quem pressionou para que os dados de 78% e 100% fossem liberados foi João Dória.”

07/05/2021 - Covid-19: Doria toma primeira dose da vacina CoronaVac https://veja.abril.com.br/saude/covid-19-doria-toma-primeira-dose-da-vacina-coronavac/

04/06/2021 - Doria é vacinado com a segunda dose da CoronaVac em São Paulo https://noticias.uol.com.br/politica/ultimas-noticias/2021/06/04/doria-e-vacinado-com-a-segunda-dose-da-coronavac-em-sao-paulo.htm

15/07/2021 - Doria testa positivo para a Covid-19 pela 2ª vez https://www.correiobraziliense.com.br/politica/2021/07/4937833-doria-testa-positivo-para-covid-19-pela-segunda-vez.html

"Governador de São Paulo já havia sido diagnosticado com a doença no ano passado. Ele diz que, apesar da infecção, se sente bem, o que atribui ao fato de ter sido vacinado com duas doses da Coronavac"

06/08/2021 - CPI recebe investigação contra Doria por compra de máscara sem licitação https://www.conexaopoder.com.br/nacional/cpi-recebe-investigacao-contra-doria-por-compra-de-mascara-sem-licitacao/150827

"Empresa teria usado o nome de Alexandre Frota para vender máscaras ao governo de SP. Doria nega informação"

Renan Filho

(filho do Renan Calheiros)

25/07/2019 - Governador Renan Filho vai à China em busca de investimentos para o estado https://www.tnh1.com.br/videos/vid/governador-renan-filho-vai-a-china-em-busca-de-investimentos-para-o-estado/

20/03/2020 - Governadores do NE consultam China e pedem material para tratar covid-19 https://noticias.uol.com.br/saude/ultimas-noticias/redacao/2020/03/20/governadores-do-ne-consultam-china-e-pedem-material-para-tratar-covid-19.htm

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5. Narrativas, restrições e proibições

17/12/2020 - STF decide que vacina contra a covid pode ser obrigatória, mas não forçada https://noticias.uol.com.br/saude/ultimas-noticias/redacao/2020/12/17/stf-julga-vacinacao-obrigatoria.htm?cmpid=copiaecola

"O STF (Supremo Tribunal Federal) decidiu, em julgamento hoje, que o Estado pode determinar a obrigatoriedade da vacinação contra a covid-19. Porém fica proibido o uso da força para exigir a vacinação, ainda que possam ser aplicadas restrições a direitos de quem recusar a imunização.

Dez ministros foram favoráveis a obrigatoriedade da vacinação, que poderá ser determinada pelo governo federal, estados ou municípios. As penalidades a quem não cumprir a obrigação deverão ser definidas em lei."

27/07/2021 - Saiba que países estão adotando 'passaporte da vacina' para suspender restrições https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/internacional/2021/07/27/saiba-que-paises-estao-adotando-passaporte-da-vacina-para-suspender-restricoes

" - Israel - Uniao Europeia - Áustria - Dinamarca - Eslovênia - França - Grécia - Irlanda - Itália - Letônia - Lituânia - Luxemburgo - Holanda - Portugal - Japão - Coreia do sul"

18/06/2021 - O que é o passaporte da vacina que Bolsonaro quer vetar? https://noticias.uol.com.br/politica/ultimas-noticias/2021/06/18/uol-explica-o-que-e-o-passaporte-da-vacina-que-opoe-bolsonaro-e-damares.htm

"O Brasil poderá ter um certificado de imunização futuramente. Aprovado no Senado na semana passada, o "passaporte da vacina", como é chamado, prevê identificar pessoas vacinadas para que entrem em locais públicos ou privados com possíveis restrições."

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6. Vacinas

Alegações iniciais

• CoronaVac, Oxford e Pfizer: veja diferenças entre as vacinas contra covid noticias.uol.com.br/saude/ultimas-noticias/redacao/2021/05/11/diferencas-vacinas-covid-brasil.htm

" - CoronaVac (Butantan/Sinovac - Chinesa) Com virus inativo 50,38% de eficácia 2 doses

• Covishield - 'AstraZeneca' (Fiocruz/Astrazenica/Oxford - Britânica) Com virus não replicante 67% de eficácia 2 doses

• ComiRNAty - 'Pfizer' (Pfizer - Americana / BioNTech - Alemã) Com RNA mensageiro 96% de eficácia 2 doses"

Riscos diretos

15/06/2021 - Trombose após vacinação com AstraZeneca: Quais os sintomas e como se deve atuar? https://www.istoedinheiro.com.br/trombose-apos-vacinacao-com-astrazeneca-quais-os-sintomas-e-como-se-deve-atuar/

"Agências europeias estão reticentes com a vacina da AstraZeneca. Ela chegou a ser desaconselhada a pessoas com idade inferior a 60 anos, e um alto funcionário da Agência Europeia de Medicamentos declarou que era melhor deixar de administrar a vacina deste laboratório em qualquer idade quando há alternativas disponíveis, devido aos relatos de trombose após a primeira dose, apesar de raros."

11/05/2021 - CoronaVac, Oxford e Pfizer: veja diferenças entre as vacinas contra covid https://noticias.uol.com.br/saude/ultimas-noticias/redacao/2021/05/11/diferencas-vacinas-covid-brasil.htm

"Na terça-feira (12), o Ministério da Saúde determinou a suspensão da aplicação da vacina de Oxford/AstraZeneca para gestantes e puérperas com comorbidades. A decisão segue recomendação da Anvisa, que apura a morte de uma grávida de 35 anos que tomou o imunizante e teve um AVC (acidente vascular cerebral)."

30/07/2021 - Pfizer representa o mesmo risco de trombose que a Astrazeneca, aponta levantamento https://panoramafarmaceutico.com.br/pfizer-representa-o-mesmo-risco-de-trombose-que-a-astrazeneca-aponta-levantamento/

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7. CRIMES

Crimes da Pfizer

18/11/2020 Não listado no google - Os Crimes documentados da produtora de vacinas de Covid - Pfizer [INGLÊS] https://www.dmlawfirm.com/crimes-of-covid-vaccine-maker-pfizer-well-documented/

"A velocidade com que a vacina Covid da Pfizer foi produzida, a ausência de estudos em animais, testes de controle randomizados e outros testes e procedimentos padrão usuais para um novo medicamento são, no mínimo, preocupantes. Além disso, todos os fabricantes de vacinas Covid receberam imunidade legal para quaisquer ferimentos ou mortes que possam causar. Se essas vacinas são tão seguras quanto promovidas, por que seus fabricantes precisam de imunidade geral?"

"A Pfizer, uma empresa farmacêutica que parece ter ganhado na loteria para produzir a primeira vacina Covid-19, está atualmente lutando contra centenas de ações judiciais sobre o Zantac, um popular medicamento contra azia. Os processos da Zantac afirmam que a droga popular pode estar contaminada com uma substância cancerígena chamada N-nitrosodimetilamina (NDMA). Os processos Zantac são em aberto e em andamento, já que a farmacêutica está lutando contra eles; mas a Pfizer, sabemos, cometeu vários crimes ou transgressões pelos quais foi punida nos últimos anos. As falhas da empresa estão bem documentadas e vale a pena revisá-las neste momento crítico da história da humanidade, enquanto todos nós buscamos respostas."

A Pfizer recebeu a maior multa da história dos Estados Unidos como parte de um acordo judicial de US $ 2,3 bilhões com promotores federais por promover medicamentos erroneamente (Bextra, Celebrex) e pagar propinas a médicos complacentes. A Pfizer se confessou culpada de falsificar a marca do analgésico Bextra, promovendo o medicamento para usos para os quais não foi aprovado.

Na década de 1990, a Pfizer estava envolvida em válvulas cardíacas defeituosas que causaram a morte de mais de 100 pessoas. A Pfizer enganou deliberadamente os reguladores sobre os perigos. A empresa concordou em pagar US $ 10,75 milhões para acertar as acusações do departamento de justiça por enganar reguladores.

A Pfizer pagou mais de US $ 60 milhões para resolver um processo sobre o Rezulin, um medicamento para diabetes que causou a morte de pacientes de insuficiência hepática aguda.

No Reino Unido, a Pfizer foi multada em quase € 90 milhões por sobrecarregar o NHS, o Serviço Nacional de Saúde. A Pfizer cobrou do contribuinte um adicional de € 48 milhões por ano, pelo que deveria custar € 2 milhões por ano.

A Pfizer concordou em pagar US $ 430 milhões em 2004 para resolver acusações criminais de que havia subornado médicos para prescrever seu medicamento para epilepsia Neurontin para indicações para as quais não foi aprovado. Em 2011, um júri concluiu que a Pfizer cometeu fraude em sua comercialização do medicamento Neurontin. A Pfizer concordou em pagar $ 142,1 milhões para liquidar as despesas.

A Pfizer revelou que pagou quase 4.500 médicos e outros profissionais médicos cerca de US $ 20 milhões por falar em nome da Pfizer.

Em 2012, a Comissão de Valores Mobiliários dos Estados Unidos - anunciou que havia chegado a um acordo de US $ 45 milhões com a Pfizer para resolver acusações de que suas subsidiárias haviam subornado médicos e outros profissionais de saúde no exterior para aumentar as vendas no exterior.

A Pfizer foi processada em um tribunal federal dos Estados Unidos por usar crianças nigerianas como cobaias humanas, sem o consentimento dos pais das crianças. A Pfizer pagou US $ 75 milhões para entrar em acordo no tribunal nigeriano pelo uso de um antibiótico experimental, o Trovan, nas crianças. A empresa pagou um valor adicional não divulgado nos Estados Unidos para liquidar as despesas aqui. A Pfizer violou o direito internacional, incluindo a Convenção de Nuremberg estabelecida após a Segunda Guerra Mundial, devido aos experimentos nazistas em prisioneiros relutantes.

Em meio a críticas generalizadas de roubar os países pobres em busca de drogas, a Pfizer prometeu dar US $ 50 milhões para um medicamento para a AIDS para a África do Sul. Mais tarde, no entanto, a Pfizer falhou em honrar essa promessa.

• Pfizer contract leaked! [Contrato da Pfizer vazado] http://sanjeev.sabhlokcity.com/Misc/LEXO-KONTRATEN-E-PLOTE.pdf

Segundo o contrato "o produto não deve ser serializado":

"5.5 Reconhecimento do comprador.

O Comprador reconhece que a Vacina e os materiais relacionados à Vacina, e seus componentes e materiais constituintes estão sendo desenvolvidos rapidamente devido às circunstâncias de emergência da pandemia de COVID-19 e continuarão a ser estudados após o fornecimento da Vacina ao Comprador nos termos deste Contrato. O Comprador reconhece ainda que os efeitos de longo prazo e eficácia da Vacina não são atualmente conhecidos e que pode haver efeitos adversos da Vacina que não são atualmente conhecidos. Além disso, na medida do aplicável, o Comprador reconhece que o Produto não deve ser serializado."

Crimes da AstraZeneca

21/06/2003 - AstraZeneca se declara culpada no esquema de médico de câncer https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/21/business/astrazeneca-pleads-guilty-in-cancer-medicine-scheme.html

"A AstraZeneca, a grande empresa farmacêutica, se declarou culpada hoje de uma acusação de crime de fraude no sistema de saúde e concordou em pagar $ 355 milhões para resolver as acusações criminais e civis de que se envolveu em um esquema nacional para comercializar ilegalmente um medicamento contra o câncer de próstata.

O governo disse que os funcionários da empresa deram incentivos financeiros ilegais a cerca de 400 médicos em todo o país para persuadi-los a prescrever o medicamento Zoladex. Esses incentivos incluíram milhares de amostras grátis de Zoladex [...]"

27/04/2010 - Farmacêutica gigante AstraZeneca pagará US $ 520 milhões pelo marketing de medicamentos off-label https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/pharmaceutical-giant-astrazeneca-pay-520-million-label-drug-marketing

"AstraZeneca LP e AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP vão pagar $ 520 milhões para resolver as alegações de que a AstraZeneca comercializou ilegalmente o medicamento antipsicótico Seroquel para usos não aprovados como seguros e eficazes pela Food and Drug Administration (FDA), os Departamentos de Justiça e Saúde e Serviços Humanos A Equipe de Ação de Fiscalização de Fraudes em Saúde (HEAT) anunciou hoje. Esses usos não aprovados também são conhecidos como usos "off-label" porque não estão incluídos no rótulo do medicamento aprovado pela FDA."

• List of largest pharmaceutical settlements [Lista dos maiores acordos farmaceuticos] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_pharmaceutical_settlements

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8. CIENTISTAS

• Máscara Provoca Insuficiência Respiratória E Contaminação Microbiana… [Canal deletado] https://youtube.com/watch?v=eHu-pydSvDI

Não lembro mais a quem pertencia, mas provavelmente era de um médico falando do assunto. Creio ter sido do Dr. Paulo Sato, por essa temática ter sido abordada por ele, mas ao abrir o site aparece somente:

"Este vídeo foi removido por violar as diretrizes da comunidade do YouTube"

Dr. Paulo Sato

• USAR ou NÃO USAR a CUECA do seu governador no rosto https://fb.watch/7NPP_7rS5S/ https://www.facebook.com/AdoniasSoaresBR/videos/1347904292291481/ Adonias Soares entrevista ao Dr. Paulo Sato sobre as máscaras, em que é simulado o efeito da respiração prolongada das máscaras no organismo com o uso de águas de torneira, natural, gaseificada (com gás carbônico) e antioxidante, em que a com gás carbônico (PH 4 - Ácido) representa o organismo humano, e na prática representa lesão corporal e iniciação de doenças.

Dr. Kary Mullis

(Criador do teste PCR)

• PCR nas palavras do seu inventor - Dr. Kary Mullis (legendado) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1O52uTygk8

"Qualquer um pode testar positivo para quase qualquer coisa com um teste de PCR, se você executá-lo por tempo suficiente… Com PCR, se voce fizer isso bem, você pode encontrar quase tudo em qualquer pessoa… Isso não te diz que você está doente."

• Kary Mullis DESTRUYE a Anthony Fauci lbry://@CapitalistChile#0/Kary-Mullis---Fauci#5

"Ele [...] não entende de medicina e não deveria estar onde está. A maioria dos que estão acima são só administrativos e não têm nem ideia do que ocorre aqui em baixo e essas pessoas tem uma agenda que não é a que gostaríamos que tivessem, dado que somos nós os que pagamos a eles para que cuidem da nossa saúde. Têm uma agenda pessoal."

Dra. Li-Meng Yan

• Dra. Li-Meng Yan: O vírus foi criado em laboratório com um objetivo: Causar dano. https://youtu.be/pSXp3CZnvOc

Dr. Joe Roseman

• Cientista Phd Dr Joe Roseman faz seríssimas advertencias sobre a picada https://youtu.be/0PIXVFqJ_h8

Dr. Robert Malone

• As vacinas podem estar causando ADE - Dr. Robert Malone https://odysee.com/@AkashaComunidad:f/Las_vacunas_pueden_estar_causando_ADE_magnificaci%C3%B3n_mediada_por:f lbry://@Información.#b/Drrm#9

Dr. Robert Malone, um dos três inventores da tecnologia de RNAm que se usa de forma farmacêutica. No vídeo fala sobre os efeitos de ADE (realce dependente de anticorpos) que estão ocorrendo com as vacinas. Nas palavras do Dr. Malone, já não é somente uma hipótese, mas baseada nos conhecimentos gerados nas provas e ensaios pré clínicos, com as vacinas contra o primeiro vírus da SARS.

Dr. Luc Montagnier

• Dr. Luc Montagnier, virologista, prêmio Nobel de medicina, um dos descobridores do vírus HIV, afirma: "a vacinação em massa está criando as novas variantes' (@medicospelavida , telegram)

CASOS DOCUMENTADOS

13/09/2021 - 13 de setembro de 2021 - Carta aberta ao Ministro da Saúde por Arlene Ferrari Graf, mãe de Bruno Oscar Graf https://telegra.ph/Carta-aberta-ao-Ministro-da-Sa%C3%BAde-09-13

Também em: Gazeta do Povo

O texto de uma mãe discorrendo sobre o filho dela, Bruno Oscar Graf, ter ANTI-HEPARINA PF4 AUTO-IMUNE e ter vindo a falecer por reação à vacina.

11/05/2021 - Rio notifica morte de grávida vacinada com imunizante Oxford https://www.terra.com.br/noticias/coronavirus/rio-notifica-morte-de-gravida-vacinada-com-imunizante-oxford,415b9b0c49169427ac2f90ae3765c057e9suy3qn.html

"Vítima não apresentava histórico de doença circulatória nem sofria de nenhuma doença viral; relação será investigada"

13/08/2021 - Cruzeiro com 4.336 pessoas tem 27 contaminados com Covid-19 em Belize https://paranaportal.uol.com.br/geral/cruzeiro-com-4-336-pessoas-tem-27-contaminados-com-covid-19-em-belize/amp/

"Segundo um comunicado do Conselho de Turismo de Belize emitido na quarta-feira (11), 26 contaminados são da tripulação e um é passageiro. A maioria é assintomática e os 27 estão vacinados."

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9. ALEGAÇÕES DIRETAS

09/2021 - Setembro de 2021 - BOMBA: Ex-membro do Partido Comunista da China revela que o primeiro surto da Covid foi “intencional” https://terrabrasilnoticias.com/2021/09/bomba-ex-membro-do-partido-comunista-da-china-revela-que-o-primeiro-surto-da-covid-foi-intencional/

01/03/2023 - 1 de Março de 2023 - O chefe do FBI, Christopher Wray, diz que vazamento de laboratório na China é muito provável https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64806903

26/12/2024 - 26 de Dezembro 2024 - FBI ‘não tem permissão para informar Biden’ sobre a teoria de vazamento de laboratório da Covid https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/fbi-not-allowed-to-brief-biden-on-covid-lab-leak-theory-8df9mr997

O FBI concluiu com "confiança moderada" que a COVID-19 pode ter sido criada em laboratório, com base em parte na análise genômica conduzida por cientistas do Centro Nacional de Inteligência Médica.

@ 1fdb6dac:65eb9a8a

Vivimos en un mundo que nos enseñó a desconfiar de nuestra intuición.\ Un sistema que premia la obediencia, no el pensamiento crítico.\ Que nos médica para sobrevivir, pero no para sanar.\ Que nos quiere separadas, desconectadas, dependientes.

Desde chicas nos formaron para encajar, no para ser libres.\ La escuela nos preparó para ser piezas funcionales de una máquina, no para ser mujeres conscientes, creativas, despiertas.\ La salud se volvió un negocio: pastillas que apagan síntomas, pero nunca llegan al origen.\ La familia, ese espacio de contención y raíces, fue debilitada en nombre de una supuesta “productividad”.

Nos dijeron que para ser fuertes teníamos que dejar de lado nuestros deseos más profundos.\ Que la maternidad era una traba. Que formar familia era mirar hacia atrás.\ Nos empujaron a vivir en una lógica masculina, en la que mostrar sensibilidad era sinónimo de debilidad.\ Pero nada de esto fue casual.

Este sistema necesita que no creas en vos para poder seguir funcionando.\ Necesita que te desconectes de tu cuerpo, de tus vínculos, de tu intuición.\ Y, sobre todo, necesita que te desconectes del valor real de tu tiempo, de tu energía, de tu dinero.

Pero hay otra forma.\ Hay otra forma de ser mujer, de ser madre, de ser libre.\ Y empieza por recordar lo que siempre supimos, pero olvidamos:\ La familia es revolución desde el amor.\ Porque una sociedad fuerte nace de vínculos sanos.\ Y eso empieza en casa, en las relaciones donde aprendemos qué es amar, cuidar, sostener, poner límites, construir.

Nos enseñaron a medir el éxito por cuánto nos alejábamos de lo femenino.\ Pero la independencia sin conexión es otra forma de soledad.\ La maternidad no es debilidad. Es fuerza creadora.\ La energía femenina no es pasiva. Es raíz, instinto, visión.

Y así como nos quitaron poder en nuestros cuerpos y vínculos, también lo hicieron con nuestro dinero.

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Dinero, Energía y Libertad

¿Qué es el dinero, si no una forma de energía?\ El resultado de tu tiempo, tu creatividad, tu esfuerzo.\ Sin que te des cuenta, te están robando esa energía.

Nos enseñaron a ahorrar. Pero nunca nos explicaron que, mientras guardamos billetes, su valor se disuelve.\ Que los bancos centrales imprimen dinero —ni siquiera lo imprimen, lo “crean” digitalmente— sin pedirnos permiso, sin pensar en nuestra vida.\ Y mientras tanto, vos trabajás cada vez más… por cada vez menos.

Porque si controlan tu tiempo, controlan tu vida.\ Si te mantienen ocupada, te mantienen distraída.\ Si te desconectan del verdadero valor del dinero, te vuelven dependiente.

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Bitcoin como Llave

Bitcoin no es solo una inversión. Es una herramienta.\ Una llave para volver a tener el control.\ De tu energía. De tu tiempo. De tu vida.

No se trata solo de números.\ Se trata de comprender.\ De construir redes descentralizadas de mujeres libres, que se acompañan, que comparten saberes, que se sostienen.

Porque la verdadera abundancia empieza cuando entendés que el poder vuelve a vos.

Es hora de recordar.\ De mirar hacia adentro.\ Y de tomar decisiones que nos devuelvan a lo esencial:\ La conexión real, el amor como base, y la autonomía como acto sagrado.

@ 2cde0e02:180a96b9

Frida Kahlo: outline and inked.

pen & ink; monochromized

"Kahlo's work as an artist remained relatively unknown until the late 1970s, when her work was rediscovered by art historians and political activists. By the early 1990s, not only had she become a recognized figure in art history, but she was also regarded as an icon for Chicanos, the feminism movement, and the LGBTQ+ community. Kahlo's work has been celebrated internationally as emblematic of Mexican national and Indigenous traditions and by feminists for what is seen as its uncompromising depiction of the female experience and form."

Source: Wikipedia

https://stacker.news/items/1000840

@ 37666b60:3698ff14

Hello

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

Here’s a revised timeline of macro-level events from The Mandibles: A Family, 2029–2047 by Lionel Shriver, reimagined in a world where Bitcoin is adopted as a widely accepted form of money, altering the original narrative’s assumptions about currency collapse and economic control. In Shriver’s original story, the failure of Bitcoin is assumed amid the dominance of the bancor and the dollar’s collapse. Here, Bitcoin’s success reshapes the economic and societal trajectory, decentralizing power and challenging state-driven outcomes.

