@ f977c464:32fcbe00

Güneşin kaybolmasının üçüncü günü, saat öğlen on ikiyi yirmi geçiyordu. Trenin kalkmasına yaklaşık iki saat vardı. Hepimiz perondaydık. Valizlerimiz, kolilerimiz, renk renk ve biçimsiz çantalarımızla yan yana dizilmiş, kısa aralıklarla tepemizdeki devasa saati kontrol ediyorduk.

Ama ne kadar dik bakarsak bakalım zaman bir türlü istediğimiz hızla ilerlemiyordu. Herkes birkaç dakika sürmesi gereken alelade bir doğa olayına sıkışıp kalmış, karanlıktan sürünerek çıkmayı deniyordu.

Bekleme salonuna doğru döndüm. Nefesimden çıkan buharın arkasında, kalın taş duvarları ve camlarıyla morg kadar güvenli ve soğuk duruyordu. Cesetleri o yüzden bunun gibi yerlere taşımaya başlamışlardı. Demek insanların bütün iyiliği başkaları onları gördüğü içindi ki gündüzleri gecelerden daha karanlık olduğunda hemen birbirlerinin gırtlağına çökmüş, böğürlerinde delikler açmış, gözlerini oyup kafataslarını parçalamışlardı.

İstasyonun ışığı titrediğinde karanlığın enseme saplandığını hissettim. Eğer şimdi, böyle kalabalık bir yerde elektrik kesilse başımıza ne gelirdi?

İçerideki askerlerden biri bakışlarımı yakalayınca yeniden saate odaklanmış gibi yaptım. Sadece birkaç dakika geçmişti.

“Tarlalarım gitti. Böyle boyum kadar ayçiçeği doluydu. Ah, hepsi ölüp gidiyor. Afitap’ın çiçekleri de gi-”

“Dayı, Allah’ını seversen sus. Hepimizi yakacaksın şimdi.”

Karanlıkta durduğunda, görünmez olmayı istemeye başlıyordun. Kimse seni görmemeli, nefesini bile duymamalıydı. Kimsenin de ayağının altında dolaşmamalıydın; gelip kazayla sana çarpmamalılar, takılıp sendelememeliydiler. Yoksa aslında hedefi sen olmadığın bir öfke gürlemeye başlar, yaşadığın ilk şoku ve acıyı silerek üstünden geçerdi.

İlk konuşan, yaşlıca bir adam, kafasında kasketi, nasırlı ellerine hohluyordu. Gözleri ve burnu kızarmıştı. Güneşin kaybolması onun için kendi başına bir felaket değildi. Hayatına olan pratik yansımalarından korkuyordu olsa olsa. Bir anının kaybolması, bu yüzden çoktan kaybettiği birinin biraz daha eksilmesi. Hayatta kalmasını gerektiren sebepler azalırken, hayatta kalmasını sağlayacak kaynaklarını da kaybediyordu.

Onu susturan delikanlıysa atkısını bütün kafasına sarmış, sakalı ve yüzünün derinliklerine kaçmış gözleri dışında bedeninin bütün parçalarını gizlemeye çalışıyordu. İşte o, güneşin kaybolmasının tam olarak ne anlama geldiğini anlamamış olsa bile, dehşetini olduğu gibi hissedebilenlerdendi.

Güneşin onlardan alındıktan sonra kime verileceğini sormuyorlardı. En başta onlara verildiğinde de hiçbir soru sormamışlardı zaten.

İki saat ne zaman geçer?

Midemin üstünde, sağ tarafıma doğru keskin bir acı hissettim. Karaciğerim. Gözlerimi yumdum. Yanımda biri metal bir nesneyi yere bıraktı. Bir kafesti. İçerisindeki kartalın ıslak kokusu burnuma ulaşmadan önce bile biliyordum bunu.

“Yeniden mi?” diye sordu bana kartal. Kanatları kanlı. Zamanın her bir parçası tüylerinin üstüne çöreklenmişti. Gagası bir şey, tahminen et parçası geveliyor gibi hareket ediyordu. Eski anılar kolay unutulmazmış. Şu anda kafesinin kalın parmaklıklarının ardında olsa da bunun bir aldatmaca olduğunu bir tek ben biliyordum. Her an kanatlarını iki yana uzatıverebilir, hava bu hareketiyle dalgalanarak kafesi esneterek hepimizi içine alacak kadar genişleyebilir, parmaklıklar önce ayaklarımızın altına serilir gibi gözükebilir ama aslında hepimizin üstünde yükselerek tepemize çökebilirdi.

Aşağıya baktım. Tahtalarla zapt edilmiş, hiçbir yere gidemeyen ama her yere uzanan tren rayları. Atlayıp koşsam… Çantam çok ağırdı. Daha birkaç adım atamadan, kartal, suratını bedenime gömerdi.

“Bu sefer farklı,” diye yanıtladım onu. “Yeniden diyemezsin. Tekrarladığım bir şey değil bu. Hatta bir hata yapıyormuşum gibi tonlayamazsın da. Bu sefer, insanların hak etmediğini biliyorum.”

“O zaman daha vahim. Süzme salaksın demektir.”

“İnsanların hak etmemesi, insanlığın hak etmediği anlamına gelmez ki.”

Az önce göz göze geldiğim genççe ama çökük asker hâlâ bana bakıyordu. Bir kartalla konuştuğumu anlamamıştı şüphesiz. Yanımdakilerden biriyle konuştuğumu sanmış olmalıydı. Ama konuştuğum kişiye bakmıyordum ona göre. Çekingence kafamı eğmiştim. Bir kez daha göz göze geldiğimizde içerideki diğer iki askere bir şeyler söyledi, onlar dönüp beni süzerken dışarı çıktı.

Yanımızdaki, az önce konuşan iki adam da şaşkınlıkla bir bana bir kartala bakıyordu.

“Yalnız bu sefer kalbin de kırılacak, Prometheus,” dedi kartal, bana. “Belki son olur. Biliyorsun, bir sürü soruna neden oluyor bu yaptıkların.”

Beni koruyordu sözde. En çok kanıma dokunan buydu. Kasıklarımın üstüne oturmuş, kanlı suratının ardında gözleri parlarken attığı çığlık kulaklarımda titremeye devam ediyordu. Bu tabloda kimsenin kimseyi düşündüğü yoktu. Kartalın, yanımızdaki adamların, artık arkama kadar gelmiş olması gereken askerin, tren raylarının, geçmeyen saatlerin…

Arkamı döndüğümde, asker sahiden oradaydı. Zaten öyle olması gerekiyordu; görmüştüm bunu, biliyordum. Kehanetler… Bir şeyler söylüyordu ama ağzı oynarken sesi çıkmıyordu. Yavaşlamış, kendisini saatin akışına uydurmuştu. Havada donan tükürüğünden anlaşılıyordu, sinirliydi. Korktuğu için olduğunu biliyordum. Her seferinde korkmuşlardı. Beni unutmuş olmaları işlerini kolaylaştırmıyordu. Sadece yeni bir isim vermelerine neden oluyordu. Bu seferkiyle beni lanetleyecekleri kesinleşmişti.

Olması gerekenle olanların farklı olması ne kadar acınasıydı. Olması gerekenlerin doğasının kötücül olmasıysa bir yerde buna dayanıyordu.

“Salaksın,” dedi kartal bana. Zamanı aşan bir çığlık. Hepimizin önüne geçmişti ama kimseyi durduramıyordu.

Sonsuzluğa kaç tane iki saat sıkıştırabilirsiniz?

Ben bir tane bile sıkıştıramadım.

Çantama uzanıyordum. Asker de sırtındaki tüfeğini indiriyordu. Benim acelem yoktu, onunsa eli ayağı birbirine dolaşıyordu. Oysaki her şey tam olması gerektiği anda olacaktı. Kehanet başkasının parmaklarının ucundaydı.

Güneş, bir tüfeğin patlamasıyla yeryüzüne doğdu.

Rayların üzerine serilmiş göğsümün ortasından, bir çantanın içinden.

Not: Bu öykü ilk olarak 2021 yılında Esrarengiz Hikâyeler'de yayımlanmıştır.

@ f977c464:32fcbe00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

Ben geldiğimde ölmüşlerdi.

Yani bozulmuşlardı demek istiyorum.

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

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

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

Eliyle arkasını işaret etti.

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

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

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

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

Bira istemediğinden emin misin?

İstemediğini söyledi. Sahi, neden deliriyordu bu androidler?

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

Sesini alçalttı.

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

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

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

Nedenmiş peki? Ne gerek varmış?

Ne bileyim be abicim! Ahiret soruları gibi.

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

Ben seni nereden tanıyorum ki ulan? Kimsin sen?

Belleği makineden çıkardılar. İki kişiydiler. Soruşturmadan sorumlu memurlar.

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

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

─ Bence de. Yeterince düzgün çalışıyor.

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

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

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

Hangi işimizde bir yamukluk yok ki be abi.

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hiçbir vagonda pencere olmadığı için metronun içi, içlerindekiler meçhuldü.

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

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

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

Onların mercekleri için değil. Bağlantıları çok önceden kopmuştu.

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

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

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

─ Nasıl olmuş, diye sordu.

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

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

─ Çok güzelsin, diyerek kravatını düzeltti kocası.

─ Sen de öylesin, sevgilim.

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

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

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

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

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

Hiç de androidlere bilinçli olarak zarar verebilecek gibi gözükmüyorlardı.

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

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

Bütün illüzyon o anda dağılmaya başladı.

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

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

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Running your own Lightning node for the Bitcoin Layer 2 network can be an empowering and beneficial endeavor. Here are 10 reasons why you might consider taking on this task:

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7. Personalized Fee Structures: You have the flexibility to set your own fee policies, which can balance earning potential with the service you provide to the network.

8. Empowerment Through Knowledge: The process of setting up and managing a node provides deep learning opportunities, empowering you with knowledge that can be applied in various areas of blockchain and fintech.

9. Boosting Transaction Capacity: By running a node, you help to increase the overall capacity of the Lightning Network, enabling more transactions to be processed quickly and at lower costs.

10. Community Leadership and Reputation: As an active node operator, you gain recognition within the Bitcoin community, which can lead to collaborative opportunities and a position of thought leadership in the space.

These reasons demonstrate the impactful and transformative nature of running a Lightning node, appealing to those who are deeply invested in the principles of bitcoin and wish to actively shape its future. Jump aboard, and embrace the journey toward full independence. 🐶🐾🫡🚀🚀🚀

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Chef's notes

Serving these two dishes together will create a delightful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving meal, offering a perfect blend of traditional flavors with a homemade touch.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 30 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 1 - 2 hours
• 🍽️ Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey (about 12-14 lbs), thawed and ready to cook
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• Apple and Sage Stuffing
• 1 loaf of crusty bread, cut into cubes
• 2 apples, cored and chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups chicken broth
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 325°F (165°C).
2. Prepare the Herb Butter: Mix the softened butter with the chopped thyme, rosemary, and sage. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Prepare the Turkey: Remove any giblets from the turkey and pat it dry. Loosen the skin and spread a generous amount of herb butter under and over the skin.
4. Add Aromatics: Inside the turkey cavity, place the quartered onion, lemon halves, and garlic cloves.
5. Roast: Place the turkey in a roasting pan. Tent with aluminum foil and roast. A general guideline is about 15 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the thigh.
6. Rest and Serve: Let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
7. Next: Apple and Sage Stuffing
8. Dry the Bread: Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and let them dry overnight, or toast them in the oven.
9. Cook the Vegetables: In a large skillet, melt the butter and cook the onion, celery, and garlic until soft.
10. Combine Ingredients: Add the apples, sage, and bread cubes to the skillet. Stir in the chicken broth until the mixture is moist. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Bake: Transfer the stuffing to a baking dish and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 30-40 minutes, until golden brown on top.

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

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

Bold text work!

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

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

🐶🐾🤯🤯🤯🫂💜

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

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

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Test Bounty Note

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Intro

This short tutorial will help you set up your own Nostr Wallet Connect (NWC) on your own LND Node that is not using Umbrel. If you are a user of Umbrel, you should use their version of NWC.

Requirements

You need to have a working installation of LND with established channels and connectivity to the internet. NWC in itself is fairly light and will not consume a lot of resources. You will also want to ensure that you have a working installation of Docker, since we will use a docker image to run NWC.

• Working installation of LND (and all of its required components)
• Docker (with Docker compose)

Installation

For the purpose of this tutorial, we will assume that you have your lnd/bitcoind running under user bitcoin with home directory /home/bitcoin. We will also assume that you already have a running installation of Docker (or docker.io).

Prepare and verify

git version - we will need git to get the latest version of NWC. docker version - should execute successfully and show the currently installed version of Docker. docker compose version - same as before, but the version will be different. ss -tupln | grep 10009- should produce the following output: tcp LISTEN 0 4096 0.0.0.0:10009 0.0.0.0: tcp LISTEN 0 4096 [::]:10009 [::]:**

For things to work correctly, your Docker should be version 20.10.0 or later. If you have an older version, consider installing a new one using instructions here: https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/

Create folders & download NWC

In the home directory of your LND/bitcoind user, create a new folder, e.g., "nwc" mkdir /home/bitcoin/nwc. Change to that directory cd /home/bitcoin/nwc and clone the NWC repository: git clone https://github.com/getAlby/nostr-wallet-connect.git

Creating the Docker image

In this step, we will create a Docker image that you will use to run NWC.

• Change directory to nostr-wallet-connect: cd nostr-wallet-connect
• Run command to build Docker image: docker build -t nwc:$(date +'%Y%m%d%H%M') -t nwc:latest . (there is a dot at the end)
• The last line of the output (after a few minutes) should look like => => naming to docker.io/library/nwc:latest
• nwc:latest is the name of the Docker image with a tag which you should note for use later.

Creating docker-compose.yml and necessary data directories

• Let's create a directory that will hold your non-volatile data (DB): mkdir data
• Indocker-compose.ymlfile, there are fields that you want to replace (<> comments) and port “4321” that you want to make sure is open (check with ss -tupln | grep 4321which should return nothing).
• Create docker-compose.ymlfile with the following content, and make sure to update fields that have <> comment:

version: "3.8" services: nwc: image: nwc:latest volumes: - ./data:/data - ~/.lnd:/lnd:ro ports: - "4321:8080" extra_hosts: - "localhost:host-gateway" environment: NOSTR_PRIVKEY: <use "openssl rand -hex 32" to generate a fresh key and place it inside ""> LN_BACKEND_TYPE: "LND" LND_ADDRESS: localhost:10009 LND_CERT_FILE: "/lnd/tls.cert" LND_MACAROON_FILE: "/lnd/data/chain/bitcoin/mainnet/admin.macaroon" DATABASE_URI: "/data/nostr-wallet-connect.db" COOKIE_SECRET: <use "openssl rand -hex 32" to generate fresh secret and place it inside ""> PORT: 8080 restart: always stop_grace_period: 1m

Starting and testing

Now that you have everything ready, it is time to start the container and test.

• While you are in the nwcdirectory (important), execute the following command and check the log output, docker compose up
• You should see container logs while it is starting, and it should not exit if everything went well.
• At this point, you should be able to go to http://<ip of the host where nwc is running>:4321 and get to the interface of NWC
• To stop the test run of NWC, simply press Ctrl-C , and it will shut the container down.
• To start NWC permanently, you should execute docker compose up -d , “-d” tells Docker to detach from the session.
• To check currently running NWC logs, execute docker compose logs to run it in tail mode add -f to the end.
• To stop the container, execute docker compose down

That's all, just follow the instructions in the web interface to get started.

Updating

As with any software, you should expect fixes and updates that you would need to perform periodically. You could automate this, but it falls outside of the scope of this tutorial. Since we already have all of the necessary configuration in place, the update execution is fairly simple.

• Change directory to the clone of the git repository, cd /home/bitcoin/nwc/nostr-wallet-connect
• Run command to build Docker image: docker build -t nwc:$(date +'%Y%m%d%H%M') -t nwc:latest . (there is a dot at the end)
• Change directory back one level cd ..
• Restart (stop and start) the docker compose config docker compose down && docker compose up -d
• Done! Optionally you may want to check the logs: docker compose logs

@ 82341f88:fbfbe6a2

There’s a lot of conversation around the #TwitterFiles. Here’s my take, and thoughts on how to fix the issues identified.

I’ll start with the principles I’ve come to believe…based on everything I’ve learned and experienced through my past actions as a Twitter co-founder and lead:

1. Social media must be resilient to corporate and government control.
2. Only the original author may remove content they produce.
3. Moderation is best implemented by algorithmic choice.

The Twitter when I led it and the Twitter of today do not meet any of these principles. This is my fault alone, as I completely gave up pushing for them when an activist entered our stock in 2020. I no longer had hope of achieving any of it as a public company with no defense mechanisms (lack of dual-class shares being a key one). I planned my exit at that moment knowing I was no longer right for the company.

The biggest mistake I made was continuing to invest in building tools for us to manage the public conversation, versus building tools for the people using Twitter to easily manage it for themselves. This burdened the company with too much power, and opened us to significant outside pressure (such as advertising budgets). I generally think companies have become far too powerful, and that became completely clear to me with our suspension of Trump’s account. As I’ve said before, we did the right thing for the public company business at the time, but the wrong thing for the internet and society. Much more about this here: https://twitter.com/jack/status/1349510769268850690

I continue to believe there was no ill intent or hidden agendas, and everyone acted according to the best information we had at the time. Of course mistakes were made. But if we had focused more on tools for the people using the service rather than tools for us, and moved much faster towards absolute transparency, we probably wouldn’t be in this situation of needing a fresh reset (which I am supportive of). Again, I own all of this and our actions, and all I can do is work to make it right.

Back to the principles. Of course governments want to shape and control the public conversation, and will use every method at their disposal to do so, including the media. And the power a corporation wields to do the same is only growing. It’s critical that the people have tools to resist this, and that those tools are ultimately owned by the people. Allowing a government or a few corporations to own the public conversation is a path towards centralized control.

I’m a strong believer that any content produced by someone for the internet should be permanent until the original author chooses to delete it. It should be always available and addressable. Content takedowns and suspensions should not be possible. Doing so complicates important context, learning, and enforcement of illegal activity. There are significant issues with this stance of course, but starting with this principle will allow for far better solutions than we have today. The internet is trending towards a world were storage is “free” and infinite, which places all the actual value on how to discover and see content.

Which brings me to the last principle: moderation. I don’t believe a centralized system can do content moderation globally. It can only be done through ranking and relevance algorithms, the more localized the better. But instead of a company or government building and controlling these solely, people should be able to build and choose from algorithms that best match their criteria, or not have to use any at all. A “follow” action should always deliver every bit of content from the corresponding account, and the algorithms should be able to comb through everything else through a relevance lens that an individual determines. There’s a default “G-rated” algorithm, and then there’s everything else one can imagine.

The only way I know of to truly live up to these 3 principles is a free and open protocol for social media, that is not owned by a single company or group of companies, and is resilient to corporate and government influence. The problem today is that we have companies who own both the protocol and discovery of content. Which ultimately puts one person in charge of what’s available and seen, or not. This is by definition a single point of failure, no matter how great the person, and over time will fracture the public conversation, and may lead to more control by governments and corporations around the world.

I believe many companies can build a phenomenal business off an open protocol. For proof, look at both the web and email. The biggest problem with these models however is that the discovery mechanisms are far too proprietary and fixed instead of open or extendable. Companies can build many profitable services that complement rather than lock down how we access this massive collection of conversation. There is no need to own or host it themselves.

Many of you won’t trust this solution just because it’s me stating it. I get it, but that’s exactly the point. Trusting any one individual with this comes with compromises, not to mention being way too heavy a burden for the individual. It has to be something akin to what bitcoin has shown to be possible. If you want proof of this, get out of the US and European bubble of the bitcoin price fluctuations and learn how real people are using it for censorship resistance in Africa and Central/South America.

I do still wish for Twitter, and every company, to become uncomfortably transparent in all their actions, and I wish I forced more of that years ago. I do believe absolute transparency builds trust. As for the files, I wish they were released Wikileaks-style, with many more eyes and interpretations to consider. And along with that, commitments of transparency for present and future actions. I’m hopeful all of this will happen. There’s nothing to hide…only a lot to learn from. The current attacks on my former colleagues could be dangerous and doesn’t solve anything. If you want to blame, direct it at me and my actions, or lack thereof.

As far as the free and open social media protocol goes, there are many competing projects: @bluesky is one with the AT Protocol, nostr another, Mastodon yet another, Matrix yet another…and there will be many more. One will have a chance at becoming a standard like HTTP or SMTP. This isn’t about a “decentralized Twitter.” This is a focused and urgent push for a foundational core technology standard to make social media a native part of the internet. I believe this is critical both to Twitter’s future, and the public conversation’s ability to truly serve the people, which helps hold governments and corporations accountable. And hopefully makes it all a lot more fun and informative again.

💸🛠️🌐 To accelerate open internet and protocol work, I’m going to open a new category of #startsmall grants: “open internet development.” It will start with a focus of giving cash and equity grants to engineering teams working on social media and private communication protocols, bitcoin, and a web-only mobile OS. I’ll make some grants next week, starting with $1mm/yr to Signal. Please let me know other great candidates for this money.

@ dd664d5e:5633d319

I hate to be the one to tell y'all this, but my profile pic doesn't matter to me. And it shouldn't matter to you. My handle also shouldn't matter, except as a pet name for display. My NIP-05 matters, for human-typed discoverability and link/mention-readability, but it can be changed. My npub matters, but I could have more than one or stop using one, like I have done and will continue to do.

A profile on the Internet is not a person. Who is writing this article? Is it Stella? Oh, yeah? You know that? How? Did you sit there and watch me type it in?

I don't need PfP-recognition because I post stuff a lot of people like to look at (even if they have no idea who I am, imagine that!), and my npub therefore has high WoT.

Here's what I think: Y'all are trying to change a communication protocol into Twitter 2.0, where everyone needs to self-brand and stay on-script, on-camera, and in-their-lane. But if I were that sort of person, I'd be terrible at my job. The whole point of my job is to do all the stuff most users won't do, but some might, and to tell you how it went.

How about we just turn off all of the profile pics and people have to be interesting, entertaining, and/or knowledgeable again? How many of the people getting engagement, now, wouldn't get as much? How many people getting little engagement, now, would get more?

I have questions.

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

Table Of Content

• Hong Kong's Regulatory Environment

• Mainland China's Crypto Crackdown

• The Rise of Crypto Exchanges and Institutions

• Growing Interest from Institutional Investors

• Hong Kong's Role in the Global Crypto Market

• Conclusion

• FAQ

The world of cryptocurrencies has experienced numerous ups and downs, with Bitcoin being the poster child for massive price surges and sharp declines. Recently, Hong Kong has emerged as a potential catalyst for a new crypto bull run. In this article, we will explore the factors that could propel the cryptocurrency markets forward in the near future.

Hong Kong's Regulatory Environment

Hong Kong has long been known for its business-friendly environment and relatively lenient financial regulations. With the government actively working to create a clear and comprehensive regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies, market participants are optimistic about the potential growth of the crypto ecosystem in Hong Kong.

Mainland China's Crypto Crackdown

The Chinese government's ongoing crackdown on cryptocurrency activities has led to many businesses, investors, and miners looking for new opportunities elsewhere. Hong Kong has emerged as a popular destination for these players, as its proximity to mainland China and its established financial infrastructure offer a conducive environment for the crypto industry to thrive.

The Rise of Crypto Exchanges and Institutions

The influx of mainland Chinese businesses and investors has led to a surge in demand for digital asset trading platforms and services. This has resulted in the establishment of several cryptocurrency exchanges and institutions in Hong Kong, further bolstering the growth of the crypto market in the region.

Growing Interest from Institutional Investors

As the global economy continues to recover, institutional investors are actively seeking alternative asset classes to diversify their portfolios. Hong Kong's well-regulated crypto market has attracted significant interest from these investors, providing additional liquidity and stability to the market.

Hong Kong's Role in the Global Crypto Market

Hong Kong's growing prominence in the global cryptocurrency market could serve as a catalyst for a new bull run. As more businesses, investors, and institutions flock to the city, the positive sentiment surrounding the crypto ecosystem is likely to spread, potentially spurring increased global adoption and demand for digital assets.

Conclusion

The combination of a favorable regulatory environment, an influx of market participants from mainland China, and growing interest from institutional investors has positioned Hong Kong as a key player in the global cryptocurrency market. While it is impossible to predict with certainty when or if a bull run will occur, the factors discussed in this article suggest that Hong Kong could play a pivotal role in pushing the crypto markets to new heights.

FAQ

Could Hong Kong potentially push the crypto market into a bull run? Yes, Hong Kong could play a pivotal role in pushing the crypto market into a bull run, thanks to its favorable regulatory environment, an influx of market participants from mainland China, and growing interest from institutional investors.

Why is Hong Kong's regulatory environment attractive for the crypto market? Hong Kong's regulatory environment is attractive for the crypto market because of its business-friendly nature and the government's ongoing efforts to create a clear and comprehensive regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies.

What makes Hong Kong an attractive destination for crypto miners? Hong Kong's proximity to mainland China, its established financial infrastructure, and relatively lenient regulations make it an attractive destination for crypto miners seeking new opportunities in the wake of China's crackdown on cryptocurrency activities.

Is it possible to predict when a bull run will occur in the crypto market? It is impossible to predict with certainty when or if a bull run will occur in the crypto market. However, factors such as Hong Kong's regulatory environment, the influx of market participants from mainland China, and growing interest from institutional investors suggest that the region could play a pivotal role in pushing the crypto markets to new heights.

That's all for today

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DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.

@ 129f5189:3a441803

Project 2025, outlined in the Heritage Foundation's "Mandate for Leadership" document, serves as a fundamental guide for the next Republican administration. Despite Trump's extensive denial, in today's material, we will explore the deepening and continuation of many policies already employed during his first term. The idea is that this material will serve as a reference document to consult and verify what was actually implemented and/or followed. https://image.nostr.build/e3b89d71ff929258e5d9cb0b5ca8709a381598f43d8be4b17df3c69c0bc74d4a.jpg This document presents proposals for the foreign policy and the State Department of the United States of America, as well as the strategy with its political partners and adversaries. We will also address the U.S. government's communication strategy abroad. https://image.nostr.build/a4250b786f611b478aaf0be559427ad7d4296fbcacb2acc692c7f0d7eb06b0dd.jpg Reorienting U.S. Foreign Policy: Proposals for a Conservative Future In the chapter "The Department of State" from the "Mandate for Leadership," also known as "Project 2025," Kiron K. Skinner presents a comprehensive plan to reform U.S. foreign policy under a conservative administration. Skinner, a renowned foreign policy expert and former Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. State Department, outlines global threats and offers specific recommendations to strengthen the U.S. position on the international stage. Below, we present a detailed analysis of the proposals, emphasizing direct quotes and explanations of the key points discussed. https://image.nostr.build/278dcd7ef0439813ea35d0598319ee347f7a8cd7dfecac93be24ffdd0f6ecd04.jpg History and Structure of the State Department Since its founding in 1789, the State Department has been the primary diplomatic channel of the U.S. With nearly 80,000 employees and 275 posts around the world, it faces significant structural challenges. Skinner highlights that "the biggest problem of the State Department is not a lack of resources," but the belief that it is "an independent institution that knows what is best for the U.S." (Skinner). The scholar and former Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. State Department during the Trump administration emphasizes these points, considering the difficulty in accepting a conservative international approach by State Department employees (the equivalent of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in other countries). https://image.nostr.build/049939926793e86000b300b9a962dc0ae7e271d9a607ae36d8cb08642adf4174.jpg Political Leadership and Bureaucratic Support To align the State Department with presidential priorities, Kiron suggests appointing political leaders who are committed to the president's vision. "Leadership should include political appointees in positions that do not require Senate confirmation, including senior advisors and deputy secretaries" (Skinner). Furthermore, she emphasizes the importance of training and supporting these appointees to ensure effective coordination between agencies. https://image.nostr.build/6ed704cc9612aa6489e048b143f1e489c1f8807fdf2ab011b4ba88e4a1e3619a.jpg Global Threats to the U.S. The document identifies five countries that pose significant threats to the security and prosperity of the U.S.: China, Iran, Venezuela, Russia, and North Korea. 🇨🇳 China: Skinner argues that China represents an existential threat. "The U.S. needs a strategic cost-imposing response to make Beijing's aggression economically unviable" (Skinner). Additionally, she emphasizes that the issue is not with the Chinese people, but with the communist dictatorship that oppresses them: "As with all global struggles against communist and other tyrannical regimes, the issue should never be with the Chinese people, but with the communist dictatorship that oppresses them" (Skinner). https://image.nostr.build/e707273f1d08bdc4187123a312bd116695b5f603066e11ad30fcef4466730b6b.jpg 🇮🇷 Iran: The Obama administration, through the 2015 nuclear deal, provided the Iranian regime with a "crucial cash bailout" (Skinner). Kiron criticizes this approach, asserting that the U.S. should support the Iranian people in their demands for a democratic government. "The correct policy for Iran is one that recognizes that it is in the U.S. national security interests and the human rights of Iranians that they have the democratic government they demand" (Skinner). https://image.nostr.build/cda7d29a62981f59ad8d77362b3867b552f190c8d7e0e8d9233cb7c1d1d0309e.jpg 🇻🇪 Venezuela: Under the regimes of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela has transitioned from a prosperous country to one of the poorest in South America. Skinner suggests that the U.S. should work to contain Venezuelan communism and support its people. "The next administration should take steps to put Venezuela's communist abusers on notice and make progress in helping the Venezuelan people" (Skinner). https://image.nostr.build/f53e12564cae74d4b50c24b0f3752dd2c53b70bd1c00a16df20736fb8588417d.jpg 🇷🇺 Russia: The war between Russia and Ukraine divides opinions among conservatives, and the document considers three lines of action. Some advocate continuing support for Ukraine, while others believe that such support does not serve U.S. security interests. "The conservative approach rejects both isolationism and interventionism, first asking: What is in the interest of the American people?" https://image.nostr.build/8fedaf77129f4801f4edb8b169b2ac93a3e518b8bf3642b3abc62575b5435fa3.jpg One conservative school of thought believes that "Moscow's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine represents major challenges to U.S. interests, as well as to peace, stability, and the post-Cold War security order in Europe" (Skinner). This view advocates for continued U.S. involvement, including military and economic aid, to defeat Russian President Vladimir Putin and return to pre-invasion border lines. Another conservative school of thought argues that U.S. support for Ukraine is not in the interest of U.S. national security. According to this view, "Ukraine is not a member of the NATO alliance and is one of the most corrupt countries in the region" (Skinner). It is argued that the European nations directly affected by the conflict should help defend Ukraine, but the U.S. should seek a swift end to the conflict through a negotiated settlement. https://image.nostr.build/22db3d0e79340c1d62344a2b8a3bfddbe4d5bd923cf77d70cfbf5ebf73e4db3e.jpg A third conservative viewpoint avoids both isolationism and interventionism, proposing that "each foreign policy decision should first ask: What is in the interest of the American people?" (Skinner). From this perspective, continued U.S. involvement should be fully funded, limited to military aid while European allies address Ukraine's economic needs, and must have a clear national security strategy that does not endanger American lives. https://image.nostr.build/939fea0bb5c69f171a3da1073e197edcff23a600430b3bc455f6d41bc8a0319f.jpg Although not stated explicitly, I believe this third viewpoint is the one Kiron Skinner desires, as she considers American intervention important but advocates for balancing the costs of the war with its partners in the European Union and NATO. https://image.nostr.build/d1d0c7fb27bfc5dd14b8dde459b98ed6b7ca2706473b2580e0fbf5383f5a9c10.jpg 🇰🇵 North Korea: North Korea must be deterred from any military conflict and cannot be allowed to remain a de facto nuclear power. "The U.S. cannot allow North Korea to remain a de facto nuclear power with the capability to threaten the U.S. or its allies" (Skinner). https://image.nostr.build/95febb04f6d2e0575974a5e645fc7b5ec3b826b8828237ccc1f49b11d11d6bce.jpg Detailed Policy Proposals Refugee Admissions: The Biden administration has caused a collapse in border security and internal immigration enforcement, according to Skinner. She argues that the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) should be resized. "The federal government should redirect screening and verification resources to the border crisis, indefinitely reducing the number of USRAP refugee admissions until the crisis can be contained" (Skinner). https://image.nostr.build/a5740b33842e47b9a1ab58c7b72bd6514f9b6ffbb18706deed1445c59236bc0d.jpg Corporate Collaboration with China: Skinner criticizes the collaboration of companies like BlackRock and Disney with the Chinese regime, noting that "many are invested in an unwavering faith in the international system and global norms," refusing to acknowledge Beijing's malign activities. She emphasizes that the real issue is the communist dictatorship that oppresses the Chinese people, not the Chinese citizens themselves (Skinner). https://image.nostr.build/05a3c787f144c4519c2ee8a4b22e64b8729842819ace4b439c849ef70ecd60b4.jpg Fentanyl and Mexico: The trafficking of fentanyl, facilitated by Mexican cartels in collaboration with Chinese precursor chemical manufacturers, is a critical problem. "Mexican cartels, working closely with Chinese manufacturers of fentanyl precursor chemicals, are sending this drug to the U.S., causing an unprecedented lethal impact" (Skinner). The next administration should adopt a firm stance to halt this public health crisis. https://image.nostr.build/59e32aeef5dabab3344a94a3e415d57fed91fece8bc3c5f068e9f6f7d71f99bd.jpg Re-hemispherization of Manufacturing: Kiron proposes that the U.S. promote the relocation of manufacturing to partner countries such as Mexico and Canada. "The U.S. should do everything possible to shift global manufacturing to Central and South American countries, especially to move it away from China" (Skinner). This would improve the supply chain and represent a significant economic boost for the region. https://image.nostr.build/5d5d7d792f1c94eb6e2bd7a4b86c43236765719e183be8ba8e00ed7dd07eca66.jpg Abraham Accords and a New “Quad”: Skinner suggests that the next administration should expand the Abraham Accords to include countries like Saudi Arabia and form a new security pact in the Middle East that includes Israel, Egypt, Gulf states, and possibly India. "Protecting the freedom of navigation in the Gulf and the Red Sea/Suez Canal is vital for the global economy and, therefore, for U.S. prosperity" (Skinner). https://image.nostr.build/c87cd99cb3ea2bef40e9d1f1fea48b0c9f9f031f3077fff658f15f850e7b8589.jpg Policy for Africa: The U.S. strategy for Africa should shift focus from humanitarian assistance to economic growth and countering China’s malign activities. "Development assistance should focus on fostering free market systems and involving the U.S. private sector" (Skinner). She also highlights that African nations are opposed to the imposition of policies such as abortion and LGBT lobbying. https://image.nostr.build/44df42f32e61c14786ac46c231d368b14df4dc18124a0da458e8506f917302f2.jpg Relations with Europe and Asia Europe: The U.S. should demand that NATO countries increase their contributions to defense. "The U.S. cannot be expected to provide a defense umbrella for countries that do not contribute adequately" (Skinner). Additionally, urgent trade agreements should be pursued with the post-Brexit United Kingdom. https://image.nostr.build/6c013bacfa9e6505ad717104d9a6065f27664a321dd2c3d41fd7635258042d2f.jpg Asia: The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan was humiliating and created new challenges. Skinner emphasizes the importance of India as a critical partner to counterbalance the Chinese threat and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. Cooperation within the Quad, which includes the U.S., India, Japan, and Australia, is essential to this strategy. "The priority is to advance U.S.-India cooperation as a pillar of the Quad" (Skinner). https://image.nostr.build/1cc988b2f70d855c9676d7e38ffdb23564d04ad6333a8d256698f416a1c6704e.jpg International Organizations Skinner criticizes the corruption and failure of the World Health Organization (WHO) during the Covid-19 pandemic. "The next administration should end blind support for international organizations and direct the Secretary of State to initiate a cost-benefit analysis of U.S. participation in all international organizations" (Skinner). She also supports the “Geneva Consensus Declaration on Women’s Health and Protection of the Family,” which is against abortion, and believes that the U.S. government should not fund international organizations that promote abortion (Skinner). https://image.nostr.build/0b583511fef16d68736804fae2f15850eb5c803af01f006a3fe10cdbc583f48c.jpg Conclusion Skinner’s document provides a detailed vision for reorienting U.S. foreign policy under a conservative administration, with an emphasis on ensuring that the State Department serves the national interests defined by the president. With these guidelines, the next administration has the opportunity to redefine the U.S. position on the global stage, promoting security, prosperity, and freedom. https://image.nostr.build/697522745c5947cd4384cdd302b531ee98ce5d59a5d72de0b4f3a52c9abd4821.jpg

@ 09fbf8f3:fa3d60f0

由于telegram的政策调整，不允许滥用telegraph匿名上传图片了。 导致之前通过telegraph搭建的图床无法上传（已上传的能正常查看）。

---

有人通过原项目的基础上分支另外项目，可以通过频道上传图片。

项目是通过cloudflare pages搭建的。 - 项目地址：https://github.com/MarSeventh/CloudFlare-ImgBed

项目的教程很详细，具体去看项目教程。

telegram设置：

• 需要有telegram账号
• 通过@BotFather创建一个telegram机器人，并获取api key。
• 创建一个频道，获取频道id，通过转发一条消息到 @VersaToolsBot机器人可以查看频道id。
• 一定要添加创建的机器人到频道作为管理员才能使用。

cloudflare的设置

• 通过git项目部署，设置变量：TG_BOT_TOKEN和TG_CHAT_ID就基本可以使用了。
• 如果需要后台，需要添加kv空间，并在设置里面的函数，选择对应的kv空间，如图：
• BASIC_USER 后台登陆名
• BASIC_PASS 后台密码
• AUTH_CODE 鉴权，防止别人使用，设置后，别人使用必须输入这个。

其他

• 成人内容屏蔽
• pico 使用api接口 去项目地址看

最后

我搭建的地址： https://imgbed.lepidus.me

@ 592295cf:413a0db9

Week 02/09

A week with a free vpn on Nostr.

I gave up using nostter by now. 😔 now it works it seems to be back From Wednesday, it should start calm on Nostr, Brazilians will not arrive, no one has more Twitter accounts where to contact them. 😅 Sorry brazilian.

I read 5 and 6 comments about Nostr, Nostr is bad I do not enroll. It's only four months to the end. Join made two zap and then we salute definitively, pura vida. I'm gonna miss Nostr.

---

I also thought about making a bookmark on Nostr, using the spec that already exists but using kind 1985. Convert this link to the note, but I did not find the courage. Maybe it doesn't make much sense if it only lasts four months and all the relays are turned off.

---

There's a bit of enthusiasm and some keep pointing the Nostr weird index by raising the stick. In practice, the new bookmark spec is used only by two clients. I think the clients who have more bookmarks in the groppone is Amethyst, if someone writes an encoding for the new bookmark, it would be nice, but I don't think it will happen, to those who care about bookmarks.

---

Moment aspirin, orbot, citrine, Amethyst. I don't think it's mentally sustainable, too.

Sometimes they are extremely bullish, the second after disfatist, regarding the various clients.

It would be nice to get to some foundations. That's Nostr, I don't think it'll happen so easily.

---

Some Events

• is Zapconf online really there?

• 1 week Bangkok, bitcoin conference Conference there will be yakihonne and wherostr.

• 24 September Nostrasia

---

Do not follow the bots you can make a list of bots, rankings of people You just have to follow people. Kind 982 from 892892 advertising 😅🙇‍♂️

{ "kind": 892, "tags": [ ["b", "91cf9..4e5ca", "wss://bot_alicerelay.com/", "bot_alice"], ["b", "14aeb..8dad4", "wss://bot_bobrelay.com/nostr", "bot_bob"], ["b", "612ae..e610f", "ws://bot_carolrelay.com/ws", "bot_carol"] ], "content": "", ...other fields }

Jack Dorsey says there will be more bots than people on Nostr (useful).

The more I read about Bluesky the more I am in Fomo with Nostr, like this post post in Buesky That's why not stay in other social media 🤣

Or they all have it with Nostr, maybe Nostr is finishing, really in four months.

Nostr is over, the chain of command is now insurmountable, you have to make a scalable protocol from within, reminds me of some political party.

Internal scale 🙅

---

Representation of all the NIPs, neighbors

---

People just want proof of works, but there is so much uncompensated question, you have to create the right incentives. Your job is work only if you create a job. Nostrudel has created this tool sandbox where you can just play event consoles, event publishers, blindspots, Discovery, relays. Coracle has created custom feed, groups, supports listing events and items.

People are not important, they are important because they consent to this, but it is not quantifiable in money.

And but as I get visibility, just proof of work. Forget about the various bottle doors, think about yourself, if you want a community make yourself a community, if you don't want to do it, relax.

But only four months are missing, in fact relax, enjoy them. A world of possibilities do not waste it because everything is not perfect.

If you want to make a CMS, the road is long and uphill, but then you are using a blog, no and then.

I made an attempt with kind 1985 works, I still have to create sub category. Example live events ecash Germany Berlin.

Anyway it's a bit of a mess this "new" web. Users are angry. 😉 It's the new feature.

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

While I love traveling and usually feel enriched by the experience, I dread and detest the process of going to the airport and getting on a plane. It’s not that I’m afraid of flying — though a plane crash would be one of the worst ways to die — but that the airlines and airports have made the experience as inefficient, dehumanizing and cumbersome as possible. While in the short-term these measures might have generated some extra revenue, cut costs or staved off encroachment from competitors, long-term it cannot be good for the service you offer to be so universally reviled. In the interest of improving their product — and the experience of millions of future passengers including me — here are some practical suggestions:

1. Separate passengers from their bags as early as possible.

The single stupidest airline policy is that checking a bag costs extra while carry-ons are free. What that does is incentivize everyone to drag their luggage through the airport and onto the plane. This has several negative consequences:

a) Even though most airlines have assigned seats, everyone lines up 10 or 20 minutes before the start of the already too long boarding process, frantically hoping to secure some scarce overhead space rather than relaxing in the terminal and boarding at their leisure before the door closes.

b) The process of people filing into the narrow plane aisle(s) with their bags and taking time to load them into the overheads stalls the entire boarding process. Not only do people stand in line at the boarding gate, but they stand in line in the jet bridge and again in the aisle(s). Whereas boarding with purses, laptops and other small, under-the-seat items might take 10 minutes or so, getting all the luggage in takes half an hour. If there are 150 people aboard, that’s 3,000 minutes (50 hours) of human life squandered on a useless and stressful activity. Multiply that by thousands of flights per day.

c) The process of deplaning is also slow because everyone has to get their bags out of the overhead. That’s another 15-minute process that should take five.

d) Everyone going through security with all their carry-ons slows down the security line significantly and makes people have to arrive at the airport earlier.

e) Because everyone has their bags, they have to lug them around the terminal while using the restroom, eating or shopping for something to read. Having a 20-pound weight on your shoulder only makes the experience that much more miserable.

The solution to this is for airlines to allow free checked bags and charge for carry-ons with the exception of parents traveling with young children.

To make the process of checking bags more efficient and less cumbersome there should be an immediate drop-off outside the airport. Like curb-side check-in, but automated, a giant conveyor belt of sorts where everyone drops their bag that will be sorted appropriately inside. This drop off area would have security keeping an eye on it, but it would be self-serve and connect at all entry points including curb-side, the parking garage, from the train, etc.

There would be no need for bag tags because people could have an airport-certified chip inserted into their luggage that syncs with the traveler’s boarding pass, i.e., the system reads the chip and directs the bag to the proper gate underground. (Maybe there would be a plastic bin at all the drop-off points you into which you put your bag so luggage of different shapes, sizes and materials could move smoothly and reliably on the conveyor belt to its destination.)

Security details would have to be worked out (maybe you’d have to scan your boarding pass or passport at the bag drop to open it), but as it stands, once you drop your bag off at the curb or the check-in area, it’s essentially the same process now, i.e, it has to be scanned internally before being placed on the plane.

