@ dbb19ae0:c3f22d5a

## Step by Step migration from the Alby Hub Cloud to the Alby Hub local application. ## **Step 1**. From the Alby Hub select the 'migrate node' option, this will generate a bkp file, and will shutdown the node https://guides.getalby.com/user-guide/alby-account-and-browser-extension/alby-hub/faq-alby-hub/how-can-i-migrate-alby-hub-to-a-different-machine **Step 2.** Preferably on a second machine, install the Alby application, synchronize the application with the Alby extension, then run the Alby 'advanced setup' import the bkp file, enter the password, and the Hub will open the wallet. https://guides.getalby.com/user-guide/alby-account-and-browser-extension/alby-hub/faq-alby-hub/how-can-i-migrate-alby-hub-to-a-different-machine  Note: if the password is incorrect this message will show up 

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

My writing tends to be responsive. I respond to something I read in a book. I respond to something I read online. I respond to a podcast or sermon I was listening to. I also have a strong longing for truth (which seems to be in short supply these days). Because of my ideas being responsive, I probably tend to speak against things too often and not for things enough. I condemn not having a high enough view of God, but may inaccurately convey a harsh God and not spend enough time conveying His love and the positive reasons to follow Him. I may spend too much time on the stick and not enough on the carrot. I’ve noticed in others that I can see two people arguing over a biblical point. One is arguing against an error/extreme to one direction while the other is arguing against an error/extreme in the opposite direction. In reality, their beliefs are very close, but they sound like they are far apart. I’ve had many opportunities to help the two people realize that they mostly agree with each other, but they are each personally dealing with opposite errors. Just as I can do a good job editing someone else’s writing, but can’t edit my own (I usually have my amazing, wonderful, handsome, intelligent, humorous husband \[editor’s note - adjectives added by editor\] read and edit everything I write before publishing), I may sometimes be too reactive to an error and fail to properly communicate the whole and complete truth. ## Differences in Perspective I was recently listening to a podcast by a by Bible teacher. He was talking about how he had an unloving father and how, after being saved, he originally didn’t think God cared about him personally. He then went on to teach about how personal and loving God is and how God is actively involved in every detail of every believer’s life. I agree. On the other hand, I have seen many people that focus only on God’s love and ignore God’s holiness. They believe it is more important to be “loving” and therefore they withhold the truth (if they even know it). They are so focused on God’s forgiveness that they excuse believers actively sinning and promoting sin. Since being saved, I never doubted God’s love or His involvement in my life, so I tend to not talk about God’s love as much as I probably should. My big “Ah Ha!” was seeing His absolute sovereignty and holiness and coming to understand that the fact that He is creator gives Him the authority to tell us how to live our lives, so I tend to focus on this area. Although I would never say God’s truth is whatever the compromise of ideas is, there are a lot of truths about God where we can fall into error in two (or more) opposing directions. God is loving and is holy. If we focus only on His love or only on His holiness, we are in error. God is forgiving and has the right to judge. If we focus so much on the fact that we are forgiven that we do not obey Him, we have erred, but if we focus so much on His judgment that we don’t acknowledge His mercy for others and for ourselves, we have also erred. ## To Associate or Not to Associate There are lots of different denominations and division among Christians that are not what God desires. At the same time, there are churches that focus on the truth as communicated through God’s word, the Bible and there are churches that have compromised that truth and let the culture, evil spirits, or just interest in self and popularity lead them astray. As Christians, we need to know God’s word, so we can know when we should avoid a close association with those who call themselves Christians, but actively disobey His clear commands. > But actually, I wrote to you **not to associate with any so-called brother** if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. (1 Corinthians 5:11) {emphasis mine} > If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and **do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame** (2 Thessalonians 4:13) {emphasis mine} On the other hand there are many areas where our differences are not salvation issues but are more about style than substance. One side may be in error, but still be in right fellowship with God and earnestly seeking to follow Him faithfully. We shouldn’t allow these things to cause the church to fight against itself. > But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now **there are many members, but one body**. (1 Corinthians 12:18-20) {emphasis mine} > Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, **being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace**. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-5) {emphasis mine} A so-called church, that encourages or condones things God has called evil, is not a church with which we want to associate. There are other things of which we may disagree and disagree strongly (Armenian vs Calvinist, preterist/pre-trib/post-trib, or [young earth](https://trustjesus.substack.com/p/literal-genesis) vs old earth) that although important shouldn’t cause division within the church. We should always seek the truth as spoken by God through the Scriptures, but we shouldn’t let disagreements, that don’t affect the Gospel and how we should live, keep us divided. Between Armenian and Calvinist opinions on whether we freely choose to accept Jesus or Jesus causes us to accept Jesus, as long as we agree that salvation comes through faith and not works and through Jesus and no other path, we can work together. With the different end times interpretations, as long as we agree that God said it and it will be as He said it and that it is important for us to live godly lives and to share the gospel with the lost, we can work together. With young earth vs old earth, as long as we both agree that God is ultimately our creator and His word is true, we can work together. I do believe that there is only one truth in these and other areas, and discovering the truth is very important. Being wrong can mislead us and make us less effective for Jesus. Many of these errors can be caused by or lead us to put scientists or historians or theologians in authority over God’s word. This is wrong. We should always continually search the scripture to find the truth. We should not fear honest debate which can help lead us to the truth and strengthen our faith in God’s word. It is not wrong to correct a brother in Christ using Scripture as our foundation, but we also need to acknowledge that it could be we who are in error. I don’t know any great theologian since the apostles that hasn’t had an error in their thinking somewhere. ## The Head or the Body There can also be differences between the leadership and the individuals in a church or denomination. I have major concerns with the Vatican leadership and question if many of them are Christians at all. So much of what they say and do seem to be working against God and His commands. At the same time, I have many good friends (in person and online) who are wonderful Catholics, who I would never doubt are devout Christians with a true relationship with Jesus. I will maintain my Christian fellowship with my Catholic, Christian friends while speaking against unbiblical words and actions by the Pope and the Vatican. > But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2 Peter 2:1-3) Of course false prophets and false teachers are most definitely not limited to the Catholic Church. For example, the female Episcopalian Bishop that led the inauguration prayer breakfast for Trump spent most of her time promoting LGBTQ+ issues which are contrary to the word of God and little to none actually honoring God or supporting the issues that God has stated are important. (For that matter, scripture specifically says women shouldn’t be church leaders.) We all need to be more like the Bereans “*Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so*.” (Acts 17:11) We need to use the Scripture to both test if our beliefs and actions are **biblical and if the teachings** of our leaders are biblical. ## Different Paths, but One Jesus Ultimately, there is only one way of salvation — repentance and faith in Jesus. On the other hand, the path each believer is called to walk towards sanctification can vary. I have seen God lead me at different times to correct different sins and misconceptions. The areas of my life that I am convicted of and my path towards understanding the truth communicated in the Bible is not the same as other believers. We should all be growing to be more like Jesus, but our path to His likeness will not look the same. We start as different people; we have different experiences; and God works on us in different ways. We must be careful about judging another because their growth in Christ looks different. We all have strengths and weaknesses. We all have doctrines of the Bible that we understand better than others and doctrines of the Bible about which we are either unsure or in error. Most of us also have a tendency to judge someone who is weak where we are strong and overlook the fact that that same person might be strong where we are weak. We need to pray for wisdom and mercy. We need to earnestly study God’s word. We need to listen closely to the Holy Spirit’s leading and use these differences to build up each other rather than divide and beat down those who are different, but are still part of the body of Christ. > For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:3-8) My prayer is that we would all study God’s word, understand His word, live His word, and work together to share the Gospel with the word. My prayer is that our different understandings of the Bible will lead to fruitful debate that leads all parties closer to truth, to God and to each other. May God lead us all to truth and fellowship in Him. Trust Jesus.

@ 16d11430:61640947

In the grand tapestry of existence, humanity finds itself in a peculiar position: neither wholly bound to the physical nor fully immersed in the metaphysical. We stand at the threshold of realities, a liminal space that is both transitional and transformative, where dimensions overlap and professions converge to illuminate the intricacies of our shared existence. Through the lens of Bruce Cathie’s harmonic worldview, the Earth is not merely a sphere of rock and water but an interconnected energy grid, a lattice of electromagnetic harmonics pulsing beneath our feet. If this grid represents the physical scaffolding of existence, humanity inhabits a liminal space within it—a realm where the boundaries of time, space, and consciousness blur. A Multidimensional Perspective From a multidimensional standpoint, this liminality can be seen as the overlap between the three-dimensional world we perceive and higher-dimensional realities we intuit. The Earth's energy grid, as theorized by Cathie, may function as a bridge—a harmonic resonance linking the seen and the unseen, the measurable and the ineffable. Physics and the Unseen Forces: Modern physics hints at the existence of dimensions beyond our perceptual grasp. String theory posits that the universe comprises multiple dimensions, vibrating at frequencies we cannot yet detect. In Cathie’s terms, the Earth's energy grid could be the physical manifestation of these vibrations, a harmonized nexus where the material world intersects with the quantum. Consciousness as a Dimensional Traveler: Neuroscience reveals that the human brain operates on frequencies that resonate with the Earth's Schumann resonance, the harmonic pulse of the planet. This resonance suggests that our consciousness is not confined to our physical bodies but interacts with the energy grid, allowing glimpses of higher-dimensional realities through meditation, intuition, or creative inspiration. A Multiprofessional Perspective The liminal space we cohabit is not solely the domain of philosophers or physicists. It is a convergence point for professionals across disciplines, each contributing a facet to the mosaic of understanding. Architects and Builders: The alignment of ancient structures like Stonehenge and the pyramids with the Earth’s energy lines hints at an architectural awareness of this grid. These monuments, enduring testaments to harmonic knowledge, suggest that ancient architects were as much energy workers as they were builders, attuned to the liminal currents of the Earth. Healers and Scientists: In the medical profession, understanding the human body as an energy system has led to breakthroughs in alternative healing practices like acupuncture, which aligns with the body's energy meridians. These meridians mirror Cathie’s grid, suggesting that healing occurs not only in the physical but also in the liminal spaces where energy flows harmonically. Artists and Creatives: Art, music, and literature often emerge from the liminal spaces of the human psyche, where conscious and subconscious meet. The harmonic interplay of tones and colors in art mirrors the vibrational nature of the universe, making creators unwitting cartographers of the unseen. The Liminal Space as a Collective Experience Humanity’s existence in this liminal space is not an individual journey but a shared, collective experience. It is where science meets spirituality, where logic and intuition find harmony, and where the professional and the personal intersect. It is the space where we question our origins and our destinies, where we ponder the mysteries of the universe and our place within it. Cultural Intersections: Across cultures, liminality has been revered as sacred. Indigenous traditions, for example, often speak of the Earth as a living, conscious entity, resonating with Cathie’s grid. Rituals, dances, and ceremonies are designed to align human energies with the Earth’s harmonics, bridging the physical and spiritual realms. Technological Implications: As we advance technologically, we edge closer to mapping the liminal space. Artificial intelligence and quantum computing may one day decode the harmonic mathematics Cathie proposed, providing tangible evidence of the multidimensional realities we only intuitively grasp today. Humanity as Harmonic Resonators To dwell in the liminal space is to accept that humanity itself is a harmonic entity, resonating with the Earth and the cosmos. Just as the Earth’s grid hums with energy, so do we, each individual a unique frequency within the symphony of existence. Our thoughts, actions, and creations ripple through the grid, influencing not only the physical world but also the higher-dimensional realities beyond it. In this liminality lies our greatest potential. It is here, at the edge of the seen and unseen, that we find the power to transcend, to harmonize with the greater energies of the universe, and to co-create a future that resonates with truth, beauty, and unity. Conclusion The liminal space we cohabit is not a void but a vibrant threshold—a meeting place of dimensions, disciplines, and destinies. It is where the harmonic mathematics of Bruce Cathie converge with the lived experience of humanity, offering us a glimpse of the profound interconnectedness of all things. To exist in this space is both a challenge and a privilege, an invitation to explore, to create, and to harmonize with the infinite. In this liminal existence, we are not merely observers but participants, co-creators of the grid that binds us. By embracing the liminal, we step into the fullness of our multidimensional selves, resonating with the harmonic rhythms of the Earth and beyond.

@ df57b498:d049124f

## Chef's notes This is cobbled together from trial and error and the web. Serve hot pancakes with preferably butter and maple syrup. Add other toppings like bananas, nuts, or other fruits and toppings as have available and/or desired. ## Details - ⏲️ Prep time: 10 minutes - 🍳 Cook time: 10 minutes ## Ingredients - 1 cup flour - 2 tablespoons sugar - 2 teaspoons baking powder - 1 teaspoon salt - 1 cup milk - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil - 1 egg, beaten ## Directions 1. Combine the dry ingredients. 2. Add the wet ingredients and mix. 3. Pour or ladle the batter onto the oiled griddle or pan. 4. Cook until bubbles form, flip, and cook on the other side.

@ ae6ce958:d0f02c7d

In a world increasingly shaped by decentralization, Bitcoin stands as the pioneer of a revolutionary asset class—non-Newtonian assets. These assets defy conventional economic and financial expectations, thriving under pressure and leveraging their mathematical underpinnings to achieve exponential growth. However, as the ecosystem expands, the failures of Proof-of-Stake (PoS) architectures and the relentless attacks by financial incumbents have highlighted the need for resilience and verifiable integrity. Enter Damage Token, built on the Aeternity blockchain—a Proof-of-Work (PoW) platform designed to embrace Bitcoin's ethos while pushing the boundaries of verifiable behavior and incentivized accountability. This article explores Bitcoin’s role as the foundation of non-Newtonian assets, the failures of centralized alternatives, and why Damage Token on Aeternity PoW strengthens the narrative of decentralized resilience in a hostile landscape. ### Bitcoin: The Non-Newtonian Pioneer Bitcoin’s design is rooted in immutable mathematical certainties. Its decentralized Proof-of-Work consensus ensures that every block, transaction, and piece of data is secured by external energy expenditure. This thermodynamic foundation makes Bitcoin resilient to attacks, centralization, and censorship—a trait unmatched by PoS systems or fiat currencies. As Bitcoin grows, its adoption follows an S-curve driven by Metcalfe’s Law, where network value increases exponentially with each new user. Bitcoin’s halving cycles further enforce scarcity, creating predictable supply shocks that fuel demand. Importantly, Bitcoin thrives under stress, becoming stronger with every regulatory crackdown or macroeconomic crisis—a hallmark of non-Newtonian behavior. ### Aeternity PoW: Extending the Bitcoin Ethos Aeternity, like Bitcoin, is a PoW blockchain designed for scalability and flexibility. Unlike Ethereum’s shift to PoS, Aeternity retains the security and decentralization benefits of PoW while incorporating features like state channels, oracles, and efficient smart contracts. This combination makes it uniquely positioned to support projects that demand verifiable trust, resilience, and high-performance scalability. Aeternity’s PoW mechanism ensures that every action on the network is backed by energy expenditure, maintaining the immutability and decentralization that PoW guarantees. This framework lays the groundwork for Damage Token, a non-Newtonian asset designed to tokenize and verify behaviors, incentivizing accountability in a way that aligns with Bitcoin’s principles. ### Damage Token: The Case for PoW and Verifiable Integrity Damage Token, an AEX9 token built on the Aeternity blockchain, represents a new breed of non-Newtonian assets that thrive on mathematical certainty and verifiable behavior. Unlike speculative PoS systems that lack intrinsic resilience, Damage Token leverages Aeternity’s PoW foundation to ensure: 1. **Immutability**: All verifications and behaviors recorded via Damage Token are immutable and tamper-proof, thanks to PoW consensus. This ensures that participants in the ecosystem can trust the system’s data and outcomes. 2. **Incentivized Accountability**: Damage Token introduces a model where behaviors (such as software testing, milestone completion, or conflict resolution) can be immutably verified and tokenized. Participants are incentivized to contribute positively, as their actions directly translate into payouts tied to provable outcomes. 3. **Resilience Under Pressure**: Like Bitcoin, Damage Token thrives in hostile environments. Regulatory scrutiny, competitive pressure, or market turbulence only highlight its unique value proposition: a verifiable, decentralized system immune to central authority or co-option. 4. **Alignment with Bitcoin’s Vision**: By utilizing Aeternity’s PoW architecture, Damage Token aligns with Bitcoin’s philosophy of trustless systems. This ensures the token’s utility and security are not compromised by centralization risks or reliance on wealth-based governance (a flaw inherent in PoS). ### The Failures of PoS and the Importance of PoW As Bitcoin and Damage Token continue to thrive, the failures of PoS systems like Ethereum become increasingly apparent. PoS centralizes control in the hands of large stakeholders, making networks vulnerable to censorship, collusion, and regulatory capture. These systems lack the external energy-backed security that PoW provides, making them brittle and susceptible to manipulation. In contrast, PoW systems like Aeternity and Bitcoin externalize security through energy expenditure, creating a neutral, trustless environment where no single entity can dominate the network. For Damage Token, this ensures that every verification, behavior, and transaction remains free from undue influence, preserving the integrity of the ecosystem. ### Non-Newtonian Assets and Mathematical Certainty Both Bitcoin and Damage Token exhibit behaviors that reflect their non-Newtonian nature. Small inputs—like increased adoption or the resolution of conflicts via Damage Token—can generate outsized impacts. This phenomenon is driven by mathematical principles, including: 1. **Exponential Growth**: Network effects drive the adoption of Bitcoin and Damage Token, where each new participant amplifies the system’s value quadratically, as per Metcalfe’s Law. 2. **Halving Dynamics and Supply Scarcity**: Bitcoin’s halving cycles are mirrored in Damage Token’s fixed supply of 42 million tokens. This scarcity creates long-term value and ensures that utility, not inflation, drives adoption. 3. **Emergent Behavior**: Both assets operate in decentralized systems governed by chaos theory, where minor events—like a developer joining DamageBDD or a nation adopting Bitcoin—can cascade into massive structural changes. ### Damage Token in a Hostile Landscape In today’s financial and technological environment, non-Newtonian assets face relentless attacks. Incumbent systems resist the rise of decentralized alternatives through regulatory crackdowns, control over fiat on- and off-ramps, and energy consumption narratives. Yet, these attacks often backfire, driving innovation and adoption instead of suppression. Damage Token, built on Aeternity’s PoW foundation, is uniquely positioned to resist these pressures. By incentivizing verifiable behaviors, it creates a system where trust, accountability, and resilience are rewarded. Whether it’s verifying software quality through DamageBDD or facilitating peace initiatives, Damage Token demonstrates that PoW-backed assets can transform hostile environments into opportunities for growth. ### Conclusion Bitcoin is the flagship of non-Newtonian assets, a pioneer of resilience and exponential growth in the face of adversity. However, the rise of alternatives like Damage Token on Aeternity’s PoW blockchain showcases how this ethos can be extended to new domains, from software verification to incentivized accountability. In a world increasingly shaped by centralization and coercion, non-Newtonian assets offer a path to freedom, resilience, and trust. By embracing PoW, Bitcoin and Damage Token ensure that a slight push is all they need to achieve terminal velocity—changing the trajectory of global finance and human behavior in the process.

@ 0ce97fba:4f9081a3

He walked the decaying streets; his curious expression masked a lifetime of hardship. The city of Bethada spread before him, a tangled maze of buildings and passages clinging to the surface of Mool. This settlement-turned-city once thrived as humanity expanded throughout the galaxy but was now an almost forgotten backwater outpost. A thin crescent of reflected sunlight hugged the horizon as the sun dipped behind the gas giant, casting the lunar city in a soft glow. “Hey, Mr. Fannec!” A voice from across the street hailed him. The human scowled; he hated being called “Mr. Fannec.” He waved an arm in acknowledgment but didn’t break stride, eager to leave the concrete and steel jungle behind for the day. Robert Fannec grew up in a crowded housing unit on Mool, raised by his grandmother, while his mother went to work long hours to scrape by. From a young age, he learned that life was difficult and one should take respite where possible. He lived on the outskirts of Bethada City, barely getting by, as he grew up in poverty. His mother worked to exhaustion but failed to improve their living conditions. “Ya know, Bobby-boy,” said Pete, the local unkempt homeless man whom Robert was friendly with, “This world is reminiscent of a less-than-ideal sandwich, the bread stale and the cheese nothing to write home about. One is left pondering if their hunger is clouding their judgment or if there isn’t much to be thrilled about.” Robert met the man when he first arrived in Bethada as a young teen; although Robert would not consider them close friends, a particular understanding drove him to keep checking up on the older man. Indeed, life was a struggle for Pete, an elderly citizen, amidst the chaos of the metropolis. Plus, they’d talk about random topics such as music or history during their visits, which made those times personal rather than plain help alone from Robert. “Couldn’t have said it better myself,” he replied, half-smirking. “One day, we’ll get some fresh ingredients around here.” “Ha! I’ll believe it when I see it.” Pete laughed, shaking his head. “Me too, Pete. Me too.” The heaviness of the town’s stagnant air pressed on his back as he nodded and walked down the street. Robert’s face contorted as he inspected the town. It resembled a knockoff designer watch; instead of shoddy craftsmanship and cheap parts, it had abandoned storefronts and peeling paint. He let out a hearty chuckle at the comparison. As he wandered through the decrepit streets, he wondered what treasures lay beyond these crumbling walls. “Damn shame,” Robert said, taking in the breathtaking landscape before him. “Nature got the memo about beauty, but Bethada sure didn’t.” “Hey, Rob.” One of his coworkers waved as they clocked into their shift at the local industrial farm. “You daydreaming again?” Responding with a grin, Robert shoved his hands into the pockets of his worn coveralls. “Hey, Dave. The way this place looks, it’s a wonder we haven’t all packed up and moved to a better neighborhood.” “Tell me about it.” Dave chuckled, pulling on his protective gloves. “But then, who’d keep these machines running? They’re almost family, after all.” “Only if your family is a ragtag group of misfits held together by sheer willpower.” Robert’s eyes crinkled in amusement. “You got me there.” The atmosphere was filled with the howl of steam, engines, and other loud machinery as their shifts began; the high-pitched note of pressure released into a valve opening providing a familiar backdrop to their daily lives. The other workers chattered about their outside lives, which was a welcome distraction from the monotony of work. Family adventures, weekend getaways, and hobbies or creative outlets were among the stories shared to describe how they spent their spare time. Robert kept his distance as snippets of their conversations reached him. For Robert, the idea of discussing personal matters with his peers was uncomfortable. He struggled to bridge the gap between himself and his co-workers, unable to relate to their shared interests in such pastimes. They were experiences he could never relate to, as he had grown up too fast due to his family’s financial struggles. As a result, he put more effort into getting along with the machines than with his fellow humans. He considered the equipment to be more dependable than any human friend, even if some machines were beyond repair or had been handled in a careless manner. But for him, the genuine excitement started when the work whistle blew, signaling the end of another grueling day. “About time!” He wiped the sweat off his face. He often daydreamed about heading to the range to take out some frustration. “Man, you love that shooting range, don’t you?” Dave’s voice had a hint of envy. “Sure do,” Robert said, shrugging off his coveralls. “It’s the one place where I feel like I’m actually in control and not another cog in this rusted-out machine of a city. I don’t have to worry about life, exes, debt, nothin’.” “I’m hopeful that one day you’ll be able to leave this place behind. Start off somewhere new.” Dave said, slapping Robert on the back. “Here’s hoping.” His eyes were locked on the horizon as if he could see himself leaving this hellhole. He was off to the local shooting range, where he could pretend everything still had order. After almost being run over by a white hover van while crossing the street, Robert arrived at his sanctuary’s shooting range. The aroma of gunpowder, battery acid, and cut grass mingled as he reached his usual spot. Robert found it delightful compared to Bethada City’s typical mildew and burnt leather odor. “Alright, let’s dance,” he said, loading his trusty rifle with practiced ease. His rifle was a simple affair that allowed Robert to vent his frustrations on targets. He was a decent shot; at least, that is what he thought of himself. Squeezing the trigger, firing off round after round. The targets quivered under the onslaught—a symphony of destruction played by the percussion section of his life’s dull and sad orchestra. When he was still a teen, he found abandoned buildings around Bethada. He’d take his rifle and practice shooting at bottles, furniture pieces, walls, and whatever appeared. His mother and grandmother were furious when they found out, but that didn’t stop him from terrorizing bottles and paper targets. “Take that, you cylindrical bastards,” he said, landing a satisfying shot on the smallest target. He was absorbed in his practice, not thinking about his lackluster life. His rifle was a standard design of a powered weapon. The long barrel gun accelerated hunks of metal via a magnetic rail system, unlike other, more exotic armaments that used energy to produce high-speed plasma rounds. The sound of a round from this rifle would startle any man. “Still the targets, if I had to guess,” came a raspy voice behind him. Turning around, Robert saw Pete. His beard was a patchwork quilt of gray and white strands, and his clothes had more holes than fabric. Pete lived near the range because he realized the people who would frequent such an establishment would be well-armed and well-disciplined, making it a safe spot compared to other less savory locations. “Ah, Pete, my favorite critic,” Robert joked, setting down his weapon. “What brings you here today?” “Same thing that always does,” Pete said, scratching his chin. “The sweet sound of gunfire, the scent of ambition, and a hankering for some ol’ fashioned conversation.” “Still working on that novel?” Robert knew that Pete had been “working” on it for years. “Indeed, young Robert. Though I fear my magnum opus may never appear in daylight, trapped as it is in the literary purgatory between my brain and the page.” “Hey, at least it’s got company in there, right?” Robert laughed at his joke. “You’ve got a ton of unwritten works in there, right?” “True enough,” Pete said, a sparkle in his eyes and tales left untold. “Speaking of company, how’s your aim today? Plan on shootin’ repo-men?” “Pretty good, if I do say so myself. The grouping on the smallest target isn’t the best I’ve done, but overall, I hit what I’m aiming at.” Ignoring the quip about Robert shooting repo men. Embarrassed that he could not manage money as well as other people. He still wasn’t able to constrain his urges to buy things he couldn’t afford. “Ah, a prodigy in our midst!” Pete performed a mock bow. Robert didn’t always know how to handle Pete. So the younger man looked at him with an odd expression. “You remind me of my son.” A sad smile flickered across Pete’s weathered face. “He was an odd duck, too, always tinkering with machines and dreaming big. He went off to work in the mines when he was a boy. Never saw him again after the collapse.” Pete shrugged, fidgeting with a broken timepiece in his hands. “Sorry to hear that. How old would he be?” “About your age, I guess.” “I bet I would have liked him.” “I would like to think so, too. You’re both good kids.” After a brief conversation about Pete being unable to find one of his friends, they exchanged farewells. Robert packed his rifle into his worn bag and exited the street, where he focused on his thoughts and started making his way home. The sun and planet started to set, and their fading orange light gave the sky a beautiful hue. Robert took in the scenery as he strolled, not paying attention to one of the sleek white hover vans that had become so popular in the past months. It zipped away through the air as he watched before returning to his thoughts on what he would have for dinner. The building he lived in stood like a weary sentinel at the town’s boundary, a hodgepodge of mismatched bricks and creaking metal that had long ago lost any semblance of architectural grace. Despite its weather-beaten exterior, the residents maintained a veneer of pride, as evidenced by the door with a fresh coat of paint. Upon entering his small apartment, Robert was greeted by the neutral aroma of cleanliness, not too sterile but not fragrant enough to be noticeable. The scent was as unremarkable as beige. A fragrance that announced, “I am clean and functional, but please don’t expect any frills.” He lived alone, which was considered a luxury tantamount to owning a solid gold toilet brush. He cherished living alone, deeming it a worthwhile trade-off to sacrifice financial stability for solitude. His independence was threatened when he received an eviction notification last week. It had been weeks since his rent had been due, and the creditors were no longer in the mood to accept any more late payments. Unless Robert could find a way to earn the money necessary for back-rent and tenancy fees, he would have to pack his belongings and leave his beloved apartment for good. Robert switched on his computer to search for night jobs but was soon distracted by a video that had popped up. The government shared an informative clip, motivating citizens to be proactive and responsible financially. Robert recognized a humanoid alien named Damian Krestov, with pale yellow skin and a texture Robert couldn’t place; he didn’t know where the man was from. He almost spoke to Robert as if aware of his situation. Damian spoke about taking responsibility and believing and trusting in yourself when times are demanding because one must never give up hope. As he spoke, Damian gestured enthusiastically to express himself and emphasize his points. This man believed every word that came from his mouth. After watching out of curiosity, Robert realized that it was all a propaganda video in disguise; he didn’t pay enough attention to understand the actual goal of the ad, but he knew it wasn’t ‘just an ad.’ His green eyes fell on a colored flyer that someone had slipped under his door while he was stretching out his legs. It bore the headline: “Prestigious Shooting Competition on Zorath!” Beneath the flashy text, an illustration portrayed a muscular figure raising a gun in triumph while standing on top of a mountain of defeated foes. Robert scoffed; he was skeptical of such an over-the-top advertisement, and one delivered on paper door-to-door. Still, a twinge of excitement hit him as he read the details: a grand prize of one million credits and a chance to become a professional shooter, whatever that means. Despite his initial skepticism about the ridiculous flyer, his heart raced at the thought of escaping his less-than-ideal life on Mool, proving his skills, and making enough money to not worry about those debt collectors. Questions swirled in Robert’s mind, but none could snuff out the flame of hope that had ignited within him. As he crumpled the flyer in his hand, he imagined the look on Pete’s face if he were to win the competition and return to Mool with a million credits and a newfound sense of freedom. “Who designed this? A five-year-old with a crayon?” Robert scoffed. Yet, despite the ridiculous presentation, he couldn’t ignore the Sub-Lunar Protective Service logo, a shield with ‘SLPS’ stamped in the bottom right corner. “What is a government agency running a shoot for?” It wasn’t news to Robert that the agency would run events, but it still perplexed him why. “Alright, Fannec,” he said, attempting to rationalize the situation. “Let’s say this is legit. You’ve spent your whole life shooting targets at the range. You can leave this shit moon and pay off some debts.” As he weighed the pros and cons, his eyes flicked back to the grand prize: one million credits. With that money, his life could undergo a complete metamorphosis, rescuing him from this decrepit city and launching him into an existence he had only imagined. But was it worth the risk of taking time off work? He was already behind by several weeks’ rent and couldn’t afford time off. “It’s a risky gamble.” He thought. “But it might be my ticket out of this mess.” He rubbed his temples. “Why couldn’t they have made a normal ad instead of this cartoonish mess? Is this some cruel joke?” Deep down in his subconscious, he was aware he had already decided. His desire to escape was far more potent than any doubts he might have about the competition’s legitimacy or his abilities. “Okay,” he said, preparing himself for the decision ahead. “Worst-case scenario, I lose the apartment, and I’m the laughingstock of the city for a while. Best case, I walk away with a million credits, which would pay off all of my debt and buy me a new life somewhere else.” “Alright, let’s see what kind of mess I’m getting myself into.” Pulling up the competition details on his comm device, he scrolled through the information, his eyebrows furrowing with each new bit of it. “It’s scheduled during storm season on Zorath. Do these event planners even know how to read a weather report?” The thought of traveling to a distant planet during its tumultuous storm season made Robert’s stomach churn. He had never left Mool before, and while he was confident in his shooting skills, everything else about this trip was uncharted territory. This kind of shoot requires more than marksmanship. To outsmart his rivals, Robert must think fast and use the landscape and surroundings to gain an advantage. Storms would make that difficult, and Robert didn’t practice a lot of situational shooting. Sniper shooting was his strong suit, which he practiced most. “At least it’ll be a memorable experience.” Robert couldn’t shake off his hesitation. His worries extended beyond the storms. He would be up against marksmen who possessed more shooting and life experience. He stopped pacing and stared at his reflection in the window. The city lights of Bethada flickered in the glass, casting a melancholy glow over his face. His eyes were tired but resolute. The competition didn’t worry him; the entry fee wasn’t refundable. The price was going up soon to encourage more people to register early. He had to decide, and quick. “I guess if these guys are dumb enough to hold a shooting competition during one of the worst storm seasons in the Confederation, then they’re dumb enough to let me win.” He chuckled, imagining the event planners huddled over a meteorological terminal, unaware of the impending storm clouds. The United Confederation’s government should have caught such an obvious detail. Perhaps they thought the turbulent weather would excite or challenge the competition. Which would be something that a management or administrative employee would think of. “Perhaps the storms will scare off some of the competition,” his mind was scrambling with images of seasoned marksmen fleeing in terror from the torrential rains and howling winds. “Yeah, I bet half of ’em will drop out before they even fired the first shot.” His chest swelled with newfound confidence. Sure, he had never left Mool before, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t hold his own on a strange, stormy planet. After all, he spent countless hours honing his skills at the local shooting range. And he always dreamed of fleeing the drudgery of his dull life in this rundown city on a forgotten moon. “Alright, enough daydreaming,” he chided himself, shaking off his momentary lapse into fantasy. “Let’s make this official.” Robert picked up his comm device and navigated to the registration page for the competition. He paused for a moment. The magnitude of the decision he was about to make was massive. He would have to prepare for missing out on some income. Once he registered, there would be no backing out, no second-guessing. The entry fee was substantial, but it would have to be bought on credit, like everything Robert paid for. With a final deep breath and a surge of determination, Robert tapped the ‘Register’ button on his comm device. A cheerful confirmation message popped up on the screen: “Congratulations! You are now officially registered for the Zorath Shooting Competition!” It was followed by information about equipment checks, times, and locations. “Well, this will be fun.”

@ 16d11430:61640947

The colonial fiat system—an intricate network of financial, social, and psychological constructs—relies on its ability to manipulate collective behavior, sustain economic dependency, and enforce systemic conformity. For the individual navigating this landscape, the brain becomes both a target and a tool. The question arises: how can the human brain, with its remarkable capacity for autonomy and adaptability, defend itself against the manipulative information siege of such a system? The answer lies in understanding and leveraging the brain's strengths to build defenses, foster resilience, and reclaim personal sovereignty. --- Understanding the Siege: The Colonial Fiat System's Manipulative Arsenal The fiat system exerts its control through psychological and informational tactics designed to overwhelm the individual mind: 1. Fear and Uncertainty: Constant narratives of inflation, economic crises, and scarcity exploit the brain’s amygdala, triggering anxiety and compliance. 2. Hyperconsumerism: By hijacking the brain’s reward pathways, the system fosters addiction to materialism, making individuals dependent on endless cycles of consumption. 3. Herd Mentality: Swarm consciousness, driven by social norms and media influence, suppresses critical thinking and reinforces collective conformity. 4. Short-Term Thinking: The system capitalizes on impulsive decision-making, eroding long-term planning and independence. To resist these tactics, the individual brain must become a fortress—fortified by critical thought, emotional regulation, and intentional living. --- Fortifying the Mind: Strategies for Resilience 1. Cultivate Cognitive Autonomy At the heart of resistance lies the brain’s ability to think independently. By engaging the prefrontal cortex—the seat of logic, reasoning, and decision-making—individuals can reclaim their mental autonomy. Question Narratives: Evaluate the motives behind information presented by media, corporations, and governments. Ask: Who benefits from this message? Strengthen Critical Thinking: Regularly challenge your own assumptions and seek out diverse perspectives to avoid echo chambers. Learn the System: Understand how the fiat system functions, from its reliance on inflationary policies to its ties to debt-based economies. Knowledge dismantles manipulation. 2. Master Emotional Regulation The colonial fiat system thrives on fear, uncertainty, and the dopamine-driven cycles of consumerism. Emotional regulation shields the brain from these manipulative forces. Practice Mindfulness: Techniques such as meditation and deep breathing calm the amygdala, reducing reactivity to fear-based propaganda. Delay Gratification: Strengthen your ability to prioritize long-term rewards over impulsive consumption, engaging the brain’s executive functions. Build Emotional Awareness: Recognize when your emotions are being manipulated, whether through scarcity marketing or fearmongering headlines. 3. Rewire Reward Systems The brain’s reward pathways, driven by dopamine, are a primary target of the fiat system’s consumerist messaging. Reclaim control by redefining what brings you fulfillment. Seek Intrinsic Rewards: Shift focus from material possessions to meaningful activities, such as learning, creating, and connecting with others. Limit Exposure: Reduce consumption of advertising and social media, which are designed to exploit your reward circuits. Adopt Sound Money Principles: Embrace financial practices that align with long-term stability, such as saving in Bitcoin or other deflationary assets. --- Adaptability: The Key to Outwitting the System 4. Harness Neuroplasticity The human brain’s neuroplasticity—its ability to rewire and adapt—offers a powerful tool for resisting the system’s influence. Unlearn Dependency: Challenge habits and beliefs that tie your self-worth to fiat-driven success metrics, such as status symbols or debt-financed lifestyles. Learn Decentralization: Educate yourself on alternatives to fiat systems, such as Bitcoin, decentralized finance, and peer-to-peer economies. Adopt Resilient Skills: Develop capabilities that enhance your independence, such as critical financial literacy, coding, or permaculture. 5. Reclaim Time and Focus The fiat system thrives on distraction, keeping individuals too overwhelmed to question its constructs. Reclaiming focus is an act of rebellion. Set Boundaries: Allocate time for deep work and personal growth, free from the constant noise of digital media. Practice Digital Minimalism: Use technology intentionally, ensuring it serves your goals rather than consuming your attention. Value Rest: Recognize that productivity is not your sole measure of worth. Rest and reflection strengthen your cognitive resilience. --- A Community of Sovereignty: The Collective Defense While the individual brain is formidable, collective resistance amplifies its power. The social brain network enables connection with others who share a vision of autonomy and decentralization. Build Like-Minded Networks: Engage with communities that value critical thinking, self-reliance, and alternative systems. Share Knowledge: Spread awareness of the manipulative mechanisms of the fiat system, empowering others to resist. Collaborate on Solutions: From supporting decentralized technologies to creating resilient local economies, collective action dismantles dependency. --- Finding Anchors: Philosophy, Purpose, and Meaning The brain’s capacity for self-reflection and existential thought provides a deep well of strength. By anchoring your life to principles and purpose, you can resist the shallow incentives of fiat-driven systems. Explore Philosophical Anchors: Ideas such as sound money, personal sovereignty, and ethical living provide a framework for resistance. Seek Transcendence: Practices like spirituality, art, and nature connection foster a sense of purpose beyond materialism. Define Success on Your Terms: Reject fiat-driven definitions of success, focusing instead on values like freedom, creativity, and meaningful relationships. --- Conclusion: The Brain as a Bastion of Sovereignty The colonial fiat system’s manipulative siege is formidable, but the human brain is a far greater force. Through critical thinking, emotional regulation, adaptability, and purpose, the brain has the power to resist the swarm consciousness that perpetuates systemic dependency. By building mental fortresses, individuals can reclaim their autonomy, foster resilience, and pave the way for a decentralized, self-sovereign future. The battle for freedom begins not in institutions but within the neural networks of the individual brain. Each mind fortified against manipulation is a victory for personal sovereignty—and a step toward a world where human potential thrives beyond the shadow of fiat control.

@ d3052ca3:d84a170e

It seems to me that the primary opposition to ecash from bitcoiners comes from the belief that lightning will enable self-custodial micropayments for the masses. Many lightning enthusiasts see ecash as competition that will eliminate this technological outcome (whether they admit it or not). I understand the motivation for this line of reasoning but I don't see things this way at all. Ecash is a superset of lightning. Cashu literally doesn't have a spec for on-chain transactions (yet!). Everything cashu accomplishes is built on the back of lightning. Standing on the shoulders of giants. I don't believe that ecash will take away market share from self-custodial lightning because lightning is not a good technology for self-custody. The high overhead costs of running your own node create a natural incentive for a semi-centralized hub and spoke network graph. It just makes economic sense for many users to share a lightning node. It doesn't make economic sense for individuals to bear this cost alone. This stacker news post is the best writeup on this topic: https://stacker.news/items/379225 It comes from a builder who struggled with these issues for years and learned the shortcomings of the tech first hand. Notice they experimented with ecash as a solution to these problems before they burned out and pivoted to save the company. Ecash is a superset of lightning. It extends the capability and reach of the lightning network. Without ecash, I don't believe we can achieve bitcoin mass adoption. You can't jam a square peg into a round hole. We still have a need for self-custody of "small" amounts of bitcoin. I put small in quotes because the block size limit and the fee market it creates impose a fundamental constraint on the minimum practical size of a UTXO. This limit is pegged to the unit of bitcoin. As bitcoin increases in value the minimum size for an on-chain transaction will grow in value as well. You can send $10 worth of bitcoin on-chain today but will this be true in 10 years when the price is much higher? 100 years? If the current exponential trends hold, we will soon price out the majority of humanity from owning a UTXO. This is bad. Like really bad. "Bitcoin is a failure" bad. This is the motivation for my posts about scaling on-chain usage to 10 billion people. I believe we will need to radically rearchitect bitcoin to achieve this goal. Lightning is not up to the task. We should leverage lightning for what it's good at: gluing together different self-custodial bitcoin service providers. We should leverage ecash for what it's good at: peer-to-peer electronic cash micropayments. IN ADDITION we also need to start seriously looking at new ideas for scaling self custody to "small" amounts of bitcoin. I am very optimistic that we can solve this problem. There are a number of promising avenues to pursue but I think first we need to move the Overton window ~~beyond the idea of mass adoption of self-custodial lightning~~ regarding on-chain scaling. Edit: I think the original Overton window statement was incorrect. If on-chain fees stay low then self-custodial lightning or something similar is a much better prospect. Just my 2 sats...let me know what you think. Keep it civil or be muted.

@ 1cb14ab3:95d52462

***Tree branches. 4' x 4 [Castle Pines, USA. 2016]*** #### Introduction Sanctuary offers a layered view of resilience, juxtaposing the green expanses of the Sanctuary Golf Course with the majesty of Pikes Peak and the scars of past destruction. Framed by the lens, this work explores the tension between human intervention and nature’s cycles of renewal. #### Site & Placement Perched at Daniels Park in Castle Pines, the lens focuses on the rolling terrain of the golf course, leading the eye to the distant peak. The surrounding brush, which once burned in a major fire, adds depth to the narrative of renewal. A bench, positioned for an unobstructed view, invites visitors to sit and reflect on the land’s capacity to heal and endure. #### Impermanence & Integration As an ephemeral installation, Sanctuary embodies nature’s cycles of destruction and rebirth. The materials—branches and rock—will eventually decay and return to the earth, a process that mirrors the recovery of the landscape itself after fire. This impermanence underscores the delicate balance between human influence and natural forces. #### Reflection Sanctuary serves as a reminder of both the fragility and resilience of the world around us. It invites viewers to pause and consider the interplay of destruction and growth, human and natural, as they gaze upon a scene shaped by both time and transformation --- ## Photos       --- #### More from the 'Earth Lens' Series: [Earth Lens Series: Artist Statement + List of Works](https://hes.npub.pro/post/1731091744332/) ["Looking Glass" (Earth Lens 001)](https://hes.npub.pro/post/1736304563962/) ["Folsom" (Earth Lens 002)](https://hes.npub.pro/post/1737844073125/) [COMING SOON: "Platte" (Earth Lens 004)](https://hes.npub.pro/post/1731091744332/) [COMING SOON: "Grandfather" (Earth Lens 005)](https://hes.npub.pro/post/1731091744332/) [COMING SOON: "Chongming" (Earth Lens 006)](https://hes.npub.pro/post/1731091744332/) --- #### More from Hes [Portfolio](https://hesart.npub.pro) [Online Store](https://plebeian.market/community/1cb14ab335876fc9efc37d838ba287cf17e5adcccb20bf6d49f9da9695d52462:hesmart-ym3fcufdfz) [Artist Statements](https://hes.npub.pro/tag/art/) [Travel Guides](https://hes.npub.pro/tag/travel/) [Photography](https://hes.npub.pro/tag/photography) [Writings](https://hes.npub.pro/tag/money) --- *All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.*

@ 16d11430:61640947

The entanglement of fiat currency, racial hierarchies, and colonialism is not merely a historical artifact but a systemic force that continues to shape the modern world. While colonialism has shifted from overt territorial domination to more subtle forms of economic and ideological control, its foundations remain deeply rooted in racialized exploitation and fiat-based financial systems. This article explores how fiat currency has historically been a tool of colonial power, how race has been weaponized to justify and sustain economic hierarchies, and how these forces persist in contemporary global structures. --- The Role of Fiat in Colonial Domination Fiat currency—money without intrinsic value, issued by centralized authorities—played a pivotal role in enabling colonial powers to exert control over colonized territories. By dismantling indigenous systems of trade and imposing fiat-based economies, colonizers centralized power, creating a structural dependence that persists to this day. 1. Monetary Imposition and Disruption: Colonial administrations replaced local barter systems and commodity currencies with fiat systems, compelling indigenous populations to use colonial currencies for taxes, goods, and services. This enforced participation in a colonial economic order undermined self-sufficient local economies. For example, the British introduction of the rupee in India dismantled complex indigenous trade networks, forcing economic realignment under colonial terms. 2. Taxation and Forced Labor: Fiat systems were weaponized to coerce colonized populations into labor. Taxes, often payable only in colonial currency, forced people to work within colonial enterprises to earn the money required. This dependency reinforced economic subjugation. 3. Inflation as Extraction: By manipulating fiat currency supplies, colonial powers extracted wealth from colonies. Printing excess money devalued local economies while enriching colonial elites. This strategy was less visible but equally exploitative compared to direct resource extraction. --- Race as an Economic Justification While fiat systems provided the mechanisms of economic control, racial ideologies provided the moral and political justification for colonial domination. Race became a lens through which economic inequality was normalized, rationalizing the exploitation of non-European populations. 1. Racialized Labor Exploitation: Under colonialism, racial hierarchies determined access to wealth and opportunities. Indigenous and enslaved peoples were systematically underpaid or unpaid, while Europeans occupied privileged economic positions. Racial ideologies framed these disparities as natural or deserved. 2. The Commodification of Racialized Bodies: Fiat systems also underpinned the commodification of human lives during slavery. Loans, bonds, and other financial instruments were issued based on the value of enslaved people, reducing human beings to economic units within racialized systems of extraction. 3. The Devaluation of Indigenous Economies: Indigenous systems of wealth and exchange were not merely disrupted but devalued, portrayed as primitive or inefficient compared to fiat-based systems. This cultural erasure further entrenched economic hierarchies tied to race. --- Fiat Colonialism’s Modern Legacy The relationship between fiat and racialized economic control persists in the global financial architecture: 1. Structural Dependence: Many post-colonial nations remain reliant on currencies introduced during colonial rule or tied to foreign powers. For example, the CFA franc in West Africa still links former French colonies to the French treasury, perpetuating neo-colonial dependency. 2. Global Financial Institutions: Organizations like the IMF and World Bank, operating within fiat systems, impose structural adjustment policies on Global South nations. These policies prioritize debt repayment to wealthy nations, often at the expense of local development. The racialized logic of colonialism reappears in these economic relationships, where predominantly non-European nations bear the brunt of austerity measures. 3. Racialized Access to Capital: In modern fiat economies, access to credit and capital is often disproportionately restricted for marginalized racial groups. This reinforces historical inequities rooted in colonial systems of economic exclusion. --- Ideological Colonialism Through Fiat Fiat currency is not merely a tool of economic exchange but a vehicle for ideological dominance. The imposition of Western fiat systems during colonialism also imposed Western economic values, undermining indigenous worldviews and institutionalizing a global hierarchy that remains intact today. Monetary Sovereignty: By denying colonized nations the right to issue their own currencies, colonial powers stripped them of economic sovereignty. Today, this legacy continues as many nations remain economically constrained by foreign-controlled fiat systems. Cultural Hegemony: Fiat systems have been a means of propagating cultural imperialism. Indigenous concepts of value and exchange, which often prioritized communal well-being over profit, were replaced by extractive models tied to fiat economies. --- A Decolonial Perspective: Bitcoin and Alternatives In the face of these enduring systems, decentralized financial systems like Bitcoin present a potential challenge to the colonial logic embedded in fiat systems: 1. Decentralized Sovereignty: Bitcoin operates independently of centralized authorities, offering nations and individuals the opportunity to bypass fiat dependencies. This could empower post-colonial states to reclaim economic autonomy. 2. Neutrality and Accessibility: Unlike fiat systems, which often reflect and reinforce racial and geopolitical hierarchies, Bitcoin is borderless and non-discriminatory, creating opportunities for marginalized groups to access capital and build wealth. 3. Transparency and Accountability: Blockchain technology ensures transparency, reducing the opacity that has historically allowed global financial institutions to exploit vulnerable nations through predatory practices. --- Conclusion The historical entanglement of fiat currency, race, and colonialism reveals how economic systems have been designed to sustain power imbalances. While colonialism has shifted in form—from direct rule to economic and ideological control—the core principles remain intact, with fiat currency serving as a critical mechanism for perpetuating these hierarchies. Decolonizing the global economy requires dismantling these systems, recognizing their racialized foundations, and exploring alternatives that prioritize equity and autonomy. Bitcoin and decentralized technologies offer a potential pathway, though their success depends on a broader commitment to addressing the structural inequalities that fiat-based colonialism has left in its wake. This is not just an economic imperative but a moral one: to imagine and build a world no longer bound by the exploitative legacies of fiat and race.

