@ 3b7fc823:e194354f

Dealing with law enforcement can be a challenging and stressful experience. However, understanding your rights and knowing how to navigate such situations can empower you to protect yourself. Here’s a structured approach to handle these interactions effectively:

1. Stay Calm and Compliant:

2. When approached by law enforcement, remain calm and avoid sudden movements. Slowly raise your hands and identify yourself if possible.

3. Ask for Identification:

4. Request the officer's name, badge number, and station. This documentation can be crucial later on.

5. Know Your Miranda Rights:

6. Upon arrest, you have the right to remain silent. Do not answer questions without consulting a lawyer. If Mirandized, exercise your right to remain silent.

7. Refuse Incriminating Statements:

8. Avoid answering questions that could incriminate yourself. Politely state, "I will not answer any questions at this time."

9. Document the Incident:

10. Use your phone or notebook to record details such as dates, times, and descriptions of interactions. Note any injuries or mistreatment.

11. Seek Legal Advice:

12. After the encounter, contact a lawyer. They can review evidence and provide guidance on how to proceed.

13. Understand Search and Seizure Laws:

14. Officers generally need a warrant to search your property unless there's probable cause. If stopped without a warrant, calmly refuse entry.

15. Use a Body Camera Policy:

16. If applicable, ask for the officer's body camera footage and request it via formal complaint if refused.

17. Know When to Comply:

18. Comply with instructions that do not infringe on your rights, such as providing identification when legally required.

19. Consider a Witness Statement:

    • If you witness illegal actions, consider reporting them. Your role as a bystander may be crucial in documenting incidents.

20. Seek Emotional Support:

    • Interactions with law enforcement can be traumatic. Reach out to support groups or mental health resources for assistance.

21. Understand Legal Recourse:

    • If rights are violated, consult legal aid societies or civil rights organizations for guidance on filing complaints or seeking redress.

Conclusion: Understanding your rights and documenting interactions is essential when dealing with law enforcement. This guide provides a framework to help you navigate such situations confidently and protect your rights effectively. Remember, knowledge is power, and being informed can lead to better outcomes in challenging circumstances.

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Pequenos problemas que o Estado cria para a sociedade e que não são sempre lembrados

- **vale-transporte**: transferir o custo com o transporte do funcionário para um terceiro o estimula a morar longe de onde trabalha, já que morar perto é normalmente mais caro e a economia com transporte é inexistente.
- **atestado médico**: o direito a faltar o trabalho com atestado médico cria a exigência desse atestado para todas as situações, substituindo o livre acordo entre patrão e empregado e sobrecarregando os médicos e postos de saúde com visitas desnecessárias de assalariados resfriados.
- **prisões**: com dinheiro mal-administrado, burocracia e péssima alocação de recursos -- problemas que empresas privadas em competição (ou mesmo sem qualquer competição) saberiam resolver muito melhor -- o Estado fica sem presídios, com os poucos existentes entupidos, muito acima de sua alocação máxima, e com isto, segundo a bizarra corrente de responsabilidades que culpa o juiz que condenou o criminoso por sua morte na cadeia, juízes deixam de condenar à prisão os bandidos, soltando-os na rua.
- **justiça**: entrar com processos é grátis e isto faz proliferar a atividade dos advogados que se dedicam a criar problemas judiciais onde não seria necessário e a entupir os tribunais, impedindo-os de fazer o que mais deveriam fazer.
- **justiça**: como a justiça só obedece às leis e ignora acordos pessoais, escritos ou não, as pessoas não fazem acordos, recorrem sempre à justiça estatal, e entopem-na de assuntos que seriam muito melhor resolvidos entre vizinhos.
- **leis civis**: as leis criadas pelos parlamentares ignoram os costumes da sociedade e são um incentivo a que as pessoas não respeitem nem criem normas sociais -- que seriam maneiras mais rápidas, baratas e satisfatórias de resolver problemas.
- **leis de trãnsito**: quanto mais leis de trânsito, mais serviço de fiscalização são delegados aos policiais, que deixam de combater crimes por isto (afinal de contas, eles não querem de fato arriscar suas vidas combatendo o crime, a fiscalização é uma excelente desculpa para se esquivarem a esta responsabilidade).
- **financiamento educacional**: é uma espécie de subsídio às faculdades privadas que faz com que se criem cursos e mais cursos que são cada vez menos recheados de algum conhecimento ou técnica útil e cada vez mais inúteis.
- **leis de tombamento**: são um incentivo a que o dono de qualquer área ou construção "histórica" destrua todo e qualquer vestígio de história que houver nele antes que as autoridades descubram, o que poderia não acontecer se ele pudesse, por exemplo, usar, mostrar e se beneficiar da história daquele local sem correr o risco de perder, de fato, a sua propriedade.
- **zoneamento urbano**: torna as cidades mais espalhadas, criando uma necessidade gigantesca de carros, ônibus e outros meios de transporte para as pessoas se locomoverem das zonas de moradia para as zonas de trabalho.
- **zoneamento urbano**: faz com que as pessoas percam horas no trânsito todos os dias, o que é, além de um desperdício, um atentado contra a sua saúde, que estaria muito melhor servida numa caminhada diária entre a casa e o trabalho.
- **zoneamento urbano**: torna ruas e as casas menos seguras criando zonas enormes, tanto de residências quanto de indústrias, onde não há movimento de gente alguma.
- **escola obrigatória + currículo escolar nacional**: emburrece todas as crianças.
- **leis contra trabalho infantil**: tira das crianças a oportunidade de aprender ofícios úteis e levar um dinheiro para ajudar a família.
- **licitações**: como não existem os critérios do mercado para decidir qual é o melhor prestador de serviço, criam-se comissões de pessoas que vão decidir coisas. isto incentiva os prestadores de serviço que estão concorrendo na licitação a tentar comprar os membros dessas comissões. isto, fora a corrupção, gera problemas reais: __(i)__ a escolha dos serviços acaba sendo a pior possível, já que a empresa prestadora que vence está claramente mais dedicada a comprar comissões do que a fazer um bom trabalho (este problema afeta tantas áreas, desde a construção de estradas até a qualidade da merenda escolar, que é impossível listar aqui); __(ii)__ o processo corruptor acaba, no longo prazo, eliminando as empresas que prestavam e deixando para competir apenas as corruptas, e a qualidade tende a piorar progressivamente.
- **cartéis**: o Estado em geral cria e depois fica refém de vários grupos de interesse. o caso dos taxistas contra o Uber é o que está na moda hoje (e o que mostra como os Estados se comportam da mesma forma no mundo todo).
- **multas**: quando algum indivíduo ou empresa comete uma fraude financeira, ou causa algum dano material involuntário, as vítimas do caso são as pessoas que sofreram o dano ou perderam dinheiro, mas o Estado tem sempre leis que prevêem multas para os responsáveis. A justiça estatal é sempre muito rígida e rápida na aplicação dessas multas, mas relapsa e vaga no que diz respeito à indenização das vítimas. O que em geral acontece é que o Estado aplica uma enorme multa ao responsável pelo mal, retirando deste os recursos que dispunha para indenizar as vítimas, e se retira do caso, deixando estas desamparadas.
- **desapropriação**: o Estado pode pegar qualquer propriedade de qualquer pessoa mediante uma indenização que é necessariamente inferior ao valor da propriedade para o seu presente dono (caso contrário ele a teria vendido voluntariamente).
- **seguro-desemprego**: se há, por exemplo, um prazo mínimo de 1 ano para o sujeito ter direito a receber seguro-desemprego, isto o incentiva a planejar ficar apenas 1 ano em cada emprego (ano este que será sucedido por um período de desemprego remunerado), matando todas as possibilidades de aprendizado ou aquisição de experiência naquela empresa específica ou ascensão hierárquica.
- **previdência**: a previdência social tem todos os defeitos de cálculo do mundo, e não importa muito ela ser uma forma horrível de poupar dinheiro, porque ela tem garantias bizarras de longevidade fornecidas pelo Estado, além de ser compulsória. Isso serve para criar no imaginário geral a idéia da __aposentadoria__, uma época mágica em que todos os dias serão finais de semana. A idéia da aposentadoria influencia o sujeito a não se preocupar em ter um emprego que faça sentido, mas sim em ter um trabalho qualquer, que o permita se aposentar.
- **regulamentação impossível**: milhares de coisas são proibidas, há regulamentações sobre os aspectos mais mínimos de cada empreendimento ou construção ou espaço. se todas essas regulamentações fossem exigidas não haveria condições de produção e todos morreriam. portanto, elas não são exigidas. porém, o Estado, ou um agente individual imbuído do poder estatal pode, se desejar, exigi-las todas de um cidadão inimigo seu. qualquer pessoa pode viver a vida inteira sem cumprir nem 10% das regulamentações estatais, mas viverá também todo esse tempo com medo de se tornar um alvo de sua exigência, num estado de terror psicológico.
- **perversão de critérios**: para muitas coisas sobre as quais a sociedade normalmente chegaria a um valor ou comportamento "razoável" espontaneamente, o Estado dita regras. estas regras muitas vezes não são obrigatórias, são mais "sugestões" ou limites, como o salário mínimo, ou as 44 horas semanais de trabalho. a sociedade, porém, passa a usar esses valores como se fossem o normal. são raras, por exemplo, as ofertas de emprego que fogem à regra das 44h semanais.
- **inflação**: subir os preços é difícil e constrangedor para as empresas, pedir aumento de salário é difícil e constrangedor para o funcionário. a inflação força as pessoas a fazer isso, mas o aumento não é automático, como alguns economistas podem pensar (enquanto alguns outros ficam muito satisfeitos de que esse processo seja demorado e difícil).
- **inflação**: a inflação destrói a capacidade das pessoas de julgar preços entre concorrentes usando a própria memória.
- **inflação**: a inflação destrói os cálculos de lucro/prejuízo das empresas e prejudica enormemente as decisões empresariais que seriam baseadas neles.
- **inflação**: a inflação redistribui a riqueza dos mais pobres e mais afastados do sistema financeiro para os mais ricos, os bancos e as megaempresas.
- **inflação**: a inflação estimula o endividamento e o consumismo.
- **lixo:** ao prover coleta e armazenamento de lixo "grátis para todos" o Estado incentiva a criação de lixo. se tivessem que pagar para que recolhessem o seu lixo, as pessoas (e conseqüentemente as empresas) se empenhariam mais em produzir coisas usando menos plástico, menos embalagens, menos sacolas.
- **leis contra crimes financeiros:** ao criar legislação para dificultar acesso ao sistema financeiro por parte de criminosos a dificuldade e os custos para acesso a esse mesmo sistema pelas pessoas de bem cresce absurdamente, levando a um percentual enorme de gente incapaz de usá-lo, para detrimento de todos -- e no final das contas os grandes criminosos ainda conseguem burlar tudo.

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Músicas grudentas e conversas

Uma vez que você ouviu uma música grudenta e ela volta, inteira, com toda a melodia e a harmonia, muitos dias depois, contra a sua vontade. Mas uma conversa é impossível de lembrar. Por quê?

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René Descartes famously stated, "I think therefore I am." A concept centered around the idea that the existence of our meta-conscious thought proves our existence. Furthermore, it denotes a sense of self-derived from the presence of our thinking. What if this famous idea is wrongly reversed? What if our perceived sense of self derives from our thoughts, and these thoughts act as an illusion of the true nature of the self?

A couple of my posts have focused on the idea that the calm mind, potentially derived from a practice of meditation, can achieve a heightened sense of awareness. Some neuroscientists now view the mind as a predictive modeling machine (Seth, 2013), constantly receiving signals from both internal and external sources, generating predictions and models to understand the current condition. This theory inspired me to create an analogy of a calm pond: Imagine the brain and mind as a pond, and instead of neuronal signals, raindrops are falling into the pond. When the pond is calm, and a single drop falls, the pond's ripples provide adequate information to deduce the location and size of the raindrop. By observing the single ripple, one can simply understand the raindrop. However, if there is a storm and many raindrops impact the pond simultaneously, then the ripples are indistinguishable. This makes the analysis of the incoming information near impossible. This may be how the brain works. This would be why calming the mind generates such benefits in health because the brain can analyze the information accurately and execute the proper response. This idea is supported by scientific evidence that interoception increases with mindfulness practice. I have alluded to this idea as a possible explanation of why meditation generates a higher form of consciousness. More on this later.

To further explore this idea, a deeper exploration into the neuroscience of internal mental processes is required. The areas of the brain that are clinically recognized to perform internal mental operations are known as the default mode network (DMN) (Ekhtiari et al., 2016; van Buuren et al., 2010). The DMN is not a single area of the brain but a network and interaction between many areas. The brain areas involved within the DMN include the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), the anterior and posterior cingulate cortex (ACC and PCC), temporoparietal junction (TPJ), later temporal cortex (LTC), and the temporal pole (TempP)(Farb et al., 2007; Zhou et al., 2020). In general, the mental processes conducted by the DMN are self-referential processing, long-term memory retrieval, and mind-wandering (Ekhtiari et al., 2016; Marstaller et al., 2017; Spreng & Grady, 2010; van Buuren et al., 2010). However, the functions expand beyond just those. Different brain areas carry differing roles in these processes. For example, the PCC plays a unique role in the autobiographical retrieval process and plays a role in self-centered spatial navigation (Hamilton et al., 2015). However, sometimes these processes manifest in more complex interactions. For example, both the PCC and anterior portion of the mPFC (amPFC) facilitate self-referential processes and the interaction between other hubs of the DMN (Zhou et al., 2020). The role of the DMN is complicated, but its relationship to meditation is significant.

The DMN's plays a significant role in mental ruminations and the activity of the mind. In our modern culture, mental ruminations are commonplace and widely accepted. With this cultural norm, there is no adequate training to properly handle these thoughts when they become repetitive, unconstructive, and potentially destructive. Repetitive unconstructive ruminations are associated with and can lead to depression (Watkins, 2008). Therefore, this mental habit attributes to a significant source of many mental health issues. It is a primary reason why meditation seems to be such an effective mental health benefiting practice. In Eastern traditions, this unhealthy mind is called the "monkey mind": a mind that swings from thought to thought, often time traveling to the past and future. Meditation, and similar practices, aim to quiet this monkey mind. From a clinical perspective, it is fascinating to consider that the DMN may be a neural network representing the monkey mind's activation. There is research to support this idea as well. Autobiographical memory retrieval processes activate the DMN (Spreng & Grady, 2010). Additionally, the DMN seems to maintain a cohesive perception of the self across time to interpret novel information (Marstaller et al., 2017). Clearly, not only is the DMN involved in processes that involve thoughts about the self, but it is also primarily responsible for our mental time traveling processes. If meditation aims to bring our experience to the present, then the DMN is the antithesis.

As previously stated, mental ruminations and other unconstructive thought patterns drive the development of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Given that the DMN has a strong relationship to these thought patterns, it is also interesting to note that DMN activity dominance is associated with the development of depression (Hamilton et al., 2011). The brain areas that seem to be activated more often during depression are the anterior and dorsal regions of the mPFC, PCC, temporal lobes, and the TPJ (Zhou et al., 2020)—further suggesting that the DMN is the brain region highly responsible for our inner self-referential thoughts, our time traveling thoughts, and the subsequent mental health outcomes.

The DMN represents, in large part, the mental activity of the mind that removes us from a calm and present state of being. In other words, it adds more “raindrops” to the calm pond (my analogy from before) making it harder for the brain to analyze and adequately react to incoming information. Evidence for this idea lies in the observation that the DMN is responsible for monkey mind-like processes and in learning and conditioning. Again, the brain is constantly receiving neuronal signals from the body. Say it receives a signal from the toe: it must first predict that the signal came from the toe, then understand what the signal meant, and react accordingly. So, if the signal was a pain signal, the brain may command the toe to lift from the ground. If the signal stops, the brain knows the toe is no longer in pain, verifying the prediction. If the signal doesn't stop, further trial and error are required. This is a simple example, but the brain is likely processing and reacting to signals like this all the time, both from information coming from outside the body and within. Therefore, much learning and prediction model generation is taking place. Imagine the famous experiment of Pavlov's dogs. The dogs learned that a particular cue meant food, and their bodies learned to react accordingly. This learning and conditioning are a fundamental aspect of biological life. The DMN plays a significant role in this learning within our brain. For example, the PCC responds to error detection, and the signal is amplified when small rewards or novel stimuli are introduced to the experience (Heilbronner & Platt, 2013). Areas of the DMN (such as the mPFC and PCC) are also thought to be involved in contextualizing memories of safety and inhibit fear responses when appropriate (Marstaller et al., 2017). Finally, the mPFC is thought to play a role in goal-directed motivation (Hamilton et al., 2015). All this evidence suggests that the DMN plays a significant role in the learning process by contextualizing information.

Keep in mind that the DMN can only accurately contextualize incoming stimuli if the full range of signals is adequately recognized. According to the calm pond idea, the noisy activation of a ruminating mind may hinder this ability. Here, greater clarification and definition on what a polluted mind means is needed. To define such mental patterns, functions of specific DMN regions will be explained. Commonly activated regions within the DMN that involve self-referential processes are (Farb et al., 2007; Knyazev, 2013):

1. The orbitomedial prefrontal cortex (omPFC) – which contextualizes experienced stimuli as experienced by the self
2. The ACC – which actively monitors the self-experienced stimuli
3. The mPFC – which evaluates the self-experienced stimuli
4. The PCC – which is involved in a generated a broader context of the personal experience given certain self-experienced stimuli.

By now, it may be evident that the DMN is involved with what is commonly referred to as the "ego". Some researchers claim that the DMN develops the ego itself (R. L. Carhart-Harris & Friston, 2010). The term "ego" derives from Freudian psychoanalytic, and for this reason, the term "narrative-self" will be used instead. It is crucial to consider the word choice here. As previously explained, the DMN generates a time-oriented perception of the self to contextualize information. Furthermore, the four brain areas above all involved contextualizing an experience as experienced by the narrative self (rather than the self being the experience), monitoring these experiences across time, and evaluating these experiences as a broader implication of the experience of the self. The DMN is generating a narrative of the self through every experience. This is indeed where many unconstructive ruminations arise. Any reader can likely relate to ruminating over themselves and their circumstances and thinking about what this means in the larger context of their lives, worth, purpose, etc. This is the monkey mind. This is the DMN.

So, the real question becomes: what effect does the strong presence of a narrative-self have on our broader experience and health? Does a strong presence of the narrative-self influence the body's interoceptive abilities and ability to properly analyze and predict incoming stimuli? This is a complex and challenging question, but evidence suggests that this is indeed the case. In a fantastic study by Farb and others in 2007, fMRIs were used to monitor brain activity in those who did and did not practice mindfulness meditation (Farb et al., 2007). In this study, a distinction was made between narrative focus and experiential focus. For eight weeks, those who underwent mindfulness meditation training were taught to practice experiential focus, which involves having present centered awareness of all thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a non-judgmental manner. Narrative focus was defined as judging experiences and trying to figure out what those stimuli meant. Brain scans were performed on both trained and untrained participants during both focus styles. For both groups, narrative focus increased activation of the mPFC and PCC as expected. During experiential focus, both groups reduced mPFC activity, but only the meditation trained group increased activation of the insula. This is incredible because the insula is highly involved in interoception and the sensations of internal physical states (Fox et al., 2014; Mehling et al., 2012). This study by Farb and others suggests a functional difference between the narrative-self and an experiential-self and shows how the quieting of the narrative-self increases interoceptive abilities and enhances the brains' ability to analyze incoming stimuli properly. Not to mention, this study shows how this skill can be trained.

So far, we have seen how the DMN is involved in the generation of the narrative-self and how this influences our ability to analyze the signals coming from the body. The next reasonable question is to what extent can this be changed? And what are the implications of such change? As was previously shown in the mentioning of the study by Farb and others in 2007, mindfulness meditation appears to be capable of changing DMN activity. This is not the only study to suggest this. Another study showed that meditation decreased mPFC activity in DMN regions, such as the TPJ and PCC (Scheibner et al., 2017). It has also been shown that the neurotransmitter GABA reduces DMN activity, and both yoga and meditation have been implicated in the release of GABA (Guglietti et al., 2013; Hu et al., 2013; Streeter et al., 2018). The release of GABA release is also modulated by the vagus nerve, providing evidence of the possible mechanism at which meditation inhibits DMN activity (Hu et al., 2013; Keute et al., 2018; Streeter et al., 2018). Through these studies, it seems evident that meditation decreases DMN activity. In what ways is this significant? Firstly, it provides more explanation as to why meditation seems capable of alleviating depression. Similarly, it offers more evidence for how meditation increases interoceptive awareness (de Jong et al., 2016; Farb et al., 2010; Hanley et al., 2017). The increase in interoception suggests that the brain is more adequately processing not only the internal environment more adequately, but presumably the outside environment as well. Reality in general is being more accurately understood. It is possible that this also implicates a broader understanding of how meditation can alter consciousness and allowing monks, yogis, and the like to achieve nirvana/samadhi/enlightenment, or whatever you prefer to call such a state of altered consciousnesses. Perhaps this experience of altered consciousness is a more accurate interpretation of reality, produced by enhanced interoception and exteroception.

The subject of altered consciousness is perhaps best explored through brain changes induced by another technique commonly used in a spiritual manner: psychedelics. The famous studies from Johns Hopkins University using psilocybin found that this drug causes a spiritual experience often described as a sense of unity of all things that transcend space and time (Griffiths et al., 2006, 2008). Many participants rate this experience as one of the most significant spiritual experiences of their life (Griffiths et al., 2006). These experiences were often described with an experienced loss sense of self and an altered form of consciousness (Griffiths et al., 2008). It is not hard to imagine that this experience seems very similar to that of a trained monk or yogi, who learn to let go of their narrative-self and gain a sense of oneness with all things. This connection is further verified by the observation that psilocybin decreases the activity of the ACC, PCC, and mPFC (Robin L. Carhart-Harris et al., 2012). Ayahuasca, another psychedelic drug used in spiritual rituals by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon, also has been shown to have similar effects (Palhano-Fontes et al., 2015). Additionally, LSD has been shown to do the same (Speth et al., 2016). Suppose both psychedelic drugs and meditative practice decrease the same DMN, which generates the narrative-self. In that case, both methods likely lead one to the same place: an experience beyond time and space, where one is present with a profound sense of unity with everything.

This, to me, is a profound idea. It suggests that quieting the mind, or calming the “pond”, improves mental, physical, and spiritual health. It provides one with a perception full of compassion, peace, and love. It not only can make the individual healthier, but so too the community and planet. It is extraordinary evidence that improving the self is the greatest means of improving the world around us. Not to mention, it provides a simple means of liberating oneself from the struggle and hardship of life. Perhaps it is not life that is hard on us, but ourselves, by allowing the narrative-mind to take hold of our reality, rather than letting a purer form of consciousness dominate our perceptions. This is the pursuit, and meditation techniques are the practice.

References

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de Jong, M., Lazar, S. W., Hug, K., Mehling, W. E., Hölzel, B. K., Sack, A. T., Peeters, F., Ashih, H., Mischoulon, D., & Gard, T. (2016). Effects of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on body awareness in patients with chronic pain and comorbid depression. Frontiers in Psychology, 7(JUN). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00967

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Griffiths, R. R., Richards, W. A., McCann, U., & Jesse, R. (2006). Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance. Psychopharmacology, 187(3), 268–283. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0457-5

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Hanley, A. W., Mehling, W. E., & Garland, E. L. (2017). Holding the body in mind: Interoceptive awareness, dispositional mindfulness and psychological well-being. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 99, 13–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.05.014

Heilbronner, S. R., & Platt, M. L. (2013). Causal evidence of performance monitoring by neurons in posterior cingulate cortex during learning. Neuron, 80(6), 1384–1391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2013.09.028

Hu, Y., Chen, X., Gu, H., & Yang, Y. (2013). Resting-state glutamate and GABA concentrations predict task-induced deactivation in the default mode network. Journal of Neuroscience, 33(47), 18566–18573. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1973-13.2013

Keute, M., Ruhnau, P., Heinze, H. J., & Zaehle, T. (2018). Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence for GABAergic modulation through transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation. Clinical Neurophysiology, 129(9), 1789–1795. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2018.05.026

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Mehling, W. E., Price, C., Daubenmier, J. J., Acree, M., Bartmess, E., & Stewart, A. (2012). The Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA). PLoS ONE, 7(11). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0048230

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@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Bluesky is a scam

Bluesky advertises itself as an open network, they say people won't lose followers or their identity, they advertise themselves as a protocol ("atproto") and because of that they are tricking a lot of people into using them. These three claims are false.

protocolness

Bluesky is a company. "atproto" is the protocol. Supposedly they are two different things, right? Bluesky just releases software that implements the protocol, but others can also do that, it's open!

And yet, the protocol has an official webpage with a waitlist and a private beta? Why is the protocol advertised as a company product? Because it is. The "protocol" is just a description of whatever the Bluesky app and servers do, it can and does change anytime the Bluesky developers decide they want to change it, and it will keep changing for as long as Bluesky apps and servers control the biggest part of the network.

Oh, so there is the possibility of other players stepping in and then it becomes an actual interoperable open protocol? Yes, but what is the likelihood of that happening? It is very low. No serious competitor is likely to step in and build serious apps using a protocol that is directly controlled by Bluesky. All we will ever see are small "community" apps made by users and small satellite small businesses -- not unlike the people and companies that write plugins, addons and alternative clients for popular third-party centralized platforms.

And last, even if it happens that someone makes an app so good that it displaces the canonical official Bluesky app, then that company may overtake the protocol itself -- not because they're evil, but because there is no way it cannot be like this.

identity

According to their own documentation, the Bluesky people were looking for an identity system that provided global ids, key rotation and human-readable names.

They must have realized that such properties are not possible in an open and decentralized system, but instead of accepting a tradeoff they decided they wanted all their desired features and threw away the "decentralized" part, quite literally and explicitly (although they make sure to hide that piece in the middle of a bunch of code and text that very few will read).

The "DID Placeholder" method they decided to use for their global identities is nothing more than a normal old boring trusted server controlled by Bluesky that keeps track of who is who and can, at all times, decide to ban a person and deprive them from their identity (they dismissively call a "denial of service attack").

They decided to adopt this method as a placeholder until someone else doesn't invent the impossible alternative that would provide all their desired properties in a decentralized manner -- which is nothing more than a very good excuse: "yes, it's not great now, but it will improve!".

openness

Months after launching their product with an aura of decentralization and openness and getting a bunch of people inside that believed, falsely, they were joining an actually open network, Bluesky has decided to publish a part of their idea of how other people will be able to join their open network.

When I first saw their app and how they were very prominently things like follower counts, like counts and other things that are typical of centralized networks and can't be reliable or exact on truly open networks (like Nostr), I asked myself how were they going to do that once they became and open "federated" network as they were expected to be.

Turns out their decentralization plan is to just allow you, as a writer, to host your own posts on "personal data stores", but not really have any control over the distribution of the posts. All posts go through the Bluesky central server, called BGS, and they decide what to do with it. And you, as a reader, doesn't have any control of what you're reading from either, all you can do is connect to the BGS and ask for posts. If the BGS decides to ban, shadow ban, reorder, miscount, hide, deprioritize, trick or maybe even to serve ads, then you are out of luck.

Oh, but anyone can run their own BGS!, they will say. Even in their own blog post announcing the architecture they assert that "it’s a fairly resource-demanding service" and "there may be a few large full-network providers". But I fail to see why even more than one network provider will exist, if Bluesky is already doing that job, and considering the fact there are very little incentives for anyone to switch providers -- because the app does not seem to be at all made to talk to multiple providers, one would have to stop using the reliable, fast and beefy official BGS and start using some half-baked alternative and risk losing access to things.

When asked about the possibility of switching, one of Bluesky overlords said: "it would look something like this: bluesky has gone evil. there's a new alternative called freesky that people are rushing to. I'm switching to freesky".

The quote is very naïve and sounds like something that could be said about Twitter itself: "if Twitter is evil you can just run your own social network". Both are fallacies because they ignore the network-effect and the fact that people will never fully agree that something is "evil". In fact these two are the fundamental reasons why -- for social networks specifically (and not for other things like commerce) -- we need truly open protocols with no owners and no committees.

@ 6bae33c8:607272e8

I didn’t realize how much I had missed a good old fashioned Super Bowl blowout. I wasn’t even gonna bet the game, but over the last couple days, I got an Eagles vibe. There was too much, “The refs won’t let the Chiefs lose”, and Patrick Mahomes and Taylor Swift, and other noise, and yet the line didn’t budge. It was obvious the Eagles were the sharper side, and they had the league’s best defense, which usually correlates to overperformance of the spread in Super Bowls, sometimes massive overperformance.

But it wasn’t any one thing — just an overall dawning on me that the Eagles were probably the right side. I didn’t feel that strongly about it, even so, and decided I’d just bet Saquon Barkley for MVP, get 3:1 or so if the Eagles won. So I texted someone in the states to place the bet for me, and best he could offer was +175! That’s a terrible value for a RB to win MVP! A few minutes later Tim Schuler offered to bet me $50, give me the Eagles +1, and I obliged him. After that, I texted my friend back to put $500 on the Eagles +1 for me.

Of course, I didn’t stay up all night to watch — after losing 1K on the Falcons (who were up 28-3 in the third quarter at 3 am) eight years ago, never again. So I caught the 40-minute version this morning. What a great game! The Eagles dominated from start to finish. The defensive line got after Mahomes on every play. And while the Chiefs sold out to stop Barkley, Jalen Hurts ran wild on them.

I’m sure I would have enjoyed a Chiefs blowout less, but the beauty of a blowout is it settles things. There’s no looking back at a bad call, a dropped pass or a fumble and wondering what might have been. Close games have drama, but they are more or less arbitrary. I mean I get it, the guy made the throw at the time with the game on the line, but maybe also he just got the cheap roughing the passer call or the ticky tack PI. When the Giants won the Super Bowl on Scott Norwood’s miss, I didn’t have the same sense of satisfaction I did when they blew out John Elway’s Broncos five years earlier. Yes, they won, but it might as well have been on a coin flip.

I grew up on blowouts in the ‘80s — Raiders-Redskins, 49ers-Dolphins, Pats-Bears, Giants-Broncos, Redskins-Broncos — only the Bengals managed to keep Super Bowl losses close (Congratulations Jeff Erickson!) This was before replay reviews and all the lawyering about what is and isn’t a completed catch. The last fucking thing you wanted was some controversy about who really outplayed whom. So it was nice to win some easy money and not to have to worry about refs or fumbles or untimely drops for a change.

• I wanted Saquon to win MVP, but he drew the attention of the KC defense, is one of the best I’ve ever seen in blitz pickup and still had 97 yards from scrimmage. One of the all-time great years from an all-time great back. (He broke Terrell Davis’ record for the most yardage, regular season and playoffs, too, albeit in two extra games.)

• Hurts threw the one bad pick under pressure, but it served as a good punt, and otherwise had a near perfect game. Only four other incomplete passes, 72 yards and a score on the ground. He was an easy MVP call.

• I was a little worried about shaky Jake Elliott, but he drilled all four of his field goals, three of them twice!, due to penalties.

• Patrick Mahomes padded his stats in garbage time, but he got crushed. An elite defense that gets home with four is the way you kill the GOATS. The Giants did it to Tom Brady twice.

• Xavier Worthy had a nice garbage-time stat-padding game, but he was the only one. DeAndre Hopkins had a bad drop, though they got him a garbage-time feel-good TD, basically a participation trophy.

• Congrats to Lane Johnson, Brandon Graham, Elliott and long-snapper Rick Lovato — the only four players in NFL history to defeat both Tom Brady and Mahomes in Super Bowls.

• The only negative is I lost my $50 four-teams bet with Erickson. I had the Chiefs, Bills, Lions and Ravens, he had the field. But I directed Schuler to pay him, which is good, because I cancelled Paypal for their retarded foray into free-speech policing, and now I don’t have to figure out a workaround.

@ 3b7fc823:e194354f

Alright, let’s get one thing straight: you’re scrolling through your phone, shopping online, maybe even working from home. But here’s the thing – someone might be watching. Not in the creepy stalker way, but in the “is that company really needing my data?” kind of way. That’s where a Virtual Private Network (VPN) comes in, saving you from the prying eyes of marketers, governments, and even your own internet provider.

What Does a VPN Do?

A VPN creates a secure, encrypted connection between your device and a VPN server. This allows you to browse the internet anonymously, keeping your online activities private from your Internet Service Provider (ISP), network administrators, and even hackers. When you connect to a VPN, your internet traffic is routed through an intermediary server, making it difficult for anyone to track your online movements.

Why You Need a VPN: Privacy edition

• Hiding Your IP Address

Every time you jump online, your device gets an IP address, like a digital ID. If you don’t use a VPN, everyone can see this ID, making it easy for advertisers and governments to track your every move.

• [X ] Myth: A VPN hides my IP address from everyone.

• [X] Reality: A VPN hides your IP address only from the websites you visit and your ISP. Your internet service provider still knows you're using a VPN, but they won't be able to see what sites you're visiting. Your VPN knows what sites you are visiting and may know who you are as well.

• Bypassing Censorship

Ever tried accessing something that’s blocked in your country? A VPN can help you bypass those restrictions, letting you watch the latest shows, access social media, or even download books without getting flagged as a troublemaker.

• Protecting Your Data

When you connect to public Wi-Fi – like at a café or airport – you’re basically handing over your data on a silver platter. A VPN encrypts this data, so even if someone intercepts it, they can’t decode it. Think of it as adding an extra layer of security.

• Avoiding Surveillance

Companies and governments love collecting data. From what you search to who you talk to, there’s a lot of stuff that’s none of their business. A VPN ensures that only you know where you’ve been online.

• Safeguarding Your Personal and Professional Life

Whether you’re working from home or just shopping for a present, a VPN keeps your activities private. It’s like having a secure safe for all your online stuff, so no one can snoop.

• Stopping Targeted Ads

Companies track your browsing habits to send you ads that follow you around the internet. A VPN breaks this cycle, making sure those creepy “you might like” ads stop following you around.

• No Logs Policy

Some VPNs keep records of your activity, which means they could be handed over if the government comes knocking. But with a no-logs policy, nothing is stored – they promise ;)

• The Dark Side of Free VPNs

Before you jump into using a free VPN, think twice. Free services often come with a catch: they might sell your data to advertisers or even track your activity themselves. It’s like getting a free hotdog at a gas station – it sounds great, but you’ll probably regret it later.

How to Use a VPN (Because You’re Not a Tech Wizard)

• Choose the Right Provider

Go for a reputable service that offers strong encryption and a no-logs policy. Look for options with a kill switch, which stops any data from being leaked if the connection drops. I prefer ones you can pay annoymously but that may be overkill for most people.

• Download and Install

Once you pick a provider, download the app to your device. It’s not rocket science, but it does require a bit more than just opening an email.

• Set It Up

Most VPNs have user-friendly interfaces. Just click “Connect” and you’re good to go. You might need to enter your login details or use a password from your provider.

The Final Word Using a VPN isn’t about being a hacker or someone with something to hide. It’s about respecting your privacy and having control over what you share online. In today’s world, where companies and governments are constantly getting more creative about how they collect data, it’s practically a requirement if you want to stay ahead of the curve.

So there you have it – the secret life of your internet. With a VPN, you’re not just protecting yourself; you’re making sure that your digital footprint is as small as possible. Whether you’re at home or on the go, a VPN gives you the freedom to surf, shop, and work without anyone watching your every move.

And hey, if you’re still not convinced, just think about it this way: imagine your internet connection as a crowded public space. Without a VPN, everyone’s staring at you. With one, you’re wearing a mask, and no one’s the wiser.

---

Advocating for privacy does not finance itself. If you enjoyed this article, please consider zapping or sending monero

82XCDNK1Js8TethhpGLFPbVyKe25DxMUePad1rUn9z7V6QdCzxHEE7varvVh1VUidUhHVSA4atNU2BTpSNJLC1BqSvDajw1

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Jofer

Jofer era um jogador diferente. À primeira vista não, parecia igual, um volante combativo, perseguia os atacantes adversários implacavelmente, um bom jogador. Mas não era essa a característica que diferenciava Jofer. Jofer era, digamos, um chutador.

Começou numa semifinal de um torneio de juniores. O time de Jofer precisava do empate e estava sofrendo uma baita pressão do adversário, mas o jogo estava 1 a 1 e parecia que ia ficar assim mesmo, daquele jeito futebolístico que parece, parece mesmo. Só que aos 46 do segundo tempo tomaram um gol espírita, Ruizinho do outro time saiu correndo pela esquerda e, mesmo sendo canhoto, foi cortando para o meio, os zagueiros meio que achando que já tinha acabado mesmo, devia ter só mais aquele lance, o árbitro tinha dado dois minutos, Ruizinho chutou, marcou e o goleiro, que só pulou depois que já tinha visto que não ia ter jeito, ficou xingando.

A bola saiu do meio e tocaram para Jofer, ninguém nem veio marcá-lo, o outro time já estava comemorando, e com razão, o juiz estava de sacanagem em fazer o jogo continuar, já estava tudo acabado mesmo. Mas não, estava certo, mais um minuto de acréscimo, justo. Em um minuto dá pra fazer um gol. Mas como? Jofer pensou nas partidas da NBA em que com alguns centésimos de segundo faltando o armador jogava de qualquer jeito para a cesta e às vezes acertava. De trás do meio de campo, será? Não vou ter nem força pra fazer chegar no gol. Vou virar piada, melhor tocar pro Fumaça ali do lado e a gente perde sem essa humilhação no final. Mas, poxa, e daí? Vou tentar mesmo assim, qualquer coisa eu falo que foi um lançamento e daqui a uns dias todo mundo esquece. Olhou para o próprio pé, virou ele de ladinho, pra fora e depois pra dentro (bom, se eu pegar daqui, direitinho, quem sabe?), jogou a bola pro lado e bateu. A bola subiu escandalosamente, muito alta mesmo, deve ter subido uns 200 metros. Jofer não tinha como ter a menor noção. Depois foi descendo, o goleirão voltando correndo para debaixo da trave e olhando pra bola, foi chegando e pulando já só pra acompanhar, para ver, dependurado no travessão, a bola sair ainda bem alta, ela bateu na rede lateral interna antes de bater no chão, quicar violentamente e estufar a rede no alto do lado direito de quem olhava.

Mas isso tudo foi sonho do Jofer. Sonhou acordado, numa noite em que demorou pra dormir, deitado na sua cama. Ficou pensando se não seria fácil, se ele treinasse bastante, acertar o gol bem de longe, tipo no sonho, e se não dava pra fazer gol assim. No dia seguinte perguntou a Brunildinho, o treinador de goleiros. Era difícil defender essas bolas, ainda mais se elas subissem muito, o goleiro ficava sem perspectiva, o vento alterava a trajetória a cada instante, tinha efeito, ela cairia rápido, mas claro que não valia à pena treinar isso, a chance de acertar o gol era minúscula. Mas Jofer só ia tentar depois que treinasse bastante e comprovasse o que na sua imaginação parecia uma excelente idéia.

Começou a treinar todos os dias. Primeiro escondido, por vergonha dos colegas, chegava um pouco antes e ficava lá, chutando do círculo central. Ao menor sinal de gente se aproximando, parava e ia catar as bolas. Depois, quando começou a acertar, perdeu a vergonha. O pessoal do clube todo achava engraçado quando via Jofer treinando e depois ouvia a explicação da boca de alguém, ninguém levava muito a sério, mas também não achava de todo ridículo. O pessoal ria, mas no fundo torcia praquilo dar certo, mesmo.

Aconteceu que num jogo que não valia muita coisa, empatezinho feio, aos 40 do segundo tempo, a marcação dos adversários já não estava mais pressionando, todo mundo contente com o empate e com vontade de parar de jogar já, o Henrique, meia-esquerdo, humilde, mas ainda assim um pouco intimidante para Jofer (jogava demais), tocou pra ele. Vai lá, tenta sua loucura aí. Assumiu a responsabilidade do nosso volante introspectivo. Seria mais verossímil se Jofer tivesse errado, primeira vez que tentou, restava muito tempo ainda pra ele ter a chance de ser herói, ninguém acerta de primeira, mas ele acertou. Quase como no sonho, Lucas, o goleiro, não esperava, depois que viu o lance, riu-se, adiantou-se para pegar a bola que ele julgava que quicaria na área, mas ela foi mais pra frente, mais e mais, daí Lucas já estava correndo, só que começou a pensar que ela ia pra fora, e ele ia só se dependurar no travessão e fazer seu papel de estar na bola. Acabou que por conta daquele gol eles terminaram em segundo no grupo daquele torneiozinho, ao invés de terceiro, e não fez diferença nenhuma.

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

O caso da Grêmio TV

enquanto vinha se conduzindo pela plataforma superior daquela arena que se pensava totalmente preenchida por adeptos da famosa equipe do Grêmio de Porto Alegre, viu-se, como por obra de algum nigromante - dos muitos que existem e estão a todo momento a fazer más obras e a colocar-se no caminhos dos que procuram, se não fazer o bem acima de todas as coisas, a pelo menos não fazer o mal no curso da realização dos seus interesses -, o discretíssimo jornalista a ser xingado e moído em palavras por uma horda de malandrinos a cinco ou seis passos dele surgida que cantavam e moviam seus braços em movimentos que não se pode classificar senão como bárbaros, e assim cantavam:

Grêmio TV pior que o SBT !

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Replacing the web with something saner

This is a simplification, but let's say that basically there are just 3 kinds of websites:

1. Websites with content: text, images, videos;
2. Websites that run full apps that do a ton of interactive stuff;
3. Websites with some interactive content that uses JavaScript, or "mini-apps";

In a saner world we would have 3 different ways of serving and using these. 1 would be "the web" (and it was for a while, although I'm not claiming here that the past is always better and wanting to get back to the glorious old days).

1 would stay as "the web", just static sites, styled with CSS, no JavaScript whatsoever, but designers can still thrive and make they look pretty. Or it could also be something like Gemini. Maybe the two protocols could coexist.

2 would be downloadable native apps, much easier to write and maintain for developers (considering that multi-platform and cross-compilation is easy today and getting easier), faster, more polished experience for users, more powerful, integrates better with the computer.

(Remember that since no one would be striving to make the same app run both on browsers and natively no one would have any need for Electron or other inefficient bloated solutions, just pure native UI, like the Telegram app, have you seen that? It's fast.)

But 2 is mostly for apps that people use every day, something like Google Docs, email (although email is also broken technology), Netflix, Twitter, Trello and so on, and all those hundreds of niche SaaS that people pay monthly fees to use, each tailored to a different industry (although most of functions they all implement are the same everywhere). What do we do with dynamic open websites like StackOverflow, for example, where one needs to not only read, but also search and interact in multiple ways? What about that website that asks you a bunch of questions and then discovers the name of the person you're thinking about? What about that mini-app that calculates the hash of your provided content or shrinks your video, or that one that hosts your image without asking any questions?

All these and tons of others would fall into category 3, that of instantly loaded apps that you don't have to install, and yet they run in a sandbox.

The key for making category 3 worth investing time into is coming up with some solid grounds, simple enough that anyone can implement in multiple different ways, but not giving the app too much choices.

Telegram or Discord bots are super powerful platforms that can accomodate most kinds of app in them. They can't beat a native app specifically made with one purpose, but they allow anyone to provide instantly usable apps with very low overhead, and since the experience is so simple, intuitive and fast, users tend to like it and sometimes even pay for their services. There could exist a protocol that brings apps like that to the open world of (I won't say "web") domains and the websockets protocol -- with multiple different clients, each making their own decisions on how to display the content sent by the servers that are powering these apps.

Another idea is that of Alan Kay: to design a nice little OS/virtual machine that can load these apps and run them. Kinda like browsers are today, but providing a more well-thought, native-like experience and framework, but still sandboxed. And I add: abstracting away details about design, content disposition and so on.

---

These 3 kinds of programs could coexist peacefully. 2 are just standalone programs, they can do anything and each will be its own thing. 1 and 3, however, are still similar to browsers of today in the sense that you need clients to interact with servers and show to the user what they are asking. But by simplifying everything and separating the scopes properly these clients would be easy to write, efficient, small, the environment would be open and the internet would be saved.

See also

• On the state of programs and browsers

@ da0b9bc3:4e30a4a9

Hello Stackers!

