@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Embarking on the journey of operating your own Lightning node on the Bitcoin Layer 2 network is more than just a tech-savvy endeavor; it's a step into a realm of financial autonomy and cutting-edge innovation. By running a node, you become a vital part of a revolutionary movement that's reshaping how we think about money and digital transactions. This role not only offers a unique perspective on blockchain technology but also places you at the heart of a community dedicated to decentralization and network resilience. Beyond the technicalities, it's about embracing a new era of digital finance, where you contribute directly to the network's security, efficiency, and growth, all while gaining personal satisfaction and potentially lucrative rewards.

In essence, running your own Lightning node is a powerful way to engage with the forefront of blockchain technology, assert financial independence, and contribute to a more decentralized and efficient Bitcoin network. It's an adventure that offers both personal and communal benefits, from gaining in-depth tech knowledge to earning a place in the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency.

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

1. Direct Contribution to Decentralization: Operating a node is a direct action towards decentralizing the Bitcoin network, crucial for its security and resistance to control or censorship by any single entity.

2. Financial Autonomy: Owning a node gives you complete control over your financial transactions on the network, free from reliance on third-party services, which can be subject to fees, restrictions, or outages.

3. Advanced Network Participation: As a node operator, you're not just a passive participant but an active player in shaping the network, influencing its efficiency and scalability through direct involvement.

4. Potential for Higher Revenue: With strategic management and optimal channel funding, your node can become a preferred route for transactions, potentially increasing the routing fees you can earn.

5. Cutting-Edge Technological Engagement: Running a node puts you at the forefront of blockchain and bitcoin technology, offering insights into future developments and innovations.

6. Strengthened Network Security: Each new node adds to the robustness of the Bitcoin network, making it more resilient against attacks and failures, thus contributing to the overall security of the ecosystem.

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

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

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

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

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

@ 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

@ 7ed7d5c3:6927e200

Can't decide if the terrible book you just read is a 1 or 1.5 star book? Look no further than this chart. Was it Shit or just Bad? Was that movie you watched Very Good or just Decent? How many things out there are really Life Changing?

Finally, a rating scale for humans. Use it for anything in your life that needs a rating out of 5 stars.

Rating / Description

0.5 – The worst 1.0 – Shit 1.5 – Bad 2.0 – Eh 2.5 – Entertaining, but not great 3.0 – Neutral 3.5 – Alright 4.0 – Decent 4.5 – Very good 5.0 – Life Changing

P.S. Do not use it to rate your wife's cooking. The author is not liable for any damages.

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

I’ve known that there are references to Jesus in the Old Testament. They just don’t use the name Jesus.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26) {emphasis mine}

Notice the references to God in the plural. These are clues to the trinitarian (3 persons in one God) nature of God.

There are also examples of theophanies (preincarnate Jesus) in the Old Testament. These theophanies are frequently referred to as “the angel of the Lord” or “the angel of God.”

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” (Genesis 22:11-12) {emphasis mine}

In this case we know that the “angel of the Lord” is not just an angel because he says, “I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me,” equating Himself, “Me,” with God. In most cases when an angel appears, the people drop face down in worship, but the angel corrects them and tells them not to worship. When the angel is Jesus, He accepts the worship and in many cases sacrifices as well.

The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.” Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? … So Gideon said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me. Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You.” And He said, “I will remain until you return.”

Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them. The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so. Then the angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight. When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the Lord, he said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” (Judges 6:12=13a, 17-22) {emphasis mine}

As you can see, Gideon offered an offering. An offering to anyone other than God would be idolatry. Gideon offers a “a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour,” which is a proper sin offering to God. The angel did not eat the offering, but told Gideon to “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock … Then the angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight.” Gideon’s offering was taken as a burnt offering to God and to angel of the Lord, who is Jesus.

With all of this, look at the verse I read last night:

Who has ascended into heaven and descended?\ Who has gathered the wind in His fists?\ Who has wrapped the waters in His garment?\ Who has established all the ends of the earth?\ What is His name or His son’s name?\ Surely you know! (Proverbs 30:4) {emphasis mine}

Surely this is a passage about Jesus.

This verse says, “Who has ascended into heaven and descended?” The New Testament says about Jesus, “No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.” (John 3:13)

This verse says, “Who has gathered the wind in His fists?” The New Testament says about Jesus,

And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. (Mark 4:37-39) {emphasis mine}

This verse says, “Who has wrapped the waters in His garment?” The New Testament says about Jesus,

And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. (Matthew 14:25-29) {emphasis mine}

This verse says, “Who has established all the ends of the earth?” The New Testament says about Jesus,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. (John 1:1-3) {emphasis mine}

This verse says, “What is His name or His son’s name?” The New Testament says about Jesus,

After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased. (Matthew 3:16-17) {emphasis mine}

This verse says, “Surely you know!” As New Testament believers we know the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The Bible was pointing to the Son of God long before He came to earth as a baby.

Who has ascended into heaven and descended?\ Who has gathered the wind in His fists?\ Who has wrapped the waters in His garment?\ Who has established all the ends of the earth?\ What is His name or His son’s name?\ Surely you know! (Proverbs 30:4) {emphasis mine}

It doesn’t matter how many times we have already read the Bible. Every time we read it, we can discover new insight and knowledge of God, His eternal plans, and His commands for our lives. God is good.

Trust Jesus.

@ ed84ce10:cccf4c2a

Hackathon Summary

The YQuantum 2024 Hackathon concluded with significant participation and numerous project submissions, establishing itself as a vibrant platform for innovation. Out of 300 registrants, the on-site participants formed teams and worked on developing 28 BUIDLs, engaging in challenges across diverse tracks sponsored by prominent quantum computing organizations, such as QuEra Computing, IBM Quantum, Classiq, DoraHacks, SandboxAQ, and Capgemini/The Hartford/Quantinuum.

Participants developed groundbreaking solutions in quantum computing, driven by prize incentives, including quantum cloud credits, internships, networking opportunities, and potential speaking engagements. The grand prizes recognized exceptional projects, with the first place receiving $2000, presentation opportunities before Yale researchers, and participation in the Yale Innovation Summit.

The hackathon successfully fostered a collaborative environment that encouraged the exploration of cutting-edge technologies and ideas, advancing the quantum computing field. YQuantum 2024 underscored the potential of quantum technologies and promoted knowledge exchange among participants and sponsors.

Hackathon Winners

Held on April 13, 2024, YQuantum's inaugural event attracted 300 participants from 10 countries, featuring six industry-sponsored challenges that culminated in a series of prestigious awards.

Institute Grand Prizes Winners

• 1st Place: Quantum Consortium: Case-Duke-Lehigh-Vandy Nexus This project employs adiabatic methods to prepare antiferromagnetic energy eigenstates, with a focus on quantum many-body scarring and enhancing error correction in computing.

• 2nd Place: Sparse Quantum State Preparation The team developed efficient algorithms using Classiq APIs for sparse quantum state preparation, optimizing execution for scalability and efficiency in managing quantum data.

• 3rd Place: QuBruin This project optimizes algorithms using dynamic quantum circuits and enhances error correction. The team improved user accessibility through Qiskit-based models for better circuit performance under noise conditions.

IBM Quantum Prize Winners

• Modified IBM Challenge
  This project delves into foundational linear algebra concepts, emphasizing core principles and mastery.

QuEra Computing Prize Winners

• 3D Quantum Scars on 2D Tweezer Arrays
  The team investigates quantum scar states on a 3D lattice projected into 2D, using Julia and QuEra's Bloqade to simulate quantum dynamics.

Classiq Technologies Prize Winners

• YQuantum2024 Classiq Team 34 Wavefunction Wizards
  Focusing on optimizing sparse quantum state preparation, this project enhances algorithmic efficiency in quantum data processing.

DoraHacks Prize Winners

• Spooner_QRNG_Classifier
  The project employs Python scripts and a gradient booster classifier to predict quantum device origins of random binary data, surpassing baseline prediction accuracy.

Capgemini // Quantinuum // The Hartford Prize Winners

• Skittlez
  This partnership addresses quantum computing challenges through interdisciplinary expertise, designing innovative quantum solutions.

• Honorable Mention: BB24 - Yale Quantum Monte Carlo The project enhances Quantum Monte Carlo techniques via novel sampling and encoding schemes, improving parallel processing and computational efficiency.

SandboxAQ Prize Winners

• QuantumQuails
  This project improves solar cell efficiency through quantum chemistry, utilizing VQE to model solar energy absorption for enhanced conversion effectiveness.

• Honorable Mention: mRNA Sequence Design via Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm This project optimizes mRNA sequence design using QAOA, enhancing protein expression and structural stability through codon and nucleotide parameters.

Explore all projects at DoraHacks.

About the Organizer:

YQuantum

YQuantum is a prominent entity within the technology and blockchain sectors, recognized for its innovative approach and strategic initiatives. Specializing in utilizing quantum computing capabilities, YQuantum is committed to advancing the technological frontier. Though specific projects are not highlighted, YQuantum's role in shaping industry standards positions it as a leader in the field. Through dedication to cutting-edge research and development, YQuantum continues to drive progress in quantum technologies, aligning with its mission to propel scientific and technological advancements globally.

@ 2355757c:5ad3e04d

Non-Native Electromagnetic Fields (nnEMFs) are in my opinion, the least discussed and most pervasive environmental toxin in modern society that is negatively affecting our health. We live in a toxic soup world, where we are being attacked from every angle. Polluted air, water, plastics, chemicals in our food/clothes, endocrine disruptors in our personal care and cooking products…the list goes on and on. It is the unfortunate reality of living in a modern fiat world, where all big companies cut corners with cheap, toxic ingredients just so you can have a $20 cooking pan and a $15 t-shirt. 

On the bright side of things, most of those toxins are pretty easily avoidable by just swapping for higher quality or more natural alternatives. You can also filter or buy better water and eat real food that was raised locally without toxic herbicides (to a pretty easy degree). Enter nnEMFs, something that is IMPOSSIBLE to fully avoid and MUCH more challenging to mitigate exposure to. That is because technology is so ubiquitous in our modern society. Cell phones and wifi routers in every house, smart appliances, cell towers on every block, power distribution and transmission lines, 5G rollout…we are surrounded by nnEMFs on a daily basis.

What are nnEMFs and why are they bad for my health?

A nnEMF is any EMF generated from a non-native source AKA a result of modern human technology. The three most common sources of nnEMFs are from our electrical power grid, radiofrequency (RF) communication, and microwave frequencies. These three sources differ by function and frequency. 

• Electrical Power Grid - 60Hz Frequency - In “Extremely Low Frequency Range (ELF)”

• Radio Frequency (RF) - 3kHz to 300GHz - Mobile/Societal Communication/TV/Radio 

• Microwave (MW) - 300MHz to 300GHz - Radar/Satellite/Space Communication

It gets a bit confusing in the nomenclature between RF and MW, but in reality the only difference is the type of application above 300MHz. Below 300MHz and it is distinctly an RF frequency. All transmission and distribution of power to industry/homes/businesses is occurring at 60Hz. Vast differences in frequency, both turn out to be pretty detrimental for our health. Here’s a few reasons why:

1. Classified as a possible carcinogen by the IARC (Group 2B)

RF-EMFs and ELF EMFs have been classified by the IARC as possibly carcinogenic based on the current scientific evidence. Now this is still a lower classification than red meat, so does this carry any merit? I say yes. Many researchers agree, such as in THIS study where researchers looked at mobile phone radiation and risk of brain tumors and concluded that RF fields should be classified as a probable carcinogenunder the criteria used by the IARC. 

1. RF and ELF Fields Increase Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress. If you are a regular here in the health space you know how much comes down to maintaining redox homeostasis in our mitochondria (the supplier of ATP in our cells). Dysfunctional mitochondria = dysfunctional health and it just so happens that nnEMFs can significantly increase oxidative stress in our cells, with review studies like THIS one documenting how the most electromagnetic organs (brain, heart) as well as reproductive organs (testes, ovaries) were the MOST affected. (I wrote a recent substack post on declining sperm count and nnEMFs was the star of the show). Increased oxidative stress is consistent with OG findings from the likes of Dr. Robert Becker and Dr. Andrew Marino in their research. It is high level, but increased levels of oxidative stress predisposes you to increased risk of ALL KNOWN CHRONIC DISEASES. Because of this, nnEMFs have been strongly linked to increased risk of the following:

• Neurodegenerative diseases

• Reproductive issues

• Cancer 

• Cardiovascular disease 

• Diabetes

• Disturbed Sleep

We live in a toxic soup world. Achieving restorative sleep is the only way our body is able to fight back and restore our health from all of these toxic exposures. ANYTHING that impedes sleep restoration is a premature nail in the coffin in my eyes. Don’t believe me on the importance and power of melatonin and our circadian rhythm? Check out THIS thread I wrote on melatonin (anti-cancer, potent anti-oxidant, mitochondrial composer, etc.). Exposure to nnEMFs during the day AND at night disturb our sleep and prevent the ability to have that highly restorative sleep needed to detoxify and replenish our cells. Lose quality sleep, lose the ability to handle stressors that you are exposed to daily.

DON’T BELIEVE ME THAT nnEMFs are harmful to human health? You are not alone. Many mainstream media outlets, researchers, and industry “experts” dismiss the level of non-ionizing radiation coming from things like cell phones as dangerous to human health. This is has been ongoing since the 1970s. However, if you are subscribed to this newsletter you may have more of an open mind to believing everything you read from CNN, Forbes, or the WHO. I know you all question things more than the average member of society. So if you question the efficacy and morality of the vaccine, why would you not also question the potential health hazards of nnEMF exposure? Even Presidential Nominee RFK is on board. Big Tech, Big Pharma, Big Food…there is no difference! Centralized industry will do anything it takes to cover up research that is sound and not funded by themselves. Here is an example…

Dr. Henry Lai from University of Washington Emeritus has compiled the most comprehensive set of research articles regarding nnEMFs and biological impacts. He has reviewed OVER 2,500 studies. His conclusion?

Dr. Lai reports concluded from his research that exposure to RFR or ELF EMF produces oxidative effects or free radicals, and damages DNA. Downstream effects of studies examined include significant effects on genetic, neurological and reproductive functions. Among hundreds of studies of Radio Frequency Radiation (RFR), 70% to 89% reported significant biological effects. Among hundreds of studies of Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) and static fields, 74% to 91% reported significant biological effects.

Still don’t believe me, read the book Going Somewhere by Dr. Andrew Marino. It will blow your mind on how much effort has gone to cover up research on the biological effects of nnEMFs since the 1970s. Or Google Russia’s stance on nnEMFs. 

You can also listen to one of our latest Decentralized Radio episodes with Anthony Smith, COO of EMF Safe. EMF Safe is a fantastic company that offers, in my opinion, the MOST effective nnEMF mitigation technology for your house. Hint: it’s not a f*cking pendant or harmonizer. YouTube link or Spotify link HERE.

Now that we got through the depressing side of the story, let's talk about WHAT YOU CAN DO to protect yourself from the harmful effects of nnEMFs without having to live in the woods-not a perfect solution either ;) 

HOW TO MITIGATE nnEMF detrimental health effects: DURATION + DISTANCE \

\ TIME/DURATION. Your worst enemy in being exposed to nnEMFs is the duration of exposure. Nearly all of the negative studies showed that after 48-72hrs of exposure (chronic), detrimental health effects were seen. HOWEVER, the same studies showed less conclusive negative health effects for exposures less than 24-48hrs (with variance). For me that means the following action items:

• Turn off the wifi-router at night 

• Turn phone on airplane mode when not using for >10 min

• Turn appliances OFF when not in use in your home 

• Create a sleep sanctuary with minimal/no electronics in the bedroom 

• Do not move to an area right next to High Voltage Transmission Lines, Substation, Airport, Hospital, etc. (any area with high powered communication/RF equipment or power distribution equipment) 

DISTANCE. Distance is your best friend in mitigating nnEMFs. Why? Inverse square law. Inverse square law is the fact that the magnitude of the EMF is calculated with the square of the distance in the denominator of the equation. This means that for every doubling of distance you have between you and the EMF source, the magnitude weakens by a factor of FOUR. Triple the distance, EMF magnitude goes down by a factor of NINE (and so forth). For me that results in the following action items:

• Do not keep your cell phone ON your body when ON & receiving calls/texts 

• Do NOT hold your cell phone up to your ear when making calls (use headphones/speaker)

• Move your bed 6-12 inches AWAY from any electrical outlets in your bedroom (especially near your head)

• Do not stand immediately next to high powered appliances when ON & in use (microwave, washer, dryer, blender, etc.)

There exists a lot of other nnEMF “mitigating/harmonizing” technologies, however I would be highly suspect of anyone trying to sell you something. EMFs are extremely complex. The angle of incidence, power level, and frequency matter tremendously. Most folks who aren’t engineers or have a deep knowledge of physics likely won’t be able to have the baseline knowledge to know what is a scam and what is not. OR what to prioritize from an nnEMF mitigation perspective. I gave a pretty good starting point above for what actionable steps you can take. THis does not mean all products are a scam. nnEMF shielding has its place and I use some of these products…but whenever a topic is extremely complex to the layperson, it is easy for someone to convince you that a product works. Especially when proof is challenging to come up with (EMF readers are an okay tool at best). 

As someone who holds a M.S. in Electrical Engineering, I never thought that my degree would come in handy for health optimization. Now in 2023, here I am realizing how electromagnetism is likely the MOST important topic to conceptualize to really crack the optimal health code. We are electromagnetic beings, and the research in this space has only just begun to scratch the surface.

If you want to learn more in depth about nnEMFs, mitigation tactics, what products work and do not, etc…subscribe to stay up to date on the latest. I am directly working with some renowned EMF experts on developing more educational content/courses that I will be launching in the near future to help practitioners and fellow esoteric health connoisseurs better understand nnEMFs more in depth to help themselves and their clients live a more optimal life. 

Here on Decentralized Health, I will be writing in depth about the electromagnetic aspects of health alongside other topics I am passionate about such as environmental toxins, regenerative agriculture, decentralization, Bitcoin and more. I want as many people as possible to become empowered through education so that they can escape the dependencies of the centralized systems that are tarnishing our quality of life. 

This is just the tip of the nnEMF iceberg. 

Stay Sovereign,

Tristan

Originally published Sep 25. 2023

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Introduction

The food we consume plays an obvious yet undervalued role in not just sustaining us, but also in shaping who we become.

The phrase "You are what you eat" transcends cliché to embody a profound truth: our diet directly influences our life experience.

Debates continue about the optimal food sources for human health and longevity.

These discussions often involve emotionally charged arguments influenced by faith, traditions, economic interests, and political opinions concerning the global climate crisis and sustainability.

My goal isn’t to delve into the weeds of this emotional & political debate, but instead to strip things back and provide a birds eye view on nutrition, whilst offering alternative lenses through which we can view food.

## Understanding Food as Information

More than mere fuel, food serves as crucial information for our bodies.

This concept may sound strange, as much of our nutritional understanding has been dumbed down to ‘energy in, energy out’, or ‘calories in, calories out’.

This perspective bypasses the importance of micro nutrients—the vitamins & minerals our bodies interrelate with, or don’t.

Food information determines how our cells function and regenerate, impacting everything from energy levels to cognitive ability.

The challenge lies in deciphering what constitutes "good information."

For centuries, nature provided a simple guide.

Our ancestors thrived on a diet of organ meats, plants, seafood, fruit, muscle meats, bones, and eggs—foods naturally rich in nutrients and absent of modern chemicals.

The question remains: If our forebears thrived on these natural foods, why have we deviated so drastically?

## The Shift in Food Paradigms

The introduction of heavily processed "Frankenfoods" laden with chemicals represents a stark departure from the diets of our grandparents and great-grandparents.

They consumed what we now coin "organic" food out of necessity rather than choice.

Food is pleasure, but it’s also a tool for a healthy self.

This ratio has been disproportionally thrown out of alignment.

The modern supermarket, with its aisles dominated by hyper palatable and processed products, reflects a concerning shift in our eating habits.

On the periphery of supermarkets lie fruits, vegetables, dairy, and animal based products, many of which have been sprayed with chemicals like glyphosate, or raised under inhumane conditions.

This brings us to the troubling paradox: while some parts of the world suffer from over-consumption and associated health issues like obesity and metabolic diseases, others face malnutrition and starvation due to food scarcity. (See red line below)

*HFCS: High fructose corn syrup

Questioning Current Food Paradigms

Our current food systems are broken.

A hard truth and pill to swallow, but if you look around, people have never been this unwell and overweight.

Misleading ‘Health Star Ratings’ and a flawed food pyramid, reflect a deeper societal malaise.

These systems often promote products that are not conducive to health, with processed carbohydrate forms serving as our staple, while nutrient and caloric dense foods like meat, fish, dairy, and natural fats have been marginalised.

## Whole Foods and Balanced Nutrients

So, what’s the ideal diet?

There is no universal diet that fits everybody.

The journey to finding the right diet involves personal experimentation.

However, a diet emphasising whole foods, which humans have consumed for millennia, remains a sound choice.

Eating natural foods avoids the pitfalls of ultra-processed foods and provides a balanced array of nutrients.

Side note: historically, meat was always the prized resource.

## Beyond Pesticides

Every year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) puts together a list of 15 foods with the lowest amounts of pesticide residues, and conversely, 12 of the most contaminated foods with pesticides.

This is known as the ‘Clean Fifteen’ and ‘Dirty Dozen’.

When financially feasible, it’s advised to consume organic and pasture raised products.

If buying organic isn’t possible, one strategy to reduce pesticides is to soak the produce in water and a teaspoon of baking soda or a splash of apple cider vinegar for a few minutes.

## Nutritional Strategies for Specific Needs

Strategies like the elimination diet can help individuals identify how specific foods affect their bodies, allowing them to make informed choices that resonate with their unique physiological needs.

Tracking macronutrients and particularly protein intake can be crucial for specific health goals like muscle growth or weight loss.

Gaining a baseline understanding of the macros in your food can be an important piece of the puzzle, but should not become an obsessive practice.

Many diets serve a purpose, and depending on your goals as well as physiology, can be leveraged for great benefit.

This broad concept has been developed into a growing area of research called Nutrigenomics, defined as the study of how different foods may interact with specific genes to modify the risk of common chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.

For example, a ketogenic diet can help those with neurological disorders such as epilepsy or Alzheimer's disease, intermittent fasting can facilitate weight loss, and a carnivore diet can heal chronic skin or gut issues.

## Conclusion

In an era where diet-related health issues are rampant, returning to a more natural, informed way of eating is not just beneficial; it is necessary.

The prevalence of heavily processed "Frankenfoods" deviates from the nutrient-rich diets of our ancestors, contributing to a paradox of overconsumption and malnutrition.

Challenging current food paradigms is necessary to address misleading nutritional guidelines and flawed food systems.

Empower yourself to explore food in a deeper fashion, seeking a diet that not only nourishes your body but also aligns with your lifestyle goals and fosters a sense of vitality and well-being.

Eating well is a form of a self respect, and while we get the chance to inhabit this physical form, it should be our duty to make the most of this life and embody our fullest potential.

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Originalni tekst na danas.rs

11.01.2021 / Autor: Aleksandar Milošević

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Ima više od osam godina otkako sam prvi put čuo za to nešto što se zvalo bitkoin.

Libertarijanski san: „Decentralizovana“ valuta koju ne kontroliše nijedna država; na koju nijedna centralna banka ne može da utiče; koju je zahvaljujući „blokčejn“ tehnologiji nemoguće falsifikovati i koja nudi anonimnost kakvu poznaje samo keš.

Valuta čija je ukupna količina unapred fiksirana pa joj je rast vrednosti usađen u DNK.

I to još valuta koju je moguće dobiti besplatno, ali po zasluzi, jer bitkoini nastaju tako što vaš kompjuter reši komplikovani matematički zadatak iza kojeg se „krije“ jedan od ovih magičnih novčića.

To što je čitav sistem osmislio misteriozni matematički genije poznat kao Satoši Nakamoto, koji možda postoji, a možda i ne postoji i što se ceo finansijski establišment obrušio na čitavu bitkoin-maniju kombinacijom podsmeha i represivnih pretnji, moglo je samo da ubrza moju tadašnju odluku da kupim XFX ATI RADEON HD 5870 grafičku karticu za nekih 200 evra (maksimum koji sam od skromne novinarske plate mogao sebi da oprostim) i priključim se drugoj velikoj zlatnoj groznici, nekih 150 godina nakon one originalne, kalifornijske.

Ipak, kao što se da pretpostaviti iz činjenice da danas pišem ovaj tekst umesto da na nekom tropskom ostrvu vežbam skokove u vodu, sudbina nije htela da se obogatim rudareći bitkoine.

Ispostavilo se, naime, da moja moćna grafička karta ne odgovara mojoj dosta nesposobnoj matičnoj ploči, pa sam uz pomoć najgore „cost-benefit“ analize u istoriji biznisa zaključio da je bolje da prodam grafičku sa 20 evra gubitka i zaboravim na sve, nego da zarad svoje igrarije menjam čitav kompjuter.

Ta greška koštala me je nekih 700.000 dolara.

Toliko bih, žalosno je, danas imao da sam propalu investiciju u pogrešan hardver pretvorio u novotariju zvanu kriptovaluta, po tadašnjem kursu od 10 dolara za novčić, umesto što sam „zaboravio na sve“.

Bitkoin je, ispostavilo se, postao prilično velika stvar.

S kursom od 40.000 dolara za jedan bitkoin, s međunarodnim bankama koje spekulišu ovom valutom, s nuklearnim naučnicima hapšenim jer su ruski državni superkompjuter upregli da za njih rudari bitkoin, sa novinskim izveštajima o ljudima koji idu u zemlje s jeftinom strujom da u njima instaliraju čitava skladišta puna računara za traženje bitkoina, pa čak i sa poslednjim pričama koje krive upravo bitkoin za to što je u Pakistanu pao napon struje za 200 miliona ljudi i što je 500 miliona Evropljana zamalo ostalo bez svetla, nema nikakve sumnje da je bitkoin nešto veliko.

A opet, to nešto veliko i dalje uporno ostaje – ništa.

Ma koliko neverovatna cena od 40.000 dolara delovala zavodljivo, bitkoin entuzijasti su već jednom, pre tačno dve godine, sve to već doživeli, kada je ova valuta prvi put u meteorskom usponu za samo par nedelja dostigla 20.000 dolara, da bi se onda jednako naglo i jednako neobjašnjivo survala nazad, ostavljajući mnoge sa velikom i nimalo virtuelnom rupom u džepu.

Osnovni problem bitkoina, uzrok njegove karakteristične nestabilnosti – ogromnih skokova i jednako spektakularnih padova – jeste to što niko ne zna za šta je on koristan.

Ma kako uzbudljivo delovala čitava priča o novcu koji je van kontrole vlade, koji nudi anonimnost transakcija i koji je navodno nemoguće falsifikovati, činjenica je da prosečnoj osobi ništa od toga nije potrebno.

Tačnije, bitkoin – sem u uskom krugu slučajeva – ne nudi ništa što već ne možete da dobijete sa svojom valutom, a da vam je potrebno.

Za anonimnost je većini dovoljan keš, rizik od falsifikata je dovoljno mali da je zanemarljiv, a kontrola države i nezavisnost od monetarnih vlasti su priče koje su ljudima eventualno intelektualno zanimljive, ali nikog neće naterati da u praksi krene da koristi neku virtuelnu valutu.

Zato je bitkoin ostao novac ponajviše upotrebljavan za nezakonite transakcije – otkup podataka od hakera, prodaju droge i tome slično – gde su anonimnost i elektronski transfer novca bitniji od svega.

Zašto onda raste cena bitkoinu?

Zato što svi kupuju bitkoine nadajući se da će im cena skočiti i da će zaraditi.

Kako raste tražnja tako raste cena i očekivanje se ispunjava.

Onda kad tražnja nestane, a to će se desiti kad svi koji su upravo sad čuli za bitkoin pokupuju virtuelne novčiće videvši koliki je rast cene u poslednjim danima, cena će krenuti da pada.

Jer – bitkoini nikom nisu potrebni i niko ne želi da ih zadrži. Sve što svi žele je da ih kupe, da im cena „iz nekog razloga skoči“ i da ih onda zamene za „pravi novac“.

U toj igri, koja se stalno ponavlja kako naiđe novi talas publiciteta, neko naravno mora i da izgubi.

Bitkoin neće postići stabilnost i neće uspeti da iskaže svoju „deflatornu“ prirodu u koju se svi uzdaju da im trajno podiže vrednost novčića koje poseduju, sve dok se ne bude pronašla njegova svrha kao valute.

Dok dovoljno veliki broj ljudi ne bude hteo da drži i koristi bitkoine za ono za šta je svaka valuta namenjena – za kupovinu roba i usluga.

Droga, oružje, ucene i ostale oblasti kriminalne ekonomije nisu dovoljni da bi se takva stabilnost postigla.

Glavni problem bitkoina je zato njegova praznina.

Bitkoin nije zlato našeg doba. Pre je blato.

@ 00cfe60d:2819cc65

Lets start with the money talk, at its core, a good form of money is created from two key ingredients: time and energy.

**Money = Time + Energy ** This simple idea explains why money has value. Time is something we can never get back, and energy is what powers everything we do, both mentally and physically. Together, they create value.

Why Energy is So Important Energy is what keeps life going. It’s essential for everything we use and do every day. For example:

• Food without energy to cook is raw and not very tasty.
• A car without energy doesn’t go anywhere.
• A person without energy feels tired and can’t work or play.
• Your work without energy gets nothing done.
• Football without energy means no running, no cheering, and no fun.
• A phone without energy is just a useless object.
• A house without energy is cold, dark, and uncomfortable.
• Transportation without energy means no moving buses, trains, or planes.
• The internet without energy means no websites, no games, and no communication.
• Nature without energy means plants don’t grow and animals can’t survive.

And what about money without energy? ** We often hear that “time is money” but if money is created without any time or energy, it becomes worthless. That’s why energy is so important in giving money its value.

Why Bitcoin is Different

Bitcoin is special because it follows the equation of money perfectly. It’s the best kind of money because it requires both time and energy to exist. Here’s how:

• Time: Bitcoin’s network is designed to create new bitcoins at regular intervals, so time is built into the system.

• Energy: Bitcoin is made using a process called Proof-of-Work, which uses real-world energy to produce and secure it. This ties its value to effort and cost.

Thanks to this process, Bitcoin is:

1. Scarce: There will only ever be 21 million bitcoins. It can’t be copied or faked.

2. Reliable: Its value is tied to real-world energy, making it solid and trustworthy.

3. Effort-Based: No one can create bitcoins out of thin air. It takes real work.

This makes Bitcoin an honest form of money, free from manipulation or shortcuts. It connects the digital and physical worlds through energy, just like gold was in the past, requiring time and energy to extract and maintain its value.

The Problem with Regular Money (Fiat Money)

On the other hand, fiat money, the kind printed by governments, doesn’t follow the same rules. It’s made without effort, just by pressing a button. This leads to big problems:

1. Inflation: More money is printed, making the money you already have worth less.

2. Manipulation: Governments and banks can change the rules whenever they want.

3. Unfairness: People closest to the money printers benefit the most, while everyone else pays the price.

4. Fiat money breaks the rule of time and energy. It’s just a symbol, not a true store of value.

**Henry Ford’s Energy Currency Idea ** Over 100 years ago, Henry Ford had a bold idea: What if money was based on energy? He believed energy was the ultimate resource because it’s measurable and valuable to everyone.

Bitcoin brings Ford’s vision to life. Its Proof-of-Work system ties money directly to energy. Bitcoin acts as a global, incorruptible energy currency that rewards effort and aligns money with real-world value.

Why Energy-Based Money Matters

Money that’s rooted in time and energy isn’t just an idea, it’s a principle we live by every day. To truly understand the value of energy and effort, let me share a personal story.

Every single day of the week, I train. I pour my energy and effort into CrossFit, pushing my body and mind to their limits. Last year, during a competition, I achieved something I’d never done before: 12 ring muscle-ups. Before that, my maximum was just three. Through consistent training, spending my time and energy at the gym, I earned that reward. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.

This is Proof-of-Work in action. Just like my training required time and energy to achieve results, Bitcoin requires time and energy to exist. Its

Proof-of-Work mechanism ensures:

• It can’t be faked or inflated.
• It rewards hard work and energy, not shortcuts or manipulation.
• It restores trust by linking value to real-world effort.

In a world where fiat money can be printed without effort, Bitcoin shines as a clear and honest form of money. Like the work I put into my training, Bitcoin ties time and energy to value, creating a system that’s fair, transparent, and built to last.

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Originalni tekst na politika.rs

13.09.2021 / Autor: Aleksandar Apostolovski

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Za svet virtuelne banalnosti u koji smo umarširali potrebna je i njegova moneta. Kakav svet takvo i sredstvo plaćanja.

Ni četnički jataci nisu kao što su nekada bili. Ne skrivaju se u zemunicama, ne spremaju masnu gibanicu – prste da poližeš – ne čekaju zapadne saveznike da se iskrcaju na Jadranu. Verovatno nemaju ni brade modne linije starog američkog benda „Zi Zi Top”.

Nepoznata sajber ilegalna grupa upala je u podrum kuće čiča Draže u Ivanjici. Zaista, prvorazredna vest. Instalirali su snažne procesore i mašine za rudarenje bitkoinima i daljinskim sistemom. Ko zna odakle. Možda sa Kariba, možda iz Kosjerića, možda iz Jajca – ako su ipak partizani. Trgovali su kriptovalutama. Umalo da tako rasture uličnu rasvetu tokom „Nušićijade”, pa su čelnici opštine sproveli internu istragu, tražeći ilegalce koji vrše diverziju nad elektroenergetskim sistemom grada i festivalom satire.

Upali su u Dražin dom, sišli u podrum i zatekli sofisticiranu opremu, snažne procesore i nekakve mašine za rudarenje po internetu. Kompjuterski komandosi, naravno, nisu bili prisutni. Sada ih juri policija. Potrošili su oko 55.000 kilovat-sati struje. Verovatno se skrivaju pod stripovskim kodnim imenima, poput hakera iz Niša koji su ojadili Teksašane, pa im je doakao FBI, jer Ameri možda trpe svoje prevarante koji muzu kockare na globalnom groblju kriptovaluta, ali ne dozvoljavaju da se u međunarodnu spekulativnu igru ubace mozgovi sa južne pruge, gde je dozvoljeno da se prži paprika, pravi ajvar i sluša melanholični džez na „Nišvilu”.

Jedan od članova niške hakerske grupe je Antonije Stojiljković, koji se krio iza lažnih imena „Toni Rivas” i „Džejkob Gold”, a u slobodno vreme bio je reper poznatiji kao „Zli Toni”. Stojiljković je izručen Americi zbog računarskih prevara. Dobrovoljno se prijavio kako bi se sklonio u Ameriku.

Ti momci su nudili bitkoin upola cene i stvorili takvu virtuelnu međunarodnu mrežu lažnih kompanija, menadžera, uz organizaciju video-konferencija, da su omađijali dobar deo internet investitora iz Teksasa, te je Federalni istražni biro morao da spasava čast kauboja koje su izradile Nišlije. Njihov vođa, izvesni Kristijan Krstić, prestao je da se javlja policiji, nestao je sa suprugom i ortakom Markom Pavlovićem bez traga, iako su pod istragom, što može da poremeti i diplomatske odnose između Srbije i SAD.

Taj Kristijan, ne onaj Kristijan koji se seli iz rijalitija u rijaliti, koristio je nadimke poput „Feliksa Logana” ili „Maršala Grahama” i na internet prevarama zaradio je više desetina miliona evra. Priča nije nimalo bezazlena. Veze „Zlog Tonija” dosežu, bar po dosadašnjem toku istrage, sve do klana Belivuka.

Ali, to će rešavati sudovi i policija, mada i podaci koji su procurili otkrivaju suštinu fame bitkoin i na hiljade kriptovaluta koje može stvoriti bilo koji maher, avanturista, šaljivdžija, klinac, multimilioner, tajne službe, trgovci oružjem, narko-bosovi, plaćene ubice ili Del Bojevi koji će iduće godine postati milioneri.

Virtuelni svet ne može postojati bez virtuelnih valuta, s tim što one nisu opipljive, iza njih ne stoje centralne banke i vlade. Dakle, nemate pojma ko ih je stvorio, nemate pojma s kime trgujete i ko su brokeri.

Vidim da na „Jutjubu”, u motelu „Stari Hrast” na Koridoru 10, neki momci plaćaju prebranac i vešalice bitkoinima, preko mobilnih telefona. U kafani primaju i etereume, digitalni novčić u usponu, odmah iza bitkoina. I za to čudo je potreban digitalni novčanik... Ovde ću se zaustaviti jer je za svet banalnosti u koji smo umarširali potrebna i njegova moneta. Kakav svet takvo i sredstvo plaćanja.

Kako su kompjuterski podaci svih vrsta, od pretraživača, društvenih mreža, aplikacija, do podataka kompanija, državnih i međunarodnih organizacija, i onih ličnih, koje upravo vi posedujete, postali nezamislivo ogromna baza koju je nemoguće uskladištiti, otvorena je berza za internet magacionere koji će, rudareći na internetu, postati kandidati za potencijalne šefove skladišta. Teoretski, možete izrudariti deo arhive CIA. Preporuka – ako saznate ko je ukokao Kenedija, ćutite ko zaliveni!

(Dragan Stojanović)

Da je Alija Sirotanović kojim slučajem rudario kao specijalci iz Dražinog podruma, postao bi Bil Gejts. Alija je znao da nema ’leba bez motike, odnosno krampa. Zato je ostao Sirotanović. Ovo je novo doba. Mašina krampuje u simuliranoj stvarnosti, a virtuelni homo sapijens upravlja procesorima. Bitkoin vrti gde burgija neće! Stvar ipak nije tako idilična. Te skalamerije troše ogromne količine električne energije i strahovito zagrevaju prostorije, pa je u Dražinom podrumu bilo nešto vrelije nego u sauni. Priča se da su najveći mešetari otperjali na Island da se prirodno rashlade. Sledeće stanište im je Grenland.

Kome god je stalo do računarskog kriptovalutnog avanturizma može da formira svoj mali rudnik, gde nema zlata ni dijamanata, ali ima koina, odnosno stotog dela bitkoina. Jedan trenutno vredi 50.000 dolara. Pitam se, ovako zastareo, gde su banke i menjačnice?

Sa ono malo informatičkog znanja – valjda ću uspeti nekako imejlom da pošaljem ovaj tekst – saznao sam da vrednost bitkoina vrtoglavo skače i pada na dnevnom nivou, a kako je njegov broj ograničen na globalnom nivou, a neformalni šef Federalnih rezervi bitkoina je donedavno bio jedan od najbogatijih ljudi sveta Ilon Mask, koji je na svom tviter nalogu svakodnevno formirao grafikon rasta i pada svojim opaskama, tu već naslućujem elemente bondovskog zapleta. Harizmatični superbogataš koji leti u svemir, poseduje kompaniju električnih automobila „Tesla”, upravljao je donedavno imaginarnom berzom i valutom, ali je nedavno odustao. Možda zato emigrira u kosmos?

Stvar zaista može izmaći kontroli ili će, možda, bitkoin postati naša sudbina, a mi rudari iz sauna? Salvador je pre nekoliko dana postao prva zemlja na svetu koja je usvojila bitkoin kao zakonsko sredstvo plaćanja, uz američki dolar, s planovima korišćenja vulkanske geotermalne energije za napajanje rudarenja digitalne valute. Postavili su i bankomate. Tamošnjem narodu, kao i meni, ništa nije jasno.

Međutim, broj bitkoina je ograničen i zato pomalo podseća na zlato. Ali kod zlata ipak ponešto razumem. Recimo, ako imam zlatnu polugu i neko me napadne, mogu da je koristim u samoodbrani, a onda je sklonim u trezor banke.

Mogu da učinim i nešto drugo, jednako glupo. Da stvorim sopstvenu kriptovalutu. Nazvaću je „Ser Oliver koin”. Cijena će joj, logično, biti prava sitnica. Trebaju mi saradnici. Kruži fama da se popriličan broj klinaca, mahom dvadesetogodišnjaka, pridružio kultu bitkoina. Tokom korone izgubili su poverenje u sve, naročito u nas matore. Optužuju nas za izdaju i predviđaju propast država i zvaničnih valuta, uz uspon dvoglave aždaje – saveza bogataša i političara.

Delimično su u pravu, ali nisu ukapirali ključnu stvar. Aždaja raste, a oni rudare. Na kraju će završiti još gore nego Alija Sirotanović. Likovi im neće biti na novčanicama, a kablovima će biti priključeni za superkompjuter. Njihov novi vlasnik, s kodnim imenom „Procesor”, plaćaće ih idiot-koinima. Tražili smo, gledaćemo.

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Originalni tekst na trzisnoresenje.blogspot.com

22.12.2017 / Autor: Slaviša Tasić

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Ovoliki uspon Bitcoina neobjašnjiv je za ekonomiste. Ne znam da li je to problem za bitcoin ili za ekonomiste, ali činjenica je da se uspeh bitcoina ne uklapa u postojeće ekonomske koncepte bar kada se radi o njemu kao valuti (blockchain kao tehnološka podloga je druga stvar). Možda su tinejdžeri koji su kupovali bitcoin 2010. i sada postali milioneri ispali pametniji od ekonomista, ali ja i dalje ne vidim odgovor bitcoina na neka standardna konceptualna pitanja. Postoji apokrifna izjava pripisana nekom profesoru ekonomije: "OK, vidim da to radi u praksi -- ali čik da vidim da li radi u teoriji?" Ovo je nešto tog tipa.

O poreklu novca, od Aristotela nasuprot Platonu pa sve do danas, postoje dve teorije. Jedna je teorija robnog novca i po njoj je novac nastao kada su neke vredne stvari počele da se češće koriste u razmeni. Plemeniti metali, naročito srebro i zlato, najpogodniji za čuvanje, oblikovanje i seckanje tako su postali novac. Kada se kasnije pojavio papirni novac on je sve do prvih decenija 20. veka bio samo hartija od vrednosti koja donosiocu daje pravo na propisanu količinu zlata.

Druga teorija je kartalizam, po kojoj neku robu novcem ne čini njena unutrašnja vrednost ili robna podloga, već država onda kada odluči da tu robu prihvata za naplatu poreza. Zbog toga je prelaz na papirni novac tokom 20. veka bio tako bezbolan i papirne valute se danas bez problema prihvataju. Današnji papirni novac nije više sertifikat koji vam daje pravo na zlato, ali vrednost ima jer u krajnjoj liniji znate da njime uvek možete platiti državi za porez ili usluge.

Bitcoin se ne uklapa ni u jednu od ovih teorija. On nema imanentnu vrednost kao robni novac, niti se može koristiti za plaćanje državi. Jedini način za bitcoin da ima neku vrednost je da ga prihvataju druge privatne strane u transakcijama. To je potpuni novitet u istoriji novca, jer se po prvi put radi o privatnom dekretnom (proklamovanom ili fiat) novcu. Postojao je privatni novac sa robnom podlogom; postoji državni dekretni novac; ali nikad privatni dekretni novac.

Najveći problem sa bitcoinom kao valutom je nestabilnost. To što njegova vrednost vrtoglavo raste nikako nije argument u prilog njemu jer nestabilnost valute isključuje mogućnost smislenog ugovaranja u njoj. Pristalice bitcoina dobro znaju da je njegova ponuda automatski ograničena i to je čest argument u odbranu bitcoina kao valute i navodno u prilog njegove stabilnosti. Ja nisam siguran da ograničenost ponude igra tako veliku ulogu.

Prvo, iako je količina bitcoina ograničena, može se napraviti neograničeno mnogo kopija bitcoina ili boljih kripto valuta. Već sada postoji na hiljade njih. Šta ograničenost ponude bitcoina uopšte znači kada ima neograničeno mnogo alternativa?

Drugo, iako je ponuda ograničena, cenu novca, kao i svega drugog, određuju ponuda i tražnja. A tražnja je kao što vidimo veoma varijabilna. Tako na jednoj strani imamo kvaziograničenost ponude a na drugoj veliku neizvesnost tražnje. To sve ukazuje na ogromnu nestabilnost.

Kod klasičnih valuta, poput evra ili dinara, ponuda je ograničena politikom centralne banke. Mnogi će reći da to nije nikakva garancija, ali zapadne valute već 30 godina nemaju nikakvu inflaciju, a u proteklih desetak godina veći problem bila je deflacija. Tražnja - želja za držanjem novca - je kod državnih valuta takođe varijabilna, ali mnogo manje jer monopolski karakter ovih valuta i naplata poreza u njima garantuju njihovu upotrebu. I kod tradicionalnih valuta ne samo da je tražnja novca relativno stabilna, već u situacijama kada tražnja novca bude nestabilna, fleksibilnost njegove ponude postaje prednost a ne mana. Na primer, tražnja za švajcarskim francima je negde oko 2009. naglo porasla. Švajcarska centralna banka je na to reagovala ogromnim povećanjem ponude, tako da je franak sačuvao bazičnu stabilnost. Jeste ojačao ali u razumnoj meri - ne desetostruko ili stostruko kao što rade kriptovalute.

Zato ne vidim kako se oscilacije bitcoina mogu zaustaviti. Jasno je da kriptovalute imaju neku korisnost u transakcijama, makar to bilo i za ilegalne aktivnosti, ali kada je ponuda neograničena a tražnja neizvesna onda nema nikakvih smernica buduće vrednosti. Ne znam koliko se to čak i može nazvati balonom jer se uopšte nemamo na šta osloniti u proceni nekakve prave vrednosti -- nema nikakvog fundamentalnog razloga ni da cena bitcoina poraste na $19,000 niti da danas padne na $12,500. Jedina vrednost koja u teoriji ima smisla je nula ili vrlo blizu nule.

@ d830ee7b:4e61cd62

การเผชิญหน้า (The Collision Point)

กลางปี 2017 ที่ร้านคราฟท์เบียร์เล็ก ๆ ในย่านเกาะเกร็ด นนทบุรี อากาศร้อนจนเครื่องปรับอากาศ (ที่ยังไม่มี) ในร้านทำงานหนักแทบไหม้ "แจ๊ก กู้ดเดย์" (Jakk Goodday) นั่งลงบนเก้าอี้ไม้ที่เจ้าของร้านกันไว้ให้เป็นประจำ ราวกับเขาเป็นลูกค้าขาประจำระดับวีไอพี

กลิ่นกาแฟคั่ว ลอยผสมกับไอความร้อนจากนอกหน้าต่าง (ผิดร้านหรือเปล่า?) เกิดเป็นบรรยากาศขมติดปลายลิ้นชวนให้คนจิบแล้วอยากถอนใจ

เขาเหลือบมองออกไปนอกหน้าต่าง.. เห็นแสงแดดแผดเผาราวกับมันรู้ว่าสงคราม Blocksize กำลังคุกรุ่นขึ้นอีกครั้ง

บรรยากาศนอกหน้าต่างกับใน ฟอรัม Bitcointalk ช่างเหมือนกันจนน่าขนลุก มันร้อนแรง ไร้ความปรานี

แจ๊กเปิดแล็ปท็อป กดเข้าเว็บฟอรัม พอเสียงแจ้งเตือน “—ติ๊ง” ดังขึ้น คิ้วของเขาก็ขมวดเล็กน้อย คล้ายได้กลิ่นดินปืนกลางสนามรบ

“โรเจอร์ แวร์ (Roger Ver) ไลฟ์เดือดลั่นเวที!” “ปีเตอร์ วูเล (Pieter Wuille) โต้กลับเรื่อง SegWit!” “Hard Fork ใกล้ถึงจุดปะทะแล้ว!”

แจ๊กคลิกเข้าไปในลิงก์ของไลฟ์ทันที เหมือนมือของเขาไม่ต้องการคำสั่งจากสมอง ความคุ้นเคยกับเหตุการณ์แบบนี้บอกเขาว่า นี่ไม่ใช่ดีเบตธรรมดา แต่มันอาจเปลี่ยนอนาคตของ Bitcoin ได้จริง ๆ

เห็นแค่พาดหัวสั้น ๆ แต่ความตึงเครียดก็ชัดเจนขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ ทุกข้อความเหมือนสุมไฟใส่ใจกองหนึ่งที่พร้อมระเบิดได้ทุกเมื่อ

โทรศัพท์ของแจ๊กดังพร้อมปรากฏชื่อ แชมป์ ‘PIGROCK’ ลอยขึ้นมา เขาหยิบขึ้นมารับทันที

“ว่าไงวะแชมป์… มีอะไรด่วนหรือเปล่า?” น้ำเสียงแจ๊กฟังดูเหมือนง่วง ๆ แต่จริง ๆ เขาพร้อมจะลุกมาวิเคราะห์สถานการณ์ให้ฟังทุกเมื่อ

“พี่แจ๊ก.. ผมอ่านดีเบตเรื่อง SegWit ในฟอรัมอยู่ครับ บางคนด่าว่ามันไม่ได้แก้ปัญหาจริง ๆ บ้างก็บอกถ้าเพิ่ม Blocksize ไปเลยจะง่ายกว่า... ผมเลยสงสัยว่า Hard Fork ที่เค้าพูดถึงกันนี่คืออะไร ใครคิดอะไรก็ Fork กันได้ง่าย ๆ เลยเหรอ"

"แล้วถ้า Fork ไปหลายสาย สุดท้ายเหรียญไหนจะเป็น ‘Bitcoin ที่แท้จริง’ ล่ะพี่?”

“แล้วการ Fork มันส่งผลกับนักลงทุนยังไงครับ? คนทั่วไปอย่างผมควรถือไว้หรือขายหนีตายดีล่ะเนี่ย?”

แจ๊กยิ้มมุมปาก ชอบใจที่น้องถามจี้จุด

“เอางี้… การ Fork มันเหมือนแบ่งถนนออกเป็นสองสาย ใครชอบกติกาเก่าก็วิ่งถนนเส้นเก่า ใครอยากแก้กติกาใหม่ก็ไปถนนเส้นใหม่"

"แต่ประเด็นคือ... นี่ไม่ใช่เรื่องเล็ก ๆ เพราะมีผลต่ออัตลักษณ์ของ Bitcoin ทั้งหมดเลยนะมึง—ใครจะยอมปล่อยผ่านง่าย ๆ”

"คิดดูสิ ถ้าครั้งนี้พวกเขา Fork จริง มันอาจไม่ได้เปลี่ยนแค่เครือข่าย แต่เปลี่ยนวิธีที่คนมอง Bitcoin ไปตลอดกาลเลยนะ"

"แล้วใครมันจะอยากลงทุนในระบบที่แตกแยกซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่าวะ?"

“งั้นหมายความว่าตอนนี้ก็มีสองแนวใหญ่ ๆ ชัวร์ใช่ไหมครับ?” แชมป์ถามต่อ

“ฝั่ง โรเจอร์ แวร์ ที่บอกว่าต้องเพิ่ม Blocksize ให้ใหญ่จุใจ กับฝั่งทีม Core อย่าง ปีเตอร์ วูเล ที่ยืนยันต้องใช้ SegWit ทำให้บล็อกเบา ไม่กระทบการกระจายอำนาจ?”

“ใช่เลย” แจ๊กจิบกาแฟดำเข้ม ๆ ผสมน้ำผึ้งไปหนึ่งอึก

“โรเจอร์นี่เขาเชื่อว่า Bitcoin ต้องเป็นเงินสดดิจิทัลที่ใช้จ่ายไว ค่าธรรมเนียมไม่แพง ส่วนปีเตอร์กับ Bitcoin Core มองว่าการเพิ่มบล็อกเยอะ ๆ มันจะไปฆ่า Node รายย่อย คนไม่มีทุนก็รัน Node ไม่ไหว สุดท้าย Bitcoin จะกลายเป็นระบบกึ่งรวมศูนย์ ซึ่งมันผิดหลักการเดิมของ ซาโตชิ ไงล่ะ”

“ฟังแล้วก็ไม่ใช่เรื่องง่ายนะพี่… งั้นที่ผมได้ยินว่า จิฮั่น อู๋ (Jihan Wu) เจ้าของ Bitmain ที่ถือ Hashrate เกินครึ่งนี่ก็มาอยู่ฝั่งเดียวกับโรเจอร์ใช่ไหม?"

"เพราะยิ่งบล็อกใหญ่ ค่าธรรมเนียมยิ่งเพิ่ม นักขุดก็ได้กำไรสูงขึ้นใช่ป่ะ?”

“ไอ้เรื่องกำไรก็ส่วนหนึ่ง...” แจ๊กถอนหายใจ

“แต่ที่สำคัญกว่านั้นคืออำนาจต่อรอง… ตอนประชุมลับที่ฮ่องกงเมื่อปีที่แล้ว พี่เองก็ถูกชวนให้เข้าไปในฐานะคนกลาง เลยเห็นภาพน่าขนลุกอยู่หน่อย ๆ"

"จิฮั่นนั่งไขว่ห้างด้วยสีหน้ามั่นใจมาก ด้วย Hashrate ราว 60% ของโลก สั่งซ้ายหันขวาหันเหมือนเป็นแม่ทัพใหญ่ได้เลย พอโรเจอร์ก็ไฟแรงอยู่แล้ว อยากให้ Bitcoin ครองโลกด้วยวิธีของเขา สองคนนี่จับมือกันทีจะเขย่าชุมชน Bitcoin ได้ทั้งกระดาน”

"พี่รู้สึกเหมือนนั่งอยู่ในศึกชิงบัลลังก์ยุคใหม่ คนหนึ่งยึดพลังขุด คนหนึ่งยึดความศรัทธาในชื่อ Bitcoin แต่สิ่งที่พี่สงสัยในตอนนั้นคือ… พวกเขาสู้เพื่อใครกันแน่?"

แชมป์เงียบไปครู่เหมือนกำลังประมวลผล “แล้วตอนนั้นพี่คิดยังไงบ้างครับ? รู้สึกกลัวหรือว่ายังไง?”

“จะไม่กลัวได้ไง!” แจ๊กหัวเราะแห้ง ๆ แวบหนึ่งก็นึกถึงสีหน้าที่ยิ้มเยาะของทั้งคู่ตอนประกาศความพร้อมจะ Fork

“พี่อดคิดไม่ได้ว่าถ้า Core ยังไม่ยอมขยายบล็อก พวกนั้นจะลากนักขุดทั้งกองทัพแฮชเรตไปทำเครือข่ายใหม่ให้เป็น ‘Bitcoin สายใหญ่’ แล้วทิ้งเครือข่ายเดิมให้ซวนเซ"

"แค่คิดก็นึกถึงสงครามกลางเมืองในหนังประวัติศาสตร์แล้วน่ะ.. แตกเป็นสองฝ่าย สุดท้ายใครแพ้ใครชนะ ไม่มีใครทำนายได้จริง ๆ”

พูดจบ.. เขาเปิดฟอรัมดูไลฟ์ดีเบตจากงานในปี 2017 ต่อ โรเจอร์ แวร์ กำลังพูดในโทนร้อนแรง

“Bitcoin ไม่ใช่ของคนรวย! ถ้าคุณไม่เพิ่ม Blocksize คุณก็ทำให้ค่าธรรมเนียมพุ่งจนคนธรรมดาใช้ไม่ได้!”

ขณะเดียวกัน ปีเตอร์ วูเล่ ยืนอยู่ฝั่งตรงข้าม สีหน้าเยือกเย็นราวกับตั้งรับมานาน “การเพิ่มบล็อกคือการทำลายโครงสร้าง Node รายย่อยในระยะยาว แล้วมันจะยังเรียกว่ากระจายอำนาจได้หรือ?”

"ถ้าคุณอยากให้ Bitcoin เป็นของคนรวยเพียงไม่กี่คน ก็เชิญขยายบล็อกไปเถอะนะ แต่ถ้าอยากให้มันเป็นระบบที่คนทุกระดับมีส่วนร่วมจริง ๆ ..คุณต้องฟังเสียง Node รายเล็กด้วย" ปีเตอร์กล่าว

เสียงผู้คนในงานโห่ฮากันอย่างแตกเป็นสองฝ่าย บ้างก็เชียร์ความตรงไปตรงมาของโรเจอร์ บ้างก็เคารพเหตุผลเชิงเทคนิคของปีเตอร์

ข้อความจำนวนมหาศาลในฟอรัมต่างโหมกระพือไปต่าง ๆ นานา มีทั้งคำด่าหยาบคายจนแจ๊กต้องเบือนหน้า ตลอดจนการวิเคราะห์ลึก ๆ ถึงอนาคตของ Bitcoin ที่อาจไม่เหมือนเดิม

ในระหว่างนั้น.. แชมป์ส่งข้อความ Discord กลับมาอีก

“พี่ ถ้า Fork จริง ราคาจะป่วนแค่ไหน? ที่เขาว่าคนถือ BTC จะได้เหรียญใหม่ฟรี ๆ จริงไหม? ผมกลัวว่าถ้าเกิดแบ่งเครือข่ายไม่รู้กี่สาย ตลาดอาจมั่วจนคนหายหมดก็ได้ ใช่ไหมครับ?”

"แล้วถ้าเครือข่ายใหม่ล้มเหลวล่ะครับ? จะส่งผลอะไรต่อชุมชน Bitcoin เดิม?"

"ไอ้แชมป์มึงถามรัวจังวะ!?" แจ๊กสบถเพราะเริ่มตั้งรับไม่ทัน

“ก็ขึ้นกับตลาดจะเชื่อว่าสายไหนเป็น ‘ของจริง’ อีกนั่นแหละ” แจ๊กพิมพ์กลับ

“บางคนถือไว้เผื่อได้เหรียญใหม่ฟรี บางคนขายหนีตายก่อน"

"พี่เองก็ยังไม่กล้าการันตีเลย แต่ที่แน่ ๆ สงครามนี้ไม่ได้มีแค่ผลกำไร มันกระทบศรัทธาของชุมชน Bitcoin ทั้งหมดด้วย"

"ถ้าชาวเน็ตเลิกเชื่อมั่น หรือคนนอกมองว่าพวกเราทะเลาะกันเองเหมือนเด็กแย่งของเล่น ต่อให้ฝั่งไหนชนะ ก็อาจไม่มีผู้ใช้เหลือให้ฉลอง”

แล้วสายตาแจ๊กก็ปะทะกับกระทู้ใหม่ที่เด้งขึ้นมาบนหน้าฟอรัม

“โรเจอร์ แวร์ ประกาศ: ถ้าไม่เพิ่ม Blocksize เราจะฟอร์กเป็น Bitcoin ที่แท้จริง!”

ตัวหนังสือหนาแปะอยู่ตรงนั้นส่งแรงสั่นสะเทือนราวกับจะดึงคนในวงการให้ต้องเลือกข้างกันแบบไม่อาจกลับหลังได้

แจ๊กเอื้อมมือปิดแล็ปท็อปช้า ๆ คล้ายยอมรับความจริงว่าหนทางประนีประนอมอาจไม่มีอีกแล้ว..

“สงครามนี่คงใกล้ระเบิดเต็มทีล่ะนะ” เขาลุกจากเก้าอี้ สะพายเป้ พึมพำกับตัวเองขณะมองกาแฟดำที่เหลือครึ่งแก้ว “ถ้าพวกเขาฟอร์กจริง โลกคริปโตฯ ที่เราเคยรู้จักอาจไม่มีวันเหมือนเดิมอีกต่อไป”

เขามองออกไปนอกหน้าต่าง แสงแดดที่แผดเผาราวกับกำลังบอกว่า.. อนาคตของ Bitcoin อยู่ในจุดที่เส้นแบ่งระหว่างชัยชนะกับความล่มสลายเริ่มพร่าเลือน... และอาจไม่มีทางย้อนกลับ

ก่อนเดินออกจากร้าน เขากดส่งข้อความสั้น ๆ ถึงแชมป์

“เตรียมใจกับความปั่นป่วนไว้ให้ดี ไม่แน่ว่าเราอาจจะได้เห็น Bitcoin แตกเป็นหลายสาย.. ใครจะอยู่ใครจะไปไม่รู้เหมือนกัน แต่เรื่องนี้คงไม่จบง่าย ๆ แน่”

แจ๊กผลักประตูออกไปพบกับแดดจัดที่เหมือนแผดเผากว่าเดิม พายุร้อนไม่ได้มาแค่ในรูปความร้อนกลางกรุง แต่มาในรูป “สงคราม Blocksize” ที่พร้อมจะฉีกชุมชนคริปโตออกเป็นฝักฝ่าย และอาจลามบานปลายจนกลายเป็นศึกประวัติศาสตร์

ทว่าสิ่งที่ค้างคาใจกลับเป็นคำถามนั้น…

เมื่อเครือข่ายแบ่งเป็นหลายสายแล้ว เหรียญไหนจะเป็น Bitcoin จริง?

หรือบางที... ในโลกที่ใครก็ Fork ได้ตามใจ เราจะไม่มีวันได้เห็น “Bitcoin หนึ่งเดียว” อีกต่อไป?

คำถามที่ไม่มีใครตอบได้ชัดนี้ส่องประกายอยู่ตรงปลายทาง ราวกับป้ายเตือนว่า “อันตรายข้างหน้า” และคนในชุมชนทั้งหมดกำลังจะต้องเผชิญ…

โดยไม่มีใครมั่นใจเลยว่าจะรอด หรือจะแตกสลายไปก่อนกันแน่...

สองเส้นทาง (The Forked Path)

กลางปี 2017 ท้องฟ้าเหนือบุรีรัมย์ยังคงคุกรุ่นด้วยไอแดดและความร้อนแรงของสงคราม Blocksize แจ๊ก กู้ดเดย์ ก้าวเข้ามาในคาเฟ่เล็ก ๆ แห่งหนึ่งในย่านเทศบาลด้วยสีหน้าครุ่นคิด เขาพยายามมองหามุมสงบสำหรับนั่งตั้งหลักในโลกความเป็นจริง ก่อนจะจมดิ่งสู่สงครามในโลกดิจิทัลบนฟอรัม Bitcointalk อีกครั้ง

กลิ่นกาแฟคั่วเข้มลอยกระทบจมูก แจ๊กสั่งกาแฟดำแก้วโปรดแล้วปลีกตัวมาที่โต๊ะริมกระจก กระจกบานนั้นสะท้อนแสงอาทิตย์จัดจ้า ราวกับจะบอกว่าวันนี้คงไม่มีใครหนีความร้อนที่กำลังแผดเผา ทั้งในอากาศและในชุมชน Bitcoin ได้พ้น

เขาเปิดแล็ปท็อปขึ้น ล็อกอินเข้า Bitcointalk.org ตามเคย ข้อความและกระทู้มากมายกระหน่ำแจ้งเตือน ไม่ต่างอะไรจากสมรภูมิคำพูดที่ไม่มีวันหลับ “Hong Kong Agreement ล้มเหลวจริงหรือ?” “UASF คือปฏิวัติโดย Node?” เหล่านี้ล้วนสะท้อนความไม่แน่นอนในชุมชน Bitcoin ที่ตอนนี้ ดูคล้ายจะถึงจุดแตกหักเต็มที...

“ทั้งที่ตอนนั้นเราก็พยายามกันแทบตาย…” แจ๊กพึมพำ มองจอด้วยสายตาเหนื่อยใจพร้อมภาพความทรงจำย้อนกลับเข้าในหัว เขายังจำการประชุมที่ฮ่องกงเมื่อต้นปี 2016 ได้แม่น ยามนั้นความหวังในการประนีประนอมระหว่าง Big Block และ Small Block ดูเป็นไปได้ หากแต่กลายเป็นละครฉากใหญ่ที่จบลงโดยไม่มีใครยอมถอย...

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...การประชุม Hong Kong Agreement (2016)

ภายในห้องประชุมหรูของโรงแรมใจกลางย่านธุรกิจฮ่องกง บรรยากาศตึงเครียดยิ่งกว่าการเจรจาสงบศึกในสมัยโบราณ

โรเจอร์ แวร์ ยืนเสนอว่า “การเพิ่ม Blocksize สำคัญต่ออนาคตของ Bitcoin — เราอยากให้คนทั่วไปเข้าถึงได้โดยไม่ต้องจ่ายค่าธรรมเนียมแพง ๆ”

“จิฮั่น อู๋ (Jihan Wu)” จาก Bitmain นั่งฝั่งเดียวกับโรเจอร์ คอยเสริมว่าการเพิ่มบล็อกคือโอกาสสำหรับนักขุด และหากทีม Core ไม่ยอม พวกเขาก็พร้อม “ดัน Fork” ขึ้นได้ทุกเมื่อ ด้วย Hashrate มหาศาลที่พวกเขาคุมไว้

ฝั่ง ปีเตอร์ วูเล (Pieter Wuille) กับ เกร็ก แมกซ์เวลล์ (Greg Maxwell) จาก Bitcoin Core เถียงกลับอย่างใจเย็นว่า “การขยายบล็อกอาจดึงดูดทุนใหญ่ ๆ แล้วไล่ Node รายย่อยออกไป ชุมชนอาจไม่เหลือความกระจายอำนาจอย่างที่ Satoshi ตั้งใจ”

สุดท้าย บทสรุปที่เรียกว่า Hong Kong Agreement ลงนามได้ก็จริง แต่มันกลับเป็นแค่ลายเซ็นบนกระดาษที่ไม่มีฝ่ายไหนเชื่อใจใคร

แจ๊กเบือนสายตาออกนอกหน้าต่าง สังเกตเห็นผู้คนเดินขวักไขว่ บ้างก็ดูรีบร้อน บ้างเดินทอดน่องเหมือนว่างเปล่า นี่คงไม่ต่างอะไรกับชาวเน็ตในฟอรัมที่แบ่งฝ่ายกันใน “สงคราม Blocksize” อย่างไม่มีทีท่าจะหยุด

แค่ไม่กี่นาที... เสียงโทรศัพท์ก็ดังขึ้น ชื่อ แชมป์ ‘PIGROCK’ โชว์หราเต็มจออีกครั้ง

“ว่าไงเจ้าแชมป์?” แจ๊กกรอกเสียงในสายด้วยอารมณ์เหนื่อย ๆ ทว่าพร้อมจะอธิบายเหตุการณ์ตามสไตล์คนที่ชอบครุ่นคิด

“พี่แจ๊ก.. ผมเข้าใจแล้วว่าการประชุมฮ่องกงมันล้มเหลว ตอนนี้ก็มีคนแยกเป็นสองขั้ว Big Block กับ SegWit แต่ผมเจออีกกลุ่มในฟอรัมเรียกว่า UASF (User-Activated Soft Fork) ที่เหมือนจะกดดันพวกนักขุดให้ยอมรับ SegWit..."

"อยากรู้ว่าตกลง UASF มันสำคัญยังไงครับ? ทำไมใคร ๆ ถึงเรียกว่าเป็น การปฏิวัติโดย Node กัน?”

แจ๊กอมยิ้มก่อนจะวางแก้วกาแฟลง พูดด้วยน้ำเสียงจริงจังกว่าเดิม “UASF น่ะหรือ? มันเปรียบได้กับการที่ ‘ชาวนา’ หรือ ‘ประชาชนตัวเล็ก ๆ’ ออกมาประกาศว่า ‘ฉันจะไม่รับบล็อกของนักขุดที่ไม่รองรับ SegWit นะ ถ้าแกไม่ทำตาม ฉันก็จะตัดบล็อกแกทิ้ง!’ เสมือนเป็นการปฏิวัติที่บอกว่าแรงขุดมากแค่ไหนก็ไม่สำคัญ ถ้าคนรัน Node ไม่ยอม… เชนก็เดินต่อไม่ได้”

“โห… ฟังดูแรงจริง ๆ พี่ แล้วถ้านักขุดไม่ร่วมมือ UASF จะเกิดอะไรขึ้น?” แชมป์ถามต่อเสียงสั่นนิด ๆ

“ก็อาจเกิด ‘Chain Split’ ยังไงล่ะ"

"แยกเครือข่ายเป็นสองสาย สุดท้ายเครือข่ายเดิม กับเครือข่ายใหม่ที่รองรับ SegWit ไม่ตรงกัน คนอาจสับสนหนักยิ่งกว่า Hard Fork ปกติด้วยซ้ำ"

"แต่นั่นแหละ... มันแสดงพลังว่าผู้ใช้ทั่วไปก็มีสิทธิ์กำหนดทิศทาง Bitcoin ไม่ได้น้อยไปกว่านักขุดเลย”

“เข้าใจแล้วครับพี่… เหมือน การปฏิวัติโดยประชาชนตาดำ ๆ ที่จับมือกันค้านอำนาจทุนใหญ่ใช่ไหม?” แชมป์หยุดครู่หนึ่ง “ผมเคยคิดว่า Node รายย่อยน้อยรายจะไปสู้อะไรไหว แต่ตอนนี้ดูท่าจะเปลี่ยนเกมได้จริงว่ะพี่…”

“ใช่เลย” แจ๊กตอบ

“นี่เป็นความพิเศษของ Bitcoin ที่บอกว่า ‘เราคุมเครือข่ายร่วมกัน’ แม้แต่ Bitmain ที่มี Hashrate มากกว่า 50% ก็หนาวได้ถ้าผู้ใช้หรือ Node รายย่อยรวมพลังกันมากพอ”

แชมป์ฟังด้วยความตื่นเต้นปนกังวล “แล้วแบบนี้ เรื่อง SegWit กับ Blocksize จะจบยังไงครับ? เห็นข่าวว่าถ้านักขุดโดนกดดันมาก ๆ คนอย่าง จิฮั่น อู๋ อาจออกไปสนับสนุน Bitcoin Cash ที่จะเปิดบล็อกใหญ่”

แจ๊กเลื่อนดูฟีดข่าวในฟอรัม Bitcointalk อีกครั้ง ก็เห็นพาดหัวชัด ๆ

“Bitmain ประกาศกร้าวพร้อมหนุน BCH เต็มพิกัด!”

เขาถอนหายใจเฮือกหนึ่ง “ก็ใกล้เป็นจริงแล้วล่ะ… โรเจอร์ แวร์ เองก็ผลักดัน BCH ว่าคือ Bitcoin แท้ที่ค่าธรรมเนียมถูก ใช้งานได้จริง ส่วนฝั่ง BTC ที่ยึดเอา SegWit เป็นหลัก ก็ไม่ยอมให้ Blocksize เพิ่มใหญ่เกินจำเป็น.."

"ต่างคนต่างมีเหตุผล... แต่อุดมการณ์นี่คนละทางเลย”

“แล้วพี่คิดว่าใครจะเป็นฝ่ายชนะครับ?”

“เฮ้ย.. มึงถามยากไปหรือเปล่า” แจ๊กหัวเราะหึ ๆ “ทุกคนมีโอกาสได้หมด และก็มีโอกาสพังหมดเหมือนกัน ถ้า UASF กดดันนักขุดให้อยู่กับ Core ได้ พวกเขาอาจยอมแพ้ แต่ถ้า Bitmain เทใจไป BCH นักขุดรายใหญ่คนอื่น ๆ ก็คงตาม"

"แล้วถ้าฝั่ง BCH เริ่มได้เปรียบ... อาจดึงคนไปเรื่อย ๆ สุดท้ายจะเหลือไหมล่ะฝั่ง SegWit ตัวจริง?”

“งั้น Node รายย่อยจะยืนอยู่ตรงไหนล่ะครับพี่?” แชมป์ถามอย่างหนักใจ

“Node รายย่อยและชุมชนผู้ใช้นี่แหละ คือ ตัวแปรชี้ขาด ทุกวันนี้คนกลุ่ม UASF พยายามโชว์พลังว่าตัวเองมีสิทธิ์ตั้งกติกาเหมือนกัน ไม่ใช่แค่นักขุด"

"อย่างที่บอก.. มันคือการ ‘ลุกขึ้นปฏิวัติ’ โดยชาวนา ต่อสู้กับเจ้าที่ที่ถือ ‘แฮชเรต’ เป็นอาวุธ”

แจ๊กตบบ่าตัวเองเบา ๆ ก่อนจะหัวเราะเล็กน้อย

“นี่แหละความมันของ Bitcoin ไม่มีเจ้าไหนสั่งได้เบ็ดเสร็จจริง ๆ ทุกฝั่งต่างถือไพ่คนละใบ สงครามยังไม่รู้จะจบยังไง ถึงอย่างนั้นมันก็สะท้อนวิญญาณ ‘decentralization’ ที่แท้จริง กล้ายอมรับสิทธิ์ทุกฝ่ายเพื่อแข่งขันกันตามกติกา”

จู่ ๆ ในหน้าฟอรัมก็มีกระทู้ใหม่เด้งเด่น “Bitmain หนุน Bitcoin Cash ด้วย Hashrate กว่า 50%! สงครามเริ่มแล้ว?” ข้อความนั้นดังโครมครามเหมือนระเบิดลงกลางวง

แจ๊กนิ่งไปชั่วขณะ สัมผัสได้ถึงความปั่นป่วนที่กำลังปะทุขึ้นอีกครั้ง เหงื่อบางเบาซึมบนหน้าผากแม้อากาศในคาเฟ่จะเย็นฉ่ำ เขาหันมองโทรศัพท์ที่ยังค้างสายกับแชมป์ แล้วเอ่ยด้วยน้ำเสียงจริงจัง

“นี่ล่ะ.. จุดเริ่มของสองเส้นทางอย่างชัดเจน… บล็อกใหญ่จะไปกับ BCH ส่วน SegWit ก็อยู่กับ BTC แน่นอนว่าทั้งสองฝ่ายไม่คิดถอยง่าย ๆ นักขุดจะเลือกข้างไหน? Node รายย่อยจะยอมใคร?"

"เมื่อสงครามครั้งนี้นำไปสู่การแบ่งเครือข่าย ใครกันแน่จะเป็นผู้ชนะตัวจริง? หรืออาจไม่มีผู้ชนะเลยก็เป็นได้”

ปลายสายเงียบงัน มีแต่เสียงหายใจของแชมป์ที่สะท้อนความกังวลปนอยากรู้อย่างแรง

“พี่… สุดท้ายแล้วเรากำลังยืนอยู่บนรอยแยกที่พร้อมจะฉีกทุกอย่างออกเป็นชิ้น ๆ ใช่ไหมครับ?”

“อาจจะใช่ก็ได้... หรือถ้ามองอีกมุม อาจเป็นวัฏจักรที่ Bitcoin ต้องเจอเป็นระยะ ทุกคนมีสิทธิ์ Fork ได้ตามใจใช่ไหมล่ะ? ก็ขอให้โลกได้เห็นกันว่าชุมชนไหนแน่จริง” แจ๊กพูดทิ้งท้ายก่อนจะแย้มยิ้มเจือรอยอ่อนล้า

ภาพบนจอคอมพิวเตอร์ฉายกระทู้ถกเถียงกันไม่หยุด ประหนึ่งเวทีดีเบตที่ไม่มีวันปิดไฟ แจ๊กจิบกาแฟอึกสุดท้ายเหมือนจะเตรียมพร้อมใจก่อนเข้าสู่สนามรบครั้งใหม่ สงครามยังไม่จบ.. ซ้ำยังดูหนักข้อยิ่งขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ

เขาลุกขึ้นจากโต๊ะ ชำเลืองมองแสงแดดจัดจ้าที่สาดลงมาไม่หยุด เปรียบเหมือนไฟแห่งข้อขัดแย้งที่เผาผลาญทั้งชุมชน Bitcoin ไม่ว่าใครจะเลือกอยู่ฝั่งไหน กลุ่ม UASF, กลุ่ม Big Block, หรือ กลุ่ม SegWit ทางเดินข้างหน้าล้วนเต็มไปด้วยความไม่แน่นอน

“สุดท้ายแล้ว… เมื่อกระดานแบ่งเป็นสองเส้นทางอย่างเด่นชัด สงคราม Blocksize จะจบลงด้วยใครได้บทผู้ชนะ?"

"หรือบางที… มันอาจไม่มีผู้ชนะที่แท้จริงในระบบที่ใครก็ Fork ได้ตลอดเวลา”

คำถามนี้ลอยติดค้างอยู่ในบรรยากาศยามบ่ายที่ร้อนระอุ ชวนให้ใครก็ตามที่จับตาดูสงคราม Blocksize ต้องฉุกคิด

เมื่อไม่มีใครเป็นเจ้าของ Bitcoin อย่างสมบูรณ์ ทุกคนจึงมีสิทธิ์บงการและเสี่ยงต่อการแตกแยกได้ทุกเมื่อ แล้วท้ายที่สุด ชัยชนะ–ความพ่ายแพ้ อาจไม่ใช่จุดสิ้นสุดของโลกคริปโตฯ

แต่เป็นเพียงจุดเริ่มต้นของการวิวัฒน์ที่ไม่มีวันจบสิ้น…

เมาท์แถมเรื่อง UASF (User-Activated Soft Fork)

นี่สนามรบยุคกลางที่ดูเหมือนในหนังแฟนตาซี ทุกคนมีดาบ มีโล่ แต่จู่ ๆ คนตัวเล็กที่เราไม่เคยสังเกต—พวกชาวนา ช่างไม้ คนแบกน้ำ—กลับรวมตัวกันยกดาบบุกวังเจ้าเมือง พร้อมตะโกนว่า “พอเถอะ! เราก็มีสิทธิ์เหมือนกัน!”

มันอาจจะดูเวอร์ ๆ หน่อยใช่ไหมครับ?

แต่ในโลก Bitcoin ปี 2017 นี่คือสิ่งที่เกิดขึ้นในรูปแบบ “User-Activated Soft Fork” หรือ UASF การปฏิวัติด้วยพลังโหนด ซึ่งทำให้นักขุดยักษ์ใหญ่ตัวสั่นงันงกันมาแล้ว!

แล้ว UASF มันคืออะไรล่ะ?

“User-Activated Soft Fork” หรือเรียกย่อ ๆ ว่า “UASF” ไม่ใช่อัปเกรดซอฟต์แวร์สวย ๆ แต่เป็น “ดาบเล่มใหม่” ที่คนตัวเล็ก—หมายถึง โหนด รายย่อย—ใช้ต่อรองกับนักขุดรายใหญ่ โดยกติกาคือ.. ถ้านักขุดไม่ทำตาม (เช่น ไม่รองรับ SegWit) โหนดก็จะปฏิเสธบล็อกของพวกเขาอย่างไม่เกรงใจใคร

สมมุติว่าคุณคือโหนด..

คุณรันซอฟต์แวร์ Bitcoin คอยตรวจสอบธุรกรรม วันดีคืนดี คุณประกาศ “ต่อไปถ้าใครไม่รองรับ SegWit ฉันไม่ยอมรับบล็อกนะ!” นี่ล่ะครับ “UASF” ตัวเป็น ๆ

คำขวัญสุดฮิตของ UASF

“No SegWit, No Block”

หรือแปลว่าถ้าบล็อกไม่รองรับ SegWit ก็เชิญออกไปเลยจ้า..

มันเหมือนการที่ชาวนาโผล่มาตบโต๊ะอาหารท่านขุนว่า “นายใหญ่จะปลูกอะไรก็ปลูกไป แต่ไม่งั้นฉันไม่รับผลผลิตนายนะ!”

ความเชื่อมโยงกับ BIP 148

ถ้าจะพูดถึง UASF ต้องรู้จัก BIP 148 ไว้นิดนึง มันเปรียบเหมือน “ธงปฏิวัติ” ที่ตีตราว่าวันที่ 1 สิงหาคม 2017 คือเส้นตาย!

BIP 148 บอกไว้ว่า.. ถ้าถึงวันนั้นแล้วยังมีนักขุดหน้าไหนไม่รองรับ SegWit บล็อกที่ขุดออกมาก็จะถูกโหนดที่ใช้ UASF “แบน” หมด

ผลลัพธ์ที่ตั้งใจ นักขุดไม่อยากโดนแบนก็ต้องทำตาม UASF กล่าวคือ “นายต้องรองรับ SegWit นะ ไม่งั้นอด!”

หลายคนกลัวกันว่า “อ้าว ถ้านักขุดใหญ่ ๆ ไม่ยอมแล้วหันไปขุดสายอื่น จะไม่กลายเป็นแยกเครือข่าย (Chain Split) หรือ?”

ใช่ครับ.. มันอาจเกิดสงครามสายใหม่ทันทีไงล่ะ

ทำไม UASF ถึงสำคัญ?

ย้อนกลับไปก่อนปี 2017 Bitcoin มีปัญหาโลกแตกทั้งค่าธรรมเนียมแพง ธุรกรรมหน่วง บวกกับความขัดแย้งเรื่อง “จะเพิ่ม Blocksize ดีไหม?” ทางกลุ่มนักขุดรายใหญ่ (นำโดย Bitmain, Roger Ver ฯลฯ) รู้สึกว่า “SegWit ไม่ใช่ทางออกที่แท้จริง” แต่อีกฝั่ง (ทีม Core) ชี้ว่า “Blocksize ใหญ่มากไปจะรวมศูนย์นะ โหนดรายย่อยตายหมด”

UASF เลยโผล่มา เหมือนชาวนาตะโกนว่า

“หุบปากได้แล้วไอ้พวกที่สู้กัน! ถ้าพวกแกไม่รองรับ SegWit พวกข้า (โหนด) ก็จะไม่เอาบล็อกแก”

สาระก็คือ.. มันคือตัวบ่งชี้ว่าคนตัวเล็กอย่างโหนดรายย่อยก็มีพลังต่อรอง เป็นกลไกที่ดึงอำนาจจากมือทุนใหญ่กลับสู่มือชุมชน (Decentralization ที่แท้ทรู)

วิธีการทำงานของ UASF

ลองจินตนาการตาม..

