@ 56cd780f:cbde8b29

And this is the regular text.

@ 56cd780f:cbde8b29

I will add a picture, a hyperlink and a video. Let’s see if it works.

Click here for youtube!

@ 56cd780f:cbde8b29

Is it still working?

@ 56cd780f:cbde8b29

Is it actually called “summary”?

@ 56cd780f:cbde8b29

A few weeks ago, I ran into an old friend at a coffee shop. We hadn’t spoken in years, and within five minutes, she said something I’ve heard countless times:

“I just feel like I’m so behind.”

Behind who? Behind what?

There’s this idea—quiet, nagging, oddly universal—that we’re all somehow in a race we didn’t sign up for. That we’re supposed to have hit certain milestones by certain ages. That if we’re not married, promoted, rich, settled, happy (and photogenic) by 30 or 40 or pick your poison, then we’ve failed some invisible test.

Where did this come from?

Some of it’s cultural, obviously. Social media compresses timelines. You’re 27, doom-scrolling, and suddenly someone from high school just IPO’d their startup and got engaged in Rome. Another just bought a house with a kitchen island the size of a small country. You wonder if you missed a memo.

But beneath that, there’s something deeper. A belief that life is linear. That it should look like a staircase: school, job, marriage, house, kids, success. But real life? It’s a squiggle. A mess. A beautiful disaster.

Here’s the truth: You’re not behind. There’s no schedule. There’s only your path, and the courage it takes to stay on it—even when it looks wildly different from everyone else’s.

I say this as someone who has taken the “scenic route.” I changed careers in my 30s. I moved cities on a hunch. I dropped things that looked great on paper because they felt wrong in my gut. I’ve had seasons of momentum and seasons of stuckness. Both were necessary.

“Catching up” assumes there’s a fixed destination. But what if there isn’t? What if the point isn’t arrival, but presence? Progress that feels real, not performative?

If you need a permission slip to stop comparing, let this be it.

You’re not late. You’re not early.
You’re right on time.

@ 56cd780f:cbde8b29

There’s something sacred about morning air — the way it carries just enough chill to remind you you’re alive, without pushing you back inside. I’ve been starting my days on the balcony lately. Not because it’s glamorous (it isn’t), or because I have a routine (I don’t), but because it’s the only space in my apartment that feels both open and still.

This morning I made coffee with too much cinnamon and curled up with a blanket that’s seen better days. I watched the city slowly wake up — one barking dog, two joggers, and the clatter of a recycling truck below. It’s odd how these tiny patterns become a kind of comfort.

I used to think that slowing down meant falling behind. But here, perched on the third floor with my feet on cold concrete and the sky just starting to blush, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

If you’re reading this, maybe you needed that reminder too.

— Natalie

@ 7bdef7be:784a5805

We value sovereignty, privacy and security when accessing online content, using several tools to achieve this, like open protocols, open OSes, open software products, Tor and VPNs.

The problem

Talking about our social presence, we can manually build up our follower list (social graph), pick a Nostr client that is respectful of our preferences on what to show and how, but with the standard following mechanism, our main feed is public, so everyone can actually snoop what we are interested in, and what is supposable that we read daily.

The solution

Nostr has a simple solution for this necessity: encrypted lists. Lists are what they appear, a collection of people or interests (but they can also group much other stuff, see NIP-51). So we can create lists with contacts that we don't have in our main social graph; these lists can be used primarily to create dedicated feeds, but they could have other uses, for example, related to monitoring. The interesting thing about lists is that they can also be encrypted, so unlike the basic following list, which is always public, we can hide the lists' content from others. The implications are obvious: we can not only have a more organized way to browse content, but it is also really private one.

One might wonder what use can really be made of private lists; here are some examples:

• Browse “can't miss” content from users I consider a priority;
• Supervise competitors or adversarial parts;
• Monitor sensible topics (tags);
• Following someone without being publicly associated with them, as this may be undesirable;

The benefits in terms of privacy as usual are not only related to the casual, or programmatic, observer, but are also evident when we think of how many bots scan our actions to profile us.

The current state

Unfortunately, lists are not widely supported by Nostr clients, and encrypted support is a rarity. Often the excuse to not implement them is that they are harder to develop, since they require managing the encryption stuff (NIP-44). Nevertheless, developers have an easier option to start offering private lists: give the user the possibility to simply mark them as local-only, and never push them to the relays. Even if the user misses the sync feature, this is sufficient to create a private environment.

To date, as far as I know, the best client with list management is Gossip, which permits to manage both encrypted and local-only lists.

Beg your Nostr client to implement private lists!

@ 1c19eb1a:e22fb0bc

What is #Nostrversity? It's where you can come to learn about all the great tools, clients, and amazing technology that is being built on #Nostr, for Nostr, or utilized by Nostr, presented in an approachable and non-technical format. If you have ever wondered what Blossom, bunker signing, or Nostr Wallet Connect are, how they work, and how you can put them to work to improve your Nostr experience, this is the place you can read about them without needing a computer-science degree ahead of time.

Between writing full-length reviews, which take a fair amount of time to research, test, and draft, I will post shorter articles with the Nostrversity hashtag to provide a Nostr-native resource to help the community understand and utilize the tools our illustrious developers are building. These articles will be much shorter, and more digestible than my full-length reviews. They will also cover some things that may not be quite ready for prime-time, whereas my reviews will continue to focus on Nostr apps that are production-ready.

Keep an eye out, because Nostr Wallet Connect will be the first topic of study. Take your seats, get out your notepads, and follow along to discover how Nostr Wallet Connect is improving Lightning infrastructure. Hint: It's not just for zaps.

@ 7d33ba57:1b82db35

Located in eastern Poland, Lublin is a city where history, culture, and youthful energy come together. Often called the "Gateway to the East," Lublin blends Gothic and Renaissance architecture, vibrant street life, and deep historical roots—especially as a center of Jewish heritage and intellectual life.

🏙️ Top Things to See in Lublin

🏰 Lublin Castle

• A striking hilltop castle with a neo-Gothic façade and a beautifully preserved Romanesque chapel (Chapel of the Holy Trinity)
• Don’t miss the frescoes inside—a rare mix of Byzantine and Western art styles

🚪 Old Town (Stare Miasto)

• Wander through cobblestone streets, pastel buildings, and arched gateways
• Filled with cozy cafes, galleries, and vibrant murals
• The Grodzka Gate symbolizes the passage between Christian and Jewish quarters

🕯️ Lublin’s Jewish Heritage

• Visit the Grodzka Gate – NN Theatre, a powerful memorial and museum telling the story of the once-vibrant Jewish community
• Nearby Majdanek Concentration Camp offers a sobering but important historical experience

🎭 Culture & Events

• Lublin is known for its festivals, like Carnaval Sztukmistrzów (Festival of Magicians and Street Performers) and the Night of Culture
• The city has a thriving theatre and music scene, supported by its large student population

🌳 Green Spaces

• Relax in Saski Garden, a peaceful park with walking paths and fountains
• Or take a walk along the Bystrzyca River for a quieter, more local feel

🍽️ Local Tastes

• Sample Polish classics like pierogi, żurek (sour rye soup), and bigos (hunter’s stew)
• Look for modern twists on traditional dishes in Lublin’s growing number of bistros and artisan cafés

🚆 Getting There

• Easy access by train or bus from Warsaw (2–2.5 hours)
• Compact center—easily walkable

@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

Bitcoin has always been rooted in freedom and resistance to authority. I get that many of you are conflicted about the US Government stacking but by design we cannot stop anyone from using bitcoin. Many have asked me for my thoughts on the matter, so let’s rip it.

Concern

One of the most glaring issues with the strategic bitcoin reserve is its foundation, built on stolen bitcoin. For those of us who value private property this is an obvious betrayal of our core principles. Rather than proof of work, the bitcoin that seeds this reserve has been taken by force. The US Government should return the bitcoin stolen from Bitfinex and the Silk Road.

Usually stolen bitcoin for the reserve creates a perverse incentive. If governments see a bitcoin as a valuable asset, they will ramp up efforts to confiscate more bitcoin. The precedent is a major concern, and I stand strongly against it, but it should be also noted that governments were already seizing coin before the reserve so this is not really a change in policy.

Ideally all seized bitcoin should be burned, by law. This would align incentives properly and make it less likely for the government to actively increase coin seizures. Due to the truly scarce properties of bitcoin, all burned bitcoin helps existing holders through increased purchasing power regardless. This change would be unlikely but those of us in policy circles should push for it regardless. It would be best case scenario for American bitcoiners and would create a strong foundation for the next century of American leadership.

Optimism

The entire point of bitcoin is that we can spend or save it without permission. That said, it is a massive benefit to not have one of the strongest governments in human history actively trying to ruin our lives.

Since the beginning, bitcoiners have faced horrible regulatory trends. KYC, surveillance, and legal cases have made using bitcoin and building bitcoin businesses incredibly difficult. It is incredibly important to note that over the past year that trend has reversed for the first time in a decade. A strategic bitcoin reserve is a key driver of this shift. By holding bitcoin, the strongest government in the world has signaled that it is not just a fringe technology but rather truly valuable, legitimate, and worth stacking.

This alignment of incentives changes everything. The US Government stacking proves bitcoin’s worth. The resulting purchasing power appreciation helps all of us who are holding coin and as bitcoin succeeds our government receives direct benefit. A beautiful positive feedback loop.

Realism

We are trending in the right direction. A strategic bitcoin reserve is a sign that the state sees bitcoin as an asset worth embracing rather than destroying. That said, there is a lot of work left to be done. We cannot be lulled into complacency, the time to push forward is now, and we cannot take our foot off the gas. We have a seat at the table for the first time ever. Let's make it worth it.

We must protect the right to free usage of bitcoin and other digital technologies. Freedom in the digital age must be taken and defended, through both technical and political avenues. Multiple privacy focused developers are facing long jail sentences for building tools that protect our freedom. These cases are not just legal battles. They are attacks on the soul of bitcoin. We need to rally behind them, fight for their freedom, and ensure the ethos of bitcoin survives this new era of government interest. The strategic reserve is a step in the right direction, but it is up to us to hold the line and shape the future.

@ bbb5dda0:f09e2747

GitHub Actions (CI/CD) over Nostr

I Spent quite a bit of time on getting Nostr-based GitHub actions working. I have a basic runner implementation now, which i've reworked quite a bit when working with @dan on getting the front-end of it into gitworkshop.dev. We found that the nature of these jobs don't really lend itself to fit within the NIP-90 DVM spec.

What we have now: - A dvm-cicd-runner that - Advertises itself using NIP-89 announcements. - Takes a DVM request with: - repository - branch/ref - path to workflow file (.yml) - job timeout (max duration) - 🥜 Cashu prepayment for the job timeout (to be refunded) - Pulls the repository and executes the provided workflow file - Sends logs in batches as partial job results - Publishes job results and gets displayed in gitworkshop - Gitworkshop.dev (all nostr:npub15qydau2hjma6ngxkl2cyar74wzyjshvl65za5k5rl69264ar2exs5cyejr work) UI that : - Shows available workflow runners. - Instructing + paying runner to execute workflow file - Displaying job status, live updating with the latest logs / autoscroll, all the stuff you'd expect - Neatly displaying past jobs for the current repository

TODO'S + Ideas/vision

• TODO: refunding the unused minutes (job timeout - processing time) to the requester
• TODO: create seperate kinds/nip for worflow execution over nostr
• Create separate kinds for streaming arbitrary text data over nostr (line by line logs)
• automated git watchers for projects to kick of jobs
• Separate out workflow management stuff from gitworkshop.dev. A micro-app might serve better to manage runners for git projects etc and takes away pressure from gitworkshop.dev to do it all.
• Perhaps support just running .yaml files, without the requirement to have it in a git repo. Could just be a .yaml file on blossom.

TollGate

I spent most of my time working on TollGate. There's been a lot of back and forth to the drawing board to narrow down what the TollGate protocol looks like. I helped define some concepts on implementing a tollgate which we could use as language to discuss the different components that are part of a tollgate implementation. It helped us narrow down what was implementation and what is part of the protocol.

Current state of the project

• We have a website displaying the project: TollGate.me
• Worked on a basic android app for auto payments, validating we can auto-buy from tollgates by our phones
  • demo
• Presented TollGate at @Sats 'n Facts
• There's a protocol draft, presented at SEC-04
• We've done workshops, people were able to turn an OpenWRT router into a TollGate
• Building and releasing TollGate as a singular OpenWRT package, installable on any compatible architecture
• Building and releasing TollGate OS v0.0.1 (prebuilt OpenWRT image), targeting a few specific routers
• First tollgate deployed in the wild!! (At a restaurant in Funchal, Madeira)
• Other developers started to make their own adjacent implementations, which decentralizes the protocol already

What's next:

• We're gathering useful real user feedback to be incorporated in OS v0.0.2 soon
• Refine the protocol further
• Showing TollGate at various conferences in Europe throughout the summer
• Keep building the community, it's growing fast

Epoxy (Nostr based Addressing)

Although i've pivoted towards focusing on TollGate I worked out an implementation of my NIP-(1)37 proposal. During SEC-04 I worked out this browser plugin to demonstrate one way to make websites resistant to rugpulls.

It works by looking for a meta tag in the page's head: html <meta name="nostr-pubkey" relays="relay.site.com,other.relay.com">[hexPubkey]</meta>

When we've never recorded a pubkey for this domain, we save it. This pubkey now serves as the owner of the website. It looks for a kind 11111 event of that pubkey. It should list the current domain as one of it's domains. If not, it shows a warning.

The key concept is that if we visit this website again and one of these scenario's is true: - There is no longer a meta tag - There's another pubkey in the meta tag - The pubkey is still on the webpage, but the 11111 no longer lists this domain

Then we consider this domain as RUGPULLED and the user gets an error, suggesting to navigate to other domain listed by this pubkey. I'd like it to perhaps auto-redirect to another domain listed by the owner, this is especially useful for frequently rugged domains.

This extension does try to solve a bootstrapping problem. We need to establish the website's pubkey at some point. We have to start somewhere, which is why the first load is considered as the 'real' one, since we have no way of knowing for sure.

Other

🥜/⚡️ Receipt.Cash - Social Receipt sharing app

During SEC I worked on scratching an itch that has been lingering in my mind since SEC-03 already. And now that vibecoding is a thing it wasn't this huge undertaking anymore to handle the front-end stuff (which i suck at).

The usage scenario is a bunch of bitcoiners that are at a restaurant, we get the bill and want to split it amongst each other. One person can pay the bill, then: - Payer photographs receipt - Payer adds Cashu Payment request - Payer sets dev split % - App turns the receipt + request into a (encrypted) nostr event - The payer shares the event with QR or Share Menu

The friend scan the QR: - Receipt is loaded and displayed - Friend selects items they ordered - Friend hits pay button (⚡️Lightning or 🥜Cashu) and pays - Payment gets sent to Payer's cashu wallet - Dev split set by Payer goes to dev address.

Some features: - Change LLM model that processes the receipt to extract data - Proofs storage + recovery (if anything fails during processing)

Todo's: - Letting payer configure LNURL for payouts - Letting payer edit Receipt before sharing - Fix: live updates on settled items

The repo: receipt-cash

@ fd0bcf8c:521f98c0

The vag' sits on the edge of the highway, broken, hungry. Overhead flies a transcontinental plane filled with highly paid executives. The upper class has taken to the air, the lower class to the roads: there is no longer any bond between them, they are two nations."—The Sovereign Individual

Fire

I was talking to a friend last night. Coffee in hand. Watching flames consume branches. Spring night on his porch.

He believed in America's happy ending. Debt would vanish. Inflation would cool. Manufacturing would return. Good guys win.

I nodded. I wanted to believe.

He leaned forward, toward the flame. I sat back, watching both fire and sky.

His military photos hung inside. Service medals displayed. Patriotism bone-deep.

The pendulum clock on his porch wall swung steadily. Tick. Tock. Measuring moments. Marking epochs.

History tells another story. Not tragic. Just true.

Our time has come. America cut off couldn't compete. Factories sit empty. Supply chains span oceans. Skills lack. Children lag behind. Rebuilding takes decades.

Truth hurts. Truth frees.

Cycles

History moves in waves. Every 500 years, power shifts. Systems fall. Systems rise.

500 BC - Greek coins changed everything. Markets flourished. Athens dominated.

1 AD - Rome ruled commerce. One currency. Endless roads. Bustling ports.

500 AD - Rome faded. Not overnight. Slowly. Trade withered. Cities emptied. Money debased. Roads crumbled. Local strongmen rose. Peasants sought protection. Feudalism emerged.

People still lived. Still worked. Horizons narrowed. Knowledge concentrated. Most barely survived. Rich adapted. Poor suffered.

Self-reliance determined survival. Those growing food endured. Those making essential goods continued. Those dependent on imperial systems suffered most.

1000 AD - Medieval revival began. Venice dominated seas. China printed money. Cathedrals rose. Universities formed.

1500 AD - Europeans sailed everywhere. Spanish silver flowed. Banks financed kingdoms. Companies colonized continents. Power moved west.

The pendulum swung. East to West. West to East. Civilizations rose. Civilizations fell.

2000 AD - Pattern repeats. America strains. Digital networks expand. China rises. Debt swells. Old systems break.

We stand at the hinge.

Warnings

Signs everywhere. Dollar weakens globally. BRICS builds alternatives. Yuan buys oil. Factories rust. Debt exceeds GDP. Interest consumes budgets.

Bridges crumble. Education falters. Politicians chase votes. We consume. We borrow.

Rome fell gradually. Citizens barely noticed. Taxes increased. Currency devalued. Military weakened. Services decayed. Life hardened by degrees.

East Rome adapted. Survived centuries. West fragmented. Trade shrank. Some thrived. Others suffered. Life changed permanently.

Those who could feed themselves survived best. Those who needed the system suffered worst.

Pendulum

My friend poured another coffee. The burn pile popped loudly. Sparks flew upward like dying stars.

His face changed as facts accumulated. Military man. Trained to assess threats. Detect weaknesses.

He stared at the fire. National glory reduced to embers. Something shifted in his expression. Recognition.

His fingers tightened around his mug. Knuckles white. Eyes fixed on dying flames.

I traced the horizon instead. Observing landscape. Noting the contrast.

He touched the flag on his t-shirt. I adjusted my plain gray one.

The unpayable debt. The crumbling infrastructure. The forgotten manufacturing. The dependent supply chains. The devaluing currency.

The pendulum clock ticked. Relentless. Indifferent to empires.

His eyes said what his patriotism couldn't voice. Something fundamental breaking.

I'd seen this coming. Years traveling showed me. Different systems. Different values. American exceptionalism viewed from outside.

Pragmatism replaced my old idealism. See things as they are. Not as wished.

The logs shifted. Flames reached higher. Then lower. The cycle of fire.

Divergence

Society always splits during shifts.

Some adapt. Some don't.

Printing arrived. Scribes starved. Publishers thrived. Information accelerated. Readers multiplied. Ideas spread. Adapters prospered.

Steam engines came. Weavers died. Factory owners flourished. Villages emptied. Cities grew. Coal replaced farms. Railways replaced wagons. New skills meant survival.

Computers transformed everything. Typewriters vanished. Software boomed. Data replaced paper. Networks replaced cabinets. Programmers replaced typists. Digital skills determined success.

The self-reliant thrived in each transition. Those waiting for rescue fell behind.

Now AI reshapes creativity. Some artists resist. Some harness it. Gap widens daily.

Bitcoin offers refuge. Critics mock. Adopters build wealth. The distance grows.

Remote work redraws maps. Office-bound struggle. Location-free flourish.

The pendulum swings. Power shifts. Some rise with it. Some fall against it.

Two societies emerge. Adaptive. Resistant. Prepared. Pretending.

Advantage

Early adapters win. Not through genius. Through action.

First printers built empires. First factories created dynasties. First websites became giants.

Bitcoin followed this pattern. Laptop miners became millionaires. Early buyers became legends.

Critics repeat themselves: "Too volatile." "No value." "Government ban coming."

Doubters doubt. Builders build. Gap widens.

Self-reliance accelerates adaptation. No permission needed. No consensus required. Act. Learn. Build.

The burn pile flames like empire's glory. Bright. Consuming. Temporary.

Blindness

Our brains see tigers. Not economic shifts.

We panic at headlines. We ignore decades-long trends.

We notice market drops. We miss debt cycles.

We debate tweets. We ignore revolutions.

Not weakness. Just humanity. Foresight requires work. Study. Thought.

Self-reliant thinking means seeing clearly. No comforting lies. No pleasing narratives. Just reality.

The clock pendulum swings. Time passes regardless of observation.

Action

Empires fall. Families need security. Children need futures. Lives need meaning.

You can adapt faster than nations.

Assess honestly. What skills matter now? What preserves wealth? Who helps when needed?

Never stop learning. Factory workers learned code. Taxi drivers joined apps. Photographers went digital.

Diversify globally. No country owns tomorrow. Learn languages. Make connections. Stay mobile.

Protect your money. Dying empires debase currencies. Romans kept gold. Bitcoin offers similar shelter.

Build resilience. Grow food. Make energy. Stay strong. Keep friends. Read old books. Some things never change.

Self-reliance matters most. Can you feed yourself? Can you fix things? Can you solve problems? Can you create value without systems?

Movement

Humans were nomads first. Settlers second. Movement in our blood.

Our ancestors followed herds. Sought better lands. Survival meant mobility.

The pendulum swings here too. Nomad to farmer. City-dweller to digital nomad.

Rome fixed people to land. Feudalism bound serfs to soil. Nations created borders. Companies demanded presence.

Now technology breaks chains. Work happens anywhere. Knowledge flows everywhere.

The rebuild America seeks requires fixed positions. Factory workers. Taxpaying citizens in permanent homes.

But technology enables escape. Remote work. Digital currencies. Borderless businesses.

The self-reliant understand mobility as freedom. One location means one set of rules. One economy. One fate.

Many locations mean options. Taxes become predatory? Leave. Opportunities disappear? Find new ones.

Patriotism celebrates roots. Wisdom remembers wings.

My friend's boots dug into his soil. Planted. Territorial. Defending.

My Chucks rested lightly. Ready. Adaptable. Departing.

His toolshed held equipment to maintain boundaries. Fences. Hedges. Property lines.

My backpack contained tools for crossing them. Chargers. Adapters. Currency.

The burn pile flame flickers. Fixed in place. The spark flies free. Movement its nature.

During Rome's decline, the mobile survived best. Merchants crossing borders. Scholars seeking patrons. Those tied to crumbling systems suffered most.

Location independence means personal resilience. Economic downturns become geographic choices. Political oppression becomes optional suffering.

Technology shrinks distance. Digital work. Video relationships. Online learning.

Self-sovereignty requires mobility. The option to walk away. The freedom to arrive elsewhere.

Two more worlds diverge. The rooted. The mobile. The fixed. The fluid. The loyal. The free.

Hope

Not decline. Transition. Painful but temporary.

America may weaken. Humanity advances. Technology multiplies possibilities. Poverty falls. Knowledge grows.

Falling empires see doom. Rising ones see opportunity. Both miss half the picture.

Every shift brings destruction and creation. Rome fell. Europe struggled. Farms produced less. Cities shrank. Trade broke down.

Yet innovation continued. Water mills appeared. New plows emerged. Monks preserved books. New systems evolved.

Different doesn't mean worse for everyone.

Some industries die. Others birth. Some regions fade. Others bloom. Some skills become useless. Others become gold.

The self-reliant thrive in any world. They adapt. They build. They serve. They create.

Choose your role. Nostalgia or building.

The pendulum swings. East rises again. The cycle continues.

Fading

The burn pile dimmed. Embers fading. Night air cooling.

My friend's shoulders changed. Tension releasing. Something accepted.

His patriotism remained. His illusions departed.

The pendulum clock ticked steadily. Measuring more than minutes. Measuring eras.

Two coffee cups. His: military-themed, old and chipped but cherished. Mine: plain porcelain, new and unmarked.

His eyes remained on smoldering embers. Mine moved between him and the darkening trees.

His calendar marked local town meetings. Mine tracked travel dates.

The last flame flickered out. Spring peepers filled the silence.

In darkness, we watched smoke rise. The world changing. New choices ahead.

No empire lasts forever. No comfort in denial. Only clarity in acceptance.

Self-reliance the ancient answer. Build your skills. Secure your resources. Strengthen your body. Feed your mind. Help your neighbors.

The burn pile turned to ash. Empire's glory extinguished.

He stood facing his land. I faced the road.

A nod between us. Respect across division. Different strategies for the same storm.

He turned toward his home. I toward my vehicle.

The pendulum continued swinging. Power flowing east once more. Five centuries ending. Five centuries beginning.

"Bear in mind that everything that exists is already fraying at the edges." — Marcus Aurelius

Tomorrow depends not on nations. On us.

@ d23af4ac:7bf07adb

This is a test-note published directly from Obsidian

Heading 1

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Heading 2

Second paragraph text. * List item 1 * List item 2

js console.log("Hello world!")

Json

json { name: "Alise", age: 45 }

[!SCRUNCHABLE NOTE]- This should be collapsed when the page first loads. This should be collapsed when the page first loads. This should be collapsed when the page first loads. This should be collapsed when the page first loads. This should be collapsed when the page first loads. This should be collapsed when the page first loads. This should be collapsed when the page first loads. This should be collapsed when the page first loads. This should be collapsed when the page first loads. This should be collapsed when the page first loads.

[!DANGER] This is a "danger" type message. Should be properly formateed. This is a "danger" type message. Should be properly formateed. This is a "danger" type message. Should be properly formateed. This is a "danger" type message. Should be properly formateed. This is a "danger" type message. Should be properly formateed.

--

Pasted image:

![[Pasted image 20250218120714.png]]

This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote[^1]. This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote. This is a blockquote.

• [x] This is a completed task
• [ ] This is an uncompleted task
• [ ] This is also an uncompleted task

[!QUESTION] Will this inline code format properly? console.log('Yo momma so fat she took a spoon to the Super Bown'); Idk...

[^1]: Footnotes also supported? Even inside blockquotes? [^2]: Footnote in regular paragraph

@ 61bf790b:fe18b062

In a vast digital realm, two cities stood side by side: the towering, flashing metropolis of Feedia, and the decentralized, quiet city of Nostra.

Feedia was loud—blinding, buzzing, and always on. Screens plastered every wall, whispering the latest trends into citizens’ ears. But in this city, what you saw wasn’t up to you. It was determined by a towering, unseen force known as The Algorithm. It didn’t care what was true, meaningful, or helpful—only what would keep your eyes glued and your attention sold.

In Feedia, discovery wasn’t earned. It was assigned.

And worse—there was a caste system. To have a voice, you needed a Blue Check—a glowing badge that marked you as “worthy.” To get one, you had to pay or play. Pay monthly dues to the high towers or entertain The Algorithm enough to be deemed “valuable.” If you refused or couldn’t afford it, your voice was cast into the noise—buried beneath outrage bait and celebrity screams.

The unmarked were like ghosts—speaking into the void while the checked dined in Algorithm-favored towers. It was a digital monarchy dressed up as a democracy.

Then, there was Nostra.

There were no glowing checkmarks in Nostra—just signal. Every citizen had a light they carried, one that grew brighter the more they contributed: thoughtful posts, reshared ideas, built tools, or boosted others. Discovery was based not on payment or privilege, but participation and value.

In Nostra, you didn’t rise because you paid the gatekeeper—you rose because others lifted you. You weren’t spoon-fed; you sought, you found, you earned attention. It was harder, yes. But it was real.

And slowly, some in Feedia began to awaken. They grew tired of being fed fast-food content and ignored despite their voices. They looked across the river to Nostra, where minds weren’t bought—they were built.

And one by one, they began to cross.

@ 1b939fa8:1ebdc679

All of my outfit conversion mods and Nora's Commonwealth Reconstruction Project have requirements that are on Nexus and nowhere else. Exception for the outfit conversions is Devious Devices which is noted and links provided to Lovers Lab and other requirements. My mods are dependent on those original mods to work. If/when the originals come to DEG then I will update and remove the Nexus links in my descriptions.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VetGamerBoceifus01

X: https://x.com/boceifus2000

@ 1c197b12:242e1642

A Cypherpunk's Manifesto by Eric Hughes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Onward.

Eric Hughes hughes@soda.berkeley.edu

9 March 1993

@ 6c67a3f3:b0ebd196

On Black-Starting the United Kingdom

In the event of a total failure of the electric grid, the United Kingdom would face a task at once technical and Sisyphean: the so-called black start — the reawakening of the nation’s darkened arteries without any external supply of power. In idealized manuals, the task is rendered brisk and clean, requiring but a few days' labor. In the world in which we live, it would be slower, more uncertain, and at times perilously close to impossible.

Let us unfold the matter layer by layer.

I. The Nature of the Undertaking

A black start is not a mere throwing of switches, but a sequential ballet. Small generating stations — diesel engines, hydro plants, gas turbines — must first breathe life into cold transmission lines. Substations must be coaxed into readiness. Load must be picked up cautiously, lest imbalance bring the whole effort to naught. Islands of power are stitched together, synchronized with exquisite care.

Each step is fraught with fragility. An unseen misalignment, an unsignaled overload, and hours of labor are lost.

II. The Dream of the Engineers

In theory, according to the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO), the sequence would unfold thus: within half a day, core transmission lines humming; within a day or two, hospitals lit and water flowing; within three days, cities reawakened; within a week, the nation, broadly speaking, restored to life.

This vision presupposes a fantasy of readiness: that black-start units are operational and plentiful; that communications systems, so delicately dependent on mobile networks and the internet, endure; that personnel, trained and coordinated, are on hand in sufficient numbers; and that no sabotage, no accident, no caprice of nature interrupts the dance.

III. The Real Order of Things

Reality is more obstinate. Many black-start capable plants have been shuttered in the name of efficiency. The financial incentives once offered to private generators for black-start readiness were judged insufficient; the providers withdrew.

Grid operations now rely on a lattice of private interests, demanding slow and complicated coordination. Telecommunications are vulnerable in a deep blackout. The old hands, steeped in the tacit lore of manual restoration, have retired, their knowledge scattered to the four winds. Cyber vulnerabilities have multiplied, and the grid’s physical inertia — the very thing that grants a system grace under perturbation — has grown thin, leaving the UK exposed to sudden collapses should synchronization falter.

Under such conditions, the best of hopes might yield five to ten days of partial recovery. Weeks would be required to restore the former web of normalcy. In certain cases — in the face of physical damage to high-voltage transformers, whose replacements take months if not years — black-start might founder altogether.

IV. The Quiet Admissions of Officialdom

In its polite documents, the National Grid ESO speaks carefully: essential services might see restoration within three days, but full public service would require "up to a week or longer." If designated black-start units were to fail — a real risk, given recent audits showing many unready — the timelines would stretch indefinitely.

In plain speech: in a true national blackout, the nation’s restoration would be a gamble.

V. The Forking Paths Ahead

If all proceeds well, Britain might stumble into light within three days. If the adversities accumulate — cyberattack, internal sabotage, simple human miscalculation — the process would stretch into weeks, even months. In the gravest scenarios, the nation would reconstitute not as one great engine, but as isolated islands of power, each jury-rigged and vulnerable.

Meanwhile, the paradoxical truth is that small and simple systems — the grids of Jersey, Malta, and the like — would outpace their mightier cousins, not despite their modest scale but because of it.

VI. Conclusion

The British grid, in short, is a triumph of late modernity — and like all such triumphs, it carries within itself the seeds of its own fragility. It works magnificently until the day it does not. When that day comes, recovery will be neither swift nor sure, but a slow, halting reweaving of threads too easily frayed.

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

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

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

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

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

Cuz, ain't nobody got time for that.

@ 7e538978:a5987ab6

In Jericoacoara, Brazil, a beach town famed for its natural beauty and vibrant tourism, an innovative project is quietly reshaping how locals and visitors think about money. Praia Bitcoin is an ambitious initiative to build a circular economy powered entirely by Bitcoin.

Launched in 2021 by entrepreneur Fernando Motolese, Praia Bitcoin was inspired by the Bitcoin Beach project in El Zonte, El Salvador. The vision is simple: create a self-sustaining Bitcoin economy where businesses and individuals use Bitcoin everyday in place of fiat money.

This idea holds special significance in Jericoacoara, where traditional banking services are scarce. The town lacks even basic infrastructure like ATMs, making financial inclusion a pressing need. With Praia Bitcoin, Bitcoin isn’t just a store of value—it’s a tool to empower a community and connect it to the global economy.

Transforming Jericoacoara with Bitcoin

Since its inception, Praia Bitcoin has worked to foster Bitcoin adoption in the area. Starting with a modest donation of 0.02 BTC, Fernando and his team have built a thriving ecosystem:

• Over 40 businesses now accept Bitcoin, ranging from souvenir shops and tour operators to beach vendors.
• Local students have received Bitcoin-loaded tap-to-pay, Bolt Cards, to use in their daily lives.
• Creative initiatives like “Bitcoin Banana Day” or "Frutas por Sats" (fruits for sats) where children buy fruits for 10 satoshis at school, have brought global attention to the project.

Praia Bitcoin’s success isn’t just about the adoption numbers, it’s about the stories. Families use Bitcoin to shop, business owners save on transaction fees, and children are learning the value of sound money at an early age.

LNbits - The Technology Behind Praia Bitcoin

Creating an economy on Bitcoin’s Lightning Network requires more than enthusiasm, it needs robust tools that are easy to use and adaptable to local needs. That’s where LNbits comes in.

Fernando and the Praia Bitcoin team have used LNbits’ open-source software to solve practical challenges and scale the project. With its modular design, LNbits provides tools that allow Praia Bitcoin to:

• Set Up Wallets: Community members receive user-friendly wallets that connect seamlessly to the Lightning Network, enabling fast, low-cost transactions.
• Issue BoltCards: Using LNbits’ BoltCard extension, the team has distributed NFC-enabled cards, allowing tap-to-pay functionality that makes Bitcoin payments as simple as using a credit card.
• Enable Flexible Payments: The project utilizes LNbits’ Point of Sale TPoS extension that allows merchants to easily receive Lightning Network payments.

Breaking Records, Building Community

Fernando doesn’t just implement solutions, he pushes boundaries. One of his most remarkable achievements was an attempt to set a world record for the most Lightning Network payments in the shortest amount of time. Over the course of one afternoon, 100 children in Jericoacoara received payments of 21,000 satoshis each, demonstrating the scalability and speed of Lightning-powered transactions.

This wasn’t just a technical feat, it was a community moment. The event showed how Bitcoin could serve as a tool for engagement, education, and empowerment, all while highlighting the possibilities of using the Lightning Network for real-world applications.

A Collaborative Approach to Innovation

One of the unique strengths of LNbits is its ability to evolve based on community feedback. While Fernando Motolese and Praia Bitcoin operate independently, their insights have helped refine the LNbits platform.

For example, Fernando’s need for a PIN-less ATM functionality led the LNbits team to implement that feature in the TPoS extension, that had the functionality but required a security PIN. This kind of collaboration isn’t about formal partnerships. It’s about how an open-source ecosystem thrives when real-world needs drive innovation.

The feedback loop between users like Fernando and developers ensures LNbits remains practical and relevant—not just for Praia Bitcoin but for countless other projects worldwide.

The Ripple Effect of Praia Bitcoin

Praia Bitcoin is a case study in what’s possible when Bitcoin meets a strong vision. By leveraging Bitcoin, the Lightning Network and LNbits, the project has redefined financial access in Jericoacoara, proving that small communities can lead big innovations.

For LNbits, Praia Bitcoin showcases the value of adaptable, open-source solutions. Whether it’s creating wallets, enabling NFC payments, or refining tools for real-world use, LNbits provides the infrastructure that makes projects like Praia Bitcoin possible.

But beyond the technical achievements, Praia Bitcoin reminds us of the human impact of Bitcoin adoption. It’s about children buying their first bananas with satoshis, families running businesses with lower fees, and a community connecting to a global financial network for the first time.

Conclusion

Praia Bitcoin’s journey is only getting started and its success is inspiring similar initiatives worldwide. For LNbits, being part of this story, is a testament to the power of the software and of open-source collaboration.

If you’re ready to build the future of Bitcoin adoption, LNbits offers the tools to turn ideas into impact.

Learn More:
- Visit Praia Bitcoin: Praia Bitcoin
- Explore LNbits: LNbits

@ a4043831:3b64ac02

A professional financial advisor can guide you to achieve long-term financial stability. They can assist you to define your goals to formulate strategic planning coupled with rational decision-making. Since the options are varied and multiple, how can you go about choosing a fiduciary financial advisor whose approach matches their financial goals? This guide explains exactly how to pick a financial advisor who suits your individual financial targets.

Defining Your Financial Needs and Goals

You need to specify your financial aspirations as well as your essential requirements so an advisor can create a suitable plan for your portfolio. Starters should establish their monetary targets before initiating contact with financial consultants. Any objective requires planning such as retirement preparation and investment management and education savings along with wealth protection and growth needs to be identified. Knowing your financial goals helps you determine if an advisor’s experience matches the needs of reaching your targets. Before you conduct meetings with possible financial advisors you need to have clearly established financial goals which will make these meetings goal-focused and beneficial.

Trusted financial advisors at Passive Capital Management can help you check out financial plan tailored to your needs and goals.

Look For Professional Credentials and Qualifications

Review carefully the advisor’s qualifications after you establish your goals. The strict training and ethical assessments that CFP Certified Financial Planner and the CFA Chartered Financial Analyst professionals demonstrate their professionalism. The designations set by these organizations prove advisors maintain knowledge in planning, investments and regulatory requirements. It is essential to verify that the advisor operates under fiduciary standards since this legal requirement ensures they must always act according to your benefit. It is essential to verify if an advisor functions as a fiduciary all the time because some only act under specified circumstances. Get a direct and unambiguous statement about their status. Under fiduciary relationships your financial security stands as the main priority of your financial advisor while fiduciary arrangements reduce potential conflicts between your interests.

Understand the Advisor’s Investment Approach

While consulting an advisor, you might encounter several hidden conflicts of interest. So a robust advisor-client connection based on their mutual investment approach including strategy selection is essential. Review the risk approaches of your advisor through inquiries to learn about their portfolio design strategies and market investment strategies. Technical competence must be combined with an awareness of your risk tolerance and time preferences according to their responses. A reliable advisor will adapt their investment methods to match the risk tolerance of their client combined with their financial destination.

Review their Service Package and Communication Style

A competent financial advisor functions past standard investment management duties. Their service range needs to include full-scale financial planning in areas such as retirement income strategies along with tax and estate planning solutions and insurance assessments. Check that their service suite matches your financial development needs. The advisor needs to maintain both clear and predictable ways of communication. Reveal their review process schedule and disclosure methods for reporting metrics as well as their availability to respond to questions at any time during the year. Professional communication builds reliable relationships that involve active participant commitment in planning activities.

Clarify the Fee Structure

Knowing how your advisor gets paid gives you the essential knowledge needed for building trust between you both. Financial advisors conduct business through payment structures which include flat fees, percentage-based fees on managed assets and extra earnings from their advisory products. The different compensation models bring their own effects and outcomes to the process. The most significant aspect for you is receiving clear explanations about fees while they are in alignment with your financial planning. The first practice of transparent communication by an advisor suggests they will uphold that approach during your entire time together.

Conclusion

Alongside numerical expertise your ideal advisor should function as a trustworthy partner because they will dedicate themselves to your financial growth. Strategic decision-making depends on the establishment of clear objectives and verification of expertise as well as confirmation of fiduciary principles and comprehensive evaluation of communication methods and associated fees. Your financial destiny requires organized assessment along with expert consulting while the correct professional consultant enables you to move through every phase of your path with obvious direction and solid self-assurance.

@ c1157704:6423de51

English: "Politicians steal billions and get light sentences, while the poor get jailed for stealing bread. Is the law just a tool for the rich?"

@ 38e82785:9f8bc340

te

@ b8851a06:9b120ba1

It Begins with a Click

It starts with a click: “Do you agree to our terms and conditions?”\ You scroll, you click, you comply. A harmless act, right? But what if every click was a surrender? What if every "yes" was another link in the chain binding you to a life where freedom requires approval?

This is the age of permission. Every aspect of your life is mediated by gatekeepers. Governments demand forms, corporations demand clicks, and algorithms demand obedience. You’re free, of course, as long as you play by the rules. But who writes the rules? Who decides what’s allowed? Who owns your life?

---

Welcome to Digital Serfdom

We once imagined the internet as a digital frontier—a vast, open space where ideas could flow freely and innovation would know no bounds. But instead of creating a decentralized utopia, we built a new feudal system.

• Your data? Owned by the lords of Big Tech.
• Your money? Controlled by banks and bureaucrats who can freeze it on a whim.
• Your thoughts? Filtered by algorithms that reward conformity and punish dissent.

The modern internet is a land of serfs and lords, and guess who’s doing the farming? You. Every time you agree to the terms, accept the permissions, or let an algorithm decide for you, you till the fields of a system designed to control, not liberate.

They don’t call it control, of course. They call it “protection.” They say, “We’re keeping you safe,” as they build a cage so big you can’t see the bars.

---

Freedom in Chains

But let’s be honest: we’re not just victims of this system—we’re participants. We’ve traded freedom for convenience, sovereignty for security. It’s easier to click “I Agree” than to read the fine print. It’s easier to let someone else hold your money than to take responsibility for it yourself. It’s easier to live a life of quiet compliance than to risk the chaos of true independence.

