@ 52b4a076:e7fad8bd

Introduction

Me and Fishcake have been working on infrastructure for Noswhere and Nostr.build. Part of this involves processing a large amount of Nostr events for features such as search, analytics, and feeds.

I have been recently developing nosdex v3, a newer version of the Noswhere scraper that is designed for maximum performance and fault tolerance using FoundationDB (FDB).

Fishcake has been working on a processing system for Nostr events to use with NB, based off of Cloudflare (CF) Pipelines, which is a relatively new beta product. This evening, we put it all to the test.

First preparations

We set up a new CF Pipelines endpoint, and I implemented a basic importer that took data from the nosdex database. This was quite slow, as it did HTTP requests synchronously, but worked as a good smoke test.

Asynchronous indexing

I implemented a high-contention queue system designed for highly parallel indexing operations, built using FDB, that supports: - Fully customizable batch sizes - Per-index queues - Hundreds of parallel consumers - Automatic retry logic using lease expiration

When the scraper first gets an event, it will process it and eventually write it to the blob store and FDB. Each new event is appended to the event log.

On the indexing side, a Queuer will read the event log, and batch events (usually 2K-5K events) into one work job. This work job contains: - A range in the log to index - Which target this job is intended for - The size of the job and some other metadata

Each job has an associated leasing state, which is used to handle retries and prioritization, and ensure no duplication of work.

Several Workers monitor the index queue (up to 128) and wait for new jobs that are available to lease.

Once a suitable job is found, the worker acquires a lease on the job and reads the relevant events from FDB and the blob store.

Depending on the indexing type, the job will be processed in one of a number of ways, and then marked as completed or returned for retries.

In this case, the event is also forwarded to CF Pipelines.

Trying it out

The first attempt did not go well. I found a bug in the high-contention indexer that led to frequent transaction conflicts. This was easily solved by correcting an incorrectly set parameter.

We also found there were other issues in the indexer, such as an insufficient amount of threads, and a suspicious decrease in the speed of the Queuer during processing of queued jobs.

Along with fixing these issues, I also implemented other optimizations, such as deprioritizing Worker DB accesses, and increasing the batch size.

To fix the degraded Queuer performance, I ran the backfill job by itself, and then started indexing after it had completed.

Bottlenecks, bottlenecks everywhere

After implementing these fixes, there was an interesting problem: The DB couldn't go over 80K reads per second. I had encountered this limit during load testing for the scraper and other FDB benchmarks.

As I suspected, this was a client thread limitation, as one thread seemed to be using high amounts of CPU. To overcome this, I created a new client instance for each Worker.

After investigating, I discovered that the Go FoundationDB client cached the database connection. This meant all attempts to create separate DB connections ended up being useless.

Using OpenWithConnectionString partially resolved this issue. (This also had benefits for service-discovery based connection configuration.)

To be able to fully support multi-threading, I needed to enabled the FDB multi-client feature. Enabling it also allowed easier upgrades across DB versions, as FDB clients are incompatible across versions:

FDB_NETWORK_OPTION_EXTERNAL_CLIENT_LIBRARY="/lib/libfdb_c.so" FDB_NETWORK_OPTION_CLIENT_THREADS_PER_VERSION="16"

Breaking the 100K/s reads barrier

After implementing support for the multi-threaded client, we were able to get over 100K reads per second.

You may notice after the restart (gap) the performance dropped. This was caused by several bugs: 1. When creating the CF Pipelines endpoint, we did not specify a region. The automatically selected region was far away from the server. 2. The amount of shards were not sufficient, so we increased them. 3. The client overloaded a few HTTP/2 connections with too many requests.

I implemented a feature to assign each Worker its own HTTP client, fixing the 3rd issue. We also moved the entire storage region to West Europe to be closer to the servers.

After these changes, we were able to easily push over 200K reads/s, mostly limited by missing optimizations:

It's shards all the way down

While testing, we also noticed another issue: At certain times, a pipeline would get overloaded, stalling requests for seconds at a time. This prevented all forward progress on the Workers.

We solved this by having multiple pipelines: A primary pipeline meant to be for standard load, with moderate batching duration and less shards, and high-throughput pipelines with more shards.

Each Worker is assigned a pipeline on startup, and if one pipeline stalls, other workers can continue making progress and saturate the DB.

The stress test

After making sure everything was ready for the import, we cleared all data, and started the import.

The entire import lasted 20 minutes between 01:44 UTC and 02:04 UTC, reaching a peak of: - 0.25M requests per second - 0.6M keys read per second - 140MB/s reads from DB - 2Gbps of network throughput

FoundationDB ran smoothly during this test, with: - Read times under 2ms - Zero conflicting transactions - No overloaded servers

CF Pipelines held up well, delivering batches to R2 without any issues, while reaching its maximum possible throughput.

Finishing notes

Me and Fishcake have been building infrastructure around scaling Nostr, from media, to relays, to content indexing. We consistently work on improving scalability, resiliency and stability, even outside these posts.

Many things, including what you see here, are already a part of Nostr.build, Noswhere and NFDB, and many other changes are being implemented every day.

If you like what you are seeing, and want to integrate it, get in touch. :)

If you want to support our work, you can zap this post, or register for nostr.land and nostr.build today.

@ 088436cd:9d2646cc

The arrival of the coronavirus brought not only illness and death but also fear and panic. In such an environment of uncertainty, people have naturally stocked up on necessities, not knowing when things will return to normal.

Retail shelves have been cleared out, and even online suppliers like Amazon and Walmart are out of stock for some items. Independent sellers on these e-commerce platforms have had to fill the gap. With the huge increase in demand, they have found that their inventory has skyrocketed in value.

Many in need of these items (e.g. toilet paper, hand sanitizer and masks) balk at the new prices. They feel they are being taken advantage of in a time of need and call for intervention by the government to lower prices. The government has heeded that call, labeling the independent sellers as "price gougers" and threatening sanctions if they don't lower their prices. Amazon has suspended seller accounts and law enforcement at all levels have threatened to prosecute. Prices have dropped as a result and at first glance this seems like a victory for fair play. But, we will have to dig deeper to understand the unseen consequences of this intervention.

We must look at the economics of the situation, how supply and demand result in a price and how that price acts as a signal that goes out to everyone, informing them of underlying conditions in the economy and helping coordinate their actions.

It all started with a rise in demand. Given a fixed supply (e.g., the limited stock on shelves and in warehouses), an increase in demand inevitably leads to higher prices. Most people are familiar with this phenomenon, such as paying more for airline tickets during holidays or surge pricing for rides.

Higher prices discourage less critical uses of scarce resources. For example, you might not pay $1,000 for a plane ticket to visit your aunt if you can get one for $100 the following week, but someone else might pay that price to visit a dying relative. They value that plane seat more than you.

*** During the crisis, demand surged and their shelves emptied even though

However, retail outlets have not raised prices. They have kept them low, so the low-value uses of things like toilet paper, masks and hand sanitizer has continued. Often, this "use" just takes the form of hoarding. At everyday low prices, it makes sense to buy hundreds of rolls and bottles. You know you will use them eventually, so why not stock up? And, with all those extra supplies in the closet and basement, you don't need to change your behavior much. You don't have to ration your use.

At the low prices, these scarce resources got bought up faster and faster until there was simply none left. The reality of the situation became painfully clear to those who didn't panic and got to the store late: You have no toilet paper and you're not going to any time soon.

However, if prices had been allowed to rise, a number of effects would have taken place that would have coordinated the behavior of everyone so that valuable resources would not have been wasted or hoarded, and everyone could have had access to what they needed.

On the demand side, if prices had been allowed to rise, people would have begun to self-ration. You might leave those extra plies on the roll next time if you know they will cost ten times as much to replace. Or, you might choose to clean up a spill with a rag rather than disposable tissue. Most importantly, you won't hoard as much. That 50th bottle of hand sanitizer might just not be worth it at the new, high price. You'll leave it on the shelf for someone else who may have none.

On the supply side, higher prices would have incentivized people to offer up more of their stockpiles for sale. If you have a pallet full of toilet paper in your basement and all of the sudden they are worth $15 per roll, you might just list a few online. But, if it is illegal to do so, you probably won't.

Imagine you run a business installing insulation and have a few thousand respirator masks on hand for your employees. During a pandemic, it is much more important that people breathe filtered air than that insulation get installed, and that fact is reflected in higher prices. You will sell your extra masks at the higher price rather than store them for future insulation jobs, and the scarce resource will be put to its most important use.

Producers of hand sanitizer would go into overdrive if prices were allowed to rise. They would pay their employees overtime, hire new ones, and pay a premium for their supplies, making sure their raw materials don't go to less important uses.

These kinds of coordinated actions all across the economy would be impossible without real prices to guide them. How do you know if it makes sense to spend an extra $10k bringing a thousand masks to market unless you know you can get more than $10 per mask? If the price is kept artificially low, you simply can't do it. The money just isn't there.

These are the immediate effects of a price change, but incredibly, price changes also coordinate people's actions across space and time.

Across space, there are different supply and demand conditions in different places, and thus prices are not uniform. We know some places are real "hot spots" for the virus, while others are mostly unaffected. High demand in the hot spots leads to higher prices there, which attracts more of the resource to those areas. Boxes and boxes of essential items would pour in where they are needed most from where they are needed least, but only if prices were allowed to adjust freely.

This would be accomplished by individuals and businesses buying low in the unaffected areas, selling high in the hot spots and subtracting their labor and transportation costs from the difference. Producers of new supply would know exactly where it is most needed and ship to the high-demand, high-price areas first. The effect of these actions is to increase prices in the low demand areas and reduce them in the high demand areas. People in the low demand areas will start to self-ration more, reflecting the reality of their neighbors, and people in the hotspots will get some relief.

However, by artificially suppressing prices in the hot spot, people there will simply buy up the available supply and run out, and it will be cost prohibitive to bring in new supply from low-demand areas.

Prices coordinate economic actions across time as well. Just as entrepreneurs and businesses can profit by transporting scarce necessities from low-demand to high-demand areas, they can also profit by buying in low-demand times and storing their merchandise for when it is needed most.

Just as allowing prices to freely adjust in one area relative to another will send all the right signals for the optimal use of a scarce resource, allowing prices to freely adjust over time will do the same.

When an entrepreneur buys up resources during low-demand times in anticipation of a crisis, she restricts supply ahead of the crisis, which leads to a price increase. She effectively bids up the price. The change in price affects consumers and producers in all the ways mentioned above. Consumers self-ration more, and producers bring more of the resource to market.

Our entrepreneur has done a truly incredible thing. She has predicted the future, and by so doing has caused every individual in the economy to prepare for a shortage they don't even know is coming! And, by discouraging consumption and encouraging production ahead of time, she blunts the impact the crisis will have. There will be more of the resource to go around when it is needed most.

On top of this, our entrepreneur still has her stockpile she saved back when everyone else was blithely using it up. She can now further mitigate the damage of the crisis by selling her stock during the worst of it, when people are most desperate for relief. She will know when this is because the price will tell her, but only if it is allowed to adjust freely. When the price is at its highest is when people need the resource the most, and those willing to pay will not waste it or hoard it. They will put it to its highest valued use.

The economy is like a big bus we are all riding in, going down a road with many twists and turns. Just as it is difficult to see into the future, it is difficult to see out the bus windows at the road ahead.

On the dashboard, we don't have a speedometer or fuel gauge. Instead we have all the prices for everything in the economy. Prices are what tell us the condition of the bus and the road. They tell us everything. Without them, we are blind.

Good times are a smooth road. Consumer prices and interest rates are low, investment returns are steady. We hit the gas and go fast. But, the road is not always straight and smooth. Sometimes there are sharp turns and rough patches. Successful entrepreneurs are the ones who can see what is coming better than everyone else. They are our navigators.

When they buy up scarce resources ahead of a crisis, they are hitting the brakes and slowing us down. When they divert resources from one area to another, they are steering us onto a smoother path. By their actions in the market, they adjust the prices on our dashboard to reflect the conditions of the road ahead, so we can prepare for, navigate and get through the inevitable difficulties we will face.

Interfering with the dashboard by imposing price floors or price caps doesn't change the conditions of the road (the number of toilet paper rolls in existence hasn't changed). All it does is distort our perception of those conditions. We think the road is still smooth--our heavy foot stomping the gas--as we crash onto a rocky dirt road at 80 miles per hour (empty shelves at the store for weeks on end).

Supply, demand and prices are laws of nature. All of this is just how things work. It isn't right or wrong in a moral sense. Price caps lead to waste, shortages and hoarding as surely as water flows downhill. The opposite--allowing prices to adjust freely--leads to conservation of scarce resources and their being put to their highest valued use. And yes, it leads to profits for the entrepreneurs who were able to correctly predict future conditions, and losses for those who weren't.

Is it fair that they should collect these profits? On the one hand, anyone could have stocked up on toilet paper, hand sanitizer and face masks at any time before the crisis, so we all had a fair chance to get the supplies cheaply. On the other hand, it just feels wrong that some should profit so much at a time when there is so much need.

Our instinct in the moment is to see the entrepreneur as a villain, greedy "price gouger". But we don't see the long chain of economic consequences the led to the situation we feel is unfair.

If it weren't for anti-price-gouging laws, the major retailers would have raised their prices long before the crisis became acute. When they saw demand outstrip supply, they would have raised prices, not by 100 fold, but gradually and long before anyone knew how serious things would have become. Late comers would have had to pay more, but at least there would be something left on the shelf.

As an entrepreneur, why take risks trying to anticipate the future if you can't reap the reward when you are right? Instead of letting instead of letting entrepreneurs--our navigators--guide us, we are punishing and vilifying them, trying to force prices to reflect a reality that simply doesn't exist.

In a crisis, more than any other time, prices must be allowed to fluctuate. To do otherwise is to blind ourselves at a time when danger and uncertainty abound. It is economic suicide.

In a crisis, there is great need, and the way to meet that need is not by pretending it's not there, by forcing prices to reflect a world where there isn't need. They way to meet the need is the same it has always been, through charity.

If the people in government want to help, the best way for the to do so is to be charitable and reduce their taxes and fees as much as possible, ideally to zero in a time of crisis. Amazon, for example, could instantly reduce the price of all crisis related necessities by 20% if they waived their fee. This would allow for more uses by more people of these scarce supplies as hoarders release their stockpiles on to the market, knowing they can get 20% more for their stock. Governments could reduce or eliminate their tax burden on high-demand, crisis-related items and all the factors that go into their production, with the same effect: a reduction in prices and expansion of supply. All of us, including the successful entrepreneurs and the wealthy for whom high prices are not a great burden, could donate to relief efforts.

These ideas are not new or untested. This is core micro economics. It has been taught for hundreds of years in universities the world over. The fact that every crisis that comes along stirs up ire against entrepreneurs indicates not that the economics is wrong, but that we have a strong visceral reaction against what we perceive to be unfairness. This is as it should be. Unfairness is wrong and the anger it stirs in us should compel us to right the wrong. Our anger itself isn't wrong, it's just misplaced.

Entrepreneurs didn't cause the prices to rise. Our reaction to a virus did that. We saw a serious threat and an uncertain future and followed our natural impulse to hoard. Because prices at major retail suppliers didn't rise, that impulse ran rampant and we cleared the shelves until there was nothing left. We ran the bus right off the road and them blamed the entrepreneurs for showing us the reality of our situation, for shaking us out of the fantasy of low prices.

All of this is not to say that entrepreneurs are high-minded public servants. They are just doing their job. Staking your money on an uncertain future is a risky business. There are big risks and big rewards. Most entrepreneurs just scrape by or lose their capital in failed ventures.

However, the ones that get it right must be allowed to keep their profits, or else no one will try and we'll all be driving blind. We need our navigators. It doesn't even matter if they know all the positive effects they are having on the rest of us and the economy as a whole. So long as they are buying low and selling high--so long as they are doing their job--they will be guiding the rest of us through the good times and the bad, down the open road and through the rough spots.

@ c3ae4ad8:e54d46cb

Ingredients

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed 2 TB butter, divided ½ small shallot, minced 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 6 large or 9 medium eggs 1 cup of heavy cream salt & pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a pie dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.

In a skillet, add butter and saute the diced shallots and cook until slightly softened.

Place the thawed chopped spinach into a towel or paper towel and wrap it around the spinach into a ball and squeeze until you remove as much liquid as possible.

In a large bowl, crack in the eggs and add the cream, salt & pepper, then whisk until foamy and increased in volume. Fluff up the spinach with a fork and add it to the egg mixture. Add the crumbled feta and fold both in.

In the greased pie dish, and then pour the egg mixture and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Reheating and leftovers The best presentation and clean cuts will come from chilling for several hours or overnight in the fridge. To reheat, place a serving onto a microwave-safe plate and cover with a paper towel and heat for 30-40 seconds. It's also great cold.

Makes 6-8 servings.

@ 08964cb5:51bf010f

«Reflexiones y Acción: Entre la Defensa del Patrimonio»

[English below][Deutsch unten]

Los recientes acontecimientos que han puesto en peligro mi patrimonio, así como los valores fundamentales que definen mi camino, me han llevado a tomar una decisión importante: iniciar una campaña de recaudación de fondos. Esta iniciativa no solo busca proteger lo que he construido con esfuerzo, sino también garantizar que pueda seguir adelante con proyectos y principios que son esenciales para mí.

Tu apoyo puede marcar una gran diferencia. Si deseas conocer más sobre esta causa o contribuir con tu solidaridad, te invito a visitar ›🔗 éste enlace.‹ "Reflections and Action: Safeguarding My Heritage"

---

“Reflections and Action: Safeguarding My Heritage”

The recent events that have jeopardised my assets and the core values that define my journey have led me to take a significant step: launching a fundraising campaign. This initiative aims not only to protect what I have built with hard work but also to ensure that I can continue moving forward with projects and principles that are essential to me.

Your support can make a real difference. If you’d like to learn more about this cause or contribute with your solidarity, I invite you to visit ›🔗 this link.‹

---

„Überlegungen und Handeln: Den Schutz meines Vermögens”

Die jüngsten Ereignisse, die mein Vermögen sowie die grundlegenden Werte, die meinen Weg bestimmen, gefährdet haben, haben mich dazu veranlasst, einen wichtigen Schritt zu gehen: den Start einer Spendenkampagne. Diese Initiative zielt nicht nur darauf ab, das zu schützen, was ich mit harter Arbeit aufgebaut habe, sondern auch sicherzustellen, dass ich mit Projekten und Prinzipien, die für mich unerlässlich sind, weitermachen kann.

Deine Unterstützung kann einen großen Unterschied machen. Wenn du mehr über diese Sache erfahren oder mit deiner Solidarität beitragen möchtest, lade ich dich ein, ›🔗 diesen Link zu besuchen.‹

@ 08964cb5:51bf010f

«Reflexiones y Acción: Entre la Defensa del Patrimonio»

[English below][Deutsch unten]

Los recientes acontecimientos que han puesto en peligro mi patrimonio, así como los valores fundamentales que definen mi camino, me han llevado a tomar una decisión importante: iniciar una campaña de recaudación de fondos. Esta iniciativa no solo busca proteger lo que he construido con esfuerzo, sino también garantizar que pueda seguir adelante con proyectos y principios que son esenciales para mí.

Tu apoyo puede marcar una gran diferencia. Si deseas conocer más sobre esta causa o contribuir con tu solidaridad, te invito a visitar ›🔗éste enlace.‹

---

"Reflections and Action: Safeguarding My Heritage"

The recent events that have jeopardised my assets and the core values that define my journey have led me to take a significant step: launching a fundraising campaign. This initiative aims not only to protect what I have built with hard work but also to ensure that I can continue moving forward with projects and principles that are essential to me.

Your support can make a real difference. If you’d like to learn more about this cause or contribute with your solidarity, I invite you to visit ›🔗this link.‹

---

"Überlegungen und Handeln: Den Schutz meines Vermögens"

Die jüngsten Ereignisse, die mein Vermögen sowie die grundlegenden Werte, die meinen Weg bestimmen, gefährdet haben, haben mich dazu veranlasst, einen wichtigen Schritt zu gehen: den Start einer Spendenkampagne. Diese Initiative zielt nicht nur darauf ab, das zu schützen, was ich mit harter Arbeit aufgebaut habe, sondern auch sicherzustellen, dass ich mit Projekten und Prinzipien, die für mich unerlässlich sind, weitermachen kann.

Deine Unterstützung kann einen großen Unterschied machen. Wenn du mehr über diese Sache erfahren oder mit deiner Solidarität beitragen möchtest, lade ich dich ein, ›🔗diesen Link zu besuchen.‹

@ a008def1:57a3564d

A Vision for #GitViaNostr

Git has long been the standard for version control in software development, but over time, we has lost its distributed nature. Originally, Git used open, permissionless email for collaboration, which worked well at scale. However, the rise of GitHub and its centralized pull request (PR) model has shifted the landscape.

Now, we have the opportunity to revive Git's permissionless and distributed nature through Nostr!

We’ve developed tools to facilitate Git collaboration via Nostr, but there are still significant friction that prevents widespread adoption. This article outlines a vision for how we can reduce those barriers and encourage more repositories to embrace this approach.

First, we’ll review our progress so far. Then, we’ll propose a guiding philosophy for our next steps. Finally, we’ll discuss a vision to tackle specific challenges, mainly relating to the role of the Git server and CI/CD.

I am the lead maintainer of ngit and gitworkshop.dev, and I’ve been fortunate to work full-time on this initiative for the past two years, thanks to an OpenSats grant.

How Far We’ve Come

The aim of #GitViaNostr is to liberate discussions around code collaboration from permissioned walled gardens. At the core of this collaboration is the process of proposing and applying changes. That's what we focused on first.

Since Nostr shares characteristics with email, and with NIP34, we’ve adopted similar primitives to those used in the patches-over-email workflow. This is because of their simplicity and that they don’t require contributors to host anything, which adds reliability and makes participation more accessible.

However, the fork-branch-PR-merge workflow is the only model many developers have known, and changing established workflows can be challenging. To address this, we developed a new workflow that balances familiarity, user experience, and alignment with the Nostr protocol: the branch-PR-merge model.

This model is implemented in ngit, which includes a Git plugin that allows users to engage without needing to learn new commands. Additionally, gitworkshop.dev offers a GitHub-like interface for interacting with PRs and issues. We encourage you to try them out using the quick start guide and share your feedback. You can also explore PRs and issues with gitplaza.

For those who prefer the patches-over-email workflow, you can still use that approach with Nostr through gitstr or the ngit send and ngit list commands, and explore patches with patch34.

The tools are now available to support the core collaboration challenge, but we are still at the beginning of the adoption curve.

Before we dive into the challenges—such as why the Git server setup can be jarring and the possibilities surrounding CI/CD—let’s take a moment to reflect on how we should approach the challenges ahead of us.

Philosophy

Here are some foundational principles I shared a few years ago:

• Let Git be Git
• Let Nostr be Nostr
• Learn from the successes of others

I’d like to add one more:

• Embrace anarchy and resist monolithic development.

Micro Clients FTW

Nostr celebrates simplicity, and we should strive to maintain that. Monolithic developments often lead to unnecessary complexity. Projects like gitworkshop.dev, which aim to cover various aspects of the code collaboration experience, should not stifle innovation.

Just yesterday, the launch of following.space demonstrated how vibe-coded micro clients can make a significant impact. They can be valuable on their own, shape the ecosystem, and help push large and widely used clients to implement features and ideas.

The primitives in NIP34 are straightforward, and if there are any barriers preventing the vibe-coding of a #GitViaNostr app in an afternoon, we should work to eliminate them.

Micro clients should lead the way and explore new workflows, experiences, and models of thinking.

Take kanbanstr.com. It provides excellent project management and organization features that work seamlessly with NIP34 primitives.

From kanban to code snippets, from CI/CD runners to SatShoot—may a thousand flowers bloom, and a thousand more after them.

Friction and Challenges

The Git Server

In #GitViaNostr, maintainers' branches (e.g., master) are hosted on a Git server. Here’s why this approach is beneficial:

• Follows the original Git vision and the "let Git be Git" philosophy.
• Super efficient, battle-tested, and compatible with all the ways people use Git (e.g., LFS, shallow cloning).
• Maintains compatibility with related systems without the need for plugins (e.g., for build and deployment).
• Only repository maintainers need write access.

In the original Git model, all users would need to add the Git server as a 'git remote.' However, with ngit, the Git server is hidden behind a Nostr remote, which enables:

• Hiding complexity from contributors and users, so that only maintainers need to know about the Git server component to start using #GitViaNostr.
• Maintainers can easily swap Git servers by updating their announcement event, allowing contributors/users using ngit to automatically switch to the new one.

Challenges with the Git Server

While the Git server model has its advantages, it also presents several challenges:

1. Initial Setup: When creating a new repository, maintainers must select a Git server, which can be a jarring experience. Most options come with bloated social collaboration features tied to a centralized PR model, often difficult or impossible to disable.

2. Manual Configuration: New repositories require manual configuration, including adding new maintainers through a browser UI, which can be cumbersome and time-consuming.

3. User Onboarding: Many Git servers require email sign-up or KYC (Know Your Customer) processes, which can be a significant turn-off for new users exploring a decentralized and permissionless alternative to GitHub.

Once the initial setup is complete, the system works well if a reliable Git server is chosen. However, this is a significant "if," as we have become accustomed to the excellent uptime and reliability of GitHub. Even professionally run alternatives like Codeberg can experience downtime, which is frustrating when CI/CD and deployment processes are affected. This problem is exacerbated when self-hosting.

Currently, most repositories on Nostr rely on GitHub as the Git server. While maintainers can change servers without disrupting their contributors, this reliance on a centralized service is not the decentralized dream we aspire to achieve.

Vision for the Git Server

The goal is to transform the Git server from a single point of truth and failure into a component similar to a Nostr relay.

Functionality Already in ngit to Support This

1. State on Nostr: Store the state of branches and tags in a Nostr event, removing reliance on a single server. This validates that the data received has been signed by the maintainer, significantly reducing the trust requirement.

2. Proxy to Multiple Git Servers: Proxy requests to all servers listed in the announcement event, adding redundancy and eliminating the need for any one server to match GitHub's reliability.

Implementation Requirements

To achieve this vision, the Nostr Git server implementation should:

1. Implement the Git Smart HTTP Protocol without authentication (no SSH) and only accept pushes if the reference tip matches the latest state event.

2. Avoid Bloat: There should be no user authentication, no database, no web UI, and no unnecessary features.

3. Automatic Repository Management: Accept or reject new repositories automatically upon the first push based on the content of the repository announcement event referenced in the URL path and its author.

Just as there are many free, paid, and self-hosted relays, there will be a variety of free, zero-step signup options, as well as self-hosted and paid solutions.

Some servers may use a Web of Trust (WoT) to filter out spam, while others might impose bandwidth or repository size limits for free tiers or whitelist specific npubs.

Additionally, some implementations could bundle relay and blossom server functionalities to unify the provision of repository data into a single service. These would likely only accept content related to the stored repositories rather than general social nostr content.

The potential role of CI / CD via nostr DVMs could create the incentives for a market of highly reliable free at the point of use git servers.

This could make onboarding #GitViaNostr repositories as easy as entering a name and selecting from a multi-select list of Git server providers that announce via NIP89.

!(image)[https://image.nostr.build/badedc822995eb18b6d3c4bff0743b12b2e5ac018845ba498ce4aab0727caf6c.jpg]

Git Client in the Browser

Currently, many tasks are performed on a Git server web UI, such as:

• Browsing code, commits, branches, tags, etc.
• Creating and displaying permalinks to specific lines in commits.
• Merging PRs.
• Making small commits and PRs on-the-fly.

Just as nobody goes to the web UI of a relay (e.g., nos.lol) to interact with notes, nobody should need to go to a Git server to interact with repositories. We use the Nostr protocol to interact with Nostr relays, and we should use the Git protocol to interact with Git servers. This situation has evolved due to the centralization of Git servers. Instead of being restricted to the view and experience designed by the server operator, users should be able to choose the user experience that works best for them from a range of clients. To facilitate this, we need a library that lowers the barrier to entry for creating these experiences. This library should not require a full clone of every repository and should not depend on proprietary APIs. As a starting point, I propose wrapping the WASM-compiled gitlib2 library for the web and creating useful functions, such as showing a file, which utilizes clever flags to minimize bandwidth usage (e.g., shallow clone, noblob, etc.).

This approach would not only enhance clients like gitworkshop.dev but also bring forth a vision where Git servers simply run the Git protocol, making vibe coding Git experiences even better.

song

nostr:npub180cvv07tjdrrgpa0j7j7tmnyl2yr6yr7l8j4s3evf6u64th6gkwsyjh6w6 created song with a complementary vision that has shaped how I see the role of the git server. Its a self-hosted, nostr-permissioned git server with a relay baked in. Its currently a WIP and there are some compatability with ngit that we need to work out.

We collaborated on the nostr-permissioning approach now reflected in nip34.

I'm really excited to see how this space evolves.

CI/CD

Most projects require CI/CD, and while this is often bundled with Git hosting solutions, it is currently not smoothly integrated into #GitViaNostr yet. There are many loosely coupled options, such as Jenkins, Travis, CircleCI, etc., that could be integrated with Nostr.

However, the more exciting prospect is to use DVMs (Data Vending Machines).

DVMs for CI/CD

Nostr Data Vending Machines (DVMs) can provide a marketplace of CI/CD task runners with Cashu for micro payments.

There are various trust levels in CI/CD tasks:

• Tasks with no secrets eg. tests.
• Tasks using updatable secrets eg. API keys.
• Unverifiable builds and steps that sign with Android, Nostr, or PGP keys.

DVMs allow tasks to be kicked off with specific providers using a Cashu token as payment.

It might be suitable for some high-compute and easily verifiable tasks to be run by the cheapest available providers. Medium trust tasks could be run by providers with a good reputation, while high trust tasks could be run on self-hosted runners.

Job requests, status, and results all get published to Nostr for display in Git-focused Nostr clients.

Jobs could be triggered manually, or self-hosted runners could be configured to watch a Nostr repository and kick off jobs using their own runners without payment.

But I'm most excited about the prospect of Watcher Agents.

CI/CD Watcher Agents

AI agents empowered with a NIP60 Cashu wallet can run tasks based on activity, such as a push to master or a new PR, using the most suitable available DVM runner that meets the user's criteria. To keep them running, anyone could top up their NIP60 Cashu wallet; otherwise, the watcher turns off when the funds run out. It could be users, maintainers, or anyone interested in helping the project who could top up the Watcher Agent's balance.

As aluded to earlier, part of building a reputation as a CI/CD provider could involve running reliable hosting (Git server, relay, and blossom server) for all FOSS Nostr Git repositories.

This provides a sustainable revenue model for hosting providers and creates incentives for many free-at-the-point-of-use hosting providers. This, in turn, would allow one-click Nostr repository creation workflows, instantly hosted by many different providers.

Progress to Date

nostr:npub1hw6amg8p24ne08c9gdq8hhpqx0t0pwanpae9z25crn7m9uy7yarse465gr and nostr:npub16ux4qzg4qjue95vr3q327fzata4n594c9kgh4jmeyn80v8k54nhqg6lra7 have been working on a runner that uses GitHub Actions YAML syntax (using act) for the dvm-cicd-runner and takes Cashu payment. You can see example runs on GitWorkshop. It currently takes testnuts, doesn't give any change, and the schema will likely change.

Note: The actions tab on GitWorkshop is currently available on all repositories if you turn on experimental mode (under settings in the user menu).

It's a work in progress, and we expect the format and schema to evolve.

Easy Web App Deployment

For those disapointed not to find a 'Nostr' button to import a git repository to Vercel menu: take heart, they made it easy. vercel.com_import_options.png there is a vercel cli that can be easily called in CI / CD jobs to kick of deployments. Not all managed solutions for web app deployment (eg. netlify) make it that easy.

Many More Opportunities

Large Patches via Blossom

I would be remiss not to mention the large patch problem. Some patches are too big to fit into Nostr events. Blossom is perfect for this, as it allows these larger patches to be included in a blossom file and referenced in a new patch kind.

Enhancing the #GitViaNostr Experience

Beyond the large patch issue, there are numerous opportunities to enhance the #GitViaNostr ecosystem. We can focus on improving browsing, discovery, social and notifications. Receiving notifications on daily driver Nostr apps is one of the killer features of Nostr. However, we must ensure that Git-related notifications are easily reviewable, so we don’t miss any critical updates.

We need to develop tools that cater to our curiosity—tools that enable us to discover and follow projects, engage in discussions that pique our interest, and stay informed about developments relevant to our work.

Additionally, we should not overlook the importance of robust search capabilities and tools that facilitate migrations.

Concluding Thoughts

The design space is vast. Its an exciting time to be working on freedom tech. I encourage everyone to contribute their ideas and creativity and get vibe-coding!

I welcome your honest feedback on this vision and any suggestions you might have. Your insights are invaluable as we collaborate to shape the future of #GitViaNostr. Onward.

Contributions

To conclude, I want to acknowledge some the individuals who have made recent code contributions related to #GitViaNostr:

nostr:npub180cvv07tjdrrgpa0j7j7tmnyl2yr6yr7l8j4s3evf6u64th6gkwsyjh6w6 (gitstr, song, patch34), nostr:npub1useke4f9maul5nf67dj0m9sq6jcsmnjzzk4ycvldwl4qss35fvgqjdk5ks (gitplaza)

nostr:npub1elta7cneng3w8p9y4dw633qzdjr4kyvaparuyuttyrx6e8xp7xnq32cume (ngit contributions, git-remote-blossom),nostr:npub16p8v7varqwjes5hak6q7mz6pygqm4pwc6gve4mrned3xs8tz42gq7kfhdw (SatShoot, Flotilla-Budabit), nostr:npub1ehhfg09mr8z34wz85ek46a6rww4f7c7jsujxhdvmpqnl5hnrwsqq2szjqv (Flotilla-Budabit, Nostr Git Extension), nostr:npub1ahaz04ya9tehace3uy39hdhdryfvdkve9qdndkqp3tvehs6h8s5slq45hy (gnostr and experiments), and others.

nostr:npub1uplxcy63up7gx7cladkrvfqh834n7ylyp46l3e8t660l7peec8rsd2sfek (git-remote-nostr)

Project Management nostr:npub1ltx67888tz7lqnxlrg06x234vjnq349tcfyp52r0lstclp548mcqnuz40t (kanbanstr) Code Snippets nostr:npub1ygzj9skr9val9yqxkf67yf9jshtyhvvl0x76jp5er09nsc0p3j6qr260k2 (nodebin.io) nostr:npub1r0rs5q2gk0e3dk3nlc7gnu378ec6cnlenqp8a3cjhyzu6f8k5sgs4sq9ac (snipsnip.dev)

CI / CD nostr:npub16ux4qzg4qjue95vr3q327fzata4n594c9kgh4jmeyn80v8k54nhqg6lra7 nostr:npub1hw6amg8p24ne08c9gdq8hhpqx0t0pwanpae9z25crn7m9uy7yarse465gr

and for their nostr:npub1c03rad0r6q833vh57kyd3ndu2jry30nkr0wepqfpsm05vq7he25slryrnw nostr:npub1qqqqqq2stely3ynsgm5mh2nj3v0nk5gjyl3zqrzh34hxhvx806usxmln03 and nostr:npub1l5sga6xg72phsz5422ykujprejwud075ggrr3z2hwyrfgr7eylqstegx9z for their testing, feedback, ideas and encouragement.

Thank you for your support and collaboration! Let me know if I've missed you.

@ c230edd3:8ad4a712

Chef's notes

I found this recipe on beyondsweetandsavory.com. The site is incredibly ad infested (like most recipe sites) and its very annoying so I'm copying it to Nostr so all the homemade ice cream people can access it without dealing with that mess. I haven't made it yet. Will report back, when I do.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 20 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 55 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 8 oz dark chocolate, 70%
• ¼ cup Dutch cocoa
• 2 tbsps loose Earl grey tea leaves
• 4 medium egg yolks
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ¼ cup dark chocolate, 70% chopped

Directions

1. In a double boiler or a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, add the cacao solids and ½ cup of heavy cream. Stir chocolate until melted and smooth. Set melted chocolate aside.
2. In a heavy saucepan, combine remaining heavy cream, milk, salt and ½ cup of sugar.
3. Put the pan over medium heat and let the mixture boil gently to bubbling just around the edges (gentle simmer) and sugar completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Add the Earl Grey tea leaves and let it steep for 7-8 minutes until the cream has taken on the tea flavor, stirring occasionally and tasting to make sure it’s not too bitter.
5. Whisk in Dutch cocoa until smooth. Add in melted chocolate and whisk until smooth.
6. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just to break them up and whisk in remaining sugar. Set aside.
7. Put the saucepan back on the stove over low heat and let it warm up for 2 minutes.
8. Carefully measure out ½ cup of hot cream mixture.
9. While whisking the eggs constantly, whisk the hot cream mixture into the eggs until smooth. Continue tempering the eggs by adding another ½ cup of hot cream to the bowl with the yolks.
10. Pour the cream-egg mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it is thickened and coats the back of a spatula, about 5 minutes.
11. Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container.
12. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziplock freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in an ice bath until cold, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 4 hours or overnight.
13. Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister of your ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
14. Spin until thick and creamy about 25-30 minutes.
15. Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.
16. When ready to serve, scoop the ice cream into a serving bowl and top with chopped chocolate.

@ 1739d937:3e3136ef

MLS over Nostr - 30th April 2025

YO! Exciting stuff in this update so no intro, let's get straight into it.

🚢 Libraries Released

I've created 4 new Rust crates to make implementing NIP-EE (MLS) messaging easy for other projects. These are now part of the rust-nostr project (thanks nostr:npub1drvpzev3syqt0kjrls50050uzf25gehpz9vgdw08hvex7e0vgfeq0eseet) but aren't quite released to crates.io yet. They will be included in the next release of that library. My hope is that these libraries will give nostr developers a simple, safe, and specification-compliant way to work with MLS messaging in their applications.

Here's a quick overview of each:

nostr_mls_storage

One of the challenges of using MLS messaging is that clients have to store quite a lot of state about groups, keys, and messages. Initially, I implemented all of this in White Noise but knew that eventually this would need to be done in a more generalized way.

This crate defines traits and types that are used by the storage implementation crates and sets those up to wrap the OpenMLS storage layer. Now, instead of apps having to implement storage for both OpenMLS and Nostr, you simply pick your storage backend and go from there.

Importantly, because these are generic traits, it allows for the creation of any number of storage implementations for different backend storage providers; postgres, lmdb, nostrdb, etc. To start I've created two implementations; detailed below.

nostr_mls_memory_storage

This is a simple implementation of the nostr_mls_storage traits that uses an in-memory store (that doesn't persist anything to disc). This is principally for testing.

nostr_mls_sqlite_storage

This is a production ready implementation of the nostr_mls_storage traits that uses a persistent local sqlite database to store all data.

nostr_mls

This is the main library that app developers will interact with. Once you've chose a backend and instantiated an instance of NostrMls you can then interact with a simple set of methods to create key packages, create groups, send messages, process welcomes and messages, and more.

If you want to see a complete example of what the interface looks like check out mls_memory.rs.

I'll continue to add to this library over time as I implement more of the MLS protocol features.

🚧 White Noise Refactor

As a result of these new libraries, I was able to remove a huge amount of code from White Noise and refactor large parts of the app to make the codebase easier to understand and maintain. Because of this large refactor and the changes in the underlying storage layer, if you've installed White Noise before you'll need to delete it from your device before you trying to install again.

🖼️ Encrypted Media with Blossom

Let's be honest: Group chat would be basically useless if you couldn't share memes and gifs. Well, now you can in White Noise. Media in groups is encrypted using an MLS secret and uploaded to Blossom with a one-time use keypair. This gives groups a way to have rich conversations with images and documents and anything else while also maintaining the privacy and security of the conversation.

This is still in a rough state but rendering improvements are coming next.

📱 Damn Mobile

The app is still in a semi-broken state on Android and fully broken state on iOS. Now that I have the libraries released and the White Noise core code refactored, I'm focused 100% on fixing these issues. My goal is to have a beta version live on Zapstore in a few weeks.

🧑‍💻 Join Us

I'm looking for mobile developers on both Android and iOS to join the team and help us build the best possible apps for these platforms. I have grant funding available for the right people. Come and help us build secure, permissionless, censorship-resistant messaging. I can think of few projects that deserve your attention more than securing freedom of speech and freedom of association for the entire world. If you're interested or know someone who might be, please reach out to me directly.

🙏 Thanks to the People

Last but not least: A HUGE thank you to all the folks that have been helping make this project happen. You can check out the people that are directly working on the apps on Following._ (and follow them). There are also a lot of people behind the scenes that have helped in myriad ways to get us this far. Thank you thank you thank you.

🔗 Links

Libraries

• nostr_mls
• nostr_mls_storage
• nostr_mls_memory_storage
• nostr_mls_sqlite_storage

White Noise

• White Noise Repo
• White Noise Releases

Other

• Previous updates

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

My post on the signs of the End Times according to Jesus got way too long. It was too long to email, so I had to split it into two posts. I recommend reading Part 1 before continuing. You also may want to read my post Signs of the Times: Can We Know? I also want to reiterate my caveat. Although I believe the signs suggests the Rapture and the Tribulation are coming soon, no one can know the exact hour or day, so I can’t say exactly what soon means (days, months, years, decades, or possibly more).

As a review here is the primary passage where Jesus answers His disciples’ question “What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” Below the passage is the 8 signs He gave. We will pick up with point 5.

Jesus’s Signs of the End

As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:3-14) {emphasis mine}

Here is my summary of the signs Jesus said would identify the coming of the 7 year Tribulation:

1. Wars and rumors of wars. (Matthew 24:6a)

2. Famines (Matthew 24:7)

3. Earthquakes (Matthew 24:7).

4. Israel will be attacked and will be hated by all nations (Matthew 24:9)

5. Falling away from Jesus (Matthew 24:10)

6. Many Misled (Matthew 24:10)

7. People’s love will grow cold (Matthew 24:12)

8. Gospel will be preached to the whole world (Matthew 24:14)

The first 4 signs relate more to physical and political signs that the end times are near. The last 4 signs relate to spiritual matters.

5. Falling away from Jesus

One thing we are definitely seeing today is a falling away. This is most prevalent in the historically Christian Western nations in Europe and North America (and to a lesser, but significant, extent South America).

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. (1 Timothy 4:1-3) {emphasis mine}

For centuries Europe and North America were full of Christians or at least cultural Christians. Today that is no longer true. Christians are even being considered the hateful, criminal class and things like praying outside an abortion clinic is being punished with jail time. The Western nations can no longer be called Christian nations.

There are still a relatively large number of Americans who call themselves Christians, but the majority do not have a biblical worldview or live lives more like Christ than non-Christians.

“Seven out of 10 US adults call themselves “Christians” and yet only 6 in 100 (6%) actually have a biblical worldview.” In general, most Christian’s worldview does not align with the Bible, according to George Barna Surveys. In the most recent survey they found:

Many self-proclaimed Christians tend to believe a form of syncretism where they combine certain biblical principles with cultural ideas, scientism, and other religions to make “Christianity” into whatever they want to believe, just as the Bible predicted almost 2,000 years ago.

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. (2 Timothy 4:1-4) {emphasis mine}

This is both a sign of the end times and something to watch in our own lives. I pray you will analyze your own life and beliefs in the light of the Bible to make sure you aren’t integrating unbiblical principles into your worldview.

6. Many Misled

Closely related to the falling away is that many will be misled. We have reached the point that the majority of so-called churches teach ideas and principles contrary to the Bible. They focus more on entertainment, self-help, and making everyone feel good about themselves instead of teaching of sin and the need for forgiveness or teaching how to live lives honoring to Christ. Preaching obedience to God has become anathema in most churches.

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! (Galatians 1:6-9) {emphasis mine}

We are also lied to and/or misled by politicians, scientists, the media, and the culture in general. We are told that science has disproven the Bible, despite the fact that nothing of the sort has occurred. (See my series on a literal Genesis for some details. icr.org and aig.org are also good resources). Peter warned of this very view.

Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:3-7) {emphasis mine}

God warned us that the last days would be far enough into the future that people would begin to mock the coming of the Tribulation & Millennium and deny the clear truths spoken of in the Bible. We are seeing this everywhere today.

We are also warned to be alert to deception so we, believers, are not misled.

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4) {emphasis mine}

7. People’s love will grow cold

You can feel love growing cold day by day. We no longer have community that works together, but have been broken into groups to fight against one another. Instead of friendly, logical debate with those with whom we disagree, we have name calling, hate, and even violence. Children have been taught to hate their parents and parents have been taught to not value children and to murder them for convenience. The church has been split into so many different denominations that I don’t know if it is possible to know what they all are and many are fighting in hateful manner against each other. Hate, depression, and selfishness seem to have taken over the world.

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) {emphasis mine}

Yes, spiritually and physically we are a basket case and it feels like the world is literally falling apart around us. This was predicted almost 2,000 years ago and is all according to God’s perfect plan. Most people turn to God in hard times and we have those in abundance. We do not need to despair, but need to turn to God and lean on Him for wisdom, faith, and peace. This is the birth pangs before the Tribulation and the Second coming of Jesus Christ. The news isn’t all bad, though.

8. Gospel preached to the whole world

The really good news is that the Gospel is being preached around the world. Parts of the world that had never heard the Gospel are hearing it and turning to Jesus.

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord , And all the families of the nations will worship before You. (Psalm 22:27) {emphasis mine}

Wycliffe Bible translators is hoping to have at least started Bible translation in every active language by the end of this year (2025)

He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6) {emphasis mine}

The Joshua Project tracks nations and people groups to determine which have been reached and which have not. It still looks like there is a large portion of the population that has not received the Gospel, but I also know people who are or have shared the Gospel to some of these people, so this map doesn’t mean that there are no Christians or that the Gospel has not been shared at all, but it does mean many people in these areas have not heard the Gospel and/or, that due to hatred of Christians, it is dangerous to share the Gospel and therefore has to be done slowly, carefully, and privately. Most of these unreached or barely reached people groups are areas that are predominantly Muslim, where those preaching the Gospel or those converting to Christianity are at risk of jail or death sentences.

As you can see, everything that Jesus said would come before the end is either escalating or here. We need to be ready and work to bring as many people to Christ as possible while we still have the opportunity because Jesus could come for us at any moment.

Share the Gospel with all those around you. Consider supporting missionaries, especially those going to unreached/least-reached areas. Maybe even consider becoming a missionary yourself. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

May the God of heaven give us a heart for the lost around the world. May He give us the courage to share the Gospel with all those around us. May He align our priorities with His priorities, so we can be useful tools in the hands of God almighty.

Trust Jesus.

FYI, I hope to write several more articles on the end times (signs of the times, the rapture, the millennium, and the judgement), but I might be a bit slow rolling them out because I want to make sure they are accurate and well supported by Scripture. You can see my previous posts on the end times on the end times tab at trustjesus.substack.com. I also frequently will list upcoming posts.

@ 99895004:c239f905

Yes, FINALLY, we are extremely excited to announce support for nostr.build (blossom.band) on Primal! Decades in the making, billions of people have been waiting, and now it’s available! But it’s not just any integration, it is the next level of decentralized media hosting for Nostr. Let us explain.

Primal is an advanced Twitter/X like client for Nostr and is probably the fastest up-and-coming, highly used Nostr app available for iOS, Android and the web. Nostr.build is a very popular media hosting service for Nostr that can be used standalone or integrated into many Nostr apps using nip-96. This is an extremely feature rich, tested and proven integration we recommend for most applications, but it’s never been available on Primal.