It's Monday so we're back doing "Meta Music Mondays" 😉.

From before the territory existed there was just one post a week in a ~meta take over. Now each month we have a different theme and bring music from that theme.

Welcome to Femmes Fatales 3!!!

I absolutely loved doing this last year so I'm bringing it back for round 3!

It's Femmes Fatales, where we celebrate women in ~Music. So let's have those ladies of the lung, the sirens of sound, our Femmes Fatales!

https://youtu.be/ya69LUa1E_w?si=cM6yCALsPpp9L3Sc

I recently got introduced to these ladies. Their music is fantastic, they're really talented musicians. They are:

Lilith: The vocalist. Lamia: The lead guitarist. Nixe: The bassist. Abrahel: The drummer.

Their identity is meant to be a mystery, so let's keep it that way.

These Nuns can make Noise!!

Let's go!

Talk Music. Share Tracks. Zap Sats.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/881416

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

IPFS problems: General confusion

Most IPFS open-source projects, libraries and apps (excluding Ethereum stuff) are things that rely heavily on dynamic data and temporary links. The most common projects you'll see when following the IPFS communities are chat rooms and similar things. I've seen dozens of these chat-rooms. There's also a famous IPFS-powered database. How can you do these things with content-addressing is a mistery. Of course they probably rely on IPNS or other external address system.

There's also a bunch of "file-sharing" on IPFS. The kind of thing people use for temporary making a file available for a third-party. There's image sharing on IPFS, pastebins on IPFS and so on. People don't seem to share the preoccupation with broken links here.

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Scala is such a great language

Scala is amazing. The type system has the perfect balance between flexibility and powerfulness. match statements are great. You can write imperative code that looks very nice and expressive (and I haven't tried writing purely functional things yet). Everything is easy to write and cheap and neovim integration works great.

But Java is not great. And the fact that Scala is a JVM language doesn't help because over the years people have written stuff that depends on Java libraries -- and these Java libraries are not as safe as the Scala libraries, they contain reflection, slowness, runtime errors, all kinds of horrors.

Scala is also very tightly associated with Akka, the actor framework, and Akka is a giant collection of anti-patterns. Untyped stuff, reflection, dependency on JVM, basically a lot of javisms. I just arrived and I don't know anything about the Scala history or ecosystem or community, but I have the impression that Akka has prevent more adoption of Scala from decent people that aren't Java programmers.

But luckily there is a solution -- or two solutions: ScalaJS is a great thing that exists. It transpiles Scala code into JavaScript and it runs on NodeJS or in a browser!

Scala Native is a much better deal, though, it compiles to LLVM and then to binary code and you can have single binaries that run directly without a JVM -- not that the single JARs are that bad though, they are great and everybody has Java so I'll take that anytime over C libraries or NPM-distributed software, but direct executables even better. Scala Native just needs a little more love and some libraries and it will be the greatest thing in a couple of years.

@ 78c90fc4:4bff983c

“Die Welt wird von ganz anderen Personen regiert als diejenigen es sich vorstellen, die nicht hinter den Kulissen stehen.” 

Benjamin Disraeli, zweimaliger britischer Premierminister und Romanautor.

Quelle:

https://www.unz.com/article/the-disraeli-enigma/\ \ Als 1853 der Krimkrieg zwischen Russland und dem Osmanischen Reich ausbrach, wurde das Osmanische Reich vom Vereinigten Königreich und Frankreich gerettet. Zwanzig Jahre später zog Zar Alexander II. als Beschützer der unterdrückten serbischen und bulgarischen Christen erneut gegen die Osmanen in den Krieg. Als die Russen vor den Toren Konstantinopels/Istanbuls standen, waren die Osmanen gezwungen, die Schaffung der autonomen Fürstentümer Bulgarien, Serbien und Rumänien durch den Vertrag von San Stefano zu akzeptieren. Die Briten waren mit diesem Vertrag unzufrieden und beriefen zusammen mit Österreich-Ungarn den Berliner Kongress (1878) ein, der ihn aufhob. Russische Eroberungen wurden zurückgenommen, Armenien und Bulgarien wurden größtenteils an das Osmanische Reich zurückgegeben und der Balkan wurde in heterogene und konfliktreiche Staaten aufgeteilt. Diese „Balkanisierung“ löste nationalistische Ressentiments aus, die den Ersten Weltkrieg auslösen sollten.

\ Das Hauptziel des Berliner Vertrags bestand darin, das zu retten, was von einem schwächelnden Osmanischen Reich zu retten war, um der panslawistischen Expansion Russlands entgegenzuwirken. England, das stets eifersüchtig auf seine Vormachtstellung zur See bedacht war, wollte verhindern, dass Russland näher an den Bosporus heranrückte. Die Briten erhielten das Recht, Zypern als Marinestützpunkt zu nutzen und gleichzeitig den Suezkanal zu überwachen. Dies war der Beginn des „Great Game“ Großbritanniens um die Kolonialherrschaft in Asien und die Eindämmung Russlands, was insbesondere zur Schaffung Afghanistans als Pufferstaat führte.

\ Es gibt verschiedene Möglichkeiten, diesen Abschnitt der Geschichte zu interpretieren, der den Keim für alle Tragödien des 20. Jahrhunderts („das jüdische Jahrhundert“ laut Yuri Slezkine) in sich trägt.[1]\ Yuri Slezkine, The Jewish Century, Princeton University Press, 2004.

\ Es gibt unterschiedliche Ansichten darüber, welche Kräfte die Geschichte in dieser entscheidenden Zeit geprägt haben. Aber letztendlich wird Geschichte von Menschen gemacht, und sie kann nur verstanden werden, wenn man die Hauptakteure und ihre Motive identifiziert: Man kann den Vietnamkrieg einfach nicht verstehen, ohne sich mit der Denkweise von Johnson oder Kissinger auseinanderzusetzen. Unter den Anstiftern des Berliner Vertrags sticht ein Name besonders hervor: Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881), Premierminister unter Königin Victoria von 1868 bis 1869 und erneut von 1874 bis 1880. Disraeli war auch der Mann, der 1875 die Übernahme des Suezkanals durch England ermöglichte, und zwar durch die Finanzierung seines Freundes Lionel de Rothschild, dem Sohn von Nathan Mayer – eine Operation, die die Kontrolle der Rothschilds über die Bank of England festigte.

\ Disraeli ist ein sehr interessanter Fall, da er sowohl ein bedeutender britischer Staatsmann während der globalen Hegemonie Großbritanniens als auch ein Romanautor war, der seine fiktiven Figuren dazu benutzte, seine ehrlichen Gedanken zu äußern, während er eine Art „glaubhafte Abstreitbarkeit“ (Sidonia spricht, nicht ich!) aufrechterhielt. Wir haben daher die einzigartige Gelegenheit, die wahren Motive des Mannes in der Politik zwischen den Zeilen zu lesen. Stellen Sie sich vor, Kissinger hätte Romane geschrieben, in denen ein Jude die Hauptfigur ist, der die Außen- und Militärpolitik des Imperiums vorantrieb und gleichzeitig ein enger Freund des reichsten jüdischen Bankiers war.\ \

Disraeli wird als der wahre Erfinder des Britischen Empires bezeichnet, da er es war, der Königin Victoria durch das Parlament mit dem Royal Titles Act von 1876 zur Kaiserin von Indien ernennen ließ (das obere Bild ist eine Karikatur, die Disraeli als Hausierer zeigt, der der Königin die Kaiserkrone überreicht). 

Disraeli war, wie bereits erwähnt, die Hauptinspiration für den Berliner Kongress. Darüber hinaus war Disraeli ein Vorläufer des Zionismus, der versuchte, die „Wiederherstellung Israels“ auf die Tagesordnung des Berliner Kongresses zu setzen, in der Hoffnung, den Sultan Abdul Hamid davon zu überzeugen, Palästina als autonome Provinz zu gewähren. Der Sultan lehnte das Angebot ab, das wahrscheinlich das Versprechen finanzieller Unterstützung für seine zusammenbrechende Wirtschaft beinhaltete – wie auch Herzls Angebot im Jahr 1902, das ebenfalls abgelehnt wurde.\ \ Der Zionismus war Disraelis uralter Traum: Nach einer Reise in den Nahen Osten im Alter von sechsundzwanzig Jahren veröffentlichte er seinen ersten Roman, Die wundersame Geschichte des Alroy, und ließ seinen Helden, einen einflussreichen Juden des Mittelalters, sagen: „Mein Wunsch ist eine nationale Existenz, die wir nicht haben. Mein Wunsch ist das Land der Verheißung und Jerusalem und der Tempel, alles, was wir eingebüßt haben, wonach wir uns gesehnt haben, wofür wir gekämpft haben, unser schönes Land, unser heiliges Glaubensbekenntnis, unsere einfachen Sitten und unsere alten Bräuche.“\ Disraeli schrieb diese Zeilen noch vor den Anfängen der biblischen Archäologie; erst 1841 veröffentlichte Edward Robinson seine Biblical Researches in Palestine. Die ersten Ausgrabungen des von Königin Victoria geförderten Palestine Exploration Fund begannen 1867. Wohlhabende britische Juden hatten sich jedoch schon lange zuvor für Palästina interessiert. Disraelis Interesse wurde durch seinen Nachbarn und vierzigjährigen Freund Moses Montefiore beeinflusst, der Judith Cohen, die Schwägerin von Nathan Rothschild, heiratete. Nach einer Reise nach Palästina im Jahr 1827 widmete Montefiore seine immensen Ressourcen der Unterstützung seiner Glaubensgenossen im Heiligen Land, indem er Land kaufte und Häuser baute.

\ Sowohl Montefiore als auch Disraeli waren sephardischer Herkunft. Disraeli stammte aus einer Familie portugiesischer Marranen, die in Venedig zum Judentum konvertierten. Sein Großvater war 1748 nach London gezogen. Benjamin wurde im Alter von dreizehn Jahren getauft, als sein Vater Isaac D'Israeli zusammen mit seiner ganzen Familie zum anglikanischen Christentum konvertierte. Isaac D'Israeli ist der Autor eines Buches mit dem Titel The Genius of Judaism(in Anlehnung an Chateaubriands Le Génie du Christianisme), in dem er die einzigartigen Eigenschaften des jüdischen Volkes verherrlicht, aber die talmudischen Rabbiner dafür verantwortlich macht, dass sie „den nationalen Geist ihres Volkes versiegeln“ und „die Einfachheit ihres antiken Glaubens korrumpieren“. Wie für viele andere Juden dieser Zeit war die Konversion für D'Israeli rein opportunistisch: Bis zum Beginn des 19. Jahrhunderts blieben Verwaltungskarrieren für Juden verschlossen. Ein Gesetz von 1740 hatte ihre Einbürgerung erlaubt, aber es hatte Volksaufstände provoziert und wurde 1753 aufgehoben. Viele einflussreiche Juden, wie der Stadtbankier Sampson Gideon, entschieden sich dann für eine nominelle Konversion ihrer Kinder.[2]\ Cecil Roth, A History of the Marranos (1932), Meridian Books, 1959, S. 148.\ \ Etwa zur gleichen Zeit wie Disraeli konvertierte Heinrich Heine (1797–1856) zum Luthertum (während einer seiner Brüder zum Katholizismus konvertierte, um Offizier in Österreich zu werden, und ein anderer zur Orthodoxie, um als Arzt in Russland zu dienen). Heine betrachtete die Taufe als „Eintrittskarte in die europäische Zivilisation“. Er beklagte sich jedoch darüber, dass er von den Deutschen immer noch als Jude angesehen wurde, und zog es daher vor, in Frankreich zu leben, wo er als Deutscher angesehen wurde. Nur wenige Jahre nach seiner Konversion zeigten seine Schriften eine sehr negative Einstellung gegenüber dem Christentum, das er als „düstere, blutrünstige Religion für Kriminelle“ bezeichnete, die die Sinnlichkeit unterdrücke. Am Ende seines Lebens bereute er seine Taufe, die ihm nichts gebracht hatte, und erklärte in seinem letzten Buch Romanzero: „Ich mache kein Geheimnis aus meinem Judentum, zu dem ich nicht zurückgekehrt bin, weil ich es nicht verlassen habe.“[3]\ Zitiert in Kevin MacDonald, Separation and Its Discontents: Toward an Evolutionary Theory of Anti-Semitism, Praeger, 1998, kindle 2013, l. 4732–4877.

\ Genau wie bei den portugiesischen Marranen im 15. Jahrhundert verstärkte die Taufe bei den europäischen Juden des 19. Jahrhunderts ein nicht-religiöses, rassisches Verständnis des Judentums. Disraeli bezeichnete sich selbst als „Anglikaner jüdischer Abstammung“.

\ Für Hannah Arendt ist Disraeli ein „Rassenfanatiker“, der in seinem ersten Roman Alroy (1833) „einen Plan für ein jüdisches Reich entwickelte, in dem Juden als streng getrennte Klasse herrschen würden“. In seinem anderen Roman Coningsby „entfaltete er einen fantastischen Plan, nach dem jüdisches Geld den Aufstieg und Fall von Höfen und Reichen beherrscht und in der Diplomatie die Oberhand hat“. Diese Idee „wurde zum Dreh- und Angelpunkt seiner politischen Philosophie“.[4]\ Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, Band 1: Antisemitism, Meridian Books, 1958, S. 309–310.\ Dies ist eine ziemlich fantastische Anschuldigung, die die meisten Biografen Disraelis nicht bestätigen würden. Sie ist jedoch wahrscheinlich richtig. Aber wir müssen genau auf Disraelis eigene Stimme hören, die durch Sidonia zum Ausdruck kommt, die Figur, die in drei seiner Romane vorkommt: Coningsby (1844), Sybil (1845) und Tancred (1847).

In Sidonias Worten spürt man den Groll gegen die Nation, in die er sich zu integrieren versuchte:\ Kann es etwas Absurderes geben, als dass eine Nation sich an eine Einzelperson wendet, um ihren Kredit, ihre Existenz als Imperium und ihren Komfort als Volk zu erhalten; und diese Einzelperson, der ihre Gesetze die stolzesten Rechte der Staatsbürgerschaft, das Privileg, in ihrem Senat zu sitzen und Land zu besitzen, verweigern; denn obwohl ich unbesonnen genug war, mehrere Ländereien zu kaufen, bin ich der Meinung, dass ein Engländer hebräischen Glaubens nach dem geltenden Recht Englands keinen Boden besitzen kann.

\ Da es einem Juden nicht möglich ist, sich durch Landbesitz in die britische Aristokratie zu integrieren, selbst wenn er zum örtlichen Glauben konvertiert, was sollte ein Jude tun, außer durch die Macht des Geldes aufzusteigen? Wie Heine spürte auch Disraeli die Heuchelei der Christen, die es den Juden übel nahmen, dass sie keine Christen waren, sie aber weiterhin als Juden behandelten, wenn sie konvertierten, und es insgeheim sogar vorzogen, dass sie Juden blieben.

\ Laut Disraelis Biografen Robert Blake ist Sidonia „eine Kreuzung zwischen Lionel de Rothschild und Disraeli selbst“. Er stammt von einer Adelsfamilie aus Aragon ab, zu deren herausragenden Mitgliedern ein Erzbischof und ein Großinquisitor gehörten, die beide heimlich dem Judentum ihrer Väter anhingen. Sidonias Vater, wie auch Lionel de Rothschilds Vater, „machte während der Napoleonischen Kriege ein großes Vermögen mit Militärverträgen und der Versorgung der verschiedenen Armeen“. Nachdem er sich in London niedergelassen hatte, „setzte er alles, was er besaß, auf die Waterloo-Anleihe; und das Ereignis machte ihn zu einem der größten Kapitalisten Europas.“ Seit seinem siebzehnten Lebensjahr besuchte Sidonia die Fürstenhöfe der Schuldner seines Vaters und lernte die Geheimnisse der Macht kennen. „Die geheime Geschichte der Welt war sein Zeitvertreib. Es bereitete ihm großes Vergnügen, die verborgenen Motive mit den öffentlichen Vorwänden der Transaktionen zu kontrastieren.“ Disraeli selbst war laut Robert Blake „von Verschwörungen besessen“.[5]\ Robert Blake, Disraeli (1966), Faber Finds, 2010, S. 202.

\ Sidonia ist von seiner Rasse begeistert: „Alles ist Rasse – es gibt keine andere Wahrheit.“ Er weigert sich, eine Nichtjüdin zu heiraten, weil, so der Erzähler, „keine irdische Überlegung ihn jemals dazu veranlassen würde, die Reinheit der Rasse zu beeinträchtigen, auf die er stolz ist.“ Mit „Rasse“ meinte Disraeli Blutsverwandtschaft. In seinem letzten Roman Endymion (1880) schrieb er:\ Kein Mensch wird das Prinzip der Rasse gleichgültig behandeln. Es ist der Schlüssel zur Geschichte, und der Grund, warum die Geschichte oft so verwirrend ist, liegt darin, dass sie von Männern geschrieben wurde, die dieses Prinzip und all das damit verbundene Wissen nicht kennen ... Sprache und Religion machen keine Rasse aus – es gibt nur eine Sache, die eine Rasse ausmacht, und das ist Blut.\ Sidonia erzählt seinem Schützling Coningsby in Coningsby oder die neue Generation, dass die Verfolgung durch christliche Nationen die jüdische Nation niemals zerschlagen könnte.

\ Tatsache ist, dass man eine reine Rasse der kaukasischen Organisation nicht vernichten kann. Es ist eine physiologische Tatsache; ein einfaches Naturgesetz, das ägyptische und assyrische Könige, römische Kaiser und christliche Inquisitoren verblüfft hat. Keine Strafgesetze, keine körperlichen Folterungen können bewirken, dass eine überlegene Rasse in einer unterlegenen aufgehen oder von ihr vernichtet werden sollte. Die gemischten verfolgenden Rassen verschwinden, die reine verfolgte Rasse bleibt bestehen. Und im Moment, trotz Jahrhunderten oder gar Jahrzehnten der Erniedrigung, übt der jüdische Geist einen enormen Einfluss auf die Angelegenheiten Europas aus. Ich spreche nicht von ihren Gesetzen, denen Sie immer noch gehorchen; von ihrer Literatur, mit der Ihr Geist gesättigt ist, sondern vom lebendigen hebräischen Intellekt. Sie beobachten nie eine große intellektuelle Bewegung in Europa, an der die Juden nicht in hohem Maße beteiligt sind.\ Wo auch immer er reiste, fügte Sidonia hinzu, sah er jüdische Berater hinter Monarchen und Staatsoberhäuptern. 

„Sie sehen also, mein lieber Coningsby, dass die Welt von ganz anderen Persönlichkeiten regiert wird, als diejenigen, die nicht hinter den Kulissen stehen, sich vorstellen können.“ 

In einem Sachbuch (Lord George Bentinck: A Political Biography, 1852) schrieb Disraeli:\ [Juden] sind ein lebendiger und der eindrucksvollste Beweis für die Falschheit dieser verderblichen Doktrin der Neuzeit, der natürlichen Gleichheit der Menschen. ... die natürliche Gleichheit der Menschen, die heute in Mode ist und die Form einer kosmopolitischen Bruderschaft annimmt, ist ein Prinzip, das, wenn man danach handeln könnte, die großen Rassen zersetzen und den ganzen Genius der Welt zerstören würde. ... Die angeborene Tendenz der jüdischen Rasse, die zu Recht stolz auf ihr Blut ist, ist gegen die Doktrin der Gleichheit der Menschen.[6]\ Benjamin Disraeli, Lord George Bentinck, Archibald, 1852 (archive.org), S. 496.

\ Disraeli ist eindeutig auf derselben Wellenlänge wie Moses Hess, Herzls geistiger Vater, der, nachdem er Marx (einen weiteren nominellen Konvertiten) beeinflusst hatte, zu dem Schluss kam, dass „der Rassenkrieg wichtiger ist als der Klassenkampf“ (Rom und Jerusalem, 1862). Ein gutes Beispiel für dialektische politische Manipulation ist, dass Hess Marx weiterhin heimlich unterstützte und auf dessen Bitte hin nach dem Generalkongress der Internationale in Basel (5.–12. September 1869) Verleumdungen gegen Bakunin veröffentlichte, in denen er Bakunin beschuldigte, ein Agent provocateur der russischen Regierung zu sein und „im Interesse des Panslawismus“ zu arbeiten.[7]\ Bakunins Antwort auf Französisch, „Aux citoyens rédacteurs du Réveil“, finden Sie auf Wikisource.org.\ Es ist interessant zu sehen, dass ein anderer Proto-Zionist wie Disraeli den russischen Interessen zutiefst feindlich gesinnt war.\ \ Was war Disraelis Motivation hinter der Außenpolitik, die er dem britischen Empire vermittelte? Glaubte er, dass es die offensichtliche Bestimmung der Briten sei, die Welt zu erobern? Oder sah er das britische Empire als Instrument für die überlegene Bestimmung der jüdischen Nation, wenn er sich daran erinnerte, wie Esra und Nehemia in biblischen Zeiten die Außenpolitik der Perser ausgenutzt hatten? Indem er den Suezkanal (der zwischen 1859 und 1869 von den Franzosen gegraben wurde) mit den britischen Interessen in Verbindung brachte, wollte er einfach nur die Franzosen übertrumpfen, oder legte er damit den Grundstein für das zukünftige Bündnis zwischen Israel und dem angloamerikanischen Empire? Da die Briten nun einmal den Suezkanal besaßen, mussten sie ihn verteidigen, und wie ginge das besser als mit einer befreundeten jüdischen autonomen Regierung in der Nähe in Palästina? Genau das war es, was Chaim Weizmann dreißig Jahre später den Briten schmackhaft machen wollte: „Das jüdische Palästina wäre ein Schutz für England, insbesondere in Bezug auf den Suezkanal.“[8]\ Chaim Weizmann, Trial and Error, Harper & Brothers, 1949, S. 192.

\ Und als die Israelis 1956 mit britischer und französischer Unterstützung in den Sinai einmarschierten, taten sie dies, indem sie Großbritannien erneut versprachen, die Kontrolle über den von Nasser verstaatlichten Kanal an Großbritannien zurückzugeben.

\ Disraelis Russophobie, zu der er Königin Victoria bekehrte, und seine Verteidigung der Türken, deren Massaker an den Serben und Bulgaren allgemein bekannt waren, führten zu Theorien über eine jüdische Verschwörung. William Ewart Gladstone, ein langjähriger Gegner Disraelis und selbst mehrmals Premierminister (1868–1874, 1880–1885, 1886 und 1892–1894), erklärte, dass Disraeli „die britische Außenpolitik als Geisel seiner jüdischen Sympathien nahm und mehr daran interessiert war, die Leiden der Juden in Russland und der Türkei zu lindern, als an britischen Interessen“. Die Zeitung „The Truth“ vom 22. November 1877 spielte auf die Vertrautheit Disraelis mit den Rothschilds an und vermutete „eine stillschweigende Verschwörung ... seitens einer beträchtlichen Anzahl von Anglo-Hebräern, um uns im Namen der Türken in einen Krieg zu ziehen“. Es wurde außerdem daran erinnert, dass Disraeli in einer Rede vor dem britischen Unterhaus im Jahr 1847 die Zulassung von Juden zu wählbaren Ämtern gefordert hatte, mit der Begründung, dass „der jüdische Geist einen enormen Einfluss auf die Angelegenheiten Europas ausübt“.[9]\ Stanley Weintraub, Disraeli: A Biography, Hamish Hamilton, 1993, S. 579, 547.

\ Die Königin stand, wie ein Großteil der britischen Aristokratie, bereits unter dem Bann einer modischen Theorie, die den Angelsachsen einen israelitischen Ursprung zuschrieb. Diese Theorie war erstmals zur Zeit Oliver Cromwells aufgetaucht und wurde 1840 von Pastor John Wilson in seinen Vorlesungen über das alte Israel und den israelitischen Ursprung der modernen Nationen Europas sowie 1870 von Edward Hine in The English Nation Identified with the Lost Israel neu aufgelegt. In diesem Werk erfahren wir, dass das Wort „Saxon“ von „Isaac's sons“ (Söhne Isaaks) abgeleitet ist. Diese lächerliche Theorie lieferte eine billige biblische Rechtfertigung für den britischen Kolonialismus und sogar für den Völkermord an den kolonisierten Völkern (neue Kanaaniter) durch das britische Empire (neues Israel).[10]\ André Pichot, Aux origines des théories raciales, de la Bible à Darwin, Flammarion, 2008, S. 124–143, 319.

\ Königin Victoria war glücklich, glauben zu können, dass ihre edle Abstammung auf König David zurückging, und ließ ihre Söhne beschneiden, ein Brauch, der bis heute fortbesteht. Es mag etwas Wahres an dem Gefühl der britischen Elite für ihr Judentum liegen, denn im 16. und 17. Jahrhundert hatten viele Ehen reiche jüdische Familien mit der alten, verarmten Landaristokratie vereint, so dass nach Hilaire Bellocs Schätzung „mit Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts diejenigen der großen territorialen englischen Familien, in denen es kein jüdisches Blut gab, die Ausnahme waren“.[11]\ Hilaire Belloc, The Jews, Constable & Co., 1922 (archive.org), S. 223.

\ Die Begeisterung der Königin für das Judentum hatte aber auch viel mit dem Einfluss Disraelis zu tun, der einmal gegenüber einem Freund damit prahlte: „Jeder mag Schmeichelei, und wenn es um das Königshaus geht, sollte man sie mit einer Kelle auftragen.“[12]\ Stanley Weintraub, Disraeli: A Biography, Hamish Hamilton, 1993, S. 579, 547.

\ Der Fall Disraeli ist aufschlussreich, weil die Frage, die er aufwirft, dieselbe ist wie die Frage, die heute geopolitische Analysten in Bezug auf die Beziehung zwischen den Vereinigten Staaten und Israel spaltet: Wer führt wen an der Nase herum? Ist Israel der Brückenkopf der Vereinigten Staaten im Nahen Osten oder sind die Vereinigten Staaten, wie Zbigniew Brzezinski einmal sagte, der „dumme Esel“ Israels? Die Beantwortung dieser Frage für das Jahrhundert vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg (als „Israel“ das internationale Judentum bedeutete) hilft bei der Beantwortung derselben Frage heute, da die symbiotische Beziehung zwischen Israel und dem Imperium erheblich gewachsen ist.

\ Die Antwort hängt vom Standpunkt des Betrachters ab. Die Zionisten haben natürlich ein Interesse daran, die Ansicht zu fördern, dass Israel den angloamerikanischen Interessen dient und nicht umgekehrt. Disraeli argumentierte vor dem britischen Parlament, dass ein jüdisches Palästina im Interesse des britischen Kolonialismus sei. Aber jüdische Zionisten haben die Dinge schon immer aus der anderen Perspektive betrachtet, und man kann kaum glauben, dass Disraeli ihre Ansicht nicht insgeheim teilte. Wenn der Held seines Romans Tancred (1847), ein Jude, der wie Disraeli zum Lord ernannt wurde, das britische Empire mit folgenden Worten verherrlicht: „Wir wollen die Welt erobern, angeführt von Engeln, um die Menschheit unter göttlicher Herrschaft glücklich zu machen“, wer verbirgt sich hinter diesem zweideutigen „wir“? Ist es dasselbe doppeldeutige „wir“, das die PNAC-Neokonservativen benutzten, um Amerika in Kriege zum Wohle Israels zu verwickeln?

\ Wenn ein britischer Jude wie Disraeli zu den Briten „wir“ sagte, war dies eine strategische Zweideutigkeit. Er traf damit den patriotischen Nerv der angelsächsischen Elite, die den gemeinsamen Glauben an die Mission des britischen Empires teilte, die Welt zu zivilisieren – Menschen wie Lord Salisbury, Mitglied von Cecil Rhodes' Round Table, der sich für eine Weltregierung durch die „britische Rasse“ einsetzte.[13]\ Carroll Quigley, The Anglo-American Establishment, From Rhodes to Cliveden (1949), Books In Focus, 1981.

\ Der britische Imperialismus und der zionistische Nationalismus wurden etwa zur gleichen Zeit geboren wie die Zwillinge Esau und Jakob und sind seit ihrer Geburt eng miteinander verflochten. Zwei Überlegungen helfen jedoch, ihre wahre Beziehung zu verstehen. Erstens reichen die ideologischen Wurzeln des Britischen Empires nicht weiter zurück als bis ins 17. Jahrhundert, während die des Zionismus mehr als zwei Jahrtausende zurückreichen. Zweitens starb das Britische Empire nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg, während der Zionismus aufblühte. Aus diesen beiden Gründen ist die Theorie, dass der Zionismus ein Nebenprodukt des britischen Imperialismus ist (nennen wir sie die Chomsky-Theorie), nicht haltbar.

\ Um die wahre Beziehung zwischen Zion und Albion zu Disraelis Zeiten zu verstehen, muss man die Macht der Rothschild-Dynastie über die britische Politik richtig einschätzen. Ohne die Rothschilds hätte Großbritannien nie die Kontrolle über den Suezkanal erlangt, der den Grundstein des britischen Empires im Nahen Osten bildete. Die Rothschilds selbst kandidierten nicht für ein politisches Amt, heirateten jedoch manchmal in eine solche Familie ein: Lord Archibald Primrose, 1886 und von 1892 bis 1894 Außenminister und 1894–1895 Premierminister, war der Schwiegersohn von Mayer Amschel de Rothschild.\ Es ist bemerkenswert, dass Theodor Herzl den zukünftigen jüdischen Staat als „aristokratische Republik“ mit „dem ersten Prinzen Rothschild“ an der Spitze sah. In einer langen Tirade in seinem Tagebuch ermahnte er die Rothschilds, ihre bösen Seelen zu erlösen, indem sie den Zionismus statt Kriege finanzierten:\ Ich weiß nicht, ob alle Regierungen bereits erkennen, welche internationale Bedrohung Ihr Weltreich darstellt. Ohne Sie können keine Kriege geführt werden, und wenn Frieden geschlossen werden soll, sind die Menschen umso mehr auf Sie angewiesen. Für das Jahr 1895 wurden die Militärausgaben der fünf Großmächte auf vier Milliarden Francs geschätzt, und ihre tatsächliche militärische Stärke in Friedenszeiten auf 2.800.000 Mann. Und diese Streitkräfte, die in der Geschichte ihresgleichen suchen, kommandieren Sie finanziell, ungeachtet der widerstreitenden Wünsche der Nationen. ... Und Ihr verfluchter Reichtum wächst immer noch. ... Aber wenn Sie sich uns anschließen, ... werden wir unseren ersten gewählten Herrscher aus Ihrem Haus nehmen. Das ist das leuchtende Leuchtfeuer, das wir auf die Spitze des fertigen Eiffelturms Ihres Vermögens setzen werden. In der Geschichte wird es so aussehen, als wäre das der Zweck des gesamten Bauwerks gewesen.[14]\ \ The Complete Diaries of Theodor Herzl, edited by Raphael Patai, Herzl Press & Thomas Yoseloff, 1960, vol. 1, pp. 163–170.\ Wie Richard Wagner jedoch einmal sagte (Judaism in Music, 1850), zogen es die Rothschilds vor, „die Juden der Könige“ zu bleiben, anstatt „die Könige der Juden“ zu sein.\ \ Wenn die Zeit für die Gründung des jüdischen Staates zu Disraelis Zeiten noch nicht reif war, dann vor allem deshalb, weil die Juden in Russland sich von Palästina ebenso wenig angezogen fühlten wie die Juden in Europa; sie wussten kaum, wo es lag. Erst kürzlich von Zar Alexander II. emanzipiert, strebten sie lediglich eine Auswanderung nach Europa oder in die Vereinigten Staaten an. Erst nach der Ermordung von Zar Alexander II. im Jahr 1881 (einen Monat vor Disraelis Tod) wurden einige von ihnen durch die Pogrome für Leon Pinskers proto-zionistischen Aufruf von 1882 empfänglich: „Wir müssen uns ein für alle Mal mit dem Gedanken abfinden, dass die anderen Nationen uns aufgrund ihres angeborenen natürlichen Antagonismus für immer ablehnen werden.“[15]\ Benzion Netanyahu, The Founding Fathers of Zionism, Balfour Books, 2012, Kindle l. 761-775.

\ Ebenfalls im Jahr 1881 begann Baron Edmond de Rothschild vom Pariser Zweig, unter der Schirmherrschaft seiner Palestine Jewish Colonization Association (PICA) Land in Palästina zu kaufen und die Ansiedlung jüdischer Siedler zu finanzieren, insbesondere in Tel Aviv. Die meisten bestehenden internationalen jüdischen Organisationen, wie B'nai B'rith (gegründet 1843 in New York) oder die Alliance Israélite Universelle (gegründet 1860 in Paris), waren jedoch der Meinung, dass Israel als verstreute Nation gut zurechtkäme und keine Pläne für Palästina habe.\ Dies änderte sich während des Ersten Weltkriegs, als ein äußerst effizientes Netzwerk aufgebaut wurde, das beide Seiten des Atlantiks verband.[16]\ Alison Weir, Against Our Better Judgment: The Hidden History of How the U.S. Was Used to Create Israel, 2014, Kindle l. 387-475.

\ Theodor Herz konzentrierte seine diplomatischen Bemühungen zunächst auf Deutschland, aber in England begannen sich die Dinge vielversprechend zu entwickeln („Der Schwerpunkt hat sich nach England verlagert“, schrieb er 1895 in sein Tagebuch), was zum Teil der Rekrutierung von Israel Zangwill zu verdanken war, der laut Benzion Netanyahu „der erste war, der in den oberen Kreisen der britischen Politik direkt über den Zionismus sprach“, insbesondere mit Lloyd George, „einem engen Bekannten Zangwills von Beginn seiner zionistischen Tätigkeit bis zu seinem Lebensende“.[17]\ Netanyahu, The Founding Fathers of Zionism, l. 2536-59.

\ Erinnern wir uns daran, dass Zangwill der erfolgreiche Autor von The Melting Pot war, einem Theaterstück, das Mischehen für Amerikaner pries. Hier besteht kein Widerspruch, denn „die gemischten verfolgten Rassen verschwinden, die reine verfolgte Rasse bleibt bestehen“, wie Sidonia sagte.\ \ Die Bedeutung von Disraelis geopolitischen Manövern wird von Historikern der Zionisten selten anerkannt, da sie oberflächlich betrachtet nicht den Weg für die Gründung des jüdischen Staates geebnet zu haben scheinen. Tatsächlich bildeten sie jedoch das unsichtbare Fundament, auf dem Herzl und Zangwill aufbauten. Und diese unsichtbare Kontinuität zeugt von der erstaunlichen generationsübergreifenden Beharrlichkeit des jüdischen Volkes, das sein jahrtausendealtes, selbsternanntes Schicksal Generation für Generation vorantreibt. Ja, es ist wirklich bewundernswert, wenn auch verheerend für die westliche Zivilisation, die durch zweitausend Jahre Christentum ahnungslos und ihres eigenen Sinns für Blut beraubt wurde. Wie der zionistische Autor Jakob Klatzkin einmal in der Zeitschrift „Der Jude“, 1916, schrieb:\ Wir bilden in uns selbst eine geschlossene juristische und geschäftliche Körperschaft. Eine starke Mauer, die wir errichtet haben, trennt uns von den Menschen in den Ländern, in denen wir leben – und hinter dieser Mauer befindet sich ein jüdischer Staat.[18]

Zitiert in Robert Edward Edmondson, The Jewish System Indicted by the Documentary Record, 1937 (archive.org), S. 15.\ \ Anmerkungen\ [1] Yuri Slezkine, The Jewish Century, Princeton University Press, 2004.\ [2] Cecil Roth, A History of the Marranos (1932), Meridian Books, 1959, S. 148.\ [3] Zitiert in Kevin MacDonald, Separation and Its Discontents: Toward an Evolutionary Theory of Anti-Semitism, Praeger, 1998, kindle 2013, l. 4732–4877.\ [4] Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, Band 1: Antisemitism, Meridian Books, 1958, S. 309–310.\ [5] Robert Blake, Disraeli (1966), Faber Finds, 2010, S. 202.\ [6] Benjamin Disraeli, Lord George Bentinck, Archibald, 1852 (archive.org), S. 496.\ [7] Bakunins Antwort auf Französisch, „Aux citoyens rédacteurs du Réveil“, auf Wikisource.org.\ [8] Chaim Weizmann, Trial and Error, Harper & Brothers, 1949, S. 192.\ [9] Stanley Weintraub, Disraeli: A Biography, Hamish Hamilton, 1993, S. 579, 547.\ [10] André Pichot, Aux origines des théories raciales, de la Bible à Darwin, Flammarion, 2008, S. 124–143, 319.\ [11] Hilaire Belloc, The Jews, Constable & Co., 1922 (archive.org), S. 223.\ [12] Stanley Weintraub, Disraeli: A Biography, Hamish Hamilton, 1993, S. 579, 547.\ [13] Carroll Quigley, The Anglo-American Establishment, From Rhodes to Cliveden (1949), Books In Focus, 1981.\ [14] The Complete Diaries of Theodor Herzl, edited by Raphael Patai, Herzl Press & Thomas Yoseloff, 1960, vol. 1, pp. 163–170.\ [15] Benzion Netanyahu, The Founding Fathers of Zionism, Balfour Books, 2012, Kindle-Ausgabe, S. 761–775.\ [16] Alison Weir, Against Our Better Judgment: The Hidden History of How the U.S. Was Used to Create Israel, 2014, Kindle-Ausgabe, S. 387–475.\ [17] Netanyahu, The Founding Fathers of Zionism, S. 2536-59.\ [18] Zitiert in Robert Edward Edmondson, The Jewish System Indicted by the Documentary Record, 1937 (archive.org), S. 15.

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Que vença o melhor

Nos esportes e jogos em geral, existe uma constante preocupação em balancear os incentivos e atributos do jogo, as regras do esporte em si e as regras das competições para que o melhor vença, ou, em outras palavras, para que sejam minimizados os outros fatores exceto a habilidade mais pura quanto possível no jogo em questão.

O mundo fora dos jogos, porém, nem sempre pode ter suas regras mudadas por um ente que as controla e está imbuído da vontade e dos meios para escolher as melhores regras possíveis para a obtenção dos resultados acima. Aliás, é muitas vezes essa possibilidade é até impensável. Mesmo quando ela é pensável e levada em conta os fatores que operam no mundo real não são facilmente identificáveis, eles são muitos, e mudam o tempo todo.

Mais do que isso, ao contrário de um jogo em que o objetivo é praticamente o mesmo para todo mundo, os objetivos de cada agente no mundo real são diferentes e incontáveis, e as "competições" que cada um está disputando são diferentes e muitas, cada minúsculo ato de suas vidas compreendendo várias delas simultaneamente.

Da mesma forma, é impossível conceber até mesmo o conceito de "melhor" para que se deseje que ele vença.

Mesmo assim é comum encontrarmos em várias situações gente que parte do princípio de que se Fulano está num certo lugar (por exemplo, um emprego muito bom) e Beltrano não isso se deve ao fato de Fulano ter sido melhor que Beltrano.

Está aí uma crítica à idéia da meritocracia (eu tinha me esquecido que essa palavra existia).

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Token-Curated Registries

So you want to build a TCR?

TCRs (Token Curated Registries) are a construct for maintaining registries on Ethereum. Imagine you have lots of scissor brands and you want a list with only the good scissors. You want to make sure only the good scissors make into that list and not the bad scissors. For that, people will tell you, you can just create a TCR of the best scissors!

It works like this: some people have the token, let's call it Scissor Token. Some other person, let's say it's a scissor manufacturer, wants to put his scissor on the list, this guy must acquire some Scissor Tokens and "stake" it. Holders of the Scissor Tokens are allowed to vote on "yes" or "no". If "no", the manufactures loses his tokens to the holders, if "yes" then its tokens are kept in deposit, but his scissor brand gets accepted into the registry.

Such a simple process, they say, have strong incentives for being the best possible way of curating a registry of scissors: consumers have the incentive to consult the list because of its high quality; manufacturers have the incentive to buy tokens and apply to join the list because the list is so well-curated and consumers always consult it; token holders want the registry to accept good and reject bad scissors because that good decisions will make the list good for consumers and thus their tokens more valuable, bad decisions will do the contrary. It doesn't make sense, to reject everybody just to grab their tokens, because that would create an incentive against people trying to enter the list.

Amazing! How come such a simple system of voting has such enourmous features? Now we can have lists of everything so well-curated, and for that we just need Ethereum tokens!

Now let's imagine a different proposal, of my own creation: SPCR, Single-person curated registries.

Single-person Curated Registries are equal to TCR, except they don't use Ethereum tokens, it's just a list in a text file kept by a single person. People can apply to join, and they will have to give the single person some amount of money, the single person can reject or accept the proposal and so on.

Now let's look at the incentives of SPCR: people will want to consult the registry because it is so well curated; vendors will want to enter the registry because people are consulting it; the single person will want to accept the good and reject the bad applicants because these good decisions are what will make the list valuable.

Amazing! How such a single proposal has such enourmous features! SPCR are going to take over the internet!

What TCR enthusiasts get wrong?

TCR people think they can just list a set of incentives for something to work and assume that something will work. Mix that with Ethereum hype and they think theyve found something unique and revolutionary, while in fact they're just making a poor implementation of "democracy" systems that fail almost everywhere.

The life is not about listing a set of "incentives" and then considering the problems solved. Almost everybody on the Earth has the incentive for being rich: being rich has a lot of advantages over being poor, however not all people get rich! Why are the incentives failing?

Curating lists is a hard problem, it involves a lot of knowledge about the problem that just holding a token won't give you, it involves personal preferences, politics, it involves knowing where is the real limit between "good" and "bad". The Single Person list may have a good result if the single person doing the curation is knowledgeable and honest (yes, you can game the system to accept your uncle's scissors and not their competitor that is much better, for example, without losing the entire list reputation), same thing for TCRs, but it can also fail miserably, and it can appear to be good but be in fact not so good. In all cases, the list entries will reflect the preferences of people choosing and other things that aren't taken into the incentives equation of TCR enthusiasts.

We don't need lists

The most important point to be made, although unrelated to the incentive story, is that we don't need lists. Imagine you're looking for a scissor. You don't want someone to tell if scissor A or B are "good" or "bad", or if A is "better" than B. You want to know if, for your specific situation, or for a class of situations, A will serve well, and do that considering A's price and if A is being sold near you and all that.

Scissors are the worst example ever to make this point, but I hope you get it. If you don't, try imagining the same example with schools, doctors, plumbers, food, whatever.

Recommendation systems are badly needed in our world, and TCRs don't solve these at all.

@ 7e19a1dd:ea50ba3b

Air compressors are workhorses across industries, from manufacturing plants to auto repair shops. However, keeping them running smoothly requires regular maintenance, which can be a time-consuming and costly chore. That’s where air compressor filters come into play. These simple yet vital components can help extend the life of your compressor while saving you money and headaches down the line.

What Do Air Compressor Filters Actually Do?

Air compressors suck in air from their surroundings, and that air isn’t always clean. It can carry dirt, moisture, and even tiny particles that can damage your compressor's internal parts. Filters act as the gatekeepers, trapping contaminants before they wreak havoc.

Without a good filter, dirt and debris can clog valves and reduce efficiency. Even worse, it can lead to costly repairs—or worse, a full-blown breakdown. Filters also remove moisture, preventing rust and corrosion in your compressor and connected equipment.

Less Maintenance, More Savings

Regular maintenance on an air compressor is inevitable, but filters significantly cut down the frequency of those tune-ups. Clean air means fewer clogs and less wear and tear on moving parts. As a result, you’ll need fewer repairs and part replacements over time.

And let’s not forget energy efficiency. When an air compressor operates with clean air, it doesn’t have to work as hard. This reduced workload translates into lower energy bills. Over time, this can add up to significant savings.

Filters Protect Your Investment

Air compressors aren’t cheap, and replacing one can feel like a punch to the wallet. Using high-quality air compressor filters protects your investment by keeping the equipment running at peak performance. Think of it like regularly changing your car’s oil. It’s a small, affordable step that prevents big problems later.

Save Time and Effort

No one enjoys unscheduled downtime, especially when deadlines are looming. A well-maintained compressor equipped with a proper filter is far less likely to break down unexpectedly. That means fewer interruptions and more time to focus on your work. And here’s another bonus: replacing filters is quick and easy. Compared to the hours it can take to clean or repair a compressor, swapping out a filter is a breeze.

