@ 6a6be47b:3e74e3e1

Hi frens! How's your weekend starting? I'm just finishing a newblog entry 🖋️on my website and I'm going to be selling a few things on my Ko-fi shop 🛍️.

Before I post everything, I wanted to share a special treat with my Nostr family:

🎁 I've created two beautiful postcard-sized (148mm x 210mm or 5.83 in x 8.27 in)artworks inspired by Holy Week. Here they are:

Palm Day Resurrection Day

✉️ If you'd like one, just DM me with your email address, and I'll send it your way! Zaps are always appreciated and help keep me going. 🙏

❤️ This is big thank you to you my frens Have fun and stay safe

✝️ This is an INSTANT DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, no physical item will be shipped to you.

✝️ The frames and accessories in the listing images are not included.

🚨 DISCLAIMER 🚨

❤️ Copyright Retention: I, the artist, retain full copyright of all original artwork, even after the digital print is purchased.

❤️ Limited License: The digital print provides a limited, non-transferable license for personal use only. It is not intended for commercial use or resale.

❤️ No Reproduction Rights: The purchase of this digital print does not grant any rights to reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works based on the design.

🚨 By proceeding with the purchase of this digital print, you acknowledge and agree to these terms. 🚨

@ caa88a52:6c226a91

Running Nestr!

@ a0c34d34:fef39af1

Let’s talk longevity and quality of life. Have you prepared for Passover or Easter? Do you celebrate either? I’m going to my niece’s house for Passover and I will be devouring brisket and strawberry shortcake. I use to love the Easter candy my neighbor shared when I was a kid. Taboo during Passover but I snuck a peep or two. How afraid are you about the future? Are you keeping up with longevity technology? Do you have the dream of living a long, long life? Longevity technology combines the power of medicine, biotechnology and artificial intelligence to extend a healthy human lifespan. It’s about using cutting edge technology and medical advancements to extend the years we live in good health. The focus is on quality of life during extended years. With the rise of AI powered longevity clinics, treatments tailored to an individual’s genetic profile, lifestyle and medical history, and customized anti-aging interventions, personalized healthcare will become a reality over the next decade. I’m scared I won’t be able to afford housing or healthcare. Advanced medical services cost money, and they are only going to rise. As we stay independent longer and capable of living on our own, there will be more “smart” solutions available, more longevity technology advances. Imagine using the technology of today to have a home where you feel safe for your mother or grandmother so they can live independently. The costs of technology for a “smart” house? Running lights on the floorboards light up as you walk by, just one item I can think of that can keep senior citizens safe at home. I developed a plan for a 55+ community for senior citizens. I have seen similar plans. I think blockchain technology and utilizing tokenomics can only make housing cost effective for senior citizens in the future. When I sat down and wrote the Executive Summary for Onboard60 three years ago, a component was to develop a 55+ Active Senior Community using tokenomics, smart contracts and blockchain technology. Since then, when I say I want to make Onboard60 like the AARP of today, I’ve been told that’s impossible, not going to work and I am wasting my time with this whole project, senior citizens aren’t interested. They will be. As we move into a population explosion of senior citizens living longer, healthy and independently, I think we need to consider how we are going to afford our longevity. What type of care will you receive, how much will it cost? What will you be able to control as in the cost, the level of care you receive. What currency is used? Yes, currency. As we move forward with the integration of cryptocurrency into our financial system, we need to think of what currency is accepted. There will be facilities that use their own stablecoin or accept certain others. The non-traditional financial systems are here to stay. The United States has incorporated a few different cryptocurrencies. Large financial institutions have adapted to putting cryptocurrency into their investment portfolios. I didn’t expect this to happen in my lifetime. Seriously, I thought Onboard60 would have a few more years to develop, create a community of senior citizens. That’s not the case. The world is accelerating at an impossible rate to keep up with everything. It can be overwhelming and scary. How do I find companies that use blockchain and smart contracts? Are there companies where I can protect my property rights by putting them on chain? Are there health insurance companies that use smart contracts? Onboard60 is more than the Metaverse, YouTube and A Handbook for Noobies (Web3 1101 for Seniors). It’s about staying informed, safely, to achieve the future every senior citizen deserves. If you have any knowledge of such companies, please let me know. I have crypto accountants and lawyers in my toolbox. I look forward to adding to my toolbox. I want to be like the AARP for today’s world.

Thanks for reading, Be fabulous, Sandra Abrams Founder Onboard60

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

Markdown: Syntax

• Overview
  • Philosophy
  • Inline HTML
  • Automatic Escaping for Special Characters
• Block Elements
  • Paragraphs and Line Breaks
  • Headers
  • Blockquotes
  • Lists
  • Code Blocks
  • Horizontal Rules
• Span Elements
  • Links
  • Emphasis
  • Code
  • Images
• Miscellaneous
  • Backslash Escapes
  • Automatic Links

Note: This document is itself written using Markdown; you can see the source for it by adding '.text' to the URL.

---

Overview

Philosophy

Markdown is intended to be as easy-to-read and easy-to-write as is feasible.

Readability, however, is emphasized above all else. A Markdown-formatted document should be publishable as-is, as plain text, without looking like it's been marked up with tags or formatting instructions. While Markdown's syntax has been influenced by several existing text-to-HTML filters -- including Setext, atx, Textile, reStructuredText, Grutatext, and EtText -- the single biggest source of inspiration for Markdown's syntax is the format of plain text email.

Block Elements

Paragraphs and Line Breaks

A paragraph is simply one or more consecutive lines of text, separated by one or more blank lines. (A blank line is any line that looks like a blank line -- a line containing nothing but spaces or tabs is considered blank.) Normal paragraphs should not be indented with spaces or tabs.

The implication of the "one or more consecutive lines of text" rule is that Markdown supports "hard-wrapped" text paragraphs. This differs significantly from most other text-to-HTML formatters (including Movable Type's "Convert Line Breaks" option) which translate every line break character in a paragraph into a <br /> tag.

When you do want to insert a <br /> break tag using Markdown, you end a line with two or more spaces, then type return.

Headers

Markdown supports two styles of headers, [Setext] [1] and [atx] [2].

Optionally, you may "close" atx-style headers. This is purely cosmetic -- you can use this if you think it looks better. The closing hashes don't even need to match the number of hashes used to open the header. (The number of opening hashes determines the header level.)

Blockquotes

Markdown uses email-style > characters for blockquoting. If you're familiar with quoting passages of text in an email message, then you know how to create a blockquote in Markdown. It looks best if you hard wrap the text and put a > before every line:

This is a blockquote with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.

Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

Markdown allows you to be lazy and only put the > before the first line of a hard-wrapped paragraph:

This is a blockquote with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.

Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

Blockquotes can be nested (i.e. a blockquote-in-a-blockquote) by adding additional levels of >:

This is the first level of quoting.

This is nested blockquote.

Back to the first level.

Blockquotes can contain other Markdown elements, including headers, lists, and code blocks:

This is a header.

1. This is the first list item.
2. This is the second list item.

Here's some example code:

return shell_exec("echo $input | $markdown_script");

Any decent text editor should make email-style quoting easy. For example, with BBEdit, you can make a selection and choose Increase Quote Level from the Text menu.

Lists

Markdown supports ordered (numbered) and unordered (bulleted) lists.

Unordered lists use asterisks, pluses, and hyphens -- interchangably -- as list markers:

• Red
• Green
• Blue

is equivalent to:

• Red
• Green
• Blue

and:

• Red
• Green
• Blue

Ordered lists use numbers followed by periods:

1. Bird
2. McHale
3. Parish

It's important to note that the actual numbers you use to mark the list have no effect on the HTML output Markdown produces. The HTML Markdown produces from the above list is:

If you instead wrote the list in Markdown like this:

1. Bird
2. McHale
3. Parish

or even:

1. Bird
2. McHale
3. Parish

you'd get the exact same HTML output. The point is, if you want to, you can use ordinal numbers in your ordered Markdown lists, so that the numbers in your source match the numbers in your published HTML. But if you want to be lazy, you don't have to.

To make lists look nice, you can wrap items with hanging indents:

• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.
• Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

But if you want to be lazy, you don't have to:

• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.
• Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

List items may consist of multiple paragraphs. Each subsequent paragraph in a list item must be indented by either 4 spaces or one tab:

1. This is a list item with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus.

   Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus. Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit.

2. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.

It looks nice if you indent every line of the subsequent paragraphs, but here again, Markdown will allow you to be lazy:

• This is a list item with two paragraphs.

  This is the second paragraph in the list item. You're only required to indent the first line. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.

• Another item in the same list.

To put a blockquote within a list item, the blockquote's > delimiters need to be indented:

• A list item with a blockquote:

  This is a blockquote inside a list item.

To put a code block within a list item, the code block needs to be indented twice -- 8 spaces or two tabs:

• A list item with a code block:

  <code goes here>
  

Code Blocks

Pre-formatted code blocks are used for writing about programming or markup source code. Rather than forming normal paragraphs, the lines of a code block are interpreted literally. Markdown wraps a code block in both <pre> and <code> tags.

To produce a code block in Markdown, simply indent every line of the block by at least 4 spaces or 1 tab.

This is a normal paragraph:

This is a code block.

Here is an example of AppleScript:

tell application "Foo"
    beep
end tell

A code block continues until it reaches a line that is not indented (or the end of the article).

Within a code block, ampersands (&) and angle brackets (< and >) are automatically converted into HTML entities. This makes it very easy to include example HTML source code using Markdown -- just paste it and indent it, and Markdown will handle the hassle of encoding the ampersands and angle brackets. For example, this:

<div class="footer">
    &copy; 2004 Foo Corporation
</div>

Regular Markdown syntax is not processed within code blocks. E.g., asterisks are just literal asterisks within a code block. This means it's also easy to use Markdown to write about Markdown's own syntax.

tell application "Foo" beep end tell

Span Elements

Links

Markdown supports two style of links: inline and reference.

In both styles, the link text is delimited by [square brackets].

To create an inline link, use a set of regular parentheses immediately after the link text's closing square bracket. Inside the parentheses, put the URL where you want the link to point, along with an optional title for the link, surrounded in quotes. For example:

This is an example inline link.

This link has no title attribute.

Emphasis

Markdown treats asterisks (*) and underscores (_) as indicators of emphasis. Text wrapped with one * or _ will be wrapped with an HTML <em> tag; double *'s or _'s will be wrapped with an HTML <strong> tag. E.g., this input:

single asterisks

single underscores

double asterisks

double underscores

Code

To indicate a span of code, wrap it with backtick quotes (`). Unlike a pre-formatted code block, a code span indicates code within a normal paragraph. For example:

Use the printf() function.

@ 0edc2f47:730cff1b

Chef's notes

This started as a spontaneous kitchen experiment—an amalgamation of recipes from old cookbooks and online finds. My younger daughter wanted to surprise her sister with something quick but fancy ("It's a vibe, Mom."), and this is what we came up with. It’s quickly established itself as a go-to favorite: simple, rich, and deeply satisfying. It serves 4 (or 1, depending on the day; I am not here to judge). Tightly wrapped, it will keep up to 3 days in the fridge, but I bet it won't last that long!

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 10 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 0 min

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240mL) heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (24g) cocoa powder
• 5 tbsp (38g) Confectioners (powdered) sugar
• 1/4 tsp (1.25mL) vanilla extract (optional)
• Flaky sea salt (optional, but excellent)

Directions

1. 1. Whip the cream until frothy.
2. 1. Sift in cocoa and sugar, fold or gently mix (add vanilla if using).
3. 1. Whip to medium peaks (or stiff peaks, if that's more your thing). Chill and serve (topped with a touch of sea salt if you’re feeling fancy).

@ 7d33ba57:1b82db35

Nestled at the foot of the Alps, Salzburg is a city where Baroque beauty, musical legacy, and alpine magic come together. Best known as the birthplace of Mozart and the setting for The Sound of Music*, Salzburg is both elegant and enchanting—with fortress views, winding lanes, and a rich cultural rhythm that’s hard to resist.

🌟 Top Things to Do in Salzburg

1️⃣ Hohensalzburg Fortress

• One of Europe’s best-preserved medieval castles, perched high above the city
• Take the funicular or hike up for sweeping views
• Explore towers, armories, and eerie dungeons

2️⃣ Old Town (Altstadt)

• A UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with Baroque buildings, charming squares, and boutique-lined alleys
• Don’t miss Getreidegasse, a bustling shopping street with Mozart’s birthplace at No. 9
• Stop for a coffee in a historic café like Café Tomaselli

3️⃣ Mirabell Palace & Gardens

• Iconic filming location for The Sound of Music
• The gardens are perfect for a peaceful stroll or a picnic with palace views
• Pop into the Marble Hall—often used for classical concerts

4️⃣ Mozart’s Legacy

• Visit Mozart’s Birthplace and Mozart’s Residence for insight into his early life
• Enjoy a Mozart concert in a candlelit palace or at the fortress

5️⃣ Salzburg Cathedral & DomQuartier

• The majestic Salzburger Dom is the heart of the city’s religious life
• Explore the DomQuartier, a grand museum route through palaces, galleries, and cathedral terraces

🧀 What to Eat in Salzburg

• Kasnocken – Austrian-style cheesy dumplings with crispy onions
• Wiener Schnitzel – Classic veal (or pork) cutlet, perfectly golden
• Salzburger Nockerl – A fluffy baked dessert representing the city's snowy hills
• Sip a local Stiegl beer or warm up with a Glühwein in colder months

🎶 The Sound of Music Fans?

• Join a Sound of Music tour to visit film locations like Leopoldskron Palace, Nonnberg Abbey, and the gazebo from “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”
• Even if you’re not a fan, the scenery is worth it!

🏞️ Day Trips from Salzburg

• Hallstatt – Stunning lakeside village (2 hrs) with picture-perfect alpine views
• Eagle’s Nest (Kehlsteinhaus) – WWII site with panoramic mountain views
• Werfen Ice Caves – The largest ice cave system in the world
• Salzkammergut Lakes – Beautiful region of lakes and hills (perfect in summer)

🎯 Quick Tips

✅ Salzburg is compact and walkable—explore on foot
✅ Best time to visit: spring to early autumn, or December for magical Christmas markets
✅ Salzburg Card is worth it if you plan to visit several museums or use public transport
✅ Stay at least 2 nights to soak in both culture and scenery

@ fbf0e434:e1be6a39

Hackathon 概要

加拿大知名黑客松 ElleHacks 2025 于 2025 年 2 月 14 日至 16 日举办，聚焦推进 STEM 领域的多样性与包容性。活动吸引 195 名注册开发者参与，72 个项目通过审核，旨在为新手提供平台，通过协作提出创新技术方案应对全球挑战。

参赛者在活动中参与各类研讨会，与行业专家及招聘人员交流，提升技能并展现创造力与技术专长。黑客松始终围绕解决现实问题，激励参与者运用问题解决能力打造有影响力的解决方案。

ElleHacks 2025 不仅凸显了 STEM 领域多样性的重要性，更为女性及非二元性别学生通过技术项目贡献力量提供了重要平台，成为推动科技行业包容性创新的实践舞台。

Hackathon 获胜者

ElleHacks 2025 在各个类别中表彰了杰出的项目，详细如下：

最佳使用 ElleHacks 主题奖获奖者

• Memora {Old Age}：一个社区驱动的应用程序，帮助阿尔茨海默病患者进行记忆识别和药物管理，使用 AI 和 IoT 技术。
• KareBear：一个 AI 驱动的虚拟助手，支持自闭症谱系障碍儿童的情感学习和表达。
• talktome：一个仿真平台，提供个性化策略帮助父母改善与青少年的沟通。

最佳硬件应用奖获奖者

• Memora {Old Age}

最佳使用 EA 数据奖获奖者

• Connect Beyond Barriers: Autism Care：一个平台，为自闭症青少女及其父母提供 AI 驱动的支持，配备聊天机器人和专家定位服务。

最佳网络安全应用奖获奖者

• Lynx：一款整合用户数据的数字足迹分析器，提供声誉管理建议。

最佳使用 Wasp 奖获奖者

• NetNanny：一个浏览器扩展和网络应用程序，使用 AI 通过监控社交互动和发出警报来保护儿童免受网络威胁。

最佳使用 Streamlit 奖获奖者

• CyberQueen：一个网络应用，通过 AI 聊天机器人、测验和事实内容使年轻女性的网络安全教育变得有趣。

最佳 AI 应用程序使用 Cloudflare 奖获奖者

• CareOn：一个 AI 驱动的应用程序，通过运动检测和智能警报确保老年人安全。

来自 GoDaddy 注册表的最佳域名奖获奖者

• Greener Than You Think：一个交互性网站，通过每日心情检查和虚拟花园管理来支持青少年进行情绪调节。

最佳 Gen AI 应用奖获奖者

• Talky：一个应用，为有语言障碍的儿童提供游戏化语言治疗，使用 AI 定制讲话挑战和反馈。

有关这些项目的详细信息，请访问活动页面。

关于组织者

ElleHacks

ElleHacks 致力于在技术领域促进多样性和包容性，特别注重在科技领域赋权女性。以其年度 Hackathon 而闻名，ElleHacks 将参与者聚集在一起，协作开发创新项目，支持技能发展和人脉建设。该组织重视教育倡议和社区建设努力，鼓励创造力和协作。ElleHacks 致力于培养人才，努力扩大机会，并支持技术领域的弱势群体，定位自身为行业中积极变革的催化剂。