@ 1cb14ab3:95d52462

***Tree branches, Rock. 4' x 4 [Boulder, USA. 2016]*** #### Introduction From atop Flagstaff Mountain, Folsom frames Boulder’s iconic Folsom Field, a symbol of youth, learning, and community. This lens offers a moment of reflection on the brevity of the college experience and the transient nature of life, inviting viewers to connect with the campus and its fleeting but impactful moments. #### Site & Placement The lens is strategically placed to frame the stadium, blending the vibrant life of the campus with Boulder’s vast and enduring natural landscape. The bench, situated 6 feet from the lens, offers a space to sit and contemplate the juxtaposition of permanence and change, of structure and wilderness. #### Impermanence & Integration Constructed from branches and rock, Folsom is designed to fade into the mountain landscape after only a short time. Its impermanence echoes the fleeting nature of the college years, reminding viewers that growth and transformation are rooted in moments that pass all too quickly. #### Reflection Through its brief presence, Folsom captures the delicate interplay between human experiences and the enduring landscapes that frame them. It invites viewers to celebrate the vibrant present while acknowledging the inevitability of change. --- ## Photos       --- #### More from the 'Earth Lens' Series: [Earth Lens Series: Artist Statement + List of Works](https://hes.npub.pro/post/1731091744332/) ["Looking Glass" (Earth Lens 001)](https://hes.npub.pro/post/1736304563962/) [COMING SOON: "Sanctuary" (Earth Lens 003)](https://hes.npub.pro/post/1731091744332/) [COMING SOON: "Platte" (Earth Lens 004)](https://hes.npub.pro/post/1731091744332/) [COMING SOON: "Grandfather" (Earth Lens 005)](https://hes.npub.pro/post/1731091744332/) [COMING SOON: "Chongming" (Earth Lens 006)](https://hes.npub.pro/post/1731091744332/) --- #### More from Hes [Portfolio](https://hesart.npub.pro) [Online Store](https://plebeian.market/community/1cb14ab335876fc9efc37d838ba287cf17e5adcccb20bf6d49f9da9695d52462:hesmart-ym3fcufdfz) [Artist Statements](https://hes.npub.pro/tag/art/) [Travel Guides](https://hes.npub.pro/tag/travel/) [Photography](https://hes.npub.pro/tag/photography) [Writings](https://hes.npub.pro/tag/money) --- *All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.*

@ d9cfbbde:e7cfd9fd

Testing if this can be edited after publishing...

@ 16d11430:61640947

In the world of fiat, bosses are no longer mere professionals managing resources and people. They are, in essence, Big Brother's appointed handlers, glorified totems of obedience whose primary role is to ensure the herd stays docile, compliant, and tethered to their assigned hamster wheels. They don’t just manage; they surveil. With Orwellian precision, their every motivational email, team-building exercise, and performance review is an insidious mechanism for upholding the grand illusion of "freedom within structure." These citizen-handlers come cloaked in titles like "team leader" or "manager," but their true mandate is far more sinister. Their KPIs aren’t just productivity or revenue—it’s compliance. It’s ensuring that no one questions why a third of their paycheck evaporates into the shadowy depths of taxes and inflation, why corporate policies look more like legislation, or why time—the only non-renewable resource—is spent propping up systems designed to ensure it is wasted. Their tools? The carrot and the stick, but reinvented for the modern serfdom. The carrot is a pay raise that barely outpaces inflation, a shiny "employee of the month" badge that says, "You’re a good hamster!" The stick? Passive-aggressive emails, whispered conversations about "alignment with company values," and the ever-present specter of "budget cuts," a euphemism for your expendability in the machinery. Dark satire requires pointing out the absurdities they enforce with a straight face: They orchestrate pointless Zoom meetings that siphon hours of productivity but demand employees "turn on their cameras" as proof of existence. They impose performance reviews steeped in doublespeak, where "areas of improvement" mean "You’re not docile enough," and "leadership potential" is code for "You’re great at mirroring propaganda." Their allegiance is not to you, nor even to the company. It’s to the system that birthed them—a system that thrives on mediocrity, rewards complicity, and punishes dissent. The fiat boss isn’t a mentor; they’re a handler armed with spreadsheets, PowerPoints, and policies designed to turn independent thought into a liability. They are the human interface of a system that cannot tolerate deviation, individuality, or questions like, "Why are we doing this in the first place?" In their world, promotions aren’t about merit but about trust—trust that you will perpetuate the cycle without asking too many questions. "You’re like family here," they say, but families don’t dock your pay for being late. "We value innovation," they claim, while shackling creativity with bureaucratic hurdles. "We care about work-life balance," they insist, while quietly monitoring your Slack activity at 11 PM. Ultimately, the fiat boss-handler is a tragic figure in this dark satire, a cog who believes they’re the engine, a shepherd who thinks they’re free while they guide the sheep. They are the unwitting enforcers of a dystopia where freedom is rationed, individuality is commodified, and dissent is erased—not by decree, but by performance improvement plans.

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

President Trump plans to withdraw 20,000 U.S. troops from Europe and expects European allies to contribute financially to the remaining military presence. Reported by ANSA, Trump aims to deliver this message to European leaders since taking office. A European diplomat noted, “the costs cannot be borne solely by American taxpayers.” The Pentagon hasn't commented yet. Trump has previously sought lower troop levels in Europe and had ordered cuts during his first term. The U.S. currently maintains around 65,000 troops in Europe, with total forces reaching 100,000 since the Ukraine invasion. Trump's new approach may shift military focus to the Pacific amid growing concerns about China. [Sauce](https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2025-01-24/trump-europe-troop-cuts-16590074.html)

@ 1ec45473:d38df139

### The probability of AGI ending us is negative. A common tactic among doomers is to state something along the lines of the following: "If we create AGI, there is some non-zero chance every year, that the AGI will end humanity. Whatever that chance is compounds every year, and is thus unacceptable." The question I would ask the doomer is **"How do you know that the chance of AGI ending humanity isn't negative?"** What does it mean for AGI to have a negative chance of ending humanity? Setting aside AGI for a moment, what is the chance every year that humanity ends from other events, such as nuclear war, solar flares, super-volcanoes, asteroid hits, societal collapse, etc? How do you even answer this question in a reasonable manner? Well lets look at past data. Of all species that have existed 99% have gone extinct. Of our closest 7 relatives from the genus Homo, 100% have gone extinct. On a higher level looking at civilizational collapse. According to Wikipedia, [virtually all](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Societal_collapse) historical societies have collapsed. Looking out into the universe, we see no signs of life elsewhere, so if there was life in the past we can assume that they have gone extinct. It would therefore be reasonable to say that the chance of our extinction is very high even without AGI, well above 90%. Maybe 99%. You could argue the numbers but at least with these numbers we are using some past data to extrapolate the future, where the doomers are using no data whatsoever to support their numbers. We can also state, that of all the species and societies that have collapsed in the past, they have done so because they did not yet have the knowledge on how to survive. They didn't know how to create antibiotics, or generate enough energy, or defend themselves from the environment. What is AGI? AGI is a way to create knowledge. Most all societies in the past have collapsed because they didn't have the knowledge on how to survive, and the doomer argument is that we should slow down our ability to create knowledge, when we know that this has been precisely the problem in the past. It is a certainty we will all die without more knowledge then we have now. The future death of our sun ensures that. We have to create the knowledge on how to survive, and that is what AGI does - it creates knowledge. AGI most certainly has a negative probability of ending humanity.

@ 1ec45473:d38df139

Preston Pysh posted this event this morning:  Behind the scenes, the nostr event looks like this: ``` Event = { "id":"a6fa7e1a73ce70c6fb01584a0519fd29788e59d9980402584e7a0af92cf0474a", "pubkey":"85080d3bad70ccdcd7f74c29a44f55bb85cbcd3dd0cbb957da1d215bdb931204", "created_at":1724494504, "kind":1, "tags":[ [ "p", "6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "77ec966fcd64f901152cad5dc7731c7c831fe22e02e3ae99ff14637e5a48ef9c", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "c1fc7771f5fa418fd3ac49221a18f19b42ccb7a663da8f04cbbf6c08c80d20b1", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "50d94fc2d8580c682b071a542f8b1e31a200b0508bab95a33bef0855df281d63", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "20d88bae0c38e6407279e6a83350a931e714f0135e013ea4a1b14f936b7fead5", "", "mention" ], [ "p", "273e7880d38d39a7fb238efcf8957a1b5b27e819127a8483e975416a0a90f8d2", "", "mention" ], [ "t", "BH2024" ] ], "content":"Awesome Freedom Panel with...", "sig":"2b64e461cd9f5a7aa8abbcbcfd953536f10a334b631a352cd4124e8e187c71aad08be9aefb6a68e5c060e676d06b61c553e821286ea42489f9e7e7107a1bf79a" } ``` In nostr, all events have this form, so once you become familiar with the nostr event structure, things become pretty easy. Look at the "tags" key. There are six "p" tags (pubkey) and one "t" tag (hashtag). The p tags are public keys of people that are mentioned in the note. The t tags are for hashtags in the note. It is common when working with NOSTR that you have to extract out certain tags. Here are some examples of how to do that with what are called JavaScript Array Methods: ### Find the first "p" tag element: ``` Event.tags.find(item => item[0] === 'p') [ 'p', '6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb', '', 'mention' ] ``` ### Same, but just return the pubkey": ``` Event.tags.find(item => item[0] === 'p')[1] '6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb' ``` ### Filter the array so I only get "p" tags: ``` Event.tags.filter(item => item[0] === 'p') [ [ 'p', '6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', '77ec966fcd64f901152cad5dc7731c7c831fe22e02e3ae99ff14637e5a48ef9c', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', 'c1fc7771f5fa418fd3ac49221a18f19b42ccb7a663da8f04cbbf6c08c80d20b1', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', '50d94fc2d8580c682b071a542f8b1e31a200b0508bab95a33bef0855df281d63', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', '20d88bae0c38e6407279e6a83350a931e714f0135e013ea4a1b14f936b7fead5', '', 'mention' ], [ 'p', '273e7880d38d39a7fb238efcf8957a1b5b27e819127a8483e975416a0a90f8d2', '', 'mention' ] ] ``` ### Return an array with only the pubkeys in the "p" tags: ``` Event.tags.filter(item => item[0] === 'p').map(item => item[1]) [ '6c237d8b3b120251c38c230c06d9e48f0d3017657c5b65c8c36112eb15c52aeb', '77ec966fcd64f901152cad5dc7731c7c831fe22e02e3ae99ff14637e5a48ef9c', 'c1fc7771f5fa418fd3ac49221a18f19b42ccb7a663da8f04cbbf6c08c80d20b1', '50d94fc2d8580c682b071a542f8b1e31a200b0508bab95a33bef0855df281d63', '20d88bae0c38e6407279e6a83350a931e714f0135e013ea4a1b14f936b7fead5', '273e7880d38d39a7fb238efcf8957a1b5b27e819127a8483e975416a0a90f8d2' ] ```