1. การกำหนดเส้นตาย BIP 148 ประกาศไว้ “ถึงวันที่ 1 สิงหาคม 2017 ถ้านายยังไม่รองรับ SegWit โหนด UASF จะไม่รับบล็อกนาย”

2. ถ้าคุณเป็นนักขุด… คุณขุดบล็อกออกมา แต่ไม่ได้ตีธง “ฉันรองรับ SegWit” UASF โหนดเห็นปุ๊บ พวกเขาจะจับโยนทิ้งไปเลย

3. ผลกระทบ? นักขุดที่ไม่ยอมทำตามจะเจอปัญหา บล็อกที่ขุดออกมาไม่มีใครรับ—เสียแรงขุดฟรี

อาจเกิด Chain Split คือ แยกเครือข่ายเลย ถ้านักขุดเหล่านั้นไปตั้งสายใหม่

ความสำเร็จและความท้าทายของ UASF

ความสำเร็จ.. หลังการรวมพลังผู้ใช้ โหนดรายย่อยกดดันนักขุดได้ไม่น้อย จนกระทั่ง SegWit เปิดใช้งานจริงใน Bitcoin วันที่ 24 สิงหาคม 2017 ช่วยให้ธุรกรรมเร็วขึ้น แก้ Transaction Malleability และเปิดทางสู่ Lightning Network ในอนาคต

ความท้าทาย.. นักขุดบางค่ายไม่โอเค.. โดยเฉพาะ Bitmain ซึ่งคาดว่าจะสูญรายได้บางส่วน ก็นำไปสู่การสนับสนุน “Bitcoin Cash (BCH)” แยกสาย (Hard Fork) ของตัวเองตั้งแต่วันที่ 1 สิงหาคม 2017 นั่นเอง

ว่าแล้วก็เปรียบง่าย ๆ

UASF เหมือนปฏิบัติการยึดคฤหาสน์เจ้าเมืองมาเปิดให้ชาวบ้านเข้าอยู่ฟรี.. แต่อีกฝ่ายบอก

“งั้นฉันออกไปตั้งคฤหาสน์ใหม่ดีกว่า!”

บทเรียนสำคัญ UASF เป็นตัวอย่างชัดว่า “ผู้ใช้” หรือ โหนดรายย่อย สามารถสร้างแรงกดดันให้นักขุดต้องยอมเปลี่ยนได้จริง ๆ ไม่ใช่แค่ยอมรับเงื่อนไขที่ขุดกันมา

ผลกระทบระยะยาวหลังจากนั้นล่ะ?

SegWit ถูกใช้งาน ทำให้ค่าธรรมเนียมธุรกรรมลดลง (ช่วงหนึ่ง) เกิด Lightning Network เป็น Layer 2 สุเฟี้ยวของ Bitcoin เกิด BCH (Bitcoin Cash) เป็นสายแยกที่อ้างว่า Blocksize ใหญ่คือทางออก

สรุปแล้ว UASF ทำให้โลกได้รู้ว่า..

Bitcoin ไม่ใช่ของนักขุด หรือของฝ่ายพัฒนาใดฝ่ายเดียว แต่มันเป็นของทุกคน!

“Bitcoin เป็นของทุกคน”

ไม่มีใครมีอำนาจเบ็ดเสร็จ ไม่ว่าคุณจะถือ Hashrate มากแค่ไหน ถ้า Node ทั่วโลกไม่เอา ก็จบ!

“แรงขุดใหญ่แค่ไหน ก็แพ้ใจมวลชน!”

(น่าจะมีตอนต่อไปนะ.. ถ้าชอบก็ Zap โหด ๆ เป็นกำลังใจให้ด้วยนะครับ)

@ bf47c19e:c3d2573b

Originalni tekst na trzisnoresenje.blogspot.com

06.10.2014 / Autor: Slaviša Tasić

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Od kako je bitcoin postao popularan vodi se rasprava među zagovornicima slobodnog tržišta oko njegovo gpravog statusa: da li je to budući novac, efikasan sistem zaobilaženja državne kontrole i garant slobode pojedinca, ili pak fikcija i pomodarstvo iza koje nema ničeg stvarnog?

Teorijski centar debate je pitanje da li je bitcoin "zapravo" novac ili ne. Jedna grupa tvrdi da jeste, pozivajući se na to da je nastao hiljadama dobrovoljnih akata potrošača na tržištu i time uspostavljen kao konvencija. Ko ste vi, teoretičari iz fotelje, da u ime naroda koji prihvata bitcoin definišete šte je "pravi" novac a šta nije? Druga škola tvrdi da je to irelevantno, da je takozvana vrednost bitcoina fiktivna i naduvana, i da će uskoro pući, jer nema nikakve realne pozadine: svaki novac kroz istoriju je uvek morao da ima podlogu nećeg realnog, najčešće plemenitog metala neke vrste, novac nikad ne nastaje nečijom naredbom ili proizvoljnom odlukom.

Vrlo često se u ovom kontekstu pominje Misesova čuena "teorema regresije". Ona kaže da je novac univerzalno razmensko sredstvo koje svoju vrednost crpe iz prethodne upotrebne vrednosti materijala od kojeg je sačinjeno. Recimo, zlato i srebro imaju vrednost kao nakit i luksuzna roba koju ljudi traže iz ne-monetarnih razloga, a njihova vrednost kao novca se onda izvodi iz te prethodne evaluacije njegove ne monetarne upotrebne "vrednosti". Tehnički rečeno, tražnja za zlatom kao monetarnim dobrom izvedena je iz tražnje za zlatom kao nemonetarnim dobrom.

Problem sa bitcoinom je što na prvi pogled on nema nikakvu ne-monetarnu vrednost. Nije zasnovan ni na kakvom fizičkom materijalu ili robi, već predstavlja kompjuterski algoritam. Bitcoin je beskoristan za bilo šta drugo osim kao sredstvo plaćanja. Ako je tome tako, onda postoje samo dve mogućnosti: ili bitcoin ne može da bude novac, ili je teorija o realnoj, nemonetarnoj osnovi novca netačna.

Izgleda da ni jedno ni drugo nije slučaj. Bitcoin jeste sredstvo razmene, iako još uvek nije novac, budući da nije univerzalno prihvaćen (što ne znači da ne može ili da neće biti prihvaćen), ali bitcoin istovremeno JESTE zasnovan na nečem realnom, tj ima vrednost i mimo svoje uloge kao novca. Ta prethodna vrednost bitcoina je njegova uloga kao efikasnog sistema plaćanja. Kao što Jeffrey Tucker naglašava u svom novom tekstu, Bitcoin je 2008 uveden kao sistem plaćanja koji bi omogućio efikasni transfer resursa između pojedinaca u raznim delovima sveta uz potpuno zaobilaženje zvaničnog finansijskog sistema. Programski dokument osnivača Bitcoina nije uopšte spominjao novac nego samo sistem plaćanja koji omogućava pouzdanost, anonimonst i operisanje izvan zvaničnih finansijkih tokova. Tehnički detalji su ovde.

Bitcoin kao sistem je lansiran 9 januara 2009, ali u tom trenutku njegova vrednost je bila nula! Sve do oktobra 2009 potenicjalni klijenti su mogli da dobiju besplatno koliko god hoće bitcoina da eksperimentišu. Ljudi su vršili prve transakcije, proveravali da li je sistem pouzdan, da li radi onako kako je obećano itd. Taj proces eksperminetisanja je trajao oko deset meseci. U tom periodu Bitcoin kao novac nije imao nikakvu tržišnu vrednost. Pre tačno pet godina, 5 oktobra 2009 postavljena je prva tržišna cena. Ona je bila 1390 bitcoina za jedan američki dolar, odnosno jedan bitcoin je vredeo manje od desetog dela penija. U tom trenutku publika je bila još uvek skeptična, što se pokazalo u vrlo niskoj ceni, ali kako je vreme prolazilo cena je rasla jer je evaluacija sistema, sa protokom vremena i daljim potvrđivanjem njegove vrednosti i pouzdanosti, kao i ulaskom mnogo šireg kurga ljudi u igru, postajala sve viša. Međutim, to je sve sa teorijske tačke gledišta irelevantno; ključna stvar je da je početna evaluacija bitcoina, prva tržišna cena objavljena 5 oktobra 2009 bila zapravo izraz evaluacije sistema plaćanja koja je vršena mesecima nezavisno od samog novca (tj njegove potencijalne vrednosti). Bitcoin kao novac "regresira" u mizesovskom smislu na bitcoin kao sistem plaćanja.

Dakle, bitcoin nije fiat novac. On predstavlja potencijalnu valutu koja je izvedena iz tržišne vrednosti specifičnog sistema plaćanja koji klijentima omogućava značajne prednosti koje drugi sistemi ne pružaju. I stoga oza njega stoji "realna vrednost" u istom smislu u kome nešto "realno" stoji iza zlata i srebra kao novca, ili iza modernih fiat valuta izvedenih iz zlata i srebra. Ja ne verujem da bi bitcoin imao velike šanse protiv zlata i srebra na slobodnom tržištu valuta, ali u ovom trenutku ne postoji slobodno tržište valuta, tj onaj ko pokuša da trguje u zlatu završiće u zatvoru. U takvim okolnostima, virtuelnost bitcoina predstavlja komparativnu prednost u odnosu na svaku vrstu robnog novca uključujući i zlato: vlasnik ne poseduje nikakvu fizičku supstancu koju vlada može da mu konfiskuje. Naravno, to bi moglo da se promeni ukoliko vlade ocene da je bitcoin značajna opasnost i krene u tehnološki rat protiv njega. U tom slučaju bi i cena verovatno pala.

@ 896c3ee8:e054cc31

I was scrolling through some news articles published by Primal.net/flash on my phone —Bitcoin up, Trump said this or that, accompanied by a screenshot of Twitter. I asked myself: why does social media exist? Is it to fulfill our need for social connection? Is it to show off our thoughts? Is it validation? It wasn’t like this long ago. It was a part of life now it is Life.

Quite some time ago, I was baffled to see a woman being prosecuted in a court of law based on what she had posted on Facebook! Facebook? Seriously, an internet post landing a person in jail? Since when? No one notified me. I thought the internet was just a thing—a toy for us to play with, have fun, and then return to our real life. I remember using Pidgin and IRC; back then, the internet was just a tool. One sudden day, all of that turned into serious business. Early internet, and by extension social media, was a fun place, but now it is a place where real money is spent and real lives are built. I mean, some of the richest companies are software companies—an industry titan propelled by intangible property. It is hard not to miss the early days when one could say absolutely anything in a forum post and leave forever, detached from the filth they spewed. Now we all know censorship, data mining, AI training, and laws getting involved. I cannot even take part in a cultural movement without being tracked and attacked. At some point, the internet attached itself to human consciousness so deeply that it has now become inseparable from the human experience and experience of life. Just like reading and writing, to live a modern life, one must have an internet connection and a social media account. It’s disheartening to think that our worth is often measured by the number of people who 'follow' us.

This attachment meant that there were powers who needed to control the internet. Laws were hopeless on the internet—one could break a list of laws of a particular country sitting from a boat in a faraway land where no jurisdictional police could touch a single fleck of their hair. This cross-border nature made it very necessary for law enforcement to up their game, and so they did. Now, posting something and forgetting it being associated with you is a dream of the past.

To achieve this, they went into a Hail Mary attempt to break human rights written in the declaration they all signed. The right to privacy needed to go first. You see, on the internet, you are not a human—just a fat, Mountain Dew-drinking piece of meat, a data generation machine. Rights mean very little for you if you are a keyboard warrior. No clause in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights said that an account on the internet is a human! So you lose privacy. Since law enforcers break privacy, it looks like it really is not a crime to break it. So, service providers break it too. Who is to stop them now? Law enforcers?

That is just the tip, perhaps even a necessary evil. Breaking privacy only allows enforcement of laws that have been written. There needs to be some mechanism to enforce laws that are not written—the so-called "soft laws" (a term used in international law). If illegal activity is to be curbed, instead of chasing after criminals, why not be proactive and get to the root of the evil: human thought? Here enters censorship. If you don't know about something you won't act on it. If you do not know about guns, you will not pick up a gun. Censorship allows law enforcers to enforce laws that may be written in the future, potential laws. Maybe one day, being on a particular political side will be deemed illegal, so let’s stop it now. Ever heard of a cat chasing a mouse? Censorship is just a mouse chasing a cat. A reversal of cause and effect.

These two factors, coupled with the internet's revenue stream—your attention—ruined the internet. Ads by God are one of the most human things humans have created: “Let us show you what you could be a part of. As you are right now, you seem unfulfilled; let us show you what you want.” The economy of attention is best tapped by creators working on our primal urge for reproduction. The porn industry is a mega titan for this reason. I do not have any bad words against the innovators working in that industry. They are the true and perhaps only industry that uses the internet to its maximum and has great respect for technology and technological innovation.

When I think more deeply about the purpose of social media, I realize I have no clear answer. Why should one show what their lunch looks like? What is the goal of sharing such trivial experiences? Perhaps the dopamine rush of likes and engagement is strong enough to motivate such actions. The definition of an individual gets blurred here. What is an individual person? A collection of social media posts? Or should we emphasize more on your offline version the flawed acne and angst filled individual who subscribes to the weird, concorted philosophy of Proudhon, Locke, and Marx? The algorithms have been determining the future of people on social media. People are worried about losing jobs to a computer now. Since YouTube and Instagram started utilizing attention to pay people, algorithms began to determine who should be paid and what should be paid. The ship of us being under a computer has long sailed.

To answer why social media exists, here is one study that identified ten uses and gratifications for using social media: social interaction, information seeking, passing time, entertainment, relaxation, communicatory utility, convenience utility, expression of opinion, information sharing, and surveillance/knowledge about others (reference ISSN: 1352-2752). Most studies you find will be in line with these. I will not expound more on this; you all know why you use social media, and you all also know why people use social media.

To end it, Nostr gives you certain things that traditional social media and the 'internet' fail to provide. You know what those are since you are here.

P.S.—This is written exclusively for the eyes in the Nostr ecosystem. I will not publish it anywhere else. Link people to this post even from outside; I don’t care.

@ dd664d5e:5633d319

Hodling Bitcoin does not make you a capitalist

I've noticed that Bitcoin-mindedness seems to lead some people to communistic thinking because it's a hard-limited form of capital. Marx, like most Bitcoiners, heavily discounted the possibility of economic growth or transformation changing the economy enough to undermine some minority's control of some form of capital.

What few today understand, is that many of the Dirty Capitalists of Marx's era actually agreed with him; they were just disdainful of labor and worried that the workers finding out that Marxism is correct about the nature of capitalism would cause unrest. They were the original HFSP crowd.

This was the basic idea, that Marx had, and that many Bitcoiners would agree with:

Capital is strictly limited and the people that control it can keep labor from attaining any, except when their labor is necessary.

And, as we know, automation will make human labor increasingly unnecessary.

The math doesn't check out

That underlies all of the calculations of "Well, if I just grab this Bitcoin wallet and hodl for twenty years, then it will grow in value to equal half of everything in existence and then I can just buy up half the planet and rule over everyone like a god."

This is economic nonsense because it assumes that: 1) the value of all things remains static over time, 2) purchasing something with money gives you ownership of it, 3) people will always use that specific money (or any money, at all!) for all transactions, 4) there is no such thing as opportunity cost, 5) people will always value money more than any other thing, and therefore be willing to always trade it for anything else, 6) humans are passive, defenseless, and easy to rule over, 7) someone who is preoccupied with hodling an asset steadily and sharply rising in price would ever be emotionally ready to part with it.

All monies can die.

People use money for everything because it is easy, fast and cheap. If money becomes too precious or scarce, they will simply switch to using other things (as we saw with gold). Humans replace tools that aren't working well, with those that work better, and money is just another tool. Bitcoin is more divisible than gold, but that won't matter, if enough of it is held by too few.

This is why there's a natural cap on the price of a money and why human productivity in the here and now is not irrelevant or in vain.

@ d5c3d063:4d1159b3

โพสที่อาจารย์พิริยะ บอกว่า “If you are angry at something... maybe it's just you.”

เป็นคำกล่าวที่เตือนให้เรามองกลับเข้ามาในตัวเองว่า "ความโกรธ" มีต้นกำเนิดจากจิตใจของเราเอง การใช้สติและการตระหนักถึงความคาดหวังที่เรามีต่อผู้อื่นจะช่วยให้เราสามารถจัดการกับความโกรธได้อย่างสร้างสรรค์และมีเหตุผล แนวคิดของอริยสัจ ๔ ช่วยให้เราเข้าใจถึงต้นเหตุและวิธีการดับทุกข์ และผมนำแนวคิดอิสรนิยมมาช่วยเสริมให้เราได้ตระหนักถึงความรับผิดชอบในชีวิตของตนเองและการเคารพเสรีภาพของผู้อื่นในการนำไปใช้ทางโลกได้จริง

เมื่อเราฝึกเดินด้วยเมตตา ปล่อยวางโทสะ และไม่หลงด้วยโมหะ เราจะสามารถสร้างความสงบสุขในจิตใจและในความสัมพันธ์กับผู้อื่นได้อย่างแท้จริง ทั้งหมดนี้นำไปสู่ชีวิตที่มีความสุขและเสรีภาพอย่างสมดุลในทุกมิติของการดำรงอยู่

เริ่มจาก...อริยสัจ ๔ คือการค้นหาต้นเหตุแห่งทุกข์ในจิตใจ

พระพุทธศาสนาสอนว่าความโกรธไม่ได้เกิดจากสิ่งภายนอกโดยตรง แต่มีรากฐานมาจาก สมุทัยหรือ "เหตุแห่งทุกข์" ที่เกิดจากภายในจิตใจของเราเอง เช่น - ตัณหา (ความยึดมั่นถือมั่น) ที่ทำให้เราคาดหวังว่าสิ่งต่าง ๆ จะต้องเป็นไปตามใจเรา - อวิชชา (ความไม่รู้) ทำให้เรามองไม่เห็นว่าความโกรธไม่ได้ทำให้ปัญหาแก้ไขได้ แต่กลับเผาผลาญจิตใจเราเอง การดับความโกรธ (นิโรธ) จึงเริ่มต้นจากการมีสติรู้ตัวและปล่อยวางความยึดมั่น โดยการฝึกสมาธิและการเจริญเมตตาเป็นเครื่องมือสำคัญที่ช่วยให้เรามองเห็นความเป็นจริงและลดทอนพลังทำลายของความโกรธ

...ต่อมาคือแนวคิดอิสรนิยม ที่เน้นถึงการรับผิดชอบต่อตนเองและเสรีภาพในการเลือก ปัจเจกบุคคลต้องรับผิดชอบต่อชีวิตของตนเองและไม่พึ่งพิงปัจจัยภายนอกเกินไป ความโกรธในมุมมองนี้สามารถมองได้ว่าเป็นผลลัพธ์ของการละเลยความรับผิดชอบต่ออารมณ์ของตัวเองและการพึ่งพิงสิ่งภายนอกเกินไป เช่น การโกรธที่ผู้อื่นไม่ทำตามที่เราต้องการ สะท้อนถึงการพยายามควบคุมสิ่งที่อยู่นอกเหนืออำนาจของเรา ซึ่งขัดกับหลักการเสรีภาพส่วนบุคคลของอิสรนิยม หลักการสำคัญของอิสรนิยมคือ Non-Aggression Principle (หลักการไม่รุกราน) ที่สอนว่าความรุนแรงและการบีบบังคับผู้อื่นเป็นสิ่งที่ควรหลีกเลี่ยง ความโกรธจึงถือเป็นการรุกรานจิตใจของเราเองก่อน เพราะเป็นการสร้างภาระให้กับจิตใจโดยไม่จำเป็น

แนวทางการปฏิบัติที่อาจารย์ได้ใส่ # ไว้ 1. #เดินด้วยเมตตา - มุมมองจากอริยสัจ ๔ #เมตตา คือการยอมรับและปรารถนาดีต่อทั้งตัวเองและผู้อื่น การให้ความรักและความปรารถนาดีจะช่วยลดพลังของโทสะในจิตใจ ทำให้เรามีมุมมองที่เปิดกว้างและมีความสุขที่แท้จริง - การเชื่อมโยงในอิสรนิยม เสรีภาพของแต่ละบุคคลรวมถึงการเคารพเสรีภาพของผู้อื่น เมตตาได้ช่วยส่งเสริมการอยู่ร่วมกันในสังคมโดยไม่ก้าวก่ายสิทธิและเสรีภาพของกันและกัน เมตตาในแง่นี้จึงเป็นการสร้างสมดุลระหว่างเสรีภาพของเราและของผู้อื่น เช่น การเคารพในความคิดหรือการกระทำของผู้อื่น แม้จะเขาจะเห็นต่างจากเรา 2. #อย่าเดินด้วยโทสะ - มุมมองจากอริยสัจ ๔ #โทสะ เป็นเหมือนยาพิษที่เราดื่มเองและทำให้เราเป็นทุกข์ ความโกรธไม่ได้ทำร้ายผู้อื่นเท่าที่มันทำลายจิตใจและร่างกายของเราเอง การฝึกเจริญสติช่วยให้เราเห็นถึงอารมณ์โกรธตั้งแต่เริ่มต้น และตัดวงจรของความคิดและการกระทำที่เป็นพิษ - การเชื่อมโยงในอิสรนิยม ความโกรธหรือการใช้อารมณ์ ไม่ควรเป็นเหตุผลในการละเมิดสิทธิหรือเสรีภาพของผู้อื่น หลักการ Non-Aggression Principle (NAP) ของอิสรนิยมเตือนเราว่าการใช้อารมณ์รุนแรงหรือโทสะมักนำไปสู่การบีบบังคับหรือทำร้ายผู้อื่น ซึ่งเป็นสิ่งที่ขัดแย้งกับความเคารพในเสรีภาพของทุกคน การไม่เดินด้วยโทสะจึงเป็นการเคารพในเสรีภาพของทั้งตัวเราและผู้อื่น 3. #อย่าหลงด้วยโมหะ - มุมมองจากอริยสัจ ๔ #โมหะ หรือความหลง ทำให้เรามองสิ่งต่าง ๆ อย่างผิดเพี้ยนและติดอยู่ในภาพลวงตา เช่น การโทษผู้อื่นว่าเป็นต้นเหตุของความทุกข์ทั้งหมด ทั้งที่แท้จริงแล้วความทุกข์มักเกิดจากจิตใจและความคาดหวังของเราเอง - การเชื่อมโยงกับอิสรนิยม สอนว่าความสุขและความสงบในชีวิต ไม่ได้ขึ้นอยู่กับสิ่งภายนอก แต่ขึ้นอยู่กับเสรีภาพในการเลือกและการรับผิดชอบชีวิตของตนเอง การหลุดพ้นจากโมหะเป็นการยอมรับว่าเราไม่สามารถควบคุมผู้อื่นหรือโลกภายนอกได้ แต่สามารถควบคุมปฏิกิริยาและการตอบสนองของเราได้ การไม่หลงด้วยโมหะจึงช่วยให้เราเป็นอิสระจากความยึดมั่นในสิ่งที่อยู่นอกเหนือการควบคุม

ทีนี้มาลองดูตัวอย่างในชีวิตประจำวันกันดูบ้าง

1. เดินด้วยเมตตา หากเราพยายามอธิบายเรื่องบิตคอยน์ให้คนอื่นเข้าใจ แต่เขายังเชื่อมั่นในระบบการเงินของรัฐ การใช้เมตตาจะช่วยให้เราเข้าใจว่าการเปลี่ยนแปลงความคิดต้องใช้เวลาและกระบวนการขั้นตอน ไม่ใช่ทุกคนจะพร้อมเปิดรับแนวคิดใหม่ในทันที การพูดคุยด้วยความรักและปรารถนาดีแทนการตำหนิ จะช่วยสร้างบทสนทนาที่สร้างสรรค์

2. อย่าเดินด้วยโทสะ หากเรารู้สึกโกรธเมื่อคนอื่นยังคงเชื่อในระบบเศรษฐกิจแบบเคนส์หรือสังคมนิยม อาจใช้โอกาสนี้แหละ ในการฝึกเจริญสติและตระหนักว่าเราควบคุมความเชื่อของผู้อื่นไม่ได้ แต่สามารถเลือกอธิบายด้วยเหตุผลและความเคารพ หรือเลือกที่จะปล่อยวางเมื่อสถานการณ์ไม่เอื้ออำนวย

3. อย่าหลงด้วยโมหะ หากเราหงุดหงิดที่ผู้อื่นไม่ยอมรับแนวคิดของบิตคอยน์ การตระหนักว่าความคาดหวังของเราที่ต้องการให้ผู้อื่นเข้าใจในทันทีนั้นเป็นภาพลวงตา มันก็จะช่วยให้เรามองเห็นความจริงที่ว่า การเปลี่ยนแปลงทางความคิด เป็นกระบวนการที่ต้องใช้เวลาและเกิดจากเสรีภาพในการตัดสินใจของแต่ละบุคคล

……..……..……..

ความโกรธ เป็นหนึ่งในอารมณ์พื้นฐานที่มนุษย์ทุกคนต้องเผชิญในชีวิต แต่การจัดการความโกรธนั้นไม่ใช่เพียงเรื่องของการควบคุมอารมณ์ หากยังสะท้อนถึงการทำความเข้าใจตัวตนและธรรมชาติของสิ่งต่าง ๆ รอบตัวเรา ประโยคที่อาจารย์พิริยะบอกว่า “If you are angry at something... maybe it's just you.” ไม่ได้เป็นเพียงคำกล่าวเตือนใจ แต่ยังเป็นการเชื้อเชิญให้เราไตร่ตรองถึงรากฐานของความโกรธ ซึ่งซุปขอเชื่อมโยงเข้ากับหลักอริยสัจ ๔ ในพระพุทธศาสนาและแนวคิดอิสรนิยม (#Libertarianism) ที่เน้นความรับผิดชอบส่วนบุคคลและเสรีภาพในชีวิต

Siamstr

@ bf47c19e:c3d2573b

Originalni tekst na trzisnoresenje.blogspot.com

15.12.2023 / Autor: Slaviša Tasić

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Ovako sam pisao u aprilu kad je Bitcoin vredeo $50-100 dolara:

"Koja je budućnost Bitcoina? Većina mu predviđa propast, ali već smo videli da ima neprijatelje sa obeju strana i obe imaju svoje razloge. ... Ali ekonomski gledano, sada kad je Bitcoin došao dovde, meni se čini da može još mnogo rasti."

...

"Zato mislim da ekonomski Bitcoin više nema problem. Sa ovako ograničenom ponudom, a uz održanje sadašnje tražnje ili njen rast, njegove vrednost može i još mnogo da poraste."

U međuvremenu je otišao na preko $1,000. Ali mislite da sam kupio neki Bitcoin? Nisam, teško je baviti se takvim sitnicama kad morate da pišete blog.

Evo šta sada mislim o Bitcoinu.

Najvažnije je razumeti zašto Bitcoin uopšte ima vrednost. To što ima neku vrednost i nije tako iznenađujuće. Valute su istorijski spontano nastajale najčešće od nečega što ima istinsku vrednost, bronze, srebra ili zlata. Ali nije neviđeno ni da novac bez intristične vrednosti bude široko prihvaćen. Poznat je slučaj ostrva kamenog novca, gde je novac bilo kamenje, neka vrsta krečnjaka (vidi sliku ispod). Stanovnici jednog polinezijskog ostrva su koristili ovaj kamen kao novac zbog samo jedne osobine -- zato što nije postojao na ostrvu. Da biste nabavili takvo kamenje morali ste ići na drugo ostrvo, što je bilo skupo i naporno. I to je jedina osobina koja je krečnjak činila novcem, nisu ga koristili ni za šta drugo.

Štaviše, da ne bi kotrljali kamenje pri svakoj kupovini, trgovali su samo pravima na odrđeni kamen, a da se kamen uopšte nije morao pomeriti s mesta. To je suštinski isto kao današnje elektronsko bankarstvo, ali to je druga priča.

Bitcoin je nešto najbliže tome. Kad se uspostavi konvencija, onda novac ne mora imati imanentnu vrednost. Konvencija je, iz garantovanu retkost dovoljan uslov da nešto uspe kao novac. Kao i krečnjak na tom ostrvu, Bitcoin je suštinski bezvredan, ali 1) ne može se naći lako (ima retkost) i 2) postoji konvencija da se prihvata kao novac -- prihvatate ga jer znate da će ga i drugi prihvatiti.

Ali koliko je Bitcoin zaista redak? Sam Bitcoin jeste, jer mu je ponuda programski ograničena. Ali sada vidimo uspon drugih kripto valuta -- Litecoin, Peercoin, i drugi. Bitcoin je redak, ali svako može da napravi nešto jako slično bitcoinu i zvati ga drugačije. To se uveliko i dešava, za sada bez efekta na vrednost Bitcoina.

Za sada Bitcoin ima rastuću snagu konvencije, ili ekonomskim rečnikom, za njega radi efekat mreže. Efekat mreže postoji kada svaki dodatni korisnik povećava vrednost dobra -- vi koristite tastaturu sa početnim slovima QWERTY zato što svi drugi koriste istu tastaturu pa je glupo da počinjete nešto drugo; otvorili ste Facebook nalog ne zato što je Facebook tehnološki najbolje urađen nego zato što svi drugi imaju Facebook pa se tako nalkaše povezujete; nemate Google Plus jer niko drugi nema Google Plus što ga čini beskorisnim, i tako dalje. Uspostavljene mreže je jako teško srušiti, one se perpetuiraju i rastu na principu začaranog kruga.

Kad se jednom uspostave, mreže kao Facebook ili Bitcoin imaju ugrađenu prednost i teško ih je srušiti. Ali znate li ko je još imao efekat mreže u svoju korist? Imao je Windows i imao je MySpace. Windows se još drži ali nije ni blizu moći od pre desetak godina, a MySpace je potpuno propao -- a ljudi su 2008. MySpaceu predviđali večni monopol zbog efekta mreže. Poenta je, efekat mreže je prednost ali nikome ne garantuje monopol, pa čak ni opstanak.

Situacija sa Bitcoinom je ovakva. Sa pojavom drugih valuta retkost je izgubio. Nije bitno što nema Bitcoina, Bitcoin je samo ime. Ima ili može biti neograničeno mnogo kriptovaluta istog tipa i to je ono što je važno. Konvenciju odnosno efekat mreže Bitcoin još uvek ima, štaviše tu je i dalje u usponu. Ali to mu ne garantuje dugoročni uspeh. Kad se ta dva saberu, mislim da Bitcoin nema dobrih dugoročnih izgleda. Da sam onda u aprilu kupio Bitcoine, sada bih prodao.

@ bf47c19e:c3d2573b

Originalni tekst na trzisnoresenje.blogspot.com

03.04.2013 / Autor: Slaviša Tasić

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Posle kiparske epizode naglo je došlo do rasta njegove vrednosti. Bitcoin je virtuelna valuta koju ne kontroliše niko. Umesto toga, emitovanje Bitcoina ograničeno je komplikovanim programom. Kao i kod zlata, svako može da iskopa novčiće, ali kopanje je naporno i neizvesno -- jedina je razlika što se posao ne obavlja fizički već kompjuterski. Program je postavljen tako da količina iskopanih Bitcoina raste po stalno opadajućoj stopi, dok se na kraju, za nekih stotinak godina, asimptotski ne približi konačnom nivou.

Za bliže objašnjenje Bitcoina i više o tekućim dešavanima pročešljajte Nedeljni komentar, a meni ceo fenomen postaje vrlo interesantan iz nekoliko razloga.

Prvo, Bitcoin ima mnogo neprijatelja. Neprijatelji su pristalice državnog novca, jer je ovo privatni, decentralizovani novac, čije štampanje ne kontrolišu stručnjaci za monetarnu politiku već se obavlja po automatskom programu. Tokovi novca se teško kontrolišu i neke centralne banke su već "izrazile zabrinutost" zbog rastuće uloge ove valute.

Ali, neprijatelji su i libertarijanski ekonomisti kojima je bliži zlatni standard. U njihovu viziju se ne uklapa to što Bitcoin očigledno nema pravu materijalnu vrednost. Bitcoin je nešto kao privatni fiat novac -- dosada neviđeni fenomen. Po njima tako nešto ne može da postoji i zato mu od samog početka predviđaju propast, ali ih bar za ovih par godina njegovog postojanja stvarnost demantuje.

Dalje, nastanak i dosadašnji uspeh Bitcoina se kosi sa bilo kojom postojećom teorijom i štaviše, za njegov uspeh gotovo da uopšte nema racionalnog objašnjenja. Najveća tajna slobodne razmene, bilo da je to tržište ili drugi oblici slobodne i dobrovoljne saradnje, je to što iz neorganizovane akcije slobodnih pojedinaca može doći do ishoda kojima se ne možemo unapred nadati, koji prevazilaze našu moć imaginacije i koje čak i ex post teško možemo racionalno objasniti. (To je Hayekova najvažnija ideja, a ne njegov libertarijanizam po sebi).

Bitcoin je izgledao a i dalje većini ekonomista i medija izgleda nemoguće, jer iako je njegova ponuda ograničena programom, tražnja za njim je stvar pukog verovanja. Kod zlata i srebra, tražnja postoji jer ti metali imaju i stvarnu vrednost. Kod državnog novca, tražnja postoji jer vam država kaže da morate da koristite taj novac, ali i svojim autoritetom garantuje da će svi ostali prihvatati taj novac. Kod Bitcoina vam niko ne garantuje ništa. Kako je to počelo da se koristi, kako su ljudi, posebno oni u početku, prihvatali da prodaju stvari za Bitcoine, ili da razmenjuju svoje evre i dolare za Bitcoine, meni uopšte nije jasno. Sada je lakše, valuta je donekle uspostavljena, više je prodavaca koji je prihvataju, znate da ima dovoljno onih koji je koriste i zato ima nekih osnova za verovanje da će se to nastaviti. Ali da je tako nešto moglo da počne, da nastane ni iz čega, je gotovo neshvatljivo.

Koja je budućnost Bitcoina? Većina mu predviđa propast, ali već smo videli da ima neprijatelje sa obeju strana i obe imaju svoje razloge. Propast je pre svega moguća usled državne intervencije. Možda će tako nešto jednostavno biti zabranjeno i proganjano. Kad je američka Komisija za hartije od vrednosti mogla da ugasi jako korisnu onlajn kladionicu Intrade (čije smo kvote na razne događaje u svetu ovde često linkovali), navodno iz razloga finansijske sigurnosti, onda je vrlo moguće da i Bitcoin dođe na red.

Ali ekonomski gledano, sada kad je Bitcoin došao dovde, meni se čini da može još mnogo rasti. Tačno je da tražnja za njim počiva na cikličnom verovanju, na verovanju svakog korisnika da će svi drugi nastaviti da primaju Bitcoin, ali: prvo, već nas je jednom iznanadilo da je Bitcoin samo na osnovu tog verovanja došao od nule do današnjih preko 100$ za Bitcoin. Drugo, ne zaboravite da ni ostale valute nisu baš toliko drugačije. Tražnja za državnim novcen se, bez obzira na državne garancije, dobrim delom zasniva na istoj slobodnoj veri da će i drugi prihvatati taj novac. Zlato ima materijalnu vrednost, ali ta vrednost, za industrijsku upotrebu ili nakit, je obično dosta manja od njegove sadašnje cene. Nisu se u poslenjih nekoliko godina industrijska upotreba i atraktivnost zlatnog nakita promenili, već su se promenila očekivanja vrednosti zlata, koja takođe zavise od vaše pretpostavke da će i ostali nastaviti da kupuju i drže zlato.

Zato mislim da ekonomski Bitcoin više nema problem. Sa ovako ograničenom ponudom, a uz održanje sadašnje tražnje ili njen rast, njegove vrednost može i još mnogo da poraste. Mnogo realniji scenario raspada je panika posle najave država da će zabraniti njegovu upotrebu uz neki izgovor kao što su finansijska stabilnost ili sprečavanje pranja novca. Ali čak i ako se to dogodi ostaće fascinantno da je ovakva inicijativa uopšte uspela -- protivno zakonima slabašne ljudske logike.

@ 2f4550b0:95f20096

Leadership is rarely a smooth ride. For every moment of success, there are setbacks and challenges that test even the most seasoned leaders. The key to sustained success isn’t avoiding difficulties but rather how effectively one can navigate through them. Resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity, is not just a personal asset; it’s a leadership imperative.

I remember an experience earlier in my career that underscored the power of resilience in leadership. I was leading a team on a high-stakes project. We had invested countless hours, fine-tuned every detail, and had finally reached the presentation phase. Then, disaster struck: the technology we relied on for the demo failed at the last minute. The team’s morale plummeted. I saw the disappointment in their faces, and I could feel the weight of their expectations on me.

At that moment, I had a choice: I could either give in to frustration and let the team spiral, or I could model resilience and lead them through the crisis. I took a deep breath and reminded myself that setbacks are temporary and often lead to growth. We brainstormed solutions on the spot, restructured our approach, and within hours had a makeshift presentation that was just as impactful as our original plan. In the end, we delivered it successfully—and I learned one of the most valuable lessons in leadership: resilience doesn’t mean avoiding failure, but rather how we respond when things don’t go as planned.

This experience taught me that resilient leadership hinges on a few essential principles:

• Maintain a Positive Outlook: As a leader, your mindset directly influences your team. When faced with setbacks, staying calm and optimistic can help anchor the group. A positive perspective allows you to focus on solutions instead of dwelling on problems.
• Adapt and Problem-Solve: Resilience is about adaptability. Things don’t always go according to plan, and being able to quickly pivot and think creatively in the face of adversity is crucial. Resilient leaders encourage their teams to embrace change, adapt, and find alternative solutions.
• Support Your Team: Leaders cannot be resilient alone. Resilience thrives in a supportive environment. Offer your team encouragement, communicate openly, and make sure they know they have your support. By fostering a culture of mutual trust, you’ll enable everyone to recover and grow stronger together.
• Learn from Setbacks: Every challenge presents an opportunity to learn. Resilient leaders view failures as stepping stones to improvement. Reflecting on what went wrong and why, allows leaders and teams to strengthen their strategies moving forward.

In leadership, setbacks are inevitable. What sets great leaders apart is their ability to bounce back. With resilience, you can navigate through challenges with confidence and lead your team toward continued success.

@ 2063cd79:57bd1320

Unit-Bias

Bitcoin hat in der öffentlichen Wahrnehmung und bei Menschen, die sich weniger mit dem Thema befassen, einen sogenannten Unit-Bias, also eine durch Unwissenheit hervorgerufene Voreingenommenheit gegenüber der Einheit "Bitcoin". Das bedeutet, dass viele unerfahrene Anleger//innen und Nutzer//innen der Meinung sind, dass der Besitz eines ganzen bitcoins psychologisch wichtig oder überhaupt nur als solcher möglich ist. Anders ausgedrückt, glauben viele Menschen, sie müssen Bitcoin als Ganzes kaufen, also einen ganzen "physischen" bitcoin, statt kleinerer Bruchstücke. Das lässt den Vermögenswert für die meisten zu teuer aussehen.

Dies ist für Bitcoin insofern ein Problem, als dass viele Menschen sich durch ihre Voreingenommenheit gar nicht mit Bitcoin beschäftigen ("kann ich mir nicht leisten") oder das Gefühl haben, Bitcoin sei zu teuer und deshalb gibt es kein Wertsteigerungspotential mehr ("der Zug ist abgefahren, ich hätte vor sechs Jahren investieren sollen"). Schlimmer noch, als sich nicht mit Bitcoin zu beschäftigen, ist sich dann stattdessen alternativen, "erschwinglicheren" Kryptowährungen zuzuwenden. Dieser Unit-Bias ist allerdings nichts anderes als ein Marketing-, bzw. ein Bildungsproblem. Denn wie wir wissen kann man Bitcoin in 100 Millionen Untereinheiten brechen und in kleinsten Mengen erwerben, verschicken und verkaufen. Doch haben Außenstehende von Begriffen wie Lightning oder Sats meistens noch nie gehört.

Untereinheiten

Doch auch innerhalb der Bitcoin-Szene ist die Unterteilung von Bitcoin in Untereinheiten nicht ganz unumstritten. Denn viele Nutzer//innen sind sich uneinig darüber, was der beste Weg ist, Bitcoins Untereinheiten zu bezeichnen und sogar darzustellen. Dies zeigt sich z.B. darin, dass Apps oft entweder Bitcoin oder Fiat anzeigen, manche Apps aber auch Beträge in Sats darstellen. Dies verlangt aber oft eigene Einstellungen innerhalb der App oder viele Klicks, die die Bedienung und Darstellung eher unhandlich gestalten.

Es gibt verschiedene Lösungsansätze, die dem/der Nutzer//in die ungewohnte Rechnung mit acht Nachkommastellen erleichtern sollen. Denn viele Anwender//innen denken beim Blick in ihre Wallets oft noch in lokalen Fiat-Werten, also in ganzen Einheiten (z.B. Euro oder Dollar) und Hundertsteln (z.B. Cents).

Einige Wallets versuchen diesen Spagat komplett zu umgehen, indem sie vermeiden, Beträge in Fiat darzustellen. Doch auch hier bleibt immer noch das Problem der unhandlichen Darstellung von acht Nachkommastellen, weshalb einige Anbieter einfach zwei Eingabemöglichkeiten bieten und den Betrag in Bitcoin oder Sats automatisch umrechnen.

Doch selbst das Zeichen für Sats ist nicht final geklärt. Es gibt viele verschiedene Vorschläge und Meinungen dazu, welches Symbol genutzt werden sollte. Die meisten Apps, Rechnungen und Sticker schreiben einfach das Wort "Sats" oder "sats" aus. Allerdings ist dies ein Problem, da außerhalb der Bitcoin-Szene niemand weiß, was ein Sat ist. Die meisten Menschen werden mittlerweile von Bitcoin gehört haben, auch wenn sie nicht wissen, wie es funktioniert, was es bedeutet, oder wie man damit umgeht. Doch auch das B Logo mit den Dollarstrichen (₿) werden die meisten Menschen zuordnen können.

Sats hingegen ist ein sehr nischiger Begriff und seine Verwendung noch unbekannter. Oft wird das Blitzsymbol (3 auf der unteren Grafik) verwendet, um Lightning darzustellen und auch das Symbol mit den drei horizontalen Strichen und zwei vertikalen Punkten (4 auf der unteren Grafik), das entfernt an das Dollar-Zeichen erinnern soll ($), erfreut sich immer größerer Beliebtheit. Das Problem dabei ist nur, dass es sich in geschriebener Form nicht, oder nur unzulänglich darstellen lässt: 丰 🤡

Es war lange logisch und notwendig, ganze Bitcoins zur Aufzählung und Bezahlung zu verwenden, da bei der Einführung von Bitcoin sein Geldwert sehr gering war. Es bestand also absolut keine Notwendigkeit dazu, in kleineren Einheiten als Bitcoin zu denken. Einfaches Beispiel: letzte Woche, am 22. Mai, jährte sich der Bitcoin-Pizza-Day zum 13. Mal, also jener Tag an dem Laszlo Hanyecz für zwei Pizza 10.000 bitcoins bezahlte und damit die erste offline Transaktion mit Bitcoin tätigte. 10.000 bitcoins entsprachen zu diesem Zeitpunkt also knapp $40, oder andersrum $1 entsprach 250 bitcoins Es gab also immer noch keine Notwendigkeit, kleinere Einheiten von Bitcoin zu verwenden. Diese Notwendigkeit ergab sich erst, als der Bitcoin und der Dollar Parität erlangten (1 Bitcoin = $1) und spätestens, als Bitcoin die Marke von $100 durchbrach, wurde rechnen in Bitcoin schwieriger.

Fortan überlegte man sich, Bitcoin in kleineren Einheiten darzustellen. Die zwei Möglichkeiten sind der Bit und der Sat. Ein einzelner bitcoin kann in 1.000.000 Bits oder bis zu 100.000.000 Sats unterteilt werden, also 100 Sats = 1 Bit = 0,000001 Bitcoin.

Ein weiterer Grund, weshalb eine Stückelung in bitcoin (der Begriff für einen ganzen physischen bitcoin) schwierig und verwirrend ist, und deshalb viele nach einer alternativen Bezeichnung für Untereinheiten suchten, ist dass darüber hinaus "Bitcoin" zur Beschreibung von zwei Dingen verwendet werden kann: dem monetären Netzwerk (Bitcoin - großes B) und dem monetären Vermögenswert (bitcoin - kleines B).

Bitcoin, der Vermögenswert, ist für diejenigen, die noch nichts damit zu tun hatten, sowohl verwirrend als auch fremd. Denn wie bereits erwähnt, führt der Unit-Bias dazu, dass viele Menschen denken, dass sie es sich nicht leisten können, Bitcoin zu kaufen, oder dass sie den Anschluss verpasst haben. Die Verwendung einer Bepreisung in Bruchteilen würde die Verwirrung über die Benennung des Netzwerks und des Vermögenswerts verringern, aber auch die psychologische Hürde für den Einstieg in Bitcoin senken. Vorausgesetzt, die Benennung ist logisch und intuitiv.

Bits vs. Sats

Wie schon erwähnt, gibt es zwei gängige Untereinheiten von Bitcoin, 1 Bit (= 0,000001 Bitcoin) und 1 Sat (0,00000001 Bitcoin). Seit jeher gibt es Diskussionen darüber, welche der beiden Einheiten für den täglichen Gebrauch die vernünftigere und intuitivere ist.

Die Verwendung von Bits zur Aufzählung von Bitcoin hat einige Vorteile. Ein Bit stellt ein „Bit“ eines Bitcoins dar, also der grundlegendsten und kleinsten Informationseinheit in der Informatik. Den meisten Menschen fällt es einfacher, das Wort „Bit“ mit Bitcoin zu assoziieren und daher verstehen sie eher, dass ein Bit ein Teil eines Bitcoins ist. Ein „Sat“ bedeutet für den Durchschnittsmenschen, wie oben beschrieben, nichts.

Adam Back (CEO von Blockstream und Bitcoin-Legende) ist wahrscheinlich der bekannteste Befürworter von Bits > Sats. Er argumentiert von verschiedenen Richtungen, dass z.B. Bits eine rechnerisch einfachere Variante ist, Untereinheiten von Bitcoin darzustellen, als Sats.

Weiter argumentiert er mit der historischen Entwicklung von Bitcoin, dem Protokoll und seiner Referenz-Implementierung. In den Anfangsjahren wurde in der Bitcoin Core Wallet mit Bits gearbeitet. Außerdem argumentiert er, dass die Verbindung zwischen Bitcoin der Haupteinheit und Bits oder Sats als Untereinheit zumindest semantisch gebrochen werden sollte. Da Bitcoin (im Fall eines weiter steigenden Kurses) als Recheneinheit immer unpraktischer wird, sollte man als mentales Modell auf das Rechenpaar Bits und Sats zurückgreifen - analog zur Darstellung von Dollars und Cents oder Euros und Cents. Dabei stellen die zwei Nachkommastellen eines in Bits angegebenen Preises die Sats dar.

Ganz einfaches Beispiel: Ein Kasten Bier kostet heute etwas 20€, also 0,00079758 Bitcoin. Einfacher dargestellt: 797,58 Bits, also 797 Bits und 58 Sats. “Ein Bitcoin ist zu teuer, aber Sats sind zu viele, klingen billig und verwirrend.” Es ist schwer in Sats zu denken und selbst wenn der Preis von Bitcoin 1 M US Dollar erreicht, ist ein Bit immer noch eine greifbare und günstige Einheit: 1 Bit = 1 US Dollar.

Eines von Adams Hauptargumenten ist, dass Sat als Untereinheit nicht funktioniert, weil es Dust gibt. Das Problem mit Dust besteht darin, dass es nicht möglich ist, Bitcoin unter einem bestimmten Schwellenwert auszugeben. Sein Argument ist, dass der Nutzen einer Einheit abhanden kommt, wenn diese Einheit als kleinste Recheneinheit nicht ausgegeben werden kann. Zugegeben, niemand kann mehr etwas für einen Cent kaufen, aber zumindest ist es technisch nicht unmöglich. Allerdings ist es unmöglich, 1 oder sogar 10 Sats über das Bitcoin-Netzwerk zu senden, ohne Layer-2-Skalierungstechnologien zu verwenden.

Dust

Unter Bitcoin-Dust versteht man eine sehr kleine Menge Bitcoin, typischerweise in kleinen ein- bis zweistelligen Sats-Beträgen, doch auch kommen immer öfter dreistellige Beträge vor. Sie werden Dust oder „Staub“ genannt, weil diese Beträge so gering sind, dass sie oft als unbedeutend und unpraktisch für die Verwendung bei regulären Transaktionen angesehen werden.

Es gibt keine offizielle Definition dafür wie groß/klein ein Betrag sein muss, um als Dust zu gelten, da jede Softwareimplementierung (Client, Wallet, etc.) einen anderen Schwellenwert annehmen kann. Die Bitcoin Core Referenzimplementierung definiert Dust als jede Transaktionsausgabe, die niedriger ist als die aktuellen Transaktionsgebühren.

Dust entsteht meist unbeabsichtigt bei Bitcoin-Transaktionen. Denn wenn Bitcoin von einer Adresse an eine andere gesendet wird, fällt oft eine Transaktionsgebühr an. Um Spam zu verhindern und die Sicherheit des Netzwerks zu gewährleisten, gibt es bei Bitcoin eine Mindestgröße für jede Transaktion. Dieses Limit ist der Mindestbetrag an Bitcoin, der als Ausgabe in eine Transaktion einbezogen werden kann. Der Rest ist Dust.

Oder einfacher ausgedrückt, wenn die Mindestgröße für eine Bitcoin-On-Chain-Transaktion 500 Sats (5 Bits) beträgt und ich noch 800 Sats (8 Bits) in meiner Wallet habe, kann ich nach dem Versenden von 600 Sats (6 Bits) die übrigen 200 Sats (2 Bits) nicht mehr ausgeben. Diese verbleibenden 2 Bits sind Dust.

Dust stellt aus mehreren Gründen eine Herausforderung für das Bitcoin-Netzwerk und seine Benutzer//innen dar:

UTXO-Bloat: Bei jeder Transaktion werden nicht ausgegebene Transaktionsausgaben (UTXOs) erstellt, und Dust erhöht die Anzahl der UTXOs im System. Dies kann zu einer aufgeblähten Blockchain führen und sich negativ auf die Leistung und Skalierbarkeit des Netzwerks auswirken.

➡️ Wie UTXOs funktionieren

Wallet-Management: Im Laufe der Zeit kann sich in Wallets viel Dust ansammeln, und die Verwaltung solch kleiner Beträge kann für Benutzer//innen unpraktisch sein. Bei vielen Wallets ist ein Mindestguthaben erforderlich, und die Dust-Mengen sind möglicherweise zu gering, um diese Anforderung zu erfüllen. Viele Nutzer//innen wechseln häufig zwischen Wallets und transferirien ihre Vermögen vorher auf die neuen Wallets, bei solchen Wechseln bleiben Dust-Beträge zurück und gelten langfristig als verloren.

Ein weiteres Problem besteht darin, dass Dust nicht genau definiert werden kann. Die Transaktionsgebühren hängen wesentlich von zwei Faktoren ab: Den Gebühren in sat/vB, welche von der Auslastung des Mempools abhängen und zu Zeiten von hoher Auslastung dementsprechend hoch sind, und zum anderen vom UTXO-Set des/der jeweiligen Nutzer//in. Denn wie wir wissen, werden Transaktionen aus einer oder mehreren UTXOs zusammengesetzt, je mehr UTXOs dabei benötigt werden, um den gewünschten Betrag zu versenden, desto höher sind die Kosten für diese Transaktion, da sich das Gewicht (in vBytes) erhöht. Diese beiden Faktoren können die Gebühren in Einzelfällen so strukturieren, dass größere Mengen Dust anfallen, als in anderen Fällen.

Datenschutzbedenken: Da jede Transaktion in der Blockchain gespeichert wird, können selbst winzige Mengen Dust mit der Identität oder dem Transaktionsverlauf einer Person verknüpft werden, was die Privatsphäre gefährdet. Diese Funktion wird von Angreifern in sogenannten Dust-Attacks ausgenutzt. Denn böswillige Angreifer haben schnell erkannt, dass Nutzer//innen die winzigen Dust-Beträge, die in ihren Wallet-Adressen angezeigt werden, nicht viel Aufmerksamkeit schenken oder gar bemerken. Angreifer schicken also Kleinstbeträge an eine große Anzahl von Adressen, um dann im nächsten Schritt in einer kombinierten Analyse dieser Adressen und der Beträge, versuchen herauszufinden, welche Adressen zur gleichen Wallet gehören. Dabei ist es das Ziel, diese so identifizierbaren Adressen und Wallets schließlich den jeweiligen Eigentümer//innen zuzuordnen, um diese dann durch ausgefeilte Phishing-Angriffe oder Cyber-Erpressungen zu attackieren.

Um diese Probleme zu lösen, können Nutzer//innen Dust konsolidieren, indem sie mehrere Dust-UTXOs in einer einzigen Transaktion mit einem höheren Wert kombinieren. Einige Wallets und Dienste bieten Funktionen an, mit denen Benutzer//innen ihren Dust effektiv verwalten und konsolidieren können.

Abschließende Gedanken

Der Unit-Bias ist absolut vorhanden. Ich persönlich begegne ihm immer wieder in Gesprächen mit Bitcoin-Interessierten, die sich mit der Materie noch nicht lange auseinandergesetzt haben. Die Verwunderung ist oft sehr groß, dass bitcoins nicht als Ganzes gekauft werden müssen. Die Verwendung einer Untereinheit sowohl in Wallets, als auch bei der Bepreisung kann dabei helfen.

An die Verwendung von Sats als die kleinste Einheit von Bitcoin habe ich mich gewöhnt, allerdings tendiere ich mittlerweile persönlich zum Gebrauch von Bits. Die hervorgebrachten Argumente leuchten mir ein und ich bin überzeugt, dass Bits eine größere Akzeptanz außerhalb des Bitcoin-Inner-Circles hervorrufen können, als Sats. Darüber hinaus ist das Sats-Zeichen wirklich unpraktisch.

Ich befürworte hier einige Ideen, die das Paragrafzeichen zum Symbol für Sats erheben wollen.

🫳🎤

---

In diesem Sinne, 2... 1... Risiko!‌

@ 207ad2a0:e7cca7b0

Quick context: I wanted to check out Nostr's longform posts and this blog post seemed like a good one to try and mirror. It's originally from my free to read/share attempt to write a novel, but this post here is completely standalone - just describing how I used AI image generation to make a small piece of the work.

Hold on, put your pitchforks down - outside of using Grammerly & Emacs for grammatical corrections - not a single character was generated or modified by computers; a non-insignificant portion of my first draft originating on pen & paper. No AI is ~~weird and crazy~~ imaginative enough to write like I do. The only successful AI contribution you'll find is a single image, the map, which I heavily edited. This post will go over how I generated and modified an image using AI, which I believe brought some value to the work, and cover a few quick thoughts about AI towards the end.

Let's be clear, I can't draw, but I wanted a map which I believed would improve the story I was working on. After getting abysmal results by prompting AI with text only I decided to use "Diffuse the Rest," a Stable Diffusion tool that allows you to provide a reference image + description to fine tune what you're looking for. I gave it this Microsoft Paint looking drawing:

and after a number of outputs, selected this one to work on:

The image is way better than the one I provided, but had I used it as is, I still feel it would have decreased the quality of my work instead of increasing it. After firing up Gimp I cropped out the top and bottom, expanded the ocean and separated the landmasses, then copied the top right corner of the large landmass to replace the bottom left that got cut off. Now we've got something that looks like concept art: not horrible, and gets the basic idea across, but it's still due for a lot more detail.

The next thing I did was add some texture to make it look more map like. I duplicated the layer in Gimp and applied the "Cartoon" filter to both for some texture. The top layer had a much lower effect strength to give it a more textured look, while the lower layer had a higher effect strength that looked a lot like mountains or other terrain features. Creating a layer mask allowed me to brush over spots to display the lower layer in certain areas, giving it some much needed features.

At this point I'd made it to where I felt it may improve the work instead of detracting from it - at least after labels and borders were added, but the colors seemed artificial and out of place. Luckily, however, this is when PhotoFunia could step in and apply a sketch effect to the image.

At this point I was pretty happy with how it was looking, it was close to what I envisioned and looked very visually appealing while still being a good way to portray information. All that was left was to make the white background transparent, add some minor details, and add the labels and borders. Below is the exact image I wound up using:

Overall, I'm very satisfied with how it turned out, and if you're working on a creative project, I'd recommend attempting something like this. It's not a central part of the work, but it improved the chapter a fair bit, and was doable despite lacking the talent and not intending to allocate a budget to my making of a free to read and share story.

The AI Generated Elephant in the Room

If you've read my non-fiction writing before, you'll know that I think AI will find its place around the skill floor as opposed to the skill ceiling. As you saw with my input, I have absolutely zero drawing talent, but with some elbow grease and an existing creative direction before and after generating an image I was able to get something well above what I could have otherwise accomplished. Outside of the lowest common denominators like stock photos for the sole purpose of a link preview being eye catching, however, I doubt AI will be wholesale replacing most creative works anytime soon. I can assure you that I tried numerous times to describe the map without providing a reference image, and if I used one of those outputs (or even just the unedited output after providing the reference image) it would have decreased the quality of my work instead of improving it.

I'm going to go out on a limb and expect that AI image, text, and video is all going to find its place in slop & generic content (such as AI generated slop replacing article spinners and stock photos respectively) and otherwise be used in a supporting role for various creative endeavors. For people working on projects like I'm working on (e.g. intended budget $0) it's helpful to have an AI capable of doing legwork - enabling projects to exist or be improved in ways they otherwise wouldn't have. I'm also guessing it'll find its way into more professional settings for grunt work - think a picture frame or fake TV show that would exist in the background of an animated project - likely a detail most people probably wouldn't notice, but that would save the creators time and money and/or allow them to focus more on the essential aspects of said work. Beyond that, as I've predicted before: I expect plenty of emails will be generated from a short list of bullet points, only to be summarized by the recipient's AI back into bullet points.

I will also make a prediction counter to what seems mainstream: AI is about to peak for a while. The start of AI image generation was with Google's DeepDream in 2015 - image recognition software that could be run in reverse to "recognize" patterns where there were none, effectively generating an image from digital noise or an unrelated image. While I'm not an expert by any means, I don't think we're too far off from that a decade later, just using very fine tuned tools that develop more coherent images. I guess that we're close to maxing out how efficiently we're able to generate images and video in that manner, and the hard caps on how much creative direction we can have when using AI - as well as the limits to how long we can keep it coherent (e.g. long videos or a chronologically consistent set of images) - will prevent AI from progressing too far beyond what it is currently unless/until another breakthrough occurs.

@ 5579d5c0:db104ded

Until the release of Fiat Food by Matthew Lysiak and Saifedean Ammous, I struggled to connect the dots between the monetary system and the current diabesity epidemic.

This book provided the historical context and the economic mechanisms behind the decline in public health, revealing how inflation (a subtle form of theft) has eroded not just our wealth but also our health.

What is Fiat Health?

Fiat Health refers to a health paradigm shaped and controlled by centralised authorities, corporate interests, and profit-driven systems, analogous to how fiat money operates in the financial world.

It prioritises cheap, scalable, and industrialised solutions at the expense of long-term well-being, often sacrificing nutrient-dense, ancestral practices for convenience and mass production.

Inflation and Health

Inflation is often framed as a purely economic phenomenon, but its effects ripple into every aspect of our lives, including our health.

Just as gradual 2% to 3% annual weight gain can go unnoticed until a heart attack hits, the 2% to 3% annual reduction in purchasing power caused by inflation often escapes scrutiny until the cumulative impact becomes undeniable.

Between 2019 and 2023, the cost of a 300g ribeye steak from my local farmer rose by 79%, from £8.23 to £14.75. Meanwhile, my wages only increased by 14% during the same period.

Put simply my purchasing power and ability to buy nutrient dense food was reduced.

This disparity means that nutrient-dense foods like meat, eggs, and seafood are increasingly out of reach for many people and they have to work harder for their money meaning less time outdoors, less sleep and more stress.

Instead, they are forced to turn to cheaper, ultra-processed foods that are nutrient-depleted but calorie-dense. These foods contribute to the steady rise in chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

How fiat money shapes health systems

The link between fiat money and health outcomes is rooted in the incentives of those who control the money supply.

Governments, reliant on cheap credit from money printing, align with industries that benefit from mass production such as agri-food giants, pharmaceutical companies, and even medical institutions.

Universities and journals reinforce these trends, promoting sun avoidance and guidelines that prioritise grains, seed oils, and sugar over nutrient-dense options like meat, eggs, seafood and dairy.

The result is a public health crisis.

We are told to avoid the sun, eat low-fat diets, and prioritise grains, all while being sold processed foods as “healthy options.”

These recommendations, driven by profit rather than science, have contributed to widespread metabolic dysfunction.

Less than 10% of adults today have optimal metabolic health.

How to break free

To break free from this cycle, we must reject fiat health and embrace the principles of low-time preference health, focusing on long-term health fundamentals rather than short-term gratification and convenience.

1. Go outside: Sensible sun exposure is the cheapest most effective way to improve your health. In my opinion this is more important aspect of health which is often overlooked. More light improves hormonal balance, boosts mood, and enhances metabolic health.
2. Base your diet on nutrient-dense foods: Prioritise meat, eggs, dairy, seafood and add in fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole carbs. These are rich in essential fats, proteins, and micronutrients that your body needs to thrive.
3. Avoid Ultra-Processed foods: Cut out cheap grains, sugar, and seed oils. These foods are cheap to produce but costly to your health.
4. Support local and regenerative agriculture: Buying from local farmers not only improves the quality of your diet but also decentralises food production, aligning with the principles of Bitcoin.

How Bitcoin fixes this

Bitcoin offers a way out.

The principles of decentralisation, transparency, and resistance to inflation can be applied not only to money but also to health.

Just as Bitcoin restores individual sovereignty over wealth: sunlight, nutrient-dense & locally sourced foods restores sovereignty over health.

By adopting Bitcoin, you can preserve you purchasing power and reject fiat health.

You align yourself with a system that values long-term sustainability over short-term gain.

It’s time to question the narratives we’ve been fed by governments, corporations, and institutions.

It’s time to take back control of our wallets, our health, and our futures.

- Chris

If this resonates with you, I highly recommend reading Fiat Food. It’s a brilliantly researched and written book that connects the dots between money, food, and health.

I also offer health coaching services for busy individuals looking to take control of their health and navigate the fiat health system.

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

@ 3ffac3a6:2d656657

Prologue: The Last Trade

Ethan Nakamura was a 29-year-old software engineer and crypto enthusiast who had spent years building his life around Bitcoin. Obsessed with the idea of financial sovereignty, he had amassed a small fortune trading cryptocurrencies, all while dreaming of a world where decentralized systems ruled over centralized power.

One night, while debugging a particularly thorny piece of code for a smart contract, Ethan stumbled across an obscure, encrypted message hidden in the blockchain. It read:

"The key to true freedom lies beyond. Burn it all to unlock the gate."

Intrigued and half-convinced it was an elaborate ARG (Alternate Reality Game), Ethan decided to follow the cryptic instruction. He loaded his entire Bitcoin wallet into a single transaction and sent it to an untraceable address tied to the message. The moment the transaction was confirmed, his laptop screen began to glitch, flooding with strange symbols and hash codes.

Before he could react, a flash of light engulfed him.

---

Chapter 1: A New Ledger

Ethan awoke in a dense forest bathed in ethereal light. The first thing he noticed was the HUD floating in front of him—a sleek, transparent interface that displayed his "Crypto Balance": 21 million BTC.

“What the…” Ethan muttered. He blinked, hoping it was a dream, but the numbers stayed. The HUD also showed other metrics:

• Hash Power: 1,000,000 TH/s
• Mining Efficiency: 120%
• Transaction Speed: Instant

Before he could process, a notification pinged on the HUD:

"Welcome to the Decentralized Kingdom. Your mining rig is active. Begin accumulating resources to survive."

Confused and a little terrified, Ethan stood and surveyed his surroundings. As he moved, the HUD expanded, revealing a map of the area. His new world looked like a cross between a medieval fantasy realm and a cyberpunk dystopia, with glowing neon towers visible on the horizon and villagers dressed in tunics carrying strange, glowing "crypto shards."

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over him. A towering beast, part wolf, part machine, snarled, its eyes glowing red. Above its head was the name "Feral Node" and a strange sigil resembling a corrupted block.

Instinct kicked in. Ethan raised his hands defensively, and to his shock, the HUD offered an option:

"Execute Smart Contract Attack? (Cost: 0.001 BTC)"

He selected it without hesitation. A glowing glyph appeared in the air, releasing a wave of light that froze the Feral Node mid-lunge. Moments later, it dissolved into a cascade of shimmering data, leaving behind a pile of "Crypto Shards" and an item labeled "Node Fragment."

---

Chapter 2: The Decentralized Kingdom

Ethan discovered that the world he had entered was built entirely on blockchain-like principles. The land was divided into regions, each governed by a Consensus Council—groups of powerful beings called Validators who maintained the balance of the world. However, a dark force known as The Central Authority sought to consolidate power, turning decentralized regions into tightly controlled fiefdoms.

Ethan’s newfound abilities made him a unique entity in this world. Unlike its inhabitants, who earned wealth through mining or trading physical crypto shards, Ethan could generate and spend Bitcoin directly—making him both a target and a potential savior.

---

Chapter 3: Allies and Adversaries

Ethan soon met a colorful cast of characters:

• Luna, a fiery rogue and self-proclaimed "Crypto Thief," who hacked into ledgers to redistribute wealth to oppressed villages. She was skeptical of Ethan's "magical Bitcoin" but saw potential in him.

• Hal, an aging miner who ran an underground resistance against the Central Authority. He wielded an ancient "ASIC Hammer" capable of shattering corrupted nodes.

• Oracle Satoshi, a mysterious AI-like entity who guided Ethan with cryptic advice, often referencing real-world crypto principles like decentralization, trustless systems, and private keys.

Ethan also gained enemies, chief among them the Ledger Lords, a cabal of Validators allied with the Central Authority. They sought to capture Ethan and seize his Bitcoin, believing it could tip the balance of power.

---

Chapter 4: Proof of Existence

As Ethan delved deeper into the world, he learned that his Bitcoin balance was finite. To survive and grow stronger, he had to "mine" resources by solving problems for the people of the Decentralized Kingdom. From repairing broken smart contracts in towns to defending miners from feral nodes, every task rewarded him with shards and upgrades.

He also uncovered the truth about his arrival: the blockchain Ethan had used in his world was a prototype for this one. The encrypted message had been a failsafe created by its original developers—a desperate attempt to summon someone who could break the growing centralization threatening to destroy the world.

---

Chapter 5: The Final Fork

As the Central Authority's grip tightened, Ethan and his allies prepared for a final battle at the Genesis Block, the origin of the world's blockchain. Here, Ethan would face the Central Authority's leader, an amalgamation of corrupted code and human ambition known as The Miner King.

The battle was a clash of philosophies as much as strength. Using everything he had learned, Ethan deployed a daring Hard Fork, splitting the world’s blockchain and decentralizing power once again. The process drained nearly all of his Bitcoin, leaving him with a single satoshi—a symbolic reminder of his purpose.

---

Epilogue: Building the Future

With the Central Authority defeated, the Decentralized Kingdom entered a new era. Ethan chose to remain in the world, helping its inhabitants build fairer systems and teaching them the principles of trustless cooperation.

As he gazed at the sunrise over the rebuilt Genesis Block, Ethan smiled. He had dreamed of a world where Bitcoin could change everything. Now, he was living it.

@ dd664d5e:5633d319

Ingredients

• 1 kg of pork roast with rind, such as shoulder or a lean belly
• 1 bottle of beer, light or dark
• chopped German-style mirepoix (best combination, for this recipe, includes celery root, carrot, red onion, and leeks)
• salt, pepper, nutmeg
• 1 diced garlic clove

Directions

1. Spread the vegetables on the bottom of the roasting pan.
2. Pour half the beer over the roast. (Drink the other half.)
3. Season the meat, to taste.
4. Roast the meat at 180 °C, until done (depends upon the weight of the roast).
5. Remove the meat from the oven, and wrap in aluminum foil.
6. Pour 2-3 cups of water into the roasting pan.
7. Pour/scrape everything from the pan into a sieve over a sauce pot.
8. Press the vegetables against the sieve, with the back of a spoon, to ensure that you get all that good dripping flavor into the sauce.
9. Defat the sauce with a grease separator, then pour it back into the pot.
10. Thicken the sauce, slightly (it should remain slightly watery, and not turn into a gravy), according to your usual method.
11. Open the foil and slice the roast.
12. Serve with the sauce.

@ b83e6f82:73c27758

Citrine 0.7.0

• Update quartz dependency
• Check if events are deleted
• Recover service after crash
• Add back button in the events screen
• Fix delete old events
• Fix backup dialog showing up again

Download it with zap.store, Obtainium, f-droid or download it directly in the releases page

If you like my work consider making a donation

Verifying the release

In order to verify the release, you'll need to have gpg or gpg2 installed on your system. Once you've obtained a copy (and hopefully verified that as well), you'll first need to import the keys that have signed this release if you haven't done so already:

bash gpg --keyserver hkps://keys.openpgp.org --recv-keys 44F0AAEB77F373747E3D5444885822EED3A26A6D

Once you have his PGP key you can verify the release (assuming manifest-v0.7.0.txt and manifest-v0.7.0.txt.sig are in the current directory) with:

bash gpg --verify manifest-v0.7.0.txt.sig manifest-v0.7.0.txt

You should see the following if the verification was successful:

bash gpg: Signature made Fri 13 Sep 2024 08:06:52 AM -03 gpg: using RSA key 44F0AAEB77F373747E3D5444885822EED3A26A6D gpg: Good signature from "greenart7c3 <greenart7c3@proton.me>"

That will verify the signature on the main manifest page which ensures integrity and authenticity of the binaries you've downloaded locally. Next, depending on your operating system you should then re-calculate the sha256 sum of the binary, and compare that with the following hashes:

bash cat manifest-v0.7.0.txt

One can use the shasum -a 256 <file name here> tool in order to re-compute the sha256 hash of the target binary for your operating system. The produced hash should be compared with the hashes listed above and they should match exactly

@ c5fede3d:16e03f7b

Hay quien dice el famoso dicho de «año nuevo, vida nueva». En este caso, iniciamos el año con el mismo propósito, seguir aprendiendo para que no nos pille el toro. En esta ocasión, toca tratar la entrada de capital a tu wallet. Sin embargo, hay que saber donde meterse sin que las arenas movedizas te engullan. ¿Preparado para comprar la hucha del cerdito?

Esta es la segunda entrega de Semanario Crypto, una serie de artículos dedicados para aquellos que desconocen los conceptos básicos del mundo de las criptomonedas. La semana pasada hicimos un barrido sin adentrarnos en territorio comanche. Si aún no tienes claro qué es una wallet o cuál es el propósito de una frase semilla, ve al punto de partida y vuelve a leerte Semanario Crypto #1 | Un nuevo paradigma, porque es el ticket de entrada para este mundillo y no lo puedes perder.

EL LÍO DEL MONTEPÍO💱

Si has llegado hasta aquí, he de felicitarte. Has dado dos grandes pasos. El primero, tener la mente abierta y querer aprender. El segundo, disponer de una wallet y tener guardada a buen recaudo la frase semilla. Ahora es el momento de la verdad, operar, no sin antes tener claro un par de conceptos más.

¿Qué son los exchanges?

Son plataformas digitales donde los usuarios pueden comprar, vender o intercambiar criptomonedas. A través de ellas, los usuarios pueden convertir su dinero tradicional en crypto, facilitando el comercio de criptoactivos.

Los exchanges son los bancos del mundo de la criptomonedas. Ambos actúan como intermediarios en las transacciones financieras y ofrecen servicios relacionados con la inversión y el comercio. Sin embargo, no todos los exchanges son iguales, se diferencian dos tipos:

1. Exchange Centralizado (CEX)

En este tipo de exchange, una entidad centralizada gestiona las transacciones y retiene los fondos los usuarios. Los CEX custodian tu dinero, cuentan con equipos profesionales de atención al cliente y están sujetos a altas regulaciones gubernamentales. Te registras, haces la verificación de identidad (KYC) y ellos te proporcionan una wallet para que la fondees con tu dinero fiduciario y operes dentro de la plataforma. Todo un ecosistema a golpe de click.

2. Exchange Descentralizado (DEX)

Aquí las transacciones se realizan entre usuarios a través de contratos inteligentes en la blockchain (P2P), es decir, las operaciones se hacen directamente desde sus propias billeteras. No requieren que se proporcionen información personal. Los usuarios mantienen el control sobre sus activos (autocustodia) y no habrá que depositar en ellas.

Sabiendo las diferencias entre un CEX y un DEX, nuevamente nos hallamos en la tesitura de tener que definirnos a nosotros mismos. En la anterior entrega de Semanario Crypto optamos por una wallet caliente o una fría en función del tipo de inversor que somos, o incluso pudimos hacer un mix emparejando la wallet fría a una extensión de navegador. Aunque, como acabamos de ver, si te registras en un CEX ellos ya te proporcionan una billetera electrónica para que operes dentro de la plataforma. La elección es tuya, pero has de tener en cuenta cómo operar de una forma u otra conforme al capital que dispongas:

Quiero operar por un monto superior a 50k euros anuales y/o soy un buen ciudadano.

• Amigo mío, quítate de problemas, y registrate en un CEX como Binance o Bit2Me. La legislación fiscal española incide especialmente en que cualquier tenencia de criptomonedas superior a 50k euros debe ser declarada. Con los exchanges que te he puesto, la información proporcionada a la Agencia Tributaria es automática y de ella se encargan ellos, no tienes que hacer nada de nada. Solo hacer tu declaración anual habitual.
• También es la opción ideal para el vago y el que no dispone de tiempo. ¿Quieres hacer un mix que te ofrezca las bondades de los CEX y los DEX? Atento al siguiente punto y atiende a las nuevas regulaciones de cara a 2025.

Quiero operar por un monto inferior a 10k euros anuales y/o considero que los CEX son neo-usureros.

• La solución son los DEX. Como ya vimos, los exchanges descentralizados no requieren de KYC para operar, de modo que dan un mayor grado de privacidad y anonimato, puesto que jamás dispondrán de tu documentación personal. Además, estás expuesto a lo que se denomina el ecosistema de las finanzas descentralizadas (DeFi).
• El mundo DeFi busca democratizar el acceso a los servicios financieros, abriendo un abanico de nuevos mercados, oportunidades de inversión y ser el primero en conocer las innovaciones financieras. Sin lugar a dudas, es donde están los más avispados y la gente pudiente, muestra de ello es el valor de su capitalización de mercado, alcanzando más de 52 mil millones de dólares, que se dice pronto.

EL CASTILLO DE DRÁCULA, LA AEAT 🧛

El año 2025 va a ser determinante para el devenir del mundo de las criptomonedas, al menos en Europa. Es el año donde entran en vigor las nuevas regulaciones fiscales. Parece ser que el mantra de que los criptoactivos eran una estafa y que no valían nada a pasado a mejor vida a partir de la entrada del gran capital, como Blackrock. Ahora, los entes fiscales reguladores quieren su porción del pastel y apuntan a tu billetera. Si quieres operar en este mundillo, debes saber un poco de fiscalidad, para que no llamen a tu puerta. Aunque, recuerda, si optaste por ser un buen ciudadano (español, en este caso) que te registraste en un CEX como Binance o Bit2Me no tendrás mayores preocupaciones, porque allí todo lo que hagas acaba registrado automáticamente en tu declaración del año fiscal. De todas formas, siempre es bueno aprender, sobre todo si operas desde los DEX con tu billetera autocustodiada.

1. La Ley MiCa y Directiva DAC8

• Reglamento europeo que establece el marco regulatorio para las criptomonedas. Obliga a que todos los servicios financieros que emitan o comercialicen criptoactivos tengan licencia y deban proporcionar información sobre sus operaciones. Los proveedores de servicios deberán informar sobre las transacciones realizadas por residentes en Europa con fines de supervisión fiscal. Los ciudadanos europeos están obligados a declarar la tenencia de criptoactivos como parte del patrimonio personal, incluyendo ganancias, la cual estará sujeta a impuestos.
• La Directiva DAC8 complementa al reglamento y se enfoca en el intercambio automático de información fiscal entre los Estados miembro de la UE (CARF). Los proveedores de criptoactivos deberán reportarán todas las transacciones y datos relevantes a las autoridades fiscales nacionales, concretamente los movimientos y saldos del usuario. Legitima a Hacienda a poder embargar las criptomonedas depositadas en un exchange, las wallets autocustodiadas son inembargables por estar en control del usuario.

2. La Travel Rule o Regla de Viaje

• Regulación que aumenta la trazabilidad entre las transacciones de criptomonedas. Exige a los servicios de activos digitales (VASP) recojan y compartan información sobre los remitentes y beneficiarios, sea a carteras custodiadas o autocustodiadas.

3. Límites y “mandamientos”

• Cualquier transferencia superior a 1.000 euros requerirá que el proveedor recopile datos personales.
• Si el monto de operaciones alcanza los 10.000 euros anuales, el proveedor informa.
• Si el monto de operaciones alcanza los 3.000 euros en un trimestre natural, el proveedor informa.
• Las ganancias deben ser declaradas en el IRPF al final del año fiscal, incluso si las criptomonedas no se han convertido a FIAT (dinero fiduciario tradicional).
• El Modelo 721 es una obligación informativa que deben cumplir los contribuyentes que poseen criptomonedas en el extranjero (exchange que no opere bajo legislación española y no presente los modelos informativos requeridos por Hacienda) y cuyo saldo supera los 50.000 euros a fecha del 31 de diciembre.
• La CNMV supervisa el mercado de criptoactivos y el Banco de España las monedas estables (dólares digitales como USDC-USDT).

¿AÚN CON FUERZAS?

Pues sabiendo todo esto, ya es hora de que deposites tu dinero en tu billetera de criptomonedas. ¿Cómo hacerlo? Eso ya lo verás en la siguiente entrega de Semanario Crypto. En él se te ofrecerá el martillo para que rompes la hucha del cerdito y le des vida a tu wallet. Aprende las rutas de entrada y de salida. Opera con conocimiento y sabiendo lo que haces. Es más fácil de lo que piensas. Recuerda que la información es poder, y tú la vas a tener.

---

Descargo de responsabilidad: Toda la información compartida forma parte de mi visión personal y no tiene como objetivo asesorar financieramente. Doy información, no consejos de inversión.

@ fd78c37f:a0ec0833

The rise of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies has reshaped the global financial system, igniting new possibilities for innovation and development. In North America, a region at the forefront of technological advancements and economic influence, Bitcoin communities have played a pivotal role in advancing the adoption and utilization of digital currencies. These communities are engaged in a wide array of activities, from fostering education and providing technical support to promoting business opportunities and advocating for policy changes. This article will highlight 23 Bitcoin communities across North America, shedding light on their latest achievements and future ambitions in driving the expansion of Bitcoin technology, education, and economic empowerment. It offers readers a comprehensive understanding of the North American Bitcoin ecosystem and its significant influence on the global stage.

Thank you, nostr:npub1yzvxlwp7wawed5vgefwfmugvumtp8c8t0etk3g8sky4n0ndvyxesnxrf8q decentralized media client on Nostr to support people in owning their voice. #iOS #​Android, for supporting the publication of the Bitcoin Community Newsletter. Most of the content has been reviewed and confirmed by the South American communities. If there are any omissions, please feel free to reach out to me.

1.PlebLabs nostr:npub1an84q6c03wml5lf0uwcqcr20ydwv0t0lvv0xktlcfs9seattef8sdhz6yg * Introduction PlebLab is a hacker space and community accelerator based in Austin, Texas, dedicated to supporting the next generation of Bitcoin developers and startups. It brings together developers, hackers, creatives, and open-source builders to create a collaborative and innovative environment. PlebLab offers workshops, hackathons, and Startup Days to foster learning and growth within the Bitcoin ecosystem. By providing exposure, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities, PlebLab helps early-stage Bitcoin projects succeed. Its core philosophy is to support free and open-source development, driving innovation and progress within the Bitcoin space. * Latest Updates Recently, the PlebLab has continued to make significant strides in driving Bitcoin innovation and entrepreneurship. They have launched the second season of Top Builder, with a series of top-tier workshops focusing on Bitcoin Accounting, Bitcoin UX & UI Design, Bitcoin Marketing and Media, and more. These workshops aim to discover the next generation of Bitcoin industry startups, with participants having the chance to win up to $15,000 in BTC. The events will bring together Bitcoin developers and entrepreneurs, providing opportunities for showcasing ideas and networking. Additionally, PlebLab will host workshops related to Bitcoin technology and applications, helping members deepen their understanding of Bitcoin Core and enhance their development skills.

2.BAYAREA * Introduction Bay Area Bitcoin Users is a community formed by the people, for the people, aimed at providing an open and inclusive platform for all Bitcoin enthusiasts. The community regularly hosts events in the Bay Area, offering a space to share ideas, opinions, memes, and have relaxed discussions. It’s a great fit for anyone looking to dive deeper into Bitcoin technology or simply enjoy gatherings with like-minded individuals. * Latest Updates Recently, the Bay Area Bitcoin Users community hosted a Bitcoin Holiday Party at Eve (1535 Folsom St) in San Francisco, California. The event featured a Socratic seminar co-hosted by BitDevs and LitDevs at Digital Garage, followed by a festive celebration with music, snacks, a bar, and Bitcoin-related interactions. Designed as a family-friendly gathering, the event welcomed children accompanied by guardians, even though no specific activities for kids were organized.