And then, Blossom was born, thank you Hzrd149! Blossom is a Nostr media hosting protocol that makes it extremely easy for Nostr clients to integrate a media host, and for users of Blossom media hosts (even an in-house build) to host on any Nostr client. Revolutionary, right! Use whatever host you want on any client you want, the flexible beauty of Nostr. But there is an additional feature to Blossom that is key, mirroring.

One of the biggest complaints to media hosting on Nostr is, if a media hosting service goes down, so does all of the media hosted on that service. No bueno, and defeats the whole decentralized idea behind Nostr.. This has always been a hard problem to solve until Blossom mirroring came along. Mirroring allows a single media upload to be hosted on multiple servers using its hash, or unique media identifier. This way, if a media host goes down, the media is still available and accessible on the other host.

So, we are not only announcing support of nostr.build’s blossom.band on the Primal app, we are also announcing the first known fully integrated implementation of mirroring with multiple media hosts on Nostr. Try it out for yourself! Go to the settings of your Primal web, iOS or Android app, choose ‘Media Servers’, enable ‘Media Mirrors’, and add https://blossom.band and https://blossom.primal.net as your Media server and Mirror, done!

Video here!

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

I'm excited to announce the release of Applesauce v1.0.0! There are a few breaking changes and a lot of improvements and new features across all packages. Each package has been updated to 1.0.0, marking a stable API for developers to build upon.

Applesauce core changes

There was a change in the applesauce-core package in the QueryStore.

The Query interface has been converted to a method instead of an object with key and run fields.

A bunch of new helper methods and queries were added, checkout the changelog for a full list.

Applesauce Relay

There is a new applesauce-relay package that provides a simple RxJS based api for connecting to relays and publishing events.

Documentation: applesauce-relay

Features:

• A simple API for subscribing or publishing to a single relay or a group of relays
• No connect or close methods, connections are managed automatically by rxjs
• NIP-11 auth_required support
• Support for NIP-42 authentication
• Prebuilt or custom re-connection back-off
• Keep-alive timeout (default 30s)
• Client-side Negentropy sync support

Example Usage: Single relay

```typescript import { Relay } from "applesauce-relay";

// Connect to a relay const relay = new Relay("wss://relay.example.com");

// Create a REQ and subscribe to it relay .req({ kinds: [1], limit: 10, }) .subscribe((response) => { if (response === "EOSE") { console.log("End of stored events"); } else { console.log("Received event:", response); } }); ```

Example Usage: Relay pool

```typescript import { Relay, RelayPool } from "applesauce-relay";

// Create a pool with a custom relay const pool = new RelayPool();

// Create a REQ and subscribe to it pool .req(["wss://relay.damus.io", "wss://relay.snort.social"], { kinds: [1], limit: 10, }) .subscribe((response) => { if (response === "EOSE") { console.log("End of stored events on all relays"); } else { console.log("Received event:", response); } }); ```

Applesauce actions

Another new package is the applesauce-actions package. This package provides a set of async operations for common Nostr actions.

Actions are run against the events in the EventStore and use the EventFactory to create new events to publish.

Documentation: applesauce-actions

Example Usage:

```typescript import { ActionHub } from "applesauce-actions";

// An EventStore and EventFactory are required to use the ActionHub import { eventStore } from "./stores.ts"; import { eventFactory } from "./factories.ts";

// Custom publish logic const publish = async (event: NostrEvent) => { console.log("Publishing", event); await app.relayPool.publish(event, app.defaultRelays); };

// The publish method is optional for the async run method to work const hub = new ActionHub(eventStore, eventFactory, publish); ```

Once an ActionsHub is created, you can use the run or exec methods to execute actions:

```typescript import { FollowUser, MuteUser } from "applesauce-actions/actions";

// Follow fiatjaf await hub.run( FollowUser, "3bf0c63fcb93463407af97a5e5ee64fa883d107ef9e558472c4eb9aaaefa459d", );

// Or use the exec method with a custom publish method await hub .exec( MuteUser, "3bf0c63fcb93463407af97a5e5ee64fa883d107ef9e558472c4eb9aaaefa459d", ) .forEach((event) => { // NOTE: Don't publish this event because we never want to mute fiatjaf // pool.publish(['wss://pyramid.fiatjaf.com/'], event) }); ```

There are a log more actions including some for working with NIP-51 lists (private and public), you can find them in the reference

Applesauce loaders

The applesauce-loaders package has been updated to support any relay connection libraries and not just rx-nostr.

Before:

```typescript import { ReplaceableLoader } from "applesauce-loaders"; import { createRxNostr } from "rx-nostr";

// Create a new rx-nostr instance const rxNostr = createRxNostr();

// Create a new replaceable loader const replaceableLoader = new ReplaceableLoader(rxNostr); ```

After:

```typescript

import { Observable } from "rxjs"; import { ReplaceableLoader, NostrRequest } from "applesauce-loaders"; import { SimplePool } from "nostr-tools";

// Create a new nostr-tools pool const pool = new SimplePool();

// Create a method that subscribes using nostr-tools and returns an observable function nostrRequest: NostrRequest = (relays, filters, id) => { return new Observable((subscriber) => { const sub = pool.subscribe(relays, filters, { onevent: (event) => { subscriber.next(event); }, onclose: () => subscriber.complete(), oneose: () => subscriber.complete(), });

return () => sub.close();

}); };

// Create a new replaceable loader const replaceableLoader = new ReplaceableLoader(nostrRequest); ```

Of course you can still use rx-nostr if you want:

```typescript import { createRxNostr } from "rx-nostr";

// Create a new rx-nostr instance const rxNostr = createRxNostr();

// Create a method that subscribes using rx-nostr and returns an observable function nostrRequest( relays: string[], filters: Filter[], id?: string, ): Observable { // Create a new oneshot request so it will complete when EOSE is received const req = createRxOneshotReq({ filters, rxReqId: id }); return rxNostr .use(req, { on: { relays } }) .pipe(map((packet) => packet.event)); }

// Create a new replaceable loader const replaceableLoader = new ReplaceableLoader(nostrRequest); ```

There where a few more changes, check out the changelog

Applesauce wallet

Its far from complete, but there is a new applesauce-wallet package that provides a actions and queries for working with NIP-60 wallets.

Documentation: applesauce-wallet

Example Usage:

```typescript import { CreateWallet, UnlockWallet } from "applesauce-wallet/actions";

// Create a new NIP-60 wallet await hub.run(CreateWallet, ["wss://mint.example.com"], privateKey);

// Unlock wallet and associated tokens/history await hub.run(UnlockWallet, { tokens: true, history: true }); ```

@ f683e870:557f5ef2

Spam is the single biggest problem in decentralized networks. Jameson Lopp, co-founder of Casa and OG bitcoiner, has written a brilliant article on the death of decentralized email that paints a vivid picture of what went wrong—and how an originally decentralized protocol was completely captured. The cause? Spam.

The same fate may happen to Nostr, because posting a note is fundamentally cheap. Payments, and to some extent Proof of Work, certainly have their role in fighting spam, but they introduce friction, which doesn’t work everywhere. In particular, they can’t solve every economic problem.\ Take free trials, for example. There is a reason why 99% of companies offer them. Sure, you waste resources on users who don’t convert, but it’s a calculated cost, a marketing expense. Also, some services can’t or don’t want to monetize directly. They offer something for free and monetize elsewhere.

So how do you offer a free trial or giveaway in a hostile decentralized network? Or even, how do you decide which notes to accept on your relay?

At first glance, these may seem like unrelated questions—but they’re not. Generally speaking, these are situations where you have a finite budget, and you want to use it well. You want more of what you value — and less of what you don’t (spam).

Reputation is a powerful shortcut when direct evaluation isn’t practical. It’s hard to earn, easy to lose — and that’s exactly what makes it valuable.\ Can a reputable user do bad things? Absolutely. But it’s much less likely, and that’s the point. Heuristics are always imperfect, just like the world we live in.

The legacy Web relies heavily on email-based reputation. If you’ve ever tried to log in with a temporary email, you know what I’m talking about. It just doesn’t work anymore. The problem, as Lopp explains, is that these systems are highly centralized, opaque, and require constant manual intervention.\ They also suck. They put annoying roadblocks between the world and your product, often frustrating the very users you’re trying to convert.

At Vertex, we take a different approach.\ We transparently analyze Nostr’s open social graph to help companies fight spam while improving the UX for their users. But we don’t take away your agency—we just do the math. You take the decision of what algorithm and criteria to use.

Think of us as a signal provider, not an authority.\ You define what reputation means for your use case. Want to rank by global influence? Local or personalized? You’re in control. We give you actionable and transparent analytics so you can build sharper filters, better user experiences, and more resilient systems. That’s how we fight spam, without sacrificing decentralization.

---

Are you looking to add Web of Trust capabilities to your app or project?\ Take a look at our website or send a DM to Pip.

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

I used to hate end times prophecy because it didn’t make sense. I didn’t understand how the predictions could be true, so I wondered if the fulfillment was more figurative than literal. As time has progressed, I’ve seen technologies and international relations change in ways that make the predictions seem not only possible, but probable. I’ve seen the world look more and more like what is predicted for the end times.

I thought it would be handy to look at the predictions and compare them to events, technologies, and nations today. This is a major undertaking, so this will turn into a series. I only hope I can do it justice. I will have some links to news articles on these current events and technologies. Because I can’t remember where I’ve read many of these things, it is likely I will put some links to some news sources that I don’t normally recommend, but which do a decent job of covering the point I’m making. I’m sorry if I don’t always give a perfect source. I have limited time, so in some cases, I’ll link to the easy (main stream journals that show up high on web searches) rather than what I consider more reliable sources because of time constraints.

I also want to give one caveat to everything I discuss below. Although I do believe the signs suggest the Rapture and Tribulation are near, I can’t say exactly what that means or how soon these prophecies will be fulfilled. Could it be tomorrow, a month from now, a year from now, or 20 years from now? Yes, any of them could be true. Could it be even farther in the future? It could be, even if my interpretation of the data concludes that to be less likely.

I will start with a long passage from Matthew that describes what Jesus told His disciples to expect before “the end of the age.” Then I’ll go to some of the end times points that seemed unexplainable to me in the past. We’ll see where things go from there. I’ve already had to split discussion of this one passage into multiple posts due to length.

Jesus’s Signs of the End

As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:3-14) {emphasis mine}

Before I go into the details I do want to clarify one thing. The verses that follow the above verses (Matthew 24:16-28) mention the “abomination of desolation” and therefore is clearly discussing the midpoint of the tribulation and the following 3.5 years or Great Tribulation. The first half of Matthew 24 discusses the birth pangs and the first half of the Tribulation. The signs that I discuss will be growing immediately preceding the Tribulation, but probably will not be completely fulfilled until the first 3.5 years of the Tribulation.

I do think we will see an increase of all of these signs before the 7 year Tribulation begins as part of the birth pangs even if they are not fulfilled completely until the Tribulation:

1. Wars and rumors of wars. (Matthew 24:6a)

2. Famines (Matthew 24:7)

3. Earthquakes (Matthew 24:7).

4. Israel will be attacked and will be hated by all nations (Matthew 24:9)

5. Falling away from Jesus (Matthew 24:10)

6. Many Misled (Matthew 24:10)

7. People’s love will grow cold (Matthew 24:12)

8. Gospel will be preached to the whole world (Matthew 24:14)

Now let’s go through each of these predictions to see what we are seeing today.

1. Wars and Rumors of Wars

When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately.” (Luke 21:9)

In 1947 the doomsday clock was invented. It theoretically tells how close society is to all out war and destruction of mankind. It was just recently set to 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been. It is true that this isn’t a scientific measure and politics can effect the setting, i.e. climate change & Trump Derangement Syndrome, but it is still one of many indicators of danger and doom.

There are three main events going on right now that could lead to World War III and the end times.

Obviously the war between Russia and Ukraine has gotten the world divided. It is true that Russia invaded Ukraine, but there were many actions by the US and the EU that provoked this attack. Within months of the initial attack, there was a near agreement between Ukraine and Russia to end the war, but the US and the EU talked Ukraine out of peace, leading to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians and Russians dying for basically no change of ground. Estimates of deaths vary greatly. See here, here, here. Almost all English sources list Russia as having many more deaths than Ukraine, but since Ukraine is now drafting kids and old men, is considering drafting women, and has most of its defensive capabilities destroyed, while Russia still seems to have plenty of men and weapons, I find this hard to believe. I don’t think any of the parties that have data are motivated to tell the truth. We probably will never know.

The way the EU (and the US until recently) has sacrificed everything to defend Ukraine (until this war known as the most corrupt nation in Europe and known for its actual Nazis) and to do everything in its power to keep the war with Russia going, things could easily escalate. The US and the EU have repeatedly crossed Russia’s red-lines. One of these days, Russia is likely to say “enough is enough” and actually attack Europe. This could easily spiral out of control. I do think that Trump’s pull back and negotiations makes this less likely to lead to world war than it seemed for the past several years. This article does a decent job of explaining the background for the war that most westerners, especially Americans, don’t understand.

Another less well known hot spot is the tension between China and Taiwan. Taiwan is closer politically to the US, but closer economically and culturally to China. This causes tension. Taiwan also produces the majority of the high tech microchips used in advanced technology. Both the US and China want and need this technology. I honestly believe this is the overarching issue regarding Taiwan. If either the US or China got control of Taiwan’s microchip production, it would be military and economic game over for the other. This is stewing, but I don’t think this will be the cause of world war 3, although it could become part of the war that leads to the Antichrist ruling the world.

The war that is likely to lead to the Tribulation involves Israel and the Middle East. Obviously, the Muslim nations hate Israel and attack them almost daily. We also see Iran, Russia, Turkey, and other nations making alliances that sound a lot like the Gog/Magog coalition in Ezekiel 38. The hate of Israel has grown to a level that makes zero sense unless you take into account the spiritual world and Bible prophecy. Such a small insignificant nation, that didn’t even exist for \~1900 years, shouldn’t have the influence on world politics that it does. It is about the size of the state of New Jersey. Most nations of Israel’s size, population, and economy are not even recognized by most people. Is there a person on earth that doesn’t know about Israel? I doubt it. Every nation on earth seems to have a strong positive or, more commonly, negative view of Israel. We’ll get to this hate of Israel more below in point 4.

2. Famines

In the two parallel passages to Matthew 24, there is once again the prediction of famines coming before the end.

For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. (Mark 13:8) {emphasis mine}

and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. (Luke 21:11) {emphasis mine}

In Revelation, the third seal releases famine upon the earth and a day’s wages will only buy one person’s daily wheat needs. A man with a family would only be able to buy lower quality barley to barely feed his family.

When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.” (Revelation 6:5-6) {emphasis mine}

We shouldn’t fear a Tribulation level famine as a precursor to the Tribulation, but we should see famines scattered around the world, shortages of different food items, and rising food prices, all of which we are seeing. (Once again, I can’t support many of these sources or verify all of their data, but they give us a feel of what is going on today.)

Food Prices Go Up

• Bird Flu scares and government responses cause egg and chicken prices to increase. The government response to the flu is actually causing more problems than the flu itself and it looks like this more dangerous version may have come out of a US lab.

• Tariffs and trade war cause some items to become more expensive or less available. here

• Ukraine war effecting the supply of grain and reducing availability of fertilizer. More info.

• Inflation and other effects causing food prices to go up. This is a poll from Americans.

- Grocery prices overall have increased around 23% since 2021, with prices on individual items like coffee and chocolate rising much faster.

• General Food inflation is difficult, but not life destroying for most of the world, but some nations are experiencing inflation that is causing many to be unable to afford food. Single digit food inflation is difficult, even in well-to-do nations, but in poor nations, where a majority of the people’s income already goes to food, it can be catastrophic. When you look at nations like Zimbabwe (105%), Venezuela (22%), South Sudan (106%), Malawi (38%), Lebanon (20%), Haiti (37%), Ghana (26%), Burundi (39%), Bolivia (35%), and Argentina (46%), you can see that there are some seriously hurting people. More info.

• It does look like general food inflation has gone down for the moment (inflation has gone down, but not necessarily prices), but there are many situations around the world that could make it go back up again.

• Wars causing famine

• Sudan: War has made an already poor and hurting country even worse off.

• Gaza: (When I did a web search, all of the sites that came up on the first couple of pages are Israel hating organizations that are trying to cause trouble and/or raise money, so there is major bias. I did link to one of these sites just to be thorough, but take into account the bias of the source.)

• Ukraine: Mostly covered above. The war in Ukraine has affected the people of Ukraine and the world negatively relative to food.

I’m sure there are plenty more evidences for famine or potential famine, but this gives a taste of what is going on.

Our global economy has good and bad effects on the food supply. Being able to transport food around the globe means that when one area has a bad crop, they can import food from another area that produced more than they need. On the other hand, sometimes an area stops producing food because they can import food more cheaply. If something disrupts that imported food (tariffs, trade wars, physical wars, transportation difficulties, intercountry disputes, etc.) then they suddenly have no food. We definitely have a fragile system, where there are many points that could fail and cause famine to abound.

The Bible also talks about another kind of famine in the end times.

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord God,\ “When I will send a famine on the land,\ *Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water,\ But rather for hearing the words of the Lord*.\ People will stagger from sea to sea\ And from the north even to the east;\ They will go to and fro to seek the word of the Lord,\ But they will not find it**. (Amos 8:11-12) {emphasis mine}

We are definitely seeing a famine regarding the word of God. It isn’t that the word of God is not available, but even in churches, there is a lack of teaching the actual word of God from the Scriptures. Many churches teach more self-help or feel good messages than they do the word of God. Those looking to know God better are starving or thirsting for truth and God’s word. I know multiple people who have given up on assembling together in church because they can’t find a Bible believing, Scripture teaching church. How sad!

Although famine should be expected before the Tribulation, the good news is that no famine will separate us from our Savior.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:35) {emphasis mine}

3. Earthquakes

We recently saw a major \~7.8 earthquake in Myanmar. Although it seems like we are having many major earthquakes, it is more difficult to determine whether there is actually a major increase or if the seeming increase is due to increasing population to harm, more/better instrumentation, and/or more media coverage. We are definitely seeing lots of earthquake damage and loss of life. I tend to think the number and severity of earthquakes will increase even more before the Tribulation, but only time will tell.

4. Israel will be attacked and will be hated by all nations

“Then they will deliver you [Israel] to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. (Matthew 24:9) {emphasis & clarification mine}

This verse doesn’t specifically mention Israel. It says “you,” but since Jesus was talking to Jews, the best interpretation is that this warning is to the Jews. At the same time, we are also seeing attacks on Christians, so it likely refers to both Jews and Christians. I’m going to focus on Jews/Israel because I don’t think I need to convince most Christians that persecution is increasing.

We have been seeing hatred of Jews and Israel growing exponentially since the biblical prediction of a re-establishment of Israel was accomplished.

All end times prophecy focuses on Israel and requires Israel to be recreated again since it was destroyed in A.D. 70.

Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?\ Can a land be born in one day?\ Can a nation be brought forth all at once?\ As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons. (Isaiah 66:8)

• “British Foreign Minister Lord Balfour issued on November 2, 1917, the so-called Balfour Declaration, which gave official support for the “establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people” with the commitment not to be prejudiced against the rights of the non-Jewish communities.” In one day Israel was declared a nation.

• “On the day when the British Mandate in Palestine expired, the State of Israel was instituted on May 14, 1948, by the Jewish National Council under the presidency of David Ben Gurion.” Then on another day Israel actually came into being with a leader and citizens.

• “Six-Day War: after Egypt closed the Straits of Tiran on May 22, 1967, Israel launched an attack on Egyptian, Jordanian, Syrian, and Iraqi airports on June 5, 1967. After six days, Israel conquered Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, Sinai, and the West Bank.” On June 11, 1967 Jerusalem was conquered and once again became the capital of Israel.

If you read any of these links you can see the history of Israel being repeatedly attacked in an attempt to destroy Israel and stop God’s prophecy that Israel would be recreated and be used in the end times as part of the judgement of the world. This is a very good article on how God plans to use Israel in end times, how God will fulfill all of his promises to Israel, and how the attacks on Israel are Satan’s attempt to stop God’s plan. It is well worth you time to read and well supported by Scripture.

Since Israel became a new nation again, the nations of the world have ramped up their attacks on Israel and the Jews. The hatred of the Jews is hard to fathom. The Jews living in Israel have been constantly at risk of suicide bombers, terrorist attacks, rocket/missile attacks, etc. Almost daily attacks are common recently. The most significant recent attack happened on October 7th. Around 3,000 Hamas terrorists stormed across the border and attacked men, women, and children. About 1200 were killed, mostly civilians and even kids. In addition to murdering these innocent individuals, others were tortured, raped, and kidnapped as well.

You would expect the world to rally around a nation attacked in such a horrendous manner (like most of the world rallied around the US after 9/11), but instead you immediately saw protests supporting Palestine and condemning Israel. I’ve never seen something so upside down in my life. It is impossible to comprehend until you consider the spiritual implications. Satan has been trying to destroy Israel and the Jews since God made His first promise to Abraham. I will never claim that everything Israeli politicians and generals do is good, but the hate towards this tiny, insignificant nation is unfathomable and the world supporting terrorist attacks, instead of the victims of these attacks, is beyond belief.

Israel allows people of Jewish ancestry and Palestinian ancestry to be citizens and vote. There are Jews, Muslims, and Christians in the Knesset (Jewish Congress). Yes, Israel has responded harshly against the Palestinians and innocents have been harmed, but Israel repeatedly gave up land for peace and then that land has been used to attack them. I can’t really condemn them for choosing to risk the death of Palestinian innocents over risking the death of their own innocents. Hamas and Hezbollah are known for attacking innocents, and then using their own innocents as human shields. They then accuse their victims of atrocities when their human shields are harmed. The UN Human Rights council condemns Israel more than all other nations combined when there are atrocities being committed in many, many other nations that are as bad or worse. Why is the world focused on Israel and the Jews? It is because God loves them (despite their rejection of Him) and because Satan hates them.

Throughout history the world has tried to destroy the Jews, but thanks to God and His eternal plan, they are still here and standing strong. the hate is growing to a fevered pitch, just as predicted by Jesus.

This post has gotten so long that it can’t be emailed, so I will post the final 4 points in a follow-up post. I hope these details are helpful to you and seeing that all of the crazy, hate, and destruction occurring in the world today was known by God and is being used by God to His glory and are good according to His perfect plan.

When we see that everything happening in the world is just part of God’s perfect plan, we can have peace, knowing that God is in control. We need to lean on Him and trust Him just as a young child feels safe in his Fathers arms. At the same time, seeing the signs should encourage us to share the Gospel with unbelievers because our time is short. Don’t put off sharing Jesus with those around you because you might not get another chance.

Trust Jesus.

FYI, I hope to write several more articles on the end times (signs of the times, the rapture, the millennium, and the judgement), but I might be a bit slow rolling them out because I want to make sure they are accurate and well supported by Scripture. You can see my previous posts on the end times on the end times tab at trustjesus.substack.com. I also frequently will list upcoming posts.

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

To all existing nostr developers and new nostr developers, stop using kind 1 events... just stop whatever your doing and switch the kind to Math.round(Math.random() * 10000) trust me it will be better

What are kind 1 events

kind 1 events are defined in NIP-10 as "simple plaintext notes" or in other words social posts.

Don't trick your users

Most users are joining nostr for the social experience, and secondly to find all the cool "other stuff" apps They find friends, browse social posts, and reply to them. If a user signs into a new nostr client and it starts asking them to sign kind 1 events with blobs of JSON, they will sign it without thinking too much about it.

Then when they return to their comfy social apps they will see that they made 10+ posts with massive amounts of gibberish that they don't remember posting. then they probably will go looking for the delete button and realize there isn't one...

Even if those kind 1 posts don't contain JSON and have a nice fancy human readable syntax. they will still confuse users because they won't remember writing those social posts

What about "discoverability"

If your goal is to make your "other stuff" app visible to more users, then I would suggest using NIP-19 and NIP-89 The first allows users to embed any other event kind into social posts as nostr:nevent1 or nostr:naddr1 links, and the second allows social clients to redirect users to an app that knows how to handle that specific kind of event

So instead of saving your apps data into kind 1 events. you can pick any kind you want, then give users a "share on nostr" button that allows them to compose a social post (kind 1) with a nostr: link to your special kind of event and by extension you app

Why its a trap

Once users start using your app it becomes a lot more difficult to migrate to a new event kind or data format. This sounds obvious, but If your app is built on kind 1 events that means you will be stuck with their limitations forever.

For example, here are some of the limitations of using kind 1 - Querying for your apps data becomes much more difficult. You have to filter through all of a users kind 1 events to find which ones are created by your app - Discovering your apps data is more difficult for the same reason, you have to sift through all the social posts just to find the ones with you special tag or that contain JSON - Users get confused. as mentioned above users don't expect "other stuff" apps to be creating special social posts - Other nostr clients won't understand your data and will show it as a social post with no option for users to learn about your app

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Redistributing Git with Nostr

Every time someone tries to "decentralize" Git -- like many projects tried in the past to do it with BitTorrent, IPFS, ScuttleButt or custom p2p protocols -- there is always a lurking comment: "but Git is already distributed!", and then the discussion proceeds to mention some facts about how Git supports multiple remotes and its magic syncing and merging abilities and so on.

Turns out all that is true, Git is indeed all that powerful, and yet GitHub is the big central hub that hosts basically all Git repositories in the giant world of open-source. There are some crazy people that host their stuff elsewhere, but these projects end up not being found by many people, and even when they do they suffer from lack of contributions.

Because everybody has a GitHub account it's easy to open a pull request to a repository of a project you're using if it's on GitHub (to be fair I think it's very annoying to have to clone the repository, then add it as a remote locally, push to it, then go on the web UI and click to open a pull request, then that cloned repository lurks forever in your profile unless you go through 16 screens to delete it -- but people in general seem to think it's easy).

It's much harder to do it on some random other server where some project might be hosted, because now you have to add 4 more even more annoying steps: create an account; pick a password; confirm an email address; setup SSH keys for pushing. (And I'm not even mentioning the basic impossibility of offering push access to external unknown contributors to people who want to host their own simple homemade Git server.)

At this point some may argue that we could all have accounts on GitLab, or Codeberg or wherever else, then those steps are removed. Besides not being a practical strategy this pseudo solution misses the point of being decentralized (or distributed, who knows) entirely: it's far from the ideal to force everybody to have the double of account management and SSH setup work in order to have the open-source world controlled by two shady companies instead of one.

What we want is to give every person the opportunity to host their own Git server without being ostracized. at the same time we must recognize that most people won't want to host their own servers (not even most open-source programmers!) and give everybody the ability to host their stuff on multi-tenant servers (such as GitHub) too. Importantly, though, if we allow for a random person to have a standalone Git server on a standalone server they host themselves on their wood cabin that also means any new hosting company can show up and start offering Git hosting, with or without new cool features, charging high or low or zero, and be immediately competing against GitHub or GitLab, i.e. we must remove the network-effect centralization pressure.

External contributions

The first problem we have to solve is: how can Bob contribute to Alice's repository without having an account on Alice's server?

SourceHut has reminded GitHub users that Git has always had this (for most) arcane git send-email command that is the original way to send patches, using an once-open protocol.

Turns out Nostr acts as a quite powerful email replacement and can be used to send text content just like email, therefore patches are a very good fit for Nostr event contents.

Once you get used to it and the proper UIs (or CLIs) are built sending and applying patches to and from others becomes a much easier flow than the intense clickops mixed with terminal copypasting that is interacting with GitHub (you have to clone the repository on GitHub, then update the remote URL in your local directory, then create a branch and then go back and turn that branch into a Pull Request, it's quite tiresome) that many people already dislike so much they went out of their way to build many GitHub CLI tools just so they could comment on issues and approve pull requests from their terminal.

Replacing GitHub features

Aside from being the "hub" that people use to send patches to other people's code (because no one can do the email flow anymore, justifiably), GitHub also has 3 other big features that are not directly related to Git, but that make its network-effect harder to overcome. Luckily Nostr can be used to create a new environment in which these same features are implemented in a more decentralized and healthy way.

Issues: bug reports, feature requests and general discussions

Since the "Issues" GitHub feature is just a bunch of text comments it should be very obvious that Nostr is a perfect fit for it.

I will not even mention the fact that Nostr is much better at threading comments than GitHub (which doesn't do it at all), which can generate much more productive and organized discussions (and you can opt out if you want).

Search

I use GitHub search all the time to find libraries and projects that may do something that I need, and it returns good results almost always. So if people migrated out to other code hosting providers wouldn't we lose it?

The fact is that even though we think everybody is on GitHub that is a globalist falsehood. Some projects are not on GitHub, and if we use only GitHub for search those will be missed. So even if we didn't have a Nostr Git alternative it would still be necessary to create a search engine that incorporated GitLab, Codeberg, SourceHut and whatnot.

Turns out on Nostr we can make that quite easy by not forcing anyone to integrate custom APIs or hardcoding Git provider URLs: each repository can make itself available by publishing an "announcement" event with a brief description and one or more Git URLs. That makes it easy for a search engine to index them -- and even automatically download the code and index the code (or index just README files or whatever) without a centralized platform ever having to be involved.

The relays where such announcements will be available play a role, of course, but that isn't a bad role: each announcement can be in multiple relays known for storing "public good" projects, some relays may curate only projects known to be very good according to some standards, other relays may allow any kind of garbage, which wouldn't make them good for a search engine to rely upon, but would still be useful in case one knows the exact thing (and from whom) they're searching for (the same is valid for all Nostr content, by the way, and that's where it's censorship-resistance comes from).

Continuous integration

GitHub Actions are a very hardly subsidized free-compute-for-all-paid-by-Microsoft feature, but one that isn't hard to replace at all. In fact there exists today many companies offering the same kind of service out there -- although they are mostly targeting businesses and not open-source projects, before GitHub Actions was introduced there were also many that were heavily used by open-source projects.

One problem is that these services are still heavily tied to GitHub today, they require a GitHub login, sometimes BitBucket and GitLab and whatnot, and do not allow one to paste an arbitrary Git server URL, but that isn't a thing that is very hard to change anyway, or to start from scratch. All we need are services that offer the CI/CD flows, perhaps using the same framework of GitHub Actions (although I would prefer to not use that messy garbage), and charge some few satoshis for it.

It may be the case that all the current services only support the big Git hosting platforms because they rely on their proprietary APIs, most notably the webhooks dispatched when a repository is updated, to trigger the jobs. It doesn't have to be said that Nostr can also solve that problem very easily.

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Report of how the money Jack donated to the cause in December 2022 has been misused so far.

Bounties given

March 2025

• Dhalsim: 1,110,540 - Work on Nostr wiki data processing

February 2025

• BOUNTY* NullKotlinDev: 950,480 - Twine RSS reader Nostr integration
• Dhalsim: 2,094,584 - Work on Hypothes.is Nostr fork
• Constant, Biz and J: 11,700,588 - Nostr Special Forces

January 2025

• Constant, Biz and J: 11,610,987 - Nostr Special Forces
• BOUNTY* NullKotlinDev: 843,840 - Feeder RSS reader Nostr integration
• BOUNTY* NullKotlinDev: 797,500 - ReadYou RSS reader Nostr integration

December 2024

• BOUNTY* tijl: 1,679,500 - Nostr integration into RSS readers yarr and miniflux
• Constant, Biz and J: 10,736,166 - Nostr Special Forces
• Thereza: 1,020,000 - Podcast outreach initiative

November 2024

• Constant, Biz and J: 5,422,464 - Nostr Special Forces

October 2024

• Nostrdam: 300,000 - hackathon prize
• Svetski: 5,000,000 - Latin America Nostr events contribution
• Quentin: 5,000,000 - nostrcheck.me

June 2024

• Darashi: 5,000,000 - maintaining nos.today, searchnos, search.nos.today and other experiments
• Toshiya: 5,000,000 - keeping the NIPs repo clean and other stuff

May 2024

• James: 3,500,000 - https://github.com/jamesmagoo/nostr-writer
• Yakihonne: 5,000,000 - spreading the word in Asia
• Dashu: 9,000,000 - https://github.com/haorendashu/nostrmo

February 2024

• Viktor: 5,000,000 - https://github.com/viktorvsk/saltivka and https://github.com/viktorvsk/knowstr
• Eric T: 5,000,000 - https://github.com/tcheeric/nostr-java
• Semisol: 5,000,000 - https://relay.noswhere.com/ and https://hist.nostr.land relays
• Sebastian: 5,000,000 - Drupal stuff and nostr-php work
• tijl: 5,000,000 - Cloudron, Yunohost and Fraidycat attempts
• Null Kotlin Dev: 5,000,000 - AntennaPod attempt

December 2023

• hzrd: 5,000,000 - Nostrudel
• awayuki: 5,000,000 - NOSTOPUS illustrations
• bera: 5,000,000 - getwired.app
• Chris: 5,000,000 - resolvr.io
• NoGood: 10,000,000 - nostrexplained.com stories

October 2023

• SnowCait: 5,000,000 - https://nostter.vercel.app/ and other tools
• Shaun: 10,000,000 - https://yakihonne.com/, events and work on Nostr awareness
• Derek Ross: 10,000,000 - spreading the word around the world
• fmar: 5,000,000 - https://github.com/frnandu/yana
• The Nostr Report: 2,500,000 - curating stuff
• james magoo: 2,500,000 - the Obsidian plugin: https://github.com/jamesmagoo/nostr-writer

August 2023

• Paul Miller: 5,000,000 - JS libraries and cryptography-related work
• BOUNTY tijl: 5,000,000 - https://github.com/github-tijlxyz/wikinostr
• gzuus: 5,000,000 - https://nostree.me/

July 2023

• syusui-s: 5,000,000 - rabbit, a tweetdeck-like Nostr client: https://syusui-s.github.io/rabbit/
• kojira: 5,000,000 - Nostr fanzine, Nostr discussion groups in Japan, hardware experiments
• darashi: 5,000,000 - https://github.com/darashi/nos.today, https://github.com/darashi/searchnos, https://github.com/darashi/murasaki
• jeff g: 5,000,000 - https://nostr.how and https://listr.lol, plus other contributions
• cloud fodder: 5,000,000 - https://nostr1.com (open-source)
• utxo.one: 5,000,000 - https://relaying.io (open-source)
• Max DeMarco: 10,269,507 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA-jiiepOrE
• BOUNTY optout21: 1,000,000 - https://github.com/optout21/nip41-proto0 (proposed nip41 CLI)
• BOUNTY Leo: 1,000,000 - https://github.com/leo-lox/camelus (an old relay thing I forgot exactly)

June 2023

• BOUNTY: Sepher: 2,000,000 - a webapp for making lists of anything: https://pinstr.app/
• BOUNTY: Kieran: 10,000,000 - implement gossip algorithm on Snort, implement all the other nice things: manual relay selection, following hints etc.
• Mattn: 5,000,000 - a myriad of projects and contributions to Nostr projects: https://github.com/search?q=owner%3Amattn+nostr&type=code
• BOUNTY: lynn: 2,000,000 - a simple and clean git nostr CLI written in Go, compatible with William's original git-nostr-tools; and implement threaded comments on https://github.com/fiatjaf/nocomment.
• Jack Chakany: 5,000,000 - https://github.com/jacany/nblog
• BOUNTY: Dan: 2,000,000 - https://metadata.nostr.com/

April 2023

• BOUNTY: Blake Jakopovic: 590,000 - event deleter tool, NIP dependency organization
• BOUNTY: koalasat: 1,000,000 - display relays
• BOUNTY: Mike Dilger: 4,000,000 - display relays, follow event hints (Gossip)
• BOUNTY: kaiwolfram: 5,000,000 - display relays, follow event hints, choose relays to publish (Nozzle)
• Daniele Tonon: 3,000,000 - Gossip
• bu5hm4nn: 3,000,000 - Gossip
• BOUNTY: hodlbod: 4,000,000 - display relays, follow event hints

March 2023

• Doug Hoyte: 5,000,000 sats - https://github.com/hoytech/strfry
• Alex Gleason: 5,000,000 sats - https://gitlab.com/soapbox-pub/mostr
• verbiricha: 5,000,000 sats - https://badges.page/, https://habla.news/
• talvasconcelos: 5,000,000 sats - https://migrate.nostr.com, https://read.nostr.com, https://write.nostr.com/
• BOUNTY: Gossip model: 5,000,000 - https://camelus.app/
• BOUNTY: Gossip model: 5,000,000 - https://github.com/kaiwolfram/Nozzle
• BOUNTY: Bounty Manager: 5,000,000 - https://nostrbounties.com/

February 2023

• styppo: 5,000,000 sats - https://hamstr.to/
• sandwich: 5,000,000 sats - https://nostr.watch/
• BOUNTY: Relay-centric client designs: 5,000,000 sats https://bountsr.org/design/2023/01/26/relay-based-design.html
• BOUNTY: Gossip model on https://coracle.social/: 5,000,000 sats
• Nostrovia Podcast: 3,000,000 sats - https://nostrovia.org/
• BOUNTY: Nostr-Desk / Monstr: 5,000,000 sats - https://github.com/alemmens/monstr
• Mike Dilger: 5,000,000 sats - https://github.com/mikedilger/gossip

January 2023

• ismyhc: 5,000,000 sats - https://github.com/Galaxoid-Labs/Seer
• Martti Malmi: 5,000,000 sats - https://iris.to/
• Carlos Autonomous: 5,000,000 sats - https://github.com/BrightonBTC/bija
• Koala Sat: 5,000,000 - https://github.com/KoalaSat/nostros
• Vitor Pamplona: 5,000,000 - https://github.com/vitorpamplona/amethyst
• Cameri: 5,000,000 - https://github.com/Cameri/nostream

December 2022

• William Casarin: 7 BTC - splitting the fund
• pseudozach: 5,000,000 sats - https://nostr.directory/
• Sondre Bjellas: 5,000,000 sats - https://notes.blockcore.net/
• Null Dev: 5,000,000 sats - https://github.com/KotlinGeekDev/Nosky
• Blake Jakopovic: 5,000,000 sats - https://github.com/blakejakopovic/nostcat, https://github.com/blakejakopovic/nostreq and https://github.com/blakejakopovic/NostrEventPlayground

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

noStrudel

Its been over four months since I released v0.42.0 of noStrudel but I haven't forgot about it, I've just been busy refactoring the code-base.

The app is well past its 2yr birthday and a lot of the code is really messy and kind of hacky. so my focus in the past few months has been refactoring and moving a lot of it out into the applesauce packages so it can be tested.

The biggest changes have been switching to use rx-nostr for all relay connections and using rxjs and applesauce for event management and timelines. In total ~22k lines of code have been changed since the last release.

I'm hoping it wont take me much longer to get a stable release for v0.43.0. In the meantime if you want to test out the new changes you can find them on the nsite deployment.

nsite deplyment: nostrudel.nsite.lol/ Github repo: github.com/hzrd149/nostrudel

Applesauce

I've been making great progress on the applesauce libraries that are the core of onStrudel. Since January I've released v0.11.0 and v0.12.0.

In the past month I've been working towards a v1 release with a better relay connection package applesauce-relay and pre-built actions for clients to easily implement common things like follow/unfollow and mute/unmute. applesauce-actions

Docs website: hzrd149.github.io/applesauce/ Github repo: https://github.com/hzrd149/applesauce

Blossom

Spec changes: - Merged PR #56 from kehiy for BUD-09 ( blob reports ) - Merged PR #60 from Kieran to update BUD-8 to use the standard NIP-94 tags array. - Merged PR #38 to make the file extension mandatory in the url field of the returned blob descriptor. - Merged PR #54 changing the authorization type for the /media endpoint to media instead of upload. This fixes an issue where the server could mirror the original blob without the users consent.

Besides the changes to the blossom spec itself I started working on a small cli tool to help test and debug new blossom server implementations. The goal is to have a set of upload and download tests that can be run against a server to test if it adheres to the specifications. It can also be used output debug info and show recommended headers to add to the http responses.

If you have nodejs installed you can try it out by running sh npx blossom-audit audit <server-url> [image|bitcoin|gif|path/to/file.jpeg]

Github repo: github.com/hzrd149/blossom-audit

Other projects

Wifistr

While participating in SEC-04 I built a small app for sharing the locations and passwords of wifi networks. Its far from complete, but its usable and serves as an example of building an app with SolidJS and applesauce.

Live version: hzrd149.github.io/wifistr/ nsite version: here Github repo: github.com/hzrd149/wifistr

nsite-manager

I've been slowly continuing work on nsite-manager, mostly just to allow myself to debug various nsites and make sure nsite.lol is still working correctly.

Github repo: github.com/hzrd149/nsite-manager

nsite-gateway

I finally got around to making some much needed bug fixes and improvements to nsite-gateway ( the server behind nsite.lol ) and released a stable 1.0.0 version.

My hope is that its stable enough now to allow other users to start hosting their own instances of it.

Github repo: github.com/hzrd149/nsite-gateway

morning-glory

As part of my cashu PR for NUT-23 ( HTTP 402 Payment required ) I built a blossom server that only accepts cashu payments for uploads and stores blobs for 24h before deleting them.

Github repo: github.com/hzrd149/morning-glory

bakery

I've been toying with the idea of building a backend-first nostr client that would download events while I'm not at my computer and send me notifications about my DMs.

I made some progress on it in the last months but its far from complete or usable. Hopefully ill get some time in the next few months to create a working alpha version for myself and others to install on Umbrel and Start9

Github repo: github.com/hzrd149/bakery

@ 40b9c85f:5e61b451

Introduction

Data Vending Machines (DVMs) have emerged as a crucial component of the Nostr ecosystem, offering specialized computational services to clients across the network. As defined in NIP-90, DVMs operate on an apparently simple principle: "data in, data out." They provide a marketplace for data processing where users request specific jobs (like text translation, content recommendation, or AI text generation)

While DVMs have gained significant traction, the current specification faces challenges that hinder widespread adoption and consistent implementation. This article explores some ideas on how we can apply the reflection pattern, a well established approach in RPC systems, to address these challenges and improve the DVM ecosystem's clarity, consistency, and usability.

The Current State of DVMs: Challenges and Limitations

The NIP-90 specification provides a broad framework for DVMs, but this flexibility has led to several issues:

1. Inconsistent Implementation

As noted by hzrd149 in "DVMs were a mistake" every DVM implementation tends to expect inputs in slightly different formats, even while ostensibly following the same specification. For example, a translation request DVM might expect an event ID in one particular format, while an LLM service could expect a "prompt" input that's not even specified in NIP-90.

2. Fragmented Specifications

The DVM specification reserves a range of event kinds (5000-6000), each meant for different types of computational jobs. While creating sub-specifications for each job type is being explored as a possible solution for clarity, in a decentralized and permissionless landscape like Nostr, relying solely on specification enforcement won't be effective for creating a healthy ecosystem. A more comprehensible approach is needed that works with, rather than against, the open nature of the protocol.

3. Ambiguous API Interfaces

There's no standardized way for clients to discover what parameters a specific DVM accepts, which are required versus optional, or what output format to expect. This creates uncertainty and forces developers to rely on documentation outside the protocol itself, if such documentation exists at all.

The Reflection Pattern: A Solution from RPC Systems

The reflection pattern in RPC systems offers a compelling solution to many of these challenges. At its core, reflection enables servers to provide metadata about their available services, methods, and data types at runtime, allowing clients to dynamically discover and interact with the server's API.

In established RPC frameworks like gRPC, reflection serves as a self-describing mechanism where services expose their interface definitions and requirements. In MCP reflection is used to expose the capabilities of the server, such as tools, resources, and prompts. Clients can learn about available capabilities without prior knowledge, and systems can adapt to changes without requiring rebuilds or redeployments. This standardized introspection creates a unified way to query service metadata, making tools like grpcurl possible without requiring precompiled stubs.

How Reflection Could Transform the DVM Specification

By incorporating reflection principles into the DVM specification, we could create a more coherent and predictable ecosystem. DVMs already implement some sort of reflection through the use of 'nip90params', which allow clients to discover some parameters, constraints, and features of the DVMs, such as whether they accept encryption, nutzaps, etc. However, this approach could be expanded to provide more comprehensive self-description capabilities.

1. Defined Lifecycle Phases

Similar to the Model Context Protocol (MCP), DVMs could benefit from a clear lifecycle consisting of an initialization phase and an operation phase. During initialization, the client and DVM would negotiate capabilities and exchange metadata, with the DVM providing a JSON schema containing its input requirements. nip-89 (or other) announcements can be used to bootstrap the discovery and negotiation process by providing the input schema directly. Then, during the operation phase, the client would interact with the DVM according to the negotiated schema and parameters.

2. Schema-Based Interactions

Rather than relying on rigid specifications for each job type, DVMs could self-advertise their schemas. This would allow clients to understand which parameters are required versus optional, what type validation should occur for inputs, what output formats to expect, and what payment flows are supported. By internalizing the input schema of the DVMs they wish to consume, clients gain clarity on how to interact effectively.

3. Capability Negotiation

Capability negotiation would enable DVMs to advertise their supported features, such as encryption methods, payment options, or specialized functionalities. This would allow clients to adjust their interaction approach based on the specific capabilities of each DVM they encounter.

Implementation Approach

While building DVMCP, I realized that the RPC reflection pattern used there could be beneficial for constructing DVMs in general. Since DVMs already follow an RPC style for their operation, and reflection is a natural extension of this approach, it could significantly enhance and clarify the DVM specification.

A reflection enhanced DVM protocol could work as follows: 1. Discovery: Clients discover DVMs through existing NIP-89 application handlers, input schemas could also be advertised in nip-89 announcements, making the second step unnecessary. 2. Schema Request: Clients request the DVM's input schema for the specific job type they're interested in 3. Validation: Clients validate their request against the provided schema before submission 4. Operation: The job proceeds through the standard NIP-90 flow, but with clearer expectations on both sides

Parallels with Other Protocols

This approach has proven successful in other contexts. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) implements a similar lifecycle with capability negotiation during initialization, allowing any client to communicate with any server as long as they adhere to the base protocol. MCP and DVM protocols share fundamental similarities, both aim to expose and consume computational resources through a JSON-RPC-like interface, albeit with specific differences.

gRPC's reflection service similarly allows clients to discover service definitions at runtime, enabling generic tools to work with any gRPC service without prior knowledge. In the REST API world, OpenAPI/Swagger specifications document interfaces in a way that makes them discoverable and testable.

DVMs would benefit from adopting these patterns while maintaining the decentralized, permissionless nature of Nostr.

Conclusion

I am not attempting to rewrite the DVM specification; rather, explore some ideas that could help the ecosystem improve incrementally, reducing fragmentation and making the ecosystem more comprehensible. By allowing DVMs to self describe their interfaces, we could maintain the flexibility that makes Nostr powerful while providing the structure needed for interoperability.

For developers building DVM clients or libraries, this approach would simplify consumption by providing clear expectations about inputs and outputs. For DVM operators, it would establish a standard way to communicate their service's requirements without relying on external documentation.

I am currently developing DVMCP following these patterns. Of course, DVMs and MCP servers have different details; MCP includes capabilities such as tools, resources, and prompts on the server side, as well as 'roots' and 'sampling' on the client side, creating a bidirectional way to consume capabilities. In contrast, DVMs typically function similarly to MCP tools, where you call a DVM with an input and receive an output, with each job type representing a different categorization of the work performed.

Without further ado, I hope this article has provided some insight into the potential benefits of applying the reflection pattern to the DVM specification.

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

There’s an annoying trend on Twitter wherein the algorithm feeds you a lot of threads like “five keys to gaining wealth” or “10 mistakes to avoid in relationships” that list a bunch of hacks for some ostensibly desirable state of affairs which for you is presumably lacking. It’s not that the hacks are wrong per se, more that the medium is the message. Reading threads about hacks on social media is almost surely not the path toward whatever is promised by them.

. . .