We tell ourselves it’s no big deal. What’s one click? What’s one form? But the permissions pile up. The chains grow heavier. And one day, you wake up and realize you’re free to do exactly what the system allows—and nothing more.

---

The Great Unpermissioning

It doesn’t have to be this way. You don’t need their approval. You don’t need their systems. You don’t need their permission.

The Great Unpermissioning is not a movement—it’s a mindset. It’s the refusal to accept a life mediated by gatekeepers. It’s the quiet rebellion of saying, “No.” It’s the realization that the freedom you seek won’t be granted—it must be reclaimed.

• Stop asking. Permission is their tool. Refusal is your weapon.
• Start building. Embrace tools that decentralize power: Bitcoin, encryption, open-source software, decentralized communication. Build systems they can’t control.
• Stand firm. They’ll tell you it’s dangerous. They’ll call you a radical. But remember: the most dangerous thing you can do is comply.

The path won’t be easy. Freedom never is. But it will be worth it.

---

The New Frontier

The age of permission has turned us into digital serfs, but there’s a new frontier on the horizon. It’s a world where you control your money, your data, your decisions. It’s a world of encryption, anonymity, and sovereignty. It’s a world built not on permission but on principles.

This world won’t be given to you. You have to build it. You have to fight for it. And it starts with one simple act: refusing to comply.

---

A Final Word

They promised us safety, but what they delivered was submission. The age of permission has enslaved us to the mundane, the monitored, and the mediocre. The Great Unpermissioning isn’t about tearing down the old world—it’s about walking away from it.

You don’t need to wait for their approval. You don’t need to ask for their permission. The freedom you’re looking for is already yours. Permission is their power—refusal is yours.

@ 56cd780f:cbde8b29

And this is the regular text.

@ b8851a06:9b120ba1

Brett Scott’s recent metaphor of Bitcoin as a wrestling gimmick, reliant on hype and dollar-dependence, reduces a groundbreaking monetary innovation to shallow theatrics. Let’s address his key missteps with hard facts.

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1. Bitcoin Isn’t an Asset in the System—It’s the System

Scott claims Bitcoin competes with stocks, bonds, and gold in a financial "wrestling ring." This misrepresents Bitcoin’s purpose: it’s not an investment vehicle but a decentralized monetary network. Unlike assets, Bitcoin enables permissionless global value transfer, censorship resistance, and self-sovereign wealth storage—capabilities fiat currencies cannot match.

Fact: Bitcoin processes over $8 billion in daily transactions, settling more value annually than PayPal and Venmo combined. It isn’t competing with assets but offering an alternative to the monetary system itself.

---

2. Volatility Is Growth, Not Failure

Scott critiques Bitcoin’s price volatility as evidence of its unsuitability as "money." However, volatility is a natural stage in the adoption of transformative technology. Bitcoin is scaling from niche use to global recognition. Its growing liquidity and adoption already make it more stable than fiat in inflationary economies.

Fact: Bitcoin’s annualized volatility has decreased by 53% since 2013 and continues to stabilize as adoption rises. It’s the best-performing asset of the last decade, with an average annual ROI of 147%—far outpacing stocks, gold, and real estate. As of February 2024, Bitcoin's volatility was lower than roughly 900 stocks in the S and P 1500 and 190 stocks in the S and P 500. It continues to stabilize as adoption rises, making it an increasingly attractive store of value.

---

3. Bitcoin’s Utility Extends Beyond Countertrade

Scott diminishes Bitcoin to a "countertrade token," reliant on its dollar price. This ignores Bitcoin’s primary functions:

• Medium of exchange: Used in remittances, cross-border payments, and for the unbanked in Africa today (e.g., Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya).
• Store of value: A hedge against inflation and failing fiat systems (e.g., Argentina, Lebanon, Turkey).
• Decentralized reserve asset: Held by over 1,500 public and private institutions, including Tesla, MicroStrategy, and nations like El Salvador.

Fact: Lightning Network adoption has grown 1,500% in capacity since 2021, enabling microtransactions and reducing fees—making Bitcoin increasingly viable for everyday use. As of December 2024, Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 2.7% of global cryptocurrency transaction volume, with Nigeria ranking second worldwide in crypto adoption. This demonstrates Bitcoin's real-world utility beyond mere speculation.

---

4. Bitcoin Isn’t Controlled by the Dollar

Scott suggests Bitcoin strengthens the dollar system rather than challenging it. In truth, Bitcoin exists outside the control of any nation-state. It offers people in authoritarian regimes and hyperinflationary economies a lifeline when their local currencies fail.

Fact: Over 70% of Bitcoin transactions occur outside the U.S., with adoption highest in countries like Nigeria, India, Venezuela, China, the USA and Ukraine—where the dollar isn’t dominant but government overreach and fiat collapse are. This global distribution shows Bitcoin's independence from dollar dominance.

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5. Hype vs. Adoption

Scott mocks Bitcoin’s evangelists but fails to acknowledge its real-world traction. Bitcoin adoption isn’t driven by hype but by trustless, verifiable technology solving real-world problems. People don’t buy Bitcoin for "kayfabe"; they buy it for what it does.

Fact: Bitcoin wallets reached 500 million globally in 2023. El Salvador’s Chivo wallet onboarded 4 million users (60% of the population) within a year—far from a gimmick in action. As of December 2024, El Salvador's Bitcoin portfolio has crossed $632 million in value, with an unrealized profit of $362 million, demonstrating tangible benefits beyond hype.

---

6. The Dollar’s Coercive Monopoly vs. Bitcoin’s Freedom

Scott defends fiat money as more than "just numbers," backed by state power. He’s correct: fiat relies on coercion, legal mandates, and inflationary extraction. Bitcoin, by contrast, derives value from transparent scarcity (capped at 21 million coins) and decentralized consensus, not military enforcement or political whims.

Fact: Bitcoin’s inflation rate is just 1.8%—lower than gold or the U.S. dollar—and will approach 0% by 2140. No fiat currency can match this predictability. As of December 2024, Bitcoin processes an average of 441,944 transactions per day, showcasing its growing role as a global, permissionless monetary system free from centralized control.

---

Conclusion: The Revolution Is Real

Scott’s "wrestling gimmick" analogy trivializes Bitcoin’s purpose and progress. Bitcoin isn’t just a speculative asset—it’s the first truly decentralized, apolitical form of money. Whether as a hedge against inflation, a tool for financial inclusion, or a global settlement network, Bitcoin is transforming how we think about money.

Dismiss it as a gimmick at your peril. The world doesn’t need another asset—it needs Bitcoin.

"If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry." Once Satoshi said.

There is no second best.

@ 56cd780f:cbde8b29

I will add a picture, a hyperlink and a video. Let’s see if it works.

Click here for youtube!

@ 06b7819d:d1d8327c

The Peano axioms are a set of rules that define the natural numbers (like 0, 1, 2, 3, and so on) in a logical way. Here’s a simplified explanation: 1. There is a first number: There is a number called zero, and it is the starting point for all natural numbers. 2. Each number has a next number: Every number has a unique “successor,” or the number that comes after it (like 1 comes after 0, 2 comes after 1, etc.). 3. Zero is special: Zero is not the “next” number of any other number. This means the sequence of natural numbers doesn’t loop back to zero. 4. No two numbers are the same if they have different successors: If two numbers have the same “next” number, then they must actually be the same number. 5. Patterns hold for all numbers: If something is true for zero, and it stays true when moving from one number to the next, then it must be true for all numbers.

These principles lay the groundwork for understanding and working with the natural numbers systematically.

@ 56cd780f:cbde8b29

Is it still working?

@ 06b7819d:d1d8327c

Power as the Reduction of Possibilities: Niklas Luhmann’s Perspective

Niklas Luhmann, a leading figure in systems theory, offers a unique conceptualization of power that diverges from traditional notions of domination or coercion. Rather than viewing power as a forceful imposition of will, Luhmann frames it as a mechanism for reducing possibilities within a given social system. For Luhmann, power is less about direct coercion and more about structuring decision-making processes by limiting the range of available options.

In his systems-theoretical approach, Luhmann argues that power operates as a communication medium, enabling complex social systems to function by simplifying the overwhelming array of potential actions. In any decision-making context, there are countless possibilities, and not all can be pursued. Power serves as a tool to focus attention, filter alternatives, and channel behavior toward specific actions while excluding others. This reduction of options creates a manageable environment for coordinated action, which is essential for the stability of a system.

Importantly, this process does not inherently involve force or threats. Instead, power works through expectations, norms, and structures that guide behavior. For example, in an organizational setting, the hierarchy of authority determines which decisions are permissible, thereby shaping the actions of individuals without overt coercion. The employees’ actions are not forced; rather, they are conditioned by the organizational framework, which narrows their choices.

Luhmann’s idea redefines power as a productive force in social systems. By limiting possibilities, power reduces uncertainty, making collaboration and collective action possible. It ensures that systems can function efficiently despite their inherent complexity. This perspective shifts the emphasis from conflict to coordination, offering a more nuanced understanding of how power operates in modern societies.

In sum, Niklas Luhmann’s theory of power as the reduction of possibilities highlights its integrative role in enabling social systems to navigate complexity. It challenges conventional views of power as coercion, emphasizing its capacity to organize and stabilize interactions through the selective limitation of actions.

@ 52b4a076:e7fad8bd

I have been recently building NFDB, a new relay DB. This post is meant as a short overview.

Regular relays have challenges

Current relay software have significant challenges, which I have experienced when hosting Nostr.land: - Scalability is only supported by adding full replicas, which does not scale to large relays. - Most relays use slow databases and are not optimized for large scale usage. - Search is near-impossible to implement on standard relays. - Privacy features such as NIP-42 are lacking. - Regular DB maintenance tasks on normal relays require extended downtime. - Fault-tolerance is implemented, if any, using a load balancer, which is limited. - Personalization and advanced filtering is not possible. - Local caching is not supported.

NFDB: A scalable database for large relays

NFDB is a new database meant for medium-large scale relays, built on FoundationDB that provides: - Near-unlimited scalability - Extended fault tolerance - Instant loading - Better search - Better personalization - and more.

Search

NFDB has extended search capabilities including: - Semantic search: Search for meaning, not words. - Interest-based search: Highlight content you care about. - Multi-faceted queries: Easily filter by topic, author group, keywords, and more at the same time. - Wide support for event kinds, including users, articles, etc.

Personalization

NFDB allows significant personalization: - Customized algorithms: Be your own algorithm. - Spam filtering: Filter content to your WoT, and use advanced spam filters. - Topic mutes: Mute topics, not keywords. - Media filtering: With Nostr.build, you will be able to filter NSFW and other content - Low data mode: Block notes that use high amounts of cellular data. - and more

Other

NFDB has support for many other features such as: - NIP-42: Protect your privacy with private drafts and DMs - Microrelays: Easily deploy your own personal microrelay - Containers: Dedicated, fast storage for discoverability events such as relay lists

Calcite: A local microrelay database

Calcite is a lightweight, local version of NFDB that is meant for microrelays and caching, meant for thousands of personal microrelays.

Calcite HA is an additional layer that allows live migration and relay failover in under 30 seconds, providing higher availability compared to current relays with greater simplicity. Calcite HA is enabled in all Calcite deployments.

For zero-downtime, NFDB is recommended.

Noswhere SmartCache

Relays are fixed in one location, but users can be anywhere.

Noswhere SmartCache is a CDN for relays that dynamically caches data on edge servers closest to you, allowing: - Multiple regions around the world - Improved throughput and performance - Faster loading times

routerd

routerd is a custom load-balancer optimized for Nostr relays, integrated with SmartCache.

routerd is specifically integrated with NFDB and Calcite HA to provide fast failover and high performance.

Ending notes

NFDB is planned to be deployed to Nostr.land in the coming weeks.

A lot more is to come. 👀️️️️️️

@ 56cd780f:cbde8b29

Is it actually called “summary”?

@ 40b9c85f:5e61b451

Introduction

Data Vending Machines (DVMs) have emerged as a crucial component of the Nostr ecosystem, offering specialized computational services to clients across the network. As defined in NIP-90, DVMs operate on an apparently simple principle: "data in, data out." They provide a marketplace for data processing where users request specific jobs (like text translation, content recommendation, or AI text generation)

While DVMs have gained significant traction, the current specification faces challenges that hinder widespread adoption and consistent implementation. This article explores some ideas on how we can apply the reflection pattern, a well established approach in RPC systems, to address these challenges and improve the DVM ecosystem's clarity, consistency, and usability.

The Current State of DVMs: Challenges and Limitations

The NIP-90 specification provides a broad framework for DVMs, but this flexibility has led to several issues:

1. Inconsistent Implementation

As noted by hzrd149 in "DVMs were a mistake" every DVM implementation tends to expect inputs in slightly different formats, even while ostensibly following the same specification. For example, a translation request DVM might expect an event ID in one particular format, while an LLM service could expect a "prompt" input that's not even specified in NIP-90.

2. Fragmented Specifications

The DVM specification reserves a range of event kinds (5000-6000), each meant for different types of computational jobs. While creating sub-specifications for each job type is being explored as a possible solution for clarity, in a decentralized and permissionless landscape like Nostr, relying solely on specification enforcement won't be effective for creating a healthy ecosystem. A more comprehensible approach is needed that works with, rather than against, the open nature of the protocol.

3. Ambiguous API Interfaces

There's no standardized way for clients to discover what parameters a specific DVM accepts, which are required versus optional, or what output format to expect. This creates uncertainty and forces developers to rely on documentation outside the protocol itself, if such documentation exists at all.

The Reflection Pattern: A Solution from RPC Systems

The reflection pattern in RPC systems offers a compelling solution to many of these challenges. At its core, reflection enables servers to provide metadata about their available services, methods, and data types at runtime, allowing clients to dynamically discover and interact with the server's API.

In established RPC frameworks like gRPC, reflection serves as a self-describing mechanism where services expose their interface definitions and requirements. In MCP reflection is used to expose the capabilities of the server, such as tools, resources, and prompts. Clients can learn about available capabilities without prior knowledge, and systems can adapt to changes without requiring rebuilds or redeployments. This standardized introspection creates a unified way to query service metadata, making tools like grpcurl possible without requiring precompiled stubs.

How Reflection Could Transform the DVM Specification

By incorporating reflection principles into the DVM specification, we could create a more coherent and predictable ecosystem. DVMs already implement some sort of reflection through the use of 'nip90params', which allow clients to discover some parameters, constraints, and features of the DVMs, such as whether they accept encryption, nutzaps, etc. However, this approach could be expanded to provide more comprehensive self-description capabilities.

1. Defined Lifecycle Phases

Similar to the Model Context Protocol (MCP), DVMs could benefit from a clear lifecycle consisting of an initialization phase and an operation phase. During initialization, the client and DVM would negotiate capabilities and exchange metadata, with the DVM providing a JSON schema containing its input requirements. nip-89 (or other) announcements can be used to bootstrap the discovery and negotiation process by providing the input schema directly. Then, during the operation phase, the client would interact with the DVM according to the negotiated schema and parameters.

2. Schema-Based Interactions

Rather than relying on rigid specifications for each job type, DVMs could self-advertise their schemas. This would allow clients to understand which parameters are required versus optional, what type validation should occur for inputs, what output formats to expect, and what payment flows are supported. By internalizing the input schema of the DVMs they wish to consume, clients gain clarity on how to interact effectively.

3. Capability Negotiation

Capability negotiation would enable DVMs to advertise their supported features, such as encryption methods, payment options, or specialized functionalities. This would allow clients to adjust their interaction approach based on the specific capabilities of each DVM they encounter.

Implementation Approach

While building DVMCP, I realized that the RPC reflection pattern used there could be beneficial for constructing DVMs in general. Since DVMs already follow an RPC style for their operation, and reflection is a natural extension of this approach, it could significantly enhance and clarify the DVM specification.

A reflection enhanced DVM protocol could work as follows: 1. Discovery: Clients discover DVMs through existing NIP-89 application handlers, input schemas could also be advertised in nip-89 announcements, making the second step unnecessary. 2. Schema Request: Clients request the DVM's input schema for the specific job type they're interested in 3. Validation: Clients validate their request against the provided schema before submission 4. Operation: The job proceeds through the standard NIP-90 flow, but with clearer expectations on both sides

Parallels with Other Protocols

This approach has proven successful in other contexts. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) implements a similar lifecycle with capability negotiation during initialization, allowing any client to communicate with any server as long as they adhere to the base protocol. MCP and DVM protocols share fundamental similarities, both aim to expose and consume computational resources through a JSON-RPC-like interface, albeit with specific differences.

gRPC's reflection service similarly allows clients to discover service definitions at runtime, enabling generic tools to work with any gRPC service without prior knowledge. In the REST API world, OpenAPI/Swagger specifications document interfaces in a way that makes them discoverable and testable.

DVMs would benefit from adopting these patterns while maintaining the decentralized, permissionless nature of Nostr.

Conclusion

I am not attempting to rewrite the DVM specification; rather, explore some ideas that could help the ecosystem improve incrementally, reducing fragmentation and making the ecosystem more comprehensible. By allowing DVMs to self describe their interfaces, we could maintain the flexibility that makes Nostr powerful while providing the structure needed for interoperability.

For developers building DVM clients or libraries, this approach would simplify consumption by providing clear expectations about inputs and outputs. For DVM operators, it would establish a standard way to communicate their service's requirements without relying on external documentation.

I am currently developing DVMCP following these patterns. Of course, DVMs and MCP servers have different details; MCP includes capabilities such as tools, resources, and prompts on the server side, as well as 'roots' and 'sampling' on the client side, creating a bidirectional way to consume capabilities. In contrast, DVMs typically function similarly to MCP tools, where you call a DVM with an input and receive an output, with each job type representing a different categorization of the work performed.

Without further ado, I hope this article has provided some insight into the potential benefits of applying the reflection pattern to the DVM specification.

@ 56cd780f:cbde8b29

A few weeks ago, I ran into an old friend at a coffee shop. We hadn’t spoken in years, and within five minutes, she said something I’ve heard countless times:

“I just feel like I’m so behind.”

Behind who? Behind what?

There’s this idea—quiet, nagging, oddly universal—that we’re all somehow in a race we didn’t sign up for. That we’re supposed to have hit certain milestones by certain ages. That if we’re not married, promoted, rich, settled, happy (and photogenic) by 30 or 40 or pick your poison, then we’ve failed some invisible test.

Where did this come from?

Some of it’s cultural, obviously. Social media compresses timelines. You’re 27, doom-scrolling, and suddenly someone from high school just IPO’d their startup and got engaged in Rome. Another just bought a house with a kitchen island the size of a small country. You wonder if you missed a memo.

But beneath that, there’s something deeper. A belief that life is linear. That it should look like a staircase: school, job, marriage, house, kids, success. But real life? It’s a squiggle. A mess. A beautiful disaster.

Here’s the truth: You’re not behind. There’s no schedule. There’s only your path, and the courage it takes to stay on it—even when it looks wildly different from everyone else’s.

I say this as someone who has taken the “scenic route.” I changed careers in my 30s. I moved cities on a hunch. I dropped things that looked great on paper because they felt wrong in my gut. I’ve had seasons of momentum and seasons of stuckness. Both were necessary.

“Catching up” assumes there’s a fixed destination. But what if there isn’t? What if the point isn’t arrival, but presence? Progress that feels real, not performative?

If you need a permission slip to stop comparing, let this be it.

You’re not late. You’re not early.
You’re right on time.

@ 06b7819d:d1d8327c

The History of Bananas as an Exportable Fruit and the Rise of Banana Republics

Bananas became a significant export in the late 19th century, fueled by advancements in transportation and refrigeration that allowed the fruit to travel long distances without spoilage. Originally native to Southeast Asia, bananas were introduced to the Americas by European colonists. By the late 1800s, companies like the United Fruit Company (later Chiquita) and Standard Fruit Company (now Dole) began cultivating bananas on a large scale in Central America and the Caribbean.

These corporations capitalized on the fruit’s appeal—bananas were cheap, nutritious, and easy to transport. The fruit quickly became a staple in Western markets, especially in the United States. However, the rapid expansion of banana exports came at a significant political and social cost to the countries where the fruit was grown.

To maintain control over banana production and maximize profits, these companies required vast amounts of arable land, labor, and favorable trade conditions. This often led them to form close relationships with local governments, many of which were authoritarian and corrupt. The companies influenced policies to secure land concessions, suppress labor rights, and maintain low taxes.

The term “banana republic” was coined by writer O. Henry in 1904 to describe countries—particularly in Central America—that became politically unstable due to their economic dependence on a single export crop, often controlled by foreign corporations.

The U.S. government frequently supported these regimes as part of its broader strategy during the Cold War to counter communist influence in the region. Washington feared that labor movements and demands for land reform, often supported by the peasantry and indigenous groups, could lead to the rise of socialist or communist governments. Consequently, the U.S. backed coups, such as the 1954 overthrow of Guatemala’s democratically elected President Jacobo Árbenz, who had threatened United Fruit’s interests by redistributing unused land.

These interventions created a legacy of exploitation, environmental degradation, and political instability in many banana-exporting countries. While bananas remain a global dietary staple, their history underscores the complex interplay of economics, politics, and imperialism.

@ 06b7819d:d1d8327c

Benjamin Franklin and His Fondness for Madeira Wine

Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s most celebrated founding fathers, was not only a statesman, scientist, and writer but also a man of refined taste. Among his many indulgences, Franklin was particularly fond of Madeira wine, a fortified wine from the Portuguese Madeira Islands. His love for this drink was well-documented and reflects both his personal preferences and the broader cultural trends of 18th-century America.

The Allure of Madeira Wine

Madeira wine was highly prized in the 18th century due to its unique production process and exceptional durability. Its rich, fortified nature made it well-suited for long sea voyages, as it could withstand temperature fluctuations and aging in transit. This durability made Madeira a popular choice in the American colonies, where European wines often spoiled before arrival.

Franklin, who was known for his appreciation of fine things, embraced Madeira as a beverage of choice. Its complex flavors and storied reputation resonated with his intellectual and social pursuits. The wine was often served at dinners and social gatherings, where Franklin and his contemporaries debated ideas and shaped the future of the nation.

Franklin’s Personal Connection to Madeira

In Franklin’s writings and correspondence, Madeira is mentioned on several occasions, reflecting its prominence in his life. He referred to the wine not only as a personal pleasure but also as a symbol of hospitality and refinement. As a diplomat in France and England, Franklin often carried Madeira to share with his hosts, using it as a means of forging connections and showcasing the tastes of the American colonies.

One notable instance of Franklin’s affinity for Madeira occurred during his time in Philadelphia. He reportedly had cases of the wine shipped directly to his home, ensuring he would never be without his favorite drink. Madeira also featured prominently in many toasts and celebrations, becoming a hallmark of Franklin’s gatherings.

The Role of Madeira in Colonial America

Franklin’s fondness for Madeira reflects its broader significance in colonial America. The wine was not only a favorite of the elite but also a symbol of resistance to British taxation. When the British imposed heavy duties on imported goods, including wine, Madeira became a patriotic choice for many colonists. Its direct trade routes with the Madeira Islands circumvented British intermediaries, allowing Americans to assert their economic independence.

A Legacy of Taste

Franklin’s appreciation for Madeira wine endures as a charming detail of his multifaceted life. It offers a glimpse into the personal habits of one of America’s most influential figures and highlights the cultural exchanges that shaped colonial society. Today, Franklin’s love of Madeira serves as a reminder of the historical connections between wine, politics, and personal expression in the 18th century.

In honoring Franklin’s legacy, one might raise a glass of Madeira to toast not only his contributions to American independence but also his enduring influence on the art of living well.

@ c3b2802b:4850599c

Am 11. April 2022, einem sonnigen Frühlingstag, schaute ich gegen 11 Uhr seit langem wieder einmal bei Roßleben an der Unstrut mit Muße in den Himmel. Gemeinsam mit Regina, meiner Frau. Wir sind jetzt im Ruhestand – und hatten uns im Jahr 1974 unter dem Himmel von Roßleben verliebt.

Was wir da sahen, können Sie im Titelbild oben nachvollziehen. Überrascht beobachteten wir ein Weile, was da passiert, doch die Streifen, offenkundig von Flugzeugen hinterlassen, lösten sich nicht auf, sondern verbanden sich allmählich zu einem zusammenhängenden Dunstschleier, festgehalten im folgenden Foto:

Überrascht waren wir, weil wir vor knapp 50 Jahren am gleichen Himmel zwar auch schon Flugzeuge gesehen hatten, die hatten allerdings nicht derartige von Horizont zu Horizont reichenden Spuren hinterlassen. Einige Tage später gelang mir eine Aufnahme, die einen von anno dazumal vertrauten Kondensstreifen eines Flugzeuges zeigt:

Gemeint ist die senkrecht in der Bildmitte verlaufende kurze Spur. Darunter der waagrechte Streifen zeigt das heute eher übliche Bild.

Als neugieriger Mensch bat ich das für solche Fragen zuständige Bundesumweltamt um Auskunft, wie diese Himmelserscheinungen zu erklären sind. Hier die Fragen, die ich mit den Fotos an das Umweltbundesamt gesendet habe:

1.      Seit wann genau hinterlassen Flugzeuge über deutschem Luftraum Spuren, welche länger als 5 Minuten am Himmel sichtbar sind, sich ausbreiten und in Form von Dunstschleiern über Stunden am Himmel verbleiben?

2.      Inwieweit wurde die Durchführung entsprechender Beschlüsse, welche die beobachtbare Schleierbildung herbeiführen, von demokratischen Gremien unseres Landes, z.B. dem deutschen Bundestag, genehmigt?

3.      Welche Entscheidungsträger in unserem Land sind für diese Vorgänge verantwortlich?

4.      Gibt es in diesem Zusammenhang internationale Geoingeneering-Programme, an denen Deutschland beteiligt ist? Wenn ja, welche sind das?

5.      Was ist Ihnen über Partikel bzw. Substanzen bekannt, welche die langandauernde Sichtbarkeit dieser Schleier verursachen?

6.      Was ist Ihnen über Folgeschäden durch die offenkundige Beeinflussung der Lichteinstrahlung oder durch Herabsenken von Partikeln bzw. Substanzen in diesen Schleiern auf Pflanzen, Tiere und Menschen bekannt?

7.      Welche Möglichkeiten sehen Sie in Ihrem Amt, zur wissenschaftlichen Aufklärung und ggf. Beendigung dieser Dunstschleier-Aktivitäten beizutragen?

Hier die Antwort des Bundesamtes:

Sehr geehrter Herr Professor, danke für Ihre Anfrage.

Aus unserer Sicht handelt es sich bei Ihren Beobachtungen um Kondensstreifen. Sie entstehen in hinreichend kalter Atmosphäre als Folge der Wasserdampfemissionen aus Flugzeugtriebwerken. Bei niedriger Feuchte lösen sich Kondensstreifen rasch wieder auf. Ist die Atmosphäre jedoch hinreichend feucht, können Kondensstreifen länger existieren und weiter wachsen. Unter geeigneten Bedingungen können sie sich zu großflächigen Zirruswolken, die im Falle einer solchen Entstehungsgeschichte Contrail-Cirrus heißen, entwickeln. Contrail-Cirrus ist dann nicht mehr von natürlichen Zirren unterscheidbar, falls nicht seine gesamte Entstehungsgeschichte beobachtet wurde.

Nehmen Zirruswolken, die optisch sehr dünn sein können, eine große Fläche ein, erscheint dem Beobachter der Himmel milchig weiß. Im Mittel sind rund 0,06 Prozent der Erde mit (linienförmigen) Kondensstreifen bedeckt. Gegenden mit hohem Flugverkehrsaufkommen erreichen deutlich höhere Bedeckungsgrade. So lag Mitte der neunziger Jahre der Wert für Europa bei 0,5 Prozent. Der Bedeckungsgrad durch Contrail-Cirrus ist noch nicht bekannt. Erste Schätzungen liefern Werte, die etwa zehnmal so groß sind wie der Bedeckungsgrad mit linienförmigen Kondensstreifen.

Altern Kondensstreifen, bleiben sie nicht glatt, sondern können Formen bilden. Dieser Vorgang ist ein lange bekanntes Phänomen und eine Folge der Turbulenz, die in der Atmosphäre allgegenwärtig ist. Diese Formen lassen sich auch durch Modellsimulationen reproduzieren.

Mehrere Kondensstreifen nebeneinander entstehen zum Beispiel dadurch, dass Flugzeuge festen Routen folgen und die Windrichtung in der Höhe von der Flugroute abweicht. Die Kondensstreifen verschieben sich dadurch seitlich. An Knotenpunkten der Flugrouten können sich Kondensstreifen unterschiedlicher Orientierung bilden. Als Folge der Verschiebung der Kondensstreifen können dann auch rautenförmige Muster entstehen. Da Windrichtung und -geschwindigkeit praktisch nie gleich sind, entstehen aus vormals geraden Mustern gekrümmte Formen. Außerdem fliegen Flugzeuge nicht immer nur geradeaus, sondern auch Kurven, insbesondere während Warteschleifen in Flughafennähe. In diesem Fall können gekrümmte Kondensstreifen entstehen.

Nähere Informationen zur Bildung von Kondensstreifen gibt das DLR auf folgender Internetseite: http://www.dlr.de/pa/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-2554/3836_read-5746/

Uns sind die Vorschläge, die unter dem Stichwort Geo-Engineering oder Climate-Engineering zusammengefasst werden, bekannt. Wir haben dazu bereits 2011 eine umfassende Broschüre veröffentlicht.

In dieser Broschüre stellen wir auch die großen Risiken, die mit Geo-Engineering verbunden wären, ausführlich dar. Es gibt in Deutschland auch keinerlei Planungen staatlicher Institutionen zur Durchführung von Geo-Engineering. Die existierenden Vorschläge zum Geo-Engineering sind zum größten Teil nicht ausgereift und werden auch in der Praxis nicht angewendet. Es ist nicht geklärt, welche schwerwiegenden, unerwünschten Nebenwirkungen auftreten könnten. Zudem gibt es gar keine ausreichende rechtliche Basis für Geo-Engineering. Wörtlich heißt es in unserer Broschüre auf Seite 4: „Angesichts der Tragweite von Geo-Engineering-Maßnahmen und den großen Unsicherheiten bei der Abschätzung von Folgen im komplexen Erdsystem rät das UBA aus Vorsorgegründen zu größter Zurückhaltung und bis zu einer deutlichen Verbesserung des Wissens um die Interdependenzen zwischen Geoprozessen zu einem Moratorium für den Einsatz solcher Maßnahmen.“ (https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/publikationen/geo-engineering-wirksamer-klimaschutz-groessenwahn)

Wir hoffen, die Informationen helfen Ihnen weiter. Mit freundlichen Grüßen Im Auftrag

Team Bürgerservice, Umweltbundesamt, Postfach 14 06, 06813 Dessau-Roßlau

Da ich kein Wolken-Forscher werden mag, überlasse ich Ihnen gern das Urteil über meine Fragen und die Passung der Antworten seitens unserer Regierungsbehörde.

Spannend ist heute, drei Jahre nach diesem kleinen Briefwechsel (erstmals veröffentlicht im April 2022 auf der Plattform der Zukunftskommunen), dass vom Senat des US Bundesstaates Florida am 3. April 2025 ein Gesetz verabschiedet wurde, welches das Versprühen von Chemikalien durch Flugzeuge unter Strafe stellt. Hier ein kurzer Auszug:

Verbot von Geoengineering und wetterverändernden Aktivitäten

(1) Die Injektion, Freisetzung oder Dispersion von Chemikalien, chemischen Verbindungen, Substanzen in die Atmosphäre innerhalb der Grenzen dieses Staates zu dem Zweck der Beeinflussung von Temperatur, Wetter, Klima oder um die Intensität des Sonnenlichts zu beeinflussen, ist verboten.

(2) Jede Person, jede öffentliche oder private Körperschaft, die eine Geo-Engineering-Aktion oder Wetterbeeinflussung unter Verstoß gegen dieses Verbot durchführt, macht sich schuldig eines Verbrechens dritten und zweiten Grades, auf das eine Geldstrafe von bis zu 100.000 Dollar fällig wird. ... Luftfahrzeugbetreiber oder Fluglotsen, die ein Verbrechen dritten Grades dieser Art begehen, werden bestraft mit einer Geldstrafe von bis zu $5.000 und bis zu 5 Jahren Gefängnis.

Den kompletten Text können Sie hier nachlesen. In Tennessee sowie in über 20 weiteren US Bundesstaaten sind ähnliche Gesetze auf dem Weg. Jetzt dürfen wir neugierig sein, wie die Rotkäppchen - Story in anderen Ländern, z.B. in Deutschland weitergeht.

Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben.

@ 06b7819d:d1d8327c

The Weaponization of Technology: A Prelude to Adoption

Throughout history, new technologies have often been weaponized before becoming widely adopted for civilian use. This pattern, deeply intertwined with human priorities for power, survival, and dominance, sheds light on how societies interact with technological innovation.

The Weaponization Imperative

When a groundbreaking technology emerges, its potential to confer an advantage—military, economic, or ideological—tends to attract attention from those in power. Governments and militaries, seeking to outpace rivals, often invest heavily in adapting new tools for conflict or defense. Weaponization provides a context where innovation thrives under high-stakes conditions. Technologies like radar, nuclear energy, and the internet, initially conceived or expanded within the framework of military priorities, exemplify this trend.

Historical Examples

1.  Gunpowder: Invented in 9th-century China, gunpowder was first used for military purposes before transitioning into civilian life, influencing mining, construction, and entertainment through fireworks.

1. The Internet: Initially developed as ARPANET during the Cold War to ensure communication in the event of a nuclear attack, the internet’s infrastructure later supported the global digital revolution, reshaping commerce, education, and social interaction.

2. Drones: Unmanned aerial vehicles began as tools of surveillance and warfare but have since been adopted for everything from package delivery to agricultural monitoring.

Weaponization often spurs rapid technological development. War environments demand urgency and innovation, fast-tracking research and turning prototypes into functional tools. This phase of militarization ensures that the technology is robust, scalable, and often cost-effective, setting the stage for broader adoption.

Adoption and Civilian Integration

Once a technology’s military dominance is established, its applications often spill into civilian life. These transitions occur when:

•   The technology becomes affordable and accessible.
•   Governments or corporations recognize its commercial potential.
•   Public awareness and trust grow, mitigating fears tied to its military origins.

For example, GPS was first a military navigation system but is now indispensable for personal devices, logistics, and autonomous vehicles.

Cultural Implications

The process of weaponization shapes public perception of technology. Media narratives, often dominated by stories of power and conflict, influence how societies view emerging tools. When technologies are initially seen through the lens of violence or control, their subsequent integration into daily life can carry residual concerns, from privacy to ethical implications.

Conclusion

The weaponization of technology is not an aberration but a recurring feature of technological progress. By understanding this pattern, societies can critically assess how technologies evolve from tools of conflict to instruments of everyday life, ensuring that ethical considerations and equitable access are not lost in the rush to innovate. As Marshall McLuhan might suggest, the medium through which a technology is introduced deeply influences the message it ultimately conveys to the world.

@ 7501d519:e6ff3dcc

English: "Politicians steal billions and get light sentences, while the poor get jailed for stealing bread. Is the law just a tool for the rich?"

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/966062

@ 975e4ad5:8d4847ce

With the advancement of quantum computers, a new threat emerges for the security of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies. These powerful machines have the potential to expose vulnerabilities in traditional cryptographic systems, which could jeopardize the safety of digital wallets. But don’t worry—modern wallets are already equipped to handle this threat with innovative solutions that make your funds nearly impossible to steal, even by a quantum computer. Let’s explore how this works and why you can rest easy.

The Threat of Quantum Computers

To understand how wallets protect us, we first need to grasp what makes quantum computers so dangerous. At the core of most cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, lies public and private key cryptography. The public key (or address) is like your bank account number—you share it to receive funds. The private key is like your PIN—it allows you to send funds and must remain secret.

Traditional cryptography, such as the ECDSA algorithm, relies on mathematical problems that are extremely difficult to solve with conventional computers. For instance, deriving a private key from a public key is practically impossible, as it would take millions of years of computation. However, quantum computers, thanks to algorithms like Shor’s, can significantly speed up this process. Theoretically, a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could uncover a private key from a public key in minutes or even seconds.

This is a problem because if someone gains access to your private key, they can send all your funds to their own address. But here’s the good news—modern wallets use a clever solution to render this threat powerless.

How Do Wallets Protect Us?

One of the most effective defenses against quantum computers is the use of one-time addresses in wallets. This means that for every transaction—whether receiving or sending funds—the wallet automatically generates a new public address. The old address, once used, remains in the transaction history but no longer holds any funds, as they are transferred to a new address.

Why Does This Work?

Imagine you’re sending or receiving cryptocurrency. Your wallet creates a new address for that transaction. After the funds are sent or received, that address becomes “used,” and the wallet automatically generates a new one for the next transaction. If a quantum computer manages to derive the private key from the public address of the used address, it will find nothing—because that address is already empty. Your funds are safely transferred to a new address, whose public key has not yet been exposed.

This strategy is known as HD (Hierarchical Deterministic) wallets. It allows the wallet to generate an infinite number of addresses from a single master key (seed) without compromising security. Each new address is unique and cannot be linked to the previous ones, making it impossible to trace your funds, even with a quantum computer.

Automation Makes It Effortless

The best part? You don’t need to worry about this process—it’s fully automated. When you use a modern wallet like MetaMask, Ledger, Trezor, or software wallets for Bitcoin, everything happens behind the scenes. You simply click “receive” or “send,” and the wallet takes care of generating new addresses. There’s no need to understand the complex technical details or manually manage your keys.

For example:

• You want to receive 0.1 BTC. Your wallet provides a new address, which you share with the sender.
• After receiving the funds, the wallet automatically prepares a new address for the next transaction.
• If you send some of the funds, the remaining amount (known as “change”) is sent to another new address generated by the wallet.

This system ensures that public addresses exposed on the blockchain no longer hold funds, making quantum attacks pointless.

Additional Protection: Toward Post-Quantum Cryptography

Beyond one-time addresses, blockchain developers are also working on post-quantum cryptography—algorithms that are resistant to quantum computers. Some blockchain networks are already experimenting with such solutions, like algorithms based on lattices (lattice-based cryptography). These methods don’t rely on the same mathematical problems that quantum computers can solve, offering long-term protection.

In the meantime, one-time addresses combined with current cryptographic standards provide enough security to safeguard your funds until post-quantum solutions become widely adopted.

Why You Shouldn’t Worry

Modern wallets are designed with the future in mind. They not only protect against today’s threats but also anticipate future risks, such as those posed by quantum computers. One-time addresses make exposed public keys useless to hackers, and automation ensures you don’t need to deal with the technicalities. HD wallets, which automatically generate new addresses, make the process seamless and secure for users.

Public key exposure only happens when necessary, reducing the risk of attacks, even from a quantum computer. In conclusion, while quantum computers pose a potential threat, modern wallets already offer effective solutions that make your cryptocurrencies nearly impossible to steal. With one-time addresses and the upcoming adoption of post-quantum cryptography, you can be confident that your funds are safe—today and tomorrow.

@ b2caa9b3:9eab0fb5

Yesterday, I faced one of the most heartbreaking and frustrating experiences of my life. Between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM, I was held at the Taveta border, denied entry into Kenya—despite having all the necessary documents, including a valid visitor’s permit and an official invitation letter.

The Kenyan Immigration officers refused to speak with me. When I asked for clarification, I was told flatly that I would never be allowed to enter Kenya unless I obtain a work permit. No other reason was given. My attempts to explain that I simply wanted to see my child were ignored. No empathy. No flexibility. No conversation. Just rejection.

While I stood there for hours, held by officials with no explanation beyond a bureaucratic wall, I recorded the experience. I now have several hours of footage documenting what happened—a silent testimony to how a system can dehumanize and block basic rights.

And the situation doesn’t end at the border.

My child, born in Kenya, is also being denied the right to see me. Germany refuses to grant her citizenship, which means she cannot visit me either. The German embassy in Nairobi refuses to assist, stating they won’t get involved. Their silence is loud.

This is not just about paperwork. This is about a child growing up without her father. It’s about a system that chooses walls over bridges, and bureaucracy over humanity. Kenya, by refusing me entry, is keeping a father away from his child. Germany, by refusing to act under §13 StGB, is complicit in that injustice.

In the coming days, I’ll share more about my past travels and how this situation unfolded. I’ll also be releasing videos and updates on TikTok—because this story needs to be heard. Not just for me, but for every parent and child caught between borders and bureaucracies.

Stay tuned—and thank you for standing with me.

@ 9f38a97e:c41d3606

O universo dos jogos online tem evoluído constantemente, oferecendo experiências cada vez mais envolventes e personalizadas. Nesse cenário competitivo, a KZ999 se destaca como uma plataforma inovadora, segura e cheia de opções para quem busca entretenimento de qualidade e oportunidades reais de ganhos. Desde sua chegada ao mercado, a KZ999 vem conquistando os jogadores brasileiros com sua interface moderna, atendimento eficiente e ampla variedade de jogos emocionantes.

Introdução à Plataforma KZ999 A KZ999 é uma plataforma digital criada para atender às demandas de jogadores exigentes, que valorizam não apenas a diversão, mas também a segurança, a facilidade de uso e o suporte de qualidade. Com um design responsivo e otimizado para dispositivos móveis, o site funciona perfeitamente tanto em computadores quanto em smartphones, garantindo acesso rápido e prático de qualquer lugar.