@ 7bdef7be:784a5805

The following script try, using nak, to find out the last ten people who have followed a target_pubkey, sorted by the most recent. It's possibile to shorten search_timerange to speed up the search.

```

!/usr/bin/env fish

Target pubkey we're looking for in the tags

set target_pubkey "6e468422dfb74a5738702a8823b9b28168abab8655faacb6853cd0ee15deee93"

set current_time (date +%s) set search_timerange (math $current_time - 600) # 24 hours = 86400 seconds

set pubkeys (nak req --kind 3 -s $search_timerange wss://relay.damus.io/ wss://nos.lol/ 2>/dev/null | \ jq -r --arg target "$target_pubkey" ' select(. != null and type == "object" and has("tags")) | select(.tags[] | select(.[0] == "p" and .[1] == $target)) | .pubkey ' | sort -u)

if test -z "$pubkeys" exit 1 end

set all_events "" set extended_search_timerange (math $current_time - 31536000) # One year

for pubkey in $pubkeys echo "Checking $pubkey" set events (nak req --author $pubkey -l 5 -k 3 -s $extended_search_timerange wss://relay.damus.io wss://nos.lol 2>/dev/null | \ jq -c --arg target "$target_pubkey" ' select(. != null and type == "object" and has("tags")) | select(.tags[][] == $target) ' 2>/dev/null)

set count (echo "$events" | jq -s 'length')

if test "$count" -eq 1
    set all_events $all_events $events
end

end

if test -n "$all_events" echo -e "Last people following $target_pubkey:" echo -e ""

set sorted_events (printf "%s\n" $all_events | jq -r -s '
unique_by(.id) |
sort_by(-.created_at) |
.[] | @json
')

for event in $sorted_events
    set npub (echo $event | jq -r '.pubkey' | nak encode npub)
    set created_at (echo $event | jq -r '.created_at')
    if test (uname) = "Darwin"
        set follow_date (date -r "$created_at" "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M")
    else
        set follow_date (date -d @"$created_at" "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M")
    end
    echo "$follow_date - $npub"
end

end ```

@ 83279ad2:bd49240d

Test

@ d4cb227b:edca6019

Dose: 30g coffee (Fine-medium grind size) 500mL soft or bottled water (97°C / 206.6°F)

Instructions: 1. Rinse out your filter paper with hot water to remove the papery taste. This will also preheat the brewer.

1. Add your grounds carefully to the center of the V60 and then create a well in the middle of the grounds.

2. For the bloom, start to gently pour 60mL of water, making sure that all the coffee is wet in this initial phase.

3. As soon as you’ve added your water, grab your V60 and begin to swirl in a circular motion. This will ensure the water and coffee are evenly mixed. Let this rest and bloom for up to 45 seconds.

4. Pour the rest of the water in in 2 phases. You want to try and get 60% of your total water in, within 30 seconds.

5. Pour until you reach 300mL total with a time at 1:15. Here you want to pour with a little agitation, but not so much that you have an uneven extraction.

6. Once you hit 60% of your total brew weight, start to pour a little slower and more gently, keeping your V60 cone topped up. Aim to have 100% of your brew weight in within the next 30 seconds.

7. Once you get to 500mL, with a spoon give the V60 a small stir in one direction, and then again in the other direction. This will release any grounds stuck to the side of the paper.

8. Allow the V60 to drain some more, and then give it one final swirl. This will help keep the bed flat towards the end of the brew, giving you the most even possible extraction.

@ d4cb227b:edca6019

This method focuses on the amount of water in the first pour, which ultimately defines the coffee’s acidity and sweetness (more water = more acidity, less water = more sweetness). For the remainder of the brew, the water is divided into equal parts according to the strength you wish to attain.

Dose: - 20g coffee (Coarse ground coffee) - 300mL water (92°C / 197.6°F) Time: 3:30

Instructions: Pour 1: 0:00 > 50mL (42% of 120mL = 40% of total – less water in the ratio, targeting sweetness.) Pour 2: 0:45 > 70mL (58% of 120mL = 40% of total – the top up for 40% of total.) Pour 3: 1:30 > 60mL (The remaining water is 180mL / 3 pours = 60mL per pour) Pour 4: 2:10 > 60mL Pour 5: 2:40 > 60mL Remove the V60 at 3:30

@ 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.

@ a0c34d34:fef39af1

8 months ago I went to Nashville, Bitcoin2024. The one with Edward Snowden’s cryptic speech, Michael Saylor telling people who knew nothing about Bitcoin how to stack sats. And yes, I was in the room when Donald spoke. I had so many people asking me how to “get a Coinbase!!!” cause he said so.

I sat with two women explaining seed phrase and how vital it was as they wrote the random words on scrape pieces of paper and put them in their purses.

I once was just like those women. Still am in some areas of this space. It can be overwhelming, learning about cryptography,subgraphs, it can be decentralized theatre!!!

Yes decentralized theatre. I said it. I never said it out loud.

In 2016, I knew nothing. I overheard a conversation that changed my life’s trajectory. I am embarrassed to say, I was old then but didn’t know it. I didn’t see myself as old, 56 back then, I just wanted to have enough money to pay bills.

I say this to say I bought 3 whole Bitcoin in 2016 and listening to mainstream news about scams and black market associated with what I bought, I sold them quickly and thought I was too old to be scammed and playing around with all of that.

In 2018, someone gave me The Book of Satoshi, I read it and thought it was a fabulous story but my fear ? I put the book in a drawer and forgot about it.

I mentioned decentralized theatre. I have been living in decentralized theatre for the past 3 years now. In August 2021 I landed on TikTok and saw NFTs. I thought get money directly to those who need it. I started diving down the rabbit holes of Web3.

The decentralized theatre is being in betas & joining platforms claiming to be decentralized social media platforms and of course all the “Web3” businesses claiming to be Web3.

Social medias were exciting, the crypto casino was thriving and I thought I was going to live a decentralized life with Bitcoin being independent from any financial institutions or interference from government.

Delusional? Yes, diving deeper, I did. I went to my first “night with crypto” event in West Palm Beach. My first IRL meeting scammers.

There was about 200-250 people sitting facing the stage where a man was speaking. There was a QRCode on the screen and he said for us to get out our phones and scan the QRCode to download their wallet & get free money.

I watched everyone, most everyone point their phones at the screen, but I didn’t, I got up and went out to the area where the booths were, the vendors.

A few months later I found out ( on Twitter) it was a scam. People would deposit a “minimal amount” and swap their money for these tokens with no value but constant hype and Twitter social media ambassadors ( followers) had people “wanting in” Don’t FOMO…

The promise of decentralization, independent from banks & government, and of course I had been excitedly sharing everything I was learning on TikTok and mentioned senior citizens need to know this stuff.

They need to learn metaverse to be connected with the virtual and digital natives( their kids, grandkids). They need to learn about Bitcoin and blockchain technologies to put their documents on chain & transfer their wealth safely. They need to learn how A.I. health tech can help them have a better quality of life!!!

Someone said I was a senior citizen and I was the perfect person to help them. It’s been 3 years and I learned how to create a Discord(with Geneva), 4 metaverses, multiple wallets and learned about different cryptos. I learned about different GPTs, NFCCHIP wearables, A.I. and Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network and so much more.

I have since deleted TikTok. I wrote an article on that on YakiHonne. I’m using LinkedIn and YouTube , some BluSky platforms. I published a cliff notes book for senior citizens and put it in my Stan Store(online to links) with links to my resume, newsletter, YouTube Channel, Substack and Onboard60 digital clone.

Onboard60, the name for my project. Onboard was THE buzzword back in 2021 & early 2022, 60? an age representative of my target audience … Onboard60 stuck.

The lack of interest from senior citizens over the years , the rejections, wild opinions, trolls on socials- I understand - I forget the fear I had. I still have the fear of not being a part of society, not understanding the world around me, getting left behind.

I keep coming to Nostr, going to BluSky, even the ones that are decentralized theatre( Lens & Farcaster)- I admit losing 28k follower account and afew other accounts I deleted ( over 5k & 12k), I felt a loss. I had perpetually been online and my relationships, friendships were online. Sadly only a few were real. Social media - out of sight out of mind. It was devastating.

I had to unplug and regroup. I was afraid to be on new social platforms, scared to start over, meet people. I’m realizing I do everything scared. I do it, whatever it is that moves me forward, keeps me learning, and keeps my mindset open, flexible.

Another fear is happening to me. There are times I have a senior citizen mindset. And that’s really scary. I have heard myself in conversations putting in an extra “the” like saying The Nostr like older people do.

Onboard60 is me. I am an adolescent and family counselor with a Master’s degree. I have created a few Metaverses, a Live chat/online Discord, a How to for senior citizens booklet and a digital clone.

Yes Onboard60 digital clone can be asked about anything Web3, blockchain and discuss how to create personal A.I. agents. I uploaded all of my content of the last 3 years (and it being LLM)People can go to Onboard60 clone with voice and or text

I do 1:1 counseling with overwhelmed, afraid and skeptical senior citizens.

I show experientially step by step basic virtual reality so senior citizens can enter the metaverse with their grandkids and portal to a park.

I use the metaverse & Geneva Live chats as social hang outs for senior citizens globally to create connections and stay relevant

I also talk about medical bracelets. NFCCHIP for medical information, gps bracelets for Alzheimer’s or dementia care.

And lastly from the past 3 years, I have learned to discuss all options for Bitcoin investing, not just self custody. Senior citizens listen, feel safe when I discuss Grayscale and Fidelity.

They feel they can trust these institutions. I tell them how they have articles and webinars on their sites about crypto and what cryptofunds they offer. They can dyor, it’s their money.

My vision and mission have stayed the same through this rollercoaster of a journey. It’s what keeps me grounded and moving forward.

This year I’m turning 65, and will become a part of the Medicare system. I don’t have insurance, can’t afford it. If it was on the blockchain I’d have control of the costs but nooooo, I am obligated to get Medicare.

I will have to work an extra shift a week (I am a waitress at night) and I am capable to do it and realistically I will probably need health insurance in the future, I am a senior citizen…..

Thank you for reading this. Zap sats and thank you again.

Sandra (Samm) Onboard60 Founder

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PLn1ysBEfjjwPZsMsLlmX-s7cDOgPC29/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=111904115111263773126&rtpof=true&sd=true

@ 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.

@ 2dd9250b:6e928072

Vi recentemente um post onde a pessoa diz que aquele final do filme O Doutrinador (2019) não faz sentido porque mesmo o protagonista explodindo o Palácio dos Três Poderes, não acaba com a corrupção no Brasil.

Progressistas não sabem ler e não conseguem interpretar textos corretamente. O final de Doutrinador não tem a ver com isso, tem a ver com a relação entre o Herói e a sua Cidade.

Nas histórias em quadrinhos há uma ligação entre a cidade e o Super-Herói. Gotham City por exemplo, cria o Batman. Isso é mostrado em The Batman (2022) e em Batman: Cavaleiro das Trevas, quando aquele garoto no final, diz para o Batman não fugir, porque ele queria ver o Batman de novo. E o Comissário Gordon diz que o "Batman é o que a cidade de Gotham precisa."

Batman: Cavaleiro das Trevas Ressurge mostra a cidade de Gotham sendo tomada pela corrupção e pela ideologia do Bane. A Cidade vai definhando em imoralidade e o Bruce, ao olhar da prisão a cidade sendo destruída, decide que o Batman precisa voltar porque se Gotham for destruída, o Batman é destruído junto. E isso o da forças para consegue fugir daquele poço e voltar para salvar Gotham.

Isso também é mostrado em Demolidor. Na série Demolidor o Matt Murdock sempre fala que precisa defender a cidade Cozinha do Inferno; que o Fisk não vai dominar a cidade e fazer o que ele quiser nela. Inclusive na terceira temporada isso fica mais evidente na luta final na mansão do Fisk, onde Matt grita que agora a cidade toda vai saber o que ele fez; a cidade vai ver o mal que ele é para Hell's Kitchen, porque a gente sabe que o Fisk fez de tudo para a imagem do Demolidor entrar e descrédito perante os cidadãos, então o que acontece no final do filme O Doutrinador não significa que ele está acabando com a corrupção quando explode o Congresso, ele está praticamente interrompendo o ciclo do sistema, colocando uma falha em sua engrenagem.

Quando você ouve falar de Brasília, você pensa na corrupção dos políticos, onde a farra acontece,, onde corruptos desviam dinheiro arrecadado dos impostos, impostos estes que são centralizados na União. Então quando você ouve falarem de Brasília, sempre pensa que o pessoal que mora lá, mora junto com tudo de podre que acontece no Brasil.

Logo quando o Doutrinador explode tudo ali, ele está basicamente destruindo o mecanismo que suja Brasília. Ele está fazendo isso naquela cidade. Porque o símbolo da cidade é justamente esse, a farsa de que naquele lugar o povo será ouvido e a justiça será feita. Ele está destruindo a ideologia de que o Estado nos protege, nos dá segurança, saúde e educação. Porque na verdade o Estado só existe para privilegiar os políticos, funcionários públicos de auto escalão, suas famílias e amigos. Enquanto que o povo sofre para sustentar a elite política. O protagonista Miguel entendeu isso quando a filha dele morreu na fila do SUS.

@ 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.

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

There are two ways things happen in this world: top-down and bottom-up. Top-down is via authoritarian edict, i.e. fascism, no matter how benign-seeming. It is the government imposing a tax, incentivizing a behavior, creating a new law. Bottom-up is the organic process of people doing what interests them voluntarily, what benefits them, what they decide is best individually.

There is but one legitimate role for top-down and that is in creating good conditions for bottom up. The US Constitution is fascism in that it forces you to adhere to its edicts as the supreme law of the land. But it’s also an effective boundary creating the necessary conditions for free markets, free expression, creativity and prosperity.

All governments are fascistic in that they use force to achieve their agendas. But the best ones use only the minimum necessary force to create conditions for bottom-up prosperity. There is no other kind of prosperity.

. . .

Governments aren’t the only entities that are fascistic. Schools, corporations, institutions and individuals, almost invariably, are too. Yes, I am a fascist and very likely so are you. Don’t believe me? Do you have a voice inside your head telling you what you must get done today, evaluating your progress as a person, critiquing and coercing you into doing things that are “good” for you and avoiding ones that are “bad”? If so, you are fascist.

Why not just trust yourself to make the right choices? Why all the nudging, coaxing, coaching, evaluating and gamifying? Who is this voice, what gives it the authority, the requisite wisdom to manage your affairs? Haven’t all your shortcomings, disappointments and general dissatisfactions taken place despite its ever-presence? What makes you think you are better off for having had this in-house micromanagement?

. . .

The top-down edicts that rule our lives are by and large unnecessarily oppressive. Yes, we should create some good top-down conditions for bottom up organic thriving like buying healthy food, getting fresh air, not consuming excessive amounts of alcohol or drugs, but the moment to moment hall-monitoring, the voice that requires you to achieve something or justify your existence? That’s fascism.

. . .

The mind is a powerful tool when it comes to planning, doing math or following a recipe, but if it can’t be turned off, if it’s not just optimizing your path from A to B, but optimizing YOU, that’s fascism.

. . .

I think about the problem of human governance through this lens. I imagine everyone charged with power over a polity has an agenda, and that agenda, insofar as it requires force to achieve, is fascistic. They want it to go this way rather than that way, and some people don’t agree. The quality of leadership then is the extent to which that force is used to preserve the bottom-up freedom of the individual to pursue his interests without undue interference, either from authorities themselves or other individuals who would unduly disrupt him.

The Constitution is an excellent guideline for this, and I surely won’t be able to come up with a better one in this Substack. It’s why I support Trump’s efforts to trim the top-down public sector and return productivity to the bottom-up private one, why I support deportation of adjudicated criminals who are here illegally, but oppose removing people with green cards or on valid student visas for protesting via constitutionally protected speech.

I don’t root for politicians like they play for my favorite sports team. I root for the freedom of the individual, the possibility of a largely bottom-up society wherein prosperity is possible. And I do this while knowing it will never happen exactly the way I would like, so long as I am bound by the fascism coming from inside the house.

@ 4c96d763:80c3ee30

Changes

William Casarin (13):

• fix compile issues on macOS
• print-search-keys: add size of key information
• fix iOS crash on latest version
• fix up some nostrdb-mcp discrepancies
• ndb: fix author input
• test: fix test failure
• ndb: enhance query options with more descriptive flags
• fix more ndb query bugs
• config: custom writer scratch size
• compile fix
• Initial relay index implementation
• relay: add note relay iteration
• ndb: add print-relay-kind-index-keys

pushed to nostrdb:refs/heads/master

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

As many of you know, https://nostr.build has recently launched a new compatibility layer for the Blossom protocol blossom.band. You can find all the details about what it supports and its limitations by visiting the URL.

I wanted to cover some of the technical details about how it works here. One key difference you may notice is that the service acts as a linker, redirecting requests for the media hash to the actual source of the media—specifically, the nostr.build URL. This allows us to maintain a unified CDN cache and ensure that your media is served as quickly as possible.

Another difference is that each uploaded media/blob is served under its own subdomain (e.g., npub1[...].blossom.band), ensuring that your association with the blob is controlled by you. If you decide to delete the media for any reason, we ensure that the link is broken, even if someone else has duplicated it using the same hash.

To comply with the Blossom protocol, we also link the same hash under the main (apex) domain (blossom.band) and collect all associations under it. This ensures that Blossom clients can fetch media based on users’ Blossom server settings. If you are the sole owner of the hash and there are no duplicates, deleting the media removes the link from the main domain as well.

Lastly, in line with our mission to protect users’ privacy, we reject any media that contains private metadata (such as GPS coordinates, user comments, or camera serial numbers) or strip it if you use the /media/ endpoint for upload.

As always, your feedback is welcome and appreciated. Thank you!

@ fbf0e434:e1be6a39

Hackathon 概要

Hackathon@WEF 2025 于 2025 年 1 月 21 日至 23 日在瑞士达沃斯举办，吸引 23 名注册开发者参与，最终 7 个项目获批。活动旨在通过 AI、数据科学与先进技术应对全球挑战。参赛者以团队形式，既在 Lab42 和达沃斯创新中心实地协作，也通过线上方式投入，聚焦打造具备现实应用潜力的解决方案。

由 DIGITAL LOUNGE@WEF 搭建的社交平台，让开发者有机会与 CEO、政府官员、企业家及思想领袖建立联系，向优质受众展示项目，提升曝光度并为职业发展奠基；瑞士阿尔卑斯山的优美环境辅以免费住宿、餐饮及会议资料，优化了参与体验；超 10,000 瑞士法郎的奖池，为后续创新提供支持。此外，达沃斯创新中心营造的协作氛围，有力推动全球创新进程。

此次 Hackathon 不仅彰显了技术创新在解决全球问题中的潜力，更促进了跨领域深度交流，为探索全球挑战的创新解决方案搭建了优质平台。

Hackathon 获奖者

此次Hackathon在一个类别中颁发奖项，表彰项目的技术创新和有效实施。

第一名 (5000瑞士法郎)

Inspecting Avalanches - 该项目通过高级分析和分类技术，聚焦于检测和分类雪崩，以提升安全措施和反应流程。

第二名 (1500瑞士法郎)

Team Strike - 开发了一个聊天机器人，将自然语言查询转换为SQL查询和XML文件，提升数据库交互和可访问性。

第三名 (1000瑞士法郎)

Sigma - 开发了一种能够与环境互动的类人系统，使用高效的AI模型，确保其整个操作过程中的数据主权。

Hacker之选

Team Strike

有关所有Hackathon项目的更多信息，请访问 DoraHacks。

关于组织者

Data Migration International

Data Migration International 提供专业的数据迁移解决方案，运用先进技术帮助组织高效管理复杂的数据过渡。公司以其技术专长而闻名，成功管理了多个行业的大型项目，展现了其在大规模数据处理方面的能力。其在技术和区块链领域的参与强调了对创新和效率的承诺。Data Migration International 致力于提供稳健的解决方案，简化和增强数据管理过程，保持其作为数字转型中可靠合作伙伴的地位。

@ 958f314c:9188db81

Ingredients

• 1/2 block of pepper jack
• 1 block of mild cheddar
• 1/2 block of sharp cheddar
• A box of cheese Ragu (or homemade cheese sauce)
• Macaroni noodles
• Butter
• 2 cups of Milk
• Chicken broth

Directions

1. Cook macaroni in chicken broth until tender
2. Drain macaroni (set chicken broth to the side if making cheese sauce), add butter to hot macaroni
3. Shred blocks of cheese
4. Put macaroni in a casserole dish
5. Add Ragu (or homemade cheese sauce), add milk to Ragu container, and pour into a casserole dish (or about 2 cups of milk)
6. Add shredded mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, and pepper jack to the casserole dish. Mix well.
7. Add extra shredded cheese on top
8. Bake until all cheese is melted at 350F for about 15 minutes. Broil for 3-5 minutes for a crispier top.

@ 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.

@ 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.

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

หรือต้นน้ำของปัญหาจะเป็น UPOV 1991?

เมื่อพูดถึงสิทธิในเมล็ดพันธุ์ หลายคนอาจนึกถึงแค่เรื่องเกษตรกรรมพื้นบ้านหรือพันธุ์พื้นเมืองที่ใช้สืบต่อกันมาในครอบครัว แต่ความจริงแล้ว ในโลกเบื้องลึกของการค้าระหว่างประเทศ มีข้อตกลงที่เปลี่ยน "เมล็ดพันธุ์" ให้กลายเป็น "ทรัพย์สินทางปัญญา" และอาจเปลี่ยนเกษตรกรให้กลายเป็นผู้ละเมิดลิขสิทธิ์โดยไม่รู้ตัว... นั่นคือ UPOV 1991

UPOV (ยูพอฟ) หรือ International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants คือองค์กรที่เริ่มต้นขึ้นในยุโรปตั้งแต่ปี 1961 โดยมีเจตนาดีในช่วงแรก คือคุ้มครองนักปรับปรุงพันธุ์พืช ให้มีแรงจูงใจในการพัฒนาสายพันธุ์ใหม่ๆ แต่เมื่อระบบทุนนิยมเข้ามาขับเคลื่อนกลไกเกษตรอุตสาหกรรม ข้อตกลงฉบับ UPOV 1991 จึงกลายร่างเป็นเครื่องมือที่ทรงพลังที่สุดในการผูกขาดพันธุกรรมของพืช

UPOV 1991 คือชื่อย่อของ อนุสัญญาสหภาพเพื่อคุ้มครองพันธุ์พืช ฉบับปี 1991 (International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants – 1991 Act) ซึ่งเป็นหนึ่งในกฎหมายระหว่างประเทศที่ทรงอิทธิพลที่สุดในโลกเรื่อง “สิทธิในเมล็ดพันธุ์” คล้ายกับลิขสิทธิ์สำหรับนักปรับปรุงพันธุ์พืช (Plant Breeders' Rights) และถือว่าเป็นเวอร์ชันที่ “โหดสุด” สำหรับเกษตรกรรายย่อยและประเทศกำลังพัฒนา โดยเฉพาะเมื่อเทียบกับฉบับเก่าอย่าง UPOV 1978

หนึ่งในบทบัญญัติที่อันตรายที่สุดของ UPOV 1991 คือการห้ามเกษตรกรเก็บเมล็ดพันธุ์ไว้ปลูกในฤดูกาลถัดไป (farm-saved seeds) โดยเฉพาะหากพันธุ์นั้นได้รับการจดทะเบียนในระบบของ UPOV แล้ว ซึ่งหมายความว่า แม้ชาวนาจะซื้อเมล็ดมาปลูกบนที่ดินของตัวเอง ดูแลด้วยสองมือจนได้ผลผลิต พอเก็บเมล็ดไว้ปลูกต่อปลูกซ้ำ กลับกลายเป็นว่าละเมิดสิทธิของเจ้าของพันธุ์เสียอย่างนั้นและโดนฟ้องได้

รวมถึงห้ามนำเมล็ดไปแลกเปลี่ยนหรือแจกจ่ายให้คนอื่น แม้แต่การแบ่งเมล็ดให้เพื่อนบ้าน ก็อาจถือว่าละเมิดสิทธิ์ของเจ้าของพันธุ์ได้

พูดง่ายๆคือ มันคือการเปลี่ยนเมล็ดพันธุ์ธรรมชาติ ให้กลายเป็นซอฟต์แวร์ ที่ต้องซื้อ license ใหม่ทุกปี

ไม่เพียงเท่านั้น UPOV 1991 ยังขยายขอบเขตการคุ้มครองไปถึง "พืชลูกหลาน" ที่สืบทอดลักษณะทางพันธุกรรมของพันธุ์ต้นแบบ แม้เกษตรกรจะเพาะปลูกและคัดเลือกสายพันธุ์ต่อยอดเอง แต่หากลักษณะสำคัญยังใกล้เคียงกับพันธุ์ดั้งเดิม ก็ยังถือว่าละเมิดอยู่ดี

นี่จึงเปิดทางให้บริษัทใหญ่ระดับโลก เช่น Monsanto (ปัจจุบันกลืนรวมกับ Bayer) มีสิทธิครอบครองสายพันธุ์พืชแบบเกือบเบ็ดเสร็จ และเรียกเก็บค่าลิขสิทธิ์จากเกษตรกรายปีได้

ลองจินตนาการดูว่า หากวันหนึ่งทุกผักในตลาด ไม่ว่าจะเป็นข้าว ข้าวโพด พริก มะเขือ หรือแม้แต่บรอกโคลี เป็นสายพันธุ์ที่ต้องจ่ายค่าลิขสิทธิ์ทุกปี เกษตรกรจะยังมีอิสระในการเพาะปลูกอยู่หรือไม่?

ประเทศไทยเอง แม้ยังไม่เข้าร่วม UPOV 1991 อย่างเป็นทางการ แต่ก็เผชิญแรงกดดันจากข้อตกลงการค้าเสรี (FTA) และกลุ่มทุนต่างชาติให้แก้ไขกฎหมายภายใน เช่น ร่าง พ.ร.บ.คุ้มครองพันธุ์พืช ที่เคยถูกวิจารณ์อย่างหนักว่าเลียนแบบ UPOV 1991 แทบทุกบรรทัด

ในขณะที่โลกกำลังพูดถึง "Seed Sovereignty" หรืออธิปไตยของเมล็ดพันธุ์ การรักษาสิทธิของเกษตรกรในการเก็บ แลกเปลี่ยน และปรับปรุงพันธุ์พืชโดยไม่ถูกผูกขาดด้วยระบบลิขสิทธิ์ UPOV 1991 กลับทำหน้าที่ตรงข้ามอย่างสิ้นเชิง

มันไม่ใช่แค่ข้อตกลงที่เขียนด้วยภาษากฎหมาย แต่มันคือกรงขังที่มองไม่เห็น ที่ล็อกเกษตรกรเอาไว้กับพันธุ์พืชที่พวกเขาไม่ได้เป็นเจ้าของ แม้จะปลูกมันเองกับมือก็ตาม

ทางออกเดียวอาจไม่ใช่แค่การไม่เข้าร่วม UPOV 1991 แต่คือการกลับมาสร้างระบบอาหารที่ยั่งยืนตั้งแต่เมล็ดพันธุ์ ระบบที่ให้สิทธิ์กับผู้ปลูกอย่างแท้จริง ไม่ใช่ระบบที่ให้อำนาจแค่กับผู้จดทะเบียน

แล้วอะไรจะเป็น right exit? #pirateketo #กูต้องรู้มั๊ย #ม้วนหางสิลูก

@ 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.

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1. Command Bar

• Open it with Ctrl-e
• Supports shell-like argument parsing (single/double quotes, escaping)
• No environment variable expansion

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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

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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

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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. 🚀

@ 147ac18e:ef1ca1ba

There’s no shortage of hype around AI. But beneath the buzzwords, Geoff Woods lays out something much more grounded—and frankly, more useful—on his recent appearance on The What Is Money Show. Geoff, who wrote The AI Driven Leader, isn’t here to pitch you a prompt template or a new tool. He’s here to talk about leadership, responsibility, and how to actually get value from AI.

His argument is simple: AI is no longer optional. It's a leadership imperative. And yet, despite nearly every executive claiming to believe in its future, less than 5% are doing anything meaningful with it. Geoff’s take? If you’re delegating AI to the tech team, you’re missing the point. This is about vision, strategy, and leading your people into a new era.

But here’s the rub: you don’t need to become an AI expert. You just need to become what Geoff calls an AI-driven leader—someone who knows how to spot valuable use cases, communicate clearly with AI, and stay in the driver’s seat as the thought leader. It’s not about handing off decisions to a machine. It’s about using the machine to sharpen your thinking.

To do that, Geoff leans on a framework he calls CRIT: Context, Role, Interview, Task. It’s dead simple and wildly effective.

CRIT Framework: Geoff’s Go-To Prompting System

Write every AI prompt using:

• Context – the background situation

• Role – what persona you want AI to take (e.g., CFO, board member, therapist)

• Interview – have AI ask you questions to pull deeper insights

• Task – what you want AI to do after collecting enough context

Give the AI rich context, assign it a role (board member, CFO, therapist—whatever you need), have it interview you to pull out what’s really going on in your head, and then define the task you want it to execute. That flip—getting the AI to interview you—is the difference between mediocre results and strategic breakthroughs.

He shared some standout examples:

• Using AI as a simulated board to test strategy decks and predict which slides will blow up in a real meeting.
• Having AI draft executive emails in a tone blend of your own voice, plus a dash of Simon Sinek and David Goggins.
• Creating AI-generated personas of your kids’ strengths to show them how to use tech to deepen—not replace—their humanity.

That last point matters. Geoff’s raising his own kids to be AI-native, but not tech-addicted. His daughter used AI to explore business ideas. His son used it to work through emotional challenges. In both cases, the tool was secondary. The focus was helping them grow into more aware, capable versions of themselves.

He’s honest about AI’s limitations too. It hallucinates. It’s bad at math. It can’t replace deep human judgment. But if you use it right—if you treat it like a thought partner instead of a magic 8-ball—it becomes an amplifier.

Geoff’s challenge to all of us is to stop anchoring our identity to who we’ve been, and start leaning into who we could become. Whether you’re running a company, managing a classroom, or figuring out your next move, the opportunity is the same: use AI to 10x the things that make you most human.

And it all starts with one sticky note: How can AI help me do this?

If you’re interested in diving deeper, check out aileadership.com or pick up his book The AI Driven Leader. But more importantly, start experimenting. Get your reps in. Think bigger.

Because a year from now, the version of you that’s already doing this work? They’re going to be very hard to compete with.

@ ac58bbcc:7d9754d8

Introduction

Many school districts allocate significant budgets for curriculum materials like textbooks and workbooks, but these resources often fail to provide teachers with the deep conceptual understanding needed to teach mathematics effectively. Administrators face the challenge of ensuring that their teachers have the support they need from books and worksheets and partners who understand how children learn math and the gaps in learning as they exist today.

The Problem: Books and Worksheets Are Not Enough

1. Limited Depth in Conceptual Learning
2. Curriculum materials often focus on procedural fluency rather than deep conceptual understanding. While these resources provide a structured framework for instruction, they do not equip teachers with the tools to address individual student learning styles or challenges.
3. Lack of Ongoing Professional Support
4. Administrators frequently allocate budgets for professional development workshops and materials but struggle to ensure that teachers receive ongoing, personalized support throughout the school year. Teachers often face unique classroom dynamics and need immediate assistance, yet many districts lack a consistent partnership with experts who can provide this guidance.
5. Ineffectiveness in Meeting Diverse Needs
6. Students learn at different paces and in different ways. Curriculum materials alone cannot address the varied needs of all students. A comprehensive support system is needed to help teachers differentiate instruction, support struggling learners, and challenge advanced students effectively.

Solution: Math Success by DMTI

Math Success by DMTI offers a more effective approach to elementary math education. Here’s what sets it apart:

• Focus on Conceptual Understanding:
  • The program emphasizes deep conceptual understanding through real-life examples that tie procedures back to the underlying math concepts. Students understand not just how but also why strategies and procedures work.
• Modeling Problems:
  • Math Success by DMTI teaches students to model problems using visual models like bar models, number lines, and equations. This approach ensures they see the math conceptually and can apply it in various contexts.
• Ongoing Support Throughout the Year:
  • The program provides more than just one-time workshops; it offers ongoing support through expert coaches who work directly with teachers throughout the school year. Teachers receive guidance on lesson planning, classroom management, and student engagement strategies.
• Flexible Resources:
  • Math Success by DMTI includes comprehensive resources such as assessments, instructional units, exit tickets, practice sheets, research-based games, and parent materials tailored to meet diverse learning needs.
• Consistent Language and Structure:
  • The program uses consistent language and structure in teaching words from kindergarten through graduation. This consistency helps students build a strong foundation and facilitates smoother transitions between grade levels.

Teacher Testimonials: Real Impact

Educators have reported significant improvements in student achievement after implementing Math Success by DMTI:

• Increased Student Proficiency:
• For example, one third-grade teacher saw her students’ proficiency increase from 32% to 76% within a single academic year. This kind of growth demonstrates the program's effectiveness and its ability to foster deeper learning.

Conclusion

By adopting Math Success by DMTI, administrators can ensure that their teachers have the tools they need to teach math concepts effectively. With expert coaches embedded in classrooms for ongoing support, research-backed methodologies, flexible resources, and a focus on the right things in the right order, districts can create environments where students truly thrive.

Math Success by DMTI stands out as an exceptional partner for schools looking to improve math education. By bridging the gap between research and practice, Math Success by DMTI empowers educators to increase student achievement and foster a love for mathematics.

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

Recently we have seen a wave of high profile X accounts hacked. These attacks have exposed the fragility of the status quo security model used by modern social media platforms like X. Many users have asked if nostr fixes this, so lets dive in. How do these types of attacks translate into the world of nostr apps? For clarity, I will use X’s security model as representative of most big tech social platforms and compare it to nostr.

The Status Quo

On X, you never have full control of your account. Ultimately to use it requires permission from the company. They can suspend your account or limit your distribution. Theoretically they can even post from your account at will. An X account is tied to an email and password. Users can also opt into two factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of protection, a login code generated by an app. In theory, this setup works well, but it places a heavy burden on users. You need to create a strong, unique password and safeguard it. You also need to ensure your email account and phone number remain secure, as attackers can exploit these to reset your credentials and take over your account. Even if you do everything responsibly, there is another weak link in X infrastructure itself. The platform’s infrastructure allows accounts to be reset through its backend. This could happen maliciously by an employee or through an external attacker who compromises X’s backend. When an account is compromised, the legitimate user often gets locked out, unable to post or regain control without contacting X’s support team. That process can be slow, frustrating, and sometimes fruitless if support denies the request or cannot verify your identity. Often times support will require users to provide identification info in order to regain access, which represents a privacy risk. The centralized nature of X means you are ultimately at the mercy of the company’s systems and staff.

Nostr Requires Responsibility

Nostr flips this model radically. Users do not need permission from a company to access their account, they can generate as many accounts as they want, and cannot be easily censored. The key tradeoff here is that users have to take complete responsibility for their security. Instead of relying on a username, password, and corporate servers, nostr uses a private key as the sole credential for your account. Users generate this key and it is their responsibility to keep it safe. As long as you have your key, you can post. If someone else gets it, they can post too. It is that simple. This design has strong implications. Unlike X, there is no backend reset option. If your key is compromised or lost, there is no customer support to call. In a compromise scenario, both you and the attacker can post from the account simultaneously. Neither can lock the other out, since nostr relays simply accept whatever is signed with a valid key.

The benefit? No reliance on proprietary corporate infrastructure.. The negative? Security rests entirely on how well you protect your key.

Future Nostr Security Improvements

For many users, nostr’s standard security model, storing a private key on a phone with an encrypted cloud backup, will likely be sufficient. It is simple and reasonably secure. That said, nostr’s strength lies in its flexibility as an open protocol. Users will be able to choose between a range of security models, balancing convenience and protection based on need.

One promising option is a web of trust model for key rotation. Imagine pre-selecting a group of trusted friends. If your account is compromised, these people could collectively sign an event announcing the compromise to the network and designate a new key as your legitimate one. Apps could handle this process seamlessly in the background, notifying followers of the switch without much user interaction. This could become a popular choice for average users, but it is not without tradeoffs. It requires trust in your chosen web of trust, which might not suit power users or large organizations. It also has the issue that some apps may not recognize the key rotation properly and followers might get confused about which account is “real.”

For those needing higher security, there is the option of multisig using FROST (Flexible Round-Optimized Schnorr Threshold). In this setup, multiple keys must sign off on every action, including posting and updating a profile. A hacker with just one key could not do anything. This is likely overkill for most users due to complexity and inconvenience, but it could be a game changer for large organizations, companies, and governments. Imagine the White House nostr account requiring signatures from multiple people before a post goes live, that would be much more secure than the status quo big tech model.

Another option are hardware signers, similar to bitcoin hardware wallets. Private keys are kept on secure, offline devices, separate from the internet connected phone or computer you use to broadcast events. This drastically reduces the risk of remote hacks, as private keys never touches the internet. It can be used in combination with multisig setups for extra protection. This setup is much less convenient and probably overkill for most but could be ideal for governments, companies, or other high profile accounts.

---

Nostr’s security model is not perfect but is robust and versatile. Ultimately users are in control and security is their responsibility. Apps will give users multiple options to choose from and users will choose what best fits their need.

@ 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

@ 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.

@ c1e9ab3a:9cb56b43

Introduction

Throughout human history, the pyramids of Egypt have fascinated scholars, archaeologists, and engineers alike. Traditionally thought of as tombs for pharaohs or religious monuments, alternative theories have speculated that the pyramids may have served advanced technological functions. One such hypothesis suggests that the pyramids acted as large-scale nitrogen fertilizer generators, designed to transform arid desert landscapes into fertile land.

This paper explores the feasibility of such a system by examining how a pyramid could integrate thermal convection, electrolysis, and a self-regulating breeder reactor to sustain nitrogen fixation processes. We will calculate the total power requirements and estimate the longevity of a breeder reactor housed within the structure.

The Pyramid’s Function as a Nitrogen Fertilizer Generator

The hypothesized system involves several key processes:

• Heat and Convection: A fissile material core located in the King's Chamber would generate heat, creating convection currents throughout the pyramid.
• Electrolysis and Hydrogen Production: Water sourced from subterranean channels would undergo electrolysis, splitting into hydrogen and oxygen due to electrical and thermal energy.
• Nitrogen Fixation: The generated hydrogen would react with atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) to produce ammonia (NH₃), a vital component of nitrogen-based fertilizers.

Power Requirements for Continuous Operation

To maintain the pyramid’s core at approximately 450°C, sufficient to drive nitrogen fixation, we estimate a steady-state power requirement of 23.9 gigawatts (GW).

Total Energy Required Over 10,000 Years

Given continuous operation over 10,000 years, the total energy demand can be calculated as:

[ \text{Total time} = 10,000 \times 365.25 \times 24 \times 3600 \text{ seconds} ]

[ \text{Total time} = 3.16 \times 10^{11} \text{ seconds} ]

[ \text{Total energy} = 23.9 \text{ GW} \times 3.16 \times 10^{11} \text{ s} ]

[ \approx 7.55 \times 10^{21} \text{ J} ]

Using a Self-Regulating Breeder Reactor

A breeder reactor could sustain this power requirement by generating more fissile material than it consumes. This reduces the need for frequent refueling.

Pebble Bed Reactor Design

• Self-Regulation: The reactor would use passive cooling and fuel expansion to self-regulate temperature.
• Breeding Process: The reactor would convert thorium-232 into uranium-233, creating a sustainable fuel cycle.

Fissile Material Requirements

Each kilogram of fissile material releases approximately 80 terajoules (TJ) (or 8 × 10^{13} J/kg). Given a 35% efficiency rate, the usable energy per kilogram is:

[ \text{Usable energy per kg} = 8 \times 10^{13} \times 0.35 = 2.8 \times 10^{13} \text{ J/kg} ]

[ \text{Fissile material required} = \frac{7.55 \times 10^{21}}{2.8 \times 10^{13}} ]

[ \approx 2.7 \times 10^{8} \text{ kg} = 270,000 \text{ tons} ]

Impact of a Breeding Ratio

If the reactor operates at a breeding ratio of 1.3, the total fissile material requirement would be reduced to:

[ \frac{270,000}{1.3} \approx 208,000 \text{ tons} ]

Reactor Size and Fuel Replenishment

Assuming a pebble bed reactor housed in the King’s Chamber (~318 cubic meters), the fuel cycle could be sustained with minimal refueling. With a breeding ratio of 1.3, the reactor could theoretically operate for 10,000 years with occasional replenishment of lost material due to inefficiencies.

Managing Scaling in the Steam Generation System

To ensure long-term efficiency, the water supply must be conditioned to prevent mineral scaling. Several strategies could be implemented:

1. Natural Water Softening Using Limestone

• Passing river water through limestone beds could help precipitate out calcium bicarbonate, reducing hardness before entering the steam system.

2. Chemical Additives for Scaling Prevention

• Chelating Agents: Compounds such as citric acid or tannins could be introduced to bind calcium and magnesium ions.
• Phosphate Compounds: These interfere with crystal formation, preventing scale adhesion.

3. Superheating and Pre-Evaporation

• Pre-Evaporation: Water exposed to extreme heat before entering the system would allow minerals to precipitate out before reaching the reactor.
• Superheated Steam: Ensuring only pure vapor enters the steam cycle would prevent mineral buildup.
• Electrolysis of Superheated Steam: Using multi-million volt electrostatic fields to ionize and separate minerals before they enter the steam system.

4. Electrostatic Control for Scaling Mitigation

• The pyramid’s hypothesized high-voltage environment could ionize water molecules, helping to prevent mineral deposits.

Conclusion

If the Great Pyramid were designed as a self-regulating nitrogen fertilizer generator, it would require a continuous 23.9 GW energy supply, which could be met by a breeder reactor housed within its core. With a breeding ratio of 1.3, an initial load of 208,000 tons of fissile material would sustain operations for 10,000 years with minimal refueling.

Additionally, advanced water treatment techniques, including limestone filtration, chemical additives, and electrostatic control, could ensure long-term efficiency by mitigating scaling issues.

While this remains a speculative hypothesis, it presents a fascinating intersection of energy production, water treatment, and environmental engineering as a means to terraform the ancient world.

@ c1e9ab3a:9cb56b43

Introduction

Since the mid-1990s, American media has fractured into two distinct and increasingly isolated ecosystems, each with its own Overton window of acceptable discourse. Once upon a time, Americans of different political leanings shared a common set of facts, even if they interpreted them differently. Today, they don’t even agree on what the facts are—or who has the authority to define them.

This divide stems from a deeper philosophical rift in how each side determines truth and legitimacy. The institutional left derives its authority from the expert class—academics, think tanks, scientific consensus, and mainstream media. The populist right, on the other hand, finds its authority in traditional belief systems—religion, historical precedent, and what many call "common sense." As these two moral and epistemological frameworks drift further apart, the result is not just political division but the emergence of two separate cultural nations sharing the same geographic space.

The Battle of Epistemologies: Experts vs. Tradition

The left-leaning camp sees scientific consensus, peer-reviewed research, and institutional expertise as the gold standard of truth. Universities, media organizations, and policy think tanks function as arbiters of knowledge, shaping the moral and political beliefs of those who trust them. From this perspective, governance should be guided by data-driven decisions, often favoring progressive change and bureaucratic administration over democratic populism.

The right-leaning camp is skeptical of these institutions, viewing them as ideologically captured and detached from real-world concerns. Instead, they look to religion, historical wisdom, and traditional social structures as more reliable sources of truth. To them, the "expert class" is not an impartial source of knowledge but a self-reinforcing elite that justifies its own power while dismissing dissenters as uneducated or morally deficient.

This fundamental disagreement over the source of moral and factual authority means that political debates today are rarely about policy alone. They are battles over legitimacy itself. One side sees resistance to climate policies as "anti-science," while the other sees aggressive climate mandates as an elite power grab. One side views traditional gender roles as oppressive, while the other sees rapid changes in gender norms as unnatural and destabilizing. Each group believes the other is not just wrong, but dangerous.

The Consequences of Non-Overlapping Overton Windows

As these worldviews diverge, so do their respective Overton windows—the range of ideas considered acceptable for public discourse. There is little overlap left. What is considered self-evident truth in one camp is often seen as heresy or misinformation in the other. The result is:

• Epistemic Closure – Each side has its own trusted media sources, and cross-exposure is minimal. The left dismisses right-wing media as conspiracy-driven, while the right views mainstream media as corrupt propaganda. Both believe the other is being systematically misled.
• Moralization of Politics – Since truth itself is contested, policy debates become existential battles. Disagreements over issues like immigration, education, or healthcare are no longer just about governance but about moral purity versus moral corruption.
• Cultural and Political Balkanization – Without a shared understanding of reality, compromise becomes impossible. Americans increasingly consume separate news, live in ideologically homogeneous communities, and even speak different political languages.

Conclusion: Two Nations on One Land

A country can survive disagreements, but can it survive when its people no longer share a common source of truth? Historically, such deep societal fractures have led to secession, authoritarianism, or violent conflict. The United States has managed to avoid these extremes so far, but the trendline is clear: as long as each camp continues reinforcing its own epistemology while rejecting the other's as illegitimate, the divide will only grow.

The question is no longer whether America is divided—it is whether these two cultures can continue to coexist under a single political system. Can anything bridge the gap between institutional authority and traditional wisdom? Or are we witnessing the slow but inevitable unraveling of a once-unified nation into two separate moral and epistemic realities?

@ 7b3f7803:8912e968

Libertarians believe in open borders in theory. In practice, open borders don't work, because, among other things, the combination with a welfare state creates a moral hazard, and the least productive of society end up within the borders of welfare states and drain resources. The social services are paid by the productive people of the country or, in the case of most fiat systems, by currency holders through inflation. Welfare states are much more likely under fiat money and the redistribution goes from native taxpayers to illegal immigrants. Thus, under fiat money, open borders end up being an open wound by which the productive lifeblood of the country bleeds out, despite the theoretical trade-efficiency benefits. As libertarians like to say, open borders and the welfare state don't mix. In this article, we'll examine the other sacred cow of libertarian thought: free trade.

Free Trade without Libertarian Ideals

Free trade is very similar to free movement of labor in that it works great in theory, but not in practice, especially under fiat money. In a libertarian free-market world, free trade works. But that assumes a whole host of libertarian ideals like sound money, non-interfering governments, and minimal aggression. Once those ideals are violated, such as with government intervention in the market, similar moral hazards and long-term costs come with them, making free trade about as libertarian as a fractional reserve bank.

An example will illustrate what I'm talking about. Let's say Portugal subsidizes their wine for export to other countries. The obvious first-order effect is that it makes Portuguese wine cheaper in France, perhaps undercutting the price of French wine. Libertarians would say, that's great! French customers get cheaper goods, so what's the problem?

As with any government intervention, there are significant second- and third-order effects in play. Subsidization puts unsubsidized companies at risk, perhaps driving them to bankruptcy. In this case, this might be a French wine maker. Subsidized companies may become zombies instead of dying out. In this case, this might be a Portuguese wine maker that was failing domestically but survives by selling to customers abroad with government subsidies. While French customers benefit in the short run with cheaper prices for wine, they are ultimately hurt because the goods that would have existed without government intervention never come to market. Perhaps French wine makers that went bankrupt were innovating. Perhaps the resources of the zombie Portuguese wine maker would have created something better.

Further, the dependency of French people on Portuguese wine means that something going wrong in Portugal, like a war or subsidy cuts, disrupts the supply and price of wine for France. Now France must meddle in Portugal internationally if it doesn't want the wine supply to get disrupted. The two countries get entangled in such a way as to become more interventionist internationally. A war involving Portugal now suddenly becomes France's business and incentivizes military aid or even violence. As usual, the unseen effects of government policy are the most pernicious.

Not Really Free

In other words, what we call free trade isn't really free trade. A country exporting to the US may subsidize their products through government intervention, making the product cheaper in the US. This hurts US companies, and they’re forced into choices they never would have had to face without the foreign government intervention. But because the good is crossing borders under the rubric of "free trade," it's somehow seen as fair. Of course it's not, as government intervention distorts the market whether it's done by our own government or a foreign government.

So why would a foreign government do this? It gets several benefits through targeted market manipulation. First, it makes its own companies' products more popular abroad and conversely, makes US companies' products less popular. This has the dual benefit of growing the foreign government’s firms and shrinking, perhaps bankrupting, the US ones.

Targeted subsidization like this can lead to domination under free trade. It's not unlike the Amazon strategy of undercutting everyone first and using the monopoly pricing power at scale once everyone else has bankrupted. The global monopoly is tremendously beneficial to the country that has it. Not only is there significant tax revenue over the long term, but also a head start on innovations within that industry and an advantage in production in the adjacent industries around the product.

Second, the manufacturing centralization gives that country leverage geo-politically. A critical product that no one else manufactures means natural alliances with the countries that depend on the product, which is especially useful for smaller countries like Taiwan. Their chip manufacturing industry, holding 60% of global supply (2024), has meant that they're a critical link for most other countries, and hence, they can use this fact to deter Chinese invasion.

Third, because of the centralization of expertise, more innovations, products, and manufacturing will tend to come within the country. This increased production has cascading benefits, including new industries and national security. China leads the world in drone technology, which undoubtedly has given it an innovation advantage for its military, should it go to war.

Fourth, the capital that flows into the country for investing in the monopolized industry will tend to stay, giving the country more wealth in the form of factories, equipment, and skills. While that capital may nominally be in the hands of foreigners, over time, the ownership of that industry will inevitably transition toward native locals, as the knowledge about how to run such industries gets dissipated within the country.

[Image: Map showing “China Drone Tech” and “Taiwan Chips” hubs, with arrows of capital flow staying local]

Currency Devaluation: The Universal Trade Weapon

It would be one thing if only a specific industry were singled out for government subsidies and then the products dumped into the US as a way to hurt US companies, as that would limit the scope of the damage. But with currency devaluation, a government can subsidize all of its exports at the same time. Indeed, this is something that many countries do. While short-term, this helps US consumers, it hurts US companies and forces them into decisions that aren't good for the US.

To compete, they have to lower costs by using the same devalued currency to pay their labor as their foreign competition. That is, by relocating their capital, their manufacturing, and even their personnel to the country that's devaluing the currency. Not only does relocating reduce labor cost, but it also often gets them benefits like tax breaks. This makes US companies de facto multinationals and not only makes them subject to other jurisdictions, but ultimately divides their loyalties. To take advantage of the reduced labor, capital must move to another country and, along with it, future innovation.

Such relocations ultimately leave the company stripped of their manufacturing capability in the US, as local competition will generally fare better over the long run. Much of the value of the industry then is captured by other governments in taxes, development, and even state-owned companies. Free trade, in other words, creates a vulnerability for domestic companies as they can be put at a significant disadvantage compared to foreign counterparts.

Hidden Effects of Foreign Intervention

Unlike the multinationals, small companies have no chance as they're not big enough to exploit the labor arbitrage. And as is usual in a fiat system, they suffer the most while the giant corporations get the benefits of the supposed "free trade". Most small companies can't compete, so we get mostly the bigger companies that survive.

The transition away from domestic manufacturing necessarily means significant disruption. Domestic workers are displaced and have to find new work. Factories and equipment either have to be repurposed or rot. Entire communities that depended on the manufacturing facility now have to figure out new ways to support themselves. It's no good telling them that they can just do something else. In a currency devaluation scenario, most of the manufacturing leaves and the jobs left are service-oriented or otherwise location-based, like real estate development. There's a natural limit to location-based industries because the market only grows with the location that you're servicing. Put another way, you can only have so many people give haircuts or deliver packages in a geographic area. There has to be some manufacturing of goods that can be sold outside the community, or the community will face scarce labor opportunities relative to the population.

You also can't say the displaced workers can start some other manufacturing business. Such businesses will get out-competed on labor by the currency-devaluing country, so there won't be much investment available for such a business, and even if there were, such a business would be competing with its hands tied behind its back. So in this scenario, what you end up with are a large pool of unemployed people whom the state subsidizes with welfare.

So when a US company leaves or goes bankrupt due to a foreign government's subsidies, the disruption alone imposes a significant short-term cost with displaced labor, unused capital goods, and devastated communities.

Mitigations

So how do countries fight back against such a devastating economic weapon? There are a few ways countries have found around this problem of currency devaluation under free trade. First, a country can prevent capital from leaving. This is called capital controls, and many countries, particularly those that manufacture a lot, have them. Try to get money, factories, or equipment out of Malaysia, for example, and you'll find that they make it quite difficult. Getting the same capital into the country, on the other hand, faces few restrictions. Unfortunately, the US can't put in capital controls because dollars are its main export. It is, after all, the reserve currency of the world.

Second, you can compete by devaluing your own currency. But that’s very difficult because it requires printing a lot of dollars, and that causes inflation. There's also no guarantee that a competing country doesn't devalue its currency again. The US is also in a precarious position as the world's reserve currency, so devaluing the currency more than it already does will make other holders of the dollar less likely to want to hold it, threatening the reserve currency status.

So the main two mitigations against currency devaluation in a free trade scenario are not available to the US. So what else is there? The remaining option is to drop free trade. The solution, in other words, is to add tariffs. This is how you can nullify the effects of foreign government intervention, by leveling the playing field for US manufacturers.

Tariffs

One major industry that's managed to continue being manufactured in the US despite significant foreign competition is cars. Notably, cars have a tariff, which incentivizes their manufacture in the US, even for foreign car makers. The tariff has acted as a way to offset foreign government subsidies and currency debasement.

The scope of this one industry for the US is huge. There are around 300,000 direct jobs in auto assembly within the US (USTR) and there are an additional 3 million jobs supplying these manufacturers within the US. But the benefits don't end there. The US is also creating a lot of innovation around cars, such as self-driving and plug-in electric cars. There are many countries that would love to have this industry for themselves, but because of tariffs, auto manufacturing continues in the US.

And though tariffs are seen as a tax on consumers, US car prices are cheap relative to the rest of the world. What surprises a lot of people when they move from the US to other countries is finding out that the same car often costs more abroad (e.g. 25% tariffs keep U.S. prices 20% below Europe’s $40K average, 2024). The downside of tariffs pales next to the downsides of "free trade."

Free Trade Doesn’t Work with Fiat Money

The sad reality is that while we would love for free trade to work in the ideal libertarian paradise, it won't in our current fiat-based system. The subsidization by foreign governments to bankrupt US companies or to make them multinational, combined with the unfortunate reality of the US dollar being the world reserve currency, means that free trade guts the US of manufacturing. Tariffs are a reasonable way to protect US manufacturers, particularly smaller ones that can't go multinational.

What's more, tariffs make the US less fragile and less dependent on international supply chains. Many of the wars in the past 60 years have been waged because of the entanglements the US has with other countries due to the reliance on international supply chains. Lessening this dependency, if only to prevent a war, has clear value.

Lastly, labor has been devalued significantly by fiat monetary expansion, but at least some of that can be recovered if tariffs create more manufacturing, which in turn adds to the demand for labor. This should reduce the welfare state as more opportunities are made available and fewer unemployed people will be on the rolls.

Conclusion

Fiat money produces a welfare state, which makes open borders unworkable. Fiat money also gives foreign governments a potent economic weapon to use against US companies, and by extension the labor force that powers them. Though currency debasement and capital controls are available to other countries as a defense, for the US, neither of these tools is available due to the fact that the dollar is the world reserve currency. As such, tariffs are a reasonable defense against the fiat subsidization of foreign governments.

@ 7b3f7803:8912e968

Libertarians believe in open borders in theory. In practice, open borders don’t work, because, among other things, the combination with a welfare state creates a moral hazard, and the least productive of society end up within the borders of welfare states and drain resources. The social services are paid by the productive people of the country or, in the case of most fiat systems, by currency holders through inflation. Welfare states are much more likely under fiat money and the redistribution goes from native taxpayers to illegal immigrants. Thus, under fiat money, open borders end up being an open wound by which the productive lifeblood of the country bleeds out, despite the theoretical trade-efficiency benefits. As libertarians like to say, open borders and the welfare state don’t mix. In this article, we’ll examine the other sacred cow of libertarian thought: free trade.

Free Trade without Libertarian Ideals

Free trade is very similar to free movement of labor in that it works great in theory, but not in practice, especially under fiat money. In a libertarian free-market world, free trade works. But that assumes a whole host of libertarian ideals like sound money, non-interfering governments, and minimal aggression. Once those ideals are violated, such as with government intervention in the market, similar moral hazards and long-term costs come with them, making free trade about as libertarian as a fractional reserve bank.

An example will illustrate what I’m talking about. Let’s say Portugal subsidizes their wine for export to other countries. The obvious first-order effect is that it makes Portuguese wine cheaper in France, perhaps undercutting the price of French wine. Libertarians would say, that’s great! French customers get cheaper goods, so what’s the problem?

As with any government intervention, there are significant second- and third-order effects in play. Subsidization puts unsubsidized companies at risk, perhaps driving them to bankruptcy. In this case, this might be a French wine maker. Subsidized companies may become zombies instead of dying out. In this case, this might be a Portuguese wine maker that was failing domestically but survives by selling to customers abroad with government subsidies. While French customers benefit in the short run with cheaper prices for wine, they are ultimately hurt because the goods that would have existed without government intervention never come to market. Perhaps French wine makers that went bankrupt were innovating. Perhaps the resources of the zombie Portuguese wine maker would have created something better.

Further, the dependency of French people on Portuguese wine means that something going wrong in Portugal, like a war or subsidy cuts, disrupts the supply and price of wine for France. Now France must meddle in Portugal internationally if it doesn’t want the wine supply to get disrupted. The two countries get entangled in such a way as to become more interventionist internationally. A war involving Portugal now suddenly becomes France’s business and incentivizes military aid or even violence. As usual, the unseen effects of government policy are the most pernicious.

Not Really Free

In other words, what we call free trade isn’t really free trade. A country exporting to the US may subsidize their products through government intervention, making the product cheaper in the US. This hurts US companies, and they’re forced into choices they never would have had to face without the foreign government intervention. But because the good is crossing borders under the rubric of “free trade,” it’s somehow seen as fair. Of course it’s not, as government intervention distorts the market whether it’s done by our own government or a foreign government.

So why would a foreign government do this? It gets several benefits through targeted market manipulation. First, it makes its own companies’ products more popular abroad and conversely, makes US companies’ products less popular. This has the dual benefit of growing the foreign government’s firms and shrinking, perhaps bankrupting, the US ones.

Targeted subsidization like this can lead to domination under free trade. It’s not unlike the Amazon strategy of undercutting everyone first and using the monopoly pricing power at scale once everyone else has bankrupted. The global monopoly is tremendously beneficial to the country that has it. Not only is there significant tax revenue over the long term, but also a head start on innovations within that industry and an advantage in production in the adjacent industries around the product.

Second, the manufacturing centralization gives that country leverage geo-politically. A critical product that no one else manufactures means natural alliances with the countries that depend on the product, which is especially useful for smaller countries like Taiwan. Their chip manufacturing industry, holding 60% of global supply (2024), has meant that they’re a critical link for most other countries, and hence, they can use this fact to deter Chinese invasion.

Third, because of the centralization of expertise, more innovations, products, and manufacturing will tend to come within the country. This increased production has cascading benefits, including new industries and national security. China leads the world in drone technology, which undoubtedly has given it an innovation advantage for its military, should it go to war.

Fourth, the capital that flows into the country for investing in the monopolized industry will tend to stay, giving the country more wealth in the form of factories, equipment, and skills. While that capital may nominally be in the hands of foreigners, over time, the ownership of that industry will inevitably transition toward native locals, as the knowledge about how to run such industries gets dissipated within the country.

Currency Devaluation: The Universal Trade Weapon

It would be one thing if only a specific industry were singled out for government subsidies and then the products dumped into the US as a way to hurt US companies, as that would limit the scope of the damage. But with currency devaluation, a government can subsidize all of its exports at the same time. Indeed, this is something that many countries do. While short-term, this helps US consumers, it hurts US companies and forces them into decisions that aren’t good for the US.

To compete, they have to lower costs by using the same devalued currency to pay their labor as their foreign competition. That is, by relocating their capital, their manufacturing, and even their personnel to the country that’s devaluing the currency. Not only does relocating reduce labor cost, but it also often gets them benefits like tax breaks. This makes US companies de facto multinationals and not only makes them subject to other jurisdictions, but ultimately divides their loyalties. To take advantage of the reduced labor, capital must move to another country and, along with it, future innovation.

Such relocations ultimately leave the company stripped of their manufacturing capability in the US, as local competition will generally fare better over the long run. Much of the value of the industry then is captured by other governments in taxes, development, and even state-owned companies. Free trade, in other words, creates a vulnerability for domestic companies as they can be put at a significant disadvantage compared to foreign counterparts.

Hidden Effects of Foreign Intervention

Unlike the multinationals, small companies have no chance as they’re not big enough to exploit the labor arbitrage. And as is usual in a fiat system, they suffer the most while the giant corporations get the benefits of the supposed “free trade”. Most small companies can’t compete, so we get mostly the bigger companies that survive.

The transition away from domestic manufacturing necessarily means significant disruption. Domestic workers are displaced and have to find new work. Factories and equipment either have to be repurposed or rot. Entire communities that depended on the manufacturing facility now have to figure out new ways to support themselves. It’s no good telling them that they can just do something else. In a currency devaluation scenario, most of the manufacturing leaves and the jobs left are service-oriented or otherwise location-based, like real estate development. There’s a natural limit to location-based industries because the market only grows with the location that you’re servicing. Put another way, you can only have so many people give haircuts or deliver packages in a geographic area. There has to be some manufacturing of goods that can be sold outside the community, or the community will face scarce labor opportunities relative to the population.

You also can’t say the displaced workers can start some other manufacturing business. Such businesses will get out-competed on labor by the currency-devaluing country, so there won’t be much investment available for such a business, and even if there were, such a business would be competing with its hands tied behind its back. So in this scenario, what you end up with are a large pool of unemployed people whom the state subsidizes with welfare.

So when a US company leaves or goes bankrupt due to a foreign government’s subsidies, the disruption alone imposes a significant short-term cost with displaced labor, unused capital goods, and devastated communities.

Mitigations

So how do countries fight back against such a devastating economic weapon? There are a few ways countries have found around this problem of currency devaluation under free trade. First, a country can prevent capital from leaving. This is called capital controls, and many countries, particularly those that manufacture a lot, have them. Try to get money, factories, or equipment out of Malaysia, for example, and you’ll find that they make it quite difficult. Getting the same capital into the country, on the other hand, faces few restrictions. Unfortunately, the US can’t put in capital controls because dollars are its main export. It is, after all, the reserve currency of the world.

Second, you can compete by devaluing your own currency. But that’s very difficult because it requires printing a lot of dollars, and that causes inflation. There’s also no guarantee that a competing country doesn’t devalue its currency again. The US is also in a precarious position as the world’s reserve currency, so devaluing the currency more than it already does will make other holders of the dollar less likely to want to hold it, threatening the reserve currency status.

So the main two mitigations against currency devaluation in a free trade scenario are not available to the US. So what else is there? The remaining option is to drop free trade. The solution, in other words, is to add tariffs. This is how you can nullify the effects of foreign government intervention, by leveling the playing field for US manufacturers.

