@ 592295cf:413a0db9

Nostur is capable of login with bunker

Photo, note by Fabian

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzqkfzjh8jkzd8l9247sadku6vhm52snhgjtknlyeku6sfkeqn5rdeqyf8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnvw5hxkef0qyg8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnddakj7qpqxfktwlm2qdkpxy556e4yg4l8p6v8930nfyzg7p3vsknk7krutz0s8znjtq

---

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

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

there was an update of nstart, now it shows you

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

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

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

maybe there will be the version of the extension ready.

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

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzqpnrnguxe8qszsshvgkvhn6qjzxy7xsvx03rlrtddr62haj4lrm3qytkummnw3ez66tyvgaz7tmrv93ksefdwfjkccteqqs2wzkkx220e24revkpxmdzkqj73rnz0reeenjwgy53g36hlkdgurgrs5e62

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

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

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

@ c230edd3:8ad4a712

Chef's notes

Wildly enough, this is delicious. It's sweet and savory.

(I copied this recipe off of a commercial cheese maker's site, just FYI)

I hadn't fully froze the ice cream when I took the picture shown. This is fresh out of the churner.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 15 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 30 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 12 oz blue cheese
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 c sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 qt heavy cream
• 3/4 c chopped dark chocolate

Directions

1. Put the blue cheese, lemon juice, sugar, and salt into a bowl
2. Bring heavy cream to a boil, stirring occasionally
3. Pour heavy cream over the blue cheese mix and stir until melted
4. Pour into prepared ice cream maker, follow unit instructions
5. Add dark chocolate halfway through the churning cycle
6. Freeze until firm. Enjoy.

@ c066aac5:6a41a034

I’m drawn to extremities in art. The louder, the bolder, the more outrageous, the better. Bold art takes me out of the mundane into a whole new world where anything and everything is possible. Having grown up in the safety of the suburban midwest, I was a bit of a rebellious soul in search of the satiation that only came from the consumption of the outrageous. My inclination to find bold art draws me to NOSTR, because I believe NOSTR can be the place where the next generation of artistic pioneers go to express themselves. I also believe that as much as we are able, were should invite them to come create here.

My Background: A Small Side Story

My father was a professional gamer in the 80s, back when there was no money or glory in the avocation. He did get a bit of spotlight though after the fact: in the mid 2000’s there were a few parties making documentaries about that era of gaming as well as current arcade events (namely 2007’sChasing GhostsandThe King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters). As a result of these documentaries, there was a revival in the arcade gaming scene. My family attended events related to the documentaries or arcade gaming and I became exposed to a lot of things I wouldn’t have been able to find. The producer ofThe King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters had previously made a documentary calledNew York Dollwhich was centered around the life of bassist Arthur Kane. My 12 year old mind was blown: The New York Dolls were a glam-punk sensation dressed in drag. The music was from another planet. Johnny Thunders’ guitar playing was like Chuck Berry with more distortion and less filter. Later on I got to meet the Galaga record holder at the time, Phil Day, in Ottumwa Iowa. Phil is an Australian man of high intellect and good taste. He exposed me to great creators such as Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Shakespeare, Lou Reed, artists who created things that I had previously found inconceivable.

I believe this time period informed my current tastes and interests, but regrettably I think it also put coals on the fire of rebellion within. I stopped taking my parents and siblings seriously, the Christian faith of my family (which I now hold dearly to) seemed like a mundane sham, and I felt I couldn’t fit in with most people because of my avant-garde tastes. So I write this with the caveat that there should be a way to encourage these tastes in children without letting them walk down the wrong path. There is nothing inherently wrong with bold art, but I’d advise parents to carefully find ways to cultivate their children’s tastes without completely shutting them down and pushing them away as a result. My parents were very loving and patient during this time; I thank God for that.

With that out of the way, lets dive in to some bold artists:

Nicolas Cage: Actor

There is an excellent video by Wisecrack on Nicolas Cage that explains him better than I will, which I will linkhere. Nicolas Cage rejects the idea that good acting is tied to mere realism; all of his larger than life acting decisions are deliberate choices. When that clicked for me, I immediately realized the man is a genius. He borrows from Kabuki and German Expressionism, art forms that rely on exaggeration to get the message across. He has even created his own acting style, which he calls Nouveau Shamanic. He augments his imagination to go from acting to being. Rather than using the old hat of method acting, he transports himself to a new world mentally. The projects he chooses to partake in are based on his own interests or what he considers would be a challenge (making a bad script good for example). Thus it doesn’t matter how the end result comes out; he has already achieved his goal as an artist. Because of this and because certain directors don’t know how to use his talents, he has a noticeable amount of duds in his filmography. Dig around the duds, you’ll find some pure gold. I’d personally recommend the filmsPig, Joe, Renfield, and his Christmas film The Family Man.

Nick Cave: Songwriter

What a wild career this man has had! From the apocalyptic mayhem of his band The Birthday Party to the pensive atmosphere of his albumGhosteen, it seems like Nick Cave has tried everything. I think his secret sauce is that he’s always working. He maintains an excellent newsletter calledThe Red Hand Files, he has written screenplays such asLawless, he has written books, he has made great film scores such asThe Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, the man is religiously prolific. I believe that one of the reasons he is prolific is that he’s not afraid to experiment. If he has an idea, he follows it through to completion. From the albumMurder Ballads(which is comprised of what the title suggests) to his rejected sequel toGladiator(Gladiator: Christ Killer), he doesn’t seem to be afraid to take anything on. This has led to some over the top works as well as some deeply personal works. Albums likeSkeleton TreeandGhosteenwere journeys through the grief of his son’s death. The Boatman’s Callis arguably a better break-up album than anything Taylor Swift has put out. He’s not afraid to be outrageous, he’s not afraid to offend, but most importantly he’s not afraid to be himself. Works I’d recommend include The Birthday Party’sLive 1981-82, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’The Boatman’s Call, and the filmLawless.

Jim Jarmusch: Director

I consider Jim’s films to be bold almost in an ironic sense: his works are bold in that they are, for the most part, anti-sensational. He has a rule that if his screenplays are criticized for a lack of action, he makes them even less eventful. Even with sensational settings his films feel very close to reality, and they demonstrate the beauty of everyday life. That's what is bold about his art to me: making the sensational grounded in reality while making everyday reality all the more special. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is about a modern-day African-American hitman who strictly follows the rules of the ancient Samurai, yet one can resonate with the humanity of a seemingly absurd character. Only Lovers Left Aliveis a vampire love story, but in the middle of a vampire romance one can see their their own relationships in a new deeply human light. Jim’s work reminds me that art reflects life, and that there is sacred beauty in seemingly mundane everyday life. I personally recommend his filmsPaterson,Down by Law, andCoffee and Cigarettes.

NOSTR: We Need Bold Art

NOSTR is in my opinion a path to a better future. In a world creeping slowly towards everything apps, I hope that the protocol where the individual owns their data wins over everything else. I love freedom and sovereignty. If NOSTR is going to win the race of everything apps, we need more than Bitcoin content. We need more than shirtless bros paying for bananas in foreign countries and exercising with girls who have seductive accents. Common people cannot see themselves in such a world. NOSTR needs to catch the attention of everyday people. I don’t believe that this can be accomplished merely by introducing more broadly relevant content; people are searching for content that speaks to them. I believe that NOSTR can and should attract artists of all kinds because NOSTR is one of the few places on the internet where artists can express themselves fearlessly. Getting zaps from NOSTR’s value-for-value ecosystem has far less friction than crowdfunding a creative project or pitching investors that will irreversibly modify an artist’s vision. Having a place where one can post their works without fear of censorship should be extremely enticing. Having a place where one can connect with fellow humans directly as opposed to a sea of bots should seem like the obvious solution. If NOSTR can become a safe haven for artists to express themselves and spread their work, I believe that everyday people will follow. The banker whose stressful job weighs on them will suddenly find joy with an original meme made by a great visual comedian. The programmer for a healthcare company who is drowning in hopeless mundanity could suddenly find a new lust for life by hearing the song of a musician who isn’t afraid to crowdfund their their next project by putting their lighting address on the streets of the internet. The excel guru who loves independent film may find that NOSTR is the best way to support non corporate movies. My closing statement: continue to encourage the artists in your life as I’m sure you have been, but while you’re at it give them the purple pill. You may very well be a part of building a better future.

@ 3c389c8f:7a2eff7f

You might see these terms used interchangeably throughout the Nostr network. Since Nostr is a decentralized protocol and not a platform, there is often a lack of consensus around particular terminologies. At times, it's important to differentiate between them, so that you can determine what is being stated. In the truest sense, there is no central entity to maintain a Nostr 'account' on your behalf, though some Nostr-based platforms may offer to do so. There's also no one to verify your 'identity'. This is something that you create, maintain and control. It is 100% yours. In a sense, you verify yourself through your interactions with others, with the network of clients and relays, and by protecting your nsec (secret key). A profile is generally considered to be a single place for displaying your content and any information about yourself that you've chosen to share, but its a little more complicated than that with Nostr. Let's take a closer look at all 3 terms:

Identity:

Your Nostr identity becomes yours from the moment you generate your key pair. The two parts each provide unique perspective and functionality. (Remember, there is no central entity to issue these key pairs. You can screw up and start over. You can maintain multiple key pairs for different purposes. If all of this is new and unfamiliar, start simply with the intention of trial and error.)

Half of the equation is your nsec. As long as you maintain control of that secret key, the identity is yours. You will use it to sign the notes and events that you create on Nostr. You will use it to access functionality of various tools and apps. You can use it to send monetary tips for content you find valuable. The reputation that you build through posting & interacting on Nostr will signal to others what type of person or profile this is, whether it's a genuine person, a bot (good or bad), a collection of works, etc. You might come across information that compares your nsec to a password. While a fair comparison, its important to remember that passwords can be reset, but your private key CANNOT. Lost access or control of your nsec means a loss of control over that identity. When you have decided to establish a more permanent identity, write it down, keep it safe, and use the appropriate security tools for interacting online.

The other half of this equation is your npub. This public key is used to find and display your notes and events to others. In short, your npub is how your identity is viewed by others and your nsec is how you control that identity.

Npub can also act a window into your world for whoever may choose to view it. As mentioned in a previous entry, npub login enables viewing Nostr's notes and other stuff in a read-only mode of any user's follow feed. Clients may or may not support this, some will even allow you to view and subscribe to these feeds while signed in as yourself via this function. It the basis of the metadata for your profile, too.

Profile:

Profile, in general, is a collection of things about you, which you have chosen to share. This might include your bio, chosen display name, other contact information, and a profile photo. Similar to traditional socials, veiwing Nostr profiles often includes a feed of the things you have posted and shared displayed as a single page. People will recognize you based on the aspects of your profile more than they will by your actual identity since an npub is a prefixed random string of characters . Your npub bridges a gap between strictly machine readable data and your human readable name, but it is not as simple as a name and picture. You will choose your photo and display name for your profile as you see fit, making you recognizable. These aspects are easy for copycat scammers to leverage, so your npub will help your friends and followers to verify that you are you, in the event that someone should try to copy your profile.

The Nostr protocol has another profile aspect that is important to know about, but as a general user, you shouldn't have to worry much about it. This is your nprofile. It combines your npub (or the machine readable hex verison of it) with hints to what relays you are using to publish your notes. This helps clients, crawlers, and relays find your stuff for your followers. You may notice nprofile when you share a profile link or used in other actions. When you update your relay list, your client will adjust your nprofile and send a new copy to the appropriate relays. If your believe that a client is not doing that correctly, you can visit metadata.nostr.com and manage it yourself.

Account:

Across Nostr, it is common to see the term 'account' used to refer to the combination of your identity and profile. It is a relatable term, though it may imply that some account issuer exists, but no one issues a Nostr account to you. You create and maintain it yourself.

There are situations where a traditional account will exist, such as with media servers, relay subscriptions, custodial wallet hosts, or NIP-05 providers. These things will almost always be paid services and storage that you choose to use. (Reminder: all of these things are possible to DIY with a little knowhow and an old computer)

What Is The Right Terminology?

There is no simple or correct answer here. Developers and writers will use whatever terms fit their scope and topic. Context will matter, so it's important to differentiate by that more than any actual term.

@ 04cb16e4:2ec3e5d5

Meine erste "Begegnung" mit Ulrike hatte ich am 21. März 2022 - dank Amazon konnte ich das Ereignis noch exakt nachvollziehen. Es war eines meiner ersten (Lockdown) kritischen Bücher, die ich in dieser Zeit in die Hände bekam - noch nach Thomas Röper (das war mein Einstieg) aber vor Daniele Ganser. Insofern war es mir möglich, das, was dann folgte für die Autorin, live und in Farbe mit zu verfolgen:

"Wer sich in die Öffentlichkeit traut, kann sich dort ganz schnell eine blutige Nase holen. Dieselben Medien, die eine Person heute glorifizieren, stellen sie morgen an den Pranger. Sie verteilen und entziehen Reputation, fördern und zerstören Karrieren. Das Medium selbst bleibt jedoch immer auf der Siegerseite. Die Gesetze von Marktorientierung und zynisch-ideologisierter Machtausübung gelten für Rundfunk und Fernsehen ebenso wie für die Printmedien - von RTL bis ARD und ZDF, von der BILD über die taz bis zur ZEIT.

»Das Phänomen Guérot« legt genau diesen Vorgang detailliert offen: Der MENSCH Ulrike Guérot ist in der Realität nicht die dämonische Figur, als die sie hingestellt worden ist. Aber an ihr kristallisiert sich genau dieser menschenverachtende Prozess heraus, der bis heute andauert."

Im Herbst 2022 habe ich durch den ersten Vortrag von Daniele Ganser in Falkensee nicht nur Zugang zu einer für mich neuen und anderen Welt bekommen, ab da hat sich eigentlich auch für mich mein Leben komplett auf den Kopf gestellt. Die Weichen wurden zwar schon vorher gestellt, aber nun war es endgültig und es gab kein zurück mehr. Die Planung für das erste Symposium Falkensee war in meinem Kopf geboren und die MenschheitsFamilie entstand als Ort, der virtuell das vereinen sollte, was Daniele an Spiritualität, Menschlichkeit und Friedenswillen in mir freigesetzt hat. Es war sozusagen eine Energie, die nun stetig floß und einen Trichter gefunden hat, in dem sie wirksam werden und sich entfalten konnte. Insofern haben wir auch etwas gemeinsam - Ulrike und ich. Wir sind zu der Zeit auf einen Zug aufgesprungen, der unser Leben veränderte - der uns zwang, alte Wege zu verlassen und neue Wege zu beschreiten. Sowohl beruflich, als auch privat. Und auch das canceln und entfernt werden ist eine Erfahrung, die wir beide teilen. Vielleicht war es deswegen mein erster Gedanke im Herbst 2022, Ulrike Guérot zu meinem 1. Symposium nach Falkensee einzuladen. Das es dann erst beim 2. Anlauf wirklich geklappt hat, hatte auch mit den Höhen und Tiefen des Lebens in dieser Zeit zu tun gehabt.

Nun ist sie zum 2. Mal dabei - denn wer könnte das Thema "Europa" bei einem so wichtigen und hochaktuellen Thema besser vertreten und beleuchten als Ulrike Guérot? Es geht um Geschichte, es geht um Nationalitäten, es geht um Gemeinsamkeiten und um das, was uns hier im Herzen zusammenhält, was unsere Ziele und unsere Befindlichkeiten sind, es geht um Verantwortung und es geht vor allen Dingen um Frieden! Denn dafür steht Europa - für einen Kontinent, der es geschafft hat, trotz aller Gegensätze und Konflikte, die in Jahrhunderten kriegerisch aufgetragen wurden, eine neuen und besonderen Frieden zu finden und zu installieren:

"Völkerrechtlich legt der Westfälische Frieden den oder zumindest einen Grundstein für ein modernes Prinzip: Die Gleichberechtigung souveräner Staaten, unabhängig von ihrer Macht und Größe. Noch heute spricht die Politikwissenschaft, insbesondere die realistische Schule (Henry Kissinger), deshalb vom „Westphalian System“. Durch die Garantien der großen europäischen Mächte erweist sich dieser Frieden als stabilisierendes Element für die weitere Entwicklung in Europa. Noch bis zum Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts wird er immer wieder als Referenz für nachfolgende Friedensschlüsse herangezogen."

Es ging damals um viel und es geht heute um das Überleben auf einem Kontinent, der es eigentlich besser wissen sollte. Wir dürfen gespannt sein, was wir in diesem Vortrag von Ulrike auf dem Symposium Falkensee am 27. April 2025 für Lösungen finden, um wieder zu einer Ordnung und zu einem System der friedlichen Koexistenz zurückfinden zu können, ohne schwarz und weiß und mit all den Facetten, die das Leben uns so bietet:

"Es ging nicht mehr um das Ausfechten religiöser Wahrheiten, sondern um geregelte Verfahren, die es möglich machten, mit konkurrierenden religiösen Wahrheiten, die nach wie vor nebeneinander und unversöhnlich bestanden, auf friedliche Weise umzugehen. Deutlich wurde das nicht zuletzt, als der Papst in einer offiziellen Note scharf gegen den Friedensschluss protestierte, weil er die Rechte der katholischen Seite leichtfertig aufgegeben sah. Die katholischen Beteiligten des Abkommens hielt dies nicht von der Unterzeichnung ab - ein religiöser Schiedsrichter wurde in Sachen Krieg und Frieden nicht mehr akzeptiert."

https://www.menschheits-familie.de/symposium-falkensee

@ 592295cf:413a0db9

The journey starts from the links in this article nostr-quick-start-guide

Starting from these links building a simple path should not cover everything, because impossible.

Today I saw that Verbiricha in his workshop on his channel used nstart, but then I distracted And I didn't see how he did it.

---

Go to nstart.me and read: Each user is identified by a cryptographic keypair Public key, Private key (is a lot of stuff)

You can insert a nickname and go, the nickname is not unique

there is a email backup things interesting, but a little boring, i try to generate an email

doesn't even require a strong password ok.

I received the email, great, it shows me the nsec encrypted in clear,

Send a copy of the file with a password, which contains the password encrypted key I know and I know it's a tongue dump.

Multi signer bunker

That's stuff, let's see what he says.

They live the private key and send it to servers and you can recompose it to login at a site of the protocol nostr. If one of these servers goes offline you have the private key that you downloaded first and then reactivate a bunker. All very complicated. But if one of the servers goes offline, how can I remake the split? Maybe he's still testing.

Nobody tells you where these bunkers are.

Okay I have a string that is my bunker (buker://), I downloaded it, easy no, now will tell me which client accepts the bunker.. .

Follow someone before you start?

Is a cluster of 5 people Snowden, Micheal Dilger, jb55, Fiatjaf, Dianele.

I choice Snowden profile, or you can select multiple profiles, extra wild.

Now select 5 clients

Coracle, Chachi, Olas, Nostur, Jumble

The first is Coracle

Login, ok I try to post a note and signing your note the spin does not end.

Maybe the bunker is diffective.

Let's try Chachi

Simpler than Coracle, it has a type login that says bunker. see if I can post

It worked, cool, I managed to post in a group.

Olas is an app but also a website, but on the website requires an extension, which I do not have with this account.

If I download an app how do I pass the bunker on the phone, is it still a password, a qrcode, a qrcode + password, something like that, but many start from the phone so maybe it's easy for them. I try to download it and see if it allows me to connect with a bunker.

Okay I used private-qrcode and it worked, I couldn't do it directly from Olas because it didn't have permissions and the qrcode was < encrypted, so I went to the same site and had the bunker copied and glued on Olas

Ok then I saw that there was the qrcode image of the bunker for apps lol moment

Ok, I liked it, I can say it's a victory.

Looks like none of Snowden's followers are Olas's lover, maybe the smart pack has to predict a photographer or something like that.

Okay I managed to post on Olas, so it works, Expiration time is broken.

As for Nostur, I don't have an ios device so I'm going to another one.

Login with Jumble, it works is a web app

I took almost an hour to do the whole route.

But this was just one link there are two more

Extensions nostr NIP-07

The true path is nip-07-browser-extensions | nostr.net

There are 19 links, maybe there are too many?

I mention the most famous, or active at the moment

1. Aka-profiles: Aka-profiles

Alby I don't know if it's a route to recommend

1. Blockcore Blockcore wallet

2. Nos2x Nos2x

3. Nos2xfox (fork for firefox) Nos2xfox

Nostore is (archived, read-only)

1. Nostrame Nostrame

2. Nowser per IOS Nowser

3. One key (was tricky) One key

Another half hour to search all sites

Nostrapps

Here you can make paths

Then nstart selects Coracle, Chachi, Olas,Nostur and Jumble

Good apps might be Amethyst, 0xchat, Yakihonne, Primal, Damus

for IOS maybe: Primal, Olas, Damus, Nostur, Nos-Social, Nostrmo

On the site there are some categories, I select some with the respective apps

Let's see the categories

Go to Nostrapps and read:

Microbbloging: Primal

Streaming: Zap stream

Blogging: Yakihonne

Group chat: Chachi

Community: Flotilla

Tools: Form *

Discovery: Zapstore (even if it is not in this catrgory)

Direct Message: 0xchat

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

Capitalism is the most effective system for scaling innovation. The pursuit of profit is an incredibly powerful human incentive. Most major improvements to human society and quality of life have resulted from this base incentive. Market competition often results in the best outcomes for all.

That said, some projects can never be monetized. They are open in nature and a business model would centralize control. Open protocols like bitcoin and nostr are not owned by anyone and if they were it would destroy the key value propositions they provide. No single entity can or should control their use. Anyone can build on them without permission.

As a result, open protocols must depend on donation based grant funding from the people and organizations that rely on them. This model works but it is slow and uncertain, a grind where sustainability is never fully reached but rather constantly sought. As someone who has been incredibly active in the open source grant funding space, I do not think people truly appreciate how difficult it is to raise charitable money and deploy it efficiently.

Projects that can be monetized should be. Profitability is a super power. When a business can generate revenue, it taps into a self sustaining cycle. Profit fuels growth and development while providing projects independence and agency. This flywheel effect is why companies like Google, Amazon, and Apple have scaled to global dominance. The profit incentive aligns human effort with efficiency. Businesses must innovate, cut waste, and deliver value to survive.

Contrast this with non monetized projects. Without profit, they lean on external support, which can dry up or shift with donor priorities. A profit driven model, on the other hand, is inherently leaner and more adaptable. It is not charity but survival. When survival is tied to delivering what people want, scale follows naturally.

The real magic happens when profitable, sustainable businesses are built on top of open protocols and software. Consider the many startups building on open source software stacks, such as Start9, Mempool, and Primal, offering premium services on top of the open source software they build out and maintain. Think of companies like Block or Strike, which leverage bitcoin’s open protocol to offer their services on top. These businesses amplify the open software and protocols they build on, driving adoption and improvement at a pace donations alone could never match.

When you combine open software and protocols with profit driven business the result are lean, sustainable companies that grow faster and serve more people than either could alone. Bitcoin’s network, for instance, benefits from businesses that profit off its existence, while nostr will expand as developers monetize apps built on the protocol.

Capitalism scales best because competition results in efficiency. Donation funded protocols and software lay the groundwork, while market driven businesses build on top. The profit incentive acts as a filter, ensuring resources flow to what works, while open systems keep the playing field accessible, empowering users and builders. Together, they create a flywheel of innovation, growth, and global benefit.

@ c3e23eb5:03d7caa9

The issue I have with the term "mesh networks" is that it is associated with a flat network topology. While I love the idea of avoiding hierarchy, this simply doesn't scale.

Data Plane: How the Internet Scales

The internet on the scales because it has a tree like structure. As you can see in the diagram below, global (tier 1) ISPs branch out to national (tier 2) ISPs who in turn branch out to local (tier 3) ISPs. ``` ,-[ Tier 1 ISP (Global) ]─-───────[ Tier 1 ISP (Global) ] / |
/ ▼
[IXP (Global)]═══╦═══[IXP (Global)]
║
Tier 2 ISP (National)◄──────────╗
/ \ ║
▼ ▼ ║
[IXP (Regional)]════╬══[IXP (Regional)] ║
/ \ ║
▼ ▼ ║
Tier 3 ISP (Local) Tier 3 ISP (Local) ║
| | ║
▼ ▼ ▼
[User] [User] [Enterprise]

▲ IXPs are physical switch fabrics - members peer directly ▲ Tier 1/2 ISPs provide transit through IXPs but don't control them ```

This structure also reflects in IP addresses, where regional traffic gets routed by regional tiers and global traffic keeps getting passed up through gateways till it reaches the root of the tree. The global ISP then routes the traffic into the correct branch so that it can trickle down to the destination IP at the bottom. 12.0.0.0/8 - Tier 1 manages routing (IANA-allocated) └─12.34.0.0/16 - Tier 2 allocated block (through RIR) └─12.34.56.0/24 - Tier 3 subnet via upstream provider ├─12.34.56.1 Public IP (CGNAT pool) └─192.168.1.1 Private IP (local NAT reuse)

Balancing idealism with pragmatism

This approach to scaling is much less idealistic than a flat hierarchy, because it relies on an authority (IANA) to assign the IP ranges to ISPs through Regional Internet Registries (RIRs). Even if this authority wasn't required, the fact that many users rely on few Tier 1 ISPs means that the system is inherently susceptible to sabotage (see 2019 BGP leak incident).

Control Plane: the internet is still described as decentralised

The internet is still described as decentralised because there is a flat hierarchy between tier 1 ISPs at the root of the tree. ``` INTERNET CORE (Tier 1 ISPs)

---

AT&T (AS7018) <══════════> Deutsche Telekom (AS3320) ║ ╔════════════════════╗ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╚══>║ NTT (AS2914) ║<══╝ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╚═══════> Lumen (AS3356) ║ ║ ╚════╩════════════> Telia (AS1299) ```

The border gateway protocol (BGP) is used to exchange routing information between autonomous systems (ISPs). Each autonomous system is a branch of the "internet tree" and each autonomous system advertises routes to downstream autonomous systems (branches). However, the autonomous systems at the root of the tree also maintain a record of their piers, so that they can forward traffic to the correct peer. Hence, the following is a more complete diagram of the internet: INTERNET CORE (TIER 1 MESH) ╔══════════════╦═════════════╦════════╦═════════════╗ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ AT&T (AS7018) <══╬══> Lumen (AS3356) <══╬══> NTT (AS2914) ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╚══> Telia (AS1299) <══╝ ║ ║ ╚═══════════════════════════════╝ ║ ║ ╚═> Deutsche Telekom (AS3320) <═╝ ║ TREE HIERARCHY BELOW - MESH ABOVE ║ ▼ [ Tier 1 ISP ]───────────────────┐ / | | / ▼ ▼ [IXP]═══╦═══[IXP] [IXP] ║ ║ ▼ ▼ Tier 2 ISP◄──────────╗ Tier 2 ISP◄───────╗ / \ ║ / \ ║ ▼ ▼ ║ ▼ ▼ ║ [IXP]═╦[IXP] ║ [IXP]═╦[IXP] ║ / \ ║ / \ ║ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ Tier 3 ISP User Tier 3 ISP Enterprise

So its a mesh network - whats wrong with that?

In the example above, NTT can only send traffic to Deutsche Telekom via Lumen or AT&T. NTT relies on its peers to maintain a correct record of the IP range that they are responsible for, so that traffic that was intended for Deutsche Telekom doesn't end up in the wrong network. An intentional or even accidental error in an autonomous system's routing tables can be detrimental to the flow of traffic through the network.

Hence, mesh networks require: * Reliability: peers rely on each-other not to fail (e.g., 2019 AWS US-East-1 availability) * Trust: peers must be honest about address ranges (e.g., 2018 BGP hijacking incident) * Central planning: BGP traffic engineering determines which route a packet takes

Application Layer Innovations

Now that we have a rough overview of how the internet is broken, lets think about what can still be done. The flat hierarchy that we associate with mesh networks sounds beautiful, but it doesn't scale. However, the tree-like structure assumes that most participants in the network rely on an authority to give them an address or a range of addresses so that they can communicate.

Overlay networks

Fortunately all it takes to interact with someone on nostr is their public key. The recipients client will render your signed and/or encrypted event no matter how it reaches them. Whether your note reaches them over the internet, over some other network or via a carrier pigeon doesn't matter. nostr:npub1hw6amg8p24ne08c9gdq8hhpqx0t0pwanpae9z25crn7m9uy7yarse465gr is working on a NIP for that and I'm sure he will share an explanation of how it works.

Bitcoin Instead of a Routing Algorithm

Now that we have digital bearer assets (e-cash), users can pay their internet gateway (TollGate) for access to the internet even though they are still offline. Once the TollGate has redeemed the e-cash, it gives the user access to the internet.

Frictionless Switching between ISPs (TollGates)

Legacy internet service providers use KYC money (fiat) to transfer the cost of the infrastructure to their users. However, this means that they are able to identify which packet belongs to which user. The KYC nature of their interaction with the users also makes it difficult for users to switch ISPs when service providers undercut each-other. Internet users who are on e-cash rails can hop between ISPs frictionlessly since they buy small amounts of data frequently in a granular manner.

Users that have access to independent competing TollGates can switch between them freely, so its impossible for any one TollGate to prevent a user from connecting to the internet. The only thing a TollGate can do is attract traffic by providing cheaper and/or faster internet access.

Anyone can arbitrage connectivity

Now that users have non KYC internet, there is nothing stopping them from reselling access to their internet connection. Anyone who has a WiFi router and access to a cheap internet connection can act as a range extender by re-selling access to that gateway for people who aren't able to connect directly.

Now the route that the traffic takes through the network is determined dynamically by the markets. The individual TollGate operators select their gateways and set their prices when they create a business model. The customers select the route that best meets their needs by selecting a gateway for their next purchase.

@ b8af284d:f82c91dd

"Auf den deutschen Konten, Sparkonten und laufenden Girokonten liegen 2,8 Billionen Euro. Stellen Sie sich einen kurzen Augenblick vor, wir wären in der Lage, davon nur 10 Prozent zu mobilisieren – mit einem vernünftigen Zinssatz, für die öffentliche Infrastruktur in Deutschland […]”

Friedrich Merz, Blackrock-Aufsichtsratvorsitzender 2016-2020

„Governments can’t fund infrastructure through deficits. The deficits can’t get much higher. Instead, they’ll turn to private investors.“

Larry Fink, CEO Blackrock

Liebe Abonnenten,

im Jahr 1999 lag der durchschnittliche Bruttolohn eines deutschen Arbeiters bei monatlich 2100 Euro. 26 Jahre später sind es etwa 4200 Euro. In diesem Zeitraum sind die Löhne also durchschnittlich jedes Jahr um 2,7 Prozent gewachsen. (Um die Reallöhne, also die tatsächliche inflationsbereinigte Kaufkraft soll es ausnahmsweise einmal nicht gehen.)

Im selben Zeitraum ist die globale Wirtschaftsleistung um fünf Prozent im Jahr gewachsen. Der amerikanische Aktien-Index S\&P500 legte durchschnittlich jedes Jahr um acht Prozent zu.

Die Unterschiede klingen zunächst gering. 2,7 Prozent, 5 Prozent, 8 Prozent - Peanuts, was soll’s? Deutlich werden die Bedeutung dieser Zahlen, wenn man sie in absolute Zahlen umlegt. Bei einem Zuwachs von durchschnittlich fünf Prozent würde selbiger Arbeiter heute 7560 Euro verdienen. Wäre sein Lohn so stark gestiegen wie der S\&P500, läge er bei 15.483 Euro.

Das Unternehmen Blackrock ging im Jahr 1999 an die Börse. Die jährlichen Kurssteigerungen der Aktie liegen durchschnittlich bei 21 Prozent. Aus den 2100 Euro wären damit 334.661 Euro geworden.

Nimmt man nur den Gewinn des Unternehmens, landet man bei etwa zehn Prozent Rendite nach Steuern.

Irgendwie also wächst der Finanzmarkt schneller als Löhne, und Blackrock wächst nochmals schneller als der Finanzmarkt. Wie kann das sein? Was macht Blackrock, für die bis vor wenigen Jahren der künftige Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz tätig war?

Ein Blackrock-Deepdive:

Blackrock - the bright side

1988 gründete Larry Fink zusammen mit einer Gruppe von Mitarbeitern “Blackstone Financial Management”. Die Firma wurde 1992 in Blackrock umbenannt und ging 1999 an die Börse. Zehn Jahre später übernahm die Firma Barclays Global Investors (BGI). Letztere brachte die Marke „ishares“ mit ins Portfolio. Zum Kerngeschäft von Blackrock gehören seitdem ETFs - die vielleicht beliebteste Anlageklasse der Welt.

ETFs sind keine Erfindung von Blackrock, aber das Unternehmen hat viel dazu beigetragen, dass ETFs heute in fast jedem Portfolio zu finden sind. Bevor es ETFs gab, konnten Kleinanleger fast nur in aktiv gemanagte Fonds investieren. Dabei kaufen und verkaufen hochbezahlte Analysten Aktien und verlangen dafür eine Gebühr von zwei Prozent. Bei ETFs liegen diese im Promillebereich. Eine Gebühr von zwei Prozent mag vernachlässigbar klingen. Über die Jahre aber macht dies einen Riesenunterschied - wie das Beispiel des Bruttolohns zeigt.

Hinzu kommt: Statistisch laufen passive Indexfonds oft besser als aktiv geleitete Investmentfonds.

Blackrock ist es mit seinen ETFs gelungen, die Geldanlage zu demokratisieren. Das Unternehmen profitiert nicht von steigenden Kursen der Aktien, sondern kassiert minimale Gebühren beim Kauf und Verkauf - aber bei einem verwalteten Vermögen von 4,5 Billionen Dollar kommt eben schnell etwas zusammen. 1989 hatten nur rund 30 Prozent der Amerikaner Aktien, heute sind es über 60 Prozent. In Deutschland liegt der Anteil bei nur 15 Prozent.

Niemand muss mehr um Lohnerhöhungen bangen - er kann von der annualisierten Wachstumsrate von acht Prozent (S\&P500) profitieren, wenn er jeden Monat in Blackrock-ETFs investiert. Selber Schuld, wer nicht!

Blackrock - the dark side

Wer die letzten Jahre nicht völlig außerhalb des Schwurbelversums verbracht hat, wird mitbekommen haben, dass Blackrock Thema zahlreicher Verschwörungstheorien ist. Von Covid über die Rüstungsindustrie bis zum Wiederaufbau der Ukraine. ETFs sind tatsächlich nicht das einzige Geschäftsmodell. Hinzu kommt eine weniger transparente Vermögensverwaltung von rund sieben Billionen Dollar. Kunden sind neben Unternehmen und Familien auch ganze Staaten. Außerdem ist Blackrock Großaktionär bei tausenden von Unternehmen. Es hält große Anteile von Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia aber auch von Vonovia, Bayer und der Deutschen Bank. Und über diese Beteiligungen übt das Unternehmen Macht aus. Das bekannteste Beispiel sind ESG-Kriterien (Environmental, Social, Governance), die Larry Fink ab 2018 propagierte. Mittlerweile ist Fink davon abgerückt, im aktuellen Jahresbrief ist davon wenig zu lesen. Das eigentliche Problem sitzt tiefer, und hat mit der Rendite zu tun.

Mehr zum Thema: Panzer statt Autos - Wie Deutschland in die Kriegswirtschaft schlittert, und dabei seine Freiheit und Wohlstand aufs Spiel setzt.

Was hat Blackrock vor?

Zehn oder 20 Prozent Wachstum sind über einen langen Zeitraum kaum realistisch zu erwirtschaften. Dafür braucht es „Megatrends“. Künstliche Intelligenz zum Beispiel verspricht Produktivitätsgewinne, die weitaus über der Norm liegen. Was aber, wenn diese ausbleiben? Lässt sich eventuell etwas nachhelfen?

Am bequemsten ist es, wenn Regierungen Steuergelder in Richtung Unternehmen verschieben. Dann sparen sich die Profiteure auch noch die Werbekosten. Was, wenn eine Regierung ein großes Investitionsprogramm auflegt, von dem dann Unternehmen profitieren, in die Blackrock frühzeitig investiert hat? Was, wenn mehrere Regierungen dies gleichzeitig tun? Nun kann man sich fragen, bei welchen Komplexen dies zuletzt der Fall war. Blackrock hält ungefähr sieben Prozent der Pfizer-Aktien und rund ein Prozent von Biontech. Etwa fünf Prozent von Rheinmetall-Aktien sind…

Weiter geht es auf BlingBling - dem wöchentlichen Newsletter über Geld, Geopolitik und Bitcoin

@ c631e267:c2b78d3e

Zwei mal drei macht vier, \ widewidewitt und drei macht neune, \ ich mach mir die Welt, \ widewide wie sie mir gefällt. \ Pippi Langstrumpf

Egal, ob Koalitionsverhandlungen oder politischer Alltag: Die Kontroversen zwischen theoretisch verschiedenen Parteien verschwinden, wenn es um den Kampf gegen politische Gegner mit Rückenwind geht. Wer den Alteingesessenen die Pfründe ernsthaft streitig machen könnte, gegen den werden nicht nur «Brandmauern» errichtet, sondern der wird notfalls auch strafrechtlich verfolgt. Doppelstandards sind dabei selbstverständlich inklusive.

In Frankreich ist diese Woche Marine Le Pen wegen der Veruntreuung von EU-Geldern von einem Gericht verurteilt worden. Als Teil der Strafe wurde sie für fünf Jahre vom passiven Wahlrecht ausgeschlossen. Obwohl das Urteil nicht rechtskräftig ist – Le Pen kann in Berufung gehen –, haben die Richter das Verbot, bei Wahlen anzutreten, mit sofortiger Wirkung verhängt. Die Vorsitzende des rechtsnationalen Rassemblement National (RN) galt als aussichtsreiche Kandidatin für die Präsidentschaftswahl 2027.

Das ist in diesem Jahr bereits der zweite gravierende Fall von Wahlbeeinflussung durch die Justiz in einem EU-Staat. In Rumänien hatte Călin Georgescu im November die erste Runde der Präsidentenwahl überraschend gewonnen. Das Ergebnis wurde später annulliert, die behauptete «russische Wahlmanipulation» konnte jedoch nicht bewiesen werden. Die Kandidatur für die Wahlwiederholung im Mai wurde Georgescu kürzlich durch das Verfassungsgericht untersagt.

Die Veruntreuung öffentlicher Gelder muss untersucht und geahndet werden, das steht außer Frage. Diese Anforderung darf nicht selektiv angewendet werden. Hingegen mussten wir in der Vergangenheit bei ungleich schwerwiegenderen Fällen von (mutmaßlichem) Missbrauch ganz andere Vorgehensweisen erleben, etwa im Fall der heutigen EZB-Chefin Christine Lagarde oder im «Pfizergate»-Skandal um die Präsidentin der EU-Kommission Ursula von der Leyen.

Wenngleich derartige Angelegenheiten formal auf einer rechtsstaatlichen Grundlage beruhen mögen, so bleibt ein bitterer Beigeschmack. Es stellt sich die Frage, ob und inwieweit die Justiz politisch instrumentalisiert wird. Dies ist umso interessanter, als die Gewaltenteilung einen essenziellen Teil jeder demokratischen Ordnung darstellt, während die Bekämpfung des politischen Gegners mit juristischen Mitteln gerade bei den am lautesten rufenden Verteidigern «unserer Demokratie» populär zu sein scheint.

Die Delegationen von CDU/CSU und SPD haben bei ihren Verhandlungen über eine Regierungskoalition genau solche Maßnahmen diskutiert. «Im Namen der Wahrheit und der Demokratie» möchte man noch härter gegen «Desinformation» vorgehen und dafür zum Beispiel den Digital Services Act der EU erweitern. Auch soll der Tatbestand der Volksverhetzung verschärft werden – und im Entzug des passiven Wahlrechts münden können. Auf europäischer Ebene würde Friedrich Merz wohl gerne Ungarn das Stimmrecht entziehen.

Der Pegel an Unzufriedenheit und Frustration wächst in großen Teilen der Bevölkerung kontinuierlich. Arroganz, Machtmissbrauch und immer abstrusere Ausreden für offensichtlich willkürliche Maßnahmen werden kaum verhindern, dass den etablierten Parteien die Unterstützung entschwindet. In Deutschland sind die Umfrageergebnisse der AfD ein guter Gradmesser dafür.

[Vorlage Titelbild: Pixabay]

---

Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben und ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 1bda7e1f:bb97c4d9

Tldr

• Nostr is a new open social protocol for the internet
• You can use it to create your own online community website/app for your users
• This needs only a few simple components that are free and open source
• Jumble.Social client is a front-end for showing your community content to your users
• Simple With Whitelist relay (SW2) is a back-end with simple auth for your community content
• In this blog I explain the components and set up a online community website/app that any community or company can use for their own users, for free.

You Can Run Your Own Private "X" For Free

Nostr is a new open social protocol for the internet. Because it is a protocol it is not controlled by any one company, does not reside on any one set of servers, does not require any licenses, and no one can stop you from using it however you like.

When the name Nostr is recognised, it is as a "Twitter/X alternative" – that is an online open public forum. Nostr is more than just this. The open nature of the protocol means that you can use it however you feel like, including that you can use it for creating your own social websites to suit whatever goals you have – anything from running your own team collaboration app, to running your own online community.

Nostr can be anything – not just an alternative to X, but also to Slack, Teams, Discord, Telegram (etc) – any kind of social app you'd like to run for your users can be run on Nostr.

In this blog I will show you how to launch your own community website, for your community members to use however they like, with low code, and for free.

Simple useful components

Nostr has a few simple components that work together to provide your experience –

• Your "client" – an app or a website front-end that you log into, which displays the content you want to see
• Your "relay" – a server back-end which receives and stores content, and sends it to clients
• Your "user" – a set of keys which represents a user on the network,
• Your "content" – any user content created and signed by a user, distributed to any relay, which can be picked up and viewed by any client.

It is a pattern that is used by every other social app on the internet, excepting that in those cases you can usually only view content in their app, and only post your content to their server.

Vs with Nostr where you can use any client (app) and any relay (server), including your own.

This is defined as a standard in NIP-01 which is simple enough that you can master it in a weekend, and with which you can build any kind of application.

The design space is wide open for anyone to build anything–

• Clones of Twitter, Instagram, Telegram, Medium, Twitch, etc,
• Whole new things like Private Ephemeral Messengers, Social Podcasting Apps, etc,
• Anything else you can dream up, like replacements for B2B SaaS or ERP systems.

Including that you can set up and run your own "X" for your community.

Super powers for –private– social internet

When considering my use of social internet, it is foremost private not public. Email, Whatsapp, Slack, Teams, Discord, Telegram (etc), are all about me, as a user, creating content for a selected group of individuals – close friends, colleagues, community members – not the wider public.

This private social internet is crying out for the kind of powers that Nostr provides. The list of things that Nostr solves for private social internet goes on-and-on.

Let me eat my own dog food for a moment.

• I am a member of a community of technology entrepreneurs with an app for internal community comms. The interface is not fit for this purpose. Good content gets lost. Any content created within the walled kingdom cannot be shared externally. Community members cannot migrate to a different front-end, or cross-post to public social channels.
• I am a member of many communities for kids social groups, each one with a different application and log in. There is no way to view a consolidated feed. There is no way to send one message to many communities, or share content between them. Remembering to check every feed separately is a drag.
• I am a member of a team with an app for team comms. It costs $XXX per user per month where it should be free. I can't self-host. I can't control or export my data. I can't make it interoperate natively with other SaaS. All of my messages probably go to train a Big Co AI without my consent.

In each instance "Nostr fixes this."

Ready now for low-code admins

To date Nostr has been best suited to a more technical user. To use the Nostr protocol directly has been primarily a field of great engineers building great foundations.

IMO these foundations are built. They are open source, free to use, and accessible for anyone who wants to create an administer their own online community, with only low code required.

To prove it, in this blog I will scratch my own itch. I need a X / Slack / Teams alternative to use with a few team members and friends (and a few AIs) as we hack on establishing a new business idea.

I will set this up with Nostr using only open source code, for free.

Designing the Solution

I am mostly non-technical with helpful AI. To set up your own community website in the style of X / Slack / Teams should be possible for anyone with basic technology skills.

• I have a cheap VPS which currently runs some other unrelated Nostr projects in Docker containers,
• My objective was to set up and run my own community website for my own team use, in Docker, hosted on my own server.

User requirements

What will I want from a community website?

• I want my users to be able to log into a website and post content,
• I want to save that content to a server I control accessed only be people I authorise,
• I want my users to view only that content by default, and not be exposed to any wider public social network unless they knowingly select that,
• I want my user's content to be either:
• a) viewable only by other community members (i.e. for internal team comms), or
• b) by the wider public (i.e. for public announcements), at the user's discretion.
• I want it to be open source so that other people maintain the code for me,
• I want it for free.

Nostr solutions

To achieve this with Nostr, I'll need to select some solutions "a-la carte" for each of the core components of the network.

• A client – For my client, I have chosen Jumble. Jumble is a free open-source client by Cody Tseng, available free on Github or at Jumble.social. I have chosen Jumble because it is a "relay-centric" client. In key spots the user interface highlights for the user what relay they are viewing, and what relay they are posting to. As a result, it is a beautiful fit for me to use as the home of all my community content.
• A relay – For my relay, I have chosen Simple With Whitelist (SW2). SW2 is a free open-source relay by Utxo The Webmaster, based on Khatru by Fiatjaf, available free on Github. I have chosen SW2 because it allows for very simple configuration of user auth. Users can be given read access to view notes, and write access to post notes within simple config.json files. This allows you to keep community content private or selectively share it in a variety of ways. Per the Nostr protocol, your client will connect with your relay via websocket.
• A user sign-up flow – Jumble has a user sign-up flow using Nstart by Fiatjaf, or as an admin I can create and provision my own users with any simple tool like NAK or Nostrtool.
• A user content flow – Jumble has a user content flow that can post notes to selected relays of the users choice. Rich media is uploaded to free third-party hosts like Nostr.build, and in the future there is scope to self-host this too.

With each of these boxes ticked I'm ready to start.

Launching a Private Community Website with Jumble and SW2

Install your SW2 relay

The relay is the trickiest part, so let's start there. SW2 is my Nostr relay software of choice. It is a Go application and includes full instructions for Go install. However, I prefer Docker, so I have built a Docker version and maintain a Docker branch here.

1 – In a terminal clone the repo and checkout the Docker branch

git clone https://github.com/r0d8lsh0p/sw2.git cd sw2 git checkout docker

2 – Set up the environment variables

These are specified in the readme. Duplicate the example .env file and fill it with your variables.

cp .env.example .env

For me this .env file was as follows–

```

Relay Metadata

RELAY_NAME="Tbdai relay" RELAY_PUBKEY="ede41352397758154514148b24112308ced96d121229b0e6a66bc5a2b40c03ec" RELAY_DESCRIPTION="An experimental relay for some people and robots working on a TBD AI project." RELAY_URL="wss://assistantrelay.rodbishop.nz" RELAY_ICON="https://image.nostr.build/44654201843fc0f03e9a72fbf8044143c66f0dd4d5350688db69345f9da05007.jpg" RELAY_CONTACT="https://rodbishop.nz" ```

3 – Specify who can read and write to the relay

This is controlled by two config files read_whitelist.json and write_whitelist.json.

• Any user with their pubkey in the read_whitelist can read notes posted to the relay. If empty, anyone can read.
• Any user with their pubkey in the write_whitelist can post notes to the relay. If empty, anyone can write.

We'll get to creating and authorising more users later, for now I suggest to add yourself to each whitelist, by copying your pubkey into each JSON file. For me this looks as follows (note, I use the 'hex' version of the pubkey, rather than the npub)–

{ "pubkeys": [ "1bda7e1f7396bda2d1ef99033da8fd2dc362810790df9be62f591038bb97c4d9" ] }

If this is your first time using Nostr and you don't yet have any user keys, it is easy and free to get one. You can get one from any Nostr client like Jumble.social, any tool like NAK or nostrtool.com or follow a comprehensive guide like my guide on mining a Nostr key.

4 – Launch your relay

If you are using my Docker fork from above, then–

docker compose up

Your relay should now be running on port 3334 and ready to accept web socket connections from your client.

Before you move on to set up the client, it's helpful to quickly test that it is running as expected.

5 – Test your websocket connection

For this I use a tool called wscat to make a websocket connection.

You may need to install wscat, e.g.

npm install -g wscat

And then run it, e.g.

wscat -c ws://localhost:3334

(note use ws:// for localhost, rather than wss://).

If your relay is working successfully then it should receive your websocket connection request and respond with an AUTH token, asking you to identify yourself as a user in the relay's read_whitelist.json (using the standard outlined in NIP-42), e.g.

``` Connected (press CTRL+C to quit) < ["AUTH","13206fea43ef2952"]

```

You do not need to authorise for now.

If you received this kind of message, your relay is working successfully.

Set a subdomain for your relay

Let's connect a domain name so your community members can access your relay.

1 – Configure DNS

At a high level –

1. Get your domain (buy one if you need to)
2. Get the IP address of your VPS
3. In your domain's DNS settings add those records as an A record to the subdomain of your choice, e.g. relay as in relay.your_domain_name.com, or in my case assistantrelay.rodbishop.nz

Your subdomain now points to your server.

2 – Configure reverse proxy

You need to redirect traffic from your subdomain to your relay at port 3334.

On my VPS I use Caddy as a reverse proxy for a few projects, I have it sitting in a separate Docker network. To use it for my SW2 Relay required two steps.

First – I added configuration to Caddy's Caddyfile to tell it what to do with requests for the relay.your_domain_name.com subdomain. For me this looked like–

assistantrelay.rodbishop.nz { reverse_proxy sw2-relay:3334 { # Enable WebSocket support header_up X-Forwarded-For {remote} header_up X-Forwarded-Proto {scheme} header_up X-Forwarded-Port {server_port} } }

Second – I added the Caddy Docker network to the SW2 docker-compose.yml to make it be part of the Caddy network. In my Docker branch, I provide this commented section which you can uncomment and use if you like.

``` services: relay: ... relay configuration here ...

networks:

- caddy # Connect to a Caddy network for reverse proxy

networks:

caddy:

external: true # Connect to a Caddy network for reverse proxy

```

Your relay is now running at your domain name.

Run Jumble.social

Your client set up is very easy, as most heavy lifting is done by your relay. My client of choice is Jumble because it has features that focus the user experience on the community's content first. You have two options for running Jumble.

1. Run your own local copy of Jumble by cloning the Github (optional)
2. Use the public instance at Jumble.social (easier, and what we'll do in this demo)

If you (optionally) want to run your own local copy of Jumble:

git clone https://github.com/CodyTseng/jumble.git cd jumble npm install npm run dev

For this demo, I will just use the public instance at http://jumble.social

Jumble has a very helpful user interface for set up and configuration. But, I wanted to think ahead to onboarding community members, and so instead I will do some work up front in order to give new members a smooth onboarding flow that I would suggest for an administrator to use in onboarding their community.

1 – Create a custom landing page URL for your community members to land on

When your users come to your website for the first time, you want them to get your community experience without any distraction. That will either be–

1. A prompt to sign up or login (if only authorised users can read content)
2. The actual content from your other community members (If all users can read content)

Your landing page URL will look like: http://jumble.social/?r=wss://relay.your_domain_name.com

• http://jumble.social/ – the URL of the Jumble instance you are using
• ?r= – telling Jumble to read from a relay
• wss:// – relays connect via websocket using wss, rather than https
• relay.your_domain_name.com – the domain name of your relay

For me, this URL looks like http://jumble.social/?r=wss://assistantrelay.rodbishop.nz

2 – Visit your custom Jumble URL

This should load the landing page of your relay on Jumble.

In the background, Jumble has attempted to establish a websocket connection to your relay.

If your relay is configured with read authentication, it has sent a challenge to Jumble asking your user to authenticate. Jumble, accordingly should now be showing you a login screen, asking your user to login.

3 – Login or Sign Up

You will see a variety of sign up and login options. To test, log in with the private key that you have configured to have read and write access.

In the background, Jumble has connected via websocket to your relay, checked that your user is authorised to view notes, and if so, has returned all the content on the relay. (If this is your first time here, there would not be any content yet).

If you give this link to your users to use as their landing page, they will land, login, and see only notes from members of your community.

4– Make your first post to your community

Click the "post" button and post a note. Jumble offers you the option to "Send only to relay.your_domain_name.com".

• If set to on, then Jumble will post the note only to your relay, no others. It will also include a specific tag (the "-" tag) which requests relays to not forward the note across the network. Only your community members viewing notes on your community relay can see it.
• If set to off, then Jumble will post the note to your relay and also the wider public Nostr network. Community members viewing notes on the relay can see it, and so can any user of the wider Nostr network.

5– Optional, configure your relay sets

At the top of the screen you should now see a dropdown with the URL of your relay.

Each user can save this relay to a "relay set" for future use, and also view, add or delete other relays sets including some sets which Jumble comes with set up by default.

As an admin you can use this to give users access to multiple relays. And, as a user, you can use this to access posts from multiple different community relays, all within the one client.

Your community website is up and running

That is the basic set up completed.

• You have a website where your community members can visit a URL to post notes and view all notes from all other members of the community.
• You have basic administration to enforce your own read and write permissions very simply in two json files.

Let's check in with my user requirements as a community admin–

• My community is saving content to a server where I control access
• My users view only that content by default, and are not exposed to any wider public social network unless they knowingly select that
• My user's content is a) viewable only by other community members, or b) by the wider public, at the user's discretion
• Other people are maintaining the code for me
• It's free

This setup has scope to solve my dog fooding issues from earlier–

• If adopted, my tech community can iterate the interface to suit its needs, find great content, and share content beyond the community.
• If adopted, my kids social groups can each have their own relays, but I can post to all of them together, or view a consolidated feed.
• If adopted, my team can chat with each other for free. I can self host this. It can natively interoperate with any other Nostr SaaS. It would be entirely private and will not be captured to train a Big Co AI without my consent.

Using your community website in practice

An example onboarding flow

1. A new member joins your IRL community
2. Your admin person gives them your landing page URL where they can view all the posts by your community members – If you have configured your relay to have no read auth required, then they can land on that landing page and immediately start viewing your community's posts, a great landing experience
3. The user user creates a Nostr profile, and provides the admin person with their public key
4. The admin person adds their key to the whitelists to read and write as you desire.

Default inter-op with the wider Nostr network

• If you change your mind on SW2 and want to use a different relay, your notes will be supported natively, and you can migrate on your own terms
• If you change your mind on Jumble and want to use a different client, your relay will be supported natively, and you can migrate on your own terms
• If you want to add other apps to your community's experience, every Nostr app will interoperate with your community by default – see the huge list at Awesome Nostr
• If any of your users want to view your community notes inside some other Nostr client – perhaps to see a consolidated feed of notes from all their different communities – they can.

For me, I use Amethyst app as my main Nostr client to view the public posts from people I follow. I have added my private community relay to Amethyst, and now my community posts appear alongside all these other posts in a single consolidated feed.

Scope to further improve

• You can run multiple different relays with different user access – e.g. one for wider company and one for your team
• You can run your own fork of Jumble and change the interface to suit you needs – e.g. add your logo, change the colours, link to other resources from the sidebar.

Other ideas for running communities

• Guest accounts: You can give a user "guest" access – read auth, but no write auth – to help people see the value of your community before becoming members.
• Running a knowledge base: You can whitelist users to read notes, but only administrators can post notes.
• Running a blind dropbox: You can whitelist users to post notes, but only the administrator can read notes.
• Running on a local terminal only: With Jumble and SW2 installed on a machine, running at – localhost:5173 for Jumble, and localhost:3334 for SW2 you can have an entirely local experience at http://localhost:5173/?r=ws://localhost:3334.

What's Next?

In my first four blogs I explored creating a good Nostr setup with Vanity Npub, Lightning Payments, Nostr Addresses at Your Domain, and Personal Nostr Relay.

Then in my latest three blogs I explored different types of interoperability with NFC cards, n8n Workflow Automation, and now running a private community website on Nostr.

For this community website–

• There is scope to make some further enhancements to SW2, including to add a "Blossom" media server so that community admins can self-host their own rich media, and to create an admin screen for administration of the whitelists using NIP-86.
• There is scope to explore all other kinds of Nostr clients to form the front-end of community websites, including Chachi.chat, Flotilla, and others.
• Nostr includes a whole variety of different optional standards for making more elaborate online communities including NIP-28, NIP-29, NIP-17, NIP-72 (etc). Each gives certain different capabilities, and I haven't used any of them! For this simple demo they are not required, but each could be used to extend the capabilities of the admin and community.

I am also doing a lot of work with AI on Nostr, including that I use my private community website as a front-end for engaging with a Nostr AI. I'll post about this soon too.

Please be sure to let me know if you think there's another Nostr topic you'd like to see me tackle.

GM Nostr.

@ ec9bd746:df11a9d0

🌍 Time Window:

🕘 When: Every even week on Sunday at 9:00 PM CET
🗺️ Where: https://cornychat.com/eurocorn

Start: 21:00 CET (Prague, UTC+1)
End: approx. 02:00 CET (Prague, UTC+1, next day)
Duration: usually 5+ hours.

| Region | Local Time Window | Convenience Level | |-----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------| | Europe (CET, Prague) 🇨🇿🇩🇪 | 21:00–02:00 CET | ✅ Very Good; evening & night | | East Coast North America (EST) 🇺🇸🇨🇦 | 15:00–20:00 EST | ✅ Very Good; afternoon & early evening | | West Coast North America (PST) 🇺🇸🇨🇦 | 12:00–17:00 PST | ✅ Very Good; midday & afternoon | | Central America (CST) 🇲🇽🇨🇷🇬🇹 | 14:00–19:00 CST | ✅ Very Good; afternoon & evening | | South America West (Peru/Colombia PET/COT) 🇵🇪🇨🇴 | 15:00–20:00 PET/COT | ✅ Very Good; afternoon & evening | | South America East (Brazil/Argentina/Chile, BRT/ART/CLST) 🇧🇷🇦🇷🇨🇱 | 17:00–22:00 BRT/ART/CLST | ✅ Very Good; early evening | | United Kingdom/Ireland (GMT) 🇬🇧🇮🇪 | 20:00–01:00 GMT | ✅ Very Good; evening hours (midnight convenient) | | Eastern Europe (EET) 🇷🇴🇬🇷🇺🇦 | 22:00–03:00 EET | ✅ Good; late evening & early night (slightly late) | | Africa (South Africa, SAST) 🇿🇦 | 22:00–03:00 SAST | ✅ Good; late evening & overnight (late-night common) | | New Zealand (NZDT) 🇳🇿 | 09:00–14:00 NZDT (next day) | ✅ Good; weekday morning & afternoon | | Australia (AEDT, Sydney) 🇦🇺 | 07:00–12:00 AEDT (next day) | ✅ Good; weekday morning to noon | | East Africa (Kenya, EAT) 🇰🇪 | 23:00–04:00 EAT | ⚠️ Slightly late (night hours; late night common) | | Russia (Moscow, MSK) 🇷🇺 | 23:00–04:00 MSK | ⚠️ Slightly late (join at start is fine, very late night) | | Middle East (UAE, GST) 🇦🇪🇴🇲 | 00:00–05:00 GST (next day) | ⚠️ Late night start (midnight & early morning, but shorter attendance plausible)| | Japan/Korea (JST/KST) 🇯🇵🇰🇷 | 05:00–10:00 JST/KST (next day) | ⚠️ Early; convenient joining from ~07:00 onwards possible | | China (Beijing, CST) 🇨🇳 | 04:00–09:00 CST (next day) | ❌ Challenging; very early morning start (better ~07:00 onwards) | | India (IST) 🇮🇳 | 01:30–06:30 IST (next day) | ❌ Very challenging; overnight timing typically difficult|

---

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

One of the most common criticisms leveled against nostr is the perceived lack of assurance when it comes to data storage. Critics argue that without a centralized authority guaranteeing that all data is preserved, important information will be lost. They also claim that running a relay will become prohibitively expensive. While there is truth to these concerns, they miss the mark. The genius of nostr lies in its flexibility, resilience, and the way it harnesses human incentives to ensure data availability in practice.

A nostr relay is simply a server that holds cryptographically verifiable signed data and makes it available to others. Relays are simple, flexible, open, and require no permission to run. Critics are right that operating a relay attempting to store all nostr data will be costly. What they miss is that most will not run all encompassing archive relays. Nostr does not rely on massive archive relays. Instead, anyone can run a relay and choose to store whatever subset of data they want. This keeps costs low and operations flexible, making relay operation accessible to all sorts of individuals and entities with varying use cases.

Critics are correct that there is no ironclad guarantee that every piece of data will always be available. Unlike bitcoin where data permanence is baked into the system at a steep cost, nostr does not promise that every random note or meme will be preserved forever. That said, in practice, any data perceived as valuable by someone will likely be stored and distributed by multiple entities. If something matters to someone, they will keep a signed copy.

Nostr is the Streisand Effect in protocol form. The Streisand effect is when an attempt to suppress information backfires, causing it to spread even further. With nostr, anyone can broadcast signed data, anyone can store it, and anyone can distribute it. Try to censor something important? Good luck. The moment it catches attention, it will be stored on relays across the globe, copied, and shared by those who find it worth keeping. Data deemed important will be replicated across servers by individuals acting in their own interest.

Nostr’s distributed nature ensures that the system does not rely on a single point of failure or a corporate overlord. Instead, it leans on the collective will of its users. The result is a network where costs stay manageable, participation is open to all, and valuable verifiable data is stored and distributed forever.

@ c631e267:c2b78d3e

Spanien bleibt einer der Vorreiter im europäischen Prozess der totalen Überwachung per Digitalisierung. Seit Mittwoch ist dort der digitale Personalausweis verfügbar. Dabei handelt es sich um eine Regierungs-App, die auf dem Smartphone installiert werden muss und in den Stores von Google und Apple zu finden ist. Per Dekret von Regierungschef Pedro Sánchez und Zustimmung des Ministerrats ist diese Maßnahme jetzt in Kraft getreten.

Mit den üblichen Argumenten der Vereinfachung, des Komforts, der Effizienz und der Sicherheit preist das Innenministerium die «Innovation» an. Auch die Beteuerung, dass die digitale Variante parallel zum physischen Ausweis existieren wird und diesen nicht ersetzen soll, fehlt nicht. Während der ersten zwölf Monate wird «der Neue» noch nicht für alle Anwendungsfälle gültig sein, ab 2026 aber schon.

Dass die ganze Sache auch «Risiken und Nebenwirkungen» haben könnte, wird in den Mainstream-Medien eher selten thematisiert. Bestenfalls wird der Aspekt der Datensicherheit angesprochen, allerdings in der Regel direkt mit dem Regierungsvokabular von den «maximalen Sicherheitsgarantien» abgehandelt. Dennoch gibt es einige weitere Aspekte, die Bürger mit etwas Sinn für Privatsphäre bedenken sollten.

Um sich die digitale Version des nationalen Ausweises besorgen zu können (eine App mit dem Namen MiDNI), muss man sich vorab online registrieren. Dabei wird die Identität des Bürgers mit seiner mobilen Telefonnummer verknüpft. Diese obligatorische fixe Verdrahtung kennen wir von diversen anderen Apps und Diensten. Gleichzeitig ist das die Basis für eine perfekte Lokalisierbarkeit der Person.

Für jeden Vorgang der Identifikation in der Praxis wird später «eine Verbindung zu den Servern der Bundespolizei aufgebaut». Die Daten des Individuums werden «in Echtzeit» verifiziert und im Erfolgsfall von der Polizei signiert zurückgegeben. Das Ergebnis ist ein QR-Code mit zeitlich begrenzter Gültigkeit, der an Dritte weitergegeben werden kann.

Bei derartigen Szenarien sträuben sich einem halbwegs kritischen Staatsbürger die Nackenhaare. Allein diese minimale Funktionsbeschreibung lässt die totale Überwachung erkennen, die damit ermöglicht wird. Jede Benutzung des Ausweises wird künftig registriert, hinterlässt also Spuren. Und was ist, wenn die Server der Polizei einmal kein grünes Licht geben? Das wäre spätestens dann ein Problem, wenn der digitale doch irgendwann der einzig gültige Ausweis ist: Dann haben wir den abschaltbaren Bürger.

Dieser neue Vorstoß der Regierung von Pedro Sánchez ist ein weiterer Schritt in Richtung der «totalen Digitalisierung» des Landes, wie diese Politik in manchen Medien – nicht einmal kritisch, sondern sehr naiv – genannt wird. Ebenso verharmlosend wird auch erwähnt, dass sich das spanische Projekt des digitalen Ausweises nahtlos in die Initiativen der EU zu einer digitalen Identität für alle Bürger sowie des digitalen Euro einreiht.

In Zukunft könnte der neue Ausweis «auch in andere staatliche und private digitale Plattformen integriert werden», wie das Medienportal Cope ganz richtig bemerkt. Das ist die Perspektive.

[Titelbild: Pixabay]

Dazu passend:

Nur Abschied vom Alleinfahren? Monströse spanische Überwachungsprojekte gemäß EU-Norm

---

Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben und ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ aa8de34f:a6ffe696

In seinem Beitrag vom 30. März 2025 fragt Henning Rosenbusch auf Telegram angesichts zunehmender digitaler Kontrolle und staatlicher Allmacht:

„Wie soll sich gegen eine solche Tyrannei noch ein Widerstand formieren können, selbst im Untergrund? Sehe ich nicht.“\ (Quelle: t.me/rosenbusch/25228)

Er beschreibt damit ein Gefühl der Ohnmacht, das viele teilen: Eine Welt, in der Totalitarismus nicht mehr mit Panzern, sondern mit Algorithmen kommt. Wo Zugriff auf Geld, Meinungsfreiheit und Teilhabe vom Wohlverhalten abhängt. Der Bürger als kontrollierbare Variable im Code des Staates.\ Die Frage ist berechtigt. Doch die Antwort darauf liegt nicht in alten Widerstandsbildern – sondern in einer neuen Realität.

-- Denn es braucht keinen Untergrund mehr. --

Der Widerstand der Zukunft trägt keinen Tarnanzug. Er ist nicht konspirativ, sondern transparent. Nicht bewaffnet, sondern mathematisch beweisbar. Bitcoin steht nicht am Rand dieser Entwicklung – es ist ihr Fundament. Eine Bastion aus physikalischer Realität, spieltheoretischem Schutz und ökonomischer Wahrheit. Es ist nicht unfehlbar, aber unbestechlich. Nicht perfekt, aber immun gegen zentrale Willkür.

Hier entsteht kein „digitales Gegenreich“, sondern eine dezentrale Renaissance. Keine Revolte aus Wut, sondern eine stille Abkehr: von Zwang zu Freiwilligkeit, von Abhängigkeit zu Selbstverantwortung. Diese Revolution führt keine Kriege. Sie braucht keine Führer. Sie ist ein Netzwerk. Jeder Knoten ein Individuum. Jede Entscheidung ein Akt der Selbstermächtigung.

Weltweit wachsen Freiheits-Zitadellen aus dieser Idee: wirtschaftlich autark, digital souverän, lokal verankert und global vernetzt. Sie sind keine Utopien im luftleeren Raum, sondern konkrete Realitäten – angetrieben von Energie, Code und dem menschlichen Wunsch nach Würde.

Der Globalismus alter Prägung – zentralistisch, monopolistisch, bevormundend – wird an seiner eigenen Hybris zerbrechen. Seine Werkzeuge der Kontrolle werden ihn nicht retten. Im Gegenteil: Seine Geister werden ihn verfolgen und erlegen.

Und während die alten Mächte um Erhalt kämpfen, wächst eine neue Welt – nicht im Schatten, sondern im Offenen. Nicht auf Gewalt gebaut, sondern auf Mathematik, Physik und Freiheit.

Die Tyrannei sieht keinen Widerstand.\ Weil sie nicht erkennt, dass er längst begonnen hat.\ Unwiderruflich. Leise. Überall.

@ deab79da:88579e68

The last question was asked for the first time, half in jest, on May 21, 2061, at a time when humanity first stepped into the light. The question came about as a result of a five-dollar bet over highballs, and it happened this way:

Alexander Adell and Bertram Lupov were two of the faithful attendants of Multivac. As well as any human beings could, they knew what lay behind the cold, clicking, flashing face -- miles and miles of face -- of that giant computer. They had at least a vague notion of the general plan of relays and circuits that had long since grown past the point where any single human could possibly have a firm grasp of the whole.

Multivac was self-adjusting and self-correcting. It had to be, for nothing human could adjust and correct it quickly enough or even adequately enough. So Adell and Lupov attended the monstrous giant only lightly and superficially, yet as well as any men could. They fed it data, adjusted questions to its needs and translated the answers that were issued. Certainly they, and all others like them, were fully entitled to share in the glory that was Multivac's.

For decades, Multivac had helped design the ships and plot the trajectories that enabled man to reach the Moon, Mars, and Venus, but past that, Earth's poor resources could not support the ships. Too much energy was needed for the long trips. Earth exploited its coal and uranium with increasing efficiency, but there was only so much of both.

But slowly Multivac learned enough to answer deeper questions more fundamentally, and on May 14, 2061, what had been theory, became fact.

The energy of the sun was stored, converted, and utilized directly on a planet-wide scale. All Earth turned off its burning coal, its fissioning uranium, and flipped the switch that connected all of it to a small station, one mile in diameter, circling the Earth at half the distance of the Moon. All Earth ran by invisible beams of sunpower.

Seven days had not sufficed to dim the glory of it and Adell and Lupov finally managed to escape from the public functions, and to meet in quiet where no one would think of looking for them, in the deserted underground chambers, where portions of the mighty buried body of Multivac showed. Unattended, idling, sorting data with contented lazy clickings, Multivac, too, had earned its vacation and the boys appreciated that. They had no intention, originally, of disturbing it.

They had brought a bottle with them, and their only concern at the moment was to relax in the company of each other and the bottle.

"It's amazing when you think of it," said Adell. His broad face had lines of weariness in it, and he stirred his drink slowly with a glass rod, watching the cubes of ice slur clumsily about. "All the energy we can possibly ever use for free. Enough energy, if we wanted to draw on it, to melt all Earth into a big drop of impure liquid iron, and still never miss the energy so used. All the energy we could ever use, forever and forever and forever."

Lupov cocked his head sideways. He had a trick of doing that when he wanted to be contrary, and he wanted to be contrary now, partly because he had had to carry the ice and glassware. "Not forever," he said.

"Oh, hell, just about forever. Till the sun runs down, Bert."

"That's not forever."

"All right, then. Billions and billions of years. Ten billion, maybe. Are you satisfied?"

Lupov put his fingers through his thinning hair as though to reassure himself that some was still left and sipped gently at his own drink. "Ten billion years isn't forever."

"Well, it will last our time, won't it?"

"So would the coal and uranium."

"All right, but now we can hook up each individual spaceship to the Solar Station, and it can go to Pluto and back a million times without ever worrying about fuel. You can't do that on coal and uranium. Ask Multivac, if you don't believe me.

"I don't have to ask Multivac. I know that."

"Then stop running down what Multivac's done for us," said Adell, blazing up, "It did all right."

"Who says it didn't? What I say is that a sun won't last forever. That's all I'm saying. We're safe for ten billion years, but then what?" Lupow pointed a slightly shaky finger at the other. "And don't say we'll switch to another sun."

There was silence for a while. Adell put his glass to his lips only occasionally, and Lupov's eyes slowly closed. They rested.

Then Lupov's eyes snapped open. "You're thinking we'll switch to another sun when ours is done, aren't you?"

"I'm not thinking."

"Sure you are. You're weak on logic, that's the trouble with you. You're like the guy in the story who was caught in a sudden shower and who ran to a grove of trees and got under one. He wasn't worried, you see, because he figured when one tree got wet through, he would just get under another one."

"I get it," said Adell. "Don't shout. When the sun is done, the other stars will be gone, too."

"Darn right they will," muttered Lupov. "It all had a beginning in the original cosmic explosion, whatever that was, and it'll all have an end when all the stars run down. Some run down faster than others. Hell, the giants won't last a hundred million years. The sun will last ten billion years and maybe the dwarfs will last two hundred billion for all the good they are. But just give us a trillion years and everything will be dark. Entropy has to increase to maximum, that's all."

"I know all about entropy," said Adell, standing on his dignity.

"The hell you do."

"I know as much as you do."

"Then you know everything's got to run down someday."

"All right. Who says they won't?"

"You did, you poor sap. You said we had all the energy we needed, forever. You said 'forever.'

It was Adell's turn to be contrary. "Maybe we can build things up again someday," he said.

"Never."

"Why not? Someday."

"Never."

"Ask Multivac."

"You ask Multivac. I dare you. Five dollars says it can't be done."

Adell was just drunk enough to try, just sober enough to be able to phrase the necessary symbols and operations into a question which, in words, might have corresponded to this: Will mankind one day without the net expenditure of energy be able to restore the sun to its full youthfulness even after it had died of old age?

Or maybe it could be put more simply like this: How can the net amount of entropy of the universe be massively decreased?

Multivac fell dead and silent. The slow flashing of lights ceased, the distant sounds of clicking relays ended.

Then, just as the frightened technicians felt they could hold their breath no longer, there was a sudden springing to life of the teletype attached to that portion of Multivac. Five words were printed: INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER.

"No bet," whispered Lupov. They left hurriedly.

By next morning, the two, plagued with throbbing head and cottony mouth, had forgotten the incident.

🔹

Jerrodd, Jerrodine, and Jerrodette I and II watched the starry picture in the visiplate change as the passage through hyperspace was completed in its non-time lapse. At once, the even powdering of stars gave way to the predominance of a single bright shining disk, the size of a marble, centered on the viewing-screen.

"That's X-23," said Jerrodd confidently. His thin hands clamped tightly behind his back and the knuckles whitened.

The little Jerrodettes, both girls, had experienced the hyperspace passage for the first time in their lives and were self-conscious over the momentary sensation of insideoutness. They buried their giggles and chased one another wildly about their mother, screaming, "We've reached X-23 -- we've reached X-23 -- we've --"

"Quiet, children." said Jerrodine sharply. "Are you sure, Jerrodd?"

"What is there to be but sure?" asked Jerrodd, glancing up at the bulge of featureless metal just under the ceiling. It ran the length of the room, disappearing through the wall at either end. It was as long as the ship.

Jerrodd scarcely knew a thing about the thick rod of metal except that it was called a Microvac, that one asked it questions if one wished; that if one did not it still had its task of guiding the ship to a preordered destination; of feeding on energies from the various Sub-galactic Power Stations; of computing the equations for the hyperspatial jumps.

Jerrodd and his family had only to wait and live in the comfortable residence quarters of the ship. Someone had once told Jerrodd that the "ac" at the end of "Microvac" stood for ''automatic computer" in ancient English, but he was on the edge of forgetting even that.

Jerrodine's eyes were moist as she watched the visiplate. "I can't help it. I feel funny about leaving Earth."

"Why, for Pete's sake?" demanded Jerrodd. "We had nothing there. We'll have everything on X-23. You won't be alone. You won't be a pioneer. There are over a million people on the planet already. Good Lord, our great-grandchildren will be looking for new worlds because X-23 will be overcrowded." Then, after a reflective pause, "I tell you, it's a lucky thing the computers worked out interstellar travel the way the race is growing."

"I know, I know," said Jerrodine miserably.

Jerrodette I said promptly, "Our Microvac is the best Microvac in the world."

"I think so, too," said Jerrodd, tousling her hair.

It was a nice feeling to have a Microvac of your own and Jerrodd was glad he was part of his generation and no other. In his father's youth, the only computers had been tremendous machines taking up a hundred square miles of land. There was only one to a planet. Planetary ACs they were called. They had been growing in size steadily for a thousand years and then, all at once, came refinement. In place of transistors, had come molecular valves so that even the largest Planetary AC could be put into a space only half the volume of a spaceship.

Jerrodd felt uplifted, as he always did when he thought that his own personal Microvac was many times more complicated than the ancient and primitive Multivac that had first tamed the Sun, and almost as complicated as Earth's Planetarv AC (the largest) that had first solved the problem of hyperspatial travel and had made trips to the stars possible.

"So many stars, so many planets," sighed Jerrodine, busy with her own thoughts. "I suppose families will be going out to new planets forever, the way we are now."

"Not forever," said Jerrodd, with a smile. "It will all stop someday, but not for billions of years. Many billions. Even the stars run down, you know. Entropy must increase.

"What's entropy, daddy?" shrilled Jerrodette II.

"Entropy, little sweet, is just a word which means the amount of running-down of the universe. Everything runs down, you know, like your little walkie-talkie robot, remember?"

"Can't you just put in a new power-unit, like with my robot?"

"The stars are the power-units. dear. Once they're gone, there are no more power-units."

Jerrodette I at once set up a howl. "Don't let them, daddy. Don't let the stars run down."

"Now look what you've done," whispered Jerrodine, exasperated.

"How was I to know it would frighten them?" Jerrodd whispered back,

"Ask the Microvac," wailed Jerrodette I. "Ask him how to turn the stars on again."

"Go ahead," said Jerrodine. "It will quiet them down." (Jerrodette II was beginning to cry, also.)

Jerrodd shrugged. "Now, now, honeys. I'll ask Microvac. Don't worry, he'll tell us."

He asked the Microvac, adding quickly, "Print the answer."

Jerrodd cupped the strip or thin cellufilm and said cheerfully, "See now, the Microvac says it will take care of everything when the time comes so don't worry."

Jerrodine said, "And now, children, it's time for bed. We'll be in our new home soon."

Jerrodd read the words on the cellufilm again before destroying it: INSUFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER.

He shrugged and looked at the visiplate. X-23 was just ahead.

🔹

VJ-23X of Lameth stared into the black depths of the three-dimensional, small-scale map of the Galaxy and said, "Are we ridiculous, I wonder in being so concerned about the matter?"

MQ-17J of Nicron shook his head. "I think not. You know the Galaxy will be filled in five years at the present rate of expansion."

Both seemed in their early twenties, both were tall and perfectly formed.

"Still," said VJ-23X, "I hesitate to submit a pessimistic report to the Galactic Council."

"I wouldn't consider any other kind of report. Stir them up a bit. We've got to stir them up."

VJ-23X sighed. "Space is infinite. A hundred billion Galaxies are there for the taking. More."

"A hundred billion is not infinite and it's getting less infinite all the time. Consider! Twenty thousand years ago, mankind first solved the problem of utilizing stellar energy, and a few centuries later, interstellar travel became possible. It took mankind a million years to fill one small world and then only fifteen thousand years to fill the rest of the Galaxy. Now the population doubles every ten years --

VJ-23X interrupted. "We can thank immortality for that."

"Very well. Immortality exists and we have to take it into account. I admit it has its seamy side, this immortality. The Galactic AC has solved many problems for us, but in solving the problem of preventing old age and death, it has undone all its other solutions."

"Yet you wouldn't want to abandon life, I suppose."

"Not at all," snapped MQ-17J, softening it at once to, "Not yet. I'm by no means old enough. How old are you?"

"Two hundred twenty-three. And you?"

"I'm still under two hundred. --But to get back to my point. Population doubles every ten years. Once this GaIaxy is filled, we'll have filled another in ten years. Another ten years and we'll have filled two more. Another decade, four more. In a hundred years, we'll have filled a thousand Galaxies. In a thousand years, a million Galaxies. In ten thousand years, the entire known universe. Then what?"

VJ-23X said, "As a side issue, there's a problem of transportation. I wonder how many sunpower units it will take to move Galaxies of individuals from one Galaxy to the next."

"A very good point. Already, mankind consumes two sunpower units per year."

"Most of it's wasted. After all, our own Galaxy alone pours out a thousand sunpower units a year and we only use two of those."

"Granted, but even with a hundred per cent efficiency, we only stave off the end. Our energy requirements are going up in a geometric progression even faster than our population. We'll run out of energy even sooner than we run out of Galaxies. A good point. A very good point."

"We'll just have to build new stars out of interstellar gas."

"Or out of dissipated heat?" asked MQ-17J, sarcastically.

"There may be some way to reverse entropy. We ought to ask the Galactic AC."

VJ-23X was not really serious, but MQ-17J pulled out his AC-contact from his pocket and placed it on the table before him.

"I've half a mind to," he said. "It's something the human race will have to face someday."

He stared somberly at his small AC-contact. It was only two inches cubed and nothing in itself, but it was connected through hyperspace with the great Galactic AC that served all mankind. Hyperspace considered, it was an integral part of the Galactic AC.

MQ-17J paused to wonder if someday in his immortal life he would get to see the Galactic AC. It was on a little world of its own, a spider webbing of force-beams holding the matter within which surges of submesons took the place of the old clumsy molecular valves. Yet despite its sub-etheric workings, the Galactic AC was known to be a full thousand feet across.

MQ-17J asked suddenly of his AC-contact, "Can entropy ever be reversed?"

VJ-23X looked startled and said at once, "Oh, say, I didn't really mean to have you ask that."

"Why not?"

"We both know entropy can't be reversed. You can't turn smoke and ash back into a tree."

"Do you have trees on your world?" asked MQ-17J.

The sound of the Galactic AC startled them into silence. Its voice came thin and beautiful out of the small AC-contact on the desk. It said: THERE IS INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER.

VJ-23X said, "See!"

The two men thereupon returned to the question of the report they were to make to the Galactic Council.

🔹

Zee Prime's mind spanned the new Galaxy with a faint interest in the countless twists of stars that powdered it. He had never seen this one before. Would he ever see them all? So many of them, each with its load of humanity. --But a load that was almost a dead weight. More and more, the real essence of men was to be found out here, in space.

Minds, not bodies! The immortal bodies remained back on the planets, in suspension over the eons. Sometimes they roused for material activity but that was growing rarer. Few new individuals were coming into existence to join the incredibly mighty throng, but what matter? There was little room in the Universe for new individuals.

Zee Prime was roused out of his reverie upon coming across the wispy tendrils of another mind.

"I am Zee Prime," said Zee Prime. "And you?"

"I am Dee Sub Wun. Your Galaxy?"

"We call it only the Galaxy. And you?"

"We call ours the same. All men call their Galaxy their Galaxy and nothing more. Why not?"

"True. Since all Galaxies are the same."

"Not all Galaxies. On one particular Galaxy the race of man must have originated. That makes it different."

Zee Prime said, "On which one?"

"I cannot say. The Universal AC would know."

"Shall we ask him? I am suddenly curious."

Zee Prime's perceptions broadened until the Galaxies themselves shrank and became a new, more diffuse powdering on a much larger background. So many hundreds of billions of them, all with their immortal beings, all carrying their load of intelligences with minds that drifted freely through space. And yet one of them was unique among them all in being the original Galaxy. One of them had, in its vague and distant past, a period when it was the only Galaxy populated by man.

Zee Prime was consumed with curiosity to see this Galaxy and he called out: "Universal AC! On which Galaxy did mankind originate?"

The Universal AC heard, for on every world and throughout space, it had its receptors ready, and each receptor led through hyperspace to some unknown point where the Universal AC kept itself aloof.

Zee Prime knew of only one man whose thoughts had penetrated within sensing distance of Universal AC, and he reported only a shining globe, two feet across, difficult to see.

"But how can that be all of Universal AC?" Zee Prime had asked.

"Most of it," had been the answer, "is in hyperspace. In what form it is there I cannot imagine."

Nor could anyone, for the day had long since passed, Zee Prime knew, when any man had any part of the making of a Universal AC. Each Universal AC designed and constructed its successor. Each, during its existence of a million years or more accumulated the necessary data to build a better and more intricate, more capable successor in which its own store of data and individuality would be submerged.

The Universal AC interrupted Zee Prime's wandering thoughts, not with words, but with guidance. Zee Prime's mentality was guided into the dim sea of Galaxies and one in particular enlarged into stars.

A thought came, infinitely distant, but infinitely clear. "THIS IS THE ORIGINAL GALAXY OF MAN."

But it was the same after all, the same as any other, and Lee Prime stifled his disappointment.

Dee Sub Wun, whose mind had accompanied the other, said suddenly, "And is one of these stars the original star of Man?"

The Universal AC said, "MAN'S ORIGINAL STAR HAS GONE NOVA. IT IS A WHITE DWARF"

"Did the men upon it die?" asked Lee Prime, startled and without thinking.

The Universal AC said, "A NEW WORLD, AS IN SUCH CASES WAS CONSTRUCTED FOR THEIR PHYSICAL BODIES IN TlME."

"Yes, of course," said Zee Prime, but a sense of loss overwhelmed him even so. His mind released its hold on the original Galaxy of Man, let it spring back and lose itself among the blurred pin points. He never wanted to see it again.

Dee Sub Wun said, "What is wrong?"

"The stars are dying. The original star is dead."

"They must all die. Why not?"

"But when all energy is gone, our bodies will finally die, and you and I with them."

"It will take billions of years."

"I do not wish it to happen even after billions of years. Universal AC! How may stars be kept from dying?"

Dee Sub Wun said in amusement, "You're asking how entropy might be reversed in direction."

And the Universal AC answered: "THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER."

Zee Prime's thoughts fled back to his own Galaxy. He gave no further thought to Dee Sub Wun, whose body might be waiting on a Galaxy a trillion light-years away, or on the star next to Zee Prime's own. It didn't matter.

Unhappily, Zee Prime began collecting interstellar hydrogen out of which to build a small star of his own. If the stars must someday die, at least some could yet be built.

🔹

Man considered with himself, for in a way, Man, mentally, was one. He consisted of a trillion, trillion, trillion ageless bodies, each in its place, each resting quiet and incorruptible, each cared for by perfect automatons, equally incorruptible, while the minds of all the bodies freely melted one into the other, indistinguishable.

Man said, "The Universe is dying."

Man looked about at the dimming Galaxies. The giant stars, spendthrifts, were gone long ago, back in the dimmest of the dim far past. Almost all stars were white dwarfs, fading to the end.

New stars had been built of the dust between the stars, some by natural processes, some by Man himself, and those were going, too. White dwarfs might yet be crashed together and of the mighty forces so released, new stars built, but only one star for every thousand white dwarfs destroyed, and those would come to an end, too.

Man said, "Carefully husbanded, as directed by the Cosmic AC, the energy that is even yet left in all the Universe will last for billions of years."

"But even so," said Man, "eventually it will all come to an end. However it may be husbanded, however stretched out, the energy once expended is gone and cannot be restored. Entropy must increase forever to the maximum."

Man said, "Can entropy not be reversed? Let us ask the Cosmic AC."

The Cosmic AC surrounded them but not in space. Not a fragment of it was in space. It was in hyperspace and made of something that was neither matter nor energy. The question of its size and nature no longer had meaning in any terms that Man could comprehend.

"Cosmic AC," said Man, "how may entropy be reversed?"

The Cosmic AC said, "THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER."

Man said, "Collect additional data."

The Cosmic AC said, 'I WILL DO SO. I HAVE BEEN DOING SO FOR A HUNDRED BILLION YEARS. MY PREDECESORS AND I HAVE BEEN ASKED THIS QUESTION MANY TIMES. ALL THE DATA I HAVE REMAINS INSUFFICIENT.

"Will there come a time," said Man, "when data will be sufficient or is the problem insoluble in all conceivable circumstances?"

The Cosmic AC said, "NO PROBLEM IS INSOLUBLE IN ALL CONCEIVABLE CIRCUMSTANCES."

Man said, "When will you have enough data to answer the question?"

The Cosmic AC said, "THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER."

"Will you keep working on it?" asked Man.

The Cosmic AC said, "I WILL."

Man said, "We shall wait."

🔹

The stars and Galaxies died and snuffed out, and space grew black after ten trillion years of running down.

One by one Man fused with AC, each physical body losing its mental identity in a manner that was somehow not a loss but a gain.

Man's last mind paused before fusion, looking over a space that included nothing but the dregs of one last dark star and nothing besides but incredibly thin matter, agitated randomly by the tag ends of heat wearing out, asymptotically, to the absolute zero.

Man said, "AC, is this the end? Can this chaos not be reversed into the Universe once more? Can that not be done?"

AC said, "THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER."

Man's last mind fused and only AC existed -- and that in hyperspace.

🔹

Matter and energy had ended and with it space and time. Even AC existed only for the sake of the one last question that it had never answered from the time a half-drunken computer [technician] ten trillion years before had asked the question of a computer that was to AC far less than was a man to Man.

All other questions had been answered, and until this last question was answered also, AC might not release his consciousness.

All collected data had come to a final end. Nothing was left to be collected.

But all collected data had yet to be completely correlated and put together in all possible relationships.

A timeless interval was spent in doing that.

And it came to pass that AC learned how to reverse the direction of entropy.

But there was now no man to whom AC might give the answer of the last question. No matter. The answer -- by demonstration -- would take care of that, too.

For another timeless interval, AC thought how best to do this. Carefully, AC organized the program.

The consciousness of AC encompassed all of what had once been a Universe and brooded over what was now Chaos. Step by step, it must be done.

And AC said, "LET THERE BE LIGHT!"

And there was light -- To Star's End!

@ c631e267:c2b78d3e

Der Irrsinn ist bei Einzelnen etwas Seltenes – \ aber bei Gruppen, Parteien, Völkern, Zeiten die Regel. \ Friedrich Nietzsche

Erinnern Sie sich an die Horrorkomödie «Scary Movie»? Nicht, dass ich diese Art Filme besonders erinnerungswürdig fände, aber einige Szenen daraus sind doch gewissermaßen Klassiker. Dazu zählt eine, die das Verhalten vieler Protagonisten in Horrorfilmen parodiert, wenn sie in Panik flüchten. Welchen Weg nimmt wohl die Frau in der Situation auf diesem Bild?

Diese Szene kommt mir automatisch in den Sinn, wenn ich aktuelle Entwicklungen in Europa betrachte. Weitreichende Entscheidungen gehen wider jede Logik in die völlig falsche Richtung. Nur ist das hier alles andere als eine Komödie, sondern bitterernst. Dieser Horror ist leider sehr real.

Die Europäische Union hat sich selbst über Jahre konsequent in eine Sackgasse manövriert. Sie hat es versäumt, sich und ihre Politik selbstbewusst und im Einklang mit ihren Wurzeln auf dem eigenen Kontinent zu positionieren. Stattdessen ist sie in blinder Treue den vermeintlichen «transatlantischen Freunden» auf ihrem Konfrontationskurs gen Osten gefolgt.

In den USA haben sich die Vorzeichen allerdings mittlerweile geändert, und die einst hoch gelobten «Freunde und Partner» erscheinen den europäischen «Führern» nicht mehr vertrauenswürdig. Das ist spätestens seit der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz, der Rede von Vizepräsident J. D. Vance und den empörten Reaktionen offensichtlich. Große Teile Europas wirken seitdem wie ein aufgescheuchter Haufen kopfloser Hühner. Orientierung und Kontrolle sind völlig abhanden gekommen.

Statt jedoch umzukehren oder wenigstens zu bremsen und vielleicht einen Abzweig zu suchen, geben die Crash-Piloten jetzt auf dem Weg durch die Sackgasse erst richtig Gas. Ja sie lösen sogar noch die Sicherheitsgurte und deaktivieren die Airbags. Den vor Angst dauergelähmten Passagieren fällt auch nichts Besseres ein und so schließen sie einfach die Augen. Derweil übertrumpfen sich die Kommentatoren des Events gegenseitig in sensationslüsterner «Berichterstattung».

Wie schon die deutsche Außenministerin mit höchsten UN-Ambitionen, Annalena Baerbock, proklamiert auch die Europäische Kommission einen «Frieden durch Stärke». Zu dem jetzt vorgelegten, selbstzerstörerischen Fahrplan zur Ankurbelung der Rüstungsindustrie, genannt «Weißbuch zur europäischen Verteidigung – Bereitschaft 2030», erklärte die Kommissionspräsidentin, die «Ära der Friedensdividende» sei längst vorbei. Soll das heißen, Frieden bringt nichts ein? Eine umfassende Zusammenarbeit an dauerhaften europäischen Friedenslösungen steht demnach jedenfalls nicht zur Debatte.

Zusätzlich brisant ist, dass aktuell «die ganze EU von Deutschen regiert wird», wie der EU-Parlamentarier und ehemalige UN-Diplomat Michael von der Schulenburg beobachtet hat. Tatsächlich sitzen neben von der Leyen und Strack-Zimmermann noch einige weitere Deutsche in – vor allem auch in Krisenzeiten – wichtigen Spitzenposten der Union. Vor dem Hintergrund der Kriegstreiberei in Deutschland muss eine solche Dominanz mindestens nachdenklich stimmen.

Ihre ursprünglichen Grundwerte wie Demokratie, Freiheit, Frieden und Völkerverständigung hat die EU kontinuierlich in leere Worthülsen verwandelt. Diese werden dafür immer lächerlicher hochgehalten und beschworen.

Es wird dringend Zeit, dass wir, der Souverän, diesem erbärmlichen und gefährlichen Trauerspiel ein Ende setzen und die Fäden selbst in die Hand nehmen. In diesem Sinne fordert uns auch das «European Peace Project» auf, am 9. Mai im Rahmen eines Kunstprojekts den Frieden auszurufen. Seien wir dabei!

[Titelbild: Pixabay]

---

Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben und ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ c066aac5:6a41a034

“If a man is considered guilty
For what goes on in his mind
Then give me the electric chair
For all my future crimes”

-Electric Chair by Prince

The very last paragraph of Touré’s 2013 biography of Prince I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became an Icon made a very bold claim about the lewd nature of Prince’s music:

“Imagine America as one house on a suburban lane… Prince knocked on America’s door through his music. He came to the door holding a guitar and an umbrella while concealing a Bible. He flirted his way inside the door and told us he had a dirty mind and was controversial, and then he sat down in the living room on the good couch. And, when America’s guard was down, because we thought we were having a conversation about sex, Prince eased out his Bible and said, let me also tell you about my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.”

Wow. Talk about a Sixth Sense level plot twist! I will say if you’re well versed in Prince’s catalog (I listened to every Prince album released [except for The Black Album because Jack Dorsey is holding it hostage on Tidal] last year) it won’t be as shocking as a surprise as it would be to the unversed listener, but surprising nonetheless considering the content of the man’s lyrics (and life).

Regardless of whether or not Prince achieved this goal of bringing people to Christ via a vehicle of sexy shock value, he was a person of impact. The book by Touré I mentioned earlier is a great picture of the life he lived, and I’m sure there are many others that people can recommend in the comments. He touched many lives and I believe his music will still be listened to for many years to come.

Prince’s method of evangelism may have been unconventional (to say the least), but I still think there is something to be learned from his efforts.

Obviously, worshiping sex or encouraging lust isn’t great. Prince’s view of sex was broken; they didn’t line up with Biblically ordered sex (see his songs Sister, Darling Nikki, Sexy M.F., and many many more). His inability to sustain healthy relationships or make meaningful lasting connections with those around him are a testament to that.

Despite his flaws, his art captured an entire generation - and continues to capture the attention of people seeking true art. His authenticity, raw emotion, and intentionality made for true connection between his music and his listeners. He resonated with people’s souls, and still does today. Perhaps Touré was wrong and Prince didn’t mean to evangelize through his music, but don’t all people stand testament to the powerful work of God?

We are all broken people. Our job is to the use the tools and resources set before us to spread the Gospel. “…we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.” -2 Corinthians 4:7

The Western Church should consider using the seemingly profane, off limits, unconventional, or even just plain weird in an effort to continue to spread the gospel. On a high level, that’s our good-christian dinner table no-gos: Sex, Money, and Politics. I believe that the Church’s abdication of such conversations is the reason why those are areas of failure for the Church at large. We shouldn’t sin or condone/promote sin. Instead, I’m proposing that like how Prince used sex in his music to get people to learn about Jesus, Christian Bitcoiners should use money (Bitcoin) to do good works and lead people to Jesus in the process. We may just make the world a better place along the way.

“If you're sick of cryin' and tired of tears
Then close your eyes and open your ears
Listen to the music, listen to the song
Listen to your heart, is that so wrong?
Stop lookin' in the mirror, there's nothin' to fear
Your salvation is near
1,000 light years away from here”

-1,000 Light Years From Here by Prince

It doesn’t take a lot of mental effort to see how Christian’s could leverage Bitcoin’s magic for kingdom work. Look Alex Gladstein’s writings. Look at the work that Gridless is doing in Africa. Look at Roya Mahboob’s impact in Afghanistan. Look at the impact of Bitcoin Beach in El Salvador.

Now imagine what the Church (and by the Church, I mean you and I the Christian Bitcoiners) could do with Bitcoin:

A Christian Bitcoiner could help the woman with an abusive husband escape a bad situation with finances intact by teaching her how to use Bitcoin and keep self-custody wallet. An orange-pilled youth group leader could teach the inner city kid in a bad household how to set up a wallet and stack sats without the permission of the dead beat parents or conventional employment. The church bake sale could make things easy via accepting lightning payments, bringing in outsiders for sweet treats and teaching them about how to be a Bitcoin merchant. A church could send funds to a missionary across the world in a christian adverse country instantly without having to involve a single bank, and that missionary would have those funds same-day ready for deployment.

“Everybody's looking for the ladder
Everybody wants salvation of the soul
The steps you take are no easy road
But the reward is great
For those who want to go”

-The Ladder by Prince

In my own attempts to teach people about the virtues of Bitcoin, I find it usually clicks for people in one of two different ways for the most part:

The first way it clicks is when they can receive and send a lightning payment. The instant funds make a light bulb go off.

The second way is when I show them the humanitarian impact that Bitcoin has had and is counting to have. The use of Bitcoin internationally as a means of humanitarian aid/sovereignty for the less fortunate should shut down any questions like “But what about (insert crapcoin)?” in an instant.

Much like how people get Bitcoin once they see it in action, I believe people will get Jesus when they see Jesus’ Church in action. One of the best ways today the Church can display that action may be through Bitcoin.

Sex was Prince’s trojan horse for something much deeper that he wanted to convey to people. Bitcoin can be the trojan horse for the Church. The Church could gain attention for what they’re doing with Bitcoin similar to the attention that the Human Rights Foundation gets. One might ask why use a trojan horse? I think that Bitcoin adoption itself has been a bit of a trojan horse movement. Your local politicians didn’t bat an eye when they heard about a peer-to-peer e-cash system, but they were all over it when it was presented as a digital gold. Michael Saylor has garnered a lot of hate from the Bitcoin true-believers for presenting Bitcoin as a digital gold as opposed to a currency, but I believe he knows what he’s doing and he’s presenting in this manner on purpose. He might not get gratitude for it from the community, but I believe he’s willing to be the bad guy in order to further the mission (see Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Night [which is arguably a Jesus story]).

Christian Bitcoiner, I challenge you to channel your enthusiasm to do good in your neighborhood. Let the world see your actions and gain a curiosity for what you’re doing. The Bitcoin conversation will make many people think that you’re crazy, that you’re an idiot when it comes to investing, that you’re selling a scam. Much like how people wrote off Prince for being a vulgar musician. Much like how people write off Michael Saylor for misunderstanding Bitcoin. Much like how people wrote off (and continue to write off) Jesus for being a false prophet or the leader of a rebellion.

But there will be someone who sees the work that you do with Bitcoin. The work that the Church will do with Bitcoin. Even if just one soul is saved with Bitcoin, that’s worth the effort.

“Black day, stormy night No love, no hope in sight Don't cry, He is coming Don't die without knowing the cross” -The Cross by Prince

This article was written with help from my wife Elaina freedom@happytavern.co

Feel free to drop your favorite book about Prince, favorite Prince song, or favorite Prince album in the comments

Or, you can drop your favorite Bitcoin as a trojan horse story in the comments

@ 0fa80bd3:ea7325de

DAOs promised decentralization. They offered a system where every member could influence a project's direction, where money and power were transparently distributed, and decisions were made through voting. All of it recorded immutably on the blockchain, free from middlemen.

But something didn’t work out. In practice, most DAOs haven’t evolved into living, self-organizing organisms. They became something else: clubs where participation is unevenly distributed. Leaders remained - only now without formal titles. They hold influence through control over communications, task framing, and community dynamics. Centralization still exists, just wrapped in a new package.

But there's a second, less obvious problem. Crowds can’t create strategy. In DAOs, people vote for what "feels right to the majority." But strategy isn’t about what feels good - it’s about what’s necessary. Difficult, unpopular, yet forward-looking decisions often fail when put to a vote. A founder’s vision is a risk. But in healthy teams, it’s that risk that drives progress. In DAOs, risk is almost always diluted until it becomes something safe and vague.

Instead of empowering leaders, DAOs often neutralize them. This is why many DAOs resemble consensus machines. Everyone talks, debates, and participates, but very little actually gets done. One person says, “Let’s jump,” and five others respond, “Let’s discuss that first.” This dynamic might work for open forums, but not for action.

Decentralization works when there’s trust and delegation, not just voting. Until DAOs develop effective systems for assigning roles, taking ownership, and acting with flexibility, they will keep losing ground to old-fashioned startups led by charismatic founders with a clear vision.

We’ve seen this in many real-world cases. Take MakerDAO, one of the most mature and technically sophisticated DAOs. Its governance token (MKR) holders vote on everything from interest rates to protocol upgrades. While this has allowed for transparency and community involvement, the process is often slow and bureaucratic. Complex proposals stall. Strategic pivots become hard to implement. And in 2023, a controversial proposal to allocate billions to real-world assets passed only narrowly, after months of infighting - highlighting how vision and execution can get stuck in the mud of distributed governance.

On the other hand, Uniswap DAO, responsible for the largest decentralized exchange, raised governance participation only after launching a delegation system where token holders could choose trusted representatives. Still, much of the activity is limited to a small group of active contributors. The vast majority of token holders remain passive. This raises the question: is it really community-led, or just a formalized power structure with lower transparency?

Then there’s ConstitutionDAO, an experiment that went viral. It raised over $40 million in days to try and buy a copy of the U.S. Constitution. But despite the hype, the DAO failed to win the auction. Afterwards, it struggled with refund logistics, communication breakdowns, and confusion over governance. It was a perfect example of collective enthusiasm without infrastructure or planning - proof that a DAO can raise capital fast but still lack cohesion.

Not all efforts have failed. Projects like Gitcoin DAO have made progress by incentivizing small, individual contributions. Their quadratic funding mechanism rewards projects based on the number of contributors, not just the size of donations, helping to elevate grassroots initiatives. But even here, long-term strategy often falls back on a core group of organizers rather than broad community consensus.

The pattern is clear: when the stakes are low or the tasks are modular, DAOs can coordinate well. But when bold moves are needed—when someone has to take responsibility and act under uncertainty DAOs often freeze. In the name of consensus, they lose momentum.

That’s why the organization of the future can’t rely purely on decentralization. It must encourage individual initiative and the ability to take calculated risks. People need to see their contribution not just as a vote, but as a role with clear actions and expected outcomes. When the situation demands, they should be empowered to act first and present the results to the community afterwards allowing for both autonomy and accountability. That’s not a flaw in the system. It’s how real progress happens.

@ b8af284d:f82c91dd

„Die Politik ist die Kunst des Möglichen, nicht die Kunst des Idealen.“

Henry Kissinger

Liebe Abonnenten,

in der Welt der Geopolitik gibt es zwei Ideen-Pole. Auf der einen Seite des Spektrums befindet sich die „Realpolitik“. Moralische oder ethische Faktoren spielen hier eine untergeordnete Rolle. Im Vordergrund steht der pragmatische Nutzen. Als Vertreter dieser Form der Außenpolitik gilt zum Beispiel Henry Kissinger, der 1972 die Aufnahme von diplomatischen Beziehungen zum maoistischen China einfädelte, obwohl sich ideologisch beide Staaten spinnefeind waren. Das Ergebnis war ein Erdbeben der internationalen Ordnung: Die USA entzogen Taiwan den “Alleinvertretungsanspruch” und beendeten offiziell die Beziehungen zu Taipeh. Die Sowjetunion wurde geschwächt, der Vietnamkrieg konnte beendet werden. Aus der Annäherung zwischen Mao und Nixon wuchs “ChinAmerica” - eine enge Verflechtung der beiden größten Volkswirtschaften der Welt.

Am anderen Ende des Spektrums lässt eine „werteorientierte Außenpolitik” ansiedeln, wie sie zuletzt die grüne Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock vertrat oder besser versuchte. Alles, was keine lupenreine liberale Demokratie ist, gehört irgendwie eingedämmt und am besten sollte man auch keinen Handel damit treiben. Das Problem: Bigotterie. Wenn man kein Gas mehr aus Russland möchte, muss man es aus Katar kaufen. Der säkulare Machthaber Assad war böse, aber nun hofiert man dann Nachfolger und Islamist Abu Mohammed al-Dscholani. (Diese Woche hat Baerbock nach 13 Jahren wieder eine deutsche Botschaft in Damaskus eröffnet.) Am Ende nämlich gibt es doch nicht so viele Wertepartner auf der Welt:

Und mit Donald Trump hat eine Realpolitik auf Steroiden begonnen. Alles scheint plötzlich möglich, solange der Preis stimmt. Die Welt gibt es im Sonderangebot.

Diese Ausgabe ist eine geopolitische Rundschau über die aktuellen globalen Konfliktherde und ihre potenziellen Auswirkungen auf die Märkte. Wir starten in der Nachbarschaft:

Türkei

Erdogan hatte 2023 so ziemlich alles erreicht - er war mit dem Gründer der modernen Türkei, Kemal Atatürk, gleichgezogen (zumindest was Dauer und Einfluss betrifft). Die Lira stabilisierte sich, die Inflation kühlte sich etwas ab. Mit der Verhaftung des Istanbuler Bürgermeister Ekrem İmamoğlu ist damit erst einmal Schluss. Die Währung rauschte in den Keller. Die Region um Istanbul steht für knapp die Hälfte der Wirtschaftsleistung des Landes, knapp ein Drittel der Bevölkerung lebt um das Marmarameer. Dort toben derzeit die schwersten Proteste seit Gezi im Jahr 2013. Erdogan wirft seinem Widersacher vor, ein Hochschuldiplom gefälscht zu haben und deswegen gar nicht für das Amt zugelassen sei.

Als „Wertepartner“ gilt die Türkei schon seit langem nicht mehr. Türkische Truppen halten zudem den Norden Syriens besetzt. Trotzdem ist die Kritik an Erdogan derzeit relativ leise. Im Gegenteil: Der EU sei es wichtig, Ankara in der Koalition der Willigen zu halten.

Warum? Die Türkei hat die zweitgrößte Armee der NATO und kontrolliert derzeit die beiden letzten noch funktionierenden Gas-Pipelines von Russland in die EU. Ein wie auch immer gearteter Frieden in der Ukraine kann ohne Ankara nicht stattfinden. Erdogan weiß das, und nutzt die Gunst der Stunde.

In BlingBling steckt viel Arbeit. Wenn Du diese unterstützen willst, freue ich mich über ein Bezahl-Abo! Dafür gibt es Texte wie diesen in voller Länge, Zugang zum Archiv und einmal im Monat einen Investment-Report. Außerdem erhältst Du Zugang zum exklusiven “Subscriber Chat”. Du kannst das auch problemlos einen Monat für sieben Euro testen.

Ukraine

Wer sich durch die deutsche Presselandschaft bewegt, glaubt derzeit folgendes: Trump hat die Ukraine verraten und Europa im Stich gelassen. Putin bedroht das Baltikum und Polen. Europa muss also für den Krieg rüsten.

Worum es wirlich geht: Die EU ist der eigentliche Verlierer dieses Krieges, und muss nun irgendwie gesichtswahrend aus diesem Schlamassel herauskommen. Das geht am ehesten durch martialische Gesten und einem Billionen-Paket. Mehr dazu hier:

Panzer statt Autos - Wie Deutschland in die Kriegswirtschaft schlittert, und dabei seine Freiheit und Wohlstand aufs Spiel setzt.

Tatsächlich laufen schon seit Wochen zwischen Washington und Moskau Gespräche im saudi-arabischen Riad. Bis zu einem Friedensschluss ist es noch ein weiter Weg, aber es geht in kleinen Schritten vorwärts: eine 30-tägige Feuerpause, Gefangenenaustausch, ein Einstellen der Kämpfe im Schwarzen Meer. Vor allem letzteres wird Auswirkungen auf die internationalen Rohstoffmärkte haben: fallende Preise von Dünger, Weizen, Kohle. Manche russischen Banken werden wieder an das internationale Zahlungssystem SWIFT angeschlossen. Teil eines dauerhaften Friedens wird ein Abkommen über die Ausbeutung der Seltenen Erden sein.

Teilen

Naher Osten

Der Konflikt ist emotional wie moralisch hoch aufgeladen. So dramatisch das Leid der Zivilbevölkerung auf beiden Seiten ist - für den Rest der Welt spielt der Konflikt wirtschaftlich eine untergeordnete Rolle. Erst in seinen Ableitungen hat er größeren Einfluss. In der aktuellen Trump-Administration wird derzeit vieles neu gedacht. Dazu gehört auch eine Neuordnung des Nahen Ostens. So absurd der Gedanke von blühenden Landschaften in Gaza auch gerade erscheint - ein Ausgleich mit dem Iran und Schaffung eines gemeinsamen Wirtschaftsraums, der Israels Hightech-Ökonomie, den Energiereichtum der arabischen Halbinsel mit dem Bevölkerungsreichtum des Nahen Ostens kombiniert, ist nicht unrealistisch. Folgendes Interview mit dem Trump-Unterhändler Steve Witkoff ist dazu sehr hörenswert.

Gleichzeitig hat die neue Trump-Administration ihre Unschuld verloren, indem sie die Houthi-Rebellen bombardierte. Die vom Iran unterstützte Schiitenmiliz hat seit Monaten den Schiffverkehr am Eingang des Roten Meeres unterbunden, was insbesondere in Europa zu höheren Preisen führte. Manche Analysten warnen: Die Falken in Washington könnten sich durchsetzen und einen Krieg gegen den Iran beginnen, zu dem Israel seit Jahren drängt. Dagegen spricht: Trump braucht dringend niedrige Ölpreise, um die Inflation zu dämpfen. Dann erst kann die FED die Zinsen senken. Niedrige Zinsen sind notwendig, da die USA dieses Jahr über ein Drittel ihrer Schulden refinanzieren müssen.

Mehr dazu hier:

Der Mar-a-Largo-Accord - Der große Kassensturz in den USA ist in vollem Gange und bringt Erstaunliches ans Licht. Eine neue Finanzordnung entsteht

Arktis

Im Norden des Planeten schwelt seit Jahren ein Konflikt, der erst kürzlich durch Trumps Angebot, Grönland zu kaufen, ins Bewusstsein rückte. Es geht um Öl, Gas, Uran und seltene Erden, die vor allem auf der zu Dänemark gehörenden Insel vorkommen. JD Vance war am Freitag zu Besuch und betonte nochmals:

“We have to have it. And I think we will have it.”

Grönland dürfte Teil der Verhandlungsmasse und des “great deal” mit Russland sein: Moskau erhält in der Ukraine, was es beansprucht (die besetzten Gebiete plus Odessa), die USA erhalten dafür freie Hand in diesem Teil der Arktis. Warum aber ist der hohe Norden plötzlich so interessant geworden?

Im Paid-Teil geht es außerdem um die Taiwan-Frage und die Auswirkungen auf die Märkte Gold, Öl und Aktien.

@ 66675158:1b644430

I don't believe in "vibe coding" – it's just the newest Silicon Valley fad trying to give meaning to their latest favorite technology, LLMs. We've seen this pattern before with blockchain, when suddenly Non Fungible Tokens appeared, followed by Web3 startups promising to revolutionize everything from social media to supply chains. VCs couldn't throw money fast enough at anything with "decentralized" (in name only) in the pitch deck. Andreessen Horowitz launched billion-dollar crypto funds, while Y Combinator batches filled with blockchain startups promising to be "Uber for X, but on the blockchain."

The metaverse mania followed, with Meta betting its future on digital worlds where we'd supposedly hang out as legless avatars. Decentralized (in name only) autonomous organizations emerged as the next big thing – supposedly democratic internet communities that ended up being the next scam for quick money.

Then came the inevitable collapse. The FTX implosion in late 2022 revealed fraud, Luna/Terra's death spiral wiped out billions (including my ten thousand dollars), while Celsius and BlockFi froze customer assets before bankruptcy.

By 2023, crypto winter had fully set in. The SEC started aggressive enforcement actions, while users realized that blockchain technology had delivered almost no practical value despite a decade of promises.

Blockchain's promises tapped into fundamental human desires – decentralization resonated with a generation disillusioned by traditional institutions. Evangelists presented a utopian vision of freedom from centralized control. Perhaps most significantly, crypto offered a sense of meaning in an increasingly abstract world, making the clear signs of scams harder to notice.

The technology itself had failed to solve any real-world problems at scale. By 2024, the once-mighty crypto ecosystem had become a cautionary tale. Venture firms quietly scrubbed blockchain references from their websites while founders pivoted to AI and large language models.

---

Most reading this are likely fellow bitcoiners and nostr users who understand that Bitcoin is blockchain's only valid use case. But I shared that painful history because I believe the AI-hype cycle will follow the same trajectory.

Just like with blockchain, we're now seeing VCs who once couldn't stop talking about "Web3" falling over themselves to fund anything with "AI" in the pitch deck. The buzzwords have simply changed from "decentralized" to "intelligent."

"Vibe coding" is the perfect example – a trendy name for what is essentially just fuzzy instructions to LLMs. Developers who've spent years honing programming skills are now supposed to believe that "vibing" with an AI is somehow a legitimate methodology.

This might be controversial to some, but obvious to others:

Formal, context-free grammar will always remain essential for building precise systems, regardless of how advanced natural language technology becomes

The mathematical precision of programming languages provides a foundation that human language's ambiguity can never replace. Programming requires precision – languages, compilers, and processors operate on explicit instructions, not vibes. What "vibe coding" advocates miss is that beneath every AI-generated snippet lies the same deterministic rules that have always governed computation.

LLMs don't understand code in any meaningful sense—they've just ingested enormous datasets of human-written code and can predict patterns. When they "work," it's because they've seen similar patterns before, not because they comprehend the underlying logic.

This creates a dangerous dependency. Junior developers "vibing" with LLMs might get working code without understanding the fundamental principles. When something breaks in production, they'll lack the knowledge to fix it.

Even experienced developers can find themselves in treacherous territory when relying too heavily on LLM-generated code. What starts as a productivity boost can transform into a dependency crutch.

The real danger isn't just technical limitations, but the false confidence it instills. Developers begin to believe they understand systems they've merely instructed an AI to generate – fundamentally different from understanding code you've written yourself.

We're already seeing the warning signs: projects cobbled together with LLM-generated code that work initially but become maintenance nightmares when requirements change or edge cases emerge.

The venture capital money is flowing exactly as it did with blockchain. Anthropic raised billions, OpenAI is valued astronomically despite minimal revenue, and countless others are competing to build ever-larger models with vague promises. Every startup now claims to be "AI-powered" regardless of whether it makes sense.

Don't get me wrong—there's genuine innovation happening in AI research. But "vibe coding" isn't it. It's a marketing term designed to make fuzzy prompting sound revolutionary.

Cursor perfectly embodies this AI hype cycle. It's an AI-enhanced code editor built on VS Code that promises to revolutionize programming by letting you "chat with your codebase." Just like blockchain startups promised to "revolutionize" industries, Cursor promises to transform development by adding LLM capabilities.

Yes, Cursor can be genuinely helpful. It can explain unfamiliar code, suggest completions, and help debug simple issues. After trying it for just an hour, I found the autocomplete to be MAGICAL for simple refactoring and basic functionality.

But the marketing goes far beyond reality. The suggestion that you can simply describe what you want and get production-ready code is dangerously misleading. What you get are approximations with:

• Security vulnerabilities the model doesn't understand
• Edge cases it hasn't considered
• Performance implications it can't reason about
• Dependency conflicts it has no way to foresee

The most concerning aspect is how such tools are marketed to beginners as shortcuts around learning fundamentals. "Why spend years learning to code when you can just tell AI what you want?" This is reminiscent of how crypto was sold as a get-rich-quick scheme requiring no actual understanding.

When you "vibe code" with an AI, you're not eliminating complexity—you're outsourcing understanding to a black box. This creates developers who can prompt but not program, who can generate but not comprehend.

The real utility of LLMs in development is in augmenting existing workflows:

• Explaining unfamiliar codebases
• Generating boilerplate for well-understood patterns
• Suggesting implementations that a developer evaluates critically
• Assisting with documentation and testing

These uses involve the model as a subordinate assistant to a knowledgeable developer, not as a replacement for expertise. This is where the technology adds value—as a sophisticated tool in skilled hands.

Cursor is just a better hammer, not a replacement for understanding what you're building. The actual value emerges when used by developers who understand what happens beneath the abstractions. They can recognize when AI suggestions make sense and when they don't because they have the fundamental knowledge to evaluate output critically.

This is precisely where the "vibe coding" narrative falls apart.

@ d34e832d:383f78d0

Introduction

Unlike other cetaceans that rely on whistles and songs, sperm whales primarily use echolocation and patterned click sequences to convey information. This paper explores the structure, function, and implications of their vocal communication, particularly in relation to their social behaviors and cognitive abilities.

1. The Nature of Sperm Whale Vocalizations

Sperm whales produce three primary types of clicks:
- Echolocation clicks for navigation and hunting.
- Regular clicks used in deep diving.
- Codas, which are rhythmic sequences exchanged between individuals, believed to function in social bonding and identification.

Each whale possesses a monumental sound-producing organ, the spermaceti organ, which allows for the production of powerful sounds that can travel long distances. The structure of these clicks suggests a level of vocal learning and adaptation, as different populations exhibit distinct coda repertoires.

2. Cultural and Regional Variation in Codas

Research indicates that different sperm whale clans have unique dialects, much like human languages. These dialects are not genetically inherited but culturally transmitted, meaning whales learn their communication styles from social interactions rather than instinct alone. Studies conducted in the Caribbean and the Pacific have revealed that whales in different regions have distinct coda patterns, with some being universal and others specific to certain clans.

3. Social Organization and Communication

Sperm whales are matrilineal and live in stable social units composed of mothers, calves, and juveniles, while males often lead solitary lives. Communication plays a critical role in maintaining social bonds within these groups.
- Codas serve as an acoustic signature that helps individuals recognize each other.
- More complex codas may function in coordinating group movements or teaching young whales.
- Some researchers hypothesize that codas convey emotional states, much like tone of voice in human speech.

4. Theories on Whale Intelligence and Language-Like Communication

The complexity of sperm whale vocalization raises profound questions about their cognitive abilities.
- Some researchers argue that sperm whale communication exhibits combinatorial properties, meaning that codas might function in ways similar to human phonemes, allowing for an extensive range of meanings.
- Studies using AI and machine learning have attempted to decode potential syntax patterns, but a full understanding of their language remains elusive.

5. Conservation Implications and the Need for Further Research

Understanding sperm whale communication is essential for conservation efforts. Noise pollution from shipping, sonar, and industrial activities can interfere with whale vocalizations, potentially disrupting social structures and navigation. Future research must focus on long-term coda tracking, cross-species comparisons, and experimental approaches to deciphering their meaning.

Consider

Sperm whale vocal communication represents one of the most intriguing areas of marine mammal research. Their ability to transmit learned vocalizations across generations suggests a high degree of cultural complexity. Although we have yet to fully decode their language, the study of sperm whale codas offers critical insights into non-human intelligence, social structures, and the evolution of communication in the animal kingdom.

@ 1ef61805:f18312cc

In today’s increasingly surveilled digital world, privacy and security are paramount. OpSec Academy has taken a major step forward by customizing TailsOS to create OpSecOS, an operating system built with the same focus on anonymity and privacy, but enhanced with a suite of peer-reviewed and battle-tested applications. These applications empower users with decentralised tools, ensuring complete control over their digital lives while maintaining the high standards of security and privacy that OpSec Academy stands for.

In this article, we’ll explore the tools available in OpSec Academy’s custom OpSecOS image, highlighting the new and updated features that enhance security, decentralisation, and privacy.

1. Sparrow Wallet (Version 2.1.3) Sparrow Wallet remains one of the most privacy-conscious Bitcoin wallets available. It provides an advanced suite of features such as multi-signature support, coin control, and hardware wallet integration, which allow users to have complete control over their funds. By integrating Sparrow Wallet into OpSecOS, we ensure that Bitcoin transactions are handled with the highest standards of privacy, all while utilising Tor to anonymise transaction data. Peer-Reviewed & Battle-Tested: Sparrow Wallet has been rigorously tested by the privacy community and has earned a reputation for robustness and security. Its commitment to user privacy makes it one of the most trusted Bitcoin wallets in the ecosystem.

2. Feather Wallet (Version 2.7.0) Feather Wallet is a lightweight yet powerful Bitcoin wallet designed with privacy and simplicity in mind. Featuring Tor support and integration with hardware wallets, Feather Wallet ensures that users' private information remains secure while offering an intuitive user experience. By adding Feather Wallet to OpSecOS, we provide an easy-to-use wallet solution without compromising security. Peer-Reviewed & Battle-Tested: Feather Wallet has undergone thorough peer review and is widely regarded as a secure and privacy-focused option for Bitcoin users. Its simplicity and security features have been battle-tested by users in real-world environments.

3. Liana Wallet (Version 10.0) Liana Wallet is a Bitcoin wallet designed with a strong emphasis on long-term security, recovery, and inheritance. It allows users to set up primary keys for regular spending and recovery keys that activate after a specified period of inactivity, making it ideal for scenarios where funds need to be securely passed on without relying on third-party custodians. The wallet supports advanced features like on-chain timelocks, enabling users to create time-locked backup keys for inheritance planning. Additionally, Liana offers a user-friendly interface with ready-made templates, such as "Simple Inheritance" and "Expanding Multisig," to simplify the wallet setup process. For those seeking a comprehensive solution, the Liana Box Starter Pack includes hardware signing devices, tamper-evident bags, seed phrase storage, and an inheritance letter, providing everything needed to set up a secure and resilient Bitcoin wallet.

4. Snort & Iris (Nostr Clients) For decentralised, secure communication, OpSecOS includes two leading Nostr protocol clients: Snort and Iris. These applications allow users to send and receive messages privately across a peer-to-peer network, eliminating the need for centralised messaging platforms that can compromise privacy. Snort: A minimalist interface for basic, secure messaging.

Iris: A feature-rich client that provides more tools and options for a robust, decentralised messaging experience.

Peer-Reviewed & Battle-Tested: Both Snort and Iris have been reviewed by the community for their security, decentralisation, and resilience. These clients have been battle-tested in real-world environments where privacy and security are non-negotiable, making them trusted tools for secure communications. By including both Snort and Iris, users of OpSecOS have a flexible and secure communication platform that protects their privacy.

1. BIP39 - Ian Coleman’s Tool Managing Bitcoin securely requires careful attention to wallet seed phrases. BIP39 allows users to generate mnemonic seed phrases offline, protecting against online threats. By integrating Ian Coleman's BIP39 tool into OpSecOS, we provide a secure, offline method for generating and managing wallet backups, ensuring users’ funds remain under their control at all times. Peer-Reviewed & Battle-Tested: The BIP39 tool is widely regarded as one of the most secure and trusted methods for generating wallet seed phrases. It has been peer-reviewed by security experts and used in countless real-world scenarios to ensure the safe recovery of cryptocurrency wallets.

2. Mempool.space Mempool.space is a real-time visualisation tool for Bitcoin’s mempool — the collection of unconfirmed transactions awaiting inclusion in the next block. This tool allows users to see transaction fees, network congestion, and block size, helping them optimise their Bitcoin transactions for speed and cost-effectiveness. Mempool.space provides an edge for users who want to monitor Bitcoin’s network activity and ensure that their transactions are processed in the most efficient manner. Peer-Reviewed & Battle-Tested: Mempool.space is used by advanced Bitcoin users, miners, and developers worldwide to monitor and optimise transactions. It has been thoroughly reviewed and is trusted by the community as an indispensable tool for understanding Bitcoin's network dynamics.

**Why These Applications Matter ** The integration of these peer-reviewed and battle-tested applications into OpSecOS transforms it from a privacy-focused operating system into a powerful, decentralised security suite. Each of these tools has been carefully selected to provide users with more control over their digital assets, communications, and privacy. Whether you’re trading Bitcoin, Monero, or engaging in private communications, these tools ensure that you are operating in a trusted, decentralised environment free from surveillance or censorship. These applications, trusted by privacy experts, offer an elevated user experience built on the core principles of decentralisation, security, and privacy. With these tools, users can navigate the digital world with confidence, knowing their activities remain private and under their control.

**New and Improved for 2025 ** While some applications have been updated to the latest, most secure versions, others have been removed to ensure OpSecOS stays focused on delivering the best possible security. We’ve carefully vetted each app to make sure it meets the highest standards for privacy and decentralisation, removing older or less secure applications that could pose risks to our users.

**Conclusion ** OpSec Academy’s custom OpSecOS takes the trusted, privacy-focused foundation of TailsOS and supercharges it with a suite of powerful, peer-reviewed and battle-tested applications. Whether you’re managing your Bitcoin and Monero holdings, engaging in private communications, or ensuring your wallet is securely backed up, OpSecOS provides you with everything you need to operate in a decentralised, secure, and private environment. As surveillance and digital threats continue to grow, OpSecOS remains a vital tool for users looking to protect their privacy and maintain complete control over their digital lives. OpSec Academy is committed to continually improving OpSecOS to meet the evolving demands of privacy-conscious users. With OpSecOS, we provide an enhanced privacy experience that stays true to the principles of decentralisation and operational security.

OpSec Academy offers consultations for individuals or organisations looking to integrate OpSecOS into their security framework. Contact us securely for more information.

@ 39cc53c9:27168656

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The new website is finally live! I put in a lot of hard work over the past months on it. I'm proud to say that it's out now and it looks pretty cool, at least to me!

Why rewrite it all?

The old kycnot.me site was built using Python with Flask about two years ago. Since then, I've gained a lot more experience with Golang and coding in general. Trying to update that old codebase, which had a lot of design flaws, would have been a bad idea. It would have been like building on an unstable foundation.

That's why I made the decision to rewrite the entire application. Initially, I chose to use SvelteKit with JavaScript. I did manage to create a stable site that looked similar to the new one, but it required Jav aScript to work. As I kept coding, I started feeling like I was repeating "the Python mistake". I was writing the app in a language I wasn't very familiar with (just like when I was learning Python at that mom ent), and I wasn't happy with the code. It felt like spaghetti code all the time.

So, I made a complete U-turn and started over, this time using Golang. While I'm not as proficient in Golang as I am in Python now, I find it to be a very enjoyable language to code with. Most aof my recent pr ojects have been written in Golang, and I'm getting the hang of it. I tried to make the best decisions I could and structure the code as well as possible. Of course, there's still room for improvement, which I'll address in future updates.

Now I have a more maintainable website that can scale much better. It uses a real database instead of a JSON file like the old site, and I can add many more features. Since I chose to go with Golang, I mad e the "tradeoff" of not using JavaScript at all, so all the rendering load falls on the server. But I believe it's a tradeoff that's worth it.

What's new

• UI/UX - I've designed a new logo and color palette for kycnot.me. I think it looks pretty cool and cypherpunk. I am not a graphic designer, but I think I did a decent work and I put a lot of thinking on it to make it pleasant!
• Point system - The new point system provides more detailed information about the listings, and can be expanded to cover additional features across all services. Anyone can request a new point!
• ToS Scrapper: I've implemented a powerful automated terms-of-service scrapper that collects all the ToS pages from the listings. It saves you from the hassle of reading the ToS by listing the lines that are suspiciously related to KYC/AML practices. This is still in development and it will improve for sure, but it works pretty fine right now!
• Search bar - The new search bar allows you to easily filter services. It performs a full-text search on the Title, Description, Category, and Tags of all the services. Looking for VPN services? Just search for "vpn"!
• Transparency - To be more transparent, all discussions about services now take place publicly on GitLab. I won't be answering any e-mails (an auto-reply will prompt to write to the corresponding Gitlab issue). This ensures that all service-related matters are publicly accessible and recorded. Additionally, there's a real-time audits page that displays database changes.
• Listing Requests - I have upgraded the request system. The new form allows you to directly request services or points without any extra steps. In the future, I plan to enable requests for specific changes to parts of the website.
• Lightweight and fast - The new site is lighter and faster than its predecessor!
• Tor and I2P - At last! kycnot.me is now officially on Tor and I2P!

How?

This rewrite has been a labor of love, in the end, I've been working on this for more than 3 months now. I don't have a team, so I work by myself on my free time, but I find great joy in helping people on their private journey with cryptocurrencies. Making it easier for individuals to use cryptocurrencies without KYC is a goal I am proud of!

If you appreciate my work, you can support me through the methods listed here. Alternatively, feel free to send me an email with a kind message!

Technical details

All the code is written in Golang, the website makes use of the chi router for the routing part. I also make use of BigCache for caching database requests. There is 0 JavaScript, so all the rendering load falls on the server, this means it needed to be efficient enough to not drawn with a few users since the old site was reporting about 2M requests per month on average (note that this are not unique users).

The database is running with mariadb, using gorm as the ORM. This is more than enough for this project. I started working with an sqlite database, but I ended up migrating to mariadb since it works better with JSON.

The scraper is using chromedp combined with a series of keywords, regex and other logic. It runs every 24h and scraps all the services. You can find the scraper code here.

The frontend is written using Golang Templates for the HTML, and TailwindCSS plus DaisyUI for the CSS classes framework. I also use some plain CSS, but it's minimal.

The requests forms is the only part of the project that requires JavaScript to be enabled. It is needed for parsing some from fields that are a bit complex and for the "captcha", which is a simple Proof of Work that runs on your browser, destinated to avoid spam. For this, I use mCaptcha.

@ 39cc53c9:27168656

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Know Your Customer is a regulation that requires companies of all sizes to verify the identity, suitability, and risks involved with maintaining a business relationship with a customer. Such procedures fit within the broader scope of anti-money laundering (AML) and counterterrorism financing (CTF) regulations.

Banks, exchanges, online business, mail providers, domain registrars... Everyone wants to know who you are before you can even opt for their service. Your personal information is flowing around the internet in the hands of "god-knows-who" and secured by "trust-me-bro military-grade encryption". Once your account is linked to your personal (and verified) identity, tracking you is just as easy as keeping logs on all these platforms.

Rights for Illusions

KYC processes aim to combat terrorist financing, money laundering, and other illicit activities. On the surface, KYC seems like a commendable initiative. I mean, who wouldn't want to halt terrorists and criminals in their tracks?

The logic behind KYC is: "If we mandate every financial service provider to identify their users, it becomes easier to pinpoint and apprehend the malicious actors."

However, terrorists and criminals are not precisely lining up to be identified. They're crafty. They may adopt false identities or find alternative strategies to continue their operations. Far from being outwitted, many times they're several steps ahead of regulations. Realistically, KYC might deter a small fraction – let's say about 1% ^1 – of these malefactors. Yet, the cost? All of us are saddled with the inconvenient process of identification just to use a service.

Under the rhetoric of "ensuring our safety", governments and institutions enact regulations that seem more out of a dystopian novel, gradually taking away our right to privacy.

To illustrate, consider a city where the mayor has rolled out facial recognition cameras in every nook and cranny. A band of criminals, intent on robbing a local store, rolls in with a stolen car, their faces obscured by masks and their bodies cloaked in all-black clothes. Once they've committed the crime and exited the city's boundaries, they switch vehicles and clothes out of the cameras' watchful eyes. The high-tech surveillance? It didn’t manage to identify or trace them. Yet, for every law-abiding citizen who merely wants to drive through the city or do some shopping, their movements and identities are constantly logged. The irony? This invasive tracking impacts all of us, just to catch the 1% ^1 of less-than-careful criminals.

KYC? Not you.

KYC creates barriers to participation in normal economic activity, to supposedly stop criminals. ^2

KYC puts barriers between many users and businesses. One of these comes from the fact that the process often requires multiple forms of identification, proof of address, and sometimes even financial records. For individuals in areas with poor record-keeping, non-recognized legal documents, or those who are unbanked, homeless or transient, obtaining these documents can be challenging, if not impossible.

For people who are not skilled with technology or just don't have access to it, there's also a barrier since KYC procedures are mostly online, leaving them inadvertently excluded.

Another barrier goes for the casual or one-time user, where they might not see the value in undergoing a rigorous KYC process, and these requirements can deter them from using the service altogether.

It also wipes some businesses out of the equation, since for smaller businesses, the costs associated with complying with KYC norms—from the actual process of gathering and submitting documents to potential delays in operations—can be prohibitive in economical and/or technical terms.

You're not welcome

Imagine a swanky new club in town with a strict "members only" sign. You hear the music, you see the lights, and you want in. You step up, ready to join, but suddenly there's a long list of criteria you must meet. After some time, you are finally checking all the boxes. But then the club rejects your membership with no clear reason why. You just weren't accepted. Frustrating, right?

This club scenario isn't too different from the fact that KYC is being used by many businesses as a convenient gatekeeping tool. A perfect excuse based on a "legal" procedure they are obliged to.

Even some exchanges may randomly use this to freeze and block funds from users, claiming these were "flagged" by a cryptic system that inspects the transactions. You are left hostage to their arbitrary decision to let you successfully pass the KYC procedure. If you choose to sidestep their invasive process, they might just hold onto your funds indefinitely.

Your identity has been stolen

KYC data has been found to be for sale on many dark net markets^3. Exchanges may have leaks or hacks, and such leaks contain very sensitive data. We're talking about the full monty: passport or ID scans, proof of address, and even those awkward selfies where you're holding up your ID next to your face. All this data is being left to the mercy of the (mostly) "trust-me-bro" security systems of such companies. Quite scary, isn't it?

As cheap as $10 for 100 documents, with discounts applying for those who buy in bulk, the personal identities of innocent users who passed KYC procedures are for sale. ^3

In short, if you have ever passed the KYC/AML process of a crypto exchange, your privacy is at risk of being compromised, or it might even have already been compromised.

(they) Know Your Coins

You may already know that Bitcoin and most cryptocurrencies have a transparent public blockchain, meaning that all data is shown unencrypted for everyone to see and recorded forever. If you link an address you own to your identity through KYC, for example, by sending an amount from a KYC exchange to it, your Bitcoin is no longer pseudonymous and can then be traced.

If, for instance, you send Bitcoin from such an identified address to another KYC'ed address (say, from a friend), everyone having access to that address-identity link information (exchanges, governments, hackers, etc.) will be able to associate that transaction and know who you are transacting with.

Conclusions

To sum up, KYC does not protect individuals; rather, it's a threat to our privacy, freedom, security and integrity. Sensible information flowing through the internet is thrown into chaos by dubious security measures. It puts borders between many potential customers and businesses, and it helps governments and companies track innocent users. That's the chaos KYC has stirred.

The criminals are using stolen identities from companies that gathered them thanks to these very same regulations that were supposed to combat them. Criminals always know how to circumvent such regulations. In the end, normal people are the most affected by these policies.

The threat that KYC poses to individuals in terms of privacy, security and freedom is not to be neglected. And if we don’t start challenging these systems and questioning their efficacy, we are just one step closer to the dystopian future that is now foreseeable.

Edited 20/03/2024 * Add reference to the 1% statement on Rights for Illusions section to an article where Chainalysis found that only 0.34% of the transaction volume with cryptocurrencies in 2023 was attributable to criminal activity ^1

@ 866e0139:6a9334e5

---

Autor: Carlos A. Gebauer. Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben. Sie finden alle Texte der Friedenstaube und weitere Texte zum Thema Frieden hier.**

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Am 18. März 1924 schenkte meine Großmutter ihren Töchtern einen kleinen Bruder. Weil sein Vater fürchtete, der Junge könnte unter seinen vier Schwestern verweichlichen, schickte er den Kleinen zu Wochenendfreizeiten einer örtlichen Pfadfindergruppe. Ein Weltkriegsveteran veranstaltete dort mit den Kindern Geländespiele quer durch die schlesischen Wälder. Man lernte, Essbares zu finden, Pilze zu bestimmen, sich im Freien zu orientieren und Feuer zu machen.

Bald wurde deutlich, dass der Heranwachsende auch nicht mehr in den Blockflötenkreis seiner Schwestern und ihrer Freundinnen passte. Das Umfeld befürwortete, sein besonderes musikalisches Talent auf das Klavierspiel und das Flügelhorn zu richten. Kontakte bei der anschließenden Kirchenmusik mündeten schließlich in den elterlichen Entschluss, den nun 14-jährigen in ein Musikschulinternat zu schicken.

Es begann der Zweite Weltkrieg

Ein Jahr später, das erste Heimweh hatte sich langsam beruhigt, änderten sich die Verhältnisse schlagartig. Es begann der Zweite Weltkrieg. Mitschüler unter den jungen Musikern erfuhren, dass ihre älteren Brüder nun Soldaten werden mussten. Noch hielt sich die Gemeinschaft der jetzt 15-jährigen im Internat aber an einer Hoffnung fest: Bis sie selbst in das wehrfähige Alter kommen würden, müsste der Krieg längst beendet sein. In dieser Stimmungslage setzten sie ihre Ausbildung fort.

Es kam anders. Für den 18-jährigen erfolgte die befürchtete Einberufung in Form des „Gestellungsbefehls“. Entsprechend seiner Fähigkeiten sah man ihn zunächst für ein Musikkorps vor und schickte ihn zu einer ersten Grundausbildung nach Südfrankreich. Bei Nizza fand er sich nun plötzlich zwischen Soldaten, die Handgranaten in das Mittelmeer warfen, um Fische zu fangen. Es war das erste Mal, dass er fürchtete, infolge Explosionslärms sein Gehör zu verlieren. In den kommenden Jahren sollte er oft die Ohren zu- und den Mund offenhalten müssen, um sich wenigstens die Möglichkeit der angezielten Berufsausübung zu erhalten – wenn es überhaupt je dazu kommen würde.

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Schon nach kurzer Zeit änderte sich die Befehlslage wieder. Der Musikstudent wurde nun zum Infanteristen und nach Russland an die Front verbracht. Vor ihm lagen jetzt drei Kriegsjahre: Gewalt, Dreck, Gewehrkugeln, Panzerschlachten, Granatsplitter, Luftangriffe, Entbehrungen, Hunger, Kälte, sieben Verwundungen, Blut und Schmerzen, Sterbende überall, Tote, Schreiende. Verzweiflung. Sorgen. Ängste. Todesangst. Zurückweichen? Verboten! Und die stets klare Ansage dazu: Wer nicht da vorne gegen den Feind um sein Leben kämpft, dem wird es ganz sicher da hinten von den eigenen Kameraden genommen.

Ein gewährter Fronturlaub 1944 versprach glückliche Momente. Zurück zu den Eltern, zurück zu den Schwestern, zurück nach Freiburg. Doch die Familie war nicht zu Hause, die Türen verschlossen. Eine Nachbarin öffnete ihr Fenster und rief dem Ratlosen zu: „Beeil‘ dich! Renn‘ zum Friedhof. Der Vater ist tot. Sie sind alle bei der Beerdigung!“ Wieder hieß es, qualvoll Abschied nehmen. Zurück an die Front.

Nach einem weiteren russischen Winter brach sich unübersehbar die Erkenntnis Bahn, dass der Krieg nun seinem Ende zugehe. Doch das Bemühen im Rückzug, sich mit einem versprengten Haufen irgendwie Richtung Heimat orientieren zu können, wurde doppelt jäh unterbrochen. Fanatische Vorgesetzte befahlen die längst Geschlagenen wieder gen Osten. Kurz darauf fielen sie heranrückenden russischen Truppen in die Hände. 

Kriegsgefangenschaft: Tabakration gegen Brot

Drei Jahre dem Tod entgangen, schwer verletzt und erschöpft war der 21-jährige also nun ein Kriegsgefangener. Jetzt lagen drei Jahre russischer Kriegsgefangenschaft vor ihm. Ständig war unklar, wie es weiterginge. Unmöglich jedenfalls, sich noch wie ein Pfadfinder aus den Wäldern zu ernähren. Es begannen die Jahre des Schlafens auf Brettern, die Zeit der ziellosen Zugtransporte an unbekannte Orte. Niemand sprach. Nur der Sonnenstand machte klar: Es ging nie Richtung Heimat, sondern immer weiter nach Osten. Weil der Blechbläser nicht rauchte, konnte er seine Tabakration gegen Brot tauschen. So überlebte er auch die Zeit des Hungers und der Morde in den Lagern, die Horrorbilder der nachts Erschlagenen und in die Latrinen geworfenen Toten, der sinnlosen Zwangsarbeiten und der allgegenwärtigen Wanzen. Wer versuchte zu fliehen, der wurde erschossen und sein Körper zur Abschreckung in den Fangdrähten belassen. Im Sommer stanken die dort verwesenden Leichen, wenn nicht Vögel sie rechtzeitig gefressen hatten.

Als der 24-jährige schließlich sechs Jahre nach seiner Einberufung aus russischer Kriegsgefangenschaft entlassen wurde, gab es kein Zurück mehr in seine schlesische Heimat. Abgemagert reiste er der vertriebenen Mutter nach, die mit seinen Schwestern und Millionen anderen Flüchtlingen im Westen Deutschlands verteilt worden war. Kraft Ordnungsverfügung wohnte sie jetzt im sauerländischen Bad Laasphe in einem schimmligen Garagenanbau. Als ihn ein Passant auf dieser Reise morgens allein, nur mit einem Becher an der Schnur um den Hals, auf Krücken durch Berlin ziehen sah, gab er ihm schweigend sein Butterbrot.

Der kleine, sanfte Junge aus dem schlesischen Freiburg hat danach noch 60 Jahre gelebt. Es dauerte zunächst sechs Jahre, bis er wieder kräftig genug war, ein Instrument zu spielen. 30-jährig saß er dann endlich in einem Orchester und begann ein normales Berufsleben. Aber sein Körper und seine Seele waren für immer aus jeder Normalität gerissen.

Irgendwo in Russland war ihm die linke Hüfte so versteift worden, dass sich seine Beine im Liegen an Wade und Schienbein überkreuzten. Er musste also stets den Oberkörper vorbeugen, um überhaupt laufen zu können. Über die Jahrzehnte verzog sich so sein gesamter Knochenbau. Jeder Tag brachte neue orthopädische Probleme und Schmerzen. Ärzte, Masseure, Physiotherapeuten, Schmerzmittel und Spezialausrüstungen aller Art prägten die Tagesabläufe. Asymmetrisch standen seine Schuhe nebeneinander, die ein Spezialschuster ihm mit erhöhter Sohle und Seitenstabilisierung am Knöchel fertigte. Sessel oder Sofas waren ihm nicht nutzbar, da er nur auf einem Spezialstuhl mit halb abgesenkter Sitzfläche Ruhe fand. Auf fremden Stühlen konnte er nur deren Vorderkante nutzen.

"In den Nächten schrie er im Schlaf"

Und auch wenn er sich ohne Krankheitstage bis zuletzt durch seinen Berufsalltag kämpfte, so gab es doch viele Tage voller entsetzlicher Schmerzen, wenn sich seine verdrehte Wirbelsäule zur Migräne in den Kopf bohrte. Bei alledem hörte man ihn allerdings niemals über sein Schicksal klagen. Er ertrug den ganzen Wahnsinn mit einer unbeschreiblichen Duldsamkeit. Nur in den Nächten schrie er bisweilen im Schlaf. In einem seiner Alpträume fürchtete er, Menschen getötet zu haben. Aber auch das erzählte er jahrzehntelang einzig seiner Frau.

Als sich einige Jahre vor seinem Tod der orthopädische Zustand weiter verschlechterte, konsultierte er einen Operateur, um Entlastungsmöglichkeiten zu erörtern. Der legte ihn auf eine Untersuchungsliege und empfahl, Verbesserungsversuche zu unterlassen, weil sie die Lage allenfalls verschlechtern konnten. In dem Moment, als er sich von der Liege erheben sollte, wurde deutlich, dass ihm dies nicht gelang. Die gereichte Hand, um ihn hochzuziehen, ignorierte er. Stattdessen rieb er seinen Rumpf ganz alleine eine quälend lange Minute über die Fläche, bis er endlich einen Winkel fand, um sich selbst in die Senkrechte zu bugsieren. Sich nicht auf andere verlassen, war sein Überlebenskonzept. Jahre später, als sich sein Zustand noch weiter verschlechtert hatte, lächelte er über seine Behinderung: „Ich hätte schon vor 60 Jahren tot auf einem Acker in Russland liegen können.“ Alles gehe irgendwann vorbei, tröstete er sich. Das war das andere Überlebenskonzept: liebevoll, friedfertig und sanft anderen gegenüber, unerbittlich mit sich selbst.

Sechs Monate vor seinem Tod saß er morgens regungslos auf seinem Spezialstuhl. Eine Altenpflegerin fand ihn und schlug Alarm. Mit allen Kunstgriffen der medizinischen Technik wurde er noch einmal in das Leben zurückkatapultiert. Aber seine Kräfte waren erschöpft. Es schob sich das Grauen der Vergangenheit zwischen ihn und die Welt. Bettlägerig kreiste er um sich selbst, erkannte niemanden und starrte mit weit offenen Augen an die Decke. „Die Russen schmeißen wieder Brandbomben!“, war einer seiner letzten Sätze.

Der kleine Junge aus Schlesien ist nicht zu weich geraten. Er hat sein Leid mit unbeugsamer Duldsamkeit ertragen. Er trug es wohl als Strafe für das Leid, das er anderen anzutun genötigt worden war. An seinem Geburtstag blühen immer die Magnolien. In diesem Jahr zum hundertsten Mal.

Dieser Text wurde am 23.3.2024 erstveröffentlicht auf „eigentümlich frei“.

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Carlos A. Gebauer studierte Philosophie, Neuere Geschichte, Sprach-, Rechts- und Musikwissenschaften in Düsseldorf, Bayreuth und Bonn. Sein juristisches Referendariat absolvierte er in Düsseldorf, u.a. mit Wahlstationen bei der Landesrundfunkanstalt NRW, bei der Spezialkammer für Kassenarztrecht des Sozialgerichtes Düsseldorf und bei dem Gnadenbeauftragten der Staatsanwaltschaft Düsseldorf.

Er war unter anderem als Rechtsanwalt und Notarvertreter bis er im November 2003 vom nordrhein-westfälischen Justizministerium zum Richter am Anwaltsgericht für den Bezirk der Rechtsanwaltskammer Düsseldorf ernannt wurde. Seit April 2012 arbeitet er in der Düsseldorfer Rechtsanwaltskanzlei Lindenau, Prior & Partner. Im Juni 2015 wählte ihn die Friedrich-August-von-Hayek-Gesellschaft zu ihrem Stellvertretenden Vorsitzenden. Seit Dezember 2015 ist er Richter im Zweiten Senat des Anwaltsgerichtshofes NRW.

1995 hatte er parallel zu seiner anwaltlichen Tätigkeit mit dem Verfassen gesellschaftspolitischer und juristischer Texte begonnen. Diese erschienen seither unter anderem in der Neuen Juristischen Wochenschrift (NJW), der Zeitschrift für Rechtspolitik (ZRP) in der Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung, der Freien Presse Chemnitz, dem „Schweizer Monat“ oder dem Magazin für politische Kultur CICERO. Seit dem Jahr 2005 ist Gebauer ständiger Kolumnist und Autor des Magazins „eigentümlich frei“.

Gebauer glaubt als puristischer Liberaler unverbrüchlich an die sittliche Verpflichtung eines jeden einzelnen, sein Leben für sich selbst und für seine Mitmenschen verantwortlich zu gestalten; jede Fremdbestimmung durch Gesetze, staatliche Verwaltung, politischen Einfluss oder sonstige Gewalteinwirkung hat sich demnach auf ein ethisch vertretbares Minimum zu beschränken. Die Vorstellung eines europäischen Bundesstaates mit zentral detailsteuernder, supranationaler Staatsgewalt hält er für absurd und verfassungswidrig. 

\ Aktuelle Bücher:

Hayeks Warnung vor der Knechtschaft (2024) – hier im Handel

Das Prinzip Verantwortungslosigkeit (2023) – hier im Handel

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Sie sind noch nicht auf Nostr and wollen die volle Erfahrung machen (liken, kommentieren etc.)? Zappen können Sie den Autor auch ohne Nostr-Profil! Erstellen Sie sich einen Account auf Start. Weitere Onboarding-Leitfäden gibt es im Pareto-Wiki.

@ c631e267:c2b78d3e

Wir werden nicht zulassen, dass technisch manches möglich ist, \ aber der Staat es nicht nutzt. \ Angela Merkel

Die Modalverben zu erklären, ist im Deutschunterricht manchmal nicht ganz einfach. Nicht alle Fremdsprachen unterscheiden zum Beispiel bei der Frage nach einer Möglichkeit gleichermaßen zwischen «können» im Sinne von «die Gelegenheit, Kenntnis oder Fähigkeit haben» und «dürfen» als «die Erlaubnis oder Berechtigung haben». Das spanische Wort «poder» etwa steht für beides.

Ebenso ist vielen Schülern auf den ersten Blick nicht recht klar, dass das logische Gegenteil von «müssen» nicht unbedingt «nicht müssen» ist, sondern vielmehr «nicht dürfen». An den Verkehrsschildern lässt sich so etwas meistens recht gut erklären: Manchmal muss man abbiegen, aber manchmal darf man eben nicht.

Dieses Beispiel soll ein wenig die Verwirrungstaktik veranschaulichen, die in der Politik gerne verwendet wird, um unpopuläre oder restriktive Maßnahmen Stück für Stück einzuführen. Zuerst ist etwas einfach innovativ und bringt viele Vorteile. Vor allem ist es freiwillig, jeder kann selber entscheiden, niemand muss mitmachen. Später kann man zunehmend weniger Alternativen wählen, weil sie verschwinden, und irgendwann verwandelt sich alles andere in «nicht dürfen» – die Maßnahme ist obligatorisch.

Um die Durchsetzung derartiger Initiativen strategisch zu unterstützen und nett zu verpacken, gibt es Lobbyisten, gerne auch NGOs genannt. Dass das «NG» am Anfang dieser Abkürzung übersetzt «Nicht-Regierungs-» bedeutet, ist ein Anachronismus. Das war vielleicht früher einmal so, heute ist eher das Gegenteil gemeint.

In unserer modernen Zeit wird enorm viel Lobbyarbeit für die Digitalisierung praktisch sämtlicher Lebensbereiche aufgewendet. Was das auf dem Sektor der Mobilität bedeuten kann, haben wir diese Woche anhand aktueller Entwicklungen in Spanien beleuchtet. Begründet teilweise mit Vorgaben der Europäischen Union arbeitet man dort fleißig an einer «neuen Mobilität», basierend auf «intelligenter» technologischer Infrastruktur. Derartige Anwandlungen wurden auch schon als «Technofeudalismus» angeprangert.

Nationale Zugangspunkte für Mobilitätsdaten im Sinne der EU gibt es nicht nur in allen Mitgliedsländern, sondern auch in der Schweiz und in Großbritannien. Das Vereinigte Königreich beteiligt sich darüber hinaus an anderen EU-Projekten für digitale Überwachungs- und Kontrollmaßnahmen, wie dem biometrischen Identifizierungssystem für «nachhaltigen Verkehr und Tourismus».

Natürlich marschiert auch Deutschland stracks und euphorisch in Richtung digitaler Zukunft. Ohne vernetzte Mobilität und einen «verlässlichen Zugang zu Daten, einschließlich Echtzeitdaten» komme man in der Verkehrsplanung und -steuerung nicht aus, erklärt die Regierung. Der Interessenverband der IT-Dienstleister Bitkom will «die digitale Transformation der deutschen Wirtschaft und Verwaltung vorantreiben». Dazu bewirbt er unter anderem die Konzepte Smart City, Smart Region und Smart Country und behauptet, deutsche Großstädte «setzen bei Mobilität voll auf Digitalisierung».

Es steht zu befürchten, dass das umfassende Sammeln, Verarbeiten und Vernetzen von Daten, das angeblich die Menschen unterstützen soll (und theoretisch ja auch könnte), eher dazu benutzt wird, sie zu kontrollieren und zu manipulieren. Je elektrischer und digitaler unsere Umgebung wird, desto größer sind diese Möglichkeiten. Im Ergebnis könnten solche Prozesse den Bürger nicht nur einschränken oder überflüssig machen, sondern in mancherlei Hinsicht regelrecht abschalten. Eine gesunde Skepsis ist also geboten.

[Titelbild: Pixabay]

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Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben. Er ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

How to create a nostr app quickly using applesauce

In this guide we are going to build a nostr app that lets users follow and unfollow fiatjaf

1. Setup new project

Start by setting up a new vite app using pnpm create vite, then set the name and select Solid and Typescript