2. Eliminate Security Lines

Going through security would be far easier without all the bags, but to expedite and improve it further, we should make two key changes, neither of which should be beyond our capacity to implement.

a) Instead of a single-file conveyor belt scanned by humans, make the conveyor belt wide enough for everyone to put their laptops, belts, etc. on simultaneously. This could easily be done by providing plastic bins (as they do now), but with individual numbers and keys on them, like you’d find in most locker rooms. You’d grab bin 45, for example, pull the key out, put your things in it, lock it, walk through the metal detector, retrieve your bin on the other side, unlock it, get your things, put the key back in it, and it gets returned for re-use.

Instead of a bored-out-of-his-mind human looking at each bag individually, there would be a large scanner that would look at all the bags simultaneously and flag anything suspicious.

b) Just as there’s no reason to send the bags through the scanner single-file, there’s no reason to send the people through that way, either. Instead, install room-wide metal detectors through which dozens of people could walk simultaneously. Any passengers that set it off would be digitally marked by the detector, directed back out, shed the offending item into a numbered bin and collect it on the other side.

Basically, you’d drop anything big off before you even set foot in the building, and you’d drop everything else into a security bin, walk through without waiting and collect it on the other side.

3. Make sure the gates are clean, have enough seats to accommodate the passengers of even the largest planes that come through, ample charging stations and reliable and free wi-fi.

Because you’re no longer forced to line up and hustle for overhead space, you’ll be spending more time sitting comfortably in the terminal.

4. Have clean, efficient public transportation from the center of each city directly to the airport. (Some cities already have this.) Not a train, a bus and a one-mile walk.

There are smaller things airports could do to make the process even better — and I’ll suggest some below — but these three would at least make it tolerable and humane. It would shave off roughly an hour per trip, spare people the burden of schlepping around with heavy bags, wading through slow-moving security lines (which add stress if you’re in danger of missing your flight), standing in the terminal, waiting in line after line to sit in a cramped and uncomfortable seat for 20-30 minutes before the plane even takes off and remaining stuck in that seat 15 minutes after the plane has made it to the gate while people one by one painstakingly get their bags out of the overhead bins. Moreover, people could get to the airport later without rushing, and if they were early, they could relax in the terminal or get work done.

Here are some other suggestions:

1. With fewer people using the overhead bins, rip them out. There would be a few bins at designated spots (just like there are a few emergency exits), but the interior of the plane would feel more spacious and less claustrophobic. You also wouldn’t risk hitting your head when you stood up.
2. Airplanes should have reasonably priced (ideally free) wi-fi and outlets in each row. There’s no way it costs anywhere near the $35 per flight, per person GoGo Inflight absurdly charges.
3. Treat airports as public squares — invest in their design as well as their functionality. Incorporate outdoor spaces, green spaces. Attract decent restaurants, bars, cafes. People unencumbered by bags and not rushing to wait in line to board 40 minutes early will be more able to enjoy the environment and arriving travelers will immediately get a good impression and be put at ease.
4. Do not advertise mileage rewards from credit cards or other sources unless those miles are actually redeemable at a reasonable rate and on routes and times someone would actually fly. As it stands those programs are borderline fraud — you can fly a middle seat one way from NY to LA for 30,000 miles at 6 am, but that’s not why I signed up for the credit card. If mileage plans are too costly, scrap them.

I can anticipate some objections to these ideas, and I’ll address each one in turn.

1. This would cost too much money.

My suggestions would require a significant initial investment, but it would be but a small piece of the infrastructure outlay that’s sorely needed — and on which our current president campaigned — and it would create jobs. Moreover, it would save travelers tens of millions of hours per year. At $15 per hour — it would pay for itself in short order. (And taxpayers’ squandered time and awful experiences are exactly what their tax dollars should go toward remediating.)

2. It’s too much of a security risk.

Airport security is incredibly flawed right now, as tests repeatedly show. You can get prohibited items through security easily already, and it’s likely the screening process is mostly “security theater,” i.e., just for show. But to the extent this is a serious concern, the newer system might actually improve security due to improved technology spurred by the infrastructure investment. Better detection could be designed into the new system, rather than relying on bored-out-of-their-mind humans to scan endlessly through people’s toiletries expecting to find nothing for hours and days on end.

Moreover, airport security has never actually been an issue in the US. Even on 9/11, the flimsy security worked well — the hijackers managed only boxcutters on the tragically ill-fated flights, not guns or bombs. In other words, that was a failure of government intelligence, not one of airline security even when no one took his shoes off or had to worry about how many ounces of liquid was in his shampoo bottle.

3. I like free carry-ons because it saves me from waiting at the baggage claim.

Great, then pay extra for that. When something you like individually causes collective harm, there needs to be a cost for it. That we have the opposite system where people doing what would make everyone else’s experience easier and better have to pay is perverse.

The bottom line — the current state of air travel both in the US and Europe is unacceptable*. We cannot have a system in which everyone participating despises it and simply pretend it’s an inevitable hassle about which we’re powerless to do anything. The central issue is the dehumanizing** lack of respect for travelers’ time and experience. It’s time to change our priorities and take care of the human beings for whom airports and air travel exist.

*I haven’t even touched on the awful state of flights themselves with cramped seats, small, dirty rest rooms, bad food and exorbitant fees to change your itinerary. That’s because I wanted to focus mostly on the airport/government side over which the public has ownership, and fixing the overall economics of air travel is probably more difficult than getting airlines to reverse their checked-bag fee policies.

** This article was written in March of 2017, and little did I know how much more dehumanizing things would get during covid.

@ e83b66a8:b0526c2b

The founder of Telegram has just been arrested in France. Charges include lack of cooperation with law enforcement, drug trafficking and fraud.

Aside from Telegram, social media is controlled by two billionaires who decide what you say, are themselves controlled by overbearing governments and make money through advertising and selling your personal data.

There is a different way.

NOSTR stands for Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted on Relays and it is a social media protocol in the same way http is a web protocol.

The protocol is open and anybody can build upon it. It has some fundamental concepts that are very different to existing social media platforms.

Firstly it is decentralised, it runs across relays and anybody can run a relay. They can be open or closed, public or private, free or paid.

Secondly as a user, you don’t have an account, you have a private key which is used to secure your data.

Your profile (account) is yours, you own and control it using your private keys and verified by others with your public key.

Your posts are yours and you can store them on your own relay in your own home or business or you can rely on free public relays or more feature rich paid public relays.

All your public data is signed by your private keys to verify it is you that owns it and all your private data is encrypted so nobody can read it.

Messages (i.e. think NOSTR WhatsApp) are encrypted with your private keys so NOBODY can hack it or listen in, not even the NSA through a companies backdoor. You message other users privately by encrypting messages to them using their public key, which they decrypt using their private key.

Relays store your data in a decentralised network of private and public relays and you discover relays automatically when searching for people or content.

Data is normally sent on the clearnet, but can be relayed across the darknet (Tor) in highly censored regions.

Because it is built using Bitcoin principles and technology, so it has Bitcoin money built in, meaning you actually send / receive money from / to any participant.

As money is built in, the commercial options are different to centralised corporate owned platforms. It would be technically possible to build a platform that supports advertising, however that hasn’t really happened because influencers can be paid directly from their audience in many different ways. Ad hoc tips, subscriptions, pay to view or pay per time models.

The great thing for content creators is that they control, own and keep all the money they make. There is no third party intermediary or merchant deciding whether they are allowed to be paid or not.

NOSTR is censorship resistant, as there is no way to stop anybody publishing anything they want, in the same way nobody can stop or interfere with a Bitcoin payment.

From an end users point of view, if they want to self censor, they can do this in multiple ways. You can mute users individually, or you can choose to use relays that adhere to your views or interests, so if you don’t want to see certain categories of content, you would avoid relays that carry those feeds. You can even run your own relay and curate content that you then charge other like minded users to connect to. You can of course connect to multiple relays for multiple different type of feed.

While NOSTR is a protocol, platforms have to be built to use it, so the first platforms were twitter like clients and they are still very prevalent. However, NOSTR now has clients that emulate most social media platforms, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Soundcloud, WhatsApp etc. They are even creating their own categories as well as emulating other functions such as Office Suite tools, collaborative calendars, contact lists or e-commerce shops.

If you want to give it a go, the easiest, but not the best, way to get started is download Primal on your phone from here:

https://primal.net/downloads

It will create a private key for you and setup a Bitcoin wallet.

Once you have done this you can visit me here:

nostr:npub1aqakd28d95muqlg6h6nwrvqq5925n354prayckr424k49vzjds4s0c237n

If you want to see a small part of the ecosystem, then visit https://www.nostrapps.com/ where volunteers are listing some of the many apps that exist already.

NOSTR is being backed by Jack Dorsey, Twitter founder, and you can see his account here:

nostr:npub1sg6plzptd64u62a878hep2kev88swjh3tw00gjsfl8f237lmu63q0uf63m

Or you can see his account like this:

https://primal.net/jack

Edward Snowden is also on the platform and you can find him here:

https://primal.net/Snowden

NOSTR has around 2 million users or public keys, although nobody really knows how many, because it is decentralised and not controlled or run by any person or organisation.

Once you’ve setup Primal, you can use those same private keys to access any platform you wish and you can use a browser extension such as Alby to manage your keys: https://getalby.com/

Primal looks great, but there are other better functioning twitter like clients, probably the most reliable for iPhone is Damus: https://www.nostrapps.com/apps/damus

or Amethyst for Android: https://nostrapps.com/amethyst

The content and user base is very Bitcoin and freedom focused right now, but more and more people are starting to use the various platforms and some are transferring exclusively to it.

Some of the more interesting projects right now are:

https://www.0xchat.com/#/ – Private messaging – think WhatsApp

https://zap.stream/ – Video streaming

https://fountain.fm/ – Podcasting

https://wavlake.com/ – Music streaming

https://shopstr.store/ – Online shop

https://npub.pro/ – Website creation tool

https://nostr.build/ – Media and file storage

https://relay.tools/ – Build and curate your own relay

https://creatr.nostr.wine/subscriptions/new-user – Creator tools

Remember, the same keys you created for Primal can be used across the whole ecosystem.

If you want to see some of the other apps that have been built on the NOSTR protocol visit: https://nostrapps.com/

@ 6bae33c8:607272e8

I’m not going to do the whole grid. At least not this week. I’m just annoyed generally about Week 1. My Circa Millions picks went 1-4, and honestly I deserved it. I was just flat guessing. What I’ll do instead is just look at the schedule, pick a few teams to buy low or sell high before looking at the lines. I feel like the midwit industrial complex™ has poisoned my brain so much I hear a voice in my head saying, “it’s not which team you like, just at what value!”

But that’s only true on average. If you sense a team is about to break out or one is in collapse mode, the average means nothing. Teams win 47-10 all the time. It doesn’t matter whether you got 3.5 or 4 in most cases, only that you were correct about which team showed up.

I’m not trying to do “better on average”. I just want to pick the games right according to my observations. The fucking “better on average” ethos, the “plus-EV” scouge from the MWIC is killing me. It’s a mind killer and a soul killer. I was stuck in it for so long I need some serious deprogramming. David Koresh’s adherents have nothing on me.

First team that jumps out at me is the Lions. Bucs looked good, but faced a soft opponent last week.

Second team is the Seahawks. The Brissett no-mistake ball is only possible if you’re ahead, and the Bengals (a) didn’t show up; and (b) got a little unlucky.

I hate to say it but have a Giants feeling — think they pull Dimes at halftime if he doesn’t get it going. Ignore this obviously.

I want to buy low on the Bengals, though I saw a RotoWire video saying a few players are disgruntled about their contracts, and Mike Brown is an imbecile, so who knows. But I’ll probably take them.

I like the Texans to blow out the Bears too.

Keep in mind I haven’t even looked at the spreads, these are still basically just guesses, and I will probably change my mind. Just some early thoughts.

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Nostr: a quick introduction, attempt #2

Nostr doesn't subscribe to any ideals of "free speech" as these belong to the realm of politics and assume a big powerful government that enforces a common ruleupon everybody else.

Nostr instead is much simpler, it simply says that servers are private property and establishes a generalized framework for people to connect to all these servers, creating a true free market in the process. In other words, Nostr is the public road that each market participant can use to build their own store or visit others and use their services.

(Of course a road is never truly public, in normal cases it's ran by the government, in this case it relies upon the previous existence of the internet with all its quirks and chaos plus a hand of government control, but none of that matters for this explanation).

More concretely speaking, Nostr is just a set of definitions of the formats of the data that can be passed between participants and their expected order, i.e. messages between clients (i.e. the program that runs on a user computer) and relays (i.e. the program that runs on a publicly accessible computer, a "server", generally with a domain-name associated) over a type of TCP connection (WebSocket) with cryptographic signatures. This is what is called a "protocol" in this context, and upon that simple base multiple kinds of sub-protocols can be added, like a protocol for "public-square style microblogging", "semi-closed group chat" or, I don't know, "recipe sharing and feedback".

@ 645681b9:73af5c84

RoboSats v0.7.0 is now out! 🚀 https://github.com/RoboSats/robosats/releases/tag/v0.7.0-alpha

This is the first release with Windows/Mac/Linux desktop apps. Expect roughness 😁 Congrats to our Summer of Bitcoin intern who worked hard to get the desktops apps ready.

This release also has built-in torified notifications in the Android app. It also implementes a much more resilient order book over Nostr and many other improvements and bug fixes 👏👏

@ 1b5ee74d:bb1aae6e

• Who Is Responsible for the Content Published on Social Networks?
• What should the role of platforms be in content moderation?
• Who should be consulted in cases of disputes involving illegal content?
• Should there be a limit to freedom of speech online? Where should the line be drawn?

These are just a few of the numerous questions that have characterized the debate for years, not only regarding social networks but, more broadly, the entire landscape of online interactions.

In recent weeks, tensions have reignited due to three cases that have stirred the pot—depending on the perspective—with slogans of either combating illegal activity or fighting censorship: Telegram, Meta, and X.

These cases are distinct, with the platforms and their executives behaving differently in each instance: Meta cooperated with authorities, while Telegram and X were more reluctant. However, all three stories share a key issue—perhaps the key issue: the ability to intervene in the content they host.

To understand the reason, let’s briefly recap what happened.

Telegram, Meta, and X: Three Different Cases, One Common Origin

Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, was arrested in Paris on August 24th as part of an investigation that French authorities have been conducting for months against the messaging platform.

The accusations are numerous: money laundering, drug trafficking, child pornography, and refusal to cooperate with law enforcement. In the press release issued by the Prosecutor’s Office, there is even mention of violations related to the import and export of cryptographic tools—an approach reminiscent of the United States in the 1990s, when the government classified cryptography on par with weaponry. This interpretation only changed due to the outcome of the Crypto Wars.

In fact, reports tell us that Pavel Durov was released after a few days upon paying a €5 million bail, with the condition that he not leave France. Initially, Telegram issued a statement via Twitter, asserting its compliance with European laws. But on September 6th, the founder of Telegram decided to fight back, leaving little room for interpretation.

"Sometimes we can’t reach an agreement with regulators in certain countries on the right balance between privacy and security," Durov said, adding that, if necessary, Telegram will leave markets that are incompatible with these principles.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time Durov has clashed with authorities. In the past, he refused to cooperate with Russia by denying access to Telegram users’ personal data. This refusal led to the platform being temporarily blocked in Russia in 2018.

Meta: Pressure from the White House and Zuckerberg’s Revelations

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, recently disclosed pressures he received from the White House during the pandemic. In a letter to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, Zuckerberg revealed that the Biden administration pushed Meta to remove content related to the virus, including satirical and critical posts.

Zuckerberg explained that in 2021, Meta deleted more than 20 million posts related to COVID-19 but expressed regret over some of the decisions made, admitting that the company had succumbed to excessive political pressure.

Zuckerberg emphasized that these requests were perceived by the company as an obligation rather than a choice, and in hindsight, some of these actions might have been mistakes. Meta’s future commitment, according to Zuckerberg, will be to better resist such pressures, even in emergency situations.

I believe the government’s pressure was wrong, and I regret not being more transparent about it.

X and the Clash with the Brazilian Government

Elon Musk and X (formerly Twitter) are at the center of a legal dispute in Brazil, where the platform was blocked after Musk refused to appoint a local legal representative, as required by the country’s Supreme Court. The issue arose when Judge Alexandre de Moraes ordered X to suspend certain accounts accused of spreading political disinformation, particularly those associated with former president Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters.

Musk’s reaction was harsh. He accused the Supreme Court of corruption and of violating free speech, criticizing de Moraes and calling him a “criminal.” However, the judge continued his legal actions against Musk and his company, even freezing the bank accounts of Starlink, Musk’s satellite division, to pressure X into complying with Brazilian laws.

Brazilian authorities are even pursuing those who attempt to access the platform using VPNs, sparking further controversy over freedom in Brazil.

Currently, the platform remains suspended, with about 21 million Brazilian users cut off from the service. The legal dispute is ongoing and could have long-term repercussions for X’s presence in Brazil, one of the platform’s largest markets.

The Ownership of Content

Telegram and X have found themselves in hot water for refusing to comply with content moderation mandates imposed by various jurisdictions. Meta, on the other hand, has avoided such issues by adhering to directives from the White House, including the removal of content flagged by Washington, such as “satirical and ironic” posts, as noted in the letter.

The decisive factor in all three cases is the same: the ability to intervene in what is published on the platform. The terms and conditions of Meta and X do not formally claim ownership of the content users post, but they clarify that users grant the companies a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, distribute, modify, and display the content in relation to the services offered. Telegram’s terms are slightly stricter: while users also retain formal ownership of their content, Telegram requires a license to distribute and display content only within its ecosystem.

However, the result remains the same. Anything published by users can be modified by the platform, according to the implicit contract every single user agrees to when they begin using the service.

Nostr is the Way

It’s no coincidence that, in recent weeks, many who care about issues such as privacy and censorship resistance have reignited interest in Nostr. The protocol, whose acronym stands for Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays, can be used via various clients, not a single platform—similar to how the Web is accessible from different browsers.

But most importantly, users who create an account do not do so through a username and password saved on the company’s servers—because, in this case, the company doesn’t exist—but rather through a public key and a private key.

This key pair allows users to interact with Nostr across multiple clients and send their “notes”—as posts are called on Nostr—to as many relays (servers) as they wish. In other words, the data is not stored on a single server but on multiple servers chosen by the user—and the user can even set up their own server without much difficulty.

Most importantly, the data is portable. Posts sent are cryptographically signed: in Nostr, content ownership is not just formally with the user, it is mathematically so.

In such a context, blaming the operator of a client or relay for the content signed and published by users' private keys would be bordering on absurdity, besides revealing a clear technical ignorance. Of course, after the accusations from the U.S. Department of Justice against the developers of Samourai Wallet, it’s fair to be ready for anything.

But giving a chance to solutions like Nostr also means considering the possibility of reclaiming one's online identity and no longer being an unconscious victim of manipulative algorithms and invasive governments.

@ 472f440f:5669301e

For the last few months many people in bitcoin, myself included, have been focused on bitcoin's role as a macroeconomic asset. Bitcoin as a strategic reserve for the US government. Bitcoin as a strategic treasury asset for corporations. Bitcoin as a geopolitical hedge in a world that is trending toward a multi-polar power dynamic. This is where the focus has been. And for good reason. These trends will ultimately have a material effect on the price of bitcoin if they pick up steam.

However, with all of the focus on bitcoin as a strategic asset I think a couple of technical developments and trends have been overlooked. Particularly in the realm of second layer privacy. I'll touch on two of them in this letter; BOLT 12 invoices and the progression of ecash.

Yesterday afternoon the Strike (a company Ten31 is very proud to be backing) team released a blog post that detailed their journey to implementing BOLT 12 offers in their product stack. For those who are unaware of BOLT 12 and why it is important, in short, it is an upgrade to the lightning network that would make receiving bitcoin on the lightning network more private while also significantly improving the user experience. The current standard for invoicing people via the lightning network is BOLT 11, which forces users to create a unique invoice every time they want to receive bitcoin and comes with privacy tradeoffs for the party receiving bitcoin.

BOLT 12 brings with it route blinding which allows a receiver to publish a lightning offer to the network without revealing their node's public key. It also brings with it onion messaging, which allows users of the lightning network to communicate without a dependence on HTTP, which can be censored by a motivated state actor. On top of this, it enables users to create a static invoice that can be paid multiple times by multiple people. Think of a band putting their Venmo or Cash App QR code next to their tip jar on the stage. They'll be able to add a private lightning invoice their audience can pay to now.

https://strike.me/blog/bolt12-offers/

As it stands right now, Strike has only enabled BOLT 12 offers and there is work to do at the protocol layer of lightning and the different implementations of that protocol to get the full benefits of BOLT 12, but this is material progress that gets us closer to a significantly better user experience on the lightning network. If you read Strike's blog post you'll come to appreciate the collaboration between the teams working on these implementations and the companies implementing the protocol that is necessary to get these features live. Shout out to everyone who worked on this. Everyone who uses the lightning network will be better off when BOLT 12 is fully implemented.

Moving on. Earlier today the founder of the BTCPay Server open source project, Nicolas Dorier, published a blog post outlining his thoughts on how ecash has the potential to solve problems that many have tried to solve by launching their own blockchains in the past. The problem with trying to "blockchain the world" is that blockchains are very inefficient and only really work for one application; enabling a peer-to-peer digital cash system with no trusted third parties (i.e., bitcoin). However, the ultimate goals of the thousands of blockchain projects that spun up in bitcoin's wake are desirable. Cheap, private and instant transactions. The ability to trivially spin up private money tokens suited for very particular use cases. Overall great UX that makes it easy for people to realize the benefits of "blockchain technology".

The problem that has existed to date is that you don't need a blockchain for all of these things. In fact, having a blockchain for these things proves to be detrimental to their ultimate goals. Instead, what people really need is a protocol that gives you the granular control, privacy, instantaneous transactions and UX that anchors to bitcoin. This is exactly what Chaumian Mints bring to the bitcoin stack.

This is something that we've been screaming about for more than seven years in this rag. Now with ecash protocols like Cashu and Fedimint maturing, gaining traction and bringing products to market that highlight the power and flexibility of ecash systems, people are beginning to see the promise. It is only a matter of time before more and more people begin to realize this potential.

Another benefit of ecash protocols is the fact that they are siloed from each other. Ecash mints are permissionless; any one person or group of people can spin them up, offer their preferred services and maintain (or fail to maintain) their mints. The failure of one mint is not a systemic risk to other mints. This is very different from token projects that are spun up on blockchains. The last ten years have proven that individual token projects can prove to be systemic problems for individual blockchains (i.e., The DAO token on Ethereum). Being able to silo mints is the only way to ensure that the utility of ecash overall is actually scalable and robust.

Don't get so distracted by the bitcoin macro talk that you miss out on the incredible technical developments happening on top of and adjacent to bitcoin.

---

Final thought... Vibes are high.

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

I’ll write a separate Week 1 Observations later, but I wanted to dedicate this space solely to mourning my Circa Survivor entry.

Circa Survivor costs $1000 to enter and has a $10M prize for the winner, usually split by several as things get down to the wire. Three years ago, when the prize was $6M Dalton Del Don and I — the first time we ever entered — made it to the final 23 in Week 12. The value of our share was something like $260K at that point, but we got bounced by the Lions who beat the 12-point favored Cardinals and took home nothing.

When you enter a large survivor pool, the overwhelming likelihood is you’ll meet this fate at some point, whether in Week 1 or 12. So it’s not really the loss that’s painful, so much as not getting to live and die each week with a chosen team. You lose your status as “the man in the arena whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood” and become just an observer watching and commentating on the games without the overarching purpose of surviving each week.

This year was also different due to the lengths to which I went to sign up. It’s not just the $1000 fee, it’s getting to Vegas in person, the $400 in proxy fees (you need locals to input your picks for you if you don’t live there), the $60 credit card fee, the $200 crappy hotel I booked at the last minute, the flights (one of which was cancelled due to heat), the rental car that necessitated, the gas, getting lost in the desert, the entire odyssey while sick and still jet-lagged in 122-degree heat.

But it’s not about the money, and it’s not even about the herculean effort per se, but the feeling and narrative I crafted around it. I was the guy who got this done. I flew from Portugal to San Francisco for 12 hours, two days later from SF to Palm Springs to help my 87-YO uncle with his affairs, improvised to get from Palm Springs to Vegas, which took six hours due to road closures, signed up for the contests, made the flight back to San Francisco, flew to Denver at 7 am the next day, took my daughter the Rockies game in the afternoon and then on to Boulder the following day. Maybe that’s not so impressive to some of you, but for me, an idle ideas person, a thinker, observer, someone who likes to express himself via a keyboard, it was like Alexander the Great conquering Persia.

And it’s not only about that smaller mission, or the narrative I crafted around it, but a larger one which was to bring sports content to nostr which I vowed to do before the summer which is why I felt I had to make the effort to get to Vegas to sign up for the contests, to have sufficient skin in the game, to have something real about which to write.

And I got the idea to do this seriously because Heather wrote a guide to Lisbon which I posted on nostr, and a few prominent developers there were surprisingly excited about getting that kind of quality content on the protocol. And I thought — if they’re this excited about a (very in-depth) guide to one particular city in Europe, how much more value could I create posting about a hobby shared by 50-odd million Americans? And that thought (and the fact I had to go to Palm Springs anyway) is what set me off on the mission in the first place and got me thinking this would be Team of Destiny, Part 2, only to discover, disappointingly, it’s real destiny was not to make it out of the first week.

. . .

While my overwhelming emotion is one of disappointment, there’s a small element of relief. Survivor is a form of self-inflicted torture that probably subtracts years from one’s life. Every time Rhamondre Stevenson broke the initial tackle yesterday was like someone tightening a vice around my internal organs. There was nothing I could do but watch, and I even thought about turning it off. At one point, I was so enraged, I had to calm down consciously and refuse to get further embittered by events going against me. Mike Gesicki had a TD catch overturned because he didn’t hold the ball to the ground, The next play Tanner Hudson fumbled while running unimpeded to the end zone. I kept posting, “Don’t tilt” after every negative play.

There’s a perverse enjoyment to getting enraged about what’s going on, out of your control, on a TV screen, but when you examine the experience, it really isn’t good or wholesome. I become like a spoiled child, ungrateful for everything, miserable and indignant at myriad injustices and wrongs I’m powerless to prevent.

At one point Sasha came in to tell me she had downloaded some random game from the app store on her Raspberry Pi computer. I had no interest in this as I was living and dying with every play, but I had forced myself to calm down so much already, I actually went into her room to check it out, not a trace of annoyance in my voice or demeanor.

I don’t think she cared about the game, or about showing it to me, but had stayed with her friends most of the weekend and was just using it as an excuse to spend a moment together with her dad. I scratched her back for a couple seconds while standing behind her desk chair. The game was still going on, and even though I was probably going to lose, and I was still sick about it, I was glad to have diverted a moment’s attention from it to Sasha.

. . .

In last week’s Survivor post, I wrote:

What method do I propose to see into the future? Only my imagination. I’m going to spend a lot of time imagining what might happen, turn my brain into a quantum device, break space-time and come to the right answers. Easier said than done, but I’m committed.

It’s possible I did this, but simply retrieved my information from the wrong branch of the multiverse. It happens.

. . .

I picked the Bengals knowing full well the Bills were the correct “pot odds” play which is my usual method. Maybe when the pot-odds are close, I might go with my gut, but they were not especially close this week, and yet I still stuck with Cincinnati because they were the team I trusted more.

And despite it being a bad pick — there are no excuses in Survivor, no matter what happens in the game, if you win it’s good, and lose it’s bad — I don’t feel that badly about it.

I regret it only because I wish I were still alive, but it was my error. I went with what I believed, and it was wrong. That I can live with 100 times better than swapping out my belief for someone else’s and losing. Had I done that I’d be inconsolable.

. . .

I won’t let the Survivor debacle undermine my real mission to bring sports to nostr. Team of Destiny 2 would have been a compelling story, but it was never essential. After all, my flight was cancelled and I had to improvise, so now my Survivor entry is cancelled, and I’ll have to improvise again. The branch of the multiverse where the Bengals won didn’t give me the information I wanted, but maybe it was what I really needed to know. That I am the man in the arena yet, the battle was ever against myself, and for a brief moment, while my team was losing, I prevailed.

@ 1739d937:3e3136ef

This is the sixth in a series of weekly(ish) updates detailing progress on bringing MLS protocol DMs and group messaging to Nostr.

Previous Updates

• June 28th 2024
• July 6th 2024
• July 12th 2024
• July 19th 2024
• August 16th 2024

Progress this week

Sorry about the very late update this week. Catching up on everything after a week in Riga for Nostriga and Baltic Honeybadger took a bunch of time, every other moment was spent coding. 👨‍💻

The response at Nostriga to NIP-104 and my two talks on the subject were overwhelmingly positive. It was very helpful to spend time with other devs going through the spec in detail. We found a few minor improvements and clarifications but no major issues surfaced. Thanks to nostr:npub1v0lxxxxutpvrelsksy8cdhgfux9l6a42hsj2qzquu2zk7vc9qnkszrqj49, nostr:npub1lunaq893u4hmtpvqxpk8hfmtkqmm7ggutdtnc4hyuux2skr4ttcqr827lj, and nostr:npub1ye5ptcxfyyxl5vjvdjar2ua3f0hynkjzpx552mu5snj3qmx5pzjscpknpr in particular for the lengthly interrogations and nostr:npub1wmr34t36fy03m8hvgl96zl3znndyzyaqhwmwdtshwmtkg03fetaqhjg240 for the introductions.

Last week, I started work on a reference implementation of the spec. It's still early but going quickly.

My PR adding support for secp256k1 was also merged into the hpke-rs library yesterday. That's one more step in the right direction towards having secp256k1 ciphersuite support.

The NIP

If you haven't already, check out my talk; The Past and Future of DMs and Group messaging on Nostr. This was a basic overview of the various DM and group messaging schemes and talks a little about the progress on NIP-104. I believe there is a recording of the technical talk on the spec but it hasn't yet been released. I'll link it up when it is.

At this point I've been discouraging anyone from trying to implement the NIP quite yet. As I mentioned above there are a few adjustments that need to be made and a few open questions that I'm working on answering with my implementation (which I'm very happy to have contributors on). My plan at the moment is to do this first implementation with the default ciphersuite that MLS already supports while I continue to work on the dependencies to get secp256k1 support across the board.

The Implementation

I've started on a cross-platform native client that will run on Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. Think of it as Signal or Telegram but over Nostr. I hope that this will not only become the reference implementation for other client developers but also will be one of the most secure and privacy focused clients in the Nostr ecosystem. Building it has already been helpful in clarifying some of the more complex implementation details in the NIP. It's still early but I'll have more to share on this in the coming weeks.

HPKE-RS

My PR to add support for secp256k1 is merged!

Onward and Upward

Thanks again to everyone for the support and feedback on this stuff at Nostriga. It was hugely motivating to hear the kind words, have you introducing me to people that could help, and spending time giving me feedback! This community is the best. 🫂

@ e0e92e54:d630dfaa

This is a copy of the email received from newsletter@Rumble.com

Free Speech Under Attack -- A Note from the CEO of Rumble

Dear Rumble Users,

I don't typically send messages to our users through email, but red lines have been crossed. There have been major developments with free speech platforms, and I feel it’s important to let everyone know what is going on and how you can help Rumble.

Rumble is no longer available to the citizens of Brazil, joining the ranks of France, Russia, and China. From media reports, Brazil no longer has Elon Musk's X due to attacks on free speech by Alexandre De Moreas, a justice of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court.

World powers don’t want Rumble, they don’t want X, they don’t want Telegram, and they don't want Truth Social. They want to control information, but our companies won’t let them.

There are no other large companies fighting for freedom like we are. We put everything on the line for it, and the Telegram CEO was recently arrested for it.

Advertisers boycott our companies to try and cut our economic lifeline, but they underestimate our support among the people.

The people keep us alive and keep us going.

If you want to help us, join Rumble Premium. If Rumble Premium gets big enough, you help us change the game and fight for freedom of expression.

We are also offering a $10 dicount for any new annual subscribers when they use the promo code "brazil".

Sincerely,

Chris Pavlovski Chairman and CEO of Rumble

444 Gulf of Mexico Dr. Longboat Key, FL 34228, USA.

@ 3b7fc823:e194354f

Encryption is the promethium fire that the cypherpunks secured from heaven for me and you. It is our sacred duty to use and advance that in the world. Encryption is so powerful that governments tried to keep it away from the people and to this day have tried to weaken and backdoor it at every turn.

So what is encryption?

It is a deep deep rabbit hole and involves a lot of numbers but in a nutshell it uses math to scramble up the data of your file so it is gibberish and can't be read without decrypting it back to regular data. Encryption technology has continued to advance over time and cracking technology to break the encryption has as well. For our purposes all you really need to remember is to use modern cyphers and your encryption is really only going to be as good as the password (use a passphrase) strength you are using to lock it down with.

BEGINNER LEVEL - Encrypt your phone and computer.

People walk around with their whole lives on their phone. Protect it.

-phone: Congratulations, if you already have a lock screen set on either your iPhone or Android device then device encryption is enabled. If your lock screen password is only 4 digits then we still have work to do. Four digits is only about 10,000 combinations and fairly easy to crack. I believe it only took them about 40 minutes to crack the iPhone of the attempted Trump shooter. Go into settings and set it up for 6 digits or for extra credit use a alphanumeric password.

After your phone then your personal computer probably has the most important data to you. Banking records, tax documents, photos, etc. Encrypt your drive.

-Windows: from Settings, select Privacy security -> Device encryption. Just follow the prompts.

-Apple: from Apple icon, select System Preferences -> Security & Privacy icon. Click "Turn On FileVault".

-Linux: most distros gives you the option during installation. If you didn't do so then search for how to enable it after the fact based on your distribution.

Awesome sauce. You have achieved minimum status.

ADVANCED LEVEL - Encrypt individual files.

You already encrypted your computer but guess what, once you start up your computer and log in the key is stored in RAM for as long as it stays on. The beginner level encryption protects your computer when it is off and it means no one can just steal your hard drive and access your files. This is good, but what if someone grabs you while you're sitting there working on it? What if you leave it in sleep mode and not turned off? Then that whole disk encryption is not really going to help you.

What if you had individual files that you consider more secret than the others? That finance spreadsheet or that special pic your spouse sent you? That's where individual file encryption comes in. You are just scrolling nostr when they grab you, your computer is on, and unlocked, but those special files are still safely encrypted.

I will share with you one of my favorite small programs: Picocrypt.

Download the Paranoid pack and store it in multiple drives, email accounts, and cloud storage. That way you will always have a copy to decrypt any files that you stored away.

Use it to encrypt any files that you feel need extra attention. It is also very useful for encrypting any files that you intend to store online in cloud storage. You do encrypt your files that are stored online don't you? Yes, even with the company that offers "encrypted" storage. Don't trust their encryption, use your own.

EXPERT LEVEL - Encrypt containers and hidden containers.

What if you want to encrypt several files and keep them all together in like a folder or container? That's where Veracrypt comes in. Free, open source, cross platform, and powerful.

Veracrypt allows you to create encrypted containers from any file that act like individual drives that can be mounted or unmounted as needed. You can name these files anything that you want, move them around or delete like any file, and make as many as you want. This allows you to have compartmentation of your files and drives.

Next trick, Veracrypt allows you to create a hidden container inside that container. Enter one passphrase and you open the encrypted container. Enter a different passphrase and you open a different hidden container.

This allows deniability. When they grab you and start pulling your fingernails off until you tell them the password to open the encrypted container, give it to them. They don't have to know that there is another hidden one under that.

These features allow you to do all sorts of interesting things only limited by your need and imagination.

What if you have a container named as some random config file in your /etc folder? What if you just encrypted a removable storage drive? What if you have multiple hard drives on your computer that have multiple containers and hidden containers? What if you have a hidden container that can only be accessed from booting up in a amnesiac OS like Tails leaving no trace that the files exist or trail that they were ever accessed? Go crazy, have fun.

NEMO - Failsafe

Nemo has no files, encrypted or otherwise. If they did you couldn't prove it. Nemo does use something like Tails that retains no memory from boot to boot.

Nemo also uses a failsafe. A simple lanyard attached to the flashdrive running the OS and the other end around their wrist while they work. When you try to separate them from the computer the flashdrive pulls out and everything is gone.

Using these programs you can create a layered and compartmentlized approach to your encryption scheme. There are also plenty of other encryption programs to check out such as Cryptomator, AES Crypt, etc

Last point and most important: Encryption is only as good as the passphrase you use to lock it down. Use a shitty password and it doesn't matter how uncrackable your encryption is.

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

@ 6bae33c8:607272e8

I went 1-3 in my NFFC leagues for two reasons: (1) Christian McCaffrey failed to score 17 points (because he was inactive), and I failed to bid enough on Jordan Mason because at the time of the FAAB last week, the Niners were flat-out lying about his likelihood of playing and like an idiot I believed them; and (2) I sat Mason in another league at the last minute for Jaleel McLaughlin because Fantasy Pros (that scourge of a site I swear off every year) had Mason not just lower, but absolutely buried in its RB rankings. I would have ignored a close call between the two, but I thought if he’s this low, the market must place a high likelihood on McCaffrey playing, and I don’t want to take a zero. This is the problem with being lazy and outsourcing your research to a bunch of midwits with misaligned incentives. I really should have delved deeply into all the McCaffrey reports and made my own assessment.

The problem with sites like Fantasy Pros is the grading system is different than the fantasy game itself. I imagine you’d get dinged hard for ranking Mason high if McCaffrey plays, and so it’s safer to rank him low. Moreover, one thing the fantasy industry is really bad at is pricing in that kind of risk. If everyone’s playing the market is pretty good at evaluating opportunity, per-play production and hence output, but if someone is 50/50 to get opportunities at all, they can’t handle it very well. Obviously Mason was a good bet to go for 20 points if McCaffrey were scratched, and so he should have been projected for 14 if it were 50/50 (he’d get some points even if McCaffrey played), but that we was projected for less than five (IIRC) made me think it was like 80/20.

But I knew it was a very bad sign Monday morning (after it was too late to pivot) when McCaffrey was still not deemed definite — it’s not like he got hurt last week, but he’s had a full month to heal. (Actually maybe the Achilles was last week, but because injury reporting sucks and teams lie, it’s impossible to know the real reason he missed the game. If it’s still the calf, all bets are off because if he’s not back in a month, five weeks won’t magically heal him.)

In any event, I’m glad I have Mason in two NFFC leagues, and I went all-in to get him (and I used him) in my RotoWire Dynasty one at least. But I should have been 3-1 if I had used my brain, and am instead 1-3, the win thankfully in the Primetime.

• The 40-minute edited version of the game for God knows what reason flashed the final score (32-19) briefly after I hit play. So it spoiled the game for me, and the whole time I was just trying to figure out how they got to that number, realizing probably Jake Moody went bananas for some people, and he did.

• I love that Allen Lazard got the TDs and not Garrett Wilson. Sometimes schadenfreude is all you got. I don’t think Lazard is a priority pickup, but the Jets tree is pretty thin, and Rodgers knows and apparently still trusts him.

• Aaron Rodgers looked good to me, like his old self. He threw accurate passes, had a few drops, and the pick was bad luck. No idea why Mike Williams was ignored though.

• Breece Hall got all the work until garbage time. No surprise, but he still looks like a top-five pick despite the fumble and poor per-play output.

• Jordan Mason ran hard, looked a bit like Isiah Pacheco out there. If McCaffrey is out, that’s how I’d value him.

• Deebo Samuel benefits a little (eight carries) with McCaffrey out. Just has a slightly bigger role in the ground game.

• Brock Purdy played well, but didn’t have to do much.

• You have to love that Juaun Jennings led the 49ers in receiving yards and Kyle Juszczyk was third when you have no part of the 49ers passing game. George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk will get theirs eventually, but you just can’t count on volume for either one.

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

Lesson 3: Arrays, Objects, and Callbacks

Arrays: Lists of Things

Arrays are ordered lists of values. They're perfect for storing multiple related items, like a list of your favorite cat toys:

javascript var catToys = ["mouse", "ball", "laser pointer"]; console.log(catToys[0]); // Prints "mouse"

Objects: Grouping Related Information

Objects allow you to group related information together. They're like detailed profiles for each of your cat friends:

```javascript var myCat = { name: "Fluffy", age: 3, favoriteFood: "tuna" };

console.log(myCat.name); // Prints "Fluffy" ```

Callbacks: Doing Things Later

Callbacks are functions that are executed after another function has finished. They're useful for handling asynchronous operations, like waiting for your cat to finish eating before giving it a treat:

```javascript function feedCat(callback) { console.log("Feeding the cat..."); setTimeout(function() { console.log("Cat has finished eating!"); callback(); }, 2000); }

feedCat(function() { console.log("Time for a treat!"); }); ```

This code simulates feeding a cat, waiting 2 seconds, and then giving it a treat.

Remember, learning JavaScript is a journey. Take your time, practice regularly, and soon you'll be coding like a pro cat!

@ 2dd85fbc:39b95d53

Electronic devices that are of no use are known as e-waste. The term e-waste may sound simple but it is one of the major global problems. Have you ever thought about the old electronic device you must have thrown in the dustbin? Most probably it must be in a landfill, just like all other waste products. But e-waste is not like the other waste. It is way more hazardous.

So, what should we do with old electronics? You must have heard environmentalists promoting residential electronics recycling. Many companies offer free e-waste electronic recycling. So, instead of throwing old electronics in the garbage, look for recycling services. In this column, we will share some more information about electronic waste and its recycling. 1. Know what e-waste is

Any electronic item that is of no use to an individual or business is e-waste. It may include mobile phones, laptops, printers, tablets, microwaves, and many more such things that are a part of our daily lives. Once the product has reached the end of its life, it ends up in a landfill but the problem is, that e-waste is hazardous.

1. E-waste contains toxic material

Various metals and chemicals are used to make electronics. An electronic item contains 70% toxic waste. E-waste contains substances like mercury, lead, arsenic and cadmium. All of these substances have a long-lasting harmful effect on the environment. For example, if a high level of lead is exposed in the environment, it may cause neurological damage in humans.

1. Use of electronics

With technological advancement today, humans depend on electronics for most of their daily chores. Most electronics are easily affordable, or they are available in every range. Therefore, people don’t want to get their electronics repaired or reuse them. Once the product gets old, it is immediately replaced with a new one.

1. Increasing e-waste

Today, e-waste is a global concern. The use of electronics has increased rapidly but the methods for disposing of e-waste are not sufficient. This is the reason for concern towards e-waste. If we don’t act responsibly now, it will harm all living beings and the environment. With this, we need more development and methods to fight the challenge of electronic waste.

1. Reuse, Repair, and Recycle

The question remains, what you can do as an individual to fight e-waste? If your electronic device stops working or gets old, either get it repaired or donate it. If any product has come to the end of its life, get in touch with e-waste recycling companies.

The bottom line

As a consumer, you should be aware of the final resting place of your electronic device. Out of sight and out of mind is the wrong approach and may lead to serious environmental problems. The product might disappear but you can’t avoid its harmful effects. Being an aware citizen, rely on electronic repair and recycling instead of throwing it away. Awareness regarding e-waste and the environment is the need of the hour.