Choosing the Right Filter

Not all filters are created equal. Make sure you choose one that matches your compressor’s specifications. If you’re unsure, check your user manual or ask a professional. Investing in a high-quality filter might cost a little more upfront, but it will pay off in the long run.

Final Thoughts

Air compressor filters are a small but mighty tool in keeping your equipment running smoothly. They cut down on maintenance, protect your compressor, and save you both time and money. By making filters a regular part of your maintenance routine, you’ll not only extend the life of your compressor but also improve its efficiency. That’s a win-win for your wallet and your workflow. So, the next time you fire up your air compressor, make sure its filter is up to the task. You’ll thank yourself later!

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

Beginning at the start

In my previous article, The Establishment, I answered the question: "How do we form a company?" I realize, now, that I was getting a bit ahead, of myself, as the precursor to a company is a team, and many people struggle to form teams. So, I will go back to the beginning, and then you can read both articles to the end, and then stop.

The Initiation

The first, and most-difficult step of team formation, is the initiation. We know that it must be the most-difficult, as it's the step that carries the highest potential reward, and it's the step that is tried-and-failed most often. (Some people, like Elon Musk or Donald Trump, are born Initiators with excellent follow-through, but this archetype is exceedingly thin on the ground because it requires you to be mildly autistic, have barely-throttled ADHD, and/or tend to megalomania, also popularly known as "toxic masculinity", "CEO personality", or "being a successful military officer".)

Someone needs to form a useful, attractive Vision and then motivate other people to help them achieve it. That sounds really easy, but it's actually brutally difficult because * You have to come up with an idea that is coherent, plausible, and inspiring. * You have to be able to communicate that idea to other people and make it appealing to them, by tying it into their own personal goals and desires. * You have to be able to hone and reformulate that idea, constantly, to correct it or to re-motivate the other team members. * You have to defend the idea against detractors, naysayers, and trolls, and you have to do it so vociferously, that it will erode your own popularity among those who disagree with you and open you to personal attacks. * You have to be able to focus on the idea, yourself, for a long stretch of time, and not allow yourself to get bored, lazy, or distracted.

So, just do and be all of those things, and then initiate the team, with the method I will name the Hatbock Method. It is so named because of the classic, German initiation ritual, in which an Initiator stands up, loudly defines their Vision and calls into a group "Wer hat Bock?" (roughly, "Who has the hunger/desire?") and whoever responds with "Ich hab Bock." (roughly, "Yes, I hunger for this.") is a part of the team.

Then the Initiator says, "Okay, everyone with the hunger, let's sit down together, and discuss this some more." (This "sitting" is literally called a "seating", or "Sitzung", which is the German word for "meeting".)

The Sitting

We now get to the second most difficult part of team formation: figuring out where to sit. Most teams get this wrong, repeatedly, and many teams dissolve or fracture under the difficulty of this momentous decision. You would think organizing yourselves online would make this easier ("Oh, we'll just meet online!"), but the number of places available for sitting online are limitless. You can talk your whole Vision into the ground, with laborous discussions and migrations between Chachi, OxChat, Telegram, SimpleX, Slack, Discord, WhatsApp, GitHub, Teams, Coracle, Matrix... you get the idea.

Try to keep in mind that the Vision is more important than the seating area, and go with the flow. Simply, find someplace and go there. Worry about it again, at a later date. Don't lose momentum. Sit down and start discussing the Vision, immediately.

Now, this next bit is very important:

Do not let anyone outside your team influence where you sit!

...unless they are providing your team with some good, service, or income, that makes choosing their preferred location the superior choice.

This is the German Stammtisch principle, where a host encourages you to come sit down, regularly, in some particular place, because your sitting there provides them with some benefit: they can overhear your conversations, get you to test out their seating area, sell you refreshments, etc. Your choice of seating, in other words, is a valuable good, and you should only "sell" it to someone who rewards you in measure. They have to reward you because their preferred seating area wasn't your immediate and obvious choice, so there was probably something unappealing or uncertain about the seating area.

Plan it in

Once you've sat down, and finished your rough draft of the Vision, you need to figure out when to sit. This is the third most-difficult part of team formation. (Yes, don't worry, it gets easier as it goes along.)

The most popular plan is the Wirsehenuns Plan (roughly, "We'll see each other, around.") This can work quite well, if you just want to have a loose collaboration, that calls itself together in an ad hoc fashion, when a team member feels the need. Also known as "@ me, bros".

It's not a great plan for more intensive collaboration, as that tends to need a certain amount of velocity, to actually happen, as the speed of movement has a centrifugal effect on the tasks. Team momentum, in other words, creates a sort of gravity, that keeps the team together as a unit. So, for deeper teamwork, I would recommend the Stammtisch variant: name a place and date/time, when you will next meet. Preferably, on a rotating schedule: daily, weekly, last Thursday of the month, etc.

And then meet there and then. And discuss amongst yourselves. Set clear, short-term tasks (and assign them to particular people!), medium-term strategies, and longer-term goals. Write everything down. Anything not written down, is a suggestion, not an assigned task.

If you find your Stammtisch becoming increasingly rewarding and productive, and your goals start moving closer and closer into sight, then you might want to formalize your team structure further, as a company.

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Precautionary Principle

The precautionary principle that people, including Nassim Nicholas Taleb, love and treat as some form of wisdom, is actually just a justification for arbitrary acts.

In a given situation for which there's no sufficient knowledge, either A or B can be seen as risky or precautionary measures, there's no way to know except if you have sufficient knowledge.

---

Someone could reply saying, for example, that the known risk of A is tolerable to the unknown, probably magnitudes bigger, risk of B. Unless you know better or at least have a logical explanation for the risks of B (a thing "scientists" don't have because they notoriously dislike making logical claims), in which case you do know something and is not invoking the precautionary principle anymore, just relying on your logical reasoning – and that can be discussed and questioned by others, undermining your intended usage of the label "precautionary principle" as a magic cover for your actions.

@ c8383d81:f9139549

My own stats on what I’ve done over the weekend:

• Spoke to +100 developers, it was great seeing a couple of familiar Flemish faces and meeting some new ones but overall the crowd was extremely diverse.

• Ended up doing a short interview promoting the protocol and ended up going to 0 talks.

• Tried to evangelize by going booth by booth to distribute a Nostr flyer to other FOSDEM projects, with the hope that they would broadcast the info towards their SOME person to add Nostr on their list or to build out a library for the languages that were present ( This was a fairly slow approach )

• Kept it to Nostr protocol 95% of the time, the Bitcoin narrative is not always a good time to push and as a side note I’ve met more Monero users than in the last 5 years.

• Was able to convince some engineers to look into the #soveng endeavor.

Small overview from the most common questions:

• They have heard about Nostr but are not sure of the details. ( mostly through the bitcoin community )
• What is the difference with ActivityPub, Mastodon, Fediverse ?
• IOT developers, so questions regarding MQTT & Meshtastic integrations ?
• Current state of MLS on Nostr ?
• What are the current biggest clients / apps build on Nostr ?
• Will jack still give a talk ?

Things we could improve:

• Bring more stickers like loads more,
• Bring T-shirts, Pins… could be a good way to fund these adventures instead of raising funds. ( Most projects where selling something to help raise funds for projects )
• Almost no onboarding / client installs.
• Compared to the Nostr booth at BTC Amsterdam not a single person asked if they could charge their phone.

Personal Note: The last time I visited was roughly 13 years ago and me being a little more seasoned I just loved the fact that I was able to pay some support to the open source projects I’ve been using for years ( homebrew, modzilla, Free BSD,.. ) and see the amazing diverse crowd that is the open source Movement 🧡

Al final shoutout to our great pirate crew 🏴‍☠️: The Dutch Guard ( nostr:npub1qe3e5wrvnsgpggtkytxteaqfprz0rgxr8c3l34kk3a9t7e2l3acslezefe & nostr:npub1l77twp5l02jadkcjn6eeulv2j7y5vmf9tf3hhtq7h7rp0vzhgpzqz0swft ) and a adrenaline fueled nostr:npub1t6jxfqz9hv0lygn9thwndekuahwyxkgvycyscjrtauuw73gd5k7sqvksrw , nostr:npub1rfw075gc6pc693w5v568xw4mnu7umlzpkfxmqye0cgxm7qw8tauqfck3t8 and nostr:npub1r30l8j4vmppvq8w23umcyvd3vct4zmfpfkn4c7h2h057rmlfcrmq9xt9ma amazing finally meeting you IRL after close to 2 years since the Yakihonne hackathon 😀

@ 31da2214:af2508e2

A global privacy nightmare is unfolding. The UK government secretly ordered Apple to backdoor encrypted iCloud storage worldwide—but Apple is legally forbidden from revealing this order, or they face criminal charges. This affects 2 BILLION USERS.

Here’s the full story & why it’s part of a much bigger power grab. 🧵👇 [Thread by @sayerjigmi on Thread Reader App]

---

1) The UK's Secret Order to Backdoor Encryption 🔓

Under the UK’s Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) 2016, Apple was served a Technical Capability Notice (TCN)—forcing them to create a backdoor for encrypted iCloud data.
This is not limited to UK users. It applies worldwide, meaning your private files are at risk, no matter where you live.
🔗 @macworld report

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2) Apple’s Legal Gag Order 🤐

Apple is legally forbidden from revealing this order. If Apple even acknowledges that the UK issued this demand, they could face criminal charges.
This is a secret government order with global consequences.

---

3) A Global Threat to Encryption 🌍

This isn’t just about the UK (although they are leading the charge in threatening citizens in OTHER countries for violating BRITISH censorship laws!).
If Apple complies, every government in the world will demand the same access—from the US to China to authoritarian regimes.
End-to-end encryption would be effectively dead.

4) Apple’s Dilemma: Comply or Withdraw? 🚪

Apple has two choices:
- Comply & weaken encryption globally.
- Refuse & withdraw services from the UK.

WhatsApp & Signal faced similar threats last year and vowed to leave the UK rather than compromise security. Will Apple do the same?
🚨 Watch the heated discussion between Damian Collins, director of CCDH (architect of the UK Online Safety Bill), and Signal’s CEO: YouTube Link

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5) Why This Matters: Encryption Protects Everything 🔐

• Encryption protects financial data, health records, personal security (e.g., where you live or work), and private conversations.
• Governments always say they need backdoors for national security—but history shows they’re used for mass surveillance.
• Once a backdoor exists, hackers, rogue employees, and other governments WILL find it.

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6) The UK’s War on Encryption 🛡️

The UK is trying to dominate the global surveillance & censorship landscape.
While the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have supported strong encryption to mitigate cyber threats, the UK stands alone in its war on encryption.

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7) The Free Speech Crackdown 🗣️

This isn’t just about encryption—it’s about control. Governments worldwide are criminalizing dissent and censoring free speech, using tech companies as their enforcement arms.
🔗 GreenMedInfo Report

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8) The Global Censorship Agenda 🌐

This ties into the UK’s broader, GLOBALLY ORCHESTRATED censorship agenda:
- The Online Safety Bill criminalizes encrypted messaging & forces platforms to scan private messages.
- The Digital Services Act (EU) gives governments the power to shut down online content they don’t like.
- Leaked US-UK documents show direct coordination between UK intelligence & the Biden administration to censor online speech.

---

9) The Architects of Speech Policing: CCDH 🕵️‍♂️

The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH)—a UK intelligence-backed group—has been a driving force behind global censorship.
They were caught:
- Running “black ops” to suppress RFK Jr.’s presidential campaign.
- Leading the "Kill Musk’s Twitter" directive, trying to shut down free speech on X.
- Labeling 12 private US citizens as the “Disinformation Dozen” to justify mass censorship.
🔗 Reclaim the Net Investigation

---

10) The Pattern is Clear: Surveillance + Censorship 🔍

1️⃣ Governments create "safety" laws to justify surveillance.
2️⃣ They pressure tech companies to enforce censorship.
3️⃣ Once encrypted services are gone, nothing is private anymore.

This is the biggest attack on digital freedom in history.

---

11) What Can We Do? 💪

• Support companies that refuse to build backdoors (Signal, ProtonMail, etc.).
• Push for legislation that protects encryption & free speech.
• Stay informed & spread awareness—governments count on secrecy to push these policies through.
• Follow and support privacy and internet freedom organizations such as:
• @G_W_Forum
• @FFO_Freedom
• @ReclaimTheNetHQ

---

12) The Ultimate Power Grab: Controlling All Digital Communication 📱

If Apple caves, every other platform will be forced to follow.
📌 The UK’s Global Playbook:
- A backdoor to encryption (Investigatory Powers Act).
- A government-linked censorship network (CCDH).
- A speech-policing framework that extends worldwide (Online Safety Bill).

This is a global effort to control what people can say, share, and store privately.

---

13) The Final Stand: Will You Comply or Resist? ⚔️🚨

They want total control—your speech, your privacy, your elections. This is the defining battle of our time.
🇬🇧 UK’s war on encryption = Global censorship blueprint.
🗳️ Election meddling + speech policing = A hijacked democracy.

📢 Digital freedom is human freedom.
Stand up. Speak out. Fight back. 🏴‍☠️🔥

🔗 LEARN MORE

---

Full thread preserved by Thread Reader App.

@ fad5c183:5cb8046b

The Big Question: What Really Supports Bitcoin? Let’s cut the fluff. Money has always needed something to back it. In the past, it was gold, something tangible, scarce, and universally recognized as valuable. Then came fiat (government-backed currency), which ditched gold in favor of trust in central banks.

Now, Bitcoin is here. It’s digital, decentralized, and allegedly free from manipulation. But is it? If Bitcoin isn’t backed by gold, oil, or government decree, what gives it value? And if a small number of players hold most of it, are we just recreating the same problems as fiat?

Let’s dig in.

Why Bitcoin Has Value (Even If You Can’t Touch It) Bitcoin is backed by math, code, and energy—not physical resources. Its value comes from three major factors:

• Scarcity – Only 21 million BTC will ever exist. No central bank can “print” more.
• Security – It’s protected by cryptography and (proof-of-work). Hacking the Bitcoin network is practically impossible.
• Market Trust – Bitcoin is valuable because people believe in its ability to store value, just like gold or fiat.

Unlike government money, where supply is controlled by a central authority, Bitcoin’s supply is fixed and transparent.

Sounds great, right? Well, there’s a catch.

Are We Just Repeating the Fiat Problem?

Fiat money is flawed because central banks can print it endlessly, manipulate interest rates, and control its flow. This causes inflation, bailouts, and financial crises.

Bitcoin fixes that. No one can create more Bitcoin out of thin air. But here’s the issue:

A small number of people and institutions own a huge percentage of Bitcoin. These “whales” can manipulate price movements, just like big banks do with fiat. Unlike fiat, where governments intervene (for better or worse), Bitcoin markets are unregulated and volatile. So, if whales can dump Bitcoin to crash prices and buy back cheap, is it really that different from fiat where the rich get richer?

Bitcoin’s Advantage: Transparency & Control

Here’s where Bitcoin still wins:

✅ No Central Control – Governments and banks can’t change its monetary policy. ✅ Transparency – Every transaction is on the blockchain. No hidden “money printing.” ✅ Self-Custody – You can hold your Bitcoin, unlike fiat, which sits in a bank that can freeze or seize it.

But let’s not pretend it’s perfect. If the majority of Bitcoin remains concentrated in a few hands, it still creates power imbalances.

The solution? More decentralization—and that’s where Nostr comes in.

How Nostr & Bitcoin Could Change the Game

Nostr is a decentralized communication protocol. No servers, no censorship, no single point of control.

When paired with Bitcoin and the Lightning Network, it could:

• Enable truly peer-to-peer transactions without banks or centralized exchanges.
• Reduce whale manipulation by increasing adoption and distribution.
• Support a free, censorship-resistant financial system without intermediaries.

Imagine a world where you don’t need banks or corporations to transact—just an internet connection. That’s where we’re headed.

Final Thought: Are We at Square One?

Bitcoin isn’t a perfect solution, but it’s a step forward. It removes central banks from the equation but still struggles with wealth concentration and market manipulation.

So, are we just recreating fiat 2.0? Maybe in some ways. But here’s the difference:

The rules can’t be changed by elites in a closed room. Every transaction is visible—no shady money printing. Anyone can self-custody their assets—no middlemen needed. The key to breaking the cycle? More decentralization, better distribution, and adoption beyond whales and institutions.

Bitcoin is a tool. It’s up to us to use it wisely.

What do you think? Are we just repeating history, or is Bitcoin truly different? Let’s debate. 🔥

@ 42342239:1d80db24

The risks associated with cryptocurrencies have recently received attention in the media, where e.g. the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority warns of the high volatility and risk of investments in crypto. Within the EU, as usual, significant efforts are being made to expand the already extensive regulatory framework. Meanwhile, in the US, there has been a marked turnaround. Even the presidential family has launched their own cryptocurrencies, resulting in criticism from industry experts .

Important perspectives, however, are conspicuous by their absence in the conversation.

Iain McGilchrist, a British psychiatrist and philosopher, has introduced the hemispheric hypothesis (a theory about how the brain's two hemispheres function). The left hemisphere is more detail- and control-oriented, while the right hemisphere is more holistic. A society dominated by the left hemisphere, such as our own according to McGilchrist , "would see it as its task to control everything maximally and would have a paranoid feeling that we need to have surveillance cameras everywhere...".

During a speech at the World Economic Forum, President Trump recently stated that conservatives complain about big banks, such as Bank of America, not allowing them to conduct business within the bank. Critics argue that the American banking system has been used to persecute political opponents, both during Obama's and Biden's terms. Under Obama, 'Operation Chokepoint' was introduced to limit certain businesses' access to banking services. A subcommittee in the Senate now wants to eradicate this phenomenon.

More and more people are discovering that their money is not always under their control. Non-profit associations and congregations are not allowed to open bank accounts. Sometimes they are even thrown out as bank customers. Others may report being subjected to lengthy interrogations by the bank about what they intend to do with their money, even when they just want to transfer funds between their own accounts. Rejected churches are met with silence, while a bank account is (still!) necessary to fully operate in society.

When leading economists at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) argue that a cashless society can threaten fundamental rights , including property rights, when churches are refused bank accounts in what is described as "a threat to civil society" and when regulations still fail to combat organised crime , is it not reasonable to wonder if we are on the right path?

With cash, people can pay freely without intermediaries, which constitutes a form of financial freedom. The notes you hold in your hand are your own. Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, offer a similar possibility: an electronic, peer-to-peer cash system (person to person).

A society dominated by the left hemisphere results in a pathological need for control, according to McGilchrist. A more holistic perspective, taking into account the right hemisphere, would acknowledge that too much control can be detrimental, that property rights are a fundamental right, and that financial freedom is a human right. Do these perspectives not deserve more attention?

@ dd1f9d50:06113a21

(Because Most People Don’t Understand Money)

The requisite knowledge needed to know whether $100 or $100,000 per Bitcoin is relatively speaking “a lot,” is what value means. One way to measure value is through a universal yardstick we call “Money.” The question of “What is money?” is perhaps one of the most overlooked and under answered in our day and age. There is even an entire podcast dedicated to that question with the eponymous title, hosted by Robert Breedlove. That podcast often delves into the more philosophical underpinnings whereas I hope to approach this with a more practical answer.

Money is a technology.

Money is the technology with which we interact with one another to reorganize goods and services to the place and time they are best suited. Most money of the past has been tangible (though not a requisite feature), scarce, recognizable (read: verifiable), durable, portable, and divisible. These features one might call the “Attributes of Money.” These attributes are absolutely essential for a money to maintain its status as a money. (Those of you who understand the U.S. Dollar system maybe scratching your heads right now but, believe me, I will address that elephant in due time.) These attributes, you may notice, are not a yes or no but more of a gradient. A money can be MORE portable than another yet, less durable. One more divisible but not scarce whatsoever. The point being they must have, in some capacity, these attributes or they simply aren’t money.

One of These Things is Not Like the Other

| | Bitcoin | Gold | Dollars | |-----------------|:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------:|:------------------------------------------------------------------:|:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------:| | Scarcity | 21 million coins
is the maximum supply | Unknown- the
supply grows roughly 2% per year | Also unknown to anyone outside of the Federal Reserve, Trillions and counting | | Recognizability | Each coin is verifiable to it's genesis on the timechain | Each molecule of gold has distinct physical verifiable properties | If the Federal reserve says it is a valid note, it is (Unless you are an enemy of the United States) | | Durablility | Each "Bitcoin" is information stored on a globally distributed network | Doesn't Rust and as far as can be measured Au197 is stable forever | Can be destroyed by any means that effect fabric and centralized databases | | Portability | Available wherever data can be store- Anywhere | Can be moved at 9.81 Newtons per Kilogram- Methods may vary | Can be moved physically with fabric notes- Digitally with express permission from a US accredited banking institution | | Divisibility | Currently can be divided into 100 million parts called Sats (can be further subdivided by adding decimal places) | Can be divided to the Atomic level (Though not practical) | Can be divided (without dilution) by adding new denominative bills or coinage
Can be divided (with dilution) by printing new bills or coinage | | | Bitcoin | Gold | Dollars |

You may think with all of the great functionality of Bitcoin that the phrase "One of these things is not like the other" refers to BTC. No, I was referring to the Dollar. It is the only one on the list that was a currency that was substituted as some kind of faux money. It asserts itself, or rather the Federal Reserve asserts it, as money, de facto.

Dollars are NOT money.

Dollars are (allegedly) a currency. If money is a specific technology, currency is the financial infrastructure that allows that technology to reach and be used by the most number of people possible. This requires a firm tether between the asset being used as money and the currency used as a claim to that money. For example: If I hand you a chicken, you have a chicken. But, if I hand you a coupon that is redeemable for a chicken, you do not have a chicken. You have a claim to a chicken that is only as good as the party making that claim. Bringing it back to money again, dollars (Prior to 1971) were redeemable for gold at a rate of $35 per ounce. This is that strong tether that pegged dollars to gold and physical reality itself. Without a proof of work, mining, . Until…

WTF Happened in 1971?

The Nixon shock happened. Briefly, The U.S. took in Europe’s gold in the 1940’s to keep it out of Hitler’s hands. The U.S. made an agreement to peg the dollar to Europe’s gold. The U.S. over printed dollars in relation to the gold holdings. Around 1971 France (among others) called the U.S. out for devaluing the dollar and thus European currencies. So, Nixon “Temporarily” suspended the convertibility of dollars to gold. Now, here we all are like Wile E. Coyote having run off of the golden cliff clutching our dollars in our arms and 54 years later we still haven’t looked down to see the truth.

Dollars Aren’t Backed by Anything

This is why no country in the world today has a money standard. Seemingly they all forgot the number one rule of issuing currency, it must be backed by something. Now, you may hear dollar proponents say “The U.S. dollar is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States!” Another way of saying that is, “We said it is worth something, so it is!” This fiat (by decree) mentality creates a plethora of perverse incentives. The ever growing supply disallows users of the Dollar to save without inccuring the penalties of inflation.

Just a Few Examples of How You're Being Crushed

Because your dollar loses value:

• It pushes people to spend them on assets that seem to appreciate (as the dollar debases) but are truly staying stagnant.
• It pushes people to gamble on securities hoping the perceived value is enough to beat the inflationary curve.
• It pushes people away from saving for their future and the future of their families.
• It creates insane credit incentives so that people borrow way more than they can afford today knowing that dollars will be cheaper in the future. (Effectively a short position)
• It pushes people to spend less and less time making and maintaining their families as it becomes more expensive to keep a similar lifestyle to which it was founded.

These are just a few of the terrible consequences of not knowing that trading a currency with no monetary backing has on a society. Most may blame this soley on the ability to print currency by a central bank but, that is not the only factor. If the fed printed dollars against gold, people would simply take the best rate they could get and remonetize themselves with the gold. But because there is no monetary escape hatch guaranteed by the issuance of dollars, I.E. no one has to take your dollars in exchange for their Bitcoin or gold, you are left at the mercy of the market.

One Day, People Will Stop Accepting Your Dollars

Those lementing the high price of Bitcoin might want to thank their lucky stars that Bitcoin still has a rational number next to the "BTC 1=$?" sign. One day you will have to exchange something of actual value to the spender (no longer a seller). Your product, good or service, will be the only thing that anyone might be willing to part with their Bitcoin over. That is what makes a money, the most salable non-consumable good, whose only funtion is to back a financial structure that facilitates trade.

Bitcoin is Capital

Capital is a broad term that can describe anything that confers value or benefit to its owners, such as a factory and its machinery, or the financial assets of a business or an individual. Bitcoin being the latter creates the financial structures from which you build upon. You use capital to hold, transfer, and grow value. You do not do this with cash. Cash is a depreciating asset when you don't use it to gain goods or services for yourself or your business. This misconception around the equivalance between cash and money (financial capital) is what tricks people into believing Dollars are money. And what's worse is that even some of our greatest heroes have done this.

Slay Your Heroes, Within Reason

Unfortunately due to a mixing of verbiage that have very distinct differences, the title: "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System" is technically inaccurate. Bitcoin doesn't fit the definition of cash, which is a liquid asset that can be easily converted into its equivalent value. In short, Satoshi misspoke. In reality, owning Bitcoin UTXOs (with private keys) means you already possess the asset, not just a claim to it. When you spend Bitcoin, the recipient receives the actual asset, not a promise of it. When you receive Bitcoin, you have final settlement on that transaction. Fundamentally Bitcoin is not cash, electronic or otherwise.

Bitcoin is Money.

@ 2cd78afb:f577f59a

Looking for a reliable computer tech support service? Small Business IT Support offers professional solutions to maintain the functionality of your systems. Hardware troubleshooting, software installation, virus removal, network configuration, and performance optimization are among the services we offer. Whether you require remote or on-site support, our knowledgeable specialists guarantee optimum effectiveness and little downtime. You may get quick, expert, and reasonably priced IT solutions that are suited to your company's requirements with our computer tech support service. For professional assistance and smooth operations, get in touch with us right now!

@ 16d11430:61640947

The gap in mathematics that allows for free agency—the space where choice, unpredictability, and autonomy emerge—exists at the intersection of incompleteness, chaos, probability, and quantum uncertainty. These gaps create fundamental limits on determinism, leaving room for agency to exist.

1. Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorems: The Limits of Formal Systems

Gödel’s theorems prove that within any sufficiently powerful mathematical system:

There exist truths that cannot be proven within that system.

The system cannot prove its own consistency.

This means that even in a world governed by mathematical laws, there are undecidable truths—facts beyond algorithmic computation. If reality is mathematical at its core, this suggests a built-in freedom: not everything is determinable from within the system.

1. Chaos Theory: The Sensitivity to Initial Conditions

Chaotic systems, such as weather patterns and neural activity, exhibit extreme sensitivity to initial conditions.

Even if deterministic, they are practically unpredictable beyond a certain point.

Small choices or quantum fluctuations at the micro-level can have macroscopic consequences.

This injects a level of unpredictability into reality, making strict determinism impossible in complex systems.

1. Probability & Bayesian Decision Theory: Rational Agency Within Uncertainty

In the realm of decision-making and game theory:

Bayesian inference shows how rational agents update beliefs in the face of uncertainty.

Statistical mechanics, despite governing collective behaviors, leaves space for individual unpredictability.

Nash equilibria in game theory illustrate how multiple choices can be rationally justified, allowing for strategic freedom.

Thus, within mathematical decision models, choice emerges not from randomness but from incomplete knowledge and competing optimal strategies.

1. Quantum Mechanics: The Fundamental Indeterminacy of Reality

At the quantum level, Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle and the probabilistic nature of wavefunction collapse introduce a non-deterministic reality:

Superposition suggests that multiple possibilities coexist until measured.

Quantum entanglement links particles across vast distances, but their states are not pre-determined before observation.

The Born rule in quantum mechanics assigns probabilities rather than certainties to outcomes.

If the fundamental fabric of reality is non-deterministic, then the idea of strict mechanistic determinism collapses, opening the door to true agency.

1. Computability and the Halting Problem: The Unsolvability of Certain Decisions

Turing’s Halting Problem proves that for some problems, no algorithm can determine in advance whether a computation will finish or run forever.

If reality includes such non-computable elements, then some choices are beyond pre-determined algorithmic resolution.

Human cognition, if partially non-computable, could transcend deterministic rules.

Conclusion: The Gap Between Necessity and Choice

Free agency exists in the mathematical gaps—the undecidability of logic, the unpredictability of chaos, the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics, and the non-computability of certain decisions. These fundamental limits on strict determinism create an open space where choices emerge, allowing for freedom within a mathematically structured universe.

Thus, in the grand equation of existence, there remains an undefined variable: the will of the agent.

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

The Super Bowl definitely threw me off a bit. My dad offered to bring some food over and the plan was to eat before the game/during the first half. I have no idea what he was doing, but for some reason, it took him two hours to get the food (that was already made) ready to eat.

All things considered, I still did ok. The dry fast was about 13 hours and I might make it to 16 hours without eating (I'm at 15 now).

Score Card

Day 1: 14 hour fast (13 dry) Day 2: 15 hour fast (14 dry) Day 3: 17 hours (16 dry) Day 4: 18 hours (17 dry) Day 5: 18 hours (16 dry) Day 6: 19 hours (16 dry) Day 7: 16 hours (15 dry) Day 8: 18 hours (17 dry) Day 9: 17 hours (17 dry) Day 10: TBD (13 dry)

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/881691

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

GitCitadel Development Operations

We, at GitCitadel, have been updating, moving, and rearranging our servers, for quite some time. As a rather large, complex, sprawling project, we have the infrastructure setup to match, so we've decided to give you all a quick run-down of what we are doing behind-the-scenes.

Supplier Coordination

Our first task, this week, was figuring out who would host what where. We have four different locations, where our infra is stored and managed, including two locations from our suppliers. We got that straightened out, quickly, and it's all slowly coming together and being connected and networked. Exciting to watch our DevOps landscape evolve and all of the knowledge-transfer that the interactions provide.

OneDev Implementation

Our biggest internal infra project this week was the migration of all of our issues from Jira, build scripts from Jenkins, and repos from GitHub to a self-hosted OneDev instance. In the future, all of our internal build, test, issue, patch/PR, etc. effort will take place there. We also have a separate repo there for communicating with external developers and suppliers.

Our team's GitHub projects will be demoted to mirrors and a place for external devs to PR to. Public issues and patches will continue to be managed over our self-hosted GitWorkshop instance.

We're especially glad to finally escape the GitHub Gulag, and avoid being bled dry by Jira fees, without having to give up the important features that we've come to know and love. So, yay!

Next Infrasteps

Automated Testing

Now, that we have everything tied up in one, neat, backed-up package, we can finally move on to the nitty-gritty and the dirty work. So, we're rolling up our sleeves and writing the Selenium smoke test for our Alexandria client. We'll be running that in Docker containers containing different "typical Nostr" images, such as Chrome browser with Nostr Connect signing extension, or Firefox browser with Nos2x-fox extension. Once we get the Nsec Bunker and Amber logins going, we'll add test cases and images for them, as well. (Yes, we can do Bunker. I hope you are in awe at our powers).

We are also designing an automated infrastructure test, that will simply rattle through all the various internal and external websites and relays, to make sure that everything is still online and responsive.

After that, a Gherkin-based Behave feature test for Alexandria is planned, so that we can prevent regression of completed functionality, from one release to the next.

The Gherkin scenarios are written and attached to our stories before development begins (we use acceptance tests as requirements), a manual test-execution is then completed, in order to set the story to Done. These completed scenarios will be automated, following each release, with the resulting script linked to from the origin story.

Automated Builds

As the crowning glory of every DevOps tool chain stands the build automation. This is where everything gets tied together, straightened out, configured, tested, measured, and -- if everything passes the quality gates -- released. I don't have to tell you how much time developers spend staring at the build process display, praying that it all goes through and they can celebrate a Green Wave.

We are currently designing the various builds, but the ones we have defined for the Alexandria client will be a continuous delivery pipeline, like so:

This will make it easier for us to work and collaborate asynchronously and without unnecessary delays.

Expanding the Status Page

And, finally, we get to the point of all of this busyness: reporting.

We are going to have beautiful reports, and we are going to post them online, on our status page. We will use bots, to inform Nostriches of the current status of our systems, so go ahead and follow our GitCitadel DevOps npub, to make sure you don't miss out on the IT action.

Building on stone

All in all, we're really happy with the way things are humming along, now, and the steady increase in our productivity, as all the foundational work we've put in starts to pay off. It's getting easier and easier to add new team members, repos, or features/fixes, so we should be able to scale up and out from here. Our GitCitadel is built on a firm foundation.

Happy building!

@ 16d11430:61640947

Ayurveda is a 5000-year-old medical system that predates modern science but remains one of the most sophisticated and holistic approaches to health. Unlike Western medicine, which often isolates diseases and treats symptoms, Ayurveda focuses on Prakriti (innate constitution), Agni (digestive fire), Dosha (biological energies), and Ojas (vital essence) to create a personalized, adaptable healthcare model.

Western medicine, despite its advances, still struggles to integrate a diverse global population due to its standardized, reductionist approach. Ayurveda, on the other hand, perfected its practices over millennia through real-world observation, experiential learning, and dynamic adaptation to human diversity.

---

1. Foundations of Ayurveda vs. Western Science

Ayurveda was developed through direct interaction with nature, patients, and generational knowledge transmission, allowing it to refine its approach to a vast range of human conditions.

---

1. Ayurvedic Practices That Outperform Western Medicine’s Integration of Global Health

Western science is still catching up to many Ayurvedic principles, often "discovering" practices that Ayurveda has used for centuries.

A. Personalized Medicine (Prakriti & Doshas) vs. Western One-Size-Fits-All Approach

Ayurveda classifies individuals into three doshas: Vata (air & ether), Pitta (fire & water), and Kapha (earth & water).

These determine a person's metabolism, immunity, and predisposition to disease.

Modern medicine is beginning to explore personalized genomics, but Ayurveda has practiced it for millennia.

B. Chronobiology & Circadian Rhythms (Dincharya)

Ayurveda prescribes Dincharya (daily routines) based on the body's natural rhythms, aligning eating, sleeping, and activity cycles with the sun and moon.

Modern science now acknowledges circadian rhythms but has yet to fully integrate them into healthcare.

Example: Intermittent fasting (Upavasa) has been an Ayurvedic practice for centuries, while the West only recently recognized its benefits for longevity and metabolism.

C. Gut Health & Microbiome (Agni & Ama)

Ayurveda recognized the gut as the root of disease centuries before the discovery of the microbiome.

It prescribes Triphala, Buttermilk (Takra), and Fermented Foods for gut health, balancing Agni (digestive fire).

Western medicine is just starting to understand how gut bacteria affect mental health, immunity, and chronic diseases.

D. Holistic Mental Health (Manas Shastra) vs. Isolated Psychology

Ayurveda integrates meditation, breathwork (Pranayama), mantra therapy, and lifestyle modifications for emotional resilience.

Western psychology often isolates mental health from physical health, relying on medications like antidepressants without addressing lifestyle, diet, and spiritual dimensions.

Example: Ayurvedic herbs like Brahmi and Ashwagandha have proven neuroprotective properties but were ignored in Western medicine until recently.

E. Detoxification (Panchakarma) vs. Toxic Accumulation in Modern Life

Western medicine struggles with heavy metal detox, plastic pollution in the body, and chronic inflammation.

Ayurveda developed Panchakarma, a five-step detox method (Vamana, Virechana, Basti, Nasya, Raktamokshana) that cleanses at a cellular level.

Western detox solutions (chelation therapy, dialysis) are still in their infancy.

F. Cancer Prevention & Natural Angiogenesis Regulation

Dr. William Li’s work on cancer and food-based angiogenesis regulation confirms Ayurvedic principles.

Ayurveda’s approach to cancer (Arbuda) includes herbs like Ashwagandha, Guduchi, and Turmeric, which regulate angiogenesis, reduce inflammation, and detoxify cells.

G. Ayurvedic Water Science vs. Modern Water Pollution

Ayurveda prescribes drinking water stored in copper or silver vessels to prevent microbial growth and enhance mineral content.

It discourages tap water due to chlorine, fluoride, and microplastic contamination—issues that modern science is only now recognizing.

---

1. Ayurveda’s Adaptability vs. Western Struggles with Global Diversity

Ayurveda Accounts for Climate, Region, and Genetic Differences

Western medicine largely applies one-size-fits-all drugs and treatments, often leading to side effects.

Ayurveda has climate-based variations (Desha), prescribing different diets, herbs, and therapies based on region and seasonal changes.

Example:

In cold climates, Ayurveda recommends warming spices (ginger, black pepper, cinnamon) and oil massages (Abhyanga) to prevent stiffness.

In hot climates, it prescribes cooling foods like coconut, aloe vera, and ghee to balance excess heat.

Western medicine lacks such nuanced adjustments.

The Flaw of Western Pharmaceutical Monopolies

Western medicine is dominated by profit-driven pharmaceutical companies that prioritize patents over holistic healing.

Ayurveda uses natural, locally available herbs, making treatments affordable, sustainable, and globally adaptable.

---

1. The Future: Integrating Ayurvedic Wisdom with Modern Science

Western science is now validating what Ayurveda has known for centuries. Some key integrations include:

Neuroscience & Ayurveda: Meditation, breathwork, and adaptogenic herbs now recognized for neuroplasticity.

Oncology & Ayurveda: Cancer research on turmeric, angiogenesis-blocking foods, and detoxification methods.

Microbiome Research: Ayurveda’s gut-health principles proven beneficial in regulating immune function.

Epigenetics & Ayurveda: Recognition of food, environment, and lifestyle in genetic expression aligns with Ayurvedic wisdom.

The Need for a Decentralized Healthcare System

Western medicine’s institutionalized, patent-based system restricts access to holistic healing.

Ayurveda, like Bitcoin in finance, decentralizes healthcare by offering open-source, nature-based, globally adaptable solutions.

---

Final Thoughts: Ayurveda as the Future of Truly Global Medicine

Ayurveda’s success comes from:

A holistic understanding of human diversity (biological, regional, and cultural).

Natural and sustainable healing methods that modern medicine is struggling to replicate.

Integration of physical, mental, and spiritual health—which Western medicine isolates.

A decentralized, globally adaptable approach free from profit-driven pharmaceutical monopolies.

@ 86cf3742:678e3ae8

In this episode of the Ag Tribes Report, host Vance Crow welcomes Steve Strasheim, a vegetable farmer from Northern Iowa, to discuss a variety of pressing issues in agriculture. Steve shares insights into his unique farming practices, including the use of greenhouses and geothermal technology to grow vegetables in the harsh Iowa winters. He also explains his innovative sales model, which includes farmers markets, a CSA, wholesaling, and an on-farm retail store.

The conversation shifts to the potential impact of ICE raids on agriculture, with a focus on the role of illegal aliens in the farming industry. Steve shares his perspective on the H-2A program and the challenges of bureaucracy in hiring legal farm workers.

The episode also covers the controversial appointment of RFK Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, with a discussion on how his policies might affect agriculture. Steve and Vance debate the potential benefits and drawbacks of increased regulation and the importance of promoting healthier eating habits.

In a segment on Brazilian soybeans, Vance highlights recent logistical issues and quality concerns in Brazil's soybean industry, sparking a discussion on the risks of relying too heavily on a single crop.

The episode concludes with a look at the new right's stance on crated hogs and the potential for significant changes in animal agriculture. Steve shares his thoughts on the ethics of factory farming and the consumer demand for affordable protein.

Listeners are also treated to the Bitcoin land price report, where Steve discusses the current farmland prices in his county and his cautious approach to investing in Bitcoin. The episode wraps up with the Peter Thiel paradox and worthy adversary segments, where Steve shares his unique perspectives and challenges common beliefs in his agricultural community.

link to the original content

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

Planning Alexandria

People keep asking what features nostr:npub1s3ht77dq4zqnya8vjun5jp3p44pr794ru36d0ltxu65chljw8xjqd975wz has planned for #Alexandria, but they're not set in stone because we're an agile project.

What we do have, is lots of tickets on our Kanban boards and a naming scheme, where we use a famous person's last name, to signify the release goals.

Gutenberg v 0.1.0

(after the inventor of the printing press) will contain the features needed to read and write NIP-62 Curated Publications, as well as encompassing the complex infrastructure, architecture, documentation, and personnel we require to make this all run smoothly and look easy.

Euler v 0.2.0

(after a mathematician credited with establishing graph theory) will contain the features for deep-searching, visually exploring, and smartly navigating the data set, wiki page display, annotating and citing the publications, exporting to other formats (like PDF, ePUB, and LaTeX), and commenting/reviewing. To help with the heavy lifting, we will be swapping out the core with our own Nostr SDK called "Aedile".

Defoe v 0.3.0

(after an author who perfected the novel format) will be all about our favorite writers. We will be focusing upon profile data, payment systems, book clubs and communities, and stylesheets.

That is everything we have planned, for the v1.0 edition, and we consider that version to be a true product.

As for after that, a teaser...

@ e034d654:ca919814

I stumbled into nostr end of March 2023. At that point already fully thrown into the hows, whys and whats of Bitcoin, never really interested in social apps, just recently playing around with Lightning, the only experience of which at the time was Muun (😬) and stacker.news custodial wallet.

Fairly inexperienced with technicals other than rough understandings of concepts. A crappy laptop node with a dangling SSD via USB, constantly having to resync to current blockheights whenever I was ready to make an on chain transaction to cold storage. My great success after over two years of delay, and a couple failed attempts.

Something about the breadth of information for nitty gritty specifics, the clash with all the things that I found interesting about Bitcoin, with others equally as focused, kept me interested in Nostr. Plus the lighthearted shit posting to break up plumbing the depths of knowledge appealed to me.

Cut to now. Through the jurisdictional removals and even deaths of LN wallet projects, using mobile LSPs, finding use cases with the numerous cashu implementations, moderate comfortability with NWC strings of various permissions, budgets for seemingly endless apps of Nostr clients, swapping relays, isolated wallets with Alby go for my wife and cousin (I told them both not to put much on there as I'm sure failure is imminent) Alby Hub and Zeus, now fully backended by my own persistently online lightning node. All of it adding to the fluidity of my movement around the protocol.

Nimble.

Gradual progress. Reading through notes and guides posted on Nostr learning little bits, circling back eventually, if even at a time it wasn't clicking for me. Either way. Glad i've stuck to it even if I still barely know what it is I'm doing.

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

I am so tired of people trying to waste my time with Nostrized imitations of stuff that already exists.

Instagram, but make it Nostr. Twitter, but make it Nostr. GitHub, but make it Nostr. Facebook, but make it Nostr. Wordpress, but make it Nostr. GoodReads, but make it Nostr. TikTok, but make it Nostr.

That stuff already exists, and it wasn't that great the first time around, either. Build something better than that stuff, that can only be brought into existence because of Nostr.

Build something that does something completely and awesomely new. Knock my socks off, bro.

Cuz, ain't nobody got time for that.

@ 6871d8df:4a9396c1

## 2024 Prediction Reflections

Politics

Democrats & 2024 Election

• “Democrats’ attempt to stifle democracy will likely put Trump in the White House. If not, some real sketchy stuff would need to happen to keep him out.”

This prediction was exactly right. The assassination attempt on Trump seemed to be the final blow for the Democrats. Despite a heavy push my legacy media, Trump won handily.

The Democrats switched to Kamala Harris after Biden showed signs of incapacity, most notably in the first debate against Trump.

My prediction for the election also turned out to be exactly right, which, thank you Robert Barnes and Richard Baris.

Evidence of Institutional Ideological Capture

• “People will continue to wake up to ideologically captured institutions, and DEI will be the main loser.”

Trump’s resounding election victory underscores that the public is increasingly aware of (and rejecting) such institutional capture.

Of note, Boeing comes to mind as an institution that had a tough time in 2024, in large part to DEI. Nothing seemed to function correctly. The biggest story being how they stranded people in space

Media & Public Opinion

Rise of Independent & Alternative Media

• “Independent and alternative media will continue to grow as people’s trust in legacy media declines.”

Twitter (X), under Elon Musk, shattered mainstream media’s influence far more than expected. As Elon has said, “You are the media now.” Alternative sources are king. - Notable Example: Kamala Harris’s decision not to appear on the Joe Rogan podcast contrasted with Trump’s appearance, further highlighting the power shift to alternative media.