3.Ann Arbor Bitcoin nostr:npub1j4dvdn24dp963f4sfak0g6nz0chnw8tyglvs3pn9gqhhhfukmrfsyznne7 * Introduction Ann Arbor Bitcoin is a community-focused organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, dedicated to fostering Bitcoin adoption and engagement. The group hosts regular meetups and events, providing a platform for Bitcoin enthusiasts to share knowledge and exchange ideas. * Latest Updates Recently, there have been no new updates from the community, with the latest event dating back to December 2022, which encouraged everyone to join their Telegram group to stay updated on all the latest news about meetups.

4.Bit Miami * Introduction BitMiami is a vibrant community dedicated to exploring and learning about the Bitcoin ecosystem in South Florida. * Latest Updates Recently, the BitMiami community has shared various Bitcoin-related events and updates. They highlighted Bitcoin Vortex Week in Miami and also focused on the HODLween event. BitMiami continues to support the growth of the South Florida Bitcoin community by reposting valuable content from local Bitcoin enthusiasts and organizations. They also encourage community members to actively engage with the Bitcoin ecosystem through meetups and educational opportunities.

5.Seattle Bitcoin and Beer nostr:npub1x2dm3cwqt0v9tqlf0ppzztaskn3th2x40p33hepl8rkwdgedw8eshypm5s * Introduction Seattle Bitcoin and Beer is a community that brings together Bitcoin enthusiasts and freedom lovers in Seattle. They regularly meet to discuss Bitcoin and build strong local connections in a city that may not always embrace freedom. The group fosters collaboration while enjoying good beer along the way. * Latest Updates Recently, the Seattle Bitcoin and Beer community hosted a monthly meetup on December 26th at the Old Stove Brewery on Nickerson St. Ship Canal, aiming to expand the sovereignty of the Bitcoin user network in the Great Northwest. Although this wasn't a cryptocurrency-exclusive meetup, participants gathered in a relaxed atmosphere to discuss Bitcoin and strengthen community connections.

6.Bitcoin Aruba * Introduction Bitcoin Aruba is a community dedicated to promoting the use and acceptance of Bitcoin across the beautiful island of Aruba. Their mission is to encourage local businesses and individuals to embrace Bitcoin as a payment option, creating a vibrant ecosystem where people can experience the freedom and potential of decentralized currency.. * Latest Updates Recently, the Bitcoin Aruba community has shared various Bitcoin-related updates on Twitter. They highlighted and reposted content from several Bitcoin initiatives, including the StackSats 250k Sat giveaway, BTCPay Server’s holiday greetings, and discussions on the importance of running your own Bitcoin node. Additionally, Bitcoin Aruba has been encouraging community members to actively engage in the Bitcoin ecosystem, with a focus on topics like node operation and privacy protection.

7.Bitcoin Beach Yucatan nostr:npub1w2my0n7rklzdgw7anjdnssq8mjzkpr54apqeg3pk9qjauu9dt26smyydvm * Introduction Bitcoin Beach Yucatán is a community dedicated to promoting Bitcoin education and adoption throughout the Yucatán state. * Latest Updates Recently, there have been no new updates from the community. The latest event dates back to Oct 2024, when they shared a post calling for help for the disaster-stricken area of Sisal, requesting food, clothing, and other essential supplies.

8.Bitcoin Brunch Miami * Introduction Bitcoin Brunch Miami is a community where Bitcoin enthusiasts gather every Sunday for casual discussions over brunch. * Latest Updates Recently, there have been no new updates from the community on twitter, The latest event dates back to July 2023. However, Bitcoin Brunch Miami has already hosted five brunch discussions in December.

9.Bitcoin Charlotte nostr:npub1p7g986pc56qmvryplgzka0fsrpuwlk6mxk3h686w4e46n74e56qqhz88vk * Introduction Bitcoin Charlotte is a community for those passionate about Bitcoin, decentralization, privacy, and freedom. It provides opportunities to connect with individuals at the forefront of this transformative technology through social events, workshops, and online hangouts. The community’s mission is to educate and empower people to break free from financial dependence on banks and governments by embracing Bitcoin, the most superior form of money in history. * Latest Updates Recently, the Bitcoin Charlotte community hosted several events, including an in-person meetup at Southern Strain Brewery in Plaza Midwood, where members connected with like-minded individuals and celebrated Bitcoin's potential for financial liberation by purchasing beer with Bitcoin. Additionally, the community held an online Bitcoin meetup and knowledge-sharing session on December 2, further promoting Bitcoin education and awareness.

10.Bitcoin Ciudadela * Introduction Bitcoin Ciudadela is focused on transforming San Cristóbal de las Casas and Chiapas into strongholds for Bitcoin adoption and education. The community aims to build a robust network of Mexican Bitcoiners who are united in promoting the benefits of decentralized finance and empowering individuals with knowledge about Bitcoin. * Latest Updates Recently, there have been no new updates from the community. The latest event dates back to Apr 2024, when they shared a post criticizing those who supported restrictions on freedom and praised those who fought for liberty, questioned authority, and stood against oppression.

11.Bitcoin Jungle nostr:npub14f26g7dddy6dpltc70da3pg4e5w2p4apzzqjuugnsr2ema6e3y6s2xv7lu * Introduction Bitcoin Jungle is an open-source community project built on the Bitcoin Lightning Network, aiming to create a circular Bitcoin economy. It supports individuals and businesses by providing education, resources, and technology to drive Bitcoin adoption. Starting in the Golden Triangle region of Costa Rica, the project strives to set an example for Bitcoin communities. The goal is to establish a sustainable Bitcoin ecosystem for communities worldwide. * Latest Updates Recently, Bitcoin Jungle is actively preparing for the next Bitcoin Freedom Festival, which will take place from February 20th to 24th, 2025, at the Awake Earth Festival in Uvita, Costa Rica. The event will combine Bitcoin seminars with a music festival, lectures, and discussions, aiming to attract new audiences to the Bitcoin space in a unique and engaging way.

12.Bitcoin Lake Guatemala nostr:npub1a4excy7uf9z3mcafvm9cwdr549dl5lpazuvpr2nc550vf27n5a4scqq5k2 * Introduction Bitcoin Lake Guatemala is a Bitcoin community located in Guatemala, focused on promoting the use and education of Bitcoin in the Lake Atitlán region. By supporting local businesses in adopting Bitcoin payments and providing educational resources, the community aims to build a sustainable economy based on Bitcoin. * Latest Updates Recently, the community has shared one update，this post celebrates the continued growth and resilience of the Bitcoin movement, marking a significant milestone for the community.

13.Round Rock Bitcoiners nostr:npub17ysayggwumkpkpgsq75axd7ed9guw03wz9jldz5d0zrkgz0cja2qd09tzu * Introduction Round Rock Bitcoiners is a Bitcoin community in Round Rock, Texas, dedicated to promoting Bitcoin knowledge and adoption. Through monthly meetups and resource sharing, the group supports individuals and small businesses in adopting Bitcoin and fosters a local peer-to-peer network. * Latest Updates Recently, The Round Rock Bitcoiners community has been actively organizing events to promote Bitcoin education and strengthen community bonds. Recently, they hosted a screening of the film No More Inflation, exploring the future of money and inflation-free solutions, followed by a Bitcoin-themed happy hour. Additionally, they announced the second biennial Base58 Bitcoin LARP event, offering participants a unique experience of hands-on learning, networking, and fun. Additionally, they shared posts addressing KYC privacy risks, critical discussions about the IRS, the legacy of cypherpunk ideals, and new features in the Bitcoin ecosystem, such as Zaps integration with the Rumble platform.

14.SacTown Bitcoin * Introduction Sactown Bitcoiners is a Bitcoin-focused community with members from across the Greater Sacramento region. The group hosts two monthly events: a discussion and member-led presentation at the Arden-Dimick Library on the 4th Thursday and a social gathering at a brewery or restaurant on the 2nd Thursday. Discussions revolve around Bitcoin, covering topics like money, hope, and the future under a Bitcoin standard. Open to Bitcoin enthusiasts, beginners, and maximalists alike, the community maintains a strict “Bitcoin only” policy, creating a dedicated space for pure Bitcoin conversations. * Latest Updates Recently, SacTown Bitcoin hosted a Christmas Party and highlighted Bitcoin's transformative impact. On December 12, 2024, SacTown Bitcoin hosted the Sactown Bitcoiners Christmas Party at Turkovich Family Wines Tasting Room. The event featured a potluck, a white elephant gift exchange (participants were asked to bring a gift worth approximately $20), and a raffle. Additionally, SacTown Bitcoin has been focusing on the profound impact of Bitcoin on personal financial understanding and its potential to disrupt economic inequalities. They have shared posts highlighting insights from financial and investment professionals inspired by Bitcoin, as well as discussions on how Bitcoin empowers ordinary people to benefit from asset growth.

15.San Diego Bitcoiners * Introduction San Diego Bitcoiners is a community dedicated to learning and discussing Bitcoin, providing a platform for anyone interested in the cryptocurrency. Established during the COVID-19 pandemic, the community hosts monthly events featuring guest speakers, brief presentations, or casual conversations. Meetings are held every second Thursday of the month at Quantum Brewing in Kearny Mesa, welcoming all Bitcoin enthusiasts. * Latest Updates Recently, San Diego Bitcoiners have been actively engaged in promoting Bitcoin education and fostering community interaction. They were featured in a local news article as the oldest running Bitcoin meetup in San Diego. The community has been sharing important reminders, such as testing Bitcoin wallet backups every six months. They also continue to host regular meetups, with a focus on practical demonstrations, including CoinJoin and wallet integrations like Sparrow Wallet and JoinMarket. The latest meetup took place in December at Quantum Brewing, where members gathered to discuss Bitcoin and explore new tools in the ecosystem.

16.SLC-BTC * Introduction The SLC-BTC community focuses on Bitcoin and the Lightning Network, welcoming participants of all experience levels. Regular meetups feature discussions on topics such as Bitcoin protocol, software, economics, self-custody, and mining. Whether you're a newcomer or an experienced user, the community encourages open dialogue and answers any Bitcoin-related questions. * Latest Updates Recently, the SLC-BTC community hosted a series of successful events, including a Christmas party, thanks to the active participation and support of its members. During the party, the community offered a variety of giveaways and collaborated with several partners. Additionally, the community organized a Christmas Potluck Party and celebrated the milestone of Bitcoin's price breaking 100K. SLC-BTC continues to provide opportunities for Bitcoin enthusiasts to connect, learn, and grow together.

17.Topeka Bitcoin * Introduction The Topeka Bitcoin Meet-up aims to expand knowledge and awareness within the community. Hosted at local businesses, the group discusses topics such as Bitcoin (network vs asset), the Lightning Network, running a full node, self-custody, and accumulation strategies. Additionally, the community explores Bitcoin literature, podcasts, and other relevant topics. * Latest Updates Recently, the Topeka Bitcoin community shared some interesting Bitcoin-related insights and updates on Twitter. Members celebrated the new year, highlighting the concept of "time is money" and encouraging everyone to accumulate at least 31,536,000 Sats this year (one sat per second). The community also discussed the concept of "sat/cent parity," offering a unique perspective on Bitcoin's value. Additionally, Topeka Bitcoin shared creative activities related to Bitcoin, such as Bitcoin-friendly cruise line initiatives.

18.Vancouver Bitcoiners * Introduction The Vancouver Bitcoin community is a dedicated group of Bitcoin enthusiasts actively engaging in events like Bitdevs and more. With the motto “Splendor Sine Inflatione” (Splendor Without Inflation), the community focuses on fostering knowledge and connections around Bitcoin. * Latest Updates Recently, the Vancouver Bitcoiners community has been actively involved in advocating for Vancouver to become a Bitcoin-friendly city. Community members have supported Mayor Ken Sim's proposal to invest in Bitcoin and have participated in backing the city council's Bitcoin-friendly motion. Additionally, the community has voiced concern over the Bitcoin mining ban in British Columbia, suggesting the use of local renewable energy sources like tidal, wind, and solar power for Bitcoin mining to expand the grid and utilize excess heat from mining rigs. During the council's discussions, the community also supported the idea of Vancouver building a Bitcoin reserve, despite the associated risks.

19.Victoria Bitcoin * Introduction Victoria Bitcoin is a community that regularly hosts Bitcoin-focused meetups and BitDevs seminars, typically held one to two times a month. These events are free and open to the public, providing opportunities for discussion, learning, and networking. Community members can also win prizes from Canada's Bitcoin self-custody pioneers, Bull Bitcoin and Coinkite. The community places a strong emphasis on privacy, with all discussions following Chatham House rules. * Latest Updates Recently, the Victoria Bitcoin community has been actively hosting several Bitcoin-related events, fostering interaction and engagement among local Bitcoin enthusiasts. The community regularly organizes “Bitcoin & Coffee” meetups, providing members with opportunities to discuss Bitcoin. The most recent event was scheduled for December 22 at Discovery Coffee. Additionally, the community hosted an exciting Christmas party on December 13, where attendees enjoyed free pizza, beer, and champagne, and Christmas gifts were purchased with Bitcoin, showcasing the practical use of Bitcoin in everyday life. The event also included a Bitcoin giveaway for lucky participants..

20.Michigan Bitcoin Meetup in Benton Harbor * Introduction Michigan Bitcoin Meetup in Benton Harbor is a community focused on exploring Bitcoin's impact on investing, entrepreneurship, and self-sovereignty. It provides a platform for like-minded individuals to connect, learn, and share ideas. * Latest Updates Recently, there have been no new updates from the community. The latest event dates back to Nov 2024, which Announced Bitcoin Meetup Night in Benton Harbor on Thursday, November 21.

21.Western Mass Bitcoin Meetup nostr:npub1xgyjasdztryl9sg6nfdm2wcj0j3qjs03sq7a0an32pg0lr5l6yaqxhgu7s * Introduction Western Mass Bitcoin Meetup is a community focused on connecting local bitcoiners, promoting bitcoin education, and increasing merchant adoption. The group hosts monthly meetups and offers support for newcomers in areas like self-custody, Lightning Network, and mining. * Latest Updates Recently, the Western Mass Bitcoin Meetup has been actively organizing events to foster community engagement and growth. On December 8th, they hosted a social meetup at Fitzwilly's in Northampton, providing a space for Bitcoin enthusiasts to connect and share ideas. Additionally, they are preparing for their 29th meetup on January 5th in East Longmeadow, continuing to offer a platform for local Bitcoin supporters to gather and collaborate.

22.Yes Bitcoin Haiti nostr:npub1mjmaggp53xan2435wdse8ts06pzfcjejfex4pxasu67kxs5hqdpsyk7hx8 * Introduction Yes Bitcoin Haiti is Haiti's first Bitcoin-only initiative, launched to empower communities through Bitcoin education and adoption. Founded by Phanor Mendelking in February 2024, the project focuses on spreading financial literacy, promoting economic growth, and building a circular Bitcoin economy. Its mission includes offering local Bitcoin certification, hosting meetups and workshops, and onboarding businesses and community members. Operating from St. Michel de l'Attalaye, it aims to drive financial inclusion and resilience in Haiti's challenging economic landscape. * Latest Updates Recently, the Yes Bitcoin Haiti community has been actively advancing Bitcoin education. The first batch of students is nearing the end of their courses, with two students leading the discussion of Chapter 10 in preparation for the upcoming final exams and graduation. Additionally, the community has showcased proof-of-work in action, reinforcing the spread of Bitcoin knowledge through student-led lessons and engagement in activities.

23.YYC Bitcoin * Introduction YYC Bitcoin is a community-focused meetup dedicated to growing, educating, and supporting the Bitcoin ecosystem in Calgary. The group hosts biweekly meetups for networking and learning, covering essential Bitcoin topics such as wallet setup, privacy, multisig, lightning, and mining. Newcomers are encouraged to visit the website to familiarize themselves with key concepts and bring their questions to future events. * Latest Updates Recently, YYC Bitcoin has actively promoted Bitcoin education and outreach through several updates. They shared the BTC Sessions year-end recap and the The 4th Annual BTC Sessions HODLiday Special, engaging community participation. Additionally, YYC Bitcoin reposted Blockstream Jade's promotional offer, encouraging the purchase of hardware wallets. The community also highlighted Bitcoin Mentor's personalized coaching services to help members better understand Bitcoin technology. Furthermore, they supported and promoted ticket sales for the Learning Bitcoin 2025 conference, further advancing Bitcoin education.

@ e1d968f7:5d90f764

Marketing myself online has been an unexpected, and often eye-opening, part of my journey as an independent escort. When I first started, I really didn’t know what I was getting into. I figured I’d set up a profile, promote my services, and let the rest follow. But the reality is far more nuanced, and today I want to share how I've navigated marketing myself, from my initial steps on AdultWork to discovering Nostr, and how the support I receive online has started to evolve in exciting ways.

AdultWork: Where It All Started

When I began this journey, AdultWork was the obvious place to start. It’s a platform designed specifically for escorts, offering a range of services—from profiles to booking systems, to a built-in review mechanism. For me, it was the easiest, most professional way to begin advertising myself. I created my profile, uploaded photos, and listed my services, knowing that people could easily find me if they were looking for someone like me.

What I didn’t realise at first was how much of my online identity would be shaped by AdultWork. The reviews are integral to the platform. The good ones boost my confidence, and the negative ones, though difficult at times, serve as learning opportunities. Over time, I’ve refined my profile to reflect not only my services but also who I am. I’ve become more comfortable with sharing parts of myself in my descriptions and photos, building my profile into a place that represents my personality as well as what I offer.

Still, as I grew in my career, I wanted to expand beyond the confines of a booking platform. I felt the need to tell my story more deeply and connect with people on a personal level—something I couldn’t fully do on AdultWork alone.

X: A Place to Be Real (and Sometimes Overwhelm)

For a long time, X was my go-to platform. It felt more informal, a space where I could interact with others, share thoughts, and promote my services in a less rigid way than I could on AdultWork. I loved the freedom it gave me—though I quickly realised it also had its downsides. X can feel like a constant pressure to perform, to be entertaining, to remain visible, all while managing the fine line between personal and professional.

It was easy to get lost in the need for engagement, to check the likes and retweets, to respond to the messages. At the same time, X often felt shallow. It’s a platform where posts get buried quickly, and it’s hard to get the depth of interaction I was craving. Plus, there’s always the element of online trolls and unwanted attention, which can make things feel draining. While X has its perks, I found myself wanting more—a space where I could truly share my thoughts without the limitations of brevity or constantly having to fight for visibility.

Moving to Nostr: A Platform That Feels Like Home

That’s when I discovered Nostr. Initially, I was curious, but after diving deeper into its features, I realised it was exactly what I’d been looking for. Nostr is a decentralised platform, meaning it isn’t governed by any single company or algorithm, which gives me control over my content and how it’s shared. Unlike X, which often limits the reach of your posts based on engagement, Nostr gives me the freedom to publish long-form content, something I’ve always wanted to do with Behind Closed Doors.

Nostr allows me to share my stories, reflections, and insights in a more meaningful way. There’s no character limit, no algorithms skewing what people see—just raw, real content. I can write the posts I want, whether it’s about my day-to-day experiences as an escort, lessons I’ve learned, or reflections on what it means to be in this line of work.

But what really drew me to Nostr wasn’t just its ability to support long-form content—it was the community it fosters. There’s a real sense of connection with the people who follow me there. The platform allows people to support my work directly, which brings me to something that’s made a big difference: zapping.

Zapping: A New Way to Support My Work

One of the features Nostr offers that has truly resonated with me is the ability for my followers to “zap” my posts. For those unfamiliar with the term, zapping is a way of sending small tips or donations directly to content creators in exchange for their work. It's decentralised, meaning that the money goes directly to me, and there are no middlemen or platforms taking a cut.

At first, I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. I’d always been wary of asking for support, but as I’ve gotten more comfortable with the idea, I’ve realised that it’s not about begging or asking for handouts. It’s a way for people to say, “I see you. I appreciate your work. Here’s a way for me to show my support.”

It’s been amazing to feel the direct appreciation from my followers. Some zaps have been small, others larger, but each one has meant so much. It’s not just about the money—it’s about knowing that people value my work enough to contribute. It feels like a true exchange, where my content isn’t just for a transactional purpose but is actually connecting with people on a deeper level.

For me, this is a game-changer. Not only does Nostr give me the space to create and share without restrictions, but it allows me to build an entirely different kind of relationship with my audience. I can continue sharing my journey with them and receive direct, heartfelt support in return. It’s the kind of genuine, positive reinforcement that I’ve always wanted in my work.

Why I’m Excited About the Future

As I continue to build my presence on Nostr, I’m feeling more empowered than ever. It’s freeing to know that I’m not bound by any platform’s rules or algorithms. I can share my thoughts, my experiences, and my reflections without fear of being silenced or censored. And the ability for my followers to zap my posts is allowing me to feel truly supported in this journey.

Of course, I’ll still use AdultWork and X for the more practical side of my work—booking clients and staying visible in certain spaces—but Nostr is becoming my space to create, share, and connect in a way that feels authentic. It’s a platform that understands the value of long-form content, supports decentralised communication, and allows my followers to directly support my work.

Looking ahead, I’m excited to see how my presence on Nostr evolves. It feels like the perfect space to continue my blog series Behind Closed Doors, share new insights, and explore all the complexities of my life as an escort. It’s a place where I can finally market myself on my own terms—without compromise—and where my work is truly appreciated.

So, if you’ve enjoyed reading my posts here, I encourage you to join me on Nostr. Whether you want to read more of my journey, zap my posts to show your support, or just follow along as I continue to navigate this career, I’d love to have you along for the ride. I’m so grateful to have a platform where I can truly be myself.

Rebecca x

@ 2063cd79:57bd1320

Ich hatte vor ein paar Wochen die Gelegenheit mich mit Micheal Hassard persönlich zu unterhalten. Mike ist Verteidiger im Fall von Roman Sterlingov. Der Fall ist haarsträubend und beängstigend. Mike und ich haben uns einige Zeit unterhalten und er hat mir einige Details aus diesem wirklich spannenden Prozess verraten. Ich wollte versuchen die Informationen in einem Artikel zusammenzufassen, um auch anderen Leuten, die mit dem Fall noch nicht betraut sind, die Möglichkeit zu geben, zu verstehen, was für absurde Methoden und ungerechte Beweismittel in diesem noch komplett neuen rechtlichen Umfeld angewendet werden.

LAX

Am 27. April 2001 landet ein Direktflug aus Moskau am Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Bei der Passkontrolle an der Immigration wird ein junger Passagier dieses Fluges von Kriminalermittlern des Internal Revenue Service (IRS) verhaftet. In seinem Gepäck befinden sich vier Reisepässe und allerhand technisches Equipment. Darunter Laptops, externe Festplatten und Bitcoin Signing Devices (Hardware Wallets). Der junge Mann wird festgenommen, seine mitgeführten Besitztümer und Pässe konfisziert, dann wird er in Untersuchungshaft gebracht. Der Vorwurf: Die Gründung und der Betrieb eines Bitcoin Mixers. Konkret wird ihm vorgeworfen, Bitcoin Fog gegründet und betrieben zu haben, darüber hinaus wird er in drei Punkten angeklagt: Geldwäsche, Betrieb eines nicht lizenzierten Geldtransfergeschäfts und Geldtransfer ohne Lizenz. Die IRS behauptet, dass über 1,2 Millionen Bitcoin, im Wert von etwa 336 M US Dollar zum Zeitpunkt der Transaktionen, über Bitcoin Fog verschickt wurden.

Bitcoin Fog

Bitcoin Fog war ein beliebter Custodial Bitcoin Mixer, der von Nutzer//innen für ihre Privatsphäre genutzt wurde. Mixer sind Services die entwickelt wurden, um das Problem der "Common-Input-Ownership-Heuristik" zu brechen. Vereinfacht ausgedrückt beschreibt dieses Problem die Annahme, dass mehrere Inputs einer Transaktion relativ sicher dem gleichen Besitzer gehören. Ich habe Bitcoin Mixer schon mal detailliert beschrieben:

https://www.genexyz.org/post/23-block-772315-bitcoin-mixing-q6i7y4/

TL;DR: Die Grundidee besteht darin, dass man einen Coin nimmt, der aus mehreren UTXOs besteht, und diesen mit Hilfe eines Dienstes einem Pool zuführt. Diese Dienste erhalten für die Vermittlung, Zusammenführung und das Stellen der Infrastruktur eine kleine Gebühr. Transaktionen werden dann so aufgebaut, dass sie es Überwachungsfirmen oder anderen Beobachtern sehr schwer machen, genau zu wissen, welcher Transaktion-Output zu welchem der Input-Steller gehört.

Bitcoin Fog wurde 2011 gegründet und ist ein Custodial Service, was bedeutet, dass Nutzer//innen ihre Bitcoin an eine Wallet des Betreibers senden, und im Gegenzug dann von Bitcoin Fog andere Bitcoin zurück erhalten, um die Spur der On-Chain-Transaktionen zu verwischen.

Roman Sterlingov

Roman war schon früh Benutzer von Bitcoin. Als er 14 Jahre alt war, zog er mit seiner Mutter von Russland nach Schweden und beschäftigte sich ab etwa 2011 mit Bitcoin. Dies ist wichtig, denn als russischer und schwedischer Staatsbürger ist Roman im Besitz von vier offiziell ausgestellten Reisepässen. Russland hat zwei Pässe, einen für das Reisen innerhalb und einen für das Reisen außerhalb Russlands. Schweden stellt auch zwei Reisepässe aus. Als der Bitcoin-Kurs stieg, wurde er Millionär. Er kündigte seinen Job und versuchte, sich selbstständig zu machen. Unter anderem gründete er ein VPN-Geschäft, das nicht erfolgreich war, und entschied sich später aufgrund der Volatilität von Bitcoin und fehlenden Einnahmen aus seinen Projekten, Pilot bei einer kommerziellen Fluggesellschaft zu werden.

Er meldete sich bei einer kalifornischen Flugschule an und 2021, als Roman nach Kalifornien zur Flugschule flog, wurde er von der Regierung am Flughafen LAX verhaftet. Er sitzt seit über zwei Jahren im Gefängnis und wartet auf seinen Prozess. Neben seinen Pässen und seinem Equipment wurden auch die seit 2011 angesammelten Bitcoin beschlagnahmt, da diese auf Konten bei u.a. Kraken lagen.

Die Anklage

Kalifornien hat Roman Sterlingov wegen des Vorwurfs verhaftet, über einen Zeitraum von 10 Jahren Bitcoin im Wert von fast 336 M US Dollar gewaschen zu haben. Ihm wird vorgeworfen, über sein Konto und seine IP-Adressen mit der Bitcoin Fog-Domain und mit Mt. Gox-Konten, die in Verbindung zu Bitcoin Fog stehen, an Bitcoin Fog beteiligt zu sein.

Vor dem Start des Dienstes nutzte der Administrator seinen echten Namen auf seinem Mt. Gox-Konto, um die Plattform einem Betatest zu unterziehen. Sein persönliches Google-Konto wurde auch zum Speichern der Schritte zur Bezahlung der Domain verwendet. Dies sind jedoch zum heutigen Zeitpunkt nur Anschuldigungen ohne konkrete Beweise. Der Fall stützt sich stark auf digitale Forensik und Blockchain-Analyse ohne Zeugenaussagen oder ähnliche konkrete Beweisstücke. Selbst wenn Roman die Domain gekauft hätte, wäre dies nicht illegal. Die Verjährungsfrist für die angeblichen Verbrechen ist ebenfalls abgelaufen. Was bleibt, sind von der Anklage angeführte "Beweise", die sich komplett auf die Blockchain-Analyse der Firma Chainalysis stützen.

Chainalysis

Chainalysis ist die wohl bekannteste Blockchain-Analyse Firma. In einem früheren Artikel habe ich schon mal beschrieben, wie diese Firmen operieren:

https://www.genexyz.org/post/19-block-765505-on-chain-analytics-mhcumo/

TL;DR: Unter On-Chain Analytics versteht man die Analyse von Daten, die auf jeder beliebigen Blockchain vorhanden sind. Diese Daten sind auf der Chain, also on-chain und somit für jedermann jederzeit und von überall abrufbar. Genauer bieten Blockchains Daten über Adressen, Transaktionen und in gewisser Weise auch über Wallets. Diese Informationen können verwertet werden, um verschiedene Sachverhalte darzustellen. Dieses Verfahren wird auch Heuristik genannt und bedient sich wahrscheinlicher Annahmen, also z.B. wiederkehrender Muster. Dabei werden sogenannte Cluster erstellt, also Verbindungen zwischen Adressen und Transaktionen gezogen.

So nutzen nutzen Analyse-Firmen wie Chainalysis Heuristiken und Wahrscheinlichkeitsanalysen, um Bitcoin-Transaktionen und Eigentümerwechsel zu verfolgen. Sie versuchen, Adressen auf der Grundlage dieser Heuristiken zu gruppieren, jedoch stimmen die Ergebnisse verschiedener Unternehmen oft nicht überein. Dies kann zu vagen Beweisen und Schuldunterstellungen führen.

„Während die Identität eines Besitzers einer Bitcoin-Adresse im Allgemeinen anonym ist (es sei denn, der Besitzer entscheidet sich dafür, die Informationen öffentlich zugänglich zu machen), können Strafverfolgungsbehörden den Besitzer einer bestimmten Bitcoin-Adresse oft durch Analyse der Blockchain identifizieren“ - Devon Beckett, Special Agent, IRS

Chainalysis betreiben einen sogenannten Reactor, der diese Analysen vornimmt. Diese Analyse dient als Grundlage für das Argument, Roman habe Geld von seinem Mt Gox-Konto abgebucht und verwendet, um die Bezahlung der DNS-Registrierung für Bitcoin Fog zu tätigen und zu verbergen. Es wird so versucht, Roman mit Aufzeichnungen im Bitcoin Talk-Forums in Verbindung zu bringen, die wiederum Bitcoin Fog mit illegalen Aktivitäten in Verbindung bringen.

Konkret wird anhand dieser Analyse eine Verbindung zu Roman und weiter zu Bitcoin Fog hergestellt, die beweisen soll, dass Zahlungen im Wert von 336 M US Dollar gewaschen wurden, die für Drogengeschäfte verwendet wurden.

Es gibt keine objektiven Standards für diese Art der Analyse und Strafverfolgungsbehörden stützen ihre Beweise auf diese privaten Ermittlungen. Im konkreten Fall vo Chainalysis spielen Beziehungen zu Strafverfolgungsbehörden wie dem britischen Serious Crimes Office und dem US-Justizministerium, sowie den damit einhergehenden Geldquellen eine entscheidende Rolle beim Aufstieg des Unternehmens zum größten Anbieter dieser Dienstleistungen mit einer Marktkapitalisierung von 8,6 Milliarden US Dollar.

Verteidigung

Roman wird in diesem Fall von der Kanzlei Ekeland Law, PLLC vertreten. Die Anwälte, Tor Ekeland und Michael Hassard sind der festen Überzeugung, dass Roman unschuldig ist und dass er in diesem Fall aufgrund fehlerhafter digitaler Forensik in Bedrängnis geraten ist.

Roman gibt zu, Bitcoin Fog aus Datenschutzgründen verwendet zu haben, um seine Bitcoin zu waschen, bevor er diese in sein Konto bei Kraken einzahlte. Das Mischen an sich ist nicht illegal, denn während der Anhörung erkannte der Richter sogar an, dass die Verwendung eines Mixers wie Bitcoin Fog nicht grundsätzlich verboten sei. Dies war sogar das erste Mal, dass ein Richter ausdrücklich erklärte, dass das Mischen von Bitcoin nicht illegal ist und dass es auch nicht illegal ist, Nutzer//in eines Mischdienstes zu sein. Es ist jedoch zu beachten, dass sich dieser Fall speziell gegen den Betreiber von Bitcoin Fog richtet und versucht, den Dienst mit Drogenmarktplätzen in Verbindung zu bringen.

Argumente für Romans Unschuld beinhalten unter anderem, dass Bitcoin Fog in der gesamten Zeit von Romans Inhaftierung aktiv geblieben ist, was darauf schließen lässt, dass die eigentlichen Betreiber immer noch auf freiem Fuß sind. Roman wurde vor seiner Verhaftung überwacht, es wurden Abhör- und Überwachungsmaßnahmen durchgeführt, jedoch keine Beweise gefunden, die ihn mit dem Betrieb von Bitcoin Fog in Verbindung bringen, selbst nachdem Server beschlagnahmt wurden.

Darüber hinaus ignoriert die Anklage auch die Tatsache, dass die DNS-Registrierung der Bitcoin Fog Domain seit Romans Verhaftung zweimal erneuert wurde. Trotzdem versucht die Anklage eine Verbindung zu Roman auf der Grundlage von IP-Adressen herzustellen, die mit anderen E-Mails verknüpft sind, die zur Registrierung der DNS und zur Erstellung eines Kontos im Bitcoin Talk Forum verwendet wurden.

Roman wird Verschwörung vorgeworfen, es wurde jedoch kein einziger Mitverschwörer genannt. Bei den von der Anklage behaupteten Transaktionen handelt es sich um Lizenzzahlungen des Mixers, die jedoch nicht durch Beweise gestützt werden. Wenn Roman ein Drahtzieher wäre, der 336 M US Dollar an Drogengeldern gewaschen hätte, würde es für ihn keinen Sinn machen, sein Geld mit seinem richtigen Namen und Passfoto auf ein KYC-Konto bei Kraken einzuzahlen.

An dieser Stelle ist es vielleicht interessant festzustellen, dass Michael Gronager, einer der Mitbegründer von Chainalysis, auch einer der Mitbegründer von Kraken war.

Mt Gox Daten

Es gibt eine Verbindung zwischen Kraken, Chainalysis und Mt Gox. Denn nicht nur war der Gründer von Kraken, Jesse Powell, als Berater für Mt. Gox bei der Lösung eines Sicherheitsproblems tätig und begann in Erwartung seines Kollapses mit der Arbeit an Kraken als Ersatz, auch Chainalysis wurde als direkte Reaktion auf den Mt. Gox-Skandal gegründet.

Chainalysis wurde in den offiziellen Ermittlungen im Insolvenzverfahren von Mt. Gox genutzt, um den Verbleib der "gestohlenen" bitcoins zu untersuchen. Allerdings gibt es Anzeichen dafür, dass die dabei verwendeten Daten falsch und unzuverlässig seien. Angebliche Transaktionsnummern und Wallet-Adressen existieren nicht, werden verwechselt oder sind schlichtweg fehlerhaft. Genau dieser Datensatz wird aber nun benutzt, um Fälle wie den von Roman zu beweisen.

Ankläger

Einer der Staatsanwälte des Falles ist jetzt leitender Rechtsberater für Chainalysis, und ein IRS-Ermittler gründete während seiner Tätigkeit für den IRS ein privates Unternehmen namens Exigent LLC. Die Pressemitteilungen und Fundraising-Runden von Chainalysis stehen eng im Zusammenhang mit dem Fall. Exigent LLC erhält in der Pressemitteilung des US-Justizministeriums die höchste Auszeichnung für Romans Verhaftung, und fünf Monate später kaufte Chainalysis Exigent LLC. Dieser Fall scheint von Karrierismus und Profitstreben getrieben zu sein.

Problem

Neben den Verbindungen der Ermittler und Ankläger mit Chainalysis und der Problematik der fehlenden Beweise, ist dieser Fall zutiefst beunruhigend und wirft Bedenken hinsichtlich des geltenden Computerrechts auf.

Die meisten Blockchain-Strafverfolgungen folgen dem gleichen Muster: Einspruchsvereinbarungen, Gerichtsverfahren oder Entlassungen. Unschuldige Menschen gehen oft auf Plädoyer-Deals ein, weil ihnen die Ressourcen fehlen, um gegen die unbegrenzten Ressourcen des Department of Justice zu kämpfen. Roman kann keinen Deal annehmen, weil er nichts weiß und lügen müsste.

Es ist beunruhigend, dass der Fall in Washington D.C. verhandelt wird, obwohl Roman keine Verbindungen zu dieser Stadt hat. Die einzige Grundlage dafür, die Gerichtsbarkeit nach D.C. zu legen, ist darin begründet, dass eine verdeckte Operation gegen Roman aus Washington D.C. geleitet wurde. Dies gibt Anlass zur Sorge, weil es Staatsanwälten ermöglicht, Angeklagte auf der Grundlage von Online-Interaktionen vor jedes Bundesgericht zu ziehen - ob US Staatsbürger oder nicht. Dies ist ein direkter Verstoß gegen die Gerichtsstandsklausel und entfernt wichtige Elemente des Strafrechtssystems, da es jede/n Nutzer//in von Bitcoin-Mixern in die gefährliche Lage versetzen kann, vor einem US-Gericht angeklagt zu werden, wenn eine auch nur dünne Beweislage gegen ihn/sie vorliegt.

Ein weiteres Problem besteht in den vorgebrachten Beweisen. Denn die Verteidigung hat bis heute keinen Einblick in den Code oder die verwendeten Datensätze, die von Chainalysis verwendet wurden, erhalten. Chainalysis beruft sich dabei auf seine proprietären Geschäftsdaten und lehnt eine Offenlegung ab. Es wird vermutet, dass die Datensätze falsch sind, insbesondere angesichts der fragwürdigen Mt. Gox-Aufzeichnungen, auf die sie sich stützen.

Die bereitgestellten Daten sind begrenzt, unvollständig und werden in komplizierten Flussdiagrammen dargestellt. Die verwendete Software, wie z.B. der Chainalysis Reactor, steht nicht für eine unabhängige Prüfung zur Verfügung. Der Mangel an Transparenz und Zugang zu dieser Software gibt Anlass zu Bedenken hinsichtlich ihrer Genauigkeit und den daraus gezogenen Schlussfolgerungen.

Es bestehen Zweifel am Zusammenhang zwischen Roman, dem Betreiber von Bitcoin Fog, und den mutmaßlichen Straftaten. Roman sitzt derzeit im Gefängnis, ihm droht eine Haftstrafe von 50 Jahren. Die Freiheit einer Person wird durch eine kommerzielle proprietäre Software gefährdet, die vor Gericht erwirken kann, dass Quellen und Datensätze nicht offengelegt werden.

Auch wirft der Fall Bedenken hinsichtlich fehlender Standards, des gewinnorientierten Charakters des forensischen Bereichs, der Weigerung, Beweise auszutauschen, und der Möglichkeit von Justizirrtümern auf, die durch fehlerhafte Software und fragwürdige Praktiken verursacht werden.

Wie geht es weiter?

Das Verteidigungsteam hat finanzielle Probleme, da alle Gelder von Roman beschlagnahmt wurden. Der Antrag auf Freigabe der Mittel wurde abgelehnt. Romans Verteidigung muss öffentliche Mittel beantragen und hofft auf Spenden. Ich habe in einem früheren Artikel schon auf die Spendenseite aufmerksam gemacht. Wer anhand der aufgelisteten Fakten das Gefühl bekommt, dass hier jemand zu Unrecht verhaftet wurde und helfen möchte, kann die Verteidigung mit einer Spende unterstützen.

https://www.torekeland.com/roman-sterlingov

https://geyser.fund/project/usvsterlingov

FREEROMAN

🫳🎤

---

In diesem Sinne, 2... 1... Risiko!‌

@ 04ed2b8f:75be6756

Tired? So what? Do you think success waits for you to feel rested? Achievements don’t care about your comfort, and neither should you. The truth is brutal: either you keep going, or you get left behind. Sitting around waiting for the “perfect moment” is a luxury for those who don’t want it bad enough.

Why Excuses Don’t Cut It

Feeling tired doesn’t make you special—it’s a universal experience. Everyone feels drained, but only the determined push through. The difference between winners and everyone else? Winners get it done, regardless of how they feel.
- Fatigue Is Temporary: That exhaustion you feel? It will pass. But quitting creates a habit that sticks.
- Action Over Emotion: Don’t let how you feel dictate what you do. Feelings are fleeting; the work is what matters.
- Nobody Cares About Excuses: Harsh truth—no one’s handing out awards for “almost tried.” Results are what count.

Strength Is Built in the Struggle

Every time you push through fatigue, you become stronger. You’re not just building your dreams—you’re building your resilience.
- Growth Comes From Resistance: Muscles grow under tension. The same applies to your mind and willpower.
- Tired? Good. It means you’re working. It means you’re on the edge of improvement. Keep going.
- Prove It to Yourself: This is your chance to show yourself what you’re made of. Are you going to quit, or are you going to fight?

What’s the Alternative?

Let’s be real. The alternative to pushing through is stagnation. If you quit now, where does that leave you?
- Wasted Time: All the effort you’ve already put in—gone. Do you want to start over later, or finish now?
- Living With Regret: The pain of pushing through is nothing compared to the pain of looking back and wishing you’d tried harder.

How to Push Through the Exhaustion

It’s not easy, but nothing worth having ever is. When you’re tired, here’s how to keep moving:
- Simplify the Task: Stop overthinking. Break it into smaller, manageable steps. Focus on the next move.
- Use the Pain as Fuel: Let the fact that you’re tired ignite your determination. Think of it as a test you refuse to fail.
- Visualize the Finish Line: Picture what success looks and feels like. Let that vision pull you forward.

You’ve Got More in You

Being tired is a signal, but it’s not a stop sign. You have more in you than you realize, but you’ll never know unless you push past the point of comfort. Remember, the best don’t quit when they’re tired—they keep going until the job is done.

Final Challenge

So, what’s it going to be? Are you going to fold under the weight of your own excuses, or are you going to rise and fight? Being tired isn’t an excuse—it’s proof that you’re in the arena, doing the work. Now finish what you started.

Because tired or not, the goal doesn’t care. And neither should you.

@ 609899dc:13493d8d

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@ 6c4b0219:bb7f889e

Meet BLAISE[primal.net/p/npub1v8lrnvsxkj3gkyygx5ru97tceljlycnm0r88k4wyafa8devd9m4qgsz42g], a passionate Nigerian from Anambra State, currently based in South Africa. His journey into Bitcoin is both inspiring and transformative. Born with a natural skepticism toward traditional banking systems, Blaise’s turning point came during his service year in Ekiti State, where a friend introduced him to trading and, ultimately, Bitcoin.

He said, "I recall the frustration of having money in a traditional bank but being unable to access it due to system failures. As a student, this left me stranded."

Then, he discovered Bitcoin—not just as a currency but as a revolutionary alternative to the flawed systems he had grown up with.

His first steps involved trading Bitcoin through gift cards using platforms like Paxful. Soon, Blaise became a vendor, helping local users exchange Bitcoin and gift cards, igniting his passion for a decentralized future.

THE SPARK THAT IGNITED THE FLAME

For Blaise, the real awakening came when he attended the Adopting Bitcoin Capetown Conference in South Africa. It wasn’t just about trading anymore—it was about freedom, decentralization, and security. Bitcoin was more than money; it was sovereignty.

With guidance from mentors like jabulani jakes of moloBTC amongst all and hours of self-study—listening to podcasts from @jack mallers, @Michael Saylor and more, watching videos, and reading resources—Blaise dove headfirst into the rabbit hole.

He embraced self-custody, ensuring his Bitcoin wasn’t at the mercy of any third party. "I never want to store my value in Naira again," he says.

Proof-of-Work: BLAISE’S CONTRIBUTIONS

Blaise is not just a believer; he’s a doer, he recently collaborated with us on our Cohort 2, and he's looking forward to contributing more to Bitcoin adoption. Below are some of his works:

= Community Building: He started a WhatsApp group dedicated to onboarding precoiners, teaching them the fundamentals of Bitcoin.

= Future Projects: Blaise is planning a Football x Bitcoin initiative, combining health, fitness, and Bitcoin education to spread the message in unique ways.

Also, Blaise aims to deeply explore the personal training space, focusing on helping Bitcoiners enhance their health and fitness. He is committed to collaborating with more Bitcoiners and initiatives to drive adoption further.

= Inspired by Impact: One of Blaise’s proudest inspirations is the @BitcoinEkasi project in South Africa. He dreams of replicating its circular economy model in Tarkwa Bay, Nigeria, where education, discipline, and passion-building go hand in hand with Bitcoin adoption.

CHALLENGES AND TRIUMPHS

Building in the Bitcoin space hasn’t been without its hurdles. Blaise highlights the difficulty of helping people truly grasp Bitcoin’s potential. Yet, he is undeterred.

=> His strategy?

Focusing on the psychological aspect of orange-pilling—helping individuals shift their mindset to embrace this revolutionary technology.

For Blaise, Bitcoin is deeply personal. It’s freedom. It’s empowerment. It’s motivation. He sees it as a tool that can reduce poverty, combat hyperinflation, and lower crime rates in African economies over the next decade.

BLAISE DREAMING BIG

BLAISE envisions a Nigeria where communities like Tarkwa Bay thrive with circular economies built on Bitcoin. He dreams of a future where Bitcoin empowers individuals, educates the youth, and fosters innovation in health, fitness, and beyond.

His journey is a testament to the transformative power of Bitcoin and the unyielding spirit of those who dare to dream.

Blaise is always eager to contribute to Bitcoin adoption in any way possible. In the coming year, he plans to delve into the personal training space for Bitcoiners, showcasing more Proof-of-Work through fitness and Bitcoin education!

To get in touch and stay updated on his progress, follow his new project account on X BITFITNESS and his personal account BLAISE.

Check out our story post for BLAISE onTwitter

#Bitcoin is FITNESS

@ 4d41a7cb:7d3633cc

Today is Bitcoin genesis block day, literally Bitcoin’s birthday number 16th. The purpose of this article is to deep dive into Bitcoin's beginnings, what it was meant to be, what its creator's incentives were, why the collaborators were interested in contributing to its success, and what Bitcoin is achieving.

Bitcoin exists to solve a problem.

The root problem with conventional currency is all the trust that's required to make it work. The central bank must be trusted not to debase the currency, but the history of fiat currencies is full of breaches of that trust. Banks must be trusted to hold our money and transfer it electronically, but they lend it out in waves of credit bubbles with barely a fraction in reserve. We have to trust them with our privacy, trust them not to let identity thieves drain our accounts. Their massive overhead costs make micropayments impossible.

Satoshi Nakamoto, February 11, 2009

In this post, Satoshi reveals the main problem: central banking, how this institution has abused the trust we have put in them. Bitcoin is an alternative to a “broken” or corrupt monetary system that it’s been running and stealing from people for centuries, creating credit bubbles with their debt-based fractional reserve banking system

Ponzi nature of banking system

For those who don’t understand this system and its corrupt and inviable nature, think about it as a rigged musical chairs game.

When the music (trust in the banking system and its currency) is on, everyone is happy playing the economic game. Economic activity is soaring; we see new businesses, new products, cheap credit, high lending, asset prices inflate, and people consuming more (thus pushing the economic numbers higher). Everything seems to be okay. But then something happens.

Under this monetary game, deposits are chairs and depositors are players; as the game goes on, there are always more players than chairs or depositors than deposits because banks “lend” currency that they don’t have. When the music (trust in the bank) is stopped, the game is over, and many people lose their chairs (their deposit), creating deflationary recessions and economic crises.

When this happens, everything starts trending the exact opposite way. The economic activity starts slowing down, debt problems arise, bankruptcies occur, people lose their jobs and consume less, asset prices deflate, until the central bank intervenes and the cycle starts again.

This is officially known as the “economic cycle,” and it's sold to us as a natural phenomenon. But the truth is this is a pure central bank–artificially created cycle by monetary manipulation, as we can learn from the Austrian school of economics.

I call the central bankers the market wizards because they hold the lever to manipulate the economic game. They are the money masters, the financial alchemists, the kings of the economic and financial game of commerce where all economic agents operate under.

Bitcoin is a revolution against the central bank monarch, but Satoshi was not shouting about this to the four winds. He didn’t want to get attention before Bitcoin was strong enough, because it would have implied a great risk to its success. Central banks are the most powerful institutions on earth; they literally have the power to create currency in unlimited amounts and buy anything they need to maintain their monopoly.

If we need a more clear confirmation of this, we can look into the encrypted message that Satoshi left in the genesis block. To understand the genesis block, imagine a bookkeeping ledger that adds new pages (blocks) daily and contains a record of all bitcoin transactions ever made. The very first page of this book is called the genesis block.

Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks

Satoshi Nakamoto 03 January 2009

Here’s the newspaper cover he was making reference to.

In allusion to the bank bailouts that were taking place at the time, Satoshi included this intriguing line in the genesis block when he created Bitcoin during the Great Global Financial Crisis. In addition to providing the remedy, those who caused the issue (and profit from it) were making unprecedented profits. \ \ This game is about privatizing profits and socializing losses. This is the opposite of free markets and capitalism. It's clear that Satoshi Nakamoto, whomever he was, detested the established financial system. Since the Bank of England, which was the subject of this article, was established in 1694, we may trace the debt based fractional reserve banking system history back at least 331 years. \ \ This allusion to traditional banking's shortcomings was a declaration of what Bitcoin was trying to combat: fractional reserve banking and its consequences, which include debt, taxation, and inflation.

\ \ The bookkeepers \ \ In essence, banking and money management are bookkeeping, keeping track of who owns what and who owes what. Due to its revolutionary impact on accounting, Bitcoin has been dubbed "triple entry bookkeeping" by some. \ \ These days, banks are in charge of bookkeeping; they basically have the authority to make changes to the books and add new entries, or "print money." Inflation is basically a robber of time, energy, and wealth from everyone using that currency denomination, and banks are the ones who create it. Additionally, they have the ability to cause economic crises and market crashes for their own financial gain, making them deflation inductors. \ \ The incapacity of gold (real money) to meet the demands of a growing global economy gave banks this authority. They essentially became gold safe-keepers and gold IOU bookkeepers' ledgers because people trusted these organizations to provide scalability and lower the cost and risk of gold transactions. \ \ The purpose of banking was to enable credit and payments. Governments and banks did not create money. The free market determined the value of gold and silver, and people only trusted banknotes that were backed by gold. \ \ “Gold is money, everything else is credit" JP Morgan, 1912. \ \ Since banks began growing, they have sought to increase their size even more. When they discovered that the metal money system was restricting their ability to increase credit and bank profits, they literally plotted to seize control of the money market and overthrow governments by demonetizing these metals, effectively eliminating the demand for money in general and substituting it with debt and credit instruments. Essentially promissory notes issued by banks based on debt. \ \ "The borrower is a slave to the lender, and the wealthy dominate the poor”. Proverbs 22:7\ \ Human history is a chronicle of the literal plot by banks to enslave humanity, which resulted in hundreds of wars, thousands of assassinations, and the loss of millions of innocent lives in order to fulfill the banksters' objective of creating a global fractional reserve credit system. The currency that they decided to control? The term "U.S dollars" is frequently and incorrectly used to refer to Federal Reserve Notes. \ \ Slavery is essentially personified in this system. Slavery, in my opinion, is working for a currency that someone else can print without any effort or labor. This is the underlying cause of legal inequality. Theoretically, we live in a democracy and capitalist society where everyone is treated equally, but income taxes and central banking are vital components of the communist manifiesto. \ \ Where do we draw the boundary between a free human being and a slave citizen, given that this system directly violates private property rights? You are 100% slave when you pay 100% taxes, and 40% slave when you pay 40% taxes. It is being violently imposed upon you if it is not a voluntary business deal. Violence or the threat of losing your freedom are used to compel people to pay taxes. \ \ Natural law, often known as moral law, states that every person has the right to keep all of the fruits of their labor. However, this fraudulent financial system is robbing everyone of their means of trade, whether they are called coins, currencies, deposits, checks, etc. Furthermore, ceasing to feed a parasite is the only way to eradicate it. \ \ A purely peer-to-peer version of electronic cash would allow online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial institution.

Satoshi Nakamoto, October 31, 2008\ \ \ \ What backs fiat currencies?\ \ The worst aspect of this system is that it views people as collateral cattle for the currency's purchasing power. In essence, "government currencies" are credits of their corresponding debts, or government bonds, which are effectively secured by the government's “authority” to impose taxes on its populace. In essence, the government's power to compel its people to give them X percent of their income without providing them with equal recompense.

In essence, citizens' wealth is "baking" the government's debts. Since the currency cannot be exchanged for wealth at a particular rate, it is inaccurate to state that it is backed, thus I said "baking." However, if we must identify a valuable component of the currency, it is as follows: wealth and labor (i.e., human time and energy).

\ And what makes up this wealth? Among other things, land, homes, resources, businesses, and human time. They have demand for trade and exchanges because they make up half of every transaction. However, what do people trade more for currency? Energy and time. \ \ Those who can produce currency out of thin air with little effort (simply adding numbers to the bank ledger) can effectively steal from everyone else who has to labor and invest time and energy (real wealth), as most people exchange their time and energy for currency. Clearly, this is the root cause of inequality. \ \ Not only is this utterly immoral and unfair, but it gets worse. The worst aspect is not that they want to charge interest and can easily generate currency, but rather that they insist that WE repay them! \ \ What am I saying? Every currency unit's counterpart in government bonds is a public debt that generates compound interest on a continuous basis. There is a dollar due plus interest for every dollar that exists. In essence, this debt is a claim on the nation's wealth, which includes the labor (time and energy) and wealth of its citizens. \ \ And to whom is this debt owed? The banks. Therefore, if we apply common logic, it is easy to see that just as borrowers are slaves to lenders, governments and "we the people" are slaves to banks. \ \ However, what precisely do we owe? What kind of material have they given our governments? Is it wealth of any sort, whether it land, gold, or resources? No, it's not. is essentially a promissory note issued by a private bank, a document that serves as a means of exchange and may be produced in an infinite quantity. A counterfeit check.\ \ Global slavery to the banks is the price we pay for a scalable medium of exchange! \ \ And now we have a great substitute! \ \ To sum up, we spend our lives, precious time, energy, stress, suffering, and effort to obtain these currencies and pay our taxes, while another group sits there making up new reasons to add currency the ledger —also known as "printing digital money"—that we must repay plus interest! It's crazy. \ \ The worst aspect is that because the debt exceeds the amount of money in circulation due to compound interest, which keeps accruing and increasing the loan's size, it is mathematically impossible to pay back.\ \ It is equivalent to burning the currency because we pay taxes to cover the interest on an ever-increasing debt that we are unable to pay back. A black hole for taxpayer funds, debt-based currencies are essentially human slavery that is supported by banks and maintained by governments. \ \ Why isn't everyone voicing their disapproval and exposing this? The answer is brainwashing and a lack of knowledge. Much of this has been concealed or esoteric, and a major contributing factor to this blind spot is the misinformation we receive regarding the operation of this system. In order to play the game the way they want us to and avoid the game ending anytime soon, we are given a children's interpretation of human history and reality. \ \ \ Libertarianism\ \ Bitcoin's libertarian nature cannot be disregarded; even Satoshi acknowledged this when he stated:\ \ It’s very attractive to the libertarian viewpoint if we can explain it properly.\ I’m better with code than with words though.

Satoshi Nakamoto, November 14, 2008\ \ Libertarianism is a political philosophy that holds freedom and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians conceive of freedom in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according to which each individual has the right to live as they choose, so long as it does not involve violating the rights of others by initiating force or fraud against them.

Libertarians advocate for the expansion of individual autonomy and political self-determination, emphasizing the principles of equality before the law and the protection of civil rights, including the rights to freedom of association, freedom of speech, freedom of thought and freedom of choice. They generally support individual liberty and oppose authority, state power, warfare, militarism and nationalism, but some libertarians diverge on the scope and nature of their opposition to existing economic and political systems. 1\ \ Here are several arguments in favor of Bitcoin's libertarian nature. \ \ Non-Aggression Principle: Unlike taxes and fiat currencies, which are supported by state aggression, Bitcoin is supported by energy, math, and processing power. The monopoly of violence “belongs” to governments, and banks use this authority to compel everyone to follow their rules (I'm talking about business). \ \ Personal independence: Bitcoin doesn't require confidence and doesn't have counterparty risk. With bitcoin, the person has complete control over his finances and doesn't require "permission" from a third party to earn, save, or spend it. Bitcoin is referred to be "freedom money" for this reason. \ \ Equality before the law: Unlike the actual banking system, where a group can create money out of thin air with little effort and can alter the rules to suit their interests, the bitcoin protocol ensures that everyone is playing by the same rules and that there is no possibility of cheating or inflating the supply of bitcoin. Equality exists under the Bitcoin protocol. \ \ Indeed there is nobody to act as central bank or federal reserve to adjust the money supply as the population of users grows.\ Satoshi Nakamoto, Febrero 18, 2009\ \ Freedom of speech: To uphold justice and the truth in an era of widespread censorship, freedom of speech is an essential human right. The fact that Bitcoin is information also fits into this category; money is a means of conveying value, but this time in an unstoppable manner that is impervious to censorship. \ \ Freedom of thought: Using bitcoin does not require you to subscribe to any particular philosophy or set of beliefs, including libertarianism or anarchism. Bitcoin is unbiased and doesn't care. \ \ Freedom of choice: Unlike fiat currencies, where you frequently have no other choice, no one will compel you to use bitcoin. \ \ Libertarians reject the current political and economic structures because they are blatantly immoral, criminal, and illegitimate. It is "shaped" by indoctrinated mob rule democracies, supported by violence, and based on lies.

Bitcoin's ascent \ \ Bitcoin wasn't created overnight; rather, it was the result of decades' worth of research, development, and technology. Above all else, however, bitcoin represented a breakthrough—a new method of accomplishing tasks that had previously been impossible. \ \ A lot of people automatically dismiss e-currency as a lost cause because of all the companies that failed since the 1990's. I hope it's obvious it was only the centrally controlled nature of those systems that doomed them. I think this is the first time we're trying a decentralized, non-trust-based system.

Satoshi Nakamoto, Febrero 15, 2009\ \ Due to their centralization and unique points of failure, all of the numerous attempts to implement alternative e-currencies failed. The distributed nature of the bitcoin network makes it more robust and challenging to attack. \ \ The secret to developing a decentralized unchangeable ledger was Satoshi's solution to a problem that had been thought to be intractable since the 1970s. Following years of failure and lessons learned, Satoshi established a finite amount of money that is governed by processing power and energy.\ \ The proof-of-work chain is a solution to the Byzantine Generals Problem.\ Satoshi Nakamoto, Febrero 15, 2009

The return of money \ \ Bitcoin has also had a significant impact on the monetary front, particularly on the system's capacity to function as money and not simply a currency. It has been shown to be the best store of value (SOV) in addition to being an excellent medium of exchange (MOE).

Since currencies replaced money during the last century, we have lost track of what money is. And in order to protect our wealth, we need to be aware of the important distinctions between these technologies. \ \ A currency must be recognized, divisible, fungible, portable, and widely accepted in order to function as a medium of exchange. \ \ All of those qualities are present in money, but it also has the capacity to hold value over time, and it must be scarce in order to function as a store of value. A currency, in contrast to money, is susceptible to inflation due to its ease of replication. This is the cause of the constant price increases. \ \ The money supply needs to be scarce in order to preserve its purchasing power over time (i.e., to be immune to inflation). For thousands of years, gold and silver have been the preferred forms of money. \ \ At first, paper currency was only used to facilitate transitions by serving as a convenient alternative (derivative) to precious metals. Since goldsmiths and subsequent bankers used fractional reserve banking to lend more money (i.e., print more paper currency) than they actually had in storage, paper currencies—which are easily reproducible—have always been vulnerable to inflation. This resulted in the recurring "bank run" crises that are documented throughout history.\ \ But before bitcoin, we didn't have any money since 1933 because banks had taken it and devalued it. Real state, stocks, bonds, and other choices had been selected as alternatives due to the absence of money (a store of value). People buy real estate, stocks, and bonds to protect their wealth because fiat currencies are continually being inlfated, not because they love them. \ \ An estimated 900 trillion dollars' worth of wealth is held in financial and tangible assets worldwide. \ \ In real state, 330 trillions (36.6%)\ \ Bonds worth 300 billions (33.3%)\ \ Currency totaling 120 trillions (13.3%)\ \ Equity of 115 trillions (12,7%)\ \ Art worth 18 billions (2%)\ \ Gold worth 16 trillions (1,77%)\ \ Automobiles and collectibles worth 6 trillions (0,66%)\ \ Bitcoin worth two trillions (0,22%)\ \ Bitcoin only makes up about 0.22% of the world's total wealth. The greatest money ever created, property that you can actually own, with a sovereign protocol, no counterparty risk, a limited supply (better than scarce), and no need for banks or governments. Freedom money is unaffected by debt, taxes, or inflation. \ \ A bitcoin market cap of x10 ($1,000,000) would represent 2,22% of the world's wealth, and a market cap of x100 ($10,000,000) would represent 22,22%. \ \ The denominator, the dollar, is always losing value since it is created infinitely by continuously increasing the debt supply, and wealth is not fixed—rather, it is eternally increasing. According to CBNC the U.S. national debt is rising by $1 trillion about every 100 days.

Bitcoin is energy \ \ Bankers and significant international leaders are aware that energy is the foundation of all human activity. They are aware that they must control the energy sources, including their supply, distribution, and price, in order to establish a monopoly over every industry and a system of slave labor. They even clarified in several released documents that this is the only way to engineer the global economy.

:Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars explains:

In order to achieve such sovereignty, we must at least achieve this one end: that the public will not make either the logical or mathematical connection between economics and the other energy sciences or learn to apply such knowledge.

It is only a matter of time before the new breed of private programmer/economists will catch on to the far-reaching implications of the work begun at Harvard in 1948. The speed with which they can communicate their warning to the public will largely depend upon how effective we have been at controlling the media, subverting education, and keeping the public distracted with matters of no real importance.

The Harvard Economic Research Project (1948-) was an extension of World War II Operations Research. Its purpose was to discover the science of controlling an economy: at first the American economy, and then the world economy. It was felt that with sufficient mathematical foundation and data, it would be nearly as easy to predict and control the trend of an economy as to predict and control the trajectory of a projectile. Such has proven to be the case. Moreover, the economy has been transformed into a guided missile on target.

As we can see, the actual monetary system was created as a system of control (SOC), which is essentially founded on thievery and has restrictions, barriers, closed doors, a lack of transparency, and different rules for different actors. Through fabricated inflation and economic crises, it has been stealing our riches and freedom and controlling not just the electrical supply but also the social energies of humanity. (Inductors and economic conductors)\ \ However, Bitcoin is restoring our freedom. A way to make money, save it, and spend it without any restrictions, inflation, or capricious regulations. A novel kind of property that is not dependent on a counterparty, like banks or governments, and that requires energy to manufacture rather than being formed spontaneously.

Bitcoin generation should end up where it's cheapest. Maybe that will be in cold climates where there's electric heat, where it would be essentially free.

Satoshi Nakamoto, August, 2010

This fact is key to unlock the benefits of deflation that had been opaqued by the artificially created inflation.

Natural deflation

The primary benefit of bitcoin is deflation. Deflation incentives people to delay consumption and save more. Saving is the key to economic growth, because it can help to increase investment and productivity.

With the increase in productivity, prices tend to go down as they are more abundant and we find cheaper ways to produce thanks to technology.

The only reason that prices are not going down today -except in products where improvements are very rapid (e.g., computers)- is because of government-caused-currency inflation.

They have been stealing the benefits of natural deflation from us, but now we can access it thanks to Bitcoin.

It might make sense just to get some in case it catches on. If enough people think the same way, that becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Satoshi Nakamoto, 1/17/2009

Conclusion

To only way to scape the slavery system is to earn, save and spend bitcoin; a money that’s not controlled by the governments and banks, that is not subject to inflation and where everyone has to play under the same rules.

Happy birthday Bitcoin!

Bitcoin or Slavery!

@ e373ca41:b82abcc5

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I was told the following story at one of my readings last year.

An elderly couple from a Swiss town with a high density of anthroposophically minded people were said to have been vaccinated against coronavirus. My conversation partner found this unusual, wanted to know the “why” and asked.

“Oh, you know, the two of us had wanted to end our lives voluntarily and in a self-determined way for a long time,” they explained. “When the coronavirus vaccinations came along, we thought: This is our chance!”

Absurd times

I had to laugh. What an absurd time to live in. Actually only bearable as a meme. Last year was also a year in which things were reversed. Everything is upside down and yet should seem normal. Calling minister of economy Habeck a moron in a meme resulted in a house search and an insult lawsuit. Calling Alice Weidel, leader of opposition AFD a "Nazi bitch", on the other hand, is no problem. The new normal: reality as permanent satire.

(when you read this, you caught it already)

But this image is breaking down, it is being recognized and increasingly rejected:

• Stagings with satanic overtones at the Olympics & Co. caused a wave of outrage.
• Medium magazine named the nomenklatura journalists from Correctiv as journalist of the year, at the same time as their core thesis of a remigration conspiracy was melting away.
• The “reason of state for Israel” was a Nibelung allegiance for war criminals: a Netanyahu would have to be arrested on German soil if Germany wanted to comply with international law.
• The woke influencer and Böhmermann gag writer “El Hotzo”, one of the “self-reflective feminist men” in the outside media world (he wished Trump dead after the assassination attempt), has now had to publicly confess to having manipulated and gaslighted women for years and to having exploited his media position to do so.
• The Magdeburg attacker is being framed on the right, police laws and surveillance are to be stepped up, but the media are warning that extremists are now exploiting this event for their own ends. Very interesting: because the danger comes from the right, we protect Christmas markets instead of mosques. Nobody takes all this seriously anymore.

Many half-dead zombie topics are starting to move again. The lab leak theory has been confirmed once again. The Paul Ehrlich Institute (whose job is the oversight of vaccines, among others) virtually admitted that certain vaccine batches were more dangerous than others. Why didn't it intervene? This is what state-perpetrated killing and bodily harm by omission looks like. Has Paul Cichutek (former head of PEI) already been arrested, his house searched and documents confiscated (along with the "Federal Cross of Merit")?

Most recently, a Yale study (still unpublished) showed that spike proteins were still detectable two years after vaccination, and an effect on genetic material is not ruled out. Sounds a lot like the “conspiracy theories” of 3 years ago. Yet in this country, the state still recommends this vaccination to pregnant women. It won't be possible to put all these educational topics in a repository for toxic information, as the leaked RKI protocols have recently shown. The tide is turning, the picture is clearing. But slowly and not on page 1 of the newspapers and their editors, who are now fighting for survival because nobody wants to read their lies anymore. “Another hundred years of newspapers and all words will stink,” Nietzsche said a good 100 years ago.

("Power replaces first class talent by idiots, as lack of intelligence and creativity is always the best guarantee for loyalty", Hannah Arendt)

Do not live with lies

Fifty years ago, Alexander Solzhenitsyn published the text “Do not live with lies” (1974), in which he points out the antidote to lies:

“Our way: CONSCIOUSLY SUPPORT THE LIE IN NOTHING! Recognize where the boundary of the lie is (it looks different for everyone) - and then step back from this life-threatening boundary! Do not glue together the dead knuckles and scales of ideology, do not mend the rotten rag - and we will be amazed at how quickly and helplessly the lie falls away, and what should stand naked and bare will then stand naked and bare before the world.”

You can laboriously help build lies, submit to an ideology that nourishes you for a while. But when the edifice of lies collapses, nothing else will help. Every lie wears out and is eventually overtaken by reality. We see that the spans of lies are getting shorter and shorter, that the roller of reality is rolling over them faster and faster.

“We can't force them to tell the truth. But we can make them lie more and more brazenly.”

I've read this sentence a lot recently. Sometimes it is attributed to Ulrike Meinhof, sometimes to Bernward Vesper, Gudrun Ensslin's husband. I find the quote remarkable because it directs our attention away from what we cannot and will never change, namely the existence of the lie itself, towards what we can change: the soil on which the lie grows or does not grow. In the Luhmannian sense, we must look away from the system (the lie) and towards the environment or surroundings in which it thrives or not. The path from lies to truth is the same as the path from slavery to freedom. The revolutionary poet Georg Herwegh formulated this in his poem “A lane for freedom - der Freiheit eine Gasse” (1841):

“When all the world lost courage,\ To begin the feud,\ You, my people, stand before the nations,\ Let your heart's blood run!\ Give us the man who grasps the banner\ Of the new age,\ And through Europe we will break\ A lane for freedom!”

• Julian Assange is free! He is Herwegh's “man” for me.
• Satoshi Nakamoto, the inventor of Bitcoin, is Herwegh's “man” for me.
• Austrian singer Udo Jürgens, tenth anniversary of whose death was recently celebrated, was Herwegh's “man” for me: “I am in favor of dissent being allowed, I even consider it a duty.”, he sings. Even chansonniers from 20 years back would qualify as subversive today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McgZEA6BZiY * We are all Herwegh's “man”. There is not just one to hope and wait for, but many of our kind and more and more of them.

I was able to get to know many of them this year when I visited a good 50 places on my reading tour. Four years ago, we worked together to create an avenue for freedom when we published the “Appeal for free debate spaces”. * Today, together with a team of developers, I am building the Pareto project, another alleyway for the freedom of information.

I wish you all a happy new year and thank you very much for your loyalty and support of my work!

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This article by Milosz Matuschek first appeared in German on Freischwebende Intelligenz.

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Join the marketplace of ideas! We are building a publishing ecosystem on Nostr for citizen-journalism, starting with a client for blogging and newsletter distribution. Sound money and sound information should finally be in the hands of the people, right? Want to learn more about the Pareto Project? Zap me, if you want to contribute (all Zaps go to the project).

Update: Since my last article on the Pareto project, we have received more than 50 messages from publications, journalists, authors, testers and supporters. Thank you very much, we are happy to help everyone become censorship-resistant! May just take a little time. Are you a publication and want to be part of it, test us, migrate your content to Nostr? Write to team@pareto.space

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

@ 7ed5bd1c:4caa7587

Bitcoin เป็นเกราะป้องกันจากการควบคุมของรัฐบาล

ในโลกที่การควบคุมทางการเงินของรัฐมีผลกระทบต่อชีวิตของประชาชน การปกป้องทรัพย์สินส่วนบุคคลจึงเป็นประเด็นสำคัญที่หลายคนกังวล Bitcoin ได้เข้ามามีบทบาทสำคัญในฐานะเครื่องมือที่ช่วยป้องกันการอายัดทรัพย์สินและการแทรกแซงทางการเงินจากรัฐบาลและองค์กรต่างๆ

กรณีศึกษาที่น่าสนใจ

1. เวเนซุเอลา: เมื่อประเทศประสบภาวะเงินเฟ้อสูงและรัฐบาลมีการควบคุมการแลกเปลี่ยนเงินตราต่างประเทศ ประชาชนบางส่วนใช้ Bitcoin เพื่อรักษามูลค่าทรัพย์สินของพวกเขาและทำธุรกรรมข้ามพรมแดนโดยไม่ต้องผ่านการตรวจสอบจากรัฐบาล

2. แคนาดา: ในปี 2022 รัฐบาลแคนาดามีการอายัดบัญชีธนาคารของผู้ประท้วงในการเคลื่อนไหวทางการเมืองบางอย่าง Bitcoin กลายเป็นช่องทางในการระดมทุนและช่วยให้ประชาชนสามารถป้องกันการแทรกแซงจากรัฐบาลได้

3. ไนจีเรีย: ธนาคารกลางไนจีเรียสั่งห้ามธุรกรรมที่เกี่ยวข้องกับ Bitcoin และคริปโตเคอร์เรนซีอื่นๆ แต่ประชาชนกลับหันมาใช้ Bitcoin ในตลาดมืดเพื่อหลีกเลี่ยงข้อจำกัดและรักษาความเป็นอิสระทางการเงิน

Bitcoin ปกป้องทรัพย์สินอย่างไร?

1. ความเป็นเจ้าของแท้จริง: Bitcoin ใช้ระบบกระจายศูนย์ที่ไม่มีตัวกลาง ซึ่งหมายความว่าไม่มีองค์กรหรือรัฐใดสามารถเข้าถึงหรือยึดครอง Bitcoin ของคุณได้ หากคุณเก็บรักษาคีย์ส่วนตัวอย่างปลอดภัย

2. ไร้พรมแดน: Bitcoin สามารถโอนย้ายได้ทั่วโลกโดยไม่ต้องผ่านธนาคารหรือสถาบันการเงินที่อยู่ภายใต้การควบคุมของรัฐบาล ทำให้เป็นตัวเลือกที่น่าสนใจสำหรับผู้ที่ต้องการหลบเลี่ยงการอายัดทรัพย์สิน

3. ความโปร่งใสและความปลอดภัย: การทำธุรกรรมของ Bitcoin ถูกบันทึกในบล็อกเชนซึ่งเป็นระบบที่โปร่งใสและตรวจสอบได้ ในขณะเดียวกันข้อมูลส่วนบุคคลของผู้ใช้งานจะถูกเก็บเป็นความลับ

ข้อควรระวัง

แม้ Bitcoin จะมีข้อดีในเรื่องการปกป้องทรัพย์สินจากรัฐ แต่ผู้ใช้งานต้องมีความระมัดระวังในการจัดเก็บคีย์ส่วนตัว และหลีกเลี่ยงการพึ่งพาบริการจากบุคคลที่สามที่อาจไม่ปลอดภัย

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ในโลกที่อิสรภาพทางการเงินถูกท้าทาย Bitcoin กลายเป็นเครื่องมือสำคัญสำหรับการปกป้องทรัพย์สินและสิทธิส่วนบุคคลของประชาชน คุณคิดว่า Bitcoin สามารถเป็นคำตอบสำหรับความท้าทายนี้ได้จริงหรือไม่? ร่วมพูดคุยในความคิดเห็น!

@ 58937958:545e6994

January 3, 2024 I made a Bitcoin-inspired Osechi to celebrate Bitcoin's birthday. Everything was handmade! Osechi: A traditional Japanese New Year’s feast, typically served in stacked boxes.

First Layer (Ichino-jū)

• Tazukuri: Dried sardines, symbolizing a wish for a bountiful harvest.
• Simmered Kuai: A vegetable with large sprouts, symbolizing growth and success.
• Kombu Rolls: A play on words with the Japanese term yorokobu ("to be joyful"), making it a good luck dish.
• Matsukazeyaki: Ground meat coated with sesame or poppy seeds on one side, symbolizing honesty (no "hidden side").
• Black Beans: Represent hard work and good health.
• Datemaki: Sweet rolled omelet resembling scrolls, symbolizing knowledge and learning.
• Grilled Yellowtail: A fish whose name changes as it grows, symbolizing success. Salmon Terrine: A classic addition to Western-style Osechi. Salmon symbolizes success, avoiding misfortune (sakeru), and prosperity for future generations.
• Tataki Gobo: Burdock root with deep roots, symbolizing family stability and prosperity.

Second Layer (Nino-jū)

• Candied Kumquat: A dish symbolizing wealth and good fortune.
• Namash: Pickled daikon and carrot, resembling celebratory red and white decorations.
• Chestnut Kinton: Golden in color, symbolizing wealth and a prosperous year.

Bitcoin-themed additions:

• Pumpkin Yokan
• Chicken and Spinach Terrine
• Kinako Sticks

Third Layer (Sanno-jū)

Nishime: A simmered dish with various ingredients, symbolizing family harmony and long-lasting prosperity. I used snow peas to represent Bitcoin, and I couldn’t help but laugh at myself.

Dishes Inspired by Bitcoin

Pumpkin Yokan

I made firm milk jelly, cut it into a "B" shape with a knife, and filled it with pumpkin yokan.

Chicken and Spinach Terrine

It was my first attempt, and I think with more care, the shape could be even better.

Kinako Sticks

A simple snack made with honey and roasted soybean flour (kinako). Roll it out, cut it into sticks, and coat with more kinako.

Candied Kumquat

Candied Kumquat: A dish symbolizing wealth and good fortune. In Japan, 金柑 (kumquat) includes the kanji 金, which represents "gold."

nostr:nevent1qqspu8gegzdamtx2rsm4995t3sg8qssw3vn3yn25ru8plghsqyrwtkcn0u7vy

I wonder what Satoshi might have eaten on the day Bitcoin was born. Wouldn't it be amusing to imagine him snacking on Osechi while working on his computer? (Satoshi chose a Japanese name, so perhaps he might have an interest in Japanese culture.) Maybe, right now, Satoshi is relaxing and enjoying some Osechi... though probably not! In any case, I hope Satoshi is living peacefully somewhere.

@ 58937958:545e6994

2024年1月3日 ビットコインのお誕生日に合わせて ビットコインっぽい具材を入れたおせちを作りました 全部手作りです

1の重

（左上から）

• 田作り…田んぼに田作り（カタクチイワシ）を肥料として撒いたことから、豊作祈願の意味合いがある。
• くわいの煮物…大きく芽が出る野菜で、出世や成功を祈る。
• 昆布巻き…「喜ぶ（よろこぶ）」の語呂合わせで縁起物。
• 松風焼き…表面だけケシの実やゴマをまぶす＝裏がない→隠し事のない正直な生き方ができるように、という意味が込められている
• 黒豆…「まめに働く」ことや健康を祈る。
• 伊達巻き…巻物に似ていることから、知識が豊富になるようにと願いが込められている。
• ぶりの幽庵焼き…ぶりは成長とともに名前が変わる出世魚で、将来の出世を願う。
• 鮭のテリーヌ…洋風おせちの定番。鮭には「出世」「災いを避け（サケ）る」「子孫繁栄」などの意味がある
• たたきごぼう…根が深く張るごぼうは家族や子孫繁栄の象徴。

2の重

• 金柑の甘露煮…金柑の「金」の文字から、金運や財運を祈る。
• なます…紅白の水引のような形状で祝いの意味がある
• 栗きんとん…黄金色が金運を表し、豊かな1年を願う。

以下はビットコイン具材として入れました

• カボチャようかん
• 鶏とほうれん草のテリーヌ
• きな粉棒

3の重

煮しめ…様々な具材を一緒に煮ることから、「皆で仲良く、末永く繁栄するように」という願いが込められている きぬさやのBは我ながらちょっと笑ってしまった

ビットコインを意識して作った具材

カボチャようかん

固めの牛乳かんを作り、包丁でBの形に切り抜いて、カボチャのようかんを流す感じです

鶏とほうれん草のテリーヌ

鶏むね肉とはんぺんをミンチにして、半分にほうれん草を入れて形作りました 初めて作ったので不安でしたが丁寧に作ればもっと良い形になると思いました

きな粉棒

はちみつときな粉だけで作る駄菓子的なおやつです のばして包丁で切り抜いてきな粉をまぶします

金柑の甘露煮

丸くてオレンジ色なので作ってみました しかも名前に「金（ゴールド）」が入っているのでビットコイン食材のポテンシャルがあると思います とろける感じでめっちゃおいしかったです

nostr:nevent1qqspu8gegzdamtx2rsm4995t3sg8qssw3vn3yn25ru8plghsqyrwtkcn0u7vy

サトシはビットコインが生まれたその日に何を食べていたのかなぁと おせちをつまみながらパソコンに向かっていたりしたら面白いなぁと思いながら作りました （日本文化が好きだから日本名にした可能性はあるかな～とか）

今頃のんびりおせちを食べてくつろいでいる・・・なんてことはないですかね 何にせよサトシが平和に暮らしていればいいなぁと思います

@ 1a5cff51:01c75f78

For the longest time I was a strict and rather arrogant atheist and often went so far as too consider myself more an anti-theist. I grew up in a highly catholic environment and since I tend to do the opposite of what people expect of me, I went the exact opposite direction, discovered Metal which lead straight to Black Metal and I became totally anti-christian. Though most of the Christians I encountered where either my age or had such a shallow understanding of their scripture, that even I knew perfectly well that they had no idea what they were saying most of the time.

I’ve since done away with all of that childish nonsense (except the music, of course), after a trip on shrooms led me down more rabbit holes then I could imagine. Throughout my research I discovered Jung and it dawned on me, how much of my life was steered by synchronicities without even knowing what that was. Coming to terms with having been his ignorant when it comes to spirituality has been a humbling experience and my shadow work is far from complete.

I just find it kinda ironic how it's now mostly Christians that seem sane and consistent in their behaviour in these bizarre times and I notice that I feel comfortable being surrounded by them, especially here on Nostr.

@ 714f9dc3:76659adb

Last week, I was reading “The Air We Breathe”, by Glen Scrivener. It’s about “How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality”, and it explores the Christian roots of the values we prize in today's western society. It’s all around us, but we don’t really know where it came from: It’s the air we’re breathing. The ideas and ethics behind Christianity, whether you believe in them or not, are embedded in our culture.

As I was reading this, I saw so many parallels with Bitcoin, so wanted to list them below and share some of my thoughts. Can Bitcoin also become “The Air We Breathe”? Or in plebs words: hyperbitcoinization? Can Bitcoin become so ubiquitous that it becomes normal? Can there be a world in which we don’t even know where Bitcoin came from? It would be a world with many similar views as with today's view on Christianity. It becomes the air we breathe, something that used to be a counterculture that over time became ubiquitous. What can we learn from it?

These are my ten parallels of Bitcoin with the early days of Christianity. 1. Separation from state 2. From obscure counterculture to dominant force 3. Exponential grassroots growth 4. Conversion of emperors/politicians 5. Sudden tolerance and protection for ideology 6. Fall of the empire, end of the status quo 7. Missionaries spreading the word 8. Persuasion and education are key 9. Age of Enlightenment

Note: I’m no expert on Christianity, nor a historian of the Roman Empire, and I know just a bit about Bitcoin. See this as a thought experiment.