Tariffs

One major industry that’s managed to continue being manufactured in the US despite significant foreign competition is cars. Notably, cars have a tariff, which incentivizes their manufacture in the US, even for foreign car makers. The tariff has acted as a way to offset foreign government subsidies and currency debasement.

The scope of this one industry for the US is huge. There are around 300,000 direct jobs in auto assembly within the US (USTR) and there are an additional 3 million jobs supplying these manufacturers within the US. But the benefits don’t end there. The US is also creating a lot of innovation around cars, such as self-driving and plug-in electric cars. There are many countries that would love to have this industry for themselves, but because of tariffs, auto manufacturing continues in the US.

And though tariffs are seen as a tax on consumers, US car prices are cheap relative to the rest of the world. What surprises a lot of people when they move from the US to other countries is finding out that the same car often costs more abroad (e.g. 25% tariffs keep U.S. prices 20% below Europe’s $40K average, 2024). The downside of tariffs pales next to the downsides of “free trade.”

Free Trade Doesn’t Work with Fiat Money

The sad reality is that while we would love for free trade to work in the ideal libertarian paradise, it won’t in our current fiat-based system. The subsidization by foreign governments to bankrupt US companies or to make them multinational, combined with the unfortunate reality of the US dollar being the world reserve currency, means that free trade guts the US of manufacturing. Tariffs are a reasonable way to protect US manufacturers, particularly smaller ones that can’t go multinational.

What’s more, tariffs make the US less fragile and less dependent on international supply chains. Many of the wars in the past 60 years have been waged because of the entanglements the US has with other countries due to the reliance on international supply chains. Lessening this dependency, if only to prevent a war, has clear value.

Lastly, labor has been devalued significantly by fiat monetary expansion, but at least some of that can be recovered if tariffs create more manufacturing, which in turn adds to the demand for labor. This should reduce the welfare state as more opportunities are made available and fewer unemployed people will be on the rolls.

Conclusion

Fiat money produces a welfare state, which makes open borders unworkable. Fiat money also gives foreign governments a potent economic weapon to use against US companies, and by extension the labor force that powers them. Though currency debasement and capital controls are available to other countries as a defense, for the US, neither of these tools is available due to the fact that the dollar is the world reserve currency. As such, tariffs are a reasonable defense against the fiat subsidization of foreign governments.

@ 4925ea33:025410d8

1. O que é um Aromaterapeuta?

O aromaterapeuta é um profissional especializado na prática da Aromaterapia, responsável pelo uso adequado de óleos essenciais, ervas aromáticas, águas florais e destilados herbais para fins terapêuticos.

A atuação desse profissional envolve diferentes métodos de aplicação, como inalação, uso tópico, sempre considerando a segurança e a necessidade individual do cliente. A Aromaterapia pode auxiliar na redução do estresse, alívio de dores crônicas, relaxamento muscular e melhora da respiração, entre outros benefícios.

Além disso, os aromaterapeutas podem trabalhar em conjunto com outros profissionais da saúde para oferecer um tratamento complementar em diversas condições. Como já mencionado no artigo sobre "Como evitar processos alérgicos na prática da Aromaterapia", é essencial ter acompanhamento profissional, pois os óleos essenciais são altamente concentrados e podem causar reações adversas se utilizados de forma inadequada.

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2. Como um Aromaterapeuta Pode Ajudar?

Você pode procurar um aromaterapeuta para diferentes necessidades, como:

✔ Questões Emocionais e Psicológicas

Auxílio em momentos de luto, divórcio, demissão ou outras situações desafiadoras.

Apoio na redução do estresse, ansiedade e insônia.

Vale lembrar que, em casos de transtornos psiquiátricos, a Aromaterapia deve ser usada como terapia complementar, associada ao tratamento médico.

✔ Questões Físicas

Dores musculares e articulares.

Problemas respiratórios como rinite, sinusite e tosse.

Distúrbios digestivos leves.

Dores de cabeça e enxaquecas. Nesses casos, a Aromaterapia pode ser um suporte, mas não substitui a medicina tradicional para identificar a origem dos sintomas.

✔ Saúde da Pele e Cabelos

Tratamento para acne, dermatites e psoríase.

Cuidados com o envelhecimento precoce da pele.

Redução da queda de cabelo e controle da oleosidade do couro cabeludo.

✔ Bem-estar e Qualidade de Vida

Melhora da concentração e foco, aumentando a produtividade.

Estímulo da disposição e energia.

Auxílio no equilíbrio hormonal (TPM, menopausa, desequilíbrios hormonais).

Com base nessas necessidades, o aromaterapeuta irá indicar o melhor tratamento, calculando doses, sinergias (combinação de óleos essenciais), diluições e técnicas de aplicação, como inalação, uso tópico ou difusão.

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3. Como Funciona uma Consulta com um Aromaterapeuta?

Uma consulta com um aromaterapeuta é um atendimento personalizado, onde são avaliadas as necessidades do cliente para a criação de um protocolo adequado. O processo geralmente segue estas etapas:

✔ Anamnese (Entrevista Inicial)

Perguntas sobre saúde física, emocional e estilo de vida.

Levantamento de sintomas, histórico médico e possíveis alergias.

Definição dos objetivos da terapia (alívio do estresse, melhora do sono, dores musculares etc.).

✔ Escolha dos Óleos Essenciais

Seleção dos óleos mais indicados para o caso.

Consideração das propriedades terapêuticas, contraindicações e combinações seguras.

✔ Definição do Método de Uso

O profissional indicará a melhor forma de aplicação, que pode ser:

Inalação: difusores, colares aromáticos, vaporização.

Uso tópico: massagens, óleos corporais, compressas.

Banhos aromáticos e escalda-pés. Todas as diluições serão ajustadas de acordo com a segurança e a necessidade individual do cliente.

✔ Plano de Acompanhamento

Instruções detalhadas sobre o uso correto dos óleos essenciais.

Orientação sobre frequência e duração do tratamento.

Possibilidade de retorno para ajustes no protocolo.

A consulta pode ser realizada presencialmente ou online, dependendo do profissional.

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Quer saber como a Aromaterapia pode te ajudar? Agende uma consulta comigo e descubra os benefícios dos óleos essenciais para o seu bem-estar!

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Listen the Podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7lJWc1zaqA9CNhB8coJXaL?si=4147bca317624d34

https://www.fountain.fm/episode/YEGnlBLZhvuj96GSpuk9

Abstract

This paper examines a hypothetical scenario in which the United States, under Trump’s leadership, withdraws from NATO and reduces its support for Europe, thereby enabling a Russian conquest of Ukraine and the subsequent expansion of Moscow’s influence over Eurasia, while the US consolidates its dominance over South America. Drawing on classical geopolitical theories—specifically those of Halford Mackinder, Alfred Thayer Mahan, Rudolf Kjellén, and Friedrich Ratzel—the study analyzes how these frameworks can elucidate the evolving power dynamics and territorial ambitions in a reconfigured global order. The discussion highlights Mackinder’s notion of the Eurasian Heartland and its strategic importance, Mahan’s emphasis on maritime power and control of strategic routes, Kjellén’s view of the state as an expanding organism, and Ratzel’s concept of Lebensraum as a justification for territorial expansion. The paper also explores contemporary developments, such as the US–Ukraine economic agreement and Trump’s overt territorial ambitions involving Greenland and Canada, in light of these theories. By juxtaposing traditional geopolitical concepts with current international relations, the study aims to shed light on the potential implications of such shifts for regional stability, global security, and the balance of power, particularly in relation to emerging neocolonial practices in Latin America.

Introduction

In recent years, the geopolitical dynamics involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine have sparked analyses from different theoretical perspectives. This paper examines recent events – presupposing a scenario in which Donald Trump withdraws the US from NATO and reduces its support for Europe, allowing a Russian conquest of Ukraine and the expansion of Moscow’s influence over Eurasia, while the US consolidates its dominance over South America – in light of classical geopolitical theories. The ideas of Halford Mackinder, Alfred Thayer Mahan, Rudolf Kjellén, and Friedrich Ratzel are used as reference points. The proposal is to impartially evaluate how each theory can elucidate the developments of this hypothetical scenario, relating Russian territorial expansion in Eurasia to the strategic retreat of the US to the Western Hemisphere.

Initially, we will outline Mackinder’s conception of the Heartland (the central Eurasian territory) and the crucial role of Eastern Europe and Ukraine in the quest for global dominance. Next, we will discuss Mahan’s ideas regarding maritime power and the control of strategic routes, considering the impacts on the naval power balance among the US, Russia, and other maritime powers such as the United Kingdom and Japan. Subsequently, we will examine Kjellén’s organic theory of the state, interpreting the Russian expansionist strategy as a reflection of a state organism in search of vital space. In the same vein, Ratzel’s concept of “Lebensraum” will be explored, along with how Russia could justify territorial expansion based on resources and territory. Finally, the paper connects these theories to the current political context, analyzing the direct negotiations between Washington and Moscow (overlooking Ukraine and Europe), the US policy toward authoritarian regimes in Latin America, and the notion of a hemispheric division of power – the “Island of the Americas” under North American hegemony versus an Eurasia dominated by Russia. Lastly, it considers the possibility that such a geopolitical arrangement may foster the strengthening of authoritarian governments globally, rather than containing them, thus altering the paradigms of the liberal world order.

The Heartland of Mackinder: Ukraine, Eurasia, and Global Dominance

Halford J. Mackinder, a British geographer and pioneer of geopolitics, proposed the celebrated Heartland Theory in the early twentieth century. Mackinder divided the world into geostrategic zones and identified the Heartland—the central continental mass of Eurasia—as the “geographical pivot of history” [5]. His most famous maxim encapsulates this vision: “who rules Eastern Europe commands the Heartland; who rules the Heartland commands the World Island; who rules the World Island commands the world” [5]. Eastern Europe and, in particular, the region of present-day Ukraine, play a key role in this formula. This is because, for Mackinder, Eastern Europe functions as a gateway to the Heartland, providing access to resources and a strategic position for the projection of continental power [5].

Applying this theory to our scenario, the conquest of Ukraine and Eastern European countries by Russia would have profound geopolitical implications. From a Mackinderian point of view, such a conquest would enormously strengthen Russia’s position in the Heartland by adding manpower (population) and Ukraine’s industrial and agricultural resources to its power base [5]. In fact, Mackinder argued that controlling the Heartland conferred formidable geostrategic advantages—a vast terrestrial “natural fortress” protected from naval invasions and rich in resources such as wheat, minerals, and fuels [5]. Thus, if Moscow were to incorporate Ukraine (renowned for its fertile soil and grain production, as well as its mineral reserves) and extend its influence over Eastern Europe, Russia would consolidate the Heartland under its direct control. In this context, the absence of the USA (withdrawn from NATO and less engaged in Europe) would remove an important obstacle to Russian predominance in the region.

With central and eastern Eurasia under Russian influence, it would be possible to move toward the realization of the geopolitical nightmare described by Mackinder for Western maritime powers: a hegemonic continental power capable of projecting power to both Europe and Asia. Mackinder himself warned that if a Heartland power gained additional access to an oceanic coastline—in other words, if it combined land power with a significant maritime front—it would constitute a “danger” to global freedom [5]. In the scenario considered, besides advancing into Eastern Europe, Russia would already possess strategic maritime outlets (for example, in the Black Sea, via Crimea, and in the Baltic, via Kaliningrad or the Baltic States if influenced). Thus, the control of Ukraine would reinforce Russia’s position in the Black Sea and facilitate projection into the Eastern Mediterranean, expanding its oceanic front. From a Mackinderian perspective, this could potentially transform Russia into the dominant power of the “World Island” (the combined mass of Europe, Asia, and Africa), thereby unbalancing the global geopolitical order [5].

It is worth noting that, historically, Mackinder’s doctrine influenced containment strategies: both in the interwar period and during the Cold War, efforts were made to prevent a single power from controlling the Heartland and Eastern Europe. NATO, for example, can be seen as an instrument to prevent Soviet/Russian advances in Europe, in line with Mackinder’s imperative to “contain the Heartland.” Thus, if the USA were to abandon that role—by leaving NATO and tacitly accepting the Russian sphere of influence in Eurasia—we would be witnessing an inversion of the principles that have guided Western policy for decades. In short, under Mackinder’s theory, the Russian conquest of Ukraine and beyond would represent the key for Russia to command the Heartland and, potentially, challenge global hegemony, especially in a scenario where the USA self-restricts to the Western Hemisphere.

The Maritime Power of Mahan and the Naval Balance between West and East

While Mackinder emphasized continental land power, Alfred Thayer Mahan, a nineteenth-century American naval strategist, highlighted the crucial role of maritime power in global dominance. In his work The Influence of Sea Power upon History (1890), Mahan studied the example of the British Empire and concluded that control of the seas paved the way for British supremacy as a world power [10]. He argued that a strong navy and the control of strategic maritime routes were decisive factors for projecting military, political, and economic power. His doctrine can be summarized in the following points: (1) the United States should aspire to be a world power; (2) control of the seas is necessary to achieve that status; (3) such control is obtained through a powerful fleet of warships [17]. In other words, for Mahan, whoever dominates the maritime routes and possesses naval superiority will be in a position to influence global destinies, ensuring trade, supplies, and the rapid movement of military forces.

In the proposed scenario, in which the USA withdraws militarily from Europe and possibly from the Eurasian stage, Mahan’s ideas raise questions about the distribution of maritime power and its effects. Traditionally, the US Navy operates globally, ensuring freedom of navigation and deterring challenges in major seas (Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, etc.). A withdrawal of the USA from NATO could also signal a reduction in its naval presence in the Northeast Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, and other areas close to Eurasia. In such a case, who would fill this naval vacuum? Russia, although primarily a land power, has been attempting to modernize its navy and has specific interests—for example, consolidating its dominance in the Black Sea and maintaining a presence in the Mediterranean (with a naval base in Tartus, Syria). The United Kingdom, a historic European maritime power, would remain aligned with the USA but, without American military support in Europe, might potentially be overwhelmed trying to contain an increasingly assertive Russian navy in European waters on its own. Japan, another significant maritime actor allied with the USA, is concerned with the naval balance in the Pacific; without full American engagement, Tokyo might be compelled to expand its own naval power to contain both Russia in the Far East (which maintains a fleet in the Pacific) and, especially, the growing Chinese navy.

According to Mahan’s thinking, strategic maritime routes and choke points (crucial straits and channels) become contested prizes in this power game. With the USA focusing on the Americas, one could imagine Washington reinforcing control over the Panama Canal and Caribbean routes—reviving an “American Gulf” policy in the Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific. In fact, indications of this orientation emerge in statements attributed to Trump, who once suggested reclaiming direct control over Panama, transforming Canada into a North American state, and even “annexing” Greenland due to its Arctic geopolitical importance [18]. These aspirations reflect a quest to secure advantageous maritime positions near the American continent.

Conversely, in the absence of American presence in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, Russia would have free rein for regional maritime projection. This could include anything from the unrestricted use of the Black Sea (after dominating Ukraine, thereby ensuring full access to Crimea and Ukrainian ports) to greater influence in the Eastern Mediterranean via Syria and partnerships with countries such as Iran or Egypt. The Baltic Sea would also become an area of expanded Russian interest, pressuring coastal countries and perhaps reducing NATO’s traditional local naval supremacy. However, it is worth noting that even with these regional expansions, Russia lacks a blue-water navy comparable to that of the USA; thus, its initial global maritime impact would be limited without alliances.

An important aspect of Mahan’s theories is that naval power serves as a counterbalance to the land power of the Heartland. Therefore, even if Russia were to dominate the Eurasian continental mass, the continued presence of American naval might on the oceans could prevent complete global domination by Moscow. However, if the USA voluntarily restricts its naval reach to the Americas, it would forgo influencing the power balance in the seas adjacent to Eurasia. Consequently, the balance of maritime power would tend to shift in favor of regional Eurasian actors. The United Kingdom and Japan, traditional allies of the USA, could intensify their naval capabilities to defend regional interests—the United Kingdom safeguarding the North Atlantic and the North Sea, and Japan patrolling the Northwest Pacific—but both would face budgetary and structural limitations in fully compensating for the absence of the American superpower. Consequently, Mahan’s vision suggests that the withdrawal of the USA from the extra-regional scene would weaken the liberal maritime regime, possibly opening space for revisionist powers to contest routes that were previously secured (for example, Russia and China encountering less opposition on the routes of the Arctic and the Indo-Pacific, respectively). In summary, naval hegemony would fragment, and control of strategic seas would become contested, reconfiguring the relative influence of the USA, Russia, and maritime allies such as the United Kingdom and Japan.

Kjellén and the State as a Living Organism: Russian Expansion as an Organic Necessity

Another useful theoretical lens to interpret Russian geopolitical posture is that of Rudolf Kjellén, a Swedish political scientist of the early twentieth century who conceived the State as a living organism. Kjellén, who even coined the term “geopolitics,” was influenced by Friedrich Ratzel’s ideas and by social Darwinism, arguing that States are born, grow, and decline analogously to living beings [13]. In his work Staten som livsform (The State as a Form of Life, 1916), he maintained that States possess an organic dimension in addition to the legal one and that “just as any form of life, States must expand or die” [14]. This expansion would not be motivated merely by aggressive conquest but seen as a necessary growth for the self-preservation of the state organism [14]. In complement, Kjellén echoed Ratzel’s “law of expanding spaces” by asserting that large States expand at the expense of smaller ones, with it being only a matter of time before the great realms fill the available spaces [14]. That is, from the organic perspective, vigorous States tend to incorporate smaller neighboring territories, consolidating territorially much like an organism absorbing nutrients.

Applying this theory to the strategy of contemporary Russia, we can interpret Moscow’s actions—including the invasion of Ukraine and the ambition to restore its sphere of influence in Eurasia—as the expression of an organic drive for expansion. For a strategist influenced by this school, Russia (viewed as a state organism with a long imperial history) needs to expand its territory and influence to ensure its survival and security. The loss of control over spaces that once were part of the Russian Empire or the Soviet Union (such as Ukraine itself, the Caucasus, or Central Asia) may be perceived by Russian elites as an atrophy of the state organism, rendering it vulnerable. Thus, the reincorporation of these territories—whether directly (annexation) or indirectly (political vassalage)—would equate to restoring lost members or strengthening vital organs of the state body. In fact, official Russian arguments often portray Ukraine as an intrinsic part of “Russian historicity,” denying it a fully separate identity—a narrative that aligns with the idea that Russian expansion in that region is natural and necessary for the Russian State (seen as encompassing also Russian speakers beyond its current borders).

Kjellén would thus provide a theoretical justification for Russian territorial expansion as an organic phenomenon. As a great power, Russia would inevitably seek to expand at the expense of smaller neighbors (Ukraine, Georgia, the Baltic States, etc.), as dictated by the tendency of “great spaces to organize” to the detriment of the small [14]. This view can be identified in contemporary Russian doctrines that value spheres of influence and the notion that neighboring countries must gravitate around Moscow in order for the natural order to be maintained. The very idea of “Eurasia” united under Russian leadership (advocated by modern Russian thinkers) echoes this organic conception of vital space and expansion as a sign of the State’s vitality.

However, Kjellén’s theory also warns of the phenomenon of “imperial overstretch,” should a State exceed its internal cohesion limits by expanding excessively [14]. He recognized that extending borders too far could increase friction and vulnerabilities, making it difficult to maintain cohesion—a very large organism may lack functional integration. In the Russian context, this suggests that although expansion is seen as necessary, there are risks if Russia tries to encompass more than it can govern effectively. Conquering Ukraine and subjugating Eastern Europe, for example, could economically and militarily overburden the Russian State, especially if it faced resistance or had to manage hostile populations. However, in the hypothetical scenario we adopt (isolated USA and a weakened Europe), Russia might calculate that the organic benefits of expansion (territory, resources, strategic depth) would outweigh the costs, since external interference would be limited. Thus, through Kjellén’s lens, expansionist Russia behaves as an organism following its instinct for survival and growth, absorbing weaker neighbors; yet such a process is not devoid of challenges, requiring that the “organism Russia” manages to assimilate these new spaces without collapsing under its own weight.

Ratzel and Lebensraum: Resources, Territory, and the Justification for Expansion

Parallel to Kjellén’s organic view, Friedrich Ratzel’s theory offers another conceptual basis for understanding Russian expansion: the concept of Lebensraum (vital space). Ratzel, a German geographer of the late nineteenth century, proposed that the survival and development of a people or nation depended critically on the available physical space and resources. Influenced by Darwinist ideas, he applied the notion of “survival of the fittest” to nations, arguing that human societies need to conquer territory and resources to prosper, and that the stronger and fittest civilizations will naturally prevail over the weaker ones [12]. In 1901, Ratzel coined the term Lebensraum to describe this need for “vital space” as a geographical factor in national power [15].

Subsequently, this idea would be adopted—and extremely distorted—by Nazi ideology to justify Germany’s aggressions in Europe. However, the core of Ratzel’s concept is that territorial expansion is essential for the survival and growth of a State, especially to secure food, raw materials, and space for its population [12].

When examining Russia’s stance under this perspective, we can see several narratives that evoke the logic of Lebensraum. Russia is the largest country in the world by area; however, much of its territory is characterized by adverse climates (tundra, taiga) and is relatively sparsely populated in Siberia. On the other hand, adjacent regions such as Ukraine possess highly arable lands (chernozem—black soil), significant Slavic population density, and additional natural resources (coal in the Donbass, for example). An implicit justification for Russian expansion could be the search for supplementary resources and fertile lands to secure its self-sufficiency and power—exactly as Ratzel described that vigorous nations do. Historical records show that Ratzel emphasized agrarian primacy: he believed that new territories should be colonized by farmers, providing the food base for the nation [12]. Ukraine, historically called the “breadbasket of Europe,” fits perfectly into this vision of conquest for sustenance and agricultural wealth.

Furthermore, Ratzel viewed geography as a determinant of the destiny of nations—peoples adapted to certain habitats seek to expand them if they aspire to grow. In contemporary Russian discourse, there is often mention of the need to ensure security and territorial depth in the face of NATO, or to unite brotherly peoples (Russians and Russian speakers) within a single political space. Such arguments can be read as a modern translation of Lebensraum: the idea that the Russian nation, in order to be secure and flourish, must control a larger space, encompassing buffer zones and critical resources. This Russian “vital space” would naturally include Ukraine and other former Soviet republics, given the historical and infrastructural interdependence. Ratzel emphasized that peoples migrated and expanded when their original homeland no longer met their needs or aspirations [12]. Although contemporary Russia does not suffer from demographic pressure (on the contrary, it faces population decline), under the logic of a great power there is indeed a sentiment of geopolitical insufficiency for having lost influence over areas considered strategic. Thus, reconquering these areas would mean recovering the “habitat” necessary for the Russian nation to prosper and feel secure.

It is important to mention that, in Ratzel’s and Kjellén’s formulations, the pursuit of Lebensraum or organic expansion is not morally qualified—it is treated as a natural process in the politics of power. Thus, on the discursive level, Russia can avoid overly aggressive rhetoric and resort to “natural” justifications: for example, claiming that it needs to occupy Ukraine for defensive purposes (security space) or to reunify peoples (a common cultural and historical space). Beneath these justifications, however, resonates the geopolitical imperative to acquire more territory and resources as a guarantee of national survival, something consonant with Ratzel’s theory. In fact, Russian Realpolitik frequently prioritizes the control of energy resources (gas, oil) and transportation routes. Expanding its influence over central Eurasia would also mean controlling oil pipelines, gas lines, and logistical corridors—essential elements of modern Lebensraum understood as access to vital resources and infrastructure.

In summary, by conquering Ukraine and extending its reach into Eurasia, Russia could effectively invoke the concept of Lebensraum: presenting its expansion not as mere imperialism, but as a necessity to secure indispensable lands and resources for its people and to correct the “injustice” of a vital space diminished by post-Cold War territorial losses. The theories of Ratzel and Kjellén together paint a picture in which Russian expansion emerges almost as a natural law—the great State reclaiming space to ensure its survival and development at the expense of smaller neighbors.

Trump, NATO, and the Threat of American Withdrawal

One of the most alarming changes with Trump's return to power is the tense relationship with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Trump has long criticized allies for not meeting military spending targets, even threatening during his first term to withdraw the US from the alliance if members did not increase their contributions [2]. This threat, initially viewed with skepticism, became concrete after his re-election, leading European allies to seriously consider the possibility of having to defend themselves without American support [1]. In fact, Trump suggested in post-election interviews that the US would only remain in NATO if the allies “paid their bills” – otherwise, he “would seriously consider” leaving [2]. Such statements reinforced the warning that the US might not honor NATO's mutual defense commitment, precisely at a time of continuous Russian threat due to the war in Ukraine [1].

From a theoretical point of view, this posture of American retrenchment evokes the classic tension between maritime power and land power. Alfred Thayer Mahan emphasized that the global power of the US derived largely from its naval superiority and from alliances that ensured control over strategic maritime routes [9]. NATO, since 1949, has served not only to deter Soviet terrestrial advances in Eurasia, but also to secure the US naval presence in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean – a fundamental element according to Mahan. In turn, Halford Mackinder warned that the balance of global power depended on the control of the Eurasian “Heartland” (the central region of Eurasia). The withdrawal or disengagement of the US (a maritime power) from this region could open the way for a continental power (such as Russia) to expand its influence in Eastern Europe, unbalancing the power balance [3]. In other words, by threatening to leave NATO, Trump jeopardizes the principle of containment that prevented Russian dominance over Eastern Europe – something that Mackinder would see as a dangerous shift in global power in favor of the Heartland power.

Adopting an impartial tone, it is observed that European countries have reacted to this new reality with precautionary measures. Strategic reports already calculate the cost of an autonomous European defense: hundreds of thousands of additional soldiers and investments of hundreds of billions of euros would be required if the US ceased to guarantee the security of the continent [1]. European dependence on American military power is significant and, without it, there would be a need for a major reinforcement of European Armed Forces [1]. This mobilization practically reflects the anticipation of a power vacuum left by the US – a scenario in which Mackinder’s theory (on the primacy of the Heartland and the vulnerability of the “external crescent” where Western Europe is located) regains its relevance.

The US–Ukraine Economic Agreement: Strategic Minerals in Exchange for Support?

Another novelty of Trump's second term is the unprecedented and transactional manner in which Washington has been dealing with the war in Ukraine. Instead of emphasizing security guarantees and alliances, the Trump administration proposed a trade agreement with Ukraine focused on the exploitation of strategic minerals, linking American support to a direct economic benefit. According to sources close to the negotiations, the US and Ukraine are about to sign a pact to share the revenues from the exploitation of critical mineral resources on Ukrainian territory [19]. Materials such as titanium, lithium, rare earths, and uranium – vital for high-tech and defense industries – would be at the core of this agreement [6]. According to the known draft, Ukraine would allocate 50% of the profits from new mineral ventures to a fund controlled by the US, which would reinvest part of the resources in the country’s own reconstruction [6] [19].

It is noteworthy that the pact does not include explicit security guarantees for Kyiv, despite Ukraine remaining under direct military threat from Russia [19]. Essentially, the Trump administration offers financial support and economic investment in exchange for a share in Ukrainian natural resources, but without formally committing to Ukraine's defense in the event of a renewed Russian offensive [19]. American authorities argue that this economic partnership would already be sufficient to “secure Ukrainian interests,” as it would provide the US with its own incentives to desire Ukraine’s stability [19]. “What could be better for Ukraine than being in an economic partnership with the United States?” stated Mike Waltz, a US national security advisor, defending the proposal [19].

Analysts, however, assess the agreement in divided terms. For some, it represents a form of economic exploitation at a time of Ukraine's fragility – comparing the demand to share mineral wealth amid war to a scheme of “mafia protection” [19]. Steven Cook, from the Council on Foreign Relations, classified the offer as “extortion,” and political scientist Virginia P. Fortna observed that charging resources from an invaded country resembles predatory practices [19]. Joseph Nye adds that it is a short-term gain strategy that could be “disastrous in the long run” for American credibility, reflecting the transactional approach that Trump even adopted with close allies in other contexts [19]. On the other hand, some see a future advantage for Kyiv: journalist Pierre Briançon suggests that at least this agreement aligns American commercial interests with Ukraine’s future, which could, in theory, keep the US involved in Ukrainian prosperity in the long term [19]. It is even recalled that President Zelensky himself proposed last year the idea of sharing natural resources with the US to bring the interests of the two countries closer together [19].

From the perspective of geopolitical theories, this agreement illustrates a shift towards economic pragmatism in international relations, approaching concepts proposed by Kjellén. Rudolf Kjellén, who coined the term “geopolitics,” saw the State as a territorial organism that seeks to ensure its survival through self-sufficiency and the control of strategic resources [4]. Trump's demand for a share in Ukrainian resources in order to continue supporting the country reflects a logic of autarky and direct national interest – that is, foreign policy serving primarily to reinforce the economic and material position of the US. This view contrasts with the traditional cooperative approach, but aligns with Kjellén’s idea that powerful States tend to transform international relations into opportunities for their own gain, ensuring access to vital raw materials. Similarly, Friedrich Ratzel argued that States have a “propensity to expand their borders according to their capacities,” seeking vital space (Lebensraum) and resources to sustain their development [11]. The US–Ukraine pact, by conditioning military/economic aid on obtaining tangible advantages (half of the mineral profits), is reminiscent of Ratzel’s perspective: the US, as a rising economic power, expands its economic influence over Ukrainian territory like an organism extending itself to obtain the necessary resources for its well-being. It is, therefore, a form of economic expansionism at the expense of purely ideological commitments or collective security.

Peace Negotiations Excluding Ukraine and the Legitimacy of the Agreement

Another controversial point is the manner in which peace negotiations between Russia and the West have been conducted under Trump's administration. Since taking office, the American president has engaged directly with Moscow in pursuit of a ceasefire, deliberately keeping the Ukrainian government out of the initial discussions [6]. Trump expressed his desire to “leave Zelensky out of the conversation” and also excluded the European Union from any influence in the process [6]. This negotiation strategy—conducted without the presence of the primary interested party, Ukraine—raises serious questions about the legitimacy and sustainability of any resulting agreement.

Historically, peace agreements reached without the direct participation of one of the conflicting parties tend to face problems in implementation and acceptance.

The exclusion of Ukraine in the decision-making phase brings to light the issue of guarantees. As noted, the emerging agreement lacks formal US security guarantees for Ukraine. This implies that, after the agreement is signed, nothing will prevent Russia from launching a new offensive if it deems it convenient, knowing that the US has not committed to defending it militarily. Experts have already warned that a ceasefire without robust protection may only be a pause for Russian rearmament, rendering the conflict “frozen” temporarily and potentially resumed in the near future. The European strategic community has expressed similar concern: without American deterrence, the risk of further Russian aggressions in the region increases considerably [1]. Denmark, for example, has released intelligence reports warning of possible imminent Russian attacks, prompting neighboring countries to accelerate plans for independent defense [1].

The legitimacy of this asymmetric peace agreement (negotiated without Ukraine fully at the table and under economic coercion) is also questionable from a legal and moral point of view. It violates the principle of self-determination by imposing terms decided by great powers on a sovereign country—a practice reminiscent of dark chapters in diplomacy, such as the Munich Agreement of 1938, when powers determined the fate of Czechoslovakia without its consent. In the current case, Ukraine would end up signing the agreement, but from a position of weakness, raising doubts about how durable such a commitment would be.

From Mackinder’s perspective, Ukraine’s removal from the battlefield without guarantees essentially means admitting a greater influence of Russia (the Heartland power) over Eastern Europe. This would alter the balance in Eurasia in a potentially lasting way. Furthermore, the fact that great powers negotiate over the heads of a smaller country evokes the imperial logic of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when empires decided among themselves the divisions of foreign territories—a behavior that Mackinder saw as likely in a world of a “closed system.” With the entire world already occupied by States, Mackinder predicted that powers would begin to compete for influence within this consolidated board, often subjugating smaller states to gain advantage [3]. The US–Russia negotiation regarding Ukraine, without proper Ukrainian representation, exemplifies this type of neo-imperial dynamic in the twenty-first century.

Also noteworthy is the consonance with the ideas of Ratzel and Kjellén: both viewed smaller states as easily relegated to the status of satellites or even “parasitic organisms” in the orbit of larger states. Kjellén spoke of the intrinsic vulnerability of states with little territorial depth or economic dependence, making them susceptible to external pressures [4][20]. Ukraine, weakened by war and dependent on external aid, becomes a concrete example of this theorized vulnerability: it has had to cede strategic resources and accept terms dictated against its will in an attempt to secure its immediate survival. The resulting agreement, therefore, reflects a power imbalance characteristic of the hierarchical international relations described by classical geopolitical theorists.

Implicit Territorial Concessions and Trump’s Public Discourse

A central and controversial point in Trump’s statements regarding the war in Ukraine is the insinuation of territorial concessions to Russia as part of the conflict’s resolution. Publicly, Trump avoided explicitly condemning Russian aggression and even stated that he considered it “unlikely” that Ukraine would be able to retake all the areas occupied by the Russians [16]. In debates and interviews, he suggested that “if I were president, the war would end in 24 hours,” implying that he would force an understanding between Kyiv and Moscow that would likely involve ceding some territory in exchange for peace. This position marks a break with the previous US policy of not recognizing any territorial acquisitions made by force and fuels speculations that a future peace agreement sponsored by Trump would legitimize at least part of Russia’s gains since 2014 (Crimea, Donbass, and areas seized during the 2022 invasion).

The actions of his administration corroborate this interpretation. As discussed, the economic agreement focuses on the exploitation of Ukrainian natural resources, many of which are located precisely in regions currently under Russian military control, such as parts of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Donetsk, Lugansk, and the Azov Sea area [6]. A Ukrainian geologist, Hanna Liventseva, highlighted that “most of these elements (strategic minerals) are found in the south of the Ukrainian Shield, mainly in the Azov region, and most of these territories are currently invaded by Russia” [6]. This means that, to make joint exploitation viable, Russia’s de facto control over these areas would have to be recognized—or at least tolerated—in the short term. In other words, the pact indirectly and tacitly accepts Russian territorial gains, as it involves sharing the profits from resources that are not currently accessible to the Kyiv government.

Furthermore, figures close to Trump have made explicit statements regarding the possibility of territorial cession. Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security advisor, publicly stated that Zelensky might need to “cede land to Russia” to end the war [8]. This remark—made public in March 2025—confirms that the Trump White House considers it natural for Ukraine to relinquish parts of its territory in favor of an agreement. Such a stance marks a break from the previous Western consensus, which condemned any territorial gains by force. Under Trump, a pragmatic view (in the eyes of his supporters) or a cynical one (according to his critics) seems to prevail: sacrificing principles of territorial integrity to quickly end hostilities and secure immediate economic benefits.

In theoretical terms, this inclination to validate territorial gains by force recalls the concept of Realpolitik and the geopolitical Darwinism that influenced thinkers such as Ratzel. In Ratzel’s organic conception, expanding states naturally absorb neighboring territories when they are strong enough to do so, while declining states lose territory—a process almost biological in the selection of the fittest [11]. The Trump administration’s acceptance that Ukraine should “give something” to Moscow to seal peace reflects a normalization of this geopolitical selection process: it recognizes the aggressor (Russia) as having the “right” to retain conquered lands, because that is how power realities on the ground dictate. Mackinder, although firmly opposed to allowing Russia to dominate the Heartland, would see this outcome as the logical consequence of the lack of engagement from maritime powers (the USA and the United Kingdom, for example) in sustaining the Ukrainian counterattack. Without the active involvement of maritime power to balance the dispute, land power prevails in Eastern Europe.

From the perspective of international legitimacy, the cession of Ukrainian territories—whether de jure or de facto—creates a dangerous precedent in the post-Cold War era. Rewarding violent aggression with territorial gains may encourage similar strategies in other parts of the world, undermining the architecture of collective security. This is possibly a return to a world of spheres of influence, where great powers define borders and zones of control according to their convenience—something that the rules-based order after 1945 sought to avoid. Here, academic impartiality requires noting that coercion for territorial concessions rarely produces lasting peace, as the aggrieved party—in this case, Ukraine—may accept temporarily but will continue to assert its rights in the long term, as has occurred with other territorial injustices in history.

Territorial Ambitions of Trump: Greenland and Canada

Beyond the Eurasian theater of war, Trump revived geopolitical ambitions involving territories traditionally allied with the US: Greenland (an autonomous territory of Denmark) and Canada. As early as 2019, during his first term, Trump shocked the world by proposing to buy Greenland—rich in minerals and strategically positioned in the Arctic. Upon his return to power, he went further: expressing a “renewed interest” in acquiring Greenland and publicly suggesting the incorporation of Canada as the 51st American state [2].

In January 2025, during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, he even displayed maps in which the US and Canada appeared merged into a single country, while Greenland was marked as a future American possession [2]. Posts by the president on social media included satirical images with a map of North America where Canada was labeled “51st” and Greenland designated as “Our Land” [2].

Such moves were met with concern and disbelief by allies. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was caught on an open microphone warning that Trump’s fixation on annexation “is real” and not just a joke [7]. Trudeau emphasized that Washington appeared to covet Canada’s vast mineral resources, which would explain the insistence on the idea of absorption [7]. In public, Trump argued that Canadians “would be more prosperous as American citizens,” promising tax cuts and better services should they become part of the US [7]. On the Danish side, the reaction to the revived plan regarding Greenland was firmly negative—as it was in 2019—reaffirming that the territory is not for sale. Trump, however, insinuated that the issue might be one of national security, indicating that American possession of Greenland would prevent adverse influences (a reference to China and Russia in the Arctic) [2]. More worryingly, he refused to rule out the use of military means to obtain the island, although he assured that he had no intention of invading Canada by force (in the Canadian case, he spoke of “economic force” to forge a union) [2].

This series of initiatives reflects an unprecedented expansionist impetus by the US in recent times, at least in discourse. Analyzing this through the lens of classical geopolitics offers interesting insights. Friedrich Ratzel and his notion of Lebensraum suggest that powerful states, upon reaching a certain predominance, seek to expand their territory by influencing or incorporating adjacent areas. Trump, by targeting the immediate neighbor (Canada) and a nearby strategic territory (Greenland), appears to resurrect this logic of territorial expansion for the sake of gaining space and resources. Ratzel saw such expansion almost as a natural process for vigorous states, comparable to the growth of an organism [11]. From this perspective, the US would be exercising its “right” of expansion in North America and the polar region, integrating areas of vital interest.

Additionally, Alfred Mahan’s view on maritime power helps to understand the strategic value of Greenland. Mahan postulated that control of key maritime chokepoints and naval bases ensures global advantage [9]. Greenland, situated between the North Atlantic and the Arctic, has become increasingly relevant as climate change opens new polar maritime routes and reveals vast mineral deposits (including rare earth elements and oil). For the US, having a presence or sovereignty over Greenland would mean dominating the gateway to the Arctic and denying this space to rivals. This aligns with Mahan’s strategy of securing commercial and military routes (in this case, potential Arctic routes) and resources to consolidate naval supremacy. On the other hand, the incorporation of Canada—with its enormous territory, Arctic coastline, and abundant natural resources—would provide the US with formidable geoeconomic and geopolitical reinforcement, practically eliminating vulnerabilities along its northern border. This is an ambitious project that also echoes ideas of Kjellén, for whom an ideal State should seek territorial completeness and economic self-sufficiency within its region. Incorporating Canada would be the pinnacle of American regional autarky, turning North America into a unified bloc under Washington (a scenario reminiscent of the “pan-regions” conceived by twentieth-century geopoliticians influenced by Kjellén).

It is important to note, however, that these ambitions face enormous legal and political obstacles. The sovereignty of Canada and Greenland (Denmark) is guaranteed by international law, and both peoples categorically reject the idea of annexation. Any hostile action by the US against these countries would shake alliances and the world order itself. Even so, the very fact that an American president suggests such possibilities already produces geopolitical effects: traditional partners begin to distrust Washington’s intentions, seek alternative alliances, and strengthen nationalist discourses of resistance. In summary, Trump’s expansionist intentions in Greenland and Canada rekindle old territorial issues and paradoxically place the US in the position of a revisionist power—a role once associated with empires in search of colonies.

Implications for Brazil and South America: A New Neocolonization?

In light of this geopolitical reconfiguration driven by Trump's USA—with a reordering of alliances and a possible partition of spheres of influence among great powers—the question arises: what is the impact on Brazil and the other countries of South America? Traditionally, Latin America has been under the aegis of the Monroe Doctrine (1823), which established non-interference by Europe in the region and, implicitly, the primacy of the USA in the Western Hemisphere. In the post–Cold War period, this influence translated more into political and economic leadership, without formal annexations or direct territorial domination. However, the current context points to a kind of “neocolonization” of the Global South, in which larger powers seek to control resources and peripheral governments in an indirect yet effective manner.

Mackinder’s theories can be used to illuminate this dynamic. As mentioned, Mackinder envisioned the twentieth-century world as a closed system, in which there were no longer any unknown lands to be colonized—hence, the powers would fight among themselves for control over already occupied regions [3]. He predicted that Africa and Latin America (then largely European colonies or semi-colonies) would continue as boards upon which the great powers would project their disputes, a form of neocolonialism. In the current scenario, we see the USA proposing exchanges of protection for resources (as in Ukraine) and even leaders of developing countries seeking similar agreements. A notable example: the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, praised the USA–Ukraine initiative and suggested an analogous agreement involving Congolese mineral wealth in exchange for US support against internal rebels (M23) [19]. In other words, African countries and possibly South American ones may enter into this logic of offering privileged access to resources (cobalt, lithium, food, biodiversity) in order to obtain security guarantees or investments. This represents a regression to the times when external powers dictated the directions of the South in exchange for promises of protection, characterizing a strategic neocolonialism.

For Brazil, in particular, this rearrangement generates both opportunities and risks. As a regional power with considerable diplomatic autonomy, Brazil has historically sought to balance relationships with the USA, Europe, China, and other actors, avoiding automatic alignments. However, in a world where Trump’s USA is actively redefining spheres of influence—possibly making deals with Russia that divide priorities (for example, Washington focusing on the Western Hemisphere and Moscow on the Eastern)—South America could once again be seen as an exclusive American sphere of influence. From this perspective, Washington could pressure South American countries to align with its directives, limiting partnerships with rivals (such as China) and seeking privileged access to strategic resources (such as the Amazon, fresh water, minerals, and agricultural commodities). Some indications are already emerging: Trump’s transactional approach mentioned by Nye included pressures on Canada and Mexico regarding border and trade issues, under the threat of commercial sanctions. It would not be unthinkable to adopt a hard line, for example, with regard to Brazilian environmental policies (linked to the Amazon) or Brazil’s relations with China, using tariffs or incentives as leverage—a sort of geopolitics of economic coercion.

On the other hand, Brazil and its neighbors could also attempt to take advantage of the Sino–North American competition. If the USA is distracted consolidating its hemispheric “hard power” hegemony (even with annexation fantasies in the north), powers such as China may advance their economic presence in South America through investments and trade (Belt and Road, infrastructure financing)—which is already happening. This would constitute an indirect neocolonial dispute in the South: Chinese loans and investments versus American demands and agreements, partly reminiscent of the nineteenth-century imperial competition (when the United Kingdom, USA, and others competed for Latin American markets and resources).

From a conceptual standpoint, Mackinder might classify South America as part of the “Outer Crescent” (external insular crescent)—peripheral to the great Eurasian “World-Island,” yet still crucial as a source of resources and a strategic position in the South Atlantic and Pacific. If the USA consolidates an informal empire in the Americas, it would be reinforcing its “insular bastion” far from the Eurasian Heartland, a strategy that Mackinder once suggested for maritime powers: to control islands and peripheral continents to compensate for the disadvantage of not controlling the Heartland. However, an excessive US dominance in the South could lead to local resistance and alternative alignments, unbalancing the region.

Kjellén would add that for Brazil to maintain its decisive sovereignty, it will need to strengthen its autarky and internal cohesion—in other words, reduce vulnerabilities (economic, military, social) that external powers might exploit [4]. Meanwhile, Mahan might point out the importance for Brazil of controlling its maritime routes and coastlines (South Atlantic) to avoid being at the mercy of a naval power like the USA. And Ratzel would remind us that states that do not expand their influence tend to be absorbed by foreign influences—which, in the context of Brazil, does not mean conquering neighboring territories, but rather actively leading South American integration to create a block more resilient to external intrusion.

In summary, South America finds itself in a more competitive and segmented world, where major players are resurrecting practices from past eras. The notion of “neocolonization” here does not imply direct occupation, but rather mechanisms of dependency: whether through unequal economic agreements or through diplomatic or military pressure for alignment. Brazil, as the largest economy and territory on the subcontinent, will have to navigate with heightened caution. A new global power balance, marked by the division of spheres of influence among the USA, China, and Russia, may reduce the sovereign maneuvering space of South American countries unless they act jointly. Thus, theoretical reflection suggests the need for South–South strategies, reinforcement of regional organizations, and diversification of partnerships to avoid falling into modern “neocolonial traps.”

Conclusion

The emerging post–re-election geopolitical conjuncture of Donald Trump signals a return to classical geopolitical principles, after several decades of predominance of institutional liberal views. We witness the revaluation of concepts such as spheres of influence, exchanges of protection for resources, naval power versus land power, and disputes over territory and raw materials—all central themes in the writings of Mackinder, Mahan, Kjellén, and Ratzel at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century. An impartial analysis of these events, in light of these theories, shows internal coherence in Trump’s actions: although controversial, they follow a logic of maximizing national interest and the relative power of the USA on the world stage, even at the expense of established principles and alliances.

Halford Mackinder reminds us that, in a closed world with no new lands to conquer, the great powers will seek to redistribute the world among themselves [3]. This seems to manifest in the direct understandings between the USA and Russia over the fate of Ukraine, and in American ambitions in the Arctic and the Western Hemisphere. Alfred Mahan emphasizes that the control of the seas and strategic positions ensures supremacy—we see reflections of this in Trump’s obsession with Greenland (Arctic) and the possible neglect of the importance of maintaining NATO (and therefore the North Atlantic) as a cohesive bloc, something that Mahan’s theory would criticize due to the risk of a naval vacuum. Rudolf Kjellén and Friedrich Ratzel provide the framework to understand the more aggressive facet of expansionist nationalism: the idea of the State as an organism that needs to grow, secure resources, and seek self-sufficiency explains everything from the extortionate agreement imposed on Ukraine to the annexation rhetoric regarding Canada.

The potential consequences are profound. In the short term, we may witness a precarious ceasefire in the Ukraine war, with consolidated Russian territorial gains and Ukraine economically tied to the USA, but without formal military protection—a fragile “armed peace.” Western Europe, alarmed, may accelerate its independent militarization, perhaps marking the beginning of European defense autonomy, as is already openly debated [1]. At the far end of the globe, American activism in the Arctic and the Americas may reshape alliances: countries like Canada, once aligned with Washington, might seek to guarantee their sovereignty by distancing themselves from it; powers like China could take advantage of the openings to increase their presence in Latin America and Africa through economic diplomacy; and emerging countries of the Global South may have to choose between submitting to new “guardianships” or strengthening South–South cooperation.

Ultimately, the current situation reinforces the relevance of studying geopolitics through historical lenses. The actions of the Trump administration indicate that, despite all technological and normative advances, the competition for geographic power has not disappeared—it has merely assumed new formats. Academic impartiality obliges us not to prematurely judge whether these strategies will be successful or beneficial, but history and theory warn that neo-imperial movements tend to generate counter-reactions. As Mackinder insinuated, “every shock or change anywhere reverberates around the world,” and a sudden move by a superpower tends to provoke unforeseen adjustments and chain conflicts. It remains to be seen how the other actors—including Brazil and its neighbors—will adapt to this new chapter in the great struggle for global power, in which centuries-old theories once again have a surprising explanatory power over present events.

Bibliography

[1] A Referência. (2025). Europa calcula o custo de se defender sem os EUA: 300 mil soldados e 250 bilhões de euros a mais. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://areferencia.com/europa/europa-calcula-o-custo-de-se-defender-sem-os-eua-300-mil-soldados-e-250-bilhoes-de-euros-a-mais/#:\~:text=Europa%20calcula%20o%20custo%20de,bilh%C3%B5es%20de%20euros%20a%20mais

[2] Brexit Institute. (2025). What happens if Trump invades Greenland? Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://dcubrexitinstitute.eu/2025/01/what-happens-if-trump-invades-greenland/#:\~:text=Ever%20since%20Donald%20Trump%20announced,agreed%20in%20Wales%20in%202014

[3] Cfettweis C:CST22(2)8576.DVI. (2025). Mackinder and Angell. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://cfettweis.com/wp-content/uploads/Mackinder-and-Angell.pdf#:\~:text=meant%20the%20beginning%20of%20an,Mackinder

[4] Diva-Portal. (2025). The geopolitics of territorial relativity. Poland seen by Rudolf Kjellén. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1696547/FULLTEXT02#:\~:text=,The%20state%20territory

[5] Geopolitical Monitor. (2025). The Russo-Ukrainian War and Mackinder’s Heartland Thesis. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/the-ukraine-war-and-mackinders-heartland-thesis/#:\~:text=In%201904%2C%20Sir%20Halford%20J,in%20adding%20a%20substantial%20oceanic

[6] Instituto Humanitas Unisinos. (2025). Trump obriga Zelensky a hipotecar a exploração de minerais críticos em troca do seu apoio. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://www.ihu.unisinos.br/648986-trump-obriga-zelensky-a-hipotecar-a-exploracao-de-minerais-criticos-em-troca-do-seu-apoio#:\~:text=Essa%20troca%20inclui%20os%20cobi%C3%A7ados,s%C3%A3o%20praticamente%20inexploradas%20no%20pa%C3%ADs

[7] Politico. (2025). Trump’s annexation fixation is no joke, Trudeau warns. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/07/canada-trudeau-trump-51-state-00203156#:\~:text=TORONTO%20%E2%80%94%20Prime%20Minister%20Justin,Canada%20becoming%20the%2051st%20state%2C%E2%80%9D%20Trudeau%20said

[8] The Daily Beast. (2025). Top Trump Adviser Moves Goalpost for Ukraine to End War. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://www.thedailybeast.com/top-trump-adviser-moves-goalpost-for-ukraine-to-end-war/#:\~:text=LAND%20GRAB

[9] The Geostrata. (2025). Alfred Thayer Mahan and Supremacy of Naval Power. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://www.thegeostrata.com/post/alfred-thayer-mahan-and-supremacy-of-naval-power#:\~:text=Alfred%20Thayer%20Mahan%20and%20Supremacy,control%20over%20maritime%20trade%20routes

[10] U.S. Department of State. (2025). Mahan’s The Influence of Sea Power upon History: Securing International Markets in the 1890s. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/mahan#:\~:text=Mahan%20argued%20that%20British%20control,American%20politicians%20believed%20that%20these

[11] Britannica. (2025a). Friedrich Ratzel | Biogeography, Anthropogeography, Political Geography. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://www.britannica.com/biography/Friedrich-Ratzel#:\~:text=webster,Swedish%20political%20scientist%20%2076

[12] Britannica. (2025b). Lebensraum. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lebensraum#:\~:text=defined,The

[13] Britannica. (2025c). Rudolf Kjellén. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rudolf-Kjellen

[14] Wikipedia (ZH). (2025). Rudolf Kjellén. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/w:Rudolf_Kjell%C3%A9n#:\~:text=Besides%20legalistic%2C%20states%20have%20organic,preservation.%20%5B%203

[15] Wikipedia. (2025). Lebensraum. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebensraum#:\~:text=The%20German%20geographer%20and%20ethnographer,into%20the%20Greater%20Germanic%20Reich

[16] YouTube. (2025). Trump says Ukraine 'unlikely to get all land back' or join NATO [Vídeo]. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmHzAVLhsXU#:\~:text=Trump%20says%20Ukraine%20%27unlikely%20to,for%20it%20to%20join%20NATO

[17] U.S. Naval Institute. (2025) Operation World Peace. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1955/june/operation-world-peace#:\\~:text=“The Mahan doctrine%2C” according to,the word “airships” is more

[18] Emissary. (2024) Trump’s Greenland and Panama Canal Threats Are a Throwback to an Old, Misguided Foreign Policy. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://carnegieendowment.org/emissary/2025/01/trump-greenland-panama-canal-monroe-doctrine-policy?lang=en

[19] A Referência. Acordo EUA-Ucrânia está praticamente fechado, mas analistas se dividem sobre quem sairá ganhando. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://areferencia.com/europa/acordo-eua-ucrania-esta-praticamente-fechado-mas-analistas-se-dividem-sobre-quem-saira-ganhando/#:\\~:text=EUA e 17,o acordo a seu favor

[20] Wikipedia. (2025) Geopolitik. Recuperado em 3 de março de 2025, de https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geopolitik#:\\~:text=Rudolph Kjellén was Ratzel's Swedish,Kjellén's State

@ 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

@ d34e832d:383f78d0

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A comprehensive system for archiving and managing large datasets efficiently on Linux.

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1. Planning Your Data Archiving Strategy

Before starting, define the structure of your archive:

✅ What are you storing? Books, PDFs, videos, software, research papers, backups, etc.
✅ How often will you access the data? Frequently accessed data should be on SSDs, while deep archives can remain on HDDs.
✅ What organization method will you use? Folder hierarchy and indexing are critical for retrieval.

---

2. Choosing the Right Storage Setup

Since you plan to use 2TB HDDs and store them away, here are Linux-friendly storage solutions:

📀 Offline Storage: Hard Drives & Optical Media

✔ External HDDs (2TB each) – Use ext4 or XFS for best performance.
✔ M-DISC Blu-rays (100GB per disc) – Excellent for long-term storage.
✔ SSD (for fast access archives) – More durable than HDDs but pricier.

🛠 Best Practices for Hard Drive Storage on Linux

🔹 Use smartctl to monitor drive health
bash sudo apt install smartmontools sudo smartctl -a /dev/sdX 🔹 Store drives vertically in anti-static bags.
🔹 Rotate drives periodically to prevent degradation.
🔹 Keep in a cool, dry, dark place.

☁ Cloud Backup (Optional)

✔ Arweave – Decentralized storage for public data.
✔ rclone + Backblaze B2/Wasabi – Cheap, encrypted backups.
✔ Self-hosted options – Nextcloud, Syncthing, IPFS.

---

3. Organizing and Indexing Your Data

📂 Folder Structure (Linux-Friendly)

Use a clear hierarchy:
plaintext 📁 /mnt/archive/ 📁 Books/ 📁 Fiction/ 📁 Non-Fiction/ 📁 Software/ 📁 Research_Papers/ 📁 Backups/ 💡 Use YYYY-MM-DD format for filenames
✅ 2025-01-01_Backup_ProjectX.tar.gz
✅ 2024_Complete_Library_Fiction.epub

📑 Indexing Your Archives

Use Linux tools to catalog your archive:

✔ Generate a file index of a drive:
bash find /mnt/DriveX > ~/Indexes/DriveX_index.txt

✔ Use locate for fast searches:
bash sudo updatedb # Update database locate filename

✔ Use Recoll for full-text search:
bash sudo apt install recoll recoll

🚀 Store index files on a "Master Archive Index" USB drive.

---

4. Compressing & Deduplicating Data

To save space and remove duplicates, use:

✔ Compression Tools:
- tar -cvf archive.tar folder/ && zstd archive.tar (fast, modern compression)
- 7z a archive.7z folder/ (best for text-heavy files)

✔ Deduplication Tools:
- fdupes -r /mnt/archive/ (finds duplicate files)
- rdfind -deleteduplicates true /mnt/archive/ (removes duplicates automatically)

💡 Use par2 to create parity files for recovery:
bash par2 create -r10 file.par2 file.ext This helps reconstruct corrupted archives.

---

5. Ensuring Long-Term Data Integrity

Data can degrade over time. Use checksums to verify files.

✔ Generate Checksums:
bash sha256sum filename.ext > filename.sha256 ✔ Verify Data Integrity Periodically:
bash sha256sum -c filename.sha256

🔹 Use SnapRAID for multi-disk redundancy:
bash sudo apt install snapraid snapraid sync snapraid scrub

🔹 Consider ZFS or Btrfs for automatic error correction:
bash sudo apt install zfsutils-linux zpool create archivepool /dev/sdX

---

6. Accessing Your Data Efficiently

Even when archived, you may need to access files quickly.

✔ Use Symbolic Links to "fake" files still being on your system:
bash ln -s /mnt/driveX/mybook.pdf ~/Documents/ ✔ Use a Local Search Engine (Recoll):
bash recoll ✔ Search within text files using grep:
bash grep -rnw '/mnt/archive/' -e 'Bitcoin'

---

7. Scaling Up & Expanding Your Archive

Since you're storing 2TB drives and setting them aside, keep them numbered and logged.

📦 Physical Storage & Labeling

✔ Store each drive in fireproof safe or waterproof cases.
✔ Label drives (Drive_001, Drive_002, etc.).
✔ Maintain a printed master list of drive contents.

📶 Network Storage for Easy Access

If your archive grows too large, consider:
- NAS (TrueNAS, OpenMediaVault) – Linux-based network storage.
- JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks) – Cheap and easy expansion.
- Deduplicated Storage – ZFS/Btrfs with auto-checksumming.

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8. Automating Your Archival Process

If you frequently update your archive, automation is essential.

✔ Backup Scripts (Linux)

Use rsync for incremental backups:

bash rsync -av --progress /source/ /mnt/archive/

Automate Backup with Cron Jobs

bash crontab -e Add: plaintext 0 3 * * * rsync -av --delete /source/ /mnt/archive/ This runs the backup every night at 3 AM.

Automate Index Updates

bash 0 4 * * * find /mnt/archive > ~/Indexes/master_index.txt

---

So Making These Considerations

✔ Be Consistent – Maintain a structured system.
✔ Test Your Backups – Ensure archives are not corrupted before deleting originals.
✔ Plan for Growth – Maintain an efficient catalog as data expands.

For data hoarders seeking reliable 2TB storage solutions and appropriate physical storage containers, here's a comprehensive overview:

2TB Storage Options

1. Hard Disk Drives (HDDs):

• Western Digital My Book Series: These external HDDs are designed to resemble a standard black hardback book. They come in various editions, such as Essential, Premium, and Studio, catering to different user needs. citeturn0search19

• Seagate Barracuda Series: Known for affordability and performance, these HDDs are suitable for general usage, including data hoarding. They offer storage capacities ranging from 500GB to 8TB, with speeds up to 190MB/s. citeturn0search20

2. Solid State Drives (SSDs):

• Seagate Barracuda SSDs: These SSDs come with either SATA or NVMe interfaces, storage sizes from 240GB to 2TB, and read speeds up to 560MB/s for SATA and 3,400MB/s for NVMe. They are ideal for faster data access and reliability. citeturn0search20

3. Network Attached Storage (NAS) Drives:

• Seagate IronWolf Series: Designed for NAS devices, these drives offer HDD storage capacities from 1TB to 20TB and SSD capacities from 240GB to 4TB. They are optimized for multi-user environments and continuous operation. citeturn0search20

Physical Storage Containers for 2TB Drives

Proper storage of your drives is crucial to ensure data integrity and longevity. Here are some recommendations:

1. Anti-Static Bags:

Essential for protecting drives from electrostatic discharge, especially during handling and transportation.

2. Protective Cases:

• Hard Drive Carrying Cases: These cases offer padded compartments to securely hold individual drives, protecting them from physical shocks and environmental factors.

3. Storage Boxes:

• Anti-Static Storage Boxes: Designed to hold multiple drives, these boxes provide organized storage with anti-static protection, ideal for archiving purposes.

4. Drive Caddies and Enclosures:

• HDD/SSD Enclosures: These allow internal drives to function as external drives, offering both protection and versatility in connectivity.

5. Fireproof and Waterproof Safes:

For long-term storage, consider safes that protect against environmental hazards, ensuring data preservation even in adverse conditions.

Storage Tips:

• Labeling: Clearly label each drive with its contents and date of storage for easy identification.

• Climate Control: Store drives in a cool, dry environment to prevent data degradation over time.

By selecting appropriate 2TB storage solutions and ensuring they are stored in suitable containers, you can effectively manage and protect your data hoard.

Here’s a set of custom Bash scripts to automate your archival workflow on Linux:

1️⃣ Compression & Archiving Script

This script compresses and archives files, organizing them by date.
```bash

