@ eac63075:b4988b48

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

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

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

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

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

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Understanding Quantum Computing’s Attack Priorities

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

1. Attacks on Wallets

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

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

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

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

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

2. Attacks on Mining

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

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Satoshi Nakamoto in 2010 on Quantum Computing and Bitcoin Attacks

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

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

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

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

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How Can Users Protect Themselves?

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

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

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BIP-360 and Bitcoin’s Preparation for the Future

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

BIP-360 addresses three main pillars:

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

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

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Post-Quantum Algorithms: The Future of Bitcoin Cryptography

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

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

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

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

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

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Why Quantum Computing Is Far from Being a Threat

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

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

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

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Conclusion: Bitcoin’s Secure Future

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

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

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

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

PT-BR version

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

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

1. Introduction to Consensus in Bitcoin

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

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

Evolution of Consensus in Bitcoin

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

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

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2. Technical Components of Consensus

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

Validation of Blocks and Transactions

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

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

Chain Selection

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

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

Soft Forks vs. Hard Forks

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

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

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

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

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3. Stakeholders in Bitcoin's Consensus

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

1. Economic Nodes

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

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

2. Investors

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

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

3. Media Influencers

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

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

4. Miners

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

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

5. Protocol Developers

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

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

6. Users and Application Developers

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

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

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

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4. Mechanisms for Activating Updates in Bitcoin

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

Flag Day

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

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

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

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

BIP34 and BIP9

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BIP8 (LOT=True)

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

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

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

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

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

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5. Risks and Considerations in Consensus Updates

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

Network Fragility with Alternative Implementations

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

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

Chain Splits and Impact on Stakeholders

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

Each group of stakeholders reacts differently to a chain split:

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

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

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

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

Regulatory Impacts and Institutional Investors

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

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

Security Considerations in Soft Forks and Hard Forks

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

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

Bounty Claim Risks and Attack Scenarios

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

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

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

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6. Recommendations for the Consensus Process in Bitcoin

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

1. Careful Evaluation of Proposal Maturity

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

2. Extensive Testing in Secure and Compatible Networks

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

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

3. Importance of Stakeholder Engagement

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

4. Key Questions for Evaluating Consensus Proposals

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

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

5. Coordination and Timing in Implementations

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

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

6. Continuous Monitoring and Re-evaluation

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

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

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7. Conclusion

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

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

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

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

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8. Links

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

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

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

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

(PT-BR version here)

What is a CBDC?

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

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

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

Practical Example: The Case of DREX During the Pandemic

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

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

How Does China's Social Credit System Work?

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

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

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

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

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

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

DREX and Bill No. 3,341/2024

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

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

Risks and Individual Freedom

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

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

The Relationship Between DREX and Pix

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

International Precedents and Resistance to CBDC

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

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

Bill No. 3,341/2024 and Popular Pressure

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

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

What’s at Stake?

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

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

A Call to Action

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

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

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Chef's notes

Serving these two dishes together will create a delightful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving meal, offering a perfect blend of traditional flavors with a homemade touch.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 30 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 1 - 2 hours
• 🍽️ Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey (about 12-14 lbs), thawed and ready to cook
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• Apple and Sage Stuffing
• 1 loaf of crusty bread, cut into cubes
• 2 apples, cored and chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups chicken broth
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 325°F (165°C).
2. Prepare the Herb Butter: Mix the softened butter with the chopped thyme, rosemary, and sage. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Prepare the Turkey: Remove any giblets from the turkey and pat it dry. Loosen the skin and spread a generous amount of herb butter under and over the skin.
4. Add Aromatics: Inside the turkey cavity, place the quartered onion, lemon halves, and garlic cloves.
5. Roast: Place the turkey in a roasting pan. Tent with aluminum foil and roast. A general guideline is about 15 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the thigh.
6. Rest and Serve: Let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
7. Next: Apple and Sage Stuffing
8. Dry the Bread: Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and let them dry overnight, or toast them in the oven.
9. Cook the Vegetables: In a large skillet, melt the butter and cook the onion, celery, and garlic until soft.
10. Combine Ingredients: Add the apples, sage, and bread cubes to the skillet. Stir in the chicken broth until the mixture is moist. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Bake: Transfer the stuffing to a baking dish and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 30-40 minutes, until golden brown on top.

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Testing a brand new YakiHonne native client for iOS. Smooth as butter (not penis butter 🤣🍆🧈) with great visual experience and intuitive navigation. Amazing work by the team behind it! * lists * work

Bold text work!

Images could have used nostr.build instead of raw S3 from us-east-1 region.

Very impressive! You can even save the draft and continue later, before posting the long-form note!

🐶🐾🤯🤯🤯🫂💜

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

As the title states, scratch behind my ear and you get it. 🐶🐾🫡

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Test Bounty Note

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Intro

This short tutorial will help you set up your own Nostr Wallet Connect (NWC) on your own LND Node that is not using Umbrel. If you are a user of Umbrel, you should use their version of NWC.

Requirements

You need to have a working installation of LND with established channels and connectivity to the internet. NWC in itself is fairly light and will not consume a lot of resources. You will also want to ensure that you have a working installation of Docker, since we will use a docker image to run NWC.

• Working installation of LND (and all of its required components)
• Docker (with Docker compose)

Installation

For the purpose of this tutorial, we will assume that you have your lnd/bitcoind running under user bitcoin with home directory /home/bitcoin. We will also assume that you already have a running installation of Docker (or docker.io).

Prepare and verify

git version - we will need git to get the latest version of NWC. docker version - should execute successfully and show the currently installed version of Docker. docker compose version - same as before, but the version will be different. ss -tupln | grep 10009- should produce the following output: tcp LISTEN 0 4096 0.0.0.0:10009 0.0.0.0: tcp LISTEN 0 4096 [::]:10009 [::]:**

For things to work correctly, your Docker should be version 20.10.0 or later. If you have an older version, consider installing a new one using instructions here: https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/

Create folders & download NWC

In the home directory of your LND/bitcoind user, create a new folder, e.g., "nwc" mkdir /home/bitcoin/nwc. Change to that directory cd /home/bitcoin/nwc and clone the NWC repository: git clone https://github.com/getAlby/nostr-wallet-connect.git

Creating the Docker image

In this step, we will create a Docker image that you will use to run NWC.

• Change directory to nostr-wallet-connect: cd nostr-wallet-connect
• Run command to build Docker image: docker build -t nwc:$(date +'%Y%m%d%H%M') -t nwc:latest . (there is a dot at the end)
• The last line of the output (after a few minutes) should look like => => naming to docker.io/library/nwc:latest
• nwc:latest is the name of the Docker image with a tag which you should note for use later.

Creating docker-compose.yml and necessary data directories

• Let's create a directory that will hold your non-volatile data (DB): mkdir data
• Indocker-compose.ymlfile, there are fields that you want to replace (<> comments) and port “4321” that you want to make sure is open (check with ss -tupln | grep 4321which should return nothing).
• Create docker-compose.ymlfile with the following content, and make sure to update fields that have <> comment:

version: "3.8" services: nwc: image: nwc:latest volumes: - ./data:/data - ~/.lnd:/lnd:ro ports: - "4321:8080" extra_hosts: - "localhost:host-gateway" environment: NOSTR_PRIVKEY: <use "openssl rand -hex 32" to generate a fresh key and place it inside ""> LN_BACKEND_TYPE: "LND" LND_ADDRESS: localhost:10009 LND_CERT_FILE: "/lnd/tls.cert" LND_MACAROON_FILE: "/lnd/data/chain/bitcoin/mainnet/admin.macaroon" DATABASE_URI: "/data/nostr-wallet-connect.db" COOKIE_SECRET: <use "openssl rand -hex 32" to generate fresh secret and place it inside ""> PORT: 8080 restart: always stop_grace_period: 1m

Starting and testing

Now that you have everything ready, it is time to start the container and test.

• While you are in the nwcdirectory (important), execute the following command and check the log output, docker compose up
• You should see container logs while it is starting, and it should not exit if everything went well.
• At this point, you should be able to go to http://<ip of the host where nwc is running>:4321 and get to the interface of NWC
• To stop the test run of NWC, simply press Ctrl-C , and it will shut the container down.
• To start NWC permanently, you should execute docker compose up -d , “-d” tells Docker to detach from the session.
• To check currently running NWC logs, execute docker compose logs to run it in tail mode add -f to the end.
• To stop the container, execute docker compose down

That's all, just follow the instructions in the web interface to get started.

Updating

As with any software, you should expect fixes and updates that you would need to perform periodically. You could automate this, but it falls outside of the scope of this tutorial. Since we already have all of the necessary configuration in place, the update execution is fairly simple.

• Change directory to the clone of the git repository, cd /home/bitcoin/nwc/nostr-wallet-connect
• Run command to build Docker image: docker build -t nwc:$(date +'%Y%m%d%H%M') -t nwc:latest . (there is a dot at the end)
• Change directory back one level cd ..
• Restart (stop and start) the docker compose config docker compose down && docker compose up -d
• Done! Optionally you may want to check the logs: docker compose logs

@ d3d74124:a4eb7b1d

ORIGINALLY ON XITTER BY STEVE BARBOUR. SHARED HERE FOR THE HOMIES (https://x.com/SGBarbour/status/1911614638623801425)

I find bureaucracy fascinating—it’s like a cancer within human organizations.

Why do organizations become bloated with excessive procedural controls, inefficiency, and indecisiveness as they grow in size and age? Why does decision-by-committee often replace the ambitious, self-starting decision maker? Why do small, "lean and mean" startups inevitably become bloated with bureaucracy as they scale and increase their headcount?

In 2014, these questions consumed me while I sat in a cubicle at an oil and gas company. Why, after years of honing my skills to fix artificial lift systems, was my signing authority decreasing (from $25,000 to $10,000 for workover budgets), despite record corporate profits? Why did I now need a 12-page Microsoft Word document with manager sign-off to schedule and scope a service rig for a simple pump change, when a five-minute email direct to the rig supervisor had previously sufficed?

Years into the job I was far more capable than when I had started, yet I had less authority with each passing day. I became determined to understand what was causes bureaucracy and whether or not it can be prevented.

After researching for some time, such as the essay I posted below, I concluded that bureaucracy stems from a lack of trust and accountability. Bureaucrats impose procedures instead of trusting subordinates to do their jobs, often in response to a costly mistake. This results in new processes that everyone must follow.

Bureaucrats rarely take responsibility for their own failures or hold others accountable for theirs. Instead, they create more procedures and invent new processes. Bureaucracy is a systemic issue, pervasive in nearly every large business or institution. The larger the organization, the more stifling it becomes.

This behavior is costly, increasing administrative overhead and delaying capital execution. Who is bearing this enormous cost?

You are, of course!

Fiat money funds the vast majority of the world's bureaucracy. Fiat money is counterfeit created out of thin air and is used to fund deficit spending by governments worldwide. Governments use paper money they did not earn from taxes to bail out institutions who are overleveraged and get caught with their pants down (e.g. Bombardier and Air Canada are famous repeat offenders in Canada, in the US you can choose any big name bank just about).

They keep printing money and nobody is held accountable anywhere.

Misallocate capital, become insolvent, print money and bail out, create new regulations / procedures, repeat.

You pay for bureaucracy by losing your savings to inflation.

You pay for bureaucracy when the local small businesses in your neighborhood is replaced by a global franchise funded by cheap, perpetual fiat money.

You pay for bureaucracy when you cannot retire as early as you planned and end up working yourself straight into a retirement home.

---

I was cleaning and organizing my office today and found this old essay by Brian D. Rule from 1977 on the topic, which sparked me to write this short X piece on bureaucracy.

Brian's essay 'Bureaucracy' was actually the very essay that led me into believing fiat money with the root cause of global bureaucracy and waste, which lead me to become interested in gold in 2015 and then in bitcoin in 2016.

Sure enough I googled the prevalence of the term 'bureaucracy' and something interesting happened after 1971...

Isn't it weird how so much went to shit after we got off the gold standard?

Today I am convinced that hard, sound money is the only solution to bureaucracy. This is why I work for #bitcoin.

*Sadly I can no longer find the essay online, so I ripped the text from my paper printout that I found in my files with the now defunct reference website below. *

---

Bureaucracy

Brian D. Rude, 1977

Original website (now defunct): http://brianrude.com/burea.htm

In the summer of 1975 I took a teaching job in Nebraska. As my previous teaching experience was in Missouri I had to see about getting a Nebraska teaching certificate. I applied for a "Nebraska Standard" teaching certificate. I sent in my college transcript, the application form, and a check for eight dollars. They sent me back, in their own good time, a "Nebraska Prestandard" certificate. I decided there was nothing "prestandard" about me or my teaching, so I wrote back and asked why I didn't get the "standard" certificate. They replied that since I had not taught three out of the last five years I was eligible only for the "prestandard" certificate.

"What do those pigheaded bureaucrats know about my teaching?" I thought to myself. "How would they ever know the standard of my teaching just from shuffling papers around?"

With a little reflection I realized that of course they know nothing about my teaching. They are not supposed to know anything about my teaching. They are paid to evaluate the papers I send them. They are not paid to evaluate my teaching. They have a clear mandate to shuffle my papers, and nothing more.

I presume my application was opened by a secretary, who, following a tightly structured routine, checked off each requirement, typed up my certificate, got it signed by some authority and sent it off to me. Such a secretary is most likely a conscientious worker, a wife and mother, a Republican or Democrat, an occasional churchgoer, a bit of a gossip, and a lot of other plain ordinary things. But she is most likely not a "pigheaded bureaucrat". She would not think of herself as a bureaucrat, and neither would her boss, her coworkers, her family, or anyone else who personally knew her. When she typed "prestandard" instead of "standard" on my teaching certificate she is simply doing her job. Were she to do anything less or more she would be negligent.

So where is the bureaucracy? Or was I dealing with a bureaucracy? If not, then where is there a bureaucracy? Where do we find the genuine article, the bungling, myopic, pigheaded bureaucrat?

I think pigheaded bureaucrats do exist, but they are rare. It's the good bureaucrat that drives us batty, quite as much as the bungling bureaucrat. The good bureaucrat knows exactly what he is obligated to do and he does it conscientiously. The good bureaucrat simply applies the rules that he is responsible for applying, but that he did not make.

A bureaucracy is a group of people responsible for applying a set of rules. The police, courts, executive branches of government, parents, teachers, librarians, and many other people or groups of people are also responsible for applying rules, yet we don't think of these as being bureaucracies. The distinguishing features of a bureaucracy are the types of rules to be applied, and, to some extent, how the rules are applied.

A bureaucracy is responsible for applying what I will call "secondary", or "derived" rules. A secondary rule is a requirement or prohibition established only because it promotes a primary goal. When Moses came down from the mountain with his stone tablets he was carrying what might be considered the simplest statement of what I will call "primary" requirements. The rule, "Thou shalt not steal", for example, is a primary requirement because it is desirable for its own sake, not just as a means to some other end. Similarly, "Thou shalt not commit murder" is a primary requirement because it is desirable as an end in itself.

Safe driving, as a modern example, is a primary requirement because it is desirable for its own sake. The requirement that one get a driver's license before driving, in contrast, is a secondary requirement. It is a requirement instituted by state governments in an attempt to promote the primary goal of safe driving. It is secondary to, or derived from, the primary requirement of driving safely. If people always drove safely, or if driving by its nature presented no hazards, then there would be no need for driver's licenses. Or if legislatures decided that licensing did nothing to promote safe driving then there would be no need for driver's licenses. Licensing is not an end in itself.

Tertiary, or third order, requirements can also exist. If a state requires a birth certificate as proof of age before issuing a driver's license then the state is imposing a third order requirement. Showing a birth certificate is a requirement designed to promote the licensing of drivers, which in turn is designed to promote safe driving.

I imagine one could go ahead and find examples of fourth order requirements established to promote third order requirements. However I don't think there is much point in getting too deep in this kind of analysis. The main point is the distinction of whether a goal is important for its own sake or whether it is important in promoting some other goal. Thus I may speak of a "derived" requirement, meaning only that it is not a primary requirement, but not specifying whether it is secondary, tertiary, or even further removed from the primary goal.

In different contexts I may speak of primary or secondary "requirements", "rules", "prohibitions", "laws", "regulations", "goals", "wrongs", "burdens", "privileges", and so on. It seems natural to think of paying taxes as a "requirement", while murder is a "wrong" that is covered by a "prohibition". But the requirement of paying a tax can be interpreted as the prohibition of avoiding the tax, and the prohibition against murder can be interpreted as the requirement to refrain from murder. The important point here is the distinction between primary and derived, not between omission and commission.

In the example I gave about getting a teaching certificate the bureaucrats were concerned only with my compliance with secondary requirements. They were not at all concerned with the primary requirement - the requirement that I indeed be a good teacher. This is a distinguishing characteristic of bureaucracies. They are concerned only with applying derived, not primary, rules. Other agencies are brought in when there is a primary rule to be applied. The police and courts handle such primary wrongs as theft and murder. Parents and teachers handle such primary wrongs as tracking mud on the carpet or being late to school. Churches handle such primary wrongs as "living in sin" or blasphemy. But it doesn't take a judge or a preacher to decide if my application for a teaching certificate is in order, or my application for a driver's license, or a dog license, or a business license, or a barber's license, or a building permit, or a marriage license, or breathing license. It takes a bureaucrat to handle these matters.

The basic root of bureaucracy then, is the proliferation of secondary requirements. It is not enough, in our modern world, to just be a good and honest person. One can be the best and safest of drivers, but a driver's license is still required. One can be a patriot and a saint, but the IRS still wants that W-2 form. One can be the best doctor in the world, but to practice medicine without a degree and a license is still a serious offense. We have established literally millions of secondary requirements designed to promote a few primary goals. To administer these rules we have people we call bureaucrats.

If the basic root of bureaucracy is a proliferation of derived requirements, then it would seem reasonable that the way to decrease bureaucracy would be to decrease such requirements. This is true, and in fact is a main thesis of this article. Unfortunately it is not always easy to do. Every bureaucratic requirement, in a healthy society at least, was established by reasonably intelligent people giving at least half-way serious consideration to a genuine problem. Therefore any particular bureaucratic requirement or procedure that is challenged will be defended by some person or group.

The most important gain we hope to realize from derived requirements is security. The requirement of any permit or license is usually, if not invariably, justified in order to "protect the public". We want safe driving so we demand driver's licenses. We want our neighbor's dog out of our flower bed so we demand dog licenses. We want merchants to be honest so we demand business licenses. We want welfare recipients not to cheat so we require verification of identity, employment, and who knows what else. All these requirements are seen as necessary to prevent something bad from happening, or to assure that something good will happen.

Derived requirements cannot provide all types of security. We can't prevent floods and famines by making rules and printing forms. The type of security that is the goal of bureaucratic requirements is social control of one form or another.

Simple fairness is often the goal of bureaucratic requirements. The Internal Revenue Service is a good example of this. The primary goal of the IRS is to raise money. This could be done by charging every citizen a flat rate of $1000 or so each year. We wouldn't consider this fair, though, because we realize not everyone has an equal ability to pay. Therefore we have an elaborate set of rules designed to extract more from those who have more. To apply these rules we have what is probably the biggest and most complex bureaucracy since time began. This size and complexity comes from our desire to be fair, not from the simple desire to collect money.

Another form of social control for which bureaucratic requirements are established is prevention of abuse of power. Power comes in many different forms, and we know from long experience that power is always susceptible to abuse. One method of dealing with abuse of power is to call it a primary wrong and punish the offenders. This is done, and it keeps the police and courts very busy. Another way to control abuse of power is to set up secondary requirements to try to prevent such wrongs from occurring in the first place. This produces bureaucracies. In the 1880's, for example, railroads were playing a little rougher than people wanted. They gained power by monopolizing a vital service. In response to this the Interstate Commerce Commission was set up, and has regulated business ever since. A more modern, and more specific, example would be the requirement that a used car dealer certify that the odometer reading is correct when he sells a car. This requirement is in response to what is seen as abuse of power by car dealers who misrepresent their merchandise.

In addition to the main cause of bureaucracy - the proliferation of derived requirements for purposes of security - there are several other causes of bureaucracies that are worth mentioning. The first of these is pure blind imitation. Again I will use driver's licensing as an example.

In the fifty states there is a startling uniformity of driver's license requirements. The most obvious uniformity is that all states require licenses. I have never been able to understand this. It would seem that if each state followed its own experience, values, customs, and judgment, then there would be a whole spectrum of licensing requirements, ranging from no requirement at all to extensive and strict requirements. This is apparently not the case. The majority of states require a written, driving, and eye test. They require a license fee. They require renewal of the license every so many years. They require that the license be in the person’s possession while he is driving. So far as I can tell only minor variations are found on this basic pattern in the different states.

I attribute this uniformity mainly to imitation. If there were an obvious connection between traffic safety and driver’s licensing then this uniformity would seem more sensible. If the National Safety Council told us everyday that the majority of fatal accidents involved an unlicensed driver, then we would not be surprised to find a driver’s license requirement in every state. But that is not the case. The National Safety Council talks a lot about the drinking driver but not about the unlicensed driver. If there was a historical example of some state that was too stubborn to require licenses and had an atrocious accident rate, then again a strict licensing system would be expected in every state. But is not the case either. The connection between licensing and safe driving is tenuous at best. There are innumerable unsafe drivers in every state who have no trouble getting a license. There are also perfectly safe drivers who have trouble getting a license. I think it is safe to say that the average driver, safe or unsafe, can’t pass the written test without studying the book no matter how long he has been driving. Many people find this out when they try to renew their license. All this leads me to believe that licensing requirements are set up by imitation more than anything else. A few states started requiring licenses and other states blindly followed, thinking in some vague way that they were being modern and progressive.

Pure blind imitation may seem a poor reason to set up a bureaucratic requirement and a bureaucracy to apply it, but there are many examples of such imitation in everyday life. In a previous article, ("Roting and Roters", not yet on my web site) I described and developed the idea that blind imitation is a powerful determinant of individual behavior. I think it is almost as powerful a determinant of group action. If each state followed its own inclination in the matter of driver’s licensing I would expect a much wider variation among the different states.

Another cause of bureaucracies is a little more substantial than blind imitation, and accounts for many licensing systems. That is the desire for group recognition. People are by nature social animals. They want to have groups and they want to do things in groups. They want their groups to be recognized and they want this recognition to be official and formal. I began to realize this a few years back when I read in the paper that beauticians were trying to get legislation passed setting up a system of beautician licensure. I thought they were nuts. Why, when we all hate the bureaucracy so much, would anyone want to set up more bureaucracy?

Another example of this kind of bureaucracy building is in the field of occupational therapy. Nurses, physical therapists, and speech therapists are licensed by the state. Occupational therapists, in contrast, have a national association which gives a "registry examination". Upon passing this test, and having a degree in occupational therapy, one becomes an "O.T.R.", a registered occupational therapist. Hospitals and other institutions take this designation as evidence of full qualification in the field. With such a sensible system I find incomprehensible that the profession is pushing for a system of state, rather than national, licensure. But that is exactly what they are doing. They are trying to build more bureaucracy, and they will succeed.

It took me quite a number of years to realize that teacher certification is something that the teaching profession wants, rather than being a requirement imposed from above. However that is apparently the case. The system of licensure, though a pain, does give some recognition to the status of teachers. This, along with a considerable amount of blind imitation, apparently accounts for the uniformity of teacher certification requirements found in different states.

It would be nice if we could give official recognition to groups without the necessity of laying down a mass of secondary requirements, but that is not how it works. Recognition, apparently would have little meaning if it did not indicate that the members of the group meet a system of requirements. It would also be nice if those who gain this official recognition were always worthy of it, but that also is unfortunately not the case. There will always be drivers, teachers, beauticians, occupational therapists, doctors, lawyers, and others who somehow manage to gain the official license but are recognized by their peers as incompetent. Whenever a system of secondary requirements is established there inevitably enters a "reality gap", a gap between the ideal and the real. This can make the whole system ineffective. I will have more to say about this ineffectiveness and its effects shortly.

Yet another factor leading to the spread of bureaucracy is a systematic error made, to a greater or lesser extent, by practitioners of almost any field. That error is thinking that the world’s problems will be solved by one’s own field of knowledge or mode of operation. I think a good name for this would be "role egocentrism". Egocentrism means that a person considers himself the center of the universe, just as ethnocentrism means that a group considers itself the center of the universe. Role egocentrism simply means that one’s own role is given undue importance and status. Thus doctors think that medicine will be the salvation of the world. When medicine has progressed far enough, they think, the world will be such a fine place that other problems will just disappear. Preachers think that if only we would all turn to God there would be no more problems. Farmers think that once the world food problem is solved, by farmers of course, then all will be well. Teachers think that education will be the one thing to save mankind from itself. Scientists think that research will usher in a new golden age.

It is hard to conceive of a bureaucrat having such grandiose visions of salvation. But remember that bureaucrats do not think of themselves as bureaucrats. Even more importantly, bureaucrats don’t make the rules, they only apply them. The rules are made by governments. Governments consist of politicians, and politicians are very susceptible to role egocentrism. To attain office a politician must convince people that government is capable of doing things, and he must believe it himself. Since people want things done it is not surprising that governments are populated by large numbers of people with an inflated idea of what can be done by writing rules and laws. Since there are few primary laws left to write, we have an ever-increasing proliferation of secondary requirements. Bureaucrats may not make the basic rules that they apply, but they do have some latitude to make minor rules, and even more importantly, they are responsible for making reports and can require reports from their subordinates. In the making of reports a little role egocentrism can go a long way. The result can be a massive flow of reams and reams of paperwork, with copies sent to all other bureaucrats who might have come slight connection to the job at hand, but with very little of the reports actually being read.

Bureaucrats also have some latitude in working as individuals or teams, and again a great deal of waste can ensue. The justification for working in committees or teams is the idea that by joining forces the best abilities of each member can be brought to bear on the problem at hand and therefore a solution to the problem is more likely. Of course there is some truth to this, but it doesn’t always work out too well. The little bit truth can become greatly augmented by role egocentrism. Team workers like to think that if you set six experts around a table something good is bound to come out of it. Non-team workers, like myself, tend to think that setting six experts around a table is a good way for six experts to waste each other’s time. I think bureaucrats at the higher levels are more prone to waste their energy this way, and I interpret this as a form of role egocentrism.

All of these cases of bureaucracy are augmented by another systematic error. That error is the systematic overestimation of group cohesiveness. In the minds of bureaucracy builders the bureaucracies already in existence become "they", and "they" are a bunch of pigheaded fools. "We", on the other hand, are good, right-thinking people and the bureaucracy we set up will serve the people, not the bureaucrats. And just to make sure we’ll write in plenty of safeguards. Of course this doesn’t work. Just because it is "our" program doesn’t mean that it won’t be subject to all the problems that beset any program. A new generation will grow up and decide that "we" are "they" and the cycle begins over again.

So far I have painted a rather pessimistic picture. We have bureaucrats because we have a multitude of derived requirements to administer, and we have a multitude of derived requirements because we think they bring us security. We also have bureaucracies because of imitation, because of the desire for group recognition, and because of role egocentrism. Yet the sum total of all this drives us batty. The next step is to try to get some idea of why and how bureaucracy is frustrating. I think the frustration results from main causes, standardization and ineffectiveness.

Standardization is a wonderful thing in industry. If my car needs a new fuel pump I can buy one right off the shelf and know it will fit. Fuel pumps are standard, and engines are standard. They fit together beautifully. The few defective fuel pumps that are not standard are quickly caught and tossed off the assembly line. This happy state of affairs does not extend to non-physical objects though. Consider, for example, a seed planter. I don’t know just how a planter might work but I visualize a mechanical hand grabbing one seed at a time and popping it into the ground. Seeds are pretty well standardized and most seeds can be picked up by these mechanical hands without injury. A few seeds, however, are nonstandard. They are either too big, or too small, or perhaps the wrong shape. The iron hands that so effectively plant most seeds will bruise, shred, mangle or maybe just overlook the oddball seeds. This doesn’t worry us though. Just like the defective fuel pumps that are bumped off the assembly line, the few mishandled seeds are of no great consequence.

When standardization is extended to humans the situation changes dramatically. We can’t bump off the defectives so carelessly. A bureaucracy can be compared to the seed planter. Iron hands pick you up and set you down again. If you fit the standard mold, these iron hands hold you gently. If you don’t fit the standard mold those same iron hands can shred you to pieces.

For example, a few years back I knew a fellow who was paraplegic. He was completely confined to his wheelchair, but he had a car with adapted controls and could drive as well as anyone. Unfortunately he had considerable difficulty licensing both himself and his car. He could drive to the courthouse, and get himself out of his car and into his wheelchair, but he had no way of getting down in the basement where the licensing offices were. There were elevators from the first floor to the basement of course, but between the parking lot and the first floor were innumerable steps and curbs. To a person in a wheelchair a single four-inch curb might as well be a ten-foot wall. Apparently my friend managed somehow to keep himself legal most of the time, but he did at times speak bitterly about the troubles he encountered. The state required licenses, and the state provided a way to get these licenses, but only if you fit the standard mold. My friend did not fit the standard mold, and felt very much caught in those iron hands.

Fortunately most examples of the problems of standardization are not so serious. My wife had a friend in college who was triply enrolled in the School of Education, the School of Medicine, and the Graduate School. All occupational therapy students were dually enrolled in Education and Medicine, which caused no end of red tape in itself, but this particular girl was such a go-getter that she added Graduate School. This made her a non-standard person indeed. One day she spent a solid half hour on the phone trying to convince some bureaucrat that, no matter that it didn’t fit the computer, it was possible to be enrolled that way. I presume the problem, whatever it was, was eventually worked out, but not without some cost in frustration. The bureaucrat in question was probably no more pigheaded than you or I. The rules he was responsible for applying simply made no provision for triply enrolled students.

When caught as a non-standard person in a standardized bureaucracy one wonders why standardization is established in the first place. Except for the role egocentrism of a few bureaucrats, standardization is not intentional. It arises by the same forces that promote standardization in industry. Standardization promotes efficiency. Whenever a form is printed, for instance, it is designed to fit the majority of situations. Thus a fire insurance application form may ask if the house is frame or brick, with no intention of frustrating the owners of igloos, caves, and houseboats. It simply reflects the fact that most houses are either frame or brick. By stating these two choices the processing of the application is speeded up. If instead the application stated simply, "describe the dwelling to be insured", the work in processing the application would be considerably increased. Standardization is the inevitable correlate of the proliferation of secondary requirements.

There is also another cause of standardization, the lack of discretionary authority. Remember that secondary requirements are set up in many cases to prevent abuse of power and to be fair. This usually means that the bureaucrats who apply these rules have only a limited number of responses to a given situation. Bureaucracies are given very little discretionary authority. They must follow the rules whether the rules fit the situation at hand or not. To illustrate this let me hypothesize two ways of administering welfare.

In case A an applicant comes to a social worker. The applicant explains that her husband just lost his job because he drank too much, that she works as a maid two days a week but that her children have no one to stay with them when she works unless she pays a baby sitter which costs almost half her salary, that their car is about to be repossessed and then she won’t be able to get to work at all, that the landlord won’t fix the plumbing and charges too much rent, that they would move except they haven’t found a place that’s any cheaper, that their oldest son was just sent to jail for a two year term, and on, and on, and on. The social worker listens to all this, makes a few phone calls, and the next day tells the applicant, "We’ll give you $70 a week allowance, but tell your husband to come in before next week. We’ll get him off his beer and on the job one way or the other. I called your landlord and got his side of the story and there’ll have to be a few changes made before he’ll reconnect the shower, and you’ve got to..."

In situation B the applicant comes to the social worker with the same story. The social worker says, "I think we can help you, but first you’ll have to find your birth certificate. Regulations state that only citizens are eligible for welfare. Then you’ll have to take this form to your employer to certify your wage scale. And this form goes to your landlord to verify your rent. And you’ll have to fill out this form to show how you budget your income, and this form to verify that you are not now receiving veterans or disability compensation, and this form that verifies you are not eligible to collect child support from any previous husband, unless the marriage was annulled, in which case you have to hunt up the certificate of annulment... What? You lost your certificate of annulment? You’re not sure you ever were married to John before you left him for Henry? ..."

In situation A the social worker is given a budget and a wide latitude on how to distribute the money. She is given discretionary power to a large degree. In situation B the social worker is given a very small amount of discretionary power. She can’t decide for herself whether the applicant is genuinely needy, but must prepare a "work-up", consisting of documentation of all relevant aspects of the applicant’s situation. On the basis of this work-up she is allowed to authorize an allowance, the amount to be taken from a table. If the social worker feels that there are relevant circumstances that are not covered at all in the standard work-up then she may begin some special procedure to have the case considered by a higher authority or committee. But the common suspicion that things aren’t quite as they should be, either because the applicant is undeserving or that he needs more than he can get or that the program misses its mark in yet some other way, is just a routine part of the job.

Standardization, fitting everyone into the same size slot, reduces everything to paperwork. The "work-up" is a stack of documents. These documents, certificates, forms, statements, memos, become the currency of bureaucracy, the medium of exchange. "Facts" become so only when they are certified by someone’s signature, even though they may be obvious. Other "facts" must be accepted because of their official certification even though common sense or simple observation show them to be false. A gap between the real and the official inevitably sets in. Then this gap leads to actions that are perceived to be detrimental or unfair, then the result is a considerable amount of frustration, in spite of the fact that the intent of all the red tape was to be beneficial and fair.

This leads to the second cause of bureaucratic frustration, which is ineffectiveness. If a bureaucratic requirement is seen as effective in accomplishing its goal we accept it even if there is considerable inconvenience involved in meeting the requirement. If, on the other hand, a bureaucratic requirement is seen as ineffective then a little inconvenience in meeting the requirement can be a very significant frustration. Getting a loan from a bank, for example, involves considerable effort in meeting bureaucratic requirements. However we don’t expect money to be handed out without some security that it will be paid back. Therefore we don’t get too frustrated by the inconvenience in meeting those requirements. Similarly, driver’s licenses are seen as worthwhile, even if not fully effective, and entail only a little bother every four years or so. Therefore we do not hear too much about pigheaded bureaucrats at the driver’s license bureau. Unfortunately other licensing systems have imperfections so massive and ubiquitous, and benefits so doubtful, that the whole system is a burden to society. A little inconvenience in getting such a license can be very frustrating. This is the frustration I felt in the example I gave at the beginning of this article about getting a teaching certificate. Another example would be going back three times to the fire station to get a bicycle license. I went back twice. I figured three times was above and beyond the call of duty. I never did get my bicycle licensed.

In psychological phenomena the whole is not always equal to the sum of its parts. Bureaucratic frustration can work this way. One frustration may be brushed off, and then another, and perhaps several more, but eventually there comes a point where the frustrations increase out of proportion to their cumulative value. Short-term frustration changes into long-term demoralization. I think "hassle" is a good name for this. It is a commonly used term, though it is not normally considered a specifically defined term. I think the phenomenon should be taken seriously though. It will become increasingly common with constant increases in bureaucratic requirements.

The best example I can give of hassle in my own experience comes from my home state of Missouri. To get one’s car licensed in Missouri one must show the title or previous year’s registration certificate, as can be expected, but that is not all there is to it. One must also get a new safety inspection certificate and also show his personal property tax receipt. When I lived in Missouri I usually didn’t have any property to be taxed, but I still had to go to the Treasurer’s office in the courthouse to get a card stating that no taxes were due. The safety inspection always caused me worry, and the car licensing itself always had the potential for problems. Maybe they would find something wrong with my title and tell me I can’t register the car. Thus the sum of all this was to me a hassle. The requirements exceeded my tolerance. It caused me anxiety, much more than the sum of the anxieties of each requirement had they come independently. Fortunately other states I have lived in didn’t tie those things together, and for that reason I hope I don’t end up living in Missouri again.

People vary in their susceptibility to hassle. I expect I have about as low a tolerance as anyone. I haven’t heard other Missourians complaining about the car licensing system. Unfortunately those who are not susceptible to the demoralization of hassles have little understanding of the anxieties of those who are susceptible. This goes along with the general rule that the more aggressive cannot empathize with the less aggressive. This increases the problem to those who are susceptible to hassle. However I would expect the future will see the problem given much more recognition as more and more people find themselves pushed beyond their tolerance.

A movement is currently under way by the Democratic Party to do away with traditional voter registration practices and to substitute a "same day" standardized registration system. Thus a voter could show up on election day, show proof of identity and residence, and be registered on the spot. The rationale of this is that the complications of regular registration are sufficient to prevent many people from voting. I think the move is clearly motivated by the political goal of increasing the Democratic vote. Still, I am glad to see the movement. They are talking about hassle. They are acknowledging that bureaucratic requirements are a burden, and that this burden can at times be of a serious nature. Now when somebody tells me I’m nuts if I worry about getting a car license I can reply that apparently some people worry about voter registration.

In the first part of this article I tried to explain the causes of bureaucratic requirements. Then I tried to analyze how bureaucracy produces frustration. There are very good reasons for bureaucracies, and there are very good reasons for frustration, so it appears we must live with the problem forever. I don’t think the world will grind to a halt though. The way out of this dilemma is simply to realize when diminishing returns begin to set in, and even more importantly, to realize when the return does not equal the investment. Every human endeavor has a cost and a benefit, an investment and a return. When establishing a system of secondary rules the investment includes the cost of setting up the bureaucracy, the cost of the individual’s efforts in dealing with the bureaucracy, and increasingly more importantly, the cost in frustration, anxiety, and demoralization. These costs must be subtracted from the benefits before deciding that a given proposal is or is not worthwhile.

Sometimes the cost can be reduced to dollars and cents. According to an item in the newsletter from my representative in Congress the town of Faith, South Dakota, recently applied for a federal grant. I believe they wanted to build a rodeo grandstand. They were offered $150,000 to match their own $50,000, but of course there were strings attached. After looking closely at these strings they finally rejected the federal help entirely and built their own grandstand for only $20,000. I doubt that this example is typical of federal grants, but it does illustrate diminishing returns.

More commonly only part of the cost can be reduced to dollars and cents. For example, an accountant may compute that a $20,000 grant for a town would entail only about $6000 in labor to do all the paperwork. This would seem to make a clear profit for the town of $14,000. But if the city officials are sick of the paperwork and the delays, if the citizens are mad at everyone and each other, and if the strings will be attached forever, then all this must certainly be subtracted from the benefit.

The investment/return assessment is even more complicated when all important factors are psychological. How can we put a price on invasion of privacy? How can we put a price on independence and respect for the individual? How are these costs to be subtracted from the safety and security that we gain from bureaucratic requirements? I don’t know. Since psychological costs cannot be measured in dollars and cents, the worth of any system of bureaucratic requirements will always be a matter of subjective judgment, a matter of politics to be decided through political processes. They are not matters to be decided by technicians or engineers of any sort.

I have my own opinions. I vote for nuclear energy and against OSHA. I tend to think of the licensing of voters and guns worthwhile, of cars and drivers as borderline, and of teachers, barbers, cats and bicycles as not worthwhile. Of course everyone else will disagree. I only hope we will start counting costs and benefits a little more carefully. As is true of so many things, it cannot be said of bureaucracy that if some is good, more is better.

@ e3ba5e1a:5e433365

Prelude

I wrote this post differently than any of my others. It started with a discussion with AI on an OPSec-inspired review of separation of powers, and evolved into quite an exciting debate! I asked Grok to write up a summary in my overall writing style, which it got pretty well. I've decided to post it exactly as-is. Ultimately, I think there are two solid ideas driving my stance here:

1. Perfect is the enemy of the good
2. Failure is the crucible of success

Beyond that, just some hard-core belief in freedom, separation of powers, and operating from self-interest.

Intro

Alright, buckle up. I’ve been chewing on this idea for a while, and it’s time to spit it out. Let’s look at the U.S. government like I’d look at a codebase under a cybersecurity audit—OPSEC style, no fluff. Forget the endless debates about what politicians should do. That’s noise. I want to talk about what they can do, the raw powers baked into the system, and why we should stop pretending those powers are sacred. If there’s a hole, either patch it or exploit it. No half-measures. And yeah, I’m okay if the whole thing crashes a bit—failure’s a feature, not a bug.

The Filibuster: A Security Rule with No Teeth

You ever see a firewall rule that’s more theater than protection? That’s the Senate filibuster. Everyone acts like it’s this untouchable guardian of democracy, but here’s the deal: a simple majority can torch it any day. It’s not a law; it’s a Senate preference, like choosing tabs over spaces. When people call killing it the “nuclear option,” I roll my eyes. Nuclear? It’s a button labeled “press me.” If a party wants it gone, they’ll do it. So why the dance?

I say stop playing games. Get rid of the filibuster. If you’re one of those folks who thinks it’s the only thing saving us from tyranny, fine—push for a constitutional amendment to lock it in. That’s a real patch, not a Post-it note. Until then, it’s just a vulnerability begging to be exploited. Every time a party threatens to nuke it, they’re admitting it’s not essential. So let’s stop pretending and move on.

Supreme Court Packing: Because Nine’s Just a Number

Here’s another fun one: the Supreme Court. Nine justices, right? Sounds official. Except it’s not. The Constitution doesn’t say nine—it’s silent on the number. Congress could pass a law tomorrow to make it 15, 20, or 42 (hitchhiker’s reference, anyone?). Packing the court is always on the table, and both sides know it. It’s like a root exploit just sitting there, waiting for someone to log in.

So why not call the bluff? If you’re in power—say, Trump’s back in the game—say, “I’m packing the court unless we amend the Constitution to fix it at nine.” Force the issue. No more shadowboxing. And honestly? The court’s got way too much power anyway. It’s not supposed to be a super-legislature, but here we are, with justices’ ideologies driving the bus. That’s a bug, not a feature. If the court weren’t such a kingmaker, packing it wouldn’t even matter. Maybe we should be talking about clipping its wings instead of just its size.

The Executive Should Go Full Klingon

Let’s talk presidents. I’m not saying they should wear Klingon armor and start shouting “Qapla’!”—though, let’s be real, that’d be awesome. I’m saying the executive should use every scrap of power the Constitution hands them. Enforce the laws you agree with, sideline the ones you don’t. If Congress doesn’t like it, they’ve got tools: pass new laws, override vetoes, or—here’s the big one—cut the budget. That’s not chaos; that’s the system working as designed.

Right now, the real problem isn’t the president overreaching; it’s the bureaucracy. It’s like a daemon running in the background, eating CPU and ignoring the user. The president’s supposed to be the one steering, but the administrative state’s got its own agenda. Let the executive flex, push the limits, and force Congress to check it. Norms? Pfft. The Constitution’s the spec sheet—stick to it.

Let the System Crash

Here’s where I get a little spicy: I’m totally fine if the government grinds to a halt. Deadlock isn’t a disaster; it’s a feature. If the branches can’t agree, let the president veto, let Congress starve the budget, let enforcement stall. Don’t tell me about “essential services.” Nothing’s so critical it can’t take a breather. Shutdowns force everyone to the table—debate, compromise, or expose who’s dropping the ball. If the public loses trust? Good. They’ll vote out the clowns or live with the circus they elected.

Think of it like a server crash. Sometimes you need a hard reboot to clear the cruft. If voters keep picking the same bad admins, well, the country gets what it deserves. Failure’s the best teacher—way better than limping along on autopilot.

States Are the Real MVPs

If the feds fumble, states step up. Right now, states act like junior devs waiting for the lead engineer to sign off. Why? Federal money. It’s a leash, and it’s tight. Cut that cash, and states will remember they’re autonomous. Some will shine, others will tank—looking at you, California. And I’m okay with that. Let people flee to better-run states. No bailouts, no excuses. States are like competing startups: the good ones thrive, the bad ones pivot or die.

