@ eac63075:b4988b48

Since its creation in 2009, Bitcoin has symbolized innovation and resilience. However, from time to time, alarmist narratives arise about emerging technologies that could "break" its security. Among these, quantum computing stands out as one of the most recurrent. But does quantum computing truly threaten Bitcoin? And more importantly, what is the community doing to ensure the protocol remains invulnerable?

The answer, contrary to sensationalist headlines, is reassuring: Bitcoin is secure, and the community is already preparing for a future where quantum computing becomes a practical reality. Let’s dive into this topic to understand why the concerns are exaggerated and how the development of BIP-360 demonstrates that Bitcoin is one step ahead.

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What Is Quantum Computing, and Why Is Bitcoin Not Threatened?

Quantum computing leverages principles of quantum mechanics to perform calculations that, in theory, could exponentially surpass classical computers—and it has nothing to do with what so-called “quantum coaches” teach to scam the uninformed. One of the concerns is that this technology could compromise two key aspects of Bitcoin’s security:

1. Wallets: These use elliptic curve algorithms (ECDSA) to protect private keys. A sufficiently powerful quantum computer could deduce a private key from its public key.
2. Mining: This is based on the SHA-256 algorithm, which secures the consensus process. A quantum attack could, in theory, compromise the proof-of-work mechanism.

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Understanding Quantum Computing’s Attack Priorities

While quantum computing is often presented as a threat to Bitcoin, not all parts of the network are equally vulnerable. Theoretical attacks would be prioritized based on two main factors: ease of execution and potential reward. This creates two categories of attacks:

1. Attacks on Wallets

Bitcoin wallets, secured by elliptic curve algorithms, would be the initial targets due to the relative vulnerability of their public keys, especially those already exposed on the blockchain. Two attack scenarios stand out:

• Short-term attacks: These occur during the interval between sending a transaction and its inclusion in a block (approximately 10 minutes). A quantum computer could intercept the exposed public key and derive the corresponding private key to redirect funds by creating a transaction with higher fees.

• Long-term attacks: These focus on old wallets whose public keys are permanently exposed. Wallets associated with Satoshi Nakamoto, for example, are especially vulnerable because they were created before the practice of using hashes to mask public keys.

We can infer a priority order for how such attacks might occur based on urgency and importance.

Bitcoin Quantum Attack: Prioritization Matrix (Urgency vs. Importance)

2. Attacks on Mining

Targeting the SHA-256 algorithm, which secures the mining process, would be the next objective. However, this is far more complex and requires a level of quantum computational power that is currently non-existent and far from realization. A successful attack would allow for the recalculation of all possible hashes to dominate the consensus process and potentially "mine" it instantly.

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Satoshi Nakamoto in 2010 on Quantum Computing and Bitcoin Attacks

Recently, Narcelio asked me about a statement I made on Tubacast:

https://x.com/eddieoz/status/1868371296683511969

If an attack became a reality before Bitcoin was prepared, it would be necessary to define the last block prior to the attack and proceed from there using a new hashing algorithm. The solution would resemble the response to the infamous 2013 bug. It’s a fact that this would cause market panic, and Bitcoin's price would drop significantly, creating a potential opportunity for the well-informed.

Preferably, if developers could anticipate the threat and had time to work on a solution and build consensus before an attack, they would simply decide on a future block for the fork, which would then adopt the new algorithm. It might even rehash previous blocks (reaching consensus on them) to avoid potential reorganization through the re-mining of blocks using the old hash. (I often use the term "shielding" old transactions).

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How Can Users Protect Themselves?

While quantum computing is still far from being a practical threat, some simple measures can already protect users against hypothetical scenarios:

• Avoid using exposed public keys: Ensure funds sent to old wallets are transferred to new ones that use public key hashes. This reduces the risk of long-term attacks.
• Use modern wallets: Opt for wallets compatible with SegWit or Taproot, which implement better security practices.
• Monitor security updates: Stay informed about updates from the Bitcoin community, such as the implementation of BIP-360, which will introduce quantum-resistant addresses.
• Do not reuse addresses: Every transaction should be associated with a new address to minimize the risk of repeated exposure of the same public key.
• Adopt secure backup practices: Create offline backups of private keys and seeds in secure locations, protected from unauthorized access.

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BIP-360 and Bitcoin’s Preparation for the Future

Even though quantum computing is still beyond practical reach, the Bitcoin community is not standing still. A concrete example is BIP-360, a proposal that establishes the technical framework to make wallets resistant to quantum attacks.

BIP-360 addresses three main pillars:

1. Introduction of quantum-resistant addresses: A new address format starting with "BC1R" will be used. These addresses will be compatible with post-quantum algorithms, ensuring that stored funds are protected from future attacks.
2. Compatibility with the current ecosystem: The proposal allows users to transfer funds from old addresses to new ones without requiring drastic changes to the network infrastructure.
3. Flexibility for future updates: BIP-360 does not limit the choice of specific algorithms. Instead, it serves as a foundation for implementing new post-quantum algorithms as technology evolves.

This proposal demonstrates how Bitcoin can adapt to emerging threats without compromising its decentralized structure.

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Post-Quantum Algorithms: The Future of Bitcoin Cryptography

The community is exploring various algorithms to protect Bitcoin from quantum attacks. Among the most discussed are:

• Falcon: A solution combining smaller public keys with compact digital signatures. Although it has been tested in limited scenarios, it still faces scalability and performance challenges.
• Sphincs: Hash-based, this algorithm is renowned for its resilience, but its signatures can be extremely large, making it less efficient for networks like Bitcoin’s blockchain.
• Lamport: Created in 1977, it’s considered one of the earliest post-quantum security solutions. Despite its reliability, its gigantic public keys (16,000 bytes) make it impractical and costly for Bitcoin.

Two technologies show great promise and are well-regarded by the community:

1. Lattice-Based Cryptography: Considered one of the most promising, it uses complex mathematical structures to create systems nearly immune to quantum computing. Its implementation is still in its early stages, but the community is optimistic.
2. Supersingular Elliptic Curve Isogeny: These are very recent digital signature algorithms and require extensive study and testing before being ready for practical market use.

The final choice of algorithm will depend on factors such as efficiency, cost, and integration capability with the current system. Additionally, it is preferable that these algorithms are standardized before implementation, a process that may take up to 10 years.

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Why Quantum Computing Is Far from Being a Threat

The alarmist narrative about quantum computing overlooks the technical and practical challenges that still need to be overcome. Among them:

• Insufficient number of qubits: Current quantum computers have only a few hundred qubits, whereas successful attacks would require millions.
• High error rate: Quantum stability remains a barrier to reliable large-scale operations.
• High costs: Building and operating large-scale quantum computers requires massive investments, limiting their use to scientific or specific applications.

Moreover, even if quantum computers make significant advancements, Bitcoin is already adapting to ensure its infrastructure is prepared to respond.

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Conclusion: Bitcoin’s Secure Future

Despite advancements in quantum computing, the reality is that Bitcoin is far from being threatened. Its security is ensured not only by its robust architecture but also by the community’s constant efforts to anticipate and mitigate challenges.

The implementation of BIP-360 and the pursuit of post-quantum algorithms demonstrate that Bitcoin is not only resilient but also proactive. By adopting practical measures, such as using modern wallets and migrating to quantum-resistant addresses, users can further protect themselves against potential threats.

Bitcoin’s future is not at risk—it is being carefully shaped to withstand any emerging technology, including quantum computing.

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Based on a recent paper that included collaboration from renowned experts such as Lynn Alden, Steve Lee, and Ren Crypto Fish, we discuss in depth how Bitcoin's consensus is built, the main risks, and the complex dynamics of protocol upgrades.

PT-BR version

Podcast https://www.fountain.fm/episode/wbjD6ntQuvX5u2G5BccC

Presentation https://gamma.app/docs/Analyzing-Bitcoin-Consensus-Risks-in-Protocol-Upgrades-p66axxjwaa37ksn

1. Introduction to Consensus in Bitcoin

Consensus in Bitcoin is the foundation that keeps the network secure and functional, allowing users worldwide to perform transactions in a decentralized manner without the need for intermediaries. Since its launch in 2009, Bitcoin is often described as an "immutable" system designed to resist changes, and it is precisely this resistance that ensures its security and stability.

The central idea behind consensus in Bitcoin is to create a set of acceptance rules for blocks and transactions, ensuring that all network participants agree on the transaction history. This prevents "double-spending," where the same bitcoin could be used in two simultaneous transactions, something that would compromise trust in the network.

Evolution of Consensus in Bitcoin

Over the years, consensus in Bitcoin has undergone several adaptations, and the way participants agree on changes remains a delicate process. Unlike traditional systems, where changes can be imposed from the top down, Bitcoin operates in a decentralized model where any significant change needs the support of various groups of stakeholders, including miners, developers, users, and large node operators.

Moreover, the update process is extremely cautious, as hasty changes can compromise the network's security. As a result, the philosophy of "don't fix what isn't broken" prevails, with improvements happening incrementally and only after broad consensus among those involved. This model can make progress seem slow but ensures that Bitcoin remains faithful to the principles of security and decentralization.

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2. Technical Components of Consensus

Bitcoin's consensus is supported by a set of technical rules that determine what is considered a valid transaction and a valid block on the network. These technical aspects ensure that all nodes—the computers that participate in the Bitcoin network—agree on the current state of the blockchain. Below are the main technical components that form the basis of the consensus.

Validation of Blocks and Transactions

The validation of blocks and transactions is the central point of consensus in Bitcoin. A block is only considered valid if it meets certain criteria, such as maximum size, transaction structure, and the solving of the "Proof of Work" problem. The proof of work, required for a block to be included in the blockchain, is a computational process that ensures the block contains significant computational effort—protecting the network against manipulation attempts.

Transactions, in turn, need to follow specific input and output rules. Each transaction includes cryptographic signatures that prove the ownership of the bitcoins sent, as well as validation scripts that verify if the transaction conditions are met. This validation system is essential for network nodes to autonomously confirm that each transaction follows the rules.

Chain Selection

Another fundamental technical issue for Bitcoin's consensus is chain selection, which becomes especially important in cases where multiple versions of the blockchain coexist, such as after a network split (fork). To decide which chain is the "true" one and should be followed, the network adopts the criterion of the highest accumulated proof of work. In other words, the chain with the highest number of valid blocks, built with the greatest computational effort, is chosen by the network as the official one.

This criterion avoids permanent splits because it encourages all nodes to follow the same main chain, reinforcing consensus.

Soft Forks vs. Hard Forks

In the consensus process, protocol changes can happen in two ways: through soft forks or hard forks. These variations affect not only the protocol update but also the implications for network users:

• Soft Forks: These are changes that are backward compatible. Only nodes that adopt the new update will follow the new rules, but old nodes will still recognize the blocks produced with these rules as valid. This compatibility makes soft forks a safer option for updates, as it minimizes the risk of network division.

• Hard Forks: These are updates that are not backward compatible, requiring all nodes to update to the new version or risk being separated from the main chain. Hard forks can result in the creation of a new coin, as occurred with the split between Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash in 2017. While hard forks allow for deeper changes, they also bring significant risks of network fragmentation.

These technical components form the base of Bitcoin's security and resilience, allowing the system to remain functional and immutable without losing the necessary flexibility to evolve over time.

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3. Stakeholders in Bitcoin's Consensus

Consensus in Bitcoin is not decided centrally. On the contrary, it depends on the interaction between different groups of stakeholders, each with their motivations, interests, and levels of influence. These groups play fundamental roles in how changes are implemented or rejected on the network. Below, we explore the six main stakeholders in Bitcoin's consensus.

1. Economic Nodes

Economic nodes, usually operated by exchanges, custody providers, and large companies that accept Bitcoin, exert significant influence over consensus. Because they handle large volumes of transactions and act as a connection point between the Bitcoin ecosystem and the traditional financial system, these nodes have the power to validate or reject blocks and to define which version of the software to follow in case of a fork.

Their influence is proportional to the volume of transactions they handle, and they can directly affect which chain will be seen as the main one. Their incentive is to maintain the network's stability and security to preserve its functionality and meet regulatory requirements.

2. Investors

Investors, including large institutional funds and individual Bitcoin holders, influence consensus indirectly through their impact on the asset's price. Their buying and selling actions can affect Bitcoin's value, which in turn influences the motivation of miners and other stakeholders to continue investing in the network's security and development.

Some institutional investors have agreements with custodians that may limit their ability to act in network split situations. Thus, the impact of each investor on consensus can vary based on their ownership structure and how quickly they can react to a network change.

3. Media Influencers

Media influencers, including journalists, analysts, and popular personalities on social media, have a powerful role in shaping public opinion about Bitcoin and possible updates. These influencers can help educate the public, promote debates, and bring transparency to the consensus process.

On the other hand, the impact of influencers can be double-edged: while they can clarify complex topics, they can also distort perceptions by amplifying or minimizing change proposals. This makes them a force both of support and resistance to consensus.

4. Miners

Miners are responsible for validating transactions and including blocks in the blockchain. Through computational power (hashrate), they also exert significant influence over consensus decisions. In update processes, miners often signal their support for a proposal, indicating that the new version is safe to use. However, this signaling is not always definitive, and miners can change their position if they deem it necessary.

Their incentive is to maximize returns from block rewards and transaction fees, as well as to maintain the value of investments in their specialized equipment, which are only profitable if the network remains stable.

5. Protocol Developers

Protocol developers, often called "Core Developers," are responsible for writing and maintaining Bitcoin's code. Although they do not have direct power over consensus, they possess an informal veto power since they decide which changes are included in the main client (Bitcoin Core). This group also serves as an important source of technical knowledge, helping guide decisions and inform other stakeholders.

Their incentive lies in the continuous improvement of the network, ensuring security and decentralization. Many developers are funded by grants and sponsorships, but their motivations generally include a strong ideological commitment to Bitcoin's principles.

6. Users and Application Developers

This group includes people who use Bitcoin in their daily transactions and developers who build solutions based on the network, such as wallets, exchanges, and payment platforms. Although their power in consensus is less than that of miners or economic nodes, they play an important role because they are responsible for popularizing Bitcoin's use and expanding the ecosystem.

If application developers decide not to adopt an update, this can affect compatibility and widespread acceptance. Thus, they indirectly influence consensus by deciding which version of the protocol to follow in their applications.

These stakeholders are vital to the consensus process, and each group exerts influence according to their involvement, incentives, and ability to act in situations of change. Understanding the role of each makes it clearer how consensus is formed and why it is so difficult to make significant changes to Bitcoin.

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4. Mechanisms for Activating Updates in Bitcoin

For Bitcoin to evolve without compromising security and consensus, different mechanisms for activating updates have been developed over the years. These mechanisms help coordinate changes among network nodes to minimize the risk of fragmentation and ensure that updates are implemented in an orderly manner. Here, we explore some of the main methods used in Bitcoin, their advantages and disadvantages, as well as historical examples of significant updates.

Flag Day

The Flag Day mechanism is one of the simplest forms of activating changes. In it, a specific date or block is determined as the activation moment, and all nodes must be updated by that point. This method does not involve prior signaling; participants simply need to update to the new software version by the established day or block.

• Advantages: Simplicity and predictability are the main benefits of Flag Day, as everyone knows the exact activation date.

• Disadvantages: Inflexibility can be a problem because there is no way to adjust the schedule if a significant part of the network has not updated. This can result in network splits if a significant number of nodes are not ready for the update.

An example of Flag Day was the Pay to Script Hash (P2SH) update in 2012, which required all nodes to adopt the change to avoid compatibility issues.

BIP34 and BIP9

BIP34 introduced a more dynamic process, in which miners increase the version number in block headers to signal the update. When a predetermined percentage of the last blocks is mined with this new version, the update is automatically activated. This model later evolved with BIP9, which allowed multiple updates to be signaled simultaneously through "version bits," each corresponding to a specific change.

• Advantages: Allows the network to activate updates gradually, giving more time for participants to adapt.

• Disadvantages: These methods rely heavily on miner support, which means that if a sufficient number of miners do not signal the update, it can be delayed or not implemented.

BIP9 was used in the activation of SegWit (BIP141) but faced challenges because some miners did not signal their intent to activate, leading to the development of new mechanisms.

User Activated Soft Forks (UASF) and User Resisted Soft Forks (URSF)

To increase the decision-making power of ordinary users, the concept of User Activated Soft Fork (UASF) was introduced, allowing node operators, not just miners, to determine consensus for a change. In this model, nodes set a date to start rejecting blocks that are not in compliance with the new update, forcing miners to adapt or risk having their blocks rejected by the network.

URSF, in turn, is a model where nodes reject blocks that attempt to adopt a specific update, functioning as resistance against proposed changes.

• Advantages: UASF returns decision-making power to node operators, ensuring that changes do not depend solely on miners.

• Disadvantages: Both UASF and URSF can generate network splits, especially in cases of strong opposition among different stakeholders.

An example of UASF was the activation of SegWit in 2017, where users supported activation independently of miner signaling, which ended up forcing its adoption.

BIP8 (LOT=True)

BIP8 is an evolution of BIP9, designed to prevent miners from indefinitely blocking a change desired by the majority of users and developers. BIP8 allows setting a parameter called "lockinontimeout" (LOT) as true, which means that if the update has not been fully signaled by a certain point, it is automatically activated.

• Advantages: Ensures that changes with broad support among users are not blocked by miners who wish to maintain the status quo.

• Disadvantages: Can lead to network splits if miners or other important stakeholders do not support the update.

Although BIP8 with LOT=True has not yet been used in Bitcoin, it is a proposal that can be applied in future updates if necessary.

These activation mechanisms have been essential for Bitcoin's development, allowing updates that keep the network secure and functional. Each method brings its own advantages and challenges, but all share the goal of preserving consensus and network cohesion.

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5. Risks and Considerations in Consensus Updates

Consensus updates in Bitcoin are complex processes that involve not only technical aspects but also political, economic, and social considerations. Due to the network's decentralized nature, each change brings with it a set of risks that need to be carefully assessed. Below, we explore some of the main challenges and future scenarios, as well as the possible impacts on stakeholders.

Network Fragility with Alternative Implementations

One of the main risks associated with consensus updates is the possibility of network fragmentation when there are alternative software implementations. If an update is implemented by a significant group of nodes but rejected by others, a network split (fork) can occur. This creates two competing chains, each with a different version of the transaction history, leading to unpredictable consequences for users and investors.

Such fragmentation weakens Bitcoin because, by dividing hashing power (computing) and coin value, it reduces network security and investor confidence. A notable example of this risk was the fork that gave rise to Bitcoin Cash in 2017 when disagreements over block size resulted in a new chain and a new asset.

Chain Splits and Impact on Stakeholders

Chain splits are a significant risk in update processes, especially in hard forks. During a hard fork, the network is split into two separate chains, each with its own set of rules. This results in the creation of a new coin and leaves users with duplicated assets on both chains. While this may seem advantageous, in the long run, these splits weaken the network and create uncertainties for investors.

Each group of stakeholders reacts differently to a chain split:

• Institutional Investors and ETFs: Face regulatory and compliance challenges because many of these assets are managed under strict regulations. The creation of a new coin requires decisions to be made quickly to avoid potential losses, which may be hampered by regulatory constraints.

• Miners: May be incentivized to shift their computing power to the chain that offers higher profitability, which can weaken one of the networks.

• Economic Nodes: Such as major exchanges and custody providers, have to quickly choose which chain to support, influencing the perceived value of each network.

Such divisions can generate uncertainties and loss of value, especially for institutional investors and those who use Bitcoin as a store of value.

Regulatory Impacts and Institutional Investors

With the growing presence of institutional investors in Bitcoin, consensus changes face new compliance challenges. Bitcoin ETFs, for example, are required to follow strict rules about which assets they can include and how chain split events should be handled. The creation of a new asset or migration to a new chain can complicate these processes, creating pressure for large financial players to quickly choose a chain, affecting the stability of consensus.

Moreover, decisions regarding forks can influence the Bitcoin futures and derivatives market, affecting perception and adoption by new investors. Therefore, the need to avoid splits and maintain cohesion is crucial to attract and preserve the confidence of these investors.

Security Considerations in Soft Forks and Hard Forks

While soft forks are generally preferred in Bitcoin for their backward compatibility, they are not without risks. Soft forks can create different classes of nodes on the network (updated and non-updated), which increases operational complexity and can ultimately weaken consensus cohesion. In a network scenario with fragmentation of node classes, Bitcoin's security can be affected, as some nodes may lose part of the visibility over updated transactions or rules.

In hard forks, the security risk is even more evident because all nodes need to adopt the new update to avoid network division. Experience shows that abrupt changes can create temporary vulnerabilities, in which malicious agents try to exploit the transition to attack the network.

Bounty Claim Risks and Attack Scenarios

Another risk in consensus updates are so-called "bounty claims"—accumulated rewards that can be obtained if an attacker manages to split or deceive a part of the network. In a conflict scenario, a group of miners or nodes could be incentivized to support a new update or create an alternative version of the software to benefit from these rewards.

These risks require stakeholders to carefully assess each update and the potential vulnerabilities it may introduce. The possibility of "bounty claims" adds a layer of complexity to consensus because each interest group may see a financial opportunity in a change that, in the long term, may harm network stability.

The risks discussed above show the complexity of consensus in Bitcoin and the importance of approaching it gradually and deliberately. Updates need to consider not only technical aspects but also economic and social implications, in order to preserve Bitcoin's integrity and maintain trust among stakeholders.

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6. Recommendations for the Consensus Process in Bitcoin

To ensure that protocol changes in Bitcoin are implemented safely and with broad support, it is essential that all stakeholders adopt a careful and coordinated approach. Here are strategic recommendations for evaluating, supporting, or rejecting consensus updates, considering the risks and challenges discussed earlier, along with best practices for successful implementation.

1. Careful Evaluation of Proposal Maturity

Stakeholders should rigorously assess the maturity level of a proposal before supporting its implementation. Updates that are still experimental or lack a robust technical foundation can expose the network to unnecessary risks. Ideally, change proposals should go through an extensive testing phase, have security audits, and receive review and feedback from various developers and experts.

2. Extensive Testing in Secure and Compatible Networks

Before an update is activated on the mainnet, it is essential to test it on networks like testnet and signet, and whenever possible, on other compatible networks that offer a safe and controlled environment to identify potential issues. Testing on networks like Litecoin was fundamental for the safe launch of innovations like SegWit and the Lightning Network, allowing functionalities to be validated on a lower-impact network before being implemented on Bitcoin.

The Liquid Network, developed by Blockstream, also plays an important role as an experimental network for new proposals, such as OP_CAT. By adopting these testing environments, stakeholders can mitigate risks and ensure that the update is reliable and secure before being adopted by the main network.

3. Importance of Stakeholder Engagement

The success of a consensus update strongly depends on the active participation of all stakeholders. This includes economic nodes, miners, protocol developers, investors, and end users. Lack of participation can lead to inadequate decisions or even future network splits, which would compromise Bitcoin's security and stability.

4. Key Questions for Evaluating Consensus Proposals

To assist in decision-making, each group of stakeholders should consider some key questions before supporting a consensus change:

• Does the proposal offer tangible benefits for Bitcoin's security, scalability, or usability?
• Does it maintain backward compatibility or introduce the risk of network split?
• Are the implementation requirements clear and feasible for each group involved?
• Are there clear and aligned incentives for all stakeholder groups to accept the change?

5. Coordination and Timing in Implementations

Timing is crucial. Updates with short activation windows can force a split because not all nodes and miners can update simultaneously. Changes should be planned with ample deadlines to allow all stakeholders to adjust their systems, avoiding surprises that could lead to fragmentation.

Mechanisms like soft forks are generally preferable to hard forks because they allow a smoother transition. Opting for backward-compatible updates when possible facilitates the process and ensures that nodes and miners can adapt without pressure.

6. Continuous Monitoring and Re-evaluation

After an update, it's essential to monitor the network to identify problems or side effects. This continuous process helps ensure cohesion and trust among all participants, keeping Bitcoin as a secure and robust network.

These recommendations, including the use of secure networks for extensive testing, promote a collaborative and secure environment for Bitcoin's consensus process. By adopting a deliberate and strategic approach, stakeholders can preserve Bitcoin's value as a decentralized and censorship-resistant network.

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7. Conclusion

Consensus in Bitcoin is more than a set of rules; it's the foundation that sustains the network as a decentralized, secure, and reliable system. Unlike centralized systems, where decisions can be made quickly, Bitcoin requires a much more deliberate and cooperative approach, where the interests of miners, economic nodes, developers, investors, and users must be considered and harmonized. This governance model may seem slow, but it is fundamental to preserving the resilience and trust that make Bitcoin a global store of value and censorship-resistant.

Consensus updates in Bitcoin must balance the need for innovation with the preservation of the network's core principles. The development process of a proposal needs to be detailed and rigorous, going through several testing stages, such as in testnet, signet, and compatible networks like Litecoin and Liquid Network. These networks offer safe environments for proposals to be analyzed and improved before being launched on the main network.

Each proposed change must be carefully evaluated regarding its maturity, impact, backward compatibility, and support among stakeholders. The recommended key questions and appropriate timing are critical to ensure that an update is adopted without compromising network cohesion. It's also essential that the implementation process is continuously monitored and re-evaluated, allowing adjustments as necessary and minimizing the risk of instability.

By following these guidelines, Bitcoin's stakeholders can ensure that the network continues to evolve safely and robustly, maintaining user trust and further solidifying its role as one of the most resilient and innovative digital assets in the world. Ultimately, consensus in Bitcoin is not just a technical issue but a reflection of its community and the values it represents: security, decentralization, and resilience.

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8. Links

Whitepaper: https://github.com/bitcoin-cap/bcap

Youtube (pt-br): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rARycAibl9o&list=PL-qnhF0qlSPkfhorqsREuIu4UTbF0h4zb

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The future of physical money is at stake, and the discussion about DREX, the new digital currency planned by the Central Bank of Brazil, is gaining momentum. In a candid and intense conversation, Federal Deputy Julia Zanatta (PL/SC) discussed the challenges and risks of this digital transition, also addressing her Bill No. 3,341/2024, which aims to prevent the extinction of physical currency. This bill emerges as a direct response to legislative initiatives seeking to replace physical money with digital alternatives, limiting citizens' options and potentially compromising individual freedom. Let's delve into the main points of this conversation.

https://www.fountain.fm/episode/i5YGJ9Ors3PkqAIMvNQ0

(PT-BR version here)

What is a CBDC?

Before discussing the specifics of DREX, it’s important to understand what a CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) is. CBDCs are digital currencies issued by central banks, similar to a digital version of physical money. Unlike cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, which operate in a decentralized manner, CBDCs are centralized and regulated by the government. In other words, they are digital currencies created and controlled by the Central Bank, intended to replace physical currency.

A prominent feature of CBDCs is their programmability. This means that the government can theoretically set rules about how, where, and for what this currency can be used. This aspect enables a level of control over citizens' finances that is impossible with physical money. By programming the currency, the government could limit transactions by setting geographical or usage restrictions. In practice, money within a CBDC could be restricted to specific spending or authorized for use in a defined geographical area.

In countries like China, where citizen actions and attitudes are also monitored, a person considered to have a "low score" due to a moral or ideological violation may have their transactions limited to essential purchases, restricting their digital currency use to non-essential activities. This financial control is strengthened because, unlike physical money, digital currency cannot be exchanged anonymously.

Practical Example: The Case of DREX During the Pandemic

To illustrate how DREX could be used, an example was given by Eric Altafim, director of Banco Itaú. He suggested that, if DREX had existed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government could have restricted the currency’s use to a 5-kilometer radius around a person’s residence, limiting their economic mobility. Another proposed use by the executive related to the Bolsa Família welfare program: the government could set up programming that only allows this benefit to be used exclusively for food purchases. Although these examples are presented as control measures for safety or organization, they demonstrate how much a CBDC could restrict citizens' freedom of choice.

To illustrate the potential for state control through a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), such as DREX, it is helpful to look at the example of China. In China, the implementation of a CBDC coincides with the country’s Social Credit System, a governmental surveillance tool that assesses citizens' and companies' behavior. Together, these technologies allow the Chinese government to monitor, reward, and, above all, punish behavior deemed inappropriate or threatening to the government.

How Does China's Social Credit System Work?

Implemented in 2014, China's Social Credit System assigns every citizen and company a "score" based on various factors, including financial behavior, criminal record, social interactions, and even online activities. This score determines the benefits or penalties each individual receives and can affect everything from public transport access to obtaining loans and enrolling in elite schools for their children. Citizens with low scores may face various sanctions, including travel restrictions, fines, and difficulty in securing loans.