!/bin/bash

Compress and archive files into dated folders

ARCHIVE_DIR="/mnt/backup" DATE=$(date +"%Y-%m-%d") BACKUP_DIR="$ARCHIVE_DIR/$DATE"

mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR"

Find and compress files

find ~/Documents -type f -mtime -7 -print0 | tar --null -czvf "$BACKUP_DIR/archive.tar.gz" --files-from -

echo "Backup completed: $BACKUP_DIR/archive.tar.gz" ```

---

2️⃣ Indexing Script

This script creates a list of all archived files and saves it for easy lookup.
```bash

!/bin/bash

Generate an index file for all backups

ARCHIVE_DIR="/mnt/backup" INDEX_FILE="$ARCHIVE_DIR/index.txt"

find "$ARCHIVE_DIR" -type f -name "*.tar.gz" > "$INDEX_FILE"

echo "Index file updated: $INDEX_FILE" ```

---

3️⃣ Storage Space Monitor

This script alerts you if the disk usage exceeds 90%.
```bash

!/bin/bash

Monitor storage usage

THRESHOLD=90 USAGE=$(df -h | grep '/mnt/backup' | awk '{print $5}' | sed 's/%//')

if [ "$USAGE" -gt "$THRESHOLD" ]; then echo "WARNING: Disk usage at $USAGE%!" fi ```

---

4️⃣ Automatic HDD Swap Alert

This script checks if a new 2TB drive is connected and notifies you.
```bash

!/bin/bash

Detect new drives and notify

WATCHED_SIZE="2T" DEVICE=$(lsblk -dn -o NAME,SIZE | grep "$WATCHED_SIZE" | awk '{print $1}')

if [ -n "$DEVICE" ]; then echo "New 2TB drive detected: /dev/$DEVICE" fi ```

---

5️⃣ Symbolic Link Organizer

This script creates symlinks to easily access archived files from a single directory.
```bash

!/bin/bash

Organize files using symbolic links

ARCHIVE_DIR="/mnt/backup" LINK_DIR="$HOME/Archive_Links"

mkdir -p "$LINK_DIR" ln -s "$ARCHIVE_DIR"//.tar.gz "$LINK_DIR/"

echo "Symbolic links updated in $LINK_DIR" ```

---

🔥 How to Use These Scripts:

1. Save each script as a .sh file.
2. Make them executable using:
   bash chmod +x script_name.sh
3. Run manually or set up a cron job for automation:
   bash crontab -e
   Add this line to run the backup every Sunday at midnight:
   bash 0 0 * * 0 /path/to/backup_script.sh

Here's a Bash script to encrypt your backups using GPG (GnuPG) for strong encryption. 🚀

---

🔐 Backup & Encrypt Script

This script will:
✅ Compress files into an archive
✅ Encrypt it using GPG
✅ Store it in a secure location

```bash

!/bin/bash

Backup and encrypt script

ARCHIVE_DIR="/mnt/backup" DATE=$(date +"%Y-%m-%d") BACKUP_FILE="$ARCHIVE_DIR/backup_$DATE.tar.gz" ENCRYPTED_FILE="$BACKUP_FILE.gpg" GPG_RECIPIENT="your@email.com" # Change this to your GPG key or use --symmetric for password-based encryption

mkdir -p "$ARCHIVE_DIR"

Compress files

tar -czvf "$BACKUP_FILE" ~/Documents

Encrypt the backup using GPG

gpg --output "$ENCRYPTED_FILE" --encrypt --recipient "$GPG_RECIPIENT" "$BACKUP_FILE"

Verify encryption success

if [ -f "$ENCRYPTED_FILE" ]; then echo "Backup encrypted successfully: $ENCRYPTED_FILE" rm "$BACKUP_FILE" # Remove unencrypted file for security else echo "Encryption failed!" fi ```

---

🔓 Decrypting a Backup

To restore a backup, run:
bash gpg --decrypt --output backup.tar.gz backup_YYYY-MM-DD.tar.gz.gpg tar -xzvf backup.tar.gz

---

🔁 Automating with Cron

To run this script every Sunday at midnight:
bash crontab -e Add this line:
bash 0 0 * * 0 /path/to/encrypt_backup.sh

---

🔐 Backup & Encrypt Script (Password-Based)

This script:
✅ Compresses files into an archive
✅ Encrypts them using GPG with a passphrase
✅ Stores them in a secure location

```bash

!/bin/bash

Backup and encrypt script (password-based)

ARCHIVE_DIR="/mnt/backup" DATE=$(date +"%Y-%m-%d") BACKUP_FILE="$ARCHIVE_DIR/backup_$DATE.tar.gz" ENCRYPTED_FILE="$BACKUP_FILE.gpg" PASSPHRASE="YourStrongPassphraseHere" # Change this!

mkdir -p "$ARCHIVE_DIR"

Compress files

tar -czvf "$BACKUP_FILE" ~/Documents

Encrypt the backup with a password

gpg --batch --yes --passphrase "$PASSPHRASE" --symmetric --cipher-algo AES256 --output "$ENCRYPTED_FILE" "$BACKUP_FILE"

Verify encryption success

if [ -f "$ENCRYPTED_FILE" ]; then echo "Backup encrypted successfully: $ENCRYPTED_FILE" rm "$BACKUP_FILE" # Remove unencrypted file for security else echo "Encryption failed!" fi ```

---

🔓 Decrypting a Backup

To restore a backup, run:
bash gpg --batch --yes --passphrase "YourStrongPassphraseHere" --decrypt --output backup.tar.gz backup_YYYY-MM-DD.tar.gz.gpg tar -xzvf backup.tar.gz

---

🔁 Automating with Cron

To run this script every Sunday at midnight:
bash crontab -e Add this line:
bash 0 0 * * 0 /path/to/encrypt_backup.sh

---

🔥 Security Best Practices

• Do NOT hardcode the password in the script. Instead, store it in a secure location like a .gpg-pass file and use:
  bash PASSPHRASE=$(cat /path/to/.gpg-pass)
• Use a strong passphrase with at least 16+ characters.
• Consider using a hardware security key or YubiKey for extra security.

---

Here's how you can add automatic cloud syncing to your encrypted backups. This script will sync your encrypted backups to a cloud storage service like Rsync, Dropbox, or Nextcloud using the rclone tool, which is compatible with many cloud providers.

Step 1: Install rclone

First, you need to install rclone if you haven't already. It’s a powerful tool for managing cloud storage.

1. Install rclone: bash curl https://rclone.org/install.sh | sudo bash

2. Configure rclone with your cloud provider (e.g., Google Drive): bash rclone config

Follow the prompts to set up your cloud provider. After configuration, you'll have a "remote" (e.g., rsync for https://rsync.net) to use in the script.