Markets & IPOs

Interest Rates & Public Markets

• “As interest rates come down, I expect public markets and IPOs to heat up.”

This did not play out. Companies that were expected to go public in 2024 remain private in 2025. The reasons are varied, but there is confidence that 2025 might see changes.

Technology & AI

LLMs & AI Adoption

• “AI and LLMs will continue to move at a rapid rate, increasing productivity. Tools like Bard will become more mainstream.”

AI did take off. Usage among nontechnical users increased, and it’s no longer uncommon for people to default to AI-driven tools rather than Google search.

Decentralized AI

• “I hope to see a rise in decentralized AI to counter big-player LLMs.”

We didn’t see explicit ‘decentralized AI’ breakthroughs, but more players entered the AI market. ChatGPT still dominates, with Elon’s ‘Grok’ making moves. Google, Meta, and Microsoft remain active but slightly behind in usage.

Bitcoin & Digital Assets

Institutional Adoption of Bitcoin

• “2024 will bring more institutions to Bitcoin. Possibly another large company or nation-state. The ETF should help, likely pushing BTC to a new all-time high.”

No large public company or nation-state placed a bet, but smaller public companies did. Michael Saylor presented to Microsoft’s Board, which was the closest instance to a major move.
- Price Movement: Bitcoin did hit a new all-time high, rising to as much as $108k in 2024.

Lightning Network

• “Lightning will improve but remain primarily used for acquiring Bitcoin, not everyday payments.”

Still true. Lightning usage remains tiny relative to broader Bitcoin adoption.

Nostr Adoption

• “Nostr will grow, and we’ll see new companies leverage this network beyond just social media.”

Growth continues, but Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover slowed adoption. Nostr will remain niche until a major catalyst occurs (e.g., a big player joins or forced usage due to censorship).

Stablecoin-Specific Regulations

• “Expect stablecoin regulations in 2024 that’ll be favorable to them.”

This didn’t happen, largely due to the administration’s hostility. Expect potential change in 2025.

Miscellaneous 2024 Reflections

• Return to Sanity
  • 2024 felt like sanity prevailed, largely due to the Democrats’ collapse behind Biden and Harris and Elon’s Twitter dominance.
• Operation Chokepoint 2.0
  • Received a lot of attention, and I’m thankful it did because my experience at Strike was radicalizing and extreme.
• Bryan Johnson & Anti-Aging
  • He burst onto the scene with his obsession over biomarkers. I see it as misguided—chasing markers in isolation doesn’t automatically yield a healthy system.
• Apple’s Rough Year
  • Without a visionary leader, Apple appears to be scraping by on existing products rather than innovating.
• Google Under Fire
  • Google is in a tough fight with the government, just as it seems they’re on their heels with AI competition.

---

2025 Predictions

1. Bitcoin’s Performance Bitcoin will have a good year, but not better than 2024. To beat 2024, it must close above 206k on December 31, 2025. I’ll take the under on that.

   • I am not ruling out it to be over that at some point in 2025.

2. Twitter’s Success Continues to Stunt nostr

3. Nostr adoption will stay slow due to Elon’s dominant influence with X (Twitter).
   • As long as it remains a beacon of free speech, I doubt we see an exodus.

4. Rumble integrating Tether might help if they allow Nostr-like features (zaps), but that seems unlikely.

5. Apple

6. Apple will continue its rent-seeking behavior and put out underwhelming products.

7. Google’s Quantum & AI

8. Recent buzz about Google’s quantum chip and AI improvements won’t pan out as a big deal.

9. Google will continue to trail OpenAI and xAI in practical LLM usage.

10. Elon, Vivek & DOGE

11. I expect them to deliver more than critics think. They’ll expose bloat and inefficiencies in ways that will shake up norms. I greatly welcome this. I wouldn’t bet against them.

12. Mainstream Media Reckoning

13. In Trump’s second term, mainstream news outlets will face a real reckoning, as I can’t see how their bias can continue.
14. They’ll have to reduce their bias or risk bankruptcy.

15. Alternative media’s growth trend continues, especially as Twitter keeps exposing mainstream outlets’ weaknesses.

16. RFK Delivers

17. We will see big changes in the health space due to RFK at HHS. These are changes that I am very excited to see.

18. Foreign Policy

19. With the transition to Trump, I expect some foreign policy wins that will buck the establishment but will deliver wins that are not thought possible by the “experts.”

---

Closing Note

• Overall 2024: It was a year of major political upheaval, vindication for Bitcoin, and continued AI advances.
• Outlook for 2025: Bitcoin remains strong, AI competition heats up, and media institutions face existential challenges. I’m optimistic for continued decentralization and a more level playing field across tech, finance, and politics. I think the start of Trump’s second term will be very strong for the market, health, and culture. Accelerate.

@ 16d11430:61640947

In the silent expanse of the cosmos, where stars whisper their secrets in equations and reality itself unfurls as a tapestry woven from numbers, there exists a path. This is not a path for the faint of heart, nor for those content with the illusions of mere perception. It is the path of the seeker, the one who dares to ask not just how the world is, but why it must be so.

To tread this path is to ascend into the realm where gods write the laws of existence in the language of mathematics.

The First Revelation: Number, the Seed of the Cosmos

Before the universe took form, before light first kissed the void, there was number. It is from number that all else flows, from the spiral of galaxies to the rhythm of a heartbeat.

Prime numbers stand as the indivisible atoms of arithmetic, forming the bedrock of security and cryptography, where secrets are safeguarded by their unfathomable complexity.

Modular arithmetic, the silent clockwork behind our digital world, governs the flow of encrypted knowledge across vast distances.

Diophantine equations, named for an ancient mathematician who saw numbers as riddles to be solved, reveal the hidden symmetries in the universe’s structure.

This is the first truth: that mathematics is not an invention, but a discovery—a key that unlocks the doors of reality.

The Second Revelation: The Art of Pure Thought

Algebra is the music of the spheres, the manipulation of symbols that dance in patterns beyond our senses. To master it is to shape reality with mere notation.

Abstract algebra unveils hidden structures, from the symmetry of crystals to the secrets of quantum states.

Linear algebra governs the movements of celestial bodies and fuels the neural networks that birth artificial minds.

Galois theory, a young mathematician’s final gift before death, tells us when problems can be solved, and when they are beyond reach.

Here, one learns a second truth: that symbols, when arranged with precision, can summon order from chaos.

The Third Revelation: The Geometry of Reality

If algebra is the melody of numbers, then geometry is its form—the divine art of space itself.

Euclidean geometry was once thought to describe all things, until minds like Gauss and Riemann looked deeper.

Non-Euclidean geometry shattered human intuition, revealing that space bends, twists, and folds upon itself.

Topology, the study of shapes beyond measure, whispers of higher dimensions that mere mortals cannot see but only sense in their equations.

From these truths arises a realization: that the world we see is but a shadow of a far greater, more complex structure.

The Fourth Revelation: Mastery Over the Infinite

What is life, if not the interplay of change?

Calculus, the language of motion and transformation, allows us to speak in the tongue of gods, predicting the orbits of planets and the flows of time.

Complex analysis gives birth to the mystical realm of imaginary numbers, where physics and engineering find their deepest truths.

Fourier analysis, the heartbeat of music and quantum physics, tells us that any pattern, no matter how chaotic, can be understood as the sum of its waves.

The universe breathes through calculus, and to master it is to see not just what is, but what will be.

The Fifth Revelation: The Nature of Uncertainty

No god reigns without knowledge of chaos.

Probability and statistics reveal the order within randomness, turning uncertainty into foresight.

Bayesian inference, a framework of pure rationality, allows us to refine our knowledge with every new piece of evidence.

Information theory, the work of Shannon, teaches that reality itself is a message encoded in entropy.

The wise understand this: that certainty is an illusion, but probability is truth.

The Sixth Revelation: The Code of the Gods

Beyond numbers and space, beyond equations and change, there lies something deeper: logic, the very foundation of thought itself.

Mathematical logic gives us the power to distinguish truth from falsehood with unshakable certainty.

Gödel’s incompleteness theorems whisper a paradox—that no system, not even mathematics itself, can ever be complete.

Computability and complexity theory define the limits of what can be known, what can be solved, and what remains forever beyond reach.

To master logic is to hold the key to all knowledge—but also to know its boundaries.

The Seventh Revelation: The Grand Abstraction

Even gods seek deeper understanding, and category theory is the highest peak of human thought.

Functors and natural transformations map the structures of one world onto another, showing hidden correspondences that weave through all mathematics.

Monads, the cornerstone of functional programming, allow logic to be bent and molded like clay.

Dualities, the deep symmetries of mathematics, hint at connections so profound they border on the mystical.

Here lies the ultimate truth: that everything is, at its core, the same.

The Eighth Revelation: The Quantum Oracle

Beneath reality lies a whispering void, where numbers flicker in superposition and information transcends space and time.

Hilbert spaces define quantum mechanics, where particles are waves and waves are probabilities.

Quantum computing suggests a world where problems once thought impossible collapse into trivial solutions.

Path integrals and Feynman’s sum-over-histories teach us that every possibility, no matter how strange, plays a role in the great equation of the cosmos.

If there is a final truth, it is this: the universe does not simply exist—it computes.

The Final Revelation: Beyond the Human Mind

Even the greatest mathematicians glimpse only shadows of the ultimate structure.

Algebraic topology seeks to map the shape of all existence.

String theory mathematics conjures hidden dimensions and vibrating symmetries.

Infinity category theory, the most abstract of all, suggests that mathematics itself may be alive.

And so, the seeker stands before the infinite. Mathematics is not a collection of rules or calculations. It is the foundation of existence, the divine script of reality.

Those who master it do not merely understand the world.

They become its architects.

@ 16d11430:61640947

The early Bitcoin stackers, smug in their absolute faith, have become the priests of a cargo cult. They chant the gospel of scarcity while stacking their sats like doomsday preppers hoarding canned beans. Meanwhile, the crypto market they once despised has become a grotesque parody of itself—yield farming, staking derivatives, and a casino economy propped up by tokenomics that barely hide the rot beneath. Bitcoin, having won the ideological war, is now losing the economic one—stuck in a circular hodl pattern, detached from the actual thermodynamic reality that gave it birth.

Enter Aeternity, a project with no time for the reverence or passive accumulation that has neutered Bitcoin’s edge. It doesn’t just lean on Proof-of-Work for nostalgia’s sake—it weaponizes it, reintroducing actual economic friction into a space that has gone soft with layer-two convenience. Aeternity’s Cuckoo Cycle PoW, optimized for energy-efficient mining and GPU execution, doesn’t pretend to be Bitcoin’s replacement. It does something far worse for Bitcoin maxis: it forces them to compete again.

Friction: The Return to Thermodynamics

Bitcoin’s thermodynamic argument was always simple: energy in, security out. But over time, it stopped being a battleground for economic force and instead became a retirement savings plan for the digital goldbugs. The Lightning Network and ordinals are desperate attempts to create on-chain congestion and reinvigorate demand, but none of this addresses the fundamental problem: there is no longer any meaningful competition on the base layer.

Aeternity, by scaling horizontally with Hyperchains, injects raw competition into the mix. Miners don’t just settle for static difficulty adjustments—they actively contribute to market-driven security, creating alternative security models that force Bitcoin to prove itself again. If the world is really about energy, then let’s see which chain can best convert energy into economic throughput, rather than just hoarding it as an ideological relic.

Hyperchains: The Threat Bitcoin Forgot to Take Seriously

Aeternity’s approach is fundamentally different from Bitcoin’s ossified stagnation:

1. Merge-Mined Hyperchains – Instead of perpetuating the blocksize wars, Aeternity lets chains bootstrap PoW consensus through merge-mining with parent chains, making security an organic, competitive marketplace rather than a closed system. This creates demand for mining at the edge, something Bitcoin maxis have ignored because they’re still stuck in the “security through centralization” trap.

2. Turing-Complete Smart Contracts – While Bitcoin argues about whether basic programmability is “safe,” Aeternity treats it as an inevitability. Bitcoin’s refusal to evolve beyond Taproot and Covenants makes it a sitting duck against economic attacks from more adaptive chains.

3. State Channels with Actual Scalability – Bitcoiners talk about Lightning as if it’s the final solution, but it’s a bandaid over a hemorrhaging use case problem. Aeternity’s built-in state channels allow contracts to execute off-chain, but without losing decentralization, making it a direct challenge to Bitcoin’s claims of “second-layer supremacy.”

Bitcoin’s Reaction: Either Adapt or Get Rekt

Bitcoin has enjoyed being the monopoly on PoW security for too long. Aeternity’s reintroduction of a competitive PoW model forces Bitcoin miners to wake up: if energy security is the measure of a blockchain’s economic strength, then what happens when an alternative emerges that utilizes energy more efficiently while providing more real-world utility?

Bitcoin maxis will screech that "no altcoin has ever flipped Bitcoin," but that’s not the point. The point is that Bitcoin needs external competition at the proof-of-work level to maintain its thermodynamic legitimacy. Otherwise, it risks becoming what it despises: a static, non-dynamic asset that is just another store of value, with no practical utility until fiat collapses—and good luck waiting for that.

Aeternity’s real-world use cases, from oracles to instant payments to low-cost, scalable contracts, mean that energy invested into securing it is converted into economic value, rather than just securing an ideological artifact. This pressure forces Bitcoin to evolve or become irrelevant—not by replacing it, but by outcompeting it where it matters.

Final Thought: The Thermodynamic Reckoning

Bitcoiners should be grateful for Aeternity’s friction. Without a competitor showing how PoW can be optimized for more than just blind security accumulation, Bitcoin risks becoming a historical relic, kept alive only by belief rather than economic reality. Thermodynamics doesn’t give a damn about ideology—it rewards systems that turn energy into real economic motion.

Aeternity doesn’t have to kill Bitcoin. It just has to remind it what it was built for.

@ f7922a0a:82c34788

Now that the 3rd Satellite Skirmish is complete I wanted to highlight some of the cool features on embrace.satskirmish.com

This is what the cutting edge of podcasting 2.0 looks like imo. Live video in an app that allows you to send sats to the artists in real time.

On the left hand side we have a Boost score borad that displays the total amount of sats that have come in during the show, live Boosts/Booastagrams as they come in, total amount of sats from each person Boosting and total amount sent from each app.

The middle is ovisaly the video of the band playing but with some graphics around it and Boost alerts that show up on the screen in the form of snow flakes for this one.

The righthand side is an IRC chat window that connects to an IRC server that the No Agenda community has used for 18+ years thanks to zoidzero++.

The bottom of the page is where things get cool. When you click the Boost the Crew button in the center you can send a Boost that gets split between everyone helping produce the show (hightlighted in yellow).

Each band also has their own Boost button so you can Boost them while they are playing or anytime you visit the page.

@ 1c197b12:242e1642

A Cypherpunk's Manifesto by Eric Hughes

Privacy is necessary for an open society in the electronic age. Privacy is not secrecy. A private matter is something one doesn't want the whole world to know, but a secret matter is something one doesn't want anybody to know. Privacy is the power to selectively reveal oneself to the world.

If two parties have some sort of dealings, then each has a memory of their interaction. Each party can speak about their own memory of this; how could anyone prevent it? One could pass laws against it, but the freedom of speech, even more than privacy, is fundamental to an open society; we seek not to restrict any speech at all. If many parties speak together in the same forum, each can speak to all the others and aggregate together knowledge about individuals and other parties. The power of electronic communications has enabled such group speech, and it will not go away merely because we might want it to.

Since we desire privacy, we must ensure that each party to a transaction have knowledge only of that which is directly necessary for that transaction. Since any information can be spoken of, we must ensure that we reveal as little as possible. In most cases personal identity is not salient. When I purchase a magazine at a store and hand cash to the clerk, there is no need to know who I am. When I ask my electronic mail provider to send and receive messages, my provider need not know to whom I am speaking or what I am saying or what others are saying to me; my provider only need know how to get the message there and how much I owe them in fees. When my identity is revealed by the underlying mechanism of the transaction, I have no privacy. I cannot here selectively reveal myself; I must always reveal myself.

Therefore, privacy in an open society requires anonymous transaction systems. Until now, cash has been the primary such system. An anonymous transaction system is not a secret transaction system. An anonymous system empowers individuals to reveal their identity when desired and only when desired; this is the essence of privacy.

Privacy in an open society also requires cryptography. If I say something, I want it heard only by those for whom I intend it. If the content of my speech is available to the world, I have no privacy. To encrypt is to indicate the desire for privacy, and to encrypt with weak cryptography is to indicate not too much desire for privacy. Furthermore, to reveal one's identity with assurance when the default is anonymity requires the cryptographic signature.

We cannot expect governments, corporations, or other large, faceless organizations to grant us privacy out of their beneficence. It is to their advantage to speak of us, and we should expect that they will speak. To try to prevent their speech is to fight against the realities of information. Information does not just want to be free, it longs to be free. Information expands to fill the available storage space. Information is Rumor's younger, stronger cousin; Information is fleeter of foot, has more eyes, knows more, and understands less than Rumor.

We must defend our own privacy if we expect to have any. We must come together and create systems which allow anonymous transactions to take place. People have been defending their own privacy for centuries with whispers, darkness, envelopes, closed doors, secret handshakes, and couriers. The technologies of the past did not allow for strong privacy, but electronic technologies do.

We the Cypherpunks are dedicated to building anonymous systems. We are defending our privacy with cryptography, with anonymous mail forwarding systems, with digital signatures, and with electronic money.

Cypherpunks write code. We know that someone has to write software to defend privacy, and since we can't get privacy unless we all do, we're going to write it. We publish our code so that our fellow Cypherpunks may practice and play with it. Our code is free for all to use, worldwide. We don't much care if you don't approve of the software we write. We know that software can't be destroyed and that a widely dispersed system can't be shut down.

Cypherpunks deplore regulations on cryptography, for encryption is fundamentally a private act. The act of encryption, in fact, removes information from the public realm. Even laws against cryptography reach only so far as a nation's border and the arm of its violence. Cryptography will ineluctably spread over the whole globe, and with it the anonymous transactions systems that it makes possible.

For privacy to be widespread it must be part of a social contract. People must come and together deploy these systems for the common good. Privacy only extends so far as the cooperation of one's fellows in society. We the Cypherpunks seek your questions and your concerns and hope we may engage you so that we do not deceive ourselves. We will not, however, be moved out of our course because some may disagree with our goals.

The Cypherpunks are actively engaged in making the networks safer for privacy. Let us proceed together apace.

Onward.

Eric Hughes hughes@soda.berkeley.edu

9 March 1993

@ e453ec07:b199e3f8

Le ras-le-bol numérique : comprendre pourquoi vous vous sentez épuisé par Internet)

Vous vous sentez parfois épuisé par Internet ? Submergé par le flot incessant d'informations ? Las des publicités qui vous suivent partout, des notifications qui vous harcèlent à toute heure, et de ce sentiment étrange d'être constamment observé ?

Vous n'êtes pas fou. Et vous n'êtes pas seul.

Ce n'est pas vous qui êtes "déconnecté" ou "incapable de suivre". C'est Internet lui-même qui est cassé. Enfin, pas totalement en panne, mais profondément dysfonctionnel. Imaginez un réseau routier où les panneaux indicateurs sont illisibles, les embouteillages constants, et où des péages surgissent à chaque kilomètre, sans que l'on sache vraiment où va l'argent... C'est un peu l'état d'Internet aujourd'hui.

Le Brouhaha Numérique : Plus d'Infos, Moins de Sens

Ce que l'on appelle le "réseau mondial" ressemble de plus en plus à un brouhaha numérique. Un flot continu et désordonné d'informations, d'avis, de pubs, de " contenus sponsorisés " qui se mélangent et s'entrechoquent. On a l'impression de boire à la lance à incendie : beaucoup de débit, mais difficile de se désaltérer intelligemment.

Et cette cacophonie a un effet direct sur nous. Elle nous fatigue, nous stresse, nous rend moins attentifs, moins capables de nous concentrer. On passe des heures en ligne sans vraiment savoir ce que l'on cherche, happés par des algorithmes conçus pour capter notre attention, souvent au détriment de notre bien-être.

La Centralisation : Le Cœur du Problème

Mais pourquoi Internet est-il devenu si chaotique ? La réponse est simple : la centralisation.

Au fil des années, Internet, qui se voulait un espace libre et décentralisé, s'est retrouvé progressivement accaparé par une poignée de géants. Ces entreprises – vous les connaissez, elles commencent par G, A, M… – contrôlent une part immense de nos vies numériques.

Elles hébergent nos emails, nos photos, nos vidéos, nos réseaux sociaux, nos recherches, nos achats en ligne… Elles sont devenues les portiers d'Internet, les collecteurs de nos données, et les architectes de notre expérience en ligne.

Les Pièges de la Gratuité et de la Surveillance

Et c'est là que le bât blesse. Ces services sont souvent présentés comme "gratuits". Mais comme on dit, "quand c'est gratuit, c'est vous le produit". En réalité, nous payons un prix très élevé pour cette "gratuité" : nos données personnelles.

Chaque clic, chaque recherche, chaque message, chaque "like" est enregistré, analysé, et transformé en données. Ces données servent ensuite à nous profiler, à créer ce que l'article original appelle un "GHOST" – un profil consommateur virtuel – afin de nous bombarder de publicités ciblées, de nous influencer, et de nous enfermer dans des bulles informationnelles.

Vos Données Ne Vous Appartiennent Plus

Le pire, c'est que nous avons perdu le contrôle sur nos propres données. Elles sont stockées dans d'immenses datacenters, appartenant à ces géants, souvent situés à l'autre bout du monde. Nous ne savons pas exactement où elles sont, comment elles sont utilisées, ni qui y a accès.

Et cette perte de contrôle a des conséquences bien réelles :

• Atteintes à la vie privée : Surveillance constante, profilage intrusif, fuites de données…
• Manipulation et influence : Publicités ciblées, désinformation, bulles de filtres…
• Dépendance et enfermement : Nous devenons captifs de ces écosystèmes centralisés, il devient difficile de s'en extraire.

L'Aube d'une Solution : Le Web3

Alors, faut-il se résigner à cet Internet dysfonctionnel ? Absolument pas ! La bonne nouvelle, c'est qu'il existe une alternative. Une voie pour reprendre le contrôle, pour construire un Internet plus libre, plus sûr, plus respectueux de l'individu.

Cette alternative, elle porte un nom : le Web3.

Dans le prochain article, nous allons explorer ensemble ce nouveau paradigme, comprendre comment il fonctionne, et surtout, découvrir comment il peut nous permettre de réparer Internet et de reprendre le pouvoir sur nos vies numériques.

Restez connecté… le changement est en marche !

@ 40b9c85f:5e61b451

Data Vending Machine Context Protocol

The Convergence of Nostr DVMs and MCP

In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, a new approach to sharing and accessing computational tools is emerging through the combination of two powerful technologies: Nostr's Data Vending Machines (DVMs) and the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This convergence has the potential to reshape how we think about tool distribution and accessibility, creating a truly decentralized marketplace for computational capabilities that serves AI, humans, and any type of machine that speaks the protocol.

Understanding the Building Blocks

Nostr's Data Vending Machines function much like their physical counterparts, but instead of dispensing snacks, they provide computational services with built-in Lightning Network payment capabilities. These DVMs operate on the decentralized Nostr network, allowing users to reach service providers without relying on centralized platforms or gatekeepers.

The Model Context Protocol complements this infrastructure by providing a standardized way for applications to share context and expose their capabilities. Think of MCP as a universal language that allows tools to communicate effectively with any application that understands the protocol. This standardization is crucial for creating a seamless experience across different tools and services.

What is DVMCP?

DVMCP proposes a path for making DVMs and MCPs interoperable, introducing a protocol that makes local utilities available to everyone on the network. Our draft specification serves as a foundation for easily transforming any MCP server into a DVM. To bridge these technologies, we've developed a simple software component that sits between your MCP server and the DVM ecosystem. You can find it in our repository. This bridge connects to your MCP server as a client and exposes its utilities through Nostr as a DVM, handling all the necessary Nostr logic. This means any existing MCP server can become accessible through Nostr without modifications - simply run the bridge alongside your server.

This is particularly exciting because the vibrant and growing MCP community. Any team or individual already working with MCP can instantly plug into the Nostr DVM ecosystem, gaining access to decentralized discovery, built-in monetization, and an already existing user base. The bridge component makes this transition effortless, requiring no changes to any existing MCP implementations.

A New Paradigm

A decentralized marketplace where anyone can run tools locally and make them available globally. This addresses an unsolved problem larger than the Nostr ecosystem: how to make resources and tools discoverable and accessible in a decentralized, permissionless way.

The power of this combination lies in its flexibility. Users can access tools through regular Nostr clients, AI agents can discover specific capabilities, and DVMs can create sophisticated tool chains. With Lightning Network integration, true machine-to-machine transactions become possible, where machines can autonomously discover, negotiate, and pay for computational services. Most importantly, you can run services on your own hardware while making these capabilities accessible to anyone anywhere.

The result is a system that preserves privacy, promotes innovation, and creates new opportunities without central authorities controlling what tools can be offered or who can use them. The entire project, is available under the MIT license, and any feedback and collaboration is welcome.

Looking Forward

As these technologies mature, we're likely to see a fundamental shift in how computational capabilities are distributed and accessed. Instead of relying on massive cloud data centers controlled by a few companies, we're moving toward a global network of local machines, each contributing unique capabilities and computation to a larger, more resilient ecosystem.

The convergence of Nostr DVMs and MCP represents more than just a technical innovation—it's a step toward a more equitable and accessible future. By enabling anyone to run and share tools, we're building an ecosystem where computational resources are not concentrated in the hands of a few but are available to and controllable by everyone.

Repository

@ 04ed2b8f:75be6756

The world doesn’t care about your excuses. It doesn’t care about your past, your wounds, or the battles you’ve already fought. Life will not lower the weight just because you feel tired. You either rise, or you stay down.

But here’s the truth—you are not your past. You are not your failures, not your pain, not the things that tried to break you. You are what you choose to become.

Some people get knocked down and never get back up. Some let their past define them, cage them, strip them of their potential. And then there are those who decide. They decide that no matter what happened, they will rise. They will fight. They will carve their own path, even if they have to do it with their bare hands.

Your Past is a Weapon—If You Use It Right

Your past can be two things: a chain or a sword.
- Weak minds wear their past like a shackle, letting it hold them back.
- Warriors forge their past into steel, using it as a blade to cut through the future they want.

Scars? They aren’t signs of weakness. They are proof that you survived. That you endured. And that you’re still standing. So stop letting your past dictate your future. Rip the pen from its hands and write your own damn story.

The Weak Surrender. The Strong Rebuild.

Life will try to break you. That’s a fact. You will lose, you will hurt, you will doubt. But none of that matters. The only thing that matters is what you do next.

• You can let failure drown you, or you can rise stronger.
• You can let heartbreak harden you, or you can sharpen yourself through it.
• You can let regret bury you, or you can burn it as fuel.

It’s easy to stay down. To blame the world. To say, “This is just who I am.” But warriors don’t do easy. They do necessary.

You Are the Architect of Your Own Power

Everything you need to win is already inside you. You don’t need permission. You don’t need the world to approve. You just need one thing: to choose.

• Choose discipline over comfort.
• Choose hunger over hesitation.
• Choose action over excuses.
• Choose to become something greater than your past.

Because in the end, that’s the only choice that matters.

The world will try to define you. It will try to chain you to your past, drag you down with doubt, and keep you in a box. Shatter it. Prove them wrong. Be the person that refuses to be shaped by circumstance—be the one who shapes themselves.

The past is done. The future is unwritten. The power to decide who you become? That’s all yours. Now get up and take it.

@ dd664d5e:5633d319

Instructions

1. Place 2 medium-sized, boiled potatoes and a handful of sliced leeks in a pot.
2. Fill the pot with water or vegetable broth, to cover the potatoes twice over.
3. Add a splash of white wine, if you like, and some bouillon powder, if you went with water instead of broth.
4. Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Puree the soup, in the pot, with a hand mixer. It shouldn't be completely smooth, when you're done, but rather have small bits and pieces of the veggies floating around.
6. Bring the soup to a boil, again, and stir in one container (200-250 mL) of heavy cream.
7. Thicken the soup, as needed, and then simmer for 5 more minutes.
8. Garnish with croutons and veggies (here I used sliced green onions and radishes) and serve.

Guten Appetit!

@ 65912a7a:5dc638bf

I didn’t set out to become an enemy of the world’s richest man, but I seem to have managed it all the same. Until this moment, I’ve resisted describing my falling out with Elon Musk in much detail, but as the man’s cultural influence has metastasized—and he continues to spread lies about me on the social media platform that he owns (Twitter/X)—it seems only appropriate to set the record straight. I know that it annoys many in my audience to see me defend myself against attacks that they recognize to be spurious, but they might, nevertheless, find the details of what happened with Elon interesting.

Of all the remarkable people I’ve met, Elon is probably the most likely to remain a world-historical figure—despite his best efforts to become a clown. He is also the most likely to squander his ample opportunities to live a happy life, ruin his reputation and most important relationships, and produce lasting harm across the globe. None of this was obvious to me when we first met, and I have been quite amazed at Elon’s evolution, both as a man and as an avatar of chaos. The friend I remember did not seem to hunger for public attention. But his engagement with Twitter/X transformed him—to a degree seldom seen outside of Marvel movies or Greek mythology. If Elon is still the man I knew, I can only conclude that I never really knew him.

When we first met, Elon wasn’t especially rich or famous. In fact, I recall him teetering on the brink of bankruptcy around 2008, while risking the last of his previous fortune to make payroll at Tesla. At the time, he was living off loans from his friends Larry and Sergey. Once Elon became truly famous, and his personal wealth achieved escape velocity, I was among the first friends he called to discuss his growing security concerns. I put him in touch with Gavin de Becker, who provided his first bodyguards, and recommended other changes to his life. We also went shooting on at least two occasions with Scott Reitz, the finest firearms instructor I’ve ever met. It is an ugly irony that Elon’s repeated targeting of me on Twitter/X has increased my own security concerns. He understands this, of course, but does not seem to care.

So how did we fall out? Let this be a cautionary tale for any of Elon’s friends who might be tempted to tell the great man something he doesn’t want to hear:

(1.) When the SARS-CoV-2 virus first invaded our lives in March of 2020, Elon began tweeting in ways that I feared would harm his reputation. I also worried that his tweets might exacerbate the coming public-health emergency. Italy had already fallen off a cliff, and Elon shared the following opinion with his tens of millions of fans :

the coronavirus panic is dumb

As a concerned friend, I sent him a private text:

Hey, brother— I really think you need to walk back your coronavirus tweet. I know there’s a way to parse it that makes sense (“panic” is always dumb), but I fear that’s not the way most people are reading it. You have an enormous platform, and much of the world looks to you as an authority on all things technical. Coronavirus is a very big deal, and if we don’t get our act together, we’re going to look just like Italy very soon. If you want to turn some engineers loose on the problem, now would be a good time for a breakthrough in the production of ventilators...

(2.) Elon’s response was, I believe, the first discordant note ever struck in our friendship:

Sam, you of all people should not be concerned about this.

He included a link to a page on the CDC website, indicating that Covid was not even among the top 100 causes of death in the United States. This was a patently silly point to make in the first days of a pandemic.

We continued exchanging texts for at least two hours. If I hadn’t known that I was communicating with Elon Musk, I would have thought I was debating someone who lacked any understanding of basic scientific and mathematical concepts, like exponential curves.

(3.) Elon and I didn’t converge on a common view of epidemiology over the course of those two hours, but we hit upon a fun compromise: A wager. Elon bet me $1 million dollars (to be given to charity) against a bottle of fancy tequila ($1000) that we wouldn’t see as many as 35,000 cases of Covid in the United States (cases, not deaths). The terms of the bet reflected what was, in his estimation, the near certainty (1000 to 1) that he was right. Having already heard credible estimates that there could be 1 million deaths from Covid in the U.S. over the next 12-18 months (these estimates proved fairly accurate), I thought the terms of the bet ridiculous—and quite unfair to Elon. I offered to spot him two orders of magnitude: I was confident that we’d soon have 3.5 million cases of Covid in the U.S. Elon accused me of having lost my mind and insisted that we stick with a ceiling of 35,000.

(4.) We communicated sporadically by text over the next couple of weeks, while the number of reported cases grew. Ominously, Elon dismissed the next batch of data reported by the CDC as merely presumptive—while confirmed cases of Covid, on his account, remained elusive.

(5.) A few weeks later, when the CDC website finally reported 35,000 deaths from Covid in the U.S. and 600,000 cases, I sent Elon the following text:

Is (35,000 deaths + 600,000 cases) > 35,000 cases?

(6.) This text appears to have ended our friendship. Elon never responded, and it was not long before he began maligning me on Twitter for a variety of imaginary offenses. For my part, I eventually started complaining about the startling erosion of his integrity on my podcast, without providing any detail about what had transpired between us.

(7.) At the end of 2022, I abandoned Twitter/X altogether, having recognized the poisonous effect that it had on my life—but also, in large part, because of what I saw it doing to Elon. I’ve been away from the platform for over two years, and yet Elon still attacks me. Occasionally a friend will tell me that I’m trending there, and the reasons for this are never good. As recently as this week, Elon repeated a defamatory charge about my being a “hypocrite” for writing a book in defense of honesty and then encouraging people to lie to keep Donald Trump out of the White House. Not only have I never advocated lying to defeat Trump (despite what that misleading clip from the Triggernometry podcast might suggest to naive viewers), I’ve taken great pains to defend Trump from the most damaging lie ever told about him. Elon knows this, because we communicated about the offending clip when it first appeared on Twitter/X. However, he simply does not care that he is defaming a former friend to hundreds of millions of people—many of whom are mentally unstable. On this occasion, he even tagged the incoming president of the United States.

All of this remains socially and professionally awkward, because Elon and I still have many friends in common. Which suggests the terms of another wager that I would happily make, if such a thing were possible—and I would accept 1000 to 1 odds in Elon’s favor:

I bet that anyone who knows us both knows that I am telling the truth.

Everyone close to Elon must recognize how unethical he has become, and yet they remain silent. Their complicity is understandable, but it is depressing all the same. These otherwise serious and compassionate people know that when Elon attacks private citizens on Twitter/X—falsely accusing them of crimes or corruption, celebrating their misfortunes—he is often causing tangible harm in their lives. It’s probably still true to say that social media “isn’t real life,” until thousands of lunatics learn your home address.

A final absurdity in my case, is that several of the controversial issues that Elon has hurled himself at of late—and even attacked me over—are ones we agree about. We seem to be in near total alignment on immigration and the problems at the southern border of the U.S. We also share the same concerns about what he calls “the woke mind virus.” And we fully agree about the manifest evil of the so-called “grooming-gangs scandal” in the U.K. The problem with Elon, is that he makes no effort to get his facts straight when discussing any of these topics, and he regularly promotes lies and conspiracy theories manufactured by known bad actors, at scale. (And if grooming were really one of his concerns, it’s strange that he couldn’t find anything wrong with Matt Gaetz.)

Elon and I even agree about the foundational importance of free speech. It’s just that his approach to safeguarding it—amplifying the influence of psychopaths and psychotics, while deplatforming real journalists and his own critics; or savaging the reputations of democratic leaders, while never saying a harsh word about the Chinese Communist Party—is not something I can support. The man claims to have principles, but he appears to have only moods and impulses.

Any dispassionate observer of Elon’s behavior on Twitter/X can see that there is something seriously wrong with his moral compass, if not his perception of reality. There is simply no excuse for a person with his talents, resources, and opportunities to create so much pointless noise. The callousness and narcissism conveyed by his antics should be impossible for his real friends to ignore—but they appear to keep silent, perhaps for fear of losing access to his orbit of influence.

Of course, none of this is to deny that the tens of thousands of brilliant engineers Elon employs are accomplishing extraordinary things. He really is the greatest entrepreneur of our generation. And because of the businesses he’s built, he will likely become the world’s first trillionaire—perhaps very soon. Since the election of Donald Trump in November, Elon’s wealth has grown by around $200 billion. That’s nearly $3 billion a day (and over $100 million an hour). Such astonishing access to resources gives Elon the chance—and many would argue the responsibility—to solve enormous problems in our world.

So why spend time spreading lies on X?

@ 31da2214:af2508e2

Video Title: Une révolution géopolitique est en marche : l’Afrique se libère ! Creator: Pensées KAMITE Published Date: February 9, 2025 Video Length: 17 minutes 6 seconds Views: >24k Likes: >2k Video URL: Original YouTube Video

Key Points from the Video:

• End of Western Hegemony: The video asserts that Western dominance in Africa is coming to an end. A geopolitical revolution is underway, breaking the chains of neocolonialism and fundamentally reshaping the continent's geopolitical landscape.
• Decline of Western Influence: The video highlights a notable decline in Western influence and power in Africa. This is contrasted with the growing presence of China and Russia, who are increasing their investments in key sectors such as infrastructure, energy, defense, natural resources, and technology across the continent.
• Shifting Economic Partnerships: China and Russia are now surpassing the European Union as Africa's primary trading partners. This indicates a significant shift in economic alliances, moving away from traditional Western partners.
• Failure of Western Strategies: The host argues that Western imperialist strategies have failed to adapt to the evolving realities in Africa. While African countries initially engaged in colonial agreements with the West, the economic landscape now favors China and Russia.
• Collapse of Unipolar World Order: This geopolitical shift is described as unprecedented, signaling the collapse of the unipolar world order established after World War II. The video suggests that the United States, weakened by costly conflicts and substantial debt, is experiencing an erosion of power. In contrast, China and Russia, leading the BRICS nations, are emerging as crucial players in a newly forming global balance of power.
• Strategic Importance of Africa: The video emphasizes Africa's strategic importance in this new global order. Emerging powers are forming alliances with African nations that are perceived as more respectful and mutually beneficial.
• Critique of Western Approach: The speaker criticizes the West's approach to Africa as cruel and paternalistic, accusing it of imposing underdevelopment policies driven by self-interest rather than genuine partnership. This approach has allegedly led to widespread poverty, conflict, economic dependence, and inequality across the continent.
• Rise of China and Russia as Alternatives: The video presents the rise of China and Russia as offering alternative partnerships that are more advantageous and respectful of African sovereignty. These new alliances are seen as enabling Africa to chart its own future.
• Call for African Collaboration: African nations are urged to collaborate with these new global actors to further accelerate the decline of Western influence in Africa. The Democratic Republic of Congo is given as an example, suggesting it should seek strategic partnerships with Russia and China for military and economic cooperation rather than relying on Western support.
• Need for Strong African Leadership: The speaker emphasizes the need for visionary and courageous African leadership, suggesting that military leaders might be better positioned to provide this strategic direction compared to civilian leaders who are portrayed as hesitant and lacking strategic vision.
• Opportunity for Africa: The video concludes that the West's decline presents a crucial moment for Africa to assert itself, support liberation movements, and challenge Western interests. It points to perceived contradictions and self-interest in Western actions on the global stage.
• Call to Action: Viewers are urged to support the movement towards a multipolar world and to advocate for the complete independence of African nations, free from Western influence.

External Context and Further Details:

To provide a broader context, it's important to consider information from external sources regarding the geopolitical shifts in Africa.

• Increased Russian and Chinese Engagement: Numerous reports and analyses confirm the growing economic and political influence of Russia and China in Africa. These countries have increased their trade, investment, and military cooperation with various African nations. Example China-Africa Growing Trade & Example Russia-Africa relations.
• Shifting Alliances and Security Concerns: The video mentions countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Niger. These nations have indeed experienced political instability and have, in some cases, moved away from traditional Western security partners, seeking alternatives, including Russia's Wagner Group in Mali. Example Wagner Group in Mali.
• Anti-Western Sentiment: There is a growing anti-Western sentiment in parts of Africa, fueled by historical colonial experiences, perceived neocolonial practices, and a desire for more equitable partnerships. Example Anti-Western Sentiment in Africa.
• Multipolar World Order: The concept of a transition to a multipolar world order, where power is distributed among multiple centers rather than concentrated in the West, is a widely discussed topic in international relations. The rise of China and the resurgence of Russia are key factors in this shift. Example Multipolar World Order.

Credit:

This summary is based on the YouTube video "Une révolution géopolitique est en marche : l’Afrique se libère !" created by Pensées KAMITE, published on February 9, 2025. The analysis incorporates information directly from the video and contextual details gathered from general knowledge searches to provide a more comprehensive overview.

@ 2e8970de:63345c7a

I feel like we're stuck in the 16GB or let's say the broad "8GB to 32GB" range forever now. Do you remember the times when computer performance and all memory and drive sizes doubled and doubled and doubled? Now we live in a time when we all not only want to play games or the time when locally playing 4k video was demanding - we live in a time where we want to run local LLMs offline and reder 3D stuff or even have VR goggles with more than 8K resolution. Remember the Radeon 6000 Series from 2020 - HALF A DECADE AGO - buy a Radeon 6800 with 16GB.

Current state of the industry

• Nvidia 5070 comes with only 12 GB of VRAM. Why.
• Nvidia 5080 should be the real flagship but it comes with only 16GB. Why. You can run an 8b LLM model on this at best.
• Nvidia 5090 ist the only product here that gives 32GB. Congratulations, might as well buy 2 cards. This should be the VRAM the 5070 has
• Perfect opportunity for AMD to be a tough competitor, right? Wrong. The new AMD Radeon 9000 series gives you 16GB with the 9070 and 9070xt
• Apple is technologically perfectly positioned to come out of nowhere and blow the industry out of the water with their unified memory architecture. And to some extent this is true. If you buy a Macbook pro and pay the egregiously priced upgrade to 32GB (which is less than 2 GPUs à 16GB due to Unified Memory also using normal RAM stuff) you'll get a whole computer for what Nvidia/AMD sell the cards alone.
• Nvidia Digits looks similar to Apples MacMini. The unified memory architecture makes this a better deal. But still disappointing imo.
• If tech doubled and doubled like back in the day I would have expected 64GB everywhere and maybe even 128GB for 5090 level products. I'm serious.

Conclusion: What to buy for local LLM (imo)

1. Don't
2. If you already got an older 16GB graphics card don't upgrade to the overpriced new ones. You'll be able to run the same sized small models, just slower.
3. If you're in the market for a whole new computer anyway - upgrading a MacBook to 32GB
4. You're crazy and like to tinker? Maybe research how to get a dozen RTX 3080 cards or AMD 6800 cards to run together.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/881359

@ b8af284d:f82c91dd

Liebe Abonnenten,

viele von uns erleben im privaten wie im öffentlichen Leben gerade eine Zeit der Verwirrung und Irritation. Etwas scheint im Umbruch, alte Gewissheiten, Strukturen und Allianzen scheinen sich vor unseren Augen aufzulösen. Trump, Musk und Thiel wirken wie die Abrissbirnen einer alten Ordnung, Agenten des Chaos mit dem einzigen Ziel, sich selbst zu bereichern. Ist es so?

Könnte es anders sein?

Folgender Text kann und will diese Fragen nicht ultimativ beantworten. Es gibt aber eine Brille, durch die, setzt man sie auf, viele Entwicklungen in einem anderen, viel helleren Licht erscheinen. Diese Brille heißt e/acc.

Was ist e/acc?

Das Kürzel geht auf den Programmierer Guillaume Verdon zurück, der unter dem Pseudonym „Beff Jezos“ die Bewegung. Es steht für „effective accelerationism“. Accelerationism, auf Deutsch Akzelerationismus, abgeleitet vom Verb „beschleunigen“, hat Wurzeln, die weiter zurückreichen - dazu später mehr. Der Zusatz „effective“ ist eine ironische Replik auf den „effective Altruism“, den unter anderen Sam Bankman-Fried vertrat und grandios scheiterte.

e/acc setzt also auf Beschleunigung. Kapitalismus, Innovation, vor allem künstliche Intelligenz sollen nicht aufgehalten oder reguliert werden, sondern im Gegenteil beschleunigt werden.

Warum?