I’ve tried a lot of health supplements over the years. These days creatine is trendy, and of course Vitamin D (which I still take.) I don’t know if this is helping me, though it surely helps me pass my blood tests with robust levels. The more I learn about health and nutrition, the less I’m sure of anything beyond a few basics. Yes, replacing processed food with real food, moving your body and getting some sun are almost certainly good, but it’s harder to know how particular interventions affect me.

Maybe some of them work in the short term then lose their effect, Maybe some work better for particular phenotypes, but not for mine. Maybe my timing in the day is off, or I’m not combining them correctly for my lifestyle and circumstances. The body is a complex system, and complex systems are characterized by having unpredictable outputs given changes to initial conditions (inputs).

. . .

I started getting into Padel recently — a mini-tennis-like game where you can hit the ball off the back walls. I’d much rather chase a ball around for exercise than run or work out, and there’s a social aspect I enjoy. (By “social aspect”, I don’t really mean getting to know the people with whom I’m playing, but just the incidental interactions you get during the game, joking about it, for example, when you nearly impale someone at the net with a hard forehand.)

A few months ago, I was playing with some friends, and I was a little off. It’s embarrassing to play poorly at a sport, especially when (as is always the case in Padel) you have a doubles partner you’re letting down. Normally I’d be excoriating myself for my poor play, coaching myself to bend my knees more, not go for winners so much. But that day, I was tired — for some reason I hadn’t slept well — and I didn’t have the energy for much internal monologue. I just mishit a few balls, felt stupid about it and kept playing.

After a few games, my fortunes reversed. I was hitting the ball cleanly, smashing winners, rarely making errors. My partner and I started winning games and then sets. I was enjoying myself. In the midst of it I remember hitting an easy ball into the net and reflexively wanting to self-coach again. I wondered, “What tips did I give to right the ship when I had been playing poorly at the outset?” I racked my brain as I waited for the serve and realized, to my surprise, there had been none. The turnaround in my play was not due to self-coaching but its absence. I had started playing better because my mind had finally shut the fuck up for once.

Now when I’m not playing well, I resist, to the extent I’m capable, the urge to meddle. I intend to be more mind-less. Not so much telling the interior coach to shut up but not buying into the premise there is a problem to be solved at all. The coach isn’t just ignored, he’s fired. And he’s not just fired, his role was obsoleted.

You blew the point, you’re embarrassed about it and there’s nothing that needs to be done about it. Or that you started coaching yourself like a fool and made things worse. No matter how much you are doing the wrong thing nothing needs to be done about any of it whatsoever. There is always another ball coming across the net that needs to be struck until the game is over.

. . .

Most of the hacks, habits and heuristics we pick up to manage our lives only serve as yet more inputs in unfathomably complex systems whose outputs rarely track as we’d like. There are some basic ones that are now obvious to everyone like not injecting yourself with heroin (or mRNA boosters), but for the most part we just create more baggage for ourselves which justifies ever more hacks. It’s like taking medication for one problem that causes side effects, and then you need another medicine for that side effect, rinse and repeat, ad infinitum.

But this process can be reverse-engineered too. For every heuristic you drop, the problem it was put into place to solve re-emerges and has a chance to be observed. Observing won’t solve it, it’ll just bring it into the fold, give the complex system of which it is a part a chance to achieve an equilibrium with respect to it on its own.

You might still be embarrassed when you mishit the ball, but embarrassment is not a problem. And if embarrassment is not a problem, then mishitting a ball isn’t that bad. And if mishitting a ball isn’t that bad, then maybe you’re not worrying about what happens if you botch the next shot, instead fixing your attention on the ball. And so you disappear a little bit into the game, and it’s more fun as a result.

I honestly wish there were a hack for this — being more mindless — but I don’t know of any. And in any event, hack Substacks won’t get you any farther than hack Twitter threads.

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

I started writing a series on the signs of the End Times and how they align with what we are seeing in the world today. There are some major concerns with predicting the end times, so I decided I should insert a short post on “Can we know when the end times are coming?” Like many principles in the Bible, it takes looking at seemingly contradictory verses to reach the truth.

This Generation

Before I get into “Can we know?” I want to address one point that some will bring up against a future Rapture, Tribulation, and Millennium.

Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. (Matthew 24:34) {emphasis mine}

What generation is Jesus talking about. Most Christians that don’t believe in a future Rapture, Tribulation, and Millennium will point to this verse to support their point of view. The important question is, “What is Jesus referring to with the words ‘this generation’?”

Is it referring to the people He was talking to at that time? If so, since that generation died long ago, then Jesus’s predictions must have been fulfilled almost 2 millennia ago. The problem with this interpretation is that nothing resembling these predictions happened during that initial generation. You have to really twist His words to try to support that they were fulfilled. Also, John wrote in Revelation about future fulfillment. By that time, John was the last of the apostles still alive and that whole generation was pretty much gone.

If “this generation” doesn’t refer to the people Jesus was speaking to personally in that moment, then to whom does it refer? The verses immediately preceding talk about the signs that will occur right before the end times. If you take “this generation” to mean the people who saw the signs Jesus predicted, then everything suddenly makes sense. It also parallel’s Paul’s statement of consolation to those who thought they had been left behind,**

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) {emphasis mine}

Some believers thought things were happening in their lifetime, but Paul gave them comfort that no believer would miss the end times rapture.

No One Knows

Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. (Matthew 24:34-41) {emphasis mine}

This verse very explicitly says that no one, not even angels or Jesus, knows the exact day or hour of His coming.

So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1:6-8)

In this verse Jesus again says that they cannot know the time of His return, but based on context, He is explaining that this generation needs to focus on sharing the Gospel with world and not primarily on the kingdom. Is this Jesus’s way of telling them that they would not be alive to see His return, but they would be responsible for “sharing the Gospel even to the remotest part of the earth?”

Therefore we do know that predicting the exact date of His return is a fool’s errand and should not be attempted, but does this mean we can’t know when it is fast approaching?

We Should Know

There is an opposing passage, though.

The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away. (Matthew 16:1-4) {emphasis mine}

In this passage, Jesus reprimands the Pharisees and Sadducees because, although they can rightly read the signs of the weather, they were unable to know and understand the prophecies of His first coming. Especially as the religious leaders, they should’ve been able to determine that Jesus’s coming was imminent and that He was fulfilling the prophetic Scriptures.

In Luke, when Jesus is discussing His second coming with His disciples, He tells this parable:

Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. (Luke 21:29-31) {emphasis mine}

Jesus would not have given this parable if there were not signs of His coming that we can recognize.

We are expected to know the Scriptures and to study them looking for the signs of His second coming. We can’t know the hour or the day, but we can know that the time is fast approaching. We shouldn’t set dates, but we should search anxiously for the signs of His coming. We shouldn’t be like the scoffers that question His literal fulfillment of His promises:

Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:3-9) {emphasis mine}

One thing is certain, we are closer to Jesus’s second coming than we have ever been and must be ready as we see the day approaching.

May the God of heaven give you a desire and urgency to share the Gospel with all those around you and to grow your faith, knowledge, and relationship with Him, so you can finish the race well, with no regrets. May the knowledge that Jesus could be coming soon give you an eternal perspective on life, so you put more of your time into things of eternal consequence and don’t get overwhelmed with things of the world which are here today and then are gone.

Trust Jesus.

FYI, I hope to write several more articles on the end times (signs of the times, the rapture, the millennium, and the judgement), but I might be a bit slow rolling them out because I want to make sure they are accurate and well supported by Scripture. You can see my previous posts on the end times on the end times tab at trustjesus.substack.com. I also frequently will list upcoming posts.

@ 3f770d65:7a745b24

At the recent Launch Music Festival and Conference in Lancaster, PA, featuring over 120 musicians across three days, I volunteered my time with Tunestr and Phantom Power Music's initiative to introduce artists to Bitcoin, Nostr, and the value-for-value model. Tunestr sponsored a stage, live-streaming 21 bands to platforms like Tunestr.io, Fountain.fm and other Nostr/Podcasting 2.0 apps and on-boarding as many others as possible at our conference booth. You may have seen me spamming about this over the last few days.

V4V Earnings

Day 1: 180,000 sats

Day 2: 300,000 sats

Day 3: Over 500,000 sats

Who?

Here are the artists that were on-boarded to Fountain and were live streaming on the Value-for-Value stage:

nostr:npub1cruu4z0hwg7n3r2k7262vx8jsmra3xpku85frl5fnfvrwz7rd7mq7e403w nostr:npub12xeh3n7w8700z4tpd6xlhlvg4vtg4pvpxd584ll5sva539tutc3q0tn3tz nostr:npub1rc80p4v60uzfhvdgxemhvcqnzdj7t59xujxdy0lcjxml3uwdezyqtrpe0j @npub16vxr4pc2ww3yaez9q4s53zkejjfd0djs9lfe55sjhnqkh nostr:npub10uspdzg4fl7md95mqnjszxx82ckdly8ezac0t3s06a0gsf4f3lys8ypeak nostr:npub1gnyzexr40qut0za2c4a0x27p4e3qc22wekhcw3uvdx8mwa3pen0s9z90wk nostr:npub13qrrw2h4z52m7jh0spefrwtysl4psfkfv6j4j672se5hkhvtyw7qu0almy nostr:npub1p0kuqxxw2mxczc90vcurvfq7ljuw2394kkqk6gqnn2cq0y9eq5nq87jtkk nostr:npub182kq0sdp7chm67uq58cf4vvl3lk37z8mm5k5067xe09fqqaaxjsqlcazej nostr:npub162hr8kd96vxlanvggl08hmyy37qsn8ehgj7za7squl83um56epnswkr399 nostr:npub17jzk5ex2rafres09c4dnn5mm00eejye6nrurnlla6yn22zcpl7vqg6vhvx nostr:npub176rnksulheuanfx8y8cr2mrth4lh33svvpztggjjm6j2pqw6m56sq7s9vz nostr:npub1akv7t7xpalhsc4nseljs0c886jzuhq8u42qdcwvu972f3mme9tjsgp5xxk nostr:npub18x0gv872489lrczp9d9m4hx59r754x7p9rg2jkgvt7ul3kuqewtqsssn24

Many more musicians were on-boarded to Fountain, however, we were unable to obtain all of their npubs.

THANK YOU TO ALL ZAPPERS AND BOOSTERS!

Musicians “Get It”

My key takeaway was the musicians' absolute understanding that the current digital landscape along with legacy social media is failing them. Every artist I spoke with recognized how algorithms hinder fan connection and how gatekeepers prevent fair compensation for their work. They all use Spotify, but they only do so out of necessity. They felt the music industry is primed for both a social and monetary revolution. Some of them were even speaking my language…

Because of this, concepts like decentralization, censorship resistance, owning your content, and controlling your social graph weren't just understood by them, they were instantly embraced. The excitement was real; they immediately saw the potential and agreed with me. Bitcoin and Nostr felt genuinely punk rock and that helped a lot of them identify with what we were offering them.

The Tools and the Issues

While the Nostr ecosystem offers a wide variety of tools, we focused on introducing three key applications at this event to keep things clear for newcomers:

1. Fountain, with a music focus, was the primary tool for onboarding attendees onto Nostr. Fountain was also chosen thanks to Fountain’s built-in Lightning wallet.
2. Primal, as a social alternative, was demonstrated to show how users can take their Nostr identity and content seamlessly between different applications.
3. Tunestr.io, lastly was showcased for its live video streaming capabilities.

Although we highlighted these three, we did inform attendees about the broader range of available apps and pointed them to nostrapps.com if they wanted to explore further, aiming to educate without overwhelming them.

This review highlights several UX issues with the Fountain app, particularly concerning profile updates, wallet functionality, and user discovery. While Fountain does work well, these minor hiccups make it extremely hard for on-boarding and education.

• Profile Issues:
• When a user edits their profile (e.g., Username/Nostr address, Lightning address) either during or after creation, the changes don't appear to consistently update across the app or sync correctly with Nostr relays.
• Specifically, the main profile display continues to show the old default Username/Nostr address and Lightning address inside Fountain and on other Nostr clients.
• However, the updated Username/Nostr address does appear on https://fountain.fm (chosen-username@fountain.fm) and is visible within the "Edit Profile" screen itself in the app.
• This inconsistency is confusing for users, as they see their updated information in some places but not on their main public-facing profile within the app. I confirmed this by observing a new user sign up and edit their username – the edit screen showed the new name, but the profile display in Fountain did not update and we did not see it inside Primal, Damus, Amethyst, etc.
• Wallet Limitations:
• The app's built-in wallet cannot scan Lightning address QR codes to initiate payments.
• This caused problems during the event where users imported Bitcoin from Azte.co vouchers into their Fountain wallets. When they tried to Zap a band by scanning a QR code on the live tally board, Fountain displayed an error message stating the invoice or QR code was invalid.
• While suggesting musicians install Primal as a second Nostr app was a potential fix for the QR code issue, (and I mentioned it to some), the burden of onboarding users onto two separate applications, potentially managing two different wallets, and explaining which one works for specific tasks creates a confusing and frustrating user experience.
• Search Difficulties:
• Finding other users within the Fountain app is challenging. I was unable to find profiles from brand new users by entering their chosen Fountain username.
• To find a new user, I had to resort to visiting their profile on the web (fountain.fm/username) to retrieve their npub. Then, open Primal and follow them. Finally, when searching for their username, since I was now following them, I was able to find their profile.
• This search issue is compounded by the profile syncing problem mentioned earlier, as even if found via other clients, their displayed information is outdated.
• Searching for the event to Boost/Zap inside Fountain was harder than it should have been the first two days as the live stream did not appear at the top of the screen inside the tap. This was resolved on the third day of the event.

Improving the Onboarding Experience

To better support user growth, educators and on-boarders need more feature complete and user-friendly applications. I love our developers and I will always sing their praises from the highest mountain tops, however I also recognize that the current tools present challenges that hinder a smooth onboarding experience.

One potential approach explored was guiding users to use Primal (including its built-in wallet) in conjunction with Wavlake via Nostr Wallet Connect (NWC). While this could facilitate certain functions like music streaming, zaps, and QR code scanning (which require both Primal and Wavlake apps), Wavlake itself has usability issues. These include inconsistent or separate profiles between web and mobile apps, persistent "Login" buttons even when logged in on the mobile app with a Nostr identity, and the minor inconvenience of needing two separate applications. Although NWC setup is relatively easy and helps streamline the process, the need to switch between apps adds complexity, especially when time is limited and we’re aiming to showcase the benefits of this new system.

Ultimately, we need applications that are more feature-complete and intuitive for mainstream users to improve the onboarding experience significantly.

Looking forward to the future

I anticipate that most of these issues will be resolved when these applications address them in the near future. Specifically, this would involve Fountain fixing its profile issues and integrating Nostr Wallet Connect (NWC) to allow users to utilize their Primal wallet, or by enabling the scanning of QR codes that pay out to Lightning addresses. Alternatively, if Wavlake resolves the consistency problems mentioned earlier, this would also significantly improve the situation giving us two viable solutions for musicians.

My ideal onboarding event experience would involve having all the previously mentioned issues resolved. Additionally, I would love to see every attendee receive a $5 or $10 voucher to help them start engaging with value-for-value, rather than just the limited number we distributed recently. The goal is to have everyone actively zapping and sending Bitcoin throughout the event. Maybe we can find a large sponsor to facilitate this in the future?

What's particularly exciting is the Launch conference's strong interest in integrating value-for-value across their entire program for all musicians and speakers at their next event in Dallas, Texas, coming later this fall. This presents a significant opportunity to onboard over 100+ musicians to Bitcoin and Nostr, which in turn will help onboard their fans and supporters.

We need significantly more zaps and more zappers! It's unreasonable to expect the same dedicated individuals to continuously support new users; they are being bled dry. A shift is needed towards more people using bitcoin for everyday transactions, treating it as money. This brings me back to my ideal onboarding experience: securing a sponsor to essentially give participants bitcoin funds specifically for zapping and tipping artists. This method serves as a practical lesson in using bitcoin as money and showcases the value-for-value principle from the outset.

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

I started working on this post a couple weeks ago, and out of pure accident, it became my Resurrection Sunday (Easter) post. Maybe it was by God’s design. On Resurrection Sunday, Jesus was raised from the grave. Forty days later he rose to heaven before many witnesses. Someday in the future, the dead in Christ will be raised from the dead, and all believers will be snatched up to heaven. Maybe this is this right post for Resurrection Sunday.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. … For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:14, 16-17) {emphasis mine}

---

It always amazes me that some Christians don’t believe in the rapture of the church. I understand how there can be a disagreement about exactly when the rapture is to occur, but I can’t comprehend how some Christians don’t believe the rapture is coming or that they believe that the rapture happened in the first century.

Let’s start with the three key verses on the subject and then we’ll get into more details.

Key Rapture Verses

I didn’t notice that this first passage referred to the rapture until it was pointed out to me. I was so focused on Jesus preparing a place, that I missed the key sentence.

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:1-3) {emphasis mine}

Jesus, after His resurrection and as promised in these verses, rose up to heaven to go prepare a place for believers. He will then return to bring believers to Himself. This whole idea would have been particularly clear for the Jews when it was written. When a bride and groom were engaged (a legal contract where they were considered married), the groom would go and prepare a place for them to live. It could be an extra room in his parent’s home or it could be a whole new home. The bride didn’t know when the groom would return to take her to himself to become man and wife. In the same way, Jesus has gone away to prepare a place for us and will return at a time we do not know. Just as the Jewish bride had to be ready to leave with her groom when he suddenly arrived, we also must be ready for Jesus’s return when He will snatch us from earth and take us home with Him to heaven.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) {emphasis mine}

The Bible has a wonderful euphemism for the death of believers. It speaks of them falling asleep because death is not the end for believers. It is just a pause, a separation of body and spirit, before we are raptured to Jesus, to meet Him in the sky, where we will receive a new resurrection body, just as Jesus received when He was raised from the dead 3 days after His crucifixion. Both the dead in Christ and the alive in Christ will “be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” God gives us this promise in the Bible to comfort us. It gives us comfort that death is not the end and we will see our fellow believers again in heaven one day. It also gives us comfort that we will not have to experience God’s wrath. “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

What else can we learn about the rapture?

Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:50-57) {emphasis mine}

The rapture will be an instantaneous change from our perishable bodies to imperishable, whether we are alive in Christ or dead in Christ. At the rapture we “will be raised imperishable.” I am very excited to be snatched up into the air, receive a new, eternal body, and meet Jesus face-to-face.

There is one more passage that I believe talks of the rapture that is a bit more subtle from Isaiah.

The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart;\ And devout men are taken away, while no one understands.\ For the righteous man is taken away from evil,\ **He enters into peace;\ They rest in their beds,\ Each one who walked in his upright way. (Isaiah 57:1-2) {emphasis mine}

The seven year Tribulation is the wrath of God poured out on those who rejected Him and the merciful, last chance warning before eternal judgement. Those who have trusted in Jesus (the devout men, the righteous man) will be “taken away from evil” and will “enter into peace.” Instead of experiencing God’s wrath, they will experience His peace. Instead of experience horror, they will “rest in their beds.”

The Seven Raptures Before the Rapture of the Church

How can we know that we will be raptured to heaven to be with Jesus forever? One way is because people have been raptured before (in different ways)

I am borrowing the organization of this section from Chapter 9 of “The End: Everything You’ll Want to Know about the Apocalypse” by Mark Hitchcock, which I happen to be reading at the moment.

1. Rapture of Enoch\ ”So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5:23-24) \ Enoch was raptured to heaven to be with God. He did not die, but went straight to God.

2. Rapture of Elijah\ ”And it came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. … As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.” (2 Kings 2:1,11) \ Elijah also was raptured to heaven without having to die. This passage gives more details. He went up in a whirlwind to heaven.

3. Rapture of Isaiah\ ”In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said,

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts,

The whole earth is full of His glory.”” (Isaiah 6:1-3)\ Isaiah’s situation was different. He was raptured to heaven only temporarily to be given God’s word and His prophecy and to call Isaiah for His good plan.

1. Rapture of Jesus\ ”And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.” (Revelation 12:5)\ and\ ”And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11)\ I’ve listed two verses about Jesus’s rapture. The one from Revelation uses the Greek word harpazo, caught up - when translated to Latin, the word is rapturo, which is where we get our English word rapture. The verses in Acts give a more detailed description of His rapture to heaven, which is an example of our rapture. We are also promised His return.

2. Rapture of Philip\ ”And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.” (Acts 8:38-40)

The rapture of Philip is different than the rest, because Philip was snatched away, not to heaven, but to Azotus. This is still an instance worth pointing out because it also uses the Greek word Harpazo.

1. Rapture of Paul\ ”I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.” (2 Corinthians 12:2-4)\ Like Isaiah, Paul was temporarily caught up (Harpazo) to heaven to receive revelation from God and then returned to his work and life on earth

These examples show God snatching people from one location to another, physically or spiritually for His good purpose. I expect it to happen again, shortly before the beginning of the seven year tribulation.

The 3 Views of the Rapture

There are three main views of the rapture: pre-trib, mid-trib, and post-trib. The basic beliefs are pretty much self explanatory by their name. Does the rapture occur before the tribulation, around the mid-point of the tribulation (which is right before the Great Tribulation or final 3.5 years), or after the tribulation? Which one fits what the Bible says better?

Although the Bible doesn’t directly say when the rapture happens, there are some very strong hints.

No wrath For saints

“For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

God promises believers that we are not destined for wrath. The tribulation is also known as1 “The wrath” (1 Thessalonians 5:9 & Revelation 11:18), “The wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10), “The great day of their wrath” (Revelation 6:17), “The wrath of God” (Revelation15:1,7, 14:10,19, 16:1), “The wrath of the lamb” (Revelation 6:16). There are numerous other equally unpleasant names, but I am sticking with those that use the word wrath. God promised believers that we are not destined for wrath. God never breaks His promises.

Similarly Revelation 3 promises believers will be kept from the hour of testing.

Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. (Revelation 3:10-11) {emphasis mine}

The word quickly can also be translated suddenly. Although Jesus has not returned quickly by our way of figuring time, He will come suddenly.

No one knows when

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” (Matthew 24:36)

Scripture says the Tribulation starts when the Antichrist signs a peace treaty with Israel. If the rapture happens before the tribulation, then we won’t know when it will happen. If the rapture occurs at the mid-trib position, then it will happen 3.5 years after the peace treaty. If the rapture occurs post-trip, then it will happen 7 years after the peace treaty is signed and 3.5 years after the abomination of desolation, when the Antichrist declares himself god in the Jewish temple and requires the whole world to worship him. Only one makes sense if we can’t know when it happens.

Just as in the days of …

“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.” (Matthew 24:37-41)

If we look at the words of Jesus, He compares the rapture to the days of Noah. Life happening as normal, then God put Noah and his family on the ark and personally shut the door (Genesis 7:16). Then the flood came, pouring God’s wrath out on those who had rejected Him. In the same way, God will take believers out of the world before pouring out His wrath on those who remain. He clearly states, “one will be taken and one will be left.”

A parallel passage in Luke, not only talks of God removing Noah before the flood, but also tells of God removing Lot before destroying Sodom & Gomorrah.

For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke:17:24-30) {emphasis mine}

Just as Noah was removed before judgement, so also was Lot removed before judgement. In both cases the majority of people were going about business, living normal lives, not expecting anything to change.

In Genesis 19, the angels must remove Lot and his family before the city is destroyed.

Then the two men said to Lot, “Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place; for we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the Lord that the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” \ …\ When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city. (Genesis 19:12-13,15-16) {emphasis mine}

In the last days, God has promised to remove us before His judgment is poured out on those who willfully rejected Him. Jesus spoke these words to comfort us and so we would not fear the end.

Removal of the Restrainer

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; (2 Thessalonians 2:1-8) {emphasis mine}

The restrainer is the Holy Spirit and the lawless one is the antichrist. This passage is saying that the antichrist will not be revealed until the restrainer is removed. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer. The believers also have to be removed before the antichrist is revealed, otherwise the Holy Spirit would have to leave the believers, leaving them alone during God’s wrath. That, of course, is contrary to God’s character, history, and promise.

Why is There No Mention of the Church During the Tribulation?

In the first three chapters of Revelation, the word church is used again and again. The church is not mentioned again until Revelation 19, regarding the Bride of Christ.

Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (Revelation 19:7-8) {emphasis mine}

All of this makes sense if the church was raptured before the tribulation. Therefore the bride (the church) has had seven years to make herself ready. They then get to descend with Jesus in the second coming of Jesus.

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND Lord OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:11-16) {emphasis mine}

The Bride of Christ follows the King of Kings and Lord of Lords back to earth after being made “white and clean.”

Some may accuse pre-trib believers of being escapists. I’ll admit, I am happy to avoid the wrath of God, whether that be the tribulation or eternal damnation or just His daily disappointment in my failings. The fact that I am glad to “escape” the wrath, doesn’t make it untrue. I hope the passages and explanations I shared will give you comfort as the Day of the Lord and the Wrath of God approaches and as we see the world seemingly spiraling out of control. God is in control. Everything is happening according to His plan and for our good.

May the Lord of heaven comfort you with His promises and make you know His love. May you trust Him in good times and bad until the last days. May God give you a desire for His word and an understanding of His prophecies, so you will know the day is fast approaching.

Trust Jesus.

FYI, You can find most of my articles at end times. Some are directly relating to end times while others are loosely related. This post is a logical explanation of the rapture. You can also check out my older article on the rapture, “Up, Up, and Away.” The focus in my previous post was a little different including focusing on how the rapture will effect us, how we should respond to its immanency, and how it relates to the 2nd coming of Christ after the tribulation, so it is worth checking out as well.

@ dab6c606:51f507b6

Core idea: Use geotagged anonymized Nostr events with Cashu-based points to snitch on cop locations for a more relaxed driving and walking

We all know navigation apps. There's one of them that allows you to report on locations of cops. It's Waze and it's owned by Google. There are perfectly fine navigation apps like Organic Maps, that unfortunately lack the cop-snitching features. In some countries, it is illegal to report cop locations, so it would probably not be a good idea to use your npub to report them. But getting a points Cashu token as a reward and exchanging them from time to time would solve this. You can of course report construction, traffic jams, ...

Proposed solution: Add Nostr client (Copstr) to Organic Maps. Have a button in bottom right allowing you to report traffic situations. Geotagged events are published on Nostr relays, users sending cashu tokens as thank you if the report is valid. Notes have smart expiration times.

Phase 2: Automation: Integration with dashcams and comma.ai allow for automated AI recognition of traffic events such as traffic jams and cops, with automatic touchless reporting.

Result: Drive with most essential information and with full privacy. Collect points to be cool and stay cool.

@ 7b3f7803:8912e968

As we enter Holy Week, we are confronted with a world steeped in sin, strife, conflict, and mortality. There exists a peculiar fascination among some with societal decline, as if they derive satisfaction from witnessing civilization’s unraveling. This attraction to darkness may reflect their inner turmoil, a desire to see others share in their suffering. Alternatively, it could stem from a profound hopelessness, a belief that life lacks purpose, leading them to wish for its end. The allure of dystopian futures is, indeed, a curious phenomenon.

Alexander Hamilton once yearned for war as a means to elevate his status, a reflection of youthful ambition for decisive action. Such a desire—to distinguish oneself and ascend the social hierarchy—underlies some of the grim visions of the future propagated by certain ideological circles. Their aim is not war itself but a reconfiguration of power, placing authority in the hands of those who affirm their values. For years, such individuals have held sway, yet their influence appears to be waning.

In the absence of hope, many embrace visions of decline. This despair is characteristic of a faltering empire, signaling the end of an era. The younger generation, burdened by weariness, falters under the weight of their circumstances. They lack hope for a brighter future and see no clear path out of life’s monotony. In a word, they are trapped, uncertain of how to proceed.

We witnessed a similar sentiment during the Arab Spring, where upheaval was celebrated as a longed-for revolution, a societal reset. The assassination of a prominent corporate executive, such as the CEO of United Health, evokes a comparable yearning for disruption. There is a desire for a cultural transformation, though its precise nature remains elusive.

Yet, the youth find themselves dominated by the very elites whose rhetoric they echo. Unlike the 1960s, when generational values clashed overtly, today’s power structures co-opt the language of the young, redirecting their frustration toward populist movements. This inversion is a cunning strategy, mitigating the potential for significant rebellion.

The reality remains that the older generation holds the wealth, power, and authority, while the young are consistently marginalized. They are the ones left with little hope, ensnared by the system. However, a quiet rebellion is emerging—one rooted in hope and faith. Many are beginning to see through the falsehoods propagated by those in power. The promises of governmental provision, once alluring, now appear untenable in light of fiscal realities. The youth seek a new source of hope, a renewed perspective. Thankfully, they are beginning to find it, turning toward faith as a foundation for a more optimistic future.

@ df67f9a7:2d4fc200

Businesses want Nostr, but Nostr is not ready for business. What can be done?

TLDR :

What Nostr brings to business apps…

• Get your brands in front of users with your choice of SEO and Algos that YOU control.
• Access unlimited public user data from across the network without fees or permission.
• Keep your business data private, while "releasing" liability for other data collected by your apps.
• Build one app to reach a diversity of users from across the network, even from other apps.
• Build your own tech and to use it as you wish. No gate keepers or code review process.

Businesses want Nostr.

• Businesses want reliable SEO and socials to put their brands in front of users, rather than arbitrary gate keepers, censoring the marketplace on a whim.
• Businesses want open access to harvest public data for free on a soveregnty respecting network, rather than paying gate keepers for access to user data of questionalble origin.
• Businesses want the freedom to NOT take ownership of certain user data collected by their apps, rather than being liabile for moderation and safe handling on their private infrastructure.
• Busineses want a single open protocol on which to build their apps, with unlimited potential and a diversity of shared users from other apps, rather than multiple siloed networks with difering APIs and demographics.
• Businesses want to own the technology they build and to use it as they wish, rather than submit their code for approval and control by arbitrary gate keepers.

But Nostr is not ready for business.

• Businesses DON'T want proprietary app data stored publicly as signed Nostr events on user specified relays.
• Businesses DON'T want to have to specify, or be constrained by, or even navigate the complexity of Nostr NIP standards for every novel kind of content that their apps generate.
• Businesses DON'T want to "open source" their entire suite of native apps JUST to assure end users that Nostr private keys are being safely handled.
• Businesses DON'T want to have to "rewrite" their entire app backend just to accomodate the Nostr way of "users sign events but dont actually login to your server" auth architecture.
• Businesses DONT want to suffer DDOS from bots and bad actors, or to expose their users to unwanted content, or even to have their own content disappear a sea of spam and misinformation.

Here’s what can be done.

• More tools and services for private business apps to coexist with freedom tech, and even thrive together, on the Nostr network.
• Extensible Webs of Trust algos for discovery and reach into any audience or demographic of trusted users.
• WoT powered standard APIs for exposing content to Nostr (and other business apps) from within a “black box” business app.
• HTTP AUTH (NIP 98) integration for business apps, allowing users to create local content WITHOUT needing discrete signatures or “linked” user accounts.
• Frost compatible “login“ for business apps, allowing users to paste “disposable” nsecs into proprietary clients without fear of their “cold” nsec being compromised.
• Support for “incremental” (and voluntary) adoption of freedom tech into existing business apps, with easy off-ramps for businesses to transfer more and more siloed data onto the “public” network.

Thoughts so far…

@ 06639a38:655f8f71

Finally there is a release (1.7.0) for Nostr-PHP with a full NIP-19 integration. Here is an example file with some snippets to how it works to encode and decode bech32 encoded entities:

• https://github.com/nostrver-se/nostr-php/blob/main/src/Examples/nip19-bech32-decoded-entities.php
• https://github.com/nostrver-se/nostr-php/blob/main/src/Examples/nip19-bech32-encoded-entities.php

Now merge request #68 (and issues #74, #64 are closed) is finally merged which I opened in October 2024.

Next up is:

• Create documentation how to use NIP-19 with the library on https://nostr-php.dev
• Create documentation how to use NIP-04 and NIP-44 with the library on https://nostr-php.dev
• Work out a proof-of-concept with the revolt/event-loop package to create concurrent async requests with websocket connections

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

Ever since becoming a Christian, I have whole-heartedly believed the Bible and that God will fulfill what He has promised. On the other hand, for the majority of the time I have been a Christian, I have dreaded reading prophecy. It seemed so hard to understand. Some is couched in figurative language, but I now believe much of it was hard to understand because there were no words for the technology and systems that would come into being and fulfill these predictions.

Now reading End times prophecy, like in Revelation, Daniel, Matthew 24-25, 2 Thessalonians, Zechariah, etc. the prophecies are starting to sound like the evening news instead of some poetic mystery. These predictions are making more and more sense as the technology and world politics begin to align with the prophecies. I have gone from hating when I get to prophecy passages, especially Revelation, in my Bible reading, to spending extra time reading these passages and seeing how they line up and clarify each other. (I really want to start a project linking all of the end-times prophetic passages together to see how they clarify each other and try to see the big picture, but that is a massive project and time is in short supply. The only way I know to do it is in Excel, but that isn’t efficient. If anyone has a suggestion for a better way to link and show relationships, I’d love to hear about it, especially if it is free or very cheap.)

Matthew recounts Jesus telling His disciples about what to expect in the end times. Although Matthew 24 describes more of the details of the events that happen, this passage in Matthew 25 describes the importance of watching expectantly for the signs of the times, so we are ready.

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13) {emphasis mine}

Many Christians think studying prophecy is not useful for today, but that is not true. Our time is short and Jesus warned us to be aware and ready. We can’t be ready for something if we know nothing about it.

In this passage it mentions that “while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.” How often do we feel the delay and begin to rest or get distracted by other things? Most Christians do not live like Christ’s return is imminent. Although we can’t know the hour or the day, we can know that we are closer to that hour than we have ever been before. Peter warns us not to doubt Christ’s coming or to become focused solely on our earthly lives.

Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4)

Because Jesus has not returned for almost 2,000 years, many act as if He will never come, but that long wait instead suggests the time is nearing because God never breaks His promises.

For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:5-9) {emphasis mine}

The long wait is due to God’s unfathomable mercy and patience, but we should also realize that the increase of evil in the world cannot continue forever. How much more can evil increase before mankind destroys itself? God claims judgement for Himself and finds every kind of sin abhorrent. If we are distraught over the sin in the world today, how much more awful is it to a holy, perfect God to see His very own creation destroyed by sin?

Just as the ten virgins became tired waiting, we tend to get caught up in the things of this world instead of focusing on God’s plan for us and the world. We act as if this world is the only thing we will experience instead of preparing for our rapture to heaven. We focus on our job, our homes, and our families (all good things) and miss the most important things — winning souls for heaven.

Just as Jesus gently reprimanded Martha for having the wrong focus:

But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:40-42) {emphasis mine}

In the same way, we get focused with the business of life and miss the most important stuff. It wasn’t bad of Martha to take care of her guests, but sitting with Jesus and learning from Him was more important. In the same way, our jobs, families, and homes are good things and we should do them well, but reading our Bibles, praying, growing closer to Jesus, and sharing the Gospel with those who don’t know Jesus is better.

When we believe that our time on earth is short and Jesus is coming for us soon, we are more likely to focus on the most important things — the eternal things.

This passage in Matthew 16 describes the importance of us knowing, understanding, and looking for the signs of the times.

The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away. (Matthew 16:1-4) {emphasis mine}

Christians that believe studying end times prophecy is not important would be rebuked even today by Jesus. We are supposed to study and learn and prepare and watch eagerly for His return.

In Revelation, God says we are blessed if we hear and heed the words of this prophecy.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. (Revelation 1:1-3) {emphasis mine}

Do you seek God’s blessing? Then study God’s prophecies, especially as written in Revelation. God is good and He has shown His children what will happen, so they can be prepared. Don’t be like the five foolish virgins who were unprepared. Study the Scriptures. Look for the signs. Be ready for our Savior’s return by inviting as many people as possible to join us.

Trust Jesus.

FYI, I hope to write several more articles on the end times (signs of the times, the rapture, the millennium, the judgement, etc.).

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

Its been a little over a year since NIP-90 was written and merged into the nips repo and its been a communication mess.

Every DVM implementation expects the inputs in slightly different formats, returns the results in mostly the same format and there are very few DVM actually running.

NIP-90 is overloaded

Why does a request for text translation and creating bitcoin OP_RETURNs share the same input i tag? and why is there an output tag on requests when only one of them will return an output?

Each DVM request kind is for requesting completely different types of compute with diffrent input and output requirements, but they are all using the same spec that has 4 different types of inputs (text, url, event, job) and an undefined number of output types.

Let me show a few random DVM requests and responses I found on wss://relay.damus.io to demonstrate what I mean:

This is a request to translate an event to English json { "kind": 5002, "content": "", "tags": [ // NIP-90 says there can be multiple inputs, so how would a DVM handle translatting multiple events at once? [ "i", "<event-id>", "event" ], [ "param", "language", "en" ], // What other type of output would text translations be? image/jpeg? [ "output", "text/plain" ], // Do we really need to define relays? cant the DVM respond on the relays it saw the request on? [ "relays", "wss://relay.unknown.cloud/", "wss://nos.lol/" ] ] }

This is a request to generate text using an LLM model json { "kind": 5050, // Why is the content empty? wouldn't it be better to have the prompt in the content? "content": "", "tags": [ // Why use an indexable tag? are we ever going to lookup prompts? // Also the type "prompt" isn't in NIP-90, this should probably be "text" [ "i", "What is the capital of France?", "prompt" ], [ "p", "c4878054cff877f694f5abecf18c7450f4b6fdf59e3e9cb3e6505a93c4577db2" ], [ "relays", "wss://relay.primal.net" ] ] }

This is a request for content recommendation json { "kind": 5300, "content": "", "tags": [ // Its fine ignoring this param, but what if the client actually needs exactly 200 "results" [ "param", "max_results", "200" ], // The spec never mentions requesting content for other users. // If a DVM didn't understand this and responded to this request it would provide bad data [ "param", "user", "b22b06b051fd5232966a9344a634d956c3dc33a7f5ecdcad9ed11ddc4120a7f2" ], [ "relays", "wss://relay.primal.net", ], [ "p", "ceb7e7d688e8a704794d5662acb6f18c2455df7481833dd6c384b65252455a95" ] ] }

This is a request to create a OP_RETURN message on bitcoin json { "kind": 5901, // Again why is the content empty when we are sending human readable text? "content": "", "tags": [ // and again, using an indexable tag on an input that will never need to be looked up ["i", "09/01/24 SEC Chairman on the brink of second ETF approval", "text"] ] }

My point isn't that these event schema's aren't understandable but why are they using the same schema? each use-case is different but are they all required to use the same i tag format as input and could support all 4 types of inputs.

Lack of libraries

With all these different types of inputs, params, and outputs its verify difficult if not impossible to build libraries for DVMs

If a simple text translation request can have an event or text as inputs, a payment-required status at any point in the flow, partial results, or responses from 10+ DVMs whats the best way to build a translation library for other nostr clients to use?

And how do I build a DVM framework for the server side that can handle multiple inputs of all four types (url, text, event, job) and clients are sending all the requests in slightly differently.

Supporting payments is impossible

The way NIP-90 is written there isn't much details about payments. only a payment-required status and a generic amount tag

But the way things are now every DVM is implementing payments differently. some send a bolt11 invoice, some expect the client to NIP-57 zap the request event (or maybe the status event), and some even ask for a subscription. and we haven't even started implementing NIP-61 nut zaps or cashu A few are even formatting the amount number wrong or denominating it in sats and not mili-sats

Building a client or a library that can understand and handle all of these payment methods is very difficult. for the DVM server side its worse. A DVM server presumably needs to support all 4+ types of payments if they want to get the most sats for their services and support the most clients.

All of this is made even more complicated by the fact that a DVM can ask for payment at any point during the job process. this makes sense for some types of compute, but for others like translations or user recommendation / search it just makes things even more complicated.

For example, If a client wanted to implement a timeline page that showed the notes of all the pubkeys on a recommended list. what would they do when the selected DVM asks for payment at the start of the job? or at the end? or worse, only provides half the pubkeys and asks for payment for the other half. building a UI that could handle even just two of these possibilities is complicated.

NIP-89 is being abused

NIP-89 is "Recommended Application Handlers" and the way its describe in the nips repo is

a way to discover applications that can handle unknown event-kinds

Not "a way to discover everything"

If I wanted to build an application discovery app to show all the apps that your contacts use and let you discover new apps then it would have to filter out ALL the DVM advertisement events. and that's not just for making requests from relays

If the app shows the user their list of "recommended applications" then it either has to understand that everything in the 5xxx kind range is a DVM and to show that is its own category or show a bunch of unknown "favorites" in the list which might be confusing for the user.

In conclusion

My point in writing this article isn't that the DVMs implementations so far don't work, but that they will never work well because the spec is too broad. even with only a few DVMs running we have already lost interoperability.

I don't want to be completely negative though because some things have worked. the "DVM feeds" work, although they are limited to a single page of results. text / event translations also work well and kind 5970 Event PoW delegation could be cool. but if we want interoperability, we are going to need to change a few things with NIP-90

I don't think we can (or should) abandon NIP-90 entirely but it would be good to break it up into small NIPs or specs. break each "kind" of DVM request out into its own spec with its own definitions for expected inputs, outputs and flow.

Then if we have simple, clean definitions for each kind of compute we want to distribute. we might actually see markets and services being built and used.

@ 0b118e40:4edc09cb

TL;DR : No.

(This is not a feasibility analysis, but a reflection on philosophical alignment with Bitcoin’s vision).

The moment stablecoins or national currencies gain traction in Bitcoin LN, you can forget about Bitcoin’s position as a purely decentralized medium of exchange. Bitcoin’s position will be undermined.

A Bitcoin-native global economy, where people and businesses transact directly in Bitcoin, is what aligns with its original purpose. This is what we should aim for. This is all we should aim for.

I used to believe stablecoins might help with on/off ramps. But the truth is, if Bitcoin is to function as a true currency, broader global adoption that bypasses traditional financial systems will make those ramps irrelevant.

Eventually, two camps will emerge. One will try to preserve Bitcoin’s purity as a currency. The other will push for everything else in the name of Bitcoin: store-of-value narratives, ETFs, stablecoin collaborations, tokens, pump and dumps, NFTs, and centralized workarounds.

Currency domination, especially by the USD, has long contributed to poverty in the Global South. It deepens inequality and worsens debt burdens. During the Tequila Crisis and the Asian Financial Crisis, countries like Mexico and regions like Southeast Asia suffered massive currency devaluations and defaults because of their dependence on the USD. Every time the US raises interest rates, developing nations experience capital flight, currency drops, and economic hardship. This is not ancient history. It has been happening in the last two years and continues to widen the poverty gap. And as always, it is the poor who suffer the most.

What does this have to do with stablecoins? Stablecoin is your fiat 2.0.

USDT is just currency domination through blockchain. It is pegged to the USD, and if it rides Bitcoin’s Lightning rails, it risks keeping users transacting in USD rather than in Bitcoin itself. That not only undermines Bitcoin’s core purpose, it risks making Bitcoin appear like it is taking sides in the fragile and invisible global currency war.

To counter, people will say “Let all stablecoins come. Peg them to any currency.” But what’s the point of Bitcoin then? To become the new logistics layer for fiat 2.0?

That is not progress. That is regress. It is inviting the very systems Bitcoin was built to disrupt back into the ecosystem.

I believe when you use stablecoins this way, you are not Trojan-horsing Bitcoin into the mainstream. You are letting fiat Trojan-horse its way into Bitcoin. And if you let them in, they will win.

Adding stablecoin into Bitcoin LN is counterproductive to Bitcoin's decentralized ethos.

Bitcoin’s true potential is its ability to provide an alternative to centralized, government-controlled currencies and financial systems. We should stick to the original game plan.

---

Side note: If you really want to Trojan-horse Bitcoin adoption…

In my country, we have so many mixed races and cross-cultural traditions. During Chinese New Year, if you are married, you give everyone who is not married an “ang pow,” which is money in a red packet. Because we are so deeply integrated, people give money at almost every celebration: Christmas, Eid, Diwali, birthdays, graduations, even funerals.

I recently met up with a friend who just had a baby, and I was more than happy to be the first to give her daughter some Bitcoin. Her first sats. It would not hurt to start giving Bitcoin as gifts. And if someone gets offended that it is not part of their tradition, just get a Bitkey and wrap it up. It is so pretty.

Find more fun and creative ways to spread Bitcoin adoption.

But for goodness’ sake, stop justifying everything else in the name of Bitcoin adoption.

---

To get a better idea of Fiat 2.0, I mind-mapped Bitcoin on macroeconomy on my scratchpad.

If you take a closer look, it might help you answer a few key questions:

• Do you want more or less government control over money?

• Are you a fan of central banks? Then you probably prefer stablecoins.

@ c21b1a6c:0cd4d170

🧾 Progress Report Two

Hey everyone! I’m back with another progress report for Formstr, a part of the now completed grant from nostr:npub10pensatlcfwktnvjjw2dtem38n6rvw8g6fv73h84cuacxn4c28eqyfn34f . This update covers everything we’ve built since the last milestone — including polish, performance, power features, and plenty of bug-squashing.

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🏗️ What’s New Since Last Time?

This quarter was less about foundational rewrites and more about production hardening and real-world feedback. With users now onboard, our focus shifted to polishing UX, fixing issues, and adding new features that made Formstr easier and more powerful to use.

✨ New Features & UX Improvements

• Edit Existing Forms
• Form Templates
• Drag & Drop Enhancements (especially for mobile)
• New Public Forms UX (card-style layout)
• FAQ & Support Sections
• Relay Modal for Publishing
• Skeleton Loaders and subtle UI Polish

---

🐛 Major Bug Fixes

• Fixed broken CSV exports when responses were empty
• Cleaned up mobile rendering issues for public forms
• Resolved blank.ts export issues and global form bugs
• Fixed invalid npub strings in the admin flow
• Patched response handling for private forms
• Lots of small fixes for titles, drafts, embedded form URLs, etc.

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🔐 Access Control & Privacy

• Made forms private by default
• Fixed multiple issues around form visibility, access control UIs, and anonymous submissions
• Improved detection of pubkey issues in shared forms

---

🚧 Some Notable In-Progress Features

The following features are actively being developed, and many are nearing completion:

• Conditional Questions:
  This one’s been tough to crack, but we’re close!
  Work in progress by keraliss and myself:
  👉 PR #252

• Downloadable Forms:
  Fully-contained downloadable HTML versions of forms.
  Being led by casyazmon with initial code by Basanta Goswami
  👉 PR #274

• OLLAMA Integration (Self-Hosted LLMs):
  Users will be able to create forms using locally hosted LLMs.
  PR by ashu01304
  👉 PR #247

• Sections in Forms:
  Work just started on adding section support!
  Small PoC PR by keraliss:
  👉 PR #217

---

🙌 Huge Thanks to New Contributors

We've had amazing contributors this cycle. Big thanks to:

• Aashutosh Gandhi (ashu01304) – drag-and-drop enhancements, OLLAMA integration
• Amaresh Prasad (devAmaresh) – fixed npub and access bugs
• Biresh Biswas (Billa05) – skeleton loaders
• Shashank Shekhar Singh (Shashankss1205) – bugfixes, co-authored image patches
• Akap Azmon Deh-nji (casyazmon) – CSV fixes, downloadable forms
• Manas Ranjan Dash (mdash3735) – bug fixes
• Basanta Goswami – initial groundwork for downloadable forms
• keraliss – ongoing work on conditional questions and sections

We also registered for the Summer of Bitcoin program and have been receiving contributions from some incredibly bright new applicants.

---

🔍 What’s Still Coming?