Visit: https://thekingofrecycling.com/5-things-to-know-about-electronic-waste-recycling/

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

Lesson 2: Functions and Loops

Functions: Your Own Commands

Functions are reusable blocks of code that perform specific tasks. They're like teaching your cat a new trick:

```javascript function meow(times) { for (var i = 0; i < times; i++) { console.log("Meow!"); } }

meow(3); // This will print "Meow!" three times ```

Built-in Functions

JavaScript comes with many built-in functions. For example, console.log() is a function that prints things to the console:

javascript console.log("I'm a cat!");

Loops: Repeating Tasks

Loops allow you to repeat a task multiple times without writing the same code over and over. It's like telling your cat to chase its tail for a specific number of rounds:

javascript for (var i = 0; i < 5; i++) { console.log("Chasing tail, round " + (i + 1)); }

This will print "Chasing tail, round X" five times, where X goes from 1 to 5.

@ 6bae33c8:607272e8

I do this every year, and every year I get at least one correct. Last year, I got exactly one correct and unfortunately it was the surefire prediction that not all of them would be right, i.e., I got really zero correct. But that just goes to show how bold they were. These aren’t layups, more like three pointers and half-court shots. I fared much better the previous two years, so hopefully these will get back on track.

(Actually, probably better to just link to all of them for full transparency: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014.) I’m not going to argue it matters, or that anyone even clicks through on these, but I want to pat myself on the back for being so organized in archiving my old work.)

1. Stefon Diggs leads the Texans in targets, catches and receiving yards

   Right now, he’s getting drafted more than a round behind Nico Collins and less than a round ahead of Tank Dell. Diggs is 30, but he was one of the league’s best receivers until halfway through last year when the Bills made an offensive play-calling change. Moreover, Diggs is getting paid $22.5 million, so the Texans obviously don’t think he’s washed up, and he’s also in a contract year.

2. CJ Stroud leads the NFL is passing yards

   This is +600 on DraftKings, so the real odds are probably north of 8:1. Stroud adds Diggs to his receiving corps, doesn’t run much and heads into Year 2.

3. Roman Wilson (ADP 211) has more receptions than George Pickens (ADP 47)

   Pickens is a boom or bust downfield playmaker, not high-target alpha, and Wilson is a good fit for the slot for the Steelers new QBs. Think Martavis Bryant not Antonio Brown. (Not that Wilson is Brown!) Van Jefferson isn’t good, and someone will need to fill the void. Moreover, because Pittsburgh has new QBs, neither has an existing rapport with the incumbent Pickens.

4. DeAndre Hopkins (ADP 82) out produces Calvin Ridley (ADP 54) in PPR

   Hopkins wasn’t terrible last year, has a rapport with Will Levis and is a future Hall of Famer who can still run routes. Ridley is already 29 and is just a guy outside of his monster season in 2020.

5. The Giants will field a top-10 fantasy defense.

   I’ve been crushed by my homer bold predictions in the past, but they added Brian Burns to a rush that already had Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the offense should be on the field more and generate some leads with a real playmaking receiver in Malik Nabers.

6. One of the following Year 2 receivers will finish in the top-15 PPR: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jayden Reed, Jordan Addison, Dontayvion Wicks, Michael Wilson, Josh Downs, Andrei Iosivas, Quentin Johnston, Marvin Mims, Jalin Hyatt

   I make this prediction every year, and it often pans out as Year 2 is when receivers typically make the leap. I left out Tank Dell because he’s now got a fifth-round ADP, as well as the obvious ones: Zay Flowers, Rashee Rice and Puka Nacua.

7. Rome Odunze (ADP 77) will outproduce Xavier Worthy (ADP 59)

   Both receivers enter crowded situations, and while Worthy’s is far better, he’s also got essentially the same skill-set as teammate Marquise Brown. Moreover, Andy Reid rarely entrusts rookies with large roles, especially early on. Odunze is 6-3, 215 and has the pedigree of a true NFL alpha, while Worthy weighs only 165 pounds at 5-11. Finally, Patrick Mahomes already has an established rapport with both Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice, while Odunze gets a more open competition with the Bears veteran WRs, given all three will play with Caleb Williams for the first time.

8. Dalvin Cook will lead the Cowboys in rushing yards

   Cook is 29 and looked beyond “cooked” last year on the Jets, but his 3.3 YPC was on a small sample (67 carries), and prior to that, he’d been very good for the Vikings. At the very least he should have fresh legs, and he’d only need to beat out the ancient Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle. (Of course, Cook would have to be promoted from the practice squad first, so I really should hedge and make the prediction “neither Elliott, nor Dowdle will lead the Cowboys in rushing yards,” but I’ll push it and say it’s Cook.)

9. Jonathan Taylor (ADP12 ) will lead the NFL in rushing yards.

   He’s got little competition in the Indy backfield and a running QB who should open lanes for him. Draft Kings has him at +600, so his real odds are probably about 10:1, but I’d take him over the favored Christian McCaffrey (age/mileage) and all the other backs who are more hybrid types or old (Derrick Henry.)

10. Dalton Kincaid (TE4) will lead all TE in catches

    I guess this is a chalky pick because he and Kelce are both favored at the position at +3000, while Evan Engram is +5000! (I’d way rather bet on Engram at those odds.) But straight up, I’m going with Kincaid who is likely Josh Allen’s de facto No. 1 target with Diggs gone. In his final 11 regular season games Kincaid had 56 catches which prorates to 87 catches over the full year. And rookie tight ends rarely do anything and often make a leap in Year 2.

11. Some of these predictions will be wrong

    No one’s perfect, but you never want to get shut out.

@ 161c8564:2d633b95

Opinion about Freewallet Multi Crypto Wallet (iphone)

FRWT Wallet uses deceptive marketing to lure in unsuspecting users. Once you deposit funds, they’ll block your account under the guise of KYC checks. It’s a fraudulent app—don’t download it!

WalletScrutiny #nostrOpinion

Join the conversation!

@ eed76ece:afa98124

As the World continues to create more and more NEW regulations. And as free speech get attacked from every angle. Bonafide business owners, especially importers will need to find ways to migrate sales offerings of goods and services. It feels like the majority of business owners have to really take this seriously.

Obviously so many different methods are used around the World already, but when the upcoming new mandatory vaccinations, vaccine passport travel restrictions really hit, businesses will have to jump to more selling online.

SN, Nostr and other unknown communication methods are Paramount. As usual it feels like no one is taking free speech attacks seriously. The amount of postings my customers around the World do daily on WhatsApp, LINE (Asia), Telegram, Twitter will move where it is allowed to move. Feels like there's an ongoing increase in the attack not just on the West, but from WITHIN the West.

Regardless if you retail, wholesale, manufacture, are an agent we try hard to be pro active on marketing on multiple methods. It seems very logical that in the future Nostr and SN will pick up International users as a way to get their goods posted somehow someway.

Examples

Customers in these regions I deal with primarily communicate with me in Japan, Thailand using LINE and Tik Tok daily. Most of the rest of the World communicate with me using WhatsApp. Certain parts of Eastern Europe and Asia Telegram.

Interestingly my resellers in the USA primarily post on WhatsApp.

Westerners especially Americans seem to have enough money, they are not hungry for making more money, or increasing their business growth, they think everything is ok. "We will always be okay, there will NEVER be a Worldwide depression, recession, deflation, increased restrictions, they will NEVER force a new vaccine on us again, they will NEVER lock business and us down again".

"So I will always have free speech, the politicians told me so".

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/670041

@ 56a6da9b:7f5a2243

IO used to have a lot of content and now the only thing that shows up is my fouintain stuff. when i go into other nostr things it's not there anymore and i look like an anonymous user with no profile pic, or profile and no activity.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/669994

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

"You will spend 40,000 hours of your life trying to make money; it's worthwhile to spend 100 hours figuring out how to keep it." -Michael Saylor on Bitcoin

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

On the 2nd of September:

➡️El Salvador now HODLS 5,859 Bitcoin worth $343m. They continue buying one BTC every day.

That's what we call conviction!

On the 3rd of September:

➡️'Wall Street has more control over Bitcoin price after introducing ETFs, per hedge fund manager Mark Yusko. He argues that institutions are dumping the price by shorting Bitcoin in futures markets, a common tactic used for price manipulation.' - Bitcoin News

➡️ Marathon Digital: 'Our 2-megawatt pilot project in Finland is repurposing heat from digital asset computing to warm a community of 11,000 residents.'

This is the kind of innovation that makes sense. A lot of people can't comprehend the multitude of it. Imagine mining the hardest form of money while warming your community!

On the 4th of September:

➡️Japan to lower the maximum tax rate on #Bitcoin and crypto from 55% to 20%, in line with financial assets.

I am happy for my Japanese Bitcoin family! Eventually, it will go even lower. Larger governments will compete for Bitcoin immigration (read capital).

➡️The largest Swiss Canton bank now offers Bitcoin to 1.5m customers.

On the 5th of September:

➡️Leader of Venezuelan Opposition María Corina Machado proposes using Bitcoin as a national reserve asset. Bitcoin is a "lifeline" and "vital means of resistance". If you read my Weekly Recap regularly you know I am not that positive on politicians. They need votes and use Bitcoin to achieve that goal. But in this case...well since 2016, Venezuela's inflation has surged over 8 million %, wiping out people's savings. The government controls banks and freezes accounts. Already so many Venezuelans have turned to Bitcoin to protect their money & escape since it can't be controlled by the government. Bitcoin is financial inclusion, Bitcoin is freedom (money).

The upcoming decade will be interesting, especially for countries in Latin America & Central America (yes, also globally!).

El Salvador makes Bitcoin legal tender, we now have a US presidential candidate suggesting to have Bitcoin strategic Reverse, Venezuelan political leader proposes Bitcoin as a national reserve asset.

Hello, game theory!

➡️Bitcoin has had more trading hours since launching in 2009 than the stock market since 1971.

Talk about a secure system, Un-Hackable, Un-Corruptible 24/7/365; Bitcoin

➡️Bitcoin miners produce 450 new BTC/day. Microstrategy and Tether alone have been purchasing a whopping 60% of that daily supply.' I have a feeling what will happen. The USA will adopt a 'Bitcoin Strategic Reserve'...eventually. Tether is among the top buyers of U.S. Treasury securities, and they are effectively starting to back the USD with 'hard money'.

➡️Another River stat! Companies have grown their Bitcoin holdings by 587% over the past four years. The institutions are buying

On the 6th of September:

➡️Bitcoin ETFs have recorded over $1 billion worth of outflows since August 27th.

On the 7th of September:

➡️Happy Bitcoin Legal Tender Day On September, 7th 2021, El Salvador became the first country to officially adopt Bitcoin.

➡️'Chris Larsen, Ripple, and XRP are pushing for CBDCs. They are anti-freedom and want to ban Bitcoin. They bribed Greenpeace to try to attack proof-of-work but they failed, so now they are backing Kamala out of desperation as XRP/BTC is -50% over the past year.' - Pierre Rochard

➡️On September 7, the Bitcoin network’s 7-day average mining hash rate hit a new record, surpassing 740 exahashes per second.

➡️$1.4 trillion worth of BTC settled on the decentralized ledger in August 2024

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

On the 3rd of September:

👉🏽Sanergy collapses 98.4% after people discover 98.4% of shares are held by insiders. If 98% owned by insiders then who the fuck sold it?

👉🏽'Magnificent 7 stocks have now erased $550 BILLION of market cap today. Nvidia is on track for its largest daily drop since April 2024.' -TKL

In total, on this day over $1.05 trillion was wiped out from the US stock market.

On the 4th of September:

👉🏽'Swiss luxury watchmakers are turning to the government for financial aid to help them weather a downturn in demand' -Bloomberg Markets Are you freaking kidding me? What's next? Let's bail out Lamborghini, Rolex, Patek Phillipe, and Louis Vuitton. Let them all ask for government assistance. You can't make this shit up...hello socialism?

Anyway Bitcoin is Time, and Time is money...Please read: https://dergigi.com/2021/01/14/bitcoin-is-time/

👉🏽'The Government Accountability Office estimates the federal government loses between $233 billion to $521 billion annually to fraud based on data from 2018 - 2022. That’s ~2% of America’s GDP stolen every year & a trillion dollars lost for those years.'

But hey! If you don't report the 600 bucks Venmo transfer a SWAT team will invade your home.

Source: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-105833

On the 6th of September:

👉🏽The S&P 500 has now erased $2.2 trillion of market cap in the first week of September.

On the 7th of September:

👉🏽'Only Fans revenue explodes to $7 billion. Profits rise to 700 million. Only Fans have made more money than all the Silicon Valley AI startups combined Powered by Ass. Not AI.' -Trader

Lmao that is a helluva quote! Not sure about the part that OF made more money, but dammnnn that quote!

Massive simp pandemic! And remember 1 guy owns 100% of the company! Regarding AI, do you know what will happen in about 2-5 years? OnlyFans models will be completely 'promoted' by AI. Simps (men) cannot tell the difference between an AI OF and a human OF channel. Maybe even in the near future, we will have the same shit as that crazy sex scene in Demolition Man (Yes, I am that old!), as Sly Stallone and Sandra Bullock have an orgasmic fit online while sitting several feet away from each other.

Imagine an OF channel and wearing a VR headset, upload (via AI) the girl of your dreams, dressed provocatively, moves forward slowly. She comes closer and closer until her cheek is next to yours, you can almost feel her. And she whispers softly into your ear, like Monica Bellucci in The Matrix (kiss scene): 'I'm here for you, kiss me, and you can do anything with me!'

🏦Banks: 👉🏽No news

🌎Macro/Geopolitics: Last week I shared the story of the arrest of Pavel Durov.

I really want to emphasize that you should try Nostr before you need Nostr. 'Similar to how Bitcoin is purging money from the state’s control…. NOSTR is purging centralized media and speech from the government puppet media sources…there’s no NOSTR CEO to summon & testify in front of the elected clowns…' -Preston Pysh

If there is a throat to choke, it will be choked.

If there is a head to cut off, it will be cut off.

Platform owners that bend the knee to totalitarianism will censor and deplatform you. Platform owners that do not comply will be arrested and threatened with the full force of “The Law.”

You cannot kill Nostr. There is no single throat to choke, no one head to cut off. Succeed in cutting off one head and two will grow in its place.

On the 1st of September:

👉🏽'Global net gold purchases by central banks reached 483 tonnes in the first half of 2024, the most on record.

This is 5% higher than the previous record of 460 tonnes set in the first half of 2023. In Q2 2024, central banks bought 183 tonnes of gold, marking a 6% year-over-year increase.

On the other hand, this was 39% lower than the 300 tonnes of purchases seen in Q1. The largest buyers were the National Bank of Poland, the Reserve Bank of India, and the Central Bank of Turkey.' -TKL

The East (China, India, Russia, Saudi, etc.) no longer trusts owning Western reserve assets. Even the West (artikel no longer trusts owning US bonds)

Let's say Central Banks are betting against their current system by buying gold. What could go wrong and why don't you have any Bitcoin? Just study Bitcoin to start with.

👉🏽A German far-right party (AfD) is projected to win in regional elections for the first time since 1945, exit polls show. Great! Well done Europe, Germany is circling the drain again, innit!? This worked out so well the last time...in 1930-1945.

👉🏽5-7% unemployment in the U.S. in 2025 will be a reality - zero doubt! 'US consumers' perceptions of the labor market have weakened to the worst level since 2021.

The difference between the share of Americans saying that jobs are plentiful minus those saying they are hard to get declined is down to 16.4%. In previous business cycles, has been a leading indicator of unemployment. It now suggests that the unemployment rate may increase to 5.5% in the coming months. The labor market is trending toward a recession.' -TKL

Trump (or Kamala) may be handed over one of the worst economic conditions since the Great Recession of 2007-2009.

On the 2nd of September:

👉🏽Volkswagen is considering unprecedented factory closures in Germany in a bid for deeper cutbacks in another blow to Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s govt. Any shutdowns would mark the 1st closures in Germany during the company’s 87y history, setting VW up for a clash with powerful unions.' -Holger Zschaepitz

No shit Sherlock! Manufacturing is energy-intensive. Industry will move elsewhere if a place has persistently high energy prices. Germany self-sabotaged its own energy as it chose to deindustrialize to remain part of the West. Consumers suffer from high energy prices too. Hello Europe!

VW CEO: "We might go bankrupt." (Debt levels going in the same direction as China's Evergrande..) Union: "We demand a 7.7% salary increase and reduced working hours." Welcome to the German social system.

German deindustrialization has just brought its industrial production to the 2006 level. All degrowth enthusiasts must be happy. You don't believe me. Germany's industrial production level made another low. Down 16% from its peak, no growth since 2010, up 0.3% annually over the past 20 years.

A huge 2.4% drop in industrial production in July. Much worse than expected. Production is now 2.2% lower than its average level in Q2 and 9.5% below February 2023. Still below 2019 levels.

'The German business model was based on: 1. Cheap energy from Russia 2. Cheap subcontractors in Eastern Europe 3. Steadily growing exports to China 4. Free defense from the U.S.

1-3 are gone. The consequences are clear.' - Gabor Gurbacs

Now don't get me wrong they (VW) also falling behind in innovation, products are outdated and don't sell anymore.

https://x.com/TuurDemeester/status/1832438221491597579

On the 3rd of September:

👉🏽Weak U.S. manufacturing data affected the markets last week: 'The market is reacting negatively this morning to extremely poor ISM manufacturing data.

The TL;DR: Demand fell, inventories rose (due to unsold stock), and prices rose (due to labor and shipping costs). This is the definition of stagflation. The Fed’s worst nightmare.' -James Lavish

You already know what will happen. End of September the first-rate cuts will hit us, just before we slide into a full recession. By doing so this will let inflation run hot again.

On the 4th of September:

👉🏽Brussels holds its breath for Draghi’s delayed report. 'Former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi – “the man who saved the eurozone” – presented his much-anticipated report on the future of European competitiveness to EU diplomats and leaders of the European Parliamentary groups on Wednesday 4th of September.

"According to several EU officials, the report remains a closely guarded secret even within the Commission, as only economy-related DGs have it at their disposal."

So it is first presented behind closed doors, after being lifted over the elections. This report proposes radical changes (according to Draghi). You can’t do this like that. Why no livestream? Why just not 'open source'?

Closed doors & secrets = antidemocratic to the core.

Eventually, the report can be found here: https://archive.ph/MjbBe

'Former ECB President Mario Draghi called on the EU to invest as much as €800bn extra a year to make the bloc more competitive and to commit to the regular issuance of common bonds to compete w/China and the US. Draghi said that Europe will need to boost investment by about 5ppts of the bloc’s GDP – a level not seen in > 50 years – to transform its economy so that it can remain competitive. Draghi also pitched an adaptation of the EU’s competition policy so that “it does not become a barrier” to the bloc’s industrial goals.'

On the 5th of September:

👉🏽Last week I already explained how freaking stupid the proposed corporate tax was by Kamala Harris. 'Kamala Harris says she would raise the corporate tax rate to 28% if she is elected president.'

Please go back to that Weekly Recap and read the whole bit on that segment.

Now this week: 'KAMALA PROPOSES TO RAISE CAPITAL GAINS TAX TO 33%, FAR ABOVE GLOBAL AVERAGES' This is significantly higher than China’s 20% and Europe’s average of 18%.

This hike would bring the combined federal-state rate above 40% in many states and could severely impact small business owners and families.

I will quote James Lavish on this one: 'So here is how it works: The overall system forces you to take risks by investing to keep up with the relentless inflation that is caused by the system. If you are fortunate enough to succeed in your investments, the 'Harris System' will then take 1/3 of that success from you.'

As mentioned last week: Now don't get me wrong. I do not support Trump or any politician (I am based in the EU), but for the love of god, we the people need to start thinking and use that tool called BRAINS!

👉🏽'Interest expense on US Federal debt is now at a record $3 billion PER DAY. This is TRIPLE the amount paid 10 years ago and has DOUBLED in just 2.5 years. Total annual interest costs on Federal debt reached a whopping $1.1 trillion in Q2 2024. Even if the Fed cuts rates by 1% and all government bond yields decline by 1%, daily interest expense will still be $2.5 billion. That would be more than double the average paid in 2009-2019.

The debt crisis is an understatement.' -TKL

Great quote by Joe Consorti, just to give you some perspective: 'The US government pays more interest on its debt every 2 seconds than the average American salary. $1,089,100,000,000 per year $2,983,835,616 per day $34,535 per second The average US salary is $59,384.'

The U.S. government spends money as if there is a crisis The deficit hit $1.5 trillion in the first 10 months of Fiscal 2024. This is larger than all years before the COVID Crisis including 2009 - the last year of the Financial Crisis when the deficit was $1.4T. Once a US president, Ronald Reagan said the following on government deficits: “We do not face large DEFICITS because American families are undertaxed [but] because the federal government OVERSPENDS."

Anyway, before COVID-19, the US paid $1 billion in debt interest per day; during COVID it was $2 billion. Today, it is $3 billion every day.

Just to make it even worse, and again no doom or gloom from my side just stats published by the BLS (government body)

👉🏽'The US labor force participation rate is set to decline to 61.2% over the next decade, according to the BLS. This would mark the lowest percentage since the 2020 pandemic and the second lowest in ~50 years. These expectations are driven by the aging population and lower population growth projections. The BLS anticipates the population excluding prisoners and people in military service will rise by 16.4 million through 2033, 5 million fewer people than over the past decade.

This puts us on track for the slowest population growth rate since the BLS began publishing the data in 1948. Slowing population growth is a crisis.' -TKL

👉🏽Global Liquidity breaks out new all-time high $90.57 trillion M2 Money Supply

👉🏽The United Arab Emirates completes the first nuclear power plant in the ‘Arab world’.

👉🏽'Chinese banks have built a $100bn short against the US dollar to prop up the yuan — and hedge funds are eager to get in on the trade. At the center of it all are transactions known as FX swaps. These have quietly become a key tool for state-run Chinese banks seeking to prop up the yuan during periods of outsized selling pressure.' -Bloomberg

Source: https://archive.ph/uxZ7y

Short team gain for long-term pain.

On the 6th of September:

👉🏽'The June and July jobs reports were just revised lower by an additional 86,000 jobs. This is the SECOND TIME that the June jobs report was revised lower. 6 out of the last 7 jobs reports have now been revised LOWER, per ZeroHedge. 11 out of the last 15 jobs reports have now been revised lower. We are talking about MILLIONS in jobs revisions over the last two years.' -TKL I will say it again...if the US government can't have a grip on the jobs reports, why on earth do you believe other figures? For example the inflation number.

BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) stat from August: Foreign-born workers: +635K in August Native-born workers: -1.325 MILLION in August Yes, 1.3 million NATIVE-BORN Americans lost a job in August

👉🏽The UK's economy has stagnated since 2008. In terms of GDP per capita - economic output divided by the number of people in a country - they have gone backward. Great thread: https://x.com/sam_bidwell/status/1832062722412015803

👉🏽Never forget what they stole from you with inflation.

🎁If you have made it this far I would like to give you a little gift: Lyn Aldens latest newsletter is out, as always deep and simple

https://www.lynalden.com/september-2024-newsletter/

It discusses ongoing fiscal dominance and its investing implications. Lyn on Bitcoin:

'I don’t have a firm view on the bitcoin price over the next few months, but I am bullish with a 2-year view and beyond.'

Credit: I have used multiple sources!

My savings account: Bitcoin The tool I recommend for setting up a Bitcoin savings plan: @Relai 🇨🇭 especially suited for beginners or people who want to invest in Bitcoin with an automated investment plan once a week or monthly. (Please only use it till the 31st of October - after that full KYC) Hence a DCA, Dollar cost Average Strategy. Check out my tutorial post (Instagram) & video (YouTube) for more info.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀

Get your Bitcoin out of exchanges. Save them on a hardware wallet, run your own node...be your own bank. Not your keys, not your coins. It's that simple.⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ Do you think this post is helpful to you? If so, please share it and support my work with sats.

⭐ Many thanks⭐

Felipe - Bitcoin Friday! ▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

@ 6bae33c8:607272e8

I did the third and final NFFC Beat Chris Liss league last night, and it was one of the more interesting and aggressive drafts I’ve ever done. I picked from the seven slot.

Here are the results:

(Link to livestream)

1.7 Ja’Marr Chase — I made seven my first choice, but then realized I probably should have gone with four or five, or maybe nine or 10. That’s because if the first six picks went chalk (and they did), I’d be faced with Chase who is holding out for a new contract (and who I have in two other leagues already), Justin Jefferson (new, bad QB) or Garrett Wilson (new QB, never been a Round 1-level WR.) At 1.9 I’d have gotten one of those guys anyway, but earlier picks on the way back. And at 1.4, I’d have gotten a shot at Bijan Robinson for an easier hero-RB build. But I had pick seven, and I tripled-down on Chase because I think it’s very likely he’ll get his extension (or play if he doesn’t), and he’s an all-time talent with a top QB and projects for a massive target share. Plus, if he busts it’s Alan Seslowsky’s fault, and having someone to blame is paramount.

2.6 Drake London — I had it mapped out via ADP that I’d likely get De’Von Achane here, but he went at his min pick (I’m pretty sure) at the 1-2 turn, and so I was scrambling a bit. I really wanted Puka Nacua, who I missed by one pick, considered Cooper Kupp, but ended up going for the ADP-faller London who I had not remotely planned on getting. London obviously benefits from the massive QB upgrade in Atlanta, but it’s an open question whether he’s really an elite receiver or just a good one, and Kyle Pitts could easily emerge as Kurt Cousins favorite target instead.

3.6 DeVonta Smith — When Derrick Henry went one pick ahead of me, it was between Smith and Jaylen Waddle who I took in BCL2. Normally I avoid receivers this undersized but Smith has always produced at every level and is locked into his sizeable target share. Plus I read some Scott Barrett tweets about how Kellen Moore’s offense boosts the slot receiver a ton and that Smith thrives in the slot and could see more work there.

4.7 Stefon Diggs — This was ideal. I now have Diggs in all four of my leagues so far. Maybe he’s hit a cliff at age 30, but he’s getting $22.5M to play in arguably the league’s top passing game that lacks a true No. 1 alpha. I also considered Tee Higgins to pair with Chase (and serve as Chase insurance), but Diggs has more upside as a potential No. 1 target.

5.6 Dalton Kincaid — I’ve been high on him all summer, but he never quite fell to me in the right place until now. I expect him to be Josh Allen’s No. 1 receiver now that Diggs is gone.

6.7 James Conner — I needed a RB, and Conner is one. I’m a bit wary of a 29-YO guy with an extensive injury history, but he averaged 5.0 YPC last year and has never had a massive workload so he’s fresh for his age at least. Plus, the Cardinals offense should be good this year.

7.6 Anthony Richardson — I wasn’t planning on taking a QB here, or even Richardson who I have in BCL2 in Round 5!, but I couldn’t pull the trigger on Zamir White over someone with Richardson’s upside. I’m trying to win the overall contest, not simply cover the bases with starters at every position.

8.7 Jonathon Brooks — Jaylen Warren was still on the board, and he was a viable Week 1 starter for me, but Brooks who is on IR, struck me as the upside play. I heard somewhere, can’t remember where, that Brooks was an elite prospect in college before the injury, and there’s a lot of hype about Carolina’s new offensive brain trust boosting the offense generally. But it might have been a rash pick given my zero-RB build to take a rookie on IR.

9.6 Marquise Brown — I missed Warren by one pick on the way back, and instead of pivoting to Tyjae Spears I leaned into the zero-RB by taking Brown who was going in the fifth or sixth round before his injury. The beauty of this pick is I don’t need Brown right away as I wouldn’t start him anyway, so I pay no price for him missing Week 1. The ugly of this pick is I missed out on Spears, Zack Moss and Chuba Hubbard (who would have been nice to pair with Brooks.)

10.7 Joe Burrow — The obvious pick was Trey Benson to pair with Conner. In fact, I could have had Hubbard in Round 9 and Benson in 10 to lock up two backfields for my zero-RB team. But no, I had to take a second QB here because (a) Richardson has a low floor; (b) this was cheap for Burrow; and (c) I could potentially pair Burrow with Chase for the playoffs. If you’re gonna go zero RB, lean the into it. (The other problem with this pick is the weekly headache of picking my starting QB.)

11.6 Jaleel McLaughlin — The Burrow pick cost me not only Benson but JK Dobbins too, but I had my eye on McLaughlin who apparently was a god in college, and per Barrett is in an ideal spot as the RB2 in Sean Payton’s offense. Now that stat has to be tempered a bit given that peak Alvin Kamara was the source of so much of it, but how much of that was Payton’s offense? In any event, I’m seriously rolling into Week 1 with McLaughlin in my active lineup because of the Richardson, Brooks, Brown and Burrow picks.

12.7 Jordan Mason — Obviously he’s not usable unless and until Christian McCaffrey gets hurt, and the Niners badly need Trent Williams to report, but he’s a top-10 RB if McCaffrey, who played into February last year, goes down. This also furthers my extreme “what could go right” build.

13.6 Braelon Allen — Oddly I view this pick as a mistake as he was higher in ADP, so I thought I could wait another round on Giants backup Tyrone Tracy. (Tracy went three picks ahead of me in the next round.) Allen might be good, but only a Breece Hall injury could free him up whereas Tracy could just outplay Devin Singletary. Granted the Jets might be a better environment than the Giants, so Allen could have more upside if he did get a shot, but Tracy is also a converted WR and would likely catch a lot of passes if he got the job.

14.7 Khalil Herbert — Once Tracy was gone, I pivoted to Herbert. The Chicago backfield is crowded, but D’Andre Swift always gets hurt, and Roschon Johnson isn’t as good a runner as Herbert.

15.6 Jalen McMillan — I wanted to get Cam Akers because Joe Mixon is old, but I missed him by two picks and pivoted (finally) back to WR. McMillan’s created some buzz in camp, and both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are getting old.

16.7 Will Shipley — I love Saquon Barkley, but he’s getting old and has been hurt a lot. Kenneth Gainwell is ostensibly ahead of Shipley, but is just a guy. Another top-10 upside back should the starter go down.

17.6 Dalvin Cook — He’s on the practice squad for now, and he looked beyond done last year with the Jets, but keep in mind he only got 67 carries, and the Cowboys don’t have serious obstacles ahead of him should he regain even 60 percent of his prior form. Cook was still very good in 2022, and he should have fresh legs too.

18.7 Quentin Johnston — I needed one more receiver, and Johnston is one. Seriously, though he was a first-round pick only last year, and he’s competing with only Josh Palmer and a rookie.

19.6 Younghoe Koo — All these years I was with a wonderful kicker in Justin Tucker, but I’m trading him in for a Younghoe. (That joke will get old one day, just not in any of our lifetimes.)

20.7 Giants Defense — They draw Sam Darnold and Jayden Daniels the first two weeks, and added Brian Burns to Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence.

Roster By Position

QB Anthony Richardson

RB James Conner/Jaleel McLaughlin

WR Ja’Marr Chase/Drake London/DeVonta Smith

TE Dalton Kincaid

FLEX Stefon Diggs

K Younghoe Koo

D Giants

Bench Jonathan Brooks/Marquise Brown/Joe Burrow/Jordan Mason/Braelon Allen/Khalil Herbert/Jalen McMillan/Will Shipley/Dalvin Cook/Quentin Johnston

@ 3b7fc823:e194354f

First steps into privacy.

You are a normie, but maybe you are privacy curious. Maybe you are ready to take a first step or two into security and privacy but don't know where to start.

Don't worry, here are some absolute beginner first steps that will make a big difference.

1. No one except your friends and family should know your personal phone number and email address. Stop giving away your data! You don't have to fill out every blank on that form. Unless they are mailing you something they don't need your home address. Use a email aliasing service or just create a burner email account as a spam trap. Get a second VOIP phone number. Look up the address of a local hotel. Use these instead of your personal information or maybe just skip the customer reward program.

2. Speaking of giving away your data. Stop using spyware! Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, etc. It is "free" software designed to suck every ounce of personal data from you to be repackaged and sold. Don't just delete the app, search for how to delete your account data.

BTW Windows, google, and 90% of the apps on your phone are also spyware but one thing at a time. Maybe start reading up on FOSS.

1. Clean up your communications. Stop using unencrypted calls and SMS texts. There are several options but just get Signal and make your friends use it. Its easy and works.

2. Clean up your email. This one is probably going to take you some time if you are like most people who have hundreds of emails from years gone bye. Go through every single one and unsubscribe from every newsletter or sales pitch from every store you have ever bought anything from. Block every spam email you see. If you are using a email provider that literally scans every email you send or receive in order to sell you stuff like gmail, then now is the time to switch to a private and encrypted provider like proton or tuta.

3. Clean up your web surfing. Switch to a privacy browser and search engine. If you don't know which one just get Brave. There are ones that I like better but Brave is good enough and easy, especially if you like Chrome. A hardened Firefox is better but requires some homework and if on desktop Mullvad browser is a excellent choice.

BONUS TIP:

Clean up your security. Make sure all of your software is setup for automatic updates, especially security updates. Also, I don’t know who needs to hear this but get a password manager if you don’t have one. (Don't save passwords on the browser!) Get an actual password manager and then add 2FA to all of your online accounts and you will have better security than 90% of the population.

OK, nothing too exciting but we got the big rocks. Data leaks, communications, email, web surfing, and basic security.

What, no VPN or Tor or super secret stuff? No, not yet. This is your level zero default. Your identity and activity is still transparent but you are no longer leaking your data all over the place. This will provide a general base for everyone.

The next step is to perform a basic threat assessment of your personal situation. What are you most at risk for? Targeted attacks or passive? Cyber or physical? What do you most need to defend against? Government mass surveillance, surveillance capitalism, censorship, or public exposure?

There will be some overlap with all of them but your next steps will really depend on your answer. We will cover each of these in greater depth later.

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

After 7 months of work and procrastination I've decided to release another version of noStrudel

There a ton of new features and a few bugs fixed. This article highlights the biggest changes but if you want to read the full changelog you can find it in the github repo

And as always if you want to check it out you can use nostrudel.ninja or run it locally using docker

sh docker run --rm -p 8080:80 ghcr.io/hzrd149/nostrudel:0.40.0

New Features

Support for NIP-49 encrypted nsec

Now when logging into to the app it will prompt you to set a password to encrypt your nsec so it can be stored securely (if that's even possible for a web client...)

There is also a new "Account" settings view that lets you export you nsec as a ncryptsec so you can copy it to other apps

Blindspot feeds

There are also new "blindspot" feeds that show what others are seeing in their timeline that your missing

NIP-42 Relay authentication

The app now supports NIP-42 relay authentication. Its opt-in though, so if you want to use popular authenticated relays like nostr.wine or relay.snort.social you will have to enable it in the settings

Wasm relay and event verification

The app now supports using @snort/worker-relay as a local relay. Its at least 10x faster than the internal browser cache and can hold at least 100x more events. Its not enabled by default though so if you want to use it you have to switch to it in the "Relays" -> "Cache Relay" view

The app also supports using nostr-wasm to speed up event signature verification. This is enabled by default, but if you want to still use the JavaScript verification or no verification you can find it in the performance setting

Thread tabs

Threads now have a set of tabs that let you see the Replies, Quotes, Zaps, and other stuff related to the note

Wiki articles

Its not feature complete but you can now view and edit wiki articles in the app

Finished the launchpad

The launchpad is now usable and shows the latest notifications, messages, streams, and tools

Blossom uploads

The app now lets you upload images and video to blossom server, this isn't enabled by default though so your going to have to enable it in the settings

And then setup some blossom servers in the settings. A few good public ones are https://cdn.satellite.earth and https://cdn.nostrcheck.me

Task Manager

There is also a new "Task Manager" in the side nav that lets you see whats going on under the hood in the app