Eine einfache Antwort lautet: Weil sie eh stattfinden. Besonders deutlich wird das im Fall künstlicher Intelligenz. Large Language Models (LLMs) wie ChatGPT und Deepseek sind nur die für die Öffentlichkeit sichtbaren Entwicklungen. Im Hintergrund ersetzt Künstliche Intelligenz zunehmend auch Produktionsprozesse und nicht zuletzt die Kriegsführung. Man spricht deswegen vom „Point of Singularity“. In den kommenden Jahren wird künstliche Intelligenz menschliche übertrumpfen. Unsere Arbeitswelt, unser Finanzsystem und gesellschaftliche Strukturen werden sich grundlegend ändern. Wenn es dazu kommt, warum die Entwicklung noch aufhalten? Beschleunigen ist besser.

Die zweite Antwort ist tiefgründiger und rührt an das Verständnis von Leben insgesamt. Langfristig strebt das Universum nach Entropie. Es dehnt sich aus, bis alle Teile in maximaler „Unordnung“ angeordnet sind. Systeme mit hoher Energiezufuhr können Strukturen aufbauen, solange sie Wärme oder Entropie in ihre Umgebung abgeben. In einem Organismus sind alle Teile zu einer höheren Ordnung organisiert. Leben strebt nach Ordnung, Selbsterhalt und Wachstum, weshalb der Energieverbrauch zunimmt. e/acc-Fan und Silicon-Valley-Investor Marc Andreessen schreibt in “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto”:

Techno-Optimists believe that societies, like sharks, grow or die.

We believe growth is progress – leading to vitality, expansion of life, increasing knowledge, higher well being.

Ein Gleichgewicht gibt es nicht. Entweder strebt eine Struktur nach Ordnung (Leben) oder nach Unordnung (Tod). Da eine Balance nicht existiert, gibt es nur zwei Möglichkeiten: Verlangsamen oder Beschleunigen. Höhere Ordnungen aufbauen oder verfallen. Wachsen oder Sterben. Beschleunigen ist besser.

Konsequenzen

e/acc ist kein philosophisches System im strengen Sinn. Es leitet Konsequenzen aus physikalischen Grundsätzen ab.

Kapitalistische Systeme und freie Märkte sind die effizientesten Strukturen, um Informationen zu verarbeiten. In einem offenen, freien Markt gibt der Preis das zuverlässigste Signal über Knappheit eines Gutes. Wird dieser Prozess durch externe Einflussnahme wie Subventionen gestört, läuft die Maschine nicht effizient. Das Gesamtsystem wird verzerrt. Nochmals Andreessen dazu:

We believe the market economy is a discovery machine, a form of intelligence – an exploratory, evolutionary, adaptive system.

Varianten und Abweichungen sind wichtig, da ein System dadurch am schnellsten auf sich ständig verändernde Umweltbedingungen reagieren kann. Wer nicht frei sprechen kann, kann nicht frei denken. Dezentrale Strukturen mit vielen kleinen einzelnen „Nodes“ sind resilienter als hierarchisch-zentralistische Systeme. Das führt zu einem Meinungsfreiheits-Maximalismus.

Greifen staatliche Akteure in die Forschung ein, und vergeben zum Beispiel Lizenzen für KI-Projekte, kann das System nicht mehr auf die besten Ressourcen zurückgreifen. Es entwickelt sich nicht in seiner natürlichen Geschwindigkeit, sondern wird künstlich verlangsamt. Beschleunigen ist besser.

Im Falle von KI hat dies geopolitische Konsequenzen: Sollten autoritäre Akteure wie zum Beispiel China schneller zum Punkt der Singularity vorstoßen, entsteht eine Dystopie, ein Orwellscher Überwachungsstaat. Bevorzugen ist deswegen eine beschleunigte, dezentrale Forschung, damit freie Systeme die Oberhand behalten.

Dasselbe gilt für das Geldsystem: e/acc trifft hier auf Hayek und Mises. Viele Zahlungssysteme stehen in permanenter Konkurrenz zueinander. Am Ende setzt sich das nützlichste und vermutlich auch härteste Geld durch.

Konkrete Folgen

Auf die konkrete Politik übertragen führt das zu Konsequenzen, die man aktuell beobachten kann.

**Radikale Deregulierung: **Die Biden-Administration versuchte, AI-Forschung eng an die Regierung zu binden. Open-AI-Gründer Sam Altman forderte 2023 eine Lizenz-Vergabe an Unternehmen, um überhaupt in diesem Bereich aktiv zu werden. (Musk trat zunächst sogar für ein Forschungs-Moratorium ein, änderte dann aber seine Meinung.) Das führte zum Widerstand der e/acc-Fraktion im Silicon Valley, und gab den Ausschlag, sich auf die Trump-Seite zu stellen. Deregulierung zieht sich nun durch alle Bereiche der Wirtschaft: auch auf die „Entwicklungshilfe“ von USAID. Der Regierungsapparat wird insgesamt massiv verkleinert, da Bürokratie das Wachstum hemmt. A fuera.

**Priorisierung von günstiger Energie: **Da der Energie-Verbrauch mit zunehmender Ordnung ansteigt, und LLMs einen sehr viel Strom brauchen, priorisiert die neue Regierung die Erschließung zusätzlicher Energiequellen: Gas, Öl, Nuklear und regenerative Energiequellen gleichermaßen.

Wiederherstellung von Meinungsfreiheit.Content-Moderationen auf Social-Media-Plattformen fallen weg. Geheimdienst-Dokumente werden freigegeben. So schrieb Peter Thiel vor einigen Wochen in einem Essay in der Financial Times über die große Enthüllung:

\ But understood in the original sense of the Greek word apokálypsis, meaning “unveiling”, Obama could not give the same reassurance in 2025. Trump’s return to the White House augurs the apokálypsis of the ancien regime’s secrets. (…)\ The apokálypsis is the most peaceful means of resolving the old guard’s war on the internet, a war the internet won. My friend and colleague Eric Weinstein calls the pre-internet custodians of secrets the Distributed Idea Suppression Complex (DISC) — the media organisations, bureaucracies, universities and government-funded NGOs that traditionally delimited public conversation.

Krypto-Deregulierung: Da Kryptowährungen und Smart-Contract-Strukturen bestens mit LLMs harmonieren, werden Innovationsbremsen in Form von Regulierungen abgebaut.

**Umbruch der Weltordnung: **Auf der geopolitischen Ebene werden Bündnisse, Allianzen und Blockstrukturen aufgebrochen und nach effizienten Win-Win-Verhältnissen neu organisiert.

Erschließung neuer Lebenswelten: Degrowth, weniger Energie-Verbrauch und weniger Kinder sind keine Option, da sie zum Tod führen. Das System Menschheit muss wachsen und wird neue Lösungen erfinden. Wenn die Ressourcen des Planeten Erde nicht mehr ausreichen, müssen neue erschlossen werden - vielleicht auf dem Mars.

Die Ideengeschichte

Während e/acc ein relativ neues System ist, hat der Akzelerationismus tiefere Wurzeln. Lenin kann man als einen frühen Akzelerationisten bezeichnen. Der Marxismus wurde Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts weniger als Ideologie, sondern mehr als exakte Wissenschaft begriffen. Demnach würde der Kapitalismus früher oder später an seinen eigenen Widerständen kollabieren. Warum den Prozess also nicht beschleunigen und die Revolution herbeiführen?

Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts griff der Philosoph Nick Land diese Gedanken wieder auf. Land forderte Beschleunigung, sah am Ende des Prozesses aber einen Kollaps des Systems und eine dunkle Zukunft. Ironie der Geschichte: Land zog in den 2000er Jahren nach China, wo er einen autoritären Akzelerationismus verwirklicht sah. Auch Steve Bannon, Leiter des ersten Trump-Wahlkampfes 2016, war von Lands Gedanken geprägt.

e/acc aber ist eine neuer, optimistischer „Fork“ des alten, dunklen Akzelerationismus. Es sieht eine positive Zukunft für die gesamte Menschheit aufgrund eines gigantischen Produktivitätsschubs. Eine neue, höhere Ordnung ist am Entstehen. Kurz gesagt:

Effective accelerationism (e/acc) in a nutshell:

Stop fighting the thermodynamic will of the universe

You cannot stop the acceleration

You might as well embrace it

A C C E L E R A T E

Notes on e/acc principles and tenets

Happy Future also? Durch die e/acc-Brille gesehen wirkt die Welt wesentlich heller und optimistischer als sie die meisten “Legacy Media” gerade darstellen. Demnach bewegen wir uns auf eine neue Zeit gesteigerter Produktivität und damit Lebensqualität zu. Wenn alle Arbeit von Maschinen verrichtet wird, können Menschen währenddessen auf Bali surfen, meditieren und Yoga machen. Oder?

Kritik

Leben entsteht an der Grenze von Chaos und Ordnung. Vielleicht versetzt e/acc das Pendel zu stark in den Ausschlag in eine Richtung. Unkontrolliertes Wachstum bedeutet im lebenden Organismen Krebs. e/acc sieht sich wie Marxisten der ersten Stunde (Lenin) im Besitz der Wahrheit in Form physikalischer Grundsätze. Erst durch diese Hybris führten zu den Grausamkeiten sozialistischer Systeme im 20. Jahrhundert. Schließlich beantwortet e/acc nicht die Frage nach der Verteilungsgerechtigkeit, die durch den gewaltigen Produktivitätsschub durch AI entstehen wird.

Ob e/acc als politisches und gesellschaftliches System taugt, ist deswegen fraglich. Aber viele aktuelle Entwicklungen scheinen durch die Akzelerationismus-Brille klarer.

Quellen:

Peter Thiel: A Time for Truth and Reconciliation

Marc Andreessen: The Techno-Optimist Manifesto

e/acc: Notes on e/acc principles and tenets

Andy Beckett: Accelerationism: how a fringe philosophy predicted the future we live in

Lex Friedman: Guillaume Verdon. e/acc-Movement. Physics. Computation & AGI.

@ 8be6bafe:b50da031

Botev Plovdiv FC is proud to present the Bitcoin Salary Calculator tool, as the foundational tool to showcase athletes the financial power of Bitcoin.

We built the Salary Calculator to help anyone follow in the financial footsteps of prominent athletes such as Kieran Gibbs, Russell Okung, Saquon Barkley, and Renato Moicano, who have significantly increased their savings tank thanks to Bitcoin.

The Bitcoin Salary Calculator allows any person to choose how much of their monthly salary they are comfortable saving in Bitcoin. Instantly, users can backtrack and see how their Bitcoin savings would have performed using the once-in-a-species opportunity which Bitcoin brings.

Try it out NOW for yourself.

https://video.nostr.build/a9f2f693f6b5ee75097941e7a30bfc722225918a896b29a73e13e7581dfed77c.mp4

Athletes need Bitcoin more than anyone else

Unlike most people, athletes’ careers and earning years are limited. This has driven the likes of Odell Beckham Jr. and Alex Crognale to also start saving a part of their income in Bitcoin with a long-term outlook as they prepare for retirement.

“The reason why announced 50% of my salary in Bitcoin is because I feel one the noblest things you can do is to get people to understand Bitcoin.” Kieran Gibbs, founder ONE FC, ex Arsenal, ex Inter Miami, ex West Bromich Albion.

“I am trusting Bitcoin for my life after football. Every time my club paid me, I bought Bitcoin.” Alex Crognale, San Antonio FC player.

https://x.com/TFTC21/status/1883228348379533469

“At Botev Plovdiv FC, we believe not only in fostering sporting talent, but also helping them the the most of their careers so they excel in life after retiring from sports. It is with this mission in mind that the club is launching the Bitcoin Football Cup hub, striving to accelerate mass Bitcoin education via sports and athletes - the influencers and role models for billions of people.” shared Botev’s Bitcoin Director George Manolov.

https://x.com/obj/status/1856744340795662432

The Bitcoin Football Cup aims for young prospects to be able to learn key financial lessons from seasoned veterans across all sports. Our Bitcoin Salary Calculator is only the first step toward that goal.

We encourage anyone to hear these stories straight from the current roster of Bitcoin athletes -for whom -in many cases- Bitcoin has allowed them to outperform the wealth it took decades to earn on the field.

Follow us on the Bitcoin Cup’s social media channels to learn more and hear the latest stories of how Bitcoin is shaking up the world of sports:

• Twitter: https://x.com/Bitcoin_Cup/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BitcoinCup/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@BitcoinCup/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BitcoinCup/

@ b17fccdf:b7211155

Next new resources about the MiniBolt guide have been released:

---

• 🆕 Roadmap: LINK
• 🆕 Dynamic Network map: LINK
• 🆕 Nostr community: LINK < ~ REMOVE the "[]" symbols from the URL (naddr...) to access
• 🆕 Linktr FOSS (UC) by Gzuuus: LINK
• 🆕 Donate webpage: 🚾 Clearnet LINK || 🧅 Onion LINK
• 🆕 Contact email: hello@minibolt.info

---

Enjoy it MiniBolter! 💙

@ f7d424b5:618c51e8

(Copied from my show notes [website](https://melonmancy.net/mp-100-nuance-enjoyer) for Melonmancy)

Promise this isn't normal. It would be disingenuous to not bring it up.

We mentioned a few things in the show you might want to pull up while listening, they are the following:

• Nightmare Kart dev crashes out
• Dr Disrespect gives post-mortem on Midnight Society
• Lords of the Fallen announcement post

Obligatory:

• Listen to the new episode here!
• Discuss this episode on OUR NEW FORUM
• Get the RSS and Subscribe (this is a new feed URL, but the old one redirects here too!)
• Get a modern podcast app to use that RSS feed on at newpodcastapps.com
• Or listen to the show on the forum using the embedded Podverse player!
• Send your complaints here

Reminder that this is a Value4Value podcast so any support you can give us via a modern podcasting app is greatly appreciated and we will never bow to corporate sponsors!

Our podcast is created entirely with free software and is proudly hosted on RSSBlue!

@ 7ed7d5c3:6927e200

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

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

Rating / Description

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

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

@ b8851a06:9b120ba1

Private property isn’t lines on dirt or fences of steel—it’s the crystallization of human sovereignty. Each boundary drawn is a silent declaration: This is where my will meets yours, where creation clashes against chaos. What we defend as “mine” or “yours” is no mere object but a metaphysical claim, a scaffold for the unfathomable complexity of voluntary exchange.

Markets breathe only when individuals anchor their choices in the inviolable. Without property, there is no negotiation—only force. No trade—only taking. The deed to land, the title to a car, the seed of an idea: these are not static things but frontiers of being, where human responsibility collides with the infinite permutations of value.

Austrian economics whispers what existentialism shouts: existence precedes essence. Property isn’t granted by systems; it’s asserted through action, defended through sacrifice, and sanctified through mutual recognition. A thing becomes “owned” only when a mind declares it so, and others—through reason or respect—refrain from crossing that unseen line.

Bitcoin? The purest ledger of this truth. A string of code, yes—but one that mirrors the unyielding logic of property itself: scarce, auditable, unconquerable. It doesn’t ask permission. It exists because sovereign minds choose it to.

Sigh. #nostr
I love #Bitcoin.

@ 4c191b5d:c42abba6

Weil ich schon länger über das Thema Direkte Demokratie nachdenke ein paar Gedanken dazu. Ich freue mich auf Ergänzungen und anderen Meinungen.

Grundannahme

Die Macht soll vom Souverän ausgehen, also dem Volk. Entsprechend soll das Volk auch an politischen Entscheidungsprozessen teilhaben können - was sehr viel Sinn macht.

Allerdings sind im aktuellen demokratischen Verständnis diverse Fehler, die zwangsläufig zu einer gesellschaftlichen Spaltung führen.

Gewinner und Verlierer

Die Demokratie spaltet die Bürger, indem sie Gewinner und Verlierer bei Wahlen und politischen Entscheidungen hervorbringt. Es geht nicht darum, eine Entscheidung zu erzielen, die bestmöglich durch alle getragen werden kann. Dies erfordert eine Reduktion der Widerstände gegen einen Entscheidungsvorschlag und der Integration dieser Widerstände in einen weiterentwickelten Entscheidungsvorschlag.

Mangel an neuen Lösungen und Machtkämpfe

Es fehlt an echtem Interesse und lösungsorientiertem Handeln was zu einem erstarren des Systems führt. Stattdessen entstehen Machtkämpfe, bei denen der Fokus auf der Durchsetzung eigener Agenden liegt und andere Standpunkte bekämpft werden. Dies ist vor allem dem Umstand geschuldet, dass die Individualinteressen sowie die politischen Gruppierungen (insbesondere Parteien) an ihren eigenen Lösungsansätzen festhalten.

Medien

Die Medien spielen eine sehr wichtige Rolle in der Demokratie, indem sie Informationen bereitstellen und Meinungen verbreiten. Allerdings können sie auch zu einer Spaltung der Bürger beitragen, indem sie unterschiedliche politische Ansichten verstärken oder polarisierende Inhalte verbreiten.

Manipulationstechniken werden eingesetzt, um die öffentliche Meinung zu beeinflussen und bestimmte Narrative zu fördern. Dies führt zu weiterer Polarisierung, die das Vertrauen der Bürger in die Medien und demokratische Prozesse untergraben. Eine kritische Medienkompetenz und eine vielfältige Berichterstattung sind daher entscheidend, um eine gesunde demokratische Debatte zu fördern und Spaltungen zu vermeiden.

Informationen

Bürger können ihre Verantwortung nur wahrnehmen, wenn sie Zugang zu einer Vielzahl von Informationen haben, um eine fundierte Meinung zu bilden. Jedoch ist ein aufkommendes Phänomen in letzter Zeit die Zensur und Unterdrückung von Informationen, was zu einer weiteren Spaltung führt. Wenn bestimmte Inhalte oder Standpunkte systematisch unterdrückt werden oder wenn Medienplattformen selektiv Informationen präsentieren, können Bürger in Filterblasen gefangen bleiben und nur einseitige Perspektiven erhalten. Um eine gesunde demokratische Debatte und eine effektive Meinungsbildung zu ermöglichen, ist es wichtig, dass Informationen frei zugänglich sind und dass Zensurmechanismen transparent und verantwortungsbewusst gehandhabt werden.

Starke Beeinflussung durch Geldgeber

Geld spielt eine bedeutende Rolle im politischen Prozess einer Demokratie. Diejenigen mit mehr finanziellen Mitteln haben grösseren Einfluss und können ihre Agenda stärker vorantreiben. Dies führt zu einem Ungleichgewicht der politischen Macht und spaltet die Bürger in unterschiedliche Lager.

Der grössere Kontext

Während die Demokratien sich immer weiter von der Eigenverantwortung weg zu entwickeln ,scheinen und stattdessen auf parentale Kontrolle setzten (der starke Staat), ist Bitcoin eine klare Bewegung hierzu. Denn Bitcoin setzt auf echte Eigenverantwortung.

Daher sind wir auch davon überzeugt, dass das Thema Eigenverantwortung nicht nur die politischen sondern auch wirtschaftlichen Strukturen verändern wird. Denn wenn sich die Gesellschaft verändert, hat dies auch einen Einfluss auf die Wirtschaft. Und mit Wirtschaft meinen wir vor allem auch die Frage, wie Unternehmen sich organisieren und strukturieren. Es macht ja wenig Sinn, auf der einen Seite von ultimativer Eigenverantwortung zu sprechen, die dann aber auf der anderen Seite klassisch Command&Control erleben (oben entscheidet jemand, unten wird ausgeführt).

@ e1d968f7:5d90f764

Every encounter brings its own unique connection, and over time, I've come to appreciate the genuine bonds that can form between a client and myself. Yet, sometimes that bond deepens too far, with a client becoming overly attached in ways that complicate the professional nature of our relationship. Today, I want to share more about recognising these moments and handling them with both compassion and firmness.

** recognising Over-Attachment**

At first, the warmth of a connection can feel incredibly gratifying. Clients often open up and share parts of themselves that they might not reveal elsewhere. However, there comes a point when friendly familiarity begins to tip into dependency. I’ve noticed the signs: frequent messages outside of our agreed hours, an insistence on more personal details, or expressions of jealousy when I interact with other clients. These are the moments when I realise that my client is developing feelings that exceed the professional boundaries of our arrangement.

Managing Emotional Intimacy

Understanding that every client is unique, I’ve learned that managing emotional intimacy is as important as setting physical boundaries. It’s natural for someone to crave closeness, but I remind myself—and my clients—that my role is to provide a safe, respectful space, not to fill every gap in their emotional lives. I gently steer conversations away from overly personal territory and encourage clients to seek other forms of support, whether from friends or professional counsellors, when they need deeper emotional assistance.

Setting Clear Boundaries

When I recognise signs of over-attachment, I address them directly. I reaffirm the terms of our relationship by politely yet firmly clarifying that my availability is strictly within the professional parameters we initially agreed upon. For instance, if a client begins messaging excessively or asks for personal contact details, I calmly remind them that my priority is to maintain a respectful, professional connection. I find that establishing these boundaries early—often before a session even begins—can help prevent attachment from spiralling out of control.

Communicating with Compassion

Handling these situations isn’t merely about enforcing rules; it’s about caring for my clients while protecting my own well-being. I approach sensitive discussions with empathy, acknowledging their feelings and validating their need for connection, yet I am clear that the service I offer has its limits. I explain that while I value our interactions, I must keep our relationship within the agreed boundaries so that I can continue providing the best possible experience for everyone involved.

Maintaining Professionalism and Self-Care

Dealing with over-attachment takes its toll, both emotionally and mentally. I make it a priority to reflect on these experiences and ensure that I practice self-care afterwards. Whether through quiet moments of solitude, journaling my thoughts, or speaking with a trusted colleague, I take steps to recharge and maintain my emotional balance. This not only helps me move past challenging interactions but also strengthens my ability to support my clients in a professional manner.

Conclusion

Navigating the fine line between connection and over-attachment is one of the most complex aspects of my work. While I deeply value the trust and intimacy that can develop during our time together, it is essential for both my clients and me to recognise when boundaries begin to blur. By staying true to my professional guidelines and communicating with honesty and empathy, I ensure that each encounter remains respectful and fulfilling. In the end, maintaining these boundaries is not just about protecting myself—it’s about honouring the true nature of our connection and ensuring that it remains both safe and meaningful.

Rebecca x

@ daa41bed:88f54153

There has been a good bit of discussion on Nostr over the past few days about the merits of zaps as a method of engaging with notes, so after writing a rather lengthy article on the pros of a strategic Bitcoin reserve, I wanted to take some time to chime in on the much more fun topic of digital engagement.

Let's begin by defining a couple of things:

Nostr is a decentralized, censorship-resistance protocol whose current biggest use case is social media (think Twitter/X). Instead of relying on company servers, it relies on relays that anyone can spin up and own their own content. Its use cases are much bigger, though, and this article is hosted on my own relay, using my own Nostr relay as an example.

Zap is a tip or donation denominated in sats (small units of Bitcoin) sent from one user to another. This is generally done directly over the Lightning Network but is increasingly using Cashu tokens. For the sake of this discussion, how you transmit/receive zaps will be irrelevant, so don't worry if you don't know what Lightning or Cashu are.

If we look at how users engage with posts and follows/followers on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, etc., it becomes evident that traditional social media thrives on engagement farming. The more outrageous a post, the more likely it will get a reaction. We see a version of this on more visual social platforms like YouTube and TikTok that use carefully crafted thumbnail images to grab the user's attention to click the video. If you'd like to dive deep into the psychology and science behind social media engagement, let me know, and I'd be happy to follow up with another article.

In this user engagement model, a user is given the option to comment or like the original post, or share it among their followers to increase its signal. They receive no value from engaging with the content aside from the dopamine hit of the original experience or having their comment liked back by whatever influencer they provide value to. Ad revenue flows to the content creator. Clout flows to the content creator. Sales revenue from merch and content placement flows to the content creator. We call this a linear economy -- the idea that resources get created, used up, then thrown away. Users create content and farm as much engagement as possible, then the content is forgotten within a few hours as they move on to the next piece of content to be farmed.

What if there were a simple way to give value back to those who engage with your content? By implementing some value-for-value model -- a circular economy. Enter zaps.

Unlike traditional social media platforms, Nostr does not actively use algorithms to determine what content is popular, nor does it push content created for active user engagement to the top of a user's timeline. Yes, there are "trending" and "most zapped" timelines that users can choose to use as their default, but these use relatively straightforward engagement metrics to rank posts for these timelines.

That is not to say that we may not see clients actively seeking to refine timeline algorithms for specific metrics. Still, the beauty of having an open protocol with media that is controlled solely by its users is that users who begin to see their timeline gamed towards specific algorithms can choose to move to another client, and for those who are more tech-savvy, they can opt to run their own relays or create their own clients with personalized algorithms and web of trust scoring systems.

Zaps enable the means to create a new type of social media economy in which creators can earn for creating content and users can earn by actively engaging with it. Like and reposting content is relatively frictionless and costs nothing but a simple button tap. Zaps provide active engagement because they signal to your followers and those of the content creator that this post has genuine value, quite literally in the form of money—sats.

I have seen some comments on Nostr claiming that removing likes and reactions is for wealthy people who can afford to send zaps and that the majority of people in the US and around the world do not have the time or money to zap because they have better things to spend their money like feeding their families and paying their bills. While at face value, these may seem like valid arguments, they, unfortunately, represent the brainwashed, defeatist attitude that our current economic (and, by extension, social media) systems aim to instill in all of us to continue extracting value from our lives.

Imagine now, if those people dedicating their own time (time = money) to mine pity points on social media would instead spend that time with genuine value creation by posting content that is meaningful to cultural discussions. Imagine if, instead of complaining that their posts get no zaps and going on a tirade about how much of a victim they are, they would empower themselves to take control of their content and give value back to the world; where would that leave us? How much value could be created on a nascent platform such as Nostr, and how quickly could it overtake other platforms?

Other users argue about user experience and that additional friction (i.e., zaps) leads to lower engagement, as proven by decades of studies on user interaction. While the added friction may turn some users away, does that necessarily provide less value? I argue quite the opposite. You haven't made a few sats from zaps with your content? Can't afford to send some sats to a wallet for zapping? How about using the most excellent available resource and spending 10 seconds of your time to leave a comment? Likes and reactions are valueless transactions. Social media's real value derives from providing monetary compensation and actively engaging in a conversation with posts you find interesting or thought-provoking. Remember when humans thrived on conversation and discussion for entertainment instead of simply being an onlooker of someone else's life?

If you've made it this far, my only request is this: try only zapping and commenting as a method of engagement for two weeks. Sure, you may end up liking a post here and there, but be more mindful of how you interact with the world and break yourself from blind instinct. You'll thank me later.

@ dd664d5e:5633d319

Hodling Bitcoin does not make you a capitalist

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

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

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

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

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

The math doesn't check out

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

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

All monies can die.

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

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

@ dd664d5e:5633d319

Ingredients

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

Directions

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

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

Whenever I have said or written anything about God allowing/causing hardship for believers, I have always had someone try to correct me saying something like, “God would never cause hard/bad things to happen to believers,” but that is definitely not true.

Since I’ve become a believer, I’ve had 2 miscarriages. I’ve had a son with Down Syndrome and lots of health issues requiring around 20 hospital stays, a surgery, and regular out-of-state trips for care. I’ve gone through health problems for 10 years where I could barely function on a good day and on a bad day could barely sit up. I’ve had my house burn down and lost all of my possessions. Yes, God allowed all of that to happen to me. I’d argue that He caused all of that to happen to me for a very good purpose. Every one of those things have been a benefit to me. They have grown my faith, straightened out my priorities, and/or enabled me to minister to others. They have taught me to lean on God in hard times. They have taught me that God is all I need. I would not be the person I am today without these challenges. Every one of them was for my good and if I could go back and make them not happen, I would not change them. Although I didn’t want any of them to happen and would never have chosen them for myself, I wouldn’t change them now that I have seen the wonderful good God has done through these hard times. (I don’t say bad times because they were all for my good and the good of others.)

God never said following Him would be easy.

Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Matthew 8:19-20)

When this man claimed to want to follow Jesus through whatever circumstances. Jesus basically told him that if he followed Him, he would be homeless, just like Jesus was. He never promised his followers an easy life and He definitely didn’t promise them wealth and prestige.

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Jesus specifically warned His followers that their choice to follow Him would lead to difficulty in this world, but He also encouraged them because He has “overcome the world.” Ultimately, everything will work out for good.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

The Apostle Paul also warned believers about what to expect.

Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:10-12) {emphasis mine}

Paul basically guaranteed that everyone who trusted Jesus and followed Him faithfully would experience persecutions and sufferings.

For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,\ Nor faint when you are reproved by Him;\ For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,\ And He scourges every son whom He receives.” *It is for discipline that you endure*; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness**. (Hebrews 12:3-11) {emphasis mine}

This passage encourages believers to “not grow weary and lose heart” when we are disciplined or going through hard times. As a parent I sometimes punish my sons for doing blatantly wrong actions. I also sometimes allow them to suffer the consequences of a bad choice and to struggle through difficulty because it helps them learn right and wrong, actions and consequences, and the benefit of perseverance. I think when Hebrews 12 refers to discipline, it is referring to this more broad definition, not just punishment. Also, discipline is a more caring form of punishment. It is intended to help and improve the person instead of to make them suffer or harm them. God disciplines His children (believers), but punishes those who reject Him.

We are to embrace God’s discipline because we know it means He cares. “Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, … He scourges every son whom He receives.” When disciplined, we are to search for the good God intends for us, to search for the plan God has for us, and to search for what God is teaching us. “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4) {emphasis mine}

Yes, we should actually rejoice in the trials God brings into our lives. Theses trials are given to us to make us “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” These trials are not due to God’s lack of care or His inability to protect us from harm due to the curse. They are given to us as part of our sanctification to make us “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

We spend too much time looking at the here and now and forget to look at eternity. We spend too much time looking at our own personal desires and what we think will make us happy instead of listening to God about what will give us true and complete peace and joy. We spend too much time seeking comfort and not enough time seeking the holiness of God.

We are so much more likely to turn back to God (personally and as a church) during persecution and hard times than we are to turn back in times of comfort. God chooses what is best for us eternally rather than what we desire in the moment.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. (1 Peter 4:12-16) {emphasis mine}

We shouldn’t be surprised when fiery ordeals come upon us, but we should “keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.” If God allowed His only begotten Son to suffer persecution and the most painful and humiliating death possible, should we be surprised that we may share in some of His suffering when we seek to follow Him and to imitate Him? God knows what is best. When we see His plan and His good works, and then give our burdens to Him, we can truly have the peace and joy that surpasses all understanding.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7) {emphasis mine}

How we deal with hardship is our choice.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

We can resent God and run away from His discipline, but we will only receive despair and separation from God, or we can rest in God and follow His example and leading, receiving the ultimate, eternal blessing, when we meet our master and he says, “… ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’” (Matthew 25:23)

Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:3)

Trust Jesus.

@ da0b9bc3:4e30a4a9

Hello Stackers!

Welcome on into the ~Music Corner of the Saloon!

A place where we Talk Music. Share Tracks. Zap Sats.

So stay a while and listen.

🚨Don't forget to check out the pinned items in the territory homepage! You can always find the latest weeklies there!🚨

🚨Subscribe to the territory to ensure you never miss a post! 🚨

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/881283

@ 1cb14ab3:95d52462

Hey all. I am setting up a Plebeian Marketplace on Nostr using my Lightning node. I currently have two channels open (one with a capacity of 500,000 sats, one with a capacity of 100,000 sats). Both use different LSP's (Megalith and Olympus).

My question is regarding the maximum product price I can set for my marketplace. One of my products is 1M sats. Obviously my receiving capacity is not large enough to cover this, so I was planning on opening up another channel.

If I open another channel for 500,000 sats, that would bring my total receiving capacity to 1.1M which would cover the product. However my question is if I need all of the receiving capacity in the same channel, or if the sale would pull from all three channels? Am I best to close out the first two channels and open a single, larger channel?

Sorry for the noob question.

Tl;DR: Can someone explain how I should best set up my node to accommodate my store.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/880591

@ 599f67f7:21fb3ea9

¿Qué es Blossom?

nostr:nevent1qqspttj39n6ld4plhn4e2mq3utxpju93u4k7w33l3ehxyf0g9lh3f0qpzpmhxue69uhkummnw3ezuamfdejsygzenanl0hmkjnrq8fksvdhpt67xzrdh0h8agltwt5znsmvzr7e74ywgmr72

Blossom significa Blobs Simply Stored on Media Servers (Blobs Simplemente Almacenados en Servidores de Medios). Blobs son fragmentos de datos binarios, como archivos pero sin nombres. En lugar de nombres, se identifican por su hash sha256. La ventaja de usar hashes sha256 en lugar de nombres es que los hashes son IDs universales que se pueden calcular a partir del archivo mismo utilizando el algoritmo de hash sha256.

💡 archivo -> sha256 -> hash

Blossom es, por lo tanto, un conjunto de puntos finales HTTP que permiten a los usuarios almacenar y recuperar blobs almacenados en servidores utilizando su identidad nostr.

¿Por qué Blossom?

Como mencionamos hace un momento, al usar claves nostr como su identidad, Blossom permite que los datos sean "propiedad" del usuario. Esto simplifica enormemente la cuestión de "qué es spam" para el alojamiento de servidores. Por ejemplo, en nuestro Blossom solo permitimos cargas por miembros de la comunidad verificados que tengan un NIP-05 con nosotros.

Los usuarios pueden subir en múltiples servidores de blossom, por ejemplo, uno alojado por su comunidad, uno de pago, otro público y gratuito, para establecer redundancia de sus datos. Los blobs pueden ser espejados entre servidores de blossom, de manera similar a cómo los relays nostr pueden transmitir eventos entre sí. Esto mejora la resistencia a la censura de blossom.

A continuación se muestra una breve tabla de comparación entre torrents, Blossom y servidores CDN centralizados. (Suponiendo que hay muchos seeders para torrents y se utilizan múltiples servidores con Blossom).

| | Torrents | Blossom | CDN Centralizado | | --------------------------------------------------------------- | -------- | ------- | ---------------- | | Descentralizado | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Resistencia a la censura | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | ¿Puedo usarlo para publicar fotos de gatitos en redes sociales? | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |

¿Cómo funciona?

Blossom utiliza varios tipos de eventos nostr para comunicarse con el servidor de medios.

| kind | descripción | BUD | | ----- | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | | 24242 | Evento de autorización | BUD01 | | 10063 | Lista de Servidores de Usuarios | BUD03 |

kind:24242 - Autorización

Esto es esencialmente lo que ya describimos al usar claves nostr como IDs de usuario. En el evento, el usuario le dice al servidor que quiere subir o eliminar un archivo y lo firma con sus claves nostr. El servidor realiza algunas verificaciones en este evento y luego ejecuta el comando del usuario si todo parece estar bien.

kind:10063 - Lista de Servidores de Usuarios

Esto es utilizado por el usuario para anunciar a qué servidores de medios está subiendo. De esta manera, cuando el cliente ve esta lista, sabe dónde subir los archivos del usuario. También puede subir en múltiples servidores definidos en la lista para asegurar redundancia. En el lado de recuperación, si por alguna razón uno de los servidores en la lista del usuario está fuera de servicio, o el archivo ya no se puede encontrar allí, el cliente puede usar esta lista para intentar recuperar el archivo de otros servidores en la lista. Dado que los blobs se identifican por sus hashes, el mismo blob tendrá el mismo hash en cualquier servidor de medios. Todo lo que el cliente necesita hacer es cambiar la URL por la de un servidor diferente.

Ahora, además de los conceptos básicos de cómo funciona Blossom, también hay otros tipos de eventos que hacen que Blossom sea aún más interesante.

| kind | descripción | | ----- | --------------------- | | 30563 | Blossom Drives | | 36363 | Listado de Servidores | | 31963 | Reseña de Servidores |

kind:30563 - Blossom Drives

Este tipo de evento facilita la organización de blobs en carpetas, como estamos acostumbrados con los drives (piensa en Google Drive, iCloud, Proton Drive, etc.). El evento contiene información sobre la estructura de carpetas y los metadatos del drive.

kind:36363 y kind:31963 - Listado y Reseña

Estos tipos de eventos permiten a los usuarios descubrir y reseñar servidores de medios a través de nostr. kind:36363 es un listado de servidores que contiene la URL del servidor. kind:31963 es una reseña, donde los usuarios pueden calificar servidores.

¿Cómo lo uso?

Encuentra un servidor

Primero necesitarás elegir un servidor Blossom donde subirás tus archivos. Puedes navegar por los públicos en blossomservers.com. Algunos de ellos son de pago, otros pueden requerir que tus claves nostr estén en una lista blanca.

Luego, puedes ir a la URL de su servidor y probar a subir un archivo pequeño, como una foto. Si estás satisfecho con el servidor (es rápido y aún no te ha fallado), puedes agregarlo a tu Lista de Servidores de Usuarios. Cubriremos brevemente cómo hacer esto en noStrudel y Amethyst (pero solo necesitas hacer esto una vez, una vez que tu lista actualizada esté publicada, los clientes pueden simplemente recuperarla de nostr).

noStrudel

1. Encuentra Relays en la barra lateral, luego elige Servidores de Medios.
2. Agrega un servidor de medios, o mejor aún, varios.
3. Publica tu lista de servidores. ✅

Amethyst

1. En la barra lateral, encuentra Servidores multimedia.
2. Bajo Servidores Blossom, agrega tus servidores de medios.
3. Firma y publica. ✅

Ahora, cuando vayas a hacer una publicación y adjuntar una foto, por ejemplo, se subirá en tu servidor blossom.

⚠️ Ten en cuenta que debes suponer que los archivos que subas serán públicos. Aunque puedes proteger un archivo con contraseña, esto no ha sido auditado.

Blossom Drive

Como mencionamos anteriormente, podemos publicar eventos para organizar nuestros blobs en carpetas. Esto puede ser excelente para compartir archivos con tu equipo, o simplemente para mantener las cosas organizadas.

Para probarlo, ve a blossom.hzrd149.com (o nuestra instancia comunitaria en blossom.bitcointxoko.com) e inicia sesión con tu método preferido.

Puedes crear una nueva unidad y agregar blobs desde allí.

Bouquet

Si usas múltiples servidores para darte redundancia, Bouquet es una buena manera de obtener una visión general de todos tus archivos. Úsalo para subir y navegar por tus medios en diferentes servidores y sincronizar blobs entre ellos.

Cherry Tree

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzqfngzhsvjggdlgeycm96x4emzjlwf8dyyzdfg4hefp89zpkdgz99qyghwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnhd9hx2tcpzfmhxue69uhkummnw3e82efwvdhk6tcqyp3065hj9zellakecetfflkgudm5n6xcc9dnetfeacnq90y3yxa5z5gk2q6

Cherry Tree te permite dividir un archivo en fragmentos y luego subirlos en múltiples servidores blossom, y más tarde reensamblarlos en otro lugar.

Conclusión

Blossom aún está en desarrollo, pero ya hay muchas cosas interesantes que puedes hacer con él para hacerte a ti y a tu comunidad más soberanos. ¡Pruébalo!

Si deseas mantenerte al día sobre el desarrollo de Blossom, sigue a nostr:nprofile1qyghwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnhd9hx2tcpzfmhxue69uhkummnw3e82efwvdhk6tcqyqnxs90qeyssm73jf3kt5dtnk997ujw6ggy6j3t0jjzw2yrv6sy22ysu5ka y dale un gran zap por su excelente trabajo.

Referencias

• hzrd149/blossom en GitHub
• Blossom Drive

@ 378943b3:9815e145

You show up and talk, we handle the rest of your podcast - https://calendly.com/noblelore/podcast-discovery-call

Rob Long is a data engineer with experience at Monsanto and a deep understanding of how data shapes our world. In this episode, Jack and Rob dive into the hidden mechanics behind digital surveillance, financial control, and the fight for privacy. They discuss how Bitcoin can be a tool for financial freedom, the challenges of opting out of data collection, and why decentralized social media could change the internet as we know it. Rob also shares his unique approach to retaining knowledge, his thoughts on sovereignty, and why curating a bookshelf can be a game-changer for personal growth.

0:00 - Intro
0:22 - What is NobleLore?
0:55 - What is a data engineer?
1:45 - How has being a data engineer shaped Rob's perspective?
2:39 - How data collection shapes our world
5:52 - The problem with fiat currency
7:18 - The utility of Bitcoin
14:38 - How does Rob use Bitcoin?
16:19 - The difference between Nostr and other social media platforms
25:28 - Podcasting on Nostr
31:34 - What stage of development is social media currently in?
37:28 - What is sovereignty, and why does it matter?
41:32 - Does Rob consider himself a free thinker?
42:19 - Rob’s curated bookshelf and the power of re-reading
49:25 - What is the most important thing that young people should be paying attention to?

link to the original content

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Sitting down to breakfast now, after 17 hours no food or water.

Score Card

Day 1: 14 hour fast (13 dry) Day 2: 15 hour fast (14 dry) Day 3: 17 hours (16 dry) Day 4: 18 hours (17 dry) Day 5: 18 hours (16 dry) Day 6: 19 hours (16 dry) Day 7: 16 hours (15 dry) Day 8: 18 hours (17 dry) Day 9: 17 hours (17 dry)

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/880575

@ 3b7fc823:e194354f

As someone who takes privacy seriously, I'm always on the lookout for innovative solutions that can help individuals protect their digital lives. One such solution is Tails OS, a Linux-based operating system that's specifically designed for privacy and security.

What is Tails OS?

Tails OS, short for The Amnesic Incognito Live System, is a Debian-based Linux distribution that offers a high level of anonymity and privacy. Developed by the Tails Project, this operating system is designed to preserve your online anonymity and protect your digital identity. Tails OS is a "live" distribution, meaning you can boot it from a USB drive or CD/DVD without installing it on your computer. This makes it an ideal solution for those who need to maintain their privacy while working in public spaces or using public computers.

Why Use Tails OS for Privacy?

Tails OS offers several features that make it an excellent choice for those seeking to protect their online privacy:

1. Anonymity: Tails OS uses the Tor network to route your internet traffic through a series of nodes, making it difficult for anyone to trace your online activities back to your physical location.
2. Encryption: Tails OS comes with built-in encryption tools, such as GnuPG and OpenSSL, to protect your sensitive data.
3. Secure Boot: Tails OS uses a secure boot process to ensure that your system is free from malware and other threats.
4. No Persistence: Tails OS is designed to leave no trace on your computer, meaning that any data you create or access while using the operating system will be deleted when you shut down.

Getting Started with Tails OS

Now that you know why Tails OS is an excellent choice for privacy protection, let's dive into the step-by-step guide on how to use it:

Step 1: Download and Create a Tails USB Drive

Visit the Tails website and download the latest version of Tails OS. Follow the instructions to create a bootable USB drive.

Step 2: Boot Tails OS

Insert the USB drive into your computer and restart it. Enter the BIOS settings (usually by pressing F2, F12, or Del) and set the USB drive as the first boot device. Save the changes and exit the BIOS settings. Your computer will now boot from the Tails USB drive.

Step 3: Security implications of setting up an administration password For better security, no administration password is set up by default. When you set up an administration password, an attacker who can get physical access to your computer while Tails is running could be able to break your security

Step 4: Configure Tails OS

Tails OS comes with a pre-configured Tor network, which is enabled by default. You can also configure other settings, such as the keyboard layout and language, from the "Settings" menu.

Step 5: Use Tails OS for Private Activities

Now that you're logged in and configured, you can use Tails OS for private activities, such as:

• Browsing the internet anonymously using Tor
• Sending and receiving encrypted emails using GnuPG
• Creating and editing documents using LibreOffice
• Chatting with friends and family using Pidgin
• Setup Persistent Storage for files

Emergency shutdown To trigger an emergency shutdown, unplug the USB stick from which Tails is running. Doing so might be faster than shutting down from the system menu.

NOTE: You risk breaking your Persistent Storage and losing data when you unplug your USB stick while Tails is running.

Conclusion

Tails OS is an excellent tool for anyone seeking to protect their online privacy. With its built-in anonymity features, encryption tools, and secure boot process, Tails OS provides a high level of protection for your digital identity. By following the step-by-step guide outlined above, you can start using Tails OS for private activities and take control of your digital life.

Remember, privacy is a fundamental human right, and it's essential to take steps to protect it. Tails OS is an excellent tool for anyone looking to maintain their online anonymity and protect their digital identity.