O processo de cadastro na plataforma é simples e rápido, permitindo que novos usuários comecem a jogar em poucos minutos. Além disso, a kz999oferece suporte a métodos de pagamento modernos e populares no Brasil, como o PIX, o que facilita as transações e proporciona mais agilidade no dia a dia dos jogadores.

Diversidade de Jogos para Todos os Perfis Um dos principais atrativos da KZ999 é a sua extensa biblioteca de jogos. A plataforma oferece uma variedade impressionante de opções que atendem tanto os novatos quanto os jogadores mais experientes. Entre os destaques estão:

Jogos de mesa clássicos, como roleta, pôquer e blackjack, todos com gráficos de alta definição e recursos interativos que simulam uma experiência realista.

Slots modernos e temáticos, com animações vibrantes, efeitos sonoros imersivos e bônus especiais que aumentam as chances de ganhar.

Jogos ao vivo, em que o jogador pode interagir em tempo real com crupiês profissionais e outros participantes, trazendo mais emoção e autenticidade à experiência.

Minigames e jogos instantâneos, ideais para quem busca partidas rápidas e dinâmicas, com regras simples e diversão garantida.

Os títulos disponíveis na KZ999 são desenvolvidos por provedores reconhecidos internacionalmente, o que assegura qualidade, justiça nos resultados e constante atualização de conteúdo.

Experiência do Jogador: Segurança, Suporte e Recompensas A KZ999 não se preocupa apenas em oferecer jogos de qualidade. A experiência do usuário é tratada com prioridade, e por isso a plataforma investe fortemente em segurança digital, utilizando sistemas de criptografia avançados para proteger os dados e transações de seus usuários.

Outro ponto positivo é o suporte ao cliente, disponível 24 horas por dia, com atendimento em português. Seja por chat ao vivo ou por e-mail, a equipe da KZ999 está sempre pronta para resolver dúvidas, orientar sobre promoções ou ajudar com questões técnicas.

Falando em promoções, os jogadores da KZ999 têm acesso a bônus atrativos e programas de fidelidade, que recompensam o tempo dedicado à plataforma. Desde bônus de boas-vindas até ofertas semanais, a KZ999 valoriza cada usuário e busca criar um ambiente de engajamento contínuo.

Conclusão A KZ999 chega ao mercado brasileiro como uma plataforma completa e confiável, ideal para quem busca entretenimento de qualidade, variedade de jogos e uma experiência segura. Com uma navegação fluida, suporte dedicado e constantes atualizações, a KZ999 promete se consolidar como referência no cenário de jogos online do Brasil.

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Die Satire Muxmäuchenstill von 2004 erzählt die Geschichte des 30-jährigen Mux, der seine Mitbürgern zu mehr Verantwortungsbewusstsein erziehen möchte. Dazu stellt er Raser, Schwarzfahrer, Graffiti-Sprüher, Falschparker, Ladendiebe und Vergewaltiger, konfrontiert sie mit ihrem Verhalten und bestraft sie.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/muxmauschenstill-x-interview-mit-jan-henrik-stahlberg?

Als Mitstreiter gewinnt er Arbeits- und Obdachlose. Mux’ fanatische Ein-Mann-Mission wächst zu einem kleinen Unternehmen. Auch privat kann er seinen Moralismus nicht zügeln und erschießt seine Freundin. Am Ende des Films wird er von einem Raser überfahren.

Ab 1. Mai läuft die Fortsetzung in den Kinos: Muxmäuschenstill X: muxfilm.de/. Nach zwanzig Jahre Wachkoma findet sich Mux in einer Welt wieder, die er nicht mehr versteht: dem wunderbaren Neoliberalismus. Wieder möchte Mux die Menschen erziehen. Doch diesmal kämpft er gegen ein System, das alles durchdringt, die Welt spaltet, unsere Lebensgrundlagen zerstört, die Reichen reicher macht und die Armen ärmer. Mux gründet den Muxismus und schart die Aussortierten des Systems um sich.

Drehbuchautor und Hauptdarsteller Jan Henrik Stahlberg führt diesmal auch Regie. Unser Autor Jonny Rieder hat mit Jan Henrik Stahlberg über seinen neuen Film gesprochen. Zunächst wollte er wissen, wo für ihn die Grenze verläuft zwischen Übergriffigkeit und Zivilcourage und wie er Mux hier einordnet.

Bild: Mux Filmproduktion

@ 06b7819d:d1d8327c

In June 2023, the Law Commission of England and Wales published its final report on digital assets, concluding that the existing common law is generally flexible enough to accommodate digital assets, including crypto-tokens and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

However, to address specific areas of uncertainty, the Commission recommended targeted statutory reforms and the establishment of an expert panel.

Key Conclusions and Recommendations:

1.  Recognition of a Third Category of Personal Property:

Traditional English law classifies personal property into two categories: “things in possession” (tangible items) and “things in action” (enforceable rights). Digital assets do not fit neatly into either category. The Commission recommended legislation to confirm the existence of a distinct third category of personal property to better accommodate digital assets. 

1. Development of Common Law: The Commission emphasized that the common law is well-suited to adapt to the complexities of emerging technologies and should continue to evolve to address issues related to digital assets. 

2. Establishment of an Expert Panel: To assist courts in navigating the technical and legal challenges posed by digital assets, the Commission recommended that the government create a panel of industry experts, legal practitioners, academics, and judges. This panel would provide non-binding guidance on issues such as control and transfer of digital assets. 

3. Facilitation of Crypto-Token and Crypto-Asset Collateral Arrangements: The Commission proposed the creation of a bespoke statutory legal framework to facilitate the use of digital assets as collateral, addressing current legal uncertainties in this area. 

4. Clarification of the Financial Collateral Arrangements Regulations: The report recommended statutory amendments to clarify the extent to which digital assets fall within the scope of the Financial Collateral Arrangements (No 2) Regulations 2003, ensuring that existing financial regulations appropriately cover digital assets. 

Overall, the Law Commission’s report underscores the adaptability of English common law in addressing the challenges posed by digital assets, while also identifying specific areas where legislative action is necessary to provide clarity and support the evolving digital economy.

@ cb4352cd:a16422d7

As new technologies reshape finance, the traditional banking model faces fresh competition. Let's take a closer look at how the two ecosystems compare today.

What happens when centralized institutions meet decentralized protocols? A transformation of financial services is already underway — and users are at the center of it.

Traditional Banking: Established, Yet Rigid

Traditional banks like JPMorgan Chase, HSBC, and Deutsche Bank have built vast infrastructures over decades. They offer deposit insurance, personal loans, mortgages, and extensive regulatory compliance. Trust, scale, and government support are their major strengths.

However, these institutions often struggle with agility. Opening an international account or sending a cross-border payment can take days and involve considerable fees. Innovations like digital onboarding and instant payments are arriving slowly, hampered by regulatory complexity and legacy systems.

DeFi Platforms: Agile, Accessible, but Risky

By contrast, DeFi protocols such as Uniswap (decentralized exchange), Aave (decentralized lending), and Compound (decentralized borrowing) offer near-instant services, accessible globally 24/7.

DeFi users maintain custody of their own assets. No bank approvals, no office hours. Fees are often lower, and yields can be attractive. Smart contracts automatically execute transactions, removing human bottlenecks.

But DeFi isn't without risks. Without insurance, users are exposed to smart contract bugs, hacks, and protocol failures. Regulatory protections are minimal, and scams can proliferate among unverified projects.

The Bridge Between Worlds: Emerging Hybrids

Interestingly, some traditional players are exploring DeFi-like services. Societe Generale issued tokenized bonds on Ethereum. ING is researching zero-knowledge proofs for financial privacy. Meanwhile, crypto-friendly banks like Silvergate have pioneered instant settlement networks inspired by blockchain efficiency.

The future may not be a winner-takes-all scenario but a convergence: decentralized technology improving traditional services, while banks offer compliant, user-friendly access to digital assets.

Beyond Banking Conference by WeFi: Charting the Future

The ongoing fusion of DeFi and traditional finance will take center stage at the upcoming Beyond Banking Conference by WeFi. Thought leaders and innovators will explore how transparency, smart contracts, and decentralized trust models are redefining global finance.

As these worlds collide, the real question isn't about winners — it's about how finance can evolve to serve a broader, more connected world.

@ 88cc134b:5ae99079

one, two, three, four, five, six

@ 06b7819d:d1d8327c

The system design and challenges of retail Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) differ significantly from Bitcoin in several key aspects, reflecting their distinct purposes and underlying philosophies:

1. Core Purpose and Issuance

   • CBDCs: Issued by central banks, CBDCs are designed as state-backed digital currencies for public use. Their goal is to modernize payments, enhance financial inclusion, and provide a risk-free alternative to private money. • Bitcoin: A decentralized, peer-to-peer cryptocurrency created to operate independently of central authorities. Bitcoin aims to be a store of value and medium of exchange without reliance on intermediaries or governments.

2. Governance and Control

   • CBDCs: Operate under centralized governance. Central banks retain control over issuance, transaction validation, and data management, allowing for integration with existing regulatory frameworks (e.g., AML and CFT). • Bitcoin: Fully decentralized, governed by a consensus mechanism (Proof of Work). Transactions are validated by miners, and no single entity controls the network.

3. Privacy

   • CBDCs: Seek to balance privacy with regulatory compliance. Privacy-enhancing technologies may be implemented, but user data is typically accessible to intermediaries and central banks to meet regulatory needs. • Bitcoin: Pseudonymous by design. Transactions are public on the blockchain but do not directly link to individual identities unless voluntarily disclosed.

4. System Design

   • CBDCs: May adopt a hybrid system combining centralized (e.g., central bank-controlled settlement) and decentralized elements (e.g., private-sector intermediaries). Offline functionality and interoperability with existing systems are priorities. • Bitcoin: Fully decentralized, using a distributed ledger (blockchain) where all transactions are validated and recorded without reliance on intermediaries.

5. Cybersecurity

   • CBDCs: Cybersecurity risks are heightened due to potential reliance on centralized points for data storage and validation. Post-quantum cryptography is a concern for future-proofing against quantum computing threats. • Bitcoin: Security relies on cryptographic algorithms and decentralization. However, it is also vulnerable to quantum computing in the long term, unless upgraded to quantum-resistant protocols.

6. Offline Functionality

   • CBDCs: Exploring offline payment capabilities for broader usability in remote or unconnected areas. • Bitcoin: Offline payments are not natively supported, although some solutions (e.g., Lightning Network or third-party hardware wallets) can enable limited offline functionality.

7. Point of Sale and Adoption

   • CBDCs: Designed for seamless integration with existing PoS systems and modern financial infrastructure to encourage widespread adoption. • Bitcoin: Adoption depends on merchant willingness and the availability of cryptocurrency payment gateways. Its volatility can discourage usage as a medium of exchange.

8. Monetary Policy and Design

   • CBDCs: Can be programmed to support specific policy goals, such as negative interest rates, transaction limits, or conditional transfers. • Bitcoin: Supply is fixed at 21 million coins, governed by its code. It is resistant to monetary policy interventions and inflationary adjustments.

In summary, while CBDCs aim to complement existing monetary systems with centralized oversight and tailored features, Bitcoin is designed as a decentralized alternative to traditional currency. CBDCs prioritize integration, control, and regulatory compliance, whereas Bitcoin emphasizes autonomy, censorship resistance, and a trustless system.

@ 7e538978:a5987ab6

In Jericoacoara, Brazil, a beach town famed for its natural beauty and vibrant tourism, an innovative project is reshaping how locals and visitors think about money. Praia Bitcoin is an ambitious initiative to build a circular economy powered entirely by Bitcoin.

Launched in 2021 by entrepreneur Fernando Motolese, Praia Bitcoin was inspired by the Bitcoin Beach project in El Zonte, El Salvador. The vision is simple: create a self-sustaining Bitcoin economy where businesses and individuals use Bitcoin everyday in place of fiat money.

This idea holds special significance in Jericoacoara, where traditional banking services are scarce. The town lacks even basic infrastructure like ATMs, making financial inclusion a pressing need. With Praia Bitcoin, Bitcoin isn’t just a store of value—it’s a tool to empower a community and connect it to the global economy.

Transforming Jericoacoara with Bitcoin

Since its inception, Praia Bitcoin has worked to foster Bitcoin adoption in the area. Starting with a modest donation of 0.02 BTC, Fernando and his team have built a thriving ecosystem:

• Over 40 businesses now accept Bitcoin, ranging from souvenir shops and tour operators to beach vendors.
• Local students have received Bitcoin-loaded tap-to-pay, Bolt Cards, to use in their daily lives.
• Creative initiatives like “Bitcoin Banana Day” or "Frutas por Sats" (fruits for sats) where children buy fruits for 10 satoshis at school, have brought global attention to the project.

Praia Bitcoin’s success isn’t just about the adoption numbers, it’s about the stories. Families use Bitcoin to shop, business owners save on transaction fees, and children are learning the value of sound money at an early age.

LNbits - The Technology Behind Praia Bitcoin

Creating an economy on Bitcoin’s Lightning Network requires more than enthusiasm, it needs robust tools that are easy to use and adaptable to local needs. That’s where LNbits comes in.

Fernando and the Praia Bitcoin team have used LNbits’ open-source software to solve practical challenges and scale the project. With its modular design, LNbits provides tools that allow Praia Bitcoin to:

• Set Up Wallets: Community members receive user-friendly wallets that connect seamlessly to the Lightning Network, enabling fast, low-cost transactions.
• Issue BoltCards: Using LNbits’ BoltCard extension, the team has distributed NFC-enabled cards, allowing tap-to-pay functionality that makes Bitcoin payments as simple as using a credit card.
• Enable Flexible Payments: The project utilizes LNbits’ Point of Sale TPoS extension that allows merchants to easily receive Lightning Network payments.

Breaking Records, Building Community

Fernando doesn’t just implement solutions, he pushes boundaries. One of his most remarkable achievements was an attempt to set a world record for the most Lightning Network payments in the shortest amount of time. Over the course of one afternoon, 100 children in Jericoacoara received payments of 21,000 satoshis each, demonstrating the scalability and speed of Lightning-powered transactions.

This wasn’t just a technical feat, it was a community moment. The event showed how Bitcoin could serve as a tool for engagement, education, and empowerment, all while highlighting the possibilities of using the Lightning Network for real-world applications.

A Collaborative Approach to Innovation

One of the unique strengths of LNbits is its ability to evolve based on community feedback. While Fernando Motolese and Praia Bitcoin operate independently, their insights have helped refine the LNbits platform.

For example, Fernando’s need for a PIN-less ATM functionality led the LNbits team to implement that feature in the TPoS extension, that had the functionality but required a security PIN. This kind of collaboration isn’t about formal partnerships. It’s about how an open-source ecosystem thrives when real-world needs drive innovation.

The feedback loop between users like Fernando and developers ensures LNbits remains practical and relevant—not just for Praia Bitcoin but for countless other projects worldwide.

The Ripple Effect of Praia Bitcoin

Praia Bitcoin is a case study in what’s possible when Bitcoin meets a strong vision. By leveraging Bitcoin, the Lightning Network and LNbits, the project has redefined financial access in Jericoacoara, proving that small communities can lead big innovations.

For LNbits, Praia Bitcoin showcases the value of adaptable, open-source solutions. Whether it’s creating wallets, enabling NFC payments, or refining tools for real-world use, LNbits provides the infrastructure that makes projects like Praia Bitcoin possible.

But beyond the technical achievements, Praia Bitcoin reminds us of the human impact of Bitcoin adoption. It’s about children buying their first bananas with satoshis, families running businesses with lower fees, and a community connecting to a global financial network for the first time.

Conclusion

Praia Bitcoin’s journey is only getting started and its success is inspiring similar initiatives worldwide. For LNbits, being part of this story, is a testament to the power of the software and of open-source collaboration.

If you’re ready to build the future of Bitcoin adoption, LNbits offers the tools to turn ideas into impact.

Learn More:
- Visit Praia Bitcoin: Praia Bitcoin
- Explore LNbits: LNbits

@ 9f38a97e:c41d3606

O universo dos jogos online tem evoluído constantemente, oferecendo experiências cada vez mais envolventes e personalizadas. Nesse cenário competitivo, a KZ999 se destaca como uma plataforma inovadora, segura e cheia de opções para quem busca entretenimento de qualidade e oportunidades reais de ganhos. Desde sua chegada ao mercado, a KZ999 vem conquistando os jogadores brasileiros com sua interface moderna, atendimento eficiente e ampla variedade de jogos emocionantes.

Introdução à Plataforma KZ999 A KZ999 é uma plataforma digital criada para atender às demandas de jogadores exigentes, que valorizam não apenas a diversão, mas também a segurança, a facilidade de uso e o suporte de qualidade. Com um design responsivo e otimizado para dispositivos móveis, o site funciona perfeitamente tanto em computadores quanto em smartphones, garantindo acesso rápido e prático de qualquer lugar.

O processo de cadastro na plataforma é simples e rápido, permitindo que novos usuários comecem a jogar em poucos minutos. Além disso, a yakihonne.com iris.to jumble.social Me

@ 06b7819d:d1d8327c

The Bank of Amsterdam (Amsterdamse Wisselbank), established in 1609, played a pivotal role in the early history of banking and the development of banknotes. While banknotes as a concept had been pioneered in China centuries earlier, their modern form began emerging in Europe in the 17th century, and the Bank of Amsterdam leveraged its unique position to dominate this nascent monetary tool.

Founding and Early Innovations

The Bank of Amsterdam was created to stabilize and rationalize Amsterdam’s chaotic monetary system. During the early 1600s, a plethora of coins of varying quality and origin circulated in Europe, making trade cumbersome and unreliable. The Wisselbank provided a centralized repository where merchants could deposit coins and receive account balances in return, denominated in a standardized unit of account known as “bank money.” This “bank money” was more stable and widely trusted, making it an early form of fiat currency.

The Rise of Banknotes

Although the Wisselbank initially issued “bank money” as a ledger-based system, the growing demand for portable, trusted currency led to the adoption of transferable receipts or “banknotes.” These receipts acted as claims on deposited money and quickly became a trusted medium of exchange. The innovation of banknotes allowed merchants to avoid carrying large quantities of heavy coinage, enhancing convenience and security in trade.

Monopoly on Banknotes

The Wisselbank’s reputation for financial stability and integrity enabled it to establish a monopoly on banknotes in the Dutch Republic. The bank’s stringent policies ensured that its issued notes were fully backed by coinage or bullion, which bolstered trust in their value. By centralizing the issuance of notes, the bank eliminated competition from private or less reliable issuers, ensuring its notes became the de facto currency for merchants and traders.

Moreover, the bank’s policies discouraged the redemption of notes for physical coins, as it charged fees for withdrawals. This incentivized the circulation of banknotes rather than the underlying specie, cementing their role in the economy.

Decline of the Monopoly

The Wisselbank’s monopoly and influence lasted for much of the 17th century, making Amsterdam a hub of global trade and finance. However, as the 18th century progressed, financial mismanagement and competition from other emerging financial institutions eroded the Wisselbank’s dominance. By the late 18th century, its role in the global financial system had diminished, and other European financial centers, such as London, rose to prominence.

Legacy

The Bank of Amsterdam’s early monopolization of banknotes set a precedent for centralized banking and the development of modern monetary systems. Its ability to create trust in a standardized, portable medium of exchange foreshadowed the role that central banks would play in issuing and regulating currency worldwide.

@ 9f38a97e:c41d3606

Se você está em busca de uma plataforma confiável, dinâmica e cheia de opções de entretenimento online, o Pix188 pode ser exatamente o que você procura. Com uma interface moderna, suporte ágil e jogos emocionantes, a plataforma vem conquistando cada vez mais jogadores em todo o Brasil.

O Pix188 é uma plataforma de entretenimento digital que combina tecnologia, facilidade de acesso e uma ampla gama de opções para seus usuários. Com um site responsivo e adaptado tanto para desktop quanto para dispositivos móveis, a navegação é simples, intuitiva e rápida, ideal para quem quer jogar a qualquer hora e em qualquer lugar.

Desde o primeiro acesso, o usuário já percebe o cuidado com os detalhes e o compromisso com a experiência do jogador. O processo de cadastro é rápido e seguro, e os depósitos e saques são feitos via Pix — método preferido dos brasileiros por sua agilidade.

Variedade de Jogos para Todos os Gostos Um dos maiores diferenciais do Pix188 é a diversidade de jogos disponíveis na plataforma. O site reúne os títulos mais populares e desejados pelos jogadores, com gráficos de alta qualidade, excelente jogabilidade e temas variados.

Entre as opções mais procuradas estão:

Slots (Caça-níqueis): Jogos com rodadas rápidas, temas vibrantes e recursos especiais como giros grátis e multiplicadores.

Roleta ao vivo: Para quem gosta de emoção e decisões rápidas, a roleta é uma excelente escolha com versões clássicas e modernas.

Cartas e mesa: Jogos como pôquer, blackjack e bacará estão disponíveis em versões tradicionais e ao vivo, trazendo uma experiência imersiva e realista.

Jogos instantâneos: Com mecânicas simples e resultados rápidos, são ideais para quem busca diversão prática e dinâmica.

O Pix188 também trabalha com provedores de jogos reconhecidos internacionalmente, garantindo qualidade, segurança e atualizações constantes no catálogo.

Experiência do Jogador no Centro de Tudo Mais do que oferecer jogos, o Pix188 se preocupa com toda a jornada do jogador. Desde o momento do cadastro até a retirada de ganhos, tudo é pensado para ser simples e transparente.

O atendimento ao cliente é outro ponto forte: está disponível 24 horas por dia, sete dias por semana, com equipe capacitada para resolver dúvidas e auxiliar em qualquer situação. Os usuários também contam com promoções recorrentes, bônus de boas-vindas e programas de fidelidade que valorizam a permanência na plataforma.

Além disso, o Pix188 investe em tecnologias de segurança avançadas, protegendo os dados dos jogadores e oferecendo um ambiente confiável e protegido.

Conclusão O Pix188 se destaca no cenário nacional por oferecer uma plataforma completa, segura e repleta de opções para quem busca entretenimento digital de qualidade. Com uma interface moderna, suporte eficiente e um catálogo de jogos diversificado, é uma excelente escolha tanto para iniciantes quanto para jogadores experientes.

@ 06b7819d:d1d8327c

Understanding Figure and Ground: How We Perceive the World

The concept of “figure and ground” originates from Gestalt psychology but takes on profound implications in Marshall McLuhan’s media theory. At its core, figure and ground describe the relationship between what we focus on (the “figure”) and the larger context that shapes and influences it (the “ground”). Together, they illustrate how perception is shaped not only by what we pay attention to, but by what we overlook.

Figure and Ground in Perception

Imagine looking at a photo of a tree in a forest. The tree might stand out as the figure—it’s what your attention is drawn to. However, the forest, the sky, and even the light conditions around the tree create the ground. These background elements are not immediately in focus, but they are essential to understanding the tree’s existence and meaning within its environment.

Our minds are naturally inclined to separate figure from ground, but this process often distorts our perception. By focusing on one aspect, we tend to neglect the broader context that gives it meaning. This principle applies not just to visual perception but also to the way we experience media, technology, and culture.

McLuhan’s Take: Media as Ground

For McLuhan, media and technology are the “ground” upon which all human activity takes place. We often fixate on the “figure” of a medium—the content it delivers—without recognizing the ground, which is the medium itself and its pervasive influence. For example, we might focus on the latest viral video (the figure) without reflecting on how platforms like TikTok (the ground) shape attention spans, social behaviors, and even our cultural norms.

McLuhan famously argued that “the medium is the message,” meaning the medium’s structure and characteristics influence society far more deeply than the specific content it carries. The figure (content) distracts us from examining the ground (medium), which often operates invisibly.

Figure and Ground in Daily Life

Consider smartphones. The apps, messages, and videos we interact with daily are the figures. The ground is the smartphone itself—a device that transforms communication, alters social dynamics, and restructures how we manage time and attention. Focusing solely on what’s displayed on the screen blinds us to the ways the device reshapes our lives.

Rebalancing Perception

To truly understand the impact of media and technology, McLuhan urged us to become aware of the ground. By stepping back and observing how the environment shapes the figure, we can better grasp the larger systems at work. This requires a shift in perspective: instead of asking “What does this content mean?” we might ask “How does this medium affect the way I think, behave, or relate to others?”

Understanding figure and ground helps us see the world more holistically, uncovering hidden dynamics that shape perception and culture. It’s a reminder that what we take for granted—what fades into the background—is often the most transformative force of all.

@ a296b972:e5a7a2e8

28.04.2025, 16.17 Uhr:

 

Russische Hobby-Flieger konnten mit ihrem Sportflugzeug namens "Andromeda" unter dem Radar bleiben und haben entlang der Hauptstromtrassen mit einem ukrainischen Zwiebelmesser die Stromleitungen gekappt. In einer scharfen Rechtskurve muss wohl eine Flugzeugtür aufgegangen sein und der Pass des Piloten fiel unbemerkt heraus. Die Identität der Täter konnte so schnell festgestellt werden.

28.04.2025, 16.43 Uhr:

Trump hat das europäische Stromnetz gekauft und die in den Umspannwerken eingebauten US-amerikanischen Chips deaktiviert. Es gibt erst wieder Strom, wenn sich die Koalition der Willigen den Friedensverhandlungen für die Ukraine anschließt. Trump hat bewusst in den sonnenreichen Ländern Spanien und Portugal begonnen, das soll als Warnung für ganz Europa gelten. Frau von der Leyen hat bereits scharfen Protest eingelegt, doch Trump hat die SMS sofort gelöscht.

28.04.2025, 17.12 Uhr:

Selensky hat einen Cyber-Angriff auf das europäische Stromnetz gestartet. Er ist wütend, weil sich Macron in dem 15-Minuten-Gespräch mit Trump am Rande der Beerdigung des Papstes in Rom hat abwimmeln lassen. Er beendet die Strom-Blockade erst, wenn Spanien, Portugal und Frankreich Deutschland dazu zwingen, endlich Taurus zu liefern. Auf die Frage, wie Selensky das angestellt hat, soll er geantwortet haben: "Sie sehen ja, wir können es."

Ist natürlich alles nur Joke! Es sollte nur einmal in Bezug auf die Sprengung der Nordstream 2 Pipelines aufgezeigt werden, wie schnell auch unsereins abstruse Erklärungen liefern kann, die vorne und hinten nicht stimmen können.

Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben.

(Bild von pixabay)

@ 9f38a97e:c41d3606

Se você está em busca de uma plataforma confiável, dinâmica e cheia de opções de entretenimento online, o Pix188 pode ser exatamente o que você procura. Com uma interface moderna, suporte ágil e jogos emocionantes, a plataforma vem conquistando cada vez mais jogadores em todo o Brasil.

O Pix188 é uma plataforma de entretenimento digital que combina tecnologia, facilidade de acesso e uma ampla gama de opções para seus usuários. Com um site responsivo e adaptado tanto para desktop quanto para dispositivos móveis, a navegação é simples, intuitiva e rápida, ideal para quem quer jogar a qualquer hora e em qualquer lugar.

Desde o primeiro acesso, o usuário já percebe o cuidado com os detalhes e o compromisso com a experiência do jogador. O processo de cadastro é rápido e seguro, e os depósitos e saques são feitos via Pix — método preferido dos brasileiros por sua agilidade.

Um dos maiores diferenciais do Pix188 é a diversidade de jogos disponíveis na plataforma. O site reúne os títulos mais populares e desejados pelos jogadores, com gráficos de alta qualidade, excelente jogabilidade e temas variados.

Slots (Caça-níqueis): Jogos com rodadas rápidas, temas vibrantes e recursos especiais como giros grátis e multiplicadores.

Roleta ao vivo: Para quem gosta de emoção e decisões rápidas, a roleta é uma excelente escolha com versões clássicas e modernas.

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Experiência do Jogador no Centro de Tudo Mais do que oferecer jogos, o Pix188 se preocupa com toda a jornada do jogador. Desde o momento do cadastro até a retirada de ganhos, tudo é pensado para ser simples e transparente.

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Além disso, o Pix188 investe em tecnologias de segurança avançadas, protegendo os dados dos jogadores e oferecendo um ambiente confiável e protegido.

Conclusão O Pix188 se destaca no cenário nacional por oferecer uma plataforma completa, segura e repleta de opções para quem busca entretenimento digital de qualidade. Com uma interface moderna, suporte eficiente e um catálogo de jogos diversificado, é uma excelente escolha tanto para iniciantes quanto para jogadores experientes.

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Hanlon’s Razor is a philosophical principle or adage that states:

“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”

It suggests that when trying to understand someone’s actions, it is often more reasonable to assume a lack of knowledge, competence, or foresight rather than intentional harm or ill will. The principle encourages people to avoid jumping to conclusions about malicious intent and instead consider simpler, more mundane explanations.

Hanlon’s Razor is often used in problem-solving, interpersonal interactions, and organizational settings to promote understanding and reduce conflict. It’s part of a broader family of “razors,” which are rules of thumb used to simplify decision-making.

@ a1d36df6:a3b9f5a0

Originally written in: November 2024

"Show me the incentives, and I'll show you the outcome"[^mungerquote].

"Even bacteria respond to motivation." ~[^dufrene2020][^amoedo2024].

Introduction

In Austrian economics, time preference refers to the value individuals place on present consumption versus future consumption [^rothbard1993man]. A society with a lower time preference is more inclined to save, invest, and plan for the long term, thereby fostering progress and stability [^ammous2018]. In contrast, a society with a higher time preference tends toward immediate consumption rather than investment — or invests without a true understanding of its purpose — leading to short-term planning and a gradual drift from foundational societal values, traditions, and culture [^hoppe2001].

The definition of investment is the process of allocating resources to productive activities, prioritizing future gains over immediate consumption. It involves capital accumulation and is key to economic growth, as individuals delay gratification to increase future value. This approach underlies capital formation and enhances an economy's production capacity, aligning with lower time preference and fostering long-term prosperity [^mises1998].

With a foundational understanding of time preference and investment, we can begin to examine what motivates people today. Given the prevalence of high time preference in modern society, the government can capitalize on this tendency by offering immediate handouts and benefits, satisfying the population's desire for instant gratification, often at the expense of long-term prosperity and future gains. This tendency is also mirrored in mainstream media, where a focus on sensational, attention-grabbing stories diverts focus from deeper, structural issues. By amplifying polarizing narratives [^gentzkow2006media], often tied to social identity or lifestyle differences, the government and media create a cycle of constant engagement and distraction, steering public attention towards short-term controversies and away from underlying economic or social policy issues [^caplan2001rational].

Debt & Fractional-Reserve Banking

A common denominator that repeatedly emerges in such destructive behavior promoted by governments is the issue of money. As money drives the world, understanding and following its flow not only reveals how it operates but also uncovers those who wield control over it, and how human behavior is driven by it.

Money is a broad term encircling all assets that can be used for exchange, storage, and valuation, covering both physical and digital forms [^ammous2023]. Cash is a subset of money, referring specifically to physical currency, such as coins and notes.

The process of money creation, typically managed by governments and central banks, is the foundation of economic dependency within the financial system. In most economies, central banks control currency creation through mechanisms like open market operations and debt. For instance, when a central bank, such as the Federal Reserve, issues new currency, it does so by purchasing government securities from commercial banks, thus adding currency to the economy. However, this transaction is not debt-free; it obliges the government to repay the borrowed amount with interest.

In common words, the process of creating money is as follows: the government request to the central bank a certain amount of money to be printed in borrowing form. The central bank then creates that money, out of thin air, on the promise that the government will repay the central bank down the road. Since the government does not produce anything, in order to repay the central bank, the government then sells the debt via bonds to anyone who would like to buy the government debt. In even more simple words: the government and central bank creates money out of thin air based on debt [^ammous2021].

The issue with money creation is not only by the fact that it was created out of thin air, but because money creation has other issues tied to it: the debt, the creation of fractional-reserve monetary system, inflation, and interest.

This foundational reliance on debt, since it is present in the very beginning of money creation, renders the entire monetary system debt-dependent. Therefore, saving and investing within such a system becomes questionable, as the system's nature opposes the principles of sustainable wealth accumulation, thus leading human behavior not to save but to spend.

A fractional-reserve monetary system is a banking structure in which banks retain only a small fraction of their depositors' funds — historically around 10%, but today often as low as 1% [^bundesbank2024] — while lending out or investing the remainder. This setup allows banks to expand the money supply and stimulate economic activity through a process known as deposit expansion [^federalreserve1975modern]. Deposit expansion occurs when banks effectively treat a portion of deposited funds as new money, multiplying the original deposit base. For example, if a bank holds deposits totaling 1 million euros, it can lend out up to 1.9 million euros, as long as it maintains 10% of the initial deposit in reserve. This cycle can repeat, enabling banks to increase the total money supply to infinity, but the "Modern Money Mechanics: A Workbook on Bank Reserves and Deposit Expansion" and government applying it recommends not doing it above 9 times the original deposit value [^federalreserve1975modern].

To make matters worse, inflation and interest exacerbate the problems inherent in this monetary system. Interest is a foundational element of the system, initially intended to address the original debt incurred by the government. In economic terms, interest represents the "price" of time preference, a premium placed on present goods over future goods. To illustrate the impact of interest, consider the cost of a house in today's system: a house priced at 500,000 euros with a 4% variable interest rate ends up costing around 860,000 euros over 30 years, with 360,000 euros paid in interest alone.

Inflation, on the other hand, is the increase in the money supply — money printing — and can only be truly calculated by M2[^1] money supply metric. Inflation erodes the value of both assets and earned income, as each new unit of currency devalues existing money. This devaluation impacts not only the purchasing power of savings but also the real cost of goods and services over time, reducing the long-term value of assets people believe they own.

The government

Operating within a monetary system stretched beyond its limitations, the government faces the dual challenges of controlling inflation and satisfying its growing spending demands. To fund its expenditures, the government often provides public benefits — subsidies, "free" healthcare, public transport, security, military, and welfare in general — to justify continual spending and cultivate public support - via voting, in most democratic countries.

Welfare and most government programs redistribute wealth from producers to non-producers, fostering dependency on the state. Over time, this erodes individual sovereignty and expands government control, restricting freedom, and reducing people to slaves or cash cows.

The government justifies taxes as payment for welfare and public services, but also claims they curb inflation by reducing the need to print money. The logic is that by reclaiming taxpayer money, the money supply is controlled. However, this is misleading, especially when the government can print money at will, making taxation on such currency inherently flawed.

Taxes are extracted via coercion - violence - by the government onto the population. The government then decides where to allocate this money, based on their guess of what the population needs, excluding private preferences. Therefore, taxes are not an incentive to accumulate, not even to work more. Taxes are an incentive to do right the opposite: do not save and do not work more.

Another tactic the government employs is to create crises that it alone can "solve", thus requiring more taxes or funding. Recent examples include crises like COVID-19, the "green" agenda, and initiatives to combat climate change[^2]. In each case, the government presents itself as the sole solution, yet solving these crises inevitably demands additional resources — in the form of increased taxation.

Even minimal critical thinking would prompt one to question the true necessity of taxes in a government that owns and controls the money printer. Given what we now understand, if you were in the government's position, would you willingly relinquish control of money creation by tying it to something like gold, empowering people to become smarter, independent, and wealthy?

The government, through various channels — media, education, propaganda, welfare, and government subsidies — ensures that people remain obedient and uninformed. It keeps them financially constrained by increasing taxes and imposing extensive regulations, while fostering dependency through handouts, welfare, and other social programs. The government is the only entity that, by law, can use violence and coercion without prosecution [^rothbard2009].

"Anyone who, although human, is by nature not yours but someone else's"[^ambler1987].

It is therefore unsurprising that many live in a state akin to enslavement, reflecting a mindset shaped by constant dependency. It is no wonder that people are discouraged from having children, as they can barely support themselves. Nor is it surprising that individuals might question the need to continue their bloodline, believing in the illusory value of "fake money" [^kiyosaki2019] and trusting present "investments" and the government to provide a pension in old age. And it's certainly not surprising to see people asking the government for solutions to every problem, when the government leaves them no viable alternatives.

"Show me the incentives, and I'll show you the outcome"[^mungerquote].

That statement serves as a powerful tool for understanding and addressing complex issues. When observing behaviors that may appear unusual — such as individuals identifying as "trans-species," a phenomenon linked to mental health concerns [^pinna2022] — it's essential to consider the underlying incentives. Who benefits most from a society in which individuals remain financially constrained, dependent, and uninformed? A fiat-based monetary system functions as a modern form of economic control, keeping people poor by design. Taxes, effectively a penalty for productivity, contrast sharply with welfare programs, which often reward dependency and reinforce reliance on the government. Meanwhile, government narratives and selective information shape public beliefs, protecting institutional interests and discouraging critical inquiry[^3].

Conclusion

Like the fungus that infects in parasitic way an ant's nervous system - Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis -, rendering it a zombie [^britannica2024] controlled by an external force, similarly, modern bureaucracies exploit the mechanisms of fiat money, debt, and taxation [^rothbard2009] to maintain control over individuals, steering them away from self-reliance and critical thinking toward a state of perpetual dependence.

The parallels are striking: just as the fungus manipulates the ant's behavior to secure its reproduction, governments manipulate public perception, creating crises, shaping incentives, and fostering dependence[^rothbard2009] through welfare programs[^caplan2001rational], inflated debt[^ammous2018], and coercive taxation. These mechanisms suppress individuality, reduce productivity, and shift power further into centralized hands[^gentzkow2006media], leaving citizens "zombified", detached from purpose and independence.

"Even bacteria respond to motivation."[^dufrene2020]

If tolerated — even by you, dear reader — this parasitic cycle will continue to erode humanity's dignity and potential. The solution lies in reclaiming agency by building a society grounded in sound money, meaningful productivity, and spiritual and cultural foundations that connect us to higher purposes. As warned in Jeremiah 17:5 [^4], trusting fallible human systems leads to enslavement. True freedom comes from rejecting exploitative bureaucracies and embracing systems aligned with truth, autonomy, and resilience.

Another way is to fully understand the system and opt out. This requires mastering the rules and using them to your advantage. If legal avenues exist to avoid taxation, expropriation, eminent domain, or government coercion, then the first step is to change the game for yourself.

The monetary system and government incentives shape human behavior, influencing those who allow themselves to be controlled by them.

fiat #bitcoin #austrian-economics #freedom #slavery #money #government #antipropaganda #propaganda #taxes #tax #greenagenda #wef #who

Footnote

[^1]: M2 refers to savings deposits + money market mutual funds + small time deposits. M2 includes all of M1 plus "near money" (M0), which consists of savings deposits, money market accounts, and small-denomination time deposits (like certificates of deposit under a certain amount). M2 is commonly tracked by central banks to gauge medium-term economic activity and savings behavior, as it includes money that people save rather than spend immediately.

[^2]: Since the 1990s, societies worldwide have been confronted by a series of global crises, often framed as urgent and overwhelming challenges. All scams. Including deforestation, ocean and air pollution, nuclear waste, oil spills, plastic and soil pollution, drought, fossil fuel consumption, rising sea levels, species extinction, extreme weather, global warming, melting glaciers, acid rain, and, recently, climate change. Each crisis has shaped public opinion and policy, and also created new laws, regulations, and taxes.

[^3]: Politicians are merely psychopath[^hareleonmayersalinasfolino2022][^klaas2023] parasites.