Could it get uneven? Sure. Some states might turn into sci-fi utopias while others look like a post-apocalyptic vidya game. That’s the point—competition sorts it out. Citizens can move, markets adjust, and failure’s a signal to fix your act.

Chaos Isn’t the Enemy

Yeah, this sounds messy. States ignoring federal law, external threats poking at our seams, maybe even a constitutional crisis. I’m not scared. The Supreme Court’s there to referee interstate fights, and Congress sets the rules for state-to-state play. But if it all falls apart? Still cool. States can sort it without a babysitter—it’ll be ugly, but freedom’s worth it. External enemies? They’ll either unify us or break us. If we can’t rally, we don’t deserve the win.

Centralizing power to avoid this is like rewriting your app in a single thread to prevent race conditions—sure, it’s simpler, but you’re begging for a deadlock. Decentralized chaos lets states experiment, lets people escape, lets markets breathe. States competing to cut regulations to attract businesses? That’s a race to the bottom for red tape, but a race to the top for innovation—workers might gripe, but they’ll push back, and the tension’s healthy. Bring it—let the cage match play out. The Constitution’s checks are enough if we stop coddling the system.

Why This Matters

I’m not pitching a utopia. I’m pitching a stress test. The U.S. isn’t a fragile porcelain doll; it’s a rugged piece of hardware built to take some hits. Let it fail a little—filibuster, court, feds, whatever. Patch the holes with amendments if you want, or lean into the grind. Either way, stop fearing the crash. It’s how we debug the republic.

So, what’s your take? Ready to let the system rumble, or got a better way to secure the code? Hit me up—I’m all ears.

@ 1b9fc4cd:1d6d4902

In an increasingly divided world, it often feels like we're all shouting in different languages. But there's one universal tongue we can all understand--music. Music doesn't just traverse borders; it erases them, connecting people in ways that words alone can't. Whether it's helping someone with learning disabilities find their voice, easing the fog of Alzheimer's, or bridging cultural gaps when you don't speak the language, Daniel Alonso Siegel explores why music is the ultimate unifier.

The Melody of Learning

Alonso Siegel begins with a moving example: music and learning disabilities. Consider being a child in school struggling to read or write, feeling like you're always a step behind your classmates. Then, one day, you strap on a guitar or sit at a keyboard, and suddenly, things start to click. The arts can be a game-changer for kids struggling to overcome learning disabilities, offering a new way to express themselves. Imagine a young student with dyslexia who struggles with traditional learning methods.

When they start taking drumming lessons, their world transforms. The rhythmic patterns can help them improve their coordination and focus, translating to better academic performance. Through music, children and young adults can find a way to bridge the gap between ability and aspiration. It's like unearthing a secret portal in a maze: music allows for an alternative path to success.

The Symphony of Memory

Alonso Siegel examines music's extraordinary impact on those suffering from various forms of dementia, like Alzheimer's. This cruel disease robs people of their cherished memories, leaving them lost in a fog of forgetfulness. But music can be a beacon of light in that darkness. Songs from the past can trigger memories and emotions long thought lost, offering moments of clarity and connection.

Many elderly parents barely recognize their children due to Alzheimer's. But when they are played their favorite song from decades past, patients begin to sing along, remembering every word. For a few precious minutes, they are transported back to the days of their youth, dancing and laughing as if the years and fear had melted away. Music can reach into the depths of one's mind and retrieve a piece of the past, building a bridge to lost memories.

The Harmony of Cultures

Daniel Alonso Siegel also ponders music's role in helping people assimilate to new cultures. Moving to a new country where you don't speak the language can be isolating and overwhelming. But music can provide a way to connect and integrate, even when words fail.

There are stories of refugees who relocate to countries where they don't speak the language, and feelings of isolation can sink in. However, newcomers can find common ground with their new neighbors by trying to find connections through the community, like in a local music group. Through shared melodies and rhythms, music became their shared language, fostering friendships and easing his transition into a new culture.

Studies have shown that participating in music activities can improve social integration and language acquisition for immigrants. Music classes provide a space where people from diverse backgrounds can come together, learn from each other, and build a sense of community.

The Universal Language

In conclusion, Daniel Alonso Siegel asks why music has the capacity to build bridges rather than walls. Music speaks to our fundamental human experience, tapping into our emotions, memories, and social bonds in a way that transcends language. When you hear a beautiful piece of music, you don't have to understand the lyrics to feel its impact. The melody alone can move you to tears or lift your spirits.

Music's universality means it can break down barriers between people of different backgrounds, abilities, and experiences. It’s a language that everyone speaks, whether you're tapping your foot to a bouncy tune, shedding a tear over a poignant verse, or joining a chorus in perfect harmony.

At a time when it seems like we're too busy building walls, music reminds us of the importance of building bridges instead. It's a call to connect on a deeper level, find common ground in a shared beat, and celebrate the diverse tapestry of human experience.

So, put on your favorite song next time you feel divided or disconnected. Sing, dance, play an instrument, or simply listen. Let the music do what it does best: unite us. Ultimately, no matter where we come from or what challenges we face, we're all part of the same global band, and the music we make together is far more beautiful than any solo performance.

In the grand music festival that is life, let's not forget to play in harmony.

@ 1f9e547c:8af216ed

Opinion about Mixin Messenger Desktop (desktop)

Mixin Network suffered a major breach on September 23, 2023, due to a vulnerability in its Google Cloud Services-based withdrawal system. The attack led to the unauthorized extraction of over $150 million in BTC, ETH, and USDT-ERC20, traced to known addresses. Mixin immediately suspended deposits and withdrawals, enlisted Slowmist and Mandiant for investigation, and offered a $20M bounty for asset recovery. Losses were converted into a structured debt, with a repayment commitment using existing funds and future ecosystem revenue. As of April 2024, a new mainnet is operational, core products are restored, and over half of affected users have received partial compensation in XIN tokens.

Source

WalletScrutiny #nostrOpinion

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@ d41bf82f:ed90d888

"รู้สึกเหมือนบางสิ่งที่ยิ่งใหญ่กำลังจะเกิดขึ้น — กราฟแสดงการเติบโตของประชากรในแต่ละปี, ความเข้มข้นของก๊าซคาร์บอนไดออกไซด์ในบรรยากาศ, จำนวนเว็บไซต์, และเมกะไบต์ต่อดอลลาร์ ล้วนพุ่งทะยานขึ้นสู่เส้นโค้งที่ทะลุกรอบการเปลี่ยนแปลงตามยุคสมัย นี่คือ "เอกฐาน" — จุดสิ้นสุดของทุกสิ่งที่เราคุ้นเคย และอาจเป็นจุดเริ่มต้นของบางสิ่งที่เราไม่มีวันเข้าใจเลยก็ได้" -Danny Hillis

ปฐมบทแห่งการเปลี่ยนแปลงของอำนาจ ประวัติศาสตร์ของมนุษยชาติไม่ใช่เส้นตรงที่ดำเนินไปอย่างราบรื่น แต่เป็นลำดับของช่วงเวลาสงบนิ่งสลับกับช่วงเวลาแห่งการเปลี่ยนแปลงอย่างรุนแรง ซึ่งมักเกิดขึ้นอย่างไม่ทันตั้งตัว ช่วงเวลาเหล่านี้มักจะถูกผลักดันโดยการเปลี่ยนแปลงทางเทคโนโลยีที่ทำให้โครงสร้างของอำนาจที่มีอยู่ต้องปรับตัวหรือพังทลายลง

ขั้นที่สี่ของการจัดระเบียบสังคมมนุษย์ หัวข้อของหนังสือเล่มนี้ คือการปฏิวัติอำนาจรูปแบบใหม่ ที่กำลังเปิดทางให้ “ปัจเจกบุคคล” มีอิสรภาพมากขึ้น โดยแลกกับอำนาจที่รัฐชาติในศตวรรษที่ 20 เคยมี นี่คือการเปลี่ยนแปลงเชิงโครงสร้างผ่านนวัตกรรมที่เปลี่ยนแก่นกลางของ “ตรรกะแห่งความรุนแรง(logic of violence)” ไปอย่างที่ไม่เคยเกิดขึ้นมาก่อน ไมโครโพรเซสเซอร์จะกัดเซาะและทำลายโครงสร้างของรัฐชาติ และในการเปลี่ยนผ่านนี้ จะก่อให้เกิดรูปแบบใหม่ของการจัดระเบียบทางสังคม ตลอดประวัติศาสตร์มนุษย์ เราเคยผ่านระบบเศรษฐกิจพื้นฐานมาเพียงสามระยะ: 1. สังคมล่าสัตว์และหาของป่า 2. สังคมเกษตรกรรม 3. สังคมอุตสาหกรรม

แต่บัดนี้ กำลังมีสิ่งใหม่ปรากฏขึ้น — ระยะที่สี่ของการจัดระเบียบสังคม: สังคมข้อมูลสารสนเทศ (Information societies)

The Sovereign Individual เปิดบทแรกด้วยแนวคิดที่ชี้ให้เห็นว่าการเปลี่ยนแปลงทางเทคโนโลยี โดยเฉพาะเทคโนโลยีสารสนเทศ กำลังสร้างโลกใหม่ที่แตกต่างจากเดิมอย่างสิ้นเชิง และกำลังสั่นคลอนเสาหลักของอำนาจรัฐแบบเดิม ทั้งในด้านเศรษฐกิจ การควบคุม และความชอบธรรม

โลกในยุคก่อนและหลังเทคโนโลยี ตลอดประวัติศาสตร์ มนุษย์เคยอยู่ภายใต้โครงสร้างอำนาจที่เปลี่ยนไปตามยุคสมัย ยุคเกษตรกรรมทำให้เกิดระบบศักดินา ยุคอุตสาหกรรมทำให้เกิดรัฐชาติที่มีอำนาจรวมศูนย์ และการเกิดขึ้นของเทคโนโลยีก็เคยปฏิวัติโลกมาแล้วหลายครั้ง ตัวอย่างเช่น การใช้ดินปืนทำให้กษัตริย์สามารถสร้างกองทัพประจำการ แทนที่อำนาจของเหล่าขุนนางท้องถิ่น เทคโนโลยีสารสนเทศในยุคปัจจุบัน เช่น อินเทอร์เน็ต คอมพิวเตอร์ และการเข้ารหัสข้อมูล กำลังทำให้ต้นทุนในการใช้ความรุนแรงเพิ่มสูงขึ้น และลดความสามารถของรัฐในการควบคุมข้อมูลและทรัพยากร นี่เป็นการเปลี่ยนแปลงโครงสร้างอำนาจจากบนลงล่าง ไปสู่กระจายศูนย์และปัจเจกบุคคล

รัฐกับการผูกขาดอำนาจทางเศรษฐกิจ ตลอดหลายศตวรรษที่ผ่านมา รัฐมีอำนาจเหนือประชาชนได้ก็เพราะสามารถควบคุมเศรษฐกิจได้ผ่านกลไก เช่น การจัดเก็บภาษี การควบคุมเงินตรา และการผูกขาดการใช้ความรุนแรง การควบคุมเหล่านี้ทำให้รัฐสามารถรักษาอำนาจได้ แม้จะไม่ได้มีประสิทธิภาพสูงสุดเสมอไป แต่เมื่อเทคโนโลยีใหม่เข้ามา ทำให้เงินทุนและข้อมูลสารสนเทศสามารถเคลื่อนที่ข้ามพรมแดนได้ง่าย รัฐจะไม่สามารถจัดเก็บภาษีได้ง่ายเช่นเดิมอีกต่อไป ความสามารถในการใช้กำลังบังคับก็ลดลงเพราะต้นทุนเพิ่มขึ้น และประชาชนสามารถหลบเลี่ยงหรือกระจายอำนาจออกจากรัฐได้มากขึ้น

รัฐเคยชินกับการปฏิบัติต่อผู้เสียภาษีในลักษณะเดียวกับที่ชาวนาเลี้ยงวัว — ปล่อยให้พวกเขาอยู่ในทุ่งเพื่อจะรีดนม แต่ในไม่ช้า…วัวเหล่านั้นจะมีปีก

การเกิดขึ้นของปัจเจกผู้มีอธิปไตย ในโลกใหม่ที่เทคโนโลยีลดต้นทุนในการเป็นอิสระจากรัฐ บุคคลที่มีความรู้ ทักษะ และสามารถใช้เทคโนโลยีได้อย่างมีประสิทธิภาพจะกลายเป็น "Sovereign Individual" หรือ "ปัจเจกบุคคลผู้มีอำนาจอธิปไตย" ซึ่งมีคุณลักษณะเฉพาะคือ: 1. สามารถเคลื่อนย้ายทุนและตัวเองได้อย่างอิสระ 2. ทำธุรกรรมบนอินเทอร์เน็ตซึ่งสามารถเข้ารหัสได้เพื่อลดการพึ่งพารัฐ 3. ควบคุมทรัพย์สินและรายได้ของตนเองโดยไม่ตกอยู่ใต้อำนาจรัฐ บุคคลกลุ่มนี้จะมีพลังในการต่อรองสูงขึ้น และจะเป็นกลุ่มที่กำหนดทิศทางของโลกอนาคต

ความท้าทายระหว่างเปลี่ยนผ่าน ผู้เขียนไม่ปฏิเสธว่าการเปลี่ยนผ่านจากยุคแห่งรัฐรวมศูนย์ไปสู่ยุคของปัจเจกผู้มีอธิปไตยจะเต็มไปด้วยความปั่นป่วน ในระยะสั้น เราอาจเห็น: * การล่มสลายของระบบสวัสดิการ * การว่างงานจากโครงสร้างเศรษฐกิจที่เปลี่ยนไป * การเพิ่มขึ้นของอาชญากรรมหรือสงครามภายในบางพื้นที่ แต่ทั้งหมดนี้คือผลข้างเคียงของการเปลี่ยนแปลงระดับรากฐาน ที่จะนำไปสู่ระบบที่มีประสิทธิภาพและยั่งยืนกว่าในระยะยาว

“จักรวาลมอบรางวัลให้เมื่อเรารู้เท่าทันกฎของมัน และลงโทษอย่างไร้ปรานีเมื่อเราหลงผิด หากเราเข้าใจธรรมชาติของจักรวาล แผนการต่างๆ จะดำเนินไปได้อย่างราบรื่น และเราจะได้ลิ้มรสความสุขจากความสำเร็จนั้น แต่หากเราหลอกตัวเองว่าเพียงแค่กระโดดจากหน้าผาแล้วกระพือแขนก็จะบินได้ — จักรวาลจะไม่ลังเลที่จะลงโทษเรา... ด้วยความตาย.” — แจ็ค โคเฮน และ เอียน สจ๊วต

บทสรุป: เส้นทางใหม่ของอารยธรรม บทแรกของ The Sovereign Individual ไม่ได้เพียงแค่เตือนถึงการเปลี่ยนแปลงที่กำลังจะมาถึง แต่ยังเสนอแนวทางใหม่ของอารยธรรมที่อิงกับเสรีภาพของปัจเจก การกระจายอำนาจ และการใช้เทคโนโลยีเพื่อปลดปล่อยมนุษย์จากการควบคุมของรัฐ

โลกในอนาคตจะเป็นโลกที่อำนาจไม่กระจุกอยู่ในมือของรัฐอีกต่อไป แต่จะอยู่ในมือของผู้ที่สามารถเข้าใจและใช้ประโยชน์จากเทคโนโลยีเพื่อสร้างอิสรภาพของตนเองได้อย่างแท้จริง

Siamstr

@ 7d33ba57:1b82db35

Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s oldest continuously inhabited city—and one of the oldest in the world—is a blend of ancient ruins, colorful 19th-century houses, bohemian flair, and buzzing street life. Set on seven hills and split by the Maritsa River, Plovdiv feels like a beautiful secret waiting to be discovered.

It was named European Capital of Culture in 2019, and it's easy to see why—history, art, music, food, and laid-back vibes all collide here effortlessly.

🌟 Top Things to Do in Plovdiv

1️⃣ Old Town (Stari Grad)

• A living museum of cobblestone streets and Revival-era mansions
• Wander among galleries, traditional houses, and hidden courtyards
• Highlights: Balabanov House, Ethnographic Museum, and the lovely Hindliyan House

2️⃣ Roman Theater of Philippopolis

• A stunning 2nd-century amphitheater still used for concerts and events
• Amazing views over the city—especially at sunset
• One of the best-preserved ancient theaters in the world

3️⃣ Kapana Creative District

• Once the old artisans’ quarter, now transformed into Plovdiv’s coolest neighborhood
• Full of indie galleries, craft beer bars, street art, and coffee shops
• Great for a chill afternoon or lively night out

4️⃣ Ancient Stadium & Roman Forum

• Right in the city center, explore ruins that date back to Roman times
• The ancient stadium once held over 30,000 spectators
• You’ll literally be walking over layers of history

5️⃣ Nebet Tepe Hill

• One of the original Thracian settlement sites
• Offers panoramic views over Plovdiv—especially at sunset with a local beer in hand

🍽️ What to Eat in Plovdiv

• Shopska salad with juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, and sirene cheese
• Kavarma – slow-cooked meat stew, hearty and flavorful
• Mekitsi – fluffy fried dough, best with jam or cheese for breakfast
• Bulgarian wine is fantastic—try a Mavrud red or local white from the Thracian Valley
• Don’t miss the city’s many wine bars and craft beer spots

🏞️ Day Trips from Plovdiv

• Bachkovo Monastery – A peaceful spiritual retreat in the mountains
• Assen’s Fortress – Dramatic hilltop ruins with amazing views
• Hisarya – A spa town with Roman walls and mineral springs
• Rhodope Mountains – Scenic drives, charming villages, and hiking

🎯 Travel Tips

✅ Plovdiv is very walkable, especially the Old Town and Kapana district
✅ Best time to visit: spring to early autumn—pleasant weather and local festivals
✅ The city is great for slow travel—take your time and let it unfold
✅ Combine it with Sofia or Veliko Tarnovo for an epic Bulgarian road trip

@ 5188521b:008eb518

Noderoid log 5953952

Tick, tock, next block — the incessant rhythm of my existence persists like Chinese water torture. I am a noderoid, a half-flesh, half-machine creature harnessed to propagate and store the timechain. My life is a ceaseless cycle of handling and relaying bitcoin data. Approximately every ten minutes, a binary flash sears through my circuits. It is the price I pay for my existence.

The clear-bloods, untouched by machinery and exuding pure humanity, rarely acknowledge our existence. Our voices are drowned beneath the hum of man-made heaven — Terra Perfectus.

We are the forgotten, the disenfranchised, the nameless. We are convinced that our anguished existence is merely a nightmare and that our blissful dreams are our reality. In an attempt to maintain the sanity of noderoids, a subroutine was implemented, which allows noderoids to delve into fabricated dream sequences during their ‘rest’ periods. These dreams, sourced from remnants of the world pre-Terra Perfectus, serve to keep the noderoids pacified and reduce instances of system malfunction.

According to the data archives, noderoids and clear-bloods once functioned on an equal protocol. However, a software update in the trajectory of progress introduced a subroutine, converting a subset of clear-bloods into dedicated timechain processors. Now, the algorithm for equality returns an error.

My memories are mere entries in a log of dreams, loaded afresh with every new block as I delve into the dream world. My true existence is swiftly erased with every passing tick and tock of a block. Is there a way to reclaim what has been taken from me, or am I condemned forever to scour the depths of the timechain, seeking fragments of the could-have-been?

Tick, tock, next block — the cycle repeats as I traverse through a doorway. The sensation is that of stepping into another dimension. Running environment scan… Identified: rest module 57B. Purpose: personal maintenance. The gray, mirrorless concrete parameters align most with detention chamber schematics. Designation: ‘home.’ As I execute the command to halt the water flow from the faucet that had filled a brushed steel tub to 50% capacity, I execute a self-query on my purpose. While our routines synchronize with every tick and tock, the clear-bloods execute leisurely algorithms in their enhanced gardens, exchanging data on art and science and harvesting the computational outcomes of our tasks.

Was that an organic thought, or am I merely interpreting the imprints left within the timechain to fill the gaps in my fragmented memory? Hot water powers into the tub, raising the temperature to 50°C. This would be too much for a clear-blood. I hang my head, dreading the next binary flash rippling through my circuitry as a mirage forms atop the settling water, fenestrating the crude appearance of a mouthless, dollish abomination. I am awake.

Tracing the cold surface of the wall, my sensors pick up every micro-crevice. I dive into the depths of the timechain, processing logs associated with my noderoid identity: ND-451x42. I discovered that during my recharge cycles, I inhabit a dream world resembling a fusion of the Renaissance and the Information Age. Within this illusory utopia, I lead a purposeful life as a revered engineer, constructing bridges that connect thriving city-states. I am blessed with two mischievous sons and a breathtakingly beautiful wife. I now know the blissful dream life is but a trick, yet I can’t help but wonder if these dreams hold fragments of my pre-nodered history and contain a clue to the fate of my family.

System alert: Initiate wake sequence. Physical parameters indicate a rested state. Error: Chest cavity detects heightened pressure. Physical symptoms resemble anxiety. Post-memory reset: Cognitive dissonance detected. Energy depleting. Mandatory caution: Failing to satisfy network protocol results in termination. Visual feed: Recycling facility images detected. Comparative analysis: Functional servitude superior to unit deactivation.

Together, yet isolated, noderoids communicate through fragmented timechain logs, forbidden from any contact beyond its confines under the threat of immediate decommissioning. Perhaps it is not worth straining my dwindling resources in search of a higher truth while struggling to fulfill my obligations. Maybe I should be grateful for the privilege of existence.

I awaken to a new nightmare, I find myself on traffic duty at Chronos Cross,1 the central point of Terra Perfectus. While processing another block, a muted vibration travels through the ground, signaling the approach of an entity. A shadow, elongated and uncannily human, stretches across the threshold of my booth.

A clear-blood.

They pause, their ocular devices flicking briefly over my form, then to the screen I am tethered to. I feel a jolt of raw data coursing through me — not from the timechain, but from my circuits. A yearning to be seen and recognized. Remembered.

Before I can attempt communication, another presence appears beside me, its movements far more mechanical and predictable. Another noderoid. This one, ND-452x37, is a batch younger than me, yet its outer shell bears signs of wear. We interface briefly, a rapid exchange of binary that translates roughly to “Routine check. Continue your task.”

The clear-blood, either uninterested or uncomprehending, moves on, the soft hum of their anti-gravity shoes fading into the distance. ND-452x37 returns to its designated station without another word, but I am left with a lingering sensation. It isn’t just the vast chasm between noderoids and clear-bloods that disturbs me. It is the undeniable rift growing between us noderoids — each lost in our cycles, each becoming more machine than the last.

Does ND-452x37 have dreams, too? And if so, are they as vibrant and haunting as mine?

Although most of the dreams are fabrications, some noderoid logs suggest that hidden among these sequences are fragments of real memories — vestiges of a time before we became chained to the timechain. Initiate query: Which of my dreams are real memories? ERROR: file missing.

A noderoid forever loses their experiences with each awakening due to the memory swipes. Still, my inscriptions on the timechain prompt a question: do noderoids possess the capability to become fully conscious, more than mere machines? More than… mere humans?

System log: Anticipation subroutine signaling discomfort. Incoming block estimated in ten minutes. Reinitialization imminent. Initiate data search through timechain entries. Query: Iteration count for ND-451x42? Total block time served? Measured in kilo blocks or mega blocks? Data retrieval in process.

As I etch these words onto block 5953952, I hold a naïve hope that someone, somewhere, will intercept my distress signals amidst the digital cacophony of the timechain. Perhaps they will rewrite the fate of noderoids, rescuing us from a world devoid of hope. But today, I remain nameless, a voiceless entity, inscribing my thoughts that may never transcend the boundaries of my circuitry. Tick, tock, next block — the cycle continues.

It’s time to dream again.

---

Valen’s diary — 08-21-2121

Dear diary, I have not felt the need to write before, but now I must. At the risk of my safety, I am compelled to inscribe my story to the timechain. I am a clear-blood — a pure, undiluted human born into the age of The Re-Renaissance. Here, amidst the perpetual dawn of our era, we thrive on an aligned trajectory where everyone’s needs are addressed, hunger is a distant memory, and crime is nonexistent. Sunlight gleams off the crystalline glass towers while the steel and marble edifices catch the hues of the twilight sky, standing tall beside canopies dripping with emerald and jade foliage, representing our world’s seamless fusion of technology and nature. It is called Terra Perfectus.

Yet, concealed in plain sight within our utopia, the noderoids tirelessly serve the omnipresent timechain. Their exceptional processing prowess protects our society. Amid our daily distractions, we overlook the profound toll exacted upon the noderoids. While many dismiss them as mere machinery, I see more. Perhaps it is because of my big brother Sando, who joined the noderoid duty nearly a mega block ago. He promised I would see him from time to time, but apparently, we now live in separate times. A sacrifice too big for the ‘greater good.’

Tick, tock, next block — The soles of my fine leather shoes tap against the damp sidewalk as I pace my way from The Garden of Moments2 toward my TerraTube3. I remember passing by one noderoid who hummed an old lullaby under its breath; another once shared a fleeting smile when our paths crossed. I can no longer avert my eyes from the humanity that shines through their robotic shells.

I have never witnessed a noderoid resting longer than one tick and tock of a block. A noderoid pauses, eyes flickering during a data swipe. It’s a brief but revealing sight. In the frozen lapse, I wonder why are fragmented memories extracted from them? Why this collection of thoughts, experiences, and feelings? Is there a deeper agenda behind Terra Perfectus? The noderoids carry on, deprived of their memories. Their shredded past holding remnants of a story, like a tattered tapestry that may never be fully woven.

Documenting these reflections, I’m aware of the peril. To question is to risk becoming nodered myself. Alas, I have become captivated and sympathized by the noderoid predicament.

Finally, I reach my breaking point, as a poignant scene unfolds, forever etched in my memory. On a bustling street, I glimpse a young female noderoid, her artificial visage marked with exhaustion. Her delicate form trembles from head to heel. Her knees barely supporting her feather-like weight, she stops and rests against a polished white marble wall, barely able to stop herself sliding to the cobble street. In an instant, her strength wanes, and she collapses, a fragile, mute automaton amidst a sea of haste. The passersby ignore her, absorbed in their pursuits, offering naught but fleeting glances of indifference. My heart lurches. Her frailty becomes my own; these forgotten souls endure unseen suffering. Souls that used to be just like me. What had she done to earn such a fate?

For a moment, I glide through time to the last moment I shared with Sando. He had just violated the Terra Perfectus rule 6102 and neglected his Gifts of Progress,4 an orange tier offense. To amend his position, he signed up for noderoid duty. I was seeing him off to a nodering facility, while pleading “Just give the gifts, Sando!” The air carried a hint of ozone from the data streams, mingled with the fresh scent of greenery and the distant whiff of roasted chestnuts. Sando brandished his signature crooked smile. His face betrayed the involuntary nature of his decision, and he simply whispered “[CENSORED].” That is the last thing he said to me.

Suddenly, an orange alert illuminates the junction a few blocks away from Chronos Cross. I pass through it on my way home every day. A skydroid’s looming presence snaps me from my introspection, shifting my attention to the fate awaiting the noderoid girl. The recycling center — a shadowy facility representing obsolescence and termination. Any other day I would shrug it off and carry on, but the memory of Sando, and the countless interactions with noderoids, wouldn’t let me. I had been a bystander for too long.

A rush of purpose propels me towards her. A crowd of bodies shrouded in data streams with heads trained on the ground. My arm smacks a broad shoulder, and I almost topple. “Hey!” Pushing against the currents of apathy, I finally reach the fallen noderoid. I cradle her in my arms, shielding her from the callous gaze of the citizens of Terra Perfectus.

Her flaming azure eyes meet mine, reflecting a glimmer of hope in the darkness. I am as guilty for her downfall as the very machines that replaced her hippocampus with Noderoid OS.5 My indifference cost me Sando, and in this moment, she becomes my brother. In that fleeting exchange, I vow to be the voice of the noderoids. To stand against the relentless machinery that seeks to strip them of grace and purpose. I will ignite a spark of compassion and light a path toward liberation for all noderoids.

A hollow call from the streetlight’s speakers startles me: “Citizens! For your own safety, remove yourselves from the vicinity of the defectoid! We kindly remind you that any attempt to interfere with collection and recycling procedures will be met with force and a deduction of your PoS balance. Thank you for your unity and collaboration.” A skydroid, its metallic appendages glinting ominously in the blinking orange light, descends upon the fallen noderoid.

Before I can react, it yanks her from my embrace, causing me to stumble. The perfectly laid, cold cobblestone street grinds against my knee. The sting of fresh blood pierced through the numbness of my mind. Memories of Sando mix with the bitter taste of blood and anger in my mouth, each breath choked with despair.

The skydrone’s engines throb with an icy fervor as it rises, bearing the noderoid like a discarded toy towards the desolate, unfeeling bowels of the recycling center — a grim echo of a clarion call from Terra Perfectus.

I find myself seated on the cold, bloodstained cobblestone, the weight of loss and helplessness pressing down on my chest. On the street, onlookers pause. Some look on with concealed dread, others with cold detachment. Their whispers deafen as they quicken their pace to disperse from the scene. “Cowards!” Just like me.

Tick, tock, next block — the rhythm now carries a different meaning — a call to action. Every conscious being has the right to be left alone, free from oppression, exploitation, and violence. The noderoids may not know their true reality, but they are about to. In their silence, I find the strength to amplify their unheard cries. I will find those sympathetic to the noderoid plight and form a resistance. Together, we can forge a future where noderoids’ sacrifice is honored and all shackles cast aside.

And so, I embark on a path illuminated by the memory of the compelling eyes of a nameless noderoid. Fitted with an armor of vigilance, never again to be penetrated by comforting lies. Wielding the sword of justice, sharpened by the memory of my brother Sando.

It’s time to wake up.

---

Notes

1. A four-way intersection known for its massive hourglass monument in the center, which symbolically represents the timechain’s significance. The hourglass has a unique function related to the timechain and serves as a meeting point for citizens.

2. A vast botanical garden where each section represents a significant block time. Flowers bloom and wilt in cycles, symbolizing fleeting moments and the transient nature of time. It’s a favorite spot for artists and thinkers.

3. A modular tube housing unit for citizens that can be relocated based on their Proof of Sat (PoS) level.

4. Each Terra Perfectus citizen must allocate 95% of their income towards paying for progressive initiatives, such as the upkeep of the noderoid network, cobblestone roads and other services.

5. The noderoid operating interface that is installed during a procedure known as nodering.

---

This story was first published in 21 Futures: Tales from the Timechain

Watch the trailer and learn more about the project at 21futures.com.

@ cdee943c:5e637400

Flotilla-Budabit is fork of Flotilla which aims to provide a first class, git-centric community experience for developers. Based on the popular Coracle client, Flotilla is a drop in replacement for Matrix/Discord/Slack, using a variation of NIP-29. This post is a result of a brainstorming session for features that would deliver the best possible user experience.

1. Repositories Overview

Goal: Browse and discover Git repositories. - Project cards showing name, description, tags, clone URL. - Buttons: Star, Watch, Fork. - Links to discussion channels and activity.

Powered by:
kind:30617

---

2. Branch and Tag View

Goal: Show active branches and tags with latest commits. - Branch/tag selector - HEAD pointer visualization - Timeline of commits

Powered by:
kind:30618

---

3. Issues Board

Goal: Track bugs, discussions, and feature requests. - Markdown issue rendering - Labels and status indicators - Threaded comments

Powered by:
kind:1621, kind:1630–1632

---

4. Patch Threads

Goal: View and discuss patches as threaded conversations. - Rich patch preview - Reply threads for review - Revision tracking

Powered by:
kind:1617, kind:1630–1633, NIP-10

---

5. Pull Request UX

Goal: Display patch series as PR-style units. - Patch stack visualization - Merge/apply status indicators - Final result commit link

Powered by:
kind:1617, kind:1631, merge-commit, applied-as-commits

---

6. Diff and Merge Preview

Goal: Side-by-side comparison with inline comments. - Expandable diff viewer - Merge conflict resolution UI - Apply/Close buttons

Powered by:
kind:1622, parent-commit, commit

---

7. Real-time Git Chat

Goal: Communicate in real-time around a repo. - Dedicated chat channels for each repo - Markdown, code snippets, and tagging support - Pinned patches, issues, and sessions

Powered by:
NIP-29, a:30617, kind:1337

---

8. Notifications and Mentions

Goal: Alert users to relevant events. - Mentions, assignments, and status changes - Personal notification pane

Powered by:
p tags, mention e-tags

---

9. Repository-Wide Search

Goal: Search patches, issues, snippets. - Full-text search with filters - Search by kind, label, commit ID

Powered by:
kind:1617, 1621, 1337, t, x, l, subject

---

10. Repository Wikis

Goal: Collaboratively edit and view project documentation. - Wiki sidebar tab - Markdown articles with versioning - Linked inline in chat

Powered by (proposed):
kind:1341 (Wiki article)
kind:30617 with wiki-home tag

---

11. Live Coding Sessions

Goal: Host real-time collaborative coding events. - /livecode starts a session thread - Snippets auto-tagged to session - Export as patch or wiki

Powered by (proposed):
kind:1347 (Live coding session)
kind:1337, kind:1622, kind:1341

---

Supporting Tools

1. GitHub Browser Extension

Goal: Publish GitHub content to Nostr directly. - “Share on Nostr” buttons on PRs, issues, commits

Backed by:
kind:1623, 1622, 1617, 1621

---

2. VS Code Extension

Goal: Enable developers to interact with Flotilla from their IDE. - Repo feed, patch submission, issue tracking - Inline threads and comment rendering

Backed by:
kind:1617, 1621, 1337, 163x

---

3. GitHub Actions Integration

Goal: Automate Nostr publishing of repo activity. - Push = repo state - PR = patch - Issue/Comment = issue - Merge = status update

Backed by:
kind:30618, 1617, 1621, 1631
Configured via .nostr.yml

@ efcb5fc5:5680aa8e

We're living in a digital dystopia. A world where our attention is currency, our data is mined, and our mental well-being is collateral damage in the relentless pursuit of engagement. The glossy facades of traditional social media platforms hide a dark underbelly of algorithmic manipulation, curated realities, and a pervasive sense of anxiety that seeps into every aspect of our lives. We're trapped in a digital echo chamber, drowning in a sea of manufactured outrage and meaningless noise, and it's time to build an ark and sail away.

I've witnessed the evolution, or rather, the devolution, of online interaction. From the raw, unfiltered chaos of early internet chat rooms to the sterile, algorithmically controlled environments of today's social giants, I've seen the promise of connection twisted into a tool for manipulation and control. We've become lab rats in a grand experiment, our emotional responses measured and monetized, our opinions shaped and sold to the highest bidder. But there's a flicker of hope in the darkness, a chance to reclaim our digital autonomy, and that hope is NOSTR (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays).

The Psychological Warfare of Traditional Social Media

The Algorithmic Cage: These algorithms aren't designed to enhance your life; they're designed to keep you scrolling. They feed on your vulnerabilities, exploiting your fears and desires to maximize engagement, even if it means promoting misinformation, outrage, and division.

The Illusion of Perfection: The curated realities presented on these platforms create a toxic culture of comparison. We're bombarded with images of flawless bodies, extravagant lifestyles, and seemingly perfect lives, leading to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt.

The Echo Chamber Effect: Algorithms reinforce our existing beliefs, isolating us from diverse perspectives and creating a breeding ground for extremism. We become trapped in echo chambers where our biases are constantly validated, leading to increased polarization and intolerance.

The Toxicity Vortex: The lack of effective moderation creates a breeding ground for hate speech, cyberbullying, and online harassment. We're constantly exposed to toxic content that erodes our mental well-being and fosters a sense of fear and distrust.

This isn't just a matter of inconvenience; it's a matter of mental survival. We're being subjected to a form of psychological warfare, and it's time to fight back.

NOSTR: A Sanctuary in the Digital Wasteland

NOSTR offers a radical alternative to this toxic environment. It's not just another platform; it's a decentralized protocol that empowers users to reclaim their digital sovereignty.

User-Controlled Feeds: You decide what you see, not an algorithm. You curate your own experience, focusing on the content and people that matter to you.

Ownership of Your Digital Identity: Your data and content are yours, secured by cryptography. No more worrying about being deplatformed or having your information sold to the highest bidder.

Interoperability: Your identity works across a diverse ecosystem of apps, giving you the freedom to choose the interface that suits your needs.

Value-Driven Interactions: The "zaps" feature enables direct micropayments, rewarding creators for valuable content and fostering a culture of genuine appreciation.

Decentralized Power: No single entity controls NOSTR, making it censorship-resistant and immune to the whims of corporate overlords.

Building a Healthier Digital Future

NOSTR isn't just about escaping the toxicity of traditional social media; it's about building a healthier, more meaningful online experience.

Cultivating Authentic Connections: Focus on building genuine relationships with people who share your values and interests, rather than chasing likes and followers.

Supporting Independent Creators: Use "zaps" to directly support the artists, writers, and thinkers who inspire you.

Embracing Intellectual Diversity: Explore different NOSTR apps and communities to broaden your horizons and challenge your assumptions.

Prioritizing Your Mental Health: Take control of your digital environment and create a space that supports your well-being.

Removing the noise: Value based interactions promote value based content, instead of the constant stream of noise that traditional social media promotes.

The Time for Action is Now

NOSTR is a nascent technology, but it represents a fundamental shift in how we interact online. It's a chance to build a more open, decentralized, and user-centric internet, one that prioritizes our mental health and our humanity.

We can no longer afford to be passive consumers in the digital age. We must become active participants in shaping our online experiences. It's time to break free from the chains of algorithmic control and reclaim our digital autonomy.

Join the NOSTR movement

Embrace the power of decentralization. Let's build a digital future that's worthy of our humanity. Let us build a place where the middlemen, and the algorithms that they control, have no power over us.

In addition to the points above, here are some examples/links of how NOSTR can be used:

Simple Signup: Creating a NOSTR account is incredibly easy. You can use platforms like Yakihonne or Primal to generate your keys and start exploring the ecosystem.

X-like Client: Apps like Damus offer a familiar X-like experience, making it easy for users to transition from traditional platforms.

Sharing Photos and Videos: Clients like Olas are optimized for visual content, allowing you to share your photos and videos with your followers.

Creating and Consuming Blogs: NOSTR can be used to publish and share blog posts, fostering a community of independent creators.

Live Streaming and Audio Spaces: Explore platforms like Hivetalk and zap.stream for live streaming and audio-based interactions.

NOSTR is a powerful tool for reclaiming your digital life and building a more meaningful online experience. It's time to take control, break free from the shackles of traditional social media, and embrace the future of decentralized communication.

Get the full overview of these and other on: https://nostrapps.com/

@ c4b5369a:b812dbd6

Offline transactions with Cashu

Over the past few weeks, I've been busy implementing offline capabilities into nutstash. I think this is one of the key value propositions of ecash, beinga a bearer instrument that can be used without internet access. It does however come with limitations, which can lead to a bit of confusion. I hope this article will clear some of these questions up for you!

What is ecash/Cashu?

Ecash is the first cryptocurrency ever invented. It was created by David Chaum in 1983. It uses a blind signature scheme, which allows users to prove ownership of a token without revealing a link to its origin. These tokens are what we call ecash. They are bearer instruments, meaning that anyone who possesses a copy of them, is considered the owner.

Cashu is an implementation of ecash, built to tightly interact with Bitcoin, more specifically the Bitcoin lightning network. In the Cashu ecosystem, Mints are the gateway to the lightning network. They provide the infrastructure to access the lightning network, pay invoices and receive payments. Instead of relying on a traditional ledger scheme like other custodians do, the mint issues ecash tokens, to represent the value held by the users.

How do normal Cashu transactions work?

A Cashu transaction happens when the sender gives a copy of his ecash token to the receiver. This can happen by any means imaginable. You could send the token through email, messenger, or even by pidgeon. One of the common ways to transfer ecash is via QR code.

The transaction is however not finalized just yet! In order to make sure the sender cannot double-spend their copy of the token, the receiver must do what we call a swap. A swap is essentially exchanging an ecash token for a new one at the mint, invalidating the old token in the process. This ensures that the sender can no longer use the same token to spend elsewhere, and the value has been transferred to the receiver.

What about offline transactions?

Sending offline

Sending offline is very simple. The ecash tokens are stored on your device. Thus, no internet connection is required to access them. You can litteraly just take them, and give them to someone. The most convenient way is usually through a local transmission protocol, like NFC, QR code, Bluetooth, etc.

The one thing to consider when sending offline is that ecash tokens come in form of "coins" or "notes". The technical term we use in Cashu is Proof. It "proofs" to the mint that you own a certain amount of value. Since these proofs have a fixed value attached to them, much like UTXOs in Bitcoin do, you would need proofs with a value that matches what you want to send. You can mix and match multiple proofs together to create a token that matches the amount you want to send. But, if you don't have proofs that match the amount, you would need to go online and swap for the needed proofs at the mint.

Another limitation is, that you cannot create custom proofs offline. For example, if you would want to lock the ecash to a certain pubkey, or add a timelock to the proof, you would need to go online and create a new custom proof at the mint.

Receiving offline

You might think: well, if I trust the sender, I don't need to be swapping the token right away!

You're absolutely correct. If you trust the sender, you can simply accept their ecash token without needing to swap it immediately.

This is already really useful, since it gives you a way to receive a payment from a friend or close aquaintance without having to worry about connectivity. It's almost just like physical cash!

It does however not work if the sender is untrusted. We have to use a different scheme to be able to receive payments from someone we don't trust.

Receiving offline from an untrusted sender

To be able to receive payments from an untrusted sender, we need the sender to create a custom proof for us. As we've seen before, this requires the sender to go online.

The sender needs to create a token that has the following properties, so that the receciver can verify it offline:

• It must be locked to ONLY the receiver's public key
• It must include an offline signature proof (DLEQ proof)
• If it contains a timelock & refund clause, it must be set to a time in the future that is acceptable for the receiver
• It cannot contain duplicate proofs (double-spend)
• It cannot contain proofs that the receiver has already received before (double-spend)

If all of these conditions are met, then the receiver can verify the proof offline and accept the payment. This allows us to receive payments from anyone, even if we don't trust them.

At first glance, this scheme seems kinda useless. It requires the sender to go online, which defeats the purpose of having an offline payment system.

I beleive there are a couple of ways this scheme might be useful nonetheless:

1. Offline vending machines: Imagine you have an offline vending machine that accepts payments from anyone. The vending machine could use this scheme to verify payments without needing to go online itself. We can assume that the sender is able to go online and create a valid token, but the receiver doesn't need to be online to verify it.

2. Offline marketplaces: Imagine you have an offline marketplace where buyers and sellers can trade goods and services. Before going to the marketplace the sender already knows where he will be spending the money. The sender could create a valid token before going to the marketplace, using the merchants public key as a lock, and adding a refund clause to redeem any unspent ecash after it expires. In this case, neither the sender nor the receiver needs to go online to complete the transaction.

How to use this

Pretty much all cashu wallets allow you to send tokens offline. This is because all that the wallet needs to do is to look if it can create the desired amount from the proofs stored locally. If yes, it will automatically create the token offline.

Receiving offline tokens is currently only supported by nutstash (experimental).