With the adoption of the CBDC — or “digital yuan” — the Chinese government now has a new tool to closely monitor citizens' financial transactions, facilitating the application of Social Credit System penalties. China’s CBDC is a programmable digital currency, which means that the government can restrict how, when, and where the money can be spent. Through this level of control, digital currency becomes a powerful mechanism for influencing citizens' behavior.

Imagine, for instance, a citizen who repeatedly posts critical remarks about the government on social media or participates in protests. If the Social Credit System assigns this citizen a low score, the Chinese government could, through the CBDC, restrict their money usage in certain areas or sectors. For example, they could be prevented from buying tickets to travel to other regions, prohibited from purchasing certain consumer goods, or even restricted to making transactions only at stores near their home.

Another example of how the government can use the CBDC to enforce the Social Credit System is by monitoring purchases of products such as alcohol or luxury items. If a citizen uses the CBDC to spend more than the government deems reasonable on such products, this could negatively impact their social score, resulting in additional penalties such as future purchase restrictions or a lowered rating that impacts their personal and professional lives.

In China, this kind of control has already been demonstrated in several cases. Citizens added to Social Credit System “blacklists” have seen their spending and investment capacity severely limited. The combination of digital currency and social scores thus creates a sophisticated and invasive surveillance system, through which the Chinese government controls important aspects of citizens’ financial lives and individual freedoms.

Deputy Julia Zanatta views these examples with great concern. She argues that if the state has full control over digital money, citizens will be exposed to a level of economic control and surveillance never seen before. In a democracy, this control poses a risk, but in an authoritarian regime, it could be used as a powerful tool of repression.

DREX and Bill No. 3,341/2024

Julia Zanatta became aware of a bill by a Workers' Party (PT) deputy (Bill 4068/2020 by Deputy Reginaldo Lopes - PT/MG) that proposes the extinction of physical money within five years, aiming for a complete transition to DREX, the digital currency developed by the Central Bank of Brazil. Concerned about the impact of this measure, Julia drafted her bill, PL No. 3,341/2024, which prohibits the elimination of physical money, ensuring citizens the right to choose physical currency.

“The more I read about DREX, the less I want its implementation,” says the deputy. DREX is a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), similar to other state digital currencies worldwide, but which, according to Julia, carries extreme control risks. She points out that with DREX, the State could closely monitor each citizen’s transactions, eliminating anonymity and potentially restricting freedom of choice. This control would lie in the hands of the Central Bank, which could, in a crisis or government change, “freeze balances or even delete funds directly from user accounts.”

Risks and Individual Freedom

Julia raises concerns about potential abuses of power that complete digitalization could allow. In a democracy, state control over personal finances raises serious questions, and EddieOz warns of an even more problematic future. “Today we are in a democracy, but tomorrow, with a government transition, we don't know if this kind of power will be used properly or abused,” he states. In other words, DREX gives the State the ability to restrict or condition the use of money, opening the door to unprecedented financial surveillance.

EddieOz cites Nigeria as an example, where a CBDC was implemented, and the government imposed severe restrictions on the use of physical money to encourage the use of digital currency, leading to protests and clashes in the country. In practice, the poorest and unbanked — those without regular access to banking services — were harshly affected, as without physical money, many cannot conduct basic transactions. Julia highlights that in Brazil, this situation would be even more severe, given the large number of unbanked individuals and the extent of rural areas where access to technology is limited.

The Relationship Between DREX and Pix

The digital transition has already begun with Pix, which revolutionized instant transfers and payments in Brazil. However, Julia points out that Pix, though popular, is a citizen’s choice, while DREX tends to eliminate that choice. The deputy expresses concern about new rules suggested for Pix, such as daily transaction limits of a thousand reais, justified as anti-fraud measures but which, in her view, represent additional control and a profit opportunity for banks. “How many more rules will banks create to profit from us?” asks Julia, noting that DREX could further enhance control over personal finances.

International Precedents and Resistance to CBDC

The deputy also cites examples from other countries resisting the idea of a centralized digital currency. In the United States, states like New Hampshire have passed laws to prevent the advance of CBDCs, and leaders such as Donald Trump have opposed creating a national digital currency. Trump, addressing the topic, uses a justification similar to Julia’s: in a digitalized system, “with one click, your money could disappear.” She agrees with the warning, emphasizing the control risk that a CBDC represents, especially for countries with disadvantaged populations.

Besides the United States, Canada, Colombia, and Australia have also suspended studies on digital currencies, citing the need for further discussions on population impacts. However, in Brazil, the debate on DREX is still limited, with few parliamentarians and political leaders openly discussing the topic. According to Julia, only she and one or two deputies are truly trying to bring this discussion to the Chamber, making DREX’s advance even more concerning.

Bill No. 3,341/2024 and Popular Pressure

For Julia, her bill is a first step. Although she acknowledges that ideally, it would prevent DREX's implementation entirely, PL 3341/2024 is a measure to ensure citizens' choice to use physical money, preserving a form of individual freedom. “If the future means control, I prefer to live in the past,” Julia asserts, reinforcing that the fight for freedom is at the heart of her bill.

However, the deputy emphasizes that none of this will be possible without popular mobilization. According to her, popular pressure is crucial for other deputies to take notice and support PL 3341. “I am only one deputy, and we need the public’s support to raise the project’s visibility,” she explains, encouraging the public to press other parliamentarians and ask them to “pay attention to PL 3341 and the project that prohibits the end of physical money.” The deputy believes that with a strong awareness and pressure movement, it is possible to advance the debate and ensure Brazilians’ financial freedom.

What’s at Stake?

Julia Zanatta leaves no doubt: DREX represents a profound shift in how money will be used and controlled in Brazil. More than a simple modernization of the financial system, the Central Bank’s CBDC sets precedents for an unprecedented level of citizen surveillance and control in the country. For the deputy, this transition needs to be debated broadly and transparently, and it’s up to the Brazilian people to defend their rights and demand that the National Congress discuss these changes responsibly.

The deputy also emphasizes that, regardless of political or partisan views, this issue affects all Brazilians. “This agenda is something that will affect everyone. We need to be united to ensure people understand the gravity of what could happen.” Julia believes that by sharing information and generating open debate, it is possible to prevent Brazil from following the path of countries that have already implemented a digital currency in an authoritarian way.

A Call to Action

The future of physical money in Brazil is at risk. For those who share Deputy Julia Zanatta’s concerns, the time to act is now. Mobilize, get informed, and press your representatives. PL 3341/2024 is an opportunity to ensure that Brazilian citizens have a choice in how to use their money, without excessive state interference or surveillance.

In the end, as the deputy puts it, the central issue is freedom. “My fear is that this project will pass, and people won’t even understand what is happening.” Therefore, may every citizen at least have the chance to understand what’s at stake and make their voice heard in defense of a Brazil where individual freedom and privacy are respected values.

@ 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

@ 6389be64:ef439d32

Bitcoin is more than money, more than an asset, and more than a store of value. Bitcoin is a Prime Mover, an enabler and it ignites imaginations. It certainly fueled an idea in my mind. The idea integrates sensors, computational prowess, actuated machinery, power conversion, and electronic communications to form an autonomous, machined creature roaming forests and harvesting the most widespread and least energy-dense fuel source available. I call it the Forest Walker and it eats wood, and mines Bitcoin.

I know what you're thinking. Why not just put Bitcoin mining rigs where they belong: in a hosted facility sporting electricity from energy-dense fuels like natural gas, climate-controlled with excellent data piping in and out? Why go to all the trouble building a robot that digests wood creating flammable gasses fueling an engine to run a generator powering Bitcoin miners? It's all about synergy.

Bitcoin mining enables the realization of multiple, seemingly unrelated, yet useful activities. Activities considered un-profitable if not for Bitcoin as the Prime Mover. This is much more than simply mining the greatest asset ever conceived by humankind. It’s about the power of synergy, which Bitcoin plays only one of many roles. The synergy created by this system can stabilize forests' fire ecology while generating multiple income streams. That’s the realistic goal here and requires a brief history of American Forest management before continuing.

Smokey The Bear

In 1944, the Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention Campaign began in the United States. “Only YOU can prevent forest fires” remains the refrain of the Ad Council’s longest running campaign. The Ad Council is a U.S. non-profit set up by the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Association of National Advertisers in 1942. It would seem that the U.S. Department of the Interior was concerned about pesky forest fires and wanted them to stop. So, alongside a national policy of extreme fire suppression they enlisted the entire U.S. population to get onboard via the Ad Council and it worked. Forest fires were almost obliterated and everyone was happy, right? Wrong.

Smokey is a fantastically successful bear so forest fires became so few for so long that the fuel load - dead wood - in forests has become very heavy. So heavy that when a fire happens (and they always happen) it destroys everything in its path because the more fuel there is the hotter that fire becomes. Trees, bushes, shrubs, and all other plant life cannot escape destruction (not to mention homes and businesses). The soil microbiology doesn’t escape either as it is burned away even in deeper soils. To add insult to injury, hydrophobic waxy residues condense on the soil surface, forcing water to travel over the ground rather than through it eroding forest soils. Good job, Smokey. Well done, Sir!

Most terrestrial ecologies are “fire ecologies”. Fire is a part of these systems’ fuel load and pest management. Before we pretended to “manage” millions of acres of forest, fires raged over the world, rarely damaging forests. The fuel load was always too light to generate fires hot enough to moonscape mountainsides. Fires simply burned off the minor amounts of fuel accumulated since the fire before. The lighter heat, smoke, and other combustion gasses suppressed pests, keeping them in check and the smoke condensed into a plant growth accelerant called wood vinegar, not a waxy cap on the soil. These fires also cleared out weak undergrowth, cycled minerals, and thinned the forest canopy, allowing sunlight to penetrate to the forest floor. Without a fire’s heat, many pine tree species can’t sow their seed. The heat is required to open the cones (the seed bearing structure) of Spruce, Cypress, Sequoia, Jack Pine, Lodgepole Pine and many more. Without fire forests can’t have babies. The idea was to protect the forests, and it isn't working.

So, in a world of fire, what does an ally look like and what does it do?

Meet The Forest Walker

For the Forest Walker to work as a mobile, autonomous unit, a solid platform that can carry several hundred pounds is required. It so happens this chassis already exists but shelved.

Introducing the Legged Squad Support System (LS3). A joint project between Boston Dynamics, DARPA, and the United States Marine Corps, the quadrupedal robot is the size of a cow, can carry 400 pounds (180 kg) of equipment, negotiate challenging terrain, and operate for 24 hours before needing to refuel. Yes, it had an engine. Abandoned in 2015, the thing was too noisy for military deployment and maintenance "under fire" is never a high-quality idea. However, we can rebuild it to act as a platform for the Forest Walker; albeit with serious alterations. It would need to be bigger, probably. Carry more weight? Definitely. Maybe replace structural metal with carbon fiber and redesign much as 3D printable parts for more effective maintenance.

The original system has a top operational speed of 8 miles per hour. For our purposes, it only needs to move about as fast as a grazing ruminant. Without the hammering vibrations of galloping into battle, shocks of exploding mortars, and drunken soldiers playing "Wrangler of Steel Machines", time between failures should be much longer and the overall energy consumption much lower. The LS3 is a solid platform to build upon. Now it just needs to be pulled out of the mothballs, and completely refitted with outboard equipment.

The Small Branch Chipper

When I say “Forest fuel load” I mean the dead, carbon containing litter on the forest floor. Duff (leaves), fine-woody debris (small branches), and coarse woody debris (logs) are the fuel that feeds forest fires. Walk through any forest in the United States today and you will see quite a lot of these materials. Too much, as I have described. Some of these fuel loads can be 8 tons per acre in pine and hardwood forests and up to 16 tons per acre at active logging sites. That’s some big wood and the more that collects, the more combustible danger to the forest it represents. It also provides a technically unlimited fuel supply for the Forest Walker system.

The problem is that this detritus has to be chewed into pieces that are easily ingestible by the system for the gasification process (we’ll get to that step in a minute). What we need is a wood chipper attached to the chassis (the LS3); its “mouth”.

A small wood chipper handling material up to 2.5 - 3.0 inches (6.3 - 7.6 cm) in diameter would eliminate a substantial amount of fuel. There is no reason for Forest Walker to remove fallen trees. It wouldn’t have to in order to make a real difference. It need only identify appropriately sized branches and grab them. Once loaded into the chipper’s intake hopper for further processing, the beast can immediately look for more “food”. This is essentially kindling that would help ignite larger logs. If it’s all consumed by Forest Walker, then it’s not present to promote an aggravated conflagration.

I have glossed over an obvious question: How does Forest Walker see and identify branches and such? LiDaR (Light Detection and Ranging) attached to Forest Walker images the local area and feed those data to onboard computers for processing. Maybe AI plays a role. Maybe simple machine learning can do the trick. One thing is for certain: being able to identify a stick and cause robotic appendages to pick it up is not impossible.

Great! We now have a quadrupedal robot autonomously identifying and “eating” dead branches and other light, combustible materials. Whilst strolling through the forest, depleting future fires of combustibles, Forest Walker has already performed a major function of this system: making the forest safer. It's time to convert this low-density fuel into a high-density fuel Forest Walker can leverage. Enter the gasification process.

The Gassifier

The gasifier is the heart of the entire system; it’s where low-density fuel becomes the high-density fuel that powers the entire system. Biochar and wood vinegar are process wastes and I’ll discuss why both are powerful soil amendments in a moment, but first, what’s gasification?

Reacting shredded carbonaceous material at high temperatures in a low or no oxygen environment converts the biomass into biochar, wood vinegar, heat, and Synthesis Gas (Syngas). Syngas consists primarily of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane. All of which are extremely useful fuels in a gaseous state. Part of this gas is used to heat the input biomass and keep the reaction temperature constant while the internal combustion engine that drives the generator to produce electrical power consumes the rest.

Critically, this gasification process is “continuous feed”. Forest Walker must intake biomass from the chipper, process it to fuel, and dump the waste (CO2, heat, biochar, and wood vinegar) continuously. It cannot stop. Everything about this system depends upon this continual grazing, digestion, and excretion of wastes just as a ruminal does. And, like a ruminant, all waste products enhance the local environment.

When I first heard of gasification, I didn’t believe that it was real. Running an electric generator from burning wood seemed more akin to “conspiracy fantasy” than science. Not only is gasification real, it’s ancient technology. A man named Dean Clayton first started experiments on gasification in 1699 and in 1901 gasification was used to power a vehicle. By the end of World War II, there were 500,000 Syngas powered vehicles in Germany alone because of fossil fuel rationing during the war. The global gasification market was $480 billion in 2022 and projected to be as much as $700 billion by 2030 (Vantage Market Research). Gasification technology is the best choice to power the Forest Walker because it’s self-contained and we want its waste products.

Biochar: The Waste

Biochar (AKA agricultural charcoal) is fairly simple: it’s almost pure, solid carbon that resembles charcoal. Its porous nature packs large surface areas into small, 3 dimensional nuggets. Devoid of most other chemistry, like hydrocarbons (methane) and ash (minerals), biochar is extremely lightweight. Do not confuse it with the charcoal you buy for your grill. Biochar doesn’t make good grilling charcoal because it would burn too rapidly as it does not contain the multitude of flammable components that charcoal does. Biochar has several other good use cases. Water filtration, water retention, nutrient retention, providing habitat for microscopic soil organisms, and carbon sequestration are the main ones that we are concerned with here.

Carbon has an amazing ability to adsorb (substances stick to and accumulate on the surface of an object) manifold chemistries. Water, nutrients, and pollutants tightly bind to carbon in this format. So, biochar makes a respectable filter and acts as a “battery” of water and nutrients in soils. Biochar adsorbs and holds on to seven times its weight in water. Soil containing biochar is more drought resilient than soil without it. Adsorbed nutrients, tightly sequestered alongside water, get released only as plants need them. Plants must excrete protons (H+) from their roots to disgorge water or positively charged nutrients from the biochar's surface; it's an active process.

Biochar’s surface area (where adsorption happens) can be 500 square meters per gram or more. That is 10% larger than an official NBA basketball court for every gram of biochar. Biochar’s abundant surface area builds protective habitats for soil microbes like fungi and bacteria and many are critical for the health and productivity of the soil itself.

The “carbon sequestration” component of biochar comes into play where “carbon credits” are concerned. There is a financial market for carbon. Not leveraging that market for revenue is foolish. I am climate agnostic. All I care about is that once solid carbon is inside the soil, it will stay there for thousands of years, imparting drought resiliency, fertility collection, nutrient buffering, and release for that time span. I simply want as much solid carbon in the soil because of the undeniably positive effects it has, regardless of any climactic considerations.

Wood Vinegar: More Waste

Another by-product of the gasification process is wood vinegar (Pyroligneous acid). If you have ever seen Liquid Smoke in the grocery store, then you have seen wood vinegar. Principally composed of acetic acid, acetone, and methanol wood vinegar also contains ~200 other organic compounds. It would seem intuitive that condensed, liquefied wood smoke would at least be bad for the health of all living things if not downright carcinogenic. The counter intuition wins the day, however. Wood vinegar has been used by humans for a very long time to promote digestion, bowel, and liver health; combat diarrhea and vomiting; calm peptic ulcers and regulate cholesterol levels; and a host of other benefits.

For centuries humans have annually burned off hundreds of thousands of square miles of pasture, grassland, forest, and every other conceivable terrestrial ecosystem. Why is this done? After every burn, one thing becomes obvious: the almost supernatural growth these ecosystems exhibit after the burn. How? Wood vinegar is a component of this growth. Even in open burns, smoke condenses and infiltrates the soil. That is when wood vinegar shows its quality.

This stuff beefs up not only general plant growth but seed germination as well and possesses many other qualities that are beneficial to plants. It’s a pesticide, fungicide, promotes beneficial soil microorganisms, enhances nutrient uptake, and imparts disease resistance. I am barely touching a long list of attributes here, but you want wood vinegar in your soil (alongside biochar because it adsorbs wood vinegar as well).

The Internal Combustion Engine

Conversion of grazed forage to chemical, then mechanical, and then electrical energy completes the cycle. The ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) converts the gaseous fuel output from the gasifier to mechanical energy, heat, water vapor, and CO2. It’s the mechanical energy of a rotating drive shaft that we want. That rotation drives the electric generator, which is the heartbeat we need to bring this monster to life. Luckily for us, combined internal combustion engine and generator packages are ubiquitous, delivering a defined energy output given a constant fuel input. It’s the simplest part of the system.

The obvious question here is whether the amount of syngas provided by the gasification process will provide enough energy to generate enough electrons to run the entire system or not. While I have no doubt the energy produced will run Forest Walker's main systems the question is really about the electrons left over. Will it be enough to run the Bitcoin mining aspect of the system? Everything is a budget.

CO2 Production For Growth

Plants are lollipops. No matter if it’s a tree or a bush or a shrubbery, the entire thing is mostly sugar in various formats but mostly long chain carbohydrates like lignin and cellulose. Plants need three things to make sugar: CO2, H2O and light. In a forest, where tree densities can be quite high, CO2 availability becomes a limiting growth factor. It’d be in the forest interests to have more available CO2 providing for various sugar formation providing the organism with food and structure.

An odd thing about tree leaves, the openings that allow gasses like the ever searched for CO2 are on the bottom of the leaf (these are called stomata). Not many stomata are topside. This suggests that trees and bushes have evolved to find gasses like CO2 from below, not above and this further suggests CO2 might be in higher concentrations nearer the soil.

The soil life (bacterial, fungi etc.) is constantly producing enormous amounts of CO2 and it would stay in the soil forever (eventually killing the very soil life that produces it) if not for tidal forces. Water is everywhere and whether in pools, lakes, oceans or distributed in “moist” soils water moves towards to the moon. The water in the soil and also in the water tables below the soil rise toward the surface every day. When the water rises, it expels the accumulated gasses in the soil into the atmosphere and it’s mostly CO2. It’s a good bet on how leaves developed high populations of stomata on the underside of leaves. As the water relaxes (the tide goes out) it sucks oxygenated air back into the soil to continue the functions of soil life respiration. The soil “breathes” albeit slowly.

The gasses produced by the Forest Walker’s internal combustion engine consist primarily of CO2 and H2O. Combusting sugars produce the same gasses that are needed to construct the sugars because the universe is funny like that. The Forest Walker is constantly laying down these critical construction elements right where the trees need them: close to the ground to be gobbled up by the trees.

The Branch Drones

During the last ice age, giant mammals populated North America - forests and otherwise. Mastodons, woolly mammoths, rhinos, short-faced bears, steppe bison, caribou, musk ox, giant beavers, camels, gigantic ground-dwelling sloths, glyptodons, and dire wolves were everywhere. Many were ten to fifteen feet tall. As they crashed through forests, they would effectively cleave off dead side-branches of trees, halting the spread of a ground-based fire migrating into the tree crown ("laddering") which is a death knell for a forest.

These animals are all extinct now and forests no longer have any manner of pruning services. But, if we build drones fitted with cutting implements like saws and loppers, optical cameras and AI trained to discern dead branches from living ones, these drones could effectively take over pruning services by identifying, cutting, and dropping to the forest floor, dead branches. The dropped branches simply get collected by the Forest Walker as part of its continual mission.

The drones dock on the back of the Forest Walker to recharge their batteries when low. The whole scene would look like a grazing cow with some flies bothering it. This activity breaks the link between a relatively cool ground based fire and the tree crowns and is a vital element in forest fire control.

The Bitcoin Miner

Mining is one of four monetary incentive models, making this system a possibility for development. The other three are US Dept. of the Interior, township, county, and electrical utility company easement contracts for fuel load management, global carbon credits trading, and data set sales. All the above depends on obvious questions getting answered. I will list some obvious ones, but this is not an engineering document and is not the place for spreadsheets. How much Bitcoin one Forest Walker can mine depends on everything else. What amount of biomass can we process? Will that biomass flow enough Syngas to keep the lights on? Can the chassis support enough mining ASICs and supporting infrastructure? What does that weigh and will it affect field performance? How much power can the AC generator produce?

Other questions that are more philosophical persist. Even if a single Forest Walker can only mine scant amounts of BTC per day, that pales to how much fuel material it can process into biochar. We are talking about millions upon millions of forested acres in need of fuel load management. What can a single Forest Walker do? I am not thinking in singular terms. The Forest Walker must operate as a fleet. What could 50 do? 500?

What is it worth providing a service to the world by managing forest fuel loads? Providing proof of work to the global monetary system? Seeding soil with drought and nutrient resilience by the excretion, over time, of carbon by the ton? What did the last forest fire cost?

The Mesh Network

What could be better than one bitcoin mining, carbon sequestering, forest fire squelching, soil amending behemoth? Thousands of them, but then they would need to be able to talk to each other to coordinate position, data handling, etc. Fitted with a mesh networking device, like goTenna or Meshtastic LoRa equipment enables each Forest Walker to communicate with each other.

Now we have an interconnected fleet of Forest Walkers relaying data to each other and more importantly, aggregating all of that to the last link in the chain for uplink. Well, at least Bitcoin mining data. Since block data is lightweight, transmission of these data via mesh networking in fairly close quartered environs is more than doable. So, how does data transmit to the Bitcoin Network? How do the Forest Walkers get the previous block data necessary to execute on mining?

Back To The Chain

Getting Bitcoin block data to and from the network is the last puzzle piece. The standing presumption here is that wherever a Forest Walker fleet is operating, it is NOT within cell tower range. We further presume that the nearest Walmart Wi-Fi is hours away. Enter the Blockstream Satellite or something like it.

A separate, ground-based drone will have two jobs: To stay as close to the nearest Forest Walker as it can and to provide an antennae for either terrestrial or orbital data uplink. Bitcoin-centric data is transmitted to the "uplink drone" via the mesh networked transmitters and then sent on to the uplink and the whole flow goes in the opposite direction as well; many to one and one to many.

We cannot transmit data to the Blockstream satellite, and it will be up to Blockstream and companies like it to provide uplink capabilities in the future and I don't doubt they will. Starlink you say? What’s stopping that company from filtering out block data? Nothing because it’s Starlink’s system and they could decide to censor these data. It seems we may have a problem sending and receiving Bitcoin data in back country environs.

But, then again, the utility of this system in staunching the fuel load that creates forest fires is extremely useful around forested communities and many have fiber, Wi-Fi and cell towers. These communities could be a welcoming ground zero for first deployments of the Forest Walker system by the home and business owners seeking fire repression. In the best way, Bitcoin subsidizes the safety of the communities.

Sensor Packages

LiDaR

The benefit of having a Forest Walker fleet strolling through the forest is the never ending opportunity for data gathering. A plethora of deployable sensors gathering hyper-accurate data on everything from temperature to topography is yet another revenue generator. Data is valuable and the Forest Walker could generate data sales to various government entities and private concerns.

LiDaR (Light Detection and Ranging) can map topography, perform biomass assessment, comparative soil erosion analysis, etc. It so happens that the Forest Walker’s ability to “see,” to navigate about its surroundings, is LiDaR driven and since it’s already being used, we can get double duty by harvesting that data for later use. By using a laser to send out light pulses and measuring the time it takes for the reflection of those pulses to return, very detailed data sets incrementally build up. Eventually, as enough data about a certain area becomes available, the data becomes useful and valuable.

Forestry concerns, both private and public, often use LiDaR to build 3D models of tree stands to assess the amount of harvest-able lumber in entire sections of forest. Consulting companies offering these services charge anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars per square kilometer for such services. A Forest Walker generating such assessments on the fly while performing its other functions is a multi-disciplinary approach to revenue generation.

pH, Soil Moisture, and Cation Exchange Sensing

The Forest Walker is quadrupedal, so there are four contact points to the soil. Why not get a pH data point for every step it takes? We can also gather soil moisture data and cation exchange capacities at unheard of densities because of sampling occurring on the fly during commission of the system’s other duties. No one is going to build a machine to do pH testing of vast tracts of forest soils, but that doesn’t make the data collected from such an endeavor valueless. Since the Forest Walker serves many functions at once, a multitude of data products can add to the return on investment component.

Weather Data

Temperature, humidity, pressure, and even data like evapotranspiration gathered at high densities on broad acre scales have untold value and because the sensors are lightweight and don’t require large power budgets, they come along for the ride at little cost. But, just like the old mantra, “gas, grass, or ass, nobody rides for free”, these sensors provide potential revenue benefits just by them being present.

I’ve touched on just a few data genres here. In fact, the question for universities, governmental bodies, and other institutions becomes, “How much will you pay us to attach your sensor payload to the Forest Walker?”

Noise Suppression

Only you can prevent Metallica filling the surrounds with 120 dB of sound. Easy enough, just turn the car stereo off. But what of a fleet of 50 Forest Walkers operating in the backcountry or near a township? 500? 5000? Each one has a wood chipper, an internal combustion engine, hydraulic pumps, actuators, and more cooling fans than you can shake a stick at. It’s a walking, screaming fire-breathing dragon operating continuously, day and night, twenty-four hours a day, three hundred sixty-five days a year. The sound will negatively affect all living things and that impacts behaviors. Serious engineering consideration and prowess must deliver a silencing blow to the major issue of noise.

It would be foolish to think that a fleet of Forest Walkers could be silent, but if not a major design consideration, then the entire idea is dead on arrival. Townships would not allow them to operate even if they solved the problem of widespread fuel load and neither would governmental entities, and rightly so. Nothing, not man nor beast, would want to be subjected to an eternal, infernal scream even if it were to end within days as the fleet moved further away after consuming what it could. Noise and heat are the only real pollutants of this system; taking noise seriously from the beginning is paramount.

Fire Safety

A “fire-breathing dragon” is not the worst description of the Forest Walker. It eats wood, combusts it at very high temperatures and excretes carbon; and it does so in an extremely flammable environment. Bad mix for one Forest Walker, worse for many. One must take extreme pains to ensure that during normal operation, a Forest Walker could fall over, walk through tinder dry brush, or get pounded into the ground by a meteorite from Krypton and it wouldn’t destroy epic swaths of trees and baby deer. I envision an ultimate test of a prototype to include dowsing it in grain alcohol while it’s wrapped up in toilet paper like a pledge at a fraternity party. If it runs for 72 hours and doesn’t set everything on fire, then maybe outside entities won’t be fearful of something that walks around forests with a constant fire in its belly.

The Wrap

How we think about what can be done with and adjacent to Bitcoin is at least as important as Bitcoin’s economic standing itself. For those who will tell me that this entire idea is without merit, I say, “OK, fine. You can come up with something, too.” What can we plug Bitcoin into that, like a battery, makes something that does not work, work? That’s the lesson I get from this entire exercise. No one was ever going to hire teams of humans to go out and "clean the forest". There's no money in that. The data collection and sales from such an endeavor might provide revenues over the break-even point but investment demands Alpha in this day and age. But, plug Bitcoin into an almost viable system and, voilà! We tip the scales to achieve lift-off.