1. Separation from state In all fairness, I’m not the first to draw this first parallel. It was Satoshi Nakamoto themself who made the connection even before Bitcoin was available to the public, with several hints pointing back to important dates and moments in Christian history. The big parallel here is the “separation of money and state” and “separation of church and state”.

Before going back to the early days of Christianity in the first centuries AD, I first want to draw this parallel with Satoshi.

It’s 1517. The German Priest Maarten Luther writes his Ninety-five Theses, and nails this on the church doors in Wittenberg. The theses are also known as the “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences”. He kickstarted a movement with a radical new idea for that time: The separation of the church from the state.

The Catholic Church had become one with the state. Via the means of indulgences, there was an ability to pay for your redemption. The church was corrupted by money, power and politics. The church and indulgences replaced the need for personal responsibility and an individual faith with money and perverse structures.

Reformation Day is a Protestant Christian religious holiday celebrated on 31 October in remembrance of the onset of the Reformation. But the 31st of October is also the day in which Satoshi shared his pamphlet with the world: in 2008 they published the Bitcoin Whitepaper. It kickstarted a movement with a radical new idea for that time: The separation of the money from the state.

But this was not Satoshi’s only hint. Another one is the date of Bitcoin’s Genesis Block: January 3, 2009. It was the day that the idea of the separation of money and the state became reality, more than just an idea in an individual's mind.

Did you know that Maarten Luther was excommunicated from the Catholic Church in 1521 by Pope Leo X for sparking this revolutionary new way of thinking (and being). It happened on January 3 as well. I bet Satoshi Nakamoto knew.

To be fair, this parallel is not new and known by many bitcoiners. But it’s a good introduction to the topic, and after reading “The Air We Breathe: How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality”, I automatically started to see more parallels between (the early days of) Christianity and todays adoption of Bitcoin. Because it was of course not Maarten Luther who sparked these rebellious thoughts in 1500, but it was Jesus himself approx. 2000 years ago.

Let’s go back from the 1500s to the first decades AD to the beginning of this radical new belief system. During the dominance of the Roman empire in the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa, someone told a story that opposed every mainstream paradigm.

Jesus’ idea was radically different from the belief systems of that day. He preached Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality in a world that was full of Debauchery and Violence, with Gladiator Games, Slavery, Public Crucifixion, and Brutalities. The belief system of that time was not like todays. There were superior races (Greek/Romans over barbarians), superior sexes (man over women), superior classes (free man over slaves) and the concept of justice was more something in the realm of “restoring rights of those that were superior”, than “equality for all, men and women, Greek and barbarian, free and slave”.

Jesus opposed the status quo. It started small and irrelevant; as a counterculture. But it didn’t stay that way.

2. From obscure counterculture to dominant force In “The Air We Breathe”, Scrivener asks the question: “How did the obscure, marginal Jesus movement of the 1st century become the dominant religious force in the Western world in a few centuries?”

Important to know, is that the Christian faith was the opposite of the narrative. Concepts like Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality didn’t exist in the Roman Empire. Human rights neither. Individual rights neither. The emperor was almost de facto God himself.

Early Christians were persecuted for preaching a different story: that God is NOT the ruler of the empire. Jesus preached the separation of politics from God; separating faith from the state. As a result, he was crucified, and many of his followers were killed by Nero (between 54 and 68 AD), Domitian (81–96 AD), Trajan (98–117 AD) and Decius (249–251 AD). This new narrative was a thread for the Roman rulers.

Draw the parallels of how there have been many attempts to “kill” bitcoin, not with physical persecution but with an information war. Not by physical violence, but by misinformation. Bitcoin threatens the status quo, just like Christianity threatened the Roman Empire.

You see?

But how is the obscure movement of Bitcoin in the 20th century becoming the dominant force, similar to the question that Scrivener asked about Christianity? Perhaps the answer lies in the following parallel.

3. Exponential grassroots growth Sociologist Rodney Stark estimates in “The Rise of Christianity” that from the time of the first Easter, the church began growing at a rate of 40% per decade, a modest but relentless 3.4% per year. By the year 300, Christians numbered perhaps 6 million: about a tenth of the empire.

Despite pushbacks, the army of believers continued to grow. Grassroots, peer-to-peer. It was not the state-religion, it was a peaceful army of believers that spread the word, resulting in an exponential growth of its followers. The counterculture became more and more dominant.

You may see what I’m doing here. It was basically the meme that all Bitcoiners know: Gradually, then suddenly. Against the current.

4. Conversion of emperors/politicians In 312 a big change happened: Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. As Stark writes, "Constantine's conversion would better be seen as a response to the massive exponential wave in progress, not as its cause".

Are we living in that same era, where nation states start to embrace Bitcoin? Where politicians don’t oppose as strongly anymore, but are flirting with the idea of embracing it? And again the parallel: it’s responsive to the exponential wave of progress, not as its cause.

Whether Constantine is Nayib Bukele, Donald Trump, or Milei: it doesn’t matter. It’s the dynamic that matters. The counterculture becomes so dominant, that the “rulers” of the world are wanting to be part of it. Which will be followed by “rules” that favour the ideology, movement, and beliefs.

5. Tolerance and protection for ideology In 313 Constatines Edict of Milan granted freedom to Christians that were remarkable for that time and a model for religious toleration for the coming centuries.

The tide was turning, and by 380 Emperor Theodosius made Christianity Rome's official religion, more than half the population had already converted. In a few short centuries Christianity had gone from radical counterculture to dominant cultural power. This was an extraordinary shift in the church's relationship with the world. The edict expressly grants religious liberty to Christians, who had been the object of special persecution, but also goes even further and grants liberty to all other religions. And then, in 410, the world itself changed.

It changed from grassroots, bottom-up adoption to some kind of nation state adoption. One that was driven by decrees and edicts, instead of the analog cyberhornets of that day. Actually, the ideas of Indulgences were introduced via these Edicts, something that Maarten Luther actually was fighting against in the 1500s.

The world changed from the state-less Christian belief and moved (back) towards a system in which the state and church were connected again. Yes — the Roman Catholic Church. Until the previously mentioned critics during the Reformation.

6. Fall of the empire, end of the status quo When people speak of the fall of the Roman Empire, they usually mean in the 5th century when the western half fell. But there was also an eastern half, known as the Byzantine Empire (with its capital in what is modern-day Istanbul).

How did this relate to the movement that once was Cult, and now suddenly had become Culture?

It was Augustine, the north African bishop (354-430), who laid the foundation for a new philosophical, theological, and legal system. He distinguished between the fragile earthly realm and the eternal heavenly kingdom. Rome was “a city of man”, which fell. But the “city of God” was forever. He continued to separate the Roman Catholic Church from the faith that it once was. This distinction was vital, and it gave rise to the concept of "the secular realm". He planted the first ideas of "the separation of church and state" again, which started to spread throughout Europe during the supposedly "sandy desert" of the Middle Ages.

The parallel and lesson here might be that narratives can be taken over, for the worse. And that it takes centuries to take back the narrative, but/and only after an empire has fallen. Whether we refer to “The Fourth Turning” by William Strauss and Neil Howe or “Changing World Orders” by Ray Dalio. There is something to preserve, and it needs active monitoring and pushbacks!

7. Missionary, spreading the word The way the church sought to spread its influence would become a question that would take many centuries (and many failures) to settle. In the past, empires sought to spread their influence almost always by force. Christianity has been a missionary faith from the beginning. It was for this reason that Pope Gregory the Great sent Augustine to Britain to convert the Anglo-Saxons.

Augustine was commanded by Gregory to use only "gentle means". His goal was persuasion. His method was teaching and preaching. And he was successful, converting King Aethelbert of Kent and becoming the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

You see what I’m talking about again: the parallel is simple. Bitcoin is a similar peaceful revolution, a missionary movement, of those that wish to see their Cult turn into a Culture. “Genle means”, teachings, persuasions. Or in pleb terminology: Orangepilling.

8. Persuasion and education are key Over the next decades and centuries, this movement continued. English Benedictine monk (675-754) Boniface was sent from the previously “barbarian” Britain to “orangepill the East” – in this case the Saxons in the Germanic lands. In the words of his advisor, the Bishop of Winchester, his goal was "to convince them by many documents and arguments". This mission of persuasion and education was largely successful. Today he’s better known as “the Apostle to the Germans". He was killed in The Netherlands (Dokkum).

Boniface kept to a policy of non-violence and non-retaliation, even to the point of death. Another famous writer about this topic, Tom Holland, summarises the lesson we learn from Boniface: "to convert was to educate".

In the following century this lesson was sorely needed by the Frankish king Charles the Great, aka Charlemagne (742-814). Charlemagne's path to power was a brutal one. When the Saxons stood in his way, Charlemagne beheaded 4,500 of them in a single day. There are concrete reasons why "getting medieval" might be associated today with brutality.

Is “Bitcoin as Legal Tender”, whether this is peaceful or violently, the way to go? Are we “getting medieval” with these kind of measures, in order to go from Cult to Culture, from counterculture to dominant culture, in which we lose the true essence of our revolution of separation of the state from the matter?

9. Age of Enlightenment Alcuin of York (735-804), was bold enough to write to Charlemagne directly with his criticism. "A person can be drawn into the faith, not forced into it". Be a lighthouse, not a tugboat!

The church's official teaching would later agree with Alcuin's position. In the 12th century all "harsh means" were forbidden since faith arises from the will, not compulsion. Enlightenment comes through education and persuasion.

There’s work to do. Grassroots. Education. Peer-to-peer. Not directed by politicians, nor opposed by those in power. Through education and persuasion. Rules without rulers. Because eventually, with the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition, there are stark examples of the church using “harsh means" again. Forcing Bitcoin on people will never be the way: it’s a cheat code to the end goal. In order to succeed, we’ll need to be a missionary.

Final words I don’t want in any way to compare Christianity in itself as a faith, and Bitcoin as a technology, with each other. I enjoyed exploring the sociological phenomena between two countercultures, the grassroots movement and missionary parallels between both of them. Satoshi gave the first assist, with the 31st of October (Whitepaper Day) and the Genesis Block on January 3rd.

Let’s not mix religion with monetary systems, even though there are many similarities between certain movements. That’s not my goal for sharing this brain dump. But let’s learn from the past, from Constatine’s Edict and from Augustine, from Charlemagne (and especially Alcuin of York), from Boniface and from Maarten Luther. And from Satoshi Nakamoto.

@ bd32f268:22b33966

Texto publicado por Foundation Father @FoundationDads e traduzido para português.

Assumir responsabilidades numa época efeminada como a nossa é um superpoder.

Algumas pessoas não sabem o que significa "assumir responsabilidades", no entanto, porque nunca tiveram um pai ou outra pessoa que as ama-se o suficiente para lhes ensinar.

Então, aqui está como assumir responsabilidades.

Lembra-te que não és uma pessoa desamparada e incompetente.

As coisas não te acontecem simplesmente enquanto olhas fixamente com a boca aberta, usando todo o teu poder cerebral para te lembrares de como respirar.

Tu tens poder de ação.

Mantém estas perguntas em mente:

"Que papel desempenhei eu nesta situação ou como ajudei a formar o sistema em que estou inserido?"

"O que posso fazer agora mesmo para começar a corrigi-lo, por mais pequeno que seja?"

Aqui estão alguns exemplos de como aplicar estas perguntas.

José Malhoa - Remédio

Saúde

Estás com excesso de peso e cansado o tempo todo? Deprimido?

Começa a caminhar 30 minutos por dia. De preferência ao ar livre.

Pára de comer snacks.

Marca uma consulta com um médico para fazer análises ao sangue.

Todas estas coisas estão ao teu alcance.

Finanças

Estás a afogar-te em dívidas de cartão de crédito? Assumir responsabilidades significa reduzir drasticamente o teu consumo e iniciar um programa radical de pagamento do máximo de dívida que conseguires.

Obtém uma aplicação de orçamento e começa a planear.

Sentes-te preso no teu emprego sem futuro? Sentes que não ganhas o suficiente? Vai a entrevistas para vagas de emprego e descobre o teu verdadeiro valor no mercado.

Reserva 1 hora todas as noites para melhorares. A menos que já estejas a trabalhar em dois empregos, toda a gente tem pelo menos 1 hora todas as noites.

Arredores imediatos

Se vês algo que precisa de ser feito, simplesmente faz. Não te queixes disso. Não resmungues baixinho. Não desejes que alguém tratasse disso. Simplesmente faz e não peças permissão.

Guarda o carrinho de compras. Lava a caneca de café no lava-loiça. Arranca as ervas daninhas. Repara a parede. Se o quintal do teu vizinho estiver cheio de ervas, vai lá e corta a relva tu mesmo. Limpa a água do lava-loiça. Arruma a bancada. Leva o lixo para fora. Leva bom café para o escritório.

Os teus filhos

Muitos pais queixam-se do comportamento dos seus filhos como se não tivessem qualquer influência sobre o assunto. Mas os teus filhos farão o que tu os ensinaste a fazer.

"Fizemos o melhor que pudemos."

Não, não fizeram, e assumir responsabilidades significa admitir que foste permissivo e preguiçoso ou que querias sentir-te justo por não bater.

Que pequena coisa podes fazer agora mesmo para começar? Escolhe um único comportamento que queres que eles parem, senta-os e explica as consequências do comportamento. Pede desculpa por teres deixado andar durante tanto tempo.

Quando eles apresentarem o comportamento, aplica as consequências. Aconteça o que acontecer.

Os teus relacionamentos

Não tens amigos ou o teu grupo de amigos atual é uma má influência? Podes fazer novos amigos. Assumir responsabilidades significa admitir que a tua solidão é em grande parte auto-infligida.

O que podes fazer?

Começa a jogar ténis ou futebol. Existem ligas em todo o lado. Encontra uma boa igreja local e encontra maneiras de te envolver. Existem encontros para todo o tipo de atividade. Participa num que se alinhe com as tuas preferências. Quando estiveres em público, sorri mais e puxa conversa.

Depois de conheceres algumas pessoas, estabelece uma cadência regular. Agenda almoços semanais ou mensais e alterna entre algumas pessoas. Ou talvez café de manhã.

Não acontecerá da noite para o dia, mas dando pequenos passos consistentemente durante alguns meses e vais perceber que tens uma vida social.

Os teus erros

Se erraste, não te retires e escondas nem arranjes desculpas. Pede desculpa à pessoa que prejudicaste, diz-lhe porquê e oferece-te para compensar. Aceita as consequências com humildade.

Vais descobrir que nada te conquista mais respeito do que assumir os teus erros. Esta é a principal. Se aprenderes a fazer isto bem, cobrirá uma infinidade de pecados porque cria hábito. Mesmo que tenhas apenas 1% de culpa na situação, assumir a responsabilidade e pedir desculpa pelo teu 1% está a construir um certo grupo de músculos.

"Mas ele devia ter..." Pára com isso. Confiaste demasiado? Presumiste demasiado sem comunicar? Assume a responsabilidade por isso.

Estes exemplos podiam continuar para sempre, então vou parar e terminar com este princípio:

A tua resposta importa mais do que as tuas circunstâncias.

Existem vítimas reais, algumas de tragédias horríveis. Mas mesmo que não te tenhas atirado para areias movediças, ainda podes assumir a responsabilidade por como reages e pelo que escolhes fazer a seguir.

Às vezes, é agarrar numa corda de um transeunte e dizer: "Obrigado."

Não te afogues nas areias movediças até que alguém te dê uma palmadinha nas costas por quão difícil é para ti, e não continues a apontar para o teu tempo nas areias movediças para desculpares os teus fracassos.

Podes não ter escolhido uma batalha específica. Ainda podes assumir a responsabilidade por quão bem lutas a batalha. Num certo sentido, ninguém escolhe a principal batalha que enfrenta. Ninguém escolheu nascer. Ninguém escolheu a sua família. Ninguém escolheu as suas circunstâncias.

O mundo nunca será perfeito. Tens de assumir a responsabilidade pela tua parte dele de qualquer maneira. Pode ser difícil. Pode ser doloroso. Não te foi prometida uma vida fácil e sem dor.

Depois de começares a assumir responsabilidades, qual é o próximo passo?

Altura de assumir mais responsabilidades.

Por exemplo, se não tens problemas em fazer amigos e tens essa parte da tua vida resolvida, assume a responsabilidade por outra pessoa. Encontra um dos rapazes solitários na tua igreja que precisa de um amigo e adiciona-o à tua rotação de almoços.

A recompensa por assumir responsabilidades é subir de nível e, como consequência, as coisas devem tornar-se mais desafiantes.

Mas agora estás mais bem preparado para isso. Repete até morrer e, esperançosamente, a tua causa de morte será por viver e não por te queixares de não viver.

@ 490b551d:e17f0103

I decided to do a bible study on Romans to get myself back into the Word. Shew. That's a tough place to start for someone who is still working on letting God back in. Right out the gate in Chapter One, there’s a part of it that just doesn’t sit well with me. The more I read, the more I feel like I’m trying to catch my breath, trying to wrap my head around the words Paul wrote. I can't shake the discomfort. I was transported right back into my denial, because I REALLY struggle with the idea of a judgemental God who is supposed to be all-loving.

My Struggle with God's Wrath

Paul writes in Romans 1:18-23 (NLT):

"But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles."

The idea that we should just know that God exists stopped me in my tracks. Paul essentially says that all the beauty around us - nature, the stars, the intricacy of life - should be enough to prove God’s existence to us. That’s heavy. It feels like it puts a burden on our hearts, like we should automatically see all this beauty and immediately recognize God behind it. Even the people who have never been exposed to God, heard of him, have any idea of the Christian version of deity. So what about those people who don’t? What about the times when we miss the beauty or don’t see it the way others do?

And the part I struggle with the most: when people don’t “get it” and worship something other than God, whether that’s idols or nature itself, God is angry. Angry that they looked at creation and created something to worship, but it wasn’t Him. And for the longest time, I couldn’t understand why that was such a big deal. Isn’t it understandable? If you see something beautiful, something life-giving, it’s almost instinctual to try to honor it, right? How could God be mad at people for trying to connect to something bigger than themselves, something so beautiful as nature, especially when they didn’t even have all the information?They're doing the best they can with what they know.

Reading the passage really set me back, because, on the surface, it feels so harsh. So unloving. It feels judgmental. It feels like everything I ran away from ten years ago. And it makes me angry. Angry because it feels unfair that God would be upset at people for trying to reach out with the only tools they had, which were their limited human understanding and the beauty they saw in the world.

The “Invisible God” and the Trap of Human Effort

What really gets me is that the text says God is “invisible." That He can’t be seen or fully known through creation alone. And then, instead of understanding people trying to make sense of that mystery, God gets mad. They looked at the trees, the sky, the mountains, and the oceans, and they gave them credit. They worshiped them, as if nature itself was a god. And, yes, we all know it’s not the right thing to do. But how is that any different than what I’ve seen in my own life where I make mistakes out of ignorance? Does that mean I'm unforgivable?

I think about all the times I’ve felt so lost, searching for meaning, searching for God, trying to figure out what all this beauty around me means. I know deep down that I want to connect with something bigger than me. I want to know unconditional love. If I’m being honest, the natural world has often been the closest I’ve come to feeling connected to God. The mountains, the ocean, a sunset: they all make me feel something deeper, like I’m part of something huge. Something sacred.

But then that verse feels like it’s saying that, instead of leading us to God, the beauty of creation is like a trap. We look at it, we marvel at it, but we miss the point if we don’t see God directly in it. And that confuses me. How can I see beauty and not want to give it honor? How can I feel something so deeply connected to the world around me and still not know God in that moment?

Why Does God Seem So Mad?

This is where the struggle really hits for me. When I read about God’s anger, I feel like it’s more than just disappointment. It's like He’s frustrated that we can’t see through creation and understand Him clearly. And honestly, it feels like I’m being blamed for something I didn’t even know was wrong.

It’s like trying to paint a picture without all the right colors and being told it’s wrong, but never having been given the full palette in the first place. I see people looking at the world, trying to make sense of it, and I can’t help but feel for them. I think, I would’ve done the same thing. If I were in their shoes, how could I have known any better?

After wrestling around this (and an SOS call to my mentor), I came to this conclusion: maybe this is why Jesus had to come. Because we couldn’t see God clearly through the world around us. We couldn’t figure it out on our own. So, God sent Himself, in the form of Jesus, to make it clear. Maybe it’s not that God is mad at us for trying to worship creation. Maybe it’s that we’re worshiping the wrong thing because we don’t fully understand that He’s been there all along, wanting to reveal Himself.

Is God’s Wrath Really About Justice or Separation?

When I sit with this discomfort, I have to remember that God’s wrath in the Bible isn’t about vindictiveness or punishment in the way we often think about it. I’ve come to realize that it’s more about separation. A separation from Him, the source of life, when we choose to worship anything else. It’s not about anger in the way temper-tantrum way I'm picturing, but more about a painful reality of what happens when we go down the wrong path.

We’re choosing to look for answers everywhere except for where they really are. God’s heart is breaking because He knows the only way to true peace and understanding is through Him, but we keep missing it. We’re trying to get back to Him in the best way we know how, but we’re stumbling along the wrong path.

Maybe that’s why that passage feels so heavy. It’s not because God wants to shut us out. It’s because He loves us too much to let us stay lost in our search for meaning. Maybe His anger is a form of sorrow, a sorrow over our inability to see the full picture.

Reaching for God, Even When We Can’t See Him

I think the struggle I feel with this passage is a struggle a lot of people face: how to reconcile that spiritual feeling we get buy maybe don't attribute it to God with the judgment of God, and how to believe that God really loves us when we don’t always know how to connect with Him.

But I’m beginning to see that the beauty of creation is a way that God calls us to Himself, even if it doesn’t feel that way at first. When we worship the world, it’s not that we’re doing something inherently wrong. It’s that we’re just missing the point. God’s anger isn’t His rejection of us. It’s an invitation to look deeper, to see beyond the surface and find the love and the truth that’s been there all along.

I don’t have it all figured out. I still wrestle with passages like these, and I doubt I’ll ever truly “get” God. But I’m learning that God’s love isn’t about always understanding everything perfectly. It’s about trusting that He’s bigger than our confusion, bigger than our doubts, and bigger than our struggle to connect.

Maybe the key isn’t to have all the answers. Maybe it’s to keep seeking, even when we feel like we’re in the dark.

@ be7bf5de:09420d0a

The SALUD Decentralized Health App Development Challenge is an exciting initiative aimed at revolutionizing healthcare through the use of decentralized technologies. Running from January to May, this challenge will bring together developers, designers, healthcare providers, and health conscious individuals interested in decentralizing healthcare. Participants will create open-source tools leveraging Nostr, Bitcoin, and the SALUD protocol aiming to improve healthcare access, enhance data portability, and ultimately improve health outcomes for individuals worldwide.

Challenge Mission

At its core, the mission of this challenge is to bootstrap an ecosystem of interoperable tools that allow individuals to take full control of their health data. By building apps on the Nostr protocol and integrating bitcoin, the challenge hopes to address key issues in traditional healthcare, including access to services, privacy, and fragmented health data systems. All participating apps will be required to be compatible with the SALUD protocol, or Sistema de Administración de Libertad Único y Decentralizado, which is an open-source framework for utilizing health data over Nostr.

Challenge Structure

The challenge is structured to span five months, from January through May. Throughout this period, participants will meet weekly to discuss their progress, share insights, and collaborate with others. These sessions will be instrumental in connecting developers, designers, and healthcare professionals, fostering a community focused on building the future of decentralized healthcare.

The challenge will include weekly office hours for participants, held every Thursday at 11 AM Eastern Time (4 PM UTC), starting on January 16th. These open office hours will provide opportunities to connect with doctors, developers, entrepreneurs, and health-minded bitcoiners to ensure that the apps being developed address real-world healthcare needs.

Evaluation Criteria

All submissions to the challenge will be evaluated based on four key metrics:

1. App Production Readiness: Is the app functional and polished enough for real-world use?
2. Solution Depth and Creativity: How innovative and impactful is the solution in addressing healthcare challenges?
3. Interoperability: How well does the app integrate with the SALUD protocol and other healthcare tools, ensuring it can work seamlessly within the decentralized ecosystem?
4. Overall Contribution to the Ecosystem: Does the app contribute to the broader vision of decentralized healthcare and enhance individual control over health data?

Prize Pool

The challenge features a prize pool starting at 10 million satoshis (0.1 BTC). Winning participants will not only receive financial rewards but also have the opportunity to collaborate with NosFabrica, a leading force in decentralized technology development, and Illuminodes, piloting the SALUD protocol in El Salvador. This container provides an exciting pathway for long-term collaboration and innovation in the global and decentralized health space.

Who Should Participate?

This challenge is open to a wide range of participants, each contributing unique expertise and perspectives:

• Developers and Designers: Those skilled in app development, UX/UI design, bitcoin and the Lightning Network.
• Healthcare Providers (Doctors/Nurses/Alternative Health): Professionals who can offer insights into real-world healthcare needs and help design solutions that truly benefit patients.
• Health-Conscious Individuals: People passionate about taking control of their own health data and empowering others to do the same.
• Bitcoiners and Nostriches: Enthusiasts of Bitcoin and Nostr who are excited to apply these censorship resistant technologies to solve pressing issues in healthcare.
• Investors: Individuals or firms interested in supporting innovative projects and startups that have the potential to shape future of healthcare.

How to Participate

To get involved in the challenge and receive important updates and event invitations, participants can sign up through either of the provided forms:

• Formstr
• Google Form

The main categories we'll encourage individuals to develop solutions for are personal health apps, healthcare provider tooling, and SALUD protocol infrastructure. So far, the SALUD protocol includes NIP-82, a way to store FHIR healthcare records on Nostr, developed by NosFabrica co-founder, Vitor Pamplona. We see more Nostr improvement proposals being made as healthcare data use cases develop.

Conclusion

The SALUD Decentralized Health App Development Challenge is a groundbreaking opportunity for anyone passionate about using Nostr and Bitcoin to reshape the healthcare landscape. By building apps that empower individuals to control their own health data, participants will play a pivotal role in addressing some of the most pressing challenges in modern healthcare, from data privacy to accessibility and portability. We're xcited about this challenge and to continue building the future of decentralized healthcare!

Happy new year!

PS. Feel free to reach out with any questions to jon@nosfabrica.com or go to https://nosfabrica.com/challenge/ to learn more.

@ d9e9fb27:d5fe5e1a

Colmar is a well known city in the region of Alsace, France. Its characteristic buildings, the narrow streets and the small river flowing through are worldwide famous.

---

However, it is during Christmas that the city gets the most attention. Thousands of people from all over Europe decide to spend one of the Advent weekends to wander around this beautiful city and hundreds of little wooden huts.

In fact, this town becomes a small Christmas village, with decorations and lights on every building and the famous Christmas market covering every possible inch of it.

Walking around this city really makes you feel the Christmas Spirit!

---

Of course, it can get really cold during this time of the year. That is why Alsatians wander around drinking the Vin Chaud (literally "Hot Wine"). This beverage is prepared by mixing sugar, various spices, such as cinnamon and cloves, and red wine. They are served in a plastic glass, which can be reused multpiple time or returned for a couple of Euros. However, every year the glass is designed differently, so many people keep it with them as a collectible!

Here is 2024 version:

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This is the first time I try to do a photography reportage of the places I visit. I really hope you enjoyed it!Let me know what you think, every feedback is appreciated.

I will try to create more of them during my trips, so stay tuned!

Tuma

@ 24862769:20eb96a7

Over the years, the internet has become worse and worse, more and more portals are being destroyed. Everything was working fine around 2008-2010. Then it started to change for the worse... What am I talking about? Everything that was good for the internet. IRC, various chats on websites, ICQ, internet forums, or home pages, comments under articles which are now increasingly being forgotten in favor of centralized services, like Facebook or Discord.

People, instead of creating home pages, buying hosting, prefer to create fan pages on Facebook, and then they cry that Facebook blocked them for no reason. Bans for no reason on such portals are quite common. The same is with Discord, which is closed from the outside, and you can't find any posts that interest you without registering and entering a given server. In addition, there is the fact that for years you gather friends, you get close to them you talk about something every day, until you get banned for no reason. All friendships are lost, everything you wrote, everything you worked hard for - is lost, just because, no one cares...

Additionally, there are regulations and laws. In more and more countries, the age-verification law is starting to become fashionable - to be able to use a given portal, you have to be over 18 years old. Some people are happy about this, because children will not have access to some things, which I agree with. But unfortunately, this step will also affect adults, it will probably end with everyone having to show their ID card when registering for some services, and in the future, a digital ID. An additional step that will require additional effort from you. Anonymity will end, admins will know who you are and what your name is.

I think that one of the solutions is to decentralize everything. People should stop using Facebook or Discord in favor of more open solutions such as matrix.org or nostr. Thanks to many servers from different countries from different people, it will be difficult to have political censorship. Because a server from Russia will not obey the law from the USA, and vice versa. If you write something about Taiwan on a Chinese server, the post may be deleted, but in the USA it will be allowed. In addition, there are groundless bans, in such a "nostr", even if one server bans you, you have hundreds of others to choose from. But as you can see, most people do not think this way and continue to sit on these closed solutions like Facebook. Because of this, there are few interesting channels or people on matrix.org, and more bots that simply litter the channel. That is why I think that a grassroots initiative is needed to promote such solutions, some rich companies should look into this and start investing in open solutions.

Unfortunately, this is not the case, sites like Facebook are increasingly closed, they have increasingly strict user rights, you have to show them even a video of your face so that they can register you on it. And the average person does not see anything, they do not see that the Internet is going in a very bad direction through corporations like Facebook, Google. Oh well, let's hope that this will change someday, because if it continues like this the internet will become unusable...

@ bd50a856:038f487c

I'M NOT IN SCHOOL WHY AM I DOING THIS?

https://image.nostr.build/9df38856e4493466585f451771a013959ac7e29135289b4922a810623577dbef.jpg

Isms in my opinion are not good. - Ferris Bueler

OK so like many a disillusioned youth I was a pretty hardcore Marxist back in college. There's a common pipeline that starts as a 13 year old who wished they could vote for Ron Paul in 2008, takes a hard left turn at the first sign of bigotry, and winds up with a pretty badass juche tattoo. The Enlightenment era ideas of an ascertainable objective truth and mankind's control over their own destiny, combined with the complete subversion of the political history I was brought up with felt very empowering. But nowadays I'm not so sure I want to lay claim to any specific point or vector on the political spectrum. 2024 was in many ways a year of reflection for me. I've managed to reconnect with my sense of spirituality after years of bitterness towards the concept brought on by a life of run-ins with religious fundemantalism, and I had to challenge alot of things that for years I've taken for granted both about myself and the world at large. This ideological audit was in no small way catalyzed by my adoption of NOSTR, which with its endless potential enticed me out of the progressive echo chamber I made my digital home on the fediverse and into a new echo chamber: one full of Bitcoiners.

I had bought Bitcoin before, as a way to short the dollar, but I never encountered its ideologues in the wild. At first gradually then suddenly I was making the types of arguments in my head that former me would have decried as pedantic to the point of being apologetic towards the ruling class. And just like that the 19th and 20th century political and philosophical works which I zaelously held as trail blazes on the long and labyrinthine path towards realizing Absolute Truth were cast forcefully into their murky historical context by the staggering success of the first truly decentralized monetary system. In my college days, I saw Lenin's model of revoutionary politics and the Vanguard Party as the only way for a people's movement to legitimately threaten the hegemony of the global oligarchs who caused so much unnecessary suffering. Now I can see how whether or not that type of centralization was a necessary concession then, one cannot in good faith believe it to be so in the age of Bitcoin.

Yet you'll have to forgive me because still I'm sympathetic to much of the broader movement of Marxism. I detest how Great Man Theory suboordinates the totality of the evolution of society to the wills of a few individuals, and prefer to see socialism in a different light. Rather than viewing the movement as a clever trick some cartoonishly evil mustaches and haircuts used to brainwash almost half the human population, I see a genuine attempt by hundreds of millions of people to change the world for the better, forever. Yes the suffering was immense, and many many people for whom the tumult was too much, as well as those who wished to maintain their parasitic lifestyles, fled for their lives it was far from a black and white phenomena. Living standards also skyrocketed over the long run in places like the USSR and the PRC, from literacy to employment to diet, access to healthcare, you name it. But still the narrative of Hegel's Dialectic playing out in the arena of class politics - wherein the oppressed by becoming the oppressors would naturally do away with oppression altogether by following their self interest just as the Bourgeoisie had done, thereby unwinding the knot of economic injustice - has lost its status as the driving force of all of history for me. It's still much more compelling than the caricature of simply replacing one form of centralization with another. Rather its a much more relatable fallacy: taking a truth, in this case the millennia of class struggle which humanity has dealt with since the advent of agriculture, and trying to extrapolate from it some abstract and all compassing polemic that makes it all make sense. Moreover, in the same way that Bitcoiners say, "Once you see it you can never go back," I cannot unlearn just how hypocritical and dishonest the Western narrative of history is. Lying and calling America the land of the land of opportunity when the abundance we've known for our Empire's whole existence exists merely because of stolen land and slave labor. This is not a moralist objection by the way, though that would be wholly justified. The true horror is that people view the US as the model of a self sufficient nation state when in reality it has always been parasitic, even in it's larval stage. And of course the disillusion with every military campaign since the end of World War 2, starting with the grotesque and gratuitous display of power in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, then the fraudulant and deadly campaigns in Korea, Loas, Vietnam, and of course the entire Middle East. Our own forms of surveillance, censorship, repression all staring at us in the images we projected on the face of the Berlin Wall.

I know a little part of that probably rubbed some of you the wrong way. Hey we still were a net positive force in WW2, of course. And despite many differences in historical interpretations, when it comes to Marx's tomes of economic criticism I think the Bitcoiners of NOSTR would find a lot of rhetorical similarities with their gripes about the age of fiat actually share many rhetorical similarities: The levers of control over the global economy had been consolidated by a select view who were spamming them to make themselves inordinately wealthy at the cost of the quality of life for the majority of Planet Earth. The value of your labor is being ciphoned by a bunch of rackateering lizard men known as politicians. Fair competition, the spirit of Capitalism on paper, has been eroded by its those who claim to be its biggest proponents. Forever wars as a business, predatory global economic policies, proles=plebs, yada yada. Although I guess this note would be pointless if I yada-yada'd over the best parts.

THE INVISIBLE HANDJOB

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The landlords, like all other men, love to reap where they never sowed, and demand a rent even for its natural produce. -Adam Smith

In the above quoted Wealth of Nations (Book 1, chapter 11) as well as in Book 4 and in The Theory of Moral Sentiments, everyone's favorite economist they've never read paints a complex and somewhat contradictory image of the proprietors over the means of production in his time. He saw greed and gluttony in their souls, but viewed their actions within the context of an emergent system whereby their selfishness propelled the interest of everyone. So, almost exactly how Marx viewed the holy timespanning vendetta of the have-nots of the world. However, in Book 1 ch10 of Wealth of Nations Smith says this:

[The rent] is not at all proportioned to what the landlord may have laid out upon the improvement of the land, or to what he can afford to take; but to what the farmer can afford to give,

In a section where he concedes that the landlords' actions amount to extortion. He also articulates here how through the influence of legislation, the landlord class effectively outlawed collective negotiation on the part of the working class while bolstering it for themselves, resulting in monopolies. Marx cites Smith himself throughout Das Kapital, and lays out extensively this process of the consolidation of capitalist power in part 3 of the first volume. The two also subscribed to the Labor Theory of Value, as did every other Enlightenment era economist... and so do most Bitcoiners! At least they sure sound like they do when they talk about the erosion of the masses' life force by the debasement of fiat. After all if the commodity that is money is an expression of your time and labor, then so must be the value of every other commodity. I've heard people try to glibly dismiss the LTV as stupid, citing things like land, products of fully automated processes... And digital assets. As if land didn't have to be surveyed, and discovered (or won in a genocide). Or if fully automated production processes didn't require thousands of hours of expert labor on robotics and/or computer engineering. Or if all financial assets in general didn't hold merely a hypothetical value as a representation of value wrought in the productive economy. And to be perfectly honest I always found the subjective theory of value to be downright silly, like imagine haggling at a supermarket over a gallon of milk. Yes demand is subjective (and really more of an expression of willing buying power than need but that's a whole other can of worms), but it's wholly reliant on objective factors such as scarcity and the relative difficulty to produce a certain commodity oneself. And when those who corner the market collude on pricing it's not like you even have the ability to "vote with your money". You have no leverage, unless you own a cow. All in all the price of a commodity can't be anything other than an approximation of its objective value based on the average cost of the raw materials and socially necessary labor time, ebbing and flowing with the asynchronous undulations of supply and demand. And maybe a little extra something just to cushion that P&L. OK maybe a lot. Gotta outperform inflation, right?! Was I being glib, myself, there? It just feels self evident from my current perspective, the hollow vampirism of it all. Capitalists enacting the rights to procure surplus value, reinsert it as capital in order to procure even more surplus value, rinsing and repeating, drifting further and further from the corporeal reality of our own survival and swallowing entire generations in the process.

STATISTS BE LIKE...

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The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem- Milton Friedman

On September 11, 1973 Chilean President Salvador Allende died during a fascist coup d'état perpetrated by the commander in chief of the military Augusto Pinochet. Officially he took his own life for fear of what would be done to him, but it remains a contentious topic. Pinochet's regime was characterized by mass arrests, widespread use of torture, extrajudicial killings, mass exiles, and brutal censorship of his political ditractors. But he cut taxes!!!! And he did so with the council of the Chicago Boys, a group of Chicago University alumni and disciples of right wing icon Milton Friedman. Friedman applauded Pinochet's government for his economic policies and providing a shining example of Milton's take on what small laissez-faire government looks like: Repression of the masses, no rules for the classes.

Pinochet was also a collaborator with the CIA on their project Operation Condor, whereby the funding and stoking of violence and unrest was weaponized to subvert the rise of left leaning politics throughout South and Central America and maintain cheap access to raw materials which US corporations relied on. As a matter of fact, the deep state has an endless track record of resorting to all sorts of crazy measures to subvert the popularity of socialism. This contradicts directly the American conservative view that the deep state wants socialism, and that Trump - who has cooperated in the continuations of these policies with the attempted coups in Venezuela and Bolivia during his first term - is here to stop 'em. The scapegoating and fear mongering of foreign left leaning governments in lucrative regions is a time honored tradition here In the US. All the West has always had more in common with the totalitarianism of Fascism than the East. If you're curious or skeptical about this, looking up Michael Parenti's Blackshirts & Reds is a good place to start digging deeper.

And while conservatives remain in denial about the parasiticism and exclusion their version of freedom relies on, Progressivism, as I see it, is a limping, mutilated, abomination of a watered down version of itself. Democrats for over a century now continue offering the bare minimum that would assuage their cinstituencies in the short term at best, and the exact same neocon policies of war and imperialism abroad, and corporate oligarchy and a police state at home. Yet every two years progressives walk beleaguered to the polls to vote blue no who. And Milton Friedman laughs in his grave. Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes, attributed to president of Tanzinia, Julius Nyere: "The Americans also have a one party state, but with typical American extravegance, they have two of them." https://image.nostr.build/9380dbc6d51a443b76340b46c760e12c9bb0540a170a8f5a2a22847e0bba88c7.jpg

WHAT IS DO BE DONE?

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I found freedom. Losing all hope is freedom. - Edward Norton, Fight Club

If you made it through all that rambling, what is wrong with you? In all seriousness, I hope this was a fruitful glance into the mind of someone who might think a little differently. In a rapidly evolving world, where systems we ourselves have put in place not only constitute the environment we live in, but reproduce themselves through our behavior as well, despondency, rage, and confusion permeate the collective consciousness. But there's also Bitcoin, which to an increasing number - and to an extent myself - represents a successful proof of concept of a new, genuinely Decentralized Ideological Apparatus. One which relies on Mutual Aid and the cooperation of smaller, decentralized and self sufficient communities. And to a certain extent it also represents hope. But it's as much an asset to those who'd prefer to continue feeding on the suffering of others as it is to those hoping for a change. Hope is as dangerous as fear - Lao Tzu

@ e1d968f7:5d90f764

After 42 days of writing, working, and managing everything that comes with being an escort, I’ve learned a lot about what it takes to stay grounded in this line of work. One of the hardest lessons, though, has been learning how to spot the early signs of burnout.

This job can be physically, mentally, and emotionally draining—especially when you’re doing everything on your own. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle, trying to manage your calendar, your clients, your personal life, and the inevitable emotional toll that comes with this kind of work. But if you don’t pay attention to the warning signs, burnout can sneak up on you before you even realise it.

So, today, I want to talk about the early warning signs of burnout. Because even though this job offers a lot of freedom, it’s still work—and if you’re not careful, you can lose yourself in it.

1. You Start Dreading Your Sessions

When I first started, I was excited about every booking. Each session felt like a new opportunity, a fresh interaction. But after a while, that excitement starts to fade. If you find yourself starting to dread your upcoming sessions, even the ones you normally enjoy, it’s a clear sign that you’re pushing yourself too hard.

Maybe it’s the same clients, or maybe it's the mental load of constantly preparing for each new encounter. Whatever the cause, if you’re starting to feel a sense of dread or anxiety about your work, it’s time to step back and reassess your schedule, your boundaries, and your overall mindset.

2. Emotional Exhaustion Sets In

This job is emotionally taxing. It’s not just about the physical demands—it’s about maintaining a certain energy level, keeping up appearances, and staying emotionally engaged with each client. Over time, that emotional labour starts to pile up. You give pieces of yourself in every interaction, and eventually, you might feel drained, disconnected, or emotionally exhausted.

If you’re finding it hard to stay present in conversations or sessions, or you feel like you're just "going through the motions," burnout could be creeping in. When I start feeling emotionally empty, I know I’ve pushed myself too far without giving enough back to myself.

3. You’re Losing Interest in Self-Care

Self-care is the foundation of staying healthy in this job—physically, mentally, and emotionally. When I’m well-rested, eating well, exercising, and taking time for things that fill my cup (whether it’s reading, meditating, or spending time with loved ones), I feel empowered and ready to take on the world.

But when burnout starts to set in, I notice that self-care becomes the first thing to go. Skipping meals, neglecting sleep, avoiding workouts—these are all signs that my body is signalling for a break. If you’re noticing that you’re no longer making time for your own well-being, it’s a clear indicator that you’re headed toward burnout.

4. Physical Symptoms (Headaches, Insomnia, Fatigue)

The mind and body are deeply connected, and when your mental health starts to suffer, your body will often show the signs. For me, when I’m pushing myself too hard, I start to experience physical symptoms like headaches, stomach issues, insomnia, or constant fatigue. If you’re feeling physically drained, struggling to sleep, or battling chronic tension in your body, it’s your body’s way of telling you to slow down.

It’s easy to ignore these signs, but trust me, if you don’t address them early, your body will eventually force you to rest—whether you’re ready or not.

5. You’re Neglecting Your Social Life

This job requires a lot of alone time, whether it’s between bookings or because you’re working late into the night. But if you’re starting to isolate yourself, pull away from friends and family, or cancel plans because you're “too tired” or “too busy,” it could be a sign that you’re overwhelmed. Social connection is crucial, especially for those of us who work in a solitary role.

We need time to reconnect with others, to laugh, to be vulnerable, and to remind ourselves that we’re more than just the work we do. If I find myself isolating for days on end, that’s when I know I need to take a step back and make space for social interaction—whether it’s a casual hangout or just a phone call with someone I trust.

6. You’re Becoming Irritable or Short-Tempered

When you’re running on fumes, it becomes a lot harder to keep your cool. You might find yourself snapping at clients, friends, or even yourself. That short temper or irritability is often a sign that your emotional and mental resources are running low. If the smallest things set you off or if you’re no longer feeling like yourself, it’s a red flag.

I’ve had days where I feel like I’m constantly on edge, and when that happens, I know it’s time to take a step back. My work will always be there, but if I’m not in the right headspace, I won’t be able to give my best.

7. You’re Feeling Disconnected from Why You Started

This one’s a biggie for me. When burnout starts to take over, I begin to lose sight of why I started this job in the first place. I forget why I enjoy the work, the connection with clients, the freedom, and the autonomy. If you’re feeling detached from your original purpose or like you're just going through the motions for the money, it’s time to pause and reflect.

Take a moment to remember why you got into this in the first place. Reconnect with the things that excited you about this job. If you can’t find that spark again, it’s time to reassess.

Taking Action Before Burnout Hits

Burnout is serious, and once it hits, it’s hard to recover from. But if you can spot the early warning signs and take action before it’s too late, you can avoid hitting that wall. Here’s what I do when I feel burnout creeping in:

1. Take Time Off: Even if it’s just a day or two, taking a break to recharge is essential. It’s better to rest than to push through and risk losing my ability to do this job long-term.

2. Reevaluate My Schedule: I make sure I’m not overbooking myself or taking on more than I can handle. A balanced calendar means I can give each client the attention they deserve without draining myself.

3. Reconnect with My Support System: Spending time with friends or family who aren’t involved in my work helps me recharge and remind myself of the bigger picture.

4. Focus on Self-Care: I’ll get back into my routines—eating right, sleeping well, and making sure I’m exercising, even if it’s just a short walk or stretching.

5. Reflect and Reassess: I take time to reflect on my motivations and goals. If I’ve lost touch with why I’m doing this work, I’ll recalibrate my approach and find my passion again.

Burnout is inevitable if you don’t pay attention to the signs. But by listening to your body and mind and taking proactive steps to care for yourself, you can keep burnout at bay. Remember, the work will always be there, but your well-being comes first.

– Rebecca x

@ 472f440f:5669301e

I'm sure some of you are already tired of the discussion around the H-1B visa program that was started on Christmas Eve by Vivek Ramaswamy and escalated by Elon Musk and others as the "Silicon Valley MAGA" coalition began putting forth legal immigration policy proposals for the incoming Trump administration. Core to their policy is the expansion of the H-1B visa program so that America can "recruit the best talent in the world" to come build the American economy.

Unfortunately, as it stands today - according to the Silicon Valley cognescenti, Americans are either a.) not smart enough to fulfill the roles necessary to enable the United States to maintain its lead as economic super power of the world or b.) expect too much in compensation for the available roles. At least this is my reading from the commentary I've seen over the last week.

What seems abundantly clear to me is that the framing put forth by "Silicon Valley MAGA" crew is disingenuous and self-serving. It has been clear for awhile now that the H-1B visa program is being systematically abused to bring in cheap labor from other countries to help drive down labor costs for companies across the spectrum. Not just Silicon Valley tech companies. The system has a loophole in it and it is being exploited. Bring people to the US via H-1B visas to complete work for you at lower costs and your company's financials are likely to be better off (assuming the work being done is productive and a value add to the company). Now, this isn't to say that everyone who is in the US via an H-1B visa is here because these companies want to exploit the loophole that gives them the ability to spend less on head count. However, based off the data from the database of the H-1B visa program it is abundantly clear that the system is being taken advantage of. Egregiously and at the expense of American workers, who are most certainly not (all) "subtarded".

Herein lies the crux of the problem; companies are abusing this program to get away from the problem of Americans demanding higher wages to maintain lives of dignity in a country run by a government that is chronically addicted to debt backed by a central bank that will print money ex-nihilo and at will to monetize that debt. Americans are then being scapegoated as either "lazy", "stupid" or "delusional about their worth in the work force". A classic straw man argument that avoids the root issue at hand; the money is broken and the broken money has created perverse incentives throughout the economy while also stripping Americans of the ability to properly save the value of their labor.

We live in a high velocity trash economy that rewards grift and waste while disincentivizing hard work that is meaningful to the quality of life of the Common Man. Everything has been hyper-financialized to the point that one of the only ways to make it ahead is to speculate on the flow of capital into certain asset classes, which is often determined by the whims of central planners. Another is to build or speculate on tech "innovations" that typically materialize in the form of attention zapping apps and widgets that help people temporarily forget they live in a high-velocity trash economy.

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation and it is because they don't see a way out of the nihilistic rat race created (unknowingly to most) by the money printer.

The ability to print money out of nothing and throw it at everything creates misaligned incentives that result in the inability for the market to properly determine what is genuinely needed by the people instead of those who have learned how to game the broken system and its broken incentives.

One last point, I would be remiss not to acknowledge that many individuals in America aren't intellectually equipped to do some of the cutting edge work that may be necessary to produce the technologies and companies that will push the country forward. The high-velocity trash economy run on money printed out of nothing has completely corrupted the education system. People in the United States are literally dumber than they were five decades ago. That is a fact. But it is not only the fault of the American people themselves, but the corrupt system they have been born into that destroyed the education system with perverse incentives. And the overwhelming majority of the blame is on the system, not the people.

Even with that being said, the idea that we need to adopt a Tiger Mom mentality in the US - a culture of unrelenting devotion to studying STEM to the point that weekend sleepovers for kids are discouraged - is absolutely laughable and objectively un-American. There are plenty of incredibly intelligent, creative and driven young Americans who have contributed and will continue to contribute significantly to the American economy and they didn't need to shackle themselves to their desks to get that way. America isn't a country that was built by automatons. It's a country built by people who said, "Fuck you. Don't tell me what I can and cannot do. Watch this."

Despite the fact that a system has been erected that actively works against the average American system the American spirit lives on in the souls of many across the country. Miraculously. The American spirit is something that cannot simply be imported. It is ingrained in our culture. It is certainly beginning to dwindle as hope for a better future becomes more and more dim for the masses as the system works against them despite all their best efforts to succeed. It is imperative that we stoke the coals of the American spirit while it is still alive in those who are too stubborn to give up.

People need the ability to save their hard work in a money that cannot be debased. Opportunity cost needs to be reintroduced into the market so that things that actually add value and increase the quality of life for the Common Man are where hard money is allocated. And people need to start talking about the root of the problem more seriously instead of striking at branches with disingenuous straw man arguments.

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Final thought... Ready to go surfing.

@ 6538925e:571e55c3

In 2024, listeners sent a total of $127,900 to creators on Fountain

The 2 BTC sent is equivalent to $127,900 based on a daily price conversion but it would be worth nearly 50% more today.

You sent over 40,000 boosts to your favourite shows and artists, with an average boost value of 3,380 sats (around $3.20 at today's price).

To add to that, over 63 million sats were streamed over the course of the year, representing 32% of total value sent.

Here are some of the shows and artists who picked up the top awards in 2024. To read the full article, head to our website.

Read Fountain Rewind 2024

Most Supported Show: Rabbit Hole Recap

Rabbir Hole Recap is a bitcoin news show hosted by Marty Bent and Matt Odell. Over the last three years, RHR has become one of the moved shows among Fountain listeners (affectionately known as ‘freaks’). In 2022 they were #3, in 2023 they were #2, and in 2024 they finally claimed the #1 spot. Congratulations, Marty and ODELL. Your dedication and humility is an inspiration to bitcoiners around the world.

Show with Most Supporters: Mr Obnoxious

Peter McCormack announced earlier this year that What Bitcoin Did, the preeminent podcast he has hosted for as long as we can remember, would come to an end to make way for a new show, Mr Obnoxious. In December, the Real Bedford FC owner announced that Danny Knowles would be the new custodian - much to the relief of the 800 listeners who supported the show this year. Thanks for everything, Pete!

Most Supported Episode: LINUX Unplugged | 545: 3,062 Days Later

LINUX Unplugged is just one of many popular shows about open-source, security and privacy from Jupiter Broadcasting. Editor-in-chief Chris Fisher finishes the year with three shows in Fountain's top 40. How? He and his co-hosts have made boosting a core part the listener experience, with his audience often sending "zip code boosts" (which can get pretty expensive if you live in Alaska).

Most Supported Artist: Ainsley Costello

At just 20 years old, Ainsley has been working toward a career in music for over half her life. Her music is the modern pop soundtrack of the next generation. Ainsley first made "waves" on the internet in August 2023 as the first artist to receive 1 million sats with her hit song “Cherry On Top.” Since then, she has inspired countless artists to follow her path, becoming the face of this exciting new movement.

Artist with Most Supporters: Man Like Kweks

Don Kweka is a producer and rapper from Tanzania. When he's not at his desk working his 9 to 5, he's making beats in his bedroom - and he has been prolific in 2024. Earlier this year he told Forbes he had earned a total of $25.68 from United Masters, the distribution company he uses for traditional DSPs (for which he pays a $60 annual fee). Since first publishing his music on Wavlake, he’s earned 2.3 million sats (over $2,000).

Most Supported Track: Abi Muir | Stockholm

Born in Scotland and now residing in Australia, Abi’s distinctive, goosebump-inducing vocals and heartfelt lyrics define her creative songwriting. Her unique style sees her delivering memorable, catchy pop songs of singer-songwriter prose with a contemporary pop sound. In Stockholm she explores a darker, harder edge to her music that crosses into alt-rock, topped with Muir's piercing, sultry vocals.

### Read Fountain Rewind 2024 in full on our website

To see the full list of award winners, the top 40 shows and artists, plus the top stories from this year, hit the link below.

Read Fountain Rewind 2024

### Share your Rewind for a chance to win Fountain AirPods, limited edition merch and 100,000 sats

Open the app to see your Fountain Rewind (make sure you're using the latest version). Post a screenshot of any screen in your Fountain Rewind on X or Nostr and tag @fountain_app in your post. We will be announcing three lucky winners on Dec 31 - good luck!

@ b8a9df82:6ab5cbbd

In just two days, 2024 will come to a close. And as I sit here reflecting and drinking my morning coffee, I can confidently say that this has been the best year I’ve had since 2018. The years leading up to this one, especially since returning to Berlin, were some of the most challenging of my life. They tested me in ways I never expected—moments when I wanted to give up, when I felt so lost I couldn’t see or feel anything anymore. I lost my smile, my positive side, my emotions, and even my sense of self. But this year was different. It felt like the sun finally broke through the clouds, and I could see light at the end of the tunnel. I laughed more. I loved more. I felt deeply again, like my emotions finally had room to breathe. For those who have read my book, you know I’ve faced my share of dark days, as many of us do. Some days were heavier than I could have imagined, and even now, there are moments when I question, *“Why? Why this path? Why me?”* But this reflection isn’t about the darkness. **It’s about the gratitude.** 2024 blessed me with so many moments of joy. I traveled, saw the world from new perspectives, and met extraordinary people who brought meaning and light into my life. These experiences reminded me that connection matters, that there’s beauty in the unfamiliar, and that we grow when we open ourselves up to it all—the good, the difficult, the unexpected. Now, back in Berlin, I feel a shift. The city feels cold again—not just in temperature, but in energy. Dark skies and gray streets mirror an unbalanced restlessness I can’t ignore. It’s not the coldness itself or the clouds; it’s the way this place feels as though it’s lost its spark. Smiles seem rare, warmth even rarer. And perhaps, that’s my sign. My time here feels like it’s coming to a close. But as this chapter winds down, I feel at peace. 2024 reminded me that life doesn’t stay stagnant. Even in the darkest times, the wheel turns. This year was proof that healing is possible, that joy can return, and that love—whether found in people, places, or moments—still exists. So, wherever this journey takes me next, I will carry this year with me. I’ll carry the laughter, the lessons, and the memories of those who reminded me that even in a messy, chaotic world, light and connection can thrive. And perhaps, just perhaps, this is only the beginning. The chapters ahead are unwritten, but I feel ready to meet them—with an open heart and gratitude for all that’s brought me here. Happy 2025 to all of YOU

@ 1cb14ab3:95d52462

Tree branches, Rock. 4' x 4 [Boulder, USA. 2016]

Introduction

Nestled deep in the forest near Boulder, "Looking Glass" invites viewers to rediscover the quiet beauty of overlooked natural details. By framing the play of light, texture, and shadow through a 4-foot circular lens, the piece shifts focus to the microcosms of the forest, drawing attention to a small and overlooked waterfall.

Site & Placement

The lens is perched amid a cluster of trees, emphasizing a quiet patch of the forest that often goes unnoticed. Positioned 22 feet from the lens, a carefully placed bench offers a perfect vantage point, guiding visitors to linger, observe, and absorb the layered simplicity of the scene.

Impermanence & Integration

True to the ethos of the Earth Lens series, Looking Glass exists only briefly. Its natural materials—branches, wood, and rock—blend seamlessly into the forest and will eventually be reclaimed by it. The fleeting presence of the lens reflects the transient beauty of life, encouraging viewers to appreciate the details that often escape notice in the rush of time.

Reflection

In its short life, Looking Glass offers a moment of stillness and clarity, a chance to peer into the intimate world of the forest. The work becomes a lens not just for the environment but also for introspection, reminding viewers of the quiet wonders that surround them every day.

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Photos

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More from the 'Earth Lens' Series:

Earth Lens Series: Artist Statement + List of Works

COMING SOON: "Folsom" (Earth Lens 002)

COMING SOON: "Sanctuary" (Earth Lens 003)

COMING SOON: "Platte" (Earth Lens 004)

COMING SOON: "Grandfather" (Earth Lens 005)

COMING SOON: "Chongming" (Earth Lens 006)

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

@ 6cc4225f:942b7222

(Cover image photo credit: The Crypto Times)

“Our world of widows needs to be saved / it’s now or never — victim or victory, rebel or regret / who you are and who you claim to be / no more heroes.” -Converge, “No Heroes”

Usually, bad takes from big figures in the Bitcoin space roll off my back. I often don’t feel a need to counter them because 1.) Everyone is entitled to their opinion and 2.) I don’t enjoy spending my time arguing with people on the Internet.

But when a take is really bad — downright evil — I feel compelled to respond.

And respond I did to a bad take this week (link in just a second, first some context).

Lately in the media, MicroStrategy Chair Michael Saylor has been laying out his vision for a digital asset framework.

This framework includes conceptualizing Bitcoin as a commodity — nothing more than capital — and stablecoins like Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) as “digital currencies” (his words).

As if someone who considers themselves a “triple bitcoin maxi” (maybe one of the lamest terms ever) denying that bitcoin is a currency weren’t nauseating enough, his “evil genius plan” (his words) to get the world hooked on USD stablecoins as money while the US hoards bitcoin should have you upchuck everything in your guts if you truly believe in Bitcoin’s value proposition.

Below (a few lines down) is the piece I wrote countering Saylor’s perspective.

If there are two things I hope you take away from it, the first is to KILL YOUR IDOLS (not literally, of course) and the second is that WE ARE BITCOIN, and if we believe in the technology — all dimensions of it — we have to defend it.

Enjoy.

Michael Saylor Doesn't Understand Bitcoin

## Support The Open Dialogue Foundation

Speaking of defending Bitcoin, we all owe a debt of gratitude to the work that the Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF) is doing to defend our legal right to use non-custodial bitcoin wallets.

Please read the following piece I wrote this week to learn more.

Protect Your Non-Custodial Bitcoin Wallet — Support The Open Dialogue Foundation

And please make a tax-deductible contribution (before the year’s end) to the organization here.

Bitcoin’s Second Book-Length Academic Text — The Satoshi Papers — Coming Soon

This week, I published my interview with Natalie Smolenski, a PhD-holding theoretical anthropologist who often makes very valuable thought contributions to the Bitcoin space.

The Satoshi Papers Explores The Role Of The State In A Post-Bitcoin World: An Interview With Natalie Smolenski

What I loved most about this interview (and I loved a lot about it) is Smolenski’s lack of reverence.

Two of my favorite quotes from the interview:

“There was kind of a triumph of a certain very statist approach to socialism and even communism in the American academy, in the Anglophone academy, that has persisted to this day, where there's, like I was saying earlier, a suspicion of anything smacking of individualism as bourgeois conceit or reinscribing social hierarchies, racial hierarchies, gender hierarchies, blah, blah, blah.”

The “blah, blah, blah” hit hard. It reminded me of how I used to tune out when speaking with a good portion of my co-workers during the years I taught at the college level.

The other one:

“What do you hope people will take away from The Satoshi Papers?

*> If there's only one idea that people take away from it, it's that your emancipation does not require the state. You do not need to wait for the government.

*> My God, take control of your life. You can, it is within your power to do so, and here are some examples of ways that people throughout human history have chosen to do so."

The “My God” was so properly placed. Chef’s kiss.

Check out to entire piece to absorb more of Smolenski’s wisdom.

Thank you all for reading, and here’s to a great week ahead!

Best,

Frank

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

Table Of Content

• Rollercoaster Rides

• The Impact of Macroeconomic Forces

• Short-term Projections

• Ethereum's Steady Stance

• Week-on-week Comparisons

• Altcoins in Focus

• The Laggards

• Market Overview

• Conclusion

• FAQ

September has once again proven itself to be a tumultuous month for the world's most prominent cryptocurrency, Bitcoin (BTC). This month-long rollercoaster ride has historical roots, as September has historically been a challenging period for Bitcoin. However, the first two-thirds of the month showcased remarkable progress, raising expectations. But the recent resurgence of the US dollar has cast a shadow over the entire crypto market, leading to uncertainty among investors and traders.

Rollercoaster Rides

As the calendar pages flipped through September, Bitcoin embarked on a rollercoaster ride that left many in the crypto community holding their breath. Over the weekend, Bitcoin witnessed a significant dip, eroding a substantial portion of its gains for the month. Sunday's trading session saw the BTC/USDT pair drop by 1.2%, closing at $26,250. Monday's early trades further exacerbated the bearish trend, pushing the pair below $26,150. These rapid fluctuations in Bitcoin's value have been a hallmark of its journey in recent weeks.

The Impact of Macroeconomic Forces

In addition to its internal dynamics, Bitcoin has been significantly influenced by macroeconomic factors, particularly the policies and guidance provided by the Federal Reserve and other central banks. Last week, the Fed's unexpected hawkish stance sent shockwaves through financial markets, including the crypto sphere. This policy shift had an adverse effect on risk-on trading sentiment, causing investors to reevaluate their strategies. As the month approaches its conclusion, a less eventful macroeconomic calendar might imply reduced volatility in the coming days. However, the lingering impact of the Fed's decisions remains a source of uncertainty.

Short-term Projections

To gain insights into Bitcoin's short-term trajectory, market analysts have turned to Binance's order book analysis. According to their assessment, a support line appears to be forming at the $25,000 mark, providing some stability in the face of recent turbulence. Conversely, selling resistance has been identified at $27,500, indicating a significant challenge for Bitcoin's upward momentum. These levels are likely to play a crucial role in determining Bitcoin's path in the immediate future, with traders closely monitoring any breaches or rebounds.

Ethereum's Steady Stance

In contrast to Bitcoin's rollercoaster performance, Ethereum (ETH), the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has demonstrated a more stable trajectory over the past few days. While Saturday saw minimal fluctuations, Sunday's trades witnessed a modest 0.8% dip, settling at $1,580. As of Monday, Ethereum has maintained this position, indicating resilience in the face of market turbulence. Ethereum's stability, as compared to Bitcoin's wild swings, underscores the unique dynamics at play within the broader cryptocurrency market.

Week-on-week Comparisons

Examining the performance of these two leading cryptocurrencies over the course of the week reveals intriguing trends. Bitcoin has experienced a 2% decline in its value, signaling the challenges it faced amid a shifting financial landscape. Meanwhile, Ethereum has faced a slightly more significant drop of over 3%. These fluctuations underscore the inherent volatility of the crypto market, even among its most prominent players.

Altcoins in Focus

Beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, the broader altcoin spectrum presents a diverse set of performances. One standout performer has been Solana (SOL), which surged ahead by an impressive 1.75% in the past seven days. This remarkable growth has garnered the attention of investors and enthusiasts alike. Additionally, Ripple (XRP) has maintained positive momentum, adding approximately 0.8% to its value. These altcoins' resilience serves as a testament to the unique dynamics within the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

The Laggards

However, not all altcoins have been able to escape the gravitational pull of Bitcoin's performance. Prominent digital assets such as Binance's BNB token, Dogecoin (DOGE), Cardano (ADA), Polkadot (DOT), and Polygon (MATIC) have mirrored Bitcoin's downward trend. These digital assets have seen marginal losses in terms of their respective market capitalizations, underscoring the interconnectedness of the cryptocurrency market.

Market Overview

At present, the global cryptocurrency market cap stands at an impressive $1.04 trillion, signifying the substantial size and influence of the digital asset market. Bitcoin continues to command a dominant position, with a market dominance of 49.9%. This reaffirms Bitcoin's status as the undisputed leader in the digital asset space, despite the challenges it faces in September.

Conclusion

As September draws to a close, the battle between Bitcoin and the resurgent US dollar remains uncertain. The interplay between internal dynamics, macroeconomic factors, and market sentiment will continue to shape the crypto landscape in the days ahead. Traders and enthusiasts alike will be watching closely to discern the next moves in this high-stakes confrontation. As the dust settles, the cryptocurrency market will likely reveal new trends and opportunities for those who can navigate these uncertain waters with agility and insight.

FAQ

Why is September historically challenging for Bitcoin? September has traditionally been a tough month for Bitcoin, with factors like market sentiment and macroeconomic forces contributing to its volatility during this period.

How is the US dollar impacting Bitcoin's recent performance? The resurgence of the US dollar has cast a shadow over the crypto market, leading to uncertainty and impacting Bitcoin's value.

What are the short-term projections for Bitcoin and Ethereum? Short-term projections for Bitcoin suggest a support line at $25,000 and resistance at $27,500, while Ethereum has maintained relative stability.

Which altcoins have performed well recently? Solana (SOL) and Ripple (XRP) have shown positive momentum, but some prominent altcoins have followed Bitcoin's downward trend.

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

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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.

@ dd664d5e:5633d319

The paparazzi are we

One of the things that bothers me about social media, in general, is that it gives celebrities an air of approachability, that they don't actually offer.

Theoretically, a celebrity could respond to any one of the dozens or even hundreds of people asking them questions or lodging complaints or singing their praises, but they usually only respond very selectively and leave everyone else just sitting there, as a living monument to the ReplyGuy.

And, as a wise man once said, ReplyGuy is a hoe.

Death of a ReplyGuy

This is usually because of time and energy restrictions, but also due to distaste, disdain, or indifference. Regardless of motivation, it is simply the nature of things, when a larger number of people are clamboring for the attention of some particular person.

Ooh, ooh! Can I have the next question?! Would you please address my bug? May I have a microsecond of your time?

Social media (and I include GitHub in this category) ups this game considerably, and potentially turns it all into a dangerous psychological torture, by making us all preoccupied with people who don't interact with us. The most irrational of groupies because we are forever making almost-contact with our stars.

If we can see them talking to one person, we're supposed to feel like they've spoken with all of us. But they haven't. They spoke with someone else, and we were allowed to watch. No different than on television, except that we might be disappointed and eager to return the next day, to renew our futile attempt.

The same intoxicating feeling that playing the lottery elicits. Everyone is a potential winner, but there is only one jackpot. Come back next week. Buy another ticket. This next time, is your time. Promise.

The view from the peanut gallery

It is all an illusion that there is no hierarchy, where there clearly is one. Celebrities of the past had, at least, the decency to remain slightly aloof. But they all want to be one of the Common Folk, now, just as every multi-millionaire aspires to see himself as fundamentally working-class.

All of celebrity social media is a stage, and most of us are merely spectators or commentators, to what is playing on it. This is why, if someone treats me like someone sitting in the peanut gallery, my instinct is to treat them like an actor.

Because, in reality, that is what they are.

@ 403fc3fb:1d1c404c

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If you’re looking for a reliable security company in NZ or need Wellington security guards, Frontline Security is here to help. Contact us today to discuss your security needs or to explore career opportunities within our growing company. With Frontline Security, you can trust that your safety is in expert hands.

@ f4d89779:2b522db9

In the game of Ultimate Frisbee, there is a beloved phrase that captures one of the best aspects of playing. Ultimate is about decision making. It is played on a rectangular field with seven players on each side. Much like football, the object of the game is to score with a throw into the end zone.

To "HUCK", means to launch the disc down field in the hopes of scoring. You can probably guess what the "OR YOU'RE NOTHING" means but the spirit of it is that when the opportunity comes ...

PUT THE DISC IN THE AIR

https://i.nostr.build/XyTpXdNOSpv5f8ZZ.jpg

Sorry, I had to channel my inner ODELL there for a second. These are all caps kind of moments. Time feels like it stops, the disc floats in the air, the receiver and defender are sprinting all out, you can hear the collective breath of anticipation from the audience and then you score. If you're good that is.

You know what? You and I are civilized people, we use the NOSTR, so I won't limit myself to just words. Here are some of those moments:

https://v.nostr.build/zav5o04BK97FiNAt.mp4

During the course of play, teams get into a formation with a couple of the players doing the majority of the disc throwing. These players are called handlers. They handle the disc, they have the responsibility of moving the disc downfield, and handle most of the decision making.

A good handler develops a sort of instinct for each of their receivers, can guess the capabilities of each defender, and knows himself well enough to know if he has the throw. They know who is good and reliable at short cuts. They know who has the top end speed to throw a long floating pass into the end zone. With each play they are judging all of the moving objects on the field and deciding on real time risk of each throw and where things will lead.

Mistakes lead to turnovers and turnovers, like in many other sports, are death.

Hopefully, you start to see how ultimate relates to life and Bitcoin. Life is a field and you have defenders and you have receivers. It is your disc and the decisions you make have a huge impact on whether you win or lose.

Knowingly or not, you saw Bitcoin as a potential receiver and Governments, academics, shitcoiners, as defenders. In some ways those around you were also defenders. They whispered, or maybe still whisper the risk and probability of failure in your ear. Their fear weighed against what you know.

With the btc/usd exchange rate at $94k, and companies fighting over the best ways to get sats I think we can say that you did not get lucky. They called you crazy, they said that throw won't work, they said your receiver sucked but you knew better.

You saw that receiver leaving every defender in the dust and you HUCKED it and you are certainly not NOTHING.

@ b17fccdf:b7211155

A step-by-step guide to building a Bitcoin & Lightning node, and other stuff on a personal computer.

~ > It builds on a personal computer with x86/amd64 architecture processors.

~> It is based on the popular RaspiBolt v3 guide.

---

Those are some of the most relevant changes:

• Changed OS from Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bits) to Ubuntu Server LTS (Long term support) 64-bit PC (AMD64).
• Changed binaries and signatures of the programs to adapt them to x86/amd64 architecture.
• Deleted unnecessary tools and steps, and added others according to this case of use.
• Some useful authentication logs and monitoring commands were added in the security section.
• Added some interesting parameters in the settings of some services to activate and take advantage of new features.
• Changed I2P, Fulcrum, and ThunderHub guides, to be part of the core guide.
• Added exclusive optimization section of services for slow devices.

~ > Complete release notes MiniBolt v1: https://github.com/twofaktor/minibolt/releases/tag/1.0

~ > The MiniBolt guide is available at: https://minibolt.info

~ > Feel free to contribute to the source code on GitHub by opening issues, pull requests or discussions

---

Created by ⚡2 FakTor⚡

Telegram groups: * English * Spanish

@ e1d968f7:5d90f764

Boundaries are the backbone of any healthy interaction, and escorting is no exception. They establish trust and ensure mutual respect between me and my clients. However, when those lines are crossed, it creates tension and challenges that can’t be ignored. Learning how to handle these moments with grace and firmness has been an essential part of my journey.

---

Subtle Crossings

Not every boundary breach is glaring—many are small, subtle, and easy to overlook at first.
- Personal Questions: Occasionally, clients will probe into my personal life, asking about my family, relationships, or what I do outside of work. While some curiosity is natural, it can quickly feel intrusive.
- Assumptions: Sometimes clients assume familiarity too soon, overstepping the professional relationship we’ve established.

These moments may seem minor, but they have a cumulative effect, often leaving me feeling uneasy.

---

Blatant Violations

There are times when clients push well beyond acceptable limits.
- Pressuring for More: A rare but significant issue is when clients attempt to renegotiate boundaries during a session, asking for services I haven’t agreed to provide.
- Disrespectful Behaviour: This includes inappropriate comments, disregard for agreed terms, or even dismissing the professionalism of what I do.

These situations require immediate action to protect myself and maintain control over the encounter.

---

A Personal Story

One particular experience stands out: a client who persistently asked about my personal life, even after I’d redirected the conversation multiple times. When subtle hints didn’t work, I had to firmly state that my boundaries weren’t up for negotiation. It was uncomfortable, but necessary to preserve the professional dynamic.

---

Managing the Aftermath

Even after a boundary has been re-established, the emotional impact can linger.
- Self-Doubt: Did I handle it correctly? Could I have prevented it? These questions often replay in my mind.
- Emotional Drain: Confrontations can leave me feeling depleted, no matter how justified my response was.

Reflecting on these incidents with compassion for myself is key to moving forward.

---

The Importance of Clear Communication

Preventing boundary issues starts long before meeting a client.
- Pre-Booking Discussions: I ensure expectations are clear from the outset, outlining what I offer and what I don’t.
- Setting the Tone: Establishing a professional but warm rapport helps clients understand the boundaries without feeling alienated.

---

Support Systems Matter

Facing these challenges alone isn’t sustainable, which is why I rely on a network of support.
- Colleague Advice: Fellow escorts have invaluable insights into managing difficult clients.
- Personal Outlets: Whether it’s friends, family, or a therapist, having a safe space to unpack these experiences is crucial.

---

Conclusion

When clients cross the line, it’s not just an inconvenience—it’s a reminder of why boundaries are so critical. Navigating these moments takes strength, clear communication, and unwavering self-respect. It’s a constant learning process, but one that reinforces the value of standing firm in who I am and what I deserve.

Rebecca x

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

“Bitcoin is a clock with a new concept of time – block height – synchronously marking depletion of the most valuable resource in the universe, our time.” - Ross Stevens

'The fact that billions of working men and women must sacrifice 40+ years of their time, energy, health, and focus to gain access to fiat currencies that central banks can replicate with a keystroke is injustice on the largest scale humanity has ever seen. It is theft. Bitcoin' - Bitcoin for Freedom

'Billions of people will watch the generational opportunity to own 1 whole Bitcoin slip through their fingers and never return. There will be less than 500,000 whole-coiners in the world, which will continue to drop, regardless of how many people wish they had one. This is wealth based on math.' Wealth Theory

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

Happy New Year fam!🧡 Here's to a year filled with love, health, and wonderful Bitcoin moments.

Now before I am going to start with the Weekly Recap I want to share what is happening with MiCA / Travel Rule in the EU. The EU is back with more attacks on our freedom. Their 2025 MiCA and TravelRule regulations are just another step to control and surveil our financial lives. This is a good thread on what’s happening with MiCA in the EU. To make it even more specific, a thread worth your time especially if you're in Europe. x.com/ferenckovacs/status/1873278442600325235

To sum it up. The EU is cracking down on freedom while America is on the verge of an unprecedented pro-Bitcoin administration. The EU is going to be left behind again (!) because of a lack of Bitcoin education. That's why I am writing my Weekly Recaps and created this account (Bitcoin Friday). Change the world through Bitcoin education.

On the 24th of December: ➡️Michael Saylor is not fucking around. MicroStrategy just said that they want to raise the authorized share count by 10 BILLION. They currently have 330 million shares outstanding, meaning this could increase the share count by 3,000%. Microstrategy now owns 444.000 Bitcoin. That is as much as China, the US, and the UK combined. Madness! Key proposals include: 1. Increasing authorized Class A shares from 330 million to 10.33 billion to support future capital raising. 2. Increasing authorized preferred shares from 5 million to 1.005 billion to expand financing options. 3. Amending the 2023 Equity Incentive Plan to provide automatic equity awards for new directors joining the Board.

➡️While others are selling, BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF bought $32 million in BTC yesterday.

➡️The value of Metaplanet’s Bitcoin treasury is now 12x larger than the market cap of the entire company in April. Metaplanet is using Saylor's playbook. All 1,761.99 of Metaplanet’s BTC are verifiable on the chain.

➡️The Bank of Italy identifies Bitcoin P2P services as "crime-as-a-service", due to their alleged use in money laundering operations. Ma figura di merda! Don't let them frame regular Bitcoin usage as criminal. You have a right to freedom of transaction, privacy, and self-custody. Oh on a side note. They should be banning the "crime-as-a-service" Euro then - which constitutes 98.5% of illicit money laundering compared to Bitcoin, cazzos!

➡️Less than 1.2 million Bitcoin left to mine! Tick-tock, next block! (foto)

➡️Publicly traded Matador Technologies Inc. approves to purchase of $4.5 million Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset.

➡️South African parliament member Mzwanele Manyi said "Bitcoin is coming in full force. It will devalue gold. It's unstoppable."

On the 25th of December: ➡️Russia is using BITCOIN in foreign trade, says finance minister - Reuters Finance Minister: "Such transactions are already occurring. We believe they should be expanded and developed further. I am confident this will happen next year". From last week: "Russia lawmakers were this week revealed to be pushing the country to create a Bitcoin strategic reserve... Vladimir Putin praised bitcoin as an alternative to FX reserves following the seizure of its funds by Western governments." I guess banning them from SWIFT wasn’t the greatest idea after all.

➡️Jameson Lopp: "If you have a lot of bitcoin you should leave it with a custodian." 'Meanwhile, custodian losses in 2024: Rain: $15M Indodax: $22M Lykke: $22M BingX: $45M BitForex: $56M BtcTurk: $90M WazirX: $230M DMM Bitcoin: $305M' Source: hacked.slowmist.io/?c=Exchange

➡️Multiple U.S. states considering Strategic Bitcoin Reserves - CNBC

El Salvador is just 2.23 BTC away from holding 6000 bitcoin in its Strategic ReserveLike a boss, El Salvador continued adding one BTC per day to our Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. And we are still so early ...

➡️Malaysia’s largest bank says when the US establishes Bitcoin Reserves, other countries will follow with increasing demand.

On the 26th of December: ➡️Thailand has backed a pilot scheme proposed by former premier Thaksin Shinawatra to introduce Bitcoin payments at a tourist center in Phuket, Thailand.

➡️Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expresses uncertainty about implementing a Bitcoin strategic reserve, citing a lack of information on the US and other countries' plans.

➡️Another public company launches a Bitcoin treasury allocating 90% of their cash. Public company KULR buys 217.18 Bitcoin for $21 million for its Bitcoin Treasury strategy.

➡️Bitcoin mining (from otherwise wasted hydropower) is now 18% of all Ethiopian Electric Power’s revenue. The country has turned excess hydroelectric power into a profitable asset by powering Bitcoin mining operations, earning $1B in revenue last year. The move is drawing global investors who benefit from the country's low energy costs, and it's an example of how sustainable energy can drive economic growth across Africa. Source: www.crypto-news-flash.com/ethiopias-dam-powers-18-revenue-through-bitcoin-mining

On the 27th of December

➡️Daniel Batten: 'In addition to 13 peer-reviewed academic papers, there are now 8 sustainability magazines covering the fast-growing story of how Bitcoin is supporting sustainable energy development and climate action. They are: x.com/DSBatten/status/1872475284319949035 Great thread and articles/papers! Must read.

➡️Bitcoin is being quietly acquired by whales through private transactions, per CryptoQuant. The number of CoinJoin transactions has tripled over two years, with many attributing the surge to legitimate investment.

➡️Over 60 public companies now hold Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset. (foto) '14,400 BTC taken off exchanges today. This will keep happening until the liquid supply is gone. When that happens you better be done stacking.' - Bitcoin For Freedom.

➡️$5 billion Bitwise files for Bitcoin Standard Corporations ETF.

➡️IRS rules demand brokers report digital asset transactions, including decentralized exchanges from 2027.

On the 28th of December: ➡️ProShares files for ETFs tracking the S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, and gold—denominated in Bitcoin. These ETFs take long positions in stocks or gold while using Bitcoin futures to short USD and go long on BTC, making them essentially Bitcoin-hedged ETFs. Nate Geraci: 'ETF filings last 48hrs… -Strive Btc Bond ETF -Bitwise Btc Standard Corporations ETF -REX Btc Corporate Treasury Convertible Bond ETF -ProShares Btc hedged ETFs on S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, & gold 2025 is gonna be wild' This is de facto how BTC is going to scale to a billion users.

On the 29th of December: ➡️Bitcoin vs. Gold ETFs in 2024: •Bitcoin: $36.8 billion in net flows •Gold: $454 million in net flows Bitcoin is demonetizing gold in real-time. (foto)

On the 30th of December: ➡️This year's investor letter from Stone Ridge did not disappoint. One of the best investor newsletters I've read in a long time. www.nydig.com/research/stone-ridge-2024-investor-letter This year's investor letter from Stone Ridge did not disappoint. One of the best investor newsletters I've read in a long time. (foto) 'NYDIG is about to unlock one of the largest investable pools of capital in the entire financial system—insurance float—and channel it into Bitcoin-backed loans. This is a big deal. More efficient lending → lower loan costs → less BTC sold → increased scarcity → higher demand and price → stronger institutional interest → accelerated Bitcoin adoption.' - Sam Callahan ➡️Tether buys 7,629 Bitcoin worth $705 million for its reserves and now owns $7.7 billion in Bitcoin.

➡️'According to Luke Dash Jr's estimates of unreachable / non-listening node counts, the total number of Bitcoin nodes rose 49% from 65,000 to 96,852 during 2024.' - Jameson Lopp The number of publicly reachable computers running Bitcoin blockchain software increased by 19% this year. This is very important! Noderunners!

➡️MicroStrategy has acquired 2,138 BTC for ~$209 million at ~$97,837 per bitcoin and has achieved a BTC Yield of 47.8% QTD and 74.1% YTD. As of 12/29/2024, they hodl 446,400 Bitcoin acquired for ~$27.9 billion at ~$62,428 per Bitcoin.