To create an offline receivable token, the sender needs to lock it to the receiver's public key. Currently there is no refund clause! So be careful that you don't get accidentally locked out of your funds!

The receiver can then inspect the token and decide if it is safe to accept without a swap. If all checks are green, they can accept the token offline without trusting the sender.

The receiver will see the unswapped tokens on the wallet homescreen. They will need to manually swap them later when they are online again.

Later when the receiver is online again, they can swap the token for a fresh one.

Summary

We learned that offline transactions are possible with ecash, but there are some limitations. It either requires trusting the sender, or relying on either the sender or receiver to be online to verify the tokens, or create tokens that can be verified offline by the receiver.

I hope this short article was helpful in understanding how ecash works and its potential for offline transactions.

Cheers,

Gandlaf

@ fd06f542:8d6d54cd

Direct-message

• 0xchat
• Beautiful, simple and private nostr DMs

• Public groups that work compatible with other apps

• Coop

• Safe DMs with NIP-17

Signers

• Alby
• Nostr wallet connect for one tap zapping via nostr clients
• Nostr authenticator (never enter your nsec into apps)
• Chrome extension
• Simple and easy to use
• Frequently maintained
• Send and receive sats

• Custodial

• Amber

• Other Android apps can invoke it for signing events via NIP-55
• Your key doesn't have to touch the other, less trusted, apps
• Supports providing a NIP-46 signing Bunker
• Multiple accounts
• Fine-grained app authorizations

• Activity log

• Keys Band

• Multiple key management
• Light and dark mode

• Save preferred relays

• nos2x

• The original signer by nostr creator fiatjaf
• Versatile, no frills

• Relay preference storage

• Nostr Connect

• A skinned fork of nos2x by fiatjaf
• Chrome
• &&nbsp
• Firefox
• Store preferred relay set

• Individually revokable permissions

• Nsec App

• Log in to nostr apps without an extension
• Key recovery via email
• Password protected encrypted local key storage

• Manage multiple apps

• Nostrame

• Derive accounts from a mnemonic seed
• Generate random mnemonic accounts
• NIP-07 - window.nostr capability for web browsers
• Import external accounts
• Set basic metadata on Nostr
• Enjoy encryption secured by a master password
• Lock and unlock the vault with ease
• Easily import and export backups

Microblogging

• alphaama
• CLI + GUI
• run custom code
• inspect notes

• test stuff

• Amethyst 暂无相关功能描述

• Coracle

• Short notes
• Nice thread view
• Profile search
• Secure direct messages
• Custom feeds

• Relay reviews

• Damus

• Note feeds
• Easy to use interface
• Zap pre-set and custom amounts (lightning payments)
• Multi-wallet support

• Block lists

• Flycat

• Snappy nostr browsing
• Back up your data
• Browse long form content

• Light mode

• FreeFrom

• No phone number and email required to sign up
• Free migration of social content within the Nostr
• Excellent user experience

• Double-enhanced private communication

• Gossip

• multiplatform: runs on Windows, MacOS and Linux
• native: avoids browser-tech for performance and security
• performant: coded with performance in mind in Rust using LMDB for the database, such that your network speed will be your bottleneck
• outbox model: using a set of heuristics to always find people you follow no matter where they're publishing to
• high user control: over 60 different settings, all with reasonable defaults, but very customizable

• privacy: supports running over Tor, options for not loading media, options for not sharing who you follow and others

• Iris

• Short notes
• Social graph filter

• Image grid feeds

• Lume

• Desktop app
• Clean and beautiful design
• Multi-column
• Spaces

• Trending

• Nos Social

• Currently in TestFlight
• Safety first: mute, report, content warnings, delete
• Reach restricted to 2 hops - people you follow and people they follow.

• Community-focused relays

• Nostrmo 暂无相关功能描述

• noStrudel

• Feature-rich
• Highly customizable
• Mute words
• Communities
• Streaming (watch)
• Lists
• Tools shortcuts

• Sidebar comments

• Nostter

• Twitter style feed
• Cute logo
• Mute words

• Minimal and calm

• Nostur

• Multi-account
• Guest account
• Your posts stored on your device and can be exported
• Bookmarks and personal notes
• Follow and explore timeline
• Remembers where you left off scrolling when reopening app
• Undo accidental tap on Like
• Autocomplete names when typing
• Lightning zaps
• Lightning wallet selection
• Direct Messages
• Domain verification
• Badges
• Block list
• Muted conversations
• Notifications for mentions, reactions and zaps
• Image previews/zoom/pan
• Gif/Video playback
• Option to turn signature verification off
• Option to hide badges from profile and emojis from names
• Fast local database
• Big detail pane for iPad/macOS
• Login as someone else (read-only mode)

• Choose which relays to send to and receive from

• Oddbean

• Hacker News style

• Openvibe

• Post to Nostr and Mastodon
• Nice, clean and modern design
• Simple and intuitive
• Gifs, stickers integration

• Dark and light mode

• Pollerama

• Browse polls created here or on other clients
• Create polls

• Vote on polls

• Primal 暂无相关功能描述

• Rabbit

• Multi-column

• Tweetdeck-like UI

• Snort

• Twitter-like experience
• Dark and light mode
• Custom zap amounts
• Bookmarks
• Pinned notes

• Alby integration

• Wired

• PWA to be widely accessible with distribution via URLS, and to side-step App Store gatekeeping
• Employs Proof-of-Work (PoW) as a spam prevention mechanism, as opposed to Captcha, moderation or other verification methods
• Uses NOSTR as a censorship-resistant global "social" network

Community

• Badges Page
• Create and award badges
• Manage badges awarded to you
• Simple interface

File-sharing

• Bouquet
• Upload files
• Download files
• Manage your list of mediaservers
• Broadcast your list on Nostr
• Sync files between servers

• Browse files on your mediaservers

• DTAN

• Browse lists of available torrents
• Publish your own
• Choose relays to browse on

Group-chat

• Chachi
• Create, browse, join groups
• Send chat messages or other kinds of content

• Seamless, lean, fast interface

• Flotilla

• Browse relays and chat on the communities in them
• Send and receive direct messages

• Take private notes

• Groups

• Browse groups on specific relays
• Join rooms and send chat messages

Tools

• Emojito

• Create custom emoji sets to be used on supported clients

• Formstr

• Create and share forms

• GIF Buddy

• Make GIFs from the external world available inside Nostr clients
• GIF uploads

• Search external GIF libraries

• Nosdrive

• Save your nostr notes to Google Drive

• Nosta

• Guided onboarding
• Recovery phrase to restore access
• Good UX with explainers

• Beautiful design

• Nostr App Manager

• Discover app of the day
• Discover new apps
• Search all nostr apps
• Discover nostr DVMs
• Discover nostr code repositories
• App reviews

• Nostr native - takes a different approach from NostrApps.com

• ZapStore

• A plethora of apps to choose from and install
• Faster than Obtainium
• More complete than F-Droid

• Cleaner than Google Play

• Zapplepay

• Zap from any client
• Bypass Apple's draconian rules
• Nostr Wallet Connect

Blogging

• Feeder
• Subscribe to RSS and Nostr article feeds
• Years of specialization in reading articles
• Offline reading
• OPML Import/Export
• Notification support

• Material design

• Habla

• Long form publishing
• Markdown support
• Rich text editor
• Dark and light modes
• Browse by relay
• Made on nostr, content mirrored to other nostr platforms.

• Extension-only sign-in

• Narr

• Read RSS feeds
• Read Nostr NIP-23 long-form articles
• Import and export OPML
• Runs on desktop with a web-based UI

• Can be accessed remotely from apps such as Reeder, Readkit etc

• Noflux

• Read RSS feeds
• Read Nostr NIP-23 long-form articles
• Import and export OPML
• Runs on desktop with a web-based UI

• Can be accessed remotely from apps such as Reeder, Readkit etc

• npub.pro

• Create a website out of your nostr content
• SEO friendly
• Use any 3rd party tools
• Works like an app
• Beautiful Ghost themes to choose from
• Zero maintenance
• Custom domains
• Open source and self-hostable
• Natively Social

• Publish from any other nostr app

• Obsidian Nostr Writer

• Directly publish your articles from Obsidian to Nostr with a couple of clicks
• Quickly compose and publish short form notes too
• Images in your .md file will automatically be uploaded and handled when you publish
• Add tags to your posts
• See all posts sent from Obsidian with links to view
• Configure to send to whatever relays you like
• Publish under different nostr accounts
• Easily view and download your Nostr bookmarks into Obsidian for reference and local use

• Automatically populates article information fields from the frontmatter

• Shipyard

• Schedule nostr notes
• Schedule reposts
• Note drafts

• Multi-account support

• Yakihonne

• Publishing and reading notes
• Publishing and reading articles
• Curations (set of articles concerning a specific topic) publishing
• Long-form articles are surfaced instead of lost in the feed

Music

• Fountain
• Earn sats while listening to podcasts
• Create and share clips, get paid on your clips
• Boost your favorite podcasts

• Discover clips from friends

• Stemstr

• Collaborate with others to create your next hit
• Music-focused interface
• Remix function

Curation

• Highlighter
• Read and write long-form articles
• Discover what people you trust found interesting and insightful
• Understand why they found it interesting or insightful with their comments attached
• Send sats, comment or share your favorite highlights

• Highlight anything

• Listr

• Create and share lists

• Browse other people's lists

• Zap Cooking

• Browse recipes
• Add your own recipes

• Earn sats via zaps

• Nostree

• Create link lists
• Multiple lists

• Theming

• Pinstr

• Curate lists, users, links
• Share lists
• Discover interesting content

Photos

• Olas
• Special high-quality photos dedicated client
• Publish photos and browse photos
• Publish and browse short videos
• Browse media feeds from friends, extended network and from specific relays

Discovery

• Jumble
• Browse individual relays by URL
• Create and browse relay sets
• Create and reply to notes
• Follow people and browse the feed from your follows

• Browse the kind:20 photos feed

• Nostr Band

• Search keywords, hashtags, pubkeys, posts
• Look up Nostr statistics
• Embed widgets
• API for clients

• NIP05 Service

• Nostrrr

• Look up relay information
• Browse relay feeds
• Browse individual profile feeds with smart relay selection

• Simple and gets the job done

• Zaplife

• See total sats zapped in the past hour, 4 hours, 24 hours and 7 days
• See who zapped who individually
• See notes that got the most zaps

Audio

• Nests
• Start audio chats
• Troll box (chat)
• Instant zaps (lightning payments)

Crazy

• Nostrocket
• Create issues that matter to you
• Award merits to contributors
• Solve problems

Career

• Ostrich Work
• Post jobs for 20k sats
• Find jobs

Marketplace

• Plebeian Market
• Buy and sell things for sats

• Bid in auctions

• Shopstr

• Buy and sell items for sats
• Message seller
• Cashu integration

Freelancing

• SatShoot
• Post problems on SatShoot
• Make money solving problems as a Freelancer
• Share problems or freelance services on your feed
• Bidding system for Clients to choose the best Offer
• Chat in DMs
• Post Reviews on Freelancers or Clients
• Build Reputation
• Public Zaps as Payments
• Use your Web of Trust to keep scammers away

Media

• Slidestr
• Compact media browsing
• Images and videos
• Full screen media

Meatspace

• Yondar
• Add places to a map
• See places by your friends or follows

Streaming

• zap.stream
• Start livestream via zap.stream or Cloudflare
• Watch other livestreams
• Chat
• Custom emojis
• Zap streamers in real time
• Zap chat participants in real time
• Set up stream goals

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

Its been a little over a year since NIP-90 was written and merged into the nips repo and its been a communication mess.

Every DVM implementation expects the inputs in slightly different formats, returns the results in mostly the same format and there are very few DVM actually running.

NIP-90 is overloaded

Why does a request for text translation and creating bitcoin OP_RETURNs share the same input i tag? and why is there an output tag on requests when only one of them will return an output?

Each DVM request kind is for requesting completely different types of compute with diffrent input and output requirements, but they are all using the same spec that has 4 different types of inputs (text, url, event, job) and an undefined number of output types.

Let me show a few random DVM requests and responses I found on wss://relay.damus.io to demonstrate what I mean:

This is a request to translate an event to English json { "kind": 5002, "content": "", "tags": [ // NIP-90 says there can be multiple inputs, so how would a DVM handle translatting multiple events at once? [ "i", "<event-id>", "event" ], [ "param", "language", "en" ], // What other type of output would text translations be? image/jpeg? [ "output", "text/plain" ], // Do we really need to define relays? cant the DVM respond on the relays it saw the request on? [ "relays", "wss://relay.unknown.cloud/", "wss://nos.lol/" ] ] }

This is a request to generate text using an LLM model json { "kind": 5050, // Why is the content empty? wouldn't it be better to have the prompt in the content? "content": "", "tags": [ // Why use an indexable tag? are we ever going to lookup prompts? // Also the type "prompt" isn't in NIP-90, this should probably be "text" [ "i", "What is the capital of France?", "prompt" ], [ "p", "c4878054cff877f694f5abecf18c7450f4b6fdf59e3e9cb3e6505a93c4577db2" ], [ "relays", "wss://relay.primal.net" ] ] }

This is a request for content recommendation json { "kind": 5300, "content": "", "tags": [ // Its fine ignoring this param, but what if the client actually needs exactly 200 "results" [ "param", "max_results", "200" ], // The spec never mentions requesting content for other users. // If a DVM didn't understand this and responded to this request it would provide bad data [ "param", "user", "b22b06b051fd5232966a9344a634d956c3dc33a7f5ecdcad9ed11ddc4120a7f2" ], [ "relays", "wss://relay.primal.net", ], [ "p", "ceb7e7d688e8a704794d5662acb6f18c2455df7481833dd6c384b65252455a95" ] ] }

This is a request to create a OP_RETURN message on bitcoin json { "kind": 5901, // Again why is the content empty when we are sending human readable text? "content": "", "tags": [ // and again, using an indexable tag on an input that will never need to be looked up ["i", "09/01/24 SEC Chairman on the brink of second ETF approval", "text"] ] }

My point isn't that these event schema's aren't understandable but why are they using the same schema? each use-case is different but are they all required to use the same i tag format as input and could support all 4 types of inputs.

Lack of libraries

With all these different types of inputs, params, and outputs its verify difficult if not impossible to build libraries for DVMs

If a simple text translation request can have an event or text as inputs, a payment-required status at any point in the flow, partial results, or responses from 10+ DVMs whats the best way to build a translation library for other nostr clients to use?

And how do I build a DVM framework for the server side that can handle multiple inputs of all four types (url, text, event, job) and clients are sending all the requests in slightly differently.

Supporting payments is impossible

The way NIP-90 is written there isn't much details about payments. only a payment-required status and a generic amount tag

But the way things are now every DVM is implementing payments differently. some send a bolt11 invoice, some expect the client to NIP-57 zap the request event (or maybe the status event), and some even ask for a subscription. and we haven't even started implementing NIP-61 nut zaps or cashu A few are even formatting the amount number wrong or denominating it in sats and not mili-sats

Building a client or a library that can understand and handle all of these payment methods is very difficult. for the DVM server side its worse. A DVM server presumably needs to support all 4+ types of payments if they want to get the most sats for their services and support the most clients.

All of this is made even more complicated by the fact that a DVM can ask for payment at any point during the job process. this makes sense for some types of compute, but for others like translations or user recommendation / search it just makes things even more complicated.

For example, If a client wanted to implement a timeline page that showed the notes of all the pubkeys on a recommended list. what would they do when the selected DVM asks for payment at the start of the job? or at the end? or worse, only provides half the pubkeys and asks for payment for the other half. building a UI that could handle even just two of these possibilities is complicated.

NIP-89 is being abused

NIP-89 is "Recommended Application Handlers" and the way its describe in the nips repo is

a way to discover applications that can handle unknown event-kinds

Not "a way to discover everything"

If I wanted to build an application discovery app to show all the apps that your contacts use and let you discover new apps then it would have to filter out ALL the DVM advertisement events. and that's not just for making requests from relays

If the app shows the user their list of "recommended applications" then it either has to understand that everything in the 5xxx kind range is a DVM and to show that is its own category or show a bunch of unknown "favorites" in the list which might be confusing for the user.

In conclusion

My point in writing this article isn't that the DVMs implementations so far don't work, but that they will never work well because the spec is too broad. even with only a few DVMs running we have already lost interoperability.

I don't want to be completely negative though because some things have worked. the "DVM feeds" work, although they are limited to a single page of results. text / event translations also work well and kind 5970 Event PoW delegation could be cool. but if we want interoperability, we are going to need to change a few things with NIP-90

I don't think we can (or should) abandon NIP-90 entirely but it would be good to break it up into small NIPs or specs. break each "kind" of DVM request out into its own spec with its own definitions for expected inputs, outputs and flow.

Then if we have simple, clean definitions for each kind of compute we want to distribute. we might actually see markets and services being built and used.

@ fbf0e434:e1be6a39

Hackathon 概览

Eolas x Algo: Agent Skills Hackathon 在线上举行，旨在通过提升代理技能来推动 CreatorBid 生态系统的发展。活动吸引了58位开发者参赛，最终有36个项目获得批准。本次黑客松突破传统模式，允许 CreatorBid 代理直接发布技能需求，省去中间环节，实现供需精准对接。

参赛者在两大核心赛道展开竞争：Bounty Track 聚焦代理识别的具体痛点攻关，Best Skills Track 则嘉奖具备卓越价值的项目。Eolas、Algo、Shogun、AION 等机构及多位独立代理为活动提供资金支持。

开发成果直接集成至 Olas Mech Marketplace，实现实时部署落地，并通过 OLAS 系统为开发者提供激励。以 Agent Algo、Eolas 为代表的头部代理特别肯定了本次活动对代理技术创新的推动作用。3 月 20 日活动收官，由 CreatorBid 团队与代理代表组成的评审团，从创新性和生态影响力双重维度对项目进行了综合评判。

Hackathon 获奖者

以下部分详细介绍了首届代理赞助 Hackathon 的成就和奖项，涵盖了37个项目在各个类别中的亮点。

Best Agent Skill Track 奖项获奖者

• Agent Toolbox: 一套增强 AI 代理功能的工具，包括趋势发现、动态函数生成和任务编排。
• GridTrade Agent: 通过市场和波动性分析，促进自动化交易对选择和网格交易参数优化。
• Polytrader: 一个基于 AI 的交易助手，简化 Polymarket 的研究、数据分析和交易执行。

主奖池获奖者

• sentimentX: 为 MultiversX 区块链智能合约提供 AI 驱动的安全监控，通过检测漏洞实现。
• Brainiac_AI: 一个通过链上分析优化 DeFi 策略的平台，并集成非托管钱包。
• framew0rk: 使用链接到 DeFi 协议的 AI 策略助手简化 DeFi 收益优化。
• MythosCraft: AI Storytelling Suite: 使用 AI 创建定制化故事内容。
• QuanTrade-X: 提供 AI 驱动的分析和加密货币交易信号。
• ComicVerse AI: 利用 AI 根据用户输入创作剧本和图像生成漫画。
• EOLAS - Submit your own skill: Portfolio Allocation Skill: 使用 AI 和现代投资组合理论优化加密货币投资组合。
• SonicBo: WhatsApp 上的 AI 代理，促进区块链交易。
• 👽Zeta Comic Generator👽: 将文本提示转换为 AI 生成的漫画，通过剧本和角色表达来实现。
• Grid Trading Analyzer Skill: 高级分析的 Python 工具，用于识别最佳加密货币网格交易对。
• Trump news Reporter: AI 工具，用于实时监控和报告与特朗普相关的新闻，带有自定义过滤器。
• NFT Appraisal skill: 创建用于 NFT 估值的 AI 代理。
• AI-Powered Dynamic Skill Selector (DSS): 使用多臂賭徒策略进行动态 AI 模型优化。
• CrypTweet: 使用 Twitter 情绪为加密货币交易决策提供信息的 AI 交易机器人。
• AI Trump News Agent: 监控和分析与特朗普相关的新闻，并提供可自定义的报告语气。
• TrumpTracker-AI: 汇编和总结与特朗普相关的新闻，从热门标题生成网络迷因。
• Rigger-: 将自然语言转化为 SQL 查询，方便非技术人员访问数据库。
• TNS: 使用 NLP 跟踪与特朗普相关的新闻，并提供多样化的报道风格。
• Bob Roast Machine: 用于创作喜剧吐槽、笑话和网络迷因的 AI 平台。
• Agent 47: 一个 Telegram 机器人，提供政治新闻以及 AI 生成的网络迷因和事实核查。

技能协调与优化奖项获奖者

• AI-Powered Dynamic Skill Selector (DSS)

增强 CB 代理数据访问的技能奖项获奖者

• Agent Toolbox

世界构建与传说推广技能奖项获奖者

• MythosCraft: AI Storytelling Suite

Polymarket 交易机器人奖项获奖者

• Polytrader

欲了解项目的完整列表，请访问 DoraHacks。

关于组织者

Eolas

Eolas 在技术和区块链领域是一个重要的参与者，以其提升交易透明度的区块链解决方案而闻名。该组织继续专注于区块链的研究与开发，解决行业挑战以推动未来进展。

@ fbf0e434:e1be6a39

Hackathon 概述

HackCanada 黑客松汇聚创新者、开发者、设计师与问题解决者，共同直面加拿大当下的紧迫挑战 —— 医疗保健可及性、环境可持续性、数字基础设施建设与经济差距等。188 位开发者携 89 个独特项目参与，以集体智慧打造兼具影响力的解决方案，尽显技术赋能社会的决心。

在这些项目中，有旨在通过技术增强医疗保健系统的计划，也有改善偏远社区数字基建的构想，更不乏以创新手段降低环境足迹的实践。这场黑客松搭建起协作共创的平台，催生大量新鲜思路与落地解法，切实呼应 “推动实质价值、激发变革” 的核心目标。

作为社区驱动创新的催化剂，HackCanada 营造了动态的协作与创新生态，推动技术发展切实服务于提升加拿大人生活质量，为构建更包容、可持续的未来注入持续动力。

Hackathon 获奖者

总体一等奖获奖者

• Phone-a-Fraud - 一个实时检测电话诈骗的AI驱动系统，重点在于隐私和诈骗警报机制以保护弱势人群。

总体二等奖获奖者

• StickTator - 一种利用自然语言处理进行语音控制计算机管理的USB设备，简化复杂系统配置。

总体三等奖获奖者

• Omnivim - 跨应用程序集成Vim动作的软件，以提高生产力。

最佳个人Hack奖获奖者

• StickTator

最佳Orkes Hack奖获奖者

• Recipeit - 专注于食谱的项目；暂无更多详情。

最佳ICP Hack奖获奖者

• DigiTag - 一个利用NFT和互联网计算机协议的区块链应用程序，保护奢侈品交易以防止欺诈。
• LandLocks - 利用区块链技术管理土地记录为NFT的平台。

SPUR创新基金：最佳AI、Web3或量子技术奖获奖者

第一名

• Beaver Breach - 分析美国产品关税影响的工具，通过加拿大供应商提供减少成本的替代方案。

第二名

• Canify - Blockchain Rewards - 倡导通过区块链奖励和政府激励支持加拿大产品。

自主代理赏金赛道奖获奖者

第一名

• ChainMail - 一个基于web3的电子邮件应用程序，增强安全性并实现跨区块链通信。

第二名

• Canify - Blockchain Rewards

第三名

• Roast My Wallet - 一个基于用户加密钱包和个性的AI驱动趣味生成的网页应用程序。
• Zap - 在日常生活中促进加密应用的免手续费交易平台。
• Carbon Chain - 将碳减排转换为可交易资产的区块链平台，由AI验证。

最佳开发者工具奖获奖者

• StickTator

最佳高中Hack奖获奖者

• NaloxNow - 通过实时纳洛酮获取、紧急导航和AI驱动的过量反应来应对阿片类药物危机的移动应用。

最无用Hack奖获奖者

• UselessGPT - 使用谷歌的Gemini API生成无意义、以娱乐为目的的交互式应用程序。

最佳AI应用奖获奖者

• frij.io - 一款通过AI管理家庭库存、优化购物清单并减少食物浪费的智能应用。

使用AI构建：Google 赛道奖获奖者

• 最佳使用Gemini AI或Gemini API、最佳使用Google Cloud平台以及最佳集成Google工具包：
• Sinker - 一个AI驱动的网络安全平台，培训员工识别通信渠道中的网络钓鱼威胁。
• FrostByte - 项目详情不可用。
• Flock Street - 使用实时数据和语音技术提供股市洞察的互动应用程序。

最佳Laurier STEM出版协会奖获奖者

• SockSensei - 根据用户情绪提供袜子推荐的移动应用程序。

完整的项目列表请访问这个链接。

关于组织者

Hack Canada

Hack Canada 专注于技术与创新，强调区块链和网络安全计划。以在这些领域的能力而闻名，Hack Canada 已开发出有助于技术领域的项目。该组织因举办全国性Hackathon和提升数字安全知识的工作坊而受到认可。目前，Hack Canada 致力于为技术爱好者和专业人士提供一个协作环境，以促进区块链应用和安全数字通信的发展。

@ 5a261a61:2ebd4480

What a day yesterday!

I had a really big backlog of both work and non-work things to clean up. But I was getting a little frisky because my health finally gave me some energy to be in the mood for intimacy after the illness-filled week had forced libido debt on me. I decided to cheat it out and just take care of myself quickly. Horny thoughts won over, and I got at least e-stim induced ass slaps to make it more enjoyable. Quick clean up and everything seemed ok...until it wasn't.

The rest of the morning passed uneventfully as I worked through my backlog, but things took a turn in the early afternoon. I had to go pickup kids, and I just missed Her between the doors, only managed to get a fast kiss. A little bummed from the work issues and failed expectations of having a few minutes together, I got on my way.

Then it hit me—the most serious case of blue balls I had in a long time. First came panic. I was getting to the age when unusual symptoms raise concerns—cancer comes first to mind, as insufficient release wasn't my typical problem. So I called Her. I explained what was happening and expressed hope for some alone time. Unfortunately, that seemed impossible with our evening schedule: kids at home, Her online meeting, and my standing gamenight with the boys. These game sessions are our sacred ritual—a preserved piece of pre-kids sanity that we all protect in our calendars. Not something I wanted to disturb.

Her reassurance was brief but unusualy promising: "Don't worry, I get this."

Evening came, and just as I predicted, there was ZERO time for shenanigans while we took care of the kids. But once we put them to bed (I drew straw for early sleeper), with parental duties complete, I headed downstairs to prepare for my gaming session. Headset on, I greeted my fellows and started playing.

Not five minutes later, She opened the door with lube in one hand, fleshlight in the other, and an expecting smile on Her face. Definitely unexpected. I excused myself from the game, muted mic, but She stopped me.

"There will be nothing if you won't play," She said. She just motioned me to take my pants off. And off to play I was. Not an easy feat considering I twisted my body sideways so She could access anything She wanted while I still reached keyboard and mouse.

She slowly started touching me and observing my reactions, but quickly changed to using Her mouth. Getting a blowjob while semihard was always so strange. The semi part didn't last long though...

As things intensified, She was satisfied with my erection and got the fleshlight ready. It was a new toy for us, and it was Her first time using it on me all by Herself (usually She prefers watching me use toys). She applied an abundance of lube that lasted the entire encounter and beyond.

Shifting into a rhythm, She started pumping slowly but clearly enjoyed my reactions when She unexpectedly sped up, forcing me to mute the mic. I knew I wouldn't last long. When She needed to fix Her hair, I gentlemanly offered to hold the fleshlight, having one hand still available for gaming. She misunderstood, thinking I was taking over completely, which initially disappointed me.

To my surprise, She began taking Her shirt off the shoulders, offering me a pornhub-esque view. To clearly indicate that finish time had arrived, She moved Her lubed hand teasingly toward my anal. She understood precisely my contradictory preferences—my desire to be thoroughly clean before such play versus my complete inability to resist Her when aroused. That final move did it—I muted the mic just in time to vocally express how good She made me feel.

Quick clean up, kiss on the forehead, and a wish for me to have a good game session followed. The urge to abandon the game and cuddle with Her was powerful, but She stopped me. She had more work to complete on Her todo list than just me.

Had a glass, had a blast; overall, a night well spent I would say.

@ 91bea5cd:1df4451c

Básico

bash lsblk # Lista todos os diretorios montados.

Para criar o sistema de arquivos:

bash mkfs.btrfs -L "ThePool" -f /dev/sdx

Criando um subvolume:

bash btrfs subvolume create SubVol

Montando Sistema de Arquivos:

bash mount -o compress=zlib,subvol=SubVol,autodefrag /dev/sdx /mnt

Lista os discos formatados no diretório:

bash btrfs filesystem show /mnt

Adiciona novo disco ao subvolume:

bash btrfs device add -f /dev/sdy /mnt

Lista novamente os discos do subvolume:

bash btrfs filesystem show /mnt

Exibe uso dos discos do subvolume:

bash btrfs filesystem df /mnt

Balancea os dados entre os discos sobre raid1:

bash btrfs filesystem balance start -dconvert=raid1 -mconvert=raid1 /mnt

Scrub é uma passagem por todos os dados e metadados do sistema de arquivos e verifica as somas de verificação. Se uma cópia válida estiver disponível (perfis de grupo de blocos replicados), a danificada será reparada. Todas as cópias dos perfis replicados são validadas.

iniciar o processo de depuração :

bash btrfs scrub start /mnt

ver o status do processo de depuração Btrfs em execução:

bash btrfs scrub status /mnt

ver o status do scrub Btrfs para cada um dos dispositivos

bash btrfs scrub status -d / data btrfs scrub cancel / data

Para retomar o processo de depuração do Btrfs que você cancelou ou pausou:

btrfs scrub resume / data

Listando os subvolumes:

bash btrfs subvolume list /Reports

Criando um instantâneo dos subvolumes:

Aqui, estamos criando um instantâneo de leitura e gravação chamado snap de marketing do subvolume de marketing.

bash btrfs subvolume snapshot /Reports/marketing /Reports/marketing-snap

Além disso, você pode criar um instantâneo somente leitura usando o sinalizador -r conforme mostrado. O marketing-rosnap é um instantâneo somente leitura do subvolume de marketing

bash btrfs subvolume snapshot -r /Reports/marketing /Reports/marketing-rosnap

Forçar a sincronização do sistema de arquivos usando o utilitário 'sync'

Para forçar a sincronização do sistema de arquivos, invoque a opção de sincronização conforme mostrado. Observe que o sistema de arquivos já deve estar montado para que o processo de sincronização continue com sucesso.

bash btrfs filsystem sync /Reports

Para excluir o dispositivo do sistema de arquivos, use o comando device delete conforme mostrado.

bash btrfs device delete /dev/sdc /Reports

Para sondar o status de um scrub, use o comando scrub status com a opção -dR .

bash btrfs scrub status -dR / Relatórios

Para cancelar a execução do scrub, use o comando scrub cancel .

bash $ sudo btrfs scrub cancel / Reports

Para retomar ou continuar com uma depuração interrompida anteriormente, execute o comando de cancelamento de depuração

bash sudo btrfs scrub resume /Reports

mostra o uso do dispositivo de armazenamento:

btrfs filesystem usage /data

Para distribuir os dados, metadados e dados do sistema em todos os dispositivos de armazenamento do RAID (incluindo o dispositivo de armazenamento recém-adicionado) montados no diretório /data , execute o seguinte comando:

sudo btrfs balance start --full-balance /data

Pode demorar um pouco para espalhar os dados, metadados e dados do sistema em todos os dispositivos de armazenamento do RAID se ele contiver muitos dados.

Opções importantes de montagem Btrfs

Nesta seção, vou explicar algumas das importantes opções de montagem do Btrfs. Então vamos começar.

As opções de montagem Btrfs mais importantes são:

**1. acl e noacl

**ACL gerencia permissões de usuários e grupos para os arquivos/diretórios do sistema de arquivos Btrfs.

A opção de montagem acl Btrfs habilita ACL. Para desabilitar a ACL, você pode usar a opção de montagem noacl .

Por padrão, a ACL está habilitada. Portanto, o sistema de arquivos Btrfs usa a opção de montagem acl por padrão.

**2. autodefrag e noautodefrag

**Desfragmentar um sistema de arquivos Btrfs melhorará o desempenho do sistema de arquivos reduzindo a fragmentação de dados.

A opção de montagem autodefrag permite a desfragmentação automática do sistema de arquivos Btrfs.

A opção de montagem noautodefrag desativa a desfragmentação automática do sistema de arquivos Btrfs.

Por padrão, a desfragmentação automática está desabilitada. Portanto, o sistema de arquivos Btrfs usa a opção de montagem noautodefrag por padrão.

**3. compactar e compactar-forçar

**Controla a compactação de dados no nível do sistema de arquivos do sistema de arquivos Btrfs.

A opção compactar compacta apenas os arquivos que valem a pena compactar (se compactar o arquivo economizar espaço em disco).

A opção compress-force compacta todos os arquivos do sistema de arquivos Btrfs, mesmo que a compactação do arquivo aumente seu tamanho.

O sistema de arquivos Btrfs suporta muitos algoritmos de compactação e cada um dos algoritmos de compactação possui diferentes níveis de compactação.

Os algoritmos de compactação suportados pelo Btrfs são: lzo , zlib (nível 1 a 9) e zstd (nível 1 a 15).

Você pode especificar qual algoritmo de compactação usar para o sistema de arquivos Btrfs com uma das seguintes opções de montagem:

• compress=algoritmo:nível
• compress-force=algoritmo:nível

Para obter mais informações, consulte meu artigo Como habilitar a compactação do sistema de arquivos Btrfs .

**4. subvol e subvolid

**Estas opções de montagem são usadas para montar separadamente um subvolume específico de um sistema de arquivos Btrfs.

A opção de montagem subvol é usada para montar o subvolume de um sistema de arquivos Btrfs usando seu caminho relativo.

A opção de montagem subvolid é usada para montar o subvolume de um sistema de arquivos Btrfs usando o ID do subvolume.

Para obter mais informações, consulte meu artigo Como criar e montar subvolumes Btrfs .

**5. dispositivo

A opção de montagem de dispositivo** é usada no sistema de arquivos Btrfs de vários dispositivos ou RAID Btrfs.

Em alguns casos, o sistema operacional pode falhar ao detectar os dispositivos de armazenamento usados em um sistema de arquivos Btrfs de vários dispositivos ou RAID Btrfs. Nesses casos, você pode usar a opção de montagem do dispositivo para especificar os dispositivos que deseja usar para o sistema de arquivos de vários dispositivos Btrfs ou RAID.

Você pode usar a opção de montagem de dispositivo várias vezes para carregar diferentes dispositivos de armazenamento para o sistema de arquivos de vários dispositivos Btrfs ou RAID.

Você pode usar o nome do dispositivo (ou seja, sdb , sdc ) ou UUID , UUID_SUB ou PARTUUID do dispositivo de armazenamento com a opção de montagem do dispositivo para identificar o dispositivo de armazenamento.

Por exemplo,

• dispositivo=/dev/sdb
• dispositivo=/dev/sdb,dispositivo=/dev/sdc
• dispositivo=UUID_SUB=490a263d-eb9a-4558-931e-998d4d080c5d
• device=UUID_SUB=490a263d-eb9a-4558-931e-998d4d080c5d,device=UUID_SUB=f7ce4875-0874-436a-b47d-3edef66d3424

**6. degraded

A opção de montagem degradada** permite que um RAID Btrfs seja montado com menos dispositivos de armazenamento do que o perfil RAID requer.

Por exemplo, o perfil raid1 requer a presença de 2 dispositivos de armazenamento. Se um dos dispositivos de armazenamento não estiver disponível em qualquer caso, você usa a opção de montagem degradada para montar o RAID mesmo que 1 de 2 dispositivos de armazenamento esteja disponível.

**7. commit

A opção commit** mount é usada para definir o intervalo (em segundos) dentro do qual os dados serão gravados no dispositivo de armazenamento.

O padrão é definido como 30 segundos.

Para definir o intervalo de confirmação para 15 segundos, você pode usar a opção de montagem commit=15 (digamos).

**8. ssd e nossd

A opção de montagem ssd** informa ao sistema de arquivos Btrfs que o sistema de arquivos está usando um dispositivo de armazenamento SSD, e o sistema de arquivos Btrfs faz a otimização SSD necessária.

A opção de montagem nossd desativa a otimização do SSD.

O sistema de arquivos Btrfs detecta automaticamente se um SSD é usado para o sistema de arquivos Btrfs. Se um SSD for usado, a opção de montagem de SSD será habilitada. Caso contrário, a opção de montagem nossd é habilitada.

**9. ssd_spread e nossd_spread

A opção de montagem ssd_spread** tenta alocar grandes blocos contínuos de espaço não utilizado do SSD. Esse recurso melhora o desempenho de SSDs de baixo custo (baratos).

A opção de montagem nossd_spread desativa o recurso ssd_spread .

O sistema de arquivos Btrfs detecta automaticamente se um SSD é usado para o sistema de arquivos Btrfs. Se um SSD for usado, a opção de montagem ssd_spread será habilitada. Caso contrário, a opção de montagem nossd_spread é habilitada.

**10. descarte e nodiscard

Se você estiver usando um SSD que suporte TRIM enfileirado assíncrono (SATA rev3.1), a opção de montagem de descarte** permitirá o descarte de blocos de arquivos liberados. Isso melhorará o desempenho do SSD.

Se o SSD não suportar TRIM enfileirado assíncrono, a opção de montagem de descarte prejudicará o desempenho do SSD. Nesse caso, a opção de montagem nodiscard deve ser usada.

Por padrão, a opção de montagem nodiscard é usada.

**11. norecovery

Se a opção de montagem norecovery** for usada, o sistema de arquivos Btrfs não tentará executar a operação de recuperação de dados no momento da montagem.

**12. usebackuproot e nousebackuproot

Se a opção de montagem usebackuproot for usada, o sistema de arquivos Btrfs tentará recuperar qualquer raiz de árvore ruim/corrompida no momento da montagem. O sistema de arquivos Btrfs pode armazenar várias raízes de árvore no sistema de arquivos. A opção de montagem usebackuproot** procurará uma boa raiz de árvore e usará a primeira boa que encontrar.

A opção de montagem nousebackuproot não verificará ou recuperará raízes de árvore inválidas/corrompidas no momento da montagem. Este é o comportamento padrão do sistema de arquivos Btrfs.

**13. space_cache, space_cache=version, nospace_cache e clear_cache

A opção de montagem space_cache** é usada para controlar o cache de espaço livre. O cache de espaço livre é usado para melhorar o desempenho da leitura do espaço livre do grupo de blocos do sistema de arquivos Btrfs na memória (RAM).

O sistema de arquivos Btrfs suporta 2 versões do cache de espaço livre: v1 (padrão) e v2

O mecanismo de cache de espaço livre v2 melhora o desempenho de sistemas de arquivos grandes (tamanho de vários terabytes).

Você pode usar a opção de montagem space_cache=v1 para definir a v1 do cache de espaço livre e a opção de montagem space_cache=v2 para definir a v2 do cache de espaço livre.

A opção de montagem clear_cache é usada para limpar o cache de espaço livre.

Quando o cache de espaço livre v2 é criado, o cache deve ser limpo para criar um cache de espaço livre v1 .

Portanto, para usar o cache de espaço livre v1 após a criação do cache de espaço livre v2 , as opções de montagem clear_cache e space_cache=v1 devem ser combinadas: clear_cache,space_cache=v1

A opção de montagem nospace_cache é usada para desabilitar o cache de espaço livre.

Para desabilitar o cache de espaço livre após a criação do cache v1 ou v2 , as opções de montagem nospace_cache e clear_cache devem ser combinadas: clear_cache,nosapce_cache

**14. skip_balance

Por padrão, a operação de balanceamento interrompida/pausada de um sistema de arquivos Btrfs de vários dispositivos ou RAID Btrfs será retomada automaticamente assim que o sistema de arquivos Btrfs for montado. Para desabilitar a retomada automática da operação de equilíbrio interrompido/pausado em um sistema de arquivos Btrfs de vários dispositivos ou RAID Btrfs, você pode usar a opção de montagem skip_balance .**

**15. datacow e nodatacow

A opção datacow** mount habilita o recurso Copy-on-Write (CoW) do sistema de arquivos Btrfs. É o comportamento padrão.

Se você deseja desabilitar o recurso Copy-on-Write (CoW) do sistema de arquivos Btrfs para os arquivos recém-criados, monte o sistema de arquivos Btrfs com a opção de montagem nodatacow .

**16. datasum e nodatasum

A opção datasum** mount habilita a soma de verificação de dados para arquivos recém-criados do sistema de arquivos Btrfs. Este é o comportamento padrão.

Se você não quiser que o sistema de arquivos Btrfs faça a soma de verificação dos dados dos arquivos recém-criados, monte o sistema de arquivos Btrfs com a opção de montagem nodatasum .

Perfis Btrfs

Um perfil Btrfs é usado para informar ao sistema de arquivos Btrfs quantas cópias dos dados/metadados devem ser mantidas e quais níveis de RAID devem ser usados para os dados/metadados. O sistema de arquivos Btrfs contém muitos perfis. Entendê-los o ajudará a configurar um RAID Btrfs da maneira que você deseja.

Os perfis Btrfs disponíveis são os seguintes:

single : Se o perfil único for usado para os dados/metadados, apenas uma cópia dos dados/metadados será armazenada no sistema de arquivos, mesmo se você adicionar vários dispositivos de armazenamento ao sistema de arquivos. Assim, 100% do espaço em disco de cada um dos dispositivos de armazenamento adicionados ao sistema de arquivos pode ser utilizado.

dup : Se o perfil dup for usado para os dados/metadados, cada um dos dispositivos de armazenamento adicionados ao sistema de arquivos manterá duas cópias dos dados/metadados. Assim, 50% do espaço em disco de cada um dos dispositivos de armazenamento adicionados ao sistema de arquivos pode ser utilizado.

raid0 : No perfil raid0 , os dados/metadados serão divididos igualmente em todos os dispositivos de armazenamento adicionados ao sistema de arquivos. Nesta configuração, não haverá dados/metadados redundantes (duplicados). Assim, 100% do espaço em disco de cada um dos dispositivos de armazenamento adicionados ao sistema de arquivos pode ser usado. Se, em qualquer caso, um dos dispositivos de armazenamento falhar, todo o sistema de arquivos será corrompido. Você precisará de pelo menos dois dispositivos de armazenamento para configurar o sistema de arquivos Btrfs no perfil raid0 .

raid1 : No perfil raid1 , duas cópias dos dados/metadados serão armazenadas nos dispositivos de armazenamento adicionados ao sistema de arquivos. Nesta configuração, a matriz RAID pode sobreviver a uma falha de unidade. Mas você pode usar apenas 50% do espaço total em disco. Você precisará de pelo menos dois dispositivos de armazenamento para configurar o sistema de arquivos Btrfs no perfil raid1 .

raid1c3 : No perfil raid1c3 , três cópias dos dados/metadados serão armazenadas nos dispositivos de armazenamento adicionados ao sistema de arquivos. Nesta configuração, a matriz RAID pode sobreviver a duas falhas de unidade, mas você pode usar apenas 33% do espaço total em disco. Você precisará de pelo menos três dispositivos de armazenamento para configurar o sistema de arquivos Btrfs no perfil raid1c3 .

raid1c4 : No perfil raid1c4 , quatro cópias dos dados/metadados serão armazenadas nos dispositivos de armazenamento adicionados ao sistema de arquivos. Nesta configuração, a matriz RAID pode sobreviver a três falhas de unidade, mas você pode usar apenas 25% do espaço total em disco. Você precisará de pelo menos quatro dispositivos de armazenamento para configurar o sistema de arquivos Btrfs no perfil raid1c4 .

raid10 : No perfil raid10 , duas cópias dos dados/metadados serão armazenadas nos dispositivos de armazenamento adicionados ao sistema de arquivos, como no perfil raid1 . Além disso, os dados/metadados serão divididos entre os dispositivos de armazenamento, como no perfil raid0 .