@ 1ec45473:d38df139

``` ______________ / /| / / | /____________ / | | ___________ | | || || | || #NOSTR || | || || | ||___________|| | | _______ | / /| (_______) | / ( |_____________|/ \ .=======================. | :::::::::::::::: ::: | | ::::::::::::::[] ::: | | ----------- ::: | `-----------------------' ```

@ 0d7bc80d:aaf2218d

\ Volkesbewusstsein, as interpreted from Carl von Savigny’s legal philosophy, and utilized by Carl Schmitt in his own, refers to the common consciousness of the people. For Savigny, this meant that the laws and boundaries of the state evolve organically out of the collective consciousness of the people in a given historical period. A blooming out of the shared cultural fabric of a society. Schmitt’s interpretation is slightly more assertive, seen more as an imposition of the collective will in defining the sovereign and the state. But what makes up the common consciousness of society in our time? How does that influence the formation of our state and its laws? My sense is that the thing most shared or collective about our current consciousness is the schizophrenic quality of it. Our cultural fabric is that of an insane asylum,. We swim deep inside the algorithmic passivity of our historical moment, and this has fragmented our consciousness. The concept of the public sphere as conceptualized by Jürgen Habermas projects an idealized image of a bygone era of communal communication and a genuine shared experience of reality. The public sphere was an arena for dialogue, disagreement, and maybe even reconciliation. This ideal held that communication occurred outside the bounds of state and market manipulation and held to rational discourse as a means of discovering Volkesbewusstsein. Habermas was aware and critical of the modern erosion of the public sphere due to mass media and its influences. And here we are now in our cultural moment. It’s become trite to remind ourselves of the algorithmic sway that we encounter on a daily basis through social media news feeds. But this is one of those realities we need to continually encounter to take seriously, because it backgrounds itself so well. We become passive automatons swayed for engagement. AI agents capturing our attention and manipulating the lizard brain. We are all aware of this. However, to what extent are we understanding the schizophrenic agency of the algorithmic hyper-agent? There’s undoubtedly intentional manipulation of information for explicit ends, not explicit to us necessarily, but to someone or some bureaucracy. What happens though when we have a myriad of explicit algorithmic hyper-agents taking over the public sphere? I’m no clinician, but my diagnosis is schizophrenia at the level of our distributed cognition. We’re in a collective asylum and the guards are insane too. What kind of heroes emerge out of that cultural fabric? Well, insane ones. And they will look perfectly sane in their response to a system of state sovereignty and laws that have emerged out of that asylum. And we’ll cheer it on as it feels like entropy towards collapse is the only thing that might save us. Not that we are always conscious of our entropic aims. But the walls are crumbling down, and everyone has a sledgehammer, so we decide to pick one up as well. We’d prefer to feel that we’re at least exercising SOME sort of agency, after all. I find myself entirely addicted to my comforting insanity. Precisely because it gives me the illusion of agency, rather than the passivity that Habermas feared would be the destruction of the public sphere. I’m grateful that every now and then, I’m able to stand back and examine the frames I’m applying, or that have been applied for me, and recognize my passivity. Perennially, it becomes apparent that we need to step outside of the passive sway of our screens and to engage in an algorithmic free salon. The idealized picture of humans in a communal space, with minimally distorted flows of information, in true dialogue. A mutual respect for each other and our different value judgements, with a shared commitment to orienting towards truth. The most basic way we can do this is to continually step back from the asylum, and find a quiet corner to discuss with other well intentioned patients how we might organically blossom out a new common consciousness. It’s hegemonic character, that which dominates it, need not be the assertion of one difference over the other, but the assertion that differences in value systems share some orientation. All this must be, for now, done from the place of acceptance of our diagnosis. Our conversations in the public sphere will need to continually encounter and correct for our schizophrenia. But if enough of us pick up a hammer and start smashing it against the wall of the asylum, a new organic shared consciousness has a shot at arising.

@ d57360cb:4fe7d935

Martial Arts has a way of imparting deep lessons on you, lessons that you feel deep to the core. Here are a few that have stuck with me. These lessons extend beyond the field of martial arts into every area of life, may you find value in them. # **Static Vs Dynamic** The world is a dynamic and fluid domain, yet we think statically. This error makes us incompatible. When we think about the future and the past, they are fixed in our minds. We might have a grand plan for how we will beat our opponent or hold fear of a loss we suffered at the hands of another opponent. Because these are harbored in our minds, we are fixed in place entering a battle which is constantly moving. To succeed one has to abandon the static and learn to dance. Let me explain this through the problem solving process. # Problem Solving Imagine there's a giant wall in front of you and this wall is going to fall directly on top of you. Here you're faced with a problem, the wall falling and you also might have guessed the solution which is get out of the way. The usual approach people take in solving problems is they wait til the problem has already taken place and established itself to act. Knowing fully the wall is falling they will wait til the wall has crushed them, only then they'll enact their plan to get out of the way. Their plan may very well work but not when the wall has already fallen, this renders their plan useless even though it is the correct solution. In their minds they see the problem and the solution only taking place when certain factors are met and conditions are perfect. They will not act to evade a punch until hit in the face, they won't try to escape a choke until their opponent is squeezing the life out of them. This is the error of unskilled beginners yet it's a necessary path to the dynamic. # The best way to avoid danger is not going there in the first place At a certain point you will get tired of getting hit in the face, getting choked out, and having the wall get crushed on you. You will see others using the very same solutions you're using and wonder why they succeed and you don't. The cogs in your brain come alive and you begin to think if the solution is to get out the way, I need to do it before or as the wall is falling not when it's already fallen. This takes you from the static to the dynamic, from thinking to feeling. Instead of thinking and anticipating a punch and then moving, you no longer anticipate you immerse yourself in the chaos and are free to feel. You no longer wait for your opponent to have his hands around your neck to avoid getting choked, you avoid the situation altogether. You see the wall falling and you step out of the way, by nature another wall replaces it, this one is also falling and you maneuver out of its way. This is the great dance, this is the art. # Failure is Information "The fool that persists in his folly soon becomes wise" In life as in the arts you will continually face failures or walls. Most people view these as negative. Having a wall crushed on them they take it personally, blame themselves, how terrible they are and how much better their opponent is. These are your trusted guides they show you where you are fixed in place, they show you your inflexibility, your rigidity. They humble you over and over. It may take days, weeks, years or months for you to realize. In this way the end never arrives, the path of practice is the goal. With diligence and patience the thing you once saw as a failure will become your wisest friend. # No opponent Each person is going through this struggle internally. They face their own set of problems. In this way your opponents serve you as you serve them. The person that beats you down is not a rival, he's also not 'better' in any way he's exposed you and shown you the areas you have blindspots and weakness in. In the same way you serve that purpose for those just starting on the path. You may beat someone down and think you are 'better' than those you dominate. This is the wrong view you are a guide to those below you and student to those above you. If you get caught up in your ego and status you will be blinded. One must leave the static world of victory and loss to find the dynamic. # Everything Bleeds This was a post on material arts, but you could very well replace martial arts with any field and any set of problems. The incompatible mix of the static mind and dynamic world is found in every area of life. The lessons you learn from one area can be translated to another, these lessons are fundamental. In this way lessons bleed and overflow into everything you touch. You are the center of experience the things you devote time to in life are merely tools of expression.

@ 378562cd:a6fc6773

**Top 20 U.S. Cryptocurrency Headlines:** 1. **SEC Reverses Crypto Accounting Rule, Easing Bank Participation** The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has overturned guidance that previously treated digital tokens as liabilities on bank balance sheets. This reversal is expected to facilitate banks in offering cryptocurrency custody services without facing significant penalties. [ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/24854c53-98ef-42b5-96ed-efd6f5b70271?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 2. **President Trump Signs Executive Order to Bolster Crypto Industry.** President Donald Trump has issued an executive order titled "Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology," aiming to position the U.S. as a global leader in the digital asset market. The order includes the creation of a task force to propose new crypto regulations and explore the establishment of a national digital asset stockpile. [Investor's Business Daily](https://www.investors.com/news/trump-cryptocurrency-executive-order-bitcoin-reserve-digital-asset-stockpile/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 3. **Crypto Markets React to New Regulatory Initiatives.** Following the administration's recent policy moves, the cryptocurrency market experienced a dip, with Bitcoin stabilizing around $105,000. The creation of a task force to propose new crypto regulations has introduced uncertainty, leading to profit-taking among investors. [reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/technology/crypto-markets-lose-steam-after-trumps-first-policy-move-2025-01-24/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 4. **Industry Celebrates Anticipated Deregulation Amid Caution.** The cryptocurrency community is optimistic about the administration's supportive stance, including proposals for a U.S. Bitcoin reserve. However, experts caution that increased government endorsement could expose the financial system to significant risks if the market faces downturns. [ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/8d302c79-8912-4f8e-bb1a-eea77ea0d99e?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 5. **White House Appoints David Sacks as Crypto and AI Advisor.** The administration has appointed tech entrepreneur David Sacks as the White House's cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence advisor. Sacks will lead the newly formed Presidential Task Force on Digital Asset Markets, focusing on developing regulatory frameworks and exploring the creation of a national Bitcoin reserve. [Barron's](https://www.barrons.com/articles/trump-bitcoin-stockpile-crypto-78398022?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 6. **Bitcoin Price Surges to All-Time High Amid Policy Shifts.** Bitcoin has reached a record high of $109,000, driven by increased interest following endorsements from President Trump and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. The launch of cryptocurrencies associated with both Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump has further fueled market enthusiasm. [The Times & The Sunday Times](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/your-complete-guide-to-crypto-and-bitcoin-77xwhlz6h?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 7. **Financial Institutions Show Renewed Interest in Crypto Services.** Major financial firms, including Charles Schwab, are exploring deeper engagement in the crypto market following recent regulatory changes. Traditional banks are now better positioned to offer cryptocurrency custody services, reflecting a shift towards mainstream adoption. [ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/24854c53-98ef-42b5-96ed-efd6f5b70271?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 8. **Congressional Leaders Express Concerns Over Rapid Crypto Expansion.** Some lawmakers have raised concerns about the swift regulatory changes favoring the cryptocurrency industry. They caution that rapid deregulation could lead to increased market volatility and potential risks to the broader financial system. [reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/technology/crypto-markets-lose-steam-after-trumps-first-policy-move-2025-01-24/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 9. **Crypto-Related Crimes Prompt Calls for Enhanced Security Measures.** The recent kidnapping and assault of Ledger co-founder David Balland have highlighted the risks associated with the crypto industry. Security experts advise individuals involved in cryptocurrency to exercise discretion regarding their personal wealth and implement robust security protocols. [The Times & The Sunday Times](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/david-balland-ledger-kidnapping-z3kx6svj0?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 10. **Stablecoin Development Encouraged Under New Executive Order.** The administration's executive order promotes the development of dollar-backed stablecoins for global use, aiming to enhance the U.S. dollar's presence in the digital asset space while prohibiting the establishment of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the U.S. [Investor's Business Daily](https://www.investors.com/news/trump-cryptocurrency-executive-order-bitcoin-reserve-digital-asset-stockpile/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 11. **Crypto Education Initiatives Launched to Foster Public Understanding.** In response to the growing interest in digital assets, educational programs are being developed to inform the public about cryptocurrency investment risks and opportunities, aiming to promote responsible participation in the market. 12. **Tech Companies Explore Blockchain Integration Amid Regulatory Clarity.** With the recent regulatory developments, technology firms are increasingly considering blockchain integration into their operations, anticipating that clearer guidelines will support innovation in the sector. 13. **Crypto Taxation Policies Under Review Following Executive Order.** The Treasury Department is reviewing existing cryptocurrency taxation policies to align with the new executive order, potentially leading to revised guidelines that could impact investors and businesses. 14. **Investment Funds Increase Crypto Holdings Amid Policy Support.** Investment funds are bolstering their cryptocurrency portfolios, encouraged by the administration's supportive policies and the SEC's reversal of restrictive accounting rules. 15. **Public-Private Partnerships Form to Advance Blockchain Research.** New collaborations between government agencies and private companies are emerging to advance blockchain research and development, aiming to maintain the U.S.'s competitive edge in digital financial technologies. 16. **Crypto Mining Operations Expand in the U.S**.Cryptocurrency mining firms are expanding their operations domestically, attracted by the favorable regulatory environment and potential incentives outlined in recent policy initiatives. 17. **Consumer Protection Agencies Advocate for Crypto Awareness.** Consumer protection agencies are launching campaigns to raise awareness about the risks associated with cryptocurrency investments, emphasizing the importance of due diligence. 18. **State Governments Explore Local Crypto Regulations.** In light of federal initiatives, state governments are examining their regulatory frameworks concerning cryptocurrencies to ensure alignment and address local concerns. 19. **Academic Institutions Introduce Cryptocurrency Courses.** Universities and colleges are adding cryptocurrency and blockchain courses to their curricula, preparing students for careers in the evolving digital asset landscape. 20. **Crypto Exchanges Enhance Compliance Measures.** Cryptocurrency exchanges are strengthening their compliance protocols in anticipation of forthcoming regulatory recommendations from the Presidential Task Force on Digital Asset Markets. **Top 5 Worldwide Cryptocurrency Headlines:** 1. **Global Banks Anticipate U.S. Regulatory Changes.** International banks are closely monitoring the U.S. regulatory shifts, assessing the potential global impact on cryptocurrency custody services and market participation. 2. **European Union Debates Crypto Regulatory Framework.** The European Union is engaging in discussions to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies, aiming to balance innovation with consumer protection. 3. **Asian Markets React to U.S. Crypto Policy Developments**\ Cryptocurrency markets across Asia, including Japan and South Korea, are seeing increased trading activity following the U.S. administration's supportive stance on digital assets. Investors are optimistic about the ripple effects on the global crypto ecosystem. 4. **India Announces Plans for Blockchain-Based Voting System**\ The Indian government has unveiled plans to pilot a blockchain-based voting system aimed at enhancing election security and transparency. This initiative is part of India's broader efforts to explore blockchain technology in governance. 5. **African Nations Embrace Bitcoin for Cross-Border Payments**\ Several African countries are increasingly using Bitcoin to facilitate cross-border payments, citing its efficiency and reduced transaction costs. This trend reflects the growing adoption of cryptocurrencies in regions with limited access to traditional financial services.

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

| Parameters | Dry Mead | Medium Mead | Sweet Mead | |------------|-----------|-------------|------------| | Honey | 2 lbs (900 grams) | 3 lbs (1.36 kg) | 4 lbs (1.81 kg) | | Yeast | ~0.07 oz (2 grams) | ~0.08 oz (2.5 grams) | ~0.10 oz (3 grams) | | Fermentation | ~4 weeks | 4 to 6 weeks | 6 to 8 weeks | | Racking | Fortnight or later | 1 month or after | ~2 months and after | | Specific Gravity | <1.010 | ~1.01 to ~1.025 | >1.025 |

@ 0b14a03f:3f0257c2

Change doesn’t come from something external. The change comes from within. But people are so disconnected from themselves that they keep trying and trying with tools to connect without realizing that if there is no connection within, there won’t be a healthy and long-term connection outside. Bitcoin has no name or last name because it’s not important who created it. What’s important is what it was made for. That’s written on its roots, in its essence. And that essence won’t be discovered if we keep trying to set it up in old avatars, systems, protocols, and connections. Bitcoin is not a tool to get rich and be free. It’s a means to disconnect from a broken environment and find a safe place to pause, to feel, to see what’s really inside of ourselves, and to analyze if the world around us is not a consequence but a reflection of our internal disconnection. Freedom will be a consequence, not a cause of a better future. We can be the artisans of that future by connecting with ourselves from within, as individuals first, and as a community after. Community as in Common Identity. We need to find our identity, then share it, nurture it with others, and by doing so, be able to create a better world. Don’t fall into old traps. After all, this is a journey from the mind to the heart. Happy arriving! Hug✨

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

The landscape of cryptocurrency is witnessing a potential paradigm shift with the growing interest of institutional investors in Bitcoin. The excitement surrounding the prospect of a spot Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) is palpable, yet it brings with it a wave of concern. Arthur Hayes, a renowned figure in the cryptocurrency space and the founder of the Maelstrom Fund, stands as a vocal critic of this development. His insights offer a critical perspective on how institutional involvement could fundamentally alter the essence of Bitcoin, potentially steering it away from its founding principles of decentralization and autonomy. This article delves into Hayes' concerns, unraveling the complexities and potential repercussions of institutional custody on the future of Bitcoin. **Table Of Content** - The Rising Concern of Institutional Involvement - The Scenario of Institutional Custody - The Essence of Bitcoin at Stake - Influence on Network Consensus - Long-Term Implications for Bitcoin - Conclusion - FAQs **The Rising Concern of Institutional Involvement** Arthur Hayes' apprehensions about institutional involvement in Bitcoin are rooted in a deep understanding of both the cryptocurrency world and traditional financial systems. The entry of large financial institutions like BlackRock into the Bitcoin space could signify a significant shift in the dynamics of cryptocurrency ownership and control. These institutions, often perceived as extensions of state interests, could bring a level of centralization and control antithetical to Bitcoin's decentralized ethos. The historical relationship between large financial entities and state mechanisms, and their potential influence on Bitcoin, raises critical questions about the future of this cryptocurrency. The impact of this shift on the broader crypto ecosystem, investor behavior, and Bitcoin's perception in the global financial landscape is profound and multifaceted. **The Scenario of Institutional Custody** The future that Hayes envisions, where significant portions of Bitcoin are locked away in institutional ETFs, is a stark departure from the current state of the cryptocurrency. This transformation could relegate Bitcoin from a vibrant, actively traded asset to a passive component of investment portfolios. Such a shift would not only alter Bitcoin's market dynamics but also its fundamental utility. The implications of this change are far-reaching, affecting everything from Bitcoin's liquidity to its role as a tool for financial freedom and empowerment. The prospect of Bitcoin becoming a mere line item in institutional balance sheets is a scenario that challenges the very ideals upon which the cryptocurrency was built. **The Essence of Bitcoin at Stake** The core of Hayes' argument lies in the potential loss of Bitcoin's identity. If Bitcoin becomes predominantly held in institutional ETFs, it risks becoming just another asset in the global financial system, losing its unique characteristics as a decentralized and autonomous currency. This transformation would affect the philosophical and practical aspects of Bitcoin, impacting principles of autonomy, privacy, and decentralization. The shift from a user-driven to an institutionally controlled asset could have profound implications for the future of Bitcoin, potentially undermining the trust and support of its community. **Influence on Network Consensus** Hayes raises a significant concern about the potential influence of institutional holders on Bitcoin's consensus mechanism and development path. The risk of having a large portion of Bitcoin controlled by entities with different priorities than the broader Bitcoin community is real and concerning. This influence could lead to a misalignment between Bitcoin's development and the needs of its user base, especially regarding crucial updates related to security and privacy enhancements. The integrity and future evolution of Bitcoin's technology could be at stake, raising questions about the true independence and resilience of this decentralized network. **Long-Term Implications for Bitcoin** While the short-term effects of institutional investment, such as price appreciation, are clear, the long-term consequences are more nuanced and complex. The potential trade-offs between short-term gains and long-term impacts on Bitcoin's utility and independence are a critical aspect of this discussion. The paradox of Bitcoin's growing acceptance by traditional financial institutions and the possible erosion of its foundational principles is a dilemma that the crypto community must navigate carefully. The future of Bitcoin, in this context, is not just about its price or market capitalization, but about its ability to retain its core values and functionality. **Conclusion** Arthur Hayes' insights provide a crucial perspective on the evolving landscape of Bitcoin in the face of institutional interest. As the cryptocurrency world grapples with these developments, understanding the balance between mainstream acceptance and the preservation of Bitcoin's core values is essential. This article reflects on the potential risks and implications of institutional custody of Bitcoin, offering a comprehensive analysis that underscores the importance of maintaining the decentralized ethos that has defined Bitcoin since its inception. **FAQs** **What is the main concern raised by Arthur Hayes about institutional involvement in Bitcoin?** Arthur Hayes expresses concern that institutional involvement, particularly through Bitcoin ETFs, could lead to centralization and control by large financial entities, undermining Bitcoin's decentralized ethos. **How could institutional custody of Bitcoin alter its market dynamics?** Institutional custody could transform Bitcoin from an actively traded asset to a passive component of investment portfolios, affecting its liquidity and role as a tool for financial freedom. **What implications does institutional control have on Bitcoin's network consensus?** Institutional control could influence Bitcoin's consensus mechanism and development path, potentially leading to a misalignment with the needs of the broader Bitcoin community, especially regarding updates related to security and privacy. **Are there long-term implications of institutional investment in Bitcoin?** Yes, while institutional investment might boost Bitcoin's price in the short term, it raises concerns about the long-term impact on Bitcoin's utility, independence, and adherence to its foundational principles. **What is the essence of Arthur Hayes' argument against institutional custody of Bitcoin?** Hayes argues that institutional custody risks turning Bitcoin into just another financial asset, losing its unique characteristics as a decentralized and autonomous currency. **That's all for today** **If you want more, be sure to follow us on:** **NOSTR: croxroad@getalby.com** **X: [@croxroadnews.co](https://x.com/croxroadnewsco)** **Instagram: [@croxroadnews.co](https://www.instagram.com/croxroadnews.co/)** **Youtube: [@croxroadnews](https://www.youtube.com/@croxroadnews)** **Store: https://croxroad.store** **Subscribe to CROX ROAD Bitcoin Only Daily Newsletter** **https://www.croxroad.co/subscribe** *DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.*

@ 54286b98:3debc100

The gift and the challenge? More time with my kids than most dads get. Days filled with them. It's a blast. Diapers, potty training, sticky fingers, the easy stuff. Expected. A privilege, really. But here's what I'm learning: Undivided attention. Presence. That's the hard part. The part that fades. We walk. Parks, trails, anywhere but inside. They love it. S'mores, impromptu campsites, boats on the horizon, Florida beaches (no walking next to Florida freshwater for this dad, gators!). We read. We play hard. My oldest is discovering the magic of computers. Mornings with my daughter. Just us. Quiet. Books. Connection. Then her brother wakes, and the day explodes with breakfast, more books, more play. Knowledge, manners, a little discipline, and a lot of fun. That's the legacy. But even with all this time, there's still work. Responsibilities. ***"Papa needs to work."*** ***"Papa, don't you want to play with me?"*** The hardest lesson: balance. ***Teaching them independence when all they want is connection.*** The reminder: Even when life gets crazy, make the moments count. Be there. Truly be there. And trust that when I can't, they'll know it's not about them. It's about the work. Love them. Cherish them. Until the next one. J \__\_ Feel free to follow me here on ***nostr*** or ***sign up on my website*** for my blog posts/newsletters, talking about ***crafting beauty in life, family, entrepreneurship, culture, woodworking & faith.***\ <https://www.javierfeliu.com/>

@ 6b57533f:eaa341f5

# Page: cover background: #000000 template: vertical # Welcome to NoStry This is the first nostr-story ever posted! # Page: intro background-image: https://nostr.build/i/nostr.png template: vertical ## What is NoStry? NoStry is a new way to tell stories on nostr, combining the best of social media stories with the decentralized nature of nostr. # Page: end background: #333333 template: vertical # Join the Revolution [Learn More]( https://github.com/nostry)

@ da0b9bc3:4e30a4a9

Hello Stackers! Welcome on into the ~Music Corner of the Saloon! A place where we Talk Music. Share Tracks. Zap Sats. So stay a while and listen. 🚨Don't forget to check out the pinned items in the territory homepage! You can always find the latest weeklies there!🚨 🚨Subscribe to the territory to ensure you never miss a post! 🚨 originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/863327

@ fbf0e434:e1be6a39

# **Hackathon 概要** [**Request Network - Summer Hackathon**](https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/requestnetwork-summer) 在2024年夏季结束，吸引了144名开发者参与，并审核通过了32个项目。该活动由Request Network举办，着重于利用其兼容EVM的基础设施开发Web3金融应用。在Hackathon期间，参与者有机会参加针对初学者和高级用户量身定制的工作坊。这些工作坊旨在提高开发发票、支付、会计和借贷应用的技能。 激励措施包括总奖金池15,000美元，分为发票、支付、会计和借贷应用等奖项类别。此外，Request Network基金会为提交至其资助计划的项目提供额外35,000美元。评审标准强调实用性、易用性、技术复杂性和创新性。 参与者可以访问丰富的资源，如视频教程、GitHub代码库，还可以通过专用的Discord热线获得支持。Hackathon强调了积极参与，促进了旨在提升区块链交易能力的应用程序的创建。2024年7月8日，获奖项目公布，展示了参与者的创造力和技术专长。 # **Hackathon 获奖者** ### **Invoicing Prize Winners** - [**ChainPay**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/13883) - 该项目通过与QuickBooks集成，将Request Network的功能扩展至Web3支付组件。它解决了Sepolia Testnet上的智能合约调用问题，目标是提供全面的解决方案。 - [**PiperPay**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/13896) - 一个支持多种货币和代币的发票和支付管理系统。它通过智能合约代理和代币交换遵循Request Network标准。 - [**Wavein**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/13901) - 该项目通过Request Network和Superfluid为自由职业者提供实时支付，提供带转换功能的流线型支付流。 ### **Accounting Prize Winner** - [**request-accounting**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/13911) - 基于区块链的会计应用程序，确保安全交易，同时集成与行业标准一致的高效财务管理。 ### **Lending Prize Winners** - [**Invoice Lending (Factoring)**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/13838) - 该项目通过将发票铸造成NFT提供流动性，允许在Request Network上进行点对点发票融资。 - [**Invisy Network**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/13912) - 一个去中心化发票平台，利用NFT提升效率和透明度，提供实时发票流动性的市场。 欲了解完整项目列表，请访问 [DoraHacks Request Network Summer Hackathon](https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/requestnetwork-summer/buidl)。 # **关于主办方** ### **Request Network** Request Network是一个兼容EVM的基础协议，致力于推动包括发票、支付和会计在内的Web3金融应用的发展。通过向区块链交易附加额外数据，网络确保合规、对账和可追溯性。这使用户能够维护其财务数据的所有权，促进灵活的转移和选择性共享。关键举措包括支持未抵押贷款和增强区块链交易流程。Request Network致力于促进一个包容的金融未来，通过优化服务来实现数据所有权和金融操作的自动化。

@ ed84ce10:cccf4c2a

# **Hackathon Summary** The [**Request Network - Summer Hackathon**](https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/requestnetwork-summer) concluded with 144 developers participating and 32 project submissions approved. Hosted by Request Network, the event focused on developing Web3 financial applications utilizing its EVM-compatible infrastructure. Throughout the hackathon, participants had the opportunity to attend workshops tailored to both beginner and advanced users. These workshops aimed to enhance skills in developing applications for invoicing, payments, accounting, and lending. Incentives included a total prize pool of $15,000, divided into categories such as invoicing, payments, accounting, and lending applications. Additionally, the Request Network Foundation provided an extra $35,000 for projects submitted to their grants program. The judging criteria emphasized utility, ease of use, technical sophistication, and innovation. Participants were given access to extensive resources such as video tutorials, GitHub repositories, and support through a dedicated Discord helpline. The hackathon highlighted active engagement, promoting the creation of applications intended to improve blockchain transaction capabilities. On July 8, 2024, the winning projects were announced, showcasing the creativity and technical expertise of the participants. # **Hackathon Winners** ### **Invoicing Prize Winners** - [**ChainPay**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/13883) - This project expands Request Network's capabilities into Web3 payment components by integrating with QuickBooks. It addresses smart contract call issues on the Sepolia Testnet and aims for comprehensive solutions. - [**PiperPay**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/13896) - An invoice and payment management system that supports various currencies and tokens. It follows Request Network standards using smart contract proxies and token swaps. - [**Wavein**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/13901) - This project facilitates real-time payments for freelancers through Request Network and Superfluid, offering streamlined payment streams with conversion features. ### **Accounting Prize Winner** - [**request-accounting**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/13911) - A blockchain-based accounting application that ensures secure transactions while integrating efficient financial management aligned with industry standards. ### **Lending Prize Winners** - [**Invoice Lending (Factoring)**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/13838) - This project provides liquidity by minting invoices as NFTs, enabling peer-to-peer invoice financing on the Request Network. - [**Invisy Network**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/13912) - A decentralized invoice platform leveraging NFTs to enhance efficiency and transparency, offering a marketplace for real-time invoice liquidity. For a complete list of projects, visit [DoraHacks Request Network Summer Hackathon](https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/requestnetwork-summer/buidl). # **About the Organizer** ### **Request Network** Request Network is an EVM-compatible infrastructure protocol dedicated to advancing Web3 financial applications, including invoicing, payments, and accounting. By appending extra data to blockchain transactions, the network ensures compliance, reconciliation, and traceability. This empowers users to maintain ownership of their financial data, facilitating flexible transfers and selective sharing. Key initiatives include supporting under-collateralized loans and enhancing blockchain transaction processes. Request Network is committed to fostering an inclusive financial future by streamlining services to enable data ownership and automation in financial operations.

@ 16d11430:61640947

In Australia, a country where the Union Jack flies as a silent yet potent reminder of its colonial origins, the lives of non-violent, non-agitating individuals remain deeply entangled in a system built on inequality. Beneath the surface of modern democratic institutions and peaceful imagery lies a historical and ongoing strategy to maintain systemic dominance, often underpinned by the latent threat of violence. For those who do not agitate, who simply wish to exist in peace, the daily experience can be one of quiet oppression. The colonial legacy ensures that fairness and justice are privileges reserved for a select ingroup—those who align with the dominant cultural narrative. Meanwhile, others find themselves trapped in a system designed to perpetuate inequality, all while cloaked in the language of ethics, science, and progress. The Mask of Fairness Australia’s institutions present themselves as bastions of fairness, meritocracy, and equality. Yet, these ideals are often undermined by the foundational violence that protects and privileges the dominant cultural group. This violence need not always be explicit—it exists in the form of legal frameworks, economic systems, and cultural narratives that favor the descendants of the colonial ingroup while marginalizing others. For Indigenous Australians, immigrants, and those outside the dominant culture, the system does not just fail to deliver fairness—it actively maintains their disadvantage. The history of dispossession, forced assimilation, and cultural erasure is not simply a relic of the past. It continues to inform how resources, opportunities, and power are distributed today. Privilege and Forgiveness One of the most insidious aspects of this system is the privilege afforded to the ingroup. Actions that would be condemned or punished when carried out by marginalized groups are often forgiven, excused, or even celebrated when done by those within the dominant cultural framework. This double standard perpetuates a sense of impunity among the ingroup, while reinforcing the notion that fairness is conditional and selectively applied. For example, protests or acts of civil disobedience by marginalized groups are often met with harsh policing and public condemnation. Meanwhile, similar actions by those in the dominant culture—especially when framed as defending “traditional values” or “national identity”—are met with leniency, if not outright support. The Union Jack as a Symbol of Violence The Union Jack, emblazoned on Australia’s flag, serves as a subtle yet powerful symbol of this systemic violence. It is a constant reminder of the country’s colonial roots, a time when land was taken by force, and Indigenous peoples were systematically oppressed. Today, while the overt violence of colonization has shifted into the background, its legacy persists in the structural inequalities that shape everyday life. For many Australians, the flag represents pride and progress. For others, it is a symbol of dispossession and exclusion. This dual meaning highlights the deep divisions in how fairness and justice are experienced, depending on one’s place within the colonial hierarchy. The Control of Peaceful Imaginations Non-violent individuals often turn to ideals of peace, ethics, and community as a way to navigate the unfairness of the system. However, the colonial strategy has long been to co-opt these imaginations, redirecting them to serve the interests of the dominant group. For example, the rhetoric of multiculturalism and reconciliation is frequently used to promote the idea that Australia has moved beyond its colonial past. Yet, these efforts often fall short of addressing the structural inequalities that continue to disadvantage marginalized groups. Instead, they serve as a way to maintain the status quo, offering symbolic gestures rather than substantive change. Unfairness as a Daily Reality For non-violent, non-agitating individuals, the daily reality of unfairness can manifest in countless ways: Economic Disparity: Wages, employment opportunities, and wealth distribution continue to favor the dominant cultural group. Cultural Erasure: Indigenous languages, traditions, and histories are often sidelined in favor of a Eurocentric narrative. Policing and Justice: Marginalized groups are disproportionately targeted by law enforcement and are less likely to receive fair treatment in the justice system. While these injustices may not always involve direct violence, the threat of coercion and enforcement looms large. The institutions that govern daily life are protected not by a commitment to fairness, but by the implicit and explicit threat of violence to those who challenge the system. A Call for Change Addressing this systemic unfairness requires more than symbolic gestures or surface-level reforms. It demands a reckoning with the colonial legacy and a commitment to dismantling the structures that perpetuate inequality. For true fairness to be realized, Australia must confront the uncomfortable truths about its past and present, moving beyond the veneer of peaceful coexistence to create a society built on genuine equity and justice. Until then, the Union Jack will remain not just a symbol of the past, but a reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by those who dare to imagine a fairer world.

@ ae6ce958:d0f02c7d

In the age of precision technology, photonic measurement systems like LiDAR play a critical role in transformative industries such as autonomous vehicles, medical imaging, and telecommunications. These systems rely on the precise behavior of sensors and software to ensure accuracy and reliability in complex, real-world environments. DamageBDD, with its innovative approach to Behavior-Driven Development (BDD), provides a platform for enabling a large number of people to participate in defining, testing, and refining the behavior of such systems. By democratizing the process of behavior definition, DamageBDD unlocks new possibilities for collaboration and innovation. This article explores how DamageBDD can be applied to photonic measurement systems, demonstrating its potential to involve diverse stakeholders and enhance the quality of these technologies. --- Why Involve Large Numbers of People in Defining Behavior? 1. Diverse Perspectives: A wide range of participants, including developers, domain experts, end-users, and testers, brings diverse perspectives to defining system behavior. For example: A developer might focus on system performance. A medical professional might prioritize safety in imaging technologies. An end-user might emphasize usability and intuitive interfaces. 2. Real-World Scenarios: Large-scale participation ensures that real-world scenarios are thoroughly explored and represented. For instance, in autonomous vehicles, scenarios such as heavy rain, fog, or crowded urban streets can be identified and tested by people from various geographies and climates. 3. Collective Intelligence: Crowdsourcing behavior definitions can leverage collective intelligence to anticipate edge cases and improve system robustness. --- DamageBDD in Photonic Measurement Systems DamageBDD’s unique ability to verify behavior at scale makes it an ideal platform for optimizing photonic measurement systems like LiDAR. Here’s how DamageBDD can be applied: 1. Defining Behavior Using Real-World Scenarios DamageBDD allows participants to write clear, human-readable scenarios that define expected behavior for photonic measurement systems. These scenarios are stored immutably on-chain, ensuring traceability and accountability. Example: Feature: LiDAR distance measurement Scenario: Accurate measurement in clear weather Given a reflective object is placed 10 meters from the sensor When the LiDAR system emits a pulse Then the system should report the distance as 10 ± 0.1 meters Scenario: Measurement in foggy conditions Given a reflective object is placed 10 meters from the sensor And fog reduces visibility by 50% When the LiDAR system emits a pulse Then the system should report the distance as 10 ± 0.5 meters With DamageBDD, such scenarios can be written by both technical and non-technical participants, enabling large-scale participation in defining behavior. --- 2. Automating Behavior Verification DamageBDD’s platform integrates seamlessly with testing frameworks, enabling automated verification of defined behaviors. This ensures that photonic measurement systems consistently meet the specified criteria across a wide range of scenarios. Example: A team testing a LiDAR system can run automated tests against a DamageBDD-powered test suite. If a test fails—say, the system misreports distances under foggy conditions—it is flagged on-chain, triggering iterative improvements. --- 3. Leveraging Crowdsourcing for Edge Cases DamageBDD enables stakeholders to contribute new test cases and scenarios directly to the platform. For photonic measurement systems, this could involve: Community members submitting scenarios involving unique environmental conditions (e.g., desert sandstorms or arctic snow). Engineers proposing tests for hardware variations or upgrades. Example: A developer in a tropical region might contribute the following scenario: Scenario: Measurement in heavy rain Given a reflective object is placed 5 meters from the sensor And rainfall intensity is 50 mm/hour When the LiDAR system emits a pulse Then the system should report the distance as 5 ± 0.3 meters By involving a global community, DamageBDD ensures comprehensive testing and improved resilience. --- 4. Creating Incentives for Participation One of the standout features of DamageBDD is its ability to incentivize participation through tokenized payouts. Contributors who define or verify behavior are rewarded in Damage Tokens, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem that encourages ongoing collaboration. Example: A developer contributes a new test case for low-light conditions. A tester verifies the scenario by running it against a live system. Both participants receive tokens for their contributions, fostering continued engagement. --- 5. Ensuring Transparency and Accountability With DamageBDD, all behavior definitions, tests, and results are immutably recorded on-chain. This ensures that: Every contribution is traceable to its author. Changes to system behavior are documented over time, creating an auditable history. Example: When a new feature is added to a LiDAR system (e.g., enhanced fog detection), its behavior is verified through DamageBDD. The on-chain record shows: Who defined the behavior. When it was tested. How it performed against previous versions. This transparency builds trust among stakeholders and accelerates adoption. --- Scaling to Other Photonic Applications The principles outlined above can be applied to other photonic measurement systems, such as: Medical Imaging: Ensuring MRI or CT scanners meet safety and accuracy standards across diverse patient demographics. Telecommunications: Optimizing fiber-optic networks for different bandwidth and latency requirements. Astronomy: Enhancing telescopes to accurately measure cosmic phenomena under varying atmospheric conditions. In each case, DamageBDD enables mass participation, rigorous testing, and continuous improvement. --- Conclusion By enabling large numbers of people to define and verify behavior, DamageBDD revolutionizes how we approach photonic measurement systems and other complex technologies. Through its emphasis on collaboration, transparency, and tokenized incentives, DamageBDD not only improves the quality of these systems but also democratizes their development. As industries continue to adopt precision technologies, DamageBDD provides a scalable framework for ensuring they meet the needs of diverse stakeholders. From LiDAR in autonomous vehicles to medical imaging and beyond, the potential for innovation is limitless when empowered by DamageBDD.

@ 89ccea93:df4e00b7

Here's a list of the services I use. I plan to make a blog post for each on ```expatriotic.me``` my previously defunct blog that is going live again. Stay tuned. ### Networking Flint Router Mullvad Tor Little Snitch ### Buying & Selling Bitcoin Bisq Robosats Peach Hodl Hodl ### Private email Tuta Addy.io Proton ### Wallets Ashigaru Stack Duo Cake Sparrow Envoy Zeus Coinos ### Swapping Bitcoin Trocador basicswapdex unstoppable-swap ### noKYC ```kycnot.me``` ### Spending Bitcoin Wise Bitrefill Bitpay PayWithMoon Coinsbee The Bitcoin Company CoinCards.com ### Phone Graphene OS Minimalism Obtainium FOSS apps Signal for DMs Telegram for Groups Silent.Link ### Server DIY with Debian Start9 Dojo Ronin Dojo Monero Nodes ### Podcasts The Ungovernable Misfits News Network The Watchman Privacy originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/863051

@ 16d11430:61640947

In the grand tapestry of global history, few nations have endured and overcome with the resilience and grace of India. The centuries-long oppression wrought by colonialism not only plundered our material wealth but also sought to erode the dignity of our civilization. Today, while the political shackles have been cast off, the shadow of colonial mind games persists, manifesting as ridicule and prejudice toward the Indian diaspora. Yet, as heirs to an ancient and resilient culture, the diaspora must rise above this insidious narrative, reclaiming its agency and asserting its rightful place in the world. The Colonial Playbook: Divide, Deride, and Demean The strategy of the colonial enterprise was never limited to economic exploitation; it sought to demean the very essence of the colonized. Our history, culture, and achievements were systematically denigrated while a manufactured narrative of inferiority was imposed. That very playbook, though subtler in its contemporary iteration, remains at work today. The Indian diaspora, as ambassadors of a thriving civilization, often finds itself targeted by the remnants of colonial prejudice—mocked for its accents, cuisine, and customs, and vilified for its success. Whether it is the ridicule of our English, tainted by colonial imposition, or the disparagement of our efforts to succeed in foreign lands, these tactics are nothing more than the echoes of a bygone era attempting to assert relevance in a world that has moved on. A Legacy of Survival and Triumph To endure is deeply etched into the DNA of the Indian psyche. We have weathered invasions, famines, and systematic subjugation with a fortitude that no conqueror could extinguish. The Indian diaspora, spread across continents, is the living embodiment of this indomitable spirit. It has flourished in the face of adversity, not by seeking vengeance, but by cultivating excellence in every field—science, medicine, literature, and technology—while retaining its cultural roots. Today, Indian-origin CEOs helm some of the world's largest corporations. Indian doctors, engineers, and academics enrich societies across the globe. Yet, the colonial mind games persist, attempting to reduce these achievements to the stereotype of "over-ambition" or "cultural overreach." Such narratives are designed to diminish, to perpetuate the myth of the colonial superior. Reclaiming the Narrative The time has come for the Indian diaspora to reclaim the narrative, not with the bitterness of retribution but with the quiet confidence of a civilization that has seen the rise and fall of empires. The response to colonial mind games must be rooted in three key principles: 1. Pride in Heritage: The richness of Indian culture, from its philosophical traditions to its scientific advancements, is unparalleled. The diaspora must take pride in these achievements and articulate them with clarity and confidence. 2. Mastery of Communication: The colonial critique often begins with language. To counter this, the diaspora must wield English—not as a colonial relic, but as a tool reappropriated and mastered, blending it seamlessly with the wisdom of Sanskrit, Tamil, Hindi, and other mother tongues. 3. Unified Solidarity: The diversity of the Indian diaspora—spanning religions, languages, and regions—is its greatest strength. By standing united, the diaspora can amplify its voice and counter attempts to divide and diminish it. The Enduring Legacy of Dharma India's approach to the world has never been one of conquest but of engagement. From the dissemination of Buddhism to the world to the shared wisdom of yoga and Ayurveda, India's influence has always been through persuasion, not coercion. The diaspora must embody this dharmic ethos, rising above pettiness and prejudice, offering the world not retaliation, but enlightenment. Victory Through Resilience The colonial mind games that seek to ridicule and undermine the Indian diaspora are, in truth, a recognition of its success. They arise from the insecurities of those who once sought to subjugate, now witnessing the rise of a civilization they sought to diminish. The Indian diaspora must endure not by stooping to the tactics of its detractors but by transcending them. The answer to colonial prejudice lies in excellence, unity, and an unshakable belief in the values that have guided India for millennia. As we stride confidently into the future, let us remember: the spirit of India is not one of vengeance but of vindication. The triumph of the Indian diaspora will not be in silencing its critics but in rendering them irrelevant through the brilliance of its achievements and the dignity of its conduct. The time for enduring is over; the time for overcoming is now.

@ 28cac85f:54300cac

**Reduction in Crime and Incarceration Rates:** The war on drugs has often led to mass incarceration, particularly affecting minority communities. By decriminalizing drugs, the focus shifts from punishment to treatment, reducing the number of people in prison for drug possession. Portugal saw a significant decrease in drug-related incarceration following decriminalization. The proportion of the prison population held for drug offenses has decreased from over 40% in 2001 to around 15.7% by 2019, reducing the burden on the criminal justice system. **Public Health Over Criminal Justice:** Treating drug use as a public health issue rather than a criminal one allows for better health outcomes. Portugal's model emphasizes harm reduction strategies like needle exchange programs, which have lowered rates of diseases like HIV and hepatitis C among drug users. There was a significant increase in the number of people entering drug treatment programs, with treatment admissions rising by about 60% from 1998 to 2011. New infections from needle sharing decreased dramatically, with HIV cases among drug users falling from an all-time high in 2000 to much lower rates by 2015. **Focus on Addiction Treatment:** Legalization or decriminalization can free up resources (both financial and human) for addiction treatment rather than law enforcement. Portugal invested in treatment facilities and outreach programs, leading to an increase in people seeking help for addiction. There has been a marked reduction in drug-related mortality. Overdose deaths dropped significantly from around 400 annually before decriminalization to much lower numbers in subsequent years. **Reducing Stigma:** By removing criminal penalties, the stigma associated with drug use is diminished, encouraging more users to seek help without fear of legal repercussions. This can lead to earlier interventions in addiction. Drug use is now more widely seen as a health issue rather than a criminal one, which has helped reduce stigmatization and encourage people to seek help. **Economic Benefits:** The costs associated with drug enforcement are substantial. Redirecting these funds towards education, prevention, and treatment can be more cost-effective in the long run. Additionally, regulated drug markets could generate tax revenue, although this aspect is more relevant if drugs are fully legalized rather than just decriminalized. The reduction in incarceration for drug offenses has potentially saved costs, allowing reallocation of funds towards health services and treatment. **Impact on Drug Market Violence:** Much of the violence associated with drug markets stems from their illegal nature, leading to turf wars among dealers. Legal regulation can potentially reduce this violence by cutting out the black market. **Empirical Evidence:** Portugal's experience since decriminalizing personal drug use in 2001 has shown positive trends. Drug-related deaths decreased, and there was no significant increase in drug use among the population, countering fears that decriminalization would lead to rampant drug use. **Human Rights Perspective:** The criminalization of drug use has been criticized as a violation of human rights, disproportionately affecting the poor, minorities, and those with mental health issues. A health-centric approach respects human dignity and focuses on recovery. Let's do this here in the US, why not?

@ 16d11430:61640947

In the dystopian wasteland of tech we call the "crypto space," where tokenomics is a euphemism for Ponzi schemes and the word “decentralized” is abused like a buzzword-shaped piñata, software engineers—real ones—struggle to survive. I’m not talking about the low-effort devs churning out Solidity copy-pasta for the next Insert-Adjective-Coin. No, I mean the overexperienced, underpaid, and utterly exhausted professionals who used to build things that mattered—systems that could scale, products that solved problems, applications that didn’t have to slap "on-chain" on their name to justify their existence. Now? Honest conversations about software design, scalability, or—God forbid—ethics, are impossible. Why? Because the room is full of crypto zealots whose job descriptions boil down to "pump my bags or GTFO." --- Enter the Zealots: The New Pyramid Architects Walk into any crypto meeting, and you’ll find the same characters. The "visionary" founder with a LinkedIn bio that could double as a scammer’s résumé. The "community manager" whose job is to slap rocket emojis on tweets about nothing. And the "blockchain developer" who doesn’t know the difference between O(n) and "Oh, nice, this whitepaper has pretty graphs." Now, try having an honest discussion with this crowd. You: "This app doesn’t need a blockchain. A SQL database would handle this faster, cheaper, and more securely." Them: "Actually, by using our Layer 2 token, we're decentralizing freedom, empowering communities, and disrupting the financial matrix." Translation: "Our tokenomics scheme will siphon liquidity from suckers while pretending to solve a non-existent problem." If you dare to mention Bitcoin—real Bitcoin, not some Frankenstein monstrosity glued to a shitcoin L2—you’ll get branded a heretic. "But Bitcoin can’t do smart contracts!" they cry, as if adding complexity to simplicity is a virtue, not a design flaw. --- The Tokenomics Scam: Why Engineers Hate Their Lives Here's the dirty secret: most crypto projects are not software projects. They’re marketing scams with some code sprinkled on top. The goal isn’t to build something robust or meaningful—it’s to create just enough technical smoke and mirrors to dupe investors into buying the token. For a software engineer, it’s soul-crushing work. You’ll spend 80% of your time wrestling with poorly documented APIs on some vaporware blockchain, 15% explaining to your PM why "put it on-chain" is a stupid idea, and the remaining 5% wondering why you didn’t just go into carpentry instead. --- Bitcoin: The Elephant in the Room Every real engineer knows that Bitcoin works. It’s simple. It’s secure. It’s elegant. But because it doesn’t have a flashy CEO or a billion-dollar marketing budget, the average crypto enthusiast treats it like a relic. "It’s too slow," they’ll say, without understanding why Proof-of-Work exists. "It’s too basic," they’ll argue, as if simplicity is a flaw and not the reason Bitcoin has remained unbroken for over a decade. Meanwhile, these same zealots will praise the latest shitcoin L2 that "fixes" Bitcoin by adding layers of complexity that require endless token sales to function. Never mind that these systems are riddled with attack vectors. Never mind that the "innovation" usually amounts to reinventing centralized finance, only worse. It’s not about building better systems; it’s about spinning a better narrative. --- The Undervalued CTO: A Study in Pain And where does that leave the senior engineer, the architect, the CTO who’s been around long enough to smell the bullshit from a mile away? Stuck in endless meetings where you’re forced to explain to the same wide-eyed MBAs why the laws of physics and computer science apply to blockchains, too. Worse, your paycheck is probably being paid in tokens that are only worth something if you can stomach shilling them to the next sucker. The most depressing part? The zealots don’t even know they’re part of the scam. They’ve convinced themselves that they’re "building the future" when all they’re really building is a pyramid, one token sale at a time. --- A Modest Proposal: Burn It All Down Here’s an idea: let’s strip crypto down to what works. Keep Bitcoin. Scrap everything else. Rebuild the internet of value on solid foundations, not speculative hype. Let engineers, not marketers, lead the way. Until then, we’ll keep trudging along, writing code for projects we don’t believe in, pretending that decentralizing dog grooming or tokenizing air molecules is the next big thing. Because, let’s face it, in crypto, the only thing that scales reliably is bullshit.