```sh ➜ pnpm create vite │ ◇ Project name: │ followjaf │ ◇ Select a framework: │ Solid │ ◇ Select a variant: │ TypeScript │ ◇ Scaffolding project in ./followjaf... │ └ Done. Now run:

cd followjaf pnpm install pnpm run dev ```

2. Adding nostr dependencies

There are a few useful nostr dependencies we are going to need. nostr-tools for the types and small methods, and rx-nostr for making relay connections

sh pnpm install nostr-tools rx-nostr

3. Setup rx-nostr

Next we need to setup rxNostr so we can make connections to relays. create a new src/nostr.ts file with

```ts import { createRxNostr, noopVerifier } from "rx-nostr";

export const rxNostr = createRxNostr({ // skip verification here because we are going to verify events at the event store skipVerify: true, verifier: noopVerifier, }); ```

4. Setup the event store

Now that we have a way to connect to relays, we need a place to store events. We will use the EventStore class from applesauce-core for this. create a new src/stores.ts file with

The event store does not store any events in the browsers local storage or anywhere else. It's in-memory only and provides a model for the UI

```ts import { EventStore } from "applesauce-core"; import { verifyEvent } from "nostr-tools";

export const eventStore = new EventStore();

// verify the events when they are added to the store eventStore.verifyEvent = verifyEvent; ```

5. Create the query store

The event store is where we store all the events, but we need a way for the UI to query them. We can use the QueryStore class from applesauce-core for this.

Create a query store in src/stores.ts

```ts import { QueryStore } from "applesauce-core";

// ...

// the query store needs the event store to subscribe to it export const queryStore = new QueryStore(eventStore); ```

6. Setup the profile loader

Next we need a way to fetch user profiles. We are going to use the ReplaceableLoader class from applesauce-loaders for this.

applesauce-loaders is a package that contains a few loader classes that can be used to fetch different types of data from relays.

First install the package

sh pnpm install applesauce-loaders

Then create a src/loaders.ts file with

```ts import { ReplaceableLoader } from "applesauce-loaders"; import { rxNostr } from "./nostr"; import { eventStore } from "./stores";

export const replaceableLoader = new ReplaceableLoader(rxNostr);

// Start the loader and send any events to the event store replaceableLoader.subscribe((packet) => { eventStore.add(packet.event, packet.from); }); ```

7. Fetch fiatjaf's profile

Now that we have a way to store events, and a loader to help with fetching them, we should update the src/App.tsx component to fetch the profile.

We can do this by calling the next method on the loader and passing a pubkey, kind and relays to it

```tsx function App() { // ...

onMount(() => { // fetch fiatjaf's profile on load replaceableLoader.next({ pubkey: "3bf0c63fcb93463407af97a5e5ee64fa883d107ef9e558472c4eb9aaaefa459d", kind: 0, relays: ["wss://pyramid.fiatjaf.com/"], }); });

// ... } ```

8. Display the profile

Now that we have a way to fetch the profile, we need to display it in the UI.

We can do this by using the ProfileQuery which gives us a stream of updates to a pubkey's profile.

Create the profile using queryStore.createQuery and pass in the ProfileQuery and the pubkey.

tsx const fiatjaf = queryStore.createQuery( ProfileQuery, "3bf0c63fcb93463407af97a5e5ee64fa883d107ef9e558472c4eb9aaaefa459d" );

But this just gives us an observable, we need to subscribe to it to get the profile.

Luckily SolidJS profiles a simple from method to subscribe to any observable.

To make things reactive SolidJS uses accessors, so to get the profile we need to call fiatjaf()

```tsx function App() { // ...

// Subscribe to fiatjaf's profile from the query store const fiatjaf = from( queryStore.createQuery(ProfileQuery, "3bf0c63fcb93463407af97a5e5ee64fa883d107ef9e558472c4eb9aaaefa459d") );

return ( <> {/ replace the vite and solid logos with the profile picture /}

{fiatjaf()?.name}

  {/* ... */}

); } ```

9. Letting the user signin

Now we should let the user signin to the app. We can do this by creating a AccountManager class from applesauce-accounts

First we need to install the packages

sh pnpm install applesauce-accounts applesauce-signers

Then create a new src/accounts.ts file with

```ts import { AccountManager } from "applesauce-accounts"; import { registerCommonAccountTypes } from "applesauce-accounts/accounts";

// create an account manager instance export const accounts = new AccountManager();

// Adds the common account types to the manager registerCommonAccountTypes(accounts); ```

Next lets presume the user has a NIP-07 browser extension installed and add a signin button.

```tsx function App() { const signin = async () => { // do nothing if the user is already signed in if (accounts.active) return;

// create a new nip-07 signer and try to get the pubkey
const signer = new ExtensionSigner();
const pubkey = await signer.getPublicKey();

// create a new extension account, add it, and make it the active account
const account = new ExtensionAccount(pubkey, signer);
accounts.addAccount(account);
accounts.setActive(account);

};

return ( <> {/ ... /}

  <div class="card">
    <p>Are you following the fiatjaf? the creator of "The nostr"</p>
    <button onClick={signin}>Check</button>
  </div>

); } ```

Now when the user clicks the button the app will ask for the users pubkey, then do nothing... but it's a start.

We are not persisting the accounts, so when the page reloads the user will NOT be signed in. you can learn about persisting the accounts in the docs

10. Showing the signed-in state

We should show some indication to the user that they are signed in. We can do this by modifying the signin button if the user is signed in and giving them a way to sign-out

```tsx function App() { // subscribe to the currently active account (make sure to use the account$ observable) const account = from(accounts.active$);

// ...

const signout = () => { // do nothing if the user is not signed in if (!accounts.active) return;

// signout the user
const account = accounts.active;
accounts.removeAccount(account);
accounts.clearActive();

};

return ( <> {/ ... /}

  <div class="card">
    <p>Are you following the fiatjaf? ( creator of "The nostr" )</p>
    {account() === undefined ? <button onClick={signin}>Check</button> : <button onClick={signout}>Signout</button>}
  </div>

); } ```

11. Fetching the user's profile

Now that we have a way to sign in and out of the app, we should fetch the user's profile when they sign in.

```tsx function App() { // ...

// fetch the user's profile when they sign in createEffect(async () => { const active = account();

if (active) {
  // get the user's relays or fallback to some default relays
  const usersRelays = await active.getRelays?.();
  const relays = usersRelays ? Object.keys(usersRelays) : ["wss://relay.damus.io", "wss://nos.lol"];

  // tell the loader to fetch the users profile event
  replaceableLoader.next({
    pubkey: active.pubkey,
    kind: 0,
    relays,
  });

  // tell the loader to fetch the users contacts
  replaceableLoader.next({
    pubkey: active.pubkey,
    kind: 3,
    relays,
  });

  // tell the loader to fetch the users mailboxes
  replaceableLoader.next({
    pubkey: active.pubkey,
    kind: 10002,
    relays,
  });
}

});

// ... } ```

Next we need to subscribe to the users profile, to do this we can use some rxjs operators to chain the observables together.

```tsx import { Match, Switch } from "solid-js"; import { of, switchMap } from "rxjs";

function App() { // ...

// subscribe to the active account, then subscribe to the users profile or undefined const profile = from( accounts.active$.pipe( switchMap((account) => (account ? queryStore.createQuery(ProfileQuery, account!.pubkey) : of(undefined))) ) );

// ...

return ( <> {/ ... /}

  <div class="card">
    <Switch>
      <Match when={account() && !profile()}>
        <p>Loading profile...</p>
      </Match>
      <Match when={profile()}>
        <p style="font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: bold;">Welcome {profile()?.name}</p>
      </Match>
    </Switch>

    {/* ... */}
  </div>

); } ```

12. Showing if the user is following fiatjaf

Now that the app is fetching the users profile and contacts we should show if the user is following fiatjaf.

```tsx function App() { // ...

// subscribe to the active account, then subscribe to the users contacts or undefined const contacts = from( accounts.active$.pipe( switchMap((account) => (account ? queryStore.createQuery(UserContactsQuery, account!.pubkey) : of(undefined))) ) );

const isFollowing = createMemo(() => { return contacts()?.some((c) => c.pubkey === "3bf0c63fcb93463407af97a5e5ee64fa883d107ef9e558472c4eb9aaaefa459d"); });

// ...

return ( <> {/ ... /}

  <div class="card">
    {/* ... */}

    <Switch
      fallback={
        <p style="font-size: 1.2rem;">
          Sign in to check if you are a follower of the fiatjaf ( creator of "The nostr" )
        </p>
      }
    >
      <Match when={contacts() && isFollowing() === undefined}>
        <p>checking...</p>
      </Match>
      <Match when={contacts() && isFollowing() === true}>
        <p style="color: green; font-weight: bold; font-size: 2rem;">
          Congratulations! You are a follower of the fiatjaf
        </p>
      </Match>
      <Match when={contacts() && isFollowing() === false}>
        <p style="color: red; font-weight: bold; font-size: 2rem;">
          Why don't you follow the fiatjaf? do you even like nostr?
        </p>
      </Match>
    </Switch>

    {/* ... */}
  </div>

); } ```

13. Adding the follow button

Now that we have a way to check if the user is following fiatjaf, we should add a button to follow him. We can do this with Actions which are pre-built methods to modify nostr events for a user.

First we need to install the applesauce-actions and applesauce-factory package

sh pnpm install applesauce-actions applesauce-factory

Then create a src/actions.ts file with

```ts import { EventFactory } from "applesauce-factory"; import { ActionHub } from "applesauce-actions"; import { eventStore } from "./stores"; import { accounts } from "./accounts";

// The event factory is used to build and modify nostr events export const factory = new EventFactory({ // accounts.signer is a NIP-07 signer that signs with the currently active account signer: accounts.signer, });

// The action hub is used to run Actions against the event store export const actions = new ActionHub(eventStore, factory); ```

Then create a toggleFollow method that will add or remove fiatjaf from the users contacts.

We are using the exec method to run the action, and the forEach method from RxJS allows us to await for all the events to be published

```tsx function App() { // ...

const toggleFollow = async () => { // send any created events to rxNostr and the event store const publish = (event: NostrEvent) => { eventStore.add(event); rxNostr.send(event); };

if (isFollowing()) {
  await actions
    .exec(UnfollowUser, "3bf0c63fcb93463407af97a5e5ee64fa883d107ef9e558472c4eb9aaaefa459d")
    .forEach(publish);
} else {
  await actions
    .exec(
      FollowUser,
      "3bf0c63fcb93463407af97a5e5ee64fa883d107ef9e558472c4eb9aaaefa459d",
      "wss://pyramid.fiatjaf.com/"
    )
    .forEach(publish);
}

};

// ...

return ( <> {/ ... /}

  <div class="card">
    {/* ... */}

    {contacts() && <button onClick={toggleFollow}>{isFollowing() ? "Unfollow" : "Follow"}</button>}
  </div>

); } ```

14. Adding outbox support

The app looks like it works now but if the user reloads the page they will still see an the old version of their contacts list. we need to make sure rxNostr is publishing the events to the users outbox relays.

To do this we can subscribe to the signed in users mailboxes using the query store in src/nostr.ts

```ts import { MailboxesQuery } from "applesauce-core/queries"; import { accounts } from "./accounts"; import { of, switchMap } from "rxjs"; import { queryStore } from "./stores";

// ...

// subscribe to the active account, then subscribe to the users mailboxes and update rxNostr accounts.active$ .pipe(switchMap((account) => (account ? queryStore.createQuery(MailboxesQuery, account.pubkey) : of(undefined)))) .subscribe((mailboxes) => { if (mailboxes) rxNostr.setDefaultRelays(mailboxes.outboxes); else rxNostr.setDefaultRelays([]); }); ```

And that's it! we have a working nostr app that lets users follow and unfollow fiatjaf.

@ bcbb3e40:a494e501

|| |:-:| |WAJDA, Andrzej; Cenizas y diamantes, 1958|

Presentamos una nueva reseña cinematográfica, y en esta ocasión hemos elegido «Cenizas y diamantes», una película polaca del célebre y prolífico director Andrzej Wajda (1926-2016), estrenada en el año 1958. Se trata de uno de los grandes clásicos del cine polaco. El filme refleja una etapa dramática desde la perspectiva histórica para la nación polaca, como es el final de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, a raíz de la capitulación alemana del 8 de mayo de 1945. El contexto en el que se desarrolla se ambienta en la celebración del final de la guerra con el aplastante triunfo de la URSS, con las tropas soviéticas ocupando toda la Europa oriental, y en particular Polonia, que vive un momento de oscuridad e incertidumbre. El protagonista, Maciek Chełmicki (interpretado magistralmente por Zbigniew Cybulski (1927-1967), apodado el «James Dean polaco»), es un joven nacionalista polaco, de orientación anticomunista, que se ve implicado en un complot urdido para asesinar a un líder comunista local. Maciek opera desde la clandestinidad, bajo el grupo Armia Krajowa (AK), el Ejército Nacional polaco, una organización de resistencia, primero contra los alemanes y, posteriormente, contra los soviéticos. Durante el metraje, se plantea una dicotomía permanente entre la libertad entendida como la defensa de la soberanía de Polonia, desde posturas nacionalistas, y quienes consideran la ocupación soviética como algo positivo. Estas circunstancias atrapan al protagonista, que se ve envuelto en una espiral de violencia y traición.

Maciek Chełmicki, nuestro protagonista, cuenta con todas las características del héroe trágico, pues tiene en sus manos una serie de acciones que comprometen el futuro de un pueblo, que consiste en cumplir la misión que le ha sido encomendada, pero en su camino se cruza una joven, Krystyna, una joven camarera de un hotel de la que se enamora en ese mismo día. Este último hecho sirve de punto de partida para todas las dudas, dilemas y dicotomías a las que hacemos referencia. Hay un dilema moral evidente en un mundo en ruinas, devastado por la guerra, la muerte y el nihilismo. En este sentido Wajda nos muestra un lenguaje cinematográfico muy evidente, a través de una técnica expresionista muy depurada, con el uso del blanco y negro, los contrastes generados por las sombras y la atmósfera opresiva que transmite angustia, desesperación y vulnerabilidad de los protagonistas. Además también destilan una fuerte carga emocional, donde no están exentos elementos poéticos y un poderoso lirismo.

|| |:-:| |Maciek Chełmicki, el protagonista.|

Hay elementos simbólicos que no podemos obviar, y que contribuyen a consolidar el análisis que venimos haciendo, como, por ejemplo, la estética del protagonista, con unas gafas oscuras, que actúan como una suerte de barrera frente al mundo que le rodea, como parte del anonimato tras el cual el joven Maciek vive de forma introspectiva su propio drama particular y el de toda una nación.

|| |:-:| |NITOGLIA, Curzio; En el mar de la nada: Metafísica y nihilismo a prueba en la posmodernidad; Hipérbola Janus, 2023|

Hay una escena especialmente poderosa, y casi mítica, en la que los dos jóvenes protagonistas, Maciek y Krystina, se encuentran entre las ruinas de una Iglesia, en la que se destaca en primer plano, ocupando buena parte de la pantalla, la imagen de un Cristo invertido sobre un crucifijo, donde también se encuentran dos cuerpos colgados hacia abajo en una estampa que refleja la devastación moral y espiritual de toda una época. De hecho, la imagen del crucifijo invertido refleja el máximo punto de subversión y profanación de lo sagrado, y que en el caso concreto de la película viene a representar la destrucción del orden moral y de valores cristianos que la propia guerra ha provocado. Polonia es una nación profundamente católica, convertida al Cristianismo en el 966 a raíz de la conversión del príncipe Miecislao I, contribuyendo de manera decisiva a la formación de la identidad nacional polaca. El catolicismo siempre ha sido un medio de cohesión y defensa frente a las influencias extranjeras y la ocupación de terceros países, una constante en la historia del país, como el que ilustra la propia película con la URSS. En este sentido, la imagen de una Iglesia en ruinas, el lugar donde se encuentra representado el principio de lo sagrado e inviolable, supone una forma de perversión de todo principio de redención y salvación frente a la tragedia, y al mismo tiempo viene a significar que la Tradición ha sido abandonada y pervertida. En la misma línea, el protagonista, Maciek, se encuentra atrapado en una espiral de violencia a través de sus actos terroristas perpetrados contra la autoridad soviética que ocupa su país. Los dos cuerpos anónimos que cuelgan boca abajo, de forma grotesca, también participan de este caos y desequilibrio de un orden dislocado, son parte de la deshumanización y el nihilismo que todo lo impregna.

|| |:-:| |Maciek y Krystina en una iglesia en ruinas|

Como ya hemos mencionado, la película se encuentra plagada de paradojas y dicotomías, en las que nuestro protagonista, el joven rebelde e inconformista, debe elegir permanentemente, en unas decisiones que resultan trascendentales para su futuro y el de la propia nación. La figura femenina que irrumpe en su vida, y que representa un principio disruptivo que provoca una fractura interior y una crisis, le suscita una toma de conciencia de su propia situación y le fuerza a tomar un camino entre la «felicidad», del «amor», la «esperanza» y la «vida», que le permita superar la deriva nihilista y autodestructiva de la lucha clandestina, la cual le aboca a un destino trágico (que no vamos a desentrañar para no hacer spoiler). En relación al propio título de la película, «Cenizas y diamantes», basada en el poema del poeta y dramaturgo polaco Cyprian Norwid (1821-1883) y en la novela del autor, también polaco, Jerzy Andrzejewski (1909-1983), nos destaca la dualidad de los dos elementos que lo componen, y que definen el contraste entre el mundo sombrío y oscuro (Cenizas) y la esperanza y la luz que representa susodicha figura femenina (diamantes). La segunda alternativa parece un imposible, una quimera irrealizable que se pliega ante un Destino implacable, irreversible y cruel.

En consecuencia, y a la luz de los elementos expuestos, podemos decir que se nos presentan dilemas propios de la filosofía existencialista, que conoce su punto álgido en esos años, con autores como Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980), Albert Camus (1913-1960), Karl Jaspers (1883-1969) o Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) entre otros. Respecto a éste último, a Heidegger, podemos encontrar algunas claves interesantes a través de su filosofía en relación al protagonista, a Maciek, especialmente a través de la idea del Dasein, a la idea de haber sido arrojado al mundo (Geworfenheit), y la manera tan extrema y visceral en la que vive susodicha condición. Todos aquellos elementos que dan sentido a la vida colectiva se encuentran decaídos o destruidos en su esencia más íntima, la Patria, la religión o la propia idea de Comunidad orgánica. De modo que el protagonista se ha visto «arrojado» frente a una situación o destino indeseado, en unas coyunturas totalmente desfavorables en las que no queda otra elección. Sus decisiones están permanentemente condicionadas por la circunstancia descrita y, por tanto, vive en un mundo donde no controla nada, en lugar de ser sujeto es un mero objeto transportado por esas circunstancias ajenas a su voluntad. Sin embargo, y en coherencia con el Dasein heideggeriano, vemos como Maciek, a raíz de conocer a Krystyna, comienza a experimentar una catarsis interior, que muestra por momentos el deseo de superar ese «ser arrojado al mundo contra tu voluntad», trascendiendo esa condición absurda e irracional de unas decisiones enajenadas de su voluntad para dotar de una significación y un sentido la propia existencia.

|| |:-:| |Andrzej Wajda, el director de la película.|

Otro elemento característico de la filosofía heideggeriana lo podemos encontrar en la «angustia» (angst) a través de la ausencia de un sentido y fundamento último que justifique la existencia del protagonista. Es una angustia en a que el Dasein se enfrenta a la «nada», a ese vacío existencial que hace inútil toda la lucha que Maciek lleva a cabo en la clandestinidad, con asesinatos y actos de terrorismo que pretenden salvaguardar algo que ya no existe, y que simboliza muy bien la Iglesia en ruinas con sus símbolos religiosos invertidos de la que hablábamos con anterioridad. Recuerda un poco a esa dicotomía que se plantea entre ser conservador o reaccionario frente a una realidad como la del propio presente, en la que los valores tradicionales han sido totalmente destruidos, y más que conservar se impone la reacción para volver a construir de la nada.

|| |:-:| |Hipérbola Janus; Textos para la Tradición en tiempos del oscurecimiento: Artículos publicados entre 2014 y 2019 en hiperbolajanus.com; Hipérbola Janus, 2019|

Todas las dudas que asaltan al protagonista se ven incrementadas en el momento decisivo, cuando se dispone a dar muerte al líder comunista. Se produce una tensión interna en Maciek, que se encuentra ligado a la joven que ha conocido ese día, y en ella es donde encuentra ese leve destello de humanidad. Esa circunstancia le hace replantearse por un instante el cumplimiento de su misión, pero es un dilema que no tiene salida, y por ello le asalta nuevamente la angustia frente a esa «nada», ese mundo vacío e incomprensible que trasciende el marco de sus propias elecciones.

Uno de los conceptos centrales de Heidegger en Ser y tiempo es el Sein-zum-Tode (ser-para-la-muerte), la idea de que la muerte es la posibilidad más propia y definitiva del Dasein, y que enfrentarla auténticamente permite vivir de manera más plena. Y es que el protagonista se encuentra permanentemente sobre esa frontera entre la vida y la muerte, que afronta con todas sus consecuencias, conscientemente, y la acepta. Esta actitud podría leerse como una forma de Dasein inauténtico, una huida del ser-para-la-muerte mediante la distracción (das Man, el «se» impersonal). Sin embargo, su decisión de cumplir la misión sugiere un enfrentamiento final con esa posibilidad. Otro aspecto que podemos conectar con el pensamiento heideggeriano es la autenticidad o inautenticidad de la vida del protagonista. En relación a la inautenticidad vemos como al principio sigue las órdenes de sus superiores en la organización sin cuestionarlas, lo cual implica un comportamiento inequívocamente alienante. Respecto a aquello que resulta auténtico de su existencia son sus relaciones con Krystyna, que supone imponer su propia voluntad y decisión, mostrando un Dasein que asume su libertad.

|| |:-:| |Escena de la película.|

Otros aspectos más generales de la filosofía existencialista redundan sobre estos mismos aspectos, con la elección entre la libertad absoluta y la condena inevitable. La idea del hombre condenado a actuar, a una elección continua, aún cuando el hombre no es dueño de su destino, o las consecuencias de tales acciones son absurdas, irracionales e incomprensibles. El propio absurdo de la existencia frente al vacío y la ausencia de principios sólidos en los que cimentar la vida, no solo en sus aspectos cotidianos más básicos, sino en aquellos más profundos de la existencia. La soledad y la propia fatalidad frente a un Destino que, como ya hemos apuntado anteriormente, parece imponerse de manera irrevocable, y podríamos decir que brutalmente, al individuo aislado, incapaz de asirse en una guía, en unos valores que le permitan remontar la situación.

En términos generales «Cenizas y diamantes», además de ser una película de gran calidad en sus aspectos técnicos, en su fotografía, en la configuración de sus escenas y en el propio desarrollo argumental, bajo un guión espléndidamente ejecutado a lo largo de sus 98 minutos de duración, también nos invita a una reflexión profunda sobre la condición humana y la propia Modernidad. Y es algo que vemos en nuestros días, con las consecuencias de un pensamiento débil, con la promoción del individualismo, el hedonismo y lo efímero. La ausencia de estructuras sólidas, la subversión de toda forma de autoridad y jerarquía tradicionales. Paradójicamente, el mundo actual tiende a formas de poder y autoridad mucho más invasivas y coercitivas, tanto a nivel individual como colectivo, pero en la misma línea abstracta e impersonal que nos describe la película, abocándonos a la alienación y la inautenticidad de nuestras propias vidas. Y como Maciek, también nosotros, vivimos en un mundo dominado por la incertidumbre y la desesperanza, en el que el globalismo y sus perversas ideologías deshumanizantes actúan por doquier.

|| |:-:| |Carátula original de la película en polaco.|

---

Artículo original: Hipérbola Janus, Reseña de «Cenizas y Diamantes» (Andrzej Wajda, 1958) (TOR), 31/Mar/2025

@ f7f4e308:b44d67f4

https://sns-video-hw.xhscdn.com/stream/1/110/258/01e7ec7be81a85850103700195f3c4ba45_258.mp4

@ c230edd3:8ad4a712

Chef's notes

I found this recipe a couple years ago and have been addicted to it since. Its incredibly easy, and cheap to prep. Freeze the sausage in flat, single serving portions. That way it can be cooked from frozen for a fast, flavorful, and healthy lunch or dinner. I took inspiration from the video that contained this recipe, and almost always pan fry the frozen sausage with some baby broccoli. The steam cooks the broccoli and the fats from the sausage help it to sear, while infusing the vibrant flavors. Serve with some rice, if desired. I often use serrano peppers, due to limited produce availability. They work well for a little heat and nice flavor that is not overpowering.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 25 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 15 min (only needed if cooking at time of prep)
• 🍽️ Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 4 lbs ground pork
• 12-15 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 Thai or Serrano peppers, rough chopped
• 1/4 c. lime juice
• 4 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Portion and freeze, as desired.
3. Sautè frozen portions in hot frying pan, with broccoli or other fresh veggies.
4. Serve with rice or alone.

@ 4925ea33:025410d8

Quando peguei Confissões de Santo Agostinho pela primeira vez, confesso que me senti perdida. As palavras pareciam densas, distantes, como se eu tentasse escalar uma montanha sem saber por onde começar.

Buscava apenas a história de sua conversão ao cristianismo, mas o que encontrei uma profundidade teológica e filosófica que naquele momento não conseguia alcançar. Frustrada, deixei de lado a leitura.

Hoje, com um amadurecimento interior maior e contando com o auxílio da Inteligência Artificial como ferramenta de estudo e reflexão, reencontrei essa obra com um novo olhar. Sem pressa, busquei agora mergulhar na essência de cada página, tentando captar o máximo do pensamento de Agostinho — não apenas como filósofo, mas como homem profundamente transformado pela fé.

Antes da leitura: como começar

Se você nunca leu Confissões, ou se, como eu, já tentou e parou, quero te convidar a olhar para este livro com novos olhos.

Imagine Santo Agostinho sentado diante de você, não como um doutor da Igreja, mas como um amigo que abre o coração em oração. Ele escreve no final do século IV, já imerso na fé cristã, mas com a humildade de quem sabe que nunca compreenderá plenamente o mistério de Deus. Suas palavras são um diálogo íntimo com o Criador, uma oração que pulsa com fé, dúvida e amor.

E é nesse espírito que você deve lê a obra que o guiará em quatro grandes reflexões no primeiro capítulo:

• Quem é Deus?
• Quem somos nós?
• Qual é a nossa missão?
• E como conhecê-Lo?

Quem é Deus?

Agostinho começa com uma exclamação que ecoa até hoje:

“Grande és, Senhor, e infinitamente digno de Louvor!”.

Ele tenta descrever Deus, mas logo percebe que nenhuma palavra é suficiente.

Deus é imenso, incomensurável, eterno. É como se Agostinho, com os olhos da fé, tentasse abarcar o infinito com mãos humanas – e nos convidasse a fazer o mesmo.

Para ele, Deus está tão acima de nós que nossa mente limitada jamais poderia julgá-lo ou defini-lo. Mas, ao mesmo tempo, esse Deus grandioso se revela e nos escuta. Não é inacreditável pensar que o Criador de tudo deseja estar perto de nós, criaturas tão pequenas como nós?

Mergulhando neste profundo pensamento, vejo o quanto somos pretensiosos ao querer entender as escolhas de Deus e os acontecimentos da Bíblia, como se pudéssemos ter a ótica de Deus.

Muitas vezes não temos consciência dos tão pequenos somos em comparação ao Criador, tal ato é incoerente com tamanha distância.

Quem somos nós?

Se Deus é infinito, Agostinho nos lembra que somos apenas uma “ínfima fração” de Sua criação. Marcados pelo pecado original, carregamos em nós a fragilidade, mas também uma chama divina: a sede de Deus.

Ele escreve que, mesmo sem saber, nosso coração anseia por louvar o Criador. Não é fascinante? Pense nas tantas culturas e povos que, ao longo da história, buscaram um sentido maior, um “algo” além de si mesmos.

Para Agostinho, essa busca não nasce de nós, mas é um presente de Deus, que coloca em nosso coração o desejo de encontrá-lo. Essa ideia me tocou profundamente.

Quantas vezes nos sentimos inquietos, procurando algo que nem sabemos nomear? Agostinho nos diz que essa inquietude é, na verdade, o chamado de Deus, nos puxando para Ele.

Qual é a missão da humanidade?

“Tu nos fizeste para Ti, Senhor, e nosso coração está inquieto enquanto não repousa em Ti.”

Essa frase, uma das mais famosas de Confissões, resume a missão que Agostinho enxerga para nós: viver para Deus, amá-lo com todo o nosso ser.

Mas ele nos alerta: esse amor não é uma corrente que nos prende, mas uma escolha livre. É um relacionamento íntimo, único, que não deve ser imposto aos outros. Aqui, Agostinho me fez refletir sobre como compartilho minha fé.

Falar do amor de Deus é importante, mas nunca deve ser uma arma para julgar ou condenar. Afinal, só Deus conhece o coração de cada um.

Nossa missão é amar e testemunhar, deixando que o Espírito Santo faça o resto.

Conhecer ou invocar: o que vem primeiro?

Por fim, Agostinho se depara com um dilema que talvez você já tenha sentido: como posso invocar a Deus se ainda não o conheço? E como posso conhecê-lo se não o invocar?

A Igreja Católica reconhece que, para orar, precisamos de uma revelação divina – foi Deus quem primeiro veio até nós, mostrando-se através da criação, das Escrituras e, acima de tudo, de Jesus Cristo. Mas Agostinho também destaca o papel de quem nos apresenta a Boa Nova.

Na vida dele, foi Santo Ambrósio quem o guiou; na nossa, pode ser um padre, um amigo, uma comunidade. Essa reflexão me lembrou da importância da Igreja e dos irmãos de fé. Sozinhos, podemos nos perder em dúvidas ou confusões. Mas, com a ajuda de quem já trilhou o caminho, nossa oração ganha força e direção.

Fica aqui um convite à essa jornada para ler o primeiro capítulo de Confissões que é como abrir uma porta para dentro de si mesmo. Santo Agostinho não oferece respostas prontas, mas perguntas que nos aproximam de Deus: Quem Ele é para você? O que te impede de repousar n’Ele? Como você responde ao Seu chamado?

Se você quer mergulhar nessa obra, minha dica é: leia com o espírito de Santo Agostinho, ou seja, em oração e clemência para que as palavras atinjam a alma e as portas da clareza e compreensão sejam abertas.

Deixe que as palavras de Agostinho te guiem, não para entender tudo de uma vez, mas para sentir a presença de Deus um pouco mais perto e tenha paciência as vezes ainda não é o momento de ler.

E você, já leu Confissões? Como a história de Agostinho te inspira na sua fé? Conta aqui nos comentários – vamos caminhar juntos nessa jornada!

@ a39d19ec:3d88f61e

Nun da das deutsche Bundesregime den Ruin Deutschlands beschlossen hat, der sehr wahrscheinlich mit dem Werkzeug des Geld druckens "finanziert" wird, kamen mir so viele Gedanken zur Geldmengenausweitung, dass ich diese für einmal niedergeschrieben habe.

Die Ausweitung der Geldmenge führt aus klassischer wirtschaftlicher Sicht immer zu Preissteigerungen, weil mehr Geld im Umlauf auf eine begrenzte Menge an Gütern trifft. Dies lässt sich in mehreren Schritten analysieren:

1. Quantitätstheorie des Geldes

Die klassische Gleichung der Quantitätstheorie des Geldes lautet:

M • V = P • Y

wobei:
- M die Geldmenge ist,
- V die Umlaufgeschwindigkeit des Geldes,
- P das Preisniveau,
- Y die reale Wirtschaftsleistung (BIP).

Wenn M steigt und V sowie Y konstant bleiben, muss P steigen – also Inflation entstehen.

2. Gütermenge bleibt begrenzt

Die Menge an real produzierten Gütern und Dienstleistungen wächst meist nur langsam im Vergleich zur Ausweitung der Geldmenge. Wenn die Geldmenge schneller steigt als die Produktionsgütermenge, führt dies dazu, dass mehr Geld für die gleiche Menge an Waren zur Verfügung steht – die Preise steigen.

3. Erwartungseffekte und Spekulation

Wenn Unternehmen und Haushalte erwarten, dass mehr Geld im Umlauf ist, da eine zentrale Planung es so wollte, können sie steigende Preise antizipieren. Unternehmen erhöhen ihre Preise vorab, und Arbeitnehmer fordern höhere Löhne. Dies kann eine sich selbst verstärkende Spirale auslösen.

4. Internationale Perspektive

Eine erhöhte Geldmenge kann die Währung abwerten, wenn andere Länder ihre Geldpolitik stabil halten. Eine schwächere Währung macht Importe teurer, was wiederum Preissteigerungen antreibt.

5. Kritik an der reinen Geldmengen-Theorie

Der Vollständigkeit halber muss erwähnt werden, dass die meisten modernen Ökonomen im Staatsauftrag argumentieren, dass Inflation nicht nur von der Geldmenge abhängt, sondern auch von der Nachfrage nach Geld (z. B. in einer Wirtschaftskrise). Dennoch zeigt die historische Erfahrung, dass eine unkontrollierte Geldmengenausweitung langfristig immer zu Preissteigerungen führt, wie etwa in der Hyperinflation der Weimarer Republik oder in Simbabwe.

@ aa8de34f:a6ffe696

19. März 2025

🔐 1. SHA-256 is Quantum-Resistant

Bitcoin’s proof-of-work mechanism relies on SHA-256, a hashing algorithm. Even with a powerful quantum computer, SHA-256 remains secure because:

• Quantum computers excel at factoring large numbers (Shor’s Algorithm).
• However, SHA-256 is a one-way function, meaning there's no known quantum algorithm that can efficiently reverse it.
• Grover’s Algorithm (which theoretically speeds up brute force attacks) would still require 2¹²⁸ operations to break SHA-256 – far beyond practical reach.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

🔑 2. Public Key Vulnerability – But Only If You Reuse Addresses

Bitcoin uses Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) to generate keys.

• A quantum computer could use Shor’s Algorithm to break SECP256K1, the curve Bitcoin uses.
• If you never reuse addresses, it is an additional security element
• 🔑 1. Bitcoin Addresses Are NOT Public Keys

Many people assume a Bitcoin address is the public key—this is wrong.

• When you receive Bitcoin, it is sent to a hashed public key (the Bitcoin address).
• The actual public key is never exposed because it is the Bitcoin Adress who addresses the Public Key which never reveals the creation of a public key by a spend
• Bitcoin uses Pay-to-Public-Key-Hash (P2PKH) or newer methods like Pay-to-Witness-Public-Key-Hash (P2WPKH), which add extra layers of security.

🕵️♂️ 2.1 The Public Key Never Appears

• When you send Bitcoin, your wallet creates a digital signature.
• This signature uses the private key to prove ownership.
• The Bitcoin address is revealed and creates the Public Key
• The public key remains hidden inside the Bitcoin script and Merkle tree.

This means: ✔ The public key is never exposed. ✔ Quantum attackers have nothing to target, attacking a Bitcoin Address is a zero value game.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

🔄 3. Bitcoin Can Upgrade

Even if quantum computers eventually become a real threat:

• Bitcoin developers can upgrade to quantum-safe cryptography (e.g., lattice-based cryptography or post-quantum signatures like Dilithium).
• Bitcoin’s decentralized nature ensures a network-wide soft fork or hard fork could transition to quantum-resistant keys.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

⏳ 4. The 10-Minute Block Rule as a Security Feature

• Bitcoin’s network operates on a 10-minute block interval, meaning:Even if an attacker had immense computational power (like a quantum computer), they could only attempt an attack every 10 minutes.Unlike traditional encryption, where a hacker could continuously brute-force keys, Bitcoin’s system resets the challenge with every new block.This limits the window of opportunity for quantum attacks.

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🎯 5. Quantum Attack Needs to Solve a Block in Real-Time

• A quantum attacker must solve the cryptographic puzzle (Proof of Work) in under 10 minutes.
• The problem? Any slight error changes the hash completely, meaning:If the quantum computer makes a mistake (even 0.0001% probability), the entire attack fails.Quantum decoherence (loss of qubit stability) makes error correction a massive challenge.The computational cost of recovering from an incorrect hash is still incredibly high.

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⚡ 6. Network Resilience – Even if a Block Is Hacked

• Even if a quantum computer somehow solved a block instantly:The network would quickly recognize and reject invalid transactions.Other miners would continue mining under normal cryptographic rules.51% Attack? The attacker would need to consistently beat the entire Bitcoin network, which is not sustainable.

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🔄 7. The Logarithmic Difficulty Adjustment Neutralizes Threats

• Bitcoin adjusts mining difficulty every 2016 blocks (\~2 weeks).
• If quantum miners appeared and suddenly started solving blocks too quickly, the difficulty would adjust upward, making attacks significantly harder.
• This self-correcting mechanism ensures that even quantum computers wouldn't easily overpower the network.

---

🔥 Final Verdict: Quantum Computers Are Too Slow for Bitcoin

✔ The 10-minute rule limits attack frequency – quantum computers can’t keep up.

✔ Any slight miscalculation ruins the attack, resetting all progress.

✔ Bitcoin’s difficulty adjustment would react, neutralizing quantum advantages.

Even if quantum computers reach their theoretical potential, Bitcoin’s game theory and design make it incredibly resistant. 🚀

@ bcbb3e40:a494e501

El 7 de febrero de 2025, Donald Trump firmó una orden ejecutiva que establecía una «Oficina de la Fe» en la Casa Blanca, dirigida por su asesora espiritual Paula White-Cain, la pastora de esa «teología de la prosperidad» (prosperity theology) que predica el «Evangelio de la salud y la riqueza» (health and wealth gospel^1). Investida de su nueva función, la reverenda pastora dijo: «Tengo la autoridad para declarar a la Casa Blanca un lugar santo. Es mi presencia la que la santifica»[^2]. Los siete rabinos del «Sanedrín Naciente» —la corte suprema que guiará a Israel cuando se reconstruya el Templo de Jerusalén— enviaron conmovedoras felicitaciones al presidente Trump por el establecimiento de esta Oficina. «Expresamos nuestra sincera gratitud —se lee en el mensaje oficial enviado a Trump desde el Monte Sión— por llevar la fe a la vanguardia de la cultura estadounidense y mundial mediante el establecimiento de la Oficina de la Fe en la Casa Blanca. Su reconocimiento de la importancia de la religión en la vida pública es un paso hacia la restauración de los valores morales y del liderazgo espiritual en el mundo[^3]. La carta del «Sanedrín Naciente», que augura el éxito a la «misión divina» del presidente estadounidense, reproduce las dos caras de una «moneda del Templo», acuñada en 2017 para celebrar el traslado de la embajada estadounidense a Jerusalén y, simultáneamente, el centenario de la Declaración Balfour. En el anverso se ven los perfiles de Donald Trump y Ciro el Grande, a quien la tradición judía atribuye la reconstrucción del templo destruido por los babilonios, con la inscripción (en hebreo e inglés) «Cyrus —Balfour— Trump Declaration 1917-2017»; en el reverso está la imagen del Templo de Jerusalén[^4]. Otra moneda, que lleva los perfiles de Trump y Ciro en el anverso y los de Trump y Netanyahu en el reverso, fue acuñada en 2018 para celebrar el septuagésimo aniversario de la independencia del «Estado de Israel»; se observa dos inscripciones en hebreo e inglés: «Y Él me encargó construirle una casa en Jerusalén» y «Guerra de los Hijos de la Luz contra los Hijos de las Tinieblas».

El tema de la «guerra de los Hijos de la Luz contra los Hijos de las Tinieblas» ha tenido una difusión particular en el imaginario y la propaganda trumpista. El 7 de junio de 2020, monseñor Carlo Maria Viganò, ex nuncio de la Santa Sede en los Estados Unidos, escribió una carta al presidente Donald Trump que comenzaba así: «Estamos asistiendo en los últimos meses a la formación de dos bandos, que los definiría bíblicos: los hijos de la luz y los hijos de las tinieblas»[^5]. El 1 de enero de 2021, el agitprop estadounidense Steve Bannon declaró en una entrevista con Monseñor Viganò: «Esta es una batalla de época entre los hijos de la Luz y los hijos de las Tinieblas»[^6].

Son numerosos los judíos sionistas que están en el círculo del presidente Trump: además de su hija Ivanka (convertida en 2009) y su yerno Jared Kushner (entonces Consejero Anciano del Presidente), el 19 de noviembre de 2024 el «The Jerusalem Post»[^7] publicó una lista de los más influyentes: Stephen Miller, subdirector del staff de la Casa Blanca y consejero de Seguridad Nacional de Estados Unidos; David Melech Friedman, a quien en 2016 Trump nombró embajador en Israel; el multimillonario «filántropo» Steven Charles Witkoff, enviado especial de Estados Unidos a Oriente Medio; Miriam Adelson, directora del periódico «Israel Hayom», clasificada por Bloomberg Billionaires como la quinta mujer más rica del mundo (con un patrimonio neto de 32,400 millones de dólares), financiadora de iniciativas políticas conservadoras en Estados Unidos e Israel; el banquero Boris Epshteyn, consejero estratégico de la campaña presidencial de Trump en 2020; Howard Williams Lutnick, presidente de la Cantor Fitzgerald del Grupo BGC, financista de las campañas presidenciales de Donald Trump en 2020 y 2024, ahora secretario de Comercio; la modelo Elizabeth Pipko, portavoz nacional del Partido Republicano y creadora de un «museo interactivo virtual» sobre la «Shoah» como parte del proyecto de Lest People Forget, cuyo objetivo es combatir el «antisemitismo» y la «negacionismo»; Lee Michael Zeldin, miembro republicano de la Cámara de Representantes por el estado de Nueva York del 2015 al 2023 y actualmente administrador de la EPA (Environmental Protection Agency); la columnista Laura Elizabeth Loomer, «orgullosamente islamófoba», activa patrocinadora de Trump en la campaña para las elecciones presidenciales de 2024; Sidney Ferris Rosenberg, influyente presentador de radio y periodista deportivo; William Owen Scharf, Asistente del Presidente y secretario del personal de la Casa Blanca; Marc Jeffrey Rowan, «filántropo» con un patrimonio neto valorado por Forbes en ocho mil ochocientos millones de dólares.

Además de estos, cabe mencionar al popular presentador de radio Mark Levin quien, en diciembre de 2019, durante la celebración de la fiesta de Janucá en la Casa Blanca, saludó a Donald Trump como «el primer presidente judío de los Estados Unidos»[^8]. Según un funcionario de alto nivel de la Casa Blanca, Donald Trump se convirtió al judaísmo dos años antes en la sinagoga de la secta Jabad Lubavitch en la ciudad de Nueva York. David Elias Goldberg, miembro del Jewish Center of Antisemitic Study, también entrevistó al funcionario, para quien «Trump fue “instado” por su hija Ivanka y su yerno Jared Kushner para abrazar la fe. Inicialmente, Trump se habría mostrado reacio, considerando que esto podría enfriar el apoyo del electorado evangélico». Luego, informa «Israel Today News», «cambió de opinión y se convirtió oficialmente a principios de 2017. La ceremonia se llevó a cabo en privado y se guardó celosamente durante casi dos años»[^9]. Pero ya en septiembre de 2015, el rabino millonario Kirt Schneider, invitado a la Trump Tower de Nueva York, había impuesto sus manos sobre la cabeza de Donald Trump y lo había bendecido en hebreo e inglés, declarando: «Las únicas dos naciones que tienen una relación privilegiada con Dios son Israel y los Estados Unidos de América»[^10].

El 7 de octubre de 2024, en el aniversario de la operación de Hamas «Diluvio de Al-Aqsa», Trump fue acompañado por un «superviviente de la Shoah» a la tumba de Menachem Mendel Schneerson, séptimo y último Rabino de los Hasidim de la secta Jabad Lubavitch, que en 1991 declaró a sus seguidores: «He hecho todo lo posible para provocar el arribo del Mesías, ahora les paso a ustedes esta misión; hagan todo lo que puedan para que Él venga»^11. En relación al evento mesiánico, el eminente rabino Yekutiel Fish atribuyó una misión decisiva a Trump: «Todo el mundo está centrado en Gaza, pero esa es solo una parte de la agenda del fin de los tiempos, que tiene a los judíos viviendo en las fronteras profetizadas de Israel; la Torá incluye explícitamente a Gaza. Lo que Trump está haciendo es limpiar Gaza de todos los odiadores de Israel. No podrán estar en Israel después de la venida del Mesías. (...) Esto incluirá a Gaza, la mitad del Líbano y gran parte de Jordania. Y vemos que casi lo hemos logrado. Siria cayó. Líbano está medio destruido. Gaza está destrozada. El escenario está casi listo para el Mesías. Pero, ¿cómo pueden los palestinos estar aquí cuando vayamos a recibir al Mesías? El Mesías necesita que alguien se ocupe de esto, y en este caso, es Donald Trump. Trump está simplemente llevando a cabo las tareas finales necesarias antes de que el Mesías sea revelado»[^12].

Esta inspiración escatológica está presente en las palabras de Pete Brian Hegseth, el pintoresco exponente del «Reconstruccionismo Cristiano»[^13] a quien Trump nombró secretario de Defensa. En un discurso pronunciado en 2019 en el Hotel Rey David de Jerusalén, con motivo de la conferencia anual del canal Arutz Sheva (Israel National News), Hegseth enalteció el «vínculo eterno» entre Israel y Estados Unidos, y enumeró los «milagros» que atestiguan el «apoyo divino» a la causa sionista, el último de los cuales será la reconstrucción del Templo judío en la zona donde actualmente se encuentra la mezquita de al-Aqsa: «La dignidad de capital adquirida por Jerusalén —dijo— fue un milagro, y no hay razón por la cual no sea posible el milagro de la restauración del Templo en el Monte del Templo».[^14]

Es conocido que el fundamentalismo evangélico pro-sionista[^15] comparte con el judaísmo la creencia en que la construcción del tercer Templo de Jerusalén marcará el comienzo de la era mesiánica; cuando la administración Trump trasladó la embajada de Estados Unidos a Jerusalén en 2017, Laurie Cardoza-Moore, exponente del evangelismo sionista, saludó así la «obediencia de Trump a la Palabra de Dios» en «Haaretz»: «Al establecer la Embajada en Jerusalén, el presidente Donald Trump está implementando una de las iniciativas históricas de dimensión bíblica en su presidencia. Al igual que muchos judíos en Israel y en todo el mundo, los cristianos reconocen el vínculo de los judíos con la Biblia a través del nombre de Jerusalén como la capital del antiguo Israel, así como el sitio del Primer y Segundo Templos. Según los profetas Ezequiel, Isaías y el apóstol Juan del Nuevo Testamento, todos los israelíes esperan la reconstrucción del Tercer Templo»[^16]. El 22 de mayo del mismo año, Donald Trump, acompañado de su esposa Melania, de su hija Ivanka y su yerno Jared Kushner, fue el primer presidente de los Estados Unidos en ejercicio en acudir al Muro de las Lamentaciones, anexionado ilegalmente a la entidad sionista.

En 2019, la administración Trump confirmó la posición de Estados Unidos al enviar en visita oficial para Jerusalén a Mike Pompeo, un secretario de Estado que —ironía de la Historia— lleva el mismo nombre del general romano que asaltó la ciudad en el año 63 a.C. «Por primera vez en la historia, un secretario de Estado norteamericano visitó la Ciudad Vieja de Jerusalén en compañía de un alto político israelí. Fue una visita histórica que reforzó las expectativas israelíes y constituyó un reconocimiento tácito de la soberanía israelí sobre el sitio del Monte del Templo y la Explanada de las Mezquitas. (…) Mike Pompeo, acompañado por el primer ministro Benjamin Netanyahu y el embajador de Estados Unidos en Israel, David Friedman, también visitó el túnel del Muro de las Lamentaciones y la sinagoga ubicada bajo tierra, en el presunto lugar del santuario del Templo[^17], donde se le mostró una maqueta del futuro Templo[^18]. En el transcurso de una entrevista concedida durante la fiesta del Purim (que celebra el exterminio de la clase política persa, ocurrido hace 2500 años), el secretario de Estado insinuó que «el presidente Donald Trump puede haber sido enviado por Dios para salvar al pueblo judío y que confiaba en que aquí el Señor estaba obrando»[^19].

Como observa Daniele Perra, en este mismo número de «Eurasia», el «mito movilizador» del Tercer Templo, atribuible a los «mitos teológicos» señalados por Roger Garaudy como mitos fundadores de la entidad sionista, «atribuye al judaísmo una especie de función sociológica de transmisión y proyección del conflicto palestino-israelí hacia el resto del mundo y confiere una inspiración apocalíptica al momento geopolítico actual».

|Info|| |:-|:-| |Autor| Claudio Mutti | |Fuente| I "Figli della Luce" alla Casa Bianca | |Fecha| 8/Mar/2025 | |Traducción| Francisco de la Torre |

[^2]: The White House, President Trump announces appointments to the White House Faith Office https://www.whitehouse.gov,, 7 de febrero de 2025; Trump establece la Oficina de la Fe con una foto de «La Última Cena» | Fue dirigida por la controvertida predicadora Paula White, https://www.tgcom24.mediaset.it, 10 de febrero de 2025.

[^3]: «We extend our heartfelt gratitude for bringing faith to the forefront of American and global culture through the establishment of the Faith Office in the White House. Your recognition of the importance of religion in public life is a step toward restoring moral values and spiritual leadership in the world» (Letter from the Nascent Sanhedrin to President Donald J. Trump, Jerusalem, Wednesday, February 12, 2025).

[^4]: Israeli group mints Trump coin to honor Jerusalem recognition, «The Times of Israel», https://www.timesofisrael.com, 28-2-2018.

[^5]: Mons. Viganò — Siamo nella battaglia tra figli della luce e figli delle tenebre, https://www.italiador.com, 7-6-2020

[^6]: TRANSCRIPT: Steve Bannon’s ‘War Room’ interview with Abp. Viganò, lifesitenews.com, 4-1-2021. Sulle origini e sulla fortuna di questo tema cfr. C. Mutti, Le sètte dell’Occidente, «Eurasia», 2/2021, pp. 12-15. (https://www.eurasia-rivista.com/las-sectas-de-occidente/)

[^7]: Luke Tress, The who’s who of Jews in Trump’s inner circle?, «The Jerusalem Post», https://www.jpost.com, 19-11-2024.

[^8]: Radio Talk Show Host Mark Levin Calls President Trump «the First Jewish President of the United States», https://www.c-span.org, 11-12-2019.

[^9]: «However, he had a change of heart and officially converted in early 2017. The ceremony was held in private, and closely guarded for nearly two years» (Donald Trump converted to Judaism two years ago, according to White House official, https://israeltodaynews.blogspot.com/2019/02).

[^10]: «El rabino Kirt Schneider (...) es un millonario judío, una figura televisiva de los “judíos mesiánicos”. Sus emisiones televisivas semanales son emitidas por más de treinta canales cristianos en unos doscientos países; entre ellos, los canales “Yes” y “Hot” en Israel. Solo en Estados Unidos, sus emisiones atraen a 1.600.000 telespectadores cada semana. Kirt Schneider dirige un imperio de telecomunicaciones que tiene un millón y medio de seguidores en Facebook, X (antes Twitter) y YouTube» (Pierre-Antoine Plaquevent — Youssef Hindi, El milenarismo teopolítico de Israel, Edizioni all'insegna del Veltro, Parma 2025, p. 31).

[^12]: «Everyone is focused on Gaza, but that is only one part of the end-of-days agenda, which has the Jews living in Israel’s prophesied borders. The Torah explicitly includes Gaza. What Trump is doing is cleaning out Gaza of all the haters of Israel. They cannot be in Israel after the Messiah comes. (…) This will include Gaza, half of Lebanon, and much of Jordan. And we see that we are almost there. Syria fell. Lebanon is half gone. Gaza is ripped up. The stage is nearly set for Messiah. But how can the Palestinians be here when we go to greet the Messiah? The Messiah needs someone to take care of this, and in this case, it is Donald Trump. Trump is merely carrying out the final tasks needed before Messiah is revealed» (Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz, Trump’s Gaza Plan is «The Final task before Messiah», https://israel365news.com, 5-2-2025).

[^13]: «A day after Hegseth was announced for the Cabinet position, Brooks Potteiger, a pastor within the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), posted on X that Hegseth is a member of the church in good standing. The CREC, a denomination of Christian Reconstructionism, is considered by some academics to be an extremist, Christian supremacist movement» (Shannon Bond e altri, What’s behind defense secretary pick Hegseth’s war on ‘woke’, https://www.npr.org, 14-11-2024.

[^14]: «The decoration of Jerusalem as a capital was a miracle, and there is no reason why the miracle of the re-establishment of Temple on the Temple Mount is not possible» (Pete Hegseth at Arutz Sheva Conference, youtube.com). Cfr. Daniele Perra, Paleotrumpismo, neotrumpismo e post-trumpismo, in: AA. VV., Trumpismo, Cinabro Edizioni, Roma 2025, pp. 22-23.

[^15]: Pierre-Antoine Plaquevent — Youssef Hindi, El milenarismo teopolítico de Israel, cit., págs. 82 a 96.

[^16]: «We American Christians Welcome Trump’s Obedience to God’s Word on Jerusalem», «Haaretz», 6-12-2017.

[^17]: Pierre-Antoine Plaquevent — Youssef Hindi, El milenarismo teopolítico de Israel, cit., pág. 97.

[^18]: Pompeo en visite historique au mur Occidental aux côtés de Netanyahu et Friedman, «The Times of Israel», https://fr.timesofisrael.com, 21-3-2019.

[^19]: Pompeo says Trump may have been sent by God to save Jews from Iran, «The Times of Israel», 22-3-2019.

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Artículo original: Claudio Mutti, Los «hijos de la luz» en la Casa Blanca (TOR), 25/Mar/2025

@ 7d33ba57:1b82db35

Puerto de Mogán is a postcard-perfect fishing village and marina on the southwest coast of Gran Canaria. With its canals, whitewashed buildings, and bougainvillea-covered balconies, it’s often called the island’s “Little Venice.” Add golden beaches, laid-back vibes, and a touch of luxury, and you've got one of the most charming spots on the island.

🌟 Things to Do in Puerto de Mogán

1️⃣ Stroll the Marina & Canals

• Wander the narrow lanes, stone bridges, and colorful floral walkways
• The marina is filled with yachts, cute cafés, and ice cream spots
• Don’t miss the fishermen’s quarter for a glimpse of local life

2️⃣ Relax on the Beach

• The small, calm beach is perfect for swimming or sunbathing
• Family-friendly, with soft sand and crystal-clear water
• Lined with restaurants and chill beach bars

3️⃣ Visit the Friday Market

• One of the biggest markets on the island
• Browse for local produce, souvenirs, clothes, and crafts
• The whole town buzzes with music and energy on market day

4️⃣ Climb for the View

• Head uphill behind the town for panoramic views over the marina and ocean
• Especially beautiful at sunset 🌅

5️⃣ Take a Boat Trip

• Explore the coast by catamaran or glass-bottom boat
• Dolphin-watching tours are popular, or boat taxis to nearby beaches like Puerto Rico

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🍴 What to Eat

• Fresh seafood is a must—try grilled fish, octopus, or seafood paella
• Pair with local mojo sauces and a cold tropical beer or sangria
• For dessert, look for Bienmesabe (a sweet almond-based Canarian treat)

🎯 Travel Tips

✅ Puerto de Mogán is easy to reach by car or bus from other parts of the island
✅ It’s quieter than Playa del Inglés or Maspalomas, ideal for relaxing
✅ Stay overnight if you can—it’s magical when the crowds thin in the evening
✅ Great spot for couples, families, and anyone who loves beauty + calm

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Bald werde es verboten, alleine im Auto zu fahren, konnte man dieser Tage in verschiedenen spanischen Medien lesen. Die nationale Verkehrsbehörde (Dirección General de Tráfico, kurz DGT) werde Alleinfahrern das Leben schwer machen, wurde gemeldet. Konkret erörtere die Generaldirektion geeignete Sanktionen für Personen, die ohne Beifahrer im Privatauto unterwegs seien.

Das Alleinfahren sei zunehmend verpönt und ein Mentalitätswandel notwendig, hieß es. Dieser «Luxus» stehe im Widerspruch zu den Maßnahmen gegen Umweltverschmutzung, die in allen europäischen Ländern gefördert würden. In Frankreich sei es «bereits verboten, in der Hauptstadt allein zu fahren», behauptete Noticiastrabajo Huffpost in einer Zwischenüberschrift. Nur um dann im Text zu konkretisieren, dass die sogenannte «Umweltspur» auf der Pariser Ringautobahn gemeint war, die für Busse, Taxis und Fahrgemeinschaften reserviert ist. Ab Mai werden Verstöße dagegen mit einem Bußgeld geahndet.

Die DGT jedenfalls wolle bei der Umsetzung derartiger Maßnahmen nicht hinterherhinken. Diese Medienberichte, inklusive des angeblich bevorstehenden Verbots, beriefen sich auf Aussagen des Generaldirektors der Behörde, Pere Navarro, beim Mobilitätskongress Global Mobility Call im November letzten Jahres, wo es um «nachhaltige Mobilität» ging. Aus diesem Kontext stammt auch Navarros Warnung: «Die Zukunft des Verkehrs ist geteilt oder es gibt keine».

Die «Faktenchecker» kamen der Generaldirektion prompt zu Hilfe. Die DGT habe derlei Behauptungen zurückgewiesen und klargestellt, dass es keine Pläne gebe, Fahrten mit nur einer Person im Auto zu verbieten oder zu bestrafen. Bei solchen Meldungen handele es sich um Fake News. Teilweise wurde der Vorsitzende der spanischen «Rechtsaußen»-Partei Vox, Santiago Abascal, der Urheberschaft bezichtigt, weil er einen entsprechenden Artikel von La Gaceta kommentiert hatte.

Der Beschwichtigungsversuch der Art «niemand hat die Absicht» ist dabei erfahrungsgemäß eher ein Alarmzeichen als eine Beruhigung. Walter Ulbrichts Leugnung einer geplanten Berliner Mauer vom Juni 1961 ist vielen genauso in Erinnerung wie die Fake News-Warnungen des deutschen Bundesgesundheitsministeriums bezüglich Lockdowns im März 2020 oder diverse Äußerungen zu einer Impfpflicht ab 2020.

Aber Aufregung hin, Dementis her: Die Pressemitteilung der DGT zu dem Mobilitätskongress enthält in Wahrheit viel interessantere Informationen als «nur» einen Appell an den «guten» Bürger wegen der Bemühungen um die Lebensqualität in Großstädten oder einen möglichen obligatorischen Abschied vom Alleinfahren. Allerdings werden diese Details von Medien und sogenannten Faktencheckern geflissentlich übersehen, obwohl sie keineswegs versteckt sind. Die Auskünfte sind sehr aufschlussreich, wenn man genauer hinschaut.

Digitalisierung ist der Schlüssel für Kontrolle

Auf dem Kongress stellte die Verkehrsbehörde ihre Initiativen zur Förderung der «neuen Mobilität» vor, deren Priorität Sicherheit und Effizienz sei. Die vier konkreten Ansätze haben alle mit Digitalisierung, Daten, Überwachung und Kontrolle im großen Stil zu tun und werden unter dem Euphemismus der «öffentlich-privaten Partnerschaft» angepriesen. Auch lassen sie die transhumanistische Idee vom unzulänglichen Menschen erkennen, dessen Fehler durch «intelligente» technologische Infrastruktur kompensiert werden müssten.

Die Chefin des Bereichs «Verkehrsüberwachung» erklärte die Funktion des spanischen National Access Point (NAP), wobei sie betonte, wie wichtig Verkehrs- und Infrastrukturinformationen in Echtzeit seien. Der NAP ist «eine essenzielle Web-Applikation, die unter EU-Mandat erstellt wurde», kann man auf der Website der DGT nachlesen.

Das Mandat meint Regelungen zu einem einheitlichen europäischen Verkehrsraum, mit denen die Union mindestens seit 2010 den Aufbau einer digitalen Architektur mit offenen Schnittstellen betreibt. Damit begründet man auch «umfassende Datenbereitstellungspflichten im Bereich multimodaler Reiseinformationen». Jeder Mitgliedstaat musste einen NAP, also einen nationalen Zugangspunkt einrichten, der Zugang zu statischen und dynamischen Reise- und Verkehrsdaten verschiedener Verkehrsträger ermöglicht.

Diese Entwicklung ist heute schon weit fortgeschritten, auch und besonders in Spanien. Auf besagtem Kongress erläuterte die Leiterin des Bereichs «Telematik» die Plattform «DGT 3.0». Diese werde als Integrator aller Informationen genutzt, die von den verschiedenen öffentlichen und privaten Systemen, die Teil der Mobilität sind, bereitgestellt werden.

Es handele sich um eine Vermittlungsplattform zwischen Akteuren wie Fahrzeugherstellern, Anbietern von Navigationsdiensten oder Kommunen und dem Endnutzer, der die Verkehrswege benutzt. Alle seien auf Basis des Internets der Dinge (IOT) anonym verbunden, «um der vernetzten Gemeinschaft wertvolle Informationen zu liefern oder diese zu nutzen».

So sei DGT 3.0 «ein Zugangspunkt für einzigartige, kostenlose und genaue Echtzeitinformationen über das Geschehen auf den Straßen und in den Städten». Damit lasse sich der Verkehr nachhaltiger und vernetzter gestalten. Beispielsweise würden die Karten des Produktpartners Google dank der DGT-Daten 50 Millionen Mal pro Tag aktualisiert.

Des Weiteren informiert die Verkehrsbehörde über ihr SCADA-Projekt. Die Abkürzung steht für Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, zu deutsch etwa: Kontrollierte Steuerung und Datenerfassung. Mit SCADA kombiniert man Software und Hardware, um automatisierte Systeme zur Überwachung und Steuerung technischer Prozesse zu schaffen. Das SCADA-Projekt der DGT wird von Indra entwickelt, einem spanischen Beratungskonzern aus den Bereichen Sicherheit & Militär, Energie, Transport, Telekommunikation und Gesundheitsinformation.

Das SCADA-System der Behörde umfasse auch eine Videostreaming- und Videoaufzeichnungsplattform, die das Hochladen in die Cloud in Echtzeit ermöglicht, wie Indra erklärt. Dabei gehe es um Bilder, die von Überwachungskameras an Straßen aufgenommen wurden, sowie um Videos aus DGT-Hubschraubern und Drohnen. Ziel sei es, «die sichere Weitergabe von Videos an Dritte sowie die kontinuierliche Aufzeichnung und Speicherung von Bildern zur möglichen Analyse und späteren Nutzung zu ermöglichen».

Letzteres klingt sehr nach biometrischer Erkennung und Auswertung durch künstliche Intelligenz. Für eine bessere Datenübertragung wird derzeit die Glasfaserverkabelung entlang der Landstraßen und Autobahnen ausgebaut. Mit der Cloud sind die Amazon Web Services (AWS) gemeint, die spanischen Daten gehen somit direkt zu einem US-amerikanischen «Big Data»-Unternehmen.

Das Thema «autonomes Fahren», also Fahren ohne Zutun des Menschen, bildet den Abschluss der Betrachtungen der DGT. Zusammen mit dem Interessenverband der Automobilindustrie ANFAC (Asociación Española de Fabricantes de Automóviles y Camiones) sprach man auf dem Kongress über Strategien und Perspektiven in diesem Bereich. Die Lobbyisten hoffen noch in diesem Jahr 2025 auf einen normativen Rahmen zur erweiterten Unterstützung autonomer Technologien.

Wenn man derartige Informationen im Zusammenhang betrachtet, bekommt man eine Idee davon, warum zunehmend alles elektrisch und digital werden soll. Umwelt- und Mobilitätsprobleme in Städten, wie Luftverschmutzung, Lärmbelästigung, Platzmangel oder Staus, sind eine Sache. Mit dem Argument «emissionslos» wird jedoch eine Referenz zum CO2 und dem «menschengemachten Klimawandel» hergestellt, die Emotionen triggert. Und damit wird so ziemlich alles verkauft.

Letztlich aber gilt: Je elektrischer und digitaler unsere Umgebung wird und je freigiebiger wir mit unseren Daten jeder Art sind, desto besser werden wir kontrollier-, steuer- und sogar abschaltbar. Irgendwann entscheiden KI-basierte Algorithmen, ob, wann, wie, wohin und mit wem wir uns bewegen dürfen. Über einen 15-Minuten-Radius geht dann möglicherweise nichts hinaus. Die Projekte auf diesem Weg sind ernst zu nehmen, real und schon weit fortgeschritten.

[Titelbild: Pixabay]

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Was nützt die schönste Schuldenbremse, wenn der Russe vor der Tür steht? \ Wir können uns verteidigen lernen oder alle Russisch lernen. \ Jens Spahn

In der Politik ist buchstäblich keine Idee zu riskant, kein Mittel zu schäbig und keine Lüge zu dreist, als dass sie nicht benutzt würden. Aber der Clou ist, dass diese Masche immer noch funktioniert, wenn nicht sogar immer besser. Ist das alles wirklich so schwer zu durchschauen? Mir fehlen langsam die Worte.

Aktuell werden sowohl in der Europäischen Union als auch in Deutschland riesige Milliardenpakete für die Aufrüstung – also für die Rüstungsindustrie – geschnürt. Die EU will 800 Milliarden Euro locker machen, in Deutschland sollen es 500 Milliarden «Sondervermögen» sein. Verteidigung nennen das unsere «Führer», innerhalb der Union und auch an «unserer Ostflanke», der Ukraine.

Das nötige Feindbild konnte inzwischen signifikant erweitert werden. Schuld an allem und zudem gefährlich ist nicht mehr nur Putin, sondern jetzt auch Trump. Europa müsse sich sowohl gegen Russland als auch gegen die USA schützen und rüsten, wird uns eingetrichtert.

Und während durch Diplomatie genau dieser beiden Staaten gerade endlich mal Bewegung in die Bemühungen um einen Frieden oder wenigstens einen Waffenstillstand in der Ukraine kommt, rasselt man im moralisch überlegenen Zeigefinger-Europa so richtig mit dem Säbel.

Begleitet und gestützt wird der ganze Prozess – wie sollte es anders sein – von den «Qualitätsmedien». Dass Russland einen Angriff auf «Europa» plant, weiß nicht nur der deutsche Verteidigungsminister (und mit Abstand beliebteste Politiker) Pistorius, sondern dank ihnen auch jedes Kind. Uns bleiben nur noch wenige Jahre. Zum Glück bereitet sich die Bundeswehr schon sehr konkret auf einen Krieg vor.

Die FAZ und Corona-Gesundheitsminister Spahn markieren einen traurigen Höhepunkt. Hier haben sich «politische und publizistische Verantwortungslosigkeit propagandistisch gegenseitig befruchtet», wie es bei den NachDenkSeiten heißt. Die Aussage Spahns in dem Interview, «der Russe steht vor der Tür», ist das eine. Die Zeitung verschärfte die Sache jedoch, indem sie das Zitat explizit in den Titel übernahm, der in einer ersten Version scheinbar zu harmlos war.

Eine große Mehrheit der deutschen Bevölkerung findet Aufrüstung und mehr Schulden toll, wie ARD und ZDF sehr passend ermittelt haben wollen. Ähnliches gelte für eine noch stärkere militärische Unterstützung der Ukraine. Etwas skeptischer seien die Befragten bezüglich der Entsendung von Bundeswehrsoldaten dorthin, aber immerhin etwa fifty-fifty.

Eigentlich ist jedoch die Meinung der Menschen in «unseren Demokratien» irrelevant. Sowohl in der Europäischen Union als auch in Deutschland sind die «Eliten» offenbar der Ansicht, der Souverän habe in Fragen von Krieg und Frieden sowie von aberwitzigen astronomischen Schulden kein Wörtchen mitzureden. Frau von der Leyen möchte über 150 Milliarden aus dem Gesamtpaket unter Verwendung von Artikel 122 des EU-Vertrags ohne das Europäische Parlament entscheiden – wenn auch nicht völlig kritiklos.

In Deutschland wollen CDU/CSU und SPD zur Aufweichung der «Schuldenbremse» mehrere Änderungen des Grundgesetzes durch das abgewählte Parlament peitschen. Dieser Versuch, mit dem alten Bundestag eine Zweidrittelmehrheit zu erzielen, die im neuen nicht mehr gegeben wäre, ist mindestens verfassungsrechtlich umstritten.

Das Manöver scheint aber zu funktionieren. Heute haben die Grünen zugestimmt, nachdem Kanzlerkandidat Merz läppische 100 Milliarden für «irgendwas mit Klima» zugesichert hatte. Die Abstimmung im Plenum soll am kommenden Dienstag erfolgen – nur eine Woche, bevor sich der neu gewählte Bundestag konstituieren wird.

Interessant sind die Argumente, die BlackRocker Merz für seine Attacke auf Grundgesetz und Demokratie ins Feld führt. Abgesehen von der angeblichen Eile, «unsere Verteidigungsfähigkeit deutlich zu erhöhen» (ausgelöst unter anderem durch «die Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz und die Ereignisse im Weißen Haus»), ließ uns der CDU-Chef wissen, dass Deutschland einfach auf die internationale Bühne zurück müsse. Merz schwadronierte gefährlich mehrdeutig:

«Die ganze Welt schaut in diesen Tagen und Wochen auf Deutschland. Wir haben in der Europäischen Union und auf der Welt eine Aufgabe, die weit über die Grenzen unseres eigenen Landes hinausgeht.»

[Titelbild: Tag des Sieges]

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

«Wir brauchen eine digitale Brandmauer gegen den Faschismus», schreibt der Chaos Computer Club (CCC) auf seiner Website. Unter diesem Motto präsentierte er letzte Woche einen Forderungskatalog, mit dem sich 24 Organisationen an die kommende Bundesregierung wenden. Der Koalitionsvertrag müsse sich daran messen lassen, verlangen sie.

In den drei Kategorien «Bekenntnis gegen Überwachung», «Schutz und Sicherheit für alle» sowie «Demokratie im digitalen Raum» stellen die Unterzeichner, zu denen auch Amnesty International und Das NETTZ gehören, unter anderem die folgenden «Mindestanforderungen»:

• Verbot biometrischer Massenüberwachung des öffentlichen Raums sowie der ungezielten biometrischen Auswertung des Internets.
• Anlasslose und massenhafte Vorratsdatenspeicherung wird abgelehnt.
• Automatisierte Datenanalysen der Informationsbestände der Strafverfolgungsbehörden sowie jede Form von Predictive Policing oder automatisiertes Profiling von Menschen werden abgelehnt.
• Einführung eines Rechts auf Verschlüsselung. Die Bundesregierung soll sich dafür einsetzen, die Chatkontrolle auf europäischer Ebene zu verhindern.
• Anonyme und pseudonyme Nutzung des Internets soll geschützt und ermöglicht werden.
• Bekämpfung «privaten Machtmissbrauchs von Big-Tech-Unternehmen» durch durchsetzungsstarke, unabhängige und grundsätzlich föderale Aufsichtsstrukturen.
• Einführung eines digitalen Gewaltschutzgesetzes, unter Berücksichtigung «gruppenbezogener digitaler Gewalt» und die Förderung von Beratungsangeboten.
• Ein umfassendes Förderprogramm für digitale öffentliche Räume, die dezentral organisiert und quelloffen programmiert sind, soll aufgelegt werden.

Es sei ein Irrglaube, dass zunehmende Überwachung einen Zugewinn an Sicherheit darstelle, ist eines der Argumente der Initiatoren. Sicherheit erfordere auch, dass Menschen anonym und vertraulich kommunizieren können und ihre Privatsphäre geschützt wird.

Gesunde digitale Räume lebten auch von einem demokratischen Diskurs, lesen wir in dem Papier. Es sei Aufgabe des Staates, Grundrechte zu schützen. Dazu gehöre auch, Menschenrechte und demokratische Werte, insbesondere Freiheit, Gleichheit und Solidarität zu fördern sowie den Missbrauch von Maßnahmen, Befugnissen und Infrastrukturen durch «die Feinde der Demokratie» zu verhindern.

Man ist geneigt zu fragen, wo denn die Autoren «den Faschismus» sehen, den es zu bekämpfen gelte. Die meisten der vorgetragenen Forderungen und Argumente finden sicher breite Unterstützung, denn sie beschreiben offenkundig gängige, kritikwürdige Praxis. Die Aushebelung der Privatsphäre, der Redefreiheit und anderer Grundrechte im Namen der Sicherheit wird bereits jetzt massiv durch die aktuellen «demokratischen Institutionen» und ihre «durchsetzungsstarken Aufsichtsstrukturen» betrieben.

Ist «der Faschismus» also die EU und ihre Mitgliedsstaaten? Nein, die «faschistische Gefahr», gegen die man eine digitale Brandmauer will, kommt nach Ansicht des CCC und seiner Partner aus den Vereinigten Staaten. Private Überwachung und Machtkonzentration sind dabei weltweit schon lange Realität, jetzt endlich müssen sie jedoch bekämpft werden. In dem Papier heißt es:

«Die willkürliche und antidemokratische Machtausübung der Tech-Oligarchen um Präsident Trump erfordert einen Paradigmenwechsel in der deutschen Digitalpolitik. (...) Die aktuellen Geschehnisse in den USA zeigen auf, wie Datensammlungen und -analyse genutzt werden können, um einen Staat handstreichartig zu übernehmen, seine Strukturen nachhaltig zu beschädigen, Widerstand zu unterbinden und marginalisierte Gruppen zu verfolgen.»

Wer auf der anderen Seite dieser Brandmauer stehen soll, ist also klar. Es sind die gleichen «Feinde unserer Demokratie», die seit Jahren in diese Ecke gedrängt werden. Es sind die gleichen Andersdenkenden, Regierungskritiker und Friedensforderer, die unter dem großzügigen Dach des Bundesprogramms «Demokratie leben» einem «kontinuierlichen Echt- und Langzeitmonitoring» wegen der Etikettierung «digitaler Hass» unterzogen werden.

Dass die 24 Organisationen praktisch auch die Bekämpfung von Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon und anderen fordern, entbehrt nicht der Komik. Diese fallen aber sicher unter das Stichwort «Machtmissbrauch von Big-Tech-Unternehmen». Gleichzeitig verlangen die Lobbyisten implizit zum Beispiel die Förderung des Nostr-Netzwerks, denn hier finden wir dezentral organisierte und quelloffen programmierte digitale Räume par excellence, obendrein zensurresistent. Das wiederum dürfte in der Politik weniger gut ankommen.

[Titelbild: Pixabay]

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ ec9bd746:df11a9d0

I was diving into PoW (Proof-of-Work) once again after nostr:nprofile1qy88wumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmv9uq3wamnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwdehhxarj9e3xzmny9uqzqj8a67jths8euy33v5yu6me6ngua5v3y3qq3dswuqh2pejmtls6datagmu rekindled my interest with his PoW Draw project. It was a fun little trifle, but it shifted my focus just the right way at the right time.

Because then, on Friday, came the Oval Office Travesty. Once I got over the initial shock, I decided I couldn't just curse and lament; I needed to do something bigger, something symbolic, something expressive. So that's exactly what I did—breaking nostr:nprofile1qy88wumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmv9uq32amnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwv3sk6atn9e5k7tcqyqewrqnkx4zsaweutf739s0cu7et29zrntqs5elw70vlm8zudr3y2t9v7jg's record which he held for almost 2 and half years.

Here is a note with PoW 45, the highest PoW known to Nostr (as of now).

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzpmym6ar92346qc04ml08z6j0yrelylkv9r9ysurhte0g2003r2wsqy88wumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmv9uqsuamnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dshsqgqqqqqqqqqy8t8awr5c8z4yfp4cr8v7spp8psncv8twlh083flcr582fyu9

How Did I Pull It Off?

In theory, quite simple: Create note, run PoW mining script & wait.

Thanks to PoW Draw, I already had mining software at hand: nostr:nprofile1qy88wumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmv9uq32amnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwv3sk6atn9e5k7tcqyqvqc5tlvn6etv09f0fvuauves49dvgnukjtzsndfv9y8yyrqyxmz7dty6z's notemine_hw, but when you know that there is a 1 in 2^45 chance that the next hash will be the correct one you want to increase the odds a bit. So on Monday evening, I started my Note Mining operation on an old 40 thread machine called Workhorse.

Issues Along the Way

I was immediately surprised that Workhorse (2× Intel Xeon Silver 4114) produced only about 3Mh/s. A laptop (Intel Core i7-1185G7) with Windows and all the bloat did 5Mh/s. That was strange.

Another hurdle was that notemine_hw does not refresh the created_at field. With just a few Mh/s of power I was potentially looking at weeks of computation, by then the note would be quite stale. So I created systemd service leveraging the RuntimeMaxSec option to periodically restart every 3600 seconds assuring that the Note would be max 1 hour old at the time of publishing.

Luckily PoW is that kind of problem where every hash attempt is an independent event, so the chance of success is the same whether you do it in small increments or one uninterrupted stretch. So by restarting the mining process I was only losing a few mere seconds every hour due to the overhead.

Once the note staleness issue was resolved, I looked at the 40 workers on Workhorse vs. 7 workers on the laptop and start messing around with running one instance with 40 workers and running 40 instances with 1 worker and found out, that the workers are not bound to a CPU thread and are jumping between the CPUs like rabbits high on Colombian carrots.

The solution? Running multiple instances with one worker each as a service locked to its own CPU core using systemd's CPUAffinity option. ``` $aida@workhorse:systemd/system $ sudo cat notemine@.service [Unit] Description=Notemine HW Publish (restarts hourly)

[Service] Type=simple CPUAffinity=%i

The command to run:

ExecStart=/home/aida/.cargo/bin/notemine_hw publish --n-workers 1 --difficulty 45 --event-json /home/aida/note.json --relay-url 'wss://wot.shaving.kiwi' --nsec nsec0123456789abcdef

Let the process run for 1 hour (3600 seconds), then systemd will stop it:

RuntimeMaxSec=3600 TimeoutStopSec=1

Tells systemd to restart the service automatically after it stops:

Restart=always RestartSec=1

run as a non-root user:

User=aida Group=aida

[Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target ``` Then I added a starting service to spawn an instance for each CPU thread.