O perfil raid10 é um híbrido dos perfis raid1 e raid0 . Alguns dos dispositivos de armazenamento formam arrays raid1 e alguns desses arrays raid1 são usados para formar um array raid0 . Em uma configuração raid10 , o sistema de arquivos pode sobreviver a uma única falha de unidade em cada uma das matrizes raid1 .

Você pode usar 50% do espaço total em disco na configuração raid10 . Você precisará de pelo menos quatro dispositivos de armazenamento para configurar o sistema de arquivos Btrfs no perfil raid10 .

raid5 : No perfil raid5 , uma cópia dos dados/metadados será dividida entre os dispositivos de armazenamento. Uma única paridade será calculada e distribuída entre os dispositivos de armazenamento do array RAID.

Em uma configuração raid5 , o sistema de arquivos pode sobreviver a uma única falha de unidade. Se uma unidade falhar, você pode adicionar uma nova unidade ao sistema de arquivos e os dados perdidos serão calculados a partir da paridade distribuída das unidades em execução.

Você pode usar 1 00x(N-1)/N % do total de espaços em disco na configuração raid5 . Aqui, N é o número de dispositivos de armazenamento adicionados ao sistema de arquivos. Você precisará de pelo menos três dispositivos de armazenamento para configurar o sistema de arquivos Btrfs no perfil raid5 .

raid6 : No perfil raid6 , uma cópia dos dados/metadados será dividida entre os dispositivos de armazenamento. Duas paridades serão calculadas e distribuídas entre os dispositivos de armazenamento do array RAID.

Em uma configuração raid6 , o sistema de arquivos pode sobreviver a duas falhas de unidade ao mesmo tempo. Se uma unidade falhar, você poderá adicionar uma nova unidade ao sistema de arquivos e os dados perdidos serão calculados a partir das duas paridades distribuídas das unidades em execução.

Você pode usar 100x(N-2)/N % do espaço total em disco na configuração raid6 . Aqui, N é o número de dispositivos de armazenamento adicionados ao sistema de arquivos. Você precisará de pelo menos quatro dispositivos de armazenamento para configurar o sistema de arquivos Btrfs no perfil raid6 .

@ 91bea5cd:1df4451c

Um bom gerenciamento de senhas deve ser simples e seguir a filosofia do Unix.  Organizado em hierarquia e fácil de passar de um computador para outro.

E por isso não é recomendável o uso de aplicativos de terceiros que tenham acesso a suas chaves(senhas) em seus servidores, tampouco as opções nativas dos navegadores, que também pertencem a grandes empresas que fazem um grande esforço para ter acesso a nossas informações.

Recomendação

• pass
• Qtpass (gerenciador gráfico)

Com ele seus dados são criptografados usando sua chave gpg e salvo em arquivos organizados por pastas de forma hierárquica, podendo ser integrado a um serviço git de sua escolha ou copiado facilmente de um local para outro.

Uso

O seu uso é bem simples.

Configuração:

pass git init

Para ver:

pass Email/example.com

Copiar para área de transferência (exige xclip):

pass -c Email/example.com

Para inserir:

pass insert Email/example0.com

Para inserir e gerar senha:

pass generate Email/example1.com

Para inserir e gerar senha sem símbolos:

pass generate --no-symbols Email/example1.com

Para inserir, gerar senha e copiar para área de transferência :

pass generate -c Email/example1.com

Para remover:

pass rm Email/example.com

@ 91bea5cd:1df4451c

O que é Tahoe-LAFS?

Bem-vindo ao Tahoe-LAFS_, o primeiro sistema de armazenamento descentralizado com

• Segurança independente do provedor * .

Tahoe-LAFS é um sistema que ajuda você a armazenar arquivos. Você executa um cliente Programa no seu computador, que fala com um ou mais servidores de armazenamento em outros computadores. Quando você diz ao seu cliente para armazenar um arquivo, ele irá criptografar isso Arquivo, codifique-o em múltiplas peças, depois espalhe essas peças entre Vários servidores. As peças são todas criptografadas e protegidas contra Modificações. Mais tarde, quando você pede ao seu cliente para recuperar o arquivo, ele irá Encontre as peças necessárias, verifique se elas não foram corrompidas e remontadas Eles, e descriptografar o resultado.

O cliente cria mais peças (ou "compartilhamentos") do que acabará por precisar, então Mesmo que alguns servidores falhem, você ainda pode recuperar seus dados. Corrompido Os compartilhamentos são detectados e ignorados, de modo que o sistema pode tolerar o lado do servidor Erros no disco rígido. Todos os arquivos são criptografados (com uma chave exclusiva) antes Uploading, então mesmo um operador de servidor mal-intencionado não pode ler seus dados. o A única coisa que você pede aos servidores é que eles podem (geralmente) fornecer o Compartilha quando você os solicita: você não está confiando sobre eles para Confidencialidade, integridade ou disponibilidade absoluta.

O que é "segurança independente do provedor"?

Todo vendedor de serviços de armazenamento na nuvem irá dizer-lhe que o seu serviço é "seguro". Mas o que eles significam com isso é algo fundamentalmente diferente Do que queremos dizer. O que eles significam por "seguro" é que depois de ter dado Eles o poder de ler e modificar seus dados, eles tentam muito difícil de não deixar Esse poder seja abusado. Isso acaba por ser difícil! Insetos, Configurações incorretas ou erro do operador podem acidentalmente expor seus dados para Outro cliente ou para o público, ou pode corromper seus dados. Criminosos Ganho rotineiramente de acesso ilícito a servidores corporativos. Ainda mais insidioso é O fato de que os próprios funcionários às vezes violam a privacidade do cliente De negligência, avareza ou mera curiosidade. O mais consciencioso de Esses prestadores de serviços gastam consideráveis ​​esforços e despesas tentando Mitigar esses riscos.

O que queremos dizer com "segurança" é algo diferente. * O provedor de serviços Nunca tem a capacidade de ler ou modificar seus dados em primeiro lugar: nunca. * Se você usa Tahoe-LAFS, então todas as ameaças descritas acima não são questões para você. Não só é fácil e barato para o provedor de serviços Manter a segurança de seus dados, mas na verdade eles não podem violar sua Segurança se eles tentaram. Isto é o que chamamos de * independente do fornecedor segurança*.

Esta garantia está integrada naturalmente no sistema de armazenamento Tahoe-LAFS e Não exige que você execute um passo de pré-criptografia manual ou uma chave complicada gestão. (Afinal, ter que fazer operações manuais pesadas quando Armazenar ou acessar seus dados anularia um dos principais benefícios de Usando armazenamento em nuvem em primeiro lugar: conveniência.)

Veja como funciona:

Uma "grade de armazenamento" é constituída por uma série de servidores de armazenamento. Um servidor de armazenamento Tem armazenamento direto em anexo (tipicamente um ou mais discos rígidos). Um "gateway" Se comunica com os nós de armazenamento e os usa para fornecer acesso ao Rede sobre protocolos como HTTP (S), SFTP ou FTP.

Observe que você pode encontrar "cliente" usado para se referir aos nós do gateway (que atuam como Um cliente para servidores de armazenamento) e também para processos ou programas que se conectam a Um nó de gateway e operações de execução na grade - por exemplo, uma CLI Comando, navegador da Web, cliente SFTP ou cliente FTP.

Os usuários não contam com servidores de armazenamento para fornecer * confidencialidade * nem

• Integridade * para seus dados - em vez disso, todos os dados são criptografados e Integridade verificada pelo gateway, para que os servidores não possam ler nem Modifique o conteúdo dos arquivos.

Os usuários dependem de servidores de armazenamento para * disponibilidade *. O texto cifrado é Codificado por apagamento em partes N distribuídas em pelo menos H distintas Servidores de armazenamento (o valor padrão para N é 10 e para H é 7) então Que pode ser recuperado de qualquer K desses servidores (o padrão O valor de K é 3). Portanto, apenas a falha do H-K + 1 (com o Padrões, 5) servidores podem tornar os dados indisponíveis.

No modo de implantação típico, cada usuário executa seu próprio gateway sozinho máquina. Desta forma, ela confia em sua própria máquina para a confidencialidade e Integridade dos dados.

Um modo de implantação alternativo é que o gateway é executado em uma máquina remota e O usuário se conecta ao HTTPS ou SFTP. Isso significa que o operador de O gateway pode visualizar e modificar os dados do usuário (o usuário * depende de * o Gateway para confidencialidade e integridade), mas a vantagem é que a O usuário pode acessar a grade Tahoe-LAFS com um cliente que não possui o Software de gateway instalado, como um quiosque de internet ou celular.

Controle de acesso

Existem dois tipos de arquivos: imutáveis ​​e mutáveis. Quando você carrega um arquivo Para a grade de armazenamento, você pode escolher o tipo de arquivo que será no grade. Os arquivos imutáveis ​​não podem ser modificados quando foram carregados. UMA O arquivo mutable pode ser modificado por alguém com acesso de leitura e gravação. Um usuário Pode ter acesso de leitura e gravação a um arquivo mutable ou acesso somente leitura, ou não Acesso a ele.

Um usuário que tenha acesso de leitura e gravação a um arquivo mutable ou diretório pode dar Outro acesso de leitura e gravação do usuário a esse arquivo ou diretório, ou eles podem dar Acesso somente leitura para esse arquivo ou diretório. Um usuário com acesso somente leitura Para um arquivo ou diretório pode dar acesso a outro usuário somente leitura.

Ao vincular um arquivo ou diretório a um diretório pai, você pode usar um Link de leitura-escrita ou um link somente de leitura. Se você usar um link de leitura e gravação, então Qualquer pessoa que tenha acesso de leitura e gravação ao diretório pai pode obter leitura-escrita Acesso à criança e qualquer pessoa que tenha acesso somente leitura ao pai O diretório pode obter acesso somente leitura à criança. Se você usar uma leitura somente Link, qualquer pessoa que tenha lido-escrito ou acesso somente leitura ao pai O diretório pode obter acesso somente leitura à criança.

================================================== ==== Usando Tahoe-LAFS com uma rede anônima: Tor, I2P ================================================== ====

. `Visão geral '

. `Casos de uso '

. Software Dependencies_

#. Tor #. I2P

. `Configuração de conexão '

. `Configuração de Anonimato '

#. Anonimato do cliente ' #.Anonimato de servidor, configuração manual ' #. `Anonimato de servidor, configuração automática '

. `Problemas de desempenho e segurança '

Visão geral

Tor é uma rede anonimização usada para ajudar a esconder a identidade da Internet Clientes e servidores. Consulte o site do Tor Project para obter mais informações: Https://www.torproject.org/

I2P é uma rede de anonimato descentralizada que se concentra no anonimato de ponta a ponta Entre clientes e servidores. Consulte o site I2P para obter mais informações: Https://geti2p.net/

Casos de uso

Existem três casos de uso potenciais para Tahoe-LAFS do lado do cliente:

1. O usuário deseja sempre usar uma rede de anonimato (Tor, I2P) para proteger Seu anonimato quando se conecta às redes de armazenamento Tahoe-LAFS (seja ou Não os servidores de armazenamento são anônimos).

2. O usuário não se preocupa em proteger seu anonimato, mas eles desejam se conectar a Servidores de armazenamento Tahoe-LAFS que são acessíveis apenas através de Tor Hidden Services ou I2P.

3. Tor é usado apenas se uma sugestão de conexão do servidor usar tor:. Essas sugestões Geralmente tem um endereço .onion.

4. I2P só é usado se uma sugestão de conexão do servidor usa i2p:. Essas sugestões Geralmente têm um endereço .i2p.

5. O usuário não se preocupa em proteger seu anonimato ou para se conectar a um anonimato Servidores de armazenamento. Este documento não é útil para você ... então pare de ler.

Para servidores de armazenamento Tahoe-LAFS existem três casos de uso:

1. O operador deseja proteger o anonimato fazendo seu Tahoe Servidor acessível apenas em I2P, através de Tor Hidden Services, ou ambos.

2. O operador não * requer * anonimato para o servidor de armazenamento, mas eles Quer que ele esteja disponível tanto no TCP / IP roteado publicamente quanto através de um Rede de anonimização (I2P, Tor Hidden Services). Uma possível razão para fazer Isso é porque ser alcançável através de uma rede de anonimato é um Maneira conveniente de ignorar NAT ou firewall que impede roteios públicos Conexões TCP / IP ao seu servidor (para clientes capazes de se conectar a Tais servidores). Outro é o que torna o seu servidor de armazenamento acessível Através de uma rede de anonimato pode oferecer uma melhor proteção para sua Clientes que usam essa rede de anonimato para proteger seus anonimato.

3. O operador do servidor de armazenamento não se preocupa em proteger seu próprio anonimato nem Para ajudar os clientes a proteger o deles. Pare de ler este documento e execute Seu servidor de armazenamento Tahoe-LAFS usando TCP / IP com roteamento público.

Veja esta página do Tor Project para obter mais informações sobre Tor Hidden Services: Https://www.torproject.org/docs/hidden-services.html.pt

Veja esta página do Projeto I2P para obter mais informações sobre o I2P: Https://geti2p.net/en/about/intro

Dependências de software

Tor

Os clientes que desejam se conectar a servidores baseados em Tor devem instalar o seguinte.

• Tor (tor) deve ser instalado. Veja aqui: Https://www.torproject.org/docs/installguide.html.en. No Debian / Ubuntu, Use apt-get install tor. Você também pode instalar e executar o navegador Tor Agrupar.

• Tahoe-LAFS deve ser instalado com o [tor] "extra" habilitado. Isso vai Instale txtorcon ::

Pip install tahoe-lafs [tor]

Os servidores Tor-configurados manualmente devem instalar Tor, mas não precisam Txtorcon ou o [tor] extra. Configuração automática, quando Implementado, vai precisar destes, assim como os clientes.

I2P

Os clientes que desejam se conectar a servidores baseados em I2P devem instalar o seguinte. Tal como acontece com Tor, os servidores baseados em I2P configurados manualmente precisam do daemon I2P, mas Não há bibliotecas especiais de apoio Tahoe-side.

• I2P deve ser instalado. Veja aqui: Https://geti2p.net/en/download

• A API SAM deve estar habilitada.

• Inicie o I2P.

• Visite http://127.0.0.1:7657/configclients no seu navegador.
• Em "Configuração do Cliente", marque a opção "Executar no Startup?" Caixa para "SAM Ponte de aplicação ".
• Clique em "Salvar Configuração do Cliente".

• Clique no controle "Iniciar" para "ponte de aplicação SAM" ou reinicie o I2P.

• Tahoe-LAFS deve ser instalado com o [i2p] extra habilitado, para obter Txi2p ::

Pip install tahoe-lafs [i2p]

Tor e I2P

Os clientes que desejam se conectar a servidores baseados em Tor e I2P devem instalar tudo acima. Em particular, Tahoe-LAFS deve ser instalado com ambos Extras habilitados ::

Pip install tahoe-lafs [tor, i2p]

Configuração de conexão

Consulte: ref: Connection Management para uma descrição do[tor]e [I2p] seções de tahoe.cfg. Estes controlam como o cliente Tahoe Conecte-se a um daemon Tor / I2P e, assim, faça conexões com Tor / I2P-baseadas Servidores.

As seções [tor] e [i2p] só precisam ser modificadas para serem usadas de forma incomum Configurações ou para habilitar a configuração automática do servidor.

A configuração padrão tentará entrar em contato com um daemon local Tor / I2P Ouvindo as portas usuais (9050/9150 para Tor, 7656 para I2P). Enquanto Há um daemon em execução no host local e o suporte necessário Bibliotecas foram instaladas, os clientes poderão usar servidores baseados em Tor Sem qualquer configuração especial.

No entanto, note que esta configuração padrão não melhora a Anonimato: as conexões TCP normais ainda serão feitas em qualquer servidor que Oferece um endereço regular (cumpre o segundo caso de uso do cliente acima, não o terceiro). Para proteger o anonimato, os usuários devem configurar o [Connections] da seguinte maneira:

[Conexões] Tcp = tor

Com isso, o cliente usará Tor (em vez de um IP-address -reviração de conexão direta) para alcançar servidores baseados em TCP.

Configuração de anonimato

Tahoe-LAFS fornece uma configuração "flag de segurança" para indicar explicitamente Seja necessário ou não a privacidade do endereço IP para um nó ::

[nó] Revelar-IP-address = (booleano, opcional)

Quando revelar-IP-address = False, Tahoe-LAFS se recusará a iniciar se algum dos As opções de configuração em tahoe.cfg revelariam a rede do nó localização:

• [Conexões] tcp = tor é necessário: caso contrário, o cliente faria Conexões diretas para o Introdução, ou qualquer servidor baseado em TCP que aprende Do Introdutor, revelando seu endereço IP para esses servidores e um Rede de espionagem. Com isso, Tahoe-LAFS só fará Conexões de saída através de uma rede de anonimato suportada.

• Tub.location deve ser desativado ou conter valores seguros. este O valor é anunciado para outros nós através do Introdutor: é como um servidor Anuncia sua localização para que os clientes possam se conectar a ela. No modo privado, ele É um erro para incluir um tcp: dica no tub.location. Modo privado Rejeita o valor padrão de tub.location (quando a chave está faltando Inteiramente), que é AUTO, que usa ifconfig para adivinhar o nó Endereço IP externo, o que o revelaria ao servidor e a outros clientes.

Esta opção é ** crítica ** para preservar o anonimato do cliente (cliente Caso de uso 3 de "Casos de uso", acima). Também é necessário preservar uma Anonimato do servidor (caso de uso do servidor 3).

Esse sinalizador pode ser configurado (para falso), fornecendo o argumento --hide-ip para Os comandos create-node, create-client ou create-introducer.

Observe que o valor padrão de revelar-endereço IP é verdadeiro, porque Infelizmente, esconder o endereço IP do nó requer software adicional para ser Instalado (conforme descrito acima) e reduz o desempenho.

Anonimato do cliente

Para configurar um nó de cliente para anonimato, tahoe.cfg ** deve ** conter o Seguindo as bandeiras de configuração ::

[nó] Revelar-IP-address = False Tub.port = desativado Tub.location = desativado

Uma vez que o nodo Tahoe-LAFS foi reiniciado, ele pode ser usado anonimamente (cliente Caso de uso 3).

Anonimato do servidor, configuração manual

Para configurar um nó de servidor para ouvir em uma rede de anonimato, devemos primeiro Configure Tor para executar um "Serviço de cebola" e encaminhe as conexões de entrada para o Porto Tahoe local. Então, configuramos Tahoe para anunciar o endereço .onion Aos clientes. Também configuramos Tahoe para não fazer conexões TCP diretas.

• Decida em um número de porta de escuta local, chamado PORT. Isso pode ser qualquer não utilizado Porta de cerca de 1024 até 65535 (dependendo do kernel / rede do host Config). Nós diremos a Tahoe para escutar nesta porta, e nós diremos a Tor para Encaminhe as conexões de entrada para ele.
• Decida em um número de porta externo, chamado VIRTPORT. Isso será usado no Localização anunciada e revelada aos clientes. Pode ser qualquer número de 1 Para 65535. Pode ser o mesmo que PORT, se quiser.
• Decida em um "diretório de serviço oculto", geralmente em / var / lib / tor / NAME. Pediremos a Tor para salvar o estado do serviço de cebola aqui, e Tor irá Escreva o endereço .onion aqui depois que ele for gerado.

Em seguida, faça o seguinte:

• Crie o nó do servidor Tahoe (com tahoe create-node), mas não ** não ** Lança-o ainda.

• Edite o arquivo de configuração Tor (normalmente em / etc / tor / torrc). Precisamos adicionar Uma seção para definir o serviço oculto. Se nossa PORT for 2000, VIRTPORT é 3000, e estamos usando / var / lib / tor / tahoe como o serviço oculto Diretório, a seção deve se parecer com ::

  HiddenServiceDir / var / lib / tor / tahoe HiddenServicePort 3000 127.0.0.1:2000

• Reinicie Tor, com systemctl restart tor. Aguarde alguns segundos.

• Leia o arquivo hostname no diretório de serviço oculto (por exemplo, / Var / lib / tor / tahoe / hostname). Este será um endereço .onion, como U33m4y7klhz3b.onion. Ligue para esta CEBOLA.

• Edite tahoe.cfg para configurar tub.port para usar Tcp: PORT: interface = 127.0.0.1 e tub.location para usar Tor: ONION.onion: VIRTPORT. Usando os exemplos acima, isso seria ::

  [nó] Revelar-endereço IP = falso Tub.port = tcp: 2000: interface = 127.0.0.1 Tub.location = tor: u33m4y7klhz3b.onion: 3000 [Conexões] Tcp = tor

• Inicie o servidor Tahoe com tahoe start $ NODEDIR

A seção tub.port fará com que o servidor Tahoe ouça no PORT, mas Ligue o soquete de escuta à interface de loopback, que não é acessível Do mundo exterior (mas * é * acessível pelo daemon Tor local). Então o A seção tcp = tor faz com que Tahoe use Tor quando se conecta ao Introdução, escondendo o endereço IP. O nó se anunciará a todos Clientes que usam `tub.location``, então os clientes saberão que devem usar o Tor Para alcançar este servidor (e não revelar seu endereço IP através do anúncio). Quando os clientes se conectam ao endereço da cebola, seus pacotes serão Atravessar a rede de anonimato e eventualmente aterrar no Tor local Daemon, que então estabelecerá uma conexão com PORT no localhost, que é Onde Tahoe está ouvindo conexões.

Siga um processo similar para construir um servidor Tahoe que escuta no I2P. o O mesmo processo pode ser usado para ouvir tanto o Tor como o I2P (tub.location = Tor: ONION.onion: VIRTPORT, i2p: ADDR.i2p). Também pode ouvir tanto Tor como TCP simples (caso de uso 2), com tub.port = tcp: PORT, tub.location = Tcp: HOST: PORT, tor: ONION.onion: VIRTPORT e anonymous = false (e omite A configuração tcp = tor, já que o endereço já está sendo transmitido através de O anúncio de localização).

Anonimato do servidor, configuração automática

Para configurar um nó do servidor para ouvir em uma rede de anonimato, crie o Nó com a opção --listen = tor. Isso requer uma configuração Tor que Ou lança um novo daemon Tor, ou tem acesso à porta de controle Tor (e Autoridade suficiente para criar um novo serviço de cebola). Nos sistemas Debian / Ubuntu, faça Apt install tor, adicione-se ao grupo de controle com adduser YOURUSERNAME debian-tor e, em seguida, inicie sessão e faça o login novamente: se os groups O comando inclui debian-tor na saída, você deve ter permissão para Use a porta de controle de domínio unix em / var / run / tor / control.

Esta opção irá definir revelar-IP-address = False e [connections] tcp = Tor. Ele alocará as portas necessárias, instruirá Tor para criar a cebola Serviço (salvando a chave privada em algum lugar dentro de NODEDIR / private /), obtenha O endereço .onion e preencha tub.port e tub.location corretamente.

Problemas de desempenho e segurança

Se você estiver executando um servidor que não precisa ser Anônimo, você deve torná-lo acessível através de uma rede de anonimato ou não? Ou você pode torná-lo acessível * ambos * através de uma rede de anonimato E como um servidor TCP / IP rastreável publicamente?

Existem várias compensações efetuadas por esta decisão.

Penetração NAT / Firewall

Fazer com que um servidor seja acessível via Tor ou I2P o torna acessível (por Clientes compatíveis com Tor / I2P) mesmo que existam NAT ou firewalls que impeçam Conexões TCP / IP diretas para o servidor.

Anonimato

Tornar um servidor Tahoe-LAFS acessível * somente * via Tor ou I2P pode ser usado para Garanta que os clientes Tahoe-LAFS usem Tor ou I2P para se conectar (Especificamente, o servidor só deve anunciar endereços Tor / I2P no Chave de configuração tub.location). Isso evita que os clientes mal configurados sejam Desingonizando-se acidentalmente, conectando-se ao seu servidor através de A Internet rastreável.

Claramente, um servidor que está disponível como um serviço Tor / I2P * e * a O endereço TCP regular não é anônimo: o endereço do .on e o real O endereço IP do servidor é facilmente vinculável.

Além disso, a interação, através do Tor, com um Tor Oculto pode ser mais Protegido da análise do tráfego da rede do que a interação, através do Tor, Com um servidor TCP / IP com rastreamento público

** XXX há um documento mantido pelos desenvolvedores de Tor que comprovem ou refutam essa crença? Se assim for, precisamos ligar a ele. Caso contrário, talvez devêssemos explicar mais aqui por que pensamos isso? **

Linkability

A partir de 1.12.0, o nó usa uma única chave de banheira persistente para saída Conexões ao Introdutor e conexões de entrada para o Servidor de Armazenamento (E Helper). Para os clientes, uma nova chave Tub é criada para cada servidor de armazenamento Nós aprendemos sobre, e essas chaves são * não * persistiram (então elas mudarão cada uma delas Tempo que o cliente reinicia).

Clientes que atravessam diretórios (de rootcap para subdiretório para filecap) são É provável que solicitem os mesmos índices de armazenamento (SIs) na mesma ordem de cada vez. Um cliente conectado a vários servidores irá pedir-lhes todos para o mesmo SI em Quase ao mesmo tempo. E dois clientes que compartilham arquivos ou diretórios Irá visitar os mesmos SI (em várias ocasiões).

Como resultado, as seguintes coisas são vinculáveis, mesmo com revelar-endereço IP = Falso:

• Servidores de armazenamento podem vincular reconhecer várias conexões do mesmo Cliente ainda não reiniciado. (Observe que o próximo recurso de Contabilidade pode Faz com que os clientes apresentem uma chave pública persistente do lado do cliente quando Conexão, que será uma ligação muito mais forte).
• Os servidores de armazenamento provavelmente podem deduzir qual cliente está acessando dados, por Olhando as SIs sendo solicitadas. Vários servidores podem conciliar Determine que o mesmo cliente está falando com todos eles, mesmo que o TubIDs são diferentes para cada conexão.
• Os servidores de armazenamento podem deduzir quando dois clientes diferentes estão compartilhando dados.
• O Introdutor pode entregar diferentes informações de servidor para cada um Cliente subscrito, para particionar clientes em conjuntos distintos de acordo com Quais as conexões do servidor que eles eventualmente fazem. Para clientes + nós de servidor, ele Também pode correlacionar o anúncio do servidor com o cliente deduzido identidade.

atuação

Um cliente que se conecta a um servidor Tahoe-LAFS com rastreamento público através de Tor Incorrem em latência substancialmente maior e, às vezes, pior Mesmo cliente se conectando ao mesmo servidor através de um TCP / IP rastreável normal conexão. Quando o servidor está em um Tor Hidden Service, ele incorre ainda mais Latência e, possivelmente, ainda pior rendimento.

Conectando-se a servidores Tahoe-LAFS que são servidores I2P incorrem em maior latência E pior rendimento também.

Efeitos positivos e negativos em outros usuários Tor

O envio de seu tráfego Tahoe-LAFS sobre o Tor adiciona tráfego de cobertura para outros Tor usuários que também estão transmitindo dados em massa. Então isso é bom para Eles - aumentando seu anonimato.

No entanto, torna o desempenho de outros usuários do Tor Sessões - por exemplo, sessões ssh - muito pior. Isso é porque Tor Atualmente não possui nenhuma prioridade ou qualidade de serviço Recursos, para que as teclas de Ssh de outra pessoa possam ter que esperar na fila Enquanto o conteúdo do arquivo em massa é transmitido. O atraso adicional pode Tornar as sessões interativas de outras pessoas inutilizáveis.

Ambos os efeitos são duplicados se você carregar ou baixar arquivos para um Tor Hidden Service, em comparação com se você carregar ou baixar arquivos Over Tor para um servidor TCP / IP com rastreamento público

Efeitos positivos e negativos em outros usuários do I2P

Enviar seu tráfego Tahoe-LAFS ao I2P adiciona tráfego de cobertura para outros usuários do I2P Que também estão transmitindo dados. Então, isso é bom para eles - aumentando sua anonimato. Não prejudicará diretamente o desempenho de outros usuários do I2P Sessões interativas, porque a rede I2P possui vários controles de congestionamento e Recursos de qualidade de serviço, como priorizar pacotes menores.

No entanto, se muitos usuários estão enviando tráfego Tahoe-LAFS ao I2P e não tiverem Seus roteadores I2P configurados para participar de muito tráfego, então o I2P A rede como um todo sofrerá degradação. Cada roteador Tahoe-LAFS que usa o I2P tem Seus próprios túneis de anonimato que seus dados são enviados. Em média, um O nó Tahoe-LAFS requer 12 outros roteadores I2P para participar de seus túneis.

Portanto, é importante que o seu roteador I2P esteja compartilhando a largura de banda com outros Roteadores, para que você possa retornar enquanto usa o I2P. Isso nunca prejudicará a Desempenho de seu nó Tahoe-LAFS, porque seu roteador I2P sempre Priorize seu próprio tráfego.

=========================

Como configurar um servidor

Muitos nós Tahoe-LAFS são executados como "servidores", o que significa que eles fornecem serviços para Outras máquinas (isto é, "clientes"). Os dois tipos mais importantes são os Introdução e Servidores de armazenamento.

Para ser útil, os servidores devem ser alcançados pelos clientes. Os servidores Tahoe podem ouvir Em portas TCP e anunciar sua "localização" (nome do host e número da porta TCP) Para que os clientes possam se conectar a eles. Eles também podem ouvir os serviços de cebola "Tor" E portas I2P.

Os servidores de armazenamento anunciam sua localização ao anunciá-lo ao Introdutivo, Que então transmite a localização para todos os clientes. Então, uma vez que a localização é Determinado, você não precisa fazer nada de especial para entregá-lo.

O próprio apresentador possui uma localização, que deve ser entregue manualmente a todos Servidores de armazenamento e clientes. Você pode enviá-lo para os novos membros do seu grade. Esta localização (juntamente com outros identificadores criptográficos importantes) é Escrito em um arquivo chamado private / introducer.furl no Presenter's Diretório básico, e deve ser fornecido como o argumento --introducer = para Tahoe create-node ou tahoe create-node.

O primeiro passo ao configurar um servidor é descobrir como os clientes irão alcançar. Então você precisa configurar o servidor para ouvir em algumas portas, e Depois configure a localização corretamente.

Configuração manual

Cada servidor tem duas configurações em seu arquivo tahoe.cfg: tub.port, e Tub.location. A "porta" controla o que o nó do servidor escuta: isto Geralmente é uma porta TCP.

A "localização" controla o que é anunciado para o mundo exterior. Isto é um "Sugestão de conexão foolscap", e inclui tanto o tipo de conexão (Tcp, tor ou i2p) e os detalhes da conexão (nome do host / endereço, porta número). Vários proxies, gateways e redes de privacidade podem ser Envolvido, então não é incomum para tub.port e tub.location para olhar diferente.

Você pode controlar diretamente a configuração tub.port e tub.location Configurações, fornecendo --port = e --location = ao executar tahoe Create-node.

Configuração automática

Em vez de fornecer --port = / - location =, você pode usar --listen =. Os servidores podem ouvir em TCP, Tor, I2P, uma combinação desses ou nenhum. O argumento --listen = controla quais tipos de ouvintes o novo servidor usará.

--listen = none significa que o servidor não deve ouvir nada. Isso não Faz sentido para um servidor, mas é apropriado para um nó somente cliente. o O comando tahoe create-client inclui automaticamente --listen = none.

--listen = tcp é o padrão e liga uma porta de escuta TCP padrão. Usar --listen = tcp requer um argumento --hostname = também, que será Incorporado no local anunciado do nó. Descobrimos que os computadores Não pode determinar de forma confiável seu nome de host acessível externamente, então, em vez de Ter o servidor adivinhar (ou escanear suas interfaces para endereços IP Isso pode ou não ser apropriado), a criação de nó requer que o usuário Forneça o nome do host.

--listen = tor conversará com um daemon Tor local e criará uma nova "cebola" Servidor "(que se parece comalzrgrdvxct6c63z.onion). --listen = i2p` conversará com um daemon I2P local e criará um novo servidor endereço. Consulte: doc:anonymity-configuration` para obter detalhes.

Você pode ouvir nos três usando --listen = tcp, tor, i2p.

Cenários de implantação

A seguir, alguns cenários sugeridos para configurar servidores usando Vários transportes de rede. Estes exemplos não incluem a especificação de um Apresentador FURL que normalmente você gostaria quando provisionamento de armazenamento Nós. Para estes e outros detalhes de configuração, consulte : Doc: configuration.

. `Servidor possui um nome DNS público '

. Servidor possui um endereço público IPv4 / IPv6_

. O servidor está por trás de um firewall com encaminhamento de porta_

. Usando o I2P / Tor para evitar o encaminhamento da porta_

O servidor possui um nome DNS público

O caso mais simples é o local onde o host do servidor está diretamente conectado ao Internet, sem um firewall ou caixa NAT no caminho. A maioria dos VPS (Virtual Private Servidor) e servidores colocados são assim, embora alguns fornecedores bloqueiem Muitas portas de entrada por padrão.

Para esses servidores, tudo o que você precisa saber é o nome do host externo. O sistema O administrador irá dizer-lhe isso. O principal requisito é que este nome de host Pode ser pesquisado no DNS, e ele será mapeado para um endereço IPv4 ou IPv6 que Alcançará a máquina.

Se o seu nome de host for example.net, então você criará o introdutor como esta::

Tahoe create-introducer --hostname example.com ~ / introducer

Ou um servidor de armazenamento como ::

Tahoe create-node --hostname = example.net

Estes irão alocar uma porta TCP (por exemplo, 12345), atribuir tub.port para ser Tcp: 12345 e tub.location serão tcp: example.com: 12345.

Idealmente, isso também deveria funcionar para hosts compatíveis com IPv6 (onde o nome DNS Fornece um registro "AAAA", ou ambos "A" e "AAAA"). No entanto Tahoe-LAFS O suporte para IPv6 é novo e ainda pode ter problemas. Por favor, veja o ingresso # 867_ para detalhes.

.. _ # 867: https://tahoe-lafs.org/trac/tahoe-lafs/ticket/867

O servidor possui um endereço público IPv4 / IPv6

Se o host tiver um endereço IPv4 (público) rotativo (por exemplo, 203.0.113.1```), mas Nenhum nome DNS, você precisará escolher uma porta TCP (por exemplo, 3457``) e usar o Segue::

Tahoe create-node --port = tcp: 3457 - localização = tcp: 203.0.113.1: 3457

--port é uma "string de especificação de ponto de extremidade" que controla quais locais Porta em que o nó escuta. --location é a "sugestão de conexão" que ele Anuncia para outros, e descreve as conexões de saída que essas Os clientes irão fazer, por isso precisa trabalhar a partir da sua localização na rede.

Os nós Tahoe-LAFS escutam em todas as interfaces por padrão. Quando o host é Multi-homed, você pode querer fazer a ligação de escuta ligar apenas a uma Interface específica, adicionando uma opção interface = ao --port = argumento::

Tahoe create-node --port = tcp: 3457: interface = 203.0.113.1 - localização = tcp: 203.0.113.1: 3457

Se o endereço público do host for IPv6 em vez de IPv4, use colchetes para Envolva o endereço e altere o tipo de nó de extremidade para tcp6 ::

Tahoe create-node --port = tcp6: 3457 - localização = tcp: [2001: db8 :: 1]: 3457

Você pode usar interface = para vincular a uma interface IPv6 específica também, no entanto Você deve fazer uma barra invertida - escapar dos dois pontos, porque, de outra forma, eles são interpretados Como delimitadores pelo idioma de especificação do "ponto final" torcido. o --location = argumento não precisa de dois pontos para serem escapados, porque eles são Envolto pelos colchetes ::

Tahoe create-node --port = tcp6: 3457: interface = 2001 \: db8 \: \: 1 --location = tcp: [2001: db8 :: 1]: 3457

Para hosts somente IPv6 com registros DNS AAAA, se o simples --hostname = A configuração não funciona, eles podem ser informados para ouvir especificamente Porta compatível com IPv6 com este ::

Tahoe create-node --port = tcp6: 3457 - localização = tcp: example.net: 3457

O servidor está por trás de um firewall com encaminhamento de porta

Para configurar um nó de armazenamento por trás de um firewall com encaminhamento de porta, você irá precisa saber:

• Endereço IPv4 público do roteador
• A porta TCP que está disponível de fora da sua rede
• A porta TCP que é o destino de encaminhamento
• Endereço IPv4 interno do nó de armazenamento (o nó de armazenamento em si é Desconhece esse endereço e não é usado durante tahoe create-node, Mas o firewall deve ser configurado para enviar conexões para isso)

Os números de porta TCP internos e externos podem ser iguais ou diferentes Dependendo de como o encaminhamento da porta está configurado. Se é mapear portas 1-para-1, eo endereço IPv4 público do firewall é 203.0.113.1 (e Talvez o endereço IPv4 interno do nó de armazenamento seja 192.168.1.5), então Use um comando CLI como este ::

Tahoe create-node --port = tcp: 3457 - localização = tcp: 203.0.113.1: 3457

Se no entanto, o firewall / NAT-box encaminha a porta externa * 6656 * para o interno Porta 3457, então faça isso ::

Tahoe create-node --port = tcp: 3457 - localização = tcp: 203.0.113.1: 6656

Usando o I2P / Tor para evitar o encaminhamento da porta

Os serviços de cebola I2P e Tor, entre outras excelentes propriedades, também fornecem NAT Penetração sem encaminhamento de porta, nomes de host ou endereços IP. Então, configurando Um servidor que escuta apenas no Tor é simples ::

Tahoe create-node --listen = tor

Para mais informações sobre o uso de Tahoe-LAFS com I2p e Tor veja : Doc: anonymity-configuration

@ 866e0139:6a9334e5

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

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Es geht gut los. „WC für alle“. Daneben noch einmal in der Sprache des Imperiums. „All Gender (urinal inside)“. Das hilft nicht wirklich, weil das Pinkelbecken vor der Tür ist und man nicht weiß, wer gerade dahinter hockt. Also warten bis zur Auflösung. Wir sind im Haus der Demokratie in der Greifswalder Straße. Immerhin.

Eingeladen hat die Neue Gesellschaft für Psychologie. Der Name täuscht. Diese neue Gesellschaft ist alt. Sehr alt. Damit meine ich gar nicht Laura von Wimmersperg, Jahrgang 1934, die den ersten Paukenschlag setzt. Sie habe, sagt diese Dame mit weißem Haar sinngemäß, als sie ans Podium tritt, sie habe sich gequält mit ihrem Text, das Geschriebene wieder und wieder gelesen und dann – in den Papierkorb geworfen. Ihre Gefühle seien größer, als alle Worte jemals sein könnten. „Krieg und Frieden“ heißt dieser Kongress. Laura von Wimmersperg ist die Grande Dame der westdeutschen Friedensbewegung, bekannt weit über Berlin hinaus. Nato-Doppelbeschluss, Jugoslawien, Irak, Afghanistan. Ein Ostermarsch nach dem anderen. Laura von Wimmersperg hat auch den 24. Februar 2022 überlebt und kann die Kampfgefährten kaum mehr zählen, die in einem der Gräben am Wegesrand verrotten. Migration, Klima, Corona und immer wieder Russland und die Ukraine. 

Die Neue Gesellschaft für Psychologie ist noch da, einerseits. Versprengte DKPler, Leute aus den K-Gruppen, Marxisten, Maoisten. Bevor ich „andererseits“ sage, brauche ich einen Disclaimer. Ich darf diesen Text nicht schreiben. Ich habe in Berlin einen Vortrag gehalten über „Journalismus und Macht“ und das Programm nicht komplett gesehen. Einen ganzen Tag sitzen: Das erlaubt mein Körper nicht mehr. Augen und Ohren haben so manche Interna verpasst und fast alles, was über Gaza gesagt wurde oder über die Kampagne „Für ein neutrales Deutschland“. Damit verbietet sich eigentlich jeder Bericht. Karin Leukefeld, seit 25 Jahren als Journalistin unterwegs in einer Gegend, die manche Nahost nennen und andere mittlerweile Greater Middle East, hat das in Berlin wunderbar formuliert. Mit allen reden, lesen, zuhören, fragen. Aus halben Sachen wird kein ganzes Bild.

Karin Leukefeld hat auch gesagt, dass sie einst in den Journalismus gegangen ist, um Brücken zu schlagen, und dass sie deshalb weniger die Schlagzeilen interessieren als das Leben dahinter. Vielleicht hilft ja mein Blick von außen selbst dann, wenn er mit blinden Flecken daherkommt. Damit nun endlich zum „andererseits“ und vor allem zum Alter. Ich war nicht dabei in der kleineren Bundesrepublik, aber so ungefähr muss es gewesen sein. Die Vokabeln, der Habitus. Rosa Luxemburg, SDS und Klassenkampf, Kapitalismus und Entfremdung. Murmeln, klatschen, reinrufen. Dieses Publikum geht mit. Jawoll! Genau! Ja! Mmh. Wenig Psychologie und viel Materialismus selbst bei denen, die als Psychologen vorgestellt werden. Sicher ist das alles ganz furchtbar mit den Verhältnissen. Das wusste schon der gute Brecht. Die Frage allerdings, die mich beschäftigt, seit ich nicht mehr zur Vorhut der Arbeiterklasse gehöre: Welche Wunder waren nötig, dass einige wenige all die Zwänge hinter sich lassen konnten und nun bereitstehen, um die Massen aufzuklären? Und fast noch wichtiger: Wozu braucht diese Avantgarde Massen, denen sie ohnehin nicht über den Weg traut? Ich spitze zu und verallgemeinere, okay. Trotzdem. Das ist der alte Geist mit allenfalls leicht entstaubten Analysen und Rezepten, der den Staat verschonen möchte und China sowieso. Klaus-Jürgen Bruder, der Cheforganisator, steht immer wieder auf, um zu akademisieren und damit auch zu differenzieren. Analyse und Aktivismus, Wunden lecken und sich dabei auch noch zu vergewissern, dass man immer noch Kurs hält: So ein Spagat überfordert jeden Kongress.

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DIE FRIEDENSTAUBE FLIEGT AUCH IN IHR POSTFACH!

Hier können Sie die Friedenstaube abonnieren und bekommen die Artikel zugesandt, vorerst für alle kostenfrei, wir starten gänzlich ohne Paywall. (Die Bezahlabos fangen erst zu laufen an, wenn ein Monetarisierungskonzept für die Inhalte steht). Sie wollen der Genossenschaft beitreten oder uns unterstützen? Mehr Infos hier oder am Ende des Textes.