@ df476244:6804e458

# Markdown: Syntax - [Markdown: Syntax](#markdown-syntax) - [Overview](#overview) - [Philosophy](#philosophy) - [Block Elements](#block-elements) - [Paragraphs and Line Breaks](#paragraphs-and-line-breaks) - [Headers](#headers) - [Blockquotes](#blockquotes) - [Lists](#lists) - [Code Blocks](#code-blocks) - [Span Elements](#span-elements) - [Links](#links) - [Emphasis](#emphasis) - [Code](#code) **Note:** This document is itself written using Markdown; you can see the source for it by viewing the raw [basic.md](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dergigi/md-gutter/refs/heads/master/basic.md) file. ---- ## Overview ### Philosophy Markdown is intended to be as easy-to-read and easy-to-write as is feasible. Readability, however, is emphasized above all else. A Markdown-formatted document should be publishable as-is, as plain text, without looking like it's been marked up with tags or formatting instructions. While Markdown's syntax has been influenced by several existing text-to-HTML filters -- including [Setext](http://docutils.sourceforge.net/mirror/setext.html), [atx](http://www.aaronsw.com/2002/atx/), [Textile](http://textism.com/tools/textile/), [reStructuredText](http://docutils.sourceforge.net/rst.html), [Grutatext](http://www.triptico.com/software/grutatxt.html), and [EtText](http://ettext.taint.org/doc/) -- the single biggest source of inspiration for Markdown's syntax is the format of plain text email. ## Block Elements ### Paragraphs and Line Breaks A paragraph is simply one or more consecutive lines of text, separated by one or more blank lines. (A blank line is any line that looks like a blank line -- a line containing nothing but spaces or tabs is considered blank.) Normal paragraphs should not be indented with spaces or tabs. The implication of the "one or more consecutive lines of text" rule is that Markdown supports "hard-wrapped" text paragraphs. This differs significantly from most other text-to-HTML formatters (including Movable Type's "Convert Line Breaks" option) which translate every line break character in a paragraph into a `<br />` tag. When you *do* want to insert a `<br />` break tag using Markdown, you end a line with two or more spaces, then type return. ### Headers Markdown supports two styles of headers, [Setext] [1] and [atx] [2]. Optionally, you may "close" atx-style headers. This is purely cosmetic -- you can use this if you think it looks better. The closing hashes don't even need to match the number of hashes used to open the header. (The number of opening hashes determines the header level.) ### Blockquotes Markdown uses email-style `>` characters for blockquoting. If you're familiar with quoting passages of text in an email message, then you know how to create a blockquote in Markdown. It looks best if you hard wrap the text and put a `>` before every line: > This is a blockquote with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, > consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. > Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus. > > Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse > id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing. Markdown allows you to be lazy and only put the `>` before the first line of a hard-wrapped paragraph: > This is a blockquote with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus. > Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing. Blockquotes can be nested (i.e. a blockquote-in-a-blockquote) by adding additional levels of `>`: > This is the first level of quoting. > > > This is nested blockquote. > > Back to the first level. Blockquotes can contain other Markdown elements, including headers, lists, and code blocks: > ## This is a header. > > 1. This is the first list item. > 2. This is the second list item. > > Here's some example code: > > return shell_exec("echo $input | $markdown_script"); Any decent text editor should make email-style quoting easy. For example, with BBEdit, you can make a selection and choose Increase Quote Level from the Text menu. ### Lists Markdown supports ordered (numbered) and unordered (bulleted) lists. Unordered lists use asterisks, pluses, and hyphens -- interchangably -- as list markers: * Red * Green * Blue is equivalent to: + Red + Green + Blue and: - Red - Green - Blue Ordered lists use numbers followed by periods: 1. Bird 2. McHale 3. Parish It's important to note that the actual numbers you use to mark the list have no effect on the HTML output Markdown produces. The HTML Markdown produces from the above list is: If you instead wrote the list in Markdown like this: 1. Bird 1. McHale 1. Parish or even: 3. Bird 1. McHale 8. Parish you'd get the exact same HTML output. The point is, if you want to, you can use ordinal numbers in your ordered Markdown lists, so that the numbers in your source match the numbers in your published HTML. But if you want to be lazy, you don't have to. To make lists look nice, you can wrap items with hanging indents: * Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus. * Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing. But if you want to be lazy, you don't have to: * Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus. * Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing. List items may consist of multiple paragraphs. Each subsequent paragraph in a list item must be indented by either 4 spaces or one tab: 1. This is a list item with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus. Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus. Donec sit amet nisl. Aliquam semper ipsum sit amet velit. 2. Suspendisse id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing. It looks nice if you indent every line of the subsequent paragraphs, but here again, Markdown will allow you to be lazy: * This is a list item with two paragraphs. This is the second paragraph in the list item. You're only required to indent the first line. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. * Another item in the same list. To put a blockquote within a list item, the blockquote's `>` delimiters need to be indented: * A list item with a blockquote: > This is a blockquote > inside a list item. To put a code block within a list item, the code block needs to be indented *twice* -- 8 spaces or two tabs: * A list item with a code block: <code goes here> ### Code Blocks Pre-formatted code blocks are used for writing about programming or markup source code. Rather than forming normal paragraphs, the lines of a code block are interpreted literally. Markdown wraps a code block in both `<pre>` and `<code>` tags. To produce a code block in Markdown, simply indent every line of the block by at least 4 spaces or 1 tab. This is a normal paragraph: This is a code block. Here is an example of AppleScript: tell application "Foo" beep end tell A code block continues until it reaches a line that is not indented (or the end of the article). Within a code block, ampersands (`&`) and angle brackets (`<` and `>`) are automatically converted into HTML entities. This makes it very easy to include example HTML source code using Markdown -- just paste it and indent it, and Markdown will handle the hassle of encoding the ampersands and angle brackets. For example, this: <div class="footer"> &copy; 2004 Foo Corporation </div> Regular Markdown syntax is not processed within code blocks. E.g., asterisks are just literal asterisks within a code block. This means it's also easy to use Markdown to write about Markdown's own syntax. ``` tell application "Foo" beep end tell ``` ## Span Elements ### Links Markdown supports two style of links: *inline* and *reference*. In both styles, the link text is delimited by [square brackets]. To create an inline link, use a set of regular parentheses immediately after the link text's closing square bracket. Inside the parentheses, put the URL where you want the link to point, along with an *optional* title for the link, surrounded in quotes. For example: ``` This is [an example](http://example.com/ "Example Title") inline link. ``` This is [an example](http://example.com/ "Example Title") inline link. ``` [This link](http://example.net/) has no title attribute. ``` [This link](http://example.net/) has no title attribute. Reference-style links use a second set of square brackets, inside which you place a label of your choosing to identify the link: ``` This is [an example][id] reference-style link. ``` This is [an example][id] reference-style link. Then, anywhere in the document, you define your link label like this, on a line by itself: ``` [id]: http://example.com/ "Optional Title Here" ``` [id]: http://example.com/ "Optional Title Here" ### Emphasis Markdown treats asterisks (`*`) and underscores (`_`) as indicators of emphasis. Text wrapped with one `*` or `_` will be wrapped with an HTML `<em>` tag; double `*`'s or `_`'s will be wrapped with an HTML `<strong>` tag. E.g., this input: *single asterisks* _single underscores_ **double asterisks** __double underscores__ ### Code To indicate a span of code, wrap it with backtick quotes (`` ` ``). Unlike a pre-formatted code block, a code span indicates code within a normal paragraph. For example: Use the `printf()` function.

@ bcea2b98:7ccef3c9

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/862840

@ 16d11430:61640947

The legacy of Thomas Babington Macaulay’s education policies in colonial India has left a profound and complex impact on generations of Indians who were groomed to serve as intermediaries between the British colonial authorities and the native population. Dubbed "Macaulay’s Little Englishmen," these individuals faced unique psychosocial challenges stemming from their dual identity—educated and acculturated in the ways of the British yet tied to their Indian heritage. Straddling these two worlds, they often became objects of suspicion and alienation, regarded as potential double agents in a deeply divided society. This article explores the psychosocial effects of such an upbringing, which left these individuals feeling unmoored, mistrusted, and culturally disoriented. The Double Bind: Torn Between Two Worlds The fundamental conflict for Macaulay's "Little Englishmen" lay in their hybrid identity. Educated to think, speak, and act like the British, they were expected to serve the colonial administration, often as clerks, teachers, or intermediaries. However, this acculturation came at a cost: alienation from their own cultural roots. Their mastery of the English language and exposure to Western philosophy, law, and governance set them apart from the masses, who viewed them as traitors to their native heritage. At the same time, these individuals were never fully accepted by the British elite. Despite their fluency in English and adoption of British customs, they were often treated as inferior, excluded from the corridors of real power. This dual rejection—by their own people and their colonial masters—created a profound sense of isolation and a fractured sense of self. The Suspicion of Betrayal The psychosocial burden of living as a cultural and social hybrid was compounded by the pervasive suspicion they faced from both sides. 1. From the British: While Macaulay’s education system intended to create loyal intermediaries, the British often doubted the loyalty of these individuals. Were they truly assimilated into the colonial ideology, or were they secretly harboring nationalist sentiments? This doubt meant that, despite their qualifications, many were confined to subordinate roles, denied the trust and respect they sought from their colonial employers. 2. From their own people: Within Indian society, these individuals were often perceived as sellouts or traitors who had traded their cultural identity for material gain. They were seen as collaborators in the colonial machinery that oppressed their own people. This mistrust led to social ostracization and an enduring sense of guilt and shame, as they were caught between the expectations of their colonial education and the loyalty to their heritage. Psychosocial Consequences The experience of living under constant suspicion and alienation had deep psychological and social repercussions: 1. Identity Crisis: The duality of their upbringing created a fractured identity. They were neither fully British nor fully Indian, leading to feelings of dislocation and an inability to fully belong to either world. This liminal state often resulted in a lifelong struggle with self-perception and cultural loyalty. 2. Chronic Anxiety: The need to constantly navigate the expectations and suspicions of both the British and Indian communities induced chronic stress. They had to carefully monitor their behavior, speech, and actions to avoid appearing disloyal to either side. This vigilance contributed to anxiety, self-doubt, and a lack of authentic self-expression. 3. Social Isolation: Alienated from their own communities and never fully accepted by the British, many of these individuals experienced profound loneliness. They lacked meaningful social support, as their education and socialization had placed them in a unique and isolating position. 4. Internalized Inferiority: The colonial education system, designed to instill admiration for British culture and disdain for indigenous traditions, often led to internalized feelings of inferiority. Many came to view their own heritage as backward or uncivilized, perpetuating a cycle of cultural self-erasure. 5. Moral Conflict: Being agents of a colonial system that oppressed their own people created a moral dilemma. Many felt complicit in the exploitation and subjugation of their fellow Indians, leading to guilt and cognitive dissonance. This internal conflict was particularly pronounced during the rise of the Indian independence movement, when calls for loyalty to one’s nation clashed with their colonial upbringing. The Broader Implications The psychosocial effects of being “Macaulay’s Little Englishmen” extend beyond the individual level, influencing broader societal dynamics. The creation of a class of culturally alienated intermediaries contributed to the perpetuation of colonial hierarchies, even after independence. The mistrust they experienced on both sides foreshadowed the postcolonial identity crises faced by many nations grappling with the legacy of colonization. Furthermore, the notion of being a "double agent" has parallels in modern postcolonial societies, where individuals educated in Western systems often face similar suspicions of disloyalty or cultural inauthenticity. The scars of Macaulay’s experiment in social engineering are still visible in the struggles of postcolonial nations to reconcile traditional identities with the legacies of colonial modernity. Conclusion The psychosocial toll of being "Macaulay’s Little Englishmen" highlights the deep and lasting consequences of cultural alienation and identity manipulation. These individuals lived as bridges between two worlds, yet they were mistrusted and misunderstood by both. Their experiences serve as a poignant reminder of the human cost of colonialism and the complex legacy of cultural hybridity in a divided world. The story of Macaulay's "Little Englishmen" is not just a tale of alienation—it is a testament to the resilience of those who navigated impossible contradictions, often at great personal cost.

@ a95c6243:d345522c

*Menschen tun alles, egal wie absurd,* *\ um ihrer eigenen Seele nicht zu begegnen.* *\ Carl Gustav Jung* &#x20; **«Extremer Reichtum ist eine Gefahr für die Demokratie»,** sagen über die Hälfte der knapp 3000 befragten Millionäre aus G20-Staaten laut einer [Umfrage](https://web.archive.org/web/20250122124803/https://patrioticmillionaires.org/web/20250122124803/https://patrioticmillionaires.org/press/nearly-two-thirds-of-millionaires-think-influence-of-the-super-rich-on-trump-presidency-is-threat-to-global-stability/) der «Patriotic Millionaires». Ferner stellte dieser Zusammenschluss wohlhabender US-Amerikaner fest, dass 63 Prozent jener Millionäre den Einfluss von Superreichen auf US-Präsident Trump als Bedrohung für die globale Stabilität ansehen. **Diese Besorgnis haben 370 Millionäre und Milliardäre am Dienstag** auch den in Davos beim WEF konzentrierten Privilegierten aus aller Welt übermittelt. In einem offenen Brief forderten sie die «gewählten Führer» auf, die Superreichen – also sie selbst – zu besteuern, um «die zersetzenden Auswirkungen des extremen Reichtums auf unsere Demokratien und die Gesellschaft zu bekämpfen». Zum Beispiel kontrolliere eine handvoll extrem reicher Menschen die Medien, beeinflusse die Rechtssysteme in unzulässiger Weise und verwandele Recht in Unrecht. **Schon 2019** **[beanstandete](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paaen3b44XY)** **der bekannte Historiker und Schriftsteller Ruthger Bregman** an einer WEF-Podiumsdiskussion die Steuervermeidung der Superreichen. Die elitäre Veranstaltung bezeichnete er als «Feuerwehr-Konferenz, bei der man nicht über Löschwasser sprechen darf.» Daraufhin erhielt Bregman keine Einladungen nach Davos mehr. Auf seine Aussagen machte der Schweizer Aktivist Alec Gagneux aufmerksam, der sich seit Jahrzehnten kritisch mit dem WEF befasst. Ihm wurde kürzlich der Zutritt zu einem dreiteiligen Kurs über das WEF an der Volkshochschule Region Brugg [verwehrt](https://transition-news.org/wef-propaganda-an-schweizer-volkshochschule-kritiker-ausgesperrt). **Nun ist die Erkenntnis, dass mit Geld politischer Einfluss einhergeht,** alles andere als neu. Und extremer Reichtum macht die Sache nicht wirklich besser. Trotzdem hat man über Initiativen wie Patriotic Millionaires oder [Taxmenow](https://www.taxmenow.eu/) bisher eher selten etwas gehört, obwohl es sie schon lange gibt. Auch scheint es kein Problem, wenn ein Herr [Gates](https://transition-news.org/bill-melinda-gates-stiftung) fast im Alleingang versucht, globale Gesundheits-, Klima-, Ernährungs- oder Bevölkerungspolitik zu betreiben – im Gegenteil. Im Jahr, als der Milliardär Donald Trump zum zweiten Mal ins Weiße Haus einzieht, ist das Echo in den Gesinnungsmedien dagegen enorm – und uniform, wer hätte das gedacht.  **Der neue US-Präsident hat jedoch** **[«Davos geerdet»](https://www.achgut.com/artikel/trump_erdet_davos_gruener_betrug_green_new_scam),** wie *Achgut* es nannte. In seiner kurzen [Rede](https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/special-address-by-the-president-of-the-united-states-of-america/) beim Weltwirtschaftsforum verteidigte er seine Politik und stellte klar, er habe schlicht eine «Revolution des gesunden Menschenverstands» begonnen. Mit deutlichen Worten sprach er unter anderem von ersten Maßnahmen gegen den «Green New Scam», und von einem «Erlass, der jegliche staatliche Zensur beendet»: > «Unsere Regierung wird die Äußerungen unserer eigenen Bürger nicht mehr als Fehlinformation oder Desinformation bezeichnen, was die Lieblingswörter von Zensoren und derer sind, die den freien Austausch von Ideen und, offen gesagt, den Fortschritt verhindern wollen.» **Wie der** **[«Trumpismus»](https://transition-news.org/trumpismus-zeitenwende-und-tiefer-staat)** **letztlich einzuordnen ist,** muss jeder für sich selbst entscheiden. Skepsis ist definitiv angebracht, denn «einer von uns» sind weder der Präsident noch seine auserwählten Teammitglieder. Ob sie irgendeinen Sumpf trockenlegen oder Staatsverbrechen aufdecken werden oder was aus WHO- und Klimaverträgen wird, bleibt abzuwarten. **Das** **[WHO](https://transition-news.org/who-bedauert-trumps-entscheidung-sich-aus-der-organisation-zuruckzuziehen)-Dekret fordert jedenfalls die Übertragung der Gelder auf «glaubwürdige Partner»,** die die Aktivitäten übernehmen könnten. Zufällig scheint mit «Impfguru» Bill Gates ein weiterer Harris-Unterstützer kürzlich das Lager gewechselt zu haben: Nach einem gemeinsamen Abendessen zeigte er sich [«beeindruckt»](https://archive.is/SpQ24) von Trumps Interesse an der globalen Gesundheit. **Mit dem** **[Projekt «Stargate»](https://transition-news.org/us-privatsektor-will-500-milliarden-dollar-in-ki-investieren-krebsimpfstoffe)** **sind weitere dunkle Wolken am Erwartungshorizont** der Fangemeinde aufgezogen. Trump hat dieses Joint Venture zwischen den Konzernen OpenAI, Oracle, und SoftBank als das «größte KI-Infrastrukturprojekt der Geschichte» angekündigt. Der Stein des Anstoßes: Oracle-CEO Larry Ellison, der auch Fan von KI-gestützter [Echtzeit-Überwachung](https://transition-news.org/oracle-kundigt-neues-ki-rechenzentrum-mit-eigenen-atomreaktoren-an) ist, sieht einen weiteren potenziellen Einsatz der künstlichen Intelligenz. Sie könne dazu dienen, Krebserkrankungen zu erkennen und individuelle mRNA-«Impfstoffe» zur Behandlung innerhalb von 48 Stunden zu entwickeln. **Warum bitte sollten sich diese superreichen «Eliten» ins eigene Fleisch schneiden** und direkt entgegen ihren eigenen Interessen handeln? Weil sie Menschenfreunde, sogenannte Philanthropen sind? Oder vielleicht, weil sie ein schlechtes Gewissen haben und ihre Schuld kompensieren müssen? Deswegen jedenfalls brauchen «Linke» laut Robert Willacker, einem deutschen Politikberater mit brasilianischen Wurzeln, rechte Parteien – ein ebenso überraschender wie humorvoller [Erklärungsansatz](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s63_8flX1zk). **Wenn eine Krähe der anderen kein Auge aushackt,** dann tut sie das sich selbst noch weniger an. Dass Millionäre ernsthaft ihre eigene Besteuerung fordern oder Machteliten ihren eigenen Einfluss zugunsten anderer einschränken würden, halte ich für sehr unwahrscheinlich. So etwas glaube ich erst, wenn zum Beispiel die [Rüstungsindustrie](https://transition-news.org/schweiz-zunehmende-beteiligung-an-eu-militarprojekten) sich um Friedensverhandlungen bemüht, die [Pharmalobby](https://transition-news.org/eu-lobbyisten-gegen-pfas-verbot) sich gegen institutionalisierte Korruption einsetzt, [Zentralbanken](https://transition-news.org/digitale-wahrung) ihre CBDC-Pläne für Bitcoin opfern oder der ÖRR die Abschaffung der Rundfunkgebühren fordert. *** Dieser Beitrag ist zuerst auf ***[Transition News](https://transition-news.org/elitare-anti-eliten-und-superreiche-anti-reiche)*** erschienen.

@ 3c506452:fef9202b

Kia ora ano e te iwi whanui! Often I pose the question to myself "How would I say this if I had no knowledge whatsoever of English?" That's basically what guides my sentence formation whenever I speak Maori. Since the arrival of Tauiwi into our turangawaewae, our reo has shifted, largely due to intermingling with the English language, and an entire generation or two completing losing the reo. Great efforts have been made to secure our language from total extinction, and the number of te reo speakers seems to be on the rise. What I do notice though is that most of the time when I do hear te reo being spoken, it's cadence follows that of the English language. Vowels are clipped, consonants are aspirated, and English thought patterns are disguised via the Maori language. Regardless, I still appreciate and prefer the reo to be spoken rather than it not be spoken at all. I once heard someone remark that > "Maori sounds like Hawaiian with a New Zealand accent. Hilarious!" So, how do I personally tackle this and try make my own reo sound more Maori? #### Here's how: 1. Read Nupepa Maori - When the written word came to us, we dove straight in. Nupepa Maori gives great insight into how the language was used using the new medium of pen and paper. 2. Listen to the older videos of Wakahuia Docos - Wakahuia has been running for a long time and I find listening to our old people of those times a good way to hear the differences between how the reo sounds today, and how it sounded a little while back. 3. Listen Radio Kahungunu archives - They have a really nice archive of a talkback radio show. 4. People to listen for - I personally try to find anything by Timoti Karetu, Quinton Hita, and Julian Wilcox as I really enjoy the sound of how they speak the reo. 5. Listen to Cook Island Maori, Gagana Tokelau and Hawaiian (Keao Nesmith, Niihau dialect, Kaalala, Kanahele Collection) - Listening to other polynesian languages gives a good general gist of the sound of polynesian languages. I try to emulate a similar sound whenever I speak te reo. No reira, ko tena tena, I hope that 2025 will be a good year for Te Reo Maori! Nga rauemi: [Nupepa Maori](https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/aotearoa-he-nupepa-ma-nga-tangata-maori) [Wakahuia](https://www.youtube.com/@wakahuiatvnz) [Radio Kahungunu](https://www.radiokahungunu.nz/pukapuka-korero-tahi) [Quinton Hita](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MlpNgI_T9s) [Julian Wilcox](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7AB-PHJibk) [Timoti Karetu](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx_MbrorYqw&pp) [Kanahele Collection](https://library.byuh.edu/clinton-kanahele-collection) [Ka Alala](https://www.youtube.com/@kaalala) [Gagana Tokelau](https://pmn.co.nz/radio-stations/531-pi/shows/pmn-tokelau) [Kuki Learning](https://kukilearning.com/)

@ 39cc53c9:27168656

> [Read the original blog post](https://blog.kycnot.me/p/new-kycnot) The new website is finally live! I put in a lot of hard work over the past months on it. I'm proud to say that it's out now and it looks pretty cool, at least to me! ## Why rewrite it all? The old kycnot.me site was built using Python with Flask about two years ago. Since then, I've gained a lot more experience with Golang and coding in general. Trying to update that old codebase, which had a lot of *design flaws*, would have been a bad idea. It would have been like building on an *unstable foundation*. That's why I made the decision to rewrite the entire application. Initially, I chose to use SvelteKit with JavaScript. I did manage to create a stable site that looked similar to the new one, but it required Jav aScript to work. As I kept coding, I started feeling like I was repeating *"the Python mistake"*. I was writing the app in a language I wasn't very familiar with (just like when I was learning Python at that mom ent), and I wasn't happy with the code. It felt like *spaghetti code* all the time. So, I made a complete U-turn and started over, this time using Golang. While I'm not as proficient in Golang as I am in Python now, I find it to be a *very enjoyable language* to code with. Most aof my recent pr ojects have been written in Golang, and I'm getting the hang of it. I tried to make the best decisions I could and *structure the code* as well as possible. Of course, there's still *room for improvement*, which I'll address in future updates. Now I have a more *maintainable website* that can *scale* much better. It uses a *real database* instead of a JSON file like the old site, and I can add many more features. Since I chose to go with Golang, I mad e the "tradeoff" of not using JavaScript at all, so all the rendering load falls on the server. But I believe it's a tradeoff that's worth it. ## What's new - **UI/UX** - I've designed a new logo and color palette for kycnot.me. I think it looks pretty cool and cypherpunk. I am not a graphic designer, but I think I did a decent work and I put a lot of thinking on it to make it pleasant! - **Point system** - The new [point system](https://kycnot.me/about#what-is-a-point) provides more detailed information about the listings, and **can** be expanded to cover additional features across all services. Anyone can request a new **point**! - **ToS Scrapper**: I've implemented a powerful automated terms-of-service scrapper that collects all the ToS pages from the listings. It saves you from the hassle of reading the ToS by listing the lines that are suspiciously related to KYC/AML practices. This is still in development and it will improve for sure, but it works pretty fine right now! - **Search bar** - The new search bar allows you to easily filter services. It performs a full-text search on the Title, Description, Category, and Tags of all the services. Looking for VPN services? Just search for "vpn"! - **Transparency** - To be more [transparent](https://beta.kycnot.me/about#transparency), all discussions about services now take place publicly on GitLab. I won't be answering any e-mails (an auto-reply will prompt to write to the corresponding Gitlab issue). This ensures that all service-related matters are publicly accessible and recorded. Additionally, there's a real-time [audits](https://beta.kycnot.me/about#audit) page that displays database changes. - **Listing Requests** - I have upgraded the request system. The new form allows you to directly request services or points without any extra steps. In the future, I plan to enable requests for specific changes to parts of the website. - **Lightweight and fast** - The new site is lighter and faster than its predecessor! - **Tor and I2P** - At last! kycnot.me is now officially on [Tor and I2P](https://beta.kycnot.me/about#tor-and-i2p)! ## How? This rewrite has been a labor of love, in the end, I've been working on this for more than 3 months now. I don't have a team, so I work by myself on my free time, but I find great joy in helping people on their private journey with cryptocurrencies. Making it easier for individuals to use cryptocurrencies **without KYC** is a goal I am proud of! If you appreciate [my work](https://kycnot.me/about#about), you can support me through the methods listed [here](https://kycnot.me/about#support). Alternatively, feel free to send me an email with a kind message! ### Technical details All the code is written in [Golang](https://go.dev), the website makes use of the [chi](https://go-chi.io) router for the routing part. I also make use of [BigCache](https://github.com/allegro/bigcache) for caching database requests. There is 0 JavaScript, so all the rendering load falls on the server, this means it needed to be efficient enough to not drawn with a few users since the old site was reporting about **2M** requests per month on average (note that this are not unique users). The database is running with [mariadb](https://mariadb.org/), using [gorm](https://gorm.io) as the ORM. This is more than enough for this project. I started working with an `sqlite` database, but I ended up migrating to **mariadb** since it works better with JSON. The scraper is using [chromedp](https://github.com/chromedp/chromedp) combined with a series of keywords, regex and other logic. It runs every 24h and scraps all the services. You can find the scraper code [here](https://gitlab.com/kycnot/kycnot.me/-/tree/main/scraper). The frontend is written using **Golang Templates** for the HTML, and [TailwindCSS](https://tailwindcss.com/) plus [DaisyUI](https://daisyui.com) for the CSS classes framework. I also use some plain CSS, but it's minimal. The requests forms is the only part of the project that requires JavaScript to be enabled. It is needed for parsing some from fields that are a bit complex and for the *"captcha"*, which is a simple *Proof of Work* that runs on your browser, destinated to avoid spam. For this, I use [mCaptcha](https://mcaptcha.org/).

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> [Read the original blog post](https://blog.kycnot.me/p/kyc-no-thanks) Know Your Customer is a regulation that requires companies of all sizes to verify the identity, suitability, and risks involved with maintaining a business relationship with a customer. Such procedures fit within the broader scope of anti-money laundering (AML) and counterterrorism financing (CTF) regulations. Banks, exchanges, online business, mail providers, domain registrars... Everyone wants to know who you are before you can even opt for their service. Your personal information is flowing around the internet in the hands of "god-knows-who" and secured by "trust-me-bro military-grade encryption". Once your account is linked to your personal (and verified) identity, tracking you is just as easy as keeping logs on all these platforms. ## Rights for Illusions KYC processes aim to combat terrorist financing, money laundering, and other illicit activities. On the surface, KYC seems like a commendable initiative. I mean, who wouldn't want to halt terrorists and criminals in their tracks? The logic behind KYC is: "If we mandate every financial service provider to identify their users, it becomes easier to pinpoint and apprehend the malicious actors." However, terrorists and criminals are not precisely lining up to be identified. They're crafty. They may adopt false identities or find alternative strategies to continue their operations. Far from being outwitted, many times they're several steps ahead of regulations. Realistically, KYC might deter a small fraction – let's say about 1% [^1] – of these malefactors. Yet, the cost? All of us are saddled with the inconvenient process of identification just to use a service. Under the rhetoric of "ensuring our safety", governments and institutions enact regulations that seem more out of a dystopian novel, gradually taking away our right to privacy. To illustrate, consider a city where the mayor has rolled out facial recognition cameras in every nook and cranny. A band of criminals, intent on robbing a local store, rolls in with a stolen car, their faces obscured by masks and their bodies cloaked in all-black clothes. Once they've committed the crime and exited the city's boundaries, they switch vehicles and clothes out of the cameras' watchful eyes. The high-tech surveillance? It didn’t manage to identify or trace them. Yet, for every law-abiding citizen who merely wants to drive through the city or do some shopping, their movements and identities are constantly logged. The irony? This invasive tracking impacts all of us, just to catch the 1% [^1] of less-than-careful criminals. ## KYC? Not you. > KYC creates barriers to participation in normal economic activity, to supposedly stop criminals. [^2] KYC puts barriers between many users and businesses. One of these comes from the fact that the process often requires multiple forms of identification, proof of address, and sometimes even financial records. For individuals in areas with poor record-keeping, non-recognized legal documents, or those who are unbanked, homeless or transient, obtaining these documents can be challenging, if not impossible. For people who are not skilled with technology or just don't have access to it, there's also a barrier since KYC procedures are mostly online, leaving them inadvertently excluded. Another barrier goes for the casual or one-time user, where they might not see the value in undergoing a rigorous KYC process, and these requirements can deter them from using the service altogether. It also wipes some businesses out of the equation, since for smaller businesses, the costs associated with complying with KYC norms—from the actual process of gathering and submitting documents to potential delays in operations—can be prohibitive in economical and/or technical terms. ## You're not welcome Imagine a swanky new club in town with a strict "members only" sign. You hear the music, you see the lights, and you want in. You step up, ready to join, but suddenly there's a long list of criteria you must meet. After some time, you are finally checking all the boxes. But then the club rejects your membership with no clear reason why. You just weren't accepted. Frustrating, right? This club scenario isn't too different from the fact that KYC is being used by many businesses as a convenient gatekeeping tool. A perfect excuse based on a "legal" procedure they are obliged to. Even some exchanges may randomly use this to freeze and block funds from users, claiming these were "flagged" by a cryptic system that inspects the transactions. You are left hostage to their arbitrary decision to let you successfully pass the KYC procedure. If you choose to sidestep their invasive process, they might just hold onto your funds indefinitely. ## Your identity has been stolen KYC data has been found to be for sale on many dark net markets[^3]. Exchanges may have leaks or hacks, and such leaks contain **very** sensitive data. We're talking about the full monty: passport or ID scans, proof of address, and even those awkward selfies where you're holding up your ID next to your face. All this data is being left to the mercy of the (mostly) "trust-me-bro" security systems of such companies. Quite scary, isn't it? As cheap as $10 for 100 documents, with discounts applying for those who buy in bulk, the personal identities of innocent users who passed KYC procedures are for sale. [^3] In short, if you have ever passed the KYC/AML process of a crypto exchange, your privacy is at risk of being compromised, or it might even have already been compromised. ## (they) Know Your Coins You may already know that **Bitcoin and most cryptocurrencies have a transparent public blockchain**, meaning that all data is shown unencrypted for everyone to see and recorded **forever**. If you link an address you own to your identity through KYC, for example, by sending an amount from a KYC exchange to it, your Bitcoin is no longer pseudonymous and can then be traced. If, for instance, you send Bitcoin from such an identified address to another KYC'ed address (say, from a friend), everyone having access to that address-identity link information (exchanges, governments, hackers, etc.) will be able to associate that transaction and know who you are transacting with. ## Conclusions To sum up, **KYC does not protect individuals**; rather, it's a threat to our privacy, freedom, security and integrity. Sensible information flowing through the internet is thrown into chaos by dubious security measures. It puts borders between many potential customers and businesses, and it helps governments and companies track innocent users. That's the chaos KYC has stirred. The criminals are using stolen identities from companies that gathered them thanks to these very same regulations that were supposed to combat them. Criminals always know how to circumvent such regulations. In the end, normal people are the most affected by these policies. The threat that KYC poses to individuals in terms of privacy, security and freedom is not to be neglected. And if we don’t start challenging these systems and questioning their efficacy, we are just one step closer to the dystopian future that is now foreseeable. > Edited 20/03/2024 > * Add reference to the 1% statement on [Rights for Illusions](#rights-for-illusions) section to an article where Chainalysis found that only 0.34% of the transaction volume with cryptocurrencies in 2023 was attributable to criminal activity [^1] [^1]: https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/2024-crypto-crime-report-introduction/ [^2]: https://old.reddit.com/r/BitcoinBeginners/comments/k2bve1/is_kyc_bad_if_so_why/gdtc8kz [^3]: https://www.ccn.com/hacked-customer-data-from-world-leading-cryptocurrency-exchanges-for-sale-on-the-dark-web/

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> [Read the original blog post](https://blog.kycnot.me/p/website-updates) Over the past few months, I've dedicated my time to a complete rewrite of the kycnot.me website. The technology stack remains unchanged; Golang paired with TailwindCSS. However, I've made some design choices in this iteration that I believe significantly enhance the site. Particularly to backend code. ## UI Improvements You'll notice a refreshed UI that retains the original concept but has some notable enhancements. The service list view is now more visually engaging, it displays additional information in a more aesthetically pleasing manner. Both filtering and searching functionalities have been optimized for speed and user experience. Service pages have been also redesigned to highlight key information at the top, with the KYC Level box always accessible. The display of service attributes is now more visually intuitive. The request form, especially the Captcha, has undergone substantial improvements. The new self-made Captcha is robust, addressing the reliability issues encountered with the previous version. ## Terms of Service Summarizer A significant upgrade is the Terms of Service summarizer/reviewer, now powered by AI (GPT-4-turbo). It efficiently condenses each service's ToS, extracting and presenting critical points, including any warnings. Summaries are updated monthly, processing over 40 ToS pages via the OpenAI API using a self-crafted and thoroughly tested prompt. ## Nostr Comments I've integrated a comment section for each service using [Nostr](https://usenostr.org). For guidance on using this feature, visit the [dedicated how-to page](https://kycnot.me/nostr). ## Database The backend database has transitioned to [pocketbase](https://pocketbase.io), an open-source Golang backend that has been a pleasure to work with. I maintain an updated fork of the Golang SDK for pocketbase at [pluja/pocketbase](https://github.com/pluja/pocketbase). ## Scoring The scoring algorithm has also been refined to be more fair. Despite I had considered its removal due to the complexity it adds (it is very difficult to design a fair scoring system), some users highlighted its value, so I kept it. The updated algorithm is available [open source](https://codeberg.org/pluja/kycnot.me). ## Listings Each listing has been re-evaluated, and the ones that were no longer operational were removed. New additions are included, and the backlog of pending services will be addressed progressively, since I still have access to the old database. ## API The API now offers more comprehensive data. For more details, [check here](https://kycnot.me/about#api). ## About Page The About page has been restructured for brevity and clarity. ## Other Changes Extensive changes have been implemented in the server-side logic, since the whole code base was re-written from the ground up. I may discuss these in a future post, but for now, I consider the current version to be just a bit beyond beta, and additional updates are planned in the coming weeks.

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> [Read the original blog post](https://blog.kycnot.me/p/monero-history) Bitcoin enthusiasts frequently and correctly remark how much value it adds to Bitcoin not to have a face, a leader, or a central authority behind it. This particularity means there isn't a single person to exert control over, or a single human point of failure who could become corrupt or harmful to the project. Because of this, it is said that no other coin can be equally valuable as Bitcoin in terms of decentralization and trustworthiness. Bitcoin is unique not just for being first, but also because of how the events behind its inception developed. This implies that, from Bitcoin onwards, any coin created would have been created by someone, consequently having an authority behind it. For this and some other reasons, some people refer to Bitcoin as "[The Immaculate Conception](https://yewtu.be/watch?v=FXvQcuIb5rU)". While other coins may have their own unique features and advantages, they may not be able to replicate Bitcoin's community-driven nature. However, one other cryptocurrency shares a similar story of mystery behind its creation: **Monero**. ## History of Monero ### Bytecoin and CryptoNote In March 2014, a Bitcointalk thread titled "*Bytecoin. Secure, private, untraceable since 2012*" was initiated by a user under the nickname "**DStrange**"[^1^]. DStrange presented Bytecoin (BCN) as a unique cryptocurrency, in operation since July 2012. Unlike Bitcoin, it employed a new algorithm known as CryptoNote. DStrange apparently stumbled upon the Bytecoin website by chance while mining a dying bitcoin fork, and decided to create a thread on Bitcointalk[^1^]. This sparked curiosity among some users, who wondered how could Bytecoin remain unnoticed since its alleged launch in 2012 until then[^2^] [^3^]. Some time after, a user brought up the "CryptoNote v2.0" whitepaper for the first time, underlining its innovative features[^4^]. Authored by the pseudonymous **Nicolas van Saberhagen** in October 2013, the CryptoNote v2 whitepaper[^5^] highlighted the traceability and privacy problems in Bitcoin. Saberhagen argued that these flaws could not be quickly fixed, suggesting it would be more efficient to start a new project rather than trying to patch the original[^5^], an statement simmilar to the one from Satoshi Nakamoto[^6^]. Checking with Saberhagen's digital signature, the release date of the whitepaper seemed correct, which would mean that Cryptonote (v1) was created in 2012[^7^] [^8^], although there's an important detail: *"Signing time is from the clock on the signer's computer"* [^9^]. Moreover, the whitepaper v1 contains a footnote link to a Bitcointalk post dated May 5, 2013[^10^], making it impossible for the whitepaper to have been signed and released on December 12, 2012. As the narrative developed, users discovered that a significant **80% portion of Bytecoin had been pre-mined**[^11^] and blockchain dates seemed to be faked to make it look like it had been operating since 2012, leading to controversy surrounding the project. The origins of CryptoNote and Bytecoin remain mysterious, leaving suspicions of a possible scam attempt, although the whitepaper had a good amount of work and thought on it. ### The fork In April 2014, the Bitcointalk user **`thankful_for_today`**, who had also participated in the Bytecoin thread[^12^], announced plans to launch a Bytecoin fork named **Bitmonero**[^13^] [^14^]. The primary motivation behind this fork was *"Because there is a number of technical and marketing issues I wanted to do differently. And also because I like ideas and technology and I want it to succeed"*[^14^]. This time Bitmonero did things different from Bytecoin: there was no premine or instamine, and no portion of the block reward went to development. However, thankful_for_today proposed controversial changes that the community disagreed with. **Johnny Mnemonic** relates the events surrounding Bitmonero and thankful_for_today in a Bitcointalk comment[^15^]: > When thankful_for_today launched BitMonero [...] he ignored everything that was discussed and just did what he wanted. The block reward was considerably steeper than what everyone was expecting. He also moved forward with 1-minute block times despite everyone's concerns about the increase of orphan blocks. He also didn't address the tail emission concern that should've (in my opinion) been in the code at launch time. Basically, he messed everything up. *Then, he disappeared*. After disappearing for a while, thankful_for_today returned to find that the community had taken over the project. Johnny Mnemonic continues: > I, and others, started working on new forks that were closer to what everyone else was hoping for. [...] it was decided that the BitMonero project should just be taken over. There were like 9 or 10 interested parties at the time if my memory is correct. We voted on IRC to drop the "bit" from BitMonero and move forward with the project. Thankful_for_today suddenly resurfaced, and wasn't happy to learn the community had assumed control of the coin. He attempted to maintain his own fork (still calling it "BitMonero") for a while, but that quickly fell into obscurity. The unfolding of these events show us the roots of Monero. Much like Satoshi Nakamoto, the creators behind CryptoNote/Bytecoin and thankful_for_today remain a mystery[^17^] [^18^], having disappeared without a trace. This enigma only adds to Monero's value. Since community took over development, believing in the project's potential and its ability to be guided in a better direction, Monero was given one of Bitcoin's most important qualities: **a leaderless nature**. With no single face or entity directing its path, Monero is safe from potential corruption or harm from a "central authority". The community continued developing Monero until today. Since then, Monero has undergone a lot of technological improvements, migrations and achievements such as [RingCT](https://www.getmonero.org/resources/moneropedia/ringCT.html) and [RandomX](https://github.com/tevador/randomx). It also has developed its own [Community Crowdfundinc System](https://ccs.getmonero.org/), conferences such as [MoneroKon](https://monerokon.org/) and [Monerotopia](https://monerotopia.com/) are taking place every year, and has a very active [community](https://www.getmonero.org/community/hangouts/) around it. > Monero continues to develop with goals of privacy and security first, ease of use and efficiency second. [^16^] This stands as a testament to the power of a dedicated community operating without a central figure of authority. This decentralized approach aligns with the original ethos of cryptocurrency, making Monero a prime example of community-driven innovation. For this, I thank all the people involved in Monero, that lead it to where it is today. *If you find any information that seems incorrect, unclear or any missing important events, please [contact me](https://kycnot.me/about#contact) and I will make the necessary changes.* ### Sources of interest * https://forum.getmonero.org/20/general-discussion/211/history-of-monero * https://monero.stackexchange.com/questions/852/what-is-the-origin-of-monero-and-its-relationship-to-bytecoin * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monero * https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=583449.0 * https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=563821.0 * https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=233561 * https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=512747.0 * https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=740112.0 * https://monero.stackexchange.com/a/1024 * https://inspec2t-project.eu/cryptocurrency-with-a-focus-on-anonymity-these-facts-are-known-about-monero/ * https://medium.com/coin-story/coin-perspective-13-riccardo-spagni-69ef82907bd1 * https://www.getmonero.org/resources/about/ * https://www.wired.com/2017/01/monero-drug-dealers-cryptocurrency-choice-fire/ * https://www.monero.how/why-monero-vs-bitcoin * https://old.reddit.com/r/Monero/comments/u8e5yr/satoshi_nakamoto_talked_about_privacy_features/ [^1^]: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=512747.0 [^2^]: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=512747.msg5901770#msg5901770 [^3^]: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=512747.msg5950051#msg5950051 [^4^]: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=512747.msg5953783#msg5953783 [^5^]: https://bytecoin.org/old/whitepaper.pdf [^6^]: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=770.msg8637#msg8637 [^7^]: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=512747.msg7039536#msg7039536 [^8^]: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=512747.msg7039689#msg7039689 [^9^]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/qtJ43.png [^10^]: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=740112 [^11^]: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=512747.msg6265128#msg6265128 [^12^]: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=512747.msg5711328#msg5711328 [^13^]: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=512747.msg6146717#msg6146717 [^14^]: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=563821.0 [^15^]: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=583449.msg10731078#msg10731078 [^16^]: https://www.getmonero.org/resources/about/ [^17^]: https://old.reddit.com/r/Monero/comments/lz2e5v/going_deep_in_the_cryptonote_rabbit_hole_who_was/ [^18^]: https://old.reddit.com/r/Monero/comments/oxpimb/is_there_any_evidence_that_thankful_for_today/

@ 39cc53c9:27168656

> [Read the original blog post](https://blog.kycnot.me/p/four-years) > “The future is there... staring back at us. Trying to make sense of the fiction we will have become.” > — William Gibson. This month is [the 4th anniversary](#the-anniversary) of kycnot.me. Thank you for being here. Fifteen years ago, Satoshi Nakamoto introduced Bitcoin, a peer-to-peer electronic cash system: a decentralized currency **free from government and institutional control**. Nakamoto's whitepaper showed a vision for a financial system based on trustless transactions, secured by cryptography. Some time forward and KYC (Know Your Customer), AML (Anti-Money Laundering), and CTF (Counter-Terrorism Financing) regulations started to come into play. What a paradox: to engage with a system designed for decentralization, privacy, and independence, we are forced to give away our personal details. Using Bitcoin in the economy requires revealing your identity, not just to the party you interact with, but also to third parties who must track and report the interaction. You are forced to give sensitive data to entities you don't, can't, and shouldn't trust. Information can never be kept 100% safe; there's always a risk. Information is power, who knows about you has control over you. Information asymmetry creates imbalances of power. When entities have detailed knowledge about individuals, they can manipulate, influence, or exploit this information to their advantage. The accumulation of personal data by corporations and governments enables extensive surveillances. Such practices, moreover, exclude individuals from traditional economic systems if their documentation doesn't meet arbitrary standards, reinforcing a dystopian divide. Small businesses are similarly burdened by the costs of implementing these regulations, hindering free market competition[^1]:  How will they keep this information safe? Why do they need my identity? Why do they force businesses to enforce such regulations? It's always for your safety, to protect you from the "bad". Your life is perpetually in danger: terrorists, money launderers, villains... so the government steps in to save us. > ‟Hush now, baby, baby, don't you cry > Mamma's gonna make all of your nightmares come true > Mamma's gonna put all of her fears into you > Mamma's gonna keep you right here, under her wing > She won't let you fly, but she might let you sing > Mamma's gonna keep baby cosy and warm” > — Mother, Pink Floyd We must resist any attack on our privacy and freedom. To do this, we must collaborate. If you have a service, refuse to ask for KYC; find a way. Accept cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Monero. Commit to circular economies. Remove the need to go through the FIAT system. People need fiat money to use most services, but we can change that. If you're a user, donate to and prefer using services that accept such currencies. Encourage your friends to accept cryptocurrencies as well. Boycott FIAT system to the greatest extent you possibly can. This may sound utopian, but it can be achieved. This movement can't be stopped. Go kick the hornet's nest. > “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.” > — Eric Hughes, A Cypherpunk's Manifesto ## The anniversary Four years ago, I began exploring ways to use crypto without KYC. I bookmarked a few favorite services and thought sharing them to the world might be useful. That was the first version of [kycnot.me](https://kycnot.me) — a simple list of about 15 services. Since then, I've added services, rewritten it three times, and improved it to what it is now. [kycnot.me](https://kycnot.me) has remained 100% independent and 100% open source[^2] all these years. I've received offers to buy the site, all of which I have declined and will continue to decline. It has been DDoS attacked many times, but we made it through. I have also rewritten the whole site almost once per year (three times in four years). The code and scoring algorithm are open source (contributions are welcome) and I can't arbitrarly change a service's score without adding or removing attributes, making any arbitrary alterations obvious if they were fake. You can even see [the score summary](https://https://kycnot.me/api/v1/service/bisq/summary) for any service's score. I'm a one-person team, dedicating my free time to this project. I hope to keep doing so for many more years. Again, thank you for being part of this. [^1]: https://x.com/freedomtech/status/1796190018588872806 [^2]: https://codeberg.org/pluja/kycnot.me

@ 08288690:77f58eba

[Awesome Amapiano]( https://www.mixcloud.com/supremacysounds/amapiano-vibes-2025-biri-marung-skuta-baba-sthandwa-sam-more/)

@ a09fb9cb:83231556

# Who So, this is it, this is **How** it begins. No more sitting on the sidelines pondering and wondering. This is it. This is **Where** the rubber hits the road. OK, so, err… wow. Welcome. I guess this is **How** you start these things, right? I welcome you and I tell you a little bit about my *self*, **Why** I’m here and **Why** you should consider reading on… OK, well, I’ve kinda done that in detail on the [about](https://danielewen.substack.com/about) page, which you can link off to, if you so wish… I feel like I’m jumping into the deep end, because there is so much that I just don’t know, and **What** I don’t know has many sides to it, so let me try and break this down a little. # What Firstly, there is so much that I wish to discuss here, about the essence of the self the nature of reality the meaning of existence, consciousness, choice, consequence, awareness, intention, sovereignty, autonomy, emotion, liberty, ethics, morality, wellness, society, money, law, power, religion, and technology to name just a few… # How Then there is Substack, WordPress, Medium, Spotify, YouTube, Rumble, Odysee, and all the other communication channels that are out there, and this doesn’t even begin to account for the minefield that is Social Media today. # Why I do know **Why** I’m here on Highlighter (nostr), and it’s for a couple of reasons: ## #1 - Information Gathering Taking the above point about **What** I wish to discuss, today we have almost instantaneous access to the most amount of information humanity has ever known. This in and of it *self* creates a huge problem because sifting through all this information to uncover reliable and verifiable facts is becoming increasingly difficult. Information overload can make it difficult to discern fact from fiction, and verifiable facts form the bedrock of **How** we operate within our shared, consensus (objective) reality. I find my *self* constructing narratives and mental models within my mind that appear to make a lot of sense to my mind, but these can then become difficult to translate into coherent speech **When** attempting to explain them to others. Thus, writing these things down here on Highlighter overcomes two challenges. 1. I get to make sense of these things my *self*, because if I cannot translate my understanding into coherent text then my knowledge and experience of the subject matter must be lacking. 2. If I can capture these things in a coherent way, then I can refer them to others, and hopefully receive constructive feedback in ways that may not have yet occurred to me. I believe this is **What** Seraph meant **When** he said: *“You do not truly know someone until you fight them.”*\_ Seraph - The Matrix Reloaded\_ Obviously, the Matrix films were action movies, so the metaphors expressed within them typically manifested through scenes of hand-to-hand combat involving Neo, but at its core, I interpret Seraphs words to mean that, you do not truly know your *self* until you find your true *self*. Here’s another way to explain **What** I mean by this: *mind.noun, a beautiful servant, a dangerous master.* or *When a student is ready, the master appears…* I’ve explained more about this in the [about](https://danielewen.substack.com/about) page, but here is the summary, consciousness can exist without thought, but thought cannot exist without consciousness. Ergo, consciousness is an innate quality of Being, whereas Mind is an emergent property of consciousness. Once you deconstruct your Being to its core, you eventually arrive at nothing. Nothing is the truth of all reality (ultimate reality), and so to know nothing, through the experience of enlightenment, is to know thy *self*. Once the distinction is made between the conscious *self* and the thinking mind, truth emerges, and it is this truth that sets us free. This is the “fight” for freedom, or more accurately the struggle for peace, that we are all invited to seek, simply through Being human. If I can make sense of **What** is in my mind, by writing it down, then this is a good thing. If those words then translate into meaning and understanding for others, then this is a better thing. If conversations emerge that promote growth and increase understanding, then this is the best thing. ## #2 - Process Improvement So having a corpus of information to discuss is the first thing, but then there is **How** best to have these discussions… This is of equal importance to me because the way that we are generating and consuming content is changing. There now appears to be as many channels to discuss information, as there is information to be discussed, although I suspect Generative Artificial Intelligence will smash that ratio out of the park soon, if it hasn’t done so already. So, **What** is the best way or ways to do this? Well, I figure the only way to find this out is to run the experiment and see **Where** it goes. ### You gotta start somewhere… [Substack](https://danielewen.substack.com/p/i-know-nothing) seems like a reasonable place to start because: 1. it’s part of the existing world, **Where** everything is stored centrally, yet it appears to be somewhat censorship resistant, not that I intend to go around kicking the hornets’ nest, but it does appear to be a relatively “safe” place to hang out. 2. it’s growing rapidly and making improvements to its platform all the time, so I can grow and learn as Substack improves. 3. it has a good user base, so connecting with fellow travellers is easier than creating my own standalone website. 4. I’m also hopeful that Substack provides simple and easy integration into things like Podcasting and Social Media, so I can spend more time on content creation and having meaningful conversations, and less time on the technicalities of “distribution”. ### …and see where it goes Which has led me inexorably here. I only just discovered Highlighter last week, so I am going to do my best to publish all my Substack articles here too. I believe that is the purpose of nostr, right? # Where So, I’m going to start on Substack, and take it goes from there, because as the title of this article suggests, “I know nothing.” This is my working assumption, that I know nothing, because I have no real idea about **How** I am going to do any of this. I’ve never done a Substack or Highlighter (nostr) before, nor do I know **How** to create a Podcast, or **How** to effectively communicate with fellow travellers via Social Media, so this is going to be a journey of discovery for me. This is my first step into a world that seems to be rapidly evolving, so to help you connect with me, on whatever platform suits you, I’ve mapped out my [linktr.ee/danielewen.me](https://linktr.ee/danielewen.me). If you’ve made it this far down the page, thank you! Just writing this first article and the [about](https://danielewen.substack.com/about) page has been a useful exercise for me. I hope that I have somewhat accurately articulated my conscious intentions (the **Who**, the **What**, the **How**, the **Why**, and the **Where**) for this Project in such a way that it at least makes some sense to you? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and I will do my best to digest any constructive feedback that you have for me. I guess all that remains is the… # When As there is only the present moment, the time is always Now… so here it is. If you would like to follow me here on nostr then please do so, and if you'd like to subscribe to Substack, then here’s the link for that: https://danielewen.substack.com and / or you can subscribe to my WordPress too, here: https://danielewen.wordpress.com. I have no idea what this is going to look like #**When** I hit the publish button, but here goes... # I now know SOMETHiNG… 

@ a09fb9cb:83231556