On the 31st of December: ➡️A Swiss initiative to include Bitcoin in the constitution has advanced to the review stage in the Feuille fédérale, the official publication for legislative texts and government decisions.

➡️New record bitcoin network computing hashrate: 800,000,000,000,000,000,000x per second.

➡️Bitcoin miners earned $15B in revenue in 2024. This assumes they instantly sell for fiat, which is not the case - miners tend to be HODLers.

➡️Bitcoin Returns since 2010... (foto) "Only" +120% this year, 5x the returns of the S&P 500.

➡️Bhutan now likely holds more Bitcoin per capita than any other country on Earth.

➡️$1.5 trillion Franklin Templeton says "We expect to see strategic Bitcoin reserves added by several nations" in 2025.

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

On the 26th of December: 👉🏽'The US stock market is becoming even more concentrated: The top 10 stocks now reflect a record 40% of the S&P 500's market cap. This percentage now exceeds the 2000 Dot-Com bubble levels by ~14 percentage points. In 2024, these stocks have added over $7 TRILLION in market cap and are now worth a record $20.9 trillion. To put this into perspective, the entire European stock market is worth ~$16 trillion, or $4.9 trillion LESS. The market's rally is not broadening.' -TKL

🏦Banks: 👉 no news

🌎Macro/Geopolitics:

On the 24th of December: 👉🏽'US existing home sales are set to close at 4.04 million in 2024, marking the worst year since 1995. Sales are set to be even lower than during the 2008 Financial Crisis. The lack of demand for existing homes comes as home prices have jumped over 50% since 2020. Over the same period, mortgage rates have nearly TRIPLED, making affordability even worse. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage is up 100 basis points since September alone, to 7.1%, despite the Fed cutting rates by 100 basis points. The US housing market is frozen.' -TKL

On the 25th of December: 👉🏽Javier Milei announces a structural tax reform that will eliminate 90% of taxes in Argentina.

👉🏽 China withdrew $158 billion from its financial system through its MLF tool (Medium-Term lending facility), the largest liquidity removal in a decade.

On the 26th of December: 👉🏽“Brussels started a department to look for €60M in savings. Its operational costs so far are €30M.” The most EU thing I've ever seen. The worst part? The government can only grow in its current form, which means it will only become bigger and more expensive. Inefficiency in government. A lot of inefficiency, with more and more regulations and no contributing productivity. Welcome to how Western governments function.

Remember the report from Oxfam International two months ago? "Up to $41 billion in World Bank climate finance unaccounted for.". Remember how the Pentagon fails 7th audit in a row, unable to fully account for the $ 842B budget.

But hey, Bitcoin is just made-up money, right?

👉🏽'The 10-year note yield is now up 100 basis points since the "Fed pivot" began in September. In other words, while the Fed has CUT rates by 100 bps, rates in the market have RISEN by 100 bps.' -TKL “As a result, the average interest rate on a 30-year mortgage in the United States is now at 7.10%. To put this into perspective, just 3 months ago the average rate bottomed at 6.15%. Buying the median-priced home at $420,400 now costs an average of ~$400 more PER MONTH.” The disconnect between the Fed and what's going on in the bond market is ridiculous. Never in the last 40 years has the 10-year Treasury risen more quickly after the Fed started a rate-cutting cycle. The housing market pays the price (read the first point in this segment)

👉🏽New Chinese $137B river dam project in Tibet, 3x the size of Three Gorges for 300 million people. $137B honestly sounds like a small amount after hearing how much the US spends on foreign wars. They've given Ukraine $183B to date. One war in Ukraine or one dam that generates enough electricity to power your entire country? The environmental destruction will be irreversible and will affect the entire planet. The Chinese see our planet as a commodity and a resource that needs to be exploited. Arnaud Bertrand: 'China just approved yet another project of an unfathomable scale: a mega-dam that will generate 3 times more power than the Three Gorges, enough to meet the annual needs of over 300m people, the equivalent of the entire US population. scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3292267/china-approves-tibet-mega-dam-could-generate-3-times-more-power-three-gorges… The project will cost an insane 1 trillion yuan (US$137 billion) to build and will be located on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet autonomous region, which carves out the deepest canyon on Earth.'

On the 29th of December: 👉🏽'Germany, France, and Italy, the three largest economies in Europe have been stagnating for years. Grotesque overregulation, lack of innovation, and left redistribution mindset replacing hard work & entrepreneurial spirit have their price. What needs to happen for Europe to grow again?' -Michael A. Arouet The EU is destroying the European economy. 'Sixteen years ago, the US and EU economies were nearly equal in size. Today, the US economy is 50% larger than the EU. Europe is being strangled by the EU and its Commission President von der Leyen's red tape.'- Steve Hanke (foto)

On the 31st of December: 👉🏽'Global corporate debt issuance jumped ~34% year-over-year to a record $7.9 trillion in 2024. Global corporate debt sales have DOUBLED over the last 12 years. Issuances have now surpassed the previous record of $7.2 trillion in 2021. This comes as historically low corporate bond spreads have fueled massive issuance activity. Furthermore, the average US investment-grade bond spread has fallen to just 0.77 percentage points in early December. This market the tightest spread since the late 1990s, according to Ice BofA data.' -TKL The only thing I am wondering is who is buying corporate debt when you can get 5% in a money market? Or just buy Bitcoin😉

👉🏽Total US debt is up 30%, or $8.5 trillion since Biden's inauguration, to $36.2 trillion.

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

Some fountain of Jeff Booth's wisdom: Repricing the World in Bitcoin

Credit: I have used multiple sources!

My savings account: Bitcoin The tool I recommend for setting up a Bitcoin savings plan: PocketBitcoin especially suited for beginners or people who want to invest in Bitcoin with an automated investment plan once a week or monthly. Use the code BITCOINFRIDAY

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.

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⭐ Many thanks⭐

Felipe -Bitcoin Friday!

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@ bc6ccd13:f53098e4

I’ve been thinking about the topic of this article for a while, but what really motivated me to sit down and write was a comment Matt Odell made on the Citadel Dispatch podcast recently. He said,

To me, that’s the cool part about Bitcoin, is that it’s this interoperable, permissionless, global network. And it’s almost like a shared equity, right? If you own Bitcoin the asset, it’s like we all share equity in this almost like a startup equity. And anything we do, and a lot of times it’s out of greed too. It’s not out of benevolence. You don’t have to be like a charitable person. But you know, if Strike benefits from something or Unchained Capital benefits from something, then Manchankura in Africa benefits from it as well at the same time, which is like a crazy concept. I feel like people just don’t really appreciate that.

When you start going down the “what is money?” rabbit hole, debt quickly comes into focus. You try to understand what it is, how it works, and why the world has so much of it and seemingly more by the second. Eventually you’ll discover that the “money” we use today is mostly just debt, created by banks when they make loans, and treated the same as the cash in your wallet. Until too many people try to withdraw their “money” from the bank, and the bank doesn’t have nearly enough cash to meet the withdrawals and collapses into insolvency. Which it always was, only no one realized who was swimming naked until the tide went out.

Equity is a related financial concept that doesn’t typically come up when studying money. The definition of the word as it’s used financially is something like “a risk interest or ownership right in property.” In simple terms, equity refers to ownership of something. For example, if you have a house that’s worth $500,000 and you have no mortgage or loans against the house, you have equity in the house of 100% of its value, or $500,000. If you have a mortgage of $250,000, you currently have 50% equity in the house, or you “own” half the value of the house.

It’s also often used to refer to shares issued by publicly traded companies. The shares represent a partial ownership of, or equity in, the company. If a company has issued 1,000 shares of stock and you own 10 shares, you have a 1% ownership of that company. That ownership give you certain privileges, such as dividends paid out from profits the company makes and potentially ownership of an increasingly valuable company, if it continues to be successful.

Money: Debt or Equity?

The current fractionally reserved fiat banking system primarily uses debt as money. There’s a small amount of base money, which consists of physical cash and a digital equivalent of cash called bank reserves, which are held in a ledger in banks’ accounts at the Federal Reserve and are used to settle transactions between banks. But this base money only makes up a small percentage of the total money supply. The bulk of the “money” consists of bank deposits, which are essentially IOUs created by banks when they issue loans under the fractional reserve system. When a bank makes a loan, they don’t actually give the borrower base money, for example a stack of physical cash, in most cases. Instead what they give is an liability entry in the bank’s balance sheet ledger that says “the bank owes the borrower this amount of dollars.” At the same time, on the asset side of the balance sheet they create another entry that says “the borrower owes the bank this amount of dollars” with details on how and when the loan must be repaid.

Then through the magic of banking, the borrower can transfer the numbers representing the amount the bank owes them to someone else, and now the bank owes that other person a certain number of dollars. And so on down the line. This can continue indefinitely, with people exchanging bank IOUs with each other in perpetuity, and no actual base money dollars needing to be exchanged. With help from a deliberate effort by banks to conceal the real nature of their activities, these credit/debt ledger entries function as, and for all practical purposes become, money. The only thing that can upset the apple cart is too many people trying to effectively exit the banking system at once, by trying to withdraw the money in their account. At that point reality sets in. The fact that the numbers in their account didn’t actually represent base money but rather just debt that the bank owes the depositor becomes obvious when the bank run reveals that the bank doesn’t have enough actual base money to settle its debt.

This system has a lot of serious problems, besides the fact that it’s fundamentally based on a lie. For one, all the bank deposits are created by making loans, which means they’re all debt, which means they all have to be paid back with interest. That’s a problem for two reasons. One, paying back the debt destroys money, which artificially disrupts the economy by distorting prices as the amount of money in the economy rises and falls arbitrarily depending on new loan issuance versus debt repayment. Two, when the loan is made, only the amount of the principle is created in bank deposits. The interest isn’t. That means new loans have to be made to pay the interest on the existing loans. That basically guarantees that the amount of debt in the economy will continue to rise indefinitely, because the only way it could go down is for the banking system as it currently exists to collapse, or to be “bailed out” with massive injections of newly created base money to offset loans that can’t be paid back. That, coincidentally, is what Quantitative Easing is; an injection of newly created base money to provide liquidity to pay back debt without having to issue new debt to do it.

Now let’s think for a minute about equity and how it might compare and contrast with the current system in relation to money.

To begin with, I understand money as a ledger of deferred consumption. If you haven’t heard that concept before, it would probably be helpful to familiarize yourself with my thought process laid out here.

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Deferred consumption is what makes capital formation and civilization possible. People work to create things that they don’t immediately consume, and those new tools and processes make it easier to create more things in the future with less effort, which raises the productivity of the economy (getting more output for less input) and makes society as a whole wealthier. Those new tools and processes can then be used to more efficiently create other tools and processes, which increases productivity even further, and the whole thing compounds on itself in an exponential curve of increasing productivity and increasing wealth. But it all starts with and relies on someone somewhere putting in effort now, to create something they won’t benefit from until later.

Planting a seed is a perfect example. When you have a bushel of wheat, you have two choices. You can consume it now. That’s immediately satisfying and keeps you fed for say a month. Or you can plant it. That’s hard work, and you also have to defer consumption of the wheat. You can’t eat it now, you have to satisfy your hunger some other way. It also takes work throughout the year to cultivate and care for the wheat crop, time you could have spent doing something more fun, if you had just consumed the wheat directly instead of planting it. The flip side is, at harvest time, you might harvest 50 bushels of wheat from the 1 bushel you didn’t eat 6 months ago. That 50 bushels could now feed you for 4 years, and you can sell 30 bushels, keep 12 for your own use over the next year, and plant 8 for harvest next year. Then in a year you might harvest 400 bushels, etc. You can see how a little bit of deferred consumption today can lead to a lot of reward in the future. There’s even a term for being short-sighted and sacrificing future rewards for present gratification, “eating the seed corn,” which comes directly from this farming wisdom.

The same principle applies to business equity. When you start a business, you invest in some way into building something that isn’t immediately rewarding, but that you expect will yield more production in the future than your initial investment. You might invest your own time and effort, resources that you’ve gathered, money, or any number of other forms of value. The same applies to a public company that issues equity as shares of stock. Anyone can invest in the company by purchasing shares, which gives them a partial ownership of the company and its future growth and production. All those forms of investment, to acquire equity, are different forms of deferred consumption. You have to give up something you could have now, for something you hope to have in the future. You could spend the time now curled up in bed binge-watching Netflix. You could spend your effort strolling down the boardwalk eating an ice cream cone. You could spend your money on that pricey designer bag that all your girlfriends will be jealous of. All those things would be immediately gratifying. But they all have a long-term cost.

What happens when you defer consumption instead, and acquire equity? If things go the way you hoped and planned, and the company you founded or invested in is successful, it will eventually produce more than the initial consumption that you deferred. Your equity will become more valuable with time. Why? Because like we pointed out, deferred consumption and capital formation increases efficiency, which leads to compounding returns in productivity and value.

If the company is extremely successful and you defer your consumption long enough, those returns can be very large. For example, if you had invested $1,000 in Amazon in 2007, that equity today, 17 years later, would have returned over $80,000. The first iPhone was released in 2007 for $500. So you could have bought two iPhones instead of making that initial investment in Amazon. But if you deferred that consumption instead, even though the price of the iPhone has doubled by 2024, you could still buy eighty new iPhones with the equity from that initial investment instead of two, or a 40x return in “iPhone inflation adjusted” terms.

Now let’s make a mental leap and compare equity in a business with money. We’ve defined money as a ledger of deferred consumption. You could define business equity as a ledger of consumption deferred to establish ownership of a business instead. You have the stock, the equity in the company, to represent that you invested your time, effort, resources or money into building a business rather than consuming it on something for your immediate gratification. These definitions seem very similar, almost synonymous. We could also consider the economy as a whole to be very similar to a business. As consumption is deferred, more capital is created in the economy, it becomes more efficient and productive, more outputs are created with fewer inputs, and the economy as a whole grows in value.

Business equity represents ownership in a company, both in the current value of that company, and in its future productivity and value. Why? Because the future productivity and value wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the deferred consumption of the initial investment. If Jeff Bezos hadn’t started Amazon, and investors hadn’t provided the money by buying shares to enable the company to grow the way it did, all the productivity and value of Amazon today wouldn’t exist. That’s why it’s fair for the person who only invested $1,000 in 2007 to gain a return of 40x that investment today.

So if business equity represents ownership of a company earned by deferred consumption, what does the deferred consumption of money itself grant ownership of? Well, money can be exchanged for any good or service available on the market, throughout the entire economy. In my opinion, money should represent ownership of the future productivity and value of the economy as a whole. Money should be equity in civilization itself. The future productivity and value of the economy depends on the deferred consumption of today, just like the future productivity and value of a company depends on the deferred consumption of its initial founders and investors.

Slices of Pie

There’s an issue that needs to be addressed here, one that the savvy investor will have noticed already. Equity in a growing and successful company becomes more valuable over time. Yet even though the economy as a whole is becoming more productive and more valuable, money as we know it today becomes less valuable over time. The $1,000 Amazon equity went from being worth two iPhones, to being worth eighty iPhones. Over the same time period, the $1,000 itself went from being worth two iPhones to being worth one iPhone. What gives?

To understand, we have to look at the differences between how equity is created and how money is created.

The most simple example is a company that’s owned by a single individual. They hold 100% of the equity. You could call that one share. Think of the company like a pie, but the pie hasn’t been cut, so there’s only one “slice.” Over time, if the company is successful, the company “pie” grows larger. But as it grows, it doesn’t get cut into more slices, the one “slice” just gets bigger and bigger. So the one “share” of equity the owner holds is still one share, it’s just a bigger and more valuable share.

Public companies generally function similarly. They start out “going public” by issuing shares. Each share is like a small slice of the company “pie.” Say the company issues 1,000 shares, each share represents a slice of pie 1/1,000th the size of the whole company pie. If the company grows, it won’t commonly issue more shares, although that can happen in certain situations. Instead, the shares will continue to represent 1/1,000th of the company, it will just be 1/1,000 of a bigger and bigger “pie” as time goes on. If the company doubles in productivity and value, each share will be twice as valuable, while still only being one share.

That doesn’t have to be the case. The company can, and sometimes does, issue more shares of stock. The reason this isn’t commonly done, though, is that it’s usually bad for the holders of the stock. If the company issues another 1,000 shares, there are now 2,000 pieces of ownership of the company. The company is no bigger, it’s just divided into more pieces. It’s like cutting each slice of pie in half. You don’t have more pie, you just have more pieces of pie. And as someone who already had a piece of pie, your piece suddenly got cut in half. Of course you probably won’t be too happy about that situation. In effect, the value of the deferred consumption of your initial investment is being taken away from you and given to someone who didn’t defer consumption and therefore didn’t contribute to the success the company has already experienced.

Contrast that to how money is created. If you compare the chart of money supply below with the chart of GDP, you'll see they both go up over time.

GDP is an (admittedly flawed) measure of the goods and services produced by an economy each year. It's similar to a company's revenue. As a company or economy grows and becomes more productive and valuable, the revenue or GDP rises. The thing about the economy though, is that money, the “shares” of an economy representing the deferred consumption that enables it to grow, is constantly being created by banks making new loans. So as the economy grows, the number of “slices” of the economy grows even faster. When the number of “slices” of an economy grow faster than the economy itself, the “size” or value of each slice falls over time. This is what we call inflation. It takes more “slices” of the economy to buy something than it did in the past, even though the economy is more efficient at producing that good or service than it was in the past.

You can imagine how it might look if a company managed its equity the way the banks manage our money. Each year, as the company grew, the board of directors would issue enough new shares of stock to make sure the value of each share fell that year. They could take the approach the US banking system takes and “target 2% inflation,” in other words try to make the share value fall 2% every year. So if the productivity and value of the company increased by 10%, the board would issue 12% more shares to dilute the existing shareholders by the full amount of the increased value of the company, plus an additional 2%. This would help ensure the share price fell 2% every year. The new shares would be distributed to existing shareholders arbitrarily by decision of the board, with a big chunk going to the board members themselves. This would be highly profitable for the board, leaving them with a larger slice of company equity every year, while being very damaging to all the other shareholders.

In fact, one might wonder why an investor would ever hold equity in a company, when the company's stated policy was to reduce the value of that equity by 2% every year. The answer is, nobody would. It would be idiotic.

Then one might wonder why anyone would hold money, “shares” of an economy, when the stated policy of the banks managing the issuance of that money is to reduce the value of each dollar by 2% every year. The answer to that is just as simple: they have to.

Nobody has to buy stock issued by a particular company in order to survive day to day. But it’s impossible to survive day to day in the modern US economy without using the money issued by the US banking system. You get paid in dollars for your work, and get charged in dollars for every item you buy. You need at least a certain amount of dollars just to live day to day. Of course those who understand the financial system make every effort to hold as few dollars as possible, and to invest the excess as soon as possible into some asset that will hold its value over time. Of course that doesn’t actually get rid of the dollar, just transfers it to someone else. Then the new holder of the dollar has to quickly exchange it with someone else for a better asset, and so on in an endless repeating loop. No matter how many people invest in assets, the full quantity of dollars in existence is always held by someone, and those people are continually being diluted by the issuance of new dollars by banks creating bank deposits when they make loans.

Implications

If what I’m proposing is correct, there would be massive implications in changing the way money works in the economy from the current credit/debt issuance controlled by banks, to a system that functions more like equity issued by a responsible and profitable company. Getting into the details of those implications in various specific areas will take many more articles, but I just want to mention a few to get your mind running, then circle all the way back to where we started.

Imagine if the money every person earned went up in value as the economy grew. It would be like owning equity in the broadest possible index of businesses, better even than owning an S&P 500 ETF or mutual fund. And it would take no effort. There would be no need to open a brokerage account, decide what companies or funds to invest in, and pay commissions and fees to the brokerage for the privilege. There would be no need for a 401k. All that would be needed is to work at the job you’re best at, consume less than you produce, and save the difference. The economic growth created by increased productivity would automatically accrue equally across the population to those who were best at being productive and deferring consumption. Working hard, being frugal, and saving for the future would automatically be rewarded. All the incentives would be realigned to benefit those who contribute most to capital formation and future economic prosperity.

It would be much easier for those with low income to get ahead financially. Any amount they manage to save, no matter how small, would increase in value over time. Contrast that with the current system where a small amount of savings continually becomes worth less over time, encouraging people to consume more than they need in the moment since their small savings will shrink to insignificance quickly.

You can easily think of lots of other changes that would happen as a result of using money that functions more like equity than our current system does.

But to tie all this back to the quote at the beginning, I think what Matt is seeing and feeling is the beginnings of a more equity-like monetary system. I think the properties of Bitcoin, specifically its predictable and limited supply issuance, make it behave like equity in a well-managed, productive company. That “company” just happens to be the global and permissionless group of every person who chooses to save and transact in Bitcoin instead of the current credit/debt money. And the fact that even self-serving actions toward productive goals end up benefitting every member of the network is exactly what we’d expect in a truly capitalist economic system. Whenever someone works to grow the “pie” in order to make their slice bigger, the fact that the pie is growing means everyone else’s slice is growing as well. And that’s a beautiful thing.

I’m excited to see how this theory plays out over time, because from my point of view, the potential of moving to a more equity-like monetary system is both massive and extremely optimistic.

@ ebdee929:513adbad

Blue light is not inherently bad, just bad in the wrong context.

Blue light provides wakefulness, stimulation, and sets our internal body clock (circadian rhythm).

When we go outside in the sun, we get bathed in blue lightblue light is not inherently bad, just bad in the wrong context.

Blue light sets the human rhythm.

However, sunlight never gives us blue light without the rest of the visible rainbow + infrared.

Light from screens & LED bulbs do not contain any infrared, and has a unnaturally high proportion of blue light.

LEDs = unbalanced & blue light dominant

Light from artificial sources is especially disruptive at night time, where the high blue light component can interfere with melatonin production and sleep quality at a greater rate than lower energy colors of light. Blue Light has a Dark Side

This doesn't mean that red light is completely innocent of disrupting sleep either

It is both the spectrum of light AND the intensity of light that contributes to sleep disruption. See this tweet from Huberman.

We took all of this into account when building the DC-1 to be the world's first blue light free computer.

The DC-1 has a reflective screen that:

• emits ZERO light during the day

• can be used easily outside in direct sunlight

& a backlight that:

• can be 100% blue light free

• has a broad spectrum of light

• can be seen at very low brightness

Our Live Paper™ display technology feels like a magic piece of paper

During the day, that piece of paper is illuminated by sunlight. At night, that piece of paper is illuminated by candle light.

(backlight is converging with a candle light spectrum)

The two sources of natural light are sunlight & fire.

We are trying to reproduce this experience for the most enjoyable, healthy, and least invasive technology experience for humanity.

Root cause problem solving by emulating nature.

"But can't I just put a red light screen filter on my MacBook?"

Absolutely you can, and we advocate for it

Software screen filters are great, but anyone who has changed their screen to full “red mode” to get rid of the blue light knows the downsides to this…

You can barely see anything and you end up having to crank up the brightness in order to see any contrast.

This is because of the highly isolated nature of LED emissive screens, you can only isolate a very narrow band of colors.

Going full red is not something your eyes have ever been used to seeing.

You need a broad spectrum light solution, and that is what we have in our amber backlight while still being blue light free.

This means you can have a better visual experience, turn down the brightness, and get minimal sleep/circadian disruption.

What about FLICKER?

Nearly all LEDs flicker. Especially when changing in brightness due to Pulsed Width Modulation (PWM) LED driver control

Our LED backlight uses DC dimming & is expert verified flicker-free.

This can only be achieved through hardware changes, not software screen filters.

& Blue Light Blocking Glasses?

They need to be tinted orange/red to block all of the blue light.

Thus the same issues as screen filters (bad visual experience, not solving flicker) + average joe would never wear them.

We still love blue blockers, they just aren't a root cause solution.

We made a computer that is healthier and less stimulating, with a low barrier to entry

Whether you are a staunch circadian health advocate or just like the warm vibes of amber mode and being outside...the DC-1 just feels good because it doesn't make you feel bad :)

Learn more here and thanks for reading.

@ 6e4f2866:a76f7a29

Have you ever felt like you’re running as fast as you can in life, only to find yourself in the same spot? Trying to achieve goals, optimise yourself only to feel unfulfilled & lacking. That’s the hamster wheel—an exhausting, repetitive cycle that holds us captive in patterns we didn’t consciously choose. These aren’t just bad habits; they’re deep-rooted default programs born from early life experiences. Let’s explore what these hamster wheels are, how they shape us, and most importantly, how we can step off them for good.

What Are Hamster Wheels? \ \ The term #hamsterwheels ( hamstr) is a metaphor for the unconscious patterns that keep us stuck. I discovered these wheels through my own introspection & seeing these patterns in my clients. Imagine a wheel turning endlessly, powered by our own efforts but leading nowhere. These programs are often formed in childhood, when trauma, disconnection, or unmet needs force us to develop defense mechanisms to survive. They worked back then, but now they just keep us spinning.

\ The Mechanics of a Hamster Wheel \ \ Every hamster wheel has two opposing forces—gain and loss, right and wrong, attention and neglect, let down & support & unable & able. We strive to stay on the “good” side: gaining approval, being right, or receiving attention. But inevitably, the wheel flips, and we find ourselves losing, being wrong, or feeling ignored. It’s a cruel cycle of frustration that feels impossible to escape. 
You will be positioned on the left side or right side when you look at the wheel. One is yin dominant, non doing, unable, more of a victim. One is Yang, always doing, high achiever, seen as a winner. 

\ \ Left side is safe in the unableness so will self sacrifice when they are to feel able to& start to achieve. So as they climb up the wheel to the right, they will lose interest or confidence in what they are doing, either sliding back exhausted in their endeavour or flipping over into victimhood. They long to be confident & win at life but deep down feel they cannot. 

\ \ Right sided dwellers have to be right, are constantly striving & hate (kryptonite) feeling unable. When they feel unable they will become enraged. They are compelled to gain valuableness in their own eyes and those of others. They are usually very difficult to work with as working with a therapist makes them feel unable. They will eventually put so much energy running up the right side that they will be flung backwards into usableness often times falling into deep depression (unableness) or even attracting illness. 

They always attract unableness & the left sided experiences to balance themselves out. 

The wheel always balances itself out. This is the way of the hamster wheel. 


\ \ Here’s the kicker: these wheels are powered by our deepest fears and insecurities. They keep us stuck not because we’re lazy or unmotivated, but because they’ve become our default way of operating, they are our automated defence systems.

\ Common Hamster Wheels \ \ There are five key hamster wheels that we all grapple with:

1. Gain/Loss: The endless chase for more—more success, more love, more recognition—followed by the crushing fear of losing it all.
2. Right/Wrong: The compulsion to always be right, which leads to the paralyzing fear of being wrong.
3. Attention/Neglect: Oscillating between craving attention and fearing rejection or neglect.
4. Able/Unable: Striving to prove we’re capable, only to feel crushed by moments of doubt or failure.
5. Support/Let Down: Giving endlessly to others for validation, but feeling betrayed or let down when it’s not reciprocated.

If you watch your thoughts closely you will see these programs or songs at the root of all your thoughts.

How Hamster Wheels Impact Your Life \ \ These patterns influence every aspect of our lives: our relationships, careers, and even our self-worth. They dictate how we act, how we think, and even how we feel. For example:

• The drive to gain approval often results in feeling unworthy.
• A relentless pursuit of success can spiral into burnout and self-criticism.
• Efforts to avoid neglect might lead to overcompensating and losing yourself in the process. And the hardest part? These wheels feel like home. They’re familiar, and stepping off them can feel terrifying.

They quite literally create your reality.

\ Breaking the Cycle The good news? You can break free. It’s not easy, but it’s possible. Here’s how:

1. Observe Without Judgment: Start by noticing your patterns. This is real #meditation What thoughts or actions are you repeating? Don’t judge yourself—just observe. Awareness is the first step to freedom.
2. Understand the Roots: These wheels didn’t come from nowhere. They’re the result of unmet needs or childhood traumas. By understanding their origins, you can begin to dismantle their power.
3. Reject External Solutions: No guru, book, or quick fix can save you. True freedom comes from within. The moment you stop looking for external validation, the wheel starts to lose its grip.

You must take full responsibility for everything in your life. Only you can do this proof of work.

\ Final Thoughts Hamster wheels aren’t your fault, but they are your responsibility. They’ve been running your life long enough. Isn’t it time to take back control? Imagine stepping off the wheel, feeling the ground beneath your feet for the first time. That’s where real freedom begins. So, what hamster wheel are you on? Are you ready to step off and embrace a life of clarity, peace, and purpose? The journey starts here, with a single step: observation. Everything else flows from there.

@ acbcec47:dd305bec

Prepare starter

• 1 part starter (~30g)
• 2 parts wholemeal rye flour (~60g)
• 2 parts warm water (~60g)

Stir well, then leave to stand warm and covered until the volume has almost doubled.

Once the starter has doubled in volume and a light cap has formed, it can be used for the dough.

Ingredients

• Flour (2/3 550/1100 wheat flour, 1/3 997 rye flour) = 600g
• Water: 60% of the flour quantity = 360g warm water
• Starter: 20% of the flour quantity = 120g starter
• Salt: 3% of the flour = 18g

Put the rest of the starter (about 30g) back in the fridge for the next batch. Knead everything well for 5 minutes, then leave to stand warm and covered.

Fermenting

First fermenting phase in one piece until the volume has almost doubled.

Then divide into portions ...

Shape and leave to rise on the baking tray for 1-2 hours.

Baking

• Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F)
• Just before baking, cut in the top of the rolls with a razor blade, so that they can extend

• Bake for 20 min with steam/cover at 210°C (410°F)
• Then remove the steam/cover and bake another 15-20 min at 180°C (360°F)

Enjoy ...

@ e1d968f7:5d90f764

One of the most valuable skills in this industry isn’t about appearance or physicality—it’s about learning to read people. Understanding someone’s emotions, intentions, and desires from the moment they walk in the door is a skill I’ve honed over time. It’s about picking up on both verbal and non-verbal cues to create an experience tailored to each individual.

---

The Importance of First Impressions

The first few moments of a meeting set the tone for everything that follows.
- Body Language: The way someone stands, how they look at you, their posture—these all provide clues about how they’re feeling.
- Facial Expressions: A smile or a furrowed brow can say more than words ever could.
- Voice and Tone: Is their voice steady or shaking? Are they soft-spoken, or do they speak with confidence? These can reveal nerves, excitement, or something else entirely.

---

Paying Attention to the Unspoken

While words are important, it’s often what’s not said that reveals the most.
- Subtle Shifts: A change in breathing, a lingering glance, or fidgeting hands can indicate anxiety or anticipation.
- Comfort Levels: A relaxed posture or engaging in more relaxed conversation shows they’re settling in. Tension might point to discomfort or uncertainty.

---

The Emotional Temperature

Each client brings their own energy into the room. Being able to gauge their mood helps tailor the experience.
- Stress vs. Relaxation: Some clients may arrive stressed, needing someone to help them unwind. Others might be in a playful mood, eager for light-hearted fun.
- Vulnerability: Occasionally, clients may come seeking emotional connection or comfort, making it important to be sensitive to their needs.

---

Trusting Your Instincts

Over time, you learn to trust your gut. There are moments when you sense something isn’t quite right, and it’s essential to honour that feeling.
- Reading Between the Lines: Sometimes, clients may not be direct about what they want or need. It’s your job to gently read between the lines, offering them a safe space to express themselves.
- Comfort and Boundaries: Understanding when to push forward or back off is a fine balance that only comes with experience.

---

A Skill That Grows

Learning to read people isn’t something that happens overnight—it’s developed with every interaction, every client, and every experience. It’s a combination of observation, intuition, and empathy. And in many ways, it’s what makes this job not just about the physical, but about connecting with someone on a deeper level.

Rebecca x

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

Bitcoin is freedom of speech in the language of money.

'The five stages of a No-Coiner:

1. Denial (most people are here)

2. Anger (Peter Schiff)

3. Bargaining (Shitcoiners)

4. Depression (Rekt shit-coiners)

5. Acceptance (Bitcoiner)' - Bitcoin for Freedom

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

On the 31st of December:

➡️Impressive growth for Unchained in securing Bitcoin for clients. $9.5 billion financial services company Unchained helped its clients secure over 100,000 Bitcoin in 2024.

➡️'ETH/BTC is down 30% this year—the "world computer" needs a new narrative quickly, otherwise, it's going to fall another 100%.' -Joe Consorti

➡️'Since the beginning of Q4, treasury operations delivered a BTC Yield of 47.8%, a net benefit of 120,600 BTC to our shareholders. At $96K per BTC, that equates to $11.6 billion for the quarter.' - Michael Saylor

On the 1st of January:

➡️BlackRock's Spot Bitcoin ETF now holds over 2% of all the Bitcoin that will ever exist.

➡️MicroStrategy is now down 47% since hitting an all-time high 6 weeks ago.

➡️'$793M worth of Bitcoin was transferred from MicroStrategy-linked Coinbase Prime Custody addresses to unknown wallets, according to Arkham Intelligence.' -Bitcoin News

➡️We start the year with a new low on Bitcoin on exchanges, and 30k Bitcoin withdrew in the last 24 hours.

➡️Daniel Batten: 'Little known fact: The World's largest Sovereign Fund (Government Pension Fund Global, Norway) already has significant Bitcoin exposure. The fund has invested $217 million in MicroStrategy, tripling its allocation between Aug 2023 and Aug 2024. Expect more of this in 2025.'

➡️New research paper published:

https://www.cetjournal.it/cet/24/114/061.pdf

TL;DR: Pairing Bitcoin mining and Green Hydrogen can: accelerate the build-out of solar and wind capacity boost capacity for negative emission technologies, capturing >7.4 t CO2e per Bitcoin

➡️Globalt Investments senior portfolio manager Thomas Martin reveals that the company currently has 10% of its portfolio in gold and that it could increase its holdings in Bitcoin, but probably below 5%.

➡️Hong Kong-listed company Yuxing buys 78.2 Bitcoin for $6.3 million.

➡️2024 is in the books, and the results are clear:

Bitcoin topped the charts again, outperforming every major asset class for the year. Investment returns last year:

Bitcoin: +121%

Gold: +27%

NASDAQ: +26%

S&P 500: +25%

Dow Jones: +13%

Emerging Markets: +6%

Cash: +5%

Real Estate: +5%

Commodities: +2%

Oil: +1%

US Bonds: +1%

Again Bitcoin is at the top. There is no second best.

By simply buying and holding Bitcoin, you outperformed 99.99% of all financial institutions on planet Earth in 2024, without hidden fees and bullshit.

On the 2nd of January:

➡️Billionaire investor Ray Dalio recommends Bitcoin as 'hard money' amid national debt increases, per the Block.

Recently I have seen a Ray Dalio interview. He owns Bitcoin, but he still doesn't understand some basic concepts. Oh well, Gradually then suddenly. Ray Dalio: "I want to steer away from debt assets like bonds and debt, and have some hard money like gold and Bitcoin."

➡️FORBES: Bitcoin mining in Africa “has shown to provide the much-needed revenue to boost electricity infrastructure development, create jobs, sustainably electrify rural communities, and catalyze green energy production.”

➡️The Oxford English Dictionary added the word "satoshi'.

➡️Fold announces up to $30M in convertible note financing, backed by Bitcoin, to fuel growth and fast-track product development.

On the 3rd of January:

➡️On this day 16 years ago Bitcoin went online! Happy Bitcoin Genesis Block Day! This block is unspendable. Satoshi also waited 6 days before mining block #2 so others had time to join the network.

Now that Bitcoin has existed for 16 years! Lindy effect says that Bitcoin would at least exist for another 16 years.

January 3, 2009. Satoshi undermines block 0 on a difficulty 1 CPU and incorporates into the Genesis Block hexadecimal code base the headline of that day’s Times “The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on the brink of second bailout for banks”. The bank bailout plan ‘cause of the subprime mortgage crisis in the GFC.

Since that day, the network has grown dramatically. Now, millions of people all over earth use Bitcoin. And while it’s great to hear that other countries like El Salvador, Bhutan, and others are embracing Bitcoin, I can’t help but wish my own country 🇳🇱 was embracing Bitcoin too.

Tick tick, next block without fail, Bitcoin continues to provide us with the most significant tool for freedom of speech and monetary sovereignty in the digital age!

Bitcoin is about financial inclusion and economic empowerment.🎯

Bitcoin is secured by the most powerful computing network in the world!🧡

Which leads me to the following.

➡️Just like with other emerging tech, perspectives evolve. Fascinating to see that finally, the vast majority of academic papers are recognizing the benefits of Bitcoin Mining.

Daniel Batten: "87.5% of contemporary peer-reviewed literature on Bitcoin and energy highlight Bitcoin mining having significant, scaleable environmental benefits This shift in scientific consensus follows the same trend as that of other nascent technologies, where first-generation research is superseded by more nuanced work based on better understanding, more case studies, and improved data."

Here you can find the list of those 14 of the last 16 peer review academic papers: https://x.com/DSBatten/status/1874858383523618887

➡️Another one, a scientific paper suggests that Bitcoin could function as a safe haven in relation to geopolitical risk in times of market crashes.

"We find that Bitcoin and the Swiss Franc function as safe havens in relation to geopolitical risk in times of market crashes while Gold and Treasury bonds do not. [...] the protective aspects [...] mainly show through large stock market moves."

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1544612324015721#:~:text=Using%20S%26P%20500%20and%20GPR,and%20Treasury%20bonds%20do%20not

➡️Eric Balchunas: "IBIT with its biggest outflow day ever yesterday with $332m, about 0.7% of the total aum. It's so over.."

We had a good run everyone. haha

➡️If you were hoping to see evidence for how simple it can be to do Bitcoin right… here you go. Just buy and hold. Believe me, please read the post/thread:

https://x.com/sminston_with/status/1874978781200588838

➡️Bitcoin's network hashrate increased by 56% in 2024, from 512 to 800 exahash per second.

➡️ Chinese auto-trading platform Cango Inc. now holds 933.8 Bitcoin. The company increased Bitcoin mining production by 56% in December, producing 569.9 BTC.

➡️'Bitcoin's UTXO set grew from 153.4M to 186.4M during 2024, adding 1 net additional UTXO per second.' - Jameson Lopp

On the 4th of January:

➡️'Unredacted FDIC documents reveal coordinated efforts to restrict Bitcoin activities under Operation Chokepoint 2.0, exposing systemic discrimination against the industry.' TFTC

Ridiculous actions were taken with intent over the last few years. We all knew it. I am not surprised at all.

➡️The Bitcoin network finalized more than $19 trillion worth of BTC transactions in 2024. More than double the $8.7 trillion settled over the network in 2023 - reversing two years of declining transaction volume since 2021. Decisively proving that Bitcoin is both a store of value and a medium of exchange.

On the 5th of January:

➡️The largest Bitcoin mine in the world is nearing completion. Riot Blockchain’s new facility is under construction in Corsicana Texas, which, once fully developed, will be powered by 1 gigawatt in total mining capacity.

➡️Ffs nothing learned from 2022, ahumm FTX ahuhmm Celcius.

'One of the largest publicly traded Bitcoin mining firms in the U.S., MARA, has lent 7,377 BTC to third parties to generate yield, representing approximately 16% of its total reserves. These loans are “short-term arrangements with well-established third parties.” The long-term objective is to generate sufficient yield to offset operating expenses.'

Surely nobody has even gotten caught offsides rehypothecating their Bitcoin, right? Right!?!?!?

➡️Metaplanet is aiming to expand its Bitcoin holdings more than fivefold to 10,000 Bitcoin in 2025, says CEO Simon Gerovich.

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

On the 31st of December:

👉🏽Over $7.11 trillion was added to the US stock market in 2024.

👉🏽'The last time the top 10 stocks accounted for this much of the S&P 500, was just before the Great Depression in 1929…' - Geiger Capital The top 10 stocks in the S&P 500 are now almost 800 TIMES larger than the 75th percentile stock.

Not even the Great Depression in the 1930s saw market concentration this high. It's now 50% MORE concentrated than in 2001.

Yeah, it is bad (please watch the video as mentioned in last week's Weekly Recap - Luke Gromen & Preston Pysh). For now, the Fed especially Trump won't let a depression happen.

On the 2nd of January:

👉🏽The US Bond Market has now been in a drawdown for 53 months, by far the longest in history.

🏦Banks:

👉🏽'no news

🌎Macro/Geopolitics:

On the 1st of January:

👉🏽Germany, the economic powerhouse of Europe, is now on the brink of a collapse. Energy shortages. Aging workers. A stagnating economy. What happened to Europe’s strongest economy—and what does it mean for the EU’s future?

(foto)

I have mentioned it multiple times here in the Weekly Recaps. Given its policy instability and lack of innovation support, Germany's decline is no surprise. I wouldn't call it a collapse though. What will be next? The AfD likely will win the upcoming elections. Will that help to rejuvenate their economy, I don't think so. But if they (current and past administrations) keep pushing the same tired policies expect more support for real change like the AfD. Don't get me wrong. Economic despair fuels AfD’s surge, while democracy’s legitimacy falters.

This isn’t just about one nation, it’s a global wake-up call.

👉🏽'U.S. Dollar is now the most overvalued in history according to Bank of America.' - Barchart

👉🏽Lagarde says the European Central Bank has a “big, heavy agenda for 2025” of bringing inflation down to 2% and continuing progress toward a CBDC. Full video aka.

The new Bitcoin marketing ad: https://x.com/Lagarde/status/1874380049442320773

Pardon my English, but these people are unelected psychopaths. Lagarde is almost 70 years old. Should monetary policy be set by people who don't understand the current & future economic trends that will rule society?

Digital Euro means slavery. Study the meaning of money to boycott with an alternative, Bitcoin! The honey badgers are on the move.

Oh and regarding that mysterious 2% inflation figure. Let's say you save $200 a month for 30 years in a savings account. Your total contributions over 30 years would be $72,000.

Here's how much buying power you would have left, if inflation was:

2%: $39,275

3%: $28 872

4%: $21,157

5%: $15,453

There is no reason we should have 2% inflation. Let alone the 4-8% inflation we had the last couple of years.

On the 2nd of January:

👉🏽We in Europe really fucked up. 'Europe has gone from relying entirely on cheap Russian gas to relying entirely on expensive US LNG' - Zero Hedge

They closed their nuclear reactors for this. Get woke, go broke. Oh, by the way, the Nordstream 2 pipeline incident has a clear winner, and it's not Ukraine or Russia.

👉🏽The EURO tumbles to the lowest level since 2022 amid ongoing concerns about Europe’s economy.

👉🏽

Dr. Jan Wüstenfeld: "Meanwhile, Bitcoin's supply growth rate is at 0.8%, and in 172,536 blocks, the newly issued Bitcoin per day will halve again, then halve again after another 210,000 blocks, and again and again. Choose wisely.

👉🏽Reserves at the Fed sink below $3 Trillion to the lowest since 2020. The Fed will end QT in March or April give or take a month. Especially with RRP running dry. Banking liquidity is getting too tight

👉🏽The Chinese Property Market has seen a total loss of $18 Trillion over the past 3 years, surpassing the losses suffered by the U.S. during the Global Financial Crisis.

👉🏽'The US deficit as a percentage of GDP is projected to average 6.3% over the next 10 years.

This comes after the deficit reached 6.7% in 2024, the largest since 2021. Such elevated deficits have never happened outside of wars and significant economic crises.

Furthermore, the deficit is estimated to hit 7.1% of GDP in 2025, the 3rd highest among the world's major economies, only behind India and China. Meanwhile, the budget gap for the first 2 months of the Fiscal Year 2025 reached $624 BILLION, the largest on record. The US is on unsustainable fiscal path.' -TKL

On the 5th of January:

👉🏽'The US National Debt increased by $2.2 trillion in 2024, following increases of $2.6 trillion in 2023, $1.8 trillion in 2022, $1.9 trillion in 2021, and $4.5 trillion in 2020. How much will the National Debt increase in 2025?' - Charlie Bilello

On the 6th of January:

👉🏽Hedge Fund Manager Steve Diggle, who made $3 Billion during the Global Financial Crisis, has returned and compares the current market to what we saw from 2005-2007

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

What Bitcoin Did:

2024: BITCOIN IN REVIEW with HODL & ODELL

https://youtu.be/-tijL0iD5GI?si=Q7Xsy-mRg4UqxKe3

Good one!

Credit: I have used multiple sources!

My savings account: Bitcoin The tool I recommend for setting up a Bitcoin savings plan: PocketBitcoin especially suited for beginners or people who want to invest in Bitcoin with an automated investment plan once a week or monthly. Use the code BITCOINFRIDAY

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!

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

@ d5c3d063:4d1159b3

เราควรเพิ่มภาษีเพื่อสร้างรัฐสวัสดิการดีไหม...?

ปัจจุบันมีหลายเสียงเรียกร้องให้รัฐเพิ่มภาษี เช่น ภาษีมูลค่าเพิ่ม (VAT) เพื่อสร้างระบบรัฐสวัสดิการที่ครอบคลุม แต่คำถามสำคัญคือ การเพิ่มภาษี เป็นคำตอบที่ดีที่สุดหรือไม่ ? ผมจะชี้ให้เห็นถึงปัญหาและข้อเสียของการเก็บภาษีในระดับสูง รวมถึงบทบาทของเงินที่ดีกับการส่งเสริมเสรีภาพทางเศรษฐกิจ จากประเด็นดังนี้ครับ

!(image)[https://m.primal.net/NIEE.png]

1. ภาษีคือการขโมย

   ลองจินตนาการว่า คุณทำงานหนักเพื่อหาเงินเดือนที่เพียงพอสำหรับเลี้ยงครอบครัว แต่กลับถูกบังคับให้แบ่งเงินส่วนหนึ่งให้กับใครบางคนโดยที่คุณไม่มีสิทธิ์ปฏิเสธ สิ่งนี้จะทำให้คุณรู้สึกอย่างไร? ในมุมมองของอิสรนิยม ( #Libertarianism ) การเก็บภาษีเป็นการขโมย เพราะเงินที่ได้มาด้วยความยากลำบากของประชาชนถูกยึดไปโดยไม่ได้รับความยินยอม “การทำบุญที่แท้จริงควรเกิดขึ้นด้วยความเต็มใจ” ไม่ใช่จากการบังคับ ประชาชนควรมีเสรีภาพในการจัดสรรทรัพยากรของตนเองเพื่อช่วยเหลือผู้อื่นเมื่อพวกเขาพร้อม หลักการนี้สะท้อนถึงการเคารพสิทธิในทรัพย์สินส่วนบุคคล ซึ่งเป็นหนึ่งในเสาหลักของอิสรนิยม

2. รัฐสวัสดิการไม่ยั่งยืน

   การใช้ภาษีเพื่อสนับสนุนรัฐสวัสดิการอาจดูเหมือนเป็นการแก้ปัญหาทางสังคมที่ดี แต่ในหลายกรณี เช่น ประเทศกรีซ ระบบรัฐสวัสดิการขนาดใหญ่ที่พึ่งพาภาษีสูงนำไปสู่ปัญหาหนี้สินเกินตัวและความล้มเหลวทางเศรษฐกิจ การเพิ่มภาษีจึงเป็นเพียงการเลื่อนปัญหาไปในอนาคต โดยไม่ได้สร้างความยั่งยืนให้กับระบบ ในทางกลับกัน ตลาดเสรีเสนอทางออกที่ยั่งยืนกว่า โดยไม่สร้างภาระให้กับประชาชนผ่านภาษีที่สูงเกินไป ระบบเศรษฐกิจเสรีเปิดโอกาสให้ประชาชนและธุรกิจสามารถพึ่งพาตนเองได้โดยไม่ต้องพึ่งพาสวัสดิการจากรัฐ และยังช่วยลดการใช้จ่ายเกินตัวของรัฐบาล เพราะทรัพยากรถูกจัดสรรตามกลไกตลาดอย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ

3. ภาษีสูงลดแรงจูงใจและสร้างผลกระทบต่อเศรษฐกิจ

   การเพิ่ม VAT ไม่เพียงแต่ทำให้สินค้าราคาแพงขึ้น แต่ยังลดแรงจูงใจของผู้ประกอบการในการขยายธุรกิจ เพราะเมื่อใดที่ต้นทุนเพิ่มขึ้น ในขณะเดียวกัน ผู้บริโภคจะมีกำลังซื้อลดลง ส่งผลเสียต่อการหมุนเวียนเศรษฐกิจโดยรวม นอกจากนี้ยังทำให้เกิดแรงจูงใจในการหลีกเลี่ยงภาษี ซึ่งยิ่งจะทำให้รัฐเสียรายได้ การสนับสนุนตลาดเสรีช่วยแก้ปัญหานี้ได้ เพราะในระบบเสรีภาพทางเศรษฐกิจ ประชาชนสามารถตัดสินใจใช้จ่ายและลงทุนได้โดยไม่ถูกบังคับหรือจำกัดจากภาษีที่สูง การลดภาษีช่วยสร้างแรงจูงใจในการสร้างสรรค์นวัตกรรมและขยายธุรกิจ ซึ่งท้ายที่สุดจะช่วยขับเคลื่อนเศรษฐกิจโดยรวมให้เติบโตอย่างยั่งยืน

4. เครื่องมือคืนอำนาจการเงินให้ประชาชน

   ในโลกที่รัฐสามารถพิมพ์เงินเพิ่มได้ไม่จำกัด และใช้การเก็บภาษีเป็นเครื่องมือในการยึดทรัพย์สิน บิตคอยน์จึงถือเป็น "การเปลี่ยนเกมส์" ที่ทำให้เกิดการคืนอำนาจทางการเงินให้กับประชาชน และลดการใช้อำนาจโดยมิชอบของรัฐ

เพราะบิตคอยน์โปร่งใสและตรวจสอบได้ ทุกคนสามารถตรวจสอบธุรกรรมได้อย่างโปร่งใส ไม่มีใครหรือรัฐบาลก็ไม่สามารถแทรกแซงหรือเปลี่ยนแปลงข้อมูลได้ ไม่มีการลดค่าจากการพิมพ์เงินด้วยจำนวนที่จำกัดเพียง 21 ล้านเหรียญ บิตคอยน์ป้องกันการลดค่าของเงิน (devaluation) จากการพิมพ์เงินเพิ่มเข้าในระบบเศรษฐกิจ บิตคอยน์ได้มอบอิสรภาพทางการเงิน ทำให้ประชาชนสามารถเก็บรักษาทรัพย์สินของตนได้โดยไม่ต้องพึ่งพาธนาคารหรือรัฐ ช่วยป้องกันการยึดเงินหรือการแทรกแซงทางการเงิน เปรียบเทียบง่าย ๆ หากการเก็บภาษีที่สูงเปรียบเสมือนการบังคับให้คุณนำเงินไปฝากในบัญชีที่คุณไม่สามารถควบคุมได้ บิตคอยน์คือกระเป๋าเงินที่คุณเป็นเจ้าของกุญแจเพียงคนเดียว ไม่มีใครยึดหรือแทรกแซงได้

1. ทำไมการพึ่งพาตนเองจึงสำคัญกว่า?

   ระบบรัฐสวัสดิการที่พึ่งพาภาษีสูง มักลดแรงจูงใจของประชาชนในการพึ่งพาตนเอง เช่น การทำงานหนักหรือการสร้างนวัตกรรม ในขณะที่เศรษฐกิจแบบตลาดเสรี ที่ลดการแทรกแซงของรัฐ สามารถสร้างแรงจูงใจให้ประชาชนมีบทบาทสำคัญในสังคม และช่วยเหลือผู้อื่นเมื่อพวกเขาพร้อมอย่างแท้จริง ในบริบทนี้ บิตคอยน์เป็นอีกหนึ่งตัวอย่างที่ส่งเสริมการพึ่งพาตนเอง เพราะช่วยให้ประชาชนสามารถจัดการทรัพย์สินของตนเองได้โดยไม่มีการแทรกแซงจากรัฐหรือระบบธนาคาร ความยืดหยุ่นและเสรีภาพนี้เป็นหัวใจสำคัญของการสร้างสังคมที่เข้มแข็งและพึ่งพาตนเอง

... ดังนั้น การเพิ่มภาษีเพื่อสร้างรัฐสวัสดิ การอาจดูเหมือนเป็นคำตอบ แต่จริง ๆ แล้วมันอาจสร้างปัญหาใหม่ เช่น ประชาชนถูกจำกัดเสรีภาพส่วนบุคคลและทำให้เกิดผลกระทบทางเศรษฐกิจ ในทางกลับกัน ระบบที่เน้นเสรีภาพ ตลาดเสรี การพึ่งพาตนเองและการใช้ "เงินที่ดี" อย่างบิตคอยน์ เป็นทางเลือกที่ยั่งยืนกว่า บิตคอยน์ไม่ได้เป็นเพียงเครื่องมือทางการเงิน แต่ยังเป็นสัญลักษณ์ของการคืนอำนาจการควบคุมทรัพย์สินให้กับประชาชน ซึ่งเป็นหัวใจสำคัญของอิสรนิยม...(ของแท้) 😅

Siamstr

@ 1cb14ab3:95d52462

Event Recap

For the Official Stooki Sound Afterparty in Boulder, CO, I took the unconventional venue of a kitchen on The Hill and transformed it into an immersive environment for Toybox and Tesfa’s performances. The space was custom-mapped with projections that interacted seamlessly with the surroundings, turning the kitchen into a dynamic, visual landscape. I added retrofitted props to deepen the visual experience, giving the projections a multi-dimensional quality. This innovative approach created a unique atmosphere, enhancing the performance while blurring the lines between physical space and digital art.

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Event Photos

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Recap Video

nostr:naddr1qqrj6wpkx3u8qscpzpmhxue69uhkummnw3ezuamfdejsygquk99txdv8dly7lsmasw969p70zlj6mnxtyzlk6j0em2tft4fyvgpsgqqqskas47n36f

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Other Immersive Experiences by Hes

Light Pollution [2015]

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More from Hes

Art

Store

Travel Guides

Photography

Writings

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

@ bf47c19e:c3d2573b

Zvanični vebsajt knjige

Srpski prevod knjige "The Little Bitcoin Book"

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Zašto je Bitkoin bitan za vašu slobodu, finansije i budućnost?

Verovatno ste čuli za Bitkoin u vestima ili da o njemu raspravljaju vaši prijatelji ili kolege. Kako to da se cena stalno menja? Da li je Bitkoin dobra investicija? Kako to uopšte ima vrednost? Zašto ljudi stalno govore o tome kao da će promeniti svet?

"Mala knjiga o Bitkoinu" govori o tome šta nije u redu sa današnjim novcem i zašto je Bitkoin izmišljen da obezbedi alternativu trenutnom sistemu. Jednostavnim rečima opisuje šta je Bitkoin, kako funkcioniše, zašto je vredan i kako utiče na individualnu slobodu i mogućnosti ljudi svuda - od Nigerije preko Filipina do Venecuele do Sjedinjenih Država. Ova knjiga takođe uključuje odeljak "Pitanja i odgovori" sa nekim od najčešće postavljanih pitanja o Bitkoinu.

Ako želite da saznate više o ovom novom obliku novca koji i dalje izaziva interesovanje i usvajanje širom sveta, onda je ova knjiga za vas.

@ 2ed3596e:98b4cc78

Americans can now get paid in bitcoin sent directly to their personal bitcoin wallet. Share your Bitcoin Well Direct Deposit details with your employer (or anyone sending you money), set your bitcoin/dollar split and receive sats instead of fiat with every paycheck. 

Whenever you buy bitcoin with Bitcoin Well, we automatically send it to your self-custody wallet. Your bitcoin is safest in a self-custody wallet. 

So, when you set up your Direct Deposit with Bitcoin Well, you Dollar Cost Average bitcoin into your self-custody wallet with every paycheck. 

Refer at least 1 friend to Bitcoin Well to unlock Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit bitcoin purchases bring you a massive leap forward to replacing your bank with Bitcoin Well 🧡

Here’s how you can get paid in bitcoin:

Step 1: Refer a friend to Bitcoin Well

To unlock the Direct Deposit feature in your Bitcoin Well account you must first refer one person to Bitcoin Well. Referring a friend is quick and easy! Simply share your referral link from your found in your Referrals page.

\ Once someone has created an account with your referral link, you’ll get an email notifying you of your successful referral. You’ll receive a second email informing you that you have unlocked Direct Deposit. Now you’re ready for Step 2!

Step 2: Set your Direct Deposit details

\ Navigate to your newly unlocked Direct Deposit page in your Bitcoin Well account. Tell us how much bitcoin you want to receive, and how many dollars you want to keep with the slider at the top.

\ Next you need to tell us where to send your bitcoin by adding your personal bitcoin wallet! As with everything Bitcoin Well does, we send the bitcoin you buy from each deposit directly to your self-custody. Your bitcoin should always remain in your control; with your keys. 

Once these details are saved, you can download your Direct Deposit details in the form of a void cheque to send to your employer (or anyone else that wants to send you money!).

## \ Step 3: Withdraw remaining dollars or buy more bitcoin later

\ Remaining dollars in your Cash Balance can be withdrawn to your bank or used to purchase more bitcoin. Navigate to Withdraw Dollars then select your bank account, the amount of dollars you’d like to withdraw and confirm your withdrawal. 

\ You can buy more bitcoin with the dollars already in your account! Go to Buy bitcoin, select from ‘Cash Balance’ to ‘your bitcoin wallet’, enter the amount and confirm. More bitcoin is now on its way to your bitcoin wallet! Buying directly to self-custody has never been easier 😎

Earn sats for referring friends to Bitcoin Well

\ Did you know that referring friends doesn’t just unlock your Direct Deposit feature but you also earn sats? When you refer a friend to Bitcoin Well you earn 10% of our cut from all of the transactions. Every time you earn sats through your referrals, your rewards will be instantly distributed to you straight to your Lightning wallet.  Add your Lightning wallet in your Referrals page, within the Bitcoin Well Rewards menu. 

Within your Referrals page you can add your Lightning wallet for referral payouts, access your referral link and a QR code with your ref link in it – everything you need to orange pill your friends and earn sats! Plus every time you refer a friend you get Bitcoin Well points, which you can use to try and win 1,000,000 sats through our Bitcoin (Wishing) Well! Share your ref link with friends and family -> earn sats.

@ f1989a96:bcaaf2c1

Good morning, readers!

In Russia, the State Duma passed sweeping amendments granting officials the ability to equate “funding extremist activities” with “financing terrorism.” These changes allow officials to label anyone accused of spreading “fake news” or “discrediting” the military and authorities as “terrorists and extremists.” This development threatens activists and civil society organizations with intensified financial repression, including frozen accounts, restricted access to funds, and strict withdrawal limits.  

Meanwhile, North Korea’s currency crisis continues to worsen, pushing citizens to abandon the North Korean won in favor of barter. As exchange rates for foreign currencies soar, merchants and money changers increasingly demand tangible goods like rice and fuel and no longer accept North Korean won for imported goods and foreign currencies. 

In technology news, Tando, a Bitcoin payment app in Kenya, received significant attention at the 2024 Africa Bitcoin Conference for integrating the Bitcoin Lightning Network with M-PESA, Kenya’s mobile money system. This allows people to use Bitcoin to buy things across the country while merchants receive Kenyan shillings, bridging the gap between the local financial system and Bitcoin. \ \ Finally, we feature the latest episode of the Dissidents and Dictators podcast, featuring Togolese human rights activist Farida Nabourema sharing her first-hand experience growing up under the Gnassingbé dictatorship. She believes Bitcoin can enable greater transparency and offer a financial lifeline for citizens in Togo and across Africa.

Now, let’s dive right in!

Subscribe Here

GLOBAL NEWS

Russia | Sweeping Amendments Expand Financial Repression Against Dissidents

Russia’s State Duma made sweeping amendments to 48 federal laws, granting officials the power to equate “funding extremist activities” with “financing terrorism.” This move allows the regime to directly target individuals, activists, and nonprofit organizations suspected of spreading “fake news” or “discrediting” the military and regime. Once designated as a “terrorist” or “extremist,” a person or organization faces frozen bank accounts, restricted access to funds, and a withdrawal cap of just 10,000 rubles ($95) per month — a limit that extends to each dependent in their family. Compounding these hardships, employers often refuse to hire individuals on these government lists.

North Korea | Failing Currency Forces Return to Barter

North Korea’s currency crisis is forcing citizens to abandon the depreciating won currency in favor of barter. As exchange rates for foreign currencies like the US dollar and Chinese yuan hit record highs, merchants and money changers now demand commodities (such as rice and fuel) for foreign currencies and imported goods. One such example is trading around 2 kilograms of rice for a single dollar. This collapse leaves those without access to foreign currency in increasingly precarious financial positions and struggling to secure food and basic necessities. Even farmers, once partially compensated with valuable goods, now increasingly receive devalued cash, worsening nationwide food insecurity.

Nicaragua | Human Rights Abuses and Financial Repression Exposed

Under Daniel Ortega’s authoritarian rule, Nicaragua exemplifies the devastating intersection of financial repression and human rights abuses. New reports detail how the regime has confiscated over $250 million in assets, dissolved more than 5,200 NGOs, canceled pensions, and frozen bank accounts, leaving citizens financially vulnerable and silenced. Since Ortega’s return to power in 2007, and especially after the 2018 protests, his government has dismantled civil society, crushed political opposition, and eradicated independent media. Hundreds have been killed and exiled, and in 2023 and 2024 alone, 452 political opponents were stripped of their citizenship.

El Salvador | Bitcoin Adoption Limited as Government Comes to Terms With IMF

El Salvador finalized a $1.4 billion agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support the government’s economic reform agenda at the cost of scaling back some of its Bitcoin policies. The deal will make accepting Bitcoin in the private sector voluntary, require all taxes to be paid in US dollars (as opposed to making it possible to pay in BTC), and see Chivo, the government-supported Bitcoin wallet, gradually unwound. In addition, the government will enhance “transparency, regulation, and supervision of digital assets” and establish a stronger Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financial Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework.

Malaysia | Parliament Passes Repressive Media Bills Amidst Financial Struggles

Earlier this year, Malaysia’s ringgit currency plunged to a 26-year low, driving up prices nationwide. As families struggled with a higher cost of living, officials passed an amendment granting law enforcement the power to freeze bank accounts suspected of fraud. Meanwhile, Malaysia’s parliament is passing two more bills to regulate media and online spaces, allowing officials to censor content and request user data from service providers without approval. Critics warn the vague language in these laws will likely be exploited to silence dissent and stifle public discourse. As financial hardships mount, Malaysia’s online spaces become increasingly controlled, eroding freedom of expression and financial autonomy.

BITCOIN NEWS

Tando | Bridging Bitcoin and Everyday Payments in Kenya

Tando, a new bitcoin payments app and HRF grantee, makes it easy to spend bitcoin anywhere in Kenya by integrating with M-PESA, Kenya’s mobile money system. Users simply download the Tando app, enter the merchant’s M-PESA number, and input the amount owed in Kenyan shillings. The app calculates the required amount of bitcoin and generates a Lightning invoice, which users pay through their own Bitcoin wallet. Tando then converts the sats to shillings and completes the transaction instantly (you can watch this one-minute live demo here). For Kenyans excluded from M-PESA due to Know-Your-Customer regulations, Tando provides a practical solution that bridges Bitcoin and local financial systems to make everyday transactions easier.

Yakihonne | Adds Support for Improved Encrypted Direct Messaging

YakiHonne, a Nostr client, champions free speech and facilitates Bitcoin payments across 170 countries. Recent updates have made the platform more user-friendly and secure. The updated text editor now supports multiple languages, including right-to-left scripts, enhancing accessibility for a global audience. Messaging capabilities have been upgraded to allow longer texts, and users can now activate Secure DMs (NIP 44) for encrypted messaging on Nostr. These improvements make YakiHonne an appealing communication platform for pro-democracy and human rights activists, offering secure messaging and the ability to receive payments in Bitcoin in countries ruled by authoritarian regimes.

Mostro | Making Bitcoin More Accessible and Private

Mostro, a private and peer-to-peer (P2P) Bitcoin exchange built on Nostr, made significant strides this year toward empowering human rights defenders and nonprofits with accessible, private, and censorship-resistant financial tools. Created by Venezuelan developer Francisco Calderon, the platform implemented advanced key management which allows users to rotate the keys used for every bitcoin trade. This adds a layer of privacy critical for those operating under authoritarian regimes. Additionally, Mostro adopted NIP-69, standardizing all peer-to-peer orders on Nostr, creating a larger liquidity pool, and making trades more accessible for users. Finally, Mostro will soon launch a mobile app (currently in the testing phase), helping democratize Bitcoin access by providing individuals with a user-friendly mobile interface.

Foundation | Introduces Personal Security Platform

Foundation, a Bitcoin hardware wallet company, introduced Passport Prime, which they call “the world’s first Personal Security Platform.” Designed to protect users’ bitcoin and digital lives, Passport Prime offers a Bitcoin wallet, multi-factor authentication, secure file storage, and a Seed Vault to organize seed phrases. It does not require usernames, passwords, or email addresses, making it an interesting option for privacy-conscious users, particularly pro-democracy and human rights activists operating under authoritarian regimes. You can learn more about Passport Prime here.

BTrust Builders | Applications for 2024 ₿OSS Cohort Close Tomorrow

Applications for the 2025 ₿OSS Cohort, hosted by Btrust Builders in partnership with Chaincode Labs, close tomorrow, Dec. 27, 2024. This part-time, three-month, fully remote program is tailored to African developers seeking to contribute to Bitcoin open-source software (₿OSS), in order to increase the potential for use cases in a region where three-quarters of the governments are authoritarian regimes. The program is open to developers of all experience levels, and it provides hands-on technical training, career-building opportunities, and mentorship. If you’re a developer interested in this program, you can apply here.

RECOMMENDED CONTENT

Is Bitcoin a Lifeline for Africa with Farida Nabourema

In this episode of Dissidents and Dictators, an HRF podcast, Togolese human rights activist Farida Nabourema reveals her experience growing up under the Gnassingbé dictatorship—a single-family autocracy that has ruled Togo for over 50 years. Nabourema shares insights into the corruption and lack of trust that permeates Togo’s financial system and discusses how Bitcoin can enable greater transparency and offer a lifeline for citizens in Togo and across Africa, where authoritarian regimes stifle financial freedom. Watch the full episode here.

If this article was forwarded to you and you enjoyed reading it, please consider subscribing to the Financial Freedom Report here.

Support the newsletter by donating bitcoin to HRF’s Financial Freedom program via BTCPay.\ Want to contribute to the newsletter? Submit tips, stories, news, and ideas by emailing us at ffreport @ hrf.org

The Bitcoin Development Fund (BDF) is accepting grant proposals on an ongoing basis. The Bitcoin Development Fund is looking to support Bitcoin developers, community builders, and educators. Submit proposals here.

Subscribe to newsletter\ Apply for a grant\ Support our work\ Visit our website

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

I just read this, and found it enlightening.

Jung... notes that intelligence can be seen as problem solving at an everyday level..., whereas creativity may represent problem solving for less common issues

Other studies have used metaphor creation as a creativity measure instead of divergent thinking and a spectrum of CHC components instead of just g and have found much higher relationships between creativity and intelligence than past studies

https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/3/3/59

I'm unusually intelligent (Who isn't?), but I'm much more creative, than intelligent, and I think that confuses people. The ability to apply intelligence, to solve completely novel problems, on the fly, is something IQ tests don't even claim to measure. They just claim a correlation.

Creativity requires taking wild, mental leaps out into nothingness; simply trusting that your brain will land you safely. And this is why I've been at the forefront of massive innovation, over and over, but never got rich off of it.

I'm a starving autist.

Zaps are the first time I've ever made money directly, for solving novel problems. Companies don't do this because there is a span of time between providing a solution and the solution being implemented, and the person building the implementation (or their boss) receives all the credit for the existence of the solution. At best, you can hope to get pawned off with a small bonus.

Nobody can remember who came up with the solution, originally, and that person might not even be there, anymore, and probably never filed a patent, and may have no idea that their idea has even been built. They just run across it, later, in a tech magazine or museum, and say, "Well, will you look at that! Someone actually went and built it! Isn't that nice!"

Universities at least had the idea of cementing novel solutions in academic papers, but that: 1) only works if you're an academic, and at a university, 2) is an incredibly slow process, not appropriate for a truly innovative field, 3) leads to manifestations of perverse incentives and biased research frameworks, coming from 'publish or perish' policies.

But I think long-form notes and zaps solve for this problem. #Alexandria, especially, is being built to cater to this long-suffering class of chronic underachievers. It leaves a written, public, time-stamped record of Clever Ideas We Have Had.

Because they are clever, the ideas. And we have had them.

@ e1d968f7:5d90f764

Rejection is a part of life, but in this line of work, it can feel especially personal. Whether it’s a client deciding not to book again, an unkind remark, or even being dismissed outright, rejection is something every escort faces. The key lies in how you process it and move forward.

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Understanding the Nature of Rejection

Rejection doesn’t always reflect on you.
- Personal Preferences: Clients have individual tastes and needs. Sometimes, it’s simply not a match.
- External Factors: Budgets, time constraints, or personal circumstances often play a role.

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The Emotional Impact

Even with the thickest skin, rejection can sting.
- Self-Doubt: It’s natural to question if you did something wrong.
- Feeling Unworthy: Negative experiences can make you second-guess your value.

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Building Resilience

Handling rejection with grace is a skill that develops over time.
- Separate the Personal from the Professional: Not every "no" is about you; it’s often about their situation.
- Focus on Your Strengths: Remind yourself of your successes and what makes you unique.
- Lean on Support: Friends, colleagues, or trusted mentors can offer perspective and encouragement.

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Learning from Rejection

Every rejection holds a lesson, even if it’s not immediately clear.
- Feedback is a Gift: If a client offers constructive criticism, take it as an opportunity to improve.
- Recognise Patterns: If rejections feel frequent, it might be time to reassess your approach or marketing.

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The Silver Lining

Rejection can redirect you to clients who truly value you and the services you provide. It’s part of the process, but it doesn’t define your worth.

By embracing rejection as a stepping stone, I’ve learned to navigate the ups and downs of this work with confidence. It’s not easy, but each "no" is just a step closer to the right "yes."

Rebecca x

@ d5c3d063:4d1159b3

พุทธศาสนา… ศาสนาแห่งผู้นำหรือการเป็นทาส ?

บางคนมองว่าพุทธศาสนาเป็น "ศาสนาแห่งผู้นำ" เพราะคำสอนของพระพุทธเจ้าเน้นเรื่อง การพึ่งพาตนเองและการไม่ยึดติดกับสิ่งภายนอก ไม่ว่าจะเป็นผู้อื่นหรือสิ่งศักดิ์สิทธิ์ พระพุทธเจ้าสอนให้เราเข้าใจว่าเราเป็นผู้รับผิดชอบชีวิตของเราเอง ไม่ใช่ใครอื่น เราเป็นผู้สร้างกรรมดีและกรรมชั่วจากการกระทำของเราเอง สิ่งนี้สะท้อนกับแนวคิดของอิสรนิยมที่เน้นความสำคัญของ เสรีภาพส่วนบุคคลและ ความรับผิดชอบต่อชีวิตของตัวเอง

พุทธศาสนาสอนเรื่องสติและการรู้เท่าทันความคิดของตัวเอง เพื่อให้เราสามารถตัดสินใจได้ถูกต้อง ไม่ว่าจะในเรื่องเล็กหรือเรื่องใหญ่ เมื่อเรามีปัญญา เราก็สามารถเป็น "ผู้นำของตัวเอง" ได้ โดยไม่ต้องพึ่งพาอำนาจจากภายนอกหรือคำชี้นำจากใคร

ในทางกลับกัน บางคนอาจมองว่าพุทธศาสนาเป็น "ศาสนาแห่งการเป็นทาส" เพราะความเข้าใจคำสอนผิดๆ อย่างเช่นคำว่า "ปล่อยวาง" ที่บางคนตีความว่าคือการ "ยอมรับทุกอย่างโดยไม่ทำอะไร" ซึ่งในความจริงแล้ว การปล่อยวางในพุทธศาสนาหมายถึงการรู้เท่าทันความยึดติดของตัวเอง แล้วค่อยๆ ลดความยึดติดนั้นลง มันไม่ได้หมายความว่าเราควรนิ่งเฉยต่อทุกสถานการณ์ แต่หมายถึงการเลือกสิ่งที่ถูกต้องโดยใช้สติและปัญญา

อีกจุดหนึ่งที่บางคนมองว่าเป็นการจำกัดเสรีภาพ คือคำสอนที่ให้พระภิกษุและสามเณรประพฤติพรหมจรรย์ไม่ยึดติดกับวัตถุหรือทรัพย์สมบัติ อาจถูกตีความว่าเป็นการบังคับ แต่ในความเป็นจริง คือทางเลือกที่เกิดจากความสมัครใจ คนที่เลือกวิถีชีวิตแบบนี้คือคนที่เข้าใจและยอมรับว่าการลดความยึดติดกับวัตถุสามารถลดความทุกข์ในชีวิตได้

พุทธศาสนาไม่ว่าจะถูกมองว่าเป็น "ศาสนาแห่งผู้นำ" หรือ "ศาสนาแห่งการเป็นทาส" นั้น ขึ้นอยู่กับการตีความของแต่ละคน แต่ผมว่ามันน่าสนใจมากหากเรามองผ่านเลนส์ของอิสรนิยม (Libertarianism) ก็จะเห็นได้ว่าพุทธศาสนาเน้นเรื่อง เสรีภาพส่วนบุคคลและการพึ่งพาตนเองอย่างชัดเจน การที่เรารู้จักคิดเอง ตัดสินใจเอง และไม่ยึดติดกับอำนาจหรือความเชื่อจากภายนอก คือสิ่งที่ทำให้เราเป็น "ผู้นำของชีวิตตัวเอง" อย่างแท้จริง

Siamstr #ปล่อยวาง #ศาสนาแห่งผู้นำ #ศาสนาแห่งการเป็นทาส

@ d5c3d063:4d1159b3

จุดเริ่มต้นที่สำคัญในการลดอำนาจรัฐและเป็นพื้นฐานสำหรับการสร้างสังคมที่เสรีและยั่งยืน

การแยกอำนาจการเงินออกจากรัฐ ถือเป็น “จุดเริ่มต้นที่สำคัญ” ในการลดบทบาทรัฐและการสร้างระบบที่เคารพเสรีภาพส่วนบุคคล เป็นพื้นฐานสำหรับการสร้างสังคมที่ประชาชนมีอำนาจในการตัดสินใจ ทำให้เกิดความยุติธรรมและความโปร่งใสมากขึ้นในทุกมิติของชีวิต

!(image)[!(image)[https://image.nostr.build/f1f0be37bb0198071fee37851cea59ced2b2c5b40eaf878fe903bca61802ef39.jpg]]

การลดอำนาจรัฐเป็นแนวคิดที่มีเป้าหมายเพื่อคืนอำนาจให้แก่ผู้คน โดยเริ่มต้นจากการแยกอำนาจการเงินออกจากการควบคุมของรัฐ แนวคิดนี้ได้รับการสนับสนุนจากนักคิดในแนวทางอิสรนิยม (Libertarianism) เช่น Murray Rothbard, Ron Paul, และ Saifedean Ammous ซึ่งได้เสนอว่าเงินที่ถูกควบคุมโดยรัฐมักเป็นเครื่องมือในการเพิ่มอำนาจของรัฐบาลและสร้างความไม่เท่าเทียมในสังคม

1. ความสำคัญของการแยกอำนาจการเงิน

การที่รัฐสามารถพิมพ์เงินหรือควบคุมระบบการเงินได้อย่างอิสระ ทำให้เกิดปัญหาเช่นเงินเฟ้อ การลดค่าเงิน และการใช้งบประมาณที่ไม่โปร่งใส การแยกเงินออกจากรัฐ เช่น การใช้เงินสร้างยากด้วยบิตคอยน์ จะช่วยให้ประชาชนสามารถควบคุมความมั่งคั่งของตนเองได้โดยไม่ต้องกังวลเรื่องการแทรกแซงจากรัฐบาล นอกจากนี้ การคืนอำนาจทางการเงินให้ประชาชนยังช่วยสร้างระบบเศรษฐกิจที่โปร่งใสและยุติธรรมมากขึ้น

2. ลดการแทรกแซงในชีวิตประจำวัน

การแยกเงินออกจากรัฐไม่ได้เป็นเพียงการเปลี่ยนแปลงเชิงเศรษฐกิจ แต่ยังส่งผลต่อการลดบทบาทรัฐในด้านอื่น ๆ เช่น การกำกับดูแลธุรกิจ การเก็บภาษี และการกำหนดนโยบายเศรษฐกิจ โดยเมื่อประชาชนสามารถเลือกใช้เครื่องมือทางการเงินที่เหมาะสมกับตนเอง การแทรกแซงของรัฐจะลดลงโดยธรรมชาติ

3. เป็นแรงผลักดันให้ลดอำนาจด้านอื่น ๆ ของรัฐ

เมื่อรัฐไม่สามารถควบคุมระบบการเงินได้ อำนาจในด้านอื่น ๆ ก็จะถูกตั้งคำถาม เช่น - การลดบทบาทในสวัสดิการรัฐ ประชาชนจะหันไปใช้ระบบเอกชน เช่น การเก็บออมส่วนบุคคลและการประกันสุขภาพ - การลดภาษี เนื่องจากรัฐไม่สามารถใช้การพิมพ์เงินเพื่อสนับสนุนนโยบายที่ไม่จำเป็น

4. แรงจูงใจสู่การพึ่งพาตนเอง

การแยกอำนาจการเงินกระตุ้นให้ประชาชนพึ่งพาตนเองและสร้างเครือข่ายทางเศรษฐกิจที่ยั่งยืน นอกจากนี้ยังช่วยลดการทุจริตและเพิ่มความโปร่งใสในระบบราชการ

5. อิสรภาพทางการเงินคือรากฐานของศักดิ์ศรีความเป็นมนุษย์

เงินเป็นเครื่องมือที่สำคัญสำหรับการแสดงออกถึงเสรีภาพ หากประชาชนสามารถครอบครองและใช้เงินในรูปแบบที่ไม่ต้องพึ่งพารัฐ พวกเขาก็สามารถกำหนดอนาคตของตัวเองได้อย่างแท้จริง การแยกอำนาจการเงินออกจากรัฐจึงเป็นก้าวสำคัญในการสร้างสังคมที่เสรีและยั่งยืน

Siamstr

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

'Bitcoin is hyper volatile because its a $450T+ asset trading for less than $2T.' - Joe Burnett

'I love the energy in Bitcoin right now. Long-time HODLers are optimistic, focused, and ambitious. People new to Bitcoin are curious to get involved and grateful for any support. Communities are thriving! What a time to be alive.' - Tuur Demeester

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

On the 16th of December:

➡️'In 13 days, EU Bitcoin exchanges are forced to store your personal Bitcoin address and your home address. In sum: they become lethal honey pots, making HODLers vulnerable to hacks, home invasions, and future aggressive taxation. In time, countries could exit the EU over this.' -Tuur Demeester

The best response to this overreach is to sell all your KYC'ed Bitcoin, and repurchase what you need through peer-to-peer platforms that are KYC-free, such as Bisq, Robosats, Peach, and Hodlhodl. For more information, please visit: https://kycnot.me

I can personally attest to the seriousness of this issue, having had my name, home address, and phone number leaked in the Ledger hack.

➡️In other news, Bitcoin wallet developer Exodus is going public on the New York Stock Exchange this Wednesday, backed by a reserve of 1,900 Bitcoin. They also pay all salaries in Bitcoin.

On the 17th of December:

➡️'Overton Window shifting rapidly Only in 2023, EU media was still gaslighting Bitcoin. Now - No negative environmental coverage in mainstream EU media publications for over a year - many media outlets (Including The Independent, Bloomberg, Reuters, The Street, The Hill, and Forbes) have started documenting Bitcoin mining's numerous environmental benefits (well documented in 13 peer-reviewed studies) - Germany's largest Telco is using Bitcoin mining to monetize its stranded energy - Finland's pioneering work obviating fossil-fuel heating by capturing the heat from Bitcoin mining rigs is being covered - 6 sustainability periodicals covering Bitcoin's environmental benefits - 3 media outlets including Forbes in the last 2 days have recognized that Bitcoin mining is an integral part of solving not just EU's Net Zero Emission Targets, but EU's energy crisis.' - Daniel Batten

➡️BlackRock has officially recommended a 2% allocation to Bitcoin. With global assets totaling $900 trillion, a 2% allocation would imply a Bitcoin valuation of $18 trillion, equating to approximately $900,000 per Bitcoin.

➡️Bitcoin Reserve bill for Ohio State put forward by Rep. Derek Merrin. Merrin: Today, I filed HB 703 to create the Ohio Bitcoin Reserve within the state treasury!

Provides state treasurer authority & flexibility to invest in Bitcoin. This legislation creates the framework for Ohio’s state government to harness the power of Bitcoin to strengthen our state finances. As the US dollar undergoes devaluation, Bitcoin provides a vehicle to supplement our state's portfolio and preserve public funds from losing value.'

➡️Bitcoin-exposed convertible bonds comprise 6% of the total convertible universe and have produced 20% of the YTD Returns: Barclays Looks like Bitcoin slowly eating into the debt market. Bonds were dying until Bitcoin bonds were introduced!

➡️European MP Sarah Knafo has called on the EU to reject the digital euro and establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve, warning against “totalitarian temptations” from the European Central Bank. Are you paying attention? The world is waking up.