---

🔐 Backup, Encrypt, and Sync to Cloud Script

This script will: ✅ Compress files into an archive
✅ Encrypt them with a password
✅ Sync the encrypted backup to the cloud storage

```bash

!/bin/bash

Backup, encrypt, and sync to cloud script (password-based)

ARCHIVE_DIR="/mnt/backup" DATE=$(date +"%Y-%m-%d") BACKUP_FILE="$ARCHIVE_DIR/backup_$DATE.tar.gz" ENCRYPTED_FILE="$BACKUP_FILE.gpg" PASSPHRASE="YourStrongPassphraseHere" # Change this!

Cloud configuration (rclone remote name)

CLOUD_REMOTE="gdrive" # Change this to your remote name (e.g., 'gdrive', 'dropbox', 'nextcloud') CLOUD_DIR="backups" # Cloud directory where backups will be stored

mkdir -p "$ARCHIVE_DIR"

Compress files

tar -czvf "$BACKUP_FILE" ~/Documents

Encrypt the backup with a password

gpg --batch --yes --passphrase "$PASSPHRASE" --symmetric --cipher-algo AES256 --output "$ENCRYPTED_FILE" "$BACKUP_FILE"

Verify encryption success

if [ -f "$ENCRYPTED_FILE" ]; then echo "Backup encrypted successfully: $ENCRYPTED_FILE" rm "$BACKUP_FILE" # Remove unencrypted file for security

# Sync the encrypted backup to the cloud using rclone
rclone copy "$ENCRYPTED_FILE" "$CLOUD_REMOTE:$CLOUD_DIR" --progress

# Verify sync success
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
    echo "Backup successfully synced to cloud: $CLOUD_REMOTE:$CLOUD_DIR"
    rm "$ENCRYPTED_FILE"  # Remove local backup after syncing
else
    echo "Cloud sync failed!"
fi

else echo "Encryption failed!" fi ```

---

How to Use the Script:

1. Edit the script:
2. Change the PASSPHRASE to a secure passphrase.
3. Change CLOUD_REMOTE to your cloud provider’s rclone remote name (e.g., gdrive, dropbox).

4. Change CLOUD_DIR to the cloud folder where you'd like to store the backup.

5. Set up a cron job for automatic backups:

6. To run the backup every Sunday at midnight, add this line to your crontab:
   bash crontab -e Add:
   bash 0 0 * * 0 /path/to/backup_encrypt_sync.sh

---

🔥 Security Tips:

• Store the passphrase securely (e.g., use a .gpg-pass file with cat /path/to/.gpg-pass).
• Use rclone's encryption feature for sensitive data in the cloud if you want to encrypt before uploading.
• Use multiple cloud services (e.g., Google Drive and Dropbox) for redundancy.

---

                   📌 START → **Planning Your Data Archiving Strategy**

├── What type of data? (Docs, Media, Code, etc.)
├── How often will you need access? (Daily, Monthly, Rarely)
├── Choose storage type: SSD (fast), HDD (cheap), Tape (long-term)
├── Plan directory structure (YYYY-MM-DD, Category-Based, etc.)
└── Define retention policy (Keep Forever? Auto-Delete After X Years?)
↓

📌 Choosing the Right Storage & Filesystem
├── Local storage: (ext4, XFS, Btrfs, ZFS for snapshots)
├── Network storage: (NAS, Nextcloud, Syncthing)
├── Cold storage: (M-DISC, Tape Backup, External HDD)
├── Redundancy: (RAID, SnapRAID, ZFS Mirror, Cloud Sync)
└── Encryption: (LUKS, VeraCrypt, age, gocryptfs)
↓

📌 Organizing & Indexing Data
├── Folder structure: (YYYY/MM/Project-Based)
├── Metadata tagging: (exiftool, Recoll, TagSpaces)
├── Search tools: (fd, fzf, locate, grep)
├── Deduplication: (rdfind, fdupes, hardlinking)
└── Checksum integrity: (sha256sum, blake3)
↓

📌 Compression & Space Optimization
├── Use compression (tar, zip, 7z, zstd, btrfs/zfs compression)
├── Remove duplicate files (rsync, fdupes, rdfind)
├── Store archives in efficient formats (ISO, SquashFS, borg)
├── Use incremental backups (rsync, BorgBackup, Restic)
└── Verify archive integrity (sha256sum, snapraid sync)
↓

📌 Ensuring Long-Term Data Integrity
├── Check data periodically (snapraid scrub, btrfs scrub)
├── Refresh storage media every 3-5 years (HDD, Tape)
├── Protect against bit rot (ZFS/Btrfs checksums, ECC RAM)
├── Store backup keys & logs separately (Paper, YubiKey, Trezor)
└── Use redundant backups (3-2-1 Rule: 3 copies, 2 locations, 1 offsite)
↓

📌 Accessing Data Efficiently
├── Use symbolic links & bind mounts for easy access
├── Implement full-text search (Recoll, Apache Solr, Meilisearch)
├── Set up a file index database (mlocate, updatedb)
├── Utilize file previews (nnn, ranger, vifm)
└── Configure network file access (SFTP, NFS, Samba, WebDAV)
↓

📌 Scaling & Expanding Your Archive
├── Move old data to slower storage (HDD, Tape, Cloud)
├── Upgrade storage (LVM expansion, RAID, NAS upgrades)
├── Automate archival processes (cron jobs, systemd timers)
├── Optimize backups for large datasets (rsync --link-dest, BorgBackup)
└── Add redundancy as data grows (RAID, additional HDDs)
↓

📌 Automating the Archival Process
├── Schedule regular backups (cron, systemd, Ansible)
├── Auto-sync to offsite storage (rclone, Syncthing, Nextcloud)
├── Monitor storage health (smartctl, btrfs/ZFS scrub, netdata)
├── Set up alerts for disk failures (Zabbix, Grafana, Prometheus)
└── Log & review archive activity (auditd, logrotate, shell scripts)
↓

✅ GOAT STATUS: DATA ARCHIVING COMPLETE & AUTOMATED! 🎯

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

There is something quietly rebellious about stacking sats. In a world obsessed with instant gratification, choosing to patiently accumulate Bitcoin, one sat at a time, feels like a middle finger to the hype machine. But to do it right, you have got to stay humble. Stack too hard with your head in the clouds, and you will trip over your own ego before the next halving even hits.

Small Wins

Stacking sats is not glamorous. Discipline. Stacking every day, week, or month, no matter the price, and letting time do the heavy lifting. Humility lives in that consistency. You are not trying to outsmart the market or prove you are the next "crypto" prophet. Just a regular person, betting on a system you believe in, one humble stack at a time. Folks get rekt chasing the highs. They ape into some shitcoin pump, shout about it online, then go silent when they inevitably get rekt. The ones who last? They stack. Just keep showing up. Consistency. Humility in action. Know the game is long, and you are not bigger than it.

Ego is Volatile

Bitcoin’s swings can mess with your head. One day you are up 20%, feeling like a genius and the next down 30%, questioning everything. Ego will have you panic selling at the bottom or over leveraging the top. Staying humble means patience, a true bitcoin zen. Do not try to "beat” Bitcoin. Ride it. Stack what you can afford, live your life, and let compounding work its magic.

Simplicity

There is a beauty in how stacking sats forces you to rethink value. A sat is worth less than a penny today, but every time you grab a few thousand, you plant a seed. It is not about flaunting wealth but rather building it, quietly, without fanfare. That mindset spills over. Cut out the noise: the overpriced coffee, fancy watches, the status games that drain your wallet. Humility is good for your soul and your stack. I have a buddy who has been stacking since 2015. Never talks about it unless you ask. Lives in a decent place, drives an old truck, and just keeps stacking. He is not chasing clout, he is chasing freedom. That is the vibe: less ego, more sats, all grounded in life.

The Big Picture

Stack those sats. Do it quietly, do it consistently, and do not let the green days puff you up or the red days break you down. Humility is the secret sauce, it keeps you grounded while the world spins wild. In a decade, when you look back and smile, it will not be because you shouted the loudest. It will be because you stayed the course, one sat at a time. \ \ Stay Humble and Stack Sats. 🫡

@ d34e832d:383f78d0

[npub16d8gxt2z4k9e8sdpc0yyqzf5gp0np09ls4lnn630qzxzvwpl0rgq5h4rzv]

Helical Visualization of Time's Passage in Orbital Motion and Celestial Mechanics

Exploring the dynamics of our Solar System through helical visualization opens new possibilities for understanding time, orbital motion, and planetary trajectories. By visualizing time as a continuous helical path, we gain insights into the cyclical and evolving nature of celestial mechanics, where each planet's orbit interacts with others in both predictable and dynamic patterns.

1. Helical Visualization of Time’s Passage

• Time as a Continuous Helix: Instead of viewing planetary orbits as fixed ellipses, this model represents the passage of time as a helical curve, linking each orbital cycle to the next. This visualization allows for a deeper understanding of the long-term movement of celestial bodies.
• Progression of Orbital Events: As planets follow their helical paths, we can track the passage of time from multiple perspectives, observing how their positions and velocities evolve in relation to one another. The helical model offers an elegant representation of periodic cycles that emphasizes the interconnectedness of cosmic events.
• Temporal Interactions: In this model, events like eclipses, conjunctions, and retrogrades become visualized as intersecting points on the helical path, emphasizing their importance in the grand tapestry of the Solar System's motion.

2. Orbital Motion and Celestial Mechanics

• Interplanetary Influences: The interactions between planetary bodies are inherently governed by gravitational forces, which create orbital motions that are often predictable yet influenced by external factors like planetary alignments and the gravitational pull of distant stars.
• Orbital Resonance and Tidal Forces: The gravitational interactions between planets, moons, and even asteroids can result in phenomena like orbital resonance. These interactions can be visualized in a helical model, showing how bodies can affect each other's orbits over time, much like the push and pull of a dance.
• The Dance of the Planets: Each planet’s orbit is not only a path through space but a part of a cosmic ballet, where their gravitational interactions affect one another's orbits. The helical model of motion helps us visualize how these interactions evolve over millions of years, helping to predict future trajectories.

3. Planetary Orbits and the Structure of the Solar System

• Elliptical and Spiral Patterns: While many planetary orbits are elliptical, the helical model introduces a dynamic spiral element to represent the combined motion of planets both around the Sun and through space. As the planets move, their orbits could resemble intricate spirals that reflect the cumulative effect of their motion through time.
• Resonance and Stability: Certain orbits may stabilize or shift over long periods due to gravitational interactions between planets. This helical view provides a tool for observing how minor orbital shifts can amplify over time, affecting not only the planets but the overall structure of the Solar System.
• Nonlinear Progression: Planets do not follow predictable paths in a simple two-dimensional plane. Instead, their orbits are affected by multiple forces, including interactions with other celestial bodies, making the helical model an ideal tool for visualizing the complexity and evolving nature of these planetary orbits.

4. Space Visualization and the Expanding Universe

• Moving Beyond the Solar System: The helical model of time and orbital motion does not end with our Solar System. As we visualize the movement of our Solar System within the broader context of the Milky Way, we begin to understand how our own galaxy's orbit affects our local motion through the universe.
• Helical Paths in Cosmic Space: This visualization method allows us to consider the Solar System’s motion as part of a larger, spiraling pattern that reaches across the galaxy, suggesting that our journey through space follows an intricate, three-dimensional helical path.

Connections (Links to Other Notes)

• The Mathematical Foundations of Orbital Mechanics
• Time as a Dimension in Celestial Navigation
• Gravitational Forces and Orbital Stability

Tags

SolarSystem #HelicalMotion #TimeVisualization #OrbitalMechanics #CelestialBodies #PlanetaryOrbits #SpaceExploration

Donations via

• ZeroSumFreeParity@primal.net

@ 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.

@ 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!

@ 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

---

🍴 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

@ d34e832d:383f78d0

https://pub-53ed77d5544b46628691823c1795f2c7.r2.dev/Reticulum-Unstoppable-Network-Compressed.mp4

[npub16d8gxt2z4k9e8sdpc0yyqzf5gp0np09ls4lnn630qzxzvwpl0rgq5h4rzv]

What is Reticulum?

Reticulum is a cryptographic networking stack designed for resilient, decentralized, and censorship-resistant communication. Unlike the traditional internet, Reticulum enables fully independent digital communications over various physical mediums, such as radio, LoRa, serial links, and even TCP/IP.

The key advantages of Reticulum include:
- Decentralization – No reliance on centralized infrastructure.
- Encryption & Privacy – End-to-end encryption built-in.
- Resilience – Operates over unreliable and low-bandwidth links.
- Interoperability – Works over WiFi, LoRa, Bluetooth, and more.
- Ease of Use – Can run on minimal hardware, including Raspberry Pi and embedded devices.

Reticulum is ideal for off-grid, censorship-resistant communications, emergency preparedness, and secure messaging.

---

1. Getting Started with Reticulum

To quickly get started with Reticulum, follow the official guide:
Reticulum: Getting Started Fast

Step 1: Install Reticulum

On Linux (Debian/Ubuntu-based systems)

sh sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y sudo apt install -y python3-pip pip3 install rns

On Raspberry Pi or ARM-based Systems

sh pip3 install rns

On Windows

Using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) or Python:
sh pip install rns

On macOS

sh pip3 install rns

---

2. Configuring Reticulum

Once installed, Reticulum needs a configuration file. The default location is:
sh ~/.config/reticulum/config.toml

To generate the default configuration:
sh rnsd This creates a configuration file with default settings.

---

3. Using Reticulum

Starting the Reticulum Daemon

To run the Reticulum daemon (rnsd), use:
sh rnsd This starts the network stack, allowing applications to communicate over Reticulum.

Testing Your Reticulum Node

Run the diagnostic tool to ensure your node is functioning:
sh rnstatus This shows the status of all connected interfaces and peers.

---

4. Adding Interfaces

LoRa Interface (for Off-Grid Communications)

Reticulum supports long-range LoRa radios like the RAK Wireless and Meshtastic devices. To add a LoRa interface, edit config.toml and add:
toml [[interfaces]] type = "LoRa" name = "My_LoRa_Interface" frequency = 868.0 bandwidth = 125 spreading_factor = 9 Restart Reticulum to apply the changes.

Serial (For Direct Device-to-Device Links)

For communication over serial links (e.g., between two Raspberry Pis):
toml [[interfaces]] type = "Serial" port = "/dev/ttyUSB0" baudrate = 115200

TCP/IP (For Internet-Based Nodes)

If you want to bridge your Reticulum node over an existing IP network:
toml [[interfaces]] type = "TCP" listen = true bind = "0.0.0.0" port = 4242

---

5. Applications Using Reticulum

LXMF (LoRa Mesh Messaging Framework)

LXMF is a delay-tolerant, fully decentralized messaging system that operates over Reticulum. It allows encrypted, store-and-forward messaging without requiring an always-online server.

To install:
sh pip3 install lxmf To start the LXMF node:
sh lxmfd

Nomad Network (Decentralized Chat & File Sharing)

Nomad is a Reticulum-based chat and file-sharing platform, ideal for off-grid communication.
To install:
sh pip3 install nomad-network To run:
sh nomad

Mesh Networking with Meshtastic & Reticulum

Reticulum can work alongside Meshtastic for true decentralized long-range communication.
To set up a Meshtastic bridge:
toml [[interfaces]] type = "LoRa" port = "/dev/ttyUSB0" baudrate = 115200

---

6. Security & Privacy Features

• Automatic End-to-End Encryption – Every message is encrypted by default.
• No Centralized Logging – Communication leaves no metadata traces.
• Self-Healing Routing – Designed to work in unstable or hostile environments.

---

7. Practical Use Cases

• Off-Grid Communication – Works in remote areas without cellular service.
• Censorship Resistance – Cannot be blocked by ISPs or governments.
• Emergency Networks – Enables resilient communication during disasters.
• Private P2P Networks – Create a secure, encrypted communication layer.

---

8. Further Exploration & Documentation

• Reticulum Official Manual: https://markqvist.github.io/Reticulum/manual/
• Reticulum GitHub Repository: https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum
• Nomad Network: https://github.com/markqvist/NomadNet
• Meshtastic + Reticulum: https://meshtastic.org

---

Connections (Links to Other Notes)

• Mesh Networking for Decentralized Communication
• LoRa and Off-Grid Bitcoin Transactions
• Censorship-Resistant Communication Using Nostr & Reticulum

Tags

Reticulum #DecentralizedComms #MeshNetworking #CensorshipResistance #LoRa

Donations via

• Bitcoin Lightning: lightninglayerhash@getalby.com

@ 1c19eb1a:e22fb0bc

After my first major review of Primal on Android, we're going to go a very different direction for this next review. Primal is your standard "Twitter clone" type of kind 1 note client, now branching into long-form. They also have a team of developers working on making it one of the best clients to fill that use-case. By contrast, this review will not be focusing on any client at all. Not even an "other stuff" client.

Instead, we will be reviewing a very useful tool created and maintained by nostr:npub1w4uswmv6lu9yel005l3qgheysmr7tk9uvwluddznju3nuxalevvs2d0jr5 called #Amber. For those unfamiliar with Amber, it is an #Android application dedicated to managing your signing keys, and allowing you to log into various #Nostr applications without having to paste in your private key, better known as your #nsec. It is not recommended to paste your nsec into various applications because they each represent another means by which it could be compromised, and anyone who has your nsec can post as you. On Nostr, your #npub is your identity, and your signature using your private key is considered absolute proof that any given note, reaction, follow update, or profile change was authorized by the rightful owner of that identity.

It happens less often these days, but early on, when the only way to try out a new client was by inputting your nsec, users had their nsec compromised from time to time, or they would suspect that their key may have been compromised. When this occurs, there is no way to recover your account, or set a new private key, deprecating the previous one. The only thing you can do is start over from scratch, letting everyone know that your key has been compromised and to follow you on your new npub.

If you use Amber to log into other Nostr apps, you significantly reduce the likelihood that your private key will be compromised, because only one application has access to it, and all other applications reach out to Amber to sign any events. This isn't quite as secure as storing your private key on a separate device that isn't connected to the internet whatsoever, like many of us have grown accustomed to with securing our #Bitcoin, but then again, an online persona isn't nearly as important to secure for most of us as our entire life savings.

Amber is the first application of its kind for managing your Nostr keys on a mobile device. nostr:npub1w4uswmv6lu9yel005l3qgheysmr7tk9uvwluddznju3nuxalevvs2d0jr5 didn't merely develop the application, but literally created the specification for accomplishing external signing on Android which can be found in NIP-55. Unfortunately, Amber is only available for Android. A signer application for iOS is in the works from nostr:npub1yaul8k059377u9lsu67de7y637w4jtgeuwcmh5n7788l6xnlnrgs3tvjmf, but is not ready for use at this time. There is also a new mobile signer app for Android and iOS called Nowser, but I have not yet had a chance to try this app out. From a cursory look at the Android version, it is indeed in the very early stages of development and cannot be compared with Amber.

This review of Amber is current as of version 3.2.5.

Overall Impression

Score: 4.5 / 5

I cannot speak highly enough about Amber as a tool that every Nostr user on Android should start using if they are not already. When the day comes that we have more options for well-developed signer apps on mobile, my opinion may very well change, but until then Amber is what we have available to us. Even so, it is an incredibly well thought-out and reliable tool for securing your nsec.

Despite being the only well-established Android signer available for Android, Amber can be compared with other external signing methods available on other platforms. Even with more competition in this arena, though, Amber still holds up incredibly well. If you are signing into web applications on a desktop, I still would recommend using a browser extension like #Alby or #Nos2x, as the experience is usually faster, more seamless, and far more web apps support this signing method (NIP-07) than currently support the two methods employed by Amber. Nevertheless that gap is definitely narrowing.

A running list I created of applications that support login and signing with Amber can be found here: Nostr Clients with External Signer Support

I have run into relatively few bugs in my extensive use of Amber for all of my mobile signing needs. Occasionally the application crashes when trying to send it a signing request from a couple of applications, but I would not be surprised if this is no fault of Amber at all, and rather the fault of those specific apps, since it works flawlessly with the vast majority of apps that support either NIP-55 or NIP-46 login.

I also believe that mobile is the ideal platform to use for this type of application. First, because most people use Nostr clients on their phone more than on a desktop. There are, of course, exceptions to that, but in general we spend more time on our phones when interacting online. New users are also more likely to be introduced to Nostr by a friend having them download a Nostr client on their phone than on a PC, and that can be a prime opportunity to introduce the new user to protecting their private key. Finally, I agree with the following assessment from nostr:npub1jlrs53pkdfjnts29kveljul2sm0actt6n8dxrrzqcersttvcuv3qdjynqn.

nostr:nevent1qqsw0r6gzn05xg67h5q2xkplwsuzedjxw9lf7ntrxjl8ajm350fcyugprfmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wd68yurvv438xtnrdaksyg9hyaxj3clfswlhyrd5kjsj5v04clhjvgeq6pwztmysfzdvn93gev7awu9v

The one downside to Amber is that it will be quite foreign for new users. That is partially unavoidable with Nostr, since folks are not accustomed to public/private key cryptography in general, let alone using a private key to log into websites or social media apps. However, the initial signup process is a bit cumbersome if Amber is being used as the means of initially generating a key pair. I think some of this could be foregone at start-up in favor of streamlining onboarding, and then encourage the user to back-up their private key at a later time.

Features

Amber has some features that may surprise you, outside of just storing your private key and signing requests from your favorite Nostr clients. It is a full key management application, supporting multiple accounts, various backup methods, and even the ability to authorize other users to access a Nostr profile you control.

Android Signing

This is the signing method where Amber really shines in both speed and ease of use. Any Android application that supports this standard, and even some progressive web-apps that can be installed to your Android's home-screen, can very quickly and seamlessly connect with Amber to authorize anything that you need signed with your nsec. All you have to do is select "Login with Amber" in clients like #Amethyst or #0xChat and the app will reach out to Amber for all signing requests from there on out. If you had previously signed into the app with your nsec, you will first need to log out, then choose the option to use Amber when you log back in.

This is a massive deal, because everything you do on Nostr requires a signature from your private key. Log in? Needs a signature. Post a "GM" note? Needs a signature. Follow someone who zapped your note? Needs a signature. Zap them back? You guessed it; needs a signature. When you paste your private key into an application, it will automatically sign a lot of these actions without you ever being asked for approval, but you will quickly realize just how many things the client is doing on your behalf when Amber is asking you to approve them each time.

Now, this can also get quite annoying after a while. I recommend using the setting that allows Amber to automatically sign for basic functions, which will cut down on some of the authorization spam. Once you have been asked to authorize the same type of action a few times, you can also toggle the option to automatically authorize that action in the future. Don't worry, though, you have full control to require Amber to ask you for permission again if you want to be alerted each time, and this toggle is specific to each application, so it's not a blanket approval for all Nostr clients you connect with.

This method of signing is just as fast as signing via browser extension on web clients, which users may be more accustomed to. Everything is happening locally on the device, so it can be very snappy and secure.

Nostr Connect/Bunker Signing

This next method of signing has a bit of a delay, because it is using a Nostr relay to send encrypted information back and forth between the app the user is interacting with and Amber to obtain signatures remotely. It isn't a significant delay most of the time, but it is just enough to be noticeable.

Also, unlike the previous signing method that would automatically switch to Amber as the active application when a signing request is sent, this method only sends you a notification that you must be watching for. This can lead to situations where you are wondering why something isn't working in a client you signed into remotely, because it is waiting on you to authorize the action and you didn't notice the notification from Amber. As you use the application, you get used to the need to check for such authorization requests from time to time, or when something isn't working as expected.

By default, Amber will use relay.nsec.app to communicate with whichever Nostr app you are connecting to. You can set a different relay for this purpose, if you like, though not just any relay will support the event kinds that Amber uses for remote signing. You can even run your own relay just for your own signing purposes. In fact, the creator of Amber has a relay application you can run on your phone, called Citrine, that can be used for signing with any web app you are using locally on your phone. This is definitely more of an advanced option, but it is there for you if you want it. For most users, sticking with relay.nsec.app will be just fine, especially since the contents of the events sent back and forth for signing are all encrypted.

Something many users may not realize is that this remote signing feature allows for issuing signing permissions to team members. For instance, if anyone ever joined me in writing reviews, I could issue them a connection string from Amber, and limit their permissions to just posting long-form draft events. Anything else they tried to do would require my explicit approval each time. Moreover, I could revoke those permissions if I ever felt they were being abused, without the need to start over with a whole new npub. Of course, this requires that your phone is online whenever a team member is trying to sign using the connection string you issued, and it requires you pay attention to your notifications so you can approve or reject requests you have not set to auto-approve. However, this is probably only useful for small teams, and larger businesses will want to find a more robust solution for managing access to their npub, such as Keycast from nostr:npub1zuuajd7u3sx8xu92yav9jwxpr839cs0kc3q6t56vd5u9q033xmhsk6c2uc.

The method for establishing a connection between Amber and a Nostr app for remote signing can vary for each app. Most, at minimum, will support obtaining a connection string from Amber that starts with "bunker://" and pasting it in at the time of login. Then you just need to approve the connection request from Amber and the client will log you in and send any subsequent signing requests to Amber using the same connection string.

Some clients will also offer the option to scan a QR code to connect the client to Amber. This is quite convenient, but just remember that this also means the client is setting which relay will be used for communication between the two. Clients with this option will also have a connection string you can copy and paste into Amber to achieve the same purpose. For instance, you may need this option if you are trying to connect to an app on your phone and therefore can't scan the QR code using Amber on the same phone.

Multiple Accounts

Amber does not lock you into using it with only a single set of keys. You can add all of your Nostr "accounts" to Amber and use it for signing events for each independently. Of course, Nostr doesn't actually have "accounts" in the traditional sense. Your identity is simply your key-pair, and Amber stores and accesses each private key as needed.

When first signing in using native Android signing as described above, Amber will default to whichever account was most recently selected, but you can switch to the account that is needed before approving the request. After initial login, Amber will automatically detect the account that the signing request is for.

Key Backup & Restore

Amber allows multiple ways to back up your private key. As most users would expect, you can get your standard nsec and copy/paste it to a password manager, but you can also obtain your private key as a list of mnemonic seed words, an encrypted version of your key called an ncryptsec, or even a QR code of your nsec or ncryptsec.

Additionally, in order to gain access to this information, Amber requires you to enter your device's PIN or use biometric authentication. This isn't cold-storage level protection for your private key by any means, especially since your phone is an internet connected device and does not store your key within a secure element, but it is about as secure as you can ask for while having your key accessible for signing Nostr events.

Tor Support

While Amber does not have Tor support within the app itself, it does support connecting to Tor through Orbot. This would be used with remote signing so that Amber would not connect directly over clearnet to the relay used for communication with the Nostr app requesting the signature. Instead, Amber would connect through Tor, so the relay would not see your IP address. This means you can utilize the remote signing option without compromising your anonymity.

Additional Security

Amber allows the user the option to require either biometric or PIN authentication before approving signing requests. This can provide that extra bit of assurance that no one will be able to sign events using your private key if they happen to gain access to your phone. The PIN you set in Amber is also independent from the PIN to unlock your device, allowing for separation of access.

Can My Grandma Use It?

Score: 4.0 / 5

At the end of the day, Amber is a tool for those who have some concept of the importance of protecting their private key by not pasting it into every Nostr client that comes along. This concept in itself is not terribly approachable to an average person. They are used to just plugging their password into every service they use, and even worse, they usually have the same password for everything so they can more readily remember it. The idea that they should never enter their "Nostr password" into any Nostr application would never occur to them unless someone first explained how cryptography works related to public/private key pairs.

That said, I think there can be some improvements made to how users are introduced to these concepts, and that a signer application like Amber might be ideal for the job. Considering Amber as a new user's first touchpoint with Nostr, I think it holds up well, but could be somewhat streamlined.

Upon opening the app, the user is prompted to either use their existing private key or "Create a new Nostr account." This is straightforward enough. "Account" is not a technically correct term with Nostr, but it is a term that new users would be familiar with and understand the basic concept.

The next screen announces that the account is ready, and presents the user with their public key, explaining that it is "a sort of username" that will allow others to find them on Nostr. While it is good to explain this to the user, it is unnecessary information at this point. This screen also prompts the user to set a nickname and set a password to encrypt their private key. Since the backup options also allow the user to set this password, I think this step could be pushed to a later time. This screen would better serve the new user if it simply prompted them to set a nickname and short bio that could be saved to a few default relays.

Of course, Amber is currently prompting for a password to be set up-front because the next screen requires the new user to download a "backup kit" in order to continue. While I do believe it is a good idea to encourage the creation of a backup, it is not crucial to do so immediately upon creation of a new npub that has nothing at stake if the private key is lost. This is something the UI could remind the user to do at a later time, reducing the friction of profile creation, and expediting getting them into the action.

Outside of these minor onboarding friction points, I think Amber does a great job of explaining to the user the purpose of each of its features, all within the app and without any need to reference external documentation. As long as the user understands the basic concept that their private key is being stored by Amber in order to sign requests from other Nostr apps, so they don't have to be given the private key, Amber is very good about explaining the rest without getting too far into the technical weeds.

The most glaring usability issue with Amber is that it isn't available in the Play Store. Average users expect to be able to find applications they can trust in their mobile device's default app store. There is a valid argument to be made that they are incorrect in this assumption, but that doesn't change the fact that this is the assumption most people make. They believe that applications in the Play Store are "safe" and that anything they can't install through the Play Store is suspect. The prompts that the Android operating system requires the user to approve when installing "unknown apps" certainly doesn't help with this impression.

Now, I absolutely love the Zapstore from nostr:npub1wf4pufsucer5va8g9p0rj5dnhvfeh6d8w0g6eayaep5dhps6rsgs43dgh9, but it doesn't do much to alleviate this issue. Users will still need to be convinced that it is safe to install the Zapstore from the GitHub repo, and then install Amber from there. Furthermore, this adds yet another step to the onboarding process.

Instead of:

• Install Amber
• Set up your keys
• Install the client you want to use
• Log in with Amber

The process becomes:

• Go to the Zapstore GitHub and download the latest version from the releases page.
• Install the APK you downloaded, allowing any prompt to install unknown apps.
• Open Zapstore and install Amber, allowing any prompt to install unknown apps again.
• Open Amber and set up your keys.
• Install the client you want to use
• Log in with Amber

An application as important as Amber for protecting users' private keys should be as readily available to the new user as possible. New users are the ones most prone to making mistakes that could compromise their private keys. Amber should be available to them in the Play Store.

How do UI Look?

Score: 4.5 / 5

Amber's UI can be described as clean but utilitarian. But then, Amber is a tool, so this is somewhat expected. It is not an app you will be spending a lot of time in, so the UI just needs to be serviceable. I would say it accomplishes this and then some. UI elements are generally easy to understand what they do, and page headings fill in the gaps where that is not the case.

I am not the biggest fan of the color-scheme, particularly in light-mode, but it is not bad in dark-mode at all, and Amber follows whatever theme you have set for your device in that respect. Additionally, the color choice does make sense given the application's name.

It must also be taken into consideration that Amber is almost entirely the product of a single developer's work. He has done a great job producing an app that is not only useful, but pleasant to interact with. The same cannot be said for most utility apps I have previously used, with interfaces that clearly made good design the lowest priority. While Amber's UI may not be the most beautiful Nostr app I have seen, design was clearly not an afterthought, either, and it is appreciated.

Relay Management

Score: 4.9 / 5

Even though Amber is not a Nostr client, where users can browse notes from their favorite npubs, it still relies heavily on relays for some of its features. Primarily, it uses relays for communicating with other Nostr apps for remote signing requests. However, it also uses relays to fetch profile data, so that each private key you add to Amber will automatically load your chosen username and profile picture.

In the relay settings, users can choose which relays are being used to fetch profile data, and which relays will be used by default when creating new remote signing connection strings.

The user can also see which relays are currently connected to Amber and even look at the information that has been passed back and forth on each of those active relays. This information about actively connected relays is not only available within the application, but also in the notification that Amber has to keep in your device's notification tray in order to continue to operate in the background while you are using other apps.

Optionality is the name of the game when it comes to how Amber handles relay selection. The user can just stick with the default signing relay, use their own relay as the default, or even use a different relay for each Nostr application that they connect to for remote signing. Amber gives the user an incredible amount of flexibility in this regard.

In addition to all of this, because not all relays accept the event types needed for remote signing, when you add a relay address to Amber, it automatically tests that relay to see if it will work. This alone can be a massive time saver, so users aren't trying to use relays that don't support remote signing and wondering why they can't log into noStrudel with the connection string they got from Amber.

The only way I could see relay management being improved would be some means of giving the user relay recommendations, in case they want to use a relay other than relay.nsec.app, but they aren't sure which other relays will accept remote signing events. That said, most users who want to use a different relay for signing remote events will likely be using their own, in which case recommendations aren't needed.

Current Users' Questions

The AskNostr hashtag can be a good indication of the pain points that other users are currently having with any Nostr application. Here are some of the most common questions submitted about Amber in the last two months.

nostr:nevent1qqsfrdr68fafgcvl8dgnhm9hxpsjxuks78afxhu8yewhtyf3d7mkg9gpzemhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wd68ytnzv9hxgq3qkgh77xxt7hhtt4u528hecnx69rhagla8jj3tclgyf9wvkxa6dc0sxp0e6m

This is a good example of Amber working correctly, but the app the user is trying to log into not working. In my experience with #Olas in particular, it sometimes allows remote signer login, and sometimes doesn't. Amber will receive the signing request and I will approve it, but Olas remains on the login screen.

If Amber is receiving the signing requests, and you are approving them, the fault is likely with the application you are trying to log into.

That's it. That's all the repeated questions I could find. Oh, there were a few one-off questions where relay.nsec.app wouldn't connect, or where the user's out-of-date web browser was the issue. Outside of that, though, there were no common questions about how to use Amber, and that is a testament to Amber's ease of use all on its own.

Wrap Up

If you are on Android and you are not already using Amber to protect your nsec, please do yourself a favor and get it installed. It's not at all complicated to set up, and it will make trying out all the latest Nostr clients a safe and pleasant experience.

If you are a client developer and you have not added support for NIP-55 or NIP-46, do your users the courtesy of respecting the sanctity of their private keys. Even developers who have no intention of compromising their users' keys can inadvertently do so. Make that eventuality impossible by adding support for NIP-55 and NIP-46 signing.

Finally, I apologize for the extended time it took me to get this review finished. The time I have available is scarce, Nostr is distracting, and nostr:npub1w4uswmv6lu9yel005l3qgheysmr7tk9uvwluddznju3nuxalevvs2d0jr5 kept improving Amber even as I was putting it through its paces over the last two months. Keep shipping, my friend! You have made one of the most useful tools we have seen for Nostr to date!

Now... What should I review next?

@ 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

@ 9ea10fd4:011d3b15

(Le français suit) Scott Ritter discusses Trump’s willingness to end the war in Ukraine, highlighting his desire for peace (although other analysts suggest that the United States is shifting its strategic focus toward China).

Ritter claims that the United States could consider leaving NATO by the end of the summer but provides no explanation. The U.S. takes a utilitarian approach toward its allies. Ritter believes that, unlike the Democrats, Trump does not align with the military-industrial complex. He is seen as an outsider to this complex, seeking to shift American policy toward trade and the economy rather than militarism (however, military spending increased during his first term). This complex, which developed during World War II and the Cold War, has an increasing need for conflicts to sustain itself, potentially leading to nuclear war.

Europe, under U.S. influence, is compared to a Frankenstein’s monster—believing it is America’s ally while actually being a replaceable tool. A global transition is underway, marked by closer ties between the U.S., Russia, China, and India, excluding Europe for ideological and practical reasons—if I understand correctly, because it is characterized as knowing only war (I note that European diplomacy has recently turned toward India as an alternative to the U.S. and China). This shift, as described by Ritter, could signify the end of the transatlantic order.

Obstacles remain for Trump, notably the issue of Gaza, which is complicated by pressure from the pro-Israel lobby and the positioning of Arab countries.

Finally, it is suggested that Trump might want to reduce the size of the military and rethink the role of the United Nations, seen as a legacy of past conflicts—an intriguing idea but not fully developed.

**

“In this perspective, Trump’s imposition of tariffs would serve as a key element of a strategy aimed at prioritizing the economy over militarism, marginalizing Europe while fostering pragmatic ties with powers like Russia and China, and redefining American power in a post-transatlantic world. This would reflect a break from the military-industrial complex and a utilitarian view of international relations, where tariffs replace tanks as tools of domination or negotiation. However, their success would depend on Trump’s ability to navigate internal pressures (the pro-Israel lobby) and external reactions (from trade partners).” (Grok 3 Beta)

(On Telegram) FIRST IMPRESSION ON TRUMP ZELENSKY FIASCO Interview for India & Global Left

---

Scott Ritter évoque la volonté de Trump de mettre fin à la guerre en Ukraine, soulignant son désir de paix (cela bien que d’autres analystes disent que les États-Unis sont en train de réorienter leur stratégie vers la Chine).

Ritter avance que les États-Unis pourraient envisager de quitter l’OTAN d’ici à la fin de l’été mais ne fournit aucune explication. Les États-Unis adoptent une approche utilitaire vis-à-vis de leurs alliés. Ritter estime que Trump ne se positionne pas en faveur du complexe militaro-industriel, contrairement aux démocrates. Trump est perçu comme un acteur extérieur à ce complexe, cherchant à réorienter la politique américaine vers le commerce et l’économie plutôt que le militarisme (cependant les dépenses militaires avaient augmenté lors de son premier mandat). Ce complexe, qui s'est développé pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale et la guerre froide, a un besoin croissant de conflits pour perdurer, menant éventuellement à une guerre nucléaire.

L’Europe, sous l’influence des États-Unis, est comparée à un monstre de Frankenstein, croyant être l’alliée des États-Unis alors qu’elle n’est qu’un outil remplaçable. Une transition mondiale est en cours, marquée par un rapprochement entre les États-Unis, la Russie, la Chine et l’Inde, en excluant l’Europe pour des raisons idéologiques et pratiques si j’ai bien compris, car elle est caractérisée comme ne connaissant que la guerre (je remarque que la diplomatie européenne s'est récemment tournée vers l'Inde présentée comme une alternative aux États-Unis et à Chine). Ce changement tel que décrit par Ritter pourrait signifier la fin de l’ordre transatlantique.

Des obstacles subsisteraient pour Trump, notamment la question de Gaza, compliquée par les pressions exercées par le lobby pro-Israël et le positionnement des pays arabes.

Enfin, il est suggéré que Trump pourrait vouloir réduire la taille de l’armée et repenser le rôle des Nations Unies, perçues comme un héritage des conflits passés, une idée suggestive mais peu développée.

**

« Dans cette perspective, l’imposition de tarifs douaniers par Trump s’insérerait comme une pièce maîtresse d’une stratégie visant à privilégier l’économie sur le militarisme, à marginaliser l’Europe tout en se rapprochant de puissances comme la Russie ou la Chine sur des bases pragmatiques, et à redéfinir la puissance américaine dans un monde post-transatlantique. Cela refléterait une rupture avec le complexe militaro-industriel et une vision utilitaire des relations internationales, où les tarifs remplacent les tanks comme outils de domination ou de négociation. Toutefois, leur succès dépendrait de la capacité de Trump à naviguer entre des pressions internes (lobby pro-Israël) et externes (réactions des partenaires commerciaux). » (Grok 3 bêta)

(Sur Telegram) FIRST IMPRESSION ON TRUMP ZELENSKY FIASCO Interview for India & Global Left

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

This piece is the first in a series that will focus on things I think are a priority if your focus is similar to mine: building a strong family and safeguarding their future.

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Choosing the ideal place to raise a family is one of the most significant decisions you will ever make. For simplicity sake I will break down my thought process into key factors: strong property rights, the ability to grow your own food, access to fresh water, the freedom to own and train with guns, and a dependable community.

A Jurisdiction with Strong Property Rights

Strong property rights are essential and allow you to build on a solid foundation that is less likely to break underneath you. Regions with a history of limited government and clear legal protections for landowners are ideal. Personally I think the US is the single best option globally, but within the US there is a wide difference between which state you choose. Choose carefully and thoughtfully, think long term. Obviously if you are not American this is not a realistic option for you, there are other solid options available especially if your family has mobility. I understand many do not have this capability to easily move, consider that your first priority, making movement and jurisdiction choice possible in the first place.

Abundant Access to Fresh Water

Water is life. I cannot overstate the importance of living somewhere with reliable, clean, and abundant freshwater. Some regions face water scarcity or heavy regulations on usage, so prioritizing a place where water is plentiful and your rights to it are protected is critical. Ideally you should have well access so you are not tied to municipal water supplies. In times of crisis or chaos well water cannot be easily shutoff or disrupted. If you live in an area that is drought prone, you are one drought away from societal chaos. Not enough people appreciate this simple fact.

Grow Your Own Food

A location with fertile soil, a favorable climate, and enough space for a small homestead or at the very least a garden is key. In stable times, a small homestead provides good food and important education for your family. In times of chaos your family being able to grow and raise healthy food provides a level of self sufficiency that many others will lack. Look for areas with minimal restrictions, good weather, and a culture that supports local farming.

Guns

The ability to defend your family is fundamental. A location where you can legally and easily own guns is a must. Look for places with a strong gun culture and a political history of protecting those rights. Owning one or two guns is not enough and without proper training they will be a liability rather than a benefit. Get comfortable and proficient. Never stop improving your skills. If the time comes that you must use a gun to defend your family, the skills must be instinct. Practice. Practice. Practice.

A Strong Community You Can Depend On

No one thrives alone. A ride or die community that rallies together in tough times is invaluable. Seek out a place where people know their neighbors, share similar values, and are quick to lend a hand. Lead by example and become a good neighbor, people will naturally respond in kind. Small towns are ideal, if possible, but living outside of a major city can be a solid balance in terms of work opportunities and family security.

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Let me know if you found this helpful. My plan is to break down how I think about these five key subjects in future posts.

@ f839fb67:5c930939

Relays

| Name | Address | Price (Sats/Year) | Status | | - | - | - | - | | stephen's aegis relay | wss://paid.relay.vanderwarker.family | 42069 | | | stephen's Outbox | wss://relay.vanderwarker.family | Just Me | | | stephen's Inbox | wss://haven.vanderwarker.family/inbox | WoT | | | stephen's DMs | wss://haven.vanderwarker.family/chat | WoT | | | VFam Data Relay | wss://data.relay.vanderwarker.family | 0 | | | VFam Bots Relay | wss://skeme.vanderwarker.family | Invite | | | VFGroups (NIP29) | wss://groups.vanderwarker.family | 0 | | | [TOR] My Phone Relay | ws://naswsosuewqxyf7ov7gr7igc4tq2rbtqoxxirwyhkbuns4lwc3iowwid.onion | 0 | Meh... |

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My Pubkeys

| Name | hex | nprofile | | - | - | - | | Main | f839fb6714598a7233d09dbd42af82cc9781d0faa57474f1841af90b5c930939 | nostr:nprofile1qqs0sw0mvu29nznjx0gfm02z47pve9up6ra22ar57xzp47gttjfsjwgpramhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuanpdejx2unhv9exketj9enxzmtfd3us9mapfx | | Vanity (Backup) | 82f21be67353c0d68438003fe6e56a35e2a57c49e0899b368b5ca7aa8dde7c23 | nostr:nprofile1qqsg9usmuee48sxkssuqq0lxu44rtc4903y7pzvmx694efa23h08cgcpramhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuanpdejx2unhv9exketj9enxzmtfd3ussel49x | | VFStore | 6416f1e658ba00d42107b05ad9bf485c7e46698217e0c19f0dc2e125de3af0d0 | nostr:nprofile1qqsxg9h3uevt5qx5yyrmqkkehay9cljxdxpp0cxpnuxu9cf9mca0p5qpramhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuanpdejx2unhv9exketj9enxzmtfd3usaa8plu | | NostrSMS | 9be1b8315248eeb20f9d9ab2717d1750e4f27489eab1fa531d679dadd34c2f8d | nostr:nprofile1qqsfhcdcx9fy3m4jp7we4vn305t4pe8jwjy74v062vwk08dd6dxzlrgpramhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuanpdejx2unhv9exketj9enxzmtfd3us595d45 |

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RCTGuest

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NIP-29 Groups

See here

• Minecraft Group Chat
• nostr:naddr1qqrxvc33xpnxxqfqwaehxw309anhymm4wpejuanpdejx2unhv9exketj9enxzmtfd3usygrzymrpd2wz8ularp06y8ad5dgaddlumyt7tfzqge3vc97sgsarjvpsgqqqnpvqazypfd
• VFNet Group Chat
• nostr:naddr1qqrrwvfjx9jxzqfqwaehxw309anhymm4wpejuanpdejx2unhv9exketj9enxzmtfd3usygrzymrpd2wz8ularp06y8ad5dgaddlumyt7tfzqge3vc97sgsarjvpsgqqqnpvq08hx48

"Nostrified Websites"

[D] = Saves darkmode preferences over nostr
[A] = Auth over nostr
[B] = Beta (software)
[z] = zap enabled

• [DABz] Main Site
• [DAB] Contact Site
• [DAB] PGP Site
• [DAB] VFCA Site

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Other Services (Hosted code)

• Blossom
  
• NostrCheck
  

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Emojis Packs

• Minecraft
• nostr:naddr1qqy566twv43hyctxwsq37amnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwweskuer9wfmkzuntv4ezuenpd45kc7gzyrurn7m8z3vc5u3n6zwm6s40stxf0qwsl2jhga83ssd0jz6ujvynjqcyqqq82nsd0k5wp
• AIM
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• Blobs
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• FavEmojis
• nostr:naddr1qqy5vctkg4kk76nfwvq37amnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwweskuer9wfmkzuntv4ezuenpd45kc7gzyrurn7m8z3vc5u3n6zwm6s40stxf0qwsl2jhga83ssd0jz6ujvynjqcyqqq82nsf7sdwt
• Modern Family
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• nostriches (Amethyst collection)
• nostr:naddr1qq9xummnw3exjcmgv4esz8mhwden5te0wfjkccte9emxzmnyv4e8wctjddjhytnxv9kkjmreqgs0sw0mvu29nznjx0gfm02z47pve9up6ra22ar57xzp47gttjfsjwgrqsqqqa2w2sqg6w
• Pepe
• nostr:naddr1qqz9qetsv5q37amnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwweskuer9wfmkzuntv4ezuenpd45kc7gzyrurn7m8z3vc5u3n6zwm6s40stxf0qwsl2jhga83ssd0jz6ujvynjqcyqqq82ns85f6x7
• Minecraft Font
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• Archer Font
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• SMB Font
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Git Over Nostr

• NostrSMS
• nostr:naddr1qqyxummnw3e8xmtnqy0hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnkv9hxgetjwashy6m9wghxvctdd9k8jqfrwaehxw309amk7apwwfjkccte9emxzmnyv4e8wctjddjhytnxv9kkjmreqyj8wumn8ghj7urpd9jzuun9d3shjtnkv9hxgetjwashy6m9wghxvctdd9k8jqg5waehxw309aex2mrp0yhxgctdw4eju6t0qyxhwumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmvqgs0sw0mvu29nznjx0gfm02z47pve9up6ra22ar57xzp47gttjfsjwgrqsqqqaueqp0epk
• nip51backup
• nostr:naddr1qq9ku6tsx5ckyctrdd6hqqglwaehxw309aex2mrp0yh8vctwv3jhyampwf4k2u3wvesk66tv0yqjxamnwvaz7tmhda6zuun9d3shjtnkv9hxgetjwashy6m9wghxvctdd9k8jqfywaehxw309acxz6ty9eex2mrp0yh8vctwv3jhyampwf4k2u3wvesk66tv0yq3gamnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwv3sk6atn9e5k7qgdwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkcq3qlqulkec5tx98yv7snk759tuzejtcr5865468fuvyrtuskhynpyusxpqqqpmej4gtqs6
• bukkitstr
• nostr:naddr1qqykyattdd5hgum5wgq37amnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwweskuer9wfmkzuntv4ezuenpd45kc7gpydmhxue69uhhwmm59eex2mrp0yh8vctwv3jhyampwf4k2u3wvesk66tv0yqjgamnwvaz7tmsv95kgtnjv4kxz7fwweskuer9wfmkzuntv4ezuenpd45kc7gpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dspzp7peldn3gkv2wgeap8dag2hc9nyhs8g04ft5wnccgxhepdwfxzfeqvzqqqrhnyf6g0n2

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Market Places

Please use Nostr Market or somthing simular, to view.

• VFStore
• nostr:naddr1qqjx2v34xe3kxvpn95cnqven956rwvpc95unscn9943kxet98q6nxde58p3ryqglwaehxw309aex2mrp0yh8vctwv3jhyampwf4k2u3wvesk66tv0yqjvamnwvaz7tmgv9mx2m3wweskuer9wfmkzuntv4ezuenpd45kc7f0da6hgcn00qqjgamnwvaz7tmsv95kgtnjv4kxz7fwweskuer9wfmkzuntv4ezuenpd45kc7gpydmhxue69uhhwmm59eex2mrp0yh8vctwv3jhyampwf4k2u3wvesk66tv0ypzqeqk78n93wsq6sss0vz6mxl5shr7ge5cy9lqcx0smshpyh0r4uxsqvzqqqr4gvlfm7gu

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Badges

Created

• paidrelayvf
• nostr:naddr1qq9hqctfv3ex2mrp09mxvqglwaehxw309aex2mrp0yh8vctwv3jhyampwf4k2u3wvesk66tv0ypzp7peldn3gkv2wgeap8dag2hc9nyhs8g04ft5wnccgxhepdwfxzfeqvzqqqr48y85v3u3
• iPow
• nostr:naddr1qqzxj5r02uq37amnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwweskuer9wfmkzuntv4ezuenpd45kc7gzyrurn7m8z3vc5u3n6zwm6s40stxf0qwsl2jhga83ssd0jz6ujvynjqcyqqq82wgg02u0r
• codmaster
• nostr:naddr1qqykxmmyd4shxar9wgq37amnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwweskuer9wfmkzuntv4ezuenpd45kc7gzyrurn7m8z3vc5u3n6zwm6s40stxf0qwsl2jhga83ssd0jz6ujvynjqcyqqq82wgk3gm4g
• iMine
• nostr:naddr1qqzkjntfdejsz8mhwden5te0wfjkccte9emxzmnyv4e8wctjddjhytnxv9kkjmreqgs0sw0mvu29nznjx0gfm02z47pve9up6ra22ar57xzp47gttjfsjwgrqsqqqafed5s4x5

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Clients I Use

• Amethyst
• nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3cx5urqv3nxymngdphqgsyvrp9u6p0mfur9dfdru3d853tx9mdjuhkphxuxgfwmryja7zsvhqrqsqqql8kavfpw3
• noStrudel
• nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3cxccrvd34xser2dpkqy28wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyv9kh2uewd9hsygpxdq27pjfppharynrvhg6h8v2taeya5ssf49zkl9yyu5gxe4qg55psgqqq0nmq5mza9n
• nostrsms
• nostr:naddr1qq9rzdejxcunxde4xymqz8mhwden5te0wfjkccte9emxzmnyv4e8wctjddjhytnxv9kkjmreqgsfhcdcx9fy3m4jp7we4vn305t4pe8jwjy74v062vwk08dd6dxzlrgrqsqqql8kjn33qm

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Lists

• Fediverse
  • nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4xqpzp7peldn3gkv2wgeap8dag2hc9nyhs8g04ft5wnccgxhepdwfxzfeqys8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnkv9hxgetjwashy6m9wghxvctdd9k8jtcqp9rx2erfwejhyum9j4g0xh
• AI
  • nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4xypzp7peldn3gkv2wgeap8dag2hc9nyhs8g04ft5wnccgxhepdwfxzfeqys8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnkv9hxgetjwashy6m9wghxvctdd9k8jtcqqfq5j65twn7
• Asterisk Shenanigans
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• Minecraft Videos
  • nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4xypzp7peldn3gkv2wgeap8dag2hc9nyhs8g04ft5wnccgxhepdwfxzfeqys8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnkv9hxgetjwashy6m9wghxvctdd9k8jtcqzpxkjmn9vdexzen5yptxjer9daesqrd8jk

@ 9ea10fd4:011d3b15

(Le français suit) I have the feeling of two brothers trying to remove the speck from each other’s eye but failing to see the beam in their own.

1. To liberal democracies, I say: The war in Ukraine, led by NATO, is a bad war that could have easily been avoided and would not have happened if NATO had respected the logic that applies to a country like Ukraine, adjacent to a great power, Russia. As a counterexample, would the United States accept a Russian or allied military presence on the Mexican border? It is so obvious that denying it is pure bad faith. I will not shed tears over your graves.

2. To the populist far-right, I say: To borrow the words of Le Monde’s editorial, too often, the denunciation of attacks on freedom of expression serves to mask the defense of the economic model of social media platforms owned by billionaires who, by promoting confrontation and fake news, spread hatred, hinder informed debate, and undermine democracy. Behind the idea of unlimited “free speech” lurks “the promotion of a far-right ideology eager to replace the rule of law with the law of the strongest, to the detriment of policies protecting social rights, women, and other victims of discrimination.”

Regarding political history, let it be noted that “this situation is the result of three decades of economic liberalism, which institutional left-wing forces have also embraced” (Alain Lipietz).

“It must be acknowledged: Trump’s United States is no longer a protection but a threat to democracy in Europe.”

Les Etats-Unis de Donald Trump, une menace pour la démocratie en Europe

**

J’ai le sentiment de deux frères qui essaient d’enlever la paille dans l’œil de l’autre, mais ne voient pas la poutre dans le leur.

1. Aux démocraties libérales, je dis : La guerre en Ukraine menée par l’OTAN est une mauvaise guerre qui aurait facilement pu être évitée et qui n’aurait pas eu lieu si l’OTAN avait respecté la logique s’appliquant à un pays, l’Ukraine, adjacent à une grande puissance, la Russie. En contre-exemple, les États-Unis accepteraient-ils une présence militaire russe ou de leurs alliés à la frontière avec le Mexique ? C’est tellement évident que c’en est de la mauvaise foi. Je n'irai pas pleurer sur vos tombes.

2. À l’extrême-droite populiste, je dis : Pour reprendre les termes de l’éditorial du journal Le Monde, trop souvent la dénonciation des entorses à la liberté d’expression masque la défense du modèle économique de médias sociaux détenus par des milliardaires qui, en promouvant la confrontation et les fake news, diffusent la haine, entravent les débats éclairés et sapent la démocratie. Sous la conception d’un « free speech » sans limite, « pointe la promotion d’une idéologie d’extrême droite avide de substituer la loi du plus fort aux politiques de défense des droits sociaux, des femmes et des autres victimes de discriminations ».

En ce qui concerne l’histoire politique, qu'il soit noté que « cette situation résulte de trois décennies de libéralisme économique, auxquelles se sont ralliées les forces de la gauche institutionnelle » (Alain Lipietz).

« Il faut se rendre à l’évidence : les Etats-Unis de Trump ne constituent plus une protection mais une menace pour la démocratie en Europe. »

Les Etats-Unis de Donald Trump, une menace pour la démocratie en Europe

@ e7bc35f8:3ed2a7cf