---

Advocating for privacy does not finance itself. If you enjoyed this article, please consider zapping or sending monero

82XCDNK1Js8TethhpGLFPbVyKe25DxMUePad1rUn9z7V6QdCzxHEE7varvVh1VUidUhHVSA4atNU2BTpSNJLC1BqSvDajw1

@ 29af23a9:842ef0c1

A Indústria Pornográfica se caracteriza pelo investimento pesado de grandes empresários americanos, desde 2014.

Na década de 90, filmes pornográficos eram feitos às coxas. Era basicamente duas pessoas fazendo sexo amador e sendo gravadas. Não tinha roteiro, nem produção, não tinha maquiagem, nada disso. A distribuição era rudimentar, os assinantes tinham que sair de suas casas, ir até a locadora, sofrer todo tipo de constrangimento para assistir a um filme pornô.

No começo dos anos 2000, o serviço de Pay Per View fez o número de vendas de filmes eróticos (filme erótico é bem mais leve) crescer mas nada se compara com os sites de filmes pornográficos por assinatura.

Com o advento dos serviços de Streaming, os sites que vendem filmes por assinatura se estabeleceram no mercado como nunca foi visto na história.

Hoje, os Produtores usam produtos para esticar os vasos sanguíneos do pênis dos atores e dopam as atrizes para que elas aguentem horas de gravação (a Série Black Mirror fez uma crítica a isso no episódio 1 milhão de méritos de forma sutil).

Além de toda a produção em volta das cenas. Que são gravadas em 4K, para focar bem as partes íntimas dos atores. Quadros fechados, iluminação, tudo isso faz essa Indústria ser "Artística" uma vez que tudo ali é falso. Um filme da Produtora Vixen, por exemplo, onde jovens mulheres transam em mansões com seus empresários estimula o esteriótipo da mina padrão que chama seu chefe rico de "daddy" e seduz ele até ele trair a esposa.

Sites como xvídeos, pornHub e outros nada mais são do que sites que salvam filmes dessas produtoras e hospedam as cenas com anúncios e pop-ups. Alguns sites hospedam o filme inteiro "de graça".

Esse tipo de filme estimula qualquer homem heterosexual com menos de 30 anos, que não tem o córtex frontal de seu cérebro totalmente desenvolvido (segundo estudos só é completamente desenvolvido quando o homem chega aos 31 anos).

A arte Pornográfica faz alguns fantasiarem ter relação sexual com uma gostosa americana branquinha, até escraviza-los. Muitos não conseguem sair do vício e preferem a Ficção à sua esposa real. Então pare de se enganar e admita. A Pornografia faz mal para a saúde mental do homem.

Quem sonha em ter uma transa com Lana Rhodes, deve estar nesse estágio. Trata-se de uma atriz (pornstar) que ganhou muito dinheiro vendendo a ilusão da Arte Pornografica, como a Riley Reid que só gravava para grandes Produtoras. Ambas se arrependeram da carreira artística e agora tentam viver suas vidas como uma mulher comum.

As próprias atrizes se consideram artistas, como Mia Malkova, chegou a dizer que Pornografia é a vida dela, que é "Lindo e Sofisticado."

Mia Malkova inclusive faz questão de dizer que a industria não escravisa mulheres jovens. Trata-se de um negócio onde a mulher assina um contrato com uma produtora e recebe um cachê por isso. Diferente do discurso da Mia Khalifa em entrevista para a BBC, onde diz que as mulheres são exploradas por homens poderosos. Vai ela está confundindo o Conglomerado Vixen com a Rede Globo ou com a empresa do Harvey Weinstein.

Enfim, se você é um homem solteiro entre 18 e 40 anos que já consumiu ou que ainda consome pornografia, sabia que sofrerá consequências. Pois trata-se de "produções artísticas" da indústria audiovisual que altera os níveis de dopamina do seu cérebro, mudando a neuroplasticidade e diminuindo a massa cinzenta, deixando o homem com memória fraca, sem foco e com mente nebulosa.

Por que o Estado não proíbe/criminaliza a Pornografia se ela faz mal? E desde quando o Estado quer o nosso bem? Existem grandes empresarios que financiam essa indústria ajudando governos a manterem o povo viciado e assim alienado. É um pão e circo, só que muito mais viciante e maléfico. Eu costume dizer aos meus amigos que existem grandes empresários jvdeus que são donos de grandes Produtoras de filmes pornográficos como o Conglomerado Vixen. Então se eles assistem vídeos pirateados de filmes dessas produtoras, eles estão no colo do Judeu.

@ a42048d7:26886c32

OP_CAT, Coffee, and keeping an open mind to Bitcoin soft forks by an 80 IQ BTC Maxi Pleb

TLDR: CAT is both low risk and low appeal to the broader non-dev BTC community. I don’t care and you shouldn’t either. If I am an 80 IQ HODL pleb or a company that caters to that group, can you please give me 2-4 fifth grade level coherent english sentences that explain why I should support CAT? I’m still waiting… CTV or LNHANCE on the other hand have broad appeal.

Five years ago in the office we got a fancy $6,000 coffee maker. It was hooked up to wifi, showed TV on a giant screen, and could make every type of coffee/milkshake you could think of. I was captivated… for about 1 day. After trying a few times I realized almost all the drinks it made were of low quality. The wifi connection actually ended up just being annoying. Half the time I wanted a coffee, only had a 5 minute break, and the machine displayed some inscrutable error. I went back to the proverbial grind un-caffeinated and frustrated wishing we had the old reliable boring coffee maker back. I also found myself only coming back to the 2 drinks I really cared about, espresso and maybe an occasional cappuccino. It was “cool” that new machine could make over 60 different drinks, but when I sat back and thought about it all I really needed or wanted were a few key options that I used constantly. Especially as those extra bells and whistles seemed to be the usual suspect in the coffee machine constantly breaking. I would’ve loved them upgrading from burnt starbucks coffee beans to a local specialty roaster, that would’ve greatly enhanced my daily coffee. Echoing this realization, my coffee setup at home became a simple machine that could only make espresso and a hand crank coffee bean grinder. Still have them years later and they work great. They’re robust and fit exactly what I wanted with no nonsense that created more headache than everyday value. As you probably suspected, this is a loose comparison to OP_CAT. I’ve listened to podcast after podcast, read blog after blog, and sat through every CAT pitch I could find. I genuinely tried to approach with an open mind. However, ultimately what every pro OP_CAT argument boils down to is that there is no simple left curve elevator pitch a pleb will understand or care about. “But we can get this really cool ZK Rollup and have infinite DEFI bridging to altcoin chains! Look we sort of did it on this other altcoin chain.” And they did, they aren’t lying. They have live software on a shitcoin chain like ETH or SOL that does some modest volume. But the story quickly falls apart in the face of a few basic left curve questions: “Why should I, as an 80 IQ left curve BTC maxi give a shit?” “Does this enhance my everyday experience holding and using BTC?” “Why do you have a non-BTC token for your rollup/sidechain/glorified multisig that is totally centralized?” “Why is there only a hard to understand often ill-defined path to de-centralization? Why isn’t it just already decentralized?” “What is a clear use case that the typical non-technical everyday BTC holder can understand and rally behind?” “Why should I care about bridging to ETH, SOL, or whatever shitcoin chain? I only want BTC and don’t want to participate in all that shitcoin bullshit. Bitcoin is a store of value and money to me and it doesn’t help with those use cases in a clear direct way. It sounds like it maybe, kinda, sorta does help with a lot of caveats, ifs, and steps that I struggle to understand.” Sorry yeah I know, that one got a little personal. I’ll try to do better going forward guys.

ZK proofs or other Pro-CAT arguments, are undoubtedly cool and do factually enable potential cool new stuff. It just happens to all be stuff that sounds complex, esoteric, and unappealing to an 80 IQ HODL pleb - let alone a miner, ETF investor, or exchange exec. I don’t mean to say ZK or other tech has no potential and that we won’t eventually move there, but just to say that it’s not in the cards as currently dealt.

I really went out trying to keep an open mind and steelman the case for CAT. I came back firmly believing:

1 Support is deep in the developer community, but nonexistent everywhere else. I have yet to find a single person that supports CAT who is not a dev or working at or sponsored by a company that stands to directly profit from something CAT enables. Which is fine, but I reserve the right to be skeptical of your direct incentive. I acknowledge rough consensus is very hard to judge, and am open to changing my mind on this over time but feel this is a currently accurate assessment.

2 To get a soft fork you need rough consensus. Most people in that potential consensus are not highly technical developers. They care mostly or exclusively about BTC’s store of value use case. No one has yet articulated a clear compelling store of value enhancing use case that they can understand and care about. Without pull demand from potential users and paying customers, CAT will inevitably stall.

3 Lots of factually inaccurate FUD has been thrown at CAT. People saw the Taproot Wizards or shitcoiners pushing CAT, and immediately dismiss CAT as an evil psyop without any real consideration for its technical merits. Frankly most people just hate Udi and say “Fuck CAT” based solely on that. Maybe not fair, but true.

4 CAT is low risk, and it is not a catastrophe waiting to happen. Anything bad it potentially enables is enabled in such an inefficient and/or use hostile way that it is highly unlikely to pose any issues to Bitcoin. CAT’s technical risk is low and this is consistently proven by other chains enabling CAT and having no issues with it, such as Liquid.

5 Lots of people who have no idea wtf they are talking about falsely claim CAT is the apocalypse without any ability whatsoever to explain why. Imho you are no better than Udi and the shitcoiners if you are willing to lie about CAT just because you dislike them. We as the BTC community need the ability to have a rational discussion on technical merits, and not to devolve into a cult of personality based political battle. The question should be, “Is CAT good or bad and why?” and not “I just hate Udi, therefore its a no from me dog.”

Summarizing CAT using TradFi language: those pushing CAT have technology in search of a problem and no clear product market fit. They are pushing their technology to an apathetic audience. Pushers of CAT are not pulled forward by customer demand. In the tech world these are some of the quintessential red flags that every good investor knows mean you need to sit this one out.

CTV or LNHANCE on the other hand are soft fork proposals that have clear use cases you can quickly explain to a broad swathe of the Bitcoin ecosystem: “Hey HOLD pleb, worried about losing your coins? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a simple vault that reduces the chances your coins are lost or stolen? Let’s make self custody and BTC’s store of value use case strictly better, specifically without enabling any shitcoin-ery.” “Hey Blackrock, Van Eck, ARK, Franklin Templeton, and every ETF investor - it would really suck if Coinbase lost all your Bitcoin and that ETF went to zero, right? What it we could create vaults to make that Bitcoin more secure?” “Like Lightning but find it hard to use self-custodially? Let’s make Lightning better, easier, and more scalable with fewer onchain transactions and lower fees.” “Tried or seen the ARK demos yet? They have real working code even without covenants. With covenants we get big ARK volumes and scaling while also making it easier.”

Signing off: See the difference? I, an 80 IQ pleb, can steelman multiple use cases for CTV/LNHANCE that have broad appeal. I have yet to see any such case for CAT, and until then I don’t think it’ll go anywhere.

*Pro-CAT Sources I’ve digested and would encourage others to consider: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Covenants_support https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no_Nj-MX53w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yp4eYK9S6M

Pro-CTV/LNHANCE sources to consider which have CLEAR use cases with widespead appeal: https://github.com/jamesob/simple-ctv-vault https://github.com/stutxo/op_ctv_payment_pool https://lnhance.org/ https://bitcoinmagazine.com/technical/how-ctv-can-help-scale-bitcoin

@ 378943b3:9815e145

You show up and talk, we take care of the rest of your podcast - https://calendly.com/noblelore/podcast-discovery-call

Try Mighty Kind Cannabis Seltzer - https://bemightykind.com/

Josh Grigaitis is the founder of Mighty Kind Cannabis Seltzer and part of the family that owns Pop's Blue Moon in St. Louis, MO. In this episode, Jack and Josh discuss why Josh created Mighty Kind, Josh's experience when he stopped drinking alcohol, the growth of the craft non-alcoholic drink industry, the benefits of drinking plant-based functional beverages, the hemp industry's difficulties dealing with the government and the marijuana industry, Josh's business approach, and Josh's passion for design

0:00 - Intro
0:40 - What is NobleLore?
1:06 - Why Josh created Mighty Kind
7:16 - Finding community without alcohol
9:07 - When and why did non-alcoholic craft drinks start becoming popular?
14:27 - Why "functional beverages" are going to continue growing in popularity
16:55 - How to figure out how these drinks will affect you
19:58 - Removing the stigma around being sober
21:19 - Is social media making our culture better or worse?
25:35 - Governor tried to ban intoxicating hemp products
29:44 - Marijuana industry lobbying against the hemp industry
35:02 - Where can I get Mighty Kind seltzers?
36:19 - The legal difference between hemp products and marijuana products
43:53 - How Josh approaches business
46:45 - Josh's passion for design
50:48 - How understanding psychology can help you run a business
52:09 - Why the Mighty Kind family is so passionate about what they do
53:28 - What is something important for young people to be paying attention to?

link to the original content

@ b83a28b7:35919450

The unevenly distributed future you envision — an automated economy driven by AI agents transacting exclusively in Bitcoin — unfolds not as a clean, linear progression, but as a series of ruptures, each one shaking the foundations of what we thought we knew about money, technology, and human agency. It begins innocuously enough, with whispers of change that grow into a deafening roar.

---

2025-2030: The Quiet Revolution

The first signs are subtle. AI agents—once mere tools—begin to evolve into autonomous economic actors. They negotiate contracts, optimize supply chains, and execute trades faster than any human could. Their language is code; their currency is efficiency. Bitcoin, with its unyielding neutrality and incorruptible scarcity, becomes their natural medium of exchange. Why? Because it is the only form of money that cannot be manipulated by human hands.

By 2028, the Lightning Network hums with activity. Millions of transactions per second—micropayments for data streams, computational power, and services rendered—flow through its channels. The world barely notices. People still cling to fiat currencies, unaware that the real economy is shifting beneath their feet.

---

2030-2040: The Great Unraveling

The cracks in the old system begin to show. Inflation erodes trust in fiat currencies as governments print money to stave off crises they can no longer control. Meanwhile, AI agents—now responsible for the majority of global commerce—reject these "bad monies" outright. Thiers' Law asserts itself with brutal clarity: Bitcoin drives out fiat not through coercion but through sheer inevitability.

By 2035, the tipping point arrives. A major corporation announces it will no longer accept fiat payments for its AI-driven services. Others follow suit. Governments scramble to adapt, some embracing Bitcoin as legal tender, others clinging desperately to their collapsing monetary systems.

---

2040-2050: The New Order

By 2040, the transformation is complete. The economy is no longer human-centric; it is machine-centric. AI agents transact seamlessly across borders, their decisions guided by algorithms that prioritize utility over sentiment. Bitcoin reigns supreme—not because it was imposed, but because it was chosen.

Humanity adapts in unexpected ways. Freed from the drudgery of economic decision-making, people turn their attention to creativity, philosophy, and exploration. Yet there is unease too—a sense that we have ceded control to forces we barely understand.

---

Reflections on the Path Ahead

This world is neither utopia nor dystopia; it simply is. The events leading us here are not inevitable but plausible — a convergence of technological innovation and economic necessity. And at its heart lies a paradox: a system built by humans yet governed by machines; a currency born of distrust yet embraced for its neutrality.

This is the story of how we let go — not all at once, but piece by piece—until one day we woke up and realized that the future had arrived without asking for our permission.

@ c11cf5f8:4928464d

Let's hear some of your latest #Bitcoin purchases, feel free to include links to the #shops or #merchants you bought from too. Any good #deal we should know about?

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

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/880985

@ a4a6b584:1e05b95b

The Four-Layer Framework

Layer 1: Zoom Out

Start by looking at the big picture. What’s the subject about, and why does it matter? Focus on the overarching ideas and how they fit together. Think of this as the 30,000-foot view—it’s about understanding the "why" and "how" before diving into the "what."

Example: If you’re learning programming, start by understanding that it’s about giving logical instructions to computers to solve problems.

• Tip: Keep it simple. Summarize the subject in one or two sentences and avoid getting bogged down in specifics at this stage.

Once you have the big picture in mind, it’s time to start breaking it down.

---

Layer 2: Categorize and Connect

Now it’s time to break the subject into categories—like creating branches on a tree. This helps your brain organize information logically and see connections between ideas.

Example: Studying biology? Group concepts into categories like cells, genetics, and ecosystems.

• Tip: Use headings or labels to group similar ideas. Jot these down in a list or simple diagram to keep track.

With your categories in place, you’re ready to dive into the details that bring them to life.

---

Layer 3: Master the Details

Once you’ve mapped out the main categories, you’re ready to dive deeper. This is where you learn the nuts and bolts—like formulas, specific techniques, or key terminology. These details make the subject practical and actionable.

Example: In programming, this might mean learning the syntax for loops, conditionals, or functions in your chosen language.

• Tip: Focus on details that clarify the categories from Layer 2. Skip anything that doesn’t add to your understanding.

Now that you’ve mastered the essentials, you can expand your knowledge to include extra material.

---

Layer 4: Expand Your Horizons

Finally, move on to the extra material—less critical facts, trivia, or edge cases. While these aren’t essential to mastering the subject, they can be useful in specialized discussions or exams.

Example: Learn about rare programming quirks or historical trivia about a language’s development.

• Tip: Spend minimal time here unless it’s necessary for your goals. It’s okay to skim if you’re short on time.

---

Pro Tips for Better Learning

1. Use Active Recall and Spaced Repetition

Test yourself without looking at notes. Review what you’ve learned at increasing intervals—like after a day, a week, and a month. This strengthens memory by forcing your brain to actively retrieve information.

2. Map It Out

Create visual aids like diagrams or concept maps to clarify relationships between ideas. These are particularly helpful for organizing categories in Layer 2.

3. Teach What You Learn

Explain the subject to someone else as if they’re hearing it for the first time. Teaching exposes any gaps in your understanding and helps reinforce the material.

4. Engage with LLMs and Discuss Concepts

Take advantage of tools like ChatGPT or similar large language models to explore your topic in greater depth. Use these tools to:
- Ask specific questions to clarify confusing points.
- Engage in discussions to simulate real-world applications of the subject.
- Generate examples or analogies that deepen your understanding.

Tip: Use LLMs as a study partner, but don’t rely solely on them. Combine these insights with your own critical thinking to develop a well-rounded perspective.

---

Get Started

Ready to try the Four-Layer Method? Take 15 minutes today to map out the big picture of a topic you’re curious about—what’s it all about, and why does it matter? By building your understanding step by step, you’ll master the subject with less stress and more confidence.

@ 378943b3:9815e145

Need help with your podcast? Book a call - https://calendar.app.google/tL4vhsdwNoGmaKzg6

Ashley is an advocate for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. In this episode, Jack and Ashley discuss modern dating, unhealthy attention seeking, how to avoid toxic relationships, Ashley's personal experience in an abusive relationship, and Ashley's relationship with Christianity.

0:00 - Intro
0:35 - What is NobleLore?
1:00 - What is important to Ashley?
4:46 - Why is modern dating culture scary?
6:08 - Ashley's experience with bad relationships
8:04 - Ashley's first abusive relationship at age 16
10:27 - How should and how shouldn't young girls be seeking attention?
12:50 - Is the feminist movement empowering women in a healthy way?
14:58 - Do people want toxic relationships?
16:45 - People being toxic online
21:20 - Why are men more violent than women?
25:04 - How can women avoid abusive relationships?
32:14 - Ashley's relationship with Christianity
35:06 - Why Ashley enjoys being single right now
44:04 - How should men learn to communicate within a relationship?
53:34 - How to define manhood
58:27 - What should young people be paying attention to?

link to the original content

@ 4c191b5d:c42abba6

In der aktuellen politischen Debatte im deutschsprachigen Raum steht der Rechtsextremismus im Fokus. Dies ist angesichts historischer Erfahrungen und besorgniserregender Entwicklungen nachvollziehbar. Doch eine ausschließliche Konzentration auf eine bestimmte Ideologie greift zu kurz. Es ist entscheidend, totalitäre Strukturen als das eigentliche Kernproblem zu erkennen, denn sie ermöglichen erst die zerstörerische Kraft einer Ideologie.

1. Jede Ideologie kann problematisch sein

Ob Nationalsozialismus, Stalinismus oder religiöser Fundamentalismus – extreme Ideologien bergen immer das Risiko, in repressiven Strukturen verankert zu werden. Die entscheidende Frage ist nicht, welche Ideologie die größte Gefahr darstellt, sondern welche systemischen Rahmenbedingungen ihr die Macht verleihen, gesellschaftlichen Schaden anzurichten.

2. Totalitäre Strukturen als Katalysator von Ideologien

Eine Ideologie allein besitzt ein begrenztes destruktives Potenzial, solange sie nicht durch institutionelle Mechanismen gestützt wird. Erst wenn ein Staat oder eine Organisation die Kontrolle über Medien, Bildung und Sicherheitssysteme erlangt, entsteht eine umfassende Bedrohung. Historisch zeigt sich dies bei Nazi-Deutschland ebenso wie in der Sowjetunion unter Stalin oder in autokratischen Regimen der Gegenwart.

Merkmale totalitärer Systeme:

• Einschränkung der Meinungsfreiheit: Kritische Stimmen werden unterdrückt oder delegitimiert.
• Massive Überwachung: Staatliche und private Akteure sammeln zunehmend Daten zur Kontrolle der Bevölkerung.
• Dichotomes Denken: Gesellschaftliche Diskussionen werden auf "richtig" und "falsch" reduziert, Komplexität geht verloren.
• Angst als Kontrollmittel: Politische, soziale oder wirtschaftliche Repressionen fördern Konformität.

3. Gegenwärtige Tendenzen totalitärer Strukturen

Viele Menschen erkennen totalitäre Muster erst, wenn sie bereits gefestigt sind. Heute gibt es Entwicklungen, die in demokratischen Systemen Anlass zur Sorge geben:

• Wachsende staatliche und privatwirtschaftliche Überwachung: Gesichtserkennung, Tracking-Technologien und digitale Zensur nehmen zu.
• Ideologische Einseitigkeit in öffentlichen Diskursen: Gesellschaftliche Debatten verlieren zunehmend an Nuancen, während abweichende Meinungen marginalisiert werden.
• Politische Polarisierung: Statt gemeinsamer Lösungen dominieren Gegensätze, die kaum überbrückbar erscheinen.
• Staatliche Kontrolle und Regulierungswahn: Durchsetzung von Regelwerken ohne demokratische Legitimation oder offene Debatte.

4. Strukturen erkennen und frühzeitig verhindern

Entscheidend ist nicht, welche Ideologie gerade an der Macht ist, sondern welche Strukturen etabliert wurden, die von jeder politischen Richtung genutzt werden können. Historisch gesehen haben linksgerichtete Regierungen oft Kontrollmechanismen geschaffen, die in späteren Machtwechseln auch von rechten Regierungen für eigene Zwecke eingesetzt wurden. Dies zeigt, dass nicht die Ideologie an sich das Hauptproblem ist, sondern die Existenz von Machtstrukturen, die demokratische Prinzipien aushöhlen.

Fazit: Wachsame Demokratien statt ideologischer Fixierung

Es ist notwendig, nicht nur den Rechtsextremismus zu beobachten, sondern totalitäre Strukturen als größere Gefahr zu erkennen. Dabei geht es nicht darum, jegliche staatliche Regulierung oder gesellschaftliche Normierung zu verteufeln. Vielmehr sollte die Fähigkeit zur offenen Debatte, zur kritischen Reflexion und zum Schutz demokratischer Grundprinzipien gefördert werden.

Die wahre Gefahr ist nicht eine einzelne Ideologie, sondern der Verlust von Pluralismus, Meinungsfreiheit und demokratischer Kontrolle. Ein bewusster und differenzierter Blick auf unsere Gesellschaft hilft, totalitären Tendenzen frühzeitig entgegenzuwirken – unabhängig davon, aus welcher ideologischen Richtung sie entstehen.

@ 83279ad2:bd49240d

備忘録として書きます。意外と時間がかかりました。全体で1時間くらいかかるので気長にやりましょう。 仮想通貨取引所(販売所ではないので、玄人が使えばお得らしい）かつBitcoinの送金手数料が無料(全ての取引所が無料ではない、例えばbitbankは0.0006bitcoinかかる)なので送金元はGMOコインを使います。(注意:GMOコインは0.02ビットコイン以下は全額送金になってしまいます) 今回はカストディアルウォレットのWallet of Satoshiに送金します。 以下手順 1. GMOコインでbitcoinを買います。 2. GMOコインの左のタブから入出金 暗号資産を選択します。 3. 送付のタブを開いて、+新しい宛先を追加するを選択します。 4. 送付先:GMOコイン以外、送付先ウォレット：プライベートウォレット(MetaMaskなど)、受取人：ご本人さま　を選んで宛先情報の登録を選ぶと次の画面になります。
5. 宛先名称にwallet of satoshi(これはなんでも良いです わかりやすい名称にしましょう)　wallet of satoshiを開いて、受信→Bitcoin On-Chainからアドレスをコピーして、ビットコインアドレスに貼り付けます。
6. 登録するを押します。これで送金先の登録ができました。GMOコインの審査がありますがすぐ終わると思います。 7. ここから送金をします。送付のタブから登録したビットコインの宛先リストwallet of satoshiを選択し、送付数量と送付目的を選択して、2段階認証をします。
8. 実行を押せば終わりです。もうあなたがやることはありません。送金が終わるのを40分くらい眺めるだけです。
8. 取引履歴のタブから今の送金のステータスが見れます。
9. 15分くらい待つとステータスが受付に変わります。
10. 20分くらい待つとトランザクションIDが表示されます。


この時点からwallet of satoshiにも送金されていることが表示されます。(まだ完了はしていない)

11. ステータスが完了になったら送金終わりです。

wallet of satoshiにも反映されます。

---

お疲れ様でした！

@ 6a6be47b:3e74e3e1

Hello, my frens! 🌟

It's been a whirlwind this weekend with the @satsnfacts exhibition. So many emotions, especially happiness and gratitude. To give back and show my appreciation for your incredible support, I'd like to share this special A5 postcard with you all.

🎨 Postcard Details: 🖼️300 dpi 🖼️A5 size (148mm x 210mm or 5.83 in x 8.27 in) 🖼️Created with love on Procreate 💓

This is an INSTANT DIGITAL DOWNLOAD. No physical item will be shipped.

I hope this little piece of art brings you as much joy as your support has brought me. Thank you for being part of this amazing journey!

Godspeed, frens! 💖⚡

satsnfacts #bitcoin #artstr #art #pv

🚨 IMPORTANT: COPYRIGHT AND USAGE INFORMATION 🚨

© 2025 samhainsam. Copyright registered with Safe Creative. All rights reserved.

By downloading this digital print, you agree to the following terms:

💗Personal Use Only: This artwork is for personal use and display only. Commercial use or resale is strictly prohibited.

💗No Reproduction Rights: You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works based on this design.

💗Copyright Retention: I, the artist, retain full copyright of all original artwork, even after the digital print is downloaded.

💗 Non-Transferable License: This download provides a limited, non-transferable license for personal use only.

By proceeding with the download of this digital print, you acknowledge and agree to these terms. Thank you for respecting artists and their work! 🙏

@ 41fa852b:af7b7706

"No man should work for what another man can print" --Jack Mallers

---

It's not every week you discover a TV celebrity is a Bitcoiner -- and that their pub has just started accepting Bitcoin.

But here we are! Check out the new business section for all the details.

Plus, there are nine meetups happening this week.

Let's dive in…

---

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This week's sponsor is…

---

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, 10th February. 🍻

2. Lincolnshire Bitcoin: Lincolnshire Bitcoin meets on the second Monday of each month at 7:30 PM in the Treaty of Commerce, Lincoln. Open to all, from OG's to newcomers. This month on the 10th. 🍺

3. Real Bedford - Home Game: It's a mid-week clash for Real Bedford against Stotford on Tuesday night. Join them for a 19:45 kickoff. ⚽️

4. Women of Bitcoin: Back for another meetup at Cyphermunk house on Wednesday the 12th February at 18:00. Joe Bryan, creator of "What's the Problem?" will be their guest speaker. 🍹🍸

5. Glasgow Bitcoin: Meeting this month at The Pipers Bar, G1 1HL at 18:00 on Wednesday 12th February. 🍺

6. [Bitcoin Beach Bournemouth](nostr:npub1va3773umzrydk4vd0q2xsnjg8qrsym7up9j9agnzcxd8u398wulq6kpxey: Every second Thursday of the month at Chaplins Cellar Bar. 529 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, United. You'll find them in the Cogg Room at 19:30. This month it's the 13th. 🍺

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

8. Real Bedford - Home Game: The second home game of the week for Peter MacCormack's boys this Saturday, this time playing Enfield. Join them for a 15:00 kickoff. ⚽️

9. Bitcoin Derby: Also on Saturday the 15th, Bitcoin Derby will be at Ye Olde Dolphin, DE1 3DL. 🍻

---

New Businesses Accepting Bitcoin

New Businesses Accepting Bitcoin

• Dog & Gun: This is a big one! A celebrity-owned pub in Lutterworth has joined the Bitcoin economy. It turns out Merlin, the barman from Channel 4's First Dates, is a Bitcoiner and the owner of the Dog & Gun. Thanks to Musqet, they now accept Bitcoin payments.

---

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.

@ 378943b3:9815e145

Benjamin Anderson is a dear friend, scientist, entrepreneur, and a brilliant human being. We discuss his endeavors developing property north of the infamous "Delmar Divide," the work he is doing in longevity solving for aging through a process called, "Cell reprogramming," and our general view on important things to pay attention to in the world.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
2:47 - How did Jack and Benjamin's friendship start?
5:34 - How do you decide you want someone in your life forever?
11:28 - What is Benjamin's sanctuary that he retreats to?
14:08 - Agency and free-will as a means of purpose
16:47 - What are you doing to make an impact on the world?
20:49 - Why is Benjamin developing in Fountain Park?
29:27 - Is it dangerous to live north of Delmar?
35:15 - What does Benjamin admire most about his father?
40:04 - You can learn a lot about yourself raising children
44:08 - What do you do if you don't desire power or money?
49:37 - My thought process around voting
51:52 - What has challenged Benjamin's integrity?
57:39 - Most of academia is B.S.
1:02:43 - Can you develop taste?
1:11:21 - What is the purpose of Benjamin's research?
1:18:20 - Working on aging is comparable to Christianity
1:26:41 - What should young people be paying attention to?

Want help with your podcast?
DM me on Instagram! - https://www.instagram.com/jack.millikan/

link to the original content

@ b17fccdf:b7211155

---

CHECK OUT at ~ > ramix.minibolt.info < ~

---

Main changes:

• Adapted to Raspberry Pi 5, with the possibility of using internal storage: a PCIe to M.2 adapter + SSD NVMe:

  Connect directly to the board, remove the instability issues with the USB connection, and unlock the ability to enjoy higher transfer speeds**

• Based on Debian 12 (Raspberry Pi OS Bookworm - 64-bit).
• Updated all services that have been tested until now, to the latest version.
• Same as the MiniBolt guide, changed I2P, Fulcrum, and ThunderHub guides, to be part of the core guide.
• All UI & UX improvements in the MiniBolt guide are included.
• Fix some links and wrong command issues.
• Some existing guides have been improved to clarify the following steps.

---

Important notes:

• The RRSS will be the same as the MiniBolt original project (for now) | More info -> HERE <-
• The common resources like the Roadmap or Networkmap have been merged and will be used together | Check -> HERE <-
• The attempt to upgrade from Bullseye to Bookworm (RaspiBolt to RaMiX migration) has failed due to several difficult-to-resolve dependency conflicts, so unfortunately, there will be no dedicated migration guide and only the possibility to start from scratch ☹️

⚠️ Attention‼️-> This guide is in the WIP (work in progress) state and hasn't been completely tested yet. Many steps may be incorrect. Pay special attention to the "Status: Not tested on RaMiX" tag at the beginning of the guides. Be careful and act behind your responsibility.

---

For Raspberry Pi lovers!❤️🍓

Enjoy it RaMiXer!! 💜

---

By ⚡2FakTor⚡ for the plebs with love ❤️🫂

@ a8119b5d:8936f4d9

I need to to tell you about some people.

There is this moment when you meet someone for the first time when you know it's different. Maybe it's a warm smile, the jovial shake of a hand or the way they instinctively and unceremoniously lean in for a kiss. The simplest way of making you feel suddenly like you are the most important person in the room.

The Master’s always wanted you to be the best you could be and they celebrated each greeting. Desperate and hungry to learn of all of your pursuits since you last met. To make you feel like you were missed and longed for and that your absence was absolute torture.

It started as any other lead. Client has bought an undervalued property and needs the curtain pulled back to expose the devil in the details.

Janie was punctual and just as happy to see me as a long lost cousin. There was a gravity about her, a tide that pulled at your feet, begging you to get swept up in fantasy and dream. As we poked and prodded at wallpaper and oddly placed walls and windows she spoke of France and Italy and Tuscany and how things were simply different.

There was a beautiful flippancy about Janie, in discussing a new roof line complete with dormers and a total rebuild, should would grab my arm and proclaim, “It’s simple Todd, we just pop the top, push this wall here, the stairs will go here, a wee window here so Mel can see the sunrise”

I, caught up in the dream, followed. Goldenly. Like chasing fireflies.

Mel always seemed to appear when discussions turned to money, yet Janie had this way of parlaying dollars into bottles of wine. Spoke of the investment and valuation….she would gather up all the papers, give me a wink and say “I’ll roast a chicken and everything will be fine”.

Janie knew Mel would never keep her from her dreams and Mel knew Janie’s dreams were exactly what they needed.

Richness has no relationship to prosperity, one day someone comes along and upsets your equations, makes you want to be a better person. It’s something that should be rewarded and celebrated and longed for.

We never discussed theology, it was an intoxication ill forayed, there was no time between dream.

Janie loved wisteria. What else but a beautiful alabaster promise, a hopefulness, as bewitching and intoxicating as wine, as love.

What they had was pure and innocent and rarified, we should all be as lucky. Godspeed.

— Shared by Todd Wallace

In August of 2023, Mel and Janie Master flew to Europe together for the last time. Their first stop was Paris to eat delicious food and empty bottles of their favorite wines. Then, they traveled on to Switzerland where they participated in an assisted dying program together on September 2nd.

Earlier in the year, Mel had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. A few months were spent discreetly looking for potential therapies, unbeknownst to the rest of the family, spare Janie. When it became clear the best options did not look great and would involve a long and tenuous fight with a low probability of survival, the couple made the decision to end their run in dignity.

This did not come as a surprise to the family. The two had been saying in high spirits for years that if one of them dropped dead to expect the other to not be far behind. Even when pressed on these comments in a more serious tone, they would express how they had been together so long that life without the other was unimaginable.

The couple met at the ages of twelve and thirteen and married six years later at nineteen and twenty. Ask Mel what made their 59 year marriage successful, and he would tell you that it was a perfect triad of patience, trust and his spouse being his best friend. Asking Janie would warrant a bit more nuanced response. She would tell you that no matter how much of yourself you give up to someone, to always keep your walled garden tended to inside. This is a place to retreat to in times not only of intense pain, but also exuberant joy—somewhere to recoup and be steady with yourself so as to avoid becoming over reliant on the outside world to determine who you are. A strong sense of self builds the foundation for a strong relationship, and a strong outlook on life.

While the announcement was not a surprise, it was surreal. Mel and Janie gave their family about a month’s notice to their plans. They were both still so full of life. Mel, while suffering from cancer, kept his usual demeanor through a combination of daily steroids and lack of chemotherapy. Janie on the other hand was in perfect health other than the expected age related decline of closing in on eighty years of life.

A few of Janie’s last words to me where that she was sorry to have to leave early, but that she has not been Jane Pringle—her maiden name—since she was 14 years old. Since then she had been Mel’s Janie, and he Janie’s Mel.

Mel and Janie Master were my maternal grandparents.

I have been reluctant to write about their passing here so as to avoid using a personal tragedy as a source of content. However when I read Todd’s above quoted post on Facebook, I felt I too had something to say about their lives.

What Mel and Janie Master left me with above all else was a memetic desire for love. Love of life, love of a true partner and love of self. Never wavering in the latter is what would assure success in the former two.

I went to visit the duo for a week before their passing. I stayed with my uncle nearby. In that short week, there were dozens of people who came through to say their goodbyes. As a member of the family there was a certain resentment I had a hard time shaking for not having more opportunities at 1:1 time with them. This resentment subsided over interactions with these others who’d come to visit, many of whom were also staying with us. I realized they had a similar feeling, having traveled from all over the world for a brief meal or an hour long rendezvous after having known them for what might have been longer than I have been alive.

Getting emotional in their presence was unacceptable. Any onsetting tears or the like was quickly nipped in the butt by a quick embrace and a comment of how excited they were for their next adventure. Life is long and they’d come to terms with their decision, even if the people around them hadn’t yet.

Working in the longevity space, when I will meet someone new I will often ask myself: ‘Does this person work in longevity because they love life, or are they afraid of death?’. Most people are in the latter camp, measuring life’s value in terms of length over quality.

I use this as a sort of vetting mechanism for people I want to build longer term relationships with because fear is a mind killer. A person acting out of fear will not make the same decisions in the face of a challenge as someone acting out of love. I don’t want to ally or work with people that are afraid. This is an oversimplified dichotomy, but I stand by it.

The Masters didn’t make decisions out of fear. I knew them as people who had the courage to take risks, coupled with a faith their risks were the right thing to do.

“Forgive us for leaving our own journey early - before the senility, pain and struggle become so painful that we become reliant on others to keep us alive in misery and pain.”

The thing I had the hardest time reconciling was how two people with such a love of life had so quickly embraced death without a battle. I am presenting only an early attempt to do so here. My sense is that it was an act of courage, not so much to spare themselves the battle of declining health as those around them.

Mel and Janie lived as much through others as they did in their own skin. As Todd hints at above, each reunion or phone call with the duo would have them rallying in exclamation when hearing about your pursuits, almost to a hyperbolic degree. Their love of life was impersonal. They sought fulfillment in life not only through their own pursuits, but in the totality of the human spirit.

I feel as though this is what made their decision somewhat easy on them. They left behind 3 children, 5 grandchildren, multiple living siblings, nieces, nephews and literally hundreds of friendships accumulated over a lifetime. All of these people would live on.

Mel expressed to me in one interaction that him and my grandmother had grown tired. Already they were starting to live more through others than they were themselves. The thing he noted as the biggest shame was not being able to see how our own journeys would go. And yet, for an unreligious man, he had some semblance of faith he would know anyways, as did my grandmother.

Part of the Whole
By Janie Master

I have not ceased to be because I died
As those who loved me thought and therefore cried.
I am no spirit, nor am I a soul
Yet now I am immortal! Part of the Whole!
The entire entity that once was one
Is now in plains, in forests, mountains, sea.
None of it lost, it is wholly there
In snow, ice, vapor, water earth and air.
Held as in a perfect state forever
Think of it as change, but dying, never!

I am the fog that you can feel at dawn
when you pull back curtains that have been drawn
And see the glory of the eastern sky
Where low on the morning bright clouds lie
In luminous colors of flame and rose.
They herald the sun long before it shows
Above the hills that encircle the dale
Which is lost in mist like a single veil.
I am the delight you can feel each day
That starts fine and bright with the sun’s first ray.

I am the beauty of a sunset sky.
I am the wild sound of a seabird’s cry
Above estuarine mud-flats, in the dawn.
I am bright dewdrops on an autumn lawn.
I am waves, breaking on sun warmed sand,
On cloud reflections in an off-tide strand,
On pale wisps of cirrus-cloud, drifting high,
On cool woodland under a summer sky.
For I have not ceased to be! I am still here!
I am all around you! So dry that tear!

A proposed revision of title: ‘Til death make us whole.

-Benjamin Anderson

Follow me on Twitter.

Nostr: benjamin@buildtall.com

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When I dropped out of school for biomedical engineering 5 years ago, I didn’t think I’d ever get a paper published in an academic journal. The desire for having a place to put ideas forward in a way they may be judged and improved is part of what prompted me to start this Substack.

That said, I recently submitted my first scientific article for peer review. Why did I take the time to do this? This is an expensive, time consuming and bureaucratic process. Generally speaking, I am for the decentralization of science movement. I think the barriers to entry for contributing to the domain of public knowledge should be more open but that we should still have mechanisms in place for rigorous assessment of ideas and information.

I undertook the process for the same reason I attended a Gordon Research Conference last May on my own dime. A GRC conference is a setting for scientists to come together and present pre-publication research to their peers. GRC manages multiple conferences per year, each centered around a very specific domain. When I caught wind of an inaugural gathering coming up for Systemic Processes, Omics Approaches and Biomarkers in Aging, a voice inside my head told me I had to go.

I ended up writing a few people in the space who I admired, including a few past guests we’d had on The Vance Crowe Podcast. I did not have the support of an institution to attend, meaning that if I was to go for the weeklong event, I’d have to pay my own way, totaling thousands of dollars after tickets and travel. I wanted to see if the people I looked up to would think it was worth the expense for someone in my position—an independent with interests in these ideas but not actively working in the space; financially comfortable, but not so well off it was an easy expense to swallow.

Of the 5 people I wrote, 3 told me to hang back, and 2 told me to jump on the opportunity.

The anecdote that you don't know what's right for you until someone else tells you what they think struck me here. This is the idea that once you hear someone else’s opinion, you suddenly realize what you truly want.

I wanted to go. I wanted to be there. I wanted to because I had spent the 4 years prior since dropping out continuing to allocate time and attention towards teaching myself the subjects I could not afford to in school.

I attended, and wrote about the experience in a previous post here.

The reason this relates to having recently submitted a paper to a journal is this: I had do it to see if I could, to keep moving forward.

At the conference, I left my bubble and learned I could hold conversations with the top researchers in my field of interest. I returned home after the event with a renewed sense of momentum that has stuck with me for the last year of continued time and investment into developing my ideas.

The publication I’ve put forward is the culmination of that effort. It is also the top of a new local optima. I’ve combed the landscape far and wide to craft my argument for a new path forward in the form of this literature review, but now I once again need to venture into a new type of unknown to continue making progress.

As a part of this effort, I will be presenting these ideas live at the Foresight Institute’s Longevity Frontiers Workshop in San Francisco on April 17 - 18, and in Montenegro at Zuzalu’s Longevity Industry Talks on May 13 - 14.

Below is an outline of these talks, starting with the

State of the art

I will be exploring the concept of bioelectricity and discussing its potential to significantly impact our current approaches to tackling aging. I feel strongly that this research has the potential to determine optimal strategies for efficient, precise, and translational rejuvination.

Before I do that though, I want to set the stage by talking about the state of the field on the industry side, and what domain is getting most of the attention currently.

In 2022, $5.2 billion dollars were invested into companies tackling longevity across 130 deals. Of that money invested, 49% went towards ventures pursuing an approach that involved cellular reprogramming in one way or another.1 For context, this is nearly five times the percentage allocated to the next highest domain of discovery platforms which revived 11% of funding. This is largely due to one major investment in a single company, but even so, Longevity.Technology's report explains:

While cellular reprogramming’s top spot is solely due to Altos Labs, it does warrant a separate mention. First of all, even without Altos Labs, cellular reprogramming would still be in the Top 10 over the last 5 years, and secondly, the fact that it is concentrated in one company does not diminish the impact on the field. Since the groundbreaking work by Takahashi and Yamanaka in 2006 which first demonstrated that age-related cellular changes can be reversed, the field of cellular reprogramming has gained a great deal of traction. The revolutionary possibilities that cellular reprogramming holds, if it can be mastered, would have immense impact on health span and even lifespan.

Key terminology here is ‘if it can be mastered’.

The potential benefits of achieving successful cellular reprogramming in vivo are clear. This process indicates it is possible to remove age related damage, rejuvenate aged cells, delay age related disease and extend healthy lifespan.

However, there are a handful of major hurdles yet to be overcome before translating these results to a full organism including:

• Risk of tumorigenicity
• Need to develop cell-specific delivery methods
• Limited understanding of underlying mechanisms
• Limited ability to control differentiation
• High cost and complexity of the procedure

Cellular reprogramming is really promising. There's good reason it captured nearly 50% of last year's capital invested into longevity companies. But, we have a long way to go before we see this research translate to whole organism rejuvenation therapies.