➡️A first draft of an Executive Order for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve has been published.

https://x.com/DavidFBailey/status/1869098934754570305

➡️'The total assets in the spot Bitcoin ETFs are now 55% of the value of known gold ETF holdings. • Bitcoin ETF AUM: $120.69 billion • Gold ETF AUM: $218.81 billion Out with the old, in with the new - Joe Consorti

➡️'If you're not saving in Bitcoin, you're not saving at all.' AnilSaidSo

On the 18th of December:

➡️Chinese car company Cango emerges as the third largest public miner. China? Mining? What about the ban? Guess the 100x banning did nothing.

➡️Fellow Noderunner Bram Kanstein:

Open letter to the Dutch government regarding the establishment of a National Bitcoin reserve:

'Geachte @Minister_FIN @eelcoheinen @KlaasKnot @DNB_NL Met deze brief wil ik uw aandacht vestigen op een urgente en strategisch kwestie: het opbouwen van een nationale Bitcoin reserve.

https://t.co/Wjdzf8xpDA

In English (to also copy and use in your own country): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qCIbrGqYQeQNyiXRFMBJVZyRcePHWtdnWz__67NVuRo/edit?usp=sharing

➡️FED CHAIR J. POWELL: Fed is "not allowed to own Bitcoin". They weren't allowed to own Corporate Bonds before Covid either. Rules change...

➡️$11.5 trillion BlackRock said, "Bitcoin is no longer seen as the radical idea as it was 15 years ago." "Bitcoin is an emerging global monetary alternative."

➡️Rumor goes that the UAE has potentially already accumulated ~300K Bitcoin. If true, America is behind and needs to catch up quickly. Funny isn't it? 'We’ve gone from: Being concerned about the government killing Bitcoin in a 51% attack to Being concerned about the government buying tons of it.' - Alex Gladstein

➡️IMF and El Salvador finally reached an agreement....and at first, it's big yikes. El Salvador secured a $3.5 billion IMF financing package after agreeing to make accepting Bitcoin voluntary and unwinding the Chivo wallet. Not only are they eliminating Article 7 as previously reported, but they are also removing the ability for citizens to pay taxes in Bitcoin.

Meanwhile, President Bukele says: "The IMF, World Bank, FED, and mainstream media hate that we adopted Bitcoin."

Wait for it (have a look at the 20th of December)

On the 19th of December:

➡️Bitcoin dipped. While some of you were scared, MARA bought $166 MILLION worth of Bitcoin. They have bought $3.2 BILLION Bitcoin in just 6 weeks!

➡️Hut 8 today announced the purchase of approximately 990 Bitcoin for approximately $100 million, or an average of approximately $101,710 per Bitcoin. Combined with the Bitcoin held before this purchase, Hut 8’s strategic Bitcoin reserve now totals more than 10,000 Bitcoins with a market value of more than $1 billion as of December 18, 2024.

➡️15 consecutive days of inflows for U.S. Bitcoin ETFs. $ in millions.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs purchased about 2,750 BTC yesterday while miners only mined 450 BTC. Absolute. Scarcity.

On the 20th of December:

➡️Metaplanet has issued ¥5.0 billion ($31m) in bonds to accelerate Bitcoin purchases originally slated for 2025. Issued against the 12th Series moving strike warrants, the bonds will be redeemed with the warrant exercise proceeds.

➡️'Just one day after the IMF agreed to a $3.3b loan in return for making Bitcoin acceptance voluntary, El Salvador buys $1m Bitcoin, more than 10x their usual 1 Bitcoin per day purchase. I guess the IMF won...' -Bitcoin Archive

Bukele: ''Thanks for the free money, lets 10x our Bitcoin buys, and create a strategic digital asset partnership with Argentina & 25 other nations.'' Luke Mikic

Have a look at what they did on the 22nd of December.

➡️'Guys, this drawdown peak to trough was only 14.98%. It's that tiny little red stalactite on the right that you can't even see. Chill out.' -Joe Consort

➡️Brian Brooks, former Acting Comptroller of the Currency under the Trump administration, has joined the MicroStrategy Board of Directors. As Comptroller, he oversaw the federal banking system. Here's why this is a game-changing move for the company: https://x.com/btcspaceman/status/1870402056516952421

➡️$1.3 BILLION leveraged crypto positions WIPED OUT in just 24 hours. 1. don't do leverage 2. don't do shitcoins CrYpTo.

➡️$108 billion VanEck subsidiary Market Vector accepts #bitcoin as payment for the first time.

➡️Swiss company Relai purchases 13 Bitcoin for $1.2 million for their balance sheet. Relai now holds 30 BTC.

➡️Michael Saylor publishes the Bitcoin framework so the "United States can lead the global digital economy. "A strategic digital asset policy can strengthen the US dollar, neutralize the national debt, and position America as the global leader in the 21st-century digital economy—empowering millions of businesses, driving growth, and creating trillions in value.'

https://www.michael.com/digital-assets-framework

➡️'France's 5th largest bank, the €863 billion BPCE Group, to launch Bitcoin purchases for its 35 million customers in 2025.' -Bitcoin News

On the 21st of December:

➡️'MARA's announcement that recycling heat from Bitcoin mining rigs to heat the homes of almost 80,000 residents (1.4% of Finland's population) is the largest application yet for heat recycling. Here's why it's significant.' -Daniel Batten

Read the whole thread/post here: https://x.com/DSBatten/status/1870250495895302177

➡️Someone just mined a whole Bitcoin block by himself, claiming $311,000 in reward.

➡️Spot Bitcoin ETFs took in 4,349.7 BTC worth $423.6 MILLION this week despite the price of bitcoin falling. Miners only mined 2,250 BTC this week.

On the 22nd of December:

➡️El Salvador makes another purchase of 11 Bitcoin, pushing towards the recently announced goal of 20,000 BTC. Classic! They now have bought 25 Bitcoin worth over $2.4 million since securing its loan from the IMF. Bukele wasn't joking around!

➡️'When there's not enough Bitcoin for sale, billionaires will offer ANYTHING to own some. You'll be able to get: - Houses for 0.01 BTC - Cars for 0.001 BTC - A month of groceries for 0.00001 BTC They will give you everything you need... Because YOU have what THEY want.' -Rajatsonifnance

Regarding that a month of groceries for 0.00001 BTC,' everything is falling (price) against Bitcoin. What about fiat?

This is the single best long-run measure of food inflation. And it’s gone vertical. Now you do the math and ask yourself, go long Bitcoin or go long fiat?

You know what I will give you one more example, 'houses for 0.01 BTC'

Are you paying attention?

➡️Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim: Bitcoin is the top-performing asset of the past 16 years. It’s better than gold. It can’t be captured by a military force. It can put Vancouver on the map as a world leader in Bitcoin innovation.

On the 23rd of December:

➡️MicroStrategy has acquired 5,262 BTC for ~$561 million at ~$106,662 per Bitcoin and has achieved a Bitcoin Yield of 47.4% QTD and 73.7% YTD. As of 12/22/2024, they hodl 444,262 Bitcoin acquired for ~$27.7 billion at ~$62,257 per Bitcoin.

➡️Japanese public company Metaplanet buys 619.7 Bitcoin for ¥9.5 billion. As of December 23, Metaplanet holds 1,761.98 BTC acquired for ~¥20.87 billion.

➡️Publicly traded La Rosa Holdings Corp. now accepts Bitcoin as a payment option for its real estate agents.

➡️Bitcoin is the best-performing asset in 11 of the last 14 years. Jesse Myers: 'The only speculation about Bitcoin is how long until the mainstream realizes: -Bitcoin is the invention of absolute scarcity -Absolute scarcity is a once-in-a-species event (irreproducible) -Absolute scarcity is a black hole on the world's balance sheet, eating all SoV'

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

On the 16th of December:

👉🏽'11 consecutive days of more decliners than advancers in the S&P500. First time since Sept 11, 2001.' - ZeroHedge

On the 18th of December:

👉🏽The S&P 500 falls over 3% in its largest post-Fed drop since March 2020.

🏦Banks:

👉🏽'This is the first time in the history of the data that over 40% of banks were tightening credit standards, and then went back to not tightening, without a recession having occurred.' - Lyn Alden One word: "Fiscal dominance" https://www.lynalden.com/september-2024-newsletter/

🌎Macro/Geopolitics:

On the 17th of December: BowTiedMara: 'Last 8 months of Massa (WITH PRICE CONTROLS):

6.6%

5.8%

6.3%

15.6%

14.3%

7.7%

15.7%

29.7%

Last 8 months of Milei (WITHOUT PRICE CONTROLS):

6%

4.8%

3%

3.2%

3.6%

2.3%

1.2%

0.9%'

What do we learn from this? Socialists want you dependent on them and price controls never work.

On the 18th of December:

👉🏽'SUMMARY OF FED CHAIR POWELL'S STATEMENT (12/18/24): 1. Inflation is "much closer" to 2% Fed target 2. Activity in the housing market has been weak 3. Wage growth in the United States has eased 4. The labor market is not a source of inflation pressures 5. The Fed can be more cautious in reducing interest rates 6. Inflation expectations remain "well anchored" The "Fed pivot" is taking another pause.' -TKL

👉🏽'The S&P 500 falls sharply after the Fed cuts rates by 25 basis points, but raises inflation forecast. The Fed reduced its outlook from 3 to 2 rate cuts in 2025 and raised inflation expectations from 2.1% to 2.5%. Inflation is back.' _TKL

👉🏽ZeroHedge: POWELL: ECONOMY GREW FASTER THAN EXPECTED IN SECOND HALF OF '24'. Maybe this had something to do with it?

👉🏽'Very rare: the Fed just lowered the overnight reverse repo rate (RRP) by 30 basis points, not 25 bps (the norm) So RRP rate is now at the floor of Fed Funds (no longer 5 bps above). This could ease money market rates & accelerate money flowing out of the Fed's RRP facility.' - Jack Farley In other words: Another liquidity injection.

On the 20th of December:

👉🏽'November PCE inflation, the Fed's preferred inflation measure, RISES to 2.4%, below expectations of 2.5%. Core PCE inflation was 2.8%, below expectations of 2.9%. However, this means CPI, PPI, and PCE inflation are all back on the rise.' -TKL

👉🏽'The new government funding bill would allow for ~$1.565 trillion in new borrowing before the debt ceiling binds again next March. +$1.5 trillion to the national debt... IN 3 MONTHS. If the government were a business, nobody would give them a dime. They'd be bankrupt tomorrow.' -Joe Consorti

On the 22nd of December:

👉🏽The global Fed pivot continues: 74% of world central banks have cut rates this year, the biggest share since 2021. The Bank of Canada has cut rates 5 times by 175 basis points, marking the most aggressive rate cut cycle among major central banks. The European Central Bank and the Swiss National Bank have lowered rates 4 times by 100 and 125 basis points, respectively. The Bank of England has cut twice by 50 basis points. As inflation rebounds, the pivot is at risk.' -TKL

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

Some fountain of Lyn Aldens wisdom:

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

Credit: I have used multiple sources!

My savings account: Bitcoin The tool I recommend for setting up a Bitcoin savings plan: PocketBitcoin especially suited for beginners or people who want to invest in Bitcoin with an automated investment plan once a week or monthly. Use the code BITCOINFRIDAY

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.⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀

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Originalni rad

Jun 2018 / Autor: Aleksandar Radivojević

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APSTRAKT:

Kripto valute, kao pod kategorija virtuelnih valuta, predstavljaju nastavak inovacija zasnovanih na tehnološkom napretku na finansijskim tržištima. Ovaj put predmet inovacije je sam novac. Nagli porast interesovanja za ovu vrstu valuta u svetu uticao je na potrebu regulacije, pre svega na nacionalnom, a zatim i nadnacionalnom nivou. Međutim, problem pri regulaciji posledica je nekoliko faktora: nivo tehnološke kompleksnosti sistema kripto valuta, činjenica da se kripto valute tek nalaze u početnoj fazi razvoja, kao i činjenica da bi pogrešna regulacija mogla da dovede do potencijalnog tehnološkog zaostatka za drugim državama. Stoga ne čudi raznolikost u regulisanju istog fenomena od strane različitih država, u nekim slučajevima čak i potpuna suprotnost. Važno je napomenuti da kripto valute treba posmatrati kao inovaciju, odnosno fenomen koji je u razvoju. Shodno tome svaka kritika, pozitivna ili negativna, samo je kritika trenutnog koraka u procesu razvoja, pa je treba uzeti sa rezervom. U dugom roku kripto valute će napustiti nedefinisanu sferu i iskazati svoj potencijal i vrednost, tek tada ćemo sa sigurnošću moći da ocenimo njihov doprinos razvoju društva.

1. UVOD

Virtuelna valuta predstavlja valutu denominiranu u sopstvenoj jedinici mere iza koje ne stoji država niti bilo koji centralizovani autoritet, a čija se vrednost određuje na tržištu u čistom odnosu ponude i tražnje, bez uplitanja monetarnih vlasti.

Postoji nekoliko definicija virtuelnih valuta, pa tako Međunarodni monetarni fond (MMF) virtualnu valutu definiše kao „Digitalni predstavnik vrednosti, izdat od strane privatnih aktera i denominiran u sopstvenoj jedinici vrednosti“2. Evropska centralna banka (ECB) koristi sledeću definiciju „Digitalni predstavnik vrednosti, koji nije izdat od strane centralne banke, kreditne institucije ili institucije elektronskog novca, koji u nekim situacijama može biti korišćena kao zamena za novac“3. ECB je u odnosu na definiciju iz 2012. godine4 uvela dve promene. Izbačen je termin neregulisan, usled činjenice da su određene države regulisale virtuelne valute, ali još važnije ECB prema novoj definiciji ne definiše više virtuelne valute kao novac.

Upravo ove dve promene u definiciji ECB ukazuju na trenutno najznačajnija pitanja vezana za virtuelne valute, pitanje regulacije i pitanje klasifikacije ovih valuta kao novac ili finansijsku imovinu.

Karakteristike pojedinačnih virtuelnih valuta klasifikuju ih u podgrupe. Neke od njih postoje već duži niz godina bez ikakvih potreba regulacije, usled činjenice da njihov uticaj na globalnu ekonomiju nije značajan. Uticaj kripto valuta, kao jedne od potkategorija, postao je toliki da zahteva uključivanje kreatora ekonomskih politika u njihovo regulisanje. Bilo da ograniči ili podstakne njihovu upotrebu.

U osnovi, kripto valute u potpunosti preispituju sistem monetarnog funkcionisanja zasnovanog na fiducijarnom novcu iza čije vrednosti stoji država ili određeni viši centralizovani autoritet. Kako iza virtuelne valute ne stoji država, a sistem funkcionisanja je zasnovan na kompleksnoj tehnologiji, postavlja se pitanje uloge centralne banke, komercijalnih banaka i ostalih finansijskih institucija koje su u poslednjih nekoliko decenije bili dominantni akteri finansijskog sektora.

2. BITKOIN

Bitkoin predstavlja kripto valutu koja je pokretač i nosilac trenutnog stanja na tržištu kripto valuta sa učešćem od preko 40%. Prema karakteristikama virtuelnih valuta ovu kripto valutu svrstavamo u potpuno decentralizovanu i konvertibilnu, a njena ukupna, buduća, ponuda je unapred određena. Nastanak bitkoina vezuje se za članak koji je objavljen od strane autora pod pseudonimom Satoši Nakamoto 2008. godine pod nazivom „Bitkoin – Elektronski sistem gotovine između jednakih“. Satoši Nakamoto, za sada nepoznati pojedinac ili grupa pojedinaca, 2009. godine pustio je u promet prvi bitkoin softver i prve jedinice valute. S obzirom da se radi o tehnologiji baziranoj na otvorenom kodu (open source technology) sistem je nastavio da radi bez potrebe uključivanja njegovog osnivača.

Ukupna tržišna vrednost bitkoin valute u trećem kvartalu 2017. godine iznosila je 75 milijardi dolara, taj iznos je početkom 2018. godine dostigao 232 milijarde dolara, dok je početkom juna 2018. godine on iznosio 115 milijardi. U poređenju sa monetarnim agregatima dominantnih fiducijarnih valuta ovaj iznos nije značajan ( EUR M3 11804 milijardi5, USD M3 13701 milijardi6). Međutim bitkoin posmatramo kao novi fenomen koji beleži snažni rast (tržišna vrednost na kraju 2016. godine iznosila je 15,5 milijardi dolara).

Celokupni proces koji stoji iza kreiranja, transfera, čuvanja i trošenja virtualne valute obavlja se elektronski. Osnovni elementi sistema svake virtualne valute jesu sama valuta (Bitkoin, Ethereum, itd.) i tehnologija beleženja i sprovođenja transakcija. Mehanizam na osnovu koga funkcioniše određena valuta definiše i sprovodi: izdavanje valute; sprovođenje internih pravila koja su osnova funkcionisanja valute; transfer novca i poravnanja. Mehanizam na osnovu kojeg funkcionišu kripto valute jeste decentralizovani mehanizam koji koristi kriptografiju (šifrovanje) u obavljanju ovih funkcija.

Decentralizovani mehanizam podrazumeva da ne postoji centralna jedinica koja izdaje novac, vrši proveru i realizaciju plaćanja, poravnanja, itd., već se ove funkcije sprovode od strane većeg broja nezavisnih jedinica (pojedinaca, udruženja ili kompanija). Ove jedinice zovu se „rudari“ (miners) i oni svojim uključivanjem u online mrežu virtualne valute obavljaju ove aktivnosti koristeći kapacitete svoje računarske opreme. Rudari su pojedinci ili kompanije raspoređeni po celom svetu koji ovu aktivnost obavljaju u cilju dobijanja vlasništva nad novim jedinicama kripto valute. Ovako decentralizovani sistem koji stoji iza obrade transakcija eliminiše mogućnost ljudske greške koja je prisutna u bankama i ostalim finansijskim institucijama. Naime, da bi pojedinac ili grupa pojedinaca promenila bilo koju informaciju u sistemu mora raspolagati sa 51% računarskog kapaciteta koji stoji iza mreže, što je skoro neizvodljivo.

Neophodan element sistema kripto valuta jeste digitalni novčanik (wallet) koji predstavlja softver koji čuva informacije o količini i iznosu kripto valuta koje su u posedu vlasnika novčanika. Korišćenje bilo koje kripto valute podrazumeva prethodno registrovanje novčanika. Pružaoci usluga novčanika su privatne firme koje funkcionišu u sistemu kripto valuta pa je ovaj deo sistema u određenoj meri rizičan, jer se informacije o vlasništvu nad kripto valutom mogu izgubiti lošim upravljanjem kompanije koja pruža usluge ili tehnološkim rizicima kojima je ona izložena7.

Jedan od najinteresantnijih i najznačajnijih elemenata sistema kripto valuta jeste „lanac blokova“ (blockchain) koji predstavlja decentralizovanu bazu podataka sačinjenu od manjih baza (blokova) koji su digitalno povezani na mreži. Ovi blokovi sadrže informacije o transakcijama koje se kriptografski generišu u jedan blok koji se zatim povezuje sa ostalim već generisanim blokovima koji sadrže prethodne informacije. Celokupna procedura na kojoj je zasnovan blockchain onemogućava bilo kakvu promenu informacija u bloku, jer su blokovi međusobno povezani kodom, pa je za promenu podataka potrebno hakovati ceo lanac blokova.

Bitkoin, ostale kripto valute, njihov značaj u budućnosti i primena i dalje su pod znakom pitanja. Međutim, isto se ne može reći za blockchain tehnologiju. Ova tehnologija i njene moguće primene već su zainteresovale veliki broj značajnih aktera na tržištu, pa i država. Goldman Sachs je još u 2015. godini prijavio i registrovao patent za sistem virtuelnog poravnanja finansijskih transakcija koje će u velikoj meri olakšati bankarske transakcije, a koji je upravo zasnovan na blockchain tehnologiji. Blockchain tehnologija nije ograničena samo na finansije. Nepromenljivost informacija čini tehnologiju primenljivom i u drugim sferama. Švedska je najdalje otišla u primeni ove tehnologije, a planovi za primenu u imovinskim transakcijama i katastru su već u toku. Primene ove tehnologije su višestruke i rast njene zastupljenosti u različitim sferama se može očekivati u budućnosti.

3. POTREBA REGULACIJE

Navedene osobine kripto valuta prikazane na primeru najpopularnije valute, bitkoin-a, ukazuju na složenost problema njihove regulacije. Reč je o globalnom fenomenu u čijoj dosadašnjoj regulaciji pojedinačne zemlje ne samo da nemaju zajednički stav, već se ti stavovi u pojedinim slučajevima potpuno razlikuju. Pored toga, na nacionalnom nivou postavlja se pitanje nadležnosti regulacije, s obzirom da još uvek postoji nerazumevanje da li je reč o valuti ili imovini i koji deo sistema treba regulisati (transakciju, vlasnika, posrednika, prodavca,..). Tehnološki faktori takođe utiču na mogućnosti regulacije, usled teškoća u praćenju operacija sa virtuelnim valutama.

Dinamičan rast trgovine virtuelnim valutama u poslednjih godinu dana uticao je i na sve veći broj pokušaja regulacije od strane pojedinačnih država, ali i na rast zahteva za usaglašavanjem i regulacijom na međunarodnom nivou. Dosadašnji načini regulacije u velikoj meri su različiti od zemlje do zemlje. Većina zemalja izdala je upozorenje potrošačima, a neke od zemalja odlučile su se i za nametanje zahteva za izdavanje dozvola za određene učesnike na tržištu, dok je jedan broj zemalja potpuno zabranio upotrebu valuta.

Osnovni rizici koje kripto valute i rast njihove popularnosti i upotrebe sa sobom nose posledično definišu načine regulacije. Ti rizici jesu finansiranje terorizma, pranje novca, izbegavanje poreza, neregulisano kretanje kapitala, zaštita potrošača, itd. Pored toga, karakteristike mehanizma koji pokreće sistem, odnosno akteri i njihove međusobne veze, drugi su osnovni faktor koji definiše način regulacije. Stoga su dosadašnje regulative najčešće bile usmerene na učesnike u trgovini kripto valutama i finansijske institucije koje sa njima posluju.

Transakcije između korisnika virtuelne valute nije moguće regulisati, usled činjenice da je jedan od osnovnih principa virtuelnih valuta upravo anonimnost vlasništva. Međutim kompanije koje prihvataju plaćanje za svoje usluge ili dobra u virtuelnim valutama mogu biti predmet regulacije. Takođe, mada transakcije među vlasnicima valuta jesu anonimne, konverzija virtuelnih valuta u fiducijarne valute najčešće se sprovodi preko posrednika, koji može biti, i za sada u velikom broju slučajeva i jeste, predmet regulacije. U primeru Srbije, kupovina virtuelne valute vrši se preko posrednika, koji za svoje usluge uzima naknadu od 4-7% po transakciji.

Za sada, ove kompanije predstavljaju očigledne ciljeve regulacije. Određene zemlje regulišu i pružaoce „novčanik“ servisa, jer su oni neophodni činioci sistema virtuelnih valuta. Razlog za ovo jeste trenutni, ali u budućnosti možda i izraženiji, odnos obima transakcija između vlasnika kripto valuta (koji je anoniman) i transakcija vlasnika valuta i pružaoca usluga i dobara za te valute (prodavaca). Regulacija kroz pružaoce usluga „novčanika“ nije česta usled činjenice da se ona odnosi na regulacije između učesnika bez konverzije virtuelnih valuta u realnu ekonomiju (dobra, usluge ili fiducijarne valute).

Ubrzan razvoj virtuelnih valuta izazvao je brzu potrebu regulacije, pa su se određene države odlučile za unilateralne regulacije na sopstvenom tržištu, dok je za međunarodni konsenzus i regulaciju potrebno vreme. Međunarodna regulacija biće postepena iz više razloga. Pre svega reč je o promenljivom fenomenu pa shodno tome nije moguće odlučiti se za konkretnu trajnu regulaciju pre sagledavanja i razumevanja celokupnog fenomena. Dodatno, različite države drugačije sagledavaju ovaj fenomen i njegov potencijal. Dok neke države zabranjuju njegovu upotrebu (Kina) druge je u potpunosti podržavaju (Australija, Kanada, itd.).

Razvoj virtuelnih valuta predstavlja revoluciju na valutnom tržištu koja može imati značajan uticaj na celokupno funkcionisanje svetske ekonomije. Pri regulisanju potrebno je voditi računa da se primenom postojećih načina regulacije ne ograniči ili promeni smer ove inovacije.

Budući da virtuelne valute pružaju veću slobodu pojedincu, od njega zahtevaju i veću odgovornost. Naime, transakcija za određenu robu (primer kupovina preko interneta) beleži se putem blockchain-a i u tom trenutku je finalna. Plaćanje tim putem na pogrešan račun tradicionalni sistem rešava zahtevom za povraćaj novca sa jednog računa na drugi u okviru komercijalne banke, odnosno korigovanje u procesu poravnanja. Sistem plaćanja virtuelnim valutama nema ovu mogućnost, usled činjenice da nema centralnog regulatora koji može izvršiti promenu i činjenice da je vlasništvo nad računom anonimno.

Još jedan rizik je kvar sistema na kome su virtualne valute bazirane. Do kvara može doći usled tehnoloških problema sa kojima se suočava sama mreža, pružaoci usluga „novčanika“ ili platforma za trgovinu virtuelnim valutama. Mada stvarni i potencijalno veoma opasni, ovi rizici svojstveni su i trenutnom sistemu pa tako može doći do „kvara“ samog finansijskog sistema, banaka (pružaoca usluga „novčanika“) ili berzi (platformi za trgovinu). Ove kvarove smo i pored regulacija već doživeli, a reakcija je bila podrška države sistemu u kvaru, pa bi u regulaciji kripto valuta trebalo razmotriti i snažniju podršku države u funkcionisanju osnova postojećeg sistema i stvaranju mreža zaštite u slučaju pojedinačnih kvarova aktera na mreži.

Jedina realna opasnost virtuelnih valuta u ovom trenutku jeste njihov neuspeh i krah investitora koji su uložili u njih, što ni u kom slučaju ne bi trebalo da bude pitanje kojim se kreatori ekonomske politike bave. Naime, krah investitora, pojedinaca i kompanija, u slučaju da se vremenom pokaže da kripto valute nemaju nikakvu vrednost, ne bi imao uticaj međunarodni finansijski sistem jer ne bi doveo do lančanog kraha osnovnih finansijskih institucija, kao što je slučaj bio sa krahom tržišta nekretnina 2008. godine. Većina zemalja koje su se do sada bavile pitanjem kripto valuta objavilo je saopštenja za javnost kojima se građanima ukazuje na potencijalne rizike korišćenja i ulaganja u ove valute. Slično obaveštenje objavila je i Narodna banka Srbije samo u užem obliku pozivajući se i usmeravajući građane na obaveštenja Evropske unije.

Jedan od najčešće pominjanih rizika široke rasprostranjenosti virtuelnih valuta jesu mogućnost finansiranja terorizma i pranje novca. Ovi rizici se pominju u skoro svima analizama uticaja kripto valuta, a njihova regulacija upravo predstavlja preteranu regulaciju koja ograničava inovacije. Sprečavanje finansiranja terorizma kontrolom finansija pojedinaca u okviru postojećeg sistema rezultat je prilike koju je način funkcionisanja sistema pružio institucijama koje su zadužene za nacionalnu sigurnost i borbu protiv terorizma. Uvođenje boljeg i efikasnijeg sistema ne treba biti ograničavano činjenicom da je prethodni sistem olakšavao određenim institucijama izvršavanje svojih dužnosti. Naprotiv, druge institucije bi trebalo da, umesto ograničavanja tehnološkog napretka u drugim sferama, podstiču napredak tehnologije u svom delovanju i traže načine za uspešnije obavljanje svojih dužnosti korišćenjem inovacija i novih sistema.

Ni fiducijarni ni virtuelni novac nemaju funkciju sprečavanja terorizma. Sloboda pojedinaca i anonimnost u raspolaganju sopstvenom imovinom trebalo bi da bude jedna od osnova demokratije pa je njeno regulisanje uskraćivanje ovih prava zarad drugog cilja. Sankcionisanje korišćenja imovine pojedinca ili kompanije za finansiranje terorizma treba biti sprovedeno od strane nadležnih institucija, uz pomoć finansijskog sistema ukoliko on pruža mogućnosti za to, ali ne ograničavanjem razvoja društva da bi se te mogućnosti zadržale.

Korišćenje kripto valuta, i anonimnost i lakoća transfera iz jedne u drugu državu koju one pružaju, takođe otežava borbu protiv izbegavanja oporezivanja sakrivanjem bogatstva i prihoda. Još jedan problem u oporezivanju jeste i šta se oporezuje – kripto valuta kao imovina ili novac. Jedno od trenutnih rešenja pri definisanju ovog pitanje jeste klasifikacija prema vremenu držanja valute. Odnosno, da li se valuta drži duži period u cilju sticanja kapitalne dobiti u slučaju porasta njene vrednosti ili se često koristi kao sredstvo plaćanja. Pitanje je i kako i po kojoj vrednosti oporezovati novo stvorenu valutu, dobijenu procesom „rudarenja“, da li po tržišnoj vrednosti u trenutku ostvarivanja prava na novu jedinicu valute (SAD) ili tek po vrednosti u trenutku prodaje te jedinica (Australija).

Takođe postoji rizik i da će razvijanje samog sistema blokchain-a uticati na smanjenje prihoda drugih finansijskih institucija kao što su berze, ali ovde je reč o riziku tehnološkog napretka na profitne kompanije koje zaostaju u razvoju i inovacijama i koje ni u kakvom slučaju ne bi trebalo regulacijom štiti od neuspeha na slobodnom tržištu.

Prvobitni fokus treba da bude na najhitnijim pitanjima vezanim za kripto valute, uključujući finansijski integritet, zaštitu potrošača/investitora i utaju poreza, uz istovremeno ostavljanje manje neposrednih rizika (na primer, finansijsku stabilnost, monetarnu politiku) za kasniju fazu. Pravi pristup regulaciji zavisiće od budućeg razvoja virtuelnih valuta, koji za sada nije predvidiv. Međutim, sam razvoj virtuelnih valuta zavisiće od sadašnje reguacije, pa je potrebno veoma pažljivo pristupiti regulaciji u cilju zaštite tržišta i građana od rizika, ali ne na uštrb ekonomskog napretka.

Za razliku od samih virtuelnih valuta primena blockchain mehanizma ne predstavlja problem regulatorima.

4. REGULACIJA U SVETU

Najliberalnija država na svetu po pitanju operacija sa bitkoinom i ostalim kripto valutama jeste Japan. Bitkoin je u Japanu definisan kao legalno sredstvo plaćanja što je dovelo do brzog rasta broja kompanija koje primaju bitkoin kao sredstvo plaćanja, kao i do brzog razvoja kompanija koje se bave razvojem blockchain tehnologije. Za razliku od nacionalne valute banke nemaju obavezu obavljanja operacija sa bitkoinom, ali je upotreba bitkoina neograničena ukoliko se strane u upotrebi o tome slažu. Kao zemlja sa najliberalnijom regulacijom i najvećim učešćem u ukupnoj trgovini na dnevnom nivou trgovina kripto valutama u Japanu je takođe najčešće bila meta značajnih hakerskih napada i krađa8.

Još jedna zemlja sa veoma liberalnim pogledom na ovu tehnologiju jeste Australija. Operacije sa bitkoinom i ostalim kripto valutama nisu ograničene, niti su ICO9 ograničene, ali se svaka pojedinačna ICO posmatra od strane države u cilju povećavanja sigurnosti i smanjivanja rizika. Poreska politika bitkoin i ostale slične valute posmatra kao imovinu, i na osnovu toga definiše kapitalnu dobit u zavisnosti od operacija sa ovom imovinom10.

Predsednik Belorusije koga mnogi nazivaju poslednjim evropskim diktatorom, Aleksandar Lukašenko, potpisao je krajem decembra 2017. godine zakon čijim je stupanjem na snagu, krajem marta 2018. godine, regulisano poslovanje sa kripto valutama. Preduzeća u skladu sa ovim zakonom mogu da kreiraju svoje kripto valute, poseduju druge kripto valute i vrše sve operacije sa njima isključivo preko berzi kripto valuta. Građani mogu slobodno da obavljaju aktivnosti „rudara“, da kupuju, prodaju i menjaju kripto valute, kao i da ih kupuju i prodaju za beloruske rublje. Ostvareni profit od svih ovih operacija neće biti oporezivan sve do januara 2023 godine, niti će se aktivnosti rudarenja i trgovanja kripto valuta smatrati preduzetničkim poduhvatom11. Ovaj zakon posebnu pažnju posvećuje blokchain tehnologiji pa se aktivnosti zasnovane na ovoj tehnologiji posebno oporezuju. Ova preduzeća biće oslobođena poreza na dobit i poreza na dodatu vrednost. Umesto toga plaćaće porez u iznosu od 1% ukupnog prihoda.

Rusija je početkom 2018. godine predstavila nacrt zakona kojim će biti regulisane operacije sa kripto valutama12. Mada zakon definiše kripto valute kao imovinu, a ne kao novac, njegove odredbe pomak su ka razvoju kripto valuta, s obzirom da su informacije o regulaciji kripto valuta od strane ruskih vlasti u prethodnom period bile pre svega usmerene ka potpunoj zabrani operacija sa ovim valutama. Trgovina kripto valutama kao imovinom, međutim, najverovatnije neće biti podložna porezu na dodatu vrednost s obzirom da će se suštinski posmatrati kao finansijska imovina. U poslednje vreme se sve više i govori i o aktivnostima ruskih vlasti ka kreiranju državne kripto valute – kriptorublje13. Trenutno je nepoznato da li će ova valuta, ukoliko bude kreirana, biti jedna od dozvoljenih kripto valuta na ruskom tržištu ili jedina dozvoljena, ali njeno eventualno kreiranje će svakako biti pomak u razvoju kripto valuta.

Vlada Kanade je prva zemlja koja je formalno regulisala digitalne valute, u junu 2014. godine. Bitkoin definiše kao elektronski novac koji građani mogu koristiti kao sredstvo plaćanja u kompanijama koje to sredstvo prihvataju. Takođe, dozvoljena je kupovina i prodaja bitkoina kao finansijske imovine u cilju ostvarivanja zarade. Sa druge strane bitkoin nije zakonsko sredstvo plaćanja, pa je time njegova upotreba ograničena u kompanijama koje prihvataju da svoje usluge ili robu prodaju za tu kripto valutu. Poreska regulacija transakcija u bitkoin-u ista je kao i za transakcije u nacionalnoj valuti. Sve poreske obaveze nastale iz promene vlasništva bitkoina podložne su već postojećim poreskim obligacijama. Takođe, svaki gubitak ili dobitak od trgovine bitkoinom kao finansijskom imovinom mora biti prijavljen pri obračunu poreza na dohodak građana14.

Sjedinjene Američke Države prepustile su svakoj državi u okviru svog sastava da odrede kako će njihovi građani moći da učestvuju u operacijama sa kripto valutama. Na nivou nacije regulacija definiše virtualne valute kao imovinu i obavezuje građane da prijave ostvareni profit na osnovu operacija sa virtualnim valutama poreskoj administraciji15. Različite državne agencije takođe regulišu u određenoj meri operacije sa kripto valutama koje su u njihovoj nadležnosti, ne regulišući same kripto valute već operacije sa njima koje nisu dozvoljene. Pa tako Mreža za primenu regulacija u oblasti finansijskog kriminala (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network - FinCEN) kao deo Ministarstva finansija SAD nalaže svim berzama koje trguju kripto valutama i drugim kompanijama koje se bave operacijama sa kripto valutama da se registruju kao kompanije koje se bave prenosom ili konverzijom novca i time budu regulisane Zakonom o sigurnosti bankarskog sistema.

Regulacija u Ujedinjenom Kraljevstvu je u toku i u ovom slučaju je najpre usmerena ka rešavanju problema koje popularizacija ovih valuta donosi u oblasti borbe protiv terorizma i pranja novca. U skladu sa time pre svega će biti regulisane platforme za trgovinu valutama i kompanije koje pružaju usluge virtuelnih novčanika u okviru direktiva za suzbijanje pranja novca i finansiranje terorizma16.

Evropska unija kao celina nije jasno regulisala kripto valute. Usaglašavanje većeg broja zemalja oko regulisanja pojma koji se i dalje razvija i koji i dalje nema jasnu definiciju zahteva određeno vreme i iskustvo, ali aktivnosti pojedinačnih zemalja EU povodom ovog pitanja mogu nam ukazati na pravac razvoja kripto valuta i tehnologija koje stoje iza njih u EU u budućnosti. Početkom 2018. godine francuski ministar finansija najavio je formiranje radne grupe čiji ce cilj biti definisanje regulatornih normi kriptov valuta. Estonija je već zatražila od EU komentar na pokretanje ICO za sopstvenu kripto valutu estcoin, što je možda moglo biti i očekivao od države sa veoma razvijenim digitalnim društvom i e-upravom. Članovi Nacionalne banke Finske objavili su septembru 2017. godine istraživački dokument17 u kome navode da ne postoji potreba za regulacijom bitkoina. U Nemačkoj nije doneta regulativa koja se odnosi na sam bitkoin i ostale kripto valute već se primenjuju već postojeće regulative na „sredstvo razmene“ kako je bitkoin definisan u Nemačkoj. Značajno je napomenuti da pri kupovini bitkoina za euro bitkoin mora biti uvećan za PDV, čime je njegova popularizacija donekle ograničena.

Švajcarska takođe nije posebno regulisala bitkoin niti je na bilo koji način ograničila njegovu upotrebu. Pored toga što su ovakvi uslovi doveli do razvoja kompanija koje se bave razvojem blockchain tehnologije, država je kroz stvaranje asocijacije18 ovih kompanija dodatno doprinela njihovom razvoju i pokazala svoj interes u daljem razvoju tehnologije koja stoji iza kripto valuta. U januaru 2018. godine Državni sekretarijat za međunarodna finansijska pitanja (SIF) uspostavio je radnu grupu za blockchain / ICO koja e pregledati zakonski okvir i identifikovati bilo kakvu potrebu za aktivnostima uz učeše Federalnog ureda pravde (FOJ), Švajcarskog nadzornog organa za finansijsko tržište (FINMA)19.

Nasuprot ovim zemljama, koje regulisanjem ne zabranjuju upotrebu bitkoina, Narodna banka Kine je u septembru zabranila inicijalne ponude virtuelnih valuta (initaila coin offering - ICO)20 i donela odluku o zatvaranju domaćih berzi za prodaju bitkoina. Međutim, regulacijom nije zabranjeno „rudarenje“ novih jedinica postojećih valuta. Razlozi za ovakav stav Kine prema kripto valutama mogu se pronaći u jedinstvenim okolnostima u kojima je regulacija doneta. Naime, Kina se u trenutku regulacije nalazila u situaciji u kojoj se dominantan deo trgovine bitkinom obavlja od strane kineskih građana21, dve od tri kineske berze za trgovinu kripto valutama koje su zatvorene u trenutku donošenja regulacije (Bitfinex, OkCoin, i BTCC) zauzimale su drugo i treće mesto na svetu prema obimu trgovine kripto valutama22, a gore navedene regulacije u drugim zemljama u tom trenutku nisu bile donete. U takvim okolnostima Kina je morala da reguliše tržište kako ne bi došlo do ozbiljnijih ekonomskih posledica kao rezultat kombinacije navedenih faktora. Kako se kripto valute budu razvijale, a različiti oblici regulacije davali rezultate i preporuke za dalju regulaciju, možemo očekivati relaksaciju tržišta kripto valuta u Kini.

Indija još uvek nije regulisala kripto valute, ali sa primljenim iznosom doznaka u vrednosti od 72 milijarde dolara u 2015. godini23 predstavlja poseban izazov za regulatore jer bitkoin omogućuje nesmetan trenutni priliv doznaka iz virtuelnog novčanika pošiljaoca na račun primaoca potpuno netransparentno. Filipini kao zemlja koja se nalazi na trećem mestu liste sa 29 milijardi dolara primljenih kroz doznake u 2015. godini takođe su najavili regulaciju, posebno pri konverziji bitkoina u nacionalnu valutu.

U Srbiji su operacije sa Bitkoinom su slobodne i moguće je slobodno ih razmenjivati za dinare. Kao i većina zemalja Srbija (Narodna banka) je objavila upozorenje o upotrebi kripto valuta24 još u 2014. godini, pozivajući se na obaveštenja Evropske unije. Bitkoin je u Srbiji moguće slobodno razmenjivati za dinare. Za Srbiju je regulacija bitkoina važna i iz ugla primanja doznaka, čija je vrednost procenjena na 2 milijarde američkih dolara.

5. ZAKLJUČAK

Za sistem kripto valuta se ne može reći da predstavlja realnu opasnost, a da to ne bude zasnovano samo na pretpostavkama. Takođe, kao što smo već naveli, najveći deo kritika, kao što su finansiranje terorizma, izbegavanje poreza, itd., nisu realne kritike jer se ovim problemima bave institucije, a ne novac. Da je moguće vršiti aktivnosti borbe protiv ovih problema bez ograničavanja ili zabrane korišćenja kripto valuta pokazuje primer kažnjavanja kompanije BTC za pranje novca putem operacija sa kripto valutama u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama, od strane državne agencije Mreža za primenu regulacija u oblasti finansijskog kriminala 25

U radu smo videli nekoliko načina regulacije kripto valuta u nekim od najrazvijenijih svetskih ekonomija. Neke od navedenih regulacija su iskazane formalno, dok je u nekim slučajevima regulacija izvršena jednostavnim prihvatanjem operacija sa kripto valutama. Nakon regulacija i prihvatanja operacija sa kripto valutama u ovim zemljama teško je verovati da će druge zemlje u bliskoj budućnosti moći da zabrane upotrebu i ograde se od tehnološkog razvoja zasnovanog na blockchain tehnologiji i kripto valutama. Ovakva mogućnost svakako postoji, ali je ona verovatna isključivo na tržištima na kojima trgovina kripto valutama bude značajno pozitivno odstupala od svetskih trendova, kao što je bio slučaj sa Kineskim tržištem.

Kripto valute predstavljaju značajnu tehnološku evoluciju u okviru međunarodnog finansijskog sistema. I postojeći sistem zasnovan je na prethodnim tehnološkim evolucijama, pa je tako i u ovom slučaju potrebno pratiti njen razvoj, prihvatiti i primeniti sve pozitivne aspekte. Uključivanje države kroz regulaciju ovde je možda i najpotrebnije. Kao i kod svakog tehnološkog napretka najveći otpor daljem napretku stvaraju oni koji najviše uživaju u postojećem sistemu. U slučaju da se pokaže da kripto valute pružaju značajnu korist građanima na štetu finansijskih institucija ovaj otpor će svakako biti snažan.

Videli smo da su kritike koje se odnose na finansiranje terorizma, pranje novca, itd., neosnovane. Sa druge strane kritike da se ne radi o novcu su prerane. Fluktuacije vrednosti koje kripto valute iskazuju na dnevnom nivou nisu svojstvene pravim valutama, pa ih pre svega treba posmatrati kao imovinu kojom se trguje. Međutim i ovde se može postaviti pitanje fluktuacija valuta u uslovima inflacije i hiperinflacije, odnosno u uslovima nestabilnosti i nemogućnosti predviđanja, čak i kratkoročnih, kretanja na tržištu valute koja je u pitanju. Upravo takve okolnosti trenutno karakterišu tržište kripto valuta. Klasifikacija kripto valuta kao imovine u ovom trenutku možda je i opravdana sa aspekta da se njima više trguje nego što se koriste u trgovini, ali u tom smislu bi i klasifikacija interneta u sličnoj fazi razvoja kao „sistem za razmenu naučnih informacija“ bila opravdana. Upotreba i mogućnosti kripto valuta tek su u ranoj fazi razvoja. Šta one trenutno predstavljaju, imovinu ili novac, može biti predmet debate, ali samo na nivou pojedinačnih zemalja, usled njihove različite primene na ovim nivoima, i samo u trenutku razmatranja.

Kako su kripto valute iskazale otpornost na negativne regulacije, pritisak velikih igrača na obaranje cena, medijski pritisak ekonomskih analitičara, i opstale kao još uvek u potpunosti nedefinisani fenomen realno je očekivati da ćemo u narednih nekoliko meseci videti pozitivne promene u regulaciji kripto valuta kao i verovatno uključivanje berzi u trgovinu kripto valutama kao imovinom. U srednjem roku ovo bi trebalo da dovede do rasta vrednosti kripto valuta. U dugom roku kripto valute će preći iz nedefinisane sfere i u funkciji četvrte industrijske revolucije iskazati svoj potencijal i vrednost.

Posebnu pažnju treba obratiti na činjenicu da se ovo odnosi samo na mali broj kripto valuta, koje će nivoom tehnološkog razvoja najpre i najbolje odgovoriti na zahteve tržišta. Dominantan broj kripto valuta i u ovom trenutku nema nikakvu vrednost, već se u potpunosti bazira na već široko rasprostranjenoj tehnologiji i snažnom marketingu. U tom smislu kretanje na tržištu kripto valuta možemo poistovetiti sa kretanjem na tačka-com tržištu krajem devedesetih godina 20. veka. Početak razvoja interneta doveo je do ogromnih rasta ulaganja u kompanije koje su bile bazirane na internetu, bez obzira na činjenicu da ta ulaganja nisu bila opravdana ekonomskim podacima i činjenicama. Nakon pucanja balona veliki broj ulagača ostao je bez celokupnog ulaganja, ali oni koji su uložili u E-bay, Amazon, i dr. ostvarili su i verovatno i dalje ostvaruju značajan profit.

Ovde možemo napraviti još jednu vezu. U trenutku razvoja interneta moglo se takođe postaviti pitanje njegovog budućeg uticaja na razvoj terorizma, pornografije, i dr. i smanjivanje mogućnosti odgovarajućih službi u borbi protiv ovih problema. Da li su ovi razlozi trebali da spreče razvoj internet tehnologije ili ne?

Narodna banka Srbije, kao i ostali kreatori ekonomskih politika u Srbiji, trebalo bi da prate sve promene na tržištu kripto valuta i regulacije i aktivnosti drugih država kako bi mogli da procene potencijalne rizike i prednosti ranog uvođena i regulacije kripto valuta. Uzevši u obzir moguće legalne načine kupovine i prodaje kripto valuta u Srbiji, NBS bi u ovom trenutku mogla da uloži napore u regulisanje kupo-prodaje ovih valuta i oporezivanje dobiti nastale ne osnovu ovih transakcija.

6. LITERATURA

• Ernest and Young Global Consumer Banking Survey, 2014, http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/EY_-_Global_Consumer_Banking_Survey_2014/$FILE/EY-Global-Consumer-Banking-Survey-2014.pdf
• European Central Bank, 2012, Virtual currency schemes, Frankfurt.
• European Central Bank, 2015, Virtual currency schemes – a further analysis, Frankfurt.
• Financial Action Task Force, 2014, Virtual Currencies Key Definitions and Potential AML/
• CFT Risks, Pariz.
• International Monetary Fund, 2016, Virtual Currencies and Beyond: Initial Considerations, Washington.
• Houy, N., 2014, The Bitcoin mining game, Groupe d’ Analyse et de Théorie Économique
• Lyon-St Étienne, Lyon.
• Houy, N., 2014, The economics of Bitcoin transaction fees, Groupe d’ Analyse et de
• Théorie Économique Lyon-St Étienne, Lyon.
• Nakamoto, S., 2008, Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System, https://bitcoin.org/
• bitcoin.pdf
• Rainer, B. et all., 2015, Bitcoin: Economics, Technology, and Governance, Journal of
• Economie Perspectives, Vol. 29, str. 213-238.
• Vondrackova, A., Regulation of Virtual Currency in the European Union, 2016, Charles
• University Law Faculty, Prag
• Swan, M., Blockchain – Blueprint for a new economy, 2015, O’Reilly, Sebastopol.

Internet izvori:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satoshi_Nakamoto#Development_of_bitcoin
• www.blockchain.info
• https://bitcoin.org/en/
• https://coin.dance/poli
• www.coinmarketcap.com

...

---

1. Fondacija za razvoj ekonomske nauke
2. Virtual Currencies and Beyond: Initial Considerations, 2016, International Monetary Fund, Washington, USA
3. Virtual currency schemes – a further analysis, 2015, European Central Bank, Frankfurt, Germany
4. Neregulisani digitalni novac koji je najčešće izdat i regulisan od strane svog osnivača i prihvaćen od strane određene virtuelne zajednice
5. http://sdw.ecb.europa.eu/reports.do?node=1000003478 Podatak za oktobar 2017. godine.
6. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MABMM301USM189S Podatak za septembar 2017. godine.
7. Primer Mt. Gox, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mt._Gox
8. Mt. Gox Exchange i Coincheck
9. Inicijalna ponuda virtuelnih valuta
10. https://www.ato.gov.au/General/Gen/Tax-treatment-of-crypto-currencies-in-Australia---specificallybitcoin/#TransactingwithBitcoin
11. https://media.dev.by/decree_media_kit_en.pdf
12. https://ria.ru/economy/20171221/1511414652.html
13. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4989410/Russia-launches-cyber-currency-CryptoRuble.html
14. https://www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/services/payment/digital-currency.html
15. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-virtual-currency-guidance
16. https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-10-27/110111
17. https://helda.helsinki.fi/bof/bitstream/handle/123456789/14912/BoF_DP_1727.pdf;jsessionid=2F1E2EDBF1180739B5C13906CA99260E?sequence=1
18. https://cryptovalley.swiss/
19. https://www.sif.admin.ch/sif/en/home/dokumentation/medienmitteilungen/medienmitteilungen.msg-id-69539.html
20. Inicijalna ponuda virtuelne valute (ICO) podrazumeva neregulisano finansiranje razvoja novih virtuelnih valuta prikupljanjem sredstava od zainteresovanih investitora. Investitori (pojedinci ili kompanije) ulažu fiducijarni novac ili već postojeće virtuelne valute u zamenu za vlasništvo nad određenim brojem jedinica novostvorene valute, u nadi da će u budućnosti njena vrednost biti višestruko veća. Ukoliko se prikupi unapred definisana potrebna suma u okviru ICO investitorima se dodeljuje pripadajući broj jedinica nove valute, ukoliko ne investirani novac se vraća investitorima.
21. Prema nekim procenama 45% ukupne trgovine bitkoinom.
22. http://data.bitcoinity.org/markets/volume/6m?c=e&t=b
23. https://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPROSPECTS/Resources/334934-1199807908806/4549025-1450455807487/Factbookpart1.pdf
24. http://www.nbs.rs/internet/latinica/scripts/showContent.html?id=7605
25. https://www.fincen.gov/news/news-releases/fincen-fines-btc-e-virtual-currency-exchange-110-million-facilitating-ransomware

@ ee11a5df:b76c4e49

China

I might be wrong, but this is how I see it

This is a post within a series I am going to call "I might be wrong, but this is how I see it"

I have repeatedly found that my understanding of China is quite different from that of many libertarian-minded Americans. And so I make this post to explain how I see it. Maybe you will learn something. Maybe I will learn something.

It seems to me that many American's see America as a shining beacon of freedom with a few small problems, and China is an evil communist country spreading communism everywhere. From my perspective, America was a shining beacon of freedom that has fallen to being typical in most ways, and which is now acting as a falling empire, and China was communist for about a decade, but turned and ran away from that as fast as they could (while not admitting it) and the result is that the US and China are not much different anymore when it comes to free markets. Except they are very different in some other respects.

China has a big problem

China has a big problem. But it is not the communism problem that most Westerners diagnose.

I argue that China is no longer communist, it is only communist in name. And that while it is not a beacon of free market principles, it is nearly as free market now as Western nations like Germany and New Zealand are (being somewhat socialist themselves).

No, China's real problem is authoritarian one-party rule. And that core problem causes all of the other problems, including its human rights abuses.

Communism and Socialism

Communism and Socialism are bad ideas. I don't want to argue it right here, but most readers will already understand this. The last thing I intend to do with this post is to bolster or defend those bad ideas. If you dear reader hold a candle for socialism, let me know and I can help you extinguish it with a future "I might be wrong, but this is how I see it" installment.

Communism is the idea of structuring a society around common ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange, and the idea of allocating goods and services based on need. It eliminates the concept of private property, of social classes, ultimately of money and finally of the state itself.

Back under Mao in 1958-1962 (The Great Leap Forward), China tried this (in part). Some 50+ million people died. It was an abject failure.

But due to China's real problem (authoritarianism, even worship of their leaders), the leading classes never admitted this. And even today they continue to use the word "Communist" for things that aren't communist at all, as a way to save face, and also in opposition to the United States of America and Europe.

Authorities are not eager to admit their faults. But this is not just a Chinese fault, it is a fault in human nature that affects all countries. The USA still refuses to admit they assassinated their own president JFK. They do not admit they bombed the Nord Stream pipeline.

China defines "socialism with Chinese characteristics" to mean "the leadership of the Communist Party of China". So they still keep the words socialism and communism, but they long ago dropped the meanings of those words. I'm not sure if this is a political ploy against us in the West or not.

China's Marketplace Today

Today China exhibits very few of the properties of communism.

They have some common ownership and state enterprises, but not much differently than Western countries (New Zealand owns Air New Zealand and Kiwibank and Kiwirail, etc). And there are private enterprises all over China. They compete and some succeed and some fail. You might hear about a real-estate bank collapsing. China has private property. They have mostly free markets. They have money, and the most definitely have social classes and a very strong state.

None of that is inline with what communist thinkers want. Communist thinkers in China moan that China has turned away from communism.

Deng Xiaoping who succeeded Mao and attempted to correct the massive mistake, did much when he said "to get rich is glorious."

China achieved staggering rates of economic growth. 10% annually on average since 1977. Chinese economic reform started in 1979 and has continued through successive administrations (Deng, Jiang, Hu and now Xi).

China is now the world's largest economy (by GDP in PPP terms) since 2016.

I was first made aware of China's economic growth by Jim Rogers, an American commodities expert who travelled through China (and the rest of the world from 1990-1992) and in 2007 moved to Singapore where he ensured his daughters learned to speak Mandarin, because Jim knew where the economic growth was going to happen. Jim always spoke positively of China's economic prospects, and his view was so different from the "China is a nasty communist place" view that I had grown up with that my mind opened.

How can anybody believe they are still a communist country? In what world does it make sense that communism can produce such a massively booming economy? It doesn't make sense because it is simply wrong.

What does happen is that the CPC interferes. It lets the market do what markets do, but it interferes where it thinks oversight and regulation would produce a better result.

Western nations interfere with their markets too. They have oversight and regulation. In fact some of China's planned reforms had to be put on hold by Xi due to Donald Trump's trade war with China. That's right, they were trying to be even more free market than America, but America's protectionism prodded Xi to keep control so he could fight back efficiently.

Government oversight and regulation IMHO is mostly bad because it gets out of control, and there are no market forces to correct this. This gets even more extreme in a one-party system, so I can judge that China's oversight and regulation problems are very likely worse than those in Western nations (but I have no first hand experience or evidence).

Why do you keep saying CPC?

The Communist Party of China (CPC) is the ruling party in China. That is their official name. To call them the CCP is to concede to the idea that the British and Americans get to name everybody. I'm not sure who is right, since CPC or CCP is their "English" name (in Chinese it is 中国共产党 and Westernized it is Zhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng). Nonetheless, I'll call them CPC because that is their wish.

Social Credit System

China moved from a planned economy to a market economy in stages. They didn't want any more sudden changes (can you blame them?). In the process, many institutions that have existed in the West for a long time didn't exist in China and they had to arise somehow. IMHO market forces would have brought these about in the private sector, but the one-party CP of China instead decided to create these.

One of those institutions was a credit score system. In the West we have TransUnion and Equifax that maintain credit ratings on people, and we have S&P, Moody's and Fitch that maintain credit ratings on companies. The domain of these ratings is their financial credit-worthiness.

So the People's Bank of China developed a credit information database for it's own needs. The government picked up on the idea and started moving towards a National Credit Management System. In 2004 it became an official goal to establish a credit system compatible with a modern market system. By 2006 banks were required to report on consumer creditworthiness.

But unchecked one-party governmental power will often take a good idea (credit worthiness data shared among private parties) and systematize it and apply it top-down, creating a solution and a new problem at the same time.

Nonetheless, originally it was about credit worthiness and also criminal convictions. That is no big scary thing that some right-wing American commentators will lead you to believe. In the US for example criminal records are public, so China's Social Credit System started out being no more over-reaching in scope than what Americans have lived under their entire lives, its only fault (a severe one) being centrally planned. And that remained the case up until about 2016 (in my estimation).

But of course there is always scope creep. As it exists today, I have reason to believe that CPC officials and even A.I. use judgement calls to score someone on how moral that person has been! Of course that is not a good idea, and IMHO the problem stems from one-party rule, and authoritarian administration of ideas that should instead be handled by the private sector.

Environmental, Social, and Governance

ESG is a system that came out of a couple basic ideas. The first is that many two-party transactions actually have externalities. They don't just affect the two parties, they also affect everybody else. When you fly in an airplane, you increase the CO2 in the atmosphere that everybody has to pay for (eventually). You may dispute that example, but that is no doubt one of the motivations of ESG.

But of course the recognition of this basic issue didn't lead all people towards market solutions (well it did, but those have been mostly messed up by others), but instead led many people towards ESG, which is a social credit scoring system which applies scores based on environmental and social side-effects of market transactions.

This is not at all the same as China's social credit system, which I described above. I hope you can see the difference.

In fact, China imported ESG from the West. Chinese companies, of their free will, in an attempt to court Western capital, achieve ESG goals for those Western investors. They have been playing this ESG game for 20 years just like the entire world has, because the West has imposed this faux-morality upon them. It isn't something China exported to us, it is something we exported to them.

I think China has avoided Woke-ism

My understanding of Chinese people, based on what I've heard many Chinese people say, is that China isn't affected by the Western woke-ism epidemic. They deride Western white woke people with the term "Baizuo". They have never sent an incompetent break dancer to the Olympics because of wok-ism. Competence is highly respected as is the competition to be the most competent, which (when augmented by a one-child policy which is no longer) has produced child prodigies like no other country has.

What about predatory loans of the Belt and Road initiative?

Predatory is an odd name for loans to people in need. The World Bank makes loans to people in need. China does too. China stands in opposition to Western Empire, and in that regard they produce their own alternative BRICS institutions. This is one of them.

There is AFAIK nothing more predatory about them. It is just that in some cases the borrowers have trouble paying them back and they get foreclosed upon. I don't think this is worthy of much discussion, except that the term "predatory" seems to me to be a propaganda device.

What about foreign influence from China?

China wants to influence the world, especially its own trading partners and potential trading partners. Doing that above board is fine by me.

But some of it is undoubtedly covert. Sometimes Chinese-born people run for public office in Western countries. In New Zealand we stood down some when it became clear they were being influenced too much by the CPC while being charged with representing their local town (dual loyalty issues). If only the USA would do the same thing to their dually-loyal politicians.

And all large nations run influence operations. The USA has the CIA, for example, and claims this "soft power" is actually the better alternative to what would otherwise be military intervention (but IMHO shouldn't be either). I'm not defending such operations (I despise them), I'm just explaining how China's position of exerting influence is not only no big deal and totally expected, it pales in comparison to the United States' influence operations which often become military excursions (something China rarely ever does).

What about the Great Firewall?

Yeah, that sucks. Again, single-party authoritarian control gone to extremes.

What about Human Rights Abuses? What about the Uyghur Genocide?

I don't like them. To the extent they are occurring (and I lean towards the belief that they are occurring), I condemn them.

China has anti-terrorism and anti-extremism policies that go too far. They end up oppressing and/or criminalizing cultures that aren't Chinese enough. But especially, China punishes dissent. Disagreement with the CPC is the high crime. It is the one-party rule that causes this problem. Anybody who speaks out against the CPC or goes against the state in any way is harshly punished. This happens to Uyghurs, to Falun Gong, to Tibetans, and to any religion that is seen as subversive.

Amnesty International and the UN OHCHR have documented issues around the Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, Tibet, LGBT rights, death penalty, workers rights, and the Hong Kong special administrative region. I am not about to pretend I know better than they do, but to some extent they go too far.

Amnesty International says this about the USA: Discrimination and violence against LGBTI people were widespread and anti-LGBTI legislation increased. Bills were introduced to address reparations regarding slavery and its legacies. Multiple states implemented total bans on abortion or severely limited access to it. Gender-based violence disproportionately affected Indigenous women. Access to the USA for asylum seekers and migrants was still fraught with obstacles, but some nationalities continued to enjoy Temporary Protected Status. Moves were made to restrict the freedom to protest in a number of states. Black people were disproportionately affected by the use of lethal force by police. No progress was made in the abolition of the death penalty, apart from in Washington. Arbitrary and indefinite detention in the US naval base Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, continued. Despite extensive gun violence, no further firearm reform policies were considered, but President Biden did announce the creation of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. The USA continued to use lethal force in countries around the world. Black people, other racialized groups and low-income people bore the brunt of the health impacts of the petrochemical industry, and the use of fossil fuels continued unabated.

Amnesty international didn't even point out that the US government quashes free speech via pressure on social media corporations (because Amnesty International is far too lefty).

So who is worse, China or the US? I'm not going to make that judgement call, but suffice it to say that in my mind, China is not obviously worse.

China violates freedom of expression, association, and assembly of all people. This is bad, and a consequence mainly of one-party rule (again, what I think is the root cause of most of their ills). They arrest, detain, potentially kill anybody who publicly disagrees openly with their government. Clearly this is an excess of authoritarianism, a cancer that is very advanced in China.

As to organ harvesting of Uyghur Muslims, I think this is a myth.

China has dealt harshly with Muslim extremism. They don't offer freedom of religion to ISIS. And Amnesty International complains about that. But practically speaking you probably shouldn't respect the extremist religion of people who want to force everybody into a global caliphate through threat of violence. As you are well aware, some extremist Muslims (<1% of Islam) believe in using violence to bring about a global caliphate. Those extremists pop up in every country and are usually dealt with harshly. China has had to deal with them too.

I have watched two different Western YouTubers travel to Xinjiang province trying to find the oppressed Uyghurs and interview them. They can't find them. What they find instead are Uyghur Muslims doing their prayers five times a day at the local mosque. And also stories that the CPC pitched in some money to help them renovate the mosque. Maybe they were afraid it was a CPC trap and so they wouldn't speak freely. Amnesty International and the UN OHCHR say more than a million are "arbitrarily detained" and I'm not going to argue otherwise. But I'd be more convinced if there were a stream of pictures and news like there is out of Gaza, and it is suspicious that there isn't.

Conclusion

China is more like a Western nation that Westerners realize. Economically, militarily, socially. It still has a very serious obstacle to overcome: one-party rule. I don't think the one-party is going to voluntarily give up power. So most probably at some point in the future there will be a revolution. But in my opinion it won't happen anytime soon. For the most part Chinese people are living high on the hog, getting rich, enjoying the good life, in positive spirits about life, and are getting along with their government quite well at present.

@ 7ecd3fe6:6b52f30d

I normally try to avoid the noise that is the crypto market only because I've been in that situationship before back in 2016, got rugged in the ICO phase and learned my lesson. There is nothing left for me to take from crypto apart from watching from the sidelines and enjoying the endless amount of schadenfreude it produces.

So every so often I find myself checking in on the ugly step-child of Bitcoin just to see what the left side of the bell curve are up to and you know what?

I wasn't disappointed.

In fact, I'm kind of impressed at the number of times shitcoiners can come up with a new meta to get the degens excited enough to take another spin at the casino, it's honestly pretty impressive.

After ordinals were cooked, the shitcoiners were left to head back to the drawing board, and the obvious pivot was AI tokens. AI and LLMs were the new hotness and try they did but AI tokens didn't really take off in 2024.

Sure there's tokens like NEAR, Internet Computer, and RENDER all with a few billion in market cap and according to CoinGecko there's around 50 billion in AI shitcoins, but for these coins to pump they need to provide some sort of product.

That requires investment and some thinking and who has time for that?

F AI, AI Agents are the future

Wtf are AI agent tokens you ask? Bad question, but I'll edify you anyway.

AI agents are autonomous software programs designed to perform very specific tasks and make decisions independently. Hardly very AI and more repetitive loops, cronjobs if you will.

Using an AI agent and giving a blockchain wallet these agents can interact with smart contracts, dApps and DEXs and start to get up to some shenanigans, or at least distance the agent creator from the actions.

No, I didn't rug pull you, that was the AI Agent malfunctioning.

I guess the killer app for AI agents is plausible deniability when you have to plead your case with the SEC.

As this new batch of vapourware gains popularity, every moron with a ChatGPT pro subscription and a dream is going after this market of suckers. Right now there are several AI agent tokens you can speculate on with a combined market cap of $16 billion according to CoinGecko

It's all about the meta-baby

I'm old enough to remember when the idea for a shitcoin was

• Utility, it had to do something and wall it off, so you needed to token to access a feature, that failed
• Then we went into culture and community, its all about the memes, that failed
• Then it was all about etching in on Bitcoin block space, using that rare commodity made my shitcoin valuable, that failed

Now we've got a bit of a mish-mash of memes + AI utility equals new grift.

To illustrate the unserious nature of this nonsense, AI agents, associated meme coins, and the protocols used to create these agents are among the top five best-performing crypto assets of the day, according to CoinGecko.

For example, Truth Terminal—the agent that started much of this wave—has promoted Goatseus Maximus (GOAT) and Fartcoin (FARTCOIN) causing both to skyrocket.

Fartcoin surged to a new all-time high price of $1.3 and a market cap of $1.5 billion as a result, FML, what a complete waste.

Growth in the FART coin Market Cap

ChatGPT-wrapped crypto scams

The Truth Terminal chatbot is a customized version of Anthropic's Claude 3 LLM, that tweets out random nonsense and somehow shitcoiners take this text as gospel and try to bet on tokens it shills or creates tokens based on its tweets as if it were Elon himself.

Can't wait for Elon to pump your bags, well, let's all dogpile on the random brain farts of a chatbot.

Again this just seems like a way to obscure insider trading and pump and dump influencer scams by hiding the human element behind a bot.

In fact, shitcoiners are creating tokens or sending tokens to a known wallet tied to this AI agent, hoping it uses this data to formulate it's next round of bullshit, I mean bullish tweets.

AI in name only

Still, most agent autonomy is limited. Truth Terminal, for example, still has creator Andy Ayrey looking over it's shoulder before it's thoughts and decisions go out to the public.

So if there's someone watching it, there's someone with access to the wallet and master access to prod it in a certain direction no?

Sigh! Reading up on this all just made my brain hurt and not in a good way.

“Do you want to be right or do you want to make money”

99% of it is a scam and the AI agent wrapper grifts are probably worse than other past trends tbh.

bc at least meme coins promise nothing whereas AI coins try to larp as much as possible to appear legit to unsuspecting…

— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) January 6, 2025

This AI agent field itself is still relatively nascent and doesn't seem to provide any value other than being a filter for random tweet generation, and we all know computers aren't good with being random.

Most if not all projects promising AI-powered solutions will not deliver on their promises, potentially leading to significant losses for investors.

But that's the game they choose to play.

The cryptocurrency market is primarily driven by hype and speculation, and AI agent tokens are no exception. Many projects are overvalued based on potential rather than actual achievements.

Is this the future?

@ bf47c19e:c3d2573b

Originalni članak na politika.rs.

06.12.2014 / Autor: Istok Pavlović

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Pre nekoliko godina, pojavila se digitalna valuta – bitkoin. Isprva, delovalo je kao utopija šačice sanjara ideja da ova valuta jednog dana postane glavno sredstvo plaćanja među ljudima, i da se potpuno ukine bankarski sistem i posrednici u finansijskim transakcijama. Međutim, san polako postaje realnost. Sve više ozbiljnih kompanija prima bitkoin kao sredstvo plaćanja, i njegovo usvajanje se povećava iz meseca u mesec.

Kako zapravo radi bitkoin? Da bismo odgovorili na ovo pitanje, pođimo od jednog starijeg problema u matematici, koji se zove „problem vizantijskih generala”.

Vizantijski generali opkolili su neprijateljski grad. Svaki od generala nalazi se sa svojom vojskom negde oko grada, i generali su geografski razdvojeni. Komunikacija među generalima ide preko kurira, koji prenose poruke. Da bi napad uspeo, generali moraju da se dogovore oko zajedničkog nastupa – da krenu svi odjednom u dogovoreno vreme. Međutim, problem je što među generalima, pa i među kuririma mogu da postoje izdajnici – ljudi koji rade za neprijatelja i koji će namerno preneti pogrešnu poruku kako bi sabotirali napad. Kako organizovati prenošenje poruka među generalima tako da akcija uspe, bez obzira na izdajnike?

Rešenje ovog problema postoji, i u pitanju je veoma kompleksan matematički algoritam koji se razvio početkom 21. veka. Pojavom bržih kompjutera, ovaj problem postao je rešiv za kraće vreme. U praksi, ovo je značilo da smo dobili način da se uspostavi potpuno poverenje između dve osobe na internetu koje se uopšte ne poznaju. To je otvorilo čitav novi spektar mogućnosti – a jedna od tih mogućnosti je digitalni novac.

Bitkoin sistem je zapravo kao jedna velika finansijska knjiga na internetu. Vi kupujete prostor u toj knjizi, u zamenu za klasičan novac ili prodajom neke robe ili usluga, i tada postajete vlasnik određene sume bitkoina. Taj svoj prostor zatim možete prodati nekom drugom ko hoće da ga kupi. Sve transakcije su potpuno sigurne i niko na svetu ne može da ospori da su se desile.Transakcije automatski beleži mreža kompjutera širom sveta prema „algoritmu vizantijskih generala”, bez ikakvog upliva živih ljudi, i tako dobijamo maksimalno poverenje. S obzirom na to da su ljudi eliminisani iz jednačine, najvažnija posledica ovog sistema je to što sada sve transakcije mogu da budu bez posrednika, bez banaka i nema provizije.

Ova poslednja činjenica je jedan od ključnih razloga što je bitkoin uveden kao sredstvo plaćanja u mnogim prodavnicama. Koliko god opskurno delovao, bitkoin je zapravo mnogo povoljniji za prodavce od klasičnog novca. Recimo da prodajete elektronske uređaje, gde je uobičajena margina profita oko pet procenata. Banke za procesiranje kartice uzimaju 2,5 odsto. Vi, dakle dajete polovinu svog profita banci, samo zato što banke kao sistem imaju monopol nad plaćanjem i nemate izbora. Tačnije, niste imali izbora do pojave bitkoina.

Za velike kompanije, kojima ne smetaju bankarske provizije, bitkoin je više stvar prestiža i mode. „Hej, pogledajte kako smo mi moderna kompanija, primamo bitkoine.” Međutim, za male porodične biznise bitkoini bukvalno mogu da znače opstanak.

Postavlja se logično pitanje, šta je to što bitkoinima daje vrednost? Odgovor na ovo pitanje zapravo leži u pitanju „šta je to što daje vrednost klasičnom novcu”. Ako pogledamo istoriju novca, u početnom trenutku za ljude je to bilo neko parče papira, ali su uvedene zlatne rezerve kao garancija da taj papir vredi. Ova garancija stvorila je kod ljudi veru u novac, i ta vera čini njegovu vrednost. Kasnije, ove zlatne rezerve su davno prevaziđene i nemaju veze s količinom novca u opticaju, ali ono što je ostalo jeste vera u novac, i samo zahvaljujući toj veri novac ima vrednost.

Ista stvar je i sa bitkoinima. Njegovu vrednost zapravo čini vera. Milionima ljudi širom sveta krv uzavri od sreće kada čuju za ideju da se konačno iskoreni bankarski sistem. Oni vide bankare kao „krvopije koji žive na tuđoj grbači”, i podržaće svaku ideju u tom pravcu. Počeće pasionirano da koriste bitkoine kao sredstvo plaćanja gde god je to moguće, sanjajući da dožive tokom svog života naslov u novinama „Bankari ostali bez posla”, da bi tog dana mogli da kažu: „I ja sam u ovome učestvovao, ja sam jedan od oslobodilaca čovečanstva.”

Naravno, kao i svaka tehnologija u svojoj ranoj fazi, bitkoin ima svoje propuste koji se sređuju. Ako pogledate internet komentare, ima ljudi koji će naći sto mana bitkoinima. Ipak, da smo slušali kritizere koji kritikuju tehnologije u ranoj fazi, nikada ne bismo imali avione, električnu struju, ili bilo koje inovacije koje su u početku delovale nesigurno, a bez kojih nam je današnji život nezamisliv.

@ 20986fb8:cdac21b3

In this edition, we are pleased to speak with Luthando nostr:npub10vudmjqhr8kn2kv2pxhezt2h5t5c9zauwq8qr56nhdn64yacsqyqf08djm leader of the Bitcoin Ekasi community, about how they are using Bitcoin to transform payment systems, savings habits, and cross-border remittances in a South African township, while fostering digital currency education and boosting local economic trust.

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YakiHonne: Luthando. We really appreciate you coming in. YakiHonne is a decentralized media client built on the Nostr protocol that enables freedom of speech through technology. It empowers creators to create their own voice, assets, and features. It also allows features like smart widgets, verified notes, and focuses on long-form articles. today. we'll be exploring more about your community.Can you tell us a bit about yourself? What do you do, and what’s your role in your community?

Luthando：I’m Luthando, a project community leader at Bitcoin Ekasi. My role includes onboarding township shops to help them adopt Bitcoin as a payment method. I also manage staff records, tracking workdays and paid leave for team members involved in the project. Additionally, I conduct interviews and collaborate with a supervisor to share insights and experiences about Bitcoin. This work is part of my efforts with Bitcoin Ekasi.

YakiHonne: You're really doing a lot of work in the Bitcoin ecosystem，what sparked your interest in Bitcoin? And what motivated you to create a community around it?

Luthando：When I was working as a safety coach at Safeacase, Herman introduced me to Bitcoin. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Safeacase, which relied on donations, faced severe financial challenges. This led to the launch of the Bitcoin Ekasi Project, where I helped township shops adopt Bitcoin as a payment method. With limited funds, I transitioned from receiving a fiat salary to earning in Bitcoin. Bitcoin transformed my mindset, making me realize it is the future of money. This realization inspired me to travel the world and explore new countries.

YakiHonne: Great. I really admire the enthusiasm you have for Bitcoin.Can you share a brief history of how you built your community and attracted members? What methods or advertisements did you use to onboard them?

Luthando：We host monthly Bitcoin movie nights to engage the community, running from February to December starting next year. We promote the events with posters in town, shops, and clinics, inviting residents to join. During the movie nights, participants use Bitcoin we provide to purchase popcorn and drinks, gaining hands-on experience with the technology. Luthando：And our Bitcoin center features a thrift shop and a small Bitcoin ATM. Community members can exchange fiat for Bitcoin using the ATM and use it to purchase clothing from the shop. We also offer Bitcoin courses with 14 students attending classes five days a week. To encourage attendance, students are rewarded with Bitcoin for consistent participation. Similarly, in the “Safer Kids” program, children who maintain a 70% attendance rate or higher also receive Bitcoin rewards. Luthando：To further promote Bitcoin adoption in the community, we painted Bitcoin-themed logos on 34 shops and paid the owners in Bitcoin, which they can use in local shops. This initiative not only spreads awareness but also provides the community with practical opportunities to use Bitcoin.

YakiHonne: Yeah, we are pushing Bitcoin adoption so hard this time. It's really great.What principles guide your community, and how do you ensure trust and reliability in your discussions?

Luthando：I was born in eastern South Africa, and my parents moved here around 1996. The community knows me well and trusts that I wouldn’t introduce anything fraudulent. Since 2010, we’ve been working in this township, especially helping children, building over a decade of trust. I explain to the community that we aim to bring value through Bitcoin, encouraging them to save in Bitcoin instead of fiat. As a result, the community has great trust in our Bitcoin Ekasi team.

YakiHonne: How do you educate your members and keep them updated on Bitcoin developments? You mentioned having five weekly meetups to onboard members, but what other methods do you use to educate them and keep them informed about the Bitcoin ecosystem?

Luthando：We use the Felly app to communicate with community members and keep them updated. At the Ekasi Center, we host quizzes to encourage participation. For example, the first attendees can earn 5,000 sats, motivating them to regularly engage with the Felly app. Although we initially tried a few other methods that didn't really involve them getting Sats, its impact was limited as many people in the township seek quick financial returns and often don’t return after their first visit. To address this, we host movie nights as a more engaging way to promote Bitcoin education. During these events, we screen Bitcoin-related films, allowing community members to learn about Bitcoin in a fun and relaxed setting.

YakiHonne: It's truly captivating and highly insightful.How does your community collaborate with the global Bitcoin ecosystem? Specifically, how does it engage with the broader worldwide Bitcoin community, and which partnership has been of more significant impact on Bitcoin Ekasi?

Luthando：We have established a strong partnership with Bitcoin Beach, which provided crucial support in the creation of the Bitcoin Ekasi project. Currently, we are planning to build a community center in the township, earning the trust and support of both Bitcoin Beach and the local government of Mossel Bay. The community center will serve as a multifunctional space for events like weddings and more. As one of the earliest Bitcoin adoption projects in Africa, Bitcoin Ekasi has inspired other countries to follow suit, viewing us as a model for building sustainable Bitcoin communities.

YakiHonne: How do you collaborate with Bitcoin communities and organizations outside South Africa? What partnerships or interactions do you have with other global Bitcoin communities?

Luthando: We collaborate with other Bitcoin projects through community initiatives. For example, we paint logos on local community shops and pay the owners 7000Sats per week. This approach has helped us build connections with projects outside South Africa. One notable example is our assistance to the Bitcoin Dua project in Africa, helping them establish a Bitcoin circular economy. We also supported the Bitcoin Loxin project in Cape Town, South Africa, in launching their Bitcoin circular economy. Through these collaborations, we have developed strong relationships with other Bitcoin communities.

YakiHonne: We’d like to understand the challenges you faced when starting the community, as well as the challenges the community has encountered？

Luthando: One of the main challenges is convincing members that Bitcoin is not a scam. Many people are skeptical about Bitcoin, fearing they might lose their money. Additionally, saving is not a common habit within the community, even with fiat currency. I often explain the importance of saving in Bitcoin, emphasizing how it can safeguard their financial security. However, changing deeply ingrained mindsets has proven to be quite difficult. Another challenge is the limited level of education in the community. Even those who own smartphones often struggle to use them effectively. This lack of familiarity extends to using Bitcoin wallets, with many people finding it challenging to navigate wallet usage, especially in shops. Lastly, I feel like I’m working around the clock. Even outside of work hours, people come to my house seeking assistance, such as exchanging Bitcoin for fiat. While I’m happy to help, the constant demands can feel overwhelming at times, making it seem as though I’m working every day, including weekends.

YakiHonne: and how you managed to overcome them？

Luthando: Overcoming these challenges is not easy. I can't say that I've fully managed to resolve them, but I do my best to address them. Fortunately, I have a colleague who assists me, although he’s currently out of town. He helps manage some of the workload, especially in dealing with local community members and providing them with the support they need.

YakiHonne: I'm really interested in the issue of people thinking Bitcoin is a scam. Could you elaborate on that? What specific steps have you taken to demonstrate that Bitcoin is reliable and not a scam?

Luthando: Many shop owners initially believe Bitcoin is a scam and refuse to accept it. To address their doubts, I demonstrate Bitcoin's legitimacy through practical examples. First, I help them download a Bitcoin wallet and post about it on X, receiving small tips from Bitcoin enthusiasts worldwide. I then use these tips to showcase Bitcoin's real-world applications. For instance, I use Bitrefill to purchase mobile airtime or fuel vouchers for them, highlighting Bitcoin's utility in daily life. I also mention South African restaurants like Steers that accept Bitcoin and even place food orders using Bitcoin to show its usability. Additionally, I demonstrate withdrawing cash from a crypto ATM using Bitcoin, further proving that it is a reliable financial tool and not a scam.

YakiHonne: You've done a lot of work in South Africa. I can imagine the effort, the pain and the stress.What initiatives has the community taken to promote Bitcoin adoption, and what results have these efforts achieved?

Luthando: At first, I never imagined we would reach this point. Now, many people frequently come to my home to ask how to buy Bitcoin. For example, this week, a man from Nigeria wanted to purchase Bitcoin worth 5,000 units. I explained the process to him and recommended using a hardware wallet for securely storing large amounts of Bitcoin. He used to struggle with sending money back home, but now he has realized the convenience of Bitcoin. In October last year, I helped two stores owned by Nigerians adopt Bitcoin payments. Since then, this practice has spread within the community, and more people, especially shop owners, have developed an interest in Bitcoin. They ask about its low transaction fees and have recognized it as an efficient solution for cross-border remittances. Initially, some shop owners were skeptical about Bitcoin, but they eventually started saving with it. Today, many of them have accumulated significant Bitcoin savings for their families and children, and they often express their gratitude for introducing Bitcoin to the community. Overall, the Bitcoin adoption project has had a profound impact here. We have educated the community about Bitcoin’s long-term savings value, and many people are now satisfied with this initiative and optimistic about the future.

YakiHonne: It’s clear you’ve achieved tangible results from your efforts. Looking ahead, what are your community's goals for the next 6 to 12 months? How do you plan to achieve them?

Luthando: For Bitcoin Ekasi, one of our main goals is to establish a dedicated Bitcoin Ekasi Center. This center would serve as a hub to educate people about Bitcoin on a frequent basis. We have already started working with a local school in the township, recruiting students and introducing teachers to Bitcoin. Our vision is to integrate Bitcoin education into the school’s curriculum, similar to what has been done in El Salvador. By incorporating Bitcoin as part of their regular subjects, students can gain foundational knowledge about Bitcoin and its potential uses. Ultimately, we aim for teachers to become advocates who can confidently teach children about Bitcoin, empowering the next generation with essential financial literacy skills.