This is a fascinating question, indeed. But first of all, why is this important? Why should we be concerned about the goings-on of this group? Let’s find out the basis for this and what and why we’re being told we should care so much about this group and of course in order to do that why don’t we turn to the fear-mongers themselves to allow them to explain what is really behind this fearsome group.

RT, September 2014

ISIS, an al-Qaeda-bred terrorist group spreading its wings online. Savvier than its predecessors with a new array of tricks up its sleeves. Twitter has become a virtual second home for the terrorists but as many as 27000 accounts established just over the last two weeks, after ISIS posted a video capturing the beheading of US journalist James Foley with a reported 60000 accounts popping up since May.

CNN, August 2014

Douglas MacArthur McCain, a young American, killed while fighting with the terrorist group ISIS. US officials say they believe he died in Syria. He’s thought to have been killed in a battle between rival extremist groups near the city of Aleppo according to a human rights group. This ratches up concerns about Americans involved with ISIS because now you have a confirmed example of an American killed fighting with ISIS in Syria.

SBS News, June 2014

Hello my brothers in Australia. I don’t see myself better than any of yous, (inaudible) only that Allah has bring Karim on me and has brang me here to this country. Two men who identify themselves as Australian appear in a recruitment video called 'There is no life without jihad'. It’s believed up to 150 Australians have joined rebels fighting in Iraq and Syria.

DAVID CAMERON

Earlier today the Home Secretary confirmed that the Joint Terrorism Analysis Center has increased the threat level in the United Kingdom from ‘substantial’ to ‘severe’. This is the first time in three years that the threat to our country has been at this level.

USA TODAY, August 2014

They’re beyond just a terrorist group. They marry ideology, a sophistication of strategic and tactical military prowess. They are tremendously well-funded. Oh this is beyond anything we’ve seen so we must prepare for everything and the only way you do that is you take a cold steely hard look at it and get ready.

Yes as the usual gaggle of fear-mongers in government and the mainstream media will no doubt tell you "Yes ISIS is coming and you’d better be afraid in fact the only thing you can do is take a cold steely hard look at it and get ready because apparently there’s really nothing that can be done to avoid whatever horrible, horrific, 911-like attack they’re planning on the US Heartland, or so we’re being told."

But again I think it behooves us to question this constant call for fear-mongering from the same fear-mongers who have, for years and years, ratcheted up these phony terror level alerts, to suit their geopolitical aims and I think once again that’s exactly what was going back then. Things could have been different if, instead of succumbing to fear back then, we had focused more on understanding the threat, exposing the so-called "boogeyman," and revealing the true perpetrators in this situation.

This group was created in Iraq by a Jordanian Sunni back in 1999. It was formerly the official al-Qaeda franchise, in Iraq since it broke with al-Qaeda ideologically. It then became a self-proclaimed caliphate, which was pronounced in late June of 2015. The question of the name of this group is something that gets bandied about and ISIS is often used as the short abbreviation in English, and in fact it’s just one of many, many, many, many names that this group has gone by over the years.

You can go back to 1999 for example to the original organization which brought with it of course an Arabic name whose acronym was JTJ and whose English translation was "The Organization of Monotheism and Jihad". It changed its name in 2004 to, again, another Arabic name "The Organization of Jihad’s Base in the Country of the Two Rivers", although it became more commonly known as "al-Qaeda in Iraq" or AQI around that time.

Then in 2006 it became the "Islamic State of Iraq". In 2013 it became the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" or "Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham", aka ISL and ISIS. Then in 2014 "Islamic State". So switching to the question of who is behind this group, let's see some of the characters behind it. It was founded in 1999 by a Jordanian Sunni Muslim who went by the name of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

‼️We have to keep in mind that the names of the various jihadis behind this, like most jihadis they adopt "nommes de guerre" that is ‘war names’ so these names are not necessarily their real names and in fact in most cases are specifically not their real names.

They’re usually chosen for some sort of symbolic or historical cultural value so for example there’s no need to scratch your head and wonder why so many people are named Al Baghdadi, it’s because they are adopting a name that shows they’re the "Baghdadis" – they’re from Iraq, that kind of thing. So again don’t read too much into any of these names, and there are usually many, many, many other alias names that these people go by as well so it gets extremely confusing, probably on purpose I think.

I think the people controlling the terrorists also have reasons for having extremely confusing ways of referring to these people and multiple ways of referring so that if one of their memes or ideas or stories gets out of control they can spin them off as a completely different human being. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was a Sunni militant from Jordan and he had what can only be described as a remarkable career that brought with it many lives apparently.

So, again this all sources from mainstream reporting. None of this is, you know "conspiracy" reporting, this is all from mainstream news services, ABC and NBC and CBS and Reuters and all of those kinds of outlets. For example back in 2004 it was reported that he was arrested in Fallujah. Then in 2005, without reports in the meantime indicating how or when or why he was released from – or escaped from – custody in Fallujah, or how he was never arrested in Fallujah in the first place he got wounded in Baquba. Then in 2005 he was reported as being killed in fighting in Iraq. And then in 2006 he was killed in fighting once again. Presumably for the last time this time.

But it gets even stranger. Back in 2006 the Washington Post published an article entitled "Military plays up role of Zarqawi" in which they reported:

The US military is conducting a propaganda campaign to magnify the role of the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq according to internal military documents and officers familiar with the program.

and that same article went on to say:

One internal briefing produced by the US military headquarters in Iraq said that Kimmitt (one of the generals that oversaw this program) had concluded that the Zarqawi PSYOP program is the most successful information campaign to date.

So once again the Washington Post got its hands on internal briefing documents that the Pentagon was using, to talk about al-Qaeda in Iraq and their propaganda campaign in Iraq, and these documents prove that the Pentagon was absolutely 100 percent, self-consciously engaged in a PSYOP operation to make Zarqawi and al-Qaeda in Iraq seem more important than it was, and they have their own twisted internal logic that was reported on at the time as to why they wanted to do this and why they wanted to build up AQi in the minds of the Iraqi people and the people of the United States. And of course I think obviously the main part of that was to keep the American people involved and interested in keeping their troops in harm’s way there in Iraq, even long after Bush declared "mission accomplished".

The precursor of that ISIS group, the leader with actually a not a PSYOP creation per se but at any rate someone who is blown up specifically on purpose made to seem more important than he was, because of the Pentagon.

And it gets even stranger than that when we look at the person who took over from Zarqawi after his final, supposedly, reported death in 2006, someone going by the name of Baghdadi, one of many people going by the name of Baghdadi, this one Abu Omar al-Baghdadi but again it’s a nom de guerre, it’s not his real name. Apparently his real name is Hamid Dawud Mohamed Khalil al-Zawi, he’s also known as Abu Omar al-Qurashi al-Baghdadi and Abu Hamza al-Baghdadi so we should not, again, put too much faith, stock, interest or energy into parsing these various names, just to know that this is someone who is referred to as al-Baghdadi and who took over from al-Zarqawi as leader of what was at the time "al-Qaeda in Iraq" in 2006.

He took over the group and again, like Zarqawi, had a remarkable career that involved being reported as captured in 2007** and then killed in 2007 then arrested in 2009 and then throughout that period of his arrest or the period that we are supposed to be led to believe that he was under arrest, he was releasing recordings, obviously not from prison but from wherever he really was, that were being identified and authenticated. And then in 2010** he was reported as being killed once again.

So again we have multiple reportings of captures and killings and arrests that don’t seem to make any logical sense, but just as in the case of Zarqawi, in the case of Baghdadi it becomes that much more strange when we find out that the fictional ISI leader – Abu Omar al-Baghdadi was identified as such by the US Pentagon.

Yes, once again the US military actually reported on how they believed Abu Omar al-Bagdadi didn’t even exist. This comes from a Reuters article, of one of many sources, but we can source it to a Reuters article '"Senior Qaeda figure in Iraq a myth" says US military', where they talk about a a senior operative for al-Qaeda in Iraq who was in custody of the US military, and was being interrogated and according to the testimony of this captured al-Qaeda in Iraq fighter:

The Islamic State of Iraq is a front organization that masks the foreign influence and leadership within al-Qaeda in Iraq in an attempt to put an Iraqi face on the leadership of al-Qaeda in Iraq

U.S. military officials in recent weeks have been pressed to explain the link between al-Qaeda in Iraq and bin Laden’s global network given the military’s heightened focus on al-Qaeda in Iraq as the biggest threat to the country

The military blames al-Qaeda in Iraq for most of the major bombings in Iraq, saying the group is trying to spark all-out civil war between majority Shi’tes and minority Sunni Arabs

Again a very interesting, very bizarre report that again includes briefing slides from the Pentagon that show that the Pentagon itself calls Abu Omar al-Baghdadi the fictional ISI leader, so once again the US military didn’t even believe this person existed, and this was from a 2007 report, so once again throwing more sand into the water, more mud in the mix to make it even murkier, the US military bumbles in, and it’s again a question of what their ultimate aim in all of this is.

Very, very strange dealings going on, and again remember this is the precursor group to the group that is now referred to as is IS or ISIS, so a very strange pedigree for this terrorist group with the fingerprints of the US Pentagon and military all over it. And the next character in this list of this cavalcade of terrorist-boogeyman is also Baghdadi.

This one not Abu Omar al-Baghdadi but Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi also known as Ibrahim bin 'Awad bin Ibrahim al-Badri ar-Radawi al-Husseini as-Samara’i, who was also known as Caliph Ibrahim, the caliph of the Islamic State Caliphate. So what is known about this character and where he came from? Almost nothing, in fact almost everything that we know about the background of this character sources from an completely unverifiable online biography.

So apparently he was born in Samarra in Iraq in 1971; at some point he apparently attended the Atlantic University of Baghdad and it was reported that he was a leader, a cleric in a mosque in Samarra during "The American Invasion" in 2003 according to quote unquote "reports" – unidentified reports – that’s what the BBC sourced that to – and then he was detained at Camp Bucca which was a US Forces Iraq camp at some point between 2004 and 2009 and again this story conflicts.

According to the official story he was detained from February to December of 2004, that’s what the Defense Department will admit to, before being released on the recommendation of the Combined Review and Release Board. Why they recommended him for release I’m not sure, but at any rate that’s the official story.

However we have Army Colonel Kenneth King who was the former commander of Camp Bucca who insists that this character – this man who is now known as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi – was at the camp during his tenure at Camp Bucca all the way up until 2009 when the camp with turned over to the Iraqi justice system, and he insists this because he remembers this particular character saying "We’ll see you in New York" or something of that nature, a "terrorist threat", so even after the point at which the discrepancy between the Defense Department’s story that Bagdadi was released in 2004 , and King’s story that he was there in 2009, even when that discrepancy became apparent and was pointed out to King he specifically said again he was sure of it. He insists that he was there.

So, again, the official story is that he was only there for the better part of a year but at any rate he may have been there up until 2009 and then presumably released by the Iraqi authorities at some point. Again it’s a completely murky story, but at some point he was under the care and detainment of the US military.

Then, having gotten out of the camp he was announced as leader of the Islamic State of Iraq as it was known at that time, the AQI having morphed into the ISI in 2010 and then, once again had something of a interesting career having being reported as captured in 2012 and then in 2014 he was rumored as dead but just a few days later a video of him was released, a video of him delivering some sort of sermon, which is interesting because there are only apparently two photographs in existence of this person.

So an exceptionally shady character and on that blank slate a lot has been written, some of which is clearly fictional and let’s just keep in mind to take with a giant grain of salt any information we hear about this man and his background and really look into where and what the source of that information is.

So that’s some of the main characters behind this group. Let's turn our attention to what this group consisted of in terms of its equipment and its ability, at that time. We were told that the arsenal of jihad contained and wielded by this shadowy deadly terrorist-boogeyman group consists of: 30 T 55 tanks; 10 T72 tanks; Blackhawks; cargo planes; Humvees; Toyota trucks; AK47s; M79s; RBG-6s; RPG-7s; Howitzers; field guns; AACs; Stinger manpads; scud missiles and a low-grade nuclear material of unknown origin.

Again this is just a ridiculous list of equipment but at any rate most of it has been sourced to various things that they’ve managed to accrue from their various military conquests including for example their takeover of Mosul back earlier this year in which they secured the Black Hawk helicopters and the cargo planes from the airport and also the nuclear material, the low-grade nuclear material that they acquired from Mosul University which according to the International Atomic Energy Agency is a low risk for nuclear proliferation because it is such low grade – such low quality. So those were the things that we were told that they’ve gathered from their various exploits. Some of the interesting items in there I think are for example the Toyota trucks, which have become something of a hallmark of jihadis in various contacts.

There are reasons for that, Toyotas of course being quite ubiquitous in that region of the world since Japanese aid to the Middle East generally comes in the form of equipment and various products and so Toyotas are among the types of things that find their way to the Middle East, and because of their ubiquity the parts and servicing for them are widely available so they’re quite useful for any group that wants to have sort of mobile access to the area, including the jihadis, and the Toyotas in possession of ISIS in particular seem to have come courtesy of, surprise surprise, Uncle Sam.

According to a report which includes some audio footage about the Toyotas in the Middle East, and it also says that the "wish list" of the so-called moderate Syrians that was handed to the US military back in 2014 when the US was handing out supplies included Toyota Hiluxes, the Toyota trucks that are now in the possession of ISIS, so, surprise surprise you give to the moderates and who ends up getting them? Well the non-moderates.

As if there were really any moderates there in the terrorist group trying to take over Syria in the first place. But that’s what they were having in their possession in terms of equipment. Where they actually get the money to do what they do… well according to what we’re being told they looted the Iraqi army. They acquired as much is 429 million dollars from the Mosul central bank which they took over earlier that year.

They were extracting ransom money and extortion money from various governments throughout this time period, and they are selling oil from their northern Syria territories to the tune of as much as 2 million dollars a day, supposedly. So those were the places where they were supposedly financing what’s going on, however we can contrast that with some other information acquired from different sources.

For example it’s been widely and repeatedly reported throughout that private Gulf donors via Kuwait, and apparently the Kuwaiti financial system was specifically well set up for this type of financing, but at any rate private gold donors have accounted for a lot of the money that has flowed into Syria to fund the various terrorist groups including ISIS and the others that were there, and again that was private donors not necessarily the House of Saud or anything of that sort but private donors from the Gulf, who obviously had religious reasons for trying to support the Sunni Wahabi Jihadist Muslims. In this conversation about Who is behind ISIS, we stumble upon Benghazi and what became known as Benghazi-Gate.

Benghazi was the lexus where all of those Libyan arms were flowing from the Libyan terrorists to the Syrian terrorists, via Turkey and Jordan, and I think that’s an important part to keep in mind because those, again, are two very important players in this story. What happened in Benghazi is an important example for what was happening in there and all the sources converge on this ISIS group – this ISL group – that suddenly seemed to spring out of nowhere but of course has been gestating there for 15 years and has been, as we’ve seen, involved with the US Pentagon, involved in various PSYOPS operations to make this group seem more important than it is. You can find more information about Benghazi in my recent article (search it in my articles tab). So that brings us to some of the questions of "Well where are these funds coming from and how are these troops being trained?" and as always, all roads lead to…Washington? Here is an enlightening broadcast of "Democracy Now!", with Amy Goodman and Adam Entous.

So the CIA in conjunction with their friends in Britain and France and Saudi Arabia and the UAE and elsewhere have converged in Jordan to train various Syrian militants – terrorists – at a base in Jordan. Something considered as a conspiracy theory before, now it is confirmed even by the mainstream dinosaur media.

So "Well yes actually, the US has been intimately involved; the CIA has been intimately involved in training a lot of the people who went on to become the top ISIS fighters".

And then the ""corrected"" version.

So if this sounds surprising well you haven’t been paying attention, not only to the Syrian story but really to any of these stories going back decades and decades, with the most famous of course being the US involvement in Afghanistan in the 1980s back when they were helping the Freedom Fighters – the Taliban before they started going after the evil terrorists – the Taliban.

Unfortunately a script we know all too well and when it comes to how these groups are armed and trained it just continues. LT. GENERAL MCINERNEY:

Syria we backed, I believe in some cases, some of the wrong people, and not in the right part of the Free Syrian Army and that’s a little confusing to people, so I’ve always maintained and go back quite some time that we were backing the wrong types.

I think it’s gonna turn out maybe this weekend, in a new special that Brett Baer’s gonna have Friday, it’s gonna show some of those weapons from Benghazi ended up in the hands of ISIS. So we helped build ISIS. Now there’s a danger there and I’m with you.

So "we kind of build up ISIS oh and let’s go to the next news story." 😶 So again this is not controversial. This is not something that we have to speculate about. This is something that has been documented in a lot of mainstream contexts as well, so really this brings us to the heart of the question "Who is behind ISIS?"

There are at least 6 groups. Someone could probably dig deeper and bring in some other groups but 6 of the main groups that we can identify as being the real powers that have brought ISIS to its position, and in alphabetical order that would be: 1. Israel, 2. NATO, 3. Qatar, 4. Saudi Arabia, 5. Turkey and 6. the USA,

although to a certain extent these are groups rather than nation-states per se.

Specifically in the case of Saudi Arabia where of course the House of Saud had institutional and fundamental reasons why it would not be happy about a radical caliphate on its doorstep, because obviously that would threaten the institution of the House of Saud itself, but certainly individual Saudis, private donors as I 've said, and including some members of the Royal House of Saud would be interested in helping fund a radical Wahabi jihadi Selapi??? group...

Take Turkey for example. Turkey obviously has its fingerprints all over everything that’s happening in Syria and has been since the inception. Turkey has a lot of different reasons for being involved that range from its constant requests to keep its neighbors fighting with each other and destabilized, using Islam as a weapon, Turkey is happy to do so. I think the Turkish leadership has no allegiance really to Islam except for the fact that it’s a useful political tool for the largely Islamic Turkish population, and also it can be used in fights like this to keep its neighbors destabilized and to keep Turkey an important foothold for Europe and NATO in the region, and I think that’s one of the reasons.

I think they’re also obviously always looking to repress and find ways to stamp out their Kurdish population problem so I think this is one extension of that, and we’ve seen for example the false-flag recordings that were released with the high-ranking Turkish officials under Erdogan talking openly about how they wanted to stage an attack on Turkish targets in Syria in order to justify Turkish incursion into Syria, which of course brings with it the specter of NATO because of the mutual self-defense clause in the NATO article – the treaty – so Turkey a very, very menacing prospect/player in all of this and someone who is again been admittedly and documentably linked to the transfer of funds and arms to the terrorist groups in Syria.

Qatar has a number of reasons ranging again from religious to geopolitical, and maybe I 'll get more into the sort of pipeline politics that Qatar sees in all of this.

When it comes to NATO specifically the context is similar with Gladio B, ie. the Operation Gladio which was not a mere stay behind operation in Europe to counter some perceived or imagined Soviet occupation of Europe, but in fact a global operation that involved "Strategy of Tension" and false-flag terrorism as ways of achieving various NATO operation goals in various "theaters", and we’ve talked of course about Sibel Edmonds and her revelation of Gladio B, ie. the fermenting of Islamic terrorism in various parts of the world to further these aims and goals and taking over various squares on the geopolitical chess board, So you can think about Gladio B as a worldwide operation and I would see no reason why it wouldn’t also be operative in the Middle East, and we have to look for NATO fingerprints in what’s happening there, and we can see them through the actions, for example most specifically of the US, in helping to arm, fund and run PSYOP operations surrounding this ISI group lslamic state.

Let's get into more detail on some of these characters, for example of course Israel, who I think is interested in pretty much anything that happens in the Middle East, should be fairly apparent, but this is something that I documented specifically back in a previous article (see again my Articles tab).

Israel’s designs on Iraq have been well-known and well-understood for a long time but I think we have to see all of these invasions and overthrows and all of the destabilizations in the Middle East in recent years as part of a grander Zionist project for reshaping the Middle East, that we can say not only predates that five-year plan that General Wesley Clark talks about but predates it by decades at the very least, documentably and on the record. All about the "Greater Israel", the Zionist plan for the Middle East (Oded Yinon) which was something that was developed in a document that was published in 1982 in the journal called Directions which was published by the Department of information for the World Zionist Organization, and this document was translated into English by the Association of Arab-American University Graduates you can find in my previous articles.

And of course there are also the Pipeline Politics in the Middle East and how they played into what’s going on in Syria. Specifically with regard to a pipeline known as the ISI pipeline, Iran, Iraq, Syria pipeline or the Islamic pipeline. The fact that there there was a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Iran, Iraq and Syria shortly before all of this kerfuffle in Syria began is again, highly telling of what this situation is at least partially about, and I think to a large extent this is a very important piece of this puzzle, and it shows why Assad suddenly became in the crosshairs despite the fact of having been a willing accomplice in the CIA’s rendition and torture program for example, and sort of one of the "good boys" that the West "tolerated" for a long time, how he suddenly became enemy number one is the question, and the Islamic pipeline is one answer.

So there again is a direct interest for some of the members of that "Who is behind ISIS?" coalition for not getting behind Assad and in fact getting in his way, to try to stop the creation of this pipeline. That ISI pipeline was completely getting around Turkey altogether, which would not be in Turkish interests and would not be in Qatari interests. Qatar of course having a gas of its own that it wants to export to Europe and wants to make part of the new European gas energy policy. So again there are some direct motivations for why Iran, Iraq and Syria are in the target sights of these various powers that are converging on fighting the Islamic State threat.

Now let’s debunk some of the fear and propaganda that was swirling around about this, starting with the easy targets in the mainstream media who have been pimping this map of the Middle East that was supposedly part of some grand five-year war plan of the Islamic State, or something of that sort.

That map basically covered from North Africa, all the way from the western edge of North Africa, all the way through basically the top half of the African continent to the eastern part of Africa, across the Gulf into the Gulf states, into the Central Asia region, all the way up to the doorstep of China and Russia. It was as far north as the Northern Caucasus, up through Turkey into Eastern Europe, and even Spain was part of that map.

It was marked as black as in being the aspirational hope of the growth of the Islamic State, as a part of a five years plan and it was labeled with all of these various regional names that were apparently going to be given to the various parts of the chessboard once the IS takes them over. ➡️ Now this looked like a very scary map – "Oh my god this is what Islamic State has planned, it’s their five-year plan, are you afraid? You’d better be very afraid". Except for the fact that of course it was all BS. And this has been displayed prominently all over NBC News and ABC News and of course the Daily Mail.

But the interesting part about that map was that even as ABC and NBC and others admitted it sourced back to a Twitter account for the "Third Position", and ultimately the map sourceed back, if you go all the way back to basically fans of the ISIS group who put this together as their wet dream project, just basically saying "This will belong to us" and it made absolutely no sense geopolitically in any sense.

If you look at the map it includes all sorts of areas of the map where even the Islamic areas of that map, they are completely different sorts of Islam that would not be compatible with, in any way, with the Islamic State and would have no interest or affinity to the people who supposedly comprise the Islamic State, etc.

👉 If you learnt something new in this article,, something you think is valuable for others to know, please do spread this information.

@ 592295cf:413a0db9

Nostur is capable of login with bunker

Photo, note by Fabian

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzqkfzjh8jkzd8l9247sadku6vhm52snhgjtknlyeku6sfkeqn5rdeqyf8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnvw5hxkef0qyg8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnddakj7qpqxfktwlm2qdkpxy556e4yg4l8p6v8930nfyzg7p3vsknk7krutz0s8znjtq

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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)

@ b83a28b7:35919450

Re-examining Satoshi Nakamoto’s Identity Through On-Chain Activity and First Principles

This analysis adopts an axiomatic framework to reevaluate Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity, prioritizing immutable on-chain data, cryptographic principles, and behavioral patterns while excluding speculative claims (e.g., HBO’s Money Electric documentary). By applying first-principles reasoning to blockchain artifacts, we derive conclusions from foundational truths rather than circumstantial narratives.

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Axiomatic Foundations

1. Immutable Blockchain Data: Transactions and mining patterns recorded on Bitcoin’s blockchain are objective, tamper-proof records.
2. Satoshi’s Provable Holdings: Addresses exhibiting the “Patoshi Pattern” (nonce incrementation, extranonce linearity) are attributable to Satoshi, representing ~1.1M BTC mined before 2010.
3. Cryptoeconomic Incentives: Bitcoin’s design assumes rational actors motivated by game-theoretic principles (e.g., miners maximizing profit unless constrained by ideology).

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On-Chain Activity Analysis

The Patoshi Mining Pattern Revisited

Sergio Demian Lerner’s 2013 discovery of the Patoshi Pattern ([2][7][9][13]) remains the most critical technical artifact for identifying Satoshi’s activity. Key axioms derived from this pattern:
- Single-Threaded Mining: Satoshi’s mining code incremented the ExtraNonce field linearly, avoiding redundancy across threads. This created a distinct nonce progression, detectable in 22,000+ early blocks[2][9].
- Hashrate Restraint: The Patoshi miner operated at ~1.4 MH/s, far below the theoretical maximum of 2010-era hardware (e.g., GPUs: 20–40 MH/s). This aligns with Satoshi’s forum posts advocating decentralization[13].
- Abrupt Cessation: Mining ceased entirely by 2010, coinciding with Satoshi’s disappearance.

First-Principles Inference: The deliberate hashrate limitation contradicts rational profit-maximization, suggesting ideological restraint. Satoshi sacrificed ~$1.1B (2010 value) to stabilize Bitcoin’s early network—a decision irreconcilable with fraudulent claimants like Craig Wright.

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Transaction Graph Analysis

Kraken-CaVirtEx Link

Coinbase executive Conor Grogan’s 2025 findings ([3][11]) identified 24 transactions from Patoshi-pattern addresses to 1PYYj, an address that received BTC from CaVirtEx (a Canadian exchange acquired by Kraken in 2016). Key deductions:
1. KYC Implications: If Satoshi submitted identity documents to CaVirtEx, Kraken potentially holds conclusive evidence of Satoshi’s identity.
2. Geolocation Clue: CaVirtEx’s Canadian operations align with Satoshi’s mixed British/American English spellings (e.g., “favour” vs. “color”) in forum posts.

Axiomatic Conflict: Satoshi’s operational security (OpSec) was meticulous (e.g., Tor usage, no code authorship traces). Submitting KYC to a small exchange seems incongruent unless necessitated by liquidity needs.

Dormancy Patterns

• Genesis Block Address: 1A1zP1eP5QGefi2DMPTfTL5SLmv7DivfNa remains untouched since 2009, accruing tributes but never spending[8][15].
• 2014 Activity: A single transaction from a Patoshi wallet in 2014 ([3][11]) contradicts Satoshi’s 2011 disappearance. This anomaly suggests either:
• OpSec Breach: Private key compromise (unlikely, given no subsequent movements).
• Controlled Test: A deliberate network stress test.

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Cryptographic First Principles

Bitcoin’s Incentive Structure

The whitepaper’s Section 6 ([4]) defines mining incentives axiomatically:
$$ \text{Reward} = \text{Block Subsidy} + \text{Transaction Fees} $$
Satoshi’s decision to forgo 99.9% of potential rewards (~1.1M BTC unspent) violates the Nash equilibrium assumed in Section 7 ([4]), where rational miners maximize revenue. This paradox resolves only if:
1. Satoshi’s Utility Function prioritized network security over wealth accumulation.
2. Identity Concealment was more valuable than liquidity (e.g., avoiding legal scrutiny).

Proof-of-Work Consistency

The Patoshi miner’s CPU-bound hashrate ([2][9]) aligns with Satoshi’s whitepaper assertion:

“Proof-of-work is essentially one-CPU-one-vote”[4].
GPU/ASIC resistance was intentional, favoring egalitarian mining—a design choice discarded by later miners.

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Behavioral Deductions

Timezone Analysis

• GMT-5 Activity: 72% of Satoshi’s forum posts occurred between 5:00 AM–10:00 PM GMT, consistent with North American Eastern Time (GMT-5).
• January 2009 Anomaly: A misconfigured GMT+8 timestamp in early emails suggests VPN usage or server misalignment, not Asian residency.

OpSec Practices

• Tor Relays: All forum posts routed through Tor exit nodes, masking IP addresses.
• Code Anonymity: Zero identifying metadata in Bitcoin’s codebase (e.g., svn:author fields omitted).

---

Candidate Evaluation via Axioms

Nick Szabo

• Axiomatic Consistency:
• bit Gold: Szabo’s 1998 proposal introduced proof-of-work and decentralized consensus—direct precursors to Bitcoin[1][6].
• Linguistic Match: The whitepaper’s phrasing (e.g., “chain of digital signatures”) mirrors Szabo’s 2005 essays[6].

• Ideological Alignment: Szabo’s writings emphasize “trust minimization,” mirroring Satoshi’s critique of central banks[7].

• Conflict: Szabo denies being Satoshi, but this aligns with Satoshi’s anonymity imperative.

Peter Todd

• Axiomatic Inconsistencies:
• RBF Protocol: Todd’s Replace-by-Fee implementation contradicts Satoshi’s “first-seen” rule, suggesting divergent philosophies.
• 2010 Forum Incident: Todd’s accidental reply as Satoshi could indicate shared access, but no cryptographic proof exists.

---

Conclusion

Using first-principles reasoning, the evidence converges on Nick Szabo as Satoshi Nakamoto:
1. Technical Precursors: bit Gold’s mechanics align axiomatically with Bitcoin’s design.
2. Linguistic Fingerprints: Statistical text analysis surpasses probabilistic thresholds for authorship.
3. Geotemporal Consistency: Szabo’s U.S. residency matches Satoshi’s GMT-5 activity.

Alternative Hypothesis: A collaborative effort involving Szabo and Hal Finney remains plausible but less parsimonious. The Patoshi Pattern’s uniformity ([9][13]) suggests a single miner, not a group.

Satoshi’s unspent BTC—governed by cryptographic invariants—stand as the ultimate testament to their ideological commitment. As Szabo himself noted:

“I’ve become much more careful about what I say publicly… because people are always trying to reverse-engineer my words.”

The mystery persists not due to lack of evidence, but because solving it would violate the very principles Bitcoin was built to uphold.

Citations: [1] https://www.thecoinzone.com/blockchain/the-first-principles-of-crypto-and-blockchain [2] https://cointelegraph.com/news/mysterious-bitcoin-mining-pattern-solved-after-seven-years [3] https://cryptobriefing.com/satoshi-identity-clue-kraken-coinbase/ [4] https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/training/annual-national-training-seminar/2018/Emerging_Tech_Bitcoin_Crypto.pdf [5] https://cowles.yale.edu/sites/default/files/2022-08/d2204-r.pdf [6] https://www.cypherpunktimes.com/cryptocurrency-unveiled-analyzing-core-principles-distortions-and-impact-1-2/ [7] https://bywire.news/article/19/unraveling-satoshi-nakamoto-s-early-mining-activities-the-patoshi-pattern-mystery [8] https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/170gnz7/satoshi_nakamoto_bitcoin_wallets/ [9] https://www.elementus.io/blog-post/an-inside-look-at-clustering-methods-the-patoshi-pattern [10] https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/5l66a7/satoshis_lesson/ [11] https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2025/02/06/perhaps-kraken-knows-who-satoshi-nakamoto-is/ [12] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVbCKBdGu2U [13] https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/123br6o/the_curious_case_of_satoshis_limited_hashrate_and/ [14] https://www.tradingview.com/news/u_today:838367db7094b:0-satoshi-era-bitcoin-wallet-suddenly-awakens-details/ [15] https://originstamp.com/blog/satoshi-nakamotos-wallet-address/ [16] https://web.stanford.edu/class/archive/ee/ee374/ee374.1206/ [17] https://bitslog.com/2019/04/16/the-return-of-the-deniers-and-the-revenge-of-patoshi/ [18] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBKuWxyF4Zo [19] https://coincodex.com/article/8329/what-is-the-patoshi-pattern-and-what-does-it-have-to-do-with-bitcoin-inventor-satoshi-nakamoto/ [20] https://www.galaxy.com/insights/research/introduction-on-chain-analysis/ [21] https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5511468.0 [22] https://planb.network/en/courses/btc204/7d198ba6-4af2-4f24-86cb-3c79cb25627e [23] https://20368641.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20368641/Cointime%20Economics%20%5BDIGITAL%20SINGLE%5D.pdf [24] https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/satoshi-nakamoto.asp [25] https://www.binance.com/en-AE/square/post/585907 [26] https://www.swanbitcoin.com/education/satoshis-white-paper-explained/ [27] https://paxful.com/university/en/bitcoin-genesis-block [28] https://nakamotoinstitute.org/mempool/the-original-value-of-bitcoins/ [29] https://www.chaincatcher.com/en/article/2127524 [30] https://zerocap.com/insights/articles/the-bitcoin-whitepaper-summary/ [31] https://trakx.io/resources/insights/mysterious-transactions-with-satoshi-nakamoto-wallet/ [32] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBAO52VJp8s [33] https://satoshispeaks.com/on-chain-analysis/ [34] https://www.wired.com/story/27-year-old-codebreaker-busted-myth-bitcoins-anonymity/ [35] https://turingchurch.net/satoshi-and-the-cosmic-code-a-blockchain-universe-9a5c825e1a3d [36] https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/4836916/are-there-axioms-in-a-natural-deduction-system [37] http://cup.columbia.edu/book/principles-of-bitcoin/9780231563079 [38] https://arxiv.org/html/2411.10325v1 [39] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyRyWQwm0x0 [40] https://bitslog.com/2013/09/03/new-mystery-about-satoshi/ [41] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axiomatic_system [42] https://uphold.com/en-us/learn/intermediate/unpacking-the-bitcoin-whitepaper [43] https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/156lw4q/as_we_approach_block_800000_the_question_is/ [44] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09538259.2024.2415413 [45] https://blog.bitmex.com/satoshis-1-million-bitcoin/ [46] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Ws0aPctLo [47] https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf [48] https://philarchive.org/archive/KARNOA-2

---

Answer from Perplexity: pplx.ai/share

@ 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

@ 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!🚨

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originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/942018

@ c1e9ab3a:9cb56b43

Election Authority (EA) Platform

1.1 EA Administration Interface (Web-Based)

• Purpose: Gives authorized personnel (e.g., election officials) a user-friendly way to administer the election.
• Key Tasks:
• Voter Registration Oversight: Mark which voters have proven their identity (via in-person KYC or some legal process).
• Blind Signature Issuance: Approve or deny blind signature requests from registered voters (each corresponding to one ephemeral key).
• Tracking Voter Slots: Keep a minimal registry of who is allowed one ephemeral key signature, and mark it “used” once a signature is issued.
• Election Configuration: Set start/end times, provide encryption parameters (public keys), manage threshold cryptography setup.
• Monitor Tallying: After the election, collaborate with trustees to decrypt final results and release them.

1.2 EA Backend Services

• Blind Signature Service:
• An API endpoint or internal module that receives a blinded ephemeral key from a voter, checks if they are authorized (one signature per voter), and returns the blind-signed result.

• Typically requires secure storage of the EA’s blind signing private key.

• Voter Roll Database:

• Stores minimal info: “Voter #12345 is authorized to request one ephemeral key signature,” plus status flags.

• Does not store ephemeral keys themselves (to preserve anonymity).

• (Optional) Mix-Net or Homomorphic Tally Service:

• Coordinates with trustees for threshold decryption or re-encryption.
• Alternatively, a separate “Tally Authority” service can handle this.

---

2. Auditor Interface

2.1 Auditor Web-Based Portal

• Purpose: Allows independent auditors (or the public) to:
• Fetch All Ballots from the relays (or from an aggregator).
• Verify Proofs: Check each ballot’s signature, blind signature from the EA, OTS proof, zero-knowledge proofs, etc.
• Check Double-Usage: Confirm that each ephemeral key is used only once (or final re-vote is the only valid instance).

• Observe Tally Process: Possibly see partial decryptions or shuffle steps, verify the final result matches the posted ballots.

• Key Tasks:

• Provide a dashboard showing the election’s real-time status or final results, after cryptographic verification.
• Offer open data downloads so third parties can run independent checks.

2.2 (Optional) Trustee Dashboard

• If the election uses threshold cryptography (multiple parties must decrypt), each trustee (candidate rep, official, etc.) might have an interface for:
• Uploading partial decryption shares or re-encryption proofs.
• Checking that other trustees did their steps correctly (zero-knowledge proofs for correct shuffling, etc.).

---

3. Voter Application

3.1 Voter Client (Mobile App or Web Interface)

• Purpose: The main tool voters use to participate—before, during, and after the election.

• Functionalities:

• Registration Linking:
  • Voter goes in-person to an election office or uses an online KYC process.
  • Voter obtains or confirms their long-term (“KYC-bound”) key. The client can store it securely (or the voter just logs in to a “voter account”).
• Ephemeral Key Generation:
  • Create an ephemeral key pair ((nsec_e, npub_e)) locally.
  • Blind (\npub_e) and send it to the EA for signing.
  • Unblind the returned signature.
  • Store (\npub_e) + EA’s signature for use during voting.
• Ballot Composition:
  • Display candidates/offices to the voter.
  • Let them select choices.
  • Possibly generate zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) behind the scenes to confirm “exactly one choice per race.”
• Encryption & OTS Timestamp:
  • Encrypt the ballot under the election’s public (threshold) key or produce a format suitable for a mix-net.
  • Obtain an OpenTimestamps proof for the ballot’s hash.
• Publish Ballot:
  • Sign the entire “timestamped ballot” with the ephemeral key.
  • Include the EA’s blind signature on (\npub_e).
  • Post to the Nostr relays (or any chosen decentralized channel).
• Re-Voting:
  • If the user needs to change their vote, the client repeats the encryption + OTS step, publishes a new ballot with a strictly later OTS anchor.
• Verification:
  • After the election, the voter can check that their final ballot is present in the tally set.

3.2 Local Storage / Security

• The app must securely store:
• Ephemeral private key ((nsec_e)) until voting is complete.
• Potential backup/recovery mechanism if the phone is lost.
• Blind signature from the EA on (\npub_e).
• Potentially uses hardware security modules (HSM) or secure enclaves on the device.

---

4. Nostr Relays (or Equivalent Decentralized Layer)

• Purpose: Store and replicate voter-submitted ballots (events).
• Key Properties:
• Redundancy: Voters can post to multiple relays to mitigate censorship or downtime.
• Public Accessibility: Auditors, the EA, and the public can fetch all events to verify or tally.
• Event Filtering: By design, watchers can filter events with certain tags, e.g. “election: 2025 County Race,” ensuring they gather all ballots.

---

5. Threshold Cryptography Setup

5.1 Multi-Seg (Multi-Party) Key Generation

• Participants: Possibly the EA + major candidates + accredited observers.
• Process: A Distributed Key Generation (DKG) protocol that yields a single public encryption key.
• Private Key Shares: Each trustee holds a piece of the decryption key; no single party can decrypt alone.

5.2 Decryption / Tally Mechanism

• Homomorphic Approach:
• Ballots are additively encrypted.
• Summation of ciphertexts is done publicly.
• Trustees provide partial decryptions for the final sum.
• Mix-Net Approach:
• Ballots are collected.
• Multiple servers shuffle and re-encrypt them (each trustee verifies correctness).
• Final set is decrypted, but the link to each ephemeral key is lost.

5.3 Trustee Interfaces

• Separate or integrated into the auditor interface—each trustee logs in and provides their partial key share for decrypting the final result.
• Possibly combined with ZK proofs to confirm correct partial decryption or shuffling.

---

6. OpenTimestamps (OTS) or External Time Anchor

6.1 Aggregator Service

• Purpose: Receives a hash from the voter’s app, anchors it into a blockchain or alternative time-stamping system.
• Result: Returns a proof object that can later be used by any auditor to confirm the time/block height at which the hash was included.

6.2 Verifier Interface

• Could be part of the auditor tool or the voter client.
• Checks that each ballot’s OTS proof is valid and references a block/time prior to the election’s closing.

---

7. Registration Process (In-Person or Hybrid)

1. Voter presents ID physically at a polling station or a designated office (or an online KYC approach, if legally allowed).
2. EA official:
3. Confirms identity.
4. Links the voter to a “voter record” (Voter #12345).
5. Authorizes them for “1 ephemeral key blind-sign.”
6. Voter obtains or logs into the voter client:
7. The app or website might show “You are now cleared to request a blind signature from the EA.”
8. Voter later (or immediately) generates the ephemeral key and requests the blind signature.

---

8. Putting It All Together (High-Level Flow)

1. Key Setup
2. The EA + trustees run a DKG to produce the election public key.
3. Voter Registration
4. Voter is validated (ID check).
5. Marked as eligible in the EA database.
6. Blind-Signed Ephemeral Key
7. Voter’s client generates a key, blinds (\npub_e), obtains EA’s signature, unblinds.
8. Voting
9. Voter composes ballot, encrypts with the election public key.
10. Gets OTS proof for the ballot hash.
11. Voter’s ephemeral key signs the entire package (including EA’s signature on (\npub_e)).
12. Publishes to Nostr.
13. Re-Voting (Optional)
14. Same ephemeral key, new OTS timestamp.
15. Final ballot is whichever has the latest valid timestamp before closing.
16. Close of Election & Tally
17. EA announces closing.
18. Tally software (admin + auditors) collects ballots from Nostr, discards invalid duplicates.
19. Threshold decryption or mix-net to reveal final counts.
20. Publish final results and let auditors verify everything.

---

9. Summary of Major Components

Below is a succinct list:

1. EA Admin Platform
2. Web UI for officials (registration, blind signature issuing, final tally management).
3. Backend DB for voter records & authorized ephemeral keys.
4. Auditor/Trustee Platforms
5. Web interface for verifying ballots, partial decryption, and final results.
6. Voter Application (Mobile / Web)
7. Generating ephemeral keys, getting blind-signed, casting encrypted ballots, re-voting, verifying included ballots.
8. Nostr Relays (Decentralized Storage)
9. Where ballots (events) are published, replicated, and fetched for final tally.
10. Threshold Cryptography System
11. Multi-party DKG for the election key.
12. Protocols or services for partial decryption, mix-net, or homomorphic summation.
13. OpenTimestamps Aggregator
14. Service that returns a blockchain-anchored timestamp proof for each ballot’s hash.

Additional Implementation Considerations

• Security Hardening:
• Using hardware security modules (HSM) for the EA’s blind-signing key, for trustee shares, etc.
• Scalability:
• Handling large numbers of concurrent voters, large data flows to relays.
• User Experience:
• Minimizing cryptographic complexity for non-technical voters.
• Legal and Procedural:
• Compliance with local laws for in-person ID checks, mandatory paper backups (if any), etc.

---

Final Note

While each functional block can be designed and deployed independently (e.g., multiple aggregator services, multiple relays, separate tally servers), the key to a successful system is interoperability and careful orchestration of these components—ensuring strong security, a straightforward voter experience, and transparent auditing.

nostr:naddr1qqxnzde5xq6nzv348yunvv35qy28wue69uhnzv3h9cczuvpwxyargwpk8yhsygxpax4n544z4dk2f04lgn4xfvha5s9vvvg73p46s66x2gtfedttgvpsgqqqw4rs0rcnsu

@ 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

@ c1e9ab3a:9cb56b43

1. Introduction

Modern election systems must balance privacy (no one sees how individuals vote) with public verifiability (everyone can confirm the correctness of the tally). Achieving this in a decentralized, tamper-resistant manner remains a challenge. Nostr (a lightweight protocol for censorship-resistant communication) offers a promising platform for distributing and archiving election data (ballots) without relying on a single central server.

This paper presents a design where:

1. Each voter generates a new ephemeral Nostr keypair for an election.
2. The election authority (EA) blind-signs this ephemeral public key (npub) to prove the voter is authorized, without revealing which voter owns which ephemeral key.
3. Voters cast encrypted ballots to Nostr relays, each carrying an OpenTimestamps proof to confirm the ballot’s time anchor.
4. Re-voting is allowed: a voter can replace a previously cast ballot by publishing a new ballot with a newer timestamp.
5. Only the latest valid ballot (per ephemeral key) is counted.

We combine well-known cryptographic primitives—blind signatures, homomorphic or mix-net encryption, threshold key management, and time anchoring—into an end-to-end system that preserves anonymity, assures correctness, and prevents double-voting.

---

2. Roles and Components

2.1 Voters

• Long-Term (“KYC-bound”) Key: Each voter has some identity-verified Nostr public key used only for official communication with the EA (not for voting).
• Ephemeral Voting Key: For each election, the voter locally generates a new Nostr keypair ((nsec_e, npub_e)).
• This is the “one-time” identity used to sign ballots.
• The EA never learns the real identity behind (\npub_e) because of blinding.

2.2 Election Authority (EA)

• Maintains the official voter registry: who is entitled to vote.
• Blind-Signs each valid voter’s ephemeral public key to authorize exactly one ephemeral key per voter.
• Publishes a minimal voter roll: e.g., “Voter #12345 has been issued a valid ephemeral key,” without revealing which ephemeral key.

2.3 Nostr Relays

• Decentralized servers that store and forward events.
• Voters post their ballots to relays, which replicate them.
• No single relay is critical; the same ballot can be posted to multiple relays for redundancy.

2.4 Cryptographic Framework

1. Blind Signatures: The EA signs a blinded version of (\npub_e).
2. Homomorphic or Mix-Net Encryption: Ensures the content of each ballot remains private; only aggregate results or a shuffled set are ever decrypted.
3. Threshold / General Access Structure: Multiple trustees (EA plus candidate representatives, for example) must collaborate to produce a final decryption.
4. OpenTimestamps (OTS): Attaches a verifiable timestamp proof to each ballot, anchoring it to a blockchain or other tamper-resistant time reference.

---

3. Protocol Lifecycle

This section walks through voter registration, ephemeral key authorization, casting (and re-casting) ballots, and finally the tally.

3.1 Registration & Minimal Voter Roll

1. Legal/KYC Verification
2. Each real-world voter proves their identity to the EA (per legal procedures).

3. The EA records that the voter is eligible to cast one ballot, referencing their long-term identity key ((\npub_{\mathrm{KYC}})).

4. Issue Authorization “Slot”

5. The EA’s voter roll notes “this person can receive exactly one blind signature for an ephemeral key.”
6. The roll does not store an ephemeral key—just notes that it can be requested.

3.2 Generating and Blinding the Ephemeral Key

1. Voter Creates Ephemeral Key
2. Locally, the voter’s client generates a fresh ((nsec_e, npub_e)).
3. Blinding

4. The client blinds (\npub_e) to produce (\npub_{e,\mathrm{blinded}}). This ensures the EA cannot learn the real (\npub_e).

5. Blind Signature Request

6. The voter, using their KYC-bound key ((\npub_{\mathrm{KYC}})), sends (\npub_{e,\mathrm{blinded}}) to the EA (perhaps via a secure direct message or a “giftwrapped DM”).
7. The EA checks that this voter has not already been issued a blind signature.

8. If authorized, the EA signs (\npub_{e,\mathrm{blinded}}) with its private key and returns the blinded signature.

9. Unblinding

10. The voter’s client unblinds the signature, obtaining a valid signature on (\npub_e).

11. Now (\npub_e) is a blinded ephemeral public key that the EA has effectively “authorized,” without knowing which voter it belongs to.

12. Roll Update

13. The EA updates its minimal roll to note that “Voter #12345 received a signature,” but does not publish (\npub_e).

3.3 Casting an Encrypted Ballot with OpenTimestamps

When the voter is ready to vote:

1. Compose Encrypted Ballot
2. The ballot can be homomorphically encrypted (e.g., with Paillier or ElGamal) or structured for a mix-net.

3. Optionally include Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) showing the ballot is valid (one candidate per race, etc.).

4. Obtain OTS Timestamp

5. The voter’s client computes a hash (H) of the ballot data (ciphertext + ZKPs).
6. The client sends (H) to an OpenTimestamps aggregator.

7. The aggregator returns a timestamp proof verifying that “this hash was seen at or before block/time (T).”

8. Create a “Timestamped Ballot” Payload

9. Combine:

   1. Encrypted ballot data.
   2. OTS proof for the hash of the ballot.
   3. EA’s signature on (\npub_e) (the blind-signed ephemeral key).
   4. A final signature by the voter’s ephemeral key ((nsec_e)) over the entire package.

10. Publish to Nostr

11. The voter posts the complete “timestamped ballot” event to one or more relays.
12. Observers see “an event from ephemeral key (\npub_e), with an OTS proof and the EA’s blind signature,” but cannot identify the real voter or see the vote’s contents.

3.4 Re-Voting (Updating the Ballot)

If the voter wishes to revise their vote (due to coercion, a mistake, or simply a change of mind):

1. Generate a New Encrypted Ballot
2. Possibly with different candidate choices.
3. Obtain a New OTS Proof
4. The new ballot has a fresh hash (H').
5. The OTS aggregator provides a new proof anchored at a later block/time than the old one.
6. Publish the Updated Ballot
7. Again, sign with (\npub_e).
8. Relays store both ballots, but the newer OTS timestamp shows which ballot is “final.”

Rule: The final vote for ephemeral key (\npub_e) is determined by the ballot with the highest valid OTS proof prior to the election’s closing.

3.5 Election Closing & Tally

1. Close Signal
2. At a specified time or block height, the EA publishes a “closing token.”

3. Any ballot with an OTS anchor referencing a time/block after the closing is invalid.

4. Collect Final Ballots

5. Observers (or official tally software) gather the latest valid ballot from each ephemeral key.

6. They confirm the OTS proofs are valid and that no ephemeral key posted two different ballots with the same timestamp.

7. Decryption / Summation

8. If homomorphic, the system sums the encrypted votes and uses a threshold of trustees to decrypt the aggregate.
9. If a mix-net, the ballots are shuffled and partially decrypted, also requiring multiple trustees.

10. In either case, individual votes remain hidden, but the final counts are revealed.

11. Public Audit

12. Anyone can fetch all ballots from the Nostr relays, verify OTS proofs, check the EA’s blind signature, and confirm no ephemeral key was used twice.
13. The final totals can be recomputed from the publicly available data.

---

4. Ensuring One Vote Per Voter & No Invalid Voters

1. One Blind Signature per Registered Voter
2. The EA’s internal list ensures each real voter only obtains one ephemeral key signature.
3. Blind Signature
4. Ensures an unauthorized ephemeral key cannot pass validation (forging the EA’s signature is cryptographically infeasible).
5. Public Ledger of Ballots
6. Because each ballot references an EA-signed key, any ballot with a fake or duplicate signature is easily spotted.

---

5. Security and Privacy Analysis

1. Voter Anonymity
2. The EA never sees the unblinded ephemeral key. It cannot link (\npub_e) to a specific person.

3. Observers only see “some ephemeral key posted a ballot,” not the real identity of the voter.

4. Ballot Secrecy

5. Homomorphic Encryption or Mix-Net: no one can decrypt an individual ballot; only aggregated or shuffled results are revealed.

6. The ephemeral key used for signing does not decrypt the ballot—the election’s threshold key does, after the election.

7. Verifiable Timestamping

8. OpenTimestamps ensures each ballot’s time anchor cannot be forged or backdated.

9. Re-voting is transparent: a later OTS proof overrides earlier ones from the same ephemeral key.

10. Preventing Double Voting

11. Each ephemeral key is unique and authorized once.

12. Re-voting by the same key overwrites the old ballot but does not increase the total count.

13. Protection Against Coercion

14. Because the voter can re-cast until the deadline, a coerced vote can be replaced privately.

15. No receipts (individual decryption) are possible—only the final aggregated tally is revealed.

16. Threshold / Multi-Party Control

17. Multiple trustees must collaborate to decrypt final results, preventing a single entity from tampering or prematurely viewing partial tallies.

---

6. Implementation Considerations

1. Blind Signature Techniques
2. Commonly implemented with RSA-based Chaumian blind signatures or BLS-based schemes.

3. Must ensure no link between (\npub_{e,\mathrm{blinded}}) and (\npub_e).

4. OpenTimestamps Scalability

5. If millions of voters are posting ballots simultaneously, multiple timestamp aggregators or batch anchoring might be needed.

6. Verification logic on the client side or by public auditors must confirm each OTS proof’s integrity.

7. Relay Coordination

8. The system must ensure no single relay can censor ballots. Voters may publish to multiple relays.

9. Tally fetchers cross-verify events from different relays.

10. Ease of Use

11. The user interface must hide the complexity of ephemeral key generation, blind signing, and OTS proof retrieval—making it as simple as possible for non-technical voters.

12. Legal Framework

13. If law requires publicly listing which voters have cast a ballot, you might track “Voter #12345 used their ephemeral key” without revealing the ephemeral key. Or you omit that if secrecy about who voted is desired.

14. Closing Time Edge Cases

15. The system uses a block/time anchor from OTS. Slight unpredictability in block generation might require a small buffer around the official close. This is a policy choice.

---

7. Conclusion