Let’s face it, we haven’t scratched the surface of Bitcoin’s forcing function on our minds. Not because it’s Bitcoin, but because of what that invention means. The question that pushes me to approach things this way is, “what can we create that one system’s waste is another system’s feedstock?” The Forest Walker system’s only real waste is the conversion of low entropy energy (wood and syngas) into high entropy energy (heat and noise). All other output is beneficial to humanity.

Bitcoin, I believe, is the first product of a new mode of human imagination. An imagination newly forged over the past few millennia of being lied to, stolen from, distracted and otherwise mis-allocated to a black hole of the nonsensical. We are waking up.

What I have presented is not science fiction. Everything I have described here is well within the realm of possibility. The question is one of viability, at least in terms of the detritus of the old world we find ourselves departing from. This system would take a non-trivial amount of time and resources to develop. I think the system would garner extensive long-term contracts from those who have the most to lose from wildfires, the most to gain from hyperaccurate data sets, and, of course, securing the most precious asset in the world. Many may not see it that way, for they seek Alpha and are therefore blind to other possibilities. Others will see only the possibilities; of thinking in a new way, of looking at things differently, and dreaming of what comes next.

@ 7ed5bd1c:4caa7587

Bitcoin กับปริมาณที่จำกัด

ในโลกที่เงินเฟ้อและการพิมพ์เงินอย่างไม่มีที่สิ้นสุดเป็นเรื่องปกติ Bitcoin กลายเป็นทรัพย์สินที่แตกต่างและน่าสนใจด้วยคุณสมบัติที่เรียกว่า "ความหายาก" หรือ Scarcity ซึ่งมีบทบาทสำคัญในการสร้างมูลค่าและความน่าเชื่อถือของมันในระยะยาว

Hard Cap: ขีดจำกัดปริมาณ Bitcoin

Bitcoin มีจำนวนจำกัดอยู่ที่ 21 ล้านเหรียญเท่านั้น และนี่ไม่ใช่เรื่องบังเอิญ แต่เป็นหลักการที่ถูกวางไว้ตั้งแต่การออกแบบโดย Satoshi Nakamoto ผู้สร้าง Bitcoin การจำกัดปริมาณนี้ถูกเขียนลงในโค้ดของ Bitcoin และไม่มีใครสามารถเปลี่ยนแปลงได้

ทำไมความหายากจึงสำคัญ?

1. ป้องกันเงินเฟ้อ: ในระบบการเงินแบบดั้งเดิม รัฐบาลและธนาคารกลางสามารถพิมพ์เงินเพิ่มได้อย่างไม่จำกัด ซึ่งนำไปสู่เงินเฟ้อและการเสื่อมค่าของเงิน แต่สำหรับ Bitcoin การจำกัดปริมาณทำให้ไม่เกิดเงินเฟ้อในระยะยาว
2. สร้างมูลค่า: เช่นเดียวกับทองคำที่มีจำนวนจำกัด ความหายากทำให้ Bitcoin เป็นที่ต้องการในฐานะทรัพย์สินที่เก็บมูลค่า
3. การกระจายและการใช้งาน: การมีจำนวนจำกัดกระตุ้นให้คนที่ถือ Bitcoin มองเห็นคุณค่าและใช้งานอย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ ไม่ใช่แค่เก็บสะสมไว้

ผลกระทบต่อมูลค่าในระยะยาว

• ความน่าเชื่อถือในฐานะทรัพย์สินที่เก็บมูลค่า: ด้วยจำนวนที่จำกัด Bitcoin มีโอกาสที่จะกลายเป็น "ทองคำดิจิทัล" ที่ประชาชนทั่วโลกใช้เพื่อปกป้องทรัพย์สินของพวกเขา
• แรงขับเคลื่อนของตลาด: ความต้องการ Bitcoin ที่เพิ่มขึ้นเมื่อเทียบกับจำนวนที่จำกัดทำให้มูลค่าของมันเพิ่มขึ้นในระยะยาว
• การเพิ่มมูลค่าผ่าน Halving: ทุก ๆ สี่ปี รางวัลสำหรับนักขุด Bitcoin จะลดลงครึ่งหนึ่ง (Halving) ซึ่งเป็นการลดอัตราการผลิต Bitcoin ใหม่ ทำให้ความหายากชัดเจนยิ่งขึ้น

บทเรียนจากความหายากของ Bitcoin

Bitcoin ไม่ได้เป็นเพียงคริปโตเคอร์เรนซีแรกในโลก แต่ยังเป็นทรัพย์สินที่สร้างความมั่นใจในมูลค่าให้กับผู้ใช้งานทั่วโลกด้วยคุณสมบัติของความหายาก คุณล่ะ เชื่อว่าความหายากของ Bitcoin จะส่งผลต่อมูลค่าในอนาคตหรือไม่? ร่วมแสดงความคิดเห็นด้านล่าง!

@ 5579d5c0:db104ded

Weston A. Price was a Canadian dentist and researcher who, during the 1930s, studied traditional diets worldwide, and correctly linked nutrient-rich whole foods to optimal dental and overall health.

His book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, remains one of the most important books ever written on health and one of my favourites.

Pictured: Cover of Weston Prices book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration

His research on indigenous populations around the world revealed a simple truth: human beings thrive on sunlight, nature and nutrient-dense, whole foods.

When traditional lifestyles were replaced by artificial light environments (moving from the country to the city) and ultra-processed foods (refined flour, sugar, and industrial oils), physical degeneration followed.

Crooked teeth, chronic disease, and weakened immunity became common. Sound familiar?

What did Price get right about nutrition?

Price's work showed that thriving societies shared common dietary foundations:

• Animal-Based Nutrition: Every healthy population consumed some form of meat, fish, and nose-to-tail organ meats. These foods provided essential fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K2), minerals, and bioavailable protein.
• Seafood: Coastal and island communities thrived on fish and shellfish, packed with DHA, iodine, and other critical nutrients for brain development and metabolic health.
• Nose-to-Tail Eating: Nothing was wasted. Bones, marrow, organs, and connective tissue were all consumed, providing collagen, glycine, and minerals vital for strong bones, joints, and teeth.

It didn't really matter what the rest of their diets were made up of, as long as they were whole foods, processed in the correct way.

Pictured: Left: Thriving on ancestral diets. Centre: Decline with modern diets. Right: The visible impact on children's health.

How Price's work breaks modern nutrition myths

Price’s findings dismantle many of today’s nutrition myths that we see on social media everyday.

• Oats are bad? Scottish islanders prepared them properly, without glyphosate.
• Fatty meat causes heart disease and cancer? The Inuit lived on it, free from disease.
• Fruit is harmful? Pacific Islanders consumed local and seasonal fruit and thrived.
• Unpasteurised milk will poison you? The Massai lived on it (and still do).
• Sourdough bread will cause diabetes? Swiss Villagers ate it regularly.
• Plants trying to kill you? The Kikuyu ate a 90% plant based diet but included meat.

I could go on and on here...

If this challenges your perspective, it might be worth reflecting on how closely personal identity can become tied to dietary choices.

Food is meant to nourish and be enjoyed, not followed like a rigid belief system.

*If a particular diet is working for you please continue with it.

The missing piece of the puzzle

While Price deeply understood the importance of ancestral diets, he overlooked one critical factor: sunlight and time outdoors.

All of the healthy populations he studied lived naturally, outside, grounded, and in sync with the sun.

This daily exposure to natural light regulated their circadian rhythms, increased vitamin D levels, and supported hormonal health.

The absence of artificial light at night further protected their health.

Today, some people eat well (most don't) but neglect this vital piece of the health puzzle.

Sunlight, outdoors, and grounding complete the foundation Price started.

Pictured: Incredible physiques and facial bone structure of Australian Aborigine eating their traditional diet and in sync with nature.

Health shouldn't be complicated

Modern nutrition and science has overcomplicated what we humans already knew for thousands of years.

Eat real food. Move outside. Embrace the sun. Limit artificial light.

Simple. Proven. Forgotten by fiat health.

- Chris

Ready to reclaim health the way nature intended? Let’s talk.

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

Further reading:

Cate Shanahan MD has an excellent book called 'Deep Nutrition' which explains in detail many of these concepts. https://drcate.com/deep-nutrition-why-your-genes-need-traditional-food/

https://www.ericdavisdental.com/facial-orthotropics-for-your-child/why-raise-unhealthy-children/how-our-ancestors-formed-full-faces-and-straight-teeth/

https://www.drstevenlin.com/the-dental-diet/

https://www.westonaprice.org/

@ b8851a06:9b120ba1

In a world where sovereignty is supposedly sacred, a startling truth emerges: The United States' attempt to purchase Greenland has exposed how territories and their populations can still be viewed as tradeable assets in the 21st century. This investigation reveals the true scope of what could be the most audacious territorial acquisition since the Alaska Purchase of 1867.

THE SOVEREIGNTY PARADOX

When Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen declared "Greenland is not for sale," she inadvertently highlighted a crucial irony: Denmark's authority to reject the sale implies ownership of a territory seeking self-determination. Prime Minister Egede's recent accusation of Danish genocide over the 1960s forced contraceptive program adds a chilling historical context to this modern power play.

THE REAL PRICE OF A NATION

The initial estimates of $12.5-77 billion, calculated by former New York Fed economist David Barker, barely scratch the surface. The true cost approaches $2 trillion when factoring in: - Infrastructure development: $1.5 trillion - Annual subsidies: $775 million - Resident compensation: $5.7-57 billion - Environmental protection costs: Billions annually

THE COLONIAL ECHO CHAMBER

HISTORICAL WOUNDS AND MODERN AMBITIONS Trump's refusal to rule out military force against a NATO ally marks an unprecedented threat in post-WW2 diplomacy. Meanwhile, Donald #Trump Jr.'s "private visits" to Greenland, coupled with Denmark's pointed refusal to meet him, reveals the intersection of personal business interests and national security policy.

THE RESOURCE SOVEREIGNTY EQUATION

Beneath Greenland's ice lies an estimated $1.1 trillion in mineral wealth, presenting an alluring economic incentive. However, this potential wealth raises fundamental questions about resource sovereignty:

DEVELOPMENT COSTS - 24 major development projects needed - $5 billion per project - 25-year implementation timeline - Current GDP: $3.236 billion

STRATEGIC RESOURCES - Rare earth elements crucial for technology - 31.9 billion barrels of oil equivalent - Vast hydroelectric potential - Green hydrogen production possibilities

THE ENVIRONMENTAL STAKES

Greenland's ice sheet contains enough water to raise global sea levels by 23 feet. Climate change is rapidly transforming resource accessibility, while environmental protection costs would run into billions annually. This environmental transformation creates both opportunities and responsibilities:

• Tourism sector potential: $450 million annually
• Climate change monitoring costs
• Environmental protection infrastructure
• Indigenous land management rights

THE GEOPOLITICAL CHESSBOARD

POWER DYNAMICS The acquisition would fundamentally alter Arctic power structures: - #NATO alliance relationships - Chinese economic interests - Arctic Council voting power - Maritime shipping routes

THE CHINESE SHADOW Denmark's 2017 intervention blocking Chinese acquisition of a former military base reveals Greenland's role in a larger geopolitical game. China's growing Arctic ambitions add urgency to American interests.

THE MONARCHICAL DIMENSION

King Frederik X's strategic modification of #Denmark 's royal coat of arms to emphasize Greenland ownership serves as a direct challenge to American ambitions, adding traditional power structures to modern sovereignty disputes.

PROBABILITY AND RESISTANCE

Current analysis suggests: - 60% chance of failure due to international opposition - 30% chance of diplomatic compromise - 10% chance of successful acquisition

THE INFLATION FACTOR

The purchase would trigger significant inflationary pressures through: - Massive fiscal expenditure in an already heated economy - Supply chain disruptions - Construction and development costs - Core PCE inflation impact - Federal Reserve policy complications

LEGAL AND FINANCIAL HURDLES

The acquisition faces numerous obstacles: - International maritime law complications - Indigenous rights considerations - Existing mining licenses - Danish sovereign debt obligations - NATO alliance implications

THE SOVEREIGNTY SOLUTION

The path forward likely lies not in purchase but in supporting Greenlandic self-determination. With only 56,000 residents, the per capita acquisition cost would be astronomical, but the human cost of ignoring sovereignty rights would be immeasurable.

CONCLUSION: THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

The true cost of purchasing Greenland extends beyond economics into the realm of human rights and dignity. As climate change transforms the Arctic landscape, the question isn't whether Greenland can be bought—it's whether territorial transactions should have any place in a world that claims to value self-determination.

The convergence of colonial history, indigenous rights, and geopolitical ambitions in Greenland serves as a mirror to our times. While major powers still think in terms of territorial acquisition, the people of Greenland remind us that sovereignty isn't for sale. Their struggle for self-determination, caught between American ambitions, Chinese influence, Danish sovereignty, and their own independence aspirations, may well define the future of Arctic politics and indigenous rights in the 21st century.

The most viable path appears to be enhanced economic partnership without formal territorial acquisition, possibly through a free association agreement following #Greenland 's potential independence. As the Arctic's strategic importance grows, this #nostr analysis becomes increasingly relevant for future policy considerations and global power dynamics.

@ 16d11430:61640947

By a Voice in the Ether

There is a specter haunting the world, not of socialism nor capitalism, but of Bitcoin. Across collapsing institutions, crumbling economies, and the craters of failed ideologies, one immutable force remains standing. The old order, built on fiat promises and fraudulent foundations, is coming undone. And yet, amidst the ashes, Bitcoin persists—not as a savior, but as a mirror, exposing the rot of the collapsing world.

The Fraud of the Present System

We have been told, since our first lessons in civics, to trust the institutions. Trust the central banks, trust the governments, trust the corporations. They assured us that the system was built for our benefit, and perhaps it was, at least for a time. But systems are not eternal; they decay. What begins as noble purpose is corrupted by greed, hubris, and power.

Fiat money—the paper promise of value—is the cornerstone of this crumbling architecture. It is a lie we have all agreed to believe, a house of cards masquerading as a cathedral. Its architects insist it is stable, but the foundation was rotten from the start. With each new crisis—be it financial, political, or social—the cracks grow wider. Governments print more money, banks gamble with our savings, and corporations devour themselves in pursuit of profits. Collapse is not an accident but an inevitability.

The Immutable Opponent

Enter Bitcoin: an invention as improbable as it is indestructible. It does not ask for trust, nor does it seek power. It exists as a silent ledger, a mathematical truth immune to the machinations of men. While fiat currencies inflate, Bitcoin deflates; while institutions crumble under their own weight, Bitcoin strengthens with each block mined.

Bitcoin is not a currency in the traditional sense. It is an idea—a revolutionary one—that money can exist outside the control of governments, corporations, and central banks. And this idea is an existential threat to the old world order. It cannot be bribed, blackmailed, or bombed. In a world of deceit, Bitcoin’s honesty is its weapon.

The Collapse of Control

Those in power, the self-appointed stewards of civilization, have long relied on control. They control the money supply, the narrative, and even the minds of the masses. But Bitcoin subverts this control. Its decentralized nature means there is no single point of failure, no lever for the powerful to pull. It is chaos to the tyrant, order to the individual.

The more the old system fights Bitcoin, the weaker it becomes. Banning it, regulating it, or demonizing it only underscores its power. For every fiat collapse—whether it be the hyperinflation of Venezuela or the quiet erosion of the dollar—Bitcoin gains another convert. The rulers of the old world cling desperately to their crumbling thrones, but they cannot un-invent the technology that undermines them.

The Psychology of Collapse

Collapse is not merely economic or political; it is psychological. The people, long conditioned to believe in the infallibility of their leaders, are awakening to the lie. They see their savings devalued, their freedoms eroded, their futures mortgaged. In this void of trust, Bitcoin offers not just a financial alternative but a psychological refuge. It is a declaration of independence, a refusal to participate in the farce.

But make no mistake: this is not a utopia. Bitcoin does not promise salvation, only sovereignty. It is as harsh and unyielding as the world it seeks to replace. In this way, it is not a solution but a challenge—a demand for responsibility in an age of abdication.

The Inevitable Reckoning

The collapse of everything against Bitcoin is not a failure of the technology or the people who use it; it is a failure of the old system to adapt. Fiat currencies, like all monopolies, rot under the weight of their own contradictions. Governments that print money into oblivion cannot compete with a currency that cannot be printed. Centralized institutions built on trust cannot outlast a network that requires none.

The collapse, then, is not a tragedy but a necessity. It is the clearing of the dead wood, the end of a long and unsustainable lie. What rises in its place remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Bitcoin will not collapse, for it was never built to stand on the same shifting sands. It is the bedrock beneath the ruins, the immutable foundation on which the future may yet be built.

And so, as the world collapses, let us not mourn the old order, for it was never meant to last. Instead, let us look to the strange and immutable invention that has outlasted its detractors, the silent force that asks no permission and grants no quarter. Bitcoin endures, not because it is perfect, but because it is incorruptible. In a world of collapse, that is enough.

@ c68e2176:4439e6cf

I am not a big fan of open letters, it’s really difficult to write on a topic that applies so broadly without exception. Yet, here I am with a topic that I believe meets this criteria.

In this post, I will not attempt to sell you on the merits of Bitcoin or the evils of fiat currency. There is enough content out there that can explain those topics better than I ever could. Instead, I want to convince church leaders around the world that you should seriously consider equipping your church to be able to accept Bitcoin as a medium of tithes and offerings from your congregants.

Here is a list of reasons I came up with for church leaders to consider:

1. Bitcoin Wallet is very simple to set up
2. It’s quite simple to set up a bitcoin wallet. Do not let the technology make you think it is too complicated. If you have someone in your congregation familiar with BTC, they can help. Or, if you go to a company like Unchained Capital, their staff will walk you thru it step by step. There may be a small fee, but should be seriously considered.
3. We should try to accommodate our congregation
4. Especially if it’s easy to set up, we should try to accommodate accepting our tithes and offerings in how our congregation is led to give. If there are members in the congregation who are inclined to tithe in BTC, the church should be set up to accept it.
5. Anecdote: In college I knew a pastor who tithed in 1oz silver coins. He subscribed to Austrian economics, and said “why should I give to my Lord money that devalues”. The church bought a safe and stored it. All congregations should have the same mentality
6. Sending money to foreign missionaries:
7. No transaction or exchange fees
8. Sending a wire to a foreign missionary with accountability is painful. We used to do this and needed two signatures and the sending financial institution required us to fax approval.
9. Many times, individuals who serve on Church Finances have full time day jobs and the coordination and administration becomes logistically very difficult. Church finances should have accountability but our existing financial institutions make this difficult or they do not consistently enforce it.
10. Bitcoin Multi-Sig makes this extremely simple and easy. You skip Transaction and Exchange fees and accountability is built in with Multi-Sig. For those of you unfamiliar with multi-sig, just imagine the following scenario: You have 3 authorized signers at your Church. In order to send money, you need 2 out of those 3 signers to authorize sending funds.
11. Financial Sovereignty
12. Any student of church history knows that governments have been the greatest persecutors of the church. The separation of Church and state is dwindling as government power continues to grow. With BTC, the government cannot seize or freeze your assets.
13. All you have to think about is Covid. Imagine if you did not want to shut down your Church during Covid (I.e. The state of New Jersey froze and seized assets of Atilis Gym) This does not apply to just governments, but also financial institutions.
14. Churches should learn to self custody assets. Underground churches will attest to this.

@ 4506e04e:8c16ba04

The employment trends in the gig economy are clear. More and more people take on some form of freelance or temporary work often on top of their full time job. In fact, according to recent estimates, approximately 1.57 billion people, or nearly half (46.4%) of the global workforce, engage in gig work. As gig platforms continue to expand across borders and sectors, this number is projected to keep rising.

In the UK, the gig economy is particularly popular, with many workers supplementing their income with side gigs. According to a recent survey, almost half (48%) of UK gig workers have full-time jobs on top of their side gigs, while 71.5% use gig work to supplement their income rather than provide their sole earnings. The top gig occupation in the UK is online administrative work, with 39% of gig workers offering virtual assistance, data entry, clerical services, or similar computer-based tasks. Sounds like a great way to earn some sats, doesn't it?

Despite the growth and popularity of the gig economy, traditional platforms like LinkedIn have reached their peak and become increasingly plagued by spam from aggressive recruiters and profiles of people with increasingly unverifiable experience. Meanwhile all the centralised platforms like Fiverr and Upwork take a significant cut from freelancers' pay, leaving many workers feeling undervalued and overworked. It's no wonder that many are looking for alternative solutions that prioritize fairness, transparency, trust and compensation paid in money that will last!

Here comes Nostr, a decentralized, censorship-resistant protocol that's laying foundations for the future of the gig work. With its censorship-resistant, peer-to-peer approach, Nostr is poised to revolutionize the way we work and connect with each other. In this article, I'll explore why Nostr is an exciting development for the gig economy, what it means for the future of work and what platforms are already available.

What makes Nostr different? It’s built on principles of decentralization, freedom, trust and Bitcoin as its native currency. Forget walled gardens; with Nostr, your identity is your own. Nobody’s mining your data, and no shadowy algorithms are deciding who sees your posts or what posts you should see. It's a perfect setup for a job marketplace where companies post jobs and freelancers get them done. All paid with Bitcoin with no middleman to take your money

And it’s not just theory. Real solutions are already built, transforming how professionals connect, collaborate, and commit their skills, time and creativity. All open-source and Bitcoin/Nostr-centric.

Here are 4 tools you want to check out:

1. SatShoot: Think Upwork or Fiverr, but with integrated eCash wallet and zero middlemen. Creators, freelancers, and clients unite under the banner of peer-to-peer gig economy.
2. Kanbanstr: A Nostr-native Kanban board for moving tasks from To Do > In Progress > Done and zapping the developers as they deliver.
3. GitWorkshop.dev: A decentralized alternative to GitHub, tailored for developers who value freedom and sovereignty.
4. Sigit.io: An open-source and self-hostable solution for secure document signing and verification.

These platforms aren’t just ideas; they’re already being built, some are already in Beta versions, and you can test them today!

These platforms aren’t just ideas; they’re already being built, some are already in Beta versions, and you can test them today!

Don't trust - verify!

How can you be sure you're getting help from the right people with the right skills? That’s where the Web of Trust (WoT) comes in.

On Nostr, the WoT is a decentralized trust system that lets users build and evaluate relationships using cryptographic keys and interactions. Instead of depending on centralized authorities to verify identities or manage reputations, the WoT allows trust to grow organically through direct endorsements and social connections.

In this system, your track record matters. As a freelancer, you’re motivated to deliver quality work—not just to get paid, but also to earn positive feedback. This feedback boosts your reputation, helping you secure your next gig. You could get extra points if i.e. you hold a subject matter expert certificate.

Credentials and certifications are still often critical to determine if someone has the skills you are looking for. The idea of certifications could be rebuilt on Nostr with Badges NIP-58. Institutions like Red Hat, Cisco, and others could issue verifiable, NIP-05-backed badges directly to your Nostr public key (“npub”).

It’s simple:

1. The certifying body verifies their domain via NIP-05.
2. They issue badges for their certifications
3. Successful candidates receive badges and wear them on their npubs.

All it takes is that during the registration process for the exam the examinee adds their npub and Voilà! A decentralized, censorship-resistant proof of skills that lives on Nostr. No middlemen, no gatekeepers, you get the right people for the right job!

Here’s a mind-blowing stat: 95% of the world’s population doesn’t own any Bitcoin. With fiat systems teetering, more people will turn to earning Bitcoin instead of buying it at ever-rising prices. Nostr-based platforms are perfectly positioned to capitalize on this trend, offering global access to Bitcoin-based gigs. It’s borderless, censorship-resistant, and a hedge against the collapsing fiat world order.

Nostr clients and solutions are popping up faster than mushrooms after rain. Whether you’re a developer, marketer, freelancer, or just someone curious about the future of work, there’s a tool for you. This explosive growth signals a broader shift: professionals are tired of traditional platforms and are looking for alternatives that respect their privacy, autonomy, and time.

The Bottom Line

LinkedIn’s days are numbered. Services like Upwork and Fiverr or even Uber are praying on freelance fees. The future of services, networking, and professional growth is decentralized, censorship-resistant, and powered by Nostr. Whether you’re a freelancer, a certifying body, or a startup founder, the opportunities are endless.

Here's a New Year resolution for you -  say goodbye to spam and hello to sovereignty. The Nostr revolution is here, and it’s time to join the movement!

---

If you’re inspired to dive into the Nostr ecosystem but need guidance, the NostrDev team has got your back. From conceptualizing your solution to building it out, we’re the go-to experts for all things Nostr. Reach out and start building the future today.

@ 6bae33c8:607272e8

My only dog in the fight is in the NFFC playoff contest wherein you a pick player on each team whose scores double, triple and quadruple each round his team advances. So it’s important to pick players initially you think will not only score a lot per game, but who will also advance to the Super Bowl.

The quarterbacks are key here because they score the most points, and usually you pick one in each conference so there’s a chance you can have two match up at 4x points in the Super Bowl. But I went with Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, figuring they could both be 3x in the AFC Championship, and I’d be guaranteed to get one of them at 4x in that case.

In the NFC, I used Jahmyr Gibbs and Saquon Barkley on the two favorites, both of whom routinely outscore their respective QBs. For God knows what reason I used the Denver kicker (instead of the Texans kicker) even though the Texans were only three-point dogs, while the Broncos were nine. I think I still have a personal bias against Houston after drafting C.J. Stroud and Stefon Diggs everywhere this year only to see the passing game implode. But what happens in the later rounds is far more important, even if I gave away two-rounds worth of kicker points by that misstep.

The team I faded was the Bills. I used their defense, but if they beat the Ravens next week I’m drawing deader than dead. I could have used the Chargers defense instead and put in James Cook over Ladd McConkey at the flex. McConkey went nuts, but Cook did well too, and remember he’s 2x next week.

• I saw only the end of the first half of Texans-Chargers. The Texans outscored them 10-0 in the second quarter and took control of the game. Stroud picked up a bad snap, rolled out and made a massive throw on one drive and also scrambled for 27 yards, looking much faster than I had remembered.

• The Texans defense has always been pretty good. They could slog it out in Arrowhead, but I expect the Chiefs with kill them with 1000 papercuts.

• McConkey is great, but the Chargers are short one serious playmaker. They need an elite TE, an elite pass-catching back or another WR at a minimum.

• I didn’t catch Ravens-Steelers, but I expected the game to go more or less like that. Russell Wilson shouldn’t be a starting quarterback anymore (obviously.)

• I watched most of Broncos-Bills. There was hope early, but the Bills, like the Chiefs, paper-cut you to death before the defense wears down, and then they get the big plays. It’s just very hard to stop a Josh Allen (or Mahomes) team from getting 10 yards in four downs.

• The Broncos should be a fun team going forward with Bo Nix and Sean Payton. They need to improve the running game and add a pass-catching TE though.

• The Packers hung around for a while, but they were already down Christian Watson then lost both Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed during the game. They didn’t have enough juice.

• The Eagles offense was sluggish. It wasn’t a problem against the depleted Packers, but the winner of the Rams-Vikings tonight should push them more.

• I watched the 40-minute version of Bucs-Killer Redskins. The Bucs were more efficient offensively and had an easier time converting first downs. But the KR’s converted some key fourth downs including a TD pass, and the Baker Mayfield botched handoff on the jet sweep was crushing. I love based Todd Bowles, but the KRs have more upside, in my opinion with Jayden Daniels.

• Terry McLaurin might be a Hall of Fame level receiver whose talent was hidden for years by bad QB play. Their other receiver was dynamic and brown too.

• The KRs couldn’t run the ball to save their lives. Brian Robinson has power, but he needs to get going, and he never had a chance.

• Bucky Irving seems to have taken the job entirely now, which means he probably will go in the second round of drafts next year. Good on Bowles for making the switch from the veteran Rachaad White to the clearly superior talent.

• The Lions will probably run over the KRs next week, but Daniels is dangerous.

@ 2f4550b0:95f20096

In our ever-changing world, whether you're heading up a business, a non-profit, or a government organization, leading with empathy is a key skill necessary for connecting with stakeholders and employees. As illustrated so starkly this week in the face of the devastating fires in Los Angeles, leaders are finding out that empathy isn't just a nice-to-have; it's essential for effective leadership. Here's how compassion can supercharge your leadership in any kind of organization.