YakiHonne: Thank you so much! I think most of my questions have been answered. I’m really glad to see Bitcoin enthusiasts with a clear focus on Bitcoin. As you said, Bitcoin is the future, and I truly appreciate your enthusiasm for it.

Luthando: Bitcoin is truly the future. We want to see this township transformed into something more modern, rather than its current state. I hope to see more parents saving some Bitcoin for their children. In our community, most kids receive a monthly government allowance of $50 starting from the age of one. I often suggest to parents that they set aside half of that allowance to buy Bitcoin for their child. If they save consistently from age one to 18, the value could grow significantly as Bitcoin appreciates. I’m already doing this for my own child so that he will have savings as he grows up.

YakiHonne: Bitcoin is the future. Its value continues to grow steadily over time. Thank you so much for today’s conversation; we are truly honored. Your sharing of such rich experiences has been incredibly insightful for us. I’ve learned that using movie events to engage more people is an excellent idea, and we plan to start trying it out soon. Once again, thank you for your time and for sharing with us!

@ 2355757c:5ad3e04d

You’ve heard it for some time now, incandescent lightbulbs will officially be banned for sale by retailers in the U.S. However it officially goes into fully effect NEXT WEEK. Americans will only be able to purchase LED lights from retailers across the country. The government began warnings in January, and has since officially rolled out the ban on manufacturing and sale of incandescent bulbs. WHY? LED lights provide more “light” using 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescents. Sounds like a no brainer switch then right? WRONG. LED lights are significantly worse for your health, here’s why.

Our light environment is one of the most underrated, overlooked aspects of health. I will write plenty more about this topic in the future. It is complex at the surface, but in reality the takeaway is simple. Our light environment is one if not THE most important inputs to our biology. It dictates our body’s “clock” or circadian rhythm. When you disrupt your circadian rhythm frequently, you are significantly more at risk to ALL CHRONIC DISEASES. Why? Your are inherently destroying your ability to get restorative sleep, keeping your body in a sympathetic state, creating dysfunctional mitochondria, and increasing oxidative stress + inflammation. Just from light? YES.

“We summarize recent evidence suggesting that circadian disruption may also be a predisposing factor for the development of age-related neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease (HD).”

“... inappropriate environmental conditions such as Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) can cause circadian disruption or chronodisruption (CD) which can result in a variety of pathological diseases , including premature aging .” -STUDY LINK

Blue light stimulates cortisol production, the “stress” hormone that everyone has the knickers in a bunch about in the health community about mitigating through the use of supplements like Ashwaghanda. Here’s the deal, you don’t need to “mitigate” cortisol, you need to regulate its rhythm. Cortisol is the antithesis of melatonin, and the two hormones are meant to perform a dance everyday where one rises as the other falls…in accordance with the light cycles. However, that dance, that rhythm has been disrupted by artificial light. 

Melatonin warrants five newsletters just on its own, but know that the same blue light that stimulates cortisol production also suppresses melatonin production. If you do not produce sufficient melatonin, your body is missing out on a whole host of anti-oxidant, anti-cancer benefits. Melatonin is driven by light, and is the composer of our mitochondria (dictates mito fusion/fission, mitophagy, etc.).

LED (light emitting diode) lighting has a much “more artificial” light spectrum profile than incandescent bulbs. Full spectrum sunlight is the only light that would have existed for hundred’s of thousands of years of human existence. Then came the discovery/ability to use fire as a light source. Although full spectrum sunlight contains the entire visible light spectrum + UV + infrared, each of these wavelengths come through at different angles of the sun. This is the NUANCE that matters:

• There is no UV present at sunrise/sunset

• UVA appears when the sun is >10 degrees above horizon. UVB at sun angle > 30 degrees

• At dusk/dawn and sunrise/sunset, blue light wavelengths are scattered while red light remains intact (longer wavelength). Why sunrises/sunsets are more red/orange than blue

• Blue light is NEVER present in natural sunlight without accompanying red/infrared wavelengths.

If you look at the light spectrum of LEDs, you will see a VERY high concentration of blue wavelengths, green to yellow wavelengths, and very little red/infrared wavelengths. Conversely, incandescent bulbs have NO blue light, little to no green/yellow and is majority red/infrared. This is why incandescent bulbs are so inefficient, because they dissipate so much heat in the form of infrared light (we can’t see infrared). Red and infrared (especially NIR), are very healing/low energy wavelengths. They are beneficial for mitochondrial health, especially the 650-800nm range. Sunlight is predominantly Red/infrared (40-50%) and these wavelengths are always present when the sun is up. 

When you use LEDs you are creating a VERY artificial light environment with a lot of isolated blue, green, yellow light wavelengths and almost no red/infrared. This is extremely different from sunlight. This is especially problematic when using LEDs at NIGHT, because as stated…blue light suppresses melatonin production. Incandescent bulbs are a far better option since they are nearly all red/infrared light. This has a much less pronounced effect on melatonin, and is more in line with natural sunlight. It is also far lower in temperature, which again is a safer bet at night time.

Before Edison invented the light bulb, humans only used fire for light at night (or early morning). Incandescent bulbs are inherently FAR MORE similar in light spectrum profile to fire and have a much less harmful effect on melatonin. The estimates for suppression of melatonin in the graph below are certainly estimates, i think incandescent bulbs would actually be a bit lower but it depends on quantity and brightness as well. 

TLDR: LEDs are shitcoins for light. They are far more artificial in terms of light spectrum. They are stealing your melatonin away from you. Avoid at all costs (especially at night), or wear blue light blocking glasses if you must. You can buy “red or warmer LEDs” but they aren’t really a true red light source because most just put phosphorous over a white LED to alter the warmth of the light. 

STOCK UP on incandescent bulbs (good for keeping your house warm in the winter) before they are $100/pop. The government does NOT CARE about your health. 

BlockBlueLight Glasses + Red Bulbs (Code TRISTAN10) 

Stay Sovereign,

Tristan

p.s. the movement is growing.

Originally published JUL 31, 2023

@ a367f9eb:0633efea

Through my work as a consumer advocate, both as the deputy director of the Consumer Choice Center and a Fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, I’ve contributed to various model policies that can be enacted at a state-level in the United States to help advance Bitcoin.

Working with state lawmakers, policy organizations, and fellow passionate bitcoiners, these are some of the model policies we offer open-source to anyone who would like to pass something similar in their state. An active list can be found on GitHub.\ \ Smart Cryptocurrency Rules Act\ \ –This model policy was adopted by the American Legislative Exchange Council on July 29, 2022.\ \ Reject CBDCs and Protect Financial Privacy Act\ \ –This model policy was adopted by the American Legislative Exchange Council on August 28, 2023.

–This model policy was SIGNED into law in the state of SOUTH DAKOTA on February 27, 2024 as HB1161.

–This model policy was SIGNED into law in the state of INDIANA on March 11, 2024 as SB180.

–This model policy was SIGNED into law by the state of UTAH on March 13, 2024 as HB164.

–This model policy was SIGNED into law in the state of LOUISIANA on June 19, 2024 as HB488.

–This model policy was SIGNED into law by the state of GEORGIA on July 1, 2024 as HB1053.

–This model policy was SIGNED into law by the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY overriding a gubernatorial veto on September 9, 2024 as H690.

–This model policy was PASSED by the MISSOURI STATE HOUSE on March 5, 2024 as HB1676.

–This model policy was INTRODUCED into the MISSOURI STATE SENATE on December 1, 2023 as SB826.

–The model policy was INTRODUCED into the IOWA LEGISLATURE on February 7, 2024 as HF2358.

**\ PURPOSE\ \ The purpose of the GitHub page is to provide state and local legislators with a template of consumer-friendly policies on Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and decentralized finance.\ \ As model policies, these serve the purpose of providing general guidelines or goals to achieve in state legislation, and will therefore require various amendments, customizations, and accommodations with existing laws and regulations.\ \ State lawmakers and their staff are encouraged to take parts, or the whole, of these model policies to help usher in consumer-friendly policies on cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance in their jurisdiction.\ \ Members of the public are encouraged to suggest their own edits.\ \ GITHUB MODIFICATIONS AND COMMITS\ \ This GitHub repository will serve as the living model for these model policies.\ \ Edits, modifications, and additions are welcome by all. Doing so helps better crowdsource the most appropriate and beneficial rules on digital assets such as Bitcoin and its crypto-offspring, as well as any industries, projects, or protocols that may support them.\ \ Considering the complex nature of digital assets and decentralized blockchain technology, there are inevitably concerns that are not addressed by these model policies. However, this repository should serve as collection of templates for future action and language, while remaining loyal to the consumer-friendly principles of open and decentralized blockchains and related industries.\ \ Updates can be found on GitHub here: https://github.com/yaeloss/Bitcoin-Model-Policies

@ ccc8ee23:9f3d9783

Chef's notes

Indulge in tender, golden-fried chicken breast, crunchy with every bite. Nestled on a bed of steamed rice, this dish is elevated by a rich, velvety curry sauce, infused with the warmth of fragrant spices and the umami depth of soy.

Paired with vibrant vegetables for a harmonious balance of textures and flavors, this comforting classic promises to delight your soul.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 10 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 30 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 2

Ingredients

• Chicken Fillet 250 grams
• Potato 100 grams
• Egg 1 pc
• Curry block 2 pcs or 20 grams
• breadcrumbs 100 grams / 2 cups
• flour 20 grams
• Cooking oil (for frying)
• chicken or vegetable stock 500ml
• soy sauce 1 tbsp
• Seasoning
• onion 1 pc, finely chopped
• garlic cloves 2 pcs, minced
• carrot 1 pc, chopped

Directions

1. Chicken Katsu: Pound the chicken breasts until about 1/2 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper. Coat each piece in flour, then dip in beaten egg, and finally coat with breadcrumbs. Heat oil in a pan and fry the chicken for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and fully cooked. Place on paper towels to drain.
2. Make Curry Sauce: In a pan, sauté the onion, garlic, add potato and carrot until soft. Gradually add curry block and the stock, stir well. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until thickened. Add seasoning and soy sauce to taste.
3. Plating: Slice the cooked chicken katsu and place it over a bed of steamed rice. Pour the curry sauce on the side or over the chicken. Garnish with chopped green chilies.

@ b83e6f82:73c27758

Citrine 0.6.0

• Update dependencies
• Show notifications when importing, exporting, downloading events
• Change database functions to be suspending functions

Download it with zap.store, Obtainium, f-droid or download it directly in the releases page

If you like my work consider making a donation

Verifying the release

In order to verify the release, you'll need to have gpg or gpg2 installed on your system. Once you've obtained a copy (and hopefully verified that as well), you'll first need to import the keys that have signed this release if you haven't done so already:

bash gpg --keyserver hkps://keys.openpgp.org --recv-keys 44F0AAEB77F373747E3D5444885822EED3A26A6D

Once you have his PGP key you can verify the release (assuming manifest-v0.6.0.txt and manifest-v0.6.0.txt.sig are in the current directory) with:

bash gpg --verify manifest-v0.6.0.txt.sig manifest-v0.6.0.txt

You should see the following if the verification was successful:

bash gpg: Signature made Fri 13 Sep 2024 08:06:52 AM -03 gpg: using RSA key 44F0AAEB77F373747E3D5444885822EED3A26A6D gpg: Good signature from "greenart7c3 <greenart7c3@proton.me>"

That will verify the signature on the main manifest page which ensures integrity and authenticity of the binaries you've downloaded locally. Next, depending on your operating system you should then re-calculate the sha256 sum of the binary, and compare that with the following hashes:

bash cat manifest-v0.6.0.txt

One can use the shasum -a 256 <file name here> tool in order to re-compute the sha256 hash of the target binary for your operating system. The produced hash should be compared with the hashes listed above and they should match exactly.

@ bf47c19e:c3d2573b

Originalni tekst na medium.com

07.10.2019 / Autor: LuxBTC

---

Uvod

U ovom članku osvrnut ćemo se na razine informiranosti o bitcoinu s kojim se pojedinac susreće i znanja koja bi trebao usvojiti za dublje razumijevanje bitcoina. Mnogi su već čuli za bitcoin, ali površno razumijevanje može dovesti do potpuno krive percepcije pogotovo ako se za izvor informacija koriste neobjektivni i tehnički netočni medijski članci. Proces razumijevanja bitcoina iziskuje puno vremena i novih informacija koje na prvu nisu lako dostupne stoga ćemo pokušati dati uvid u tijek i izvore informiranja kao i pitanja koja bismo trebali postavljati.

Razina I - Prvi kontakt

Čuli smo od poznanika da je kupio bitcoine i zaradio na njima. Znamo iz medija da je bitcoin digitalna kriptovaluta i da ju najčešće koriste kriminalci za drogu i pranje novca. Oni koji su uspjeli zaraditi na bitcoinu, imali su sreće jer su ga uspjeli prodati na vrijeme i dobiti novac za njega jer je bitcoin vjerojatno neki oblik piramidalne sheme.

Informacije koje posjedujemo:

• bitcoin je digitalna kriptovaluta
• bitcoin koriste kriminalci
• na bitcoinu se može zaraditi ako imamo sreće i uspijemo ga prodati za novac
• bitcoin je neki oblik piramidalne sheme

Pitanja koja bismo trebali postaviti:

• što je to digitalna kriptovaluta?
• zašto bitcoin koriste kriminalci?
• kako izgleda kupnja i prodaja bitcoina?
• što je to piramidalna shema?

Mnogi će ostati na ovoj razini i prihvatiti negativno mišljenje o bitcoinu. Svaka nova informacija iz medija, koja je najčešće vezana za nagli pad cijene ili napad hakera na kripto-mjenjačnice, bit će dodatna potvrda da se bitcoina treba kloniti. U mnoštvu ljudi koji će se prikloniti tom mišljenju naći će se pojedinci koji će htjeti saznati nešto više o njemu, najčešće privučeni onim dijelom gdje se na bitcoinu može zaraditi.

Razina II - Špekulacija i brza zarada

Čuli smo da cijena bitcoina naglo raste i pada te je vrlo nepredvidljiv. Ljudi se vole kockati i špekulirati s cijenom pa zašto ne isprobati sreću na njemu prije nego što cijena padne na nulu.

Još uvijek ne znamo kako bitcoin funkcionira, ali saznali smo da možemo uplatiti novac na neke od kripto-mjenjačnica te na njima kupiti bitcoin i njime špekulirati. Kupili smo dio od jednog bitcoina (npr. 0.01 BTC) u vrijednosti od 200 eura. Cijena mu je kroz idućih nekoliko tjedana porasla te smo u dobitku 20%. Očekivali smo nastavak rasta pa ga nismo prodavali, ali cijena je oštro pala te smo sada u minusu 30%. U strahu da nam se gubitak ne poveća, prodajemo 0.01 BTC natrag u eure, naravno uz gubitak jer bitcoin trenutno vrijedi manje nego kad smo ga kupili. Kockali smo se i izgubili dok je naš prijatelj bio manje pohlepan te je iskoristio dobitak od 10%.

Informacije koje posjedujemo:

• na kripto-mjenjačnicama (burzama) možemo kupiti bitcoine
• ne moramo nužno kupiti cijeli bitcoin s obzirom da se može dijeliti na decimale
• cijena bitcoina je vrlo volatilna i nepredvidljiva
• bitcoinom se špekulira pa se ne razlikuje od kockanja

Pitanja koja bismo trebali postaviti:

• zašto bitcoin ima cijenu?
• zašto je cijena bitcoina volatilna i nepredvidljiva?
• koliko su kripto-mjenjačnice sigurne?

Nekima se posrećilo s bitcoinom, nekima nije. Sigurno je da takva internetska valuta ne može imati vrijednost jer ne postoji nikakav razlog zašto joj cijena toliko skače i pada. Najbolje se onda kloniti takvog oblika zarade.

Razina III - Odakle Bitcoinu vrijednost

Mnogi koji su čuli za bitcoin reći će — bitcoin nema vrijednost jer ne služi ničemu. Također, bitcoin je samo digitalni zapis koji nije opipljiv te je jedini razlog zašto još uvijek ima cijenu taj što je cijena potpuno umjetna te se još nije našla zadnja naivčina koja će ga otkupiti i neće više moći prodati jer ga više nitko neće htjeti kupiti. Tada će balon puknuti.

Informacije koje posjedujemo:

• bitcoin je digitalni zapis koji ne služi ničemu
• cijena bitcoina je umjetna jer bitcoin nema vrijednost
• sustav će se urušiti kad više nitko ne bude htio otkupiti bitcoine

Pitanja koja bismo trebali postaviti:

• kako izgleda i funkcionira struktura bitcoina kao digitalni zapis?
• kako se kretala cijena bitcoina od početka njegovog izuma i što nam to govori?

Razina IV - Više strana Bitcoina

Do sada smo se dotakli osnovnog ekonomskog dijela bitcoina iz kojeg smo saznali da bitcoin posjeduje tržišnu cijenu te da se njime može trgovati kao i s ostalim tržišnim instrumentima poput dionica, zlata, valuta itd. Bitcoin također ima tržišnu kapitalizaciju jer je poznat ukupan broj bitcoina u cirkulaciji kao i cijena jednog bitcoina.

No, razumijevanje bitcoina i odgovore na naša pitanja nećemo dobiti kroz njegovu osnovnu ekonomiju koja nam trenutno jedino govori da tržište bitcoina postoji jer postoji njegova ponuda i potražnja. Da bismo naučili što je bitcoin i kako funkcionira, moramo zaviriti u njegovu povijest, tehničku stranu i detalje ekonomije bitcoina koje otvaraju stotine pitanja koja za sobom povlače mrežu mnogih drugih. U tom procesu traženja odgovora nesvjesno ćemo se dotaknuti povijesti samog novca te njegove evolucije kroz tisućljeća, razvoja ljudskog društva i stvaranja monetarne politike, izuma interneta i njegovog utjecaja na društvo te slobodu pojedinca, izuma kriptografije i njezine važnosti te pojavu cypherpunk pokreta, austrijske škole ekonomije, svjetske financijske krize, blockchain tehnologije i njene primjene te još mnogih drugih tema.

Nastanak Bitcoina

Bitcoin je vrlo mlada tehnologija koja nije nastala preko noći nego je produkt rada koji se proteže nekoliko desetljeća u prošlost. Tehnički članak Bitcoina [1] objavio je njegov tvorac 31.10.2008. pod pseudonimom Satoshi Nakamoto, uoči svjetske financijske krize, a prvu verziju Bitcoin softvera objavljuje 3.1.2009. u kojem ostavlja poruku s naslovnice novina The Times, toga dana.

U nastavku slijedi hrvatski prijevod uvodnog poglavlja knjige “Mastering Bitcoin” autora Andreasa Antonopoulosa. [2]

Što je Bitcoin?

Bitcoin je skup koncepata i tehnologija koji čine osnovu ekosustava digitalnog novca. Jedinice valute nazvane bitcoin koriste se za pohranu i prijenos vrijednosti među sudionicima bitcoin mreže. Korisnici bitcoina međusobno komuniciraju putem bitcoin protokola prvenstveno putem interneta, mada se mogu koristiti i druge prijenosne mreže. Bitcoin protokol, dostupan kao softver otvorenog koda, može se izvršavati na širokom rasponu računalnih uređaja, uključujući prijenosna računala i pametne telefone, čineći tehnologiju lako dostupnom.

Korisnici mogu prenositi bitcoin preko mreže i njime ostvariti gotovo sve što se može ostvariti s uobičajenim valutama, uključujući kupovinu i prodaju robe, slanje novca ljudima ili organizacijama itd. Bitcoin se može kupiti, prodati i zamijeniti za druge valute na specijaliziranim burzama. Bitcoin je u određenom smislu savršen oblik novca za internet jer je brz, siguran i bez granica.

Za razliku od tradicionalnih valuta, bitcoini su potpuno virtualni. Ne postoje u fizičkom obliku, pa čak ni digitalnom. Kovanice su obuhvaćene u transakcijama koje prenose vrijednost s pošiljatelja na primatelja. Korisnici bitcoina posjeduju ključeve koji im omogućuju da dokažu vlasništvo nad bitcoinom u bitcoin mreži. Pomoću ovih ključeva mogu potpisati transakcije kako bi otključali vrijednost i potrošili je prijenosom na novog vlasnika. Ključevi se često pohranjuju u digitalnom novčaniku na računalu ili pametnom telefonu korisnika. Posjedovanje ključa koji može potpisati transakciju jedini je preduvjet trošenja bitcoina, čime je kontrola u potpunosti u rukama pojedinog korisnika.

Bitcoin je distribuirani, peer-to-peer (svaki sa svakim) sustav. Kao takav ne postoji središnji poslužitelj ili točka kontrole. Bitcoin se stvara kroz proces nazvan “rudarenje”, koji uključuje nadmetanje u pronalaženju rješenja za matematički problem tijekom obrade bitcoin transakcija. Svaki sudionik u bitcoin mreži (tj. svatko tko koristi uređaj koji pokreće čitav niz bitcoin protokola) može raditi kao rudar, koristeći procesorsku snagu svog računala za provjeru i zapisivanje transakcija. Svakih 10 minuta, u prosjeku, bitcoin rudar može validirati transakcije ostvarene posljednjih 10 minuta te je nagrađen s potpuno novim bitcoinom. U osnovi, rudarenje bitcoina decentralizira izdavanje novih kovanica i funkcije odobrenja središnje banke te zamjenjuje potrebu za bilo kojom središnjom bankom.

Bitcoin protokol uključuje ugrađene algoritme koji reguliraju funkciju rudarenja na mreži. Težina zadatka obrade koju rudari moraju obaviti prilagođava se dinamički tako da u prosjeku svakih 10 minuta netko uspije izvršiti zadatak bez obzira na to koliko se rudara (i koliko procesne snage) natječe u bilo kojem trenutku. Protokol također prepolavlja brzinu stvaranja novih bitcoina svake 4 godine i ograničava ukupni broj bitcoina koji će se stvoriti na fiksni ukupni iznos od 21 milijun kovanica. Rezultat je da broj bitcoina u optjecaju pomno slijedi lako predvidljivu krivulju koja se približava 21 milijunu do 2140. godine. Zbog smanjujuće stope izdavanja bitcoina, dugoročno, bitcoin valuta je deflacijska. Bitcoin se ne može razvodniti printanjem novog novca iznad očekivane stope izdavanja.

Bitcoin je ujedno i naziv protokola, peer-to-peer mreže te distribuirane računalne inovacije. Bitcoin valuta je samo prva primjena ovog izuma. Bitcoin predstavlja vrhunac dugogodišnjeg istraživanja kriptografije i distribuiranih sustava te uključuje četiri ključne inovacije okupljene u jedinstvenu i moćnu kombinaciju. Bitcoin se sastoji od:

• Decentralizirana peer-to-peer mreža (bitcoin protokol)
• Knjiga javnih transakcija (blockchain)
• Skup pravila za neovisnu provjeru transakcija i izdavanje valute (pravila konsenzusa)
• Mehanizam za postizanje globalnog decentraliziranog konsenzusa na važećem blockchainu (Proof-of-Work algoritam )

(…)

Digitalne valute prije bitcoina

Pojava digitalnog novca usko je povezan s razvojem kriptografije. To nije iznenađujuće kada se razmotre temeljni izazovi korištenja bitova koji predstavljaju vrijednost koja se može zamijeniti za robu i usluge. Tri su osnovna pitanja za svakoga tko prihvaća digitalni novac:

• Mogu li vjerovati da je novac autentičan i da nije krivotvoren?
• Mogu li vjerovati da se digitalni novac može potrošiti samo jednom (poznat kao problem “dvostruke potrošnje”)?
• Mogu li biti siguran da nitko drugi ne može tvrditi da taj novac pripada njima, a ne meni?

Izdavači papirnog novca stalno se suočavaju s problemom krivotvorenja koristeći sve sofisticiranije papire i tehnologiju printanja. Fizički novac lako rješava problem dvostruke potrošnje jer ista novčanica ne može biti na dva mjesta odjednom. Naravno, konvencionalni novac također se često pohranjuje i prenosi digitalno. U tim se slučajevima problemi s krivotvorenjem i dvostrukom potrošnjom rješavaju odobravanjem svih elektroničkih transakcija putem središnjih vlasti koje imaju globalni uvid u valutu u optjecaju. Za digitalni novac, koji ne može iskoristiti takvu vrstu provjere, kriptografija pruža osnovu za povjerenje u legitimnost zahtjeva korisnika. Konkretno, kriptografski digitalni potpisi omogućuju korisniku da potpiše digitalnu imovinu ili transakciju čime dokazuje vlasništvo nad tom imovinom. Uz odgovarajuću arhitekturu, digitalni potpisi također se mogu koristiti za rješavanje problema s dvostrukom potrošnjom.

Kada je kriptografija počela postajati široko dostupna i shvaćena u kasnim 80-ima, mnogi su istraživači pokušali koristiti kriptografiju za konstrukciju digitalnih valuta. Ti rani projekti digitalne valute izdavali su digitalni novac, obično s pokrićem u nacionalnoj valuti ili plemenitim metalom poput zlata.

Iako su te ranije digitalne valute funkcionirale, bile su centralizirane i kao rezultat toga, vlade država i hakeri su ih lako napadali. Rane digitalne valute koristile su središnji zavod zbirnog vođenja računa za podmirivanje svih transakcija u pravilnim intervalima, baš kao i tradicionalni bankarski sustav. Nažalost, u većini slučajeva ove novonastale digitalne valute bile su na meti zabrinutih vlada i na kraju su kroz sudske sporove uklonjene. Neke su propale u spektakularnim padovima kada je matična tvrtka naglo likvidirana. Za otpornost protiv intervencija protivnika, bilo da su legitimne vlade ili kriminalni elementi u pitanju, bila je potrebna decentralizirana digitalna valuta kako bi se izbjegla jedna točka napada. Bitcoin je takav sustav, koji je dizajniran decentralizirano, bez ikakvih središnjih autoriteta ili točke kontrole koji mogu biti napadnuti ili oštećeni.

Povijest Bitcoina

Bitcoin je izumljen 2008. godine objavljivanjem rada pod naslovom „Bitcoin: Peer-to-peer elektronički gotovinski sustav“,[1] napisanog pod pseudonimom Satoshi Nakamoto. Nakamoto je kombinirao nekoliko prethodnih izuma kao što su b-money i HashCash kako bi stvorio potpuno decentralizirani elektronički gotovinski sustav koji se ne oslanja na središnje tijelo za izdavanje valute i potvrđivanje transakcija. Ključna inovacija bila je upotreba distribuiranog sustava izračunavanja (nazvanog algoritam Proof-of-Work) za provođenje globalnih „izbora“ svakih 10 minuta, omogućujući decentraliziranoj mreži da postigne konsenzus o stanju transakcija. Time se elegantno rješava problem dvostruke potrošnje u kojem se jedna valuta može potrošiti dva puta. Prije toga, problem s dvostrukom potrošnjom predstavljao je slabost digitalne valute, a riješen je provjerom svih transakcija putem središnjeg zavoda zbirnog vođenja računa.

Bitcoin mreža pokrenuta je 2009. godine, koju je objavio Nakamoto i koju su tada revidirali mnogi drugi programeri. Procesna snaga algoritma Proof-of-Work (rudarenje), koji pruža sigurnost i otpornost bitcoina, povećala se eksponencijalno te sada nadmašuje kombiniranu procesnu snagu najboljih svjetskih super-računala. Ukupna tržišna vrijednost bitcoina već je premašila 135 milijardi američkih dolara. Najveća transakcija koju je mreža do sada procesuirala bila je 400 milijuna američkih dolara, koja je poslana odmah i obrađena za naknadu od 1 dolara.

Satoshi Nakamoto povukao se iz javnosti u travnju 2011., prepuštajući odgovornost za razvijanje koda i mreže skupini dobrovoljaca. Još uvijek nije poznat identitet osobe ili ljudi koji stoje iza bitcoina. No, ni Satoshi Nakamoto, niti bilo tko drugi ne vrši individualnu kontrolu nad bitcoin sustavom, koji djeluje na temelju potpuno transparentnih matematičkih principa, otvorenog koda i konsenzusa među sudionicima. Sam izum je revolucionaran i već je pokrenuo novu znanost na područjima distribuiranog računalstva, ekonomije i ekonometrije.

[…]

Knjiga “Mastering Bitcoin” pruža detaljan opis tehničkih pojmova, strukture i rada bitcoina te bitcoin mreže. Daje odgovore na mnoga tehnička pitanja i prednosti koje bitcoin pruža. Njen autor, Andreas Antonopoulos najpoznatiji je edukator u Bitcoin zajednici koji dugi niz godina održava brojne govore i edukacijske seminare o važnosti bitcoina diljem svijeta. Sudjelovao je u nekoliko parlamentarnih saslušanja na kojima je educirao političke državne vrhove o novonastaloj bitcoin tehnologiji. Njegovi brojni govori mogu se naći na Youtube kanalu aantonop [3], a neki od njih sakupljeni su u knjige “The Internet of Money (Vol. I, Vol. II)” [4]

Stvaranje šire slike

Nakon usvajanja novih informacija i tehničkih pojmova počet ćemo dobivati širu sliku o bitcoinu. Možda nam i dalje neće biti jasni pojmovi poput rudarenja, 51% napada, Problem bizantinskih generala, kreiranje privatnih i javnih ključeva itd., ali postoje mnogi Youtube videi koji to na slikovit način vrlo dobro objašnjavaju.

Potkovani tehničkim znanjem o bitcoinu, možemo krenuti postavljati pitanja što novcu daje vrijednost, zašto zlato ima vrijednost, koja je sličnost između zlata i bitcoina, zašto su standardne valute inflacijske, kako bitcoin kao deflacijska valuta funkcionira, kako funkcionira monetarna ekonomija i koje su mane današnjeg monetarnog sustava.

Odgovore na ova bitna ekonomska pitanja možemo pronaći u knjizi “The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking” autora Saifedeana Ammousa [5] koja će uskoro biti prevedena na hrvatski jezik u nakladništvu Mate d.o.o.

Saifedean Ammous u svojoj knjizi govori o rijetkosti u pogledu omjera Stock-to-Flow (zaliha i proizvodnje). Objašnjava zašto se zlato i bitcoin razlikuju od ostalih metala poput bakra, cinka, nikl. Zbog toga što imaju visok Stock-to-Flow omjer (SF).

„Za bilo koju potrošnu robu (…) udvostručenje proizvodnje značajno će umanjiti sve postojeće zalihe, što će srušiti cijenu i naštetiti vlasnicima. Skok cijene zlata, koji bi uzrokovao udvostručenje godišnje proizvodnje, bio bi neznatan, povećavajući zalihe za 3% umjesto 1,5%.”

„Upravo je ta konstantno niska stopa stvaranja zaliha zlata temeljni razlog zašto je zlato zadržalo svoju novčanu ulogu kroz ljudsku povijest.”

„Visoka vrijednost stock-to-flow omjera zlata čini ga robom čija tržišna ponuda ima najnižu elastičnost cijene.”

„Postojeće zalihe bitcoina u 2017. bile su oko 25 puta veće od novih bitcoina proizvedenih u toj godini. Taj omjer je upola manji u usporedbi s omjerom za zlato, ali oko 2022. stock-to-flow bitcoina nadmašit će zlato”- Saifedean Ammous

Stock-to-Flow pristup kao pokretač ekonomske analize Bitcoina

Nakon objavljivanja knjige “The Bitcoin Standard”, Stock-To-Flow pristup koji ima porijeklo u analizi tržišta robe, počeo se koristiti kao alat za analizu Bitcoina. Pristup je u skladu s osnovnom idejom koja stoji iza Bitcoina koji je izričito zamišljen kao novo monetarno dobro i usmjeren prema formi novca plemenitih metala. Prema tome novi se bitcoini ne mogu rudariti proizvoljno. Bitcoin je potpuno digitalan stoga se često naziva digitalnim zlatom.

Postoji snažna povezanost između tržišne vrijednosti bitcoina i Stock-To-Flow omjera. Model koji pokazuje ovaj statistički značajan odnos prvi je napravio autor PlanB i iznio rezultate u članku pod nazivom Modeling Bitcoin’s Value with Scarcity.[6]

Iako statistički modeli poput ovoga mogu ukazivati na snažnu zavisnu korelaciju, ne mogu uzeti u obzir utjecaje mnogih drugih, najčešće nepredvidljivih faktora, stoga uvijek postoji šansa da u potpunosti krivo prognoziraju budućnost.

Rana faza

Bitcoin je vrlo mlada tehnologija nastala tijekom svjetske financijske krize. U prvih 10 godina postojanja prošao je kroz mnoge faze. Od uporabe na crnom tržištu, trgovanja na nereguliranim burzama i hakerskih napada na njih do reguliranog trgovanja bitcoin terminskim ugovorima (futures contract), teme rasprava i korištenja u financijskim analizama poznatih svjetskih banaka te ostalih financijskih institucija itd.

Zbog povijesnog dugoročnog rasta cijene bitcoina te njegovog velikog potencijala kao nove tehnologije, mnogi se odlučuju ne koristiti ga još kao platno sredstvo nego ga nakon kupnje čuvaju. Do sada se pokazao kao dugoročno dobar instrument očuvanja vrijednosti osobne imovine, poput zlata, no idući pravi test za bitcoin bit će pojavom nove financijske krize.

Razvoj bitcoina podsjeća na razvoj interneta ranih 90-ih godina. Mnogi nisu razumjeli što internet predstavlja, korporacije čije je poslove ugrožavao, predviđale su mu propast te su smatrale da kućanstva neće imati potrebu za njime, stvorena je medijska slika da se internetom služe samo kriminalci, pedofili, ljubitelji pornografije. Danas se struktura interneta uvelike razlikuje u odnosu na njegovu ranu fazu te je neizostavan dio naših života koji je pokrenuo digitalnu revoluciju i unaprijedio životni standard ljudi diljem svijeta. Bitcoin se danas naziva i internetom novca.

Lightning network

Drugi sloj protokola na bitcoin mreži pod nazivom Lightning network, predstavljen je 2016. godine kao potencijalno rješenje za problem skalabilnost bitcoin mreže. Skalabilnost trenutno ne predstavlja problem, ali ako uporaba bitcoina postane široko rasprostranjena tj. ako se bitcoin počne koristiti u budućnosti kao svakodnevno platno sredstvo, iznimno je važno da mreža može podržati i obraditi veliki broj transakcija po sekundi. Lightning network je trenutno u beta fazi razvoja te preostaje vidjeti hoće li zaživjeti ili će se možda pojaviti neko drugo naprednije rješenje.

Zaključak

U ovom članku osvrnuli smo se na razine informiranosti o bitcoinu i znanja koja bismo trebali usvojiti za dublje razumijevanje bitcoina. Naveli smo izvore za tehničku i ekonomsku stranu bitcoina pomoću kojih možemo doći do odgovora na mnoga pitanja i dobiti širu sliku o bitcoinu.

Nitko ne zna što budućnost donosi i u kojem smjeru će se bitcoin razvijati — hoće li nadmašiti zlato u ulozi očuvanja vrijednosti osobne imovine, hoće li postati uvaženo globalno platno sredstvo te smanjiti monetarnu moć centralnih banaka ili nešto sasvim treće. Jedino što je sigurno da se svijest o trenutnom velikom nesrazmjeru bogatstva i moći širi, kao i zlouporaba moći za vlastite političke interese pojedinaca, na štetu naroda kojem se oduzimaju privatnost, sloboda, mogućnost izbora te da su u društvu potrebne mnoge promjene.

“The central bank must be trusted not to debase the currency, but the history of fiat currencies is full of breaches of that trust. Banks must be trusted to hold our money and transfer it electronically, but they lend it out in waves of credit bubbles with barely a fraction in reserve.” — Satoshi Nakamoto

Reference

[1] https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf — Satoshi Nakamoto, 2008

[2] Mastering Bitcoin: Programming the Open Blockchain — Andreas A. Antonopoulos, 2016

[3] https://www.youtube.com/user/aantonop

[4] The Internet of Money (Vol. I, Vol. II) — Andreas A. Antonopoulos, 2016-2017

[5] The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking — Saifedean Ammous, 2018

[6] Modeling Bitcoin’s Value with Scarcity — PlanB @100trillionUSD, 2019

@ e1d968f7:5d90f764

When you first meet a client, they’re a stranger—a mix of curiosity, anticipation, and perhaps a little nervousness on both sides. But with time, something special can happen: strangers can become companions, building a connection that feels natural, even intimate.

---

The First Encounter

The initial meeting is often the trickiest. There’s an unspoken dance of figuring each other out:
- Breaking the Ice: A smile, a friendly greeting, and light conversation help ease those early jitters.
- Setting the Tone: Whether it’s playful, professional, or something in between, the energy of the first meeting often shapes what follows.

---

Cultivating Connection

Building rapport doesn’t happen instantly—it’s crafted through trust, attentiveness, and genuine interest.
- Active Listening: Clients appreciate being heard, whether they’re sharing stories or expressing their desires.
- Shared Moments: Finding common ground, even in fleeting encounters, creates a sense of familiarity and comfort.

---

The Transition to Companionship

Over time, with regular clients, the dynamic often evolves into something deeper:
- Inside Jokes and Rituals: Small details like remembering their favourite wine or laughing about shared experiences add warmth and familiarity.
- Emotional Safety: Some clients open up about their lives, finding comfort in the discretion and empathy the relationship offers.

---

Striking the Balance

While companionship adds richness to the work, maintaining boundaries is essential. It’s possible to care deeply while keeping the professional framework intact.

---

A Rewarding Journey

The transformation from strangers to companions is one of the most rewarding aspects of this job. Each connection is unique, teaching me about people, relationships, and the many ways intimacy can manifest.

Rebecca x

@ 75869cfa:76819987

GM, Nostriches!

The Nostr Review is a biweekly newsletter focused on Nostr statistics, protocol updates, exciting programs, the long-form content ecosystem, and key events happening in the Nostr-verse. If you’re interested, join me in covering updates from the Nostr ecosystem!

Quick review: In the past two weeks, Nostr statistics indicate over 240,000 daily trusted pubkey events. However, the number of new users has significantly declined. Profiles with LN addresses or bios are far below the single-day numbers recorded during the same period. Public writing events have also dropped sharply, reflecting a 97% decrease. More than 12 million events have been published, with posts leading in volume at around 2 million, representing a slight 4% decrease. Total Zap activity stands at approximately 9 million, marking a 10% decline.

Additionally, 30 pull requests were submitted to the Nostr protocol, with 10 merged. A total of 44 Nostr projects were tracked, with 17 releasing product updates, and over 378 long-form articles were published, 34% focusing on Bitcoin and Nostr. During this period, 3 notable events took place, and 3 significant events are upcoming.

Nostr Statistics

Based on user activity, the total daily trusted pubkeys writing events is about 240,000, representing a slight 1.3% decrease compared to the previous period (24Nov-8Dec). Daily activity peaked at 19231 events, with a low of approximately 17467.

The number of new users has seen a significant decline. Profiles with LN addresses or bios amount to approximately 33,000, far below the single-day numbers of the same period. Public writing events total around 53,887, reflecting a 97% decrease compared to the same period.

Regarding event publishing, the total number of note events published is about 12 million, marking a decrease of approximately 20%. Posts continue to be the most dominant in volume, totaling about 2 million (a slight increase of 4%). Reposts is about 350000 and reactions (539588) saw a small decline, around 3%.

For zap activity, the total zap amount is about 9 million, showing a decrease of over 10% compared to the previous period.

In terms of relay usage, the top five relays by user count are: wss://realy.damus.io, wss://nos.lol, wss://eden.nostr.land, wss://realys.snort.social, wss://realy.current.fyi

Data source: https://stats.nostr.band/

NIPs

first draft of NIP-79 Nostr Relay Chat nostr:npub1fjqqy4a93z5zsjwsfxqhc2764kvykfdyttvldkkkdera8dr78vhsmmleku is Starting discussion of this idea for synchronous instant messaging a la IRC style leveraging ephemeral events and subscriptions. Note that this is specifically for only synchronous messaging using ephemeral message kinds. Relays should support this facility and it has not been much used by anything, but it essentially enables exactly the same protocol mechanics as used in IRC.It includes stuff about a protocol to acquire and update missing user data required to implement features also. Most of the elements of this proposal are already implemented in https://realy.lol aside from the spidering, which I am implementing now before starting on the client (s).

add accepted and blocked mint lists nostr:npub177sl65jrhf5v4gyku64t40scgnul5c4hjc2mfhfun7gpu5nm32rsn6rnds is proposing that adds lists the user wants to accept nutzaps on (this should have been part of the NIP-61 PR ) and mints the user doesn't want to use.

NIP-0A discrete query messages FOLLOWS/FOLLOWERS Jundow is proposing two discrete query messages FOLLOWS and FOLLOWERS. This “discrete query message” approach aims for the protocol to have essential and single-function query methods for quick searching response. This concept will be beneficial for the ecosystem especially if there are relays with huge numbers of accesses in the near future. “REQ” message is quite versatile and convenient, but this concept lacks a consistent approach to have a quick search response based on indexed databases or data structures.This proposal is a starter. There may be more beneficial types of discrete messages for relays and clients to deal with the huge number of accesses.

Merchant Delegation Tags amunrarara is proposing that In the Merchant Delegation paradigm, a different Nostr account effectively controls all commerce-related events on behalf of the Merchant. The delegated account creates every Stall and Product, receives all Checkout events, and handles checkout-related communication with the Customer. The Merchant signs a Merchant Delegate Token, which is placed in a tag on every event signed by the delegate account. Clients parse the tag, verify the signature is valid, and cause non-checkout events to target the Delegator automatically.This PR is a WIP.

nip4e: decoupling encryption from identity nostr:npub180cvv07tjdrrgpa0j7j7tmnyl2yr6yr7l8j4s3evf6u64th6gkwsyjh6w6 is proposing that a system for users to share private data between their own devices that doesn't rely on all devices holding the user account private key. The first device to come into the world will generate a random encryption key；When another device's device key is spotted, the device that knows the original encryption key encrypts that key to the target device's device key using NIP-44 and sends it out；Encryption and decryption are performed using the encryption key using the NIP-44 algorithm, skipping the first step and proceeding with conversation key set to the shared encryption key.

change NIP-01 to only allow a single filter per REQ nostr:npub180cvv07tjdrrgpa0j7j7tmnyl2yr6yr7l8j4s3evf6u64th6gkwsyjh6w6 is proposing that anything that can be done with a single REQ and multiple filters can much more easily be done with multiple REQs each with a single filter.In practice the existence of the possibility of multiple filters in a single REQ has no benefit and only serves to hurt performance and increase complexity of codebases.this is a breaking change, but not a very drastic one. We can easily transition to this by having clients stop being built with this "feature" in mind, and relays can follow later. If a client sends a REQ with more than one filter to a relay that only supports one that's also ok, the client will just get less results than it expected.

NIP 74 - NWS nostr:npub16uq0cyx52lh2unczavzdw9dq2jphu69zutgpp9cnstz7zqtdex0qmcxla3 defines a specification on how to send TCP messages trough NOSTR.TCP messages can be received by exit-nodes. This also introduces a Domain Name System to announce exit nodes to NOSTR clients.Exit nodes will further forward the TCP connection to a desired destination (static service or chosen by the client).NIP-74 enables people to use HTTP, SSL, SSH and many more protocols built on top of TCP trough NOSTR.The example implementation uses a SOCKS5 proxy as a client. This client publishes signed Nostr events for the exit node using the Nostr relays from the resolved domain.

NIP-G0 for Geospatial Tagging Standardization nostr:npub1gkgyk28lurjuhyfjlxsga9mw6lc0c47c8pmcr65usre9d3qjcx6q9cyk5m is proposing that Introduction of NIP to standardize event geospatial tagging for location of event origin and location area of event relevance, with both being hierarchical, offering flexibility for users and systems to filter and improve content relevance to user interest when proximity, politics and geography matters.

Update NIP-51 for software applications nostr:npub1wf4pufsucer5va8g9p0rj5dnhvfeh6d8w0g6eayaep5dhps6rsgs43dgh9 is proposing that Introduce app curation sets, used to group applications (for curation, recommendation, organization, backup). Minor fixes to release artifact sets, reflecting current usage.Both kinds 30063 and 30267 have been heavily used for months in Zapstore.

NIP-0A - Contact List v2 nostr:npub1acg6thl5psv62405rljzkj8spesceyfz2c32udakc2ak0dmvfeyse9p35c is proposing that Contact List v2 could be used for any other event kinds that have editable lists. He is not arguing for a contact list v2 actually, arguing for conflict-free replicated data types, in order to prevent conflicts.CRDTs aren't really necessary in practice if people always use the person's outbox relays and don't use two clients at the same time. But we saw a lot of conflicts early on. One problem is the size. Contact lists are already very long for some people, and while we could compress some of this data, not by a huge amount given the printable character set nature of JSON.

Consistent method naming for NIP 47(NWC) Response Gudnessuche is proposing to Add consistency to the event structure in (NWC). Currently, requests and responses have different keys to identify their method type, which may cause confusion or misunderstandings.This change aims to standardize the key names across all request and response events, making it easier for developers to understand and implement the protocol.

NIP-34: Git Remote Nostr URL format and helper spec DanConwayDev is proposing to add the Git Remote Nostr URL format which can be used as a normal git clone address when ngit is installed. This is used by ngit and gitworkshop.dev, minus the usage of nip05 addresses which @lez is working on adding. It is also partially supported experimental WOP tools like @lez's git-remote blossom and @Guga implementation of git-remote-nostr. We are now collaborating together. See this public discussion of the format on Nostr.Add wider git remote helper spec implemented by the git plugin bundled with ngit.

Notable Projects

Amethyst v0.93.1 nostr:npub142gywvjkq0dv6nupggyn2euhx4nduwc7yz5f24ah9rpmunr2s39se3xrj0

• Moves to NIP-22 to reply to Interactive Stories.
• Adds amount and personalizations labels to the DVM feed
• Fixes Satellite's blossom upload
• Fixes incorrect reply order when the direct reply is also included as a quote.
• Fixes image upload tests
• Fixes the bug on not having the video feed at the top when loading the app from scratch.
• Fixes screen mispositioning when rotating the phone on full screen video/image dialogs.
• Fixes images on DVM profiles
• Fixes badge crash
• Fixes missing reactions on video feeds
• Improves performance of the Hex encoder.
• Improves the layout of the discovery feed items
• Updates jackson, secp256k1 and AGP

Coracle 0.5.0 nostr:npub13myx4j0pp9uenpjjq68wdvqzywuwxfj64welu28mdvaku222mjtqzqv3qk

• “Undo” via delayed send can be enabled in Coracle's settings. This allows you to quickly correct those typos you notice just as you press “send”.
• Login and onboarding have been completely re-worked to walk the delicate balance between flexibility/security and a comprehensible UX.
• Feeds are now faster, especially relay-based feeds. The controls for feeds should also be incrementally improved.
• The note create/reply inputs are now powered by nostr-editor for a smoother editing experience
• The HUD (which you can access in the left sidebar on desktop) now has information about relay connections and NOTICE messages.

Flotilla 0.2.0 nostr:npub1jlrs53pkdfjnts29kveljul2sm0actt6n8dxrrzqcersttvcuv3qdjynqn

Flotilla 0.2.0 is out, which brings provisional support for NIP 29 groups — this means that flotilla is now interoperable with chachi, highlighter, and groups.nip29.com.

Damus1.12 nostr:npub18m76awca3y37hkvuneavuw6pjj4525fw90necxmadrvjg0sdy6qsngq955

• Render Gif and video files while composing posts
• Add profile info text in stretchable banner with follow button
• Paste Gif image similar to jpeg and png files
• Improved UX around the label for searching words
• Improved accessibility support on some elements
• Fixed issue where the "next" button would appear hidden and hard to click on the create account view
• Fix non scrollable wallet screen
• Fixed suggested users category titles to be localizable
• Fixed GradientFollowButton to have consistent width and autoscale text limited to 1 line
• Fixed right-to-left localization issues
• Fixed AddMuteItemView to trim leading and trailing whitespaces from mute text and disallow adding text with only whitespaces
• Fixed SideMenuView text to autoscale and limit to 1 line
• And more

Yakihonne nostr:npub1yzvxlwp7wawed5vgefwfmugvumtp8c8t0etk3g8sky4n0ndvyxesnxrf8q

For Web: * Resolved issues causing the article editor to appear malformed. * Added support for both LTR and RTL languages in the article editor. * Enhanced the messaging box to support long text writing. * Secure DMs (Nip44) can now be enabled globally via the messages and settings pages. * General bug fixes and improvements.

Primal nostr:npub16c0nh3dnadzqpm76uctf5hqhe2lny344zsmpm6feee9p5rdxaa9q586nvr

All Primal apps have just been updated. Here’s what’s new:

iOS 2.0.134: * Improved onboarding * Profile screen improvements * Feed rendering improvements * App shell cosmetic improvements * Various bug fixes

Android 2.0.28: * Improved onboarding * Feed rendering improvements * Profile screen improvements * Various bug fixes

Web 2.0.11: * Profile screen improvements * Feed rendering improvements * Various bug fixes

0xchat 1.4.4 nostr:npub1tm99pgz2lth724jeld6gzz6zv48zy6xp4n9xu5uqrwvx9km54qaqkkxn72

• Fixed the issue where inbox/outbox relays could not be added.
• Fixed the issue where push notifications for voice calls had no sound.
• Fixed the lag issue when loading private chat videos.
• Fixed the issue where custom emoji reactions were not displayed.

highlighter nostr:npub1l2vyh47mk2p0qlsku7hg0vn29faehy9hy34ygaclpn66ukqp3afqutajft

• New Highlighter Studio for long-form writing：
• Much more reliable draft support
• Checkpoint support (restore to a 10-revisions-ago draft)
• Blossom
• Proposals
• And a ton more things cooking.

Olas Web 0.1 nostr:npub1l2vyh47mk2p0qlsku7hg0vn29faehy9hy34ygaclpn66ukqp3afqutajft

• NIP-07 login (NIP-46 coming)
• View-only
• NIP-22 comments

Gossip Release 0.13.0 nostr:npub189j8y280mhezlp98ecmdzydn0r8970g4hpqpx3u9tcztynywfczqqr3tg8

This is a major release with the following changes: * File Metadata support (NIP-92 / NIP-94) * Blossom support (BUD-01, BUD-02) * NIP-89 Support - Recommended Application Handlers * Search on relays (NIP-50): you must choose your search relays first * on the Person page, you can view who someone follows, and who follows them (including for yourself). Computing who follows them is expensive and inaccurate * Undo Send - for 10 seconds (or whatever you configure) you can undo sending * Thread replies now sorted by date, except author replies come first * Cancelling a draft asks if you are sure, so misclicks don't erase your carefully crafted manifesto. * Inbox indicator showing how many messages are waiting * Feeds no longer inject new events and scroll while you are trying to read * Every feed has it's own separate "include replies" switch now * Relays can now be tested to see whether they are fit for purpose * Zap amount can now be typed in (or slid with a slider) * Support for pubkey hints in 'e' and 'q' tags * Support for 'E' and 'A' tags and kind 1111 Comments (NIP-22) * Font update to support more unicode codepoints * NIP-46 replies with NIP-44 encryption if the client used it. * NIP-44 encryption now used for private contacts and private lists. * FFMpeg 7.1 support * Relay URLs now rendered as links to the relay config page * Build.sh script to help users choose features when compiling * New command line commands: delete_by_kind, disable_relay * Subscription batching for naddr searches * Database compacting reduced to once per week, and handles out of space error * Some theme color changes * Relay scoring adjusted * Likes and zaps data updated more frequently than before * Default relays for new users have been tested and updated * Many fixes

Formstr nostr:npub1qu7dsd44275lms4x9snnwvnnmgx926nsppmr7lcw9dlj36n4fltqgs7p98

• Move to a dedicated forms nip https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/issues/1190
• Encryption for response submission upgraded to nip-44.
• Users can now add multiple admins to a form
• Users can limit participants to a form (all accesses shared as giftwrap events)
• Users can encrypt form content.
• Added a “login” button.
• Form IDs are now “naddrs” to a form event.
• Added image upload buttons to question and options
• New Dashboard view instead of tables on the home screen
• Tabs for "on device" , "shared with me", "my forms" & "drafts" added.
• Relay acceptance view on form publish is now added.

Plebeian Market nostr:npub1market6g3zl4mxwx5ugw56hfg0f7dy7jnnw8t380788mvdyrnwuqgep7hd

• Better logs and reporting
• Avoid de-bouncing grand total calculation
• Make categories urls case-insensitive
• Sales are listed oldest first
• Blank space on product explorer page
• Return pleb if role cant be found
• Admin actions appear for everyone

Wherostr v1.3.0 nostr:npub16elg3wf8nffkymylw9kfwecc45j9c30lufrrzx2zf5vmxjlcgkkq3xc6d7

• (Beta) Direct Messages: Chat privately with other users anytime, anywhere.
• Feed Filtering: Customize your feed by choosing the content you want to see.
• Fixed NWC issues for Lifpay to ensure smoother transactions.
• Resolved NWC zapping timeout issues, improving reliability for payments.
• Resolved incorrect date display issue showing “January 1970”.

Amber 3.0.5 nostr:npub1am3ermkr250dywukzqnaug64cred3x5jht6f3kdhfp3h0rgtjlpqecxrv7

• Add appName parameter for web apps using nip 55
• Try to fix bunker requests showing up again after accepting/rejecting them
• Fix loading screen
• Fix racing condition when using bunkers
• Better pin entry screenAdd a close application config in the ui
• Separate the service notification in a group
• Always return a hex key for the get_public_key method

AlbyHub v1.12 nostr:npub1getal6ykt05fsz5nqu4uld09nfj3y3qxmv8crys4aeut53unfvlqr80nfm

• 0-amount invoice support
• Migration to dynamic backups setup
• LND channel notifications
• Better relay connectivity
• Interface improvements and minor fixes, all listed at their GitHub

Zapstore 0.1.8 nostr:npub10r8xl2njyepcw2zwv3a6dyufj4e4ajx86hz6v4ehu4gnpupxxp7stjt2p8

• Fixes issue with blocking relays, and since we used relay.nostr.band (that has been down) it froze many requests
• Fixes issue with unnecessary relay initialization, which may be a source of slow performance in some cases

ZEUS v0.9.4 nostr:npub1xnf02f60r9v0e5kty33a404dm79zr7z2eepyrk5gsq3m7pwvsz2sazlpr5

• Embedded Node: LND v0.18.4-beta
• CLNRest: fix display of destination addresses on txs
• Display keysend messages in Activity and Payment views
• Open Channel view: UI tabs for Connect Peer
• LND: optimize payment path calls after payments
• CLNRest: add ability to paste connection strings
• Channels: restore sort by Close Height
• Networking improvements

Long-Form Content Eco

In the past two weeks, more than 378 long-form articles have been published, including over 102 articles on Bitcoin and more than 28 related to Nostr, accounting for 34% of the total content.

These articles about Nostr mainly explore the protocol’s potential for decentralization, privacy, and emphasizing its role as a revolutionary tool in combating centralization. They highlight various use cases, such as using Nostr for blogging, personal websites through platforms like Npub.pro, and innovative projects like Fountain Radio. Tutorials delve into functionalities like custodial zapping with tools like Coinos.io and Amethyst, while reflections discuss adoption challenges, user insights, and the broader implications for internet freedom. The reviews and discussions also consider the usability of website builders and the emergence of unique features like the GM filter, painting a picture of Nostr as a versatile yet evolving ecosystem.

The Bitcoin articles discuss a broad spectrum of topics surrounding the cryptocurrency ecosystem, exploring its role as a revolutionary technology and an economic disruptor. They delve into Bitcoin's multifaceted applications, from being a store of value and a medium for escaping traditional systems to its potential as a tool for social and political empowerment. The articles highlight ongoing debates about Bitcoin's environmental impact, governance, and scalability, while also reflecting on its cultural significance through literature, poetry, and historical analogies. Several pieces examine technical developments, including advancements in mining, Lightning Network innovations, and self-custody strategies.

Thankyou, nostr:npub13rvvn5g23anm09kwnya8qvzqejxfajfa56rnn47ck5l96ke6cq4sdcd4e0, nostr:npub14ekwjk8gqjlgdv29u6nnehx63fptkhj5yl2sf8lxykdkm58s937sjw99u8, nostr:npub1h727rfzm6hk9egx5yr602hxszezu0pyl2l7azwuvttlvf67uepyq559jmf, nostr:npub1q7qyk7rvdga5qzmmyrvmlj29qd0n45snmfuhkrzsj4rk0sm4c4psvqwt9c, nostr:npub1acg6thl5psv62405rljzkj8spesceyfz2c32udakc2ak0dmvfeyse9p35c, nostr:npub1prkjt5zda4qaghdt44tv6rkaldqqqgf6jwywftg8jstefmc9xars497ulg, nostr:npub19ju2u4sduewta4hxl22kke7se8yxm2puytzw47lr6y999pxnpjaqtjjfxj, nostr:npub10m2m688ryawlsk8c0l8kyk2wxwruje5mgcufgg07x9hmyn92wkrsdqqf32, nostr:npub186k25a5rymtae6q0dmsh4ksen04706eurfst8xc5uzjchwkxdljqe59hv0, nostr:npub1fd7yacmz3ge3uylln7k5ezdrmn5xnj38c933l5sjdtv7erx4a4xse4zf5f, and others, for your work. Enriching Nostr’s long-form content ecosystem is crucial.

Nostriches Global Meet Ups

Recently, several Nostr events have been hosted in different countries.

• The Africa Bitcoin Conference 2024 took place from December 9 to 11, 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya, featuring key programs such as Btrust Developer Day, TBD Hackathon, ABC Social Impact Award, Afro Bitcoin Fellowship, and Africa Bitcoin Day. The event hosted nearly 70 distinguished speakers, including nostr:npub1ju2sw9unanr94p5wama3ydv90hcke34wcnmnxedummspaayz55qswlya32, nostr:npub16hssgmdhw9e9j6z8na45lzz4grdsfjqlp5hf8dtcqnp0glseeu3seecguf, nostr:npub1m7uxdt50d2jw35q79zlszlsvy79t7dpdxptz6rfsrsamra7l8ttsq752yl, nostr:npub1gaxapm9t9damh6q2lpc04ptcyeh0ysfdfzzs997agu3ae80ftrns7t985l, who focused on topics such as Bitcoin adoption, regulation, innovation, and security. This conference offered attendees valuable opportunities for in-depth discussions and knowledge sharing.

• The Dadas Bitcoin Workshop was held on Tuesday, December 10, 2024. This event was open to everyone and invited several changemakers who are driving innovation in the Bitcoin ecosystem, including nostr:npub1urhnkns9rt4c9mk6t9xctjkzmlkawxkdpzjnxdxhx82mqm7hfpuq0j7ueh and nostr:npub1z5umqa38xfv94y3fpver2khw2qar2v54jetl24939j4f0yyhggdqrh5lwd, among others. The workshop featured guest speakers sharing how Bitcoin has transformed their lives and careers. The event delivered major surprises, along with gifts and rewards, and fostered vibrant discussions and connections that left a lasting impact on participants.

• Bitcoin Layer 2's vs Bitcoin Sidechains took place on December 10, 2024, at 7 PM CAT, hosted by Rootstock on X Space. This online discussion, featuring guests such as nostr:npub1c8cp58lhn4vte3q2fejp7luqczx7u0njk5h0p0hry3atflk7g2hqc7xzqk and others, delved into the differences between Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions and sidechains, highlighting their applications in smart contracts and DeFi.

Here are the upcoming Nostr events in November that you might want to check out.

• The Adopting Bitcoin Capetown 2025 conference will take place on January 24-25, 2025, at Workshop17 in Cape Town's Waterfront. The event will focus on how Bitcoin can reshape the financial system and revitalize communities against the backdrop of South Africa's ongoing decline in governance and infrastructure. It will feature dozens of prominent figures from the Bitcoin ecosystem, including nostr:npub1dnzzyhmewrzkh862z7z2shwmhh5htx0rvkagepj2fkgst9ptwg3qj4x52h, nostr:npub1k5f85zx0xdskyayqpfpc0zq6n7vwqjuuxugkayk72fgynp34cs3qfcvqg2, nostr:npub1empusn0uefqn5ymjj8f9xleaajufpxyjhu0d97yedjppdf2xw4uq6nr7fl, nostr:npub16v6zr28ae067lmjf9vfnk2ckawjdclnna4frqfzy2yavz6htg6nqyq8jef, nostr:npub1cn670f663n3ks02jnnlsvd5y88zjnefy8343ykaxs7y3nzzketrsrjwt8a, nostr:npub1ykgzky9fffy5hgl76jfay9ywy5y9j3hmzljxau9sq2z2unmsxn2qpgxf8j, nostr:npub1tand04svfdhrt7lhg6687fh0y2xvxfpr9nkkj27rqfrxfpeklldsp48sax, nostr:npub1upalcp82slrj4yv9kzy37p2nv8nyjte9n7qjga5r6myuev4k28ks8zx054, nostr:npub1nd30hjn52q6p8mkjme5309wgpy5jm2pfrza54wh8h03nxw0kh7mqg8kjj7, and others, to discuss Bitcoin's practical applications and its impact on financial infrastructure.

• The Bitcoin Beach Circular Economy Summit will take place from January 27 to 29, 2025, in El Zonte, El Salvador. This will be the first gathering of global Bitcoin circular economy leaders, with 20 invited Bitcoin circular economy organizations participating. The summit will focus on leadership training, Bitcoin education, and facilitating exchanges and collaboration among 15+ global Bitcoin circular economies. As an exclusive, invitation-only event, it offers Bitcoin adoption and economic development leaders worldwide a valuable opportunity for learning, networking, and cooperation.

• The Awake Earth Festival will take place from February 20 to 24, 2025, at the Awake Center in Uvita, Costa Rica. This unique event combines music, learning, and Bitcoin themes. The festival is divided into two parts: from February 20 to 23, it will focus on live performances by internationally renowned artists, healing workshops, educational talks, and ceremonies. On February 24, the focus will shift entirely to Bitcoin, featuring related talks and discussions. nostr:npub14f26g7dddy6dpltc70da3pg4e5w2p4apzzqjuugnsr2ema6e3y6s2xv7lu

Additionally, We warmly invite event organizers who have held recent activities to reach out to us so we can work together to promote the prosperity and development of the Nostr ecosystem.

Thanks for reading! If there’s anything I missed, feel free to reach out and help improve the completeness and accuracy of my coverage.

@ 7ed5bd1c:4caa7587

Bitcoin กับทองคำ: สินทรัพย์ที่ปลอดภัยในระยะยาว

ในช่วงเวลาที่เศรษฐกิจโลกไม่แน่นอน ผู้คนมักมองหาสินทรัพย์ที่สามารถรักษามูลค่าในระยะยาวได้ ทองคำเคยครองตำแหน่งนี้มาอย่างยาวนาน แต่ในยุคดิจิทัล Bitcoin กำลังกลายเป็นตัวเลือกใหม่สำหรับนักลงทุน เราจะมาเปรียบเทียบกันว่า ระหว่างทองคำกับ Bitcoin อะไรคือทางเลือกที่ดีที่สุดสำหรับอนาคตของคุณ

ทองคำ: สินทรัพย์ที่ผ่านการพิสูจน์

ข้อดี:

1. มูลค่าที่มั่นคง: ทองคำถูกใช้เป็นสื่อกลางแลกเปลี่ยนและเครื่องเก็บมูลค่ามานับพันปี ความหายากและความต้องการทางอุตสาหกรรมทำให้มันมีมูลค่าที่คงทน

2. ไม่มีความเสี่ยงทางดิจิทัล: ทองคำไม่ได้ขึ้นอยู่กับระบบอินเทอร์เน็ตหรือเทคโนโลยีดิจิทัล จึงไม่เสี่ยงต่อการแฮ็กหรือการล่มของระบบ

3. ความนิยมในวงกว้าง: ทองคำเป็นที่ยอมรับในระดับสากล ทั้งในฐานะสินทรัพย์และสัญลักษณ์ของความมั่งคั่ง

ข้อเสีย:

1. ขาดความคล่องตัว: ทองคำเป็นสินทรัพย์ที่จับต้องได้ การซื้อขายหรือโอนย้ายอาจใช้เวลาและมีต้นทุนสูง

2. การเก็บรักษา: การเก็บรักษาทองคำต้องใช้พื้นที่และมีค่าใช้จ่าย เช่น ค่าเช่าตู้นิรภัยหรือการประกันภัย

Bitcoin: ทองคำในรูปแบบดิจิทัล?

ข้อดี:

1. จำนวนจำกัด: Bitcoin มีจำนวนจำกัดที่ 21 ล้านเหรียญ ซึ่งทำให้มันเป็นสินทรัพย์ที่ไม่สามารถผลิตเพิ่มได้ เช่นเดียวกับทองคำ

2. การพกพาและโอนย้ายที่สะดวก: Bitcoin สามารถโอนย้ายข้ามประเทศได้ทันทีโดยไม่มีข้อจำกัดด้านภูมิศาสตร์หรือต้องผ่านคนกลาง

3. การป้องกันเงินเฟ้อ: การออกแบบของ Bitcoin ช่วยป้องกันการลดค่าของเงินในระยะยาว เนื่องจากไม่มีการพิมพ์หรือสร้างเพิ่มอย่างไม่จำกัด

ข้อเสีย:

1. ความผันผวนสูง: มูลค่าของ Bitcoin ยังมีความผันผวนอย่างมาก ซึ่งอาจทำให้นักลงทุนบางกลุ่มลังเล

2. การยอมรับที่ยังจำกัด: แม้ Bitcoin จะได้รับความนิยมเพิ่มขึ้น แต่ยังไม่เป็นที่ยอมรับในระดับสากลเท่าทองคำ

3. ความเสี่ยงทางเทคโนโลยี: แม้ Bitcoin จะมีระบบป้องกันที่แข็งแกร่ง แต่ความเสี่ยงส่วนใหญ่มักเกิดจากความสะเพร่าของผู้ใช้งาน เช่น การเก็บรักษารหัสผ่านหรือ private key ไม่ปลอดภัย มากกว่าการโจมตีระบบเอง

ทองคำ VS Bitcoin: อะไรเหมาะกับคุณ?

หากคุณต้องการสินทรัพย์ที่ผ่านการพิสูจน์ในประวัติศาสตร์ ทองคำยังคงเป็นตัวเลือกที่น่าเชื่อถือ หากคุณมองหานวัตกรรมและความคล่องตัวในการจัดการทรัพย์สิน Bitcoin คือก้าวใหม่ที่น่าสนใจ การเลือกลงทุนในทองคำหรือ Bitcoin ขึ้นอยู่กับเป้าหมายการลงทุนและระดับความเสี่ยงที่คุณยอมรับได้ อาจไม่จำเป็นต้องเลือกเพียงอย่างใดอย่างหนึ่ง เพราะทั้งสองสามารถเสริมกันในพอร์ตโฟลิโอของคุณได้

คุณคิดว่าอะไรคือ "ที่หลบภัย" ทางการเงินที่เหมาะกับคุณในยุคนี้? ร่วมแสดงความคิดเห็นด้านล่าง!

@ bf47c19e:c3d2573b

Originalni tekst na luxb.substack.com.

27.10.2022 / Autor: Lux Bitcoin

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Najosnovniji način prijenosa vrijednosti je trampa.

Trampa, međutim, ima tri glavna ograničenja: zahtijeva podudarnost razmjera, prostora i vremena.

Podudarnost razmjera: ono što želite možda nema istu vrijednost kao ono što želite dati.

Podudarnost prostora: ono što želite može biti na različitim mjestima od onoga što želite dati.

Podudarnost vremena: ono što želite možda nema istu kvarljivost kao ono što želite dati.

Kako bi se prevladala ova ograničenja, pokušalo se koristiti intermedijarni dobra, s funkcijom novca.

Ta su dobra morala biti lako djeljiva, lako prenosiva, lako prepoznatljiva i nekvarljiva. Stoga su morala biti potrošna u razmjeru, prostoru i vremenu.

Potrošnost kroz vrijeme je najzanimljivije svojstvo.

Neko dobro se može potrošiti kroz vrijeme ako je fizički nepromjenjivo. Ali nepromjenjivost materijala nije dovoljna za očuvanje vrijednosti, potrebno je i održavati stabilnom količinu dostupnu na tržištu.

Da bismo razumjeli ovaj koncept, uzmimo primjer RAI kamenja, koje se koristilo kao valuta na otoku Yap.

Izvorno je nabaviti ovo kamenje bilo vrlo teško, pa nije bilo načina da se ih se previše inflacionira, ali iskrcavanjem kapetana O'Keefea 1871. situacija se promijenila. Zahvaljujući tehnološki naprednijim alatima kapetan je bio u stanju nabaviti nebrojeno kamenje, stvorivši inflaciju i uzrokovao da RAI izgubi status valute.

Inflacija nekog dobra uzrokuje mu gubitak vrijednosti.

Gubitak vrijednosti dobra otežava njegovu trošnost.

Povijest novca

Nakon pokušaja sa stokom, kamenjem, školjkama, žitaricama i solju, odlučeno je da se metalima pripiše funkciju novca, budući da ih se moglo modelirati u jednakim jedinicama.

Među metalima koji su se koristili kao novac, zlato je postalo dominantno zbog svoje nepromjenjivosti i iznimne teškoće u pronalaženju. Ove dvije karakteristike omogućile su mu da zadrži svoju vrijednost tijekom godina.

Novac koji ne zadržava svoju vrijednost tijekom vremena uzrokuje ogromnu štetu zajednicama. Uzmimo primjer Rimskog carstva.

Uvođenje Aureusa od strane Julija Cezara omogućilo je ogromno i uspješno tržište koje se širilo diljem Europe i Mediterana.

Međutim, Neron je, u nedostatku sredstava, počeo kovati novac sa sve manjom količinom plemenitog metala. S ovim trikom mogao je računati na mnogo više sredstava da ugodi narodu, primjerice davanjem kruha i igara.

Što su financije bile lošije, to se više metala oduzimalo. Od 8 grama Cezarovog Aureusa, sa godinama se prešlo na novčić sa samo 4,5 grama zlata. To je omogućilo carevima da troše iznad svojih mogućnosti, stvarajući osnove za ekonomsku propast carstva.

Kraj Carigrada također se poklopio sa devalvacijom novca. Sa novčanim padom dogodio se i kulturni, financijski i vojni pad.

Pad rimskog carstva i stalna devalvacija novca stvorili su ozbiljne prepreke trgovini i naveli stanovništvo da se organizira u male samodostatne zajednice nepovjerljive jedna prema drugoj.

Preporod nakon razdoblja ratova i gladi koincidirao je s usvajanjem novog novčanog standarda. Sve je počelo u Firenci 1252. godine kada je grad uveo florin, zlatnik s fiksnom težinom. Zahvaljujući svojoj stabilnosti, florin je postupno zamijenio sve bakrene i brončane kovanice koje se lako inflatiralo i predstavljao je uzor cijeloj Europi. Venecija je bila prva koja je slijedila primjer Firence kujući Dukat, ali još 150 drugih gradova prilagodilo se novom standardu.

S procvatom trgovine Europa, a posebno Italija, doživjeli su veliki gospodarski i kulturni procvat.

Usvajanje jakog novca kroz povijest uvijek je bilo nagrađeno rastom i prosperitetom. Drugi primjer je Britansko Carstvo, najveće u ljudskoj povijesti, koje je usvojilo moderni zlatni standard 1717. Iako se zlatom nije više trgovalo u malim transakcijama, ono je i dalje ostalo kao referenca za novčanice.

Zemlje poput Indije i Kine skupo su platile izbor kasnije prilagodbe zlatnom standardu.

Dok je veći dio planeta usvajao zlatno standard, stigla je La Belle Epoque, jedno od najprosperitetnijih razdoblja u ljudskoj povijesti. Uz jaki novac zajednički svim zemljama poticana je trgovina, a stabilnost novca tijekom vremena omogućila je akumulaciju kapitala potrebnog za ulaganja.

Godine 1914., s Prvim svjetskim ratom, zlatni standard je suspendiran.

Ako su sa jakim novcem ratovi završavali kad je državi nedostajalo novca, sa slabim novcem to više nije bio problem. Skriveni porez, inflacija, omogućio je nastavak ratova sve dok cjelokupno nacionalno bogatstvo nije erodirano.

Nakon rata, Sjedinjene Države doživjele su najgoru gospodarsku krizu ikada zabilježenu: Veliku depresiju. Uvriježeneo je mišljenje da se iz depresije izašlo zahvaljujući povećanju javne potrošnje (New Deal). Zapravo, kreditna ekspanzija 1920-ih je to uzrokovala, a New Deal je samo pogoršao situaciju.

U 1930-ima države su nastavile napuhavati valute.

Totalitarni režimi imali su svaki interes financirati se bez ubiranja poreza.

Keynes, ekonomist koji je rat smatrao učinkovitim načinom borbe protiv nezaposlenosti, teoretizirao je izlazak iz zlatnog standarda.

Drugi svjetski rat doista nije kasnio.

Godine 1971. Sjedinjene države definitivno napuštaju zlatni standard, započevši neobuzdanu monetarnu ekspanziju koja traje sve do danas. Za predodžbu: ako je 1971. unca zlata vrijedila 35 dolara, danas vrijedi 1500.

Korištenjem lako inflatornih valuta riskira se hiperinflaciju, odnosno drastičan gubitak kupovne moći u kratkom vremenu.

Primjeri hiperinflacije su Njemačka 1920-ih s dnevnom inflacijom od 20%, te Mađarska 1940-ih s dnevnom inflacijom od 207%.

U Mađarskoj su se cijene udvostručavale svakih 15 sati, što je učinilo apsolutno nemogućim uštedu i prijenos vrijednosti tijekom vremena.

Očigledno sve to ne bi bilo moguće s novcem koji teško podliježe inflaciji.

Bitcoin

Prije Bitcoina bile su moguće samo dvije vrste plaćanja:

• Gotovinska plaćanja bez posrednika

• Elektronička plaćanja putem posrednika

Gotovinska plaćanja su trenutna, ali zahtijevaju fizičku prisutnost obiju strana. Elektronička plaćanja mogu se izvršiti i na daljinu, ali za to je potreban posrednik koji ovjerava plaćanje i naplatu.

Bitcoin je prvi oblik novca koji omogućuje elektronička plaćanja bez uključivanja posrednika kao što su države ili banke, a to ga također čini prvom valutom koja nije podložna inflaciji, koja se ne može zaplijeniti, koja se ne može cenzurirati, koja može prenijeti vrijednost bolje od bilo čega kroz redove veličine, prostor i vrijeme.

Ako zlato ima inflaciju koja fluktuira oko 2%, Bitcoin ima inflaciju koja se prepolovi svake 4 godine sve dok ne dosegne nulu i ostane tamo zauvijek. Bitcoin je, dakle, prva valuta u povijesti koja će imati nultu inflaciju.

Prednosti Bitcoina u odnosu na zlato su ogromne: lakše ga je prenositi, omogućuje veću transparentnost i jamči manju inflaciju.

S manje inflacije:

1 - čuva se vrijednost tijekom vremena;

2 - olakšava se trgovanje;

3 - olakšava se ekonomska računica;

4 - jamči se sloboda pojedincima neovisno od središta moći.

Vremenska preferencija

Racionalnim pojedincima je uvijek bolje odmah pristupiti nekom dobru nego to odgađati tijekom vremena. Upravo zato se čekanje u gospodarstvu uvijek mora nagraditi.

Vrednovanje budućnosti u odnosu na sadašnjost omogućuje proizvodnju kapitalnih dobara, odnosno dobara stvorenih ne za potrošnju, već korisnih za proizvodnju budućih dobara.

Primjer: s čamcem se ulovi više ribe nego golim rukama, ali da bi se izgradio čamac potrebno je žrtvovati vrijeme i energiju bez istančane nagrade.

Zamislimo dvije individue na pustom otoku.

Laura budućnost shvaća vrlo ozbiljno;

Mario preferira trenutačno zadovoljstvo.

Mario provodi 8 sati dnevno kako bi golim rukama ulovio potrebnu ribu. Laura čini isto, ali nakon pecanja još dva sata posvećuje izradi štapa za pecanje. Nakon tjedan dana Laura je dovršila štap za pecanje i time može pokriti svoje dnevne potrebe u pola vremena koliko je potrebno Mariu. Sljedećih mjeseci, radeći isto sati kao i Mario, Laura ima vremena izgraditi čamac, mrežu i druge alate koji joj omogućuju da u jednom satu ulovi puno više ribe nego što Mario ulovi kroz cijele dane.

Na Stanfordu, 1960. napravljen je eksperiment.

Djeci je ponuđen slatkiš uz obećanje da će dobiti još jedan ako izdrže 15 minuta da ga ne pojedu. Djeca su stoga morala birati hoće li odmah dobiti jedan slatkiš ili dva nakon 15 minuta. Godinama kasnije, pronađena je korelacija između onih koji su uspjeli odgoditi zadovoljstvo i onih koji su postigli veće akademske i sportske rezultate.

Odgađanje zadovoljstva omogućuje štednju.

Štednja omogućuje investicije.

Investicije povećavaju produktivnost.

Štednja se općenito potiče u sigurnim društvima, gdje su porezi niski i gdje je vlasništvo zaštićeno. Temeljni čimbenik u jamčenju štednje je imati jaku valutu, koju se ne može lako napuhati. Ako valuta stalno gubi vrijednost, više se potiče da je se potroši nego da je se sačuva.

Prijelaz s valute koja gubi vrijednost na valutu koja svoju vrijednost zadržava stoga je ključno na duge staze, jer to može činiti razliku izmađu rasta ili pada jednog društva.

Valuta koja s vremenom gubi vrijednost obeshrabruje štednju u korist potrošnje, rizičnih ulaganja i zaduživanja.

Jaka valuta, osim što pogoduje štednji, poboljšava i ekonomsku računicu, odnosno omogućuje mjerenje iskusnosti resursa i donošenje racionalnih odluka o proizvodnji i potrošnji.

Npr: ako je roba za kojom postoji velika potražnja oskudna, povećanje cijene potiče njezinu proizvodnju i obeshrabruje potrošnju.

Obrnuto, ako dobra za kojim nema potražnje ima puno, pad cijene obeshrabruje njegovu proizvodnju i potiče potrošnju.

Ista dinamika vrijedi i za novac čija se cijena naziva “kamatna stopa”.

Trošak zajmova trebao bi se smanjiti ako je štednje puno, a porasti ako je štednje malo, kako bi uvijek postojala ispravna ravnoteža i ispravni poticaji.

Ponovimo koncept: ako malo tko posuđuje, kamate bi trebale pasti, tako da olakšava posuđivanje novca. Ako pak mnogi traže posudbe, kamate bi trebale porasti, kako bi se destimuliralo traženje kredita i poticala štednja.

Sa slabom valutom događa se umjesto toga da kamatne stope ne odražavaju ravnotežu između štednje i ulaganja. Centralne banke stvaraju kamatne stope koje su niže od tržišnih, potičući potrošnju i ulaganja čak i kad je štednja oskudna.

Uz investicije koje zahtijevaju više sredstava nego što su stvarno dostupna, sistemske krize su neizbježne.

Djeluje ovako:

• Stvori se nova valuta

• Povećaju se investicije

• Smanjuje se štednja

• Pokreće se više ulaganja nego što ima raspoloživih sredstava

• Investicije propadaju

Valute koje gube vrijednost ne dopuštaju cijenama da signaliziraju stvarnu oskudicu resursa, dakle da koordiniraju proizvodnju i potrošnju.

Loše investicije, nastale zbog niskih kamata i gubitka vrijednosti valute, glavni su uzrok gospodarskih kriza.

Cilj centralnih banaka je “jamčiti stabilnost cijena” povećanjem i smanjenjem količine novca. Ali osigurati stabilnost cijena promjenom mjerne jedinice je apsurdno. Mjerna jedinica je fiksna po definiciji, ne može se mijenjati ovisno o mjerenom objektu.

Stalno mijenjanje mjernih jedinica samo stvara zbunjenost, otežava ekonomsku kalkulaciju i onemogućuje pravilnu raspodjelu resursa.

Primjer: tvrtka kojoj su trebale godine da stekne konkurentsku prednost može gledati kako ona nestaje u nekoliko minuta ako je valuta zemlje dobavljača precijenjena, a valuta kupca devalvira. Tvrtka će stoga biti prisiljena zatvoriti se unatoč činjenici da realno proizvodi veliku vrijednost.

Postojanje stotina različitih valuta čija se vrijednost stalno mijenja stvara ekonomsku štetu, ne samo za resurse koji se koriste u razmjeni, već prije svega zbog nemogućnosti ekonomske kalkulacije.

Vjerujući da favoriziraju izvoz, države teže devalviranju valuta, ne shvaćajući da zapravo favoriziraju strane kupce. Novčana devalvacija nije ništa drugo nego javno financiranje izvoza, odnosno prodaja vlastite robe ispod cijene.

Ovi bi problemi nestali kad bi se koristila jedna globalna referentna valuta sa sigurnom vrijednošću.

Najveća iluzija suvremenog svijeta je ideja da vlada mora upravljati valutom.