You can see what relays the app is currently connected to

And which relays are requesting NIP-42 authentication

Bug fixes

• Fix null relay hints in DMs
• Fix users own events being hidden by muted words
• Fix random events showing up as DM messages
• Fix app prompting NIP-07 extension to unlock when app opens
• Remove corsproxy.io as default service for CORS proxy

@ d325f9e9:07ed2267

Ds

@ 38d0888d:bd8e1246

To foster collective improvement, it is essential to implement social programs that encourage voluntary engagement and mutual support. These initiatives should serve as fertile ground, nurturing altruistic values and deepening the understanding of humanity’s true needs. By integrating spiritual connections into these efforts, a ripple effect of kindness, understanding, and enlightenment can spread throughout society. Each individual, endowed with intellectual abilities by a higher power, is invited to contribute to the creation of a harmonious and enlightened world. Sharing inspirational concepts that blend spirituality with social responsibility has the potential to profoundly influence and unite public sentiment.

A sense of community and interconnectedness must be cultivated within these programs. Creating spaces for shared experiences and collective growth extends their impact beyond individual actions, fostering a network of mutual support and understanding.

It is crucial to promote inclusive development that transcends bureaucratic constraints, aiming to dismantle inequality and confront corruption. These initiatives do more than foster a fairer world; they also reveal the latent spiritual dimensions of the human mind. To encourage spiritual growth and overcome selfishness, collaborative efforts across society, decentralized governance structures, educational institutions, and individual contributions are imperative. Moral codes must emerge from deeply rooted spiritual ethics that are interwoven into the societal fabric, surpassing the interests of a privileged few. Humanity’s ultimate goal is to transcend mere cooperation among individuals, striving for absolute transparency and openness across all spheres of existence. Achieving this vision requires unwavering dedication from every stakeholder committed to guiding society along the path of enlightenment.

@ 4735cdca:0c0ecb64

Este texto foi publicado originalmente no dia 16/03/2020 em https://leiturasdotrader.com/bitcoin-a-moeda-na-era-digital/

A maior parte dos livros resenhados no Leituras do Trader tem relação com a bolsa de valores, mas achei que estava na hora de falar de uma classe de ativos que também pode ser importante para os traders: as criptomoedas.

Por isso, escolhi um livro introdutório sobre Bitcoin, escrito pelo Fernando Ulrich, mestre em economia e referência sobre o assunto. Consulte o canal do Ulrich no YouTube para mais conteúdos sobre o tema.

A obra dá um panorama sobre o que o Bitcoin representa, como ele funciona e o seu potencial transformador. Nesse caminho, o autor também discute a ocorrência de crises, explica o que de fato vem a ser uma moeda e expõe conceitos interessantes como escassez, reserva de valor e liberdade monetária.

Vejamos, então, os principais aprendizados.

O que é o Bitcoin?

Na introdução, Fernando Ulrich deixa claro que definir o que é Bitcoin não é fácil, mas no apêndice do livro, ele lista 10 maneiras de explicar o que é essa criptomoeda. Fazendo ligeiras alterações às palavras do autor, uma definição seria:

Bitcoin é uma espécie de dinheiro digital que não depende de governos ou corporações e cujo valor é determinado pelos indivíduos. As transações ocorrem pela internet — o que quer dizer que os envolvidos podem estar até mesmo em continentes diferentes —, por meio de uma forma de pagamento rápida, segura e de baixo custo.

Para um entendimento mais profundo sobre o seu funcionamento, requer conhecimentos sobre termos mais técnicos como código aberto, redes peer-to-peer, criptografia e blockchain.

O que é o problema do gasto duplo?

Usando sistemas de pagamento no dia a dia, podemos não perceber, mas bancos e outras instituições financeiras atuam como intermediários para validar as transações.

Imagine que Alice tenha 100 reais em conta. Se Alice envia 100 reais a Bob, há uma entidade que verifica que Alice tem 100 reais disponíveis, e que terá 100 reais a menos assim que Bob receber esses 100 reais.

Sem essa entidade, teríamos uma enorme confusão. Poderia acontecer de Bob receber os 100 reais de Alice mas Alice não ter os 100 reais debitados de sua conta, o que permitiria a Alice enviar mais 100 reais a Charlie.

Por incrível que pareça, o Bitcoin consegue resolver esse problema do gasto duplo sem a necessidade de uma entidade reguladora. Ou melhor dizendo: o sistema conta com uma rede de usuários (computadores), e essa própria rede se encarrega de validar as transações.

É por isso que dizemos que o Bitcoin tem uma natureza descentralizada.

Mas se não existe uma entidade reguladora da criptomoeda, qual é o incentivo para esses computadores validarem as transações?

Explicando de forma muito simplificada, o protocolo do Bitcoin determina que, para processar as transações, os computadores precisam resolver problemas matemáticos cuja complexidade vai aumentando com o tempo. Assim, conseguem encadear as transações em blocos de dados que compõem a chamada blockchain.

Esses computadores recebem uma taxa de serviço e uma certa quantidade de bitcoins que são criados na sequência. E pelo fato de eles “extraírem” bitcoins nesse processo, chamamos esses usuários de mineradores.

Aliás, é assim que novos bitcoins são emitidos e continuarão a ser criados até a rede alcançar o limite de 21 milhões de bitcoins. Esse foi o máximo de bitcoins estipulado por Satoshi Nakamoto, o programador (ou grupo de programadores) de identidade desconhecida que inventou o Bitcoin.

Em qual contexto o Bitcoin foi proposto?

Satoshi Nakamoto propôs o sistema do Bitcoin oficialmente com o paper Bitcoin: a Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System, disponibilizado em 31 de outubro de 2008.

Algumas semanas antes disso, em setembro, a falência do banco americano Lehman Brothers representava um marco da Crise de 2008 (Crise do Subprime).

Fernando Ulrich descreve que podemos explicar essa e outras crises do ponto de vista da Teoria Austríaca dos Ciclos Econômicos. De forma resumida, o que temos é o seguinte:

1. Banco central do país reduz os juros artificialmente.
2. O sistema bancário pode emprestar dinheiro a taxas atrativas (inclusive dinheiro que ele não tem).
3. Fica fácil ter acesso ao crédito (expansão de crédito) — aparentemente o sistema bancário tem ampla disponibilidade de recursos reais, mas na verdade não tem.
4. Pessoas pegam dinheiro emprestado para criar ou aprimorar negócios.
5. Empresários desenvolvem novos projetos com expectativas de lucratividade futura (já que os juros estão baixos, o esperado seria que os consumidores tivessem dinheiro poupado, o que significa que poderiam comprar ou investir).
6. Podemos ver uma aparente prosperidade econômica (boom).
7. Muitos projetos dos empresários que pegaram dinheiro emprestado não dão lucro, já que não há recursos suficientes na economia (o certo seria o sistema bancário disponibilizar para empréstimo o dinheiro que ele realmente tem — essencialmente, a quantia que poupadores colocam no banco em busca de remuneração, num momento anterior de juros mais altos, por exemplo —, mas não foi isso que vimos no item 2).
8. A estrutura produtiva fica desequilibrada e começam a surgir os primeiros sinais de crise.

Como Ulrich deixa claro, o paper não dá muitos indícios sobre a ideologia de Satoshi Nakamoto, mas discussões no fórum de criptografia do qual ele participava e uma mensagem gravada na primeira transação na rede Bitcoin — executada pelo próprio Nakamoto — ajudam a dar uma ideia.

A mensagem em questão fazia referência à manchete do jornal britânico The Times, do dia 3 de janeiro de 2009:

The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks

Traduzindo, seria algo como: Chanceler prestes a fazer segundo resgate aos bancos. Assim, notamos a insatisfação de Nakamoto com as falhas do sistema bancário e com a intervenção estatal na economia.

Quais são as propriedades do Bitcoin em comparação às outras moedas?

Do meio para o final do livro, temos um capítulo dedicado a entender o Bitcoin sob a ótica da ciência econômica. O autor avisa no início da obra que essa parte é mais densa, especialmente para quem não tem muitos conhecimentos em economia.

Realmente o texto fica um pouco mais pesado, mas considero importante que os leitores e leitoras insistam. Além de uma discussão interessante sobre o Bitcoin ser uma moeda ou não, vemos como suas propriedades se comparam com as de outras moedas ou meios de troca.

São elas:

• baixa dependência de bancos (atualmente você precisa usar dinheiro tradicional para adquirir bitcoins — o que depende de uma transferência bancária ou pagamento de boleto —, mas num mundo em que todos usam bitcoins isso não seria necessário);
• durabilidade da moeda (não é possível rasgar um bitcoin porque ele não existe fisicamente — por ser uma moeda virtual, sua preservação depende da internet e da eletricidade);
• escassez (como o número de bitcoins em circulação chegará a um limite de 21 milhões, não haverá a possibilidade de emitir mais moeda indefinidamente, medida que tenderia a depreciar o valor do dinheiro — ao mesmo tempo, acredita-se que a demanda por bitcoins continuará a aumentar, fazendo com que valham cada vez mais);
• reserva de valor (como os bitcoins são bens escassos, seu valor tende a se preservar com o tempo, e possivelmente aumentar);
• divisibilidade (podemos transacionar frações de bitcoins para a movimentação de pequenos valores, assim como usamos centavos de reais);
• baixa liquidez (o Bitcoin ainda não é amplamente utilizado como as moedas tradicionais — nem tudo o que você consome aceitará pagamento em bitcoins);
• baixos custos de transação.

Como tudo isso se relaciona à ideia de liberdade monetária?

Deixo agora as seguintes perguntas como reflexão:

• Se os brasileiros decidissem que o dólar é a melhor moeda para fazer transações no Brasil, seria possível que ele substituísse o real?
• É possível que várias moedas coexistam dentro de um país?
• O Bitcoin (ou outra criptomoeda) representa uma alternativa às moedas estatais?

Todas essas perguntas nos fazem pensar na proposta de que os indivíduos deveriam poder escolher a moeda que querem usar — o conceito de liberdade monetária.

Fernando Ulrich acredita que o Bitcoin veio para ficar, mas não como substituto de moedas tradicionais vigentes. Seria algo como uma moeda complementar.

Desde 2014, quando o livro foi publicado, houve quedas bem fortes como a do final de 2017/início de 2018, empresas de criptomoedas (exchanges) tiveram problemas sérios de segurança, a movimentação do preço continua oscilando bastante…

Apesar de tudo isso, o Bitcoin continua aí, contando inclusive com atualizações para melhorar a eficiência da rede. Só o tempo dirá quando — e se — seu futuro promissor vai se concretizar.

O livro está disponível para download em PDF gratuitamente no site do Instituto Mises Brasil.

Baixar PDF de Bitcoin: a moeda na era digital

@ 9dd283b1:cf9b6beb

There's a saying: Bitcoin is hope.

But once you truly understand Bitcoin, many of the old fiat goals in your life start to lose meaning. It can feel disorienting and even depressing, because you realize you need to build entirely new goals, and you're unsure where to begin.

For example, maybe your plan was to get a mortgage, buy a house, and imagine your kids playing there for the next 20 years while you "happily" pay off a 25-year loan. But when you understand Bitcoin, that plan doesn’t make sense. Why would I put a 100k-200k down payment into a mortgage when it's likely better be in Bitcoin? Plus, you lose about 2.5% to 4% of the total price on taxes, fees, brokers, and other costs. Crazy, right?

I even made a short presentation for my wife, explaining why we should never buy a house given current interest rates and down payment requirements. She responded that she wants a house anyway, because it feels better to own one. But does a 25-year mortgage really make it feel like it’s yours?

She also said it’s depressing to not follow the conventional path. It’s hard to feel satisfied with numbers when everyone around you is deep into mortgages—you want to be one of them. You want to visit their houses and invite them to "yours." It's like becoming sober in a room full of addicts. You know it’s better for you, but the world around you seems so strange that part of you wants to go back, even though you know it hurts. Yet, when you do go back, the joy isn't there anymore. You feel...nothing. And then you decide to withdraw.

I remember paying off my first mortgage for an apartment, and I felt nothing. And that was before I fell down the Bitcoin rabbit hole. Now I know if I ever took out a mortgage again, I’d just feel regret for not keeping the money in Bitcoin. And by the time you finish paying it off, you probably want to sell the property and move somewhere else.

So, the rational decision is to keep everything in Bitcoin and rent instead.Unless, of course, Bitcoin goes to zero. There are only two outcomes for Bitcoin: it’s either going to infinity, or it's going to zero. There’s no scenario where it just hovers at 100k or 60k for the next 20 years—unless people are foolish enough to give away self-custody. If they do, we'll end up with digital gold. So the reasonable question is - how can you be sure? Well, you can't. But we are betting on it and it works for now. Worst case we will need to start from 0. But then there will be no hope anymore.

We are staying in the infinity camp. And when you are in that camp every time you make a big purchase, you’re shorting Bitcoin. Solution - simple, - don't buy anything. There’s a popular meme: You will own nothing, and you will be happy. But if you’re a Bitcoiner, it's more like: You will own only Bitcoin, and you probably won’t be happy about it. Why would I pay 30k for a car when I can lease one? Why put 100k down on a house when I can rent?

The only justification is mental comfort, peace of mind. Or perhaps you value the illusion of owning a physical thing more than the genuine ownership of something virtual. It’s confusing, isn’t it? Sure, you can own a bicycle. But owning a house? That's tricky. Imagine you’re a Russian citizen with a house on Lake Como, and suddenly, new sanctions mean Italy no longer recognizes your property. Or squatters break in while you’re on vacation, and now you need to go through a court battle to evict them.

Extreme situations, I know. But no one thinks it will happen to them—until it does.

So, you’ve sold everything to buy Bitcoin. You don’t own anything except Bitcoin, and you feel sad. Why?

What can you buy with Bitcoin that’s more valuable? Something that won’t depreciate over time. Something like time.

Time with your kids. Time with your family. Time with yourself.

There’s a concept called FIRE and then there is a Bitcoin FIRE calculation (https://bitcoincompounding.com/). In simple terms, you spend your Bitcoin slowly enough that it grows faster than you can spend it (in fiat terms). Unlike traditional assets, there’s no yield or dividends, so the only way it works is if Bitcoin continues its cycles. And you need to be at least two cycles in to make it work.

But personally, I don’t think there will be cycles anymore. I believe this October-November will break all the models, and Bitcoin will do what Bitcoin does: surprise everyone. I read somewhere a thought that stuck with me—imagine you wake up on a planet Earth on January 1st. You know nothing about the seasons or weather. After six months of only increasing temperatures, you’d be 100% certain it’s only getting hotter from here.

So what hope does Bitcoin offer? Hope that I can spend more time with my family. Hope that I can create something different for them. Hope that I can live without the weight of fiat goals. Hope that it's only getting hotter from here.

I just need to get through the withdrawal phase.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/662939

@ 862fda7e:02a8268b

I have a lot of dreams where I'm playing a claw machine and just winning a ton of toys. One of the best clawe machine dreams is where I come across claw machines with large toys as prizes, it had carnival toys from the 70's-80's as prizes. Unfortunately, the claw machine was non functional as it was pretty old. In most of these dreams I am winning an endless amount of toys, so much so that the prize chute becomes full with toys. In real life, they rig claw machines. Often times, the owners of the machines set it so they must meet a certain "pay out" before the claw will actually grip a prize. So while you might have a great aim on getting the claw around a toy, it won't grip it firmly enough until enough money has been inserted to meet that payout. Some claw machines will do a fake out, where it will grab the prize, then once the claw gets back to the top of the machine, it will drop the prize. It's to trick you that it got it, but it actually didn't. Sadly, claw machines are worthless to play these days. It's become highly monetizable and impossible to win. I'm great at claw machines, but it's just a matter of luck with hitting the payout these days.

@ e6fbeb1c:6ac8fc04

Eggplant is a member of the nightshade family, and it’s related to the potato and tomato. Often mistaken for a vegetable, eggplant is actually a fruit, and to be more precise, it’s a berry.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/669464

@ 0f1b5961:868242bd

The public theologian Jonathan Pageau has been a major influence in my life for the past couple years. I remember in one of his podcasts he talks about how church buildings have historically been the "focal points" of many towns. In the physical sense, this meant the church building was at the center of the town and was the tallest structure. He argues that the church occupying this station had a sort of psychological effect on the town members, enforcing a way of life that has God in the highest "place".

This got me thinking about my own home city of Des Moines, Iowa. Here, the two most prominent buildings, by far, are the capitol building and a skyscraper called the Principal building. They sit on either side of the Des Moines River and to me, seem to "face off" against each other as if in competition.

The Iowa State Capitol

The Principal Building (801 Grand Avenue)

I was musing over how to settle the competition between these two buildings and I realized that it could be addressed with some pretty basic math. The apparent heights of these buildings change as you move closer or further from them. So whichever building appears taller for a larger portion of the city would be the most prominent building. In an idealized scenario, there would be a straight line between the two buildings where they would appear to be the same height.

This line ends up coinciding with East 4th street on the east side of the Des Moines River. As the Principal building is about twice as tall as the capitol buiding, the point at which they look the same height is about twice as close to the capitol building.

Line along which the capitol and Principle building appear to be the same height.

And so a clear winner emerges. Not only is the Principal building the most prominent in the downtown district of the city. It's influence extends across the river and eclipses the capitol in what one might expect to be its home turf. The focal point of Des Moines is a skyscraper.

I now must conclude with a confession. With the Principal building being about twice as tall as the capitol, there was never going to be a close competition between the two buildings. And indeed this matches the experience of one moving about the city. The Principal building plainly feels more prominent. Despite this, the area in which the capitol ascends to the highest is certainly not small. I like to think this reflects some amount of balance between the mercantile powers and political powers in the area. Perhaps this balance is proportional to the very heights of the buildings.

Not looking good for the ecclesiastical powers however...

-Scott

@ 3b7fc823:e194354f

Testing articles on Yakkihonne

@ c11cf5f8:4928464d

Let's hear some of your latest Bitcoin purchases, feel free to include links to the shops or merchants you bought from too!

If you missed our last thread, here are some of the items stackers recently spent their sats on.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/668607

@ 6c2d68ba:846525ec

Dear friend,

it seems like you have decided to turn your back on those walled gardens and set sails to enter uncharted territory. A world without walls, an open world, a world of beautiful chaos. At least for today, I don't intend guiding you out of the safe harbour onto the open, endless sea. Today, my only intent is sharing a few thoughts, before you depart.

As a wise man on Madeira once said, it's not so much about having the right answers, it's about asking the right questions. While I'm not certain whether I have found the right questions myself by now, let me share the current set with you:

• What causes the discomfort that drives you out of the walled garden onto the open sea?

• Are you trying to transfer from one walled garden to the next one, where the difference being a slightly friendlier colour on the wall?

• What are you hoping to find on the open sea that walled gardens cannot provide?

• What are you willing to sacrifice for freedom (of speech)?

• What will you need to keep the ship afloat?

• How will you react when you find yourself in the middle of a storm?

I sincerely believe that it's worthwile taking a step back before departing to reflect on the big picture and the underlying paradigm shift between walled gardens and nostr. This is not about building competitors to broken systems, this is not about mimicking centralised services, this is not about repeating the same mistakes over and over.

This is about building a new world, an open world without walled gardens and data silos.

Onwards!

@ a30cdfee:2d2f97ff

Primal: Social Media with Bitcoin Tipping

Primal is a social media app that lets you tip (zap) other users with bitcoin!

How does Primal work and why should you join?

Primal is a social Bitcoin wallet.

If you like somebody's content, you can tip them Bitcoin micropayments through the Lightning Network.

Or monetize your own content.

You can also use it as a custodial Lightning wallet to pay for small purchases in bitcoin.

Primal Is a Nostr Client

Primal uses the Nostr protocol as its social graph.

Nostr is an open protocol for decentralized and censorship-resistant social media.

If you're new to Nostr, learn more about it here: https://stacker.news/items/558629

Since Primal is only a client to access the Nostr protocol, it can only censor free speech or deplatform users on the Primal app, but not on Nostr.

Also, if you stop using Primal as your Nostr client, you can import all your followers, posts, etc. to a new client.

Primal Feels Like Twitter (X)!

Primal's feed feels very familiar to other social media platforms, especially X (Twitter).

You can follow people, like their posts, repost etc.

It's not only for Bitcoin-related discussion: you can search for different hashtags and find your tribe, e.g. photography etc.

Primal works for iOS, Android and desktop.

On desktop, the "Explore" function is even more detailed.

Earn Bitcoin for Your Content!

By clicking the lightning bolt symbol on the feed, you can tip (zap) other users bitcoin.

You can also browse through your contacts and zap them.

Nostr is a great directory for Lightning payments!

If you hold the bolt symbol a bit longer, you can specify the zap amount if you want.

You can set your default zap amount in settings.

To set up a Lightning wallet with Primal, the app asks for your name, email address and the country of residence.

But as far as I know, you can use a nym and a throwaway email etc.

No need to upload any identity documents.

The maximum balance you can hold on the Primal wallet is 1 million sats, or 0.01 BTC.

The purpose of the wallet is not for long-term savings, but to onboard people to Nostr and to get familiarized with the culture of zapping.

To get your first sats on the Primal wallet, you can receive bitcoin on Lightning or on-chain.

Alternatively, you can buy sats on Primal with Apple Pay or Google Pay with your credit card (max. about $5 worth).

Or just start creating and receive zaps from other users.

Take Care of Your "nsec"!

Your "nsec" is your private key to your Primal (and Nostr account).

Don't share it with anyone!

Primal creates an nsec for you upon account creation, or you can import your own.

Primal is open-source, but it is not always a good practice to import private keys to any apps.

If you don't want to import the private keys you already have to Primal, you can use e.g. Amber, a Nostr signer extension app for Android.

It's advisable to store your nsec in e.g. a password manager.

If you use Primal on desktop, you can use e.g. Alby @Alby, as a Nostr signer extension, zapping wallet and a place to store your nsec.

Learn more about Alby here.

You can also use another Nostr signer extensions on desktop, e.g. Nos2x, but they often have no wallet functions for zapping or receiving zaps.

They work only for posting, liking, replying, reposts etc.

Convenient, but With Privacy Trade-Offs

You can send direct messages to other Primal users, but you should know that while the content of the direct messages is encrypted (visible only to you and your contact), the message metadata is public for all to see (who you're sending messages to, when, how often etc.)

Primal can be used as a global international "Venmo" during dinner parties.

No more head-scratching when trying to split the bill!

Not the most private way to do it though, but it's convenient!

Let's connect on Nostr!

You can find me here.

Additional Resources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd4Po4i7wvc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LsIb6D7FtU

Project Links

Website

GitHub

Nostr

X (Twitter)

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/668536

@ 7fd90943:52bf6313

![TIP]         I was surprised to discover that I can send Hive in form of Bitcoin Lightning with this Decentralized Application. Right now the only way that I was able to access this is through HIVE keychain. I will try to find some other ways to access this. Now I can fund my Stacker wallet in the most convenient way possible.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/668391

@ 3c9712ff:14fecbc4

The Australian dream used to be straightforward: secure a job, pay off your house by your late thirties, and retire with substantial assets and savings to support your lifestyle.

Some argue the introduction of compulsory superannuation contributions in 1991 signaled the government's lack of trust in Australians' ability to save and be self-sufficient in their later years. But I disagree.

The issue wasn’t that Australians were incapable of saving; it was that saving money was no longer enough. The erosion caused by the Keynesian experiment had seeped into Australian retirements, making it nearly impossible for an entire generation to retire off the savings from a median salary of $27,200.

Superfunds were thus established by the government as a supposed solution to the problem they had created. How unsurprising.

Fast forward 33 years, and Australian superfunds, like those in most of the western world, are now facing two insurmountable challenges of population demographic, and a debasing currency.

1. Our Population is Ageing

On face value, it shouldn't matter whether the population is ageing. If I have my own retirement account which I paid into each month, why would it matter if the people around me are ageing as well?

The answer lies in duration mismatch. Retirement funds must manage a mix of short-term, long-term, and continuous obligations, balancing liquid liabilities (cash payments to members) with illiquid assets (investments). Because funds rely on more inflows (super contributions) than outflows (payouts to retirees), population demographics play a critical role in maintaining this balance - and Australia's isn't looking great.

An example of an ageing population (Australia) vs a growing population (Nigeria)

2. Our Currency is Ever Debasing

This is far more pernicious for our retirees

| Financial Year | Average Super Return | Money Supply Growth | Net Return | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2023-24 | 9.1% | 4% | 5.1% | | 2022-23 | 9.2% | 7.8% | 1.4% | | 2021-20 | -3.3% | 6.7% | -10% | | 2020-21 | 18% | 13.6% | 4.4% |

In Austrian Economics, inflation is understood as a monetary phenomenon that occurs when new monetary units are added to the existing supply. This monetary inflation is the precursor to both price and asset inflation.

Austrians also reject the idea of measuring price inflation with a single number, such as the CPI, as different asset classes respond differently to monetary inflation. For instance, industries like technology and manufacturing are less susceptible to price inflation due to the deflationary effects of increased automation and competition.

Conversely, hard assets like gold and real estate have reached record highs, as easy money tends to flow toward the most reliable stores of value.

Average Yearly Prices Increase since 2018 - Against YoY M2 and CPI

| | Iphone | Median House | Money Supply Growth | CPI | | ----- | ----| ---- | ------ | --- | | Since 2018 | 2.24% | 6.8% | 7.2% | 3.1%

---

*Although simplistic, the table above shows that hard assets move with monetary inflation, not CPI.

The real hurdle, or the absolute minimum that a superfund has to give it's members is not CPI or the 3.95% 10 year, but that monetary inflation rate of 7.2%.

An increase in the required rate of return invariably brings an increase in risk. Superfunds can't simply gamble Australians' retirement savings on high-risk offshore tech startups, so these returns are often sought through listed equities and commercial real estate—two interest rate sensitive asset classes. This correlation significantly limits the RBA's ability to manoeuvre and the dilemma is clear:

• Drop rates, inflate away our retirement.
• Increase rates, crash our retirement.

Bitcoin to the Rescue

You guess it, bitcoin fixes this.

Take the same example from 1991, but replace the Australian Peso with Bitcoin. In a Bitcoin world, we wouldn’t need superannuation. By simply saving 40 years of time and energy in a deflationary currency like Bitcoin, our savings alone would increase in purchasing power, eliminating the need to burden future generations for our retirement.

In the meantime, Australian superfunds should take a leaf out of a few smaller US pension funds like the Wisconsin Pension Fund and start gaining exposure to bitcoin.

A 2% allocation to a Bitcoin ETF is enough to ignite a chain reaction toward full institutional adoption. This truly scarce and desirable asset, with its low correlation to existing portfolios, isn’t just an opportunity—it’s a lifeline for the future of Australian retirees. It’s only a matter of time.

Colin Gifford

August 2024

@ a2eddb26:e2868a80

---

Introduction

I recently started a new #website, and decided I wanted to get some simple, out-of-the-box, self-sovereign #bitcoin on it.

It turns out there were quite a few steps involved, but mostly is actually out of the box.

So, I share with you, my first long-form #Nostr article, which aims to summarize the things you could use if you wanted to do the same, without actually building your own software.

This article runs through the following steps: Step 1: get a Bitcoin node Step 2: get website infrastructure Step 3: Configure your Bitcoin node Step 4: Configure your Bitcoin-based website

Before we dive in, a few small disclaimers:

• "Do Your Own Research"
• I am not responsible for any failures of your ability to follow these steps - take the guide as-is and on face value, and dive in where you need to. Starting points only. I will help where I can, you can always try to DM me!
• Suggestion to talk to ChatGPT or Google about Lightning Network and Bitcoin basics (here's a GPT created by yours truly for that purpose: Bitcoin Beacon GPT).
• I am not affiliated with any of the sites, services and tools mentioned here. They are what I used and what worked "out of the box" while not giving up self-sovereignty.

I strongly recommend you consider donating to ALL developers in this guide or paying them for their products offered.

Go build it!

---

Step 1: get a Bitcoin node

Self-sovereignty requires a bitcoin node. If you depend on another person's node, there is no final verification of blockchain data possible. Luckily, obtaining one is quite convenient nowadays, since several out-of-the-box boxes exist that you can buy, almost fully set-up.

Hardware

These do come at a cost. It may be more cost effective to find your own #hardware, whether it's an old laptop, a Asus NUC mini-PC, or a self-built device. I only recommend having a RaspBerry Pi if it is one of the newer types with lots of RAM, otherwise your initial block download will take forever.

Also consider a 2TB disk size (at least) so you are safe for a while to come. Soon, 1TB will not be sufficient to store the bitcoin blockchain data without pruning (remember, we're self-sovereign, this is the best data storage you invest in).

This article does not intend to be a catch all article with many details about hardware, so please DYOR about the details and if you want out-of-the-box, I recommend start9.com StartOne

Software

This is easier. I wholeheartedly recommend (again) Start9's StartOS. Here's a DIY link if you're doing this on your own hardware and aren't buying their excellent hardware offer. I did this, and it was quite convenient. The main difficulty I had was that I required a ethernet connection to my box during the install, since WiFi is not set-up until afterwards. This was not obvious because, well, I had a big box and had to carry that downstairs to my router. I also connected a screen, mouse and keyboard to make it all work. Nothing I couldn't overcome. Again, if you are worried - just buy the box.

---

Step 2: configure your Bitcoin node

Installing all apps on your node

The package I have consists of:

• Bitcoin Core - Not sure why this is here, but I do see about a 4MB download happening every 10' so I guess it is doing something. Seriously people, DYOR.
• LND - it runs Lightning Network on your node, thus allowing you to connect to other lightning network nodes and set-up channels to receive payments onto.
• Ride the Lightning - your management tool so you can send and receive payments.
• Nostr Wallet Connect by Alby - amazing tool that provided the secret sauce to make payments to your website easy. Extra benefit: you can Zap directly from your own node, with any mobile or web client connected through NWC !
• Optional (but not really): BTCPayServer if you want to run any form of commerce on your website - I assume you got here to stack some sats, and this is the tool for making it easy for your customers to pay you.
• Optional (but not really): Mempool instance so you can check all your transactions without leaking metadata <-- THIS IS WHY YOU RUN A NODE, ANON!

All these things are 1-click installs, 2-click configuration, and possibly a few more to get set-up properly. This is why you go through the pain of making the Start9 setup work (or pay them, and it is literally going to work after unpacking the box...)

Get inbound liquidity

| NOTE: Securing Your Node and Website | | --- | | Ensuring the security of your self-sovereign setup is critical. Start by implementing regular backups of your node, wallet, and website, ideally using encrypted external storage solutions. Monitor your node’s activity to ensure it's functioning securely, and consider setting up additional authentication measures, such as multi-signature wallets or hardware wallets for larger amounts. Additionally, to safeguard your server from unauthorized access, set up a firewall, limit SSH access to specific IPs, and enable 2FA on all related services. Tools like Fail2ban can help protect against brute-force attacks, and keeping all software up to date is essential for preventing vulnerabilities. Always store your private keys and recovery phrases securely and offline. |

Deposit bitcoin to your own wallet (use RTL to generate an address). I recommend in the order of 1M sats for any UTXO depending on your willingness to take risks - this is a hot wallet even though security is very good by default.

First, go to Mempool and check out a few Lightning nodes with high connectivity (= high channel count, high capacity) to connect to. Open a few channels to them with (some) capacity from your 1M sats. Public channels. FYI: you are now ready to start zapping on a mobile client for #Nostr, e.g. #Amethyst on Android or #Damus on iOS - or #Primal on either - or if you're on the web, #YakiHonne and #Nostrudel are my go-to clients.

Second, go to Amboss Magma, connect with your node (or use Alby's excellent Firefox Extension that you can easily hook up to your node and connect through "WebLN"). You need to sign a message, it can be done in RTL.

Third, set-up at least 1 paid inbound channel pending your liquidity needs after the website gets up and running and you are actually selling anything.

---

Step 3: get website infrastructure

I will admit we can not be truly independent if we want to be out of the box. Especially webhosting is something not recommended from a home server, for multiple reasons (security being one), even if StartOS could probably do it on your node.

Domain name

There are many sources here, you should pick something. I used GoDaddy but there are no rules, just costs, convenience, ... the usual trade-offs. GoDaddy has a convenient URL searcher and comes with recommendations and clear pricing, with nice discounts for the first year (your project may be doomed to crash prior to that...

Hosting

I did find the hosting options at GoDaddy quite expensive. So I just registered with AWS for an EC2 instance. In the Amazon Free Tier you basically get a free linux box with a public facing domain during a year. Another nicety about AWS is that you can very easily upgrade your hosting needs with them, compute, memory, disk, ... and services.

Host configuration

This costs significant time per this method, and is not for the faint of heart. One-click installs would include having this all done by a hosting provider.

WordPress installation

WordPress is an all-in-one website building tool that requires an extremely low acumen of CSS, HTML or databases. It all gets pre-configured and pre-setup while having a host of tools and systems available to support pretty much any feature a modern website would want. Disclaimer; there is definately NOT enough #Nostr content yet.

Here, I do go into some bits and pieces regarding the bitcoin side of things on WordPress. However I don't know what you want on your website, so I recommend you dive into the details on what's possible on WordPress regarding generall web functionality yourself as I consider it out of scope for this article.

One step in being self-sovereign is hosting your own WordPress - even if on a third party host - so that you fully control it and are sure nobody else can access the MySQL databases, configurations, ...

Luckily, this is very easy on an AWS instance. Wordpress can be simply installed as a package, and configuration is literally going to /wp-admin and setting things up. At that point it becomes click-click, write content, launch.

You can opt for a Docker-based installation as well, so WordPress has all dependencies satisfied. However, this comes at the risk of misconfiguration of the persistant volumes, and thus wiping your entire install at a Docker crash - not recommended.

Make sure you set the owner / group (chown) for the wordpress installation folder structure to nginx:nginx (see next subsection) and the file properties (chmod) to 644.

Web server

I had a lot of fights with Nginx since I needed a reverse proxy functionality for a docker application the server was also running, plus having the system Nginx serving up the wordpress site.

Anyway. If you don't need any of that - most likely you don't - just run nginx and set-up the config file to a port 443 (SSL / HTTPS) connection and ensure you redirect regular HTTP traffic on port 80 to the HTTPS. Use Let'sEncrypt with certbot on the Amazon instance to get certifications for your domain. After setting it up, check that automatic renewals for the certificates are also set-up: sudo certbot renew --dry-run

If not, add a cron item on your AWS instance (sudo crontab -e) and add the following line to restart nginx after every renewal: 0 */12 * * * certbot renew --quiet && systemctl reload nginx

Ensure you forward the ports 80 and 443 on your DNS records for the domain to the public-facing IP from the AWS instance.

Pro Tip: You can review rate limiting from Amazon, but it comes at a cost. Alternative, just configure your nginx to do rate limiting for you, here is a reference code snippet to set it up for the relevant server blocks in your nginx configuration:

``` limit_req_zone $binary_remote_addr zone=one:10m rate=1r/s;

server { location / { limit_req zone=one burst=5; ... } } ```

Forwarding the BTCPayServer .onion address through to clearnet through your AWS instance

| Disclaimer | | --- | | This section assumes a moderate understanding of Tor, Nginx, and reverse proxies. For more in-depth tutorials on these topics, we recommend reviewing external resources such as the Tor Project Documentation and the Nginx Reverse Proxy Guide. As setting up reverse proxies and Tor for a Bitcoin node can be complex, these instructions are not exhaustive, and configurations may differ based on your hosting environment. Please ensure to consult these resources for further detail and troubleshooting .|

Annoyingly, but also purposefully, the average bitcoin node does not expose anything to public clearnet besides on local LAN. Instead, it exposes public interfaces on Tor which you need the exact address for to access (=high entropy).

However, for your BTCPayServer instance to connect to your website, you need to be able to connect to it from that website. This is where a so-called reverse proxy once again needs to save us. To make matters worse, you don't have Tor by default on AWS machines (on my EC2 instance it ran Amazon Linux 2023) so we need to build from source. I suggest you ask instructions to ChatGPT; Pro-Tip: Copy-paste parts of these notes and let him explain exactly what you need to do!

You could set a subdomain e.g. btcpay.yoursite.com to be accessible for your .onion redirect on the AWS instance. Here is an example configuration snippet:

``` server { listen 443 ssl; server_name btcpay.yoursite.com;

location / {
    proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:80;
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
}

ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain/fullchain.pem;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain/privkey.pem;

} ```

---

Step 4: configure your Bitcoin-based website

Finally, we come to the cool part. What can we do with all these things?

So, on WordPress, I recommend the following plugins:

• Alby's LN Publisher - it seems they need to test it on the latest WordPress version - but this tool worked for me. It connects to your NWC instance on the node and implements easy paywalls.
• BTCPay For Woocommerce V2 - to connect to your store and creating that flawless interface for your customers.
• WooCommerce

Getting BTCPay for WooCommerce set-up is detailed in this guide.

---

Importance of Backups

Backups are a critical part of any self-sovereign setup, especially when handling sensitive data such as your Bitcoin node and website. Without proper backups, any unexpected hardware failure, software corruption, or cyberattack could result in permanent loss of data, including your wallet, transactions, and important website configurations.

For your Bitcoin node, regular backups of wallet.dat and Lightning Network channel states are essential to prevent loss of funds or access to your Bitcoin. In the case of your website, especially a self-hosted WordPress site, backups of both the database and the files (such as plugins, themes, and media uploads) will safeguard your content and configurations.

Though creating an automated backup strategy is beyond the scope of this guide, it is highly recommended that you:

• Set up regular, automated backups for both your Bitcoin node and website.
• Encrypt your backups to ensure that sensitive information remains secure.
• Store backups offsite or on external media to mitigate risks from local hardware failures.

Investing time in a robust backup solution will protect your self-sovereignty, ensuring that even in the event of failure, your node, funds, and website can be restored.

---

That's all for now, folks. There surely will be issues you run into. Let me know through a DM, or ask away below - me or like-minded individuals (probably a few on #nostr more expert than me) can help out!

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

I’ve mentioned multiple times that I feel our time left is short and that the rapture and the tribulation are coming soon. I feel it with every ounce of my being. I see it in the rush to evil around us. I see Biblical prophecy coming to fulfillment and technologies that could not be fathomed 2,000 years ago coming into being in a way that will make prophecy possible. The question is, what do we do with the time left to us?

Don’t Be a Foolish Virgin

Matthew gives an analogy of believers waiting for Christs return:

“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. 11Later 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}

Christians have been waiting for around 2,000 years for Christ’s return. It is easy to get drowsy and begin to sleep due to the delay to His return, but we are called to be ready. “You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.” (Luke 12:40) Our wait may be long or short, but we are supposed to live our lives like he will arrive today. We don’t want to miss out on joining Him at His return, but we also don’t want to have to face Him knowing that we were not focused on what He had called us to do. We don’t want to admit that we didn’t share the gospel to that friend, that we didn’t stand up for the truth when the crowd was speaking contrary to the word of God, or that we acted in an unloving way to fellow believers or to the lost.

The Bible clearly tells us that we “do not know the day nor the hour,” but that doesn’t mean that He has not given us signs that the time is short.

What Should We Be Doing?

If Jesus is coming soon, how should we spend our time? What should we be doing? Should we just sit back and wait?

For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. (2 Thessalonians 3:10-13)

The Bible is clear that we should work. This not only means that we should not quit our jobs, but should continue working as we have been doing, but it also means we should put time and effort into kingdom work.** God has given each one of us a purpose and a job to do. We should study His word and pray and keep our eyes open so we don’t miss out on what He intends as our purpose. Another analogy is given in Matthew:

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

> “Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them. The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’*

> “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’*

“And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

> “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth*. (Matthew 25:14-29)

God has given each of us different skills, gifts, and opportunities. He wants us to make the most of them. If God gave you skill in business, you can use your wealth to fund ministries, churches, and missionaries. If God has gifted you with the ability to teach, you can disciple many to grow in their faith and knowledge of God. If God has brought you into a relationship with someone influential, you can share the Gospel with them and be used to draw them into saving faith in Jesus. Whatever skills, gifts, and opportunities God has given to you, you need to make the most of them. You need to grow and make the most of what God has given you.

What is the Best Use of Our Time and Money?

God wants us to shine a light for Him. He wants us to make a difference. There are many ways to do this and we can’t do them all. We have to pick and chose what is God’s will and what will make the best use of what God has given us.

There are lots of good things we can do, but what is the best?

I used to focus on prepping to be able to provide for my family and others if times get bad. That was good, but was it best? I used to grow a garden and grow healthy food. That was good, but was it the best? I used to be highly involved in politics and worked hard to support and elect godly men and women into government positions where they could have a positive influence on our culture and our country. That was good, but was it the best?

According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 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 3:10-15) {emphasis mine}

The best way to judge which actions are best is to see which actions have an eternal influence and to look and see what God is doing and to join His work. The difference between gold & silver versus wood, hay, and straw is the gold & silver can survive fire. Whether something is good or best depends on whether the action makes a difference in eternity.** Providing for my family and friend’s physical needs and health is good, but it doesn’t make an eternal difference. Electing Godly officials makes life here on Earth better, but does it actually make a difference eternally? Probably not.

What does make a difference? Sharing the Gospel with others makes an eternal difference. Standing up for the truth, especially the spiritual truths from the Bible, makes an eternal difference. Writing a book or a blog sharing the truths of the Bible and Jesus makes an eternal difference. I’ve tried to focus my time on this type of activity more than the former. I don’t want one soul to go to Hell because I was too busy to share the Gospel. I don’t want one Christian to regret their life on Earth because I was too busy to disciple them. I don’t want to be like the man who received the single talent and buried it in the ground, who, when facing his master, was told, “You wicked, lazy slave.”

What Is Most Important?

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21) {emphasis mine}

What are the most important things in our lives? The most important things are people.

• Some people in our lives have never heard about Jesus. We need to share the gospel with them.

• Some people in our lives are hurting and need to be helped and encouraged and taught to trust in Jesus.

• Some people in our lives are new Christians or just immature Christians, who have trusted in Jesus, but haven’t grown much since salvation. We need to teach and disciple them to grow in their understanding of God and who He is. We need to build up their faith. We need to encourage them to study the Bible.

• Some people in our lives know God and His word, but are unsure how to live out their faith and share it with others. We need to encourage them and train them, so they can multiply their faith among others in their lives.

What are you doing to make an eternal difference in service to our Lord Jesus Christ? Are you one of the lazy, unprepared virgins? Are you hiding the gifts God gave you in the ground or shining a light that can be seen by everyone around you? Are you so busy doing good, that you don’t see God’s best?

Are you excited about meeting Jesus in the air at the rapture of the Church? I am! I hope you are, too.

Trust Jesus.\ \ your sister in Christ,

Bible verses are NASB (New American Standard Bible) 1995 edition unless otherwise stated

@ e83b66a8:b0526c2b

We have a confession to make. NOSTR is not perfect, we are still building. No client you use does everything you want it to, and everything it does is imperfect.

Therefore, I strongly advise you to run multiple clients.

On iPhone, I run: Damus: https://nostrapps.com/damus Primal: https://primal.net/downloads Nostur: https://nostrapps.com/nostur

On Android I run: Primal: https://primal.net/downloads Amethyst: https://nostrapps.com/amethyst

On desktop I run: Primal: https://primal.net/downloads noStrudel: https://nostrapps.com/nostrudel

Also, because I run a node (Umbrel & Start9), I self host noStrudel on my own relay.

If you haven’t taken the plunge to run a node, now might be a good time to think about it.

There are many, many options for clients, the “Social” section of https://nostrapps.com/

lists 23 currently.

Play with them, see what they do, if you’re a developer, you could even consider building or forking your own.

Have fun and realise we are building freedom tech, not just running it.

@ e83b66a8:b0526c2b

First,

Key management.

When you “created” your NOSTR account, what you actually created was a cryptographic key pair. This consists of a private key, which starts “nsec” and a public key which starts with “npub”.

As the names suggest, your “nsec” key is private and you should never reveal it to anyone. Your “npub” key is your public key, feel free to share that everywhere.

Your “npub” key is used by others to verify your identity, through the signature added to your messages. It is also used by others to encrypt private messages to you.

We don’t have perfect key management yet and because of the limitation of smart phones and various eco systems, it often becomes necessary for you to copy and paste your private key into apps in order to use them. This is less than ideal, but until we have ubiquitous cross platform key management devices, this situation will remain necessary.

For the moment, consider using software key management options, some of which are listed under “signers” here: https://nostrapps.com/

N.B. We do have projects like Seedsigner that provide more secure hardware key management, but this isn’t for the faint hearted:

Secondly,

Lightning wallets.

It is common for most people to link a Bitcoin Lightning wallet to their NOSTR profile

N.B. Your profile is stored on relays and signed by your private key, which is verified by others through your public key.

You are not tied to any specific wallet for sending payments (called zaps), but you do provide a specific incoming LN address for receiving payments. This could be something like a wallet of Satoshi Address i.e. “randomname@walletofsatoshi.com” or could you be your own node with a connection to it via “Nostr Wallet Connect” a free plugin that connects a lightning wallet.

Enabling this allows people to “zap” any posts or content or even send you payments directly at any time or for any reason. N.B. It is called freedom money for a reason….

It also allows you to send small micropayments to posts or people you like.

Thirdly,

Paid Services

As you go deeper into the NOSTR ecosystem, you’ll notice there is no advertising being pushed at you and there are no algorithms manipulating the content you receive. This is because there is no company behind NOSTR, it is a protocol. Because of this, while all the ecosystem is free to use and will remain so for the foreseeable future, most of it is run by enthusiastic volunteers or developers and incurs a cost to them. For that reason many of us choose to support these #devs by paying for services. This can also enhance our experience, giving our “npub” greater reach and discoverability.

I, for example choose to pay for the following services:

https://nostr.wine/ - 120,000 Sats for 2 years relay https://relay.tools/ - My own relay - https://nortis.nostr1.com/ 12,000 Sats a month https://nostr.build/ - Media storage - 69,000 Sats for 1 year

Total: 22,750 Sats per month Approx $15 per month

This is not strictly necessary, but I decided to support the various developers behind these projects.

Do not feel any pressure at this early stage to pay for any service, but if you enjoy the freedom NOSTR brings, you may want to consider supporting the projects that become important to you going forward.

@ 6d20ea61:1de5dacc

Why does the world remain ignorant to Africa's sinister secrets?

There's a lot going on beneath the surface in our everyday lives. Most of us accept this as a fact; that we only perceive a small sliver of reality as it is. However, it's rare that we align our actions with the uncomfortable reality that lies beyond immediate perception. Authentic people do align themselves in this way, and they’re often threatening to those who don’t because they hold a mirror to their own incongruities.

We may be aware of the truth that lies beyond our immediate field of view, which is exactly the excuse we use to allow ourselves to not be authentic. Truth? Sure, I'll accept the truth of which you speak, as long as you can "prove" it. If it's there, why don't you point to it?

Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there.

We look around to observe the crowd moving in unison. We may know we're all aware of some heretofore unspeakable truth, but the mass misdirected momentum of the crowd acts as an all-too-easy justification to excuse ourselves from being less than we can be; to shy from the consequences of living in truth.

They say the shepherd is there to protect the flock, lest they be preyed on by the wolf. Little do the sheep know that it is the shepherd who controls their fate, and ultimately feasts on their flesh.

If I were a sheep, I would much rather live a short life dying a brutal death at the jaws of a wolf. At least I would have been unbounded in my life; free of the ignorance imposed by a faux protector; blind to the reality of my domestication for the purposes of his own prolongation.

Jesus was a shepherd, was he not? All too many Africans I've spoken to know Christianity was used as a tool to supplant their own traditional practices as a means to unhinge their pride and autonomy…

"I'm sorry you lost everything: your land, your family, your livelihood, your dignity. Have you heard of Jesus? He can provide everything you'll ever need. You never needed all this land, culture, and sovereignty anyway. You don't need to carry the burden of being your own person, thinking for yourself, living for your people and culture, living for the right to determine your own destiny. Jesus can handle all that for you. Trust me, your life will be better now"

It is beyond saddening to remember the conversations I've had with "Christians" in Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa. They're entirely aware of how most of their culture has been lost, and how the majority of Africans remain enslaved in their minds to this day. Jesus and Western ideals are the broken records they were raised with, and these are what they all claim to be the answer to life's woes. To think differently is to be cast away. To think differently is suicide. When all hope has been lost, dare not face reality as it is, apparently.

Religion: the opiate of the masses, as they say.

Religion (Christianity in the South) is rampant in Africa, and my observed reality is that it's not practised with integrity. Don't get me wrong, it can be beautiful to see people come together for shared belonging, but there's no sense in lying to ourselves and each other in the process.

The vast majority of what I witnessed and heard from people was a bastardisation of Jesus and the Bible so they can justify their wrong doings without being judged by others, or worse, to coerce others in the effort to claim moral superiority.

Perhaps the most painful irony is that Jesus would have never stood for any of this crap. Taken at face value, there is a lot to learn from the life of Jesus; lessons that should not be ignored. However, Jesus would have never proposed religion as it exists today, or whatever the group-think, known as "church", has become. After all, Jesus did not follow the crowd. Jesus followed the beat of his own drum. He didn't live to teach that we live blindly. He was his own shepherd. Why is this so hard for people grasp? I wouldn't be surprised if Jesus was crucified all over again were there to be a proverbial "second coming".

I swear, being a missionary, or any evangelist, should be held in contempt the world over. For people to assume they carry another man's truth is beyond hubris, and only proves they lay victim to the same fallacious and cowardly thought that allows us to fall in step with the crowd despite our better judgement - to vilify the wolf and befriend the shepherd despite the truth.

Africa’s Truths

Africa is a land of hard truths. It's brutal and raw. It reminds me of traveling through India more than ten years ago. India confronted me with my own nature, forcing me to witness suffering and hardship that was otherwise hidden in the Western world where I was raised. Africa is India at a larger geographic scale. After more than 30,000 km by motorcycle through much of Southern Africa, I've seen enough child labour, corruption, and artificial hardship to feel deep pains reflected within myself.

Africa and India remain crucially different. Effectively, Africa is still colonised, whereas India is largely independent. The USA, France, China, and Russia (among others) are not free to exercise their interests in India. In Africa, the USA, France, China, and Russia's interests (among others) are the only interests that carry weight. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (by John Perkins), anyone?

Africa isn't some drought-ridden continent devoid of resources to support the people who live there. The majority of the raw materials that fuel the "modern" lifestyles of the Western world come from Africa, for Christ's sake (pun intended).

How does it make sense for a Canadian company to mine in Namibia where only 5% of the profits go to the Namibian government? How much of this inevitably filters through Namibia’s corrupt elite to the Namibian people?

Africans' living standards should be no less than on par with that of the rest of the world, but the "success" of the West (and the East, increasingly) hinge too crucially on the controlled flow of artificially suppressed prices on commodities that make up the comforts of the "developed" world.

Africa is where the world sweeps their problems underneath the rug. Africa is the closet where the world's skeletons collect dust. By all means, go on your happy little safari, but don't dare learn about how none of that safari money tangibly benefits the African people.

My “success” is a reflection of Africa’s suffering

Africa is where I realised how I allow myself to live out of alignment with known truths.

I haven't posted anything to this newsletter in over a year. I've asked myself "why?" over the months and came up with various answers. I wanted to write about those answers, but they didn't suffice.

The best answer I can give you now is out of shame and pride. My pride wouldn't allow me to continue writing because I didn't want to advertise my lifestyle. My shame wouldn't allow me because I feel like an impostor.

I've felt like an impostor for a very long time. In that time I have somehow cultivated an image of being a traveler. People seem to know me as one. I even have a little mantra I learned while living in China that I seem to cling to as part of my identity: 我是一个旅行者 (Wo shi yi ge lu xin zhe) - "I am a traveler".

However, I don't think I'm purely a traveler. I think I'm a traveler because it has been the path of least resistance. It has been a convenient alibi.

I, like all of us, held dreams as a young human about what I wanted to do with my life. As I matured, I faced opposition in the opinions of society, family, and friends as to the "practicality" of my dreams. I didn't have to listen to them, but I did. I internalised those thoughts and chose to stick to what I know, traveling.

I grew up traveling a lot as a kid. I always loved it, and learned over the years that I'd like to travel in my own way as an independent. I'm happy to say that I've done so, but I've learned that my sacrifices to reach this lifestyle needn't be as severe as they've become.

I wanted to live outside. I wanted to study animals and the laws of nature, and I never thought it would be practical to do so in tandem with my traveling life. I felt guilty in college. I didn't know how to support myself while in my studies, and couldn't bear accepting financial support from someone I didn't align with. I felt like a politician corrupted by the vested interests of their donors.

This led to me dropping out of college, abandoning my childhood dreams to settle for a "life of integrity". I vowed I would one day come back to make good on my dreams. Traveling has been the life I choose to live while I find a way to honour a core responsibility to myself. I'm proud of myself for not being coerced by outside interests, but I now know I'm not being entirely authentic.

Thank you, Africa. I’m sorry, Africa.

Thank you, Africa. I'm sorry, Africa. I'm sorry that I've lived a life of privilege that stems largely from your plunder. Thank you for keeping me safe while I learn your truths. Thank you for reflecting my own core truths.

My heart continues to break when I think of the world’s ignorance over Africa, and I think my gap in writing has been necessary to process this reality.

Frankly, I'm enraged along with a sense of peace that Africa's time will come. I'm confident in Africa's future; I just wish the rest of the world wasn’t working so hard to keep its head below water.

I'm responsible for Africa's fate, and so are you. We are all complicit in this crime. I hope this article resurfaces an awareness in readers a truth that seems to lay dormant in the public awareness.

I don't know why more of us don't stand up for Africa (and not by crying to our governments - f*ck them), because I think our individual efforts are more than enough. Even indirectly, I think we can slowly push the wave of change that is necessary to do right by Africa. I think we all have the incentive to do so, for Africa is the foundation of humanity in multiple sensibilities, meaning Africa’s prosperity translates into everyone’s prosperity.

All thoughts and comments are welcome.

G

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/667609

@ e6fbeb1c:6ac8fc04

I can't remember the exact name of the dish.

• Basmati rice
• Barberries
• Almond slivers
• pistachios
• Zintron peel

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/667533

@ a723805c:0342dc9c

When I first stumbled upon Nostr back in February 2023, I was immediately drawn to the network's unique design. It was like stumbling across a hidden architectural gem - something so intricate and beautifully crafted that most people might walk past without a second glance. But for those who truly saw it, Nostr's design was mesmerizing. I didn’t know exactly what I was diving into, but I felt enthusiasm because I knew this was something entirely different from the usual legacy social media attempts at connecting people.

One of the first things that struck me was the people. Nostr wasn't just a network; it was a gathering place for a group of curious outlaws, all eager to try something new and break away from the norm. The platforms and interfaces were a bit scrappy and buggy in those early days, but that didn't matter. What stood out was the spirit of the community, people kept coming back, filled with cheer and optimism. Even more impressive was the willingness to help each other out. It wasn't just about using the platform; it was about collectively figuring it out together. This was the seed of a constructive culture that was starting to take root.

Coming from the Twitter culture, I noticed something refreshing: on Nostr, people referred to each other as friends, not followers. Twitter often felt like a toxic swamp of influencers, each trying to outdo the other with proclamations and status games. Sure, there were helpful people on Twitter, but more often than not, their "help" came with strings attached, promoting a Gumroad book, pushing a newsletter subscription, always with a personal incentive lurking in the background. Nostr, on the other hand, was different. Here, people helped each other just for the sake of it, with no expectation of anything in return. The spirit of giving was genuine, and it was contagious.

Fast forward to today, and that same spirit is alive and well. Just take a glance at the #introductions tag, and you'll see it in action: friendly users, eagerly welcoming new members into the ecosystem, offering to lend a hand, and making everyone feel at home. The constructive culture of Nostr, built on a foundation of genuine camaraderie and selflessness, is as vibrant now as it was back in the early days. This isn't just a network; it's a community that thrives on cooperation, curiosity, and the simple joy of helping others. Nostr isn't about chasing clout or boosting follower counts; it's about building something meaningful together, one interaction at a time. And that's what makes it truly special.

@ 361d3e1e:50bc10a8

https://forex-strategy.com/2024/09/09/it-was-just-a-test-to-the-public-which-still-wont-understand-that-it-was-lied-to/

It was just a test to the public, which still won't understand that it was lied to

wef #politics #covid #nwo #newworldorder #switzerland

@ e27ae11e:e0c36580

Did you know that most people use their phones to find services like yours? Imagine a potential customer searching for a tradie while they're on the go—will your website work perfectly on their phone? Let's explore why having a mobile-friendly tradie web design is so important and how it can help you reach more customers 1. More Number of Mobile Clients The manner in which individuals utilize the internet has changed a great deal. Currently, many individuals utilize their phones and tablets to search for services and choose what to purchase. The greater part of all internet use is on mobile gadgets. This implies large numbers of your potential clients are utilizing their phones to find tradie administrations. Why It Makes a difference: Contacting More Individuals: In case that your website is not easy to access on phones, you could lose number of clients who are searching for your administrations. First Look: A mobile-friendly website ensures your tradie web design looks great and functions admirably on any gadget, giving guests an extraordinary initial feeling. 2. Better Client Experience Client experience is about how simple and pleasant it is for guests to utilize your website. A mobile-friendly website gives a superior client experience via naturally changing in accordance with fit the screen size of the gadget it's being seen on. This implies that text is not difficult to peruse, buttons are not difficult to snap, and pages load rapidly. Why It Is important: • Higher Commitment: When clients have a positive encounter on your website, they're bound to remain longer, investigate your administrations, and reach you for more data. • Lower Skip Rates: A mobile-friendly site diminishes bob rates, which is when guests leave your site rapidly on the grounds that it's hard to utilize. Lower skip rates are great for your business since they show that guests are finding what they need on your site.

3. Improved SEO Rankings Webpage improvement (SEO) is the most widely recognized approach to upgrading your website so it positions higher in web search device results, like examination. One of the key factors that Google ponders while situating websites is how mobile-friendly they are. Indeed, Google has changed to mobile-first requesting, meaning it generally uses the mobile interpretation of a website to choose its situating. Why It Is significant: • Better Detectable quality: A mobile-friendly tradie web design will undoubtedly rank higher in list, simplifying it for expected clients that should track down your business on the web. • Extended Traffic: Higher rankings lead to more website traffic, which can achieve extra leads and in the long run more business for you. 4. Quicker Stacking Times Speed is basic with regards to websites. Concentrates on show that assuming a website requires in excess of a couple of moments to stack, clients are probably going to leave and go to a contender's webpage all things being equal. Mobile-friendly websites are designed to stack rapidly on all gadgets, incorporating those with more slow web associations. Why It Makes a difference: • Keeping Guests Locked in: A quick stacking tradie web design keeps guests on your webpage, expanding the possibilities that they'll investigate your administrations and reach you. • Better SEO: Google likewise considers page load speed while positioning websites. A quicker site can assist with further developing your SEO rankings, making it more straightforward for expected clients to track down you. 5. More Direct Route and Convenience One of the signs of a mobile-friendly website is simple route. On a mobile contraption, buttons, associations, and menus ought to be adequately colossal to tap successfully, and the design should be direct and regular. A well-designed mobile-friendly site ensures that visitors can without a doubt find what they're looking for with basically no issue. Why It Makes a difference: • Client Fulfillment: When guests can explore your site effectively, they're bound to have a positive encounter and make the following stride, whether that is calling you, finishing up a contact structure, or mentioning a statement. • Expanded Transformations: A mobile-friendly site can prompt higher change rates since it eliminates obstructions that could keep guests from making a move. 6. Competitive Edge In the tradie business, contest can be extreme. Numerous businesses are competing for the focus of similar pool of expected clients. Having a mobile-friendly website can give you an upper hand by making your business more open and interesting to current purchasers. Why It Is important: • Stand Apart from Contenders: In the event that your rivals don't have mobile-friendly websites, you'll enjoy a benefit by giving a superior web-based insight to possible clients. • Present day and Expert Picture: A mobile-friendly website shows that your business is fully informed regarding current innovation patterns, which can upgrade your expert picture. 7. Better Conversion Rates A definitive objective of your website is to change over guests into clients. A mobile-friendly website makes it simpler for guests to make a move, whether that is reaching you, mentioning a statement, or booking a help. By giving a smooth and consistent experience, you can build your transformation rates and develop your business. Why It Is important: • More Leads and Deals: A mobile-friendly site urges guests to make the following stride, prompting more requests and appointments. • Higher return on initial capital investment: Putting resources into a mobile-friendly website can prompt a superior profit from speculation (return for money invested) as it produces more business. 8. Versatile to Future Patterns Advancement is ceaselessly progressing, and buyer approaches to acting are consistently developing. A mobile-friendly website is designed to be flexible, meaning it can without a very remarkable stretch oblige future updates and changes in development.

Why It Makes a difference: • Long haul Achievement: A mobile-friendly website is a savvy speculation since it guarantees your business stays important and open as innovation keeps on developing. • More straightforward Upkeep: Mobile-friendly websites are frequently simpler to refresh and keep up with, guaranteeing that your webpage stays current and utilitarian. Closing Thought In the present computerized age, a mobile-friendly tradie web design is a must need. From further developing client experience and SEO rankings to expanding transformations and remaining serious, the advantages of a mobile-responsive website are clear. By ensuring your website is mobile-friendly, you'll show up at extra anticipated clients as well as give them a major experience, provoking more business and long stretch accomplishment. In case you haven't at this point, this moment is an optimal chance to place assets into a mobile-friendly website and take your tradie business to a more elevated level.

@ 6bae33c8:607272e8

On a scale of 1 to 10, for me Week 1 was a 1. I got knocked out of Survivor, went 1-4 in the Circa Millions and the Giants not only lost, they looked lost. Danny Dimes is not a top-50 NFL QB right now — his offensive line still sucks, and his confidence is shot. Fantasy wise, my week was so-so pending tonight’s game. Starting to think maybe I should have taken Cooper Kupp at 2.2 instead of Marvin Harrison in my Primetime too.

• Maybe the Steelers defense is just really good, but Kurt Cousins couldn’t get out from under it. T.J. Watt had only one sack, but it seemed like he was in Cousins’ face every time they cut to that game.

• I had Jaylen Warren in my Primetime lineup initially then swapped him out for Brian Robinson at the last second thankfully. Maybe he’s not yet completely healthy.

• Justin Fields did enough to win — I think there’s a good chance we never see Russell Wilson again. Fields is a top-10 fantasy QB if he keeps the job.

• It looks like Bijan Robinson is a real bell cow now as Tyler Allgeier got only three carries.

• I’m assuming the Falcons passing game will wake up. I took Drake London in one league, so I would appreciate it.

• Where was Marvin Harrison? I saw that Kyler Murray missed him wide open on a play, but three targets all game? Why are you drafting a guy fourth overall if you’re not using him?

• James Conner is a top-10 RB when healthy and always has been.

• Josh Allen was kind of a boring 4th-round pick with so many quality QBs, but it’s not boring now. I still think Dalton Kincaid will get his, but basically no one else on that offense is reliable. James Cook will have to do it with only a handful of touchdowns.

• Who knew Tony Pollard was the clear starter over Tyjae Spears? What if Pollard is really good and was only held back by last year’s injury recovery?

• What a dud for Caleb Williams and the entire Chicago passing game.

• Part of the reason I took the Bengals in Survivor was I had read the Patriots had a terrible offensive line. But they played great Sunday, and Rhamondre Stevenson ran roughshod over the Bengals defense.

• It was always Zack Moss over Chase Brown.

• Ja’Marr Chase will have a monster year so long as he stays healthy. No idea why he saw only six targets because he was on the field most of the game.

• Anthony Richardson is such a physical freak — he threw a ball 66-yards in the air for a TD off his back foot. He’ll be a top-five fantasy QB as long as he stays healthy.

• Alec Pierce has always made plays, just never saw consistent targets. That probably won’t change, though, especially when Josh Downs comes back.

• Joe Mixon had a great game, did not look like a back drafted in 2017.

• CJ Stroud looked smooth — he didn’t have to do that much with Mixon gashing the defense though.

• Stefon Diggs was a mixed bag — only six short targets, but two TDs (first look in the red zone.) Nico Collins and Tank Dell got all the air yards.

• The Jaguars offense was a bit like last year’s — something isn’t quite right.

• De’Von Achane looks like the Dolphins No. 3 receiver after Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. He also saw the most carries.

• I know it was an easy matchup, but perhaps rumors of Alvin Kamara’s demise were exaggerated.

• All Rashid Shaheed does is catch long TDs. Chris Olave was quiet, but the gameflow wasn’t WR friendly.

• The Panthers seem like a total disaster again.

• I love Danny Dimes — he was actually good in 2022 — but his confidence is gone, and he has no feel now. Bring in Drew Lock, give the young wideouts a chance. The offensive line still sucks too, but some of that is Jones having zero feel.

• The Vikings didn’t encounter enough resistance to really evaluate. Aaron Jones is still good — lot of 2017 backs still relevant this week.

• Brock Bowers looks like a player out of the gate. Runs very smoothly with the ball in his hands.

• Antonio Pierce punted from the Chargers 43 on 4th-and-1 down six with 7:13 left. Oof.

• I actually saw Quentin Johnston make a nice play. Ladd McConkey looks like a player — I expect him to be Justin Herbert’s top target. Joshua Palmer barely registered on the stat sheet.

• I had JK Dobbins on two benches — that will surely change next week. Gus Edwards might steal some goal line, but Dobbins has top-10 upside on that run-heavy team.

• Of course Tyler Lockett still led the Seahawks in targets and yards when everyone took him a distant third behind DK Metcalf and JSN.

• Kenneth Walker would be a top-five back if he could ever stay healthy. He’s one of the quickest in the league, but he injured his abdomen late in the game.

• It was rough going for the entire Denver offense. Hard to say much except that Jaleel McLaughin and Courtland Sutton saw a lot of targets.

• Deshaun Watson is just bad now, no way to massage it. Losing David Njoku would be a blow too.

• The Cowboys offense looked good, but didn’t need to do much.

• Baker Mayfield played great, but it’s hilarious to watch him scramble as though he’s Lamar Jackson and then the defenders just catch up to him.

• Rachaad White isn’t a great runner, but he’s the No. 3 receiver. Bucky Irving did more on the ground with less.

• Chris Godwin looked sharp in his new (old) slot role. I’m glad I drafted him in the fifth round now. It’s a narrow tree in Tampa even though Jalen McMillan caught a long TD.

• Jayden Daniels will put up big fantasy numbers with his legs and probably score lots of points in garbage time. Brian Robinson is the clear early down back who also catches some passes, but he’ll lose some rushing TDs to Daniels. I’d be nervous if I had Terry McLaurin shares.

• Cooper Kupp is arguably the 1.1, especially if Puka Nacua has to miss any time. They got Kupp five catches in the first few minutes! They just get him open and throw to him all game long.

• Rare quiet game from Amon-Ra St. Brown as Jameson Williams went off. Williams looked fast and smooth. I expect he’s here to stay, and that will cut into ARSB and Sam LaPorta’s target share a bit. Maybe you should have taken Chase over St. Brown at pick six, but this isn’t anything to panic about.

• Both David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs looked good — I think the split from last night is probably what we should expect going forward.

@ e88527b4:7ccf6efa

書いてみた。。

@ 6bae33c8:607272e8

I’ll write a separate Week 1 Observations later, but I wanted to dedicate this space solely to mourning my Circa Survivor entry.

Circa Survivor costs $1000 to enter and has a $10M prize for the winner, usually split by several as things get down to the wire. Three years ago, when the prize was $6M Dalton Del Don and I — the first time we ever entered — made it to the final 23 in Week 12. The value of our share was something like $260K at that point, but we got bounced by the Lions who beat the 12-point favored Cardinals and took home nothing.

When you enter a large survivor pool, the overwhelming likelihood is you’ll meet this fate at some point, whether in Week 1 or 12. So it’s not really the loss that’s painful, so much as not getting to live and die each week with a chosen team. You lose your status as “the man in the arena whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood” and become just an observer watching and commentating on the games without the overarching purpose of surviving each week.

This year was also different due to the lengths to which I went to sign up. It’s not just the $1000 fee, it’s getting to Vegas in person, the $400 in proxy fees (you need locals to input your picks for you if you don’t live there), the $60 credit card fee, the $200 crappy hotel I booked at the last minute, the flights (one of which was cancelled due to heat), the rental car that necessitated, the gas, getting lost in the desert, the entire odyssey while sick and still jet-lagged in 122-degree heat.

But it’s not about the money, and it’s not even about the herculean effort per se, but the feeling and narrative I crafted around it. I was the guy who got this done. I flew from Portugal to San Francisco for 12 hours, two days later from SF to Palm Springs to help my 87-YO uncle with his affairs, improvised to get from Palm Springs to Vegas, which took six hours due to road closures, signed up for the contests, made the flight back to San Francisco, flew to Denver at 7 am the next day, took my daughter the Rockies game in the afternoon and then on to Boulder the following day. Maybe that’s not so impressive to some of you, but for me, an idle ideas person, a thinker, observer, someone who likes to express himself via a keyboard, it was like Alexander the Great conquering Persia.

And it’s not only about that smaller mission, or the narrative I crafted around it, but a larger one which was to bring sports content to nostr which I vowed to do before the summer which is why I felt I had to make the effort to get to Vegas to sign up for the contests, to have sufficient skin in the game, to have something real about which to write.

And I got the idea to do this seriously because Heather wrote a guide to Lisbon which I posted on nostr, and a few prominent developers there were surprisingly excited about getting that kind of quality content on the protocol. And I thought — if they’re this excited about a (very in-depth) guide to one particular city in Europe, how much more value could I create posting about a hobby shared by 50-odd million Americans? And that thought (and the fact I had to go to Palm Springs anyway) is what set me off on the mission in the first place and got me thinking this would be Team of Destiny, Part 2, only to discover, disappointingly, it’s real destiny was not to make it out of the first week.

. . .

While my overwhelming emotion is one of disappointment, there’s a small element of relief. Survivor is a form of self-inflicted torture that probably subtracts years from one’s life. Every time Rhamondre Stevenson broke the initial tackle yesterday was like someone tightening a vice around my internal organs. There was nothing I could do but watch, and I even thought about turning it off. At one point, I was so enraged, I had to calm down consciously and refuse to get further embittered by events going against me. Mike Gesicki had a TD catch overturned because he didn’t hold the ball to the ground, The next play Tanner Hudson fumbled while running unimpeded to the end zone. I kept posting, “Don’t tilt” after every negative play.

There’s a perverse enjoyment to getting enraged about what’s going on, out of your control, on a TV screen, but when you examine the experience, it really isn’t good or wholesome. I become like a spoiled child, ungrateful for everything, miserable and indignant at myriad injustices and wrongs I’m powerless to prevent.

At one point Sasha came in to tell me she had downloaded some random game from the app store on her Raspberry Pi computer. I had no interest in this as I was living and dying with every play, but I had forced myself to calm down so much already, I actually went into her room to check it out, not a trace of annoyance in my voice or demeanor.

I don’t think she cared about the game, or about showing it to me, but had stayed with her friends most of the weekend and was just using it as an excuse to spend a moment together with her dad. I scratched her back for a couple seconds while standing behind her desk chair. The game was still going on, and even though I was probably going to lose, and I was still sick about it, I was glad to have diverted a moment’s attention from it to Sasha.

. . .

In last week’s Survivor post, I wrote:

What method do I propose to see into the future? Only my imagination. I’m going to spend a lot of time imagining what might happen, turn my brain into a quantum device, break space-time and come to the right answers. Easier said than done, but I’m committed.

It’s possible I did this, but simply retrieved my information from the wrong branch of the multiverse. It happens.

. . .

I picked the Bengals knowing full well the Bills were the correct “pot odds” play which is my usual method. Maybe when the pot-odds are close, I might go with my gut, but they were not especially close this week, and yet I still stuck with Cincinnati because they were the team I trusted more.

And despite it being a bad pick — there are no excuses in Survivor, no matter what happens in the game, if you win it’s good, and lose it’s bad — I don’t feel that badly about it.

I regret it only because I wish I were still alive, but it was my error. I went with what I believed, and it was wrong. That I can live with 100 times better than swapping out my belief for someone else’s and losing. Had I done that I’d be inconsolable.

. . .

I won’t let the Survivor debacle undermine my real mission to bring sports to nostr. Team of Destiny 2 would have been a compelling story, but it was never essential. After all, my flight was cancelled and I had to improvise, so now my Survivor entry is cancelled, and I’ll have to improvise again. The branch of the multiverse where the Bengals won didn’t give me the information I wanted, but maybe it was what I really needed to know. That I am the man in the arena yet, the battle was ever against myself, and for a brief moment, while my team was losing, I prevailed.

@ ed97c99f:117a4678

Changing Passwords in Linux Using GRUB

1. Access the GRUB Menu: Reboot your system and hold down the Shift (BIOS) or press the Esc (UEFI) key to access the GRUB menu.

2. Edit the GRUB Entry: Highlight the Linux entry and press 'e' to edit.

3. Modify Boot Parameters: Find the linux or linux16 line and add single or init=/bin/bash at the end. Press Ctrl + X or F10 to boot.

4. Remount the Filesystem: If booted into a bash shell, run mount -o remount,rw / to remount the filesystem as read-write.

5. Change the Password: To change the root password, run passwd. For a user, run passwd username.

6. Reboot the System: After changing the passwords, reboot the system by running exec /sbin/init or reboot.

7. Log In: Log in with the new root or user password.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/666211

@ d3052ca3:d84a170e

I bought this for my son but it's a little advanced for his skills. Well, somebody has to find the princess and save Hyrule, right? Looks like it's gotta be me. :)

I have found the climbing, skydiving, and barbarian armor sets most useful. What other items can I unlock that will enhance my play experience? I just found the gloom resistance helmet but haven't tried it out yet.

What is the deal with horses? I tamed and boarded two so far but I haven't found an actual use for them yet except one korok hidden under a drain plug that I needed a horse to unplug. You don't need them for travel. They can't climb steep slopes or cross water so it's just easier and faster to skydive close to your destination and cover the last miles on foot. Do mounts serve a purpose or just look cool and help you get a few korok seeds?

What is your experience? I'd love to hear about it!

@ 6389be64:ef439d32

Editing of profiles and projects seems easier and laid out better and the overall responsiveness of the website feels greatly improved.

The Analytics section tho . . . whoo doggie! What an upgrade.

Try it out at geyser.fund

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/665891

@ 7ab1ed7a:f8e15275

Summary

This article highlights how integrating the "Internet of Things" (IoT) with Nostr can create open, permissionless, and vendor-independent systems, paving the way for new applications, data privacy, and interoperability. From use cases to technical implementation, the article digs into the value of a new approach to IoT, the current progress in developing standards, and potential future directions.

IoT on Nostr: Unlocking Decentralisation for the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of interconnected devices that collect, exchange, and process data to enable smart technologies across various domains, from smart homes to industrial automation. Typically, IoT systems have relied on centralised infrastructure, often resulting in vendor lock-in, lack of interoperability, and privacy concerns. However, by utilising decentralised, permissionless protocols such as Nostr, IoT systems can be revolutionised to promote open access, permissionless innovation, and robust security models.

Why IoT on Nostr?

By working on IoT NIPs for the Nostr protocol we can integrate Nostr’s decentralised and interoperable framework into IoT networks. The goal is to standardise the protocol within the Nostr NIP (Nostr Implementation Possibilities) specification, create libraries, build clients, and demonstrate practical use cases.

At the core of the project is the idea that Nostr, as an open protocol, is well-suited to handle IoT’s needs, including data sharing, remote control, and event-based automation. By leveraging the Nostr protocol, devices can interact with users, other devices, relay-based payments, and other stuff.

The Case for IoT on Nostr

One of the key benefits of using Nostr for IoT is privacy. While Nostr itself isn't inherently private, additions to the spec (i.e. gift wrapping, double ratchet encryption and MLS ) could improve private, encrypted communication between IoT devices, ensuring that data is securely transmitted. In additional, by decentralising the infrastructure, users and businesses can avoid terms-of-service (ToS) restrictions imposed by centralised platforms.

IoT on Nostr in combination with permissionless use, a portable social graph, open data access, zaps, eCash and more provides a significant advantage for IoT. It removes vendor lock-in, improves open data access, and fosters interoperability between devices, relays, and clients. Nostr's permissionless nature allows anyone to build on top of the protocol without seeking approval from centralised authorities.

Existing NIPs and Standards

Several proposals are already in progress to bring IoT functionality to Nostr. Two key NIP pull requests (PRs) related to IoT are:

1. PR 814
2. PR 817

These PRs aim to define how IoT devices can publish and receive events within the Nostr protocol, ensuring standardised communication and integration across different platforms.

Work needs to be done on these or new PRs to define NIPs for IoT on Nostr. The work that needs to be done will be defined in a future post, but for now, it's enough to say, there's plenty to do.

Use Cases for IoT on Nostr

The applications for IoT on Nostr are numerous and span a variety of sectors:

• Data Capture:

• Environmental monitoring, open data sharing, and private data capture can all be facilitated by IoT devices using Nostr to publish sensor data.

• Remote Control:

• From home devices to industrial machinery, Nostr can allow remote control of IoT devices. Users could securely manage smart home systems or control machinery without relying on proprietary platforms.

• IFTTT-style Automation:

• Devices can interact with each other via event-based automation. For instance, a temperature sensor could trigger a fan when a certain threshold is reached.

• Data Processing:

• IoT systems can integrate with Distributed Virtual Machines (DVMs) for data processing, such as text-to-speech (TTS) or speech-to-text (STT) conversion, expanding their functionality to smart devices.

Next Steps

To bring this vision to life, several components are needed:

• NIP Proposals: Proof of concepts to test ideas and establish formal specifications.
• DVM Integration: Adding capabilities such as speech recognition or media requests through decentralized servers.
• Libraries and Clients: Expanding existing Nostr libraries to support IoT devices, and building visualization tools for IoT data (e.g., charts, tables).
• Relays and Bridges: Developing specialised relays for IoT data and creating bridges to other networks like LoRa or MQTT.

Conclusion

IoT on Nostr could represent a shift for the Internet of Things. By utilising an open, decentralised protocol, IoT systems can become more secure, interoperable, and free from the constraints of centralised vendors.

@ bf7973ed:841ad12a

Posted using obsidian plugin

https://obsidian.md/plugins?search=nostr#

@ 8d5ba92c:c6c3ecd5

Many years ago, I realized that movies, particularly those from mass cinema, can be used for brainwashing the masses. It’s a perfect tool for long-term programming and control.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying all films push propaganda. However... The visual medium is particularly powerful in shaping our thinking and influencing how we see the world. Add bad intentions—namely politics and greed—into the mix, and you get a clear example of how people have been subtly fed selected narratives, motifs, and trends through mass-produced content, especially over the last 5-10 years.

If you don’t agree, let’s talk. But before you comment or send me a DM, finish this short article so you have a stronger base to build your full opinion on.

Legacy Cinema Built on Bitcoin Standard.

I won’t dive too deep into independent cinema right now, which I sometimes jokingly call 'Binema.' Yet, for some context: together with a group of friends, I’m working on a project called Bitcoin FilmFest. Our goal is to support independent creators year-round and host a unique film festival annually. Feel free to join us in Warsaw, Poland, for #BFF25. FYI. It’s not a conference, but a community-driven cultural experience.

To connect this with the main topic of this read—legacy cinema—let me bring up a question that comes up from time to time, both within our team and from others:

🤔 Does Binema have to focus solely on independent films, especially those directly about Bitcoin?

In my opinion: NO.

I’ve even written articles about classic yet big-budget films like THE MATRIX, EQUILIBRIUM, THE TRUMAN SHOW, and a few other titles, explaining why they deserve a place in Bitcoin Cinema. I’ll probably share those here soon...

In the meantime, I’ve created dozen of memes that put together classic movies with sound money—combining knowledge with humor and irony 😎 Some of them are below.

If you like any of these, simply download and share them with others. If you find any similar memes that mix legacy cinema with Bitcoin ethos, and decide to post them somewhere, please tag me and Bitcoin FilmFest. We’d love to spread them further. The more people see them and enjoy, the better!

---

#01: Jerry Maguire (1996)—'A life isn’t worth living if you are sleepwalking through it.' Find the signal in the noise. Study Bitcoin.

#02: Boating accidents and the main lesson from TITANIC (1997)

#03: GROUNDHOG DAY (1993)—"Be like Phil, don't play by their rules. Opt-out with sound-money. Choose freedom."

#04: GAME OF THRONES (2011–2019) and the importance of preserving your wealth

#05: THE ADAM PROJECT (2022)—"Time travel only exists in movies. Stop wondering about this or that. Study Bitcoin, if you haven't started yet."

#06: A.L.F (1986–1990) and the complexities of Bitcoin Mining

#07: STAR TREK—The Original Series (1966): 'Live long and prosper' to all Noderunners out there!

BTC Your Mind. Let It Beat…

Şela / AZA

@ e6fbeb1c:6ac8fc04

• Carrots from the oven (cold)
• Feta cheese
• Olive oil
• Dill

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/665360

@ 3875a16c:988456c9

ORIGINAL PANEL TITLE: MAKING BITCOIN MORE PRIVATE WITH CISA

SPEAKERS: NIFTY NEI, CRAIG RAW, FABIAN JAHR, JAMESON LOPP

CONFERENCE: BITCOIN NASHVILLE 2024

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON: BITLYRICS.CO

Introduction

This edited transcription comes from a panel titled “Making Bitcoin More Private With CISA”, featuring an insightful discussion on cross-input signature aggregation ( CISA). Moderated by NiftyNei from Base58, the panel includes Jameson Lopp from Casa, Craig Raw from Sparrow Wallet, and Fabian Jahr from Brink.

Recorded at the Bitcoin – Nashville 2024 conference, the panel explores how a Bitcoin CISA soft fork can enhance privacy and efficiency in Bitcoin transactions by aggregating signatures. The speakers share their personal experiences with CISA, its potential economic incentives, and the technical challenges it faces, while offering a clear explanation of its role in privacy-focused Bitcoin development.

---

NiftyNei (Moderator):

Hey everyone, my name is Nifty, and I’m going to be moderating this panel today. We’re here to talk about CISA (cross-input signature aggregation).

Joining me today on the stage, I have Jameson Lopp from Casa, Craig Raw of Sparrow Wallet, and Fabian Jahr of Brink. So, welcome them to the stage.

We’re excited to be talking to you guys about this.

I think it’d be great to maybe start off by hearing a little bit more about who’s on our panel today. If the panelists could tell the audience about the project they’re working on and where they first heard about CISA.

Craig, do you want to start?

---

Craig Raw (Sparrow Wallet):

I built Sparrow Wallet. It’s a security and privacy-focused wallet.

The first time I heard about CISA was really from other privacy activists in the Bitcoin space who were talking about how they were really hoping that this cross-input signature aggregation would be shipped as part of the Taproot upgrade. Obviously, we know that didn’t happen.

When you’re looking at things from a privacy point of view, you want to do things like create multi-party transactions, and as we’ll hear, cross-input signature aggregation provides an interesting basis for being able to do that more economically.

So, that was the first time I really started to look at it from the privacy angle.

---

Fabian Jahr (Brink):

I primarily work on Bitcoin Core, and I can’t really remember a specific time when I first heard about it.

Between the SegWit soft fork and the Taproot soft fork was when I really got deeper into Bitcoin and started contributing to Bitcoin Core.

Somehow, CISA was always there, but I only started researching it and going deeper into it over the last couple of months.

I saw that it was a topic brought up for the Taproot soft fork but was cut at some point to keep the scope smaller.

I forgot about it for a year or two until it kept popping up in privacy discussions, as Craig mentioned, which triggered me to look deeper into it.

---

Jameson Lopp (Casa):

I’m Jameson Lopp. I work at Casa, where we help people with highly distributed, secure, multi-signature self-custody setups.

I think the first time I heard about CISA was in an Andrew Poelstra talk.

I mostly remember being blown away by the vision he painted of a future where we were all financially incentivized to participate in CoinJoin transactions for everything we transacted.

This would break a lot of the potential for chain surveillance because, if we’re all honest, Bitcoin has pretty poor privacy characteristics.

---

NiftyNei (Moderator):

That’s a great point. Okay, so I think now that we’ve had an intro into how each of you came to hear about it, and maybe some of the things you thought were important or cool when you first heard about it, maybe we could take a little bit of time to explain a little bit more about what CISA is and what those letters stand for.

Does anyone have a good explanation of how it works?

---

Fabian Jahr (Brink):

I can start off.

So, it’s really already all in the name: cross-input signature aggregation.

If you think of a Bitcoin transaction as it looks today, you have, sometimes, one but often multiple inputs, and with each input, usually, a signature is associated.

What the linearity property of Schnorr signatures allows you to do is to aggregate these signatures. You can aggregate them across the different inputs that you have in a transaction.

So, that means that in the future, we could have transactions with multiple inputs—if you think specifically about transactions that have a lot of inputs, like CoinJoins, for example, as we just mentioned—these could have just one signature. And depending on what technique you use, these can be just as big as one single signature before.

Of course, that saves a lot of space, both on-chain and also in terms of the fees, because you take up less space in a block. That is the general idea.

---

NiftyNei (Moderator):

I have a quick question about that.

So, whenever you say you can do cross-input signature aggregation on a transaction, usually, you’ll have a couple of things called inputs, and each of those inputs will have a signature on it, right?

So, the general idea is that, on that same one signature, instead of having a couple of them, you’d be able to roll them all up and just have a single signature.

Is that a good summary of what you’re explaining?

---

Fabian Jahr (Brink):

Yeah, I would say so.

---

Craig Raw (Sparrow Wallet):

So, there are two major ways to do this. One is what we call a half-signature aggregation, or half-SIG, as we abbreviate it.

That’s where you don’t need an interactive process. Anybody can take all of the signatures that appear currently for every input in a transaction, and they can aggregate them into one.

Now, the size of that one is unfortunately not the size of a normal signature—it’s slightly bigger. In fact, the size is determined by the number of inputs that you have. So, that’s one way to do it.

Then there’s a more comprehensive way to do it, which is called full-signature aggregation. That gets you a much more compact signature, which is the aggregate of all the other ones.

Unfortunately, the downside of that is that you have to do the interaction while you sign.

The problem with that is that interaction always contains a lot of complexity, so unless you own all of the inputs, you are going to have to interact with everyone else who’s adding an input to that transaction, and that creates a much more difficult process in terms of signing.

As a result, I personally am more excited about the kind of half-signature aggregation because it’s just so much easier to do and gets you a lot of the benefits, even though it’s not quite as efficient.

---

NiftyNei (Moderator):

Cool, so it sounds like we’re taking signature data, and it’s all the same signature data in a single transaction, right?

You wouldn’t have multiple transactions that you’re doing—it’s like on a single transaction level?

---

Jameson Lopp (Casa):

Well, there’s also full-block aggregation, right?

This is going really far down the rabbit hole, and I think it’s not even something that’s on the table.

There are too many additional edge cases that come up, especially when you start thinking about blockchain reorganizations.

My understanding is you would have to have this other mempool to keep track of things that weren’t sufficiently buried enough in the blockchain that they could be reorganized.

If there was a reorg, it would not be as simple as how we do reorgs right now, where we just take every transaction out, put it back into the mempool, and start over again.

---

NiftyNei (Moderator):

So, it sounds like you’re saying there are a couple of different ways we could do signature aggregation.

We could do it at the transaction level, and there’s a proposal to do it at the block level, but again, there are some trade-offs there.

One of the nice things about taking signature aggregation at the block level is that you take all the signatures in any transaction inside a block, and you create maybe a single signature object, right?

Maybe it’s not exactly a signature, but something similar to that. What is one reason you’d want to do this? It sounds complicated.

---

Jameson Lopp (Casa):

Well, there are the privacy characteristic improvements, but also, I think it’s interesting when we’re talking about incentivizing people economically.

If anyone was around and paying attention in 2016 or 2017, when we were talking about Segregated Witness, there was this concept of a witness discount.

It was basically put in place to help rebalance the cost between creating a UTXO and spending a UTXO.

You run into problems where, if you’re receiving a lot of transactions, you’re creating a lot of unspent transaction outputs in your wallet.

It becomes problematic if, at some point in the far future, you want to go spend them, and perhaps the fee rates in the market for block space have gone up a lot.

It can become insanely expensive to spend your own money. This inevitably catches a lot of people by surprise if they haven’t been through a full market cycle before.

So, I think this is another interesting aspect of aggregation—we’d be pushing the balance forward a bit to help incentivize people to clean up their UTXOs because we’re not penalizing them as much by making it really expensive to do so.

---

Fabian Jahr (Brink):

And maybe to expand on that, there is a financial incentive for people to participate in CoinJoins, and that gives them additional privacy.

The nice effect of that is that hopefully, this would lead to wide adoption of CoinJoin, which means that when more people are CoinJoining, there’s a higher anonymity set that benefits everyone after this anonymity property.

Everyone that participates in CoinJoin can also use this as plausible deniability, even if they are doing it primarily for the privacy aspect. They can always say, “Hey, I’m saving fees here, so that’s my primary motivation.”

Hopefully, a further trickle-down effect would be that, as people ask for this and it becomes more widely adopted, more and more wallets will adopt it.

Easier-to-use wallets, the complexity gets hidden, and it becomes more of a mainstream feature.

---

Jameson Lopp (Casa):

Yeah, we have to think about the incentives, right?

I consider myself a cypherpunk; I’m a big privacy advocate. I assume we all are.

But the reality of the situation, and this is pessimistic, is that most people don’t care about privacy or they don’t care until it’s too late.

We can stand up here and talk about how awesome it is to have really strong privacy and why you should be using all of these niche tools, but if we actually want people to adopt privacy tools, we need to give them the financial incentive to do so.

It should not be a situation where the average person has to go out and ask their wallet providers or software developers to bake in additional privacy tools and protections into the software.

Really, it should be: why are you making me spend more of my money to use Bitcoin when I could be using this technology that happens to enhance privacy but is actually saving me money?

---

Craig Raw (Sparrow):

So you might be wondering at this stage what the savings actually look like.

It turns out that if you apply what I was describing earlier—this half-signature aggregation technique—you can fit about 20% more average-size transactions into a block.

You can immediately think that’s going to reduce the average fee level for any point in time when people are submitting transactions to the mempool to be included in a block. You can now fit 20% more average-size transactions into that block, and that’s obviously a big advantage.

Now, the actual effect on a particular transaction, because of the witness discount that Jameson mentioned earlier, is less—it’s like 7 to 8%.

But remember, the average fee rate is going to be lower because we’re fitting more transactions into a block, which means there’s less pressure on block space.

So that’s how I would encourage you to think about it from the start.

For me, the efficiency in terms of block space is a good reason to do this anyway, regardless of whether we get privacy benefits. The privacy benefits come along for the ride.

We actually have this really restricted data space in the blockchain, and if we can apply a fairly simple and low-risk form of compression, I think it’s a serious thing to think about.

---

NiftyNei (Moderator):

I think, now that we’ve talked about how great this is, we’re going to get more transactions in a block, save money, and get better privacy.

I’d be really interested to hear why it didn’t make it into Taproot originally. Was there opposition to this proposal?

What was it about the Taproot process where this proposal didn’t make it over the line?

---

Fabian Jahr (Brink):

I wasn’t in the room when this was discussed, but I’ve read all of the transcripts available from when these things were discussed.

From what I can see, I don’t think there was any direct opposition.

The primary motivator was to keep Taproot manageable in terms of review effort and to keep the scope smaller.

I mean, the only thing I can see reading between the lines, which Craig already kind of mentioned, is that if you just look at the pure fee savings numbers and the number of weight units you save, for half aggregation, it’s in the single digits. People are often a bit disappointed as a first reaction, and you have to really discuss it and fill it with understanding.

I think that might have turned off some people, and maybe developers felt like this would be the easiest thing, to chop it off and people wouldn’t miss it as much.

---

Craig Raw (Sparrow):

Yeah, so in terms of the pushback I’ve heard so far, it’s what Fabian was saying—it doesn’t do enough.

There’s a general perception that we can only push for one soft fork at a time, so all the soft forks have to compete to be “the one.”

That’s an interesting point of view.

---

Jameson Lopp (Casa):

It’s interesting because I was in the room in Hong Kong when Pieter Wuille announced that we were changing the flagging system so that we could do 32 soft forks in parallel. Of course, we haven’t taken advantage of that yet.

---

Craig Raw (Sparrow):

Yeah, so we’re in a very different space now.

Something to bear in mind if you’re thinking about it from that point of view is that, and I heard Brandon Black, who was here earlier today, talking about OP_CAT, I think CISA is probably the lowest-risk soft fork we could imagine.

I’m talking about the well-understood half-signature aggregation form of it.

From a security model point of view, the cryptographers tell us there is no risk, or very low risk, to doing this. It takes well-understood properties of Schnorr, which is just adding signatures up, and uses that.

So, in terms of risk, it’s not really enabling other things that Bitcoin can do. It’s not going to be groundbreaking—it’s really just compressing.

If you think about it, compression is a fairly bounded area. You’re not going to suddenly have people developing all kinds of perhaps unwanted things on top of Bitcoin just because you compressed the signature size down.

So, maybe it opens up the space for other soft forks if we do a soft fork with such low risk that it actually gets across the line.

---

Jameson Lopp (Casa):

I think it’s also worth noting that this is by no means the only signature aggregation scheme happening in Bitcoin.

With the Taproot soft fork a few years ago, we got the theoretical ability to do Schnorr signatures, but that’s been an ongoing process.

As far as I’m aware, there’s been limited adoption of Schnorr so far.

I think MuSig2 is the main production-ready standard people are using, but that can only do an “n of n,” like a 2-of-2 or 3-of-3 type of scheme, so it’s kind of limited in its flexibility.

I care about this a lot, operating a multi-signature self-custody wallet.

We’re waiting for the further evolution of threshold signature schemes like FROST that can do more arbitrary K-of-N type multi-signature.

That evolution, that research, is still ongoing. We’re continuing to see new iterations of FROST come out.

So, we do expect to see more adoption of aggregated signatures across the ecosystem, but the ultimate end goal would be something where there’s only one signature per block.

---

NiftyNei (Moderator):

So, we only have a few minutes left.

Maybe we can spend a little bit of time talking about what it would take to get CISA to the point where we could soft fork it in.

---

Fabian Jahr (Brink):

There are still quite a few things to hammer out in terms of all the details, like defining a spec.

For half-signature aggregation, there’s a BIP draft, but it’s not a pull request on the BIP repository—it’s just a draft, with test vectors that are open.

However, for full aggregation, we still need to develop the signature scheme. That requires quite a bit of effort from people well-versed in cryptography, specifically on the side of interactivity.

We will also want to have a security proof for that scheme. That means we’ll need people with specific talents and experience in that area to come together and work on it. I personally spend quite a bit of time on it right now.

---

Jameson Lopp (Casa):

Yeah, call your local developer and demand signature aggregation today.

---

Craig Raw (Sparrow):

Fabian has developed a great site where you can learn more.

If the concepts we’ve talked about here today make sense and you want to understand them better, if you go to CISAResearch.org, you can learn more about it.

It’s very easy to read, not overly technical, and I think it gives a good grounding in these things.

Largely, the way soft forks happen is that people need to express views about them, and ultimately, we need to develop some form of rough consensus around whether we want to do it or not.

As far as I’m aware, this is the first panel we’ve had that talks about it. Even though it’s an old and simple concept, we don’t really have a lot of discussion about it right now.

So, talk about it, try to develop an understanding of what it’s trying to do, and see whether you want to have it in Bitcoin or not.

---

Jameson Lopp (Casa):

I don’t know, do you want to save money? It should be an easy question.

---

Fabian Jahr (Brink):

And have better privacy.

---

NiftyNei (Moderator):

Great! Thanks y’all.

---

**Follow the speakers: ** NiftyNei – Craig Raw – Jameson Lopp – Fabian Jahr

**Watch the original content: ** Click here

**Also read: Build It Right: ** Achieving Interoperability with Open Networks

**Disclaimer: ** Transcripts provided on bitlyrics.co represents solely the opinion of the speaker and is not by any means financial/legal advice or an opinion of the website. The content has been transcribed with maximum accuracy. Repetitions and fill words have been amended in order to enhance the reading experience. The full text may not be confirmed by the speaker. Please, refer back to the above-provided source of content for more certainty. If you are a speaker and wish to confirm/amend your speech please contact us.

@ 1ec45473:d38df139

Preston Pysh posted this event this morning:

Behind the scenes, the nostr event looks like this:

Event = { "id":"a6fa7e1a73ce70c6fb01584a0519fd29788e59d9980402584e7a0af92cf0474a", "pubkey":"85080d3bad70ccdcd7f74c29a44f55bb85cbcd3dd0cbb957da1d215bdb931204", "created_at":1724494504, "kind":1, "tags":[ [ "p", "6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "77ec966fcd64f901152cad5dc7731c7c831fe22e02e3ae99ff14637e5a48ef9c", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "c1fc7771f5fa418fd3ac49221a18f19b42ccb7a663da8f04cbbf6c08c80d20b1", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "50d94fc2d8580c682b071a542f8b1e31a200b0508bab95a33bef0855df281d63", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "20d88bae0c38e6407279e6a83350a931e714f0135e013ea4a1b14f936b7fead5", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "273e7880d38d39a7fb238efcf8957a1b5b27e819127a8483e975416a0a90f8d2", "", "mention" ], [ "t", "BH2024" ] ], "content":"Awesome Freedom Panel with...", "sig":"2b64e461cd9f5a7aa8abbcbcfd953536f10a334b631a352cd4124e8e187c71aad08be9aefb6a68e5c060e676d06b61c553e821286ea42489f9e7e7107a1bf79a" }

In nostr, all events have this form, so once you become familiar with the nostr event structure, things become pretty easy.

Look at the "tags" key. There are six "p" tags (pubkey) and one "t" tag (hashtag).

The p tags are public keys of people that are mentioned in the note. The t tags are for hashtags in the note.

It is common when working with NOSTR that you have to extract out certain tags. Here are some examples of how to do that with what are called JavaScript Array Methods:

Find the first "p" tag element:

``` Event.tags.find(item => item[0] === 'p')

[ 'p', '6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb', '', 'mention' ]

```

Same, but just return the pubkey":

``` Event.tags.find(item => item[0] === 'p')[1]

'6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb'

```

Filter the array so I only get "p" tags:

``` Event.tags.filter(item => item[0] === 'p')

[ [ 'p', '6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', '77ec966fcd64f901152cad5dc7731c7c831fe22e02e3ae99ff14637e5a48ef9c', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', 'c1fc7771f5fa418fd3ac49221a18f19b42ccb7a663da8f04cbbf6c08c80d20b1', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', '50d94fc2d8580c682b071a542f8b1e31a200b0508bab95a33bef0855df281d63', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', '20d88bae0c38e6407279e6a83350a931e714f0135e013ea4a1b14f936b7fead5', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', '273e7880d38d39a7fb238efcf8957a1b5b27e819127a8483e975416a0a90f8d2', '', 'mention' ] ]

```

Return an array with only the pubkeys in the "p" tags:

``` Event.tags.filter(item => item[0] === 'p').map(item => item[1])

[ '6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb', '77ec966fcd64f901152cad5dc7731c7c831fe22e02e3ae99ff14637e5a48ef9c', 'c1fc7771f5fa418fd3ac49221a18f19b42ccb7a663da8f04cbbf6c08c80d20b1', '50d94fc2d8580c682b071a542f8b1e31a200b0508bab95a33bef0855df281d63', '20d88bae0c38e6407279e6a83350a931e714f0135e013ea4a1b14f936b7fead5', '273e7880d38d39a7fb238efcf8957a1b5b27e819127a8483e975416a0a90f8d2' ]

```

@ 5b0183ab:a114563e

Chef's notes

Growing up there are a few staple foods that stick with you. For me, it was my Grandma Betty's Chicken Dijon. It was my birthday request every year and every time we cook it up it touches my heart. Grandma Betty passed away a 7 years ago. This dish is dedicated to her, directly from her recipe book.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 10
• 🍳 Cook time: 35

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken Breasts
• 3 Tbsp Butter
• 2 Tbsp Flower
• 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
• 3 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• Tomato Wedges

Directions

1. In large skillet, cook chicken in butter on medium heat till brown on both sides and cooked through (about 20 min)
2. Remove chicken and set aside
3. Stir flower into skillet drippings. (whisk thoroughly for best flavor)
4. Add chicken broth and cream. Whisk until sauce thickens. (about 5 minutes)
5. Add dijon mustard and stir to combine.
6. Place chicken breasts in skillet. Place lid on skillet and simmer on low. (10 minutes)
7. Slice tomato in wedges
8. Chop Parsley
9. Plate Chicken, pour cream sauce, tomato wedges and garnish with parsley.
10. Pairs well with steamed rice or pasta and your favorite vegetable(s) (I prefer sweat peas and Steamed Rice)

@ 58edc6ae:e070cfa5

NOSTR has the potential to revolutionise social media. When I say "revolutionise," I am not merely employing a rhetorical flourish. We are talking about a complete reversal of power dynamics—taking authority away from the tech giants and returning it to the users.

The global experiment involving billions of people, known as social networks, is well underway. We have allowed a handful of fantastically powerful companies to algorithmically train us and our children, trading on our private lives. We have surrendered control over our data, which we diligently collect on their servers every day. Subsequently, we all noticed the dire consequences of this experiment, grumbled about it for a while—because it was fashionable to do so—before a sense of resignation crept into the discourse. Clearly, we are unable to give up social networks; instead, we are learning to coexist with them in a love-and-hate relationship.

A Plot Twist

However, life can surprise positively. Nothing stands still, and someone has come up with the idea of a revolution. A certain @fiatjaf (a figure wishing to remain anonymous) has offered the world an answer to the question: can we have a social network without the flaws of social media? A Facebook without Zuckerberg, devoid of manipulation, addiction, and with complete control over our data? He saw the solution in creating a social network based on a simple and open communication protocol that connects thousands of private computers. These computers form a network that anyone can easily join and participate in without anyone's permission, either under their real name or anonymously.

NOSTR (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays)

NOSTR is not just another Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, or TikTok. In other words, it is not a centralised social network managed by a corporation and maintained on its private servers. We are not dealing with yet another trendy company and its application; we are dealing with an open communication protocol, a phenomenon of an entirely different kind.

A communication protocol is simply a set of rules for communication between two or more devices. If these rules are widely known and the source code of the protocol is made public, we refer to it as an open communication protocol. There are many examples of open communication protocols. The TCP/IP protocol underpins all internet communication. HTTPS is used for communication with websites. SMTP handles email communication, FTP manages file transfers, and Bitcoin facilitates value transfer, among others. NOSTR is a protocol that allows for the establishment of a cryptographically secure profile, the ability to follow other profiles, and communication between profiles, including conducting transactions and paying for them with Bitcoin.

What Does This Change? Well, it fixes everything we criticise about today's social networks.

User Data Belongs Solely to the User

NOSTR is decentralised, which simply means that there is no single server where all data is stored by the network's owner. NOSTR has no owner, and user data is stored in encrypted form across multiple computers. These computers are known as relays. The owners of these relays do not have actual power over user data, not only because the data is encrypted but also because users can change their relays at any time or even create their own on a computer they control at minimal cost.

As a result, users have complete control over their data. No one can collect it, sell it to advertisers, or cut off access to it.

The Community Follows the User

Applications that support the NOSTR protocol are referred to as NOSTR clients, just as programs supporting the SMTP protocol are called email clients. Similarly, we can use various NOSTR clients. Their style and appearance may differ, but the main functionalities—such as creating a profile, searching for users, sending posts, and private messages—will remain common across most of them. Individual applications may, however, offer original ways to utilise these functions or even create unique features or integrations with other environments.

Regardless of which client we choose, our data will remain unchanged. In other words, we retain our network of connections and history; in every client, we will have the same profile, the same list of people we follow and who follow us, as well as our posts and private messages.

This is hard to overstate. Transitioning from one traditional social media platform to another is practically difficult. If we have built a network of connections on Facebook, we cannot simply transfer it to X (Twitter)—we must start anew. If we have thousands of followers on YouTube, we cannot move them to Rumble or Vimeo—we must acquire them again. As a result, we become dependent on platforms that exploit this dependency to build monopolies. Knowing that with one move they can cut us off from years of accumulated content (a fate that has already befallen many nonconformist individuals), we find ourselves in a position of subservience.

(meme by @npub1yp7wfa7msdpusf4vupzttttu2mx3cns7whx5cgkt4yr9pkpvujus2mzys7 -- found on NOSTR)

With NOSTR applications, the situation is reversed. Because we can choose among them without losing our accumulated content, their producers compete for us. This competition results in spectacular advancements in the protocol's capabilities. In a short time, a blogosphere has emerged on NOSTR (Habla, Blogstack, Highlighter, [Yakihonne]https://yakihonne.com/)), as well as tools for chatting and online meetings (Hivetalk, Nostrnests). Integration with podcasting services allows creators to be compensated without intermediaries (ZapStream, Fountain, Tunestr). As payments on NOSTR are straightforward and users can settle without banks or credit cards, a completely new type of e-commerce is emerging.

(More emerging applications can be found at Nostr Apps).)

Freedom of Speech is Guaranteed

Freedom of speech and resistance to censorship are part of NOSTR's DNA. NOSTR has no overseers monitoring who says what and punishing for abuses. No one can be removed from NOSTR, no one can have their account suspended, nor can posts be deleted. Human rights defenders and whistleblowers are already taking advantage of these features of the protocol. For instance, we find activists from the Human Rights Foundation and Edward Snowden among its users. It is also a tool for opposition activists in authoritarian states.

Proponents of political correctness may argue that such unchecked freedom of publication encourages abuses. Views on the necessity of combating disinformation and hate speech are once again in vogue. Personally, I am closer to the view that freedom of speech does not exist if it does not encompass opinions that we find unacceptable, outrageous, or even repugnant. I believe that the right to freely express any opinion is a lesser evil, and it is worth paying for that right with the discomfort caused by encountering such views. Sometimes, such contact leads to learning something new or changing one's mind. It is time to grow up and stop being offended by others' opinions. The remedy for this is not censorship, but more freedom of speech and active participation in debate.

Cryptography Ensures User Identity

The key to a NOSTR profile is a private key (nsec). We must protect it like any password, or even more so, because this password cannot be recovered. If we lose it, we will lose control over our profile. If someone else takes it, they will assume that control. There is no helpdesk to call in such a case. The responsibility lies with the user.

Each private key is mathematically linked to a public key (npub). This key is entirely public and should be announced publicly. It will allow others to find us online and add us to their list of followers. The public key cannot be forged. If we received it from the right person, we can be sure that the profile belongs to them.

Easy Payments and Earning

The currency of NOSTR is Bitcoin. We can easily link our profile to a wallet in the Lightning network, which is designed for instant Bitcoin payments. Some applications, such as Primal, even have built-in wallets. Thus, by installing the client on our phone, we are immediately ready to make and receive Bitcoin payments. If we use NOSTR in a web browser, we can install a free extension that supports such a wallet (e.g., Alby).

Lightning payments on NOSTR are called "zaps." Zaps have a certain magic about them. The settlement is immediate and final. There are no territorial or temporal restrictions; we can pay literally anyone, regardless of their physical location, seven days a week at any time of day or night. Funds go directly to the payment recipient. Authors of publications can share contributions according to a pre-established ratio, for example, fifty-fifty. Lightning allows for splitting a zap during payment so that the appropriate portions go directly to two or more people.

Micropayments dominate. If a post is popular, it is often rewarded with small contributions. In the case of some popular posts, the rewards are larger, and the total sums of all contributions can be significant. What is attractive is that instead of an empty "like," the author receives real value. Zapping is so popular on NOSTR that zapathons are periodically organised, during which users send each other as many micropayments as possible in a short time. Hundreds of small amounts change hands purely for the fun of experimenting with this technology. However, Satoshis can also be collected and saved. They can be used for online payments, and if we need fiat currency, they can be sold for dollars, euros, or other fiat currencies (keeping tax obligations in mind).

According to currently available data, nearly 3.5 million zaps have been made on the NOSTR network, with a total value of around 20 Bitcoins, which, at today's exchange rate, is approximately 1.2 million USD. Considering that the technology is a few years old and has gained broader popularity only in the last several months, this is an impressive result, but it also shows that this is just the beginning.

In Summary…

NOSTR is not merely a ready-made solution to the problem of centralised social media, including an opportunity to end algorithmic training, the sale of private data, and censorship. It also presents a chance to create entirely new relationships on the internet. Users regain the agency that some may still remember from the early years of the internet—an internet that was genuinely decentralised before platforms emerged and before the clickbait business model based on harvesting users for their valuable data took hold.

As we join the NOSTR network, let us remember that the protocol is in its early stages of development; many available solutions are prototypes, and errors do occur. However, progress can be observed with the naked eye, literally from week to week. A characteristic of open protocols is that anyone can build on them, which greatly fosters innovation. Thus, dozens of competitive and independent projects are emerging, brimming with ideas for solutions the internet has yet to see. To survive, these builders will need to consider how to turn their enthusiasm into a business. Today, many of them are benefiting from the support offered by wealthy enthusiasts of decentralised internet.

Currently, NOSTR has over 1.6 million users who have published around 127 million posts and replies, not counting other reactions such as likes or payments. Compared to Facebook, Instagram, or X (Twitter), these numbers are modest. The future success of NOSTR depends on whether it can offer ordinary users easy-to-use and attractive functionalities. Perhaps it also hinges on whether it can convey its core message to them: the promise of agency, independence, and control over one’s presence on the internet.

Selected Sources:

• Lyn Alden, The Power of Nostr: Decentralised Social Media and More, lynalden.com
• Alex Gladstein, Can Nostr Make Twitter's Dreams Come True?, Reason.com

(originally published in Polish in iMagazine 9/2024)

@ 35aa9b52:7f947022

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Whether you're working on a new build or a renovation project, the Double-Side Grid Golden Foil EPE Foam Insulation provides long-lasting performance, protecting your property from fluctuating temperatures and noise. 2. Introduction Insulation is one of the most critical aspects of any building project. Without effective insulation, you risk increased energy costs and an uncomfortable living or working environment. The Double-Side Grid Golden Foil EPE Foam Insulation (5mm) is a versatile and efficient insulation product that addresses multiple needs, including thermal efficiency, soundproofing, and moisture resistance. Made from high-quality EPE (Expanded Polyethylene) foam, this product is covered in a grid-patterned double-side golden foil, which enhances its ability to reflect heat and block unwanted noise. Its 5mm thickness ensures optimal performance without adding unnecessary bulk to your walls, floors, or ceilings. 3. Key Features Double-Sided Foil Layer: The double-side grid golden foil enhances the insulation’s ability to reflect heat, reducing energy loss. Thermal Efficiency: The product's high R-value ensures excellent thermal performance, keeping interiors at a comfortable temperature year-round. Soundproofing: The foam layer effectively absorbs sound, making it ideal for reducing noise in multi-story buildings or urban environments. Moisture Barrier: This insulation also acts as a vapor barrier, protecting your home or building from moisture damage. Durability: Made from high-quality EPE foam, it is resistant to wear and tear, ensuring a long-lasting solution. Lightweight & Easy to Install: Its lightweight nature means you won’t need additional structural support, and the installation process is straightforward. For more detailed specifications and to purchase, visit the Double-Side Grid Golden Foil EPE Foam Insulation product page. 4. 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By choosing Double-Side Grid Golden Foil EPE Foam Insulation (5mm), you're investing in a high-performance, cost-effective solution that offers thermal efficiency, soundproofing, and moisture protection. Perfect for residential or commercial use, this insulation will help you save on energy bills, reduce noise, and protect your property from moisture damage.

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

@ 3e6e0735:9e95c8a2

Imagine a colorful world filled with vibrant villages, each bustling with activity. Each village has its own unique roads and parks where people gather to share their stories, pictures, and ideas.

Village A is like a big, crowded gathering spot, similar to Facebook, where everyone loves to post their adventures. But there’s a dark cloud hanging over it. The village leaders, while wanting to keep things friendly, are constantly pressured by the government to monitor what people share. If someone posts something that the government doesn’t like, the leaders might say,

“Hold on! You can’t share that!” It feels more like a prison than a park, where the rules can change at any moment, and everyone is afraid to speak freely.

Village B is a chaotic place where folks send quick messages back and forth, just like Twitter. Here, too, the leaders face immense pressure from the government to control conversations. If you say something that doesn’t fit the official narrative, they might silence you or even banish you from the village. Plus, when you share your thoughts, you don’t really own them. The leaders can sell your data and connections to the highest bidder, leaving you feeling like just another product.

Then there’s Village C, a trendy spot for sharing beautiful photos, like Instagram. But beware! The leaders here are also under the thumb of the government, which has its own set of oppressive rules. If someone posts something that challenges the status quo, it might just vanish without a trace. And just like in the other villages, your data and followers aren’t really yours—they can be sold off without your consent.

But wait! Enter NOSTR, the magical map that connects all the villages without any leaders telling you what you can or can’t share. It’s like building roads that anyone can use, with no gates or guards in sight.

With NOSTR, if Village A wants to share a story with Village C, they can do it directly, or through Village B, without anyone stopping them. It’s permissionless, meaning you don’t need to ask for permission to share your thoughts or ideas. Plus, all content lives everywhere at once, thanks to special relays, so you can find it no matter where you are!

Here’s the best part: with NOSTR, you own your own data, connections, and followers! It’s like having a special key that only you control. No one can sell your information or take away your followers because you’re the one in charge.

And let’s not forget about the exciting micropayments called “zaps” using Bitcoin! Imagine if you could send a little thank-you to someone for a great story or a beautiful photo, right there in the moment. It’s like tossing a coin into a fountain to show your appreciation, but digital and instant!

And here’s a side note: with the rise of AI, people can create even more amazing things, like art or stories, and share them freely through NOSTR. There’s no one to censor or control what you create, so everyone can express themselves fully.

As more and more people flock to NOSTR, the other villages start to lose their users. They realize they need to adapt or risk fading away. Some leaders begin to think about integrating NOSTR into their own platforms, but there’s a catch: they have to rethink their entire profit model first. This leads to a battle of ideas, as they struggle to find a way to keep their users while also embracing the freedom that NOSTR offers.

In the end, while the centralized parks are dark and oppressive, ruled by leaders who are pressured by the government to control every word and image, NOSTR allows all the villages to connect freely. It’s a place where everyone can share their voices without fear, a world of endless possibilities where creativity thrives, and you truly own your data and connections!

@ 645681b9:73af5c84

I promise this started as a simple script to learn about communities in nostr but, after an extra weekend of work, I ended up with this thing. Hope you enjoy it :)

@ 472f440f:5669301e

nostr:note1x82zkl9knpkgk07wlhycex6una0zjscgcafzaq2pfjfq6h3tz8jqr0em9m

A lot of the problems the US is suffering from today stem from the fact that we've been managed by a political class that is economically illiterate for decades.

"Debt is only money we owe ourselves."

"We need to pass this $2 Trillion spending bill to drive down prices."

"We need to phase out reliable energy generation in favor of unreliable renewables."

"Nuclear energy is bad so we can't build anymore reactors."

"We need to bail out the banks that introduced systemic risks into our economy or the world will devolve into chaos."

"We need to lock down the economy and print trillions of dollars to pay people for staying home from work while we flatten the curve."

"A prolonged zero interest rate environment will stoke economic growth with no long-term effects."

"We need to ship all of our manufacturing over seas so that we can flood the world with dollars, make the USD the reserve currency of the world, and lower prices at home. Good middle class jobs be damned."

The list goes on and on.

The ramifications of these compounding economically illiterate policies has left the country, and the world at large, in an extremely vulnerable position. We are sitting on more than $35 TRILLION of debt on the national balance sheet with another $220 TRILLION in off balance sheet liabilities in the form of Social Security, Medicare, Medicade and other handouts the government has promised to make in the future. And, worse yet, many policies, particularly spending bills that pack in new regulations, have indirectly eroded individual freedoms.

The annual military budget increases the war machine and the military industrial complex, which then use the money they've been allocated to lobby for laws like the Patriot Act. Completely obliterating the fourth amendment in an effort to "protect the country from terrorism". I sit here and shudder at the thought of how much money has been wasted on programs like the TSA and the additional lost economic productivity that comes with people idiotically taking off their shoes and standing in a radioactive tube with their hands up while some mouth breather who couldn't guard a Pixie cup from a three year old yells at you. Let alone the potential economic activity and partnerships that are blown up with the bombs we drop using money we don't have.

The mad dash to "nEt ZeRo EmIsSiOnS" also brings along with it inflationary pressures that result in increased economic stress for the Common Man while restricting his freedoms. Nothing makes this clearer than the Orwellian "Inflation Reduction Act" that forced net zero energy transitions policies through a bill. The policies limit the options individual Americans and corporations have when it comes to utilizing the energy sources they deem most economically viable at any given point in time. An over subsidization of wind and solar and a demonization of oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear has introduced economic imbalances that are leading to a capital misallocation of epic proportions. This has, in turn, led to less reliable energy systems and overall higher energy costs.

And now the incumbent administration, now headed by Kamala Harris, is pushing for an unrealized capital gains tax that is sure to scare tens of billions of dollars worth of capital outside of the borders of the US. We touched on it when it was originally being floated last week. However, at the time it seemed like the campaign was floating a litmus test to gauge how it would be received if it became an official policy. Today it became clear that this will be an official policy if Harris gets into office and garners the necessary votes to push it through.

What's worse is the fact that one of her lead economic advisors, Bharat Rama, joined CNBC this morning to not only confirm that this is the official policy stance of the Harris campaign, but to say that people should be okay with this because they already pay an "unrealized gain tax" in the form of property taxes. Not only is it not true that property taxes are technically not unrealized gain taxes, but it's also horrible framing. Property taxes are one of the most reviled taxes that people have to pay after income taxes. No one likes paying property taxes. Especially when they look at the laughable public schooling system that they fund.

Doubling down on failed policy seems to be the modus operandi of Kamala Harris and the Marxists on her team. An unrealized gains tax is nothing more than asset confiscation by a corrupt government that has completely lost control of its finances. It will destroy the wealth of the nation. "But it will only affect people who have more than $100M. Stop talking about this, it won't affect you at all! You poor rich wannabe."

People who have attained hundreds of millions of dollars have done so because they are smart. (Most of them at least.) And they worked extremely hard to build businesses to acquire their wealth. If you think they are stupid enough to stand by and let the government swoop in and confiscate that wealth, I have a bitcoin privacy fork to sell you. They will move their money out of the country on November 6th and the Harris administration will be forced to begin lowering the threshold of who has to pay unrealized gains taxes.

$50m

$25m

$10m

$1m

$100k

They will not stop doubling down on their incompetence. These people should be laughed out of polite society and marooned on an island for floating policy as potentially dangerous to the US economy as this unrealized tax is.

This is why we bitcoin. Bitcoin gives people the ability to store their wealth in an asset that is extremely hard to confiscate if secured properly. Bitcoin gives you leverage from which to fight back against this type of overt Marxism.

---

Final thought... It is abnormally humid on my village by the sea for a late August day.

@ 13e63e99:25525c6a

Preview

Last week, El Salvador marks three years of Bitcoin adoption, holding 5,867 BTC, despite volatility and criticism. Mastercard  have  launched a Euro Bitcoin debit card for direct spending, while Zurich Cantonal  Bank now offers Bitcoin trading and custody services. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs  faced a $288 million outflow, the largest since May, yet continue to attract  significant interest. Venezuelan leader María Corina Machado highlighted Bitcoin’s crucial role in overcoming economic collapse and authoritarianism  in Venezuela. Meanwhile, Japan's Financial Services Agency proposed tax  reforms to classify Bitcoin similarly to traditional assets, potentially reducing  tax burdens. For more details, continue reading below.

A. Bitcoin Data Dashboard

1. Bitcoin Transactions\ 2. Supply\ 3. Mining\ 4. Transaction Fees\ 5. Difficulty Retarget\ 6. Lightning Network (Public)

B. Bitcoin Ecosystem

1. El Salvador marks three years as first nation to adopt Bitcoin, holding 5,867 BTC\ 2. Mastercard launch Euro debit card for direct Bitcoin spending\ 3. Zurich Cantonal Bank launches trading and custody services for Bitcoin \ 4. U.S. Spot Bitcoin ETFs face $288 million outflow in largest single-day drop since may\ 5. Venezuelan leader Machado: Bitcoin is crucial for economic recovery and freedom\ 6. U.S. companies to boost Bitcoin holdings; MicroStrategy outperforms Berkshire Hathaway

C. Regulation

1. Japan’s FSA proposes tax reform for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies

D. Macroeconomy

1. Jackson Hole meeting highlights central bankers' optimism with cautious economic outlook\ 2. U.S. debt ceiling reinstatement on January 2, 2025, could impact liquidity and markets

---

A. Bitcoin Data Dashboard

As of Sep 9, 2024

B. Bitcoin Ecosystem

1. El Salvador marks three years as first nation to adopt Bitcoin, holding 5,867 BTC

El Salvador is celebrating three years of being the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender,  a move made on September 7, 2021. This ambitious decision aimed to boost financial inclusion,  simplify remittance payments, and attract technological innovation. The country’s bold experiment  has shown mixed but promising results. El Salvador’s Bitcoin holdings have accumulated to  5,867 BTC, despite significant price fluctuations and initial criticism. The country’s  Bitcoin portfolio, now valued at around $314 million, reflects a strategic investment, even as  Bitcoin’s price has varied widely. The global reaction has been mixed; while El Salvador’s move  was expected to inspire others, only the Central African Republic has similarly adopted Bitcoin.  Larger economies have been cautious, often due to their complex relationships with international  creditors and financial institutions. This caution has been reinforced by pressure from  organizations like the IMF. Nonetheless, El Salvador’s pioneering approach has prompted discussions  about Bitcoin’s potential in global financial systems and its future in institutional adoption.

Reference: Cointelegraph, Nayib Bukele Portfolio Tracker

2. Mastercard launch Euro debit card for direct Bitcoin spending

Mastercard has announced a new partnership with payments provider Mercuryo  to introduce a euro-denominated debit card that allows users to spend Bitcoin and  other cryptocurrencies directly from non-custodial wallets. This innovative card,  aimed at European Bitcoin holders, enables them to make purchases at Mastercard’s  extensive network of over 100 million merchants worldwide without the need to  transfer funds through an intermediary. Mastercard, a global leader in payment  solutions with nearly 3 billion customers across more than 210 countries, is expanding  its reach into the bitcoin space. This integration reflects the company’s  commitment to bridging digital assets with its traditional payments infrastructure.  According to Christian Rau, Senior Vice President of Mastercard, the  card provides a secure and convenient way for consumers to spend their digital  assets anywhere Mastercard is accepted. Users can connect their non-custodial wallets  to the card, allowing them to spend their Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies directly  without needing to convert them into fiat currency through an exchange. This feature  maintains full ownership of the digital assets and avoids the complexities and costs  associated with traditional exchanges. 

Reference: Bitcoin magazine

3. Zurich Cantonal Bank launches trading and custody services for Bitcoin

Zurich Cantonal Bank (ZKB), one of Switzerland’s largest financial institutions, has\ expanded its offerings to include bitcoin trading and custody services.  Announced on September 4, ZKB now enables customers to trade Bitcoin directly  through its eBanking and Mobile Banking platforms, integrating these holdings into  their existing portfolio views. The bank will also manage private key storage internally,  ensuring high levels of security and eliminating the need for customers or third-party  banks to handle private keys themselves. ZKB’s new service is available to both  individual clients and other banks, allowing Swiss banks to offer bitcoin trading  and secure storage to their customers through ZKB’s B2B solution. 

Reference: Cointelegraph

4. U.S. Spot Bitcoin ETFs face $288 million outflow in largest single-day drop since may

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs experienced a substantial outflow of $287.8 million in a single day,  the largest since May 1, as reported by Farside Investors. BlackRock’s ETF was the only one  that did not face withdrawals. Leading the outflows was Fidelity’s ETF, which saw $162  million withdrawn. Grayscale followed with $50 million in outflows, while Ark and Bitwise  reported withdrawals of $34 million and $25 million, respectively. Despite these significant  withdrawals, these ETFs collectively manage around $50 billion in assets, indicating their  substantial scale and impact in the market. Earlier this year, Bitcoin's price surged  dramatically, driven by the enthusiasm surrounding these ETFs. Starting at about $44,000 at  the beginning of 2024, Bitcoin reached an all-time high of $73,770 on March 14. Since then,  the price has stabilized between $55,000 and $65,000, marking a period of consolidation  174 days after its peak, according to Clark Moody Dashboard. Despite the recent outflows,  spot Bitcoin ETFs have largely maintained strong inflows over the past eight months,  with only one month of net outflows. This ongoing investor interest suggests that while  Bitcoin’s price has stabilized, the long-term demand for Bitcoin and related investment  vehicles remains strong.

Reference: Bitcoin magazine

5. Venezuelan leader Machado: Bitcoin is crucial for economic recovery and freedom

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado discussed Bitcoin’s critical role in  addressing Venezuela's economic collapse and authoritarian rule. The interview  underscores the severe effects of hyperinflation under Chávez and Maduro, which has  led to the bolívar losing 14 zeros and inflation peaking at 1.7 million percent in 2018. Machado described the economic devastation caused by state-sponsored looting, theft,  and unchecked money printing, despite Venezuela's vast oil reserves. She emphasized  how Bitcoin has become a "lifeline" for many Venezuelans, offering a means to bypass  hyperinflation and government-controlled exchange rates. Bitcoin has also enabled  individuals to protect their wealth and fund their escape from the country. Machado  proposed incorporating Bitcoin into Venezuela’s national reserves as part of a broader  strategy to recover stolen wealth and rebuild from the dictatorship. She sees Bitcoin  as crucial for ensuring financial autonomy, transparency, and property rights in a  future democratic Venezuela. Machado highlighted the role of Bitcoin in the  opposition’s efforts to reclaim democracy and rebuild the nation.

Reference: Bitcoin magazine

6. U.S. companies to boost Bitcoin holdings; MicroStrategy outperforms Berkshire Hathaway

A new report from River, a Bitcoin technology firm, forecasts that 10% of U.S.  companies will convert 1.5% of their treasury reserves—around $10.35 billion— to Bitcoin over the next 18 months. River highlights that traditional cash and  short-term investments often fail to keep up with inflation, diminishing their value. The report draws attention to MicroStrategy’s corporate treasury strategy,  popularized by founder Michael Saylor, who views Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation  and a store of value with "economic immortality." In June 2024, MicroStrategy  raised $800 million to buy an additional 11,931 BTC, bringing its total holdings  to 226,500 BTC, valued at approximately $14.7 billion. MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin strategy has led to a 1,000% increase in its stock value, significantly outperforming  Berkshire Hathaway's 104.75% rise. 

Reference: Cointelegraph

C. Regulation

1. Japan’s FSA proposes tax reform for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies

Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) has unveiled plans for a significant tax code  overhaul for fiscal year 2025, focusing on reducing the tax burden on cryptocurrency assets.  In its reform request submitted on August 30, the FSA proposed that cryptocurrencies be  classified similarly to traditional financial assets, which could lead to a lower tax rate for  bitcoin investments. Currently, profits from cryptocurrency transactions in Japan are  taxed as miscellaneous income at rates ranging from 15% to 55%. The highest rate applies  to earnings exceeding ¥200,000 ($1,377), but this varies based on the individual’s income  bracket. In comparison, profits from stock trading are taxed at a flat maximum rate of 20%.  Additionally, corporate holders of cryptocurrencies face a flat 30% tax on their  holdings, even if no profits are realized from sales. The proposed reform seeks to align  the tax treatment of cryptocurrencies with that of other financial assets. 

Reference: Cointelegraph

D. Macroeconomy

1. Jackson Hole meeting highlights central bankers' optimism with cautious economic outlook

At the recent Jackson Hole meeting, central bankers displayed a shift from prior pessimism  to a more optimistic outlook on global economies. Fed Chair Jay Powell signaled a  readiness to adjust U.S. monetary policy, noting that recent inflation was driven largely  by pandemic-related supply chain issues. Powell highlighted that easing inflation and a  stable labor market provide room for potential interest rate cuts. As a result, bond yields and  the US dollar fell, reflecting market reactions to his comments. Overall, the Jackson Hole meeting conveyed a generally positive attitude towards the major economies, though it  was not without caution. Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President pointed out that  monetary policy effects can be delayed, raising concerns about whether recent tightening  could still produce negative outcomes and if these could be mitigated by a swift  policy easing. The full impact of current policies remains to be seen, with time  necessary to assess their long-term effects.

Reference: Delloitte insights

2. U.S. debt ceiling reinstatement on January 2, 2025, could impact liquidity and markets

On January 2, 2025, the U.S. debt ceiling will be reinstated, having been suspended  by the 2023 deal. If Congress does not raise it, the Treasury will need to cut its  cash balance—currently over $700 billion—to keep paying bills without issuing new debt,  potentially leading to a technical default. Historically, a Republican-controlled  Congress has used the debt ceiling to negotiate with Democratic presidents, though the  reverse has not yet occurred. The outcome largely depends on election results. Liquidity  conditions are crucial as they strongly correlate with financial and asset markets in the era.  Domestic liquidity influences the banking system and the dollar index, impacting global  conditions. Global liquidity, measured as the broad money supply of major currencies in  dollar terms, has remained stable. Recent support from a weaker dollar index has  been offset by stagnant money supply growth in China since March 2024, limiting  global liquidity growth.

Reference: Lyn Alden

@ a30cdfee:2d2f97ff

Understanding UTXO Consolidation for Bitcoin Users

Bitcoin blockchain fees are currently low, so it's time to get familiar with UTXO consolidation!

What is UTXO consolidation and why should you care?

Many Small UTXOs Can Incur High Transaction Fees in the Future

If you've been dollar-cost averaging small chunks of bitcoin to a self-custody wallet, you might have a lot of small-value UTXOs (Unspent Transaction Outputs) in your wallet.

When transaction fees will rise again, spending these UTXOs can incur hundreds or even thousands of dollars in transaction fees!

When you transact in Bitcoin, fees paid to miners are determined by the network demand, and how much data the transaction requires to be sent.

The Bitcoin network is designed to handle only a limited amount of data every 10 minutes on average in order to keep the data on the blockchain small enough for average users to run nodes and audit the blockchain.

The trade-off is high transaction fees during high network demand.

You can always set a lower fee for your transaction, but then you will often have to wait longer for your transaction to be included on the blockchain.

The total fee for a transaction is calculated by multiplying the transaction size with the fluctuating fee rate.

The fee rate is measured in satoshis per virtual byte (sat/vByte).

A good website to familiarize yourself with the current Bitcoin fees is Mempool.space.

You can learn more about it in this post: https://stacker.news/items/657963

The transaction size increases the more UTXOs it has.

The monetary value of BTC being spent doesn't have an effect on the transaction fee.

You can send $50 or $1 billion worth of BTC with the same transaction fee.

What Is an UTXO?

Your bitcoin balance consists of UTXOs.

When you receive BTC, you receive a single UTXO.

The more often you receive, the more UTXOs you will accumulate.

When you're sending BTC, your wallet software picks UTXOs from your wallet and sends them to the receiver.

Your wallet might have to pick many different UTXOs.

If the BTC amount of your UTXOs exceeds the amount you're sending, you will receive a new UTXO as "change".

Conceptually, UTXOs are very similar to physical cash.

You can think of UTXOs in your Bitcoin wallet as different denominations of a currency, e.g. $10 bill, $20 bill etc.

Except that Bitcoin doesn't have specific denominations: a Bitcoin UTXO can be of any amount!

The balance of your Bitcoin wallet is the sum value of all your UTXOs in that wallet.

UTXO is like a bill in your Bitcoin wallet that hasn't been spent yet.

When your wallet has to pick many UTXOs to make a transaction, the network fees you pay will be higher.

You can think of it as sending someone $1000 in coins vs. sending $1000 in hundred dollar bills.

Coins will weigh more and their postage costs will be higher.

Bitcoin wallets automatically select the lowest number of UTXOs to minimize transaction fees, and some have coin control features that let you select UTXOs manually.

A recommended wallet for desktop is Sparrow Wallet.

Sparrow also works with the most popular hardware wallets.

You can learn more about Sparrow in this Twitter thread I wrote in September 2023.

How to Consolidate UTXOs?

You're just selecting UTXOs of small monetary value and sending them to yourself when fees are low, and you will receive one UTXO with a larger monetary value.

Here it can be demonstrated with some testnet coins on Sparrow Wallet.

The process is exactly same with real BTC.

In the "UTXOs" tab, you select the UTXOs you want to consolidate, and proceed to "Send Selected".

On the "Pay to" field there's a dropdown that automatically chooses a new Bitcoin address in the same Sparrow Wallet that you own (it's labelled as a "consolidation" address).

Alternatively, you can copy/paste any address there.

If you want to verify that you really own the address, you can go to the "Addresses" tab, find the address in question and sign a message with it.

If you're e.g. using a hardware wallet like Coldcard or Trezor, the signing device's firmware will at this point verify that it manages the address.

It's important to label your UTXOs, so you will know in the future what UTXOs to spend and in what situations.

Labels are only for your own reference.

Do it.. your future self will thank you!

You can see the flow of UTXOs on Sparrow.

Two small UTXOs turn into one (minus the miner fee).

It's a bit like exchanging small coins to larger bills!

When you go back to the "UTXOs" tab, you can see that you now only have one larger UTXO, but the same amount of BTC (minus the miner fee).

Mempool.space gives you nice visualizations for UTXO consolidation.

In this transaction, 4 UTXOs were consolidated into one (minus the miner fee).

Since Bitcoin is digital gold, UTXO consolidation is like melting small gold coins into one gold bar!

UTXO Consolidation Reduces Privacy

A major trade-off with consolidating UTXOs relates to privacy.

People who sent you the small UTXOs you want to consolidate can follow the movement of those UTXOs and link them to your now larger UTXO balance.

It's not an absolute proof that you own those UTXOs (you could be sending them to someone else!), but it might be a strong indication.

It's always the best practice to assume that whoever sent you those original UTXOs is watching and knows that you own all that bitcoin.

Also, there are privacy concerns if you spend after consolidating.

If you spend from a large UTXO (let's say 1 BTC), and buy something worth $50 (0.0008 BTC) with it, the receiver can see that you will get a change and are the owner of an UTXO of 0.9992 BTC.

"Dust" UTXOs

When you have smaller UTXOs, they might become economically infeasible to spend in a high fee environment (fee higher than the monetary value of the UTXO).

It's hard to know exactly what the future fee market will look like, but it can be assumed that the Bitcoin blockspace will be in high demand and the fees will rise.

Here's a good article by Unchained about unspendable "dust" UTXOs.

Jameson Lopp has created a useful tool called "Economically Unspendable Bitcoin UTXO Calculator" that can be used to project transaction fees in different fee environments with different address types.

To Consolidate or Not?

It depends on your personal preferences and how you're intending to spend your bitcoin in the future.

It's good to strive for a balance, taking into consideration the future fee market and the privacy concerns, and still remember that it's better to have spendable UTXOs that have lost some privacy than unspendable private UTXOs.

Never consolidate KYC coins with non-KYC coins!

The consensus among Bitcoiners is to avoid dust UTXOs as much as possible, and try to keep your UTXOs at 1 million sats minimum (0.01 BTC and around $600 in August 2024's prices).