Part One: 2029–2032

• 2029 (Early Year)\ The United States faces economic strain as the dollar weakens against global shifts. However, Bitcoin, having gained traction emerges as a viable alternative. Unlike the original timeline, the bancor—a supranational currency backed by a coalition of nations—struggles to gain footing as Bitcoin’s decentralized adoption grows among individuals and businesses worldwide, undermining both the dollar and the bancor.

• 2029 (Mid-Year: The Great Renunciation)\ Treasury bonds lose value, and the government bans Bitcoin, labeling it a threat to sovereignty (mirroring the original bancor ban). However, a Bitcoin ban proves unenforceable—its decentralized nature thwarts confiscation efforts, unlike gold in the original story. Hyperinflation hits the dollar as the U.S. prints money, but Bitcoin’s fixed supply shields adopters from currency devaluation, creating a dual-economy split: dollar users suffer, while Bitcoin users thrive.

• 2029 (Late Year)\ Dollar-based inflation soars, emptying stores of goods priced in fiat currency. Meanwhile, Bitcoin transactions flourish in underground and online markets, stabilizing trade for those plugged into the bitcoin ecosystem. Traditional supply chains falter, but peer-to-peer Bitcoin networks enable local and international exchange, reducing scarcity for early adopters. The government’s gold confiscation fails to bolster the dollar, as Bitcoin’s rise renders gold less relevant.

• 2030–2031\ Crime spikes in dollar-dependent urban areas, but Bitcoin-friendly regions see less chaos, as digital wallets and smart contracts facilitate secure trade. The U.S. government doubles down on surveillance to crack down on bitcoin use. A cultural divide deepens: centralized authority weakens in Bitcoin-adopting communities, while dollar zones descend into lawlessness.

• 2032\ By this point, Bitcoin is de facto legal tender in parts of the U.S. and globally, especially in tech-savvy or libertarian-leaning regions. The federal government’s grip slips as tax collection in dollars plummets—Bitcoin’s traceability is low, and citizens evade fiat-based levies. Rural and urban Bitcoin hubs emerge, while the dollar economy remains fractured.

Time Jump: 2032–2047

• Over 15 years, Bitcoin solidifies as a global reserve currency, eroding centralized control. The U.S. government adapts, grudgingly integrating bitcoin into policy, though regional autonomy grows as Bitcoin empowers local economies.

Part Two: 2047

• 2047 (Early Year)\ The U.S. is a hybrid state: Bitcoin is legal tender alongside a diminished dollar. Taxes are lower, collected in BTC, reducing federal overreach. Bitcoin’s adoption has decentralized power nationwide. The bancor has faded, unable to compete with Bitcoin’s grassroots momentum.

• 2047 (Mid-Year)\ Travel and trade flow freely in Bitcoin zones, with no restrictive checkpoints. The dollar economy lingers in poorer areas, marked by decay, but Bitcoin’s dominance lifts overall prosperity, as its deflationary nature incentivizes saving and investment over consumption. Global supply chains rebound, powered by bitcoin enabled efficiency.

• 2047 (Late Year)\ The U.S. is a patchwork of semi-autonomous zones, united by Bitcoin’s universal acceptance rather than federal control. Resource scarcity persists due to past disruptions, but economic stability is higher than in Shriver’s original dystopia—Bitcoin’s success prevents the authoritarian slide, fostering a freer, if imperfect, society.

Key Differences

• Currency Dynamics: Bitcoin’s triumph prevents the bancor’s dominance and mitigates hyperinflation’s worst effects, offering a lifeline outside state control.
• Government Power: Centralized authority weakens as Bitcoin evades bans and taxation, shifting power to individuals and communities.
• Societal Outcome: Instead of a surveillance state, 2047 sees a decentralized, bitcoin driven world—less oppressive, though still stratified between Bitcoin haves and have-nots.

This reimagining assumes Bitcoin overcomes Shriver’s implied skepticism to become a robust, adopted currency by 2029, fundamentally altering the novel’s bleak trajectory.

@ bf95e1a4:ebdcc848

This is a part of the Bitcoin Infinity Academy course on Knut Svanholm's book Bitcoin: Sovereignty Through Mathematics. For more information, check out our Geyser page!

The Years Ahead

The Lindy Effect is a theory that describes the future life expectancy of a technology or an idea. It states that an idea’s expected remaining lifespan is proportional to its current age so that every additional period of survival implies a longer remaining life expectancy. Bitcoin, which is not only an idea but also a technology and a social experiment, is ten years old now, and therefore, we can expect it to stay around for at least another ten.

At the time of writing, there are exactly 17,669,941 bitcoins around, and twelve and a half new ones are created every ten minutes. 17,669,941 is about 84% of the total supply, that is, the total amount of Bitcoin that will ever exist. Ten years from now, around twenty million Bitcoin will have been found, three more block reward halvings will have taken place, and the reward for each block found will be 1.5625 Bitcoin. The whole world will have a little more than two and a half million new Bitcoin around. This is to be compared with the more than seventeen and a half million that were created during the last ten years when they were cheap and relatively easy to come by. In the network’s first couple of years, you could acquire several Bitcoin by just claiming them from special websites called faucets every once in a while. The US dollar’s cumulative rate of inflation was 15.6 percent during this period. This means that each dollar lost more than one sixth of its value in the last ten years due to quantitative easing, which is the central banker’s term for counterfeiting. It is very unlikely that the cumulative rate of inflation for the US dollar in the upcoming ten years will be any lower than these 15.6 percent since the fractional reserve lending system requires a little more inflation each year to sustain itself. So, a little less than 2.5 million new Bitcoin to share and at least 20% more US dollars in circulation to buy them with.

Now, let’s look at the Internet itself. Metcalfe’s Law states that the value of a communications network is proportional to the number of users on the network squared. Each new Internet user is a potential new Bitcoin user, especially in those places on the planet where there’s poor Internet connectivity because those places often have a weak local currency that Bitcoin functions as a hedge against. In 2008, 23% of the world’s population had access to the Internet, and in 2018, that number was 48%. In the developing world, the numbers were 14% in 2008 and 41% in 2018. The global numbers might not double again in the forthcoming ten years, but it looks like they’ll keep on rising, especially in developing countries, where they might just double again. All of these indicators (less Bitcoin, more fiat money, more Internet users) point toward a rising Bitcoin price, regardless of its current valuation. Bitcoin has risen in value extremely fast and has added, on average, an additional zero at the end of its price figure roughly every three years. Can it really keep on doing so? Think about the underlying forces that drive the price up. Every single mobile device could potentially hold Bitcoin, yet only a select few do. When more and more people embrace the technology, the whole fear of missing out cycle starts again, and the price jumps up to the next plateau. Note also that every current Bitcoin user can do three things with his or her coins: sell them, lose them, or hold them. On top of this, nothing is stopping an existing Bitcoin user from acquiring more coins.

Bitcoin is an Internet protocol that is very resistant to change. It showed an unprecedented example of this in late 2017 when all of the biggest companies in Bitcoin decided that they were going to implement the proposed Segregated Witness upgrade and then hard fork to 2-megabyte blocks a couple of months later. Segregated Witness, which most users wanted, was activated, but the network’s users resisted the 2-megabyte block hard fork. This led to a lot of frustration among the proponents of the hard fork and led to the creation of a copycat altcoin called Bitcoin Cash. The price of both tokens rose quickly in the aftermath of the fork, but in hindsight, the event was more of a train robbery than a Christmas gift — confusing at best. Segregated Witness does not only free up block space, but it also allows for Layer 2 scaling solutions to be built on top of Bitcoin, such as the Lightning Network. The Lightning Network allows for instant, completely anonymous, nearly free micro-transactions that do not take up block space, and it is up and running right now. In addition to this, the number of Lightning Network transactions that can be carried out simultaneously is only limited by the bandwidth of the nodes. This makes the Lightning Network a future real competitor to Visa or Mastercard. Many other Layer 2 upgrades are in the works, but the core Bitcoin network functions the same way it always has with its inputs and outputs, its public and private keys, and so on.

Will some other token ever replace Bitcoin, then? After all, more efficient protocols are out there. Short answer: no. This has been mentioned several times before in this book, but it can’t be stressed enough. Scarcity on the Internet was a one-time discovery. It was a one-time invention, and it cannot be repeated because resistance to replicability is the invention. Bitcoin’s history and unique position are what makes it truly scarce and resistant to change, and these first ten years will not repeat themselves for any “alternative” token. There is still a lot of confusion about what Bitcoin is, and the idea of sound money on the Internet is a hard concept to grasp since humans haven’t ever encountered absolute scarcity before. The best path forward for any person is arguably to educate him- or herself and others about the invention and what it means. Time will tell whether your sources were true or false, and it is unlikely that Bitcoin will achieve mass adoption in the next couple of years. Still, the infrastructure is in place, and the interfaces of its surrounding software, like wallets, are getting more and more user-friendly every day. Remember, the iPhone was first introduced to the world in 2007, and smartphones had enormous corporate marketing to help them succeed all along the way. Bitcoin grows organically. Let it breathe and watch it evolve but whatever you do, don’t miss the opportunity and acquire some while you still can, at this discounted price.

About the Bitcoin Infinity Academy

The Bitcoin Infinity Academy is an educational project built around Knut Svanholm’s books about Bitcoin and Austrian Economics. Each week, a whole chapter from one of the books is released for free on Highlighter, accompanied by a video in which Knut and Luke de Wolf discuss that chapter’s ideas. You can join the discussions by signing up for one of the courses on our Geyser page. Signed books, monthly calls, and lots of other benefits are also available.

@ 472f440f:5669301e

I'm sure some of you are already tired of the discussion around the H-1B visa program that was started on Christmas Eve by Vivek Ramaswamy and escalated by Elon Musk and others as the "Silicon Valley MAGA" coalition began putting forth legal immigration policy proposals for the incoming Trump administration. Core to their policy is the expansion of the H-1B visa program so that America can "recruit the best talent in the world" to come build the American economy.

Unfortunately, as it stands today - according to the Silicon Valley cognescenti, Americans are either a.) not smart enough to fulfill the roles necessary to enable the United States to maintain its lead as economic super power of the world or b.) expect too much in compensation for the available roles. At least this is my reading from the commentary I've seen over the last week.

What seems abundantly clear to me is that the framing put forth by "Silicon Valley MAGA" crew is disingenuous and self-serving. It has been clear for awhile now that the H-1B visa program is being systematically abused to bring in cheap labor from other countries to help drive down labor costs for companies across the spectrum. Not just Silicon Valley tech companies. The system has a loophole in it and it is being exploited. Bring people to the US via H-1B visas to complete work for you at lower costs and your company's financials are likely to be better off (assuming the work being done is productive and a value add to the company). Now, this isn't to say that everyone who is in the US via an H-1B visa is here because these companies want to exploit the loophole that gives them the ability to spend less on head count. However, based off the data from the database of the H-1B visa program it is abundantly clear that the system is being taken advantage of. Egregiously and at the expense of American workers, who are most certainly not (all) "subtarded".

Herein lies the crux of the problem; companies are abusing this program to get away from the problem of Americans demanding higher wages to maintain lives of dignity in a country run by a government that is chronically addicted to debt backed by a central bank that will print money ex-nihilo and at will to monetize that debt. Americans are then being scapegoated as either "lazy", "stupid" or "delusional about their worth in the work force". A classic straw man argument that avoids the root issue at hand; the money is broken and the broken money has created perverse incentives throughout the economy while also stripping Americans of the ability to properly save the value of their labor.

We live in a high velocity trash economy that rewards grift and waste while disincentivizing hard work that is meaningful to the quality of life of the Common Man. Everything has been hyper-financialized to the point that one of the only ways to make it ahead is to speculate on the flow of capital into certain asset classes, which is often determined by the whims of central planners. Another is to build or speculate on tech "innovations" that typically materialize in the form of attention zapping apps and widgets that help people temporarily forget they live in a high-velocity trash economy.

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation and it is because they don't see a way out of the nihilistic rat race created (unknowingly to most) by the money printer.

The ability to print money out of nothing and throw it at everything creates misaligned incentives that result in the inability for the market to properly determine what is genuinely needed by the people instead of those who have learned how to game the broken system and its broken incentives.

One last point, I would be remiss not to acknowledge that many individuals in America aren't intellectually equipped to do some of the cutting edge work that may be necessary to produce the technologies and companies that will push the country forward. The high-velocity trash economy run on money printed out of nothing has completely corrupted the education system. People in the United States are literally dumber than they were five decades ago. That is a fact. But it is not only the fault of the American people themselves, but the corrupt system they have been born into that destroyed the education system with perverse incentives. And the overwhelming majority of the blame is on the system, not the people.

Even with that being said, the idea that we need to adopt a Tiger Mom mentality in the US - a culture of unrelenting devotion to studying STEM to the point that weekend sleepovers for kids are discouraged - is absolutely laughable and objectively un-American. There are plenty of incredibly intelligent, creative and driven young Americans who have contributed and will continue to contribute significantly to the American economy and they didn't need to shackle themselves to their desks to get that way. America isn't a country that was built by automatons. It's a country built by people who said, "Fuck you. Don't tell me what I can and cannot do. Watch this."

Despite the fact that a system has been erected that actively works against the average American system the American spirit lives on in the souls of many across the country. Miraculously. The American spirit is something that cannot simply be imported. It is ingrained in our culture. It is certainly beginning to dwindle as hope for a better future becomes more and more dim for the masses as the system works against them despite all their best efforts to succeed. It is imperative that we stoke the coals of the American spirit while it is still alive in those who are too stubborn to give up.

People need the ability to save their hard work in a money that cannot be debased. Opportunity cost needs to be reintroduced into the market so that things that actually add value and increase the quality of life for the Common Man are where hard money is allocated. And people need to start talking about the root of the problem more seriously instead of striking at branches with disingenuous straw man arguments.

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Final thought... Ready to go surfing.

@ 472f440f:5669301e

There was a bit of a rally in stock markets today, but this was a relief rally after taking a beating throughout the week. All eyes were on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell as he took the stage on Wednesday to announce the decisions made at the most recent FOMC meeting.

The market reacted negatively to another 0.25% cut from the Federal Reserve that many considered a "hawkish cut" due to the fact that Chairman Powell articulated that it is likely that there will be less rate cuts in 2025 than were previously expected. This is likely driven by the fact that inflation, as reported by the terribly inaccurate CPI, has been coming in higher than expectations. Signaling that the Fed does not, in fact, have inflation under control. Who could have seen that coming?

Here's how the US 10Y Treasury yield reacted to the announcement:

"Not great Bob!" The US 10Y Treasury yield is something that everyone should be paying attention to over the course of the next year. Since the Fed started cutting rates in September of this year, the 10Y yield has been acting anomalously compared to how it has acted historically after Fed interest rate decisions. Since September, the market has been calling the Fed's bluff on inflation and rates have been moving in the opposite direction compared to what would be expected if the Fed had things under control. The "hawkish cut" made on Wednesday is not a great sign. The Fed is being forced to recognize that it cut "too much too fast" before actually getting inflation under control.

One has to wonder why they made such aggressive moves in September. Why the need for a much more dovish stance as quickly as they moved? Do they see something behind the scenes of the banking system that makes them believe that another liquidity crisis was on the horizon and they needed to act to prevent yet another banking crisis? Now that it is clear that inflation isn't under control and if there really was a liquidity crisis on the horizon, what are the first two quarters of 2025 going to look like? Could we find ourselves in a situation where inflation is beginning to accelerate again, there is a liquidity crisis, and the Fed is forced to rush back ZIRP and QE only to further exacerbate inflation? Couple this potential scenario with the proposed economic policy from the incoming Trump administration and it isn't hard to see that we could be in for a period of economic pain.

One can only hope that the Fed and the incoming administration have the intestinal fortitude to let the market correct appropriately, reprice, clear out the bad assets and credit that exists in the system and let the cleanse happen relatively unperturbed. That has what has been desperately needed since 2008, arguably longer.

On that note, bitcoin is going through a bull market correction this week as well. Likely incited and/or exacerbated by the turmoil in traditional markets.

Many are proclaiming that the end of this bull market is here. Don't listen to those who have been hate tweeting bitcoin all the way up this year. They've been looking for a correction to bask in schadenfreude and confirm their biases. These types of corrections are to be expected when bitcoin runs by checks notes 100% over the course of less than three months. We're approaching the end of the year, which means that people are selling to prepare for taxes (which may be happening in the stock market as well). Add to this fact that long-term holders of bitcoin have taken the most profit they have since 2018 and it probably explains the recent pull back. Can't blame the long-term holders for seeing six-figure bitcoin and deciding to bolster their cash balances.

I couldn't be more bullish on bitcoin than I am right now. The fundamentals surrounding the market couldn't be more perfect. Despite what the Trump administration may have in store for us in terms of economic policy (I agree with most of the policies he has presented), I find it hard to believe that even he and the talented team of people he has surrounded himself with can overcome the momentum of the problems that have been building up in the system for the last 16-years.

The "find safety in sats" trade is going mainstream as the market becomes more familiar with bitcoin, its properties, and the fact that it is very unlikely that it is going to die. The fervor around bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset for nation states is only picking up. And if it catches on, we will enter territory for bitcoin that was considered utterly insane only a year ago.

On that note, Nic Carter made some buzz today with a piece he wrote for Bitcoin Magazine explaining why he believes a strategic bitcoin reserve is a bad idea for the US government.

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/politics/i-dont-support-a-strategic-bitcoin-reserve-and-neither-should-you

While I agree that the signal the US government could send by acquiring a bitcoin strategic reserve could be bad for the US treasuries market, I think it comes down to strategy. The Trump administration will have to think strategically about how they acquire their Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. If they ape in, it could send the wrong message and cause everyone to dump their treasuries, which are the most popular form of collateral in the global financial system. However, there are ways to acquire bitcoin slowly but surely from here into the future that ensure that the United States gets proper exposure to the asset to protect itself from the out-of-control debt problem while also providing itself with a way out of the problem. Many of these potential strategies were discussed in two recent episodes I recorded. One with Matthew Pines from the Bitcoin Policy Institute and another with Matthew Mežinskis from Porkopolis Economics. I highly recommend you all check those out (linked below).

https://youtu.be/xyyeEqFVjBY

https://youtu.be/6vgesP9LIXk

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Final thought...

I am the most locked in from a focus perspective while on flights. Even with two kids under 5. Merry Christmas, Freaks!

@ 0b118e40:4edc09cb

The idea of Bitcoin as an internet native currency, and eventually a global one, is coming to life slowly. But historically, the idea of global currency has haunted the world’s financial imagination for nearly a century. 

From Keynes’s Bancor in 1944 to Zhou Xiaochuan’s post-crisis proposal in 2009 to today’s renewed debates, the idea resurfaces every time the global economy fractures. 

Could this time be different with Bitcoin? 

I decided to trace the idea of global currency through several decades and books. I may have missed some parts, so feel free to add. I’ll keep this brief and leave the books I’ve read below.

In the beginning

It all started on July 1, 1944. 730 delegates from 44 Allied nations, including major powers like the US, UK, Soviet Union, China, and France, gathered at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. They spent 2 weeks figuring out how the new international monetary and financial system would be, post WW2

After WW1, the treaty of Versailles was needed, but imposed harsh reparations that devastated economies and contributed to the rise of fascism, such as Hitler, Mussolini and gang. 

So when folks met up in 1944 (WW2 was almost ending), the goal was to prevent another Great Depression, another global conflict and build a stable global economic order. 

2 main proposals were discussed in Bretton Woods. 

1. John Maynard Keynes, representing the UK, proposed the creation of a global currency called Bancor. It will be issued through a global central bank known as the International Clearing Union (ICU).

2. Harry Dexter White, representing the US, promoted a dollar-based system. Countries would peg their currencies to the US. dollar backed by gold. He also led the creation of the IMF and the World Bank.

To understand how both of these proposals work, let's look at an example.

• Country A (Germany): Massive exporter

• Country B (USA): Massive importer

• Country C (Brazil): Balanced trade (imports = exports)

***Based on Dexter’s model and the current USD-based system, ***

Say Germany sells $1B worth of cars to the US. The US  pays in dollars, increasing its trade deficit. Germany accumulates dollars as reserves or buys the US Treasury bonds. Over time, the US continues running trade deficits, while Germany keeps hoarding dollars. Hence the  unsustainable debt of the US. 

***In Keynes’s Bancor system, ***

If Germany sells $1B worth of cars to the US, then the US does not pay in dollars. Instead, the ICU credits Germany with 1B Bancors and debits the US with -1B Bancors. 

The ICU police this. If Germany exceeds the surplus threshold, it pays interest or penalties to discourage hoarding. If the US exceeds its deficit threshold, it is warned to rebalance trade or face restrictions.

Here, Germany is incentivized to import more (e.g., from Brazil) or invest in global development. The US is encouraged to export more or reduce consumption. Brazil, with balanced trade, enjoys stability in Bancor flows and avoids pressure.

The idea behind Bancor was a zero-sum balancing act. No country could become “too big to fail” due to excessive deficits. But it was too complicated and idealistic in assuming every country could maintain balanced trade. 

Dexter on the other hand had a few tricks up his sleeve. In the end, Dexter’s USD dominance proposal was adopted. 

The Bretton Woods system established the US dollar as the central global currency 

Why did dollar dominance win over Bancor?

Simplicity often wins over complexity. But more so ICU felt too centralized, asking nations to surrender economic autonomy to a global body. That didn’t sit well in a post-war world where sovereignty was non-negotiable. That and idealist economic trade balance views. 

Dexter’s dollar-based system on the other hand wasn’t fair play at all. It was centralized and authoritarian in its design. 

So how did Dexter pull it off?

They had gold. They were ahead in economic recovery.

And they had nuclear weapons. 

At the time, the US held nearly 2/3 of the world’s gold reserves. It was a significant advantage in advocating for a gold-backed dollar as the bedrock of global trade. 

The US proposed a fixed gold peg at $35 per ounce.

From a broader geopolitical backdrop, the global population in 1944 was about 2.3 billion, a fraction of today’s 8 billion. The world was far less interconnected. The war had devastated Europe, Russia, and much of Asia. Infrastructure, economies, and entire cities were in ruins. The US, by contrast, had faced far fewer casualties and damages. Being geographically isolated, it had minimal domestic losses, around a tenth of what Europe suffered, and its economy was poised to rebuild faster. 

But gold dominance and economic recovery alone didn’t secure US financial dominance.