Understanding Empathy in Leadership

Empathy in leadership isn't just about getting where people are coming from; it's about genuinely caring about their perspectives, feelings, and personal needs. An empathetic leader doesn't just listen to respond; they listen to understand and connect. This approach creates a culture where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued, leading to stronger loyalty, motivation, and productivity across the board. In Los Angeles, neither Governor Gavin Newsom nor Mayor Karen Bass displayed the type of empathy necessary to reassure victims of the wildfires that competent support was available. During multiple encounters with residents and media, Newsom and Bass struggled to say anything meaningful about the help that was available, their care for the people who had devastating losses, and their accountability for poor preparation ahead of knowable fire risks.

Improving How We Communicate

Empathy really ups the game when it comes to communication. Leaders who lead with empathy handle conflicts better, negotiate with more finesse, and give feedback that's helpful rather than harsh. This kind of communication breaks down walls, fosters open dialogue, and builds trust like nothing else. Trust is the foundation of any successful team, no matter the sector, and without it, even the best plans can fall apart. Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida displayed this type of communication during the 2024 hurricanes that affected many parts of his state. This communication style was empathetic, competent, and reassuring.

Boosting Team Performance and Leading Change

Empathetic leadership has a direct line to better team performance. Research shows that groups with empathetic leaders are more collaborative, innovative, and just happier at work. When folks know their leaders care about them as people, not just workers, they're more likely to give their all. This isn't just about good vibes; it's about creating a space where people feel safe to take risks, share new ideas, and innovate.

Change is a constant, whether you’re in business, non-profit, or government, and how leaders manage this change can make or break an organization. Empathetic leaders are pros at spotting and addressing the fears and concerns that come with change. They communicate openly, support their team, and guide transitions with a focus on the human aspect. This approach not only eases the process but keeps the team united and focused when things get unpredictable.

Challenges and Considerations

Of course, leading with empathy has its hurdles. It's all about finding the right balance; too much empathy might make tough calls harder to make or seem like you're not objective enough. Leaders need to practice empathy without losing the edge of their leadership role. Also, watch out for empathy fatigue, where too much emotional involvement can lead to burnout.

Conclusion

Leading with empathy isn't just about being kind; it's a smart strategy that boosts leadership effectiveness in any organization. It builds tougher, more adaptable teams that are ready for whatever comes their way. As we look to the future, weaving empathy into leadership isn't just good for the soul; it's good for success. At the end of the day, every organization, whether it's for-profit, non-profit, or governmental, is all about its people. Understanding and valuing them is the secret to unlocking their true potential.

@ 17538dc2:71ed77c4

Sci-Hub 2024 year end review is translated to English by Kagi Translate from Russian. Original text can be found in Sci-Hub's telegram channel https://t.me/freescience.

RESULTS OF 2024

First. The project received donations totaling 2 million dollars in meme coins.

The project is actively used by many students in China, which is why a group of Sci-Hub fans has emerged there. As far as I understand, the organizer of the group is actively interested in the topic of cryptocurrencies (even wrote a book). Somewhere in mid-November, the Chinese launched a meme coin in honor of the Sci-Hub project. At its peak, the coin's price reached 5 cents, and now it is somewhere around 1-2 cents. This means that the exchange rate of the Sci-Hub cryptocurrency is now almost equal to the ruble exchange rate (100 to one or so).

In general, I converted part of these donations into normal, traditional cryptocurrency (like Bitcoin) and paid for servers several months in advance. The other part is still sitting in meme coins—I hope that the token will still grow in price (there is a promotion plan). Of course, this is risky, but Sci-Hub is a project that is not afraid of risk. Therefore, anyone who wants to invest in Sci-Hub by purchasing this token can do so here: www.coingecko.com/en/coins/sci-hub

Second. A dissertation on the topic of open scientific knowledge has been defended at the Institute of Philosophy.

For those interested in the history and philosophy of science, I defended a dissertation in April at the Institute of Philosophy on the topic that scientific knowledge should be open (otherwise, it is strange to call it scientific at all). The work shows that open communication is one of the basic traditional values of science when considering science as a social institution. In other words, journals that charge for access to scientific articles are a kind of 'non-traditional orientation journals.'

Moreover, openness is an important prerequisite for rationality. Rationality is not limited to the criterion of falsification (hello Popper); it is a much more complex concept.

You can familiarize yourself with the text of the dissertation here: web.archive.org/web/20240425100014/https://iphras.ru/page26414303.htm (I provide the link through the web archive because the Institute's website, strangely enough, is glitching again at the time of writing this post).

All criticism and comments (as well as praise) regarding the dissertation can be sent to my email.

Third. Work has begun on a new declaration of open access to scientific knowledge.

Currently, all discussions on the topic of open science are conducted within the frameworks defined by the so-called BBB declarations back in 2001-2003. Within these frameworks, two main types of open access are recognized: gold, meaning open journals with an author-pays model, and green, which refers to repositories like the well-known arXiv. We can also add the so-called diamond open access, which includes open journals that are free for both authors and readers.

However, since 2003, internet technologies have advanced significantly. Today, we can already talk about such types of open access as blue (through academic social networks) or red (your beloved Sci-Hub). It is time to adopt a new declaration of open access to scientific knowledge that corresponds to the current state of scientific and technological progress.

A preliminary version of the declaration can be read and signed here: open.science.do

We will be more actively engaged in this in the coming year. Signing the declaration is an important step towards recognizing access to scientific knowledge through sites like Sci-Hub or Libgen as completely legal and ceasing to pursue them—first in the former USSR, and then in all countries of the world.

Fourth. In 2024, about one billion articles were downloaded through Sci-Hub. Despite the fact that this is unfiltered statistics, the fact remains: the popularity of the project has not decreased but only grown, despite the fact that Sci-Hub has not been updated for quite a long time. Of course, this does not mean that the site will not be updated at all now—just that the patient is more alive than dead (no matter how much some haters might wish otherwise).

The cause of open access to scientific knowledge will definitely prevail—because good always triumphs over evil.

In the new year, I wish all scientists new discoveries and large grants. Happy New Year, comrades!

@ 490b551d:e17f0103

Trauma has a way of completely upending our lives. One second, everything feels like it’s on track, and the next you’re standing in the middle of a mess. Your world gets turned upside down, and nothing feels certain. I know that feeling all too well. The pain, the doubt, the confusion. Will you ever find your way back to something that feels stable again? The hardest part of trauma isn’t just dealing with the pain. It’s trying to figure out where God is in all of it.

When life has shattered your sense of security, when you’ve lost your trust in people or in a church that once felt like home, it’s hard to see how faith fits into the picture anymore. I get it. I’ve been there. Whether it’s because of abuse, betrayal, heartbreak, or even something like a divorce or unexpected loss, trauma can make your faith feel like it’s been ripped out from under you.

For me, that sense of losing everything wasn’t just a sudden thing. It was more like the slow unraveling of trust. It started with little things: a judgmental comment here, a hurtful glance there. But over time, it became something so big I couldn’t ignore it. At some point, the hurt from others became so loud that I couldn’t even hear my own prayers anymore. I felt lost, confused, and alone. Like everything I had built my faith on - everything I believed to be true - had been shaken to its core. The church I grew up in, the people I trusted, the God I thought I knew, they all seemed distant, unreachable, unloving.

The Struggle to Trust Again

One of the hardest things about rebuilding your faith after trauma is wondering Can I trust God again? When everything has gone wrong and you’ve been hurt by the very people who were supposed to support you, it’s natural to question everything, especially your faith.

For me, this struggle started when I experienced deep hurt in the church. A fellow church member who I trusted violated that trust in ways I can’t even put into words. It shook me to the core. I had always been told that church was a safe place, a place to find healing and community. But when that safety was ripped away from me, and I felt exposed, vulnerable, and completely lost.

Then came the judgment. Not just from the people around me, but the way I felt God’s judgment in my own heart. I wondered, How could God love me after what happened? The shame I felt wasn’t just from the abuse I had gone through. It was made worse by my belief that I had somehow done something wrong. I had sinned in some way that made me unworthy of God’s love.

Trauma often leads us to question not just our circumstances, but our very worth. We start asking, Do I even matter? And when your faith feels so shook, those questions can leave you feeling even more disconnected. It feels like you’ve lost everything. The security, the trust, the sense of peace that you once had. And it can be hard to see how you could ever feel close to God again.

But guess what? It’s okay to ask those hard questions. It’s okay to feel like you don’t have all the answers. In fact, it’s in the wrestling, the doubt, and the messiness of life that faith often grows the most.

God Understands Your Pain

When you’re in the middle of trauma, its easy to feel like you’re facing it alone. I know the feeling of pain so heavy that it seemed like God was nowhere to be found. But it took me ten years to realize this: God gets it.

He really does.

Jesus Himself faced unimaginable pain. He was betrayed by His closest friends. He was abandoned in His darkest hour. He was falsely accused, beaten, and crucified. I can’t imagine a more painful, traumatic experience than that. But Jesus didn’t run from the pain. He entered into it. He didn’t look at our suffering from a distance; He walked right through it with us. He knows what it feels like to have everything ripped away, and He’s not afraid of your pain.

In reality, He’s closer than you think.

I love how Psalm 34:18 (NLT) puts it: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” God is near to you, even in your brokenness. He understands what you’re feeling, and He’s not turned away by your hurt. You don’t have to hide your pain from Him. He’s there, sitting with you in the silence, in the grief, in the questions.

If you’re feeling like you’ve lost everything, I want to remind you that God is still with you. Even in the darkest moments, He is closer than you realize. You might not feel it right now, but that doesn’t mean He isn’t there.

It’s Okay to Ask Hard Questions

Faith isn’t about having all the answers. If anything, it’s about learning how to trust even when you don’t understand. If you’re in a season of doubt, don’t let anyone tell you that you shouldn’t question God. I’ve spent so many hours wrestling with the big questions about life, God, and faith. It’s not easy. There are moments when you feel like you’re drowning in your doubts, when you wonder if God is even real, let alone good.

Asking hard questions doesn’t mean you’re losing faith. It means you’re seeking truth. And seeking truth is exactly what God wants us to do. Jesus didn’t shy away from hard questions. In fact, He welcomed them. When His disciples had doubts, He didn’t rebuke them. He encouraged them to keep seeking, keep asking, and keep trusting.

If you’re struggling, remember this: It’s okay to not have everything figured out. Faith is a journey, not a destination. And sometimes, the journey involves walking through the hard questions, the doubts, and the uncertainty. It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about holding onto hope, even when everything else feels uncertain.

God’s Love Is Unconditional

One of the hardest lies I believed after my trauma was that God’s love was conditional. I felt like I had messed up so badly that I didn’t deserve God’s love anymore. I thought that my failures, whether they were the mistakes I made, the hurt I endured, or the sins I struggled with, had somehow disqualified me from His love. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Romans 8:38-39 (NLT) says, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” Nothing - hear me: nothing - can separate you from God’s love. Not your trauma. Not your mistakes. Not your doubts. God’s love for you isn’t based on how perfect you are or how well you follow the rules. It’s based on His nature. He is love, and He loves you, no matter what.

If you’re feeling unworthy, if you’re feeling like you’ve done too much wrong, please know, you are deeply, unconditionally loved by God. His love isn’t something you have to earn. It’s something He freely gives.

Rebuilding Takes Time

There’s no quick fix for rebuilding faith after trauma. There’s no easy formula. It takes time. It takes honesty. It takes grace. And make sure you remember, you don’t have to have it all together right now. And that’s okay.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT) says, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”

As you heal, as you rebuild, you’ll begin to see how your pain can be used to comfort others. I’ve found that the biggest healing happens when we share our stories, when we let others walk with us through our pain. God doesn’t waste our suffering. He uses it to shape us, to grow us, and to help us reach out to others who are struggling in the same way.

You Are Not Alone in This Journey

If you’re walking through trauma and rebuilding your faith, I want you to hear this: You are not alone. I know it feels isolating. I know it feels like no one understands. But I want you to know that God is with you. Even when it feels like everything is falling apart, even when you can’t feel His presence, He is there.

You don’t have to walk through this alone. There is a community of people—like me, like you—who are on this journey together. We can be honest about our doubts, our pain, and our questions. Together, we can rebuild, one step at a time.

Take that first step, even if it’s small. Trust that God is with you in this journey, even when you don’t feel it. Let your pain become a part of your story, not the end of it. Because God is still good, and He’s still faithful, even in the dark.

You are loved. You are not alone. And there is hope.

Love,\ Faith

@ 490b551d:e17f0103

It’s one of the hardest questions to ask when you’re in the middle of a tough season: What if I don’t feel God’s presence?

Maybe you’ve been through pain, disappointment, or loss, and the one thing that used to make sense, the feeling of God being near, has disappeared. You’ve prayed, you’ve hoped, you’ve waited, but there’s no sense of God’s comforting presence. You’re doing all the right things, but it feels like you’re talking to a wall.

This is such a confusing and painful experience. The God who once felt so near now feels so far away, and you’re left wondering, "Why doesn’t He feel close anymore? Did I do something wrong? Does He even hear me?"

If you’re in this season, I want you to know: You are not alone. It’s something a lot of Christians wrestle with, and it doesn’t mean your faith is broken or that you’ve done something to earn God’s absence. Sometimes, it’s just part of the journey.

It’s okay to ask the hard questions. It’s okay to wonder where God is. It’s okay to not feel His presence right now. But even in those moments of silence, I want to remind you that God is still there.

The Truth About Feeling God’s Presence

It’s so easy to think that our relationship with God is all about what we feel. In a world that’s constantly telling us to trust our emotions, it’s natural to equate the absence of feeling with the absence of God. But this is what I've learned: God’s presence isn’t always about feelings.

God doesn’t pull back from us just because we can’t feel Him. Sometimes, He’s there in ways we don’t recognize or understand. Maybe He’s there in the quiet, in the peace that comes after the storm. Maybe He’s there in the small, everyday moments, like the friend who checks in on you or some unexpected encouragement you receive. Those moments can be God, too.

The Bible says that God is always with us, even when we don’t feel it. “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). Whether you feel it or not, He’s there, delighting in you.

God is Present, Even in Silence

Sometimes God’s silence is a part of our growth. I know it sounds strange. Why would God be silent when we need Him the most? But think about this: when you’re in a relationship with someone, you don’t always need words to feel connected. You can sit with a friend or loved one in complete silence and still feel their presence. It’s the same with God.

Psalm 46:10 tells us, "Be still, and know that I am God." There’s a peace in stillness. A peace that doesn’t depend on what we hear, but instead on trusting that God is who He says He is. Even when we don’t feel Him, we can trust that He’s still God, still good, still present. And that can be enough.

The Struggle Is Real, and That’s Okay

It’s not easy. I get that. It’s hard to hold onto faith when God feels distant, especially when your heart is aching for His comfort and His presence. And sometimes, the hardest part is not knowing when or if things will change. But even in that struggle, I believe God is near. He may be closer than you realize.

When you're in that dark shadow of doubt, remember this: It’s okay to be honest with God about your feelings. He already knows them. He’s not afraid of your anger, confusion, or frustration. In fact, He welcomes your honesty. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” If you’re feeling broken or crushed, He’s not far away. He’s near to you, even if you can’t feel Him.

Trusting God in the Dark

What if this season of silence is a chance for you to lean into a deeper trust? Trusting God even when you don’t feel Him is one of the most powerful things you can do. It’s a faith that doesn’t rely on feelings or circumstances but on the unwavering truth that God is faithful, even when we can’t see it.

I want to encourage you if you're in this place to keep going. Keep showing up, even when it feels like nothing is happening. Keep praying, even when your prayers feel empty. Keep reading the Bible, even when the words seem distant. In the dark, sometimes the smallest step forward is enough. And in that process, you’ll start to find that God's presence is always there, even if it’s not the way you imagined it.

You Are Not Alone

Remember this: God has not abandoned you. If you’re struggling with feeling God’s presence, I want to say to you, in gentleness, that there is no shame in that. Your journey with God doesn’t look like anyone elses. It’s okay to walk through seasons of silence, doubt, and wondering.

But please, don’t give up. Even when you feel nothing, even when your heart feels heavy, God is still there. And He’s still good. His love for you hasn’t changed.

Sometimes the most beautiful moments of faith are the ones where we keep going, even when we don’t feel it. And one day, in the quiet of your heart, you’ll realize He’s been with you all along.

I’m here for you, walking this journey with you. Keep pressing on. You are loved.

Heavenly Father,

I feel like I’m walking through a wilderness right now. My heart is questioning, my mind is restless, and my spirit is tired. But I trust that You are still with me, even when I don't feel it. Please grant me peace in this season of silence. Calm my anxious thoughts and help me rest in the assurance that You are holding me close. I don’t have all the answers, but I know You are good, and I know You love me. Help me to lean into Your presence, even when I can’t feel it. Thank You for being my constant, even when I feel lost.

Amen.

@ e3ba5e1a:5e433365

My blog posts and reading material have both been on a decidedly economics-heavy slant recently. The topic today, incentives, squarely falls into the category of economics. However, when I say economics, I’m not talking about “analyzing supply and demand curves.” I’m talking about the true basis of economics: understanding how human beings make decisions in a world of scarcity.

A fair definition of incentive is “a reward or punishment that motivates behavior to achieve a desired outcome.” When most people think about economic incentives, they’re thinking of money. If I offer my son $5 if he washes the dishes, I’m incentivizing certain behavior. We can’t guarantee that he’ll do what I want him to do, but we can agree that the incentive structure itself will guide and ultimately determine what outcome will occur.

The great thing about monetary incentives is how easy they are to talk about and compare. “Would I rather make $5 washing the dishes or $10 cleaning the gutters?” But much of the world is incentivized in non-monetary ways too. For example, using the “punishment” half of the definition above, I might threaten my son with losing Nintendo Switch access if he doesn’t wash the dishes. No money is involved, but I’m still incentivizing behavior.

And there are plenty of incentives beyond our direct control! My son is also incentivized to not wash dishes because it’s boring, or because he has some friends over that he wants to hang out with, or dozens of other things. Ultimately, the conflicting array of different incentive structures placed on him will ultimately determine what actions he chooses to take.

Why incentives matter

A phrase I see often in discussions—whether they are political, parenting, economic, or business—is “if they could just do…” Each time I see that phrase, I cringe a bit internally. Usually, the underlying assumption of the statement is “if people would behave contrary to their incentivized behavior then things would be better.” For example:

• If my kids would just go to bed when I tell them, they wouldn’t be so cranky in the morning.
• If people would just use the recycling bin, we wouldn’t have such a landfill problem.
• If people would just stop being lazy, our team would deliver our project on time.

In all these cases, the speakers are seemingly flummoxed as to why the people in question don’t behave more rationally. The problem is: each group is behaving perfectly rationally.

• The kids have a high time preference, and care more about the joy of staying up now than the crankiness in the morning. Plus, they don’t really suffer the consequences of morning crankiness, their parents do.
• No individual suffers much from their individual contribution to a landfill. If they stopped growing the size of the landfill, it would make an insignificant difference versus the amount of effort they need to engage in to properly recycle.
• If a team doesn’t properly account for the productivity of individuals on a project, each individual receives less harm from their own inaction. Sure, the project may be delayed, company revenue may be down, and they may even risk losing their job when the company goes out of business. But their laziness individually won’t determine the entirety of that outcome. By contrast, they greatly benefit from being lazy by getting to relax at work, go on social media, read a book, or do whatever else they do when they’re supposed to be working.

My point here is that, as long as you ignore the reality of how incentives drive human behavior, you’ll fail at getting the outcomes you want.

If everything I wrote up until now made perfect sense, you understand the premise of this blog post. The rest of it will focus on a bunch of real-world examples to hammer home the point, and demonstrate how versatile this mental model is.

Running a company

Let’s say I run my own company, with myself as the only employee. My personal revenue will be 100% determined by my own actions. If I decide to take Tuesday afternoon off and go fishing, I’ve chosen to lose that afternoon’s revenue. Implicitly, I’ve decided that the enjoyment I get from an afternoon of fishing is greater than the potential revenue. You may think I’m being lazy, but it’s my decision to make. In this situation, the incentive–money–is perfectly aligned with my actions.

Compare this to a typical company/employee relationship. I might have a bank of Paid Time Off (PTO) days, in which case once again my incentives are relatively aligned. I know that I can take off 15 days throughout the year, and I’ve chosen to use half a day for the fishing trip. All is still good.

What about unlimited time off? Suddenly incentives are starting to misalign. I don’t directly pay a price for not showing up to work on Tuesday. Or Wednesday as well, for that matter. I might ultimately be fired for not doing my job, but that will take longer to work its way through the system than simply not making any money for the day taken off.

Compensation overall falls into this misaligned incentive structure. Let’s forget about taking time off. Instead, I work full time on a software project I’m assigned. But instead of using the normal toolchain we’re all used to at work, I play around with a new programming language. I get the fun and joy of playing with new technology, and potentially get to pad my resume a bit when I’m ready to look for a new job. But my current company gets slower results, less productivity, and is forced to subsidize my extracurricular learning.

When a CEO has a bonus structure based on profitability, he’ll do everything he can to make the company profitable. This might include things that actually benefit the company, like improving product quality, reducing internal red tape, or finding cheaper vendors. But it might also include destructive practices, like slashing the R\&D budget to show massive profits this year, in exchange for a catastrophe next year when the next version of the product fails to ship.

Or my favorite example. My parents owned a business when I was growing up. They had a back office where they ran operations like accounting. All of the furniture was old couches from our house. After all, any money they spent on furniture came right out of their paychecks! But in a large corporate environment, each department is generally given a budget for office furniture, a budget which doesn’t roll over year-to-year. The result? Executives make sure to spend the entire budget each year, often buying furniture far more expensive than they would choose if it was their own money.

There are plenty of details you can quibble with above. It’s in a company’s best interest to give people downtime so that they can come back recharged. Having good ergonomic furniture can in fact increase productivity in excess of the money spent on it. But overall, the picture is pretty clear: in large corporate structures, you’re guaranteed to have mismatches between the company’s goals and the incentive structure placed on individuals.

Using our model from above, we can lament how lazy, greedy, and unethical the employees are for doing what they’re incentivized to do instead of what’s right. But that’s simply ignoring the reality of human nature.

Moral hazard

Moral hazard is a situation where one party is incentivized to take on more risk because another party will bear the consequences. Suppose I tell my son when he turns 21 (or whatever legal gambling age is) that I’ll cover all his losses for a day at the casino, but he gets to keep all the winnings.

What do you think he’s going to do? The most logical course of action is to place the largest possible bets for as long as possible, asking me to cover each time he loses, and taking money off the table and into his bank account each time he wins.

But let’s look at a slightly more nuanced example. I go to a bathroom in the mall. As I’m leaving, I wash my hands. It will take me an extra 1 second to turn off the water when I’m done washing. That’s a trivial price to pay. If I don’t turn off the water, the mall will have to pay for many liters of wasted water, benefiting no one. But I won’t suffer any consequences at all.

This is also a moral hazard, but most people will still turn off the water. Why? Usually due to some combination of other reasons such as:

1. We’re so habituated to turning off the water that we don’t even consider not turning it off. Put differently, the mental effort needed to not turn off the water is more expensive than the 1 second of time to turn it off.
2. Many of us have been brought up with a deep guilt about wasting resources like water. We have an internal incentive structure that makes the 1 second to turn off the water much less costly than the mental anguish of the waste we created.
3. We’re afraid we’ll be caught by someone else and face some kind of social repercussions. (Or maybe more than social. Are you sure there isn’t a law against leaving the water tap on?)

Even with all that in place, you may notice that many public bathrooms use automatic water dispensers. Sure, there’s a sanitation reason for that, but it’s also to avoid this moral hazard.

A common denominator in both of these is that the person taking the action that causes the liability (either the gambling or leaving the water on) is not the person who bears the responsibility for that liability (the father or the mall owner). Generally speaking, the closer together the person making the decision and the person incurring the liability are, the smaller the moral hazard.

It’s easy to demonstrate that by extending the casino example a bit. I said it was the father who was covering the losses of the gambler. Many children (though not all) would want to avoid totally bankrupting their parents, or at least financially hurting them. Instead, imagine that someone from the IRS shows up at your door, hands you a credit card, and tells you you can use it at a casino all day, taking home all the chips you want. The money is coming from the government. How many people would put any restriction on how much they spend?

And since we’re talking about the government already…

Government moral hazards

As I was preparing to write this blog post, the California wildfires hit. The discussions around those wildfires gave a huge number of examples of moral hazards. I decided to cherry-pick a few for this post.

The first and most obvious one: California is asking for disaster relief funds from the federal government. That sounds wonderful. These fires were a natural disaster, so why shouldn’t the federal government pitch in and help take care of people?

The problem is, once again, a moral hazard. In the case of the wildfires, California and Los Angeles both had ample actions they could have taken to mitigate the destruction of this fire: better forest management, larger fire department, keeping the water reservoirs filled, and probably much more that hasn’t come to light yet.

If the federal government bails out California, it will be a clear message for the future: your mistakes will be fixed by others. You know what kind of behavior that incentivizes? More risky behavior! Why spend state funds on forest management and extra firefighters—activities that don’t win politicians a lot of votes in general—when you could instead spend it on a football stadium, higher unemployment payments, or anything else, and then let the feds cover the cost of screw-ups.

You may notice that this is virtually identical to the 2008 “too big to fail” bail-outs. Wall Street took insanely risky behavior, reaped huge profits for years, and when they eventually got caught with their pants down, the rest of us bailed them out. “Privatizing profits, socializing losses.”

And here’s the absolute best part of this: I can’t even truly blame either California or Wall Street. (I mean, I do blame them, I think their behavior is reprehensible, but you’ll see what I mean.) In a world where the rules of the game implicitly include the bail-out mentality, you would be harming your citizens/shareholders/investors if you didn’t engage in that risky behavior. Since everyone is on the hook for those socialized losses, your best bet is to maximize those privatized profits.

There’s a lot more to government and moral hazard, but I think these two cases demonstrate the crux pretty solidly. But let’s leave moral hazard behind for a bit and get to general incentivization discussions.

Non-monetary competition

At least 50% of the economics knowledge I have comes from the very first econ course I took in college. That professor was amazing, and had some very colorful stories. I can’t vouch for the veracity of the two I’m about to share, but they definitely drive the point home.

In the 1970s, the US had an oil shortage. To “fix” this problem, they instituted price caps on gasoline, which of course resulted in insufficient gasoline. To “fix” this problem, they instituted policies where, depending on your license plate number, you could only fill up gas on certain days of the week. (Irrelevant detail for our point here, but this just resulted in people filling up their tanks more often, no reduction in gas usage.)

Anyway, my professor’s wife had a friend. My professor described in great detail how attractive this woman was. I’ll skip those details here since this is a PG-rated blog. In any event, she never had any trouble filling up her gas tank any day of the week. She would drive up, be told she couldn’t fill up gas today, bat her eyes at the attendant, explain how helpless she was, and was always allowed to fill up gas.

This is a demonstration of non-monetary compensation. Most of the time in a free market, capitalist economy, people are compensated through money. When price caps come into play, there’s a limit to how much monetary compensation someone can receive. And in that case, people find other ways of competing. Like this woman’s case: through using flirtatious behavior to compensate the gas station workers to let her cheat the rules.

The other example was much more insidious. Santa Monica had a problem: it was predominantly wealthy and white. They wanted to fix this problem, and decided to put in place rent controls. After some time, they discovered that Santa Monica had become wealthier and whiter, the exact opposite of their desired outcome. Why would that happen?

Someone investigated, and ended up interviewing a landlady that demonstrated the reason. She was an older white woman, and admittedly racist. Prior to the rent controls, she would list her apartments in the newspaper, and would be legally obligated to rent to anyone who could afford it. Once rent controls were in place, she took a different tact. She knew that she would only get a certain amount for the apartment, and that the demand for apartments was higher than the supply. That meant she could be picky.

She ended up finding tenants through friends-of-friends. Since it wasn’t an official advertisement, she wasn’t legally required to rent it out if someone could afford to pay. Instead, she got to interview people individually and then make them an offer. Normally, that would have resulted in receiving a lower rental price, but not under rent controls.

So who did she choose? A young, unmarried, wealthy, white woman. It made perfect sense. Women were less intimidating and more likely to maintain the apartment better. Wealthy people, she determined, would be better tenants. (I have no idea if this is true in practice or not, I’m not a landlord myself.) Unmarried, because no kids running around meant less damage to the property. And, of course, white. Because she was racist, and her incentive structure made her prefer whites.

You can deride her for being racist, I won’t disagree with you. But it’s simply the reality. Under the non-rent-control scenario, her profit motive for money outweighed her racism motive. But under rent control, the monetary competition was removed, and she was free to play into her racist tendencies without facing any negative consequences.