[^4]: Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

References

Bibtex

bibtex @book{ammous2018, title={The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking}, author={Ammous, Saifedean}, year={2018}, publisher={Wiley}, url={https://saifedean.com/tbs} } @book{ammous2023, author = {Saifedean Ammous}, title = {Principles of Economics}, year = {2023}, publisher = {Saifedean Ammous}, address = {Self-published}, url = {https://saifedean.com/poe} } @book{ammous2021, author = {Saifedean Ammous}, title = {The Fiat Standard: The Debt Slavery Alternative to Human Civilization}, year = {2021}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken, NJ}, url = {https://saifedean.com/tfs} } @book{rothbard1993man, author = {Murray N. Rothbard}, title = {Man, Economy, and State: A Treatise on Economic Principles}, year = {1993}, publisher = {Ludwig von Mises Institute}, address = {Auburn, Alabama}, note = {Originally published in 1962}, url = {https://mises.org/library/man-economy-and-state-power-and-market} } @book{hoppe2001, author = {Hans-Hermann Hoppe}, title = {Democracy: The God That Failed: The Economics and Politics of Monarchy, Democracy, and Natural Order}, year = {2001}, publisher = {Transaction Publishers}, address = {New Brunswick, NJ}, url = {https://mises.org/library/democracy-god-failed} } @book{mises1998, author = {Ludwig von Mises}, title = {Human Action: A Treatise on Economics}, year = {1998}, publisher = {Ludwig von Mises Institute}, address = {Auburn, Alabama}, note = {Originally published in 1949}, url = {https://mises.org/library/human-action-0} } @article{gentzkow2006media, author = {Matthew Gentzkow and Jesse M. Shapiro}, title = {Media Bias and Reputation}, journal = {Journal of Political Economy}, volume = {114}, number = {2}, pages = {280-316}, year = {2006}, publisher = {University of Chicago Press}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1086/499414} } @article{caplan2001rational, author = {Bryan Caplan}, title = {Rational Irrationality and the Microfoundations of Political Failure}, journal = {Public Choice}, volume = {107}, number = {3}, pages = {311-331}, year = {2001}, publisher = {Springer}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010349129605} } @book{federalreserve1975modern, author = {{Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago}}, title = {Modern Money Mechanics: A Workbook on Bank Reserves and Deposit Expansion}, year = {1975}, publisher = {Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago}, url = {https://archive.org/details/modern-money-mechanics/mode/2up} } @misc{bundesbank2024, author = {{Deutsche Bundesbank}}, title = {Minimum Reserves}, year = {n.d.}, url = {https://www.bundesbank.de/en/tasks/monetary-policy/minimum-reserves/minimum-reserves-625912}, note = {Accessed: 2024-11-07} } @article{ambler1987, author = {Wayne Ambler}, title = {Aristotle on Nature and Politics: The Case of Slavery}, journal = {Political Theory}, volume = {15}, number = {3}, pages = {390-410}, year = {1987}, month = {Aug.} } @book{kiyosaki2019, author = {Robert T. Kiyosaki}, title = {FAKE: Fake Money, Fake Teachers, Fake Assets: How Lies Are Making the Poor and Middle Class Poorer}, year = {2019}, month = {April}, publisher = {Plata Publishing}, address = {Scottsdale, AZ}, note = {Paperback, Illustrated Edition} } @article{hareleonmayersalinasfolino2022, title = {Psychopathy and crimes against humanity: A conceptual and empirical examination of human rights violators}, journal = {Journal of Criminal Justice}, volume = {81}, pages = {101901}, year = {2022}, issn = {0047-2352}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2022.101901}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0047235222000216}, author = {Robert D. Hare and Elizabeth León-Mayer and Joanna Rocuant Salinas and Jorge Folino and Craig S. Neumann}, keywords = {Crimes against humanity, Human rights violators, Terrorism, Psychopathy, PCL-R, SRP-SF, Four-factor model, Latent profile analysis}, abstract = {Purpose There is a dearth of empirical data on the contributions of personality, psychopathology, and psychopathy to terrorism and its actors. Because of a fortuitous set of circumstances, we had access to a sample of men convicted of crimes against humanity (CAH) committed during the Pinochet regime, each rated by expert clinicians on the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). We also had PCL-R ratings for samples of general offenders and community participants. Methods We determined the psychometric properties of the PCL-R for these samples, performed structural equation modeling (SEM) to investigate the factor structure of the PCL-R, and conducted a latent profile analysis (LPA) of the obtained factors to identify classes or subtypes within the samples. Results The PCL-R's psychometric properties and factor structure were in accord with findings from other countries and settings. The PCL-R total scores of the CAH and general offenders were virtually the same but much higher than those of the community sample. However, the CAH group had extraordinarily high scores on the Interpersonal/Affective facets yet relatively low scores on the Lifestyle/Antisocial facets. LPA identified the expected four latent classes, with most CAH men located within the Callous-Conning class. Conclusions The results of this study provide unique information about the psychopathic propensities of a sample of state violators of human rights. Their pattern of PCL-R scores was consistent with an extreme disposition for self-serving, callous, and ruthless treatment of others, without guilt or remorse, and in the absence of a prior documented history of severe antisocial behavior.} } @misc{klaas2023, author = "{Brian Klaas}", title = "{{How many politicians are psychopaths?}}", howpublished = {\url{https://www.forkingpaths.co/p/how-many-politicians-are-psychopaths}}, note = {Online; accessed 29 January 2024}, year=2023 } @article{pinna2022, title={Mental health in transgender individuals: a systematic review}, author={Pinna, Federica and Paribello, Pasquale and Somaini, Giulia and Corona, Alice and Ventriglio, Antonio and Corrias, Carolina and Frau, Ilaria and Murgia, Roberto and El Kacemi, Sabrina and Galeazzi, Gian Maria and others}, journal={International Review of Psychiatry}, volume={34}, number={3-4}, pages={292--359}, year={2022}, publisher={Taylor \& Francis}, doi={10.1080/09540261.2022.2093629}, url={https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36151828/} } @book{rothbard2009, title={Anatomy of the State}, author={Rothbard, Murray}, year={2009}, publisher={Ludwig von Mises Institute} } @misc{britannica2024, author = {{Encyclopaedia Britannica}}, title = {Zombie-Ant Fungus}, year = {n.d.}, url = {https://www.britannica.com/science/zombie-ant-fungus}, note = {Accessed: 2024-11-07} } @misc{amoedo2024, author = {Renato Amoedo}, title = {Até as bactérias respondem a uma motivação}, year = {2024}, note = {Famosa frase mencionada em entrevistas e podcasts relacionados a comportamento e motivação}, howpublished = {Comentário público}, } @article{dufrene2020, title={Mechanomicrobiology: how bacteria sense and respond to forces}, author={Dufrêne, Yves F. and Persat, Alexandre}, journal={Nature Reviews Microbiology}, volume={18}, pages={227--240}, year={2020}, month={April}, doi={10.1038/s41579-019-0314-2}, url={https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-019-0314-2}, publisher={Springer Nature}, note={Accepted 06 December 2019, Published 20 January 2020} } @misc{mungerquote, author = {Munger, Charlie}, title = {Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome}, note = {Often attributed to Charlie Munger, known for his wisdom on finance and life as Warren Buffett's business partner.}, howpublished = {Quote}, year = {n.d.}, url = {https://elevatesociety.com/quotes-by-charlie-munger/} }

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Solar Power Tips for a Sustainable Remote Home Office

As more professionals transition to remote work, the need for sustainable and cost-effective solutions has never been greater. One of the most effective ways to reduce your ecological impact and lower energy costs is by harnessing the sun's power—specifically, solar energy.

Solar power is becoming increasingly popular among remote workers, providing a renewable energy source for residences with a home office setup. It helps reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and offers the potential for significant long-term savings.

This blog will list the benefits of using solar power in a remote home office environment. Whether you want to reduce your carbon footprint or reduce your energy expenses, the information will guide you in creating a more sustainable design for a productive home office. Choosing the Right Solar Panels Building a solar-powered home office starts with picking the right solar panels. You can choose from traditional photovoltaic panels to sleek solar shingles that blend with your roof's design.

Recent advancements in solar technology have introduced more compact and efficient panels, making it easier than ever to generate significant power, even in smaller spaces.

When choosing solar panels, prioritize efficiency ratings and durability. High-efficiency panels, such as monocrystalline options, can produce more energy with less surface area. They are ideal if you have limited roof space.

Aesthetics can also play a role, particularly if you want your home office to maintain a modern, professional appearance. For example, solar shingles offer a subtler alternative to standard panels while providing comparable energy production. Essential solar power components Setting up a fully functional solar-powered home office requires more than just panels. Below are the essential components to consider:

Inverters

Solar panels create direct current (DC), but most home appliances run on alternating current (AC). Inverters convert DC to AC, so you can use solar power. Look for high-quality inverters, such as micro-inverters, which optimize the output of each panel individually.

Batteries

Energy storage is critical because solar power is not always available. Solar batteries let you save extra energy made during the day so you can use it at night or when it is cloudy. Consider opting for lithium-ion batteries due to their high energy density, long lifespan, and relatively small size.

Mounting hardware

Proper installation is key to getting the most energy from your solar panels and making sure they can handle tough weather. Adjustable mounts let you place your panels to get the most sunlight and ensure they last over time. Benefits of Solar Power in a Home Office You may wonder: why is solar power for a home office such a big deal? Here are the reasons why: Cost savings and environmental impact One of the biggest benefits of using solar power in your home office is the potential to save a lot of money. Making your electricity can help you reduce or even eliminate your monthly energy bills.

The average owner can save between $10,000 and $30,000 over the lifespan of a solar energy system, depending on their location and system size. Plus, federal tax credits, state incentives, and net metering programs can lower both the initial and ongoing costs of going solar. Reliability and independence Solar power also provides unmatched reliability and independence, particularly in areas prone to power outages. Coupling your solar panels with a high-capacity battery storage system allows you to maintain power for essential devices during power cuts.

It becomes a critical advantage if you need to keep your computers, internet, and other tools working to stay productive.

Solar energy also frees you from relying on the power grid, which is especially helpful if you live in rural or remote areas where power may be less reliable or more expensive. Additional Tips for a Sustainable Home Office Maximize your home office with these practical ways: Complementary green technologies Consider incorporating complementary green technologies into your home office, such as:

Smart thermostats

Devices like the Nest or Ecobee learn your habits and adjust the temperature to maximize comfort while minimizing energy usage. A smart thermostat regulates heating and cooling based on your schedule, significantly reducing your energy use and costs.

Energy monitors

Tools like the Sense Home Energy Monitor help track energy usage across your home. You can identify energy-draining devices to make better decisions about allocating and conserving power and optimizing your solar system's efficiency.

LED lighting

Transitioning to LED bulbs uses less energy and makes your lights last longer. They further lower replacement costs and waste. Outdoor solar solutions Sustainability does not have to stop at your office door. The following outdoor solar-powered devices can enhance the eco-friendliness of your entire home environment:

Solar-powered garden lights

These lights use built-in solar panels to charge during the day and illuminate your outdoor spaces at night. They are perfect for adding ambiance to your yard or improving visibility along pathways without increasing your electricity bill.

Solar security cameras

Protect your property with solar-powered security cameras. They are self-sufficient and eliminate the need for extensive wiring.

Solar water features

From fountains to birdbaths, solar-powered water features add aesthetic appeal to your garden while relying entirely on renewable energy. Shine Bright at Home Embracing solar power for your home office is a smart step toward a greener, more cost-effective future. Choosing efficient solar panels, integrating essential components like inverters and batteries, and pairing them with complementary green technologies can help you create a sustainable workspace that aligns with modern, eco-conscious values.

If you're considering finding a home in Laguna, Philippines, solar energy becomes an even more valuable investment. With Laguna’s growing residential developments, eco-friendly communities, and abundant sunlight, homeowners can take full advantage of renewable energy to lower electricity costs and reduce their carbon footprint. Many new housing projects in Laguna also emphasize sustainability, making it easier to integrate solar solutions into your home.

Investing in solar power is more than a commitment to the environment—it is a long-term strategy for saving money and boosting reliability in your day-to-day work life. With these tips, you are well on your way to creating a home office that works as hard for the planet as you do.

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This is my first post, with a header and regular text.

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Haben Sie schon einmal einen Intelligenztest gemacht? Da geht es darum, in beschränkter Zeit eine Vielfalt rationaler Denkprozesse so präzise wie möglich korrekt zu absolvieren, wenn man gern einen hohen Intelligenzquotienten bescheinigt haben mag. Unsere gesamte Schulbildung ist überwiegend auf die Entfaltung dieser Art kognitiver Potentiale ausgerichtet. Allerdings ist es weniger eigenständiges Denken, das im Fokus steht. Meist handelt es sich um "betreutes" Denken in vorgegebenen begrifflichen Kategorien und mit vorgegebenen Frage-Antwort Schemata, welche vorab zu pauken sind, wenn man bestehen möchte.

Und wie steht es um das Mitfühlen mit anderen Geschöpfen - mit Grashüpfern, Ameisen, Pflanzen, Fischen, Schweinen oder Rindern? Und wie ist es um das Mitfühlen mit Menschen bestellt, welche infolge von Kriegshandlungen schwerste körperliche und seelische Schäden davontragen oder sterben? Wurden solche Fragen in Ihrer Ausbildung thematisiert? Meine Erinnerung bringt das Sezieren von Fröschen und Fischen im Biologieunterricht hervor, wobei Fragen an die Lehrer nach dem Leiden der Tiere als unpassend abgetan wurden. Die Überlebenden unserer Vorfahren in den Weltkriegen nach den erlittenen Leiden zu fragen: Hat Sie dazu einer Ihrer Lehrer oder Professoren ermutigt?

Sollten Sie bis hierher mitschwingen und ähnlich empfinden, dass unser Potential zum Mitfühlen in unserer Gesellschaft gegenüber kognitiven Potentialen wenig kultiviert und gepflegt wird, dann könnte sich ein Pfad auftun, unsere entstehende Regionalgesellschaft zu stärken.

Wenn wir unsere Sinneskanäle öffnen für das Befinden der Schöpfung, in der wir uns gerade bewegen, erschließen sich große Energiequellen. Diese können uns dienen, aus der vom hypertrophierten Denken entstellten Welt zurück in unsere Mitte zu finden. Zum einen können wir wahrnehmen, wie das Leben in und um uns pulsiert, können mitfühlen in dem zauberhaften Geschehen, das wir in besonderer Weise im gerade erwachenden Frühjahr erleben dürfen. Zum anderen werden wir Geschöpfe in Not oder Bedrängnis wahrnehmen und können so erfahren, dass es auch uns selbst wohl tut, wenn wir uns für diese engagieren. Wer schon einmal ein Tier geheilt hat oder sich für Opfer von Gewalthandlungen eingesetzt hat, kennt das.

Diese unmittelbaren Energiequellen geben uns Kraft, Bestätigung und Befriedigung - und diese Energie kann jeder Mensch zu jeder Zeit seines Lebens anzapfen.

Voraussetzung ist lediglich, dass wir die gewohnten "betreuten" Denkprozesse, auf die wir programmiert wurden, lernen zu unterbrechen. Dass wir die begriffliche Diarrhoe und Bedeutungsverdrehung seitens gefühlsarmer oder gefühlloser Menschen und ihrer Lakaien, welche uns aktuell zu Kriegshandlungen animieren wollen, hinter uns lassen. Dass wir uns nicht wie in den 1930er Jahren mit Worten wie "Kriegstüchtigkeit" gegen andere Völker aufhetzen lassen. Wenn wir solchen verbalen Entgleisungen nicht länger Aufmerksamkeit schenken, schaffen wir Zeit und Raum für das Mitfühlen.

Das Mitfühlen gibt uns ethische Orientierung, zeigt Wege auf, unsere Bestimmung zu finden und gibt uns die Kraft, unser Leben nach unseren Wertvorstellungen zu gestalten. Es beantwortet uns Fragen nach dem WOHIN und WOZU.

Das selbst Denken ist ein Werkzeug, welches uns, nachdem wir in unsere Mitte gefunden haben, dazu dienen kann, die Frage nach dem WIE zu klären.

Mit gleichgesinnten mitfühlenden und selbst denkenden Menschen ist es möglich, an unserer Regionalgesellschaft zu werkeln und funktionierende, auf Vertrauen basierende Initiativen und Gemeinschaften zum Blühen zu bringen. In meinen Blogbeiträgen sind seit 2018 einige davon beschrieben. Und ein psychologischer Zusammenhang scheint bemerkenswert: In solchen Gemeinschaften fühlen sich auch die Beteiligten wohl. Dazu liegen wissenschaftliche Studien vor, welche Sie in meinem Publikationsverzeichnis finden.

Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben.

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I hope you like it

.

@ 56cd780f:cbde8b29

Let'‘s see if they appear in the right order.

First we have an apple.

Then we have a banana.

And lastly, a pear.

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test

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❤️🔥✨

@ 33baa074:3bb3a297

The application of chlorine in water treatment is mainly reflected in its ability to act as a disinfectant. It can effectively kill bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms in water, thereby reducing the risk of waterborne diseases. The following is a detailed description of the application of chlorine in water treatment:

Disinfection As an effective disinfectant, chlorine is usually added to water during the water treatment process in the form of chlorine gas, chlorophyll acid or chlorine. This process is called chlorination, which ensures that pathogens in the water are effectively eliminated. Chlorine's disinfection ability comes from its strong oxidizing properties, which can destroy the cell structure of microorganisms to achieve the purpose of disinfection.

Disinfection By-products Despite the obvious benefits of chlorine in disinfection, there are also some negative effects. Chlorine disinfection may lead to the formation of disinfection by-products such as chloroform and chloroform, which may pose potential health risks in high concentrations. Therefore, when using chlorine for water treatment, the chlorine content needs to be strictly controlled to ensure the safety of the water.

Chlorine Measurement and Control Monitoring and controlling the chlorine content in the water treatment process is very critical. Total chlorine is the total amount of all forms of chlorine in water, including free residual chlorine, combined residual chlorine and other forms of chlorine such as chlorinated hydrocarbons. Available chlorine refers specifically to the part of chlorine in water that has bactericidal ability, including free residual chlorine, some combined residual chlorine (such as monochromatic and diamorphine) and chlorine dioxide. The measurement of available chlorine is crucial for evaluating the disinfection effect of water.

In summary, the application of chlorine in water treatment is mainly as a disinfectant to kill pathogens in water through its strong oxidizing properties. However, the use of chlorine also needs to be cautious to avoid the generation of harmful disinfection by-products, and other safer disinfectants such as chlorine dioxide can be selected when necessary.

@ 68768a6c:0eaf07e9

You don’t talk about it much — but you’re tired. Tired of pretending you're okay. Tired of giving your best and wondering if it’s even enough. Tired of being strong for everyone else while quietly falling apart.

But here's something you might not hear often: I’m proud of you.

Not because you’ve figured everything out — but because you haven’t given up. Even with the weight on your shoulders, you're still here. Still trying. Still hoping. Still holding on.

That counts. That matters. That’s strength too.

The truth is, progress doesn’t always look like big wins. Sometimes it’s just getting out of bed. Sometimes it’s choosing peace over proving a point. Sometimes it’s breathing through the pain and saying, “I’ll try again tomorrow.”

So if no one has told you lately: You’re doing better than you think. Rest if you need to. Cry if you must. But don’t stop. Because something beautiful is growing from everything you’re surviving.

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

A debonair day-to-night hideaway fuses heritage charm with contemporary flair in the Penang capital of George Town...

Housed in a historic landmark on George Town’s atmospheric Lebuh Farquhar, just a stone’s throw from the iconic Eastern & Oriental Hotel, MOJO JOJO is a café and brunch spot by day, and a refined eatery come nightfall. With an effortlessly cool edge, the space has been designed by Empt Studio and combines contemporary charm with the energy of this Malaysian city.

Split into two sections, the venue caters to both hotel guests and passersby. One side offers an intimate, tailored dining experience for those seeking a respite from the buzz of outside, while the other spills out onto the street, embracing George Town’s lively buzz. The soaring ceilings create a sense of openness, further enhanced by the introduction of a mezzanine above the kitchen, maximising space without compromising on airiness.

Natural materials feature throughout with custom bamboo display systems and solid Nyatoh timber fixtures lending a rich, textural warmth. Deliberately crafted interlocking joints pay homage to traditional woodworking techniques, reinforcing both strength and authenticity. Every detail nods to meticulous craftsmanship, from the aged wood grains to the earthy material palette that echoes the heritage of its surroundings.

Lighting plays a supporting yet pivotal role, with carefully curated, softly diffused illumination accentuating the textures and forms within. The interplay of warm light and natural materials fosters an immersive, atmospheric retreat from the fast-paced city outside.

A refuge for slow mornings and, later on, offering a more cultured affair, MOJO JOJO is a debonair dining spot for the handsome Penang capital.

Read more https://www.emptstudio.com/projects/mojojojo

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/966008

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

Hubless Wheels + Donut Motor brings manufacturing & performance benefits

Verge Next, a subsidiary of Estonia-based Verge Motorcycles, invented this Donut Motor. It's designed to drive a hubless wheel. Although once seen as something that simply looked cool in renderings, the company says the hubless arrangement brings performance and manufacturing benefits, "delivering unmatched torque and power density with minimal weight."

For one thing, there's no chain, belt or drivetrain required. Secondly, it frees the body of the bike from the task of holding the motor—everything is now contained within that rear wheel.

The company has not only incorporated the Donut Motor into their own bikes, but is now licensing the technology. Assuming it does what it says on the tin, our future streetscapes will be covered with hubless bikes, scooters and motorcycles.

Here's a closer look at a Verge bike and how its design is influenced by the motor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og9vlJRe2-M

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/966001

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2nmn

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เบื้องหลังการเปลี่ยนแปลงครั้งใหญ่ในประวัติศาสตร์ เราต้องเข้าใจปัจจัยที่เปลี่ยนแปลงตรรกะของความรุนแรง โดยเฉพาะปัจจัยเชิงมหภาค 4 ประเภทหลัก ได้แก่ ภูมิประเทศ ภูมิอากาศ จุลชีพ และเทคโนโลยี

1. ภูมิประเทศ เป็นตัวกำหนดที่สำคัญมากต่อรูปแบบของรัฐและความสามารถในการควบคุมพลเมืองโดยเฉพาะเมื่อเปรียบระหว่างสภาพภูมิประเทศทางบกและทางทะเล พื้นที่ทะเลเปิดนั้นยากต่อการผูกขาดหรือควบคุม ทำให้กฎของรัฐไม่สามารถบังคับใช้ได้อย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ ต่างจากแผ่นดิน ซึ่งส่งผลต่อการจัดวางอำนาจอย่างลึกซึ้ง เมื่อเศรษฐกิจเริ่มเคลื่อนเข้าสู่โลกไซเบอร์ซึ่งมีลักษณะคล้ายทะเลเปิดมากกว่าภาคพื้นดิน รูปแบบของการปกครองและการใช้ความรุนแรงจึงมีแนวโน้มเปลี่ยนแปลงไปอย่างมีนัยสำคัญ ประวัติศาสตร์ก็สนับสนุนมุมมองนี้ รัฐยุคแรก ๆ มักเกิดขึ้นในพื้นที่ราบลุ่มชลประทานที่ล้อมรอบด้วยทะเลทราย เช่น เมโสโปเตเมียและอียิปต์ ซึ่งทำให้ประชาชนจำเป็นต้องพึ่งพารัฐที่สามารถควบคุมแหล่งน้ำเพื่อดำรงชีวิตได้ ก่อให้เกิดระบบเผด็จการที่มั่นคง ขณะที่ภูมิประเทศที่กระจายอำนาจ เช่น กรีซโบราณ กลับเอื้อต่อการเกิดประชาธิปไตย เพราะผู้คนสามารถพึ่งตนเองได้มากกว่า มีอิสระในการค้าขายทางทะเล และเข้าถึงรายได้ที่นำไปแลกกับอำนาจทางทหารและการเมืองได้
2. ภูมิอากาศก็มีบทบาทไม่แพ้กันในการกำหนดกรอบของอำนาจทางการเมือง เช่น หลังสิ้นยุคน้ำแข็งราว 13,000 ปีก่อน ความเปลี่ยนแปลงของระบบนิเวศทำให้ทุ่งหญ้าเลี้ยงสัตว์ลดลง และป่าทึบเข้ามาแทนที่ ทำให้มนุษย์ต้องเปลี่ยนวิถีชีวิตจากนักล่ามาเป็นเกษตรกรอย่างหลีกเลี่ยงไม่ได้ การเปลี่ยนแปลงนี้ไม่ได้เกิดขึ้นเพราะความสมัครใจ แต่เพราะสิ่งแวดล้อมบีบบังคับ ภูมิอากาศยังมีอิทธิพลต่อเสถียรภาพทางเศรษฐกิจและการเมืองอย่างชัดเจน เช่น ศตวรรษที่ 17 ซึ่งเป็นยุคหนาวเย็นที่สุดช่วงหนึ่งในประวัติศาสตร์ ทำให้เกิดวิกฤตอาหารและความอดอยากทั่วโลก นำไปสู่การก่อกบฏและการปฏิวัติในหลายประเทศ
3. จุลชีพ ก็มีบทบาทในเชิงการเมืองมหภาคอย่างลึกซึ้ง การล่มสลายของประชากรพื้นเมืองในทวีปอเมริกาจากโรคที่ชาวยุโรปนำเข้า เช่น หัด หรือไข้ทรพิษ ทำให้ยุโรปสามารถยึดครองดินแดนเหล่านั้นได้อย่างง่ายดาย แม้ในบางครั้งจะยังไม่ได้ลงจากเรือด้วยซ้ำ ในอีกด้านหนึ่ง จุลชีพก็เคยเป็นกำแพงที่ป้องกันไม่ให้จักรวรรดิยุโรปขยายอำนาจ เช่น มาลาเรียในแอฟริกาที่เคยทำให้พื้นที่เหล่านั้น “ต่อต้านอำนาจจากภายนอก” ได้อย่างนานหลายศตวรรษ
4. เทคโนโลยี ซึ่งเป็นปัจจัยที่ที่ทรงอิทธิพลที่สุดต่อการเปลี่ยนแปลงของโครงสร้างอำนาจในประวัติศาสตร์มนุษย์ เพราะมันสามารถเปลี่ยน “ต้นทุน” และ “ผลตอบแทน” ของการใช้ความรุนแรงได้อย่างรวดเร็วและชัดเจน ทั้งในแง่ของอาณาเขต ขนาดของรัฐ ลักษณะของสงคราม และแม้แต่ความชอบธรรมทางการเมือง ผู้เขียนได้แยกอิทธิพลของเทคโนโลยีออกเป็น 5 มิติหลัก ซึ่งล้วนมีบทบาทอย่างสำคัญในการจัดรูปแบบของอำนาจ ได้แก่:

A. ดุลยภาพระหว่างการโจมตีและการป้องกัน เทคโนโลยีแต่ละยุคมีผลอย่างมากต่อความได้เปรียบระหว่างฝ่ายรุกกับฝ่ายรับ หากเทคโนโลยีในยุคนั้นเอื้อต่อ “การโจมตี” (เช่น เครื่องยิงหิน, รถถัง, ระเบิดทางอากาศ) ต้นทุนของการขยายอำนาจจะต่ำลง รัฐหรือจักรวรรดิจะรวมศูนย์มากขึ้นเพราะสามารถควบคุมพื้นที่กว้างได้ด้วยกำลังที่มีประสิทธิภาพ แต่หากเทคโนโลยีเอื้อให้ “การป้องกัน” มีต้นทุนต่ำและได้เปรียบ (เช่น ปราสาทยุคกลาง, อาวุธต่อต้านอากาศยาน, การเข้ารหัสข้อมูลในโลกไซเบอร์) รัฐจะมีแนวโน้มกระจายตัว และอำนาจท้องถิ่นจะแข็งแกร่งขึ้น

B. ความเท่าเทียมกันทางทหารของพลเมือง เทคโนโลยีอาวุธยังเป็นตัวแปรสำคัญในการกำหนดว่า “พลเมืองธรรมดา” มีอำนาจเพียงใดในการเผชิญหน้ากับชนชั้นปกครอง ตัวอย่างที่ชัดเจนคือในยุคก่อนปฏิวัติดินปืน ชาวนาที่ถือแค่ส้อมหรือจอบไม่อาจต้านอัศวินติดเกราะได้ แต่เมื่อการใช้ปืนแพร่หลาย เส้นแบ่งระหว่างสามัญชนกับขุนนางก็เริ่มจางลง และเกิดการปฏิวัติทางสังคมตามมาในหลายพื้นที่

C. ขนาดขององค์กรที่จำเป็นต่อการใช้ความรุนแรง บางเทคโนโลยีต้องการระบบสนับสนุนขนาดใหญ่ เช่น เสบียง การสื่อสาร การขนส่ง และระบบการฝึกฝนที่ซับซ้อน ซึ่งหมายความว่าเฉพาะองค์กรที่มีทรัพยากรขนาดใหญ่เท่านั้นจึงสามารถใช้อำนาจอย่างมีประสิทธิภาพได้ ตัวอย่างเช่น สมัยสงครามโลก รัฐที่มีอุตสาหกรรมและสายส่งที่มั่นคงเท่านั้นจึงสามารถรบได้นาน

D. ขนาดของกิจกรรมทางเศรษฐกิจในการผลิต ขนาดของหน่วยเศรษฐกิจที่ “เหมาะสมที่สุด” ในการผลิตสินค้าและบริการก็เป็นตัวแปรทางเทคโนโลยีที่ส่งผลต่อโครงสร้างของรัฐ หากเศรษฐกิจจำเป็นต้องอาศัยตลาดขนาดใหญ่ พื้นที่กว้าง หรือระบบโลจิสติกส์ที่ซับซ้อน รัฐขนาดใหญ่จะมีข้อได้เปรียบ เช่น จักรวรรดิอังกฤษที่สามารถจัดระบบเศรษฐกิจข้ามทวีปได้ในศตวรรษที่ 19 แต่หากเทคโนโลยีเอื้อให้เศรษฐกิจท้องถิ่นมีความคล่องตัว สามารถผลิตแบบกระจาย (distributed production)ได้ รัฐขนาดใหญ่ก็จะมีประสิทธิภาพน้อยลง และอำนาจจะกระจายตัว

E. การกระจายของเทคโนโลยี หากเทคโนโลยีสามารถถูก “ผูกขาด” ได้โดยกลุ่มเล็ก ๆ เช่น การควบคุมแหล่งพลังงานนิวเคลียร์ หรือการพัฒนาอาวุธล้ำสมัย อำนาจจะกระจุกอยู่กับชนชั้นนำ แต่หากเทคโนโลยีแพร่กระจายได้อย่างกว้างขวาง เช่น การใช้ดินปืน แป้นพิมพ์ อำนาจก็จะสลายตัวไปยังประชาชนทั่วไป

เมื่อพิจารณาประวัติศาสตร์ในมุมของ “สิ่งที่เกิดขึ้นจริง” ควบคู่กับ “สิ่งที่อาจเกิดขึ้นได้” เราจะเริ่มตระหนักถึงบทบาทของโอกาสและความเปราะบางที่มักถูกมองข้าม โดยเฉพาะในกรณีของจุลชีพ แม้จะเป็นตัวแปรที่ทรงพลังในอดีต แต่กลับดูเหมือนว่ามันมีผลกระทบต่อโครงสร้างอำนาจในยุคใหม่ต่ำกว่าที่ควรจะเป็น ทั้งที่ในทางทฤษฎีแล้ว มันมีศักยภาพสูงยิ่งในการเปลี่ยนแปลงประวัติศาสตร์ หากเชื้อไวรัสสายพันธุ์ใหม่ที่ร้ายแรงและแพร่กระจายได้ง่าย เทียบเท่าหรือรุนแรงกว่ามาลาเรีย แพร่ระบาดในหมู่นักสำรวจโปรตุเกสช่วงต้นของยุคการเดินเรือ อาจไม่มีการสำรวจหรือขยายอาณานิคมเกิดขึ้นเลย เช่นเดียวกับหากโคลัมบัสและผู้ย้ายถิ่นกลุ่มแรกในโลกใหม่ต้องเผชิญโรคร้ายที่มีฤทธิ์รุนแรงพอ ๆ กับหัดซึ่งคร่าชีวิตชาวพื้นเมืองไปอย่างมหาศาล พวกเขาอาจไม่สามารถตั้งรกรากได้เลยด้วยซ้ำ

แต่เมื่อมองย้อนกลับไป สิ่งเหล่านี้กลับไม่เคยเกิดขึ้น และนั่นทำให้เรายิ่งมีแนวโน้มจะเชื่อใน “ชะตากรรม” บางอย่างของประวัติศาสตร์ อย่างไรก็ตาม หากมองในแง่กลไกของพลังที่ขับเคลื่อนอำนาจ การที่จุลชีพกลับมีบทบาทสนับสนุนการรวมศูนย์ของรัฐในยุคใหม่มากกว่าการขัดขวาง ก็เป็นสิ่งที่น่าพิจารณา ทหารและผู้ตั้งถิ่นฐานจากโลกตะวันตกไม่ได้มีเพียงเทคโนโลยีเป็นแต้มต่อ แต่ยังมี “ภูมิคุ้มกันที่สั่งสมจากประสบการณ์กับโรค” อีกด้วย โรคที่มาพร้อมกับนักสำรวจจากยุโรปจึงกลายเป็น “อาวุธลับ” ที่ทำลายชาวพื้นเมืองก่อนที่ผู้รุกรานจะลงจากเรือด้วยซ้ำ

แม้ว่าจะมีข้อสันนิษฐานว่าซิฟิลิสแพร่จากโลกใหม่กลับไปยังยุโรป แต่ผลกระทบของมันก็จำกัดอยู่ในระดับวัฒนธรรม โดยเฉพาะด้านศีลธรรมทางเพศ ไม่ได้ส่งผลกระทบในระดับการเมืองมหภาคอย่างที่โรคระบาดในยุคกลางเคยทำ เช่น กาฬโรคหรือโรคไข้ทรพิษ เพราะในยุคสมัยใหม่ ระบบอุตสาหกรรมและโครงสร้างทางการแพทย์มีความสามารถในการควบคุมภัยจากจุลชีพได้มากขึ้น ไม่ว่าจะผ่านระบบสุขาภิบาล วัคซีน หรือยาปฏิชีวนะ

อย่างไรก็ดี การปรากฏตัวของโรคเอดส์ และความกังวลเกี่ยวกับไวรัสกลายพันธุ์ในช่วงปลายศตวรรษที่ 20 ได้แสดงให้เห็นว่า จุลชีพอาจไม่ได้เป็น “ปัจจัยรอง” ที่ไร้ฤทธิ์เสมอไป และอาจหวนกลับมาเป็นปัจจัยหลักที่กำหนดแนวทางของอำนาจใหม่อีกครั้งได้ในอนาคต หากมีโรคระบาดใหญ่เกิดขึ้นซึ่งรุนแรงพอที่จะทำลายความสามารถของรัฐในการควบคุมระบบเศรษฐกิจและชีวิตสาธารณะ โครงสร้างของอำนาจอาจสั่นคลอนยิ่งกว่าผลกระทบจากภูมิอากาศหรือภูมิประเทศเสียอีก

ปัญหาคือเราไม่สามารถคาดการณ์จุดเริ่มต้นของเหตุการณ์เหล่านี้ได้อย่างแม่นยำ ไม่มีแบบจำลองใดที่สามารถควบคุมหรือคาดเดาธรรมชาติได้อย่างสมบูรณ์ แม้จะมีความพยายามทางวิทยาศาสตร์และการเฝ้าระวังระดับโลก การที่เรารอดพ้นจากโรคร้ายในอดีตไม่ได้แปลว่าจะรอดได้อีกในอนาคต ความคาดหวังว่าปัจจัยมหภาคในพันปีข้างหน้าจะยังคงเป็น “เทคโนโลยี” ไม่ใช่ “จุลชีพ” จึงเป็นเพียงสมมติฐานที่ตั้งอยู่บนความหวังมากกว่าหลักประกันใด ๆ

และแม้ว่าเทคโนโลยีจะมีบทบาทอย่างล้นเหลือในช่วงห้าศตวรรษที่ผ่านมา แต่บทเรียนจากการปฏิวัติการเกษตรในยุคโบราณก็ยังคงเตือนใจว่า ปัจจัยที่เปลี่ยนแปลงวิถีของอำนาจในระดับรากฐานที่สุดอาจไม่ได้ยิ่งใหญ่หรือก้าวหน้าเสมอไป บางครั้งสิ่งที่ทำให้โลกเปลี่ยนแปลงไปอย่างถาวร ไม่ใช่จักรกลที่ซับซ้อนหรืออาวุธล้ำยุค หากแต่เป็นสิ่งมีชีวิตขนาดเล็กที่เราแทบมองไม่เห็นด้วยตาเปล่า — และมันก็อาจย้อนกลับมามีบทบาทสำคัญอีกครั้งในศตวรรษของเรา.

อย่าลืมว่าหนังสือเล่มนี้เขียนขึ้นในปี 1997 — ยุคที่โลกยังไม่เคยรู้จักกับ COVID-19

บทถัดไปจะพูดถึงเรื่องการปฏิวัติครั้งแรกของ Sapiens การปฏิวัติเกษตรกรรม

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

PAN... แค่แพนเค้ก หรือ แผนล้อมโลกเรื่องอาหาร เมื่อหมากตัวจริงชื่อ Sebastian Joy

เราได้รู้จักกับคุณ Sebastian Joy กันไปแล้วนะครับ วันนี้เรามาขยายผลกันอีกหน่อย

ถ้าโลกนี้เป็นเกมหมากรุก อาหารคือกระดานที่ทุกตัวหมากต้องเหยียบเดิน และใครที่วางหมากอาหารได้...ก็วางโลกได้เหมือนกัน

ปี 2018 มีโครงการหนึ่งถือกำเนิดขึ้นในเยอรมนีอย่างเงียบๆ ชื่อว่า Physicians Association for Nutrition (PAN) เบื้องหน้าเหมือนเป็นมูลนิธิการกุศล ตั้งขึ้นมาเพื่อ "ช่วยให้หมอเข้าใจเรื่องโภชนาการจากพืช" แต่ถ้าเปิดแว่นขยายส่องให้ดีๆ มันคือหนึ่งในฟันเฟืองสำคัญของแผนเปลี่ยนอนาคตอาหารโลกจาก Animal-Based ไปเป็น Plant-Based ที่เป็น lab plant based ที่ไม่ใช่อาหารธรรมชาติแบบหลักแก่นที่ Vegan สืบทอดกันมา โดยอ้างเรื่อง "สุขภาพ" และ "สิ่งแวดล้อม" เป็นฉากหน้า

PAN นั้นเสมือนเป็นลูกสมุนตัวกลั่นของคนที่ชื่อ Sebastian Joy ชายหนุ่มสายโปรโมทแนว Vegan ที่ก่อนหน้านั้นก่อตั้งองค์กร ProVeg International ซึ่งมีสายสัมพันธ์กับพวก Start-up อาหารทางเลือก (ไม่ว่าจะเป็นเนื้อปลอม เนื้อพืชดีเอนเอ นมพืชที่มาจากจุลินทรีย์ ไปจนถึงการส่งเสริมวัตถุดิบจากแบคทีเรีย โรงงาน และห้องแลบ) แล้ว ProVeg ไม่ได้ทำงานเดี่ยวๆ นะจ๊ะ... เบื้องหลังเชื่อมโยงกับเครือข่ายที่หนุน World Economic Forum (WEF) และแนวคิด Great Reset ที่อยาก "รีเซ็ต" วิธีการกินของคนทั้งโลก โดยให้อาหารเป็น Plant-Based แบบ lab created และ Meat Lab-Based เป็นหลัก

ส่วน PAN ถูกใช้เป็น "หมากที่แต่งตัวเป็นหมอ" เพื่อเดินเกมไปสู่การแทรกแซงนโยบายประเทศต่างๆ ผ่านช่องทาง "สาธารณสุข" และ "การศึกษาแพทย์" เพื่อมาเป็นกำลังหลักให้ในแผนงาน

เรามาดูตัวอย่างผลงานเด่นของ PAN กันครับ 1. ผลักดันให้รวม Plant-Based เข้าไปในหลักสูตรแพทย์และพยาบาล (โดยใช้เหตุผลว่า "หมอต้องรู้จักอาหารเพื่อสุขภาพ") 2. ช่วยรณรงค์ให้โรงพยาบาล โรงเรียน และมหาวิทยาลัย เปลี่ยนเมนูอาหารเป็น Plant-Based 3. สนับสนุนงานวิจัย และโครงการ เช่น Green Food Experience ที่กดดันให้ภาคธุรกิจและภาครัฐบาลหันมาทำตาม "แนวทางอาหารยั่งยืน" แบบที่ PAN และพรรคพวกกำหนด 4. มีสถานะ "Observer" ในองค์การสหประชาชาติ (UN) เพื่อเสนอความคิดเห็นในการกำหนดนโยบายสาธารณสุขและสิ่งแวดล้อมระดับโลก

และเบื้องหลังอีกชั้นที่น่าสนใจ... Sebastian Joy มีความสัมพันธ์ลึกซึ้งกับวงการ Start-up อาหารใหม่ๆ ที่พยายามตีตลาด Plant-Based และ Lab-Grown Food อย่างเช่น Perfect Day, Beyond Meat, Mosa Meat ฯลฯ ผ่านการโปรโมท "โภชนาการจากพืชเพื่อสุขภาพที่ดีกว่า" โดยใช้ PAN เป็นเครื่องมือให้ดู "มีอำนาจทางวิชาการ" มากขึ้น

หรือถ้าให้พูดง่ายๆ คือ สร้างสนามแข่ง แล้วจับมือกับนักแข่งที่ตัวเองลงทุนไว้ PAN ดูเหมือนเป็นองค์กรกลางๆ ใสๆ แต่มันเชื่อมโยงกับโครงข่าย NGO และบริษัทเอกชนที่มุ่งแปลงร่างอาหารโลกอยู่เบื้องหลัง การที่ PAN ผลักดันนโยบายระดับประเทศ และแทรกซึมในระบบการศึกษา หมายความว่าอนาคตคนรุ่นใหม่จะถูกปลูกฝังแนวคิด "เนื้อสัตว์ไม่ดี" โดยไม่ทันรู้ตัว

แล้วมันเกี่ยวอะไรกับเรา? จินตนาการดูครับว่า - ถ้าวันหนึ่งโรงเรียนของลูกเรามีแต่เมนูถั่วเหลือง ซีเรียล นมโอ๊ต หรือ ไอศกรีมเวย์จากจุลินทรีย์ และห้ามเสิร์ฟเนื้อสัตว์ด้วยสารพัดเหตุผล เช่น เนื้อปนเปื้อนง่าย เนื้อทำให้เป็นมะเร็ง หรือแม้แต่สอนเด็กว่า เนื้อคือตัวการทำลายสิ่งแวดล้อมด้วย มีเทน นั่นอาจเป็นผลลัพธ์จากงานเบื้องหลังของ PAN - ถ้าวันหนึ่งนโยบายอาหารของประเทศเน้นลดเนื้อสัตว์ อ้างสุขภาพ อ้างสิ่งแวดล้อม อ้างโรคระบาด อ้างกฎแห่ง DNA ที่ถูกจดสิทธิบัตร แล้วโปรโมทเนื้อปลอมแทน นั่นอาจเป็นรอยเท้าของ Sebastian Joy ที่เดินมาก่อนแล้ว - ถ้าวันหนึ่งหมอจำนวนมากเชื่อว่า “เนื้อสัตว์คือตัวร้ายที่แพร่มะเร็งหรือทำให้สุขภาพเสีย” โดยไม่มีการตั้งคำถาม นั่นคือชัยชนะของหมากตัวนี้

ในขณะที่คนส่วนใหญ่คิดว่ากำลังเลือกอาหารเอง หรือ คิดว่าฉันกิน plant base / vegan เพราะรักโลก รักสุขภาพ แต่จริงๆ แล้วมีมือที่มองไม่เห็นกำหนด "ตัวเลือก" ไว้แล้วเรียบร้อย เพราะทั้งหมดมันไม่ได้เป็นอาหารธรรมชาติ มันคืออาหาร "สร้าง" ที่ไม่มีสัตว์, มันคืออาหาร "สร้าง" ที่ต้อง "สร้าง" มาจากโรงงาน แล้วเราต้อง "ซื้อ" มากินเท่านั้น ถ้าไม่สร้าง local ให้แข็งแรง อย่าหลงไปตามความสวยงามของการรักโลกในมุมเดียว เราอาจจะไม่สามารถปลูกพืชมาเป็นอาหารเองได้ เราอาจไม่สามารถเลี้ยงสัตว์เพื่อกินเองได้

PAN ไม่ใช่แค่องค์กรให้ความรู้ด้านโภชนาการ / PAN คือเครื่องมือในกระดานหมากรุกที่กำลังจัดการ "ตั้งโปรแกรมใหม่" ให้คนทั้งโลกกินตามแบบที่นายทุนและเครือข่ายเบื้องหลังเขียนบทไว้ และชายที่ชื่อ Sebastian Joy นี่แหละ...คือหนึ่งในผู้ถือหมากที่ยิ้มอยู่หลังม่าน

อาหารแห่งอนาคต มีทางเดินเหลือไว้ให้ เกษตรกร old school บ้างไหม สนธิสัญญาต่างๆเรื่องเมล็ดพันธุ์ เหลือทางเดินไว้ให้เกษตรกรบ้างไหม หรือสุดท้าย เราจะไม่มีไดเอทให้เลือก ให้ทะเลาะกัน เพราะสุดท้าย เราต่างต้องกินอาหารจากโรงงานเหมือนกันหมด บทความนี้คงจะเป็นได้แค่เพียง การตั้งคำถามขึ้นมาไว้ แต่ไม่มีคำตอบ ว่าเรากำลังโดนอ้าง plant based food มาเคลือบความเป็น อาหารโรงงาน (Plant Food) หรือเปล่าเพราะวันนี้หลายคนอาจมองว่าเป็นการตื่นตูม คิดมาก หรือแม้แต่ เราเลือกได้แหละ ก็ได้ครับ

ผมไม่ได้มีปัญหากับสายพืชล้วน ไม่ว่าจะเจ วีแกน แพลนท์เบส เพราะถ้ากินเป็น มองสารอาหารเป็น จัดการ anti nutrient ได้ดี มันก็ดีสำหรับคนนั้น แต่ซีรีส์นี้สำคัญที่ว่า plant based food is not PLANT food อาหารจากพืชไม่ใช่อาหารจากโรงงานครับ

ก่อนถึงวันที่เราจะไม่มีสิทธิ์แม้แต่จะเลือก #pirateketo #กูต้องรู้มั๊ย #ม้วนหางสิลูก #siamstr

@ 4ba8e86d:89d32de4

Como funciona o PGP.