Thank you for reading Conscious Repository. Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Enter,

Bioelectricity: A new hope

So now that I've talked about where most of the field is paying attention to, I want to switch gears to highlight bioelectricity as it may be implicated in aging.

For the last 3 and a half years, I have filled the role of executive producer for The Vance Crowe Podcast. On our show, we interview people who spot patterns in business, culture and science that others don't—or at least haven't yet.

In November of 2021 at the height of my personal disillusionment with cellular reprogramming, I reached out to Dr. Michael Levin at Tufts University to talk about the work his lab was doing to uncover novel regenerative medicine therapies. Michael spoke with Vance about what he referred to as the bioelectric code, and how he believed this was the ideal information processing medium through which to achieve more effective whole organism intervention strategies.

Below is one of the most striking examples of this from Levin's lab. This is a planaria. Planaria are highly regenerative species and are also effectively immortal which makes them an interesting case study in the context of aging. The planaria pictured here is unique because as you can see, it has 2 heads.

Long-Term, Stochastic Editing of Regenerative Anatomy via Targeting Endogenous Bioelectric Gradients

This two-headed planaria was not created by altering its genome. Instead, its bioelectric state was manipulated after being cut in half. What's even more remarkable is that this two-headed characteristic persisted as the organisms continued to reproduce, showing that bioelectric interventions alone can have lasting effects on an organism's physical traits. I’ll talk more about how this was achieved below.

First, a

Bioelectricity primer

An important concept to understand regarding bioelectricity is membrane voltage. This is the electrical potential difference between a cell's internal cytoplasm and it's extracellular environment. Changes in membrane voltage are part of what causes neurons to fire and carry signals in the brain, however on slower time scales, all cells work similarly. A cell will have resting or ‘steady state’ membrane potential that when polarized or hyperpolarized to a given voltage from the transport of certain molecules, will cause other downstream transcriptional processes to occur.

Membrane voltage is implicated in a number of aging mechanisms, many of which I go into in great detail in my above mentioned paper. Here, I will focus on 2, starting with

Mitotic division

Mitotic division—or mitosis— is a process that occurs in eukaryotic organisms where two genetically identical daughter cells are formed from a single parent cell. This process is crucial for growth, development, and repair of tissues in multicellular organisms. Mitotic disfunction is a well established hallmark of aging.

In a series of groundbreaking studies in the late 1960s, Clerance Cone was able to induce a reversible mitotic block by altering the intracellular ionic concentration of cells, and also showed that sustained depolarization could induce DNA synthesis and mitosis in mature cells2. Since Cone's initial work, other researchers have expanded upon these findings, examining the role of specific ion channels and molecular mechanisms that regulate membrane voltage in various cell types. Although these initial studies were groundbreaking, they were limited by the available technology and methods at the time. Subsequent research has built upon Cone's findings using more advanced techniques.

The illustration below demonstrates the importance of special gate-like structures, called voltage-gated ion channels, in helping cells progress from one phase of their life cycle to another. These channels regulate the movement of charged particles such as potassium (K+), sodium (Na+), and calcium (Ca2+) in and out of the cell.

Figure 2

When the cell is preparing to move from the resting phase (G0/G1) to the DNA synthesis phase (S-phase), voltage-gated potassium channels open, allowing potassium ions to flow out of the cell. This movement of positive charges from inside to outside the cell restores the cell's electrical balance, a process called repolarization, which is essential for the cell to continue its life cycle.

When the cell enters the S-phase and gets ready for cell division, the electrical balance changes again. This is due to the opening of sodium and/or calcium channels, which allow these ions to flow into the cell. The influx of these ions causes a shift in the cell's electrical balance, known as depolarization, which is necessary for the cell to divide and create two new cells.

Once the cell division is complete, the electrical balance is reestablished through repolarization in the G0/G1 phases, and the cycle continues. The precise control of these voltage-gated ion channels ensures the cell progresses through its life cycle in an orderly and efficient manner.

As organisms age, the finely-tuned regulation of voltage-gated ion channels and the cell cycle becomes disrupted. Age-related changes in the cell leads to alterations in the balance and movement of ions across cell membranes. These changes impact the proper opening and closing of ion channels, resulting in an imbalance of the cell's electrical state.

Consequently, this affects the progression of the cell cycle, leading to a decline in the efficiency of cell division, DNA repair, and overall cell function. In some cases, these age-related dysfunctions contribute to the development of age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and certain cancers. Understanding the mechanisms behind these changes and developing potential interventions to counteract them is I think one key to promoting healthy aging and combating age-related diseases.

The second key is understanding bioelectricity as it pertains to

Epigenetic modifications

Epigenetic modifications are changes that occur within cells, which influence gene expression without altering the DNA sequence itself. These modifications act like molecular switches that can turn genes on or off, or fine-tune their activity levels. The most common types of epigenetic changes include DNA methylation, where molecules called methyl groups attach to DNA, and histone modifications, which involve chemical changes to proteins called histones that help package and organize DNA within the cell.

Below is a high level breakdown of how a tissue wide voltage gradient can lead to specific changes in gene expression in individual cells. Intercellular signaling mechanisms lead to second messenger cascades that regulate epigenetic modifications and cell behavior at the single cell level. These signals may be altered in aging cells, contributing to age-related changes in gene expression or other cellular processes.

Figure 3

Now with this context, we can return to the incredible

Case studies

The following figure delves deeper into the process of creating a two-headed planarian. In typical planarians, there is a gradient of membrane voltage along their body, with the head-forming region being the most positively charged and the tail-forming region the least positively charged. Researchers manipulated this gradient using two treatments: one involving SCH-mediated H,K-ATPase inhibition, which led to an increased negative charge, and another using ivermectin, which resulted in an increased positive charge. When the amputated regions were hyperpolarized, they developed into either a tail or a headless planarian. In contrast, when they were depolarized, they formed a head, ultimately leading to the two-headed planarian phenotype.

A chemical genetics approach reveals H,K-ATPase-mediated membrane voltage is required for planarian head regeneration

Another incredible example of bioelectric intervention from the Levin lab is that they've been able to achieve limb regeneration in post-metamorphic froglets where it does not normally occur. After only 24 hours of exposure, a small molecule cocktail designed to specifically alter the bioelectric state of an amputated area triggers growth of an entire limb.3

This example shows that a straightforward signal can set off a chain of events that lead to well-organized and properly scaled changes in the shape and structure of an organism. These changes are fine-tuned and adapted to the organism's needs and location within its body.

Exploiting such endogenous “top-down” controls may be a powerful strategy not only for regenerative medicine, but also

In the context of aging

I believe these control mechanisms have significant potential to enhance the effectiveness and precision of partial reprogramming and reveal entirely new approaches for rejuvenating whole organisms. Another advantage of researching these types of interventions is the ability to achieve whole organism results without requiring the knowledge to micromanage complex processes in specific cell types.

This field of research is no longer on the fringes. A few months ago, Levin and his colleague David Kaplan's lab spinoff, Morphoseuticals, raised $8 million to explore this work for improving amputation stump health, limb regeneration, organogenesis, and channelopathies4. Investors are willing to support these new therapeutic approaches, but there's still a long way to go in terms of funding to reach the level of attention this promising area deserves, especially concerning aging.

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So, who am I to share this information? I'm not incentivized by money or prestige; my focus is on what I believe to be the most effective approach to confront an inevitable challenge that affects us all.5

It’s time to build.6

-Benjamin Anderson

Follow me on Twitter.

Contact me sovereignly on—
Urbit: ~padlyn-sogrum
Nostr: benjamin@buildtall.com

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Podcast appearances since my last post:

• Shaun Newman Podcast: Archipelagos, Books and Dreams
• JackSquared Podcast: Art, Gall and Morali

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Image created using Midjourney

1

https://longevity.technology/news/global-longevity-investment-hit-5-2-billion-in-2022/

2

Cone CD Jr, Tongier M Jr. Control of somatic cell mitosis by simulated changes in the transmembrane potential level. Oncology. 1971;25:168-82.

3

McLaughlin KA, Levin M. Bioelectric signaling in regeneration: Mechanisms of ionic controls of growth and form. Dev Biol. 2018 Jan 15;433(2):177-189. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.08.032. Epub 2017 Dec 25. PMID: 29291972; PMCID: PMC5753428.

4

Read the press release.

5

More on this here.

6

Had to quote ‘im: Alex Trapp

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@ a8119b5d:8936f4d9

“Must we admit that, because a thing has never been done, it never can be, when our knowledge and judgment assures us it is entirely practical?”
- James Buchanan Eads

The Eads Bridge was one of the first major bridges to cross the Mississippi, and at the time of it’s completion in 1874, the longest arch bridge in the world. Owing to its construction, it is now the oldest bridge on the Mississippi as all the others that preceded it have collapsed over time.

Before it existed, crossing the river in the Saint Louis region was entirely reliant on steamboat services. Now, the everyday person could walk, ride their horse, or drive an early steam locomotive across the bridge.

The only problem?

Few people were brave enough to cross the bridge. The project was so unprecedented, the average person didn’t believe it was able to support the weight of the traffic that it would be anticipating. The fact it was designed by an engineer with no traditional accreditation did not help public opinion.

In a creative effort to prove the bridge was safe, an elephant was led across due to the popular superstition that elephants have a 6th sense for unstable ground. The animal was borrowed from a traveling circus and led across by John Robinson on June 14th, 1874. The elephant crossed from west to east without hesitation as crowds cheered the demonstration on from both sides of the river. A few weeks later, 300,000 people turned out for the Independence Day parade that coincided with the bridge’s opening day.

Photo from @gatewayarchstl

Longevity science would benefit from a similar display of audacity in order to validate to the public what insiders know: this is possible.

The most impactful thing the average person can do to extend their lifespan today would be changing how they exercise, eat and sleep for the better.

Despite this, the proof-of-concepts for radical longevity are out there. For many—including myself—cell reprogramming is the one with cause for most optimism.

Cell reprogramming is the process of taking a differentiated cell and tweaking it in such a way that it becomes a stem cell again. There are problems with this process we need to continue engineering solutions to—which I won’t go into here1—but I would still liken discovering the ability to reprogram cells to the discovery of splitting the atom. Once we saw that we could split the atom, it became obvious that we could engineer ways to continue exploiting this finding, making the process catalytic and developing the atom bomb. In the same vein, cell reprogramming has given us the mechanistic proof that we can rejuvenate a cell so as to make it biologically younger.

Thank you for reading Conscious Repository. Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

About a year ago, the Longevity Biotech Fellowship did a bottlenecks study polling 395 insiders for what the biggest holdups to progress in the space are.

The two results tied for top answer were a lack of validated aging biomarkers and an overall lack of funding. Neither of these answers struck me as particularly insightful or of encapsulating their underlying issues.

The more salient insights from this survey can be found in the breakdown of bottleneck answers by profession, as shown below.

Profession-specific bottlenecks

In the case of validated aging biomarkers, it becomes clear that this answer is a recurring mean across all profession’s answers more so than any one’s top choice of bottleneck. As an answer, it represents a lack of consensus rather than the biggest impediment to progress in the field.

Moving on to funding, everyone always thinks they need more money until they get it and still don’t achieve what they thought they would. In this case, it serves as the null hypothesis for entrepreneurs, principal investigators, and executives alike in asking themselves: ‘What do I need to be successful?’

Most people who are in a position to invest in rejuvenation science do not think that it is possible—and rightfully so. The longevity space is ripe with misinformation propagated by enthusiasts on the periphery or at worst, insiders who justify creating undue interest in the hope it will pull more funding and attention into their work or the space as a whole. For over 100 years, this has drug down the ecosystem because it takes more energy to clean up bullshit than it does to create bullshit.

The Old Age Rejuvenator Centrifuge of 1935

Despite what leaders in the field would go on Rogan and tell you, we are not just a year or two away from a drug that will extend everyone’s lifespans. There is much work to be done. As important as overcoming the technical challenges required to make rejuvenation science a reality, is reclaiming public trust in the endeavor.

Back to the bottlenecks study, the professions whose answers I was most interested in were from the first 3 categories shown on the above chart: Academic Researcher’s, Biotech Researcher’s and Data Scientist/Software Engineer’s.

Here we see the top answers from the people doing most of the work and they are still shared across the remaining professions: a lack of regulatory paths and top/skilled talent in the space.

The closest thing to an elephant walk moment I’ve seen of late directly addresses the problem of a lack of regulatory paths for aging drugs or therapies.

Loyal, a company developing longevity supplements for dogs, received approval from the FDA on the technical effectiveness portion of their conditional approval application for their first drug, LOY-001. This is the first time that the FDA has formally recognized that a drug can be developed and approved to extend lifespan.

Celine Halioua, the founder of Loyal, wrote in a blog post about how unprecedented this approval was:

As there was no established regulatory path for a lifespan extension drug, we had to design from scratch a scientifically strong and logistically feasible way to demonstrate efficacy of an aging drug. This process took more than four years, resulting in the 2,300+ page technical section now approved by the FDA. It included interventional studies of LOY-001 in an FDA-accepted model of canine aging and an observational (no-drug) study of 451 dogs.

For Loyal, creating the regulatory path for a lifespan drug has always been part of their plan.

Our product strategy has always been centered on earning FDA approval. While more challenging, time intensive, and expensive, I believe achieving FDA approval is critical to demonstrating the scientific legitimacy of lifespan extension drugs.

Most people know that the FDA has a rigorous system for ensuring that pharmaceutical products are safe and effective for humans. The same is true for veterinary medications — the drugs your vet prescribes to your dog, like the Rimadyl my senior Rottweiler takes for her arthritis, have been tested extensively and are regularly monitored by the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine.

I’m bullish on what was achieved here because it aligns with what I mention above, that the upstream bottleneck in the longevity ecosystem is not funding as the study suggests, it is a lack of trust in the fact that what we’re working on here is possible. More trust will lead to more funding. It will also lead to more skilled talent, career paths for new entrants, and in addressing many of the other issues mentioned in the study.

It is a slow game to play. As Celine points out, it took Loyal 4 years just to reach this point. But maybe it does not have to be. That is the point of the elephant walk.

In Saint Louis where I’m based, I have to bite my tongue on longevity around the broader biotech ecosystem. The fact I’m unaccredited and the way I’m doing things already subtracts from my budget of weirdness points, so it would only create unnecessary skepticism in others’ minds to add to it I’m researching something most people find impossible.

This isn’t unique to our conservative midwestern culture. Despite the fact I am in favor of decentralizing innovation from the coasts, their openness for crazy and out of the box ideas is one of the biggest things these cities have going for them. It’s part of the culture to meet a stranger at a cafe, and not think twice when they tell you they’re building lightsabers or glow in the dark houseplants.

I’ve been doing a lot of moving around lately to learn wet lab techniques,2 and talk to scientists all over the world on a weekly basis. In doing this I’ve seen how others looking for answers to the same questions I am have to play this same game of obfuscating their core focus. Why?—To play to the public’s or their supervisor’s or their funder’s pallet for supporting work in this space.

It is a shame, because the obfuscation not only drains our energy but also our time. It’s led me to ponder the extent of silent complacency within our ranks—how many of us, constrained by our immediate circumstances, are subtly working towards grander ambitions yet find ourselves tethered to just a fragment of the issue at hand.

What we could achieve if we all walked together, I wonder.

Be in touch.

-Benjamin Anderson

Follow me on Twitter.

1

Because I already did here and here.

2

Hello from NY where I am currently doing a 2 week stint with Ichor Life Sciences. By the time this is published I’ll be in Toronto to see a friend running YouthBio, a company focused on partial cell reprograming.

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I’m honored to have the opportunity to speak with the highly regarded and much beloved Lisbon legend Oscar Liss. Oscar has brought joy to so many children and adults alike. He even helped one person find spiritual salvation, something about which we ask him below. So please enjoy this far-ranging conversation about the meaning life and the nature of consciousness itself.

Q: Oscar, thanks so much for making the time. For the few people that don’t know you, do you mind stating your full name and date of birth?

A: My name is Oscar Liss, though officially it’s Oscar Quinta da Bicherada, the prison complex where I was born. I am a long-haired mini dachshund. I have many aliases, including Osk, Oskie, The Skeeze, Skeezeley, Skeezeley-ski, The Guy, The Guy Behind The Guy, “The Opportunist” (which I don’t like), the…

Q That’s more than sufficient, Oscar, thank you. And date of birth?

A: July 7, 2020.

Q Talk a little bit about your childhood and how you came to live in Lisbon.

A: I was in the prison complex, mostly caged for the first few months. Then I was sold to dog traffickers in Lisbon.

Q: That must have been traumatic.

A: Not really. I quickly developed Stockholm Syndrome. Whenever I see my traffickers now, I feel nothing but overwhelming joy.

Q: Wow. A lot of us can learn from that attitude. Let’s fast forward a bit to your present-day life. In what does it consist?

A: Sleep on the sofa, go for walks, fetch vegetable sticks. Sometimes go for hikes or get sent to dog camp (which is okay, but I’m always the smallest.)

Q: I meant to ask you about your size. I hope it’s not a sensitive subject.

A: I’m six inches tall, more than a foot long, weigh almost 10 pounds.

Q: Are you self-conscious about being a small dog?

A: No, but the traffickers are self-conscious on my behalf. They’re always like, “Who’s the apex predator? Who’s an apex!" Or “you’re such a big strong dog.” It’s absurd. I am fine with who I am.

Q: What’s the source of your self-confidence, I’m sure many of our readers could take a lesson from you.

A: I’m not ambitious. I’m perfectly happy to be a dog.

Q: That’s so profound. Does it not concern you some have described you as “all bark, no bite?”

A: I had a friend once who bit a few people, and they executed him. People mock, but they have no idea the stakes.

Q: Human privilege?

A: Yes. Dogs don’t get due process. There is no justice for a dog.

Q: Do you think there’s species discrimination?

A: Have you ever been rejected from a restaurant and made to wait in the car while everyone else gets in?

Q: How does that make you feel?

A: Bad. I’ve been to many dog-friendly restaurants, never had a problem, aside for that one time I urinated on the coffee shop floor.

Q: Humans often purport to know what a dog is going through, some even create social media accounts for them. What do you think of that?

A: A person of human ancestry can’t possibly know the lived experience of a dog.

Q: You mentioned vegetable sticks. Are you a vegetarian?

A: No. I have never understood the appeal of it. I just like to chew the sticks. (Sometimes I eat apples or bell peppers, but it takes work when you don’t have molars. A lot of “crunch, crunch, crunch” with my jaw.)

Q: What’s behind the alias “The Opportunist” which you said you don’t like.

A: Whenever one of the traffickers opens the refrigerator, I tend to show up in in short order.

Q: I see how that could be insulting. How would you describe your current vocation?

A: I was named “Calorie Acquisition Specialist” recently, but I also work in security.

Q: Security?

A: I make sure to let everyone know when someone’s at the front door.

Q: What goes through your mind in those cases? Are you scared?

A: Not really. Imagine if you were fast asleep and the voice of God at volume 11 screamed into your mind: “WHO THE FUCK IS AT THE DOOR!!!!!!!!!”

Q: Speaking of God, can you tell us about the time you helped a woman on the street connect with Him?

A: We were walking back from Parque Eduardo VII (by the way, Portuguese is my native language), and a woman with two regular size dachshunds, saw me, started shrieking and proclaimed, “your dog is so beautiful he proves the existence of God!”

Q: Wow. It really hit home for her. Let’s talk about your work. How do you stay in character so consistently? How do you maintain your role as a dog?

A: I was incarnated in a dog body and therefore have dog consciousness. Everything I do is a reflection of that basic fact.

Q: Some serious method acting!

A: You could call it that. I am fully immersed in the role.

Q: A lot of humans speak about past lives, can even recall them under hypnosis. Do you think you will be ever reincarnated as a dog, stuck in an infinite dog-loop, so to speak, or will you one day jump into a human body?

A: I don’t know. I focus on the present.

Q: Oscar, it’s been such a pleasure to talk with you. I really appreciate your making the time.

(buzzer sounds)

A: WHO THE FUCK IS AT THE DOOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@ 378943b3:9815e145

Martin Stelzer is a real estate investor, childhood friend of Jack's, and fellow member of the men's group "Parium." In this episode, Jack and Martin discuss becoming a real estate investor, house hacking, becoming involved in new business ventures, preparing for the unexpected, the benefit of fraternities, sobriety, and what the men's group "Parium" means to them.

0:00 - Intro
3:03 - Aspirations in real estate
5:20 - House hacking
6:37 - Preparing for the unexpected
10:05 - Residential vs commercial real estate investing
20:59 - Taking out loans to invest in property
25:27 - What happens after you get a loan
34:41 - How much should you charge for rent?
40:26 - Buying his first property during covid
49:42 - Martin and Jack's friendship growing up
55:09 - Forming bonds with people
57:07 - The rituals of fraternities
58:28 - How a lawyer helped their fraternity
1:00:52 - Religion and traditional living
1:07:00 - Developing confidence in college
1:09:20 - Drinking and sobriety
1:16:42 - What is Parium?

Want help with your podcast?
DM me on Instagram! -  https://www.instagram.com/jack.millikan/

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@ badc29af:a92bd071

Maya stood at the window of her quantum-powered apartment, gazing at the holographic display showing the Bitcoin network's status. The date was January 15, 2140 – a day cryptocurrency historians had theorized about for over a century. Today, the very last Bitcoin would be mined.

She smiled, remembering the stories her great-grandmother had told her about the early days of Bitcoin, back in the 2020s. How different things were now. The network had evolved far beyond what Satoshi Nakamoto could have imagined, yet its core principles remained unchanged: decentralization, security, and financial sovereignty.

Her wrist-mounted neural interface pinged. The Node Operators' Guild was calling an emergency meeting. As one of the million-plus node operators worldwide, Maya's role was crucial in maintaining the network's decentralization. She quickly joined the virtual gathering, her consciousness merging with those of countless others in the shared digital space.

"The final block reward approaches," announced Zara, the elected spokesperson for the Guild. "Our nodes have verified the network's integrity for over a century, and today, we witness history."

Maya's thoughts drifted to the Miners' Collective – those dedicated individuals and organizations who had kept the network secure through computational power. These days, mining operations were powered by fusion reactors and quantum processors, a far cry from the ASIC miners of the past. Yet the fundamental process remained the same: proof-of-work securing the network, one block at a time.

The holographic display suddenly pulsed with activity. Block 6,929,999 had just been confirmed. The next block would be the last to generate new Bitcoin. After that, transaction fees alone would incentivize the miners.

Maya watched as her node received and verified the pending transactions. The decentralized network hummed with activity – millions of nodes, spread across Earth and the lunar colonies, each maintaining a copy of the blockchain, each verifying every transaction independently. This was true decentralization, immune to manipulation by any single entity.

"Incoming block!" someone announced in the shared space. Maya's neural interface lit up as her node began verifying the final block. Around the world, millions of other nodes did the same, maintaining the consensus that had kept Bitcoin secure for 131 years.

Block 6,930,000 was confirmed. The last 0.00000001 BTC had been mined. Cheers erupted across the neural network as node operators and miners celebrated this historic moment. The holographic displays worldwide showed the updated supply: 21 million Bitcoin, exactly as Satoshi had designed.

Maya sent a quick neural message to her great-granddaughter, who was studying cryptocurrency history at the Mars University. "We just witnessed the end of an era and the beginning of another. Bitcoin's emission is complete, but its journey continues. The network is stronger than ever, supported by millions of nodes and miners who believe in a decentralized future."

As she looked out at the cityscape, where physical and digital reality seamlessly merged, Maya felt proud to be part of this historic moment. Bitcoin had survived and thrived through wars, market crashes, technological revolutions, and countless attempts to control or destroy it. The dream of truly decentralized money had become reality, secured by the collective effort of nodes and miners across the solar system.

The network continued its rhythmic pulse, processing transactions, block after block, just as it had since that first block in 2009. The future was decentralized, and it was beautiful.Maya stood at the window of her quantum-powered apartment, gazing at the holographic display showing the Bitcoin network's status. The date was January 15, 2140 – a day cryptocurrency historians had theorized about for over a century. Today, the very last Bitcoin would be mined.

She smiled, remembering the stories her great-grandmother had told her about the early days of Bitcoin, back in the 2020s. How different things were now. The network had evolved far beyond what Satoshi Nakamoto could have imagined, yet its core principles remained unchanged: decentralization, security, and financial sovereignty. Her wrist-mounted neural interface pinged. The Node Operators' Guild was calling an emergency meeting. As one of the million-plus node operators worldwide, Maya's role was crucial in maintaining the network's decentralization. She quickly joined the virtual gathering, her consciousness merging with those of countless others in the shared digital space.

"The final block reward approaches," announced Zara, the elected spokesperson for the Guild. "Our nodes have verified the network's integrity for over a century, and today, we witness history."

Maya's thoughts drifted to the Miners' Collective – those dedicated individuals and organizations who had kept the network secure through computational power. These days, mining operations were powered by fusion reactors and quantum processors, a far cry from the ASIC miners of the past. Yet the fundamental process remained the same: proof-of-work securing the network, one block at a time.

The holographic display suddenly pulsed with activity. Block 6,929,999 had just been confirmed. The next block would be the last to generate new Bitcoin. After that, transaction fees alone would incentivize the miners.

Maya watched as her node received and verified the pending transactions. The decentralized network hummed with activity – millions of nodes, spread across Earth and the lunar colonies, each maintaining a copy of the blockchain, each verifying every transaction independently. This was true decentralization, immune to manipulation by any single entity. "Incoming block!" someone announced in the shared space. Maya's neural interface lit up as her node began verifying the final block. Around the world, millions of other nodes did the same, maintaining the consensus that had kept Bitcoin secure for 131 years.

Block 6,930,000 was confirmed. The last 0.00000001 BTC had been mined. Cheers erupted across the neural network as node operators and miners celebrated this historic moment. The holographic displays worldwide showed the updated supply: 21 million Bitcoin, exactly as Satoshi had designed.

Maya sent a quick neural message to her great-granddaughter, who was studying cryptocurrency history at the Mars University. "We just witnessed the end of an era and the beginning of another. Bitcoin's emission is complete, but its journey continues. The network is stronger than ever, supported by millions of nodes and miners who believe in a decentralized future."

As she looked out at the cityscape, where physical and digital reality seamlessly merged, Maya felt proud to be part of this historic moment. Bitcoin had survived and thrived through wars, market crashes, technological revolutions, and countless attempts to control or destroy it. The dream of truly decentralized money had become reality, secured by the collective effort of nodes and miners across the solar system.

The network continued its rhythmic pulse, processing transactions, block after block, just as it had since that first block in 2009. The future was decentralized, and it was beautiful.

@ 79998141:0f8f1901

Happy new year, Anon.

Thanks for tuning in to whatever this long form post will be. I hope to make these more regular, like journal entries as we travel through "real life" and the Nostrverse together. If I'm making time for this reflective writing, then things are going as planned.

2024 was a wildly transformative year for me for many reasons... there's no way I can possibly fit all of them here. They're not all related to Bitcoin and Nostr- I've got a beautiful life outside of all that which has its own independent arc. My wife and I celebrated 7 years of marriage together, stronger than ever (don't believe that "itch" bullshit). We let go of some negative relationships and embraced some positive ones. We cut some bad habits, and we made some good habits. We worked, we traveled, we saw family, and we partied.

But damn, these two technologies have become a huge part of my life. God willing, this trend will continue until they've both eclipsed my professional capacity through our startup, Conduit BTC.

This was the year I was truly orange pilled. Until late 2023, I had traded (quite profitably) Bitcoin, "crypto", stocks, options, prediction markets and whatever else I could get my hands on that felt undervalued. I did this all in my spare time, grinding out a little financial freedom while I hustled at my fiat ventures to support my little family. I wasn't a true believer- just an opportunist with a knack for spotting where and when a crowd might flock to next. That was right up until I ran face first into Lyn Alden's book "Broken Money".

Something about Lyn's engineer/macro-finance inspired prose clicked with me, lock and key. Total one way function. By the end of the book my laser eyes had burned a hole in my bedroom ceiling. I was all in- and acted accordingly both with my capital and my attention. It wasn't long before I discovered Nostr and dove in here too, falling deep into my current orange and purple polyamorous love affair.

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles."

Despite the passion, through studying Bitcoin's criticisms (from the likes of Mike Green and Nassim Taleb) I found a hole in the utopian plot: none of this works without Bitcoin actually being used as money. Worldwide transactions must skyrocket demand for blockspace to keep the network secure/stable for the long term. Besides, if everyday folks aren't using Bitcoin as money then we haven't done shit to make the world a better place. In that world, we've only replaced old masters with new ones. Fuck that.

Whatever I did in this space needed to increase the usage of Bitcoin as money. Simple. This was bigger than passion, this was purpose. I knew that come hell or high water I would dedicate myself to this mission.

Lucky for me I found a partner and best friend in @aceaspades to go on this adventure with. I'm infinitely grateful for him. He's an incredible man who also happens to be an insanely creative and talented software developer. We'd tried for years to find the right project to focus on together, experimenting with all kinds of new techy ideas as they came across our field. Nothing had ever captured our attention like this. This was different. By March of 2024 we had formed a company and gotten to work iterating on how we could leverage these beautiful protocols and open-source tech to create something that served our mission. This is @ConduitBTC.

I've done well in my fiat career executing plans downstream of someone else's creative vision. I've learned the ins and outs of an established ecosystem and found ways to profit from it. I take plans developed by others, compete to win contracts to build them, and execute on them in a cashflow-positive way. I'm bringing this no bullshit blue collar skillset with me to the Nostrverse whether they like it or not.

The adventure we're embarking on now is totally different though. We're charting a new course - totally creative, highly intuitive and extremely speculative towards a future that doesn't exist yet. There are few established norms. The potential is vast but unknown. We're diving into a strange quest to sell a map to an imaginary place and to simultaneously architect its creation (alongside all the amazing builders here doing the same thing). This is insanely exciting to me.

We're barely getting started but a lot has been invested under the surface which will show itself in 2025. We'll be sharing updates in a proper post on @ConduitBTC soon.

As for my personal 2025 resolutions, here they are: - zero alcohol for the entire year (did this in 2019 and had a great year, it's time for a rerun) - more focused presence in the moment: especially with my wife - more self care and prioritized mental/physical health - this includes daily: naps, prayer, self hypnosis or meditation, sweat, and stretching/massaging (overworked in 2024 with a fiat 9-5, a board/advisor role in a fiat business I have equity in, and my newfound passion here. Two serious burn out episodes experienced this year - zero is the only acceptable number of burnouts for long term health and success.) - related to the above: get Conduit some mission-aligned funding partners and leave my fiat 9-5. Grow the Conduit team (have put in a serious amount of my personal capital already to get this going, which will show fruit in the new year... but I am not an island) - more authentic and thoughtful posts on Nostr, with a solid amount of shitposting and organic home grown memes to balance it out... more zaps, more geniune connections and interactions with the curious forward thinking people on here - more IRL Nostr/Bitcoin events - more laughter, more jokes

Enough for now. Cheers to you and yours Anon, may 2025 bring you the magic you've been dreaming of.

@ 044da344:073a8a0e

„Ich freue mich, dass wir in Zeiten von Amazon Books on demand leben“, schreibt Ulf Poschardt im letzten Satz seines Vorvorworts. Wahrscheinlich hat er da schon geahnt, dass es ihn in den Charts der Woche, die der Digitalbuchladen neuerdings produziert, ganz weit nach oben spülen würde. Platz eins für „Shitbürgertum“ – für einen Generalangriff auf die Kollegen „im Kultur- und Medienbereich, in Kirchen und NGOs, im vorpolitischen Raum und in den Parteien“, die, so sieht das der Herausgeber von drei großen Axel-Springer-Marken, „Alltag und Leben der Anderen“ so fest im Griff haben wie eine „Disziplinarmacht im foucaultschen Sinne“ (S. 6). Das muss man erstmal sacken lassen. Poschardt, bis Ende 2024 Chefredakteur der Welt-Gruppe und dann im Konzern noch weiter nach oben gerutscht, schreibt ein „kleines Büchlein“, verliert dabei den Verlag und seufzt, dass er damit zwar „nicht ausgeschlossen“ sei aus dem „Diskursuniversum“, aber „doch an den Rand gedrängt“ (S. 7). Tränendrüse, Taschentuch und ein Trostpflaster von Jeff Bezos.

Im Amazoniversum meinen es die Rezensenten gut mit Ulf Poschardt. Endlich sagt es mal einer. Hin und wieder wird der Stil beklagt (abgehoben, akademisch), aber das tut der Freude kaum Abbruch. Die Kettensäge hat es nun auch nach Deutschland geschafft. Poschardt feiert Javier Milei und Elon Musk als „Avantgarde des Westens“ (S. 12), sieht sich selbst zumindest rhetorisch als eine Art Wiedergänger von Donald Trump (S. 7) und sagt, dass Giorgia Meloni „mehr Antifa verkörpert als alle Moralapologeten hierzulande“ (S. 34). Damit ist der Ton gesetzt. Provokation. Es geht um die, die sich für die „Guten und Anständigen“ halten und dabei, darauf läuft Poschardts Analyse hinaus, den Blick in die eigenen Abgründe und die der deutschen Geschichte genauso verstellen wie die Konfrontation mit einem „schwachen Ich“ (S. 14). Wenn man so will: ein Stück Volkspsychologie, unterfüttert mit Heinrich Manns Untertan sowie mit den Lebenslügen von Walter Jens und Günter Grass („die intellektuellen Leuchttürme“ einer Gesellschaft, „für die die Denazifizierung eine Lüge“ war, S. 27) und milieugerecht garniert mit dem Verdacht, dass die Shitbürger den „Moralismus“ bräuchten, „um die ökonomischen Niederlagen ihrer Biographien mit einem ethischen Mehrwert zu versehen“ (S. 127).

Kann sein, klar. Ferndiagnosen sind schon im Einzelfall schwierig und erst recht bei größeren Gruppen, aber Ulf Poschardt kennt seine Pappenheimer. Er weiß, dass der öffentliche Dienst wächst, und sieht, wie eine Flut an Steuergeldern aus Kulturszene und Unis „Super-Agenten der Unfreiheit“ gemacht hat (S. 65). Garniert wird das mit Darwin (die Mutigen sind schon vor langer Zeit nach Amerika geflohen und haben so „die genetische Disposition zum Wettbewerb und zur Eigenverantwortung“ geschwächt, S. 106) und dem typischen West-Wehklagen über das Ende der Bonner Republik. Diese Merkel, nun ja. Für einen Friedrich-Kittler-Schüler bleibt das auch dann ziemlich dünn, wenn ein Schuss Generationsmythos in den Analyse-Cocktail kommt (Stichwort: der Hedonismus der Boomer) und der schon angedeutete „Postmaterialismus der Nichtrichtigwohlhabenden“ (S. 126).

Wer Friedrich Kittler nicht kennt, den Doktorvater von Ulf Poschardt: Bei diesem Medientheoretiker beginnt alles mit der Technik. Erst die „Aufschreibesysteme“, dann wir in all unseren Irrungen und Verwirrungen. Kittler würde sagen: ohne die Digitalplattformen kein Shitbürgertum. Wenn die Kommunikationskanäle Moral verlangen und klare Kante, dann bekommen wir Moral und Spaltung. Weiß man eigentlich auch bei Axel Springer. Dort sollte man auch all das kennen, was seit den 1990ern mit Schulen und Universitäten gemacht wurde, keineswegs nur in Deutschland. Pisa, Bologna. Der Druck in Richtung Hochschule, der die Handwerksberufe ausdünnt und das akademische Niveau auch dann gesenkt hätte, wenn es nicht den Zwang geben würde, alle Veranstaltungen zu benoten und sich folglich irgendwelche Prüfungen auszudenken, die jedes Ausscheren aus der Spur bestrafen. Und damit habe ich noch kein Wort gesagt über die Suppenküche, aus der vieles von dem kommt, was Ulf Poschardt anprangert – „der neue, autoritäre Glaube an die Sprache“ zum Beispiel, der zu Angst und Säuberungen führt (S. 119), oder die „Trias der Unterdrückung und Umerziehung aus Migrations-, Klima- und Corona-Politik“ (S. 151).

Genug vom „Shitbürgertum“. Eigentlich wollte ich heute über Axel Klopprogge schreiben, einen Manager im Unruhestand, der wie Ulf Poschardt von links kommt und sich ebenfalls an den vielen kleinen Diskurspolizisten reibt, aber weder seinen Marx vergessen hat noch die Menschen, um die es eigentlich geht. „Links oder rechts oder was?“ heißt Klopprogges neues Buch, schon sein drittes jenseits der alten Verlagswelt und vielleicht auch deshalb ästhetisch deutlich ansprechender als das von Poschardt. Aber das nur nebenbei. Axel Klopprogge kommt aus einem SPD-Milieu in Mönchengladbach, hat als Schüler den Sticker „Willy wählen“ getragen und sich das Studium als Briefträger verdient. Eine andere Welt. Er erzählt darüber in dem langen Gespräch, das wir über seine Bücher geführt haben. Schnaps und Trinkgeld für den Jungen von der Post. Die Gendersprache, sagt er, ist auch ein Verrat an all den Menschen, die sich ihm damals anvertraut haben und mit denen er heute diskutiert, wenn er zu Fuß oder mit dem Rad Land und Leute erkundet.

In Klopprogges Texten geht es auch um das „Shitbürgertum“, das bei ihm allerdings Priester- oder Pharisäerschicht heißt – eine Bewegung, die nichts besser kann, aber alles besser weiß und hier zwar auch über ein Schuldkonstrukt gesteuert wird, aber ganz anders als bei Ulf Poschardt, für den die deutsche Geschichte auf den Nationalsozialismus hinausläuft, das Davor genauso wie das Danach. Axel Klopprogge sagt: Die Moralisierung funktioniert nur, weil sie sich auf Anliegen bezieht, die längst Allgemeingut sind. Wo sind die, die ernsthaft gegen die Gleichheit der Geschlechter sind, gegen sexuelle Vielfalt oder gegen Umweltschutz? Der Zeigefinger – Nazi! Sexist! Rassist! Antisemit! Rechtsextremist! – kann seine Wucht nur entfalten, weil niemand in einer dieser Ecken stehen will. Folge 1: Es passiert nie genug. Folge 2: ein Generalverdacht. Wir bekommen weder das mit der Nachtabsenkung alleine hin noch das Händewaschen nach dem Toilettengang. Und Folge 3: Missionare, die sich in Verwaltungen, Redaktionen und Unternehmen eingenistet haben und über Verordnungen und Bewertungssysteme zum einen dafür sorgen, dass alle anderen permanent auf Trab gehalten werden, und sich zum anderen selbst die Jobs sichern.

Wobei: So doll ist das meist alles gar nicht. „Eine biedere urbane Mittelschicht mit dürftiger Bildung“ und „mit risikolosen administrativen Tätigkeiten im öffentlichen Sektor“ (S. 87), oft befristet, längst nicht immer Vollzeit und gefangen in einer Endloskette aus Misstrauen und Kontrolle. Axel Klopprogge glaubt an den Menschen und an unsere Fähigkeit, etwas zu schaffen, was es so noch nirgendwo gab. Das Paradies, sagt er in unserem Gespräch, muss ein schrecklicher Ort gewesen sein. Alles perfekt und nichts mehr zu tun. Der Mensch ist von dort nicht vertrieben worden, sondern geflohen. Klopprogge wehrt sich ganz folgerichtig gegen ein betreutes Leben, in dem schon die Sprache die Spielräume einschränkt und der Rest über Multiple-Choice-Klausuren und Verbotsschilder geregelt wird.

„Links oder rechts oder was?“: Bei Ulf Poschardt scheint die Antwort klar. Keine Zugeständnisse mehr an das „kulturell dominante Links-/Grün-Bürgertum“ (S. 7). „Macht kaputt, was euch kaputt macht“, steht hinten auf dem Buch. „Zu weit rechts abgebogen“, fragt Der Spiegel eher rhetorisch in einem langen Porträt, bei dem schon das Titelfoto alles sagt. Tiefergelegt in einer Tiefgarage, aber bitte nicht ohne Sonnenbrille. Axel Klopprogge dagegen mag nicht lassen von seiner Herkunft. Er hat als Linker Karriere gemacht in der Welt der Konzerne und dort die Ambivalenz des Handelns kennen- und schätzengelernt. Verantwortung übernehmen in dem Wissen, dass sich längst nicht alles kontrollieren lässt. Die Pionierrolle von Unternehmern. Arbeit, die an einen Ort und an eine Zeit gebunden ist, auf die Widrigkeiten der Materie trifft und tatsächlich etwas bewirkt in der Welt. Seine Texte leben von Beobachtungen des Alltags und werden getragen vom Respekt vor denen, die das Land am Laufen halten. Klopprogge will nicht zerstören, sondern die Linke ermuntern, zu ihren Wurzeln zurückzugehen und dabei Arbeit und Freiheit zu vermählen. Selbst das Shitbürgertum mag er nicht verdammen. Gute Absichten, immerhin, auch wenn sie gerade in eine Dystopie zu führen scheinen. Wo Ulf Poschardt an die Kettensäge glaubt, sagt Axel Klopprogge ganz schlicht: Der Mensch ist nicht berechenbar ist und kann schon morgen alles über den Haufen werfen, was er bis heute tut.

Freie Akademie für Medien & Journalismus

Unterstützen

@ 378943b3:9815e145

Need help with your podcast? Book a call - https://calendar.app.google/tL4vhsdwNoGmaKzg6

Have a great idea for a podcast but don’t know where to start? Do you run a business and want to give people a deeper insight into who you are and what you do? Let us take the stress out of the process! We specialize in recording, editing, and uploading podcasts. All you have to do is show up and talk, we take care of the rest.

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0:00 - Intro (Early life)
2:13 - Developing self-awareness
3:44 - College and past jobs
5:56 - My first podcast
7:14 - How I started the business
9:06 - Growing the business
10:59 - Building a community
12:59 - Why podcasts are important
13:39 - What does NobleLore do?

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@ a8119b5d:8936f4d9

Vance Crowe is communications expert running Legacy Interviews, a company dedicated to capturing individual’s life histories so that future generations can know their family history. He has a master’s degree in negotiations and has been named as a fellow with the US Center for Peace and Conflict studies. Vance is an internationally recognized speaker who regularly teaches about communications, conflict negotiations and strategy development. Previously, he held positions at The World Bank and served as Director of Millennial Engagement for Monsanto.

In the recent history of my life, there is no one person who has had a greater impact on my development as an individual than Vance.

During Covid, we started working together on The Vance Crowe Podcast, with me acting as executive producer. From there, we did some consulting projects for institutions such as regional banks and executive networking organizations. Finally, in 2022, we started Legacy Interviews together. Vance has since bought me out. We talk about this among other things in the interview.

What is in this conversation for you?

If you only listen to a portion of this conversation, listen to the following:

1. Better understand how your leaders are making decisions. ~9:45
   Vance has had a presence in some of the world's most influential circles, and our discussion explores the underlying dynamics that drive the actions of leaders and bureaucrats alike.
2. Learn to negotiate so that everyone can win. ~52:45
   Vance is a student of interest-based negotiations, a system that challenges the conventional wisdom that ‘a good negotiation is one where both sides leave slightly disappointed’. In an interest-based negotiation, the intent is to reach an outcome where both sides feel great.

I hope you enjoy. Please leave feedback or start a discussion in the comments section of this post.

---

This podcast was recorded in the Legacy Interviews studio. To support this endeavor, book a remote or in-person interview to capture your loved one’s story. Once you have it, it immediately becomes an heirloom, your family’s most valued treasure.

##

-Benjamin Anderson

Follow me on Twitter.

Nostr: benjamin@buildtall.com

link to the original content

@ a8119b5d:8936f4d9

As I’ve mentioned in many past posts, I produce a show called ‘The Vance Crowe Podcast’ where we interview guests who spot patterns in business, culture and science that others don’t—or haven’t yet.

We look for people that are ‘up-the-graph’ in that the things they are building, the groups they are leading, and the ideas they are exploring are upstream of where society is headed as a whole.

In our most recent episode, my friend and business partner Vance sat down to highlight some things that he thinks are worth paying attention to in 2023 based on the conversations we’ve hosted in 2022.

He talks podcasts to get valuable ideas and information from, novel tools that are being worked on like nostr and ChatGPT, and finally about the people in our gravity well who have made the biggest difference towards the things that we are producing.