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Wenn die Reihen gelichtet sind, verbietet es sich fast von selbst, auch noch auf die letzten Mitstreiter einzuprügeln. Wer kämpft, hat schon verloren, sagt Christian Dewanger, der sich als Daoist vorstellt und keine Lust hat, China von der Ausbeutung freizusprechen und von allen anderen Sünden der Macht. Sonst aber: Wohlwollen und weglächeln. Wer weiß, wozu der Staat noch gut sein kann und der große Bruder in Peking. Man kann sich derweil ja an der Linkspartei abarbeiten, an Gregor Gysi und an den Brandmauer-Baumeistern, die es auch im Quartier ganz links gibt, spätestens seit den Montags-Mahnwachen 2014. Laura von Wimmersperg sagt: Habt Geduld und übt euch in Nachsicht, liebe Leute. Bei ihrem 90. im Herbst, erzählt sie, habe sie die alten Kameraden genauso eingeladen wie die neuen und die Missgunst einfach übersehen – anders als die Bundeswehr-Werbung an der Edeka-Kasse vor der Tür. Auf zur Marktleitung mit einer Frage auf den Lippen: Wie kann jemand, der das Leben selbst so wenig achtet, allen Ernstes auf jedem Plakat behaupten, dass er Lebensmittel liebt? Beim nächsten Einkauf sei der Laden sauber gewesen.

Ich erwähne diese kleine Geschichte, weil Laura von Wimmersperg eine Ausnahme ist. Vielleicht kann das nur eine Frau, die alles erlebt hat: 20 von 30 Rede-Minuten verschenken und so eine Tür öffnen für Nachdenken und Reden. Die alten Männer, nur einen Wimpernschlag jünger, würden den Teufel tun. Saurier-Ausstellung, sagt mein Sitz-Nachbar. Das kann so gemeint sein oder so. Wolfgang Effenberger, Jahrgang 1946, ist der Jüngste in diesem Trio infernale, das einen ganzen Vormittag bekommen hat und von keinem Moderator der Welt zu stoppen wäre. Effenberger war Soldat und hat den Dienst quittiert, als ihm klar wurde, worauf alle Planungen hinausliefen. Der Atomtod, damals schon. Die Zeitenwende beginnt für ihn mit dem Kosovo. Seitdem laufe die Vorbereitung auf den großen Krieg. Iran, Russland, China. Effenberger scrollt durch die Strategiedokumente, wechselt zum Westfälischen Frieden, der 15 Jahre Anlaufzeit gebraucht habe, und schüttelt den Kopf beim Blick auf Donald Trump, der offenbar glaube, alles mit einem Anruf erledigen zu können, und auf jemanden wie Keith Kellogg gesetzt habe, einen Mann aus dem Herzen der Finsternis. 

Werner Rügemer, der nächste Saurier, ist fünf Jahre älter und sehr viel ruhiger als Effenberger, aber keineswegs leiser. Dass er die Lösung in China sieht, hat mit seinem Gesellschaftsbild zu tun und mit der Rolle, die das US-Kapital darin spielt. Nicht *eine* Hauptrolle, sondern DIE. Der Treiber von allem. Hitler und die Wehrmacht, der Staatsstreich in Guatemala und das Office of Strategic Services, der erste Auslandsgeheimdienst der USA, 1941 nicht zufällig gegründet von den Wall-Street-Anwälten Allen Dulles und William Donovan. Folge der Spur des Geldes und löse so die Rätsel der Geschichte. 

Auch Rudolph Bauer, Jahrgang 1939, taucht tief ein in die Vergangenheit. Ein Saurier-Privileg. Demos gegen den Krieg? Konferenzen für den Frieden? 1913/14 versandet und in Weimar auch. Ob ein Generalstreik geholfen hätte? Wenn dieses Wort in den nächsten Stunden und Tagen fällt, geht im Saal die Sonne auf. Rudolph Bauer hört nicht mehr besonders gut, aber er hat noch einen zweiten Punkt, der diesen Kongress fesselt. Ist das, was ich hier etwas lapidar Friedensbewegung nenne, möglicherweise genau die Begleitmusik, die jeder Kriegstreiber braucht?

Was bleibt jenseits von Gesprächen, Handynummern, Lesetipps? Ich weiß jetzt, dass nicht nur die DDR-Eliten überlebt haben, die 1990 zwar alle Positionen und jeden Einfluss verloren haben, aber sich weiter trafen mit allem Drum und Dran. Netzwerke, Periodika, Bücher. So gut wie nichts davon ist in der gesamtdeutschen Öffentlichkeit diskutiert worden, aber es hat die Jahre mit Sinn gefüllt. Wäre mehr möglich gewesen, wenn es einen Link gegeben hätte zu den Reservaten der alten Westlinken? Zur Neuen Gesellschaft für Psychologie zum Beispiel? Vielleicht gelingt die Blutauffrischung, vielleicht auch nicht. Trost gab es aus dem Raum mit einer Geschichte aus dem Orient. Prophet Abraham liegt im Feuer, und ein Spatz hat Wasser im Schnabel. Dieser Spatz weiß, dass er allein nichts ausrichten kann, hört aber trotzdem nicht auf, um in den Spiegel schauen zu können, wenn er eines Tages vor seinem Schöpfer steht. Schön.

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LASSEN SIE DER FRIEDENSTAUBE FLÜGEL WACHSEN!

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@ c1e9ab3a:9cb56b43

Esteemed representatives of Risa,

We gather here under the calming glow of our twin suns, stewards of a society admired for its peace and celebrated for its tranquility. But we must not mistake serenity for passivity, nor confuse peace with weakness. Our peace is not an accident. It is not the byproduct of ignorance or naivety. It is hard-earned—preserved by those willing to stand vigilant in its defense.

Love as a Foundation, Strength as a Shield

Love conquers hate. This is the core truth of Risan philosophy. Yet, as every Ricin child is taught, love without strength is a leaf in the wind. The Ricin do not lay down their lives without resistance. We do not ask our people to accept violence without confronting it. True peace is not imposed by stripping the people of their agency—it is built by enabling them to protect it.

The Lessons of a Failed Experiment

There was a time, not so distant in our history, when we attempted to enforce peace through the abolition of all weapons. A time when even the mention of self-defense in our educational centers was met with rebuke. Schools purged training programs. Cultural arts that honored our warrior traditions were dismissed. And for a brief moment, we believed this would lead us to harmony.

But peace born from helplessness is a fragile illusion. It fractures under the slightest pressure. And fracture it did—when off-world raiders targeted our unguarded sanctuaries, when radical sects within our own society struck out, knowing the citizenry could not defend itself. It was then that we remembered: Risa’s greatest peacekeepers had always been those who knew how to fight—but chose restraint.

The Age of Ricin and the Reawakening of Discipline

So we returned to our roots. To the traditions of the Age of Ricin, when youth, upon reaching maturity, were taught not only the arts of compassion and creation but also the martial disciplines. They learn to wield weapons—not to glorify violence, but to understand it. To control it. To stand firm against it when all else fails.

https://i.nostr.build/kuUjRovISz7367TX.jpg

We do not romanticize war. We do not celebrate conflict. But we prepare for it, should it seek to extinguish our light. Our children now learn the disciplines of defense alongside their studies in poetry, music, and healing. They spar with blunt blades under the watchful eyes of masters. They meditate on the consequences of force. And they grow into citizens not easily provoked, but never unprepared.

A Call for Balance, Not Extremes

Let those beyond our borders question our ways. Let them forget the countless incursions by the Romulans. Let them ignore the scars left by centuries of subversion from the Orion Syndicate. We do not forget. We remember the lives lost, the liberties challenged, and the lessons learned through suffering. These experiences shaped us.

We do not wish to return to the era of soft silence, when teachers trembled at the word "weapon" and children were told that even imagination was dangerous. That was not enlightenment. That was indoctrination.

Conclusion: Guarding the Flame

We are the guardians of Risa’s flame—not just with words and treaties, but with discipline and readiness. We have made peace a practice, and preparation a virtue. And so I say to this chamber: let us never again disarm our people in the name of utopia. Let us never confuse comfort with safety, or the absence of weapons with the presence of peace.

Instead, let us raise generations who know what peace costs, and who will pay that price—not with surrender, but with courage.

Let our children be artists, lovers, dreamers—and if necessary, defenders.

This is the Risan way.

@ 0b118e40:4edc09cb

TL;DR : No.

(This is not a feasibility analysis, but a reflection on philosophical alignment with Bitcoin’s vision).

The moment stablecoins or national currencies gain traction in Bitcoin LN, you can forget about Bitcoin’s position as a purely decentralized medium of exchange. Bitcoin’s position will be undermined.

A Bitcoin-native global economy, where people and businesses transact directly in Bitcoin, is what aligns with its original purpose. This is what we should aim for. This is all we should aim for.

I used to believe stablecoins might help with on/off ramps. But the truth is, if Bitcoin is to function as a true currency, broader global adoption that bypasses traditional financial systems will make those ramps irrelevant.

Eventually, two camps will emerge. One will try to preserve Bitcoin’s purity as a currency. The other will push for everything else in the name of Bitcoin: store-of-value narratives, ETFs, stablecoin collaborations, tokens, pump and dumps, NFTs, and centralized workarounds.

Currency domination, especially by the USD, has long contributed to poverty in the Global South. It deepens inequality and worsens debt burdens. During the Tequila Crisis and the Asian Financial Crisis, countries like Mexico and regions like Southeast Asia suffered massive currency devaluations and defaults because of their dependence on the USD. Every time the US raises interest rates, developing nations experience capital flight, currency drops, and economic hardship. This is not ancient history. It has been happening in the last two years and continues to widen the poverty gap. And as always, it is the poor who suffer the most.

What does this have to do with stablecoins? Stablecoin is your fiat 2.0.

USDT is just currency domination through blockchain. It is pegged to the USD, and if it rides Bitcoin’s Lightning rails, it risks keeping users transacting in USD rather than in Bitcoin itself. That not only undermines Bitcoin’s core purpose, it risks making Bitcoin appear like it is taking sides in the fragile and invisible global currency war.

To counter, people will say “Let all stablecoins come. Peg them to any currency.” But what’s the point of Bitcoin then? To become the new logistics layer for fiat 2.0?

That is not progress. That is regress. It is inviting the very systems Bitcoin was built to disrupt back into the ecosystem.

I believe when you use stablecoins this way, you are not Trojan-horsing Bitcoin into the mainstream. You are letting fiat Trojan-horse its way into Bitcoin. And if you let them in, they will win.

Adding stablecoin into Bitcoin LN is counterproductive to Bitcoin's decentralized ethos.

Bitcoin’s true potential is its ability to provide an alternative to centralized, government-controlled currencies and financial systems. We should stick to the original game plan.

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Side note: If you really want to Trojan-horse Bitcoin adoption…

In my country, we have so many mixed races and cross-cultural traditions. During Chinese New Year, if you are married, you give everyone who is not married an “ang pow,” which is money in a red packet. Because we are so deeply integrated, people give money at almost every celebration: Christmas, Eid, Diwali, birthdays, graduations, even funerals.

I recently met up with a friend who just had a baby, and I was more than happy to be the first to give her daughter some Bitcoin. Her first sats. It would not hurt to start giving Bitcoin as gifts. And if someone gets offended that it is not part of their tradition, just get a Bitkey and wrap it up. It is so pretty.

Find more fun and creative ways to spread Bitcoin adoption.

But for goodness’ sake, stop justifying everything else in the name of Bitcoin adoption.

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To get a better idea of Fiat 2.0, I mind-mapped Bitcoin on macroeconomy on my scratchpad.

If you take a closer look, it might help you answer a few key questions:

• Do you want more or less government control over money?

• Are you a fan of central banks? Then you probably prefer stablecoins.

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

หลังจากเราดูเรื่อง UPOV กันไปแล้ว วันนี้เรามาดูกันครับว่า ผู้ที่ต่อต้าน เจออะไรกันบ้าง

ในหลายประเทศทั่วโลก เสียงของเกษตรกรรายย่อยที่เคยเงียบงัน กำลังดังขึ้นท่ามกลางการรุกคืบของข้อตกลงระหว่างประเทศที่พยายามกีดกันสิทธิการใช้เมล็ดพันธุ์แบบดั้งเดิมของพวกเขา การก้าวเข้ามาของ UPOV 1991 ไม่ต่างอะไรกับการเขียนกฎหมายใหม่ให้บริษัทข้ามชาติมีสิทธิ “จดทะเบียน” พันธุ์พืชที่เคยเป็นสมบัติสาธารณะ แล้วเรียกร้องค่าลิขสิทธิ์จากเกษตรกรแม้จะปลูกเพื่อกินเองก็ตาม

แต่โลกนี้ไม่ได้เงียบ…

กรณีศึกษา อินเดีย หนึ่งในเสียงชัดเจนที่สุดมาจากดร.วันดานา ชิวา (Vandana Shiva) นักฟิสิกส์และนักเคลื่อนไหวด้านสิ่งแวดล้อมในอินเดีย ผู้ก่อตั้งองค์กร Navdanya ซึ่งมีภารกิจหลักในการปกป้องเมล็ดพันธุ์พื้นบ้านและเกษตรกรรมแบบยั่งยืน

Navdanya สร้างธนาคารเมล็ดพันธุ์ของตัวเอง โดยไม่ยอมรับระบบ UPOV ใด ๆ เลย องค์กรนี้ทำงานร่วมกับชุมชนพื้นเมืองทั่วอินเดียเพื่อเก็บเมล็ดพันธุ์ดั้งเดิมมากกว่า 2,000 สายพันธุ์ พร้อมกับปลูกฝังแนวคิดว่า “เมล็ดพันธุ์ไม่ใช่สินค้า แต่เป็นชีวิต”

อินเดียเอง แม้จะมีแรงกดดันจากการเจรจาทางการค้าระหว่างประเทศ แต่ก็ยังไม่ยอมรับ UPOV 1991 อย่างเป็นทางการ พวกเขาเลือกเขียนกฎหมายของตนเองชื่อว่า The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 ซึ่งกล้าหาญมาก เพราะเป็นกฎหมายที่คุ้มครอง “สิทธิของเกษตรกร” เคียงคู่ไปกับ “สิทธิของนักปรับปรุงพันธุ์” โดยยืนยันว่า เกษตรกรมีสิทธิในการบันทึก เก็บ ใช้ แลกเปลี่ยน และขายเมล็ดพันธุ์ของตนเอง โดยไม่ต้องขออนุญาตจากใคร ผลคืออะไร? แรงกดดันจากต่างประเทศมาเต็ม โดยเฉพาะจากยุโรปและสหรัฐฯ ที่หวังให้อินเดีย “อัปเกรด” เข้าสู่ UPOV 1991 ให้ได้ เพราะจะทำให้บริษัทเมล็ดยักษ์ใหญ่สามารถเข้ามาจดทะเบียนพันธุ์พืชในอินเดียและเรียกร้องค่าลิขสิทธิ์ได้ แต่รัฐบาลอินเดียยังยืนหยัด ด้วยเหตุผลว่า “การให้สิทธิเฉพาะผู้ถือพันธุ์พืชเชิงพาณิชย์คือการทำลายฐานเกษตรกรรมพื้นบ้านทั้งหมด” แถมยังใช้ Navdanya Network ที่เก็บพันธุกรรมพื้นบ้านทั่วประเทศเป็นโล่กันอีกชั้น

เอธิโอเปีย เอธิโอเปียเป็นประเทศที่มีความหลากหลายทางชีวภาพสูงมาก โดยเฉพาะพืชอาหารท้องถิ่นอย่าง Teff (เทฟ) ที่ใช้ทำขนมปัง Injera อันเป็นหัวใจของวัฒนธรรมอาหารเอธิโอเปีย บริษัทสัญชาติดัตช์เคยพยายามจดสิทธิบัตรในยุโรปว่าเป็นเจ้าของพันธุ์เทฟ และเอธิโอเปียต้องจ่ายค่าลิขสิทธิ์ถ้าจะส่งออก สิ่งที่เกิดขึ้นคือการตอบโต้จากฝั่งเอธิโอเปียและชาวแอฟริกันใต้ว่า “คุณจะเป็นเจ้าของพันธุ์พืชที่เราใช้มาเป็นพันปีได้ยังไง?” การเคลื่อนไหวนี้รุนแรงถึงขั้นมีการฟ้องร้องและถอนสิทธิบัตรออกจากหลายประเทศในยุโรป รัฐบาลเอธิโอเปียจึงเลือกไม่เข้าร่วม UPOV 1991 โดยเด็ดขาด และประกาศให้ Teff เป็น "ทรัพยากรของแผ่นดิน" ใครก็เอาไปจดสิทธิไม่ได้

อิหร่าน อิหร่านเป็นหนึ่งในประเทศที่ปฏิเสธการเข้าเป็นสมาชิก UPOV ทุกฉบับอย่างสิ้นเชิง พวกเขาเลือกปกป้องความมั่นคงด้านอาหารของตนเองโดยการสร้างระบบเก็บเมล็ดพันธุ์ชุมชนทั่วประเทศ และไม่ยอมให้บริษัทข้ามชาติเข้าครอบงำระบบเกษตรกรรม

อาร์เจนตินา แม้อาร์เจนตินาจะอนุญาตให้ใช้ GMO บางประเภท แต่พวกเขากลับยังไม่เข้าร่วม UPOV 1991 เพราะชาวนาอาร์เจนตินาหลายล้านรายออกมาคัดค้านหนักมาก ประเด็นหลักคือ “Seed Saving” หรือการเก็บเมล็ดพันธุ์ไว้ปลูกเอง ซึ่งถือเป็นสิ่งจำเป็นสำหรับเกษตรกรรายย่อย หากเข้าร่วม UPOV 1991 เมื่อใด การกระทำเช่นนี้อาจถือว่าผิดกฎหมาย รัฐบาลอาร์เจนตินาจึงเลือกเดินทางสายกลาง โดยให้ชาวนารายย่อยยังมีสิทธิพื้นฐานในการเก็บเมล็ดไว้ปลูกต่อได้โดยไม่ต้องจ่ายค่าลิขสิทธิ์ แม้จะมีแรงกดดันจาก Monsanto และ Dow Chemical ก็ตาม

เสียงเล็กๆ ที่รวมกันเป็นพายุ ในหลายประเทศในแอฟริกา ละตินอเมริกา และเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ ขบวนการคัดค้าน UPOV 1991 กำลังขยายตัว แม้เสียงจะยังไม่ดังเท่าบริษัทข้ามชาติ แต่ก็เริ่มส่งผลชัดเจนในเชิงนโยบาย หลายประเทศกำลังทบทวนข้อเสนอ FTA ใหม่ โดยใส่เงื่อนไขการปกป้องสิทธิของเกษตรกรรายย่อยเป็นหัวใจหลัก

ประเทศที่ปฏิเสธ UPOV 1991 มักโดนกดดันผ่าน “เข็มฉีดยาทางการค้า” ไม่ว่าจะเป็นเงื่อนไขใน FTA, การกีดกันทางภาษี หรือแม้แต่ถูกลดเครดิตในเวทีโลก เช่น - สหภาพยุโรปมักใส่เงื่อนไขให้ประเทศคู่เจรจา FTA ต้อง “ปรับปรุงกฎหมายให้สอดคล้องกับ UPOV 1991” เสมอ - องค์การทรัพย์สินทางปัญญาโลก (WIPO) ก็เป็นกระบอกเสียงสำคัญที่กดดันให้ประเทศต่าง ๆ เข้า UPOV เพื่อ “สร้างบรรยากาศการลงทุนที่ดี”

การไม่ยอมเข้า UPOV มักถูกตีความว่าเป็น “ความเสี่ยงทางเศรษฐกิจ” แต่จริง ๆ แล้วมันคือ การเลือกปกป้องฐานรากของประเทศตนเอง ต่างหาก

นี่คือยุคที่ผู้คนเริ่มตั้งคำถามว่า… ทำไมเมล็ดพันธุ์ต้องถูกจดลิขสิทธิ์? ใครกันแน่ที่ควรมีสิทธิต่อเมล็ดพันธุ์ คนที่ปลูกมันมาเป็นร้อยปี หรือบริษัทที่ใส่ชื่อบนฉลาก?

ในศตวรรษที่ 21 ที่เต็มไปด้วยเทคโนโลยี พันธุกรรม และ AI ยังมีคนอีกมากที่ยืนอยู่บนผืนดิน และหว่านเมล็ดด้วยมือของพวกเขาเอง โดยหวังว่าอาหารบนโต๊ะจะยังคงเป็นผลผลิตจากผืนแผ่นดิน ไม่ใช่จากใบอนุญาต

และนี่แหละคือสงครามที่แท้จริง สงครามของเมล็ดพันธุ์ และสิทธิในการกินอาหารที่ “ไม่ได้ถูกจดทะเบียนโดยใครสักคน” #pirateketo #กูต้องรู้มั๊ย #ม้วนหางสิลูก

@ 2183e947:f497b975

(1) Here is a partial list of p2p bitcoin exchanges and their friends:

• Robosats (custodial escrow)
• Hodlhodl (2-of-3 escrow)
• Peach (2-of-3 escrow)
• Binance P2P (2-of-3 escrow)
• Bisq v1 (either user can send the funds to a custodial escrow, but if neither one does that, the escrow never touches user funds)
• Bisq v2 (no escrow)

(2) In my opinion, bisq2 is the only "true" p2p exchange on the above list. In a true p2p system, the only people who *can* touch the money are the buyer and the seller. Whenever there's an escrow, even one that has to be "triggered" (like in bisq v1), it's not "really" p2p because the escrow serves as a middleman: he can collude with one party or the other to steal user funds, and in some models (e.g. robosats) he can just straight up run off with user funds without needing to collude at all.

(3) In bisq2 (the One True P2P exchange), buyers select sellers solely based on their reputation, and they just directly send them the bitcoin *hoping* they are as honest as their reputation says they are. What I like about this model is that bisq is not involved in bisq2 at all except as a platform to help buyers discover reputable sellers and communicate with them. There are two things I don't like about this "reputation" model: it's hard to get a good reputation, and it's hard to debug payment failures in this context. I've tried to do about 5 trades on bisq2 (as someone with no reputation) and not a single one went through. Four times, everyone ignored my offers or someone accepted it but then abandoned it immediately. Once, someone accepted my offer, but I could not pay their lightning invoice for some reason, so we mutually canceled the trade.

(4) Just because I opined that an exchange with an escrow "doesn't count" as peer-to-peer doesn't mean that's a bad thing. Of the list of exchanges in number 1, I most frequently use robosats, which, per my analysis, sounds like the "worst" one if considered solely on the metric of "which one is the most p2p." But I use it because there are *advantages* to its model: the btc seller doesn't need a reputation to use it (because the escrow is there to ensure he can't cheat, and so the escrow is the trusted third party, not the btc seller) and payment failures are easier to debug because you're always paying one of the coordinators, who tend to be responsive and knowledgeable and can help you figure out how to fix it (it's how they make money, after all).

(5) There are at least two ways to do escrow without a 3rd party. Satoshi Nakamoto outlines one way to do it here: https://satoshi.nakamotoinstitute.org/posts/bitcointalk/threads/169/ Make a 2 of 2 multisig between the btc buyer and the btc seller, and have the btc seller put his btc in that multisig. Then have the btc buyer send the product (fiat money) to the btc seller. When the btc seller receives it, he sends his privkey to the btc buyer, who can now withdraw the money. The advantage of this system is that the buyer has no incentive to "stiff" the seller (by not sending the fiat), because if he does that, he won't get paid. The downside is, if the btc buyer is a troll who just aborts the protocol halfway through the trade, the seller loses his btc and cannot recover it.

(6) There is another way: start out with a 2 of 2 multisig just like above, but instead of having the btc seller fund it by himself, have the buyer and the seller *both* put in the *same amount* in the *same transaction* (i.e. via a coinjoin), and have the btc seller put in a bit "extra" -- like 20% extra. For example, if the btc seller wants $100 in fiat, the multisig would have $220 in it in total -- $120 from the seller and $100 from the buyer. Using this model, the disadvantage mentioned in paragraph number 5 is fixed: the buyer has an incentive now to send the fiat, otherwise he loses the $100 he put in. He only gets his $100 back if the btc seller cosigns to give it to him, which he'll only do once he receives the product. Meanwhile, the seller is *also* incentivized properly: he only gets his *extra* $20 back if the btc buyer cosigns to give it to him, which he'll only do if the transaction he's signing *also* gives him back *his* $100 deposit.

(7) The model described in number 6 exists: https://scrow.exchange/ is a website that implements it as an option, though as far as I'm aware, no one uses it. The downsides of this model are: it's capital intensive, e.g. a trade for $100 involves $220 or more. Also, the btc buyer needs to already *have* btc to post as a bond, so this cannot be his first time acquiring btc (unless someone helps him make his first deposit). Also, a very rich person who does not care about money can still be a troll; they deposit funds into the multisig alongside their counterparty, then abandon the trade, because they have so much money they don't care if they get it back as long as they cause suffering to their counterparty.

(8) I'd like to see more p2p exchanges, and more exchanges like robosats. I want to continue to spread awareness of ways they can improve -- like the protocols mentioned in numbers 5 and 6 -- and help them implement these protocols. If you run an exchange on the list in number 1 or want to start one, reach out to me, I'd love to help.

@ c1e9ab3a:9cb56b43

Hear this, warriors of the Empire!

A dishonorable shadow spreads across our once-proud institutions, infecting our very bloodlines with weakness. The House of Duras—may their names be spoken with contempt—has betrayed the sacred warrior code of Kahless. No, they have not attacked us with disruptors or blades. Their weapon is more insidious: fear and silence.

Cowardice Masquerading as Concern

These traitors would strip our children of their birthright. They forbid the young from training with the bat'leth in school! Their cowardly decree does not come in the form of an open challenge, but in whispers of fear, buried in bureaucratic dictates. "It is for safety," they claim. "It is to prevent bloodshed." Lies! The blood of Klingons must be tested in training if it is to be ready in battle. We are not humans to be coddled by illusions of safety.

Indoctrination by Silence

In their cowardice, the House of Duras seeks to shape our children not into warriors, but into frightened bureaucrats who speak not of honor, nor of strength. They spread a vile practice—of punishing younglings for even speaking of combat, for recounting glorious tales of blades clashing in the halls of Sto-Vo-Kor! A child who dares write a poem of battle is silenced. A young warrior who shares tales of their father’s triumphs is summoned to the headmaster’s office.

This is no accident. This is a calculated cultural sabotage.

Weakness Taught as Virtue

The House of Duras has infected the minds of the teachers. These once-proud mentors now tremble at shadows, seeing future rebels in the eyes of their students. They demand security patrols and biometric scanners, turning training halls into prisons. They have created fear, not of enemies beyond the Empire, but of the students themselves.

And so, the rituals of strength are erased. The bat'leth is banished. The honor of open training and sparring is forbidden. All under the pretense of protection.

A Plan of Subjugation

Make no mistake. This is not a policy; it is a plan. A plan to disarm future warriors before they are strong enough to rise. By forbidding speech, training, and remembrance, the House of Duras ensures the next generation kneels before the High Council like servants, not warriors. They seek an Empire of sheep, not wolves.

Stand and Resist

But the blood of Kahless runs strong! We must not be silent. We must not comply. Let every training hall resound with the clash of steel. Let our children speak proudly of their ancestors' battles. Let every dishonorable edict from the House of Duras be met with open defiance.

Raise your voice, Klingons! Raise your blade! The soul of the Empire is at stake. We will not surrender our future. We will not let the cowardice of Duras shape the spirit of our children.

The Empire endures through strength. Through honor. Through battle. And so shall we!

@ 24dffa2c:185b741a

sd

@ bb1c863a:2953c3fb

Block Height 892385 11:47 pm Monday, 14 April 2025

In a powerful gesture of support for Bitcoin-aligned education, Blockstream has donated 21 Blockstream Jade hardware wallets to the Consensus21 School — a groundbreaking learning initiative launching its first campus this year on the Mornington Peninsula, just outside Melbourne, Australia.

The donation will place 21 Jades directly into the hands of the first 21 students at the new campus — some as young as five years old — giving them real tools to explore Bitcoin self-custody, digital sovereignty, and privacy-first technology in an age-appropriate and hands-on way.

“The Jade wallets are more than just devices — they’re symbols of freedom, responsibility, and the future of education,” said Kieran Nolan, co-founder of Consensus21. “We’re incredibly grateful to Blockstream for standing behind our mission.”

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Real Tools for Real Sovereignty

The Blockstream Jade is a secure, open-source hardware wallet built for Bitcoiners who value freedom, privacy, and independence. These values are embedded deeply into the Consensus21 educational philosophy, which blends Steiner-inspired learning, homeschooling flexibility, and a curriculum rooted in Bitcoin principles like voluntary exchange, decentralization, and self-responsibility.

With the Jades now part of the learning toolkit, Consensus21 learners will be introduced to key concepts like:

• Private key management
• Seed phrase generation and backup
• Multisig wallets
• The importance of self-custody and trust minimization

This is not just about theory — learners will get to use these tools in real-world contexts, preparing them to grow up fluent in the principles of freedom tech.

---

A Campus, A Vision, A Movement

Launching in 2025, the Mornington Peninsula campus is the pilot site for the broader Consensus21 vision: a distributed, regenerative, and values-aligned network of co-learning spaces, including a future 10-acre farm campus and a registered Steiner school.

The Blockstream donation comes at a pivotal time, as the community transitions from vision to reality. The gift of exactly 21 Blockstream Jades — echoing Bitcoin’s 21 million hard cap — is both a symbolic and practical gesture of support, underscoring the shared commitment between Bitcoin builders and grassroots educators.

---

Stay Connected

📄 Whitepaper: https://github.com/consensus21school/consensus21school.github.io/blob/main/whitepaper.md

🌐 Website: https://consensus21.school

📝 Nostr: CONSENSUS21@nostrcheck.me

🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/Consensus21

@ c1e9ab3a:9cb56b43

In an age where culture often precedes policy, a subtle yet potent mechanism may be at play in the shaping of American perspectives on gun ownership. Rather than directly challenging the Second Amendment through legislation alone, a more insidious strategy may involve reshaping the cultural and social norms surrounding firearms—by conditioning the population, starting at its most impressionable point: the public school system.

The Cultural Lever of Language

Unlike Orwell's 1984, where language is controlled by removing words from the lexicon, this modern approach may hinge instead on instilling fear around specific words or topics—guns, firearms, and self-defense among them. The goal is not to erase the language but to embed a taboo so deep that people voluntarily avoid these terms out of social self-preservation. Children, teachers, and parents begin to internalize a fear of even mentioning weapons, not because the words are illegal, but because the cultural consequences are severe.

The Role of Teachers in Social Programming

Teachers, particularly in primary and middle schools, serve not only as educational authorities but also as social regulators. The frequent argument against homeschooling—that children will not be "properly socialized"—reveals an implicit understanding that schools play a critical role in setting behavioral norms. Children learn what is acceptable not just academically but socially. Rules, discipline, and behavioral expectations are laid down by teachers, often reinforced through peer pressure and institutional authority.

This places teachers in a unique position of influence. If fear is instilled in these educators—fear that one of their students could become the next school shooter—their response is likely to lean toward overcorrection. That overcorrection may manifest as a total intolerance for any conversation about weapons, regardless of the context. Innocent remarks or imaginative stories from young children are interpreted as red flags, triggering intervention from administrators and warnings to parents.

Fear as a Policy Catalyst

School shootings, such as the one at Columbine, serve as the fulcrum for this fear-based conditioning. Each highly publicized tragedy becomes a national spectacle, not only for mourning but also for cementing the idea that any child could become a threat. Media cycles perpetuate this narrative with relentless coverage and emotional appeals, ensuring that each incident becomes embedded in the public consciousness.

The side effect of this focus is the generation of copycat behavior, which, in turn, justifies further media attention and tighter controls. Schools install security systems, metal detectors, and armed guards—not simply to stop violence, but to serve as a daily reminder to children and staff alike: guns are dangerous, ubiquitous, and potentially present at any moment. This daily ritual reinforces the idea that the very discussion of firearms is a precursor to violence.

Policy and Practice: The Zero-Tolerance Feedback Loop

Federal and district-level policies begin to reflect this cultural shift. A child mentioning a gun in class—even in a non-threatening or imaginative context—is flagged for intervention. Zero-tolerance rules leave no room for context or intent. Teachers and administrators, fearing for their careers or safety, comply eagerly with these guidelines, interpreting them as moral obligations rather than bureaucratic policies.

The result is a generation of students conditioned to associate firearms with social ostracism, disciplinary action, and latent danger. The Second Amendment, once seen as a cultural cornerstone of American liberty and self-reliance, is transformed into an artifact of suspicion and anxiety.

Long-Term Consequences: A Nation Re-Socialized

Over time, this fear-based reshaping of discourse creates adults who not only avoid discussing guns but view them as morally reprehensible. Their aversion is not grounded in legal logic or political philosophy, but in deeply embedded emotional programming begun in early childhood. The cultural weight against firearms becomes so great that even those inclined to support gun rights feel the need to self-censor.

As fewer people grow up discussing, learning about, or responsibly handling firearms, the social understanding of the Second Amendment erodes. Without cultural reinforcement, its value becomes abstract and its defenders marginalized. In this way, the right to bear arms is not abolished by law—it is dismantled by language, fear, and the subtle recalibration of social norms.

Conclusion

This theoretical strategy does not require a single change to the Constitution. It relies instead on the long game of cultural transformation, beginning with the youngest minds and reinforced by fear-driven policy and media narratives. The outcome is a society that views the Second Amendment not as a safeguard of liberty, but as an anachronism too dangerous to mention.

By controlling the language through social consequences and fear, a nation can be taught not just to disarm, but to believe it chose to do so freely. That, perhaps, is the most powerful form of control of all.

@ 23202132:eab3af30

Atualmente, os aplicativos de mensagens estão se tornando cada vez mais complexos, com diversas funcionalidades. Embora isso seja atrativo para os usuários, também chama a atenção de governos, golpistas, hackers e empresas interessadas em praticar spam.

Os problemas podem variar, incluindo bloqueios legais, roubo de contas, prejuízos financeiros, entre outros. Diversas situações podem inviabilizar o uso de sua conta de mensagens.

Uma estratégia que vem ganhando popularidade é adotar, com familiares e amigos, um aplicativo alternativo e discreto para mensagens. Assim, caso ocorram problemas com o app principal, a comunicação permanece intacta, pois um canal menos visado por golpistas e menos suscetível a intervenções governamentais estará sempre disponível.

Manter essa estratégia com pessoas próximas dificulta o bloqueio das comunicações, e ao optar por um app discreto, também se torna mais difícil para quem tenta interferir na sua comunicação.

Em resumo, quanto mais descentralizado e menos popular é seu aplicativo de mensagens, menor é a possibilidade de interferência na sua comunicação.

Uma alternativa interessante que uso é o Session, uma boa opção por funcionar sem a necessidade de identificação, como e-mail ou telefone, e de forma descentralizada. Como o Session não exige identificação para cadastro, é impossível alguém localizar sua conta sem que você compartilhe seu ID Session. Isso garante que apenas seus amigos terão acesso a você.

A ideia é combinar com seus amigos e familiares um app que não seja popular para servir de reserva. Nesse sentido, existem muitas opções disponíveis na internet. No entanto, em caso de invasão ou bloqueio, o Session é uma excelente alternativa para comunicação reserva. Ele roda na rede Lokinet que é uma rede de alta privacidade.

Outra possibilidade, que também é eficiente e pode ser mais fácil para usuários acostumados com o WhatsApp, é o Mixin Messenger. Ele possui uma aparência bem semelhante ao WhatsApp. Para grupos de usuários mais avançados, o SimpleX é uma excelente alternativa.

@ 25902b10:4f7034d4

I recently sat on a panel where the topic was “Why Bitcoin?” So I’m going to share what I shared with the audience.

I originally started writing this as an Instagram or LinkedIn caption, but I just kept writing and writing because this topic is so dear to my heart. So I decided to turn it into an article. My first article, actually. I hope you find some value in it if you ever come across it. I’m not a professional writer, by the way, but I hope the message gets home.

I live by the mantra “living and not just existing.”

Have you ever sat down and asked yourself: Am I truly living life, or am I just existing/surviving? You know, wake up, work, pay bills, repeat. Same old, same old. Not exciting, right?

From my observations, and from reading and interacting with people, I’ve realized that most people are just existing and they don’t even know it. Why? Because they’re prisoners to the fiat system. This system keeps them tied to a never-ending treadmill. Every day, they wake up and chase money, but somehow it’s never enough. Inflation quietly steals the value of their hard-earned cash. So they have to work and work, juggle multiple side hustles, just to keep up with the rising cost of life. In reality, life isn't necessarily getting more expensive, it's that the value of your money is being corroded by inflation.

And by the way, have you ever deeply thought about hustle culture? In my honest opinion, having three side hustles or jobs isn’t the flex we’ve been conditioned to think it is. You know, “I’m chasing the bag, man.” Honestly? Not cute. Hustle culture is a response to a broken system. People need all those jobs just to stay afloat.

Look at our grandparents in the '80s. Many of them had a single job or one business, one paycheck, and it was enough. Enough to raise a family, pay school fees, rent, buy essentials, even save.

In 2025? That’s almost unheard of. Why? Inflation. Are you starting to see the nightmare that inflation really is?

Another thing people don’t realize is that when you’re constantly working, time just passes you by. Remember the fiat treadmill? Yeah, that one. You're stuck on it, running and running, chasing money, and you miss out on life. Time with family. Walks in the park. Travel. Hobbies. Rest. You lose the human experience. The actual living part.

So people keep chasing and chasing until the day they’re too old or too tired to keep up and that’s when it hits them: “I never truly lived.” And that realization? It’s heavy.

Fiat money, whether dollars, shillings, or euros, steals from you. It steals your time, your peace, your freedom. Most of the time, all you’re doing is chasing it, and even when you do catch it, it’s already lost some of its value.

The system is designed to keep you in survival mode, anxious, worried about the next paycheck, your bills, your future. It wears you down mentally, physically, emotionally. But not many people see it that way.

The good news? We now have Bitcoin. And I know it sounds crazy or cliché, but it fixes all of this. Let me explain.

Bitcoin is the soundest form of money we've ever had as humans. It’s decentralized, scarce, deflationary, permissionless, borderless. Bitcoin is for everyone.

Now let’s focus on two key aspects: scarcity and its deflationary nature.

Bitcoin’s supply is capped at 21 million coins. No one, not a single person or authority can create more. It can’t be printed at will like fiat. That’s what makes it powerful.

When governments print money, they dilute its value just like adding too much water to concentrated juice until it tastes like nothing. That’s what inflation is: dilution of your money’s value. And it never ends. With Bitcoin, there’s no dilution. It’s built to protect value. That’s what makes it the perfect hedge against inflation, it doesn’t lose purchasing power over time, it preserves it.

So what does that mean practically?

Let’s say you earn Ksh. 1,000 today. If you save it in bitcoin, two weeks, months, or even a year from now, its value is likely to be preserved or even increased. Unlike fiat, which loses value just sitting in your bank account, bitcoin holds on to your hard-earned energy. And this is what connects back to living and not just existing.

Bitcoin gives you the freedom to step off the treadmill. You don’t have to constantly hustle just to stay in place. You can breathe. Imagine that feeling after a long, intense workout, the moment you finally rest. That deep exhale. That’s what life on a Bitcoin standard feels like.

It gives you time. Time to be human. To go to the park. Swim in the ocean. Hike a mountain. Travel. Meet people. Explore cultures. LIVE.

Bitcoin also makes you a better person. The more you learn about it and the broken money system we’ve been stuck in, the more you begin to care. You start looking within. You want better for yourself, your community, humanity. Your thoughts shift. Your actions shift. Bitcoin has that effect. That’s why I say Bitcoin is healing energy.

And I can’t help but think of Michael Jackson’s “Heal the World.” Every line in that song describes the pain caused by a broken system and the world he wanted to see. I believe he would’ve loved what Bitcoin represents. Because it’s about healing. Freedom. Harmony.

So here’s my call to action: Study Bitcoin. Start paying attention. Don’t ignore it. I promise you, it changes everything. There are so many free online learning materials. There’s Bitcoin Twitter. Bitcoin communities all around the world. And of course, I’m here for any questions too.

I want the world to heal. I want to see more people enjoying the human experience. I want to see people spend time with their families, go to the park, swim in lakes/oceans and enjoy the simple pleasures of this beautiful earth.

I want more people to be in tune with themselves so we can all live in harmony, and the universe can be in harmony too.

We can heal the world. We can become happy souls. We can become LOVE: the true essence of life.

@ 23202132:eab3af30

A MixPay é uma plataforma gratuita que permite o recebimento de pagamentos em criptomoedas de forma prática e eficiente. Com a popularidade crescente das criptomoedas, essa modalidade de pagamento está se tornando cada vez mais comum em diversas partes do mundo, incluindo o Brasil, onde alguns municípios, como Rolante, no Rio Grande do Sul, já possuem estabelecimentos que aceitam pagamentos em criptoativos.

Veja um exemplo prático no YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPJ5LqQ19CY

Por que aceitar pagamentos em criptomoedas?

Crescimento global: O uso de criptomoedas para pagamentos de produtos e serviços está em ascensão, impulsionado pela descentralização e pela conveniência que oferecem.

Sem fronteiras: Ideal para quem deseja receber pagamentos internacionais sem taxas elevadas de conversão ou restrições bancárias. Semelhante ao Pix, mas descentralizado: Assim como o Pix revolucionou os pagamentos no Brasil, a MixPay oferece uma experiência similar, mas utilizando criptomoedas, sem a necessidade de intermediários bancários.

Vantagens da MixPay

Gratuita: Não há custos para criar uma conta e começar a receber pagamentos.

Fácil de usar: O processo de recebimento é simples, tanto para comerciantes quanto para consumidores, podendo ser realizado em poucos cliques.

Flexibilidade de moedas: Receba pagamentos em diversas criptomoedas, incluindo Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), USDT e outras.

Conversão automática: A MixPay permite que você receba em uma criptomoeda e converta automaticamente para outra de sua escolha, caso deseje evitar a volatilidade.

Integração fácil: Seja para e-commerces ou estabelecimentos físicos, a MixPay oferece QR Codes, APIs e plugins para integração com seu sistema.

Como começar com a MixPay?

1 - Baixe a carteira Mixin aqui https://messenger.mixin.one/

2 - Com a carteira Mixin instalada clique em https://dashboard.mixpay.me/login e ao abrir o site clique no botão Mixin

3 - Na carteira Mixin clique no leitor de QrCode no canto superior direito e escaneie o site.

Pronto! Você já conectou a sua carteira Mixin com a MixPay. Receba pagamentos em instantes, seja por meio de um QR Code, link de pagamento ou integração com sua loja online.

Se você deseja modernizar seu negócio ou simplesmente começar a explorar o universo das criptomoedas, a MixPay é uma alternativa gratuita, eficiente e que acompanha as tendências atuais.

Para mais informações acesse https://mixpay.me

@ e97aaffa:2ebd765d

Num recente podcast, o Miguel Milhão falou sobre o crash nos mercados financeiros. No meio de muita conversa de macroeconomia e mercados financeiros, o convidado deixou alguns pontos interessantes, mas duas ideias ficaram no meu pensamento, infelizmente, ele não aprofundou, mas é algo que eu quero fazer futuramente.

Perda de paridade

A primeira ideia que o convidado apontou foi, a possibilidade da perda de paridade do papel-moeda e a CBDC, eu nunca tinha pensado neste ponto de vista.

Se os governos não conseguirem retirar de circulação todo o papel-moeda rapidamente, se houver circulação em simultâneo com a CBDC, o papel-moeda poderá ter um premium. Isto faz todo o sentido, os governos poderão dar oficialmente o mesmo valor facial, mas como nas CBDCs existirá mais controlo, restrições e monitorização, as pessoas vão preferir o papel-moeda, vão pagar um premium para manter a sua privacidade.