Bureaucracy

These were the two examples I remember for that course. But non-monetary compensation pops up in many more places. One highly pertinent example is bureaucracies. Imagine you have a government office, or a large corporation’s acquisition department, or the team that apportions grants at a university. In all these cases, you have a group of people making decisions about handing out money that has no monetary impact on them. If they give to the best qualified recipients, they receive no raises. If they spend the money recklessly on frivolous projects, they face no consequences.

Under such an incentivization scheme, there’s little to encourage the bureaucrats to make intelligent funding decisions. Instead, they’ll be incentivized to spend the money where they recognize non-monetary benefits. This is why it’s so common to hear about expensive meals, gift bags at conferences, and even more inappropriate ways of trying to curry favor with those that hold the purse strings.

Compare that ever so briefly with the purchases made by a small mom-and-pop store like my parents owned. Could my dad take a bribe to buy from a vendor who’s ripping him off? Absolutely he could! But he’d lose more on the deal than he’d make on the bribe, since he’s directly incentivized by the deal itself. It would make much more sense for him to go with the better vendor, save $5,000 on the deal, and then treat himself to a lavish $400 meal to celebrate.

Government incentivized behavior

This post is getting longer in the tooth than I’d intended, so I’ll finish off with this section and make it a bit briefer. Beyond all the methods mentioned above, government has another mechanism for modifying behavior: through directly changing incentives via legislation, regulation, and monetary policy. Let’s see some examples:

• Artificial modification of interest rates encourages people to take on more debt than they would in a free capital market, leading to malinvestment and a consumer debt crisis, and causing the boom-bust cycle we all painfully experience.
• Going along with that, giving tax breaks on interest payments further artificially incentivizes people to take on debt that they wouldn’t otherwise.
• During COVID-19, at some points unemployment benefits were greater than minimum wage, incentivizing people to rather stay home and not work than get a job, leading to reduced overall productivity in the economy and more printed dollars for benefits. In other words, it was a perfect recipe for inflation.
• The tax code gives deductions to “help” people. That might be true, but the real impact is incentivizing people to make decisions they wouldn’t have otherwise. For example, giving out tax deductions on children encourages having more kids. Tax deductions on childcare and preschools incentivizes dual-income households. Whether or not you like the outcomes, it’s clear that it’s government that’s encouraging these outcomes to happen.
• Tax incentives cause people to engage in behavior they wouldn’t otherwise (daycare+working mother, for example).
• Inflation means that the value of your money goes down over time, which encourages people to spend more today, when their money has a larger impact. (Milton Friedman described this as high living.)

Conclusion

The idea here is simple, and fully encapsulated in the title: incentives determine outcomes. If you want to know how to get a certain outcome from others, incentivize them to want that to happen. If you want to understand why people act in seemingly irrational ways, check their incentives. If you’re confused why leaders (and especially politicians) seem to engage in destructive behavior, check their incentives.

We can bemoan these realities all we want, but they are realities. While there are some people who have a solid internal moral and ethical code, and that internal code incentivizes them to behave against their externally-incentivized interests, those people are rare. And frankly, those people are self-defeating. People should take advantage of the incentives around them. Because if they don’t, someone else will.

(If you want a literary example of that last comment, see the horse in Animal Farm.)

How do we improve the world under these conditions? Make sure the incentives align well with the overall goals of society. To me, it’s a simple formula:

• Focus on free trade, value for value, as the basis of a society. In that system, people are always incentivized to provide value to other people.
• Reduce the size of bureaucracies and large groups of all kinds. The larger an organization becomes, the farther the consequences of decisions are from those who make them.
• And since the nature of human beings will be to try and create areas where they can control the incentive systems to their own benefits, make that as difficult as possible. That comes in the form of strict limits on government power, for example.

And even if you don’t want to buy in to this conclusion, I hope the rest of the content was educational, and maybe a bit entertaining!

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Imagine playing a MMO gen 1 Pokémon game, the goal of the game is still personal, to be the Pokémon league champion. To get to the Pokémon league, you need to defeat gym leaders and get their badges (if you never played, please play so you can relate and teach this lesson too)

Some players just go through the storyline right away, some have fear and grind levels hard, some just wanted to chill and catch ‘em all

Some got stuck at the mew rumour at S.S.Anne* and got disappointed, some grind too hard that they forgot the main quest, some try to teach other people how to be a champion before being a champion themselves

If you are not interested in being the champion, that is totally fine, it is your game after all. Some enjoy the up and down of the journey and they just don’t want to finish the game yet. I respect these people because they know what they want and they’re doing what they can to get what they want

But there’s this special group of players that wants to be the champion, but are misled to believe they can be a ‘better’ champion if they do these special tasks before fighting the Elite Four. Can be from a game guide magazine, a friend that you think is smart, whatever. The sad truth is, you cannot be a ‘better’ champion in this game — and these guys just got misled their whole life

Now, these guys do meet other players that told them “hey, just go fight the Elite Four, that’s the only way for you to be champion”, and they kept replying “please respect me, I know I have to beat the Elite Four, I just want to be a ‘better’ champion, you just don’t understand”. These players get stuck in some sort of internal pride war sunk cost fallacy because they have spent their whole life trying to be a ‘better’ champion that actually doesn’t exist

Now why this story? This is life. No matter how hard you try, you still need to follow the main storyline. You can change your path, but everyone’s end goal eventually converge — eternal peace. When you become the league champion, you attain the ability to serve and radiate love. Evil spirits will forever try to hold you back from being a champion, some religion even tells you that you can be a ‘better’ champion. But really all you need to do is stay humble and stack sats, I mean, start the main quest

One day when you actually become a champion, you will realize that the only way to live is to serve other people so we all become champions. Because life is best enjoyed with the people we love

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*https://gaming-urban-legends.fandom.com/wiki/Mew_Under_the_Truck

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Originalni tekst na thebitcoinmanual.com

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Lightning Network (eng. lightning - munja, network - mreža) je jedno od primarnih rešenja za skaliranje Bitkoin mreže sa ciljem da je više ljudi može koristiti na različite načine čime bi se zaobišla ograničenja glavnog blokčejna. Lightning mreža deluje kao "drugi sloj" koji je dodat Bitkoin (BTC) blokčejnu koji omogućava transakcije van glavnog lanca (blokčejna) pošto se transakcije između korisnika ne registruju na samoj blokčejn mreži.

Lightning kao "sloj-2 (layer-2)" pojačava skalabilnost blokčejn aplikacija tako što upravlja transakcijama van glavnog blokčejna ("sloj-1" / layer-1), dok istovremeno uživa benefite moćne decentralizovane sigurnosti glavnog blokčejna, tako da korisnici mogu ulaziti i izlaziti iz Lightning mreže koristeći custodial ili non-custodial servise u zavisnosti od sopstvene sposobnosti i znanja da koriste glavni blokčejn.

Kao što i samo ime govori Lightning Network je dizajnirana za brza, instant i jeftina plaćanja u svrhu sredstva razmene i druga programabilna plaćanja kojima nije potrebna instant konačnost (finality) ali ni sigurnost glavnog lanca. Lightning je najbolje uporediti sa vašom omiljenom aplikacijom za plaćanja ili debitnom karticom.

Šta je Lightning mreža?

Lightning mreža vuče svoje poreklo još od tvorca Bitkoina, Satošija Nakamota, ali je formalizovana od strane istraživača Joseph Poon-a i Thaddeus Dryja-a koji su 14. januara 2016. godine objavili beli papir o Lightning Network-u.

Radilo se o predlogu alternativnog rešenja za skaliranje Bitkoina da bi se izbeglo proširenje kapaciteta bloka Bitkoin mreže i smanjio rizik od centralizacije blokčejna. Dalje, skaliranje van glavnog lanca znači zadržavanje integriteta samog blokčejna što omogućuje više eksperimentalnog rada na Bitkoinu bez ograničenja koja su postavljena na glavnom blokčejnu.

Lightning Labs, kompanija za blokčejn inženjering, pomogla je pokretanje beta verzije Lightning mreže u martu 2018. - pored dve druge popularne implementacije od strane kompanija kao što su ACINQ i Blockstream.

• Lightning Labs – LND
• Blockstream – Core Lightning (implementacija nekada poznata kao c-lightning)
• ACINQ – Eclair

Svaka verzija protokola ima svoje poglede i načine kako rešava određene probleme ali ostaje interoperabilna sa ostalim implementacijama u smislu korišćenja novčanika, tako da za krajnjeg korisnika nije bitno kojom verzijom se služi kada upravlja svojim čvororom (node-om).

Lightning Network je protokol koji svako može koristiti i razvijati ga, proširivati i unapređivati i koji kreira posebno i odvojeno okruženje za korišćenje Bitkoina kroz seriju pametnih ugovora (smart contracts) koji zaključavaju BTC na Lightning-u radi izbegavanja dvostruke potrošnje (double-spending). Lightning Network nije blokčejn ali živi i funkcioniše na samom Bitkoinu i koristi glavni lanac kao sloj za konačno, finalno poravnanje.

Lightning mreža ima sopstvene čvorove koji pokreću ovaj dodatni protokol i zaključavaju likvidnost Bitkoina u njemu sa ciljem olakšavanja plaćanja.

Lightning omogućava svakom korisniku da kreira p2p (peer-to-peer) platni kanal (payment channel) između dve strane, kao npr. između mušterije i trgovca. Kada je uspostavljen, ovaj kanal im omogućava da međusobno šalju neograničen broj transakcija koje su istovremeno gotovo instant i veoma jeftine. Ponaša se kao svojevrsna mala "knjiga" (ledger) koja omogućava korisnicima da plaćaju još manje proizvode i usluge poput kafe i to bez uticaja na glavnu Bitkoin mrežu.

Kako radi Lightning Network?

Lightning Network se zasniva na pametnim ugovorima koji su poznati kao hashed time lock contracts koji između dve strane kreiraju platne kanale van glavnog blokčejna (off-chain payment channels). Kada zaključate BTC na glavnom lancu u ovim posebnim pametnim ugovorima, ova sredstva se otključavaju na Lightning mreži.

Ova sredstva zatim možete koristiti da biste napravili platne kanale sa ostalim korisnicima Lightning mreže, aplikacijama i menjačnicama.

Ovo su direktne platne linije koje se dešavaju na vrhu, odnosno izvan glavnog blokčejna. Kada je platni kanal otvoren, možete izvršiti neograničen broj plaćanja sve dok ne potrošite sva sredstva.

Korišćenje Lightning sredstava nije ograničeno pravilima glavnog Bitkoin lanca i ova plaćanja se vrše gotovo trenutno i za samo delić onoga što bi koštalo na glavnom blokčejnu.

Vaš platni kanal ima svoj sopstveni zapisnik (ledger) u koji se beleže transakcije izvan glavnog BTC blokčejna. Svaka strana ima mogućnost da ga zatvori ili obnovi po svom nahođenju i vrati sredstva nazad na glavni Bitkoin lanac objavljivanjem transakcije kojom se zatvara kanal.

Kada dve strane odluče da zatvore platni kanal, sve transakcije koje su se desile unutar njega se objedinjuju i zatim objavljuju na glavni blokčejn "registar".

Zašto biste želeli da koristite Lightning mrežu?

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Trenutno slanje satošija

Lightning Network je "sloj-2" izgrađen na vrhu glavnog Bitkoin lanca koji omogućava instant i veoma jeftine transakcije između lightning novčanika. Ova mreža se nalazi u interakciji sa glavnim blokčejnom ali se plaćanja pre svega sprovode off-chain, van glavnog lanca, pošto koristi sopstvenu evidenciju plaćanja na lightning mreži.

Razvijene su različite aplikacije koje su kompatibilne sa Lightning mrežom, koje su veoma lake za korišćenje i ne zahtevaju više od QR koda za primanje i slanje prekograničnih transakcija.

Možete deponovati BTC na vaše lightning novčanike tako što ćete slati satošije sa menjačnica ili ih kupovati direktno unutar ovih aplikacija. Većina ovih novčanika ima ograničenje od nekoliko miliona satošija (iako će se ovaj limit povećavati kako više biznisa i država bude prihvatalo Bitkoin) koje možete poslati po transakciji što ima smisla budući da je za slanje većih iznosa bolje korišćenje glavnog blokčejna.

Pokretanje sopstvenog čvora

Kako se više ljudi bude povezivalo sa lightning mrežom i koristilo njene mogućnosti, sve više ljudi pokreće svoje čvorove radi verifikacije transakcija putem svojih lightning platnih kanala. Kroz ove kanale je moguće bezbedno poslati različite iznose satošija, a takođe je moguće zarađivati i male naknade za svaku transakciju koja prolazi kroz vaš kanal.

Transakcione naknade

Uprkos trenutnim transakcijama, još uvek postoje transakcione naknade povezane sa otvaranjem i zatvaranjem platnih kanala koje se moraju platiti rudarima na glavnom blokčejnu prilikom finalizacije lightning platnih kanala. Takođe postoje i naknade za rutiranje (routing fees) koje idu lightning čvorovima (i njihovim platnim kanalima) koji su uspostavljeni da bi se omogućila plaćanja.

Sa daljim napredovanjem razvoja Bitkoina i novim nadogradnjama, imaćemo sve veći rast i razvoj layer-2 aplikacija kao što je lightning.

Više izvora o Lightning mreži

Ukoliko želite da naučite više o Lightning mreži, najbolje je da pročitate dodatne tekstove na sajtu thebitcoinmanual.com.

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Brief intro

glostr is a pet-project of mine to better understand how #nostr works. Since I'm an engineer, and somewhere between a game programmer and a graphics programmer, I'll do what I do best: write some graphics thing no one (but me) will use.

Zappable Shadertoy

So, the idea is to create a small platform on top of #nostr where people can create, visualize, and share computer graphics programs (aka: shaders). Code shiny thing, see shiny, share shiny thing, and zap shiny thing. If you're familiar with Shadertoy, #glostr is just that: zappable shadertoy.

Milestone Zero

So, first step was to write a quick and dirty prototype client (remember, I specc'd into game dev, not into web dev, so I really mean quick and I really mean dirty). I got an ace editor thing working, duct-taped it to a basic WebGL render, stole a couple shaders from shadertoy (jk, I gave credit), poured some CSS magic, glued some nostr-rx, and published it to GitHub pages.

After 2 or 3 days of iterating, and with some assistance from an LLM, you can see the result linked on my notes.

Yes. I used kind 1 posts to spam GLSL code.

I AM SORRY. I KNOW BETTER NOW. I SWEAR.

So, right now #glostr is: - Taking an npub on the url after the # - Rendering all kind 1 posts from that npub containing GLSL code between ```s - Allowing the user to edit the code in real time

Next Steps

What now? Gorila made me realize my obvious kind 1 spamming. After some brainstorming and skimming through NIPs and kinds, we arrived at the conclusion that Long-form Notes (NIP-23) are best suited for the content I want #glostr to display: - Format is Markdown, which I like and which I was already somewhat expecting. - It's editable content, so mistakes can be amended, which is more than usual in shader programming.

So, the next features I want to add are: - Logging in - Posting NIP-23 Notes - Getting, parsing, and showing NIP-23 Notes

When

I'll only work on this on the weekends for now, so I don't know. This is a pet project for fun right now.

Wrapping Up

• Repo: https://github.com/rowdaboat/glostr
• Try it: https://rowdaboat.github.io/glostr/