``` $aida@workhorse:systemd/system $ sudo cat notemine_start.service [Unit] Description=Start all services in sequence with 3-second intervals

[Service] Type=oneshot ExecStart=/usr/bin/zsh /home/aida/notemine_start.sh

RemainAfterExit=yes

[Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target Here is the startup script (I know, loops exist—but Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V is so old-school): aida@workhorse:~ $ cat notemine_start.sh /usr/bin/systemctl start notemine@0.service /usr/bin/sleep 3 /usr/bin/systemctl start notemine@1.service /usr/bin/sleep 3 /usr/bin/systemctl start notemine@2.service /usr/bin/sleep 3 /usr/bin/systemctl start notemine@3.service /usr/bin/sleep 3 ... ... ... /usr/bin/systemctl start notemine@38.service `` The sleep there is critical to make sure that thecreated_at`timestamps are different, preventing redundant hashing.

This adjustment made Workhorse the strongest machine in my fleet with 10+Mh/s.

The Luck Aspect

From Monday evening, I started adding all machines at my disposal into the fleet and by Wednesday evening I was crunching hashes on about 130 CPU threads (a lot of them were quite antique) and at the peak was just little shy of 40Mh/s. To compensate for the slow start with the few above-mentioned hiccups and the fact that I had to use my desktop to do other things from time to time, I counted with the conservative estimate of 30Mh/s when I was doing all the probability calculations.

Based on the type of task that PoW mining is, the outcome is not predictible. You are only looking at what is the chance that the outcome of every single independent event will be consecutively non-favourable and then subtracting it from 1 to get the chance of that single favourable event you want. I really had to brush up on my combinatorics and discrete mathematics to make sure I have at least an elementary understanding of what is going on. Also, because we are not just throwing a dice 5 times, but are operating with big numbers, approximation was necessary. Luckily, the formula is available and quite simple in the end.

Two weeks to exhauste all the possible tries still doesn't guarantee anything, actually there is a slighlty less than 2 in 3 chance that you will have a result after all that time. So the fact that I was able to hit the right hash in less than 3 days was good luck. Not insane lottery winning luck, but good luck; slighlty lower than 1 in 5.

Do you want to beat me?

Go ahead! All the pitfalls are described above and until there is a GPU-based PoW Mining available, we are all on pretty even ground.

Do you hate the note?

In that case, feel free to enjoy this accompanying image:

@ 6b3780ef:221416c8

This workshop will guide you through exploring the concepts behind MCP servers and how to deploy them as DVMs in Nostr using DVMCP. By the end, you'll understand how these systems work together and be able to create your own deployments.

Understanding MCP Systems

MCP (Model Context Protocol) systems consist of two main components that work together:

1. MCP Server: The heart of the system that exposes tools, which you can access via the .listTools() method.
2. MCP Client: The interface that connects to the MCP server and lets you use the tools it offers.

These servers and clients can communicate using different transport methods:

• Standard I/O (stdio): A simple local connection method when your server and client are on the same machine.
• Server-Sent Events (SSE): Uses HTTP to create a communication channel.

For this workshop, we'll use stdio to deploy our server. DVMCP will act as a bridge, connecting to your MCP server as an MCP client, and exposing its tools as a DVM that anyone can call from Nostr.

Creating (or Finding) an MCP Server

Building an MCP server is simpler than you might think:

1. Create software in any programming language you're comfortable with.
2. Add an MCP library to expose your server's MCP interface.
3. Create an API that wraps around your software's functionality.

Once your server is ready, an MCP client can connect, for example, with bun index.js, and then call .listTools() to discover what your server can do. This pattern, known as reflection, makes Nostr DVMs and MCP a perfect match since both use JSON, and DVMs can announce and call tools, effectively becoming an MCP proxy.

Alternatively, you can use one of the many existing MCP servers available in various repositories.

For more information about mcp and how to build mcp servers you can visit https://modelcontextprotocol.io/

Setting Up the Workshop

Let's get hands-on:

First, to follow this workshop you will need Bun. Install it from https://bun.sh/. For Linux and macOS, you can use the installation script:

curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

1. Choose your MCP server: You can either create one or use an existing one.

2. Inspect your server using the MCP inspector tool: bash npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector build/index.js arg1 arg2 This will:

3. Launch a client UI (default: http://localhost:5173)
4. Start an MCP proxy server (default: port 3000)

5. Pass any additional arguments directly to your server

6. Use the inspector: Open the client UI in your browser to connect with your server, list available tools, and test its functionality.

Deploying with DVMCP

Now for the exciting part – making your MCP server available to everyone on Nostr:

1. Navigate to your MCP server directory.

2. Run without installing (quickest way): npx @dvmcp/bridge

3. Or install globally for regular use: npm install -g @dvmcp/bridge # or bun install -g @dvmcp/bridge Then run using: bash dvmcp-bridge

This will guide you through creating the necessary configuration.

Watch the console logs to confirm successful setup – you'll see your public key and process information, or any issues that need addressing.

For the configuration, you can set the relay as wss://relay.dvmcp.fun , or use any other of your preference

Testing and Integration

1. Visit dvmcp.fun to see your DVM announcement.
2. Call your tools and watch the responses come back.

For production use, consider running dvmcp-bridge as a system service or creating a container for greater reliability and uptime.

Integrating with LLM Clients

You can also integrate your DVMCP deployment with LLM clients using the discovery package:

1. Install and use the @dvmcp/discovery package: bash npx @dvmcp/discovery

2. This package acts as an MCP server for your LLM system by:

3. Connecting to configured Nostr relays
4. Discovering tools from DVMCP servers

5. Making them available to your LLM applications

6. Connect to specific servers or providers using these flags: ```bash # Connect to all DVMCP servers from a provider npx @dvmcp/discovery --provider npub1...

# Connect to a specific DVMCP server npx @dvmcp/discovery --server naddr1... ```

Using these flags, you wouldn't need a configuration file. You can find these commands and Claude desktop configuration already prepared for copy and paste at dvmcp.fun.

This feature lets you connect to any DVMCP server using Nostr and integrate it into your client, either as a DVM or in LLM-powered applications.

Final thoughts

If you've followed this workshop, you now have an MCP server deployed as a Nostr DVM. This means that local resources from the system where the MCP server is running can be accessed through Nostr in a decentralized manner. This capability is powerful and opens up numerous possibilities and opportunities for fun.

You can use this setup for various use cases, including in a controlled/local environment. For instance, you can deploy a relay in your local network that's only accessible within it, exposing all your local MCP servers to anyone connected to the network. This setup can act as a hub for communication between different systems, which could be particularly interesting for applications in home automation or other fields. The potential applications are limitless.

However, it's important to keep in mind that there are security concerns when exposing local resources publicly. You should be mindful of these risks and prioritize security when creating and deploying your MCP servers on Nostr.

Finally, these are new ideas, and the software is still under development. If you have any feedback, please refer to the GitHub repository to report issues or collaborate. DVMCP also has a Signal group you can join. Additionally, you can engage with the community on Nostr using the #dvmcp hashtag.

Useful Resources

• Official Documentation:
• Model Context Protocol: modelcontextprotocol.org

• DVMCP.fun: dvmcp.fun

• Source Code and Development:

• DVMCP: github.com/gzuuus/dvmcp

• DVMCP.fun: github.com/gzuuus/dvmcpfun

• MCP Servers and Clients:

• Smithery AI: smithery.ai
• MCP.so: mcp.so

• Glama AI MCP Servers: glama.ai/mcp/servers

• Signal group

Happy building!

@ 7d33ba57:1b82db35

Bratislava, Slovakia’s capital, may be small, but it packs a big personality. Perched on the banks of the Danube River, this medieval-meets-modern city blends cobbled old town charm with cool cafes, riverside strolls, quirky statues, and a hilltop castle overlooking it all. Whether you’re visiting on a day trip from Vienna or staying longer, Bratislava is laid-back, walkable, and full of surprises.

🌟 Highlights in Bratislava

1️⃣ Bratislava Castle

• Perched above the city with panoramic views of the Danube and Austria
• Home to the Slovak National Museum and historical exhibitions
• Great spot to catch the sunset or a breezy walk

2️⃣ Old Town (Staré Mesto)

• A maze of colorful baroque buildings, cozy courtyards, and lively cafés
• Landmarks include Michael’s Gate, Main Square, and the Old Town Hall
• Don’t miss quirky statues like Čumil, the sewer worker peeking out of a manhole

3️⃣ St. Martin’s Cathedral

• Once the coronation church of Hungarian kings
• Gothic vibes, beautiful interior, and right beneath the castle walls

4️⃣ UFO Observation Deck

• On the Most SNP (New Bridge), shaped like a flying saucer
• 360° views from 95m up—and there's even a rooftop restaurant/bar

5️⃣ Blue Church (Church of St. Elizabeth)

• One of Bratislava’s most photogenic spots—sky blue and whimsical
• Like something out of a fairytale, tucked in a quiet corner of town

🍽️ What to Eat in Bratislava

• Bryndzové halušky – Potato dumplings with sheep cheese and crispy bacon
• Kapustnica – Tangy sauerkraut soup with sausage
• Lokše – Potato pancakes filled with duck, cabbage, or sweet fillings
• Kofola – Slovakia’s cola alternative, with a herbal twist
• Try a glass of Slovak wine or Tatratea liqueur (strong stuff!)

🌿 Day Trips from Bratislava

• Devin Castle – Dramatic ruins on a cliff above the Danube (20 min by bus or boat)
• Small Carpathians wine region – Visit towns like Modra or Pezinok for tastings
• Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum – Contemporary art on a peninsula in the river
• Vienna – Just an hour away by train, boat, or even bike along the Danube path

🎯 Quick Tips

✅ Bratislava is very walkable—you can see most highlights in a day
✅ Euros are the currency (not all places accept cards)
✅ Best times to visit: spring to early autumn for river views and café culture
✅ Take it slow—the city’s charm is in the atmosphere

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Die «Eliten» führen bereits groß angelegte Pilotprojekte für eine Zukunft durch, die sie wollen und wir nicht. Das schreibt der OffGuardian in einem Update zum Thema «EU-Brieftasche für die digitale Identität». Das Portal weist darauf hin, dass die Akteure dabei nicht gerade zimperlich vorgehen und auch keinen Hehl aus ihren Absichten machen. Transition News hat mehrfach darüber berichtet, zuletzt hier und hier.

Mit der EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI-Brieftasche) sei eine einzige von der Regierung herausgegebene App geplant, die Ihre medizinischen Daten, Beschäftigungsdaten, Reisedaten, Bildungsdaten, Impfdaten, Steuerdaten, Finanzdaten sowie (potenziell) Kopien Ihrer Unterschrift, Fingerabdrücke, Gesichtsscans, Stimmproben und DNA enthält. So fasst der OffGuardian die eindrucksvolle Liste möglicher Einsatzbereiche zusammen.

Auch Dokumente wie der Personalausweis oder der Führerschein können dort in elektronischer Form gespeichert werden. Bis 2026 sind alle EU-Mitgliedstaaten dazu verpflichtet, Ihren Bürgern funktionierende und frei verfügbare digitale «Brieftaschen» bereitzustellen.

Die Menschen würden diese App nutzen, so das Portal, um Zahlungen vorzunehmen, Kredite zu beantragen, ihre Steuern zu zahlen, ihre Rezepte abzuholen, internationale Grenzen zu überschreiten, Unternehmen zu gründen, Arzttermine zu buchen, sich um Stellen zu bewerben und sogar digitale Verträge online zu unterzeichnen.

All diese Daten würden auf ihrem Mobiltelefon gespeichert und mit den Regierungen von neunzehn Ländern (plus der Ukraine) sowie über 140 anderen öffentlichen und privaten Partnern ausgetauscht. Von der Deutschen Bank über das ukrainische Ministerium für digitalen Fortschritt bis hin zu Samsung Europe. Unternehmen und Behörden würden auf diese Daten im Backend zugreifen, um «automatisierte Hintergrundprüfungen» durchzuführen.

Der Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentralen und Verbraucherverbände (VZBV) habe Bedenken geäußert, dass eine solche App «Risiken für den Schutz der Privatsphäre und der Daten» berge, berichtet das Portal. Die einzige Antwort darauf laute: «Richtig, genau dafür ist sie ja da!»

Das alles sei keine Hypothese, betont der OffGuardian. Es sei vielmehr «Potential». Damit ist ein EU-Projekt gemeint, in dessen Rahmen Dutzende öffentliche und private Einrichtungen zusammenarbeiten, «um eine einheitliche Vision der digitalen Identität für die Bürger der europäischen Länder zu definieren». Dies ist nur eines der groß angelegten Pilotprojekte, mit denen Prototypen und Anwendungsfälle für die EUDI-Wallet getestet werden. Es gibt noch mindestens drei weitere.

Den Ball der digitalen ID-Systeme habe die Covid-«Pandemie» über die «Impfpässe» ins Rollen gebracht. Seitdem habe das Thema an Schwung verloren. Je näher wir aber der vollständigen Einführung der EUid kämen, desto mehr Propaganda der Art «Warum wir eine digitale Brieftasche brauchen» könnten wir in den Mainstream-Medien erwarten, prognostiziert der OffGuardian. Vielleicht müssten wir schon nach dem nächsten großen «Grund», dem nächsten «katastrophalen katalytischen Ereignis» Ausschau halten. Vermutlich gebe es bereits Pläne, warum die Menschen plötzlich eine digitale ID-Brieftasche brauchen würden.

Die Entwicklung geht jedenfalls stetig weiter in genau diese Richtung. Beispielsweise hat Jordanien angekündigt, die digitale biometrische ID bei den nächsten Wahlen zur Verifizierung der Wähler einzuführen. Man wolle «den Papierkrieg beenden und sicherstellen, dass die gesamte Kette bis zu den nächsten Parlamentswahlen digitalisiert wird», heißt es. Absehbar ist, dass dabei einige Wahlberechtigte «auf der Strecke bleiben» werden, wie im Fall von Albanien geschehen.

Derweil würden die Briten gerne ihre Privatsphäre gegen Effizienz eintauschen, behauptet Tony Blair. Der Ex-Premier drängte kürzlich erneut auf digitale Identitäten und Gesichtserkennung. Blair ist Gründer einer Denkfabrik für globalen Wandel, Anhänger globalistischer Technokratie und «moderner Infrastruktur».

Abschließend warnt der OffGuardian vor der Illusion, Trump und Musk würden den US-Bürgern «diesen Schlamassel ersparen». Das Department of Government Efficiency werde sich auf die digitale Identität stürzen. Was könne schließlich «effizienter» sein als eine einzige App, die für alles verwendet wird? Der Unterschied bestehe nur darin, dass die US-Version vielleicht eher privat als öffentlich sei – sofern es da überhaupt noch einen wirklichen Unterschied gebe.

[Titelbild: Screenshot OffGuardian]

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Ständige Lügen und Unterstellungen, permanent falsche Fürsorge \ können Bausteine von emotionaler Manipulation sein. Mit dem Zweck, \ Macht und Kontrolle über eine andere Person auszuüben. \ Apotheken Umschau

Irgendetwas muss passiert sein: «Gaslighting» ist gerade Thema in vielen Medien. Heute bin ich nach längerer Zeit mal wieder über dieses Stichwort gestolpert. Das war in einem Artikel von Norbert Häring über Manipulationen des Deutschen Wetterdienstes (DWD). In diesem Fall ging es um eine Pressemitteilung vom Donnerstag zum «viel zu warmen» Winter 2024/25.

Häring wirft der Behörde vor, dreist zu lügen und Dinge auszulassen, um die Klimaangst wach zu halten. Was der Leser beim DWD nicht erfahre, sei, dass dieser Winter kälter als die drei vorangegangenen und kälter als der Durchschnitt der letzten zehn Jahre gewesen sei. Stattdessen werde der falsche Eindruck vermittelt, es würde ungebremst immer wärmer.

Wem also der zu Ende gehende Winter eher kalt vorgekommen sein sollte, mit dessen Empfinden stimme wohl etwas nicht. Das jedenfalls wolle der DWD uns einreden, so der Wirtschaftsjournalist. Und damit sind wir beim Thema Gaslighting.

Als Gaslighting wird eine Form psychischer Manipulation bezeichnet, mit der die Opfer desorientiert und zutiefst verunsichert werden, indem ihre eigene Wahrnehmung als falsch bezeichnet wird. Der Prozess führt zu Angst und Realitätsverzerrung sowie zur Zerstörung des Selbstbewusstseins. Die Bezeichnung kommt von dem britischen Theaterstück «Gas Light» aus dem Jahr 1938, in dem ein Mann mit grausamen Psychotricks seine Frau in den Wahnsinn treibt.

Damit Gaslighting funktioniert, muss das Opfer dem Täter vertrauen. Oft wird solcher Psychoterror daher im privaten oder familiären Umfeld beschrieben, ebenso wie am Arbeitsplatz. Jedoch eignen sich die Prinzipien auch perfekt zur Manipulation der Massen. Vermeintliche Autoritäten wie Ärzte und Wissenschaftler, oder «der fürsorgliche Staat» und Institutionen wie die UNO oder die WHO wollen uns doch nichts Böses. Auch Staatsmedien, Faktenchecker und diverse NGOs wurden zu «vertrauenswürdigen Quellen» erklärt. Das hat seine Wirkung.

Warum das Thema Gaslighting derzeit scheinbar so populär ist, vermag ich nicht zu sagen. Es sind aber gerade in den letzten Tagen und Wochen auffällig viele Artikel dazu erschienen, und zwar nicht nur von Psychologen. Die Frankfurter Rundschau hat gleich mehrere publiziert, und Anwälte interessieren sich dafür offenbar genauso wie Apotheker.

Die Apotheken Umschau machte sogar auf «Medical Gaslighting» aufmerksam. Davon spreche man, wenn Mediziner Symptome nicht ernst nähmen oder wenn ein gesundheitliches Problem vom behandelnden Arzt «schnöde heruntergespielt» oder abgetan würde. Kommt Ihnen das auch irgendwie bekannt vor? Der Begriff sei allerdings irreführend, da er eine manipulierende Absicht unterstellt, die «nicht gewährleistet» sei.

Apropos Gaslighting: Die noch amtierende deutsche Bundesregierung meldete heute, es gelte, «weiter [sic!] gemeinsam daran zu arbeiten, einen gerechten und dauerhaften Frieden für die Ukraine zu erreichen». Die Ukraine, wo sich am Montag «der völkerrechtswidrige Angriffskrieg zum dritten Mal jährte», verteidige ihr Land und «unsere gemeinsamen Werte».

Merken Sie etwas? Das Demokratieverständnis mag ja tatsächlich inzwischen in beiden Ländern ähnlich traurig sein. Bezüglich Friedensbemühungen ist meine Wahrnehmung jedoch eine andere. Das muss an meinem Gedächtnis liegen.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ b17fccdf:b7211155

Si vives en España, quizás hayas notado que no puedes acceder a ciertas páginas webs durante los fines de semana o en algunos días entre semana, entre ellas, la guía de MiniBolt.

Esto tiene una razón, por supuesto una solución, además de una conclusión. Sin entrar en demasiados detalles:

La razón

El bloqueo a Cloudflare, implementado desde hace casi dos meses por operadores de Internet (ISPs) en España (como Movistar, O2, DIGI, Pepephone, entre otros), se basa en una orden judicial emitida tras una demanda de LALIGA (Fútbol). Esta medida busca combatir la piratería en España, un problema que afecta directamente a dicha organización.

Aunque la intención original era restringir el acceso a dominios específicos que difundieran dicho contenido, Cloudflare emplea el protocolo ECH (Encrypted Client Hello), que oculta el nombre del dominio, el cual antes se transmitía en texto plano durante el proceso de establecimiento de una conexión TLS. Esta medida dificulta que las operadoras analicen el tráfico para aplicar bloqueos basados en dominios, lo que les obliga a recurrir a bloqueos más amplios por IP o rangos de IP para cumplir con la orden judicial.

Esta práctica tiene consecuencias graves, que han sido completamente ignoradas por quienes la ejecutan. Es bien sabido que una infraestructura de IP puede alojar numerosos dominios, tanto legítimos como no legítimos. La falta de un "ajuste fino" en los bloqueos provoca un perjuicio para terceros, restringiendo el acceso a muchos dominios legítimos que no tiene relación alguna con actividades ilícitas, pero que comparten las mismas IPs de Cloudflare con dominios cuestionables. Este es el caso de la web de MiniBolt y su dominio minibolt.info, los cuales utilizan Cloudflare como proxy para aprovechar las medidas de seguridad, privacidad, optimización y servicios adicionales que la plataforma ofrece de forma gratuita.

Si bien este bloqueo parece ser temporal (al menos durante la temporada 24/25 de fútbol, hasta finales de mayo), es posible que se reactive con el inicio de la nueva temporada.

La solución

Obviamente, MiniBolt no dejará de usar Cloudflare como proxy por esta razón. Por lo que a continuación se exponen algunas medidas que como usuario puedes tomar para evitar esta restricción y poder acceder:

~> Utiliza una VPN:

Existen varias soluciones de proveedores de VPN, ordenadas según su reputación en privacidad: - IVPN - Mullvad VPN - Proton VPN (gratis) - Obscura VPN (solo para macOS) - Cloudfare WARP (gratis) + permite utilizar el modo proxy local para enrutar solo la navegación, debes utilizar la opción "WARP a través de proxy local" siguiendo estos pasos: 1. Inicia Cloudflare WARP y dentro de la pequeña interfaz haz click en la rueda dentada abajo a la derecha > "Preferencias" > "Avanzado" > "Configurar el modo proxy" 2. Marca la casilla "Habilite el modo proxy en este dispositivo" 3. Elige un "Puerto de escucha de proxy" entre 0-65535. ej: 1080, haz click en "Aceptar" y cierra la ventana de preferencias 4. Accede de nuevo a Cloudflare WARP y pulsa sobre el switch para habilitar el servicio. 3. Ahora debes apuntar el proxy del navegador a Cloudflare WARP, la configuración del navegador es similar a esta para el caso de navegadores basados en Firefox. Una vez hecho, deberías poder acceder a la guía de MiniBolt sin problemas. Si tienes dudas, déjalas en comentarios e intentaré resolverlas. Más info AQUÍ.

~> Proxifica tu navegador para usar la red de Tor, o utiliza el navegador oficial de Tor (recomendado).

La conclusión

Estos hechos ponen en tela de juicio los principios fundamentales de la neutralidad de la red, pilares esenciales de la Declaración de Independencia del Ciberespacio que defiende un internet libre, sin restricciones ni censura. Dichos principios se han visto quebrantados sin precedentes en este país, confirmando que ese futuro distópico que muchos negaban, ya es una realidad.

Es momento de actuar y estar preparados: debemos impulsar el desarrollo y la difusión de las herramientas anticensura que tenemos a nuestro alcance, protegiendo así la libertad digital y asegurando un acceso equitativo a la información para todos

Este compromiso es uno de los pilares fundamentales de MiniBolt, lo que convierte este desafío en una oportunidad para poner a prueba las soluciones anticensura ya disponibles, así como las que están en camino.

¡Censúrame si puedes, legislador! ¡La lucha por la privacidad y la libertad en Internet ya está en marcha!

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Fuentes: * https://bandaancha.eu/articulos/movistar-o2-deja-clientes-sin-acceso-11239 * https://bandaancha.eu/articulos/esta-nueva-sentencia-autoriza-bloqueos-11257 * https://bandaancha.eu/articulos/como-saltarse-bloqueo-webs-warp-vpn-9958 * https://bandaancha.eu/articulos/como-activar-ech-chrome-acceder-webs-10689 * https://comunidad.movistar.es/t5/Soporte-Fibra-y-ADSL/Problema-con-web-que-usan-Cloudflare/td-p/5218007

@ 21335073:a244b1ad

Warning: This piece contains a conversation about difficult topics. Please proceed with caution.

TL;DR please educate your children about online safety.

Julian Assange wrote in his 2012 book Cypherpunks, “This book is not a manifesto. There isn’t time for that. This book is a warning.” I read it a few times over the past summer. Those opening lines definitely stood out to me. I wish we had listened back then. He saw something about the internet that few had the ability to see. There are some individuals who are so close to a topic that when they speak, it’s difficult for others who aren’t steeped in it to visualize what they’re talking about. I didn’t read the book until more recently. If I had read it when it came out, it probably would have sounded like an unknown foreign language to me. Today it makes more sense.

This isn’t a manifesto. This isn’t a book. There is no time for that. It’s a warning and a possible solution from a desperate and determined survivor advocate who has been pulling and unraveling a thread for a few years. At times, I feel too close to this topic to make any sense trying to convey my pathway to my conclusions or thoughts to the general public. My hope is that if nothing else, I can convey my sense of urgency while writing this. This piece is a watchman’s warning.

When a child steps online, they are walking into a new world. A new reality. When you hand a child the internet, you are handing them possibilities—good, bad, and ugly. This is a conversation about lowering the potential of negative outcomes of stepping into that new world and how I came to these conclusions. I constantly compare the internet to the road. You wouldn’t let a young child run out into the road with no guidance or safety precautions. When you hand a child the internet without any type of guidance or safety measures, you are allowing them to play in rush hour, oncoming traffic. “Look left, look right for cars before crossing.” We almost all have been taught that as children. What are we taught as humans about safety before stepping into a completely different reality like the internet? Very little.

I could never really figure out why many folks in tech, privacy rights activists, and hackers seemed so cold to me while talking about online child sexual exploitation. I always figured that as a survivor advocate for those affected by these crimes, that specific, skilled group of individuals would be very welcoming and easy to talk to about such serious topics. I actually had one hacker laugh in my face when I brought it up while I was looking for answers. I thought maybe this individual thought I was accusing them of something I wasn’t, so I felt bad for asking. I was constantly extremely disappointed and would ask myself, “Why don’t they care? What could I say to make them care more? What could I say to make them understand the crisis and the level of suffering that happens as a result of the problem?”

I have been serving minor survivors of online child sexual exploitation for years. My first case serving a survivor of this specific crime was in 2018—a 13-year-old girl sexually exploited by a serial predator on Snapchat. That was my first glimpse into this side of the internet. I won a national award for serving the minor survivors of Twitter in 2023, but I had been working on that specific project for a few years. I was nominated by a lawyer representing two survivors in a legal battle against the platform. I’ve never really spoken about this before, but at the time it was a choice for me between fighting Snapchat or Twitter. I chose Twitter—or rather, Twitter chose me. I heard about the story of John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, and I was so unbelievably broken over it that I went to war for multiple years. I was and still am royally pissed about that case. As far as I was concerned, the John Doe #1 case proved that whatever was going on with corporate tech social media was so out of control that I didn’t have time to wait, so I got to work. It was reading the messages that John Doe #1 sent to Twitter begging them to remove his sexual exploitation that broke me. He was a child begging adults to do something. A passion for justice and protecting kids makes you do wild things. I was desperate to find answers about what happened and searched for solutions. In the end, the platform Twitter was purchased. During the acquisition, I just asked Mr. Musk nicely to prioritize the issue of detection and removal of child sexual exploitation without violating digital privacy rights or eroding end-to-end encryption. Elon thanked me multiple times during the acquisition, made some changes, and I was thanked by others on the survivors’ side as well.

I still feel that even with the progress made, I really just scratched the surface with Twitter, now X. I left that passion project when I did for a few reasons. I wanted to give new leadership time to tackle the issue. Elon Musk made big promises that I knew would take a while to fulfill, but mostly I had been watching global legislation transpire around the issue, and frankly, the governments are willing to go much further with X and the rest of corporate tech than I ever would. My work begging Twitter to make changes with easier reporting of content, detection, and removal of child sexual exploitation material—without violating privacy rights or eroding end-to-end encryption—and advocating for the minor survivors of the platform went as far as my principles would have allowed. I’m grateful for that experience. I was still left with a nagging question: “How did things get so bad with Twitter where the John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 case was able to happen in the first place?” I decided to keep looking for answers. I decided to keep pulling the thread.

I never worked for Twitter. This is often confusing for folks. I will say that despite being disappointed in the platform’s leadership at times, I loved Twitter. I saw and still see its value. I definitely love the survivors of the platform, but I also loved the platform. I was a champion of the platform’s ability to give folks from virtually around the globe an opportunity to speak and be heard.

I want to be clear that John Doe #1 really is my why. He is the inspiration. I am writing this because of him. He represents so many globally, and I’m still inspired by his bravery. One child’s voice begging adults to do something—I’m an adult, I heard him. I’d go to war a thousand more lifetimes for that young man, and I don’t even know his name. Fighting has been personally dark at times; I’m not even going to try to sugarcoat it, but it has been worth it.

The data surrounding the very real crime of online child sexual exploitation is available to the public online at any time for anyone to see. I’d encourage you to go look at the data for yourself. I believe in encouraging folks to check multiple sources so that you understand the full picture. If you are uncomfortable just searching around the internet for information about this topic, use the terms “CSAM,” “CSEM,” “SG-CSEM,” or “AI Generated CSAM.” The numbers don’t lie—it’s a nightmare that’s out of control. It’s a big business. The demand is high, and unfortunately, business is booming. Organizations collect the data, tech companies often post their data, governments report frequently, and the corporate press has covered a decent portion of the conversation, so I’m sure you can find a source that you trust.

Technology is changing rapidly, which is great for innovation as a whole but horrible for the crime of online child sexual exploitation. Those wishing to exploit the vulnerable seem to be adapting to each technological change with ease. The governments are so far behind with tackling these issues that as I’m typing this, it’s borderline irrelevant to even include them while speaking about the crime or potential solutions. Technology is changing too rapidly, and their old, broken systems can’t even dare to keep up. Think of it like the governments’ “War on Drugs.” Drugs won. In this case as well, the governments are not winning. The governments are talking about maybe having a meeting on potentially maybe having legislation around the crimes. The time to have that meeting would have been many years ago. I’m not advocating for governments to legislate our way out of this. I’m on the side of educating and innovating our way out of this.

I have been clear while advocating for the minor survivors of corporate tech platforms that I would not advocate for any solution to the crime that would violate digital privacy rights or erode end-to-end encryption. That has been a personal moral position that I was unwilling to budge on. This is an extremely unpopular and borderline nonexistent position in the anti-human trafficking movement and online child protection space. I’m often fearful that I’m wrong about this. I have always thought that a better pathway forward would have been to incentivize innovation for detection and removal of content. I had no previous exposure to privacy rights activists or Cypherpunks—actually, I came to that conclusion by listening to the voices of MENA region political dissidents and human rights activists. After developing relationships with human rights activists from around the globe, I realized how important privacy rights and encryption are for those who need it most globally. I was simply unwilling to give more power, control, and opportunities for mass surveillance to big abusers like governments wishing to enslave entire nations and untrustworthy corporate tech companies to potentially end some portion of abuses online. On top of all of it, it has been clear to me for years that all potential solutions outside of violating digital privacy rights to detect and remove child sexual exploitation online have not yet been explored aggressively. I’ve been disappointed that there hasn’t been more of a conversation around preventing the crime from happening in the first place.

What has been tried is mass surveillance. In China, they are currently under mass surveillance both online and offline, and their behaviors are attached to a social credit score. Unfortunately, even on state-run and controlled social media platforms, they still have child sexual exploitation and abuse imagery pop up along with other crimes and human rights violations. They also have a thriving black market online due to the oppression from the state. In other words, even an entire loss of freedom and privacy cannot end the sexual exploitation of children online. It’s been tried. There is no reason to repeat this method.

It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out why I always felt a slight coldness from those in tech and privacy-minded individuals about the topic of child sexual exploitation online. I didn’t have any clue about the “Four Horsemen of the Infocalypse.” This is a term coined by Timothy C. May in 1988. I would have been a child myself when he first said it. I actually laughed at myself when I heard the phrase for the first time. I finally got it. The Cypherpunks weren’t wrong about that topic. They were so spot on that it is borderline uncomfortable. I was mad at first that they knew that early during the birth of the internet that this issue would arise and didn’t address it. Then I got over it because I realized that it wasn’t their job. Their job was—is—to write code. Their job wasn’t to be involved and loving parents or survivor advocates. Their job wasn’t to educate children on internet safety or raise awareness; their job was to write code.

They knew that child sexual abuse material would be shared on the internet. They said what would happen—not in a gleeful way, but a prediction. Then it happened.

I equate it now to a concrete company laying down a road. As you’re pouring the concrete, you can say to yourself, “A terrorist might travel down this road to go kill many, and on the flip side, a beautiful child can be born in an ambulance on this road.” Who or what travels down the road is not their responsibility—they are just supposed to lay the concrete. I’d never go to a concrete pourer and ask them to solve terrorism that travels down roads. Under the current system, law enforcement should stop terrorists before they even make it to the road. The solution to this specific problem is not to treat everyone on the road like a terrorist or to not build the road.

So I understand the perceived coldness from those in tech. Not only was it not their job, but bringing up the topic was seen as the equivalent of asking a free person if they wanted to discuss one of the four topics—child abusers, terrorists, drug dealers, intellectual property pirates, etc.—that would usher in digital authoritarianism for all who are online globally.

Privacy rights advocates and groups have put up a good fight. They stood by their principles. Unfortunately, when it comes to corporate tech, I believe that the issue of privacy is almost a complete lost cause at this point. It’s still worth pushing back, but ultimately, it is a losing battle—a ticking time bomb.

I do think that corporate tech providers could have slowed down the inevitable loss of privacy at the hands of the state by prioritizing the detection and removal of CSAM when they all started online. I believe it would have bought some time, fewer would have been traumatized by that specific crime, and I do believe that it could have slowed down the demand for content. If I think too much about that, I’ll go insane, so I try to push the “if maybes” aside, but never knowing if it could have been handled differently will forever haunt me. At night when it’s quiet, I wonder what I would have done differently if given the opportunity. I’ll probably never know how much corporate tech knew and ignored in the hopes that it would go away while the problem continued to get worse. They had different priorities. The most voiceless and vulnerable exploited on corporate tech never had much of a voice, so corporate tech providers didn’t receive very much pushback.

Now I’m about to say something really wild, and you can call me whatever you want to call me, but I’m going to say what I believe to be true. I believe that the governments are either so incompetent that they allowed the proliferation of CSAM online, or they knowingly allowed the problem to fester long enough to have an excuse to violate privacy rights and erode end-to-end encryption. The US government could have seized the corporate tech providers over CSAM, but I believe that they were so useful as a propaganda arm for the regimes that they allowed them to continue virtually unscathed.

That season is done now, and the governments are making the issue a priority. It will come at a high cost. Privacy on corporate tech providers is virtually done as I’m typing this. It feels like a death rattle. I’m not particularly sure that we had much digital privacy to begin with, but the illusion of a veil of privacy feels gone.

To make matters slightly more complex, it would be hard to convince me that once AI really gets going, digital privacy will exist at all.

I believe that there should be a conversation shift to preserving freedoms and human rights in a post-privacy society.

I don’t want to get locked up because AI predicted a nasty post online from me about the government. I’m not a doomer about AI—I’m just going to roll with it personally. I’m looking forward to the positive changes that will be brought forth by AI. I see it as inevitable. A bit of privacy was helpful while it lasted. Please keep fighting to preserve what is left of privacy either way because I could be wrong about all of this.

On the topic of AI, the addition of AI to the horrific crime of child sexual abuse material and child sexual exploitation in multiple ways so far has been devastating. It’s currently out of control. The genie is out of the bottle. I am hopeful that innovation will get us humans out of this, but I’m not sure how or how long it will take. We must be extremely cautious around AI legislation. It should not be illegal to innovate even if some bad comes with the good. I don’t trust that the governments are equipped to decide the best pathway forward for AI. Source: the entire history of the government.

I have been personally negatively impacted by AI-generated content. Every few days, I get another alert that I’m featured again in what’s called “deep fake pornography” without my consent. I’m not happy about it, but what pains me the most is the thought that for a period of time down the road, many globally will experience what myself and others are experiencing now by being digitally sexually abused in this way. If you have ever had your picture taken and posted online, you are also at risk of being exploited in this way. Your child’s image can be used as well, unfortunately, and this is just the beginning of this particular nightmare. It will move to more realistic interpretations of sexual behaviors as technology improves. I have no brave words of wisdom about how to deal with that emotionally. I do have hope that innovation will save the day around this specific issue. I’m nervous that everyone online will have to ID verify due to this issue. I see that as one possible outcome that could help to prevent one problem but inadvertently cause more problems, especially for those living under authoritarian regimes or anyone who needs to remain anonymous online. A zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) would probably be the best solution to these issues. There are some survivors of violence and/or sexual trauma who need to remain anonymous online for various reasons. There are survivor stories available online of those who have been abused in this way. I’d encourage you seek out and listen to their stories.

There have been periods of time recently where I hesitate to say anything at all because more than likely AI will cover most of my concerns about education, awareness, prevention, detection, and removal of child sexual exploitation online, etc.

Unfortunately, some of the most pressing issues we’ve seen online over the last few years come in the form of “sextortion.” Self-generated child sexual exploitation (SG-CSEM) numbers are continuing to be terrifying. I’d strongly encourage that you look into sextortion data. AI + sextortion is also a huge concern. The perpetrators are using the non-sexually explicit images of children and putting their likeness on AI-generated child sexual exploitation content and extorting money, more imagery, or both from minors online. It’s like a million nightmares wrapped into one. The wild part is that these issues will only get more pervasive because technology is harnessed to perpetuate horror at a scale unimaginable to a human mind.