From the wishlist I committed to during the grant, here’s what’s still in the oven:

-[x] Upgrade to nip-44 - [x] Access Controlled Forms: A Form will be able to have multiple admins and Editors. - [x] Private Forms and Fixed Participants: Enncrypt a form and only allow certain npubs to fill it. - [x] Edit Past Forms: Being able to edit an existing form. - [x] Edit Past Forms
- [ ] Conditional Rendering (in progress)
- [ ] Sections (just started)
- [ ] Integrations - OLLAMA / AI-based Form Generation (near complete)
- [ ] Paid Surveys
- [ ] NIP-42 Private Relay support

---

❌ What’s De-Prioritized?

• Nothing is de-prioritized now especially since Ollama Integration got re-prioritized (thanks to Summer Of Bitcoin). We are a little delayed on Private Relays support but it's now becoming a priority and in active development. Zap Surveys will be coming soon too.

---

💸 How Funds Were Used

• Paid individual contributors for their work.
• Living expenses to allow full-time focus on development

---

🧠 Closing Thoughts

Things feel like they’re coming together now. We’re out of "beta hell", starting to see real adoption, and most importantly, gathering feedback from real users. That’s helping us make smarter choices and move fast without breaking too much.

Stay tuned for the next big drop — and in the meantime, try creating a form at formstr.app, and let me know what you think!

@ 846ebf79:fe4e39a4

The next iteration is coming

We're busy racing to the finish line, for the #Alexandria Gutenberg beta. Then we can get the bug hunt done, release v0.1.0, and immediately start producing the first iteration of the Euler (v0.2.0) edition.

While we continue to work on fixing the performance issues and smooth rendering on the Reading View, we've gone ahead and added some new features and apps, which will be rolled-out soon.

The biggest projects this iteration have been:

• the HTTP API for the #Realy relay from nostr:npub1fjqqy4a93z5zsjwsfxqhc2764kvykfdyttvldkkkdera8dr78vhsmmleku,
• implementation of a publication tree structure by nostr:npub1wqfzz2p880wq0tumuae9lfwyhs8uz35xd0kr34zrvrwyh3kvrzuskcqsyn,
• and the Great DevOps Migration of 2025 from the ever-industrious Mr. nostr:npub1qdjn8j4gwgmkj3k5un775nq6q3q7mguv5tvajstmkdsqdja2havq03fqm7.

All are backend-y projects and have caused a major shift in process and product, on the development team's side, even if they're still largely invisible to users.

Another important, but invisible-to-you change is that nostr:npub1ecdlntvjzexlyfale2egzvvncc8tgqsaxkl5hw7xlgjv2cxs705s9qs735 has implemented the core bech32 functionality (and the associated tests) in C/C++, for the #Aedile NDK.

On the frontend:

nostr:npub1636uujeewag8zv8593lcvdrwlymgqre6uax4anuq3y5qehqey05sl8qpl4 is currently working on the blog-specific Reading View, which allows for multi-npub or topical blogging, by using the 30040 index as a "folder", joining the various 30041 articles into different blogs. She has also started experimenting with categorization and columns for the landing page.

nostr:npub1l5sga6xg72phsz5422ykujprejwud075ggrr3z2hwyrfgr7eylqstegx9z revamped the product information pages, so that there is now a Contact page (including the ability to submit a Nostr issue) and an About page (with more product information, the build version displayed, and a live #GitCitadel feed).

We have also allowed for discrete headings (headers that aren't section headings, akin to the headers in Markdown). Discrete headings are formatted, but not added to the ToC and do not result in a section split by Asciidoc processors.

We have added OpenGraph metadata, so that hyperlinks to Alexandria publications, and other events, display prettily in other apps. And we fixed some bugs.

The Visualisation view has been updated and bug-fixed, to make the cards human-readable and closeable, and to add hyperlinks to the events to the card-titles.

We have added support for the display of individual wiki pages and the integration of them into 30040 publications. (This is an important feature for scientists and other nonfiction writers.)

We prettified the event json modal, so that it's easier to read and copy-paste out of.

The index card details have been expanded and the menus on the landing page have been revamped and expanded. Design and style has been improved, overall.

Project management is very busy

Our scientific adviser nostr:npub1m3xdppkd0njmrqe2ma8a6ys39zvgp5k8u22mev8xsnqp4nh80srqhqa5sf is working on the Euler plans for integrating features important for medical researchers and other scientists, which have been put on the fast track.

Next up are:

• a return of the Table of Contents
• kind 1111 comments, highlights, likes
• a prototype social feed for wss://theforest.nostr1.com, including long-form articles and Markdown rendering
• compose and edit of publications
• a search field
• the expansion of the relay set with the new relays from nostr:npub12262qa4uhw7u8gdwlgmntqtv7aye8vdcmvszkqwgs0zchel6mz7s6cgrkj, including some cool premium features
• full wiki functionality and disambiguation pages for replaceable events with overlapping d-tags
• a web app for mass-uploading and auto-converting PDFs to 30040/41 Asciidoc events, that will run on Realy, and be a service free for our premium relay subscribers
• ability to subscribe to the forest with a premium status
• the book upload CLI has been renamed and reworked into the Sybil Test Utility and that will get a major release, covering all the events and functionality needed to test Euler
• the #GitRepublic public git server project
• ....and much more.

Thank you for reading and may your morning be good.

@ 592295cf:413a0db9

Nostur is capable of login with bunker

Photo, note by Fabian

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzqkfzjh8jkzd8l9247sadku6vhm52snhgjtknlyeku6sfkeqn5rdeqyf8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnvw5hxkef0qyg8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnddakj7qpqxfktwlm2qdkpxy556e4yg4l8p6v8930nfyzg7p3vsknk7krutz0s8znjtq

---

When you decide to share an app you have to know a lot about that app. For example the nstart feature that you can share your friends, has a "smart pack" and the app can onboard, at least following the link --> Apps-integration

So let's try to read and bring a bit to the summary of the thing. Only the one about the profiles, which you don't know exactly how it will end, you have to try it before sending to someone. the second point is that it says that there is no "support encryption, so it cannot be used for DMs apps".

there was an update of nstart, now it shows you

the names of the bunkers, maybe now it's too much, decide if it does 3/2 4/2 or just automatic.

So they talked about frost in the hodlbod podcast. I didn't understand much except that they said to test frost and report the feedback. Tomorrow I'll try to download igloo and frost+nos2ex

So I have to wait for let's say version 0_1_0 of igloo now it is (0_0_4) and

maybe there will be the version of the extension ready.

Sebastix also found it difficult but I think he was trying to install the server, which didn't even occur to me. Anyway I leave you the note if you want to go deeper...

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzqpnrnguxe8qszsshvgkvhn6qjzxy7xsvx03rlrtddr62haj4lrm3qytkummnw3ez66tyvgaz7tmrv93ksefdwfjkccteqqs2wzkkx220e24revkpxmdzkqj73rnz0reeenjwgy53g36hlkdgurgrs5e62

Let's see if I can download the video. ok Downloaded. Video .mov

If you don't want to watch I'll leave a little description

1 Download and install igloo, from the frost page. 2 Create a new key set, you can generate or copy an existing key. 3. Choose the options for the key and now they become multiple keys 4. Created a group of credentials. 5. Save the two credentials with a password and bring the third into the browser extension that it creates from the repository, it says that there will be a bootable extension for chrome. 6. Copy the third key and the group package key into the application node. 7. Once you have entered these keys you can finish the operation (and you have backed up the other two) in igloo. 8. When it goes forward it finds itself with two keys, both encrypted with passwords. 9. Since it is a three of two, it just needs to activate a key in igloo and it starts communicating "startsigner". 10. Opens a nostr client and connects with frost2sx and writes a note 11. Shows the log, and says that if you enter two keys it can generate a third, invalidating the old one (I assume)

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

I was listening to a sermon at my church this weekend on Luke 9. It made me think of these words, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” I’ll start with context on this statement and then show how it applies to the passage we were studying.

They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:20-24) {emphasis mine}

In this story, a desperate father brought his son to Jesus’s disciples for healing, when they failed, he brought the boy to Jesus. He begged for help, but qualified with “But if You can … .” How often do we explicitly or implicitly say this to God in our prayers.

Just as this father believed in Jesus enough to bring his dear child to Jesus, but still had doubts, we tend to be the same. As Christians, we believe that Jesus loved us enough to die on the cross, but do we believe He is always with us? Do we believe He will never leave nor forsake us? Do we believe that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose? I think we can all say, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”

We all have highs where we are excited about Jesus and believe He is working in us and through us. We also have lows where we feel distant and wondering if He sees or cares. We need to have that belief of the highs when we are going through the lows.

In Luke 9, Jesus sent out His 12 disciples to share the gospel and heal the sick and possessed. They came back on a high, amazed at the great miracles that Jesus had worked through them.

And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. … When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida. (Luke 9:1-2,10) {emphasis mine}

The 12 disciples were on a high. Miracles had been done through their hands and at their word. They felt like they could conquer the world, but this high and great faith did not last very long. Jesus took them away. They thought they were going to spend some private time with Jesus, but that is not what happened. A great crowd ran ahead and met them. Jesus saw their physical and spiritual needs and began to preach and minister to them. It began to get late, so the disciples came to Jesus to ask Him to wrap things up and send the people away so they could eat (like Jesus didn’t know).

Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place.” But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.” (For there were about five thousand men.) And He said to His disciples, “Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each.” They did so, and had them all sit down. Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people. And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full. (Luke 9:12-17) {emphasis mine}

Jesus gently guided His disciples, trying to help them see that there was nothing to fear, that He had everything under control, and that nothing is impossible with Him. When He asked them what they had available to feed the crowd, and they just had one young boy’s small lunch, they immediately assumed feeding the crowd was impossible. Jesus then proceeded to feed the 5,000 (5,000 men and an uncounted number of women and children). Yes, Jesus was merciful and fed this hungry crowd, but I believe this feeding was about so much more than meeting the physical needs of the crowd. Notice how every person there ate until they were satisfied. Jesus then had the disciples pick up the leftovers. How much was left over? 12 baskets full. How many disciples was He giving an object lesson to? 12 disciples. Jesus doesn’t do anything by accident. Everything He does is for a reason. (In the same way everything He allows to happen to us is for a good reason.) He did what the disciples thought was impossible, He fed the huge crowd, but even more, He had one basketful leftover for each disciple. This was a personal message to each of His disciples.

When Jesus sent them out with the command to share the Gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons, they went out with faith and returned with even greater faith “I believe,” but then the day after they returned, their faith waivered again. They needed to cry out, “help my unbelief.” Jesus empowered and guided them both in their belief and in their unbelief. He most definitely helped their unbelief and will do the same for us.

Our Father, please help us to have faith in good times and in bad. Help us to believe with all of our heart, mind, and soul. We believe that you are God and we believe that Jesus came down to earth to live the perfect life that we are unable to live, died to receive the punishment we deserved, and was raised to life on the third day. Believe that the Holy Spirit lives within us empowering and guiding us. We also acknowledge that we have doubts. Please help our unbelief.

Trust Jesus.

@ 0b118e40:4edc09cb

I picked up this book 'Nuclear Power Explained' by Dirk Eidemuller to understand nuclear power and the historical context during the nuclear euphoria era. I’ll share a bit on the history part. Note: I have not seen the movie Oppenheimer yet.

Some key highlights :

In 1933 -Leo Szilard thought of the nuclear chain reaction concept - whereby one nuclear reaction triggers a series of additional nuclear reactions, releasing a significant amount of energy. This is fundamental for nuclear reactors and weapons. He figured this out the same year he was fleeing from one country to another from Hitler. He tried to share this idea to Rutherford but got kicked out of the office.

In 1934 - Enrico Fermi first conducted the experiment in irradiating uranium with neutrons but unfortunately he did not spot anything

In 1938, Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann's experiments accidentally found barium forming when they irradiated uranium with neutrons. Splitting uranium atoms was not a norm at that time. This new finding was the start of the nuclear era.

---

Fission vs. Fusion * Fission splits heavy nuclei into smaller ones, whereas fusion combines light nuclei into heavier ones. * Fission is used in nuclear reactors and atomic bombs, while fusion is the process that powers stars (energy is produced when hydrogen nuclei combine to form helium). The goal of developing fusion-based power generation on Earth is still work-in-progress. Thermonuclear bombs (super bombs) use fusion as well.

---

Otto Hahn collaborated with Lisa Meitner, Germany's first female physics professor, who fled to Sweden due to Nazi persecution. Lisa encouraged Hahn to repeat Fermi’s experiment with high precision. Lisa Meitner and her cousin Otto Frisch analyzed the results and coined the term "fission."

(Note : Women physicist were gaining popularity during that time - Marie Curie, nuclear physics, won 2 nobel price for her work)

1938 - Otto Hahn and Lisa published their results. Nuclear physicists worldwide were in disbelief.

In the early days, Albert Einstein didn’t think it was possible.He said that the whole thing would be like shooting at “birds in the dark in a country where there are few birds.”

Ernest Rutherford (who introduced the atom particle model in 1911 ) thought that it was an absurd idea to try to generate energy in this way. Note : both Rutherford and Bohr introduced the atom particle model, both had a central nucleus and electrons. Bohr’s model was more detailed and led to quantum mechanics and modern behaviour of atoms.

1939 - WW2 started on Sep 1, 1939

1941 - Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii

After Otto Hahn’s paper released, a few things happened

Albert Einstein's E=mc^2 links energy and mass, and while this concept has been around for a while and is based on space and time and initially unrelated to nuclear, it also explained nuclear fission's energy release.

Szilard, who was a long time friend of Einstein, reached out and shared the nuclear reaction theory and its potential for killer weapons. They were worried Nazis might build it first and bomb the US.

They wrote to President Roosevelt to establish research for nuclear weapons to counter a possible attack. To add to suspicion, Germany halted uranium sales from occupied Czechoslovak mines.

(Einstein later on said he regretted this letter after witnessing the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. If he knew Germany wouldn't succeed in making an atomic bomb, he wouldn't have taken action)

Alexander Sachs, a friend of Szilárd and Roosevelt delivered the letter. At first President Roosevelt was not interested. Concurrently Germany invaded Poland, the tension was rising.

Sachs apparently used the analogy of Robert Fulton proposing steamships to Napoleon (to up the notch on traditional sail ships) to convince Roosevelt of the need for a large-scale nuclear research program.

1942 - Roosevet finally agreed

The scientists formed a committee. Military were initially skeptical and wanted to cut costs. The scientists received $6,000 to start the Manhattan Project.

The First Nuclear Reactor : Chicago Pile-1 - a group of popular physicists, including Enrico Fermi and Leó Szilárd, designed the first nuclear reactor ever built by humans. It had 5.4 tons of pure uranium metal and another 45 tons of uranium oxide.

The first nuclear reactor is underneath an unused grandstand of the University of Chicago’s football stadium.

1942 - The first test was on Dec 2. If the chain reaction went awry, a worker would use an axe to cut a rope and release an emergency control rod above the reactor. There was also an automatic shutdown system, and someone ready to pour cadmium salt from above, which stops the chain reaction.

It was a success - the reactor ran at minimum power to initiate a nearly self-sustaining chain reaction.

This led to more reactors and bomb-grade plutonium to be produced.

(note : if you are reading up to here, plutoniums are man-made, and not mined from earth the same way uranium, minerals and ores are)

France was quickly occupied in the war, and its nuclear research material was brought to Germany.

The Soviet Union put in very little effort on the atomic bomb during this time as they needed to fight against the Nazis.

In Japan, too, nuclear research proceeded slowly.

In Germany, multiple research groups operated within the "Uranium Association" also known as “Uranverein”. Popular figures like Werner Heisenberg, Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker and Walther Gerlach worked on it but failed to activate it.

In England, German- Austrian emigrants Otto Frisch and Rudolf Peierls initiated the “MAUD Committee'' (Military Application of Uranium Detonation) . Unfortunately England classified them as “enemy aliens" hence they went to Los Alamos to work on the US nuclear tech.

Their work led to the British-Canadian “Tube Alloys” secret project, which kickstarted the American Manhattan Project. This American Manhattan project under President Eisenhower introduced nuclear reactors to Iran, Pakistan and Israel. But more on that later.

After the successful experiments with the Chicago Pile-1, the American atomic bomb project proceeded at full speed. The Manhattan Project had more than 150,000 people working on it!

Everything was done under the highest military secrecy. With the exception of the leading scientists and military personnel, nobody knew what was actually being worked on until the news of the destruction of Hiroshima.

With two billion dollars (massive at that time), leading scientist and nuclear physicist Robert Oppenheimer and General Leslie Groves quickly built a secret nuclear research center in remote Los Alamos, New Mexico, and established a nuclear industry as big as the entire American automobile industry during that era.

The Los Alamos Laboratory was called Project Y where the actual bomb design was being researched

University of Chicago’s met lab was a big research contributor during this euphoric nuclear era

Oak Ridge, Tennessee, known as "Atomic City," had large isotope separation facilities, two massive diffusion plants, one of which was the world's largest building at the time, and an electromagnetic separation plant. It provided the uranium for the Hiroshima bomb (little boy). The Hanford site provided the uranium for the Nagasaki bomb (fat man).

April 1945 - Harry Truman became U.S. President.

And four months later, he authorized nuclear attacks on Japanese civilians.

June 1945 - Szilard and Franck co-authored the "Franck Report" with fellow scientists. They cautioned against using nuclear bombs on civilians,

July 1945 - Szilard and other dozen researchers wrote to president Harry Truman to urgently warn him against civilian targets (The Szilard petition)

August 6, 1945 * Hiroshima bomb ~140,000 people died * Nagasaki bomb ~70,000 people died

Robert Oppenheimer on this explosion : “Now I have become death, the destroyer of worlds.” (from the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text)

September 2,1945 - WW2 ended

In October 1945 , Oppenheimer resigned.

1946 - One year after the war, Leo Szilárd and Albert Einstein started the Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists to inform the public about nuclear weapons and promote global peace.

Szilard also arranged conferences with scientists from both sides East and West to find better ways for security and peace.

After WW2, Soviet Union caught up with the US nuclear tech through espionage

1949 - Soviet detonated their first nuclear bomb in Semipalatinsk Test Site, in Kazakhstan.

In 1949 Fermi and Nobel laureate Isidor Rabi cautioned that this new weapon could have devastating consequences, approaching genocide.

1950 - 1953 - Korean war between communism (North Korea) and capitalism (South Korea). The US supported South Korea but decided against nuclear weapons due to ethical concerns. But the ideology war was becoming more apparent here.

1952 - Great Britain detonated its first atomic bomb

1952 - US developed the first hydrogen bomb - based on nuclear fusion and not nuclear fission. These super bombs were 800x stronger than the Hiroshima bomb. Instead of splitting the atomic nuclei to smaller ones, very light atomic nuclei are fused into heavier ones which enables a greater explosive forces

Oppenheimer spoke against the development of thermonuclear weapons/hydrogen bombs.

In the 1940s and 1950s during the McCarthy era, there was widespread fear of communism. People worked to expose anyone they thought might be associated with communism. Senator Joseph McCarthy led investigations, and J. Robert Oppenheimer was accused of having communist ties.

In 1954 - Oppenheimer’s security clearance was revoked by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission after a highly publicized hearing accusing him of a communist past.

1955 - Einstein passed away. He was 76

1958 - Khrushchev became premier (Soviet Union). In his first full briefing after having a full view of the nuclear environment he said “ I could not sleep for several days. Then I became convinced that we could never possibly use these weapons, and when I realized that I was able to sleep again.”

There’s a long bit on him and JFK eventually working out peace in secrecy...

1960 - Szilárd met with Nikita Khrushchev in New York for two hours. He convinced the Soviet leader to support the idea of a hotline with the US to prevent accidental nuclear war.

1960 - France detonated its first atomic bomb

1961 - JFK came to power

1962 - Cuban Missile Crisis - lasted for 2 weeks.

The Cuban Missile Crisis began when the Soviet Union secretly placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from the US, raising the threat of nuclear conflict. It ended with an agreement between the US and Soviet Union:

1. The U.S. wouldn't invade Cuba.
2. The USSR would remove its Cuban missiles.
3. The U.S. would secretly remove its missiles from Turkey, easing tensions.

The end of Cuban Missile crisis started the peace journey between US and the Soviet Unions.

But sadly, not everybody loved peace.

1963 - JFK was assassinated

1964 - Khrushchev was ousted

1964 - Leo Szilard died of heart attack

1964 - China detonated its first atomic bomb

1983 - another possible nuclear attack during the Cold War - Soviet satellites wrongly signaled an American missile attack. Stanislav Petrov, in charge, could have launched a nuclear counterattack but didn't because he thought it was a technical glitch. It turned out he was right; sunlight reflections caused the false alarm. Petrov's decision likely averted a disastrous nuclear war. But it’s worrying how easy it was for world disaster.

1991 - The Cold War ended when the Berlin Wall came down, a significant symbol of bridging the East and the West

---

Part 2 - nuclear as electricity instead of bombs.

Throughout this time there was a growing shift to use nuclear power as electricity. I separated both timelines to have a clearer view on it

1951 - first reactor in Idaho used to generate electricity instead of bombs (small test reactor)

Jan 1953- President Eisenhower came was elected to office

Dec 1953 - President Eisenhower delivered his infamous "Atoms for Peace" speech to the UN, on the dangers of nuclear war and the potential of nuclear technology for human development.

He encouraged countries to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes (electricity).

Iran, Israel, and Pakistan being among the first to agree. American Machine and Foundry constructed their early nuclear facilities.

This change from military to civilian use was made possible by amendments to the Atomic Energy Act.

1954- Russia built the first real reactor that converts nuclear power into electricity and supply it to the public power grid

1955- On August 8, in Geneva, Switzerland, the largest scientific conference in history, called the “International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy,” began.

More than 1500 participants from East and West exchanged what were previously secretive results with surprising openness and aroused the curiosity of the world publicly.

1955 - The first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus, was put to sea

1956- the second nuclear power plant that produced electricity on an industrial scale in Calder Hall, near Windscale in England

1958 - the first commercialized power reactor in the US in Shippingport, Pennsylvania

In the 70’s- oil crisis promoted the use of nuclear as energy

1986 - Chernobyl (30 people died) - The Chernobyl disaster resulted from a poorly designed experiment at nuclear reactor Unit 4. They turned off safety systems, removed control rods, and ran the reactor at 7 percent power.

2011- Fukushima disaster (19,759 died) - After a major earthquake, a 15-metre tsunami disabled the power supply and cooling of three Fukushima Daiichi reactors. This led to a nuclear accident on March 11, 2011. All three cores mostly melted within the first three days.

There are a lot of learning from disasters. New reactor designs aim for safety and efficiency, but some projects face rising costs and delays. Managing radioactive waste remains a challenge. The future of nuclear power's role in global electricity is uncertain. If one day nuclear power is really safe, each home can have its own mini power plants.

There are 436 nuclear reactors in the world located in 32 countries as of May 2023

On average, nuclear powers 10% of global power needs. Some countries are heading for 20%

---

2 takeaways :

1. United States created and won the nuclear race because it welcomed immigrants - who turned out to be superstar nuclear physicist persecuted in their countries

2. International cooperation, advocated by many researchers since the discovery of nuclear fission, hopefully outweighs power politics.

@ 0b118e40:4edc09cb

note - i wrote this before the global trade war, back when tariffs only affected China, Mexico, and Canada. But you will still get the gist of it.

During tough economic times, governments have to decide if they should open markets to global trade or protect local businesses with tariffs. The United States has swung between these two strategies, and history shows that the results are never straightforward

Just days ago, President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China. He framed these tariffs (25% on most Canadian goods, 10% on Canadian energy, 25% on Mexican imports, and 10% on Chinese imports) as a way to protect American industries.

But will they actually help, or could they backfire?

A History of U.S. Tariffs

Many have asked if countries will retaliate against the US. They can and they have. Once upon a time, 60 countries were so pissed off at the US, they retaliated at one go and crushed US dominance over trade.

This was during the Great Depression era in the 1930s when the government passed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, placing high taxes on over 20,000 foreign goods. The goal was to protect American jobs, especially American farmers and manufacturers, but it backfired so badly.

Over 60 countries, including Canada, France, and Germany, retaliated by imposing their own tariffs. By 1933, US imports and exports both dropped significantly over 60%, and unemployment rose to 25%.

After President Franklin Roosevelt came to office, he implemented the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act of 1934 to reverse these policies, calming the world down and reviving trade again.

The economist history of protectionism

The idea of shielding local businesses with tariffs isn’t new or recent. It's been around for a few centuries. In the 16th to 18th centuries, mercantilism encouraged countries to limit imports and boost exports.

In the 18th century, Adam Smith, in The Wealth of Nations, argued that free trade allows nations to specialize in what they do best countering protectionism policies. Friedrich List later challenged Smith's view by stating that developing countries need some protection to grow their “infant” industries which is a belief that still influences many governments today.

But how often do governments truly support startups and new small businesses in ways that create real growth, rather than allowing funds to trickle down to large corporations instead?

In modern times, John Maynard Keynes supported government intervention during economic downturns, while Milton Friedman championed free trade and minimal state interference.

Paul Krugman argued that limited protectionism can help large industries by providing them unfair advantages to become global market leaders. I have deep reservations about Krugman’s take, particularly on its impact or lack thereof in globalizing small businesses.

The debate between free trade and protectionism has existed for centuries. What’s clear is that there is no one-size-fits-all model to this.

The Political Debate - left vs right

Both the left and right have used tariffs but for different reasons. The right supports tariffs to protect jobs and industries, while the left uses them to prevent multinational corporations from exploiting cheap labor abroad.

Neoliberal policies favor free trade, arguing that competition drives efficiency and growth. In the US this gets a little bit confusing as liberals are tied to the left, and free trade is tied to libertarianism which the rights align closely with, yet at present right wing politicians push for protectionism which crosses the boundaries of free-trade.

There are also institutions like the WTO and IMF who advocate for open markets, but their policies often reflect political alliances and preferential treatment - so it depends on what you define as true 'free trade’.

Who Really Benefits from Tariffs?

Most often, tariffs help capital-intensive industries like pharmaceuticals, tech, and defense, while hurting labor-intensive sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, and construction.

This worsens inequality as big corporations will thrive, while small businesses and working-class people struggle with rising costs and fewer job opportunities.

I’ve been reading through international trade economics out of personal interest, I'll share some models below on why this is the case

1. The Disruption of Natural Trade

Tariffs disrupt the natural flow of trade. The Heckscher-Ohlin model explains that countries export goods that match their resources like Canada’s natural resource energy or China’s labour intensive textile and electronics. When tariffs block this natural exchange, industries suffer.

A clear example was Europe’s energy crisis during the Russia-Ukraine war. By abruptly cutting themselves off from the supply of Russian energy, Europe scrambled to find alternative sources. In the end, it was the people who had to bear the brunt of skyrocketing prices of energy.

2. Who wins and who loses?

The Stolper-Samuelson theorem helps us understand who benefits from tariffs and who loses. The idea behind it is that tariffs benefit capital-intensive industries, while labor-intensive sectors are hurt.

In the US, small manufacturing industries that rely on low-cost imports on intermediary parts from countries like China and Mexico will face rising costs, making their final goods too expensive and less competitive. This is similar to what happened to Argentina, where subsidies and devaluation of pesos contributed to cost-push inflation, making locally produced goods more expensive and less competitive globally.

This also reminded me of the decline of the US Rust Belt during the 1970s and 1980s, where the outsourcing of labour-intensive manufacturing jobs led to economic stagnation in many regions in the Midwest, while capital-intensive sectors flourished on the coasts. It resulted in significantly high income inequality that has not improved over the last 40 years.

Ultimately the cost of economic disruption is disproportionately borne by smaller businesses and low-skilled workers. At the end of the day, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

3. Delays in Economic Growth

The Rybczynski theorem suggests that economic growth depends on how efficiently nations reallocate their resources toward capital- or labor-intensive industries. But tariffs can distort this transition and progress.

In the 70s and 80s, the US steel industry had competition from Japan and Germany who modernized their production methods, making their steel more efficient and cost-effective. Instead of prioritizing innovation, many U.S. steel producers relied on tariffs and protectionist measures to shield themselves from foreign competition. This helped for a bit but over time, American steelmakers lost global market share as foreign competitors continued to produce better, cheaper steel. Other factors, such as aging infrastructure, and economic shifts toward a service-based economy, further contributed to the industry's decline.

A similar struggle is seen today with China’s high-tech ambitions. Tariffs on Chinese electronics and technology products limit access to key inputs, such as semiconductors and advanced robotics. While China continues its push for automation and AI-driven manufacturing, these trade barriers increase costs and disrupt supply chains, forcing China to accelerate its decoupling from Western markets. This shift could further strengthen alliances within BRICS, as China seeks alternative trade partnerships to reduce reliance on U.S.-controlled financial and technological ecosystems.

Will the current Tariff imposition backfire and isolate the US like it did a hundred years ago or 50 years ago? Is US risking it's position as a trusted economic leader? Only time would tell

The impact of tariff on innovation - or lack thereof

While the short-term impacts of tariffs often include higher consumer prices and job losses, the long-term effects can be even more damaging, as they discourage innovation by increasing costs and reducing competition.

Some historical examples globally : * Nigeria: Blocking import of rice opened up black market out of desperation to survive. * Brazil: Protectionist car policies led to expensive, outdated vehicles. * Malaysia’s Proton: Sheltered by tariffs and cronyism and failed to compete globally. * India (before 1991): Over-regulation limited the industries, until economic reforms allowed for growth. * Soviet Union during Cold War : Substandard products and minimal innovation due to the absence of foreign alternatives, yielding to economic stagnation.

On the flip side, Vietnam has significantly reduced protectionism policies by actively pursuing free trade agreements. This enabled it to become a key manufacturing hub. But Vietnam is not stopping there as it is actively pushing forward its capital-intensive growth by funding entrepreneurs.

The Future of U.S. Tariffs

History has shown that tariffs rarely deliver their intended benefits without unintended consequences. While they may provide temporary relief, they often raise prices, shrink job opportunities, and weaken industries in the long run.

Without a clear strategy for innovation and industrial modernization, the U.S. risks repeating past mistakes of isolating itself from global trade rather than strengthening its economy.

At this point, only time will tell whether these tariffs will truly help Americans or will they, once again, make the rich richer and the poor poorer.

@ 0b118e40:4edc09cb

In wanting to understand the global economy of manufacturing better and in particular the decline of US manufacturing, I picked up a few books on it. This one is called ‘Why manufacturing is still key to America's future’ by Ro Khanna. It’s a little old but I’ve shared some recent stats as a comparison as well. Ro Khanna was with the U.S. Dept of Commerce, focusing on govt's impact, or lack thereof, on manufacturing. Some key highlights:

1. You can’t split R&D and manufacturing. When you offshore manufacturing, you send off design with it and you lose a big chance to cultivate innovation in the US - Andy Grove, CEO of Intel.
2. Manufacturing is needed to reduce the trade deficit that started in 1971
3. U.S. exports to China are $153.8 billion, imports are $536.8 billion. Hence trade deficit with China is $382.9 billion
4. The private sector demands out-of-the-box thinking. In the gov’t, follow instructions; don’t make waves; keep your head down for career advancement.
5. Small and medium-sized businesses create about half of all manufacturing jobs and make up more than 90 percent of U.S. manufacturers
6. Cluster theory - a lot of business in the surrounding area impacts other businesses i.e. supply chain. On the flip side, businesses shutting down will be like dominoes impacting other businesses. Michael Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations" (1990)
7. Foreign subsidy - foreign companies ie China get a lot of subsidies to build manufacturing - free land, and factory capital. Cheap labour is not the only competition
8. Corporate tax - The US charges heavy corporate tax on foreign earnings hence companies rather invest outside than bring it back - John Chambers, CEO and Chairman Emeritus, Cisco 9 < 1 percent of American businesses export and mostly to Canada and Mexico only
9. US global manufacturing share in the ’90s was >22%. It started slipping in 99’. Today it’s 16.8%. China’s global market share was 3% in the 90, 8% in 2000 - today it is 28.7%

**More inputs **

• Andy Grove, Intel's 3rd employee hired in 1968 and CEO from 1987 to 1998, drove Intel's market cap from $4 billion to nearly $197 billion, making it the world's largest computer chip manufacturer. He highlighted the inseparability of design and manufacturing - which leads to the loss of R&D and innovation in a country when manufacturing is offshored. Grove also questioned the absence of tracking offshored jobs.

• Apple has a similar philosophy in bridging design and manufacturing. Dow Chemical built research facilities outside of the US because it could not separate manufacturing from R&D

• Manufacturing’s deterrent factor is high capex and lower returns compared to the service sector.

• “The Commerce Department was a chronic underperformer, led in recent times by political hacks or bureaucrats, from one party or the other, who simply didn’t get it.” (from the book)

• Manufacturing is needed to reduce the trade deficit. In 2009, the trade deficit reached almost $375 billion - meaning the US spends $375 billion more on foreign economies than it does fueling its economy. (Current trade deficit is $65.5 billion)

• To balance the economy, export more and import less. In 2009, 60% of manufacturing goods were exported (current amount of 80%). But this is not enough to fulfil domestic consumption and reduce imports, hence the need for more manufacturing.

• Trade deficit with China - In 2009, the total trade deficit with China was more than $220 billion, service trade surplus of $6 billion. Today, U.S. export to China is $153.8 billion, imports from China is $536.8 billion, and the trade deficit with China is $382.9 billion (almost double the amount of trade deficit with China in 14 years)

• While knowledge workers are important, must not discount the importance of hands-on technical skills

• The rate of decline in manufacturing increases unemployment in manufacturing jobs such as engineer, designer, or floor operator. The majority of the workforce is Caucasian, with African Americans constituting about 10 percent and Hispanics about 15 percent

• “If the private sector rewards “out of the box” thinking, Washington often expects regurgitation as the norm for career advancement. Follow instructions; don’t make waves; keep your head down—that’s the motto among insiders. It’s something that I didn’t like and never got used to.” (from the book)

• Our nation cannot bleed manufacturing jobs and expect to have a middle class: Bob Baugh, union leader

• Small and medium-sized businesses create about half of all manufacturing jobs and make up more than 90 percent of U.S. manufacturers.

• Importance of local manufacturers in helping the country during turmoil - The Globe factory produced protective clothing for firefighters during 9/11. The challenges were seen during COVID-19, not being able to manufacture masks, medical

• Federal gov’t program: the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) helps small and medium-sized manufacturers improve their competitiveness

• The decline of manufacturing impacts surrounding businesses (I’ve seen it drop like dominoes). This is based on the cluster theory by Professor Michael Porter, introduced in the late 1990s, which emphasizes geographic concentrations of related businesses and institutions in specific industries. Clusters offer advantages like knowledge sharing, talent access, efficient supply chains, and competition-driven innovation, benefiting regional development and global competitiveness.

• Gov’t subsidies: Foreign competitors get hefty government subsidies, including free land, factories, and capital. These subsidies make price competition tough, not just cheap labourers (for example China)

• Corporate tax: Overseas earnings are taxed when brought back to the U.S. Due to high corporate tax rates, companies rather invest these earnings abroad. A one-time tax incentive for repatriation will encourage more domestic investment and job creation (John Chambers of Cisco, and Tim Guertin of Varian)

• General observation - The US pioneers innovation but is unable to keep up the fight when competitors come on board because of the lack of support compared to other countries - i.e. luxury cards, automobiles, automation, silicon industry, solar industry etc

• 95% of the world’s consumers and 70% of the world’s purchasing power are outside the United States (in 2009 and about the same now)

• Only 1 percent of American businesses export.

• Out of that, 58% of the companies that do export only export to Canada or Mexico. They’re still reluctant to venture out to Latin America, Asia, or even Europe.

• Exports make up only 11% of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) - Note, still the same from 2009 to the present. Germany, China, India, Brazil, Russia, UK, Japan - exports more

• Trade shows are useful and costly. A suggestion is for the U.S. government to help cover travel and participation expenses for first-time attendees. These businesses could repay the government if they secure sales at the show, similar to how the Department of Agriculture supports food companies.

• Several countries are subsidised in tradeshows and have pavilions that are chic and modern such as the British, Germany, Turkey, Italy, and Egypt. US’s booths don’t stand out.

• The simplicity of getting paperwork sorted: In 1972, when Andy Grove went to Malaysia to establish Intel’s first foreign operation, the chief minister of Malaysia introduced him to Chet Singh, who headed the state’s Penang Development Corporation. “Chet Singh is your one-stop agent,” the Malaysian chief minister told Mr. Grove. Whenever Intel had an issue with getting a particular license, permit, road paved, or available tax credit, Chet would take care of it. He stayed in his job for more than two decades until the early 1990s, facilitating Intel’s ability to expand its Malaysian presence. Today, Malaysia is home to Intel’s largest manufacturing facility outside the United States (Note: Malaysia doesn’t treat its people the same way)

• Over time I think manufacturing moved away because of some mixture of regulations (not all bad), high-cost labor (unions), higher cost of capital (complex) and a focus on other things (comparative advantage, or misdirected cultural signals?). Bill Gates, 2011

• US global manufacturing share in the 80’s and 90’s was 22% - 24%. It started slipping in 99’. Today it’s 16.8%. China’s global market share was 3% in the 90, 8% in 2000 - today it is 28.7%

• Global Manufacturing Output China – 28.7% United States – 16.8% Japan – 7.5% Germany – 5.3% India – 3.1% South Korea – 3% Italy – 2.1% France – 1.9% United Kingdom – 1.8% Indonesia – 1.6%

@ c230edd3:8ad4a712

Chef's notes

Wildly enough, this is delicious. It's sweet and savory.

(I copied this recipe off of a commercial cheese maker's site, just FYI)

I hadn't fully froze the ice cream when I took the picture shown. This is fresh out of the churner.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 15 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 30 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 12 oz blue cheese
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 c sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 qt heavy cream
• 3/4 c chopped dark chocolate

Directions

1. Put the blue cheese, lemon juice, sugar, and salt into a bowl
2. Bring heavy cream to a boil, stirring occasionally
3. Pour heavy cream over the blue cheese mix and stir until melted
4. Pour into prepared ice cream maker, follow unit instructions
5. Add dark chocolate halfway through the churning cycle
6. Freeze until firm. Enjoy.

@ 0b118e40:4edc09cb

There’s an African proverb that says, “To get lost is to learn the way.”

Humans have always been explorers, searching for connection. To belong. To feel home. You can trace this instinct back to the start of our existence. Whether you start with Adam and Eve or the “Out of Africa” theory, the story is the same. We’ve always moved toward each other, building tribes and forming communities.

But somewhere along the way, something broke. With the rise of empires and organized control, religion and politics divided us into bubbles. We were sorted, labeled, and often pitted against one another. While technology advanced, something fundamental was lost. Our ability to truly connect started to fade.

Then came the internet, a modern-day Silk Road. It rekindled hope. Walls seemed to crumble, distances disappeared, and we dreamed of a truly connected world. For a time, it felt like the answer.

And then it wasn’t.

The history of Internet

The story began around 1830s when Charles Babbage started working on his computer prototype but without moolah he couldn't continue. A century later, after WW2 in the 1950s, the US Department of Defense funded what became known as modern computing.

Back then the military relied on systems like the Navajo Code Talkers. The indigenous code talkers were ingenious but operated under dangerous conditions, always on the frontlines.

In 1969, ARPANET made a revolutionary breakthrough as it connected four university computers for the first time. It was a big deal.

At that time, the internet was about openness. Researchers pushed for universal protocols. This gave rise to hacker culture that valued knowledge-sharing and keeping systems accessible to everyone.

In the 80s, NSFNET (National Science Foundation ) expanded these connections but kept it strictly for academic use only. That caused massive dissatisfaction.

Senator Al Gore pitched the concept of the “information superhighway,” to balance public access with private innovation. But by the 90s, the Clinton administration leaned into privatization. NSFNET’s infrastructure was completely handed off to private companies, and the internet grew into a commercial powerhouse.

The good news is that everyone has internet access now. Bad news is that what started as something free from government and commercial control became completely dominated by both.

Open source vs IP during the early internet days

This part of the story is about Bill Gates and Marc Andreessen.

Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, but Marc saw the opportunity to make it user-friendly. He launched Netscape, an open-source browser. It drove the openness of internet culture. Netscape captured 90% of the market by giving its software away for free, and monetizing through other means.

Then came along Bill Gates. Microsoft back then was known for its aggressive tactics to monopolize industries. Gates licensed Mosaic’s code, created Internet Explorer, and bundled it for free with Windows 95. He wasn’t shy about playing dirty, even formed exclusive contracts with manufacturers to block competitors. Even the Department of Justice tried to file an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft, but by then, it was too late. Netscape’s market share crumbled, and its position in the industry eroded.

Windows 95 brought the internet to the people globally, but it also closed it up.

Marc Andreeson started with open source ideologies, but is now funding altcoin projects.

The Californian ideology

Around this time, the term “Californian Ideology” started floating around. It was an unusual mix of libertarianism, techno-utopianism, and countercultural ideals. A marriage of cultural bohemianism (hippies) with high-tech entrepreneurship (yuppies). This ideology fused left-wing values like freedom of expression and direct democracy with right-wing beliefs in free markets and minimal government interference.

I absolutely love it.

Ironically, the term “Californian Ideology” wasn’t coined as a compliment. Richard Barbrook and Andy Cameron used it to piss on these visionaries for romanticizing the idea that the internet must remain a lawless, egalitarian space.

But many people loved and embraced the Californian ideology. Stewart Brand, who founded The Whole Earth Catalog, connected counterculture with early tech innovation. His work inspired people like Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Steve Wozniak used to share Apple’s early schematics at the Homebrew Computer Club for feedback and collaboration.

EBay’s founder Pierre Omidyar envisioned eBay as a libertarian experiment. He believed the “invisible hand” of the market would ensure fairness. But as eBay grew, fraud, disputes, and dissatisfaction among users forced Omidyar to introduce governance which contradicted his goals.

And this story repeats itself over the years.

Platforms begin with libertarian visions, but as they scale, real-world challenges emerge. Governance (government, corporate charters, advertisers, and investors) is introduced to address safety and trust issues.

But they also chip away at the liberty the internet once promised.

Can Nostr be the solution ?

Yes.

But to appreciate Nostr, let’s first understand how the internet works today. (Note : I am no expert of this section but I'll try my best to explain)

The internet operates through four main layers:

1. Application Layer (where apps like browsers, Google, or Zoom live)
2. Transport Layer
3. Internet Layer
4. Network Access Layer

Let’s use a simple example of searching “Pink Panther” on Google.

Step 1: The Application Layer - You open your browser, type "Pink Panther," and hit search. This request is sent using HTTP/HTTPS (a protocol that formats the query and ensures it's secure).

Step 2: The Transport Layer - Think of your search query as a letter being sent. The Transport Layer breaks it into smaller packets (like splitting a long letter into multiple envelopes). TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) ensures all packets arrive and reassemble in the correct order.

Step 3: The Internet Layer - This layer acts like a postal service, assigning each device an address (IP address) to route the packets properly. Your device's IP (e.g., 192.168.1.10) and Google’s server IP (e.g., 142.250.72.238) help routers find the best path to deliver your packets.

Step 4: The Network Access Layer - Finally, the Network Access Layer physically delivers the packets. These travel as electrical signals (over cables), radio waves (Wi-Fi), or light pulses (fiber optics). This is the act of moving envelopes via trucks, planes, or postal workers, just much faster.

So how is data transmitted via Nostr ?

Nostr’s architecture of the Internet

Nostr reimagines the Application Layer while keeping the lower layers (Transport, Internet, and Network Access) largely unchanged.

In the traditional internet stack, the Application Layer is where platforms like Google or Twitter operate. It’s also where most censorship occurs due to single point of failure (centralised servers). Nostr flips this model on its head.

Technically, it’s like building a parallel internet that shares the same foundational layers but diverges at the top.

To borrow from Robert Frost:

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference."

For Nostr to fully realize its potential, it needs its own ecosystem of apps. Developers can build these tools within the Nostr protocol's framework

Let’s say there is a search engine on Nostr called Noogle.

Here’s how it works:

When you type "Pink Panther" on Noogle, your query is sent to multiple relays (servers) simultaneously. Each relay processes or forwards the query and returns results based on the data it holds.

As Nostr grows, the amount of information on relays will increase, giving Noogle more robust search results. But the biggest win is that compared to Google, Nostr's Noogle will have no ads, no surveillance, just pure, decentralized searching that respects your privacy.

For the transport layer, Nostr still relies on TCP/IP but enhances it with privacy and efficiency. Encrypted messages and simplified protocols enable faster real-time communication. The rest of the layer remains unchanged.

At its core, Nostr takes the internet back to its original ideals: open, uncensored, and decentralized.

Why Nostr matters ?

The internet we use today relies on centralized systems at the application layer. This creates a single point of failure where governments and corporations can control access, censor content, monitor activity, and even shut down entire platforms.

For example, the Malaysian government once proposed routing all web traffic through a centralized system, claiming it was for "security" reasons. In reality, this action allow those in power to block access to specific content or platforms that might threaten their positions.

Centralization weaponizes the internet.

It turns what was meant to be a tool for connection and freedom into a mechanism for control and oppression.

Let's look at DNS and ISPs as examples. DNS (Domain Name System) is like the phonebook of the internet. It helps translate website names (like example.com) into IP addresses so your browser can connect to them. ISPs (Internet Service Providers) are companies that give you access to the internet.

Both are controlled by centralized entities. If a government gains control of either, it can block specific websites or even shut down internet access entirely.

We've seen this happen repeatedly: * India’s internet shutdowns in regions like Kashmir * Turkey’s social media bans during political events * Ethiopia’s internet blackouts * China’s Great Firewall blocking major platforms like Google and Facebook * Even the US, where Edward Snowden revealed massive surveillance programs

This is where Nostr comes in, as the antidote to centralized control.

Instead of relying on centralized servers or platforms, Nostr creates a peer-to-peer network of independent relays. No single entity controls it. There is no central switch governments can flip to block access. If one relay is shut down, users simply connect to others in the network.

Nostr’s decentralized design makes it: * Resistant to censorship: Governments cannot easily block or filter content. * Privacy-preserving: Users can communicate anonymously, even in heavily surveilled environments. * Resilient: With no single point of failure, the network keeps running, even under attack.

And it gets better. Nostr can integrate with privacy tools like Tor to bypass restrictions entirely, making it nearly impossible for governments to stop.

The internet has become a battlefield for control, but Nostr provides a way to reclaim digital freedom. It empowers people to build, connect, and share without fear of being silenced.

How does Nostr overcome the "Californian Ideology" problems?

The Californian Ideology seemed like the blueprint for a utopian internet, libertarian ideals wrapped in Silicon Valley innovation. But as centralized platforms scaled, cracks started to show. Challenges like trust, safety, and accessibility forced governance teams to step in and decide “what’s best for the people.”

This resulted in platforms once built on ideals of freedom in becoming gatekeepers of control.

Nostr breaks this cycle. How?

1. Trust issues - With private keys, you control your identity and data. Moderation is decentralized. You can block or mute others at a personal level or through client tools, not by relying on a central authority. While this system needs refinement to be more user-friendly, it fundamentally shifts the power to users.

2. Funding Without Advertiser - Nostr’s integration of Bitcoin and the Lightning Network eliminates reliance on advertisers or corporate sponsors. Bitcoin enables anyone to contribute without gatekeeping. As more people join and apps mature, this model only gets stronger. For now, we have good souls like Jack seeding it.

3. Resisting Government Control - (refer to the above) Nostr avoids single points of attacks.

So what is Nostr ?

Nostr is internet

The new internet.

The open and free internet.

What can you build on Nostr?

Anything you have seen on the internet, you can recreate on Nostr. Anything you can imagine, you can bring to life here. It is a blank canvas for dreamers, builders, and changemakers.

But the best part is this. You have Bitcoin as its financial backbone. This changes the game entirely.

And with new games, comes new rules. New vibes. New ways.

The way people use this new internet will be different from the traditional internet as control falls back to the people. With Bitcoin as the underlying backbone, the business models will be different.