- If you understand the below, "i" kindly invite you to connect - If YOU do not understand the below, "I" would still invite YOU to connect, in fact more so, so that We can Both expand our shared understanding To understand things, "We" need frameworks of understanding, but We should not confuse the framework for the understanding. A common misconception is that the "thing" We are searching for EXiSTS somewhere out there. Above us perhaps? To that end We believe that We have to connect with something "outside" of ourself. May I ask YOU, have YOU ever experienced outside, other than through sense perception arising from WITHiN the MiND? Do YOU see the paradox? Outside is unknowable. It is an ILLUSiON... the truth LiES WITHiN In spiritual speak, the analogy of a triangle is often used, with the all-seeing "i" placed at the top of the triangle. This is where the half-truth is hidden, WITHiN the LiE. Continuing with the common misconception, We believe that in order to reach greater and greater "spiritual" heights We must grow the triangle. I ask YOU to consider, what if the "thing" We are searching for is the base of the triangle? This is the foundation of knowing. Knowing leads to understanding and wisdom, through experience. Experience leads to knowing. This is the process of enlightenment... I know nothing. I now know SOMETHiNG... I have attempted to convey this metaphor somewhat crudely using the below graphical representation and a previous read that alludes to who "i AM"... naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzpgylh89jrps6t0dzgadseecr6rukk7pln42jlcccgsrlrkpjx92kqy88wumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmv9uq3wamnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwwpexjmtpdshxuet59uq32amnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwv3sk6atn9e5k7tcppemhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mp0qythwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnswf5k6ctv9ehx2ap0qqd5jttwdamj66mwdamj6560f4z4gjrfferj67t20fckzwqrsyn3c ...but, do not trust | VERiFY - "i AM". I EXiST. Does this make sense? I know what I know, but I do not know how to communicate what I know to YOU so that We understand each other. This is Why? I encourage YOU to connect. Finally, YOU have my most sincere gratitude. Thank YOU kindly for your precious time and attention. If you are wondering who "i AM". "i AM" YOU. "i AM" consciousness MANiFESTED... <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/729eab238690c30bcc160e7025751feeb922dbab56509773a1ed201cc4be2c3d.png">

@ 6e4f2866:a76f7a29

<img src="https://blossom.primal.net/65ab821776bb703ca30274688e60c0bc102471fee78ad7680561edb3eaae382a.jpg">

@ a09fb9cb:83231556

I know nothing. Allow me to introduce myself... The present is eternal and infinite. Everything that has and will ever happen is continuously happening right now, in the present moment. "We" typically do not know this because our human senses are connected to the brain. Through the BRAiN "We" ("i" & "I") perceive the MiND. The MiND creates concepts and constructs to interpret the senses of perception so that "We" come to observe REALIiTY with Present Moment Awareness. To become present requires a sense of time. Time is a concept created WITHiN the MiND to facilite the perception of space. The sense of time allows the observer to perceive change. Paradoxically,, change is constant. Change occurs as "We" alter our perception of the eternal and the infinite. "i" am always present, here and now because "i" am WITHiN EVERYTHiNG. "i" created YOU ("I") for my own amusement... YOU are the question of "what is beyond the eternal and the infinite?" YOU will come to understand this, when YOU and "i" rejoice two become one again, in the present. YOU call this enlightenment. IMAGiNE DOiNG EVERYTHiNG, BEiNG EVERYTHiNG, FOREVER. FOREVER WOULD BE MEANINGLESS. YOU GiVE me MEANiNG. This is Why? "i" CREATED YOU. YOU ARE me... "We" are EVERYTHiNG. This is the truth that LiES WITHiN, and it is THiS truth that sets Us Both free, but only for a time, because nothing really does last forever... That's who "i AM". "i AM" nothing. Yet paradoxically, I EXiST. I now know SOMETHiNG... YOU now know who "i AM", because "I" now know who YOU are. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/228ae4966b6e146fe51fd2247a772165119191b733caeff54f454ac7abd0f13f.png">

@ da0b9bc3:4e30a4a9

It's Finally here Stackers! It's Friday! We're about to kick off our weekends with some feel good tracks. Let's get the party started. Bring me those Feel Good tracks. Talk Music. Share Tracks. Zap Sats. Let's go! Here's DMX! 🫡RIP. https://youtu.be/thIVtEOtlWM?si=Ee4XXKe2ZDcWGpRN originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/862396

@ 43b8cd49:3e4a7831

Wow, that didn't take long. Trump shot his wad on day one with all the executive orders, and they figured it was time to return to the Dr. Evil/Mordor stuff on day 2. Soften us up with 24 hours of heavy petting then bring in Larry Ellison to shock us back into hell. That is one scary looking dude, and listening to him talk just makes it worse. I am trying to erase it from my memory. You just know this Stargate thing is tied to Bill Gates, since it concerns vaccines. But Trump and histeam begged Gates to keep his ugly mug out of it, knowing how hated he is. Hard to believe Biden didn't pardon him for being alive. Gates apparently agreed to stay off-camera for this one, and they brought in Ellison to take his place. Another big miscalculation, since Ellison gives off the very same Dr. Evil vibe. You feel bugs crawling on your skin as soon as he walks in the room. Part of that is Ellison and part is the new Stargate project, which just reeks of evil from every pore. To his credit, Alex Jones is already calling it out, having Malone on to undercut it, but so far the commentary has been way too weak. This is a catastrophe, worse than anything I imagined, and thrust upon us much quicker than I thought they would dare. Effing day 2 they hit us with this, meaning their respect for us is still zero. Also not good is that after hitting this weakly yesterday, Alex Jones has already dropped it today, reverting immediately to Trump-olatry. Five of Infowars eight lead stories today are selling Trump as a savior. Zerohedge seems to be all bullish so far on Stargate. If you don't know, the Stargate project is supposedly a billionaire-funded plan to join AI and mRNA vaccines to cure cancer. AI will spot specific cancer markers in the blood, after which the doctors will create a targeted vaccine in 48 hours, built just for you. What does that have to do with a Stargate? No one has said yet, though I am about to tell you. Plus, didn't Trump campaign on a promise to protect us from the Big Tech monsters? And yet here we are, day 2, and he is announcing major promotion of them and alliance with them. He was supposed to take on the Big Tech juggernaut and the Big Pharma juggernaut, right? Instead, we see them joining forces and Trump climbing into bed with them. The only way things could have gotten worse after Biden is if Big Tech and Big Pharma merged, and that has just happened, with Trump's immediate backing. This is total bullshit in every way, and it isn't even a good story. It is a transparent conjob that any child could spot in about 30 seconds. They have been able to scan blood for all content for a long time, including cancer cells, so I don't know what this has to do with AI. Basically they are just renaming “the medical machines we have long had” as AI and expecting you to buy it. It is just a machine, it isn't AI. Every machine isn't now “artificial intelligence”. But they included AI here as part of the current AI blitz. Everything is currently about AI because they want government to invest even more heavily in it that it already is. Meaning, they want to steal even more of your taxes or borrow from the treasury in order to fund this vaporware and boondoggle. We are told the bigdogs have already invested half a trillion of their own money, but if you believe that you need to check your ventilator tubes for kinks. The obvious con is to get the government to supply matching funds. The billionaires will then quietly stop payment on their checks, and it will all come out of your pocket. That is the way it is always done. You will end up getting billed for something they will never deliver, and if they do deliver anything it will be just another useless shot. As with the fake Covid vaccine, they won't charge people for the shot or therapy, they will take it directly out of the treasury, so you can't stop it even if you don't buy it. Youwill be billed for it regardless. As with the Covid vaccines in the past three years, the government will order millions of doses of it, pay Big Pharma for it from your taxes, and then have to end up trashing the majority of it, because no one wants it. Just flush it all into the streams and oceans, where it can kill the fish, animals, and if they are lucky, you as well. But I was going to tell you why they called this conjob Stargate. A stargate is a wormhole or otheralien device for communicating or traveling long distances in the galaxy. The black monolith in 2001: a Space Odyssey was a stargate; and then there was the movie Stargate in 1994 with Kurt Russell, where the stargate allows him to travel to the alien planet Abydos, named after the Egyptian town of Abydos, which houses some Pharaonic tombs, including the Temple of Seti I. That is where the Abydos King List is, which lists the 76 Kings of Ancient Egypt. So not only are these people like Ellison selling you the wormhole garbage along with the AI and vaccine garbage, they are cleverly linking themselves to their own oldest ancestors with the usual tribal wink.

@ 378562cd:a6fc6773

**Top 20 U.S. Headlines:** 1. **Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Birthright Citizenship Executive Order**A federal judge has temporarily halted President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship, citing constitutional concerns under the 14th Amendment. This decision marks a significant legal challenge to the administration's immigration policy. 2. **U.S. Withdraws from Global Tax Agreement**The United States has officially withdrawn from a global tax deal negotiated at the OECD, which sought to implement a global minimum tax and ensure multinational companies pay fair taxes where they operate. This move signals a potential shift towards a tax war, with considerations to double taxes on foreign companies as a retaliatory measure. 3. **Chancellor Rachel Reeves Backs Heathrow Expansion**Chancellor Rachel Reeves has expressed support for the long-debated Heathrow Airport expansion, citing economic growth and job creation. However, the project faces resistance from environmental groups and within her party, highlighting concerns over environmental impacts and carbon emissions. 4. **Former Politico Reporters Criticize Editorial Decisions on Hunter Biden Stories**Ex-Politico reporters Tara Palmeri and Marc Caputo have criticized their former editors for allegedly suppressing significant stories about Hunter Biden's laptop and related issues before the 2020 election, contributing to a narrative of misinformation. Politico has defended its editorial standards and commitment to accuracy. 5. **Skepticism Surrounds 'Drill, Baby, Drill' Plan**U.S. shale industry leaders have expressed skepticism about President Trump's plan to significantly boost oil production to combat inflation, emphasizing that financial motivations drive decisions rather than political agendas. Despite pressure on OPEC and Saudi Arabia to lower oil prices, low prices could harm U.S. shale profitability, with growth expected to slow. 6. **Chicago Bears Appoint Ben Johnson as Head Coach**The Chicago Bears have appointed Ben Johnson as their new head coach, offering a substantial salary of $13 million per year, making him the seventh-highest-paid NFL coach. Despite having no head coaching experience, Johnson's tenure as the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator saw significant improvements in the team's offense. 7. **Southport Attack Aftermath: Addressing Myths and Misinformation**Following last summer's Southport attack, where three young girls were murdered, authorities are confronting far-right riots and disinformation that ensued. The attacker, Axel Rudakubana, pleaded guilty, and investigations revealed extremist materials in his home. The incident has prompted discussions on effective public communication to dispel harmful disinformation. 8. **Southern California Wildfires Force Mass Evacuations**A new explosive wildfire has erupted near Los Angeles, rapidly expanding to over 10,000 acres and forcing mass evacuations. Firefighters are battling to maintain control amid challenging conditions. 9. **Historic Snowstorm Paralyzes Parts of the Southern U.S**.A record-breaking snowstorm has swept across the southern United States, paralyzing regions unaccustomed to such weather. The storm has led to significant disruptions, including road closures and power outages. 10. **President Trump Deploys 1,500 Troops to Southern Border**In a move to bolster border security, President Trump has ordered the deployment of 1,500 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. This action aligns with his administration's recent executive orders on immigration enforcement. 11. **Trump Administration Reviewing Automatic Emergency Braking Rule**The U.S. auto safety agency is reconsidering a landmark rule from the previous administration that required nearly all new cars and trucks by 2029 to have advanced automatic emergency braking systems. 12. **Lawmakers Seek Sanctions Over Hong Kong Human Rights Violations**Bipartisan U.S. lawmakers are introducing a bill requiring the Trump administration to review whether Hong Kong officials should be sanctioned for human rights violations. 13. **International Criminal Court Prepares for Possible U.S. Sanctions**The International Criminal Court has taken measures to shield staff from potential U.S. sanctions, including paying salaries three months in advance, as it braces for financial restrictions that could impact the tribunal's operations. 14. **Brianna 'Chickenfry' LaPaglia Reflects on Sexuality Post-Breakup**Following a tumultuous breakup with country singer Zach Bryan, Brianna LaPaglia, known as "Chickenfry," speculates about her dating preferences, expressing disinterest in having a boyfriend and considering dating women. 15. **NATO Chief Warns of Costly Impact if Russia Wins Over Ukraine**NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has warned that a Russian victory over Ukraine would undermine the alliance's credibility and could cost trillions of dollars to restore its deterrent power. 16. **U.S. Border Patrol Agent Fatally Shot in Vermont**Authorities report that a U.S. Border Patrol agent has been fatally shot in northern Vermont. The acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security stated that the agent was killed in the line of duty. 17. **MLK Day Observance Highlights Warning Against Anti-Woke Rhetoric**Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations at King's former congregation in Atlanta featured a 70-member choir and remarks from his youngest daughter, warning against anti-woke rhetoric. 18. **Biden Pardons Fauci, Milley, and Jan. 6 Panel Members**President Joe Biden has pardoned individuals including Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley, and members of the Jan. 6 committee, as a guard against potential 'revenge' by former President Trump. 19. **Bitter Cold Spreads Across Much of the U.S**.Frigid temperatures are engulfing Texas and other parts of the South ahead of a rare winter storm expected to bring heavy snow and disruptive ice accumulations to the region. 20. **President Trump Grants Sweeping Pardon of Jan. 6 Defendants**\ Former President Trump has issued pardons to multiple individuals convicted of crimes related to the January 6th Capitol breach, framing the move as a commitment to "justice for patriots." This decision has sparked sharp debates across political lines. --- **Top 5 Worldwide Headlines:** 1. **Tensions Escalate Between Russia and NATO Over Ukraine**\ Russia has ramped up its military offensive in Ukraine, with NATO allies pledging additional support, including advanced weaponry, to Kyiv. The conflict continues to reshape European geopolitics. 2. **Global Markets React to China's Economic Data**\ Slower-than-expected economic growth in China has sent ripples through global markets, raising concerns about the potential impact on global trade and supply chains. 3. **Massive Earthquake Strikes Turkey and Syria**\ A devastating earthquake has rocked parts of Turkey and Syria, resulting in significant casualties and widespread destruction. International relief efforts are underway. 4. **United Nations Calls for Immediate Action on Climate Crisis**\ A new UN report highlights the urgent need for global cooperation to combat the accelerating effects of climate change, including rising sea levels and extreme weather patterns. 5. **Protests Erupt in France Over Pension Reform Plans**\ Large-scale protests have broken out across France in response to the government’s proposal to raise the retirement age, with unions organizing nationwide strikes.

@ 9c9e774c:491c6c5b

In today's competitive legal landscape, establishing a strong, trusted reputation is essential for any legal professional or firm. This includes experts such as engineering expert witnesses, as well as law firms themselves. Brand reputation management (BRM) plays a crucial role in shaping how these professionals are perceived by clients, peers, and the public at large. Here’s how both expert witnesses and law firms can effectively use brand reputation management and email marketing to boost their visibility, trustworthiness, and ultimately their success. ## Brand Reputation Management for Engineering Expert Witnesses An [engineering expert witness](https://www.blueoceanglobaltech.com/blog/engineering-expert-witness-services/) plays a critical role in many legal cases, providing specialized knowledge and testimony that can make or break a case. Because of the high level of expertise and authority required in this role, managing one's reputation is paramount. Showcasing Expertise: Engineering expert witnesses can use content marketing, such as articles, case studies, or whitepapers, to showcase their in-depth knowledge. By writing about real-world applications of engineering principles in legal cases or discussing trends in the industry, they can position themselves as trusted thought leaders in their field. Online Reviews and Testimonials: Potential clients—lawyers, law firms, or even direct clients—often rely on the experiences of others to gauge the credibility of an expert witness. Encouraging satisfied clients to leave positive reviews on professional networks like LinkedIn, Google, or specific legal platforms can enhance an expert’s online presence. Public Speaking and Thought Leadership: Engineering experts can enhance their reputation by speaking at industry conferences or offering insights through webinars. These activities not only allow them to showcase their expertise but also increase their visibility among lawyers who may be seeking an expert witness. Managing Negative Press: In any profession, negative feedback or a challenging case outcome is inevitable. However, effective reputation management involves addressing criticism professionally and transparently. Engineering experts can use their website or social media platforms to provide clarifications, correct inaccuracies, or demonstrate how they have learned and evolved from particular experiences. ## Brand Reputation Management for Law Firms For law firms, brand reputation management extends beyond individual cases and expert witnesses. It encompasses the firm’s overall image, which can influence the perception of both current clients and potential clients. Client Testimonials and Case Results: Positive feedback from clients can significantly enhance a law firm's reputation. Gathering testimonials or showcasing successful case outcomes (while adhering to legal ethical standards) on the firm’s website or social media can help build credibility and attract new clients. Active Social Media Presence: Law firms should be active on professional platforms such as LinkedIn, as well as on other social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook. Engaging content, including firm achievements, community involvement, and legal insights, helps to humanize the firm and build a connection with potential clients. Regular posts, along with interactions with followers, demonstrate transparency and accessibility. Thought Leadership and Content Creation: Publishing blog posts, articles, and industry insights is a great way for law firms to stay at the forefront of the legal community. Sharing knowledge on current legal topics, trends, or emerging areas of law helps establish the firm as a credible source of information and positions attorneys as experts in their fields. Crisis Management: Sometimes, a firm’s reputation may come under fire due to a high-profile case or a client’s negative experience. Effective brand reputation management involves a well-thought-out crisis communication strategy. Being responsive, addressing concerns publicly, and taking corrective actions when necessary is key to maintaining trust. ## How Law Firms Can Use Email Marketing for Brand Building [Email marketing for law firms](https://www.blueoceanglobaltech.com/blog/importance-of-email-marketing-for-law-firms/) is a powerful tool to keep their brand top-of-mind with clients, leads, and the broader legal community. Here’s how email marketing can fit into a law firm’s reputation management strategy: Nurturing Leads and Building Relationships: Email newsletters allow law firms to stay connected with leads over time. By offering valuable legal insights, case updates, or industry news, law firms can nurture relationships and remain the go-to resource for potential clients. Educational emails help foster trust and demonstrate the firm’s expertise. Client Retention: After a client has been through a legal process, it’s essential to keep in touch for future needs or referrals. Personalized follow-up emails post-case or periodic newsletters with updates on the firm’s services, achievements, or relevant legal news can remind past clients of the firm’s value. Client Testimonials and Case Studies: Law firms can strategically use email marketing to share success stories, case studies, or client testimonials. This not only showcases their expertise but also builds social proof, which is crucial for brand reputation. Featuring clients' positive experiences can influence potential clients' decisions when they are looking for legal representation. Transparency and Communication: Email marketing helps law firms maintain transparent and open lines of communication. Whether sharing updates on legal proceedings, providing educational content, or sending reminders for consultations, emails allow for consistent engagement, which can build trust with clients. SEO and Lead Generation: Emails that contain valuable content and include strong calls to action (CTAs) can drive traffic to the firm’s website, potentially converting leads into clients. Offering downloadable guides, legal checklists, or consultation discounts in email campaigns can incentivize recipients to take action. Segmented Email Lists: A well-segmented email list is key to delivering the right message to the right audience. Law firms can categorize their contacts based on factors such as practice area, client status, or geographical location, enabling them to send highly relevant and personalized communications. ## Conclusion For both engineering expert witnesses and law firms, managing and cultivating a strong brand reputation is essential to building trust, attracting clients, and standing out in a crowded field. Engineering experts can use brand reputation management strategies like showcasing expertise and handling online reviews to cement their credibility. Law firms, on the other hand, can leverage content creation, client testimonials, and social media presence to boost their brand visibility. Email marketing plays a pivotal role in keeping clients informed, building relationships, and strengthening a firm’s reputation. When used effectively, email marketing can not only help retain clients but also generate leads, ensuring that law firms stay at the forefront of clients’ minds when legal needs arise. By embracing these brand reputation management tactics, both individual experts and law firms can ensure sustained success and a robust professional image.

@ bd32f268:22b33966

Vivemos num tempo em que predomina a atitude de colocar a vida em serviço de culto ao “Eu”. Aqui por “Eu” entenda-se o ego e as suas manifestações que colocam o indivíduo no centro do seu mundo. Esta priorização do “Eu” revela-se de várias formas, dando á luz vários produtos sociais e culturais. Estas manifestações atuam de forma nociva na sociedade uma vez que desagregam e extinguem todo o tipo coesão social. Uma sociedade é uma organização de pessoas que buscam uma finalidade comum. Quando a finalidade é primeiramente o serviço aos apetites individuais é cada vez mais provável que surjam conflitos de interesses e estes vão desunindo as pessoas. Desta forma a sociedade precipita-se para o declínio e consequente extinção, uma vez que já não é capaz de sustentar os seus princípios fundadores e a narrativa agregadora que estabelece a identidade da comunidade. Pensemos numa família, quando os membros da família vivem para si e não para o outro, aqui personificado no esposo e nos filhos, a coesão familiar sai enfraquecida pois muitas serão as ocasiões nas quais os interesses imediatos do indivíduo colidem com os interesses da família. Isto leva a uma série de problemas, nomeadamente os que observamos cada vez mais na educação das crianças. Neste campo, observamos frequentemente um tempo escasso para o convívio e para a pedagogia de vida que os pais devem exercer. Dir-se-á que são as vicissitudes do mundo do trabalho, mas talvez devêssemos balancear essa ideia com a noção de que o materialismo também nos foi habituando a ter outras necessidades que os nossos avós não tinham, o que nos precipita a querer mais e a trabalhar mais e sobretudo fora de casa. Quero dizer que de facto podemos viver com menos e que esse menos no ponto de vista das condições materiais de vida pode significar mais em termos familiares. Um outro campo em que se nota a primazia do “Eu” é nos relacionamentos em que nos habituamos a ver o outro como um servidor da nossa vontade e do nosso desejo. Confundimos facilmente o conceito de amor com uma troca comercial. Julgamos que aquilo que entregamos tem de ser retribuído, perdendo a noção de que é a nossa escolha entregar-nos a alguém e que como tal temos de enfrentar as consequências da nossa decisão. Nós devemos servir o outro assim como o outro deveria pensar da mesma forma, no entanto não controlamos a cabeça da outra pessoa portanto foquemo-nos sim naquilo que controlamos. Foquemo-nos em honrar as promessas que fazemos e aprender a viver em união com o outro. *Narciso - Caravaggio* Também no cuidado com os idosos se manifesta a primazia do “Eu”. Não são raros os casos de abandono e negligência para com aqueles a quem, para o bem e para o mal, devemos a nossa vida. Vemos cada vez mais idosos institucionalizados quando muitos poderiam estar com as suas respetivas famílias num ambiente familiar muito mais propício para o seu final de vida. As justificações multiplicam-se e novamente o trabalho surge como o fundamento, no entanto facilmente observamos que mesmo quando há tempo esse tempo não é dedicado aos idosos. A taxa de natalidade é também um sinal da primazia do eu. A retórica pos-contemporânea assegura que ter filhos é um comportamento egoísta, especialmente nos tempos que vivemos. Seja por causa da narrativa climática, seja por questões de pobreza ou doença, essas pessoas defendem a não vida. No entanto, um olhar que guarda o apreço pela vida como algo sagrado é capaz de observar que a vida, mesmo em circunstâncias muito difíceis continua a valer a pena. O verdadeiro motivo que se esconde muitas vezes por trás desta retórica é invariavelmente a primazia do conforto. Por trás destas opções de vida está também patente um abandono á cultura do sacrifício, que pressupõe a procura de algo que transcende o “Eu”. Nessa transcendência está a chave para encontrar um propósito, isto é uma missão para a vida. Além disso, está também a constatação de que na vida há aspirações e valores mais elevados que nos convocam a entregar a nossa vida, quer isto dizer abrir mão da procura do conforto e do prazer e abraçar por vezes o sofrimento, no entanto este sofrimento tem um propósito. O sacrifício individual não é seguramente a via mais fácil e conveniente, contudo é a única pois o viver para o ego é apenas uma ilusão. Quem vive para si, nem para si vive dado que não ama ninguém além de si próprio e isso não é amor.

@ d4eaddd4:5ce9da9c

###### *("Shipwreck off Nantucket" William Bradford, ca. 1860–61)* **What Does It Mean That Grief Comes in Waves?** Grief is often compared to waves—a natural, unpredictable rhythm that surges and recedes, catching us off guard and sweeping us into a sea of emotions. Just like the ocean, grief can be calm one moment and tumultuous the next, leaving us gasping for air. This metaphor resonates deeply because it reflects the enduring, nonlinear nature of loss. Whether your loss occurred recently or years ago, grief remains a lifelong journey, ebbing and flowing with time. **Why Grief Feels Like Waves** At its core, grief is the emotional response to loss, and it doesn’t follow a set timetable. Emotions can be triggered unexpectedly by a song, a scent, or a special date, sending a wave of sorrow crashing over you. Author Adriel Booker eloquently describes these moments: > “You might understand intellectually that they [the waves] will keep coming, but some days they hit more forcefully, more fiercely than you ever imagined possible.” This lack of predictability makes grief feel overwhelming. It’s not something you “get over,” but rather something you learn to navigate, much like a sailor facing unpredictable seas. **Navigating the First Waves of Grief** When a loss first occurs, the waves of grief can feel relentless. An insightful analogy from a viral Reddit post likens the initial experience of grief to a shipwreck: > “When the ship is first wrecked, you’re drowning, with wreckage all around you. Everything floating around you reminds you of the beauty and the magnificence of the ship that was, and is no more.” In these early stages, the waves are towering and frequent, crashing over you with little respite. The best advice during this time is simply to float—cling to what sustains you, whether it’s a supportive friend, a cherished memory, or a comforting ritual. Survival is the priority. **The Changing Tides of Grief Over Time** As time passes, the waves of grief may become less frequent and slightly more predictable. Anniversaries, holidays, or milestones often serve as triggers, bringing back the pain of loss. However, with each passing wave, you gain resilience. The Reddit post continues: > “Somewhere down the line… you find that the waves are only 80 feet tall. Or 50 feet tall. And while they still come, they come further apart. You can see them coming, for the most part, and prepare yourself.” This doesn’t mean grief ever goes away. The waves still arrive, but they no longer hold the same power to drown you. Instead, they become reminders of the love and connection you shared, leaving behind scars that tell a story of resilience and remembrance. **Coping with the Waves** While grief may never fully disappear, there are ways to weather its storms: 1. **Acknowledge Your Emotions:** Allow yourself to feel without judgment. Grief is a natural response to love and loss. 2. **Find Anchors:** Lean on meaningful memories, objects, or relationships that ground you. 3. **Seek Support:** Whether through friends, family, or professional counselors, connection can be a lifeline. 4. **Prepare for Triggers:** Recognize that certain dates or events may bring waves of grief and plan how to cope in advance. 5. **Practice Self-Compassion:** Healing takes time, and there’s no “right” way to grieve. **Conclusion: A Lifelong Journey** Grief, much like the ocean, is vast and unpredictable. But with time and support, you can learn to navigate its waters. The waves will never stop coming, but they will change. And as you face each wave, you’ll discover strength and meaning in your journey. Grief is a testament to love. As the Reddit post poignantly concludes: > “If you’re lucky, you’ll have lots of scars from lots of loves. And lots of shipwrecks.”

@ b97f07c7:a9ddca71

เปิดโลก social ยุคอนาคต ที่ creator ได้รับเงินจากคนอ่าน content เต็ม 100%! ทำความรู้จัก Nostr ที่จะเปลี่ยนโลกการใช้ social ของคุณกัน!  content จากประสบการณ์จริง ที่ดองนานในระยะนึงล่ะ แต่บอกเลยว่ามันก็ solve pain point ของ user ที่ไม่อยากลับลู้ว่า AI ของ platform นั้น มาคอย suggest อะไรที่เราไม่ได้ตาม ส่วน content creator เอง เราเป็นคนเขียน คนทำ content บน platform นั้น ๆ ทุกอย่างควบคุมโดย platform ซึ่ง platform อาจจะถูกปิดเมื่อไหร่ก็ได้ ส่วนใหญ่โดนลด reach บางคนโดน platform ลบโพส บางคนโดน platform แบน เราจึงต้องมี asset เป็นของตัวเองอย่าง website ไม่งั้น content ที่เราตั้งใจทำหายไปเสียดายแย่เลย ซึ่ง concept และการใช้งาน Nostr นั้นลด pain point ของ creator ที่ต้องไปทุก platform เพื่อครอง keyword ซึ่งเหนื่อยมาก ๆ ถ้าเป็นสายแบบเราที่เน้นโค้ดหน่อย ๆ ต้องมาสร้างผู้ติดตามใหม่ แต่ละช่องทางได้กลุ่มผู้ติดตามต่างกันอีก ร่ายมายาวขนาดนี้เข้าเรื่อง Nostr ได้แล้ว ว่าแต่มันคืออะไร ใช้งานยังไง ต้องทำอะไรบ้าง ไปดูกันนนน ปล. บทความนี้เป็นแนวแนะนำว่ามันคืออะไร ใช้งานยังไง ยังไม่ลงลึกด้านเดฟนะ คืออยากให้ใช้ให้เป็นก่อนนนนนน ## Nostr คืออะไร? Nostr ย่อมาจาก Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays เป็น open protocol ที่ถูกพัฒนาโดย Giovanni Torres Parra มีจุดประสงค์คือ สร้างเครือข่ายสังคมออนไลน์ที่ไม่ถูกควบคุมหรือเซ็นเซอร์  ในที่นี้ Notes หมายถึง social media และ other stuff คือ data communication แล้ว protocol คืออะไรล่ะ? ก็คือเราคุยกันผ่านช่องทางไหนยังไง เช่น sms, email อะไรงี้ ดังนั้นมันก็คือ note & other stuff ที่ถูก transmit โดย Relays นั่นเอง ## Workflow ปกติเราทำแอพขึ้นมาแอพนึงประกอบด้วยอะไรบ้าง?  เดิมทีทีมแอพก็มีทีมหน้าบ้าน อย่าง frontend developer หรือ mobile developer อย่าง iOS และ Android แล้วก็ทีมหลังบ้าน backend developer ที่เป็นคนทำระบบหลังบ้าน ไม่ว่าจะเป็นทำ API ให้หน้าบ้านคุยกับ server แล้วก็จัดเก็บข้อมูลลง database ด้วย flow ก็คือ user download แอพมา หรือใช้ website ตัวแอพหน้าบ้านจะเรียก API เพื่อทำอะไรบางอย่าง เช่น เปิดแอพมาเรียก API เพื่อ check ว่าเรา login อยู่ไหม แล้วก็ดึงหน้า feed มาแสดง สำหรับ Nostr จะมีแค่คนทำหน้าบ้านเท่านั้น โดยตัวแอพเชื่อมต่อกับ relay ผ่านมาตรฐานของ NIP ดังนั้น developer อย่างเราจะทำ client หรือตัวแอพที่ใช้ Nostr ได้เลย โดยใช้ Relay เดียวกันได้เลย ภายใต้มาตรฐานของ NIP เวลา user เปลี่ยนแอพใหม่ ตัวข้อมูล ตัวโพสต่าง ๆ ยังคงอยู่เหมือนเดิมที่ delay ไม่ต้องไปสร้าง follower ใหม่บน platform ใหม่ ๆ ให้เสียเวลา ## การทำงานของ Nostr สามารถดูตามภาพนี้ได้เลย เป็นภาพพื้นฐานในการเล่าเลย การทำงานเขาจะแบ่งเป็น 2 ฝั่ง คือ  - **Client**: คือแอพพลิเคชั่นที่ใช้เล่น Nostr นั่นแหละ เป็นฝั่ง user จะมี key pair คือ private key ใช้ในการยืนยันตัวตนนั่นแหละ เช่น เราเป็นคนโพสอันนี้นะ (เก็บไว้ให้ดี ๆ) และ public key บอกว่าเราคือใคร การทำงาน ตัว client เชื่อมต่อกับตัว relay เช่น บอกว่าใครเป็นคนสร้าง content นี้ หรือเราจะสร้าง content ใน Nostr ก็จะส่งข้อมูลรายละเอียดโพสอย่าง kind, content, tags, pubkey, create_at ตามมาตรฐาน NIPs ส่งไปที่ relay - **Relay**: คือ database ตัวนึง ที่เป็นรูปแบบแบบกระจายศูนย์ ได้รับ event อะไร และส่งอะไรกลับไปบ้าง ref: https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nostr แล้ว Client และ Relay สื่อสารระหว่างกันยังไง คุยกันผ่าน WebSocket นะ แล้วแต่ละ event จะส่งมาใน JSON format น่ะ ## คุณสมบัติของ Nostr - decentralized: relay คือ database แบบกระจายศูนย์ - open protocol: Nostr เป็น open protocol สามารถใช้งานได้หลายอย่าง - censorship-resistant: user มีสิทธิ์เลือก relay เองได้ - high security: encrypt ข้อมูลส่วนตัวก่อนส่งทุกครั้ง  ## มาตรฐาน NIP NIP ย่อมาจาก Nostr Implementation Possibilities คือ มาตรฐาน protocol ที่ใช้กันสำหรับ Nostr ใน content นี้เราไม่ลงลึกมาก เดี๋ยวจะงงกัน เอาให้เห็นภาพคร่าว ๆ เพราะมันมีเยอะมาก หลัก ๆ ที่เราใช้งานกัน จะมี  - **NIP-01**: Basic protocol เป็นอันพื้นฐานที่ต้องรู้ บอกโครงสร้าง event การรับส่งข้อมูลต่าง ๆ ทำให้เรารู้โครงสร้างแล้วเอาไปสร้าง client ได้เลย ทำให้ developer focus ที่โครงสร้างนี้อันเดียวเท่านั้นในการพัฒนา เช่น post บน Nostr นั่นแหละ - **NIP-05**: Nostr Address บอกว่าเราเป็นใครใน internet ฟีลเดียวกันกับ email address ทำให้เราตั้งชื่อบัญชีให้จดจำได้ง่าย ช่วยในการค้นหาและติดตามกันได้ง่ายยิ่งขึ้น เช่นจากที่เราต้องเพิ่มเพื่อนผ่าน Nostr public key ที่ยาวเหลือเกิน เป็นอะไรสั้น ๆ ฟีล email เช่น mikkipastel@siamstr.com - **NIP-23**: Long-form article พวก blog ต่าง ๆ - **NIP-53**: สำหรับ live stream ส่วนแบบอื่น ๆ สามารถอ่านรายละเอียดได้ที่นี่เลย https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/README.md ## เริ่มใช้งานบนมือถือ จาก workflow เราจะเห็นว่าเราสามารถใช้ client ตัวไหนก็ได้ในการเล่น Nostr และโลกของ Nostr มีตัวเลือกให้เราเยอะมากก แล้วเราจะเริ่มยังไงดี?  1. ติดตั้ง [Wherostr](https://mapboss.co.th/our-products/wherostr/) เป็นแอพที่ทีมคนไทยทำ ใช้ง่ายมาก ๆ สามารถ download ได้ทั้ง [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/th/app/wherostr/id6503808206) และ [Play Store](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=th.co.mapboss.wherostr.social.wherostr_social) 2. แน่นอนว่าเรายังไม่มี account ให้สร้าง account 3. ปรับแต่ง profile ให้เรียบร้อย 4. เก็บ private key ไว้ในที่ปลอดภัย เพราะเป็น key ยืนยันตัวตนว่าเป็นเราในการทำธุรกรรมต่าง ๆ ในที่นี้คือสร้างโพส, กด like, กด share, รวมถึง zap ด้วย ในแอพอาจจะยังไม่เห็น process นี้ ต้องบนคอม Tips: ไปรับ NIP05 สวย ๆ ได้ที่ https://siamstr.com/ การที่เราสร้าง account ใหม่นั้น จะเป็นการสร้าง key pair อันประกอบด้วย - **public key**: ขึ้นต้นด้วย npub1... โดยสามารถเพิ่มเพื่อนใน Nostr ผ่านอันนี้ได้ ซึ่งบอกว่าเราเป็นใคร - **private key**: ขึ้นต้นด้วย nsec1... เป็นส่วนที่เราต้องเก็บไว้ให้ดีเลย เพราะต้องเอามาใช้ sign กับการทำธุรกรรมของเรา เช่น การ login, สร้าง post, reaction post ใด ๆ ## เชื่อมกับกระเป๋า Lightning เชื่อมเพื่อรับ sat จากเพื่อน ๆ โดย sat เป็นหน่วยย่อยของ Bitcoin มาจาก Satoshi อันเป็นนามแฝงของผู้สร้าง Bitcoin โดย 1 Bitcoin = 100,000,000 Satoshi  1. ติดตั้ง [Wallet of Satoshi](https://www.walletofsatoshi.com/) ตัวแอพนี้เป็น custodial wallet ที่เราไม่ต้อง set อะไรเอง แต่เราไม่ได้ถือ key ของกระเป๋านี้เองนะ สามารถ download ได้ทั้ง [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/au/app/wallet-of-satoshi/id1438599608) และ [Play Store](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.livingroomofsatoshi.wallet&hl=en) 2. เชื่อม email กับ Wallet of Satoshi เลข Lightning Wallet กดปุ่ม Receive แล้วก็ copy 3. กลับมาที่ Wherostr ไปที่ Profile ของเรา กด Edit Profile 4. วางเลขเป๋าตรง Bitcoin Lightning Address แล้วก็กด save ## การใช้งานทั่วไป ขอเปรียบเทียบกับ social network ที่เราใช้กันอยู่เนอะ สมัยก่อนโพสจะเรียงตามลำดับเวลา และเพิ่มเพื่อนหรือติดตามเพจก่อน เราถึงจะเห็น content เขาใน feed แต่สมัยนี้ AI นำหมด ลองไถ feed ดูสิ เจอเพื่อนเราหรือเพจที่เราตามเท่าไหร่ใน 10 post ทำให้ตัว content creator ต้องเรียนรู้ algorithm ของ platform นั้น ๆ เพื่อให้ content ของเราผู้ติดตามเห็นมากขึ้น (งงม่ะ) แล้ว Nostr ล่ะ? เหมือน social network สมัยก่อนที่เรียง feed ตามเวลาเลย เราสามารถกดติดตามเพื่อนได้ (และระบบนั้นให้เราได้ติดตามตัวเราเองได้ด้วยนะ5555) และอ่านโพสเพื่อน ๆ คนไทยใน Nostr ได้ผ่าน #siamstr ### การสร้างโพส การโพสก็แสนจะง่ายดาย กด + ตรงกลาง แล้วพิมพ์ เพิ่มรูปใด ๆ ได้ตามใจชอบเลย ฟีลประมาณ medium แหละเนอะ สำหรับ wherostr สามารถ tag สถานที่ได้ด้วย  จุดที่น่าสนใจ คือปุ่มเหมือน CPU กดไปดูจะพบว่าเราสามารถเลือก Proof of Work difficulty level ได้ ซึ่งถ้าเราตั้งไว้เพื่อกัน spam แหละ ถ้าตั้งสูงก็ใช้เวลาในการ solve นาน ซึ่ง default POW เป็น 8 เอ้ออย่าลืมติด #siamstr ด้วย เมื่อเรียบร้อยแล้ว Post แล้วรอแปป โพสของเราเมื่อสร้างเสร็จแล้วจะอยู่บนสุดเหมือนแอพ social media ทั่วไปเลย ### ข้อพึงระวัง - ลงแล้ว edit post ไม่ได้ - และลบไม่ได้ด้วยนะจ๊ะ - แชร์ลิ้งได้ แต่ก็ไม่แน่ใจว่าเพื่อนเปิดยังไงได้บ้าง บาง client อย่าง Yakihonne สามารถ share url link Nostr post ของเราได้เลยนะ เราสามารถกด report, comment และ like ตามปกติเลย แต่มีปุ่มนึงเพิ่มมาจาก social network อื่น ๆ คือ zap นั่นเอง ## Zap คืออะไร? แน่นอนไม่ใช่การแอบแซ่บ แต่เป็นการที่เราเอา Bitcoin บน lightning มาใช้จ่ายต่าง ๆ เช่น เอาไปซื้อชากาแฟ หมูปิ้ง เค้กท้อฟฟี่ชลบุรี ปลากรอบ Crispy Will รวมถึงการ donate ให้กับเจ้าของ content ที่คนนี้เขียนดีมาก เรากด zap ให้เขาดีกว่า หรือไป zap ที่ profile ก็ได้ซึ่งทุก sat (satoshi หน่วยย่อยของ Bitcoin) ที่เขาส่งมาให้ เราได้รับครบทุก sat แบบไม่หักจาก platform เลย  วิธีการ zap ผ่าน Wherostr มี 2 ทาง คือ - zap ให้กับคนนั้น ๆ ที่ profile: ไปที่ profile ของเขา แล้วเราจะเห็นปุ่มสายฟ้า - zap ที่ post นั้น ๆ: เลื่อนไปล่างสุด เราจะเห็นปุ่ม repost, like, comment และอีกอันที่เป็นสายฟ้าคือ Zap เมื่อกดปุ่ม Zap แล้ว เข้าไปหน้า Zap เลือกจำนวน sat ที่เราต้องการ Zap อาจจะใส่ข้อความไปด้วยก็ได้ แล้วก็กดปุ่ม Zap ด้านล่าง จากนั้นมันจะเด้งไป Wallet of Satashi ที่เรา connect ไว้ ตรวจสอบธุรกรรม เรียบร้อยแล้วกด Send เขียว ๆ รอสักแปป เมื่อสำเร็จแล้วเราจะเห็นหน้าเขียว ๆ แบบนี้เลย ถึงเงินอาจจะไม่ได้มากมายอะไรมัก ก็เป็นสิ่งที่ platform web2 ให้ไม่ได้เลยนะ กับความรู้สึกดี ๆ แบบนี้ ที่ลง content แล้วมีคนมา Zap ให้ ในขนาดที่ platform web2 ไม่มีคนกด send gift ให้เลย ฮือออออออออออ ## Client App อื่น ๆ ที่น่าสนใจ จริง ๆ เราจะใช้แอพ Client อื่น ๆ เล่น Nostr ได้นะ เพราะว่า Relay สามารถใช้ร่วมกันได้ในหลาย ๆ แอพ  ก่อนที่จะมีแอพ Wherostr เขาจะแนะนำกันว่า ถ้าใช้ iOS ใช้แอพ Damus ส่วนชาว Android ใช้ Amethyst ตอนนั้นที่เราลองเล่นเอง เราสร้าง account ผ่าน [Iris](https://iris.to/) แหละ เพราะ ก่อนหน้าที่เรารู้จัก Wherostr และเข้าใจ Nostr เราได้ลองกับ Nostr browser นึงที่ชื่อว่า [Spring](https://nostrbrowser.com/) ในนั้นมีหลาย ๆ client ให้เราจิ้มเล่น และแอพนี้มีเฉพาะ [Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nostr.universe) เท่าน้านนน สายเขียนบล็อก: [Habla](https://habla.news/), [Yakihonne](https://yakihonne.com/), [Npub.pro](https://npub.pro/) ส่วนสายสตรีม: [Zap.Stream](https://zap.stream/) ส่วน Client อื่น ๆ สามารถเข้าไปดูได้ที่นี่ ซึ่งในนี้เป็นแค่ส่วนหนึ่งเท่านั้นแหละ https://nostrapps.com/ ## เริ่มใช้งานบนคอม หลาย ๆ client นอกจากจะมีเป็นแอพบนมือถือ ยังมีเป็นหน้าเว็บไซต์อีกด้วย  สิ่งที่ต้องมีเพิ่มเติม คือ extension ที่ชื่อว่า [Nostr Connect](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/nostr-connect/ampjiinddmggbhpebhaegmjkbbeofoaj) เราใส่ private key เข้าไปในนั้น พอเวลา sign transection ตัว extension จะไม่เอา private key ของเราตรง ๆ หลังจากติดตั้ง extension ตัวนี้แล้ว การใช้งาน สมมุติเข้าเว็บ [Wherostr](https://wherostr.social/) กดปุ่ม Login แล้วจะมีหน้า popup เด้งมา ให้กด Login with Nostr extension แล้วจะขึ้นหน้าต่างให้เรา sign สองอัน คือ อ่าน public key กับ Relay เมื่อ login เรียบร้อยแล้ว สมมุติเราสร้างโพสบนเว็บ Wherostr จามปกติ เรียบร้อยแล้วกด Post เขาจะให้เรา sign event ว่าเราเป็นคนสร้าง post นี้นะ เราจะเห็น transaction ออกมาเป็น json เลย ตามมาตรฐาน NIP-01 ปล. จริง ๆ จะกดไม่ให้เปิด popup ก็ได้นะ แต่เราอยากเปิดไว้เอง เอาไว้ check และ extension อีกตัวที่มีคนแนะนำก่อนหน้านี้คือ [Alby](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/alby-bitcoin-wallet-for-l/iokeahhehimjnekafflcihljlcjccdbe) ตอนนี้ไม่ต้องไปขอ access code ก่อนถึงจะใช้ได้ สามารถเข้าไปสมัครที่นี่ได้เลย https://getalby.com/ สุดท้าย ก็หวังว่าทุกคนรู้จัก Nostr กันไม่มากก็น้อยเนอะ ถ้าใครอยากติดตามเราบน Nostr สามารถเปิดแอพ Wherostr หรืออื่น ๆ เพื่อ scan QR Code นี้ได้ หรือ copy public key หรือ Nostr user ไปหาได้น้า แน่นอนในนี้เป็นการแท็กเราเอง nostr:npub1h9ls03lflhvgzzmkf6nsymspw3auh0f3d97c02e5l4edn2waefcszlq9qf  ## Reference - https://nostr.com/ - https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nostr - https://rightshift.to/2023/kp/14251/ - จริง ๆ ก็เอามาจากงาน Thailand Bitcoin Conference 2024 ที่เขียนไปด้วยแหละ แต่บวกกับการใช้งานจริงด้วย https://www.mikkipastel.com/thailand-bitcoin-conference-2024/

@ 29af23a9:842ef0c1

A Indústria Pornográfica se caracteriza pelo investimento pesado de grandes empresários americanos, desde 2014. Na década de 90, filmes pornográficos eram feitos às coxas. Era basicamente duas pessoas fazendo sexo amador e sendo gravadas. Não tinha roteiro, nem produção, não tinha maquiagem, nada disso. A distribuição era rudimentar, os assinantes tinham que sair de suas casas, ir até a locadora, sofrer todo tipo de constrangimento para assistir a um filme pornô. No começo dos anos 2000, o serviço de Pay Per View fez o número de vendas de filmes eróticos (filme erótico é bem mais leve) crescer mas nada se compara com os sites de filmes pornográficos por assinatura. Com o advento dos serviços de Streaming, os sites que vendem filmes por assinatura se estabeleceram no mercado como nunca foi visto na história. Hoje, os Produtores usam produtos para esticar os vasos sanguíneos do pênis dos atores e dopam as atrizes para que elas aguentem horas de gravação (a Série Black Mirror fez uma crítica a isso no episódio 1 milhão de méritos de forma sutil). Além de toda a produção em volta das cenas. Que são gravadas em 4K, para focar bem as partes íntimas dos atores. Quadros fechados, iluminação, tudo isso faz essa Indústria ser "Artística" uma vez que tudo ali é falso. Um filme da Produtora Vixen, por exemplo, onde jovens mulheres transam em mansões com seus empresários estimula o esteriótipo da mina padrão que chama seu chefe rico de "daddy" e seduz ele até ele trair a esposa. Sites como xvídeos, pornHub e outros nada mais são do que sites que salvam filmes dessas produtoras e hospedam as cenas com anúncios e pop-ups. Alguns sites hospedam o filme inteiro "de graça". Esse tipo de filme estimula qualquer homem heterosexual com menos de 30 anos, que não tem o córtex frontal de seu cérebro totalmente desenvolvido (segundo estudos só é completamente desenvolvido quando o homem chega aos 31 anos). A arte Pornográfica faz alguns fantasiarem ter relação sexual com uma gostosa americana branquinha, até escraviza-los. Muitos não conseguem sair do vício e preferem a Ficção à sua esposa real. Então pare de se enganar e admita. A Pornografia faz mal para a saúde mental do homem. Quem sonha em ter uma transa com Lana Rhodes, deve estar nesse estágio. Trata-se de uma atriz (pornstar) que ganhou muito dinheiro vendendo a ilusão da Arte Pornografica, como a Riley Reid que só gravava para grandes Produtoras. Ambas se arrependeram da carreira artística e agora tentam viver suas vidas como uma mulher comum. As próprias atrizes se consideram artistas, como Mia Malkova, chegou a dizer que Pornografia é a vida dela, que é "Lindo e Sofisticado." Mia Malkova inclusive faz questão de dizer que a industria não escravisa mulheres jovens. Trata-se de um negócio onde a mulher assina um contrato com uma produtora e recebe um cachê por isso. Diferente do discurso da Mia Khalifa em entrevista para a BBC, onde diz que as mulheres são exploradas por homens poderosos. Vai ela está confundindo o Conglomerado Vixen com a Rede Globo ou com a empresa do Harvey Weinstein. Enfim, se você é um homem solteiro entre 18 e 40 anos que já consumiu ou que ainda consome pornografia, sabia que sofrerá consequências. Pois trata-se de "produções artísticas" da indústria audiovisual que altera os níveis de dopamina do seu cérebro, mudando a neuroplasticidade e diminuindo a massa cinzenta, deixando o homem com memória fraca, sem foco e com mente nebulosa. Por que o Estado não proíbe/criminaliza a Pornografia se ela faz mal? E desde quando o Estado quer o nosso bem? Existem grandes empresarios que financiam essa indústria ajudando governos a manterem o povo viciado e assim alienado. É um pão e circo, só que muito mais viciante e maléfico. Eu costume dizer aos meus amigos que existem grandes empresários jvdeus que são donos de grandes Produtoras de filmes pornográficos como o Conglomerado Vixen. Então se eles assistem vídeos pirateados de filmes dessas produtoras, eles estão no colo do Judeu.

@ 141daddd:1df80a3f

When we talk about **escaping the matrix**, the phrase often conjures images of dramatic physical change—abandoning the city for a remote wilderness, building a self-sufficient life in a village, or retreating to the mountains to escape the noise of modernity. But this interpretation, while romantic, misses the essence of what it truly means to break free. Escaping the matrix is not about fleeing the material world. It is not about geography or lifestyle. It is, above all, a **mental and spiritual transformation**. Even in the movie *The Matrix*, which serves as a powerful allegory for this concept, Morpheus tells Neo that the prison he lives in is not a physical one. It is a prison of the mind. This statement cuts to the core of the matter: the matrix we seek to escape is not an external construct but an internal one. It is the web of beliefs, fears, and limitations that bind us. The bars of this prison are forged from societal expectations, inherited ideologies, and the relentless pursuit of material validation. To escape the matrix, we must first break free from these mental chains. ### The Real Battle: Within the Mind The material world undoubtedly imposes certain limitations—laws, systems, and structures that shape our daily lives. And while it is possible to challenge and even overcome some of these external barriers, **the greatest battle is fought within**. The matrix is not something you can physically run from because it exists in your perception, in the way you interpret and interact with the world. True freedom begins with **elevating your consciousness**. It is not about rejecting the material matrix but transcending it. You do not escape by leaving the system behind; you escape by rising above it. This shift in perspective allows you to see the matrix for what it is—a construct, a playground, a stage upon which life unfolds. When you reach this level of awareness, you are no longer a passive participant, a consumer of someone else’s design. Instead, you become a **co-creator** of your reality. ### Living Above the Matrix To live above the matrix is to observe it without being consumed by it. You recognize its rules and structures, but you are no longer bound by them. You begin to shape your life not according to the desires and expectations of others but according to your own higher purpose. This is not escapism; it is empowerment. You are still in the matrix, but you are no longer of it. This shift transforms the matrix from a prison into a **playground**. You engage with it consciously, using it as a tool to create a more fulfilling life. You are no longer a pawn in someone else’s game but a player in your own. By breaking free from the mental constructs that once confined you, you reclaim your power and your agency. ### The Path to Co-Creation Escaping the matrix is not about rejecting the material world but about redefining your relationship with it. It is about moving from a state of consumption to one of creation. When you elevate your consciousness, you stop being a passive recipient of the matrix’s programming. Instead, you begin to actively participate in shaping it. You become a co-creator, weaving your own vision into the fabric of reality. This process requires introspection, courage, and a willingness to let go of old paradigms. It is not an easy path, but it is a liberating one. By breaking free from the prison of the mind, you unlock the potential to live a life of purpose, creativity, and fulfillment. ### The Choice is Yours The matrix is not something to be feared or fled from. It is a challenge, an opportunity, a mirror reflecting your own inner state. To escape it is not to abandon the world but to transcend it. The question is not whether the matrix exists but whether you will allow it to define you. Will you remain a prisoner of its illusions, or will you rise above and become a co-creator of your reality? The choice, as Morpheus would say, is yours.

@ 83279ad2:bd49240d

備忘録として書きます。意外と時間がかかりました。全体で1時間くらいかかるので気長にやりましょう。 仮想通貨取引所(販売所ではないので、玄人が使えばお得らしい）かつBitcoinの送金手数料が無料(全ての取引所が無料ではない、例えばbitbankは0.0006bitcoinかかる)なので送金元はGMOコインを使います。(注意:GMOコインは0.02ビットコイン以下は全額送金になってしまいます) 今回はカストディアルウォレットのWallet of Satoshiに送金します。 以下手順 1. GMOコインでbitcoinを買います。 2. GMOコインの左のタブから入出金 暗号資産を選択します。 3. 送付のタブを開いて、+新しい宛先を追加するを選択します。 4. 送付先:GMOコイン以外、送付先ウォレット：プライベートウォレット(MetaMaskなど)、受取人：ご本人さま　を選んで宛先情報の登録を選ぶと次の画面になります。<br> 5. 宛先名称にwallet of satoshi(これはなんでも良いです わかりやすい名称にしましょう)　wallet of satoshiを開いて、受信→Bitcoin On-Chainからアドレスをコピーして、ビットコインアドレスに貼り付けます。<br> 6. 登録するを押します。これで送金先の登録ができました。GMOコインの審査がありますがすぐ終わると思います。 7. ここから送金をします。送付のタブから登録したビットコインの宛先リストwallet of satoshiを選択し、送付数量と送付目的を選択して、2段階認証をします。<br> 8. 実行を押せば終わりです。もうあなたがやることはありません。送金が終わるのを40分くらい眺めるだけです。<br> 8. 取引履歴のタブから今の送金のステータスが見れます。<br> 9. 15分くらい待つとステータスが受付に変わります。<br> 10. 20分くらい待つとトランザクションIDが表示されます。 <br> <br>この時点からwallet of satoshiにも送金されていることが表示されます。(まだ完了はしていない) <br>  11. ステータスが完了になったら送金終わりです。<br> <br> wallet of satoshiにも反映されます。<br>  ----------- お疲れ様でした！

@ da0b9bc3:4e30a4a9

Hello Stackers! Welcome on into the ~Music Corner of the Saloon! A place where we Talk Music. Share Tracks. Zap Sats. So stay a while and listen. 🚨Don't forget to check out the pinned items in the territory homepage! You can always find the latest weeklies there!🚨 🚨Subscribe to the territory to ensure you never miss a post! 🚨 originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/862063

@ fbf0e434:e1be6a39