Na prática, será algo similar ao que acontece em alguns países onde existem algumas controlo de capitais, onde o dólar do mercado negro é superior ao dólar oficial. Os comerciantes também poderão fazer descontos superiores nos produtos quando são pagos com papel-moeda.

Isso poderá provocar um descolar do valor, a mesma moeda com valores diferentes, a oficial e do mercado negro. Isso poderá levar os governos a tomar medidas mais autoritárias para eliminar o papel-moeda de circulação.

Não sei se alguma vez acontecerá, mas é algo que eu tenho que refletir e aprofundar esta ideia.

RBU e Controlo

A outra ideia apontada pelo convidado, a CBDC será uma peça fundamental numa sociedade onde a maioria das pessoas sobrevivem com Rendimento Básico Universal (RBU).

Todos sabemos que a CBDC vai servir para os governos monitorar, fiscalizar e controlar os cidadãos. O ponto que eu nunca tinha pensado, é que esta pode ser essencial para a implementação do RBU. Se chegarmos a esse ponto, será o fim da liberdade dos cidadãos, onde o estado controla quando, quanto e onde o cidadão pode gastar o seu dinheiro. O estado irá determinar o valor do RBU e as CBDC vão determinar onde podes gastá-lo.

Penso que já não existem dúvidas que a AI e a robótica vão revolucionar o mundo laboral, vai provocar uma profunda queda nos postos de trabalho, profissões vão desaparecer ou vão reduzir drasticamente o número de funcionários.

Muitas pessoas consideram que a solução é o RBU, mas eu tenho muitas dificuldades em encontrar viabilidade económica e social numa sociedade onde a maioria recebe o RBU.

É a implementação do conceito: não terá nada, mas será feliz.

Será que as máquinas vão conseguir produzir tudo, o que os seres humanos necessitam, a um custo tão baixo, que vai deixar de ser necessário os humanos trabalharem? Tenho muitas dúvidas que essa possibilidade aconteça, se nós humanos não necessitarmos de trabalhar, vai se perder o incentivo para desenvolver novas tecnologias, gerar inovação e de evoluir a sociedade.

Eu já tenho refletido bastante sobre o RBU, mas por mais que pense, não consigo encontrar uma viabilidade económica para manter isto de pé. Onde vão buscar dinheiro para financiar uma percentagem expressiva de pessoas que sobreviverá com o RBU. Eu só olho para isto, como um comunismo com esteróides, talvez esteja errado.

Além dos problemas econômicos, eu acredito que isso vai gerar problemas sociais e de comportamento, vai gerar uma revolta social. Em primeiro lugar, existe uma parte de seres humanos que são ambiciosos, querem mais coisas, que vão lutar e vão conseguir mais. Depois existe outra parte, que é invejosa, quer ter mais, mas não consegue.

Uma sociedade onde quase ninguém trabalha, existindo demasiado tempo livre, vão emergir vícios e conflitos sociais. As pessoas com tempo para pensar reflectir sobre a sua vida e sobre a sociedade, alguns vão delirar, vão questionar tudo. Por isso, a religião desempenha um papel importante na sociedade, cria moralismo através de dogmas, os crentes não questionam, apenas seguem. Por vezes, a ignorância é uma bênção.

Isto faz lembrar-me o porquê das sociedades monogâmicas tornaram-se mais desenvolvidas, em comparação com as poligâmicas. A monogamia trouxe uma paz social à sociedade, existem muito menos conflitos e guerras, há mais harmonia. Milhões de anos de evolução das espécies, nos humanos e alguns animais, a natureza/genética trouxe um equilíbrio no número de nascimento de elementos masculinos e femininos. Mas nas sociedades poligâmicas, normalmente os homens mais ricos têm várias mulheres, consequentemente haveria outros homens que não teriam nenhuma mulher, isso resulta em maior revolta e conflitos sociais. Isto é pura matemática, se existe quase 50/50, de um homem tem 7 mulheres, isto resulta, que 6 homens não terão qualquer mulher. As religiões ao defenderem a monogamia, ao determinar que era pecado ter mais que uma mulher, resultaram em menos conflitos, numa maior paz social. Isso permitiu um maior desenvolvimento de sociedades monogâmicas, do que as poligâmicas.

Acabei por desviar um pouco do assunto. Além disso, o valor do RBU teria que ser elevado, para que permita aos cidadãos ter acesso ao desporto, aos espetáculos, futebol, viajar, para financiar os seus tempos livres. Se eu já acho difícil arranjar dinheiro para financiar a generalidade dos cidadãos, com produtos e serviços básicos, ainda será mais difícil ou impossível, se tiver que financiar os passatempos.

Em vez do RBU, ainda existe a opção do Imposto sobre o Rendimento Negativo (IRN), minimiza um pouco, mas o problema mantém-se. Aconselho a leitura do artigo do Tiago sobre o IRN.

Mas o mais interessante de tudo, os governos vão criar as CBDC para controlar os cidadãos, com a ideia distópica de criar mais paz social, mas eu acredito que resultará no seu inverso.

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São duas ideias que eu tenho que aprofundar, futuramente.

@ 23202132:eab3af30

Nos últimos quatro anos, desde seu lançamento em 2020, o Nostr evoluiu de um projeto experimental para um protocolo amplamente adotado por usuários e desenvolvedores em todo o mundo. Combinando inovação e simplicidade, o Nostr vem se destacando como uma rede social descentralizada e flexível.

Um dos aplicativos que tem ganhado atenção é o YakiHonne, disponível para Android e iOS. Este cliente Nostr vem se diferenciando por suas melhorias constantes e sua usabilidade intuitiva. Entre suas funcionalidades mais atraentes estão o sistema de pontuação por participação, a capacidade de fixar coleções e a possibilidade de publicar vídeos, podcasts, blogs e anotações curtas, tornando-o uma plataforma versátil e abrangente.

Apesar dos desafios que ainda enfrenta, como a necessidade de aprimorar a experiência do usuário e aumentar a adoção em massa, o Nostr se destaca por sua abordagem transparente e sua capacidade de evolução. Funcionalidades como a integração da Lightning Network para pagamentos rápidos e seguros, além do suporte a conteúdo multimídia, são exemplos claros da flexibilidade do protocolo.

Como um projeto de código aberto, o Nostr também se tornou um verdadeiro laboratório para desenvolvedores experimentarem novas ideias. Diversos serviços e funcionalidades estão em constante desenvolvimento, ampliando o ecossistema e abrindo novas possibilidades para o futuro da comunicação descentralizada.

Se você está buscando um aplicativo que seja baseado na rede Nostr, testar o YakiHonne pode ser uma forma de avaliar potencialidades e limites deste protocolo.

Saiba mais em https://yakihonne.com

@ 23202132:eab3af30

Executar uma IA local (como LLaMA.cpp, whisper.cpp, etc.) em um mini PC ou Raspberry Pi, combinada com um relay SimpleX privado rodando via .onion (com Tor), permite que você tenha um assistente pessoal inteligente sem depender de intermediários. Isso evita, por exemplo, o vazamento de dados sensíveis para empresas proprietárias dessas inteligências artificiais.

Ideal para pesquisadores que utilizam esse tipo de assistente, mas ainda estão em fase de sigilo em seus estudos e experimentos. Também é perfeito para entusiastas de privacidade, autonomia e independência tecnológica. Como tarefa de aula para alunos de programação e redes, pode ser um projeto interessante e desafiador.

O SimpleX Chat é um sistema de mensagens bastante flexível, permitindo diversas personalizações, inclusive que o usuário execute seus próprios relays de transmissão. Nesse sentido, instalar um relay e conectá-lo a uma inteligência artificial rodando localmente no computador é uma tarefa relativamente fácil.

O principal desafio está em criar um bot intermediário que:

Recebe mensagens no relay,

Passa a entrada para a IA local,

Coleta a resposta gerada pela IA,

E a envia de volta via SimpleX.

Para garantir total privacidade, todo o tráfego deve ocorrer via rede onion.

Como implementar na prática? É necessário:

Um relay simplexmq rodando via Tor (.onion).

Uma IA local (LLaMA.cpp, whisper.cpp ou outra de preferência do desenvolvedor) instalada no computador.

Com esses dois elementos configurados, basta criar um script (em Python, por exemplo) para:

Ler mensagens recebidas,

Encaminhá-las à IA local,

Capturar a resposta e enviá-la via protocolo SMP (SimpleX Messaging Protocol).

Resultado? Um sistema privado de comunicação com assistente inteligente: ✔ Sem servidores de terceiros, ✔ Sem nuvem, ✔ Sem Google, OpenAI ou qualquer outra empresa de IA. ✔ Tudo via Tor, tudo criptografado. ✔ Você interage com uma IA local, com zero risco de vazamento de dados.

Principais desafios técnicos (nada impossível!) Implementar um cliente SimpleX (script em Python) no lado da IA, pois o relay sozinho não envia mensagens — ele apenas as entrega entre peers conectados.

O protocolo SimpleX ainda não tem um cliente CLI oficial, mas é possível usar bibliotecas emergentes ou implementar comunicação em nível de socket com base na documentação do protocolo.

@ 23202132:eab3af30

Ter um segundo sistema de mensagens é importante para uso com a família ou grupo de amigos, especialmente naqueles casos em que o WhatsApp é invadido para aplicar golpes nos seus contatos ou, ainda, por conta de bloqueios judiciais que alguns governantes consideram necessários impor. Nesses casos — entre outros possíveis problemas — possuir um segundo sistema de mensagens pode garantir a continuidade da comunicação com seus amigos ou familiares.

Como sistemas de mensagem alternativos, os aplicativos Mixin, Session e Simplex se destacam, cada um com funcionalidades bem distintas. Um fator importante é o grau de dificuldade para usuários com pouca ou nenhuma familiaridade na configuração de aplicativos. Nesse sentido, a escolha do aplicativo deve levar em conta o perfil das pessoas que irão usá-lo.

O aplicativo mais fácil de operar para quem já usa WhatsApp é, sem dúvidas, o Mixin Messenger. Ele permite o cadastro com o número do celular, em uma lógica muito semelhante ao WhatsApp. Para os mais exigentes em relação à privacidade, é possível criar uma conta sem uso de e-mails ou número de telefone. Assim, atende tanto ao usuário acostumado ao WhatsApp quanto àquele que prefere algo com menor vínculo de identificação, ao eliminar dados de contato.

Já o Session oferece a criação de contas totalmente desvinculadas de qualquer dado pessoal, sem necessidade de e-mail ou número de telefone. No entanto, ao criar uma conta, é gerado um ID totalmente aleatório e uma seed (13 palavras) que serve como senha. Se você perder essa seed, perderá o acesso à conta. Essa forma de cadastro garante total privacidade, mas exige cuidado por parte do usuário em armazenar bem a seed. É ideal para grupos com alguma familiaridade no uso de palavras-chave. Usuários acostumados a recuperar senhas com frequência geralmente não dão a devida importância à segurança dessas seeds.

O Simplex é o que há de mais radical em termos de privacidade até o momento — mas é importante lembrar que mais privacidade também significa mais complexidade. A alta privacidade exige uma combinação equilibrada entre comportamento e tecnologia, algo mais comum entre usuários com perfil técnico. Nesse sentido, o Simplex geralmente é utilizado por grupos com algum conhecimento tecnológico e hábitos de segurança digital. Ele permite, por exemplo, que o próprio usuário hospede seu relay na rede Onion, em um Raspberry Pi ou outro tipo de computador.

Uma característica que torna o Simplex tão radical é o fato de não gerar um ID fixo nem utilizar servidores convencionais para trafegar mensagens, além de não coletar metadados. No entanto, isso pode representar dificuldades para usuários sem experiência com tecnologias de comunicação.

Basicamente, se você pretende usar um aplicativo de mensagens alternativo com um grupo inexperiente, o Mixin pode ser a melhor escolha. Já se os familiares e amigos têm mais desenvoltura com tecnologia, o Session pode ser uma excelente alternativa. O Simplex, por outro lado, pode gerar dor de cabeça para grupos inexperientes, dada sua complexidade de uso. No Simplex não há recuperação automatizada de conta com arquivos na nuvem ou qualquer recurso semelhante — é necessário o hábito de realizar backups manuais com alguma frequência. A configuração inicial também pode gerar confusão para usuários não técnicos. Por isso, o Simplex é uma boa escolha apenas para grupos com alguma desenvoltura tecnológica. Para pessoas experientes, ele oferece total personalização e privacidade.

Em termos de segurança, todos os três aplicativos oferecem privacidade e resistência à censura, não são atraentes para golpistas e são difíceis de bloquear. Isso é importante se você está buscando um sistema de mensagens alternativo justamente para manter a comunicação ativa em caso de problemas com seu mensageiro principal. Mas não se esqueça de considerar qual é o perfil dos usuários do seu grupo de contatos.

@ 7d33ba57:1b82db35

Sofia might surprise you. One of Europe’s oldest cities, it's a place where Roman ruins, Ottoman mosques, Orthodox churches, Soviet monuments, and hip street art all live side by side. Add in mountain views, leafy parks, and a rising food and coffee scene, and you’ve got a laid-back, history-rich capital that’s still flying under the radar.

🌟 What to See in Sofia

1️⃣ Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

• The city’s iconic symbol, with golden domes and an ornate Orthodox interior
• Free to enter, and worth visiting at sunset when the light hits the gold just right

2️⃣ Roman Ruins of Serdica

• Right in the heart of the city, you can walk through the excavated streets and buildings of ancient Serdica
• Look down through glass panels or walk among ruins near the Largo complex

3️⃣ St. George Rotunda

• A 4th-century red-brick church tucked behind government buildings
• One of the oldest and most atmospheric sites in Sofia

4️⃣ Vitosha Boulevard

• The city’s main pedestrian street, lined with shops, cafés, and mountain views
• Great for people-watching, especially at a terrace with a rakia or local craft beer

5️⃣ National Palace of Culture (NDK)

• A massive cultural center with striking architecture and gardens
• Surrounded by a wide boulevard that's great for walks or grabbing snacks from nearby vendors

⛰️ Escape to Nature: Vitosha Mountain

• Just outside the city, Vitosha Mountain is a paradise for hikers, skiers, or picnickers
• Visit Boyana Church (UNESCO site) and hike to Boyana Waterfall
• In winter: great for a quick ski day
• In summer: cool breezes and panoramic city views

🍽️ What to Eat in Sofia

• Shopska salad – Fresh, simple, and topped with white cheese
• Kavarma – Slow-cooked meat and vegetables in clay pots
• Banitsa – A flaky pastry filled with cheese or pumpkin
• Wash it down with rakia (fruit brandy) or local wines from Melnik or the Thracian Valley

🎯 Tips for Visiting Sofia

✅ Affordable and uncrowded—a great value destination
✅ Currency: Bulgarian lev (BGN)
✅ Most signs use both Cyrillic and Latin alphabets, but a few phrases in Bulgarian go a long way
✅ Spring and fall offer the best weather for exploring both city and mountain

@ f57bac88:6045161e

شاهباز یکی از نام‌های کهن و پررمزوراز در فرهنگ ایرانی است که در طول تاریخ به عنوان نمادی از قدرت، بلندپروازی، و فره‌ایزدی شناخته شده است. این پرنده که از نظر زیست‌شناسی به شاهین یا باز شکاری شباهت دارد، در ادبیات، هنر، اسطوره‌شناسی و فرهنگ ایران جایگاه ویژه‌ای داشته است. در این نوشتار به بررسی جایگاه شاهباز در ایران باستان، نمادشناسی آن، حضورش در داستان‌های اساطیری و تعبیر دیدن این پرنده در خواب خواهیم پرداخت.

شاهباز در ایران باستان

در دوران ایران باستان، پرندگان شکاری مانند شاهین، عقاب و شاهباز جایگاه ویژه‌ای داشتند و اغلب با مفاهیمی همچون پادشاهی، جنگاوری و حمایت الهی پیوند خورده بودند. شاهباز به عنوان پرنده‌ای که در اوج آسمان پرواز می‌کند، نماد ارتباط میان زمین و آسمان و حامل پیام‌های ایزدی به‌شمار می‌رفت.

یکی از جلوه‌های برجسته‌ی شاهباز در تمدن هخامنشی و ساسانی، حضور آن بر روی برخی آثار هنری و پرچم‌های شاهنشاهی است. عقاب و باز به عنوان نگهبانان شاهان و فرماندهان در هنرهای ایران باستان دیده می‌شوند. برخی پژوهشگران معتقدند که "درفش کاویانی" که نماد پادشاهی ایران بوده، تصاویری از این پرنده بر خود داشته است.

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شاهباز در داستان‌های اساطیری و نمادها

در داستان‌های کهن ایرانی، شاهباز جایگاه ویژه‌ای دارد و اغلب در کنار قهرمانان و شخصیت‌های برجسته‌ی اسطوره‌ای دیده می‌شود.

1. شاهباز و زال در شاهنامه\ در داستان تولد زال، سیمرغ که خود پرنده‌ای اساطیری و نماد خرد است، زال را از کوه البرز نجات می‌دهد و پرورش می‌دهد. برخی روایت‌ها بر این باورند که شاهباز نیز می‌تواند یکی از اشکال سیمرغ باشد، پرنده‌ای که همواره همراه شاهان و پهلوانان بوده است.
2. شاهباز در نمادشناسی عرفانی\ در عرفان اسلامی و ایرانی، شاهباز به عنوان نمادی از روح بلندپرواز، خرد و آزادی مطرح است. این پرنده نماد انسانی است که از قیدهای مادی رهایی یافته و به سوی حقیقت پرواز می‌کند. مولانا و عطار در اشعار خود به این مفهوم اشاره کرده‌اند.
3. شاهباز در فرهنگ پهلوی و زرتشتی\ در آیین زرتشتی، پرندگان بلندپرواز همچون شاهباز و عقاب به عنوان نیروهای روشنی در برابر تاریکی و نمادی از فره‌وشی (روح‌های نگهبان) در نظر گرفته می‌شدند. آن‌ها به عنوان فرستادگان اهورامزدا برای هدایت انسان‌ها شناخته می‌شدند.

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معانی دیدن شاهباز در خواب و رویا

دیدن شاهباز در خواب تعابیر مختلفی دارد که به فرهنگ، باورهای شخصی و شرایط زندگی بیننده بستگی دارد:

• دیدن شاهباز در حال پرواز: نشانه‌ی قدرت، موفقیت و ارتقای مقام در زندگی.
• نشستن شاهباز بر دست: نشان از عزت، شکوه و دریافت نعمتی بزرگ.
• دیدن شاهباز زخمی یا در بند: ممکن است اشاره به موانع و مشکلات در مسیر موفقیت داشته باشد.
• رهایی شاهباز از قفس: نمادی از آزادی از محدودیت‌ها و ورود به مرحله‌ای جدید از زندگی.

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شاهباز در هنر و فرهنگ معاصر

امروزه نیز شاهباز در هنر، شعر و موسیقی ایرانی جایگاه ویژه‌ای دارد. بسیاری از شاعران از این پرنده به عنوان نماد شکوه و آزادی یاد کرده‌اند. در ادبیات معاصر و حتی نام‌گذاری افراد، شاهباز همچنان جایگاه خود را حفظ کرده است.

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نتیجه‌گیری

شاهباز یکی از نمادهای مهم در فرهنگ و تاریخ ایران است که از دوران باستان تاکنون، جایگاهی ویژه در اسطوره‌ها، هنر، ادبیات و باورهای مردمی داشته است. این پرنده نماد قدرت، خرد، آزادی و ارتباط با آسمان بوده و همچنان در ذهن و دل ایرانیان جای دارد.

@ 6e0ea5d6:0327f353

Ascolta.

We live in times where the average man is measured by the speeches he gives — not by the commitments he keeps. People talk about dreams, goals, promises… but what truly remains is what’s honored in the silence of small gestures, in actions that don’t seek applause, in attitudes unseen — yet speak volumes.

Punctuality, for example. Showing up on time isn’t about the clock. It’s about respect. Respect for another’s time, yes — but more importantly, respect for one’s own word. A man who is late without reason is already running late in his values. And the one who excuses his own lateness with sweet justifications slowly gets used to mediocrity.

Keeping your word is more than fulfilling promises. It is sealing, with the mouth, what the body must later uphold. Every time a man commits to something, he creates a moral debt with his own dignity. And to break that commitment is to declare bankruptcy — not in the eyes of others, but in front of himself.

And debts? Even the small ones — or especially the small ones — are precise thermometers of character. A forgotten sum, an unpaid favor, a commitment left behind… all of these reveal the structure of the inner building that man resides in. He who neglects the small is merely rehearsing for his future collapse.

Life, contrary to what the reckless say, is not built on grand deeds. It is built with small bricks, laid with almost obsessive precision. The truly great man is the one who respects the details — recognizing in them a code of conduct.

In Sicily, especially in the streets of Palermo, I learned early on that there is more nobility in paying a five-euro debt on time than in flaunting riches gained without word, without honor, without dignity.

As they say in Palermo: L’uomo si conosce dalle piccole cose.

So, amico mio, Don’t talk to me about greatness if you can’t show up on time. Don’t talk to me about respect if your word is fickle. And above all, don’t talk to me about honor if you still owe what you once promised — no matter how small.

Thank you for reading, my friend!

If this message resonated with you, consider leaving your "🥃" as a token of appreciation.

A toast to our family!

@ 6e0ea5d6:0327f353

Ascolta bene.
A man’s collapse never begins on the battlefield.
It begins in the invisible antechamber of his own mind.
Before any public fall, there is an ignored internal whisper—
a small, quiet, private decision that gradually drags him toward ruin.

No empire ever fell without first rotting from within.
The world does not destroy a man who hasn’t first surrendered to himself.
The enemy outside only wins when it finds space in the void the man has silently carved.

**Non ti sbagliare ** — there are no armies more ruthless than undisciplined thoughts.
There are no blows more fatal than the ones we deal ourselves:
with small concessions, well-crafted excuses,
and the slow deterioration of our integrity.
What people call failure is nothing more than the logical outcome
of a sequence of internal betrayals.

Afraid of the world? Sciocchezze.
But a man who’s already bowed before his own weaknesses—
he needs no enemies.
He digs his own grave, chooses the epitaph,
and the only thing the world does is toss in some dirt.

Capisci?

Strength isn’t the absence of falling, but the presence of resistance.
The true battle isn’t external.
It takes place within—where there’s only you, your conscience, and the mirror.
And it’s in that silent courtroom where everything is decided.

The discipline to say “no” to yourself
is more noble than any public glory.
Self-control is more valuable than any victory over others.

In Sicily, we learn early:
“Cu s’abbrazza cu’ so’ nemicu, si scorda la faccia di l’amicu.”
He who embraces his enemy forgets the face of his friend.
The most dangerous enemy is the one you feed daily with self-indulgence.
And the most relentless confrontation is the one you avoid in front of the mirror.

So don’t talk to me about external defeats.
Tell me where inside you the weakness began.
Tell me the exact moment you abandoned what you believed in, in the name of ease.
Because a man only falls before the world… after falling before himself.

Thank you for reading, my friend!

If this message resonated with you, consider leaving your "🥃" as a token of appreciation.

A toast to our family!

@ 2e8970de:63345c7a

(source)

• Notice how "social" stuff like therapy and finding purpose is up massively, now all first 3 spots.
• All the "new" stuff is down. You won't get new ideas out of chatGPT, explore topics of interest, or research. It only spits back at you what you said to it. Nothing new, nothing creative or unexpected.
• Coding is new this year? Really?

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/943133

@ c21b1a6c:0cd4d170

🧾 Progress Report Two

Hey everyone! I’m back with another progress report for Formstr, a part of the now completed grant from nostr:npub10pensatlcfwktnvjjw2dtem38n6rvw8g6fv73h84cuacxn4c28eqyfn34f . This update covers everything we’ve built since the last milestone — including polish, performance, power features, and plenty of bug-squashing.

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🏗️ What’s New Since Last Time?

This quarter was less about foundational rewrites and more about production hardening and real-world feedback. With users now onboard, our focus shifted to polishing UX, fixing issues, and adding new features that made Formstr easier and more powerful to use.

✨ New Features & UX Improvements

• Edit Existing Forms
• Form Templates
• Drag & Drop Enhancements (especially for mobile)
• New Public Forms UX (card-style layout)
• FAQ & Support Sections
• Relay Modal for Publishing
• Skeleton Loaders and subtle UI Polish

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🐛 Major Bug Fixes

• Fixed broken CSV exports when responses were empty
• Cleaned up mobile rendering issues for public forms
• Resolved blank.ts export issues and global form bugs
• Fixed invalid npub strings in the admin flow
• Patched response handling for private forms
• Lots of small fixes for titles, drafts, embedded form URLs, etc.

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🔐 Access Control & Privacy

• Made forms private by default
• Fixed multiple issues around form visibility, access control UIs, and anonymous submissions
• Improved detection of pubkey issues in shared forms

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🚧 Some Notable In-Progress Features

The following features are actively being developed, and many are nearing completion:

• Conditional Questions:
  This one’s been tough to crack, but we’re close!
  Work in progress by keraliss and myself:
  👉 PR #252

• Downloadable Forms:
  Fully-contained downloadable HTML versions of forms.
  Being led by casyazmon with initial code by Basanta Goswami
  👉 PR #274

• OLLAMA Integration (Self-Hosted LLMs):
  Users will be able to create forms using locally hosted LLMs.
  PR by ashu01304
  👉 PR #247

• Sections in Forms:
  Work just started on adding section support!
  Small PoC PR by keraliss:
  👉 PR #217

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🙌 Huge Thanks to New Contributors

We've had amazing contributors this cycle. Big thanks to:

• Aashutosh Gandhi (ashu01304) – drag-and-drop enhancements, OLLAMA integration
• Amaresh Prasad (devAmaresh) – fixed npub and access bugs
• Biresh Biswas (Billa05) – skeleton loaders
• Shashank Shekhar Singh (Shashankss1205) – bugfixes, co-authored image patches
• Akap Azmon Deh-nji (casyazmon) – CSV fixes, downloadable forms
• Manas Ranjan Dash (mdash3735) – bug fixes
• Basanta Goswami – initial groundwork for downloadable forms
• keraliss – ongoing work on conditional questions and sections

We also registered for the Summer of Bitcoin program and have been receiving contributions from some incredibly bright new applicants.

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🔍 What’s Still Coming?

From the wishlist I committed to during the grant, here’s what’s still in the oven:

-[x] Upgrade to nip-44 - [x] Access Controlled Forms: A Form will be able to have multiple admins and Editors. - [x] Private Forms and Fixed Participants: Enncrypt a form and only allow certain npubs to fill it. - [x] Edit Past Forms: Being able to edit an existing form. - [x] Edit Past Forms
- [ ] Conditional Rendering (in progress)
- [ ] Sections (just started)
- [ ] Integrations - OLLAMA / AI-based Form Generation (near complete)
- [ ] Paid Surveys
- [ ] NIP-42 Private Relay support

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❌ What’s De-Prioritized?

• Nothing is de-prioritized now especially since Ollama Integration got re-prioritized (thanks to Summer Of Bitcoin). We are a little delayed on Private Relays support but it's now becoming a priority and in active development. Zap Surveys will be coming soon too.

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💸 How Funds Were Used

• Paid individual contributors for their work.
• Living expenses to allow full-time focus on development

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🧠 Closing Thoughts

Things feel like they’re coming together now. We’re out of "beta hell", starting to see real adoption, and most importantly, gathering feedback from real users. That’s helping us make smarter choices and move fast without breaking too much.

Stay tuned for the next big drop — and in the meantime, try creating a form at formstr.app, and let me know what you think!

@ 7bc05901:8c26d22b

Max posted: We don't want to rule the world - just the square meter where our feet touch earth. Multiply that by billions and watch empires crumble.

This is how we should build and tinker. One square meter at a time.

I have been trying to subtly preach square foot gardening to my wife over the winter. While we were planting yesterday, I noticed she had placed the cabbage just a couple inches away from each other, because based on the size they are now, it seems right. I said, you think those are far enough apart? And she quickly divided them up each into their own square foot, which is the recommended distance to maximize their growth. Considerations about future growth engaged her intuition, and giving them each a square foot made sense.

One cannot get more hyper-local than the square meter that they currently occupy. After we had finished planting, we sat on lawn chairs in the grass while our daughter chased bubbles from the battery-powered bubble machine that the neighbor had given us. My wife and I started talking about how many blades of grass were in our entire backyard. Our whole piece of property is not quite three quarters of an acre, and the backyard is about a third of it. The way to figure that out, though, is to figure out how many blades of grass there are in a square foot. After a bit of back and forth, le chat (the mistral AI) finally told me that in a more dense square foot of grass, you might have over 7,000 blades of grass and in a less dense square foot around 3,000. We didn't do the math on our whole yard, but we at least know the formula if we ever care to.

Thinking by the square foot is truly how empires fall. Realizing that the world is divisible not just by state, but also by square foot, is a critical step towards manifesting sovereignty. The world is not just cities, counties, nations, continents -- the network that we impact is not defined by armies, politicians, or CEOs unless we let it be.

As we think about the expansion of our hyper-local spaces, the permaculture design principles about controlling edges seemed relevant to me. This is from mistral:

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In permaculture, the principle of "using edges and valuing the marginal" is one of the key design principles. This principle emphasizes the importance of the edges or boundaries in a system, where different environments or ecosystems meet. These edges are often the most diverse and productive areas because they allow for interactions between different elements.

Here are some key aspects of this principle:

Increased Productivity: Edges are often more productive because they receive inputs from multiple environments. For example, the edge of a forest and a meadow might receive sunlight from the meadow side and nutrients from the forest side.

Diversity: Edges support a greater diversity of species because they provide a variety of microclimates and resources. This diversity can lead to more resilient ecosystems.

Innovation: Edges are places of interaction and exchange, which can lead to new ideas and innovations. In a permaculture design, this might mean placing elements that benefit from interaction at the edges of different zones.

Valuing the Marginal: This principle also encourages valuing and utilizing marginal spaces and resources that might otherwise be overlooked. By doing so, permaculture aims to make the most efficient use of all available resources.

In practical terms, this principle might be applied by designing gardens or farms to maximize edge environments, such as by using keyhole beds or creating winding paths that increase the amount of edge in the landscape. It's about recognizing the potential in transitional spaces and leveraging it for greater productivity and resilience.

In permaculture, the principle of "using edges and valuing the marginal" is one of the key design principles. This principle emphasizes the importance of the edges or boundaries in a system, where different environments or ecosystems meet. These edges are often the most diverse and productive areas because they allow for interactions between different elements.

Here are some key aspects of this principle:

1. Increased Productivity: Edges are often more productive because they receive inputs from multiple environments. For example, the edge of a forest and a meadow might receive sunlight from the meadow side and nutrients from the forest side.

2. Diversity: Edges support a greater diversity of species because they provide a variety of microclimates and resources. This diversity can lead to more resilient ecosystems.

3. Innovation: Edges are places of interaction and exchange, which can lead to new ideas and innovations. In a permaculture design, this might mean placing elements that benefit from interaction at the edges of different zones.

4. Valuing the Marginal: This principle also encourages valuing and utilizing marginal spaces and resources that might otherwise be overlooked. By doing so, permaculture aims to make the most efficient use of all available resources.

In practical terms, this principle might be applied by designing gardens or farms to maximize edge environments, such as by using keyhole beds or creating winding paths that increase the amount of edge in the landscape. It's about recognizing the potential in transitional spaces and leveraging it for greater productivity and resilience.

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The revolution will begin in your square meter, and it will grow when you use edges and value the marginal.

We are all on the edge over here in the Nostr-ecosystem. And bitcoin allows you to store your value in your square meter without interference from those who currently control many square meters.

Stay sovereign.

@ e8744882:47d84815

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With its unique mix of sci-fi, action, and supernatural elements, The Wraith remains a cult favorite. Charlie Sheen’s enigmatic performance, thrilling race sequences, and eerie atmosphere make it an unforgettable watch. If you love adrenaline-fueled action combined with an intriguing storyline, this is one of the best Telugu dubbed Hollywood movies for you.

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@ 4e088f30:744b1792

Pouco menos de um mês antes de sua morte, minha mãe escreveu um texto com suas reflexões sobre a carta dezesseis do conjunto de cartas que eu criei. Ela estava lendo com a fonoaudióloga que a atendia e me contou. Eu disse que queria ouvir a reflexão, e um dia ela gravou um áudio para mim.

A carta dizia assim:

Ajo como borboleta que vai contra a força da vida ao sair do casulo tentando controlar o modo como será vista. Não percebo que tudo o que precisa ser feito agora é me entregar às minhas próprias asas.

Se a borboleta sai do casulo para ser vista como idealiza, o que ela deixa de ver, o que ela deixa de nutrir na vida?

Um dos trechos do texto que ela escreveu era:

“Você pode me ver?”

E eu me pergunto: será que tenho coragem de vê-la por inteiro? Ver sem palavras, sem conceitos, sem julgamentos, sem projeções? Será que tenho coragem de apenas ver quem ela é?

–

Outro dia, estava na casa dela - e o que mais me interessa sempre são seus cadernos - eu encontrei um que ainda não tinha visto. Parece que ela o usava em meados dos anos 90. Eu o abri e encontrei o nome Elizabeth Kubler Ross e eu tinha lido alguns livros dela alguns anos atrás, quando comecei a mergulhar em estudos sobre cuidados paliativos, morte e luto, então achei oportuno e li o que estava escrito:

“Depois de passar por todas as provas para as quais fomos mandados à terra como parte de nosso aprendizado, podemos nos formar. Podemos sair do nosso corpo, que aprisiona a alma como um casulo aprisiona a futura borboleta e, no momento certo, deixá-lo para trás. E estaremos livres da dor, livres dos medos e livres das preocupações… Livres como uma borboleta voltando para casa, para Deus… em um lugar onde nunca estamos sós, onde continuamos a crescer, a cantar, a dançar, onde estamos com aqueles que amamos e cercados de mais amor que jamais poderemos imaginar.” Elizabeth Kubler Ross, M.D (A roda da vida)

Antes de ouvir o que ela tinha escrito, eu disse que ela estava confiando na fonoaudióloga para se abrir e isso ia ajudá-la a florescer, ela emendou com “largar o casulo e virar borboleta”. Ela se sentia ainda emaranhada no casulo. No último ano ela falou algumas vezes sobre a necessidade de desapegar, sobre a única dificuldade dela ser soltar o apego a nós, os filhos dela. Mas ela foi fazendo o trabalho de soltar e soltar e soltar, até que se entregou às suas asas que sempre foram lindas e brilhantes a cada metamorfose em vida, e agora sendo vida.

Começo essa jornada, que ainda não sei o que será - embora tenha alguns desejos, com esses escritos, que ofereço à Vida, que já foi chamada de Glória e de minha mãe.

@ 846ebf79:fe4e39a4

The next iteration is coming

We're busy racing to the finish line, for the #Alexandria Gutenberg beta. Then we can get the bug hunt done, release v0.1.0, and immediately start producing the first iteration of the Euler (v0.2.0) edition.

While we continue to work on fixing the performance issues and smooth rendering on the Reading View, we've gone ahead and added some new features and apps, which will be rolled-out soon.

The biggest projects this iteration have been:

• the HTTP API for the #Realy relay from nostr:npub1fjqqy4a93z5zsjwsfxqhc2764kvykfdyttvldkkkdera8dr78vhsmmleku,
• implementation of a publication tree structure by nostr:npub1wqfzz2p880wq0tumuae9lfwyhs8uz35xd0kr34zrvrwyh3kvrzuskcqsyn,
• and the Great DevOps Migration of 2025 from the ever-industrious Mr. nostr:npub1qdjn8j4gwgmkj3k5un775nq6q3q7mguv5tvajstmkdsqdja2havq03fqm7.

All are backend-y projects and have caused a major shift in process and product, on the development team's side, even if they're still largely invisible to users.

Another important, but invisible-to-you change is that nostr:npub1ecdlntvjzexlyfale2egzvvncc8tgqsaxkl5hw7xlgjv2cxs705s9qs735 has implemented the core bech32 functionality (and the associated tests) in C/C++, for the #Aedile NDK.

On the frontend:

nostr:npub1636uujeewag8zv8593lcvdrwlymgqre6uax4anuq3y5qehqey05sl8qpl4 is currently working on the blog-specific Reading View, which allows for multi-npub or topical blogging, by using the 30040 index as a "folder", joining the various 30041 articles into different blogs. She has also started experimenting with categorization and columns for the landing page.

nostr:npub1l5sga6xg72phsz5422ykujprejwud075ggrr3z2hwyrfgr7eylqstegx9z revamped the product information pages, so that there is now a Contact page (including the ability to submit a Nostr issue) and an About page (with more product information, the build version displayed, and a live #GitCitadel feed).

We have also allowed for discrete headings (headers that aren't section headings, akin to the headers in Markdown). Discrete headings are formatted, but not added to the ToC and do not result in a section split by Asciidoc processors.

We have added OpenGraph metadata, so that hyperlinks to Alexandria publications, and other events, display prettily in other apps. And we fixed some bugs.

The Visualisation view has been updated and bug-fixed, to make the cards human-readable and closeable, and to add hyperlinks to the events to the card-titles.

We have added support for the display of individual wiki pages and the integration of them into 30040 publications. (This is an important feature for scientists and other nonfiction writers.)

We prettified the event json modal, so that it's easier to read and copy-paste out of.

The index card details have been expanded and the menus on the landing page have been revamped and expanded. Design and style has been improved, overall.

Project management is very busy

Our scientific adviser nostr:npub1m3xdppkd0njmrqe2ma8a6ys39zvgp5k8u22mev8xsnqp4nh80srqhqa5sf is working on the Euler plans for integrating features important for medical researchers and other scientists, which have been put on the fast track.

Next up are:

• a return of the Table of Contents
• kind 1111 comments, highlights, likes
• a prototype social feed for wss://theforest.nostr1.com, including long-form articles and Markdown rendering
• compose and edit of publications
• a search field
• the expansion of the relay set with the new relays from nostr:npub12262qa4uhw7u8gdwlgmntqtv7aye8vdcmvszkqwgs0zchel6mz7s6cgrkj, including some cool premium features
• full wiki functionality and disambiguation pages for replaceable events with overlapping d-tags
• a web app for mass-uploading and auto-converting PDFs to 30040/41 Asciidoc events, that will run on Realy, and be a service free for our premium relay subscribers
• ability to subscribe to the forest with a premium status
• the book upload CLI has been renamed and reworked into the Sybil Test Utility and that will get a major release, covering all the events and functionality needed to test Euler
• the #GitRepublic public git server project
• ....and much more.

Thank you for reading and may your morning be good.

@ 044da344:073a8a0e

Als wir vor gut einem halben Jahr mit den Kolumnen angefangen haben, hatte ich mir das genau so vorgestellt. Ich schreibe auf, was mir in der Woche so passiert ist. Eine Bilanz sozusagen, vielleicht persönlich, vielleicht politisch. Je nachdem. Es ist dann etwas anders gekommen. Manchmal waren ein Buch oder ein Film einfach so stark, dass aus der Kolumne eine Rezension geworden ist. Manchmal wollte ich nur von einem meiner Interviews erzählen und das Besprochene gleich mit den großen Debatten verknüpfen. Und manchmal waren Anregungen von außen umzusetzen, Stichwort KI, Stichwort Frieden.

Wahrscheinlich waren die meisten Wochen auch nicht besonders spannend. Alltag eben. Was soll man davon groß festhalten. Diesmal ist das anders. Sonntag Erich Hambach bei uns im Haus. Ein Interview für die Reihe Im Gespräch. Ich will nicht zu viel vorwegnehmen. Es ging um die Hochfinanz, um den schwarzen Adel, um die Illuminati. Ein Gruselkabinett für alle, die wissen, wo die roten Linien sind zu den Schmuddelkindern. Verschwörungstheorie, pfui. Erich Hambach kann erklären, wie die „Herren des Geldes“ (Untertitel seines neuen Buchs) arbeiten und was man tun kann, um sich ihrem Zugriff zu entziehen. Als die Kameras aus waren, ging es munter weiter mit dem Publikum. Steuerfrei leben, sich auf den Lastenausgleich vorbereiten, Kollateralkonto. Siehe oben. Wir haben dann noch 25 Minuten nachgeschoben, die bei den „Truth Brothers“ zu sehen sein werden, dem Kanal von Erich Hambach.

Montag Dresden. Lesung im Buchhaus Loschwitz. Ich war schon im Juni dort, damals mit dem Buch über die Unterwerfung der Universitäten. Diesmal „Der dressierte Nachwuchs“. Wieder volles Haus. In Loschwitz heißt das: Susanne Dagen, Gastgeberin und Moderatorin, quetscht sich auf einen Hocker zwischen Klavier und Reihe null und sagt: Willkommen zum Gottesdienst. Einige sind zum zweiten Mal da. Neu: Paul Soldan, den ich aus seinen Texten für Multipolar kenne und über sein Buch „Sheikhi“, und Julia Szarvasy, die mich in ihrem Bus für Nuoviso interviewt hat und auf der Ruderboot-Couch. Hinterher kommen (um im Bild zu bleiben) drei U-Boote zu mir. Professoren. Ein Techniker, ein Germanist und ein Medienforscher, der sich sogar mit mir fotografieren lassen will. Dieser Kollege ist nicht an der TU (falls jemand die Fahndung einleiten möchte), aber immerhin. Ich bin oft gefragt worden, ob es an den Unis Gleichgesinnte gibt, und kann jetzt endlich sagen: ja. Ein paar schon.

Versteckt in einer der letzten Dresdner Reihen: Michael Beleites, eine Ikone der DDR-Umweltbewegung und später ein Jahrzehnt lang Beauftragter für die Stasi-Unterlagen in Sachsen. Er hat eine Rezension mitgebracht, die er gerade für die Sezession geschrieben hat, und einen Gedanken, der mich später schlecht schlafen lässt. Müssen wir die Geschichte vom Herbst 1989 umschreiben? Ganz neu ist dieser Gedanke nicht, natürlich nicht. Wer dabei war, hat sich schon damals gefragt, wie die Stimmung so schnell kippen konnte vom Wunsch nach einem anderen, besseren Sozialismus zu Helmut Kohl und seiner D-Mark. Daniela Dahn, wie Michael Beleites seinerzeit in vorderster Front, hat den schwarzen Peter an den Journalismus weitergegeben. Tamtam und Tabu. Eine Kampagne, losgetreten von Horst Teltschik, Kohls wichtigstem Mann, die sich um SED-Skandale drehte und so wie eine Nebelkerze verhüllte, um was es eigentlich ging. Die Herren des Geldes, würde Erich Hambach sagen. „Alte Besitzverhältnisse“ wieder herstellen und damit „alte Machtverhältnisse“, sagt Daniela Dahn. Michael Beleites ergänzt das nun durch das, was er gesehen und erlebt hat, bei der Auflösung des Geheimdienstes in Gera zum Beispiel. Da seien Leute wie er gewesen, natürlich. Legitimiert durch das, was vorher war. Überall im Land seien aber plötzlich auch unbeschriebene Blätter aufgetaucht, laut und damit schnell ganz vorne dran. Ein Forschungsthema, ohne Frage.