American scientific breakthroughs had already signaled global power. Physicists like Leo Szilard and Albert Einstein, who had fled Europe, helped develop nuclear weapons. Their intent was deterrence, not destruction. But once the bomb existed, it changed geopolitics overnight. The US had military dominance. And after Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, it became the undisputed superpower. 

In the end, the USD won and the vision for neutral global currency faded. 

And 20 years passed on…

France sends its warship to the US

Under Bretton Woods, countries could exchange dollars for gold, but the US had been printing more dollars than it had gold to back it. And it used it to fund the costly Vietnam War and domestic programs like the Great Society under LBJ. 

Belgian-American economist Robert Triffin pointed out a fatal flaw in the Bretton Woods system that came to be known as the Triffin dilemma. 

• The world needed US dollars for liquidity and trade.

• But the more dollars the US pumped out, the less credible its gold promise became.

Yet the US kept promising that every dollar was still convertible to gold at $35 per ounce.

French President Charles de Gaulle saw this as financial imperialism. He called it the  “exorbitant privileged position”. The world had to pay for what they bought with the money they have, but not the US. 

So in 1965, France did something unexpected. It sent a warship to New York Harbor to physically retrieve French gold reserves held by the Federal Reserve. 

Would it have escalated to war? Maybe. But likely not. It was perhaps more of a diplomatic theatre and a sovereign flex. France was exercising its right under the Bretton Woods agreement to convert dollars into gold. But doing it with military formality was to send a signal to the world that they don’t trust the US system anymore.

It was one of the first major public blows to the dollar’s credibility. And France wasn’t alone. Other countries like West Germany and Switzerland followed suit, redeeming dollars for gold and draining US reserves.

The Nixon shock

Given they did not have enough gold, the IMF introduced Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) in 1969. SDRs were an international reserve asset, created to supplement gold and dollar reserves. Instead of relying solely on the US dollar, SDRs were based on a basket of major currencies (originally gold-backed but later diversified).

The idea was to reduce the world’s dependence on the dollar and avoid a liquidity crisis. But SDRs were a little too late and a little too weak to solve the underlying problem.

By 1971, the US could no longer sustain the illusion. President Nixon “closed the gold window,” suspending dollar convertibility to gold. 

The Bretton Woods collapsed and this marked the beginning of fiat money dominance.

The French pursuit

While France demanded justice in one corner of the world, the French franc, specifically the CFA franc, has been dominant in parts of Africa since 1945, long before 1971.

After WWII, France created two CFA franc zones:

• West Africa: Communauté Financière Africaine (XOF)

• Central Africa: Coopération Financière en Afrique Centrale (XAF)

These zones included 14 African countries, many of which were former French colonies. France maintained monetary control via currency convertibility guarantees and representation in African central banks. Till today it has influence over these country’s monetary policy.

Colonisation hasn't ended in some parts of the world. 

Did countries stop using the USD after the Nixon shock 1971?

Nope. The US dollar was no longer convertible to gold and it dismantled the fixed exchange rate system. But most countries did not stop using the USD as their dominant reserve or trade currency. There were no decent alternatives. Instead, they floated their currencies or maintained a soft peg to the dollar or a basket of currencies. 

The USD remained dominant in oil trade (OPEC priced oil in USD) - petrodollar deal, global debt markets and FX reserves (central banks kept holding USD). 

In 1997, when many Southeast Asian countries were still pegged to the USD, Soros claimed that SEA will tank. The US further increased its credit rates leading to capital flight and eventual tanking of these countries leading to Asian Financial Crisis '97. Many financial crisis has similar vibe.

The 1999 Euro launch

The idea of a shared currency appeared again, this time through the forms of Euro. It was a mandatory system for member states of the Eurozone, and came with centralized authority, the European Central Bank (ECB), which controlled monetary policy for all participating nations.

At first glance, the euro seemed like a win. It eliminated exchange rate fluctuations, making trade within the Eurozone smoother. It gave weaker economies access to lower borrowing costs and helped Europe establish itself as a financial heavyweight. Today, the euro is the second most-used reserve currency after the US dollar.

But it came at a cost. Countries that adopted the euro lost monetary sovereignty and could no longer print their own money or adjust interest rates to respond to local crises. This became painfully clear during Greece’s debt crisis, where strict monetary policies prevented the country from devaluing its currency to recover. The one-size-fits-all approach meant that economies as different as Germany and Greece had to follow the same rules, often to the detriment of weaker nations. Debt-ridden countries like Italy and Spain were forced into harsh austerity measures because they could not manipulate their currency to ease financial strain. Meanwhile, richer nations like Germany and the Netherlands felt they were unfairly propping up struggling economies, creating political tension across the EU.

In recent years, the euro has faced pressure from global trade tensions, monetary tightening, and geopolitical instability contributing to market volatility and periodic depreciation against other major currencies.

The Bretton Woods 2.0

Believe it or not, after all that, there was a call for Bretton Woods 2.0. Yet another global currency dream.

When the housing market collapsed in 2008 followed by a series of domino effects, global banks froze lending, economies contracted, and panic set in. The crisis exposed how fragile the international financial system had become as it was overly reliant on debt, under-regulated, and centered around the US dollar.

Many countries, especially in the Global South and emerging markets, started to question whether a system built around a single national currency was sustainable. 

China, for instance, had been holding huge amounts of US debt while the US printed more dollars through bailouts and quantitative easing. This created global imbalances as exporting nations were lending money to the US to keep the system running, while taking on the risk of dollar depreciation. 

In 2009, China’s central bank openly proposed replacing the US dollar with a neutral global reserve currency suggesting SDRs (Special Drawing Rights) issued by the IMF instead.

These concerns led to a wave of calls from world leaders for a “Bretton Woods 2.0” ,  a modern rethinking of the post-WWII economic order. At G20 summits in London in 2009, countries like France, China, and Russia pushed for reforms in global financial institutions and more balanced power sharing. 

In the end, the IMF received more funding, and some banking regulations were tightened in the years after. But no real overhaul happened. No surprise there? The dollar remained dominant. 

The foundation of the global economy didn’t change, even though trust in it had been deeply shaken.

The growth of BRICS

In 2023, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa began discussing the idea of a shared currency or alternative mechanism to reduce the dependence on USD ie de-dollarisation. The sanctions on Russia didn't help. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the US and its allies froze Russia’s dollar reserves and cut it off from SWIFT, the “backbone of global banking communication”. This made one thing clear. If you fall out with Washington, your access to the global economy can vanish overnight.

China’s growing economic power also gave it more leverage to process alternative options. It would trade in Yuan with Russia and Iran.

I know many still say it's at its early stage, but I see many countries hedging their bets quietly and aligning with Putin and Xi. It became more obvious after US imposed tariffs on multiple nations, signaling that economic tools can double as political weapons. The world’s second financial system is slowly forming.

What is the world looking for, for the last century ?

From Bretton Woods to multiple financial crises, from the birth of the Euro to the rise of BRICS, through war and peace, we’ve been circling around the same ideal. A global currency that is :

1. Simple 

2. Free from dominant power 

3. Decentralised

4. Borderless

5. Scarce 

6. Transparent 

7. Inclusive, with self custody

8. Resilient in crisis 

9. Built for individual financial sovereignty

10. A new backbone for global finance, owned by no one

It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what politics you believe in, or how your economy leans. The answer keeps pointing in the same direction:

Bitcoin

This is the first true global currency.

And it’s just there 

Waiting...

.

.

.

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Some books that might interest you :

1. The Battle of Bretton Woods by Benn Steil

2. Goodbye, Great Britain by Kathleen Burk and Alec Cairncross

3. The Ghost of Bancor by Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa

4. Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins

5. The Blood Bankers by James S. Henry

@ 472f440f:5669301e

The end of the first part of bitcoin's story has come to an end. Most of the story has yet to be written, but I feel confident in saying that reaching the $100,000 per bitcoin milestone is a clear demarcation between two distinct eras of bitcoin. Yes, we have hit the significant milestones of $1, $10, $100, $1,000, and $10,000 over the last fifteen years and they all felt significant. And they certainly were in their own right. However, hitting the "six figure" milestone feels a bit different.

One bitcoin is currently worth a respectable salary for an American citizen. Ten hunnid bands. Something that is impressive to the layman. This may not mean much to many who have been around bitcoin for some time. The idea of bitcoin hitting $100,000 was seen as a foregone conclusion for millions of people out there. Myself included. This price marker is simply an inevitability on the road to global reserve currency to us.

With that being said, it is important to put yourself in the shoes of those who have doubted bitcoin up to this point. For some reason or another, $100,000 bitcoin has been used as a price target that "will never be hit" for many of the naysayers.

"Bitcoin is a Ponzi scheme."

"Tulips."

"Governments will ban it if it hits that point."

"It can't scale."

"It will be 51% attacked."

"No one will trust bitcoin."

"It can't be the world's money."

And yet, despite all of the kvetching from the haters over the years, here we are. Sitting above $100,000. Taking a short rest at the latest checkpoint en route to the peak of the mountain. We hovered right under $100,000 for a couple of weeks. Nominally, where we stand today is much closer to where we were last week compared to where we were six months ago. But for some reason the price tipping over $100,000 has catapulted bitcoin to a new playing field. Where bitcoin stood yesterday and where it found itself six months ago seem miles below where it is today. Crossing over the event horizon of six figures forces people to think of bitcoin in a different light. Almost as if we have entered another dimension.

The last year has been filled with a lead up to this crossing over of the event horizon.

Financial institutions that have derided bitcoin for well over a decade were forced to bend the knee and offer bitcoin exposure to their clients. The mere offering of that exposure has resulted in the most successful ETFs in the history of this particular investment vehicle.

Governments around the world have been forced to reckon with the fact that bitcoin is here to stay and that they need to act accordingly. Thanks to the first mover actions taken by El Salvador and Bhutan, which have nonchalantly decided to go all in on bitcoin, others have taken notice. Will that be publicly acknowledged by the bigger governments? Probably not. But you'd be naive to think that politicians in the US seeing two very small countries making such big bets on bitcoin didn't induce at least a little bit of FOMO. Once the bitcoin FOMO seed is planted it's hard to uproot.

Combine this with the fact that it has become rather cool to be privy to the fact that the world's governments have become egregiously addicted to debt and money printing, that inflation is pervasive and inescapable, and that censorship and Orwellian control tactics are on the rise and it is easy to see why more people are more receptive to the idea of bitcoin.

All that was needed to create an all out frenzy - a slingshot effect up the S Curve of adoption - was a psychological trigger. Bitcoin crossing over six figures.

Well, here we are. The tropes against bitcoin that have been trotted out over the last sixteen years no longer have as much bite as they did in many people's eyes. Sure, there will be some butt hurt nocoiners and totalitarians who continue to trot them out, but crossing the chasm of six figure bitcoin will have an order of magnitude more people thinking, "I hear what you're saying, but reality seems to be saying something completely different. And, if I'm being honest with myself, reality is making much more sense than your screeching."

Unstoppable peer-to-peer digital cash with a hard capped supply has been around since January 3rd, 2009. December 5th, 2024 will be the day that it cemented itself as something that cannot be ignored. Part I of the bitcoin story has been written. The end of the beginning is behind us. On to Part II: the rapid monetization of bitcoin, which will cement it as the reserve currency of the world.

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Final thought... I used some 2017-2020 era tactics to get into the writing mood tonight. 90210

@ 41fa852b:af7b7706

"The poison was never forced - it was offered gently, until you forgot it was poison at all." - Mark Twain

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Happy Sunday, folks.

Below is your weekly roundup of events for the coming week.

Added to the event section this week, an exciting new Scottish Bitcoin Conference, happening in August.

Check out all the details below.

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This week's sponsor is…

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Upcoming Bitcoin Meetups

Happening this week…

1. Dundee Bitcoin: Join them on the 2nd Monday of every month from 17:30 to 20:30 PM at The Wine Press, 16 Shore Terrace, Dundee DD1 3DN. This month's meetup is on Monday 9th. 🍻

2. Canterbury Bitcoin: Meeting this month at the The Dolphin Pub in Canterbury at 7 PM on Tuesday the 10th of June. An informal meetup to discuss Bitcoin and chat. 🍺

3. Glasgow Bitcoin: Meetups are held every second Wednesday of the month. This is a place for people in and around Glasgow to discuss Bitcoin. 18:00 - 23:00 at The Piper Bar, G1 1HL. This month on Wednesday 11th. 🍻

4. St Albans: This is a new meetup happening on the second Wednesday of each month. This month, it's from 19:00 to 22:00 on the 11th at the Robin Hood of St Albans, Victoria St, St Albans. 🍻

5. Children of Riddim - Festival - Bitcoin Stage: Children of Riddim Festival is bringing Bitcoin to the big stage from the 12th--16th June in Hemel Hempstead, with 150+ DJs, artists, and speakers. The Barn of Freedom will host Bitcoin talks, music, and Nostr-powered apps. Tickets and donations for the stage can be made via geyser.fund, with camping included. Acts/speakers include Joe Bryan, Metamick, Roger9000, Angor, and more. 🎉🪩

6. Bitcoin Beach Bournemouth: Every second Thursday of the month at Chaplins Cellar Bar. 529 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, United. You'll find them in the Cogg Room at 19:30. This month it's the 12th. 🍺

7. Bury St Edmunds Bitcoin: is reviving the medieval spirit of the Folkmoot, one Bitcoin meetup at a time. Their second gathering takes place this Friday at 17:30 at Edmundo Lounge. They've also just launched a brand new website.

8. Stoke Bitcoin Meetup: The Stoke Bitcoin meetup is back! They will have Bitcoin coffee to taste, delivered by hand directly from the mountains of El Salvador and grown by @lacruzboss in Berlin, El Salvador. 15:00 on Friday 13th. ☕️🍻

9. Bitcoin Walk - Edinburgh: Every Saturday they walk around Arthur's Seat in this historic city. Join them at 12 pm to chat about all things Bitcoin and keep fit. 🚶🏽‍♂️🚶🏼‍♀️🚶🏻

10. Bitcoin East: Join Bitcoin East in Bury St. Edmunds on Sunday 15th, 12:00 at Hopsters Bar, Felixstowe. All welcome, Bitcoiners and anyone else curious about Bitcoin. 🍺

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New Businesses Accepting Bitcoin

This week we have…

• Core Agency: A creative communications firm that blends financial expertise with bold storytelling to help businesses in finance and beyond stand out. Based in the UK, they specialise in strategic planning, brand identity, content production, and public relations, delivering everything from investor-focused media to high-impact digital campaigns. With in-house studios for video, animation, and live streaming, Core offers end-to-end solutions that are both visually compelling and commercially effective. Their mission is to bring clarity, creativity, and confidence to brands navigating complex markets. Whether you're a fintech startup or a global institution, Core helps you communicate with purpose and originality. Now accepting bitcoin payments. 📈

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Upcoming Special Events

These events aren't happening next week, but they're important to add to your calendar now as tickets are selling fast.

The Bitcoin Beach Retreat: An annual Bitcoin-only gathering held at a scenic coastal campsite in North Wales. Celebrating its fifth year in 2025, the retreat offers a relaxed, community-driven alternative to traditional conferences.

From July 11--14, up to 120 Bitcoiners will come together to share knowledge, enjoy beachside BBQs, and strengthen their networks under the stars. With no pre-booked speakers, the event thrives on peer-led workshops and spontaneous discussions, fostering genuine connections among attendees. Emphasising local engagement, the retreat directs the majority of its funds into the surrounding community, with 42% of expenses paid in Bitcoin last year.

Whether attending solo or with family, attendees can expect a welcoming environment dedicated to sound money and shared values.

Scottish Bitcoin Conference: Taking place on August 23, 2025, at the Glasgow University Union, located at 32 University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LX. From 09:00 to 16:30.

Featuring an impressive roster of speakers, including Anthony Scaramucci, Hashley Giles, Rick Messit, Dr. Peter Connor, Claire Chisholm, Roger9000, John Magill, Ian Scanlon, Robin Thatcher, Jamie Plowman, Robbie Maltby, Russell Rukin, Peter Lane, Francesco Madonna, and Sam Roberts.

Open to all, this conference offers a unique opportunity for Bitcoiners and newcomers alike to connect and learn in the vibrant setting of Glasgow.

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Get Involved

• Volunteer: Passionate about merchant adoption? Reach out to Bridge2Bitcoin on Twitter or website.
• Start a Meetup: Want to launch a Bitcoin meetup? We'll support you. Contact us on Twitter or just reply to this email.
• Contribute to BTCMaps: Help maintain this key Bitcoin resource--no coding skills needed. Update a UK area.
• Telegram: Join our Channel for UK meetup updates
• Feedback: Reply to this email with ideas and suggestions.

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This week's sponsors is…

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Get out and support the meetups where you can, visit Bitcoin Events UK for more info on each meetup and to find your closest on the interactive map.

Stay tuned for more updates next week!

Simon.

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

The adoption of Bitcoin as a corporate reserve asset is accelerating: public companies have doubled their holdings in just two months.

The use of Bitcoin as a corporate treasury strategy is reaching unprecedented levels. According to a recent report from Standard Chartered, shared with several industry outlets, 61 publicly traded companies collectively hold 3.2% of all bitcoin in circulation.

Geoff Kendrick, global head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered, revealed that these 61 public firms — out of a total of 124 — now own 673,897 BTC.

The report highlights that 58 of the 61 companies analyzed have net asset value (NAV) multiples above 1, indicating that their market valuations exceed the value of their net assets.

The Strategy copycats

A significant takeaway from the report is the speed at which companies are accumulating bitcoin. The 60 companies considered “Strategy copycats” have doubled their holdings in the past two months, from under 50,000 BTC to about 100,000 BTC. Over the same period, Strategy added 74,000 BTC, compared to the 47,000 acquired by the other firms.

This movement continues to expand as new companies announce Bitcoin purchase plans via debt issuance. On June 3, Canadian renewable energy developer SolarBank officially announced its Bitcoin treasury strategy, filing an application to open an account with Coinbase Prime to secure custody services, manage USDC, and set up a non-custodial wallet for its Bitcoin holdings.

Meanwhile, Paris-based Blockchain Group announced a $68 million Bitcoin acquisition, while Norwegian crypto brokerage K33 raised $6.2 million to purchase BTC at the end of May.

The post Bitcoin treasury: 61 publicly listed companies now hold over 3% of total supply appeared first on Atlas21.

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

There is a viral Chat GPT prompt on social media (i saw it on TikTok)-It;s supposed to help you analyze yourself.

I thought this was a cool thing to try, but I decided to use Grok Ai Instead, seeing that I have a premium X subscription, and wouldn’t have to worry about the limitations with a free ChatGPT account.

Here is the prompt:

I want to uncover the masks I'm currently wearing, the roles I'm playing, and the illusions I'm believing.

Please guide me through this process by asking me 10 reflective questions one at a time to help me recognize the stories I'm telling myself. Pause after each question to wait for me to answer. After I answer the 10th question, please step into the role of my higher self and analyze my responses.

Identify the top negative patterns present in my life and the top positive patterns I can embrace and grow. Be direct and truthful. Tough love is welcome.

Provide me with daily affirmations to support my growth, actionable steps to change my behaviors, and embody my authentic self. A message of encouragement from my higher self to celebrate how far I've come on my journey.

Cool, right?

I answered the 10 questions, which I won’t post-because my answers were very personal and very specific. And even though I share a lot of deep personal stuff here, I wasn’t prepared to go public with how deep the questions Grok was asking.

The questions were super uncomfortable to answer.

I answered them honestly, and looking back-some questions could have been answered with different examples and directions, maybe that would show different conclusions.

Here are my results:

Analysis from Your Higher Self

Top Negative Patterns Present in Your Life:

1. Avoidance as a Shield: You’ve built a pattern of avoiding risks—whether it’s heights, the outdoors, or even deeper emotional vulnerabilities—because of early fears tied to being seen as weak or getting hurt. This avoidance keeps you safe but also keeps you small, limiting experiences like enjoying nature or forming deeper connections.

2. Fear of Perception: There’s a lingering story that shyness or introversion equals weakness, likely rooted in childhood experiences like bullying. This drives you to put on an outgoing mask, even when it exhausts you, because you fear isolation or judgment. It’s a heavy burden to carry, and it pulls you away from your authentic self.

3. Self-Imposed Isolation: While being alone feels safe and freeing, it also risks becoming a crutch. You’re missing out on the balance of connection—where you can still be your nerdy, unfiltered self without the pressure to perform.

Top Positive Patterns to Embrace and Grow: 1. Self-Awareness and Honesty: You’ve shown a remarkable ability to reflect and name what’s true for you—like recognizing avoidance, your love for nerdy things, and how being alone feels freeing. This clarity is a superpower; lean into it to keep peeling back layers.

1. Desire for Freedom: Your longing to think and feel without consequence is a sign of a spirit that craves authenticity. You can channel this into spaces and relationships where you feel safe to be your true self, not just when alone.

2. Resilience Through Adversity: Despite early fears and bullying, you’ve developed a sharp sense of self—it’s why you can pinpoint what feels off (like the outgoing mask) and what feels right (being a nerd). This resilience can carry you far as you step into new experiences.

Guidance for Growth

Daily Affirmations to Support Your Growth:

• I am strong in my stillness, and my quiet nature is a source of power.
• I release the need to perform for others and embrace my authentic nerdy self.
• I am safe to take small risks, knowing they lead me closer to freedom and joy.
• I attract people who love me for my true self, not the masks I’ve worn.
• I am enough, exactly as I am, without needing to prove my worth.

Actionable Steps to Change Behaviors and Embody Your Authentic Self:

1. Micro-Adventures in the Outdoors: Start small—take a 15-minute walk in a nearby park or sit outside with a book you love. Build up to a short hike with a trusted friend. Let nature be a space to reconnect with yourself, not something to fear.

2. Own Your Nerdiness Publicly: Share one nerdy interest with someone you trust—like a favorite game, comic, or hobby—or post about it online. Let it be a test run for showing up authentically in small ways.

3. Set Boundaries Around Social Energy: When you feel the pull to be overly outgoing, pause and check in. If it’s not serving you, give yourself permission to leave early or say less. Practice saying, “I’m more of a listener,” to ease the pressure.

4. Journal Your Unfiltered Truth: Each night, write one thing you felt or thought that day but didn’t say out loud. This builds confidence in your voice, so you can slowly share more with others without fear of consequences.

5. Seek Like-Minded Connections: Look for local or online groups tied to your nerdy passions—think gaming communities, book clubs, or fandoms. These spaces can help you connect without the pressure to perform.