Even if you banned phones and the internet or tried to prevent children from accessing the internet, it wouldn’t solve it. Child sexual exploitation will still be with us until as a society we start to prevent the crime before it happens. That is the only human way out right now.

There is no reset button on the internet, but if I could go back, I’d tell survivor advocates to heed the warnings of the early internet builders and to start education and awareness campaigns designed to prevent as much online child sexual exploitation as possible. The internet and technology moved quickly, and I don’t believe that society ever really caught up. We live in a world where a child can be groomed by a predator in their own home while sitting on a couch next to their parents watching TV. We weren’t ready as a species to tackle the fast-paced algorithms and dangers online. It happened too quickly for parents to catch up. How can you parent for the ever-changing digital world unless you are constantly aware of the dangers?

I don’t think that the internet is inherently bad. I believe that it can be a powerful tool for freedom and resistance. I’ve spoken a lot about the bad online, but there is beauty as well. We often discuss how victims and survivors are abused online; we rarely discuss the fact that countless survivors around the globe have been able to share their experiences, strength, hope, as well as provide resources to the vulnerable. I do question if giving any government or tech company access to censorship, surveillance, etc., online in the name of serving survivors might not actually impact a portion of survivors negatively. There are a fair amount of survivors with powerful abusers protected by governments and the corporate press. If a survivor cannot speak to the press about their abuse, the only place they can go is online, directly or indirectly through an independent journalist who also risks being censored. This scenario isn’t hard to imagine—it already happened in China. During #MeToo, a survivor in China wanted to post their story. The government censored the post, so the survivor put their story on the blockchain. I’m excited that the survivor was creative and brave, but it’s terrifying to think that we live in a world where that situation is a necessity.

I believe that the future for many survivors sharing their stories globally will be on completely censorship-resistant and decentralized protocols. This thought in particular gives me hope. When we listen to the experiences of a diverse group of survivors, we can start to understand potential solutions to preventing the crimes from happening in the first place.

My heart is broken over the gut-wrenching stories of survivors sexually exploited online. Every time I hear the story of a survivor, I do think to myself quietly, “What could have prevented this from happening in the first place?” My heart is with survivors.

My head, on the other hand, is full of the understanding that the internet should remain free. The free flow of information should not be stopped. My mind is with the innocent citizens around the globe that deserve freedom both online and offline.

The problem is that governments don’t only want to censor illegal content that violates human rights—they create legislation that is so broad that it can impact speech and privacy of all. “Don’t you care about the kids?” Yes, I do. I do so much that I’m invested in finding solutions. I also care about all citizens around the globe that deserve an opportunity to live free from a mass surveillance society. If terrorism happens online, I should not be punished by losing my freedom. If drugs are sold online, I should not be punished. I’m not an abuser, I’m not a terrorist, and I don’t engage in illegal behaviors. I refuse to lose freedom because of others’ bad behaviors online.

I want to be clear that on a long enough timeline, the governments will decide that they can be better parents/caregivers than you can if something isn’t done to stop minors from being sexually exploited online. The price will be a complete loss of anonymity, privacy, free speech, and freedom of religion online. I find it rather insulting that governments think they’re better equipped to raise children than parents and caretakers.

So we can’t go backwards—all that we can do is go forward. Those who want to have freedom will find technology to facilitate their liberation. This will lead many over time to decentralized and open protocols. So as far as I’m concerned, this does solve a few of my worries—those who need, want, and deserve to speak freely online will have the opportunity in most countries—but what about online child sexual exploitation?

When I popped up around the decentralized space, I was met with the fear of censorship. I’m not here to censor you. I don’t write code. I couldn’t censor anyone or any piece of content even if I wanted to across the internet, no matter how depraved. I don’t have the skills to do that.

I’m here to start a conversation. Freedom comes at a cost. You must always fight for and protect your freedom. I can’t speak about protecting yourself from all of the Four Horsemen because I simply don’t know the topics well enough, but I can speak about this one topic.

If there was a shortcut to ending online child sexual exploitation, I would have found it by now. There isn’t one right now. I believe that education is the only pathway forward to preventing the crime of online child sexual exploitation for future generations.

I propose a yearly education course for every child of all school ages, taught as a standard part of the curriculum. Ideally, parents/caregivers would be involved in the education/learning process.

Course: - The creation of the internet and computers - The fight for cryptography - The tech supply chain from the ground up (example: human rights violations in the supply chain) - Corporate tech - Freedom tech - Data privacy - Digital privacy rights - AI (history-current) - Online safety (predators, scams, catfishing, extortion) - Bitcoin - Laws - How to deal with online hate and harassment - Information on who to contact if you are being abused online or offline - Algorithms - How to seek out the truth about news, etc., online

The parents/caregivers, homeschoolers, unschoolers, and those working to create decentralized parallel societies have been an inspiration while writing this, but my hope is that all children would learn this course, even in government ran schools. Ideally, parents would teach this to their own children.

The decentralized space doesn’t want child sexual exploitation to thrive. Here’s the deal: there has to be a strong prevention effort in order to protect the next generation. The internet isn’t going anywhere, predators aren’t going anywhere, and I’m not down to let anyone have the opportunity to prove that there is a need for more government. I don’t believe that the government should act as parents. The governments have had a chance to attempt to stop online child sexual exploitation, and they didn’t do it. Can we try a different pathway forward?

I’d like to put myself out of a job. I don’t want to ever hear another story like John Doe #1 ever again. This will require work. I’ve often called online child sexual exploitation the lynchpin for the internet. It’s time to arm generations of children with knowledge and tools. I can’t do this alone.

Individuals have fought so that I could have freedom online. I want to fight to protect it. I don’t want child predators to give the government any opportunity to take away freedom. Decentralized spaces are as close to a reset as we’ll get with the opportunity to do it right from the start. Start the youth off correctly by preventing potential hazards to the best of your ability.

The good news is anyone can work on this! I’d encourage you to take it and run with it. I added the additional education about the history of the internet to make the course more educational and fun. Instead of cleaning up generations of destroyed lives due to online sexual exploitation, perhaps this could inspire generations of those who will build our futures. Perhaps if the youth is armed with knowledge, they can create more tools to prevent the crime.

This one solution that I’m suggesting can be done on an individual level or on a larger scale. It should be adjusted depending on age, learning style, etc. It should be fun and playful.

This solution does not address abuse in the home or some of the root causes of offline child sexual exploitation. My hope is that it could lead to some survivors experiencing abuse in the home an opportunity to disclose with a trusted adult. The purpose for this solution is to prevent the crime of online child sexual exploitation before it occurs and to arm the youth with the tools to contact safe adults if and when it happens.

In closing, I went to hell a few times so that you didn’t have to. I spoke to the mothers of survivors of minors sexually exploited online—their tears could fill rivers. I’ve spoken with political dissidents who yearned to be free from authoritarian surveillance states. The only balance that I’ve found is freedom online for citizens around the globe and prevention from the dangers of that for the youth. Don’t slow down innovation and freedom. Educate, prepare, adapt, and look for solutions.

I’m not perfect and I’m sure that there are errors in this piece. I hope that you find them and it starts a conversation.

@ f839fb67:5c930939

Chapter 5: Echoes of the Past

Life for Peter and Gwen took on a sense of normalcy as they resumed their civilian identities, working and studying. However, Gwen's reappearance raised questions, drawing the attention of friends and foes alike. Some welcomed her with open arms, while others remained skeptical of her true origins.

One evening, as Peter and Gwen strolled through Central Park, they were approached by an old friend, Mary Jane Watson. Her warmth masked a deep-seated concern about Gwen's return, but she chose not to reveal it for the sake of her friend's happiness.

Chapter 6: A Sinister Resurgence

The tranquility in their lives was short-lived when the criminal mastermind, Norman Osborn, better known as the Green Goblin, resurfaced in the city. Osborn had been thought dead for years, but he returned with a vengeance, orchestrating a wave of chaos and destruction.

The renewed threat of the Green Goblin pushed Peter and Gwen to their limits. Gwen, driven by a desire to protect her newfound home, donned her own costume once more, taking up the mantle of Spider-Woman.

Chapter 7: Partners in Peril

Peter and Gwen's relationship faced its greatest test yet as they fought the Green Goblin together. The emotional strain of battling a personal enemy combined with Gwen's struggles to adapt to her role as Spider-Woman put immense pressure on their love.

Despite the trials, the couple's bond grew stronger, and their teamwork improved. With Mary Jane's support, Gwen and Peter managed to expose Norman Osborn's criminal activities, leading to his eventual arrest.

Chapter 8: An Unexpected Alliance

A new threat emerged, one that neither Spider-Man nor Spider-Woman could defeat alone. A powerful crime syndicate, led by the enigmatic "Black Cobra," threatened to engulf the city in a reign of terror. Realizing the scope of the danger, Peter and Gwen sought help from other superheroes in the Marvel Universe.

Spider-Man and Spider-Woman formed an alliance with heroes such as Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage. Together, they launched an assault on the Black Cobra's operations. The battle was fierce, and the heroes found themselves tested in ways they had never anticipated.

Chapter 9: Confronting the Past

As the battle raged on, a shocking revelation came to light: the Black Cobra was an identity adopted by none other than Gwen's own father, George Stacy, who had been presumed dead for years. He explained that he had faked his death to infiltrate the criminal organization and dismantle it from within.

Gwen was torn between her duty as Spider-Woman and her love for her father. Ultimately, they reconciled and, together with the other heroes, they managed to expose the true mastermind behind the crime syndicate, sending the criminals to prison and freeing George from his double life.

Chapter 10: A Future Together

With the city safe once more, Peter and Gwen could finally focus on their personal lives. Gwen chose to embrace her role as Spider-Woman and continue to fight alongside Peter as a partner in both life and crime-fighting.

Their journey had been one of triumphs and tribulations, but through it all, their love had endured. As Spider-Man and Spider-Woman, they swung through the city, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that together, they could overcome anything that threatened their world.

The echoes of the past had brought them together, and now, they looked forward to a future filled with adventure, love, and the unwavering commitment to being New York City's protectors.

@ 8bad797a:8461b4bc

Frank Palmer Purcell

I claim to be a Catholic American; even though I now follow the Russian Orthodox tradition, I do so in a small sui juris Church in communion with Rome, not Constantinople. When I was a little kid, knee high to a trilobite, some folks still had a problem with that, with being Catholic and American, I mean; Orthodoxy was beyond our horizon. My mother was one of those who had the problem. As long as I was a Catholic like my father (and her own mother, as a little girl in Ireland and on the lower East Side), I couldn't be a real American like her father, a bookbinder replaced by a machine, disowned by his family for marrying out of caste, who spent his days in the nearest tavern. "Pop" Palmer died at 78, and four years later I was born and named for him, or at least that was my mother's intention. The priest baptized me in Latin, as was the custom in those dark days, and pronounced "Frank" so that it sounded like the nickname ("Frenchy") of a (doubtless) dirty medieval Italian beggar baptized Giovanni.

My early spirituality, to use a ten dollar word for a fifty cent thing, was more American than Franciscan. Emerson and Thoreau, Melville and Whitman spoke and still speak to me as no European voice can, and when I came to study philosophy in a serious way I found the Americans, Josiah Royce, Rufus Jones and Ernest Hocking, C. I. (not C. S.) Lewis and Brand (not Paul) Blanshard, speaking a language that was my own, though by then the professoriate resonated to other tonalities. Though I fell in love with Schopenhauer and Kierkegaard, as every teenager who meets them must, and inhaled the sweet incense and felt the calming breeze of the shrines of the East, as my generation did, and was introduced to the mysteries of Thomas Aquinas by the subtle writings of Jacques Maritain, as we should all be, when I came to take hold of the great tradition of Western theology in a personal way, I found the distinctly American perspectives of Paul Tillich and Richard (not Reinhold) Niebuhr most helpful.

Back in 1963, in the New Jersey family television room, Joseph Campbell's urbane mythological sermons on Channel 13 (still a Newark station) touched something deep inside me an hour after Bishop Sheen's passionate exhortations on Channel 5 had left me (perhaps deplorably) cold. I would go up to my room and say my prayers after a fashion in time for the nightly racetrack bugle and exhilarating nostalgia of Arthur Fiedler's performance of the Bahnfrei Polka of Edouard Strauss, which introduced the nightly raconteurship of the incomparable Jean Shepherd, and, if I were still awake, the more outre world of Long John Nebel and his, ah, eccentric guests. You can't get more American than that. Or more New Jersey.

As the child of a mixed marriage and a pupil of the public schools I was not warmly welcome in the Catholic ghetto. Still, in those years of the civil rights revolution and the Vietnam War, with the polarized positions of right and left equally abstract and inhumane, I found my take on national affairs reflecting the distinctly Catholic perspectives of Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton on the one hand and Frederick Wilhelmsen and Erik Maria, Ritter von Kuehnelt-­Leddihn on the other. And, though the writings of Rufus Jones, to which I even now frequently turn for inspiration, had led me to seek out a Quaker education, I found it was the Catholic scholars and pioneers of the spirit who were beginning the interreligious dialogue which was then and is now one of the pressing needs of humanity. In graduate school I became a devoted Americanist, that is, a scholar dedicated to using the tools of the historian of ideas to get some sense of what this place is all about, this gallimaufry of peoples who have somehow, in spite of all learned and astute prognostications, made themselves and each other into a kind of unity, a unity which it may take someone like the present [at the time of writing] Pope (and there isn't really anyone else very much like him) to discern.

I do not speak of Joseph Ratzinger, Benedict XVI, as a theologian nor even as a philosopher, but I must note that in New York and Washington in 2008 he revealed himself as an historian of ideas of astonishing and exquisite discernment. By this I mean, among other things, of course, that he strongly confirmed the discoveries and intimations of my own forty years of brooding in and on America. I was fortunate indeed to turn up at Columbia University's Teachers College when Douglas Sloan was putting the finishing touches on his groundbreaking study of the Scottish Enlightenment as the great inspiration of the American colonists, especially the intellectual elite, in the age of the War of Independence. Sloan's insights would eventually be popularized, without their scholarly context and qualifications, in Garry Wills' bestselling Inventing America, and it is now taken for granted that our Founding Father Across the Sea was not John Locke, but the Ulster Scot Francis Hutcheson (1694-­1746).

Indeed, the Evangelical position seems to be that it was Hutcheson who corrupted American civilization at the root, turning us from the Calvinist faith once delivered to Jonathan Edwards (himself a notorious Lockean, but never mind). In fact, Oxford University Press recently published a six hundred page tract to that effect, authored at Wheaton. Hutcheson, and the Scottish school of Common Sense which he inspired, held that all human beings, Pagan and Christian, Protestant and Catholic, share a basic ability to come to an understanding of certain fundamental truths, and can come to agreement upon these with the aid of reason. Calvinism, especially the neo­Calvinism which is the unquestioned (because unquestionable) paradigm of the Evangelical academy, holds that the elect have a unique and divinely sanctioned "world view" which stands in judgment of all others in all particulars. To these zealots the very idea that there can be any common human ground between believers and unbelievers is itself a damnable heresy. Still, it is the damnable heresy on which American society and civilization are built, and the Calvinism which so despises it is a near kin of those varieties of Islam that Benedict so boldly challenged at Regensburg in 2006.

When the same Benedict addressed the United Nations a year and a half later, he pointed out how the principles of that august body, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights whose anniversary he was commemorating, grew out of the Natural Law philosophy of CounterReformation Scholasticism, particularly as formulated by Francisco de Vitoria (1492?–1546). Needless to say, the "Scottish Philosophy" of a later age grew out of this tradition as well, and many of the American founders were directly familiar with Natural Law theory as expounded by Catholic ­­ and Protestant ­­ Scholastics. On the same visit Benedict made ample use of the language of sacred architecture, as if in conscious homage to the fact that he was honoring a country founded by Freemasons, who used that language to teach the conformity of right living to the law of nature and nature's God. If he was giving a Catholic interpretation to this symbolism, so did the Catholic Jacobites who were prominent in the Craft before the Masonic movement became identified with indifferentism, anticlericalism, and finally (at least on the Continent) atheism. It was striking indeed that to one steeped in American tradition it was the Pope of Rome of all people who was speaking our own language in a familiar tone, and the neo­Calvinist Evangelicals who jibbered and muttered in an outlandish and menacing jargon more Muslim than Christian. I sure wonder what Mommy would think.

Natural Law. What is that to us today; what was it to me in what we call the Vietnam era? In 2008 the issue was torture, and a President of the United States who took pleasure in his presumed power to order it, to physically degrade his enemies, to morally degrade our own soldiers. I am proud that when Mr. Bush asked our military for advice on the subject, they replied that he has no such power, that such actions are contrary to our laws and the traditions of our armed services, and, moreover, ineffectual. (The latter point is an important indication that powerful men order torture not to accomplish anything, but to pleasure themselves.) And I am ashamed that he chose to take the advice of Israeli advisors, who hold to another morality, one going back to ancient Assyria, and profoundly alien to our own Christian civilization.

In my youth the overriding issue was not torture, but terrorism. Not that torture didn't take place. At graduate school I knew a former naval officer who had interrogated captured Viet Minh and Viet Cong; the "extraordinary means" had been applied by our allies by the time he was introduced to his prisoners, and the specialists who had softened them up had already moved on or backed off. The issues before us then were atrocious acts of war against civilian populations in North and South Vietnam, in Laos and Cambodia, in Central and South America, even in Germany and Japan a generation before, not to mention the subversion and corruption of constitutional government in America by a regime that felt justified in using any means necessary to keep power away from the Communists and their sympathizers, the Democrats and liberal Republicans.

Nor was such evil a monopoly of the so­called right. A young antiwar activist formerly associated with Martin Luther King even went so far as to criticize the sainted Che Guevara for not being enough of a terrorist to tear the peasantry away from their conformity to a "fascist" state. (Two generations later the man was advising George Bush.) In my undergraduate days I had been a loyal member of the conservative movement, back when the Intercollegiate Studies Institute was still called the Intercollegiate Society of Individualists, some members of the Students for a Democratic Society still honored democracy, and Murray Rothbard and Carl Ogelsby were moving "beyond left and right." If I got nothing more from the conservatives, and in fact I got a great deal more, it was an ever deepening admiration for Edmund Burke. Burke was prized by the cold warriors because his Letters on a Regicide Peace could be used to justify a war of extermination against the Soviet Union, the Peoples Republic of China, and any other people so temerarious as not join the alliance against these forces of absolute evil and subordinate their interests to those of the United States. A superficial reading, I need hardly remark. But Burke was not only the acute critic of the French Revolution who predicted the Terror from its earliest signs, he also was a tireless advocate for Irish freedom, particularly freedom of conscience, and a loyal ally of the American colonies in Parliament. But Burke's finest hour came at the end of his long career, when he boldly fought against the depredations of Warren Hastings and the British East India Company. Anyone who wants to know what natural law meant to the men of the Eighteenth Century, including those who liberated the American colonies and forged their political constitution can get a good sense of it from the eighth day (!) of his impeachment of Hastings before the House of Lords, which, I warn you, I have quoted before and shall no doubt quote again:

No man can lawfully govern himself according to his own will—much less can one person be governed by the will of another. We are all born in subjection—all born equally, high and low, governors and governed, in subjection to one great, immutable, preexistent law, prior to all our devices, and prior to all our contrivances, paramount to all our ideas and to all our sensations, antecedent to our very existence, by which we are knit and connected in the eternal frame of the universe, out of which we can not stir. This great law does not arise from our conventions or compacts; on the contrary, it gives to our conventions and compacts all the force and sanction they can have: it does not arise from our vain institutions. Every good gift is of God, all power is of God; and He who has given the power, and from whom alone it originates, will never suffer the exercise of it to be practised upon any less solid foundation than the power itself. If, then, all dominion of man over man is the effect of the divine disposition, it is bound by the eternal laws of Him that gave it, with which no human authority can dispense; neither he that exercises it, nor even those who are subject to it; and, if they were mad enough to make an express compact, that should release their magistrate from 5 his duty, and should declare their lives, liberties and properties, dependent upon, not rules and laws, but his mere capricious will, that covenant would be void. This arbitrary power is not to be had by conquest. Nor can any sovereign have it by succession; for no man can succeed to fraud, rapine, and violence. Those who give and those who receive arbitrary power are alike criminal; and there is no man but is bound to resist it to the best of his power, wherever it shall show its face to the world.

Mr. Jefferson couldn't have put it better. Human rights are inalienable --­­ you can't give them away, and when they are taken away there is not only the right of rebellion, but the solemn duty to resist. The difficulty of natural law theory, of course, is in the details. Back in '68 Pope Paul VI had announced that artificial contraception was against the natural law, but this decision did not immediately commend itself to the common sense of many of those who were not subject to his religious authority. I don't mean he was wrong, or that he exceeded his authority, or even that his decision was inopportune. But when the Supreme Court, alarmed by the birthrate of blacks and an end to white domination of the nation and the world, soon mandated abortion on demand, it was all too easy to dismiss arguments in favor of the human being of the embryonic human as religious dogma rather than an honest attempt to think things through. Since then the concept of natural law is often dismissed by feminists and homosexualists (to use Mr. Vidal's eloquent term) as a mere excuse for oppression. It does seem to me, however, that the insistent denial of the very idea of human rights does nothing to advance the liberation of humanity or any part of it. But maybe that's just me.

In any case, I don't think America was ever anything like the sort of Catholic nation that, say, Portugal was under the late Dr. Salazar, or is very likely to get there any time soon, despite the best wishes and even efforts of some of my friends. I do think that for a good part of our history a great many people in public life would have said that the words of Burke I have quoted express their most basic political convictions and sentiments as well as anyone ever could, and this puts America right at the center of the great tradition of Western civilization. And this was true long after old Europe had gone down other ways, the ways of the French revolution, the reaction against it, and the nationalism that synthesized the worst of both. To be sure, we have had nationalists here, and have them today, and have preached our crusades to end slavery, make the world safe for democracy, eradicate the evil empire of the moment, but there is, if not always a ringing and uncontested affirmation of civilized values, by which I mean the values of our civilization, at least a powerful nostalgia for them, and a sincere wish that one could believe in them with a good conscience, a good conscience which postmodernist deconstructionism denies us. A good conscience which Joseph Ratzinger Benedict XVI, who has suffered modernity as few of us have and thought more deeply about it, was offering us back.

To be perfectly frank, it took the Catholic Church a good long time to recognize the Christian virtues of Enlightenment, even the Scottish one, and Revolution, even the American one. Better late than never. And despite the mantric invocation of John Courtney Murray, the Church in America has not always been on the side of the angels. The theology of the American Church has always been Jansenist, not Catholic, combining the worst of Pelagius and Calvin, making Boston Irish the kissing cousins of Cotton Mather. The American Church never permitted itself to be organized according to canon law because this would limit the despotism of prelates. The American Church refused to acknowledge the priesthood of Eastern Catholics ordained as married men, driving the Catholic Ruthenians into communion with the Patriarch of Moscow (the present Orthodox Church in America), and later blackmailing a bankrupt papacy into forbidding married priests throughout the Western hemisphere, driving a second group of Ruthenians into communion with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (the present American Carpatho­Russian Orthodox Diocese).

They American Cathholic Church wouldn't even allow American women to become real nuns, or foreign nuns to come to America without renouncing their vows. The vast majority of Catholic women called nuns are nothing of the sort, but religious sisters first organized as cheap labor at the beck and call of the clergy, and now loose cannons like the Papessas Mother Angelica and Sister Joan. Yes, one or two real abbeys for women were founded in the last century, but the American Church continues to hold the contemplative life in deepest contempt, even for women. Women religious lead the crusade against contemplative traditions, and now rail against the Church as an organ of worldly power from which they are unjustly excluded.

Deprived of traditional spiritual direction, a lamentable number of priests "demythologized" the Faith while looking to worldly culture for a way of salvation. Many found it in the gospel of orgasm, and undertook to liberate the young men in their care by sharing the only joy they thought worth having, with results we see today.

Catholic involvement in American public life has not been edifying either. The American bishops turned their backs on Benedict XV's attempt to end the slaughter in the trenches and refused to make any move to bring Woodrow Wilson over to the side of peace. As patriotic Americans, they in effect signed on to the WASP jihad to extirpate the Catholic powers of the Old World. A couple of generations later millions of Catholic schoolchildren were forced to write letters demanding that the Senate not censure that great American Joseph McCarthy, who was probably the Soviet Union's most valuable (presumably unwitting) asset in American public life, who had discredited all responsible criticism of Communism and its supporters by viciously slandering the United States Army, the Department of State, and the Protestant clergy as nests of traitors. Some years later Catholic activists succeeded in driving the voices of moderation out of the Republican Party, and the urban ethnic social conservatives out of the Democratic, and the forms of civility from the public square.

Americans can be forgiven for not rushing to enlist in the nearest Roman Catholic parish. There are other conversions needed, perhaps beginning with American Catholics themselves. Back in the days of Reagan a fellow named Alan Bloom made an almost persuasive case that the American Mind was closed to the Great Tradition of Western Civilization, and needed to be reopened. Alas, Bloom was a Neoconservative, a follower of their guru Leo Strauss, and a teacher of a a number of shady operatives of the Program for the New American Century type, as Saul Bellow's last novel so amusingly portrays him. Bloom's Great Tradition was something cobbled together by Machiavelli and others out of the misunderstood shards of ancient paganism; thinkers and writers tainted by the Christian gospel remained under embargo. (Mortimer Adler was less fearful, more intellectually curious, but look where he ended up.) It took a Bavarian Pope to remind us that the basic principles of our cherished hopes of international organization and human rights, and indeed of the American founding itself, go back to the Iberian scholastics of the Catholic Reformation. ("Counter­Reformation" is misleadingly negative.)

Benedict's reminder harmonized well with my own studies in the history of philosophy. I began some five decades ago with the riddle, the riddles, of Charles Sanders Peirce (1839­ - 1914), our own and only philosopher to be ranked with the likes of Aristotle and Kant. What was this Common Sense he went on and on about? (The Scottish Philosophy was studiously ignored in the academy; it still is.) As I said, I was lucky to find out. Now John Deely has been showing that any postmodern philosophy worthy of the name, one founded on semeiology rather than Cartesian (or empiricist) methodologism, needs to go back to Peirce and with Peirce back to the very beginnings of the theory of signification as we find them in John Poinsot (1589 ­ 1644). Poinsot, as it happens, is part of the same Iberian Renaissance to which Benedict has now called our attention. Indeed, under another name (John of St. Thomas) Poinsot inspired the neo Thomism of Jacques Maritain which undergirded the Christian Humanism of Paul VI and many other Fathers of the Second Vatican Council. (His treatise on *The Gifts of the Holy Spirit, as interpreted by theologians often dismissed as too conservative, is behind the rather daring notion that all Christians are called to holiness in this life, and, indeed to the mystical path of acquired contemplation, and thus such more recent developments as Centering Prayer, the World Community for Christian Meditation, and the ommunion and Liberation movement.

As if all this were not enough, Murray Rothbard, no Christian he, though personally excommunicated and anathematized by Ayn Rand for not repudiating his openly Christian wife, has argued that the Austrian School of Economics, the Old Liberalism of von Mises and Hayek, goes back not so much to Adam Smith (who missed a few points), as to the scholastic philosophers of Spain and Portugal in the early modern period. Mention Iberian philosophy to the American of average education and he will look at you as though you had spoken of Uzbek grand opera ­­ or (indeed) the Scottish Enlightenment. He might even tell you that Spanish ignorance, superstition, and bigotry are precisely what God sent Englishmen into the New World to stamp out: the legenda negra. Needless to say, this is not a view of history a good many newcomers to the United States are likely to tolerate with equanimity, and it is just as well that it isn't true.

Once we retire that vulgar prejudice against Hispanidad we might just get a fair hearing for the work of Xavier Zubiri, the only European thinker of the last century who compares with Peirce for breadth of learning and depth of discernment ­­ as well as sheer unadulterated difficulty. If nothing else, the challenge of Catholicity invites Americans to break down the walls of the Anglo­Saxon ghetto, which do not serve us well now, if they ever did. But it may also provoke a new interest in our own Golden Age of (Protestant) theology. Let me set the stage for this with an extended quotation from Joseph Ratzinger's 1977 essay, "Is Faith Really Good News?" (Now translated in Principles of Catholic Theology:

Truth is not always comfortable for man, but it is only truth that makes him free and only freedom that brings him joy. Now, however, we must ask more precisely: What makes a man joyful? What robs him of joy? What puts him at odds with himself? What opens him to himself and to others? When we want to describe the most extreme form of being at odds with existence, we often say of an individual that he does not like himself. But whom or what is he to like who does not like himself? Something very importamt makes its appearance here: egoism, certainly, is natural to man and needs no encouragement; but this is not true of self­acceptance. The former must be overcome; the latter must be discovered, and it is assuredly one of the most dangerous errors of Christian teachers and moralists that they have all too often confused the two and, by exorcizing the affirmation of self, have enabled egoism to avenge such a betrayal by becoming all the more rampant ­­ this, ultimately, of what the French have labeled the maladie catholique: one who wants to live only on the supernatural level and to the exclusion of self will be, in the end, without a self but not, for that reason, selfless. (79)

Reading this a day or two after Ratzinger's papification I couldn't help thinking of our own Paul Tillich, whose seminal sermon "You are Accepted" baptized the human potential movement (as it was called), whose Courage to Be is a perennial best seller even after half a century, whose Systematic Theology Martin Luther King had asked for in his Georgia prison cell, and I myself poured over eagerly as an Earlham undergraduate. Of course the problematic goes back to Kierkegaard's penetrating analysis of despair, and, indeed to Luther's experience of divine wrath and mercy. Now it is all very well to say we must accept our acceptance, somehow (mysticism? art?) so ground ourselves in the very Ground of Being as to powerfully affirm our being against the powers of nonbeing. But is it true? That is the question haunting Tillich, Martin Luther King, and modern American culture down to our own time, which Ratzinger, challenged by Nietzsche and Camus, dared to speak aloud:

We come now to the all­important question: Is it true, then, when someone says to me: "It is good that you exist"? Is it really good? Is it not possible that that person's love, which wills my existence, is just a tragic error? If the love that gives me courage to exist is not based on truth, then I must, in the end, come to curse the love that deceives me that maintains in existence something that were better destroyed. This dilemma could be 10 strikingly illustrated by reference to the interpretations of the contemporary experience of life in Sartre or Camus or in the attitudes of the new Left. Even without such evidence, it is obvious, however, that the apparently so simple act of liking myself, of being at one with myself, actually raises the question of the whole universe It raises the question of truth: Is it good that I exist? Is it good that anything at all exists? is the world good? How many persons today would dare to affirm this question from the heart ­­ to believe it is good that they exist? That is the source of the anxiety and despair that incessantly affect mankind. Love alone is of no avail. It serves no purpose if truth is not on its side. Only when truth and love are in harmony can man know joy. For it is truth that makes man free. (80)

And the question of truth won't leave us alone. For Tillich the Christian faith was perhaps a true myth, but, perhaps true only the way that other myths are true. He tended to sacramentalize modern art, leftish politics, and sexual liberation; the president of Union Seminary had to remind him that it looked bad for their most eminent theologian not to go to church. The tragedy of attempting to make a religion of art, politics, or sex is obvious by now, and it as a sad circumstance that the leadership of the American Catholic Church were seminarians at a time when Catholic theology looked to the Protestants for validation, and Tillich was at the height of his prestige in the liberal denominations. The painful story of Tillich's sexual obsessions is now well known enough from his wife's two memoirs, Dr. King's escapades have stained the memory of the civil rights movement as much as his infatuation with the Soviet power, ­­ and the sexual scandals of the American Church are unspeakably worse, blighting the lives of tens (hundreds?) of thousands of children. That is something Benedict, on his recent visit, would not allow us to forget for even a moment. But at least he offers a remedy in that confrontation with the truth of our being which liberal theology, Catholic and Protestant (though perhaps not Orthodox),attempted to evade:

The content of the Christian evangelium reads: God finds man so important that he himself has suffered for man. The Cross, which was for Nietzche the most detestable expression of the negative character of the Christian religion, is in truth the center of the evangelium, the glad tidings: "It is good that you exist" ­­ No, "It is necessary that you exist." The Cross is the approbation of our existence, not in words, but in an act so completely radical that it caused God to become flesh and pierced this flesh to the quick; that, to God, it was worth the death of his incarnate Son. One who is so loved that the other identifies his life with this love and no longer desires to live if he is deprived of it; one who is loved even unto death ­­ such a one knows that he is truly loved. But if God so loves, then we are loved in truth. Then love is truth, and truth is love. Then life is worth living. This is the evangelium. (81)

The whole idea of the Cross as God's affirmation of man will strike many an American as shocking, ludicrous even. It the ca­ross not the stock in trade of a thousand "evangelists" as the ultimate proof of our total depravity, the ultimate refutation of all aspirations for human freedom and dignity? Surely Nietzsche got that from his preacher father, though it is hard to find any such slander of humanity in either the written scriptures or the teaching of the Fathers of the Church (except for Augustine, and that on a bad day he later repented). I am happy to note that Ratzinger's point of view, scriptural, patristic, and Benedictine in every sense of the term is very close to what some in the Evangelical churches are calling "gracious Christianity," for that is what it is. That movement is still a prophetic minority in the churches and the academy, and we still need to come to terms with the main stream of American spirituality as represented, for better and worse, by Tillich. And Ratzinger, even in his early days as a professor, has given us the means to do just that. Not everything in the American theological mainstream, and not everything in Tillich, needs to be discarded wholesale.

A follower of Ratiznger's good friend Don Liugi Giussani who studies Tillich's theology will find close analogies between Tillich's method of correlation and the principle of correspondence which Giussani urged on members of the Communion and Liberation movement he founded, a movement in which the Ratzinger Pope (to use the Catholic in­jargon) takes more than a passing interest ­­ he is said even now to take part in a weekly School of Community in which movement people use that method to explore the meaning of the Gospel in relation to their own day to day lives, and the meaning of their lives in relation to the Gospel, though his episcopal orders forbid his formal membership in the Fraternity. I do not mean to imply that Benedict is a follower of Giussani in matters of pure theology, but it seems clear that he recognizes Giussani's method as the best practical application of the theological principles both men learned from such masters of La Nouvelle Theologie as de Lubac, von Balthasar, and (with reservations) Rahner.

But before I move away from the idea of correspondence, the method of correlation, I should mention that this became the life work of two American philosophers, Ira Progoff, with whom and with whose students I was privileged to do postdoctoral work, and Eugene Gendlin, both known as psychologists for the contributions they have made to psychology, who offer what I can only describe as means of spiritual direction. The few folks who remember Tillich today often contrast him with Reinhold Niebuhr, his colleague at Union, who inspired the Cold war mainstream much as Tillich inspired the New Left, and whom Don Gius was fond of quoting.

But the man to rediscover is Reinhold's brother Richard, a theologian's theologian, that is, one whose writings were never taken up by the movers and shakers of middlebrow culture. His Meaning of Revelation shows the kind of emphasis the Catholic Church in Europe is coming around to, or coming back to, as it is very much in the spirit of the Fathers of the Church, the Eastern Fathers in particular. For many of us what may be most prophetic in his life work is his refusal of the temptation of neo­conservatism to which Reinhold gave in to his fame and profit. Reinhold ostentatiously resigned from the Fellowship of Reconciliation in the early '30s in righteous indignation that some Christians did not demand that the government do something (what?) about the Japanese in China. Richard, on the other hand, had no hope for the efficacy of political, economic, and military power exercised by the United States against Japan. Sensing that Western Christendom was going the way of old Rome, he thought that the best Christian response was that pioneered by St. Benedict, from whom of course among others the last pontiff took his name. For him the issue was not Japan against China, or the United States against Japan, but, to cite the title of a 1935 book to which he contributed, The Church Against the World. A few years later Dietrich von Hildebrand, in his villa in Florence, was giving the retreats later published as Transformation in Christ to Christian activists who intended to remain behind in Nazi Germany to keep the light of Christian civilization burning in that dark time, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer would take refuge with the Benedictines in his own effort to do the same. A few pages before the long passage I have quoted, Ratzinger's Principles of Catholic Theology gives a lengthy exegesis of Hildebrand's text as the model for Christian repentance. I can't help wondering if this forbidden book is one that his father had hidden around the house, as Evangelicals might have concealed Bonhoeffer's Cost of Discipleship. Discipleship and transformation are not matters of effortful striving, but the response to a calling which is a revelation.

Richard ­­ is particularly enlightening on revelation as calling. He shows that it is not the communication of some kind of knowldege, however supernatural or esoteric, by possession of which we are justified, elevated from the companionship of our neighbors, saved from the world; that would be Gnosticism. Rather, revelation is participation in an ongoing event, a relationship with a person previously unknown, or at least unrecognized. Some words toward the end of The Meaning of Revelation put the matter thus:

Revelation means the moment in our history through which we know ourselves to be known from beginning to end, in which we are apprehended by the knower; it means the the self­disclosure of the judge. Revelation means that we find ourselves to be valued rather than valuing and that all our values are transvaluated by the activity of a universal valuer. When a price is put upon our heads, which is not our price, when the unfairness of all the fair prices we have placed on things is shown up, when the great riches of God reduce our wealth to poverty, that is revelation. When we find out that we are no longer thinking him, but that he first thought us, that is revelation. Revelation is the emergence of the person on whose external garments and body we had looked as objects of our masterful and curious understanding. Revelation means that in our common history the fate that lowers over us as persons in our communities reveals itself to be a person in community with us. What this means for us cannot be expressed in the impersonal ways of creeds or other propositions but only in responsive acts of a personal character. we acknowledge revelation by no third person proposition, such as that there is a God, but only in the direct confession of the heart, "Thou art my God."... From this point forward we must listen for the remembered voice in all the sounds that assail our ears, and look for the remembered activity in all the actions of the world upon us. The God who reveals himself in Jesus Christ is now trusted and known in the contemporary God, revealing himself in every event, but we do not understand how we could tract his working in these happenings if he did not make himself known to us through the memory of Jesus Christ; nor do we know how we should be able to interpret all the words we read as words of God save by the aid of this Rosetta stone. (80 -­ 81)

Catholics who remember the discourses of the Pope Benedict will find the flavor of this passage very Benedictine ­­ in both senses of the term. Those who follow the way of Luigi Giussani find their spirit particularly familiar, for those of them who live in community, including the little band that managed Benedict's household and conduct the School of Community he attended, are known precisely as Memores Domini, those who strive to keep the Lord constantly in mind, and allow their own memory and mindfulness, personal and collective, painful and pleasing, on the surface of association or deeply hidden, to be transformed by their relationship with God in Christ, their participation in the ongoing incarnation of the Word of God: the God who is the author of our nature, and an incarnation that runs to meet the deepest desire of that nature with more that could have been imagined. What this means in the experience of living our life is well stated at the conclusion of Niebuhr's great work:

The God who reveals himself in Jesus Christ meets no unresponsive will but the living spirit of men in search of all good. And he fulfills our need. Here is the one for whose sake all life and every life is worth living, even lives that seem bereft of beauty, of truth and of goodness. The glimpse of his great glory in the face of Jesus Christ, its reflections in the darkened mirrors of the saints' adorations intimate a God who is good beyond all that is good and fair beyond all fairness. Yet the goodness that shines upon us through the moment of revelation is not the glory or the goodness we had expected in our thoughts about deity. The essential goodness of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the simple everyday goodness of love ­­ the value which belongs to a person rather [than] the value we find in an idea or a pattern; it is the goodness which exists as pure activity. He fulfills our expectation of the intrinsic good and yet this adorable goodness differs from everything we had expected, and puts our expectations to shame. We sought a good to love and were found by a good that loved us. And therewith all our religious ambitions are brought low, all our desires to be ministers of God are humbled; he is our minister. By that revelation we are convicted of having corrupted our religious life through our unquenchable desire to keep ourselves with our love of our good in the center of the picture. Here is the goodness that empties itself, and makes itself of no reputation, a goodness that is all outgoing, reserving nothing for itself, yet having all things. So we must begin to rethink all our definitions of deity and convert all our worship and our prayers. Revelation is not the development and not the elimination of our natural religion; it is the revolution of the religious life. (98 -­ 99)

But what does all this mean to one who stands outside the light of revelation, who relies on the reason of Western Civilization, the common sense of the founding Fathers? If believers and unbelievers are to take part in one community, what do we have to say to each other? This is the point of Benedict's challenge to the Muslim world, the question of what could make the libertine Doctor Franklin and the evangelical President Witherspoon active participants in the same foundational dialog. Niebuhr has an answer, and it is the same answer as Benedict:

The pure reason does not need to be limited in order that room be made for faith, but faith emancipates the pure reason from the necessity of defending and guarding the interests of selves, which are now found to be established and guarded, not by nature, but by the God of revelation whose garment nature is. (91 ­- 92)

It is faith that liberates and, indeed, inspires us to invent, develop, explore, and test scientific understandings which would otherwise be too much for the vain imaginings of our all too human hearts:

To know the person is to lose all sense of shame because of kinship with the clod and the ape. The mind is freed to pursue its knowledge of the external world disinterestedly not by the conviction that nothing matters, but by the faith that nothing God has made is mean or unclean. Hence any failure of Christians to develop scientific knowledge of the world is not an indication of their loyalty to the revealed God but of their unbelief. (90 -­ 91)

Seven going on eight decades after these words were published, ministers of "religion" are still attempting to prevent the teaching of ascertained facts of human biology in order to retain the authority of their own stupidly selectively literalistic reading of the Bible; some of the more advanced institutions of Evangelical learning defiantly profess a form of Calvinism in which some sort of theology remains the queen of the sciences in an unconstitutional monarchy, with no other discipline permitted its own proper autonomy and integrity; while in more numerous groves of Academus, even the Roman Catholic plantations, men and women of faith are quickly brushed off as obvious enemies of intellect.

My own mother, as I have said already, doubted that you can be a good Catholic and a real American at the same time. Pope Benedict warned his flock that they will not be good Catholics until they are Americans to the extent of acknowledging the law of nature and of nations as developed by Victoria (among others, some of them Scots), and aspiring to live in local, regional national and international communities under that law, in which the freedom and dignity of the human person are given the first priority. On the other hand I do not see how we can be real Americans without realizing that the aspirations of 1776 and 1789 are grounded in that natural law, and grew up as the fruit of a civilization in which the reason of Greece and Rome reached full maturity in the care of Mother Church, a church whose members, including the hierarchy, were not always consistently faithful to it, calling forth reformations, enlightenments, and even revolutions. I think we must all be Catholic at least in the wider sense of loyalty to that civilization, and our best way may well be to reappropriate the riches of the golden age of American philosophy and theology, of which the work of H. Richard Niebuhr is a small but important part.

Sources quoted: Edmund Burke, Impeachment of Warren Hastings before the House of Lords (numerous editions), eighth day. Joseph Ratzinger, Principles of Catholic Theology. San Fransisco: Ignatius, 1987. H. Richard Niebuhr, The Meaning of Revelation [1941]. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006.

© FP Purcell

@ fa315e8d:e3a09cf4

Hello World

This is a test of my nostr application.

@ b8af284d:f82c91dd

I'd say that globalization's hunger for cheap labor is a problem, precisely because it's been bad for innovation. Both our working people and our innovators have the same enemy — and the solution is American innovation...

J.D. Vance

Liebe Abonnenten,

der intellektuell brillante Vize-Präsident J.D. Vance hat diese Woche seine Wirtschaftspolitik skizziert. Über deren Grundzüge geht es heute.

Die Geschichte der Globalisierung ist die Geschichte der Suche nach billigen Arbeitskräften. Arbeiter in den westlichen Gesellschaften in den G7-Staaten waren spätestens in den 1980er Jahren gut organisiert und stemmten sich meist erfolgreich gegen Lohnkürzungen und Stellenabbau. Nach dem Zusammenbruch der Sowjetunion 1990 fanden die international tätigen Konzerne auf einmal ein gewaltiges Reservoir an billigen Arbeitskräften - nicht nur, aber vor allem in China.

Dieser Prozess nahm 2001 mit dem Beitritt Chinas zur Welthandelsorganisation nochmals an Fahrt auf. Deutlich wird er am ikonischen Produkt der Neuzeit, dem iPhone. Das erste Modell kam 2007 auf den Markt. Entworfen und designt wurde und wird das Smartphone von Apple in Kalifornien. Gefertigt dagegen wird es von einem der größten Konzerne der Welt. Foxconn beschäftigt allein in China über eine Million Menschen. Hon Hai, wie Foxconn eigentlich heißt, ist übrigens ein taiwanisches Unternehmen.

Dieser Prozess der verlagerten Fertigung hatte mehrere Vorteile: Produkte wurden günstiger. Davon profitierten Konsumenten in der westlichen Welt. Würde man ein iPhone in den USA oder Deutschland herstellen, würde es durch die höheren Löhne zwischen 200 und 300 Euro mehr kosten. Die Konzerne wie Apple konnten somit günstiger produzieren, ihre Margen erhöhen, und ihre Aktienkurse stiegen.

Von diesem Prozess profitierten außerdem Länder wie China: Das monatliche Grundgehalt von Foxconn-Mitarbeitern in Shenzhen erscheint mit rund 400 Euro im Monat noch immer grotesk niedrig. Für viele Chinesen vom Land bedeutet ein Job in der Fabrik allerdings ein Gehaltssprung von mehreren hundert Prozent. Es gibt keinen Grund, die Arbeitsbedingungen bei Foxconn schönzureden. Zur Wahrheit gehört aber auch, dass sich die allermeisten Wanderarbeiter nicht ausgebeutet oder als Opfer fühlen. Im Gegenteil: In meiner Zeit in China stieß ich meist auf Menschen, die sich als selbstwirksamer empfanden als viele Festangestellte mit 30 Urlaubstagen im Westen. Länder, mit billigen Arbeitskräften, profitierten also von diesem Prozess und kletterten so auf der globalen Wertschöpfungskette nach oben.

Etwa zeitgleich nahm auch in westlichen Ländern die Immigration zu. Der Anteil der im Ausland geborenen Bevölkerung stieg von etwa 7,9 Prozent im Jahr 1990 auf 13,7 Prozent im Jahr 2021, was den höchsten Stand seit 1910 darstellt. In Deutschland stieg der „Ausländer“-Anteil von knapp 7 Prozent 1990 auf 27 Prozent 2023. Viele Unternehmen hatten also sowohl international als auch national Zugriff auf günstige Arbeitskräfte. In Europa wurden diese zudem dringend gebraucht, um das in Schieflage geratene Rentensystem zu stabilisieren.

Die Nachteile dieses Megatrends wurden zunächst in den USA sichtbar: Immer mehr Unternehmen in den USA verlagerten ihre Produktion nach China. Hinzu kam der Status des US-Dollars als Weltreservewährung. Durch die konstante Nachfrage nach Dollar bleibt dieser stark, und macht amerikanische Exporte teurer. Eine Deindustrialisierung setzte ein, die vielen Menschen ihren Job kostete. Zeitgleich wuchs das Handelsbilanzdefizit mit China immer weiter. Hinzu kam eine konstante Erhöhung der Geldmenge. Amerikaner mit „hard assets“, Immobilien und Aktien, wurden tendenziell reicher. Der Rest aber nicht. Kurz: Konzerne verdienten gut, die Wirtschaft wuchs, nur bei den Amerikanern selbst blieb immer weniger hängen.

Worum es J.D. Vance also geht: Innovation und Arbeitsplätze in die USA zurückzuholen. Dafür müssen Schutzmauern errichtet werden: gegen die illegale Einwanderung billiger Arbeitskräfte und billiger Waren. Zölle dienen dazu, ausländische Waren zu verteuern, und somit Unternehmen Anreize zu geben, direkt in den USA zu investieren. Kürzlich gab Siemens bekannt, zehn Milliarden Euro in amerikanische KI-Rechenzentren zu investieren. Was wohl auch Teil des Trump-Derangement-Syndroms ist: die Wahrnehmung der amerikanischen Zollpolitik. Kaum ein Land hat aktuell so niedrige Zollschranken wie die Vereinigten Staaten.

\ Kurz gesagt: iPhones sollen demnach nicht nur in den USA entworfen, sondern auch in amerikanischen Fabriken zusammengeschraubt werden. Alles hoch-inflationär, wenden Kritiker ein. Wer globale Lieferketten abreißt, und ins eigene Land zurückholt, hat mit viel höheren Kosten zu kämpfen. Also steigt die Inflation. Diesen Prozess will die US-Regierung mit günstigeren Energiekosten kontern. Egal ob Solar-, Nuklear- oder Fracking - jede Energiequelle soll dafür Recht sein.

Schließlich soll eine strikte Haushaltsdisziplin (DOGE) unnötige Ausgaben vermeiden, und die Bürokratie abbauen. Im Gegenzug können dann die Steuern gesenkt werden. Die Einkommensteuer für Familien mit einem Jahreseinkommen bis zu 150000 US-Dollar soll komplett gestrichen werden.

Tl/DR:

• Migration begrenzen, um Billigarbeit zu verhindern
• Zölle errichten, um amerikanische Produktion zu stärken
• Günstige Energiequellen priorisieren, um Inflation zu verhindern
• Staatsausgaben radikal kürzen
• Steuern radikal senken

Kann das Projekt klappen? Vielleicht. Das Megaprojekt Globalisierung zurückzudrehen, oder zumindest etwas zu bremsen, ist ein Wagnis. Zölle bergen die Gefahr der Inflation und eines Handelskriegs. Unsicher ist, ob von einer Deregulierung weiterer Branchen am Ende wirklich amerikanische Arbeiter profitieren. Und wie innovativ können Unternehmen sein, wenn sie am Ende mehr Geld für ihre Beschäftigten ausgeben müssen, anstatt es in Forschung und Entwicklung zu investieren? Was geschieht, wenn der Rest der Welt nicht mitmacht, und sich immer weiter vernetzt? Werden die USA am Ende eine einsame Zoll-Insel? In ein paar Monaten dürfte sich langsam abzeichnen, ob das Projekt funktioniert.

Mehr dazu:

Der Mar-a-Largo-Accord - wie eine neue Finanzordnung entsteht

Was dagegen nicht klappen wird, ist das deutsche Projekt. Friedrich Merz hat mit einem „Husarenstück“ (SZ) mit einem abgewählten Bundestag eine Verfassungsänderung durchgepeitscht. Mindestens 500 Milliarden Euro neue Schulden werden gemacht, das Militär erhält einen Blankoscheck für neue Anschaffungen. Bürokratie wird nicht abgebaut. Die Unter- und Mittelschicht wird nicht entlastet. Das 100-Milliarden Zugeständnis an die Grünen sorgt dafür, dass Energie nicht günstiger wird. Ein bisschen Innovation werden die neuen Panzer- und Drohnen-Fabriken schon bringen. Am Ende aber bleibt Rüstung totes Kapital. Im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes.

Was das neue Wirtschaftsprogramm für Bitcoin bedeutet - haben wir den Boden gesehen?

Mehr dazu im Paid-Teil

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Europa – das Ganze ist eine wunderbare Idee, \ aber das war der Kommunismus auch. \ Loriot

«Europa hat fertig», könnte man unken, und das wäre nicht einmal sehr verwegen. Mit solch einer Einschätzung stünden wir nicht alleine, denn die Stimmen in diese Richtung mehren sich. Der französische Präsident Emmanuel Macron warnte schon letztes Jahr davor, dass «unser Europa sterben könnte». Vermutlich hatte er dabei andere Gefahren im Kopf als jetzt der ungarische Ministerpräsident Viktor Orbán, der ein «baldiges Ende der EU» prognostizierte. Das Ergebnis könnte allerdings das gleiche sein.

Neben vordergründigen Themenbereichen wie Wirtschaft, Energie und Sicherheit ist das eigentliche Problem jedoch die obskure Mischung aus aufgegebener Souveränität und geschwollener Arroganz, mit der europäische Politiker:innende unterschiedlicher Couleur aufzutreten pflegen. Und das Tüpfelchen auf dem i ist die bröckelnde Legitimation politischer Institutionen dadurch, dass die Stimmen großer Teile der Bevölkerung seit Jahren auf vielfältige Weise ausgegrenzt werden.

Um «UnsereDemokratie» steht es schlecht. Dass seine Mandate immer schwächer werden, merkt natürlich auch unser «Führungspersonal». Entsprechend werden die Maßnahmen zur Gängelung, Überwachung und Manipulation der Bürger ständig verzweifelter. Parallel dazu plustern sich in Paris Macron, Scholz und einige andere noch einmal mächtig in Sachen Verteidigung und «Kriegstüchtigkeit» auf.

Momentan gilt es auch, das Überschwappen covidiotischer und verschwörungsideologischer Auswüchse aus den USA nach Europa zu vermeiden. So ein «MEGA» (Make Europe Great Again) können wir hier nicht gebrauchen. Aus den Vereinigten Staaten kommen nämlich furchtbare Nachrichten. Beispielsweise wurde einer der schärfsten Kritiker der Corona-Maßnahmen kürzlich zum Gesundheitsminister ernannt. Dieser setzt sich jetzt für eine Neubewertung der mRNA-«Impfstoffe» ein, was durchaus zu einem Entzug der Zulassungen führen könnte.

Der europäischen Version von «Verteidigung der Demokratie» setzte der US-Vizepräsident J. D. Vance auf der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz sein Verständnis entgegen: «Demokratie stärken, indem wir unseren Bürgern erlauben, ihre Meinung zu sagen». Das Abschalten von Medien, das Annullieren von Wahlen oder das Ausschließen von Menschen vom politischen Prozess schütze gar nichts. Vielmehr sei dies der todsichere Weg, die Demokratie zu zerstören.

In der Schweiz kamen seine Worte deutlich besser an als in den meisten europäischen NATO-Ländern. Bundespräsidentin Karin Keller-Sutter lobte die Rede und interpretierte sie als «Plädoyer für die direkte Demokratie». Möglicherweise zeichne sich hier eine außenpolitische Kehrtwende in Richtung integraler Neutralität ab, meint mein Kollege Daniel Funk. Das wären doch endlich mal ein paar gute Nachrichten.

Von der einstigen Idee einer europäischen Union mit engeren Beziehungen zwischen den Staaten, um Konflikte zu vermeiden und das Wohlergehen der Bürger zu verbessern, sind wir meilenweit abgekommen. Der heutige korrupte Verbund unter technokratischer Leitung ähnelt mehr einem Selbstbedienungsladen mit sehr begrenztem Zugang. Die EU-Wahlen im letzten Sommer haben daran ebenso wenig geändert, wie die Bundestagswahl am kommenden Sonntag darauf einen Einfluss haben wird.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Die «moralische Weltordnung» – eine Art Astrologie. Friedrich Nietzsche

Das Treffen der BRICS-Staaten beim Gipfel im russischen Kasan war sicher nicht irgendein politisches Event. Gastgeber Wladimir Putin habe «Hof gehalten», sagen die Einen, China und Russland hätten ihre Vorstellung einer multipolaren Weltordnung zelebriert, schreiben Andere.

In jedem Fall zeigt die Anwesenheit von über 30 Delegationen aus der ganzen Welt, dass von einer geostrategischen Isolation Russlands wohl keine Rede sein kann. Darüber hinaus haben sowohl die Anreise von UN-Generalsekretär António Guterres als auch die Meldungen und Dementis bezüglich der Beitrittsbemühungen des NATO-Staats Türkei für etwas Aufsehen gesorgt.

Im Spannungsfeld geopolitischer und wirtschaftlicher Umbrüche zeigt die neue Allianz zunehmendes Selbstbewusstsein. In Sachen gemeinsamer Finanzpolitik schmiedet man interessante Pläne. Größere Unabhängigkeit von der US-dominierten Finanzordnung ist dabei ein wichtiges Ziel.

Beim BRICS-Wirtschaftsforum in Moskau, wenige Tage vor dem Gipfel, zählte ein nachhaltiges System für Finanzabrechnungen und Zahlungsdienste zu den vorrangigen Themen. Während dieses Treffens ging der russische Staatsfonds eine Partnerschaft mit dem Rechenzentrumsbetreiber BitRiver ein, um Bitcoin-Mining-Anlagen für die BRICS-Länder zu errichten.

Die Initiative könnte ein Schritt sein, Bitcoin und andere Kryptowährungen als Alternativen zu traditionellen Finanzsystemen zu etablieren. Das Projekt könnte dazu führen, dass die BRICS-Staaten den globalen Handel in Bitcoin abwickeln. Vor dem Hintergrund der Diskussionen über eine «BRICS-Währung» wäre dies eine Alternative zu dem ursprünglich angedachten Korb lokaler Währungen und zu goldgedeckten Währungen sowie eine mögliche Ergänzung zum Zahlungssystem BRICS Pay.

Dient der Bitcoin also der Entdollarisierung? Oder droht er inzwischen, zum Gegenstand geopolitischer Machtspielchen zu werden? Angesichts der globalen Vernetzungen ist es oft schwer zu durchschauen, «was eine Show ist und was im Hintergrund von anderen Strippenziehern insgeheim gesteuert wird». Sicher können Strukturen wie Bitcoin auch so genutzt werden, dass sie den Herrschenden dienlich sind. Aber die Grundeigenschaft des dezentralisierten, unzensierbaren Peer-to-Peer Zahlungsnetzwerks ist ihm schließlich nicht zu nehmen.

Wenn es nach der EZB oder dem IWF geht, dann scheint statt Instrumentalisierung momentan eher der Kampf gegen Kryptowährungen angesagt. Jürgen Schaaf, Senior Manager bei der Europäischen Zentralbank, hat jedenfalls dazu aufgerufen, Bitcoin «zu eliminieren». Der Internationale Währungsfonds forderte El Salvador, das Bitcoin 2021 als gesetzliches Zahlungsmittel eingeführt hat, kürzlich zu begrenzenden Maßnahmen gegen das Kryptogeld auf.

Dass die BRICS-Staaten ein freiheitliches Ansinnen im Kopf haben, wenn sie Kryptowährungen ins Spiel bringen, darf indes auch bezweifelt werden. Im Abschlussdokument bekennen sich die Gipfel-Teilnehmer ausdrücklich zur UN, ihren Programmen und ihrer «Agenda 2030». Ernst Wolff nennt das «eine Bankrotterklärung korrupter Politiker, die sich dem digital-finanziellen Komplex zu 100 Prozent unterwerfen».

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 0a63d301:b1fb5602

Introduction

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern society, the interaction between humanity and technology has grown increasingly complex. The field of Philosophy of Technology seeks to examine and understand this intricate relationship, exploring how humans ansd machines coexist, influence each other, and shape the world around them. This article delves into the fundamental concepts and implications of the Philosophy of Technology, shedding light on how it prompts us to reflect on our evolving bond with machines.

Understanding Philosophy of Technology

Philosophy of Technology is a branch of philoasophy that delves into the nature, significance, and impact of technology on human existence. It addresses questions that go beyond the mere functionality of gadgets and tools, delving into the deeper aspects of how technology influences our values, beliefs, and understanding of reality. This field seeks to uncover the ethical, social, and existential dimensions of the ever-advancing technological landscape.

The Human-Machine Nexus

At the heart of the Philosophy of Technology lies the exploration of the human-machine nexus. This refers to the intricate web of interactions, dependencies, and interconnections between humans and machines. Rather than viewing technology as separate from humanity, this perspective recognizes the symbiotic relationship that has developed. Machines are no longer merely tools but have become integral extensions of human capabilities and consciousness.

Technological Determinism vs. Human Agency

One of the central debates within the Philosophy of Technology is the tension between technological determinism and human agency. Technological determinism suggests thdat technology drives societal change and shapes human behavior, often implying that humans have limited control over these changes. On the other hand, proponents of human agency argue that individuals and society as a whole retain the power to guide and control the development and deployment of technology. Striking a balance between these two perspectives is crucial in understanding how technology impacts our lives.

Ethical Considerations

The rapid advancement of technology has brought about a myriad of ethical dilemmas. From issues of privacy and surveillance to the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and automation, the Philosophy of Technology demands that we critically examine the consequences of our technological choices. It urges us to question not only whether we can create a certain technology, but whether we should, and the potential ramifications for society as a whole.

Existential Reflections

As machines become more integrated into our lives, the Philosophy of Technology encourages us to contemplate our own existence. Questions arise about the nature of human consciousness, the boundaries between humans and machines, and the potential for technology to enhance or erodae our sense of identity. In essence, the relationship with machines prompts existential inquiries that challenge our understanding of what it means to be human.

Conclusion

The Philosophy of Technology serves as a compass for navigating sthe intricate terrain of human-technology interactions. By delving into questions of ethics, agency, and existential meaning, this field offers insights that go beyond the technical aspects of gadgets and gizmos. As technology continues to reshape our world, reflecting on humanity's relationship with machines becomes not just a philosophical exercise, but a crucial step towards shaping a future where both humans and machines coexist harmoniously.

@ 21335073:a244b1ad

I want to see Nostr succeed. If you can think of a way I can help make that happen, I’m open to it. I’d like your suggestions.

My schedule’s shifting soon, and I could volunteer a few hours a week to a Nostr project. I won’t have more total time, but how I use it will change.

Why help? I care about freedom. Nostr’s one of the most powerful freedom tools I’ve seen in my lifetime. If I believe that, I should act on it.

I don’t care about money or sats. I’m not rich, I don’t have extra cash. That doesn’t drive me—freedom does. I’m volunteering, not asking for pay.

I’m not here for clout. I’ve had enough spotlight in my life; it doesn’t move me. If I wanted clout, I’d be on Twitter dropping basic takes. Clout’s easy. Freedom’s hard. I’d rather help anonymously. No speaking at events—small meetups are cool for the vibe, but big conferences? Not my thing. I’ll never hit a huge Bitcoin conference. It’s just not my scene.

That said, I could be convinced to step up if it’d really boost Nostr—as long as it’s legal and gets results.

In this space, I’d watch for social engineering. I watch out for it. I’m not here to make friends, just to help. No shade—you all seem great—but I’ve got a full life and awesome friends irl. I don’t need your crew or to be online cool. Connect anonymously if you want; I’d encourage it.

I’m sick of watching other social media alternatives grow while Nostr kinda stalls. I could trash-talk, but I’d rather do something useful.

Skills? I’m good at spotting social media problems and finding possible solutions. I won’t overhype myself—that’s weird—but if you’re responding, you probably see something in me. Perhaps you see something that I don’t see in myself.

If you need help now or later with Nostr projects, reach out. Nostr only—nothing else. Anonymous contact’s fine. Even just a suggestion on how I can pitch in, no project attached, works too. 💜

Creeps or harassment will get blocked or I’ll nuke my simplex code if it becomes a problem.

https://simplex.chat/contact#/?v=2-4&smp=smp%3A%2F%2FSkIkI6EPd2D63F4xFKfHk7I1UGZVNn6k1QWZ5rcyr6w%3D%40smp9.simplex.im%2FbI99B3KuYduH8jDr9ZwyhcSxm2UuR7j0%23%2F%3Fv%3D1-2%26dh%3DMCowBQYDK2VuAyEAS9C-zPzqW41PKySfPCEizcXb1QCus6AyDkTTjfyMIRM%253D%26srv%3Djssqzccmrcws6bhmn77vgmhfjmhwlyr3u7puw4erkyoosywgl67slqqd.onion

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Auf der diesjährigen Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz geht es vor allem um die Ukraine. Protagonisten sind dabei zunächst die US-Amerikaner. Präsident Trump schockierte die Europäer kurz vorher durch ein Telefonat mit seinem Amtskollegen Wladimir Putin, während Vizepräsident Vance mit seiner Rede über Demokratie und Meinungsfreiheit für versteinerte Mienen und Empörung sorgte.

Die Bemühungen der Europäer um einen Frieden in der Ukraine halten sich, gelinde gesagt, in Grenzen. Größeres Augenmerk wird auf militärische Unterstützung, die Pflege von Feindbildern sowie Eskalation gelegt. Der deutsche Bundeskanzler Scholz reagierte auf die angekündigten Verhandlungen über einen möglichen Frieden für die Ukraine mit der Forderung nach noch höheren «Verteidigungsausgaben». Auch die amtierende Außenministerin Baerbock hatte vor der Münchner Konferenz klargestellt:

«Frieden wird es nur durch Stärke geben. (...) Bei Corona haben wir gesehen, zu was Europa fähig ist. Es braucht erneut Investitionen, die der historischen Wegmarke, vor der wir stehen, angemessen sind.»

Die Rüstungsindustrie freut sich in jedem Fall über weltweit steigende Militärausgaben. Die Kriege in der Ukraine und in Gaza tragen zu Rekordeinnahmen bei. Jetzt «winkt die Aussicht auf eine jahrelange große Nachrüstung in Europa», auch wenn der Ukraine-Krieg enden sollte, so hört man aus Finanzkreisen. In der Konsequenz kennt «die Aktie des deutschen Vorzeige-Rüstungskonzerns Rheinmetall in ihrem Anstieg offenbar gar keine Grenzen mehr». «Solche Friedensversprechen» wie das jetzige hätten in der Vergangenheit zu starken Kursverlusten geführt.

Für manche Leute sind Kriegswaffen und sonstige Rüstungsgüter Waren wie alle anderen, jedenfalls aus der Perspektive von Investoren oder Managern. Auch in diesem Bereich gibt es Startups und man spricht von Dingen wie innovativen Herangehensweisen, hocheffizienten Produktionsanlagen, skalierbaren Produktionstechniken und geringeren Stückkosten.

Wir lesen aktuell von Massenproduktion und gesteigerten Fertigungskapazitäten für Kriegsgerät. Der Motor solcher Dynamik und solchen Wachstums ist die Aufrüstung, die inzwischen permanent gefordert wird. Parallel wird die Bevölkerung verbal eingestimmt und auf Kriegstüchtigkeit getrimmt.

Das Rüstungs- und KI-Startup Helsing verkündete kürzlich eine «dezentrale Massenproduktion für den Ukrainekrieg». Mit dieser Expansion positioniere sich das Münchner Unternehmen als einer der weltweit führenden Hersteller von Kampfdrohnen. Der nächste «Meilenstein» steht auch bereits an: Man will eine Satellitenflotte im Weltraum aufbauen, zur Überwachung von Gefechtsfeldern und Truppenbewegungen.

Ebenfalls aus München stammt das als DefenseTech-Startup bezeichnete Unternehmen ARX Robotics. Kürzlich habe man in der Region die größte europäische Produktionsstätte für autonome Verteidigungssysteme eröffnet. Damit fahre man die Produktion von Militär-Robotern hoch. Diese Expansion diene auch der Lieferung der «größten Flotte unbemannter Bodensysteme westlicher Bauart» in die Ukraine.

Rüstung boomt und scheint ein Zukunftsmarkt zu sein. Die Hersteller und Vermarkter betonen, mit ihren Aktivitäten und Produkten solle die europäische Verteidigungsfähigkeit erhöht werden. Ihre Strategien sollten sogar «zum Schutz demokratischer Strukturen beitragen».

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ b2caa9b3:9eab0fb5

Recently, I shared some of my memories from Odessa, a city that truly captured my heart. Today, I’m adding even more photos to give you a glimpse into this vibrant and historic city.