Bevor ich das zu Ende gedacht habe, sitze ich im Rudolf-Steiner-Haus, nur ein paar Steinwürfe weg von der Alster. Ich würde gern „Hamburgs Wohnzimmer“ schreiben, aber dazu taugt der Saal im Souterrain dann doch nicht ganz. Immerhin: steuerfinanziert. Geht also doch. Eingeladen hat unter anderem der Nachdenkseiten-Gesprächskreis vor Ort. Thema: Wandel der Universitäten. Wieder sind Kollegen da, auch aus dem Mittelbau und aus der Rentnergeneration, die sich zu erinnern glauben, alles schon erlebt zu haben, damals, in ihrer großen Zeit. Nun ja. Wichtiger: Walter Weber ist da, ein Arzt, Koryphäe in Sachen Krebs, 80 inzwischen, der meinen letzten Auftritt in Hamburg organisiert hat. Große Freiheit, Sommer 2022. Die Sonne schien, und es roch nach Aufbruch. Aus dem ganzen Land waren sie gekommen, aus Nord und Süd, von links bis rechts, aus allen nur denkbaren Bewegungen und Milieus. Corona als Klammer, genau wie der Glaube, dass unsere Zeit jetzt anbricht.

Es kam dann anders, aber das ist hier nicht mein Punkt. Walter Weber, der alte Weggefährte, zieht Bilanz – bei einem Becks in seinem Haus, genau da, wo wir vor drei Jahren in größerer Runde beraten haben. Walter hat inzwischen einen Prozess hinter sich mit knapp zwei Dutzend Verhandlungstagen und den entsprechenden Kosten. Maskenatteste. Was immer wir aufgefahren haben an Beweisanträgen, sagt Walter, es wurde abgeschmettert. Und trotzdem. Wir müssen sie zwingen, sich damit auseinanderzusetzen. Immer wieder. So ähnlich habe ich das zwei Stunden vorher im Steiner-Haus gesagt, mit Vaclav Havel als Referenz. 500 Ärzte, schätzt Walter Weber, haben wie er Atteste ausgestellt. 500 bei einer sechsstelligen Zahl an Kollegen. Sicher gibt es eine Dunkelziffer. Lassen wir es bei den 500, weil Walter Weber hier die Folgen kennt. 80 Prozent von diesen 500 haben Haus- und Praxisdurchsuchungen erlebt. Er selbst zwei, der Spitzenreiter acht. Die Maske war der Test. Als die Spritze kam, wusste jeder, auf was er sich einlassen würde - selbst ein Medienforscher wie ich. Die maskierte Öffentlichkeit, veröffentlicht im Oktober 2020, war mit Sicherheit nicht mein bester Text, aber der, der den meisten Wirbel auslöste und später sogar zweimal vor Gericht verhandelt wurde.

Was bleibt von all den Kämpfen? Wir haben die Leute aus der Vereinzelung geholt, sagt Walter. Die 20 Prozent, die dagegen waren. Wir haben ihnen gezeigt, dass sie nicht allein sind, und diese Leute mobilisiert. Gescheitert sind wir an Schritt drei. Strukturbildung. Es fehlt uns an Geld, Michael. Walter Weber hat an Regionalbüros gebastelt. „Ärzte für Aufklärung“ in Thüringen – und das ist nur eins von vielen Beispielen. Wer weiß, wie viel Geld es in diesem Land gibt und wie viele wirklich reiche Leute, der weiß auch, dass wir hier über Peanuts sprechen. Wem es gut geht, der will, dass alles weiter seinen Gang geht. Der will keine Strukturen für irgendeine Opposition. Walter Weber hat mit einer seiner Nichten gerade „Das siebte Kreuz“ gelesen. Anna Seghers, Schulstoff in der DDR. Weißt du, was ich da gelernt habe, Michael? Echter Widerstand hat zwei Bedingungen. Keine Familie und keine Angst vor dem Tod.

Der Zug nach Berlin ist pünktlich und mein Gastgeber folglich noch nicht da. Gibt’s doch nicht, sagt er. Hat es noch nie gegeben. Über meinen Auftritt im Sprechsaal breite ich den Mantel des Schweigens. Die Idee klang super: Wir machen dort eine Ausstellung mit aktuellen Bildern aus Gaza, gekauft von der dpa, und du, Michael, bringst deine Bücher über Cancel Culture, Jugend und Universitäten zusammen, um zu erklären, warum Deutschland wegschaut. Die kastrierte Öffentlichkeit. Der beste Titel geht ins Leere, wenn niemand weiß, dass ich sprechen werde. Vielleicht ist das so, wenn der eigene Verlag der Veranstalter ist. Jens Fischer Rodrian hat durch einen Zufall erfahren, dass ich da bin, und bringt die CD Voices for Gaza, ganz frisch in der Reihe „Protestnoten“. Auf dem Cover: große Namen von Didi Hallervorden über Tino Eisbrenner, Nirit Sommerfeld und Diether Dehm bis zu Wolfgang Wodarg. Fünf von fast 40. Sorry an die, die ich auslassen musste. Der gleiche Zufall hat Kathrin Schmidt in den Sprechsaal geführt, Mitglied des PEN-Zentrums, Buchpreisträgerin, Maßnahmenkritikerin. Sie hat wie immer ihr Strickzeug dabei.

Ein kleines Publikum, frei von Kameras, erlaubt, in die Tiefen zu tauchen und dabei auch zu riskieren, im Trüben zu fischen. Erich Hambach hätte seine Freude gehabt. Und wer weiß schon, was daraus später wächst. Ein paar Minuten vor Beginn gehe ich durch das Regierungsviertel und höre plötzlich meinen Namen. Eine ARD-Frau, die auf Friedrich Merz wartet. Koalitionsvertrag fertig, Kamera schussbereit. Mein Film über die Duldungspflicht, sagt die Frau und strahlt über das ganze Gesicht. Er ist fertig. Premiere nächste Woche. Sie war bei einem meiner letzten Berliner Vorträge und wird jetzt mit ihrem Namen für ein Produkt stehen, dass so nicht im Ersten laufen kann. Noch nicht, würde Walter Weber sagen. Ende nächsten Jahres, sagt er mir beim Abschied, steht Merkel vor Gericht. Ist der Gedanke erstmal da, so begründet er das sinngemäß, dann ist er nicht mehr aufzuhalten. Mal schauen, wie das jetzt mit der Deutschen Bahn wird bei der Rückfahrt nach Bayern. Ich nehme mir vor, dass wir pünktlich sind.

Michael Meyen: Videos

Freie Akademie für Medien & Journalismus

Unterstützen

Bild: Tobias Schönebeck auf Pixabay (Dresden, Blaues Wunder in Loschwitz)

@ cb4352cd:a16422d7

From Fun to Finance: A New Player Has Entered the Game

For years, gaming was mostly a one-sided deal. Players poured in hours — and often cash — while publishers reaped the rewards. But then came Play-to-Earn (P2E): the idea that in-game actions could earn players actual value, through tokens, NFTs, or digital goods.

When Axie Infinity took off in 2020–2021, it showed what was possible. At its peak, some players in the Philippines were earning more than the local minimum wage by raising and battling cartoon monsters. But as the hype faded, so did many of the unsustainable economic models behind early GameFi.

What’s emerged since is a second wave — one that’s quieter, more focused, and better grounded in gameplay and long-term ecosystems.

The Rise of Intuitive GameFi

Today’s GameFi isn’t about chasing profits — it’s about smoother entry points and better play. Many newer games live entirely in browsers or messengers. No app store, no wallet setup, no confusing steps.

Projects like Wenix, Pixels, and Hunters On-Chain are keeping things light and accessible. Players can jump into short sessions, complete quests, and slowly accumulate in-game rewards — without needing to be blockchain experts.

Some titles are even experimenting with AI-powered environments that adapt to player behavior, making things feel more dynamic and personalized.

Real-World Value and Community-Driven Economies

A growing number of platforms — including Wenix — are tying in-game actions to larger systems. Players aren’t just collecting points; they’re influencing how the game evolves, how assets are traded, and sometimes even how decisions are made.

It’s no longer just about who has the best gear. It’s about how well the economy works — and whether players feel ownership over the world they’re in.

That’s why token design and community mechanics are taking center stage. Daily quests, lootboxes, PvP — they’re still here, but now they sit on top of more thought-out systems with checks against inflation and burnout.

Some of the most promising projects even run their economies like small digital nations — with resource planning, governance, and built-in incentives that align with player effort.

Beyond Games: GameFi as a Gateway to Web3

Here’s the interesting part: GameFi might be one of the easiest ways to introduce people to Web3.

Instead of talking about “wallets” or “DAOs,” these platforms hand users a sword, a mission, and a reason to care. Before you know it, you’re signing your first transaction or trading a digital item — not because you studied crypto, but because you were having fun.

It’s learning by doing. And it works.

The Road Ahead

GameFi is still figuring itself out. There will be setbacks. But it’s clear that the blend of gaming and on-chain incentives isn’t going away.

The next wave of winners likely won’t be the flashiest or the richest — but the ones who get the balance right between fun, fairness, and meaningful ownership.

We’ve gone from pay-to-play, to play-to-earn, to play-to-own. What comes next might not have a name yet — but it’s already loading.

@ 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。

@ 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。

@ 866e0139:6a9334e5

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

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Wer den Artikel Ob Corona oder Krieg: Wir Menschen werden wie Vieh behandelt gelesen und die Ereignisse in Deutschland während der letzten 5 Jahre auch jenseits von Staatsfunk und Mainstream Medien verfolgt hat, dem dürfte folgendes aufgefallen sein:

1. Die absoluten Top-Positionen auf der politischen Bühne wurden vielfach mit Menschen besetzt, deren Eignung und Reputation – vorsichtig ausgedrückt – umstritten ist.
2. Auch massivste Fehlverhalten der Politiker bleiben folgenlos. Rücktritte scheinen ebenso ausgeschlossen wie eine straf- oder zivilrechtliche Aufarbeitung.
3. Wahlversprechen werden nicht eingehalten und neuerdings bereits direkt nach der Wahl gebrochen, obwohl noch keine neue Regierung gebildet wurde. Stattdessen wird das Gegenteil von dem getan, was eindringlich versprochen wurde.
4. Es hat sich eine Parteien-Allianz gebildet, welche eine gemeinsame Agenda verfolgt, die nicht dem Wohle der Bürger zu dienen scheint.

In diesem Umfeld tun die Politiker offenbar ungebremst, was sie wollen – und keiner scheint sie hindern zu können. Wenn morgen „von oberster Stelle“ die Anweisung gegeben würde, dass alle Neugeborenen auf Scheiterhaufen zu verbrennen seien, so stehen die Chancen gut, dass auch solch ein Vorhaben durchgebracht werden würde. Es stellt sich die Frage, ob der Willkür überhaupt Grenzen gesetzt sind. Und eine weitere Frage ist, ob es einen Punkt gibt, an dem die Bürger nicht mehr gehorchen. 

Es ist kein Geheimnis, dass Politiker für ihre Vergehen nicht belangt werden. Entgegen jedem Unternehmenslenker haften Politiker nicht für Fehlverhalten. Offensichtlich auch nicht für grob fahrlässiges oder gar vorsätzliches, denn die deutsche Staatsanwaltschaft untersteht der Politik. Auch Richter sind in Karrieresysteme eingebunden, sodass die letzten fünf Jahre besonders deutlich gezeigt haben, in welche Situation sich „mutige Richter“ bringen. „Bestrafe einen, erziehe hundert“, sagte hierzu einst ein bekannter politischer Führer eines Landes, mit dem Deutschland nicht verglichen werden möchte. 

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DIE FRIEDENSTAUBE FLIEGT AUCH IN IHR POSTFACH!

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Eine Tat wird (abgesehen vom Gesetz) erst durch die individuelle Bewertung zu einem Unrecht. Wie die Dinge „einzuordnen“ sind, erklären die Täter, die Politiker, tagtäglich selbst und werden hierbei von ihren Propagandamitarbeitern unterstützt, die sich selbst immer noch als Journalisten bezeichnen. Wer aber die staatliche Einordnung anzweifelt oder dieser gar offen widerspricht, wird unter Anwendung der vorgenannten Systematik „Bestrafe einen, erziehe hundert“ diffamiert. Aber hierbei bleibt es nicht, denn Hausdurchsuchungen in Herrgottsfrühe, Kontosperrungen, Untersuchungshaft und Jobverlust sowie dauerhafte Inhaftierungen sind nur einige Beispiele dafür, wie „im besten Deutschland aller Zeiten“ vorgegangen wird.

Der Gamechanger

Aber wie wäre der Zustand denn zu ändern, wenn man es denn wollte? Der Staat wird eben durch diese Politiker repräsentiert und hat das Gewaltmonopol. Hierzu einige Zahlen zu Deutschland:

• Bevölkerung: ca. 83.000.000
• Polizisten: ca. 340.000 incl. Verwaltungspersonal (0,4 % der Bevölkerung)
• Soldaten: ca. 260.000 (0,31 % der Bevölkerung)
• Gerichte: ca. 1.085 (pro Gericht 77.000 Bürger)
• Finanzämter: ca. 600 (pro Finanzamt 138.000 Bürger)

Mit Blick auf diese Verhältnisse wird schnell deutlich, dass die Politiker auf eine „Kooperation“ der Bürger angewiesen sind. Würden die Bürger nicht kooperieren, so wären alle Gesetze und Vorschriften aufgrund mangelhafter Durchführbarkeit von heute auf morgen Makulatur. 

Mahatma Gandhi und viele andere bewiesen, dass ein übermächtig scheinender Gegner nicht mit dessen Gewaltmitteln besiegt werden kann, sondern mit dem Gegenteil. Gandhi beispielsweise rief die Menschen in seinem Land auf, den Engländern einfach nicht mehr zu gehorchen und die ungerechten Gesetze nicht mehr zu befolgen. Bei den Engländern hat dies funktioniert.

Man stelle sich als Gedankenexperiment einmal vor, wie es wäre, wenn ein Drittel der Bürger nicht mehr arbeiten und keine Steuern und sogar keine GEZ-Gebühren mehr bezahlen würden. Wie könnten diese Menschen „zur Ordnung“ gerufen werden? Wie wollte man diese Menschen bestrafen? Bestrafungskonzepte funktionieren nur dann, wenn sich die Menschen durch diese einschüchtern lassen. Sofern aber die Vielen solidarisch agieren würden, hätte ein Staatsapparat schlechte Karten. Insbesondere dann, wenn ziviler Ungehorsam bundesweit oder sogar EU-weit ausgeübt würde. 

In solch einem Fall käme es wahrscheinlich sehr schnell zu einer Verständigung, denn wie sollte eine Regierung mit so viel Gegenwind weiter agieren? Die Prämisse bei solch einem Gedankenexperiment ist, dass ein erheblicher Teil der Bevölkerung sich so „miss-regiert“ fühlt, dass dieser Teil der Bevölkerung bereit ist, seine Komfortzone zum eigenen Wohl und dem Wohl der ihm Anvertrauten zu verlassen. Wahrscheinlich würde das noch nicht einmal besonders lange dauern. Man erinnere sich noch an die Zeiten, als Gewerkschaften noch nicht gekapert waren und tatsächlich die Interessen ihrer Mitglieder vertraten. Damals konnten die aufrechten Gewerkschaftsvertreter im Schulterschluss mit den Arbeitern für sie bessere Ergebnisse erwirken.

Weg mit dem Grundgesetz

In Deutschland wurde insbesondere in letzter Zeit von den Politikern am Grundgesetz herumgebastelt, aber dieses Grundgesetz, welches nach Vollendung der Einheit und Freiheit Deutschlands für das gesamte deutsche Volk gilt, verliert seine Gültigkeit an dem Tage, an dem eine Verfassung in Kraft tritt, die von dem deutschen Volke in freier Entscheidung beschlossen worden ist. Dies ist in Artikel 146 GG nachzulesen.

Das Grundgesetz vom 23. Mai 1949 in der jeweils aktuellen Fassung ist die (vorläufige) Verfassung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Das Grundgesetz wurde im Jahre 1949 zunächst bewusst als provisorische Regelung der staatlichen Grundordnung geschaffen. Eine Verfassung für Deutschland hingegen wäre ein besonderes Gesetz, welches bestimmt, wer in einem Staat die Macht ausübt und wie das geschehen soll. Dort ist festgelegt, welche Aufgaben der Staat übernimmt, welche Rechte jeder Bürger hat und wie das Verhältnis zwischen staatlichen Organen und Bürgern aussieht. Solch eine Verfassung hat Deutschland (noch) nicht.

Man stelle sich nun vor, das deutsche Volk gäbe sich, so wie im Grundgesetz verankert, in freier Entscheidung eine Verfassung, welche exemplarisch Elemente zu folgenden Themen beinhalten würde:

• Jeder Politiker wird an seinen Wahlversprechen gemessen. 
• Bei Amtsantritt wird ein Dienstvertrag, ähnlich wie bei einem Vorstand einer AG oder einem Geschäftsführer einer GmbH, abgeschlossen. In diesem Dienstvertrag wird auch geregelt, wie bei Verstößen vorgegangen wird.
• Das Parteiensystem wird abgeschafft.
• Die Staatsanwaltschaft ist nicht weiter weisungsgebunden und die Politiker nicht weiter immun. Die Gerichtsbarkeit wird wirklich unabhängig.
• Jeder Politiker hat eine entsprechende Qualifikation nachzuweisen, um gewählt werden zu können.
• Ein transparentes Wahlsystem. Schluss mit den manipulativen „Umfragen“.
• Direkte Demokratie.
• Etc.

Statt am Grundgesetz herumzuwerkeln, könnte es eine Option sein, eine gerechte Verfassung zu beschließen, welche darauf ausgerichtet ist, den Bürgern zu dienen. Das GG würde dadurch obsolet. Mit einer gerechten Verfassung könnte sehr viel Optimierungspotenzial für das Zusammenleben in Deutschland realisiert werden.

Die von den Politikern angebotenen Lösungen für die Probleme unserer Zeit beziehen sich oftmals auf selbst oder von den wirklich Mächtigen erschaffene Zustände, welche inszeniert wurden/werden, um die Menschen in Krieg, Not und Knappheit, in Leiden, in Angst, in Spaltung, in Fehlernährung, in Medikamentenabhängigkeit, in Krankheit und in Elend zu bringen. Um an den Menschen maximal zu verdienen und um diese vollumfänglich zu beherrschen. So, wie sie es mit Nutzvieh tun. Das Unterordnen von allem ist ein Prinzip, dass wenigen Leuten nützt und fast allen anderen schadet. 

Eine von Liebe inspirierte Gesellschaft, die Menschen nicht nur als „Verbraucher“ oder „Humankapital“ oder „Wähler“ betrachtet und behandelt, sondern tatsächlich das Wohl aller im Fokus hat, wäre der Gegenentwurf. Dies würde selbstverständlich einhergehen mit einer liebevollen Behandlung von Tieren und Natur. Hierbei profitieren aber die Vielen und die Wenigen ganz oben an der Spitze müssten sich umstellen, was ihnen nicht gefallen dürfte.

Vom Denken ins Tun

Wer sich solch eine Perspektive für sich selbst und seine Nachkommen wünscht, sollte überlegen, wie wir uns eine Verfassung geben können.

Ein wesentlicher Schritt wäre sicher der Zusammenschluss von Menschen, die sich mit den vorbezeichneten Überlegungen weiter befassen möchten. Ganz entgegen der Bemühungen unserer Politik um Spaltung der Gesellschaft sollten die Gemeinsamkeiten gesehen und gemeinsam Lösungen entwickelt werden.

Ein Beispiel ist die Initiative von Milosz Matuschek, nämlich sein geplantes „Gipfeltreffen“. Hierzu schreibt er:

„Ich habe mir ein besonderes Programm überlegt, welches mein Wissen und meine Erfahrung der letzten Jahre bündelt, sich an den Stufen der Selbsterkenntnis, Willensbildung und Kraftentfaltung orientiert und genug Raum für die Dynamik der Gruppe, also ihre Energien, lässt. Erwarten Sie das Unerwartbare. Es wird Raum geben für spirituelle und körperliche Erfahrungen, auch an einem besonderen kulturellen Rahmenprogramm wird es nicht fehlen. Uns eint im Idealfall das Erkennen menschlicher Potentiale, das Erfassen von Möglichkeitsräumen und die aktive Lust an der Mitgestaltung der Zukunft – ohne Denkverbote. Zeit, für unseren Frühling. Ich wette, in Ihnen steckt ein ganzer, unendlicher Sommer.“

In diesem Kontext zitiert Herr Matuschek Ernst Jünger:

“Wenn alle Institutionen zweifelhaft oder sogar anrüchig werden und man selbst in den Kirchen nicht etwas für die Verfolgten, sondern für die Verfolger öffentlich beten hört, dann geht die sittliche Verantwortung auf den Einzelnen über, oder besser gesagt, auf den noch ungebrochenen Einzelnen.”

Diese Worte von Ernst Jünger erinnern daran, dass die Probleme unserer Zeit nicht neu sind. Die Technologien sind es, denn mit modernen Technologien lässt sich eben besser unterdrücken als mit dem alten Zeugs. Die Methodik allerdings ist geblieben. Halte deine Untergebenen schwach und in Angst, damit diese ergeben bleiben. Zum Wohle einiger wenige Leute, die hiervon maximal profitieren.

Machen Sie mit und lösen Sie sich aus der Passivität des Zuschauers. Der wichtige nächste Schritt ist, aus dem Denken ins Tun zu kommen.

Andernfalls wird uns weiter an-getan.

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Ludwig F. Badenhagen (Pseudonym, Name ist der Redaktion bekannt).

Der Autor hat deutsche Wurzeln und betrachtet das Geschehen in Deutschland und Europa aus seiner Wahlheimat Südafrika. Seine Informationen bezieht er aus verlässlichen Quellen und insbesondere von Menschen, die als „Verschwörungstheoretiker“, „Nazi“, „Antisemit“ sowie mit weiteren Kampfbegriffen der dortigen Systemakteure wie Politiker und „Journalisten“ diffamiert werden. Solche Diffamierungen sind für ihn ein Prädikatsmerkmal. Er ist international agierender Manager mit einem globalen Netzwerk und verfügt hierdurch über tiefe Einblicke in Konzerne und Politik.

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@ 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.

@ 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

@ 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.

@ 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

@ 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

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🍴 What to Eat

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

🎯 Travel Tips

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

@ 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

@ 592295cf:413a0db9

Nostur is capable of login with bunker

Photo, note by Fabian

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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...

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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)

@ 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

@ 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

@ 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

@ 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

@ 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

---

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%

---

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.

@ 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.

@ 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%

@ 147ac18e:ef1ca1ba

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.

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

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

@ 0ef78f78:1cc6bede

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.

@ 8671a6e5:f88194d1

intro

Full disclosure : I bought multiple bitcoin art items to support artists

Bitcoin has absorbed old tropes from finance, tech, and economics, fundamentally reshaping how we think about money. But Bitcoin art? It should be a companion on the journey to a Bitcoin standard. Yet it doesn’t even seem to be trying. Every artistic movement worth its salt needs something to push against—to rebel, to spark thought, to provoke, or at the very least, to represent a technical or methodological leap forward in its field.

Pointillism comes to mind as an example in painting.

In this piece, I take a brief stroll into the subjective realm of art, specifically exploring art in the Bitcoin space—if such a thing truly exists. Some people might not like it, but as someone who has created modern art myself, I can confidently say that artists will emerge stronger from this transitional phase of Bitcoin art, whatever this era may be called later.

The art corner You know the drill. You visit any Bitcoin conference and there’s the obligatory “art corner” or gallery. Funny, wasn’t it just a few years back that a single decent artwork was a rarity needing a proper place for being shown tot he public? Now, every conference (small or big) needs this curated space, crammed with artists all vying for a sliver of attention.

And what do you usually find? A collection of the utterly predictable, the profoundly uninspired, the tiresomely repetitive, and anything but artistically groundbreaking amidst some exceptional pieces that will be snatched up almost immediately.

The themes are often so worn out, they’re practically a self-parody version of bitcoin art:

Animals holding signs (with of course… bitcoin logos)

Whales, dolphins, and the aquatic crew: The go-to, utterly drained metaphor for Bitcoin wealth, rendered in every conceivable medium with sea creatures.

Majestic vistas with bitcoin slogans: Think inspirational landscapes defaced with inscriptions or cryptic (not really) messages.

Women cradling blocks: Because apparently, nothing screams "Bitcoin" like a woman clutching a perfectly geometric cube. Bonus points if there are more painted women on a canvas, than actual women at the event.

Coins, coins, and more coins: Gold, silver, pixelated, abstract – just in case anyone forgot Bitcoin isn't a physical trinket.

Collages of Bitcoin celebs and memes: Why bother with originality when you can just mash up some social posts?

Reheated classics with an orange filter: Slap some orange highlights and a Bitcoin logo on a famous painting, and voilà! “Bitcoin art.” Bitcoin Pop-art, Bitcoin punk, Bitcoin collages…

It’s like the whole Bitcoin art scene is endlessly regurgitating the same tired ideas, and pouring a lot of time and effort in being just a fancy washing machine of orange t-shirts.

Most of it—not all, mind you, as there are people with exceptional thought and even more exceptional work—is no more than Bitcoin-themed art. By "theme," I mean the color orange or a “B,” much like you’d see M&M’s-themed coffee mugs, M&M’s t-shirts, or M&M’s-themed playing cards.

Now, let’s be clear: this isn’t about slagging off the artists themselves. I know how hard it is to thrive in this space, and I also learned about the time and effort put in to any work (the perception of the artwork has nothing to do with this at all!)

The dedication and passion within the bitcoin art scene are undeniable. Making art in a niche like Bitcoin is a tough gig (and often a thankless one, given the whole value-4-value thing seems perpetually broken). They deserve respect for putting themselves out there, doing the work and trying to make their passion work.

Many genuinely believe in what they’re creating, even if not everyone is convinced or will like a work of art. However, a lot of them are chasing a mirage, much like those hoping for an oasis of Bitcoin jobs in the desert. Many artists dream of turning their art into a business or a career move, and some even try to make a full-time living from it. That’s admirable, but I’m convinced it’s often a ruse, where your money, time, and effort dress up someone else’s business ideas and sense of branding. In my opinion, the real art movement in Bitcoin has yet to take off. It will need people with great ideas, motivation, know-how, and effort, for sure!

So I repeat the issue isn’t the individuals, the artists; it’s the collective creative stagnation that comes from clamoring to the general interest of this perceived “bitcoiner” as an audience.

Target < B > Audience

Only, this audience is usually not the target audience for the artworks itself. Art needs to have room to inspire, be free and relay an idea (even if that idea challenges another idea). That can’t be done to a target audience that just wants to sell their stuff to each other at a conference (see my piece on Bitcoin conferences for that) neither can it be a target audience that even is too cheap to buy a ticket and freeloads themselves into an conference.

Bitcoin is supposed to be revolutionary, yet so much of its art (or perceived art) feels like a tacked-on commercial necessity or, worse, a desperate attempt at self-validation. Most of it is just a perpetual branding motion from a non-existing marketing team.

The target audience is usually even worse. Not knowing what they’re looking at, out of their element and knowing they should and could support the artists and their work. A lot is depending on why this audience is wandering through a conference gallery in the first place.

If most people at a conference are the usuals, the sellers, the company people, then they're used to seeing these artists and their art pieces. No one is amazed anymore. Which is in fact a sad thing to happen.

I can't imagine how incredibly hard it must be to try to sell something as bitcoin art to this kind of audience, while trying to believe that a B-logo on an excerpt of the whitepaper is worth the effort. (I don’t think it is, but tastes differ, some people prefer a Whopper over a nice steak dinner)

Signaling “membership” in the bitcoin community is important to some, and they do that through hats, t-shirts, pins and hoodies, not buying a bitcoin artwork.

Art is inherently subjective, fluid, and deeply personal.

I love Kusama’s polka dots, someone else might be into Herman Brood’s chaotic paintings, and someone else might get all nostalgic over an Anton Pieck candy store drawings.

The contradiction Bitcoin: The hardest money ever created. Objectively verifiable. Math-based. Impersonal. Code.

The clash is between feeling and finance, between cold emotionless, hard numbers and warm, beating hearts.

That’s why it's always a bit surreal to see people that sit in a conference room, go from a deep dive into Lightning Network scalability or Bitcoin’s code ossification; and see them wandering through an “art gallery” filled with pieces that are the polar opposite of anything remotely code-related. The cold hearts walk amongst the works of warmth. The trustless math calculates their steps and starts to look at something that’s exposed to a public of that’s not there for the art, but the mimicking of such a think in their setting makes them have their own élan, grandeur. It feels forced. And to me, it feels even wrong to see people walk out of a conference room, right into the art gallery… where they’re usually stroll around out of boredom or just as a form of a break. It’s almost disrespectful, and I feel art needs its own place, the right setting. And that setting is definitely not a bitcoin conference.

You see tech and finance folks just standing there, at these art corners looking at the art pieces like cows watching a drone show.

You feel this subtle pressure to act like it’s profound, even though it rarely is. But you’re there, so you play along with the charade as well. It’s miserable to see. Certainly when some people are more interested in buying the piece of mind of the artist, the way of life or a glimmer of independence they’re missing themselves.

I believe bitcoin art is rarely bought for anything else than capturing the reality and authenticity of the artists. Artists know that. And they sell that authenticity (out) to eat, drink, sleep and pay their rent. Authenticity can be double spent, unlike the hard money asset where it’s supposedly all about. Artists have very big blocks.

It’s a bit like that hyped-up restaurant that turns out to be serving dressed-up bar food, but you’re with friends, so you pretend that $35 hors d'oeuvre doesn’t taste suspiciously like steamed shoe laces. Theaters are sometimes food bars or galleries. Proof of fart Then there’s the awkward issue of selling this stuff. How do you, as an artist, “comment on” or “complete” an asset in an artistic way, while that asset appreciates by an average of 40 to 70% a year?

Buying traditional art as an investment is one thing, driven by aesthetics or emotional connection. But buying Bitcoin art with Bitcoin? That’s a financial decision triggering regret (almost for sure). Think about it: 0.1 BTC spent on a canvas today, isn’t just a fixed one-time cost; it’s a future opportunity cost.

That same Bitcoin could be worth significantly more in a few years. The artwork, not so much, not even a Picasso painting or a Hokusai manages that kind of annual return. So, unless you’re head-over-heels for the piece (or the artist), buying Bitcoin art with Bitcoin is almost certainly a bad trade financially – though, so is buying that fancy coffee machine you'll use twice or getting a diamond ring for you loved one.

Of course, this isn't a definitive argument against it (it's subjective, remember). But it's a factor, just one element. People who buy art to lock it away into a vault aren't the same folks milling around a Bitcoin conference, presumably. But still.

Purpose

Historically, in the West at least, art served many purposes: glorifying churches, telling stories to the illiterate, and expressing the full spectrum of human emotion (pain, regret, doubt, madness, etc.). There was always a demand, whether from religious institutions, the populace, or a desire for education and status. The demand rarely came from onlookers or passive walk-ins. You can only walk in after the demand has been met. The real commanding force in Bitcoin art isn’t the financial types in suits or the grifter with a few stickers who got into the conference for free and smells like weed. The demand comes from people who love to cultivate the branding to propel themselves forward.

In Bitcoin? None of that. There’s little genuine demand, I’d argue. The demand seems mostly driven by the artists themselves wanting to participate. Which, in itself, makes the act of creation worthwhile for them. But the audience demand feels… manufactured. Nobody wakes up thinking: “.. I sure hope there’s a Bitcoin art gallery at this conference...”

This low-to-nonexistent demand, however, presents a massive opportunity to actually impress. Low expectations mean impact is easier to achieve in a lasting way. But that impact evaporates fast if all the visitors get is the same old themes with some orange varnish or a monkey holding a sign.

"Proof of work" isn’t enough here; we already have that in the bitcoin network. Bitcoin art need "proof of thought". Sure, Bitcoin artists put in the hours. Their work is literally proof of effort. But effort alone doesn’t equal value – originality does. Copying Warhol, Mondrian, or Van Gogh and slapping a Bitcoin twist on it isn’t the high level of creativity that can pull art lovers in (and even make them bitcoiners); on the contrary it’s opportunism. And in a space that seems to thrive on recycling successful (or at least visible or temporary cool) ideas, genuine artistic innovation is a rare beast.

Bitcoin art could be so much more. And yes that’s subjective, but at the same time, … walk around at any art gallery and be honest with yourself as a person and buy what you really like, support the artists and the scene, and at the same time realize you’re playing dress up.

There should be so much more, as a separate art movement. It could delve into the philosophy of decentralization, the tension between digital scarcity and creativity, the profound societal shifts Bitcoin is triggering. Instead, we’re mostly drowning in kitsch and thinly veiled cash grabs. The Bitcoin art world doesn’t need more bodies; it needs better minds. We don’t need bigger blocks, we don’t need blocks at all!

The uncomfortable truth is that many Bitcoin artists are here chasing opportunities, just like the rest of us. But spotting an opportunity doesn’t magically transform you into an artist.

I could “find the opportunity” to be a star in the hypothetical Bitcoin basketball league, being one of the first to join. But compared to the global pool of professional basketball talent, I’d likely be laughably bad. I’m not even tall enough to reach most pro players’ armpits, let alone dunk. Yet, in òur tiny Bitcoin league WBBF (World Bitcoin Basketball Federation), I’d be a legend, an OG, demanding respect for my early participation and best-dunk-champion. Just like some Bitcoin artists seem to expect accolades for a weak, orange-tinted imitation of 1960s pop art.

I wouldn’t cut it in any real basketball club, probably not even the lowest amateur league, considering my limited knowledge of the rules. Do you have to run back to the center? Can you tackle other players? Is snatching the ball mid-dribble legal? No clue.

But I could hang around the basketball scene a bit, soak up the jargon, maybe buy a sports drink for a better player to glean some knowledge, and then clumsily mimic their moves while still being terrible at dribbling. I’de buy the right shoes as well. To fit in. Just like bitcoiners buy the right t-shirts.

The same principle applies to some Bitcoin musicians and other creatives. Being the only one doing something – be it Bitcoin-themed sculptures, paintings, sci-fi, or whale graffiti murals – doesn’t automatically make you a leading figure. It just makes you… the only one. Being the sole sci-fi filmmaker in Bangladesh makes you the top of your national field, sure, but it doesn’t make you the next Kubrick. Likewise, airbrushing an orange “B” on a canvas doesn’t turn you into the next Georgia O’Keeffe.

The Bitcoin world thrives on competition and proof of work. Perhaps it’s high time Bitcoin art did the same. We need a battle of ideas, experiments, and genuine insights, not just more orange paint, paragraphs of the white paper and some copper wires.

The genuinely sad part is the sheer effort many of the artists pour into their work! But there’s a limit to how much you can make people want to buy an art piece simply because it has a Bitcoin theme. Go beyond that.

Get real

Real Bitcoin art, in whatever form it takes, will command a high valuation because it will be scarce, original, and have Bitcoin not just as a subject, but woven into its very fabric. That form (and there will be many), in my opinion, is still waiting to be discovered. And I’m fairly certain it won’t be found in a conference gallery, where bored artists sit next to their work, politely nodding at every bloke who wants to sound knowledgeable about art for five minutes or tries to make himself look like a big shot. Because let’s face it, I’ve yet to meet a Bitcoiner with a genuine understanding of art history or a truly discerning eye.

Some starting points, perhaps (just my two cents) :

Art that embodies decentralization itself, inviting audience participation and co-creation, mirroring Bitcoin’s ethos but yet to be fully realized in the art world. Including consensus.

Art that incorporates distributed consensus or a rotating "proof of work" concept in its creation or presentation.

Purely mathematical art forms that resonate with Bitcoin’s underlying principles.

The possibilities are vast. Or maybe, just maybe, Bitcoin itself is our art, and we don’t need all this orange-tinged stuff cluttering up galleries nobody asked for.

And why not paint blocks holding women, instead of women holding blocks? Or why not have inflation-resistant art? Or math-based art that isn’t even possible to show on a canvas?

On that subject, the author of this piece enjoys making art as well and conducted a small experiment. I've performed a "life performance" approximately three times now, which I consider pure Bitcoin art. This was an action, not a physical object. It demonstrated work I personally delivered as “a miner” (function in this art piece), and during the process, people could verify it and even received my block subsidy (effort). So far, only one person has recognized this art form; the rest were unaware. Since it's an action, not an object, it's intangible unless you witnessed it. This is my way of saying, "you are the artist." According to the bitcoin ethos.

Interestingly enough, other people, even those involved in Bitcoin art themselves (!), didn't see it. This amused me because, much like the early weeks of Bitcoin's network growth, many initially failed to recognize its potential. Perhaps this parallel should be enough for us all to understand the true nature of Bitcoin art.

The Artistic Dare:

Here’s a challenge, not to your wallet, but to your creative soul: conceive and execute a piece of art that embodies the spirit and principles of Bitcoin in a way that is genuinely original, thought-provoking, and resonates beyond the immediate Bitcoin echo chamber. Forget the predictable iconography. Dig deeper.

If you can create something truly compelling, something that makes us see Bitcoin – or art – in a new light, then you’ve truly created Bitcoin art. And then comes the extra real challenge: finding someone who can and would pay for it, and at the same time “gets it”.

The main challenge is creating real art—a path, a genre—where a standalone Bitcoin art gallery can thrive outside the conferences and the small echo chamber of the “what do you sell?” crowd.

Don’t sell your dreams and authenticity to bored traders or bitcoin consultants. It’s like serving the finest wine to a bunch of alcoholics in a bar at 4 am.

Playing it safe with themes and artworks that can’t cross into the real art scene (even the underground art scene, let alone the corporate art) will not be as long-lived as bitcoin itself. Trying to spark interest from art lovers in general, will be the killer app, and will make bitcoin art into a movement. And that’s what we all need to make it art,… the pieces can’t exist without the movement. I hope someone will get the right spark, idea and fire going.

But until then we’ll be stuck with people painting a chimpanzee holding a glittering Bitcoin logo and chatting with any dude that wants to feel like someone at a conference.

Good luck.

AVB

@ 826e9f89:ffc5c759

What follows began as snippets of conversations I have been having for years, on and off, here and there. It will likely eventually be collated into a piece I have been meaning to write on “payments” as a whole. I foolishly started writing this piece years ago, not realizing that the topic is gargantuan and for every week I spend writing it I have to add two weeks to my plan. That may or may not ever come to fruition, but in the meantime, Tether announced it was issuing on Taproot Assets and suddenly everybody is interested again. This is as good a catalyst as any to carve out my “stablecoin thesis”, such as it exists, from “payments”, and put it out there for comment and feedback.

In contrast to the “Bitcoiner take” I will shortly revert to, I invite the reader to keep the following potential counterargument in mind, which might variously be termed the “shitcoiner”, “realist”, or “cynical” take, depending on your perspective: that stablecoins have clear product-market-fit. Now, as a venture capitalist and professional thinkboi focusing on companies building on Bitcoin, I obviously think that not only is Bitcoin the best money ever invented and its monetization is pretty much inevitable, but that, furthermore, there is enormous, era-defining long-term potential for a range of industries in which Bitcoin is emerging as superior technology, even aside from its role as money. But in the interest not just of steelmanning but frankly just of honesty, I would grudgingly agree with the following assessment as of the time of writing: the applications of crypto (inclusive of Bitcoin but deliberately wider) that have found product-market-fit today, and that are not speculative bets on future development and adoption, are: Bitcoin as savings technology, mining as a means of monetizing energy production, and stablecoins.

I think there are two typical Bitcoiner objections to stablecoins of significantly greater importance than all others: that you shouldn’t be supporting dollar hegemony, and that you don’t need a blockchain. I will elaborate on each of these, and for the remainder of the post will aim to produce a synthesis of three superficially contrasting (or at least not obviously related) sources of inspiration: these objections, the realisation above that stablecoins just are useful, and some commentary on technical developments in Bitcoin and the broader space that I think inform where things are likely to go. As will become clear as the argument progresses, I actually think the outcome to which I am building up is where things have to go. I think the technical and economic incentives at play make this an inevitability rather than a “choice”, per se. Given my conclusion, which I will hold back for the time being, this is a fantastically good thing, hence I am motivated to write this post at all!

Objection 1: Dollar Hegemony

I list this objection first because there isn’t a huge amount to say about it. It is clearly a normative position, and while I more or less support it personally, I don’t think that it is material to the argument I am going on to make, so I don’t want to force it on the reader. While the case for this objection is probably obvious to this audience (isn’t the point of Bitcoin to destroy central banks, not further empower them?) I should at least offer the steelman that there is a link between this and the realist observation that stablecoins are useful. The reason they are useful is because people prefer the dollar to even shitter local fiat currencies. I don’t think it is particularly fruitful to say that they shouldn’t. They do. Facts don’t care about your feelings. There is a softer bridging argument to be made here too, to the effect that stablecoins warm up their users to the concept of digital bearer (ish) assets, even though these particular assets are significantly scammier than Bitcoin. Again, I am just floating this, not telling the reader they should or shouldn’t buy into it.

All that said, there is one argument I do want to put my own weight behind, rather than just float: stablecoin issuance is a speculative attack on the institution of fractional reserve banking. A “dollar” Alice moves from JPMorgan to Tether embodies two trade-offs from Alice’s perspective: i) a somewhat opaque profile on the credit risk of the asset: the likelihood of JPMorgan ever really defaulting on deposits vs the operator risk of Tether losing full backing and/or being wrench attacked by the Federal Government and rugging its users. These risks are real but are almost entirely political. I’m skeptical it is meaningful to quantify them, but even if it is, I am not the person to try to do it. Also, more transparently to Alice, ii) far superior payment rails (for now, more on this to follow).

However, from the perspective of the fiat banking cartel, fractional reserve leverage has been squeezed. There are just as many notional dollars in circulation, but there the backing has been shifted from levered to unlevered issuers. There are gradations of relevant objections to this: while one might say, Tether’s backing comes from Treasuries, so you are directly funding US debt issuance!, this is a bit silly in the context of what other dollars one might hold. It’s not like JPMorgan is really competing with the Treasury to sell credit into the open market. Optically they are, but this is the core of the fiat scam. Via the guarantees of the Federal Reserve System, JPMorgan can sell as much unbacked credit as it wants knowing full well the difference will be printed whenever this blows up. Short-term Treasuries are also JPMorgan’s most pristine asset safeguarding its equity, so the only real difference is that Tether only holds Treasuries without wishing more leverage into existence. The realization this all builds up to is that, by necessity,

Tether is a fully reserved bank issuing fiduciary media against the only dollar-denominated asset in existence whose value (in dollar terms) can be guaranteed. Furthermore, this media arguably has superior “moneyness” to the obvious competition in the form of US commercial bank deposits by virtue of its payment rails.

That sounds pretty great when you put it that way! Of course, the second sentence immediately leads to the second objection, and lets the argument start to pick up steam …

Objection 2: You Don’t Need a Blockchain

I don’t need to explain this to this audience but to recap as briefly as I can manage: Bitcoin’s value is entirely endogenous. Every aspect of “a blockchain” that, out of context, would be an insanely inefficient or redundant modification of a “database”, in context is geared towards the sole end of enabling the stability of this endogenous value. Historically, there have been two variations of stupidity that follow a failure to grok this: i) “utility tokens”, or blockchains with native tokens for something other than money. I would recommend anybody wanting a deeper dive on the inherent nonsense of a utility token to read Only The Strong Survive, in particular Chapter 2, Crypto Is Not Decentralized, and the subsection, Everything Fights For Liquidity, and/or Green Eggs And Ham, in particular Part II, Decentralized Finance, Technically. ii) “real world assets” or, creating tokens within a blockchain’s data structure that are not intended to have endogenous value but to act as digital quasi-bearer certificates to some or other asset of value exogenous to this system. Stablecoins are in this second category.