O texto a seguir foi retirado do capítulo 1 do documento Introdução à criptografia na documentação do PGP 6.5.1. Copyright © 1990-1999 Network Associates, Inc. Todos os direitos reservados.

-O que é criptografia? -Criptografia forte -Como funciona a criptografia? -Criptografia convencional -Cifra de César -Gerenciamento de chaves e criptografia convencional -Criptografia de chave pública -Como funciona o PGP - Chaves • Assinaturas digitais -Funções hash • Certificados digitais -Distribuição de certificados -Formatos de certificado •Validade e confiança -Verificando validade -Estabelecendo confiança -Modelos de confiança • Revogação de certificado -Comunicar que um certificado foi revogado -O que é uma senha? -Divisão de chave

Os princípios básicos da criptografia.

Quando Júlio César enviou mensagens aos seus generais, ele não confiou nos seus mensageiros. Então ele substituiu cada A em suas mensagens por um D, cada B por um E, e assim por diante através do alfabeto. Somente alguém que conhecesse a regra “shift by 3” poderia decifrar suas mensagens. E assim começamos.

Criptografia e descriptografia.

Os dados que podem ser lidos e compreendidos sem quaisquer medidas especiais são chamados de texto simples ou texto não criptografado. O método de disfarçar o texto simples de forma a ocultar sua substância é chamado de criptografia. Criptografar texto simples resulta em um jargão ilegível chamado texto cifrado. Você usa criptografia para garantir que as informações sejam ocultadas de qualquer pessoa a quem não se destinam, mesmo daqueles que podem ver os dados criptografados. O processo de reverter o texto cifrado ao texto simples original é chamado de descriptografia . A Figura 1-1 ilustra esse processo.

https://image.nostr.build/0e2fcb71ed86a6083e083abbb683f8c103f44a6c6db1aeb2df10ae51ec97ebe5.jpg

Figura 1-1. Criptografia e descriptografia

O que é criptografia?

Criptografia é a ciência que usa a matemática para criptografar e descriptografar dados. A criptografia permite armazenar informações confidenciais ou transmiti-las através de redes inseguras (como a Internet) para que não possam ser lidas por ninguém, exceto pelo destinatário pretendido. Embora a criptografia seja a ciência que protege os dados, a criptoanálise é a ciência que analisa e quebra a comunicação segura. A criptoanálise clássica envolve uma combinação interessante de raciocínio analítico, aplicação de ferramentas matemáticas, descoberta de padrões, paciência, determinação e sorte. Os criptoanalistas também são chamados de atacantes. A criptologia abrange tanto a criptografia quanto a criptoanálise.

Criptografia forte.

"Existem dois tipos de criptografia neste mundo: a criptografia que impedirá a sua irmã mais nova de ler os seus arquivos, e a criptografia que impedirá os principais governos de lerem os seus arquivos. Este livro é sobre o último." --Bruce Schneier, Criptografia Aplicada: Protocolos, Algoritmos e Código Fonte em C. PGP também trata deste último tipo de criptografia. A criptografia pode ser forte ou fraca, conforme explicado acima. A força criptográfica é medida no tempo e nos recursos necessários para recuperar o texto simples. O resultado de uma criptografia forte é um texto cifrado que é muito difícil de decifrar sem a posse da ferramenta de decodificação apropriada. Quão díficil? Dado todo o poder computacional e o tempo disponível de hoje – mesmo um bilhão de computadores fazendo um bilhão de verificações por segundo – não é possível decifrar o resultado de uma criptografia forte antes do fim do universo. Alguém poderia pensar, então, que uma criptografia forte resistiria muito bem até mesmo contra um criptoanalista extremamente determinado. Quem pode realmente dizer? Ninguém provou que a criptografia mais forte disponível hoje resistirá ao poder computacional de amanhã. No entanto, a criptografia forte empregada pelo PGP é a melhor disponível atualmente.

Contudo, a vigilância e o conservadorismo irão protegê-lo melhor do que as alegações de impenetrabilidade.

Como funciona a criptografia?

Um algoritmo criptográfico, ou cifra, é uma função matemática usada no processo de criptografia e descriptografia. Um algoritmo criptográfico funciona em combinação com uma chave – uma palavra, número ou frase – para criptografar o texto simples. O mesmo texto simples é criptografado em texto cifrado diferente com chaves diferentes. A segurança dos dados criptografados depende inteiramente de duas coisas: a força do algoritmo criptográfico e o sigilo da chave. Um algoritmo criptográfico, mais todas as chaves possíveis e todos os protocolos que o fazem funcionar constituem um criptossistema. PGP é um criptossistema.

Criptografia convencional.

Na criptografia convencional, também chamada de criptografia de chave secreta ou de chave simétrica , uma chave é usada tanto para criptografia quanto para descriptografia. O Data Encryption Standard (DES) é um exemplo de criptossistema convencional amplamente empregado pelo Governo Federal. A Figura 1-2 é uma ilustração do processo de criptografia convencional. https://image.nostr.build/328b73ebaff84c949df2560bbbcec4bc3b5e3a5163d5fbb2ec7c7c60488f894c.jpg

Figura 1-2. Criptografia convencional

Cifra de César.

Um exemplo extremamente simples de criptografia convencional é uma cifra de substituição. Uma cifra de substituição substitui uma informação por outra. Isso é feito com mais frequência compensando as letras do alfabeto. Dois exemplos são o Anel Decodificador Secreto do Capitão Meia-Noite, que você pode ter possuído quando era criança, e a cifra de Júlio César. Em ambos os casos, o algoritmo serve para compensar o alfabeto e a chave é o número de caracteres para compensá-lo. Por exemplo, se codificarmos a palavra "SEGREDO" usando o valor chave de César de 3, deslocaremos o alfabeto para que a terceira letra abaixo (D) comece o alfabeto. Então começando com A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z e deslizando tudo para cima em 3, você obtém DEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZABC onde D=A, E=B, F=C e assim por diante. Usando este esquema, o texto simples, "SECRET" é criptografado como "VHFUHW". Para permitir que outra pessoa leia o texto cifrado, você diz a ela que a chave é 3. Obviamente, esta é uma criptografia extremamente fraca para os padrões atuais, mas, ei, funcionou para César e ilustra como funciona a criptografia convencional.

Gerenciamento de chaves e criptografia convencional.

A criptografia convencional tem benefícios. É muito rápido. É especialmente útil para criptografar dados que não vão a lugar nenhum. No entanto, a criptografia convencional por si só como meio de transmissão segura de dados pode ser bastante cara, simplesmente devido à dificuldade de distribuição segura de chaves. Lembre-se de um personagem do seu filme de espionagem favorito: a pessoa com uma pasta trancada e algemada ao pulso. Afinal, o que há na pasta? Provavelmente não é o código de lançamento de mísseis/fórmula de biotoxina/plano de invasão em si. É a chave que irá descriptografar os dados secretos. Para que um remetente e um destinatário se comuniquem com segurança usando criptografia convencional, eles devem chegar a um acordo sobre uma chave e mantê-la secreta entre si. Se estiverem em locais físicos diferentes, devem confiar em um mensageiro, no Bat Phone ou em algum outro meio de comunicação seguro para evitar a divulgação da chave secreta durante a transmissão. Qualquer pessoa que ouvir ou interceptar a chave em trânsito poderá posteriormente ler, modificar e falsificar todas as informações criptografadas ou autenticadas com essa chave. Do DES ao Anel Decodificador Secreto do Capitão Midnight, o problema persistente com a criptografia convencional é a distribuição de chaves: como você leva a chave ao destinatário sem que alguém a intercepte?

Criptografia de chave pública.

Os problemas de distribuição de chaves são resolvidos pela criptografia de chave pública, cujo conceito foi introduzido por Whitfield Diffie e Martin Hellman em 1975. (Há agora evidências de que o Serviço Secreto Britânico a inventou alguns anos antes de Diffie e Hellman, mas a manteve um segredo militar - e não fez nada com isso.

[JH Ellis: The Possibility of Secure Non-Secret Digital Encryption, CESG Report, January 1970]) A criptografia de chave pública é um esquema assimétrico que usa um par de chaves para criptografia: uma chave pública, que criptografa os dados, e uma chave privada ou secreta correspondente para descriptografia. Você publica sua chave pública para o mundo enquanto mantém sua chave privada em segredo. Qualquer pessoa com uma cópia da sua chave pública pode criptografar informações que somente você pode ler. Até mesmo pessoas que você nunca conheceu. É computacionalmente inviável deduzir a chave privada da chave pública. Qualquer pessoa que possua uma chave pública pode criptografar informações, mas não pode descriptografá-las. Somente a pessoa que possui a chave privada correspondente pode descriptografar as informações. https://image.nostr.build/fdb71ae7a4450a523456827bdd509b31f0250f63152cc6f4ba78df290887318b.jpg

Figura 1-3. Criptografia de chave pública O principal benefício da criptografia de chave pública é que ela permite que pessoas que não possuem nenhum acordo de segurança pré-existente troquem mensagens com segurança. A necessidade de remetente e destinatário compartilharem chaves secretas através de algum canal seguro é eliminada; todas as comunicações envolvem apenas chaves públicas e nenhuma chave privada é transmitida ou compartilhada. Alguns exemplos de criptossistemas de chave pública são Elgamal (nomeado em homenagem a seu inventor, Taher Elgamal), RSA (nomeado em homenagem a seus inventores, Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir e Leonard Adleman), Diffie-Hellman (nomeado, você adivinhou, em homenagem a seus inventores). ) e DSA, o algoritmo de assinatura digital (inventado por David Kravitz). Como a criptografia convencional já foi o único meio disponível para transmitir informações secretas, o custo dos canais seguros e da distribuição de chaves relegou a sua utilização apenas àqueles que podiam pagar, como governos e grandes bancos (ou crianças pequenas com anéis descodificadores secretos). A criptografia de chave pública é a revolução tecnológica que fornece criptografia forte para as massas adultas. Lembra do mensageiro com a pasta trancada e algemada ao pulso? A criptografia de chave pública o tira do mercado (provavelmente para seu alívio).

Como funciona o PGP.

O PGP combina alguns dos melhores recursos da criptografia convencional e de chave pública. PGP é um criptossistema híbrido. Quando um usuário criptografa texto simples com PGP, o PGP primeiro compacta o texto simples. A compactação de dados economiza tempo de transmissão do modem e espaço em disco e, mais importante ainda, fortalece a segurança criptográfica. A maioria das técnicas de criptoanálise explora padrões encontrados no texto simples para quebrar a cifra. A compressão reduz esses padrões no texto simples, aumentando assim enormemente a resistência à criptoanálise. (Arquivos que são muito curtos para compactar ou que não são compactados bem não são compactados.) O PGP então cria uma chave de sessão, que é uma chave secreta única. Esta chave é um número aleatório gerado a partir dos movimentos aleatórios do mouse e das teclas digitadas. Esta chave de sessão funciona com um algoritmo de criptografia convencional rápido e muito seguro para criptografar o texto simples; o resultado é texto cifrado. Depois que os dados são criptografados, a chave da sessão é criptografada na chave pública do destinatário. Essa chave de sessão criptografada com chave pública é transmitida junto com o texto cifrado ao destinatário.

Figura 1-4. Como funciona a criptografia PGP A descriptografia funciona ao contrário. A cópia do PGP do destinatário usa sua chave privada para recuperar a chave de sessão temporária, que o PGP usa para descriptografar o texto cifrado criptografado convencionalmente.

Figura 1-5. Como funciona a descriptografia PGP A combinação dos dois métodos de criptografia combina a conveniência da criptografia de chave pública com a velocidade da criptografia convencional. A criptografia convencional é cerca de 1.000 vezes mais rápida que a criptografia de chave pública. A criptografia de chave pública, por sua vez, fornece uma solução para

problemas de distribuição de chaves e transmissão de dados. Usados ​​em conjunto, o desempenho e a distribuição de chaves são melhorados sem qualquer sacrifício na segurança.

Chaves.

Uma chave é um valor que funciona com um algoritmo criptográfico para produzir um texto cifrado específico. As chaves são basicamente números muito, muito, muito grandes. O tamanho da chave é medido em bits; o número que representa uma chave de 1024 bits é enorme. Na criptografia de chave pública, quanto maior a chave, mais seguro é o texto cifrado. No entanto, o tamanho da chave pública e o tamanho da chave secreta da criptografia convencional não têm nenhuma relação. Uma chave convencional de 80 bits tem a força equivalente a uma chave pública de 1.024 bits. Uma chave convencional de 128 bits é equivalente a uma chave pública de 3.000 bits. Novamente, quanto maior a chave, mais segura, mas os algoritmos usados ​​para cada tipo de criptografia são muito diferentes e, portanto, a comparação é como a de maçãs com laranjas. Embora as chaves pública e privada estejam matematicamente relacionadas, é muito difícil derivar a chave privada dada apenas a chave pública; no entanto, derivar a chave privada é sempre possível, desde que haja tempo e capacidade computacional suficientes. Isto torna muito importante escolher chaves do tamanho certo; grande o suficiente para ser seguro, mas pequeno o suficiente para ser aplicado rapidamente. Além disso, você precisa considerar quem pode estar tentando ler seus arquivos, quão determinados eles estão, quanto tempo têm e quais podem ser seus recursos. Chaves maiores serão criptograficamente seguras por um longo período de tempo. Se o que você deseja criptografar precisar ficar oculto por muitos anos, você pode usar uma chave muito grande. Claro, quem sabe quanto tempo levará para determinar sua chave usando os computadores mais rápidos e eficientes de amanhã? Houve um tempo em que uma chave simétrica de 56 bits era considerada extremamente segura. As chaves são armazenadas de forma criptografada. O PGP armazena as chaves em dois arquivos no seu disco rígido; um para chaves públicas e outro para chaves privadas. Esses arquivos são chamados de chaveiros. Ao usar o PGP, você normalmente adicionará as chaves públicas dos seus destinatários ao seu chaveiro público. Suas chaves privadas são armazenadas em seu chaveiro privado. Se você perder seu chaveiro privado, não será possível descriptografar nenhuma informação criptografada nas chaves desse anel.

Assinaturas digitais.

Um grande benefício da criptografia de chave pública é que ela fornece um método para empregar assinaturas digitais. As assinaturas digitais permitem ao destinatário da informação verificar a autenticidade da origem da informação e também verificar se a informação está intacta. Assim, as assinaturas digitais de chave pública fornecem autenticação e integridade de dados. A assinatura digital também proporciona o não repúdio, o que significa que evita que o remetente alegue que não enviou realmente as informações. Esses recursos são tão fundamentais para a criptografia quanto a privacidade, se não mais. Uma assinatura digital tem a mesma finalidade de uma assinatura manuscrita. No entanto, uma assinatura manuscrita é fácil de falsificar. Uma assinatura digital é superior a uma assinatura manuscrita porque é quase impossível de ser falsificada, além de atestar o conteúdo da informação, bem como a identidade do signatário.

Algumas pessoas tendem a usar mais assinaturas do que criptografia. Por exemplo, você pode não se importar se alguém souber que você acabou de depositar US$ 1.000 em sua conta, mas quer ter certeza de que foi o caixa do banco com quem você estava lidando. A maneira básica pela qual as assinaturas digitais são criadas é ilustrada na Figura 1-6 . Em vez de criptografar informações usando a chave pública de outra pessoa, você as criptografa com sua chave privada. Se as informações puderem ser descriptografadas com sua chave pública, elas deverão ter se originado em você.

Figura 1-6. Assinaturas digitais simples

Funções hash.

O sistema descrito acima apresenta alguns problemas. É lento e produz um enorme volume de dados – pelo menos o dobro do tamanho da informação original. Uma melhoria no esquema acima é a adição de uma função hash unidirecional no processo. Uma função hash unidirecional recebe uma entrada de comprimento variável – neste caso, uma mensagem de qualquer comprimento, até mesmo milhares ou milhões de bits – e produz uma saída de comprimento fixo; digamos, 160 bits. A função hash garante que, se a informação for alterada de alguma forma – mesmo que por apenas um bit – seja produzido um valor de saída totalmente diferente. O PGP usa uma função hash criptograficamente forte no texto simples que o usuário está assinando. Isso gera um item de dados de comprimento fixo conhecido como resumo da mensagem. (Novamente, qualquer alteração nas informações resulta em um resumo totalmente diferente.) Então o PGP usa o resumo e a chave privada para criar a “assinatura”. O PGP transmite a assinatura e o texto simples juntos. Ao receber a mensagem, o destinatário utiliza o PGP para recalcular o resumo, verificando assim a assinatura. O PGP pode criptografar o texto simples ou não; assinar texto simples é útil se alguns dos destinatários não estiverem interessados ​​ou não forem capazes de verificar a assinatura. Desde que uma função hash segura seja usada, não há como retirar a assinatura de alguém de um documento e anexá-la a outro, ou alterar uma mensagem assinada de qualquer forma. A menor alteração em um documento assinado causará falha no processo de verificação da assinatura digital.

Figura 1-7. Assinaturas digitais seguras As assinaturas digitais desempenham um papel importante na autenticação e validação de chaves de outros usuários PGP.

Certificados digitais.

Um problema com os criptosistemas de chave pública é que os usuários devem estar constantemente vigilantes para garantir que estão criptografando com a chave da pessoa correta. Num ambiente onde é seguro trocar chaves livremente através de servidores públicos, os ataques man-in-the-middle são uma ameaça potencial. Neste tipo de ataque, alguém publica uma chave falsa com o nome e ID de usuário do destinatário pretendido. Os dados criptografados – e interceptados por – o verdadeiro proprietário desta chave falsa estão agora em mãos erradas. Em um ambiente de chave pública, é vital que você tenha certeza de que a chave pública para a qual você está criptografando os dados é de fato a chave pública do destinatário pretendido e não uma falsificação. Você pode simplesmente criptografar apenas as chaves que foram entregues fisicamente a você. Mas suponha que você precise trocar informações com pessoas que nunca conheceu; como você pode saber se tem a chave correta? Os certificados digitais, ou certs, simplificam a tarefa de estabelecer se uma chave pública realmente pertence ao suposto proprietário. Um certificado é uma forma de credencial. Exemplos podem ser sua carteira de motorista, seu cartão de previdência social ou sua certidão de nascimento. Cada um deles contém algumas informações que identificam você e alguma autorização informando que outra pessoa confirmou sua identidade. Alguns certificados, como o seu passaporte, são uma confirmação importante o suficiente da sua identidade para que você não queira perdê-los, para que ninguém os use para se passar por você.

Um certificado digital são dados que funcionam como um certificado físico. Um certificado digital é uma informação incluída na chave pública de uma pessoa que ajuda outras pessoas a verificar se uma chave é genuína ou válida. Os certificados digitais são usados ​​para impedir tentativas de substituir a chave de uma pessoa por outra.

Um certificado digital consiste em três coisas:

● Uma chave pública.

● Informações do certificado. (Informações de "identidade" sobre o usuário, como nome, ID do usuário e assim por diante.) ● Uma ou mais assinaturas digitais.

O objetivo da assinatura digital em um certificado é afirmar que as informações do certificado foram atestadas por alguma outra pessoa ou entidade. A assinatura digital não atesta a autenticidade do certificado como um todo; ele atesta apenas que as informações de identidade assinadas acompanham ou estão vinculadas à chave pública. Assim, um certificado é basicamente uma chave pública com uma ou duas formas de identificação anexadas, além de um forte selo de aprovação de algum outro indivíduo confiável. Figura 1-8. Anatomia de um certificado PGP

Distribuição de certificados.

Os certificados são utilizados quando é necessário trocar chaves públicas com outra pessoa. Para pequenos grupos de pessoas que desejam se comunicar com segurança, é fácil trocar manualmente disquetes ou e-mails contendo a chave pública de cada proprietário. Esta é a distribuição manual de chave pública e é prática apenas até certo ponto. Além desse ponto, é necessário implementar sistemas que possam fornecer os mecanismos necessários de segurança, armazenamento e troca para que colegas de trabalho, parceiros de negócios ou estranhos possam se comunicar, se necessário. Eles podem vir na forma de repositórios somente de armazenamento, chamados Servidores de Certificados, ou sistemas mais estruturados que fornecem recursos adicionais de gerenciamento de chaves e são chamados de Infraestruturas de Chave Pública (PKIs).

Servidores de certificados.

Um servidor de certificados, também chamado de servidor certificado ou servidor de chaves, é um banco de dados que permite aos usuários enviar e recuperar certificados digitais. Um servidor certificado geralmente fornece alguns recursos administrativos que permitem que uma empresa mantenha suas políticas de segurança – por exemplo, permitindo que apenas as chaves que atendam a determinados requisitos sejam armazenadas.

Infraestruturas de Chave Pública.

Uma PKI contém os recursos de armazenamento de certificados de um servidor de certificados, mas também fornece recursos de gerenciamento de certificados (a capacidade de emitir, revogar, armazenar, recuperar e confiar em certificados). A principal característica de uma PKI é a introdução do que é conhecido como Autoridade Certificadora,ou CA, que é uma entidade humana — uma pessoa, grupo, departamento, empresa ou outra associação — que uma organização autorizou a emitir certificados para seus usuários de computador. (A função de uma CA é análoga à do Passport Office do governo de um país.) Uma CA cria certificados e os assina digitalmente usando a chave privada da CA. Devido ao seu papel na criação de certificados, a CA é o componente central de uma PKI. Usando a chave pública da CA, qualquer pessoa que queira verificar a autenticidade de um certificado verifica a assinatura digital da CA emissora e, portanto, a integridade do conteúdo do certificado (mais importante ainda, a chave pública e a identidade do titular do certificado).

Formatos de certificado.

Um certificado digital é basicamente uma coleção de informações de identificação vinculadas a uma chave pública e assinadas por um terceiro confiável para provar sua autenticidade. Um certificado digital pode ter vários formatos diferentes.

O PGP reconhece dois formatos de certificado diferentes:

● Certificados PGP ● Certificados X.509 Formato do certificado PGP. Um certificado PGP inclui (mas não está limitado a) as seguintes informações: ● O número da versão do PGP — identifica qual versão do PGP foi usada para criar a chave associada ao certificado. A chave pública do titular do certificado — a parte pública do seu par de chaves, juntamente com o algoritmo da chave: RSA, DH (Diffie-Hellman) ou DSA (Algoritmo de Assinatura Digital).

● As informações do detentor do certificado — consistem em informações de “identidade” sobre o usuário, como seu nome, ID de usuário, fotografia e assim por diante. ● A assinatura digital do proprietário do certificado — também chamada de autoassinatura, é a assinatura que utiliza a chave privada correspondente da chave pública associada ao certificado. ● O período de validade do certificado — a data/hora de início e a data/hora de expiração do certificado; indica quando o certificado irá expirar. ● O algoritmo de criptografia simétrica preferido para a chave — indica o algoritmo de criptografia para o qual o proprietário do certificado prefere que as informações sejam criptografadas. Os algoritmos suportados são CAST, IDEA ou Triple-DES. Você pode pensar em um certificado PGP como uma chave pública com um ou mais rótulos vinculados a ele (veja a Figura 1.9 ). Nessas 'etiquetas' você encontrará informações que identificam o proprietário da chave e uma assinatura do proprietário da chave, que afirma que a chave e a identificação andam juntas. (Essa assinatura específica é chamada de autoassinatura; todo certificado PGP contém uma autoassinatura.) Um aspecto único do formato de certificado PGP é que um único certificado pode conter múltiplas assinaturas. Várias ou muitas pessoas podem assinar o par chave/identificação para atestar a sua própria garantia de que a chave pública pertence definitivamente ao proprietário especificado. Se você procurar em um servidor de certificados público, poderá notar que certos certificados, como o do criador do PGP, Phil Zimmermann, contêm muitas assinaturas. Alguns certificados PGP consistem em uma chave pública com vários rótulos, cada um contendo um meio diferente de identificar o proprietário da chave (por exemplo, o nome do proprietário e a conta de e-mail corporativa, o apelido do proprietário e a conta de e-mail residencial, uma fotografia do proprietário — tudo em um certificado). A lista de assinaturas de cada uma dessas identidades pode ser diferente; as assinaturas atestam a autenticidade de que um dos rótulos pertence à chave pública, e não que todos os rótulos da chave sejam autênticos. (Observe que 'autêntico' está nos olhos de quem vê - assinaturas são opiniões, e diferentes pessoas dedicam diferentes níveis de devida diligência na verificação da autenticidade antes de assinar uma chave.) Figura 1-9. Um certificado PGP

Formato de certificado X.509.

X.509 é outro formato de certificado muito comum. Todos os certificados X.509 estão em conformidade com o padrão internacional ITU-T X.509; assim (teoricamente) os certificados X.509 criados para um aplicativo podem ser usados ​​por qualquer aplicativo compatível com X.509. Na prática, porém, diferentes empresas criaram suas próprias extensões para certificados X.509, e nem todas funcionam juntas. Um certificado exige que alguém valide que uma chave pública e o nome do proprietário da chave andam juntos. Com os certificados PGP, qualquer pessoa pode desempenhar o papel de validador. Com certificados X.509, o validador é sempre uma Autoridade Certificadora ou alguém designado por uma CA. (Tenha em mente que os certificados PGP também suportam totalmente uma estrutura hierárquica usando uma CA para validar certificados.)

Um certificado X.509 é uma coleção de um conjunto padrão de campos contendo informações sobre um usuário ou dispositivo e sua chave pública correspondente. O padrão X.509 define quais informações vão para o certificado e descreve como codificá-lo (o formato dos dados). Todos os certificados X.509 possuem os seguintes dados:

O número da versão X.509

— identifica qual versão do padrão X.509 se aplica a este certificado, o que afeta quais informações podem ser especificadas nele. A mais atual é a versão 3.

A chave pública do titular do certificado

— a chave pública do titular do certificado, juntamente com um identificador de algoritmo que especifica a qual sistema criptográfico a chave pertence e quaisquer parâmetros de chave associados.

O número de série do certificado

— a entidade (aplicação ou pessoa) que criou o certificado é responsável por atribuir-lhe um número de série único para distingui-lo de outros certificados que emite. Esta informação é usada de diversas maneiras; por exemplo, quando um certificado é revogado, seu número de série é colocado em uma Lista de Revogação de Certificados ou CRL.

O identificador exclusivo do detentor do certificado

— (ou DN — nome distinto). Este nome pretende ser exclusivo na Internet. Este nome pretende ser exclusivo na Internet. Um DN consiste em múltiplas subseções e pode ser parecido com isto: CN=Bob Allen, OU=Divisão Total de Segurança de Rede, O=Network Associates, Inc., C=EUA (Referem-se ao nome comum, à unidade organizacional, à organização e ao país do sujeito .)

O período de validade do certificado

— a data/hora de início e a data/hora de expiração do certificado; indica quando o certificado irá expirar.

O nome exclusivo do emissor do certificado

— o nome exclusivo da entidade que assinou o certificado. Normalmente é uma CA. A utilização do certificado implica confiar na entidade que assinou este certificado. (Observe que em alguns casos, como certificados de CA raiz ou de nível superior , o emissor assina seu próprio certificado.)

A assinatura digital do emitente

— a assinatura utilizando a chave privada da entidade que emitiu o certificado.

O identificador do algoritmo de assinatura

— identifica o algoritmo usado pela CA para assinar o certificado.

Existem muitas diferenças entre um certificado X.509 e um certificado PGP, mas as mais importantes são as seguintes: você pode criar seu próprio certificado PGP;

● você deve solicitar e receber um certificado X.509 de uma autoridade de certificação

● Os certificados X.509 suportam nativamente apenas um único nome para o proprietário da chave

● Os certificados X.509 suportam apenas uma única assinatura digital para atestar a validade da chave

Para obter um certificado X.509, você deve solicitar a uma CA a emissão de um certificado. Você fornece sua chave pública, prova de que possui a chave privada correspondente e algumas informações específicas sobre você. Em seguida, você assina digitalmente as informações e envia o pacote completo – a solicitação de certificado – para a CA. A CA então realiza algumas diligências para verificar se as informações fornecidas estão corretas e, em caso afirmativo, gera o certificado e o devolve.

Você pode pensar em um certificado X.509 como um certificado de papel padrão (semelhante ao que você recebeu ao concluir uma aula de primeiros socorros básicos) com uma chave pública colada nele. Ele contém seu nome e algumas informações sobre você, além da assinatura da pessoa que o emitiu para você.

Figura 1-10. Um certificado X.509 Provavelmente, o uso mais visível dos certificados X.509 atualmente é em navegadores da web.

Validade e confiança Cada usuário em um sistema de chave pública está vulnerável a confundir uma chave falsa (certificado) com uma chave real. Validade é a confiança de que um certificado de chave pública pertence ao seu suposto proprietário. A validade é essencial em um ambiente de chave pública onde você deve estabelecer constantemente se um determinado certificado é autêntico ou não. Depois de ter certeza de que um certificado pertencente a outra pessoa é válido, você pode assinar a cópia em seu chaveiro para atestar que verificou o certificado e que ele é autêntico. Se quiser que outras pessoas saibam que você deu ao certificado seu selo de aprovação, você pode exportar a assinatura para um servidor de certificados para que outras pessoas possam vê-la.

Conforme descrito na seção Infraestruturas de Chave Pública , algumas empresas designam uma ou mais Autoridades de Certificação (CAs) para indicar a validade do certificado. Em uma organização que usa uma PKI com certificados X.509, é função da CA emitir certificados aos usuários — um processo que geralmente envolve responder à solicitação de certificado do usuário. Em uma organização que usa certificados PGP sem PKI, é função da CA verificar a autenticidade de todos os certificados PGP e depois assinar os bons. Basicamente, o objetivo principal de uma CA é vincular uma chave pública às informações de identificação contidas no certificado e, assim, garantir a terceiros que algum cuidado foi tomado para garantir que esta ligação das informações de identificação e da chave seja válida. O CA é o Grand Pooh-bah da validação em uma organização; alguém em quem todos confiam e, em algumas organizações, como aquelas que utilizam uma PKI, nenhum certificado é considerado válido, a menos que tenha sido assinado por uma CA confiável.

Verificando validade.

Uma maneira de estabelecer a validade é passar por algum processo manual. Existem várias maneiras de fazer isso. Você pode exigir que o destinatário pretendido lhe entregue fisicamente uma cópia de sua chave pública. Mas isto é muitas vezes inconveniente e ineficiente. Outra forma é verificar manualmente a impressão digital do certificado. Assim como as impressões digitais de cada ser humano são únicas, a impressão digital de cada certificado PGP é única. A impressão digital é um hash do certificado do usuário e aparece como uma das propriedades do certificado. No PGP, a impressão digital pode aparecer como um número hexadecimal ou uma série das chamadas palavras biométricas, que são foneticamente distintas e são usadas para facilitar um pouco o processo de identificação da impressão digital. Você pode verificar se um certificado é válido ligando para o proprietário da chave (para que você origine a transação) e pedindo ao proprietário que leia a impressão digital de sua chave para você e compare essa impressão digital com aquela que você acredita ser a verdadeira. Isso funciona se você conhece a voz do proprietário, mas como verificar manualmente a identidade de alguém que você não conhece? Algumas pessoas colocam a impressão digital de sua chave em seus cartões de visita exatamente por esse motivo. Outra forma de estabelecer a validade do certificado de alguém é confiar que um terceiro indivíduo passou pelo processo de validação do mesmo. Uma CA, por exemplo, é responsável por garantir que, antes de emitir um certificado, ele ou ela o verifique cuidadosamente para ter certeza de que a parte da chave pública realmente pertence ao suposto proprietário. Qualquer pessoa que confie na CA considerará automaticamente quaisquer certificados assinados pela CA como válidos. Outro aspecto da verificação da validade é garantir que o certificado não foi revogado. Para obter mais informações, consulte a seção Revogação de certificado .

Estabelecendo confiança.

Você valida certificados. Você confia nas pessoas. Mais especificamente, você confia nas pessoas para validar os certificados de outras pessoas. Normalmente, a menos que o proprietário lhe entregue o certificado, você terá que confiar na palavra de outra pessoa de que ele é válido.

Introdutores meta e confiáveis.

​​Na maioria das situações, as pessoas confiam completamente na CA para estabelecer a validade dos certificados. Isso significa que todos os demais dependem da CA para passar por todo o processo de validação manual. Isso é aceitável até um certo número de usuários ou locais de trabalho e, então, não é possível para a AC manter o mesmo nível de validação de qualidade. Nesse caso, é necessário adicionar outros validadores ao sistema.

Um CA também pode ser um meta- introdutor. Um meta-introdutor confere não apenas validade às chaves, mas também confere a capacidade de confiar nas chaves a outros. Semelhante ao rei que entrega seu selo a seus conselheiros de confiança para que eles possam agir de acordo com sua autoridade, o meta-introdutor permite que outros atuem como introdutores de confiança. Esses introdutores confiáveis ​​podem validar chaves com o mesmo efeito do meta-introdutor. Eles não podem, entretanto, criar novos introdutores confiáveis.

Meta-introdutor e introdutor confiável são termos PGP. Em um ambiente X.509, o meta-introdutor é chamado de Autoridade de Certificação raiz ( CA raiz) e os introdutores confiáveis ​​são Autoridades de Certificação subordinadas . A CA raiz usa a chave privada associada a um tipo de certificado especial denominado certificado CA raiz para assinar certificados. Qualquer certificado assinado pelo certificado CA raiz é visto como válido por qualquer outro certificado assinado pela raiz. Este processo de validação funciona mesmo para certificados assinados por outras CAs no sistema — desde que o certificado da CA raiz tenha assinado o certificado da CA subordinada, qualquer certificado assinado pela CA será considerado válido para outras pessoas dentro da hierarquia. Este processo de verificação de backup por meio do sistema para ver quem assinou cujo certificado é chamado de rastreamento de um caminho de certificação ou cadeia de certificação.

Modelos de confiança.

Em sistemas relativamente fechados, como em uma pequena empresa, é fácil rastrear um caminho de certificação até a CA raiz. No entanto, os usuários muitas vezes precisam se comunicar com pessoas fora do seu ambiente corporativo, incluindo algumas que nunca conheceram, como fornecedores, consumidores, clientes, associados e assim por diante. É difícil estabelecer uma linha de confiança com aqueles em quem sua CA não confia explicitamente. As empresas seguem um ou outro modelo de confiança, que determina como os usuários irão estabelecer a validade do certificado. Existem três modelos diferentes:

Confiança Direta.

Confiança Hierárquica Uma teia de confiança Confiança direta A confiança direta é o modelo de confiança mais simples. Neste modelo, um usuário confia que uma chave é válida porque sabe de onde ela veio. Todos os criptosistemas usam essa forma de confiança de alguma forma. Por exemplo, em navegadores da Web, as chaves raiz da Autoridade de Certificação são diretamente confiáveis ​​porque foram enviadas pelo fabricante. Se houver alguma forma de hierarquia, ela se estenderá a partir desses certificados diretamente confiáveis. No PGP, um usuário que valida as chaves e nunca define outro certificado para ser um introdutor confiável está usando confiança direta. Figura 1-11. Confiança direta

Confiança Hierárquica.

Em um sistema hierárquico, há vários certificados "raiz" a partir dos quais a confiança se estende. Esses certificados podem certificar eles próprios certificados ou podem certificar certificados que certificam ainda outros certificados em alguma cadeia. Considere isso como uma grande “árvore” de confiança. A validade do certificado "folha" é verificada rastreando desde seu certificador até outros certificadores, até que um certificado raiz diretamente confiável seja encontrado.

Figura 1-12. Confiança hierárquica

Teia de Confiança.

Uma teia de confiança abrange ambos os outros modelos, mas também acrescenta a noção de que a confiança está nos olhos de quem vê (que é a visão do mundo real) e a ideia de que mais informação é melhor. É, portanto, um modelo de confiança cumulativa. Um certificado pode ser confiável diretamente ou confiável em alguma cadeia que remonta a um certificado raiz diretamente confiável (o meta-introdutor) ou por algum grupo de introdutores.

Talvez você já tenha ouvido falar do termo seis graus de separação, que sugere que qualquer pessoa no mundo pode determinar algum vínculo com qualquer outra pessoa no mundo usando seis ou menos outras pessoas como intermediários. Esta é uma teia de introdutores. É também a visão de confiança do PGP. PGP usa assinaturas digitais como forma de introdução. Quando qualquer usuário assina a chave de outro, ele ou ela se torna o introdutor dessa chave. À medida que esse processo avança, ele estabelece uma rede de confiança.

Em um ambiente PGP, qualquer usuário pode atuar como autoridade certificadora. Qualquer usuário PGP pode validar o certificado de chave pública de outro usuário PGP. No entanto, tal certificado só é válido para outro usuário se a parte confiável reconhecer o validador como um introdutor confiável. (Ou seja, você confia na minha opinião de que as chaves dos outros são válidas apenas se você me considerar um apresentador confiável. Caso contrário, minha opinião sobre a validade das outras chaves é discutível.) Armazenados no chaveiro público de cada usuário estão indicadores de

● se o usuário considera ou não uma chave específica válida

● o nível de confiança que o usuário deposita na chave que o proprietário da chave pode servir como certificador das chaves de terceiros

Você indica, na sua cópia da minha chave, se acha que meu julgamento conta. Na verdade, é um sistema de reputação: certas pessoas têm a reputação de fornecer boas assinaturas e as pessoas confiam nelas para atestar a validade de outras chaves.

Níveis de confiança no PGP.

O nível mais alto de confiança em uma chave, a confiança implícita , é a confiança em seu próprio par de chaves. O PGP assume que se você possui a chave privada, você deve confiar nas ações da sua chave pública relacionada. Quaisquer chaves assinadas pela sua chave implicitamente confiável são válidas.