# **Hackathon 总结** [EDU Chain Hackathon: Semester 1](https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/educhain) 在2024年圆满结束，活动参与人数众多，成果显著。该活动由 Open Campus 主办，共有 725 个项目参赛，吸引了 4,672 名开发者，奖池达 $200,000。经过评选，共有 20 位获奖者分别来自两个主要类别——DeFi 和基础设施，还有 12 位获奖者来自其他四个类别。 评审标准重点关注生态系统影响、创新性和可扩展性，由 Animoca Brands 和 Open Campus 等组织的代表进行评估。获奖者可加入 Open Campus 加速器计划中的 EDU Chain 开发者群，获得 DAO 提案支持，并通过 Forbes 等平台获得媒体曝光。他们还可以加入一个专门的 Discord 频道与评委交流，每个项目有高达 $100,000 的潜在资金支持机会。 此次 hackathon 是 EDU Chain 上去中心化应用程序开发的关键事件。EDU Chain 是 Arbitrum Orbit Stack 内的一个 L3 Rollup，旨在加强基于区块链的教育解决方案。来自 ForbesWeb3 和 ApeCoin 等公司的赞助突显出区块链在教育行业中的日益融合，加强了民主化教育的更广泛使命。 # **Hackathon 获奖者** ### **DeFi 奖项获奖者** - [**SailFish veDEX**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14491)：这个去中心化交易所建立在 Open Campus 上，利用 Vote-Escrow 和 (3,3) 博弈论与用户分享交易费用。它提高了收益机会，运行在 Sepolia 网络上。 - [**Blend-lending protocol for educhain**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15439)：提供以 $EDU 代币为抵押的教育贷款，提供诸如 USDT 的稳定资产。该协议采用由 $EDU 代币持有者治理的安全透明智能合约。 - [**Streambill**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14721)：利用 Sablier 协议和 Request Network 为自由职业者提供实时支付，增强发票和支付清晰度。 - [**stakedu**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15316)：一个 $EDU 代币的抵押平台，提供奖励和动态分配管理，增加 EDUchain 生态系统的参与度。 - [**P2P Lending and Borrowing Protocol for Ordinals Powered by EduChain**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14665)：提供以 NFT 为抵押的贷款，利息最高达 350%，其智能合约可跨网络结合 Ordinals。 ### **基础设施 dApps 奖项获奖者** - [**create-edu-dapp**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14599)：为 EduChain 上的 dApp 开发提供 CLI 工具，支持 Next.js、Hardhat 和 Foundry，以便进行无缝测试和部署。 - [**poapedu**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14755)：将学习认证集中化为链上 NFT，借助全面的技能映射帮助职业规划。 - [**Grasp Academy**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14231)：此基于区块链的 LMS 通过 NFT 奖励用户参与，整合教育融资和个性化 AI 工具。 - [**Blitz Protocol**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15468)：提供实时区块链数据访问、可扩展后端的数据信息解决方案，专为 Open Campus 网络优化。 - [**ThrustPad ILO**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14695) ：一个去中心化的筹资平台，利用代币锁定和抵押机制支持教育技术计划。 ### **EduFi 奖项获奖者** - [**Campus Arc BETA**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15481)：为全球学生连接的协作在线学习，专注于基于项目的体验，结合 Web2 和 Web3 框架。 - [**DcodeBlock**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15629)：一个游戏化平台，帮助开发者通过任务和 AI 增强学习从 Web2 过渡到 Web3。 - [**Course3**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15335)：一个去中心化的课程市场平台，采用 Web3 技术在课程之间实现安全验证。 - [**CourseCast**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15431)：管理教育广告活动，提供访问者分析工具，利用 Edu 代币和零知识证明进行验证。 - [**Vault**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15345)：提供小额费用和跨链兼容的教育金融平台，通过区块链促进学费和薪资支付。 ### **Earn 奖项获奖者** - [**OpenTaskAI**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/10480)：通过区块链支持的市场将 AI 自由职业者与全球机会连接，使用智能合约保障安全。 - [**[Ludium] Edu Bounty Management System**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14752)：通过透明的链上合约简化教育悬赏管理的任务验证和支付。 - [**PRISM: Decentralised Content Ecosystem**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15473)：将数字内容标记化为 NFT，从而增强创作者和读者的变现和来源可靠性。 - [**According.Work**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15446)：自动化开源贡献的奖励分配，通过 GitHub 集成和区块链保障透明度。 - [**edBank**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14711)：建立以 EDU 资产支持的稳定币系统，提供灵活的铸币和借款服务。 ### **Learn 奖项获奖者** - [**Proof of Learn**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14531)：一个互动的 Web3 学习平台，提供基于区块链的任务及 POAP 奖励，重视实践概念的部署。 - [**Sorted Wallet**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14274)：为功能手机用户提供加密超级应用，提供资产存储和转换功能，以增加金融访问。 - [**DAO UNI 3.0**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15152)：一个由 DAO 治理的去中心化大学，提供基于代币的课程和互动虚拟环境。 - [**AI Tutor**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15310)：通过个性化 AI 导师和 NFT 证书提高教育体验，实现可验证的成就。 ### **其他奖项获奖者** - [**EDUCHAIN Community Faucet**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14700)：通过在 Open Campus 上统一 token faucet 简化多平台的代币测试。 - [**Lore Network**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14556)：通过基于区块链的凭证和 AI 学习工具将在线内容转化为全球教育中心。 - [**DDream**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15750)：设计用于模块化开发的开源 AI 集成游戏引擎，着重于社区所有权。 - [**LPU Name Service**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14754)：为管理基于 NFT 的学术凭证提供安全的 Web3 域名服务。 - [**MusiCoinCity**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/5080)：将区块链与主题音景结合，以促进对环境活动的捐款，确保通过智能合约实现透明。 有关这些项目的更多详细信息，请访问 [Dorahacks Hackathon 页面](https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/educhain/buidl)。 # **关于主办方** ### **Open Campus** Open Campus 是一个由社区驱动的协议，旨在通过去中心化教育决策来赋能教育者、内容创作者、家长和学生。该计划鼓励教育工作者根据学生需求定制教材，创造一个协作的环境。Open Campus 还通过其“Bringing Education On-Chain”计划为全球有影响力的教育者开辟新的金融渠道，将教育与区块链技术相结合，强调学习方法的创新。作为教育技术领域的积极参与者，Open Campus 一直致力于提高全球教育的可及性和有效性。

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# **Hackathon Summary** The [EDU Chain Hackathon: Semester 1](https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/educhain) concluded with substantial participation and noteworthy outcomes. Hosted by Open Campus, the event featured 725 projects and attracted 4,672 developers, offering a $200,000 prize pool. Twenty winners were selected across two primary categories—DeFi and Infrastructure—and an additional 12 winners were chosen from four other categories. Judging criteria focused on ecosystem impact, innovation, and scalability, with evaluations conducted by representatives from organizations like Animoca Brands and Open Campus. Winning participants were offered an opportunity to join the EDU Chain Developer Cohort within the Open Campus Accelerator Program, support for DAO proposals, and media exposure through platforms such as Forbes. They also gained access to a dedicated Discord channel with the judges, with potential funding sponsorships reaching $100,000 per project. This hackathon was a pivotal event for the development of decentralized applications on the EDU Chain, an L3 Rollup within the Arbitrum Orbit Stack, aimed at enhancing blockchain-based educational solutions. Sponsorship from companies like ForbesWeb3 and ApeCoin highlighted the increasing integration of blockchain in the education sector, reinforcing the broader mission of democratizing education. # **Hackathon Winners** ### **DeFi Prize Winners** - [**SailFish veDEX**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14491): This decentralized exchange on Open Campus shares trading fees with users, utilizing Vote-Escrow and (3,3) game theory. It improves yield opportunities and operates on the Sepolia network. - [**Blend-lending protocol for educhain**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15439): Facilitates educational loans backed by $EDU tokens, offering stable assets like USDT. The protocol features secure, transparent smart contracts governed by $EDU token holders. - [**Streambill**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14721): Enables real-time payments for freelancers using the Sablier protocol and Request Network, enhancing invoicing and payment clarity. - [**stakedu**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15316): A staking platform for $EDU tokens that offers rewards and dynamic allocation management, boosting engagement within the EDUchain ecosystem. - [**P2P Lending and Borrowing Protocol for Ordinals Powered by EduChain**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14665): Provides NFT-backed loans with interest up to 350%, supported by smart contracts that integrate Ordinals across networks. ### **Infrastructure dApps Prize Winners** - [**create-edu-dapp**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14599): Offers a CLI tool for dApp development on EduChain, supporting Next.js, Hardhat, and Foundry to facilitate seamless testing and deployment. - [**poapedu**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14755): Centralizes learning certifications into on-chain NFTs, aiding in career planning through comprehensive skill mapping. - [**Grasp Academy**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14231): This blockchain-based LMS rewards user participation with NFTs and incorporates educational financing and personalized AI tools. - [**Blitz Protocol**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15468): A data indexing solution delivering real-time blockchain data access with a scalable backend tailored for the Open Campus network. - [**ThrustPad ILO**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14695): A decentralized fundraising platform that utilizes token-locking and staking mechanisms to support educational technology initiatives. ### **EduFi Prize Winners** - [**Campus Arc BETA**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15481): Connects students globally for collaborative e-learning, focusing on project-based experiences with integrated Web2 and Web3 frameworks. - [**DcodeBlock**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15629): A gamified platform assisting developers in transitioning from Web2 to Web3 through missions and AI-enhanced learning. - [**Course3**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15335): A decentralized marketplace for courses that enables direct interaction between creators and students, using Web3 technologies for secure verification of courses. - [**CourseCast**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15431): Manages educational ad campaigns with tools for visitor analytics, utilizing Edu tokens and zero-knowledge proofs for verification. - [**Vault**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15345): Provides a financial platform for education with minimal fees and cross-chain compatibility, facilitating tuition and salary payments via blockchain. ### **Earn Prize Winners** - [**OpenTaskAI**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/10480): Connects AI freelancers with global opportunities through a secure blockchain-enabled marketplace using smart contracts. - [**[Ludium] Edu Bounty Management System**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14752): Streamlines educational bounty management with transparent, on-chain contracts for task verification and payments. - [**PRISM: Decentralised Content Ecosystem**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15473): Tokenizes digital content as NFTs, thereby enhancing monetization and provenance for creators and readers. - [**According.Work**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15446): Automates reward distribution for open-source contributions, guaranteeing transparency via GitHub integration and blockchain. - [**edBank**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14711): Builds a stablecoin system backed by EDU assets, facilitating minting and borrowing for financial flexibility. ### **Learn Prize Winners** - [**Proof of Learn**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14531): An interactive Web3 learning platform offering blockchain-based quests with POAP rewards and a focus on practical concept deployment. - [**Sorted Wallet**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14274): Increases financial access for feature phone users with a crypto super app offering asset storage and conversion features. - [**DAO UNI 3.0**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15152): A DAO-governed decentralized university providing token-based access to courses and interactive virtual environments. - [**AI Tutor**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15310): Enhances educational experiences through personalized AI tutors and NFT certificates for verifiable achievements. ### **Miscellaneous Prize Winners** - [**EDUCHAIN Community Faucet**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14700): Simplifies token testing across multiple platforms by unifying token faucets on Open Campus. - [**Lore Network**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14556): Transforms online content into a global educational hub by using blockchain-secured credentials and AI learning tools. - [**DDream**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/15750): An open-source, AI-integrated gaming engine designed for modular development with a focus on community ownership. - [**LPU Name Service**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/14754): Provides Web3 domain services to securely manage NFT-based academic credentials. - [**MusiCoinCity**](https://dorahacks.io/buidl/5080): Combines blockchain with themed soundscapes to facilitate donations for environmental causes, ensuring transparency via smart contracts. Further details on these projects are available on the [Dorahacks Hackathon page](https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/educhain/buidl). # **About the Organizer** ### **Open Campus** Open Campus is a community-driven protocol focused on empowering educators, content creators, parents, and students by decentralizing decision-making in education. The initiative encourages a collaborative environment where educators can customize materials according to students’ needs. Open Campus also introduces new financial avenues for impactful educators globally through its initiative "Bringing Education On-Chain," which combines education with blockchain technology to emphasize innovation in learning methodologies. As an active participant in the education technology sector, Open Campus consistently seeks to enhance educational accessibility and effectiveness worldwide.

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Part One: "A Crackle in the Air" --- Prologue The year is 2147. Humanity, having colonized parts of the solar system, has finally intercepted a signal from the stars. What began as a faint electromagnetic anomaly turned into a full-scale communication effort. The signal, originating from a neighboring star system, revealed the existence of Homo Electromagnus—a humanoid xenospecies whose evolution was shaped by their mastery of bioelectricity. Diplomatic efforts stretched for decades, culminating in a historic agreement: a controlled introduction of Homo Electromagnus to Earth. The goal was to initiate peaceful cohabitation while learning about their bioelectric capabilities. However, as the first contact unfolded, humanity’s carefully laid plans began to falter under the weight of unforeseen consequences. --- Chapter One: The Arrival The ship Arc Synapse entered Earth’s orbit, carrying the first delegation of Homo Electromagnus—ten individuals, led by their elder representative, Xeylan. The ship itself was a marvel, powered by an intricate bioelectric system that pulsed like a living heart. Xeylan had explained, through translated signals, that their species had evolved to coexist symbiotically with technology, manipulating it with the precision of thought. The landing site was a sterile, controlled environment constructed by humans—an isolated biosphere outside the Mojave Desert. Security was tight, with EMP shielding built into every structure. Human diplomats, engineers, and scientists gathered, eager to welcome their alien counterparts. As the delegation descended from their ship, shimmering arcs of electricity crackled along their skin. Their bioluminescent eyes glowed faintly, scanning the crowd. The tension was palpable. Dr. Elena Voss, a leading xenobiologist, stepped forward to greet Xeylan. “On behalf of Earth, I welcome you to our home,” she said, her voice steady despite the charged air around them. Xeylan tilted their head, their voice vibrating through a translator. “We come in peace and curiosity. Let us learn from one another.” --- Chapter Two: First Contact Initial interactions went smoothly. The Homo Electromagnus delegation demonstrated their ability to manipulate electromagnetic waves, repairing a human drone in seconds by “rebooting” it with a controlled bioelectric pulse. In exchange, humans shared their advancements in quantum computing and nanotechnology. But the problems began as soon as the delegation stepped outside the controlled environment. Incident One: The Streetlights. A convoy took the delegation to an observation site in Las Vegas. As they entered the city outskirts, the lights flickered, dimmed, and, in some cases, went out entirely. Xeylan apologized, explaining that their bioelectric fields could unintentionally interfere with poorly shielded systems. What had been designed as a public relations victory—showing the delegation waving to crowds—turned into an eerie blackout. News feeds lit up with headlines about "alien-induced outages." Incident Two: Personal Devices. During a dinner meeting, one of the delegation members, Tayrin, inadvertently disabled several diplomats’ personal devices. Phones, tablets, and even biometric implants malfunctioned within a five-meter radius of their seat. Tayrin apologized profusely, but the diplomats were visibly shaken. The United Nations liaison whispered to Dr. Voss, “This can’t happen in populated areas. Imagine the chaos if they walked through Manhattan.” Incident Three: Human Physiology. On the third day, a technician monitoring the delegation collapsed during a routine interaction. Medical scans revealed irregular heart rhythms, likely caused by electromagnetic interference. The Homo Electromagnus emitted low-level pulses naturally, which were harmless to their kind but could disrupt human pacemakers and nervous systems. Dr. Voss confronted Xeylan privately. “This isn’t working. We can’t control the effects you’re having on our systems—and now, on us. How do we move forward?” Xeylan’s gaze was steady, their voice calm. “Your world is fragile. Ours is… intense. We must learn balance, but that requires trust and time.” --- Chapter Three: Escalation The media frenzy around the incidents escalated. Conspiracy theories flourished, claiming the Homo Electromagnus were intentionally disabling human infrastructure as a prelude to invasion. Protestors gathered outside the Mojave biosphere, demanding the delegation be sent back. Inside the biosphere, tensions grew as well. Human scientists, frustrated by the constant disruptions, began installing new shielding and protocols. The delegation, meanwhile, grew restless. Tayrin expressed frustration to Xeylan. “They fear us. How can we coexist when their machines collapse under our presence?” Dr. Voss proposed an experiment: a trip to a remote island, away from human technology, to test coexistence in a less controlled environment. The delegation agreed, seeing it as a chance to prove their good intentions. But even on the island, issues arose. The group discovered that Homo Electromagnus bioelectric fields disrupted animal migration patterns and aquatic ecosystems. Whales stranded themselves nearby, confused by the alien electromagnetic signals. Xeylan looked out over the beach, their luminous eyes dim. “Even your world’s life is tied to invisible fields. We have disturbed it.” --- Chapter Four: The Spark of Conflict Back in the Mojave, the situation deteriorated further. An accidental bioelectric pulse from Tayrin during a training demonstration overloaded the biosphere’s EMP shielding. Half the facility’s systems went offline, including oxygen regulation. Panic ensued as scientists and diplomats scrambled to evacuate. The media caught wind of the event before it was contained. Images of choking researchers and flickering lights spread across every network. The narrative shifted from “peaceful contact” to “alien threat.” Governments began discussing whether to terminate the experiment entirely and send the delegation away. Xeylan called an emergency meeting with Dr. Voss and the diplomatic team. “We did not come to harm. But we see now… your world is incompatible with our existence.” Dr. Voss shook her head. “No, it’s not incompatible. Just… unprepared. This isn’t failure. It’s a challenge.” But Xeylan was unconvinced. “A challenge may become a threat. You fear what you cannot control. And we fear what we might break.” --- Chapter Five: The Breaking Point The story culminates in a public crisis. One member of the delegation, overwhelmed by stress and human hostility, emits an uncontrolled EMP during a protest near the Mojave facility. The pulse disables nearby drones and vehicles, and several protesters are injured in the chaos. This act, though unintentional, pushes public opinion to the brink. The United Nations calls for the delegation to be escorted back to their ship and removed from Earth, at least temporarily. Dr. Voss pleads for more time, but the political pressure is insurmountable. As the delegation boards their ship, Xeylan pauses to speak to Dr. Voss. “We came to learn, but perhaps we have only taught. You are not ready for us, and we are not ready for you. But someday…” With that, the Arc Synapse ascends, leaving Earth in silence. Humanity is left grappling with the challenges of interspecies contact and what it means to coexist with beings fundamentally different from themselves. --- Epilogue In the aftermath, debates rage about whether the contact was a success or a failure. Dr. Voss writes in her journal: "They didn’t disrupt our world. They revealed its fragility. Maybe that’s the lesson we needed." Above Earth, the Homo Electromagnus watch from orbit, waiting for humanity to decide its next move. --- To Be Continued…

@ f7524ebe:58863422

I started off my journey as a poor innocent developer thinking that the world of open source code distribution in the JVM would be simple. 2 days later and I just finally released code after setting up my own custom Maven server on a DigitalOcean droplet. To be fair I was too lazy to go through the whole process of setting up a Maven central repo. And some of you might have thought about [Jitpack](https://jitpack.io/) which would have been an option if I was doing standard JVM libraries, but I'm releasing Kotlin Multiplatform libraries and Jitpack builds your libraries on their server for distribution, which makes it so that building iOS binaries are not supported. Every time I looked into how I could possibly distribute my libraries I found it to be such an uphill battle that I'd just quit. This most recent time I was determined. I figured there had to be a reasonable way to do it otherwise there wouldn't be like millions of libraries out there for Java. The God's honest truth is that sadly there is not a simple mainstream way. After a long jacuzzi with my phone in hand reading every possible thing I could find on Maven, I, very fortunately, stumbled across [this blog post](https://kihats.medium.com/custom-self-hosted-maven-repository-cbb778031f68) which describes the awesomeness that is [Reposilite](https://reposilite.com/). This is an awesome open source maven hosting website that you can self host. With the ability to run in docker, it's like a 3 minute process to get up and running. Huge kudos to the team that built it. Seriously it's the only project that actually seems to make some sense with the exception of Jitpack in the JVM dependency management ecosystem. How is Java a top 5 languages in the world and they have the most antiquated dependency management system. I don't really want this post to be a tutorial on setting up [Reposilite](https://reposilite.com/) because they actually do a great job of explaining that in their docs, I do however want to cover a few supplemental elements that took me a little bit to find namely how to setup publishing properly in your project. ## How to Configure Your Gradle Build for Publishing Note: I'm not an expert on this, I am still learning, so if there's a better way feel free to let me know, but this is what worked for me. When setting up a Kotlin Multiplatform library I have a block like this in my `gradle.build.kts`. Do note this is Kts flavored Gradle not groovy, so your script might be a bit different. ```kotlin plugins { ... id("maven-publish") // needed to get the maven publish command } group = "com.somegroupname" version="0.1.0" // this will be the version of your library when it's in your maven repo // this is the block responsible for pushing your library up to your maven repo publishing { val mavenUser: String by project val mavenPassword: String by project repositories { maven { setUrl("https://yourDomain/releases") authentication { create("basic", BasicAuthentication::class.java) } credentials { username = mavenUser password = mavenPassword } } } } ``` Do note that the `mavenUser` and `mavenPassword` variables are coming from my `~/.gradle/gradle.properties` file. This way it's highly unlikely that you'd ever accidentally commit those credentials to a repo. and we use the delegate `by project` as nice syntactic sugar to retrieve those values automatically. with this configuration block added to your gradle build file you should be able to run the `./gradlew publish` command. Or you can do it from your IDE... However you prefer and this will push your library live. Also note if you are running this on a non secured http server you have to add a bit more code on the side where you are trying to pull your dependencies. I wouldn't recommend having a non secure HTTP server, but if you are like me, and wanted to test things on localhost before deploying to a server it is useful to do so. here's how to include it when over an unsecure http connection: ```kotlin repositories { ... maven("http://localhost:3000") { // or whatever port you set your local server to run on isAllowInsecureProtocol = true } } ```

@ f7524ebe:58863422

Photo by [Jainath Ponnala](https://unsplash.com/@jainath?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/jvHymbpto1E?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash) About a year ago I decided to setup a blog on a digital ocean server. I mostly did this to get back into the dev ops world since I mostly live as a programmer. I know these skillsets are somewhat related, but I've mostly focused on building coding skills that last 8 years with some occasional dabbling in docker. In this post I will walk you through how I configured my web server that runs a next.js blog. Some elements that make my setup really cool and interesting: - I setup a build system that automatically triggers when I push new code to GitHub on a raspberry pi which hosts a local container registry. - I setup a local container registry on my Raspberry PI - I setup dynamic DNS so that my digital ocean server can talk to my raspberry pi even though my IP address is not static. I'll walk you through how to do this. - I setup my digital ocean server to automatically pull the latest docker image when my container registry updates using [watch tower](https://github.com/containrrr/watchtower) - I setup a self hosted analytics system that's way more simple than google analytics, called [Plausable](https://plausible.io/) - My blog is also somewhat cool intrinsically since it parses markdown into static pages that load very fast, but I'll link you to my inspiration rather than writing a whole writeup on this. ## Github Actions and simple CI I will start with my automated build system and my inspiration for it. I have used a few different CI systems over the years, mostly Gitlab CI, which is honestly awesome, but it's not only OP for this project, but I'm also not using gitlab to host the code, so I figured why not play with GitHub web-hooks since all I really need is a way to trigger a docker build when new code is pushed. **How does this work?** so basically you will need to write a simple web server for this. I'm using **Python Flask** for this. This server just needs to handle a single route which you set. And this route will get called by GitHub whenever you push code to the project you configured it for. All I do in this route is validate that GitHub was in fact the caller.. and then I call a local script which setups the docker build. This is what my CI server code looks like: ```py from flask import Flask, request, abort import hmac import subprocess app = Flask(__name__) GITHUB_SECRET = '<replace-with-your-secret>' @app.route('/blog-webhook', methods=['POST']) def webhook(): signature = request.headers.get('X-Hub-Signature') sha, signature = signature.split('=') # we create a digest using hmac to validate that github was the caller # we set a shared secret which is stored in GITHUB_SECRET. If our secrets validate # then we continue.. otherwise we abort with a 403 mac = hmac.new(bytearray(GITHUB_SECRET , 'ascii'), msg=request.data, digestmod='sha1') if not hmac.compare_digest(mac.hexdigest(), signature): abort(403) # call our local shell script which pulls our git and builds a new docker version. subprocess.call(['./blog-deploy.sh']) return 'OK', 200 if __name__ == '__main__': app.run(host="0.0.0.0", port=5000) ``` Note we could just run this from a shell, but that would only run as long as your shell is open, so we need a way to have this server remain up. The advanced way to do this is using uWSGI which I think acts as a revers proxy (someone correct me if I'm wrong). But in our case we are going to do this the simple way which is just creating a service which will auto restart when our system restarts. we'll use systemd ```sh sudo vi /etc/systemd/system/my_python_service.service ``` ```sh [Unit] Description=My Python Script Service After=network.target [Service] Type=simple User=YOUR_USERNAME WorkingDirectory=/path/to/your/script ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 /path/to/your/script.py Restart=always RestartSec=10 [Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target ``` - `Description`: A brief description of your service. - `After`: This ensures the network is available before starting your script. - `Type`: The type of service. `simple` is commonly used for services that don't fork. - `User`: The user that will run the script. - `WorkingDirectory`: Directory where your script resides. - `ExecStart`: Command to start your service. - `Restart`: This will restart your service if it exits for any reason. - `RestartSec`: Time to sleep before restarting the service. Once you've saved and exited the editor, you'll need to inform `systemd` of the new service: ```sh sudo systemctl daemon-reload ``` **Enable and Start Your Service** Now, enable your service so that it starts on boot: ```sh sudo systemctl enable my_python_service.service ``` And start it: ```sh sudo systemctl start my_python_script.service ``` **Check the Status of Your Service** You can check the status of your service with: ```sh sudo systemctl status my_python_script.service ``` now that we have a service for our hook we have assurance that this server, assuming it's stable, will remain up. Because, in my case, this server is running on my Raspberry Pi on my home internet.. I have to setup port forwarding to this web server since it's running behind NAT. ### A Quick Asside on NAT I know that thee's probably a verity of experience levels to my readers of this article. feel free to skip over this if you already know about NAT. NAT stands for Network Address Translation. Basically all routers use NAT that connect to IPv4. The reason for this is because there are only around 4 billion IP v4 address and there are significantly more than that number of devices on the internet. Our local network can have lots of devices on it, but to the external internet it looks like all of these devices are one IP. So what happens is whenever a service needs to conect to a specific computer on your network... you have to tell your router to forward that specific traffic to a specific computer on a specific port. This is called port forwarding. So in our case we need to forward all traffic on port 5000 to our Raspberry Pi. Note that port forwarding can open your network up to attack and vulnerabilities, so be cautious when you do this and seek advice from others. ## What Does Our Deploy Script Look Like? ```sh #!/bin/bash cd /route/to/your/blog/repo # Fetch the latest tags and commits from the repo git fetch --all --tags # Checkout the commit associated with the latest tag latest_tag=$(git describe --tags $(git rev-list --tags --max-count=1)) git checkout $latest_tag # Get the latest Git tag (redundant but kept for clarity) git_tag=$(git describe --tags) # If there's no tag for the current commit, you might want to handle this case. # For this example, I'll default to a "latest" string. You can adjust as needed. if [ -z "$git_tag" ]; then git_tag="latest" fi # Build our docker container docker buildx build --platform linux/amd64 -t localhost:5001/my-blog:$git_tag -t localhost:5001/my-blog:latest . --push ``` So this above script is pretty cool and far from perfect.. but it essentally pulls our git repo. It assignes a var git_tag with the latest git tag. And it uses `docker buildx` to build an x64 image on our arm64 Rasberry Pi, since my digital ocean runs x64 archotecture. Note when building cross archotectures like this it massively slows down the build speed since we are essentally emulating an x64 machine. Here's a [resource](https://www.smartling.com/resources/product/building-multi-architecture-docker-images-on-arm-64-bit-aws-graviton2/) to get buildx working on your ubuntu rasberry pi working since this is not the standard docker build. ## Lets Setup Our Container Registry So I wanted to setup a local docker container registry that my Digital Ocean server can request containers from. This is both cool, and saves money, since I don't want to spend $6 a month on a docker account. So here's the docker compose file to self host on our Rasperry Pi... or really an server you choose that runs docker: ```yaml services: registry: image: registry:2 ports: - '5001:5000' environment: REGISTRY_STORAGE_FILESYSTEM_ROOTDIRECTORY: /data volumes: - ./data:/data ``` Note that you need to make a directory callded data in the same folder as your `docker-compose.yml` which will persist your docker images. ## Let's quicly lock down our server This is by no means an exhostive list of security mesures, but with all things secruity it's a risk assesment risk benifit analysis. In my case if someone pops my rasperry pi it's not the end of the world. Because of this we are not going to go to the lengths we could in another context. ### Let's setup our firewall rules using UFW UFW is a pretty simple and strightforward utility on ubuntu (and maybe other linux distros) that allows us to set up rules for what ports are open and what ones are not. Note that the ports that we open up are essentally the attack space of our server. Ideally we want as few open as possible. In our case we need to open up port 5000 to the greater internet for the GitHub webhook to be able to connec to our server. We also need to open up our docker repository port, but this one we can lock down to a spicific IP since our digital ocean server should be the only thing connecting to this service. first we need to run this command to see if ufw is enabled. ```sh sudo ufw status ``` If it's not active, you can enable it with: ```sh sudo ufw enable ``` You'll probably want to keep SSH open unless you are directly phisically connected to your Rasperry Pi If you port forward to this port.. you may want to either lock this to only allow connecton from a spicific IP or at the very least only allow connections from an SSH key, since this definetly presents a big security vulnerability. I don't expose my PI on port 22 on the wider internet, since I'm only really working on this while I'm at home. ```sh sudo ufw allow 22/tcp ``` Let's allow connection to port 5001 (our docker container registry) only from a spicific IP ```sh sudo ufw allow from [SPECIFIC_IP] to any port 5001 proto tcp ``` Now let's open our web hook server up to the whole internet. We don't need to open UDP since this will only work with TCP for right now. ```sh sudo ufw allow 5000/tcp ``` Now let's reload our ufw to enable these rules: ```sh sudo ufw reload ``` We can now validate that our rules where applied properly by running: ```sh sudo ufw status ``` And done. You have now sucessfully locked your Pi's firewall down. There's a lot more you can do to harden your sever to attack, and this is really the start, but this is a very important step. Obviously feel free to add more open ports as needed. ## Now lets talk about DNS and DDNS So if you are like me.. you don't have a static IPv4 address at home, which means that hosting any data accessible to the wider internet is difficult. That is until you realize what DNS does. DNS (Domain Name System) translates human readable addresses... like google.com into an IP address either IPv4 or v6. What's so powerful about this is it means you can have a dynamic IP on a standard ISP internet service and still be able to host a service that talks to the outer internet. The way this works is surprisingly simple: You pay for a domain name through whatever domain registrar you want... doesn't really matter. Then you can use a service like Digital Ocean (or certainly others) to manage your DNS A record. Your DNS A record is simply a record that store the IP address you'd like to associate with your domain or sub domain name. For instance awhb.dev currently points to -> 143.110.153.56 so this IP is stored in my A record. So whenever a computer requests `awhb.dev` the computer requests the A record from the DNS server which then sends back `143.110.153.56`. There's certainly more complexity to DNS and how it works, but we'll let this high level conceptual understand suffice for our needs right now. With this understanding in mind we can now describe how Dynamic DNS works. All dynamic DNS does is it tells your DNS server (in my case Digital Ocean) what your current public IP address is and assoceates that with a domain or subdomain name makeing it so that your home IP address is assoceated by a domain name. This service has to do this check and update loop repeatedly because your ISP can change your IP address whenver they want... so to keep your server reliable this process should run at least every 10 minutes. that way at most your server will be innaccassable for at most 10 minutes. What's awesome is this Dynamic DNS can be configured extremely easy using [this](https://github.com/qdm12/ddns-updater/tree/master) insanely awesome project. If you're in the same situation as I am, you likely don't have a static IPv4 address at home. This presents a challenge when you're trying to host data that you want accessible to the wider internet. But once you understand the function and power of the Domain Name System (DNS), this challenge becomes much more manageable. The Domain Name System, or DNS, serves as the internet's phonebook. It translates human-readable web addresses, such as google.com, into numerical IP addresses, which can be either IPv4 or IPv6. The significance of this system is profound: even if you have a constantly changing or dynamic IP address provided by a standard internet service provider (ISP), you can still host a service and make it accessible to the broader internet. Here's how it works in basic terms: 1. **Purchase a Domain Name**: First, you'll need a domain name, which you can buy from any domain registrar. The specific registrar you choose isn't crucial. 2. **Managing DNS Records**: Services like **Digital Ocean** (among others) allow you to manage your domain's DNS records, particularly the 'A record'. This A record is essentially a log that stores the IP address you want to link with your domain or sub-domain name. As an example, my domain `awhb.dev` currently maps to the IP address **143.110.153.56.** (pleas don't hack me 😱) This IP is what's listed in my domain's A record. 3. **DNS Query Process**: Whenever someone tries to access `awhb.dev`, their computer doesn't initially know where to go. It asks a DNS server for the corresponding A record. The DNS server then replies with the stored IP address (in this case, `143.110.153.56`), and the computer can then communicate with the server at that IP address. This is a simplification, but it captures the essence of how DNS facilitates web communication. Now, with this foundation in DNS, let's explore Dynamic DNS (DDNS) and its relevance to those with dynamic IPs. Dynamic DNS is a service that automatically updates your DNS server with your current public IP address. It keeps your domain name (like `awhb.dev`) consistently linked to your changing home IP address. This is crucial because ISPs can change your IP address without notice. For reliability, the DDNS service regularly checks and updates the IP address associated with your domain. Ideally, this check-update cycle should occur every 10 minutes to ensure that, even if your IP changes, your server will at most be inaccessible for a brief period. Setting up Dynamic DNS might sound complicated, but there are tools available that make the process straightforward. For instance, there's an excellent project on GitHub called [ddns-updater](https://github.com/qdm12/ddns-updater) that streamlines the setup. All this service is doing behind the scenes is periodically checking what your current public IP is. It saves what it last was in a local JSON file and if it changes compared to the last time it checked it updates your DNS A record for your domain or sub domain. First thing's first.. let's go to our network tab  Next we need to either add a top level domain or a dub domain to associeate our DDNS IP to.  Next we need an API key in order to update our record from our Rasberry Pi  after you've generated an API key be sure to keep it safe, because this has access to your Digital Ocean account. Someone could do a lot of damage to your account with this key. next we need to create a config.json file where we'll store our config for [ddns-updater](https://github.com/qdm12/ddns-updater) ```json { "settings": [ { "provider": "digitalocean", "domain": "example.com", "host": "sub", "token": "my-digital-ocean-key", "ip_version": "ipv4" } ] } ``` so in the above example let's say you're trying to update the A record for `sub.example.com` if you're are trying to just update example.com I think host would be `@` be sure to review the docs for your spicific use case. so we need to store the above `config.json` file in a folder which I'll call data. to start our docker servcie to start this service we run: ```sh docker run -d -p 8000:8000/tcp -v "$(pwd)"/data:/updater/data qmcgaw/ddns-updater ``` we are assuming your data dicrectory with config.json is in a folder called data in your current working directory. we are also running this service on port 8000 which has a web UI. Feel free to not expose the web UI. I don't really use it myself, but it does give you status updates on your DDNS records. I probably have more to go over, but I'll save that for a future post since this one is getting long already.

@ f7524ebe:58863422

Photo by [Vishnu Mohanan](https://unsplash.com/@vishnumaiea?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash) Checkout [Part 1](https://awhb.dev/blog/effortlessly-auto-deploying-blog-with-docker-and-raspberry-pi) of this series if you haven't already This is my follow up to my previous post. In this post I'm going to explore a few other systems that I didn't include in my last post, namely [self hosted analytics](https://github.com/plausible/analytics) (not Google Analytics), and our system for having our docker container on our Digital Ocean server automatically update when a new version of our container is pushed to our container registry. So let's dive into it. ## Plausible Analytics [Plausible Analytics](https://github.com/plausible/analytics) is extremely cool open source software for allowing you to gain basic web analytics on your site. What I like about Plausible vs Google analytics, is not only that it can be self hosted and simple, but it's also very privacy focused. Since I'm simply building a blog site... I don't need to know everything about my users. I pretty much just want to know how many users came to my site, when, and where and Plausible solves this for me. Additionally, It's an extremely simple UI which was another big selling point. I've used Google Analytics back in the day, and it was overwhelmingly complicated especially if all I really want is some stupid simple stats about my page. The other cool thing about Plausible is if you don't want to host it yourself you can pay for hosting on their platform, but as you know from my last post I'm doing a lot of this stuff not for conveniencie, but to learn something and have fun along the way. So in this post we'll do things "the hard way". ### Setting Up Plausible First off Plausible has great docs [here](https://plausible.io/docs/self-hosting). I'll show you a few things here as a supplement to those docs. First things first you'll want to setup a HTTPS server for plausible using Nginx. My Nginx Conf looks like this: ```ini server { listen 80; listen [::]:80; server_name changeme.com; access_log /var/log/nginx/plausible.access.log; error_log /var/log/nginx/plausible.error.log; location / { proxy_pass http://localhost:8000; proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for; } } server { listen 443 ssl http2; listen [::]:443 ssl http2; server_name changeme.com; server_tokens off; ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/changeme.com/fullchain.pem; ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/changeme.com/privkey.pem; ssl_buffer_size 8k; ssl_dhparam /etc/ssl/certs/dhparam-2048.pem; ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.1 TLSv1; ssl_prefer_server_ciphers on; ssl_ciphers ECDH+AESGCM:ECDH+AES256:ECDH+AES128:DH+3DES:!ADH:!AECDH:!MD5; ssl_ecdh_curve secp384r1; ssl_session_tickets off; ssl_stapling on; ssl_stapling_verify on; resolver 8.8.8.8; location / { proxy_pass http://localhost:8000; # this is our pluasable service. add_header X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN" always; add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block" always; add_header X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff" always; add_header Referrer-Policy "no-referrer-when-downgrade" always; add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src * data: 'unsafe-eval' 'unsafe-inline'" always; } } ``` So the first server block is what listens on port 80 for non TLS encrypted HTTP traffic. If a request comes in on http it will simply redirect the user to our TLS origin. I'm using let's encrypt's cert bot to create my TLS cert. Which is a free and somewhat easy way to have TLS support on your site, which you absolutely should have. Most browsers will make a big stink if your site does not support TLS. [This](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-create-let-s-encrypt-wildcard-certificates-with-certbot) is a fantastic tutorial on how to setup wild card certificates with Let's Encrypt and Cert Bot on Digital Ocean DNS. Wild card certs are supper useful because they allow you to create one TLS certificate that covers all subdomains on a domain name. So in my case anything like exmple.awhb.dev is covered under the same certificate as awhb.dev. If you don't do wild card certs you'll have to manually create certificates for each subdomain, which is painful. Here's what my **docker-compose.yaml** file for this server looks like: ```yaml version: '3.3' services: mail: image: bytemark/smtp restart: always plausible_db: # supported versions are 12, 13, and 14 image: postgres:14-alpine restart: always volumes: - db-data:/var/lib/postgresql/data environment: - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=postgres plausible_events_db: image: clickhouse/clickhouse-server:23.3.7.5-alpine restart: always volumes: - event-data:/var/lib/clickhouse - ./clickhouse/clickhouse-config.xml:/etc/clickhouse-server/config.d/logging.xml:ro - ./clickhouse/clickhouse-user-config.xml:/etc/clickhouse-server/users.d/logging.xml:ro ulimits: nofile: soft: 262144 hard: 262144 plausible: image: plausible/analytics:v2.0 restart: always command: sh -c "sleep 10 && /entrypoint.sh db createdb && /entrypoint.sh db migrate && /entrypoint.sh run" depends_on: - plausible_db - plausible_events_db - mail ports: - 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 env_file: - plausible-conf.env volumes: db-data: driver: local event-data: driver: local ``` Note this does not include my Nginx service. You can run your Nginx server either on docker or on your host. Honestly it's probably easier to run it on your host, but I went a little wild and am running mine in docker mostly because I didn't want to install a bunch of linux dependencies and configure them, but in retrospect I think it was probably more work the way I configured things, because my Nginx instance is being used for several servers at once running in multiple docker-compose files. Another really important note here... Be sure to do this: ```yaml ports: - 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 ``` 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 insures that we don't expose this service outside of our local machine. Meaning you cannot directly connect to your servers public IP for example: http://my-public-IP:8000 if you don't set 127.0.0.1 here your service would be accessible this way which is a big security hole, since you want people connecting to your page through your https address and not on this port. ## Auto Update Our Blog Docker Container Now let's switch gears and talk about how we can update our blog container automatically when a new version gets pushed to our registry. Note this will work both with a self hosted registry and with a Docker Hub registry. The way this works is very simple we use a docker service called [Watch Tower](https://github.com/containrrr/watchtower). Watch tower basically watches all of your running docker containers and checks to see if there's a new version of them on a fixed interval. You can customize this behavior to run as frequently or infrequently as you want.. and you can also have it only check for updates on a subset of your running containers if you want. In my case I just changed the frequency that it checks for updates to every 10 minutes, since it's default is every 24 hours, which in my case is too long, since I want to see my Blog changes update pretty quickly after they are built. Here's how my **docker-compose.ymal** looks: ```yaml version: '3.9' services: watchtower: image: containrrr/watchtower environment: - WATCHTOWER_POLL_INTERVAL=600 volumes: - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock ``` You can also optionally start this without docker-compose, but I find compose a lot easier than just running docker containers from the command line. The environment var **WATCHTOWER_POLL_INTERVAL** is important. This is the frequency that watchtower checks to see if there are any new containers to pull in seconds. So in my case this is 10 minutes. Note Watch Tower will restart your docker services with the same configuration they were started in, so you don't have to worry about them being misconfigured when updated. And this service completes our very stupid simple CI system, since this automates the other end of the equation. We could theoretically do this in another way, which would be to run another dumb web server like our simple GitHub hook server I run on my Raspberry Pi, but this one would handle a call by our Raspberry Pi server when our deploy script finishes, which would trigger a docker pull and restart. That's potentially a more efficient way of doing things, but there's some complexity there... what if your network connection is down on either server and things like that. I just didn't want to deal with that, but could be a fun little project.

@ f7524ebe:58863422

# Why I Love Math I had a group discussion with some friends and family recently on the topic of education. This topic inevitably brings up the adage I've heard time and time again in American circles, "I think education should only teach me useful things that I will use not useless things like Algebra". I very strongly take issue with this statement, but do understand the motive behind it. The point that this statement is making is that math is hard, and Algebra is not super applicable, thus I don't want to learn it. I would say a few things on this point: One, Math is hard for most of us, myself included (I got mostly C's in math and worked really hard for them), but the reward is beyond worth it. Algebra is a bit boring and maybe not used in obvious ways though I'd argue most people implicitly use it without knowing. However, math is not only extremely useful, but it is also beautiful. Let's start off by talking about why we should all appreciate math and maybe even all strive to learn as much as our brains can handle. Math is an unbiased way of looking at the world. If you understand the language of math and numbers you can much more effectively process information that comes your way and parse out nonsense, whereas in typical argumentation the goal is to sway the listener either by use of facts or emotional conviction, math cuts through all of that and just is. Yes there are some exceptions with how you frame statistics and such, but the more you understand statistics the more you can see through that framing. Math is the language of logic. It is the core of our ability to reason. It is fundamental to our ability to understand our world and universe. If we don't have math we wouldn't have reason. We all use reason in our daily lives for every aspect of our decision making. Why should we not exercise this part of our brain like we exercise our bodies for physical health? I'd argue it's at least as important. Math is application in more ways than I could ever list here. Everything from the computer you use, to the watch you have on your wrist to the business you work for to the TV you watch to the internet you use to the car you drive... etc I could literally go on for days. all of these things at their core are based on math. There is a deep beauty to understanding and appreciating the many generations of people who dedicated their lives to building all these marvelous technologies, systems, and conventions that all have their foundation in math. Math is not just beautiful because of all the astounding applications it has. It is also beautiful in its pure form. For example, let's talk about the number itself as a concept. Now let's get really philosophical here... the number is not something that has a physical body in the real world. You have seen instances of the number, but numbers are an abstract concept. Now how incredible is it that this abstract concept of a number can be mapped one to one with the real world... meaning I can say 2+2 = 4 and no matter what 2 items you have plus two items someone else has... that will always equal 4 and it will always represent something in the real world. That is not a given. That is something that came with how our universe was designed. Think about a circle. A circle is another abstract concept that you might be thinking "that exists in the world", but actually there is no perfect circle in the world; there are imperfect representations only, so that is actually a concept that doesn't map 1 to 1 in reality. There are a myriad of other pure math topics that are incredible such as the prime number distribution (sounds complicated, but it's not) a prime number is simply just a number that can only be divided by itself and 1. So what's interesting here is if you start looking at really big prime numbers... let's say into the 10 digits or so numbers you can start seeing that these prime numbers have a spacing. It's not totally random, but it's also not something anyone has been able to create an algorithm to predict without doing the very tedious calculation of is this number divisible by anything other than itself and 1.  This is an image of these prime distributions meaning all the blue dots are locations where there is a prime number. You can see that the numbers start to form a pattern. The blue lines you are seeing are patterns of prime numbers close together. Now no one knows why they cluster like this. It's just an innate aspect of our numbers. I would argue this is absolutely puzzling and beautiful. It speaks to some underlying principle in our universe, because in theory prime numbers should be random, but they are not. Amazing! Another fun one to think about... **are there different sizes to infinity?** The answer is yes puzzling enough. I will let any interested people check out this excellent [youtube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elvOZm0d4H0) / channel to find out why. There are so many amazing and puzzling big concepts in math that I think our education system does a pour job of showing us until higher education unfortunately, but math can be amazing. Another interesting fact is, historically many of the great mathematicians were actually hobbyists with other jobs than being mathematicians. A great example of this was Pierre de Fermat who came up with one of the most puzzling theorems that stumped mathamations until very recently and when solved was the most impressive math solution of our generation. This problem is called [Fermat's Last Theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermat%27s_Last_Theorem#:~:text=In%20number%20theory%2C%20Fermat's%20Last,of%20n%20greater%20than%202.) and is actually a simple equation: $$ a^n + b^n = c^n $$ but proving that it proved to be extremely hard. It took [Andrew Wiles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Wiles), a brilliant mathematician over ten years to solve. Some would say he's the best mathematician of our age. There's a good documentary on his process to solve this problem cleverly named: **Fermat's Last Theorem**. It used to be on Netflix, but I'm not sure if that's the case anymore. All that to say it’s our culture that says that math is hard or boring and I think we should fight against that! And I don't think it has to be that way. I have met people from India who do math for fun. There is no weird cultural stigma associated with it, so that is actually normal for them the same way doing puzzles is normal for us. One final amazing mathematical principle I'd like to touch on is the Fibonacci Sequence. This is the sequence of numbers 0, 1, 1, 2, 5, 8 ... The next number in the sequence is found by **adding up the two numbers before it**. This sequence might seem a bit random or arbitrary, but has a surprising number of implications. First of all there are a surprising number of plants in nature that pedals or seeds follow this pattern, the most notable is the sun flower. But from this sequence we can calculate the golden ratio, which is just a number... It's a number like PI. We call it an irrational number in math because it has an unending and no repeating decimal sequence. It starts like this 1.6180. This ratio is incredibly important in everything from music, to the way that galaxies look to how the stock market behaves to aesthetics in art and how the human figures are proportioned. It shows up in so many areas. It is not exactly clear why, but it is just another amazing mystery that makes math incredibly interesting and amazing. There are many other concepts like this one that have connections all over the place in reality, but are just mysterious why that would be. Each of these topics I pointed out could have an entire book written about them, but I hope this wets your appetite into the beautiful world of math that goes far beyond the somewhat mundane math we learn in high school. I will leave you with a quote from Albert Einstein that has always stuck with me: "The _most_ incomprehensible _thing_ about the universe is that it is comprehensible" I have thought deeply about this. This is not something that is a given. It's unbelievable that we can understand core principles of science and math that can be mapped to reality and used as tools, and I think that we sometimes take this incredible fact for granted. I think you can easily look at this fact as an indication of an intelligent designer.

@ f7524ebe:58863422

This was a bit of an adventure and not in a good way. I spent the better part of two days trying to do something that was seemingly very simple, but I could not for the life of me seem to figure out. In this post I hope to help some of you that maybe on the same path, just trying to build a really simple Markdown blog with code highlighting, but unlike me you should not have to spend two days doing so. ## What is Remark.js Remark JS is a very neat little library that parses Markdown into an AST (Abstract Styntax Tree) which allows you to do all sorts of interesting operations on it, including converting markdown into HTML and allowing you to add a css class to the output html so you can easily connect it to highlight.js which will do the actual syntax highlighting. Remark is part of a bigger family of tools. The umbrella tool is called `Unified` which is not tied to Markdown and there's another sub-parser for HTML. All of these three tools have a bunch of different plugins that can be used with them to modify the AST and the output. So I will show you how to do this in isolation and then give you a few tips if you are also trying to build your website in Next.js like I did. ### Step 1 You'll need to include either `unified` or `remark` in your project using NPM or Yarn. ```sh npm install remark --save ``` you will also need `remark-html`. This is the plugin for generating our output html from our markdown. ```sh npm install remark-html --save ``` lastly You'll need `remark-highlight.js`. This is responsible for adding the css class to your code block in order to properly format it with [Highlight.js](https://highlightjs.org/). ```sh npm install remark-highlight.js --save ``` If you installed unified instead of remark, that's fine, but you'll need `remark-parse` if and only if you are using unified. ### Step 2 Now that you have all of your dependencies installed it's time to build our process chain. I will do this with just a markdown string right now to keep things simple, but you can load your markdown in from your file system or from an API dosen't really matter ````ts import { remark } from 'remark' import remarkHtml from 'remark-html' import remarkHighlightjs from 'remark-highlight.js' function convertMarkdownToHtml() { const output = remark() .use(remarkHighlightjs) // we can add , {include: ['css']} or exclude: [a list of langages] .use(remarkHtml, { sanitize: false }) .processSync('# Hello!\n\n```css\nh1{}\n```') return output } ```` This line is the most important out of all of them and what cost me so much time. I could not find anything documenting the fact that if you turn sanitize: true or just omit it... it'll be true by default... you will loose everything `remarkHighlightjs` is doing ```ts .use(remarkHtml, {sanitize: false}) ``` I also want to note: you can include or exclude certain languages from your highlighter. I'm not totally sure what the usecase is for this, but it's possible. ```ts .use(remarkHighlightjs, {exclude: ['css', 'html']} ) ``` also you can run `process()` instead of `processSync()` which will be an async call. I know that probably seemed super basic, but sadly it was not well documented. I hope this clears up some confusion for others working on similar issues. One word of advice when looking at these tools if they don't work right... try stepping through the code with a debugger and see if things are working as you expect. Things can silently fail. Last thing to note about this general process. If you are tying to get syntax highlighting to work with this system you'll also need to include the highlight.js css file with the theme you'd like. Without it your class name that this process will add will not do anything. ## A Note About Nextjs I built my blog using Next.js and static markdown files using this process. Currently Next.js has some sort of issue with ESM modules, so if you want to work with remark without a headach you can use the versions below otherwise you'll likely fight weird errors. ```json "remark-highlight.js": "^6.0.0", "remark-html": "^13.0.1", "remark-parse": "^9.0.0", "remark":"^9.0.0" "unified": "^9.2.0" ``` ## A Few Resources I Found Very Helpful [This is a fantastic project and website that I used as a refrence](https://github.com/james-wallis/wallis.dev) [Also Nextjs has a fantastic blog post on this as well](https://nextjs.org/blog/markdown)

@ f7524ebe:58863422