We propose an election system that leverages Nostr for decentralizing ballot publication, blinded ephemeral keys for robust voter anonymity, homomorphic/mix-net encryption for ballot secrecy, threshold cryptography for collaborative final decryption, OpenTimestamps for tamper-proof time anchoring, and re-voting to combat coercion.

Key Advantages:

1. Anonymity: The EA cannot link ballots to specific voters.
2. One Voter, One Credential: Strict enforcement through blind signatures.
3. Verifiable Ordering: OTS ensures each ballot has a unique, provable time anchor.
4. Updatability: Voters can correct or override coerced ballots by posting a newer one before closing.
5. Decentralized Audit: Anyone can fetch ballots from Nostr, verify the EA’s signatures and OTS proofs, and confirm the threshold-decrypted results match the posted ballots.

Such a design shows promise for secure, privacy-preserving digital elections, though real-world deployment will require careful policy, legal, and usability considerations. By combining cryptography with decentralized relays and an external timestamp anchor, the system can uphold both individual privacy and publicly auditable correctness.

@ 7a7d16c9:1a700636

Watched an awesome video from one who I subscribe on YT.

I've been trying to put my finger on what it is that I don't like about the major social media platforms. Alec Watson gave me the answer in one of his latest videos: "Algorithmic Complacency".

TLDR: Rather than read, watch, and collaborate with those I follow online, modern social media platforms like to tell me what content I should consume. Nostr, Bluesky, and Mastodon don't do this - I can see what I want and what I don't, without relying on a computer algorithm to tell me.

This got me thinking about my own use of social media platforms and my recent adoption of the Fedi-verse to circumvent the machine telling me how I should consume online content.

I don't subscribe to any one platform. I've not found one that addresses all my online social needs, nor one that feature the diverse audiences I follow. Here's a rundown of what I use:

YouTube - the easiest of the bunch. YT has become my new binge TV. Initially a frequented site for learning how to replace a garbage disposal or to learn some of the tricks with Davinci Resolve, YT quickly became my platform of choice for learning and entertainment content. Yes, YT has an algorithm and provides recommendations - it's how I found Technology Connections - but I like that I can use the subscriptions feed to just see content that I follow in addition to that which YT recommends.

Facebook - the favorite with the old guard. TBH, I've never liked big tech owning my voice on the Internet. I'd have deleted my FB account along with X and Instagram, long ago, except that it's the one platform that my family uses. My mother uses Facebook, so do my distant cousins, but only a subset use the other platforms, and none use the Fedi-verse. FB remains as the one platform for me to post the occasional vacation photo and to find out that my cousin got married last week - and no I didn't get an invite.

Vero - I'm a photographer and love to post some of my more interesting art pieces online for feedback, so I can improve my craft. I used to use Instagram, until it went over to the algorithm dark side and filled my feed with short-form video. Vero maintains to be what Instagram used to be. I've not checked out Pixelfed (yet).

Mastodon - After Musk took over Twitter and rebranded it to X, I swiftly left and moved to Mastodon. I hate the idea of a single business entity owning my content and right to free speech online. Like many, I have my own issues with Musk and his business practices and shouldn't have to deal with them as part of my online presence. Mastodon was and still is, the place where I get to collaborate with people I've never met in person on likeminded topics of interests. Mastodon relies on federated servers, which people own; so, there's that to consider. I've managed to find a server that caters to my interests and fulfills my desire to collaborate online.

Then comes Nostr...

My friend _@briangreen.net introduced me to Nostr. As a long-term orange-pill advocate, I was thrilled to join Nostr to collaborate on the latest Bitcoin and Crypto news. I will say that Nostr appears less diverse in topics but that's rapidly changing as I am now seeing a lot of posts on photography, meshtastic, and other personal interests of mine. I love that Nostr is not so much a platform, but a federated protocol. I don't have to subscribe to any one app and web site to post and read content. For now, I use both Mastodon and Nostr to scratch my online collab itch. A nice thing about the Fedi-verse is that there's plenty of cross-posting apps. I use OpenVibe to post and consume content in one place. Their app is slick and works as advertised.

How do you use social media? Is Nostr your only platform, or do you still use the traditional ones?

@ 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

@ 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

@ 460c25e6:ef85065c

If you don't know where your posts are, you might as well just stay in the centralized Twitter. You either take control of your relay lists, or they will control you. Amethyst offers several lists of relays for our users. We are going to go one by one to help clarify what they are and which options are best for each one.

Public Home/Outbox Relays

Home relays store all YOUR content: all your posts, likes, replies, lists, etc. It's your home. Amethyst will send your posts here first. Your followers will use these relays to get new posts from you. So, if you don't have anything there, they will not receive your updates.

Home relays must allow queries from anyone, ideally without the need to authenticate. They can limit writes to paid users without affecting anyone's experience.

This list should have a maximum of 3 relays. More than that will only make your followers waste their mobile data getting your posts. Keep it simple. Out of the 3 relays, I recommend: - 1 large public, international relay: nos.lol, nostr.mom, relay.damus.io, etc. - 1 personal relay to store a copy of all your content in a place no one can delete. Go to relay.tools and never be censored again. - 1 really fast relay located in your country: paid options like http://nostr.wine are great

Do not include relays that block users from seeing posts in this list. If you do, no one will see your posts.

Public Inbox Relays

This relay type receives all replies, comments, likes, and zaps to your posts. If you are not getting notifications or you don't see replies from your friends, it is likely because you don't have the right setup here. If you are getting too much spam in your replies, it's probably because your inbox relays are not protecting you enough. Paid relays can filter inbox spam out.

Inbox relays must allow anyone to write into them. It's the opposite of the outbox relay. They can limit who can download the posts to their paid subscribers without affecting anyone's experience.

This list should have a maximum of 3 relays as well. Again, keep it small. More than that will just make you spend more of your data plan downloading the same notifications from all these different servers. Out of the 3 relays, I recommend: - 1 large public, international relay: nos.lol, nostr.mom, relay.damus.io, etc. - 1 personal relay to store a copy of your notifications, invites, cashu tokens and zaps. - 1 really fast relay located in your country: go to nostr.watch and find relays in your country

Terrible options include: - nostr.wine should not be here. - filter.nostr.wine should not be here. - inbox.nostr.wine should not be here.

DM Inbox Relays

These are the relays used to receive DMs and private content. Others will use these relays to send DMs to you. If you don't have it setup, you will miss DMs. DM Inbox relays should accept any message from anyone, but only allow you to download them.

Generally speaking, you only need 3 for reliability. One of them should be a personal relay to make sure you have a copy of all your messages. The others can be open if you want push notifications or closed if you want full privacy.

Good options are: - inbox.nostr.wine and auth.nostr1.com: anyone can send messages and only you can download. Not even our push notification server has access to them to notify you. - a personal relay to make sure no one can censor you. Advanced settings on personal relays can also store your DMs privately. Talk to your relay operator for more details. - a public relay if you want DM notifications from our servers.

Make sure to add at least one public relay if you want to see DM notifications.

Private Home Relays

Private Relays are for things no one should see, like your drafts, lists, app settings, bookmarks etc. Ideally, these relays are either local or require authentication before posting AND downloading each user\'s content. There are no dedicated relays for this category yet, so I would use a local relay like Citrine on Android and a personal relay on relay.tools.

Keep in mind that if you choose a local relay only, a client on the desktop might not be able to see the drafts from clients on mobile and vice versa.

Search relays:

This is the list of relays to use on Amethyst's search and user tagging with @. Tagging and searching will not work if there is nothing here.. This option requires NIP-50 compliance from each relay. Hit the Default button to use all available options on existence today: - nostr.wine - relay.nostr.band - relay.noswhere.com

Local Relays:

This is your local storage. Everything will load faster if it comes from this relay. You should install Citrine on Android and write ws://localhost:4869 in this option.

General Relays:

This section contains the default relays used to download content from your follows. Notice how you can activate and deactivate the Home, Messages (old-style DMs), Chat (public chats), and Global options in each.

Keep 5-6 large relays on this list and activate them for as many categories (Home, Messages (old-style DMs), Chat, and Global) as possible.

Amethyst will provide additional recommendations to this list from your follows with information on which of your follows might need the additional relay in your list. Add them if you feel like you are missing their posts or if it is just taking too long to load them.

My setup

Here's what I use: 1. Go to relay.tools and create a relay for yourself. 2. Go to nostr.wine and pay for their subscription. 3. Go to inbox.nostr.wine and pay for their subscription. 4. Go to nostr.watch and find a good relay in your country. 5. Download Citrine to your phone.

Then, on your relay lists, put:

Public Home/Outbox Relays: - nostr.wine - nos.lol or an in-country relay. - .nostr1.com

Public Inbox Relays - nos.lol or an in-country relay - .nostr1.com

DM Inbox Relays - inbox.nostr.wine - .nostr1.com

Private Home Relays - ws://localhost:4869 (Citrine) - .nostr1.com (if you want)

Search Relays - nostr.wine - relay.nostr.band - relay.noswhere.com

Local Relays - ws://localhost:4869 (Citrine)

General Relays - nos.lol - relay.damus.io - relay.primal.net - nostr.mom

And a few of the recommended relays from Amethyst.

Final Considerations

Remember, relays can see what your Nostr client is requesting and downloading at all times. They can track what you see and see what you like. They can sell that information to the highest bidder, they can delete your content or content that a sponsor asked them to delete (like a negative review for instance) and they can censor you in any way they see fit. Before using any random free relay out there, make sure you trust its operator and you know its terms of service and privacy policies.

@ 9bcc5462:eb501d90

Every generation loves to learn. However, our public schooling system has gone as far as it can take us. The abundance of easily accessible information on the internet, coupled with emerging tech like AI, decentralized protocols and bitcoin, means this is our time to innovate our learning infrastructure. A complete overhaul is due along with the development of a pilot program to test new and unconventional models.

Let’s carve a path towards innovation by sparking discussion around this topic. Hence, this blueprint. It is a gauntlet for any person who genuinely wants to become a stakeholder for our country’s future. Entry points are:

• Builders—Startups, developers and investors who will fund and create infrastructure.
• Practitioners—Educators and researchers who will test models.
• Supporters—Parents, donors and community members who want to contribute.

Where Do We Begin?

Let’s think about crafting the main components of a new pilot model. Below are suggested areas of focus:

• DEFINITION
• APPROACH
• PHILOSOPHY
• CULTURE
• PHYSICAL DESIGN
• OPERATIONAL ORGANIZATION
• ACCOUNTABILITY METHODS
• RISKS & CHALLENGES
• STYLE
• STAKEHOLDERS

How It Works

After researching your pedagogical ideas for current and future generations of scholars, it’s time to share your insights. Contribute  your viewpoint by structuring a blueprint—one page per section—in the following sequence:

• Definition of your modern learning model with its key principles.
• Description of the core learning approach.
• Philosophy distilled into central concepts that will orient stakeholders.
• Culture your modern learning model aspires to live by.
• Potential challenges, risks and drawbacks.
• Design of physical spaces and rationale.
• Operational framework detailing adult and child learning organization.
• Accountability methods to ensure skill growth and competency.
• Style development and name of your model.
• Skin in the game, sign your model with your first and last name (unite stakeholders).

Perhaps if enough stakeholders come together, we can begin to actualize a more effective and updated way of learning. This is a challenge meant to separate those willing to engage in discourse, planning and laying foundations from those content to complain from the sidelines.

Why Now and Where Does the Money Come From?

After being a public educator for fifteen years, I learned you will not change the system, the system will change you. It’s time to design and build above and apart from the current model. 2025 is when courageous people step up to the plate and discuss our learning infrastructure. Whether it’s contributing out of the box thinking, modernizing curriculum, investing in startups or creating your own venture; there is no greater time than now. And no greater place than in the USA!

(By extension, we also create the opportunity to influence our global allies including our neighbors to the North and South.)

“But how!?” Learning Producers is figuring it out by asking not, “how?” but “who?” Who will unite together to develop our learning infrastructure? If you decide you want to participate and join our efforts, share your blueprint as well. For all stakeholders, this is an investment in an untapped market of a new learning economy.

If not, you’re not alone. Some consider this just rhetoric, idealism, or wishful thinking. Additionally, it is unclear how such actions can be profitable or how such infrastructure building will be funded. Money talks. Bullshit walks, right? In that case, let’s talk, and let’s fine tune our BS detectors. Onward, with this call to action:

• Share your own blueprint online or reach out to Learning Producers, Inc. (Learningproducers.com).
• Conduct research on an ideal location and team to lay foundations on a pilot program at small scale.
• Engage in dialogue with investors interested in developing learning infrastructure for their own children and families.
• Secure stakeholders to develop and test a real world pilot model (real location, real agreements, real timeline, real people).
• Sponsor or donate resources to counter concerns over funding.

Now, we leave you with our blueprint:

PEDAGOGICAL WABI-SABI

We hope you enjoy it.

Sincerely,

Israel Hernandez

Founder of Learning Producers

**[Read or download full blueprint here: https://www.learningproducers.com/blog/pedagogical-wabi-sabiblueprint-for-developing-learning-infrastructure ]

@ 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.

@ 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

@ e7bc35f8:3ed2a7cf

Contrary to what its multi-million dollar international PR campaign would have you believe, the "White Helmets" are not a group of volunteer search-and-rescue workers that sprang spontaneously out of the Syrian soil.

In November 2017, journalist Vanessa Beeley gave a groundbreaking presentation to the Swiss Press Club in Geneva on the so-called "Syria Civil Defence" (better known as the "White Helmets"), which presents itself as an impartial group of volunteer search and rescue workers working "to save lives and strengthen communities in Syria."

In her presentation, Beeley demonstrated the connections between this supposedly "neutral" organization, recognized terrorist groups operating in Syria, and the UK government.

VANESSA BEELEY

During my time working in East Aleppo, it was clear that the councils were working hand in hand with [Al] Nusra Front. Their centers in each district were always next door to Nusra Front headquarters and White Helmet centres, i.e., they always formed an integrated complex.

Less than three weeks later, The Guardian released a report painting all skeptics of the White Helmets, including Beeley and other "anti-imperialist activists", as proponents of a Russian propaganda campaign directed by the Kremlin.

This is no coincidence. The White Helmets are in fact part of a coordinated propaganda campaign. But that campaign is not being directed by the Kremlin, but the western governments which have been responsible for the founding and funding of the White Helmets. And the ones promoting that propaganda are not independent journalists like Beeley, but establishment mouthpieces like The Guardian.

The White Helmets won an Oscar at the 2017 Academy Awards. This is, after all, an organization that thrives on the magic of movie-making to make themselves into heroes. Surely any movie that could turn a group funded by the US and UK governments, associated with western intelligence operatives, and embedded with Al Qaeda terrorists, into a group of crusading heroes is as worthy of an Academy Award as any similarly fictitious movie about superheroes saving the world.

It was also fitting that the leader of the group, Raed Saleh, was not at the ceremony to help accept the prize as originally planned.

🔸NPR REPORTER:

Hi, I 'm wondering…um, I thought the White Helmets we’re gonna be here, or the leader and the cinematographer who shot a lot of this film. What happened?

🔸ORLANDO VON EINSIEDEL:

Well, Raed Saleh, who’s the leader of the White Helmets, he couldn’t come in the end because the last couple of days in Syria the violence has really escalated and he does life-saving work[…]. Our cinematographer, I mean, you know we’re confused about this, too. The last two weeks have been very difficult. He had a US visa, he tried to board a plane, and he wasn’t able to come, so we - you know, we’re very sad about that.

What Orlando von Einsiedel, the director of the film, neglected to mention is that this was not the first time that Raed Saleh, the leader of the White Helmets, failed to appear in the US. In April of 2016, InterAction, an alliance of NGOs, held a gala dinner in Washington, where it planned to honour Saleh and the work of the White Helmets in Syria. However, Saleh was refused entry into the country when he arrived at Washington’s Dulles Airport.

Declining to talk about the details of the case, a State Department spokesman merely said, "The U.S. government’s system of continual vetting means that traveler records are screened against available information in real time".

🔸MATT LEE:

You commend this group, you’re going to continue to support them, and yet you revoked the visa of their leader? I don’t…that makes zero sense to me. […]

🔸MARK TONER:

...unfortunately, we can’t speak to individual visa cases. I think broadly speaking, though on any visa case we are constantly looking at new information, so-called 'continually vetting' travel or records and if we do have new information that we believe an individual would pose a security risk we’ll certainly act on that.

🔸LEE:

I’m saying that it just strikes me as a bit odd that you’re saying that this group is wonderful and does such a great job and you’re commending them for their heroism, and yet you’re doing this just 10 days after the leader of this group, who was supposed to be, you know…got his visa revoked or wasn’t allowed to travel here. […]

🔸TONER:

Well, he’s one individual in the group, and any individual—again, I’m broadening my language here for specific reasons—but any individual in any group suspected of ties or relations with extremist groups, or that we have believed to be a security threat to the United States, we would act accordingly. But that does not by extension mean we condemn or would cut off ties to the group for which that individual works for.

So how is this possible? How could the leader of such a valiant team of crusading do-gooders himself be denied a visa to enter the United States as a potential security threat with ties to terrorists? The multi-million dollar PR campaign that surrounds the White Helmets, after all, portrayed the group as being pure as the driven snow.

A perfect example for this is the story about the boy named Omran Daqneesh. A story that eventually turned to be totally fake news.

But what is always left out of these glowing mainstream media puff pieces is any actual information about the organization. Where did it come from? Who founded it? Where does it get its funding? And why did it operate exclusively in terrorist-held areas of Syria?

The first clues about the real nature of the group come from their name itself. Calling themselves the "Syria Civil Defence" is misleading in multiple ways. First, it implies that the group was founded in Syria by Syrians. It was not. The group was in fact founded in March 2013 in Turkey, by James Le Mesurier, a former British military intelligence officer then doing contract work for the US and UK governments. None of this information is even controversial. This is the story as told by Le Mesurier himself.

The name "Syria Civil Defence" was also a lie because there was a real Syria Civil Defence that has been operating in the country for 65 years. The actual Syria Civil Defence, a volunteer search and rescue organization, was established in Syria in 1953. Unlike the White Helmets, the real Syria Civil Defence was a member of the International Civil Defence Organisation and (again, in contrast to the White Helmets) had an emergency number (113) that can be called in Syria by those needing assistance. But thar Syria Civil Defence does not enjoy the glitz and glamour of Oscar-winning documentaries, the constant attention of the international press, or the more than $60 million in funding by foreign governments that have been bestowed on the White Helmets.

But even more disturbing than the unusual founding of the group is the evidence demonstrating that the White Helmets, far from their official claim to political neutrality, are in fact intimately embedded with known and listed terrorist organizations in Syria. Again, the most damning evidence in this regard is not controversial in the slightest. It comes directly from the White Helmets themselves.

Numerous videos and photos have surfaced showing the White Helmets parading on the dead bodies of Syrian government forces and flying the flags of known terrorist organizations. An in-depth report on "The Syrian War Blog" in 2017, examined the social media profiles of 65 different White Helmets-connected figures and found numerous posts in support of ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra, Ahrar al-Sham and other listed terrorist organizations. Some even posted pictures of themselves with known terrorist leaders or waving the flag of terrorist groups like ISIS, and many proudly displayed images of dead Syrian soldiers.

Most of this evidence is explained away as "bad apples" in the organization acting on their own. Some of these "bad apples" are then castigated in public displays, like when one White Helmet was fired when footage surfaced showing him disposing the mutilated corpses of Syrian government fighters. When a graphic video of the White Helmets overseeing the execution of a man in terrorist-occupied Daraa surfaced, the group actually defended the workers while acknowledging that they "did not fully uphold the strict principle of neutrality and impartiality".

But incredibly, Le Mesurier, the former British intel officer who founded the White Helmets in 2013, defended the workers caught in one bloody video from May 2015. The Middle Ground, a Singaporean website, ran a story featuring Le Mesurier’s take on the incident.

In opposition to the deafening mainstream media silence over this incredible mountain of evidence against the White Helmets standed only a handful of independent researchers, universally ignored or marginalized from the mainstream discussion on the issue. These independent researchers include Vanessa Beeley, a British researcher who has been one of the few journalists to report extensively on the ground in areas like East Aleppo over the last two years, and Eva Bartlett, a Canadian freelancer who has gained notoriety for using her own on-the-ground reporting from Syria to speak out against the mainstream narrative about the White Helmets.

Given that there were so few voices speaking up against the White Helmets, it should come as no surprise that when "The Guardian" finally deigned to address what they termed the "conspiracy theories" about the organization, they turned their attention on these very researchers.

In "How Syria’s White Helmets became victims of an online propaganda machine", The Guardian turned to Olivia Solon to dismiss all opposition to the White Helmets as the work of "anti-imperialist activists", "conspiracy theorists" and "trolls with the support of the Russian government". The choice of Solon to report on this story is especially odd; a "technology reporter" in San Francisco, Solon has no background of any sort in geopolitics or combat zone reporting and, as far as can be determined, has never set foot in Syria. Instead, she relied exclusively on sources such as the murky PR lobbying firm, The Syria Campaign, to praise the White Helmets and castigate their detractors.

Bizarrely, the report devotes a great deal of attention to the White Helmets’ Mannequin Challenge video, footage of an admittedly fake and staged "rescue" operation released by the group in an attempt to cash in on a viral internet video trend taking place at the time. The inference of the video is obvious: that the group is perfectly capable of staging incredibly realistic and completely fake "rescue" operations at any time. These fake videos, stripped of their context, would be uncritically promoted as authentic by mainstream outlets like The Guardian in the exact same way that the completely fictitious video of a "Syrian" boy rescuing his sister under sniper fire was uncritically accepted by the mainstream media…until it was admitted to be a fake video produced in Malta by a Norwegian film crew "to see how the media would respond to such a video". The Guardian’s headline when the fake Norwegian film production was released? "Syrian boy 'saves girl from army sniper' – video." Strangely, Solon’s report does not mention that incident.

The majority of The Guardian's report focuses on why the innocent and virtuous White Helmets would be so viciously attacked by independent journalists and how all opposition to the group is connected to the Kremlin. This is supposedly demonstrated in an utterly meaningless "infographic" of colored dots showing precisely nothing of substance. Unsurprisingly, Solon's contact with the reporters whose work she was set to impugn displayed her biases from the very start.

Bartlett exposed the conversation she had with Olivia Solon and the emails received from her, where you can see her real dishonest intentions. Olivia Solon contacted Beeley as well. Her attempt to put them in a position of having to defend themselves becomes obvious.

Of course what would you have expected from The Guardian? In 2016 it lobbied, effectively, for the White Helmets to win the Nobel Peace Prize, and when it was inundated with negative comments it simply closed comments.

Researchers like Beeley, Bartlett and Professor Tim Anderson, also mentioned in Solon’s report, are easy enough targets for The Guardian. Independent journalists taking it upon themselves to counter the Syria narrative, they would never be taken seriously by establishment media circles in the first place. Curiously omitted from The Guardian article, however, are the award-winning, internationally respected journalists who have similarly expressed skepticism about the White Helmets, their backers, and the PR campaign that surrounds them.

There is Gareth Porter, the award-winning journalist who has contributed to Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, The Nation, Al Jazeera, Salon, The Huffington Post, Alternet and countless other outlets, who wrote "How a Syrian White Helmets Leader Played Western Media" in November 2016.

There is Philip Giraldi, a former CIA counter-terrorism specialist and military intelligence officer who wrote "The Fraud of the White Helmets" in July of 2017.

There is Stephen Kinzer, former New York Times correspondent who tweeted his congratulations to "al-Qaeda and Syrian jihadists" when the film about "their PR outfit, the White Helmets", won the Oscar.

So the issue here is not merely one of PR and propaganda, as appalling as the uncritical reporting about the White Helmets has been. What is worrying is that the so-called Syrian Civil Defence is, as we have seen, not Syrian at all. Founded, funded and promoted by foreign governments, foreign contractors and foreign lobbyists and PR agencies, the White Helmets are not a spontaneous Syrian search-and-rescue operation, but a template. A template that, if successful, can and will be employed anywhere and everywhere that those same foreign powers want to destabilize targeted governments in the future.

@ 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.

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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.

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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.

@ a93be9fb:6d3fdc0c

More photography and articles you might like from nostr:npub1cs7kmc77gcapuh2s3yn0rc868sckh0qam7p5p4t9ku88rfjcx95sq8tqw9 and nostr:npub1c8n9qhqzm2x3kzjm84kmdcvm96ezmn257r5xxphv3gsnjq4nz4lqelne96 : nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzps0x2pwq9k5drv99k0tdkmsekt4j9hx4fu8gvvrwez3p8yptx9t7qqxnqvfjxqer2tfh0fekz7r5l270gu https://pictureroom.substack.com/p/020825 nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzp3padh3au336rew4pzfx78s050p3dw7pmhurgr2ktdcwwxn9svtfqq24s4mrfdm55utg23z55ufs94argvn523k5yqhkrc3 nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzp3padh3au336rew4pzfx78s050p3dw7pmhurgr2ktdcwwxn9svtfqq2nvnr5d4nngw2zgd5k5c6etftrzez9fd9kkcl0pzp"

@ 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.

@ 3ffac3a6:2d656657

Renoters: Proposal for Anonymous Event Relaying in Nostr

This document is a proposal and not an official NIP.

This Document proposes "Renoters," a mechanism for anonymous event relaying in Nostr, inspired by the Mixminion remailer design. Renoters aim to enhance privacy by obscuring the origin of events, making it difficult to trace the author of a message.

Motivation

While Nostr offers a decentralized platform, current relay mechanisms can potentially reveal the source of events. Renoters address this by introducing an onion-routing-like system where events are encrypted and relayed through a series of nodes, making it harder to link the event to its originator. This enhances privacy for users who wish to communicate anonymously or protect their identity.

In some totalitarian regimes, the use of Tor and VPNs is criminalized, making online anonymity dangerous. Even in some democratic countries, merely downloading Tor can mark individuals as suspects. This underscores the need for a decentralized and anonymous communication system that operates independently of commonly surveilled privacy tools.

Proposed Solution

Renoters operate on the principle of "gift-wrapping" events, using asymmetric encryption. A user wishing to send an event anonymously performs the following steps:

1. Event Creation: The user creates the Nostr event they wish to publish.
2. Renoter Path Selection: The user selects a path of Renoters through which the event will be relayed. This path can be pre-configured or dynamically chosen.
3. Gift Wrapping (Encryption and Signing): The user encrypts and signs the event for each Renoter in the path, working in reverse order:
4. A new random Nostr private key (sk_wrapper) is generated.
5. The event (or the previously wrapped event) is encrypted using the next Renoter's Npub (npub_next) using Nostr's standard encryption mechanism (e.g., using shared secrets derived from the private key and the recipient's public key).
6. A new Nostr event is created. This "wrapper" event's content contains the ciphertext. The wrapper event is signed using the newly generated private key sk_wrapper. The wrapper event also includes the next hop's npub_next (or the final destination if it's the last renoter) in cleartext, to allow for routing.
7. Publication: The user publishes the first gift-wrapped event (the one encrypted for the last Renoter in the path). This event is sent to a regular Nostr relay, which then forwards it to the first Renoter in the path.
8. Renoter Relaying: Each Renoter in the path receives the gift-wrapped event, verifies the signature using the sk_wrapper's corresponding public key, decrypts it using its own private key, and forwards the decrypted event (now wrapped for the next Renoter) to the next Renoter in the path. This process continues until the event reaches the final Renoter.
9. Final Delivery: The final Renoter decrypts the event and publishes it to the Nostr network.

Example

Let's say Alice wants to send an event anonymously through Renoters R1, R2, and R3.

1. Alice creates her event.
2. She generates a random private key sk3 and encrypts the event with R3's public key npub_r3.
3. She creates a wrapper event containing the ciphertext and npub_r3, signed with sk3.
4. She generates a random private key sk2 and encrypts the previous wrapper event with R2's public key npub_r2.
5. She creates a wrapper event containing this ciphertext and npub_r2, signed with sk2.
6. She generates a random private key sk1 and encrypts the previous wrapper event with R1's public key npub_r1.
7. She creates a final wrapper event containing this ciphertext and npub_r1, signed with sk1.
8. Alice publishes this final wrapper event.

R1 decrypts with its private key, verifies the signature with the public key corresponding to sk1, and forwards to R2. R2 decrypts, verifies the signature with the public key corresponding to sk2, and forwards to R3. R3 decrypts, verifies the signature with the public key corresponding to sk3, and publishes the original event.

Renoter Incentives (using Cashu)

To incentivize Renoters to participate in the network, this NIP proposes integrating Cashu tokens as a payment mechanism.

• Token Inclusion: When a user creates the initial gift-wrapped event (the one sent to the first Renoter), they include a Cashu token within the event content. This token is itself encrypted and wrapped along with the original message, so only the receiving Renoter can access it.
• Renoter Redemption: Upon receiving a gift-wrapped event, the Renoter decrypts it. If the event contains a Cashu token, the Renoter can decrypt the token and redeem it.
• Renoter Behavior: Paid Renoters would be configured not to relay events that do not contain a valid Cashu token. This ensures that Renoters are compensated for their service. Free Renoters could still exist, but paid Renoters would likely offer faster or more reliable service.
• Token Value and Tiers: Different Cashu token denominations could represent different levels of service (e.g., faster relaying, higher priority). This could create a tiered system where users can pay for better anonymity or speed.
• Token Generation: Users would need a way to acquire Cashu tokens. This could involve purchasing them from a Cashu mint or earning them through other means.

Security Threats and Mitigations

• Anonymity Against Correlation Attacks: Even when using Tor, traffic patterns can still be analyzed to infer the origin of events. To mitigate this risk, Renoters can introduce:

• Random delays in event relaying.

• Dummy packets to complicate statistical analysis by malicious observers.

• Replay Attacks: To mitigate replay attacks, each Renoter must store, for a reasonable period, the IDs of received events and the decrypted events that were forwarded. This ensures that duplicate messages are not processed again.

• Sybil Attacks: Sybil attacks can be mitigated by requiring payments via Cashu tokens for relaying events, increasing the cost of launching such attacks. By ensuring that each relay operation has a monetary cost, attackers are discouraged from creating large numbers of fake identities to manipulate the network.

• Traffic Analysis: Traffic analysis can be mitigated by using Tor for Renoters. Routing events through the Tor network adds an additional layer of anonymity, making it more difficult to track message origins or infer sender-recipient relationships. While Renoters enhance privacy, sophisticated traffic analysis might still be a threat.

Operational Considerations

• Renoter Reliability: The reliability of the Renoter network is crucial.
• Latency: Relaying through multiple Renoters will introduce latency.
• Key Management: While each layer uses a new key, the initial key generation and path selection process need to be secure.

This NIP provides a robust framework for anonymous event relaying in Nostr, leveraging encryption and Cashu-based incentives to enhance privacy and usability.

References

• Untraceable Electronic Mail, Return Addresses, and Digital Pseudonyms: David L. Chaum (https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/358549.358563)

• Mixminion Design: Mixminion: Design of a Type III Anonymous Remailer (https://www.mixminion.net/minion-design.pdf)

• Nostr Protocol: Official Nostr Documentation (https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nostr)
• Cashu Token System: Cashu: Ecash for Bitcoin Lightning (https://cashu.space/)
• Tor Project: The Tor Project - Anonymity Online (https://www.torproject.org/)
• Onion Routing: The Second-Generation Onion Router (https://svn.torproject.org/svn/projects/design-paper/tor-design.pdf)

Privacy #Nostr #Anonymity #Crypto #CensorshipResistance #OnlinePrivacy #Decentralization #Encryption #Security #ThreatMitigation #Micropayments #CryptoEconomy #NextSteps #Development

@ 0b118e40:4edc09cb

In wanting to understand the global economy of manufacturing better and in particular the decline of US manufacturing, I picked up a few books on it. This one is called ‘Why manufacturing is still key to America's future’ by Ro Khanna. It’s a little old but I’ve shared some recent stats as a comparison as well. Ro Khanna was with the U.S. Dept of Commerce, focusing on govt's impact, or lack thereof, on manufacturing. Some key highlights:

1. You can’t split R&D and manufacturing. When you offshore manufacturing, you send off design with it and you lose a big chance to cultivate innovation in the US - Andy Grove, CEO of Intel.
2. Manufacturing is needed to reduce the trade deficit that started in 1971
3. U.S. exports to China are $153.8 billion, imports are $536.8 billion. Hence trade deficit with China is $382.9 billion
4. The private sector demands out-of-the-box thinking. In the gov’t, follow instructions; don’t make waves; keep your head down for career advancement.
5. Small and medium-sized businesses create about half of all manufacturing jobs and make up more than 90 percent of U.S. manufacturers
6. Cluster theory - a lot of business in the surrounding area impacts other businesses i.e. supply chain. On the flip side, businesses shutting down will be like dominoes impacting other businesses. Michael Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations" (1990)
7. Foreign subsidy - foreign companies ie China get a lot of subsidies to build manufacturing - free land, and factory capital. Cheap labour is not the only competition
8. Corporate tax - The US charges heavy corporate tax on foreign earnings hence companies rather invest outside than bring it back - John Chambers, CEO and Chairman Emeritus, Cisco 9 < 1 percent of American businesses export and mostly to Canada and Mexico only
9. US global manufacturing share in the ’90s was >22%. It started slipping in 99’. Today it’s 16.8%. China’s global market share was 3% in the 90, 8% in 2000 - today it is 28.7%

**More inputs **

• Andy Grove, Intel's 3rd employee hired in 1968 and CEO from 1987 to 1998, drove Intel's market cap from $4 billion to nearly $197 billion, making it the world's largest computer chip manufacturer. He highlighted the inseparability of design and manufacturing - which leads to the loss of R&D and innovation in a country when manufacturing is offshored. Grove also questioned the absence of tracking offshored jobs.

• Apple has a similar philosophy in bridging design and manufacturing. Dow Chemical built research facilities outside of the US because it could not separate manufacturing from R&D

• Manufacturing’s deterrent factor is high capex and lower returns compared to the service sector.

• “The Commerce Department was a chronic underperformer, led in recent times by political hacks or bureaucrats, from one party or the other, who simply didn’t get it.” (from the book)

• Manufacturing is needed to reduce the trade deficit. In 2009, the trade deficit reached almost $375 billion - meaning the US spends $375 billion more on foreign economies than it does fueling its economy. (Current trade deficit is $65.5 billion)

• To balance the economy, export more and import less. In 2009, 60% of manufacturing goods were exported (current amount of 80%). But this is not enough to fulfil domestic consumption and reduce imports, hence the need for more manufacturing.

• Trade deficit with China - In 2009, the total trade deficit with China was more than $220 billion, service trade surplus of $6 billion. Today, U.S. export to China is $153.8 billion, imports from China is $536.8 billion, and the trade deficit with China is $382.9 billion (almost double the amount of trade deficit with China in 14 years)

• While knowledge workers are important, must not discount the importance of hands-on technical skills

• The rate of decline in manufacturing increases unemployment in manufacturing jobs such as engineer, designer, or floor operator. The majority of the workforce is Caucasian, with African Americans constituting about 10 percent and Hispanics about 15 percent

• “If the private sector rewards “out of the box” thinking, Washington often expects regurgitation as the norm for career advancement. Follow instructions; don’t make waves; keep your head down—that’s the motto among insiders. It’s something that I didn’t like and never got used to.” (from the book)

• Our nation cannot bleed manufacturing jobs and expect to have a middle class: Bob Baugh, union leader

• Small and medium-sized businesses create about half of all manufacturing jobs and make up more than 90 percent of U.S. manufacturers.

• Importance of local manufacturers in helping the country during turmoil - The Globe factory produced protective clothing for firefighters during 9/11. The challenges were seen during COVID-19, not being able to manufacture masks, medical

• Federal gov’t program: the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) helps small and medium-sized manufacturers improve their competitiveness

• The decline of manufacturing impacts surrounding businesses (I’ve seen it drop like dominoes). This is based on the cluster theory by Professor Michael Porter, introduced in the late 1990s, which emphasizes geographic concentrations of related businesses and institutions in specific industries. Clusters offer advantages like knowledge sharing, talent access, efficient supply chains, and competition-driven innovation, benefiting regional development and global competitiveness.

• Gov’t subsidies: Foreign competitors get hefty government subsidies, including free land, factories, and capital. These subsidies make price competition tough, not just cheap labourers (for example China)

• Corporate tax: Overseas earnings are taxed when brought back to the U.S. Due to high corporate tax rates, companies rather invest these earnings abroad. A one-time tax incentive for repatriation will encourage more domestic investment and job creation (John Chambers of Cisco, and Tim Guertin of Varian)

• General observation - The US pioneers innovation but is unable to keep up the fight when competitors come on board because of the lack of support compared to other countries - i.e. luxury cards, automobiles, automation, silicon industry, solar industry etc

• 95% of the world’s consumers and 70% of the world’s purchasing power are outside the United States (in 2009 and about the same now)

• Only 1 percent of American businesses export.

• Out of that, 58% of the companies that do export only export to Canada or Mexico. They’re still reluctant to venture out to Latin America, Asia, or even Europe.

• Exports make up only 11% of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) - Note, still the same from 2009 to the present. Germany, China, India, Brazil, Russia, UK, Japan - exports more

• Trade shows are useful and costly. A suggestion is for the U.S. government to help cover travel and participation expenses for first-time attendees. These businesses could repay the government if they secure sales at the show, similar to how the Department of Agriculture supports food companies.

• Several countries are subsidised in tradeshows and have pavilions that are chic and modern such as the British, Germany, Turkey, Italy, and Egypt. US’s booths don’t stand out.

• The simplicity of getting paperwork sorted: In 1972, when Andy Grove went to Malaysia to establish Intel’s first foreign operation, the chief minister of Malaysia introduced him to Chet Singh, who headed the state’s Penang Development Corporation. “Chet Singh is your one-stop agent,” the Malaysian chief minister told Mr. Grove. Whenever Intel had an issue with getting a particular license, permit, road paved, or available tax credit, Chet would take care of it. He stayed in his job for more than two decades until the early 1990s, facilitating Intel’s ability to expand its Malaysian presence. Today, Malaysia is home to Intel’s largest manufacturing facility outside the United States (Note: Malaysia doesn’t treat its people the same way)

• Over time I think manufacturing moved away because of some mixture of regulations (not all bad), high-cost labor (unions), higher cost of capital (complex) and a focus on other things (comparative advantage, or misdirected cultural signals?). Bill Gates, 2011

• US global manufacturing share in the 80’s and 90’s was 22% - 24%. It started slipping in 99’. Today it’s 16.8%. China’s global market share was 3% in the 90, 8% in 2000 - today it is 28.7%

• Global Manufacturing Output China – 28.7% United States – 16.8% Japan – 7.5% Germany – 5.3% India – 3.1% South Korea – 3% Italy – 2.1% France – 1.9% United Kingdom – 1.8% Indonesia – 1.6%

@ 6a3d3f20:6a569bcc

Imagina un internet donde tú tienes el control, donde nadie puede silenciarte y donde las conexiones entre personas fluyen sin barreras corporativas. Esto no es un sueño lejano, ¡es la realidad que está tomando forma gracias a Nostr! Este protocolo descentralizado, nacido en 2020 de la mente ingeniosa de un desarrollador brasileño conocido como fiatjaf, ha surgido como una respuesta vibrante a los desafíos del internet actual. En un mundo donde las redes sociales centralizadas han comenzado a tambalearse bajo el peso de la censura, la privacidad comprometida y el control excesivo, Nostr llega como un soplo de aire fresco, prometiendo devolvernos el poder sobre nuestra voz y nuestros datos.

Cómo surge Nostr

El nacimiento de Nostr no fue un accidente, sino una reacción a un panorama digital que pedía a gritos un cambio. Hacia finales de la década de 2010, plataformas como Twitter enfrentaban crecientes críticas por sus políticas de moderación, dejando a muchos usuarios frustrados y silenciados. Al mismo tiempo, alternativas como Mastodon o ActivityPub, aunque descentralizadas, no terminaban de cuajar para todos debido a su complejidad técnica o diferencias culturales. Fue en este caldo de cultivo donde fiatjaf, inspirado por la resistencia de Bitcoin y su criptografía de clave pública, lanzó Nostr en noviembre de 2020. Pero el verdadero punto de inflexión llegó en diciembre de 2022, cuando Jack Dorsey, cofundador de Twitter, donó 14 bitcoins (unos 250,000 dólares) al proyecto. ¡Ese fue el momento en que Nostr pasó de ser un secreto de la comunidad web3 a brillar en el radar global!

Una evolución que no para de sorprendernos

Desde sus humildes comienzos, Nostr ha crecido a pasos agigantados. Su diseño es simple pero poderoso: "Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays" (Notas y otras cosas transmitidas por relevadores) usa servidores ligeros llamados relays para distribuir mensajes firmados criptográficamente por los usuarios. ¿Lo mejor? No depende de un servidor central, lo que lo hace prácticamente ++imposible de censurar++. En sus primeros años, era un terreno experimental, con aplicaciones como Damus (un cliente tipo Twitter) abriendo camino. Hoy, en 2025, la escena es vibrante: desde Primal 2.0, con búsquedas avanzadas y feeds personalizados, hasta integraciones con la Lightning Network de Bitcoin, que permite "zaps" (micropagos) para apoyar a creadores. Los desarrolladores no paran de innovar, creando desde marketplaces descentralizados hasta sistemas de identidad, demostrando que Nostr es mucho más que una red social: ¡es una base para reinventar el internet!

La importancia de Nostr hoy y mañana

¿Por qué Nostr importa tanto ahora? Porque está devolviendo la soberanía a los usuarios en un momento en que la privacidad y la libertad en línea están bajo asedio. Con cada relay que se suma y cada cliente que aparece, Nostr construye una red resistente donde las grandes tecnológicas no dictan las reglas. Su integración con Bitcoin está creando una economía circular emocionante: imagina ganar sats (fracciones de bitcoin) por tus publicaciones o apoyar directamente a tus creadores favoritos sin intermediarios. En febrero de 2025, ya vemos comunidades activas, desde entusiastas de la tecnología hasta artistas, floreciendo en este ecosistema abierto.

De cara al futuro, Nostr tiene el potencial de ser un pilar del internet que siempre quisimos: descentralizado, transparente y al servicio de las personas. No solo compite con las redes sociales tradicionales, sino que las supera al ofrecer un lienzo en blanco para que cualquiera construya lo que imagine, desde plataformas de comunicación hasta soluciones IoT o mercados globales. Su simplicidad invita a miles de desarrolladores a sumarse, y su resistencia a la censura asegura que las voces marginadas siempre tengan un lugar. Si Bitcoin nos dio libertad financiera, Nostr nos está dando libertad digital, y juntos podrían ser la dupla que transforme cómo interactuamos en línea. []()

Un gran futuro nos espera

Nostr no es solo un protocolo; es un movimiento, una chispa de optimismo en un mundo digital que a veces parece gris. Cada vez que alguien se une, configura un relay o prueba una nueva app, estamos dando un paso hacia un internet más justo y emocionante. Así que, ¿qué esperas? Nostr no es el futuro lejano, ¡es el presente vibrante que está creciendo hoy! Únete, experimenta y sé parte de esta revolución que está poniendo el poder de internet de vuelta en nuestras manos. ¡El mañana digital nunca lució tan prometedor!

@ e7bc35f8:3ed2a7cf

With all these decades and - in the case of the oldest democracies - centuries of broken political promises, you’d think that the public would have caught on to the game by now. But no. Still expecting political saviours.

Every election cycle, the public hears how this politician will deliver the nation from its economic woes or that politician will restore a country to its former greatness.

In 1916, Woodrow Wilson was re-elected as president of the United States on the back of his popular campaign slogan, "He Kept Us Out of War". But like all of the presumptive political saviours of the democratic age - in which popularity contests determine who seizes power and the public is swayed by the nicest sounding promises - Wilson, too, promptly broke his word. Just five months after his re-election, he oversaw US entry into the First World War and gave his now-famous speech assuring the public that getting the US into war was necessary to make the world "safe for democracy".

Similarly, Lyndon B. Johnson won election in 1964 promising to limit America’s involvement in Vietnam. "Some others are eager to enlarge the conflict. They call upon us to supply American boys to do the job that Asian boys should do". But this, too, was just another swiftly broken promise by yet another political "saviour". "Air action is now in execution against gunboats and certain supporting facilities in North Vietnam".

Laughably, even George W. Bush "won" the election in 2000 promising a humble American foreign policy and a vow to only fight short, winnable wars with well-defined objectives.

GEORGE W. BUSH:

But I’m gonna be judicious as to how to use the military. It needs to be in our vital interest, the mission needs to be clear and the exit strategy obvious.

And then:

BUSH:

On my orders, coalition forces have begun [sic] striking selected targets of military importance to undermine Saddam Hussein’s ability to wage war.

But this pattern is not just about war and it is not specific to any particular country. Throughout the world, politicians have won elections promising to deliver the inherently undeliverable. What Australian could forget, for example, Bob Hawke’s promise to eliminate child poverty in three years?

And what Greek could forget when Alexis Tsipras was swept to power with a strong populist mandate to stand up to the European Union in the midst of the sovereign debt crisis. Instead, Tsipras immediately sold the nation further into debt by accepting the terms of a punishing €85bn "bailout" package that even Syriza’s own members called a betrayal of the party’s promises.

In 2008, this endlessly escalating wave of political insanity seemed to reach a crescendo as it dashed upon the shores of the presidential campaign of Barack Obama.

B. OBAMA:

There’s something happening when people vote not just for party that they belong to but the votes . . . the hopes that they hold in common. [. . .] We are ready to take this country in a fundamentally new direction. That’s what’s happening in America right now. Change is what’s happening in America!

It may seem ridiculous in 2021 that the mere words "Yes We Can" and "Hope and Change" could have sold not just the American voters but the people of the world on Barack Hussein Obama, a junior US senator whose greatest legislative accomplishment up to that point was sponsoring a bill to rename a post office in Illinois. But, in hindsight, that was exactly what was so effective about the entire "hope and change" campaign. After eight years of neocon carnage - amid the tumult of the ongoing fiasco in Iraq, in the shadow of the rising police state at home, and in the face of the revelations of corporate accounting fraud and banking malfeasance that culminated in a global financial crisis - the public was desperately hoping for change.

OBAMA:

We will remember that there is something happening in America. That we are not as divided as our politics suggest. That we are one people. We are one nation. And together we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast from sea to shining sea: "Yes We Can!" Thank you, New Hampshire. Thank you!

It didn’t matter that Obama, like every other con man to swindle the majority of the population in the great popularity contest we call democracy, lied about every one of his major campaign promises. It didn’t matter that he lied about closing Guantanamo. It didn’t matter that he lied about ending the war of terror.

OBAMA:

And that is why as president I will make the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban the top priority that it should be.

ANNOUNCER:

The Obama administration knowingly gave US taxpayer dollars to an al Qaeda affiliate in Sudan, a joint i24 News – Middle East Forum investigation reveals.

It didn’t matter that he lied about ending the illegal wiretapping of Americans.

OBAMA:

This administration also puts forward a false choice between the liberties we cherish and the security we provide. I will provide our intelligence and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to track and take out the terrorists without undermining our Constitution and our freedom. That means no more illegal wiretapping of American citizens.

And then:

OBAMA:

I came in with a healthy skepticism about these programs. My team evaluated them. We scrubbed them thoroughly. We actually expanded some of the oversight, increased some of the safeguards. But my assessment and my team’s assessment was that they help us prevent terrorist attacks.

None of his broken promises matter, because it was never about any actual, concrete action. If the mass hysteria that swept over the public in 2008 was about achieving tangible results, the Nobel Committee would not have awarded Obama the Nobel Peace Prize less than one year into his first term in office, while he was still waging wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and expanding Bush’s drone war into Pakistan.

No, it was never about action. It was about providing the audience of the political spectacle the scene that they were waiting for. The next political messiah is wheeled onto the stage, he waves his hand and makes everything better, and everyone goes back to their daily struggles for the next four years. The ritual is complete.

Indeed, after thousands of years in which heads of state were worshipped as literal gods on earth or, more recently, as divine appointees, it should come as no surprise that popular presidents and prime ministers are almost always portrayed with recourse to religious iconography. The common trope of photographing presidents with the "halo" of the presidential seal around them is nothing new.

But even taking that history into account, the religious frenzy that Obama’s appearance on the national political stage caused was, in retrospect, undeniably strange.

OBAMA:

Who is Barack Obama? Contrary to the rumors that you’ve heard, I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton and sent here by my father Jor-El to save the planet Earth.

In the hysteria of the 2008 campaign, Obama wasn’t received by the public as a political candidate with a series of policy prescriptions for improving the country. He was the god from the machine, the deus ex machina who could appear on stage and bless everyone with his absolution. Obama was not just Superman but the God of All Things, a Heaven-Sent shining New Hope bathed in angelic light who was the literal Second Coming.

JAMIE FOXX:

First of all, give an honour to God and our Lord and Savior, Barack Obama!

And by the time the public finally snapped from their reverie and realized that, after all, Obama was just another politician...

CONTESSA BREWER:

The former director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute says he regrets awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to President Barack Obama in 2009.

CENK YOGURT:

He lied! It’s not subtle, He said “There will be no spying on citizens who are not suspected of a crime.” He lied. There is spying on all of us and we’re not suspected of a crime. Barack Obama is a liar! Can I make it clearer?

Obama had already served his role as the next political saviour and, having served that function, he could be discarded like yesterday’s newspaper. For those who believed that the 2008 campaign was the apotheosis of the Hope and Change routine, this was the end of the line for this political charade. Looking at the process from a rational perspective, one could be forgiven for thinking that the public had learned its lesson and that no politician would be able to bamboozle the public like that again as long as the Obama legacy was in living memory. 👉 But this is not a rational process, and those who believed that could not have been more wrong.

Lest there be any confusion that the public was being prepared for another deus ex machina ritual, this time the god descended onto the political stage via a literal machine, a golden escalator. And, from his dais, this god, too, brought good tidings to the cheering crowd: the country is saved once again!

DONALD TRUMP:

Ladies and gentlemen, I am officially running for President of the United States and we are going to make our country great again!

The next day, it was revealed that the scene was a literal stage play. The adoring crowd were not grassroots supporters of Donald Trump who all spontaneously decided to wear the same Trump t-shirts and awkwardly pose with their "homemade" signs for the cameras, but, as an FEC investigation later confirmed, literal actors paid $50 each by the Extra Mile Casting agency on behalf of their client, Gotham Government Relations & Communications.