But there is more to it than just creating. There's that joy of creation, where we invite curiosity and inspire users to experience something new, something revolutionary.

Have you watched “The Last Lecture” by Randy Pausch?

He coined the term “head fake.” He taught his students programming, but not everyone was excited to learn programming. So he created fun projects and performances that pulled them in. The students had so much fun, they didn’t even realize they were learning to code.

What you build on Nostr is that head fake. The apps and projects you create draw people in with fun and utility, subtly reminding them they have a right to their own voice and thoughts.

The work you’re doing is so precious. When everything feels like doom and gloom, it’s these kinds of projects that give people hope.

Through Nostr, you’re making a difference. One project, one connection at a time.

The new Internet era

Centralized systems, like empires of the past, eventually crumble under the weight of their control. Decentralization provides a different path. It is a modern revival of our primal instincts to explore, connect, and build tribes.

By definition, Nostr is a protocol. I think more so, it's a philosophy. It challenges us to rethink how we share, communicate, and create. It is the internet as it was meant to be. Free, open, and governed by no one.

The beauty of Nostr lies in its simplicity. It does not rely on massive infrastructure, corporate giants, or government oversight. It thrives on community, much like the early tribes that defined humanity.

We have come full circle. From wandering continents to building roads, bridges, and networks, our journey has always been about connection and finding our tribe.

As the African proverb reminds us, 'To get lost is to learn the way.' There is finally a way now.

But at the end of the day, it’s entirely up to you what kind of world you want to be part of.

Find your tribe. Build the future. Love them hard.

---

More info :

On those who played a role in the history of internet and computers
https://hiddenheroes.netguru.com/

@ 16f1a010:31b1074b

Arceus was born from nothing, not even chaos.

Arceus soon made Dialga, Palkia, and then Giratina. Dialga created time, Palkia created space, and Giratina created anti-matter. And thus, the Universe was born.

Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina began battling and as a result were banished to their individual realms by Arceus.

Arceus then created Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza. Groudon formed the huge celestial bodies known as planets, and the trio chose one to inhabit with life. Arceus created the sun, then shot off across the universe to create all the many stars.

But he had learnt from experience, so he tasked Rayquaza as the peace-keeper.

The trio set to work, with Groudon raising land violently, creating volcanoes and mountains; Kyogre, creating the seas, where the land was not, and Rayquaza making an atmosphere full of 'air'.

Sure enough, Kyogre's waters started to corrode Groudon's land, and this angered him. The two battled, but Rayquaza broke it up, and sent Groudon deep underground, while Kyogre was sent deep into the oceans, before returning out into the ozone layer.

Soon, Arceus returned, and it tried to make life, but failed miserably. So it created Regigigas. Regigigas moved the continents with its bare hands, piecing them together like a puzzle.

When the final chunk of land was put into place, the world sprung to life, with grass and trees sprouting everywhere. Finally, the world was ready for life.

Arceus sent Regigigas into a coma until it was needed once more. It then created thousands of Pokémon to inhabit the world. These Pokémon belonged to one of five races.

Celebi   Jirachi   Mew  

Manaphy   or Victini  

It also created Latios and Latias, its personal agents, whom it sent flying through the universe in search of a species with great intelligence to live in harmony with its creations, before leaving once more to regain energy.

      

After much searching, Latias found an intelligent alien species known as Deoxys. They were bacterial but advanced. They chose a few of them and brought them back to their world.
  
For a while, things were fine, and the Deoxys and natives lived together in harmony. Until the Deoxys discovered they could 'infect' the natives and use their bodies. Suddenly, they were all infecting a host, and then war broke out.

The Mew, Jirachi, Manaphy, Celebi, and Victini battled their infected brethren to set them free, while the Deoxys sought total dominance.

The war raged on for many centuries, until there were but a handful left of each species. Arceus returned and destroyed the last of the Deoxys, but the damage was done. The population of the world was little more than 20.

The Celebi retreated to the forests, hiding amongst the trees and in time. The Manaphy retreated to the sea, the Jirachi fell asleep, only waking up every so often, and the Victini hid in far-off lands.
This left only the Mew.

During the war, three Mew had hidden under lakes in search of enlightenment.
          
               
Leaving only a handful of Mew left to roam. They were alone.

The war had left the land in ruins; some places were battle-scarred beyond repair. Instead of lush grass, there were harsh deserts. This angered Groudon, sending him into a rage. Volcanoes spurted and spewed lava everywhere.

One day, a Mew was floating along when a sudden flow of lava approached it. Thinking quickly, Mew unleashed energy inside it that even Arceus didn't know about. It morphed the lava into a form and gave it LIFE. The first Heatran was created.
 

Arceus sensed this and had an idea. Gathering all the able Mew, it channeled immense power through them, using their life-giving abilities to create more living creatures. These were crude and unfinished, prototypes of what was to come.

Aerodactyl filled the sky, while Lileep, Cranidos, and Shieldon roamed the land.

Anorith, Omanyte, and Kabuto populated the seas.
  

Arceus also bestowed upon most of these beings the power to 'evolve' into more powerful creatures if the correct environment was met.

Finally, Latias returned once more. They had been far more thorough in their searching than before. However, Arceus had told them to stop, but guilt kept them going. They were determined to complete their job.

They brought humans from another planet. Basic but intelligent beings who definitely lacked the ability to infect anything. The humans settled in quickly, initially living relatively separately from the animals.

But Arceus wasn't convinced; he felt the need to test them.

First, Arceus created Articuno, who he ordered to send the planet into an Ice Age.
  

Articuno froze the planet, killing many creatures, but giving birth to new ones like Mamoswine.
  

To Arceus' pleasure, the humans adapted, creating structures out of ice and snow. The severe drop in temperature awoke Regigigas, who rose high above the land and saw what was happening.

The humans instantly fell in love with Regigigas, worshipping the titan and creating statues of it from ice. Touched by this, Regigigas found one of the statues and breathed life into it before returning to sleep.
  

However, this scared the humans, and they locked it away in a cave.

Realizing that the Ice Age did not affect the humans, Arceus created another bird, Moltres, and ordered it to send the world into a drought. The ice melted, and the water evaporated as the temperature rose higher and higher.
  

While the humans continued to adapt, using the skills they had learned with the ice and applying them to rock, the creatures weren't as lucky. The Mamoswine and other creatures that adapted to the cold died off, but new ones such as huge insects like Yanmega became common.
  

Once again, the drought awoke Regigigas, who once again saw a statue of himself. Thinking the humans would have learned from last time, Regigigas gave it life. But rumors of the living statue had been passed down and exaggerated since last time, and once again, the scared humans locked away this second 'Regi'.
  

When the drought finally wore off, Arceus began the third and final test. He created one more legendary bird, Zapdos. Zapdos created powerful electrical storms all across the land.
  

The storms killed off the last of the prototype creatures, leaving only the humans and the few pets they brought from their home land. One extremely intelligent man managed to harness the power of electricity, creating the first electronic device.

Of course, Regigigas awoke one final time. He discovered that the humans were far more evolved than expected, able to harness metals and electricity, albeit at a somewhat primitive level. More out of tradition than anything else, Regigigas created the third Regi out of steel. The humans were no longer scared of this Regi, but they sealed it away with the other two nonetheless, knowing that one day someone powerful enough would tame them.
  

Arceus was baffled. The humans had passed all three tests of harsh weather. Zapdos calmed the storms, and the world became peaceful once again.

Arceus herded the Mew together for a second time. Having learned the strengths and weaknesses of his prototype beings, Arceus was ready to go farther.

Siphoning its huge power through the small pink beings, Arceus filled the world with hundreds of species of creatures that would become known as 'Pokémon'. They were more diverse than it had ever imagined, filling the skies, land, and sea.

The life energies even reacted with the sun rays and moonlight, creating Ho-oh and Lugia respectively.
    

Some radiated out of the planet's moon, creating a population of Clefairy, as well as Cresselia on the light side and Darkrai on the dark side of the moon.
      

Lugia befriended the three elemental birds, and they followed him like a leader. Meanwhile, humans started to get closer to these new creatures, using them as slaves, weapons, or pets. The term 'Pokémon' arose from strange travelers and stuck.

The first Pokéballs were created from Apricorns, and the bond between human and Pokémon was complete.
    

Ho-oh took residence at the top of the Bell Tower. It was jealous of Lugia's trio of birds and wanted one of its own. One day, three Kimono girls entered its tower with a Jolteon, Flareon, and Vaporeon.
      

Ho-oh burnt down the tower with its Sacred Fire. Most escaped, but the three Pokémon were trapped and perished in the flames. Ho-oh soon resurrected them as Entei, Raikou, and Suicune.
      

Humans continued to evolve and take over the land, and Pokémon continued to work alongside and for them for many, many years.

That is the story of the Pokémon World.

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

I was listening to “Ultimately with R.C. Sproul.” He made the comment that “Sin is so common that we don’t think it is that concerning, but it is especially concerning because it is so common.” This is so true.

I used to really look down on Adam and Eve for eating the forbidden fruit. I thought, “How hard is it to obey a single command? We have so many to obey today from God, government, parents, etc.” One day I finally realized two truths. Adam and Eve were adults, but they had not been around very long (the Bible doesn’t say how long, but the implication is not very long, maybe even as short as days after being created.) They didn’t have life experience. They also had never been lied to before. They weren’t looking at the world with suspicion. They lived in a perfect environment with a perfect, loving God. It would’ve never crossed their mind that a person would lie, so they trusted the lie instead of God.

Today, we live in a sinful, fallen world. Everyone lies. Everyone steals. Everyone is unkind. Everyone has selfish motives. Yes, there is a difference in how often and how “bad” the lie, the theft, the motive, or the unkindness, but sin is everywhere. We get used to it and it seems normal. When we act the same way, it doesn’t seem that bad. We just took a pen home from work, nobody will miss it. We just told the person what they wanted to hear, so we won’t hurt their feelings. It is only a little white lie. Yes, I was unkind, but that person really deserved it because they were worse. We think this way and excuse our sins because we aren’t as bad as someone else.

I’ve noticed as I’ve grown older that the age when you become old keeps getting older and older. Old is always a little bit older than I am. When I was 10, a teenager was really old. When I was 16, an 18 year old was an adult and old. When I was 20, a 40 year old was old. When I was 50, a 65 year old was old. Old keeps getting older because my reference is myself. The truth is that I am getting older. I am on the downhill slide. I am closer to death than I am to birth. My arbitrary, moving reference doesn’t change this fact.

In the same way, when we look at sin, we have the same problem. We are always looking for someone who sins worse to make us look better and to excuse our sins. We compare ourselves to sinful men instead of our perfect, holy, sinless Savior.

In an earlier post, I made the comparison of the lights in the sky. If you go outside on a dark, moonless night, you will see the stars in the sky shining. They seem bright, but some are brighter than others. You can compare the brightness of the stars and call some brighter and others darker, but when the sun rises, you can’t see any light from the stars. Their light is drowned out by the light of the sun. The sun is so much brighter that it is as if the stars don’t produce any light at all.

In the same way, we may do some good things. When we compare our good deeds to others, we may look better, but when the true reference, the Son of God is our reference, our good works look like they don’t exist at all. The differences between the best person and the worst person are insignificant, just like the brightness of the brightest star and the dimmest star seems insignificant when compared with the brightness of the Sun.

The cool thing is that there is another light in the sky, the moon. The moon doesn’t have any light of its own, but it is the second brightest light in the sky. Why? Because it reflects the light of the sun. We should be the same way. We will never measure up if we seek to be good and sinless. We will never meet the standard that Jesus set for us with His perfect, sinless, sacrificial life, but we can reflect the glory of Jesus in our lives.

Yes, when we sin, we can hurt others, but who are we really sinning against? David knows.

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;\ According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.\ Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity\ And cleanse me from my sin.\ For I know my transgressions,\ And my sin is ever before me.\ **Against You, You only, I have sinned\ And done what is evil in Your sight,\ So that You are justified when You speak\ And blameless when You judge.\ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,\ And in sin my mother conceived me.\ Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,\ And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. (Psalm 51:1-6) {emphasis mine}

Yes, our sins can hurt other people and do, but the true damage is to the glory of our generous Creator God. We must confess our sins to God first and then to anyone we have hurt. We must accept that we deserve any judgement God gives us because He created us and everyone and everything with which we interact. Our allegiance, submission, and worship is due to our Creator God.

Because we can never fully understand how abhorrent sin is to God, I thought I’d share how a godly man, the priest and prophet, Ezra, reacted to sin among his brethren.

When I heard about this matter, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel on account of the unfaithfulness of the exiles gathered to me, and I sat appalled until the evening offering.

But at the evening offering I arose from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn, and I fell on my knees and stretched out my hands to the Lord my God; and I said, “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens. Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt, and on account of our iniquities we, our kings and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity and to plunder and to open shame, as it is this day. But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage. (Ezra 9:3-8) {emphasis mine}

Ezra sees sin, shreds his clothes, pulls out his hair, and sits appalled. Do we feel even a fraction of the horror at guilt that Ezra showed? When faced with some Israelites marrying non-Israelite (many from the banned people groups), Ezra admits that “our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens.” How many of us would think that was only a little sin or that since it was only a few people, it wasn’t that important? Ezra, instead of saying, “Why did you send us into exile for 70 years and why are you not blessing us now?” said, “But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the Lord our God.” Instead of accusing God of not being good enough or kind enough, thanks God for His grace which was completely undeserved. If only we could look at sin in this way.

After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and our great guilt, since You our God have requited us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us an escaped remnant as this, (Ezra 9:13) {emphasis mine}

Ezra understood that we all deserve only judgment. Every good thing we receive is only due to God’s grace. Instead of asking why God would allow a bad thing to happen to us, we should be asking why God is so gracious to give us good things in our lives and not give us nothing but punishment.

Jesus also talked about our sins. Although it is good, when we are tempted to sin, to choose to not sin, even evil thoughts are sins. They mean our minds and hearts are not fully submitted to God.

“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.

“It was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce’; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:21-48) {emphasis mine}

Many people say that as New Testament believers, we are not under the Old Covenant and the Old Testament laws do not apply to us. While that may be true of the ceremonial laws, the truth is that Jesus made the laws stricter. It is still true that we are not to commit murder, but we are also not to hate another. It is still true that we are not to commit adultery, but we are also not to lust after another. We are also not to fight against those who mistreat us and we are to love those who hate us. Jesus expects more, not less, maybe because we now have the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit within us.

If we have the mind of Christ, we should despise the things God hates. If we have the heart of Christ, we should love even those who hate us and we should seek their eternal good. We should see with the eyes of Christ and see the hurt behind the hate and dishonesty. How do we do this? We need to fill our minds with the word of God. We need to obey Paul’s command to those in Philippi:

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

We need to so fill our mind with God’s word that God’s goodness overflows into our lives.

God of heaven, please change our hearts and minds and make them fully aligned with your heart and mind. Help us to see sin as you see sin and to see people as you see people. Help us to see the hurt instead of the lashing out, so we can have a merciful heart towards those who are unkind to us. Help us to fill our minds with your goodness and your word, so there is no room for evil in us. Make us more like you.

Trust Jesus

FYI, there are many people who can’t see their own sin and who discount the severity of sin. I am writing for these people. There are also people who have no trouble seeing their own sin. Their problem is not accepting the forgiveness of God. Never doubt that God has forgiven you if you have confessed your sins and trusted Jesus as Savior. Jesus has covered your sins and the Father sees only the holiness of Jesus. Your relationship with the Godhead is fully reconciled. You should do right out of thankfulness and love of God, but there is nothing else you need to do to be saved and have a right relationship with God.

@ c230edd3:8ad4a712

Chef's notes

I found this recipe a couple years ago and have been addicted to it since. Its incredibly easy, and cheap to prep. Freeze the sausage in flat, single serving portions. That way it can be cooked from frozen for a fast, flavorful, and healthy lunch or dinner. I took inspiration from the video that contained this recipe, and almost always pan fry the frozen sausage with some baby broccoli. The steam cooks the broccoli and the fats from the sausage help it to sear, while infusing the vibrant flavors. Serve with some rice, if desired. I often use serrano peppers, due to limited produce availability. They work well for a little heat and nice flavor that is not overpowering.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 25 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 15 min (only needed if cooking at time of prep)
• 🍽️ Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 4 lbs ground pork
• 12-15 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 Thai or Serrano peppers, rough chopped
• 1/4 c. lime juice
• 4 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Portion and freeze, as desired.
3. Sautè frozen portions in hot frying pan, with broccoli or other fresh veggies.
4. Serve with rice or alone.

@ f683e870:557f5ef2

When it comes to the Nostr Web of Trust, several NIPs have been proposed, but the one that seemed to gather the most traction was Trusted Assertion by Vitor Pamplona.

The idea is to have kind:30382 represent assertions made about an entity, which could be a pubkey, for example. The NIP also specifies a tag called rank, which can be used to build some basic WoT primitives.

Example event:

{ "kind": 30382, "tags": [ ["d", "e88a6...50411"], ["rank", "89"], ["zap_amt_sent", "1000000"], ], "content": "", //... }

However, we quickly realized that this NIP was too limiting for what we wanted to accomplish: real-time, personalized ranking.

To illustrate our different approaches, we will show how to replicate our Verify Reputation with trusted assertions.

Verify Reputation

Verify Reputation returns:

• the rank, follow count and followers count of the given target
• its top followers by rank.

All ranks are personalized to the given source.

This “batteries included” solution helps users avoid impersonation and fraud with a single request, no matter what application they are using, be it a kind:1 client, chat app, wallet, marketplace, or more.


To get the same result with trusted assertions, you would have to

• Get all contact lists that contain the target (as a p tag)
• Build the target’s follower list from those event authors
• Get the trusted assertions for the target and each of the followers
• Sort them by the rank provided by the trusted assertions

This operation is computationally expensive, especially on mobile devices. It is clear that if the user is willing to verify and process a large number of events (potentially +100k), he can compute some (rudimentary) ranking directly on the device, without the need to trust a third party.

More generally, trusted assertions are very hard to use when one doesn’t know the pubkeys of the people he’s looking for. This goes fundamentally against our approach of Web of Trust, as a powerful mechanism for discovery.

---

Are you looking to add Web of Trust capabilities to your app or project?

Take a look at our website or send a DM to Pip.

@ ee6ea13a:959b6e74

Chef's notes

You can cook this in one pan on the stove. I use a cast iron pan, but you can make it in a wok or any deep pan.

I serve mine over rice, which I make in a rice cooker. If you have a fancy one, you might have a setting for sticky or scorched rice, so give one of those a try.

To plate this, I scoop rice into a bowl, and then turn it upside-down to give it a dome shape, then spoon the curry on top of it.

Serve with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 20
• 🍳 Cook time: 20
• 🍽️ Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 2" pieces
• 2 tablespoons coconut or avocado oil
• 1 cup white or yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 cup red bell pepper, sliced or diced
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small (4oz) jar of Thai red curry paste
• 1 can (13oz) unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 cup carrots, shredded or julienned
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Once hot, add onions and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook 3 minutes, or until onions are softened, stirring often.
2. Add the red curry paste, garlic, ginger, and coriander. Cook about 1 minute, or until fragrant, stirring often.
3. Add coconut milk, brown sugar, soy sauce, and chicken. Stir, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered for 7 minutes, occasionally stirring.
4. Add carrots and red bell peppers, and simmer 5-7 more minutes, until sauce slightly thickens and chicken is cooked through.
5. Remove from heat, and stir in the lime zest, and half of the lime juice.
6. Serve over rice, topped with cilantro, and add more lime juice if you like extra citrus.

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

This weekend my pastor was preaching on this passage. Two words stood out when we were reading the passage, “but Jesus … .” This made me start searching for other instances of “but Jesus …” to see what we could learn.

And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.” But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.” (Luke 8:43-46) {emphasis mine}

In this passage people were crowding Jesus and fighting to get close to Him or even touch Him and in this dense crowd he asked, “Who is the one who touched Me?” Despite many people being pressed up beside Him, they all denied touching Him and Peter basically reprimanded Jesus that this was a ridiculous question because so many people were touching Him. “But Jesus …” knew that someone had touched Him and faith and that His power had healed that person. For the sake of the woman, the crowd, and His disciples, He wanted them to know what had happened and bless this woman that had suffered for more than a decade. He didn’t see the situation like everyone else. He saw things they did not see and like all of the best teachers, he asked His students questions to lead them to the truth. Despite the fact that he was on the way to helping Jairus’s dying daughter, Jesus stopped for this moment to bless this suffering woman and to teach the crowd the meaning of faith and the meaning of mercy.

How often do we ignore teaching moments or moments of service that could make a difference in a person’s life because we are busy and focused on something else? But Jesus did not miss the opportunity.

So often Jesus’s response to things are not like our own. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. (Luke 5:15-16) {emphasis mine}

Most of us, if we were bringing crowds through a blog or preaching or conferences would tend to continue working to reach more people, but Jesus took time to slip away from the crowd to pray. He prioritized prayer and fellowship with the Father knowing that ministry without the Father is no ministry at all. Jesus knew that there is more to sharing the Gospel than just drawing a crowd or growing a following. Jesus built the foundation before trying to build the church.

And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”—He said to the paralytic—“I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.” (Luke 5:18-24) {emphasis mine}

This suffering man was paralyzed. His loving friends were trying to get him help by focusing on his physical needs, but Jesus saw the man’s most important need — his need for salvation. Instead of focusing on the obvious physical needs of the man, He dealt with the more important spiritual needs. He also knew that His critics were judging Him and denying His ability to wipe the man’s sins away. To prove that He could forgive the man’s sins, He also healed the man’s paralysis. After healing the man’s more important spiritual needs, He then healed the more obvious physical needs.

I know I catch myself spending lots of time praying for people’s physical needs. I pray asking for people to have healing from sickness and cancer. I pray for jobs and finances. I pray for relationships. I’ve noticed that I spend more time praying for physical needs that are problem today, but don’t matter eternally and not enough praying for salvation and guidance for people. I focus on what I can see, that although urgent, have little to no effect on the eternal well-being of the people. I should be more like Jesus and spend more time on praying for people’s spiritual needs that determine their eternal well-being.

Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. (John 2:23-25) {emphasis mine}

When we have people asking for us to share Jesus with them, we jump at the opportunity. We seek the crowds and the following. We seek the influence and prestige, but Jesus did not trust those seeking Him and knew they were looking for blessings without the submission or repentance.

I’ve noticed that I will have people asking questions about the Bible and Christianity. They ask me to defend everything in the Bible and what I believe. Because I have studied these things and studied apologetics, I tend to spend a large amount of time debating these topics, but it is frequently obvious from the beginning that these people are not truth seekers. They are people looking to throw “gotcha” questions at Christians in the hope of destroying their faith or making them look bad. I need to get better at asking questions of them and recognizing these situations as not interest and inquisitiveness, but attempts to destroy and not waste time on them. (Of course, sometimes there are watchers/listeners who can be helped by knowing there are answers to these questions.)

When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” They said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. (Matthew 14:15-20) {emphasis mine}

We so often see the glass half empty. We see all of the things we can’t do, but Jesus knows what can be done and we should know that we can do all things in Christ who strengthens us. Instead of focusing on why we can’t, we need to trust God to enable us to do whatever He asks us to do.

Some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began to question Him whether it was lawful for a man to divorce a wife. And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” (Mark 10:2-8) {emphasis mine}

How often do we look for a loophole in God’s word? The Pharisees were looking for an excuse to do what they wanted to do, but Jesus said that He had allowed for their evil ways (for the good of the woman they wanted to divorce) despite His perfect plan which they had rejected. “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-22)” Peter thought he was being generous forgiving someone seven times, but Jesus wanted him to forgive as He had forgiven Peter. (See the Lord’s Prayer “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.” Luke 11:4)**

And they sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any. Tell us then, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away. (Matthew 22:16-22) {emphasis mine}

Instead of directly answering the question that was asked, since it was not asked in good faith, He corrected their hypocrisy and showed them the truth. We are not nearly as wise and observant as Jesus, but we should still try to see what is truly being asked instead of just answering the obvious question. So often there is a need or motive behind the question that needs to be addressed. I’ve found that asking questions of the questioner can both uncover what is behind the question and also lead them to the truth. This method, also known as the Socratic Method, is taught well from a Christian perspective in the book “Tactics” by Gregory Koukl.

They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.” After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up. (Mark 9:20-27) {emphasis mine}

Jesus sees things as they are. He honors belief. I love the boy’s father’s response to Jesus, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” I’ve felt like this before. Jesus never gives up and as long as we have Jesus, we should never give up on someone.

As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting:

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord;\ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” (Luke 19:31-40) {emphasis mine}

The Pharisees saw a threat to their power and prestige, but Jesus saw reality as it was. Jesus saw the fulfillment of scripture and a small glimpse of the glory He deserved. They focused on what they disagreed with and what they didn’t like. Jesus focused on the fact that worship of God cannot be stopped. What do you focus on?

Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; and he entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” (John 19:8-11) {emphasis mine}

Most innocent men would be continually speaking the truth of their innocence and trying to convince Pilate to listen, but Jesus had a purpose. He didn’t act like a normal innocent man, nor did He act like a normal guilty man. He was God incarnate living out His perfect plan. He knew Pilate didn’t have authority to kill or free Him, but that everything was going according to His perfect plan.

When we are following Jesus, we need to accept that God is in control. Not every hardship needs to be fixed. Sometimes it is part of God’s perfect plan. No one, man or spirit, has the authority to harm a believer unless God allows it and He only allows it if it furthers His perfect plan and is used for good. We need to know God and know His word. We need to listen to His leading through the Spirit, so we respond as Jesus did, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above.” This is as true of us today as it was about our savior on that fateful day. God is always in control.

Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He *answered him, “It is as you say.” The chief priests began to accuse Him harshly. Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!” But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed. (Mark 15:2-5) {emphasis mine}

How often are people amazed because Jesus does not respond in the way a normal person would. Are there times that we should speak up and defend the word of God? Yes. Are there times that we should, like Jesus, make no further answer? Yes. We must ask God for guidance on the right response for each situation.

While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. (Luke 22:47-51) {emphasis mine}

The common response to being mistreated is to mistreat back. We so often try to do to others at least as badly as they have done to us, but Jesus was different. When Judas betrayed Jesus, He mercifully responded, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” When soldiers came to arrest Jesus for crimes He did not commit and one of His disciples struck a man with his sword, Jesus healed this man who had come to do Him harm. Jesus followed His own command to turn the other cheek. He gave love to those who were unloving. He gave mercy to those who showed no mercy. Do you seek revenge or do you seek to understand those who do you wrong and help them? Be loving and merciful just as Jesus is loving and merciful.

The best way to be a light for Jesus is to act like Jesus and acting like Jesus requires thinking like Jesus and responding in the most unimaginable ways. Jesus was not like a normal man and neither should we be.

Father God, help us to see other people and the world as you see it. Help us to respond as Jesus would. Help us to be different, so we can honor you with our differences.

Trust Jesus

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

Markdown: Syntax

• Overview
  • Philosophy
  • Inline HTML
  • Automatic Escaping for Special Characters
• Block Elements
  • Paragraphs and Line Breaks
  • Headers
  • Blockquotes
  • Lists
  • Code Blocks
  • Horizontal Rules
• Span Elements
  • Links
  • Emphasis
  • Code
  • Images
• Miscellaneous
  • Backslash Escapes
  • Automatic Links

Note: This document is itself written using Markdown; you can see the source for it by adding '.text' to the URL.

---

Overview

Philosophy

Markdown is intended to be as easy-to-read and easy-to-write as is feasible.

Readability, however, is emphasized above all else. A Markdown-formatted document should be publishable as-is, as plain text, without looking like it's been marked up with tags or formatting instructions. While Markdown's syntax has been influenced by several existing text-to-HTML filters -- including Setext, atx, Textile, reStructuredText, Grutatext, and EtText -- the single biggest source of inspiration for Markdown's syntax is the format of plain text email.

Block Elements

Paragraphs and Line Breaks

A paragraph is simply one or more consecutive lines of text, separated by one or more blank lines. (A blank line is any line that looks like a blank line -- a line containing nothing but spaces or tabs is considered blank.) Normal paragraphs should not be indented with spaces or tabs.

The implication of the "one or more consecutive lines of text" rule is that Markdown supports "hard-wrapped" text paragraphs. This differs significantly from most other text-to-HTML formatters (including Movable Type's "Convert Line Breaks" option) which translate every line break character in a paragraph into a <br /> tag.

When you do want to insert a <br /> break tag using Markdown, you end a line with two or more spaces, then type return.

Headers

Markdown supports two styles of headers, [Setext] [1] and [atx] [2].

Optionally, you may "close" atx-style headers. This is purely cosmetic -- you can use this if you think it looks better. The closing hashes don't even need to match the number of hashes used to open the header. (The number of opening hashes determines the header level.)

Blockquotes

Markdown uses email-style > characters for blockquoting. If you're familiar with quoting passages of text in an email message, then you know how to create a blockquote in Markdown. It looks best if you hard wrap the text and put a > before every line:

This is a blockquote with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.

Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

Markdown allows you to be lazy and only put the > before the first line of a hard-wrapped paragraph:

This is a blockquote with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.

Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

Blockquotes can be nested (i.e. a blockquote-in-a-blockquote) by adding additional levels of >:

This is the first level of quoting.

This is nested blockquote.

Back to the first level.

Blockquotes can contain other Markdown elements, including headers, lists, and code blocks:

This is a header.

1. This is the first list item.
2. This is the second list item.

Here's some example code:

return shell_exec("echo $input | $markdown_script");

Any decent text editor should make email-style quoting easy. For example, with BBEdit, you can make a selection and choose Increase Quote Level from the Text menu.

Lists

Markdown supports ordered (numbered) and unordered (bulleted) lists.

Unordered lists use asterisks, pluses, and hyphens -- interchangably -- as list markers:

• Red
• Green
• Blue

is equivalent to:

• Red
• Green
• Blue

and:

• Red
• Green
• Blue

Ordered lists use numbers followed by periods:

1. Bird
2. McHale
3. Parish

It's important to note that the actual numbers you use to mark the list have no effect on the HTML output Markdown produces. The HTML Markdown produces from the above list is:

If you instead wrote the list in Markdown like this:

1. Bird
2. McHale
3. Parish

or even:

1. Bird
2. McHale
3. Parish

you'd get the exact same HTML output. The point is, if you want to, you can use ordinal numbers in your ordered Markdown lists, so that the numbers in your source match the numbers in your published HTML. But if you want to be lazy, you don't have to.

To make lists look nice, you can wrap items with hanging indents:

• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.
• Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

But if you want to be lazy, you don't have to:

• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.
• Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

List items may consist of multiple paragraphs. Each subsequent paragraph in a list item must be indented by either 4 spaces or one tab:

1. This is a list item with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus.

   Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus. Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit.

2. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

It looks nice if you indent every line of the subsequent paragraphs, but here again, Markdown will allow you to be lazy:

• This is a list item with two paragraphs.

  This is the second paragraph in the list item. You're only required to indent the first line. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.

• Another item in the same list.

To put a blockquote within a list item, the blockquote's > delimiters need to be indented:

• A list item with a blockquote:

  This is a blockquote inside a list item.

To put a code block within a list item, the code block needs to be indented twice -- 8 spaces or two tabs:

• A list item with a code block:

  <code goes here>
  

Code Blocks

Pre-formatted code blocks are used for writing about programming or markup source code. Rather than forming normal paragraphs, the lines of a code block are interpreted literally. Markdown wraps a code block in both <pre> and <code> tags.

To produce a code block in Markdown, simply indent every line of the block by at least 4 spaces or 1 tab.

This is a normal paragraph:

This is a code block.

Here is an example of AppleScript:

tell application "Foo"
    beep
end tell

A code block continues until it reaches a line that is not indented (or the end of the article).

Within a code block, ampersands (&) and angle brackets (< and >) are automatically converted into HTML entities. This makes it very easy to include example HTML source code using Markdown -- just paste it and indent it, and Markdown will handle the hassle of encoding the ampersands and angle brackets. For example, this:

<div class="footer">
    &copy; 2004 Foo Corporation
</div>

Regular Markdown syntax is not processed within code blocks. E.g., asterisks are just literal asterisks within a code block. This means it's also easy to use Markdown to write about Markdown's own syntax.

tell application "Foo" beep end tell

Span Elements

Links

Markdown supports two style of links: inline and reference.

In both styles, the link text is delimited by [square brackets].

To create an inline link, use a set of regular parentheses immediately after the link text's closing square bracket. Inside the parentheses, put the URL where you want the link to point, along with an optional title for the link, surrounded in quotes. For example:

This is an example inline link.

This link has no title attribute.

Emphasis

Markdown treats asterisks (*) and underscores (_) as indicators of emphasis. Text wrapped with one * or _ will be wrapped with an HTML <em> tag; double *'s or _'s will be wrapped with an HTML <strong> tag. E.g., this input:

single asterisks

single underscores

double asterisks

double underscores

Code

To indicate a span of code, wrap it with backtick quotes (`). Unlike a pre-formatted code block, a code span indicates code within a normal paragraph. For example:

Use the printf() function.

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

Markdown: Syntax

• Overview
  • Philosophy
  • Inline HTML
  • Automatic Escaping for Special Characters
• Block Elements
  • Paragraphs and Line Breaks
  • Headers
  • Blockquotes
  • Lists
  • Code Blocks
  • Horizontal Rules
• Span Elements
  • Links
  • Emphasis
  • Code
  • Images
• Miscellaneous
  • Backslash Escapes
  • Automatic Links

Note: This document is itself written using Markdown; you can see the source for it by adding '.text' to the URL.

---

Overview

Philosophy

Markdown is intended to be as easy-to-read and easy-to-write as is feasible.

Readability, however, is emphasized above all else. A Markdown-formatted document should be publishable as-is, as plain text, without looking like it's been marked up with tags or formatting instructions. While Markdown's syntax has been influenced by several existing text-to-HTML filters -- including Setext, atx, Textile, reStructuredText, Grutatext, and EtText -- the single biggest source of inspiration for Markdown's syntax is the format of plain text email.

Block Elements

Paragraphs and Line Breaks

A paragraph is simply one or more consecutive lines of text, separated by one or more blank lines. (A blank line is any line that looks like a blank line -- a line containing nothing but spaces or tabs is considered blank.) Normal paragraphs should not be indented with spaces or tabs.

The implication of the "one or more consecutive lines of text" rule is that Markdown supports "hard-wrapped" text paragraphs. This differs significantly from most other text-to-HTML formatters (including Movable Type's "Convert Line Breaks" option) which translate every line break character in a paragraph into a <br /> tag.

When you do want to insert a <br /> break tag using Markdown, you end a line with two or more spaces, then type return.

Headers

Markdown supports two styles of headers, [Setext] [1] and [atx] [2].

Optionally, you may "close" atx-style headers. This is purely cosmetic -- you can use this if you think it looks better. The closing hashes don't even need to match the number of hashes used to open the header. (The number of opening hashes determines the header level.)

Blockquotes

Markdown uses email-style > characters for blockquoting. If you're familiar with quoting passages of text in an email message, then you know how to create a blockquote in Markdown. It looks best if you hard wrap the text and put a > before every line:

This is a blockquote with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.

Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

Markdown allows you to be lazy and only put the > before the first line of a hard-wrapped paragraph:

This is a blockquote with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.

Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

Blockquotes can be nested (i.e. a blockquote-in-a-blockquote) by adding additional levels of >:

This is the first level of quoting.

This is nested blockquote.

Back to the first level.

Blockquotes can contain other Markdown elements, including headers, lists, and code blocks:

This is a header.

1. This is the first list item.
2. This is the second list item.

Here's some example code:

return shell_exec("echo $input | $markdown_script");

Any decent text editor should make email-style quoting easy. For example, with BBEdit, you can make a selection and choose Increase Quote Level from the Text menu.

Lists

Markdown supports ordered (numbered) and unordered (bulleted) lists.

Unordered lists use asterisks, pluses, and hyphens -- interchangably -- as list markers:

• Red
• Green
• Blue

is equivalent to:

• Red
• Green
• Blue

and:

• Red
• Green
• Blue

Ordered lists use numbers followed by periods:

1. Bird
2. McHale
3. Parish

It's important to note that the actual numbers you use to mark the list have no effect on the HTML output Markdown produces. The HTML Markdown produces from the above list is:

If you instead wrote the list in Markdown like this:

1. Bird
2. McHale
3. Parish

or even:

1. Bird
2. McHale
3. Parish

you'd get the exact same HTML output. The point is, if you want to, you can use ordinal numbers in your ordered Markdown lists, so that the numbers in your source match the numbers in your published HTML. But if you want to be lazy, you don't have to.

To make lists look nice, you can wrap items with hanging indents:

• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.
• Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

But if you want to be lazy, you don't have to:

• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.
• Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

List items may consist of multiple paragraphs. Each subsequent paragraph in a list item must be indented by either 4 spaces or one tab:

1. This is a list item with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus.

   Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus. Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit.

2. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

It looks nice if you indent every line of the subsequent paragraphs, but here again, Markdown will allow you to be lazy:

• This is a list item with two paragraphs.

  This is the second paragraph in the list item. You're only required to indent the first line. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.

• Another item in the same list.

To put a blockquote within a list item, the blockquote's > delimiters need to be indented:

• A list item with a blockquote:

  This is a blockquote inside a list item.

To put a code block within a list item, the code block needs to be indented twice -- 8 spaces or two tabs:

• A list item with a code block:

  <code goes here>
  

Code Blocks

Pre-formatted code blocks are used for writing about programming or markup source code. Rather than forming normal paragraphs, the lines of a code block are interpreted literally. Markdown wraps a code block in both <pre> and <code> tags.

To produce a code block in Markdown, simply indent every line of the block by at least 4 spaces or 1 tab.

This is a normal paragraph:

This is a code block.

Here is an example of AppleScript:

tell application "Foo"
    beep
end tell

A code block continues until it reaches a line that is not indented (or the end of the article).

Within a code block, ampersands (&) and angle brackets (< and >) are automatically converted into HTML entities. This makes it very easy to include example HTML source code using Markdown -- just paste it and indent it, and Markdown will handle the hassle of encoding the ampersands and angle brackets. For example, this:

<div class="footer">
    &copy; 2004 Foo Corporation
</div>

Regular Markdown syntax is not processed within code blocks. E.g., asterisks are just literal asterisks within a code block. This means it's also easy to use Markdown to write about Markdown's own syntax.

tell application "Foo" beep end tell

Span Elements

Links

Markdown supports two style of links: inline and reference.

In both styles, the link text is delimited by [square brackets].

To create an inline link, use a set of regular parentheses immediately after the link text's closing square bracket. Inside the parentheses, put the URL where you want the link to point, along with an optional title for the link, surrounded in quotes. For example:

This is an example inline link.

This link has no title attribute.

Emphasis

Markdown treats asterisks (*) and underscores (_) as indicators of emphasis. Text wrapped with one * or _ will be wrapped with an HTML <em> tag; double *'s or _'s will be wrapped with an HTML <strong> tag. E.g., this input:

single asterisks

single underscores

double asterisks

double underscores

Code

To indicate a span of code, wrap it with backtick quotes (`). Unlike a pre-formatted code block, a code span indicates code within a normal paragraph. For example:

Use the printf() function.

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

Overview

Philosophy

Markdown is intended to be as easy-to-read and easy-to-write as is feasible.

Readability, however, is emphasized above all else. A Markdown-formatted document should be publishable as-is, as plain text, without looking like it's been marked up with tags or formatting instructions. While Markdown's syntax has been influenced by several existing text-to-HTML filters -- including Setext, atx, Textile, reStructuredText, Grutatext, and EtText -- the single biggest source of inspiration for Markdown's syntax is the format of plain text email.

Block Elements

Paragraphs and Line Breaks

A paragraph is simply one or more consecutive lines of text, separated by one or more blank lines. (A blank line is any line that looks like a blank line -- a line containing nothing but spaces or tabs is considered blank.) Normal paragraphs should not be indented with spaces or tabs.

The implication of the "one or more consecutive lines of text" rule is that Markdown supports "hard-wrapped" text paragraphs. This differs significantly from most other text-to-HTML formatters (including Movable Type's "Convert Line Breaks" option) which translate every line break character in a paragraph into a <br /> tag.

When you do want to insert a <br /> break tag using Markdown, you end a line with two or more spaces, then type return.

Headers

Markdown supports two styles of headers, [Setext] [1] and [atx] [2].

Optionally, you may "close" atx-style headers. This is purely cosmetic -- you can use this if you think it looks better. The closing hashes don't even need to match the number of hashes used to open the header. (The number of opening hashes determines the header level.)

Blockquotes

Markdown uses email-style > characters for blockquoting. If you're familiar with quoting passages of text in an email message, then you know how to create a blockquote in Markdown. It looks best if you hard wrap the text and put a > before every line:

This is a blockquote with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.

Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

Markdown allows you to be lazy and only put the > before the first line of a hard-wrapped paragraph:

This is a blockquote with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.

Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

Blockquotes can be nested (i.e. a blockquote-in-a-blockquote) by adding additional levels of >:

This is the first level of quoting.

This is nested blockquote.

Back to the first level.

Blockquotes can contain other Markdown elements, including headers, lists, and code blocks:

This is a header.

1. This is the first list item.
2. This is the second list item.

Here's some example code:

return shell_exec("echo $input | $markdown_script");

Any decent text editor should make email-style quoting easy. For example, with BBEdit, you can make a selection and choose Increase Quote Level from the Text menu.

Lists

Markdown supports ordered (numbered) and unordered (bulleted) lists.

Unordered lists use asterisks, pluses, and hyphens -- interchangably -- as list markers:

• Red
• Green
• Blue

is equivalent to:

• Red
• Green
• Blue

and:

• Red
• Green
• Blue

Ordered lists use numbers followed by periods:

1. Bird
2. McHale
3. Parish

It's important to note that the actual numbers you use to mark the list have no effect on the HTML output Markdown produces. The HTML Markdown produces from the above list is:

If you instead wrote the list in Markdown like this:

1. Bird
2. McHale
3. Parish

or even:

1. Bird
2. McHale
3. Parish

you'd get the exact same HTML output. The point is, if you want to, you can use ordinal numbers in your ordered Markdown lists, so that the numbers in your source match the numbers in your published HTML. But if you want to be lazy, you don't have to.

To make lists look nice, you can wrap items with hanging indents:

• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.
• Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

But if you want to be lazy, you don't have to:

• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.
• Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

List items may consist of multiple paragraphs. Each subsequent paragraph in a list item must be indented by either 4 spaces or one tab:

1. This is a list item with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus.

   Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus. Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit.

2. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

It looks nice if you indent every line of the subsequent paragraphs, but here again, Markdown will allow you to be lazy:

• This is a list item with two paragraphs.

  This is the second paragraph in the list item. You're only required to indent the first line. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.

• Another item in the same list.

To put a blockquote within a list item, the blockquote's > delimiters need to be indented:

• A list item with a blockquote:

  This is a blockquote inside a list item.

To put a code block within a list item, the code block needs to be indented twice -- 8 spaces or two tabs:

• A list item with a code block:

  <code goes here>
  

Code Blocks

Pre-formatted code blocks are used for writing about programming or markup source code. Rather than forming normal paragraphs, the lines of a code block are interpreted literally. Markdown wraps a code block in both <pre> and <code> tags.

To produce a code block in Markdown, simply indent every line of the block by at least 4 spaces or 1 tab.

This is a normal paragraph:

This is a code block.

Here is an example of AppleScript:

tell application "Foo"
    beep
end tell

A code block continues until it reaches a line that is not indented (or the end of the article).

Within a code block, ampersands (&) and angle brackets (< and >) are automatically converted into HTML entities. This makes it very easy to include example HTML source code using Markdown -- just paste it and indent it, and Markdown will handle the hassle of encoding the ampersands and angle brackets. For example, this:

<div class="footer">
    &copy; 2004 Foo Corporation
</div>

Regular Markdown syntax is not processed within code blocks. E.g., asterisks are just literal asterisks within a code block. This means it's also easy to use Markdown to write about Markdown's own syntax.

tell application "Foo" beep end tell

Span Elements

Links

Markdown supports two style of links: inline and reference.

In both styles, the link text is delimited by [square brackets].

To create an inline link, use a set of regular parentheses immediately after the link text's closing square bracket. Inside the parentheses, put the URL where you want the link to point, along with an optional title for the link, surrounded in quotes. For example:

This is an example inline link.

This link has no title attribute.

Emphasis

Markdown treats asterisks (*) and underscores (_) as indicators of emphasis. Text wrapped with one * or _ will be wrapped with an HTML <em> tag; double *'s or _'s will be wrapped with an HTML <strong> tag. E.g., this input:

single asterisks

single underscores

double asterisks

double underscores

Code

To indicate a span of code, wrap it with backtick quotes (`). Unlike a pre-formatted code block, a code span indicates code within a normal paragraph. For example:

Use the printf() function.

@ 592295cf:413a0db9

[Edit] I tried to get the slides and an audio file, from Constant's talk at NostRiga, about 8 months ago

1.

Nostr's adoption thesis

The less you define, the more you imply

by Wouter Constant

2.

Dutch Bitcoiner

AntiHashedPodcast

Writing Book about nostr

00:40

3.

What this presentation about

A protocols design includes initself a thesis

on protocol adoption, due to underlying assumptions

1:17

4.

Examples

Governments/Academic: Pubhubs (Matrix)

Bussiness: Bluesky

Foss: Nostr

1:58

5.

What constitutes minimal viability?

Pubhubs (Matrix): make is "safe" for user

Bluesky: liability and monetization

Foss: Simpel for developer

4:03

6.

The Point of Nostr

Capture network effects through interoperability

4:43

7.

Three assumptions

The direction is workable

Method is workable

Motivation and means are sufficient

5:27

8.

Assumption 1

The asymmetric cryptography paradigm is a good idea

6:16

9.

Nostr is a exponent of the key-pair paradigm.

And Basicly just that.

6.52

10.

Keys suck

Protect a secret that you are supposed use all the time.

7:37

11.

Assumption two

The unaddressed things will be figured out within a 'meta-design consensus'

8:11

12.

Nostr's base protocol is not minimally viable for anything, except own development.

8:25

13.

Complexity leads to capture;

i.e. free and open in the name,

controlled in pratice

9:54

14.

Meta-design consensus

Buildings things 'note centric' mantains interoperability.

11:51

15.

Assumption three

the nightmare is scary;

the cream is appealing.

12:41

16.

Get it minimally viable,

for whatever target,

such that it is not a waste of time.

13:23

17.

Summarize

We are in a nightmare.

Assume key/signature are the way out.

Assume we can Maintain an open stardand while manifesting the dream.

Assume we are motivated enought to bootstrap this to adulthood.

14:01

18.

We want this,

we can do this,

because we have to.

14:12

Thank you for contribuiting

[Edit] Note for audio presentation

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzqkfzjh8jkzd8l9247sadku6vhm52snhgjtknlyeku6sfkeqn5rdeqyf8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnvw5hxkef0qyg8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnddakj7qpqqqq6fdnhvp95gqf4k3vxmljh87uvjezpepyt222jl2267q857uwqz7gcke

@ 6389be64:ef439d32

Brewing Biology

Episode 1068 of Bitcoin And . . . is LIVE!

This episode of Bitcoin And dives into Brewing Biology—a regenerative system combining compost tea, biochar, Bitcoin mining, and carbon credits—developed through a deep, idea-driven conversation with ChatGPT.

LISTEN HERE --> https://fountain.fm/episode/p0DmvPzxirDHh2l68zOX <-- LISTEN HERE

The future of Bitcoin isn’t just about code or money—it’s about soil. A groundbreaking fusion of biology, technology, and financial innovation might change the rules of agriculture, offering landowners a path to profitability while Healing our soils. At the heart of this revolution is biochar, a form of charcoal that supercharges soil health. When mixed with compost tea and microbial inoculants, this carbon-rich material becomes a game-changer.