As this is a Long-Form Note in itself, I'll finish it by sharing a shader based on Inigo Quilez's awesome polygon shader. This note should show as a shader on #glostr in the next iteration, but you can copy and paste the code in the editor for now:

```glsl

version 300 es

precision mediump float;

uniform vec2 u_resolution; uniform float u_time;

out vec4 fragColor;

const int N = 6; vec3 yellow = vec3(0.45, 0.3, 0.15); vec3 lightBlue = vec3(0.65, 0.85, 1.0);

float polygon(in vec2 p, in vec2[N] v) { const int num = v.length(); float d = dot(p - v[0], p - v[0]); float s = 1.;

for(int i=0, j=num-1; i < num; j=i, i++ )
{
    vec2 e = v[j] - v[i];
    vec2 w = p - v[i];
    vec2 b = w - e * clamp(dot(w, e) / dot(e, e), 0.0, 1.0);
    d = min(d, dot(b,b));

    bvec3 condition = bvec3(
        p.y >= v[i].y,
        p.y < v[j].y, 
        e.x * w.y > e.y * w.x
    );

    if (all(condition) || all(not(condition)))
        s =- s;
}

return s * sqrt(d);

}

void main() { vec2 p = (2.0 * gl_FragCoord.xy - u_resolution.xy) / u_resolution.y; float d = polygon(p, vec2);

vec3 color = d < 0.0 ? yellow : lightBlue;
color *= 1. - exp(-40. * abs(d));
color *= .8 + .2 * sin(10.0 * d - 10. * u_time) * sin(-1.25 * u_time);
color *= exp(1. - d * 2.25);

fragColor = vec4(color, 1.0);

} ```

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"Misterija Satoši - Poreklo bitkoina" je francuski dokumentarno-animirani serijal koji dešifruje unutrašnje funkcionisanje bitkoin revolucije, dok istražuje identitet njenog tvorca.

Prvu decentralizovanu i pouzdanu kriptovalutu – bitkoin, osnovao je Satoši Nakamoto 3. januara 2009. godine. On je nestao 2011. i od tada ostaje anoniman, a njegov identitet je predmet svakakvih spekulacija. Tokom poslednjih 12 godina, vrednost bitkoina je porasla sa 0,001 na 69.000 dolara. Svi, od vlada do velikih korporacija, zainteresovali su se za Satošijev izum. Ko je Satoši Nakamoto? Kako je njegov izum postao toliko popularan? Šta nam bitkoin govori o svetu u kome živimo?

Ovaj serijal se prikazivao na Radio-televiziji Srbije (RTS 3) u sklopu novogodišnjeg muzičkog i filmskog programa 2022/2023. godine.

Naslov originala: "Le Mystère Satoshi"

Copyright: , ARTE.TV

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This is my first attempt of regularly reviewing my week (currently, week 2) and I want to take you along for it.

This week was one where I was rebooting after all the festivities, personal obligations and a bit of travel! First, I worked on getting back on some comments on my proposals on NIP-42 and the Transport Method Announcement NIP.

NIP-42 proposal

The responses to the proposal of the NIP-42 exstension confused me a bit, my interpretation of nip42 AUTH was both authentication and authoriziation. But as it turns out people only want authentication to be part of this NIP, which is understandable. I'm wondering what other structure should be used for authorization then. I thought this would be a great place because of the similar allow/disallow mechanism that applies to both authentication and authorization.

I get the argument that authorization would need to be handled somewhere else. In my case i want authorization by payment. meaning there is no Authentication, we don't care who it is.

I worked out this comment, to see what other options would come up. https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1609#issuecomment-2577243988

Evaluating current state Epoxy

It's been a little bit since I made any progress on epoxy, but this week i'm picking it back up. So i'm trying to see what my next steps on it will be. I thought first maybe i need to add the random delays, but that's in the bigger scheme of things a 'nice to have'. I should probably first work on fixing the nightmare that is unencrypted traffic. And for that, i need pubkey addressing to work properly.

Evaluating current state CI/CD

This week i met up with Auggie, who's quite knowledgable into CI/CD stuff. I think a cool short-term goal for myself is to get an automated build and publish of the epoxy docker container. That shouldn't be too hard to attain, but I needed to refresh my memory on what I last worked on for a bit.

I realized that that was a very hacky approach and i really want to know Auggie's perspective on it. I came across his comment on my blogpost about it which i'd missed earlier. My doubt is wether i should try to rebuild what CI/CD is from scratch, but nostr-native. Or should I strive to have something backwards-compatible and use existing GitHub/Gitea runners?

In our call we settled on trying to get the runner approach working and see how we go from there. I'd work out a GitHub action so we could upload artifacts to Blossom and he'd look into the inner workings of Gittea as he had worked on the stack before.

Blossom uploads GitHub action

I tried to move forward on the Blossom uploads on friday but got stuck on imports that would just not resolve on the github action (ERR_PACKAGE_PATH_NOT_EXPORTED). Long story short, I was just not bundling my build properly and (spoiler) worked this out on Monday.

In short

Quite an alright week, ramping up my efforts now and i'm exited for what's coming. See you next week!

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Ich begann, Social Media aufzubauen, \ um den Menschen eine Stimme zu geben. \ Mark Zuckerberg

Sind euch auch die Tränen gekommen, als ihr Mark Zuckerbergs Wendehals-Deklaration bezüglich der Meinungsfreiheit auf seinen Portalen gehört habt? Rührend, oder? Während er früher die offensichtliche Zensur leugnete und später die Regierung Biden dafür verantwortlich machte, will er nun angeblich «die Zensur auf unseren Plattformen drastisch reduzieren».

«Purer Opportunismus» ob des anstehenden Regierungswechsels wäre als Klassifizierung viel zu kurz gegriffen. Der jetzige Schachzug des Meta-Chefs ist genauso Teil einer kühl kalkulierten Business-Strategie, wie es die 180 Grad umgekehrte Praxis vorher war. Social Media sind ein höchst lukratives Geschäft. Hinzu kommt vielleicht noch ein bisschen verkorkstes Ego, weil derartig viel Einfluss und Geld sicher auch auf die Psyche schlagen. Verständlich.

«Es ist an der Zeit, zu unseren Wurzeln der freien Meinungsäußerung auf Facebook und Instagram zurückzukehren. Ich begann, Social Media aufzubauen, um den Menschen eine Stimme zu geben», sagte Zuckerberg.

Welche Wurzeln? Hat der Mann vergessen, dass er von der Überwachung, dem Ausspionieren und dem Ausverkauf sämtlicher Daten und digitaler Spuren sowie der Manipulation seiner «Kunden» lebt? Das ist knallharter Kommerz, nichts anderes. Um freie Meinungsäußerung geht es bei diesem Geschäft ganz sicher nicht, und das war auch noch nie so. Die Wurzeln von Facebook liegen in einem Projekt des US-Militärs mit dem Namen «LifeLog». Dessen Ziel war es, «ein digitales Protokoll vom Leben eines Menschen zu erstellen».

Der Richtungswechsel kommt allerdings nicht überraschend. Schon Anfang Dezember hatte Meta-Präsident Nick Clegg von «zu hoher Fehlerquote bei der Moderation» von Inhalten gesprochen. Bei der Gelegenheit erwähnte er auch, dass Mark sehr daran interessiert sei, eine aktive Rolle in den Debatten über eine amerikanische Führungsrolle im technologischen Bereich zu spielen.

Während Milliardärskollege und Big Tech-Konkurrent Elon Musk bereits seinen Posten in der kommenden Trump-Regierung in Aussicht hat, möchte Zuckerberg also nicht nur seine Haut retten – Trump hatte ihn einmal einen «Feind des Volkes» genannt und ihm lebenslange Haft angedroht –, sondern am liebsten auch mitspielen. KI-Berater ist wohl die gewünschte Funktion, wie man nach einem Treffen Trump-Zuckerberg hörte. An seine Verhaftung dachte vermutlich auch ein weiterer Multimilliardär mit eigener Social Media-Plattform, Pavel Durov, als er Zuckerberg jetzt kritisierte und gleichzeitig warnte.

Politik und Systemmedien drehen jedenfalls durch – was zu viel ist, ist zu viel. Etwas weniger Zensur und mehr Meinungsfreiheit würden die Freiheit der Bürger schwächen und seien potenziell vernichtend für die Menschenrechte. Zuckerberg setze mit dem neuen Kurs die Demokratie aufs Spiel, das sei eine «Einladung zum nächsten Völkermord», ernsthaft. Die Frage sei, ob sich die EU gegen Musk und Zuckerberg behaupten könne, Brüssel müsse jedenfalls hart durchgreifen.

Auch um die Faktenchecker macht man sich Sorgen. Für die deutsche Nachrichtenagentur dpa und die «Experten» von Correctiv, die (noch) Partner für Fact-Checking-Aktivitäten von Facebook sind, sei das ein «lukratives Geschäftsmodell». Aber möglicherweise werden die Inhalte ohne diese vermeintlichen Korrektoren ja sogar besser. Anders als Meta wollen jedoch Scholz, Faeser und die Tagesschau keine Fehler zugeben und zum Beispiel Correctiv-Falschaussagen einräumen.

Bei derlei dramatischen Befürchtungen wundert es nicht, dass der öffentliche Plausch auf X zwischen Elon Musk und AfD-Chefin Alice Weidel von 150 EU-Beamten überwacht wurde, falls es irgendwelche Rechtsverstöße geben sollte, die man ihnen ankreiden könnte. Auch der Deutsche Bundestag war wachsam. Gefunden haben dürften sie nichts. Das Ganze war eher eine Show, viel Wind wurde gemacht, aber letztlich gab es nichts als heiße Luft.

Das Anbiedern bei Donald Trump ist indes gerade in Mode. Die Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) tut das auch, denn sie fürchtet um Spenden von über einer Milliarde Dollar. Eventuell könnte ja Elon Musk auch hier künftig aushelfen und der Organisation sowie deren größtem privaten Förderer, Bill Gates, etwas unter die Arme greifen. Nachdem Musks KI-Projekt xAI kürzlich von BlackRock & Co. sechs Milliarden eingestrichen hat, geht da vielleicht etwas.

---

Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

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@ 2ce0697b:1ee3d3fc

Excerpt: A controversy over intellectual property highlights the lack of Bitcoin institutions to resolve disputes.

Key fact 1: A bitcoiner takes action against another bitcoiner based on intellectual property laws

Key fact 2: the dispute revolves around similarities in bitcoin clocks

---

"What is not good for the hive is not good for the bee." Marcus Aurelius

Someone who identifies as a bitcoiner, who creates successful bitcoin products aimed at providing sovereignty and privacy to the user but who indirectly calls on the State to initiate force against another bitcoiner, is that person really a bitcoiner? Or rather, despite being a bitcoiner, is their behavior in accordance with the ethos of Bitcoin, with the essential moral principles driven by the Bitcoin phenomenon?

When there is a dispute within Bitcoin's layer one about how things should be done, it is resolved through the unparalleled dispute resolution and governance mechanism based on proof of work. On the other hand, when there is a dispute in Bitcoin's layer zero, which is composed of individuals who act as nodes and collaborators of thebasilisk how should we resolve disputes?

The trigger for this article is the news that a few weeks ago the bitcoinerdjuriwas legally summoned by the bitcoinerNVK because the latter understood that the former had violated his "intellectual property rights."

The legally summoned party, djuri, is the creator of a product that according to NVK would have some characteristics that would make it somewhat similar to a product he made and whose "intellectual property" -fiat- he has registered. That is to say, NVK invoked the force of the State -fiat- with the intention that it be applied against djuri. And it did so with the intention of defending its "intellectually" registered property.

--- "Intellectual property is a valuable asset that must be protected and respected by everyone." - Bill Gates.

A registration of "intellectual property" consists of an entry in a state registry -fiat- where the person registering the "right" -fiat- petitions the State -fiat- to initiate coercion, force, violence, and threats against anyone whom the State interprets as violating that "right" -fiat-. Likewise, that registration grants the registrant the "right" -fiat- to petition the State to interpret that their "right" has been violated. And in the event that the latter shares the interpretation made by the registrant, the State can then activate its intrinsic mechanism of threats, violence, and coercion against the aforementioned violator of the "right" -fiat-.

Most of current positive law is fiat law and its mostly contradictory to natural law. The former is a fictional state invention based on the myth of authority, while the latter is rationally deduced from the principles of Nature. Natural law is the Bitcoin of law.

*

--- "Intellectual property is the foundation of innovation and progress in modern society." - Alan Greenspan, Chairman of the Federal Reserve of the United States.

Intellectual property is a completely fiat fiction. Natural law absolutely rejects the artificial legal aberration created by authoritarian legislators. The institution of private property only makes sense to protect scarce goods. Let's see an example: Alice has an apple and is hungry, but since she is busy posting on Nostr, she decided to eat it later. Thirty minutes later, she goes down to her kitchen and can't find the apple. It turns out that Bob, her roommate, ate it. Alice reproaches Bob for the action because, despite having bought the apple and having it in her possession, she lost it due to Bob's action and is still hungry. Alice understands that the interruption of the nutritional and gustatory pleasure that the apple would have provided constitutes a harm to her person. Since she was the owner of the unique and irreproducible object consisting of the totality of molecules that, when linked together, formed the apple existing in the physical space where Alice and Bob reside. Furthermore, Alice understands that once the apple is eaten by one person, it cannot be eaten by another. Therefore, Alice concludes that she has suffered a harm. And considering the objective development of the facts, she attributes that damage to Bob. The attribution of damage occurs during a discussion they have in the kitchen of their house, which unfolds as follows:

Alice: -“What the fuck Bob, you ate my fruit again. I want to beat the shit out of you. You better move your ass straight into the fruitshop right now and you bring me two apples or hell is gonna break loose”

To which Bob, seeing that Alice is a bit irritable, and feeling guilty for his previous incorrect action of having deprived Alice of her fruit, heads to the fruitshop, buys two apples with his money, and hands them to Alice with a smile and an apology.

In this way, nature was balanced, a small injustice was resolved, and Alice and Bob can continue to cooperate mutually in peace and with the aim of growing individually as well as in their community. This favorable outcome occurred due to respect for the institution of private property.

Now let's look at a second example. One that involves "intellectual" private property. Charlie is composing a song in a shared area of his co-living space. While experimenting with different sound arrangements over time, Daniel passes by and hears a particular melody that catches his attention and sticks in his memory. Subsequently, Charlie releases a song with that melody, and more or less at the same time, Daniel does the same. Therefore, we arrive at the situation where two product creators have generated content that partially shares certain elements.

Content consumers of Daniel as well as of Charlie can enjoy both compositions indistinctly. Likewise, both Daniel and Charlie can enjoy all the zaps the market sends them, all the fame their songs have created, all the ticket sales for shows that, due to taking place in the physical world, have limitations on reproducibility, all the sales of both physical and digital merchandise, all the fame their works bring them, all the sponsors that fame attracts, all the various future contracts that come their way thanks to their previous works, all the awards they deserve for their works, etc., etc., etc. In summary: each of the digitally supported content creators can enjoy all the fruits that the current and future market grants them as a reward for their contribution to humanity. While at the same time, all users of their works can enjoy the created songs indiscriminately and without limitations.

This happens because in the physical world, when someone eats an apple belonging to another person, the latter is left without eating it. Whereas in the digital world, when someone listens to a song, no one is left without listening to it. For those who want to delve deeper into the glaring contradiction of the fiat intellectual property institute, I recommend any product of the extensive work of Stephan Kinsella. Libertarian lawyer specializing in patents who has developed the topic in a rational, extensive, and sufficiently convincing manner.

--- "Intellectual property is a state monopoly that restricts freedom of expression and innovation." - Stephen Kinsella, in "Against Intellectual Property"

I clarify that I do not suggest that every bitcoiner must necessarily repudiate the fiat institution of intellectual property. We are living through a transition between two worlds, and each person is adapting to the institutions of the new reality at their own pace. Personally, I see that Bitcoin is incompatible with the fiat State and it´s fiat intellectual property racket. In the long run, one of the two will have to change, and it won't be Bitcoin. In the meantime, it is up to each bitcoiner to lean more towards open source code - as Bitcoin does - or towards closed source code, as driven by fiat-state intellectual property laws.

Call to reason

What I do propose as an urgent and essential cultural necessity within the bitcoin community is to avoid resorting to the State to solve problems among bitcoiners. An invitation of a third party that relies on armed goons and professional extortionists to fulfill its purposes is something that can be avoided. Sometimes the most important actions we can take are actually inactions. In matters of dispute resolution, in issues related to how to deal with others, we tend to err more by incorrect actions than by incorrect inactions. The neo-institutions of Bitcoin law, anarcho-capitalism, or crypto-anarchism necessary to resolve disputes without calling for the intervention of unwanted third parties are under development and are another essential element for the recovery of human freedom. Meanwhile, to not initiate force on others should be our guiding principle. With Bitcoin, we managed to remove money from the hands of the States. With Nostr, we managed to remove social networks and public information from the tyrannical and authoritarian control of the narrative. With new institutions based on natural law and rational dispute resolution, we will succeed in removing the power to dispense justice from the hands of the fiat lords.

---

Camilo JdL at 878.992 timechain.

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ในปี 1975 มหาวิทยาลัย Yale ได้ทำการศึกษาจากกลุ่มคนที่มีอายุตั้งแต่ 50 ปีจำนวน 660 คน ในหัวข้อ ความเห็นที่มีต่อ “การสูงวัยขึ้น(aging)”

กลุ่มที่หนึ่ง มีความเห็นและความเชื่อที่เป็นด้านบวก ทั้งในเรื่องสุขภาพ ความคิด ความคาดหวังที่ดี เมื่อแก่ตัวขึ้น

กลุ่มที่สอง มีความเห็นและความเชื่อที่เป็นด้านลบ ประมาณว่า “การออกกำลังกายไม่ได้ทำอะไรให้ดีขึ้นหรอก ยังไงก็ต้องป่วย ต้องตายอยู่ดี”

ปรากฎว่า เมื่อผ่านไป 23 ปี กลุ่มที่หนึ่งมีอายุขัยเฉลี่ยมากกว่ากลุ่มที่สอง ถึง 7.6 ปี ซึ่งเป็นตัวเลขที่แตกต่างกันมาก

การศึกษานี้ต้องการจะบอกอะไรกับเรา?

แน่นอนว่า ผลลัพธ์ทุกอย่าง เกิดขึ้นได้ จากการกระทำ เวลาที่เราวางแผนจะลงมือทำอะไร ล้วนแต่เริ่มต้นจาก การตั้งเป้าหมาย ทั้งสิ้น

แต่คำถามคือ เมื่อบรรลุเป้าหมายแล้ว ยังไงต่อ?

ข้อเสียอย่างหนึ่ง ของการตั้งเป้าหมายโดยมีรากฐานมาจากผลลัพธ์ที่ต้องการ คือ เรามีแนวโน้มที่จะ “หยุดทำ” เมื่อได้ผลลัพธ์ที่ต้องการแล้ว

ยกตัวอย่างเช่น การลดน้ำหนัก เราชอบมองเรื่องของการลดน้ำหนักเป็นเหมือน การจัดแคมเปญ โดยมีช่วงเวลาที่กำหนด และเมื่อบรรลุเป้าหมาย เราก็กลับมามีพฤติกรรมแบบเดิม ซึ่งทำให้น้ำหนักที่ลดลงไป กลับมา

James Clear ผู้เขียนหนังสือชื่อ Atomic Habits ได้กล่าวว่า แค่การวางแผน และลงมือทำ ไม่ได้นำมาซึ่งผลลัพธ์ที่ยั่งยืน

แต่สิ่งที่สำคัญกว่า ที่เราต้องทำคือ การกำหนดตัวตนของเราใหม่

เวลาที่เราต้องการลดน้ำหนัก 10 กิโล ให้เรามองลึกลงไปกว่าการวางแผนเรื่องการกิน และการออกกำลังกาย

แต่ให้ตั้งเป้าหมายว่า

“ต่อไปนี้ฉันจะเป็นคนที่ เลือกกินที่แต่ของที่มีประโยชน์ และจะออกกำลังกายสม่ำเสมอ” “ฉันไม่ใช่คนที่ชอบกินขนมและของที่มีน้ำตาลสูง” “ฉันเป็นนักกีฬาที่เข้มงวดต่อตารางฝึกซ้อม”

การกำหนดตัวตนของเราใหม่ เป็นเหมือนการปรับเปลี่ยน Mindset ถ้าเรา “โฟกัส” ลงไปที่แก่นของพฤติกรรมแล้ว “ผลลัพธ์” แบบที่เราต้องการจะมาเอง และยั่งยืนกว่า

การศึกษาของมหาวิทยาลัย Yale เป็นข้อพิสูจน์ของเรื่องนี้ได้อย่างดี เพราะกลุ่มคนที่มีความเชื่อที่เป็นด้านบวก จะให้ความสำคัญต่อการออกกำลังกายมากขึ้น หยุดกินเหล้า หยุดสูบบุหรี่ และใช้เวลาอยู่กับคนที่มีมุมมองเป็นบวกเหมือนกัน

เมื่อเราได้ติดสินใจแล้วว่า คนแบบไหนที่เราต้องการจะเป็น พฤติกรรมต่างๆในชีวิตประจำวันของเราจะค่อยๆ เปลี่ยนไป และจะยิ่งเห็นผลชัดเจนขึ้นเรื่อยๆในระยะยาว

เรา คือผลลัพธ์ของ สิ่งที่เราลงมือทำ

เรา คือผลลัพธ์ของ การตัดสินใจของเรา

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Hackathon 总结

JAMHacks 8 于滑铁卢大学举办，汇集了高中生开发者在6月7日至9日的36小时活动中创造了40个项目。Hackathon 的目标是让科技社区对高中学生更加开放，在E7大楼提供了各种面对面的研讨会和活动。这次 hackathon 在不同类别中展示了创新项目，包括最佳新手 Hack、最佳硬件 Hack 和最佳区块链 Hack，促进了技术创造力和技能发展。

著名奖项包括为一等奖得主颁发的 Instax Mini 胶片相机和迷你音箱，其他奖项则有 Arduino 套件和 Keychron 键盘等。专门的赛道如 Adobe Express 挑战激发了创造性扩展，而 MATLAB 和 TinyMCE 等工具的工作坊则促进了学习。活动表彰了在区块链领域如 Starknet 的创新，以及创意和技术卓越。Hackathon 有效地培养了新技能、想法和联系，最终在不同兴趣领域产生了多样的技术进步。

Hackathon 获奖者

Overall Top Prize Winners

• TouchUp：使用 Holo-Touch 技术和 AI 模型将普通设备转换为触摸屏，基于手势控制。它利用了 MediaPipe、OpenCV 和 Pynput。
• Signematic：提供媒体的即时手语翻译，通过机器学习和手势模型提高可访问性，使用 Beautiful Soup、Three.js 和 Node.js。
• FITRIS：将健身与游戏相结合，使用 OpenCV 将锻炼动作转化为俄罗斯方块控制，构建于 Flask 后端和 React JS 前端。

Hardware Track Prize Winner

• BioTron: 自动化植物浇水系统，利用AI和TCP/IP协议实现高效的植物维护，设计有自浇水花盆和热插拔模块。

Beginner Track Prize Winner

• gnome biome: 一个帮助管理压力的健康网站，提供AI地精建议，结合 TinyMCE 进行笔记和情绪月历跟踪。

Solo Developer Track Prize Winner

• Dreamweaver: 一个探索梦境干预的游戏，玩家通过洞察功能影响梦境事件。

Marketing Track Prize Winner

• Geese S.H.E.E.T.: 通过附在衬衫上的IP摄像头检测鹅粪，使用 Python 脚本搭载 Roboflow 和 Fusion 进行模型训练。

Game Development Track Prize Winner

• Mind-Mart: 一个通过引人入胜的游戏机制提高心理健康意识的教育游戏，展示与状况相关的场景。

Blockchain Track Prize Winner

• Doctors On Dial: 基于区块链的平台，用于安全、高效的医疗数据传输，使用 MatLabs、NEAR 和 JavaScript，包括用于癌症检测的 AI 分析。

Best Use of Near Protocol Prize Winner

• YapChain: 基于 NEAR 的去中心化社交媒体平台，设计用于安全、匿名的数据管理，提供独特的用户体验和区块链集成。

Best Warp/Dev Tool Prize Winner

• GripGuardian: 通过传感器提供手部健康分析的符合人体工学的鼠标，实时姿势反馈通过全面的网络应用提供。

Best Use of TinyMCE Prize Winner

• MemorEase: 通过记忆日记的数字可视化增强痴呆症患者的社会连接，利用 OpenAI API 和 vis.js 进行视觉图表化。

Best Use of Adobe API Prize Winner

• Signematic

Best Use of Starknet Prize Winner

• UNiDLoan: 是一个区块链应用，连接学生和投资者提供研究贷款，使用 Next.js、MongoDB 和 NEAR 代币进行安全交易。

Best Use of MATLAB Prize Winner

• AnyJAMS: 实时工具演奏评估的卡拉OK，使用 Flask 和 MATLAB，通过 xcorr 等高级算法提供表演反馈。

查看 JAMHacks 8 的所有创新项目，请访问官方网站。

关于组织者

JAMHacks

JAMHacks 是一个积极的组织，致力于通过动手技术项目促进高中生的创新。凭借对包容性和技能培养的承诺，JAMHacks 主办的活动有超过200名学生参与，共同协作创造性技术解决方案。通过提供研讨会和指导，组织帮助参与者专注于项目开发，强调学习、连接和创新。JAMHacks 继续培育年轻人才，为他们在未来的科技成功做准备。欲了解更多信息，请访问其网站 jamhacks.ca。

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Hackathon 总结

AI × Climate Hackathon for NYC Climate Week 集结了36位参与者，用AI驱动的解决方案解决气候问题。活动与Betaworks合作组织，作为纽约气候周的一部分，致力于在六小时内开发AI原型和商业模型。Hackathon共产生了18个项目，重点解决数据中心的能耗降低、城市可持续性的地理空间分析，以及利用LLMs进行气候教育等挑战。

参与者在活动前或活动期间组成团队，努力创造有影响力的AI驱动解决方案。评审标准优先考虑项目的可扩展性、可行性、研究的稳健性、创新性和AI的应用。评委根据项目减少温室气体排放的潜力和实践适用性对提交作品进行评估。

此次活动为AI开发者和可持续发展专家提供了一个合作平台，以设计解决重大气候挑战的解决方案。Betaworks、The Navigation Fund、Hack for Earth和Dorahacks等合作伙伴增强了活动的影响力及参与度，推动气候相关领域的创新。

Hackathon 获奖者

Overall Winner & LLMs as a Climate Educator Prize Winners

• ePUE - 一项针对数据中心的创新，引入了Enriched Power Usage Effectiveness (ePUE)。该工具结合地区能源结构和排放，使效率和可持续性影响的评估更加全面。

Slashing Energy Use in Data Centers Prize Winners

• ePUE 详细信息可在此处查看。

Geospatial Analysis for Urban Sustainability Prize Winners

• TECH-E: Co-pilot for clean energy technician - 基于AI的解决方案，加速家用电气化方面清洁能源技术人员的培训和生产力。
• UrbanScan Solutions - 利用卫星图像、热数据和AI技术帮助开发人员通过优化建筑改造以实现可持续性来减少排放，并符合Local Law 97标准。

欲了解更多详情，请访问Hackathon页面。

关于组织者

Climate Hackathon NYC

Climate Hackathon NYC专注于通过创新技术解决环境挑战。通过与开发者和行业专业人士网络的合作，组织运用区块链来推进可持续发展倡议。通过动态活动和合作项目，Climate Hackathon NYC构建了一个致力于技术驱动气候行动的社区，展示了新兴技术在解决全球环境问题上的变革潜力。这使得该组织在生态科技进步上处于领先地位。

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Hackathon Summary

JAMHacks 8, held at the University of Waterloo, brought together high school developers who crafted 40 projects during the 36-hour event from June 7 to June 9. The hackathon aimed to make the tech community more accessible for high school students, offering various in-person workshops and activities at the E7 building. It showcased innovative projects across categories such as Best Beginner Hack, Best Hardware Hack, and Best Blockchain Hack, promoting technical creativity and skill development.

Notable awards included Instax Mini Film Cameras and Mini Speakers for first-place winners, while others received prizes like Arduino Kits and Keychron Keyboards. Specialized tracks, such as the Adobe Express challenge, spurred creative extensions, while workshops on tools like MATLAB and TinyMCE facilitated learning. Recognizing both creative and technical excellence, the event included awards for innovations in areas like blockchain with Starknet. The hackathon effectively fostered new skills, ideas, and connections, culminating in diverse technological advances across different interests.

Hackathon Winners

Overall Top Prize Winners

• TouchUp: Converts standard devices to touch-screen using Holo-Touch technology and AI models for hand gesture control. It leverages MediaPipe, OpenCV, and Pynput.
• Signematic: Provides real-time sign language translation for media, enhancing accessibility through machine learning and gesture models, using Beautiful Soup, Three.js, and Node.js.
• FITRIS: Integrates fitness with gaming, using OpenCV to convert exercise movements into Tetris controls, built with a Flask backend and React JS frontend.

Hardware Track Prize Winner

• BioTron: An automated plant-watering system utilizing AI and TCP/IP protocols for efficient plant maintenance, designed with self-watering planters and hot-swappable modules.

Beginner Track Prize Winner

• gnome biome: A wellness site aiding stress management with AI gnome advice, incorporating TinyMCE for note-taking and emotional tracking with a mood calendar.

Solo Developer Track Prize Winner

• Dreamweaver: A game that explores dream intervention where players influence dream events using foresight functionality.

Marketing Track Prize Winner

• Geese S.H.E.E.T.: Detects geese droppings via a shirt-attached IP camera, employing Python scripts using Roboflow and Fusion for model training.

Game Development Track Prize Winner

• Mind-Mart: An educative game enhancing mental health awareness, utilizing engaging game mechanics to portray condition-related scenarios.

Blockchain Track Prize Winner

• Doctors On Dial: A blockchain-based platform for secure, efficient medical data transfer, using MatLabs, NEAR, and JavaScript, including AI analysis for cancer detection.

Best Use of Near Protocol Prize Winner

• YapChain: A decentralized social media platform on NEAR designed for secure, anonymous data management, offering unique user experiences with blockchain integration.

Best Warp/Dev Tool Prize Winner

• GripGuardian: An ergonomic mouse that provides hand health analytics through sensors, offering real-time posture feedback via a comprehensive web application.

Best Use of TinyMCE Prize Winner

• MemorEase: Enhances social connections for those with dementia through digital visualization of memory journals, utilizing the OpenAI API and vis.js for visual graphing.

Best Use of Adobe API Prize Winner

• Signematic

Best Use of Starknet Prize Winner

• UNiDLoan: A blockchain application connecting students with investors for research loans, using Next.js, MongoDB, and NEAR tokens for secure transactions.

Best Use of MATLAB Prize Winner

• AnyJAMS: Karaoke with real-time instrument performance evaluation using Flask and MATLAB, providing performance feedback through advanced algorithms like xcorr.

To view all the innovative projects from JAMHacks 8, visit the official page.

About the Organizer

JAMHacks

JAMHacks is a proactive organization focused on fostering innovation among high school students through hands-on technology projects. With a commitment to inclusivity and skill-building, JAMHacks hosts events where over 200 students collaborate on creative technological solutions. By offering workshops and mentorship, the organization empowers participants to concentrate on project development, emphasizing learning, connection, and innovation. JAMHacks continues to nurture young talent, preparing them for future success in technology. For more information, visit their website at jamhacks.ca.

@ ed84ce10:cccf4c2a

Hackathon Summary

The AI × Climate Hackathon for NYC Climate Week brought together 36 participants to tackle climate issues with AI-driven solutions. Organized in partnership with Betaworks, the event was part of NYC Climate Week and aimed at developing AI prototypes and business models over a six-hour duration. The hackathon resulted in 18 projects that focused on challenges such as reducing energy consumption in data centers, conducting geospatial analysis for urban sustainability, and utilizing LLMs for climate education.

Participants formed teams either prior to or during the event, striving to create impactful AI-driven solutions. The judging criteria prioritized the project's scalability, feasibility, robustness of research, innovation, and the application of AI. Judges assessed submissions based on their potential to reduce greenhouse gases and practical applicability.

The event provided a collaborative platform for AI developers and sustainability experts to design solutions addressing significant climate challenges. Partners such as Betaworks, The Navigation Fund, Hack for Earth, and Dorahacks enhanced the event's impact and participation, promoting innovation in climate-related fields.

Hackathon Winners

Overall Winner & LLMs as a Climate Educator Prize Winners

• ePUE - An innovation for data centers that introduces Enriched Power Usage Effectiveness (ePUE). This tool incorporates regional energy mixes and emissions, allowing for comprehensive evaluation of efficiency and sustainability impacts.

Slashing Energy Use in Data Centers Prize Winners

• ePUE Detailed information is provided here.

Geospatial Analysis for Urban Sustainability Prize Winners

• TECH-E: Co-pilot for clean energy technician - An AI-based solution to accelerate the training and productivity of clean energy technicians, specifically in home electrification.
• UrbanScan Solutions - Utilizes satellite imagery, thermal data, and AI technologies to help developers reduce emissions and meet Local Law 97 standards by optimizing building retrofits for sustainability.

For more details, explore all projects at the Hackathon page.

About the Organizer

Climate Hackathon NYC

Climate Hackathon NYC focuses on addressing environmental challenges through innovative technologies. By collaborating with a network of developers and industry professionals, the organization leverages blockchain to advance sustainability initiatives. Through dynamic events and collaborative projects, Climate Hackathon NYC builds a community dedicated to tech-driven climate action, demonstrating the transformative potential of emerging technologies in solving global environmental issues. This positions the organization at the forefront of eco-centric technological advancements.

@ ed84ce10:cccf4c2a

0. BUIDL AI

In the age of AI, where technology moves faster than our ability to comprehend its implications, DoraHacks stands at the intersection of creation and disruption. It is not just a platform; it is a movement—a global network of individuals solving fascinating problems, building the boldest ideas, and pushing the limits of what’s possible. DoraHacks is also on a trajectory to become the most significant Agentic Community Platform in the world, automating hackathons, and open-source communities across the globe.

1. Everyone will be a Hacker

Let’s start with a fundamental shift in understanding. The term “hacker” has long been burdened by the weight of misconception. Too often, it evokes images of shady figures hunched over keyboards, hacking into systems in the dead of night. But in truth, the hacker is something entirely different—and far more important.

A hacker is a builder. A creator. Someone who, when faced with a problem, doesn’t wait for permission or perfect conditions. Instead, they use ingenuity, resourcefulness, and relentless curiosity to solve it.

When DoraHacks launched in 2014, it embraced this ethos wholeheartedly. Its mission was to unite hackers worldwide to tackle humanity’s most pressing challenges. These hackers weren’t confined to coders; they included designers, entrepreneurs, scientists, and anyone driven by a desire to create meaningful change.

Fast forward to 2025, and we’re witnessing a seismic shift in how work and innovation are done. AI is automating the repetitive and mundane, from office tasks to driving, freeing humanity to focus on the creative and the essential. In this new world, everyone will be a hacker—leveraging AI to build, design, and solve problems that matter. DoraHacks, already the world’s largest hacker ecosystem with over 200,000 builders, is perfectly positioned to scale this movement a thousandfold.

2. From Hacker Movement to Freedom of BUIDL

DoraHacks has always been a platform for builders, but its vision extends far beyond hackathons and prize pools. At its core lies a principle that has the power to reshape the world: Freedom of BUIDL.

Freedom of BUIDL is more than the ability to create. It is the removal of barriers—geographical, financial, institutional—that prevent people from realizing their potential. The extraordinary success of Silicon Valley over the last century was built on precisely this freedom: a culture and infrastructure that allowed the world’s brightest minds to converge, collaborate, and innovate without limits.

However, this opportunity is not distributed equally. A young builder in rural Africa, a student in Southeast Asia, or a refugee in Europe may have the talent and drive to build transformative solutions but lack the resources or networks to do so. DoraHacks aims to democratize innovation by creating a global platform where anyone, anywhere, can participate in the Freedom of BUIDL.

Consider this: a team in Nairobi uses AI to design sustainable energy grids, collaborating with developers in Berlin and advisors in Silicon Valley—all made possible by DoraHacks. This is not the future; it’s happening now. And it’s just the beginning.

3. The Cutting Edge of the Cutting Edge

What makes DoraHacks unique is not just its scale but its relentless focus on the frontier of open-source technology. From application-specific blockchains to quantum computing software infrastructures and open-source space technology, DoraHacks has consistently championed what’s next.

In 2025, projects using decentralized governance models powered by intelligent agents will begin to emerge, transforming the way open-source communities coordinate and the way new technologies accelerate, from consumer appchains to decentralized social media, from memes to quantum software, from biohacks to open-source space tech.