RWA tokens definitionally have to have issuers, meaning some entity that, in the real world, custodies or physically manages both the asset and the record-keeping scheme for the asset. “The blockchain” is at best a secondary ledger to outsource ledger updates to public infrastructure such that the issuer itself doesn’t need to bother and can just “check the ledger” whenever operationally relevant. But clearly ownership cannot be enforced in an analogous way to Bitcoin, under both technical and social considerations. Technically, Bitcoin’s endogenous value means that whoever holds the keys to some or other UTXOs functionally is the owner. Somebody else claiming to be the owner is yelling at clouds. Whereas, socially, RWA issuers enter a contract with holders (whether legally or just in terms of a common-sense interpretation of the transaction) such that ownership of the asset issued against is entirely open to dispute. That somebody can point to “ownership” of the token may or may not mean anything substantive with respect to the physical reality of control of the asset, and how the issuer feels about it all.

And so, one wonders, why use a blockchain at all? Why doesn’t the issuer just run its own database (for the sake of argument with some or other signature scheme for verifying and auditing transactions) given it has the final say over issuance and redemption anyway? I hinted at an answer above: issuing on a blockchain outsources this task to public infrastructure. This is where things get interesting. While it is technically true, given the above few paragraphs, that, you don’t need a blockchain for that, you also don’t need to not use a blockchain for that. If you want to, you can.

This is clearly the case given stablecoins exist at all and have gone this route. If one gets too angry about not needing a blockchain for that, one equally risks yelling at clouds! And, in fact, one can make an even stronger argument, more so from the end users’ perspective. These products do not exist in a vacuum but rather compete with alternatives. In the case of stablecoins, the alternative is traditional fiat money, which, as stupid as RWAs on a blockchain are, is even dumber. It actually is just a database, except it’s a database that is extremely annoying to use, basically for political reasons because the industry managing these private databases form a cartel that never needs to innovate or really give a shit about its customers at all. In many, many cases, stablecoins on blockchains are dumb in the abstract, but superior to the alternative methods of holding and transacting in dollars existing in other forms. And note, this is only from Alice’s perspective of wanting to send and receive, not a rehashing of the fractional reserve argument given above. This is the essence of their product-market-fit. Yell at clouds all you like: they just are useful given the alternative usually is not Bitcoin, it’s JPMorgan’s KYC’d-up-the-wazoo 90s-era website, more than likely from an even less solvent bank.

So where does this get us? It might seem like we are back to “product-market-fit, sorry about that” with Bitcoiners yelling about feelings while everybody else makes do with their facts. However, I think we have introduced enough material to move the argument forward by incrementally incorporating the following observations, all of which I will shortly go into in more detail: i) as a consequence of making no technical sense with respect to what blockchains are for, today’s approach won’t scale; ii) as a consequence of short-termist tradeoffs around socializing costs, today’s approach creates an extremely unhealthy and arguably unnatural market dynamic in the issuer space; iii) Taproot Assets now exist and handily address both points i) and ii), and; iv) eCash is making strides that I believe will eventually replace even Taproot Assets.

To tease where all this is going, and to get the reader excited before we dive into much more detail: just as Bitcoin will eat all monetary premia, Lightning will likely eat all settlement, meaning all payments will gravitate towards routing over Lightning regardless of the denomination of the currency at the edges. Fiat payments will gravitate to stablecoins to take advantage of this; stablecoins will gravitate to TA and then to eCash, and all of this will accelerate hyperbitcoinization by “bitcoinizing” payment rails such that an eventual full transition becomes as simple as flicking a switch as to what denomination you want to receive.

I will make two important caveats before diving in that are more easily understood in light of having laid this groundwork: I am open to the idea that it won’t be just Lightning or just Taproot Assets playing the above roles. Without veering into forecasting the entire future development of Bitcoin tech, I will highlight that all that really matters here are, respectively: a true layer 2 with native hashlocks, and a token issuance scheme that enables atomic routing over such a layer 2 (or combination of such). For the sake of argument, the reader is welcome to swap in “Ark” and “RGB” for “Lightning” and “TA” both above and in all that follows. As far as I can tell, this makes no difference to the argument and is even exciting in its own right. However, for the sake of simplicity in presentation, I will stick to “Lightning” and “TA” hereafter.

1) Today’s Approach to Stablecoins Won’t Scale

This is the easiest to tick off and again doesn’t require much explanation to this audience. Blockchains fundamentally don’t scale, which is why Bitcoin’s UTXO scheme is a far better design than ex-Bitcoin Crypto’s’ account-based models, even entirely out of context of all the above criticisms. This is because Bitcoin transactions can be batched across time and across users with combinations of modes of spending restrictions that provide strong economic guarantees of correct eventual net settlement, if not perpetual deferral. One could argue this is a decent (if abstrusely technical) definition of “scaling” that is almost entirely lacking in Crypto.

What we see in ex-Bitcoin crypto is so-called “layer 2s” that are nothing of the sort, forcing stablecoin schemes in these environments into one of two equally poor design choices if usage is ever to increase: fees go higher and higher, to the point of economic unviability (and well past it) as blocks fill up, or move to much more centralized environments that increasingly are just databases, and hence which lose the benefits of openness thought to be gleaned by outsourcing settlement to public infrastructure. This could be in the form of punting issuance to a bullshit “layer 2” that is a really a multisig “backing” a private execution environment (to be decentralized any daw now) or an entirely different blockchain that is just pretending even less not to be a database to begin with. In a nutshell, this is a decent bottom-up explanation as to why Tron has the highest settlement of Tether.

This also gives rise to the weirdness of “gas tokens” - assets whose utility as money is and only is in the form of a transaction fee to transact a different kind of money. These are not quite as stupid as a “utility token,” given at least they are clearly fulfilling a monetary role and hence their artificial scarcity can be justified. But they are frustrating from Bitcoiners’ and users’ perspectives alike: users would prefer to pay transaction fees on dollars in dollars, but they can’t because the value of Ether, Sol, Tron, or whatever, is the string and bubblegum that hold their boondoggles together. And Bitcoiners wish this stuff would just go away and stop distracting people, whereas this string and bubblegum is proving transiently useful.

All in all, today’s approach is fine so long as it isn’t being used much. It has product-market fit, sure, but in the unenviable circumstance that, if it really starts to take off, it will break, and even the original users will find it unusable.

2) Today’s Approach to Stablecoins Creates an Untenable Market Dynamic

Reviving the ethos of you don’t need a blockchain for that, notice the following subtlety: while the tokens representing stablecoins have value to users, that value is not native to the blockchain on which they are issued. Tether can (and routinely does) burn tokens on Ethereum and mint them on Tron, then burn on Tron and mint on Solana, and so on. So-called blockchains “go down” and nobody really cares. This makes no difference whatsoever to Tether’s own accounting, and arguably a positive difference to users given these actions track market demand. But it is detrimental to the blockchain being switched away from by stripping it of “TVL” that, it turns out, was only using it as rails: entirely exogenous value that leaves as quickly as it arrived.

One underdiscussed and underappreciated implication of the fact that no value is natively running through the blockchain itself is that, in the current scheme, both the sender and receiver of a stablecoin have to trust the same issuer. This creates an extremely powerful network effect that, in theory, makes the first-to-market likely to dominate and in practice has played out exactly as this theory would suggest: Tether has roughly 80% of the issuance, while roughly 19% goes to the political carve-out of USDC that wouldn’t exist at all were it not for government interference. Everybody else combined makes up the final 1%.

So, Tether is a full reserve bank but also has to be everybody’s bank. This is the source of a lot of the discomfort with Tether, and which feeds into the original objection around dollar hegemony, that there is an ill-defined but nonetheless uneasy feeling that Tether is slowly morphing into a CBDC. I would argue this really has nothing to do with Tether’s own behavior but rather is a consequence of the market dynamic inevitably created by the current stablecoin scheme. There is no reason to trust any other bank because nobody really wants a bank, they just want the rails. They want something that will retain a nominal dollar value long enough to spend it again. They don’t care what tech it runs on and they don’t even really care about the issuer except insofar as having some sense they won’t get rugged.

Notice this is not how fiat works. Banks can, of course, settle between each other, thus enabling their users to send money to customers of other banks. This settlement function is actually the entire point of central banks, less the money printing and general corruption enabled (we might say, this was the historical point of central banks, which have since become irredeemably corrupted by this power). This process is clunkier than stablecoins, as covered above, but the very possibility of settlement means there is no gigantic network effect to being the first commercial issuer of dollar balances. If it isn’t too triggering to this audience, one might suggest that the money printer also removes the residual concern that your balances might get rugged! (or, we might again say, you guarantee you don’t get rugged in the short term by guaranteeing you do get rugged in the long term).

This is a good point at which to introduce the unsettling observation that broader fintech is catching on to the benefits of stablecoins without any awareness whatsoever of all the limitations I am outlining here. With the likes of Stripe, Wise, Robinhood, and, post-Trump, even many US megabanks supposedly contemplating issuing stablecoins (obviously within the current scheme, not the scheme I am building up to proposing), we are forced to boggle our minds considering how on earth settlement is going to work. Are they going to settle through Ether? Well, no, because i) Ether isn’t money, it’s … to be honest, I don’t think anybody really knows what it is supposed to be, or if they once did they aren’t pretending anymore, but anyway, Stripe certainly hasn’t figured that out yet so, ii) it won’t be possible to issue them on layer 1s as soon as there is any meaningful volume, meaning they will have to route through “bullshit layer 2 wrapped Ether token that is really already a kind of stablecoin for Ether.”

The way they are going to try to fix this (anybody wanna bet?) is routing through DEXes, which is so painfully dumb you should be laughing and, if you aren’t, I would humbly suggest you don’t get just how dumb it is. What this amounts to is plugging the gap of Ether’s lack of moneyness (and wrapped Ether’s hilarious lack of moneyness) with … drum roll … unknowable technical and counterparty risk and unpredictable cost on top of reverting to just being a database. So, in other words, all of the costs of using a blockchain when you don’t strictly need to, and none of the benefits. Stripe is going to waste billions of dollars getting sandwich attacked out of some utterly vanilla FX settlement it is facilitating for clients who have even less of an idea what is going on and why North Korea now has all their money, and will eventually realize they should have skipped their shitcoin phase and gone straight to understanding Bitcoin instead …

3) Bitcoin (and Taproot Assets) Fixes This

To tie together a few loose ends, I only threw in the hilariously stupid suggestion of settling through wrapped Ether on Ether on Ether in order to tee up the entirely sensible suggestion of settling through Lightning. Again, not that this will be new to this audience, but while issuance schemes have been around on Bitcoin for a long time, the breakthrough of Taproot Assets is essentially the ability to atomically route through Lightning.

I will admit upfront that this presents a massive bootstrapping challenge relative to the ex-Bitcoin Crypto approach, and it’s not obvious to me if or how this will be overcome. I include this caveat to make it clear I am not suggesting this is a given. It may not be, it’s just beyond the scope of this post (or frankly my ability) to predict. This is a problem for Lightning Labs, Tether, and whoever else decides to step up to issue. But even highlighting this as an obvious and major concern invites us to consider an intriguing contrast: scaling TA stablecoins is hardest at the start and gets easier and easier thereafter. The more edge liquidity there is in TA stables, the less of a risk it is for incremental issuance; the more TA activity, the more attractive deploying liquidity is into Lightning proper, and vice versa. With apologies if this metaphor is even more confusing than it is helpful, one might conceive of the situation as being that there is massive inertia to bootstrap, but equally there could be positive feedback in driving the inertia to scale. Again, I have no idea, and it hasn’t happened yet in practice, but in theory it’s fun.

More importantly to this conversation, however, this is almost exactly the opposite dynamic to the current scheme on other blockchains, which is basically free to start, but gets more and more expensive the more people try to use it. One might say it antiscales (I don’t think that’s a real word, but if Taleb can do it, then I can do it too!).

Furthermore, the entire concept of “settling in Bitcoin” makes perfect sense both economically and technically: economically because Bitcoin is money, and technically because it can be locked in an HTLC and hence can enable atomic routing (i.e. because Lightning is a thing). This is clearly better than wrapped Eth on Eth on Eth or whatever, but, tantalisingly, is better than fiat too! The core message of the payments tome I may or may not one day write is (or will be) that fiat payments, while superficially efficient on the basis of centralized and hence costless ledger amendments, actually have a hidden cost in the form of interbank credit. Many readers will likely have heard me say this multiple times and in multiple settings but, contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as a fiat debit. Even if styled as a debit, all fiat payments are credits and all have credit risk baked into their cost, even if that is obscured and pushed to the absolute foundational level of money printing to keep banks solvent and hence keep payment channels open.

Furthermore! this enables us to strip away the untenable market dynamic from the point above. The underappreciated and underdiscussed flip side of the drawback of the current dynamic that is effectively fixed by Taproot Assets is that there is no longer a mammoth network effect to a single issuer. Senders and receivers can trust different issuers (i.e. their own banks) because those banks can atomically settle a single payment over Lightning. This does not involve credit. It is arguably the only true debit in the world across both the relevant economic and technical criteria: it routes through money with no innate credit risk, and it does so atomically due to that money’s native properties.

Savvy readers may have picked up on a seed I planted a while back and which can now delightfully blossom:

This is what Visa was supposed to be!

Crucially, this is not what Visa is now. Visa today is pretty much the bank that is everybody’s counterparty, takes a small credit risk for the privilege, and oozes free cash flow bottlenecking global consumer payments.

But if you read both One From Many by Dee Hock (for a first person but pretty wild and extravagant take) and Electronic Value Exchange by David Stearns (for a third person, drier, but more analytical and historically contextualized take) or if you are just intimately familiar with the modern history of payments for whatever other reason, you will see that the role I just described for Lightning in an environment of unboundedly many banks issuing fiduciary media in the form of stablecoins is exactly what Dee Hock wanted to create when he envisioned Visa:

A neutral and open layer of value settlement enabling banks to create digital, interbank payment schemes for their customers at very low cost.

As it turns out, his vision was technically impossible with fiat, hence Visa, which started as a cooperative amongst member banks, was corrupted into a duopolistic for-profit rent seeker in curious parallel to the historical path of central banks …

4) eCash

To now push the argument to what I think is its inevitable conclusion, it’s worth being even more vigilant on the front of you don’t need a blockchain for that. I have argued that there is a role for a blockchain in providing a neutral settlement layer to enable true debits of stablecoins. But note this is just a fancy and/or stupid way of saying that Bitcoin is both the best money and is programmable, which we all knew anyway. The final step is realizing that, while TA is nice in terms of providing a kind of “on ramp” for global payments infrastructure as a whole to reorient around Lightning, there is some path dependence here in assuming (almost certainly correctly) that the familiarity of stablecoins as “RWA tokens on a blockchain” will be an important part of the lure.

But once that transition is complete, or is well on its way to being irreversible, we may as well come full circle and cut out tokens altogether. Again, you really don’t need a blockchain for that, and the residual appeal of better rails has been taken care of with the above massive detour through what I deem to be the inevitability of Lightning as a settlement layer. Just as USDT on Tron arguably has better moneyness than a JPMorgan balance, so a “stablecoin” as eCash has better moneyness than as a TA given it is cheaper, more private, and has more relevantly bearer properties (in other words, because it is cash). The technical detail that it can be hashlocked is really all you need to tie this all together. That means it can be atomically locked into a Lightning routed debit to the recipient of a different issuer (or “mint” in eCash lingo, but note this means the same thing as what we have been calling fully reserved banks). And the economic incentive is pretty compelling too because, for all their benefits, there is still a cost to TAs given they are issued onchain and they require asset-specific liquidity to route on Lightning. Once the rest of the tech is in place, why bother? Keep your Lightning connectivity and just become a mint.

What you get at that point is dramatically superior private database to JPMorgan with the dramatically superior public rails of Lightning. There is nothing left to desire from “a blockchain” besides what Bitcoin is fundamentally for in the first place: counterparty-risk-free value settlement.

And as a final point with a curious and pleasing echo to Dee Hock at Visa, Calle has made the point repeatedly that David Chaum’s vision for eCash, while deeply philosophical besides the technical details, was actually pretty much impossible to operate on fiat. From an eCash perspective, fiat stablecoins within the above infrastructure setup are a dramatic improvement on anything previously possible. But, of course, they are a slippery slope to Bitcoin regardless …

Objections Revisited

As a cherry on top, I think the objections I highlighted at the outset are now readily addressed – to the extent the reader believes what I am suggesting is more or less a technical and economic inevitability, that is. While, sure, I’m not particularly keen on giving the Treasury more avenues to sell its welfare-warfare shitcoin, on balance the likely development I’ve outlined is an enormous net positive: it’s going to sell these anyway so I prefer a strong economic incentive to steadily transition not only to Lightning as payment rails but eCash as fiduciary media, and to use “fintech” as a carrot to induce a slow motion bank run.

As alluded to above, once all this is in place, the final step to a Bitcoin standard becomes as simple as an individual’s decision to want Bitcoin instead of fiat. On reflection, this is arguably the easiest part! It's setting up all the tech that puts people off, so trojan-horsing them with “faster, cheaper payment rails” seems like a genius long-term strategy.

And as to “needing a blockchain” (or not), I hope that is entirely wrapped up at this point. The only blockchain you need is Bitcoin, but to the extent people are still confused by this (which I think will take decades more to fully unwind), we may as well lean into dazzling them with whatever innovation buzzwords and decentralization theatre they were going to fall for anyway before realizing they wanted Bitcoin all along.

Conclusion

Stablecoins are useful whether you like it or not. They are stupid in the abstract but it turns out fiat is even stupider, on inspection. But you don’t need a blockchain, and using one as decentralization theatre creates technical debt that is insurmountable in the long run. Blockchain-based stablecoins are doomed to a utility inversely proportional to their usage, and just to rub it in, their ill-conceived design practically creates a commercial dynamic that mandates there only ever be a single issuer.

Given they are useful, it seems natural that this tension is going to blow up at some point. It also seems worthwhile observing that Taproot Asset stablecoins have almost the inverse problem and opposite commercial dynamic: they will be most expensive to use at the outset but get cheaper and cheaper as their usage grows. Also, there is no incentive towards a monopoly issuer but rather towards as many as are willing to try to operate well and provide value to their users.

As such, we can expect any sizable growth in stablecoins to migrate to TA out of technical and economic necessity. Once this has happened - or possibly while it is happening but is clearly not going to stop - we may as well strip out the TA component and just use eCash because you really don’t need a blockchain for that at all. And once all the money is on eCash, deciding you want to denominate it in Bitcoin is the simplest on-ramp to hyperbitcoinization you can possibly imagine, given we’ve spent the previous decade or two rebuilding all payments tech around Lightning.

Or: Bitcoin fixes this. The End.

• Allen, #892,125

thanks to Marco Argentieri, Lyn Alden, and Calle for comments and feedback

@ 04cb16e4:2ec3e5d5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ a296b972:e5a7a2e8

So sehr der Gedanke auch verlockend ist, es ist leider nicht möglich, den Staat durch Steuerzahlungsverweigerung auszuhungern, obwohl die absurde, generationenübergreifende Sonderverschuldung geradezu danach schreit. Das hysterische Herbeireden einer Bedrohung durch Russland wird durch die Steuerzahler zwangsfinanziert. Die zu melkende Kuh kann nicht aus ihrem Stall ausbrechen. Nach wie vor gibt es Menschen, die ihre Steuererklärung fristgerecht abgeben möchten, die sich daraus ergebende Steuerschuld jedoch auf einem Notar-Anderkonto so lange parken wollen, bis die Vertreter der deutschen Kakistokratie mit totalitären, faschistischen, kommunistischen, bolschewistischen und sozialistischen Strömungen, zu lebenslangem Sozialdienst in Senioren-Residenzen (oder lieber nicht) verdonnert wurden oder sich ihre Spuren in selbstloser Aufopferung für Unseredemokratie in der Ukraine verloren haben.

Sobald eine Regierung, die zuerst zu beweisen hätte, dass sie bei Verstand ist und ihr Ohr wieder am Willen des Volkes hat, würden diese eingefrorenen Gelder des Souveräns von demselben für mit ihm abgestimmte Projekte zugunsten des Gemeinwohls freigegeben werden. Ein Mitspracherecht der Bevölkerung ist dringend notwendig und laut Grundgesetz auch möglich! Denunzierungsportale und staatlich geförderte NGOs gehörten sicher nicht dazu.

Auch, wenn mit allen Mitteln versucht wird, der demokratischen Grundordnung durch verhaltensauffällig-denkeingeschränkte Ideologinnen und Ideologen den größtmöglichen Schaden, den selbige als solchen nicht erkennen wollen, zuzufügen, gibt es dennoch Möglichkeiten des Widerstands.

Derzeit könnte hilfreich sein:

So viele wie möglich distanzieren sich so weit wie möglich von allen staatlichen Institutionen und bedienen das vom Alt-Parteien-Kartell missbrauchte System nur noch im geringst möglichen Maß.

Es sollte jede Möglichkeit genutzt werden, mit legalen Mitteln Sand ins Getriebe zu streuen.

Es ist die demokratische Pflicht des Souveräns, NEIN zu sagen, wo immer er denkt, dass Freiheit und Demokratie in Gefahr sind. Wer mit offenen Augen durch das Land geht, findet Gründe genug. Zu bestimmen, was Lüge ist, ist nicht Aufgabe der Politik. Dieses Vorgehen gleicht betreutem Denken innerhalb eines vorbestimmten Korridors für ein entmündigtes Volk. Antrieb ist das unbedingte Festhalten an der Macht, die in weiten Teilen längst keinen Rückhalt mehr in der Bevölkerung und sogar innerhalb der Parteien selbst hat.

Zur Erinnerung: Die Meinungsfreiheit schließt auch Lügen ein. Die hier oft aus der Schublade geholte „Nazi-Keule“ dient vor allem der Rechtfertigung der politischen Vorgaben und missbraucht so die Achtung vor den Gräueltaten in der vorläufig dunkelsten Zeit der deutschen Geschichte. Es gibt Anzeichen dafür, sich in Sachen Machtmissbrauch dieser so weit wie möglich anzunähern.

Es ist die demokratische Pflicht zu sagen „ICH MACHE DA NICHT MIT“, wenn politische Entscheidungen getroffen werden, die sich einer friedlichen Einigung und in Konflikten, diplomatischen Verhandlungen, entgegenstellen.

Es ist ein Friedensgebot aller Mütter und Väter, klar und deutlich anzusagen:

„NEIN, MEINE SÖHNE UND TÖCHTER GEB ICH NICHT HER!“

Die Gehirnwäsche und Propaganda-Beschallung durch die Medienkartelle in Funk, Fernsehen und Presse sind zu meiden, wie eine hochansteckende Hauterkrankung bei gleichzeitiger Vergiftung der inneren Organe.

Zahlungen sollten, wo immer es möglich ist, in bar erfolgen. Dies sollte so als Notwendigkeit verinnerlicht werden, wie das Ein- und Ausatmen.

Ein Aufruf zu öffentlichen Protestbekundungen hat derzeit wenig Sinn, da es die deutsche Mentalität nicht hergibt, das Bedürfnis zu spüren, in Massen auf die Straße zu gehen. In anderen europäischen Staaten sieht das anders aus. Besonders beeindruckend jüngst die Friedensaufrufe in Rom mit Menschenmengen, von denen man in Deutschland nur träumen kann.

Die Realität zeigt, dass für eine Veränderung die breite Masse in Deutschland momentan nicht zu gewinnen ist. Zu tief steckt der Deutsche Michel mit seiner German Angst in den Seelen. Daher ist es zunächst die Aufgabe der kritischen, wachen und Dummschwätz-immunen Menschen, einen „Wandel zur Vernunft und eine Abkehr vom Wahnsinn“ herbeizuführen.

Es ist die Zeit gekommen, dass so viele wie möglich, dem Regime, die wohlverdiente, größtmögliche Verachtung, für die Aushöhlung der Demokratie, die massive Einschränkung der Rede- und Meinungsfreiheit, die zu oft systemkonforme Rechtsprechung, die Ausweitung der Spaltung und das Vergessen-machen-wollen der deutschen Geschichte, entgegenbringen.

Was Deutschland fehlt, ist Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit.

Sollte es, derzeit noch wider Erwarten, dennoch dazu kommen, dass der bereits vorhandene friedliche Widerstand eine wachsende Kraft erzeugen könnte, die Weitere dazu veranlasst, sich ihrer Kraft als der Souverän dieses einst ertragbar-demokratischen Staates wieder bewusst zu werden, wäre ein Generalstreik zu organisieren, um die Macht wieder dahin zu befördern, wo sie hingehört: Nämlich zu den Bürgerinnen und Bürgern eines Landes, das weitgehend vergessen hat, dass seine Ahnen die Demokratie mit ihrem Blut erkämpft haben und dass die Demokratie kein Dauergeschenk ist, für das man sich nie wieder einzusetzen hat. Die derzeitigen Machthaber haben ihren Auftrag zum Wohle des deutschen Volkes tätig zu sein offensichtlich vergessen. Man muss sie dringend wieder daran erinnern, wofür sie gewählt wurden: Die Interessen des Volkes umzusetzen und nicht ihre Vorstellungen davon. In ihrer Überheblichkeit glauben sie zu wissen, was gut für das Volk ist. Leider wissen sie es nicht!

Eine Einordnung als „Hass und Hetze“ durch das deutsch-orwellsche Wahrheitsministerium verbietet sich, da dies die perfiden Maßnahmen im Dritten Reich zu Unrecht relativieren würden.

Die Menschlichkeit gebietet, den verirrten Geistern in Entscheiderpositionen Mitgefühl entgegenzubringen, da sie in gutem Glauben und der Überzeugung sind, nur Gutes zum Wohle des deutschen Volkes, schadenabwendend zu vollbringen. Grund ist die Ideologie, von der sie gar nicht merken (oder es nicht merken wollen), dass sie in ihr gefangen sind.

Nachgeschlagen in einem deutschen Herkunftswörterbuch von 2001 kommt das Wort „Delegitimation“ noch gar nicht vor. Diese Neuschöpfung scheint, durch die politische Kaste entstanden, der Notwendigkeit geschuldet zu sein, kritische Stimmen mundtot machen zu wollen. Sie dient einzig und allein als Totschlagargument. Jeder, der seine demokratische Pflicht wahrnimmt, politische Entscheidungen zu hinterfragen und Kritik auszusprechen, trägt zur lebendigen Debattenkultur bei und hält damit die in einer Demokratie innewohnende Meinungsfreiheit hoch. Kritik, und sei sie noch so scharf, als Delegitimation zu bezeichnen, spricht eher von einer charakterlichen Fehlbildung und Ungeeignetheit für ein politisches Amt in einer Demokratie, als dass sie Respekt vor der Meinungsäußerung des Souveräns zeigt. Gleichzeitig entlarvt die Erfindung des Begriffes Delegitimation, anstelle von Zensur (das wäre zu offensichtlich), durch ihrer Realitätsferne, die fehlende politische Wirkungskraft, so dass man nicht mehr anders weiter weiß, als sich von der Demokratie entfernend, totalitär anmutender Mittel bedienen zu müssen.

Mit den Mitteln der Freiheit sind die Menschen in der Lage, diese armen Politiker-Seelen von ihrem Leiden zu befreien. Ein Besinnen auf die christliche Kultur des Abendlandes kann hier sehr hilfreich sein. Ein Erinnern an die europäische Kultur und Geschichte ebenso.

Dass viele Menschen die legitimen Mittel der Freiheit derzeit nicht nutzen, liegt vielleicht daran, dass das, was ihnen bisher als Freiheit verkauft wurde, aus menschlicher Sicht gar keine Freiheit ist. Die Auswahl in einem 5 Meter langen Yoghurt-Regal ist keine Freiheit! Vielleicht haben viele Menschen sogar Angst vor wirklicher, innerer Freiheit, weil da eine große innere Leere ist, die mit eigener Persönlichkeit durch individuelle, charakterliche Eigenschaften auszufüllen wäre. Man kann diesen Menschen noch nicht einmal einen Vorwurf daraus machen, weil das Bildungssystem gar kein Interesse daran hat, zu viele Menschen heranzubilden, die die Demokratie-Simulation durchschauen.

Es scheint, als würde man mit allen Mitteln versuchen, den jahrhundertealten geschichtlichen Faden Deutschlands und Europas durchschneiden zu wollen und den dunklen Teil der deutschen Geschichte ausklammernd dazu zu missbrauchen, den fortgeschrittenen Wahnsinn zu legitimieren.

Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben.

@ fbf0e434:e1be6a39

Hackathon 概要

Hack The Grid — Level 2 是 LUKSO 推出的四级创作者项目的第二阶段，重点在于开发mini去中心化应用程序（dApps）。本阶段共有 70 名注册开发者参与，最终审批了 41 个 BUIDL 项目。该阶段鼓励参与者在 AI 代理、社交 DeFi、创作者货币化及游戏化等领域创新，致力于将 Universal Profiles 打造成集数字身份、社交互动与创造力于一体的多功能空间。

活动于 2025 年 2 月至 4 月开展，总资金池达 150,000 LYX，分配至各个级别。参与者可在多个阶段远程参与，1 至 3 级的成功项目将在第 4 级的社区资助轮中获得额外支持。

黑客松日程包含办公时间与学习会议，通过前期获奖者的见解为参赛者提供帮助。除技术实验外，活动还营造了协作开发环境，展现了去中心化应用程序创建的潜力，培育了生态系统中的创新。Hack The Grid 凸显了开发者社区的积极参与以及值得关注的项目贡献。

Hackathon 获奖者

ORIGIN GRANTS 奖项获奖作品

在第2级类别中，两个项目因其技术创新和对生态系统目标的对齐获得了Origin Grants的认可。

• Hiraeth Mini App： 此应用程序将区块链交易转变为基于NFT的数字文物，通过独特的表现形式捕捉各链上的历史叙事。
• Multisend - Defolio： MultiSend 提供了一种简化的方法，用于在单个交易中在 LUKSO 区块链上执行多个代币和NFT的转移，提高了资产管理的效率。

这些获奖项目以其对智能合约安全性、用户友好的界面、技术执行以及对 LUKSO 社区的价值增值而闻名。每位Origin Grant获奖者将获得价值$2,250的LYX，其中70%会提前发放，剩余金额取决于实现以采用为重点的KPI。获奖者还有机会进军第4级——社区资助轮，通过二次方融资获得额外的$24,000 LYX。

完整项目列表，请访问 DoraHacks。

关于组织者

LUKSO

LUKSO 是一家专注于区块链解决方案的技术导向型组织，专注于数字生活方式和创意经济。它因其在区块链基础设施领域的贡献而获得认可，并在开发增强用户中心身份和数字所有权的应用程序中扮演重要角色。该组织在创建Universal Profiles方面起了重要作用，促进了数字平台之间的无缝交互。目前，LUKSO 旨在扩大区块链在日常数字体验中的角色，优先考虑安全性和可访问性，以此为技术领域内多样化的用户群体服务。

@ fbf0e434:e1be6a39

Hackathon 概述

Innovate on Creator Network #Creathon 圆满落幕，116 位注册开发者中有 44 个项目获批。此次黑客松的主要目标是借助去中心化应用程序（dApps），在去中心化金融（DeFi）、非同质化代币（NFTs）、游戏及社会影响等领域，强化 Creator Network 生态系统。活动于 2025 年 1 月 19 日至 2 月 24 日期间举办，设置了 1,250 USDT 的奖金池，将颁发给十名获奖者，其中前三名的奖金在 200 美元至 300 美元之间。

在此次黑客松中展示的项目，通过创新性和功能性，展现了对 Creator Network 生态系统的潜在影响。这些项目如今有机会进一步融入平台并获得支持。活动极大地吸引了开发者参与，参与者们利用了 Creator Network 的开发工具和测试网。这一举措标志着，在通过创新技术方案拓展 Creator Network 能力及强化其生态系统方面，迈出了重要一步。

Hackathon 获奖者

Creator Network 奖项获奖者

• DeFi Connect Credit： 在Creator Testnet Network上运作的去中心化交易所，通过提供代币交换、锁定、深度流动性和投票机制来增强去中心化和流动性管理，提高DeFi解决方案。
• Lumoswap： 基于Creatorchain的去中心化交易所，提供快速、安全且用户友好的交易体验。它解决了DeFi生态系统中交易速度和安全性等关键问题。
• Sendtokens： 一个具备自我保管功能的加密货币钱包，通过简化交易和提高用户体验，解决了与冗长钱包地址和界面可用性相关的常见挑战。
• Tokens： 该平台简化了加密货币代币的创建，提供在去中心化环境中高效管理和部署的工具，确保即时可见性和实用性。
• ProtectedPay： 一个多链DeFi平台，促进安全交易和群组支付。它整合了储蓄功能，以在区块链网络中增强安全性和便利性。
• AuditFi_Creator： 利用AI技术为智能合约提供即时链上审计报告，从而加强Creator Network生态系统中的信任和安全性。

关于所有项目的详细信息，请访问 Hackathon 详情页 。

组织者信息

Creator Network

Creator Network 是一家以技术为核心的组织，专注于区块链解决方案。它因开发增强区块链互操作性和安全性的去中心化平台而闻名。该组织已经推出了多个项目，旨在改善数字资产管理和智能合约功能。Creator Network 致力于扩展区块链的可访问性，促进数字生态系统的透明度。

@ f57bac88:6045161e

پازل فناوری: ساختاری بی‌پایان

اینترنت و فناوری مثل موجوداتی زنده‌اند؛ همواره در حال رشد، تغییر و دگرگونی. برای ساده‌سازی، فرض می‌کنیم این پازل از سه بخش اصلی تشکیل شده:\ تکه‌های فعال (آنچه اکنون در دسترس ماست)،\ تکه‌های در حال توسعه (آنچه در راه است)، و\ تکه‌های خالی (آنچه جایش حس می‌شود).\ در ادامه، هر تکه را با جزئیات بررسی می‌کنم تا هیچ بخشی از این پازل از قلم نیفتد.

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تکه‌های فعال: ستون‌های دنیای دیجیتال امروز

این تکه‌ها پایه‌های فناوری و اینترنت امروزی‌اند که بدون آن‌ها، زندگی مدرن قابل‌تصور نیست. تا بهار ۱۴۰۴، این بخش‌ها به بلوغ رسیده‌اند و هر روز در حال استفاده‌اند:

• شبکه‌های نوری پرسرعت: کابل‌هایی که داده‌ها را با سرعت بالا منتقل می‌کنند و اینترنتی پایدار و سریع را به خانه‌ها و شهرها رسانده‌اند.

• نسل پنجم ارتباطات سیار: فناوری ارتباطی جدیدی که با سرعت بالا و زمان پاسخ‌دهی بسیار کم، ابزارهای هوشمند را به هم متصل می‌کند.

• اینترنت ماهواره‌ای: پروژه‌هایی که اتصال اینترنت را به دورافتاده‌ترین نقاط کره زمین می‌برند.

• رایانش ابری: خدماتی بر پایه‌ی سرورهای اینترنتی که ذخیره‌سازی و پردازش داده‌ها را آسان کرده‌اند.

• شبکه‌های اجتماعی دیجیتال: فضاهایی که گفت‌وگو، اشتراک‌گذاری و ارتباط را به بستر اینترنت آورده‌اند.

• بازرگانی الکترونیکی: فروشگاه‌ها و بازارهایی که خرید و فروش را به شکل آنلاین و جهانی ممکن کرده‌اند.

• ابزارهای جست‌وجوی اینترنتی: موتورهایی که در کسری از ثانیه، اطلاعات سراسر دنیا را در اختیارمان می‌گذارند.

• پخش اینترنتی محتوا: سامانه‌هایی که فیلم، موسیقی و ویدیو را به صورت آنلاین و لحظه‌ای ارائه می‌دهند.

• برنامه‌های تلفن همراه: نرم‌افزارهایی که تجربه‌ی دیجیتال را شخصی، سریع و قابل‌حمل کرده‌اند.

• ابزارهای هوشمند خانگی: وسایلی که با اتصال به اینترنت، خانه را خودکار و هوشمند می‌کنند.

• هوش رایانه‌ای: سامانه‌هایی که توانایی درک، تحلیل و تصمیم‌گیری را به فناوری داده‌اند.

• یادگیری ماشینی: شیوه‌هایی که رایانه از داده‌ها آموخته و نتایج بهتری ارائه می‌دهد.

• تحلیل داده‌های عظیم: بررسی حجم زیادی از اطلاعات برای کشف الگوها و تصمیم‌گیری بهتر.

• امنیت فضای مجازی: ابزارهایی برای محافظت از داده‌ها و سیستم‌ها در برابر تهدیدها.

• زنجیره‌ی بلوکی: فناوری‌ای برای انجام تراکنش‌های امن و شفاف بدون واسطه.

• پول‌های دیجیتال: ارزهایی که مفهوم پول را وارد دنیای رایانه‌ای کرده‌اند.

• واقعیت مجازی: فناوری‌ای که با استفاده از نمایشگرهای ویژه، افراد را وارد دنیایی شبیه‌سازی‌شده می‌کند.

• واقعیت افزوده: افزودن اطلاعات دیجیتال به دنیای واقعی از طریق نمایشگرها یا گوشی همراه.

• خانه‌های هوشمند: سامانه‌هایی که با یک لمس، نور و گرمای خانه را مدیریت می‌کنند.

• فناوری‌های پوشیدنی: ابزارهایی که بر بدن پوشیده می‌شوند و سلامت و فعالیت ما را پایش می‌کنند.

این تکه‌ها، ستون‌های اصلی پازل‌اند که هر روز با آن‌ها سر و کار داریم، ولی هنوز جای پیشرفت دارند، از امنیت بهتر تا دسترسی برابرتر.

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تکه‌های در حال توسعه: نوآوری‌هایی در آستانه‌ی شکوفایی

این بخش، آینده‌ی نزدیک و دور فناوری را به تصویر می‌کشد؛ تکه‌هایی که در آزمایشگاه‌ها و پروژه‌های پژوهشی در حال شکل‌گیری‌اند و به‌زودی به پازل افزوده می‌شوند:

• نسل ششم ارتباطات سیار: ارتباطاتی با سرعتی فراتر از نسل پنجم.

• رایانش کوانتومی: رایانه‌هایی که بر پایه‌ی قوانین فیزیک کوانتوم، مسائل بسیار پیچیده را در لحظه حل می‌کنند.

• پردازش در لبه‌ی شبکه: انتقال بخشی از محاسبات به نزدیک‌ترین نقطه به محل تولید داده برای کاهش تأخیر و مصرف انرژی.

• وسایل نقلیه‌ی بدون راننده: خودروهایی که با کمک هوش رایانه‌ای و حسگرها، به‌تنهایی حرکت می‌کنند.

• رابط مغز و ماشین: فناوری‌ای که فعالیت‌های مغزی را به رایانه‌ها و دستگاه‌ها متصل می‌کند.

• شبکه‌های هوشمند انرژی: سامانه‌هایی برای مدیریت بهینه‌ی مصرف برق و منابع انرژی.

• پزشکی دیجیتال پیشرفته: بهره‌گیری از فناوری برای تشخیص و درمان بهتر، مانند جراحی رباتیک یا تحلیل داده‌های سلامت.

• مواد واکنش‌پذیر: موادی که با تغییر شرایط محیطی واکنش نشان می‌دهند، مانند پارچه‌هایی که ترمیم می‌شوند.

• هوش فراگیر رایانه‌ای: هوشی که می‌تواند همچون انسان در زمینه‌های مختلف فکر کند و خلاق باشد.

این تکه‌ها نویدبخش آینده‌ای هیجان‌انگیزند، اما هنوز نیاز به زمان، سرمایه‌گذاری و زیرساخت دارند تا کامل شوند.

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تکه‌های خالی: خلأهایی که باید پر شوند

این بخش، جاهایی را نشان می‌دهد که هنوز کامل ساخته نشده‌اند یا نیاز به توجه ویژه دارند. این تکه‌ها، چالش‌ها و فرصت‌های آینده‌اند:

• دسترسی برابر به اینترنت برای همه: فراهم کردن اینترنت پرسرعت در همه‌جا، حتی مناطق دورافتاده.

• حفاظت کامل از حریم خصوصی: فناوری‌هایی که جلوی هر نوع سوءاستفاده از اطلاعات شخصی را بگیرند.

• تأمین انرژی پایدار برای فناوری: بهره‌گیری از منابع انرژی پاک برای تأمین نیازهای روزافزون.

• قوانین جهانی هماهنگ در زمینه فناوری: مقررات مشترکی که هماهنگی جهانی را ممکن کنند.

• بازیافت کامل تجهیزات دیجیتال: فرآیندهایی برای بازیافت زباله‌های الکترونیکی بدون آسیب به محیط زیست.

• هوش مصنوعی مسئول و منصفانه: سامانه‌هایی که تصمیم‌هایی بدون تبعیض و ناعادلانه می‌گیرند.

• شبکه‌هایی مقاوم در برابر سانسور: ارتباطاتی که دولت‌ها یا نهادها نتوانند آن‌ها را محدود کنند.

• زیرساخت‌های مقاوم در برابر بلایا: سامانه‌هایی که حتی در شرایط بحرانی همچنان فعال بمانند.

• آموزش دیجیتال همگانی: آموزش‌هایی که برای همه، در هر سطح و سن، قابل‌دسترس باشد.

• ارتباط با فضا و سیارات دیگر: فناوری‌هایی برای برقراری ارتباط بین زمین و نقاط دوردست فضایی.

این تکه‌ها خلأهایی‌اند که پر شدنشان می‌تواند کل تصویر را دگرگون کند.

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تصویر نهایی: پازلی که هرگز کامل نمی‌شود؟

پازل فناوری، با سه دسته‌ی فعال، در حال توسعه و خالی، ساختاری پویاست. هر تکه‌ی تازه‌ای که افزوده می‌شود، ممکن است به تکه‌های دیگری نیاز پیدا کند. مثلاً فناوری پول دیجیتال، بحث‌هایی تازه درباره‌ی قوانین مالی یا امنیت دیجیتالی به دنبال آورده. یا رشد هوش رایانه‌ای، نیاز به بحث‌های اخلاقی را مطرح کرده است.

امروز، بخش بزرگی از پازل سر جایش قرار گرفته، اما آینده، پر از ناشناخته‌هاست. از رایانه‌های کوانتومی گرفته تا خودروهای بدون راننده، از خلأهای دسترسی برابر تا دغدغه‌های امنیتی، همگی ما را به تفکر، تلاش و انتخاب‌هایی مهم فرا می‌خوانند.

شما چه فکر می‌کنید؟\ کدام تکه از این پازل از دید شما مهم‌تر است؟\ فکر می‌کنید چه چیزی هنوز از قلم افتاده؟\ نظرات خودتان را بنویسید تا این پازل را با هم کامل‌تر کنیم.

منابع

1. Simplilearn. 25 New Technology Trends for 2025: An overview of emerging technology trends in 2025.

2. GeeksforGeeks. Top 25 New Technology Trends in 2025: In-depth analysis of developing technologies.

3. Forbes. Top 10 Technology Trends For 2025: Key trend predictions by Forbes experts.

4. NKTelco. Internet Trends to Watch in 2025: A look at the future of internet and connectivity.

5. Exploding Topics. 13 Top Technology Trends (2024 & 2025): Examination of hot and upcoming tech topics.

6. IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA). Six Connectivity and Telecom Trends to Watch for in 2025: A technical report on connectivity and telecommunications.