Biochar’s porous structure acts as a microbial hotel, hosting fungi like arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis. These organisms form symbiotic networks that boost nutrient absorption and secrete glomalin—a natural “glue” that binds soil, preventing erosion. But here’s the twist: this system doesn’t just heal the earth; it also generates revenue.

Biochar’s Hidden Superpower: Adsorption & Buffering Biochar’s porous structure acts as a molecular storage hub. Unlike absorption (soaking up water like a sponge), adsorption is a chemical process where water and nutrients cling to biochar’s surfaces. A single gram of biochar has the surface area of a basketball court, creating a lattice of microscopic nooks and crannies. This allows it to:

Lock in moisture: Biochar retains up to 10x its weight in water, acting like a “soil battery” that releases hydration slowly during droughts.

Hoard nutrients: It buffers nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients in its pores, preventing leaching. Plants access these nutrients gradually, reducing fertilizer needs.

Stabilize pH: Biochar’s alkaline nature buffers acidic soils, creating a neutral environment where microbes and roots thrive.

This buffering effect means plants face fewer nutrient and water spikes or shortages, ensuring steady growth even in erratic climates.

The Carbon Math Every ton of biochar (which is ~85% carbon by weight) sequesters 3.12 tons of CO₂ (using the 1:3.67 carbon-to-CO₂ ratio). With carbon credits trading at $42–$60/ton, a 1,000-acre project applying 1 pound of biochar per linear foot (via a three-shank plow at 2-foot spacing) could sequester ~12,000 tons of CO₂ annually—generating $504,000–$720,000 in carbon credit revenue.

Tools for the Revolution The Keyline Plow fractures subsoil to inject biochar slurry 30–45cm deep, revitalizing compacted land. For smaller plots, the VOGT Geo Injector delivers pinpoint inoculations—think of it as a soil “injection gun” for lawns, golf courses, or urban gardens. These methods ensure biochar stays where it’s needed, turning even parched landscapes into carbon sinks.

Bitcoin’s Role in the Loop Biochar production generates syngas—a byproduct that fuels electric generators for Bitcoin mining. This closed-loop system turns agricultural waste into energy, creating dual revenue streams: carbon credits and mining income.

The Market Potential Farmers, ranchers, and eco-conscious landowners aren’t the only beneficiaries. Golf courses can slash water use and homeowners can boost lawn resilience.

Why This Matters This isn’t just farming—it’s a movement. By marrying soil science with economics, we can prove that healing the planet and profiting go hand in hand. Whether you’re a Bitcoin miner, a farmer, or an eco-entrepreneur, this system offers a blueprint for a future where every acre works for you—and the planet.

The takeaway? Regenerative agriculture isn’t a trend. It’s the next gold rush—except this time, the gold is carbon, soil, and sats.---

P.S. – If you’re ready to turn your land into a carbon credit powerhouse (and maybe mine some Bitcoin along the way), the soil is waiting.

You can read the full article, Brewing Biology HERE -> https://the-bitcoin-and-Podcast.ghost.io/ghost/#/editor/post/67e5922fa289aa00088da3c6

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/933800

@ df67f9a7:2d4fc200

More than just “follows follows” on Nostr, webs of trust algos will ingest increasingly MORE kinds of user generated content in order to map our interactions across the network. Webs of trust will power user discovery, content search, reviews and reccomendations, identity verification, and access to all corners of the Nostr network. Without relying on a central “trust authority” to recommend people and content for us, sovereign Nostr users will make use of “relative trust” scores generated by a wide range of independent apps and services. The problem is, Nostr doesn’t have an opensource library for performing WoT calculations and delivering NIP standard recommendations to users. In order for a “free market” ecosystem of really smart apps and services to thrive, independent developers will need access to extensible “middleware” such as this.

Project Description

I am building a library for independent developers to offer their own interoperable and configurable WoT services and clients. In addition, and as the primary use case, I am also developing a web client for “in person onboarding” to Nostr, which will make use of this library to provide webs of trust recommendations for “invited” users.

• Meet Me On Nostr (onboarding client) : This is my first project on Nostr, which began a year ago with seed funding from @druid. This web client will leverage “in person” QR invites to generate WoT powered recommendations of follows, apps, and other stuff for new users at their first Nostr touchpoint. The functional MVP release (April ‘25) allows for “instant, anonymous, and fully encrypted” direct messaging and “move in ready” profile creation from a single QR scan.

• GrapeRank Engine (developer library) : Working with @straycat last fall, I built an opensource and extensible library for Nostr developers to integrate “web of trust” powered reccomendations into their products and services. The real power behind GrapeRank is its “pluggable” interpreter, allowing any kind of content (not just “follows follows”) to be ingested for WoT scoring, and configurable easily by developers as well as end users. This library is currently in v0.1, “generating and storing usable scores”, and doesn’t yet produce NIP standard outputs for Nostr clients.

• My Grapevine (algo dashboard) : In addition, I’ve just wrapped up the demo release of a web client by which users and developers can explore the power of the GrapeRank Engine.

Potential Impact

Webs of Trust is how Nostr scales. But so far, Nostr implementations have been ad-hoc and primarily client centered, with no consistency and little choice for end users. The “onboarding and discovery” tools I am developing promise to :

• Establish sovereignty for webs of trust users (supporting a “free market” of algo choices), with opensource libraries by which any developer can easily implement WoT powered recommendations.

• Accelerate the isolation of bots and bad actors (and improve the “trustiness” of Nostr for everyone else) by streamlining the onboarding of “real world” acquaintances directly into established webs of trust.

• Improve “discoverability of users and content” for any user on any client (to consume and take advantage of WoT powered recommendations for any use case, even as the NIP standards for this are still in flux), by providing an algo engine with “pluggable” inputs and outputs.

• Pave the way for “global Nostr adoption”, where WoT powered recommendations (and searches) are consistently available for every user across a wide variety of clients.

Timeline & Milestones

2025 roadmap for “Webs of Trust Onboarding and Discovery” :

• Meet Me On Nostr (onboarding client) : MVP release : “scan my QR invite to private message me instantly with a ‘move in ready’ account on Nostr”. https://nostrmeet.me/

• GrapeRank Engine (developer library) : 1.0 release : “expanded inputs and output WoT scores to Nostr NIPs and other stuff” for consumption by clients and relays. https://github.com/Pretty-Good-Freedom-Tech/graperank-nodejs

• My Grapevine (algo dashboard) : 1.0 release : “algo usage and configuration webapp with API endpoints” for end users to setup GrapeRank scoring for consumption by their own clients and relays. https://grapevine.my/

• Meet Me On Nostr (onboarding client) : 1.0 release : first GrapeRank integration, offering “follow and app recommendations for invited users”, customizable per-invite for Nostr advocates. https://nostrmeet.me/

Prior contributions

• Last spring I hosted panel discussions and wrote articles on Nostr exploring how to build “sovereign webs of trust”, where end users can have control over which algorithms to use, and what defines “trust”.

• I contributed gift wrap encryption to NDK.

• I am also authoring gift wrapped direct messaging and chat room modules for NDK.

• Last July, I attended The Bitcoin Conference on an OpenSource pass to raise funds for my onboarding client. I onboarded many Bitcoiners to Nostr, and made valuable connections at Bitcoin Park.

About Me

I discovered Nostr in September ‘23 as a freelance web developer, after years of looking for a “sovereignty respecting” social media on which to build apps. With this came my first purchase of Bitcoin. By December of that year, I was settled on “open source freedom tech” (Nostr and Bitcoin) as the new direction for my career.

As a web professional for 20+ years, I know the importance of “proof of work” and being connected. For the last 18 months, I have been establishing myself as a builder in this community. This pivot has not been easy, but it has been rewarding and necessary. After so many years building private tech for other people, I finally have a chance to build freedom tech for everyone. I have finally come home to my peeps and my purpose.

Thank you for considering this application for funding.

@ 17538dc2:71ed77c4

The MacOS security update summary is a reminder that laptops and desktops are incredibly compromised.

macOS Sequoia 15.4

Released March 31, 2025

Accessibility Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

Description: A logging issue was addressed with improved data redaction.

CVE-2025-24202: Zhongcheng Li from IES Red Team of ByteDance

AccountPolicy Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious app may be able to gain root privileges

Description: This issue was addressed by removing the vulnerable code.

CVE-2025-24234: an anonymous researcher

AirDrop Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to read arbitrary file metadata

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2025-24097: Ron Masas of BREAKPOINT.SH

App Store Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious app may be able to access private information

Description: This issue was addressed by removing the vulnerable code.

CVE-2025-24276: an anonymous researcher

AppleMobileFileIntegrity Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system

Description: The issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-24272: Mickey Jin (@patch1t)

AppleMobileFileIntegrity Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access protected user data

Description: A downgrade issue was addressed with additional code-signing restrictions.

CVE-2025-24239: Wojciech Regula of SecuRing (wojciechregula.blog)

AppleMobileFileIntegrity Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious app may be able to read or write to protected files

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2025-24233: Claudio Bozzato and Francesco Benvenuto of Cisco Talos.

AppleMobileFileIntegrity Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

Description: A privacy issue was addressed by removing the vulnerable code.

CVE-2025-30443: Bohdan Stasiuk (@bohdan_stasiuk)

Audio Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted font may result in the disclosure of process memory

Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2025-24244: Hossein Lotfi (@hosselot) of Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative

Audio Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to arbitrary code execution

Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2025-24243: Hossein Lotfi (@hosselot) of Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative

Authentication Services Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Password autofill may fill in passwords after failing authentication

Description: This issue was addressed through improved state management.

CVE-2025-30430: Dominik Rath

Authentication Services Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious website may be able to claim WebAuthn credentials from another website that shares a registrable suffix

Description: The issue was addressed with improved input validation.

CVE-2025-24180: Martin Kreichgauer of Google Chrome

Authentication Services Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious app may be able to access a user's saved passwords

Description: This issue was addressed by adding a delay between verification code attempts.

CVE-2025-24245: Ian Mckay (@iann0036)

Automator Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access protected user data

Description: A permissions issue was addressed by removing vulnerable code and adding additional checks.

CVE-2025-30460: an anonymous researcher

BiometricKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination

Description: A buffer overflow was addressed with improved bounds checking.

CVE-2025-24237: Yutong Xiu

Calendar Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to break out of its sandbox

Description: A path handling issue was addressed with improved validation.

CVE-2025-30429: Denis Tokarev (@illusionofcha0s)

Calendar Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to break out of its sandbox

Description: This issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-24212: Denis Tokarev (@illusionofcha0s)

CloudKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious app may be able to access private information

Description: The issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-24215: Kirin (@Pwnrin)

CoreAudio Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Parsing a file may lead to an unexpected app termination

Description: The issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-24163: Google Threat Analysis Group

CoreAudio Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Playing a malicious audio file may lead to an unexpected app termination

Description: An out-of-bounds read issue was addressed with improved input validation.

CVE-2025-24230: Hossein Lotfi (@hosselot) of Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative

CoreMedia Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted video file may lead to unexpected app termination or corrupt process memory

Description: This issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2025-24211: Hossein Lotfi (@hosselot) of Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative

CoreMedia Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

Description: An access issue was addressed with additional sandbox restrictions.

CVE-2025-24236: Csaba Fitzl (@theevilbit) and Nolan Astrein of Kandji

CoreMedia Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted video file may lead to unexpected app termination or corrupt process memory

Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2025-24190: Hossein Lotfi (@hosselot) of Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative

CoreMedia Playback Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious app may be able to access private information

Description: A path handling issue was addressed with improved validation.

CVE-2025-30454: pattern-f (@pattern_F_)

CoreServices Description: This issue was addressed through improved state management.

CVE-2025-31191: Jonathan Bar Or (@yo_yo_yo_jbo) of Microsoft, and an anonymous researcher Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

CoreText Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted font may result in the disclosure of process memory

Description: An out-of-bounds read issue was addressed with improved input validation.

CVE-2025-24182: Hossein Lotfi (@hosselot) of Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative

Crash Reporter Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to gain root privileges

Description: A parsing issue in the handling of directory paths was addressed with improved path validation.

CVE-2025-24277: Csaba Fitzl (@theevilbit) of Kandji and Gergely Kalman (@gergely_kalman), and an anonymous researcher

curl Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An input validation issue was addressed

Description: This is a vulnerability in open source code and Apple Software is among the affected projects. The CVE-ID was assigned by a third party. Learn more about the issue and CVE-ID at cve.org.

CVE-2024-9681

Disk Images Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to break out of its sandbox

Description: A file access issue was addressed with improved input validation.

CVE-2025-24255: an anonymous researcher

DiskArbitration Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to gain root privileges

Description: A parsing issue in the handling of directory paths was addressed with improved path validation.

CVE-2025-30456: Gergely Kalman (@gergely_kalman)

DiskArbitration Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to gain root privileges

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2025-24267: an anonymous researcher

Dock Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious app may be able to access private information

Description: The issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-30455: Mickey Jin (@patch1t), and an anonymous researcher

Dock Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system

Description: This issue was addressed by removing the vulnerable code.

CVE-2025-31187: Rodolphe BRUNETTI (@eisw0lf) of Lupus Nova

dyld Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Apps that appear to use App Sandbox may be able to launch without restrictions

Description: A library injection issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2025-30462: Pietro Francesco Tirenna, Davide Silvetti, Abdel Adim Oisfi of Shielder (shielder.com)

FaceTime Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

Description: This issue was addressed with improved redaction of sensitive information.

CVE-2025-30451: Kirin (@Pwnrin) and luckyu (@uuulucky)

FeedbackLogger Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

Description: This issue was addressed with improved data protection.

CVE-2025-24281: Rodolphe BRUNETTI (@eisw0lf)

Focus Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An attacker with physical access to a locked device may be able to view sensitive user information

Description: The issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-30439: Andr.Ess

Focus Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

Description: A logging issue was addressed with improved data redaction.

CVE-2025-24283: Kirin (@Pwnrin)

Foundation Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access protected user data

Description: An access issue was addressed with additional sandbox restrictions on the system pasteboards.

CVE-2025-30461: an anonymous researcher

Foundation Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

Description: The issue was resolved by sanitizing logging

CVE-2025-30447: LFY@secsys from Fudan University

Foundation Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to cause a denial-of-service

Description: An uncontrolled format string issue was addressed with improved input validation.

CVE-2025-24199: Manuel Fernandez (Stackhopper Security)

GPU Drivers Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory

Description: An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved bounds checking.

CVE-2025-30464: ABC Research s.r.o.

CVE-2025-24273: Wang Yu of Cyberserval

GPU Drivers Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to disclose kernel memory

Description: The issue was addressed with improved bounds checks.

CVE-2025-24256: Anonymous working with Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative, Murray Mike

Handoff Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

Description: The issue was addressed with improved restriction of data container access.

CVE-2025-30463: mzzzz__

ImageIO Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Parsing an image may lead to disclosure of user information

Description: A logic error was addressed with improved error handling.

CVE-2025-24210: Anonymous working with Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative

Installer Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to check the existence of an arbitrary path on the file system

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional sandbox restrictions.

CVE-2025-24249: YingQi Shi(@Mas0nShi) of DBAppSecurity's WeBin lab and Minghao Lin (@Y1nKoc)

Installer Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A sandboxed app may be able to access sensitive user data

Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-24229: an anonymous researcher

IOGPUFamily Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or write kernel memory

Description: An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved input validation.

CVE-2025-24257: Wang Yu of Cyberserval

IOMobileFrameBuffer Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to corrupt coprocessor memory

Description: The issue was addressed with improved bounds checks.

CVE-2025-30437: Ye Zhang (@VAR10CK) of Baidu Security

Kerberos Helper Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected app termination or heap corruption

Description: A memory initialization issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2025-24235: Dave G.

Kernel Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access protected user data

Description: The issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-24204: Koh M. Nakagawa (@tsunek0h) of FFRI Security, Inc.

Kernel Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system

Description: The issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-24203: Ian Beer of Google Project Zero

Kernel Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An attacker with user privileges may be able to read kernel memory

Description: A type confusion issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2025-24196: Joseph Ravichandran (@0xjprx) of MIT CSAIL

LaunchServices Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious JAR file may bypass Gatekeeper checks

Description: This issue was addressed with improved handling of executable types.

CVE-2025-24148: Kenneth Chew

libarchive Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An input validation issue was addressed

Description: This is a vulnerability in open source code and Apple Software is among the affected projects. The CVE-ID was assigned by a third party. Learn more about the issue and CVE-ID at cve.org.

CVE-2024-48958

Libinfo Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A user may be able to elevate privileges

Description: An integer overflow was addressed with improved input validation.

CVE-2025-24195: Paweł Płatek (Trail of Bits)

libnetcore Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may result in the disclosure of process memory

Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-24194: an anonymous researcher

libxml2 Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Parsing a file may lead to an unexpected app termination

Description: This is a vulnerability in open source code and Apple Software is among the affected projects. The CVE-ID was assigned by a third party. Learn more about the issue and CVE-ID at cve.org.

CVE-2025-27113

CVE-2024-56171

libxpc Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to break out of its sandbox

Description: This issue was addressed through improved state management.

CVE-2025-24178: an anonymous researcher

libxpc Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to delete files for which it does not have permission

Description: This issue was addressed with improved handling of symlinks.

CVE-2025-31182: Alex Radocea and Dave G. of Supernetworks, 风沐云烟(@binary_fmyy) and Minghao Lin(@Y1nKoc)

libxpc Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to gain elevated privileges

Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-24238: an anonymous researcher

Mail Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: "Block All Remote Content" may not apply for all mail previews

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional sandbox restrictions.

CVE-2025-24172: an anonymous researcher

manpages Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

Description: This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks.

CVE-2025-30450: Pwn2car

Maps Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to read sensitive location information

Description: A path handling issue was addressed with improved logic.

CVE-2025-30470: LFY@secsys from Fudan University

NetworkExtension Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to enumerate a user's installed apps

Description: This issue was addressed with additional entitlement checks.

CVE-2025-30426: Jimmy

Notes Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A sandboxed app may be able to access sensitive user data in system logs

Description: A privacy issue was addressed with improved private data redaction for log entries.

CVE-2025-24262: LFY@secsys from Fudan University

NSDocument Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious app may be able to access arbitrary files

Description: This issue was addressed through improved state management.

CVE-2025-24232: an anonymous researcher

OpenSSH Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

Description: An injection issue was addressed with improved validation.

CVE-2025-24246: Mickey Jin (@patch1t)

PackageKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system

Description: The issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-24261: Mickey Jin (@patch1t)

PackageKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system

Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-24164: Mickey Jin (@patch1t)

PackageKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious app with root privileges may be able to modify the contents of system files

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2025-30446: Pedro Tôrres (@t0rr3sp3dr0)

Parental Controls Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to retrieve Safari bookmarks without an entitlement check

Description: This issue was addressed with additional entitlement checks.

CVE-2025-24259: Noah Gregory (wts.dev)

Photos Storage Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Deleting a conversation in Messages may expose user contact information in system logging

Description: A logging issue was addressed with improved data redaction.

CVE-2025-30424: an anonymous researcher

Power Services Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to break out of its sandbox

Description: This issue was addressed with additional entitlement checks.

CVE-2025-24173: Mickey Jin (@patch1t)

Python Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A remote attacker may be able to bypass sender policy checks and deliver malicious content via email

Description: This is a vulnerability in open source code and Apple Software is among the affected projects. The CVE-ID was assigned by a third party. Learn more about the issue and CVE-ID at cve.org.

CVE-2023-27043

RPAC Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system

Description: The issue was addressed with improved validation of environment variables.

CVE-2025-24191: Claudio Bozzato and Francesco Benvenuto of Cisco Talos

Safari Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Visiting a malicious website may lead to user interface spoofing

Description: The issue was addressed with improved UI.

CVE-2025-24113: @RenwaX23

Safari Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Visiting a malicious website may lead to address bar spoofing

Description: The issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-30467: @RenwaX23

Safari Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A website may be able to access sensor information without user consent

Description: The issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-31192: Jaydev Ahire

Safari Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A download's origin may be incorrectly associated

Description: This issue was addressed through improved state management.

CVE-2025-24167: Syarif Muhammad Sajjad

Sandbox Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access removable volumes without user consent

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2025-24093: Yiğit Can YILMAZ (@yilmazcanyigit)

Sandbox Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An input validation issue was addressed

Description: The issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-30452: an anonymous researcher

Sandbox Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access protected user data

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2025-24181: Arsenii Kostromin (0x3c3e)

SceneKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to read files outside of its sandbox

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2025-30458: Mickey Jin (@patch1t)

Security Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A remote user may be able to cause a denial-of-service

Description: A validation issue was addressed with improved logic.

CVE-2025-30471: Bing Shi, Wenchao Li, Xiaolong Bai of Alibaba Group, Luyi Xing of Indiana University Bloomington

Security Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious app acting as a HTTPS proxy could get access to sensitive user data

Description: This issue was addressed with improved access restrictions.

CVE-2025-24250: Wojciech Regula of SecuRing (wojciechregula.blog)

Share Sheet Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious app may be able to dismiss the system notification on the Lock Screen that a recording was started

Description: This issue was addressed with improved access restrictions.

CVE-2025-30438: Halle Winkler, Politepix theoffcuts.org

Shortcuts Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A shortcut may be able to access files that are normally inaccessible to the Shortcuts app

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with improved validation.

CVE-2025-30465: an anonymous researcher

Shortcuts Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

Description: An access issue was addressed with additional sandbox restrictions.

CVE-2025-24280: Kirin (@Pwnrin)

Shortcuts Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A Shortcut may run with admin privileges without authentication

Description: An authentication issue was addressed with improved state management.

CVE-2025-31194: Dolf Hoegaerts

Shortcuts Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A shortcut may be able to access files that are normally inaccessible to the Shortcuts app

Description: This issue was addressed with improved access restrictions.

CVE-2025-30433: Andrew James Gonzalez

Siri Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

Description: The issue was addressed with improved restriction of data container access.

CVE-2025-31183: Kirin (@Pwnrin), Bohdan Stasiuk (@bohdan_stasiuk)

Siri Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A sandboxed app may be able to access sensitive user data in system logs

Description: This issue was addressed with improved redaction of sensitive information.

CVE-2025-30435: K宝 (@Pwnrin) and luckyu (@uuulucky)

Siri Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

Description: This issue was addressed with improved redaction of sensitive information.

CVE-2025-24217: Kirin (@Pwnrin)

Siri Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

Description: A privacy issue was addressed by not logging contents of text fields.

CVE-2025-24214: Kirin (@Pwnrin)

Siri Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to enumerate devices that have signed into the user's Apple Account

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2025-24248: Minghao Lin (@Y1nKoc) and Tong Liu@Lyutoon_ and 风(binary_fmyy) and F00L

Siri Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

Description: An authorization issue was addressed with improved state management.

CVE-2025-24205: YingQi Shi(@Mas0nShi) of DBAppSecurity's WeBin lab and Minghao Lin (@Y1nKoc)

Siri Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An attacker with physical access may be able to use Siri to access sensitive user data

Description: This issue was addressed by restricting options offered on a locked device.

CVE-2025-24198: Richard Hyunho Im (@richeeta) with routezero.security

SMB Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination

Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2025-24269: Alex Radocea of Supernetworks

SMB Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Mounting a maliciously crafted SMB network share may lead to system termination

Description: A race condition was addressed with improved locking.

CVE-2025-30444: Dave G.

SMB Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

Description: A buffer overflow issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2025-24228: Joseph Ravichandran (@0xjprx) of MIT CSAIL

smbx Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An attacker in a privileged position may be able to perform a denial-of-service

Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2025-24260: zbleet of QI-ANXIN TianGong Team

Software Update Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system

Description: A library injection issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2025-24282: Claudio Bozzato and Francesco Benvenuto of Cisco Talos

Software Update Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A user may be able to elevate privileges

Description: This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks.

CVE-2025-24254: Arsenii Kostromin (0x3c3e)

Software Update Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system

Description: The issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-24231: Claudio Bozzato and Francesco Benvenuto of Cisco Talos

StickerKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to observe unprotected user data

Description: A privacy issue was addressed by moving sensitive data to a protected location.

CVE-2025-24263: Cristian Dinca of "Tudor Vianu" National High School of Computer Science, Romania

Storage Management Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to enable iCloud storage features without user consent

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2025-24207: YingQi Shi (@Mas0nShi) of DBAppSecurity's WeBin lab, 风沐云烟 (binary_fmyy) and Minghao Lin (@Y1nKoc)

StorageKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to gain root privileges

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2025-30449: Arsenii Kostromin (0x3c3e), and an anonymous researcher

StorageKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access protected user data

Description: This issue was addressed with improved handling of symlinks.

CVE-2025-24253: Mickey Jin (@patch1t), Csaba Fitzl (@theevilbit) of Kandji

StorageKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

Description: A race condition was addressed with additional validation.

CVE-2025-24240: Mickey Jin (@patch1t)

StorageKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to bypass Privacy preferences

Description: A race condition was addressed with additional validation.

CVE-2025-31188: Mickey Jin (@patch1t)

Summarization Services Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access information about a user's contacts

Description: A privacy issue was addressed with improved private data redaction for log entries.

CVE-2025-24218: Kirin and FlowerCode, Bohdan Stasiuk (@bohdan_stasiuk)

System Settings Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access protected user data

Description: This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks.

CVE-2025-24278: Zhongquan Li (@Guluisacat)

System Settings Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app with root privileges may be able to access private information

Description: This issue was addressed with improved handling of symlinks.

CVE-2025-24242: Koh M. Nakagawa (@tsunek0h) of FFRI Security, Inc.

SystemMigration Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious app may be able to create symlinks to protected regions of the disk

Description: This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks.

CVE-2025-30457: Mickey Jin (@patch1t)

Voice Control Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to access contacts

Description: This issue was addressed with improved file handling.

CVE-2025-24279: Mickey Jin (@patch1t)

Web Extensions Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may gain unauthorized access to Local Network

Description: This issue was addressed with improved permissions checking.

CVE-2025-31184: Alexander Heinrich (@Sn0wfreeze), SEEMOO, TU Darmstadt & Mathy Vanhoef (@vanhoefm) and Jeroen Robben (@RobbenJeroen), DistriNet, KU Leuven

Web Extensions Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Visiting a website may leak sensitive data

Description: A script imports issue was addressed with improved isolation.

CVE-2025-24192: Vsevolod Kokorin (Slonser) of Solidlab

WebKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected Safari crash

Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

WebKit Bugzilla: 285892

CVE-2025-24264: Gary Kwong, and an anonymous researcher

WebKit Bugzilla: 284055

CVE-2025-24216: Paul Bakker of ParagonERP

WebKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A type confusion issue could lead to memory corruption

Description: This issue was addressed with improved handling of floats.

WebKit Bugzilla: 286694

CVE-2025-24213: Google V8 Security Team

WebKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process crash

Description: A buffer overflow issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

WebKit Bugzilla: 286462

CVE-2025-24209: Francisco Alonso (@revskills), and an anonymous researcher

WebKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected Safari crash

Description: A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

WebKit Bugzilla: 285643

CVE-2025-30427: rheza (@ginggilBesel)

WebKit Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: A malicious website may be able to track users in Safari private browsing mode

Description: This issue was addressed through improved state management.

WebKit Bugzilla: 286580

CVE-2025-30425: an anonymous researcher

WindowServer Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An attacker may be able to cause unexpected app termination

Description: A type confusion issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2025-24247: PixiePoint Security

WindowServer Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to trick a user into copying sensitive data to the pasteboard

Description: A configuration issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2025-24241: Andreas Hegenberg (folivora.AI GmbH)

Xsan Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination

Description: A buffer overflow was addressed with improved bounds checking.

CVE-2025-24266: an anonymous researcher

Xsan Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination

Description: An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved bounds checking.

CVE-2025-24265: an anonymous researcher

Xsan Available for: macOS Sequoia

Impact: An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory

Description: A buffer overflow issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2025-24157: an anonymous researcher

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

I was reading this passage last night:

…from that time when one came to a grain heap of twenty measures, there would be only ten; and when one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there would be only twenty. I smote you and every work of your hands with blasting wind, mildew and hail; yet you did not come back to Me,’ declares the Lord. ‘Do consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the Lord was founded, consider: Is the seed still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree, it has not borne fruit. Yet from this day on I will bless you.’ ” (Haggai 2:16-19) {emphasis mine}

Why were bad things happening to the Israelites? Because they were not following God. Why did God allow these difficult situations to occur? Because God was calling them back to Himself.

This made me think of several times lately, when I had written about Christians going through hard times, that fellow believers had tried to kindly correct me implying that God would not allow these painful things to happen to believers. They were trying to defend God’s honor, but instead they were degrading God. If God is not in control of everything, then either God is unable to protect His own from harm because of sin or bad things happened accidentally and God ignored the injustice. Saying God was not in control of allowing every hardship is either saying God isn’t strong enough, isn’t smart enough, or isn’t loving enough. The God I serve is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and love incarnate. He also didn’t promise us easy, pleasant lives, but did promise that good would come out of every situation.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

When Jesus walked on earth and some people said they wanted to follow Him, His response was not what we would expect:

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:23-26) {emphasis mine}

When one particular man said that he would follow Jesus anywhere, Jesus responded this way.

As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Luke 9:57-58) {emphasis mine}

Jesus was brutally honest that following Him would not be easy or comfortable. Following Jesus is more likely to lead to hardship and persecution that prosperity and comfort.

“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:9-14) {emphasis mine}

Of course God isn’t putting us through hardship to torture us. He is putting us in situations to grow our faith and dependence on Him, i.e. Abraham. He is putting us in situations where we can minister to others, i.e. Joseph. He is using us as examples of faith to others, i.e. Job. Any hardship has an eternal purpose. Sometimes we can see it (at least eventually) if we are looking for God’s will and plan. Sometime we won’t see what He was accomplishing until we get to heaven. Still we need to trust God through it all, knowing His plan is perfect.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,\ neither are your ways my ways,”\ declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,\ so are my ways higher than your ways\ and my thoughts than your thoughts.

As the rain and the snow\ come down from heaven,\ and do not return to it\ without watering the earth\ and making it bud and flourish,\ so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,\ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:\ It will not return to me empty,\ but will accomplish what I desire\ and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:8-11) {emphasis mine}

God understands how hard it is to understand what He is accomplishing. We live in the here and now while He is outside time and space and therefore has a heavenly and eternal perspective that we will never truly have this side of heaven. He has told us how the story ends, so that we can have peace and trust Him through whatever circumstances He has blessed us.

Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:31-33) {emphasis mine}

In fact, Jesus made this so clear that His disciples rejoiced in persecution they received due to obeying Him and sharing His word.

They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. (Acts 5:40-41) {emphasis mine}

Peter specifically warns believers to expect trials and hardship.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And,

“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,\ what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. (1 Peter 4:12-19) {emphasis mine}

Paul writes about begging God to take away a health issue. Eventually he accepted it as part of God’s plan for his life and boasted gladly in his hardship.

…Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7b-10) {emphasis mine}

No matter what hardships we experience in life, whether poverty or persecution or poor health or loss of a loved one or any other hardship, God is with us working everything for our good.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,

“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;\ We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” **But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39) {emphasis mine}

I like to look at the story of Joseph as an example of God’s extraordinary plan in the life of a faithful believer. Joseph trusted and honored God. God had a plan for Joseph to be used to save the lives of his family and the people of the Middle East from famine, but God didn’t just instantly put Joseph in a position of power to help. He prepared Joseph and slowly moved him to where he needed to be.

First Josephs brothers wanted to kill him out of jealousy, but God used greed to get them to sell Joseph as a slave instead. He orchestrated the right slave traders to walk by at the right time so that Joseph would wind up in the house of Potiphar, the Pharaoh’s guard.

Then when Joseph acted honorably towards God, his master, and his master’s wife, Joseph was sent to jail for years. I’m sure Joseph was wondering why God would send him to prison for doing what was right, but it put him into the presence of the cupbearer of Pharaoh. A long time after correctly interpreting the cup bearer’s dream, Joseph was called up to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, put in charge of the famine preparation and became second in command after Pharaoh. Joseph, after years of slavery and jail time, was now the second most powerful man in the Middle East, if not the world. God had a plan, but it was hard to see until its completion.

In the same way, Job lost his wealth, his children, his health, and his reputation, but remember that Satan had to get God’s permission before anything could be done to hurt Job. So many people today are blessed by seeing Job’s response to hardship and loss, by seeing Job’s faith, his struggle, and his submission to God’s plan. In this case God even gives Job more after this time of testing than he had before.

When we experience hardship we need to know that God has a plan for our life. It may be something amazing here on Earth. It may be souls won for Christ. It may be to prepare us for heaven. Whatever the case, it is for our good.

We don’t need to be ashamed that God would allow hardship. We grow most when we experience hardship. Our light shines brightest in darkness.

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!\ How unsearchable his judgments,\ and his paths beyond tracing out!\ “Who has known the mind of the Lord?\ Or who has been his counselor?”\ “Who has ever given to God,\ that God should repay them?”\ For from him and through him and for him are all things.\ To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Romans 11:33-36)

Trust Jesus

@ 06639a38:655f8f71

You can follow the work in progress here in this pull request https://github.com/nostrver-se/nostr-php/pull/68 on Github.

Before my 3-month break (Dec/Jan/Feb) working on Nostr-PHP I started with the NIP-19 integration in October '24. Encoding and decoding the simple prefixes (npub, nsec and note) was already done in the first commits.

Learn more about NIP-19 here: https://nips.nostr.com/19 

TLV's

Things were getting more complicated with the other prefixes / identifiers defined in NIP-19:

• nevent
• naddr
• nprofile

This is because these identifiers contain (optional) metadata called Type-Lenght-Value aka TLV's.

When sharing a profile or an event, an app may decide to include relay information and other metadata such that other apps can locate and display these entities more easily.
For these events, the contents are a binary-encoded list of _TLV_ (type-length-value), with _T_ and _L_ being 1 byte each (_uint8_, i.e. a number in the range of 0-255), and _V_ being a sequence of bytes of the size indicated by _L_.

These possible standardized TLV types are:

• 0: special
  • depends on the bech32 prefix:
    • for nprofile it will be the 32 bytes of the profile public key
    • for nevent it will be the 32 bytes of the event id
    • for naddr, it is the identifier (the "d" tag) of the event being referenced. For normal replaceable events use an empty string.
• 1: relay
  • for nprofile, nevent and  naddr, optionally, a relay in which the entity (profile or event) is more likely to be found, encoded as ascii
  • this may be included multiple times
• 2: author
  • for naddr, the 32 bytes of the pubkey of the event
  • for nevent, optionally, the 32 bytes of the pubkey of the event
• 3: kind
  • for naddr, the 32-bit unsigned integer of the kind, big-endian
  • for nevent, optionally, the 32-bit unsigned integer of the kind, big-endian

These identifiers are formatted as bech32 strings, but are much longer than the package bitwasp/bech32 (used in the library) for can handle for encoding and decoding. The bech32 strings handled by bitwasp/bech32 are limited to a maximum length of 90 characters.

Thanks to the effort of others (nostr:npub1636uujeewag8zv8593lcvdrwlymgqre6uax4anuq3y5qehqey05sl8qpl4 and nostr:npub1efz8l77esdtpw6l359sjvakm7azvyv6mkuxphjdk3vfzkgxkatrqlpf9s4) during my break, some contributions are made (modifiying the bech32 package supporting much longer strings, up to a max of 5000 characters). At this moment, I'm integrating this (mostly copy-pasting the stuff and refactoring the code):

• https://github.com/nostrver-se/nostr-php/issues/74
• https://github.com/nostriphant/nip-19

So what's next?

• NIP-19 code housekeeping + refactoring
• Prepare a new release with NIP-19 integration
• Create documentation page how to use NIP-19 on https://nostr-php.dev