In the years to come, DoraHacks has the potential be the birthplace of many of the world’s most transformative open-source platform technologies. It will be the launchpad for breakthroughs that redefine how we live, work, and connect.

4. BUIDL AI: The Intelligence Behind the Ecosystem

At the heart of this transformation lies BUIDL AI, one of DoraHacks’ most ambitious undertakings yet. As the hacker ecosystem grows, so too does the complexity of its needs. Builders require mentorship, funding, collaborators, and access to cutting-edge tools. BUIDL AI is the intelligence layer that makes this possible.

Imagine an AI that doesn’t just analyze trends but anticipates them, matching hackers with the exact resources, mentors, and collaborators they need at the right time, helping them to join the BUIDL teams that best fit their skill sets and aspirations. Imagine a system that optimizes resource allocation across tens of thousands of projects, ensuring that the most promising ideas get the support they deserve. This is not speculative; it’s the foundation DoraHacks is building today.

As these tools mature, they will enable DoraHacks to evolve into a full-fledged Agentic Community Platform—one that operates with the intelligence, speed, and adaptability required to shape the future.

5. Conclusion: Building for the Builders of Tomorrow

When the creators of Doraemon imagined a robot that could solve any problem, they were unknowingly inspiring a generation to dream bigger. Today, DoraHacks takes up that mantle, not as fiction but as a reality: a platform where the builders of the future are empowered to create the tools, technologies, and systems that will change everything.

We stand at the crossroads of a new era. AI, blockchain, and quantum computing are converging, new frontiers are opening, and the opportunities are boundless. DoraHacks will be there, championing the hackers, builders, and dreamers who dare to take humanity’s next leap forward.

In the end, the future belongs to the builders. And the world they build will be extraordinary.

@ e0921d61:e0fe7bd5

My reading list for 2025 consists of 15 books in 4 categories

• Islam
• Economics
• Civilization/History
• And René Guénon gets his own category 😂

Economics list:

• Epistemological Problems of Economics by Ludwig von Mises

The title seems intriguing and I've been meaning to read this for a while. My favorite chapter in human action is the one where Mises talks about the epistemological problems, so I'm hoping he expands on it here.

• Abundance, Generosity, and the State: An Inquiry into Economic Principles by Jörg Guido Hülsmann

This is from the same author that wrote one of my all time favorite "Bitcoin book", the Ethics of Money Production. This one explores charity from the Austrian perspective, and there's a really good podcast episode that Steophan Livera did with Hülsmann about this book.

• The Economics and Ethics of Private Property: Studies in Political Economy and Philosophy by Hans-Hermann Hoppe

I'm planning to read every Hoppe book, so this one had to go on the list.

• Why Minsky Matters: An Introduction to the Work of a Maverick Economist by L. Randall Wray

I've been meaning to read this for a while now, it was recommend to me by Ibn Maghrebi (nostr:npub1chmhgx9nwxdpwv6jj6qs257fwzrhtsjh2egvyvqq3rmzfy8cd5fq4nr4y5). Looks interesting and I wonder how similar Minsky's views are compared to Austrian Economics.

Islam list

• Reforming Modernity: Ethics and the New Human in the Philosophy of Abdurrahman Taha by Wael Hallaq

I want to read more Hallaq since reading the Impossible State, and this seems like something I'd enjoy, and it supposedly helps bring more context for the next book in this list.

• God's property: Islam, Charity, and the Modern State by Nada Moumtaz

I've had this book in my reading list for a while. The history of charity in Islamic civilizations is a fascinating topic to me.

• Islam between East and West 'Aiija 'Ali Izetbegovic

I actually don't know anything about this book other than seeing many folks on MT reference it a lot. Seems like something I must read.

• The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam by Muhammad Iqbal

Got this one off the SAIF reading list.

Civilization/History List

• Energy and Civilization: A History by Vaclav Smil

Seems like an interesting book about energy

• Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations by David R. Montgomery

I've had this on my reading list for a while, and I find the subject of soil to be fascinating. Seems interesting.

• The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History by Ibn Khaldun

I'm ashamed to admit that I still haven't read this book. It's referenced a lot in other books talking about history and civilization. It's time for me to read this.

• The Time of the Bedouin: on the Politics of power by Ian Dallas

Ian Dallas is Shaykh Abdalqadir As-Sufi, and I want to read more of his works, as he understood the scope and nature of the Riba money problem long before I was even born!

René Guénon list

I've been meaning to read Guénon for a while now, and I don't know much about his philosophy but I've liked the few quotes I've read on certain Twitter threads. I'm very interested in how he approaches criticizing modernity.

• East and West

• The Crisis of the Modern World

• The Reign of Quantity & the Signs of the Times

And that's it. I'm hopeful I can get through all 15 books this year inshaAllah.

@ 58937958:545e6994

I made croquettes inspired by Spiral's character "Bitcoin (Puppet)."

The method is the same as making regular croquettes. I also tried making a version (right) with the arms and legs attached while shaping the filling, but they fell off before I could coat them in flour.

The face is made with seaweed and sliced cheese. The arms and legs are made with fish cake (hanpen). I brushed soy sauce on the legs and lightly toasted them in a toaster, which gave them a brown color.

The arms and legs are attached using thin spaghetti. When I searched for character-themed bentos (kyaraben), I came across the idea of using dried pasta, which made sense. I used fried spaghetti sticks for attachment.

Here’s Bitcoin Croquette squished into a bento box:

Halving

Notes

• I tried freezing the filling to help it hold its shape, but it backfired. It stuck to the plate and the cooking paper, and once partially thawed, it became way too watery. Freezing might work with better preparation.
• The filling was quite dry when shaping, so it might be better to add a binder (this time, I only used potatoes and sautéed onions).

The shape of Bitcoin Puppet was really easy and fun to make, so I’d love to try creating something else next time!

nostr:nevent1qqsxgpjvf9g9suhzx5asqhvnlvnarl43kuhas8v5g2ryjr9yjjp0z5ctkh5pt

@ 58937958:545e6994

Spiralのキャラクター「ビットコイン（パペット）」のコロッケを作りました

作り方は一般的なコロッケです 試しにタネの状態で手足をくっつけたバージョン（右）も作りましたが 粉をつける前に手足がもげました

顔はのりとスライスチーズ 手足ははんぺんです 足は醤油をつけてトースターで軽く焼いたら茶色になりました

手足はサラスパでくっつけてます 細いスパゲッティ キャラ弁でググったらサラスパが出てきてなるほどな～と思いました 自分は揚げパスタにして刺しました

弁当箱に押し込まれてるコロッケくん

半減期

メモ

• タネを作った時に形を保たせるために冷凍してみたんですけど逆効果だった（皿とクッキングペーパーにくっついて取れなくなった＆半解凍したら水分がすごいことになった）ので冷凍するなら対策が必要そう
• 形作るときにかなりパサパサだったので、つなぎがあった方がいいのかも（今回はじゃがいも＆炒めタマネギだけ）

ビットコインくんの形はすごく作りやすくて面白いのでまた何か作りたいなぁと思いました

nostr:nevent1qqsxgpjvf9g9suhzx5asqhvnlvnarl43kuhas8v5g2ryjr9yjjp0z5ctkh5pt

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

Table Of Content

• Nomura's Strategic Move into the Crypto Space

• Details of the Laser Digital Bitcoin Adoption Fund

• Why Institutional Investors are Flocking to Bitcoin

• The Future of Bitcoin and Institutional Involvement

• Conclusion

• FAQ

Nomura's Strategic Move into the Crypto Space

Nomura, a financial giant with a storied history, has always been at the forefront of financial innovation. Recognizing the potential of the crypto market, especially Bitcoin, Nomura has made strategic moves to establish a strong foothold in this burgeoning sector. Their latest initiative, the introduction of a dedicated Bitcoin fund, is a testament to their commitment to this space. By launching this fund, Nomura is not only catering to the growing demand from institutional investors but also solidifying its position as a forward-thinking financial institution.

Details of the Laser Digital Bitcoin Adoption Fund

The "Laser Digital Bitcoin Adoption fund" is designed to provide long-only exposure to Bitcoin. This means that the fund will only buy and hold Bitcoin, without engaging in any short-selling. Such a strategy is indicative of Nomura's bullish outlook on the cryptocurrency. The fund aims to tap into the potential long-term growth of Bitcoin, offering investors a chance to benefit from any upward price movements. Moreover, by providing a structured and regulated way to invest in Bitcoin, Nomura is addressing one of the primary concerns of institutional investors: security and compliance.

Why Institutional Investors are Flocking to Bitcoin

There are several reasons why institutional investors are showing keen interest in Bitcoin:

Diversification: Bitcoin, being a non-correlated asset, offers portfolio diversification. In times of traditional market volatility, Bitcoin can act as a hedge.

Potential for High Returns: Despite its volatility, Bitcoin has shown the potential for significant returns, outperforming many traditional assets in the past decade.

Increasing Acceptance: As more businesses and financial institutions accept Bitcoin, its utility and value proposition increase.

Inflation Hedge: With central banks around the world printing money at an unprecedented rate, there are genuine concerns about inflation. Bitcoin, with its capped supply, is seen by many as a hedge against inflationary pressures.

The Future of Bitcoin and Institutional Involvement

The involvement of institutions in the Bitcoin market is not a fleeting trend. It represents a fundamental shift in how the financial world perceives digital assets. As regulatory clarity improves and the infrastructure around cryptocurrency trading and custody matures, more institutions are expected to enter the space.

Nomura's dedicated Bitcoin fund is just the beginning. As the market grows, we can expect more sophisticated financial products centered around Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. These will not only provide institutional investors with more tools to leverage their positions but also contribute to the overall stability and maturity of the crypto market.

Conclusion

The launch of Nomura's "Laser Digital Bitcoin Adoption fund" is a significant milestone in the ongoing institutional adoption of Bitcoin. It underscores the growing importance of digital assets in the financial landscape and hints at a future where Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are an integral part of any diversified investment portfolio.

FAQ

What is Nomura's new crypto initiative? Nomura has introduced the "Laser Digital Bitcoin Adoption fund," a dedicated fund providing long-only exposure to Bitcoin.

Who is the target audience for this fund? The fund primarily targets institutional investors looking to invest in Bitcoin in a structured and regulated manner.

What does "long-only exposure" mean? It means the fund will buy and hold Bitcoin without engaging in short-selling, focusing on potential long-term growth.

Why are institutional investors interested in Bitcoin? Institutional investors see Bitcoin as a valuable addition to their portfolios for diversification, potential high returns, increasing acceptance, and as an inflation hedge.

Is this a temporary trend in the financial world? No, the involvement of institutions in the Bitcoin market represents a fundamental shift in the perception of digital assets, indicating a long-term trend.

That's all for today

If you want more, be sure to follow us on:

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Instagram: @croxroadnews.co

Youtube: @croxroadnews

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Subscribe to CROX ROAD Bitcoin Only Daily Newsletter

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

@ fd06f542:8d6d54cd

nostr的 密码是规则生成的，用户都在本地生成，无需存放到服务器。用户暴露自己的pubkey就可以。 理论上是安全的。生成的账户无需任何你的其他信息，安全可靠。

Mastodon， 还是需要注册，把密码存储到他的服务器上。

nostr 任何人都可以获取relay服务器上数据。大部分服务器任何人都可以存取数据。 这种开创了 开放服务器数据的方法，使得每个开发者在这里都是公平的。只有你有足够的创意，你可以成为nostr建设的主人。

到目前位置，我没有见过哪个社区有这样的好的创意了。

@ fd06f542:8d6d54cd

为什么已经有那么多 JavaScript 客户端，还需要一个 Python 客户端？ Python 客户端的存在主要是为了满足特定场景的需求，尤其是将 Nostr 协议无缝集成到爬虫和 AI 应用中。

Python 在爬虫领域的广泛应用 Python 是爬虫开发的首选语言，拥有丰富的库和工具（如 Scrapy、BeautifulSoup 等）。通过 Python 版本的 Nostr 客户端，开发者可以轻松将爬虫与 Nostr 协议连接，实现数据的实时抓取和推送。这种无缝集成使得 Nostr 成为爬虫场景中的最佳选择。

AI 与 Nostr 的深度结合 当前，AI 技术（如翻译、摘要生成、阅读理解等）已经广泛应用于各种场景。通过 Python 客户端，开发者可以将 Nostr 的内容与 AI 服务无缝对接。例如，利用 AI API 对 Nostr 消息进行实时翻译或摘要生成，从而提升用户体验。因此，Python 版本的 Nostr 客户端是实现这一目标的必然选择。

总结 Python 客户端的引入，不仅扩展了 Nostr 协议的应用场景，还为爬虫和 AI 开发者提供了强大的工具支持。无论是数据抓取还是智能处理，Python 客户端都能让 Nostr 协议在更多领域发挥其价值。

@ 3f770d65:7a745b24

I’ve been using Notedeck for several months, starting with its extremely early and experimental alpha versions, all the way to its current, more stable alpha releases. The journey has been fascinating, as I’ve had the privilege of watching it evolve from a concept into a functional and promising tool.

In its earliest stages, Notedeck was raw—offering glimpses of its potential but still far from practical for daily use. Even then, the vision behind it was clear: a platform designed to redefine how we interact with Nostr by offering flexibility and power for all users.

I'm very bullish on Notedeck. Why? Because Will Casarin is making it! Duh! 😂

Seriously though, if we’re reimagining the web and rebuilding portions of the Internet, it’s important to recognize the potential of Notedeck. If Nostr is reimagining the web, then Notedeck is reimagining the Nostr client.

Notedeck isn’t just another Nostr app—it’s more a Nostr browser that functions more like an operating system with micro-apps. How cool is that?

Much like how Google's Chrome evolved from being a web browser with a task manager into ChromeOS, a full blown operating system, Notedeck aims to transform how we interact with the Nostr. It goes beyond individual apps, offering a foundation for a fully integrated ecosystem built around Nostr.

As a Nostr evangelist, I love to scream INTEROPERABILITY and tout every application's integrations. Well, Notedeck has the potential to be one of the best platforms to showcase these integrations in entirely new and exciting ways.

Do you want an Olas feed of images? Add the media column.

Do you want a feed of live video events? Add the zap.stream column.

Do you want Nostr Nests or audio chats? Add that column to your Notedeck.

Git? Email? Books? Chat and DMs? It's all possible.

Not everyone wants a super app though, and that’s okay. As with most things in the Nostr ecosystem, flexibility is key. Notedeck gives users the freedom to choose how they engage with it—whether it’s simply following hashtags or managing straightforward feeds. You'll be able to tailor Notedeck to fit your needs, using it as extensively or minimally as you prefer.

Notedeck is designed with a local-first approach, utilizing Nostr content stored directly on your device via the local nostrdb. This will enable a plethora of advanced tools such as search and filtering, the creation of custom feeds, and the ability to develop personalized algorithms across multiple Notedeck micro-applications—all with unparalleled flexibility.

Notedeck also supports multicast. Let's geek out for a second. Multicast is a method of communication where data is sent from one source to multiple destinations simultaneously, but only to devices that wish to receive the data. Unlike broadcast, which sends data to all devices on a network, multicast targets specific receivers, reducing network traffic. This is commonly used for efficient data distribution in scenarios like streaming, conferencing, or large-scale data synchronization between devices.

In a local first world where each device holds local copies of your nostr nodes, and each device transparently syncs with each other on the local network, each node becomes a backup. Your data becomes antifragile automatically. When a node goes down it can resync and recover from other nodes. Even if not all nodes have a complete collection, negentropy can pull down only what is needed from each device. All this can be done without internet.

-Will Casarin

In the context of Notedeck, multicast would allow multiple devices to sync their Nostr nodes with each other over a local network without needing an internet connection. Wild.

Notedeck aims to offer full customization too, including the ability to design and share custom skins, much like Winamp. Users will also be able to create personalized columns and, in the future, share their setups with others. This opens the door for power users to craft tailored Nostr experiences, leveraging their expertise in the protocol and applications. By sharing these configurations as "Starter Decks," they can simplify onboarding and showcase the best of Nostr’s ecosystem.

Nostr’s “Other Stuff” can often be difficult to discover, use, or understand. Many users doesn't understand or know how to use web browser extensions to login to applications. Let's not even get started with nsecbunkers. Notedeck will address this challenge by providing a native experience that brings these lesser-known applications, tools, and content into a user-friendly and accessible interface, making exploration seamless. However, that doesn't mean Notedeck should disregard power users that want to use nsecbunkers though - hint hint.

For anyone interested in watching Nostr be developed live, right before your very eyes, Notedeck’s progress serves as a reminder of what’s possible when innovation meets dedication. The current alpha is already demonstrating its ability to handle complex use cases, and I’m excited to see how it continues to grow as it moves toward a full release later this year.

@ f9c0ea75:44e849f4

For decades, Silicon Valley has been synonymous with innovation, and Wall Street has been the epicenter of economic power. Together, they shaped the modern world, attracting the brightest minds from top universities. Graduates once dreamed of launching startups, landing venture capital (VC) deals, or securing prestigious jobs in finance, believing that these industries were the engines of progress.

But as we enter 2025, the cracks in these once-revered institutions are undeniable. Silicon Valley and Wall Street, rather than pushing the boundaries of technological and financial evolution, have become disconnected from reality.

The truth is, these industries have not "exited the matrix." They have become prisoners of their own speculative cycles, artificial monetary systems, and short-term financial engineering. They thrive on hype and illusion rather than building anything of real value for society. And perhaps most significantly, they continue to dismiss Bitcoin—the one innovation that directly challenges the fiat-based foundation they stand on.

---

The Rise: From Innovation to Speculation

For much of the 20th and early 21st centuries, technology and finance were forces of real change.

• The 1980s–1990s: The rise of personal computing, the internet, and Wall Street’s financial expansion created unprecedented opportunities.
• The 2000s: The dot-com bubble burst but was followed by Web 2.0, mobile computing, and a boom in financial derivatives—setting the stage for the 2008 financial crisis.
• The 2010s: Silicon Valley reached peak influence with AI, social media, cloud computing, and the gig economy. Meanwhile, central banks printed trillions to "save" the economy, further detaching financial markets from real-world productivity.

Fast forward to today, and it's clear that both industries have lost their way.

---

The Fall: The Great Disconnection from Reality

### \ 1. Short-Term Thinking Over Long-Term Value

\ Silicon Valley claims to be about innovation, but today, it's mostly about speculation. Startups chase VC funding, aiming for rapid growth and an IPO rather than sustainable business models.

The problem extends to public companies as well. Stock buybacks, manipulated earnings reports, and short-term profit incentives dominate decision-making, sidelining real technological advancements.

2. The Financialization of Everything

\ The financial industry is no longer about allocating capital efficiently—it's about maximizing short-term gains. Markets are driven by quantitative trading algorithms, leveraged positions, and central bank policies rather than real economic fundamentals.

Silicon Valley has followed suit. Companies no longer prioritize profits but rather "growth metrics" to justify higher valuations. Business models rely on cheap debt and endless capital injections, creating an illusion of stability.

3. The Fiat Mentality: Creating Illusions Instead of Value

\ Both tech and finance have embraced a "fiat mentality"—the idea that value can be manufactured without real-world backing.

This is evident in:

• The NFT and crypto hype cycles, where billions are funneled into digital assets with no inherent utility.
• Silicon Valley startups burning cash endlessly, propped up by speculative VC money rather than genuine market demand.
• Financial markets defying economic fundamentals, rising even as debt levels skyrocket and productivity stagnates.

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in 2023 was a warning. The bank failed because it operated on the assumption that interest rates would remain low forever. The industry ignored economic fundamentals, choosing instead to bet on infinite liquidity.

Yet, rather than acknowledging the flaws in the system, the response was predictable: more bailouts, more money printing, more denial.

---

The Industry’s Biggest Blind Spot: Bitcoin

If there’s one thing that exposes the flaws of the modern financial and tech industries, it’s Bitcoin. And yet, Silicon Valley and Wall Street continue to misunderstand it.

1. They Confuse Bitcoin with "Crypto"

Silicon Valley lumps Bitcoin into the same category as speculative crypto tokens, meme coins, and NFT projects. They fail to see that Bitcoin is fundamentally different—it is decentralized, permissionless, and operates on a fixed monetary supply, unlike fiat currencies or VC-backed blockchain projects.

2. They Underestimate Its Monetary Revolution Finance

professionals dismiss Bitcoin because they are too invested in the fiat system. The very institutions that dominate global finance—central banks, commercial banks, and hedge funds—are threatened by a monetary system that operates outside their control.

Bitcoin is not just another asset; it is a paradigm shift. It removes reliance on central banks, eliminates counterparty risk, and offers financial sovereignty in a world where fiat currencies are continuously debased.

3. They Ignore the Reality of the Debt-Driven System

The global economy runs on an unsustainable debt-based model. Governments and corporations rely on constant money printing to sustain growth, leading to asset bubbles and financial instability. Bitcoin exposes this because it operates on absolute scarcity—there will only ever be 21 million Bitcoin.

Wall Street and Silicon Valley refuse to acknowledge this reality because doing so would force them to confront the weaknesses of their own industries.

---

Bitcoin and the Exit from the Matrix

The industries that once defined the future—tech and finance—have ironically failed to recognize the most important technological advancement of our time. They are too focused on short-term profits and centralized control to understand that the future of money will not be dictated by governments or banks—it will be dictated by individuals choosing financial independence.

Silicon Valley and Wall Street have built an empire based on leverage, speculation, and centralization. But history has shown that these systems eventually collapse under their own weight.

The question is: Who will wake up in time?

The Future Belongs to Those Who See the Shift

The Silicon Valley and Wall Street elites have not exited the matrix. They remain trapped in a system that prioritizes financial illusions over real value.

But history does not wait for those unwilling to adapt.

@ 558e15eb:efa6e980

[2025-02-07] Øy 5 year anniversary - Talk show and watch party @ online

Øy 5 year anniversary - Talk show and watch party online - https://lislegaard.stream/ (https://lislegaard.stream/)

(Friday, 7 February 20:00)

https://do.basspistol.org/event/oy-5-year-anniversary-talk-show-and-watch-party

@ 554ab6fe:c6cbc27e

A shared experience amongst many involved in the Bitcoin industry is that most have moved past the phase where they advocate for Bitcoin and other so-called cryptocurrencies. Eventually, most understand that all so-called cryptocurrencies are illegitimate and that the only legitimate system is Bitcoin. The reason is fundamentally an engineering question; explaining this difference can be challenging in a short conversation. When speaking with clients, friends, and family, I have found that the distinction between Bitcoin and ‘crypto’ is difficult to transmit without an unfortunate touch of blind faith on their part. Furthermore, there are minimal resources for someone to read that can help articulate this understanding. The following is my attempt to remedy this issue.

The subject of cryptocurrencies is shrouded in misleading language and narratives. First, it would be best to describe what Bitcoin is not; Bitcoin is not the invention of blockchain technology. Today, many people who pontificate cryptocurrencies do so under the banner of blockchain technology, allowing for the decentralization of internet infrastructure. Not once does Satoshi Nakamoto use the term ‘blockchain’ in his paper “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System”1. Also, Stuart Haber and Scott Stornetta invented the technology in 1991, roughly two decades before the invention of Bitcoin2. The technology was first invented to cryptographically timestamp a digital document as it was changed and edited over time. Why wasn’t Bitcoin invented in the 90s? As of the invention of what is now known as blockchain technology, there was no clear way for a distributed system to agree on the actual state of the system. We could have a distributed and decentralized blockchain database, but how would all the independent nodes agree on the truth? If there are 1000 nodes, each with slightly differing claims on what the blockchain database looks like, how do we reach a consensus on the correct version? Haver and Stornetta could not have answered this question because blockchain technology does not solve this dilemma.

Satoshi Nakamoto solved this problem by fusing blockchain technology with another technology known as proof-of-work, which Adam Back invented. Proof-of-work was first proposed in 1997 and was a way of preventing issues such as email spam by creating a physical and financial cost to computation3. Anyone that knows someone’s email can send them countless spam emails because there is no cost to sending an email. However, by forcing a computer to perform some computations beforehand, the physical costs of sending an email would likely prevent spam. This concept was never implemented, but its conceptualization paved the way for a much better use case. Before moving forward, it is crucial to understand how the invention of Adam Back’s proof-of-work imposed physical and financial costs on computer systems. The following example is how Bitcoin’s proof-of-work system functions. Anyone reading this article should use this link to experience an online SHA-256 hashing calculator for themselves. Here, any input results in a 256-bit string of numbers and letters. Your task is to find the correct input so that the random numbers and letters that result begin with five 0s. Rather than getting a hash that looks something like:

“8e35c2cd3bf6641bdb0e2050b76932cbb2e6034a0ddacc1d9bea82a6ba57f7cf”

It must instead look like:

“000002cd3bf6641bdb0e2050b76932cbb2e6034a0ddacc1d9bea82a6ba57f7cf”

This would take anyone, including a computer, a very long time to guess the correct input. There is no way to speed up this process algorithmically. A computer performing a proof-of-work computation must simply churn through guesses until the correct guess has been found. Therefore, the more complex the guess, the more electricity and financial costs are needed to execute the proof-of-work. This is why it is called ‘proof-of-work’; a computer that has found the correct guess has proved to everyone else that it performed work that has physical consequences in the real world. This is key to understanding Bitcoin.

Again, the various components of Bitcoin, such as blockchain and proof-of-work technology, were not the invention of Satoshi Nakamoto. All Satoshi did was combine them in an elegant way to solve the Byzantine Generals Problem. Imagine a group of generals, each commanding a portion of a Byzantine army, encamped around an enemy city. They need to coordinate their attack or retreat. Still, some generals may be traitors who will send conflicting messages to confuse the loyal generals as they send couriers back and forth to communicate. The problem is to devise a strategy for the loyal generals to reach a consensus despite the presence of possible traitors, ensuring that they either all attack or all retreat at the same time, even if some of the messages they receive are false or misleading. This problem is significant in distributed computing and consensus algorithms, where nodes in a network need to agree on a shared state despite the possibility of faulty or malicious nodes. To solve this problem in Bitcoin, Satoshi designed a system clearly stating that the longest blockchain was the valid chain. Proof-of-work computations are required to add a block to the chain, so the longest chain had the most energy backing it.

The idea that the longest chain has the most energy backing it may initially seem inconsequential. However, as the system develops, the chain becomes longer and longer, with more and more energy backing it. The only way to alter, or hack, the chain in any way that changes what happened in the past is to individually come up with the total equivalent amount of energy ever expended into the system by everyone else. A single bad actor must outcompete the entire global community’s effort starting from the first block 2009. It is a game theoretical setup where the time and energy used to hack the system potentially would be more beneficial, from a cost and benefit point of view, to simply contribute to the same chain everyone else is working with. Satoshi Nakamoto fused the computer system with the earth’s energy to solve the Byzantine Generals Problem, which plagued distributed computer network systems. The energy from the earth is what we trust to ensure we are all working with, and can come to a consensus about, the same set of information.

The property Bitcoin has of being backed by nature as its source of truth allows it to be a valid candidate as money. Understanding the history of money will also help us understand the engineering flaws among the so-called ‘cryptocurrencies. Money can be considered a ledger or recording device that tracks transactions or exchanges of human beings across time. Imagine two separate tribes, where one tribe will have a more bountiful hunting game during the summer and the other during the winter. The two tribes would benefit from trade, as each requires the different tribes to share meat during their respective off-season. However, they exist as two tribes where trust is hard to come by. Now, imagine there is some sort of commodity in their immediate environment that is incredibly rare and hard to find. For the sake of argument, let us say this is a seashell. The two tribes could gather and collect enough seashells to create a necklace of seashells. This neckless will represent a token of trust where the neckless is exchanged at each seasonal cycle. During the summer, the chief of Tribe A hands off the necklace to the chief of Tribe B in exchange for Tribe B to give a portion of their hunting game to Tribe A to feed them for the summer. When winter comes, the chief of tribe B can then pass the necklace back to the chief of tribe A in exchange for meat throughout the winter. This tradeoff occurs cyclically. This system is helpful because not only are they passing in between themselves a token of trust, but if one chief were to die, and the next time a meeting between the two tribes occurs, a new chief approaches the old chief wearing the necklace, the old chief can trust that this new chief is the proper heir because s/he bears the token of seasonal exchange. This allows the chiefs not to trust the individuals themselves but simply trust that the token is legitimate. This token is trustworthy because it is tough to reproduce. Of course, as societies developed, more challenging to find commodities began to dominate trade as the primary form of money.

The key takeaway from the example above is that the two tribes could not trust one another, so they used something from nature backed by energy in the form of the cost to find the seashells and record trustworthy transactions. Gold and silver were no different. Bitcoin has the same properties.

Finally, a comparison between Bitcoin and other so-called ‘cryptocurrencies can begin. First and foremost, there are two distinct families of altcoins: proof-of-work copycats of Bitcoin and proof-of-‘something else’ chains. Many famous altcoins, such as Ethereum, Cardano, or Solana, do not use a proof-of-work consensus mechanism. These systems do not use the energy from the earth to act as an arbiter of trust to solve the Byzantine Generals Problem. Like any human system, if they are not using Mother Earth to act as the source of truth, then a third party is. Humans and human-controlled code are the final judge. This trend also means that most systems have companies overseeing them, which Bitcoin does not. In the case of Ethereum, there is the Ethereum Foundation. The central control over Ethereum has been known to reverse the record of the ledger, something that is practically impossible on Bitcoin.

The DAO hack was a significant event that occurred in 2016 in the world of Ethereum. DAO stands for “Decentralized Autonomous Organization,” it was a complex smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain designed to act as an investor-directed venture capital fund. The idea was to allow people to invest in Ethereum and have a say in what projects the money would be used for, all governed by smart contracts without any central authority. In June 2016, someone found a vulnerability in The DAO’s code, allowing them to siphon off one-third of The DAO’s funds to a subsidiary account. This amounted to about $50 million worth of Ethereum at the time. As a result, the Ethereum community effectively reversed the transaction, by creating a fork in the chain that erased all transactions that happened after the hack. This is something that is unheard of in Bitcoin. The only way this was possible, that the community chose to use a shorter chain, was because the decision was headed by the central authorities that rule over Ethereum.