A Message of Encouragement from Your Higher Self:

My dear one, I see how far you’ve come—through the shadows of childhood fears, through the weight of masks you didn’t even realize you were wearing, you’ve still held onto the spark of who you are. That nerdy, thoughtful soul who craves freedom and truth? That’s always been you, and it’s a beautiful thing. Every step you’ve taken to recognize what holds you back—every honest answer you’ve given—has brought you closer to me, to us, to the version of you that’s unapologetically real. You’re not weak; you’ve been strong in ways others might never understand. Keep going. The world needs your quiet brilliance, your quirky passions, your unfiltered heart. I’m so proud of you for choosing this journey. You’ve got this.

So there you have it you probably know more about me than I knew about myself before I started this exercise.

Here is my challenge to you:

Do it for yourself! Copy/paste into your favorite AI chatbot and leave the results in the comments!

@ 4fe14ef2:f51992ec

Let's support Bitcoin merchants! I'd love to hear some of your latest Lightning purchases and interesting products you bought. Feel free to include links to the shops or businesses you bought from.

Who else has a recent purchase they’re excited about? Bonus sats if you found a killer deal! ⚡

If you missed our last thread, here are some of the items stackers recently spent and zap on.

Like and repost: X: https://x.com/AGORA_SN/status/1931657445916766655 N: https://njump.me/note1qqqsgu9pgx2u6yt2dv0c5yedpzrqalaqe3rf3lwxfu4a0w6wemtsy0eyfu

https://stacker.news/items/1000477

@ 0b65f96a:7fda4c8f

Es gibt Bibliotheken voll Literatur zur „Kunst“ der Kriegsführung. Dies hier ist ein Beitrag zu den Bibliotheken der Kunst Frieden zu führen. Denn Frieden ist nicht die Abwesenheit von Krieg. Sondern eine mindestens ebenso intensive Aktivität. Worin genau besteht sie aber? Ich glaube darin, weder nach der einen noch nach der anderen Seite vom Hochseil zu fallen. Denn vom Hochseil kann man immer nach zwei Seiten fallen. Das ist dann auch schon die Kernherausforderung: Gleichgewichthalten!

Es scheint zunächst ein ganz äußerlicher Auftrag. Es gibt immer und wird immer widerstreitende Interessen geben. Allerdings ist das nur die äußerste Zwiebelschale. Denn wenn wir die Sache etwas mit Abstand von uns selbst betrachten, werden wir in uns hinein verwiesen: Frieden kann nur von innen nach außen gestiftet werden. Wenn wir das Hochseil in uns suchen, was finden wir dann? – Zweifels ohne, wissen wir von uns, dass wir nicht jeden Tag unser bestes Selbst sind. Würde es sich nicht lohnen etwas genauer über die Möglichkeit nach zwei Seiten vom Hochseil zu fallen nachzudenken, zugunsten der eigenen Balancierfähigkeit?

Wir sind daran gewöhnt zu denken dem Guten steht das Böse gegenüber. Daraus ziehen ja alle Western und Martial Arts Streifen ihren Plot: Der Gute bringt den Bösen um die Ecke und damit hat wieder mal das Gute gesiegt. Wir bewerten das „um die Ecke bringen“ unterschiedlich, je nach dem, von wem es kommt.

Ich möchte einen neuen Gedanken vorschlagen über unser Inneres, über Gut und Böse nachzudenken. Denn, wie gesagt, vom Hochseil kann man nach zwei Seiten fallen. Und es hat immer drastische Wirkung. Wo kommen wir also hin, wenn wir sagen: Frieden ist immer ein Gleichgewichtszustand, ergo eine Zeit der Mitte?

Sagen wir Toleranz ist ein erstrebenswertes Ideal. Dann würden wir sicher sagen Engstirnigkeit ist das Gegenteil davon und alles andere als Wünschenswert. Ja, so ist es gewiss. Und es bleibt hinzuzufügen, auch Beliebigkeit ist das Gegenteil von Toleranz. Denn es gibt eine Grenze, wo Toleranz nicht mehr Toleranz ist, sondern Beliebigkeit, ein „alles ist möglich“. Ähnlich können wir es für Großzügigkeit denken: Großzügigkeit ist ein erstrebenswertes Ideal. Ihr Gegenteil ist Geiz. Ihr anderes Gegenteil die Verschwendung. Oder Mut. Mut ist ein erstrebenswertes Ideal. Feigheit sein Gegenteil. Sein anderes Gegenteil ist Leichtsinn. Mit andern Worten: Das Ideal wird immer zum Hochseil. Und wir können immer nach zwei Seiten von ihm fallen. Wenn wir diesem Gedanken folgen, kommen wir weg von der Gut-Böse-Dualität. Und stattdessen zur Frage nach dem Gleichgewicht. Zur Frage nach der Mittezeit.

Natürlich steht es uns frei all das zu denken. Oder auch nicht zu denken. Denn selbstverständlich ist es möglich es nicht zu denken und bei einer Dualitätsvorstellung festhängen zu bleiben. Es wird uns nur nicht helfen Frieden zu denken und in Frieden zu handeln. Wenn wir wollen können wir durch das Aufspannen einer Trinität einen neuen Raum eröffnen und betreten. In ihm wird Frieden aktiv führbar, denn er wird eine Gleichgewichtssituation in uns selbst! – Nicht eine, sich einander gegenüberstehender äußerer Mächte!

Gehen wir noch einen Schritt weiter in unserer Betrachtung, können wir feststellen, dass es durchaus einen Unterschied macht nach welcher Seite wir runter fallen. Denn auf der einen Seite ist es immer eine Verengung: Engstirnigkeit, Geiz, Feigheit in unseren Beispielen. Auf der anderen ist es immer eine Zersplitterung oder Versprühung. In unseren Beispielen Beliebigkeit, Verschwendung und Leichtsinn. Und das erstrebenswerte ist eben immer die Mitte, das von uns ständig aktualisierte Gleichgewicht.

Das interessante ist, wo diese Mitte liegt, lässt sich niemals statisch festlegen. Sie ist immer dynamisch. Denn sie kann zu unterschiedlichen Momenten an unterschiedlicher Stelle liegen. Es ist immer ein Ich, das sich in Geistesgegenwart neu ausbalanciert. Und darum ist Frieden so schwer. Wir werden ihn niemals „haben“, sondern ihm immer entgegen gehen.

Der Kriegsruf ist nichts anderes, als ein Versuch von denen, die vom Hochseil gefallen sind, uns auch herunter zu kicken.

Netter Versuch. Wird aber nichts!

In der Nussschale: Die Dualität auflösen in die Trinität der balancierenden Mitte zwischen der Geste der Versteinerung und der Geste des Zerstäubens oder Zersplitterns. Die dynamische Qualität der Mitte bemerken. Oder, tun wir es nicht, ist das gleich der erste Anstoß, der uns wieder zum Wackeln bringt. Und des Ich´s gewahr werden, das balanciert. Frieden führen ist eine Kunst.

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Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben.

Noch nicht auf Nostr? Hier entlang zum leichten Einstieg!

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Patric I. Vogt, geb. 1968 in Mainz. Autor von „Zukunft beginnt im Kopf Ein Debattenbeitrag zur Kernsanierung von Rechtsstaat und Demokratie“. Lebt als freischaffender Künstler, Lehrer und Unternehmer. Über drei Jahrzehnte Beschäftigung mit dem Ideenfeld soziale #Dreigliederung und Anthroposophie. Moderation und Mediation von sozialen Prozessen und Organisationsentwicklung. Staatlich ungeprüft, abgesehen von den Fahrerlaubnissen zu Land und zu Wasser. Motto: Gedanken werden Worte, werden Taten! www.perspektivenwechsel.social

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@ a296b972:e5a7a2e8

Wie schon gewohnt durch die Empfänge von Baerbock und von der Leyen im Ausland, in Washington ein Empfang etwas oberhalb der 1. Class, von Staatsempfang keine Spur. Passt eigentlich auch nicht für den 51. Bundesstaat der USA. Aber immerhin flog die „Bundesrepublik Deutschland“ ohne Pannen, das ist ja auch schon mal was. Und bei solch einem erfahrenen Chef-Co-Piloten an Bord, der auch mal schnell einspringen könnte, sozusagen als 2. Wahl, kann eigentlich gar nichts mehr schief gehen. Vielleicht hat Fritzchen den Kapitän auch gefragt, ob er auch mal ans Steuer darf, wenn sich die Gelegenheit schon bietet.

Im Gepäck die eingerahmte Geburtsurkunde von Großvater Trump. Als ob Donald die sich nicht selbst besorgen könnte, wenn er Interesse daran hätte. Vielleicht hat er sie auch schon.

Die Übergabe, kurz und schmerzlos. Sie erinnert an einen Sketch von Loriot, „Weihnachten bei Hoppenstedts“:…oh, eine Krawatte! Der versprochene Ehrenplatz wird sich vermutlich in einer der unteren Etagen des Weißen Hauses befinden.

Man muss auch erst einmal darauf kommen, so typisch deutsch: Eine Geburtsurkunde als Geschenk. Das könnte man auch als einen Wink mit dem Zaunpfahl ansehen: Erinnere Dich an Deine deutschen Wurzeln (und lass uns gefälligst nicht fallen?).

Jetzt zur Einschätzung des Treffens: Vorfahrt mit frisch gewaschenem Auto, Schwarz-Rot-Gold vorne am Kotflügel, wie es sich gehört, Schwarz-Rot-Gold am Eingang. Ganz schön rechts. Warum eigentlich nicht die Regenbogenfahne?

Begrüßung durch Trump auf Nachfrage eines Reporters: „I love the People of Germany.“

Und Merz nutzt die Gelegenheit sich in Biedermeier-Style einzuschmeicheln: „And I love the People of America.“

Und Trump erwidert: „That‘s good!“

In welcher Atmosphäre findet das Treffen statt?

Trump hat ein Elefantengedächtnis. Er weiß um die abwertenden, diplomatiefreien Aussagen, die Merz über ihn gemacht hat. Er weiß, dass Merz ihn mehrfach persönlich beleidigend angegriffen hat. Als Präsident der USA steht man darüber. Aber man weiß es! Trump ist sich darüber im Klaren, mit welcher Geisteshaltung er es bei Merz zu tun hat.

Vor dem Hintergrund passt seine Aussage zur Presse: „Ich liebe die Deutschen.“ Das ist eine demokratische und höfliche Sympathiebekundung gegenüber der deutschen Bevölkerung, die Merz zwar miteinschließt, aber nicht direkt an ihn gerichtet ist.

Trump begrüßt Merz mit Handschlag, begrüßt aber eigentlich nicht den Kanzler, sondern die Deutschen.

Andererseits darf der Äußerung „Ich liebe die Deutschen“ auch nicht zu viel Bedeutung beigemessen werden, denn die Amerikaner sind ja dafür bekannt, dass sie gerne und schnell alles lieben: I love America, I love Coca-Cola, I love Peanuts und eben auch I love the People of Germany.

Merz nutzt gleich die Gelegenheit, sich anzubiedern, in dem er pariert: „Und ich liebe die Amerikaner.“, worauf Trump antwortet: „That’s good!“ Das kann man übersetzen mit „Das ist gut!“, aber auch mit „Das ist auch gut so!“, bei letzterem wäre es eine versteckte Drohung. Mach Dir bewusst, wo Du bist und mit wem Du es zu tun hast und verhalte Dich danach!

Nonverbal wird dem sonst in Deutschland so eloquent wirken wollenden, akzentuiert sprechenden Merz die Bedeutung zugedacht, die ihm aus Sicht von Trump gebührt. In Frankfurt heißen sie Wiener, in Wien heißen sie Frankfurter.

Somit sind die Voraussetzungen, unter denen das Treffen stattfinden soll, schon einmal von amerikanischer Seite aus geklärt.

Du bist hier Gast in meinem Haus, also benimm Dich auch entsprechend! Ich bin der Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika und Du bist klein Fritzchen aus dem Sauerland. Die Machtverhältnisse sind unausgesprochen geklärt.

Man hat in gewohnter Manier Platz genommen. Die Journalisten stellen Ihre Fragen ausschließlich an Trump. Zufall, oder Teil einer orchestrierten Aufführung, das wird man nie erfahren.

So oder so, die Journalisten signalisieren durch ihre Fragen an Trump, auf welcher Seite sie stehen, es weht der Geist von „America first“. Was Germany dazu zu sagen hat, interessiert niemanden, warum auch?

Die Einseitigkeit ist schon sehr auffällig. Eigentlich hätte es die Journalisten interessieren müssen, wie Deutschland zu verschiedenen Themen steht. Keine Fragen an Merz zu Zöllen, zur Ukraine, zur Meinungsfreiheit, zur Opposition. Mit dem Anspruch, ein breites Spektrum an Meinungen abbilden zu wollen, hat das eigentlich nichts zu tun. Wenn das die Vorstellung von „Freedom of Speach“ ist, dann können hier Zweifel aufkommen.

Falls diese Fragerunde in Hollywood-Manier gestaltet wurde, dann spräche das eher für Propaganda pro Trump. Wäre es Propaganda, dann wäre das Ziel allerdings erreicht worden: Kein Mensch interessiert sich für das, was Deutschland, vertreten durch Merz, zu sagen hat.

Trump setzt dem Ganzen zum Schluss noch die Krone auf, in dem er die Journalisten auffordert, nun endlich doch auch noch ein paar Fragen an Merz zu richten. Das unterstreicht nochmals das (geplante oder ungeplante) Desinteresse der anwesenden Journalisten, die sich nun fast schon genötigt fühlen, anstandshalber etwas zu fragen.

Merz, der bisher brav wie ein Schüler dem Lehrer zugehört hat, muss nun blitzschnell entscheiden, wie er die „künstlich“ hergestellte Möglichkeit nutzen kann, um, etwas unter Druck, durch die Kürze der Zeit, mit wenigen Worten seinen Standpunkt nach außen zu tragen. Seine konzentrierte Kernbotschaft, die Essenz, die Deutschland aus den USA und die übrige Welt hören soll, ist: Er steht weiter an der Seite der Ukraine und Russland ist ausschließlich das Böse.

Ganz schön raffiniert, denn so hat Trump es geschafft, das Konzentrat der Merz’schen Logik aus ihm herauszupressen.

Beide bekunden den Willen zum Frieden. Gleichzeitig wird jedoch auch klar, was jeder unter Frieden versteht: Merz will „Frieden durch Krieg“ und Trump will „Frieden durch Frieden“.

Auf rund 45 Minuten Trump kommen rund 4 Minuten Merz. Die Minuten drücken exakt die Machtverhältnisse aus.

Hätte Trump vorgehabt, Merz vorzuführen, ihm die Ohren langzuziehen, ihn bis auf die Knochen zu blamieren, er hätte reichlich Möglichkeiten dazu gehabt.

Er hätte Merz fragen können, warum er seinerzeit meinte, dass ihn, Trump, als Arschloch zu bezeichnen, noch gelinde sei. Er hätte ihn fragen können, warum er Trump als Gefahr für die Demokratie ansieht. Trump weiß darum, er hat es jedoch nicht angesprochen, was ist der Grund dafür?

Und Vance, der ebenfalls anwesend war, hätte seine Feststellungen zur Meinungsfreiheit und der „Fire-Wall“ gegen die Opposition, die er auf der Sicherheitskonferenz in München klar formuliert hat, wiederholen können, jetzt, wo doch der Kanzler, als erster Ansprechpartner für Deutschland, persönlich hätte gefragt werden können.

Beim Besuch von Selenskyj haben beide ja auch gewaltig gezeigt, wer hier das Sagen hat.

Nichts! Keine schallende Ohrfeige für Merz, doch nur Erdnussbutter auf’s Sandwich geschmiert. Kein „You don’t have the cards…“, was den Tatsachen entsprechen würde.

Auf politischer Ebene bleibt in den USA nichts, rein gar nichts dem Zufall überlassen. Je länger man darüber nachdenkt, desto klarer kann einem werden, dass das Treffen genau so geplant war, wie es sich abgespielt hat. Aber was genau ist der Plan, der dahintersteckt? Es gibt einen, dass ist so sicher, wie das Amen in der Kirche.

Sollen sich die Deutschen, vor allem die deutsche Politik in Sicherheit wiegen? Wenn das Teil eines Planes wäre, wäre er gelungen, denn in Deutschland wird der Besuch als gelungen und erfolgreich bewertet, aus welchen Gründen auch immer. Inzwischen ist Deutschland ja Weltmeister im Schönreden.

Spannend auch die Vorstellung, wenn man die Phantasie anregt, wie das Gespräch, im Fall Merz ein Monolog, verlaufen wäre, wenn die deutsche Opposition auf dem Stuhl von Merz gesessen hätte.

Es widerspräche der Realität, wenn nicht im Hintergrund ganz andere Ziele verfolgt und Absprachen getroffen würden. Welchen Einfluss auf das Treffen hat der bevorstehende NATO-Gipfel am 24. und 25. Juni 2025 in Den Haag?

Es drängt sich immer mehr der Verdacht auf, dass man es mit zwei Realitäten zu tun hat. Eine, die offiziell verkündet wird, und eine, die den Tatsachen entspricht, die aus welchen Gründen auch immer jedoch zunächst noch im Verborgenen bleibt. Ob das vielleicht sogar gut oder eher schlecht ist, wird die Zukunft zeigen. Klar ist jedoch, dass eine gesteuerte Realität in der Öffentlichkeit verbreitet werden soll, die man durchaus als Propaganda von allen Beteiligten bewerten kann. Da hackt eine Krähe der anderen kein Auge aus. Da heißt es wachsam bleiben und nicht der Versuchung zu erliegen, das zu glauben, was man gerne glauben möchte und von dem man sich wünscht, dass es eintritt.

„Bediene Dich Deines eigenen Verstandes.“ Das ist die Aufgabe der Zeit.

“Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben.”

* *

(Bild von pixabay)

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Uber seed investor and executive producer of the All In podcast Jason Calacanis has been publicly sounding the alarm bell about Microstrategy's bitcoin treasury strategy and the cheer leading exhibited by the company's CEO, Michael Saylor. Calacanis believes that Microstrategy's bitcoin acquisition techniques are a Ponzi scheme waiting to implode. Going as far as to question whether or not Microstrategy is the next FTX.

Earlier today, Jason spent a section of an episode of This Week in Startups to discuss his worries about MSTR's bitcoin treasury strategy, Saylor's overt pumping of the strategy, and the fact that there are other companies like Marathon Holdings beginning to deploy similar convertible debt strategies. While I can see how this can be unnerving for many, I do think there is a fundamental misunderstanding of what Microstrategy is doing. Last week I explained the strategy in a tweet, which I'll reiterate here:

Whether you like it or not, Saylor and Microstrategy have found a way to give pools of liquidity (particularly pools with mandates to allocate to fixed income) exposure to bitcoin’s volatility via convertible notes. The converts are performing better than any other fixed income product on the market.

Other investors have noticed this and have piled into MSTR as well understanding that demand for the converts will increase and enable Microstrategy to accumulate more bitcoin. Those investors feel comfortable with the premium to mNAV MSTR is trading at because they believe the demand for a high performing fixed income product will remain high and likely increase.

Microstrategy can continue doing this until viable competition comes to market because there is no one else offering this type of bitcoin return exposure to fixed income investors at scale. Another important detail, the convertible notes have a duration of 5 years or more while bitcoin’s lowest 4-year CAGR is 26% and its 50th percentile 4-year CAGR is 91%. If you think this will continue then this is a pretty safe bet for Microstrategy and the convertible note holders.

In a world were central banks and governments have gone mad with currency debasement and debt expansion it is pretty safe to assume that bitcoin adoption will not only continue but accelerate from here. What do I think about Microstrategy accumulating this much bitcoin? It makes me a bit uneasy but there’s nothing I can do to stop it and bitcoin will survive in the long run. Even if Microstrategy blows up somehow (I don’t think this is likely). Bitcoin was designed to be anti-fragile.

This is a classic case of “don’t hate the player, hate the game”. Or better yet, join the game. After all, the only winning move is to play.

Essentially, Michael Saylor is taking a long-term bet on bitcoin's continued adoption/monetization and trying to accumulate as much as possible by issuing convertible notes with a 4+ year duration, which should increase the likelihood that Microstrategy is in the black on their bitcoin buys over time as history has shown that anyone who holds bitcoin for more than four years has performed well. This should, in turn, be reflected in their stock price, which should increase alongside bitcoin and convert the debt they've accrued into newly issued shares of MSTR. Through the process, if the strategy is executed successfully, increasing the amount of bitcoin per share for MSTR shareholders. (This is the only metric shareholders should care about in my opinion.)

Yes, this may seem crazy to many and extremely risky to most, but that is the nature of free markets. Every company takes calculated risks in an attempt to increase shareholder value. Michael Saylor and company are betting on the fact that bitcoin will continue to be adopted and are utilizing pools of capital that don't have the ability to buy bitcoin directly, but want exposure to its volatility to achieve their goals. To me it looks like a perfectly symbiotic relationship. Microstrategy is able to accumulate more bitcoin and increase their bitcoin per share while fixed income investors are able to access a product that performs well above their benchmark due to the embedded volatility of the exposure to bitcoin Microstrategy provides.

This won't be a surprise to any of you freaks, but I think it's a pretty smart bet to make. Bitcoin is almost 16-years old. It has established itself as a reserve asset for individuals, companies and countries. A reserve asset that is completely detached from the whims of central planners, transparent, predictable, scarce, and can be transmitted over the Internet. Bitcoin is an idea whose time has come. And more people are beginning to recognize this.

This is one of the beautiful aspects of the public company convertible-note-to-bitcoin strategy that Microstrategy has deployed over the last few years. They are able to harness the benefits of forces that are external to their core business to provide shareholders with value. Michael Saylor could stop buying bitcoin tomorrow and it wouldn't affect bitcoin's adoption in the medium to long-term. He continues to buy bitcoin, and encourages others to do the same, because he recognizes this.

Bitcoin is the apex predator of treasury assets for every individual, company, non-profit or government. The assets competing to be treasury assets are all centrally controlled, easily manipulable, and quickly losing favor. Earlier today, Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher Waller came out and admitted that inflation is kicking the Fed's ass. They cannot tame it.

Waller may posture by saying that "submission is inevitable", but that doesn't make it true. There is simply too much debt and not enough dollars. The annual interest expense on the US Federal debt is now larger than our spending on national defense. The Fed, whether it wants to admit it or not, is going to have to monetize that debt via the debasement of the dollar. If you are using dollars as a treasury asset it is very important that you understand this and react accordingly by adopting a bitcoin strategy. This is what Michael Saylor is trying to make his peers in public markets understand.