It's been estimated that this threshold would secure your UTXOs being spendable even in a prolonged high-fee environment.

If you're ever in an emergency and need to spend your bitcoin, it's good to know that you will not spend most of your coins on fees!

Some recommend striving for even larger UTXOs, like 10 million sats (0.1 BTC) in case Bitcoin becomes a world reserve currency or hits mass adoption.

UTXO consolidation is extremely important for Bitcoiners with many small value UTXOs (e.g. Bitcoiners in Global South that have been saving $10 per week in BTC on-chain to self-custody wallets).

If fees go high, a Bitcoin UTXO worth $10 might become unspendable.

If you're mostly a hodler and you've been buying BTC in large purchases at a time, you generally don't have to worry too much about UTXO consolidation.

Send Small UTXOs to the Lighting Network for Spending!

Instead of consolidating UTXOs to an on-chain address, you can also open Lightning Network channels with them or send them to a Lightning wallet for easier spending.

Lightning Network also adds a layer of privacy to the UTXOs.

If you're buying bitcoin through an exchange, it might make sense to accumulate a large enough UTXO before you move the funds to self-custody.

Or you can use e.g. Liquid Network @liquid as an intermediary layer for storing coins in self-custody.

As a federated sidechain, Liquid has its own trade-offs.

You can learn more about Liquid in this Twitter thread I wrote in February 2024.

UTXO consolidation reduces the number of UTXOs in the network, which makes it easier to run a full Bitcoin node.

So consolidation has benefits to the network as well!

It can also streamline your own wallet experience.

Signing data-heavy transactions can be a burden to older hardware wallets that might even crash in the process!

What's your strategy for UTXO consolidation?

What's the ideal size of an UTXO in your opinion?

Additional Resources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqe0QCxjKpI @BTCsessions

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

What is ‘UTXO consolidation’ and how can it help me reduce transaction fees?

How to Manage Bitcoin UTXOs and Save on Transaction Fees

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/664880

@ 35f3a26c:92ddf231

The italian press ilPost stated that Pavel Durov is out, a bale of 5 million Euros, can't leave the country and has to go to a police station twice a week...

The known 12 charges leaked apparently are correct.

Link in Italian: https://www.ilpost.it/2024/08/28/pavel-durov-liberta-vigilata-francia/

telegram

pavel

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/664822

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

Table Of Content

• Understanding On-Chain Demand for Bitcoin

• The Growth of Bitcoin and Its On-Chain Demand

• Factors Affecting the On-Chain Demand for Bitcoin

• How is On-Chain Demand Measured?

• The Future of Bitcoin On-Chain Demand

• Conclusion

• FAQ

The rise of Bitcoin has been nothing short of meteoric over the past few years. As the world's first decentralized digital currency, it has captured the imagination of investors and traders alike. The underlying blockchain technology has made Bitcoin a viable investment option, with its unique features such as transparency, immutability, and decentralization. However, despite the hype surrounding Bitcoin, the on-chain demand for the cryptocurrency is growing at a slower rate than before.

Understanding On-Chain Demand for Bitcoin

On-chain demand for Bitcoin refers to the number of transactions taking place on the Bitcoin network. These transactions are recorded on the blockchain, a decentralized ledger that maintains a record of all Bitcoin transactions. On-chain demand is an important indicator of the popularity and adoption of Bitcoin as a currency and an asset.

The Growth of Bitcoin and Its On-Chain Demand

Bitcoin has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade, with its price soaring from a few cents to over $60,000 at its peak. This growth has been accompanied by an increase in the on-chain demand for Bitcoin. In the early days of Bitcoin, on-chain demand was low, and the network was only used by a small number of enthusiasts. However, as Bitcoin gained popularity, the number of transactions on the network grew rapidly.

Factors Affecting the On-Chain Demand for Bitcoin

Several factors affect the on-chain demand for Bitcoin, including:

1. Adoption: As more people adopt Bitcoin as a currency and an asset, the on-chain demand for the cryptocurrency increases.

2. Fees: The transaction fees associated with Bitcoin can impact the on-chain demand for the cryptocurrency. High fees can discourage people from using Bitcoin for transactions.

3. Network Congestion: Network congestion can slow down transaction processing times and reduce the on-chain demand for Bitcoin.

4. Market Sentiment: The overall sentiment in the cryptocurrency market can impact the on-chain demand for Bitcoin.

How is On-Chain Demand Measured?

On-chain demand for Bitcoin is measured by the number of transactions taking place on the network. This data is publicly available and can be accessed through blockchain explorers like Blockchain.info and Blockchair.com. These platforms provide real-time data on the number of transactions, the transaction volume, and the average transaction fees on the Bitcoin network.

The Future of Bitcoin On-Chain Demand

The on-chain demand for Bitcoin is still growing, but at a slower rate than before. This trend is partly due to the increase in transaction fees and network congestion, which have made it more difficult and expensive to use Bitcoin for transactions. However, despite these challenges, Bitcoin remains a popular investment option and is expected to continue growing in popularity in the future.

Conclusion

Bitcoin is still one of the most popular cryptocurrencies in the world, and its on-chain demand is a key indicator of its growth and adoption. While the on-chain demand for Bitcoin is growing at a slower rate than before, it is still increasing steadily, and this trend is likely to continue in the future. However, as the popularity of Bitcoin continues to grow, it is important to address the challenges facing the network, such as high transaction fees and network congestion, to ensure that the cryptocurrency remains accessible and affordable for everyone. Overall, the on-chain demand for Bitcoin may be growing at a slower rate, but the future of the cryptocurrency looks bright.

FAQ

What is on-chain demand for Bitcoin? On-chain demand for Bitcoin refers to the number of transactions taking place on the Bitcoin network.

Why is on-chain demand for Bitcoin growing at a slower rate than before? The increase in transaction fees and network congestion have made it more difficult and expensive to use Bitcoin for transactions.

How is on-chain demand for Bitcoin measured? On-chain demand for Bitcoin is measured by the number of transactions taking place on the network.

That's all for today

If you want more, be sure to follow us on:

NOSTR: croxroad@getalby.com

X: @croxroadnews

Instagram: @croxroadnews.co

Youtube: @croxroadnews

Store: https://croxroad.store

Subscribe to CROX ROAD Bitcoin Only Daily Newsletter

https://www.croxroad.co/subscribe

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.

@ b83a28b7:35919450

Join nostr:npub1tvqc82mv8cezhax5r34n4muc2c4pgjz8kaye2smj032nngg52clq0rkrq4 and me for episode 76 of nostr:npub14kw5ygpl6fyqagh9cnrytyaqyacg46lzkq42vz7hk8txdk49kzxs04j7y0 this Friday, August 30th at 3pm ET (UTC -4)

Our guest this week is nostr:npub1xv8mzscll8vvy5rsdw7dcqtd2j268a6yupr6gzqh86f2ulhy9kkqmclk3x from nostr:npub1getal6ykt05fsz5nqu4uld09nfj3y3qxmv8crys4aeut53unfvlqr80nfm who joins us to provide the lowdown on the recently launched Alby Hub

You don't want to miss this one!

Set your blockclocks!

https://nostrnests.com/

[This is our first show announcement made from a long-form client, in keeping with QW and my #otherstuffchallenge]

@ 9ca0bd74:4052340b

I don't think clients should assume everyone or most people are joining from bitcointwitter, although that does seem to be the case, it further cements the silo.

I think they do this perhaps unintentionally, perhaps slightly intentionally to retain those users. You see this assumption in user recommendations at onboarding and sidebars of highlighted notes. It screams "hello, bitcointwitter expat, look we have that Natalie Brunel here, and Carla, look Jimmy Song is here... everyone you love is here!" Which imo is totally alienating to anyone outside of this very specific bubble (and even some inside that bubble who are on bitcointwitter but have follows outside of that bubble too).

https://image.nostr.build/5d3af6ea8dc9473a1180c597f69aa90ae5409ca495c69d7e8bad13e6bc100213.jpg

You also see this in responses to the problem people raise of not finding content. The tired response of 'just follow more people' you see in #introductions too. This might be fine if you're coming from bitcointwitter (maybe you want to see a dozen more posts per second of people saying 'stack sats and stay humble' and an ai image of a robot holding a bitcoin, I don't know). But this doesn't help someone looking for other topics. Twitter is bigger than bitcointwitter. People interested in topiary can find that content on twitter, or Herefordshire folklore, an expert in eel migration, or a cultural commentator, or their favourite ayahuasca enema philosopher etc etc. They can find that on wider twitter. No amount of following numbers will help that on nostr. It's not here.... yet. Perhaps recommendations of topic hashtags to follow at the onboarding stage, or RSS feed accounts... or just acknowledging it's not here. I think it's fine to acknowledge this to somehow retain at least a semblance of this not just being a bitcoin telegram group for bitcointourettes.

https://image.nostr.build/53edfb0524086d3a8f5bf8dffe60de177f7436b6eb18c0fed97cffd7e025d228.jpg

@ 44dc1c2d:31c74f0b

Chef's notes

Makes an excellent Chicken sandwich.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 6 Ish hours
• 🍳 Cook time: 40 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 3 ½ - 4 cups bread flour, or more as needed
• 1 ⅓ cups warm milk (110°F – 115°F)
• 5 tablespoons honey
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 tablespoon instant “rapid rise” yeast
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• Oil or butter for greasing the bowl
• 1 tablespoon melted salted butter, for brushing the crust at the end

Directions

1. To prepare the dough, weigh the flour or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then leveling off any excess. In a large bowl, combine the flour with the warm milk, honey, melted butter, instant yeast, and salt. Mix by hand or with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer until a shaggy dough forms, gradually adding more flour, as necessary, to get the dough to come together so that it just pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
2. Switch to the dough hook attachment (or use your hands) to knead the dough until fairly smooth, about 7-8 minutes.
3. Oil a large mixing bowl. Place the dough in the greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 ½ - 2 hours.
4. Punch down the dough. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Pat the dough into a 9 x 12-inch rectangle. Starting on one of the short sides, roll up the dough to make a log; pinch the seams. Place the dough seam-side down in a lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
5. Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap; allow to rise for 1-2 hours, until it’s crowned about 1-2 inches over the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
6. Bake the bread for 40-45 minutes, tenting the top of the bread loosely with foil towards the end if the top starts to get too brown. The bread should be golden brown, and it should sound hollow when tapped.
7. Brush the top of the warm bread with melted butter.
8. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

@ dfe02069:d3e2fa29

Was überzeugte die Politik von der Beschaffung des Ebola-Medikaments Remdesivir? Das RKI schreibt schon den Namen falsch (Screenshot: Ergebnisprotokoll vom 09.05.2020)

Das Wichtige findet sich mitunter dort, wo man nicht schaut oder nicht schauen soll. Die im ersten Zug durch Paul Schreyer freigeklagten Protokolle waren teils unvollständig. Das Ergebnisprotokoll vom 09.05.2020 zum Beispiel galt für das RKI als unauffindbar.

Nicht jedoch für die Schwarmintelligenz.

Als vor kurzem alle RKI-Protokolle entschwärzt veröffentlicht wurden, begann im Netz die Suche nach den Goldnuggets. Der Datenanalyst Muh fand das Ergebnisprotokoll vom 09.05.2020 im Ordner mit Zusatzmaterial vom 14.05.2020. Ein Glücksfund, der wohl nur möglich ist, weil sich nun jeder selbst ein Bild machen kann und in den Dokumenten herumstöbern kann. Am Ende ist es die Arbeit von vielen, die das ganze Bild entstehen lässt.

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AUFRUF: Helfen Sie mit beim Durchstöbern der RKI-Dokumente! Auf der Seite www.rkileak.com können Sie die Dokumente nach Stichworten durchsuchen. Sachdienliche Hinweise erbeten an: kontakt@idw-europe.org

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War das Verschwinden des Dokuments Schludrigkeit oder Absicht? Eine versteckte Form der Dokumentenunterdrückung? Mit Suchfunktion wäre das fehlende Protokoll für RKI-Mitarbeiter, die auch über das Zusatzmaterial verfügten, nicht allzu schwer zu finden gewesen. Stattdessen meldete man es als verschollen und gab es auf Klage von Paul Schreyer nicht heraus. Und dann war da ja auch noch der „Serverbrand“ im RKI…

Sicher nur ein Zufall…(Screenshot RBB24)

Bisher waren vor allem zwei Informationen aus diesem Protokoll bekannt und interessant:

• Zum einen, dass die Inzidenzwerte „politisch gesetzt“ sind. Es war die Politik und nicht die Wissenschaft, die ab einer Inzidenz von 50 positiven Tests auf 100 000 Einwohner (in den Mainstream-Fakemedien flapsig „Ansteckungen“ genannt), automatisch bestimmte Maßnahmen in Kraft setzte.

• Zum anderen, dass es keine Evidenz für Masken im Freien gibt. Von der Politik und den Medien wurde das Gegenteil kolportiert.

Ein interessanter Hinweis findet sich im Protokoll auch auf das Medikament Remdesivir von Gilead, über das ich schon mehrfach berichtet habe. Dieses sehr teure Medikament wurde als Behandlung in der Frühphase der Pandemie trotz bedingten Zulassungen u.a. von Anthony Fauci empfohlen, obwohl es früh Hinweise auf die Gefährlichkeit des Medikaments gab. Wie viele Coronatote gehen auf das Konto von Remdesivir und den Einsatz von Beatmungsgeräten?

In einem früheren Beitrag schrieb ich:

„In der Schweiz und in den USA gab es frühe Notzulassungen. Dabei ist die Studienlage alarmierend. Ursprünglich war das Medikament gegen Ebola im Einsatz. In einer Studie von 2019, die im New England Journal of Medicine veröffentlicht wurde, zeigte Remdesivir die höchste Mortalität aller Präparate: 53,1% der mit Remdesivir Behandelten verstarben. In anderen Studien, auch bezüglich Covid, wurde die Effektivität von Remdesivir angezweifelt, selbst das Forbes Magazin und die New York Times berichteten kritisch.“

Es war Anthony Fauci, der das Medikament Remdesivir in den USA durchdrückte. Und das trotz Hinweisen anderer Forscher, dass die Sterblichkeitsrate in Ländern, wo es im Einsatz war höher war, als dort, wo es nicht benutzt wurde. Die Warnung verhallte folgenlos, wie so oft. Die Belege aus den Mails an Fauci finden Sie hier:

Was bewegte nun die Politik in Deutschland, insbesondere das Bundesgesundheitsministerium, das Medikament Remdesivir einzusetzen?

War es der Drang, es den USA nachzumachen? Auch hier könnte politischer Druck eine größere Wirkung gehabt haben als die wissenschaftliche Evidenzlage. Eine überzeugende neutrale Studie zu Remdesivir sucht man vergebens, alarmierende Hinweise findet man zuhauf.

Das bestätigen nun auch die Ergebnisprotokolle des RKI:

• Am 24.01.2020 ist Remdesivir “im Menschen nicht wirksam”

Ein nicht wirksames Medikament? Lasst uns gleich eine Bestellung aufgeben! (Screenshot: RKI-Protokoll vom 24.01.2020) - Am 27.01.2020 wird zur Wirksamkeit eine „dünne Evidenzlage“ vermerkt.

• Am 24.04.2020 vermerkte das RKI, dass Studien „nicht so vielversprechend“ seien.

• Am 02.05. 2020 wusste man, dass in einer chinesischen Studie der Nutzen in schweren Fällen sehr gering sei. Deutschland hat trotzdem 1000 Einheiten Remdesivir von Gilead erstanden.

• Am 09.05.2020 notierte das RKI zu Remdesivir:

• Besonders sticht der Satz ins Auge: „Für die Verwendung wäre klinische Studie eher wünschenswert“. Kam diese Studie irgendwann? Oder war sie am Ende dann eher politisch doch nicht so wünschenswert?

• Im Juli 2020 folgte die bedingte Zulassung von Remdesivir.

Dies wirft eine ganze Reihe von Fragen auf: Warum bestellt die Politik ein Medikament, von dessen Wirkung die mit Sachverstand ausgestattete Behörde (RKI) ganz offensichtlich nicht überzeugt ist, bzw. deren Gefährlichkeit bekannt ist und welches auch noch extrem teuer ist? Mehrtägige Behandlungen kosten Tausende von Euros.

Wo sind die angeblich wünschenswerten Studien zu Remdesivir, nachdem die bisherige Studienlage ziemlich desaströs aussah? Wieso hat das RKI nicht auf einer neuen Studie bestanden?

All das sind Fragen aus einer Zeit, als man noch daran glauben durfte, die Politik betreibe tatsächlich so etwas wie Gesundheitsschutz der Bevölkerung.

Aus heutiger Sicht ist eine andere Erklärung plausibler. Eine Pandemie ohne Panik kommt nicht weit. Für Panik braucht es angstgenerierende Ereignisse. „Die Toten von Bergamo“ waren so ein Ereignis. Die Gabe von Medikamenten wie Remdesivir in Verbindung mit Beatmungen könnte geholfen haben, die Todesstatistiken in die Höhe zu treiben, um Schocknachrichten über die ansonsten kaum ausgelasteten Intensivstationen verbreiten zu können. Es musste ja irgendwie in die Köpfe, dass Corona angeblich eine höchst gefährliche Seuche ist. Hinzu kommt: Medikamentengaben sind eine der häufigsten Todesursachen überhaupt und Obduktionen sind systematisch unterblieben. Jeder Tote mit positivem Corona-Test galt als Corona-Toter.

Ich wiederhole daher meine Frage aus meinem früheren Beitrag: Wie viele Coronatote waren Remdesivir-Tote?

Auch um diese Blindstelle wird eine Aufarbeitung nicht herum kommen.

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_ ANZEIGE: Da ich oft gefragt werde, wie man am einfachsten Bitcoin kauft: Mit der erfolgreichen Schweizer App Relai geht es in wenigen Schritten und ohne komplizierte Anmeldung. Man kann dort auch einfache Sparpläne einrichten. Niemand hat Zugriff auf Ihre Bitcoin, außer Sie selbst. Mit dem Referral-Code REL54052 sparen Sie Gebühren. (keine Finanzberatung)._

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Stromaufwärts zur Quelle geht es weiter. Sehen wir uns auf der Sommer-Lesereise? Ich besuche diesmal vor allem den Norden Deutschlands, alle Termine finden Sie hier (bitte eintragen).

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_ Herzlichen Dank, dass Sie meine Arbeit unterstützen! _

_Ich kann Ihnen auch manuell einen Zugang zur Publikation einrichten, wenn Sie lieber per Paypal, Überweisung oder Bitcoin (einmal Jahresbeitrag, ewiger Zugang) bezahlen.

@ dfe02069:d3e2fa29

Humor: auch eine antifragile Kompensation in Krisenzeiten (Grafik: Snicklink/Facebook)

Was passiert als nächstes? Das werde ich häufig gefragt, gerade auch auf meiner Lesereise. Sollte nicht noch zuerst der Strom ausfallen (Blackout), bevor irgendwann ein Blue-Beam-Hologramm die Ankunft von Aliens oder einer neuer Weltreligion verheißt? Der „Höllensommer“ fällt jedenfalls gerade gehörig ins Wasser. Die Vogelgrippe war zuletzt als nächste Pandemie im Gespräch, jetzt hat die WHO sich entschlossen, die Affenpocken (die schon letztes Jahr floppten) wieder auf die Agenda zu setzen. Die im Grunde verbotene „Gain-of-function“-Forschung, die Viren künstlich gefährlicher gemacht, muss ja auch weitergehen, und tut es offenbar.

Wird das jetzt Corona 2.0 oder nur ein Schrecktest, um ein paar Impfstoffe zu verkaufen, die neuen WHO-Regularien in der Praxis zu testen und den roten Teppich für den EU-Impfpass auszurollen? Für letzteren soll Deutschland ab September das Testland spielen.

Wie werden Sie reagieren?

Corona war ein erster großer Test der Weltbevölkerung. Es muss jedem klar sein, dass es nicht der einzige bleiben wird. Doch welche Herausforderung auch wartet. Wer bereit ist, mit vielem zu rechnen, auch dem Unwahrscheinlichen, positioniert sich strategisch, antizipierend, vorausahnend und reagiert im Ernstfall gefasst.

Der nächste Test ist immer der entscheidende. Wie wird die Menschheit diesmal reagieren? Auch umgekehrt ist es ein Test: Wieviel Misstrauen besteht in die gelenkte Welt, die sich um uns herum immer stärker herauskonturiert? Die entscheidende Frage ist jedoch: Wie werden Sie reagieren? Lernwilligkeit zeigt sich einzig an der Tat. Oder um es mit Nena zu sagen: Die Frage ist nicht, was die dürfen, sondern was wir mit uns machen lassen.

Am Ende entscheidet, wie immer, jeder für sich selbst, was er mit sich machen lässt. Das Roulette der Ereignisse dreht sich, und wir machen täglich unsere Einsätze.

Die Stoiker lehren, uns nur auf das zu konzentrieren, was wir verändern können. Alles andere bringt wenig. Sonst sind wir in einem ewigen Lamento-Loop über die Umstände gefangen, echauffieren uns als Empörungskollektiv am Stammtisch. Was wir verändern können sind nicht die Umstände, sondern nur unsere Reaktion darauf.

Antifragilität ist Innovation (Quelle: Maeda.pm)

Diese unsere Reaktion kann drei Formen haben und sie hängt hauptsächlich von unserer Einstellung ab, da jeder Mensch anpassungsfähig ist.

• Fragilität

• Resilienz/Robustheit

• Antifragilität

Ein schönes Beispiel für Antifragilität in der Erziehung stammt von Johnny Cash. Kennen Sie den Song „A boy named Sue“?

In dem Song wusste ein Vater, dass er sich nicht um seinen Sohn kümmern können würde, da er die Familie verlassen musste. Er konnte seinen Sohn auf die Widrigkeiten des Lebens nicht selbst vorbereiten, das Leben selbst musste diese Rolle übernehmen. Daher gab er seinem Sohn den Mädchennahmen „Sue“, einen Namen, mit dem er zwangsläufig gehänselt werden würde. Der starke Charakter, die „dicke Haut“ sollte sich durch eine Isolationserfahrung herausbilden. So kam es dann auch: Anfangs hasste der Sohn seinen Namen, er will sich sogar am Vater rächen und ihn umbringen. Im letzten Moment erklärt der Vater dem Sohn die Wahl des Namens und der Sohn versteht den Sinn und sie versöhnen sich.

Krise als erzwungenes Persönlichkeitswachstum

In Krisen ist die Fähigkeit zur psychischen Kompensation entscheidend. Schocks können auch heilsam sein, insbesondere wenn sie eine „Ent-Täuschung“ bewirken. Sie können einen klarer sehen lassen, was wirklich ist. Wie ist die wirkliche Beschaffenheit von Rechtsstaat, Demokratie und Grundrechten? Kultgleiche Massenformationen können blind wüten und Prinzipien dem Erdboden gleich machen. Das war die Lehre aus Corona und sie hält bis heute, mangels Aufarbeitung, an. Wie ist die wirkliche Beschaffenheit unseres Umfelds, unserer Familie, Freunde und Kollegen? Auch hierfür war Corona ein Testfall und das Ergebnis des Tests, so enttäuschend dieser auch ausgefallen sein mag, ist letztlich ein gewaltiges Kapital. Die Spreu wurde vom Weizen getrennt. Das Feld der falschen Freunde hat sich ausgedünnt, der Ballast ist über Bord. Die wahren stabilen Beziehungen haben sich herauskristallisiert. Im Moment der Bewährung zeigt sich der wahre Freund. Die kritischen Geister haben diese Etappe hinter sich und damit einen Vorsprung in der nächsten Krise vor allen anderen, die noch im Dunkel ihrer Illusionswelt tappen.

Antifragilität öffnet mehr Optionen (Quelle: Medium.com)

Wer Krisen antifragil angeht, sieht sie als Trainingsprogramm für seine Persönlichkeit. Wir erfahren uns durch extreme Situationen neu, konturieren uns heraus, wenn wir antifragil reagieren und erfahren neue Seiten unserer Persönlichkeit. Wir wissen durch Krisen zwangsläufig am Ende besser, wer wir sind; aus welchem Holz wir wirklich geschnitzt sind. Ein Leben, das man wohlgenährt in einem Sauerstoffzelt verbringt, wäre ein Leben ohne äußere Störungen und Krisen. Doch es wäre kein Leben, es wäre nur Existenz, welche unsere Potentiale und Stärken unangetastet lässt, da es keinen Anreiz gibt, diese herauszubilden. Alles würde in uns schlummern, was jetzt erwachen darf und soll.

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Krisen sind ein Katalysator für das Neue in uns, eine Wachstumschance, die man ergreifen kann oder nicht. Das gilt auch für die Angst, mit der in allen Krisen auf die ein oder andere Weise operiert wird. Krisen sind Angstkanalisationsmechanismen. Verschiebebahnhöfe der Emotionen. Auch der Angst kann man antifragil begegnen. Kampf statt Flucht. Wer die Angst umarmt und zum Tanz bittet, löst sie auf.

Gegen die Angst: “Konfrontiere dich mit allem und wachse”

Wer ein neues Leben beginnen will, muss bereit sein, zuerst das alte zu verlieren. Wer wollte sein Leben noch nie ändern? Krisen erzwingen bei den Antifragilen das Wachstum, welches noch nicht aus einem selbst heraus in Gang gekommen ist. Der Geburtskanal ist ein Tal der Schmerzen. Doch danach wartet das Licht.

Werden wir antifragil als Akt der Rebellion gegen die gelenkte Welt.

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Sehen wir uns auf Lesereise? Ich bin in den nächsten Tagen in/bei Rostock, Kyritz, Berlin, Potsdam und Dresden und lese aus “Stromaufwärts zur Quelle”. Alle Termine mit Eintragungsmöglichkeit hier.

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_ Herzlichen Dank, dass Sie meine Arbeit durch Ihre Unterstützung möglich machen! _

_Ich kann Ihnen auch manuell einen Zugang zur Publikation einrichten, wenn Sie lieber per Paypal, Überweisung oder Bitcoin (einmal Jahresbeitrag, ewiger Zugang) bezahlen.

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

@ dfe02069:d3e2fa29

Flucht – oder Wachsen an den Umständen? Wir haben die Wahl (Bild:Netzfund)

In diesen Tagen neigt sich eine lange (nahezu ausgebuchte) Lesereise dem Ende zu (letzte Termine siehehier), die im Frühjahr begann und mich an etwa 50 Orte in Deutschland und der Schweiz führte: in Vereinsheime, Scheunen, Schlösser, Keller, Buchhandlungen, Festsäle, Wohnzimmer, Gärten, ja sogar Gewächshäuser. In diesen vielen Lese- und Diskussionsstunden durfte ich den Puls der Zeit etwas näher fühlen, als es durch den bloßen Konsum der Nachrichtenlage möglich ist. Dafür bin ich dankbar, denn dafür war die Lesereise auch primär gedacht: für die direkte, unverstellte Begegnung und Vernetzung. Zu den konkreten Erfahrungen gleich.

Es ist nicht leicht, die eine große Veränderung zu beschreiben, die sich in den letzten Corona-Jahren manifestiert hat. Für viele war diese Zeit bereits ein Schock; für einige mehr wird sie noch zu einer Schockbehandlung, und zwar auf Raten. In der Haut letzterer will man lieber nicht stecken. Ist es schon schmerzhaft, wenn ein Weltbild in kürzester Zeit zerbricht, so muss die langsame Erosion eines Weltbildes über Jahre noch folgenreicher und letztlich teurer, bzw. selbstschädigender sein.

Kollaps der Arbeitsteilung

Der Schock der ersteren hatte nicht selten ein Zurückgeworfensein auf sich selbst zur Folge. Wem kann ich noch trauen? Muss ich nun jede Information selbst prüfen und wägen? Was kann ich Ärzten und der Justiz noch glauben?

(Quelle Video: Twitter/X)

In den letzen Jahren ist ein systemischer Bruch offenbar geworden, und zwar im Kern der Gesellschaftsorganisation selbst: Bei der Arbeitsteilung. Der französische Soziologe Emile Durkheim fragte sich, was Gesellschaften zusammenhält, und kam beim “Kollektivbewusstsein” heraus. Das Kollektivbewusstsein wird in Frühgesellschaften, die sich auf Tradition, Sitte und Moral gründen, durch Sanktion herausgeschält. Es regiert eine „mechanische Solidarität“, die sich im Strafrecht äußert. In modernen Gesellschaften regiert hingegen eine „organische Solidarität“, die sich in der sozialen Arbeitsteilung ausdrückt.

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Während Corona wurde diese organisch gewachsene Solidarität pulverisiert. Es wurde offenbar, dass nicht nur offizielle Stellen lügen, sondern auch die Medien und „die Wissenschaft“. Ärzte waren ausführende Kräfte, die mit Anreizen zur Impfung überhäuft wurden, viele davon sind bis heute überzeugt, dass sie gut und richtig handelten. Aufgrund dieser zusammenwirkenden, kumulativen Versagenssituation, die sich in der Politik bis hin zur Etablierung einer Doktrin des Handelns wider besseren Wissens (siehe RKI-Protokolle) steigerte, wurde das Vertrauen von Millionen Menschen in Institutionen und deren arbeitsteilig wirkende Akteure zerstört. Sie stehen nun auf dem Stand: Wie soll ich denen je wieder etwas glauben? Was ist, wenn all das sich in der ein- oder anderen Form wiederholt? An die Stelle der organischen Solidarität kam die mechanische wieder zurück, es folgte ein Zurück zur Logik der Herde. Wer nicht spurt, möge Schmerzen erfahren.

Die Unfähigkeit aufzuarbeiten

Im neuen Kollektivbewusstsein der Herdenmentalität erwachte zudem der „autoritäre Charakter“ wieder zum Leben. Der Sozialpsychologe Erich Fromm verstand darunter einen Gesellschaftscharakter, der Züge von extremem Gehorsam, Hang zum Autoritarismus und zur Destruktivität in sich vereinte. Andersdenkende werden nicht toleriert; die Doktrin darf keinen Schaden nehmen. Der autoritäre Charakter dient sich einer gesellschaftlichen Autorität an, um vor der eigenverantwortlich wahrgenommenen Freiheit zu fliehen. Wer sich als Knecht empfindet, findet sich seinen Herrn. Den neo-totalitären Staat charakterisiert zwar, dass man “lange seine Hieroglyphen nicht entziffern kann” (Jünger). Aber man kann schon früh erste Schlüsse über dessen Ausrichtung aus dem Umstand ziehen, welche Affekte er in der Bevölkerung weckt. Dies waren unter anderem Gehorsam, Furcht und Hang zur Denunziation.

Seit diesem systemischen Bruch klafft eine offene Wunde und sie wird dadurch offen gehalten, dass das Corona-Thema unaufgearbeitet wegretouchiert werden soll. Die Verleugnung grober Fehler und Zusammenhänge steht heute eher an der Tagesordnung, als die Bereitschaft zur Aufarbeitung. Impfschäden en masse sind immer noch ein Tabuthema. Die Betroffenen werden nicht ernst genommen. Woher kommt diese Hemmung? Alexander Mitscherlich hat diese Mechanismen in seinem Buch „Die Unfähigkeit zu trauern“ in Bezug auf die Aufarbeitung der NS-Verbrechen beleuchtet. Seine Ausführung zur Aufarbeitungsaufschiebung klingen nun wieder sehr aktuell:

„Der zweite Trend läßt sich wesentlich schwerer beschreiben. Er bezieht sich auf eine Reaktionsträgheit, die sich in unserem gesamten politischen und sozialen Organismus bemerkbar macht. Die Einsichten, die hier mit Hilfe seelischer Sperrungen abgewehrt werden, sind ungelöste oder unzureichend verstandene Probleme unserer gegenwärtigen Gesellschaft. Wo wir höchste Aufmerk­samkeit erwarten dürfen, stoßen wir auf Indifferenz. Diese diffus verteilte Anteilnahmslosigkeit wird besonders dann bemerkbar, wenn man sich die rasche Veränderung unserer materiellen Um­welt vor Augen hält. Lebhaftes Interesse bei allen Beteiligten für technische Probleme steht in Kontrast zur Indolenz, mit der unsere politischen Grundrechte behandelt werden. Die Anteil­nahme an alledem, was einer aufgeklärten Öffentlichkeit am Herzen liegen sollte, ist relativ gering.“

Mitscherlich konstatiert der Gesellschaft eine Mischung aus infantilem Selbstschutz („Der Führer war an allem schuld“) und libidinöser Verstrickung des eigenen Ichs mit einem Fremd-Ideal, welches in die eigene Persönlichkeit mitintegriert wird. Wird diese Autoritätsfigur öffentlich demontiert, verteidigt sie der Gehorsame, und damit sich mit. Zerfällt die Autoritätsfigur gar, drohen eigene Persönlichkeitsteile zu zerfallen, so stark kann die Identifikation sein. Die Scham darüber, einem Manipulator aufgesessen zu sein, kann verhindern, diesen Umstand überhaupt sehen zu wollen.

Mit der libidinösen Manipulation vermischt sich das inkarnierte Fremd-Ideal mit dem Ich-Ideal. Man fiebert mit dem System (oder der Autorität) mit, wünscht sich einen siegreichen Kampf gegen – Geschichte wiederholt sich teilweise – Russland und ein Virus! Die Enttäuschung und Entzauberung des inkarnierten Fremd-Ideals greift das eigene Ich an, was einem existentiellen Desaster gleicht. Das falsche Ego muss nun als Privatgötze überleben, gehe darüber auch die Welt unter. Dieser Götzenkult der falschen Egos verhindert gerade ein Lernen aus der Pandemie und damit den Fortschritt. Wer die Ideal-Bildung nicht mitmachte, wird als Feind angesehen. Die Aggression wandert weg vom Innenbereich der Gesellschaft an den Randbereich, sie reagiert sich an den Sündenböcken ab („Pandemie der Ungeimpften, „Tyrannei der Ungeimpften“ etc.). Wer findet noch, dass die psychologische Fabrizierung einer „Massenformation“ als psychologisches Muster allein Diktaturen vorbehalten ist?

All dies wird gerade flankiert von einer schizophrenen Erinnerungskultur, die eher eine Vergessenskultur zum Ziel zu haben scheint. Die Erinnerung an die NS-Zeit wird ritualhaft extrapoliert, zugleich werden Vergleiche mit heute zum Tabu erklärt. So bleibt die Erinnerungsschleife leer, da folgenlos. Aus dem Früher darf für das Heute nichts gelernt werden, Muster nicht benannt werden. Bei den RKI-Mitarbeitern half die eigene Erinnerungsinstallation im Eingangsbereich des Hauses jedenfalls nicht, einem experimentellen Menschenversuch Einhalt zu gebieten. Eine moralische Bankrotterklärung, die noch lange nachwirken wird.

Wann kommt der Kipppunkt?

Bei meinen zahlreichen Lesungen erfuhr ich in vielen Gesprächen, dass die Kluft zu Andersdenkenden immer noch besteht. Es kommt kaum etwas in Bewegung, alles stockt, wirkt eingefroren und in den Mantel des Verdrängens und Vergessens gehüllt. Im Familien- und Freundeskreis sind die Gräben oft immer noch unverändert tief.

Während einer Lesung im “Kunst Kontor” in Potsdam kam es zum Clash zwischen Verteidigern der Coronapolitik, der politischen Klasse und der Mainstream-Medien und einem kritischen Publikum. Dieser Clash endete damit, dass nach Diskussion und Wortwechsel eine Person den Raum fluchtartig verließ, eine andere offen bekannte, sich mit widersprechenden Informationen gar nicht beschäftigen zu wollen. Was man dann von einer kritischen Lesung erwartet, weiß ich nicht.

Der Abend in Potsdam vor einem gemischt-gutbürgerlichen Publikum zeigte wohl jedem, wie groß die Gräben derzeit noch sind. Gleichzeitig sind es genau solche Begegnungen – zu selten finden sie überhaupt statt – welche den Anfang machen müssen, um letztlich zu einer Aufklärung zu kommen. Der Aufklärungsdruck kommt keinesfalls von oben, sondern immer nur von unten. Alles beginnt mit dem unverstellten, direkten Gespräch, auch wenn dieses im ersten Moment noch fruchtlos erscheinen mag.

Ein Gedanke, der mir immer wieder kam: Der Mensch reagiert auf Anreize. Welchen Anreiz hat die Gegenseite, an einer Aufklärung mitzuwirken? Es erwartet sie doch nur ein schmerz-, schuld- und schamhafter Prozess. Doch sich der Wahrheit zu stellen, bedeutet eine Katharsis durchzumachen, eine Form der Selbstreinigung. Das Beschweigen zerfrisst irgendwann von innen. Die Barriere der „bewussten Blindheit“ ist nur eine Augenbinde, die immer poröser wird. Prokrastination lohnt nicht, denn am Ende kommt immer der “Moment der Wahrheit”. Letztlich wird der nichtaufgearbeitete Schmerz und dessen Überwindung, also das Verlassen des Tals der Schmerzen, der finale Anreiz sein, sich der Realität zu stellen. So entscheidet jeder über den Grad des Schmerzes selbst.

Bei einer der letzten Lesungen im Buchhaus Loschwitz in Dresden, führte Kilian Forster, u.a. Intendant der Dresdner-Jazztage, musikalisch durch die Lesung. Zum Auftakt der Lesung nahm der Profi-Kontrabassist zur Überraschung aller am Flügel Platz und spielte mein Lieblingsstück von Chopin, die “Revolutions-Etüde”. Diese schrieb der junge Pianist und Komponist unter dem Eindruck der Juli-Revolution 1830 in Frankreich, bei der sich Bürgertum und Proletariat gegen eine übergriffige Regierung verbanden.

In dem kraftvollen und furiosen Klavierstück wird die ungestüme Kraft beschworen, die in dieser Verbindung liegt. Sternstunden der Menschheit gelingen in überraschenden, unwahrscheinlichen Konstellationen; sie beginnen mit Verbrüderung und Annäherung unter Gleichen. Das einzigartige Talent des Menschen liegt in seiner Kooperationsfähigkeit. Dazu braucht es zuvor Kommunikation.

(Lesung im Buchhaus Loschwitz/Dresden am 29.08.2024)

Ich danke allen Veranstaltern der Lesungen für die blendende Organisation und die Gastfreundschaft. Ich durfte Menschen kennenlernen, die durch ihr tägliches Vorbild vorleben, dass sie bereit sind für eine neue Entwicklungsstufe: die der Kooperation und friedvollen Wahrheitssuche. Krisen sind Wachstumspunkte. An ihnen konturieren wir uns heraus, werden stärker, resilienter, antifragiler. Was soll auch die Alternative sein? Wir sind letztlich zum Wachstum gezwungen.

Unsere Zukunft als Spezies hängt gerade maßgeblich davon ab, ob wir fähig sind, diesen Entwicklungssprung in Sachen Kooperation zu vollziehen. Die einen fliehen vor der Freiheit in die Destruktivität. Andere nehmen sich die Freiheit zur Konstruktivität.

Letzteren gehört die Zukunft.

---

AKTION (Nur solange der Vorrat reicht): Beim Abschluss eines Jahresabos im September sende ich Ihnen eine signierte Version von “Stromaufwärts zur Quelle”!

_ Herzlichen Dank, dass Sie meine Arbeit unterstützen! _

_Ich kann Ihnen auch manuell einen Zugang zur Publikation einrichten, wenn Sie lieber per Paypal, Überweisung oder Bitcoin (einmal Jahresbeitrag, ewiger Zugang) bezahlen.

@ 5b0183ab:a114563e

While we watch the world slip further and further into geo political turmoil it's adundently clear that information will be a choke point and platforms will bend the knee, or suffer consequences. We recently witnessed the threat of TikTok take down, X being targeted by the EU for misinformation, and now the CEO of Telegram being arrested in France.

But I am not hear to talk about CEO's, massive corporate conglomerates, or government overreach.... I am here to talk about the everyday internet citizen making a livelihood on the internet. The bakery owner, the tech company, the real estate agent, the YouTube content creator, the podcast extraordinaire and on and on. Anyone making a living within the walled garden of a platform are reliant upon the choices that one company makes.

You see unlike platforms, Nostr is a censorship resistant, permissionless protocol in which you create your identity on. It's decentralized cohesion with no single point of failure. It sets your profile free of any barrier of departure. When you build your brand on one client (app) it works in the next. Your followers, your follows, your communication, your entire social graph is present and interoperable. For the first time, all the time you spent cultivating your livelihood is truly owned by you.

So let's zoom out and talk about what this revolutionary approach achieves. This shifts the power back to the individual. Clients are beholden to your needs, your desires. The free market of choice is achieved by demand for certain features, certain algorithms, certain actions. We are no longer beholden to the choices of few that can decimate our livelihoods. Clients become powerless to free market will. We are never sold out in the form of a privacy policy update, added fees or any other sly roundabout way of profiteering without consequences. When users wield the power, they dictate demand which in turn drives client innovation.

When we look back at the past few decades we see the variation of fads, the build ups of platforms and the ultimate demise of technological cycles. AOL, Myspace, Facebook, Snapchat, etc.... Would if your work you put into those platforms building your brand, your time.... was transferrable? As in, your brand lives on and you do not need to "start over?"

You see, this is exactly what Nostr provides. Nostr captures your time and builds value through time. This is revolutionary in a day and age where you are the product within the silos.

Over the past couple years we have seen an explosion of Nostr clients hit the ecosystem. Everything you can possibly want and desire as a creator or consumer is being built on Nostr, or can be. While it is very much early, it is growing at a steady pace and the time is now to own your piece of internet sovereignty.

In closing, I will leave you with this.... Based off history we can easily predict what platforms will do over time. What we cannot predict is what Nostr will do in time, and that's the most exciting part.

@ dfe02069:d3e2fa29

Dieser Text erscheint etwas unplanmäßig kurz nach dem erschreckenden Attentat auf den slowakischen Premierminister Robert Fico. Der slowakische Ministerpräsident lebt wie kaum ein anderer Politiker in Europa vor, was er unter Souveränität versteht: Er leistet sich eine eigene Meinung zur Ukraine und EU ebenso, wie er sich für die Aufarbeitung der Impfschäden einsetzt oder den WHO-Pandemievertrag ablehnt. Das Nein der Slowakei brachte den WHO-Vertrag zuletzt vorerst zu Fall. Kein schlechter Moment, um ein "Signal" an all jene zu senden, die Ähnliches in der Zukunft vorhaben? Der Putsch von oben wird inzwischen offen gewaltsam geführt. Fico begab sich auf genau das "gefährliche Terrain", welches überhaupt nur für diejenigen existiert, die in der Politik nicht die letzte Stufe der Entscheidungsgewalt vermuten. Bei Fico kommt der Satz zum Tragen, den Voltaire ausgesprochen haben soll: "Wenn du herausfinden willst, wer dich beherrscht, finde einfach heraus, wen du nicht kritisieren darfst." Diesen Text widme ich - mit den besten Genesungswünschen in die Slowakei - allen mutigen Menschen, die unter Einsatz ihres Lebens demokratische Errungenschaft verteidigen.

"What was the price on his head? I think I heard a shot..." \

"Wake up" -- Rage against the machine

Friedrich Nietzsche wusste: „Die beste Ehe ist eine, die mal eine Ausnahme zulässt." Das Regime zweier Menschen, geschlossen nicht selten „zur gegenseitigen Benutzung ihrer Geschlechtseigenschaften" (so Kants Definition) lebt von der Regel der Monogamie (bis auf nietzscheanische Ausrutscher): Die Regel gilt, die Ausnahme ist bedeutungslos (oder für Nietzsche: eine Aufwertung der Ehe). Was ist mit der Staatsgewalt, die einmal eine Ausnahme zulässt, quasi im Verhältnis Bürger und Staat? Veredelt diese sich auch? Oder entkleidet sie sich in diesem Moment jeglicher Legitimität? Wer bestimmt, wann der rechtliche Ausnahmezustand verhängt wird und das Recht suspendiert, also aufgehoben, wird? Diese Frage berührt den Punkt der letzten Entscheidungsgewalt im Staate und damit unmittelbar den Punkt der Souveränität.

Permanenter Ausnahmezustand?

Es soll im Moment des Ausnahmefalls oder auch Notstands sein, dass der wahre Souverän das Parkett betritt. Im Ausnahmefall „sondert sich die Entscheidung von der Rechtsnorm, und (um es paradox zu formulieren) die Autorität beweist, dass sie, um Recht zu schaffen, nicht selbst Recht zu haben braucht". Das ist, kurz skizziert, die Lehre Carl Schmitts, einem der schillerndsten Staatsrechtler des 20. Jahrhunderts, für viele aufgrund seiner NS-Vergangenheit (als er sich Hitler anbiederte) verfemt, trotzdem bis heute für die Klarheit seiner Analysen immer noch wirkmächtig. Schmitt ging dorthin, wo das Staatsrecht für andere ndete, und darüber hinaus. An die Grenzfragen. Schmitt glaubte nicht an die parlamentarische Demokratie der Weimarer Prägung. Die Idee der „Volkssouveränität" musste ihm wie ein Schönwetterkonzept vorkommen. Wenn alles reibungsfrei läuft, gilt die Demokratie und die Rechtsordnung. Im Notfall: „etwas anderes". Der Entscheider über dieses „andere" war für ihn der wahre Souverän. Denn für ihn ist es die Ausnahme, die alles beweist, und die Regel nichts.

Die Frage nach der Souveränität stellt sich heute angesichts zahlreicher Aushöhlungsversuche auf allen Ebenen in immer neuem Kleid und in ganz neuer Dringlichkeit. Im Verhältnis von Bundesstaat zu Kanton oder Bundesland; im Verhältnis des Staates und des Bürgers zu übergeordneten supranationalen Strukturen, Vertragswerken oder Bündnissen, wie dem Europarat, der UNO, WHO, EU oder Nato. Sie äußert sich auch in Beziehungen zwischen dem Einzelnen und seiner Umwelt, dem Rechtssystem, der Wirtschaft, dem Staat, und artikuliert sich in Fragen wie Überwachung, Dateneigentum, bis hin zu Manipulation und Gehirnwäsche. Dort wo Machtverhältnisse existieren, oder gar multipliziert werden, stellt sich die Souveränitätsfrage immer neu und immer anders. Wenn Demokratie gleich „Volkssouveränität" bedeutet, kann die Letztentscheidung stets nur beim Souverän, dem Bürger liegen. Doch wie souverän ist der Souverän?

Souveränitätsproblem EGMR

Nehmen wir ein aktuelles Beispiel: Im April 2024 wurde die Schweiz vom Europäischen Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte (EGMR) in Straßburg verurteilt, weil die Schweizer Regierung nicht genügend Maßnahmen ergriffen habe, um die Folgen des Klimawandels abzuwenden. Geklagt hatte eine Gruppe von Schweizer „Klimaseniorinnen", die verdächtig an „Omas gegen Nazis" erinnern. Der EGMR legt die völkerrechtliche Konvention der Europäischen Menschenrechtserklärung letztverbindlich aus und stellt Verletzungen der Konvention fest (freilich ohne administrativen Durchgriff auf die nationalstaatlichen Entscheidungszentren). Schon in diesem Fall steckt ein Souveränitätsproblem, wie es sich in zahlreichen Beziehungen ebenso äußert. Das Urteil schreibt der Schweiz nichts vor, es hat jedoch Signalwirkung, setzt die Schweiz unter Zugzwang. Dies hatte zuvor in ähnlicher Form in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland auch das Deutsche Bundesverfassungsgericht in einem Beschluss getan.