Odessa is a port city on the Black Sea, known for its stunning architecture, including the Odessa Opera and Ballet Theater. The city was founded by Catherine II in 1794 and quickly became a major cultural and economic center.

I had the opportunity to explore Odessa’s many neighborhoods, from the bustling city center to the quieter beaches. I was particularly impressed by the city’s unique blend of Ukrainian, Russian, and Greek influences.

Odessa is a city that has something to offer. Whether you’re interested in history, architecture, or simply relaxing on the beach, Odessa is a place you won’t forget.

I hope you enjoyed these additional photos of Odessa.

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

มูลนิธิร็อกกี้เฟลเลอร์ (Rockefeller Foundation) ก่อตั้งขึ้นในปี ค.ศ. 1913 โดยตระกูลร็อกกี้เฟลเลอร์ ซึ่งเป็นหนึ่งในตระกูลที่มีอิทธิพลทางเศรษฐกิจและสังคมของสหรัฐอเมริกา จุดมุ่งหมายหลักของมูลนิธิคือการส่งเสริมสุขภาพ การศึกษา และความเป็นอยู่ที่ดีของมนุษยชาติทั่วโลก

บทบาทของมูลนิธิร็อกกี้เฟลเลอร์ในประเทศไทยนั้น สำหรับกรุงเทพฯแล้ว เป็นศูนย์ใหญ่ประจำภาคเอเชีย มูลนิธิร็อกกี้เฟลเลอร์ได้เข้ามามีบทบาทสำคัญในการพัฒนาระบบสาธารณสุขของประเทศไทย โดยเฉพาะในด้านการศึกษาและการวิจัยทางการแพทย์ มูลนิธิได้ให้การสนับสนุนทั้งทางด้านการเงินและวิชาการแก่สถาบันการแพทย์ต่าง ๆ รวมถึงการส่งเสริมการศึกษาของบุคลากรทางการแพทย์ไทยในต่างประเทศ พูดง่ายๆคือ ช่วยรัฐบาไทยจัดตั้ง "สาธารณสุขแห่งแรก" ในประเทศไทย เมื่อ พ.ศ. 2457 แสดงถึงความสัมพันธ์ลึกซึ้งกับสาธารณสุขอเมริกาเป็นอย่างดี

แม้ว่าการสนับสนุนของมูลนิธิร็อกกี้เฟลเลอร์จะช่วยยกระดับระบบสาธารณสุขของไทยอย่างมีนัยสำคัญ แต่ก็มีข้อถกเถียงเกี่ยวกับอิทธิพลของมูลนิธิต่อทิศทางการพัฒนาทางการแพทย์ของประเทศ บางฝ่ายมองว่าการพึ่งพาทุนและแนวคิดจากต่างประเทศอาจทำให้ประเทศไทยสูญเสียความเป็นอิสระในการกำหนดนโยบายด้านสาธารณสุข เพราะมีคำกล่าวหาว่า มูลนิธิ มีเบื้องหลังที่สามารถควบคุมกิจกรรมต่างๆเกี่ยวกับสาธารณสุขในเมืองไทยได้ (โอเค ซึ่งนั่นก็เป็นข้อถกเถียง)

นอกจากนี้มูลนิธิ ยังมีการร่วมทุนในด้าน "อาหาร" ในเมืองไทยด้วย

ในช่วงปี พ.ศ. 2512-2513 (ค.ศ. 1969-1970) มูลนิธิร็อกกี้เฟลเลอร์ (Rockefeller Foundation) ได้ร่วมลงทุนกับเครือเจริญโภคภัณฑ์ (CP) ในเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ โดยเฉพาะในประเทศไทย ความร่วมมือนี้เกี่ยวข้องกับการพัฒนาอุตสาหกรรมการเลี้ยงไก่เนื้อ ซึ่งเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของการส่งเสริมการเกษตรและอาหารในภูมิภาค นั่นทำให้เทคโนโลยีการเลี้ยงสัตว์ของซีพีรุดหน้าอย่างเร็วมาก พันธุ์กุ้งขาวจากอเมริกา และ ไก่เนื้อที่จากเดิมต้องเลี้ยง 6 เดือน แต่ก็สามารถทำให้เหลือเวลาแค่ 8สัปดาห์ก็ได้กิโลครึ่งแล้ว

นอกจากนี้ยังร่วมทุนกับ มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์ หนึ่งในโครงการที่โดดเด่นคือการสนับสนุน "ไร่สุวรรณ" หรือ Suwan Farm​

ไร่สุวรรณ ตั้งอยู่ที่อำเภอปากช่อง จังหวัดนครราชสีมา เป็นศูนย์วิจัยข้าวโพดและข้าวฟ่างที่สำคัญของประเทศไทย เดิมทีพื้นที่นี้เป็นของจอมพลสฤษดิ์ ธนะรัชต์ และต่อมาได้โอนให้มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์ดูแล มูลนิธิร็อกกี้เฟลเลอร์ได้ให้การสนับสนุนด้านทุนและความรู้ในการปรับปรุงพันธุ์ข้าวโพดเลี้ยงสัตว์ จนทำให้ไร่สุวรรณกลายเป็นแหล่งวิจัยข้าวโพดเลี้ยงสัตว์ที่ใหญ่ที่สุดในเอเชีย นักวิจัยที่ไร่สุวรรณได้พัฒนาพันธุ์ข้าวโพดที่ทนทานต่อโรคราน้ำค้าง ซึ่งเป็นปัญหาสำคัญในช่วงเวลานั้น

นั่นละครับ 5555

@ c631e267:c2b78d3e

Nur wenn wir aufeinander zugehen, haben wir die Chance \ auf Überwindung der gegenseitigen Ressentiments! \ Dr. med. dent. Jens Knipphals

In Wolfsburg sollte es kürzlich eine Gesprächsrunde von Kritikern der Corona-Politik mit Oberbürgermeister Dennis Weilmann und Vertretern der Stadtverwaltung geben. Der Zahnarzt und langjährige Maßnahmenkritiker Jens Knipphals hatte diese Einladung ins Rathaus erwirkt und publiziert. Seine Motivation:

«Ich möchte die Spaltung der Gesellschaft überwinden. Dazu ist eine umfassende Aufarbeitung der Corona-Krise in der Öffentlichkeit notwendig.»

Schon früher hatte Knipphals Antworten von den Kommunalpolitikern verlangt, zum Beispiel bei öffentlichen Bürgerfragestunden. Für das erwartete Treffen im Rathaus formulierte er Fragen wie: Warum wurden fachliche Argumente der Kritiker ignoriert? Weshalb wurde deren Ausgrenzung, Diskreditierung und Entmenschlichung nicht entgegengetreten? In welcher Form übernehmen Rat und Verwaltung in Wolfsburg persönlich Verantwortung für die erheblichen Folgen der politischen Corona-Krise?

Der Termin fand allerdings nicht statt – der Bürgermeister sagte ihn kurz vorher wieder ab. Knipphals bezeichnete Weilmann anschließend als Wiederholungstäter, da das Stadtoberhaupt bereits 2022 zu einem Runden Tisch in der Sache eingeladen hatte, den es dann nie gab. Gegenüber Multipolar erklärte der Arzt, Weilmann wolle scheinbar eine öffentliche Aufarbeitung mit allen Mitteln verhindern. Er selbst sei «inzwischen absolut desillusioniert» und die einzige Lösung sei, dass die Verantwortlichen gingen.

Die Aufarbeitung der Plandemie beginne bei jedem von uns selbst, sei aber letztlich eine gesamtgesellschaftliche Aufgabe, schreibt Peter Frey, der den «Fall Wolfsburg» auch in seinem Blog behandelt. Diese Aufgabe sei indes deutlich größer, als viele glaubten. Erfreulicherweise sei der öffentliche Informationsraum inzwischen größer, trotz der weiterhin unverfrorenen Desinformations-Kampagnen der etablierten Massenmedien.

Frey erinnert daran, dass Dennis Weilmann mitverantwortlich für gravierende Grundrechtseinschränkungen wie die 2021 eingeführten 2G-Regeln in der Wolfsburger Innenstadt zeichnet. Es sei naiv anzunehmen, dass ein Funktionär einzig im Interesse der Bürger handeln würde. Als früherer Dezernent des Amtes für Wirtschaft, Digitalisierung und Kultur der Autostadt kenne Weilmann zum Beispiel die Verknüpfung von Fördergeldern mit politischen Zielsetzungen gut.

Wolfsburg wurde damals zu einem Modellprojekt des Bundesministeriums des Innern (BMI) und war Finalist im Bitkom-Wettbewerb «Digitale Stadt». So habe rechtzeitig vor der Plandemie das Projekt «Smart City Wolfsburg» anlaufen können, das der Stadt «eine Vorreiterrolle für umfassende Vernetzung und Datenerfassung» aufgetragen habe, sagt Frey. Die Vereinten Nationen verkauften dann derartige «intelligente» Überwachungs- und Kontrollmaßnahmen ebenso als Rettung in der Not wie das Magazin Forbes im April 2020:

«Intelligente Städte können uns helfen, die Coronavirus-Pandemie zu bekämpfen. In einer wachsenden Zahl von Ländern tun die intelligenten Städte genau das. Regierungen und lokale Behörden nutzen Smart-City-Technologien, Sensoren und Daten, um die Kontakte von Menschen aufzuspüren, die mit dem Coronavirus infiziert sind. Gleichzeitig helfen die Smart Cities auch dabei, festzustellen, ob die Regeln der sozialen Distanzierung eingehalten werden.»

Offensichtlich gibt es viele Aspekte zu bedenken und zu durchleuten, wenn es um die Aufklärung und Aufarbeitung der sogenannten «Corona-Pandemie» und der verordneten Maßnahmen geht. Frustration und Desillusion sind angesichts der Realitäten absolut verständlich. Gerade deswegen sind Initiativen wie die von Jens Knipphals so bewundernswert und so wichtig – ebenso wie eine seiner Kernthesen: «Wir müssen aufeinander zugehen, da hilft alles nichts».

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ e968e50b:db2a803a

ENJOY!*

https://bitcoinwhacamole.vercel.app/

*I'm pretty sure it's actually impossible for a normal human to win, but there is a little end screen as a reward if you can accomplish the impossible. It might be easier on mobile.

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

Table Of Content

• What Are Bitcoin Addresses?

• Understanding the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses

• What Does the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses Mean?

• Is the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses a Sign of Adoption?

• Factors Affecting the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses

• Conclusion

• FAQ

Since its inception in 2009, Bitcoin has grown to become one of the most popular cryptocurrencies in the world. Over the years, the number of Bitcoin users has grown significantly, leading to an increase in the total number of Bitcoin addresses. This growth has left many wondering whether the rapid increase in Bitcoin total addresses is a sign of adoption. In this article, we will explore the significance of the growth in Bitcoin total addresses and its implications for the adoption of Bitcoin.

What Are Bitcoin Addresses?

Before diving into the topic of whether the rapid growth of Bitcoin total addresses is a sign of adoption, it's essential to understand what Bitcoin addresses are. In simple terms, a Bitcoin address is a unique identifier that represents a destination for Bitcoin transactions. Each Bitcoin address is a string of alphanumeric characters that is generated randomly and is associated with a private key.

Understanding the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses

The total number of Bitcoin addresses has been increasing at an unprecedented rate over the past few years. In September 2015, there were just over 11 million Bitcoin addresses. As of March 2023, the number has surged to over 885 million. This represents a growth of more than 8,000% in just over six years.

What Does the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses Mean?

The rapid growth in Bitcoin total addresses is a clear indication of the increasing interest in Bitcoin. It suggests that more people are interested in owning Bitcoin and using it for transactions. However, it's important to note that not all Bitcoin addresses represent unique users. One person may have multiple Bitcoin addresses, which means that the total number of Bitcoin users may be lower than the total number of Bitcoin addresses.

Is the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses a Sign of Adoption?

The growth in Bitcoin total addresses is undoubtedly a sign of adoption. It indicates that more people are becoming interested in Bitcoin, which is essential for its growth and success. However, it's important to note that the growth in Bitcoin total addresses doesn't necessarily translate to an increase in the number of Bitcoin users. Some people may be holding Bitcoin for investment purposes rather than using it for transactions.

Factors Affecting the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses

Several factors are driving the growth in Bitcoin total addresses. One significant factor is the increasing awareness of Bitcoin and its benefits. As more people become aware of Bitcoin, they are more likely to invest in it and use it for transactions. Additionally, the increasing acceptance of Bitcoin by businesses is also contributing to the growth in Bitcoin total addresses. More businesses are accepting Bitcoin payments, which is making it easier for people to use Bitcoin for transactions.

Conclusion

The rapid growth of Bitcoin total addresses is undoubtedly a sign of adoption. It indicates that more people are becoming interested in Bitcoin, which is essential for its growth and success. However, it's important to note that not all Bitcoin addresses represent unique users. Some people may be holding Bitcoin for investment purposes rather than using it for transactions. Nonetheless, the increasing awareness and acceptance of Bitcoin suggest that the growth in Bitcoin total addresses may continue in the coming years. As more businesses accept Bitcoin payments and more people become aware of its benefits, Bitcoin adoption may continue to grow, leading to more widespread use of the cryptocurrency.

FAQs

Does the growth in Bitcoin total addresses mean that more people are buying Bitcoin? Not necessarily. The growth in Bitcoin total addresses indicates that more people are interested in Bitcoin. However, not all Bitcoin addresses represent unique users. One person may have multiple Bitcoin addresses, which means that the total number of Bitcoin users may be lower than the total number of Bitcoin addresses.

Can the growth in Bitcoin total addresses be attributed to investment rather than adoption? Yes, it's possible. Some people may be holding Bitcoin for investment purposes rather than using it for transactions.

Is the growth in Bitcoin total addresses sustainable? It's difficult to predict whether the growth in Bitcoin total addresses is sustainable. However, the increasing awareness and acceptance of Bitcoin suggest that the growth may continue in the coming years.

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This paper was originaly writen in early November 2024 as a proposal for an international Muslim entrepreneurial initiative. It was first publish on NOSTR 27 November 2024 as part 1 of a 4 part series of essays. Last updated/revised: 30 March 2025.

The lament of the Ummah for the past century has been the downfall of the Khalifate. With the genocide in occupied Palestine over the past year and now escalations in Lebanon as well, this concern is at the forefront of a Muslim’s mind. In our tradition, when one part of the Ummah suffers, all believers are affected and share in that suffering. The Ummah today has minimal sovereignty at best. It lacks a Khalifate. It is spiritually weakened due to those not practicing and fulfilling their duties and responsibilities. And, as we will address in this paper, it has no real economic power. In our current monetary system, it is nearly impossible to avoid the malevolence of riba (interest) – one of the worst sins. However, with bitcoin there is an opportunity to alleviate this collective suffering and reclaim economic sovereignty.

Since it’s invention 15 years ago, bitcoin has risen to achieve a top 10 market cap ranking as a global asset (currently valued at $1.8 trillion USD). Institutional investors are moving full swing to embrace bitcoin in their portfolios. Recent proposals in Kazan hint that BRICS may even be utilizing bitcoin as part of their new payments system. State actors will be joining soon. With only about 1 million bitcoins left to be mined we need to aim to get as much of those remaining coins as possible into the wallets of Muslims over the next decade. Now is the time to onboard the Ummah. This paper presents Bitcoin as the best option for future economic sovereignty of the Ummah and proposes steps needed to generate a collective waqf of an initial 0.1%-0.5% chain dominance to safeguard a revived Khalifate.

Money is the protocol that facilitates economic coordination to help the development and advancement of civilization. Throughout history money has existed as cattle, seashells, salt, beads, stones, precious metals. Money develops naturally and spontaneously; it is not the invention of the state (although it at times is legislated by states). Money exists marginally, not by fiat. During the past few millenniums, gold and silver were optimally used by most advanced civilizations due to strong properties such as divisibility, durability, fungibility, portability, scarcity, and verifiability. Paper money modernized usability through attempts to enhance portability, divisibility, and verifiability. However, all these monetary properties are digitized today. And with the increase of fractional-reserve banking over the past two centuries, riba is now the de facto foundation of the consensus reserve currency – the USD.

This reserve currency itself is backed by the central banking organ of the treasury bond markets which are essentially government issued debt. Treasurey bonds opperate by manipulating the money supply arbitrarily with the purpose of targeting a set interest rate – injecting or liquidating money into the supply by fiat to control intrest yeilds. At its root, the current global monetary order depends entirely on riba to work. One need not list the terrible results of riba as Muslims know well its harshness. As Lyn Alden wonderful states in her book, Broken Money, “Everything is a claim of a claim of a claim, reliant on perpetual motion and continual growth to not collapse”. Eventual collapse is inevitable, and Muslims need to be aware and prepared for this reality.

The status quo among Muslims has been to search for “shariah compliance”. However, fatwa regarding compliance as well as the current Islamic Banking scene still operate under the same fiat protocol which make them involved in the creation of money through riba. Obfuscation of this riba through contractum trinius or "shariah compliant" yields (which are benchmarked to interest rates) is simply an attempt to replicate conventional banking, just with a “halal” label. Fortunately, with the advent of the digital age we now have other monetary options available.

Experiments and theories with digital money date back to the 1980s. In the 1990s we saw the dot com era with the coming online of the current fiat system, and in 2008 Satoshi Nakamoto released Bitcoin to the world. We have been in the crypto era ever since. Without diving into the technical aspects of Bitcoin, it is simply a P2P e-cash that is cryptographically stored in digital wallets and secured via a decentralized blockchain ledger. For Muslims, it is essential to grasp that Bitcoin is a new type of money (not just an investment vehicle or payment application) that possesses “anti-riba” properties.

Bitcoin has a fixed supply cap of 21 million, meaning there will only ever be 21 million Bitcoin (BTC). Anyone with a cheap laptop or computer with an internet connection can participate on the Bitcoin network to verify this supply cap. This may seem like an inadequate supply for global adoption, but each bitcoin is highly divisible into smaller units (1 btc = 100,000,000 satoshis or sats). Bitcoins are created (or mined) from the processing of transactions on the blockchain which involves expending energy in the real world (via CPU power) and providing proof that this work was done.

In contrast, with the riba-based fiat system, central banks need to issue debt instruments, either in the form of buying treasuries or through issuing a bond. Individual banks are supposed to be irresponsibly leveraged and are rewarded for making risky loans. With Bitcoin, there is a hard cap of 21 million, and there is no central authority that can change numbers on a database to create more money or manipulate interest rates. Under a Bitcoin standard, money is verifiably stored on a ledger and is not loaned to create more money with interest. Absolute scarcity drives saving rather than spending, but with increasing purchasing power from the exponentially increasing demand also comes the desire to use that power and increased monetary economization. With bitcoin you are your own bank, and bitcoin becomes for your enemies as much as it is for your friends. Bitcoin ultimately provides a clean foundation for a stable money that can be used by muslims and should be the currency for a future Khalifate.

The 2024 American presidential election has perhaps shown more clearly than ever the lack of politcal power that American Muslims have as well as the dire need for them to attain political influence. Political power comes largely through economic sovereignty, military might, and media distribution. Just a quick gloss of Muslim countries and Turkey & Egypt seem to have decent militaries but failing economies. GCC states have good economies but weak militaries. Iran uniquely has survived sanctions for decades and despite this weakened economic status has still been able to make military gains. Although any success from its path is yet to be seen it is important to note that Iran is the only country that has been able to put up any clear resistance to western powers. This is just a noteworthy observation and as this paper is limited to economic issues, full analysis of media and miliary issues must be left for other writings.

It would also be worthy to note that BDS movements (Boycott, Divest & Sanction) in solidarity with Palestine should continue to be championed. Over the past year they have undoubtedly contributed to PEP stock sinking 2.25% and MCD struggling to break even. SBUX and KO on the other hand, despite active boycott campaigns, remain up 3.5% & 10.6% respectively. But some thought must be put into why the focus of these boycotts has been on snack foods that are a luxury item. Should we not instead be focusing attention on advanced tech weaponry? MSFT is up 9.78%, GOOG up 23.5%, AMZN up 30%, and META up 61%! It has been well documented this past year how most of the major tech companies have contracts with occupying entity and are using the current genocide as a testing ground for AI. There is no justification for AI being a good for humanity when it comes at the expense of the lives of our brothers in Palestine. However, most “sharia compliant” investment guides still list these companies among their top recommendations for Muslims to include in their portfolios.

As has already been argued, by investing in fiat-based organization, businesses, ETFs, and mutual funds we are not addressing the root cause of riba. We are either not creating truly halal capital, are abusing the capital that Allah has entrusted to us or are significantly missing blessings that Allah wants to give us in the capital that we have. If we are following the imperative to attempt to make our wealth as “riba-free” as possible, then the first step must be to get off zero bitcoin

Here again, the situation in Palestine becomes a good example. All Palestinians suffer from inflation from using the Israeli Shekel, a fiat currency. Palestinians are limited in ways to receive remittances and are shrouded in sanctions. No CashApp, PayPal, Venmo. Western Union takes huge cuts and sometimes has confiscated funds. Bank wires do this too and here the government sanctions nearly always get in the way. However, Palestinians can use bitcoin which is un-censorable. Israel cannot stop or change the bitcoin protocol. Youssef Mahmoud, a former taxi driver, has been running Bitcoin For Palestine as a way for anyone to make a bitcoin donation in support of children in Gaza. Over 1.6 BTC has been donated so far, an equivalent of about $149,000 USD based on current valuation. This has provided a steady supply of funds for the necessary food, clothing, and medication for those most in need of aid (Note: due to recent updates in Gaza, Bitcoin For Palestine is no longer endorsed by the author of this paper. However, it remains an example of how the Bitcoin network opperates through heavy sanctions and war).

Over in one of the poorest countries in the world, a self-managed orphanage is providing a home to 77 children without the patronage of any charity organization. Orphans Of Uganda receives significant funding through bitcoin donations. In 2023 and 2024 Muslims ran Ramadan campaigns that saw the equivalent of $14,000 USD flow into the orphanage’s bitcoin wallet. This funding enabled them to purchase food, clothing, medical supplies and treatment, school costs, and other necessities. Many who started donating during the 2023 campaign also have continued providing monthly donations which has been crucial for maintaining the well-being of the children.

According to the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative, Muslim Americans give an estimated $1.8 billion in zakat donations every year with the average household donating $2070 anually. Now imagine if international zakat organizations like Launchgood or Islamic Relief enabled the option to donate bitcoin. So much could be saved by using an open, instant, permissionless, and practically feeless way to send zakat or sadaqah all over the world! Most zakat organizations are sleeping on or simply unaware of this revolutionary technology.

Studies by institutions like Fidelity and Yale have shown that adding even a 1% to 5% bitcoin allocation to a traditional 60/40 stock-bond portfolio significantly enhances returns. Over the past decade, a 5% bitcoin allocation in such a portfolio has increased returns by over 3x without a substantial increase in risk or volatility. If American Muslims, who are currently a demographic estimated at 2.5 million, were to only allocate 5% ($270 million) of their annual zakat to bitcoin donations, that would eventually become worth $14.8 billion at the end of a decade. Keep in mind this rate being proposed here is gathered from American Muslim zakat data (a financially privileged population, but one that only accounts for 0.04% of the Ummah) and that it is well established that Muslims donate in sadaqa as well. Even with a more conservative rate of a 1% allocation you would still be looking at nearly $52 million being liquidated out of fiat and into bitcoin annually. However, if the goal is to help Muslims hit at least 0.1% chain dominance in the next decade then a target benchmark of a 3% annual zakat allocation will be necessary.

Islamic financial institutions will be late to the game when it comes to bitcoin adoption. They will likely hesitate for another 2-4 years out of abundance of regulatory caution and the persuasion to be reactive rather than proactive. It is up to us on the margin to lead in this regard. Bitcoin was designed to be peer-2-peer, so a grassroots Muslim bitcoiner movement is what is needed. Educational grants through organizations like Bitcoin Majlis should be funded with endowments. Local Muslim bitcoin meetups must form around community mosques and Islamic 3rd spaces. Networked together, each community would be like decentralized nodes that could function as a seed-holder for a multi-sig waqf that can circulate wealth to those that need it, giving the poorer a real opportunity to level up and contribute to societ and demonstrating why zakat is superior to interest.

Organic, marginal organizing must be the foundation to building sovereignty within the Ummah. Sovereignty starts at the individual level and not just for all spiritual devotion, but for economics as well. Physical sovereignty is in the individual human choice and action of the Muslim. It is the direct responsibility placed upon insan when the trust of khalifa was placed upon him. Sovereignty is the hallmark of our covenant, we must embrace our right to self-determination and secede from a monetary policy of riba back toward that which is pure.

"Whatever loans you give, seeking interest at the expense of people’s wealth will not increase with Allah. But whatever charity you give, seeking the pleasure of Allah—it is they whose reward will be multiplied." (Quran 30:39)

FAQ

Why does bitcoin have any value?

Unlike stocks, bonds, real-estate or even commodities such as oil and wheat, bitcoins cannot be valued using standard discounted cash-flow analysis or by demand for their use in the production of higher order goods. Bitcoins fall into an entirely different category of goods, known as monetary goods, whose value is set game-theoretically. I.e., each market participant values the good based on their appraisal of whether and how much other participants will value it. The truth is that the notions of “cheap” and “expensive” are essentially meaningless in reference to monetary goods. The price of a monetary good is not a reflection of its cash flow or how useful it is but, rather, is a measure of how widely adopted it has become for the various roles of money.

Is crypto-currency halal?

It is important to note that this paper argues in favor of Bitcoin, not “Crypto” because all other crypto coins are simply attempts a re-introducing fiat money-creation in digital space. Since they fail to address the root cause error of riba they will ultimately be either destroyed by governments or governments will evolve to embrace them in attempts to modernize their current fiat system. To highlight this, one can call it “bit-power” rather than “bit-coin” and see that there is more at play here with bitcoin than current systems contain. Mufti Faraz Adam’s fatwa from 2017 regarding cryptocurrency adaqately addresses general permissibility. However, bitcoin has evolved much since then and is on track to achieve global recognition as money in the next few years. It is also vital to note that monetary policy is understood by governments as a vehicle for sanctions and a tool in a political war-chest. Bitcoin evolves beyond this as at its backing is literal energy from CPU mining that goes beyond kinetic power projection limitations into cyberspace. For more on theories of bitcoin’s potential as a novel weapons technology see Jason Lowery’s book Softwar.

What about market volatility?

Since the inception of the first exchange traded price in 2010, the bitcoin market has witnessed five major Gartner hype cycles. It is worth observing that the rise in bitcoin’s price during hype cycles is largely correlated with an increase in liquidity and the ease with which investors could purchase bitcoins. Although it is impossible to predict the exact magnitude of the current hype cycle, it would be reasonable to conjecture that the current cycle reaches its zenith in the range of $115,000 to $170,000. Bitcoin’s final Gartner hype cycle will begin when nation-states start accumulating it as a part of their foreign currency reserves. As private sector interest increases the capitalization of Bitcoin has exceeded 1 trillion dollars which is generally considered the threshold at which an assest becomes liquid enough for most states to enter the market. In fact, El Salvador is already on board.

@ 2fb77d26:c47a6ee1

»Pershing II« – das war eines der ersten englischen Wörter, das mir als Kind geläufig war. Es handelt sich um die Typenbezeichnung einer US-Mittelstreckenrakete, einer nuklearen Boden-Boden-Rakete, die mit einem thermonuklearen Sprengkopf vom Typ W85 ausgestattet war, eine Reichweite von etwa 1.800 km hatte und somit von Süddeutschland aus Ziele im westlichen Russland binnen fünf Minuten erreichen konnte. Es war Anfang der 1980er Jahre. Die Zeit des Kalten Krieges. Eine Bezeichnung, die George Orwell mit seinem Essay »You and the Atomic Bomb« (Du und die Atombombe) im Jahre 1945 geprägt hatte. Die Fronten waren verhärtet.

Die westdeutsche Friedensbewegung protestierte lautstark gegen die Stationierung von Atomsprengköpfen auf heimischem Boden. Nachdem die im NATO-Doppelbeschluss vom 12. Dezember 1979 vereinbarten Abrüstungsverhandlungen zwischen den Atommächten jedoch erfolglos geblieben waren, entschied der Deutsche Bundestag am 22. November 1983, der Stationierung von US-Atomwaffen im Lande zuzustimmen. Diese war 1985 abgeschlossen und ganze 120 Exemplare der todbringenden Massenvernichtungswaffe in der Bundesrepublik verteilt worden. Außer Deutschland tat kein Land den USA diesen Gefallen.

Ich hatte die militärische Artikelbezeichnung »Pershing II« im Radio aufgeschnappt, welcher zu Hause fast durchgehend in Betrieb war, und später ein paar Bilder der Raketen in den Abendnachrichten gesehen. Noch gab es nur ARD, ZDF und das Regionalprogramm. Dementsprechend rar waren visuelle Informationen. Und aufgrund meiner frühen Begeisterung für Fluggeräte aller Art, zeichnete ich daraufhin ständig Raketen. Da ich außerdem bereits in diesem zarten Alter von fünf oder sechs Jahren extrem von Musik angetan war und durchweg versuchte, englische Songtexte, zum Beispiel von den Beatles, dem Klang der Stimmen folgend nachzusingen, übte auch der fremd klingende Begriff »Pershing II« eine gewisse Faszination auf mich aus.

Was mir meine Eltern diesbezüglich sagten oder erklärten, kann ich leider nicht mehr erinnern – als erklärte Pazifisten nahmen sie die latente Gefahr eines Nuklearkrieges aber sicher nicht mit der spielerisch-kindlichen Leichtigkeit, die ich im Umgang mit gemalten oder gebastelten Raketen an den Tag legte. Das Thema nukleare Kriegsführung beherrschte die Nachrichten dieser Zeit und erzeugte Angst. Denn Militärstrategen sprachen Anfang der 1980er Jahre allen Ernstes davon, dass der Atomkrieg zwischenzeitlich präziser und somit auch führbarer geworden sei. Damals wie heute – absoluter Irrsinn.

Neben der Berlin-Blockade 1948/1949 und der Kuba-Krise, war die Auseinandersetzung um die Stationierung von Mittelstreckenraketen in Westeuropa von 1979 bis 1983 also eine der drei kritischsten Phasen des Kalten Krieges.

Nie war die Welt einem fatalen wie letalen nuklearen Schlagabtausch der Supermächte näher als zu diesen drei Zeitpunkten in der Geschichte. Bis heute, so scheint es.

Denn die stetig eskalierende Ukraine-Krise rückt dieses vergessen geglaubte Horror-Szenario wieder in den Fokus der Öffentlichkeit. Polit-Darsteller wie der Maoist und China-Fan Robert Habeck äußern dieser Tage dummdreist, keine Angst vor einem Dritten Weltkrieg zu haben. Sogenannte Sicherheitsexperten erklären im ZDF, dass man sich vor Putins Bomben nicht fürchten solle, obwohl man in Mainz permanent Angst schürt und schon am 5. Mai 2022 titelt, »Moskau simuliert Atomangriff in Kaliningrad«.

Der »Beobachter Gesundheit« gibt Tipps dazu, wie man die Panik vor einem Atomkrieg mental in den Griff bekommen kann, während das deutsche BBK (Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe) der Bevölkerung bereits empfiehlt, im Zuge der Ukraine-Krise Notvorräte anzulegen und Marschgepäck bereitzuhalten. Auf der Webseite »wikiHow« findet sich ein sehr umfassender, bebilderter Ratgeber mit dem Titel »Einen Atomkrieg überleben«. Beim Lesen der zahlreichen, mutmaßlich nur bedingt hilfreichen Tipps zur Meisterung der nuklearen Apokalypse dürfte jedem normalen Menschen etwas mulmig werden.

Hofberichterstatter Ruprecht Polenz lässt sich beim Propaganda-Multiplikator ZEIT ONLINE am 30. April 2022 dennoch zu der wagemutigen Formulierung verleiten, »wer einen Atomkrieg verhindern will, darf Putin nicht gewinnen lassen«. Solch ein Statement ist nicht nur falsch und realitätsfremd, sondern zeugt gleichsam von der bewussten Negierung von Faktenlage und historischen Hintergründen zur Ukraine-Krise. Dabei könnte man es durchaus besser wissen.

Die RAND-Corporation, ein im Jahre 1948 gegründeter, einflussreicher Think Tank der US-Hegemonie, veröffentlichte zum Beispiel schon im Jahr 2019 ein vielsagendes, 354 Seiten umfassendes Strategiepapier unter der Überschrift »Overextending and Unbalancing Russia«. Frei übersetzt: Eine Strategie, um Russland überzustrapazieren und aus dem Gleichgewicht zu bringen – ökonomisch, militärisch und gesellschaftlich – mit dem singulären Ziel, die geopolitische Dominanz der Vereinigten Staaten zu bewahren. Ein durchdachtes Drehbuch zur finalen Erniedrigung und Bezwingung des ewigen Klassenfeindes sowie dem Erhalt der unipolaren Weltordnung, der Pax Americana.

Der Ansatz der RAND-Corporation: Die Osterweiterung der NATO forcieren, das Ansehen Russlands in der Welt zerstören, kostenintensives, nukleares Wettrüsten, die Ukraine bewaffnen, um einen militärischen Stellvertreterkonflikt mit Putin zu provozieren, um die ehemalige Sowjetunion anschließend mittels internationaler Sanktionen – legitimiert durch den brodelnden Krieg – finanziell in die Knie zu zwingen.

Verblüffend, wie sehr doch die im RAND-Strategiepapier aufgezeigte Vorgehensweise den aktuellen Geschehnissen an den Außengrenzen des Riesenreiches gleicht. Fast macht es den Anschein, als folgten die Geostrategen in Washington den Empfehlungen ihrer kostspieligen Think Tanks. Dies ließ sich auch im Zuge der Corona-Krise beobachten, die im Ablauf fraglos dem von der Rockefeller-Stiftung erarbeiteten Pandemie-Szenario »Lock Step« glich, wie Journalist Norbert Häring bereits am 28. Mai 2020 ausführlich berichtet.

Was das totalitäre Krisen-Drehbuch der RAND-Corporation nicht detailliert behandelt, sind die akuten Risiken einer potenziellen nuklearen Eskalation. Denn es endet mit dem möglichen Aufkeimen eines militärischen Konflikts und schließt schlicht mit dem Hinweis:

»Auch wenn die US-Armee nicht direkt an der Operation beteiligt ist, wird sie eine Schlüsselrolle bei der Abmilderung der Folgen spielen. Wie bereits erwähnt, bergen alle Maßnahmen, die der Schwächung Russlands dienen, einiges an Risiko. Infolgedessen werden das Abschreckungspotential sowie die operativen Fähigkeiten des US-Militärs in Europa gestärkt werden müssen. Es besteht die Möglichkeit, dass die Spannungen mit Russland zu einem Konflikt eskalieren.«

Die USA betrachten den Einsatz von Atomwaffen dabei offensichtlich als probates Mittel. Warum sonst modernisieren die Amerikaner seit Jahren ihr Arsenal und geben Milliarden US-Dollar dafür aus? Das macht eigentlich nur Sinn, wenn man plant, diese Waffen irgendwann einzusetzen. Der »Plot« für die Events nach dem Aufflammen einer militärischen Auseinandersetzung mit Russland ist vermutlich Verschlusssache und liegt nur Eingeweihten im Weißen Haus, Pentagon, CIA-Hauptquartier sowie den Verbündeten in EU und NATO-Hauptquartier vor.

Das ist bedauerlich. Denn ein Einblick in die aktuellen militärischen Planspiele und strategischen Szenarien der NATO-Hegemonie wäre hilfreich, um zu verstehen, ob die Arroganz des Westens tatsächlich einen Punkt erreicht hat, an dem man einen Atomkrieg in Kauf nehmen würde, um Russland und China auf ihre Plätze zu verweisen und im globalen Club der Technokraten am Kopfende zu sitzen. Um einen Konflikt der Systeme – Kapitalismus, Sozialismus, Kommunismus – handelt es sich nämlich nicht, auch wenn Medien dies gerne so darstellen, sondern um Machtkämpfe innerhalb der internationalen Oligarchie. Die drei Machtblöcke kämpfen um Vorherrschaft in der totalitären Weltordnung der nahen Zukunft.

Die Frage ist nur: Tun sie dies einvernehmlich – oder handelt es sich an Russlands Grenzen um ernsthafte, kriegerische Auseinandersetzungen, die in letzter Konsequenz militärisch entschieden werden müssen? Das RAND-Strategiepapier scheint davon auszugehen, dass Wirtschafts- und Informationskrieg, begleitet von NATO-Drohgebärden, ausreichen, um das Rennen zu Gunsten des Wertewestens zu entscheiden. Es gilt zu hoffen, dass diese Interpretation des Schriftstücks zutrifft. Ansonsten läuft die moderne Zivilisation Gefahr, sich in die Steinzeit zurückzubomben. Wie das aussieht, zeigt eindrücklich der Film »The Day After« (Der Tag danach) aus dem Jahre 1983.

Der zwei Stunden lange Streifen von Regisseur Nicholas Meyer ist bildgewaltig, beängstigend, ernüchternd und deprimierend. Er zeigt nicht nur, wie binnen weniger Tage aus einem Kalten Krieg ein Atomkrieg wird, sondern auch, was dessen schreckliche Folgen sind. Schon ein kurzer, etwas mehr als acht Minuten langer Zusammenschnitt macht klar, dass man ein absoluter Narr sein muss, um keine Angst vor thermonuklearen Angriffen zu haben.

Im Film gibt der US-Oberbefehlshaber nach der Zerstörung des NATO-Hauptquartiers den Befehl zum Atomschlag. Das entsprechende NATO-Protokoll wird aktiviert und die Raketensilos einsatzbereit gemacht. Das Drehbuch lässt offen, wer den Erstschlag führt. Klar ist, dass sobald die Sprengköpfe des Westens unterwegs sind, Russland einen Gegenangriff mit 300 Interkontinentalraketen auslöst und die Vereinigten Staaten in die Steinzeit bombt.

Überall im Land der unbegrenzten Möglichkeiten steigen feurige Atompilze in den Himmel. Metropolen werden in Sekunden ausradiert, Lebewesen, Pflanzen und Gebäude verdampfen in Feuersbrünsten um den Einschlagsort, ganze Landstriche werden vom Erdboden getilgt – und schon in den ersten Minuten nach Explosion der Nuklearsprengköpfe sterben weite Teile der Bevölkerung. 90 Millionen innerhalb weniger Stunden, wie eine Simulation mit dem etwas unheimlichen Titel »Plan A« der Princeton-Universität von 2019 berechnet hat.

Der eigentliche Horror beginnt allerdings erst. Denn die schlimmsten Szenen des Films sind jene, die den Zustand der Welt zwei Wochen nach den Atomschlägen zeigen. Im Land herrscht Anomie. Chaos und Zerstörung, wohin man schaut. Vorindustrielle Zustände. Die Städte sind unbewohnbar und die Überlebenden leiden an Strahlenkrankheit. Haare und Zähne fallen aus. Bei manchen binnen weniger Stunden oder Tage, bei anderen dauert es Wochen. Ein grausamer Tod auf Raten. Alles stirbt, siecht dahin. In den Ruinen entstehen Flüchtlingslager. Seuchen brechen aus. Militärkommandos erschießen willkürlich Menschen. Recht, Gerichte und Prozesse gibt es nicht mehr. Und um zu überleben, bewaffnen sich schlussendlich auch die Zivilisten und töten sich gegenseitig. Absolute Barbarei.

»The Day After« erklärt nicht, wer diesen Krieg gewinnt, nennt keinen Sieger. Vermutlich, weil Regisseur Nicholas Meyer schmerzlich bewusst war, dass es bei einem ausgewachsenen Atomkrieg keine Gewinner geben kann.

Er bedeutet das Ende der modernen Zivilisation. Nicht umsonst hat Albert Einstein früh vor militärischem Missbrauch entsprechender wissenschaftlicher Erkenntnisse gewarnt. So lässt der Streifen aus Zeiten das kalten Krieges auch das Ende offen. Kein Hollywood-Finale. Kein Happy End. Die beklemmenden Gefühle bleiben. Weder Will Smith noch James Bond tauchen auf, um die Welt in letzter Minute doch noch zu retten. Sie ist kaputt. Tot. Eine nuklear verseuchte Wüste. Kein Hoffnungsschimmer am Horizont.

Wer das Pech hatte, die Erstschläge zu überleben, stirbt langsam, aber sicher – und vor allem qualvoll.

Vielleicht sollten Spitzenpolitiker, Dogmatiker, Propagandisten und Kriegshetzer von heute sich diesen Film einmal in Ruhe anschauen, bevor sie leichtfertig derartige Optionen in Betracht ziehen. Ich habe »The Day After« nur ein einziges Mal in meinem Leben gesehen – wenige Monate, nachdem ich den Begriff »Pershing II« das erste Mal als kleines Kind im Radio hörte und meine Eltern neugierig fragte, was es damit auf sich hat – das war ausreichend. Die Eindrücke wirken bis heute. Ich bin mir auch mehr als dreißig Jahre später immer noch der unverrückbaren, indiskutablen Tatsache bewusst, dass es niemals zu einem Atomkrieg kommen darf. Jeder, der diesen Film gesehen, wird das unterschreiben.

Ich jedenfalls werde nie vergessen, wie ich eines nachts heimlich im dunklen Wohnzimmer der heimischen Dachwohnung ganz nahe vor dem Fernseher saß. Eigentlich durfte ich nur ein paar Mal in der Woche ausgewählte Kindersendungen anschauen. Aber meine Eltern schliefen bereits. Es muss circa 23:00 Uhr gewesen sein, denn nach den Spätfilmen war damals in der Regel Sendeschluss. Und das was war meist gegen eins oder halb zwei.

Just als ich den kleinen Röhrenfernseher anschaltete, begann »im Ersten« der bis heute in mir nachhallende Spielfilm. Der Tag danach. Zunächst begeistert von den vielen Raketen und irgendwie noch fasziniert von den mir bis dato unbekannten, riesigen Explosionen, die Atombomben auslösen, blieb ich gebannt sitzen. Wie versteinert. Bis zur Schlussszene, in der sich eine Handvoll strahlenverseuchter, zerrissener, verrottender Menschen, die kaum noch Haare auf dem Kopf haben und aussehen wie Zombies, in den staubigen Ruinen einer leeren Großstadt kraftlos in den Armen liegen und hilflos schluchzen. Die Kamera zieht auf. Dann Schwarzblende – und eine letzte, dünne, einsam flehende Stimme im Äther:

»Hello, is anybody there? Anybody at all?«  (Hallo, ist da jemand? Irgendjemand?)

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

In much of the world, it is incredibly difficult to access U.S. dollars. Local currencies are often poorly managed and riddled with corruption. Billions of people demand a more reliable alternative. While the dollar has its own issues of corruption and mismanagement, it is widely regarded as superior to the fiat currencies it competes with globally. As a result, Tether has found massive success providing low cost, low friction access to dollars. Tether claims 400 million total users, is on track to add 200 million more this year, processes 8.1 million transactions daily, and facilitates $29 billion in daily transfers. Furthermore, their estimates suggest nearly 40% of users rely on it as a savings tool rather than just a transactional currency.

Tether’s rise has made the company a financial juggernaut. Last year alone, Tether raked in over $13 billion in profit, with a lean team of less than 100 employees. Their business model is elegantly simple: hold U.S. Treasuries and collect the interest. With over $113 billion in Treasuries, Tether has turned a straightforward concept into a profit machine.

Tether’s success has resulted in many competitors eager to claim a piece of the pie. This has triggered a massive venture capital grift cycle in USD tokens, with countless projects vying to dethrone Tether. Due to Tether’s entrenched network effect, these challengers face an uphill battle with little realistic chance of success. Most educated participants in the space likely recognize this reality but seem content to perpetuate the grift, hoping to cash out by dumping their equity positions on unsuspecting buyers before they realize the reality of the situation.

Historically, Tether’s greatest vulnerability has been U.S. government intervention. For over a decade, the company operated offshore with few allies in the U.S. establishment, making it a major target for regulatory action. That dynamic has shifted recently and Tether has seized the opportunity. By actively courting U.S. government support, Tether has fortified their position. This strategic move will likely cement their status as the dominant USD token for years to come.

While undeniably a great tool for the millions of users that rely on it, Tether is not without flaws. As a centralized, trusted third party, it holds the power to freeze or seize funds at its discretion. Corporate mismanagement or deliberate malpractice could also lead to massive losses at scale. In their goal of mitigating regulatory risk, Tether has deepened ties with law enforcement, mirroring some of the concerns of potential central bank digital currencies. In practice, Tether operates as a corporate CBDC alternative, collaborating with authorities to surveil and seize funds. The company proudly touts partnerships with leading surveillance firms and its own data reveals cooperation in over 1,000 law enforcement cases, with more than $2.5 billion in funds frozen.

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The global demand for Tether is undeniable and the company’s profitability reflects its unrivaled success. Tether is owned and operated by bitcoiners and will likely continue to push forward strategic goals that help the movement as a whole. Recent efforts to mitigate the threat of U.S. government enforcement will likely solidify their network effect and stifle meaningful adoption of rival USD tokens or CBDCs. Yet, for all their achievements, Tether is simply a worse form of money than bitcoin. Tether requires trust in a centralized entity, while bitcoin can be saved or spent without permission. Furthermore, Tether is tied to the value of the US Dollar which is designed to lose purchasing power over time, while bitcoin, as a truly scarce asset, is designed to increase in purchasing power with adoption. As people awaken to the risks of Tether’s control, and the benefits bitcoin provides, bitcoin adoption will likely surpass it.

@ 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/942018

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Im Augenblick wird mit größter Intensität, großer Umsicht \ das deutsche Volk belogen. \ Olaf Scholz im FAZ-Interview

Online-Wahlen stärken die Demokratie, sind sicher, und 61 Prozent der Wahlberechtigten sprechen sich für deren Einführung in Deutschland aus. Das zumindest behauptet eine aktuelle Umfrage, die auch über die Agentur Reuters Verbreitung in den Medien gefunden hat. Demnach würden außerdem 45 Prozent der Nichtwähler bei der Bundestagswahl ihre Stimme abgeben, wenn sie dies zum Beispiel von Ihrem PC, Tablet oder Smartphone aus machen könnten.

Die telefonische Umfrage unter gut 1000 wahlberechtigten Personen sei repräsentativ, behauptet der Auftraggeber – der Digitalverband Bitkom. Dieser präsentiert sich als eingetragener Verein mit einer beeindruckenden Liste von Mitgliedern, die Software und IT-Dienstleistungen anbieten. Erklärtes Vereinsziel ist es, «Deutschland zu einem führenden Digitalstandort zu machen und die digitale Transformation der deutschen Wirtschaft und Verwaltung voranzutreiben».

Durchgeführt hat die Befragung die Bitkom Servicegesellschaft mbH, also alles in der Familie. Die gleiche Erhebung hatte der Verband übrigens 2021 schon einmal durchgeführt. Damals sprachen sich angeblich sogar 63 Prozent für ein derartiges «Demokratie-Update» aus – die Tendenz ist demgemäß fallend. Dennoch orakelt mancher, der Gang zur Wahlurne gelte bereits als veraltet.

Die spanische Privat-Uni mit Globalisten-Touch, IE University, berichtete Ende letzten Jahres in ihrer Studie «European Tech Insights», 67 Prozent der Europäer befürchteten, dass Hacker Wahlergebnisse verfälschen könnten. Mehr als 30 Prozent der Befragten glaubten, dass künstliche Intelligenz (KI) bereits Wahlentscheidungen beeinflusst habe. Trotzdem würden angeblich 34 Prozent der unter 35-Jährigen einer KI-gesteuerten App vertrauen, um in ihrem Namen für politische Kandidaten zu stimmen.

Wie dauerhaft wird wohl das Ergebnis der kommenden Bundestagswahl sein? Diese Frage stellt sich angesichts der aktuellen Entwicklung der Migrations-Debatte und der (vorübergehend) bröckelnden «Brandmauer» gegen die AfD. Das «Zustrombegrenzungsgesetz» der Union hat das Parlament heute Nachmittag überraschenderweise abgelehnt. Dennoch muss man wohl kein ausgesprochener Pessimist sein, um zu befürchten, dass die Entscheidungen der Bürger von den selbsternannten Verteidigern der Demokratie künftig vielleicht nicht respektiert werden, weil sie nicht gefallen.

Bundesweit wird jetzt zu «Brandmauer-Demos» aufgerufen, die CDU gerät unter Druck und es wird von Übergriffen auf Parteibüros und Drohungen gegen Mitarbeiter berichtet. Sicherheitsbehörden warnen vor Eskalationen, die Polizei sei «für ein mögliches erhöhtes Aufkommen von Straftaten gegenüber Politikern und gegen Parteigebäude sensibilisiert».

Der Vorwand «unzulässiger Einflussnahme» auf Politik und Wahlen wird als Argument schon seit einiger Zeit aufgebaut. Der Manipulation schuldig befunden wird neben Putin und Trump auch Elon Musk, was lustigerweise ausgerechnet Bill Gates gerade noch einmal bekräftigt und als «völlig irre» bezeichnet hat. Man stelle sich die Diskussionen um die Gültigkeit von Wahlergebnissen vor, wenn es Online-Verfahren zur Stimmabgabe gäbe. In der Schweiz wird «E-Voting» seit einigen Jahren getestet, aber wohl bisher mit wenig Erfolg.

Die politische Brandstiftung der letzten Jahre zahlt sich immer mehr aus. Anstatt dringende Probleme der Menschen zu lösen – zu denen auch in Deutschland die weit verbreitete Armut zählt –, hat die Politik konsequent polarisiert und sich auf Ausgrenzung und Verhöhnung großer Teile der Bevölkerung konzentriert. Basierend auf Ideologie und Lügen werden abweichende Stimmen unterdrückt und kriminalisiert, nicht nur und nicht erst in diesem Augenblick. Die nächsten Wochen dürften ausgesprochen spannend werden.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 1f9e547c:8af216ed

Opinion about Bitcoin Wallet (android)

WalletScrutiny #nostrOpinion

Join the conversation!

@ 06bc9ab7:427c48f5

Bitcoin Safe - A bitcoin savings wallet for the entire family

Designed for both beginners and power users, Bitcoin Safe combines security with an intuitive user experience. In this article, we dive deep into its features, unique benefits, and the powerful tools that make managing your Bitcoin wallet simple and secure.

Built for Learners

✔️ Step-by-step wallet setup wizard + PDF backup sheets 📄 🧪 Test transactions to ensure all hardware signers are ready 🔑 🛡️ Secure: Hardware signers only – no hot wallet risks 🚫🔥 🌍 Multi-language support: 🇺🇸 🇨🇳 🇪🇸 🇯🇵 🇷🇺 🇵🇹 🇮🇳 🇮🇹 🇫🇷 🇩🇪 🇲🇲 🇰🇷 📁 Address categories for easy organization ☁️ Label and category synchronization, and cloud backup (optional) 💰 Automatic UTXO merging to save on fees ⚡ Fast syncing with Electrum servers, Compact Block Filters coming soon

Built for Power Users

🔐 Supports Coldcard, Bitbox02, Jade, Trezor, Passport, Keystone & many more 🏦 💬 Multi-party multisig chat & PSBT sharing (optional) 📊 Transaction flow diagrams to trace coin movements 🔍 Instant cross-wallet wallet search ⚙️ Set your own electrum server, mempool instance, and nostr relay

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Step-by-Step Wallet Setup

Whether you’re setting up a single-signature or multi-signature wallet, the setup wizard guides you every step of the way:

• Single Sig Wizard: Follow the intuitive wizard that walks you through each step. https://youtu.be/m0g6ytYTy0w

Clear instructions paired with hardware signer screen-shots, like the steps for a Coldcard

• Multisig Wizard: The wizard ensures you do all necessary steps for a Multisig wallet in the right order. Afterwards your Multisig is ready to use and all signers are tested. Check out https://bitcoin-safe.org/en/features/setup-multisignature-wallet/

• PDF Backup: The wizard will also generates 3 PDF backup sheets for a 2-of-3 multisig wallet, so ensure you always have your wallet descriptor together with the seed.

• Hardware Signer Support: With full support for major hardware signers your keys remain securely offline.

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Transaction Visualization

Visualize and navigate your transaction history:

• Graphical Explorer: An interactive transaction diagram lets you click on inputs and outputs to follow the money flow intuitively.

• Coin Categories: Organize your addresses into distinct coin categories (e.g., “KYC”, “Work”, “Friends”) so Bitcoin Safe automatically selects the correct inputs when creating PSBTs.

It prevents you accidentally linking coin categories when creating a transaction, and warns you if mistakes happened in the past.

Powerful Wallet Management Tools

• Flexible Fee Selection: Choose fees with one click using an intuitive mempool block preview.
• UTXO Management: Automatically (optional) merge UTXOs when fees are low.
• CSV Table Export: Right click, Drag&Drop, or CTRL+C for immediate CSV export for easy processing in Excel.
• PDF Balance Statement: Export the address balances for easy record keeping on paper.

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Advanced Features for the Power-User

Sync & Chat is off by default (for the paranoid user), but can be enabled with just one click.

Label Synchronization and Backup

• Seamless Sync: Using encrypted nostr messages, Bitcoin Safe synchronizes your coin categories and labels across multiple devices.
• Easy Backup: A short backup key is all you need to safeguard your coin categories and labels, ensuring your organization remains intact.

Collaborative Multi-party Multisig

• Group Chat Integration: After creating your multisig wallet, Bitcoin Safe offers an encrypted nostr group chat for secure collaboration and one-click PSBT sharing.
• User Authentication: Each participant must authenticate every other user with a simple click, ensuring secure communication.

Watch and Learn: Get Started with Bitcoin Safe

If you’re new to Bitcoin Safe, a short video guide can make all the difference. Learn how to set up your Bitcoin Safe wallet in this detailed walk through:

https://youtu.be/m0g6ytYTy0w

Or see how to verify an address on your hardware singer:

https://youtu.be/h5FkOYj9OT8

Building up a knowledge base: https://bitcoin-safe.org/en/knowledge/

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Whats next?

• Compact Block Filters!!! They make electrum servers obsolete.
• Why? Compact Block Filters increase the network privacy dramatically, since you're not asking an electrum server to give you your transactions
• Trade-off: They are a little slower than electrum servers. For a savings wallet like Bitcoin Safe this should be OK.
• How do they work? Simply speaking: They ask normal bitcoin core nodes for a short summary of each block. And if the summary shows a transaction belonging to the wallet, the entire block is then downloaded from the bitcoin core node. The bitcoin core node does not learn however which of the many transactions in the block you were interested in. Read more here and of course in the bip.
• When: 2 weeks 😅. Lots of things need to be done until Bitcoin Safe can use the bdk CBF/kyoto client from rustaceanrob, so keep an eye out for updates and please give feedback when you use Bitcoin Safe.

Stay updated on nostr or on GitHub.

Thank you

A huge thanks goes to nostr:npub10pensatlcfwktnvjjw2dtem38n6rvw8g6fv73h84cuacxn4c28eqyfn34f for supporting this project with a grant and nostr:npub1yrnuj56rnen08zp2h9h7p74ghgjx6ma39spmpj6w9hzxywutevsst7k5cx for the Hackathon prize.

This wallet is only possible because it is building upon other peoples open source work. Most notably

• bdk nostr:nprofile1qqsgkmgkmv63djkxmwvdlyaxx0xtsytvkyyg5fwzmp48pwd30f3jtxspzemhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuurjd9kkzmpwdejhgqg5waehxw309aex2mrp0yhxgctdw4eju6t0qyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqr8vuet
• and especially nostr:npub1thunderat5g552cuy7umk624ct5xe4tpgwr2jcjjq2gc0567wgrqnya79l , nostr:npub1reezn2ctrrg736uqj7mva9lsuwv0kr5asj4vvkwxnrwlhvxf98tsq99ty4 , and nostr:npub1ke470rdgnxg4gjs9cw3tv0dp690wl68f5xak5smflpsksedadd7qtf8jfm for dealing with my many feature requests and questions.
• rustaceanrob building kyoto which implements CBF for BDK; a crucial library and will be able to replace electrum servers for many use cases
• ndk by nostr:nprofile1qqsx3kq3vkgczq9hmfplc28h687py42yvms3zkyxh8nmkvn0vhkyyuspz4mhxue69uhkummnw3ezummcw3ezuer9wchsz9thwden5te0wfjkccte9ejxzmt4wvhxjme0qy88wumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmv9u0uehfp

And of course, secure storage of bitcoin is only possible, because of the hardware signer manufacturers. Thanks to nostr:npub1az9xj85cmxv8e9j9y80lvqp97crsqdu2fpu3srwthd99qfu9qsgstam8y8 Coldcard , Coldcard Q , nostr:npub1tg779rlap8t4qm8lpgn89k7mr7pkxpaulupp0nq5faywr8h28llsj3cxmt Bitbox02 , nostr:npub1jg552aulj07skd6e7y2hu0vl5g8nl5jvfw8jhn6jpjk0vjd0waksvl6n8n Blockstream Jade , Trezor Safe, Foundation Passport, Keystone, Ledger, Specter Shield, and many more.

I also want to thank people who gave feedback and helped spread the knowledge of Bitcoin Safe (please forgive me if I forgot to mention you)

• nostr:npub1p5cmlt32vc3jefkl3ymdvm9zk892fsmkq79eq77uvkaqrnyktasqkpkgaw nostr:npub1s07s0h5mwcenfnyagme8shp9trnv964lulgvdmppgenuhtk9p4rsueuk63 nostr:npub18f3g76xc7xs430euwwl9gpn7ue7ux8vmtm9q8htn9s26d8c4neeqdraz3s nostr:npub1mtd7s63xd85ykv09p7y8wvg754jpsfpplxknh5xr0pu938zf86fqygqxas nostr:npub1kysd8m44dhv7ywa75u5z7w2w0gs4t6qzhgvjp555gfknasy3krlqfxde60 nostr:npub185pu2dsgg9d36uvvw7rwuy9aknn8hnknygr7x2yqa60ygvq6r8kqc836k8 nostr:npub1hkcgyqnsuaradq3g5hyvfdekwypc25494nmwggwpygxas7fcs4fst860fu nostr:npub1xsl0msy347vmj8gcpsjum6wwppc4ercvq4xfrhqmek2dqmqm0mtsyf35vx nostr:npub1hxjnw53mhghumt590kgd3fmqme8jzwwflyxesmm50nnapmqdzu7swqagw3 nostr:npub1ke470rdgnxg4gjs9cw3tv0dp690wl68f5xak5smflpsksedadd7qtf8jfm nostr:npub1sk26fxl4fy3vt8m5n0a6aturaql0w20nvh22q0cyaqm28tj7z8ss3lutc9 nostr:npub1r4llq2jcvq4g2tgha5amjz07zk7mrrcj89wllny9xwhhp5zzkklqk4jwja nostr:npub1p9v2zpwl28c0gu0vr2enp3lwdtv29scwpeqsnt0ngqf03vtlyxfqhkae5w nostr:npub1xkym0yaewlz0qfghtt7hjtnu28fxaa5rk3wtcek9d3x3ft2ns3lq775few nostr:npub1r8343wqpra05l3jnc4jud4xz7vlnyeslf7gfsty7ahpf92rhfmpsmqwym8 nostr:npub12zpfs3yq7we83yvypgsrw5f88y2fv780c2kfs89ge5qk6q3sfm7spks880 nostr:npub1yrnuj56rnen08zp2h9h7p74ghgjx6ma39spmpj6w9hzxywutevsst7k5cx https://x.com/91xTx93x2 https://x.com/afilini rustaceanrob

@ bc575705:dba3ed39

In our hyper-connected age, the concept of "Know Your Customer" (KYC) has morphed from a regulatory necessity into a pervasive surveillance apparatus, subtly eroding our fundamental liberties. While purported to combat financial crime, KYC has become a tool for mass surveillance, data exploitation, and the gradual dismantling of personal privacy. Let’s embark on a comprehensive exploration of this system, exposing its inherent flaws and advocating for a paradigm shift towards decentralized financial sovereignty.

Beyond the Surface: The Intricate Web of KYC Data Collection

KYC transcends mere identity verification; it's a deep dive into the minutiae of our lives. Consider the breadth and depth of data extracted:

Geographic Surveillance: Proof of address requirements delve into historical residency, creating granular maps of our movements. Combined with location data from mobile devices and online activity, this paints a comprehensive picture of our physical presence.

Financial Autopsy: KYC dissects our financial lives with surgical precision. Income sources, asset declarations, and transaction histories are meticulously cataloged. Algorithmic analysis reveals spending habits, investment strategies, and even potential political affiliations.

Behavioral Predictive Modeling: AI algorithms analyze our financial behavior, predicting future actions and preferences. This data is invaluable for targeted advertising, but also for social engineering and political manipulation.

Biometric Invasiveness: Facial recognition, iris scans, and voice analysis create permanent, immutable records of our physical selves. These biometrics are highly sensitive and vulnerable to breaches, potentially leading to identity theft and even physical harm.

Social Network Mapping: KYC extends beyond individuals, mapping our social and professional networks. Institutions analyze our connections, identifying potential risks based on our associations. This has a chilling effect on free association and dissent, as individuals become hesitant to associate with those deemed "risky."

Psychometric Profiling: With the increase of online tests, and the collection of online data, companies and states can build psychometric profiles. These profiles can be used to predict actions, and even manipulate populations.

The Fallacy of Security: KYC's Ineffectiveness and the Rise of the Surveillance State

Despite its claims, KYC fails to effectively combat sophisticated financial crime. Instead, it creates a system of mass surveillance that disproportionately targets law-abiding citizens.

The Scourge of False Positives: Automated KYC systems frequently generate false positives, flagging innocent individuals as potential criminals. This can lead to financial exclusion, reputational damage, and even legal persecution.

A Ticking Time Bomb: Centralized KYC databases are prime targets for hackers, putting vast amounts of sensitive personal information at risk. Data breaches can lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and even physical harm.

The State's Panopticon: KYC empowers governments to monitor the financial activities of their citizens, creating a powerful tool for surveillance and control. This can be used to suppress dissent, target political opponents, and enforce conformity.

The Criminals Advantage: Sophisticated criminals easily bypass KYC using shell companies, money laundering, and other techniques. This makes KYC a system that punishes the innocent, and gives the criminals a false sense of security for the data collected.

Decentralized Alternatives: Reclaiming Financial Sovereignty and Privacy

In the face of this encroaching surveillance state, decentralized technologies offer a path to financial freedom and privacy.

Cryptocurrency | A Bastion of Financial Freedom: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies provide censorship-resistant alternatives to traditional financial systems. They empower individuals to transact freely, without the need for intermediaries or government oversight.

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) | Democratizing Finance: DeFi platforms offer a range of financial services, including lending, borrowing, and trading, without the need for traditional banks. These platforms are built on blockchain technology, ensuring transparency, security, and accessibility.

Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) | Empowering Individuals: SSI solutions enable individuals to control their own digital identities, without relying on centralized authorities. This allows for secure and private verification of identity, without the need to share sensitive personal information with every service provider.

Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs) | Shielding Your Data: Technologies like zero-knowledge proofs, homomorphic encryption, and secure multi-party computation can be used to protect personal data while still allowing for necessary verification.

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) | Creating new forms of governance: DAOs provide new ways for groups to organize, and make decisions. They provide a transparent way to pool resources, and make decisions.

A Call to Action: Defending Our Digital Rights and Building a Decentralized Future

We cannot passively accept the erosion of our fundamental freedoms. We must actively defend our digital rights and demand a more just and equitable financial system.

Advocate for Robust Privacy Laws: Demand stronger regulations that limit the collection and use of personal data.

Champion Decentralized Technologies: Support the development and adoption of cryptocurrencies, DeFi platforms, and other decentralized solutions.

Educate and Empower: Raise awareness about the dangers of KYC and state surveillance.

Cultivate Critical Thinking: Question the narratives presented by governments and corporations.

Build Decentralized Communities: Join and support decentralized communities that are working to build a more free and open financial system.

Demand transparency from all data collection: Insist that all data collection is open, and that there are strong penalties for those that misuse data.

The fight for financial freedom is a fight for human freedom. Let us stand together and reclaim our digital sovereignty.

@ d34e832d:383f78d0

Micro with its operands and keybindings.

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Micro is a modern, user-friendly text editor designed for the terminal. It offers extensive features, including mouse support, multiple cursors, syntax highlighting, and an intuitive command bar.

---

1. Command Bar

• Open it with Ctrl-e
• Supports shell-like argument parsing (single/double quotes, escaping)
• No environment variable expansion

---

2. Commands Overview

Commands are entered using Ctrl-e followed by the command.

File Management

• save ['filename'] → Save the current buffer (or "Save As" if a filename is given)
• quit → Exit Micro
• open 'filename' → Open a file
• reopen → Reload the current file from disk
• pwd → Print the current working directory
• cd 'path' → Change the working directory

Navigation

• goto 'line[:col]' → Move to an absolute line and column
• jump 'line[:col]' → Move relative to the current line

Editing

• replace 'search' 'value' ['flags'] → Replace text
• -a → Replace all occurrences
• -l → Literal search (no regex)
• replaceall 'search' 'value' → Replace all without confirmation
• textfilter 'sh-command' → Pipe selected text through a shell command and replace it

Splitting and Tabs

• vsplit ['filename'] → Open a vertical split
• hsplit ['filename'] → Open a horizontal split
• tab ['filename'] → Open a file in a new tab
• tabswitch 'tab' → Switch between tabs
• tabmove '[-+]n' → Move tab position

Configuration

• set 'option' 'value' → Set a global option
• setlocal 'option' 'value' → Set an option for the current buffer
• show 'option' → Show the current value of an option
• reset 'option' → Reset an option to its default

Plugins

• plugin list → List installed plugins
• plugin install 'pl' → Install a plugin
• plugin remove 'pl' → Remove a plugin
• plugin update ['pl'] → Update a plugin
• plugin search 'pl' → Search for plugins

Miscellaneous

• run 'sh-command' → Run a shell command in the background
• log → View debug messages
• reload → Reload all runtime files (settings, keybindings, syntax files, etc.)
• raw → Debug terminal escape sequences
• showkey 'key' → Show what action is bound to a key
• term ['exec'] → Open a terminal emulator running a specific command
• lint → Lint the current file
• comment → Toggle comments on a selected line or block

---

3. Keybindings Overview

| Action | Keybinding | |------------------|--------------| | Navigation | | | Move cursor left | ← or h | | Move cursor right | → or l | | Move cursor up | ↑ or k | | Move cursor down | ↓ or j | | Move to start of line | Home | | Move to end of line | End | | Move to start of file | Ctrl-Home | | Move to end of file | Ctrl-End | | Move by word left | Ctrl-← or Ctrl-b | | Move by word right | Ctrl-→ or Ctrl-f | | Editing | | | Copy | Ctrl-c | | Cut | Ctrl-x | | Paste | Ctrl-v | | Undo | Ctrl-z | | Redo | Ctrl-Shift-z | | Delete word left | Ctrl-Backspace | | Delete word right | Ctrl-Delete | | Splitting & Tabs | | | Open horizontal split | Ctrl-w h | | Open vertical split | Ctrl-w v | | Switch tab left | Alt-← | | Switch tab right | Alt-→ |

For more, check the official keybindings:
🔗 Micro Keybindings 🔗Available Here

---

Final Thoughts

Micro is a powerful text editor for terminal users who want an alternative to Vim or Nano. With an intuitive command bar, extensive customization options, and full plugin support, it offers a lightweight yet feature-rich editing experience. 🚀

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Menschen tun alles, egal wie absurd, \ um ihrer eigenen Seele nicht zu begegnen. \ Carl Gustav Jung

«Extremer Reichtum ist eine Gefahr für die Demokratie», sagen über die Hälfte der knapp 3000 befragten Millionäre aus G20-Staaten laut einer Umfrage der «Patriotic Millionaires». Ferner stellte dieser Zusammenschluss wohlhabender US-Amerikaner fest, dass 63 Prozent jener Millionäre den Einfluss von Superreichen auf US-Präsident Trump als Bedrohung für die globale Stabilität ansehen.