Sure, his marketing tactics may seem a bit uncouth to many and the way in which he's expressing his belief through Microstrategy's accumulation strategy may seem risky, but it's hard to argue that his core thesis is flawed. Especially when you consider the fact that bitcoin has officially climbed to the strata of being seriously considered as a treasury asset for the most powerful nation state in the world. I listen to the All In podcast quite frequently and genuinely like the show. It is a good way to gain perspective on how Silicon Valley investors view the world. If I were to give Jason any advice it would be to take a step back and to apply one of the most frequently discussed topics of the last on his show, the emergence of AI and the importance of everyone to incorporate AI into their businesses and workflows as quickly as possible before they get left behind. The same mental model applies to the emergence of bitcoin as a dominant reserve asset.

It is imperative that every individual, company and government adopts a bitcoin treasury strategy if they want to be able to succeed moving forward without the inherent resistance that is introduced from storing the fruit of your labor in a money or money-like asset that does not preserve purchasing power over time. Just because Saylor has recognized this, moved aggressively to effectuate his understanding via his company's balance sheet, and vociferously markets the strategy to others doesn't mean he's wrong. As I said in my tweet last week, I personally prefer to hold actual bitcoin. That doesn't mean that Microstrategy and others haven't honed in on something unique and legitimate given their circumstances and access to certain financial tools.

---

Final thought... I apologize for the extended hiatus. I hit a hard wall of writer's block over the last month. I think the time away from the keyboard has been good for me and the quality of this rag moving forward.

@ 0689c075:2936ee11

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@ 2b998b04:86727e47

I’ve spent years chasing the promise of freedom.\ In startups. In faith communities. In movements that claimed to be for the people.

And yet — so often, that promise felt just out of reach.\ Conditional. Corporate. Sanitized.\ A freedom with fine print.

But here —\ Here in the thick of Bitcoin 2025, on Nostr, among misfits and builders and signal-bringers —\ something is alive.

It’s not a platform.\ It’s not a marketing strategy.\ It’s not another app promising to “empower” you while locking down your data and selling you out.

It’s freedom rooted in architecture.\ Decentralization not just as a buzzword —\ but as an expression of conviction.

A kind of freedom you can feel in your body:

• When you zap someone’s words because they moved you — not because an algorithm told you to.

• When your identity is yours — keys, not credentials.

• When no one can delete your story because you control the server, or because there is no server — just the relay of your choosing.

This isn’t utopia.\ There are egos. There’s noise. There’s still posturing.\ But it’s different.\ The center of gravity has shifted.

We’re no longer begging institutions to notice us.\ We’re building outside their jurisdiction.

And for the first time in a long time,\ freedom feels close.\ Tangible.\ Joyful.\ Alive.

This isn’t just about tech.\ It’s about trust.\ It’s about choosing to show up —\ to build\ to write\ to signal\ to keep going.

Even when it’s hard.\ Even when no one claps.

Because real freedom doesn’t come from being noticed.\ It comes from being sovereign.

And that’s something no one can take from me again.

—

Written in Las Vegas, during Bitcoin 2025.\ Posted via Nostr. Vibes co-authored by ChatGPT (“Dr. C”).\ Zap: <https://tinyurl.com/yuyu2b9t>

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

I’ve written before about the distinction between a platform, like Gmail or X, and a protocol, like SMTP or nostr. The former is typically owned and centrally controlled, the latter permissionless and open to everyone. For example, Google can ban you from using its email client, but no one can prevent you from using email itself because no one owns the email protocol.

Language is also a protocol, in fact every language including English. Anyone, even your worst enemy who knows it can make himself understood by those who understand it. Dictionaries and grammar guides exist, but over time even they bend to common usage and are forced to include new words and rules over time because no one owns or unilaterally controls the language.

Nonetheless that doesn’t prevent people from trying. If large companies ban you from using their communications platforms like Facebook, X and Gmail, it can severely constrict your reach. Banks can’t prevent you from using physical dollars, but they can cancel your credit cards and close your accounts, if for example you’ve decided to support Canadian truckers protesting their government, making it difficult for you to transact in a society largely run on their digital rails.

Over the last few years we even saw brazen attempts to turn language into a protocol via preferred pronouns, political correctness and a government-funded “disinformation” industry. The idea was that you had to “log in” with your correct view and accurate information credential before you could participate in a discussion about a wide array of sensitive topics. If you questioned the safety and efficacy of vaccines, the fairness of the 2020 election or the origins of the Covid virus you often found yourself denied reach on various platforms and labeled “anti-vax,” “anti-science,” an “election denier” or a “conspiracy theorist.”

These labels served to circumvent substantive discussion by denying basic standing such that there was no path to a hearing on the merits. If you did not signal your bona fides via adherence to certain preferred edicts, your perspective was often summarily dismissed, not only by individuals, but also institutions at the behest of which the modern public square is administered.

In short, centralized platforms, responding to government pressure, attempted to turn self-expression and in some cases even language itself into platform. As it turns out, that attempt was a violation of the law, at least in the United States, where we have a First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

That the First Amendment was violated over the last five years (and is still being violated now, though more with respect to what you can say about Israel and the conflict raging therein) is not surprising. The Constitution is merely a piece of paper and as such wholly dependent on succeeding generations’ willingness to stand up for it. Governments are always, by their nature, top down and fascistic insofar as they use force to achieve their desired ends, and it would be naive to think a piece of paper should stop them from doing so given a sufficiently compliant populace.

Put differently, the consecrated ideas in the piece of paper must be perpetuated to retain their binding effect. And rational arguments as to their supremacy over the expedience of the day (“people are dying, it’s a once in a century pandemic!”) often fall on propagandized ears. A list of sacrosanct principles is no failsafe for mass formation psychosis, and sophisticated and powerful factions have learned to foment manias as needed to overwhelm the average person’s dedication to them.

But just as gunpowder to some extent democratized the use of force 600 years ago, the spread of new technologies has the potential to enforce the First Amendment in perpetuity in a way the Framers with their pen and paper could not. In fact, we can re-write the First Amendment for the modern digital age in simplified form:

Religion and speech are ever protocols, never platforms.

In essence, no centralized entity can control, capture or censor them. But instead of simply stating this as a matter of principle, we can now, via Bitcoin and nostr, instantiate it into a decentralized ecosystem with the use of distributed nodes and unbreakable encryption. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men would more have as much chance of re-assembling Humpty Dumpty, contra the laws of entropy, as cracking your private keys. Inducing manias in the general public and using it as a lever on centralized gatekeepers works only at the platform level, but necessarily fails versus a distributed protocol.

The solution then in the face of an indifferent and obedient population to restoring the principles on which freedom and the prospect of human prosperity depend is to develop and use unstoppable, uncensorable technology, i.e., digital protocols, to circumvent the walled-garden platforms run by centralized tech behemoths. Yes, advocating for the principles in the founding documents is good and useful, but building and using tools that instantiate them is also necessary.

If enough people transact peer to peer in bitcoin rather than over the closed-circuit rails of the global banking system, and enough people share information over nostr, rather than via the centralized tech platforms, laws and actions that violate free speech would be as effective as ones outlawing gravity or laws of thermodynamics.

The next revolution won’t be with the guillotine or the pitchfork, but bottom-up person to person, permissionless interaction and transaction. You can still be excommunicated from the platforms by their commissars and state apparatchiks, but their edicts no longer run merely afoul of a consecrated piece of paper — they come up against an infrastructure over which they no longer have enforceable jurisdiction.

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

Sati, a Bitcoin payments app and Lightning infrastructure provider, announced the launch of its Lightning integration with Xverse wallet.

Launched in 2025 with investors of the likes as Draper Associates and Ricardo Salinas, Sati powers Bitcoin payments on applications such as WhatsApp to fuel the next wave of adoption.

The Whatsapp bot allows users to send bitcoin via the messaging app through a special bot. After verifying their identity, the user selects the “send” option, chooses to pay to a Lightning address, enters the amount (1,000 sats), confirms with a PIN, and the transaction is completed, with the funds appearing instantly in the recipient wallet.

The new integration will now bring Lightning functionality to over 1.5 million people worldwide. Users can send and receive sats (Bitcoin’s smallest denomination) instantly over the Lightning Network all within the Xverse app,

Further, every xverse wallet user gets a Lightning Address instantly. That means they can receive tips, pay invoices, and use Bitcoin for microtransactions—all without having to manage channels or switch between different apps.

While Xverse adds support for Lightning, users should be cautious in using the wallet as it’s mostly known for enabling access to rug pull projects.

Initially designed in 2017, the Lightning Network has grown to become Bitcoin’s leading layer-2, with a current BTC capacity of over $465M.

“Bitcoin was not meant to be an asset for Wall Street—it was built for peer-to-peer money, borderless and accessible,” said Felipe Servin, Founder and CEO of Sati. “Integrating Lightning natively into Xverse brings that vision back to life, making Bitcoin usable at scale for billions.”

Sati expects USDT on Lightning to be supported as early as July 2025 for users accessing Sati through WhatsApp.

This integration positions Sati’s role as a Lightning infrastructure provider, not just a consumer app. By leveraging its API-based solution, the company provides plug-and-play backend services to wallets and platforms looking to add Bitcoin payments without compromising on security or UX.

Sati recently closed a $600K pre-seed round. The funding is used to support global expansion, stablecoin integration, Lightning infrastructure growth, and broader access to Bitcoin in emerging markets.

The Sati team is attending Bitcoin2025 in Las Vegas this week and looking forward to connect with bitcoin enthusiasts.

@ dab6c606:51f507b6

I've been interested for a while in how the business with miles and loyalty points works. I found out that only large corporations can partially do this because of how they can then account for it. And it's tax-wise super advantageous. I also added info about loyalty points and gift cards. The text below was written by various AIs as I was digging into it, it's basically a summary, sharing for those who are interested.

Part I: Loyalty Programs of Large Corporations

Business Logic of Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs of airlines and hotels are sophisticated business tools that serve several key purposes. They primarily function to increase customer loyalty by creating "switching costs" - customers don't want to lose accumulated points, which reduces the likelihood they'll switch to competitors.

At the same time, they're a significant source of additional revenue. For example, American Airlines earns more from selling miles to banks than on some flight routes. When Citibank buys miles for 1-2 cents per mile, the airline gets immediate revenue, while the real value for the customer can be 3-5 cents when used correctly.

Accounting Treatment of Loyalty Points

From an accounting perspective, loyalty points represent deferred liabilities. When a customer earns points, the company must create a reserve for their future redemption. Points are valued based on expected costs of their redemption, not on nominal value.

The key difference is between cash accounting and accrual accounting: - Cash accounting: Revenue is recognized when payment is received, expenses when paid. - Accrual accounting: Revenue and expenses are recognized when the obligation arises.

For loyalty programs, accrual accounting is critical. When an airline sells miles to a bank for $1,000,000, it simultaneously creates a liability for future costs (say $600,000), so taxable income is only $400,000.

Example: Selling Miles to a Bank

An airline sells 50 million miles to Citibank for $1,000,000: 1. Immediate revenue: $1,000,000 2. Creation of liability: $600,000 (estimated future costs) 3. Taxable income: $400,000 4. Future costs: When customers use miles, the company recognizes the expense and reduces the liability

Positive margin arises from several factors: - Breakage - 15-20% of miles are never redeemed - Time value of money - Money from the bank is invested immediately - Marginal costs - An empty seat has low incremental cost

Tax Optimization and Offshore Structures

Large companies often use international structures to optimize taxes from loyalty programs. A typical structure includes: 1. Parent company (USA/EU) - Operates flights and provides services (e.g., flights or accommodation). 2. IP Holding (Ireland/Netherlands) - Owns intellectual property (IP) for the loyalty program, such as brands, software, and databases. 3. Loyalty Operating Company (Singapore/Dubai) - Manages sale of miles to banks and partners, coordinates the program and communicates with customers.

Business Relationships and Payments Between Entities (example with positive result for Singapore)

These entities are connected by contracts that determine who pays for what and why, to minimize tax burden: - Bank → Singapore (Loyalty Operating Company): The bank (e.g., Citibank) pays $1,000,000 for miles it offers to its clients as rewards for using credit cards. The Singapore company is the main contact point for partners because it's located in a low-tax jurisdiction (17%) with good infrastructure for financial services. - Singapore → Ireland (IP Holding): The Singapore company pays $500,000 as royalties for using IP (brands, software, and data) of the loyalty program. This payment is high to shift profit to Ireland, where the tax rate is even lower (12.5%). This reduces taxable income in Singapore. - Singapore → Parent Company (Airline): The Singapore company pays $300,000 to the parent company for providing services (e.g., flights) when customers use miles. This payment is lower than actual costs to minimize profit in the parent company's country, where the tax rate is higher (e.g., 25-35% in USA or EU). - Profit in Singapore: $1,000,000 (income from bank) - $500,000 (royalties to Ireland) - $300,000 (payment to airline) = $200,000 profit, taxed at 17% in Singapore.

Why Such Distribution?

• Ireland (IP Holding): High royalty payments ($500,000) go to Ireland because the 12.5% tax rate is attractive and Ireland is considered a "serious" jurisdiction that meets international rules (e.g., BEPS). Ireland also has double taxation treaties with many countries, facilitating profit shifting.
• Singapore (Loyalty Operating Company): Mile sales and program coordination occur in Singapore due to favorable tax environment (17%) and strategic location for Asian markets. A small profit ($200,000) is left here to demonstrate "economic substance" - that the company has real activity.
• Parent Company: The $300,000 payment is low to minimize taxable income in a high-tax country (e.g., USA or EU).

Why Not 0% Tax Jurisdiction?

Why not use a zero-tax country (e.g., Cayman Islands)? Due to: - Regulatory scrutiny - Tax authorities closely monitor 0% jurisdictions and may question legitimacy. - BEPS rules - Need to demonstrate "substance" (real offices, employees) in the country. - Credibility test - 12.5% in Ireland or 17% in Singapore looks like legitimate business operation.

The result of such structure is that most profit (60-70%) is taxed at 12.5% in Ireland or 17% in Singapore instead of 25-35% in the airline's home country.

Part II: Loyalty Programs and Alternatives for Small Businesses

Why Loyalty Programs Are Problematic for Small Businesses

Unlike large corporations, small businesses like cafes face a fundamental problem with loyalty programs: cash accounting obligation. In many countries, small firms (under $25M annually) must use cash accounting, which means: - Revenue from selling points is taxed immediately - Costs are deducted only when customers use points (maybe a year later) - Creates tax and cashflow problem - tax is paid on money you'll "lose" in the future

Imagine a cafe that sells loyalty points for €100. It must immediately pay tax (say €21), but deducts coffee costs provided for points only in the future.

Alternative Models for Small Businesses

There are more tax-advantageous alternatives:

1. Gift Cards Model

• Revenue is NOT RECOGNIZED when selling gift card
• Revenue is recognized only when customer uses the card
• Example: Sell gift cards for €10,000 in December, get cash immediately, but pay tax gradually as customers use cards during the following year.
• Time value of money: Money can be invested (e.g., 6% annually = €600 extra profit on €10,000)
• Breakage benefit: 2-10% of cards are never used, after certain time (3-5 years, depending on legislation) you can recognize the balance as pure profit.

Example: Starbucks Starbucks had $1.5 billion in unused gift cards on its books in 2022. Estimated 3% breakage means $45 million pure profit – interest-free loan from customers with bonus that part never returns.

2. Subscription Model

• Monthly revenue = immediate taxation
• Monthly costs = immediate deduction
• Example: €10/month for "premium membership" with certain benefits

3. Discount Coupons

• No revenue when issuing coupon
• Reduced revenue when redeeming (sell at lower price)
• Example: 20% discount coupon = sell coffee for €4 instead of €5

Outsourcing Loyalty Program: Details About Shopify Loyalty

Platforms like Shopify Loyalty represent an elegant solution for small businesses wanting to offer loyalty programs without accounting and tax complications. Let's break this down in detail:

How Shopify Loyalty Works

• Shopify as third party: Shopify owns and manages the entire loyalty program including points and software. The customer has their "account" directly with Shopify, not with the specific store. This means points are not your liability, but Shopify's liability.
• Your role: You (e.g., cafe) pay Shopify a monthly fee (e.g., €29) for using the platform and a small transaction fee (e.g., €0.20) for each point redemption (reward). You're essentially a "service provider" for Shopify – you provide rewards when Shopify sends you an order.
• Earning points: Customer earns points for purchases in stores participating in Shopify Loyalty program. For example, if customer buys coffee for €5 in your cafe, Shopify credits them points (e.g., 5 points per euro, so 25 points). Specific rules (how many points per euro) are set by you through Shopify platform, but technically points are managed by Shopify.
• Using points: Customer can use points for rewards (e.g., free coffee for 100 points), but usually only in stores participating in Shopify network. This means if your cafe uses Shopify Loyalty, points earned with you can be used with you or other stores in Shopify ecosystem, if Shopify allows it. Usually, however, stores set up the program so points are primarily usable with them, increasing loyalty to their brand.
• Point redemption process: When customer wants to use points (e.g., 100 points for free coffee), Shopify sends order to you (cafe) to provide the reward. You give the coffee but don't receive direct payment from customer – it's a marketing cost. You also pay Shopify transaction fee (€0.20). Accounting-wise, it's not a sale, so no taxable income or receipt obligation arises.
• Accounting treatment: When customer uses points:
• No receipt = no taxable income
• Coffee cost (€2) + Shopify fee (€0.20) = €2.20
• Recorded as "Promotional expenses" or "Marketing costs"

Why Must Loyalty Program Be Outsourced to Third Party (like Shopify)?

Small businesses don't have capacity or resources to manage their own loyalty program "in-house" for these reasons: - Tax and accounting complexity: If you managed loyalty program yourself, you'd have to create reserves for future liabilities (points customers will use later), estimate breakage rate (percentage of unused points) and handle cash vs. accrual accounting. For small firms that often must use cash accounting, this means immediate taxation of revenue if selling points, but cost deduction only in the future – creates cashflow mismatch. - Technological infrastructure: Managing points, customer databases and integration with payment systems requires sophisticated software and IT team, which is expensive and complicated for small firms. - Legal separation: When program is managed by third party like Shopify, points are their liability, not yours. For you, this means no future liabilities in your accounting books – just monthly costs (Shopify fee), which are tax-deductible as regular expense. - Economic efficiency: Shopify aggregates thousands of stores, achieving economies of scale – lower costs for software, security and data management. A small cafe could never create such system at reasonable price alone.

Why Can't It Be In-house from Tax Perspective?

If small firm managed loyalty program itself: - Immediate tax problem: If firm sold points (e.g., for money or as part of purchase), revenue would have to be taxed immediately, though costs for providing rewards (e.g., free coffee) could be deducted only when customer uses points. This creates cashflow mismatch because you pay tax before actually "losing" money on reward. - Complex reserves: Would have to estimate how many points will be used and create accounting reserves, which is administratively demanding and requires expensive accountants or software. - Risk of errors: Incorrect breakage rate estimates or poor liability management can lead to tax audits and penalties.

With Shopify, these problems are eliminated – you only pay monthly fee and transaction fees, which are simply recorded as marketing costs. Shopify takes full responsibility for managing points and liabilities to customers.

Case Study: Loyalty Points for Cafe (10 + 1 Free Model)

Let's look at specific case of small cafe offering classic loyalty program type "10 + 1 free". Customer gets 1 point for each coffee purchased (e.g., for €3) and after collecting 10 points gets one free coffee. We'll analyze how this works accounting-wise, whether it's "promotional expense" and what's the difference between in-house management and using Shopify.

How "10 + 1 Free" Program Works

• Earning points: Customer buys coffee for €3 and gets 1 point (e.g., stamp on card or digital record). Points have no monetary value for sale – they're purely reward for purchase.
• Using points: After collecting 10 points (meaning purchases for €30) customer gets free coffee (value €3).
• Real cost for cafe: Cost of producing free coffee is lower than selling price, e.g., €1.50 for materials and labor.

Accounting Treatment (In-house)

If cafe manages program itself (in-house), accounting process depends on whether it uses cash accounting (common for small firms) or accrual accounting: - Cash accounting: - When customer buys coffee: Cafe records €3 revenue for each coffee and issues receipt. Point (stamp) has no monetary value, so it's not recorded as liability or revenue. - When redeeming 10 points: When customer gets free coffee, no revenue arises (€0), but cost for coffee production arises (€1.50). This cost is recorded as "Promotional expense" or "Marketing cost" because it's form of discount or advertising to retain customer. - Tax impact: No revenue when issuing free coffee, €1.50 cost is tax-deductible as regular expense. - Accrual accounting (less common for small firms): - When customer buys coffee: Cafe records €3 revenue but simultaneously creates small liability for future reward (e.g., €0.30 per point, which is estimate of cost for future free coffee divided by 10). So from €3 revenue, taxable income is only €2.70. - When redeeming 10 points: When customer gets free coffee, cafe reduces liability by €3 (10 points x €0.30) and records €1.50 cost for coffee production. Difference can be adjusted as breakage or other profit if estimates differ from reality. - Tax impact: Taxable income is lower already at first purchase, but accounting is more complex due to estimates and reserves.

Is it Promotional Expense? Yes, in both cases (cash and accrual) the cost of free coffee is recorded as "Promotional expense" or "Marketing cost" because it's form of discount to support customer loyalty. It's not considered regular sale because no revenue or receipt arises.

Accounting Treatment (via Shopify Loyalty)

If cafe uses Shopify Loyalty to manage "10 + 1 free" program, process is simpler: - When customer buys coffee: Cafe records €3 revenue for coffee and issues receipt. Shopify credits point to customer's account (it's not your liability, but Shopify's). - When redeeming 10 points: Shopify sends order to issue free coffee. Cafe gives coffee (€1.50 cost) and pays Shopify transaction fee (€0.20). Total cost €1.70 is recorded as "Promotional expense" or "Marketing cost". - Tax impact: Same as in-house, no revenue when issuing free coffee, €1.70 cost is tax-deductible as regular expense. Additionally, you don't have to handle any liabilities or breakage estimates because Shopify manages points.