Po Keynesu, vlada je morala poticati potrošnju u sadašnjosti i obeshrabrivati štednju za budućnost. Onima koji su mu isticali da su te politike dugoročno pogubne odgovarao bi da smo “dugoročno svi mrtvi”. Ali dugoročno, prije ili kasnije, stigne.

Jaku valutu po Keynesu je trebalo izbjegavati jer je obeshrabrivala potrošnju. Ono što nije razumio je da samo štednja dugoročno omogućuje održiva ulaganja.

Slabe valute i ratovi

Postoje tri faktora koji povezuju slabe valute i ratove:

1. Tečajne razlike i konkurentske devalvacije su prepreke slobodnoj trgovini koje se često rješavaju vojnim intervencijama. Jaka transnacionalna valuta olakšava trgovinu, ako prolazi roba nema potrebe za prolaskom vojske.

2. Ako su sa jakom valutom resursi za rat ograničeni na poreze, s inflatornom valutom država može izvlačiti bogatstvo bez ograničenja. Mogućnost stvaranja novca stoga omogućuje državama nastavak ratova i nakon što im ponestane sredstava u proračunu, sve do potpune erozije nacionalnog bogatstva.

3. Jaka valuta potiče suradnju i obeshrabruje sukobe koji bi mogli biti korisni samo kratkoročno. Što je više suradnje, što je veće tržište, to je više mogućnosti za specijalizaciju, a što je veća podjela rada, to je veća produktivnost.

Imati neinflatornu valutu također je jamstvo slobode protiv tirana.

Ako tiranin ne može stvarati novac, prisiljen ga je tražiti u obliku poreza ili posudbi, a ako se građani ne slažu sa suludom politikom tiranina mogu ga prestati financirati ili mu barem zagorčati život.

Slaba valuta, s druge strane, daje vladama mogućnost neograničene potrošnje i kupovanja pristanka stanovništva kratkoročnim ulaganjima.

Sposobnost stvaranja novca znači potencijalno neograničenu moć, a povijest je puna primjera u kojima je ta moć korištena na razorne načine.

Nije slučajnost da su svi najgori tirani u povijesti (Lenjin, Staljin, Mao, Hitler, Robespierre, Pol Pot, Mussolini, Kim Jon Il itd.) operirali sa slabom valutom koju su mogli stvarati po svom nahođenju. Jer izvlastiti je puno lakše nego naplatiti porez.

Bitcoin omogućuje prijenos novca i njegovo pohranjivanje bez potrebe za traženjem bilo čijeg dopuštenja.

Bitcoin se ne može uništiti, ne može se konfiscirati, ne može se krivotvoriti. Zbog toga je i osiguranje od pretjerane moći vlada i banaka.

Bitcoin je ekstremno učinkovit kao sredstvo razmjene budući da je digitalan, a iznimno je učinkovit kao pohrana vrijednosti imajući inflaciju koja teži ka nuli. Još uvijek je prevolatilan da bi bio obračunska jedinica, ali ima sve karakteristike da postane najbolja obračunska jedinica u povijesti.

Prevedeno s talijanskog lux_vitae@ln.tips ili lux@blink.sv

@ dfc7c785:4c3c6174

For many years I’ve been researching my family tree. I’ve always been intrigued by my middle name of Brewster which many of you (perhaps) might associate with William Brewster of the pilgrim fathers who settled in America some 400 years ago, after a treacherous journey across the Atlantic that lasted weeks; scary to think I crossed it in just 10 hours not so long ago much like tens of thousands do year upon year.

My grandmother was convinced he was a direct ancestor of ours. My Grandad disagreed on the basis that they set sail childless, their first born entering the world once they had settled on American shores. So how could it be possible that we were descendants?

Anyway I inherited my middle name from hers and was thus christened Nicholas Euan Brewster in 1972.

During my school years other kids found it amusing and being a bespectacled nerd, they teased me no end. I instead learnt to love it because for me, as I’ve learnt over the years, it represents bravery, ingenuity, leadership and a general resilience to the world around me. Surviving against all the odds.

I’ve never been able to draw a direct connection between myself and William, other than to learn about a city of the same name on Cape Cod, that I flew over recently on that same flight but still have never visited to this day. Not far from there in the American version of Plymouth they came ashore, some distance from their intended destination of Virginia. Weather prevented them from making their way down the coast, so Massachusetts became their new settlement point.

Many years ago I was researching the Brewsters and spoke to a fellow Brewster in the USA via Compuserve, who sent me a massive box of DVDs with genealogical data on them; holy Moses, I was overwhelmed and came to realise there were perhaps zillions of us. The information was interesting but I had no real way of making that link, even if there ever was one to be found.

In the end I turned back to reading the bundle of notes my late grandmother had left us, including a family tree and some papers on another man who became just as interesting to me. His name was Alfred Berry Brewster born of Victorian London.

The following was sourced from - https://www.soldiersofthequeen.com/softheq-nile-valley

Egypt, the Nile Valley & Sudan

In Khedival Service

What was the [[Khedival Service]]?

Alfred Berry Brewster was born in London, England on 7 November 1856.

Whereabouts in London was he born?

Brewster Bey entered Egyptian Service in 1877 (aged 21) in the Customs Administration and Coastguard Service. In 1879 he was appointed to the position of Director of Customs at [[Suakin]] by [[General Gordon]]. He served in the Commissariat staff during the Egyptian Campaign and was awarded the Egypt Medal w/Clasp as well as the Khedive's Star. He returned to Suakin and in 1883 did duty in Valentine Baker Pasha's Intelligence Department (1884).

In 1885 he served under General Graham at Suakin as Chief Interpreter and Secretary to the Intelligence Department.

He took part in several engagements and received a Mention in Despatches from General Graham (30 May 1885). Most notably Brewster entered the Dervish camp alone before a planned attack on Saukin and convinced a large number of the enemy to come over to the British side. These same men later served in the capture of Tamai.

Brewster remained Director of Customs for Saukin until 1890 when he transferred to the Coastguard Service as Secretary and Controller. He was chosen as Private Secretary by both Khedive Mohammed Tewfik and Abbas II.

![[Pasted image 20241229083331.png]] Further reading

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG121543

https://www.soldiersofthequeen.com/alfredberrybrewsterbey

https://www.soldiersofthequeen.com/alfredberrybrewsterbey

@ a367f9eb:0633efea

I’ll admit that I was wrong about Bitcoin. Perhaps in 2013. Definitely 2017. Probably in 2018-2019. And maybe even today.

Being wrong about Bitcoin is part of finally understanding it. It will test you, make you question everything, and in the words of BTC educator and privacy advocate Matt Odell, “Bitcoin will humble you”.

I’ve had my own stumbles on the way.

In a very public fashion in 2017, after years of using Bitcoin, trying to start a company with it, using it as my primary exchange vehicle between currencies, and generally being annoying about it at parties, I let out the bear.

In an article published in my own literary magazine Devolution Review in September 2017, I had a breaking point. The article was titled “Going Bearish on Bitcoin: Cryptocurrencies are the tulip mania of the 21st century”.

It was later republished in Huffington Post and across dozens of financial and crypto blogs at the time with another, more appropriate title: “Bitcoin Has Become About The Payday, Not Its Potential”.

As I laid out, my newfound bearishness had little to do with the technology itself or the promise of Bitcoin, and more to do with the cynical industry forming around it:

In the beginning, Bitcoin was something of a revolution to me. The digital currency represented everything from my rebellious youth.

It was a decentralized, denationalized, and digital currency operating outside the traditional banking and governmental system. It used tools of cryptography and connected buyers and sellers across national borders at minimal transaction costs.

…

The 21st-century version (of Tulip mania) has welcomed a plethora of slick consultants, hazy schemes dressed up as investor possibilities, and too much wishy-washy language for anything to really make sense to anyone who wants to use a digital currency to make purchases.

While I called out Bitcoin by name at the time, on reflection, I was really talking about the ICO craze, the wishy-washy consultants, and the altcoin ponzis.

What I was articulating — without knowing it — was the frame of NgU, or “numbers go up”. Rather than advocating for Bitcoin because of its uncensorability, proof-of-work, or immutability, the common mentality among newbies and the dollar-obsessed was that Bitcoin mattered because its price was a rocket ship.

And because Bitcoin was gaining in price, affinity tokens and projects that were imperfect forks of Bitcoin took off as well.

The price alone — rather than its qualities — were the reasons why you’d hear Uber drivers, finance bros, or your gym buddy mention Bitcoin. As someone who came to Bitcoin for philosophical reasons, that just sat wrong with me.

Maybe I had too many projects thrown in my face, or maybe I was too frustrated with the UX of Bitcoin apps and sites at the time. No matter what, I’ve since learned something.

I was at least somewhat wrong.

My own journey began in early 2011. One of my favorite radio programs, Free Talk Live, began interviewing guests and having discussions on the potential of Bitcoin. They tied it directly to a libertarian vision of the world: free markets, free people, and free banking. That was me, and I was in. Bitcoin was at about $5 back then (NgU).

I followed every article I could, talked about it with guests on my college radio show, and became a devoted redditor on r/Bitcoin. At that time, at least to my knowledge, there was no possible way to buy Bitcoin where I was living. Very weak.

I was probably wrong. And very wrong for not trying to acquire by mining or otherwise.

The next year, after moving to Florida, Bitcoin was a heavy topic with a friend of mine who shared the same vision (and still does, according to the Celsius bankruptcy documents). We talked about it with passionate leftists at Occupy Tampa in 2012, all the while trying to explain the ills of Keynesian central banking, and figuring out how to use Coinbase.

I began writing more about Bitcoin in 2013, writing a guide on “How to Avoid Bank Fees Using Bitcoin,” discussing its potential legalization in Germany, and interviewing Jeremy Hansen, one of the first political candidates in the U.S. to accept Bitcoin donations.

Even up until that point, I thought Bitcoin was an interesting protocol for sending and receiving money quickly, and converting it into fiat. The global connectedness of it, plus this cypherpunk mentality divorced from government control was both useful and attractive. I thought it was the perfect go-between.

But I was wrong.

When I gave my first public speech on Bitcoin in Vienna, Austria in December 2013, I had grown obsessed with Bitcoin’s adoption on dark net markets like Silk Road.

My theory, at the time, was the number and price were irrelevant. The tech was interesting, and a novel attempt. It was unlike anything before. But what was happening on the dark net markets, which I viewed as the true free market powered by Bitcoin, was even more interesting. I thought these markets would grow exponentially and anonymous commerce via BTC would become the norm.

While the price was irrelevant, it was all about buying and selling goods without permission or license.

Now I understand I was wrong.

Just because Bitcoin was this revolutionary technology that embraced pseudonymity did not mean that all commerce would decentralize as well. It did not mean that anonymous markets were intended to be the most powerful layer in the Bitcoin stack.

What I did not even anticipate is something articulated very well by noted Bitcoin OG Pierre Rochard: Bitcoin as a savings technology.

The ability to maintain long-term savings, practice self-discipline while stacking stats, and embrace a low-time preference was just not something on the mind of the Bitcoiners I knew at the time.

Perhaps I was reading into the hype while outwardly opposing it. Or perhaps I wasn’t humble enough to understand the true value proposition that many of us have learned years later.

In the years that followed, I bought and sold more times than I can count, and I did everything to integrate it into passion projects. I tried to set up a company using Bitcoin while at my university in Prague.

My business model depended on university students being technologically advanced enough to have a mobile wallet, own their keys, and be able to make transactions on a consistent basis. Even though I was surrounded by philosophically aligned people, those who would advance that to actually put Bitcoin into practice were sparse.

This is what led me to proclaim that “Technological Literacy is Doomed” in 2016.

And I was wrong again.

Indeed, since that time, the UX of Bitcoin-only applications, wallets, and supporting tech has vastly improved and onboarded millions more people than anyone thought possible. The entrepreneurship, coding excellence, and vision offered by Bitcoiners of all stripes have renewed a sense in me that this project is something built for us all — friends and enemies alike.

While many of us were likely distracted by flashy and pumpy altcoins over the years (me too, champs), most of us have returned to the Bitcoin stable.

Fast forward to today, there are entire ecosystems of creators, activists, and developers who are wholly reliant on the magic of Bitcoin’s protocol for their life and livelihood. The options are endless. The FUD is still present, but real proof of work stands powerfully against those forces.

In addition, there are now dozens of ways to use Bitcoin privately — still without custodians or intermediaries — that make it one of the most important assets for global humanity, especially in dictatorships.

This is all toward a positive arc of innovation, freedom, and pure independence. Did I see that coming? Absolutely not.

Of course, there are probably other shots you’ve missed on Bitcoin. Price predictions (ouch), the short-term inflation hedge, or the amount of institutional investment. While all of these may be erroneous predictions in the short term, we have to realize that Bitcoin is a long arc. It will outlive all of us on the planet, and it will continue in its present form for the next generation.

Being wrong about the evolution of Bitcoin is no fault, and is indeed part of the learning curve to finally understanding it all.

When your family or friends ask you about Bitcoin after your endless sessions explaining market dynamics, nodes, how mining works, and the genius of cryptographic signatures, try to accept that there is still so much we have to learn about this decentralized digital cash.

There are still some things you’ve gotten wrong about Bitcoin, and plenty more you’ll underestimate or get wrong in the future. That’s what makes it a beautiful journey. It’s a long road, but one that remains worth it.

@ ec42c765:328c0600

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Nostrでは画像をそのまま表示するクライアントが多いので、データ量が大きな画像をそのまま使うとモバイル通信時などに負担がかかります。

データ量を増やさないためにサイズやファイル形式を変更することをおすすめします。

以下は私のおすすめです。 * サイズ：正方形 128×128 ピクセル、長方形 任意の横幅×128 ピクセル * ファイル形式：webp形式（webp変換おすすめサイト toimg） * 単色、単純な画像の場合：png形式（webpにするとむしろサイズが大きくなる）

その他

• 背景透過画像
• ダークモード、ライトモード両方で見やすい色

がおすすめです。

2. 画像をweb上にアップロードする

よく分からなければ emojito からのアップロードで問題ないです。
普段使っている画像アップロード先があるならそれでも構いません。
気になる方はアップロード先を適宜選んでください。

既に投稿されたカスタム絵文字の画像に対して

• 削除も差し替えもできない → emojito など
• 削除できるが差し替えはできない → Gyazo、nostrcheck.meなど
• 削除も差し替えもできる → GitHub 、セルフホスティングなど

これらは既にNostr上に投稿されたカスタム絵文字の画像を後から変更できるかどうかを指します。
どの方法でも新しく使われるカスタム絵文字を変更することは可能です。
同一のカスタム絵文字セットに同一のショートコードで別の画像を登録する形で対応できます。

3. 絵文字セットに登録する

emojito から登録します。

右上のアイコン → + New emoji set から新規の絵文字セットを作成できます。

① 絵文字セット名を入力

基本的にカスタム絵文字はカスタム絵文字セットを作り、ひとまとまりにして登録します。

一度作った絵文字セットに後から絵文字を追加することもできます。

② 画像をアップロードまたは画像URLを入力

emojitoから画像をアップロードする場合、ファイル名に日本語などの2バイト文字が含まれているとアップロードがエラーになるようです。

その場合はファイル名を適当な英数字などに変更してください。

③ 絵文字のショートコードを入力

ショートコードは絵文字を呼び出す時に使用する場合があります。

他のカスタム絵文字と被っても問題ありませんが選択時に複数表示されて支障が出る可能性があります。

他と被りにくく長くなりすぎないショートコードが良いかもしれません。

ショートコードに使えるのは半角の英数字とアンダーバーのみです。

④ 追加

Add を押してもまだ作成完了にはなりません。

一度に絵文字を複数登録できます。

最後に右上の Save を押すと作成完了です。

画面が切り替わるので、右側の Options から Bookmark を選択するとそのカスタム絵文字セットを自分で使えるようになります。

既存の絵文字セットを編集するには Options から Edit を選択します。

以上です。

---

仕様

NIP-30 Custom Emoji

NIP-30 カスタム絵文字（和訳）

@ 2355757c:5ad3e04d

Grounding or Earthing, names for getting your good ole bare feet on the surface of the earth. Sounds simple because it is simple, but are the benefits really that profound? Short answer: YES

Grounding is really only so a modern health hack because we are so disconnected. Until the invention of modern footwear with insulated rubber/plastic soles, we were connected to the surface of the earth pretty much 24/7. Why does this matter? The Earth’s surface is a POOL of free electrons waiting for us to tap into. Electrons? Why do those matter. Electrons are the true currency of energy and the input to our energy production system (Electron Transport Chain) that produces ATP. The human body, like all other living things is electromagnetic. We use electrical signaling to operate our biology. Without a sufficient amount of electrons and sufficient voltage potential, our body will not function properly. However, it is not so simple to say more electrons = more health. If that were the case then we’d all be hooked up to copper wires absorbing current to level up our biology. 

TOO MUCH of anything is bad. Our skin has resistance to protect us from shocks and lightning strikes (absorbing too much electrical current at once). However, our hands and feet (with thousands of nerve endings) have lower skin resistance. Lower resistance = better ability to conduct electricity. That is not a mistake. Through contact of our feet or hands on the ground, we are able to sustain a voltage differential up to a few hundred millivolts (depending on the surface). These electrons on the surface of the earth are willing to move to a less negatively charge area (us), and thus we are able to absorb a small amount of free flowing electrons into our body through our semi-conductive tissue on our hands and feet. Sounds cool, right? Now what are the actual benefits?

1. Managing Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and/or free radicals

2. Maintaining Proper Blood Flow & Pressure 

3. Regulating Cortisol & Circadian Rhythm

Oxidative stress. Anti-oxidants. Free radicals. These are all terms you MAY be familiar with, but what do they actually mean? If you read my newsletter from last week on Travel, you will know a bit more about oxidative stress and the function of anti-oxidants (if not, I will link it HERE). The TLDR is that our energy production process in our mitochondria, otherwise known as the Electron Transport Chain (ETC), is not perfect. As a result of this, free radicals are generated. Free radicals are typically oxygen molecules or molecules that contain oxygen (aka reactive oxygen species) that have an unpaired electron in their valence shell. O2 is supposed to be converted into metabolic water (H2O), but as mentioned the efficiency is not 100%. Therefore you get molecules like superoxide (O2-) or hydroxyl radical (OH) that are hungry to fill the unpaired electron and go back to stability. “Anti-oxidants” combat these radicals by attempting to supply an electron before they steal one from elsewhere in the cell and cause damage. Enter in newly absorbed electrons from grounding. These free electrons absorbed from the earth can help combat the free radicals/ROS by acting as an anti-oxidant. This will in turn help your body get back to redox homeostasis and not suffer cellular damage from oxidative stress. Grounding, in turn “reduces inflammation”. The thermal images often touted alongside grounding (before/after) show a positive response (thermal imaging can be a bit dodgy in accuracy but it captures some essence of effectiveness).

Maintaining proper blood flow and blood pressure. Perhaps the most interesting and fundamentally undebatable benefit of grounding. As stated above we are electromagnetic beings, and our blood flow exemplifies that. Both the lining of the blood vessel and surface of our red blood cells have a negative charge. This negative charge is imperative because it prevents rouleaux and coagulation, or the stacking of blood cells. If you blood cells stack, they are far easier to clump/clot and cause a blockage. Like charges repel, so having a sufficient “zeta potential” or negative charge on our RBCs will keep the blood flowing smoothly. Grounding helps maintain that. A study linked HERE showed how Earthing/Grounding reduces blood viscosity. 

“Grounding increases the surface charge on RBCs and thereby reduces blood viscosity and clumping. Grounding appears to be one of the simplest and yet most profound interventions for helping reduce cardiovascular risk and cardiovascular events.”

Regulating our circadian rhythm. A lesser touted benefit to grounding is its ability to influence our circadian rhythm or our “body clock”.

I am under the belief now that our circadian health is THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT of HEALTH. Why? Because literally all of our downstream biological functions are dictated by our circadian rhythm. This is why light, meal/exercise timing, sleep, connection to nature are all so important & interconnected.

The main input might be light, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t more inputs to the complex system that is our body. Connection to the earth is another. How do we know? Grounding has been proven to regulate cortisol rhythms. One of the biggest signs of a irregular circadian rhythm is cortisol and melatonin cycles that are out of whack. When you are grounded you are connected to the earth in the position of your geographical location. This is not proven, but its quite logical that the reason grounding helps regulate circadian rhythm is because along with those electrons you are getting a signal sent to your brain about the location/time/season it is where you are in that moment. It is the only logical explanation and it is one of the reasons I am such a big fan of grounding as MUCH as possible, especially after travel.

I recently released my first health optimization guide that includes all the travel hacks I use (including grounding) to completely avoid jet lag on long haul flights: AVOIDING JET LAG-An In Depth Guide to Hacking the Stressors of Travel.

This guide is extremely comprehensive, and application specific. It is a 30 page PDF that goes into WHY travel is so bad for us, and what you can do pre/during/post travel to avoid jet lag completely. If you travel often, this is worth checking out…but I warn you it is dense and only worth purchasing if you are willing to learn. 

Grounding PROTOCOLS:

1. Just do it-bare feet on the ground

2. Length? 1 min is better than 0…5 min even better…2 hours even better still. There is no threshold dose. 

3. Surfaces? Dirt/Grass/Rocks/Sand/Ocean all great. If it is wet and post thunderstorm, even better. Concrete works but asphalt is not the best. 

4. Grounding shoes? Not comparable to barefoot but still better than rubber/plastic soled shoes. I will write more about this in the near future as I am conducting experiments with different shoes on different surfaces. 

5. IT IS LITERALLY FREE

Big Grounding did not pay me to write this, even though I am an electrical engineer. Seriously, grounding is a no brainer. You may not “feel” anything, but the more you do it and the more disconnected you are to start…the better you will feel I can guarantee that. We are electromagnetic creates of Earth, it is about damn time we get back to connecting with our natural input signals. 

Stay Sovereign, 

-Tristan

Originally written July 25th, 2023

@ 42342239:1d80db24

Knappheit statt Slogans: eine Dosis ökonomischer Realität für die politischen Debatten

Die EU-Wirtschaft steht vor zahlreichen Herausforderungen, von hohen Energiekosten bis hin zu geringer Produktivität. Doch hinter der offiziellen Rhetorik verbirgt sich eine Annahme, die kaum hinterfragt wird: dass der grüne Wandel automatisch zu Wirtschaftswachstum und mehr Wohlstand führen wird. Aber stimmt das wirklich?

Eine englische Fassung dieses Textes finden Sie hier.

In Deutschland, das wieder einmal das Etikett „Kranker Mann Europas" tragen muss, kämpft Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz vor der Wahl im Februar mit alarmierend niedrigen Vertrauenswerten. Aber vielleicht ist das gar nicht so überraschend. ****Die deutsche Industrieproduktion ist rückläufig, seit die grüne Agenda in Mode gekommen ist. ****Die energieintensive Produktion ist in nur wenigen Jahren um ganze 20 Prozent zurückgegangen. Volkswagen schließt Fabriken, Thyssenkrupp entlässt massiv Mitarbeiter und mehr als drei Millionen Rentner sind von Armut bedroht .

Wenn dies Europas „Mann auf dem Mond"-Moment ist, wie EU-Kommissarin von der Leyen ****es 2019 ausdrückte ****, dann ist das nicht viel, womit man angeben kann . Zumindest nicht, wenn man kein Sadist ist.

Der Bericht des ehemaligen EZB-Chefs Mario Draghi über die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der EU wurde bereits früher diskutiert. Eines der Probleme, auf die hingewiesen wurde, war, dass europäische Unternehmen erheblich höhere Energiekosten haben als ihre amerikanischen Konkurrenten. Die Strompreise sind zwei- bis dreimal so hoch und die Erdgaspreise vier- bis fünfmal so hoch.

Deutschland ist vielleicht am schlimmsten dran, was zum Teil an der Entscheidung der ehemaligen Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel liegt, vollständig aus der Atomkraft auszusteigen (eine Entscheidung, die nicht nur keine breite Unterstützung fand , sondern die sie auch nicht als Fehler eingestehen will). Die Sabotage der Nord Stream 2 hat die Situation noch verschlimmert.

Ohne Realkapital kein wirtschaftlicher Wohlstand

Der Ausstieg aus der Atomenergie in Deutschland ist ein Beispiel dafür, wie politische Entscheidungen zur Verringerung der Kapazität der Wirtschaft beigetragen haben. Dasselbe gilt für die Sabotage der Nord Stream. Realkapital, wie Gebäude, Maschinen und Ausrüstung, ist für die Produktivität der Wirtschaft von entscheidender Bedeutung (z. B. Kennzahlen wie das BIP pro Arbeitsstunde). Ein größerer und effizienterer Kapitalstock ermöglicht die Herstellung von mehr Waren und Dienstleistungen mit der gleichen Menge an Arbeit, was zu mehr Produktion, höheren Löhnen und größerem materiellen Wohlstand führt. Das ist grundlegende Ökonomie. ****Wenn andererseits Realkapital aufgrund politischer Entscheidungen für obsolet erklärt wird, wie im Fall der Abschaltung der Atomkraft, verringert dies die Kapazität der Wirtschaft. ****Dasselbe gilt, wenn Realkapital zerstört wird, wie dies bei Nord Stream der Fall war.

Weiteres reales Betriebskapital wird zurückgestellt

EU-Kommissarin von der Leyen verspricht Besserung. Sie scheint überzeugt, dass der Niedergang der EU durch eine Verdreifachung der grünen Ziele des Blocks umgekehrt werden kann, und hat die Dekarbonisierung als eine der drei wichtigsten Säulen eines neuen „Wettbewerbsfähigkeitskompasses" aufgeführt. Wenn die Realität nicht den Erwartungen entspricht, kann man immer noch „Strg+Alt+Slogan" drücken und hoffen, dass niemand merkt, dass sich nichts verbessert hat.

Ihre Pläne bedeuten jedoch, dass bestehendes und derzeit funktionierendes Realkapital in Zukunft in noch größerem Umfang abgeschrieben wird. Dies lässt sich mit einer Nation vergleichen, die Jahr für Jahr ihre Naturschutzgebiete schrittweise erweitert. Tatsächlich geschieht dies auch. Der Kunming-Montreal-Rahmen für die Artenvielfalt sieht vor, dass bis 2030 30 % aller Flächen an Land und im Meer geschützt werden müssen. Ein Land, das derzeit weniger schützt, muss daher zusätzliche Gebiete identifizieren, die geschützt werden können. ****Der Prozess, 30 % aller Flächen zu schützen, wird wahrscheinlich das Produktionspotenzial der Wirtschaft verringern. ****Mit schrumpfenden Feldern wird es weniger Karotten geben (es sei denn, es werden bedeutende technologische Fortschritte erzielt).

Konsequenzen für Sicherheitspolitik und -vorsorge

Auf dem derzeitigen Weg wird mehr Realkapital auf die lange Bank geschoben, was weitreichende Folgen haben kann, nicht zuletzt für unsere Sicherheitspolitik. Wenn Russland beispielsweise Artilleriegeschosse etwa dreimal schneller produzieren kann, und zwar zu Kosten, die etwa ein Viertel der Kosten betragen, die die westlichen Verbündeten der Ukraine dafür aufbringen , dann ist klar, dass dies sicherheitspolitische Konsequenzen hat. Ebenso wird es negative sicherheitspolitische Konsequenzen haben, wenn die Strompreise in Deutschland fünfmal höher sind als in China, was derzeit der Fall ist . Im Vergleich zur EU hat China tatsächlich einen höheren Kohlendioxidausstoß pro Kopf, wobei der Unterschied den ****verfügbaren Daten zufolge etwa 50 % beträgt ****. Bereinigt um den internationalen Handel emittiert China pro Kopf 10 % mehr als Schweden .

Auch eine Perspektive der Vorsorge ist zu finden. Anfang der 1990er Jahre produzierten schwedische Landwirte fast 75 % der Nahrungsmittel des Landes. Heute ist Schwedens Bevölkerung deutlich gewachsen, aber die Nahrungsmittelproduktion hat nicht Schritt gehalten. Jeder zweite Bissen wird heute importiert. In Schweden können wir uns sogar rühmen, dass wir uns nicht einmal mit der einfachsten aller Feldfrüchte versorgen können -- Kartoffeln . Können wir wirklich sicher sein, dass deutlich erweiterte Naturschutzgebiete, wie sie im Kunming-Montreal-Rahmenwerk für Schweden vorgeschrieben sind, unsere Nahrungsmittelvorsorge nicht noch weiter verschlechtern werden?

Erinnert an kleine Gnome

Ich erinnere mich an eine Folge der 90er-Jahre-Serie South Park, in der kleine Gnome Unterhosen sammeln . Als sie nach ihrem Plan gefragt wurden, beschrieben sie ihre Methode:

1. Unterhosen sammeln
2. ???
3. profitieren!

Übersetzt auf die grüne **Energiewende **:

1. reales Kapital zerstören und Land und Meer erhalten
2. ???
3. wirtschaftlicher Wohlstand!

Was kann sich die EU wirklich leisten?

In der Wirtschaft geht es im Grunde um die Verwaltung knapper Ressourcen, was viele Menschen offenbar vergessen haben. Es ist höchste Zeit, zu hinterfragen, was sich die EU wirklich leisten kann. Können wir es uns wirklich leisten, uns für einen Krieg gegen Russland, China und den Iran zu rüsten und uns gleichzeitig mit grünen Versprechen von reduzierten Kohlendioxidemissionen und erhöhter Artenvielfalt selbst die Hände zu binden? Und das in einer Situation, in der die nächste US-Regierung wahrscheinlich massiv in die Steigerung ihrer Wettbewerbsvorteile durch Deregulierung, niedrigere Energiepreise, Steuersenkungen und einen Rückzug aus dem Pariser Abkommen investieren wird ?

Als von der Leyen für das deutsche Militär verantwortlich war, sei die Lage " katastrophal " gewesen. Alle sechs U-Boote des Landes waren außer Gefecht gesetzt . Zeitweise war kein einziges der 14 Transportflugzeuge des Landes flugfähig. Bei Übungen mussten deutsche Soldaten Besen statt Gewehren verwenden .

Hoffentlich wird von der Leyen in ihrem Umgang mit der Wirtschaft, der Verteidigung und der Abwehrbereitschaft der EU mehr Erfolg zeigen als in ihrer Rolle als deutsche Verteidigungsministerin. Es könnte jedoch auch an der Zeit sein, dass mehr Menschen die vorherrschenden Narrative, die unsere Politik prägen, in Frage stellen. Was, wenn die Fakten nicht ganz mit der Wahrheit übereinstimmen, die uns erzählt wird?

@ dd81a8ba:3eb298a5

it's better to read 100 books 10 times than 1,000 books once

I don't know who originated this concept. I've heard it said by Naval. the idea is to go deep on a narrower slice of possible books than to be spread so thin. this isn't so much an algorithm as a heuristic, a tactic for filtering the kinds of books you read, and also a way to measure your own growth over time. I've had the experience of getting something different from reading the same book at different points in my life. deliberately checking in with different books regularly over time is a good way to get an informative but different perspective on your own mentality.

this is my list. I'll be short of 100 for a while, the point is to make a tangible artifact out of it, and update it over time. let me know if you have or make a similar list and I'll add a link to your list here.

update 2/24

since I created the 100 books page and started shaping my reading around it, I have reached 100 books, and now in order to add one to the list I must first evict one already on the list.

I have also encountered a different way to refer to this project, and a sharper take on what I’m doing. it comes from an author with one book on my list already and more to come, Italo Calvino. the introduction to his book “Why Read the Classics?” is a quick read, and well worth it.

A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.

first, he defines “classic” to mean any book that once read, you return to again and again, and continue finding new takes, new value, fresh perspectives on. actually he lists many criteria, but that’s roughly what it boils down to, books that have meaning to you, which you read repeatedly at different stages in your life, a through-line to return to.

The ranks of the old titles have been decimated, while new ones have proliferated in all modern literatures and cultures. There is nothing for it but for all of us to invent our own ideal libraries of classics. I would say that such a library ought to be composed half of books we have read and that have really counted for us, and half of books we propose to read and presume will come to count—leaving a section of empty shelves for surprises and occasional discoveries.

consider any of these books a welcomed topic of conversation.

the list was last updated on Jan 7th, 2025

| title | Author | Genre | |-------|--------|-------| | "The Myth of Sisyphus" | Albert Camus | philosophy | | "Brave New World" | Aldous Huxley | distopian science fiction | | "The Doors of Perception" | Aldous Huxley | non-fiction | | "The Civil War Short Stories of Ambrose Bierce" | Ambrose Bierce | supernatural horror | | "The Little Prince" | Antoine De Saint Exuprey | children's | | "Nichomachean Ethics" | Aristotle | philosophy | | "Rendezvous With Rama" | Arthur C Clarke | science fiction | | "Atlas Shrugged" | Ayn Rand | fiction | | "The Fountainhead" | Ayn Rand | fiction | | "The Fractal Geometry of Nature" | Benoit Mandelbrot | maths | | "The History of Western Philosophy" | Betrand Russell | philosophy | | "Four Archetypes: Mother/Rebirth/Spirit/Trickster" | Carl Jung | philosophy | | "The Undiscovered Self" | Carl Jung | philosophy | | "Roadside Geology of Missouri" | Charles Spencer | non-fiction | | "A Pattern Language" | Christopher Alexander | non-fiction | | "On the Good Life" | Cicero | philosophy | | "All the Pretty Horses" | Cormac McCarthy | fiction | | "Blood Meridian" | Cormac McCarthy | fiction | | "No Country for Old Men" | Cormac McCarthy | fiction | | "Stella Maris" | Cormac McCarthy | fiction | | "the crossing" | Cormac McCarthy | fiction | | "The Passenger" | Cormac McCarthy | fiction | | "The Road" | Cormac McCarthy | fiction | | "Flowers for Algernon" | Daniel Keyes | fiction | | "The Beginning of Infinity" | David Deutsch | non-fiction | | "Forty Tales From the Afterlives" | David Eagleman | magical realism | | "Networks, Crowds, and Markets: Reasoning about a Highly Connected World" | David Easley and John Kleinberg | non-fiction | | "We Are Legion [We Are Bob]" | Dennis Taylor | science fiction | | "Godel, Escher, Bach" | Douglas Hofstadter | philosophy | | "The Discourses" | Epictetus | philosophy | | "The Revelations" | Erik Hoel | fiction | | "Kafka the Complete Stories" | Franz Kafka | fiction | | "The Mythical Man-Month" | Fred Brooks | non-fiction | | "Thus Spake Zarathustra" | Friedrich Nietzsche | philosophy | | "Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers" | Geoffrey A. Moore | non-fiction | | "Nineteen Eighty-Four" | George Orwell | distopian science fiction | | "A Swim in a Pond in the Rain" | George Saunders | literature | | "Eon" | Greg Bear | science fiction | | "On Bullshit" | Harry G Frankfurt | philosophy | | "Walden and Other Writings" | Henry David Thoreau | non-fiction | | "Moby Dick" | Herman Melville | fiction | | "Siddhartha" | Hermann Hesse | philosophy | | "I, Roboot" | Isaac Asimov | science fiction | | "The Foundation" | Isaac Asimov | science fiction | | "The Naked Sun" | Isaac Asimov | science fiction | | "The Proper Study of Mankind" | Isaiah Berlin | philosophy | | "Invisible Cities" | Italo Calvino | magical realism | | "The Perigrine" | J A Baker | non-fiction | | "Chaos: Making a New Science" | James Gleick | non-fiction | | "Finite and Infinite Games: A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility" | James P. Carse | philosophy | | "Fancies and Goodnights" | John Collier | fantasy | | "The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows" | John Koenig | fiction | | "Annals of the Former World: " | John McPhee | non-fiction | | "The Curve of Binding Energy" | John McPhee | non-fiction | | "Collected Fictions" | Jorge Luis Borges | fantasy | | "Hero With a Thousand Faces: The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell" | Joseph Campbell | philosophy | | "Heart of Darkness" | Joseph Conrad | fiction | | "The Death of Ivan Illych and Other Stories" | Leo Tolstoy | literature | | "The Mandibles" | Lionel Schriver | fiction | | "A Wrinkle in Time" | Madeleine L'Engle | young adult | | "M.C. Escher: His Life and Complete Graphic Work" | many | non-fiction | | "Meditations" | Marcus Aurelius | philosophy | | "Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters" | Matt Ridley | science | | "Prey" | Michael Crichton | science fiction | | "Sphere" | Michael Crichton | fiction | | "Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-Critical Philosophy" | Michael Polanyi | philosophy | | "Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience: Steps Toward Enhancing the Quality of Life" | Mihaly Csikszentmihaly | non-fiction | | "The Epic of Gilgamesh" | N. K. Sandars | legendary fiction | | "An Introduction to Population Genetics" | Nielson and Slatkin | non-fiction | | "Ender's Game" | Orson Scott Card | science fiction | | "Alas Babylon" | Pat Frank | science fiction | | "Hackers and Painters: Big Ideas from the Computer Age" | Paul Graham | non-fiction | | "The Alchemist" | Paulo Coelho | magical realism | | "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" | Philip K Dick | science fiction | | "The Collected Stories of Philip K Dick Volume 5" | Philip K Dick | science fiction | | "The Trial and Death of Socrates" | Plato | philosophy | | "The Soundscape" | R. Murray Schafer | non-fiction | | "Dandelion Wine" | Ray Bradbury | fiction | | "Fahrenheit 451" | Ray Bradbury | fiction | | "Something Wicked This Way Comes" | Ray Bradbury | fiction | | "The Martian Chronicles" | Ray Bradbury | science fiction | | "The Selfish Gene" | Richard Dawkins | non-fiction | | "Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman" | Richard Feynman | biography | | "The Creative Act: A Way of Living" | Rick Rubin | self-help | | "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values" | Robert Persig | fiction | | "Letters From a Stoic" | Seneca | philosophy | | "The Art of Living" | Sharon Lebell | philosophy | | "The Dark Tower" | Stephen King | fiction | | "Piranesi" | Susanna Clarke | magical realism | | "Stories of Your Life and Others" | Ted Chiang | science fiction | | "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" | Thomas Kuhn | non-fiction | | "Common Sense" | Thomas Paine | philosophy | | "The Kon-Tiki Expedition: A Raft Across the South Seas" | Thor Heyerdahl | non-fiction | | "The Kingdom of Speech" | Tom Wolf | non-fiction | | "The Right Stuff" | Tom Wolf | historic fiction | | "True Names: and the Opening of the Cyberspace Frontier" | Vernor Vinge | cyberpunk | | "Man's Search for Meaning" | Viktor Frankl | philosophy | | "The Shape of Things" | Vilem Flusser | non-fiction | | "The Twilight World" | Werner Herzog | historic fiction | | "Neuromancer" | William Gibson | cyberpunk |

@ 79008e78:dfac9395

บทที่ 2: ภาพรวมการทำงานของบิตคอยน์

บิตคอยน์ทำงานอย่างไร

ระบบอย่างบิตคอยน์นั้นแตกต่างกับระบบธนาคารและระบบการชำระเงินแบบดั้งเดิมอย่างสิ้นเชิง เพราะมันสามารถทำงานได้โดยไม่จำเป็นต้องไว้วางใจบุคคลที่สาม แทนที่จะมีหน่วยงานกลางที่เชื่อถือได้ บิตคอยน์ได้อณุญาตให้ผู้ใช้แต่ละคนใช้ซอฟต์แวร์บนคอมพิวเตอร์ของตนเองเพื่อตรวจสอบการทำงานที่ถูกต้องของทุกส่วนในระบบ ซึ่งในบทนี้เอง เราจะทำการสำรวจบิตคอยน์ภาพรวมโดยติดตามธุรกรรมหนึ่งรายการผ่านระบบของบิตคอยน์ ดูว่าธุรกรรมนั้นถูกบันทึกลงในบล็อกเชนอย่างไร และการบันทึกธุรกรรมแบบกระจายศูนย์นั้นทำได้อย่างไร ส่วนในบทถัดไปจะลงลึกถึงเทคโนโลยีที่อยู่เบื้องหลังธุรกรรม เครือข่าย และการขุด

ภาพรวมของบิตคอยน์

ระบบของบิตคอยน์นั้นประกอบไปด้วย เหล่าผู้ใช้งาน wallet ต่าง ๆ , ธุรกรรมที่กระจายไปทั่วเครือข่าย และเหล่านักขุดที่จะคอยแข่งขันกันเพื่อสร้างบล๊อกใหม่ โดยที่มีบล๊อกเชนเป็นเหมือนสมุดบันทึกธุรกรรมที่รวมธุรกรรมทั้งหมดไว้ ตัวอย่างที่จะได้เห็นต่อไปนี้เป็นธุรกรรมที่เกิดขึ้นจริงบนเครือข่ายของบิตคอยน์ โดยจำลองการโต้ตอบระหว่างผู้ใช้หลายคนผ่านการส่งเงินจาก wallet หนึ่งไปยังอีก wallet และในขณะนั้นเราจะติดตามธุรกรรมผ่านเครือข่ายบิตคอยน์ ไปจนถึงบล็อกเชน เราจะใช้เว็บไซต์สำรวจบล็อกเชน (blockchain explorer) เพื่อดูภาพรวมในแต่ละขั้นตอน โดยมีเว็บไซต์สำรวจบล็อกเชนที่นิยม ดังนี้

• Blockstream Explorer
• Mempool.Space
• BlockCypher Explorer

เว็บไซต์เหล่านี้มีฟังก์ชันการค้นหาที่สามารถใช้ค้นหา Bitcoin address, Transaction Hash, หมายเลขบล็อก หรือ Block hash และเรียกดูข้อมูลที่เกี่ยวข้องจากเครือข่ายบิตคอยน์ได้ สำหรับแต่ละตัวอย่างธุรกรรมหรือบล็อก เราจะให้ URL เพื่อให้คุณสามารถค้นหาและศึกษาข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมได้ด้วยตัวเอง

คำเตือนเกี่ยวกับความเป็นส่วนตัวของการใช้ Block Explorer

การค้นหาข้อมูลใน block explorer อาจเปิดเผยให้ผู้ให้บริการทราบว่าคุณสนใจข้อมูลนั้น ซึ่งอาจเชื่อมโยงกับที่อยู่ IP ของคุณ รายละเอียดของเบราว์เซอร์ การค้นหาที่ผ่านมา หรือข้อมูลที่สามารถระบุตัวตนได้อื่น ๆ หากคุณค้นหาธุรกรรมจากหนังสือเล่มนี้ ผู้ให้บริการอาจคาดเดาได้ว่าคุณกำลังศึกษาเกี่ยวกับบิตคอยน์ ซึ่งไม่น่าจะมีปัญหาอะไร แต่หากคุณค้นหาธุรกรรมของตนเอง ผู้ให้บริการอาจสามารถคาดเดาได้ว่าคุณได้รับ ใช้จ่าย และมีบิตคอยน์อยู่เท่าใดในปัจจุบัน

การซื้อของจากร้านค้าออนไลน์

อลิซเป็นผู้ใช้งานใหม่ ที่พึ่งได้รับบิตคอยน์เป็นครั้งแรกจากคำแนะนำของโจเมื่อบทที่แล้ว โดยเธอได้ซื้อบิตคอยน์จากโจเก็บไว้ และตั้งแต่นั้นมาอลิซก็ซื้อบิตคอยน์เพิ่มเรื่อย ๆ และตอนนี้อลิซต้องการทำธุรกรรมด้วยบิตคอยน์ครั้งแรกของเธอ โดยการใช้จ่ายมันเพื่อแลกกับสิทธิ์เข้าถึงพอดแคสต์ตอนพิเศษจากร้านค้าออนไลน์ของบ๊อบ ร้านค้าออนไลน์ของบ๊อบเองก็เพิ่งมีการเพิ่มบิตคอยน์เป็นตัวเลือกในการทำธุรกรรม ราคาสินค้าในร้านของบ๊อบแสดงเป็นสกุลเงินท้องถิ่น (ดอลลาร์สหรัฐ) แต่ในหน้าชำระเงิน ลูกค้าสามารถเลือกชำระเงินเป็นดอลลาร์หรือบิตคอยน์ก็ได้

อลิซเลือกตอนพอดแคสต์ที่เธอต้องการซื้อและดำเนินการไปยังหน้าชำระเงิน ในหน้าชำระเงิน อลิซพบตัวเลือกในการชำระเงินด้วยบิตคอยน์ นอกเหนือจากตัวเลือกปกติ แต่ในตะกร้าชำระเงินจะแสดงราคาทั้งในรูปแบบดอลลาร์สหรัฐและบิตคอยน์ตามอัตราแลกเปลี่ยนในขณะนั้น หลังจากกดจ่ายด้วยบิตคอยน์ระบบของบ๊อบได้ทำการสร้างใบเรียกเก็บเงิน (invoice) ในรูปแบบของ QR-code ตามภาพด้านล่าง

ต่างจาก QR code ทั่วไปที่มีเพียง Bitcoin address ปลายทางเท่านั้น ใบแจ้งหนี้นี้เป็น QR code แบบ URI ที่ประกอบด้วย Bitcoin address จำนวนเงินชำระ และคำอธิบาย (memo) ซึ่งช่วยให้ Bitcoin wallet แอปพลิเคชันเติมข้อมูลที่ใช้ในการชำระเงินล่วงหน้าได้ และยังแสดงคำอธิบายที่อ่านเข้าใจง่ายให้กับผู้ใช้อีกด้วย คุณสามารถสแกน QR code นี้ด้วย Bitcoin wallet เพื่อดูสิ่งที่อลิซจะเห็น

QR Code ของใบแจ้งหนี้นี้เข้ารหัส URI ดังต่อไปนี้ ซึ่งถูกกำหนดไว้ใน BIP21:

bitcoin:bc1qk2g6u8p4qm2s2lh3gts5cpt2mrv5skcuu7u3e4?amount=0.01577764& label=Bob%27s%20Store& message=Purchase%20at%20Bob%27s%20Store

โดยส่วนประกอบของ URI สามารถจำแนกได้ ดังนี้

• A Bitcoin address: "bc1qk2g6u8p4qm2s2lh3gts5cpt2mrv5skcuu7u3e4"
• The payment amount (จำนวนบิตคอยน์) : "0.01577764"
• A label for the recipient address (label): "Bob's Store"
• A description for the payment (memo): "Purchase at Bob's Store"

อลิซใช้สมาร์ทโฟนของเธอสแกนบาร์โค้ดที่แสดงอยู่ หน้าจอสมาร์ทโฟนของเธอจะแสดงการชำระเงินในจำนวนที่ถูกต้องสำหรับร้านของบ๊อบ และเธอกด “Send” เพื่อยืนยันการชำระเงิน ภายในไม่กี่วินาที (เวลาประมาณเดียวกับการอนุมัติบัตรเครดิต) บ๊อบก็จะเห็นธุรกรรมดังกล่าวปรากฏบนเครื่องรับชำระเงินของเขา

เครือข่ายบิตคอยน์สามารถทำธุรกรรมในมูลค่าเศษส่วนได้ เช่น มิลลิบิทคอยน์ (1/1,000 ของบิทคอยน์) ไปจนถึง 1/100,000,000 ของบิทคอยน์ ซึ่งเรียกว่า "ซาโตชิ" ในหนังสือเล่มนี้ใช้กฎการพหูพจน์เดียวกันกับดอลลาร์หรือสกุลเงินแบบดั้งเดิมเมื่อพูดถึงจำนวนที่มากกว่าหนึ่งบิทคอยน์ เช่น "10 บิตคอยน์" หรือ "0.001 บิตคอยน์" กฎเดียวกันนี้ยังนำไปใช้กับหน่วยบัญชีบิทคอยน์อื่น ๆ เช่น มิลลิบิทคอยน์และซาโตชิอีกด้วย

ธุรกรรมในระบบบิตคอยน์

ธุรกรรมในระบบบิตคอยน์คือการแจ้งเครือข่ายว่าเจ้าของบิทคอยน์ได้อนุมัติการโอนมูลค่าไปยังเจ้าของใหม่แล้ว และ เจ้าของใหม่สามารถใช้บิทคอยน์เหล่านั้นได้ โดยสร้างธุรกรรมใหม่เพื่อรออนุมัติการโอนไปยังเจ้าของคนอื่นต่อ ๆ ไป ทำให้เกิดการส่งต่อความเป็นเจ้าของอย่างต่อเนื่อง

ธุรกรรมขาเข้าและขาออกของบิตคอยน์

ธุรกรรมเปรียบเสมือนบันทึกในสมุดบัญชีแบบสองทาง โดยธุรกรรมแต่ละรายการจะมีอินพุต (inputs) หนึ่งรายการหรือมากกว่านั้นที่ใช้จ่ายเงิน และมีเอาต์พุต (outputs) หนึ่งรายการหรือมากกว่าที่รับเงิน มูลค่าของอินพุตและเอาต์พุตไม่จำเป็นต้องเท่ากันเสมอไป เอาต์พุตมักจะมีมูลค่าน้อยกว่าอินพุตเล็กน้อย ซึ่งส่วนต่างนี้คือ "ค่าธรรมเนียมธุรกรรม" ที่นักขุดจะได้รับเมื่อรวมธุรกรรมในบล็อกเชน

ธุรกรรมยังมีหลักฐานการเป็นเจ้าของสำหรับจำนวนบิตคอยน์ (อินพุต) ที่ถูกใช้ในรูปของลายเซ็นดิจิทัลจากเจ้าของเดิม ซึ่งสามารถตรวจสอบความถูกต้องได้ ในระบบบิตคอยน์การใช้จ่ายบิตคอยน์คือการลงนามในธุรกรรมเพื่อโอนมูลค่าจากธุรกรรมก่อนหน้าไปยังเจ้าของใหม่ที่ระบุผ่าน Bitcoin adress

ห่วงโซ่ของธุรกรรม

การชำระเงินของอลิซไปยังร้านของบ็อบนั้นเป็นใช้เอาต์พุตจากธุรกรรมก่อนหน้าเป็นอินพุตในธุรกรรมครั้งนี้ (ในบทก่อนหน้า อลิซได้รับบิทคอยน์จากโจเพื่อนของเธอ ) เราเรียกธุรกรรมนี้ว่า "ธุรกรรมที่ 1 (Tx1)" ซึ่งแสดงถึงห่วงโซ่ของธุรกรรมที่เอาต์พุตของธุรกรรมหนึ่งถูกใช้เป็นอินพุตในธุรกรรมถัดไป

การอ้างอิงอินพุตจากเอาต์พุตก่อนหน้า

Tx1 โอน 0.001 บิทคอยน์ (100,000 ซาโตชิ) ไปยังเอาต์พุตที่ล็อกด้วยกุญแจของอลิซ และในธุรกรรมใหม่ของอลิซ (Tx2) ที่ส่งให้ร้านของบ็อบ เธออ้างถึงเอาต์พุตก่อนหน้าเป็นอินพุต อย่างที่เห็นในภาพประกอบ การอ้างอิงด้วยลูกศรและระบุอินพุตว่า "Tx1:0" ในธุรกรรมจริง การอ้างอิงจะใช้รหัสประจำธุรกรรม (txid) เป็นตัวระบุขนาด 32 ไบต์ที่แสดงถึงธุรกรรมที่อลิซได้รับเงินจากโจ ส่วน ":0" หมายถึงตำแหน่งของเอาต์พุตที่อลิซได้รับเงิน ซึ่งในกรณีนี้คือตำแหน่งแรก (ตำแหน่ง 0)

การคำนวณมูลค่าอินพุต

เนื่องจากธุรกรรมของบิตคอยน์นั้นไม่ได้ระบุค่าของอินพุตอย่างชัดเจน ตัวซอฟต์แวร์เลยจะต้องใช้การอ้างอิงของอินพุตเพื่อค้นหาเอาต์พุตของธุรกรรมก่อนหน้าที่ถูกใช้ไป

เอาต์พุตใน Tx2 ของอลิซ

Tx2 ของอลิซมีเอาต์พุตใหม่สองรายการ รายการหนึ่งจ่าย 75,000 ซาโตชิสำหรับพอดแคสต์ และอีกรายการจ่าย 20,000 ซาโตชิคืนให้อลิซเป็นเงินทอน

เกร็ดสาระเล็ก ๆ น้อย ๆ

• ธุรกรรมของบิตคอยน์นั้นอยู่ในรูปแบบซีเรียลไลซ์ (serialized) เป็นรูปแบบข้อมูลที่ซอฟต์แวร์ใช้สำหรับการส่งธุรกรรม โดยจะเข้ารหัสมูลค่าที่ต้องการโอนด้วยตัวเลขจำนวนเต็มซึ่งเป็นหน่วยมูลค่าที่เล็กที่สุดในระบบ on-chain
• ที่มาของชื่อ "ซาโตชิ" :เมื่อบิตคอยน์ถูกสร้างขึ้นในครั้งแรก หน่วยมูลค่านี้ยังไม่มีชื่อเรียก นักพัฒนาบางคนจึงเรียกมันว่า "หน่วยฐาน" (base unit) แต่ต่อมาผู้ใช้งานหลาย ๆ คนเริ่มเรียกหน่วยนี้ว่า "ซาโตชิ" (satoshi หรือ sat) เพื่อเป็นเกียรติแก่ผู้สร้างบิตคอยน์

การทอนเงิน

นอกเหนือจากการสร้างเอาต์พุตเพื่อจ่ายให้กับผู้รับบิตคอยน์แล้ว ธุรกรรมจำนวนมากยังมีเอาต์พุตที่จ่ายเงินคืนให้กับผู้จ่าย ซึ่งเรียกว่า เอาต์พุตทอนเงิน (change output) เนื่องจากอินพุตของธุรกรรม (คล้ายกับธนบัตร) ไม่สามารถแบ่งใช้บางส่วนได้ เช่น ถ้าคุณซื้อของราคา 5 ดอลลาร์และจ่ายด้วยธนบัตร 20 ดอลลาร์ คุณคาดหวังว่าจะได้เงินทอน 15 ดอลลาร์ ในทำนองเดียวกัน ในธุรกรรม Bitcoin หากคุณซื้อสินค้าราคา 5 บิตคอยน์แต่มีอินพุตมูลค่า 20 บิตคอยน์ คุณจะสร้างเอาต์พุต 5 บิตคอยน์ไปยังเจ้าของร้าน และอีกเอาต์พุต 15 บิตคอยน์คืนให้ตัวคุณเองเป็นเงินทอน (ไม่นับรวมค่าธรรมเนียมธุรกรรม)

• หากมองผ่านมุมของโปรโตคอลบิตคอยน์นั้นไม่ได้มีความแตกต่างใด ๆ ระหว่างเอาต์พุตเงินทอนกับเอาต์พุตการจ่ายเงินปกติ
• โดยทั่วไปแล้วเอาต์พุตเงินทอนจะเป็นการโอนไปจ่ายให้กับ Bitcoin Address อันใหม่ในกระเป๋าตัวเองดังรูปที่แสดงข้างล่าง

การสร้างธุรกรรม

แอปพิเคชั่นกระเป๋าเงินของอลิซจะทำการสร้างอินพุตและสร้างเอาต์พุตตามที่ Alice ต้องการ โดยที่เธอเพียงแค่กรอกปลายทาง จำนวนเงิน และค่าธรรมเนียมธุรกรรมกระเป๋าเงินจะทำงานที่เหลือให้โดยอัตโนมัติ นอกจากนี้ กระเป๋าเงินยังสามารถสร้างธุรกรรมแบบออฟไลน์ได้ คล้ายกับการเขียนเช็คที่บ้านแล้วค่อยนำไปฝากธนาคารในภายหลังอีกด้วย

การเลือกอินพุตที่เหมาะสม

กระเป๋าเงินจะเลือกอินพุตที่มีมูลค่าเพียงพอสำหรับการชำระเงินไปยังบ๊อบโดยตรวจสอบเอาต์พุตที่ยังไม่ได้ใช้ (UTXOs) ซึ่งหากมูลค่าไม่เพียงพอ กระเป๋าเงินก็จะทำการรวม UTXOs หลาย ๆ รายการเข้าด้วยกัน เพื่อให้ได้ยอดที่ต้องการ และหากอินพุตมีมูลค่าสูงกว่าค่าที่ต้องจ่าย กระเป๋าเงินจะสร้างเอาต์พุตสำหรับทอนเงินกลับมาให้อลิซ

การสร้างเอาต์พุต

เอาต์พุตประกอบด้วยสคริปต์ที่กำหนดให้ผู้ที่มีคีย์ของบ๊อบเท่านั้นสามารถลงนามเพื่อที่จะใช้เงินได้ นอกจากนี้ยังมีเอาต์พุตสำหรับทอนเงินกลับมาให้อลิซ ซึ่งทำให้เธอสามารถใช้เงินทอนนั้นในการทำธุรกรรมถัดไป และค่าธรรมเนียมธุรกรรมจะถูกคำนวณจากส่วนต่างระหว่างอินพุตและเอาต์พุต และนั่นเองที่จะเป็นรางวัลสำหรับนักขุดที่บันทึกธุรกรรมลงบล็อกเชนของบิตคอยน์

การใส่ธุรกรรมลงในบล๊อกเชน

ธุรกรรมที่สร้างขึ้นโดย Bitcoin wallet ของอลิซมีข้อมูลทั้งหมดที่จำเป็นสำหรับการสร้างธุรกรรม (การยืนยันว่าอลิซเป็นเจ้าของเงิน และ Bitcoin address ปลายทาง) จากนั้นธุรกรรมนี้จะต้องถูกส่งไปยังเครือข่ายของบิตคอยน์ เพื่อที่จะให้ธุรกรรมนั้นเป็นส่วนนึงในเครือข่ายของบิตคอยน์ และในส่วนถัดไปของหนังสือเล่มนี้ เราจะอธิบายถึงว่าธุรกรรมกลายเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของบล็อกใหม่อย่างไร และกระบวนการขุดบล็อกเป็นอย่างไร รวมถึงการที่บล็อกใหม่ได้รับความไว้วางใจมากขึ้นเมื่อมีการเพิ่มบล็อกใหม่ ๆ เข้ามาเรื่อย ๆ หมายถึงอะไร ?

การส่งธุรกรรมเข้าไปยังเครือข่าย

เนื่องจากธุรกรรมมีข้อมูลที่จำเป็นสำหรับการประมวลผลทั้งหมด จึงทำให้การส่งผ่านสามารถทำได้จากที่ไหนหรืออย่างไรก็ได้ อย่างที่ได้กล่าวไปว่าเครือข่ายของบิตคอยน์เป็นเครือข่ายแบบ peer-to-peer โดยที่แต่ละโหนดเชื่อมต่อกับโหนดอื่น ๆ อีกหลายโหนด เพื่อทำหน้าที่กระจายธุรกรรมและบล็อกให้กับผู้เข้าร่วมทั้งหมดในระบบ

การกระจายธุรกรรม

โหนดในเครือข่าย peer-to-peer ของบิตคอยน์นั้นเป็นซอฟต์แวร์ที่สามารถตรวจสอบความถูกต้องของธุรกรรมได้ และการเชื่อมต่อระหว่างโหนดสามารถแสดงเป็นเส้นในกราฟ ทำให้โหนดเหล่านี้เรียกว่า “โหนดตรวจสอบเต็มรูปแบบ” (full nodes) กระเป๋าเงินของอลิซสามารถส่งธุรกรรมไปยังโหนดบิตคอยน์ใด ๆ ผ่านการเชื่อมต่อใด ๆ ก็ได้ เช่น สายแลน WiFi หรือ เครือข่ายมือถือ โดยถ้าหากโหนดได้รับธุรกรรมที่ถูกต้องซึ่งยังไม่เคยเห็นมาก่อน มันจะกระจายธุรกรรมนี้ไปยังโหนดอื่น ๆ ที่เชื่อมต่อด้วย ซึ่งเป็นเทคนิคที่เรียกว่า gossiping ซึ่งทำให้ธุรกรรมแพร่กระจายไปทั่วเครือข่ายอย่างรวดเร็วภายในไม่กี่วินาที

การขุดบิตคอยน์

ตอนนี้ธุรกรรมของอลิซได้เข้าไปสู่ในเครือข่ายของบิตคอยน์แล้ว แต่มันยังไม่ได้ถูกบรรจุลงในบล๊อกเชนเนื่องจากจะต้องรอให้นักขุดทำการนำธุรกรรมนั้น ๆ เข้าไปในบล๊อกและบล๊อกนั้นจำเป็นต้องผ่านการตรวจสอบโดยโหนดในเครือข่ายของบิตคอยน์เสียก่อน จึงจะถูกบันทึกลงในบล๊อกเชน ในระบบของบิตคอยน์นั้น มีการป้องกันการปลอมแปลงด้วยการคำนวณทางคณิตศาสตร์ ซึ่งเป็นการคำนวณที่จำเป็นต้องใช้พลังงานมหาศาลในการคำนวณ แต่ใช้พลังงานเพียงเล็กน้อยในการตรวจสอบ โดยธุรกรรมทั้งหมดจะถูกจัดเรียงเป็นบล๊อกและแต่ละบล๊อกจะมีบล๊อกเฮดเดอร์ที่จำเป็นต้องสร้างตามเงื่อนไขเฉพาะ โดยกระบวนการขุดบิตคอยน์นั้นมีวัตถุประสงค์อยู่สองอย่าง ดังนี้:

• สร้างแรงจูงใจให้ขุดเฉพาะธุรกรรมที่ถูกต้องตามกฎ: เนื่องจากวิธีที่เหล่านักขุดจะได้รับผลกำไรที่สูงที่สุดจากการสร้างบล๊อกที่ตรงกับฉันทมติของระบบเท่านั้น (หากไม่ทำตามบล๊อกจะไม่ถูกยอมรับโดยโหนด และนั่นจะเป็นการสิ้นเปลืองพลังงานที่ได้คำนวณมาโดยเปล่าประโยชน์) นั้นจึงเป็นแรงจูงใจหลัก ๆ ให้เหล่านักขุดทำการใส่ธุรกรรมที่ถูกต้องตามกฏเท่านั้นลงในบล๊อกที่ตนสร้าง และสิ่งนี้เองก็ทำให้ผู้ใช้สามารถเลือกที่จะสันนิษฐานโดยอิงตามความไว้วางใจว่าธุรกรรมใด ๆ ในบล็อกนั้น ๆ เป็นธุรกรรมที่ถูกต้อง
• สร้างเหรียญใหม่ตามตารางการออกเหรียญที่กำหนดไว้ล่วงหน้า: ในปัจจุบันนั้นจะมีการสร้างบิตคอยน์ใหม่ในแต่ละบล็อก คล้ายคลึงกับธนาคารกลางที่พิมพ์เงินใหม่ โดยจำนวนบิตคอยน์ในแต่ละบล๊อกที่จะถูกผลิตขึ้นมาใหม่นั้นถูกกำหนดมาตั้งแต่วันที่ระบบของบิตคอยน์ได้เริ่มขึ้นและไม่สามารถเปลี่ยนแปลงได้

การขุดได้ช่วยให้เกิดความสมดุลระหว่างต้นทุนและผลตอบแทน เนื่องจากการขุดมีการใช้ไฟฟ้าเพื่อแก้ปัญหาการคำนวณ และนักขุดที่ประสบความสำเร็จจะได้รับรางวัลในรูปแบบของบิตคอยน์ใหม่และค่าธรรมเนียมจากการทำธุรกรรม แต่อย่างไรก็ตาม รางวัลจะถูกเก็บรวบรวมก็ต่อเมื่อนักขุดรวมเฉพาะธุรกรรมที่ถูกต้องเท่านั้น โดยกฎของโปรโตคอลบิตคอยน์สำหรับการสร้างฉันทามติ จะกำหนดว่าอะไรถูกต้อง โดยความสมดุลที่ละเอียดอ่อนนี้เองที่คอยสร้างให้ความปลอดภัยแก่บิตคอยน์โดยไม่ต้องมีหน่วยงานกลางมาคอยดูแล

การขุดถูกออกแบบให้เหมือนกับการจับสลากแบบกระจายศูนย์ นักขุดแต่ละคนสามารถสร้าง "สลาก" ของตัวเองได้โดยการสร้างบล็อกตัวอย่างที่ประกอบไปด้วยธุรกรรมใหม่ที่ต้องการขุด พร้อมกับข้อมูลอื่น ๆ และนักขุดจะป้อนบล็อกตัวอย่างนี้เข้าไปในอัลกอริทึมที่ออกแบบมาเป็นพิเศษเพื่อแฮชข้อมูล ทำให้ได้ค่าผลลัพธ์ที่แตกต่างจากข้อมูลเดิมอย่างสิ้นเชิง โดยแฮชฟังก์ชันนี้จะให้ผลลัพธ์เดียวกันเสมอสำหรับข้อมูลชุดเดิม แต่ไม่สามารถคาดเดาผลลัพธ์ได้หากป้อนข้อมูลใหม่ แม้จะแตกต่างเพียงเล็กน้อยจากข้อมูลก่อนหน้า

หากค่าผลลัพธ์ของแฮชตรงกับเงื่อนไขที่กำหนดของโปรโตคอล นักขุดจะชนะการจับสลาก และผู้ใช้งานบิตคอยน์ จะยอมรับบล็อกนี้พร้อมกับธุรกรรมในนั้นว่าเป็นบล็อกที่ถูกต้อง หากไม่ตรงกับเงื่อนไข นักขุดจะปรับข้อมูลในบล็อกเล็กน้อยและลองทำการแฮชใหม่ กระบวนการนี้ต้องทำซ้ำหลายครั้ง โดย ณ ขณะที่เขียนนี้ นักขุดต้องลองสร้างบล็อกตัวอย่างประมาณ 168 พันล้านล้านครั้ง เพื่อหาคำตอบที่ถูกต้อง ซึ่งหมายถึงการรันแฮชฟังก์ชันในจำนวนครั้งมหาศาลมาก ๆ

แต่เมื่อพบคำตอบที่ถูกต้องแล้ว ใครก็ตามสามารถตรวจสอบว่าบล็อกนั้นถูกต้องได้โดยการรันแฮชฟังก์ชันเพียงครั้งเดียว ซึ่งทำให้การสร้างบล็อกที่ถูกต้องต้องใช้พลังงานคำนวณมหาศาล แต่การตรวจสอบทำได้ง่ายมาก กระบวนการตรวจสอบนี้สามารถพิสูจน์ได้อย่างมีหลักการว่ามีการทำงานเกิดขึ้นจริง ดังนั้น ข้อมูลที่ใช้สร้างหลักฐานนี้—ในที่นี้คือบล็อก—เรียกว่า "หลักฐานการทำงาน" หรือ Proof of Work (PoW)

ธุรกรรมจะถูกเพิ่มลงในบล็อกใหม่ โดยให้ความสำคัญกับธุรกรรมที่มีค่าธรรมเนียมสูงสุดก่อนและพิจารณาจากปัจจัยอื่น ๆ อีกเล็กน้อย นักขุดแต่ละคนจะเริ่มกระบวนการสร้างบล็อกตัวอย่างใหม่ทันทีหลังจากได้รับบล็อกก่อนหน้าจากเครือข่าย โดยรู้ว่ามีคนอื่นชนะรางวัลไปแล้วในรอบนั้น พวกเขาจะสร้างบล็อกตัวอย่างใหม่ที่เชื่อมโยงกับบล็อกก่อนหน้า ใส่ธุรกรรมเข้าไป และเริ่มคำนวณ Proof of Work (PoW) สำหรับบล็อกตัวอย่างนี้ นักขุดจะเพิ่มธุรกรรมพิเศษที่จ่ายรางวัลบล็อกและค่าธรรมเนียมธุรกรรมรวมเข้ากับที่อยู่บิตคอยน์ของตนเอง หากพวกเขาพบบล็อกที่ถูกต้องและถูกเพิ่มในบล็อกเชน นักขุดจะได้รับรางวัลนั้น และธุรกรรมรางวัลนี้ก็จะใช้งานได้ นักขุดที่ทำงานร่วมกับพูลจะตั้งค่าให้รางวัลถูกส่งไปยังที่อยู่ของพูล จากนั้นจะแบ่งรางวัลให้สมาชิกตามสัดส่วนการทำงานที่แต่ละคนมีส่วนร่วม

กลับมาที่ธุรกรรมของอลิซ ตอนนี้ธุรกรรมของอลิซได้ถูกเครือข่ายรับไปแล้วและเพิ่มลงในพูลของธุรกรรมที่ยังไม่ได้รับการยืนยันเรียบร้อย จากนั้นเมื่อธุรกรรมนั้นผ่านการตรวจสอบจาก full node แล้ว มันจะถูกรวมไว้ในบล็อกตัวอย่าง และประมาณห้านาทีหลังจากที่อลิซส่งธุรกรรมจากกระเป๋าเงินของเธอ นักขุดคนหนึ่งพบคำตอบสำหรับบล็อกนั้นและประกาศไปยังเครือข่าย หลังจากที่นักขุดคนอื่น ๆ ตรวจสอบความถูกต้องของบล็อกที่ชนะ พวกเขาก็เริ่มกระบวนการสุ่มอีกครั้งเพื่อสร้างบล็อกถัดไป

บล็อกที่ชนะซึ่งมีธุรกรรมของอลิซอยู่ในนั้น ได้กลายเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของบล็อกเชน และบล็อกนี้ถูกนับเป็นการยืนยันหนึ่งครั้งสำหรับธุรกรรมนั้น หลังจากที่บล็อกที่มีธุรกรรมของอลิซได้ถูกเผยแพร่ไปทั่วเครือข่าย การสร้างบล็อกทางเลือกที่มีเวอร์ชันอื่นของธุรกรรมของอลิซ (เช่น ธุรกรรมที่ไม่ได้จ่ายให้ บ๊อบ) จะต้องใช้ปริมาณงานเท่ากับที่นักขุดทั้งหมดต้องใช้ในการสร้างบล็อกใหม่ทั้งบล็อก เมื่อมีบล็อกทางเลือกหลายบล็อกให้เลือก full node ในเครือข่ายของบิตคอยน์ก็จะทำการเลือกบล็อกเชนที่ถูกต้อง โดยจะเป็นเชนซึ่งมี Proof of Work (PoW) รวมมากที่สุด ซึ่งเรียกว่าบล็อกเชนที่ดีที่สุด หากเครือข่ายทั้งหมดจะยอมรับบล็อกทางเลือก จะต้องมีการขุดบล็อกใหม่เพิ่มเติมอีกหนึ่งบล็อกต่อจากบล็อกทางเลือกนั้น

นั่นหมายความว่านักขุดมีตัวเลือกอื่น อย่างเช่นการที่พวกเขาสามารถร่วมมือกับอลิซเพื่อสร้างธุรกรรมทางเลือกที่เธอไม่ได้จ่ายเงินให้บ๊อบ โดยอลิซอาจเสนอส่วนแบ่งจากเงินที่เธอเคยจ่ายให้บ๊อบแก่นักขุด แต่การกระทำที่ไม่ซื่อสัตย์นี้จะต้องใช้ความพยายามเท่ากับการสร้างบล็อกใหม่ถึงสองบล็อก ซึ่งในทางกลับกันแล้ว นักขุดที่ทำงานอย่างซื่อสัตย์สามารถสร้างบล็อกใหม่เพียงบล็อกเดียวและได้รับค่าธรรมเนียมจากธุรกรรมทั้งหมดที่รวมอยู่ในบล็อก พร้อมกับรางวัลบล็อก (block subsidy) นอกจากนี้ต้นทุนที่สูงในการสร้างบล็อกสองบล็อกเพื่อพยายามเปลี่ยนแปลงธุรกรรมที่ยืนยันแล้วสำหรับผลตอบแทนเพียงเล็กน้อยนั้นไม่คุ้มค่าและการกระทำดังกล่าวมีโอกาสน้อยที่จะเกิดขึ้น สำหรับ บ๊อบ นั่นหมายความว่าเขาสามารถเริ่มเชื่อถือได้ว่าการชำระเงินจากอลิซนั้นเป็นสิ่งที่เชื่อถือได้

ประมาณ 19 นาทีหลังจากบล็อกที่มีธุรกรรมของอลิซ ได้ถูกเผยแพร่บล็อกใหม่ถูกขุดขึ้นโดยนักขุดอีกคน และเนื่องจากบล็อกใหม่นี้ถูกสร้างต่อจากบล็อกที่มีธุรกรรมของอลิซ (ทำให้ธุรกรรมของอลิซได้รับการยืนยันสองครั้ง) ธุรกรรมของ อลิซจะสามารถเปลี่ยนแปลงได้ก็ต่อเมื่อมีการขุดบล็อกทางเลือกสองบล็อกขึ้นมา และมีบล็อกใหม่ที่สร้างต่อจากบล็อกเหล่านั้น รวมเป็นสามบล็อกที่ต้องถูกขุดเพื่อให้อลิซสามารถดึงเงินที่เธอส่งให้บ๊อบกลับมาได้ และทุกบล็อกที่ขุดต่อจากบล็อกที่มีธุรกรรมของอลิซนั้นจะนับเป็นการยืนยันเพิ่มเติม เมื่อจำนวนบล็อกที่ต่อกันเพิ่มมากขึ้น การย้อนกลับธุรกรรมก็จะยากขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ ทำให้บ๊อบมั่นใจมากขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ ว่าการชำระเงินของอลิซนั้นจะปลอดภัย

จากภาพที่แนบไว้ข้างล่างนี้ เราสามารถเห็นบล็อกที่มีธุรกรรมของอลิซและด้านล่างของบล็อกนี้มีบล็อกอีกหลายแสนบล็อกที่เชื่อมต่อกันเป็นโซ่ (blockchain) ต่อเนื่องไปจนถึงบล็อกหมายเลข #0 หรือที่เรียกว่า genesis block และเมื่อเวลาผ่านไป "ความสูง" ของบล็อกใหม่ที่เพิ่มขึ้นจะทำให้ความยากในการคำนวณของทั้งเครือข่ายเพิ่มขึ้นตามไปด้วย ตามธรรมเนียมแล้ว บล็อกใด ๆ ที่มีการยืนยันมากกว่าหกครั้งจะถือว่ายากมากที่จะเปลี่ยนแปลง เพราะต้องใช้การคำนวณอย่างมหาศาลในการคำนวณบล็อกหกบล็อกใหม่ (รวมถึงบล็อกใหม่อีกหนึ่งบล็อก)

การใช้จ่ายในธุรกรรม

เมื่อธุรกรรมของอลิซได้กลายเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของบล็อกเชน แปลว่ามันสามารถถูกเรียกดูได้จากทุกบิตคอยน์แอปพลิเคชัน และทุกโหนดสามารถที่จะตรวจสอบธุรกรรมนี้ได้อย่างอิสระ ว่าธุรกรรมนี้ถูกต้องหรือไม่ โดยจะตรวจสอบย้อนไปตั้งแต่ตอนที่เหรียญนั้น ๆ ถูกสร้างและตรวจสอบต่อมาเรื่อย ๆ จนถึงธุรกรรมปัจจุบัน ไคลเอนต์จะสามารถตรวจสอบการชำระเงินได้บางส่วน โดยการยืนยันว่าธุรกรรมนั้นอยู่ในบล็อกเชนแล้ว และมีบล็อกจำนวนมากที่ถูกขุดหลังจากนั้น ซึ่งนี่ช่วยให้มั่นใจได้ว่ามีการใช้ความพยายามอย่างมากในการยืนยันธุรกรรมนี้โดยเหล่านักขุดไปแล้ว

ในตอนนี้บ็อบสามารถใช้บิตคอยน์ที่อลิซส่งให้ต่อได้แล้ว! สมมุติว่าบ๊อบต้องการจ่ายค่าจ้างให้ผู้รับเหมาหรือผู้จัดหาสินค้า โดยการโอนมูลค่าจากการชำระเงินของอลิซสำหรับพอดแคสต์ไปยังเจ้าของรายใหม่ เมื่อบ๊อบใช้เงินที่ได้รับจากอลิซและลูกค้าคนอื่น ๆ เขาก็ขยายสายโซ่ของธุรกรรมออกไป สมมติว่าบ๊อบจ่ายค่าจ้างให้กรูฟซึ่งเป็นนักออกแบบเว็บไซต์ของเขาสำหรับสร้างหน้าเว็บใหม่ สายโซ่ของธุรกรรมจะมีลักษณะดังนี้:

• ธุรกรรมจากโจถึงอลิซ: โจโอนบิตคอยน์ให้อลิซเพื่อการซื้อขายหรือจ่ายค่าบริการบางอย่าง
• ธุรกรรมจากอลิซถึงบ๊อบ: อลิซโอนบิตคอยน์ให้บ๊อบเพื่อชำระค่าพอดแคสต์
• ธุรกรรมจากบ๊อบถึงกรูฟ: บ๊อบโอนบิตคอยน์จากที่ได้รับจากอลิซให้กรูฟเพื่อจ่ายค่าจ้างออกแบบเว็บไซต์

สายโซ่ของธุรกรรมนี้แสดงให้เห็นการเชื่อมต่อของธุรกรรมจากโจถึงอลิซและจากอลิซถึงบ๊อบต่อด้วยจากบ๊อบถึง กรูฟ โดยแต่ละธุรกรรมได้รับการบันทึกไว้ในบล็อกเชน ซึ่งช่วยให้ทุกคนสามารถตรวจสอบความถูกต้องของธุรกรรมในสายโซ่นี้ได้

ในบทนี้ เราได้เห็นวิธีที่ธุรกรรมสร้างสายโซ่ที่ถ่ายโอนมูลค่าจากเจ้าของหนึ่งไปยังอีกเจ้าของหนึ่ง นอกจากนี้เรายังได้ติดตามธุรกรรมของอลิซตั้งแต่เริ่มสร้างในกระเป๋าเงินของเธอ ผ่านเครือข่ายบิตคอยน์ไปจนถึงนักขุดที่บันทึกมันลงในบล็อกเชน และสำหรับในส่วนที่เหลือของหนังสือเล่มนี้ เราจะศึกษารายละเอียดเกี่ยวกับเทคโนโลยีที่เกี่ยวข้อง ไม่ว่าจะเป็นกระเป๋าเงิน, address, digital signature, network และกระบวนการขุดอย่างละเอียด

@ 798d712f:d2bac2e3

Every year that is passing, we learn more things about Bitcoin, and we add more hours to our knowledge base. For me, this year I learned more about how Bitcoin can work as a company's and a country's reserve asset. So now I am excited about next year when many more companies and countries are considering to add Bitcoin to their balance sheet.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/819208

@ 2cb8ae56:84d30cba

ども、薄味のキャルピスでございます。
当記事は、「Nostr Advent Calendar 2024」7日目の記事です。
この記事を読んでいる人でいないとは思いますが、Nostrとはなんぞやとお思いの方は以下をご覧ください。

https://hello.nostrapp.me/

僕は「Nostrで過ごした2024年」というタイトルの通り、一年間を振り返ってみようと思います。

自己紹介

まず知らん人のために軽く自己紹介をします

「薄味のキャルピス」という名前で、色んな所にいるどこかの高校生です。 左利き、箸とベースとお盆は右手。

普段は学業の傍ら、画像を弄ったり作ったりしている上に、イヤホンを集めたりラジオにメッセージを送っています。

コーディングは出来ないテクノロジーまみれのガラクタ人間（→テックジャンカー）です

参加経緯とスタンス

なぜ参加したのかを思い出しながら書いていきます まず、どんな媒体でNostr（ノスター・ノストラ）の存在を知ったのかと言うと、ネットニュースです。

https://gigazine.net/news/20230425-nostr-intro/

こちらの記事で「そんなのあるんだ」と知り、4月1日ついにjoin!!!!

現時点での参加スタンスは「気楽に、素直に」という感じで参加しています

やりたいときにやりたいことをやるって言うリアルでは到底難しいことを、Nostrのなかでやっている気もします。

後述するNostrasia 2024の開催日「9月23日」を持って、Mastodon（マストドン）から乗り換え、上記のスタンスのもと、メインで精力的に活動しています。

Nostr活動年表

2024/04/01 Nostr Join!!!

2024/06/08 人生初オフ会「たくろうさんオフ」参加、LNアドレス追加。

2024/09/23 人生初小規模イベント「Nostrasia 2024」運営メンバーとして参加

2024/10/12 2度目のオフ会「デザイン談義」主催・参加

簡易的に各種紹介！

人生初オフ会「たくろうさんオフ」

渋三魚金でご飯→猿田彦珈琲でリラックス、Linux使ってると話を切り出す（唐突）→スクランブル交差点で解散。 ウォークマンの再生画面を送付した投稿を行う

人生初イベント「Nostrasia 2024」

あ、記事出したので見てください。

初版

第二版

2度目のオフ会「デザイン談義」

秋葉原の「創作空間caféアトリエ あきば店」で行われたオフ会。 ちょくちょく内容を上げているので、見ていってください。 https://nostter.app/npub19ju2u4sduewta4hxl22kke7se8yxm2puytzw47lr6y999pxnpjaqtjjfxj/2024/10/12 終了後、e☆イヤホン 秋葉原店にて、BTR13の在庫状況を確認し、在庫がないため予約しました。 （10月24日到着） 雑多すぎますが、一応こんな感じで大丈夫かな？

まとめ

僕がNostrに出会い、Nostrにのめり込むまでの話はいかがだったでしょうか。 Nostrに入る前、オフ会に参加するまでは「ネットにロクな人なんていない！」と思っていましたが、Nostrは違いましたね。 いい意味で期待はずれ、本当にいい人たちばかりで、とにかく自然体で接することができるSNSであると感じました。 そんな世界にぜひとも一回足を踏み入れてみてはいかがでしょうか？ それではまた、来年のアドベントカレンダー、及び開催されましたら「Nostrasia 2025」でお会いしましょう。