Diese Besorgnis haben 370 Millionäre und Milliardäre am Dienstag auch den in Davos beim WEF konzentrierten Privilegierten aus aller Welt übermittelt. In einem offenen Brief forderten sie die «gewählten Führer» auf, die Superreichen – also sie selbst – zu besteuern, um «die zersetzenden Auswirkungen des extremen Reichtums auf unsere Demokratien und die Gesellschaft zu bekämpfen». Zum Beispiel kontrolliere eine handvoll extrem reicher Menschen die Medien, beeinflusse die Rechtssysteme in unzulässiger Weise und verwandele Recht in Unrecht.

Schon 2019 beanstandete der bekannte Historiker und Schriftsteller Ruthger Bregman an einer WEF-Podiumsdiskussion die Steuervermeidung der Superreichen. Die elitäre Veranstaltung bezeichnete er als «Feuerwehr-Konferenz, bei der man nicht über Löschwasser sprechen darf.» Daraufhin erhielt Bregman keine Einladungen nach Davos mehr. Auf seine Aussagen machte der Schweizer Aktivist Alec Gagneux aufmerksam, der sich seit Jahrzehnten kritisch mit dem WEF befasst. Ihm wurde kürzlich der Zutritt zu einem dreiteiligen Kurs über das WEF an der Volkshochschule Region Brugg verwehrt.

Nun ist die Erkenntnis, dass mit Geld politischer Einfluss einhergeht, alles andere als neu. Und extremer Reichtum macht die Sache nicht wirklich besser. Trotzdem hat man über Initiativen wie Patriotic Millionaires oder Taxmenow bisher eher selten etwas gehört, obwohl es sie schon lange gibt. Auch scheint es kein Problem, wenn ein Herr Gates fast im Alleingang versucht, globale Gesundheits-, Klima-, Ernährungs- oder Bevölkerungspolitik zu betreiben – im Gegenteil. Im Jahr, als der Milliardär Donald Trump zum zweiten Mal ins Weiße Haus einzieht, ist das Echo in den Gesinnungsmedien dagegen enorm – und uniform, wer hätte das gedacht.

Der neue US-Präsident hat jedoch «Davos geerdet», wie Achgut es nannte. In seiner kurzen Rede beim Weltwirtschaftsforum verteidigte er seine Politik und stellte klar, er habe schlicht eine «Revolution des gesunden Menschenverstands» begonnen. Mit deutlichen Worten sprach er unter anderem von ersten Maßnahmen gegen den «Green New Scam», und von einem «Erlass, der jegliche staatliche Zensur beendet»:

«Unsere Regierung wird die Äußerungen unserer eigenen Bürger nicht mehr als Fehlinformation oder Desinformation bezeichnen, was die Lieblingswörter von Zensoren und derer sind, die den freien Austausch von Ideen und, offen gesagt, den Fortschritt verhindern wollen.»

Wie der «Trumpismus» letztlich einzuordnen ist, muss jeder für sich selbst entscheiden. Skepsis ist definitiv angebracht, denn «einer von uns» sind weder der Präsident noch seine auserwählten Teammitglieder. Ob sie irgendeinen Sumpf trockenlegen oder Staatsverbrechen aufdecken werden oder was aus WHO- und Klimaverträgen wird, bleibt abzuwarten.

Das WHO-Dekret fordert jedenfalls die Übertragung der Gelder auf «glaubwürdige Partner», die die Aktivitäten übernehmen könnten. Zufällig scheint mit «Impfguru» Bill Gates ein weiterer Harris-Unterstützer kürzlich das Lager gewechselt zu haben: Nach einem gemeinsamen Abendessen zeigte er sich «beeindruckt» von Trumps Interesse an der globalen Gesundheit.

Mit dem Projekt «Stargate» sind weitere dunkle Wolken am Erwartungshorizont der Fangemeinde aufgezogen. Trump hat dieses Joint Venture zwischen den Konzernen OpenAI, Oracle, und SoftBank als das «größte KI-Infrastrukturprojekt der Geschichte» angekündigt. Der Stein des Anstoßes: Oracle-CEO Larry Ellison, der auch Fan von KI-gestützter Echtzeit-Überwachung ist, sieht einen weiteren potenziellen Einsatz der künstlichen Intelligenz. Sie könne dazu dienen, Krebserkrankungen zu erkennen und individuelle mRNA-«Impfstoffe» zur Behandlung innerhalb von 48 Stunden zu entwickeln.

Warum bitte sollten sich diese superreichen «Eliten» ins eigene Fleisch schneiden und direkt entgegen ihren eigenen Interessen handeln? Weil sie Menschenfreunde, sogenannte Philanthropen sind? Oder vielleicht, weil sie ein schlechtes Gewissen haben und ihre Schuld kompensieren müssen? Deswegen jedenfalls brauchen «Linke» laut Robert Willacker, einem deutschen Politikberater mit brasilianischen Wurzeln, rechte Parteien – ein ebenso überraschender wie humorvoller Erklärungsansatz.

Wenn eine Krähe der anderen kein Auge aushackt, dann tut sie das sich selbst noch weniger an. Dass Millionäre ernsthaft ihre eigene Besteuerung fordern oder Machteliten ihren eigenen Einfluss zugunsten anderer einschränken würden, halte ich für sehr unwahrscheinlich. So etwas glaube ich erst, wenn zum Beispiel die Rüstungsindustrie sich um Friedensverhandlungen bemüht, die Pharmalobby sich gegen institutionalisierte Korruption einsetzt, Zentralbanken ihre CBDC-Pläne für Bitcoin opfern oder der ÖRR die Abschaffung der Rundfunkgebühren fordert.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ c631e267:c2b78d3e

Die grauenvollste Aussicht ist die der Technokratie – \ einer kontrollierenden Herrschaft, \ die durch verstümmelte und verstümmelnde Geister ausgeübt wird. \ Ernst Jünger

«Davos ist nicht mehr sexy», das Weltwirtschaftsforum (WEF) mache Davos kaputt, diese Aussagen eines Einheimischen las ich kürzlich in der Handelszeitung. Während sich einige vor Ort enorm an der «teuersten Gewerbeausstellung der Welt» bereicherten, würden die negativen Begleiterscheinungen wie Wohnungsnot und Niedergang der lokalen Wirtschaft immer deutlicher.

Nächsten Montag beginnt in dem Schweizer Bergdorf erneut ein Jahrestreffen dieses elitären Clubs der Konzerne, bei dem man mit hochrangigen Politikern aus aller Welt und ausgewählten Vertretern der Systemmedien zusammenhocken wird. Wie bereits in den vergangenen vier Jahren wird die Präsidentin der EU-Kommission, Ursula von der Leyen, in Begleitung von Klaus Schwab ihre Grundsatzansprache halten.

Der deutsche WEF-Gründer hatte bei dieser Gelegenheit immer höchst lobende Worte für seine Landsmännin: 2021 erklärte er sich «stolz, dass Europa wieder unter Ihrer Führung steht» und 2022 fand er es bemerkenswert, was sie erreicht habe angesichts des «erstaunlichen Wandels», den die Welt in den vorangegangenen zwei Jahren erlebt habe; es gebe nun einen «neuen europäischen Geist».

Von der Leyens Handeln während der sogenannten Corona-«Pandemie» lobte Schwab damals bereits ebenso, wie es diese Woche das Karlspreis-Direktorium tat, als man der Beschuldigten im Fall Pfizergate die diesjährige internationale Auszeichnung «für Verdienste um die europäische Einigung» verlieh. Außerdem habe sie die EU nicht nur gegen den «Aggressor Russland», sondern auch gegen die «innere Bedrohung durch Rassisten und Demagogen» sowie gegen den Klimawandel verteidigt.

Jene Herausforderungen durch «Krisen epochalen Ausmaßes» werden indes aus dem Umfeld des WEF nicht nur herbeigeredet – wie man alljährlich zur Zeit des Davoser Treffens im Global Risks Report nachlesen kann, der zusammen mit dem Versicherungskonzern Zurich erstellt wird. Seit die Globalisten 2020/21 in der Praxis gesehen haben, wie gut eine konzertierte und konsequente Angst-Kampagne funktionieren kann, geht es Schlag auf Schlag. Sie setzen alles daran, Schwabs goldenes Zeitfenster des «Great Reset» zu nutzen.

Ziel dieses «großen Umbruchs» ist die totale Kontrolle der Technokraten über die Menschen unter dem Deckmantel einer globalen Gesundheitsfürsorge. Wie aber könnte man so etwas erreichen? Ein Mittel dazu ist die «kreative Zerstörung». Weitere unabdingbare Werkzeug sind die Einbindung, ja Gleichschaltung der Medien und der Justiz.

Ein «Great Mental Reset» sei die Voraussetzung dafür, dass ein Großteil der Menschen Einschränkungen und Manipulationen wie durch die Corona-Maßnahmen praktisch kritik- und widerstandslos hinnehme, sagt der Mediziner und Molekulargenetiker Michael Nehls. Er meint damit eine regelrechte Umprogrammierung des Gehirns, wodurch nach und nach unsere Individualität und unser soziales Bewusstsein eliminiert und durch unreflektierten Konformismus ersetzt werden.

Der aktuelle Zustand unserer Gesellschaften ist auch für den Schweizer Rechtsanwalt Philipp Kruse alarmierend. Durch den Umgang mit der «Pandemie» sieht er die Grundlagen von Recht und Vernunft erschüttert, die Rechtsstaatlichkeit stehe auf dem Prüfstand. Seiner dringenden Mahnung an alle Bürger, die Prinzipien von Recht und Freiheit zu verteidigen, kann ich mich nur anschließen.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 7d33ba57:1b82db35

Venice is like nowhere else on Earth. A city built on water, where gondolas glide through silent canals and palaces shimmer in the light of the lagoon. It’s romantic, surreal, and endlessly photogenic—from the grandeur of St. Mark’s Square to the quiet charm of back-alley bridges. Whether you're there for the art, the architecture, or the atmosphere, Venice is pure magic.

🌟 Must-See in Venice

1️⃣ St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco)

• A glittering masterpiece of Byzantine architecture
• Don’t miss the Pala d’Oro and mosaics inside
• Climb to the rooftop terrace for views over Piazza San Marco

2️⃣ Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale)

• The seat of Venetian power for centuries
• Walk across the Bridge of Sighs to the old prison
• Book a "Secret Itineraries" tour to explore hidden passages

3️⃣ Grand Canal & Vaporetto Ride

• Take a vaporetto (water bus) from Piazzale Roma to San Marco
• You'll pass Rialto Bridge, palazzos, and everyday life along the water
• For extra magic, do it at sunset

4️⃣ Rialto Market & Bridge

• The city’s oldest bridge, buzzing with life
• Stop by the Rialto Market in the morning for local seafood and produce
• Great area to grab a spritz and people-watch

5️⃣ Gondola Ride or Rowboat Tour

• Yes, it’s touristy—but it’s iconic for a reason
• For a local spin, try a traghetto across the canal, or book a rowboat tour at sunset

🖼️ Art & Culture

• Gallerie dell’Accademia – Home to masterpieces by Titian, Veronese, and Tintoretto
• Peggy Guggenheim Collection – Modern art in a stunning canal-side setting
• Teatro La Fenice – Venice’s grand opera house, steeped in drama and beauty

🍝 What to Eat in Venice

• Cicchetti – Venetian tapas: try bacalà mantecato, crostini with seafood, or mini meatballs
• Sarde in saor – Sweet-and-sour marinated sardines
• Risotto al nero di seppia – Squid ink risotto
• Wash it down with a Venetian spritz (try one with Select or Cynar)

🌿 Day Trips from Venice

• Murano – Famous for glassblowing
• Burano – Bright, colorful houses and handmade lace
• Torcello – Quiet island with ancient churches and lagoon views
• Lido – Beachy escape from the city crowds

🎯 Venice Tips

✅ Get lost—it’s part of the charm (but download offline maps just in case)
✅ Visit early morning or late evening to feel the magic without the crowds
✅ Stay overnight if you can—Venice empties after the cruise ships leave
✅ Don’t feed the pigeons in St. Mark’s Square—it’s actually banned
✅ Look for "ombra" (local wine) and a plate of cicchetti at a traditional bacaro bar

@ 39cc53c9:27168656

Read the original blog post

Over the past few months, I've dedicated my time to a complete rewrite of the kycnot.me website. The technology stack remains unchanged; Golang paired with TailwindCSS. However, I've made some design choices in this iteration that I believe significantly enhance the site. Particularly to backend code.

UI Improvements

You'll notice a refreshed UI that retains the original concept but has some notable enhancements. The service list view is now more visually engaging, it displays additional information in a more aesthetically pleasing manner. Both filtering and searching functionalities have been optimized for speed and user experience.

Service pages have been also redesigned to highlight key information at the top, with the KYC Level box always accessible. The display of service attributes is now more visually intuitive.

The request form, especially the Captcha, has undergone substantial improvements. The new self-made Captcha is robust, addressing the reliability issues encountered with the previous version.

Terms of Service Summarizer

A significant upgrade is the Terms of Service summarizer/reviewer, now powered by AI (GPT-4-turbo). It efficiently condenses each service's ToS, extracting and presenting critical points, including any warnings. Summaries are updated monthly, processing over 40 ToS pages via the OpenAI API using a self-crafted and thoroughly tested prompt.

Nostr Comments

I've integrated a comment section for each service using Nostr. For guidance on using this feature, visit the dedicated how-to page.

Database

The backend database has transitioned to pocketbase, an open-source Golang backend that has been a pleasure to work with. I maintain an updated fork of the Golang SDK for pocketbase at pluja/pocketbase.

Scoring

The scoring algorithm has also been refined to be more fair. Despite I had considered its removal due to the complexity it adds (it is very difficult to design a fair scoring system), some users highlighted its value, so I kept it. The updated algorithm is available open source.

Listings

Each listing has been re-evaluated, and the ones that were no longer operational were removed. New additions are included, and the backlog of pending services will be addressed progressively, since I still have access to the old database.

API

The API now offers more comprehensive data. For more details, check here.

About Page

The About page has been restructured for brevity and clarity.

Other Changes

Extensive changes have been implemented in the server-side logic, since the whole code base was re-written from the ground up. I may discuss these in a future post, but for now, I consider the current version to be just a bit beyond beta, and additional updates are planned in the coming weeks.

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

@ b8af284d:f82c91dd

Liebe Abonnenten,

diejenigen, die diese Publikation schon länger abonniert haben, wissen, dass hier immer wieder über den Ursprung des Corona-Virus in einem Labor in Wuhan berichtet wurde. Seit diese Woche ist es „offiziell“ - der Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) hält den Labor-Ursprung für die wahrscheinlichste Variante. Jetzt kann man sich fragen, warum der BND plötzlich umschwenkt: Will man proaktiv erscheinen, weil man die Wahrheit nicht mehr länger verbergen kann? Oder will man die enttäuschten Bürger zurückgewinnen, die aufgrund der Lügen während der Corona-Zeit zunehmend mit Parteien links und rechts außen sympathisiert haben, weil diese die einzigen waren, die den Irrsinn nicht mitgetragen haben?

Auffallend bei den „Recherchen“, die in Wahrheit keine sind, sondern Verlautbarungen des deutschen Geheimdienstes, ist auch das völlige Schweigen über die US-amerikanischen Verwicklungen in das Projekt. In Wuhan wurde mit amerikanischem Geld geforscht. Warum der BND diese Tatsache verschweigt, ist Teil der Spekulation. Vermutlich will man Peking alles in die Schuhe schieben, um von den eigenen Versäumnissen abzulenken.

In meinem aktuellen Buch “Der chinesische (Alp-)Traum” ist den Ereignissen in Wuhan ein ganzes Kapitel gewidmet. Es hat nichts an Aktualität eingebüßt. Alle Fakten lagen seit Jahren auf dem Tisch für jeden, den es interessiert hat. Hier gibt es das gesamte Kapitel nachzulesen.

Auf jeden Fall zeigt dies, wie der Begriff „Verschwörungstheoretiker“ in den vergangenen Jahren zum Kampfbegriff und Waffe gemacht wurde, um Kritiker zu diffamieren, und die öffentliche Meinung ohne harte Zensur zu lenken. Ähnliches kann man aktuell beim Projekt „Digitaler Euro“ beobachten. Vermutlich kann sich kein Bürger der Europäischen Union daran erinnern, bei seiner Wahlentscheidung jemals gefragt worden zu sein, ob er die Einführung eines „digitalen Euros“ gut findet. Wurde er nämlich nicht. Er kommt aber trotzdem. EZB-Präsidentin Christine Lagarde hat das diese Woche nochmals bekräftigt: Schon im Oktober will man die Testphase beenden und an der Einführung arbeiten.

Nun gehört BlingBling nicht zu denjenigen, die im digitalen Euro „Orwell’sches Teufelswerk“ sehen. Strategische Dummheit trifft es besser. Worum geht es?

Sogenannte Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) waren vor einigen Jahren so etwas wie der letzte Schrei in der Zentralbank-Welt. Nachdem Facebook/Meta 2017/18 eine eigene Währung namens Libra auf den Markt bringen wollte, und eine obskure Internet-Währung namens Bitcoin immer mehr Anhänger fand, sahen sich viele Zentralbanken der Welt unter Zugzwang. Was man wollte: eine digitale, direkt von der Zentralbank ausgegebene Währung ohne Bugs, aber mit Features. Mit einer Digital-Währung ließe sich der internationale Zahlungsverkehr direkt und ohne Umweg über den US-Dollar abwickeln. Die Zentralbank bekäme wieder mehr direkten Einfluss auf die Geldschöpfung. Und, wie man aus China lernen konnte, ließen sich digitale Bankkonten auch ganz zum „Nudging von Bürgern“ nutzen. So spekulierten die ersten Verschwörungstheoretiker bald, ein digitaler Euro ließe sich ja mit einem persönlichen CO2-Konto verknüpfen. Wäre letzteres einmal aufgebraucht, könnte der Konto-Inhaber einfach keinen Flug mehr buchen. Auch ließe sich eine expansive Geldpolitik, wie sie bis 2022 praktiziert wurde, ganz einfach mit Negativ-Zinsen umsetzen. Geld würde sich nominal reduzieren, was den Bürger zum Konsum animieren würde. Flüchtigen Kriminellen ließe sich per Knopfdruck das Konto sperren. Der Staat würde also über eine ganze neue Palette an Einflussmöglichkeiten verfügen.

Die Aluhüte United warnten vor einem Orwellschen Überwachungsstaat. Vertreter von Regierungen und Firmen, die diesen digitalen Euro bauen sollten, beschwichtigten. Mit Ralf Wintergerst, CEO von Giesecke+Devrient, nach wie vor heißester Anwärter, um das Projekt in der EU umzusetzen, sprach ich in den vergangenen Jahren mehrmals zu dem Thema. Zuletzt im Dezember 24.

Wintergerst versichert stets zwei Dinge: Eine Abschaffung von Bargeld sei nicht geplant. Und nur, wenn die Fluchttore Bargeld, Gold und Bitcoin geschlossen werden, greift die dystopische Version. Und zweitens, so Wintergerst, habe niemand ein chinesisches System im Sinne. Der „digitale Euro“ sei für die Bürger gedacht und das Projekt unterliege demokratischer Kontrolle. Ob er Wintergerst und dem guten im Menschen Glauben schenkt, möge jeder Leser selbst entscheiden. Das Interessantere ist ohnehin, dass der digitale Euro ein strategisch dummes Projekt ist.

Dazu muss man wissen, dass eine solche Zentralbankwährung Banken im weitesten Sinne überflüssig macht. Kontos bei Privatbanken werden obsolet, genauso wie Spar-, Fest- und Tagesgeld-Strukturen. Deshalb soll der digitale Euro zunächst auf 3000 Euro pro Bürger beschränkt werden. Das ist also nicht als Maximal-Vermögen gedacht, das dann jedem sozialistischen Einheits-EU-Menschen noch zusteht, sondern dient dazu, das Bankensystem nicht kollabieren zu lassen. Aber wozu überhaupt „ein bisschen digitaler Euro“?

In den USA setzt man mittlerweile 100 Prozent auf die private Alternative: Stablecoins wie Tether (USDT) und Circle (USDC) sind nichts anderes als digitale Währungen. Nur sind sie nicht von einer Zentralbank ausgeben, sondern von privaten Anbietern. Tether hat technisch die Möglichkeit, einen Inhaber vom Zahlungsverkehr auszusperren. Nur dürfte es davon kaum Gebrauch machen, will das Unternehmen nicht rasant Kunden an die Konkurrenz verlieren. Da USDT und USDC mit US-Dollar gedeckt sind (oder zumindest sein sollten, looking at you, Tether!), stärken sie außerdem die Rolle des US-Dollars als Leitwährung. Und da die USA sich aktuell sehr über Käufer von Staatsanleihen freuen, um die Zinsen zu drücken, und Tether einer der größten Halter von US-Staatsanleihen ist, wird es den digitalen Dollar bis auf Weiteres nicht geben.

Den digitalen Yuan gibt es, aber von einer großen Akzeptanz oder Durchdringung der chinesischen Wirtschaft lässt sich nicht sprechen. Kontrolle kann der chinesische Staat ohnehin über seine omnipräsenten Apps WeChat und Alipay ausüben. Was den internationalen Zahlungsverkehr betrifft, scheint man aktuell eher auf Gold zu setzen.

Übrig also bleibt die EU mit einem Projekt, das bereits Milliarden an Entwicklungskosten verschlungen hat. Am Ende bleibt dann ein Mini-Digitaler-Euro in Höhe von 3000 Euro, den niemand wollte, und niemand braucht.

Helfen könnte er allerdings beim Projekt “Mobilisierung der Sparguthaben”. Der Ausdruck geht auf Friedrich Merz zurück. Ursula von der Leyen paraphrasierte ihn jüngst:

Irgendwie müssen die Billionen von Sparguthaben in Militär-Investitionen umgewandelt werden. Das wird am besten funktionieren mit Anleihen, die schlechter verzinst sind als sonst auf dem Markt üblich. Wie bringt man Leute dazu, dann ihr Geld dort zu investieren? Entweder man zwingt sie, oder man bewirbt die Anleihen mit viel Patriotismus und Propaganda. Die Verschwörungstheoretiker unter uns bekommen also bald Futter, wenn die „Spar- und Investitionsunion” vorgestellt wird.

Like, wenn Dein Aluhut glüht…

Hinter der Paywall: Wie das Trump-Derangement-Syndrom den Blick auf den Markt trübt. Wie es mit Bitcoin, Gold und Aktien weitergeht.**

@ 39cc53c9:27168656

Read the original blog post

Bitcoin enthusiasts frequently and correctly remark how much value it adds to Bitcoin not to have a face, a leader, or a central authority behind it. This particularity means there isn't a single person to exert control over, or a single human point of failure who could become corrupt or harmful to the project.

Because of this, it is said that no other coin can be equally valuable as Bitcoin in terms of decentralization and trustworthiness. Bitcoin is unique not just for being first, but also because of how the events behind its inception developed. This implies that, from Bitcoin onwards, any coin created would have been created by someone, consequently having an authority behind it. For this and some other reasons, some people refer to Bitcoin as "The Immaculate Conception".

While other coins may have their own unique features and advantages, they may not be able to replicate Bitcoin's community-driven nature. However, one other cryptocurrency shares a similar story of mystery behind its creation: Monero.

History of Monero

Bytecoin and CryptoNote

In March 2014, a Bitcointalk thread titled "Bytecoin. Secure, private, untraceable since 2012" was initiated by a user under the nickname "DStrange"^1^. DStrange presented Bytecoin (BCN) as a unique cryptocurrency, in operation since July 2012. Unlike Bitcoin, it employed a new algorithm known as CryptoNote.

DStrange apparently stumbled upon the Bytecoin website by chance while mining a dying bitcoin fork, and decided to create a thread on Bitcointalk^1^. This sparked curiosity among some users, who wondered how could Bytecoin remain unnoticed since its alleged launch in 2012 until then^2^.

Some time after, a user brought up the "CryptoNote v2.0" whitepaper for the first time, underlining its innovative features^4^. Authored by the pseudonymous Nicolas van Saberhagen in October 2013, the CryptoNote v2 whitepaper^5^ highlighted the traceability and privacy problems in Bitcoin. Saberhagen argued that these flaws could not be quickly fixed, suggesting it would be more efficient to start a new project rather than trying to patch the original^5^, an statement simmilar to the one from Satoshi Nakamoto^6^.

Checking with Saberhagen's digital signature, the release date of the whitepaper seemed correct, which would mean that Cryptonote (v1) was created in 2012^7^, although there's an important detail: "Signing time is from the clock on the signer's computer" ^9^.

Moreover, the whitepaper v1 contains a footnote link to a Bitcointalk post dated May 5, 2013^10^, making it impossible for the whitepaper to have been signed and released on December 12, 2012.

As the narrative developed, users discovered that a significant 80% portion of Bytecoin had been pre-mined^11^ and blockchain dates seemed to be faked to make it look like it had been operating since 2012, leading to controversy surrounding the project.

The origins of CryptoNote and Bytecoin remain mysterious, leaving suspicions of a possible scam attempt, although the whitepaper had a good amount of work and thought on it.

The fork

In April 2014, the Bitcointalk user thankful_for_today, who had also participated in the Bytecoin thread^12^, announced plans to launch a Bytecoin fork named Bitmonero^13^.

The primary motivation behind this fork was "Because there is a number of technical and marketing issues I wanted to do differently. And also because I like ideas and technology and I want it to succeed"^14^. This time Bitmonero did things different from Bytecoin: there was no premine or instamine, and no portion of the block reward went to development.

However, thankful_for_today proposed controversial changes that the community disagreed with. Johnny Mnemonic relates the events surrounding Bitmonero and thankful_for_today in a Bitcointalk comment^15^:

When thankful_for_today launched BitMonero [...] he ignored everything that was discussed and just did what he wanted. The block reward was considerably steeper than what everyone was expecting. He also moved forward with 1-minute block times despite everyone's concerns about the increase of orphan blocks. He also didn't address the tail emission concern that should've (in my opinion) been in the code at launch time. Basically, he messed everything up. Then, he disappeared.

After disappearing for a while, thankful_for_today returned to find that the community had taken over the project. Johnny Mnemonic continues:

I, and others, started working on new forks that were closer to what everyone else was hoping for. [...] it was decided that the BitMonero project should just be taken over. There were like 9 or 10 interested parties at the time if my memory is correct. We voted on IRC to drop the "bit" from BitMonero and move forward with the project. Thankful_for_today suddenly resurfaced, and wasn't happy to learn the community had assumed control of the coin. He attempted to maintain his own fork (still calling it "BitMonero") for a while, but that quickly fell into obscurity.

The unfolding of these events show us the roots of Monero. Much like Satoshi Nakamoto, the creators behind CryptoNote/Bytecoin and thankful_for_today remain a mystery^17^, having disappeared without a trace. This enigma only adds to Monero's value.

Since community took over development, believing in the project's potential and its ability to be guided in a better direction, Monero was given one of Bitcoin's most important qualities: a leaderless nature. With no single face or entity directing its path, Monero is safe from potential corruption or harm from a "central authority".

The community continued developing Monero until today. Since then, Monero has undergone a lot of technological improvements, migrations and achievements such as RingCT and RandomX. It also has developed its own Community Crowdfundinc System, conferences such as MoneroKon and Monerotopia are taking place every year, and has a very active community around it.

Monero continues to develop with goals of privacy and security first, ease of use and efficiency second. ^16^

This stands as a testament to the power of a dedicated community operating without a central figure of authority. This decentralized approach aligns with the original ethos of cryptocurrency, making Monero a prime example of community-driven innovation. For this, I thank all the people involved in Monero, that lead it to where it is today.

If you find any information that seems incorrect, unclear or any missing important events, please contact me and I will make the necessary changes.

Sources of interest

• https://forum.getmonero.org/20/general-discussion/211/history-of-monero
• https://monero.stackexchange.com/questions/852/what-is-the-origin-of-monero-and-its-relationship-to-bytecoin
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monero
• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=583449.0
• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=563821.0
• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=233561
• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=512747.0
• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=740112.0
• https://monero.stackexchange.com/a/1024
• https://inspec2t-project.eu/cryptocurrency-with-a-focus-on-anonymity-these-facts-are-known-about-monero/
• https://medium.com/coin-story/coin-perspective-13-riccardo-spagni-69ef82907bd1
• https://www.getmonero.org/resources/about/
• https://www.wired.com/2017/01/monero-drug-dealers-cryptocurrency-choice-fire/
• https://www.monero.how/why-monero-vs-bitcoin
• https://old.reddit.com/r/Monero/comments/u8e5yr/satoshi_nakamoto_talked_about_privacy_features/

@ f4db5270:3c74e0d0

"Barche a riposo" (2023)

40x40 cm, oil on panel canvas

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Here a few moments work in progress...

L'inizio...

@ a95c6243:d345522c

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ f60140bb:3a5cd904

Flycat is a client-side software without introducing backends or database setup. the idea is to keep it effortless for users to self host. It mainly use React Nextjs framework in typescript lang.

Branch

• master branch is the one for production development. Every commit merged in master branch will push new release alive.
• develop branch is only used for feature involved with tons of works and needs to be tested before release to production.