Existem três níveis de confiança que você pode atribuir à chave pública de outra pessoa:

● Confiança total ● Confiança marginal ● Não confiável (ou não confiável)

Para tornar as coisas confusas, também existem três níveis de validade:

● Válido ● Marginalmente válido ● Inválido

Para definir a chave de outra pessoa como um introdutor confiável, você

1. Comece com uma chave válida, que seja.
2. assinado por você ou

3. assinado por outro apresentador confiável e então

4. Defina o nível de confiança que você acha que o proprietário da chave tem direito.

Por exemplo, suponha que seu chaveiro contenha a chave de Alice. Você validou a chave de Alice e indica isso assinando-a. Você sabe que Alice é uma verdadeira defensora da validação de chaves de outras pessoas. Portanto, você atribui a chave dela com confiança total. Isso faz de Alice uma Autoridade Certificadora. Se Alice assinar a chave de outra pessoa, ela aparecerá como Válida em seu chaveiro. O PGP requer uma assinatura Totalmente confiável ou duas assinaturas Marginalmente confiáveis ​​para estabelecer uma chave como válida. O método do PGP de considerar dois Marginais iguais a um Completo é semelhante a um comerciante que solicita duas formas de identificação. Você pode considerar Alice bastante confiável e também considerar Bob bastante confiável. Qualquer um deles sozinho corre o risco de assinar acidentalmente uma chave falsificada, portanto, você pode não depositar total confiança em nenhum deles. No entanto, as probabilidades de ambos os indivíduos terem assinado a mesma chave falsa são provavelmente pequenas.

Revogação de certificado.

Os certificados só são úteis enquanto são válidos. Não é seguro simplesmente presumir que um certificado é válido para sempre. Na maioria das organizações e em todas as PKIs, os certificados têm uma vida útil restrita. Isso restringe o período em que um sistema fica vulnerável caso ocorra um comprometimento do certificado.

Os certificados são assim criados com um período de validade programado: uma data/hora de início e uma data/hora de expiração. Espera-se que o certificado seja utilizável durante todo o seu período de validade (seu tempo de vida ). Quando o certificado expirar, ele não será mais válido, pois a autenticidade do seu par chave/identificação não estará mais garantida. (O certificado ainda pode ser usado com segurança para reconfirmar informações que foram criptografadas ou assinadas dentro do período de validade – no entanto, ele não deve ser confiável para tarefas criptográficas futuras.)

Existem também situações em que é necessário invalidar um certificado antes da sua data de expiração, como quando o titular do certificado termina o contrato de trabalho com a empresa ou suspeita que a chave privada correspondente do certificado foi comprometida. Isso é chamado de revogação. Um certificado revogado é muito mais suspeito do que um certificado expirado. Os certificados expirados são inutilizáveis, mas não apresentam a mesma ameaça de comprometimento que um certificado revogado. Qualquer pessoa que tenha assinado um certificado pode revogar a sua assinatura no certificado (desde que utilize a mesma chave privada que criou a assinatura). Uma assinatura revogada indica que o signatário não acredita mais que a chave pública e as informações de identificação pertencem uma à outra, ou que a chave pública do certificado (ou a chave privada correspondente) foi comprometida. Uma assinatura revogada deve ter quase tanto peso quanto um certificado revogado. Com certificados X.509, uma assinatura revogada é praticamente igual a um certificado revogado, visto que a única assinatura no certificado é aquela que o tornou válido em primeiro lugar – a assinatura da CA. Os certificados PGP fornecem o recurso adicional de que você pode revogar todo o seu certificado (não apenas as assinaturas nele) se você achar que o certificado foi comprometido. Somente o proprietário do certificado (o detentor da chave privada correspondente) ou alguém que o proprietário do certificado tenha designado como revogador pode revogar um certificado PGP. (Designar um revogador é uma prática útil, pois muitas vezes é a perda da senha da chave privada correspondente do certificado que leva um usuário PGP a revogar seu certificado - uma tarefa que só é possível se alguém tiver acesso à chave privada. ) Somente o emissor do certificado pode revogar um certificado X.509.

Comunicar que um certificado foi revogado.

Quando um certificado é revogado, é importante conscientizar os usuários potenciais do certificado de que ele não é mais válido. Com certificados PGP, a maneira mais comum de comunicar que um certificado foi revogado é publicá-lo em um servidor de certificados para que outras pessoas que desejem se comunicar com você sejam avisadas para não usar essa chave pública. Em um ambiente PKI, a comunicação de certificados revogados é mais comumente obtida por meio de uma estrutura de dados chamada Lista de Revogação de Certificados, ou CRL, que é publicada pela CA. A CRL contém uma lista validada com carimbo de data e hora de todos os certificados revogados e não expirados no sistema. Os certificados revogados permanecem na lista apenas até expirarem e, em seguida, são removidos da lista — isso evita que a lista fique muito longa. A CA distribui a CRL aos usuários em algum intervalo programado regularmente (e potencialmente fora do ciclo, sempre que um certificado é revogado). Teoricamente, isso impedirá que os usuários usem involuntariamente um certificado comprometido. É possível, no entanto, que haja um período de tempo entre as CRLs em que um certificado recentemente comprometido seja usado.

O que é uma senha?

A maioria das pessoas está familiarizada com a restrição de acesso a sistemas de computador por meio de uma senha, que é uma sequência única de caracteres que um usuário digita como código de identificação.

Uma senha longa é uma versão mais longa de uma senha e, em teoria, mais segura. Normalmente composta por várias palavras, uma frase secreta é mais segura contra ataques de dicionário padrão, em que o invasor tenta todas as palavras do dicionário na tentativa de determinar sua senha. As melhores senhas são relativamente longas e complexas e contêm uma combinação de letras maiúsculas e minúsculas, caracteres numéricos e de pontuação. O PGP usa uma senha para criptografar sua chave privada em sua máquina. Sua chave privada é criptografada em seu disco usando um hash de sua senha como chave secreta. Você usa a senha para descriptografar e usar sua chave privada. Uma senha deve ser difícil de esquecer e difícil de ser adivinhada por outras pessoas. Deve ser algo já firmemente enraizado na sua memória de longo prazo, em vez de algo que você invente do zero. Por que? Porque se você esquecer sua senha, você estará sem sorte. Sua chave privada é total e absolutamente inútil sem sua senha e nada pode ser feito a respeito. Lembra-se da citação anterior neste capítulo?

PGP é a criptografia que manterá os principais governos fora dos seus arquivos. Certamente também o manterá fora de seus arquivos. Tenha isso em mente quando decidir alterar sua senha para a piada daquela piada que você nunca consegue lembrar.

Divisão de chave.

Dizem que um segredo não é segredo se for conhecido por mais de uma pessoa. Compartilhar um par de chaves privadas representa um grande problema. Embora não seja uma prática recomendada, às vezes é necessário compartilhar um par de chaves privadas. Chaves de assinatura corporativa, por exemplo, são chaves privadas usadas por uma empresa para assinar – por exemplo – documentos legais, informações pessoais confidenciais ou comunicados de imprensa para autenticar sua origem. Nesse caso, vale a pena que vários membros da empresa tenham acesso à chave privada. No entanto, isto significa que qualquer indivíduo pode agir plenamente em nome da empresa. Nesse caso, é aconselhável dividir a chave entre várias pessoas, de modo que mais de uma ou duas pessoas apresentem um pedaço da chave para reconstituí-la em condições utilizáveis. Se poucas peças da chave estiverem disponíveis, a chave ficará inutilizável. Alguns exemplos são dividir uma chave em três partes e exigir duas delas para reconstituir a chave, ou dividi-la em duas partes e exigir ambas as peças. Se uma conexão de rede segura for usada durante o processo de reconstituição, os acionistas da chave não precisam estar fisicamente presentes para aderirem novamente à chave.

@ 4db2f229:205fed9f

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/80258

If you manage to get it up to date / uncorrupt the data, I give you full liberties to:

• The model itself
• Its XMF and/or XML skeleton
• Patching it to be compatible with any other gun mods
• other fixes
• and full credit handed over to you

I think this has honestly been abandoned by it's original developer, and since I am just hanging onto the file? I decided it'd be better maintained in someone elses hands, and with community much more responsible than Nexus. Honestly if I did not archive this mod? It would of been vaporware.

But in it's current state it's not fit for being playable. I did manage to save media of when it was playable however.

@ fe02e8ec:f07fbe0b

Die baldige Ex-Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock fordert einen radikalen Wandel in der Energieversorgung hin zu einer feministischen Energiepolitik. Wie sich gezeigt habe, so sei das spanische Netz am 28.04.25 wegen toxischer Männlichkeit zusammengebrochen. Es hätte sich herausgestellt, dass alle Überlandleitungen von Männern gebaut und installiert worden waren! Dies, so Baerbock, sei ein untragbarer Zustand, der durch den resultierenden Blackout für viel Leid und Ärger gesorgt habe. Selbst Haarföhns waren nicht mehr in Betrieb zu nehmen!

«Nur Frauen sind in der Lage, derart empfindliche und sensible Ströme zu leiten. Denn Strömen liegt in ihrer Natur. Sie benötigen keine Messgeräte oder teure Transformatoren für die Strömung, da Mutter Natur – eine Frau, wie der Name schon sagt – für alles selbst sorgen wird. Man muss nur verhindern, dass maskuline Energien verströmt werden, die nämlich den Strom um 360 Grad drehen würden.»

Mit dieser Analyse empfiehlt sich Annalena B. nicht nur für höchste UN Ämter sondern ebenfalls für den Vorsitz des Weltklimarates IPCC. Aus informierten Kreisen ist zu hören, dass sie nur noch die Papstwahl abwarten möchte - schließlich wäre es Zeit für eine Päpstin - bis sie sich fürs Klima bewerben würde. Um weitere Blackouts abzuschrecken überlegt sie angeblich, ihren Namen in Blackbock zu ändern. Möglich wäre allerdings auch, dass dies alles nur erfunden ist.

Mehr Satirisches und Ernstes: www.thomas-eisinger.de

@ 78b3c1ed:5033eea9

Umbrel Core-lightning(以下CLNと略す)を運用するにあたり役に立ちそうなノウハウやメモを随時投稿します。

・configファイルを用意する Umbrelのアプリとして必要な設定はdocker-compose.ymlで指定されている。 それ以外の設定をしたい場合configファイルに入れると便利。 configファイルの置き場所は /home/umbrel/umbrel/app-data/core-lightning/data/lightningd ここにtouch configとでもやってファイルをつくる。 cd /home/umbrel/umbrel/app-data/core-lightning/data/lightningd touch config 以下内容をひな型として使ってみてください。 行頭に#があるとコメント行になります。つまり.iniフォーマット。 /home/umbrel/umbrel/app-data/core-lightning/data/lightningd/config ```

[General options]

[Bitcoin control options]

[Lightning daemon options]

[Lightning node customization options]

[Lightning channel and HTLC options]

[Payment control options]

[Networking options]

[Lightning Plugins]

[Experimental Options]

``` configに設定できる内容は以下を参照 https://lightning.readthedocs.io/lightningd-config.5.html セクションを意味する[]があるけれどもこれは私(tanakei)が意図的に見やすく区別しやすくするために付けただけ。これら行の＃は外さない。

・configの設定をCLNに反映させる appスクリプトでCLNを再起動すると反映することができる。 configを書き換えただけでは反映されない。 cd /home/umbrel/umbrel/scripts ./app restart core-lightning

・ログをファイルに出力させる

以下の場所でtouch log.txtとしてlog.txtファイルを作る。 /home/umbrel/umbrel/app-data/core-lightning/data/lightningd cd /home/umbrel/umbrel/app-data/core-lightning/data/lightningd touch log.txt 次にconfigの[Lightning daemon options]セクションにlog-fileを追加する。 ```

[Lightning daemon options]

log-file=/data/.lightning/log.txt ``` ※Dockerによって/home/umbrel/umbrel/app-data/core-lightning/data/lightningd は /data/.lightning として使われている。

・addrとbind-addrの違い どちらも着信用のインターフェースとポートの設定。addrは指定したホストIPアドレス:ポート番号をノードURIに含めて公開する(node_announcementのuris)。bind-addrは公開しない。

・実験的機能のLN Offerを有効にする configの[Experimental Options]セクションに以下を追加する。 ```

[Experimental Options]

experimental-onion-messages experimental-offers ``` ※ v24.08でexperimental-onion-messageは廃止されデフォルト有効であり、上記設定の追加は不要になりました。 ※ v21.11.1 では experimental-offersは廃止されデフォルト有効であり、上記設定の追加は不要になりました。 もう実験扱いじゃなくなったのね...

・完全にTorでの発信オンリーにする UmbrelはなぜかCLNの発信をClearnetとTorのハイブリッドを許している。それは　always-use-proxy=true　の設定がないから。(LNDは発着信Torのみなのに) なのでこの設定をconfigに追加してCLNも発着進Torのみにする。 ```

[Networking options]

always-use-proxy=true ```

・任意のニーモニックからhsm_secretを作る CLNのhsm_secretはLNDのwallet.dbのようなもの。ノードで使う様々な鍵のマスター鍵となる。Umbrel CLNはこのhsm_secretファイルを自動生成したものを使い、これをバックアップするためのニーモニックを表示するとかそういう機能はない。自分で作って控えてあるニーモニックでhsm_secretを作ってしまえばこのファイルが壊れてもオンチェーン資金は復旧はできる。

1.CLNインストール後、dockerコンテナに入る docker exec -it core-lightning_lightningd_1 bash 2.lightning-hsmtoolコマンドを使って独自hsm_secretを作る ``` cd data/.lightning/bitcoin lightning-hsmtool generatehsm my-hsm_secret

・上記コマンドを実行するとニーモニックの言語、ニーモニック、パスフレーズの入力を催促される。 Select your language: 0) English (en) 1) Spanish (es) 2) French (fr) 3) Italian (it) 4) Japanese (jp) 5) Chinese Simplified (zhs) 6) Chinese Traditional (zht) Select [0-7]: 0　※定番の英単語なら0を入力 Introduce your BIP39 word list separated by space (at least 12 words): <ニーモニックを入力する> Warning: remember that different passphrases yield different bitcoin wallets. If left empty, no password is used (echo is disabled). Enter your passphrase: <パスフレーズを入力する>　※パスフレーズ不要ならそのままエンターキーを押す。 New hsm_secret file created at my-hsm_secret Use the encrypt command to encrypt the BIP32 seed if needed

コンテナから抜ける exit

3.appスクリプトでCLNを止めて、独自hsm_secret以外を削除 ※【重要】いままで使っていたhsm_secretを削除する。もしチャネル残高、ウォレット残高があるならチャネルを閉じて資金を退避すること。自己責任！ cd ~/umbrel/scripts/ ./app stop core-lightning

cd ~/umbrel/app-data/core-lightning/data/lightningd/bitcoin rm gossip_store hsm_secret lightningd.sqlite3 lightning-rpc mv my-hsm_secret hsm_secret 4.appスクリプトでCLNを再開する cd ~/umbrel/scripts/ ./app start core-lightning ```

【補記】 hsm_secret作成につかうニーモニックはBIP39で、LNDのAezeedと違って自分が作成されたブロック高さというものを含んでいない。新規でなくて復元して使う場合は作成されたブロック高さからブロックチェーンをrescanする必要がある。 configの１行目にrescanオプションを付けてCLNをリスタートする。 ``` // 特定のブロック高さを指定する場合はマイナス記号をつける rescan=-756000

// 現在のブロック高さから指定ブロック分さかのぼった高さからrescanする rescan=10000 ※現在の高さが760,000なら10000指定だと750,000からrescan ```

・clnrestについて core-lightningでREST APIを利用したい場合、別途c-lightning-restを用意する必要があった。v23.8から標準でclnrestというプラグインがついてくる。pythonで書かれていて、ソースからビルドした場合はビルド完了後にpip installでインストールする。elementsproject/lightningdのDockerイメージではインストール済みになっている。 (v25.02からgithubからバイナリをダウンロードしてきた場合はpip install不要になったようだ) このclnrestを使うにはcreaterunesコマンドでruneというLNDのマカロンのようなものを作成する必要がある。アプリ側でこのruneとREST APIを叩いてcore-lightningへアクセスすることになる。 自分が良く使っているLNbitsやスマホアプリZeus walletはclnrestを使う。まだclnrestに対応していないアプリもあるので留意されたし。

・Emergency recoverについて LNDのSCBのようなもの。ファイル名はemergency.recover チャネルを開くと更新される。 hsm_secretとこのファイルだけを置いてCLNを開始すると自動でこのファイルから強制クローズするための情報が読み出されてDLPで相手から強制クローズするような仕組み。この機能はv0.12から使える。

動作確認してみた所、LNDのSCBに比べるとかなり使いづらい。 1. CLNがTor発信だとチャネルパートナーと接続できない。 　Clearnet発信できても相手がTorのみノードならTor発信せざるを得ない。 　相手と通信できなければ資金回収できない。 2. 相手がLNDだとなぜか強制クローズされない。相手がCLNならできる。

つまり、自分と相手がClearnetノードでかつ相手もCLNならば Emergency recoverで強制クローズして資金回収できる。こんな条件の厳しい復旧方法がマジで役に立つのか？

v0.11以降ならばLNDのchannel.dbに相当するlightningd.sqlite3をプライマリ・セカンダリDBと冗長化できるので、セカンダリDBをNFSで保存すればUmbrelのストレージが壊れてもセカンダリDBで復旧できる。そのためemergerncy.recoverを使う必要がないと思われる。

・LN offer(BOLT#12)ついて 使いたいなら 1.publicチャネルを開く 　publicチャネルを開けばチャネルとノードの情報(channel_announcement, node_announcement)が他ノードに伝わる。送金したい相手がこの情報を元に経路探索する。 2.その後しばらく待つ CLNノードを立てたばかりだと経路探索するに十分なチャネルとノードの情報が揃ってない。せめて1日は待つ。

LNURLの場合インボイスをhttpsで取得するが、OfferはLN経由で取得する。そのためにチャネルとノードの情報が必要。privateチャネルばかりのノードはチャネル情報もそうだがノード情報も出さない。 Offerで使えるBlind pathという機能なら中間ノードIDを宛先ノードとすることが可能で、これならチャネルとノード情報を公開しなくても受けとれるのだがCLNは対応してない模様(2025年1月現在) CLNでOfferで受け取るにはチャネルとノード情報を公開する必要がある。そのためpublicチャネルを開く。公開されていれば良いのでTorでもOK。クリアネットで待ち受けは必須ではない。

・hsm_sercretとニーモニック lightning-hsmtoolを使うとニーモニックからhsm_secretを作れる。ニーモニックからシードを作ると64バイト。これはニーモニックおよびソルトにパスフレーズをPBKDF2(HMAC-SHA512を2048回)にかけると512ビット(64バイト)のシードができる。しかしhsm_secretは32バイト。CLNでは64バイトの最初の32バイトをhsm_secretとして利用しているみたい。 このhsm_secretにHMAC-SHA512をかけて512ビットとした値がウォレットのマスター鍵となる。なのでhsm_secret自体がBIP-32でいうマスターシードそのものではない。 sparrow walletにCLNのウォレットを復元したい場合は lightning-hsmtool dumponchaindescriptors --show-secrets とやってディスクリプターウォレットを出力。出力内容にマスター鍵(xprv～)があるので、これをインポートする。導出パス設定はm/0とする。sparrowが残りを補完してm/0/0/0, m/0/0/1とやってくれる。

<おまけ> configファイルのサンプル。Umbrelを使わない場合は以下のサンプルが役に立つはず。上記のelementsproject/lightningdならば/root/.lightningに任意のディレクトリをマウントしてそのディレクトリにconfigを置く。 ```

[General options]

不可逆なDBアップグレードを許可しない

database-upgrade=false

[Bitcoin control options]

network=bitcoin bitcoin-rpcconnect= bitcoin-rpcport= bitcoin-rpcuser= bitcoin-rpcpassword=

[Lightning daemon options]

postgresを使う場合

wallet=postgres://USER:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT/DB_NAME

bookkeeper-db=postgres://USER:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT/DB_NAME

sqlite3を使う場合。デフォルトはこちらで以下の設定が無くても~/.lightning/bitconに自動で作成される。

wallet=sqlite3:///home/USERNAME/.lightning/bitcoin/lightningd.sqlite3

bookkeeper-db=sqlite3:///home/USERNAME/.lightning/bitcoin/accounts.sqlite3

ログファイルは自動で作成されない

log-file=/home/USERNAME/.lightning/lightningd-log

log-level=debug

[Lightning node customization options]

alias= rgb=

固定手数料。ミリサトシで指定。

fee-base=1000000

変動手数料。ppmで指定。

fee-per-satoshi=0

最小チャネルキャパシティ(sats)

min-capacity-sat=100000

HTLC最少額。ミリサトシで指定。

htlc-minimum-msat=1000

[Lightning channel and HTLC options]

large-channels # v23.11よりデフォルトでラージチャネルが有効。

チャネル開設まで6承認

funding-confirms=6

着信できるHTLCの数。開いたら変更できない。1～483 (デフォルトは 30) の範囲にする必要があります

max-concurrent-htlcs=INTEGER

アンカーチャネルを閉じるためにウォレットに保持しておく資金。デフォルトは 25,000sat

チャネルを"忘れる(forget)"するまではリザーブされる模様。forgetはチャネル閉じてから100ブロック後

min-emergency-msat=10000000

[Cleanup control options]

autoclean-cycle=3600 autoclean-succeededforwards-age=0 autoclean-failedforwards-age=0 autoclean-succeededpays-age=0 autoclean-failedpays-age=0 autoclean-paidinvoices-age=0 autoclean-expiredinvoices-age=0

[Payment control options]

disable-mpp

[Networking options]

bind-addrだとアナウンスしない。

bind-addr=0.0.0.0:9375

tor

proxy=: always-use-proxy=true

Torの制御ポート。addr=statictor だとhidden serviceをノードURIとして公開する。

addr=statictor:: tor-service-password=

experimental-websocket-portは廃止された。bind-addr=ws:が代替。

bind-addr=ws::2106

clnrestプラグイン, REST API

clnrest-host=0.0.0.0 clnrest-port=3010 clnrest-protocol=http

v24.11よりgrpcはデフォルト有効

grpc-host=0.0.0.0 grpc-port=9736

[Lightning Plugins]

[Experimental Options]

experimental-onion-messages # v24.08で廃止。デフォルト有効

experimental-offers # v24.11.1で廃止。デフォルト有効

流動性広告からチャネルを開くときにexperimental-dual-fundが必要らしい。

experimental-dual-fund

experimental-splicing

experimental-peer-storage

```

@ f1f59549:f4121cfe

I've been fascinated with the concept of existential uncertainty lately.

Claudio Naranjo, inventor of the Enneagram, calls it the "ontic void" — a loss of clear awareness of the nature of one's own being.

The Japanese have a term for this, too. Mumyo means obscurity, lack of clarity, or an absence of clear awareness.

Psychology textbooks call it a "disruption of fundamental axioms."

Whatever you want to call it, the progression into full-fledged ontological shock is the same.

Ontological shock happens when our foundational beliefs about who we are and our place within the universe unravel, leaving us exposed to the void. It's a dizzying and disorienting experience, but ultimately an important catalyst for profound growth and understanding.

It all starts with the ego.

The ego creates a picture of reality that conforms with one's lived experiences.

I know that I am "me," and You are "you." I know that objects and people exist independently of me and that time flows in a linear direction.

Simple stuff.

Zen Buddhism points out that the picture our ego creates for us is an illusion. Mayoi refers to the state of being lost in the illusions and attachments of the world, which obscures the true nature of existence and the self.

Psychologists believe this fabricated reality the ego crafts for us serves an important purpose. It helps cut the noise and allows us to exist in a world infinitely more complex than our human minds could possibly comprehend.

The practice of meditation is intended to help cut through this illusion to awaken us from the dream of ordinary perception and guide us into the realization of emptiness (Sunyata) and the interconnectedness of all things.

This is the path to enlightenment according to the Zen Buddhist tradition.

All of this sounds great on paper, but the process of uncovering illusion is inherently painful. It demands a steady flow of existential uncertainty to creep into our awareness. Sometimes it comes flowing in faster than we can cope with.

Near-death experiences, diagnosis with a terminal illness, deep meditation, and strong psychedelic drugs can all shatter the delicate facade imposed by our ego in an instant — leading to radical and polarizing shifts in one's understanding of the universe and our relationship to it.

Any such challenge to one's worldview inundates the mind with a swirling vortex awe and terror.

When the scale is tipped towards awe, the user experiences a state of euphoria and peace. These experiences are more aligned with the idea of Satori (snippets of enlightenment and awakening).

When the scale tips towards terror, the user experiences a state of shock. These experiences are aligned with the idea of spiritual dread and exsistential crisis.

It's not always so straightforward, either. While the void could be glittering at its peak, it could feel like a bottomless pit the morning after.

“Visions More Real Than Real Life”

Of all the psychedelic explorations I’ve had in my life, nothing stands out as having caused a more profound shift in my worldview than an experience I had with salvia about 10 years ago.

It was an experience so bizarre I refused to talk about it for many years. After a while, I started sharing my experience with others and was shocked by how many others had similar stories.

During the trip, I left my body and was sucked into a crushing void. I was scared and tried to escape but was inevitably swallowed by the abyss.

When I came out the other side, reality was like nothing I've ever seen before. It even had different laws of physics. Yet there was something about this strange place that felt even more real than reality itself.

It felt like I had just woke up from a dream — only the dream was my regular reality. My identity, my friends, my family, and all my hopes and aspirations were nothing but a hallucination.

This experience shattered my view of reality and left me with a gnawing feeling of existential uncertainty lasting months after the trip.

What the hell was that? Did I catch a glimpse of the real real world and what I’m living now is merely a vivid dream? Will I “wake up” in that place again after I die? What is the meaning of that terrifying void?

Big questions. No answers.

Up until this point I only had one frame of reference for what it meant to exist. This experience challenged my understanding of reality in a deeply unsettling way.

I kept myself preoccupied with other things. But every once in a while this creeping sensation of the void would linger over my shoulders. It would remind me that there’s more to reality than I could ever understand.

This profound experience changed the way I think about the world and what it means to be conscious it in a big way — but it was far from a unique experience.

A study published in 2020 surveyed people who reported encounters with "entities" after taking DMT. Researchers found that 81% of users reported the experience to feel "more real than reality."

Existence is Deeply Strange

What I've come to realize, many years after this experience, is that the nature of reality is incomprehensible.

There are things going on that we're simply unable to understand.

Exploring the mind through psychedelics or dedicated meditation practice doesn't allow us to understand the "secret sauce" of existence — but they can certainly give us a glimpse of it.

They help us see just enough to realize how absurd our very existence is and how little we truly know about ourselves and the world around us.

Here's where Zen Buddhism comes in.

Zen teaches that the more we try to find answers to the mysteries of existence, the further we get from the answer. The paradox is that we should still try to understand — but with the expectation that we’re going to fail.

Only once the mind has exhausted itself through sincere effort and surrendered completely to failure can we even come close to comprehending the true essence of being.

# Zen Buddhism, Preparedness, & Ontological Shock

Swiss psychologist Carl Jung was intimately aware of the seriousness of ontological shock, especially in the context of psychedelics.

He left us with an ominous warning to "beware of unearned wisdom."

What Jung was suggesting was that if you don't do the leg work and learn to swim before jumping into the deep end of the pool — you shouldn't be surprised if you can't handle where you end up.

Taking strong psychedelics like DMT, ayahuasca, salvia, psilocybin, or LSD is like jumping into the deep end of the existential pool.

People who have taken the steps to question their existence beforehand are more likely to ride the wave of awe rather than succumb to the depths of terror and delusion.

In Zen Buddhism, the practice of mindfulness and meditation is encouraged as a means to prepare oneself for whatever reality exists beyond the ego's construction. The lesson is that we must face the void with equanimity and without attachment. Clinging to the experience, to our version of reality, or to expectations of any kind leads to turmoil, terror, and ontological suffering.

As Tibetan Buddhist Master, Dudjom Rinpoche, once said:

"If you see anything horrible, don't cling to it; if you see anything beautiful, don't cling to it."

Zen Koans

Here’s a collection of Zen koans relate to the ontic void, ontological shock, and the radical shift in worldview.

• → Imminent Death

• → The Sound Of One Hand Clapping

• → Between Love & Void

• → A Flag in the Wind

• → The Double Vision of Ego

• → The Other Side

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When the world feels like it's falling apart, we often look for a beacon of hope — someone to lead us through the darkness. But what if those in charge are more concerned with their own agendas than with the well-being of the people they serve?

History teaches us that power, no matter how well-intentioned, has a tendency to corrupt and that even the most selfless vision can be dismantled by ego.

This corruption not only undermines society but also seeps into our individual lives — contributing to a sense of helplessness, frustration, and suffering.

Amidst the growing storm of instability, Zen Buddhism provides us with the wisdom to navigate turbulent times with clarity, composure, and resilience.

Here are three Zen principles that help us stay grounded, clear-headed, and resilient in the face of the coming storm.

1. Cultivate Total Awareness

“All warfare is based on deception.” — Sun Tzu

While Zen may encourage us to avoid clinging to identities, outcomes, and material possessions, it certainly does not call for passivity and escapism. Zen is about cultivating a state of total awareness that fosters meaningful and intentional engagement with the world around us.

Even the process of cultivating awareness itself is not a passive act; it requires great effort — but failing to do so inevitably leads to confusion and suffering.

In today's growing digital oligarchy, our attention has become a commodity to be ensnared and exploited. Social media companies, news outlets, and the powerful elite have mastered the art of distraction and control.

When we surrender to distraction and mindlessness, our awareness gives way to complacency. Our thoughts and desires are drowned in noise, and our ability to confront challenges with clarity becomes clouded by the poison of ignorance and inaction.

Cultivating total awareness through mindful action in all areas of life is the antidote that allows us to reclaim control over our minds and actions and resist the pull of ignorance.

We must avoid the trap of mindlessness — resist the doomscroll, avoid the urge to escape through mind-altering substances, reject repressive authority, and refuse to let the chaos and distraction of crisis swallow us whole.

Zen koans on practicing total awareness:

• Complete Awareness

• Clear When Calm

• Control Your Mind

2. Look Beyond Extremes (Embrace Non-Duality)

"Those who are wise do not seek extremes, but find balance in everything." — Confucius

Zen philosophy is deeply centered around the concept of non-duality. This is the idea that all things are interconnected, and the separation between opposites (like good and bad, hope and despair) is an illusion.

It's easy to fall into the trap of seeing the world as divided into polar opposites — we either have societal progress or collapse; hope or despair; success or failure — there are no in-betweens.

One of my favorite Zen koans illustrates this concept perfectly. In this story a wise farmer experiences a series of events that blur the lines between "good events" and "bad events" — each directly feeding into one another.

First, a bad event occurs, and his neighbors give him sympathy for his troubles — but the wise farmer knows that all events are impermanent and interconnected, so he refuses this sympathy.

The following day, as a direct byproduct of the bad event that occurred the day before, something good happens. His neighbors come to congratulate him on his luck — but the wise farmer refuses this praise as well.

This continues back and forth — something good happens that causes something bad to happen, that causes something good to happen until the story ends.

This story exposes the simple truth that life’s events cannot be neatly categorized into good or bad, and we cannot, under any circumstances, predict what future outcomes will result from any given event.

The idea I'm trying to highlight here is that in times of major crisis, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the immediate "bad" events and to lose sight of the bigger picture. Life’s unpredictability means that each crisis, while painful, may contain within it the seeds of growth or change. Embracing the flow of events without rushing to label them as good or bad helps us stay grounded, clearheaded, and able to respond with composure.

We cannot control the course of a crisis, but we can navigate it more effectively by seeing beyond extremes and understanding that, like the farmer, each moment is part of an ongoing cycle of change.

3. Choose Action Over Sympathy

Compassion (Karuṇā) is a core tenet of Buddhism — but it's not enough to simply feel for others. Zen teaches that compassion requires action. Whether through small acts of kindness or large-scale efforts, compassion is about actively engaging with the world, not just observing it.

The Zen concept of compassion is rooted in non-attachment and equanimity. It arises from the understanding that all beings are interconnected and that our actions should be free from self-interest or ego.

With that said, compassion doesn’t mean being consumed by others' pain. We cannot lose ourselves in it, for doing so only perpetuates the suffering.

In the face of crisis, we must remember — you can’t defeat hate with hate. Only through compassion can we break the cycle of suffering.

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Power despises uncertainty. It craves permanence, hierarchy, and control. The Dark Enlightenment movement is an attempt to grant exactly that — a version of a world where democracy is abandoned, governance is streamlined into autocratic rule, and the messy unpredictability of human freedom is replaced with rigid order and the unshakable rule of anointed elites.

Since the return of the orange man, I’ve been seeing a lot more Dark Enlightenment rhetoric seeping into my news feed. Its influence on political discourse, tech elitism, and reactionary online spaces is becoming more brazen by the day.

So, after spending a stupid amount of time digging into this topic (most of it lost in the labyrinth of Curtis Yarvin’s deliberately opaque writing) — here's a rundown of what the Dark Enlightenment is, why I believe its misaligned ideals serve only to further illusion and suffering, and how it stands in direct contradiction to the Zen perspective on governance, suffering, and the futility of clinging to control.

The Cult of Order & Collapse

The Dark Enlightenment is a neo-reactionary political movement that emerged in Silicon Valley sometime in the early 2010s. It's a movement that rejects democracy, egalitarianism, and classical Enlightenment ideals like individual rights and social progress.

Instead, the Dark Enlightenment embraces authoritarianism, technocapitalism, and genetic determinism.

It suggests that Karl Marx and his followers had the right diagnosis (that capitalism is inherently unstable) — but drew the wrong conclusions, believing its abolition would lead to an egalitarian, classless society. The Dark Enlightenment, by contrast, sees capitalism’s chaos as inevitable and argues that order can only be restored through strict hierarchy and authoritarian rule.

While other traditional leftists (such as social democrats) try to control capitalism through government intervention and social welfare programs to limit its harms on humanity, the Dark Enlightenment embraces this harm. It suggests that the inevitable crash and burn will have a net positive impact on society by forcing its collapse and allowing us to create something radically new from the rubble.

This acceleration of capitalism will exacerbate suffering until it reaches a breaking point — at which point a new order ruled by a technological elite will emerge.

The idea is that in order for things to get better, they need to get a lot, LOT worse.

The Dark Enlightenment movement is largely based on the ideas of Nick Land — a former professor and philosopher at the University of Warwick. Land is known for his provocative and nihilistic views on capitalism and technology.

Land is also the founder of accelerationist theory, a closely related topic we'll explore next that involves pushing technological advancement to the extreme to reach a "singularity" — regardless of its risk to society.

Accelerationism

“The more you grasp, the less you hold.” — Old Zen Proverb.

Accelerationism is a response to the perceived stagnation or decline of society and the belief that only radical change can overcome it. It's the idea that pushing capitalism and technology to their limits will either create a singularity that transforms society or force a necessary collapse and rebirth.

While some might argue that accelerationism could be a maneuver to maximize actions taken that provide the greatest overall good for humanity, rather than prioritizing personal interest, this idealized version rarely plays out in reality.

Accelerationism has become an excuse to justify reckless progress without consideration for the harm caused along the way.

I see accelerationism as a modern form of samsara — it's an endless, insatiable cycle of craving and dissatisfaction. At what point will we reach the desired state of advancement and decide, "Hey, we did it. Now let's all just quit our jobs, kick back with a cold beer, and enjoy our utopia!"

The very nature of accelerationism is to crave and push for more and more without end.

Even if the end goal of such a movement is some sort of "perfect society" wherein all members are treated fairly and equally — have access to healthy food, personalized education, free healthcare, housing, and opportunity — it's based entirely on illusion and ultimately relies on the perpetuation, even acceleration, of suffering to sustain itself.

From a Zen perspective, the path forward is not to obsess about advancement and accelerate progress at all costs — but to strive for a steady, effortless flow with the natural rhythm of change and existence.

Technocapitalism & The Loss of the Self

“It’s not that we’ve lost control of our data. It’s that we’ve lost control of ourselves.” — Shoshana Zuboff

A truly capitalistic system reduces the individual to a cog in a machine. Under technocapitalism, the self becomes less important than the system it operates within. Our individuality, emotions, and autonomy are all set aside to serve the greater mechanism of the market.

In Zen, this loss of individuality is not inherently negative — it resonates with the idea that we are all part of an interconnected whole. However, where Zen teaches that liberation arises through the mindful dissolution of the ego, technocapitalism co-opts this loss of self for its own ends.

The self is not something to be manipulated and exploited by external forces. True freedom lies in non-attachment to any system — capitalist, technocratic, or otherwise.

The CEO State

“Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it.” — Lao Tzu

One of the core ideas of the Dark Enlightenment movement is that democracy is both inefficient and chaotic. Instead, followers promote the emergence of an authoritarian "CEO state" — in which governance is centralized under a technocratic elite.

Curtis Yarvin even imagines a transition toward corporate-style city-states, in which each polity is ruled by a sovereign CEO who maintains total authoritarian rule. Citizens would have the freedom to decide which city-state best aligns with their ideals. If a leader fails, the "customers" (citizens) can leave — but they have no say in shaping policy. He even goes as far as to suggest that the now-decimated city of Gaza should be the first location for these new monarchical city-states.

The whole concept of the CEO state contradicts the Zen understanding that true freedom arises when we let go of attachment to form. Freedom is not something that can be granted or taken by external systems — it’s an internal liberation state achieved through non-attachment and non-striving.

Utopia: The Trap of Endless Striving

“The finger pointing at the moon is not the moon.” — Zen Proverb

Not all forms of accelerationism embrace collapse and control.

For example, left accelerationism — as championed by thinkers like Sam Altman, Aaron Bastani, Nick Srnicek, and Alex Williams — envisions a future where technology serves human freedom and well-being. Rather than racing toward authoritarianism and the collapse of society, it seeks to accelerate progress to expand human flourishing. This is achieved (in theory) by using automation to reduce working hours (thus providing us with more leisure time), implementing universal basic income (for greater financial security), and improving healthcare, education, and housing for all.

The goal of left accelerationism is to free people from unnecessary toil and scarcity by harnessing technology to create a more equitable society for all. It’s a vision of abundance rather than dominance, aiming for liberation from the economic structures that constrain human potential.

However, even this optimistic vision is a trap. The idea of a perfect society — a technological utopia — remains just that: an illusion. From a Zen perspective, striving for utopia — whether through technological liberation or authoritarian control — is rooted in attachment, desire, and illusion.

No matter how noble the goal, acceleration driven by fear and craving only deepens suffering. True freedom lies not in speeding toward some imagined perfect society, but in learning to live in the present moment, unattached to outcomes or illusions of control.

To believe that suffering can be eliminated through progress alone is to misunderstand the nature of suffering itself. As long as we seek to escape the present by chasing an imagined future, we remain trapped — no matter how advanced or automated the world around us becomes.

Fear, Control, & The Search For True Freedom

“We are very afraid of being powerless. But we have the power to look deeply at our fears, and then fear cannot control us.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

The Dark Enlightenment is a manifestation of fear — fear of chaos, fear of loss, and fear of weakness.

Its response is to control, subjugate, dominate, and push the acceleration of technology beyond the point of no return — driving society toward total collapse.

Even if the intent is altruistic — that an even greater, more equitable society will emerge from the ashes — this belief rests on an illusion. Destruction does not guarantee rebirth, and control does not guarantee liberation.

Depending on where your perspective stands, some of this could be seen as either altruistic or reckless — but from a Zen perspective, this whole approach is missing the mark entirely. The harder we push to force change, the more tangled we become in the very suffering we seek to escape.

We break free not by forcing change — but by letting go and moving with the flow.

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This is my first post, with a header and regular text.

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I hope you like it

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In a culture that glorifies more — more stuff, more hustle, more optimization — there’s a quiet rebellion in doing less. Not out of laziness, but out of clarity.

The Japanese call it kansō (pronounced kahn-soh).

Kansō means simplicity — the stripping away of ornamentation and unburdening of excess. It’s the art of removing what’s unnecessary so that what is can speak more clearly. It's about being less for the purpose of experiencing more.

This isn’t minimalism co-opted for aesthetic points. It’s a form of spiritual technology. A reminder that true clarity doesn’t come from adding more — it comes from letting things go.

Applying Kansō

In keeping with the meaning of kansō, there's really no need to overcomplicate the way you bring this concept into your life and practice.

Simplify your physical space by getting rid of objects that no longer serve you, stop buying things you don't need, avoid multitasking, and impose limits on the chatter you allow into your mind.

1. Simplify Your Environment

“The things you own end up owning you.” — Tyler Durden

The most obvious application of kansō is through the lens of minimalism — de-emphasizing your need for more things, more stimulation, and more status. Let go of the false idea that more = better.

Minimalism looks different for everyone. You don’t need to move into a tiny house and give away all your worldly possessions to embrace the spirit of kansō. For many, it simply means being more conscious about the things you buy and spending a little bit of effort from time to time to eliminate items that no longer serve you.

Capsule wardrobes, decluttered desks, and mindful purchasing habits are all modern echoes of this principle.

2. Simplify Your Mental Chatter

"Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone." — Alan Watts

Even more important is to simplify how we think and act. Multitasking, overthinking, and compulsive planning all add layers of mental clutter — the kind kansō encourages us to let go of. They create fragmentation — a thousand half-thoughts competing for attention instead of a single, clear thread of focus.

Perhaps the most impactful way we can apply kansō to our mental chatter is through a conscious limiting of the way we engage online.

To me, this means setting boundaries with how much noise I allow in from the digital world. The concept of a digital detox couldn’t be more relevant here. Every moment spent on social media, scrolling news feeds, or chasing vanity metrics clutters our minds and drains our attention from what matters.

Even something as simple as switching to a dumbphone or reserving one day a week free of computer screens can work to declutter our thoughts and simplify our daily rhythm. It's not about total disconnection, but simplifying the mental chatter we allow into our minds.

3. Simplify Your Desires

"Want less. Need less. Suffer less."

Another dimension of kansō is the release of mimetic desire — which is the unconscious force that causes us to want things simply because others do, rather than because they hold any real value for us.