Difference Between In-house and Shopify

• In-house:
• Advantages: Full control over program, no monthly fees to third party (e.g., €29 Shopify fee).
• Disadvantages: If using accrual accounting, must create reserves and estimate breakage, which is administratively demanding. With cash accounting it's simpler (no liabilities), but if you sold points for money, tax mismatch arises (revenue taxed immediately, cost only later). Additionally, must manage point database yourself (stamps, software), which is time-consuming.
• Shopify Loyalty:
• Advantages: No liabilities in your accounting books, Shopify manages points and technology. Accounting-wise it's simple – just monthly fee (€29) and transaction fees (€0.20) as marketing cost. Don't have to handle estimates or breakage.
• Disadvantages: Pay monthly fees and transaction fees, increasing costs (e.g., €0.20 extra per free coffee). Have less control over program because third party manages it.

Conclusion for Cafe: "10 + 1 free" program is accounting-wise considered Promotional expense in both cases (in-house and Shopify) because free coffee is form of marketing to retain customers. Difference is in administrative burden and costs – Shopify simplifies accounting and management, but at cost of monthly fees. In-house is cheaper but more demanding to manage, especially if you wanted to use accrual accounting or sell points for money.

Conclusion

Loyalty programs are sophisticated customer loyalty tools, but their accounting and tax aspects differ significantly between large and small firms. Large corporations use accrual accounting and international structures for tax optimization, while for small businesses alternative models like gift cards or outsourcing entire program are often more advantageous, eliminating tax and cashflow problems. Gift cards additionally bring immediate cash flow, time value of money and breakage benefit, making them ideal tool for businesses of all sizes. Shopify Loyalty offers small firms way to implement loyalty program without accounting complications because it takes technical and legal responsibility, allowing focus on core business. For simple programs like "10 + 1 free," accounting impact is similar (Promotional expense), but Shopify simplifies management at cost of additional fees.

@ a849beb6:b327e6d2

\ \ It was another historic week for both bitcoin and the Ten31 portfolio, as the world’s oldest, largest, most battle-tested cryptocurrency climbed to new all-time highs each day to close out the week just shy of the $100,000 mark. Along the way, bitcoin continued to accumulate institutional and regulatory wins, including the much-anticipated approval and launch of spot bitcoin ETF options and the appointment of several additional pro-bitcoin Presidential cabinet officials. The timing for this momentum was poetic, as this week marked the second anniversary of the pico-bottom of the 2022 bear market, a level that bitcoin has now hurdled to the tune of more than 6x despite the litany of bitcoin obituaries published at the time. The entirety of 2024 and especially the past month have further cemented our view that bitcoin is rapidly gaining a sense of legitimacy among institutions, fiduciaries, and governments, and we remain optimistic that this trend is set to accelerate even more into 2025.

Several Ten31 portfolio companies made exciting announcements this week that should serve to further entrench bitcoin’s institutional adoption. AnchorWatch, a first of its kind bitcoin insurance provider offering 1:1 coverage with its innovative use of bitcoin’s native properties, announced it has been designated a Lloyd’s of London Coverholder, giving the company unique, blue-chip status as it begins to write bitcoin insurance policies of up to $100 million per policy starting next month. Meanwhile, Battery Finance Founder and CEO Andrew Hohns appeared on CNBC to delve into the launch of Battery’s pioneering private credit strategy which fuses bitcoin and conventional tangible assets in a dual-collateralized structure that offers a compelling risk/return profile to both lenders and borrowers. Both companies are clearing a path for substantially greater bitcoin adoption in massive, untapped pools of capital, and Ten31 is proud to have served as lead investor for AnchorWatch’s Seed round and as exclusive capital partner for Battery.

As the world’s largest investor focused entirely on bitcoin, Ten31 has deployed nearly $150 million across two funds into more than 30 of the most promising and innovative companies in the ecosystem like AnchorWatch and Battery, and we expect 2025 to be the best year yet for both bitcoin and our portfolio. Ten31 will hold a first close for its third fund at the end of this year, and investors in that close will benefit from attractive incentives and a strong initial portfolio. Visit ten31.vc/funds to learn more and get in touch to discuss participating.\ \ Portfolio Company Spotlight 

Primal is a first of its kind application for the Nostr protocol that combines a client, caching service, analytics tools, and more to address several unmet needs in the nascent Nostr ecosystem. Through the combination of its sleek client application and its caching service (built on a completely open source stack), Primal seeks to offer an end-user experience as smooth and easy as that of legacy social media platforms like Twitter and eventually many other applications, unlocking the vast potential of Nostr for the next billion people. Primal also offers an integrated wallet (powered by Strike BLACK) that substantially reduces onboarding and UX frictions for both Nostr and the lightning network while highlighting bitcoin’s unique power as internet-native, open-source money. 

Selected Portfolio News

AnchorWatch announced it has achieved Llody’s Coverholder status, allowing the company to provide unique 1:1 bitcoin insurance offerings starting in December.\ \ Battery Finance Founder and CEO Andrew Hohns appeared on CNBC to delve into the company’s unique bitcoin-backed private credit strategy.

Primal launched version 2.0, a landmark update that adds a feed marketplace, robust advanced search capabilities, premium-tier offerings, and many more new features.

Debifi launched its new iOS app for Apple users seeking non-custodial bitcoin-collateralized loans.

Media

Strike Founder and CEO Jack Mallers joined Bloomberg TV to discuss the strong volumes the company has seen over the past year and the potential for a US bitcoin strategic reserve. 

Primal Founder and CEO Miljan Braticevic joined The Bitcoin Podcast to discuss the rollout of Primal 2.0 and the future of Nostr. 

Ten31 Managing Partner Marty Bent appeared on BlazeTV to discuss recent changes in the regulatory environment for bitcoin. 

Zaprite published a customer testimonial video highlighting the popularity of its offerings across the bitcoin ecosystem. 

Market Updates

Continuing its recent momentum, bitcoin reached another new all-time high this week, clocking in just below $100,000 on Friday. Bitcoin has now reached a market cap of nearly $2 trillion, putting it within 3% of the market caps of Amazon and Google. 

After receiving SEC and CFTC approval over the past month, long-awaited options on spot bitcoin ETFs were fully approved and launched this week. These options should help further expand bitcoin’s institutional liquidity profile, with potentially significant implications for price action over time.

The new derivatives showed strong performance out of the gate, with volumes on options for BlackRock’s IBIT reaching nearly $2 billion on just the first day of trading despite surprisingly tight position limits for the vehicles. 

Meanwhile, the underlying spot bitcoin ETF complex had yet another banner week, pulling in $3.4 billion in net inflows. 

New reports suggested President-elect Donald Trump’s social media company is in advanced talks to acquire crypto trading platform Bakkt, potentially the latest indication of the incoming administration’s stance toward the broader “crypto” ecosystem. 

On the macro front, US housing starts declined M/M again in October on persistently high mortgage rates and weather impacts. The metric remains well below pre-COVID levels. 

Pockets of the US commercial real estate market remain challenged, as the CEO of large Florida developer Related indicated that developers need further rate cuts “badly” to maintain project viability. 

US Manufacturing PMI increased slightly M/M, but has now been in contraction territory (<50) for well over two years.

The latest iteration of the University of Michigan’s popular consumer sentiment survey ticked up following this month’s election results, though so did five-year inflation expectations, which now sit comfortably north of 3%. 

Regulatory Update

After weeks of speculation, the incoming Trump administration appointed hedge fund manager Scott Bessent to head up the US Treasury. Like many of Trump’s cabinet selections so far, Bessent has been a public advocate for bitcoin. 

Trump also appointed Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick – another outspoken bitcoin bull – as Secretary of the Commerce Department. 

Meanwhile, the Trump team is reportedly considering creating a new “crypto czar” role to sit within the administration. While it’s unclear at this point what that role would entail, one report indicated that the administration’s broader “crypto council” is expected to move forward with plans for a strategic bitcoin reserve.

Various government lawyers suggested this week that the Trump administration is likely to be less aggressive in seeking adversarial enforcement actions against bitcoin and “crypto” in general, as regulatory bodies appear poised to shift resources and focus elsewhere. 

Other updates from the regulatory apparatus were also directionally positive for bitcoin, most notably FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg’s confirmation that he plans to resign from his post at the end of President Biden’s term. 

Many critics have alleged Gruenberg was an architect of “Operation Chokepoint 2.0,” which has created banking headwinds for bitcoin companies over the past several years, so a change of leadership at the department is likely yet another positive for the space.

SEC Chairman Gary Gensler also officially announced he plans to resign at the start of the new administration. Gensler has been the target of much ire from the broader “crypto” space, though we expect many projects outside bitcoin may continue to struggle with questions around the Howey Test.

Overseas, a Chinese court ruled that it is not illegal for individuals to hold cryptocurrency, even though the country is still ostensibly enforcing a ban on crypto transactions. 

Noteworthy

The incoming CEO of Charles Schwab – which administers over $9 trillion in client assets – suggested the platform is preparing to “get into” spot bitcoin offerings and that he “feels silly” for having waited this long. As this attitude becomes more common among traditional finance players, we continue to believe that the number of acquirers coming to market for bitcoin infrastructure capabilities will far outstrip the number of available high quality assets. 

BlackRock’s 2025 Thematic Outlook notes a “renewed sense of optimism” on bitcoin among the asset manager’s client base due to macro tailwinds and the improving regulatory environment. Elsewhere, BlackRock’s head of digital assets indicated the firm does not view bitcoin as a “risk-on” asset. 

MicroStrategy, which was a sub-$1 billion market cap company less than five years ago, briefly breached a $100 billion equity value this week as it continues to aggressively acquire bitcoin. The company now holds nearly 350,000 bitcoin on its balance sheet. 

Notably, Allianz SE, Germany’s largest insurer, spoke for 25% of MicroStrategy’s latest $3 billion convertible note offering this week, suggesting growing appetite for bitcoin proxy exposure among more restricted pools of capital. 

The ongoing meltdown of fintech middleware provider Synapse has left tens of thousands of customers with nearly 100% deposit haircuts as hundreds of millions in funds remain missing, the latest unfortunate case study in the fragility of much of the US’s legacy banking stack. 

Travel

• BitcoinMENA, Dec 9-10

• Nashville BitDevs, Dec 10

• Austin BitDevs, Dec 19

• Nashville Energy and Mining Summit, Jan 30

@ e2423af0:f5a64d3e

A plataforma 758bet vem ganhando destaque no cenário brasileiro por oferecer uma experiência completa e empolgante para quem busca entretenimento online com qualidade, praticidade e confiança. Com um design moderno, interface intuitiva e diversas opções de jogos, o site se mostra uma excelente escolha tanto para iniciantes quanto para jogadores experientes.

Conheça a Plataforma 758bet Desde o primeiro acesso, o usuário percebe o cuidado que a 758bet teve em construir uma plataforma acessível e funcional. Compatível com computadores, tablets e smartphones, o site garante que os jogadores possam se divertir de qualquer lugar, a qualquer hora. Além disso, o processo de cadastro é simples, rápido e seguro, com autenticação eficiente e proteção de dados.

A 758bettambém se destaca pelo suporte ao cliente. A equipe de atendimento está disponível 24 horas por dia, sete dias por semana, pronta para tirar dúvidas e resolver qualquer eventual problema com agilidade. Esse compromisso com a satisfação do usuário é um dos pontos fortes da marca.

Jogos para Todos os Gostos O grande diferencial da 758bet está na sua variedade de jogos. A plataforma reúne as principais categorias do entretenimento online, com gráficos de última geração, trilhas sonoras imersivas e uma jogabilidade fluida que agrada a todos os perfis de jogadores.

Entre os destaques estão:

Slots (caça-níqueis): Com temas variados — desde mitologia até aventuras futuristas — os slots da 758bet são uma excelente opção para quem busca partidas dinâmicas e visuais impressionantes. Muitos deles oferecem rodadas bônus e recursos especiais que tornam cada jogo ainda mais emocionante.

Jogos de mesa: Clássicos como roleta, blackjack e bacará estão disponíveis em versões modernas e interativas. Essas opções combinam estratégia e sorte, proporcionando desafios que prendem a atenção dos jogadores mais exigentes.

Apostas esportivas: Para os fãs de esportes, a 758bet oferece um sistema completo de apostas em campeonatos de futebol, basquete, tênis, entre outros. É possível acompanhar as partidas em tempo real e fazer palpites ao vivo, o que aumenta ainda mais a emoção.

Jogos ao vivo: A plataforma também conta com salas ao vivo, onde os jogadores interagem com apresentadores reais em tempo real. Essa modalidade proporciona uma experiência mais imersiva e próxima da realidade, ideal para quem busca algo mais envolvente.

Experiência do Jogador na 758bet Um dos aspectos mais valorizados pelos usuários da 758bet é a fluidez e qualidade da experiência geral. O site é rápido, os jogos carregam sem travamentos e as transações financeiras — como depósitos e saques — são feitas com agilidade e segurança. A plataforma aceita diversos métodos de pagamento, incluindo carteiras digitais e transferências bancárias, o que facilita bastante para o público brasileiro.

Além disso, a 758bet costuma oferecer promoções atrativas, bônus de boas-vindas e programas de fidelidade para recompensar os usuários mais frequentes. Esses benefícios ajudam a aumentar as chances de ganho e incentivam os jogadores a explorarem novas modalidades de jogo.

Conclusão A 758bet é mais do que uma simples plataforma de jogos: ela é um verdadeiro centro de entretenimento digital, com tudo o que o jogador moderno busca — variedade, segurança, suporte eficiente e uma experiência envolvente. Para quem está em busca de diversão online de qualidade, a 758bet é, sem dúvida, uma excelente escolha.

@ 2b998b04:86727e47

This isn’t a comfortable post to write. I first composed it on Thursday night, May 29, 2025, just after the Bitcoin2025 conference — but I needed a few days to sit with it before posting.

Because freedom, if it means anything, has to include tension — not just agreement.

Four names kept surfacing in conversations on Nostr and at the Bitcoin2025 conference: President Donald Trump, Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden (who gave the keynote at Bitcoin2024), and Ross Ulbricht.

I believe in truth. I believe in moral boundaries.

And I believe people are made in the image of God — with dignity that can’t be erased by their choices.

So let me be honest: I disagree with the transgender lifestyle on a moral and theological level.

But I believe Chelsea Manning deserved to be freed after exposing military wrongdoing.

I’m conflicted about Edward Snowden.

I don’t see him as a hero — but I don’t believe he’s a traitor either.

The truth, as is so often the case, is far more complicated.

Snowden revealed the scale of warrantless surveillance against Americans. He helped expose a shadow system of data collection and control. That matters.

But in doing so, he may also have endangered lives — disclosing classified intelligence in a way that potentially compromised undercover agents and global operations.

He’s also been largely silent during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and that raises hard questions.

What truths go unspoken when your safety depends on a state with its own authoritarian tendencies?

Still — I’m grateful for what he did.

I’ve never met him, but I think we could’ve been friends in another world.

I can like someone very much and still disagree with them about what they did.

That’s not weakness. That’s human.

And Ross Ulbricht?

I don’t think he’s entirely without fault.

But I do believe his original sentence — two life sentences without parole — was a gross miscarriage of justice.

His recent pardon by President Trump corrected something our courts never did.

I admire Ross. And like with Snowden, I can hold that admiration even while acknowledging complexity.

I say this as someone who voted for Trump and agrees with many of his stances.

I believe in strong, secure borders.

But I also believe we need a more compassionate and streamlined process for immigration and asylum.

Security and mercy are not opposites — we can pursue both.

But I’ll also say this:

I’m troubled by some of the recent moves Trump has made.

The promotion of meme coins by Trump feels flippant and off-base when so many Americans are struggling to understand real monetary sovereignty.

Even more disturbing are reports that his administration contracted with companies like Palantir to build a vast data infrastructure — the kind that could be used to track, profile, and suppress U.S. citizens.

That’s a betrayal of the very freedom we claim to defend.

And it reveals a deeper conflict I can’t ignore:

How can we champion liberty with one hand while constructing surveillance tools with the other?

This isn’t about party.

It’s about principle.

And if I’m honest, the one thing that’s hardest for me to tolerate — in myself or in others — is hypocrisy.

Not disagreement. Not even failure.

But posturing. Pretending. Saying one thing and doing another.

That’s what corrodes trust — in politics, in faith, in freedom itself.

Because if your definition of freedom only includes people who think, live, or vote like you —

it’s not freedom. It’s favoritism.

Bitcoin reminds me of a better standard.

It doesn’t care about your politics, background, beliefs, or identity.

It’s borderless. Neutral. Permissionless.

It just works — for everyone.

Bitcoin gives us a glimpse of a freer world — not perfect, but principled.

A world where disagreement isn’t a threat, and dignity isn’t earned.

That’s the kind of future worth building — not with slogans, but with truth, grace, and work that lasts.

Zap me if this resonates.

Push back if it doesn’t — that’s freedom too.

---

### ✍️ Acknowledgment

This piece was shaped with help from Dr. C (ChatGPT) to organize and clarify ideas, but the heart of it — the desire to seek truth over comfort, and to honor people over posture — comes from a deeper place.

Any wisdom here I credit to the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth (John 16:13) and continues to stir the courage to speak it — even when it's uncomfortable.

---

### 📘 Footnote

Reporting confirms that the Trump administration contracted Palantir Technologies to develop large-scale federal data platforms consolidating personal information from the IRS, Social Security Administration, immigration systems, and more. Palantir also secured a $30 million contract to build “ImmigrationOS,” a surveillance tool for ICE. These systems raise serious concerns among civil liberties advocates.

- [Economic Times](https://tinyurl.com/22bdv72d)

- [Immigration Policy Tracker](https://tinyurl.com/2686bgvy)

@ e2423af0:f5a64d3e

O universo dos jogos online cresce a cada dia no Brasil, e a plataforma Win97 surge como uma das grandes protagonistas desse cenário. Com uma interface moderna, jogos emocionantes e uma experiência voltada para o conforto e a diversão do usuário, o Win97 se destaca por oferecer um ambiente confiável, seguro e repleto de oportunidades para quem busca entretenimento de qualidade. Neste artigo, vamos apresentar a plataforma, explorar seus principais jogos e mostrar por que ela tem ganhado a preferência dos jogadores brasileiros.

Introdução à plataforma Win97 Desde seu lançamento, o win97tem investido fortemente em tecnologia e inovação para garantir aos usuários uma experiência completa. Seu site é responsivo, compatível com computadores, tablets e smartphones, permitindo que o jogador acesse seus jogos favoritos a qualquer hora e de qualquer lugar.

A segurança também é um dos pilares da plataforma. O Win97 utiliza criptografia de ponta e sistemas de verificação para garantir a proteção dos dados dos jogadores, além de um suporte ao cliente eficiente e sempre disponível. Isso faz com que os usuários se sintam tranquilos ao explorar as opções disponíveis.

Outro diferencial da plataforma é a facilidade de cadastro e de navegação. Com poucos cliques, o jogador cria sua conta, realiza seu primeiro depósito e já pode começar a explorar o catálogo de jogos. O site também oferece promoções frequentes, bônus de boas-vindas e programas de fidelidade que valorizam a participação contínua dos jogadores.

Variedade de jogos para todos os gostos Um dos grandes atrativos do Win97 é a variedade de jogos disponíveis. A plataforma conta com centenas de títulos das principais desenvolvedoras do mercado, com gráficos envolventes e funcionalidades modernas.

Entre os jogos mais populares, estão as slots online, que combinam visuais vibrantes, temas variados e chances reais de vitória. Existem opções para todos os perfis: desde as clássicas com três rolos até versões mais modernas com múltiplas linhas de pagamento e rodadas bônus.

Para quem prefere jogos que envolvem mais estratégia, o Win97 oferece também mesas de pôquer, bacará e roleta em versões automáticas e ao vivo, proporcionando ao jogador uma sensação imersiva com transmissão em tempo real e interação com outros participantes.

Além disso, há uma seção de jogos instantâneos, ideais para quem busca partidas rápidas e dinâmicas, com resultados quase imediatos e uma boa dose de adrenalina.

Experiência do jogador: diversão e praticidade em um só lugar A opinião dos jogadores é unânime: o Win97 oferece uma experiência de alto nível. Usuários destacam a fluidez da plataforma, a velocidade dos saques e depósitos, além da qualidade gráfica dos jogos. O atendimento ao cliente, disponível em português e com suporte via chat e e-mail, também é elogiado por sua rapidez e eficiência.

Outro ponto positivo é a personalização da experiência. O site adapta sugestões de jogos com base no perfil de cada usuário, tornando a navegação mais intuitiva e interessante. Há ainda a possibilidade de definir limites de jogo, reforçando o compromisso da plataforma com o jogo responsável.

Conclusão O Win97 chegou ao mercado brasileiro com a proposta de oferecer muito mais do que uma simples plataforma de jogos: ele entrega uma experiência completa de entretenimento digital. Com segurança, variedade de opções, suporte dedicado e constantes inovações, o Win97 conquista novos usuários a cada dia.

Se você está em busca de um ambiente confiável, divertido e com ótimas oportunidades, vale a pena conhecer tudo o que o Win97 tem a oferecer. Prepare-se para explorar um mundo de possibilidades e elevar sua experiência com jogos online a um novo nível.

@ 472f440f:5669301e

All eyes are, unsurprisingly, on the US Presidential election. Tomorrow is the big day. I don't want to come off as preachy, however it is pretty clear to me that if you are an American citizen who cares about bitcoin and would like to live under an administration that is eager to embrace the industry as opposed to an administration that is actively hostile toward bitcoin there is only one candidate who deserves your vote; Donald J. Trump. I think he's a better candidate for other reasons, but if you've read this rag for long enough you probably already know what those are. Instead of writing a screed about why I am voting for Trump, let's highlight some things outside of the election that you should be paying attention to this week.

First up, there are two Treasury auctions; $42B of 10-Year notes tomorrow and $25B 30-Year bonds on Wednesday.

It will be interesting to see what the demand for these auctions is and how they affect rates. The long end of the yield curve has been pumping since the Fed's rate cut in the middle of September, which is the market signaling that it does not believe inflation has been appropriately tamed. Yields came down today, but as you can see from the charts things are trending in the wrong direction.

As the Treasury issues new debt at higher rates, the interest expense on that debt, naturally, drifts higher. If the long end of the yield curve doesn't come down aggressively over the course of the next year this is going to be a big problem. There are trillions of dollars worth of Treasury debt that needs the be rolled over in the next few years and it would be advantageous for the Treasury if that debt wasn't being rolled over with yields as high as they are. With the amount of debt the country has accrued in recent decades, every incremental dollar of debt that gets issued and/or rolled over at higher interest rates exacerbates the problem. We are approaching the territory of runaway exponentials, as evidenced by this chart. The growth slope gets steeper and steeper

This debt problem is the elephant in the room that needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. The national debt hit $1.2T in early 1983. It then took 26 years to 10x from $1.2T to $12T in late 2009 and has only taken another 15 years to triple from there to $36T or 30x from the arbitrary base I picked out (Q1 1983).