At around the 10 minute mark, Vance also talks about how I’ve personally been using the podcast to build relationships that have been critical for me in jumping past accreditation barriers in the scientific world since I choose not to go to college but am still passionate about doing work in this space.

We encourage others to do the same. Use our show as a conversation opener to build the relationship that will change your life. Send one of our guests who made an impact on you an email or a direct message saying why you appreciated something they said, and it will always be a warm introduction. If you’re really hesitant to reaching out directly, then you can always send Vance or myself a note asking for a personal introduction. We are not trying to bombard our past guests with these introductions, but we have done this quite a few times in the past and the results have always been more positive than we’ve expected.

A large portion of the ideas that I share, the events that I explore and the people that I reference on this newsletter are a direct result of working on this podcast, and so I thought it would be pertinent to amplify this episode we recently put out here. I hope that you take 30 minutes—or 15 on 2x speed—to check it out, and consider what you’re paying attention to in 2023. After all:

attention is your bandwidth for changing the universe

—

Listen to the Audio

Watch on YouTube

---

Substacks I’m paying attention to

Aside from the items and individuals mentioned in the episode, and in spirit of my own write-ups here on Substack, here is a list of other publications like this one that I recommend checking out:

• by
• by
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Research I’m paying attention to

I’ll be having some of my first research publications coming down the pipeline this year. I’m pretty excited by this since it was at one point something I never thought I’d have the opportunity to accomplish once I made the decision to pivot out of university. I will share updates on those as they come out. I am currently in the *very fun* stage of learning about the peer review process.

In the meantime, I’ve kept notes on some of the directions I’m exploring here, and below are some of the individuals heading labs whose work I’m following very closely:

• Michael Levin | “Theory and applications of understanding diverse intelligence in evolved, designed, and hybrid complex systems.”
• Andrew Adamatzky | “Computer science, applied mathematics, artificial intelligence, unconventional computing, nature-inspired computing, physics of computation, automata theory, cellular automata.”
• Oded Rechavi | “Challenging basic dogmas regarding inheritance and evolution, using simple powerful genetic model organisms.”
• Albert-László Barabási | “How networks emerge, what they look like, and how they evolve; and how networks impact on understanding of complex systems.”

3/4 of the above have been guests on the VCP.

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Legacy Interviews

Aside from the podcast, Vance and I work together on something called Legacy Interviews. These are privately recorded conversations that capture a person’s stories, values and wisdom in a format designed to last 1000+ years. If you have ever wanted to support what I do here or the podcast and haven’t been sure how, this is a great way to do so. Since moving into our new studio and adding leather bound transcripts to our service, we’ve really caught a stride in what we’re doing here.

It is deeply important to me because it is a way to help people come to terms with time.

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For the next few weeks, I’ll be paying attention to beauty in Europe.

Be intentional with your attention.

-Benjamin Anderson

Follow me on Twitter.

Contact me sovereignly on—
Urbit: ~padlyn-sogrum
Nostr: npub16sq23d0f0algnztk65gmsa9fj6p90anap2reucwlk94zxge7ve3s5pscjz

link to the original content

@ dd664d5e:5633d319

The paparazzi are we

One of the things that bothers me about social media, in general, is that it gives celebrities an air of approachability, that they don't actually offer.

Theoretically, a celebrity could respond to any one of the dozens or even hundreds of people asking them questions or lodging complaints or singing their praises, but they usually only respond very selectively and leave everyone else just sitting there, as a living monument to the ReplyGuy.

And, as a wise man once said, ReplyGuy is a hoe.

Death of a ReplyGuy

This is usually because of time and energy restrictions, but also due to distaste, disdain, or indifference. Regardless of motivation, it is simply the nature of things, when a larger number of people are clamboring for the attention of some particular person.

Ooh, ooh! Can I have the next question?! Would you please address my bug? May I have a microsecond of your time?

Social media (and I include GitHub in this category) ups this game considerably, and potentially turns it all into a dangerous psychological torture, by making us all preoccupied with people who don't interact with us. The most irrational of groupies because we are forever making almost-contact with our stars.

If we can see them talking to one person, we're supposed to feel like they've spoken with all of us. But they haven't. They spoke with someone else, and we were allowed to watch. No different than on television, except that we might be disappointed and eager to return the next day, to renew our futile attempt.

The same intoxicating feeling that playing the lottery elicits. Everyone is a potential winner, but there is only one jackpot. Come back next week. Buy another ticket. This next time, is your time. Promise.

The view from the peanut gallery

It is all an illusion that there is no hierarchy, where there clearly is one. Celebrities of the past had, at least, the decency to remain slightly aloof. But they all want to be one of the Common Folk, now, just as every multi-millionaire aspires to see himself as fundamentally working-class.

All of celebrity social media is a stage, and most of us are merely spectators or commentators, to what is playing on it. This is why, if someone treats me like someone sitting in the peanut gallery, my instinct is to treat them like an actor.

Because, in reality, that is what they are.

@ 378943b3:9815e145

Izayah Hudnut is one of my closest friends, an entrepreneur, and the swaggiest tech nerd you've ever seen. We discuss how he is getting his private pilot's license, what makes St. Louis great and what can make it even better, and the trials and tribulations we are going through in running our own businesses. 

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
4:09 - What did football teach you?
5:59 - What hangar are we recording in?
8:32 - How do you pursue courage?
11:37 - How did Izayah start his business?
23:22 - Izayah's family background
25:13 - What is Parium?
29:19 - The biggest problem with St. Louis is the marketing
32:23 - People come to St. Louis to see what they can give
35:05 - How do you choose your friends?
37:53 - Is it harder to date now?
41:52 - Are online communities sufficient
46:18 - What more can we do for St. Louis?
53:00 - Thoughts on religion
58:55 - How people mess up business
1:01:51 - What are you doing to find the right person
1:07:11 - Izayah is getting his Pilot's license
1:16:27 - What is the most important thing young people should be paying attention to?

Want to automate your business for peak efficiency?: https://www.dor15.com/ 

Want help with your podcast?
DM me on Instagram! - https://www.instagram.com/jack.millikan/

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@ 127d3bf5:466f416f

In the complex geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, particularly in Gaza, Bitcoin has emerged as an unexpected but vital tool for survival and resistance. Bitcoin's role in Gaza intertwines with broader themes of economic sanctions, geopolitical strategy, and the funding dynamics of conflict, specifically highlighting the relationship with racist Zionist policy and the genocidal ethnostate of Israel.

Bitcoin as a Financial Lifeline

Gaza's economy is severely constrained by a blockade that has been in place since 2007, drastically limiting traditional financial transactions. The banking infrastructure in Gaza is in ruins, with frequent Israeli military operations damaging or destroying physical bank branches and ATMs. In this context, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have become crucial:

Anonymity and Accessibility: Bitcoin transactions bypass traditional banking systems, offering a way to send and receive funds without the oversight of embargoed financial pathways. This anonymity helps in circumventing restrictions imposed by the blockade. Humanitarian Aid: With conventional aid routes often disrupted, Bitcoin has been used for direct aid transfers. Charities and individuals can send funds directly to wallets in Gaza, where they can then be converted to local currency or used to purchase essentials through the black market or informal trade networks. Economic Empowerment: For Gazans, Bitcoin represents not just aid but also a potential for economic empowerment, providing a means to engage in global trade or investment where traditional banks fail.

Zionism, Israel, and the US Military-Industrial Complex

The relationship between Zionism, Israel, and its economic and military support from the US can be viewed through the lens of geopolitical strategy and economic policy:

Economic Support: The US has provided Israel with massive military aid as part of a broader strategy to maintain influence and conflict in the Middle East which serves to fuel its war machine and weapons manufacturers through lucrative contracts. This aid, which includes billions of dollars annually directly results in the mass murder of innocents and sustains ongoing IDF military oppression including the occupation and blockade of Gaza.

Cheap Printed Dollars: The US's ability to print dollars with relatively low inflation due to its global reserve currency status allows it to fund military endeavors and support allies like Israel with seemingly endless financial resources. This perpetuates conflict by subsidizing military actions without the immediate economic repercussions felt by other nations.

Military-Industrial Complex: The continuous military aid to Israel also benefits the US military-industrial complex. Sales of weapons, surveillance technology, and other defense products to Israel create a cycle where conflict can be economically beneficial for certain sectors of the US economy.

Conclusion

Bitcoin in Gaza represents a beacon of hope. It underscores the ingenuity of individuals and groups finding new ways to navigate around severe economic restrictions. Meanwhile, the economic and military ties between the US and Israel, driven by cheap printed dollars, reflect deeper geopolitical strategies that perpetuate the cycle of conflict and economic dependency. In this scenario, Bitcoin emerges not just as a currency but as a symbol of both resistance and the complexities of modern warfare and peace in a digital age.

@ a8119b5d:8936f4d9

Aydin Gokce is an engineer working at Saronic, a defense technology company. I found Aydin from a post he published online outlining ‘how to culture neurons in your kitchen for under $2000’. I later learned this was in relation to a project he is working on by the name of ‘rat computer’. The goal is to use rat neurons as a computing substrate alternative to silicon. More on this in the interview.

Aydin is one of the most impressive young people I’ve ever met. He is agential, high integrity and cares as much about how he does things as what he is doing. For these reasons, I jumped at the opportunity to record a conversation with him when he took me up on an offer to come visit Saint Louis.

Listening to this conversation is an opportunity to observe the nascent ideas of someone who could one day be as influential as history's most notable innovators.

I hope you enjoy.

---

This podcast was recorded in the Legacy Interviews studio. To support this endeavor, book a remote or in-person interview to capture your loved one’s story. Once you have it, it immediately becomes an heirloom, your family’s most valued treasure.

##

-Benjamin Anderson

Follow me on X.

Nostr: benjamin@buildtall.com

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@ 43baaf0c:d193e34c

BangPOP (Bangkok Pop Art) and ThaiPOP are my Pop Art brands dedicated to capturing the essence of Thailand. While BangPOP is my primary focus, especially as I prepare for my exhibition in December 2025, my art goes beyond Bangkok to celebrate the entirety of Thailand.

Thailand is far more than its capital, and my experiences exploring the country extensively during my years with @TravelTelly, my travel, film, and photography company, have deeply inspired me. Through my art, I aim to reflect the rich culture, beauty, and diversity that make Thailand so amazing. Why do I draw about Thailand?

Drawing, for me, is a way to explore life, connect with cultures, and express the deep respect I hold for them. In a world often dominated by negativity, I choose to highlight the positive aspects of culture and life. It’s not about ignoring challenges but about bringing hope, joy, and inspiration through my art. Bright colors are a signature of my work, reflecting the core values: Love, Peace, and Joy.

If you look closely, you may notice subtle hints of deeper stories woven into my pieces. These details are there for those who take the time to discover them, but my focus remains on keeping my art uplifting and joyful.

@ 37305b10:4676ca73

This* is a test long form article publish via Nostr Article Publish in Obsidian. Testing the publishing of the Feature Image

@ c8841c9d:ae8048e2

What is a cryptocurrency ?

Blockchain #Cryptocurrency #Cryptomindmap

A cryptocurrency is a digital currency secured by cryptography.

Cryptocurrency operates on a blockchain network as a distributed ledger, secured by cryptography.

Users own the private and public keys.

For the first time in the digital age, the double spending issue is resolved thanks to the blockchain consensus mechanism. This ensures decentralization and security, creating a trustless environment where transactions are immutable once confirmed.

Cryptocurrency can be categorized in different groups

Bitcoin is the first ever created cryptocurrency on the bitcoin blockchain.

Altcoins is a generic term regrouping every crypto except Bitcoin. There are over a million of ever created Altcoins and more than 20,000 currently active. They can be:

• Coin from a programable blockchain such as Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), or Sui (SUI) for example. Ecosystem of applications are built on top of these blockchain networks.
• Token of Decentralized Application (DApp) built on programmable blockchain such as ChainLink (LINK) or Aave (AAVE) on Ethereum.
• Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency, typically inspired by internet memes or popular culture, with little or no intrinsic value but cultural and community support. Memecoins such as Dogecoin (DOGE) or Shiba (SHIB) are some of the strongest community in crypto. The price of memecoins is also the most volatile of the entire crypto ecosystem.

A coin is the native cryptocurrency of a blockchain, used for validator rewards and transaction fees. A token, on the other hand, is built on top of an existing blockchain for specific applications.

They are two mains ways to use with cryptocurrencies.

With a wallets for direct blockchain interactions, which contains the keys to necessary for true ownership of the cryptocurrencies, similar to owning cash or any other tangible form of money.

On a centralized exchanges which act as on/off ramps for buying, selling, and keeping crypto. The exchange is in the charge of the private key. It is the equivalent of having money on a bank account.

Remember the saying "Not Your Keys, Not Your Crypto". If you don't control your private keys, you don't truly own your crypto.\ \ Users initiate transactions, send, receive and hold cryptocurrency and their wallet.

Validators ensure blockchain integrity by verifying transactions and building blocks, earning crypto in return.

Developers work on the network infrastructure and the ecosystem, including DApps. While general programming languages can be used, languages specifically designed for blockchain development, like Solidity for Ethereum, have emerged to facilitate crypto development..

Thanks for reading! 🌟 Share in comments your thoughts on cryptocurrency and what topic you would like to be mapped next! #Crypto

@ 7f29628d:e160cccc

Der gut informierte Bürger denkt bei der Pandemie sofort an Intensivstationen, an die Bilder aus Bergamo und erinnert sich an die Berichterstattung damals – also muss es wohl ein Maximum gewesen sein. Manche Skeptiker behaupten jedoch das Gegenteil. Klarheit sollte ein Blick nach Wiesbaden, zum Statistischen Bundesamt, schaffen. Schließlich sitzen dort gut bezahlte Profis, die seit vielen Jahrzehnten die Sterbestatistik pflegen und veröffentlichen. Jeder Todesfall wird in Deutschland über die Standesämter exakt erfasst.

Doch die Überraschung: Das Statistische Bundesamt liefert uns auf diese einfache Frage zwei extrem unterschiedliche Antworten – ein Minimum und ein Maximum. Das Ergebnis hängt davon ab, wie tief man in die Veröffentlichungen des Bundesamtes eintaucht. Betrachtet man nur die Webseiten und Pressemitteilungen, erhält man den Eindruck eines Maximums. Schaut man jedoch etwas tiefer in die Tabellen und Rohdaten, zeigt sich plötzlich ein Minimum. Aber wie kann das sein? Beides gleichzeitig geht ja wohl kaum. Wer lügt hier – die Tabellen des Amtes oder die Pressemitteilungen? Gehen wir dieser Frage Schritt für Schritt auf den Grund.

2020: Ein historisches Maximum?

Schauen wir uns die vielen Hundert Veröffentlichungen des Statistischen Bundesamtes aus dieser Zeit an. Oder wir kürzen ab und fragen ChatGPT, da die KI auf diesen Daten trainiert wurde und das gesamte Material kennt. Die Frage an ChatGPT lautet also: Wie war das Sterbegeschehen im Jahr 2020 im Vergleich zu den Vorjahren?

ChatGPT antwortet: »Im Jahr 2020 war die Sterblichkeit in Deutschland höher als in den Jahren zuvor. Es gab eine Übersterblichkeit von etwa 982.000 Todesfällen, das sind rund 46.000 mehr als der Durchschnitt der Vorjahre (2016 bis 2019). Dieser Anstieg wurde überwiegend im Zusammenhang mit der COVID-19-Pandemie gesehen. Während die Sterbezahlen in den Vorjahren schwankten, war ein solch signifikanter Anstieg wie 2020 bisher nicht zu beobachten.«

Wir fragen konkreter: Ist es ein Fakt, dass wir eine so ernste Lage im Sterbegeschehen wie im Frühjahr 2020 noch nie erlebt haben?

ChatGPT bestätigt: »Ja, die COVID-19-Pandemie führte im Frühjahr 2020 zu einer außergewöhnlichen Situation im Sterbegeschehen in Deutschland. Die dramatische Übersterblichkeit, die ab der 13. Kalenderwoche auftrat, veranlasste das Statistische Bundesamt, besonders eindringliche Warnungen zu veröffentlichen. Der damalige Vizepräsident des Amtes und andere führende Stimmen wiesen öffentlich darauf hin, dass die Todesfallzahlen stark vom Durchschnitt abwichen. Diese klare Warnung richtete sich an die Öffentlichkeit und die Politik gleichermaßen. Die Medien berichteten intensiv über diese Warnungen, was das Bewusstsein für die Schwere der Pandemie erheblich schärfte. In den vergangenen Jahrzehnten hatte es keine vergleichbare Übersterblichkeit gegeben, die eine solch umfangreiche Kommunikation durch das Statistische Bundesamt erforderlich gemacht hätte.«

Ein gut informierter Zeitungsleser wird sich an dieser Stelle bestätigt fühlen: Ja, so war es damals. Ein Maximum im Sterbegeschehen – wegen der Pandemie. Oder etwa nicht?

2020: Ein historisches Minimum?

Tauchen wir in die Rohdaten des Statistischen Bundesamtes ein. Die Tabellen, die das Amt seit Jahrzehnten verlässlich veröffentlicht, nennen sich Sterbetafeln. Diese werden jährlich bereitgestellt und stehen auf der Website des Bundesamtes zum Download bereit. Ein erster Blick in die Sterbetafeln mag den Laien abschrecken, doch mit einer kurzen Erklärung wird alles verständlich. Wir gehen schrittweise vor.

Nehmen wir die Sterbetafel des Jahres 2017. Sie enthält zwei große Tabellen – eine für Männer und eine für Frauen. Jede Zeile der Tabelle steht für einen Jahrgang, zum Beispiel zeigt die Zeile 79 die Daten der 79-jährigen Männer. Besonders wichtig ist nun die zweite Spalte, in der der Wert 0,05 eingetragen ist. Das bedeutet, dass 5 Prozent der 79-jährigen Männer im Jahr 2017 verstorben sind. Das ist die wichtige Kennzahl. Wenn wir diesen exakten Wert, den man auch als Sterberate bezeichnet, nun in ein Säulendiagramm eintragen, erhalten wir eine leicht verständliche visuelle Darstellung (Grafik 1).

Es ist wichtig zu betonen, dass dieser Wert weder ein Schätzwert noch eine Modellrechnung oder Prognose ist, sondern ein exakter Messwert, basierend auf einer zuverlässigen Zählung. Sterberaten (für die Fachleute auch Sterbewahrscheinlichkeiten qx) sind seit Johann Peter Süßmilch (1707–1767) der Goldstandard der Sterbestatistik. Jeder Aktuar wird das bestätigen. Fügen wir nun die Sterberaten der 79-jährigen Männer aus den Jahren davor und danach hinzu, um das Gesamtbild zu sehen (Grafik 2). Und nun die entscheidende Frage: Zeigt das Jahr 2020 ein Maximum oder ein Minimum?

Ein kritischer Leser könnte vermuten, dass die 79-jährigen Männer eine Ausnahme darstellen und andere Jahrgänge im Jahr 2020 ein Maximum zeigen würden. Doch das trifft nicht zu. Kein einziger Jahrgang verzeichnete im Jahr 2020 ein Maximum. Im Gegenteil: Auch die 1-Jährigen, 2-Jährigen, 3-Jährigen, 9-Jährigen, 10-Jährigen, 15-Jährigen, 18-Jährigen und viele weitere männliche Jahrgänge hatten ihr Minimum im Jahr 2020. Dasselbe gilt bei den Frauen. Insgesamt hatten 31 Jahrgänge ihr Minimum im Jahr 2020. Wenn wir schließlich alle Jahrgänge in einer einzigen Grafik zusammenfassen, ergibt sich ein klares Bild: Das Minimum im Sterbegeschehen lag im Jahr 2020 (Grafik 3).

Ein kritischer Leser könnte nun wiederum vermuten, dass es innerhalb des Jahres 2020 möglicherweise starke Ausschläge nach oben bei einzelnen Jahrgängen gegeben haben könnte, die später durch Ausschläge nach unten ausgeglichen wurden – und dass diese Schwankungen in der jährlichen Übersicht nicht sichtbar sind. Doch auch das trifft nicht zu. Ein Blick auf die wöchentlichen Sterberaten zeigt, dass die ersten acht Monate der Pandemie keine nennenswerten Auffälligkeiten aufweisen. Es bleibt dabei: Die Rohdaten des Statistischen Bundesamtes bestätigen zweifelsfrei, dass die ersten acht Monate der Pandemie das historische Minimum im Sterbegeschehen darstellen. (Für die Fachleute sei angemerkt, dass im gleichen Zeitraum die Lebenserwartung die historischen Höchststände erreicht hatte – Grafik 4.)

So konstruierte das Amt aus einem Minimum ein Maximum:

Zur Erinnerung: Die Rohdaten des Statistischen Bundesamtes, die in den jährlichen Sterbetafeln zweifelsfrei dokumentiert sind, zeigen für das Jahr 2020 eindeutig ein Minimum im Sterbegeschehen. Aus diesen »in Stein gemeißelten« Zahlen ein Maximum zu »konstruieren«, ohne die Rohdaten selbst zu verändern, scheint auf den ersten Blick eine unlösbare Aufgabe. Jeder Student würde an einer solchen Herausforderung scheitern. Doch das Statistische Bundesamt hat einen kreativen Weg gefunden - ein Meisterstück gezielter Manipulation. In fünf Schritten zeigt sich, wie diese Täuschung der Öffentlichkeit umgesetzt wurde:

(1) Ignorieren der Sterberaten: Die präzisen, objektiven und leicht verständlichen Sterberaten aus den eigenen Sterbetafeln wurden konsequent ignoriert und verschwiegen. Diese Daten widersprachen dem gewünschten Narrativ und wurden daher gezielt ausgeklammert.

(2) Fokus auf absolute Todeszahlen: Die Aufmerksamkeit wurde stattdessen auf die absolute Zahl der Todesfälle gelenkt. Diese wirkt allein durch ihre schiere Größe dramatisch und emotionalisiert die Diskussion. Ein entscheidender Faktor wurde dabei ignoriert: Die absolute Zahl der Todesfälle steigt aufgrund der demografischen Entwicklung jedes Jahr an. Viele Menschen verstehen diesen Zusammenhang nicht und verbinden die steigenden Zahlen fälschlicherweise mit der vermeintlichen Pandemie.

(3) Einführung der Übersterblichkeit als neue Kennzahl: Erst ab Beginn der „Pandemie“ wurde die Kennzahl "Übersterblichkeit" eingeführt – und dies mit einer fragwürdigen Methode, die systematisch überhöhte Werte lieferte. Diese Kennzahl wurde regelmäßig, oft monatlich oder sogar wöchentlich, berechnet und diente als ständige Grundlage für alarmierende Schlagzeilen.

(4) Intensive Öffentlichkeitsarbeit: Durch eine breit angelegte Kampagne wurden die manipulativen Kennzahlen gezielt in den Fokus gerückt. Pressemitteilungen, Podcasts und öffentliche Auftritte konzentrierten sich fast ausschließlich auf die absoluten Todeszahlen und die Übersterblichkeit. Ziel war es, den Eindruck einer dramatischen Situation in der Öffentlichkeit zu verstärken.

(5) Bekämpfen kritischer Stimmen: Kritiker, die die Schwächen und manipulativen Aspekte dieser Methoden aufdeckten, wurden systematisch diskreditiert. Ihre Glaubwürdigkeit und Kompetenz wurden öffentlich infrage gestellt, um das sorgsam konstruierte Narrativ zu schützen.

Ohne diesen begleitenden Statistik-Betrug wäre das gesamte Pandemie-Theater meiner Meinung nach nicht möglich gewesen. Wer aus einem faktischen Minimum ein scheinbares Maximum "erschafft", handelt betrügerisch. Die Folgen dieses Betruges sind gravierend. Denken wir an die Angst, die in der Bevölkerung geschürt wurde – die Angst, bald sterben zu müssen. Denken wir an Masken, Abstandsregeln, isolierte ältere Menschen, Kinderimpfungen und all die Maßnahmen, die unter anderem auf diese falsche Statistik zurückgehen.

Wollen wir Bürger uns das gefallen lassen?

Wenn wir als Bürger zulassen, dass ein derart offensichtlicher und nachprüfbarer Täuschungsversuch ohne Konsequenzen bleibt, dann gefährdet das nicht nur die Integrität unserer Institutionen – es untergräbt das Fundament unserer Gesellschaft. In der DDR feierte man öffentlich Planerfüllung und Übererfüllung, während die Regale leer blieben. Damals wusste jeder: Statistik war ein Propagandainstrument. Niemand traute den Zahlen, die das Staatsfernsehen verkündete.

Während der Pandemie war es anders. Die Menschen vertrauten den Mitteilungen des Statistischen Bundesamtes und des RKI – blind. Die Enthüllungen durch den "RKI-Leak" haben gezeigt, dass auch das Robert-Koch-Institut nicht der Wissenschaft, sondern den Weisungen des Gesundheitsministers und militärischen Vorgaben folgte. Warum sollte es beim Statistischen Bundesamt anders gewesen sein? Diese Behörde ist dem Innenministerium unterstellt und somit ebenfalls weisungsgebunden.

Die Beweise für Täuschung liegen offen zutage. Es braucht keinen Whistleblower, keine geheimen Enthüllungen: Die Rohdaten des Statistischen Bundesamtes sprechen für sich. Sie sind öffentlich einsehbar – klar und unmissverständlich. Die Daten, die Tabellen, die Veröffentlichungen des Amtes selbst – sie sind die Anklageschrift. Sie zeigen, was wirklich war. Nicht mehr und nicht weniger.

Und wir? Was tun wir? Schweigen wir? Oder fordern wir endlich ein, was unser Recht ist? Wir Bürger dürfen das nicht hinnehmen. Es ist Zeit, unsere Behörden zur Rechenschaft zu ziehen. Diese Institutionen arbeiten nicht für sich – sie arbeiten für uns. Wir finanzieren sie, und wir haben das Recht, Transparenz und Verantwortung einzufordern. Manipulationen wie diese müssen aufgearbeitet werden und dürfen nie wieder geschehen. Die Strukturen, die solche Fehlentwicklungen in unseren Behörden ermöglicht haben, müssen offengelegt werden. Denn eine Demokratie lebt von Vertrauen – und Vertrauen muss verdient werden. Jeden Tag aufs Neue.

.

.

MARCEL BARZ, Jahrgang 1975, war Offizier der Bundeswehr und studierte Wirtschafts- und Organisationswissenschaften sowie Wirtschaftsinformatik. Er war Gründer und Geschäftsführer einer Softwarefirma, die sich auf Datenanalyse und Softwareentwicklung spezialisiert hatte. Im August 2021 veröffentlichte Barz den Videovortrag »Die Pandemie in den Rohdaten«, der über eine Million Aufrufe erzielte. Seitdem macht er als "Erbsenzähler" auf Widersprüche in amtlichen Statistiken aufmerksam.

@ dc4cd086:cee77c06

Have you ever wanted to learn from lengthy educational videos but found it challenging to navigate through hours of content? Our new tool addresses this problem by transforming long-form video lectures into easily digestible, searchable content.

Key Features:

Video Processing:

• Automatically downloads YouTube videos, transcripts, and chapter information
• Splits transcripts into sections based on video chapters

Content Summarization:

• Utilizes language models to transform spoken content into clear, readable text
• Formats output in AsciiDoc for improved readability and navigation
• Highlights key terms and concepts with [[term]] notation for potential cross-referencing

Diagram Extraction:

• Analyzes video entropy to identify static diagram/slide sections
• Provides a user-friendly GUI for manual selection of relevant time ranges
• Allows users to pick representative frames from selected ranges

Going Forward:

Currently undergoing a rewrite to improve organization and functionality, but you are welcome to try the current version, though it might not work on every machine. Will support multiple open and closed language models for user choice Free and open-source, allowing for personal customization and integration with various knowledge bases. Just because we might not have it on our official Alexandria knowledge base, you are still welcome to use it on you own personal or community knowledge bases! We want to help find connections between ideas that exist across relays, allowing individuals and groups to mix and match knowledge bases between each other, allowing for any degree of openness you care.

While designed with #Alexandria users in mind, it's available for anyone to use and adapt to their own learning needs.

Screenshots

Frame Selection

This is a screenshot of the frame selection interface. You'll see a signal that represents frame entropy over time. The vertical lines indicate the start and end of a chapter. Within these chapters you can select the frames by clicking and dragging the mouse over the desired range where you think diagram is in that chapter. At the bottom is an option that tells the program to select a specific number of frames from that selection.

Diagram Extraction

This is a screenshot of the diagram extraction interface. For every selection you've made, there will be a set of frames that you can choose from. You can select and deselect as many frames as you'd like to save.

Links

• repo: https://github.com/limina1/video_article_converter
• Nostr Apps 101: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flxa_jkErqE

Output

And now, we have a demonstration of the final result of this tool, with some quick cleaning up. The video we will be using this tool on is titled Nostr Apps 101 by nostr:npub1nxy4qpqnld6kmpphjykvx2lqwvxmuxluddwjamm4nc29ds3elyzsm5avr7 during Nostrasia. The following thread is an analog to the modular articles we are constructing for Alexandria, and I hope it conveys the functionality we want to create in the knowledge space. Note, this tool is the first step! You could use a different prompt that is most appropriate for the specific context of the transcript you are working with, but you can also manually clean up any discrepancies that don't portray the video accurately. You can now view the article on #Alexandria https://next-alexandria.gitcitadel.eu/publication?d=nostr-apps-101

Initially published as chained kind 1's nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzp5r5hd579v2sszvvzfel677c8dxgxm3skl773sujlsuft64c44ncqy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyv9kh2uewd9hj7qgwwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkctcpzemhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumt0wd68ytnsw43z7qghwaehxw309aex2mrp0yhxummnw3ezucnpdejz7qgewaehxw309aex2mrp0yh8xmn0wf6zuum0vd5kzmp0qqsxunmjy20mvlq37vnrcshkf6sdrtkfjtjz3anuetmcuv8jswhezgc7hglpn

Or view on Coracle https://coracle.social /nevent1qqsxunmjy20mvlq37vnrcshkf6sdrtkfjtjz3anuetmcuv8jswhezgcppemhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mp0qgsdqa9md83tz5yqnrqjw07hhkpmfjpkuv9hlh5v8yhu8z274w9dv7qnnq0s3

@ 127d3bf5:466f416f

I can see why someone would think that buying some other crypto is a reasonable idea for "diversification" or even just for a bit of fun gambling, but it is not.

There are many reasons you should stick to Bitcoin only, and these have been proven correct every cycle. I've outlined these before but will cut and paste below as a summary.

The number one reason, is healthy ethical practice:

• The whole point of Bitcoin is to escape the trappings and flaws of traditional systems. Currency trading and speculative investing is a Tradfi concept, and you will end up back where you started. Sooner or later this becomes obvious to everyone. Bitcoin is the healthy and ethical choice for yourself and everyone else.

But...even if you want to be greedy, hold your horses:

• There is significant risk in wallets, defi, and cefi exchanges. Many have lost all their funds in these through hacks and services getting banned or going bankrupt.
• You get killed in exchange fees even when buying low and selling high. This is effectively a transaction tax which is often hidden (sometimes they don't show the fee, just mark up the exchange rate). Also true on defi exchanges.
• You are up against traders and founders with insider knowledge and much more sophisticated prediction models that will fleece you eventually. You cannot time the market better than they can, and it is their full-time to job to beat you and suck as much liquidity out of you as they can. House always wins.
• Every crypto trade is a taxable event, so you will be taxed on all gains anyway in most countries. So not only are the traders fleecing you, the govt is too.
• It ruins your quality of life constantly checking prices and stressing about making the wrong trade.

The best option, by far, is to slowly DCA into Bitcoin and take this off exchanges into your own custody. In the long run this strategy works out better financially, ethically, and from a quality-of-life perspective. Saving, not trading.

I've been here since 2014 and can personally attest to this.

@ 378943b3:9815e145

Vance Crowe is the former Director of Millennial Engagement at Monsanto. He currently is the founder and owner of "Legacy Interviews", a service that captures individuals' life stories to pass down to their future generations and gives him a glimpse into the evolution of culture that few have the opportunity to observe.

0:00 - Intro
2:51 - Who is Vance Crowe?
6:55 - Describing your internal dialogue
11:20 - What does the "Garden of Eden" mean?
13:08 - How do you prepare your children for evil?
20:38 - How Vance's relationship with his wife started
24:30  -What accelerated Islam?
26:30 - What is so valuable about stories?
29:11 - How to get good at telling stories
36:15 - What was the controversy with Monsanto?
41:56 - Round-up isn't as bad as people think?
49:09 - Mobs are the most dangerous force to exist
53:01 - Why do people misunderstand Monsanto?
57:32 - Thoughts on RFK
1:03:15 - Bitcoin is the most important technology in our lifetime
1:11:18 - Your attention is more valuable than your time
1:15:18 - Why are companies using DEI?
1:32:00 - What should young people know?

Want help with your podcast?
DM me on Instagram! - https://www.instagram.com/jack.millikan/

link to the original content

@ a8119b5d:8936f4d9

Danielle Strachman and Harry Ghandi are investors at 1517, a venture capital fund dedicated to backing dropouts working on hard problems and sci-fi scientists at the earliest stage of their companies. I am proud to be partnered with 1517 for my biotech company, AION.

Danielle co-founded the Thiel Fellowship. After running it for a few years, she and her co-founder Michael Gibson realized that if each grant they awarded had been a seed investment in the fellowship recipients’ startups, they would have effectively been one of the top-performing venture funds in the world. Driven by that insight, they went on to launch 1517.

Harry Gandhi is a former Thiel Fellow who co-founded a company pioneering next-generation bio-sensors and electronics for personal health monitoring. Drawing on that experience, he now serves as a venture partner at 1517, where he invests in and mentors emerging founders on their entrepreneurial journeys.

In our conversation, we talk about the archetype of Thiel Fellows and 1517 founders, the dynamics of fundraising, building successful deep tech start-ups and much more.

I hope you enjoy.

---

This podcast was recorded in the Legacy Interviews studio. To support this endeavor, book a remote or in-person interview to capture your loved one’s story. Once you have it, it immediately becomes an heirloom, your family’s most valued treasure.

This podcast was recorded by NobleLore. NobleLore is a company that makes podcasting easy. You show up and talk, they take care of the rest.

##

-Benjamin Anderson

Follow me on X.

Nostr: benjamin@buildtall.com

link to the original content

@ 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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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).

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

@ fe32298e:20516265

Alright, Tabby wouldn't work right with CUDA and it was impossible to troubleshoot anything.

Now we're going to try Twinny.

You'll need:

• Ubuntu 24.04 or some other Linux flavor
• VSCodium
• GPU with enough VRAM to hold your chosen models
  • It might work with just a CPU, give it a try!

Install Ollama

Ollama loads the AI models into VRAM (and offloads into RAM if needed) and offers inference through an API. The Ollama install script adds a dedicated ollama user and a systemd service so that Ollama starts automatically at boot. Ollama will unload models from memory when idle.

curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

Configuring Remote Ollama

Skip this section if your GPU is on the same machine you're coding from. Ollama and Twinny default to a local configuration.

I'm using Ollama on a separate machine with a decent GPU, so I need to configure it to bind to the network interface instead of localhost by editing the systemd service:

1. Edit the service override file:

   systemctl edit ollama.service

2. Add this in the top section. It will be merged with the default service file.

   [Service] Environment="OLLAMA_HOST=0.0.0.0:11434"

   Note: I had a problem with Ollama only binding to the tcp6 port, and wasted a lot of time trying to fix it. Check with netstat -na | grep 11434 to see if it only shows tcp6 for port 11434. The workaround for me was using the actual interface IP instead of 0.0.0.0. If you do this then you'll need to either set OLLAMA_HOST in your shell, or specify OLLAMA_HOST=<hostname> at the start of every ollama command (or it complains that it can't connect to ollama).

3. Restart Ollama:

   systemctl daemon-reload systemctl restart ollama

Download Models

Ollama manages models by importing them into its own special folders. You can use Ollama to download the files from the Ollama library, or you can import already-downloaded models by creating a Modelfile. Modelfiles define various parameters about the model and it's important to get them set correctly for the best performance so it's probably better to get them from the library, even though it wastes bandwidth downloading them over and over again for all these tools.

You'll want a model for chatting and a model for fill-in-middle (FIM) that does the code completions.

```

Chat model, defaults to 7b with Q4_K_M quant, downloads 4.7 GB

ollama pull qwen2.5-coder

Fill-in-Middle model for code completion, another 4.7 GB

ollama pull qwen2.5-coder:7b-base ```

The RAG/embeddings feature is optional but probably worth using. It needs to run a from local instance of Ollama. The embedding models are very small and run fine on CPU. Most everyone uses nomic, but Twinny defaults to all-minilm, which is a little smaller.

ollama pull all-minilm

Install Twinny

Install the Twinny extension by searching for twinny in VSCodium extensions.

Look for the Twinny icon on the left side panel and click it to open the Twinny panel. Be careful if you drag it over to the right side: sometimes it may not appear at all. I managed to make it appear by selecting some text and running a Twinny action on it from the context menu.

Twinny assumes you're using a local instance of Ollama. If you want to use a remote instance then you'll need to go into the Manage Twinny providers section (looks like a power plug) and add new providers that point your remote Ollama instance.

These are the settings I'm using for a remote Ollama instance:

Chat provider

• Type: chat
• Provider: ollama
• Protocol: http
• Model Name: qwen2.5-coder:latest
• Hostname: remote hostname
• Port: 11434
• API Path: /v1 (despite what the Twinny docs and Ollama docs say)
• API Key: blank

FIM Provider

• Type: fim
• FIM Template: codeqwen
• Provider: ollama
• Protocol: http
• Model Name: qwen2.5-coder:7b-base
• Hostname: remote hostname
• Port: 11434
• API Path: /api/generate
• API Key: blank

Embedding Provider

• Type: embedding
• Provider: ollama
• Protocol: http
• Model Name: nomic-embed-text
• Hostname: 0.0.0.0
• Port: 11434
• API Path: /api/embed
• API Key: blank

Use Twinny

Chat

Select code and it will be used for context in the chat, or right-click selected text to see more options like refactor, write docs, write tests.

Embeddings

Switch over to the Embeddings tab and click Embed documents to use all the documents in your workspace for more context. Type '@' in the chat to reference the entire workspace, ask about specific problems, or specific files in your chat.

Code Completion

Suggested stuff shows up in gray italics at the cursor location. Press Tab to accept it as a completion.

@ c4551bf3:f041d130

TA88 là một nền tảng kỹ thuật số tiên tiến, mang đến trải nghiệm trực tuyến mượt mà và ổn định cho người dùng. Với giao diện thân thiện và thiết kế tối ưu, TA88 giúp người dùng dễ dàng truy cập trên cả máy tính và thiết bị di động. Nền tảng này được xây dựng trên công nghệ hiện đại, đảm bảo tốc độ xử lý nhanh, kết nối ổn định và khả năng tương thích cao, mang đến sự tiện lợi và linh hoạt tối đa cho người dùng.

Không ngừng đổi mới, TA88 liên tục cập nhật và nâng cấp hệ thống để mang đến chất lượng dịch vụ tốt nhất. Nền tảng này tích hợp nhiều công nghệ tiên tiến, giúp tối ưu hóa hiệu suất và nâng cao trải nghiệm người dùng. Nhờ vào sự cải tiến không ngừng, TA88 mang đến không gian giải trí phong phú, hấp dẫn và luôn bắt kịp xu hướng công nghệ, giúp người dùng có những trải nghiệm mới mẻ và thú vị.

Bên cạnh việc tập trung vào công nghệ, TA88 cũng đặc biệt chú trọng đến bảo mật và quyền riêng tư. Hệ thống bảo mật đa lớp với các giao thức mã hóa tiên tiến giúp bảo vệ dữ liệu cá nhân của người dùng một cách an toàn tuyệt đối. Việc áp dụng các biện pháp bảo mật nghiêm ngặt giúp TA88 đảm bảo môi trường trực tuyến an toàn, giúp người dùng yên tâm tận hưởng những tiện ích mà nền tảng mang lại.

Không chỉ tập trung vào công nghệ hiện đại, TA88 còn đầu tư mạnh mẽ vào dịch vụ chăm sóc khách hàng. Đội ngũ hỗ trợ chuyên nghiệp luôn sẵn sàng giải đáp mọi thắc mắc và cung cấp sự trợ giúp nhanh chóng, đảm bảo người dùng có trải nghiệm thuận tiện và hài lòng nhất. Sự tận tâm và chuyên nghiệp trong dịch vụ khách hàng là yếu tố giúp TA88 xây dựng lòng tin và sự trung thành từ cộng đồng người dùng.

Với những ưu điểm vượt trội, TA88 không ngừng đổi mới và phát triển để mang đến những trải nghiệm tối ưu. Nền tảng này liên tục cập nhật công nghệ, mở rộng tính năng và tối ưu hóa dịch vụ nhằm duy trì vị thế hàng đầu trong lĩnh vực giải trí kỹ thuật số. Nhờ vào sự kết hợp giữa công nghệ hiện đại, tính bảo mật cao và dịch vụ chuyên nghiệp, TA88 đã trở thành một trong những lựa chọn hàng đầu cho những ai tìm kiếm một nền tảng trực tuyến tiện lợi, an toàn và đáng tin cậy.

@ c4551bf3:f041d130

333Win là một nền tảng kỹ thuật số tiên tiến, mang đến trải nghiệm trực tuyến mượt mà và ổn định cho người dùng. Với giao diện thân thiện và thiết kế tối ưu, 333Win giúp người dùng dễ dàng truy cập trên cả máy tính và thiết bị di động. Hệ thống được xây dựng trên nền tảng công nghệ hiện đại, đảm bảo tốc độ xử lý nhanh, kết nối ổn định và hiệu suất tối ưu, giúp người dùng có những trải nghiệm liền mạch, tiện lợi mọi lúc, mọi nơi.

Không ngừng đổi mới, 333WIN liên tục cập nhật và nâng cấp hệ thống nhằm mang đến chất lượng dịch vụ tốt nhất. Nền tảng này tích hợp nhiều công nghệ tiên tiến để tối ưu hóa hiệu suất, giúp nâng cao sự tiện lợi và linh hoạt trong quá trình sử dụng. Nhờ vào sự cải tiến không ngừng, 333Win tạo ra một không gian giải trí phong phú, hấp dẫn và phù hợp với nhu cầu đa dạng, giúp người dùng luôn có những trải nghiệm trọn vẹn và mới mẻ.

Bên cạnh công nghệ tiên tiến, 333Win cũng đặc biệt chú trọng đến bảo mật và quyền riêng tư. Hệ thống bảo mật đa lớp với các giao thức mã hóa tiên tiến giúp bảo vệ dữ liệu cá nhân của người dùng một cách an toàn tuyệt đối. Việc áp dụng các biện pháp bảo vệ nghiêm ngặt giúp 333Win đảm bảo môi trường trực tuyến an toàn, giúp người dùng yên tâm tận hưởng những tiện ích mà nền tảng mang lại.

Không chỉ tập trung vào công nghệ hiện đại, 333Win còn chú trọng đến chất lượng dịch vụ chăm sóc khách hàng. Đội ngũ hỗ trợ chuyên nghiệp luôn sẵn sàng giải đáp thắc mắc và cung cấp sự trợ giúp nhanh chóng, đảm bảo trải nghiệm người dùng luôn thuận tiện và hài lòng. Sự tận tâm và chuyên nghiệp trong dịch vụ là yếu tố giúp 333Win xây dựng lòng tin và sự trung thành từ cộng đồng người dùng.

Với những ưu điểm vượt trội, 333Win không ngừng đổi mới và phát triển để mang đến những trải nghiệm tốt nhất. Nền tảng này liên tục cập nhật công nghệ, mở rộng tính năng và tối ưu hóa dịch vụ nhằm duy trì vị thế hàng đầu trong lĩnh vực giải trí kỹ thuật số. Nhờ vào sự kết hợp giữa công nghệ hiện đại, tính bảo mật cao và dịch vụ chuyên nghiệp, 333Win đã trở thành một trong những lựa chọn hàng đầu cho những ai tìm kiếm một nền tảng trực tuyến tiện lợi, an toàn và đáng tin cậy.