Mimetic desire is a form of psychological maximalism — it creates a pile of new wants and desires from imagined needs that don't serve any real value, thereby diluting the meaning we gain from the things that do.

This example of kansō might be the most relevant to Zen as a whole, which emphasizes the importance of letting go of attachment — a practice that begins by releasing ourselves from the grip of desire.

Before buying something, stop and ask yourself, "Do I actually need this? Does it serve a real, practical purpose in my life that I'm not already getting from something else?"

I’ve found that giving myself a three-week waiting period before buying something helps me answer this question more honestly. If I still want it after three weeks, I can get it — but in about 90% of cases, I realize I didn’t actually need it after all and refrain from buying it.

4. Simplify Your Focus

"The hunter that chases two rabbits catches none."

Doing one thing well is always more powerful than doing five things halfway. To do this, we must commit ourselves fully to the task at hand, casting aside everything else — at least for a while.

This has become essential in my writing practice. I feel as though my best work almost always comes from sessions where I was able to ignore the rest of my never-ending to-do list, turned off my phone, and closed the 50 browser tabs I somehow always have open. It’s only when I remove the distractions completely that I can access the clarity — and the flow — needed to write something that actually makes sense.

Science backs this up, too — despite what many of us believe, we’re not actually capable of multitasking. What we’re really doing is rapidly switching between tasks, and every switch comes with a cognitive cost. It’s inefficient, mentally exhausting, and leads to poorer results across the board. Simplifying our focus is actually the best way to make the most use of your effort.

Kansō Aesthetics

It's impossible to discuss kansō without acknowledging its role as a design principle. In Japan, a country deeply rooted in Zen philosophy, the concept of kansō is recognized as one of the 7 core aesthetic pillars of wabi-sabi that inform both traditional and modern design.

These 7 principles include:

1. Kansō (simplicity)
2. Fukinsei (asymmetry)
3. Shibui (subtle beauty)
4. Shizen (naturalness)
5. Yūgen (mystery)
6. Datsuzoku (freedom from convention)
7. Seijaku (stillness)

In design, kansō means much more than minimalism — it's a conscious effort to emphasize beauty and functionality through a process of elimination, rather than adornment or decoration.

By eliminating aspects that aren't totally necessary to form and function, designers are able to place more emphasis or draw more attention to the parts that matter most.

The result is a sort of quiet elegance. Nothing extra, nothing forced.

The most obvious applications of kansō are things like zen gardens, traditional Japanese tea rooms, or contemporary Japanese architecture.

Outside of Japan, you can find a masterful application of kansō in projects like Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House, The Casa Wabi Foundation by Tadao Ando, or Peter Zumthor’s Therme Vals.

These are all high-profile examples of master architects, but kansō elements can be found all over the place. For example, this simple A-frame cabin — stripped-down, functional, and quietly beautiful. Or something as ordinary as a single-speed bike.

Kansō as a design principle can be applied to anything — clothing (Lemaire, COS), product design (Apple, Bang & Olufsen), furniture (Ikea, Muji), kitchenware (Hasami Porcelain, Heath Ceramics), and much more.

The application of kansō in design carries the same essential purpose as it does in life — to strip away what’s unnecessary so the parts that truly matter can stand out. In design, this means refining form and function. In life, this means reducing friction to create more space for a clear mind and genuine connection to the present moment.

# A Simple Practice: Kansō

Before you move on to the next thing, pause and take a look around you.

What’s one thing in your physical space, digital world, or daily routine that’s adding noise instead of meaning?

What would it feel like to let it go?

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The function of a Zen Koan is simple; it’s like a joke — but instead of the punchline being spontaneous laughter, a Zen Koan’s punchline produces a spontaneous (but fleeting) glimpse of enlightenment.

Just like a joke, you either get it or you don’t. When someone has to explain the punchline, it loses its power.

Koans are a clever way to get around the problem that existence and all meaning derived from it are completely ineffable. Zen acknowledges that attempting to explain "universal truths" is a paradox within itself — the moment you try to define it, you’ve already lost it.

The clever device of a koan is that it manages to get around this paradox by pointing towards enlightenment rather than directly at it.

Universal truths, by definition, are incomprehensible and cannot be explained through intellectual discussion. While other philosophies attempt to explain the nature of existence through logic and reason, Zen acknowledges that the true nature of reality is beyond words and avoids this conceptualization completely.

Am I a terrible Zen student for spending most of my time intellectualizing the crap out of Zen concepts like this anyway — Mu!

What is a Koan?

“The role of the koan is not to lead us to Satori (enlightenment), but on the contrary, to make us lose our way and drive us to despair." — Philip Kapleau.

Zen Koans are paradoxical short stories, dialogues, or questions designed to break the logical mind, disrupt habitual thinking, and provoke direct experience (Kenshō).

They often feature a wise master who does something completely unexpected or illogical.

Some use metaphors to hint at deeper truths.

Others rely on questions that are simply unanswerable.

Ultimately, these stories don’t provide any answers to the reader — at least, not in the traditional sense. Instead, they act as a mirror reflecting the mind's attachments and delusions — helping to bring our unconscious biases into view and flip them on their head. This process dismantles our conditioned thought patterns and erodes the rigid structures of our ego that prevent us from seeing things clearly.

It's difficult to explain the purpose of Zen Koans without sounding like a walking contradiction — so let's explore some of their central themes, briefly examine their history, and then dig into a few of the most famous Zen koans.

---

The Sound of One Hand Clapping

This is probably the shortest Zen koan in existence — it consists of a simple question:

"You know the sound of two hands clapping — now tell me, what is the sound of one hand clapping?"

This koan likely originated from Hakuin Ekaku (1686–1769), a Japanese Rinzai Zen master who revived the use of koans in Zen practice. At the time, most Zen being practiced in Japan had become formalized and ritualistic. Many monks treated koans as intellectual puzzles rather than tools for direct experience.

Hakuin wrote a series of koans designed to break this type of thinking by forcing students to confront the limits of rational thought.

This koan is one of the first breakthrough koans given to students to push them beyond dualistic thinking.

We know that two hands clapping makes a sound (duality), but there is no way to explain or conceptualize the sound of just one hand clapping (non-duality).

---

Do What's Next

A student came to his teacher — “I want to learn & become enlightened. Please teach me.”

> The teacher asked — “Have you eaten your porridge?”*

> The student replied — “I have eaten.”*

> The teacher said — “Then you better go wash your bowl.”*

> At that moment, the student was enlightened.*

This koan is an example of how even the mundane holds the key to awakening if we can see things with clarity. The student comes to the master expecting him to drop some deep wisdom about attaining enlightenment — but the master denies this from him and chooses instead to focus on the simple, immediate task of washing his bowl.

Zen koans like this teach us that enlightenment isn’t some distant, mystical achievement — it’s found in all the ordinary, mundane moments of our lives.

This is it. Life is happening right now. There's no "higher state" to be achieved through striving or accumulation of knowledge.

It echoes the old Zen adage:

"Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water."

4 Monks

Four monks decided to meditate silently without speaking for two weeks. They lit a candle as a symbol of their practice and began. By nightfall on the first day, the candle flickered and went out.

> The first monk said — “Oh, no! The candle is out.”*

> The second monk said — “We’re not supposed to talk!”*

> The third monk said — “Why must you two break the silence?”*

> The fourth monk laughed and said — “Ha! I’m the only one who didn’t speak.”*

At first glance, this koan appears to be a simple story of monks breaking their vow of silence — but the meaning goes much deeper than that.

This koan is a lesson of attachment — but not in the typical obvious, material sense you might expect. Zen teaches non-attachment of all things — material objects, rules, and ideas (including Zen itself).

The first monk was attached to the candle — when it went out, he was unable to stay silent.

The second monk was attached to the rule of silence — when it was broken, he was unable to stay silent.

The third monk was attached to judging others — when he saw the other two monks fail, he was unable to stay silent.

The fourth monk was attached to pride — when he thought he "won," he was unable to stay silent.

---

The Blind Man

Late one night, a blind man was about to go home after visiting a friend — "Please," he said to his friend, "May I take your lantern with me?"

> "Why bother with a lantern?" — asked his friend — "You won't see any better with it."*

> "No," — said the blind man — "perhaps not. But others will see me better and won’t bump into me.”*

> So his friend gave the blind man the lantern. It was made of paper and bamboo and held a fresh wax candle inside.*

> Off went the blind man with the lantern, and before he had gone no more than a few feet, Crack! Someone walked right into him.*

> The blind man was very angry.*

> "Why don't you look out?" — he stormed — "Can’t you see this lantern I’m carrying?!"*

> The stranger looked at the man for a moment — "Why don't you light the candle?"*

This koan exposes the perils of making assumptions and reveals the limits of perception. The blind man believes that carrying the lantern will prevent people from bumping into him — but he never actually confirms the candle is lit in the first place.

It's a lesson in self-awareness, humility, and the danger of unexamined beliefs. It’s easy to blame others when things go wrong rather than examining our own assumptions.

It begs the question: Who is truly blind? The man who cannot see? Or the one who assumes he is being seen?

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More Zen Koans

I'm a huge fan of koans. I think they're an excellent method to help us dismantle our preconceived notions about the world, the self, and our perception of reality.

They're short, high-impact ponderings that help us question what we know to be true and force us to abandon logic and binary reasoning.

So, for the next few months, I'm going to send a fresh Zen koan to your inbox every Thursday.

I acknowledge that in this post, I acted hypocritically by providing you with my interpretations of a few example koans. My intention was to help you visualize and understand how a koan functions and why they’re so useful to us as students of Zen — however, many Zen teachers argue that presenting an interpretation of the possible meanings of a Zen koan reduces it to an intellectual exercise — which, of course, is the exact opposite of its true purpose.

For this reason, the koans I send each week will be devoid of any interpretation.

Alan Watts, author of the book The Way of Zen — one of the greatest Western interpreters of Zen thought and the master at explaining the unexplainable — argued that if Zen had no secrets, there's no harm in articulating its ideas. I tend to agree with this perspective but argue that reading (and writing) about Zen is in no way the same as practicing Zen. A koan’s true impact comes from direct experience, and much of its power is diminished when it’s filtered through someone else’s interpretation.

For me, koans are a way to engage with the Zen path — helping to disrupt our thoughts and point us toward a more experiential Zen practice.

Instead of looking for meaning in these koans, I invite you to sit with them. Don’t try to solve them. Don’t try to explain them. If they frustrate you, let them frustrate you. If they make you laugh, let them make you laugh. If they do nothing for you, shrug, take a deep breath, and move on with the rest of your day.

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Let'‘s see if they appear in the right order.

First we have an apple.

Then we have a banana.

And lastly, a pear.

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Ego is a fundamental part of the human condition. It provides us with the necessary ability to separate and compartmentalize ourselves from the rest of the world.

Our ego allows us to exist in the chaos of existence.

The spiritual path is seen as a way to “escape the ego” and achieve a higher state of consciousness. A state where the confines of the ego no longer hold us back from seeing things as they are and allow us to experience true bliss.

But there’s a paradox to this whole process.

By seeking spiritual advancement, we have to accept that there is something to improve and someone to do the improving.

This suggests that this improvement somehow makes us better than someone who has not achieved similar levels of improvement.

This kind of thinking is inherently egotistical.

As we advance down the spiritual path — escaping the grasp of ego and removing attachments — spirituality itself can end up feeding the ego. Most of the time, we don’t even notice it while it’s happening.

It’s an unconscious process that develops along the way. Only after we notice it within ourselves can we course-correct.

I acknowledge that writing this article is itself an example of spiritual egotism.

Who am I to talk about dissolving the ego? What are my goals for writing this piece? By pointing out the hypocrisy behind having spiritual convictions or goals, am I in some way suggesting myself to be free from these convictions?

I am in no way exempt from the clutches of spiritual egotism — I certainly have not reached enlightenment.

But the paradox is that if I had, I probably wouldn’t be talking about it now.

This is known in Buddhism as the “noble silence.”

The only way to understand what it truly means to “dissolve the ego” is by discovering it spontaneously. It is not something that can be taught.

This is the approach Zen Buddhism takes to reach enlightenment. By accepting that the truth cannot be told, the master does not try to speak it. Instead, the master simply pops the ego of his students as it bubbles up from time to time.

This employs a concept called “the middle way.”

You know that you must dissolve your ego. But you can’t, so trying it is also pointless. The middle way says, “I will do my best to escape my ego, but I accept that I will fail.”

One thing we can do is pay attention to our failings. When you perform a kind act for another person, consider the motivation behind why you did it. Was it for their sake or for yours?

If you’re able to convince yourself these acts come from selfless motives — take notice — your ego has just presented itself.

The Paradox of Spiritual Development

You want to improve yourself by changing your consciousness. But the self that needs to be improved is the same one doing the improving.

This is a paradox.

As egotistical beings, we cannot be without ego.

At its core, the very reason one seeks to dissolve the ego is to improve oneself. Whether it’s to feel well, perform more effectively, or improve relationships with others — the very desire to achieve this improvement is egotistical.

This forms a negative feedback loop. The more we attempt to remove the ego, the more egotistical we become.

Essentially, the harder we try to avoid it, the more we become it.

By choosing to take a path toward enlightenment — we can not reach enlightenment.

The great Alan Watts says it best (paraphrasing):

“As long as you think and feel that you are contained in your bag of skin, there is no way whatsoever to behave unselfishly. You can imitate unselfishness. Undergo all kinds of highly refined forms of unselfishness. But you’re still tied to the gold chains of your good deeds.”

Is There A Solution?

Not exactly, but we may be able to move closer toward enlightenment by accepting its impossibility. Simply allowing ourselves to notice this paradox in ourselves may allow us to redirect course toward the middle path once again.

Let’s look at the story of the Buddha as an example.

Siddhartha was an ascetic for several decades. Acetics of the time would do all sorts of austere techniques. He would starve himself, sleep out in the cold, and purposely subject himself to discomfort and hardship — all an attempt to dissociate from his physical body and, thus, his ego.

The goal was to “reach” enlightenment.

But all the attempts the Buddha made to get himself out of the trap failed.

Siddhartha only achieved enlightenment when he realized that the trap and the trapped are one. By this realization, there isn’t any trap left.

He realized that the spiritual journey isn’t about being on some sort of “higher level.” There is no “end goal” or plateau to reach.

The spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle puts it another way:

“The ego has many ideas. It says, ‘I want to be a spiritual person. I want to be recognized as a spiritual person. I want to be more spiritual than all these people. And I’m definitely more spiritual than you… The essential dysfunction of the ego is still operating. This is why we have the phrase ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions’… You have to reach the place within yourself that is unconditioned; that is what I sometimes call formless.”

Spiritual Arrogance is a Blind Spot on the Path to Enlightenment

Spirituality can help you release the firm grasp your ego has over you, but it can also reinforce it.

Spiritual arrogance arises when someone develops an identity about seeking a path to enlightenment. It’s sometimes referred to as “spiritual narcissism.”

It’s what happens when you feel like people just “aren’t quite on your level.”

“High vibrations,” right?

As the psychiatrist Gerald May wrote in his 1983 book Will and Spirit:

“Simply stated, spiritual narcissism is the unconscious use of spiritual practice, experience, and insight to increase rather than decrease self-importance.”

Spiritual arrogance emerges naturally as we engage on the spiritual path. We fool ourselves into thinking that by taking steps to become more “enlightened,” we’re in some way superior to those who do not.

We leverage spiritual practices — like yoga, meditation, or other forms of spiritual self-care — as tokens of our supposed enlightenment or moral superiority.

We may use our "spiritual" identity to look down upon others who don't share these practices or beliefs, to dodge personal responsibilities or interpersonal challenges, or to create a persona that earns us social capital.

This condition damages both the individual, who is missing the opportunity for genuine spiritual or personal growth, and the community around them, which may be subjected to their judgment, manipulation, or neglect.

The presentation of spiritual arrogance comes in all shapes and sizes.

Let’s say you join a church group or other spiritual group. Members become spiritually proud. They believe they are the ones who have the right teaching. Everybody else is a bit off the track.

Then someone comes and one-ups them. “In our circles, we’re very tolerant. And we accept all teachings and all ways as leading to the one.”

But they’re just playing the game of “we’re more tolerant than you are.”

In essence, they become a victim of their own spiritual practice — they’re blind to the paradox of the spiritual path and become lost in their own egotistical beliefs that their “way” is somehow better than everybody else’s.

Of course, the other side of this paradox comes from noticing the people around you who demonstrate signs of spiritual arrogance. Looking at someone in their arrogance can make you feel like they’re inferior.

It’s another trap — but it comes from the completely opposite angle.

We cannot escape it.

Can Spiritual Arrogance Be Avoided?

Probably not, but by learning to recognize it, we may be able to re-align ourselves towards the middle path when it inevitably appears over and over again throughout our lives.

Here are some ideas to think about for avoiding the paradoxical nature of spiritual arrogance:

1. Find your intuitive expertise & learn to flow with it

Taoists call this practice “wu-wei.” Zen Buddhists call it “mushin.” Both loosely refer to an absence of striving. It’s the constant striving to improve or reach “higher vibrations” that causes this paradox to manifest in a big way.

2. Stop judging others based on their “level”

Spirituality is not a competition; you are not here to “help” others on their spiritual journey.

3. Remain skeptical about ideas, mentors, & gurus

Nobody truly has it figured out, and if they do, they certainly aren’t talking about it.

4. Embrace the beginner’s mind

Avoid bringing your preconceptions and opinions to new ideas. Act as though you’re a child experiencing everything for the first time.

5. Be conscious about your use of social media

This is especially important when it comes to sharing your spiritual development publicly. By sharing with others, you’re feeding the ego hiding behind the curtain.

6. Avoid over-intellectualizing spirituality

This comes at the expense of direct, personal, or experiential understandings of these concepts in daily life.

7. Beware of toxic positivity

This is the belief that no matter how dire or difficult a situation is, people should maintain a positive mindset. This invalidates an authentic human emotional experience and is a form of spiritual bypassing.

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Quotes on Spiritual Arrogance

“The biggest ego trip going is getting rid of your ego.” — Alan Watts

“If it’s so easy to lose Jim Carey, who’s Jim Carey?” — Jim Carey

“If an organ is working properly, you don’t feel it. When you’re thinking clearly, your brain isn’t getting in your way.” — Alan Watts

“To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.” — Confucius

“For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

“No matter what the practice or teaching, ego loves to wait in ambush to appropriate spirituality for its own survival and gain.” ― Chögyam Trungpa

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Zen Koans About Spiritual Arrogance

The beauty of Zen koans is that they can be used to “impart wisdom” that can’t otherwise be explained by words.

They’re told as a sort of joke — only the punchline isn’t spontaneous laughter — but spontaneous glimpses of enlightenment.

They all deliver some form of unexplainable wisdom that you either get at the punchline or you don’t. Just like a joke, if the koan has to be explained, it loses its power.

1. The Double Vision of Ego
2. Praise vs. Prajna
3. What Mind?
4. Killing Buddhism

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And this is the regular text.

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Sariputra, one of the Buddha’s chief disciples, was once asked — “What is nirvana?”

He answered — “The destruction of greed, the destruction of anger, the destruction of delusion — this is nirvana.”

The Wheel of Life

The Wheel of Life (Bhavachakra) is a symbolic representation of samsara — the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. It illustrates the Buddhist understanding of the nature of existence and outlines the path to liberation or nirvana.

At the center of the wheel, you’ll find depictions of a rooster, a snake, and a pig. These animals represent the 3 poisons, which are the root of suffering and the forces that keep us trapped in the cycle of samsara.

These 3 unliberated beings perpetually circle the wheel of life, experiencing birth, death, and rebirth endlessly:

• The rooster represents greed or overindulgence.

• The snake represents hatred or anger.

• The pig represents delusion or ignorance.

The second layer of the wheel represents karma, which is separated into two halves. The white half depicts beings moving upward towards more fortunate rebirths. The black half depicts beings moving downwards towards less fortunate births.

The third layer depicts the 6 realms of existence — the god realm, the demi-god realm, the human realm, the animal realm, the hungry ghost realm, and the hell realm.

The fourth layer (outer rim) depicts the 12 links of the causal chain that leads to rebirth and suffering — ignorance, formations, consciousness, name and form, six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, and death.

The entire wheel is encompassed by Yama, the Lord of Death. This symbolizes the inevitability of death and the impermanence of all things. The Buddha can be seen beyond the wheel, pointing at the moon. This represents the possibility of liberation from the cycle of samsara.

# 1. Delusion & Ignorance

Delusion and ignorance are misunderstandings of the true nature of reality that manifest through our ego-driven desires, aversions, and misconceptions.

The ego serves as a reducing valve to make sense of the chaos of existence. It separates I from other and filters the vast information we receive in each waking moment so our brains can comprehend and navigate the complexity of the world around us.

The problem is that in doing so, we jump to conclusions and invent information to satisfy the narratives our ego constructs. All of our opinions and beliefs are baked in delusion — based on information that isn’t complete, is one-sided, or distorted.

Delusion prevents us from seeing the truth. It fuels disagreements, conflict, and misunderstanding. It leads to greed by making us think we need more in order to feel happy, safe, and fulfilled in life. It leads to anger by fostering resentment and hostility towards others and creates barriers that prevent us from seeing their perspectives.

Overcoming these delusions involves engaging in practices that cultivate direct experiential insight, mindfulness, and humility. Developing the willingness to accept and acknowledge our delusions helps us perceive the world as it truly is.

The paradox herein lies in the fact that we cannot be without ego — and that seeking to dismantle it to escape the trap of delusion and ignorance is, in itself, an ignorant goal. The middle way says that we may attempt to escape our delusion and ignorance — but will ultimately fail. In recognizing this, we may find a path to true understanding and enlightenment.

# 2. Greed & Overindulgence

Greed is the desire for “just a little bit more.” It’s a feeling of being unsatisfied with what we have. This could be money, possessions, power, or status.

There’s always something more we could have.

Photographers want new, better cameras and lenses; musicians want more sophisticated instruments; and tech enthusiasts want the latest gadgets and software.

These small desires for more may not seem like “poison” per se — but while innocuous on the surface, they signal a greater underlying dissatisfaction.

On the extreme end of greed is addiction — living perpetually from one fix to the next. Whether it’s drugs, sex, gambling, shopping, or food — the addict is obsessed with obtaining more to the point where it becomes an undeniable detriment to their health, their relationships, and their ability to feel happy.

Zen Buddhism posits that the antidote to greed is detachment. By striving for minimalism in all areas of our life — learning to make do with less and be content with what we have — we may undermine the insidious power of greed and overindulgence.

# 3. Hatred & Anger

Hatred and anger arise from fear and delusion. When we encounter something or someone that threatens or exposes the beliefs, desires, or vulnerabilities of the ego, our natural response is to defend it through hostility. This hostility is an unconscious reaction that further clouds our judgment, reinforces our delusions, and prevents us from seeing the true nature of things.

Zen Buddhism teaches that the antidote to hatred is compassion. By cultivating a sense of empathy towards others and seeking to understand their perspective, we can break the barriers that fuel our anger and cloud our judgment. This is taught through mindfulness practices that help us identify and acknowledge the emotion of anger and allow us to choose how we respond rather than reacting unconsciously.

Our emotions are transient and non-defining — we are allowed to feel anger, but applying it through hostility and cementing it in hatred only leads to further delusion and suffering.

Opposing the 3 Poisons

Buddhism teaches that the antidotes against the 3 poisons and fundamental steps toward liberation are wisdom/insight, generosity/detachment, and lovingkindness/compassion.

Wisdom and insight are the direct antidotes to delusion and ignorance. Practices like meditation, dedicated study, and reflective contemplation help us cultivate a deeper understanding of the true nature of reality and break through the misconceptions that bind us to suffering.

Detachment and generosity counter greed and attachment by encouraging a spirit of giving and letting go. It shifts our focus from accumulating more to sharing what we have.

Lovingkindness and compassion are cultivated to dissolve anger and hatred. Through practices like Metta meditation and active empathy, we may learn to extend feelings of unconditional love and understanding toward ourselves and others. This practice helps us overcome the defensive and hostile reactions that arise from threatened egos and fosters a more inclusive and peaceful interaction with the world.

While we cannot be entirely rid of these poisons, we can learn to identify how they manifest in our lives and develop techniques that mitigate their influence over our thoughts and actions.

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Imagine a world where clean, safe, and efficient nuclear power can be delivered to any corner of the globe, powering everything from small villages to bustling cities. This vision is becoming a reality with the development of nuclear modular plants—compact, portable nuclear reactors that can be shipped in standard containers and set up quickly to provide reliable energy. These innovative power sources use fission—the process of splitting atomic nuclei to release energy, the same fundamental principle that powers traditional nuclear plants—but with a twist: they utilize thorium as fuel and a molten salt system for cooling and fuel delivery. This combination offers a host of benefits that could revolutionize how we think about nuclear energy.

Portability and Deployment

One of the most significant advantages of these nuclear modular plants is their portability. Designed to fit within standard shipping containers, these reactors can be transported by truck, ship, or even air to virtually any location. This makes them ideal for remote communities, disaster relief efforts, or military operations where traditional power infrastructure is lacking or damaged. Setting up a conventional power plant typically takes years, but these modular units can be operational in a matter of weeks, providing a rapid solution to energy needs.

Safety Features

Safety is a paramount concern in nuclear energy, and modular thorium molten salt reactors (MSRs) offer several inherent safety advantages. Unlike traditional reactors that use water under high pressure, MSRs operate at atmospheric pressure, eliminating the risk of pressure-related accidents. The fuel is dissolved in the molten salt, which means there's no solid fuel that could melt down. If the reactor overheats, the salt expands, naturally slowing the fission reaction—a built-in safety mechanism. Additionally, thorium-based fuels produce less long-lived radioactive waste, reducing the long-term environmental impact.

Efficiency and Abundance

Thorium is a more abundant resource than uranium, with estimates suggesting it is three to four times more plentiful in the Earth's crust. This abundance makes thorium a sustainable fuel choice for the future. Moreover, MSRs can operate at higher temperatures than traditional reactors, leading to greater thermal efficiency. This means more electricity can be generated from the same amount of fuel, making the energy production process more efficient and cost-effective in the long run.

Scalability

The modular design of these reactors allows for scalability to meet varying power demands. A single unit might power a small community, while multiple units can be combined to serve larger towns or cities. This flexibility is particularly useful for growing populations or regions with fluctuating energy needs. As demand increases, additional modules can be added without the need for extensive new infrastructure.

Cost-Effectiveness

While the initial investment in nuclear modular plants may be significant, the long-term operational costs can be lower than traditional power sources. The high efficiency of MSRs means less fuel is needed over time, and the reduced waste production lowers disposal costs. Additionally, the ability to mass-produce these modular units could drive down manufacturing costs, making nuclear power more accessible and affordable.

Environmental Impact

Nuclear power is already one of the cleanest energy sources in terms of carbon emissions, and thorium MSRs take this a step further. By producing less long-lived waste and utilizing a more abundant fuel, these reactors offer a more sustainable path for nuclear energy. Furthermore, their ability to provide reliable baseload power can help reduce reliance on fossil fuels, contributing to global efforts to combat climate change.

Challenges and Considerations

Despite these benefits, there are challenges to overcome before nuclear modular plants can be widely deployed. The technology for thorium MSRs is still in the developmental stage, with ongoing research needed to address issues such as material corrosion and fuel processing. Regulatory frameworks will also need to adapt to this new type of reactor, and public perception of nuclear energy remains a hurdle in many regions. However, with continued investment and innovation, these obstacles can be addressed.

Conclusion

In conclusion, nuclear modular plants using thorium and molten salt systems represent a promising advancement in nuclear technology. Their portability, safety features, efficiency, scalability, and environmental benefits make them an attractive option for meeting the world's growing energy needs. While challenges remain, the potential of these reactors to provide clean, reliable power to communities around the globe is undeniable. As research and development continue, we may soon see a new era of nuclear energy that is safer, more efficient, and more accessible than ever before.

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Is the internet making us dumber?

The answer to this question depends on how we define intelligence. If it refers to the number of facts we know and we remember — the answer is probably “yes.”

A study led by Betsy Sparrow on the impact of Google on human memory states that:

“When people expect to have future access to information, they have lower rates of recall of the information itself and enhanced recall instead for where to access it. The Internet has become a primary form of external or transactive memory, where information is stored collectively outside ourselves.”

That might not be such a bad thing — in theory, it could help preserve our limited cognitive capacity for more salient tasks, such as learning new skills, achieving mastery in our chosen domain, or soul-enriching creative pursuits. Is it really that important that we remember exactly how deep the lowest part of the ocean is or how many species of birds there are?

Maybe, maybe not.

If intelligence is measured by our ability to understand and process information — the answer is much more complicated. It depends entirely on how we use it.

Before we explore all the ways the internet undermines our cognitive abilities, I have to point out that access to the internet can easily be used to make us smarter, happier, and more connected. This is a technology that allows us to learn anything we want — quickly and cheaply. Education is no longer a privilege reserved for the rich. Now, anybody with access to a public library or a $100 smartphone can access information on any topic.

The problem is that the unfettered and unconscious use of the internet lures us into delusion and distraction.

Here are 5 ways the internet makes us dumber and some strategies for resisting them.

1. Information Overload

“The man who chases two rabbits catches none.” — Old Zen Parable.

Information overload is a problem where one is given so much information at one time they become overwhelmed and unable to process or think about it in a clear way.

We are inundated with so much information these days that we don’t even know how to make sense of it. We’re overloaded. Our attention spans are short, and we have no time leftover for deep, contemplative thought about the information we consume.

One study even found that simply having a smartphone nearby reduces one’s cognitive capacity. This study points to the “brain drain” hypothesis, which suggests that the brain has a finite amount of processing power and the mere presence of a potential distractor (like our smartphones) can occupy a large portion of these resources.

When we feel overwhelmed, we double down and attempt to cram as much information as possible  — we skim 10 different articles at a time without reading anything, fast-forward through YouTube videos to try and find the most interesting parts, ask GPTs to summarize books so we don’t have to read them, and throw videos and podcasts on in the background while working on something else.

The problem is that we just aren’t very good at multitasking. Instead, our attention rapidly (and inefficiently) switches from one task to another. The process of switching focus back and forth requires additional cognitive processes that further reduce the overall capacity of the brain.

“Wherever you are, be there totally.” — Eckhart Tolle

2. Fake News

“Fake news and rumors thrive online because few verify what's real and always bias towards content that reinforces their own biases.” — Ryan Higa

The freedom of the internet means anybody can publish anything and position it as fact. Much of the information we find online is wrong, out of context, or intentionally misleading. Whether this fake information was created out of ignorance or malicious intent doesn’t really matter.

Our ability to distinguish fiction from reality becomes more difficult when we’re saturated with information. Who has the time to fact-check every article they read online?

Another major factor contributing to this issue is the proliferation of bot accounts on social media — a phenomenon that makes up a significant portion of social media profiles these days. Many of these accounts exist for the sole purpose of flooding social media with low-quality information to manipulate human behavior, ideology, and opinions. Sometimes, this is to sell you something; other times, it’s to influence the opinions of society at-large.

Despite the issue with fake news, 50% of people still get most of their news from social media — according to research conducted by Pew Research Center.

The emergence of deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation are making this problem even worse. It’s becoming easier for bad actors to generate and spread false or misleading information throughout the internet in massive quantities.

3. Junk Info

“Treat junk information the way you treat junk food. Realize that it’s crap that tastes good, and consume it sparingly. Monitor your consumption and ensure that you never trick yourself into believing it’s good for you.” — Daniel Miessler

The internet is saturated with junk information — which not only includes information that’s factually incorrect but also those with no practical use. It doesn’t make our lives any better, it doesn’t make us smarter or more capable humans, and it certainly doesn’t make us happier or more present in our lives.

Examples include clickbait, ragebait, gossip, conspiracy theories, babel, or trivial social media status updates. These types of content grab our attention just as much as high-quality content but leave us feeling empty and unsatisfied. This is why you can spend 2 hours scrolling on Instagram or Twitter, only to log off and discover you can’t remember a single piece of information you just consumed.

A major factor driving this phenomenon is that low-quality information provides us with the same dopamine hit as high-quality information but is significantly easier to manufacture. Publishers like Buzzfeed and Bored Panda take advantage of this fact by mass-producing junk information on a scale never before seen in human history.

Gurwinder eloquently describes the crisis of intellectual obesity as follows:

“Just as gorging on junk food bloats your body, so gorging on junk info bloats your mind, filling it with a cacophony of half-remembered gibberish that sidetracks your attention and confuses your senses. Unable to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant, you become concerned by trivialities and outraged by falsehoods. These concerns and outrages push you to consume even more, and all the time that you're consuming, you're prevented from doing anything else: learning, focusing, even thinking. The result is that your stream of consciousness becomes clogged; you develop atherosclerosis of the mind.”

4. Cognitive Bias

“The foolish reject what they see, not what they think — the wise reject what they think, not what they see.” — Huang Po

Cognitive bias refers to the systematic ways in which the context and framing of information influence individuals' judgment and decision-making.

The internet often acts as an echo chamber, where algorithms tailor content to our existing beliefs, reinforcing our biases rather than challenging them.

Confirmation bias, for instance, leads us to favor information that aligns with our preconceptions and dismiss evidence that contradicts them. This bias is magnified online, where we can easily find sources that support any viewpoint, no matter how fringe or unfounded. As a result, our beliefs become more entrenched, and we become less open to opposing perspectives.

Another example is the availability heuristic, which causes us to overestimate the importance of information that is readily available to us. Social media amplifies this bias by prioritizing trending topics, sensational stories, and viral content, often at the expense of more balanced or nuanced viewpoints. This can lead to distorted perceptions of reality, where rare but dramatic events seem more common than they are.

There’s also the bandwagon effect, where people adopt beliefs or behaviors because they see others doing the same. Social media platforms capitalize on this bias by prominently displaying popular posts and trending hashtags, encouraging us to conform to the majority opinion without critically evaluating the information.

5. The Attention Economy

“We find ourselves in a new stage of capitalism. One that is predicated on the ever more aggressive appropriation of our attention, often by mechanized means. This makes cultivating the habits and pleasures of deep, slow thinking a difficult matter.” — Matthew Crawford.

The attention economy is a marketplace in which human attention is treated as a scarce commodity. It’s becoming increasingly sought-after by advertisers.

The key metrics of success in this marketplace are to capture our attention with engaging content, retain it through various psychological tricks and manipulations, and milk our minds for ad dollars. The unfortunate side effect of this is that these manipulations further degrade our ability to think clearly and form logical opinions.

Attention is an important part of the human experience. It’s what connects us with the outside world. Even outside the realm of the internet, different forms of stimuli are constantly seeking our attention — we’ve evolved various internal mechanisms to ignore what isn’t important so we can preserve our energy for what is.

Through the magic of the internet, companies have learned ways to infiltrate our minds and override these internal defense mechanisms.

Just like any other commodity, human attention is subject to the rules of supply and demand. Our personal supply of attention is finite — there’s only so much time in a day, so our attention can only be given to a limited number of things. Tech companies need to innovate ways to maximize the amount of users that interact with their product and extend the time each person is willing to remain engaged.

How Apps Manipulate Our Emotions & Harvest Our Attention

“It is very common for humans to develop things with the best of intentions that have unintended, negative consequences.” — Justin Rosenstein, creator of the 'like' button.

Social media apps use numerous psychological tactics to induce emotions that keep us on the platform.

Here are just a few of the subtle design tweaks these apps employ that unconsciously manipulate our emotions:

• Using the color red for notifications — Red is a trigger color, inducing a sense of alarm. Facebook used to use a blue notification icon (to match their logo); however, developers noted that nobody was paying attention, so they changed it to red, and suddenly, engagement with the feature skyrocketed.

• Variable rewards — The notification centers of apps intentionally hide the specifics of our interactions to keep us in a state of anticipation. It could be a whole bunch of new likes, some new followers, or absolutely nothing at all. The anticipation of not knowing what kind of surprises could be in store for us is exciting, and clicking the dropdown to explore becomes a compulsive habit.

• The pull-to-refresh feature — This loading feature was a happy accident. Loren Brichter invented it for his app, Tweetie (before it was bought by Twitter), simply because there wasn’t a good space to add a refresh button. However, this invention turned out to be a boon for manipulating users' emotions. The little “loading” animation makes us think it’s gathering data, but this delay is intentional. It gives us a sense of anticipation, which is addicting… sort of like the pull of a slot machine.

• Infinite scrolling — Users can continuously scroll through content without ever hitting a stopping point. This design keeps users engaged for long periods of time as there’s always something new just a swipe away. It takes advantage of our natural inclination to keep looking for more information and makes it hard to break free from the app.

• Social validation loops — Features like likes, comments, and shares create a feedback loop that keeps users coming back for more. Each notification of social validation triggers a release of dopamine, reinforcing the behavior and making users more likely to continue engaging with the app in search of more juicy validation.

# Tech Execs Who Refuse to Get High on Their Own Supply

Nobody understands the power of gaming human attention than the tech executives and developers working behind the scenes to keep us hooked on their products.

Over the years, several high-profile individuals working for Google, Meta, Twitter, and Apple have disclosed some of the extreme lengths they go through to avoid getting sucked into the cognitive wormholes their products create.

Here are just a few examples:

Nir Eyal

(Tech consultant and author of Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life).

Nir Eyal once confided in the lengths he goes to protect his own family from the addictive nature of unfettered internet access in an interview with Thrive Global.

Eyal shuts his phone off at 10 pm and keeps it out of his bedroom while he sleeps. He’s even installed an outlet timer on his home router to cut off internet access for his whole house at the same time every day.

“The idea is to remember that we are not powerless. We are in control.”

Justin Rosenstein

(Creator of the like button).

Justin reports that he’s tweaked his laptop’s operating system to block Reddit, banned himself from Snapchat (which he compares to heroin), and imposed limits on his use of Facebook.

But even that wasn’t enough.

Last year, Justin took an even more radical approach to restrict his use of addictive technologies. He ordered a new phone and asked his assistant to set up parental controls that block him from downloading any new apps.

Loren Brichter

(Designer of the pull-to-refresh feature).

Brichter, like other tech execs, has blocked certain websites, turned off push notifications, restricted his use of the Telegram app to message only with his wife and two close friends, and tried to wean himself off Twitter.

“I still waste time on it just reading stupid news I already know about.”

He charges his phone in the kitchen, plugging it in at 7 pm and not touching it until the next morning.

Tristan Harris

(Co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology and former Google design ethicist).

Tristan Harris, who has been vocal about the manipulative design practices of tech companies for years, takes various steps to protect himself. He uses a grayscale screen on his phone to make it less appealing and has removed all social media apps. Harris also sets specific times for checking emails and messages, ensuring that he’s not constantly distracted throughout the day.

“There’s a hidden goal driving all of our technology, and that goal is the race for our attention.”

# Becoming Smarter in the Age of Information

The internet is a double-edged sword. It’s a place we can go to learn, connect, and create, but also a source of delusion, distraction, and misinformation.

Learning to navigate and engage with it wisely can ultimately help us grow to become more present, focused, and content in our daily activities — but only if we establish a foundation of discipline and intentionality.

None of these concepts are new. People like Marshall McLuhan have been talking about the influence of electronic media several years before the internet was even invented.

However, as technologies become more sophisticated and pervasive in our daily lives, we’re learning to adapt and find balance.

In the spirit of acknowledging our need for quick, bite-sized information snippets (wink wink), I’ll conclude with 10 quick strategies we can adopt to resist the distractions of the internet and preserve our cognitive resources to become smarter, happier, more capable humans.

10 Strategies to Thrive in the Information Age

1. Silo your attention — focus on one thing at a time.

2. Avoid going to social media for news.

3. Identify and limit junk information.

4. Seek out diverse perspectives and challenge your cognitive biases.

5. Treat your time and attention with respect — prioritize activities that enrich your life.

6. Limit internet and device usage — consider placing an outlet timer on your internet router.

7. Block or delete distracting websites and apps.

8. Implement grayscale screens.

9. Charge your phone outside your bedroom at night.

10. Practice tech-free days.

SUBSCRIBE To the Zen Psychedelic

@ 30b99916:3cc6e3fe

security #vault #veracrypt #powershell

VaultApi a self-host method for securing data

VaultApi is dependent upon both HashiCorp Vault and VeraCrypt to work it's magic.

Hashicorp Vault and KeePassXC are the primary password manager applications that I'm using currently and for the most part the entries in each should be mirroring each other. The functional difference between these two are KeePassXC has a graphical interface. While Hashicorp Vault has a web interface, the key value VaultApi makes use of is the REST Api to perform ACID operations on secured data for automation purposes.

The vault keys and root token associated with HashiCorp Vault are stored in an encrypted file that is kept in cold storage. Prior to starting HashiCrop Vault server, the cold storage file is mounted on the system using VeraCrypt.

Also, this implementation is on my non-routed network primarily being used by my Linux systems but any OS supporting PowerShell on the non-routed network should be able to access the Vault as a client.

Additionally, the Vault is only ran on an on-demand basis.

The startup process is as follows: VaultApi start VaultApi unseal VaultApi login VaultApi KeyPaths The command VaultApi KeyPaths dumps a list of key paths to a local file to make the finding of key paths simpler.