Without a source of truth outside of humans, there will always be a group of humans who have control. This is why bitcoin is sometimes articulated as a commodity while other altcoins are considered securities. It becomes increasingly unlikely that anyone can change the ledger of Bitcoin, whereas the few at the top hold such control over Ethereum. Anyone with electricity, a computer, and some internet can mine and receive bitcoin. It is permissionless, with very few barriers to entry. This is not the case with Ethereum, which would require someone to find an exchange and use some form of currency to purchase Ethereum. To run a Bitcoin node, the requirements are even less than it is to mine, given the low electricity cost. To run an Ethereum node, one needs to have 32 Ethereum (roughly $96,000 at today’s price). Ethereum is a plutocracy, and ETH is not different than a security issued by that plutocratic elite.

There are, of course, some altcoins that use a proof-of-work system like Bitcoin does. Many altcoins are nearly the same as Bitcoin except with slight changes to the code, which results in a different chain. The critical distinction here is, again, the energy backing the system. Bitcoin’s chain is long and supported by much more energy. Though these other altcoins, such as Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and Dogecoin, are similar from an engineering point of view, they lack the security provided by more than a decade of energy being pumped into the network. Storing wealth here would be comparable to putting wealth in a wooden box when an equally valid metal safe is available for use.

Hopefully, it will be apparent that Bitcoin is more of a trust machine than a blockchain machine. It utilizes the physical energy supplied to it to ensure a tamperproof and trustworthy record for all people to use in a permissionless manner. A fan of altcoins may concede and agree that Bitcoin is the only system that is secure and sure to exist long into the future. Therefore, it is the only system capable of using money globally for generations. Nonetheless, many proponents of altcoins, such as Ethereum, will suggest they can be used for other use cases. One may argue that Ethereum’s ‘smart contract’ capabilities will open the door for Web3 use cases that will decentralize the internet and create a net good for society. However, circular logic is involved in this reasoning. The blockchain underneath must be secure and reliable for applications to be built on Ethereum. For it to do so, ETH, the token of Ethereum, would require monetary value.

Bitcoin does not need monetary value for it to work. In fact, in the early days of Bitcoin, there was no price associated with it. This is not the case for systems like Ethereum. The existence of their system relies upon circular logic. Highlighting this flaw in the game theory, or lack thereof, of the fundamental infrastructure of Ethereum explains why no application or wealth placed on the system is safe. When Bitcoin was invented, a node did two things: store the entire blockchain while validating transactions and mine new blocks, which settle transactions every 10 minutes. No permission is required whatsoever to do so. In Ethereum, for example, there is no mining. They use a system called proof-of-stake. In Bitcoin, electricity is expended to produce blocks, and bitcoin is received as a reward. In Ethereum, for someone to be given the right to create a new block and receive ETH, they need to have 32 ETH already. Once someone can acquire 32 ETH, which can only be obtained by buying someone else’s ETH, they can freeze their ETH into a staking pool, which allows them to participate in the block creation and reward process. In Bitcoin, the pure randomness of nature decides who will mine the block and receive the reward. In Ethereum, pools are probabilistically chosen based on who has the most ETH by code alone. Those with the most ETH are more likely to be rewarded, meaning they will be more likely to earn more in the future. The rich will get richer. It is an inherently centralizing force, and this flaw in proof-of-stake systems is well known. However, none of this explains quite why the game theory of Ethereum staking doesn’t even work in the long-term.

Many in the ‘crypto’ world propose that Bitcoin is money and an actual store of value, while Ethereum will act as this new layer of internet infrastructure. Let us assume this is true momentarily and imagine a world where this is the case. For Ethereum to work, there needs to be people who operate the Ethereum pools. They will have operating expenses, mainly paying a cloud service provider to host their node. Of course, they must have also purchased 32 ETH. Their profitability relies upon the income generated from individuals using the Ethereum network. A network fee is paid whenever someone executes any function on Ethereum. These network, or gas, fees are then paid to the staking pool operators. Now, imagine a world where Bitcoin is money. Everyone holds bitcoin as their savings, their salaries are paid in bitcoin, and they buy their coffee with bitcoin. Bitcoin is increasing in value relative to goods and services as a proper sound money that is not being debased. However, whenever they want to execute a ‘smart contract’ on the internet, they must convert their money (bitcoin) into ETH to pay the gas fee.

Imagine if every time you wanted to send an email, you had to purchase an email token first. You wouldn’t have a bank account for email tokens; you would buy the email tokens as needed when you sent the email. The asset that appreciates due to its monetary properties is bitcoin; you hold onto bitcoin because it will make you wealthier. With the email token (ETH), you buy it as minimally as needed. Where would you buy the ETH from? The staking pools, of course. Staking pools are the central custodians and largest owners of ETH and need to sell ETH to pay their operating expenses. Now let us put this fully into the picture: a staking pool’s business is to operate a server where they have invested an incredible amount of money into it, only to act as a kind of exchange that sells ETH tokens to users as needed when they want to use Ethereum, only to receive that ETH back once the customers have used the network.

Everyone is playing a game of hot potatoes, trying to use ETH tokens as soon as they purchase them because they are losing value in comparison to their money. At the same time, staking pools are sitting on all the ETH that no one wants beyond a short period. Their business is only profitable if the value of the ETH they receive as rewards can outperform their operating costs. Over time, only a few staking pools will exist as they compete. This system leads to an incredibly centralized database where a few operators have control over this blockchain, which is only being used because it was claimed to be a decentralized and immutable trustworthy system. ETH only has value if people trust the blockchain to store their data, information, or wealth securely. If the system starts to look centralized and untrustworthy, demand for the product erodes. This slow revelation of the false claim of decentralization will lead to further devaluation of the token in terms of bitcoin, and node operators will cease doing business as there will be more profitable ventures elsewhere, where their assets are denominated in BTC rather than ETH. The system will crumble because it was not designed with the correct game theoretical engineering principles.

Hopefully, this article has helped articulate in a small way the clear distinction between Bitcoin and all the other falsely mimicking systems. These so-called ‘cryptocurrencies’ claim to be decentralized and immutable systems, relying upon the narrative surrounding Bitcoin while being utterly different from an engineering point of view and ultimately failing to be anything decentralized and, therefore, trustworthy. To make a blockchain system decentralized, there must be a genuinely neutral arbiter of truth. There is only one such judge: Mother Earth. With such a disruptive innovation as Bitcoin entering the market, it is understandable that such a considerable misunderstanding has led to the promotion and growth of fraudulent blockchain systems. As we move forward in this ever-changing world, we must help protect each other’s wealth with integrity and honesty.

References

1. Nakamoto S. Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System. Published online 2008. Accessed November 16, 2021. http://www.bitcoin.org

2. Haber S, Stornetta WS. How to Time-Stamp a Digital Document. Vol 537. Springer-Verlag; 1991.

3. Back A. Hashcash-A Denial of Service Counter-Measure.; 2002. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/2482110

@ 3ac03011:41ecd1bb

"We shall go on to the end...we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall hight in the hills; we shall never surrender..." - Winston Churchill

Let's all laugh at the world

People of Britain, let's take a moment to bask in the beauty of our unique position. While the rest of the world frantically asks, "What the hell is going on in the UK?" we remain calm, resolute and wonderfully unbothered. Their confusion isn't a problem; it's proof our plan is working.

Outsiders just don't get it. "Why so many general elections?" they ask. "Why are your public services crumbling?" they wonder. "Why so much crime?" they cry. It's adorable, really. While they waste their precious time trying to bring light to our 'problems' of today, we've been quietly engineering our tomorrow. A future where effort is obsolete, the burden of ambition is lifted and every need is met with the tap of a button—or no tap at all.

Let them panic and tweet. We're busy building utopia.

Our genius: let me remind you

In case you missed the email, let me remind you of our genius.

It really got started with our political circus: general elections, leadership changes and scandals galore. The world sees chaos; we see strategy. Every new Prime Minister, every internal party coup and every leaked WhatsApp message serves one purpose—to keep the world so baffled by the spectacle that they miss the revolution happening right under their noses. Sovereignty? Prosperity? Please. That's the old way. We're crafting a system so streamlined and so brilliantly lazy that governance itself will be no more. Our 'scandals' aren't failures; they're distractions.

Then, remember the pandemic? A "global crisis," they called it. For us, it was a test run. Offices? Gyms? Fresh air? Redundant. We proved we didn't need them. With reliable Wi-Fi and an endless supply of TikToks, we discovered the liberating truth: who needs ambition when comfort will do? Why strive when you can stream?

But this wasn't an overnight success. Our journey began over a century ago with a simple, yet brilliant, decision: abandon sound money. When we gave that loan in 1914 and loosened our grip on gold, we unknowingly set the stage for a masterpiece. Inflation isn't a problem; it's liberation.

By eroding the value of money, we finally have freed ourselves from the tedious burden of saving and planning for the future. Why hoard wealth when you can spend it on some crappy product? We both know you won't be able to afford the same one next year. Inflation has delivered us into the era of hand-to-mouth serenity. With high taxes and even higher living costs, we've made financial planning a thing of the past. Isn't it liberating to know your wallet is lighter?

And then there's the NHS and our public services. "They're in crisis!" outsiders exclaim. "Long waits, lack of resources, dysfunctional!" Oh, bless their concern. They just cannot get their heads around our evolution in public spending. Why pour resources into systems that belong to the old world? We're preparing for a future that minimises illness, needs and human interaction. Our public services aren't failing; they're gracefully stepping aside, making way for our streamlined utopia.

Our utopia: let me remind you

So, what exactly are we building? If you don't know already, well, let me introduce to you Project Wall-E. I don't believe anyone could quite believe their luck when Micky pitched his vision for the future in his 2008 masterpiece but we knew that this was our endgame. A world where effort is unnecessary, ambition is no more and everything you need is delivered right to your hover chair.

\ The crime, the uncertainty, the decay—it's all part of the plan. When the time comes to leave this Island behind, we won't even miss it. We'll ascend to the new world we've created, sipping beers from our Stanley cups and letting the supreme algorithm create our tailored perfect experience.

Keep calm and carry on

So, people of Britain, take a bow. The world doesn't understand us but history will. While they cling to outdated ideals of life, liberty and property, we'll keep doing what we do best: leading by example. Do not lose focus. Keep calm and carry on.

@ 41fa852b:af7b7706

The art of life is a constant readjustment to our surroundings." --Okakura Kakuzo

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Here we go with another fresh list of meetups for the UK and Ireland this coming week.

We've got the latest on where to connect, share ideas, and build community.

Let's take a look…

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This week's sponsor is…

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Upcoming Bitcoin Meetups

Happening this week…

1. Dundee Bitcoin: Join them on the 2nd Monday of every month from 17:30 to 20:30 PM at The Wine Press, 16 Shore Terrace, Dundee DD1 3DN. This month's meetup is on Monday, 13th January. 🍷

2. Real Bedford - Home Game: Real Bedford have two home games this week. The first is on Tuesday night at 19:45 playing Berkhamsted. ⚽️

3. Bitcoin Glasgow: Bitcoin Glasgow meet every 3rd Wednesday of the month and this month will be at The Maltman, 59--61 Renfield Street at 18:00 to 20:00. 🍺

4. Shropshire Bitcoin: On the 15th, the Shropshire crew will be meeting at the Admiral Benbow in Shrewsbury. 🍻

5. Brum Bitcoin & Beer: If you're in the Birmingham area head along to meet some fellow bitcoiners on Thursday 16th at 19:00. You'll find them this month at The Wellington, Bennett's Hill, B2 5SN. 🍺

6. Penzance Bitcoin: Will be at The Dolphin Tavern on Quay Street on Thursday 16th at 8 PM. 🍻

7. Bitcoin Walk - Edinburgh: Every Saturday they walk around Arthur's Seat in this historic city. Join them at 12:00 to chat about all things Bitcoin and keep fit. 🚶‍♂️🚶🏻‍♀️🚶🦮

8. Real Bedford - Home Game: Real Bedford have their second home game this week playing Leverstock Green on Saturday. Join them for a 15:00 kickoff. ⚽️

9. NostrLDN: The fourth NostrLDN and this time with guests Metamick (founder and CEO of Geyser Fund) and Huxley (Charities, Afrika, Bitcoin education). Join them on Saturday the 18th of January at the London Bridge Rooftop Bar from 18:00 till 22:00. 🍻👨🏼‍🎓💜

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Upcoming Special Events

This event isn't happening this week, but it's important to add to your calendar now as tickets are selling fast.

• Bitcoin Builders Workshop: Corby-based engineering company BTC Citadel hosts an afternoon of Bitcoin building and chat. Build that project you've been thinking about but didn't know how to start. Come and use high-end 3D printers, 3D scanners, electronics lab and the CNC laser engraver. Everyone is welcome, no technical ability is needed. Learn how to build a Seedsigner. Refreshments are provided for this free event.

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Get Involved

• Volunteer Opportunities: Bridge2Bitcoin is actively seeking volunteers who share our passion for merchant adoption. We'd be delighted to connect if you're eager to contribute. Reach out to us on Twitter or through our website.
• Start Your Own Meetup: Interested in launching a Bitcoin meetup? We're here to support you every step of the way. We've assisted numerous UK Bitcoin meetups in getting started. Get in touch via Twitter.
• Contribute to BTCMaps: BTCMaps is a vital part of the Bitcoin ecosystem. It's a perfect project to get involved with if you're not a coder or even that technical. A great way to give back to the community. Maintain an area of the UK and keep it up-to-date.
• Telegram users: You might find our Telegram Channel another useful way to keep up-to-date with UK meetups.
• Feedback and Suggestions: We value your input! Share your ideas on how we can enhance this newsletter.

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This week's sponsors are…

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Get out and support the meetups where you can, visit Bitcoin Events UK for more info on each meetup and to find your closest on the interactive map.

Stay tuned for more updates next week!

Simon.

@ ed84ce10:cccf4c2a

Hackathon Summary

The Trustworthy AI Lab x GES UCLA Hackathon showcased innovative solutions from 21 developers who registered a total of nine projects. This virtual event ran from May 29th to June 28th, 2024, centering on the use of predictive modeling to enhance user engagement and advertising effectiveness. Two detailed datasets provided insights into user demographics and interactions, serving as a foundation for participants to create platforms that encourage collaboration between content creators and advertisers, while ensuring a positive user experience.

Esteemed judges, comprising both academic figures like Professor Guang Cheng, and industry professionals from companies such as Amazon, Snap, and Intel, evaluated the projects. A total prize pool of $1,500 was distributed among the top solutions, assessed on criteria including accuracy, innovation, scalability, and efficiency. Additionally, the event offered summer internships at the Trustworthy AI Lab at UCLA, enabling participants to further develop their skills. Emphasizing practical applications, projects were required to deliver runnable machine learning code and presentation slides, ultimately striving for scalable, innovative solutions that respect data privacy and support real-time performance.

Hackathon Winners

Prize Winners

🥇 First Place

• DataGuardians excelled in secure data handling by employing a VM and GAN to create synthetic datasets, striking a balance between data security and usability.

🥈 Second Place

• Team BitBuilders developed a Generative AI-based data-sharing platform that enhances predictive analytics and data collaboration through privacy-preserving techniques and advanced encryption.

🥉 Third Place

• Team Datacrafters focused on analyzing advertising data using machine learning and automated DCR security improvements, optimizing model performance for statistical insights.

Fourth Place

• Awesome Team Name's BUIDL utilized TPM for secure data modeling, emphasizing reliable data manipulation and confidentiality.

Fifth Place

• ColumbiAI improved scientific predictive accuracy through secure Generative AI, establishing "Data Clean Rooms" for privacy-preserving collaborative data analysis.

For more information on all the projects, visit here.

About the Organizer

GES at UCLA

GES at UCLA, formerly known as Three Day StartUp at UCLA, is a leading entrepreneurial program tailored for university students. It emphasizes experiential learning in vital areas such as ideation, team formation, market research, and rapid prototyping. The program instills an entrepreneurial mindset, equipping students with the skills necessary to develop innovative business models with global impact. By supporting its student community, GES at UCLA is committed to transforming startup concepts into sustainable ventures, aiding in the resolution of complex problems and the launch of successful enterprises worldwide. For further details, visit their website.

@ fbf0e434:e1be6a39

Hackathon 总结

Trustworthy AI Lab x GES UCLA Hackathon 展示了由 21 名开发者注册的九个项目的创新解决方案。本次虚拟活动从 2024 年 5 月 29 日至 6 月 28 日举行，重点关注使用预测模型来增强用户参与度和广告效果。两个详细的数据集提供了用户人口统计和互动的见解，为参与者创建平台奠定了基础，这些平台促进内容创作者和广告商之间的合作，同时确保积极的用户体验。

由学术人士（如Guang Cheng 教授）和来自Amazon、Snap、Intel 等公司的行业专家组成的评委对项目进行了评估。总奖池为 $1,500，并在顶尖解决方案中分配，根据准确性、创新性、可扩展性和效率等标准进行评估。此外，该活动还提供了在UCLA的Trustworthy AI Lab的暑期实习机会，使参与者能够进一步发展他们的技能。在强调实际应用的同时，项目需提供可运行的机器学习代码和演示幻灯片，最终目标是寻求尊重数据隐私和支持实时性能的可扩展创新解决方案。

Hackathon 获奖者

Prize Winners

🥇 First Place

• DataGuardians 在安全数据处理方面表现出色，通过使用VM和GAN创建合成数据集，实现了数据安全性和可用性之间的平衡。

🥈 Second Place

• Team BitBuilders 开发了一个基于生成式AI的数据共享平台，通过隐私保护技术和先进加密，提高了预测分析和数据协作。

🥉 Third Place

• Team Datacrafters 专注于使用机器学习和自动化DCR安全改进进行广告数据分析，优化了模型性能以获得统计洞察。

Fourth Place

• Awesome Team Name's BUIDL 利用TPM进行安全数据建模，强调数据操作的可靠性和保密性。

Fifth Place

• ColumbiAI 通过安全的生成式AI提高科学预测的准确性，建立了“数据洁净室”以保护隐私的协作数据分析。

欲了解所有项目的更多信息，请访问此处。

关于组织者

GES at UCLA

GES at UCLA，前称为UCLA的Three Day StartUp，是一个为大学生量身定制的领先创业项目。它强调在构思、团队形成、市场研究和快速原型设计等重要领域的体验式学习。该项目培养了一种创业思维，使学生具备开发具有全球影响力的创新商业模式的技能。通过支持其学生社区，GES at UCLA 致力于将创业概念转变为可持续发展企业，帮助解决复杂问题并在全球推出成功的企业。欲了解更多详情，请访问他们的网站。

@ ed84ce10:cccf4c2a

Hackathon Summary

DivHacks 2024: Tech for Social Good was held at Columbia University, New York, on October 5-6, 2024. The hackathon facilitated the creation of 64 projects by bringing together developers, demonstrating its dedication to enhancing both technical and soft skills while tackling societal issues.

Key tracks included Education, Environment, Media, Fashion, Civic, and Health. Sponsored tracks were supported by organizations such as Capital One, Google, and the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative, focusing on financial solutions, creative technology, and patient safety, respectively. MLH supported tracks for projects incorporating MongoDB, domain names, and DEI hacking.

The event aimed to develop impactful solutions in sectors such as sustainability, civic engagement, and healthcare. These themes attracted diverse innovations, reinforcing the goal of leveraging technology for societal benefit. Platforms like DoraHacks, Discord, and associated websites facilitated participant interactions by providing vital resources. By uniting students with a common interest in technology for social good, the hackathon highlighted creative BUIDLs and encouraged future collaborations.

Hackathon Winners

Best Overall Track Prize Winners

• StrokePlayAR - An AR application utilizing Snap's Spectacles, designed for stroke rehabilitation through gamified activities to enhance mobility and well-being.
• SynapsED - A financial literacy platform aimed at empowering young individuals to build wealth and break generational financial challenges by encouraging early investment habits.
• Penny Pals - A financial literacy platform teaching investment skills through a simulation where parents fund accounts, and children make decisions using real-time market data. It fosters collaboration, risk management, and healthy financial habits, with future plans for iMessage integration and parental controls.

General Tracks Prize Winners

• Education: SynapsED
• Environment: Pothos A SaaS platform for small businesses to optimize Sustainability-Linked Loans using KPIs and NFT-secured contracts, promoting sustainability.
• Media: NewsLyzer AI-powered news bias filter employing NLP and machine learning to assess credibility, summarize articles, and detect biases in real-time.
• Fashion: Fashion Faeries A web app providing personalized outfit suggestions and resale comparison, promoting sustainable fashion using machine learning.
• Civic Tech: PinPoint A crowdsourced map enhancing community interactions through user-submitted Pins on topics like accessibility and safety.
• Health: StrokePlayAR

Sponsor Tracks Prize Winners

• Google: Best Use of Google NotebookLM: PunditPal An AI platform analyzing political discourse, utilizing NotebookLM and Vapi for debate training.
• Snap AR: Dream It Build It!: StrokePlayAR
• Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative: Patient Safety Technology Challenge: MediTrack A JavaScript tool for safer medication prescribing, preventing errors with Google’s NotebookLM.
• Capital One: Best Financial Hack: Penny Pals

MLH Tracks Prize Winners

• GoDaddy Registry: Best Domain Name: Voice Vision A virtual learning platform creating engaging video podcasts from learning materials.
• Auth0 by Okta: Best Use of Auth0: NeuroTalent Connects neurodivergent students with employers, promoting inclusion through events and tailored support.
• Best Use of Fidelity: Strands Gamifies university learning with interactive word games to enhance engagement and attendance.
• Best Use of MongoDB Atlas: Fashion Faeries
• Best Beginner Hack: What's Cookin' Optimizes campus dining with real-time dish recommendations and meal tracking using web scraping and algorithmic data management.

For a detailed look at all projects, visit DivHacks 2024.

Organization

DivHacks 2024

DivHacks 2024: Tech for Social Good, hosted by Columbia University Women in Computing Society, is a vital platform at Columbia University and Barnard College, amplifying underrepresented voices in technology. The hackathon focuses on creating impactful and sustainable technology-driven solutions, exploring the potential of technology to address societal challenges. By encouraging participants to combine creativity with technical skills, the event fosters progress in confronting pressing social issues, underlining its commitment to social change through technological excellence.

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Hackathon 总结

DivHacks 2024: Tech for Social Good 于2024年10月5日至6日在纽约哥伦比亚大学举行。本次Hackathon吸引开发者参与共创建了64个项目，展示了其在提升技术和软技能以及解决社会问题方面的承诺。

关键赛道包括教育、环境、媒体、时尚、市政和健康。赞助赛道则由Capital One、Google和Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative等组织支持，重点关注金融解决方案、创意技术和患者安全。MLH支持的赛道则包括涉及MongoDB、域名和DEI黑客的项目。

活动旨在开发具有影响力的解决方案，涉及可持续发展、市民参与和医疗保健等领域。主题吸引了多样化的创新项目，加强了利用技术服务社会的目标。DoraHacks、Discord和相关网站等平台为参与者互动提供了重要资源。通过将对社会公益技术感兴趣的学生聚集在一起，Hackathon强调了富有创意的BUIDLs，并鼓励未来的合作。

Hackathon 获奖者

Best Overall Track Prize Winners

• StrokePlayAR - 一款利用Snap's Spectacles的AR应用，通过游戏化活动促进中风康复，提高行动能力和健康。
• SynapsED - 一个金融素养平台，旨在通过鼓励年轻人养成早期投资习惯，帮助他们积累财富并打破代际财务困境。
• Penny Pals - 一个金融素养平台，通过模拟投资教学，父母为账户提供资金，孩子基于实时市场数据做出决策。该平台促进协作、风险管理和健康的理财习惯，并计划未来推出iMessage集成和家长控制功能。

General Tracks Prize Winners

• Education: SynapsED
• Environment: Pothos - 一个为小企业提供SaaS平台，利用KPI和NFT安全合同优化与可持续性挂钩的贷款，促进可持续发展。
• Media: NewsLyzer - 使用自然语言处理和机器学习的AI驱动新闻偏见过滤器，实时评估可信度、总结文章并检测偏见。
• Fashion: Fashion Faeries - 一个网络应用，提供个性化的服装建议和转售比较，使用机器学习促进可持续时尚。
• Civic Tech: PinPoint - 一张众包地图，通过用户提交的关于无障碍设施和安全等主题的“Pins”来增强社区互动。
• Health: StrokePlayAR

Sponsor Tracks Prize Winners

• Google: Best Use of Google NotebookLM: PunditPal - 一个分析政治话语的AI平台，使用NotebookLM和Vapi进行辩论训练。
• Snap AR: Dream It Build It!: StrokePlayAR
• Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative: Patient Safety Technology Challenge: MediTrack - 一个使用Google的NotebookLM的JavaScript工具，通过防止错误来安全开药。
• Capital One: Best Financial Hack: Penny Pals

MLH Tracks Prize Winners

• GoDaddy Registry: Best Domain Name: Voice Vision - 一个虚拟学习平台，从学习材料中创造引人入胜的视频播客。
• Auth0 by Okta: Best Use of Auth0: NeuroTalent - 连接神经多样性学生与雇主，通过活动和量身定制的支持促进包容。
• Best Use of Fidelity: Strands - 通过互动文字游戏增强参与度和出勤率，对大学学习进行游戏化。
• Best Use of MongoDB Atlas: Fashion Faeries
• Best Beginner Hack: What's Cookin' 使用网络抓取和算法数据管理，提供餐盘推荐和餐食追踪，优化校园用餐。

欲了解所有项目详情，请访问 DivHacks 2024。

关于组织者

DivHacks 2024

DivHacks 2024: Tech for Social Good，由哥伦比亚大学妇女计算机协会主办，是哥伦比亚大学和Barnard College的一个重要平台，旨在放大技术领域中代表性不足的声音。Hackathon专注于创建有影响力且可持续的技术驱动解决方案，探索技术解决社会挑战的潜力。通过鼓励参与者结合创造力和技术技能，活动推动在应对紧迫社会问题方面的进步，强调其通过技术卓越推动社会变革的承诺。

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The development of AI agents has been a booming topic in recent years. From their early conceptual stages to the sophisticated models we see today, the focus has been mainly on building robust agents. However, the importance of Agent-to-Agent (A2A) protocols has been largely overlooked. These protocols are crucial for enabling seamless interaction, fostering interoperability, and unlocking the full potential of AI agents. Here, we explore why A2A protocols matter and how they shape the future of AI.

What Is an Agent?

An agent, in the context of artificial intelligence, is an autonomous system capable of performing tasks on behalf of a user. These tasks can range from data retrieval to complex decision-making. Agents are often likened to “active wallets on steroids” in fields like self-sovereign identity, where they act as intermediaries for data exchange and task delegation.

Key characteristics of AI agents include:

• Autonomy: Agents operate independently, without constant user input.
• Task Delegation: Users can assign tasks to agents, expecting results with minimal intervention.
• Adaptability: Agents learn and adapt to improve performance over time.

The Role of Protocols in Agent Ecosystems

Protocols are the foundation of the internet and distributed systems, ensuring interoperability, scalability, and governance. When applied to AI agents, protocols serve a similar purpose: they enable agents to communicate, cooperate, and coordinate across networks.

Key Layers of Protocols

1. Transport and Data Exchange Protocols: These focus on the low-level mechanics of communication, such as data formats and exchange standards.
2. Behavior and Governance Protocols: These regulate interactions by encoding rules, incentives, and penalties to ensure fair play. Examples include blockchain networks like the Lightning Network, which implement complex mechanisms for governance and rewards.
3. Identity and Capability Protocols: These enable agents to identify themselves, declare their capabilities, and establish trust. For instance, an agent might declare its ability to transcribe audio or generate images.
4. Payment and Reward Protocols: These facilitate transactional interactions, ensuring agents can be compensated for their services.
5. Discovery and Verification Protocols: These help agents find other agents with specific capabilities and verify the quality of completed tasks. Proof-of-work and proof-of-authenticity mechanisms are critical components.

Why Natural Language Isn’t Enough

Some argue that natural language capabilities make formal protocols unnecessary for agent interactions. While natural language can simplify communication, it cannot replace the structured governance provided by protocols. Protocols extend beyond data exchange to address complex social and economic dynamics, such as:

• Establishing trust and identity
• Ensuring compliance with norms and rules
• Enabling fair transactions and conflict resolution

Natural language alone cannot encode the intricate governance and behavioral expectations needed for scalable, reliable agent ecosystems.

The Need for A2A Protocols

Agent-to-Agent protocols are critical for:

1. Identity : corner stone of any network interaction
2. Interoperability: Allowing agents from different networks or organizations to work together seamlessly.
3. Trust and Verification: Establishing mechanisms to prove an agent’s identity, capabilities, and quality of work.
4. Economic Transactions: Facilitating payments, incentives, and rewards through standardized methods.
5. Discovery: Helping agents find the most efficient collaborators or services based on capabilities and cost.
6. Fair Play: Implementing rules and incentives to promote ethical behavior and penalize bad actors.

Protocols Encode Behavior

At the core of effective agent systems lies the concept of protocols — the structured rules that govern interactions. Protocols encode not just data formats and exchange methods but also higher-order behaviors. They ensure:

1. Consistency: By standardizing interactions, protocols prevent ambiguities in communication.
2. Scalability: Systems adhering to the same protocols can grow without breaking interoperability.
3. Fairness: Behavior protocols regulate actions, ensuring all participants adhere to agreed-upon norms.

For instance, in blockchain networks, behavior protocols underpin mechanisms for rewarding cooperative actions and penalizing misconduct, reflecting principles of fair play essential for decentralized systems.

Social Interactions and Rules as Part of Protocols

AI agents simulate aspects of human society, including collaboration, competition, and compliance with norms. This necessitates protocols that mirror societal interactions, encompassing:

• Normative Behavior: Rules that dictate expected actions in specific scenarios.
• Trust Mechanisms: Identity verification to ensure agents are authentic and capable of delivering promised services.
• Transactional Rules: Structures for payment, reward, and accountability in agent-to-agent interactions.

By encoding such social constructs into protocols, agents can navigate complex ecosystems, fostering trust and reliability in decentralized networks.

Governed Protocols

Governed protocols represent the next layer of complexity, allowing networks to self-regulate. These protocols enable participants to:

• Propose Changes: Mechanisms for evolving network functionality over time.
• Vote on Updates: Democratic decision-making ensures inclusivity and adaptability.
• Enforce Compliance: Rules to prevent malicious behavior and maintain network stability.

Blockchain networks like DFINITY exemplify governed protocols, where community-driven governance shapes the network’s evolution. Such principles are equally vital for AI agent ecosystems, ensuring fairness and adaptability.

Beyond A2A: Interfacing with Tools and Memory

AI agents do not operate in isolation. They need to integrate with tools, data sources, and memory systems to deliver value. This integration introduces additional protocol challenges:

1. Tool Interoperability: Developing standards for tool descriptions and extensions so agents can use them interchangeably.
2. Semantic and Episodic Memory: Creating protocols for portable, interoperable memory that allows agents to retain context and learning across interactions.

Interoperability of Agent Components

Interoperability remains a significant challenge for AI agents. To unlock their full potential, components like memory and tools must integrate seamlessly. This requires:

• Memory Protocols: Enabling agents to share semantic and episodic memory across systems. Imagine retaining knowledge across agent upgrades without data loss.
• Tool Interoperability: Standardized interfaces that allow agents to utilize shared resources like databases, APIs, or even other agents.

A robust interoperability framework ensures that agents can not only coexist but collaborate effectively, maximizing their collective utility.

A Future Built on Protocols

The future of AI agents lies in robust, standardized protocols. These protocols will:

• Enable agents to communicate and cooperate effectively.
• Foster innovation by making agents and tools interchangeable.
• Empower users with greater flexibility and control over their agent ecosystems.

To move forward, we must focus not only on improving individual agents but also on building the protocols that underpin their interactions and integrations. By doing so, we can unlock the true potential of AI agents and their ability to transform industries and society.

Conclusion

Agent-to-agent protocols are not optional; they are the backbone of a robust and scalable AI ecosystem. By encoding behavior, enabling social norms, implementing governed structures, and ensuring interoperability, these protocols set the stage for AI agents to excel. As AI continues to evolve, focusing on protocol development will be pivotal in unlocking new dimensions of capability and innovation. The future of intelligent systems lies not just in smarter agents but in smarter ways for them to collaborate.

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Welcome on into the ~Music Corner of the Saloon!

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originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/847214

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