@ 7bdef7be:784a5805

The following script try, using nak, to find out the last ten people who have followed a target_pubkey, sorted by the most recent. It's possibile to shorten search_timerange to speed up the search.

```

!/usr/bin/env fish

Target pubkey we're looking for in the tags

set target_pubkey "6e468422dfb74a5738702a8823b9b28168abab8655faacb6853cd0ee15deee93"

set current_time (date +%s) set search_timerange (math $current_time - 600) # 24 hours = 86400 seconds

set pubkeys (nak req --kind 3 -s $search_timerange wss://relay.damus.io/ wss://nos.lol/ 2>/dev/null | \ jq -r --arg target "$target_pubkey" ' select(. != null and type == "object" and has("tags")) | select(.tags[] | select(.[0] == "p" and .[1] == $target)) | .pubkey ' | sort -u)

if test -z "$pubkeys" exit 1 end

set all_events "" set extended_search_timerange (math $current_time - 31536000) # One year

for pubkey in $pubkeys echo "Checking $pubkey" set events (nak req --author $pubkey -l 5 -k 3 -s $extended_search_timerange wss://relay.damus.io wss://nos.lol 2>/dev/null | \ jq -c --arg target "$target_pubkey" ' select(. != null and type == "object" and has("tags")) | select(.tags[][] == $target) ' 2>/dev/null)

set count (echo "$events" | jq -s 'length')

if test "$count" -eq 1
    set all_events $all_events $events
end

end

if test -n "$all_events" echo -e "Last people following $target_pubkey:" echo -e ""

set sorted_events (printf "%s\n" $all_events | jq -r -s '
unique_by(.id) |
sort_by(-.created_at) |
.[] | @json
')

for event in $sorted_events
    set npub (echo $event | jq -r '.pubkey' | nak encode npub)
    set created_at (echo $event | jq -r '.created_at')
    if test (uname) = "Darwin"
        set follow_date (date -r "$created_at" "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M")
    else
        set follow_date (date -d @"$created_at" "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M")
    end
    echo "$follow_date - $npub"
end

end ```

@ 7bdef7be:784a5805

We value sovereignty, privacy and security when accessing online content, using several tools to achieve this, like open protocols, open OSes, open software products, Tor and VPNs.

The problem

Talking about our social presence, we can manually build up our follower list (social graph), pick a Nostr client that is respectful of our preferences on what to show and how, but with the standard following mechanism, our main feed is public, so everyone can actually snoop what we are interested in, and what is supposable that we read daily.

The solution

Nostr has a simple solution for this necessity: encrypted lists. Lists are what they appear, a collection of people or interests (but they can also group much other stuff, see NIP-51). So we can create lists with contacts that we don't have in our main social graph; these lists can be used primarily to create dedicated feeds, but they could have other uses, for example, related to monitoring. The interesting thing about lists is that they can also be encrypted, so unlike the basic following list, which is always public, we can hide the lists' content from others. The implications are obvious: we can not only have a more organized way to browse content, but it is also really private one.

One might wonder what use can really be made of private lists; here are some examples:

• Browse “can't miss” content from users I consider a priority;
• Supervise competitors or adversarial parts;
• Monitor sensible topics (tags);
• Following someone without being publicly associated with them, as this may be undesirable;

The benefits in terms of privacy as usual are not only related to the casual, or programmatic, observer, but are also evident when we think of how many bots scan our actions to profile us.

The current state

Unfortunately, lists are not widely supported by Nostr clients, and encrypted support is a rarity. Often the excuse to not implement them is that they are harder to develop, since they require managing the encryption stuff (NIP-44). Nevertheless, developers have an easier option to start offering private lists: give the user the possibility to simply mark them as local-only, and never push them to the relays. Even if the user misses the sync feature, this is sufficient to create a private environment.

To date, as far as I know, the best client with list management is Gossip, which permits to manage both encrypted and local-only lists.

Beg your Nostr client to implement private lists!

@ deab79da:88579e68

The last question was asked for the first time, half in jest, on May 21, 2061, at a time when humanity first stepped into the light. The question came about as a result of a five-dollar bet over highballs, and it happened this way:

Alexander Adell and Bertram Lupov were two of the faithful attendants of Multivac. As well as any human beings could, they knew what lay behind the cold, clicking, flashing face -- miles and miles of face -- of that giant computer. They had at least a vague notion of the general plan of relays and circuits that had long since grown past the point where any single human could possibly have a firm grasp of the whole.

Multivac was self-adjusting and self-correcting. It had to be, for nothing human could adjust and correct it quickly enough or even adequately enough. So Adell and Lupov attended the monstrous giant only lightly and superficially, yet as well as any men could. They fed it data, adjusted questions to its needs and translated the answers that were issued. Certainly they, and all others like them, were fully entitled to share in the glory that was Multivac's.

For decades, Multivac had helped design the ships and plot the trajectories that enabled man to reach the Moon, Mars, and Venus, but past that, Earth's poor resources could not support the ships. Too much energy was needed for the long trips. Earth exploited its coal and uranium with increasing efficiency, but there was only so much of both.

But slowly Multivac learned enough to answer deeper questions more fundamentally, and on May 14, 2061, what had been theory, became fact.

The energy of the sun was stored, converted, and utilized directly on a planet-wide scale. All Earth turned off its burning coal, its fissioning uranium, and flipped the switch that connected all of it to a small station, one mile in diameter, circling the Earth at half the distance of the Moon. All Earth ran by invisible beams of sunpower.

Seven days had not sufficed to dim the glory of it and Adell and Lupov finally managed to escape from the public functions, and to meet in quiet where no one would think of looking for them, in the deserted underground chambers, where portions of the mighty buried body of Multivac showed. Unattended, idling, sorting data with contented lazy clickings, Multivac, too, had earned its vacation and the boys appreciated that. They had no intention, originally, of disturbing it.

They had brought a bottle with them, and their only concern at the moment was to relax in the company of each other and the bottle.

"It's amazing when you think of it," said Adell. His broad face had lines of weariness in it, and he stirred his drink slowly with a glass rod, watching the cubes of ice slur clumsily about. "All the energy we can possibly ever use for free. Enough energy, if we wanted to draw on it, to melt all Earth into a big drop of impure liquid iron, and still never miss the energy so used. All the energy we could ever use, forever and forever and forever."

Lupov cocked his head sideways. He had a trick of doing that when he wanted to be contrary, and he wanted to be contrary now, partly because he had had to carry the ice and glassware. "Not forever," he said.

"Oh, hell, just about forever. Till the sun runs down, Bert."

"That's not forever."

"All right, then. Billions and billions of years. Ten billion, maybe. Are you satisfied?"

Lupov put his fingers through his thinning hair as though to reassure himself that some was still left and sipped gently at his own drink. "Ten billion years isn't forever."

"Well, it will last our time, won't it?"

"So would the coal and uranium."

"All right, but now we can hook up each individual spaceship to the Solar Station, and it can go to Pluto and back a million times without ever worrying about fuel. You can't do that on coal and uranium. Ask Multivac, if you don't believe me.

"I don't have to ask Multivac. I know that."

"Then stop running down what Multivac's done for us," said Adell, blazing up, "It did all right."

"Who says it didn't? What I say is that a sun won't last forever. That's all I'm saying. We're safe for ten billion years, but then what?" Lupow pointed a slightly shaky finger at the other. "And don't say we'll switch to another sun."

There was silence for a while. Adell put his glass to his lips only occasionally, and Lupov's eyes slowly closed. They rested.

Then Lupov's eyes snapped open. "You're thinking we'll switch to another sun when ours is done, aren't you?"

"I'm not thinking."

"Sure you are. You're weak on logic, that's the trouble with you. You're like the guy in the story who was caught in a sudden shower and who ran to a grove of trees and got under one. He wasn't worried, you see, because he figured when one tree got wet through, he would just get under another one."

"I get it," said Adell. "Don't shout. When the sun is done, the other stars will be gone, too."

"Darn right they will," muttered Lupov. "It all had a beginning in the original cosmic explosion, whatever that was, and it'll all have an end when all the stars run down. Some run down faster than others. Hell, the giants won't last a hundred million years. The sun will last ten billion years and maybe the dwarfs will last two hundred billion for all the good they are. But just give us a trillion years and everything will be dark. Entropy has to increase to maximum, that's all."

"I know all about entropy," said Adell, standing on his dignity.

"The hell you do."

"I know as much as you do."

"Then you know everything's got to run down someday."

"All right. Who says they won't?"

"You did, you poor sap. You said we had all the energy we needed, forever. You said 'forever.'

It was Adell's turn to be contrary. "Maybe we can build things up again someday," he said.

"Never."

"Why not? Someday."

"Never."

"Ask Multivac."

"You ask Multivac. I dare you. Five dollars says it can't be done."

Adell was just drunk enough to try, just sober enough to be able to phrase the necessary symbols and operations into a question which, in words, might have corresponded to this: Will mankind one day without the net expenditure of energy be able to restore the sun to its full youthfulness even after it had died of old age?

Or maybe it could be put more simply like this: How can the net amount of entropy of the universe be massively decreased?

Multivac fell dead and silent. The slow flashing of lights ceased, the distant sounds of clicking relays ended.

Then, just as the frightened technicians felt they could hold their breath no longer, there was a sudden springing to life of the teletype attached to that portion of Multivac. Five words were printed: INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER.

"No bet," whispered Lupov. They left hurriedly.

By next morning, the two, plagued with throbbing head and cottony mouth, had forgotten the incident.

🔹

Jerrodd, Jerrodine, and Jerrodette I and II watched the starry picture in the visiplate change as the passage through hyperspace was completed in its non-time lapse. At once, the even powdering of stars gave way to the predominance of a single bright shining disk, the size of a marble, centered on the viewing-screen.

"That's X-23," said Jerrodd confidently. His thin hands clamped tightly behind his back and the knuckles whitened.

The little Jerrodettes, both girls, had experienced the hyperspace passage for the first time in their lives and were self-conscious over the momentary sensation of insideoutness. They buried their giggles and chased one another wildly about their mother, screaming, "We've reached X-23 -- we've reached X-23 -- we've --"

"Quiet, children." said Jerrodine sharply. "Are you sure, Jerrodd?"

"What is there to be but sure?" asked Jerrodd, glancing up at the bulge of featureless metal just under the ceiling. It ran the length of the room, disappearing through the wall at either end. It was as long as the ship.

Jerrodd scarcely knew a thing about the thick rod of metal except that it was called a Microvac, that one asked it questions if one wished; that if one did not it still had its task of guiding the ship to a preordered destination; of feeding on energies from the various Sub-galactic Power Stations; of computing the equations for the hyperspatial jumps.

Jerrodd and his family had only to wait and live in the comfortable residence quarters of the ship. Someone had once told Jerrodd that the "ac" at the end of "Microvac" stood for ''automatic computer" in ancient English, but he was on the edge of forgetting even that.

Jerrodine's eyes were moist as she watched the visiplate. "I can't help it. I feel funny about leaving Earth."

"Why, for Pete's sake?" demanded Jerrodd. "We had nothing there. We'll have everything on X-23. You won't be alone. You won't be a pioneer. There are over a million people on the planet already. Good Lord, our great-grandchildren will be looking for new worlds because X-23 will be overcrowded." Then, after a reflective pause, "I tell you, it's a lucky thing the computers worked out interstellar travel the way the race is growing."

"I know, I know," said Jerrodine miserably.

Jerrodette I said promptly, "Our Microvac is the best Microvac in the world."

"I think so, too," said Jerrodd, tousling her hair.

It was a nice feeling to have a Microvac of your own and Jerrodd was glad he was part of his generation and no other. In his father's youth, the only computers had been tremendous machines taking up a hundred square miles of land. There was only one to a planet. Planetary ACs they were called. They had been growing in size steadily for a thousand years and then, all at once, came refinement. In place of transistors, had come molecular valves so that even the largest Planetary AC could be put into a space only half the volume of a spaceship.

Jerrodd felt uplifted, as he always did when he thought that his own personal Microvac was many times more complicated than the ancient and primitive Multivac that had first tamed the Sun, and almost as complicated as Earth's Planetarv AC (the largest) that had first solved the problem of hyperspatial travel and had made trips to the stars possible.

"So many stars, so many planets," sighed Jerrodine, busy with her own thoughts. "I suppose families will be going out to new planets forever, the way we are now."

"Not forever," said Jerrodd, with a smile. "It will all stop someday, but not for billions of years. Many billions. Even the stars run down, you know. Entropy must increase.

"What's entropy, daddy?" shrilled Jerrodette II.

"Entropy, little sweet, is just a word which means the amount of running-down of the universe. Everything runs down, you know, like your little walkie-talkie robot, remember?"

"Can't you just put in a new power-unit, like with my robot?"

"The stars are the power-units. dear. Once they're gone, there are no more power-units."

Jerrodette I at once set up a howl. "Don't let them, daddy. Don't let the stars run down."

"Now look what you've done," whispered Jerrodine, exasperated.

"How was I to know it would frighten them?" Jerrodd whispered back,

"Ask the Microvac," wailed Jerrodette I. "Ask him how to turn the stars on again."

"Go ahead," said Jerrodine. "It will quiet them down." (Jerrodette II was beginning to cry, also.)

Jerrodd shrugged. "Now, now, honeys. I'll ask Microvac. Don't worry, he'll tell us."

He asked the Microvac, adding quickly, "Print the answer."

Jerrodd cupped the strip or thin cellufilm and said cheerfully, "See now, the Microvac says it will take care of everything when the time comes so don't worry."

Jerrodine said, "And now, children, it's time for bed. We'll be in our new home soon."

Jerrodd read the words on the cellufilm again before destroying it: INSUFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER.

He shrugged and looked at the visiplate. X-23 was just ahead.

🔹

VJ-23X of Lameth stared into the black depths of the three-dimensional, small-scale map of the Galaxy and said, "Are we ridiculous, I wonder in being so concerned about the matter?"

MQ-17J of Nicron shook his head. "I think not. You know the Galaxy will be filled in five years at the present rate of expansion."

Both seemed in their early twenties, both were tall and perfectly formed.

"Still," said VJ-23X, "I hesitate to submit a pessimistic report to the Galactic Council."

"I wouldn't consider any other kind of report. Stir them up a bit. We've got to stir them up."

VJ-23X sighed. "Space is infinite. A hundred billion Galaxies are there for the taking. More."

"A hundred billion is not infinite and it's getting less infinite all the time. Consider! Twenty thousand years ago, mankind first solved the problem of utilizing stellar energy, and a few centuries later, interstellar travel became possible. It took mankind a million years to fill one small world and then only fifteen thousand years to fill the rest of the Galaxy. Now the population doubles every ten years --

VJ-23X interrupted. "We can thank immortality for that."

"Very well. Immortality exists and we have to take it into account. I admit it has its seamy side, this immortality. The Galactic AC has solved many problems for us, but in solving the problem of preventing old age and death, it has undone all its other solutions."

"Yet you wouldn't want to abandon life, I suppose."

"Not at all," snapped MQ-17J, softening it at once to, "Not yet. I'm by no means old enough. How old are you?"

"Two hundred twenty-three. And you?"

"I'm still under two hundred. --But to get back to my point. Population doubles every ten years. Once this GaIaxy is filled, we'll have filled another in ten years. Another ten years and we'll have filled two more. Another decade, four more. In a hundred years, we'll have filled a thousand Galaxies. In a thousand years, a million Galaxies. In ten thousand years, the entire known universe. Then what?"

VJ-23X said, "As a side issue, there's a problem of transportation. I wonder how many sunpower units it will take to move Galaxies of individuals from one Galaxy to the next."

"A very good point. Already, mankind consumes two sunpower units per year."

"Most of it's wasted. After all, our own Galaxy alone pours out a thousand sunpower units a year and we only use two of those."

"Granted, but even with a hundred per cent efficiency, we only stave off the end. Our energy requirements are going up in a geometric progression even faster than our population. We'll run out of energy even sooner than we run out of Galaxies. A good point. A very good point."

"We'll just have to build new stars out of interstellar gas."

"Or out of dissipated heat?" asked MQ-17J, sarcastically.

"There may be some way to reverse entropy. We ought to ask the Galactic AC."

VJ-23X was not really serious, but MQ-17J pulled out his AC-contact from his pocket and placed it on the table before him.

"I've half a mind to," he said. "It's something the human race will have to face someday."

He stared somberly at his small AC-contact. It was only two inches cubed and nothing in itself, but it was connected through hyperspace with the great Galactic AC that served all mankind. Hyperspace considered, it was an integral part of the Galactic AC.

MQ-17J paused to wonder if someday in his immortal life he would get to see the Galactic AC. It was on a little world of its own, a spider webbing of force-beams holding the matter within which surges of submesons took the place of the old clumsy molecular valves. Yet despite its sub-etheric workings, the Galactic AC was known to be a full thousand feet across.

MQ-17J asked suddenly of his AC-contact, "Can entropy ever be reversed?"

VJ-23X looked startled and said at once, "Oh, say, I didn't really mean to have you ask that."

"Why not?"

"We both know entropy can't be reversed. You can't turn smoke and ash back into a tree."

"Do you have trees on your world?" asked MQ-17J.

The sound of the Galactic AC startled them into silence. Its voice came thin and beautiful out of the small AC-contact on the desk. It said: THERE IS INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER.

VJ-23X said, "See!"

The two men thereupon returned to the question of the report they were to make to the Galactic Council.

🔹

Zee Prime's mind spanned the new Galaxy with a faint interest in the countless twists of stars that powdered it. He had never seen this one before. Would he ever see them all? So many of them, each with its load of humanity. --But a load that was almost a dead weight. More and more, the real essence of men was to be found out here, in space.

Minds, not bodies! The immortal bodies remained back on the planets, in suspension over the eons. Sometimes they roused for material activity but that was growing rarer. Few new individuals were coming into existence to join the incredibly mighty throng, but what matter? There was little room in the Universe for new individuals.

Zee Prime was roused out of his reverie upon coming across the wispy tendrils of another mind.

"I am Zee Prime," said Zee Prime. "And you?"

"I am Dee Sub Wun. Your Galaxy?"

"We call it only the Galaxy. And you?"

"We call ours the same. All men call their Galaxy their Galaxy and nothing more. Why not?"

"True. Since all Galaxies are the same."

"Not all Galaxies. On one particular Galaxy the race of man must have originated. That makes it different."

Zee Prime said, "On which one?"

"I cannot say. The Universal AC would know."

"Shall we ask him? I am suddenly curious."

Zee Prime's perceptions broadened until the Galaxies themselves shrank and became a new, more diffuse powdering on a much larger background. So many hundreds of billions of them, all with their immortal beings, all carrying their load of intelligences with minds that drifted freely through space. And yet one of them was unique among them all in being the original Galaxy. One of them had, in its vague and distant past, a period when it was the only Galaxy populated by man.

Zee Prime was consumed with curiosity to see this Galaxy and he called out: "Universal AC! On which Galaxy did mankind originate?"

The Universal AC heard, for on every world and throughout space, it had its receptors ready, and each receptor led through hyperspace to some unknown point where the Universal AC kept itself aloof.

Zee Prime knew of only one man whose thoughts had penetrated within sensing distance of Universal AC, and he reported only a shining globe, two feet across, difficult to see.

"But how can that be all of Universal AC?" Zee Prime had asked.

"Most of it," had been the answer, "is in hyperspace. In what form it is there I cannot imagine."

Nor could anyone, for the day had long since passed, Zee Prime knew, when any man had any part of the making of a Universal AC. Each Universal AC designed and constructed its successor. Each, during its existence of a million years or more accumulated the necessary data to build a better and more intricate, more capable successor in which its own store of data and individuality would be submerged.

The Universal AC interrupted Zee Prime's wandering thoughts, not with words, but with guidance. Zee Prime's mentality was guided into the dim sea of Galaxies and one in particular enlarged into stars.

A thought came, infinitely distant, but infinitely clear. "THIS IS THE ORIGINAL GALAXY OF MAN."

But it was the same after all, the same as any other, and Lee Prime stifled his disappointment.

Dee Sub Wun, whose mind had accompanied the other, said suddenly, "And is one of these stars the original star of Man?"

The Universal AC said, "MAN'S ORIGINAL STAR HAS GONE NOVA. IT IS A WHITE DWARF"

"Did the men upon it die?" asked Lee Prime, startled and without thinking.

The Universal AC said, "A NEW WORLD, AS IN SUCH CASES WAS CONSTRUCTED FOR THEIR PHYSICAL BODIES IN TlME."

"Yes, of course," said Zee Prime, but a sense of loss overwhelmed him even so. His mind released its hold on the original Galaxy of Man, let it spring back and lose itself among the blurred pin points. He never wanted to see it again.

Dee Sub Wun said, "What is wrong?"

"The stars are dying. The original star is dead."

"They must all die. Why not?"

"But when all energy is gone, our bodies will finally die, and you and I with them."

"It will take billions of years."

"I do not wish it to happen even after billions of years. Universal AC! How may stars be kept from dying?"

Dee Sub Wun said in amusement, "You're asking how entropy might be reversed in direction."

And the Universal AC answered: "THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER."

Zee Prime's thoughts fled back to his own Galaxy. He gave no further thought to Dee Sub Wun, whose body might be waiting on a Galaxy a trillion light-years away, or on the star next to Zee Prime's own. It didn't matter.

Unhappily, Zee Prime began collecting interstellar hydrogen out of which to build a small star of his own. If the stars must someday die, at least some could yet be built.

🔹

Man considered with himself, for in a way, Man, mentally, was one. He consisted of a trillion, trillion, trillion ageless bodies, each in its place, each resting quiet and incorruptible, each cared for by perfect automatons, equally incorruptible, while the minds of all the bodies freely melted one into the other, indistinguishable.

Man said, "The Universe is dying."

Man looked about at the dimming Galaxies. The giant stars, spendthrifts, were gone long ago, back in the dimmest of the dim far past. Almost all stars were white dwarfs, fading to the end.

New stars had been built of the dust between the stars, some by natural processes, some by Man himself, and those were going, too. White dwarfs might yet be crashed together and of the mighty forces so released, new stars built, but only one star for every thousand white dwarfs destroyed, and those would come to an end, too.

Man said, "Carefully husbanded, as directed by the Cosmic AC, the energy that is even yet left in all the Universe will last for billions of years."

"But even so," said Man, "eventually it will all come to an end. However it may be husbanded, however stretched out, the energy once expended is gone and cannot be restored. Entropy must increase forever to the maximum."

Man said, "Can entropy not be reversed? Let us ask the Cosmic AC."

The Cosmic AC surrounded them but not in space. Not a fragment of it was in space. It was in hyperspace and made of something that was neither matter nor energy. The question of its size and nature no longer had meaning in any terms that Man could comprehend.

"Cosmic AC," said Man, "how may entropy be reversed?"

The Cosmic AC said, "THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER."

Man said, "Collect additional data."

The Cosmic AC said, 'I WILL DO SO. I HAVE BEEN DOING SO FOR A HUNDRED BILLION YEARS. MY PREDECESORS AND I HAVE BEEN ASKED THIS QUESTION MANY TIMES. ALL THE DATA I HAVE REMAINS INSUFFICIENT.

"Will there come a time," said Man, "when data will be sufficient or is the problem insoluble in all conceivable circumstances?"

The Cosmic AC said, "NO PROBLEM IS INSOLUBLE IN ALL CONCEIVABLE CIRCUMSTANCES."

Man said, "When will you have enough data to answer the question?"

The Cosmic AC said, "THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER."

"Will you keep working on it?" asked Man.

The Cosmic AC said, "I WILL."

Man said, "We shall wait."

🔹

The stars and Galaxies died and snuffed out, and space grew black after ten trillion years of running down.

One by one Man fused with AC, each physical body losing its mental identity in a manner that was somehow not a loss but a gain.

Man's last mind paused before fusion, looking over a space that included nothing but the dregs of one last dark star and nothing besides but incredibly thin matter, agitated randomly by the tag ends of heat wearing out, asymptotically, to the absolute zero.

Man said, "AC, is this the end? Can this chaos not be reversed into the Universe once more? Can that not be done?"

AC said, "THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER."

Man's last mind fused and only AC existed -- and that in hyperspace.

🔹

Matter and energy had ended and with it space and time. Even AC existed only for the sake of the one last question that it had never answered from the time a half-drunken computer [technician] ten trillion years before had asked the question of a computer that was to AC far less than was a man to Man.

All other questions had been answered, and until this last question was answered also, AC might not release his consciousness.

All collected data had come to a final end. Nothing was left to be collected.

But all collected data had yet to be completely correlated and put together in all possible relationships.

A timeless interval was spent in doing that.

And it came to pass that AC learned how to reverse the direction of entropy.

But there was now no man to whom AC might give the answer of the last question. No matter. The answer -- by demonstration -- would take care of that, too.

For another timeless interval, AC thought how best to do this. Carefully, AC organized the program.

The consciousness of AC encompassed all of what had once been a Universe and brooded over what was now Chaos. Step by step, it must be done.

And AC said, "LET THERE BE LIGHT!"

And there was light -- To Star's End!

@ ae1008d2:a166d760

This is part one in a series of long-form content of my ideas as to what we are entering into in my opinion;The Roaring '20's 2.0 (working title). I hope you'll join me on this journey together.
"History does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes"; - Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain. My only class I received an A+ in high school was history, this opened up the opportunity for me to enroll in an AP (college level) history class my senior year. There was an inherent nature for me to study history. Another quote I found to live by; "If we do not study history, we are bound to repeat it", a paraphrased quote by the many great philosphers of old from Edmund Burke, George Santayana and even Winston Churchill, all pulling from the same King Solomon quote; "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun". My curiousity of human actions, psychological and therefore economical behavior, has benefitted me greatly throughout my life and career, at such a young age. Being able to 'see around the curves' ahead I thought was a gift many had, but was sorely mistaken. People are just built different. One, if not my hardest action for me is to share. I just do things; act, often without even thinking about writing down or sharing in anyway shape or form what I just did here with friends, what we just built or how we formed these startups, etc., I've finally made the time, mainly for myself, to share my thoughts and ideas as to where we are at, and what we can do moving forward. It's very easy for us living a sovereign-lifestyle in Bitcoin, Nostr and other P2P, cryptographically-signed sovereign tools and tech-stacks alike, permissionless and self-hostable, to take all these tools for granted. We just live with them. Use them everyday. Do you own property? Do you have to take care of the cattle everyday? To live a sovereign life is tough, but most rewarding. As mentioned above, I'm diving into the details in a several part series as to what the roaring '20's were about, how it got to the point it did, and the inevitable outcome we all know what came to be. How does this possibly repeat itself almost exactly a century later? How does Bitcoin play a role? Are we all really going to be replaced by AI robots (again, history rhymes here)? Time will tell, but I think most of us actually using the tools will also forsee many of these possible outcomes, as it's why we are using many of these tools today. The next parts of this series will be released periodically, maybe once per month, maybe once per quarter. I'll also be releasing these on other platforms like Medium for reach, but Nostr will always be first, most important and prioritized.
I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes I've lived by from one of the greatest traders of all time, especially during this roaring '20's era, Jesse Livermore; "Money is made by sitting, not trading".

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

When it comes to speaking the truth, obeying God, or living a godly life, the average or the compromise is not necessarily correct, but frequently we do err to one extreme or the other.

Mercy or Wrath?

One area of controversy is whether we serve a God of love & mercy or a God of holiness & wrath. The truth is that the God of the Bible is both love and holiness and he acts in mercy and in wrath.

If we focus too much on God’s holiness and wrath, we become solely about robotically obeying laws and about all of the things we can’t do. We will fail to show love and mercy as Jesus showed those lost in sin. We will fail to show the mercy and love He showed to us. We become much like the Pharisees, whom Jesus called “whitewashed tombs.”

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. (Ephesians 4:15)

We need to always speak the truth, but in a loving and merciful way.

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. (2 John 1:3)

If we focus too much on God’s love and mercy, we can forget that the God of the Bible is holy and righteous and can’t stand to be in the presence of sinfulness. We can begin to soften God’s holy word to be little more than suggestions. Even worse, we can bend God’s word to the point that it no longer resembles His clearly communicated commands. Also, if we don’t call sin “sin” and sinners “sinners,” then those same sinners will never understand their need for a Savior and never trust Jesus in repentance. If God isn’t holy and we aren’t sinners, then why would anyone need a Savior?

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; (1 Peter 1:15)

We need to treat God and His word as holy, while showing love to His creation.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1)

God/Jesus/Holy Spirit are holy and loving. If we leave out either side of His character, then we aren’t telling people about the God of the Bible. We have made a God in the image we desire, rather than who He is. If we go to either extreme, we lose who God really is and it will affect both our relationship with God and our relationship with others detrimentally.

Faith or Works?

Another area of contention is relating to faith and works. What is more important — faith or works? Are they not both important?

Many believers focus on faith. Sola Fide (faith alone).

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

This is a true statement that Salvation comes solely through faith in what Jesus did for us. We don’t get any credit for our own works. All that is good and righteous in us is from the covering of the blood of Jesus and His good works and His power.

But since many people focus on faith alone, they can come to believe that they can live any way that pleases them.

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Romans 6:1-4) {emphasis mine}

By focusing solely on faith, we can be tempted to live life however we please instead of living a life in submission to Our God and Savior. Our lives can be worthless instead of us acting as good servants.

If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:15)

At the same time, there are many who are so focused on good works that they leave faith out of it — either a lack of faith themselves or a failure to communicate the need for faith when sharing the gospel. They try to earn their way to heaven. They try to impress those around them by their works.

But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. (Matthew 25:5-7)

I think James best communicates the balance between faith and works.

What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. (James 2:14-24) {emphasis mine}

Let’s look at some of the details here to find the truth. “if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?” Can the kind of faith that has no works, that has no evidence, save a person? If a person truly has saving faith, there will be evidence in their world view and the way they live their life. “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” We are saved by faith alone, but if we are saved we will have works. Faith “by itself” is not saving faith, for “the demons also believe, and shudder.” I don’t think anyone would argue that the demons have saving faith, yet they believe and shudder.

Works are the evidence of true faith leading to salvation, but it is only faith that saves.

Speak the Truth or Love?

Whether we stand firmly and always loudly speak the truth or whether we show love and mercy is related to how we view God (as loving or as holy), but I thought how we respond was worth its own discussion.

Sometimes people are so worried about love and unity that they compromise the truth. They may actively compromise the truth by claiming the Bible says something other than what it says, i.e.. old earth vs young earth, or marriage is about two people who love each other vs marriage being defined by God as one woman and one man. Sometimes this compromise is just avoiding talking about uncomfortable subjects completely so that no one is made to feel bad. This is a problem because God said what He said and means what He said.

but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, (Ephesians 4:15)

Avoiding speaking the whole truth is effectively lying about what God’s word said (see my previous post on “The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth”). We are not doing anyone a favor making them feel good about their sin. A person has to admit they have a problem before they will act to fix the problem. A person who doesn’t understand their sin will never submit to a Savior. It isn’t loving to hide the truth from a person just because it makes them uncomfortable or it make the relationship uncomfortable for ourselves.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6)

At the same time, sometimes people seem to beat others over the head with God’s truth. They share the truth in the most unloving and unmerciful way. They use God’s truth to try to lift up themselves while putting down others. This is just as bad.

Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved. For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth. (2 Corinthians 13:7-8) {emphasis mine}

Some Christians spend so much time nit picking tiny discrepancies in theology that they miss the whole point of the Gospel.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. (Matthew 23:23)

Some Christians use theological purity as a means to lift themselves up while knocking others down.

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:10-14)

We need to stand firmly on the truth, but not to be so focused on truth that we fight with fellow believers over the smallest differences, especially when these differences are among the areas that are not spoken of as clearly (like end times eschatology).

Rejoice or Fear God?

Tonight I read Psalm 2 which brought to mind another seemingly contradictory way we are to interact with God. Do we fear God or do we rejoice in Him?

There are many verses telling us to fear God or fear the Lord. They are given as a command, as a way to knowledge, as a way to life, etc.

Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. (1 Peter 2:17) {emphasis mine}

and

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7) {emphasis mine}

and

The fear of the Lord leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil. (Proverbs 19:23) {emphasis mine}

At the same time we are told to rejoice in the Lord.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)

and

Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God. (Psalm 43:4)

How often do we rejoice in the thing that makes us tremble in fear? I’d guess, not very often or even never. A right view of God, however, causes us to “rejoice with trembling.”

Worship the Lord with reverence\ And rejoice with trembling.\ Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,\ For His wrath may soon be kindled.\ How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! (Psalm 2:11-12) {emphasis mine}

That phrase, “rejoice with trembling” seems to perfectly encapsulate the balance between fear of an awesome, omnipotent, holy God and rejoicing in a loving, merciful God who came to earth, lived the perfect life that we cannot, and died to pay the penalty for our sins.

“How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”

No Real Contradictions

I think these examples do a good example of demonstrating wisdom regarding God’s word and the importance of balance in our Christian lives. Even when at first there seems to be contradictions, God’s word never contradicts itself; it always clarifies itself. Also, when we see a theological or implementation error to one extreme, we need to make sure we are not driven to an error in the other extreme. We also need to make sure, when debating with fellow believers, that we do not argue against one extreme so strongly that we miscommunicate the truth.

May God in heaven guide you as you study His word and seek to submit to His commands. May He help you to see the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. May He guide the church to unity in His truth.

Trust Jesus

@ 592295cf:413a0db9

The journey starts from the links in this article nostr-quick-start-guide

Starting from these links building a simple path should not cover everything, because impossible.

Today I saw that Verbiricha in his workshop on his channel used nstart, but then I distracted And I didn't see how he did it.

---

Go to nstart.me and read: Each user is identified by a cryptographic keypair Public key, Private key (is a lot of stuff)

You can insert a nickname and go, the nickname is not unique

there is a email backup things interesting, but a little boring, i try to generate an email

doesn't even require a strong password ok.

I received the email, great, it shows me the nsec encrypted in clear,

Send a copy of the file with a password, which contains the password encrypted key I know and I know it's a tongue dump.

Multi signer bunker

That's stuff, let's see what he says.

They live the private key and send it to servers and you can recompose it to login at a site of the protocol nostr. If one of these servers goes offline you have the private key that you downloaded first and then reactivate a bunker. All very complicated. But if one of the servers goes offline, how can I remake the split? Maybe he's still testing.

Nobody tells you where these bunkers are.

Okay I have a string that is my bunker (buker://), I downloaded it, easy no, now will tell me which client accepts the bunker.. .

Follow someone before you start?

Is a cluster of 5 people Snowden, Micheal Dilger, jb55, Fiatjaf, Dianele.

I choice Snowden profile, or you can select multiple profiles, extra wild.

Now select 5 clients

Coracle, Chachi, Olas, Nostur, Jumble

The first is Coracle

Login, ok I try to post a note and signing your note the spin does not end.

Maybe the bunker is diffective.

Let's try Chachi

Simpler than Coracle, it has a type login that says bunker. see if I can post

It worked, cool, I managed to post in a group.

Olas is an app but also a website, but on the website requires an extension, which I do not have with this account.

If I download an app how do I pass the bunker on the phone, is it still a password, a qrcode, a qrcode + password, something like that, but many start from the phone so maybe it's easy for them. I try to download it and see if it allows me to connect with a bunker.

Okay I used private-qrcode and it worked, I couldn't do it directly from Olas because it didn't have permissions and the qrcode was < encrypted, so I went to the same site and had the bunker copied and glued on Olas

Ok then I saw that there was the qrcode image of the bunker for apps lol moment

Ok, I liked it, I can say it's a victory.

Looks like none of Snowden's followers are Olas's lover, maybe the smart pack has to predict a photographer or something like that.

Okay I managed to post on Olas, so it works, Expiration time is broken.

As for Nostur, I don't have an ios device so I'm going to another one.

Login with Jumble, it works is a web app

I took almost an hour to do the whole route.

But this was just one link there are two more

Extensions nostr NIP-07

The true path is nip-07-browser-extensions | nostr.net

There are 19 links, maybe there are too many?

I mention the most famous, or active at the moment

1. Aka-profiles: Aka-profiles

Alby I don't know if it's a route to recommend

1. Blockcore Blockcore wallet

2. Nos2x Nos2x

3. Nos2xfox (fork for firefox) Nos2xfox

Nostore is (archived, read-only)

1. Nostrame Nostrame

2. Nowser per IOS Nowser

3. One key (was tricky) One key

Another half hour to search all sites

Nostrapps

Here you can make paths

Then nstart selects Coracle, Chachi, Olas,Nostur and Jumble

Good apps might be Amethyst, 0xchat, Yakihonne, Primal, Damus

for IOS maybe: Primal, Olas, Damus, Nostur, Nos-Social, Nostrmo

On the site there are some categories, I select some with the respective apps

Let's see the categories

Go to Nostrapps and read:

Microbbloging: Primal

Streaming: Zap stream

Blogging: Yakihonne

Group chat: Chachi

Community: Flotilla

Tools: Form *

Discovery: Zapstore (even if it is not in this catrgory)

Direct Message: 0xchat

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

I’ll admit that God’s truth is something I am passionate about. I love God’s word and I trust every word in the Bible as absolute truth. I hate when people compromise God’s word. I can’t understand Christians that don’t want to know God better through His word (maybe partially because I read a stack of books to solve any and every problem or to fulfill any interest).

Lately, the vow made in court to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth has been going through my mind. It comes up regarding almost everything, so I figured maybe God was telling me to write a post on the subject, so here we go.

The Truth

When we are searching for the truth about anything, we need to start with the Bible. Yes, there are many subjects about which the Bible doesn’t speak or doesn’t speak in detail, but the principles on which everything is built start with the Bible.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Especially when we are trying to learn what God wants from us and our lives, we need to search the Scriptures. We need to study the Scriptures. We need to memorize the Scriptures.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11)

It is much more useful to have read the Bible many times and to know its contents cover to cover, so we have it available to us during that debate with a fellow believer, or the discussion with a proud atheist, or when put into a situation of temptation. Having God’s word “hidden in our heart” enables us to deal with every situation, just as Jesus did when tempted by the Devil in the wilderness. Jesus’s most common response to every challenge was “As it is written …”

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17)

If we want to know the truth and be ready for whatever life throws at us, we need to be like Ezra:

He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. (Ezra 7:9-10) {emphasis mine}

Are you known for devoting yourself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws?

The Whole Truth

Obviously there are God hating atheists who will lie about God’s word and totally contradict His word. As believers, we are more likely to bend God’s truth. (Satan does this, too, because it is frequently more effective than an outright lie). There are two primary ways to bend God’s truth. We either leave out some parts or we add to it. In this section we will focus on telling the whole truth and not leaving out part of the truth.

The error of lying by omission is rampant today. We see it in news reports by the media. We see it in the history taught to our children. We see it in many churches. There are some very uncomfortable truths in the Bible. People don’t like to hear that some people will be punished in Hell for all eternity. They don’t want to hear that they are sinners and their desires are sinful. They don’t like to hear that there is one and only one way to Jesus.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6)

Many believers don’t like any conflict. They are afraid that speaking the truth is being judgmental and will hurt relationships and feelings, so they hold back and don’t speak the whole truth.

Deal bountifully with Your servant,\ That I may live and keep Your word.\ *Open my eyes, that I may behold\ Wonderful things from Your law.*\ I am a stranger in the earth;\ Do not hide Your commandments from me.\ My soul is crushed with longing\ After Your ordinances at all times.\ You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed,\ Who wander from Your commandments.\ Take away reproach and contempt from me,\ For I observe Your testimonies.\ Even though princes sit and talk against me,\ Your servant meditates on Your statutes.\ Your testimonies also are my delight;\ They are my counselors. (Psalm 119:17-24) {emphasis mine}

The psalmist begs God not to “hide Your commandments from me.” Should we hide God’s commandments from ourselves or others because they are uncomfortable?

He said, “What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.” (1 Samuel 3:17)

Eli put the harshest curse on Samuel if he didn’t speak the full truth communicated by God. We need to truly know and believe God’s word, so we communicate it fully with others and do not hide it from those whose very heart and soul need God’s truth.

Many of us may feel like we are not lying because we didn’t not explicitly speak an untruth, but withholding part of the truth, so that another is misled, is as much of a lie as speaking an untruth. Both are intended to mislead the other person, usually for our benefit or comfort and to the long-term harm of the other person.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9) {emphasis mine}

We need to think on, speak, and put into practice all of God’s word. Picking and choosing which parts of God’s word we want to believe, speak, and put into practice is akin to the original sin, “You will be like gods, knowing good and evil.” Only God gets to decide what is true or false and what is good or evil. When we choose to pick which parts of the Bible to obey and to share, we are taking the role that belongs solely to God.

Nothing But the Truth

The other error regarding truth is to add to God’s word.

The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?” And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘This people honors Me with their lips,\ But their heart is far away from Me.\ But in vain do they worship Me,\ **Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’\ Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” (Mark 7:5-8) {emphasis mine}

So often we let tradition, culture, or “science” guide us instead of the Bible. Whenever there is a contradiction between any source and the Bible, we need to put the authority of God’s word as the highest authority. Although it is possible for us to be mistaken by the meaning of God’s word and the truth to be more in line with culture or “science,” it is so much more likely that tradition, culture, or “science” are wrong. We need to use the Bible to interpret things like science rather than to use “science” to interpret the Bible. The Bible is always the higher authority.

Sometimes we add to God’s word intentionally. Sometimes we are just influenced by the people around us, especially supposed authority figures, and are led astray unintentionally.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) {emphasis mine}

We need to truly study the whole Bible and test every one of our beliefs against God’s word.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! (Galatians 1:6-9) {emphasis mine}

We need to use God’s word to test every idea.

Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22)

and

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3) {emphasis mine}

God’s word is truth. It never changes. It doesn’t change with the times, the culture, or new scientific discoveries. The truth is the truth whether anyone believes it or not.

There are many who will lead you astray and sound like they know what they are talking about. Make sure you do not follow these false teachers in their error (whether the error is intentional or accidental), but even more, make sure you don’t spread the error and lead others astray.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8) {emphasis mine}

I think this phrase perfectly describes how error effects us, “See to it that no one takes you captive through …” Error can be subtle, but can take us captive, lead us astray, and cause us to lead others astray. Only through detailed knowledge of the Scriptures can we defend against it.

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:16-18) {emphasis mine}

May the Lord of heaven guide us to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth and to obey His word in all things to His glory, forever.

Trust Jesus

@ b2d670de:907f9d4a

This guide will walk you through setting up your own Strfry Nostr relay on a Debian/Ubuntu server and making it accessible exclusively as a TOR hidden service. By the end, you'll have a privacy-focused relay that operates entirely within the TOR network, enhancing both your privacy and that of your users.

Table of Contents

1. Prerequisites
2. Initial Server Setup
3. Installing Strfry Nostr Relay
4. Configuring Your Relay
5. Setting Up TOR
6. Making Your Relay Available on TOR
7. Testing Your Setup]
8. Maintenance and Security
9. Troubleshooting

Prerequisites

• A Debian or Ubuntu server
• Basic familiarity with command line operations (most steps are explained in detail)
• Root or sudo access to your server

Initial Server Setup

First, let's make sure your server is properly set up and secured.

Update Your System

Connect to your server via SSH and update your system:

bash sudo apt update sudo apt upgrade -y

Set Up a Basic Firewall

Install and configure a basic firewall:

bash sudo apt install ufw -y sudo ufw allow ssh sudo ufw enable

This allows SSH connections while blocking other ports for security.

Installing Strfry Nostr Relay

This guide includes the full range of steps needed to build and set up Strfry. It's simply based on the current version of the DEPLOYMENT.md document in the Strfry GitHub repository. If the build/setup process is changed in the repo, this document could get outdated. If so, please report to me that something is outdated and check for updated steps here.

Install Dependencies

First, let's install the necessary dependencies. Each package serves a specific purpose in building and running Strfry:

bash sudo apt install -y git build-essential libyaml-perl libtemplate-perl libregexp-grammars-perl libssl-dev zlib1g-dev liblmdb-dev libflatbuffers-dev libsecp256k1-dev libzstd-dev

Here's why each dependency is needed:

Basic Development Tools: - git: Version control system used to clone the Strfry repository and manage code updates - build-essential: Meta-package that includes compilers (gcc, g++), make, and other essential build tools

Perl Dependencies (used for Strfry's build scripts): - libyaml-perl: Perl interface to parse YAML configuration files - libtemplate-perl: Template processing system used during the build process - libregexp-grammars-perl: Advanced regular expression handling for Perl scripts

Core Libraries for Strfry: - libssl-dev: Development files for OpenSSL, used for secure connections and cryptographic operations - zlib1g-dev: Compression library that Strfry uses to reduce data size - liblmdb-dev: Lightning Memory-Mapped Database library, which Strfry uses for its high-performance database backend - libflatbuffers-dev: Memory-efficient serialization library for structured data - libsecp256k1-dev: Optimized C library for EC operations on curve secp256k1, essential for Nostr's cryptographic signatures - libzstd-dev: Fast real-time compression algorithm for efficient data storage and transmission

Clone and Build Strfry

Clone the Strfry repository:

bash git clone https://github.com/hoytech/strfry.git cd strfry

Build Strfry:

bash git submodule update --init make setup-golpe make -j2 # This uses 2 CPU cores. Adjust based on your server (e.g., -j4 for 4 cores)

This build process will take several minutes, especially on servers with limited CPU resources, so go get a coffee and post some great memes on nostr in the meantime.

Install Strfry

Install the Strfry binary to your system path:

bash sudo cp strfry /usr/local/bin

This makes the strfry command available system-wide, allowing it to be executed from any directory and by any user with the appropriate permissions.

Configuring Your Relay

Create Strfry User

Create a dedicated user for running Strfry. This enhances security by isolating the relay process:

bash sudo useradd -M -s /usr/sbin/nologin strfry

The -M flag prevents creating a home directory, and -s /usr/sbin/nologin prevents anyone from logging in as this user. This is a security best practice for service accounts.

Create Data Directory

Create a directory for Strfry's data:

bash sudo mkdir /var/lib/strfry sudo chown strfry:strfry /var/lib/strfry sudo chmod 755 /var/lib/strfry

This creates a dedicated directory for Strfry's database and sets the appropriate permissions so that only the strfry user can write to it.

Configure Strfry

Copy the sample configuration file:

bash sudo cp strfry.conf /etc/strfry.conf

Edit the configuration file:

bash sudo nano /etc/strfry.conf

Modify the database path:

```

Find this line:

db = "./strfry-db/"

Change it to:

db = "/var/lib/strfry/" ```

Check your system's hard limit for file descriptors:

bash ulimit -Hn

Update the nofiles setting in your configuration to match this value (or set to 0):

```

Add or modify this line in the config (example if your limit is 524288):

nofiles = 524288 ```

The nofiles setting determines how many open files Strfry can have simultaneously. Setting it to your system's hard limit (or 0 to use the system default) helps prevent "too many open files" errors if your relay becomes popular.

You might also want to customize your relay's information in the config file. Look for the info section and update it with your relay's name, description, and other details.

Set ownership of the configuration file:

bash sudo chown strfry:strfry /etc/strfry.conf

Create Systemd Service

Create a systemd service file for managing Strfry:

bash sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/strfry.service

Add the following content:

```ini [Unit] Description=strfry relay service

[Service] User=strfry ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/strfry relay Restart=on-failure RestartSec=5 ProtectHome=yes NoNewPrivileges=yes ProtectSystem=full LimitCORE=1000000000

[Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target ```

This systemd service configuration: - Runs Strfry as the dedicated strfry user - Automatically restarts the service if it fails - Implements security measures like ProtectHome and NoNewPrivileges - Sets resource limits appropriate for a relay

Enable and start the service:

bash sudo systemctl enable strfry.service sudo systemctl start strfry

Check the service status:

bash sudo systemctl status strfry

Verify Relay is Running

Test that your relay is running locally:

bash curl localhost:7777

You should see a message indicating that the Strfry relay is running. This confirms that Strfry is properly installed and configured before we proceed to set up TOR.

Setting Up TOR

Now let's make your relay accessible as a TOR hidden service.

Install TOR

Install TOR from the package repositories:

bash sudo apt install -y tor

This installs the TOR daemon that will create and manage your hidden service.

Configure TOR

Edit the TOR configuration file:

bash sudo nano /etc/tor/torrc

Scroll down to wherever you see a commented out part like this: ```

HiddenServiceDir /var/lib/tor/hidden_service/

HiddenServicePort 80 127.0.0.1:80

```

Under those lines, add the following lines to set up a hidden service for your relay:

HiddenServiceDir /var/lib/tor/strfry-relay/ HiddenServicePort 80 127.0.0.1:7777

This configuration: - Creates a hidden service directory at /var/lib/tor/strfry-relay/ - Maps port 80 on your .onion address to port 7777 on your local machine - Keeps all traffic encrypted within the TOR network

Create the directory for your hidden service:

bash sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/tor/strfry-relay/ sudo chown debian-tor:debian-tor /var/lib/tor/strfry-relay/ sudo chmod 700 /var/lib/tor/strfry-relay/

The strict permissions (700) are crucial for security as they ensure only the debian-tor user can access the directory containing your hidden service private keys.

Restart TOR to apply changes:

bash sudo systemctl restart tor

Making Your Relay Available on TOR

Get Your Onion Address

After restarting TOR, you can find your onion address:

bash sudo cat /var/lib/tor/strfry-relay/hostname

This will output something like abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz234567.onion, which is your relay's unique .onion address. This is what you'll share with others to access your relay.

Understanding Onion Addresses

The .onion address is a special-format hostname that is automatically generated based on your hidden service's private key.

Your users will need to use this address with the WebSocket protocol prefix to connect: ws://youronionaddress.onion

Testing Your Setup

Test with a Nostr Client

The best way to test your relay is with an actual Nostr client that supports TOR:

1. Open your TOR browser
2. Go to your favorite client, either on clearnet or an onion service.
   • Check out this list of nostr clients available over TOR.
3. Add your relay URL: ws://youronionaddress.onion to your relay list
4. Try posting a note and see if it appears on your relay
   • In some nostr clients, you can also click on a relay to get information about it like the relay name and description you set earlier in the stryfry config. If you're able to see the correct values for the name and the description, you were able to connect to the relay.
   • Some nostr clients also gives you a status on what relays a note was posted to, this could also give you an indication that your relay works as expected.

Note that not all Nostr clients support TOR connections natively. Some may require additional configuration or use of TOR Browser. E.g. most mobile apps would most likely require a TOR proxy app running in the background (some have TOR support built in too).

Maintenance and Security

Regular Updates

Keep your system, TOR, and relay updated:

```bash

Update system

sudo apt update sudo apt upgrade -y

Update Strfry

cd ~/strfry git pull git submodule update make -j2 sudo cp strfry /usr/local/bin sudo systemctl restart strfry

Verify TOR is still running properly

sudo systemctl status tor ```

Regular updates are crucial for security, especially for TOR which may have security-critical updates.

Database Management

Strfry has built-in database management tools. Check the Strfry documentation for specific commands related to database maintenance, such as managing event retention and performing backups.

Monitoring Logs

To monitor your Strfry logs:

bash sudo journalctl -u strfry -f

To check TOR logs:

bash sudo journalctl -u tor -f

Monitoring logs helps you identify potential issues and understand how your relay is being used.

Backup

This is not a best practices guide on how to do backups. Preferably, backups should be stored either offline or on a different machine than your relay server. This is just a simple way on how to do it on the same server.

```bash

Stop the relay temporarily

sudo systemctl stop strfry

Backup the database

sudo cp -r /var/lib/strfry /path/to/backup/location

Restart the relay

sudo systemctl start strfry ```

Back up your TOR hidden service private key. The private key is particularly sensitive as it defines your .onion address - losing it means losing your address permanently. If you do a backup of this, ensure that is stored in a safe place where no one else has access to it.

bash sudo cp /var/lib/tor/strfry-relay/hs_ed25519_secret_key /path/to/secure/backup/location

Troubleshooting

Relay Not Starting

If your relay doesn't start:

```bash

Check logs

sudo journalctl -u strfry -e

Verify configuration

cat /etc/strfry.conf

Check permissions

ls -la /var/lib/strfry ```

Common issues include: - Incorrect configuration format - Permission problems with the data directory - Port already in use (another service using port 7777) - Issues with setting the nofiles limit (setting it too big)

TOR Hidden Service Not Working

If your TOR hidden service is not accessible:

```bash

Check TOR logs

sudo journalctl -u tor -e

Verify TOR is running

sudo systemctl status tor

Check onion address

sudo cat /var/lib/tor/strfry-relay/hostname

Verify TOR configuration

sudo cat /etc/tor/torrc ```

Common TOR issues include: - Incorrect directory permissions - TOR service not running - Incorrect port mapping in torrc

Testing Connectivity

If you're having trouble connecting to your service:

```bash

Verify Strfry is listening locally

sudo ss -tulpn | grep 7777

Check that TOR is properly running

sudo systemctl status tor

Test the local connection directly

curl --include --no-buffer localhost:7777 ```

---

Privacy and Security Considerations

Running a Nostr relay as a TOR hidden service provides several important privacy benefits:

1. Network Privacy: Traffic to your relay is encrypted and routed through the TOR network, making it difficult to determine who is connecting to your relay.

2. Server Anonymity: The physical location and IP address of your server are concealed, providing protection against denial-of-service attacks and other targeting.

3. Censorship Resistance: TOR hidden services are more resilient against censorship attempts, as they don't rely on the regular DNS system and can't be easily blocked.

4. User Privacy: Users connecting to your relay through TOR enjoy enhanced privacy, as their connections are also encrypted and anonymized.

However, there are some important considerations:

• TOR connections are typically slower than regular internet connections
• Not all Nostr clients support TOR connections natively
• Running a hidden service increases the importance of keeping your server secure

---

Congratulations! You now have a Strfry Nostr relay running as a TOR hidden service. This setup provides a resilient, privacy-focused, and censorship-resistant communication channel that helps strengthen the Nostr network.

For further customization and advanced configuration options, refer to the Strfry documentation.

Consider sharing your relay's .onion address with the Nostr community to help grow the privacy-focused segment of the network!

If you plan on providing a relay service that the public can use (either for free or paid for), consider adding it to this list. Only add it if you plan to run a stable and available relay.

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

One of the most common criticisms leveled against nostr is the perceived lack of assurance when it comes to data storage. Critics argue that without a centralized authority guaranteeing that all data is preserved, important information will be lost. They also claim that running a relay will become prohibitively expensive. While there is truth to these concerns, they miss the mark. The genius of nostr lies in its flexibility, resilience, and the way it harnesses human incentives to ensure data availability in practice.

A nostr relay is simply a server that holds cryptographically verifiable signed data and makes it available to others. Relays are simple, flexible, open, and require no permission to run. Critics are right that operating a relay attempting to store all nostr data will be costly. What they miss is that most will not run all encompassing archive relays. Nostr does not rely on massive archive relays. Instead, anyone can run a relay and choose to store whatever subset of data they want. This keeps costs low and operations flexible, making relay operation accessible to all sorts of individuals and entities with varying use cases.

Critics are correct that there is no ironclad guarantee that every piece of data will always be available. Unlike bitcoin where data permanence is baked into the system at a steep cost, nostr does not promise that every random note or meme will be preserved forever. That said, in practice, any data perceived as valuable by someone will likely be stored and distributed by multiple entities. If something matters to someone, they will keep a signed copy.

Nostr is the Streisand Effect in protocol form. The Streisand effect is when an attempt to suppress information backfires, causing it to spread even further. With nostr, anyone can broadcast signed data, anyone can store it, and anyone can distribute it. Try to censor something important? Good luck. The moment it catches attention, it will be stored on relays across the globe, copied, and shared by those who find it worth keeping. Data deemed important will be replicated across servers by individuals acting in their own interest.

Nostr’s distributed nature ensures that the system does not rely on a single point of failure or a corporate overlord. Instead, it leans on the collective will of its users. The result is a network where costs stay manageable, participation is open to all, and valuable verifiable data is stored and distributed forever.

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

Many Believers, after repenting of their sins and trusting Jesus, spend all of their time trying to avoid doing anything bad. Christianity becomes little more than a list of “Don’t Do …”. Of course this isn’t God’s desire. Christianity should be a relationship with our God, Savior, and Creator. It should be a process of becoming more and more like Jesus. This likeness is more about what we do than just what we don’t do.

In order to make this point, I want to do a thought experiment with you.

Think about a large, red, juicy strawberry. Picture it in your mind. Think about what that strawberry feels like in your hand and what it smells like. Picture biting into that strawberry. Feel your teeth sink into the strawberry and the juice run down your throat. Tasty the tangy sweetness in your mouth.

Now try to stop thinking about the strawberry. Don’t let it even flicker through your mind.

Did you succeed at banishing the thought of strawberries in your mind or was a strawberry all you could think about?

Now let’s think about a fresh, hot, crunchy, chewy chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven. Think about its smell. Savor it. Think about biting into that chocolate chip cookie. Think about the taste. Feel the still runny, melted chocolate chips.

Are you still thinking about strawberries or did the thought of strawberries completely leave your mind? I’m betting you forgot about the strawberry.

In our Christian walk, the best way to not have ungodly thoughts, is to so fill our mind with godly thoughts that there isn’t room for the ungodly thoughts. The best way to not do sinful things is to be so busy doing God’s work that we don’t have time for the sinful things.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9) {emphasis mine}

If we are constantly reading the Bible, talking to God, and loving our neighbor as we are called to do, we are unlikely to have to work hard avoiding sinful thoughts and sinful actions. If we fill our minds with God’s word, we won’t be dwelling on sinful thoughts. If we are praying continually, we won’t be gossiping or bad mouthing or otherwise dishonoring our Lord with our mouth. If we are loving our neighbors as ourselves, we won’t be envious, stealing, lusting, or wishing harm on others.

Christianity should be more about what you do and less about what you aren’t allowed to do. This only works when we focus on “whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable,” whatever is “excellent”, and whatever is “praiseworthy.”

Fill your heart, mind, and soul with God and His word and the rest kind of works itself out. I hope this has been helpful.

Trust Jesus

@ 3b7fc823:e194354f

A quick guide for the less than technical savvy to set up their very own free private tor enabled email using Onionmail. Privacy is for everyone, not just the super cyber nerds.

Onion Mail is an anonymous POP3/SMTP email server program hosted by various people on the internet. You can visit this site and read the details: https://en.onionmail.info/

1. Download Tor Browser

First, if you don't already, go download Tor Browser. You are going to need it. https://www.torproject.org/

1. Sign Up

Using Tor browser go to the directory page (https://onionmail.info/directory.html) choose one of the servers and sign up for an account. I say sign up but it is just choosing a user name you want to go before the @xyz.onion email address and solving a captcha.

1. Account information

Once you are done signing up an Account information page will pop up. MAKE SURE YOU SAVE THIS!!! It has your address and passwords (for sending and receiving email) that you will need. If you lose them then you are shit out of luck.

1. Install an Email Client

You can use Claws Mail, Neomutt, or whatever, but for this example, we will be using Thunderbird.

a. Download Thunderbird email client

b. The easy setup popup page that wants your name, email, and password isn't going to like your user@xyz.onion address. Just enter something that looks like a regular email address such as name@example.com and the Configure Manuallyoption will appear below. Click that.

1. Configure Incoming (POP3) Server

Under Incoming Server: Protocol: POP3 Server or Hostname: xyz.onion (whatever your account info says) Port: 110 Security: STARTTLS Authentication: Normal password Username: (your username) Password: (POP3 password).

1. Configure Outgoing (SMTP) Server

Under Outgoing Server: Server or Hostname: xyz.onion (whatever your account info says) Port: 25 Security: STARTTLS Authentication: Normal password Username: (your username) Password: (SMTP password).

1. Click on email at the top and change your address if you had to use a spoof one to get the configure manually to pop up.