The path lookup process is as follows: VaultApi FindPaths Vehicle This command returns a list of paths matching the specified value of Vehicle. VaultApi FindPaths Vehicle kv1/Vehicle/1995-Mustang-GT500 kv1/Vehicle/2003-DodgeViper kv1/Vehicle/2012-Nissan kv1/Vehicle/2016-Telsa To lookup all the keys associated to a given path: VaultApi kv1Read kv1/Vehicle/2012-Nissan -kvkey _ReturnKeys plate VIN To return a value associated with a key of a given path to the clipboard: VaultApi kv1Read kv1/Vehicle/2012-Nissan -kvkey plate If the -raw options is included the value will be returned to the console.

To add a new key/value pair to an existing path: VaultApi kv1Update kv1/Vehicle/2012-Nissan 21000000 -kvkey mileage To add a new path and key/value pair: VaultApi kv1Create kv1/Vehicle/2025-Lambo Bitcoin -kvkey plate To list the 2nd level path names: ``` Default level 1 path name is "kv1"

VaultApi kv1list

To list 3rd level path names:

VaultApi kv1list kv1/Vehicle To Delete a **path** and it's associated key/value pairs: VaultApi kv1Delete kv1/Vehicle/2012-Nissan

To just delete a single key/value pair for a given path use the HashiCorp Vault Web interface. To launch the **HashiCorp Vault** web interface: VaultApi WebUI To return status information about the **Vault**: VaultApi status sealed initialized version n t

---

False True 1.15.6 5 3

To return process information about the **Vault**: VaultApi Check Hashicorp Vault (v1.15.6) is running...116147 ``` To show the hash value of the VaultApi script:

VaultApi ShowHash 3D47628ECB3FA0E7DBD28BA7606CE5BF To return a 20 character randomized value to the clipboard: VaultApi SetValue To create a backup of the HashiCorp Vault : ``` Must be logged in with the root token.

VaultApi Backup

A snapshot file will be created in the $HOME/Downloads directory by default. ``` To stop the HashiCorp Vault server:

``` VaultApi seal The vault is sealed.

VaultApi stop The server is stopped.

```

To get help information about VaultApi

``` Get-Help VaultApi -Full | more

OR

Get-Help VaultApi -Examples | more ```

Here are some past articles I wrote about setting up HashiCorp Vault and VeraCrypt.

Bitcoin and key/value using Hashicorp Vault

Bitcoin and Cold Storage using VeraCrypt

More information on VaultApi.

VaultApi Documentation

Download VaultApi script here

@ 75869cfa:76819987

GM, Nostriches!

The Nostr Review is a biweekly newsletter focused on Nostr statistics, protocol updates, exciting programs, the long-form content ecosystem, and key events happening in the Nostr-verse. If you’re interested, join me in covering updates from the Nostr ecosystem!

Quick review:

In the past two weeks, Nostr statistics indicate over 216,000 daily trusted pubkey events. The number of new users has seen a notable decrease, Profiles with contact lists and pubkeys writing events were both representing a 70% decline. More than 7 million events have been published, reflecting a 24% decrease. Total Zap activity stands at approximately 16 million, marking a 20% increase.

Additionally, 14 pull requests were submitted to the Nostr protocol, with 6 merged. A total of 45 Nostr projects were tracked, with 7 releasing product updates, and over 378 long-form articles were published, 24% focusing on Bitcoin and Nostr. During this period, 9 notable events took place, and 3 significant events are upcoming.

Nostr Statistics

Based on user activity, the total daily trusted pubkeys writing events is about 216,000, representing a slight 2 % decrease compared to the previous period. Daily activity peaked at 17483 events, with a low of approximately 15499.

The number of new users has decreased significantly.Profiles with contact lists and pubkeys writing events were 26,132 and 59,403 respectively, both representing a decline of approximately 70% compared to the previous period.

The total number of note events published is around 7 million, reflecting a 24% decrease.Posts remain the most dominant category by volume, totaling approximately 1.7 million, representing a 4% decrease compared to the previous period.Reposts, however, saw a significant increase, rising by 33% compared to the same period.

For zap activity, the total zap amount is about 16 million, showing an decrease of over 20% compared to the previous period.

Data source: https://stats.nostr.band/

NIPs

Allow multi-user AUTH #1881 vitorpamplona is proposing a PR that reuses one connection for everyone by accepting multi-user logins on the relay side. Additionally, this PR standardizes how relays should handle multiple AUTH messages from the client, instead of leaving it as undefined behavior. Currently, most relays override the previous AUTH, which means developers can rotate the authenticated user within the same connection. Some relays only accept the first AUTH and ignore the rest. A few newer relays already support multi-user logins as described in this PR, which he believes is the correct way to implement NIP-42 AUTH. The purpose of this PR is to formalize that behavior.

Adds optional nip60.signSecret() and kind 10019 filter tag #1890 robwoodgate is proposing a PR that clarifies and improves Nostr <---> Cashu interoperability as follows:Adds an optional signer signature for NUT-10 well-known secrets to NIP-60, NIP-07 and NIP-46；Clarifies use of Nostr <---> Cashu public keys in NIP-61；Adds an optional reverse lookup filter tag to NIP-61 kind 10019 events.

Notable Projects

​​Coracle 0.6.10 nostr:npub13myx4j0pp9uenpjjq68wdvqzywuwxfj64welu28mdvaku222mjtqzqv3qk

Coracle 0.6.10 release is out on the web and zapstore! This is another maintenance release, including a complete rewrite of the networking code (coming soon to flotilla), and several bug fixes. * Fix spotify url parsing bug * Fix nip46 signer connect * Use new version of network library * Fix reply drafts bug * Fix creating a new account while logged in * Re-work storage adapter to minimize storage and improve performance * Improve initial page load times * Fix followers page * Upgrade welshman * Remove platform relay * Show PoW * Don't fetch messages until decryption is enabled

Damus v1.14 nostr:npub18m76awca3y37hkvuneavuw6pjj4525fw90necxmadrvjg0sdy6qsngq955

A new TestFlight release is here for Purple users to try! * ️Setup a wallet lightning fast with our new one-click wallet setup, powered by Coinos! * New revamped wallet experience with balance and transactions view for your NWC wallet — see how much you got zapped without even leaving the app! * New notification setting to hide hellthreads. ie. Achieve notification peace. * NIP-65 relay list support — more compatibility across Nostr apps! * Unicode 16 emoji reactions (only for iOS 18.4+) - even more options to express your reactions! * Blurred images now show some more information — no more wondering why images are occasionally blurred. * More bugs fixed, and general robustness improvements.

0xchat v1.4.9 nostr:npub1tm99pgz2lth724jeld6gzz6zv48zy6xp4n9xu5uqrwvx9km54qaqkkxn72

What's new: * Implemented updated NIP-29 group logic with support for group admin roles * Added support for Aegis URL scheme login on iOS

YakiHonne nostr:npub1yzvxlwp7wawed5vgefwfmugvumtp8c8t0etk3g8sky4n0ndvyxesnxrf8q

🌐web v4.6.0: * Introducing Smart Widgets v2 – now dynamic and programmable. Learn more at https://yakihonne.com/docs/sw/intro * New Tools Smart Widgets section in note creation for advanced content editing. * Curations, videos, and polls are now Tools Smart Widgets, enabling quick creation and seamless embedding in notes. * Zap advertisements added—top zappers can now appear below notes. * Note translation button has been relocated next to the note options for easier access. * Followers and following lists are now visible directly on the dashboard home page. * General improvements and bug fixes for a smoother experience.

📱mobile v1.7.0: * Introducing the fully upgraded smart widget with its expanded set of functionalities. * A set of tools to enhance content editing. * Curations, videos, and polls are now Tools Smart Widgets, enabling quick creation and seamless embedding in notes. * Shortened URLs for a better user experience. * Highest zappers in notes will be highlighted. * Zapper list now includes zaps messages. * Videos and curations are no longer visible in the app. * Gossip models can be enabled and disabled. * Fixed multiple bugs for a more stable and seamless app experience. * Enhanced overall performance, usability, and design across the app.

Nostur v1.20 nostr:npub1n0stur7q092gyverzc2wfc00e8egkrdnnqq3alhv7p072u89m5es5mk6h0

New in this version: * Added support for Lists (kind 30000) * Show preview of feed from list * Turn list into feed tab with 1 tap * Subscribe toggle to keep updating the feed from original maintainer, or keep list as-is * Share List: Toggle to make list public * Lists tab on Profile view * 'Add all contacts to feed/list' post menu item * Discover tab now shows Lists shared by your follows * Enable manual ordering of custom feeds / tabs * New Top Zapped feed * New onboarding screens * New default color scheme / adjusted backgrounds * Lower delays and timeouts for fetching things * Improved hellthread handling * Support for comment on highlights (kind 9802) * Toggle to post to restricted/locked relay when starting post from single relay feed * Support relay auth for bunker/remote signer accounts * Zoom for previous profile pictures * Improved Relay Autopilot / Outbox when loading a single profile, always try to find 2 additional relays not in already used relay set * Improved support for accounts with large follow lists * Keep things longer in cache on desktop version * Improved support for pasting animated gifs * Use floating mini video player also on iPad and Desktop * Many performance improvements and bugfixes

Zapstore 0.2.6 nostr:npub10r8xl2njyepcw2zwv3a6dyufj4e4ajx86hz6v4ehu4gnpupxxp7stjt2p8

• Fixes for stale data, apps should now show their latest versions
• Upgrade to nostr:npub1kpt95rv4q3mcz8e4lamwtxq7men6jprf49l7asfac9lnv2gda0lqdknhmz DVM format
• New Developer screen (basic for now, delete local cache if apps are missing!)

ZEUS v0.11.0 nostr:npub1xnf02f60r9v0e5kty33a404dm79zr7z2eepyrk5gsq3m7pwvsz2sazlpr5

ZEUS v0.11.0-alpha 2 with Cashu support is now available for testing. In this build: * Fix: addresses an issue where some Cashu wallets would crash when redeeming their first token. If you were affected by this bug, try removing the mint in question and re-adding it with the 'Existing funds' toggle enabled. FUNDS ARE SAFU! * Feat: Core Lightning: show closed channels list * Locale updates

Long-Form Content Eco

In the past two weeks, more than 378 long-form articles have been published, including over 57 articles on Bitcoin and more than 32 related to Nostr, accounting for 24% of the total content.

These articles about Nostr mainly explore the protocol’s steady evolution toward simplicity, decentralization, and practical usability. There is a clear call within the community to strip away unnecessary complexity and return to Nostr’s minimalist roots, emphasizing lightweight structures and user autonomy. At the same time, a wave of innovation is expanding Nostr’s possibilities—new marketplaces, interoperable bridges with other protocols, and creative tools for publishing, identity, and social interaction are emerging rapidly. The articles also reflect a growing focus on censorship resistance, advocating for more diverse and independent relay networks, encrypted communications between relays, and broader user control over data and publishing. Practical guides and firsthand user experiences reveal both the excitement and the challenges of building within an open, permissionless ecosystem.

These articles about Bitcoin depict the evolution and expansion of the Bitcoin ecosystem from various perspectives. On the technical front, they focus on the iteration of Bitcoin Core versions, innovations in secure storage methods, advancements in multisignature solutions and post-quantum cryptography, as well as the ongoing optimization of payment tools like the Lightning Network, highlighting Bitcoin's continuous progress in enhancing asset security and transaction efficiency. At the same time, through real-life stories and personal experiences, many articles illustrate Bitcoin's practical role in individuals' lives, showing how it helps people achieve financial autonomy, build resilience, and transform their lifestyles in times of turmoil. From a financial perspective, the articles delve into Bitcoin’s unique value as digital gold and an inflation hedge, and its function as a safe haven and transformative force in emerging economies and shifting trade environments.

Thank you, nostr:npub1jp3776ujdul56rfkkrv8rxxgrslqr07rz83xpmz3ndl74lg7ngys320eg2 nostr:npub1xzuej94pvqzwy0ynemeq6phct96wjpplaz9urd7y2q8ck0xxu0lqartaqn nostr:npub1qd6zcgzukmydscp3eyauf2dn6xzgfsevsetrls8zrzgs5t0e4fws7re0mj nostr:npub12q4tq25nvkp52sluql37yr5qn059qf3kpeaa26u0nmd7ag5xqwtscduvuh nostr:npub1t49ker2fyy2xc5y7qrsfxrp6g8evsxluqmaq09xt7uuhhzsurm3srw4jj5 nostr:npub1p7dep69xdstul0v066gcheg2ue9hg2u3pngn2p625auyuj57jkjscpn02q nostr:npub1l0cwgdrjrxsdpu6yhzkp7zcvk2zqxl20hz8mq84tlguf9cd7dgusrmk3ty nostr:npub1fn4afafnasdqcm7hnxtn26s2ye3v3g2h2xave7tcce6s7zkra52sh7yg99 npub1jh95xvxnqdqj5ljh3vahh7s7s0pv9mj9sfrkdnx4xgead9kmwpkq2e0fqm，npub1qn4ylq6s79tz4gwkphq8q4sltwurs6s36xsq2u8aw3qd5ggwzufsw3s3yz，npub1penlq56qnlvsr7v3wry24twn6jtyfw5vt6vce76yawrrajcafwfs0qmn5s，and others, for your work. Enriching Nostr’s long-form content ecosystem is crucial.

Nostriches Global Meet Ups

Recently, several Nostr events have been hosted in different countries. * Recently, YakiHonne collaborated with multiple communities and universities across Africa, such as nostr:npub1yp5maegtq53x536xcznk2hqzdtpgxg63hzhl2ya3u4nrtuasxaaqa52pzn nostr:npub1tk59m73xjqq7k3hz9hlwsvspu2xq7t9gg0qj86cgp4rrlqew5lpq5zq7qp nostr:npub1wjncl8k8z86qq2hwqqeufa4g9z35r5t5wquawxghnrs06z9ds8zsm49yg7 and more, to successfully host seven Nostr Workshops, attracting over 200 enthusiastic participants. The events not only provided a comprehensive introduction to the Nostr ecosystem and Bitcoin payments but also offered hands-on experiences with decentralized technologies through the YakiHonne platform.

• The second BOBSpace Nostr Month Meetup took place on Friday, April 25, 2025, at 6:30 PM in Bangkok. This special event featured nostr:npub18k67rww6547vdf74225x4p6hfm4zvhs8t8w7hp75fcrj0au7mzxs30202m the developer of Thailand’s home-grown Nostr client Wherostr, as the guest speaker. He shared his developer journey, the story behind building Wherostr, and how Nostr enables censorship-resistant communication. This was a Bitcoin-only meetup focused on the Nostr protocol and decentralized technologies.
• Panama Blockchain Week 2025 took place from April 22 to 24 at the Panama Convention Center in Panama City. As the first large-scale blockchain event in Central America, it aimed to position Panama as a leading blockchain financial hub in Latin America. The event featured a diverse lineup, including a blockchain conference, Investor’s Night, Web3 gaming experiences, tech exhibitions, and an after-party celebration.

Here is the upcoming Nostr event that you might want to check out. * Nostr & Poker Night will be held on April 30 at the Bitcoin Embassy in El Salvador. The event will feature an exciting Nostr-themed presentation by nostr:npub1dmnzphvk097ahcpecwfeml08xw8sg2cj4vux55m5xalqtzz9t78q6k3kv6 followed by a relaxed and fun poker night. Notably, 25% of the poker tournament prize will be donated to support MyfirstBitcoin’s Bitcoin education initiatives. * A free webinar on venture capital, Bitcoin, and cryptocurrencies will be held online on May 6 at 12:00 PM (ARG time). Organized in collaboration with Draper Cygnus, the event aims to introduce the fundamentals of venture capital, present the projects of ONG Bitcoin Argentina Academy, and provide attendees with the opportunity to interact with the guest speakers. * Bitcoin Unveiled: Demystifying Freedom Money will take place on May 10, 2025, at Almara Hub. The event will explore Bitcoin’s transformative potential, helping participants understand its purpose, learn how to get started, build a career in the Bitcoin space, and begin their Bitcoin savings journey. Featured speakers include nostr:npub1sn0q3zptdcm8qh8ktyhwtrnr9htwpykav8qnryhusr9mcr9ustxqe4tr2x Theophilus Isah, nostr:npub1s7xkezkzlfvya6ce6cuhzwswtxqm787pwddk2395pt9va4ulzjjszuz67p , and Megasley.

Additionally, We warmly invite event organizers who have held recent activities to reach out to us so we can work together to promote the prosperity and development of the Nostr ecosystem.

Thanks for reading! If there’s anything I missed, feel free to reach out and help improve the completeness and accuracy of my coverage.

@ f1f59549:f4121cfe

Zen Buddhism teaches simplicity, naturalness, and direct experiential wisdom (called Kenshō) as a means to attain enlightenment. This sort of wisdom is typically earned through long hours of sitting meditation (called zazen) — which eventually exhausts the ego and its constant chatter.

The idea is that through meditation, one can achieve complete awareness. During this state, one holds no expectations, no attachment, and no judgment. Zen practitioners can make observations about the self and the world around them without projecting internal biases or opinions.

Through this profound clarity, insights about life, death, and the nature of reality present themselves in ways impossible to describe. These insights cannot be taught or intellectualized; they can only be experienced firsthand.

Certain psychedelics, such as LSD, DMT, or psilocybin, may offer a shortcut — sort of. These substances have the remarkable ability to provide glimpses of this ineffable wisdom.

Psychedelics produce on-demand exposure to so-called "direct experience." They inject users into states similar to the ones hose cultivated by Zen Buddhists and many other spiritual traditions over many months or years.

With that said, psychedelics may not be quite the shortcut we'd hope they could be, and there are some significant caveats to using them. Their effects vary widely from one session to another, often leading to experiences that are more confusing than enlightening. Even in times when they are profoundly insightful, the insight gained dissipates quickly if not properly integrated and supported by consistent practice or guidance.

The Mystical Experience

One of the great virtues of magic mushrooms and other classical psychedelics is their capacity to induce powerful — often life-changing, religious experiences. Psychologists call this the "mystical experience." 

Some examples of phenomena reported by patients who fit the criteria for having had psychedelic-induced mystical experiences include seeing the interconnectedness of all things, separation from ego, realization that all things are a manifestation of the same universal energy, and meetings with divine entities.

These states are powerful. A study from Johns' Hopkins in 2006 reported that 67% of study participants who were given psilocybin claimed the experience to be the single most meaningful experience of their life.

Profound as the psychedelic experience may be, the insight they provide is only temporary. If you don't return to life, you won't bring enlightenment back with you — you're merely visiting the place where enlightenment exists. 

As an old Zen proverb puts it:

"Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water."

Psychologist and renowned American Theravada Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield says:

"Yes, awakening comes in a moment, but living it, stabilizing it can take months, years, and lifetimes."

I like to think of the psychedelic-induced mystical experience as a sort of "free trial" of what enlightenment might feel like — but it only becomes a reality if you can integrate it into your daily life… a process that requires dedication and effort.

Psychedelics & the Illusion of Clarity

Speaking on the topic of psychedelics and spiritual insight, legendary psychologist Carl Jung once cautioned us to "beware of unearned wisdom."

The implication is that although psychedelics can provide us with on-demand revelations about the nature of the self and the universe — without a solid framework to truly understand and integrate these experiences, we paradoxically run the risk of causing further delusion and inflation of ego. 

Overuse of psychedelics or experimentation with psychedelics without first establishing a solid philosophical/spiritual foundation could paradoxically strengthen the ego and one's attachments to the drug itself and the experiences it creates.

Most people who have used psychedelics have experienced those "aha!" moments. In these moments, everything suddenly makes sense. 

But these insights are fleeting — like a clump of sand slipping through your fingers. One minute, it's there, vivid and clear; the next, only a few grains of sand remain clinging to your hands.

Even if you remember parts of the experience, without properly integrating these ideas into one's daily life, they become buried by the passage of time.

I've had several of these "aha!" moments from psychedelics. Some were strong enough to completely alter the direction of my life. But after just a few short weeks, these insights and their impact were nowhere to be found.

This is where the benefit of a disciplined spiritual practice comes in.

The Slow, Disciplined Approach

Structured spiritual practices, such as Zen Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism, all emphasize the cultivation of steady routines around one's spiritual development. This may include long hours of daily meditation, constant reaffirmation of simplicity, deep personal reflection, and a disciplined approach to one's daily responsibilities.

These practices allow space for us to constantly reassess what we think we know about ourselves and about the nature of reality and to address topics we unconsciously try to avoid or disregard — like death, impermanence, and the illusion imposed by the ego.

Structured spiritual practice, regardless of its form, gives us the opportunity to more thoroughly integrate the insights gained through psychedelics so they remain and compound long-term. They also offer a framework in which to attain similar cosmic knowledge without relying on altering our pharmacology.

These practices are much more sustainable long-term and allow the insights gained from psychedelics to compound and grow over time rather than fostering further delusion and ego.

# Using Psychedelics "Mindfully"

Psychedelics can act as a gateway to cosmic insight — but they're merely one of many tools we can pull from as part of our broader spiritual toolbox. The trick is to use the right tool for the job. 

You wouldn't use a hammer to drive a screw, and a crowbar is overkill for opening a can of paint. 

In the same way, psychedelics shouldn't be the sole method of seeking spiritual enlightenment but rather a complement to grounded practices and structured learning. Just as a tool can cause damage when misused, the unmoderated or thoughtless use of psychedelics can lead to misunderstandings or further cloud one's path.

Use them, learn to "let go," and allow the insights received to leave their mark and then dissipate. Avoid clinging to these insights.

As Dudjom Rinpoche puts it:

"If you see anything horrible, don't cling to it; if you see anything beautiful, don't cling to it."

That said, many people do find value in the insights gained from responsible, respectful use of psychedelics, particularly when those experiences are approached with the kind of mindful, non-attached awareness that is cultivated in Zen practice.

I'll conclude by suggesting that the supplementation of insights gained through the use of psychedelics, with a consistent practice like Zen meditation, can help us understand, integrate, and truly "earn" the wisdom these visionary substances have to offer.

Are "Shortcuts" Allowed in Traditional Spiritual Practice?

There's a lot of debate about the position of psychedelics in traditional spiritual practice. In Buddhism, the Fifth Precept advises against the consumption of intoxicants. The wording of the Fifth Precept varies somewhat depending on the translation, but is commonly rendered in English as something along the lines of:

"I refrain from taking intoxicants which lead to heedlessness."

Some take this to suggest that the use of any mind-altering substance is bad. They believe maintaining clarity of mind is essential to realizing greater "truths" about the nature of reality.

However, many Zen teachers, including Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, have clarified that this precept is more specific to the "unmindful" use of intoxicants. The idea of a "shortcut" through psychedelics doesn't run antithetical to the teachings of Zen Buddhism.

"People who have started to come to the zendo from LSD experiences have shown an ability to get into good zazen (sitting meditation) very rapidly" — Shunryu Suzuki Roshi.

When the Dalai Lama was asked if students could use drugs to attain enlightenment, he said, "I sure hope so."

Zen is centered around the idea that the nature of mind and consciousness is non-dualistic. This means there is no such thing as a "shortcut" because there is no path to be followed in the first place. There is no right or wrong way to do anything.

Zen teachings say that enlightenment is everpresent — all the meditation, simplification of thought and material, and ritual involved with Zen Buddhism are simply tools to help dissolve the ego and uncover this inherent clarity. 

Psychedelic plants, fungi, and even synthetic molecules are just another set of tools we have at our disposal to explore the depths of consciousness as we slowly but surely uncover this elusive but ever-present enlightenment.

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@ b6524158:8e898a89

I heard the regular polls are saying The liberals were ahead of conservatives so I decided to run my own mini-poll to see for myself or at least have a second opinion, then I find this: I am not saying this represents the 40Million+ people who live in Canada but neither the legacy polls. I encourage everyone do their own mini-poll for themselves to find out themselves, don't trust verify".

Last year same thing happened in the U.S. election, the polls were saying Kamala is on the lead over Trump but Trump ended up winning in a landslide.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/965337

@ df7e70ac:89601b8e

this is a text fo rfilter gparena.net

@ e516ecb8:1be0b167

El Gran Apagón y la Tormenta Perfecta: ¿Hacia Dónde Nos Llevan?

Recientemente, un corte de luz masivo dejó a oscuras a España, Portugal y parte de Francia. Como suele pasar cuando las explicaciones escasean o no se quieren dar, la narrativa oficial apuntó al cambio climático. Un artículo de ABC sugiere que una "vibración atmosférica inducida" por "variaciones extremas de temperatura" podría ser la culpable (ABC, 28/04/2025). Pero, ¿es realmente el calentamiento global el villano de esta historia, o estamos ante un síntoma de algo más grande y complejo?

Una Red de Decisiones Interconectadas

Nada ocurre en el vacío, y este apagón no es una excepción. La generación de electricidad, cada vez más dependiente de fuentes renovables no convencionales, enfrenta retos de estabilidad y costos crecientes. A esto se suma la presión política para transformar nuestras vidas bajo la bandera de la sostenibilidad. Por ejemplo, la idea de la "ciudad de 15 minutos", donde todo lo que necesitas está a un corto paseo o pedaleo, suena ideal. Pero en lugares como el Reino Unido, esta visión viene acompañada de cámaras de vigilancia que controlan tus movimientos, justificadas por la "seguridad" o la "eficiencia".

Mientras tanto, la Unión Europea avanza hacia un futuro donde, para 2030, todos los autos deberán ser eléctricos. Con una red eléctrica inestable y precios de energía disparados, ¿cómo se supone que cargaremos esos vehículos? La respuesta parece ser: no lo hagas. Muévete en bicicleta, quédate cerca de casa. La movilidad, un símbolo de libertad, se está restringiendo para las masas, mientras la élite política y corporativa sigue surcando los cielos en jets privados para "combatir el cambio climático" o, como Bernie Sanders y AOC, para denunciar la oligarquía desde sus podios privilegiados.

Dependencia Eléctrica: Una Trampa Silenciosa

La electrificación no se detiene en los autos. Los edificios modernos tienden a ser completamente eléctricos, y en algunos lugares ya se habla de prohibir las cocinas a gas. Imagina un futuro donde dependes de la red eléctrica para cocinar una simple salchicha. Ahora, suma un apagón como el reciente. Sin electricidad, no hay cena, no hay calefacción, no hay nada. La automatización total, que nos venden como progreso, nos hace más vulnerables a estos colapsos.

El Euro Digital: Control Absoluto

La Unión Europea también está empujando el euro digital, una moneda que promete conveniencia, pero a un costo altísimo. Con ella, cada transacción será rastreable, y las autoridades podrían restringir su uso para ciertos fines o incluso "quemar" euros digitales a voluntad para controlar su valor frente a otras monedas. ¿Qué pasa con la libertad financiera? ¿Qué pasa con la privacidad? Este sistema, combinado con una red eléctrica frágil, pinta un panorama donde el ciudadano promedio queda atrapado en una jaula tecnológica.

Criptomonedas, Efectivo y Oro: ¿Alternativas Reales?

Las criptomonedas, que muchos ven como una salida, también son vulnerables a los cortes de energía. Sin electricidad, no hay blockchain. El efectivo, por su parte, sigue siendo una opción, pero se desgasta, pierde valor con la inflación y, en muchos lugares, está siendo demonizado en favor de pagos digitales. Luego está el oro, el refugio histórico. Pero incluso aquí hay trampas: viajar con oro puede convertirte en sospechoso en un aeropuerto, obligado a explicar el origen de tu propiedad. ¿Desde cuándo debemos justificar lo que es nuestro? ¿Dónde quedó la presunción de inocencia?

"No Tendrás Nada y Serás Feliz"

Cuando uno conecta los puntos —apagones, electrificación forzada, monedas digitales, restricciones de movilidad— es difícil no pensar en el famoso eslogan atribuido al Foro Económico Mundial: "No tendrás nada y serás feliz". Mencionarlo te hace ganar el sello de "conspiranóico", pero las señales están ahí. La pregunta es: ¿estamos caminando hacia un futuro de control total disfrazado de sostenibilidad, o es solo una serie de coincidencias desafortunadas?

@ 5f078e90:b2bacaa3

This is a test written in yakihonne.com as a long form article. It is a kind 30023. It should be cross-posted to Hive.

@ de6c63ab:d028389b

Honestly, I didn’t think this would still be a thing in 2025, but every once in a while it pops up again:

“Bitcoin? Uh, I don’t know… but blockchain, now that could be useful! 🤌”

“Blockchain is one of the most important technologies of our time. Maybe you know it from crypto, but it’s so much more. It’s a way to store and verify data securely, transparently, and without a middleman. That’s why it’s going to revolutionize banking, healthcare, logistics, and even government!”

“Blockchain is transforming how we store, share, and verify information. Its benefits go far beyond cryptocurrencies. Understanding it today means preparing for tomorrow, because blockchain is guaranteed to play a major role in the future.”

---

Blockchain

When people say "blockchain," they usually mean the bitcoin database — with all its unique properties — even when they’re imagining using it elsewhere.

But here’s the thing: blockchain by itself isn’t some revolutionary breakthrough.
Stripped from bitcoin, it’s just a fancy list of records, each pointing to the previous one with a reference (typically a hash).
That's it.

This idea — chaining data together — isn’t new.
It goes back to at least 1991, when Haber and Stornetta proposed it for timestamping documents.

By itself, blockchain isn’t secure (you can always rewrite past records if you recompute the chain), isn’t necessarily transparent (the data can be encrypted or hidden), and doesn't magically remove the need for trust (if someone logs soccer scores into a blockchain, you still have to trust they reported the results honestly).

What actually makes bitcoin’s blockchain secure and trustworthy is the system around it — the economic incentives, the ruthless competition for block rights, and the distributed consensus mechanics.

Without those, blockchain is just another database.

---

How Does Bitcoin Make It Work?

To understand why, we need to zoom in a little.

Superficially, bitcoin’s blockchain looks like a simple ledger — a record of transactions grouped into blocks. A transaction means someone spent bitcoin — unlocking it and locking it up again for someone else.

But here’s the key:
Every participant can independently verify whether each transaction is valid, with no outside help and no trust required.

Think of every transaction like a math equation.
Something like: x + 7 = 5, with the solution x = -2.
You don’t need anyone to tell you if it’s correct — you can check it yourself.

Of course, bitcoin’s equations are far more complex.
They involve massive numbers and strange algebraic structures, where solving without the right key is practically impossible, but verifying a solution is easy.

This is why only someone with the private key can authorize a transaction.

In a way, "solving" these equations is how you prove your right to spend bitcoin.
Ownership and transfers are purely a matter of internal system math — no external authority needed.

---

Could We Use Blockchain for Other Stuff?

Could we use a blockchain to independently verify medical records, soccer scores, or property ownership?

No.

Blockchain can't magically calculate whether you broke your arm, whether Real Madrid tied against Barcelona, or who owns a cottage in some village.

It can verify that someone owns bitcoin at a particular address, because that's just solving equations inside the system.

But anything that depends on outside facts?
Blockchain can't help you there.

---

Why Does Everyone Stick to One Version?

Another big question:
Why do people in bitcoin agree on the same version of history?

Because of proof-of-work.

To add a new block, you have to find a specific giant number — the nonce — that, together with the block’s contents, satisfies a predefined condition.

You can't calculate the nonce directly — you have to guess, billions of times per second, until you hit the jackpot.
It takes minutes of relentless effort.

An invalid transaction would invalidate the entire block, wasting all the miner’s effort.

If the block is valid, the miner earns a reward — newly minted bitcoins plus transaction fees — making the massive effort worthwhile.

And importantly, because each block is built on top of all previous ones, rewriting history would mean redoing all the proof-of-work from that point forward — an astronomically expensive and practically impossible task.
The deeper a block is buried under newer blocks, the more secure it becomes — making the past effectively immutable.

And again: each node independently verifies all transactions.
Miners don't create truth; they race to package and timestamp already-valid transactions.
The winning chain is simply the one with the most provable work behind it.

---

Bitcoin and Blockchain: Inseparable

Bitcoin is created on the blockchain — and it exists only within the blockchain.
Ownership is defined by it.
The decentralized management of the blockchain is driven by bitcoin incentives — the pursuit of something scarce, hard-earned, and impossible to fake.

No blockchain, no bitcoin.
No bitcoin, no meaningful blockchain.

---

Can We Just Blockchain Everything?

Alright, so what happens if we try to apply this system to something else — say, a land registry?

Properties themselves don’t "exist" on a blockchain — only claims about them can be recorded.

But who writes the claims? Random miners?
Where do they get their information?
They can’t compute it from previous blocks.
They’d have to physically go check who owns what.

What if they’re lazy? Lied to? Made mistakes?
How would anyone else verify the records?
Ownership in the physical world isn’t a problem you can solve by crunching numbers in a database.

Suddenly, we’re right back to needing trusted third parties — the very thing blockchain was supposed to eliminate.

And if there’s a dispute?
Say someone refuses to leave a house, claiming they've lived there forever.
Is the blockchain going to show up and evict them?

Of course not.

---

Blockchain Without Bitcoin Is Just a Data Structure

And that’s the difference.

When blockchain is part of bitcoin’s closed system, it works because everything it cares about is internal and verifiable.

When you try to export blockchain into the real world — without bitcoin — it loses its magic.

Blockchain-like structures actually exist elsewhere too — take Git, for example.
It’s a chain of commits, each referencing the previous one by its hash.
It chains data like a blockchain does — but without the security, decentralization, or economic meaning behind bitcoin.

Blockchain is just a data structure.
Bitcoin is what gives it meaning.

In bitcoin, the blockchain is not just a ledger — it's a trustless system of property rights enforced by math and energy, without any central authority.

@ 9223d2fa:b57e3de7

14,939 steps

@ 89c16b5e:18083604

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce bibendum, purus eu commodo ultricies, lorem sem pellentesque ex, eu scelerisque lorem tellus quis ante. Donec eget accumsan augue, eget viverra dui. Pellentesque feugiat quis dolor vitae ultricies. Donec dictum elit sit amet tellus dignissim, mollis volutpat enim tempor. Cras non metus orci. In eget faucibus tellus, ac fermentum est. Ut quis turpis sapien. In at risus vitae nulla mollis blandit et id ligula. Fusce condimentum odio nisi, quis imperdiet eros congue id. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nullam id eros dapibus, venenatis diam in, lobortis metus. Curabitur eget pharetra tellus, ac tempus lacus. Morbi erat felis, tristique sed fringilla sed, facilisis ut arcu.

Nullam porta, orci id convallis auctor, purus nulla facilisis dui, nec condimentum enim odio quis libero. Mauris ac ullamcorper urna. Nullam in dui ut eros congue pulvinar. Phasellus dictum, turpis et faucibus pellentesque, enim urna elementum tellus, eget pretium nunc velit id dui. Nunc feugiat, orci sed cursus commodo, tortor arcu facilisis leo, quis congue quam orci sit amet est. Vivamus nec euismod ipsum, vitae ultricies felis. Fusce vitae tempor felis. Proin interdum lorem ut tortor pretium, id iaculis metus pharetra. Curabitur venenatis, nunc at bibendum porta, nisi massa venenatis tellus, pulvinar lobortis urna ligula eu tellus. Maecenas vehicula tortor vitae ante hendrerit egestas.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce bibendum, purus eu commodo ultricies, lorem sem pellentesque ex, eu scelerisque lorem tellus quis ante. Donec eget accumsan augue, eget viverra dui. Pellentesque feugiat quis dolor vitae ultricies. Donec dictum elit sit amet tellus dignissim, mollis volutpat enim tempor. Cras non metus orci. In eget faucibus tellus, ac fermentum est. Ut quis turpis sapien. In at risus vitae nulla mollis blandit et id ligula. Fusce condimentum odio nisi, quis imperdiet eros congue id. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nullam id eros dapibus, venenatis diam in, lobortis metus. Curabitur eget pharetra tellus, ac tempus lacus. Morbi erat felis, tristique sed fringilla sed, facilisis ut arcu.

Nullam porta, orci id convallis auctor, purus nulla facilisis dui, nec condimentum enim odio quis libero. Mauris ac ullamcorper urna. Nullam in dui ut eros congue pulvinar. Phasellus dictum, turpis et faucibus pellentesque, enim urna elementum tellus, eget pretium nunc velit id dui. Nunc feugiat, orci sed cursus commodo, tortor arcu facilisis leo, quis congue quam orci sit amet est. Vivamus nec euismod ipsum, vitae ultricies felis. Fusce vitae tempor felis. Proin interdum lorem ut tortor pretium, id iaculis metus pharetra. Curabitur venenatis, nunc at bibendum porta, nisi massa venenatis tellus, pulvinar lobortis urna ligula eu tellus. Maecenas vehicula tortor vitae ante hendrerit egestas.

@ f18b1f8f:5f442454

3d51dc3eb84b45eba9e4d80d892f7603

Parlant is an open source framework aiming to making conversational agents for client facing applications as easy as possible, and ensuring responses are controlled and matching to business goals. Each agent is easily customisable and controllable, and follows a Conversation Modelling principle, meant to guide the agents and be less strict than predefined workflows where users have to select options from dropdowns and more structured than free-text communications frameworks like LangGraph.

Listing: https://agentlist.com/agent/3d51dc3eb84b45eba9e4d80d892f7603

Further Reading: https://www.parlant.io/docs/about/

@ a4043831:3b64ac02

While investing is essential for financial planning, it can be a dangerous and random game without a good strategy behind it. Because it not only can boost confidence that individuals can create a roadmap for financial success and minimize and mitigate risks to maximize return on investment. Long-term growth through investing strategically is key if you want to retire, accumulate wealth or become financially independent.

Why Investment Strategies are Important

Investment strategies act as roadmaps for financial development, guiding investors to:

• **Realize Financial Aims: ** Properly defined strategy positions investments with regard to short-term and long-term goals.
• Manage Risks: Appropriate diversification and asset allocation have the potential to alleviate market fluctuation.
• Maximize Returns: Investment with strategy provides superior decision-making and greater financial results.
• Stick to Plan: With strategy established, investors will be better at resisting spontaneous moves based on market volatility.
• Guarantee Financial Security: An organized investment strategy offers security and equips one with unforeseen financial conditions.

Key Steps towards Building an Investment Strategy

Having an efficient investment strategy in place calls for thoughtful planning and careful consideration of many aspects. Here are some key steps to create a winning strategy:

**1. Define Financial Goals ** Understanding financial objectives is the first step in developing a strategy for investments. The specification of goals can range from saving for a home to retirement or wealth generation. Hence, investing in them ensures alignment with the investor's personal priorities. Goals should always be specific, measurable, and time-bound such that progress can be tracked effectively.

**2. Assess the Risk Tolerance ** Every investor has a unique risk tolerance based on the financial situation and objectives. It is assessing risk tolerance that assists in deciding whether a portfolio is to be conservative, moderate, or aggressive in investments. Income stability, investment time horizon, and emotional tolerance for market volatility should all be taken into account.

**3. Diversify Investments ** Diversification eliminates risks by spreading investment across various asset classes, including stocks, bonds, real estate, and mutual funds. A diversified portfolio protects against such adverse movements so that decline in one market sector does not have a biting effect on band returns. It also provides a fair chance for capital gain while also maintaining stability.

**4. Invest Assets Judiciously ** Asset allocation is the strategy for spreading investments among different asset classes to provide a balance between risk and reward. A suitable mix can be derived with the help of a financial advisor based on the investment goals and risk tolerance. Hence, younger investors with a longer time horizon might be inclined to invest in more stocks while investors close to retirement could involve themselves in investments comprising a mix of bonds and fixed-income securities.

**5. Select the Appropriate Investment Tools ** Selection of investment tools forms various investment options that may examine diverse decisions in portfolio expansion. There are options:

• Stocks: Best for capital formation with the longest horizon, subject to market risks.
• Bonds: Provide regular income with lower risks. Generally chosen for capital preservation.
• Mutual Funds, ETFs: Diversified investment plan; managed by professionals-a mix of risk and return.
• Real Estate Investment: Passive income, diversification of portfolio, acts as an inflation hedge.
• Alternative Investments: Certifies commodities, hedge funds, currencies, all provide portfolio diversification while steering clear of any potential risks.

**6. Monitoring and Rebalancing Your Portfolio ** Over time, market conditions and personal finance situations will change. All investments should be checked from time to time to see if they are still in agreement with intended financial goals. Some adjustments may be required to improve performance and mitigate risk. Periodic rebalancing of a portfolio ensures that the asset allocation remains coherent with the initial investment regiment.

**7. Understand Tax Efficiency ** Tax planning for investment returns is crucial to optimize profit. Investors should engage, among other strategies, in tax-loss harvesting, investments in tax-advantaged accounts, or an understanding of the taxation of capital gains to minimize tax liabilities and, correspondingly, enhance returns.

How Passive Capital Management Can Help

Handling investment choices can be really tedious and that's why assistance from experts becomes very important. Trusted financial advisors at Passive Capital Management can provide solutions to help individuals create a well-tailored investment strategy. Their professionals help the client with:

• Personalized investment plans that match their particular financial goals.
• Evaluating the risk tolerance and optimal recommendations on asset allocation.
• The diversification in portfolios provides maximum returns accruing to minimum risks.
• Market-proofing the client's investment portfolio through tracking them regularly.
• Creating tax-efficient‐investment strategies for long-term growth.

They are received with experience and knowledgeable advice in the hands of the clients and therefore are able to make informed investment decisions toward security with confidence.

Conclusion

Investment schemes stand at the heart of any strategy for them to become prosperous. They are, thus, systematic ways of building wealth and minimizing risk. Investors will then devise a meaningful investment plan based on their needs by setting goals, assessing risk capacity, diversifying their holdings, and prescribing professional investment advice.

For individuals who want to create a strong investment strategy, Passive Capital Management provides professional advice and tailored solutions. Learn more with us and start growing your finances today.