How to run

Nodejs >= v18.12.1 yarn >= 1.22.19

```sh git clone https://github.com/digi-monkey/flycat-web.git cd flycat-web yarn

development

yarn dev

build for release

yarn build ```

For self-host, check out How to deploy to vercel

Code structure

• TODO

Release

Once a week, we release a regular update version. For hotfix, a instant minor version will be roll out once fixed.

We use project kanban to manage the development and release. every week, we gather the things we want to do in this kanban and release a new version at the end of that week.

Contributing

A good way to start contributing is to check the github issues labeling with good first issue.

Design Call

Every week, right before a regular release iteration start, we host a regular design call meeting, the meeting is fully open. anyone can join and discuss if they want.

The meeting is mainly focus on:

• things planning to ship in that week
• new contributors self-introduce, asking question about the project or development
• users feedback

The meeting is tentatively scheduled for 1:00 PM UTC+8 hosted on meet.jit.si. Check out flycat official account for meeting link.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Was du bist hängt von drei Faktoren ab: \ Was du geerbt hast, \ was deine Umgebung aus dir machte \ und was du in freier Wahl \ aus deiner Umgebung und deinem Erbe gemacht hast. \ Aldous Huxley

Das brave Mitmachen und Mitlaufen in einem vorgegebenen, recht engen Rahmen ist gewiss nicht neu, hat aber gerade wieder mal Konjunktur. Dies kann man deutlich beobachten, eigentlich egal, in welchem gesellschaftlichen Bereich man sich umschaut. Individualität ist nur soweit angesagt, wie sie in ein bestimmtes Schema von «Diversität» passt, und Freiheit verkommt zur Worthülse – nicht erst durch ein gewisses Buch einer gewissen ehemaligen Regierungschefin.

Erklärungsansätze für solche Entwicklungen sind bekannt, und praktisch alle haben etwas mit Massenpsychologie zu tun. Der Herdentrieb, also der Trieb der Menschen, sich – zum Beispiel aus Unsicherheit oder Bequemlichkeit – lieber der Masse anzuschließen als selbstständig zu denken und zu handeln, ist einer der Erklärungsversuche. Andere drehen sich um Macht, Propaganda, Druck und Angst, also den gezielten Einsatz psychologischer Herrschaftsinstrumente.

Aber wollen die Menschen überhaupt Freiheit? Durch Gespräche im privaten Umfeld bin ich diesbezüglich in der letzten Zeit etwas skeptisch geworden. Um die Jahreswende philosophiert man ja gerne ein wenig über das Erlebte und über die Erwartungen für die Zukunft. Dabei hatte ich hin und wieder den Eindruck, die totalitären Anwandlungen unserer «Repräsentanten» kämen manchen Leuten gerade recht.

«Desinformation» ist so ein brisantes Thema. Davor müsse man die Menschen doch schützen, hörte ich. Jemand müsse doch zum Beispiel diese ganzen merkwürdigen Inhalte in den Social Media filtern – zur Ukraine, zum Klima, zu Gesundheitsthemen oder zur Migration. Viele wüssten ja gar nicht einzuschätzen, was richtig und was falsch ist, sie bräuchten eine Führung.

Freiheit bedingt Eigenverantwortung, ohne Zweifel. Eventuell ist es einigen tatsächlich zu anspruchsvoll, die Verantwortung für das eigene Tun und Lassen zu übernehmen. Oder die persönliche Freiheit wird nicht als ausreichend wertvolles Gut angesehen, um sich dafür anzustrengen. In dem Fall wäre die mangelnde Selbstbestimmung wohl das kleinere Übel. Allerdings fehlt dann gemäß Aldous Huxley ein Teil der Persönlichkeit. Letztlich ist natürlich alles eine Frage der Abwägung.

Sind viele Menschen möglicherweise schon so «eingenordet», dass freiheitliche Ambitionen gar nicht für eine ganze Gruppe, ein Kollektiv, verfolgt werden können? Solche Gedanken kamen mir auch, als ich mir kürzlich diverse Talks beim viertägigen Hacker-Kongress des Chaos Computer Clubs (38C3) anschaute. Ich war nicht nur überrascht, sondern reichlich erschreckt angesichts der in weiten Teilen mainstream-geformten Inhalte, mit denen ein dankbares Publikum beglückt wurde. Wo ich allgemein hellere Köpfe erwartet hatte, fand ich Konformismus und enthusiastisch untermauerte Narrative.

Gibt es vielleicht so etwas wie eine Herdenimmunität gegen Indoktrination? Ich denke, ja, zumindest eine gestärkte Widerstandsfähigkeit. Was wir brauchen, sind etwas gesunder Menschenverstand, offene Informationskanäle und der Mut, sich freier auch zwischen den Herden zu bewegen. Sie tun das bereits, aber sagen Sie es auch dieses Jahr ruhig weiter.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

หากเดินเข้าแผนกผักในซูเปอร์มาร์เก็ต แล้วเกิดความรู้สึกว่า “บรอกโคลี” กับ “กระหล่ำดอก” หน้าตามันเหมือนกันยังกับแฝดที่คนหนึ่งเป็นเด็กเรียนเก่ง อีกคนเป็นศิลปิน ก็ไม่ต้องแปลกใจ เพราะจริง ๆ แล้วพวกเขาเป็นญาติสายตรงกันเลยล่ะครับ ชนิดที่ว่าเกิดจากต้นตระกูลเดียวกันเป๊ะ ๆ และไม่ได้เกิดจากการหล่นลงมาของเมล็ดพืชจากฟากฟ้าหรือจากการปลุกเสกของเทพธิดาในตำนานไหนทั้งนั้น แต่เกิดจากมือมนุษย์เราเองล้วน ๆครับ

ต้นกำเนิดของพืชทั้งสองนั้นย้อนกลับไปไกลถึง “Brassica oleracea” ซึ่งเป็นพืชผักพื้นฐานริมทะเลเมดิเตอร์เรเนียน หน้าตาเมื่อแรกพบก็ไม่ได้หรูหราเหมือนลูกหลานยุคนี้ มันเป็นแค่พืชใบเขียวธรรมดา ๆ ที่ชาวโรมันโบราณเดินผ่านไม่เหลียวหลัง

แต่เมื่อเวลาผ่านไป มนุษย์เริ่มรู้จักการ “คัดเลือกพันธุ์” (selective breeding) คือการเลือกปลูกต้นที่มีลักษณะที่ต้องการ แล้วขยายพันธุ์เฉพาะต้นนั้นต่อไป รุ่นแล้วรุ่นเล่า เหมือนการเลือกเพาะลูกหมาที่ฉลาดและขนฟู จนในที่สุดก็ได้สายพันธุ์ใหม่ ๆ ขึ้นมา

เช่นในกรณีต้นไม้ต้นนึง ถ้าชาวสวนคนหนึ่งชอบต้นที่มี “ตาดอก” ใหญ่หน่อย ก็จะปลูกมันต่อ ส่วนอีกคนชอบใบที่แน่น ๆ ก็เลือกปลูกต้นแบบนั้นต่อ แล้วสิ่งที่ตามมาก็คือความเลยเถิดของความหลากหลายอย่างไม่น่าเชื่อ เช่น • ถ้าเน้นปลูกส่วนใบได้ คะน้า • ถ้าเน้นปลูกส่วนตาดอกได้ กระหล่ำดอก • ถ้าตาดอกสีเขียวแน่น ๆได้ บรอกโคลี • ถ้าเน้นลำต้นบวม ๆได้ กะหล่ำหัว • ถ้าดอกออกแปลก ๆ คล้ายปะการังได้ โรมานีสโก (Romanesco)

แต่ทุกชนิดที่ว่ามานั้น…เป็น “สายพันธุ์ย่อย” ของพืชชนิดเดียวกัน คือ Brassica oleracea ทั้งหมด!

พูดให้เข้าใจง่ายคือบรอกโคลีไม่ได้มาจากพระเจ้า แต่มาจาก “การขยี้ย้ำในลักษณะ จนเป็นการเล่นแร่แปรพันธุ์ของเกษตรกรในยุคโรมัน” ที่ทำกันจริงจังจนกลายเป็นผักจานหลักบนโต๊ะอาหารเราทุกวันนี้

สิ่งที่น่าสนใจอีกคือ บรอกโคลีกับกระหล่ำดอกยังคงกลิ่นกายทางพันธุกรรมเดียวกันอยู่ แม้หน้าตาจะต่าง แต่ DNA ก็คล้ายกันมาก พอ ๆ กับพี่น้องที่ชอบกินของไม่เหมือนกัน แต่มาจากบ้านเดียวกัน

จริง ๆ แล้วพืชตระกูล Brassica พวกนี้แหละ ที่มีสารสำคัญชื่อ Glucosinolate เป็นเหมือนกับนักเคมีของพืช ที่มีสูตรลับไว้ป้องกันตัวเองจากแมลง กลูโคซิโนเลตบางชนิด (เช่น goitrin) อาจรบกวนการดูดซึมไอโอดีน ส่งผลต่อการทำงานของต่อมไทรอยด์ เลยเรียกสิ่งนี้ว่า เป็น anti-nutrient ที่เราเคยได้ยินกันครับ

ถึงตรงนี้ ใครที่ชอบกินผักเหล่านี้ก็น่าจะรู้สึกภูมิใจว่ากำลังกิน “ผลผลิตจากภูมิปัญญามนุษย์” ที่ไม่แพ้การสร้างปิรามิดหรือเครื่องจักรไอน้ำเลย เพราะการคัดเลือกพันธุ์อย่างละเอียดอ่อน ต้องใช้เวลาการย้ำปลูกเป็นร้อยปี และไม่ได้ใช้วิทยาศาสตร์ล้ำยุคอะไรเลย แค่ใช้ใจและมือเปล่าของชาวสวนรุ่นแล้วรุ่นเล่า

สรุปแล้ว บรอกโคลีและกระหล่ำดอก ไม่ใช่ของจากสวรรค์ แต่เป็นของจาก “ความพยายาม” ที่ยิ่งใหญ่พอ ๆ กับการสร้างอารยธรรม พระเจ้าอาจไม่ได้สร้างมัน…แต่มนุษย์เราก็เก่งพอที่จะเป็น “พระเจ้าแห่งผัก” อยู่เหมือนกันนะครับ 555

pirateketo #โรงบ่มสุขภาพ #HealthyHut #ตำรับเอ๋ #siripun

@ 73cee26b:072f3bb6

I haven't really been on nostr in a year or so, but playing around now it seems like there are WAY fewer zaps. There are some high-profile mega-zapped posts, but almost all posts and conversations are bereft of zaps. What happened? Recession?

@ 21335073:a244b1ad

Before I saw those X right-wing political “influencers” parading their Epstein binders in that PR stunt, I’d already posted this on Nostr, an open protocol. 

“Today, the world’s attention will likely fixate on Epstein, governmental failures in addressing horrific abuse cases, and the influential figures who perpetrate such acts—yet few will center the victims and survivors in the conversation. The survivors of Epstein went to law enforcement and very little happened. The survivors tried to speak to the corporate press and the corporate press knowingly covered for him. In situations like these social media can serve as one of the only ways for a survivor’s voice to be heard. 

It’s becoming increasingly evident that the line between centralized corporate social media and the state is razor-thin, if it exists at all. Time and again, the state shields powerful abusers when it’s politically expedient to do so. In this climate, a survivor attempting to expose someone like Epstein on a corporate tech platform faces an uphill battle—there’s no assurance their voice would even break through. Their story wouldn’t truly belong to them; it’d be at the mercy of the platform, subject to deletion at a whim. Nostr, though, offers a lifeline—a censorship-resistant space where survivors can share their truths, no matter how untouchable the abuser might seem. A survivor could remain anonymous here if they took enough steps. 

Nostr holds real promise for amplifying survivor voices. And if you’re here daily, tossing out memes, take heart: you’re helping build a foundation for those who desperately need to be heard.“

That post is untouchable—no CEO, company, employee, or government can delete it. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t take it down myself. The post will outlive me on the protocol. 

The cozy alliance between the state and corporate social media hit me hard during that right-wing X “influencer” PR stunt. Elon owns X. Elon’s a special government employee. X pays those influencers to post. We don’t know who else pays them to post. Those influencers are spurred on by both the government and X to manage the Epstein case narrative. It wasn’t survivors standing there, grinning for photos—it was paid influencers, gatekeepers orchestrating yet another chance to re-exploit the already exploited.

The bond between the state and corporate social media is tight. If the other Epsteins out there are ever to be unmasked, I wouldn’t bet on a survivor’s story staying safe with a corporate tech platform, the government, any social media influencer, or mainstream journalist. Right now, only a protocol can hand survivors the power to truly own their narrative.

I don’t have anything against Elon—I’ve actually been a big supporter. I’m just stating it as I see it. X isn’t censorship resistant and they have an algorithm that they choose not the user. Corporate tech platforms like X can be a better fit for some survivors. X has safety tools and content moderation, making it a solid option for certain individuals. Grok can be a big help for survivors looking for resources or support! As a survivor, you know what works best for you, and safety should always come first—keep that front and center.

That said, a protocol is a game-changer for cases where the powerful are likely to censor. During China's # MeToo movement, survivors faced heavy censorship on social media platforms like Weibo and WeChat, where posts about sexual harassment were quickly removed, and hashtags like # MeToo or "woyeshi" were blocked by government and platform filters. To bypass this, activists turned to blockchain technology encoding their stories—like Yue Xin’s open letter about a Peking University case—into transaction metadata. This made the information tamper-proof and publicly accessible, resisting censorship since blockchain data can’t be easily altered or deleted.

I posted this on X 2/28/25. I wanted to try my first long post on a nostr client. The Epstein cover up is ongoing so it’s still relevant, unfortunately.

If you are a survivor or loved one who is reading this and needs support please reach out to: National Sexual Assault Hotline 24/7 https://rainn.org/

Hours: Available 24 hours

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

มีคนเทียบสัดส่วน โอเมก้า 6:3 ของน้ำมันคาโนล่า แล้วบอกว่าดีงาม เพราะมันได้ที่ 2:1

คืองี้ครับ มันเป็นประเด็นที่หลายคนยังเข้าใจคลาดเคลื่อนอยู่ไม่น้อยโดยเฉพาะเวลาเห็นว่าน้ำมันคาโนล่ามีโอเมก้า 3 ต่อ 6 ในอัตราส่วน 1:2 แล้วรีบบอกว่า “ดีต่อสุขภาพ” หรือ “บาลานซ์ดี” โดยไม่มองลงลึกไปถึง ชนิดของโอเมก้า 3 และ ชีวปริมาณการดูดซึม (bioavailability) ที่ต่างกันระหว่างโอเมก้า 3 จากพืช กับจากสัตว์

มันคือมายาทางตัวเลข ที่ superfood ชอบนำมาโชว์ให้เราดู ในน้ำมันคาโนล่า โอเมก้า 3 ที่พบจะอยู่ในรูปแบบ ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) ซึ่งเป็นกรดไขมันโอเมก้า 3 ที่ ร่างกายไม่สามารถใช้ได้โดยตรง ต้องแปลงเป็น EPA และ DHA ก่อน ถึงจะมีผลต่อสมอง หลอดเลือด และระบบต้านการอักเสบ

ปัญหาคือ ร่างกายมนุษย์แปลง ALA ไปเป็น EPA ได้แค่ประมาณ 5-10% และแปลงต่อเป็น DHA ได้แค่ 0.5-5% เท่านั้น

ถ้าเรากิน ALA จากคาโนล่าออย 1,000 มิลลิกรัม เราอาจจะได้ DHA จริงๆ แค่ ไม่ถึง 50 มิลลิกรัม ซึ่งน้อยมากจนไม่เพียงพอต่อการบำรุงสมองหรือป้องกันโรคอักเสบเรื้อรังใดๆ

ประเด็นสำคัญการเกิด oxidation ของ ALA ในระหว่างการทอด เพราะ ALA เป็นกรดไขมันไม่อิ่มตัวแบบมีพันธะสาม (polyunsaturated) ที่ ไวต่อความร้อนและแสงมาก พอเจอความร้อนสูงในกระบวนการทอดหรือแม้แต่แค่โดนแสงขณะเก็บไว้ มันจะกลายเป็นสารอนุมูลอิสระที่ชื่อว่า lipid peroxide ซึ่งเป็นอันตรายต่อเซลล์และอาจเพิ่มความเสี่ยงของโรค NCD

ดังนั้น อย่างที่บอกบ่อยๆครับ จะเอาวิจัยจะอ่านวิจัยมาใช้ โปรดมองบริบทการ "ใช้ชีวิต" ด้วยครับ ค่าโอเมก้า 3:6 ของน้ำมันคาโนล่าอาจดู “สมดุล” แค่ในกระดาษ แต่ความจริงคือ มันเป็นโอเมก้า 3 แบบพืช (ALA) ที่ร่างกายใช้ได้น้อยมาก

“โอเมก้า 3 จากพืช ก็เหมือนแบงก์กาโม่ที่ต้องไปแลกที่ธนาคารก่อนถึงจะใช้ได้ ส่วนโอเมก้า 3 จากสัตว์น่ะ คือ บิทคอยน์ ที่เป็นของจริง”

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BwpmKdJtN/

ปล. Dr Brian Kunakom บอกว่า แค่ชื่อน้ำมันคาโนลาก็แปรรูปแล้ว!! ต้นคาโนลาไม่มีจริง มันถูกดัดแปลงมาจากผักกาดก้านขาวหรือ rapeseed plants ช่วงยุคสงครามโลกครั้งที่ 2 สหรัฐอเมริกาต้องการน้ำมันมาใช้หล่อลื่นเครื่องยนต์ ประเทศแคนาดาจึงหาวิธีปลูกและผลิต rapeseed oil หลังจากที่สิ้นสุดสงครามโลกครั้งที่ 2 rapeseed oil ถูกผลิตมาเยอะเกินและขายไม่ออก ประเทศแคนาดาจึงหาวิธีขายให้ประเทศอื่น ใน rapeseed oil ของแคนาดา สาร Erucic acid มีสูงไปซึ่งไม่เหมาะสำหรับการทานเป็นอาหาร ในช่วงประมาณปี 1970 แคนาดาสำเร็จในการจด patent สำหรับการลดสาร Erucic acid จากน้ำมัน rapeseed และตั้งชื่อน้ำมันใหม่ว่า Canola oil Canola ย่อมาจาก Canadian oil low acid นอกจากจะแปรรูปจากการสกัด ยังแปรรูปในการตั้งชื่อด้วยครับ

pirateketo #กูต้องรู้มั๊ย #ม้วนหางสิลูก

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trust Jesus.

@ 3b7fc823:e194354f

A quick guide for the less than technical savvy to set up their very own free private tor enabled email using Onionmail. Privacy is for everyone, not just the super cyber nerds.

Onion Mail is an anonymous POP3/SMTP email server program hosted by various people on the internet. You can visit this site and read the details: https://en.onionmail.info/

1. Download Tor Browser

First, if you don't already, go download Tor Browser. You are going to need it. https://www.torproject.org/

1. Sign Up

Using Tor browser go to the directory page (https://onionmail.info/directory.html) choose one of the servers and sign up for an account. I say sign up but it is just choosing a user name you want to go before the @xyz.onion email address and solving a captcha.

1. Account information

Once you are done signing up an Account information page will pop up. MAKE SURE YOU SAVE THIS!!! It has your address and passwords (for sending and receiving email) that you will need. If you lose them then you are shit out of luck.

1. Install an Email Client

You can use Claws Mail, Neomutt, or whatever, but for this example, we will be using Thunderbird.

a. Download Thunderbird email client

b. The easy setup popup page that wants your name, email, and password isn't going to like your user@xyz.onion address. Just enter something that looks like a regular email address such as name@example.com and the Configure Manuallyoption will appear below. Click that.

1. Configure Incoming (POP3) Server

Under Incoming Server: Protocol: POP3 Server or Hostname: xyz.onion (whatever your account info says) Port: 110 Security: STARTTLS Authentication: Normal password Username: (your username) Password: (POP3 password).

1. Configure Outgoing (SMTP) Server

Under Outgoing Server: Server or Hostname: xyz.onion (whatever your account info says) Port: 25 Security: STARTTLS Authentication: Normal password Username: (your username) Password: (SMTP password).

1. Click on email at the top and change your address if you had to use a spoof one to get the configure manually to pop up.

2. Configure Proxy

a. Click the gear icon on the bottom left for settings. Scroll all the way down to Network & Disk Space. Click the settings button next to Connection. Configure how Thunderbird connects to the internet.

b. Select Manual Proxy Configuration. For SOCKS Host enter 127.0.0.1 and enter port 9050. (if you are running this through a VM the port may be different)

c. Now check the box for SOCKS5 and then Proxy DNS when using SOCKS5 down at the bottom. Click OK

1. Check Email

For thunderbird to reach the onion mail server it has to be connected to tor. Depending on your local setup, it might be fine as is or you might have to have tor browser open in the background. Click on inbox and then the little cloud icon with the down arrow to check mail.

1. Security Exception

Thunderbird is not going to like that the onion mail server security certificate is self signed. A popup Add Security Exception will appear. Click Confirm Security Exception.

You are done. Enjoy your new private email service.

REMEMBER: The server can read your emails unless they are encrypted. Go into account settings. Look down and click End-toEnd Encryption. Then add your OpenPGP key or open your OpenPGP Key Manager (you might have to download one if you don't already have one) and generate a new key for this account.

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

ลอดจ์ในสยาม ในช่วงที่โลกดูเหมือนจะหมุนเร็วขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ เราเริ่มเห็นปรากฏการณ์บางอย่างซ้ำซ้อนคล้ายคลึงกันไปทั่วโลก ผู้นำประเทศพูดเรื่องเดียวกัน การเงินผูกติดกันเหมือนลูกโป่งชะลูดลม การศึกษาเน้นเรื่องเดียวกัน อาหารแปรรูปสูตรเดียวกัน ยาและวัคซีนออกแนวเดียวกัน คนจำนวนมากพอได้ยินคำนี้ ก็มักจะผูกโยงกับ Freemason โดยอัตโนมัติ เหมือนพอพูดถึง “จานบิน” ก็ต้องนึกถึง “มนุษย์ต่างดาว” ไม่รู้ใครเป็นคนกำหนดชุดความเชื่อนี้ไว้ แต่ที่แน่ ๆ มันติดอยู่ในหัวเราหลายสิบปีแล้ว ซึ่งเราเองก็ไม่อาจทราบได้ว่า มันจะเกี่ยวข้องกันจริงๆหรือ?

ถ้ามองแบบเบื้องต้น Freemason คือกลุ่มที่รวมตัวกันตามหลักของ “ภราดรภาพ” (Brotherhood) ซึ่งเริ่มตั้งแต่ยุคยุโรปกลาง โดยมีโครงสร้างแบบลับ–กึ่งลับ จุดร่วมอยู่ที่ “พิธีกรรม” การฝึกจิตวิญญาณ ความเชื่อในสัญลักษณ์ และการสร้างเครือข่ายความร่วมมือในทุกระดับ ตั้งแต่ช่างหิน คนทำตึก ไปจนถึงนักการเมืองระดับสูง ใครที่ได้เข้าไปอยู่ในระบบนี้ จะต้องผ่านการทดสอบหลายขั้น มีการขึ้นระดับ (Degree) และมีลำดับชั้นเหมือนบันได แต่ทั้งหมดก็ยังคงเป็นเรื่องเล่า เพราะ freemason พูดเสมอว่าพวกเขาไม่ใช่องค์กรลับ ไม่ใช่กลุ่มโอกาสในการสร้างเครือข่ายเพื่อธุรกิจ

คำถามที่ถูกถามบ่อยๆคือ แล้วในไทยมีด้วยเหรอ? คำตอบคือ “มี และมีมานานแล้วด้วย” วันนี้เรามาทำความรู้จักกับ Freemason lodge แห่งแรกในไทยกันครับ

ประเทศไทยเริ่มมี “Freemason Lodge” อย่างเป็นทางการตั้งแต่ยุครัชกาลที่ 6 โดยใช้ชื่อว่า “ลอดจ์เซนต์จอห์น” (Lodge St. John) ลำดับทะเบียนคือ No.1072 ตามธรรมนูญสก็อตแลนด์
ปีที่ก่อตั้ง ค.ศ. 1911 ตรงกับ พ.ศ. 2454 สมัยรัชการที่ 6 ต้นสังกัดคือ Grand Lodge of Scotland เป็นลอดจ์แห่งแรกในประเทศไทย และเก่าแก่ที่สุดในเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ สมาชิกหลักในยุคแรกจะเป็นชาวอังกฤษ ฝรั่งเศส จีน และขุนนางไทยระดับสูงในราชสำนัก

ลอดจ์นี้ถือเป็น “จุดเริ่มต้นของ Freemason ในไทย” เริ่มต้นจากปี พ.ศ.2411(ค.ศ. 1868) หลังจากที่สยามเปิดประตูรับอิทธิพลจากต่างประเทศ เพื่อความมั่นใจในการอยู่รอดของประเทศจากการล่าอาณานิคม รัชกาลที่ 6 ทรงเชิญฝรั่งเศส อังกฤษ เยอรมัน รัสเซีย เดนมาร์ก อเมริกาและประเทศอื่นๆ ให้ส่งผู้เชี่ยวชาญที่เก่งที่สุดมาสร้างและบริหารหน่วยงานของรัฐบาลต่างๆที่จำเป็นต่อความก้าวหน้าของประเทศในเวลานั้น

บันทึกเกี่ยวกับ Freemason พบในเดือน เมษายน พ.ศ. 2421 (April 1878) ว่ามีการพยายามจัดตั้งลอดจ์อยู่หลายครั้ง แต่ระหว่างนั้นก็ประสบปัญหามากมายอยู่ จนสำเร็จในปี พ.ศ. 2545 (1911) ผ่านเหตุการณ์สำคัญมากมายโดยเฉพาะสงครามโลกครั้งที่ 2 ซึ่งมีสมาชิกเสรีไทย ภายใต้ Force 136 of the British Special Operations Executive และ the American Office of Strategic Services มาเป็น new gen ritualists ของ freemason

ปัจจุบัน ลอดจ์เซนต์จอห์น ตั้งอยู่ที่ นวมินทร์ 24 ถ้าสนใจเยี่ยมชมกิจกรรมของ freemason ต้องทำการติดต่อล่วงหน้าก่อนทุกกรณีครับ https://maps.app.goo.gl/yA8Qq6NMCXi5S5Z27

และหากต้องการสมัครเป็น freemason เขาต้องตรวจสอบให้แน่ใจว่าแต่ละคนมีเหตุผลที่เหมาะสมในการต้องการเป็น Freemason ว่าเหมาะสมหรือไม่ ผ่านแบบฟอร์มทางเว็บไซท์ จากนั้นจะมีการจัดประชุมกับสมาชิกอาวุโส เพื่อตกลงร่วมกันถึงความเป็น freemason และเมื่อการสัมภาษณ์ผ่านไปได้ด้วยดี เราก็จะได้รับเชิญในการเข้าร่วมงานสังสรรค์ประจำเดือน ซึ่งจัดทุกๆเดือนในวันอังคารที่สาม และจะต้องเข้าร่วมกิจกรรมต่อเนื่องอย่างน้อย 6 เดือน เพื่อที่จะให้พี่น้อง 2 คนในลอดจ์ สนับสนุนการสมัครอย่างเป็นทางการ โดยพี่น้อง 2 คนนั้นจะต้องรับผิดชอบต่อความก้าวหน้าของเรา เพื่อประสบความสำเร็จในการเป็น freemason ด้วยเช่นกัน

การเป็นสมาชิกนั้นจะมีค่าธรรมเนียมรายปีด้วยครับ นอกจากนี้จะต้องใช้เวลาราวๆ 2 ปี เพื่อเรียนจบ 2 degree สำหรับการเป็นเป็น Master Mason อีกด้วย แต่ทั้งหมดต้องอย่าลืมว่า ไม่ใช่แค่สมัครแล้วจะได้เลย มันขึ้นอยู่กับว่า freemason จะรับพิจารณาเราด้วยหรือไม่ครับ

และทั้งหมดนี้คือข้อมูลแบบคร่าวๆมากๆ เกี่ยวกับ freemason lodge แห่งแรกในประเทศไทยครับ

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Não tem solução

O melhor presidente dos últimos 50 anos, o melhor congresso, o melhor governador, os melhores ministros, um resultado eleitoral muito melhor do que o melhor dos meus sonhos e nada acontece.

A única solução que nos resta é o Bitcoin. Vale talvez a pena dar a vida pra tentar popularizar esse negócio.

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

Chef's notes

arbitray

• test
• of
• chefs notes

hedding 2

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 20
• 🍳 Cook time: 1 hour
• 🍽️ Servings: 5

Ingredients

• Test ingredient
• 2nd test ingredient

Directions

1. Bake
2. Cool

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Heute möchte ich ein Gedicht mit euch teilen. Es handelt sich um eine Ballade des österreichischen Lyrikers Johann Gabriel Seidl aus dem 19. Jahrhundert. Mir sind diese Worte fest in Erinnerung, da meine Mutter sie perfekt rezitieren konnte, auch als die Kräfte schon langsam schwanden.

Dem originalen Titel «Die Uhr» habe ich für mich immer das Wort «innere» hinzugefügt. Denn der Zeitmesser – hier vermutliche eine Taschenuhr – symbolisiert zwar in dem Kontext das damalige Zeitempfinden und die Umbrüche durch die industrielle Revolution, sozusagen den Zeitgeist und das moderne Leben. Aber der Autor setzt sich philosophisch mit der Zeit auseinander und gibt seinem Werk auch eine klar spirituelle Dimension.

Das Ticken der Uhr und die Momente des Glücks und der Trauer stehen sinnbildlich für das unaufhaltsame Fortschreiten und die Vergänglichkeit des Lebens. Insofern könnte man bei der Uhr auch an eine Sonnenuhr denken. Der Rhythmus der Ereignisse passt uns vielleicht nicht immer in den Kram.

Was den Takt pocht, ist durchaus auch das Herz, unser «inneres Uhrwerk». Wenn dieses Meisterwerk einmal stillsteht, ist es unweigerlich um uns geschehen. Hoffentlich können wir dann dankbar sagen: «Ich habe mein Bestes gegeben.»

Ich trage, wo ich gehe, stets eine Uhr bei mir; \ Wieviel es geschlagen habe, genau seh ich an ihr. \ Es ist ein großer Meister, der künstlich ihr Werk gefügt, \ Wenngleich ihr Gang nicht immer dem törichten Wunsche genügt.

Ich wollte, sie wäre rascher gegangen an manchem Tag; \ Ich wollte, sie hätte manchmal verzögert den raschen Schlag. \ In meinen Leiden und Freuden, in Sturm und in der Ruh, \ Was immer geschah im Leben, sie pochte den Takt dazu.

Sie schlug am Sarge des Vaters, sie schlug an des Freundes Bahr, \ Sie schlug am Morgen der Liebe, sie schlug am Traualtar. \ Sie schlug an der Wiege des Kindes, sie schlägt, will's Gott, noch oft, \ Wenn bessere Tage kommen, wie meine Seele es hofft.

Und ward sie auch einmal träger, und drohte zu stocken ihr Lauf, \ So zog der Meister immer großmütig sie wieder auf. \ Doch stände sie einmal stille, dann wär's um sie geschehn, \ Kein andrer, als der sie fügte, bringt die Zerstörte zum Gehn.

Dann müßt ich zum Meister wandern, der wohnt am Ende wohl weit, \ Wohl draußen, jenseits der Erde, wohl dort in der Ewigkeit! \ Dann gäb ich sie ihm zurücke mit dankbar kindlichem Flehn: \ Sieh, Herr, ich hab nichts verdorben, sie blieb von selber stehn.

Johann Gabriel Seidl (1804-1875)

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

Bitcoin has always been rooted in freedom and resistance to authority. I get that many of you are conflicted about the US Government stacking but by design we cannot stop anyone from using bitcoin. Many have asked me for my thoughts on the matter, so let’s rip it.

Concern

One of the most glaring issues with the strategic bitcoin reserve is its foundation, built on stolen bitcoin. For those of us who value private property this is an obvious betrayal of our core principles. Rather than proof of work, the bitcoin that seeds this reserve has been taken by force. The US Government should return the bitcoin stolen from Bitfinex and the Silk Road.

Usually stolen bitcoin for the reserve creates a perverse incentive. If governments see a bitcoin as a valuable asset, they will ramp up efforts to confiscate more bitcoin. The precedent is a major concern, and I stand strongly against it, but it should be also noted that governments were already seizing coin before the reserve so this is not really a change in policy.

Ideally all seized bitcoin should be burned, by law. This would align incentives properly and make it less likely for the government to actively increase coin seizures. Due to the truly scarce properties of bitcoin, all burned bitcoin helps existing holders through increased purchasing power regardless. This change would be unlikely but those of us in policy circles should push for it regardless. It would be best case scenario for American bitcoiners and would create a strong foundation for the next century of American leadership.

Optimism

The entire point of bitcoin is that we can spend or save it without permission. That said, it is a massive benefit to not have one of the strongest governments in human history actively trying to ruin our lives.

Since the beginning, bitcoiners have faced horrible regulatory trends. KYC, surveillance, and legal cases have made using bitcoin and building bitcoin businesses incredibly difficult. It is incredibly important to note that over the past year that trend has reversed for the first time in a decade. A strategic bitcoin reserve is a key driver of this shift. By holding bitcoin, the strongest government in the world has signaled that it is not just a fringe technology but rather truly valuable, legitimate, and worth stacking.

This alignment of incentives changes everything. The US Government stacking proves bitcoin’s worth. The resulting purchasing power appreciation helps all of us who are holding coin and as bitcoin succeeds our government receives direct benefit. A beautiful positive feedback loop.

Realism

We are trending in the right direction. A strategic bitcoin reserve is a sign that the state sees bitcoin as an asset worth embracing rather than destroying. That said, there is a lot of work left to be done. We cannot be lulled into complacency, the time to push forward is now, and we cannot take our foot off the gas. We have a seat at the table for the first time ever. Let's make it worth it.

We must protect the right to free usage of bitcoin and other digital technologies. Freedom in the digital age must be taken and defended, through both technical and political avenues. Multiple privacy focused developers are facing long jail sentences for building tools that protect our freedom. These cases are not just legal battles. They are attacks on the soul of bitcoin. We need to rally behind them, fight for their freedom, and ensure the ethos of bitcoin survives this new era of government interest. The strategic reserve is a step in the right direction, but it is up to us to hold the line and shape the future.

@ 000002de:c05780a7

Last night my lovely wife and I watched the film Kill the Messenger. It had been on my list for some time but we'd never gotten around to watching it.

From the book of knowledge

It is based on the book of the same name by Nick Schou and the book Dark Alliance by Gary Webb. The film stars Jeremy Renner, who also produced the film. The film was released on October 10, 2014, and depicts a reporter's suppressed attempts to cover the CIA involvement and secret support of large scale cocaine sales to fund the Nicaraguan Contras.

I have been familiar with the story but never read either of the books. What hit me after watching the movie was the fact that despite the many times that the absolute evil of the state is exposed, we do not see significant change. It is pretty depressing to come to the conclusion that even when the US government's lies and evil is exposed it continues to go on largely unabated. As far as I know little of consequence happened due to Gary Webb's brave work.

It reminded me of Edward Snowden's revelations. I believe they have had a larger impact but still not nearly the impact I had hoped for. In the film they do a good job of showing some of the many tactics used when someone starts exposing the state for what it is. First they change the focus of the allegations making them harder to believe or harder to prove. They overstate the case. In Webb's case the media pushed a narrative (pushed by the CIA) that Webb was saying the CIA targeted the black community with crack cocaine. Actually Webb discovered that the CIA used drugs to fund their operations. He didn't claim the CIA was directly selling drugs to blacks. See the difference. What happened was a consequence of the CIA's action but unlikely the goal. But this framing makes Webb sound more extreme.

This happened with Snowden and also during the Covid19 pandemic. Its a tactic that works on the masses. Make your opponents sound unreasonable. Make them toxic. The second tactic they point out is attacking the messenger. They go after the person and find flaws. Highlight them and do character assassination. Never mind that most of the "leaders" in most democracies are full of similar character flaws and mistakes. That is never brought up in this context.

The third tactic that jumped out at me was the divide and conquer strategy. The CIA actions that are the subject of this film happened under Reagan, a Republican. So of course his opponents show much interest and John Kerry investigated it. The common thread I see here is that these types of things are bi-partisan. If you don't believe me you aren't paying attention or you have been indoctrinated into the matrix. The CIA is a permanent fixture in US government like many tentacles of the state yet when something like this is exposed it quickly becomes consumed by party politics. I get it. I don't think it is a conspiracy, it is simple game theory. Politicians simply want power and will use anything to win over their opponents. The result however is that the real root issues are never solved. The CIA is not reformed or dismantled. Real change doesn't happen because real consequences never occur. I don't think the filmmakers intend to make this point but it struck me. If you study the history of the CIA you will see that they have a long track record of this type of behavior. If it is a strategy, its genius. Get the public focused on party politics on the puppets, not the real power centers.

The final tactic that saw expressed was on the black community. It is possible that the CIA intentionally wanted to push crack into these communities. I just haven't seen that demonstrated. In truth, it doesn't matter. The real issue is that the CIA didn't care. The ends justify the means. The consequences of the CIA's actions led to massive death and destruction in places like Los Angeles. It makes me sick as I write this. For what? To fund fighters in a foreign conflict? Please. In the film they show various "leaders" in the black community from that time. It seems obvious to me that these people while they are speaking many truths seem to be doing so for their own profit just as the politicians do. Some of them were politicians. Did they actually put their necks on the line and keep pushing for change? I would argue no. They focused on the CIA's tactic. They sold the distortion that Webb was clamming the CIA targeted their communities.

Now, this all left me feeling depressed. Many believe that if we could just expose the evils of the world that would be enough. It isn't sadly. The masses do not have the attention span nor the desire to question their programming. That's my experience at least having talked with many friends and family over the years. I've been aware and a follower of politics since my early years as a pre-teen. I was and still am a nerd. I have a fairly long memory and it still to this day blows my mind how little people seem to notice. How they seem to not notice that politicians always promise things they can't or won't deliver. Yet they still seem to believe in democracy and their team. They are blind to the manipulation. To the repeated failures. To the repeated exposures of the truth.

So, I am sitting there feeling down about all this. Talking to my wife about it and then I remembered bitcoin exists. And I told her, this is one reason why bitcoin is hopeful for me. The state has much of its power due to its ability to print money. Taking that power from them alone will not affect the change we want but it is a huge start. It would limit the ability to wage these wars that kill so many people. It would limit their reckless spending and force them to steal in more obvious ways. Ways that will piss more people off. So bitcoin is hopeful.

What do you think? I was a teen when these events happened. I'm curious what I've missed and maybe if I got some things wrong. I remember this story being published and I also remember Webb's death which is a whole other story.

@ 0b118e40:4edc09cb

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

Some key highlights :

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

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

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

---

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

---

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

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

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

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

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

1939 - WW2 started on Sep 1, 1939

1941 - Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1942 - Roosevet finally agreed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Japan, too, nuclear research proceeded slowly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

September 2,1945 - WW2 ended

In October 1945 , Oppenheimer resigned.

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

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

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

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

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

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

1952 - Great Britain detonated its first atomic bomb

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

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

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

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

1955 - Einstein passed away. He was 76

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

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

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

1960 - France detonated its first atomic bomb

1961 - JFK came to power

1962 - Cuban Missile Crisis - lasted for 2 weeks.

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

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

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

But sadly, not everybody loved peace.

1963 - JFK was assassinated

1964 - Khrushchev was ousted

1964 - Leo Szilard died of heart attack

1964 - China detonated its first atomic bomb

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

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

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Part 2 - nuclear as electricity instead of bombs.

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

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

Jan 1953- President Eisenhower came was elected to office

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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2 takeaways :

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

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

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Falls du beim Lesen des Titels dieses Newsletters unwillkürlich an positive Neuigkeiten aus dem globalen polit-medialen Irrenhaus oder gar aus dem wirtschaftlichen Umfeld gedacht hast, darf ich dich beglückwünschen. Diese Assoziation ist sehr löblich, denn sie weist dich als unverbesserlichen Optimisten aus. Leider muss ich dich diesbezüglich aber enttäuschen. Es geht hier um ein anderes Thema, allerdings sehr wohl ein positives, wie ich finde.

Heute ist ein ganz besonderer Tag: die Wintersonnenwende. Genau gesagt hat heute morgen um 10:20 Uhr Mitteleuropäischer Zeit (MEZ) auf der Nordhalbkugel unseres Planeten der astronomische Winter begonnen. Was daran so außergewöhnlich ist? Der kürzeste Tag des Jahres war gestern, seit heute werden die Tage bereits wieder länger! Wir werden also jetzt jeden Tag ein wenig mehr Licht haben.

Für mich ist dieses Ereignis immer wieder etwas kurios: Es beginnt der Winter, aber die Tage werden länger. Das erscheint mir zunächst wie ein Widerspruch, denn meine spontanen Assoziationen zum Winter sind doch eher Kälte und Dunkelheit, relativ zumindest. Umso erfreulicher ist der emotionale Effekt, wenn dann langsam die Erkenntnis durchsickert: Ab jetzt wird es schon wieder heller!

Natürlich ist es kalt im Winter, mancherorts mehr als anderswo. Vielleicht jedoch nicht mehr lange, wenn man den Klimahysterikern glauben wollte. Mindestens letztes Jahr hat Väterchen Frost allerdings gleich zu Beginn seiner Saison – und passenderweise während des globalen Überhitzungsgipfels in Dubai – nochmal richtig mit der Faust auf den Tisch gehauen. Schnee- und Eischaos sind ja eigentlich in der Agenda bereits nicht mehr vorgesehen. Deswegen war man in Deutschland vermutlich in vorauseilendem Gehorsam schon nicht mehr darauf vorbereitet und wurde glatt lahmgelegt.

Aber ich schweife ab. Die Aussicht auf nach und nach mehr Licht und damit auch Wärme stimmt mich froh. Den Zusammenhang zwischen beidem merkt man in Andalusien sehr deutlich. Hier, wo die Häuser im Winter arg auskühlen, geht man zum Aufwärmen raus auf die Straße oder auf den Balkon. Die Sonne hat auch im Winter eine erfreuliche Kraft. Und da ist jede Minute Gold wert.

Außerdem ist mir vor Jahren so richtig klar geworden, warum mir das südliche Klima so sehr gefällt. Das liegt nämlich nicht nur an der Sonne als solcher, oder der Wärme – das liegt vor allem am Licht. Ohne Licht keine Farben, das ist der ebenso simple wie gewaltige Unterschied zwischen einem deprimierenden matschgraubraunen Winter und einem fröhlichen bunten. Ein großes Stück Lebensqualität.

Mir gefällt aber auch die Symbolik dieses Tages: Licht aus der Dunkelheit, ein Wendepunkt, ein Neuanfang, neue Möglichkeiten, Übergang zu neuer Aktivität. In der winterlichen Stille keimt bereits neue Lebendigkeit. Und zwar in einem Zyklus, das wird immer wieder so geschehen. Ich nehme das gern als ein Stück Motivation, es macht mir Hoffnung und gibt mir Energie.

Übrigens ist parallel am heutigen Tag auf der südlichen Halbkugel Sommeranfang. Genau im entgegengesetzten Rhythmus, sich ergänzend, wie Yin und Yang. Das alles liegt an der Schrägstellung der Erdachse, die ist nämlich um 23,4º zur Umlaufbahn um die Sonne geneigt. Wir erinnern uns, gell?

Insofern bleibt eindeutig festzuhalten, dass “schräg sein” ein willkommener, wichtiger und positiver Wert ist. Mit anderen Worten: auch ungewöhnlich, eigenartig, untypisch, wunderlich, kauzig, … ja sogar irre, spinnert oder gar “quer” ist in Ordnung. Das schließt das Denken mit ein.

In diesem Sinne wünsche ich euch allen urige Weihnachtstage!

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Dieser Beitrag ist letztes Jahr in meiner Denkbar erschienen.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Das Betriebsklima ist das einzige Klima, \ das du selbst bestimmen kannst. \ Anonym

Eine Strategie zur Anpassung an den Klimawandel hat das deutsche Bundeskabinett diese Woche beschlossen. Da «Wetterextreme wie die immer häufiger auftretenden Hitzewellen und Starkregenereignisse» oft desaströse Auswirkungen auf Mensch und Umwelt hätten, werde eine Anpassung an die Folgen des Klimawandels immer wichtiger. «Klimaanpassungsstrategie» nennt die Regierung das.

Für die «Vorsorge vor Klimafolgen» habe man nun erstmals klare Ziele und messbare Kennzahlen festgelegt. So sei der Erfolg überprüfbar, und das solle zu einer schnelleren Bewältigung der Folgen führen. Dass sich hinter dem Begriff Klimafolgen nicht Folgen des Klimas, sondern wohl «Folgen der globalen Erwärmung» verbergen, erklärt den Interessierten die Wikipedia. Dabei ist das mit der Erwärmung ja bekanntermaßen so eine Sache.

Die Zunahme schwerer Unwetterereignisse habe gezeigt, so das Ministerium, wie wichtig eine frühzeitige und effektive Warnung der Bevölkerung sei. Daher solle es eine deutliche Anhebung der Nutzerzahlen der sogenannten Nina-Warn-App geben.

Die ARD spurt wie gewohnt und setzt die Botschaft zielsicher um. Der Artikel beginnt folgendermaßen:

«Die Flut im Ahrtal war ein Schock für das ganze Land. Um künftig besser gegen Extremwetter gewappnet zu sein, hat die Bundesregierung eine neue Strategie zur Klimaanpassung beschlossen. Die Warn-App Nina spielt eine zentrale Rolle. Der Bund will die Menschen in Deutschland besser vor Extremwetter-Ereignissen warnen und dafür die Reichweite der Warn-App Nina deutlich erhöhen.»

Die Kommunen würden bei ihren «Klimaanpassungsmaßnahmen» vom Zentrum KlimaAnpassung unterstützt, schreibt das Umweltministerium. Mit dessen Aufbau wurden das Deutsche Institut für Urbanistik gGmbH, welches sich stark für Smart City-Projekte engagiert, und die Adelphi Consult GmbH beauftragt.

Adelphi beschreibt sich selbst als «Europas führender Think-and-Do-Tank und eine unabhängige Beratung für Klima, Umwelt und Entwicklung». Sie seien «global vernetzte Strateg*innen und weltverbessernde Berater*innen» und als «Vorreiter der sozial-ökologischen Transformation» sei man mit dem Deutschen Nachhaltigkeitspreis ausgezeichnet worden, welcher sich an den Zielen der Agenda 2030 orientiere.

Über die Warn-App mit dem niedlichen Namen Nina, die möglichst jeder auf seinem Smartphone installieren soll, informiert das Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (BBK). Gewarnt wird nicht nur vor Extrem-Wetterereignissen, sondern zum Beispiel auch vor Waffengewalt und Angriffen, Strom- und anderen Versorgungsausfällen oder Krankheitserregern. Wenn man die Kategorie Gefahreninformation wählt, erhält man eine Dosis von ungefähr zwei Benachrichtigungen pro Woche.

Beim BBK erfahren wir auch einiges über die empfohlenen Systemeinstellungen für Nina. Der Benutzer möge zum Beispiel den Zugriff auf die Standortdaten «immer zulassen», und zwar mit aktivierter Funktion «genauen Standort verwenden». Die Datennutzung solle unbeschränkt sein, auch im Hintergrund. Außerdem sei die uneingeschränkte Akkunutzung zu aktivieren, der Energiesparmodus auszuschalten und das Stoppen der App-Aktivität bei Nichtnutzung zu unterbinden.

Dass man so dramatische Ereignisse wie damals im Ahrtal auch anders bewerten kann als Regierungen und Systemmedien, hat meine Kollegin Wiltrud Schwetje anhand der Tragödie im spanischen Valencia gezeigt. Das Stichwort «Agenda 2030» taucht dabei in einem Kontext auf, der wenig mit Nachhaltigkeitspreisen zu tun hat.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

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1. Executive Summary

This report presents a detailed comparative analysis of Tesla Powerwall and Sungrow battery options for a 3-phase residence in Sydney, Australia, equipped with a 6.6kW solar system and a Sungrow SG5KTL-MT inverter. The evaluation focuses on the suitability of these battery solutions for potential off-grid capability and Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) functionality. The analysis reveals that while both Tesla Powerwall and Sungrow offer compelling features for home energy storage, Sungrow battery systems, particularly when paired with their hybrid inverters, present a more direct and comprehensive solution for achieving 3-phase off-grid capability. For V2H integration, both systems currently rely on the development of compatible bidirectional charging infrastructure in Australia. Based on the user's stated goals, a Sungrow battery system, potentially requiring an upgrade to a Sungrow hybrid inverter, is the recommended solution.

2. Introduction: Context and Objectives

The Australian residential energy landscape is witnessing a significant shift towards energy independence, with increasing adoption of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and battery storage. This trend is propelled by factors such as escalating electricity costs and a growing desire for reliable power, particularly during grid outages. This report addresses the specific needs of a Sydney homeowner who has already invested in a 6.6kW solar system connected to a 3-phase Sungrow SG5KTL-MT inverter and owns a Tesla electric vehicle. The homeowner is now exploring battery storage solutions, with a particular focus on enabling potential off-grid operation and facilitating future Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) capabilities for their Tesla.

The primary objectives of this report are threefold: firstly, to evaluate the technical and practical suitability of Tesla Powerwall for a 3-phase home in Sydney; secondly, to conduct a similar evaluation for various Sungrow battery options; and thirdly, to provide a comparative assessment of these two leading solutions based on their ability to support off-grid functionality and integrate with V2H technology. The scope of this analysis includes the latest Tesla Powerwall models available in Australia and relevant high-voltage battery options from Sungrow, specifically the SBR and SBH series. The geographical context is limited to Sydney, Australia, considering local grid regulations and market availability. This analysis relies on the provided research material and publicly accessible technical specifications to form its conclusions.

3. Analysis of Tesla Powerwall for a 3-Phase Sydney Home

• 3.1 Technical Specifications and Features:\ The Tesla Powerwall is a well-established residential battery system. The latest generation, Powerwall 3, offers an energy capacity of 13.5 kWh 1 and can deliver up to 10 kW of on-grid power, with the same capacity for backup power, capable of a 185 A motor start 1. A key feature of Powerwall 3 is its integrated solar inverter with a 97.5% efficiency and three solar inputs with Maximum Power Point Trackers (MPPTs) in the Australian version 1. The system is scalable, allowing for the installation of up to four units 1, and utilizes Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry, known for its safety 5. In contrast, the Powerwall 2, while also having a 13.5 kWh energy capacity 7, provides a continuous power output of 5 kW with a 7 kW peak 7. Notably, Powerwall 2 does not have an integrated solar inverter 7 and uses Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) battery chemistry 7. It offers greater scalability, supporting up to ten units 1. Both Powerwall 2 and 3 come with a 10-year warranty 2. Powerwall 3 necessitates the use of the Tesla Backup Gateway 2 2, while Powerwall 2 requires a Gateway for system control and backup functionality 7. The integrated inverter in Powerwall 3 streamlines installations for new solar and storage setups. However, for homeowners with existing inverters, such as the user, this feature might introduce complexities as the existing inverter's functionality could become redundant if the system were configured to primarily utilize the Powerwall 3's inverter. Powerwall 2, designed as an AC-coupled battery, might offer a more seamless integration by working in conjunction with the existing Sungrow inverter 3.
• 3.2 Compatibility with Existing 3-Phase Sungrow Inverter (AC Coupling):\ Tesla Powerwall is designed as an AC-coupled battery, meaning it connects to the home's electrical system at the switchboard level and operates independently of the solar inverter 9. This AC coupling capability generally allows Powerwall to be compatible with a wide range of existing solar inverters, including the user's 3-phase Sungrow SG5KTL-MT model 2. Specifically, Powerwall 2 demonstrates 100% compatibility with single-phase grid-connected solar systems installed after October 2016 9. For Powerwall 3, Tesla indicates AC coupling compatibility with existing solar systems up to 5kW 2. However, a crucial consideration arises during grid outages concerning the ability to charge the Powerwall from solar. If the home has a 3-phase solar inverter, like the user's Sungrow SG5KTL-MT, Powerwall 2 might not be able to charge from solar during a blackout because many 3-phase inverters require the presence of all three phases from the grid to operate 9. This limitation could also extend to Powerwall 3 when AC-coupled with a 3-phase inverter 8. Given the user's interest in potential off-grid capability, this inability to recharge the battery from solar during a grid outage significantly limits the duration of backup power to the energy stored within the Powerwall. Furthermore, the user's 6.6kW solar system output exceeds the 5kW AC coupling limit specified for a single Powerwall 3. This suggests that either the entire solar generation cannot be used to charge a single Powerwall 3 via AC coupling, or a more complex configuration involving multiple Powerwall units might be necessary.
• 3.3 Suitability for Off-Grid Operation in a 3-Phase System:\ The Tesla Powerwall is fundamentally a single-phase battery system and can only provide backup power to a single phase within a 3-phase home 8. During a power outage, only the electrical circuits connected to the phase that the Powerwall is backing up will remain operational 8. This necessitates careful planning to ensure that essential loads, such as lighting, refrigerators, and internet connectivity, are connected to this designated phase 8. While it is possible to install multiple Powerwall units, with one unit dedicated to each phase, this significantly increases the overall cost and introduces complexities in system management 8. Notably, even with the installation of three Powerwall 3 units, comprehensive 3-phase backup is not guaranteed 20. It is also important to recognize that Tesla does not officially support or provide warranties for off-grid installations of Powerwall 2. The Powerwall system is primarily designed for grid-connected homes to provide backup during outages and to optimize energy consumption, rather than functioning as the primary power source in a completely off-grid scenario. Therefore, achieving a truly comprehensive off-grid capability for a 3-phase home using Tesla Powerwall would likely involve a substantial financial investment in multiple units, meticulous load balancing across the phases, and navigating the limitations of single-phase backup, all without official support from the manufacturer.
• 3.4 Potential for V2H Integration with an EV in Australia:\ Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) technology, which allows an electric vehicle to supply power back to a home, is gaining traction in Australia. Regulatory changes have been made to permit bidirectional charging systems, with mainstream adoption expected in 2025 21. Australian standards for bidirectional charging are now approved, and compatible chargers are anticipated to become available in 2025 22. Currently, the research snippets do not indicate that Tesla Powerwall offers direct, integrated V2H functionality with EVs in Australia 1. However, the Tesla Powerwall can play a supportive role in a V2H ecosystem. It can efficiently store excess energy generated by the solar system 1, which could then be used to charge the EV. If the EV is equipped with V2H capabilities and connected to a compatible bidirectional charger, the energy stored in the Powerwall (or directly from solar) could indirectly contribute to powering the home by first charging the vehicle's battery. The actual discharge from the vehicle to the home would be managed by the bidirectional charger and the vehicle's internal systems, not directly by the Powerwall. Therefore, while Powerwall doesn't inherently provide V2H, it can act as a crucial energy storage component within a broader V2H setup.
• 3.5 Cost and Installation Considerations in Sydney:\ The cost of a Tesla Powerwall 3 in Australia is approximately $13,600, which includes the mandatory Backup Gateway 2 2. Powerwall 2 has an approximate price of $8,750 to $9,750, excluding installation and the Backup Gateway 7, with the installed cost estimated between $12,000 and $14,000 7. Installation costs for Powerwall 3 as part of a new solar system at Penrith Solar Centre start at $23,990 (including a 6kW solar system), while adding it to an existing system is around $15,990 27. Installing a Powerwall system in a 3-phase home can incur additional costs and complexities compared to single-phase installations 13. If the goal is to achieve any level of backup across multiple phases using Powerwall, the cost would escalate significantly with the need for multiple units. Homeowners in NSW may be eligible for rebates under the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS), which can help offset the initial investment in a Tesla Powerwall 5. However, the overall cost of a Powerwall system, especially when considering a multi-unit setup for more comprehensive backup in a 3-phase home, remains a substantial financial consideration.

4. Analysis of Sungrow Battery Options for a 3-Phase Sydney Home

• 4.1 Technical Specifications of Relevant Sungrow Battery Models (SBR and SBH Series):\ Sungrow offers a range of high-voltage battery solutions, primarily the SBR and SBH series, utilizing Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) chemistry for enhanced safety 5. The SBR series features a modular design with 3.2 kWh battery modules, allowing for system capacities ranging from 9.6 kWh (3 modules) up to 25.6 kWh (8 modules) in a single stack. Multiple stacks can be connected in parallel to achieve even larger capacities, up to 100 kWh 6. These batteries boast 100% usable energy capacity 26 and are high-voltage systems 33. The SBH series also employs a modular design with larger 5 kWh battery modules. A single stack can accommodate 4 to 8 modules, providing usable energy from 20 kWh to 40 kWh. Similar to the SBR series, multiple SBH stacks can be connected in parallel to reach a maximum capacity of 160 kWh 5. Both the SBR and SBH series come with a 10-year warranty 5 and are primarily designed for DC coupling with Sungrow's hybrid inverter range, particularly the SH series, which includes models specifically designed for 3-phase systems (SH-RT series) 33. The availability of a wider range of capacities and the modular design of both the SBR and SBH series provide greater flexibility for the user to tailor a battery system to their specific energy consumption needs. The SBH series, with its larger 5 kWh modules, appears particularly well-suited for homes with potentially higher energy demands, such as those with 3-phase connections.
• 4.2 Compatibility with Existing 3-Phase Sungrow Inverter (DC and AC Coupling):\ The user's existing Sungrow SG5KTL-MT inverter is a grid-tied inverter and not a hybrid model designed for direct DC coupling with batteries 5. Sungrow's high-voltage batteries, such as the SBR and SBH series, are primarily intended for DC coupling with their SH series hybrid inverters 33. While direct DC coupling is not an option with the SG5KTL-MT, it is possible to AC couple Sungrow batteries to the existing solar system 35. This would likely require the addition of a separate battery inverter to manage the charging and discharging of the Sungrow battery, as the SG5KTL-MT does not have this functionality. Although AC coupling offers a way to integrate a battery without replacing the existing solar inverter, it can introduce inefficiencies due to the multiple AC-DC and DC-AC conversions. For optimal performance and to fully leverage the capabilities of Sungrow's high-voltage batteries, particularly for off-grid operation, upgrading to a Sungrow SH series hybrid inverter would be the recommended approach.
• 4.3 Suitability for Off-Grid Operation in a 3-Phase System:\ Sungrow offers a distinct advantage in providing solutions for 3-phase off-grid operation through their SH-RT series of hybrid inverters 5. These inverters, when paired with Sungrow's SBR or SBH batteries, are capable of providing seamless transition to 3-phase backup power during grid outages 63. The SH-RT series is specifically designed to support 100% unbalanced loads in backup mode, ensuring that essential appliances continue to run during a blackout 66. Both the SBR and SBH battery series are compatible with off-grid operation when used in conjunction with the appropriate Sungrow hybrid inverters. Some single-phase Sungrow hybrid inverters (SH-RS series) also offer off-grid capabilities and support generator connection for battery charging during extended periods of low solar generation 85. This comprehensive ecosystem of Sungrow products provides a more direct and integrated pathway for the user to achieve their goal of potential 3-phase off-grid capability compared to the single-phase limitations of Tesla Powerwall.
• 4.4 Potential for V2H Integration with an EV (e.g Tesla Car) in Australia:\ Similar to Tesla Powerwall, the provided research material does not explicitly mention direct V2H integration capabilities for Sungrow battery systems with Tesla cars in Australia 22. However, Sungrow's active involvement in the broader renewable energy and electric vehicle charging sectors suggests a strong potential for future integration. Sungrow manufactures its own range of EV chargers 64, and their 3-phase hybrid inverter solutions can be paired with these chargers for smart green power charging 64. As V2H technology and the necessary bidirectional charging infrastructure become more prevalent in Australia, it is conceivable that Sungrow's integrated energy management systems, including their batteries and hybrid inverters, could be updated to support V2H functionality, potentially even with Tesla vehicles through standardized protocols or future partnerships. In the interim, a Sungrow battery system can efficiently store solar energy, which could then be used to charge a Tesla car. The potential for the EV to discharge back to the home would depend on the availability and compatibility of third-party bidirectional chargers that adhere to the evolving Australian standards.
• 4.5 Cost and Installation Considerations in Sydney:\ The cost of Sungrow batteries in Australia varies depending on the model and capacity. For the SBR series, a 9.6 kWh system is approximately $11,500 installed, a 12.8 kWh system around $13,200 installed, and a 25.6 kWh system around $19,700 installed. Supply-only costs for the SBH series 20 kWh kit range from $13,778.70 to $14,360 40. Compatible 3-phase hybrid inverters from Sungrow, such as the SH5.0RT, are priced around $3,760, while the SH10RT ranges from approximately $4,174.50 to $5,720 78. If the user opts for a Sungrow battery system to achieve optimal 3-phase off-grid capability, the cost of a new SH series hybrid inverter would need to be included, as the existing SG5KTL-MT is not compatible for direct DC coupling. While AC coupling might be a less expensive initial step, it could involve the additional cost of a separate battery inverter. Homeowners in NSW can potentially benefit from the NSW battery rebate when purchasing a Sungrow battery system, which could help reduce the overall cost 5. Although Sungrow batteries often offer a competitive cost per kWh, the total investment for a comprehensive 3-phase off-grid solution might be higher than a single-phase Tesla Powerwall setup, primarily due to the potential need for a new hybrid inverter.

5. Comparative Assessment: Tesla Powerwall vs. Sungrow Batteries

• 5.1 Side-by-Side Comparison Table of Key Specifications:

| Feature | Tesla Powerwall 3 | Sungrow SBR (Example: 12.8 kWh) + SH10RT | | --- | --- | --- | | Usable Energy Capacity (kWh) | 13.5 | 12.8 | | Continuous Power Output (kW) | 10 | 10 | | Peak Power Output (kW) | 10 | 12 (5 min) | | Battery Chemistry | Lithium Iron Phosphate | Lithium Iron Phosphate | | Scalability | Up to 4 units (54 kWh) | Up to 25.6 kWh per stack, 4 stacks parallel (102.4 kWh) | | Off-Grid Backup (Phases Supported) | Single-Phase | Three-Phase | | V2H Support (Current/Future Potential) | Potential via 3rd party charger | Potential via 3rd party charger | | Warranty (Years) | 10 | 10 | | Estimated Cost (AUD) | $13,600 + installation | $13,200 (battery installed) + $4,175 - $5,720 (inverter) |

• 5.2 Detailed Comparison Based on Off-Grid Capability Requirements:\ When considering the user's goal of potential off-grid capability for a 3-phase home, Sungrow presents a more robust solution. The availability of Sungrow's SH-RT series hybrid inverters, specifically designed for 3-phase systems and fully compatible with their SBR and SBH batteries, allows for a direct and integrated approach to achieving 3-phase backup power. These systems can seamlessly transition to off-grid mode, powering all three phases of the home, which is crucial for operating 3-phase appliances and ensuring comprehensive whole-house backup. In contrast, Tesla Powerwall, being a single-phase battery, inherently limits off-grid backup to a single phase in a 3-phase home 8. While multiple Powerwall units can be installed, this increases cost and complexity without guaranteeing full 3-phase backup or official off-grid support from Tesla. Therefore, for a user prioritizing potential for comprehensive 3-phase off-grid operation, Sungrow's ecosystem offers a more suitable and supported pathway.
• 5.3 Detailed Comparison Based on V2H Functionality Requirements:\ Currently, neither Tesla Powerwall nor Sungrow batteries offer direct, integrated V2H functionality for Tesla cars in Australia 22. Both systems can store solar energy that could be used to charge a EV, and the potential for the car to discharge back to the home (V2H) would rely on the development and adoption of compatible bidirectional charging infrastructure in Australia, which is expected to become more mainstream in 2025 21. Sungrow's involvement in manufacturing EV chargers and integrating them with their hybrid inverters suggests a potential for future V2H integration within their ecosystem. Similarly, while Tesla Powerwall doesn't currently offer V2H, its role as a home energy storage solution makes it a complementary technology to V2H, providing a place to store energy that could eventually be managed within a V2H framework.
• 5.4 Cost-Effectiveness and Overall Value Analysis:\ When evaluating cost-effectiveness, Sungrow batteries often have a lower cost per kWh of storage compared to Tesla Powerwall 5. However, for the user with an existing non-hybrid inverter, achieving the desired 3-phase off-grid capability with Sungrow would likely necessitate an additional investment in a Sungrow SH-RT series hybrid inverter. This would increase the initial outlay compared to simply AC coupling a Tesla Powerwall to the existing inverter for single-phase backup. The overall value proposition depends heavily on the user's priorities. If the primary goal is to have backup power for essential loads on a single phase and potential future V2H integration, Tesla Powerwall could be a viable option. However, if the potential for comprehensive 3-phase off-grid operation is a significant factor, then the added expense of a Sungrow hybrid inverter might be justified by the enhanced functionality and future-proofing for energy independence. Sungrow's reputation for affordability and the modularity of their battery systems also offer long-term value and flexibility.

6. Recommendations and Considerations

Based on the analysis, for a 3-phase home in Sydney with a 6.6kW solar system and the goal of potential off-grid capability, Sungrow battery options are recommended. Specifically, the user should consider upgrading their existing Sungrow SG5KTL-MT inverter to a Sungrow SH series hybrid inverter (e.g., SH5.0RT or SH10RT, depending on anticipated power demands) and pairing it with a Sungrow high-voltage battery from either the SBR or SBH series. The choice between SBR and SBH would depend on the desired storage capacity and budget. This combination offers a more direct and supported path to achieving 3-phase backup power and the potential for future off-grid operation.

Key Considerations for the User:

• Off-Grid Capability: The level of off-grid capability desired (partial single-phase backup vs. comprehensive whole-home 3-phase backup) is a crucial factor. For the latter, Sungrow is the more suitable choice.
• Budget: Both options represent a significant investment. The user should obtain detailed quotes for both Tesla Powerwall (considering single or multiple units) and a complete Sungrow hybrid inverter and battery system.
• V2H Timeline: The user's timeline for V2H adoption should be considered. Both systems will likely integrate via third-party chargers.
• Inverter Upgrade: If pursuing the optimal Sungrow solution for off-grid capability, the cost and logistics of upgrading the existing inverter need to be factored in.
• 3-Phase Backup Importance: The necessity of having backup power across all three phases should weigh heavily in the decision, favoring Sungrow.

It is strongly recommended that the user obtain detailed quotes from certified installers in the Sydney area for both Tesla Powerwall and various Sungrow system configurations to get accurate pricing, installation details, and information on available rebates and incentives in NSW.

7. Conclusion

In conclusion, while Tesla Powerwall offers a well-regarded solution for home energy storage with reliable backup capabilities, its inherent single-phase design presents limitations for users with 3-phase homes seeking comprehensive off-grid functionality. Sungrow, with its range of high-voltage batteries and particularly its 3-phase hybrid inverter systems, provides a more direct and technically sound pathway to achieving the user's goals of potential 3-phase off-grid operation. For V2H integration, both systems are currently positioned to benefit from the evolving Australian regulatory landscape and the development of compatible bidirectional charging technologies. Ultimately, the optimal choice will depend on the user's specific priorities, budget, and the level of off-grid capability they wish to achieve. The rapidly evolving nature of battery storage and V2H technology suggests that continued research and consultation with experts are advisable before making a final decision.

Works cited

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# Comparative Evaluation of Tesla Powerwall and Sungrow Battery Options for a 3-Phase Sydney Residence

1. Executive Summary

This report presents a detailed comparative analysis of Tesla Powerwall and Sungrow battery options for a 3-phase residence in Sydney, Australia, equipped with a 6.6kW solar system and a Sungrow SG5KTL-MT inverter. The evaluation focuses on the suitability of these battery solutions for potential off-grid capability and Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) functionality for a EV. The analysis reveals that while both Tesla Powerwall and Sungrow offer compelling features for home energy storage, Sungrow battery systems, particularly when paired with their hybrid inverters, present a more direct and comprehensive solution for achieving 3-phase off-grid capability. For V2H integration, both systems currently rely on the development of compatible bidirectional charging infrastructure in Australia. Based on the user's stated goals, a Sungrow battery system, potentially requiring an upgrade to a Sungrow hybrid inverter, is the recommended solution.

2. Introduction: Context and Objectives

The Australian residential energy landscape is witnessing a significant shift towards energy independence, with increasing adoption of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and battery storage. This trend is propelled by factors such as escalating electricity costs and a growing desire for reliable power, particularly during grid outages. This report addresses the specific needs of a Sydney homeowner who has already invested in a 6.6kW solar system connected to a 3-phase Sungrow SG5KTL-MT inverter and owns a Tesla electric vehicle. The homeowner is now exploring battery storage solutions, with a particular focus on enabling potential off-grid operation and facilitating future Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) capabilities for their Tesla.

The primary objectives of this report are threefold: firstly, to evaluate the technical and practical suitability of Tesla Powerwall for a 3-phase home in Sydney; secondly, to conduct a similar evaluation for various Sungrow battery options; and thirdly, to provide a comparative assessment of these two leading solutions based on their ability to support off-grid functionality and integrate with V2H technology. The scope of this analysis includes the latest Tesla Powerwall models available in Australia and relevant high-voltage battery options from Sungrow, specifically the SBR and SBH series. The geographical context is limited to Sydney, Australia, considering local grid regulations and market availability. This analysis relies on the provided research material and publicly accessible technical specifications to form its conclusions.

3. Analysis of Tesla Powerwall for a 3-Phase Sydney Home

3.1 Technical Specifications and Features:

The Tesla Powerwall is a well-established residential battery system. The latest generation, Powerwall 3, offers an energy capacity of 13.5 kWh 1 and can deliver up to 10 kW of on-grid power, with the same capacity for backup power, capable of a 185 A motor start 1. A key feature of Powerwall 3 is its integrated solar inverter with a 97.5% efficiency and three solar inputs with Maximum Power Point Trackers (MPPTs) in the Australian version 1. The system is scalable, allowing for the installation of up to four units 1, and utilizes Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry, known for its safety 5. In contrast, the Powerwall 2, while also having a 13.5 kWh energy capacity 7, provides a continuous power output of 5 kW with a 7 kW peak 7. Notably, Powerwall 2 does not have an integrated solar inverter 7 and uses Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) battery chemistry 7. It offers greater scalability, supporting up to ten units 1. Both Powerwall 2 and 3 come with a 10-year warranty 2. Powerwall 3 necessitates the use of the Tesla Backup Gateway 2 2, while Powerwall 2 requires a Gateway for system control and backup functionality 7. The integrated inverter in Powerwall 3 streamlines installations for new solar and storage setups. However, for homeowners with existing inverters, such as the user, this feature might introduce complexities as the existing inverter's functionality could become redundant if the system were configured to primarily utilize the Powerwall 3's inverter. Powerwall 2, designed as an AC-coupled battery, might offer a more seamless integration by working in conjunction with the existing Sungrow inverter 3.

3.2 Compatibility with Existing 3-Phase Sungrow Inverter (AC Coupling):

Tesla Powerwall is designed as an AC-coupled battery, meaning it connects to the home's electrical system at the switchboard level and operates independently of the solar inverter 9. This AC coupling capability generally allows Powerwall to be compatible with a wide range of existing solar inverters, including the user's 3-phase Sungrow SG5KTL-MT model 2. Specifically, Powerwall 2 demonstrates 100% compatibility with single-phase grid-connected solar systems installed after October 2016 9. For Powerwall 3, Tesla indicates AC coupling compatibility with existing solar systems up to 5kW 2. However, a crucial consideration arises during grid outages concerning the ability to charge the Powerwall from solar. If the home has a 3-phase solar inverter, like the user's Sungrow SG5KTL-MT, Powerwall 2 might not be able to charge from solar during a blackout because many 3-phase inverters require the presence of all three phases from the grid to operate 9. This limitation could also extend to Powerwall 3 when AC-coupled with a 3-phase inverter 8. Given the user's interest in potential off-grid capability, this inability to recharge the battery from solar during a grid outage significantly limits the duration of backup power to the energy stored within the Powerwall. Furthermore, the user's 6.6kW solar system output exceeds the 5kW AC coupling limit specified for a single Powerwall 3. This suggests that either the entire solar generation cannot be used to charge a single Powerwall 3 via AC coupling, or a more complex configuration involving multiple Powerwall units might be necessary.

3.3 Suitability for Off-Grid Operation in a 3-Phase System:

The Tesla Powerwall is fundamentally a single-phase battery system and can only provide backup power to a single phase within a 3-phase home 8. During a power outage, only the electrical circuits connected to the phase that the Powerwall is backing up will remain operational 8. This necessitates careful planning to ensure that essential loads, such as lighting, refrigerators, and internet connectivity, are connected to this designated phase 8. While it is possible to install multiple Powerwall units, with one unit dedicated to each phase, this significantly increases the overall cost and introduces complexities in system management 8. Notably, even with the installation of three Powerwall 3 units, comprehensive 3-phase backup is not guaranteed 20. It is also important to recognize that Tesla does not officially support or provide warranties for off-grid installations of Powerwall 2. The Powerwall system is primarily designed for grid-connected homes to provide backup during outages and to optimize energy consumption, rather than functioning as the primary power source in a completely off-grid scenario. Therefore, achieving a truly comprehensive off-grid capability for a 3-phase home using Tesla Powerwall would likely involve a substantial financial investment in multiple units, meticulous load balancing across the phases, and navigating the limitations of single-phase backup, all without official support from the manufacturer.

3.4 Potential for V2H Integration with a EV in Australia:

Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) technology, which allows an electric vehicle to supply power back to a home, is gaining traction in Australia. Regulatory changes have been made to permit bidirectional charging systems, with mainstream adoption expected in 2025 21. Australian standards for bidirectional charging are now approved, and compatible chargers are anticipated to become available in 2025 22. Currently, the research snippets do not indicate that Tesla Powerwall offers direct, integrated V2H functionality with Tesla cars in Australia 1. However, the Tesla Powerwall can play a supportive role in a V2H ecosystem. It can efficiently store excess energy generated by the solar system 1, which could then be used to charge the Tesla car. If the Tesla car is equipped with V2H capabilities and connected to a compatible bidirectional charger, the energy stored in the Powerwall (or directly from solar) could indirectly contribute to powering the home by first charging the vehicle's battery. The actual discharge from the vehicle to the home would be managed by the bidirectional charger and the vehicle's internal systems, not directly by the Powerwall. Therefore, while Powerwall doesn't inherently provide V2H, it can act as a crucial energy storage component within a broader V2H setup.

3.5 Cost and Installation Considerations in Sydney:

The cost of a Tesla Powerwall 3 in Australia is approximately $13,600, which includes the mandatory Backup Gateway 2 2. Powerwall 2 has an approximate price of $8,750 to $9,750, excluding installation and the Backup Gateway 7, with the installed cost estimated between $12,000 and $14,000 7. Installation costs for Powerwall 3 as part of a new solar system at Penrith Solar Centre start at $23,990 (including a 6kW solar system), while adding it to an existing system is around $15,990 27. Installing a Powerwall system in a 3-phase home can incur additional costs and complexities compared to single-phase installations 13. If the goal is to achieve any level of backup across multiple phases using Powerwall, the cost would escalate significantly with the need for multiple units. Homeowners in NSW may be eligible for rebates under the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS), which can help offset the initial investment in a Tesla Powerwall 5. However, the overall cost of a Powerwall system, especially when considering a multi-unit setup for more comprehensive backup in a 3-phase home, remains a substantial financial consideration.

4. Analysis of Sungrow Battery Options for a 3-Phase Sydney Home

4.1 Technical Specifications of Relevant Sungrow Battery Models (SBR and SBH Series):

Sungrow offers a range of high-voltage battery solutions, primarily the SBR and SBH series, utilizing Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) chemistry for enhanced safety 5. The SBR series features a modular design with 3.2 kWh battery modules, allowing for system capacities ranging from 9.6 kWh (3 modules) up to 25.6 kWh (8 modules) in a single stack. Multiple stacks can be connected in parallel to achieve even larger capacities, up to 100 kWh 6. These batteries boast 100% usable energy capacity 26 and are high-voltage systems 33. The SBH series also employs a modular design with larger 5 kWh battery modules. A single stack can accommodate 4 to 8 modules, providing usable energy from 20 kWh to 40 kWh. Similar to the SBR series, multiple SBH stacks can be connected in parallel to reach a maximum capacity of 160 kWh 5. Both the SBR and SBH series come with a 10-year warranty 5 and are primarily designed for DC coupling with Sungrow's hybrid inverter range, particularly the SH series, which includes models specifically designed for 3-phase systems (SH-RT series) 33. The availability of a wider range of capacities and the modular design of both the SBR and SBH series provide greater flexibility for the user to tailor a battery system to their specific energy consumption needs. The SBH series, with its larger 5 kWh modules, appears particularly well-suited for homes with potentially higher energy demands, such as those with 3-phase connections.

4.2 Compatibility with Existing 3-Phase Sungrow Inverter (DC and AC Coupling):

The user's existing Sungrow SG5KTL-MT inverter is a grid-tied inverter and not a hybrid model designed for direct DC coupling with batteries 5. Sungrow's high-voltage batteries, such as the SBR and SBH series, are primarily intended for DC coupling with their SH series hybrid inverters 33. While direct DC coupling is not an option with the SG5KTL-MT, it is possible to AC couple Sungrow batteries to the existing solar system 35. This would likely require the addition of a separate battery inverter to manage the charging and discharging of the Sungrow battery, as the SG5KTL-MT does not have this functionality. Although AC coupling offers a way to integrate a battery without replacing the existing solar inverter, it can introduce inefficiencies due to the multiple AC-DC and DC-AC conversions. For optimal performance and to fully leverage the capabilities of Sungrow's high-voltage batteries, particularly for off-grid operation, upgrading to a Sungrow SH series hybrid inverter would be the recommended approach.

4.3 Suitability for Off-Grid Operation in a 3-Phase System:

Sungrow offers a distinct advantage in providing solutions for 3-phase off-grid operation through their SH-RT series of hybrid inverters 5. These inverters, when paired with Sungrow's SBR or SBH batteries, are capable of providing seamless transition to 3-phase backup power during grid outages 63. The SH-RT series is specifically designed to support 100% unbalanced loads in backup mode, ensuring that essential appliances continue to run during a blackout 66. Both the SBR and SBH battery series are compatible with off-grid operation when used in conjunction with the appropriate Sungrow hybrid inverters. Some single-phase Sungrow hybrid inverters (SH-RS series) also offer off-grid capabilities and support generator connection for battery charging during extended periods of low solar generation 85. This comprehensive ecosystem of Sungrow products provides a more direct and integrated pathway for the user to achieve their goal of potential 3-phase off-grid capability compared to the single-phase limitations of Tesla Powerwall.

4.4 Potential for V2H Integration with a Tesla Car in Australia:

Similar to Tesla Powerwall, the provided research material does not explicitly mention direct V2H integration capabilities for Sungrow battery systems with Tesla cars in Australia 22. However, Sungrow's active involvement in the broader renewable energy and electric vehicle charging sectors suggests a strong potential for future integration. Sungrow manufactures its own range of EV chargers 64, and their 3-phase hybrid inverter solutions can be paired with these chargers for smart green power charging 64. As V2H technology and the necessary bidirectional charging infrastructure become more prevalent in Australia, it is conceivable that Sungrow's integrated energy management systems, including their batteries and hybrid inverters, could be updated to support V2H functionality, potentially even with Tesla vehicles through standardized protocols or future partnerships. In the interim, a Sungrow battery system can efficiently store solar energy, which could then be used to charge a Tesla car. The potential for the Tesla car to discharge back to the home would depend on the availability and compatibility of third-party bidirectional chargers that adhere to the evolving Australian standards.

4.5 Cost and Installation Considerations in Sydney:

The cost of Sungrow batteries in Australia varies depending on the model and capacity. For the SBR series, a 9.6 kWh system is approximately $11,500 installed, a 12.8 kWh system around $13,200 installed, and a 25.6 kWh system around $19,700 installed. Supply-only costs for the SBH series 20 kWh kit range from $13,778.70 to $14,360 40. Compatible 3-phase hybrid inverters from Sungrow, such as the SH5.0RT, are priced around $3,760, while the SH10RT ranges from approximately $4,174.50 to $5,720 78. If the user opts for a Sungrow battery system to achieve optimal 3-phase off-grid capability, the cost of a new SH series hybrid inverter would need to be included, as the existing SG5KTL-MT is not compatible for direct DC coupling. While AC coupling might be a less expensive initial step, it could involve the additional cost of a separate battery inverter. Homeowners in NSW can potentially benefit from the NSW battery rebate when purchasing a Sungrow battery system, which could help reduce the overall cost 5. Although Sungrow batteries often offer a competitive cost per kWh, the total investment for a comprehensive 3-phase off-grid solution might be higher than a single-phase Tesla Powerwall setup, primarily due to the potential need for a new hybrid inverter.

5. Comparative Assessment: Tesla Powerwall vs. Sungrow Batteries

5.1 Side-by-Side Comparison Table of Key Specifications:

| Feature | Tesla Powerwall 3 | Sungrow SBR (Example: 12.8 kWh) + SH10RT |

| :---- | :---- | :---- |

| Usable Energy Capacity (kWh) | 13.5 | 12.8 |

| Continuous Power Output (kW) | 10 | 10 |

| Peak Power Output (kW) | 10 | 12 (5 min) |

| Battery Chemistry | Lithium Iron Phosphate | Lithium Iron Phosphate |

| Scalability | Up to 4 units (54 kWh) | Up to 25.6 kWh per stack, 4 stacks parallel (102.4 kWh) |

| Off-Grid Backup (Phases Supported) | Single-Phase | Three-Phase |

| V2H Support (Current/Future Potential) | Potential via 3rd party charger | Potential via 3rd party charger |

| Warranty (Years) | 10 | 10 |

| Estimated Cost (AUD) | $13,600 + installation | $13,200 (battery installed) + $4,175 - $5,720 (inverter) |

5.2 Detailed Comparison Based on Off-Grid Capability Requirements:

When considering the user's goal of potential off-grid capability for a 3-phase home, Sungrow presents a more robust solution. The availability of Sungrow's SH-RT series hybrid inverters, specifically designed for 3-phase systems and fully compatible with their SBR and SBH batteries, allows for a direct and integrated approach to achieving 3-phase backup power. These systems can seamlessly transition to off-grid mode, powering all three phases of the home, which is crucial for operating 3-phase appliances and ensuring comprehensive whole-house backup. In contrast, Tesla Powerwall, being a single-phase battery, inherently limits off-grid backup to a single phase in a 3-phase home 8. While multiple Powerwall units can be installed, this increases cost and complexity without guaranteeing full 3-phase backup or official off-grid support from Tesla. Therefore, for a user prioritizing potential for comprehensive 3-phase off-grid operation, Sungrow's ecosystem offers a more suitable and supported pathway.

5.3 Detailed Comparison Based on V2H Functionality Requirements:

Currently, neither Tesla Powerwall nor Sungrow batteries offer direct, integrated V2H functionality for Tesla cars in Australia 22. Both systems can store solar energy that could be used to charge a Tesla car, and the potential for the car to discharge back to the home (V2H) would rely on the development and adoption of compatible bidirectional charging infrastructure in Australia, which is expected to become more mainstream in 2025 21. Sungrow's involvement in manufacturing EV chargers and integrating them with their hybrid inverters suggests a potential for future V2H integration within their ecosystem. Similarly, while Tesla Powerwall doesn't currently offer V2H, its role as a home energy storage solution makes it a complementary technology to V2H, providing a place to store energy that could eventually be managed within a V2H framework.

5.4 Cost-Effectiveness and Overall Value Analysis:

When evaluating cost-effectiveness, Sungrow batteries often have a lower cost per kWh of storage compared to Tesla Powerwall 5. However, for the user with an existing non-hybrid inverter, achieving the desired 3-phase off-grid capability with Sungrow would likely necessitate an additional investment in a Sungrow SH-RT series hybrid inverter. This would increase the initial outlay compared to simply AC coupling a Tesla Powerwall to the existing inverter for single-phase backup. The overall value proposition depends heavily on the user's priorities. If the primary goal is to have backup power for essential loads on a single phase and potential future V2H integration, Tesla Powerwall could be a viable option. However, if the potential for comprehensive 3-phase off-grid operation is a significant factor, then the added expense of a Sungrow hybrid inverter might be justified by the enhanced functionality and future-proofing for energy independence. Sungrow's reputation for affordability and the modularity of their battery systems also offer long-term value and flexibility.

6. Recommendations and Considerations

Based on the analysis, for a 3-phase home in Sydney with a 6.6kW solar system and the goal of potential off-grid capability, Sungrow battery options are recommended. Specifically, the user should consider upgrading their existing Sungrow SG5KTL-MT inverter to a Sungrow SH series hybrid inverter (e.g., SH5.0RT or SH10RT, depending on anticipated power demands) and pairing it with a Sungrow high-voltage battery from either the SBR or SBH series. The choice between SBR and SBH would depend on the desired storage capacity and budget. This combination offers a more direct and supported path to achieving 3-phase backup power and the potential for future off-grid operation.

Key Considerations for the User:

Off-Grid Capability: The level of off-grid capability desired (partial single-phase backup vs. comprehensive whole-home 3-phase backup) is a crucial factor. For the latter, Sungrow is the more suitable choice.

Budget: Both options represent a significant investment. The user should obtain detailed quotes for both Tesla Powerwall (considering single or multiple units) and a complete Sungrow hybrid inverter and battery system.

V2H Timeline: The user's timeline for V2H adoption should be considered. Both systems will likely integrate via third-party chargers.

Inverter Upgrade: If pursuing the optimal Sungrow solution for off-grid capability, the cost and logistics of upgrading the existing inverter need to be factored in.

* 3-Phase Backup Importance: The necessity of having backup power across all three phases should weigh heavily in the decision, favoring Sungrow.

It is strongly recommended that the user obtain detailed quotes from certified installers in the Sydney area for both Tesla Powerwall and various Sungrow system configurations to get accurate pricing, installation details, and information on available rebates and incentives in NSW.

7. Conclusion

In conclusion, while Tesla Powerwall offers a well-regarded solution for home energy storage with reliable backup capabilities, its inherent single-phase design presents limitations for users with 3-phase homes seeking comprehensive off-grid functionality. Sungrow, with its range of high-voltage batteries and particularly its 3-phase hybrid inverter systems, provides a more direct and technically sound pathway to achieving the user's goals of potential 3-phase off-grid operation. For V2H integration, both systems are currently positioned to benefit from the evolving Australian regulatory landscape and the development of compatible bidirectional charging technologies. Ultimately, the optimal choice will depend on the user's specific priorities, budget, and the level of off-grid capability they wish to achieve. The rapidly evolving nature of battery storage and V2H technology suggests that continued research and consultation with experts are advisable before making a final decision.

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@ a95c6243:d345522c

Die Ungerechtigkeit ist uns nur in dem Falle angenehm,\ dass wir Vorteile aus ihr ziehen;\ in jedem andern hegt man den Wunsch,\ dass der Unschuldige in Schutz genommen werde.\ Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Politiker beteuern jederzeit, nur das Beste für die Bevölkerung zu wollen – nicht von ihr. Auch die zahlreichen unsäglichen «Corona-Maßnahmen» waren angeblich zu unserem Schutz notwendig, vor allem wegen der «besonders vulnerablen Personen». Daher mussten alle möglichen Restriktionen zwangsweise und unter Umgehung der Parlamente verordnet werden.

Inzwischen hat sich immer deutlicher herausgestellt, dass viele jener «Schutzmaßnahmen» den gegenteiligen Effekt hatten, sie haben den Menschen und den Gesellschaften enorm geschadet. Nicht nur haben die experimentellen Geninjektionen – wie erwartet – massive Nebenwirkungen, sondern Maskentragen schadet der Psyche und der Entwicklung (nicht nur unserer Kinder) und «Lockdowns und Zensur haben Menschen getötet».

Eine der wichtigsten Waffen unserer «Beschützer» ist die Spaltung der Gesellschaft. Die tiefen Gräben, die Politiker, Lobbyisten und Leitmedien praktisch weltweit ausgehoben haben, funktionieren leider nahezu in Perfektion. Von ihren persönlichen Erfahrungen als Kritikerin der Maßnahmen berichtete kürzlich eine Schweizerin im Interview mit Transition News. Sie sei schwer enttäuscht und verspüre bis heute eine Hemmschwelle und ein seltsames Unwohlsein im Umgang mit «Geimpften».

Menschen, die aufrichtig andere schützen wollten, werden von einer eindeutig politischen Justiz verfolgt, verhaftet und angeklagt. Dazu zählen viele Ärzte, darunter Heinrich Habig, Bianca Witzschel und Walter Weber. Über den aktuell laufenden Prozess gegen Dr. Weber hat Transition News mehrfach berichtet (z.B. hier und hier). Auch der Selbstschutz durch Verweigerung der Zwangs-Covid-«Impfung» bewahrt nicht vor dem Knast, wie Bundeswehrsoldaten wie Alexander Bittner erfahren mussten.

Die eigentlich Kriminellen schützen sich derweil erfolgreich selber, nämlich vor der Verantwortung. Die «Impf»-Kampagne war «das größte Verbrechen gegen die Menschheit». Trotzdem stellt man sich in den USA gerade die Frage, ob der scheidende Präsident Joe Biden nach seinem Sohn Hunter möglicherweise auch Anthony Fauci begnadigen wird – in diesem Fall sogar präventiv. Gibt es überhaupt noch einen Rest Glaubwürdigkeit, den Biden verspielen könnte?

Der Gedanke, den ehemaligen wissenschaftlichen Chefberater des US-Präsidenten und Direktor des National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) vorsorglich mit einem Schutzschild zu versehen, dürfte mit der vergangenen Präsidentschaftswahl zu tun haben. Gleich mehrere Personalentscheidungen des designierten Präsidenten Donald Trump lassen Leute wie Fauci erneut in den Fokus rücken.

Das Buch «The Real Anthony Fauci» des nominierten US-Gesundheitsministers Robert F. Kennedy Jr. erschien 2021 und dreht sich um die Machenschaften der Pharma-Lobby in der öffentlichen Gesundheit. Das Vorwort zur rumänischen Ausgabe des Buches schrieb übrigens Călin Georgescu, der Überraschungssieger der ersten Wahlrunde der aktuellen Präsidentschaftswahlen in Rumänien. Vielleicht erklärt diese Verbindung einen Teil der Panik im Wertewesten.

In Rumänien selber gab es gerade einen Paukenschlag: Das bisherige Ergebnis wurde heute durch das Verfassungsgericht annuliert und die für Sonntag angesetzte Stichwahl kurzfristig abgesagt – wegen angeblicher «aggressiver russischer Einmischung». Thomas Oysmüller merkt dazu an, damit sei jetzt in der EU das Tabu gebrochen, Wahlen zu verbieten, bevor sie etwas ändern können.

Unsere Empörung angesichts der Historie von Maßnahmen, die die Falschen beschützen und für die meisten von Nachteil sind, müsste enorm sein. Die Frage ist, was wir damit machen. Wir sollten nach vorne schauen und unsere Energie clever einsetzen. Abgesehen von der Umgehung von jeglichem «Schutz vor Desinformation und Hassrede» (sprich: Zensur) wird es unsere wichtigste Aufgabe sein, Gräben zu überwinden.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

Konsum ist Therapie.
Wolfgang Joop

Umweltbewusstes Verhalten und verantwortungsvoller Konsum zeugen durchaus von einer wünschenswerten Einstellung. Ob man deswegen allerdings einen grünen statt eines schwarzen Freitags braucht, darf getrost bezweifelt werden – zumal es sich um manipulatorische Konzepte handelt. Wie in der politischen Landschaft sind auch hier die Etiketten irgendwas zwischen nichtssagend und trügerisch.

Heute ist also wieder mal «Black Friday», falls Sie es noch nicht mitbekommen haben sollten. Eigentlich haben wir ja eher schon eine ganze «Black Week», der dann oft auch noch ein «Cyber Monday» folgt. Die Werbebranche wird nicht müde, immer neue Anlässe zu erfinden oder zu importieren, um uns zum Konsumieren zu bewegen. Und sie ist damit sehr erfolgreich.

Warum fallen wir auf derartige Werbetricks herein und kaufen im Zweifelsfall Dinge oder Mengen, die wir sicher nicht brauchen? Pure Psychologie, würde ich sagen. Rabattschilder triggern etwas in uns, was den Verstand in Stand-by versetzt. Zusätzlich beeinflussen uns alle möglichen emotionalen Reize und animieren uns zum Schnäppchenkauf.

Gedankenlosigkeit und Maßlosigkeit können besonders bei der Ernährung zu ernsten Problemen führen. Erst kürzlich hat mir ein Bekannter nach einer USA-Reise erzählt, dass es dort offenbar nicht unüblich ist, schon zum ausgiebigen Frühstück in einem Restaurant wenigstens einen Liter Cola zu trinken. Gerne auch mehr, um das Gratis-Nachfüllen des Bechers auszunutzen.

Kritik am schwarzen Freitag und dem unnötigen Konsum kommt oft von Umweltschützern. Neben Ressourcenverschwendung, hohem Energieverbrauch und wachsenden Müllbergen durch eine zunehmende Wegwerfmentalität kommt dabei in der Regel auch die «Klimakrise» auf den Tisch.

Die EU-Kommission lancierte 2015 den Begriff «Green Friday» im Kontext der überarbeiteten Rechtsvorschriften zur Kennzeichnung der Energieeffizienz von Elektrogeräten. Sie nutzte die Gelegenheit kurz vor dem damaligen schwarzen Freitag und vor der UN-Klimakonferenz COP21, bei der das Pariser Abkommen unterzeichnet werden sollte.

Heute wird ein grüner Freitag oft im Zusammenhang mit der Forderung nach «nachhaltigem Konsum» benutzt. Derweil ist die Europäische Union schon weit in ihr Geschäftsmodell des «Green New Deal» verstrickt. In ihrer Propaganda zum Klimawandel verspricht sie tatsächlich «Unterstützung der Menschen und Regionen, die von immer häufigeren Extremwetter-Ereignissen betroffen sind». Was wohl die Menschen in der Region um Valencia dazu sagen?

Ganz im Sinne des Great Reset propagierten die Vereinten Nationen seit Ende 2020 eine «grüne Erholung von Covid-19, um den Klimawandel zu verlangsamen». Der UN-Umweltbericht sah in dem Jahr einen Schwerpunkt auf dem Verbraucherverhalten. Änderungen des Konsumverhaltens des Einzelnen könnten dazu beitragen, den Klimaschutz zu stärken, hieß es dort.

Der Begriff «Schwarzer Freitag» wurde in den USA nicht erstmals für Einkäufe nach Thanksgiving verwendet – wie oft angenommen –, sondern für eine Finanzkrise. Jedoch nicht für den Börsencrash von 1929, sondern bereits für den Zusammenbruch des US-Goldmarktes im September 1869. Seitdem mussten die Menschen weltweit so einige schwarze Tage erleben.

Kürzlich sind die britischen Aufsichtsbehörden weiter von ihrer Zurückhaltung nach dem letzten großen Finanzcrash von 2008 abgerückt. Sie haben Regeln für den Bankensektor gelockert, womit sie «verantwortungsvolle Risikobereitschaft» unterstützen wollen. Man würde sicher zu schwarz sehen, wenn man hier ein grünes Wunder befürchten würde.

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Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf Transition News erschienen.

@ 0b118e40:4edc09cb

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

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

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

But will they actually help, or could they backfire?

A History of U.S. Tariffs

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

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

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

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

The economist history of protectionism

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Political Debate - left vs right

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

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

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

Who Really Benefits from Tariffs?

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

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

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

1. The Disruption of Natural Trade

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

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

2. Who wins and who loses?

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

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

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

Ultimately the cost of economic disruption is disproportionately borne by smaller businesses and low-skilled workers. At the end of the day, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

3. Delays in Economic Growth

The Rybczynski theorem suggests that economic growth depends on how efficiently nations reallocate their resources toward capital- or labor-intensive industries. But tariffs can distort this transition and progress.

In the 70s and 80s, the US steel industry had competition from Japan and Germany who modernized their production methods, making their steel more efficient and cost-effective. Instead of prioritizing innovation, many U.S. steel producers relied on tariffs and protectionist measures to shield themselves from foreign competition. This helped for a bit but over time, American steelmakers lost global market share as foreign competitors continued to produce better, cheaper steel. Other factors, such as aging infrastructure, and economic shifts toward a service-based economy, further contributed to the industry's decline.

A similar struggle is seen today with China’s high-tech ambitions. Tariffs on Chinese electronics and technology products limit access to key inputs, such as semiconductors and advanced robotics. While China continues its push for automation and AI-driven manufacturing, these trade barriers increase costs and disrupt supply chains, forcing China to accelerate its decoupling from Western markets. This shift could further strengthen alliances within BRICS, as China seeks alternative trade partnerships to reduce reliance on U.S.-controlled financial and technological ecosystems.

Will the current Tariff imposition backfire and isolate the US like it did a hundred years ago or 50 years ago? Is US risking it's position as a trusted economic leader? Only time would tell

The impact of tariff on innovation - or lack thereof

While the short-term impacts of tariffs often include higher consumer prices and job losses, the long-term effects can be even more damaging, as they discourage innovation by increasing costs and reducing competition.

Some historical examples globally : * Nigeria: Blocking import of rice opened up black market out of desperation to survive. * Brazil: Protectionist car policies led to expensive, outdated vehicles. * Malaysia’s Proton: Sheltered by tariffs and cronyism and failed to compete globally. * India (before 1991): Over-regulation limited the industries, until economic reforms allowed for growth. * Soviet Union during Cold War : Substandard products and minimal innovation due to the absence of foreign alternatives, yielding to economic stagnation.

On the flip side, Vietnam has significantly reduced protectionism policies by actively pursuing free trade agreements. This enabled it to become a key manufacturing hub. But Vietnam is not stopping there as it is actively pushing forward its capital-intensive growth by funding entrepreneurs.

The Future of U.S. Tariffs

History has shown that tariffs rarely deliver their intended benefits without unintended consequences. While they may provide temporary relief, they often raise prices, shrink job opportunities, and weaken industries in the long run.

Without a clear strategy for innovation and industrial modernization, the U.S. risks repeating past mistakes of isolating itself from global trade rather than strengthening its economy.

At this point, only time will tell whether these tariffs will truly help Americans or will they, once again, make the rich richer and the poor poorer.

@ c239c0f9:fa4a5015

Block: #888777 - March 2025

The Monthly Thunderbolt Dispatch On Bitcoin layers two innovations, aggregating the Best posts about the ~Lightning Network and others Bitcoin L2 solution- Exclusively on Stacker.News

It's again that time of the month, time to catch up with the latest features and trends that are shaping the future of Bitcoin. Each issue covers the latest trends and greatest advancements dictating the future of Bitcoin adoption—the very first and most commented insights from around the SN world. In every issue arrives expert analysis, in-depth interview, and breaking news of the most significant advancements in the Bitcoin layer two solutions.

Subscribe and make sure you don’t miss anything about the ~Lightning Revolution!

Now let's focus on the top five items for each category, an electrifying selection that hope you'll be able to read before next edition.

Happy Zapping!

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Top ~Lightning posts

Most zapranked posts this month:

1. Underrated privacy tools on Lightning by @DarthCoin 4750 sats \ 21 comments \ 10 Mar on ~lightning

2. ngx_l402: L402 Authentication for Nginx with LNURL, LND & NWC Support by @dhananjay 3602 sats \ 11 comments \ 11 Mar on ~lightning

3. LNBϟG discusses fees and routing node management by @C_Otto 908 sats \ 3 comments \ 15 Mar on ~lightning

4. New Release: Breez SDK - Nodeless 0.7.1 by @_ds 264 sats \ 1 comment \ 19 Feb on ~lightning

5. Alby Hub Lightning Channel Stats the first 6 months by @k00b 376 sats \ 8 comments \ 27 Feb on ~lightning

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Top posts by comments

This month we replaced the top posts by sats with these most commented posts (excluding those already listed above):

1. Cowbold Beta available for Testing: The best P2P Bitcoin alternativ to SplitWise by @supratic 699 sats \ 24 comments \ 1 Mar on ~lightning

2. Nwc alternative to coinos, testing by @dingding541 150 sats \ 22 comments \ 17 Mar on ~lightning

3. Payments below dust limit not trustless by @BallLightning 2141 sats \ 18 comments \ 11 Mar on ~lightning

4. Question of trust regarding LSPs by @Fiatrevelation 385 sats \ 18 comments \ 14 Mar on ~lightning

5. Question For CLN Start9 Users? by @siggy47 617 sats \ 15 comments \ 4 Mar on ~lightning

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Top ~Lightning Boosts

Check them all here.

1. Try out the Ark protocol on signet by @nwoodfine 2083 sats \ 30k boost \ 12 comments \ 19 Mar on ~lightning

2. Amboss CEO On Growth Of The Lightning Network, Tether (USDT) On Lightning by @Jestopher_BTC 577 sats \ 20k boost \ 10 comments \ 19 Feb on ~lightning

3. Building Self Custody Lightning in 2025 by @k00b 2293 sats \ 10k boost \ 8 comments \ 23 Jan on ~lightning

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Top Lightning posts outside ~Lightning

This month best posts about the Lightning Network outside ~Lightning territory:

1. SN is a badass use case for noncustodial lightning by @Fiatrevelation 1998 sats \ 15 comments \ 19 Feb on ~meta

2. Alby Hub: Improving the Self-Custodial Lightning Experience by @teemupleb 4642 sats \ 8 comments \ 8 Mar on ~meta

3. SN is a badass use case for noncustodial lightning by @Fiatrevelation 1834 sats \ 13 comments \ 20 Feb on ~meta

4. Bitcoin Users... and especially Lightning users live in a Total Bubble (sofar) by @028559d218 1304 sats \ 24 comments \ 8 Mar on ~bitcoin

5. 🚀 New Geocaching Meets Lightning App ⚡ by @questforsats 4518 sats \ 170k boost \ 86 comments \ 20 Feb on ~builders

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Forever top ~Lightning posts

La crème de la crème... check them all here. Plenty of new entries this month too at #1, #2, #4 and #5! This means old posts get still zaps... well done zappers 💪

1. 👨‍🚀 We're releasing 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗬 𝗚𝗢 - the easiest lightning mobile wallet by @Alby 29.2k sats \ 41 comments \ 25 Sep 2024 on ~lightning

2. Building Self Custody Lightning in 2025 by @k00b 2303 sats \ 8 comments \ 22 Jan on ~lightning

3. Lightning Wallets: Self-Custody Despite Poor Network - Apps Tested in Zimbabwe by @anita 72.8k sats \ 39 comments \ 28 Jan 2024 on ~lightning

4. How to Attach Your self-hosted LNbits wallet to SEND/RECEIVE sats to/from SN by @supratic 1765 sats \ 18 comments \ 23 Sep 2024 on ~lightning

5. A Way to Use Stacker News to improve your Zap Receiving by @bzzzt 1652 sats \ 22 comments \ 15 Jul 2024 on ~lightning

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Forever top Lightning posts outside ~Lightning

Lot of changes here, but probably due to the recent relevance search and unbusting search functionality changes:

1. Rethinking Lightning by @benthecarman with 51.6k sats \ 137 comments \ 6 Jan 2024 on ~bitcoin

2. Lightning Everywhere by @TonyGiorgio with 12k sats \ 27 comments \ 24 Jul 2023 on ~bitcoin

3. Lightning is dead, long live the Lightning! by @supertestnet and zaps forwarded to @anita (50%) @k00b (50%) 6321 sats \ 28 comments \ @tolot 27 Oct 2023 on ~bitcoin

4. Lightning Is Doomed by @Rsync25 2450 sats \ 15 comments \ 27 Nov 2023 on ~bitcoin

5. We Need More Apps with Lightning, Not More Lightning Apps by @kr 5030 sats \ 22 comments \ @kr 12 May 2023 on ~bitcoin

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