With this in mind, keep an eye out for these auctions tomorrow and Wednesday, where rates end at the end of trading on Wednesday, and whether or not we officially push over $36T. Regardless of who wins the election tomorrow, this is a problem that needs to be confronted. Whether or not it can be solved at all is up for debate. I don't see how what can be done to reel in this runaway train at this point. However, at the very least, we should acknowledge that we're in the realm of exponentials and have people prepare accordingly by accumulating hard assets that cannot be debased (bitcoin).

The other thing to pay attention to is the FOMC meeting on Wednesday and the announcement of the results of the meeting on Thursday. Will Jerome and the other Fed board members to keep rates where they are, cut, or raise rates? Raising rates seems to be out of the question despite the fact that many believe it would be the most prudent move considering how the long end of the yield curve reacted to the 50bps cut in September. If they decide to cut rates, by how much will they cut them? Will they slow the pace with a 25bps cut or continue at the 50bps clip established in September?

We'll find toward the end of this week. Don't lose sight of these events while the world is enthralled with the elections in the US.

I don't know about you freaks, but I couldn't feel more fortunate that bitcoin exists at a time like this. Having access to a distributed peer-to-peer digital cash system with a fixed supply during a time of incredible political divisiveness and out-of-control runaway sovereign debt feels like a Godsend.

Stay sane out there.

Final thought...

We're going to win.

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Over the last four years bitcoin has, among other things, established itself as an incredible corporate treasury asset that benefits those who adopt it as such. Microstrategy is the shining example of this theme going from a company that was hovering barely above a ~$1B market cap in mid-2020 to a ~$40B market cap company holding more than 1% of the 21,000,000 bitcoin that will ever exist. Microstrategy's success has emboldened a number of other publicly trader companies to follow suit. Bitcoin as a corporate treasury asset is well on its way to becoming a standard. If you run a business that doesn't hold bitcoin on its balance sheet you are doing yourself, your customers and your shareholders a disservice.

This is a trend that has its legs under it and will accelerate moving forward. A trend that I believe will emerge this cycle is incorporating bitcoin into real estate markets. Leon Wankum has been beating the drum about this for the last few years and I had the pleasure of sitting down with him this morning to record an episode of TFTC that will be published tomorrow morning. Leon is a real estate developer in Germany and he has made it his mission to educate and warn others in real estate about the demonetization of real estate that is under way due to the fact that bitcoin exists and it provides a far superior alternative.

These are pretty stark numbers. Nothing highlights the superior monetary properties of bitcoin better than looking at a chart of the average price of a home priced in USD v. bitcoin.

Since 2016: +46% in USD -99% in BTC

Since 2020: +34% in USD -70% in BTC

The funny thing is that an overwhelming majority of the individuals who make their living in real estate markets do not understand that this is happening to them. Many think they are doing exceptionally well all things considered. Sure, there may be a bit of a slow down and price retraction due to a couple of years of relatively elevated interest rates, but don't worry! The Fed is lowering rates again and the good times are about to start back up. Nothing could be further from the truth. This trend is going to continue unabated until bitcoin is fully monetized and those is the real estate industry, particularly real estate developers and those who lend capital to developers, should seriously take the time to understand what is happening to them.

Real estate is the largest store of value asset in the world at the moment. The most common number that is thrown around for the total size of the market is $300 TRILLION. $300 TRILLION of wealth being stored in an asset that is illiquid, comes with maintenance costs, taxes, insurance premiums, and susceptible to extreme weather event, among other things. Compared to bitcoin - which is extremely liquid, saleable, divisible and hard to confiscate, real estate is a far superior asset to store your wealth in. This is something that I'm sure is well understood by many of you reading this letter.

What's less understood is the dynamics of the real estate development market over the last few years, which have been severely hindered by elevated interest rates. The higher interest rate environment coupled with the inflationary pressures that forced rates higher in the first place have put developers in a predicament; they have a higher cost of capital to start new projects with raw material prices that are still much higher than they were before the economic lock downs of 2020-2022. This has led to a scenario where it isn't advantageous to start new projects and the projects that broke ground in 2021-2023 are finding that they need to incur more debt to get their developments across the finish line.

Despite the fact that interest rates are on their way back down, it doesn't seem like the economics of these projects are going to materially improve in the short to medium-term as headline inflation begins to creep back up. Couple this with the fact that the jobs market is cratering while real wages struggle to keep up with inflation and many builders are going to find themselves in a situation where they do actually complete a development problem but their cash flow suffers because their customers can't afford the inflated rents that builders will have to charge to get a return on their outlaid capital. Many will be put in a situation where they are forced to be happy with lower rents (cash flow) or sit on the sidelines making no cash flow.

The post-1971 era that brought with it a booming real estate industry is suffering the same fate as the bond market; the generation bull market is over. Real estate prices may go up, but that will be nothing more than a mirage of wealth creation. The unit of account those prices are built on is in dollars, which are being debased at an accelerating rate. Developers, banks and borrowers need to de-risk their real estate exposure and, as Leon points out, bitcoin is the only way to do this in an effective way.

Moving forward developers will have to finance by dual collateralizing their debt with the real estate and bitcoin. In the graphic below Leon illustrates what this type of financing structure will look like. Instead of taking $10m of debt to finance a project and putting it all into materials, construction and marketing, a developer will take out a $10m loan, put $1m in bitcoin and the rest toward the development project. Over the course of the construction of the real estate project, bitcoin will sit in the credit structure and, if held for 4+ years, should increase significantly in value. Saving the builder from risk of default and providing him some optionality in terms of what he can do with the project once it's finished.

In this scenario downside risk is contained - a developer isn't pouring all of the cash into bitcoin at the beginning so the worst case scenario is that bitcoin goes to zero (highly unlikely) and they can eat the small loss and hope to make up with it via cash flows once a project is finished, while upside potential is enormous. Bitcoin is still monetizing and having exposure to the hardest monetary asset the world has ever while it's monetizing has proven to be massively beneficial.

We are still in the early days of bitcoin and this idea will likely seem absolutely insane to most Tradfi investors, but I strongly believe that developers, banks and end consumers who don't leverage this type of bitcoin structured credit will be cooked in the long-run. And those that take advantage of this type of structure first will be considered geniuses in 20 years.

There are many more nuanced benefits to this strategy; holding bitcoin allows landlords and management companies to weather ongoing maintenance costs throughout the years, those who take out mortgages dual collateralized with a house and bitcoin not only protect the equity value of their property but could see their equity values increase significantly more than others using vanilla mortgages, and builders who accumulate bitcoin in their treasuries will be able to use better raw materials when building, which leads to more valuable properties that cash flow for longer.

Again, it's going to take time for these types of structures to become commonplace in the market, but I firmly believe this cycle will be the cycle that these strategies get off the ground. In four to five years they will have a track record and after that it will be considered irresponsible not to finance real estate in this way. The banks will begin to demand it.

---

Final thought... Sinus congestion sucks.

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has voted down a shareholder proposal to add bitcoin to its treasury. The vote took place at the company’s annual shareholder meeting on May 30, 2025.

The proposal, known as Proposal 13, was submitted by investor Ethan Peck on behalf of the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR).

It asked Meta to convert a portion of its $72 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities into bitcoin. The idea was to hedge against inflation and low returns from traditional bond investments.

But the company’s shareholders said no.

According to the official count, more than 4.98 billion shares were voted against the proposal, while 3.92 million shares were for it—less than 0.1% of total votes. 8.86 million shares were abstentions and over 204 million were broker non-votes.

Meta shareholders rejected bitcoin reserve proposal — SEC

So now, Meta joins Microsoft and Amazon in rejecting calls to add bitcoin to their balance sheets.

Related: Microsoft Shareholders Reject Bitcoin Investment Proposal

Proponents of the proposal argued that bitcoin would help protect Meta’s reserves from inflation and weak bond returns. Peck and others pointed to bitcoin’s strong performance in 2024 and growing institutional interest in the scarce digital asset.

The proposal said bitcoin’s fixed supply and track record make it a long-term store of value.

High-profile supporters, including Matt Cole, CEO of Strive Asset Management, brought the issue to the forefront. At the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas, Cole addressed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg directly:

“You have already done step one. You have named your goat Bitcoin,” he said. “My ask is that you take step two and adopt a bold corporate bitcoin treasury strategy.”

Others, like Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas, said if Meta added bitcoin to its balance sheet it would be a big deal. “If Meta or Microsoft adds BTC to the balance sheet, it will be like when Tom Hanks got COVID—suddenly, it feels real,” Balchunas said.

Despite all the hype and arguments for Bitcoin, the tech giant’s board of directors opposed the measure. The board said the company already has a treasury management process in place that prioritizes capital preservation and liquidity.

“While we are not opining on the merits of cryptocurrency investments compared to other assets, we believe the requested assessment is unnecessary given our existing processes to manage our corporate treasury,” Meta’s board noted.

The board also noted that it reviews many investment options and sees no need for a separate review process specific to Bitcoin.

Meta’s decision shows the broader hesitation of large-cap companies to get into bitcoin as part of their financial strategy.

While companies like Michael Saylor’s Strategy are adding bitcoin to their treasuries every chance they get, companies like Microsoft, Amazon and now Meta, are taking a more cautious approach.

According to recent reports, Meta is exploring ways to integrate stablecoins into its platforms to enable global payouts.

This would be a re-entry into the digital asset space after the company shelved its Diem project due to regulatory issues—a step that bitcoin advocates deem unnecessary, insufficient, and irrelevant to protecting the company’s finances.

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

Wall Street is warming up to Bitcoin and getting closer and closer to it.

Cantor Fitzgerald, one of the oldest and most respected investment banks on Wall Street, has launched a $2 billion bitcoin-backed lending program.

They’ve reportedly already done their first deals, lending to two big digital asset companies: FalconX and Maple Finance.

This is a big step in connecting traditional finance to the fast-moving world of Bitcoin.

Cantor’s new service allows big investors, hedge funds and asset managers, to borrow money using bitcoin as collateral.

This is a game changer for institutions that hold bitcoin, as they can now access liquidity without having to sell their assets.

“Institutions holding bitcoin are looking to broaden their access to diverse funding sources,” said Christian Wall, co-CEO and global head of fixed income at Cantor Fitzgerald.

“And we are excited to support their liquidity needs to help them drive long term growth and success.”

The loans are not speculative or unsecured.

They are structured like traditional finance deals, backed by the borrower’s bitcoin. This reduces the risk for Cantor while giving bitcoin-holding companies new ways to grow and operate.

The first recipients of Cantor’s lending program are FalconX, a digital asset brokerage, and Maple Finance, a blockchain-based lending platform.

FalconX confirmed they secured a credit facility of over $100 million. Maple Finance also received the first tranche of their loan from Cantor.

This comes at a time when the bitcoin lending space is recovering after a tough period. Several big firms went under in 2022 and investor confidence was shaken.

Now with traditional finance on board, bitcoin-backed lending has returned. According to Galaxy Research the total size of the digital asset lending market grew to $36.5 billion in Q4 2024.

Cantor’s move into bitcoin-backed lending isn’t new. They announced their plans in July 2024 and have been building their presence in the Bitcoin space since then.

Earlier this year, they partnered with Tether, SoftBank and Bitfinex to launch Twenty One Capital, a $3.6 billion fund to buy over 42,000 bitcoin.

In May 2025 Cantor Equity Partners merged with Twenty One Capital and bought nearly $459 million worth of bitcoin.

They also own around $1.9 billion in shares of Strategy, a company that holds a lot of bitcoin. Clearly Cantor believes in bitcoin as a long-term asset.

Cantor is also a big player in the stablecoin space.

They manage U.S. Treasury reserves for Tether, the company behind the $142 billion USDT stablecoin. This adds another layer of trust and credibility to Cantor’s digital asset involvement.

To secure the bitcoin used as collateral, Cantor has partnered with digital asset custodians Anchorage Digital and Copper.co.

These companies are known for their robust security and institutional-grade infrastructure. Cantor hasn’t disclosed loan terms or interest rates but confirmed the lending will follow current regulations.

This also shows how traditional financial players are embracing DeFi.

Maple Finance for example allows undercollateralized lending using blockchain. By backing companies like Maple, Cantor is innovating while still having control and compliance.

For years, bitcoin-backed loans were only available through digital-asset-native companies like Genesis, BlockFi, and Ledn.

These loans were mostly for smaller clients and retail investors. But with Cantor’s entry, the scale and professionalism of bitcoin lending are expanding.

@ 6d8e2a24:5faaca4c

President Donald Trump attends a meeting with the Fraternal Order of Police in the State Dinning Room of the White House, Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Last Friday, President Donald Trump heaped praise on Elon Musk as the tech billionaire prepared to leave his unorthodox White House job.

Less than a week later, their potent political alliance met a dramatic end Thursday when the men attacked each other with blistering epithets. Trump threatened to go after Musk’s business interests. Musk called for Trump’s impeachment.

social media posts urging lawmakers to oppose deficit spending and increasing the debt ceiling.

“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” Musk posted, a reference to Musk’s record political spending last year, which topped $250 million.

“Such ingratitude,” he added.

Trump's Video

Trump said Musk had worn out his welcome at the White House and was mad that Trump was changing electric vehicle policies in ways that would financially harm Musk-led Tesla.

“Elon was ‘wearing thin,’ I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!” Trump wrote.

He added: “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”

Musk goes nuclear “Time to drop the really big bomb: Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!” — Musk, Thursday, X post.

---

In a series of posts, he shined a spotlight on ties between Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who killed himself while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Some loud voices in Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement claim Epstein’s suicide was staged by powerful figures, including prominent Democrats, who feared Epstein would expose their involvement in trafficking. Trump’s own FBI leaders have dismissed such speculation and there’s no evidence supporting it.

Later, when an X user suggested Trump be impeached and replaced by Vice President JD Vance, Musk agreed.

“Yes,” he wrote.

“I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago,” Trump wrote. He went on to promote his budget bill.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wavy.com/news/politics/ap-the-implosion-of-a-powerful-political-alliance-trump-and-musk-in-their-own-words/amp/

@ dab6c606:51f507b6

Dlhšie som sa zaujímal o to ako funguje biznis s míľami, vernostnými bodmi. Zistil som, že to čiastočne môžu robiť iba veľké korporácie kvôli tomu ako to môžu potom zaúčtovať. A je to daňovo super výhodné. Pridal som aj info o vernostných bodoch a darčekových kartách. Text nižšie napísali rôzne AI ako som sa v tom vŕtal, to je v zásade sumár, zdieľam pre tých, ktorých to zaujíma.

Časť I: Vernostné programy veľkých korporácií

Obchodná logika vernostných programov

Vernostné programy leteckých spoločností a hotelov sú sofistikované obchodné nástroje, ktoré slúžia niekoľkým kľúčovým účelom. Primárne fungujú na zvýšenie zákazníckej lojality vytvorením "switching costs" - zákazníci nechcú prísť o nazbierané body, čo znižuje pravdepodobnosť, že prejdú ku konkurencii.

Zároveň sú významným zdrojom dodatočných príjmov. Napríklad American Airlines zarába viac na predaji míľ bankám ako na niektorých leteckých linkách. Keď Citibank kupuje míle za 1-2 centy za míľu, aerolínia získava okamžitý príjem, zatiaľ čo reálna hodnota pre zákazníka môže byť 3-5 centov pri správnom využití.

Účtovné spracovanie vernostných bodov

Z účtovného hľadiska predstavujú vernostné body odložené záväzky. Keď zákazník získa body, spoločnosť musí vytvoriť rezervu na ich budúce uplatnenie. Body sa oceňujú na základe predpokladaných nákladov na ich uplatnenie, nie na základe nominálnej hodnoty.

Kľúčový je rozdiel medzi cash accounting a accrual accounting: - Cash accounting: Príjmy sa uznávajú pri prijatí platby, náklady pri zaplatení. - Accrual accounting: Príjmy a náklady sa uznávajú v momente vzniku záväzku.

Pre vernostné programy je accrual accounting kritické. Keď aerolínia predá míle banke za $1,000,000, vytvorí zároveň záväzok na budúce náklady (povedzme $600,000), takže zdaniteľný príjem je len $400,000.

Príklad: Predaj míľ banke

Aerolínia predá 50 miliónov míľ Citibank za $1,000,000: 1. Okamžitý príjem: $1,000,000 2. Vytvorenie záväzku: $600,000 (odhadované budúce náklady) 3. Zdaniteľný príjem: $400,000 4. Budúce náklady: Keď zákazníci míle využijú, spoločnosť uzná náklad a zníži záväzok

Pozitívna marža vzniká z niekoľkých faktorov: - Breakage - 15-20% míľ sa nikdy neuplatní - Časová hodnota peňazí - Peniaze od banky investuje okamžite - Marginálne náklady - Prázdne sedadlo má nízky prírastok nákladu

Daňová optimalizácia a offshore štruktúry

Veľké spoločnosti často využívajú medzinárodné štruktúry na optimalizáciu daní z vernostných programov. Typická štruktúra zahŕňa: 1. Materská spoločnosť (USA/EU) - Prevádzkuje lety a poskytuje služby (napr. lety alebo ubytovanie). 2. IP Holding (Írsko/Holandsko) - Vlastní duševné vlastníctvo (IP) k loyalty programu, ako sú značky, softvér a databázy. 3. Loyalty Operating Company (Singapur/Dubaj) - Spravuje predaj míľ bankám a partnerom, koordinuje program a komunikuje so zákazníkmi.

Obchodné vzťahy a platby medzi entitami (príklad s pozitívnym výsledkom pre Singapur)

Tieto entity sú prepojené zmluvami, ktoré určujú, kto za čo platí a prečo, aby sa minimalizovala daňová záťaž: - Banka → Singapur (Loyalty Operating Company): Banka (napr. Citibank) platí $1,000,000 za míle, ktoré ponúka svojim klientom ako odmenu za používanie kreditných kariet. Singapurská spoločnosť je hlavný kontaktný bod pre partnerov, pretože je umiestnená v jurisdikcii s nízkou daňou (17 %) a dobrou infraštruktúrou pre finančné služby. - Singapur → Írsko (IP Holding): Singapurská spoločnosť platí $500,000 ako royalty za použitie IP (značky, softvéru a dát) loyalty programu. Táto platba je vysoká, aby sa presunul zisk do Írska, kde je daňová sadzba ešte nižšia (12,5 %). Tým sa znižuje zdaniteľný príjem v Singapure. - Singapur → Materská spoločnosť (Aerolínia): Singapurská spoločnosť platí $300,000 materskej spoločnosti za poskytnutie služieb (napr. letov), keď zákazníci využijú míle. Táto platba je nižšia ako reálne náklady, aby sa minimalizoval zisk v krajine materskej spoločnosti, kde je daňová sadzba vyššia (napr. 25-35 % v USA alebo EU). - Zisk v Singapure: $1,000,000 (príjem od banky) - $500,000 (royalty do Írska) - $300,000 (platba aerolínii) = $200,000 zisku, ktorý je zdanený pri 17 % v Singapure.

Prečo takéto rozdelenie?

• Írsko (IP Holding): Vysoké royalty platby ($500,000) idú do Írska, pretože daňová sadzba 12,5 % je atraktívna a Írsko je považované za "serióznu" jurisdikciu, ktorá spĺňa medzinárodné pravidlá (napr. BEPS). Zároveň má Írsko zmluvy o zamedzení dvojitého zdanenia s mnohými krajinami, čo uľahčuje presun zisku.
• Singapur (Loyalty Operating Company): Predaj míľ a koordinácia programu prebieha v Singapure kvôli priaznivému daňovému prostrediu (17 %) a strategickej polohe pre ázijské trhy. Zároveň sa tu zanecháva malý zisk ($200,000), aby sa preukázala "ekonomická substance" – teda, že spoločnosť má reálnu činnosť.
• Materská spoločnosť: Platba $300,000 je nízka, aby sa minimalizoval zdaniteľný príjem v krajine s vysokou daňovou sadzbou (napr. USA alebo EU).

Prečo nie 0 % daňová jurisdikcia?

Prečo sa nepoužíva krajina s nulovou daňou (napr. Kajmanské ostrovy)? Kvôli: - Regulatory scrutiny - Daňové úrady pozorne sledujú 0 % jurisdikcie a môžu spochybniť legitímnosť. - BEPS pravidlám - Potreba preukázať "substance" (reálne kancelárie, zamestnancov) v krajine. - Credibility testu - 12,5 % v Írsku alebo 17 % v Singapure vyzerá ako legitímna obchodná operácia.

Výsledkom takejto štruktúry je, že väčšina zisku (60-70 %) je zdanená pri 12,5 % v Írsku alebo 17 % v Singapure namiesto 25-35 % v domovskej krajine aerolínky.

Časť II: Loyalty programy a alternatívy pre malé biznisy

Prečo je loyalty program problematický pre malé biznisy

Na rozdiel od veľkých korporácií, malé biznisy ako kaviarne narážajú pri vernostných programoch na zásadný problém: cash accounting povinnosť. V mnohých krajinách musia malé firmy (pod $25M ročne) používať cash accounting, čo znamená: - Príjem z predaja bodov sa zdaní okamžite - Náklady sa odpočítajú až keď zákazník body využije (možno o rok) - Vzniká daňový a cashflow problém - daň sa platí z peňazí, ktoré "stratíte" v budúcnosti

Predstavte si kaviareň, ktorá predá vernostné body za €100. Okamžite musí zaplatiť daň (povedzme €21), ale náklady na kávu poskytnutú za body odpočíta až v budúcnosti.

Alternatívne modely pre malé biznisy

Existujú daňovo výhodnejšie alternatívy:

1. Gift Cards model

• Príjem sa NEUZNÁ pri predaji gift karty
• Príjem sa uzná až keď zákazník kartu využije
• Príklad: Predáte gift cards za €10,000 v decembri, získate cash okamžite, ale daň platíte postupne, ako zákazníci karty využívajú počas nasledujúceho roka.
• Časová hodnota peňazí: Peniaze môžete investovať (napr. 6 % ročne = €600 extra zisk na €10,000)
• Breakage benefit: 2-10 % kariet sa nikdy nevyužije, po určitom čase (3-5 rokov, podľa legislatívy) môžete zostatok uznať ako čistý zisk.