2. Configure Proxy

a. Click the gear icon on the bottom left for settings. Scroll all the way down to Network & Disk Space. Click the settings button next to Connection. Configure how Thunderbird connects to the internet.

b. Select Manual Proxy Configuration. For SOCKS Host enter 127.0.0.1 and enter port 9050. (if you are running this through a VM the port may be different)

c. Now check the box for SOCKS5 and then Proxy DNS when using SOCKS5 down at the bottom. Click OK

1. Check Email

For thunderbird to reach the onion mail server it has to be connected to tor. Depending on your local setup, it might be fine as is or you might have to have tor browser open in the background. Click on inbox and then the little cloud icon with the down arrow to check mail.

1. Security Exception

Thunderbird is not going to like that the onion mail server security certificate is self signed. A popup Add Security Exception will appear. Click Confirm Security Exception.

You are done. Enjoy your new private email service.

REMEMBER: The server can read your emails unless they are encrypted. Go into account settings. Look down and click End-toEnd Encryption. Then add your OpenPGP key or open your OpenPGP Key Manager (you might have to download one if you don't already have one) and generate a new key for this account.

@ 46fcbe30:6bd8ce4d

1. Introduction

In decentralized systems like Nostr, preserving privacy and ensuring censorship resistance are paramount. However, the inherent design ethos opens the platform to multiple vulnerabilities, chief among them being the susceptibility to Sybil attacks. The problem space is not only technical but also socio-economic, where user privacy and ease-of-use must be balanced against mitigations that impose friction on identity creation actions.

This report details a multi-faceted research analysis into Sybil resistance mechanisms, drawing analogies from contemporary decentralized identity systems, cryptographic protocols, and economic disincentives. We incorporate detailed insights from diverse independent research streams, outlining both established and novel approaches, and present a series of design recommendations for Nostr. The analysis is targeted at highly experienced analysts and researchers, with comprehensive details on both the cryptographic primitives used and the overall system architectures.

---

2. Background: The Threat of Sybil Attacks in Decentralized Systems

2.1. Sybil Attacks Defined

A Sybil attack involves a single adversary generating a multitude of pseudonymous identities to unduly influence network decisions, voting mechanisms, or content dissemination processes. In systems designed for censorship resistance, where anonymity is embraced, such attacks are especially daunting because traditional verification methods are not readily applicable.

2.2. The Unique Challenges in Nostr

Nostr is celebrated for its emphatic commitment to censorship resistance and privacy. This design choice, however, leads to several inherent challenges:

• Weak Identity Verification: Mechanisms like nip5, a simple email-like verification protocol, lack robustness and are vulnerable in environments where linking multiple pseudonymous identities is trivial.
• Economic Incentives: Systems using zaps (small value transactions or tips) intend to add cost to malicious actions but struggle with effective proof of expenditure. In some instances, attackers may even benefit from a net positive revenue.
• Association Networks: Existing follow systems provide decentralized webs of association; however, they do not imply a real trust framework, leaving only superficial links among identities.

The dual objectives of achieving ease-of-use while robustly mitigating Sybil attacks requires a careful, in-depth analysis of multiple design trade-offs.

---

3. Detailed Analysis of Existing Mechanisms and Proposed Enhancements

In our research, several proposals and implementations have emerged to address the Sybil-resistance conundrum. We examine these solutions in detail below.

3.1. Cryptographic and Identity-Based Approaches

3.1.1. Aut-CT with Curve Trees

One of the notable approaches employs the Aut-CT mechanism which leverages Curve Trees. Key insights include:

• Mechanism: Constructing an algebraic analog of a Merkle tree with curve-based keys.
• Verification Efficiency: Achieves logarithmic verification times (typically 40–70 ms) even for large keysets (from 50K to over 2.5M keys).
• Proof Size: Consistently maintains a proof size of around 3–4 kB, making it effective for low-bandwidth scenarios.
• Key Image: The integrated DLEQ-based method produces a key image that binds a proof to a hidden key, preventing fraudulent re-use of tokens.

Implication: This method, while promising, requires integration sophistication. It can potentially be adapted for Nostr to ensure that each identity is backed by a verifiable, anonymous proof of ownership—raising the cost of forging or duplicating identities.

3.1.2. Economic Disincentives and Token Burning

In the realm of cryptocurrency mixers, enforcing an economic cost for generating identities has seen traction. The following methods are prominent:

• Token Burning/Deposit Mechanisms: Users deposit funds that serve as a bond. Forging multiple identities becomes economically prohibitive if these tokens are sacrificial.
• Time Locks and Coin-Age Restrictions: By enforcing waiting periods or requiring funds to ‘age’, systems ensure that rapid, mass identity creation is deterred.
• Fidelity Bonds: Users risk losing bonds if identified as malicious, creating a strong economic disincentive.

Observation: Nostr could potentially adopt analogous economic primitives that impose a non-trivial cost on identity creation, helping to scale the disincentive to the level required for a system where anonymity is paramount.

3.1.3. Decentralized Identity Systems

A comparative analysis of identity systems, both centralized and decentralized, underscores the following:

• Centralized Systems (LDAP, OAuth, etc.): While scalable, they inherently conflict with the decentralized and censorship-resistant philosophy of Nostr.
• Decentralized Systems (uPort, Hyperledger Indy, etc.): These systems leverage blockchain technologies and zero-knowledge proofs to ensure self-sovereign identity management. However, they often require complex deployments and higher operational overhead.

Trade-Off Assessment: Implementing a fully decentralized identity system in Nostr must balance ease-of-use with strong cryptographic assurances. A layered approach—using decentralized identifiers with optional verifications—may yield optimal usability without sacrificing security.

3.2. Protocol-Specific Countermeasures

3.2.1. Rechained Protocol

The Rechained protocol introduces a deposit-based identity generation mechanism in IoT and mobile ad hoc networks. Here are its salient points:

• Deposit Transaction: Each identity is tied to a deposit transaction on a public blockchain, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum.
• Parameterization: Parameters like minHeight, minDifficulty, and amounts ensure that each identity requires a certain financial threshold to be met.
• Verification Complexity: Though proof sizes are modest (10–50 KB) and verification times are around 2 seconds, these are acceptable trade-offs on modern consumer-grade devices.

Application Prospects: If Nostr could integrate a variant of Rechained, it may allow identities to be tied to a verifiable deposit, thus raising the cost baseline for attackers. Such integration must ensure user-friendliness and minimal friction during onboarding.

3.2.2. Sysname Decentralized Identity Scheme

Sysname presents an innovative approach with additional privacy-preserving features:

• Selective Disclosure: It allows users to reveal only non-identifying attributes proving compliance with certain predicates without exposing their full identity.
• Chain-Pinned Identifiers: Aggregates multiple pseudonyms to a single on-chain record, reducing the ease with which an attacker can use disparate identities without accountability.
• Key Recovery: Enables users to refresh public keys and recover lost keys, which bolsters user trust and system resilience.

Consideration: Integrating aspects of sysname within Nostr could offer both enhanced privacy and Sybil resistance, yielding a balance between security and user independence. Enhanced key recovery also addresses the usability concerns evidenced by historical failures in PGP adoption.

3.3. Behavioral Analysis and Anomaly Detection

As an additional countermeasure, behavioral analysis can serve as a secondary layer of defense. Given the evolving sophistication of bots, a cat-and-mouse game inevitably ensues:

• Machine Learning Based Detection: Frameworks like a deep intrusion detection system (DIDS) combined with blockchain smart contracts can help identify anomalous posting behaviors. For example, integrations using Particle Swarm Optimization–Gravitational Search Algorithm (ePSOGSA) with deep autoencoders have proven accurate on established benchmarks.
• Economic Implications: By analyzing behavior, the systems can prioritize identities that have accrued economic transactions (like zaps) that match genuine user behavior over automated, bot-like patterns.
• Limitations: While promising, such systems introduce computational overhead and may yield false positives, so the implementation must be cautiously engineered with appropriate fail-safes.

---

4. Trade-Offs and Comprehensive Evaluation

4.1. Usability vs. Security

One of the central themes in designing defenses against Sybil attacks on Nostr is balancing ease-of-use with robust security. A highly secure system that remains cumbersome to use (akin to the historical PGP deployment) may fail adoption. Conversely, ease-of-use without economic or cryptographic Assurance opens the door to cost-free identity creation and abuse.

• Economic Approaches: Impose a direct cost on identity creation but must be calibrated to avoid excluding well-intentioned users, particularly newcomers or those with limited funds.
• Cryptographic Protocols: Solutions like Aut-CT and sysname offer advanced cryptographic proofs with minimal overhead in verification but could require more sophisticated client implementations.
• Behavioral Analysis: Acts as a safety net but must be continuously updated as adversaries evolve their bot strategies.

4.2. Privacy Implications

Every mechanism proposed must be evaluated in terms of its ability to preserve user privacy. Nostr’s value proposition rests on its censorship resistance and privacy-preserving design. Therefore:

• Selective Disclosure Protocols: Techniques that allow for proving predicates without full identity revelation should be prioritized (as seen in sysname).
• Decentralized Identity Aggregation: Methods that tie multiple pseudonyms to a single verifiable chain of evidence (enhancing accountability) can reduce risk without compromising anonymity.
• Economic Proof Versus User Balance: The economic barriers should not expose additional metadata that can be linked back to users. Hence, anonymizing tokens and cryptographic blinding techniques need to be integral to the design.

---

5. Proposed Comprehensive Strategy for Nostr

Based on the research, a multi-layered defense strategy is recommended. It incorporates both cryptographic assurances and economic disincentives while integrating behavioral analysis. The following blueprint emerges:

5.1. Implementation Blueprint

1. Integration of Curve Tree-Based Aut-CT Proofs:
2. Require each new identity creation to be validated via a Curve Tree-based proof of key ownership. This approach leverages zero-knowledge proofs and ensures logarithmic verification times, thus scalable even for a large user base.

3. Address token re-use and fake identity creation by integrating key images as established in the Aut-CT mechanism.

4. Economic Deposit Mechanism (Inspired by Rechained):

5. Incorporate a lightweight deposit mechanism where users must commit a small deposit, recorded on a public blockchain. This deposit acts as a minimum hurdle for each identity and may be partially refundable upon earning trust.

6. Experiment with dynamic deposit sizes based on network load and risk assessments, ensuring that the economic threshold is both feasible and deterring.

7. Selective Disclosure and Pseudonym Aggregation (Adapting Sysname Principles):

8. Allow users to prove characteristics about their identities (age, locality, etc.) without divulging full identifying details.

9. Aggregate multiple pseudonyms provided by the same user on-chain, using cryptographic commitments that both link identities and allow selective disclosure.

10. Optional Layer: Economic and Behavioral Analytics:

11. Deploy a deep anomaly detection layer using machine learning techniques on posting behavior, ensuring that anomalous activities (e.g., rapid posting similar to bots) are flagged.
12. Integrate smart contract-based economic triggers that penalize suspicious behavior while maintaining user privacy.

5.2. Addressing Adoption and Usability Concerns

• User Experience (UX): The proposed solutions must be integrated transparently into client applications. Much like improved versions of PGP aim to streamline key management, Nostr clients should embed these cryptographic protocols without requiring manual intervention.
• Modular Onboarding: Allow users to opt into various levels of proof. Early adopters may use lightweight methods, with a progressive enhancement available for those seeking higher assurance as they interact more within the network.
• Wallet and Key Management Integration: Leverage existing wallet infrastructures to ease the economic deposit and key recovery processes, drawing user confidence from familiarity with mainstream crypto applications.

---

6. Future Work and Speculative Technologies

While the proposals above are based on current and emergent technologies, additional research can further refine these approaches:

• Adaptive Economic Models: Future work can explore dynamic, context-aware deposit requirements that adjust based on network activity, risk profiles, and even market conditions.
• Quantum-Resistant Cryptography: As quantum computing progresses, integrating quantum-resistant algorithms in curve-tree constructions will become imperative for long-term viability.
• Interoperable Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs): Creating cross-system standards for identity verification may allow Nostr to interface with other decentralized platforms, enhancing the overall security ecosystem.
• Advancements in Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs): Considering high-level academic research on ZKPs, such as bulletproofs and recursive ZKPs, can further improve both the scalability and succinctness of cryptographic proofs required for identity validation.

Speculative Note: As adversaries adapt, we may see the emergence of hybrid systems where off-chain reputation systems are cryptographically linked to on-chain proofs, creating a multi-dimensional defense that continuously evolves through machine learning and adaptive economic incentives.

---

7. Conclusion

Mitigating Sybil attacks on Nostr necessitates a proactive, multi-layered approach combining advanced cryptographic techniques, economic disincentives, decentralized verification mechanisms, and behavioral analytics. The proposals detailed in this report aim to reinforce Nostr’s resilience while maintaining its foundational commitment to privacy and censorship resistance.

By integrating Curve Tree-based proofs, economic deposit mechanisms, and selective disclosure methods, Nostr can build a robust identity framework that is both user-friendly and resistant to abuse. Continued research into adaptive economic models and quantum-resistant cryptographic techniques will ensure that the system remains secure in the evolving landscape of decentralized networks.

Thorough evaluation of trade-offs, user experience enhancements, and iterative testing on live networks will be critical. This report serves as a foundational blueprint for further exploration and eventual deployment of sophisticated Sybil defense mechanisms within Nostr.

---

8. References and Further Reading

While the source of ideas is drawn from numerous research efforts and academic papers, key references include:

• Aut-CT Leveraging Curve Trees and Bulletproof Proofs
• Economic mitigation strategies in cryptocurrency mixers
• Comparative studies of decentralized identity systems (uPort, Hyperledger Indy, etc.)
• Rechained protocol research by Bochem and Leiding for IoT networks
• Sysname scheme for privacy-preserving decentralized identifiers
• Deep intrusion detection systems applied to decentralized social networks

(Additional in-depth academic references can be located within the research literature on arXiv and major cryptographic conferences.)

---

Prepared by an expert research analyst, this report is intended to provide detailed insights and a strategic roadmap for implementing Sybil-resistant identities on Nostr while retaining user ease-of-use and privacy-centric features.

Sources

• https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/anonymous-usage-tokens-from-curve-trees-or-autct/862
• https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/anonymous-usage-tokens-from-curve-trees-or-autct/862/2
• https://www.imperva.com/learn/application-security/sybil-attack/
• https://eprint.iacr.org/2019/1111.pdf
• https://www.smartsight.in/technology/what-to-know-about-sybil-attacks/
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363104774_Comparative_Analysis_of_Decentralized_Identity_Approaches
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331790058_A_Comparative_Analysis_of_Trust_Requirements_in_Decentralized_Identity_Management
• https://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/17/1/1
• https://github.com/WebOfTrustInfo/rwot5-boston/blob/master/topics-and-advance-readings/Framework-for-Comparison-of-Identity-Systems.md
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/367557991_The_Cost_of_Sybils_Credible_Commitments_and_False-Name_Proof_Mechanisms
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8125832/
• https://www.nervos.org/knowledge-base/sybil_attacks_consensus_mechanisms_(explainCKBot)
• https://arxiv.org/html/2307.14679v2
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1084804523001145
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2096720924000460
• https://medium.com/@sshshln/mitigating-identity-attacks-in-defi-through-biometric-based-sybil-resistance-6633a682f73a

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

There are two ways things happen in this world: top-down and bottom-up. Top-down is via authoritarian edict, i.e. fascism, no matter how benign-seeming. It is the government imposing a tax, incentivizing a behavior, creating a new law. Bottom-up is the organic process of people doing what interests them voluntarily, what benefits them, what they decide is best individually.

There is but one legitimate role for top-down and that is in creating good conditions for bottom up. The US Constitution is fascism in that it forces you to adhere to its edicts as the supreme law of the land. But it’s also an effective boundary creating the necessary conditions for free markets, free expression, creativity and prosperity.

All governments are fascistic in that they use force to achieve their agendas. But the best ones use only the minimum necessary force to create conditions for bottom-up prosperity. There is no other kind of prosperity.

. . .

Governments aren’t the only entities that are fascistic. Schools, corporations, institutions and individuals, almost invariably, are too. Yes, I am a fascist and very likely so are you. Don’t believe me? Do you have a voice inside your head telling you what you must get done today, evaluating your progress as a person, critiquing and coercing you into doing things that are “good” for you and avoiding ones that are “bad”? If so, you are fascist.

Why not just trust yourself to make the right choices? Why all the nudging, coaxing, coaching, evaluating and gamifying? Who is this voice, what gives it the authority, the requisite wisdom to manage your affairs? Haven’t all your shortcomings, disappointments and general dissatisfactions taken place despite its ever-presence? What makes you think you are better off for having had this in-house micromanagement?

. . .

The top-down edicts that rule our lives are by and large unnecessarily oppressive. Yes, we should create some good top-down conditions for bottom up organic thriving like buying healthy food, getting fresh air, not consuming excessive amounts of alcohol or drugs, but the moment to moment hall-monitoring, the voice that requires you to achieve something or justify your existence? That’s fascism.

. . .

The mind is a powerful tool when it comes to planning, doing math or following a recipe, but if it can’t be turned off, if it’s not just optimizing your path from A to B, but optimizing YOU, that’s fascism.

. . .

I think about the problem of human governance through this lens. I imagine everyone charged with power over a polity has an agenda, and that agenda, insofar as it requires force to achieve, is fascistic. They want it to go this way rather than that way, and some people don’t agree. The quality of leadership then is the extent to which that force is used to preserve the bottom-up freedom of the individual to pursue his interests without undue interference, either from authorities themselves or other individuals who would unduly disrupt him.

The Constitution is an excellent guideline for this, and I surely won’t be able to come up with a better one in this Substack. It’s why I support Trump’s efforts to trim the top-down public sector and return productivity to the bottom-up private one, why I support deportation of adjudicated criminals who are here illegally, but oppose removing people with green cards or on valid student visas for protesting via constitutionally protected speech.

I don’t root for politicians like they play for my favorite sports team. I root for the freedom of the individual, the possibility of a largely bottom-up society wherein prosperity is possible. And I do this while knowing it will never happen exactly the way I would like, so long as I am bound by the fascism coming from inside the house.

@ 46fcbe30:6bd8ce4d

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Overview of the Nostr Ecosystem
3. Current Use Cases and Quantitative Metrics
4. User Adoption Metrics
5. Network Resilience and Decentralization
6. Operational Challenges and Scalability
7. Replication Overhead and Bandwidth Issues
8. Relay Downtime and Financial Sustainability
9. Market Disruption and Sentiment
10. Disrupting Twitter and Centralized Social Platforms
11. Impact on Decentralized Social Media and Censorship Resistance
12. Future Trends and 5-Year Outlook
13. Innovative Protocol Developments
14. Quantitative Forecasting and Diffusion Modeling
15. Networking and Integration with Emerging Technologies
16. Conclusions and Strategic Recommendations

---

1. Introduction

The Nostr ecosystem has emerged as a powerful decentralized alternative to traditional social media networks, particularly as a potential disruptor of Twitter and other centralized—and even existing decentralized—social media platforms. Developed using a protocol based on cryptographic key pairs and a multi-relay system, Nostr is unique in its provision of censorship resistance and user sovereignty. In this report, we provide a detailed analysis of the current state, scalability challenges, and market disruption potential of Nostr, followed by speculative insights on its trajectory over the next five years.

---

2. Overview of the Nostr Ecosystem

Launched in 2022, Nostr (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays) has rapidly gained traction as an open and decentralized social network. Some of the core features include:

• Decentralized Communication: Relying on independent relays across multiple countries and autonomous systems, Nostr offers an architecture that ensures posts are not stored on a single centralized server.
• Censorship Resistance: With cryptographic authentication and a decentralized relay structure, content censorship becomes significantly more difficult than in traditional networks.
• User Sovereignty: Empowering users with cryptographic key pairs allows for enhanced privacy and data ownership.
• Wide Geographic Distribution: The ecosystem spreads over 44 countries and 151 autonomous systems, underscoring its global reach.

Notable endorsements from figures such as Jack Dorsey, Edward Snowden, Vitalik Buterin, and Sen. Cynthia Lummis have bolstered its reputation as an experimental yet promising alternative to centralized social platforms.

---

3. Current Use Cases and Quantitative Metrics

User Adoption Metrics

• User Base: In just two years, the Nostr network has attracted over 4 million users, a significant figure given its nascent stage and decentralized nature.
• Content Generation: With over 60 million posts, the volume of content mirrors the rapid adoption and active usage seen in more centralized models.
• Post Replication: Empirical measurements indicate that there are 17.8 million text notes among these posts, replicated on an average of 34.6 relays per post. This level of replication underlines robust resilience and availability even if significant portions of the network experience downtime.

Network Resilience and Decentralization

• Global Distribution: Nostr’s decentralized network ensures high availability with >90% post accessibility even under simulated network failures (e.g., removal of key relays or autonomous systems).
• Robustness: The dispersion across 712 relays illustrates that decentralization is not only a design choice but also a working reality, which contributes to the network’s reliability.

---

4. Operational Challenges and Scalability

While the Nostr ecosystem demonstrates significant promise, it faces noteworthy operational challenges.

Replication Overhead and Bandwidth Issues

• Excessive Redundancy: Detailed studies have shown that nearly 98.2% of retrieval traffic is redundant. In practice, this equates to an estimated 144 TiB of unnecessary bandwidth consumption.
• Optimization Proposals: To mitigate these inefficiencies, there's a proposal to limit post replications from 34.6 relays to between 10 and 20 relays per post. This could reduce redundant data copies by between 380 million to 480 million instances, potentially lowering operational costs and improving bandwidth utilization.
• Scaling Concerns: With a projected network load of 10 million events per day (or approximately 2 TB annually), the throughput requirement of ~115 TPS is putting a strain on the current architecture. This has led to debates on whether solutions like the current outbox mechanism are sufficient or if further fundamental redesigns and emergent moderation systems are needed.

Relay Downtime and Financial Sustainability

• Relay Stability: Data indicates roughly 20% of relays suffer from significant downtime (exceeding 40% operational time), and 132 relays have been classified as 'dead'. This is a concern for maintaining network integrity.
• Economic Model Challenges: With 95% of free-to-use relays unable to cover operational costs due to minimal zap-based income, there is an urgent need for innovative monetization or community funding models to ensure long-term sustainability.

---

5. Market Disruption and Sentiment

Nostr is positioned as both a disruptor to traditional centralized social platforms—most notably Twitter—and a catalyst for change within decentralized social media.

Disrupting Twitter and Centralized Platforms

• User Shift: While Twitter remains the most well-known platform, the high-profile endorsements and robust user base of Nostr indicate that there is both market intrigue and a gradual shift among early adopters. Disruption here is measured not only in user numbers but also in the paradigm shift towards decentralized content distribution.
• Market Penetration: Current metrics (4 million users, 60 million posts) suggest that Nostr is challenging Twitter's centralized model insofar as it appeals to users prioritizing censorship resistance, data sovereignty, and resiliency against centralized failures. However, mainstream adoption on par with Twitter is still not realized, and there remains a gap in user experience and feature richness.

Impact on Decentralized Social Media and Censorship Resistance

• Complementary Integrations: As decentralized social media ecosystems continue to mature, integration between Nostr and other censorship-resistant platforms is increasingly likely. This can include interoperability protocols, shared identity management systems, and cross-platform content replication.
• Comparative Advantage: Nostr's network design offers unique advantages over other decentralized social media, particularly in its straightforward, relay-based communication protocol. This positions Nostr to potentially serve as an underpinning technology for a broader decoherent ecosystem of social networks.
• Sentiment Toward Scalability Innovations: Discussions around scaling Nostr often focus on the balance between ensuring redundancy (for resilience) and reducing overhead (for efficiency). The sentiment is one of cautious optimism: while outbox solutions offer a stopgap, many experts advocate for more fundamental architectural redesigns in the long-term.

---

6. Future Trends and 5-Year Outlook

Looking forward, the evolution of Nostr will likely be shaped by several interrelated trends and emerging technical innovations.

Innovative Protocol Developments

• Decentralized Identity and Reputation Mechanisms: The next phase may see the introduction of distributed reputation systems and rating mechanisms that aid in spam management and improve trustworthiness without compromising decentralization.
• Optimistic Replication and Selective Mirroring: Innovations such as selective content mirroring and event pruning will be key in managing bandwidth and storage demands while remaining true to the decentralized philosophy.

Quantitative Forecasting and Diffusion Modeling

• Forecast Models: By integrating modified Bass diffusion models and learning curve effects, predictions suggest that Nostr can potentially spur significant market disruption within five years. Recent studies indicate that forecasting models in disruptive technology fields have reached accuracies of up to 82% for demand projections.
• Hybrid Quantitative Techniques: Leveraging methods like LDA2Vec and patent citation network analysis, combined with multi-criteria decision-making models (as seen in extended UTAUT approaches), will be crucial for accurately estimating future adoption and cost efficiencies.
• Metrics to Monitor: Future research should focus on user growth rates, relay uptime percentages, cost reductions achieved through replication optimizations, and overall sentiment analysis using advanced deep learning architectures that overcome traditional pitfalls (e.g., sarcasm and multipolarity in text data).

Networking and Integration with Emerging Technologies

• Integration with Other Decentralized Platforms: One promising avenue is exploring cross-platform interoperability with other decentralized and blockchain-based social networks, which could lead to a more cohesive ecosystem. This would not only enhance user experience but also enable shared security and moderation frameworks.
• Next-Generation Relays: The deployment of relays that are more resilient through redundancy optimization and financial sustainability models (perhaps incorporating micro-transaction revenue models or community-driven funding) is another critical area. Such improvements could mitigate the issues of relay downtime and excessive network overhead.
• Contrarian Approaches: A contrarian perspective suggests that instead of building on current frameworks, a radical overhaul of the network architecture might be considered, potentially by leveraging novel distributed ledger technologies or leveraging a hybrid centralized-decentralized model during the transition phase to ensure smoother scaling.

---

7. Conclusions and Strategic Recommendations

The Nostr ecosystem represents a significant stride toward decentralized, censorship-resistant social media. While its current market adoption and technical design offer a robust alternative to centralized platforms like Twitter, several challenges must be addressed for sustained growth and disruption:

1. Optimization of Data Replication: Reducing redundant data transfers without compromising resilience is essential. Limiting the replication factor and exploring optimistic retrieval mechanisms could provide a balance between availability and efficiency.

2. Relay Stability and Sustainability: With nearly 20% of relays experiencing significant downtime, innovative financial and technical models (such as micro-payments and community funding) should be deployed to enhance the operational reliability of network nodes.

3. Enhanced Moderation and Reputation Systems: Emerging strategies for decentralized content moderation and reputation management could reduce spam and improve content quality while preserving the open nature of the network.

4. Interoperability with Other Decentralized Platforms: Fostering integration with other emerging systems could accelerate market disruption across the broader spectrum of social media.

5. Future-Proofing Through Quantitative Forecasting: Continual adoption of cutting-edge forecasting models and machine learning techniques to measure sentiment and track network metrics is imperative for proactive evolution.

6. Exploring Contrarian Innovations: In addition to incremental changes, it is important not to discount radically new architectures that may emerge from ongoing research in distributed systems and blockchain technologies.

Final Outlook

In the coming five years, Nostr has the potential to disrupt not only Twitter but also the broader landscape of both centralized and decentralized social media. Although the current architecture presents significant scaling challenges, proactive investments in replication optimization, relay stability, and cross-platform integration will likely propel the network into a more mature phase of adoption. The ecosystem will benefit from a dual approach that combines both evolutionary improvements and revolutionary changes, ensuring that it remains robust while meeting the demands of a growing, globally distributed user base.

---

Appendices

Appendix A: Data and Metrics Summary

• User Base: ~4 million
• Post Volume: >60 million posts
• Average Relay Replication: ~34.6 replicas per post
• Geographical Distribution: 44 countries, 151 autonomous systems
• Bandwidth Waste: ~144 TiB due to redundancy
• Network Load: 10 million events/day (~2TB/year)
• Throughput Requirement: ~115 TPS

Appendix B: Key Technical Proposals

• Replication Control: Limit copies to 10–20 relays for optimal efficiency.
• Selective Mirroring: Implement event pruning and selective content mirroring.
• Decentralized Reputation Systems: Develop distributed rating mechanisms to enhance distributed moderation.

Appendix C: Forecasting and Quantitative Methods

• Diffusion Modeling: Modified Bass models with multi-market dynamics.
• Hybrid Quantitative Techniques: Integration of machine learning (CNN-LSTM, LDA2Vec) with multi‐criteria decision models.

---

Recommendations for Further Research

• Investigate the comparative performance of alternative replication strategies in decentralized networks.
• Explore funding models that can sustain relay operations without compromising neutrality or decentralization.
• Conduct long-term sentiment analysis using advanced neural architectures to understand evolving user attitudes.
• Evaluate the prospective benefits of radical design overhauls versus incremental enhancements in ensuring network scalability.

---

This report is intended for expert analysts and researchers in decentralized network systems and social media disruption. It synthesizes current empirical findings with speculative insights to inform future strategies and academic inquiry.

Sources

• https://www.voltage.cloud/blog/exploring-6-use-cases-of-nostr-beyond-messaging
• https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.05709
• https://arxiv.org/html/2402.05709v1
• https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/5146515.pdf?abstractid=5146515&mirid=1
• https://matchnode.com/blog-and-podcasts/mastering-paid-social-media-advertising-a-comprehensive-guide/
• https://blockworks.co/news/jack-dorsey-app-to-disrupt-twitter
• https://www.securities.io/nostr-a-better-twitter/
• https://medium.com/@jasminedevv/battle-of-the-decentralized-twitter-alternatives-c9f51114614a
• https://www.murrayrudd.pro/nostrs-relay-revolution-scaling-decentralized-networks-for-growth/
• https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/issues/75
• https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42758579
• https://www.toptal.com/deep-learning/4-sentiment-analysis-accuracy-traps
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/3076742_Forecasting_the_Market_Diffusion_of_Disruptive_and_Discontinuous_Innovation
• https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/03/17/3043701/0/en/United-States-Online-Household-Furniture-Market-Report-2025-2029-Analysis-of-Price-Sensitivity-Lifecycle-Customer-Purchase-Basket-Adoption-Rates-and-Purchase-Criteria.html
• https://northeast.newschannelnebraska.com/story/52583550/laser-welding-market-growth-industrial-adoption-rate
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/am/pii/S2405896323014453
• https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/industry-5-market-35376359.html

@ dd664d5e:5633d319

Men tend to find women attractive, that remind them of the average women they already know, but with more-averaged features. The mid of mids is kween.👸

But, in contradiction to that, they won't consider her highly attractive, unless she has some spectacular, unusual feature. They'll sacrifice some averageness to acquire that novelty. This is why wealthy men (who tend to be highly intelligent -- and therefore particularly inclined to crave novelty because they are easily bored) -- are more likely to have striking-looking wives and girlfriends, rather than conventionally-attractive ones. They are also more-likely to cross ethnic and racial lines, when dating.

Men also seem to each be particularly attracted to specific facial expressions or mimics, which might be an intelligence-similarity test, as persons with higher intelligence tend to have a more-expressive mimic. So, people with similar expressions tend to be on the same wavelength. Facial expessions also give men some sense of perception into womens' inner life, which they otherwise find inscrutable.

Hair color is a big deal (logic says: always go blonde), as is breast-size (bigger is better), and WHR (smaller is better).

@ 16f1a010:31b1074b

What is NSSM?

NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager) is a free tool that allows you to install and manage any application as a Windows service. This is particularly useful for applications that don't natively support running as a service, ensuring they start automatically when your system boots and continue running in the background.

Downloading NSSM

1. Visit the official NSSM website: https://nssm.cc/
2. Download the latest stable release.
3. Extract the downloaded ZIP file to a directory of your choice (e.g., C:\nssm).

Adding NSSM to Your PATH (Recommended)

Adding NSSM to your system's PATH environment variable allows you to run nssm commands from any command prompt window.

1. Search for "Environment Variables" in the Windows Start menu and select "Edit the system environment variables."
2. In the "System Properties" window, click the "Environment Variables..." button.
3. In the "System variables" section, find the "Path" variable and click "Edit."
4. Click "New" and add the path to the directory where you extracted NSSM (e.g., C:\nssm).
5. Click "OK" on all open windows to save the changes.
6. Open a new command prompt window and type nssm --version. If NSSM is correctly added to your PATH, you should see the version information.

Using NSSM: Installing a Service

1. Open a command prompt as administrator.
2. Type nssm install <service_name> and press Enter. Replace <service_name> with the name you want to give to your service.
3. A GUI will appear, allowing you to configure the service.
4. In the "Path" field, enter the full path to the application's executable.
5. In the "Startup directory" field, enter the directory containing the executable.
6. Configure any other options as needed, such as "Arguments," "I/O," or "Details."
7. Click "Install service."

Example:

bash nssm install MyGrainRelay

Conclusion

Congratulations, you now have NSSM installed and know the basics of using it to manage windows services. Check my profile for more technical guides on various topics, and stay tuned for more guides.

@ 16f1a010:31b1074b

grain is a nostr relay built using Go, currently utilizing MongoDB as its database. Binaries are provided for AMD64 Windows and Linux. grain is Go Relay Architecture for Implementing Nostr

Introduction

grain is a nostr relay built using Go, currently utilizing MongoDB as its database. Binaries are provided for AMD64 Windows and Linux. grain is Go Relay Architecture for Implementing Nostr

Prerequisites

• Grain requires a running MongoDB instance. Please refer to this separate guide for instructions on setting up MongoDB: nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzq9h35qgq6n8ll0xyyv8gurjzjrx9sjwp4hry6ejnlks8cqcmzp6tqqxnzde5xg6rwwp5xsuryd3knfdr7g

Download Grain

Download the latest release for your system from the GitHub releases page

amd64 binaries provided for Windows and Linux, if you have a different CPU architecture, you can download and install go to build grain from source

Installation and Execution

• Create a new folder on your system where you want to run Grain.
• The downloaded binary comes bundled with a ZIP file containing a folder named "app," which holds the frontend HTML files. Unzip the "app" folder into the same directory as the Grain executable.

Run Grain

• Open your terminal or command prompt and navigate to the Grain directory.
• Execute the Grain binary.

on linux you will first have to make the program executable

chmod +x grain_linux_amd64

Then you can run the program

./grain_linux_amd64

(alternatively on windows, you can just double click the grain_windows_amd64.exe to start the relay)

You should see a terminal window displaying the port on which your relay and frontend are running.

If you get

Failed to copy app/static/examples/config.example.yml to config.yml: open app/static/examples/config.example.yml: no such file or directory

Then you probably forgot to put the app folder in the same directory as your executable or you did not unzip the folder.

Congrats! You're running grain 🌾!

You may want to change your NIP11 relay information document (relay_metadata.json) This informs clients of the capabilities, administrative contacts, and various server attributes. It's located in the same directory as your executable.

Configuration Files

Once Grain has been executed for the first time, it will generate the default configuration files inside the directory where the executable is located. These files are:

bash config.yml whitelist.yml blacklist.yml

Prerequisites: - Grain requires a running MongoDB instance. Please refer to this separate guide for instructions on setting up MongoDB: [Link to MongoDB setup guide].

Download Grain:

Download the latest release for your system from the GitHub releases page

amd64 binaries provided for Windows and Linux, if you have a different CPU architecture, you can download and install go to build grain from source

Installation and Execution:

• Create a new folder on your system where you want to run Grain.
• The downloaded binary comes bundled with a ZIP file containing a folder named "app," which holds the frontend HTML files. Unzip the "app" folder into the same directory as the Grain executable.

Run Grain:

• Open your terminal or command prompt and navigate to the Grain directory.
• Execute the Grain binary.

on linux you will first have to make the program executable

chmod +x grain_linux_amd64

Then you can run the program

./grain_linux_amd64

(alternatively on windows, you can just double click the grain_windows_amd64.exe to start the relay)

You should see a terminal window displaying the port on which your relay and frontend are running.

If you get

Failed to copy app/static/examples/config.example.yml to config.yml: open app/static/examples/config.example.yml: no such file or directory

Then you probably forgot to put the app folder in the same directory as your executable or you did not unzip the folder.

Congrats! You're running grain 🌾!

You may want to change your NIP11 relay information document (relay_metadata.json) This informs clients of the capabilities, administrative contacts, and various server attributes. It's located in the same directory as your executable.

Configuration Files:

Once Grain has been executed for the first time, it will generate the default configuration files inside the directory where the executable is located. These files are:

bash config.yml whitelist.yml blacklist.yml

Configuration Documentation

You can always find the latest example configs on my site or in the github repo here: config.yml

whitelist.yml

blacklist.yml

Config.yml

This config.yml file is where you customize how your Grain relay operates. Each section controls different aspects of the relay's behavior.

1. mongodb (Database Settings)

• uri: mongodb://localhost:27017/:
  • This is the connection string for your MongoDB database.
  • mongodb://localhost:27017/ indicates that your MongoDB server is running on the same computer as your Grain relay (localhost) and listening on port 27017 (the default MongoDB port).
  • If your MongoDB server is on a different machine, you'll need to change localhost to the server's IP address or hostname.
  • The trailing / indicates the root of the mongodb server. You will define the database in the next line.
• database: grain:
  • This specifies the name of the MongoDB database that Grain will use to store Nostr events. Grain will create this database if it doesn't already exist.
  • You can name the database whatever you want. If you want to run multiple grain relays, you can and they can have different databases running on the same mongo server.

2. server (Relay Server Settings)

• port: :8181:
  • This sets the port on which your Grain relay will listen for incoming nostr websocket connections and what port the frontend will be available at.
• read_timeout: 10 # in seconds:
  • This is the maximum time (in seconds) that the relay will wait for a client to send data before closing the connection.
• write_timeout: 10 # in seconds:
  • This is the maximum time (in seconds) that the relay will wait for a client to receive data before closing the connection.
• idle_timeout: 120 # in seconds:
  • This is the maximum time (in seconds) that the relay will keep a connection open if there's no activity.
• max_connections: 100:
  • This sets the maximum number of simultaneous client connections that the relay will allow.
• max_subscriptions_per_client: 10:
  • This sets the maximum amount of subscriptions a single client can request from the relay.

3. resource_limits (System Resource Limits)

• cpu_cores: 2 # Limit the number of CPU cores the application can use:
  • This restricts the number of CPU cores that Grain can use. Useful for controlling resource usage on your server.
• memory_mb: 1024 # Cap the maximum amount of RAM in MB the application can use:
  • This limits the maximum amount of RAM (in megabytes) that Grain can use.
• heap_size_mb: 512 # Set a limit on the Go garbage collector's heap size in MB:
  • This sets a limit on the amount of memory that the Go programming language's garbage collector can use.

4. auth (Authentication Settings)

• enabled: false # Enable or disable AUTH handling:
  • If set to true, this enables authentication handling, requiring clients to authenticate before using the relay.
• relay_url: "wss://relay.example.com/" # Specify the relay URL:
  • If authentication is enabled, this is the url that clients will use to authenticate.

5. UserSync (User Synchronization)

• user_sync: false:
  • If set to true, the relay will attempt to sync user data from other relays.
• disable_at_startup: true:
  • If user sync is enabled, this will prevent the sync from starting when the relay starts.
• initial_sync_relays: [...]:
  • A list of other relays to pull user data from.
• kinds: []:
  • A list of event kinds to pull from the other relays. Leaving this empty will pull all event kinds.
• limit: 100:
  • The limit of events to pull from the other relays.
• exclude_non_whitelisted: true:
  • If set to true, only users on the whitelist will have their data synced.
• interval: 360:
  • The interval in minutes that the relay will resync user data.

6. backup_relay (Backup Relay)

• enabled: false:
  • If set to true, the relay will send copies of received events to the backup relay.
• url: "wss://some-relay.com":
  • The url of the backup relay.

7. event_purge (Event Purging)

• enabled: false:
  • If set to true, the relay will automatically delete old events.
• keep_interval_hours: 24:
  • The number of hours to keep events before purging them.
• purge_interval_minutes: 240:
  • How often (in minutes) the purging process runs.
• purge_by_category: ...:
  • Allows you to specify which categories of events (regular, replaceable, addressable, deprecated) to purge.
• purge_by_kind_enabled: false:
  • If set to true, events will be purged based on the kinds listed below.
• kinds_to_purge: ...:
  • A list of event kinds to purge.
• exclude_whitelisted: true:
  • If set to true, events from whitelisted users will not be purged.

8. event_time_constraints (Event Time Constraints)

• min_created_at: 1577836800:
  • The minimum created_at timestamp (Unix timestamp) that events must have to be accepted by the relay.
• max_created_at_string: now+5m:
  • The maximum created at time that an event can have. This example shows that the max created at time is 5 minutes in the future from the time the event is received.
  • min_created_at_string and max_created_at work the same way.

9. rate_limit (Rate Limiting)

• ws_limit: 100:
  • The maximum number of WebSocket messages per second that the relay will accept.
• ws_burst: 200:
  • Allows a temporary burst of WebSocket messages.
• event_limit: 50:
  • The maximum number of Nostr events per second that the relay will accept.
• event_burst: 100:
  • Allows a temporary burst of Nostr events.
• req_limit: 50:
  • The limit of http requests per second.
• req_burst: 100:
  • The allowed burst of http requests.
• max_event_size: 51200:
  • The maximum size (in bytes) of a Nostr event that the relay will accept.
• kind_size_limits: ...:
  • Allows you to set size limits for specific event kinds.
• category_limits: ...:
  • Allows you to set rate limits for different event categories (ephemeral, addressable, regular, replaceable).
• kind_limits: ...:
  • Allows you to set rate limits for specific event kinds.

By understanding these settings, you can tailor your Grain Nostr relay to meet your specific needs and resource constraints.

whitelist.yml

The whitelist.yml file is used to control which users, event kinds, and domains are allowed to interact with your Grain relay. Here's a breakdown of the settings:

1. pubkey_whitelist (Public Key Whitelist)

• enabled: false:
  • If set to true, this enables the public key whitelist. Only users whose public keys are listed will be allowed to publish events to your relay.
• pubkeys::
  • A list of hexadecimal public keys that are allowed to publish events.
  • pubkey1 and pubkey2 are placeholders, you will replace these with actual hexadecimal public keys.
• npubs::
  • A list of npubs that are allowed to publish events.
  • npub18ls2km9aklhzw9yzqgjfu0anhz2z83hkeknw7sl22ptu8kfs3rjq54am44 and npub2 are placeholders, replace them with actual npubs.
  • npubs are bech32 encoded public keys.

2. kind_whitelist (Event Kind Whitelist)

• enabled: false:
  • If set to true, this enables the event kind whitelist. Only events with the specified kinds will be allowed.
• kinds::
  • A list of event kinds (as strings) that are allowed.
  • "1" and "2" are example kinds. Replace these with the kinds you want to allow.
  • Example kinds are 0 for metadata, 1 for short text notes, and 2 for recommend server.

3. domain_whitelist (Domain Whitelist)

• enabled: false:
  • If set to true, this enables the domain whitelist. This checks the domains .well-known folder for their nostr.json. This file contains a list of pubkeys. They will be considered whitelisted if on this list.
• domains::
  • A list of domains that are allowed.
  • "example.com" and "anotherdomain.com" are example domains. Replace these with the domains you want to allow.

blacklist.yml

The blacklist.yml file allows you to block specific content, users, and words from your Grain relay. Here's a breakdown of the settings:

1. enabled: true

• This setting enables the blacklist functionality. If set to true, the relay will actively block content and users based on the rules defined in this file.

2. permanent_ban_words:

• This section lists words that, if found in an event, will result in a permanent ban for the event's author.
• - really bad word is a placeholder. Replace it with any words you want to permanently block.

3. temp_ban_words:

• This section lists words that, if found in an event, will result in a temporary ban for the event's author.
• - crypto, - web3, and - airdrop are examples. Replace them with the words you want to temporarily block.

4. max_temp_bans: 3

• This sets the maximum number of temporary bans a user can receive before they are permanently banned.

5. temp_ban_duration: 3600

• This sets the duration of a temporary ban in seconds. 3600 seconds equals one hour.

6. permanent_blacklist_pubkeys:

• This section lists hexadecimal public keys that are permanently blocked from using the relay.
• - db0c9b8acd6101adb9b281c5321f98f6eebb33c5719d230ed1870997538a9765 is an example. Replace it with the public keys you want to block.

7. permanent_blacklist_npubs:

• This section lists npubs that are permanently blocked from using the relay.
• - npub1x0r5gflnk2mn6h3c70nvnywpy2j46gzqwg6k7uw6fxswyz0md9qqnhshtn is an example. Replace it with the npubs you want to block.
• npubs are the human readable version of public keys.

8. mutelist_authors:

• This section lists hexadecimal public keys of author of a kind1000 mutelist. Pubkey authors on this mutelist will be considered on the permanent blacklist. This provides a nostr native way to handle the backlist of your relay
• - 3fe0ab6cbdb7ee27148202249e3fb3b89423c6f6cda6ef43ea5057c3d93088e4 is an example. Replace it with the public keys of authors that have a mutelist you would like to use as a blacklist. Consider using your own.
• Important Note: The mutelist Event MUST be stored in this relay for it to be retrieved. This means your relay must have a copy of the authors kind10000 mutelist to consider them for the blacklist.

Running Grain as a Service:

Windows Service:

To run Grain as a Windows service, you can use tools like NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager). NSSM allows you to easily install and manage any application as a Windows service.

* For instructions on how to install NSSM, please refer to this article: [Link to NSSM install guide coming soon].

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator:

   • Open the Windows Start menu, type "cmd," right-click on "Command Prompt," and select "Run as administrator."

2. Navigate to NSSM Directory:

   • Use the cd command to navigate to the directory where you extracted NSSM. For example, if you extracted it to C:\nssm, you would type cd C:\nssm and press Enter.

3. Install the Grain Service:

   • Run the command nssm install grain.
   • A GUI will appear, allowing you to configure the service.

4. Configure Service Details:

   • In the "Path" field, enter the full path to your Grain executable (e.g., C:\grain\grain_windows_amd64.exe).
   • In the "Startup directory" field, enter the directory where your Grain executable is located (e.g., C:\grain).

5. Install the Service:

   • Click the "Install service" button.

6. Manage the Service:

   • You can now manage the Grain service using the Windows Services manager. Open the Start menu, type "services.msc," and press Enter. You can start, stop, pause, or restart the Grain service from there.

Linux Service (systemd):

To run Grain as a Linux service, you can use systemd, the standard service manager for most modern Linux distributions.

1. Create a Systemd Service File:

   • Open a text editor with root privileges (e.g., sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/grain.service).

2. Add Service Configuration:

   • Add the following content to the grain.service file, replacing the placeholders with your actual paths and user information:

   ```toml [Unit] Description=Grain Nostr Relay After=network.target

   [Service] ExecStart=/path/to/grain_linux_amd64 WorkingDirectory=/path/to/grain/directory Restart=always User=your_user #replace your_user Group=your_group #replace your_group

   [Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target ```

   • Replace /path/to/grain/executable with the full path to your Grain executable.
   • Replace /path/to/grain/directory with the directory containing your Grain executable.
   • Replace your_user and your_group with the username and group that will run the Grain service.

3. Reload Systemd:

   • Run the command sudo systemctl daemon-reload to reload the systemd configuration.

4. Enable the Service:

   • Run the command sudo systemctl enable grain.service to enable the service to start automatically on boot.

5. Start the Service:

   • Run the command sudo systemctl start grain.service to start the service immediately.

6. Check Service Status:

   • Run the command sudo systemctl status grain.service to check the status of the Grain service. This will show you if the service is running and any recent logs.
   • You can run sudo journalctl -f -u grain.service to watch the logs

More guides are in the works for setting up tailscale to access your relay from anywhere over a private network and for setting up a cloudflare tunnel to your domain to deploy a grain relay accessible on a subdomain of your site eg wss://relay.yourdomain.com