Was passiert nun, wenn der Bundesrat neue Klimaschutzgesetze auf den Weg bringt? Hatte dann der EGMR also eine Art Initiativrecht am Schweizer Stimmbürger vorbei? Was passiert weiterhin, wenn das Gesetz erfolgreich durch ein Referendum zu Fall gebracht werden würde? Wenn also die Stimmbürger ihrerseits ein verfassungsmäßiges Recht zum Ausdruck bringen und die Umsetzung des Straßburger Urteils ablehnen? Bestünde dann nicht die eigenartige Situation, dass der Wille des Volkes zugleich eine Menschenrechtsverletzung darstellte? Dies wiederum kollidiert mit der klassischen Funktion der Menschenrechte, nämlich Abwehrrechte des Bürgers gegen freiheitsverringernde Eingriffe des Staats zu sein. Wäre die direkte souveräne Entscheidung des Stimmbürgers in diesem Fall eine Art „Selbstverletzung"? Und ähnelte der EGMR mit seinem deklaratorischen Urteil dann nicht einem Arzt mit Garantenpflicht für seinen Patienten, dem er in den „selbstschädigenden" Arm fällt? Wir leben in einer Zeit permanenter Souveränitätskollisionen und Verschiebungen der Machtzentren weg vom Bürger als Souverän der Demokratie hin zu administrativen Entscheidungsstrukturen, Stiftungen und NGOs oder zum Hegemon des „current thing", einem ständig tagenden, medial verbreiteten Wohlfahrtsausschuss, in welchem das aktuelle Gute täglich neu herausgeschält wird, gerne, um die jeweils aktuelle Regierungslinie zu stützen.

Die Souveränität als Proteus

Souveränität hat heute einige Gesichter mehr als zu den Zeiten von Locke, Pufendorf und Bodin, als sich die Souveränitätsfrage in der politischen Theorie besonders stellte. Souveränität gilt (in verschiedenen Variationen) als „höchste, rechtlich unabhängige, nicht abgeleitete Macht". Die Instanz der Letztentscheidung in den wichtigsten Angelegenheiten ist der Souverän. Andere sind (ob cachiert oder nicht): Untergebene.

Wer souverän ist, ist schnell auch mächtig. Diese Souveränität ist heute an allen Ecken und Enden bedroht:

• An Souveränität mangelt es, wenn man nicht darf, wie man will.

• Doch auch dort, wo man zwar darf, aber möglichst nicht wollen soll (wie im Fall manipulativer Einflüsse auf die Willensbildung).

• Schließlich auch dort, wo man faktisch nicht kann, selbst wenn man darf, weil die Souveränitätsentscheidung zu hohe Folgekosten generieren könnte (internationale Isolation, Boykott, Ächtung).

Souveränität ist in einer multipolaren, multikomplexen Welt zunehmend eine Behauptungsformel mit „proteischem\" Charakter. War Souveränität klassisch gerne von Außen bedroht, so ist sie es immer häufiger von Innen.

Es ist kein Geheimnis, dass Demokratien sterben können, wie Steven Levitsky und Daniel Ziblatt („Wie Demokratien sterben") skizzierten. Seit der Lehre vom Verfassungskreislauf (Polybius, Cicero) oder dem Elitenzirkel (Pareto, Mosca, Michels) ist unbestritten, dass Demokratien auch von innen zerfallen können, sobald sie beginnen, ihre Grundwerte zu verraten. Für den Politikwissenschaftler Sheldon Wolin entsteht aus der Verbindung von Politik und Wirtschaft eine „Democracy Inc.", die als „umgekehrter Totalitarismus" in bürokratische Strukturen und uninspirierte Politikergesichter wandert.

Die Entartung der Demokratie beginnt mit dem Verrat am Souverän selbst. Nicht er herrscht dann noch, sondern zunehmend eine ominöse Stimme aus dem „Off". Diese Stimme herrscht durch ein Diktat der öffentlichen Meinung, sie tagt als ständiger Wohlfahrtsausschuss, als Orakel eines öffentlichen fiktiven Willens und ausführende Gewalt über eine vor sich hergetriebene Menge. Die Demokratie wird zur Theokratie, einem Kult und Tanz um das Kalb des „guten Menschen". Hinter der säkularen Fassade kommt das theokratische Element heraus, das für Denker vom Schlage Schmitts (der sich auf Donoso Cortèz bezog), nie gänzlich entschwunden war. Der Moment der Wahrheit ist nicht selten der Ausnahmezustand, der für die Jurisprudenz (laut Schmitt) analog das ist, was das Wunder für die Theologie ist.

Der Ausnahmezustand legt den Schalter um

Der Ausnahmezustand hat eine Scharnierfunktion. Durch ihn lässt sich das aktuelle System in einen Narkosezustand versetzen. Der Ausnahmezustand lockt mit dem Anreiz nahezu unbegrenzter Macht. Was dann folgt, ist nicht Anarchie oder Chaos, sondern die „politische Entscheidung", welche sich selbst verpflichtet, das Richtige, Beste und Notwendige zu tun, um die Ordnung zu bewahren.

In der Politik scheint es Themen erster und zweiter Ordnung zu geben. Die Themen der zweiten Ordnung sind alle, die nach einem politischen Tauziehen entschieden werden, in den Kanälen des Rechts und im Kleid eines festen Prozedere. Hier wird debattiert, verhandelt, nach Alternativen und Kompromissen gesucht sowie am Ende abgestimmt und entschieden. Der normale demokratische Prozess eben. Themen der ersten Ordnung sind alle, die von solcher Wichtigkeit sind, dass im Vornherein ein festes Ergebnis „gesetzt" ist, und der normale politische Prozess ein Risiko wäre, da er eine Abweichung vom Ergebnis zur Folge haben könnte. Hier wird das Gebiet des Politischen, also des nach Alternativen suchenden Prozesses, verlassen.

Das Mittel der Wahl, um Themen der ersten Ordnung durchzubekommen, ist der Ausnahmezustand oder Notstand. Es ist der Ausnahmezustand, der den demokratischen Prozess in gewisser Weise „entweiht", zumindest aber herabwürdigt. Denn der demokratische Prozess existiert ja, um aus Rede und Gegenrede, These und Antithese, trial & error im Idealfall eine sachlich „bessere" Entscheidung zu generieren, als dies ein einzelner Akteur kraft seines begrenzten Wissens je könnte. „Form follows function" könnte man kunsttheoretisch anmerken. Der Ausnahmezustand zerschlägt die bisherige Form und begründet die neue Form mit der „Notwendigkeit" oder „Dringlichkeit". Das ist eine paradoxe Blindstelle in modernen Verfassungen: Je wichtiger eine Entscheidung, desto undemokratischer ist sie zu fällen. Und diese Regel scheint unabhängig davon zu gelten, dass nicht selten die Dringlichkeit der Entscheidung nur ein Vorwand ist, um die Demokratie auszuhebeln, da auch demokratische Prozesse im Notfall schnell ablaufen könnten.

Ausnahmezustand, Freund-Feind-Denken, Politische Theologie: Wer sich in der aktuellen Politik umsieht (das Großraumdenken der NATO-Prägung hinzugenommen), sieht überall das Denken Carl Schmitts am Werk, und das, man staune, von einem Personal, das überall demonstrativ das Banner des „Antifaschismus" vor sich herträgt. Was zeichnet den Souverän nach Carl Schmitt aus? „Er entscheidet sowohl darüber, ob der extreme Notfall vorliegt, als auch darüber, was geschehen soll, um ihn zu beseitigen." Wer entscheidet, ganz konkret, bei Gesundheitsnotständen, Klimakrise oder Krieg?

Gesundheitsnotstand

Gerade wird ein Pandemie-Pakt zwischen der WHO und ihren Mitgliedsstaaten ausgehandelt. Hinzu kommt noch eine Veränderung der internationalen Gesundheitsvorschriften. Derzeit ist geplant, dass der Generalsekretär der WHO die Pandemie weltweit ausruft und „Maßnahmen" vorgibt. Carl Schmitt hat es doch tatsächlich vom Kronjuristen des Dritten Reiches zum Chef-Architekten des WHO-Hygienefaschismus gebracht. Der WHO-Vertrag ist die posthume „Beförderung\" des Carl Schmitt.

Die Mitgliedsstaaten „müssen", wie es im Vertragstext zur Stunde heißt, „den Empfehlungen" der WHO folgen. Eine Zwitterformel, denn Empfehlungen sind gerade nicht bindend. Wer sie befolgen „muss", wird zugleich doch an eine normative Kette gelegt. Zweifel eines Mitgliedsstaates an der Legitimität einer WHO-Entscheidung, ja gar ein Auskunftsanspruch auf Offenlegung der Entscheidungsgrundlage oder noch besser: eine juristische Überprüfbarkeit vor einem unabhängigen Gremium, scheint nicht vorgesehen zu sein. „Bindende Empfehlungen" sind in etwa wie das Angebot aus Coppolas „Der Pate": Es ist das Angebot, das die Politik nicht ablehnen kann. Und damit ist es ein Angriff auf Demokratie und Souveränität. Seit dem Ende der Corona-Zeit (die weder offiziell beendet noch ansatzweise aufgearbeitet ist) ist de facto eine Krönungsmesse des WHO-Generalsekretärs zum Weltsouverän im Gange. Die Wissenschaft spielt die Begleitmusik dazu. Corona war die Generalprobe einer Herrschaft der Wissenschaft, ohne dass es - wie die RKI-Files zeigen - um Wissenschaft ging, denn das politische „Team Wissenschaft" hörte gar nicht auf „die Wissenschaft", sondern betrieb ihre eigene szientistische Hexenküche.

Klimanotstand

Es war nicht lange nach den Corona-Lockdowns, als Hardliner wie der deutsche Gesundheitsminister den „Klimalockdown" ins Gespräch brachten. Lauterbach verkündete auch, man werde ab jetzt „immer im Ausnahmezustand sein". Kanzler Scholz kannte da ohnehin „keine roten Linien" mehr. Es ist unschwer zu erkennen, dass Corona als Blaupause für andere (echte oder selbstgemachte) Krisen gilt. Neben den Medien und der klimabewegten Jugend, die permanent hofiert wird, hilft auch die Rechtsprechung eifrig mit, die Herrschaft der Klimabewegung zu begründen. Die Hitze der Sonne lässt mit den Polkappen auch die Souveränität dahinschmelzen.

Transgender-Ideologie

In Deutschland wurde vor kurzem das Selbstbestimmungsgesetz erlassen, welches es nun ermöglicht, das Geschlecht zu ändern und dies in den Pass oder die Identitätskarte eintragen zu lassen. Selbstbestimmung klingt nach Souveränität. Doch die Transideologie hat aus einer Veranlagung im Promillebereich ein weltweites non-binäres Phänomen gemacht, mit dem sich ein wachsender Prozentsatz von Jugendlichen identifiziert. Mit der Möglichkeit der geschlechtlichen Selbstbestimmung ist schon in jungen Jahren ein Einfallstor für einen Fremdeinfluss medialer oder propagandistischer Herkunft gegeben. Zugleich wird der „Transmensch" allerorten gefeiert, gewinnt Buchpreise (Kim de l`Horizon), Lesewettbewerbe (Dragqueen Olivia Jones), Schönheitswettbewerbe (Niederlande) oder den Eurovision Song Contest (Nemo). Wer „in die Transition" geht, wird gefeiert und verehrt. Der enttäuschten Sehnsucht nach Woke-Initiationsritualen folgt ein Marathon aus hormonellen Behandlungen und oft nur schwer reversiblen Operationen.

Kriegszustand

Der Krieg ist der Vater aller Dinge, wusste Heraklit. Er ist auch der Vater des autoritären Staates. Es ist augenfällig, dass zahlreiche Elemente aus den Bereichen Corona, Klima oder Transgender an einen Debattenraum im Kriegszustand erinnern: "Wer Kritik äußert, hilft dem Feind". Das Schicksal von Verrätern ist in allen Kriegen das gleiche altbekannte. Der andauernde Krieg zwischen Russland und der Ukraine sowie die schwelende Auseinandersetzung im Nahen Osten zwischen Israel, Gaza und dem Iran kann leicht zu einer Situation der formellen Kriegserklärungen werden. Im Kriegsnotstand tritt in Deutschland ein Notparlament in Kraft, der „Gemeinsame Ausschuss". Ist dieses Parlamentchen mit 48 Menschen nicht schon eher eine Großregierung? Wer den Einfluss von regierungsnahen Expertenräten bei Corona noch im Gedächtnis hat, weiss, dass spätestens dann die Demokratie in Deutschland vollends aufgehoben ist, der Souverän ist entmachtet. De facto herrscht das Duo von Regierungsmeinung und „Öffentlicher Meinung".

Ob Demokratien dann mit einem Knall oder einem Wimmern sterben, ist zu diesem Zeitpunkt vielleicht bereits zweitrangig. Der mögliche, da leicht ins unendliche veränderbare Kriegsknall für die Demokratie liest sich im Juristendeutsch jedenfalls schön als Epitaph auf dem Grabstein der Demokratie:

RIP Demokratie,

du verschlucktest dich an diesem Satz des Art. 115h des Grundgesetzes:

„Während des Verteidigungsfalles ablaufende Wahlperioden des Bundestages oder der Volksvertretungen der Länder enden sechs Monate nach Beendigung des Verteidigungsfalles."

Die Beisetzung fand ohne Anwesenheit der Beteiligten statt: Wo war der wahre Souverän, der das hätte verhindern können?

Der lange Weg zur Souveränität beginnt im Moment des Widerstands.

@ 472f440f:5669301e

I'm sure you are all well aware of the news out of France. The French government has made the bold move of arresting the founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, after charging him with 12 criminal counts ranging from "complicity in web-mastering an online platform in order to enable an illegal transaction in organized group" to "importing a cryptology tool ensuring authentication or integrity monitoring without prior declaration".

Telegram is an extremely popular messaging app that is used by almost 1 billion people from around the world. I have personally been a user for seven years and it is very dismaying to see the French government attack an entrepreneur who has built a widely used and loved app. We've said it many times over the years in this rag, governments need to stop throwing the baby out with the bath water by attacking successful businesses for the crimes their users commit and begin doing better law enforcement. It makes no sense to demonize a technology for the crimes that are committed by a small minority of users of that tool. Is the French government going to go after the CEO of Bic, the largest producer of pens in the world, because there are pen pals out there who use their pens to write letters in which they coordinate criminal activity? If we apply the same logic behind the decision to arrest Pavel it would seem that the Bic CEO should be a bit worried.

Who knows what evidence the French government has against Pavel. Maybe he is directly involved in the coordination of crimes that were committed on his app. I highly doubt it, but who knows. We'll have to wait and see what evidence the French courts put forth once a trial gets under way. As of yesterday, we know that this seems like a classic case of "You refuse to cooperate with deep state actors who want access to your users' data, so we're going to accuse you of all of the crimes."

The fact of the matter is, we shouldn't have to worry about the actions of a founder dictating the accessibility of a novel technology that they bring to market. Especially technologies that enable people to connect in the digital world to exercise their God given right to free speech.

It's a bit poetic that this happened on Saturday night in Europe. Just one day after the Nostriga conference in Riga, Latvia wrapped up. Nostriga was a two-day event which attracted people from all over the world so that they could meet to discuss how to push the Nostr protocol forward. For those who are unaware of what Nostr is, it is an open source communications protocol with no leaders that enables individuals to publish their thoughts to the world is a distributed, censorship resistant fashion. User profiles are created via a private-public key pair. The public key makes it easy for others to follow and the private key enables a user to sign notes with certain data that get broadcasted to relays. App developers can then pull the user generated data from those relays and present the data in unique ways using front-end interfaces known as clients. Users can port their private keys (commonly known as nsecs) into any client they like and have all of the data they've published to the protocol automatically show up. Said another way, since Nostr is a protocol and not a platform, users have way more optionality when it comes to the applications that present the data they publish. If one client decides to censor or simply has a bad UX, they can plop their magic string (private key) into another client and see everything they've ever posted while still being connected to everyone they added to their social graph historically. This is extremely powerful on many fronts.

Gone are the days of having to worry about building an audience on a platform, making that a critical part of your brand and livelihood, and having to self-censor because of the fear of being deplatformed. You own your private key and that gives you access to your data. Not the platform.

For app developers, the network effect of Nostr produces an incredible and truly unique bootstrapping mechanism. Instead of having to start from scratch and hope that users find your app, fill it with data, and begin spreading the word to more users you adopt the social graph of Nostr from day one. Every user of the protocol is already feeding your application data. If you can build an appealing product that provides users of the protocol with value, they will find it and immediately be able to leverage it. There will be no need for them to build up a reputation or find their social connections on the app. They will be ported into the client.

Nostr can be additive to seemingly unrelated applications that aren't built directly on Nostr. We've already seen this with bitcoin wallets that have enabled users to port their Nostr social graphs directly into their wallet. Making it easy for individuals to find their friend's Nostr account and send bitcoin directly to the lightning address they've associated with it. No need for an invoice. Just find your friend and send them money like you would on an app like Venmo.

The number of added benefits users and app developers get from Nostr beyond those I just explained are too long to list. Long story short, this protocol is a massive deal.

It is still very early for Nostr, but the progress that has been made in the last couple of years has been nothing short of awe inspiring. If you squint into the future, it isn't hard to see how Nostr becomes mainstream by the end of the decade. The compounding network effects are stronger than anything I've seen since bitcoin.

All of this is to say that this will be one of the only ways to build truly robust communications-based applications moving forward. As we've seen with TikTok and now Telegram, if the state doesn't like the owner of a particular platform they will either kick the platform out of their country or arrest the founder and do their best to corrupt the platform itself once he is in custody. This hasn't happened yet with Telegram, but you can bet your ass that the deep state will try to corrupt Telegram if they successfully remove him from the picture.

To be clear, this doesn't make the founders of particular Nostr clients immune to this type of overt overreach by governments. However, the design of Nostr is such that governments would have an exponentially harder time achieving their end goal, suppressing and controlling speech that's expressed on these platforms, because the protocol has hundreds of competing clients serving customers the data stored in relays. They could even attempt to go after the relays, but that task may prove to be impossible as well.

Make no mistake, we live in very trying times. The world's governments are losing control and they are doing the best they can to suppress freedom of speech in anyway they can to prevent people from spreading information that makes the Regime to look like the evil fools that they are. The best we can do is to build robust systems that make their attempts at suppressing speech as close to impossible as is possible. The efforts to build out robust systems like bitcoin and Nostr should be complemented with pushing back against the Regime via the courts. But as we all know, we can't always depend on the courts to actually deliver justice. There are times where freedom must be taken and defended. We are certainly living through one of those times right now.

Despite the insanity of the world and the governments who would like to rule it, the momentum of the light is building. People are taking action and solutions are being built slowly but surely. It is our job to keep the momentum up and make sure the lifeboats of bitcoin, Nostr and similar protocols are ready to go once the Deep State begins attacking others. They came for TikTok and Telegram. Don't think that platforms like X, Rumble and Gab aren't in their crosshairs as well.

Here are four videos from Nostriga that I think you all should watch.

https://youtu.be/XUsk7cqZyKU?si=2vUl01azeFJQjczZ

https://youtu.be/qUwXRDrfJU0?si=np3vyTDddoQKuPJK

https://youtu.be/OHqxp-Hrx9k?si=K7vhVBWtFQwB68Tr

https://youtu.be/iZyqVGHjDGo?si=CjJCbAlNBa06qcwV

And a panel I hosted about funding Nostr if you're interested in that.

https://youtu.be/qD-Y0fq5KiA?si=L81sFCPGw2ayXXzw

We're going to win.

---

Final thought... Jet lag sucks.

@ dfe02069:d3e2fa29

"Betrug und Falschheit fürchten die Überprüfung. Wahrheit lädt sie ein." \

- Samuel Johnson (brit. Autor, Essayist, 1709-1784)

Nach längerem hin und her hat das RKI am 30.05. die weitgehend entschwärzten Protokolle des Krisenstabs („RKI-Protokolle") veröffentlicht. Das Magazin Multipolar hatte zuvor auf Herausgabe der Protokolle geklagt, aber nur stark geschwärzte Protokolle bekommen.

Die entschwärzten Protokolle bieten einen Einblick in den Sach- und Kenntnisstand der zentralen, dem Gesundheitsministerium unterstellten Bundesoberbehörde, deren Vertreter in Person von Lothar Wieler und Lars Schaade das politische Maßnahmengeschehen mitgestalteten, teils medial nach außen vertraten und daher als Hauptakteure der Corona-Zeit gelten dürfen. Auch wenn es hier nur um einen ersten Einblick gehen kann, zeigen diese Protokolle (die gerade keine Diskussions-, sondern Ergebnisprotokolle sind) vor allem eine sichtbare Kluft zwischen dem RKI und den medial sowie politisch verlautbarten Positionen. Hatten letztlich auch beim RKI die Covidioten recht?

Das wirft eine weitere Frage auf: Wer war letztlich das besagte „Team Wissenschaft\", wenn die Wissenschaftskommunikation des RKI der Politik nach dem Mund redete und die Politik sich umgekehrt um den Stand der Wissenschaft im RKI nicht scherte?

Die Wissenschaft als Wunschkonzert

Schon ein Blick in die ungeschwärzten Teile der Protokolle ließ erahnen, dass die Entscheidungsfindung im RKI einer eigenen Dynamik folgt.

• Im März 2020 war die Influenzawelle des Winters bereits wieder abgeklungen, als durch anlasslose Massentests ein Pandemiegeschehen herbeigetestet wurde, während die tatsächliche Viruslast (Ct-Wert) der Labore im Dunkeln blieb.

• Am 16. März wurde aufgrund eigener Risikobewertung -- da ein Dokument dazu nicht vorliegt: war es eine Weisung der Politik? -- festgelegt, dass „hochskaliert werden müsse". Der Name der Person, welche dieses Dokument zur Veröffentlichung freigeben sollte war bisher geschwärzt und ist nun bekannt: Lars Schaade. An ihn wäre konkret die Frage zu richten: Was genau führte zu einer Hochskalierung der Gefahrenlage? Das Intensivbettenregister Divi offenbarte wenig später eine Auslastung von 50%, normal sind 90%.

• Bei dieser Einschätzung sollte es auch im weiteren Verlauf bleiben, obwohl die Fälle rückläufig waren. Vermerk am 29.06.2020: „Immer noch hohes Risiko, Vorgabe vom BMG: bis 1. Juli wird daran nichts geändert."

  

• Dass die Schwellenwerte der Inzidenzen rein politische Vorgaben waren, offenbarte zuvor schon das Protokoll vom 7.05.2020:

• Betrachtet man den weiteren Verlauf der Pandemie, dann war die Gefahrenlage immer dann besonders hoch, wenn es politisch besonders dringlich war, weil zum Beispiel eine Impfpflicht zur Abstimmung stand. Vor der Bundestagswahl gab man sich über ein paar Wochen etwas gnädiger. Das RKI als Bühnenbildner und Kulissenschieber der Pandemie: Welchen Hintergrund die Politik auch brauchte, das RKI lieferte ihn. Im Winter 2023 verschwand die Gefahrenlage dann ebenso ominös. (Siehe für eine gute Übersicht den obigen Vortrag von Prof. Stefan Homburg in Wien, ab ca. 11.30 min; von YT auf dem Hauptkanal derzeit gelöscht, die folgende Grafik stammt aus dem Vortrag):

Ging es vor allem um die Impfung?

Schon im Frühjahr 2020 wird das Thema Impfungen zur Sprache gebracht. Das Investment von 100 Mio. Dollar der Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation vom 7.02.2020 wurde auch im RKI registriert. Die Protokolle des RKI laufen der medial-politischen Kommunikation hier monateweit voraus. Während sich das RKI über mögliche Impfstoffe auslässt, belehrte man in Medien und Politik den Zuschauer und Leser noch in Babysprache (AHA) zu den Vorzügen des Abstandhaltens und In-die Armbeuge-Niesens; Frau von der Leyen wusch sich bei laufender Kamera besonders intensiv die Hände.

Betrachtet man einen Zeitstrahl der Bill & Melinda Gates Stiftung (BMGF) aus diesem frühen Zeitraum, sieht man bereits, wohin das Hauptaugenmerk des Interesses geht: Impfungen, Impfungen, Impfungen. Im Monatstakt kündigt die BMGF mehr Förderungen für Impfstoffe an. Auch im RKI beginnt diese Diskussion zur gleichen Zeit. Zugleich fördert Gates u.a. die Charité und das RKI mit Spenden; Lothar Wieler darf ein Paper für die Stiftung schreiben und Deutschland belobigen. Die Namen der Co-Autoren (Ute Rexroth, René Gottschalk) sind im RKI-Protokoll geschwärzt, man hält hier offenbar noch etwas für vertraulich, was in 30 Sekunden googelbar ist.

Am 24.08.2020 (S. 1413) wird im Protokoll vermerkt, dass die Bundesländer über die geplante Einführung der Impfstoffe bis Ende des Jahres überrascht seien. Wusste die Länderebene erst spät von den Impfplänen und der Impfstoffentwicklung?

Deluxe-Schwurbeln à la RKI zu den Impfstoffen

Bei jeder Aufarbeitung stellt sich die Frage: Wer wusste wann was? Oder hätte es zumindest wissen können? Das RKI ist laut Ergebnisprotokollen bestens informiert über alles, was sonst nur Schwurbler und Covidioten in die öffentliche Debatte brachten. Da die meisten geschwärzten Stellen das Impfstoff-Thema betrafen, sind diese Passagen von besonderem Interesse:

• Schon am 5.02. vermerkte das RKI als Erkenntnis über den Erreger, dass „nCov" über eine „zusätzliche multibasische Furin-Spaltestelle" (Protokolle, S. 94) verfüge. Da eine solche Furin-Spalte bei natürlichen Coronaviren noch nie festgestellt wurde, wusste das RKI schon von Anfang an, dass Sars-Cov-2 ein Laborprodukt aus China sein muss. Laborunfall oder Biowaffenangriff unter falscher Flagge? Anstatt Sicherheitsbehörden und Militär zu informieren, ließ sich das RKI als privilegierter Partner Chinas anwerben, suchte den Austausch (nur Deutschland ohne G7).

• Gänzlich neu war schon die Idee, überhaupt gegen Coronaviren zu impfen; das galt in der Wissenschaft wegen der dann entstehenden Varianten bis dahin als sinnlos. Man impft dann die Varianten herbei. Aber hätte man das nicht wissen können? Dazu das RKI am 06.01.2021: „Eine Zunahme von Varianten durch die Impfung ist zu erwarten". So handelt eine Feuerwehr, die mit Kerosin löscht.

• Die Informationen zu den Impfstoffen glichen einem Blindflug und wurden auch so dokumentiert Zur "Evidenzlage" stellt das RKI am 08.01.2021 fest: Viel wisse man nicht, aber die Geimpften dürfen sich als Versuchsteilnehmer sehen.

• Der fehlende Schutz vor Ansteckung durch die Vakzine war dem RKI ebenso bekannt. Müsse man sich von der Idee der Herdenimmunität verabschieden?, fragte man sich. Trotz fehlendem Fremdschutz und nur begrenzt nachweisbarem Eigenschutz wurde für Soldaten der Bundeswehr bekanntlich später eine Impfpflicht eingeführt, die erst vor kurzem durch Prozesse gekippt werden konnte. Pistorius verzichtet lieber auf die Impfpflicht, als vor Gericht Farbe bekennen zu müssen, dass er sich im wissenschaftlichen Blindflug befindet.

• Das RKI wusste, dass bezüglich mRNA-Impfstoffen nur Tierversuche bestanden. AstraZeneca war als Zweitklassenimpfstoff bekannt, da dieser nur auf 70% Effektivität kam. Das RKI wusste von asymptomatischen Infektionen bei AstraZeneca nach der Impfung, sprach selbst von Virusausscheidung. Selbst das Gesundheitspersonal stemmte sich gegen die Impfung: „HCW (Healthcareworkers, Anmerkung von mir): "Viele nicht bereit, sich impfen zu lassen".

• Dänemark und Norwegen setzten AstraZeneca aus. Deutschland reduzierte gerade mal die Zielgruppe. Das RKI lapidar: „EMA hat entschieden der Impfstoff ist sicher." Das klingt nicht nach einer vertieften eigenen Risikobewertung. Währenddessen registriert man, dass beim PEI über 1600 Meldungen hereinkommen und das PEI bei Pharmakovigilanz nicht gut hinterherkomme.

• Ein Monitoring zu Impfnebenwirkungen wurde schon am 16.10.2020 angeregt. Offenbar ging das RKI von Nebenwirkungen der Impfungen aus. Der spätere Gesundheitsminister Lauterbach durfte noch Monate später gegenüber einem Millionenpublikum unwidersprochen das Gegenteil behaupten, nämlich dass die Impfstoffe „nebenwirkungsfrei" seien. Lauterbach taucht in den Protokollen als Figur auf, die gerne mal etwas vermischt (Isolation/Quarantäne, S. 1496), Schnellschüsse präsentiert (zu Curevac-Zulassung: "ggf. weiß er mehr als andere", S. 2355) und dessen wissenschaftliche Aussagen genau betrachtet werden sollten: "Das RKI sollte klar stellen: was ist die wissenschaftl. Evidenz und was die politische Auslegung der Fakten, die das RKI umsetzt." (S. 774)

Warum das alles, liebes RKI, wenn doch, wie Ihr schreibt, es bei einer normalen Influenzawelle mehr Tote gibt und der Hauptgrund an Corona zu sterben, das Alter ist? (S. 2355).

All dies lässt nur den Schluss zu: Es ging vor allem um die Massenimpfung mit experimentellen Impfstoffen. Corona war ein Konditionierungs- und Manipulationsversuch in größtem Stil, der geglückte Versuch, den Willen anderer zu brechen, indem man die eingesackte Freiheit erst mit der Duldung experimenteller Inokulationen wieder freizugeben versprach. In welchem Interesse und zu welchem Zweck?

Das RKI nahm in dieser Zeit eine Scharnierposition mit schizophrenen Zügen ein, sie lieferte einerseits Persilscheine für die Politik, andererseits bestätigte sie zahlreiche „Covidioten" in ihren Haltungen. Schon am 7.02.2020 suchte das RKI über die Leopoldina direkten Kontakt zur chinesischen Botschaft und bekam ihn zwei Wochen später, „um, z.B. über Forschungsthemen und künftige Kooperationen zu reden". Das RKI erhalte zusätzlich das „Gesundheitskommissionspaket" Chinas, was auch immer das bedeuten mag. Am 13.02. vermerkte das RKI:

„Gestern Nachricht, dass CDC China mit RKI in Verbindung kommen möchte, ggf. wichtige weitere Informationsquelle, bleibt klarzustellen in wie fern Infromation (sic!) mit anderen (z.B. WHO) geteilt werden kann, wird aktuell geklärt (AA auch involviert)

o China wünscht keine G7 Involvierung, Deutschland hat scheinbar Vertrauensvorsprung, sollte nicht missbraucht werden um zukünftigen Informationsaustausch nicht aufs Spiel zu setzen."

Deutschland als vertraulicher Partner Chinas vor allen G7 Staaten? Was gab es dafür im Gegenzug? Deutschland erscheint durch die Protokolle vollends als Pandemie-Musterknabe in den Augen von Bill Gates und China, zwei Großfinanziers der WHO und Maßnahmentreiber, die dazu beitrugen, dass in Deutschland Grundrechte mit Füßen getreten wurden.

Ein Großteil der Aufarbeitungsarbeit dürfte nun darin liegen, zu rekonstruieren, welche reellen Motive das Maßnahmengeschehen letztlich steuerten. Der in den RKI-Sitzungen referierte wissenschaftliche Kenntnisstand war es (oft) nicht. Und auch eine echte pandemische Gefahrenlage lässt sich aus den Protokollen nicht herleiten, dafür zahlreiche Beispiele dafür, wie nach politischer Großwetterlage Gefahrenszenarien herbeifantasiert wurden, die durch Daten nicht belegt sind.

Das RKI schreckte wenig, was Gates und China gefiel. Aufgeschreckt hingegen war man laut Protokollen von einer "Mahnwache am Nordufer": Zwei Personen wurden gesichtet. Scheinbar lagen beim RKI die Nerven blank, wenn man ihnen auch nur von weitem auf die Finger schaute. Dafür wird es höchste Zeit: Nun darf man gespannt sein auf die nächsten Protokolle für den Zeitraum ab April 2021, deren Veröffentlichung bereits angekündigt wurde.

@ 56a6da9b:7f5a2243

DAY 24 OF FLASH AUGUST FICTION. Wow, it’s pretty much the home stretch, now. Just 6 more days, including today. Today I was thinking about how nice it is to hear the frogs and crickets outside at night. I remember that as a kid, and then I remembered that once people started using newer chemicals on their lawns, the crickets disappeared. Then the frogs disappeared. It’s not supposed to be like that. Frogs and crickets at night are a part of life. The main characters of this story, however, are a frog and a lizard. Crickets play the bit parts… get it? I’m Commercial Herschel, and I’m here to help.

Let me thank my newest follower, another pal from Troubled Minds Newsletter, Troubled Minds Radio is on Rumble and Twitch, Twitter and perhaps Kick.com. It’s Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday Nights. I do suggest you give it a listen. Really very much fun. Thanks for the follow, Sweets!

Podcast Audio: Website Download RSS

The Lizard and The Frog

The Splashing and the Succulent Nights 479 WORDS WRITTEN IN LESS THAN A HALF HOUR

The caretaker has built a birdbath into the ground. It’s like a little in-ground swimming pool for the birds during the day and for the frogs at night. He was tired of fishing dead frogs out of the actual in-ground swimming pool. The frogs can get in there, but they can’t get out. They get tired, and then they drown.

The frogs mostly stay the heck out of there during the day because, well… the birds. At night, however, they certainly take advantage. Since installing the tiny pond, he has not once had to retrieve a lost frog. Apparently, the lizards like it too. There were less often lizards in the pool, but it happened once in a while. They need a place to cool off and refresh their skin, too.

It is quite a nice little feature. It’s surrounded by lawn, and he can easily push the lawnmower over it without incident. It’s a regular thing, though, to rinse it out with the hose and refill it. It gets pretty gunky in there after a couple of days.

“How’s about you let me have a turn in the pond?” Lizard asks Frog.

“It’s not like I can stop you from coming in.” Responds Frog.

“C’mon, I’ll give you three crickets if you just let me have it for a while.” Lizard said.

Frog replies, “There’s plenty of room for both of us. What’s the problem? Come on in, the water’s fine!”

“It’s not a good look.” Lizard explains. “The other lizards, you know…”

“Are you kidding me?” Frog says. “Are you all so fragile that you can’t get in a pool with a frog?”

“OK, four crickets,” Lizard says. “I’ll give you four crickets.”

“F-sake!” says Frog. “Fine, we can take turns getting in and out of the pool.”

And they do. The two of them take turns swimming and splashing in the tiny pool or birdbath pond. It’s a lot of fun. They laugh and compete for the hearty, crunchy mosquitoes that inhabit the area, and they remark about how cool the caretaker is for putting in their lifesaving refreshment spot.

“The birds don’t like him.” Frog tells Lizard.

“I know,” Lizard says. “Since he bird-proofed everything, there are fewer of them. They fly around here all mad and dejected.”

“That’s OK with me.” Frog says.

“Me as well.” Lizard agrees.

“So.” Says Frog. “How about those crickets?”

“Oh yeah,” says Lizard. “You want them now?”

“I’m not getting any less tasty-looking to the birds.” Frog explains. "Time is of the essence."

Lizard jumps off the lip of the tiny pond and runs off to catch crickets. He brings them over to Frog, one at a time, but it doesn’t take long. They are all over the place.

“You should let me in on that.” Lizard says.

Frog replies, “What’s a succulent meal without a friend?”

The End.

Thank you to all the independent, non-corporate media people out there. I hope I can give you some light entertainment once in a while. Thank you so much for listening, or reading. This is the Smell the Inside of Your Nose. Do it Right Now podcast. I hope you might get a free or paid subscription, or buy me a coffee, or donate some bitcoin. I wish you the best. I’m Herschel Sterling, and I’m here to help.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/663933

@ dfe02069:d3e2fa29

Vorab eine Warnung: Der Rezensent ist befangen. Denn er ist ein ehemaliger Klient des zu besprechenden Autors. Nachdem der Trailer des von mir co-produzierten Corona-Dokumentarfilms „Pandamned" von YouTube binnen Minuten gelöscht worden war, schalteten wir Anwalt Steinhöfel ein. Einstweilige Verfügung, Eilverfahren, was man eben so macht im Rechtsstaat. Steinhöfel gewann den Fall, man könnte sagen: verlässlich, denn keiner gewinnt in Deutschland so oft gegen die Internetgiganten in Presse- und Meinungssachen, wie Steinhöfel: gut 90% der Fälle.

Doch was bedeutet heute schon „vor Gericht siegen"? Unser Fall zeigte mir, wie dysfunktional die Deutsche Justiz geworden ist. Eilverfahren sind eine Sache von Tagen. Das Gericht entscheidet nach summarischer Prüfung in Form einer Interessenabwägung. Das „Eilverfahren" der Berliner Richter dauerte ein Jahr. Der Trailer des Films wurde wieder online gestellt als der Film auf der unzensierbaren Plattform Rumble bereits über 1 Million Aufrufe hatte. Pyrrhus-Siege im Reich der Neuen Normalität nach dem Motto: „Wenn du schon gewinnst, soll es dir maximal wenig nützen." Danke für nichts.

Viele kennen ihn noch als Werbegesicht von Media Markt („gut, dass wir verglichen haben"; „ich bin doch nicht blöd"), einige schon mehr als Publizisten in Zeitungen und Blogs, der mit seiner Meinung nicht hinterm Berg hält. In Rechtssachen ist er als Anwalt wohl am ehesten das, was man im hybriden Informationskrieg anerkennend ein echtes „Frontschwein" nennen darf. Steinhöfel operiert an vorderster Front. Er tritt dabei nicht selten gegen die hochbezahlten Anwälte von Großkanzleien an, die im Auftrag von Facebook, Google & Co. tätig sind. Diese füttern die Gerichte mit Papierbergen aus immer gleichen Textbausteine, während er den Dreh des Falles finden muss, um durchzudringen. Eine kleine "David gegen Goliath"-Geschichte gehört ebenfalls zu diesem Geschäft. In seinem Buch gibt Steinhöfel nun einen seltenen Einblick in seine Tätigkeit und entwirft damit gleichzeitig ein Panorama dessen, was man in Deutschland noch öffentlich sagen darf. Ein Buch wie ein Kriegsbericht von der Maginot-Linie der Meinungsfreiheit.

Löschungen, Kanalsperrungen, Antisemitismus-Vorwürfe, Zensur, Fact-Checker, Hass & Hetze: Der öffentliche Debattenraum ist längst zu einem ideologischen Minenfeld geworden. Politische Sichtverzerrungen treffen auf eine über Jahrzehnte gewachsene Judikatur, auf dass am Ende hoffentlich auch nur erlaubt sei, was der aktuellen Sache gerade am besten dient. War es zuletzt in der Weimarer Republik (die bekanntlich kein gutes Ende nahm) so schlimm? Man kann Tucholsky neben Steinhöfel legen und sehen, dass die Blindheit auf dem „rechten Auge" von damals sich nun auf das „linke Auge" gelegt hat. Der politische Kampf und der rechtliche Kampf vermischen sich.

So zuletzt auch im Fall Julian Reichelt gegen die Deutsche Bundesregierung. Reichelt hatte getwittert, dass die deutsche Regierung Entwicklungshilfe in Millionenhöhe an die Taliban leistet, was zu einer einstweiligen Verfügung und einem Gerichtsverfahren gegen ihn führte. Steinhöfel nahm sich des Falles an und reichte Klage gegen den deutschen Staat ein, da Reichelt sich in seinem Recht auf freie Meinungsäußerung verletzt sah. Dieses Recht hat der Staat nicht, er kann sich nur auf schützenswerte Eigeninteressen stützen. Kurios an diesem Fall: Der Deutsche Staat wollte sich doch tatsächlich auf eine „schwerwiegende Funktionsbeeinträchtigung" berufen. Ein Tweet und der Staat geht in die Knie? Wirklich? Wenn der Staat durch den Tweet eines Journalisten in seiner Funktion beeinträchtigt werden sollte, hat er dann nicht gewichtigere Probleme?

Die Zeiten ändern sich eben sichtlich und wer die Nase in die Luft hebt (oder in das Buch Steinhöfels hält) bekommt den Geruch der Neuen Zeit etwas früher mit. Es ist ein abgestandener, dumpf-modriger Geruch eines unausgelüfteten Kollektivbewusstseins, welches Andersdenkende lieber zum Schweigen bringt als zu widerlegen. Die Twitter-Files haben bereits gezeigt, wie der Staat unliebsame Informationen in sozialen Netzwerken zensiert.

Zuerst betraf es Terrorinhalte, später ging es gegen russische Bots, jetzt gegen jegliche Form unliebsamer Information, selbst von hoch dekorierten Experten, wie in Zeiten von Corona. Der Geist der Ideologie befällt die Politik früh und die Instrumente des Rechts etwas später; doch irgendwann gestaltet die Ideologie auch das Recht um. Dann spätestens wird die Rechtsanwaltstätigkeit zur Spiegelfechterei. Steinhöfels Buch ist ein Warnruf, ob noch zur „rechten Zeit", wird sich zeigen. Wer sein Buch aufschlägt, bekommt eine kleine Endoskopie des deutschen Rechtsstaats in Form einer Fallsammlung von „worst-cases", vorgetragen in einer plaudernden Schnodder-Sprache, die man in jeder Bar und an jedem Wurststand der Republik versteht. Möge die Botschaft auch in den Justizministerien von Bund- und Ländern verstanden werden!

Joachim Steinhöfel, Die digitale Bevormundung: Wie Facebook, X (Twitter) und Google uns vorschreiben wollen, was wir denken, schreiben und sagen dürfen, FBV (2024), 224 Seiten, SFr. 28.90/17.26 Euro

Die Rezension erschien auch in der Weltwoche.

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DAY 25 OF FLASH AUGUST FICTION. Want to get a better handle on what I am doing this month? Here is a description and some ideas about Flash Fiction. Here is Flash Fiction February. Today I contemplated about baseball, and jogged my memory quite a bit about hitting. I could get my bat on some real cheese. I got looks and everything in the system. There are some things relating to those reflexes and the subconscious mind. Sometimes our conscious minds have to catch up to our physical reflexes. I feel like reflexes and our subconscious minds have some interesting commonalities. What I think I’m going to do is have good ‘ol Antler Pestle have a conversation with an old baseball buddy.

Podcast Audio: Website Download RSS

Reflex Writing

Some Hits Are Different Than Others 826 WORDS WRITTEN IN ABOUT 45 MINUTES.

Antler was re-organizing the truck box. All the tools were out of place after a run to the old end of town, where the A-Frame, wooden houses are. He hears the phone bell coming from the firehouse office. Landlines are still important in firehouses.

“Hey Antler, what’re ya doin’?” Says a vaguely familiar voice on the other end of the line.

“Who is this?” Antler says. “Sorry, I don’t recognize the voice.”

Antler always screens these call because he gets a lot of junk calls to this line from cold-callers feigning that they know him.

“It’s Jesse, buddy, I’m about 5 minutes away.” I’m at the overpass down the road. I figured I’d call to see if you’re around.”

“Jesse Will?” Antler inquires enthusiastically.

“Yeah, dude, what’s going on?” You busy?”

“Get yer butt here!” Antler exclaims. “I hope you have time because I got a brisket smokin’.”

“Shoot, I’ll make time brother, see you in a few.”

Antler rushes to the kitchen and puts on a pot of coffee. He wipes the table down, and gets out the good mugs. He heads back to the truck to close up the big door and postpones the rest of his chores. Then he waits out front for his old baseball buddy, Jesse Will.

Jesse pulls in with his rental car, and the two embrace, exchanging greetings.

“Man, I don’t know how you do it, Antler. You look 20 years younger than me, and you’re five years older.” Jesse tells him.

“Estrogen suppression.” Antler says. “It’s all over the place, in everything, you gotta keep it clear, or it’ll take over, and you’ll get tits. Let’s get to the kitchen.”

In the kitchen, Antler pour him a coffee and they sit.

“I’m just taking a drive, man, that’s all I’m doing. I just want to get out and drive around. Sometimes I just like the road these days.” Jesse explains. “I’ve been all over. I Saw Randy, and Buckster, and I visited the Skips widow.”

“What’re they doing?” Antler asks.

“Pretty much the same as us. Trying not to get fat, staying busy. Buck’s doing some play-by-play for that local International League team by him. He’s having a riot. Randy and Martha opened up that antique store. It’s already driving him nuts. Skips wife has her sister living with her. That’s really good. I’m glad she’s not alone.”

“Life goes on.” Antler says. “It really does.”

Jesse replies. “This place looks great, you’re keeping it up well.”

“Not much else to do.” Antler says. I putz around here till there’s an emergency, otherwise I just hang out with Diane, and do my writing.”

“How’s that girl doing?” Jesse asks.

“She’s good, she’s down at the store working as usual. Busiest person in town, easily.” Antler answers. “She hides out here. People no better than to bother her here. She’s fixin’ to move it pretty soon.”

“That is good, brother, I’m glad.” Jesse says. “What’re you writing these days?”

Antler responds. “I’m just trying to figure out what I’m trying to tell myself.”

Jesse laughs. “You lefties are a hoot. What does that even mean, AP?”

“It’s kinda similar to hitting, really.” Antler says.

“How is writing like hitting? What?” Jesse inquires.

“You know, when you react to the cheese? You know that your body must see it, because you hit it, right?” There’s no way to hit it without seeing it. It’s the reflexes in gear. Just like we learn early. ‘It takes ten years to learn how to swing, and ten pitches to find out if you’re a hitter’?”

“That’s the truth we know, we are freaks like that. We knew guys with perfect swings, and they could rock the off-speed stuff, then when some heat came by they were two seconds behind the pitch. We said so long to a lot of dudes. That’s the thing, those reflexes.” Jesse said.

Antler continues. “Then when you get one of those in play, you get to the base, and your brain shows you what you just did at the plate… the delay?”

“Yeah” Jesse says. “Of course, our brains can’t process the reaction as fast as our bodies can react. It’s kind of like we see it as a memory, but for the first time.”

“Writing can be like that.” Antler says. “Sometimes I’ll write some quick little story, and I won’t have any idea what the heck it means when I write it.” I’ll put it in my folder, then go back and look at it a month later, and it makes perfect sense. “It’s like my subconscious mind is trying to tell my conscious mind something it knows, but my conscious mind is not taking it up yet.”

“You lefties are a hoot.” Jesse says.

“Let’s go out back and get that brisket out of the smoker and let it rest.” Antler says. “And I got some scotch to go with that.”

Jesse chirps. “Bring the hard stuff, let’s go!”

The End.

It’s one of those things where if you know, you know, and if you don’t, you don’t. 4% of the human population have the reflexes to be able to do that. That’s why “It takes ten years to learn how to swing, and ten pitches to find out if you’re a hitter.” It’s weird like that.

Thank you to all the independent, non-corporate media people out there. I hope I can give you some light entertainment once in a while. Thank you so much for listening, or reading. This is the Smell the Inside of Your Nose. Do it Right Now podcast. I hope you might get a free or paid subscription, or buy me a coffee, or donate some bitcoin. I wish you the best. I’m Herschel Sterling, and I’m here to help.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/663922

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