Príklad: Starbucks Starbucks mal v roku 2022 na účtoch $1,5 miliardy v nevyužitých gift cards. Odhadovaný breakage 3 % znamená $45 miliónov čistého zisku – bezúročná pôžička od zákazníkov s bonusom, že časť sa nikdy nevráti.

2. Subscription model

• Mesačný príjem = okamžité zdanenie
• Mesačné náklady = okamžitý odpočet
• Príklad: €10/mesiac za "premium membership" s určitými benefitmi

3. Discount Coupons

• Žiadny príjem pri vydaní kupónu
• Znížený príjem pri uplatnení (predáte za nižšiu cenu)
• Príklad: 20 % zľavový kupón = predaj kávy za €4 namiesto €5

Outsourcing loyalty programu: Podrobnosti o Shopify Loyalty

Platformy ako Shopify Loyalty predstavujú elegantné riešenie pre malé biznisy, ktoré chcú ponúkať vernostné programy bez účtovných a daňových komplikácií. Poďme si to rozobrať podrobne:

Ako funguje Shopify Loyalty

• Shopify ako tretia strana: Shopify vlastní a spravuje celý vernostný program vrátane bodov a softvéru. Zákazník má svoj "účet" priamo u Shopify, nie u konkrétneho obchodu. To znamená, že body nie sú vaším záväzkom, ale záväzkom Shopify.
• Vaša úloha: Vy (napr. kaviareň) platíte Shopify mesačný poplatok (napr. €29) za používanie platformy a malý transakčný poplatok (napr. €0,20) za každé uplatnenie bodov (reward). Vy ste v podstate "dodávateľom služieb" pre Shopify – poskytujete odmeny, keď vám Shopify pošle objednávku.
• Získavanie bodov: Zákazník získava body za nákupy v obchodoch, ktoré sú zapojené do Shopify Loyalty programu. Napríklad, ak zákazník nakúpi kávu za €5 vo vašej kaviarni, Shopify mu pripíše body (napr. 5 bodov za každé euro, teda 25 bodov). Konkrétne pravidlá (koľko bodov za euro) si nastavujete vy cez Shopify platformu, ale technicky body spravuje Shopify.
• Využitie bodov: Zákazník môže body využiť na odmeny (napr. kávu zadarmo za 100 bodov), ale zvyčajne len v obchodoch zapojených do Shopify siete. To znamená, že ak vaša kaviareň používa Shopify Loyalty, body získané u vás môžu byť využité u vás alebo v iných obchodoch v rámci Shopify ekosystému, ak to Shopify umožňuje. Väčšinou však obchody nastavujú program tak, aby boli body využiteľné primárne u nich, čím sa zvyšuje lojalita k ich značke.
• Proces uplatnenia bodov: Keď zákazník chce využiť body (napr. 100 bodov za kávu zadarmo), Shopify pošle objednávku vám (kaviarni) na poskytnutie odmeny. Vy kávu vydáte, ale nedostanete za ňu priamy príjem od zákazníka – ide o marketingový náklad. Zároveň platíte Shopify transakčný poplatok (€0,20). Účtovne to nie je predaj, takže nevzniká zdaniteľný príjem ani povinnosť vystaviť bloček.
• Účtovné spracovanie: Keď zákazník využije body:
• Žiadny bloček = žiadny zdaniteľný príjem
• Náklad kávy (€2) + Shopify fee (€0,20) = €2,20
• Účtuje sa ako "Promotional expenses" alebo "Marketing costs"

Prečo musí byť loyalty program outsourcovaný tretej strane (ako Shopify)?

Malé biznisy nemajú kapacitu ani zdroje na správu vlastného loyalty programu "in-house" z týchto dôvodov: - Daňová a účtovná komplexnosť: Ak by ste spravovali loyalty program sami, museli by ste vytvárať rezervy na budúce záväzky (body, ktoré zákazníci využijú neskôr), odhadovať breakage rate (percento nevyužitých bodov) a riešiť cash vs. accrual accounting. Pre malé firmy, ktoré často musia používať cash accounting, to znamená okamžité zdanenie príjmu, ak by body predávali, ale odpočet nákladov až v budúcnosti – vzniká cashflow nesúlad. - Technologická infraštruktúra: Správa bodov, databáz zákazníkov a integrácia s platobnými systémami vyžaduje sofistikovaný softvér a IT tím, čo je pre malé firmy nákladné a komplikované. - Legálna separácia: Keď program spravuje tretia strana ako Shopify, body sú ich záväzkom, nie vaším. Pre vás to znamená, že nemáte žiadne budúce záväzky vo svojej účtovnej knihe – len mesačné náklady (poplatok Shopify), ktoré sú daňovo odpočítateľné ako bežný výdavok. - Ekonomická efektivita: Shopify združuje tisíce obchodov, čím dosahuje ekonomiku rozsahu – nižšie náklady na softvér, bezpečnosť a správu dát. Malá kaviareň by sama nikdy nedokázala vytvoriť takýto systém za rozumnú cenu.

Prečo to nemôže byť in-house z daňového hľadiska?

Ak by malá firma spravovala loyalty program sama: - Okamžitý daňový problém: Ak by firma predávala body (napr. za peniaze alebo ako súčasť nákupu), príjem by musela zdaniť hneď, hoci náklady na poskytnutie odmien (napr. káva zadarmo) by mohla odpočítať až v momente, keď zákazník body využije. To vytvára cashflow nesúlad, pretože daň platíte skôr, než reálne "stratíte" peniaze na odmenu. - Zložité rezervy: Musela by odhadovať, koľko bodov sa využije, a vytvárať účtovné rezervy, čo je administratívne náročné a vyžaduje drahých účtovníkov alebo softvér. - Riziko chýb: Nesprávne odhady breakage rate alebo zlý manažment záväzkov môžu viesť k daňovým kontrolám a pokutám.

S Shopify sa tieto problémy eliminujú – vy platíte len mesačný poplatok a transakčné fees, ktoré sú jednoducho účtované ako marketingové náklady. Shopify preberá celú zodpovednosť za správu bodov a záväzkov voči zákazníkom.

Prípadová štúdia: Vernostné body pre kaviareň (model 10 + 1 zadarmo)

Pozrime sa na konkrétny prípad malej kaviarne, ktorá ponúka klasický vernostný program typu "10 + 1 zadarmo". Zákazník dostane 1 bod za každú kúpenú kávu (napr. za €3) a po nazbieraní 10 bodov dostane jednu kávu zadarmo. Rozoberieme, ako to funguje účtovne, či ide o "promotional expense" a aký je rozdiel medzi in-house správou a použitím Shopify.

Ako funguje program "10 + 1 zadarmo"

• Získavanie bodov: Zákazník kúpi kávu za €3 a dostane 1 bod (napr. pečiatku na kartičku alebo digitálny záznam). Body nemajú peňažnú hodnotu na predaj – sú čisto odmenou za nákup.
• Využitie bodov: Po nazbieraní 10 bodov (čo znamená nákupy za €30) zákazník dostane kávu zadarmo (hodnota €3).
• Reálny náklad pre kaviareň: Náklad na výrobu kávy zadarmo je nižší ako predajná cena, napr. €1,50 za suroviny a prácu.

Účtovné spracovanie (In-house)

Ak kaviareň spravuje program sama (in-house), účtovný proces závisí od toho, či používa cash accounting (bežné pre malé firmy) alebo accrual accounting: - Cash accounting: - Pri nákupe kávy zákazníkom: Kaviareň účtuje príjem €3 za každú kávu a vydá bloček. Bod (pečiatka) nemá peňažnú hodnotu, takže sa neúčtuje ako záväzok ani príjem. - Pri uplatnení 10 bodov: Keď zákazník dostane kávu zadarmo, nevzniká príjem (€0), ale vzniká náklad na výrobu kávy (€1,50). Tento náklad sa účtuje ako "Promotional expense" alebo "Marketing cost", pretože ide o formu zľavy alebo reklamy na udržanie zákazníka. - Daňový dopad: Žiadny príjem pri vydaní kávy zadarmo, náklad €1,50 je daňovo odpočítateľný ako bežný výdavok. - Accrual accounting (menej bežné pre malé firmy): - Pri nákupe kávy zákazníkom: Kaviareň účtuje príjem €3, ale zároveň vytvára malý záväzok na budúcu odmenu (napr. €0,30 za každý bod, čo je odhad nákladu na budúcu kávu zadarmo deleno 10). Teda z €3 príjmu je zdaniteľný príjem len €2,70. - Pri uplatnení 10 bodov: Keď zákazník dostane kávu zadarmo, kaviareň zníži záväzok o €3 (10 bodov x €0,30) a účtuje náklad €1,50 na výrobu kávy. Rozdiel môže byť upravený ako breakage alebo iný zisk, ak sa odhady líšia od reality. - Daňový dopad: Zdaniteľný príjem je nižší už pri prvom nákupe, ale účtovníctvo je zložitejšie kvôli odhadom a rezervám.

Je to Promotional Expense? Áno, v oboch prípadoch (cash aj accrual) sa náklad na kávu zadarmo účtuje ako "Promotional expense" alebo "Marketing cost", pretože ide o formu zľavy na podporu lojality zákazníkov. Nie je to považované za bežný predaj, pretože nevzniká príjem ani bloček.

Účtovné spracovanie (cez Shopify Loyalty)

Ak kaviareň používa Shopify Loyalty na správu programu "10 + 1 zadarmo", proces je jednoduchší: - Pri nákupe kávy zákazníkom: Kaviareň účtuje príjem €3 za kávu a vydá bloček. Shopify pripíše bod zákazníkovi do jeho účtu (nie je to váš záväzok, ale Shopify). - Pri uplatnení 10 bodov: Shopify pošle objednávku na vydanie kávy zadarmo. Kaviareň vydá kávu (náklad €1,50) a zaplatí Shopify transakčný poplatok (€0,20). Celkový náklad €1,70 sa účtuje ako "Promotional expense" alebo "Marketing cost". - Daňový dopad: Rovnako ako pri in-house, žiadny príjem pri vydaní kávy zadarmo, náklad €1,70 je daňovo odpočítateľný ako bežný výdavok. Navyše nemusíte riešiť žiadne záväzky alebo odhady breakage, pretože body spravuje Shopify.

Rozdiel medzi In-house a Shopify

• In-house:
• Výhody: Plná kontrola nad programom, žiadne mesačné poplatky tretej strane (napr. €29 Shopify fee).
• Nevýhody: Ak použijete accrual accounting, musíte vytvárať rezervy a odhadovať breakage, čo je administratívne náročné. Pri cash accounting je to jednoduchšie (žiadne záväzky), ale ak by ste body predávali za peniaze, vzniká daňový nesúlad (príjem zdanený hneď, náklad až neskôr). Navyše musíte sami spravovať databázu bodov (pečiatky, softvér), čo je časovo náročné.
• Shopify Loyalty:
• Výhody: Žiadne záväzky vo vašej účtovnej knihe, Shopify spravuje body a technológiu. Účtovne je to jednoduché – len mesačný poplatok (€29) a transakčné poplatky (€0,20) ako marketingový náklad. Nemusíte riešiť odhady ani breakage.
• Nevýhody: Platíte mesačné poplatky a transakčné fees, čo zvyšuje náklady (napr. €0,20 navyše za každú kávu zadarmo). Máte menšiu kontrolu nad programom, pretože ho spravuje tretia strana.

Záver pre kaviareň: Program "10 + 1 zadarmo" je účtovne považovaný za Promotional expense v oboch prípadoch (in-house aj Shopify), pretože káva zadarmo je forma marketingu na udržanie zákazníkov. Rozdiel je v administratívnej záťaži a nákladoch – Shopify zjednodušuje účtovníctvo a správu, ale za cenu mesačných poplatkov. In-house je lacnejšie, ale náročnejšie na správu, najmä ak by ste chceli používať accrual accounting alebo predávať body za peniaze.

Záver

Vernostné programy sú sofistikovaný nástroj zákazníckej lojality, ale ich účtovné a daňové aspekty sa výrazne líšia medzi veľkými a malými firmami. Veľké korporácie využívajú accrual accounting a medzinárodné štruktúry na optimalizáciu daní, zatiaľ čo pre malé biznisy sú často výhodnejšie alternatívne modely ako gift cards alebo outsourcing celého programu, ktoré eliminujú daňové a cashflow problémy. Gift cards navyše prinášajú okamžitý cash flow, časovú hodnotu peňazí a breakage benefit, čo z nich robí ideálny nástroj pre podniky všetkých veľkostí. Shopify Loyalty ponúka malým firmám spôsob, ako implementovať vernostný program bez účtovných komplikácií, pretože preberá technickú a právnu zodpovednosť, čím umožňuje sústrediť sa na core biznis. Pre jednoduché programy ako "10 + 1 zadarmo" je účtovný dopad podobný (Promotional expense), ale Shopify zjednodušuje správu za cenu dodatočných poplatkov.

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@ 472f440f:5669301e

As we sprint toward the 2024 US Presidential election the case for using bitcoin as an asset to store value for the long term has never been stronger. The insanity of the incumbent power structure is being laid bare and it is becoming impossible to ignore the headwinds that the Borg faces moving forward.

Yesterday morning and earlier today it became clear that inflation is rearing its head again. Not ideal for the soft landing Jerome Powell and Yellen are signaling to the markets after the first Fed Funds rate cut in years.

It seems like the yield curve predicted this earlier this week when it inverted after a temporary normalizing period after the Fed's rate cut. Futhermore, it is becoming glaringly obvious that running historically high fiscal deficits while interest rates were at multi-decade highs was a pretty bad idea. As James Lavish points out, the data from the CBO earlier this week shows that the US federal government is running a deficit that is 13% higher than it was last year. This is at a time when real wages are still depressed, inflation is still suffocating American consumers and the private sector job market for American citizens is cratering.

Speaking of the job market, the numbers that came in yesterday were worse than expected: The effect of Hurricane Helene should certainly be taken into consideration when looking at this jobs miss. However, even with the miss we know that these numbers have been under reported for years to make the economy seem healthier than it actually is. Even with Helene's effect taken into consideration this print will likely be revised higher 3-6 months from now.

All of this points to a breaking point. A breaking point for the economy and, more importantly, a breaking point for overall confidence in the US government and its ability to operate with any semblance of fiscal responsibility. The chart that Pierre Rochard shares in the tweet at the top of this letter is the only chart that matters for anyone attempting to gauge where we find ourselves on the path to bitcoin realizing its full potential.

There is $133 TRILLION worth of value sitting in global bond markets. Bitcoin is a far superior asset to store one's wealth in. Bond markets are beholden to the whims of the actors who issue those bonds. In the case of the US Treasury market, the largest bond market in the world, the US government. And as we have pointed out above, the US government is recklessly irresponsible when it comes to issuing debt with a complete inability to pay it back on the long-term. Inflation is up, the jobs market is cratering for the native born Americans who actually pay taxes, and the push toward a multi-polar geopolitical landscape is becoming more pronounced by the day. All of this points to a long-term weakening in demand for US treasuries.

The only way out of this mess is to overtly default on this debt or inflate it away. The latter will most certainly be the route that is taken, which positions bitcoin extremely well as people seek the confines of an asset that cannot be debased because it cannot be controlled by a central authority. The levels of sovereign debt in the world are staggering. Do not let the bitcoin price consolidation of the last six months lull you into a state of complacency. Even the results of the Presidential election won't have a material effect on these dynamics. Though, a Donald Trump presidency would certainly be preferable if you prefer to see relatively sane policy enacted that would provide you with time to find safety in bitcoin. But, in regards to this sovereign debt crisis, that is the only benefit you can hope for; more time to prepare. I'll leave you with some thoughts from Porter Stansberry:

"We are about to see the final destruction of the American experiment. Every economist knows this (see below) is correct; but nobody is going to tell you about it. I’ll summarize in plan English: We are fucked.

1. Debt is growing much faster than GD and interest expense is growing much faster than debt; and the real growth in entitlement spending hasn’t even begun yet.

2. Progressive taxation means nobody will ever vote for less spending + the combined size of government employees and dependents, there’s no way for America’s actual taxpayers (about 20m people) to ever win an election, so the spending won’t stop growing and, ironically, inflation will make demands for more spending to grow.

3. Inflation undermines both economic growth and social cohesion. The purple hair man-women weirdos are only the beginning; what comes next is scapegoating jews, blacks, immigrants and a huge increase in violence/domestic terror.

Get ready America. This election has nothing to do with what’s coming. And neither Trump nor Kamala can stop it.

Our experiment in freedom and self-government died in 1971 (when all restraint on government spending was abandoned with the gold standard.) You can only live at the expense of your neighbor until he runs out of money.

And that day is here."

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Final thought... I hope my tux still fits for this wedding. Enjoy your weekend, freaks.Use the code "TFTC" for 15% off

@ 86dfbe73:628cef55

Das Private ist immer nur privat in Bezug zu einem bestimmten oder unbestimmten Gegenüber. Heutzutage steht man vielen Privatheiten und vielen Öffentlichkeiten gegenüber. Was privat ist, bemisst sich an der jeweiligen Relation, in der es als privat festgelegt wurde. Die “Privatsphäre”, die üblicherweise gemeint wird, ist jene Sphäre, die der Staat als privat zu respektieren hat, über deren Grenze er sich also nur in seltenen und jeweils zu begründenden Einzelfällen hinwegsetzen darf.

In anderen Beziehungen hingegen gibt es andere “Privatheiten” — dem Arbeitgeber gegenüber etwa, den Kollegen, ehemaligen Schulfreunden, dem Ehepartner, den Eltern oder Kinder. In all diesen Beziehungen gibt es “ausgeschlossene” Bereiche, die das Private meinen. Die Privatsphäre ist dabei die Sphäre über deren Geheimhaltung man gegenüber dem anderen Partner der Beziehung frei verfügen kann, denn Privatsphäre ist die Möglichkeit, sich der Welt selektiv zu offenbaren.

Wenn nicht reflektiert wird, dass es weitgehend eine veränderte Gesellschaft ist, die sich konstituiert, eine Gesellschaft, die mit der vorherigen nichts aber auch gar nichts mehr gemein hat, weil sich der Begriff des “Privaten” verändert, ausdifferenziert, verschiebt, zerfasert — wird der Privatsphärenschutz nicht zu gewährleisten sein.

Das Problem ist, dass „privat und „öffentlich“ alleine nicht funktionieren. Zwischen Privat und Öffentlich gehört – abgeleitet aus dem Begriff des „Social Web“ das Soziale. Und zwischen scheinbar einheitlicher privater „Identität“ und öffentlicher „Person“ gehört ein Bündel an Socialities.

Schon vor dem Netz zersplitterte der moderne, flexible und mobile Mensch in ein Bündel von (nicht: Identitäten sondern) Socialitäten. Das heißt in ein Bündel von Verhaltensweisen, die mehr oder minder bewusst in Beziehung zu bestimmten anderen Socii eingenommen werden. Es ist eine rein kommunikative Größe. Die Socialität eines Arbeitnehmers deckt sich nicht mit der Sozialität des Ehegatten, Vaters usw.

In jeder dieser Beziehungen ist eine andere, zumeist bewusst zu lernende Sozialität vonnöten. Selbst gegenüber Vorgesetzten, gleichrangigen Kollegen und Untergebenen sind mindestens dreierlei Socialitäten am Werke. Denn diese Socialität ist nicht einfach die soziologische „Rolle“, die ein Pluriversum von angenommenen Identitäten unterstellt. Sondern sie ist Ergebnis einer Kommunikationsbeziehung.

Online-Socialitäten

Das Private ist kein kohärente Sphäre, sondern wird durch die Socialität erschaffen. Es ist das, was in der Socialität nicht vorkommt – oder die Qualität der Socialität entscheidend verändert – etwa wenn eine Beziehung zu einer Kollegin/einem Kollegen beginnt (die in der Socialität der Ehegatten wiederum vermutlich nichts zu suchen hat …), sich eine Exfreundin als neue Kundin vorstellt, ein ehemaliger Schulkamerad Chef wird usw. Was „das Private“ ist, lässt sich nicht fassen.

Bei Facebook beispielsweise connectet sich der User mit Familienangehörigen, Freunden, vielleicht ehemaligen Schulfreunden, Kollegen, ggf. Vorgesetzen – und mit Geschäftspartnern oder Kunden. Das heißt: Ein großes Socialitätenbündel vereinigt sich.

Das kann zu größeren Problemen führen, denn die Socialität etwa des Geschäftspartners stellt andere Anforderungen als der ehemalige Klassenkamerad. Die Socialität des Kollegen stellt andere Anforderungen als die der Geschwister.

Die Bündelungsmöglichkeiten durch Personensuchen stellt vor eine ganz andere Herausforderung. Das Multiversum der Socialitäten, das unter verschiedenen Pseudonymen oder doch zumindest auf verschiedenen Plattformen ausgetragen wurde – wird nun plötzlich in ein „Image“ zusammengeführt, das natürlich vorne und hinten inkongruent ist, weil kein gemeinsamer „Kern“, keine einfache „Identität“ vorhanden ist.

Streetview und die Socialität

Schon jetzt nutzen Auskunfteien wie SchuFa oder Creditreform die Wohngegend um Kreditwürdigkeiten zu berechnen. Schon jetzt klassifizieren die Telefonrechner in Callcentern die „Wertigkeit“ eines eingehenden Anrufs per Telefonnummer nach Wohnlage.

Das macht in dieser Socialität "Versicherung-Kunde" einen gewaltigen Unterschied. Und der Kunde hat keinerlei Macht über die Informationen, die der anderen Seite der Socialität verfügbar sind. Die Entscheidung, dass etwas privat sei, zieht nach sich, dass ich es aus einer Socialität exkludiere. „Privat“ bedeutet vor allem „Verzeihung, das ist mir zu privat, darüber gebe ich keine Auskunft“. Und derlei Privatheiten gibt es zu viele – was privat ist, bestimmt die Socialität. Privatsphäre gegenüber dem Kollegen ist eine andere als gegenüber der Vorgesetzten, als gegenüber dem Kunden, als gegenüber dem ehemaligen Schulfreund.

Wie damit umgehen? Das Netz verlassen oder eine eigene „Netzsocialität“ erschaffen, die von vornherein eine inszenierte Kunstfigur ist? Nichts von alledem ist hilfreich. Deswegen kann die Lösung nur aus einer gesamtgesellschaftlichen Debatte rund um die Socialitäten kommen. Und muss sich fragen: Wie soll das Netz sein und funktionieren? Wer soll was einsehen können?