[Nostr](https://nostr.com/) is an incredibly powerful idea inspired by Web 3.0 principles. It’s essentially an open-source protocol for creating decentralized social media. The goal is to build a censorship-resistant network, while also enabling private networks (more on that later). One of Web 3.0's primary aims is to allow users to own their data. In Web 2.0, the internet became highly centralized. Most sites are hosted on one of the big three cloud providers: AWS, Microsoft, or Google. With Web 3.0, we can stop selling our data and being the product. Now that many people (especially in the West) have access to affordable, high-speed internet, adoption of these standards will likely accelerate as more user-friendly platforms emerge. ### Infrastructure and Accessibility The rise of fiber networks across the U.S. is pushing cable ISPs to compete with faster speeds, which is fantastic for this future. Symmetric upload and download speeds, a key factor for self-hosting, have historically been a major bottleneck. While true symmetry from cable ISPs may not happen soon, DOCSIS 4.0 (a new cable data standard) is expected to massively improve upload speeds. As this trend continues, self-hosting will become more practical and economically viable. Bringing things full circle, I believe Nostr will grow beyond being a niche trend. While it's impossible to predict which technology will dominate, the concepts behind Nostr have broad appeal, especially as onboarding becomes easier with better clients. People are tired of big companies controlling and selling their data. Who wants Google or Meta monitoring everything? Wouldn’t it be better to connect to a social media server you own or deeply trust? ### How Nostr Works Nostr operates on two core components: - **The Client:** This is the app or interface you use on your phone or computer to interact with the network, similar to Twitter or Instagram. The separation of the client and server means you can choose any client you prefer and still access the same system, giving you greater freedom as a user. - **The Relay:** This is the server that stores the data you and others post. Clients can connect to multiple relays simultaneously. This decentralization makes Nostr highly censorship-resistant. If one relay censors your posts, your data remains on other relays. You can also host your own relay, granting you complete control over your data. #### Private Networks Nostr’s decentralized model also enables private social networks. Imagine an invite-only network where only selected individuals can see your posts. This could be ideal for families or privacy-conscious groups who want to share photos and updates without Meta or Google tracking them. ### Nostr Implementation Proposals (NIPs) [NIPs](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/tree/master) are Nostr Implementation Proposals. These are suggestions from the community for changes or enhancements to the protocol. Anyone can propose a NIP, though adoption depends on community consensus. Developers can also implement NIPs independently, even if they aren’t officially accepted. The purpose of these proposals is to document and standardize how relays and clients interact, ensuring compatibility across the network. ### Popular Clients Here’s a closer look at some of the top Nostr clients and their platform support: - **[Damus](https://damus.io/):** Often considered the OG client, Damus works on iOS, Android, and Desktop. It offers a Twitter-like experience. - **[Iris](https://iris.to/):** A web-based client with a Twitter-like interface. Iris works on most browsers, making it highly accessible without requiring installation. - **[Olas](https://github.com/pablof7z/olas):** A new client in beta, Olas is an Instagram-like app. It utilizes cutting-edge Nostr proposals that aren’t yet widely supported by relays. For a comprehensive list, check out [this directory of Nostr clients](https://nostr.com/clients). ### Notable Relays #### Self-Hosted Relays 1. **[nostr-rs-relay](https://github.com/scsibug/nostr-rs-relay):** A minimalistic Rust-based relay with SQLite support, perfect for self-hosting with excellent performance. 2. **[gnost-relay](https://github.com/barkyq/gnost-relay):** A Go-based relay backed by PostgreSQL, designed for scalability and robust performance. 3. **[nostr-relay](https://github.com/mattn/nostr-relay):** nostr relay with backup method using litestream. #### Popular Public Relays 1. **[wss://relay.damus.io](wss://relay.damus.io):** One of the most widely used public relays, maintained by the Damus community. 2. **[wss://nostr-pub.wellorder.net](wss://nostr-pub.wellorder.net):** A reliable public relay serving a large number of clients. 3. **[wss://relay.snort.social](wss://relay.snort.social):** A popular public relay offering robust performance and great uptime. Relays enable the decentralized and censorship-resistant architecture that makes Nostr so powerful. Whether self-hosted or public, these relays are key to the network's success.

@ 638d2a79:f5645f4e

**In the Name of Health and Well-Being,** **Let it be known to all who shall read these words that we, the undersigned students of the esteemed public institution of learning, do hereby draft and establish this sacred contract upon this day, the twenty-third of January in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five.** **Forasmuch as it hath come to our attention that the culinary offerings within our schools fail to meet the standards of nutrition and quality that are justly deserved by the scholars entrusted to their care;** **And forasmuch as the prevalence of childhood obesity hath reached alarming proportions, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that approximately 19.7% of children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years are classified as obese, resulting in a plethora of health complications, including diabetes, heart disease, and psychological issues that shall follow them into adulthood;** **Moreover, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) hath reported that childhood obesity rates have tripled since the 1970s, signifying a grave crisis in the health of our youth that demands immediate action. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), the medical costs associated with childhood obesity alone are estimated to exceed $14 billion annually; thus, the burden of inaction weighs heavily upon our society;** **Furthermore, it hath come to our attention that many prepackaged foods served within our schools, such as lunchables, have been found to contain trace amounts of lead. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acknowledges that lead can leach into food from packaging or processing methods, posing a serious risk to the health of our children, particularly affecting their cognitive development and overall well-being (Source: FDA, 2022);** **Additionally, the use of artificial food coloring, which is prevalent in many school meals and snacks, hath been linked to various health concerns, including hyperactivity in children and allergic reactions. Studies indicate that certain artificial dyes, such as Red 40 and Yellow 5, can exacerbate behavioral issues and contribute to a decline in overall health (Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2016);** **Moreover, we must consider the disparities in food formulations between domestic and international products. For instance, the widely known brand Nesquik offers variations of its chocolate milk mix that differ significantly across borders. In many countries, such as those in Europe, Nesquik does not contain artificial colors or certain additives that are common in the United States. The European version contains fewer harmful ingredients and more natural flavorings, highlighting the inadequacies of the products provided in our own schools (Source: Food & Chemical Toxicology, 2018);** **Therefore, we the undersigned, in solemn unity and with great resolve, do hereby ordain the following provisions:** 1. **That the food served within our schools be subjected to stringent standards of quality and nutritional value, ensuring that each meal provided is conducive to the health and well-being of all students. Such standards shall emphasize the importance of whole foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and the elimination of harmful additives that threaten our health.** 2. **That a concerted effort be made to incorporate local and organic produce into the school meals, thereby supporting local agriculture and providing students with wholesome, nutritious options that shall foster their physical and mental development. The American Public Health Association (APHA) supports this initiative, asserting that healthier food environments lead to improved dietary behaviors among students (Source: APHA Policy Statement, 2017).** 3. **That education regarding proper nutrition and healthy eating habits be integrated into the curriculum, empowering students to make informed choices about their dietary intake and understand the significance of nutrition in their daily lives. Research indicates that nutrition education in schools can lead to improved dietary practices among students, reducing the risk of obesity and related health issues (Source: Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2014). This education shall extend to both students and guardians, promoting a culture of health within our community.** 4. **That we, the undersigned, pledge to advocate for the implementation of these necessary changes, beseeching our educators, administrators, and local governing bodies to prioritize the health of students by reforming the culinary standards within our schools. It is our collective duty to ensure that our peers are provided with meals that enhance their well-being and academic performance.** 5. **That we commit to engaging with community stakeholders, including parents, local health officials, and agricultural advocates, to establish a comprehensive plan for improving school nutrition policies. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, schools that engage families and communities in nutrition initiatives see greater success in achieving healthier food environments (Source: RWJF, 2018).** 6. **That we call for the immediate review and reform of all prepackaged foods offered within our school lunches, demanding the elimination of harmful substances such as lead, artificial coloring, and unhealthy additives, ensuring that all products served are safe and nourishing for our bodies. We seek transparency in food labeling and the ingredients used in our meals, advocating for a school environment that prioritizes the health of its students above all.** **In witness whereof, we do hereunto set our hands and seals, affirming our collective agreement to the terms herein expressed, with the understanding that we shall each append our signatures below, thus rendering this document a binding testament to our resolve.** **Given this day, we stand united in our quest for the betterment of our dietary offerings, that we may nourish both body and mind for the benefit of generations yet to come.** **Signatures of the Students:** Otter hovis

@ 638d2a79:f5645f4e

**In the Name of Education,** **Know all men by these presents that we, the undersigned students of the esteemed public institution of learning, do hereby declare and establish this contract on this day, the twenty-third of January in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five.** **Whereas the current curriculum of Social Studies hath deviated from the noble pursuit of history, resulting in a regrettable neglect of essential historical knowledge;** **Whereas it hath been observed that public schools, as documented by the National Center for Education Statistics, face numerous challenges, including a significant percentage of students performing below the basic level in history proficiency, which demonstrates a deficiency in the proper education of our youth;** **Whereas the lack of a rigorous historical curriculum contributes to a broader societal ignorance, as highlighted by the 2018 report from the American Historical Association, indicating that only 20% of high school graduates possess a comprehensive understanding of American history;** **Now, therefore, we the undersigned, in unity and purpose, do hereby resolve as follows:** 1. **That the class known as Social Studies shall be reverted to an actual history class, incorporating essential teachings of world history, American history, and significant historical events that shape our understanding of the world.** 2. **That the curriculum shall include, but not be limited to, the study of primary sources, historical documents, and critical analysis of events, enabling students to develop a deeper comprehension of our past.** 3. **That this transition shall be made with utmost urgency for the benefit of the students and the greater good of our society.** 4. **That we, the undersigned, do hereby pledge our commitment to this cause and shall actively encourage our peers, educators, and administrators to recognize the importance of this change.** **In witness whereof, we do hereunto set our hands and seals, affirming our collective agreement to the terms herein expressed, with the understanding that we shall each append our signatures below, thereby making this document a binding testament to our resolve.** **Given this day, we stand united in our quest for educational integrity and the restoration of historical studies.** Signatures: Otter hovis **Thus, we do affirm our commitment, may this endeavor be fruitful for the enlightenment of generations to come.** tags : [[Contracts]]

@ f7524ebe:58863422

# Intro About a month ago, I became obsessed with the idea of reducing my digital footprint, especially on big tech platforms like Google, Meta, Instagram, etc. This isn’t something you can accomplish overnight (unfortunately), but with concerted effort, I believe you can make real progress. In my case, I’m not entirely sure what triggered this desire, but it gradually became clear that there’s a concerning amount of data about me on the internet, which doesn’t feel comfortable to have out there—especially as we enter a new age of AI where phishing scams are easier and more effective than ever. The less public information you have, the less likely you’ll be a target. One thing I’ll say right off the bat: I’m by no means an expert on the topic. I’m just doing the best I know how, and I’m sure I’ll learn many new things along the way. I’ll also mention that I’m not a purist—I’m a pragmatist. I’m aiming to do the best job I can within reasonable time and effort constraints. Another goal I’ve set for myself is improving my personal cybersecurity, which I’ll dive into later in this post. ## Where to Start? I started with my email. Email is the cornerstone of your digital identity, so it makes sense to begin there, both from a security and privacy perspective. Like most people, I’ve been a Gmail user for as long as I can remember. Switching email providers felt like the biggest hurdle—everything else seemed trivial in comparison. I chose [Proton Mail](https://proton.me). If you’re more hardcore, you could host your own email server, but I found that was far more work than I wanted to take on. Many open-source webmail clients weren’t visually appealing to me, and I’m a very aesthetic-driven person. If I’m using something daily, it needs to look good. Proton strikes a great balance between being privacy-centric and aesthetically pleasing. ### Proton Mail Features I Love One of my favorite features of Proton Mail is email aliasing. You can create a new pseudo-email for every account you sign up for, which hides your real email address. This gives you a huge advantage: if you ever want to sever ties with a service, you can delete the alias and stop receiving emails from them. It also boosts your security because, over time, your primary email address may get leaked in data breaches. With email aliases, you solve this problem—if one alias is compromised, it isn’t tied to your other accounts. Proton also offers alternatives to Google Docs, a password manager, and encrypted cloud storage. I consolidated my password management into Proton’s ecosystem, replacing 1Password. While I think 1Password is fantastic, I wanted to reduce my number of paid subscriptions. Proton’s encrypted Drive is a solid Google Drive alternative. For sensitive files, people recommend double encryption, but for everyday documents, it’s a massive improvement from a privacy perspective. ## Search This is a big one. I used to pretty much exclusively use Google for search. They were by far the best for a long time. I've recently switched over to DuckDuckGo(https://duckduckgo.com) and honestly haven't looked back. DuckDuckGo now has included AI into their search, which I'd come to really like in Google search results, and honestly feels like their results are at least as good as Google's at this point in most cases. They also are not littered with ads, which is a huge plus. Additionally, if there's ever a time where the DuckDuckGo results are not giving you what you want, you can end your search with "g!" and it will redirect your search to Google with the same exact query. I could be wrong, but I want to say this redirection has some privacy benefits as well. ## Browser As much as I want to like Firefox, sadly it's just a bit too buggy and not as enjoyable to use as Chromium browsers these days, though to be fair, I only try it like once every two years, so maybe I'll give it another shot soon. I am, however, thoroughly enjoying Brave(https://brave.com/). Brave is a Chromium-based browser, so you get all the perks of Chrome without all the ads, spying, etc. It was started by the same guy who started Firefox. I also like their iOS browser, but note that every browser on iOS really is just a layer on top of Safari since they actually don't allow truly custom browsers. That being said, Brave on iOS is nice because it still blocks ads/web trackers and has some nice features like auto tab closing that I've come to love. ## Note-Taking I used to rely on Google Keep for all my notes—it was easy and convenient. However, when I started this journey, I discovered [Standard Notes](https://standardnotes.com/), which was recently acquired by Proton. It’s an end-to-end encrypted note-taking app, similar to Keep. It works fantastically for my needs, and I hope Proton eventually integrates it more tightly into their ecosystem. Bonus: it supports multi-factor authentication (MFA), which is always a plus. ## Google Sheets Alternative This one was tricky. There aren’t many aesthetically pleasing cloud-based alternatives to Google Sheets. I’ve taken a hybrid approach—moving some data back to my local computer with Apple Numbers and self-hosting [NocoDB](https://www.nocodb.com/) on a [Raspberry Pi](https://www.raspberrypi.com/). NocoDB is like a mix of Google Sheets and Airtable. It’s great for collaboration and managing data like addresses. Self-hosting isn’t for everyone, but I enjoy taking control where I can. ## Social Media I’m not a huge fan of social media—it’s addictive and often a time sink. That said, I believe there’s a time and place for it, especially if there’s no algorithm designed to steal your time and energy. I’ve been exploring [Nostr](https://nostr.com/) as a replacement for platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. If you’re curious about Nostr, check out my article [here](https://www.awhb.dev/blog/nostr-how-it-could-change-the-world) where I explain it in detail. I believe it could be the future of social media, giving users data sovereignty. I deleted my Facebook account after downloading my data (mostly photos). You can find instructions [here](https://www.facebook.com/help/212802592074644/). Instagram has been harder to quit, but I’m exploring [Olas](https://olas.app/) as a promising alternative. My vision is to use a private Nostr relay for close friends and a public profile for broader content. Nostr already feels like a less toxic replacement for Twitter. ## YouTube YouTube is tough to replace. I use a whole home VPN to stay anonymous while watching, but I haven’t found a viable alternative yet. I’m optimistic that Nostr or a similar decentralized platform will eventually fill this gap. ## Spotify I enjoy Spotify and didn’t want to quit entirely, so I recreated my account using an email alias to obscure my identity. I’ve also started using virtual credit card numbers to limit exposure during breaches. For podcasts, I switched to [Fountain](https://fountain.fm/), which integrates with Nostr for episode discussions. I’m also trying [TIDAL](https://tidal.com/) for its HiFi audio quality. ## Security Improvements I’ve been upgrading my cybersecurity alongside these changes. Here’s what I’ve done: - Adopted email aliases for accounts and updated old ones retroactively. - Invested in [YubiKeys](https://www.yubico.com/products/yubikey-5-overview/) for MFA. Unlike phone-based MFA, YubiKeys are immune to malware and SIM cloning. - Stopped storing recovery codes in my password manager. - Set a PIN for my password manager, which auto-locks after inactivity. ## Obfuscating Your Phone Number I’ve started using temporary phone numbers, such as those from [Anonymous SMS](https://anonymsms.com/temporary-phone-number/). These are great for one-time use but shouldn’t be relied on for long-term accounts. ## Google Photos/iCloud Alternatives If you’re like me, you value accessibility and security for your photos. I used to use Google Photos but switched to [Immich](https://immich.app/), a self-hosted solution on a NAS (Network Attached Storage). If you go this route: 1. Don’t expose your NAS to the internet—use a VPN for external access. 2. Follow the 3-2-1 backup rule: three copies of your data, two local (on your device and NAS), and one offsite. ## Reduce Your Exposure to Data Brokers I found [Incogni](https://incogni.com/), a paid service that (allegedly) requests the removal of your data from data broker websites, making significantly less accessible information about you on the internet. Does it work? I think so... but honestly, I just subscribed for a month and canceled because I don't think there's much value in continuing the subscription once they've made all the requests for you. Only time will tell, but the goal is to reduce your data exposure to the point where you receive significantly less spam, scam attempts, etc. ## Conclusion I’m far from done with this journey and continue to learn every day. My goal is to reduce dependence on big tech, reclaim ownership of my data, and undo years of oversharing. If you have questions or want to chat, reach out to me on Nostr: `npub17afya0s3re0f6t246az8vrzgguywdn6ea2p7dv9kn744kkyxxs3q2hjmzg`.

@ 28cac85f:54300cac

# **Tier System Overview:** **Tier 0** - Non-Participation: Qualification: Individuals who do not engage in any societal activities, work, or community service. Benefits: Provided with basic necessities in a studio or room: food, water, power, internet access. Basic healthcare services. No additional privileges or community involvement opportunities. Rationale: Ensures that even those not participating in society are not left without survival needs, aiming to encourage engagement while maintaining human dignity. **Tier 1** - Basic Participation: Qualification: Individuals who engage in minimal but regular activities beneficial to society, such as volunteering for a few hours a week or participating in community education programs. Benefits: Same as Tier 0 plus: Access to communal spaces like libraries, parks. Basic educational resources or skill development workshops. Slightly larger living quarters or shared housing options. **Tier 2** - Active Participation: Qualification: Regular involvement in community or public service, employment in non-profit or public sectors, or consistent contribution to local projects. Benefits: All benefits from Tier 1, plus: Enhanced living accommodations (e.g., small apartment instead of studio). Access to cultural and recreational facilities. Priority in resource allocation for personal projects or community initiatives. **Tier 3** - High Engagement: Qualification: Significant contributions to society, leadership in community projects, or specialized roles that benefit a large number of people (e.g., doctors, educators, innovators in sustainable practices). Benefits: All benefits from Tier 2, plus: Larger living space or choice of location within the community. Advanced educational and professional development opportunities. Recognition and potential for influence in community decision-making processes. **Tier 4** - Exemplary Service: Qualification: Exceptional service or innovation, such as groundbreaking work in technology, arts, or social welfare that has a national or international impact. Benefits: All benefits from Tier 3, plus: Customized living arrangements or prime community locations. Access to exclusive resources for personal or community projects. Leadership roles or advisory positions in societal governance. **System Mechanics:** Assessment: A community or regional board could assess participation levels, using transparent criteria. Regular reviews or annual assessments to adjust tiers based on participation. **Incentives for Movement:** The system encourages upward mobility by offering more privileges and responsibilities, which in turn should motivate individuals to contribute more to society. **Feedback Loop:** A feedback mechanism where individuals can appeal their tier status or suggest improvements to the system itself. **Education and Awareness:** Programs to educate people on how they can move up tiers, emphasizing the benefits of community engagement. **Challenges and Considerations:** Privacy: Ensuring data used for tier assessment respects privacy and isn't overly intrusive. Equity: The system must be designed to avoid creating or exacerbating social divides; it should be equitable in how participation is measured across different capabilities and circumstances. Sustainability: The provision of basic needs regardless of tier requires a sustainable resource management strategy. ## A resource-based economy (RBE) could address sustainability concerns in several ways, but it also comes with its own set of challenges and considerations: **Advantages for Sustainability:** Optimal Use of Resources: An RBE focuses on the efficient allocation of resources to meet human needs rather than profit motives. This could lead to less waste and more sustainable consumption patterns, as resources are managed centrally or collaboratively to ensure they are used where they're most needed. **Elimination of Planned Obsolescence:** Without profit-driven motives, there would be less incentive to design products with a limited lifespan. Instead, products could be designed for durability, reparability, and recyclability. **Reduction in Overproduction:** Since production would be driven by actual need rather than market demand, there would likely be a decrease in unnecessary production, leading to less environmental impact from manufacturing and disposal. **Renewable Energy Focus:** Transitioning to an RBE might accelerate the shift to renewable energy sources as the emphasis would be on sustainability rather than on the cheapest or most profitable energy at the moment. **Ecosystem Services Valuation:** An RBE could place a higher value on preserving natural ecosystems for their inherent benefits rather than for economic exploitation, promoting biodiversity and ecological health. **Global Resource Management:** With a focus on global equity, resources might be shared more evenly across the world, reducing the environmental pressures caused by overconsumption in some areas while others lack basic necessities. **Challenges and Considerations:** Transitioning from Current Systems: Moving from a market-based economy to an RBE would require significant changes in infrastructure, technology, human behavior, and governance systems. This transition could be disruptive and face resistance. **Resource Scarcity:** Even in an RBE, managing finite resources remains a challenge. Advanced technology, recycling, and resource recovery would need to be highly effective to ensure sustainability. **Innovation and Motivation:** Without financial incentives, the drive for innovation might shift, requiring new forms of motivation like recognition, personal fulfillment, or societal contribution. Ensuring continuous innovation in sustainable technologies would be key. **Governance and Decision-Making:** Who decides resource allocation? How to ensure this process is democratic, transparent, and equitable? The governance of such an economy would need to be carefully designed to prevent power abuses or inefficiencies. **Human Behavior:** Changing deeply ingrained consumer behaviors from "more is better" to "enough is plenty" would be a cultural shift requiring education, new social norms, and possibly even different psychological support. **Global Agreement and Cooperation:** Implementing an RBE would ideally require international cooperation, which is complex given current geopolitical dynamics. **Measurement and Accountability:** Without traditional economic metrics, new ways to measure sustainability, well-being, and resource use would need to be developed. In theory, an RBE could provide a framework for achieving sustainability by aligning human activity more closely with ecological limits and human needs. However, its practical implementation would require overcoming significant socio-economic, political, and cultural obstacles. It would need to be designed with a deep understanding of human nature, advanced technology, and a robust system for managing and distributing resources globally in a fair and sustainable manner. Which leads me to believe humanity would need a global ethical AI to manage such a system. Is humanity even capable of creating an ethical AI?

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

In the rapidly evolving world of cryptocurrency, bitcoin mining has emerged as a critical yet often misunderstood component. It's a sector where technology, environmental concerns, and economic factors intersect, creating a complex and dynamic landscape. Fred Thiel, the CEO of Marathon Digital Holdings, is a leading voice in this space, advocating for a future where bitcoin mining is not only profitable but also sustainable and innovative. His insights offer a roadmap for the industry's evolution, emphasizing the need for decentralization, global expansion, and a deep commitment to environmental responsibility. **Table Of Content** - Decentralization and Global Expansion - Tackling the Challenges Head-On - Stranded Energy and Clean Tech Innovations - Heat Harvesting and Strategic Partnerships - Reshaping the Energy Landscape - The Economics of Sustainability - The Digital Age of Green Energy - Conclusion - FAQs **Decentralization and Global Expansion** The concept of decentralization is foundational to the ethos of bitcoin, and Thiel's approach to mining is no exception. Despite Marathon's status as one of the largest publicly-traded bitcoin mining companies, Thiel is quick to point out that they contribute to less than 5% of the network's total hash rate. This modest share underscores the decentralized nature of the industry and the vast potential for growth and expansion. Under Thiel's leadership, Marathon is not content with maintaining the status quo. The company is actively seeking to broaden its horizons, exploring opportunities beyond the American landscape. Thiel's vision is global, recognizing the strategic importance of diversifying mining operations to mitigate risks and capitalize on international markets. The push for global expansion is not just about increasing Marathon's footprint; it's about integrating renewable energy into the core of mining operations. Thiel is a proponent of leveraging the world's natural resources, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, to fuel the next generation of bitcoin mining. This approach not only reduces the environmental impact but also aligns with the growing demand for sustainable practices in all sectors of the economy. **Tackling the Challenges Head-On** The journey toward sustainable innovation is fraught with challenges, and the bitcoin mining industry is no exception. Thiel is candid about the obstacles facing miners today, including the fierce competition for bitcoin rewards. As more players enter the field, the fight for a slice of the bitcoin pie becomes increasingly difficult, compressing profit margins and forcing miners to optimize their operations. The upcoming halving event, a pre-programmed reduction in bitcoin rewards that occurs approximately every four years, adds another layer of complexity to the industry's economic landscape. Thiel predicts that this event will catalyze a significant shift in the industry, leading to the consolidation of mining power among a few dominant global players. Smaller mining operations may find it challenging to compete, potentially pivoting to specialized roles within the ecosystem. **Stranded Energy and Clean Tech Innovations** One of the most innovative concepts Thiel discusses is the utilization of "stranded energy" for bitcoin mining. Stranded energy refers to power that is generated but not used, often because it is too remote or too inconsistent to be incorporated into the traditional energy grid. By harnessing this otherwise wasted energy, bitcoin miners can reduce their environmental footprint and turn a potential liability into a valuable asset. Thiel is particularly interested in the potential for capturing methane emissions from landfills and converting them into energy for mining. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and its capture and use not only mitigate environmental harm but also provide a cost-effective energy source for miners. This symbiotic relationship between waste management and bitcoin mining is a prime example of the innovative thinking that Thiel brings to the table. The heat generated by mining equipment is another area ripe for innovation. Typically seen as a byproduct to be cooled and dissipated, Thiel envisions this heat being repurposed for agricultural use, such as heating greenhouses, or industrial processes, like drying lumber. These applications could create new revenue streams for miners and contribute to a more circular economy. **Heat Harvesting and Strategic Partnerships** The innovative use of excess heat from mining operations is just one example of the creative solutions being explored under Thiel's leadership. He envisions a future where the byproducts of mining contribute to other sectors, creating a more integrated and efficient industrial ecosystem. Marathon's strategic partnerships are a testament to this vision. In Texas and North Dakota, the company is pioneering the use of wind energy that would otherwise be unutilized due to grid limitations. These initiatives not only bolster Marathon's commitment to sustainability but also demonstrate the potential for renewable energy to power large-scale mining operations. Thiel also highlights collaborations with landfill owners, aiming to convert methane gas into a power source for mining. These partnerships are a win-win, reducing greenhouse gas emissions while providing a steady energy supply for Marathon's mining activities. **Reshaping the Energy Landscape** The strategic partnerships that Thiel fosters are not just about securing energy sources; they are about reimagining the energy landscape itself. By aligning with energy producers and innovators, Marathon is at the forefront of creating a new paradigm where energy production and consumption are balanced in a closed-loop system. This system not only powers the mining operations but also contributes to the stability and sustainability of local energy grids. Thiel's vision extends to the creation of commodity markets centered around bitcoin mining. He sees a future where energy, particularly renewable energy, is traded with bitcoin mining as a key driver. This could lead to more efficient markets, where energy is not wasted but used as a strategic asset to secure the blockchain network. **The Economics of Sustainability** The economics of bitcoin mining are complex and often volatile. Thiel understands that for Marathon to remain competitive, it must not only innovate in terms of technology but also in its business model. The company's focus on sustainability is not just an ethical choice but an economic strategy. By reducing reliance on traditional energy sources and minimizing environmental impact, Marathon is positioning itself to be resilient against regulatory changes and shifts in public sentiment. Thiel's approach to the economics of sustainability involves a long-term perspective. He is preparing for a future where the cost of energy and the impact of carbon emissions are likely to be significant factors in the profitability of mining operations. By investing in renewable energy and carbon reduction technologies now, Marathon is future-proofing its operations. **The Digital Age of Green Energy** As the conversation with Nelson concluded, it became clear that Thiel's vision for bitcoin mining is about more than just securing digital assets; it's about securing a sustainable future. The industry is at a pivotal moment, with the potential to lead the way in green energy utilization and innovation. Bitcoin mining, in Thiel's view, is not just an industry but a catalyst for change. It has the potential to drive the adoption of renewable energy, to create new markets for stranded energy, and to foster a more sustainable approach to energy consumption worldwide. **Conclusion** Fred Thiel's journey in sustainable innovation within bitcoin mining is a testament to the transformative power of visionary leadership. His approach goes beyond the conventional scope of cryptocurrency mining, challenging the industry to rethink its relationship with energy and the environment. Under Thiel's guidance, Marathon Digital Holdings is not just mining for bitcoin; it's mining for a better future. By embracing decentralization, tackling industry challenges with foresight, innovating with stranded energy, and forming strategic partnerships, Marathon is paving the way for a more sustainable and economically viable mining industry. **FAQs** **Who is Fred Thiel?** Fred Thiel is the CEO of Marathon Digital Holdings, one of the largest publicly-traded bitcoin mining companies. **What is Marathon Digital Holdings' approach to bitcoin mining?** Marathon emphasizes sustainable and innovative mining practices, focusing on decentralization, global expansion, and renewable energy sources. **What challenges does bitcoin mining face according to Thiel?** Thiel notes competition for bitcoin rewards, tightening margins, and the impact of reward halving events as significant challenges. **How is Marathon Digital Holdings addressing environmental concerns?** The company is pioneering the use of stranded energy, such as methane from landfills, and harnessing excess heat from mining operations for other industrial uses. **What are the economic benefits of sustainable mining practices?** Sustainable practices can lead to reduced operational costs, resilience against regulatory changes, and a positive public perception, which can be economically beneficial. **That's all for today** **If you want more, be sure to follow us on:** **NOSTR: croxroad@getalby.com** **X: Instagram: [@croxroadnews.co](https://x.com/croxroadnewsco)** **Instagram: [@croxroadnews.co](https://www.instagram.com/croxroadnews.co/)** **Youtube: [@croxroadnews](https://www.youtube.com/@croxroadnews)** **Store: https://croxroad.store** **Subscribe to CROX ROAD Bitcoin Only Daily Newsletter** **https://www.croxroad.co/subscribe** *DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.*

@ df478568:2a951e67

@ 04c195f1:3329a1da

Last summer, I attended ***Dreamhack Summer*** in Jönköping with my 10-year-old son. It was, of course, for his sake that we went, but I have to admit I was a little curious to see how the event had evolved since I last attended back in 1999. I knew it would be different, of course, but what I encountered was a completely different beast. At the same time, the transformation seemed like such a clear parallel to broader societal changes that I couldn’t stop thinking about it throughout the evening. In this transformation, I see a microcosm of a broader societal trend—one where passion and community give way to commercialization and consumerism. What does Dreamhack’s evolution tell us about society at large? And why does it remind me so much of the development of Swedish football? Could it be that **Renaud Camus**—the French philosopher known for his writings on the Great Replacement—might help us understand this too? ## Dreamhack as a Demo Party Dreamhack began in 1994 as a demo party in the small town of Malung, Sweden, later [moving to Arena Kupolen in Borlänge](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXXmn5pWaFE). That’s where I attended in 1998 and 1999. Eventually, the event relocated to Elmia in Jönköping and the Stockholm Exhibition Center. But the real difference isn’t the venue—it’s the content. Dreamhack was originally a demo party, a gathering place for tech nerds competing in programming, music, and art. We thrived on the challenges presented by both modern and vintage computers, constantly trying to push the limits and prove who could create the most with the least. One notable example is the winning entry in the four-channel music competition, [“Logdans” by the artist d00m](https://ftp.modland.com/pub/modules/Protracker/Doom/logdans.mod). As the name suggests, the competition restricted participants to four audio channels and a very limited memory for storing sounds. Creating something that sounded good under such constraints required immense skill and creativity—that was the fun of it! The winner of the same year’s pixel art competition was “Fantasy Dolfin” by DarkOne.  But the real highlight of the event was the demo competitions, where creators showcased what they could achieve through programming. The challenges were further elevated by different classes with unique restrictions and platforms. The winner of the PC category that year was [“Off” by the Finnish group Doomsday](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F64vTr9uhhY&ab_channel=einokeino303). The demo scene was nerdy, unapologetically unpolished, wildly creative, and likely incomprehensible to outsiders. But it had soul. It was a grassroots movement that thrived on community and passion. ## Hypercommercialization and Unreachable Stars As Dreamhack grew, it gradually shifted focus—from grassroots creativity to a spectacle driven by sponsors, big budgets, and global recognition. Fast forward 25 years, and Dreamhack is no longer a demo party—not even as a niche component. It’s now a full-blown gaming festival, drenched in hyper commercialization. Everyone wants to be part of it: the military, the police, unions, recycling campaigns, and, of course, the major tech and gaming companies. It’s a sprawling exhibition with flashing lights and pounding music, each booth trying to sell you a product, service, or government initiative. This mirrors a broader trend in cultural events across the globe, where grassroots creativity often gives way to corporate interests. Whether it’s music festivals, art expos, or even traditional fairs, the focus increasingly shifts from fostering community to maximizing sponsorships and revenue streams. Dreamhack is a prime example of how these dynamics play out, prioritizing spectacle and profit over the authentic experiences that once defined such gatherings. On stage, you no longer see programming, music, or art. Instead, it’s all about esports tournaments. Star players hold “meet and greets,” while streamers sit in a row like caged attractions, with fans watching them broadcast their gameplay live. Change is inevitable, sure. But what’s changed here is the very soul of the event. What was once a grassroots movement fueled by passion and creativity has become a spectacle of consumerism and surface-level appeal. Gaming competitions with multi-million-dollar prize pools, “stars” showcasing themselves, and countless companies vying for your attention—it’s a far cry from what it once was. ## A Parallel with Swedish Football The transformation of Dreamhack reminds me of another evolution: the culture of Swedish football fans. Both examples highlight how grassroots culture, once driven by passion and community, has been overtaken by commercialization and corporate influence, leaving behind a focus on profit and spectacle. The transformation of Swedish football from the 1990s to today is staggering. Beyond the rules of the game itself, almost nothing is the same. The money involved is enormous, and the players are now celebrities. In the 1990s, Hammarby’s goalkeeper, **Per Fahlström**, worked as a local police officer in the same neighborhood where I grew up. Today, Hammarby’s goalkeeper, **Warner Hahn**, has been a full-time professional for his whole life. Players come and go like mercenaries, and the local connection of teams grows weaker. Many matches have moved from traditional stadiums like Söderstadion or Stockholms Stadion to spaceship-like arenas with names like Tele2 Arena, Platinum Cars Arena, or my favorite: Falcon Alkoholfri Arena (“Falcon Non-Alcoholic Arena”). Tickets have become prohibitively expensive. For example, in the past, children who participated in local youth football leagues in Stockholm were given free access to countless Allsvenskan matches as part of a community initiative. Today, however, even attending a single match can be a financial strain for many working-class families. Here too, the soul has been altered, or even stolen. What was once genuine and rooted in the community has been replaced by hyper commercialization. The bond between players and fans has eroded, replaced by idolatry and celebrity worship. ## Renaud Camus and the Theory of Replacement As I reflected on these changes, I couldn’t help but think of Renaud Camus, who wrote about the “tendency to replace everything with its normalized, standardized, interchangeable copy: the original with its replica, the authentic with its imitation, the true with the false…” Isn’t that exactly what we’re seeing with Dreamhack and Swedish football? At Dreamhack, attendees are no longer active participants contributing to the event’s creativity and culture. Instead, they’re treated primarily as consumers, bombarded with advertisements and encouraged to spend. Similarly, in Swedish football, fans are no longer part of a community tied to local teams but are instead paying customers idolizing distant celebrities. There’s something new here that young people today probably enjoy, but it’s an imitation of what once was. The participants in the stands or exhibition halls are now seen primarily as consumers, not as part of a movement. ## Where Can We Find Authenticity Today? Where, then, can we find the authentic today? The places untouched by commercial forces? I honestly don’t know. But as I watched my son take in Dreamhack 2024, I couldn’t help but wonder how he will look back on it in 25 years. Will he remember the flashing lights, the esports stars, and the endless booths as a vibrant celebration of gaming culture? Or will he, like me, feel the pang of something lost—a sense of community, creativity, and authenticity that has been replaced by consumerism? Perhaps he will reflect on how the event evolved further, or maybe he’ll be part of a countermovement reclaiming the spirit of the original Dreamhack. Only time will tell. History has shown us that authenticity has a way of resurfacing when people tire of imitation. Whether in gaming, sports, or other cultural arenas, I hope we’ll see a revival of the passion and creativity that once defined these spaces. I miss it deeply. But I hold onto the belief that, eventually, a countermovement will emerge. Anything less would mean the death of culture itself.

@ 3c506452:fef9202b

Kia ora ra! I thought I'd look into the claim made by Tim Ferriss and see if these sentence patterns are able to give a brief overview of te reo and it's structure. I initially struggled to stick with a single sentence as it didn't accurately reflect how the reo is actually spoken so I have included what I feel are the most "normal" sounding structures that one will probably encounter. Here is the full list: ##### 1. The apple is red. E whero te tae o te aporo / E whero te aporo. He whero te tae o te aporo / He whero te aporo. Ko te aporo e whero nei te tae / Ko te aporo e whero nei tona tae. E whero ana te tae o te aporo. He aporo whero / Ko te aporo whero. ##### 2. It is John's apple. Ma John te aporo / Na John te aporo. He aporo ma John / He aporo na aporo. Ko te aporo a John / Ko ta John aporo. ##### 3. I give John the apple. Mahaku te aporo e hoatu ma John. E hoatu ana te aporo ki a John. Ko te aporo e hoatu nei e au ki a John. E hoatu ana mahana. ##### 4. We give him the apple. Ma ma[ua/tou] te aporo e hoatu ma John. E hoatu ana te aporo ki a John. Ko te aporo e hoatu nei e ma[ua/tou] ki a John. E hoatu ana mahana. ##### 5. He gives it to John. Mahana e hoatu ma John / Nahana i hoatu ma John. E hoatu ana ki a John. E hoatu ana mahana. ##### 6. She gives it to him. Mahana e hoatu mahana / Nahana i hoatu mahana. Mahana e hoatu / Nahana i hoatu. E hoatu ana ki a ia. E hoatu ana mahana. ##### 7. Is the apple red? E whero te tae o te aporo? / E whero te aporo? He whero te tae o te aporo?/ He whero te aporo? Ko te aporo e whero nei te tae? / Ko te aporo e whero nei tona tae? E whero ana te tae o te aporo? He aporo whero? / Ko te aporo whero? ##### 8. The apples are red. E whero te tae o nga aporo / E whero nga aporo. He whero te tae o nga aporo / He whero nga aporo. Ko nga aporo e whero nei te tae / Ko nga aporo e whero nei ona tae. E whero ana te tae o nga aporo. He aporo whero / Ko nga aporo whero. ##### 9. I must give it to him. Hoatu e au te mea ki a ia. Hoatu e au mahana. Mahaku e hoatu mahana. Me hoatu ki a ia. E hoatu ai mahana. ##### 10. I want to give it to her. Mahaku noa e hoatu. Waiho mahaku e hoatu. 11. I'm going to know tomorrow. Apopo ka mohio ai / Aoake te ra ka mohio ai. Ka mohio au apopo / Ka mohio au a aoake te ra. ##### 12. I can't eat the apple. Ehara i te mea mahaku te aporo te kai. ##### 13. I have eaten the apple. Kua kai ke au i te aporo. Kua pau te aporo te kai i au. Nahaku te aporo i kai. Ko te aporo nahaku nei i kai ai. He mea kai e au te aporo.

@ 16d11430:61640947

The human genotype is a tapestry of evolutionary stories encoded in DNA, shaping our physical and mental capacities while offering a glimpse into the essence of humanity. In parallel, Bitcoin is the digital culmination of trustless systems and decentralized value. While these domains may seem unrelated, a deeper exploration reveals that Bitcoin, as a foundational technology, has the potential to liberate human genetics from the entrenched systems of control, inequality, and corporate monopolies that exploit genetic data. This article explores the multidimensional intersections of Bitcoin and genetics, examining how decentralized systems can empower individuals to reclaim ownership of their genetic destinies. 1. Ownership and Sovereignty: DNA as the Ultimate Private Key The genome is the most private, immutable ledger of human life. However, current systems for storing and utilizing genetic data are centralized and exploitative. Companies like 23andMe collect genetic data, often monetizing it through partnerships with pharmaceutical corporations without granting individuals true ownership or control over their information. Bitcoin’s principles of sovereignty and decentralization provide a compelling framework for genetic data storage and access. Just as Bitcoin gives individuals control over their wealth through private keys, a blockchain-based genetic framework could allow people to own their genomic data securely, decide who accesses it, and potentially monetize it on their own terms. By eliminating intermediaries, Bitcoin-inspired systems can create a fairer and more transparent marketplace for genetic insights. 2. Decentralized Genomic Research: Breaking Free from Gatekeepers Traditional genomic research is controlled by a few elite institutions and corporations that act as gatekeepers, dictating which areas of genetic inquiry receive funding and attention. This centralization slows innovation, creates conflicts of interest, and perpetuates inequities in access to life-saving genetic therapies. Bitcoin's decentralized nature can be a model for disrupting this paradigm. By tokenizing genomic research funding through decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), communities can pool resources to support projects that align with their needs and values. Scientists and researchers could bypass corporate gatekeepers, accelerating discoveries in areas like gene editing, rare disease treatment, and personalized medicine. Imagine a system where Bitcoin-based micropayments are used to crowdfund genomic research, with results immutably recorded on a blockchain. Such a system would ensure transparency, eliminate funding biases, and democratize access to genetic breakthroughs. 3. Biological Freedom: The Intersection of Genetics and Economic Liberty Economic systems shape the trajectory of genetic innovation. Under a fiat regime, where capital is concentrated in a few hands, access to cutting-edge genetic technologies like CRISPR is often restricted to the wealthy. The cost of such exclusivity is the widening of genetic inequality, where only a privileged few can afford to "enhance" their genomes while the rest are left behind. Bitcoin, as an incorruptible and borderless monetary system, can help level the playing field. By creating a deflationary store of value, Bitcoin empowers individuals to accumulate and preserve wealth over generations. This long-term thinking aligns with the timelines required for meaningful genetic innovation, allowing people to invest in their health and their children's future without the devaluation risks of fiat currency. In a Bitcoin-based economy, families and communities could pool resources for genetic healthcare, bypassing centralized insurance systems that profit from exclusion. This shift would foster a world where access to genetic therapies and enhancements is determined by collective effort and innovation rather than centralized control. 4. Privacy and Consent: Protecting Genetic Data in the Digital Age One of the most pressing concerns in the genomic era is the erosion of privacy. Genetic data, once digitized, becomes vulnerable to theft, misuse, and unauthorized exploitation. In a world increasingly shaped by surveillance capitalism, the genome could become another asset commodified by governments and corporations. Bitcoin's pseudonymous and cryptographic architecture offers a blueprint for safeguarding genetic privacy. By integrating Bitcoin-like protocols into genetic data management, individuals could control access to their genome through cryptographic keys, ensuring that consent is always explicit and revocable. Furthermore, decentralized systems can enable anonymous genetic marketplaces, where individuals choose to share their data for research or commercial purposes without revealing their identity. Such systems would not only protect privacy but also ensure fair compensation for those who contribute to genetic innovation. 5. Mitigating Genetic Inequality: A Unified Global System The commodification of genetics under the current economic system risks creating a new form of inequality: genetic stratification. Wealthy nations and individuals are better positioned to benefit from advances in genomics, perpetuating cycles of privilege and exclusion. Bitcoin's borderless and inclusive nature offers a way to counteract this trend. By providing a universal financial system that transcends national borders, Bitcoin can facilitate equitable access to genetic technologies. For example, a global fund denominated in Bitcoin could support genomic research and therapy distribution in underserved regions, ensuring that the benefits of genetic advancements are shared across humanity. Additionally, Bitcoin’s censorship-resistant properties can protect access to genetic resources in politically volatile regions, where governments might otherwise restrict the flow of life-saving technologies. 6. Cultural and Philosophical Dimensions: Redefining Human Potential The convergence of Bitcoin and genetics also invites a philosophical reckoning with what it means to be human. Bitcoin challenges traditional notions of power and trust, decentralizing control in ways that align with the democratization of genetic potential. Just as Bitcoin liberates individuals from the constraints of centralized monetary systems, decentralized genomic systems could liberate humanity from the biological determinism imposed by socioeconomic hierarchies. This unification of Bitcoin and genetics fosters a vision of human potential that is collaborative, decentralized, and rooted in individual sovereignty. It echoes the ethos of open-source innovation, where progress is driven by shared knowledge and mutual empowerment rather than competition and exclusion. Conclusion: Bitcoin as the Catalyst for Genomic Freedom The liberation of the human genotype is not just a technological challenge but a deeply moral and philosophical one. It requires dismantling the centralized systems that exploit genetic data and replacing them with frameworks that prioritize sovereignty, privacy, and equity. Bitcoin, as the first decentralized and incorruptible monetary system, offers a model for how such liberation can be achieved. By applying Bitcoin's principles to genetics, humanity can create systems that honor the sanctity of the genome while ensuring that its benefits are shared equitably. This multidimensional unification of Bitcoin and genetics has the potential to redefine human potential, unlocking a future where individuals are free to explore and enhance their genetic heritage without fear of exploitation or exclusion. In this vision, Bitcoin is not just a financial revolution but a catalyst for a broader liberation—one that empowers humanity to reclaim its genetic destiny.

@ 0d97beae:c5274a14

> History is written by the victor. There is very little we can **know** about our history. We can have written literature and physical evidence, yet it is rarely possible to know the facts of something without having been there at the time. Even in the court of law, testimonies can be falsified, evidence can be misinterpreted, and stories can be spun to provide an alternative account of events. In a world where history is shaped by perspective and bias, it might seem impossible to ever construct an account of events that is entirely free from distortion; not without a central arbiter who is **entrusted** to preserve the truth. We often rely on records of agreements to help settle disputes; however, as the degree of risk increases - such as when purchasing a house, for example - we need to involve licensed third parties who can be trusted to keep and preserve a historical record of our agreements, ensuring that penalties can be enforced if either party breaks the terms therein. Of course, these agreements are often still vague enough to allow for re-interpretation, and, with enough corruption, nothing prevents the very institutions that were supposed to protect the sanctity of the agreement from altering the records. Fortunately, the system has worked well and has served its purpose truthfully most of the time. ## Relating back to Bitcoin Bitcoin is able to do something remarkable: it can create a historical record of events that cannot be altered or revised in any way. However, it does not solve the problem of people and institutions re-interpreting records or choosing not to apply enforcement; this technology cannot be used to replace any and everything, it has a very specific use case. Bitcoin is designed to capture transaction records and enforce the criteria that they must meet before accepting them. They enforce that they do not inflate the supply of bitcoin units, and that they have included all of the necessary information required to be fully verifiable. As well as enforcing transaction rules strictly, Bitcoin uses a process to fossilise these records into history through two core technical innovations: "proof of work" and "difficulty adjustment". Proof of work introduces the cost of energy, while difficulty adjustment enforces the cost of time. Together, Bitcoin effectively uses time and energy to ensure that history can never be rewritten. To break it down a bit more, people can still create alternative chains of events, but each candidate must include the relevant time and energy data to make comparisons possible. Additionally, the "proof of work" technology ensures that the energy data is impossible to fabricate. The chain that has clearly spent the most time and energy will stand out immediately, meaning the chain produced by the largest global community will always emerge as the victor, without the need for inconclusive debates or corruptible authority figures to make the call. > The magic lies in how data produced by Bitcoin is <u>**fully self verifiable**</u>. > It is not just the transaction data that can be verified, it is the complete historical order of events that were observed and fossilised in real-time through a fair and neutral, yet irreversible process. ## Why we run Bitcoin nodes Bitcoin does not run by itself. Beyond needing users to create and submit transactions, it also requires people to provide energy for its proof of work, and it requires people to participate by collecting, verifying, and storing the information in as many places as possible, all around the world. If Bitcoin had an Achilles' heel, it would be the loss of its recorded data. If the data were lost, then there would be nothing to stop an alternative set of records from taking its place and rewriting history. By running a node, we ensure that there are plentiful copies of this data. From a self-serving perspective, running a Bitcoin node ensures that we are always able to access first-hand data about the state of Bitcoin and our wallets. If we rely on third parties to inform us of this information, we introduce a layer of risk and place our trust in someone else. If that trust is abused, we could be fooled into believing we have received bitcoin when in fact this was not the case. While a Bitcoin node does collect its data from online sources, since it collects data from multiple sources and it is able to validate and identify any discrepant data, it is more likely to provide you with the latest and most accurate information available. We also help in situations where connectivity is limited, such as the time when Australia was cut off from the world wide internet for some time. In this case, users in Australia were inconvenienced for some time: 1. With limited connectivity, miners in Australia could not share their work quickly enough to compete effectively with the greater global network. 2. Users might see their transactions remain unconfirmed for longer periods of time. 3. Users may even see their transactions transition from confirmed to unconfirmed as nodes struggle to keep up with the chain of events being agreed upon by the greater network. By operating a node in Australia, you were helping to link and share data in real-time with the rest of the network, and if you had a connection to the greater network, you would be helping to bridge the connection. Once the internet was restored, your node would help to keep track of all the unconfirmed transactions in your country and share them with the greater global network so that they can be processed. > It should be noted that Bitcoin network does not need any sort of manual intervention to come to a shared agreement about the legitimate chain of events and continue operating as normal.