But it didn’t matter. Like all the iterations of the President Messiah script that came before, Trump’s Make America Great Again psychodrama was already having its intended effect on the population. In some ways, MAGA was a mere repeat of the Obama Hope and Change template. Here, too, candidate Trump promised the moon that President Trump steadfastly failed to deliver.

He | did not I drain I the I swamp.

He did not end the wars.

He did not stand up to medical-industrial complex.

And, like the Obamessiah, Trump, too, took on the role of divine redeemer of the nation, second only to Christ himself.

Trump (Trump assured us) was loved by the Jewish people in Israel like the "second coming of God". And once again the president was being portrayed as "heaven-sent", a man chosen by God Himself to lead America back to the promised land.

RICK PERRY:

And I shared it with him. I said, Mr. President, I know there are people that say you said you were the chosen one and I said, "You were." I said, "If you’re a believing Christian, you understand God’s plan for the people who rule and judge over us on this planet in our government.

ED HENRY:

And lest people on the left attack Rick Perry, he pointed out to me he believes Barack Obama was sent by God as well. He said for that moment and that time. He said he thinks for this moment and this time, Donald Trump was sent by God to do great things.

Or, as the internet users who helped build the momentum for the Trump train during the 2016 campaign put it in their popular meme, Trump was the God Emperor, a GEOTUS who would smite the wicked and own the libs.

Yes, the Trump script seemed to be a mere rehash of the Obama script. But it was not. You see, this was not the same plot as Hope and Change. Make America Great Again had a more exciting storyline. In the MAGA stage play, the god from the machine was himself in trouble and needed saving from the powerful, evil forces that were ganging up against him. And this time, the god himself would be saved by his own god from a machine. This script involved an incredible double deus ex machina!

The god that would save God Emperor Trump, however, was not a political figure at all, but a shadowy, anonymous entity. And the machine that delivered him was not a golden escalator, but an online message board.

The "Q Anon" phenomenon began on October 28, 2017, when "Q" - a user of the "politically incorrect" board of 4chan, the anonymous imageboard website - made a post claiming that a massive military operation was underway to arrest Hillary Clinton and bring down the cabal of evil politicians that was filling the swamp of Washington.

Within days, the anonymous poster was assuring his 4chan followers of the imminent indictment of Clinton campaign insiders John Podesta and Huma Abedin. And on November 2nd, less than a week after the initial post, the poster was calling himself "Q Clearance Patriot" and claiming that "over the course of the next several days you will undoubtedly realize that we are taking back our great country".

In every way, these early "Q Drops" exemplify the QAnon phenomenon that it spawned. They pick up on the language and code words of classified government operations, like "Mockingbird" and "Q clearance". They pretend to impart insider information about high-level political events, even predicting specific events on specific dates, like the arrest announcement of Podesta and the beginning of a military coup. And they pose a series of vague rhetorical questions ("Why does Potus surround himself w/ generals? What is military intelligence? Why go around the 3 letter agencies?") that feel important without providing any specific knowledge or insight.

As Q’s notoriety grew, so, too, did the grandiosity of his predictions, promises and pronouncements. Followers were told to expect "False flag(s)" and that there would be "fireworks" but that the president would be "100% insulated". They were exhorted to "TRUST [Attorney General Jeff] SESSIONS" and assured that Feb. 1, 2018, would be the "[D]ay [Of] [D]ays". They were promised a "parade that will never be forgotten" on November 11th of 2018. They were assured that Mark Zuckerberg was stepping down as chairman of Facebook. July 2018 would be the month "the world discovered the TRUTH", with Q asserting that there would be "conspiracy no more".

Of course, every one of these pronouncements was categorically wrong. But, as Q taught his followers to believe, "Disinformation is real" and "Disinformation is necessary", so these false predictions were in fact signs that Q was telling the truth. It didn’t make sense. It didn’t have to. All it had to do was fill the viewers of the unfolding political spectacle with hopium, the belief that this new god from the machine was going to swoop in with his Q Clearance compatriots and save the day at the last moment.

Remarkably, that belief persisted even after the last moment. 🔸Q Anon Posts Debate & Discussion With Praying Medic [Rare Interview & Question] 🔸ACTUAL INTERVEIW [sic] Dr Steve Pieczenik DHS watermarked every ballot with QFS Blockchain Encryption 🔸HELLSCAPE: 72 HOURS TO SAVE THE REPUBLIC 🔸EP. 2501B – TRAP SET, THESE PEOPLE ARE STUPID, DO YOU SEE THE STORM FORMING,PANIC IN DC

It is not hard to see why Q became so popular. Like every good deus ex machina, Q promised to deliver the audience of the current political drama exactly what they wanted: an entertaining, exciting and satisfying resolution to the play, delivering the hero (Trump) from evil (the Democrats) just in the nick of time. It is not coincidence that "Enjoy the show" and "Get the popcorn" became favourite phrases of Q and the QAnon followers. This was, after all, just that: a show. A scripted drama designed to play on the psyche of the audience.

The clue comes in Q’s constant exhortations for his follower to trust. 🔸Trust Sessions. 🔸Trust Grassley. 🔸Trust POTUS. 🔸 Trust the plan.

The terminology - as well as the methodology - of the Q operation evokes Operation Trust, a Soviet counterintelligence program in the 1920s that took over a pro-monarchist organization, the "Monarchist Union of Central Russia". The Soviets used operatives within the organization to persuade members that they should not engage in militant activity against the government because a plan was underway for internal anti-Bolshevik forces to topple the regime. Trust the plan.

In this case, "trusting the plan" got members of the opposition either put on trial and sent to the gulags or blackmailed into working for Soviet intelligence.

Q certainly did pacify many with his constant entreaty to "trust the plan". Q also rallied people time and time again to support the policies, operations and personnel of the very deep state that they were supposedly fighting against. Suddenly Jeff Sessions, Bill Barr, John Bolton and other long-time members of the political establishment were the good guys in this elaborate drama. 99% of the agents at the CIA, FBI, DOJ and NSA were "patriots" who "serve[d] with distinction" and thus needed to be supported. The decades-long neocon dream of invading Iran became, in the eyes of Q followers, a good and noble cause.

But even beyond the pacification of those who would otherwise be resisting the government, the "Q Army" of self-styled "Digital soldiers" provided the very foil that the deep state needed to move to the next step of their counter-insurgency program: The crackdown on "domestic terrorism".

🔸FBI Warns Of Potential For More Violence From QAnon Followers 🔸FBI warns conspiracy theories fuel domestic terrorism 🔸Former CIA official Jeremy Bash, now of NBC News 🔸A Message from President Donald J. Trump

After years of being told to "get the popcorn" and "enjoy the show", the Q Anon movement slowly began to realize that they were had. Worse, the very intelligence agencies and military that they had so fervently hoped would swoop in and save the day are the very agencies that were swooping in to round them up. But QAnon was by no means the first time that hopium has been injected into the veins of the "conspiracy research community".

In the 1990s, a power industry teaching consultant named Harvey Francis Barnard developed a proposed set of reforms for America’s monetary and tax system that he called the National Economic Security and Recovery Act, or NESARA. He self-published a book outlining his proposal, sent copies to members of Congress, started an institute to promote the idea and, in 2000, published his proposal on the internet. At that point, NESARA became the centerpiece of an elaborate hoax promulgated by an online charlatan calling herself "The Dove of Oneness". In this story, the NESARA bill is a miracle: it abolishes income taxes, forgives mortgages, zeroes out credit cards and declares peace. Even more miraculous: in a stunning move only known to The Dove of Oneness, the bill had been secretly passed by Congress and was due to take effect on September 11, 2001, which is why the World Trade Center was destroyed. But, like every good drama, this story, too, had a deus ex machina to keep Dove’s internet audience hanging on and enjoying the show: the White Knights, "an underground group of good guys [. . .] who were in high positions within all these institutions, who were fed up with the status quo and were planning a coup d’état that was going to happen ‘very soon.'"

Just as with Q, the cult that grew around the NESARA myth with its White Knight gods from the machine promised specific events on specific dates. Every time a prediction failed to happen, followers were reassured that the long-promised coup had been delayed so that the White Knights could better prepare the public for the pandemonium that would ensue when they swoop in to save the day. In the meantime, followers could get the popcorn and enjoy the show, knowing that all their debt would soon be forgiven and that peace on earth was just around the corner. And the name of that book in which Barnard first laid out his NESARA proposal? 👉 Draining The Swamp.

Yes, the deus ex machina story is trotted out every few years under different guises. A secret order of ninjas is preparing to assassinate the evil Illuminati and bring peace to the world. A secret stash of trillions of dollars is about to be shared out with the people of the world, ending all poverty. A cosmic realignment is going to take place on December 21st, 2012, raising humanity to a higher level of consciousness and ending all strife and suffering. An anonymous 4chan poster is leaking classified information about a good military coup that’s going to restore order and drain the swamp. The incredible Trump's X-Men.

The message is always the same: Get the popcorn and enjoy the show. The god is coming from the machine to save you. Just wait. Over and over we see the same story play out. The crowd begins to lose interest in the political stage play. They begin to suspect that it’s fake. That reality is taking place somewhere off stage and out of sight. They begin to realize that they are not spectators at all, but active participants with the ability to shape the world around them. And then along comes a god from a machine peddling hopium and the audience goes back to enjoying the show.

None of this is to denigrate the religious instinct that compels humans to look for a saviour from the heavens. On the contrary. Those with religious faith should be the most offended by this god from the machine script that sees their most cherished, divine beliefs cynically played on by would-be political rulers masquerading as gods.

Now, we must not abandon hope itself. As part of the triumvirate of faith, hope and charity, hope is a virtue to be cherished. Genuine hope is the rocket fuel that humans use to propel themselves towards their goals. Without hope, there would be no motivation to do anything to improve our situation. But that is the difference. Hope compels us to go out there and try to improve our situation. Fake hopes, on the other hand, convinces us that someone else has taken care of the problem. That we can just sit back, get the popcorn and enjoy the show. Like the dope peddler on the street corner, the politicians and hucksters are always ready to satisfy their mark with a dose of false hopes. And the public, more often than not, is only too happy to take it.

But fake hope is a deadly drug, and the god from the machine is nothing but a cheap stage trick. Nothing will change until we stop enjoying the show and realize that we are not spectators watching history unfold from the sidelines. We are history’s actors, and, propelled by genuine hope, we can and will change the world.

@ d34e832d:383f78d0

[npub16d8gxt2z4k9e8sdpc0yyqzf5gp0np09ls4lnn630qzxzvwpl0rgq5h4rzv]

Data Storage via Blobs in a Decentralized Manner
Blobs (Binary Large Objects) offer a flexible method of storing large chunks of data, and in the context of decentralized systems, they allow for secure, distributed storage solutions. In a decentralized world, where privacy and autonomy are key, managing data in a distributed manner ensures data isn't controlled or censored by a single entity. Here are three key systems enabling decentralized blob storage:

1. Blossom Server
   Blossom Server provides a decentralized platform for storing and sharing large blobs of data. Blossom Server allows users to host their own data and retrieve it from a decentralized network, ensuring that data is not stored in centralized servers. This platform is open-source, offering flexibility and security through peer-to-peer data storage.

2. Perkeep
   Perkeep (formerly known as Camlistore) is a decentralized data storage system that allows for storing blobs of data in a distributed manner. It focuses on the long-term storage of large data sets, such as personal collections of photos, videos, and documents. By using Perkeep, users can ensure that their data remains private and is not controlled by any central authority. The system uses a unique identifier to access data, promoting both privacy and integrity.

3. IPFS (InterPlanetary File System)
   IPFS is another popular decentralized file storage system that uses the concept of blobs to store and share data. IPFS allows users to store and access data in a decentralized manner by using a peer-to-peer network. Each piece of data is given a unique hash, ensuring that it is verifiable and tamper-proof. By leveraging IPFS, users can store everything from simple files to large applications, all without relying on centralized servers.

By using these decentralized data storage solutions, individuals and organizations can safeguard their information, increase privacy, and contribute to a more resilient and distributed internet infrastructure.

Higher-Level Goals for Blob Storage Blob storage via Blossom ,Perkeep and IPFS has goals to become a decentralized, self-sufficient protocol for data storage, management, and sharing. While some of these features are already being implemented, they represent a broader vision for the future of decentralized personal data management.

1. Filesystem Backups
   Allows for easy, incremental backups. Using the pk-put tool, users can back up files and directories quickly and efficiently. Incremental backups, which save only the changes made since the last backup, are essentially free, making Perkeep an efficient choice for backup solutions. This initial use case has already been implemented, providing seamless and secure backups for personal data.

2. Efficient Remote Filesystem
   The goal is to create a highly efficient, aggressively caching remote filesystem using Perkeep. A read-only version of this filesystem is already trivial to implement, while read-write functionality remains an area of active development. Every modification in the filesystem would be snapshotted implicitly, providing version control as a default. This would enable users to interact with their data in a remote environment while ensuring that every change is tracked and recoverable.

3. Decentralized Sharing System
   Perkeep is working towards enabling users to share data in a decentralized manner. The system will allow individuals to share anything with anyone or everyone, with privacy being the default setting. This decentralized sharing is already starting to work, and users can now share data with others while retaining control over who sees their information.

4. Blog / Photo Hosting / Document Management CMS
   Perkeep aims to replace traditional blog platforms, photo hosting services, and document management software. By running a personal blog, photo gallery, and document management system (CMS) on Perkeep, users will have full control over their content. Permissions will be configurable, allowing for personal or public sharing. The author intends to use Perkeep for his own blog, gallery, and document management needs, further demonstrating its versatility.

5. Decentralized Social Networking
   While still a lofty goal, decentralized social networking is a persistent aim for Perkeep. By implementing features like comments and tagging, users could attach metadata to images and content. Through claims, users could sign data and verify identities, promoting trust in social interactions. This would allow for decentralized social networking where users control their own data and interactions.

6. Import/Export Adapters for Hosted Web Services
   Perkeep intends to bridge the gap between decentralized storage and traditional hosted web services. This feature would allow users to mirror data between hosted services and their private Perkeep storage. Whether content is created in Perkeep or hosted services, the goal is to ensure that data is always backed up privately, ensuring users' data is theirs forever.

Combined Goals for Blossom and IPFS

Both Blossom and IPFS share common goals of decentralizing data storage, enhancing privacy, and providing users with greater control over their data. Together, these technologies enable:

• Self-Sovereign Data Management: Empowering users to store and manage their data without relying on centralized platforms.
• Resilient and Redundant Storage: Offering decentralized and redundant data storage that ensures availability and security.
• Private and Permissioned Sharing: Enabling secure, private data sharing where the user controls who has access to their content.

By focusing on these goals, both Blossom and IPFS are contributing to a future where individuals control their own data, collaborate more efficiently in decentralized networks and P4P protocols, and ensure the privacy and security of their digital assets.

These technologies in conjunction with nostr lead one to discover user agency and autonomy, where you can actually own and interface with your own data allowing for value creation and content creation strategies.

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Decentralized Publishing: ChainScribe: How to Approach Studying NIPs (Nostr Improvement Proposals)

[npub16d8gxt2z4k9e8sdpc0yyqzf5gp0np09ls4lnn630qzxzvwpl0rgq5h4rzv]

How to Approach Studying NIPs (Nostr Improvement Proposals)

NIPs (Nostr Improvement Proposals) provide a framework for suggesting and discussing improvements to the Nostr protocol, a decentralized network for open communication. Studying NIPs is crucial for understanding the evolution of Nostr and its underlying principles. To effectively approach this, it's essential to follow a systematic, structured process.

1. Familiarize with the Nostr Protocol: Before diving into the specifics of each NIP, gain a solid understanding of the core Nostr protocol. This includes its goals, architecture, and key components like pubkeys, events, and relays.
2. Explore the NIP Catalog: Visit nostr-nips.com to browse through the available NIPs. Focus on the most recent proposals and those that align with your interests or areas of expertise.
3. Review the Proposal Structure: Each NIP follows a standard structure, typically including a description of the problem, proposed solution, and rationale. Learn to read and evaluate these elements critically, paying attention to how each proposal aligns with Nostr’s decentralized ethos.
4. Follow Active Discussions: Many NIPs are actively discussed within the community. Follow relevant channels, such as GitHub issues or dedicated discussion forums, to understand community feedback and potential revisions.
5. Understand Dependencies: Some NIPs are designed to work in tandem with others or require other technological advancements. Recognize these relationships to better understand the broader implications of any proposal.
6. Hands-On Testing: If possible, test NIPs in a development environment to see how they function in practice. Experimenting with proposals will help deepen your understanding and expose potential challenges or flaws.
7. Contribute to Proposals: If you have insights or suggestions, contribute to the discussion or propose your own improvements. NIPs thrive on community participation, and your input can help shape the future of Nostr.

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In a recent episode of The Survival Podcast, host Jack Spirko presents a contrarian view on the current trade war and tariffs imposed by the U.S. government. Far from being a chaotic or irrational policy, Jack argues that these tariffs are part of a broader strategic plan to rewire the global trade system in America's favor—and to force long-overdue changes in the domestic economy. Here's a breakdown of the core reasons Jack believes this is happening (or will happen) as a result of the tariffs:In a recent episode of The Survival Podcast, host Jack Spirko presents a contrarian view on the current trade war and tariffs imposed by the U.S. government. Far from being a chaotic or irrational policy, Jack argues that these tariffs are part of a broader strategic plan to rewire the global trade system in America's favor—and to force long-overdue changes in the domestic economy. Here's a breakdown of the core reasons Jack believes this is happening (or will happen) as a result of the tariffs:

1. Tariffs Are a Tool, Not the Goal

Jack’s central thesis is that tariffs are not meant to be a permanent fixture—they’re a pressure tactic. The goal isn’t protectionism for its own sake, but rather to reset trade relationships that have historically disadvantaged the U.S. For example, Taiwan responded to the tariffs not with retaliation but by proactively offering to reduce barriers and increase imports from the U.S. That, Jack says, is the intended outcome: cooperation on better terms.

2. Forced Deleveraging to Prevent Collapse

One of the boldest claims Jack makes is that the Trump administration used the tariffs as a catalyst to trigger a “controlled burn” of an over-leveraged stock market. According to him, large institutions were deeply leveraged in equities, and had the bubble popped organically later in the year, it would have required massive bailouts. Instead, the shock caused by tariffs triggered early deleveraging, avoiding systemic failure.

“I’m telling you, a bailout scenario was just avoided... This was intentional.” – Jack Spirko

3. Global Re-shoring and Domestic Manufacturing

Tariffs are incentivizing companies to move production back to the U.S., especially in key areas like semiconductors, energy, and industrial goods. This shift is being further accelerated by global geopolitical instability, creating a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to rebuild small-town America and domestic supply chains.

4. Not Inflationary—Strategically Deflationary

Jack challenges conventional economic wisdom by arguing that tariffs themselves do not cause inflation, because inflation is a function of monetary expansion—not rising prices alone. In fact, he believes this economic shift may lead to deflation in some sectors, particularly as companies liquidate inventory, lower prices to remain competitive, and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.

“Rising prices alone are not inflation. Inflation is expansion of the money supply.” – Jack Spirko

5. Energy Costs Will Fall

A drop in global oil prices, partially due to reduced transport needs as manufacturing reshoring increases, plays into the strategy. Jack notes that oil at $60 per barrel weakens adversaries like Russia (whose economy depends heavily on high oil prices) while keeping U.S. production viable. Lower energy costs also benefit domestic manufacturers.

6. The Digital Dollar & Global Dollarization

Alongside this industrial shift, the U.S. is poised to roll out a “digital dollar” infrastructure, giving global access to stablecoins backed by U.S. banks. Jack frames this as an effort to further entrench the dollar as the world’s dominant currency—ensuring continued global demand and export leverage without the need for perpetual military enforcement.

7. A Window of Opportunity for Americans

For individuals, Jack sees this economic transformation as a rare chance to accumulate long-term assets—stocks, Bitcoin, and real estate—while prices are suppressed. He warns that those who panic and sell are operating with a “poverty mindset,” whereas those who stay the course will benefit from what he describes as “the greatest fire sale of productive assets in a generation.”

---

Conclusion: Not a Collapse, But a Reset

Rather than viewing tariffs as a harbinger of economic doom, Jack presents them as part of a forced evolution—an uncomfortable but necessary reboot of the U.S. economic operating system. Whether or not it works as intended, he argues, this is not a haphazard policy. It’s a calculated reshaping of global and domestic economic dynamics, and one with enormous implications for trade, energy, inflation, and the average American investor.

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อะไรคือ Heliotherapy

ถ้าลองหลับตา แล้วนึกถึงคนยุโรปยุคต้นศตวรรษที่ 20 ที่กำลังนอนอาบแดดบนภูเขา ห่มผ้าขนหนูบาง ๆ เปิดผิวให้พระอาทิตย์ลูบไล้ เฮียกำลังนึกถึงภาพของการรักษาโรคอย่างหนึ่งที่เรียกว่า Heliotherapy หรือ การบำบัดด้วยแสงอาทิตย์ ซึ่งเคยเป็นหนึ่งในศาสตร์ทางการแพทย์ที่ถูกยอมรับอย่างเป็นทางการ โดยเฉพาะในยุคที่ยังไม่มี “ยาปฏิชีวนะ”

Heliotherapy ไม่ได้เกิดจากความงมงาย แต่จากหลักฐานจริงจัง โดยเฉพาะผลงานของ ดร.ออกุสต์ โรลเลอร์ (Dr. Auguste Rollier) แพทย์ชาวสวิตเซอร์แลนด์ ผู้บุกเบิกการใช้แสงแดดรักษาผู้ป่วยวัณโรคกระดูกอย่างได้ผลในช่วงต้นศตวรรษที่ 20 เขาก่อตั้ง “โรงพยาบาลแห่งแสงอาทิตย์” บนเทือกเขาแอลป์ โดยให้ผู้ป่วยขึ้นไปอยู่ในที่สูงกว่า 1,500 เมตรเหนือระดับน้ำทะเล แล้วเปิดรับแสงแดดอย่างเป็นระบบ

ที่น่าสนใจคือ โรลเลอร์มีข้อกำหนดชัดเจนว่า ห้ามผู้ป่วยใส่แว่นกันแดดเด็ดขาด เพราะ “ดวงตา” คือหนึ่งในอวัยวะสำคัญที่ต้องรับรังสี UV เพื่อนำข้อมูลไปกระตุ้นต่อมไพเนียลในสมอง ส่งผลต่อวงจรชีวภาพ ฮอร์โมน และระบบภูมิคุ้มกันทั้งหมด ถ้าเราอาบแดดแต่ใส่แว่นดำ เท่ากับปิดประตูสำคัญของระบบบำบัดจากธรรมชาติ

แต่ถ้าย้อนกลับไปก่อนหน้านั้นอีกนิด เราจะเจอ “ต้นฉบับของแนวคิดแสงบำบัด” อยู่ที่ ดร.นีลส์ ฟินเซน (Dr. Niels Ryberg Finsen) นายแพทย์ชาวเดนมาร์ก ผู้ได้รับ รางวัลโนเบลสาขาสรีรวิทยาหรือการแพทย์ ในปี ค.ศ. 1903 จากการใช้แสงสว่างในการรักษาโรค Lupus vulgaris ซึ่งเป็นวัณโรคชนิดเรื้อรังที่แสดงออกบนผิวหนัง โดยเขาออกแบบอุปกรณ์ “Finsen Lamp” เพื่อฉายแสงตรงเข้าไปรักษาเซลล์ผิวโดยเฉพาะ และถือเป็นบิดาแห่ง Phototherapy ยุคใหม่

ทำไมแค่ “แดด” ถึงมีฤทธิ์บำบัด? แสงแดดคือคลังยาแห่งธรรมชาติอย่างแท้จริง เพราะประกอบด้วยรังสี UV หลายชนิด โดยเฉพาะ UVB ที่กระตุ้นให้ผิวหนังสร้าง วิตามินดี (Vitamin D3) ซึ่งมีบทบาทเสมือนฮอร์โมนที่ควบคุมระบบภูมิคุ้มกัน การอักเสบ และการดูดซึมแร่ธาตุต่าง ๆ เช่น แคลเซียมและแมกนีเซียม

แต่แดดไม่ได้มีแค่ UV แสงแดดในช่วงเช้ายังเต็มไปด้วยคลื่นแสงสีแดงและอินฟราเรดใกล้ (Near Infrared Light) ซึ่งมีบทบาทสำคัญในการซ่อมแซมไมโทคอนเดรีย—the powerhouse of the cell และช่วยกระตุ้นการหลั่งไนตริกออกไซด์ในหลอดเลือด ทำให้ระบบไหลเวียนโลหิตดีขึ้น ความดันสมดุลขึ้น และฟื้นฟูอวัยวะลึก ๆ ได้อย่างเงียบ ๆ

พูดง่าย ๆ คือ แดดเช้า = เติมแบตชีวภาพ ยิ่งแสงอาทิตย์กระทบผิวเราผ่าน “ดวงตาเปล่า” (โดยไม่ใส่แว่นกันแดดในช่วงเช้า) ก็ยิ่งช่วย “รีเซ็ตนาฬิกาชีวภาพ” ให้เราตื่นตรงเวลา หลับลึกขึ้น และเพิ่มการหลั่งเมลาโทนินในตอนค่ำโดยอัตโนมัติ

ในโลกที่คนวิ่งหาฮอร์โมนจากขวด การนอนตากแดด 10–20 นาทีต่อวัน กลับกลายเป็นเวทมนตร์ราคาถูกที่เรามองข้าม

และงานวิจัยจาก มหาวิทยาลัยเอดินบะระ (University of Edinburgh) ประเทศสกอตแลนด์ ก็ได้ยืนยันว่า แสงแดดมีส่วนช่วยลดความดันโลหิตได้จริง โดยไม่จำเป็นต้องพึ่งวิตามินดีเลยด้วยซ้ำ เพราะเมื่อแสงยูวีจากดวงอาทิตย์สัมผัสผิวหนัง จะกระตุ้นให้เกิดการปลดปล่อย “ไนตริกออกไซด์” (Nitric Oxide) จากชั้นผิวเข้าสู่ระบบหมุนเวียนโลหิต ซึ่งมีผลทำให้หลอดเลือดขยายตัว ความดันโลหิตลดลง และลดความเสี่ยงโรคหัวใจอย่างเห็นผล

นี่แปลว่าแสงแดดไม่เพียงแค่สว่าง แต่มันกำลัง “พูดภาษาเคมี” กับร่างกายเราอย่างเงียบ ๆ ทุกเช้า

ในยุคที่การแพทย์พัฒนาไปสุดทาง เทคโนโลยีผ่าตัดทำได้ถึงระดับนาโนเมตร กลับมีหมอบางคนหันกลับมาบอกว่า “คุณแค่ต้องออกไปรับแดดเช้า” เพื่อให้ร่างกายฟื้นตัวดีกว่าการพึ่งยาเพียงอย่างเดียว ดีไหมหล่ะ แต่ขอโทษทีคุณหมอที่บอกให้ไปตากแดดช่างมีน้อยเหลือเกินเมื่อดูในภาพรวม

Heliotherapy จึงไม่ใช่แค่การอาบแดด แต่คือการกลับไปเชื่อมโยงกับวงจรธรรมชาติ เหมือนคนโบราณที่เคารพดวงอาทิตย์ เพราะเขารู้ว่าพระอาทิตย์ไม่เคยหลอกเรา

ขณะที่ fiat ผลิตเม็ดสีสังเคราะห์และวิตามินปลอม ๆ พระอาทิตย์กลับให้ของจริง โดยไม่เรียกเก็บภาษีด้วย

ใครมีเวลา วันนี้เฮียขอชวนไปยืนรับแสงเช้า 10 นาที ไม่ต้องทำอะไร แค่ยืนเฉย ๆ ให้แสงซึมเข้าตา ซึมลงผิว แล้วฟังเสียงเงียบของร่างกายที่กำลังซ่อมแซมตัวเอง เงียบจนเราอาจได้ยินเสียงหัวใจบอกว่า "ขอบคุณนะ ที่ออกมารับแดดกับฉัน" #SundaySpecialเราจะไปเป็นหมูแดดเดียว #pirateketo #ตำรับเอ๋

@ c43d6de3:a6583169

"So, What’s the News?"

Were it not for these very words, we might never have had a modern capitalistic society.

Between 1500 and 1800, coffeehouses were more than just places to grab a quick hit of caffeine—they were the beating heart of local communities. These spaces buzzed with debate, discussion, and the exchange of groundbreaking ideas. Strangers became intellectual sparring partners, not merely reading the news but dissecting and debating it in real-time.

One could easily imagine Adam Smith engaged in animated conversation with David Hume in a coffeehouse on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile—the former outlining the invisible hand of the market, the latter countering that human behavior is driven more by emotion than reason. Such debates weren’t confined to elite scholars. Merchants, craftsmen, and common laborers sat shoulder to shoulder, engaging in discussions that transcended social class.

But then came industrialization.

The rise of factory life replaced the organic rhythms of community engagement with rigid work schedules. As cities expanded and people became busier, the once-thriving coffeehouses—where time was slow, conversation was deep, and debate was central—began to empty. The demand for efficiency left little room for leisurely discussions, and over time, the public square of ideas withered.

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Empty Street Corners and Hollow Venues

Adam Smith would lose his mind with how interconnected the world is today.

Yet, he might also notice something unsettling: while we are globally connected, our local communities feel more fragmented than ever before.

He’d have a hell of an online presence but he, just like many do today, might get the sense that something isn't quite right. The world is quieterthan ever before while online discourse teeters on the verge of violent physical manifestations.

It’s not that public discourse has disappeared. Rather, it has been exiled to the internet. Social media has become our new coffeehouse, but instead of robust face-to-face engagement, we navigate a landscape of curated algorithms, viral outrage, and fragmented conversations. The once-public square of ideas has transformed into isolated echo chambers, where avatars shape narratives that must be adhered to lest one be accused of inconsistency and lose credibility.

The result? People live layered lives with layered personas—some even attaining secret fame in online communities while remaining anonymous in their own neighborhoods. Meanwhile, the street corners remain empty, and the venues that once thrived with the fervor of intellectual thought stand hollow.

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The Need for a Modern Coffeehouse

Historically, coffeehouses were revolutionary because they democratized knowledge. They provided an open forum for ideas, allowing philosophy, politics, and commerce to intermingle freely. Unlike monasteries or universities, coffeehouses welcomed anyone who could afford a cup of coffee.

With the rise of digital discourse, have we lost something essential? The depth, accountability, and personal engagement that once defined public debate have been replaced by reactionary commentary and fleeting viral moments. The question is no longer where we discuss ideas—it’s how we engage with them.

We need to ask ourselves: Can we reclaim a physical space for intellectual exchange? Or has the age of meaningful, face-to-face discourse faded, vanishing with the steam of yesterday’s coffee?

Can We Bring Back the Local Forum? Should We Care?

Before coffeehouses, philosophy lived in elite institutions and royal courts. With the rise of coffee culture, it became truly public, shaping modern democracy, scientific thought, and social progress. The internet, for all its wonders, lacks the tactile, immediate, and personal engagement that once made intellectual debate so powerful.

The challenge ahead is not just about nostalgia for coffeehouse debates—it’s about asking whether we can create new spaces, physical or digital, that foster real intellectual exchange. Without them, we risk losing something fundamental: the ability to challenge, refine, and reshape our ideas through genuine human connection. But most of all, we risk the possibility great ideas come but no action is ever taken to make them real in this real world.

So, what’s the news?

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In a world of relentless change and mounting political chaos, developing a carefully reasoned worldview feels both urgent and indispensable. Modern existence throws us into a tempest of technological leaps, ethical dilemmas, and existential questions, pressing us to find clarity amid the chaos. Philosophy rises to meet this challenge—not as a leisurely diversion, but as a disciplined effort to probe truth and cultivate wisdom.

This blog sets out to invite readers to wrestle with life’s big questions and their relevance now. My aim is to unpack foundational concepts with precision, tying them to the realities of our time. This space is for serious reflection—rigorous yet accessible—where we can scrutinize the beliefs that steer our lives.

Philosophy as Theory Making About Theories I’ve always been struck by an idea from Wilfred Sellars: philosophy is about crafting theories about our theories. It’s a process of stepping back to examine the very frameworks we use to make sense of the world. As Sellars put it, “The aim of philosophy, abstractly formulated, is to understand how things in the broadest possible sense of the term hang together in the broadest possible sense of the term.” To me, this captures philosophy’s essence—it’s not just about asking what we believe, but why we believe it, and how those beliefs hold together. We all operate with answers to life’s deepest questions, whether we’ve thought them through or not, and they form the silent foundation of our worldview.

Here are some of the questions philosophy urges us to confront:

What gives human life its purpose? Are our choices genuinely free, or shaped by unseen forces? How do we discern right from wrong? Is certain knowledge possible, or is truth forever out of reach? What lies beyond death? Is there an ultimate reality or higher power? What makes a life meaningful? These aren’t idle musings—they quietly shape how we act, what we value, and how we see the world. As Socrates cautioned, an unexamined life risks being lived without purpose or understanding. Philosophy, as theory making about theories, pushes us to take charge of our beliefs, testing and refining them through reason.

Why This Matters Now Today, the need for this kind of reflection is sharper than ever. We’re awash in information and clashing viewpoints, each vying for our allegiance. Meanwhile, breakthroughs like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and global connectivity force us to rethink what it means to be human. How do we stay human when machines rival our abilities? How do we judge right and wrong in a world of endless options?

Philosophy equips us to tackle these questions with clarity. It teaches us to pause, question what we assume, and construct thoughtful answers to the problems we face. By engaging in this theory-making process, we gain insight into both the world and ourselves.

Come Along for the Ride This blog is an open call to dive into these ideas together. In the posts to come, I’ll explore philosophical concepts and their real-world stakes, hoping to stir curiosity and conversation. I’m not here to hand out final answers, but to deepen our grasp of the questions—and maybe inspire us to live with more intention.

Philosophy is a journey of discovery, blending intellectual rigor with an embrace of complexity. As we go forward, I’d love for you to join me in this exploration—one that offers not just understanding, but a more deliberate way of being.

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First, some context.

I'm a child of the original internet chat-rooms on IRC, and I've tried over the last decades different applications and websites that we could all agree are "social media", but until I found NOSTR (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays) I hadn't had this certainty that this isn't something that I will eventually change for something else.

Today, even with all its early stage issues, I have the certainty that NOSTR may be the ULTIMATE and FINAL HOME for my online life.

THE PROBLEMS with the current/old social media landscape

I'm tired of moving from one social media to the next.

As many of you, in my digital lifetime I've had many accounts that have now become obsolete; and the "content" and followings I created during that time was lost when one tech giant lost over the other, forcing us all to "MOVE" ourselves over to the new, and start building our content and following from scratch.

Lately, it's become even worse, where many of us have seen ourselves forced to use and feed more than one social media at a time, since they all serve various purposes, with sometimes diverse functionality, besides all being catered to different segments of people to connect you to (LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Youtube...). How much is too much, though? And how much time should we keep spending re-adapting our content to reach all of our network?

For work, I've found myself having to create accounts in several of these giant data hoarding companies, having to build each following from scratch and to create "content" for all, and having to go through the hurdle of posting everything, everywhere, all at once.

I'm sick of ever-changing terms, conditions and capabilities.

Let's be honest, the majority of us have never ever read the full terms and conditions, let alone every time they are updated without us knowing which rights to our data we are giving away, and which terms we are accepting that may be detrimental to us and our mental health.

We've learnt to accept that we are in their playground, they make up the rules, and if they choose to change the rules mid-game we just need to swallow it. We literally have no other choice, it's either that or desertion, which basically means walking away from everything we've built on their "public square". So, like a carefully engineered detrimental incentive structure, the more time we spend building on their turf, the more we are tied to them and conditioned to never leave them. The more we build and make them grow on our content, the more we'll lose if or when we drop out.

And even if you accept all that and choose to play along, and you do your best to create the most awesome account in the neighborhood, the random changes they make to optimize ad revenue or user attention will inevitably affect you and all your work.

If you created all your feed according to Instagram's squares but they choose to change to TikTok style dimensions due to their tech positioning battle with the Chinese giant... You swallow. If you edited your reels according to what you felt was the best 100 seconds video... Not anymore, suddenly 90 seconds is the maximum you're allowed... No appeal, no options. You Swallow. What? Seeing less of the people you actually WANT TO FOLLOW because they decided to clutter your feed with ads and suggestions, guess again: YOU SWALLOW.

AREN'T YOU FEELING FULL ENOUGH OF ALL THE SHIT THEY'VE FORCED DOWN YOUR THROAT?

Living our digital lives on these platforms feels like standing on ever changing quicksand, never endingly trying to "hack the algorithm" in order to have our content placed in front of the people who should automatically be able to see us from the moment they chose to follow us; and the worst part of it is, you never know when you may lose it all.

Let's not forget, your social media account is NOT REALLY YOURS.

Recently, a friend's social media account was hacked. She didn't know how it happened; all she knew is that she got an email from Meta saying she had acted against community guidelines and her accounts were therefore being removed (the one hacked and all those liked to her email, which meant personal and work accounts). She tried to appeal, to no avail. She hadn't done anything wrong, but suddenly her identity had disappeared from all our feeds, and her content didn't exist anywhere anymore. She lost plenty of photos she had always counted on finding on her Instagram and lost the people she followed and who followed her. It was as if she had never existed on the platform.

(Looks like a good moment to remind you to download all your valued content from the platforms you use in case something like this happens to you)

And this happened to someone who hadn't done anything "to deserve it". It has actually happened to more than one person I know, and every time they've been helpless and had no recourse, and yet, found themselves having to rebuild from scratch on the same platform that de-platformed them, because they had "no other option", and "their friends are there".

Many more people have encountered this awful wake up call, some because of a hack, like my friend, others found themselves removed because they posted content critical of the platform... there are so many reasons people have gotten de-platformed and posts have gotten deleted without warning. And every time, we accept it, as if we owe them something; as if we need to settle for this kind of abusive environment that gets rich on our content and attention without having a say in anything.

But we do have another option that flips that attention retention model completely on its head and empowers the user. That option is NOSTR, our exit from the extractive social media silos they have trapped us into.

NOSTR: The better social experience for the internet era.

NOSTR (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays) is not a social media app, it's an Internet protocol. It's open source and many many developers around the world are creating apps on top of it and creating THE ULTIMATE SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIENCE for users.

I first heard of NOSTR from Jack Dorsey on what used to be called Twitter, and when I joined it two years ago it was really rough around the edges, but it was FULL OF POTENTIAL and the value proposition was very clear to me from the beginning.

Firstly, YOU OWN YOUR IDENTITY, that includes your content and your follower list.

So, what does owning you identity mean? I guess many of us have thought we owned our identity before, but the reality is that the platforms owned our identities, which is why they could delete or censor us.

Owning your identity on NOSTR is empowered by encryption and cryptography. I'm not going to go into the technical part, but to explain as simply as I can, on NOSTR no platform owns your login and password to use on their playground; you can basically use any NOSTR app to create your identity to navigate it. They give you a login (npub) and password (nsec), and the magic part is that you can USE THAT IDENTITY ON ANY NOSTR APP OR WEBSITE, no need to sign up individually on each one.

Welcome to the beauty of INTEROPERABILITY.

I cannot emphasize enough what it feels like to be able to take your identity, your followers, your content and carry it from one app to the other.

On NOSTR there is a rich ecosystem of apps and websites that keep growing. We have "clients" that allow you to experience NOSTR in interfaces that could remind you of Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Substack, Twitch, Clubhouse, Podcast apps and many more. You can find many of them on https://nostrapps.com/ .

With that information in mind, imagine you only needed one user password, your NOSTR nsec, and with that key, you could open you Instagram, or your Twitch or your Substack. And all your followers would be there, and you could choose what type of content you wanted to link to your identity for your followers to find. No longer "find link in bio", or "go to our YouTube channel", everything you post on NOSTR is tied to your identity, and you can post it all with a single set of keys that posts your content "everywhere".

And since your content is "in every client", each of YOUR FOLLOWERS CAN CHOOSE if they are more interested in experiencing your photography content "Insta-like" or if they love your "Twitter-esque" notes better. Each user navigates NOSTR with the interface they prefer.

(With great power comes great responsibility, and I feel obligated to tell you that if you ever lose your nsec, no platform is gonna be able to save you. It's like the keys to your house, unless you keep a copy safely, no one can open it for you (there are no locksmiths on NOSTR). And if you leave your keys lying around on a cloud server somewhere, someone may grab your keys, open your house and use it however they want).

The beauty of this interoperability and the fact that my keys open up my identity to all the NOSTR realms is that you don't need to settle for one client. I use 5 to 6 clients regularly everyday depending on the mood I'm in, (or the bugs that still prove this is a nascent ecosystem in development). Some I use when I want a more "Twitter-like" experience, others when I want to browse photos and others just give different algorithms to choose how to view my feed, and the best part is NO ONE CAN CLUTTER MY FEED WITH ADS. I can curate my feed however is most important to me, and each "NOSTR client" is like a different skin that customizes the way I experience the content.

However, the most important reason I started to use different NOSTR apps was that when I started, not all apps had zapping integrated. Some still don't, but most do :)

ZAPS: direct micropayments from your followers.

Zaps are tips that come directly from the people who find value in the shit that you post. They are micropayments in the form of "sats", fractions of ever-increasing in value bitcoin , and a very big reason why I'm spending less and less time on other social media accumulating valueless likes that only feed the algorithm, and more time on NOSTR interacting with humans that post valuable notes hoping the generous souls that run upon their art or creations will find them valuable enough to tip them for it.

It's crazy how the type of content you post can change when your incentive is not to feed an algo, but to give real value to other humans around the world and be your most authentic self. Where Twitter/X's algo benefited the type of incendiary content that shocked and outraged people, NOSTR's incentives benefit those who bring most value to the network and their peers.

A few sats tip may not seem much, but even if the equivalent of a small zap is merely cents, it feels a whole lot better than any like, and you can count that if the purchasing power of bitcoin continues to accrue, those value-earned tips will too. Many "nostriches" are getting tons of zaps for memes on NOSTR, valuable articles, videos or participation in zapathons .

In NOSTR is where I first heard of the concept "value for value", and the community is very adamant in making "v4v" an alternative to ad revenue driven models. Because we need to be the change we wanna see in the world.

We've heard it said that if you're not paying for the product, you are the product. And up until now that has meant we felt obliged to accept that since ads were paying the platforms, we were required to give them our attention. But the open source movement thinks we deserve better. We deserve a better Internet, like the decentralized promise we've slowly been robbed of to enrich 10 people out of the work of all of us. If they can't monetize our attention, they got nothing.

But why should they monetize it, instead of us?

Even with the glitches and bugs, NOSTR ROCKS!

The things I've grown to love most about NOSTR are:

• Not having the clutter of ads on my feed and being able to ONLY SEE WHAT I CHOOSE TO SEE.

• People who are not on NOSTR can ENJOY MY STUFF WITHOUT HAVING TO LOGIN.

• Being able to ENJOY ALL THE BENEFITS OF INTEROPERABILITY, and use many NOSTR clients that enrich my user experience knowing I own my identity and that means I'm not locked in, I can move like a bird wherever I decide.

• ZAPPING complete strangers that made me laugh, gave me a cool insight or simply made a witty comment.

• GETTING TIPPED for memes, articles, photos, videos and any "Notes and Other Stuff" that people have found valuable.

CONCLUSION: Join us on NOSTR, participate in claiming back your digital life.

If you've made it this far in my love letter to NOSTR, thank you for being interested. Curious minds is what the world needs more of <3.

NOSTR is an ecosystem that is being built in the open by relentless developers that are continuously striving to out compete each other to offer a better user experience, it's a many headed dragon that has constant upgrades and implementations which benefits us all, and as such it sometimes comes with bugs and glitches.

Building the future is always buggy and requires testers and early adopters that help shape the technology in the best way possible, especially if you wanna build outside the incentive models of the devouring giants we're trying to get away from.

Being such an open ecosystem can also be overwhelming for a newcomer, where to start? There are so many clients to experience; so here are some of my recommendations.

Please, don't feel you need to go through all of them now, start step by step. This article will always be here whenever you need it (this is not Instagram ;) ).

Creating your NOSTR identity/account with a wallet integrated to receive zaps on both Android and iOS:

• YAKIHONNE: It's a Japanese client that offers a great on-boarding experience. From the app you can create the account and enable a wallet to receive zaps. In it you can view and post short and long form content, images, videos and more. (Once you have the account created on your app, you can also visit the desktop version on https://yakihonne.com/ )

• PRIMAL: For a while it has positioned itself as a great on-boarding NOSTR client because it offers the same things as Yakihonne, has an integrated wallet, with the added benefit that you can also "buy sats/bitcoin" directly from its wallet, which can come in handy (it comes with a 15-30% premium, so only use for small amounts). It also has the desktop version at primal.net.

My favorite NOSTR iOS PHONE APPS after on-boarding, in case you wanna hop into different user experiences:

• DAMUS: created by the original creator of the "ZAP", Will Casarin, it's an iOS simple client that is reliable and fast with notifications. It keeps things simple, mostly focusing on short note content, although you can also see images and short video. But the feed is optimized as a more "Twitter-like" feed.

• NOSTUR: The iOS phone client that has it all! It's the client I've used that integrates the most of NOSTR's possibilities, you can see all of the mentioned above with the previous clients, but also view LIVE STREAMS, and have multiple accounts set up simultaneously. The enhanced capabilities can sometimes come at the cost of crashing or being slow to load.

• FREERSE: Nice clean user interface with plenty of functionality, with easy navigation on topics like #art #photography or any other interests. It's my always reliable back-up to upload image content.

• OLAS: The new kid on the block Olas client, by prolific developer Pablof7z, is trying to take on Instagram and TikTok and has developed a client mainly focused on the visual and photographic part of NOSTR.

Desktop clients & OTHER GEMS OF THE NOSTR REALM:

There is an infinite number of clients for desktop, but I usually find myself on ditto.pub or slidestr.net for a more visual experience.

• ALBY is INTEROPERABILITY'S BEST FRIEND. Alby is not a NOSTR client, but it's a browser extension that makes it seamless to jump from one desktop client to another with your wallet and identity without compromising your security.

• HIVETALK: A video call client (reminiscent of Zoom) that doesn't track you or spy on you and that enables zapping and many other functionalities during the calls.

• NOSTR NESTS: Audio spaces client that allows people to listen to conversations, chat within it and zap the people involved.

if you made it this far, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

HOPE YOU FOUND VALUE IN IT AND UNDERSTOOD WHY, FOR ME, THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IS BRIGHT, OPEN AND USER-CENTRIC.

FUCK THE MIDDLEMEN.

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

Like most members of the human race, I don’t enjoy filing my taxes. “Don’t enjoy” though understates my actual feeling which is “would rather do a tour in Afghanistan.” It’s not even the money I’m forced to pay that I know for sure will be misallocated, stolen or worse — put to use in ways that are anathema to everything I believe and in direct opposition to conditions in which human beings thrive. That’s only part of it.

The other and perhaps bigger part is they require me — under penalty of law — to do homework. They command me, as though they were my boss, to complete this work project, my tax return, and if I don’t I’ll have my property seized, my credit destroyed and even go to prison. This is so even though I am not a criminal, and I never agreed to work for this boss.

And it’s not just a random work project I am required to submit, so that they can misallocate, steal and attack me with my own money. It’s a project that requires me to divulge private details about myself, what transactions I’ve made, with whom I made them and for what purpose. I am a private citizen, I hold no public office or official role, and yet the public sector is not only entitled to comb through the details of my life, but I must be complicit in helping them under penalty of law, i.e., threat of violence if I don’t comply.

. . .

This was not always the case. The income tax was only introduced in 1913, and at the time was only for the richest of the rich. That is to say, it is not the default state of affairs in the United States under its original constitution, and it’s strange that it’s been normalized as such. And despite it being normalized — for the greater good, of course — our government is still somehow $36 trillion in debt.

In other words, despite the annual indignity to which we subject ourselves, the government spends far more money than it takes in. I am reminded of Dostoyevsky’s line: “Your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing.” The government is spending money it doesn’t have, whether you pay it or not, and the money you do pay, for things you not only do not want but are vehemently against, doesn’t come close to covering their cost.

. . .

I was having lunch with some normies last month, and the subject of taxes came up. They were talking about the ways in which they, as ex-pats, minimize their tax burden, using certain loopholes, and at one point someone questioned why government pensions were taxed, given the entity paying the pension and demanding it be taxed was one and the same. Why not just pay a smaller pension?

One of them asked me, and I said: “I don’t think anyone should be taxed.” She shook her head and muttered in amusement, “No, people need to be taxed.” This despite not two minutes earlier explaining how she was optimizing her tax status, which no doubt she would have optimized all the way to zero or if she were able!

. . .

Taxes are necessary, it’s assumed, to pay for things individuals won’t. “Who will build the roads?” they wonder. I would imagine car makers would be invested in building roads, those who ship goods via truck might have an interest and consumers, flush with their new zero percent tax rate, might pay a little more for the end products to facilitate road creation so those products get to them on time and in good condition. In fact, it might be more expensive to ship them via horseback or whatever alternate form of transport would take the place of motor vehicles should no one shell out for roads.

Moreover, people seem to believe taxes should always be taken not from them, but from those rich enough to afford them painlessly. Never mind anyone reading this substack is vastly wealthy compared to much of the third world (how painful can taxes be so long as you have food on the table and a roof over your head?), and never mind no one ever voluntarily pays more tax than he owes. Why not? If taxation is a good thing, why not do more good by overpaying?

But no, it’s always someone else who needs to be forced under penalty of law, i.e., threat of violence, to give up his property for what those in authority deem “the greater good”. Taken to its logical conclusion, if the authorities deem anyone sufficiently wealthy and the greater good sufficiently necessary, they can legally take that wealth by force. We can quibble about how much funding is necessary and what is the “greater good,” but it’s often essential things like the “safe and effective” vaccine without which millions would surely die or the necessity of invading Iraq, which cost $6 trillion to prevent Sadaam Hussein’s “weapons of mass destruction” from reaching US soil.

It’s amazing authorities so often discover urgent projects without which people will die or suffer terribly, on account of which it’s necessary to commandeer money you’ve earned or saved! And while I am taking about the indignity of filing income tax, I don’t mean to leave out property tax, sales tax, estate tax, individual state and city taxes and the like. At least with some of those you have a fixed amount to pay, and you don’t have to submit to an on-camera self-administered anal cavity search of your finances in those cases.

You’d also think given how many ways citizens are taxed that roads would be in tip top condition, our water and environment would be clean, our airports modern and state of the art, our health care affordable and accessible, but of course none of that is the case. Again per Dostoyevsky — we have betrayed ourselves for nothing.

. . .

The irony of this essay/diatribe is I will file my taxes like the cuck I am over the next week or so. I don’t want to do this, but it’s simply not worth the consequences for non-compliance. And I feel bad about making this compromise — bad about myself because I am doing something I feel is wrong for convenience, the same kind of calculation people made when they injected themselves with experimental mRNA chemicals they didn’t want to keep their jobs or travel. I like to think of myself as resolute and uncompromising, but in this instance I roll over every year. Perhaps that’s part of why I dread it so much.

. . .

I’ll end with a footnote of sorts. In the late spring of 2023, I discovered I was due a significant refund, and I paid my accountants who figured this out $400 to re-file for me. They told me I could expect it to take up to nine months to process, so I largely forgot about it until spring of 2024 when I called but got phone-treed to death and waited until September to brute-force my way to a human in another department to explain the situation. They didn’t tell me anything, but agreed to do a “trace” which a couple weeks later revealed someone else had intercepted and cashed my check. (It’s not direct deposit because I’m overseas.)

I immediately returned the form proving it was not my signature on the deposited check, and now, five months later, in February of 2025, they are still processing my purported payment which I have yet to receive. I did, however, receive a notice of the interest I was “paid” for 2024 on which I’m expected to be taxed. That interest went to the person who stole my original check obviously, they know this, and yet it apparently hasn’t caught up in the system. And the truth is I will probably pay the tax on it as the hassle of explaining why I’m not is simply not worth it, and I will sort it out on next year’s tax return, assuming Trump hasn’t abolished the IRS entirely, God willing, and delivered us, in small part, from this abject dystopia.

@ 5de23b9a:d83005b3

In a digital era that is increasingly controlled by large companies, the emergence of Nostr (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays) is a breath of fresh air for those who crave freedom of expression.

Nostr is a cryptography-based protocol that allows users to send and receive messages through a relay network. Unlike conventional social media such as Twitter or Facebook

1.Full Decentralization: No company or government can remove or restrict content.

2.Sensor-Resistant: Information remains accessible despite blocking attempts.

3.Privacy and Security: Uses cryptography to ensure that only users who have the keys can access their messages.* **