@ 28c2bb35:3f3a2a16

Kia ora ra! I thought I'd look into the claim made by Tim Ferriss and see if these sentence patterns are able to give a brief overview of te reo and it's structure. I initially struggled to stick with a single sentence as it didn't accurately reflect how the reo is actually spoken so I have included what I feel are the most "normal" sounding structures that one will probably encounter. Here is the full list: ##### 1. The apple is red. E whero te tae o te aporo / E whero te aporo. He whero te tae o te aporo / He whero te aporo. Ko te aporo e whero nei te tae / Ko te aporo e whero nei tona tae. E whero ana te tae o te aporo. He aporo whero / Ko te aporo whero. ##### 2. It is John's apple. Ma John te aporo / Na John te aporo. He aporo ma John / He aporo na aporo. Ko te aporo a John / Ko ta John aporo. ##### 3. I give John the apple. Mahaku te aporo e hoatu ma John. E hoatu ana te aporo ki a John. Ko te aporo e hoatu nei e au ki a John. E hoatu ana mahana. ##### 4. We give him the apple. Ma ma[ua/tou] te aporo e hoatu ma John. E hoatu ana te aporo ki a John. Ko te aporo e hoatu nei e ma[ua/tou] ki a John. E hoatu ana mahana. ##### 5. He gives it to John. Mahana e hoatu ma John / Nahana i hoatu ma John. E hoatu ana ki a John. E hoatu ana mahana. ##### 6. She gives it to him. Mahana e hoatu mahana / Nahana i hoatu mahana. Mahana e hoatu / Nahana i hoatu. E hoatu ana ki a ia. E hoatu ana mahana. ##### 7. Is the apple red? E whero te tae o te aporo? / E whero te aporo? He whero te tae o te aporo?/ He whero te aporo? Ko te aporo e whero nei te tae? / Ko te aporo e whero nei tona tae? E whero ana te tae o te aporo? He aporo whero? / Ko te aporo whero? ##### 8. The apples are red. E whero te tae o nga aporo / E whero nga aporo. He whero te tae o nga aporo / He whero nga aporo. Ko nga aporo e whero nei te tae / Ko nga aporo e whero nei ona tae. E whero ana te tae o nga aporo. He aporo whero / Ko nga aporo whero. ##### 9. I must give it to him. Hoatu e au te mea ki a ia. Hoatu e au mahana. Mahaku e hoatu mahana. Me hoatu ki a ia. E hoatu ai mahana. ##### 10. I want to give it to her. Mahaku noa e hoatu. Waiho mahaku e hoatu. 11. I'm going to know tomorrow. Apopo ka mohio ai / Aoake te ra ka mohio ai. Ka mohio au apopo / Ka mohio au a aoake te ra. ##### 12. I can't eat the apple. Ehara i te mea mahaku te aporo te kai. ##### 13. I have eaten the apple. Kua kai ke au i te aporo. Kua pau te aporo te kai i au. Nahaku te aporo i kai. Ko te aporo nahaku nei i kai ai. He mea kai e au te aporo.

@ 638d2a79:f5645f4e

Magic is a form of make believe that is based on the "fact" that humans can do extra ordinary things (shoot fire, fly, etc.). Magic can be curarized into 2 groups, hard and soft. A hard magic is a magic that has definitive rules, you could do this but this would also happen, soft magic is magic that has a wobble warbly way of working. --- EX(soft): Gandalf can wave his staff around and make a lot of fire, but he only dose it some times, we as the reader have no idea what it took to do that, we don't know why he cant other times, we don't know why, why, why. No varibuls are given to us. EX(hard): Vin can push on metal, we know that if the metal has more mass that her she will go flying, if she did this. Lets say 1403 more times it will always have the same resalts Also I made a magic system of my own: [[Usb magic system]] Tags: [[Lit index]], [[human behavior index]]

@ 638d2a79:f5645f4e

humans have a set amount of memory in our life span (about 2.5 million gigabytes of digital memory) this magic system uses that long term memory as fuel for code. The human data (as it is called) can be stored and used to achieve magical outcomes, short term memory is also useable, but only in short bursts and it requires concentration to use, all humans make about **32 bytes** a second, the thing with short term Human data is it cant be stored for later. you concentrate on the part of the code that requires memory and the code starts to do the thing it is so post to (IE: lighting something on fire). There is a limit on the things you can do with only 32bytes, for an example, if you had say 30 people give up 1 MB of LTM (long term memory) to power a script you could probably make a house out of thin air. if you had one person give up 1MB of LTM you could have a lighter that would almost never stop. one person could use his short term memory to activate a script to make a small ball of lead, and use a pre-filed script to launch it, etc etc etc the possibility's are endless. STM can be converted to LTM for storage, but the prosses is long and the conversant rate is low (I'm talking like 2 days of meditation on a collection script for only like 3MB of human data) ## how would this effect the people/ [[Culture]] ? Well, technology would be greatly increased so would warfare for that mater. Left handed people would be more common (higher amount of the tissue connecting the left and right sides of the brane, giving more potent STM) %% **Left-Handed Advantage**: A study from 2001 showed that left-handed people have better memories due to a larger corpus callosum, the white matter connecting the two hemispheres of the brain %% also, the human brane structure would change drastically, for starters the would most likely be much larger than that of a earth human, and the other funchons of the brane might be smaller or less dence (less wrinkles) Tags: [[book ideas]]

@ f4db5270:3c74e0d0

Hi Art lover! 🎨🫂💜 You may not know it yet but all of the following paintings are available in #Bitcoin on my website: https://isolabell.art/#shop For info and prices write to me in DM and we will find a good deal! 🤝  ON THE ROAD AGAIN 40x50cm, Oil on canvas Completed January 23, 2025 -----------  SUN OF JANUARY 40x50cm, Oil on canvas Completed January 14, 2025 -----------  THE BLUE HOUR 40x50cm, Oil on canvas Completed December 14, 2024 -----------  LIKE A FRAGMENT OF ETERNITY 50x40cm, Oil on canvas Completed December 01, 2024 -----------  WHERE WINTER WHISPERS 50x40cm, Oil on canvas Completed November 07, 2024 -----------  L'ATTESA DI UN MOMENTO 40x40cm, Oil on canvas Completed October 29, 2024 -----------  LE COSE CHE PENSANO 40x50cm, Oil on paper Completed October 05, 2024 -----------  TWILIGHT'S RIVER 50x40cm, Oil on canvas Completed September 17, 2024 ----------  GOLD ON THE OCEAN 40x50cm, Oil on paper Completed September 08, 2024 ----------  SUSSURRI DI CIELO E MARE 50x40cm, Oil on paper Completed September 05, 2024 -----------  THE END OF A WONDERFUL WEEKEND 40x30cm, Oil on board Completed August 12, 2024 -----------  FIAMME NEL CIELO 60x35cm, Oil on board Completed July 28, 2024 -----------  INIZIO D'ESTATE 50x40cm, Oil on cradled wood panel Completed July 13, 2024 -----------  OMBRE DELLA SERA 50x40cm, Oil on cradled wood panel Completed June 16, 2024 -----------  NEW ZEALAND SUNSET 80x60cm, Oil on canvas board Completed May 28, 2024 -----------  VENICE 50x40cm, Oil on board Completed May 4, 2024 -----------  CORNWALL 50x40cm, Oil on board Completed April 26, 2024 -----------  DOCKS ON SUNSET 40x19,5cm, Oil on board Completed March 14, 2024 -----------  SOLITUDE 30x30cm, Oil on cradled wood panel Completed March 2, 2024 -----------  LULLING WAVES 40x30cm, Oil on cradled wood panel Completed January 14, 2024 -----------  MULATTIERA IN AUTUNNO 30x30cm, Oil on cradled wood panel -----------  TRAMONTO A KOS 40x40cm, oil on board canvas -----------  HIDDEN SMILE 40x40cm, oil on board -----------  INIZIO D'AUTUNNO 40x40cm, oil on canvas -----------  BOE NEL LAGO 30x30cm, oil on canvas board -----------  BARCHE A RIPOSO 40x40cm, oil on canvas board -----------  IL RISVEGLIO 30x40cm, oil on canvas board -----------  LA QUIETE PRIMA DELLA TEMPESTA 30x40cm, oil on canvas board -----------  LAMPIONE SUL LAGO 30x30cm, oil on canvas board -----------  DUE NELLA NEVE 60x25cm, oil on board -----------  UNA CAREZZA 30x30cm, oil on canvas board -----------  REBEL WAVES 44x32cm, oil on canvas board -----------  THE SCREAMING WAVE 40x30cm, oil on canvas board -----------  "LA DONZELLETTA VIEN DALLA CAMPAGNA..." 30x40cm, oil on canvas board -----------  LIGHTHOUSE ON WHITE CLIFF 30x40cm, oil on canvas board

@ f57bac88:6045161e

### چرا بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور؟ بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور یک ابزار قدرتمند است که مزایای متعددی برای مدیریت پرداخت‌های رمزنگاری ارائه می‌دهد. در ادامه، ویژگی‌های کلیدی این پلتفرم را مرور می‌کنیم: - **متن‌باز و خودگردان:** این نرم‌افزار متن‌باز است و به توسعه‌دهندگان اجازه می‌دهد آن را مطابق با نیازهای خود سفارشی کنند. همچنین، نصب آن بر روی سرور شخصی به کسب‌وکارها کنترل کامل بر داده‌ها و تراکنش‌هایشان می‌دهد. - **پشتیبانی از بیت‌کوین و لایتنینگ:** این پلتفرم از پرداخت‌های درون‌زنجیره‌ای (آن-چین) و برون‌زنجیره‌ای (آف-چین) پشتیبانی می‌کند. این ویژگی باعث می‌شود پرداخت‌ها سریع‌تر، ارزان‌تر و مقیاس‌پذیرتر شوند. - **امنیت بالا:** با بهره‌گیری از الگوریتم‌های رمزنگاری پیشرفته، امنیت تراکنش‌ها تضمین می‌شود. علاوه بر این، امکان استفاده از کیف پول‌های سخت‌افزاری برای افزایش امنیت وجود دارد. - **انعطاف‌پذیری:** این ابزار با انواع کسب‌وکارها و فروشگاه‌های آنلاین سازگار است و قابلیت یکپارچه‌سازی بالایی دارد. - **رایگان بودن:** بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور یک نرم‌افزار کاملاً رایگان است و استفاده از آن هیچ هزینه‌ای در بر ندارد. ### مزایای استفاده از بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور استفاده از بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور می‌تواند برای کسب‌وکارها و مشتریان ارزش افزوده زیادی ایجاد کند: - **حفظ حریم خصوصی:** اطلاعات شخصی کاربران کمتر در معرض خطر قرار می‌گیرد و حریم خصوصی آن‌ها بهتر محافظت می‌شود. - **کاهش هزینه‌ها:** با حذف واسطه‌ها و کارمزدهای اضافی، هزینه‌های پردازش پرداخت کاهش می‌یابد. - **جلب اعتماد مشتریان:** ارائه یک روش پرداخت امن و شفاف، اعتماد مشتریان را افزایش می‌دهد. - **حمایت از اقتصاد غیرمتمرکز:** استفاده از این ابزار به تقویت اقتصاد غیرمتمرکز و کاهش وابستگی به سیستم‌های مالی متمرکز کمک می‌کند. ### چطور از بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور استفاده کنیم؟ برای استفاده از بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور به چند مرحله ساده نیاز دارید: - **راه‌اندازی سرور:** ابتدا یک سرور شخصی یا فضای ابری تهیه کنید. - **نصب بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور:** با استفاده از مستندات رسمی، نرم‌افزار را نصب و تنظیم کنید. - **اتصال به کیف پول:** کیف پول بیت‌کوین یا لایتنینگ خود را به سرور متصل کنید. - **یکپارچه‌سازی با کسب‌وکار:** ابزار را با فروشگاه آنلاین یا سیستم پرداخت خود ادغام کنید. با وجود مستندات جامع و جامعه کاربری فعال، حتی کاربران با دانش فنی محدود نیز می‌توانند از این نرم‌افزار بهره ببرند. موارد کاربرد ### بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور در انواع مختلفی از کسب‌وکارها قابل استفاده است: - فروشگاه‌های آنلاین - شرکت‌های فریلنسری - مراکز خیریه - پلتفرم‌های ارائه خدمات دیجیتال ### جمع‌بندی بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور یک ابزار قدرتمند، امن و رایگان برای پذیرش پرداخت‌های رمزنگاری است که به کسب‌وکارها امکان مدیریت مستقل تراکنش‌هایشان را می‌دهد. اگر به دنبال راهکاری برای کاهش هزینه‌ها، حفظ حریم خصوصی و تقویت استقلال مالی هستید، این ابزار یک گزینه ایده‌آل است. ### منابع پیشنهادی: برای اطلاعات بیشتر و نصب این ابزار، به وب‌سایت رسمی بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور مراجعه کنید\ [btcpayserver.org](https://btcpayserver.org)

@ 378562cd:a6fc6773

**Top USA News** 1. **President Trump Threatens Tariffs on Non-U.S. Manufacturers**In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Donald Trump announced plans to impose tariffs on companies that do not manufacture their products in the United States, aiming to boost domestic production. [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/jan/23/donald-trump-pardons-january-6-us-president-joe-biden-jd-vance-republicans-live-news?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 2. **Historic Winter Storm Sweeps Across Southern U.S**.A severe winter storm has blanketed the southern United States with snow and freezing temperatures, leading to widespread power outages and hazardous travel conditions. [WSJ](https://www.wsj.com/news/archive/2025/01/23?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 3. **Trump Administration Orders Federal DEI Staff on Leave**The Trump administration has directed all federal employees working in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs to be placed on paid leave, with plans to dismiss all DEI program employees by January 31. [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/jan/22/donald-trump-china-sanctions-tariff-diversity-us-politics-live-latest-news?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 4. **U.S. Stock Futures Mixed After Tech-Driven Rally**Following a tech-fueled rise, U.S. stock futures show mixed results. The S&P 500 futures dipped slightly after nearing record highs, while Nasdaq futures declined by 0.5%, and Dow Jones futures saw a slight increase. [Investopedia](https://www.investopedia.com/5-things-to-know-before-the-stock-market-opens-january-23-2025-8778964?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 5. **Trump Pardons January 6 Capitol Rioters**President Trump has issued pardons for individuals convicted in relation to the January 6 Capitol riot, a move that has sparked controversy and debate across the political spectrum. [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/jan/23/donald-trump-pardons-january-6-us-president-joe-biden-jd-vance-republicans-live-news?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 6. **California Wildfires Cause Extensive Damage**Ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles County are causing significant destruction, with estimated damages exceeding $135 billion. Governor Gavin Newsom warns that these could become the worst natural disaster in American history. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal%3ACurrent_events/January_2025?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 7. **President Trump Withdraws U.S. from Paris Climate Agreement**In a series of executive orders, President Trump has withdrawn the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, citing economic concerns and a focus on American energy independence. [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/jan/21/donald-trump-inauguration-presidency-executive-orders-pardons-day-two-live-blog?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 8. **Trump Administration Re-designates Houthis as Terrorist Organization**The Trump administration has re-designated the Yemeni Houthi movement as a foreign terrorist organization, reversing a previous decision and impacting international relations in the region. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_in_the_United_States?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 9. **President Trump Announces $500 Billion AI Investment**President Trump, alongside tech executives, has announced a $500 billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure, aiming to bolster the United States' position in the global tech industry. [WSJ](https://www.wsj.com/news/archive/2025/01/23?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 10. **ChatGPT Experiences Large-Scale Outage**A significant outage of the AI tool ChatGPT has been reported, affecting users worldwide. The cause of the disruption is under investigation. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_in_the_United_Kingdom?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Top International News** 1. **Israeli Military Conducts Extensive Raid in Jenin**The Israeli military launched a significant operation in Jenin, resulting in at least 10 Palestinian deaths and numerous injuries. The raid, named "Iron Wall," involved airstrikes and ground forces, escalating tensions in the West Bank. [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/23/first-edition-west-bank-settlers-israel-military?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 2. **Micheál Martin Appointed as Irish Taoiseach**Micheál Martin has been confirmed as Ireland's new Taoiseach following a day of delays and disagreements in the Irish parliament. His immediate focus includes forming his cabinet and addressing Ireland's housing crisis. [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/jan/23/europe-dail-micheal-martin-rows-ireland-weather-storm-eowyn-latest-updates?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

@ f57bac88:6045161e

### چرا باید بیتکوین را در کسب‌وکار خود بپذیرید؟ - افزایش مشتریان: بسیاری از افراد به دنبال کسب‌وکارهایی هستند که بیتکوین را به عنوان روش پرداخت قبول می‌کنند. - کاهش هزینه‌های تراکنش: هزینه‌های تراکنش بیتکوین به طور قابل توجهی کمتر از روش‌های پرداخت سنتی است. - امنیت بیشتر: فناوری بلاک چین که بیتکوین بر روی آن ساخته شده است، امنیت بسیار بالایی را فراهم می‌کند. - دسترسی جهانی: با بیتکوین، می‌توانید مشتریانی از سراسر جهان داشته باشید. - مقاومت در برابر تورم: ارزش بیتکوین مستقل از دولت‌ها و بانک‌های مرکزی است و در برابر تورم مقاوم است. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/ad71d1fe59560c2fa73cf495052149b8e44178d111ade6093b9b7d4b5878dd4d.png"> ### چگونه کسب‌وکار خود را برای پذیرش بیتکوین آماده کنیم؟ - تحقیق و بررسی: قبل از هر اقدامی، به خوبی در مورد بیتکوین، فناوری بلاک چین و مزایای پذیرش آن تحقیق کنید. - انتخاب کیف پول: یک کیف پول بیتکوین امن و مناسب برای کسب‌وکار خود انتخاب کنید. - انتخاب درگاه پرداخت: درگاه پرداخت بیتکوین به شما امکان می‌دهد تا پرداخت‌های بیتکوین را به صورت آنلاین دریافت کنید. - آموزش کارکنان: کارکنان خود را در مورد نحوه پذیرش پرداخت‌های بیتکوین آموزش دهید. - تبلیغات: مشتریان خود را از پذیرش بیتکوین در کسب‌وکار خود آگاه کنید. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/717946ac025fef0e85f7bb09a49ebfc0e00eae4fbc39ec7aeb9404e57ee87a5a.jpg"> ### مراحل گام به گام برای راه اندازی پرداخت با بیتکوین: - ثبت نام در یک صرافی معتبر: برای خرید بیتکوین، ابتدا باید در یک صرافی معتبر ثبت نام کنید. - خرید بیتکوین: پس از احراز هویت، بیتکوین مورد نیاز خود را خریداری کنید. - انتقال بیتکوین به کیف پول کسب‌وکار: بیتکوین خریداری شده را به کیف پول کسب‌وکار خود انتقال دهید. - انتخاب درگاه پرداخت: یک درگاه پرداخت بیتکوین مناسب انتخاب کنید و آن را به وب‌سایت یا فروشگاه خود اضافه کنید. - آغاز پذیرش پرداخت: پس از تکمیل مراحل بالا، می‌توانید پرداخت‌های بیتکوین را از مشتریان خود دریافت کنید. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/6629a9249251c89b1095a15942b5a660e9db513a7c846da9f0a6a7ca3aef1b98.jpg"> ### نکات مهم: - نوسانات قیمت: قیمت بیتکوین بسیار نوسان است. برای مدیریت این نوسانات، می‌توانید از ابزارهای مدیریت ریسک استفاده کنید. - امنیت: امنیت بیتکوین بسیار مهم است. از کیف پول‌های امن استفاده کنید و به طور مرتب از آنها بکاپ بگیرید. - مقررات: از قوانین و مقررات مربوط به ارزهای دیجیتال در کشور خود آگاه باشید. از چه سرویس های میتوان استفاده کرد؟! برنامه ها و سرویس های بسیاری برای تبادل بیتکوین وجود دارن اما برای استفاده از این سرویس ها باید چند پیش شرط را در نظر گرفت: 1- سرویس فعالیت شفافی داشته، تا هر کسی بتواند آن سرویس و زیرساخت هایش را بررسی کند. 2- غیرمتمرکز باشد. 3- دسترسی آسان داشته باشد. ### معرفی چند سرویس: - درگاه پرداخت بیتکوین برای کسب و کارها "[بی‌تی‌سی پی سرور](https://btcpayserver.org/)" با این سرویس میتوانید درگاه پرداخت برای خریدهای آنلاین بسازید - کیف پول برای نگهداری بیتکوین ها بر بستر لایتنینگ [ولت‌آف‌ساتوشی](https://www.walletofsatoshi.com/) - برای کسب و کارهای فیزیکی و پرداخت در محل میتوانید از "[بریز](https://breez.technology/)" استفاده کنید، که میتوانید با این سرویس اقلام به همراه قیمت در برنامه مشخص کنید تا هنگام ثبت فاکتور چند قلم را انتخاب کرده و مبلغ پرداختی را محاسبه کنید. نتیجه‌گیری پذیرش بیتکوین می‌تواند فرصت‌های جدیدی را برای کسب‌وکار شما ایجاد کند. با پیروی از مراحل فوق، می‌توانید به راحتی کسب‌وکار خود را برای پذیرش بیتکوین آماده کنید.

@ f57bac88:6045161e

### **دلایل ضرورت فعالیت ناشناس:** **تهدید علیه حریم خصوصی:** با توجه به گستردگی نظارت بر فضای مجازی در ایران، حریم خصوصی کاربران به شدت در معرض تهدید قرار دارد. اطلاعات شخصی کاربران مانند آدرس IP، تاریخچه جستجو و فعالیت‌های آنلاین، به‌راحتی قابل ردیابی و جمع‌آوری است. این اطلاعات می‌توانند برای شناسایی و ردیابی کاربران و اعمال محدودیت‌های بیشتر مورد استفاده قرار گیرند. **عدم امنیت سایبری:** زیرساخت‌های سایبری در ایران به اندازه کافی قوی نیستند و حملات سایبری و هک شدن حساب‌های کاربری به طور مکرر رخ می‌دهد. در صورت هک شدن حساب کاربری، اطلاعات شخصی و خصوصی فرد در معرض افشا قرار می‌گیرد که می‌تواند عواقب جبران‌ناپذیری داشته باشد. **نظارت و پایش فعالیت‌های آنلاین:** دولت‌ها اغلب فعالیت‌های کاربران را در شبکه‌های اجتماعی و بسترهای آنلاین زیر نظر می‌گیرند. این نظارت ممکن است شامل ردیابی ارتباطات، بررسی پست‌ها و شناسایی افراد فعال در موضوعات حساس باشد. هرگونه اظهارنظر یا فعالیتی که مغایر با سیاست‌های دولت باشد، می‌تواند منجر به عواقب جدی مانند احضار به نهادهای امنیتی، دستگیری و محکومیت‌های قضایی شود. **حمله‌های سایبری:** هکرهای دولتی یا وابسته به دولت‌ها ممکن است به حساب‌های کاربری افراد نفوذ کرده و اطلاعات شخصی یا حرفه‌ای آنها را مورد سوءاستفاده قرار دهند. ### **چرا باید ناشناس بمانیم؟** استفاده از هویت ناشناس در اینترنت می‌تواند امنیت کاربران را به شکل چشمگیری افزایش دهد. ناشناس بودن به معنای استفاده از ابزارها و روش‌هایی است که هویت واقعی کاربر (مانند نام، شماره تماس یا موقعیت جغرافیایی) را پنهان می‌کند. این اقدامات به افراد اجازه می‌دهد بدون نگرانی از پیامدهای احتمالی، به بیان نظرات و فعالیت آنلاین خود ادامه دهند. ### **پیامدهای عدم توجه به فعالیت ناشناس:** **خودسانسوری:** ترس از عواقب بیان آزادانه افکار، کاربران را به سمت خودسانسوری سوق می‌دهد و از این طریق، اینترنت از تنوع آرا و نظرات محروم می‌شود. \ **کاهش مشارکت مدنی:** فعالیت ناشناس، به کاربران امکان می‌دهد تا بدون ترس از تبعات، در مباحث اجتماعی و سیاسی مشارکت کنند و نظرات خود را آزادانه بیان کنند. عدم توجه به این موضوع، مشارکت مدنی را کاهش داده و از شکل‌گیری یک جامعه مدنی پویا جلوگیری می‌کند. \ **افزایش شکاف دیجیتال:** افرادی که به دلایل مختلف قادر به حفظ ناشناس بودن خود در فضای مجازی نیستند، از بسیاری از امکانات و مزایای این فضا محروم می‌شوند و شکاف دیجیتال عمیق‌تر می‌شود. ### راهکارها برای حفظ حریم خصوصی و فعالیت ناشناس: **استفاده از ابزارهای امنیتی:** استفاده از وی‌پی‌ان، پروکسی و [مرورگر تر](https://www.torproject.org/download/)، به کاربران کمک می‌کند تا آدرس آی‌پی خود را مخفی کرده و از ردیابی فعالیت‌های آنلاین خود جلوگیری کنند.\ **رمزنگاری پیام‌ها:** استفاده از نرم‌افزارهای پیام‌رسان رمزنگاری شده، به کاربران امکان می‌دهد تا ارتباطات خود را ایمن و محرمانه نگه دارند.\ **ایجاد حساب‌های کاربری با اطلاعات غیرواقعی:** از نام‌های مستعار و ایمیل‌های ناشناس برای ایجاد حساب‌های کاربری استفاده کنید.\ **حفظ حریم خصوصی در شبکه‌های اجتماعی:** کاربران باید تنظیمات حریم خصوصی خود را در شبکه‌های اجتماعی به دقت بررسی کرده و اطلاعات شخصی خود را به حداقل برسانند.\ **آموزش آگاهی دیجیتال:** آموزش آگاهی دیجیتال به کاربران، به آن‌ها کمک می‌کند تا با تهدیدات موجود در فضای مجازی آشنا شده و روش‌های مقابله با آن‌ها را یاد بگیرند.\ **اجتناب از اشتراک‌گذاری اطلاعات حساس:** از به اشتراک‌گذاری اطلاعاتی که می‌تواند هویت واقعی شما را فاش کند، خودداری کنید.\ **فعالیت در پلتفرم‌های امن‌تر:** استفاده از پیام‌رسان‌ها و شبکه‌های اجتماعی با رمزنگاری قوی، می‌تواند به محافظت از اطلاعات کمک کند. ### **نتیجه‌گیری** در فضای مجازی که روز به روز نظارت و محدودیت‌ها افزایش می‌یابد، فعالیت با هویت ناشناس نه تنها یک ضرورت بلکه یک ابزار اساسی برای حفظ آزادی بیان و امنیت شخصی است. هر کاربر باید آگاهانه و هوشمندانه به فعالیت در اینترنت بپردازد تا از خطرات احتمالی جلوگیری کند. ### \ **پی نوشت مهم** در ایران سالانه تعداد بسیاری از انسان های نیک سرشت به دلیل عدم رعایت ناشناسی یا عدم رعایت نکات امنیتی و فعالیت های انسانی که دیکتاتوری جمهوری اسلامی با آن‌ها مخالف است با خطرات جانی، مالی و اتفاقات ناگوار جبران ناپذیری روبرو میشوند مانند [سگارو](https://twitter.com/TavaanaTech/status/1882350561175245189)، پس لطفا بخاطر خودتان و عزیزانتان ناشناس شروع کنید، ناشناس فعالیت کنید و ناشناس بمانید <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/525b2cdb58d3a867a1a9624564e28246a64289052fb08a0587af09b940405fc5.jpg">

@ 1a45291c:86bad07c

Enhance your look with the Miami Studz Trends Bracelet! **[https://worldhealthorganization.co/why-choose-studz-trends-bracelet-miami-for-your-style-upgrade]()**, renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship and distinctive patterns, provides the ideal fusion of style and excellence. These bracelets elegantly finish your style by adding a touch of elegance and personality, whether you're wearing them for formal occasions or daily wear.

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

## Planning Alexandria People keep asking what features nostr:npub1s3ht77dq4zqnya8vjun5jp3p44pr794ru36d0ltxu65chljw8xjqd975wz has planned for #Alexandria, but they're not set in stone because we're an agile project. What we do have, is lots of tickets on our Kanban boards and a naming scheme, where we use a famous person's last name, to signify the release goals.  ### Gutenberg v 0.1.0 (after the inventor of the printing press) will contain the features needed to read and write [NIP-62 Curated Publications](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1600), as well as encompassing the complex infrastructure, architecture, documentation, and personnel we require to make this all run smoothly and look easy.  ### Euler v 0.2.0 (after a mathematician credited with establishing graph theory) will contain the features for deep-searching, visually exploring, and smartly navigating the data set, wiki page display, annotating and citing the publications, exporting to other formats (like PDF, ePUB, and LaTeX), and commenting/reviewing. To help with the heavy lifting, we will be swapping out the core with our own Nostr SDK called "Aedile".  ### Defoe v 0.3.0 (after an author who perfected the novel format) will be all about our favorite writers. We will be focusing upon profile data, payment systems, book clubs and communities, and stylesheets. That is everything we have planned, for the v1.0 edition, and we consider that version to be a true product. As for after that, a teaser... 

@ 7c761137:13e57d1b

Hace unos días tuve una llamada con un amigo de hace muchos años. Teníamos tiempo sin actualizarnos, la última vez que hablamos él estaba en Chile. Según mi conocimiento lleva casi una década allí y con una carrera laboral en organizaciones reconocidas. A pocos minutos de hablar me cuenta que está en Venezuela, que a pesar de todo lo bueno que Chile puede ofrecer, no podía más con la sensación de desprecio recibido. La mirada de asco y malas actitudes de parte de chilenos a los que ni conocía le llevó a la conclusión de que, a pesar de tener éxito laboral y una situación económica relativamente cómoda, ya no le era posible seguir echando raíces allí donde no se sentía bienvenido. Innegablemente volver a Venezuela no habrá sido una decisión fácil, debido a que las condiciones que tanto a él, a mí y a millones de venezolanos nos llevó a irnos en las últimas dos décadas siguen vigentes y causando el mismo daño: represión policial, económica y social. Un país secuestrado por una panda de criminales sin ningún sentido de amor patrio y dignidad. Tras la llegada del sátrapa de Hugo Chávez hasta hoy, se estima que se han ido alrededor de 7 millones de venezolanos, la mayor diáspora de la región. Millones de personas provenientes de un país empobrecido económica y socialmente se encuentran con una región que no cuenta con los recursos ni la estructura para recibir a tanta gente en tan poco tiempo. Esto ha llevado a que, evidentemente, la situación se haya tornado crítica en muchos países. -Sin contar el impacto de las organizaciones criminales creadas y promovidas por el chavismo. Asunto que quizás trate en otro momento-. A pesar de todo lo antes mencionado, también son muchas las historias de venezolanos que triunfan en el exterior: formándose, emprendiendo y creando familias en aquellos países que les reciben. Cada venezolano, sin saberlo, al buscar su beneficio propio está generando un capital humano que sin duda podría sumar, y mucho, en la reconstrucción del país. También quien ya ha echado raíces en el extranjero tendría incentivos para invertir y ayudar al país, si se dieran las condiciones adecuadas. Condiciones que hoy no existen, y no existirán mientras las instituciones siguen secuestradas por los mismos -los chavistas-. Y mientras la alternativa -la supuesta oposición- siga siendo la misma. El ¨Venezuela se arregló¨ que tanto promueve la propaganda chavista es una farsa. Que hagan ciertas concesiones económicas para que sus enchufados puedan lavar dinero no hace que la economía sea libre, ni genera confianza alguna -el problema económico es sintomático pero no la raíz del problema-. El hecho de que haya quien regrese a Venezuela a pesar de que no haya cambiado nada, para nada legitima la narrativa del régimen, pero sí nos recuerda algo evidente pero que quizás olvidamos: en ningún sitio seremos tan queridos y estaremos realmente en casa que en aquel lugar donde moran nuestros antepasados, donde desarrollamos nuestras costumbres y donde compartimos con nuestros allegados. Hoy más que nunca debemos seguir luchando por recuperar nuestra tierra y nuestras instituciones de las manos de la mafia roja. Originalmente publicado en [Venezuela Vetada]( https://venezuelavetada.com/volver-a-casa/)

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

President Trump has ordered thousands of additional troops to the U.S.-Mexico border as part of an effort to address immigration and security issues. This directive builds on his initial commitment to increase military presence along the border. Currently, around 2,200 active-duty personnel and approximately 4,500 National Guardsmen are stationed there. The new deployment aims to enhance the capabilities of Joint Task Force-North, allowing troops to assist in operations and provide intelligence support. Details on specific units remain unclear. The situation is still developing, with updates expected. [Sauce](https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-president-trump-orders-thousands-of-troops-to-the-us-border-with-mexico)

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

The financial world has been abuzz with the concept of Bitcoin ETFs, a development that promises to blend the cutting-edge world of cryptocurrencies with the traditional investment landscape. The allure of Bitcoin ETFs lies in their potential to demystify the process of investing in digital currencies. For the average investor, navigating the cryptocurrency market can be daunting, with concerns ranging from wallet security to the complexities of exchange platforms. ETFs offer a solution by packaging Bitcoin into a familiar form that can be traded with the ease of stocks, bypassing the technical barriers that might deter traditional investors. **Table Of Content** - The Significance of BlackRock's Interest - The Bridge to Mainstream Investment - Regulatory Hurdles and Market Manipulation Concerns - The Race to Launch the First Bitcoin ETF - The Psychology of Demand - Conclusion - FAQs **The Significance of BlackRock's Interest** The interest of BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, in launching a Bitcoin ETF is a significant endorsement for the cryptocurrency sector. BlackRock's move is not merely about launching a new product; it's a signal that the firm recognizes the long-term value proposition of cryptocurrencies. The implications of BlackRock's involvement are profound, as it could lead to a domino effect, with other institutional investors following suit. BlackRock's entry into the Bitcoin space could also serve as a catalyst for regulatory clarity. As regulators see established financial institutions embracing cryptocurrencies, they may be more inclined to provide the necessary frameworks for these assets to thrive. This could lead to a virtuous cycle, where regulatory clarity leads to more institutional involvement, which in turn could lead to further regulatory advancements. **The Bridge to Mainstream Investment** The creation of a spot market Bitcoin ETF represents a pivotal bridge between the innovative world of cryptocurrencies and traditional financial markets. Such an ETF would provide a regulated, accessible, and efficient means for investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin, potentially unlocking billions of dollars of sidelined capital. The bridge metaphor is apt because it conveys the transformative potential of Bitcoin ETFs to connect disparate financial realms, facilitating a flow of capital that could stabilize and mature the cryptocurrency market. The bridging role of Bitcoin ETFs is particularly important for institutional investors, who often face strict regulatory and operational requirements that make direct investment in cryptocurrencies challenging. By packaging Bitcoin within the familiar structure of an ETF, these investors can participate in the growth of digital assets while adhering to their investment mandates. **Regulatory Hurdles and Market Manipulation Concerns** The path to Bitcoin ETF approval has been fraught with regulatory hurdles, primarily due to concerns over market manipulation and the integrity of the underlying Bitcoin market. The SEC's apprehension is rooted in the decentralized and fragmented nature of cryptocurrency exchanges, which can complicate efforts to monitor and prevent manipulative practices. However, the recent developments with Grayscale's Bitcoin ETF application suggest a potential softening of the SEC's stance. If Grayscale's ETF can demonstrate that it has adequate measures in place to address the SEC's concerns, it could set a precedent for the approval of future Bitcoin ETFs. This would be a significant milestone, as it would acknowledge the maturation of the cryptocurrency market and its surveillance mechanisms to a level that satisfies regulatory standards. **The Race to Launch the First Bitcoin ETF** The race to launch the first Bitcoin ETF is not just a matter of prestige but also of strategic advantage. The first-mover in this space will capture the attention of eager investors and set the tone for the market. The competition is fierce, with several financial giants vying for the position. The outcome of this race is eagerly anticipated by the crypto community, as it will likely have a significant impact on the market's dynamics and investor sentiment. The anticipation surrounding the first Bitcoin ETF is also a reflection of the broader crypto industry's desire for validation and growth. Approval of an ETF would be a landmark event, signaling a new level of acceptance and integration of cryptocurrencies into the financial mainstream. **The Psychology of Demand** The demand for Bitcoin ETFs can be partly explained by the psychological concept of scarcity, where the value of an item increases with its rarity or inaccessibility. The SEC's repeated rejections of Bitcoin ETF proposals have only heightened their desirability. This phenomenon is not unique to the crypto industry; it is a well-documented aspect of human behavior that applies across various markets and products. The psychology of demand for Bitcoin ETFs is also driven by the narrative of crypto's journey towards acceptance. Each regulatory challenge and milestone is part of a larger story of an emerging asset class striving for legitimacy. The crypto community's response to these developments is often charged with emotion, reflecting the high stakes and deep investment many have in the future of digital assets. **Conclusion** The excitement surrounding Bitcoin ETFs is a complex interplay of innovation, regulation, and human psychology. It encapsulates the hopes and challenges of an industry at the cusp of broader acceptance. The eventual introduction of Bitcoin ETFs could represent a significant inflection point, potentially ushering in a new era of institutional investment and mainstream interest in cryptocurrencies. As the narrative unfolds, the crypto community watches with bated breath, anticipating the moment when Bitcoin ETFs become a reality. This event could validate the years of advocacy, development, and belief in the transformative potential of cryptocurrencies. For now, the excitement continues to build, with each rumor, regulatory update, and market movement watched closely by those eager to witness the next chapter in the evolution of finance. **FAQs** **What is a Bitcoin ETF?** A Bitcoin ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund) is a type of investment fund that tracks the price of Bitcoin and is traded on traditional stock exchanges, allowing investors to buy into Bitcoin without the complexities of handling the cryptocurrency itself. **Why are Bitcoin ETFs important?** Bitcoin ETFs are seen as a bridge between traditional finance and the emerging world of cryptocurrencies, offering a regulated, familiar investment vehicle for institutional and retail investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin. **Has the SEC approved any Bitcoin ETFs?** As of the last update, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved any spot market Bitcoin ETFs, citing concerns over market manipulation and surveillance. However, futures-based Bitcoin ETFs have been approved and are being traded. **What are the benefits of a Bitcoin ETF?** Benefits include easier access for traditional investors, improved liquidity and price stability for Bitcoin, and the potential for increased institutional investment in the cryptocurrency space. **What are the main concerns about Bitcoin ETFs?** The main concerns include the potential for market manipulation, the integrity of the underlying Bitcoin market, and the adequacy of market surveillance mechanisms. **That's all for today** **If you want more, be sure to follow us on:** **NOSTR: croxroad@getalby.com** **X: Instagram: [@croxroadnews.co](https://x.com/croxroadnewsco)** **Instagram: [@croxroadnews.co](https://www.instagram.com/croxroadnews.co/)** **Youtube: [@croxroadnews](https://www.youtube.com/@croxroadnews)** **Store: https://croxroad.store** **Subscribe to CROX ROAD Bitcoin Only Daily Newsletter** **https://www.croxroad.co/subscribe** *DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.*

@ f1989a96:bcaaf2c1

Good morning, readers! In Iran, officials are accused of exploiting a recent currency devaluation to profit at the public’s expense. The regime raised the rial’s official exchange rate from 550,000 to 640,000 per dollar to maximize its profit when selling the $5 billion it had withdrawn from the National Development Fund. This move effectively stole one quadrillion rials ($23 billion) from citizens, fueling inflation and devastating the public’s already-slim purchasing power. In Nicaragua, dictator Daniel Ortega dissolved 15 more nonprofit organizations since the start of the year. This brings the total to more than 5,400 NGOs shut down since 2018. Ortega frequently uses financial repression to wield power over citizens, freezing bank accounts, seizing assets, and fabricating financial crimes to dismantle civil society groups.  In open-source software news, Solo Satoshi, a company advancing home Bitcoin mining, unveiled the Bitaxe Touch, a new home mining device designed for individuals to mine Bitcoin. It features a touch screen that displays mining metrics, network data, and Bitcoin news. Innovations like this help democratize access to mining and strengthen the overall Bitcoin network, making an especially big difference for people who wish to mine in difficult political environments. \ \ Meanwhile, Bitcoin developers are exploring rewarding mining pool participants with ecash shares. This model lets miners receive earnings instantly and trade them on open markets without revealing personal details. This could make mining more attractive for dissidents whilst helping strengthen Bitcoin’s overall decentralization. Finally, we feature the release of Evan Mawarire’s book “*Crazy Epic Courage*,” in which the Zimbabwean pastor and activist recounts his inspiring journey of a peaceful uprising against Robert Mugabe’s dictatorship and hyperinflation. We also include a Bitkey wallet tutorial from renowned Bitcoin educator Ben Perrin, aka BTC Sessions, who walks users through setting up cold storage and best practices for safe transactions. **Now, let’s get right to it!** ### [**SUBSCRIBE HERE**](https://mailchi.mp/hrf.org/financial-freedom-newsletter?mc_cid=bf652c0a5a) ## **GLOBAL NEWS** #### **Iran | Regime Profiting From Currency Devaluation** In Iran, Hossein Samsami, a member of the parliament’s economic committee, [accused](https://www.iranintl.com/en/202412254272) the government of exploiting foreign currency exchange rates to profit at the expense of ordinary citizens. The regime recently increased the rial’s official exchange rate from 550,000 to 640,000 rial per dollar — a move Samsami explained “was to sell the $5 billion it had taken from the National Development Fund at the highest price.” By manipulating the exchange rate, the regime effectively stole [one quadrillion](https://www.iranintl.com/en/202412254272) rials ($23 billion) from citizens. This deliberate devaluation will drive up inflation, deplete savings, and push basic goods further out of reach. Iran’s multi-tiered exchange rate system has long fueled [corruption](https://www.iranintl.com/en/202412254272), allowing regime insiders to profit from the gap between the artificially low official exchange rate and the higher free-market rate. To block any financial escape, the regime has tried to [close](https://x.com/sina_21st/status/1873097867625140230) onramps to Bitcoin. #### **Nicaragua | Regime Dismantles More Nonprofit Organizations** Since the start of 2025, the Nicaraguan regime [dissolved](https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/261539/nicaraguan-dictatorship-shuts-down-more-organizations-including-dominican-nuns) an additional 15 nonprofit organizations (NGOs), including Save the Children and the Dominican Nuns Foundation of Nicaragua. This latest wave of repression brings the total to more than 5,400 NGOs shut down since 2018 under dictator Daniel Ortega. Ortega uses financial repression as a weapon, freezing bank accounts, seizing assets, and fabricating financial crimes to dismantle these groups. Deprived of resources and funding, these organizations are forced to close, leaving vulnerable communities without aid. These crackdowns come as part of Ortega’s broader strategy to stifle dissent, dismantle civil society, and consolidate his grip on Nicaragua. #### **Nigeria | Political and Bitcoin Activist Faces Regime Censorship** James Otudor, an activist and founder of [Bitcoin Calabar](https://x.com/BitcoinCalabar), a Nigerian Bitcoin circular economy, [described](https://x.com/BitcoinCalabar/status/1879121618850779577) what he believes is a deliberate campaign to silence his Bitcoin advocacy. After filing a [lawsuit](https://cointelegraph.com/news/nigerian-activist-sues-government-protect-crypto-rights) against the Nigerian regime to defend citizens’ rights to own, use, and trade Bitcoin, Otudor was interrogated by the Department of State Security (DSS) about his funding sources and financial activities. Despite providing proof of legitimate earnings, he reports facing a series of suspicious and coordinated attacks — including the theft of his lawyers’ documents, the suspension of his social media accounts, and disruptions to his phone and internet services. These actions represent the extent to which authoritarian regimes like Nigeria will go to block financial tools that operate beyond their control.  #### **United Arab Emirates | AI Ambitions and Authoritarian Control** The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is accelerating its bid to lead the global artificial intelligence race, with [reports](https://www.wired.com/story/uae-intelligence-chief-ai-money/) suggesting that intelligence chief Sheikh Tahnoun is in talks with the United States to acquire NVIDIA’s proprietary AI chips. At the center of this push is [G42](https://www.g42.ai/), an AI conglomerate heavily invested in data analytics, satellite imagery, and predictive surveillance. These technologies enable the UAE to expand domestic surveillance and control to suppress dissent with unprecedented precision. As an authoritarian regime with an appalling human rights record, the UAE has long used technology to surveil activists, journalists, and civil society. Now, it aims to take surveillance and repression to new heights. #### **Uganda | Civic Group Calls for the End of Trials of Civilians in Military Courts** On Wednesday, Jan. 15, [Agora Discourse](https://agoraug.org/), a civic group co-founded by activist and Oslo Freedom Forum speaker [Agather Atuhaire](https://x.com/AAgather), launched a [Change petition](https://www.change.org/p/uganda-s-judiciary-on-trial-stop-trial-of-civilians-in-military-courts?recruiter=945636338&recruited_by_id=9c5b5d50-5006-11e9-9b83-854a2d65fd48&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard&utm_medium=copylink) calling for the end of trials of civilians in military courts in Uganda. The next day, police officers harassed and roughed up Agather Atuhaire as she delivered a physical copy of the petition, addressed to Chief Justice Owinyi Dollo, at Uganda’s Supreme Court in the capital, Kampala. Alongside this physical repression, Uganda employs financial repression — [freezing the bank accounts](https://www.independent.co.ug/ngos-plead-with-government-over-frozen-bank-accounts/) of civil society organizations to diminish civilian voices and their right to association and organization. This petition aims to rally international pressure against the regime’s practice of using military courts to target dissidents. If you have a moment, please consider reviewing and [signing the petition here](https://www.change.org/p/uganda-s-judiciary-on-trial-stop-trial-of-civilians-in-military-courts?recruiter=945636338&recruited_by_id=9c5b5d50-5006-11e9-9b83-854a2d65fd48&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard&utm_medium=copylink). ## RECOMMENDED CONTENT #### **“*Crazy Epic Courage*” by Evan Mawarire** Zimbabwean pastor and activist [Evan Mawarire](https://x.com/PastorEvanLive) never set out to become a revolutionary — he simply wanted to speak the truth. But when a video of him draped in a Zimbabwean flag went viral, it ignited a nationwide movement that would challenge Robert Mugabe, one of Africa’s longest-standing autocrats and a thief who looted Zimbabwean wealth via hyperinflation. In his newly released book, “[*Crazy Epic Courage*](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSTKC1RT?bestFormat=true&newOGT=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_RWEK741WFKHWMP9TG3YR_1&skipTwisterOG=1),” Mawarire details how an ordinary citizen can become the voice of a nation. From arrests and exile to global advocacy, his journey is a testament to risking everything for what is right. Read the full book [here](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSTKC1RT?bestFormat=true&newOGT=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_RWEK741WFKHWMP9TG3YR_1&skipTwisterOG=1). ## BITCOIN AND FREEDOM TECH NEWS *This week’s Bitcoin news focuses on Bitcoin mining updates. To learn more about Bitcoin mining, we recommend checking out this explainer [article](https://www.investopedia.com/tech/how-does-bitcoin-mining-work/) and [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lBqpOGIczM).* #### **Mostro | Implements Key Management to Boost Privacy** [Mostro](https://mostro.network/?mc_cid=ae2c9c852f&mc_eid=UNIQID), a peer-to-peer (P2P) Bitcoin exchange built on Nostr, [introduced](https://github.com/MostroP2P/mostro/releases/tag/v0.13.0) advanced [key management](https://mostro.network/protocol/key_management.html) to improve user privacy. Created by Venezuelan developer [Francisco Calderon](https://x.com/negrunch?mc_cid=ae2c9c852f&mc_eid=UNIQID), Mostro — specifically designed to aid people under tyranny — enables individuals to buy and sell Bitcoin without sharing excessive personal information. This adds another layer of privacy critical for human rights defenders, journalists, and nonprofits operating under authoritarian regimes. As a past recipient of HRF’s [Bitcoin Development Fund](https://hrf.org/program/financial-freedom/bitcoin-development-fund/), Mostro continues to advance private Bitcoin access for those who need it most. #### **Bitcoin Safe | New Bitcoin Wallet Designed for Non-Technical Users** [Bitcoin Safe](https://github.com/andreasgriffin/bitcoin-safe) is a new open-source Bitcoin wallet designed to make self-custody simple even for non-technical users, something that really comes in handy for human rights activists. The wallet guides users through the setup process, with step-by-step instructions for both single-signature (where one private key is used to control your Bitcoin) and multi-signature wallets (which require multiple private keys for added security). Bitcoin Safe also includes features to manage Bitcoin efficiently, such as automatically combining unused Bitcoin (known as [Unspent Transaction Outputs](https://river.com/learn/terms/u/unspent-transaction-output-utxo/) or UTXOs), speeding up stuck transactions with fees (known as [Replace-By-Fee](https://bitcoinops.org/en/topics/replace-by-fee/) or RBF), and letting users choose specific coins to spend. With support for more than 10 languages, Bitcoin Safe can lower the barriers to self-custody. #### **Solo Satoshi | Introduces Bitaxe Touch** [Solo Satoshi](https://www.solosatoshi.com/), a company advancing home Bitcoin mining, [unveiled](https://www.solosatoshi.com/unveiling-the-bitaxe-touch-the-worlds-first-touchscreen-bitcoin-miner/) the Bitaxe Touch, the first Bitcoin home miner with a built-in touchscreen. Scheduled for release in early 2025, the device enables users to monitor key metrics, including Bitcoin’s price, mining performance, power consumption, incoming transactions, and real-time temperature data. It also features a Bitcoin news feed, offering a comprehensive overview of the mining experience. Built using an open-source [Bitaxe 601 Gamma](https://www.solosatoshi.com/product/bitaxe-gamma/), the Bitaxe Touch is designed to simplify Bitcoin mining for individuals. By empowering more people to mine Bitcoin independently, devices like this reduce reliance on large mining pools, strengthening Bitcoin’s decentralization and resistance to censorship. #### **Mining Pools | Rewarding Miners with Tradeable Ecash Shares** Bitcoin developers are [exploring](https://bitcoinops.org/en/newsletters/2025/01/17/) a new way to reward miners using tradeable “ecash shares.” In Bitcoin mining, individuals often join “mining pools” — groups of Bitcoin miners that work together to verify transactions, solve blocks, and share rewards. They do so because pooling resources increases their chances of earning Bitcoin. However, miners in these pools can wait days or weeks for payouts (depending on the pools’ payout structure), and miners often suffer violations of their privacy. With ecash shares, miners could receive their earnings immediately and sell them on an open market (without having to reveal their identity, shielding them from a dictator’s watchful eye). This system could also make it easier for small mining pools to get started and grow. Smaller pools often struggle to attract miners because payouts are uncertain. By using ecash shares, these smaller pools could temporarily operate as clients of larger ones to ensure steady income in the early stages. #### **F2Pool | Monitoring Global Censorship Risks** Bitcoin developer [b10c](https://b10c.me/) revealed that [F2Pool](https://www.f2pool.com/), one of Bitcoin’s largest mining pools, may be [filtering](https://b10c.me/observations/13-missing-sanctioned-transactions-2024-12/) transactions. Over the past weeks, b10c’s [miningpool-observer](https://miningpool.observer/) detected [15 transactions](https://b10c.me/observations/13-missing-sanctioned-transactions-2024-12/) from certain addresses that were not mined in the first eligible block. While all transactions were eventually confirmed — proving the Bitcoin network’s overall censorship resistance — F2Pool appears to have excluded some despite negligible fee differences, raising concerns of potential censorship. Notably, no other pools filtered these transactions, revealing the strength of this decentralized software network. However, these observations warrant ongoing monitoring so that the public understands such risks before they metastasize. #### **Mi Primer Bitcoin | Releases 2025 Bitcoin Diploma** [Mi Primer Bitcoin](https://es.myfirstbitcoin.io/), a nonprofit advancing open-source Bitcoin education, [released](https://github.com/MyFirstBitcoin/Bitcoin-Diploma-2025) its updated 2025 Bitcoin Diploma. This 176-page open-source workbook serves as a 10-week educational program and is used by more than 56 projects in 30 countries. The diploma covers topics like the history of money, Bitcoin’s technical and practical applications, and its implication for financial freedom and human rights. The latest edition features enhanced infographics and refined content for improved clarity. Available in multiple languages, the Bitcoin Diploma is a powerful resource for fostering financial literacy and global Bitcoin adoption and is taught by civil society groups even under dictatorships like the one in Cuba. ## RECOMMENDED CONTENT #### **Bitkey Wallet Tutorial by BTC Sessions** In this [tutorial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccKZDNGhK9M), renowned Bitcoin educator Ben Perrin ([BTC Sessions](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccKZDNGhK9M)) demonstrates how to set up and use the [Bitkey](https://bitkey.world/) hardware wallet on a mobile device. He guides viewers through the process of storing, sending, and receiving Bitcoin, with a focus on user-friendliness and secure practices. He also reveals secret techniques to make the most out of one’s hardware wallet. Don’t miss the full tutorial — watch it [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccKZDNGhK9M). *If this article was forwarded to you and you enjoyed reading it, please consider subscribing to the Financial Freedom Report [here](https://mailchi.mp/hrf.org/financial-freedom-newsletter?mc_cid=bf652c0a5a).* *Support the newsletter by donating bitcoin to HRF’s Financial Freedom program [via BTCPay](https://hrf.org/btc).*\ *Want to contribute to the newsletter? Submit tips, stories, news, and ideas by emailing us at ffreport @ [hrf.org](http://hrf.org/)* *The Bitcoin Development Fund (BDF) is accepting grant proposals on an ongoing basis. The Bitcoin Development Fund is looking to support Bitcoin developers, community builders, and educators. Submit proposals [here](https://forms.monday.com/forms/57019f8829449d9e729d9e3545a237ea?r=use1)*. [**Subscribe to newsletter**](http://financialfreedomreport.org/) [**Apply for a grant**](https://forms.monday.com/forms/57019f8829449d9e729d9e3545a237ea?r=use1&mc_cid=39c1c9b7e8&mc_eid=778e9876e3) [**Support our work**](https://hrf.org/btc?mc_cid=39c1c9b7e8&mc_eid=778e9876e3) [**Visit our website**](https://hrf.org/programs/financial-freedom/)

@ 5bdb0e24:0ccbebd7

Have you ever needed to reference a Linux command line tool's capabilities only to find out there is no manual page and that only the -h (--help) option is available? Normally, this isn't a problem, but -h doesn't let you search for strings the way man does. That means, if you are trying to use a tool that is quite extensive, scrolling and sifting through the help option's results manually can be quite cumbersome. The ffuf command is a good example of this, but this can be a problem for many other CLI tools out there. Thankfully, I found a quick and easy way to search these help messages, and I feel so silly for not thinking of it sooner. All you need to do is pipe the output of the -h message you are trying to reference into something like less: ``` ffuf -h | less ``` Now, after typing a forward slash (/), you can search throughout the -h message without manually scrolling through the whole thing, similarly to how you might search through a manpage. I'm sure there are other ways to achieve this same result. But this is the one I have found works for me and that I will be using going forward. If you know an even better way to achieve this, or you have any other underrated Linux command line tips and tricks, feel free to let me know.

@ dbb19ae0:c3f22d5a

UTF-16 key advantages: * **Efficiency for Many Languages:** * It's often more space-efficient than UTF-8 for languages with many characters outside the Basic Multilingual Plane (BMP), such as many East Asian languages. These languages often have characters that require 3 bytes in UTF-8 but only 2 bytes in UTF-16. * **Simplicity in Some Cases:** * For many common characters, UTF-16 uses a fixed-width encoding (2 bytes), which can simplify some string processing tasks. * **Legacy Systems:** * UTF-16 is widely used in some operating systems (like Windows) and programming languages (like Java), making it a practical choice for compatibility. **However, it's important to note that UTF-8 has become increasingly dominant due to its overall flexibility and efficiency:** * **Space Efficiency for Common Languages:** For languages with predominantly Latin characters, UTF-8 is significantly more space-efficient than UTF-16. * **Backward Compatibility:** UTF-8 is backward-compatible with ASCII, which is a crucial advantage. * **Growing Adoption:** UTF-8 is the preferred encoding for the web and many modern systems. **In Summary:** While UTF-16 has its strengths, UTF-8 is generally considered more versatile and efficient in most modern scenarios. The choice between them often depends on the specific needs and characteristics of the data being handled.

@ dbb19ae0:c3f22d5a

* **UTF-16 Encoding:** The `echo` command in a DOS environment (like the command prompt) typically defaults to writing output to a file using UTF-16 encoding. * **Byte Order Mark (BOM):** UTF-16 uses a Byte Order Mark (BOM) at the beginning of the file to indicate the endianness (byte order) of the encoding. * **FF FE:** This specific byte order (FF FE) signifies **little-endian** encoding, where the least significant byte of each 16-bit code unit comes first. * **2 Coding Pairs:** In UTF-16, each character is represented by two bytes (a code unit). **Example:** 1. **Execution:** - Open a command prompt window. - Type the following command: ``` echo "something" > file.txt ``` - Press Enter. 2. **File Contents:** - The `file.txt` will be created with the following: - **FF FE:** BOM for little-endian UTF-16. - Two bytes representing the letter 's'. - Two bytes representing the letter 'o'. - And so on, for each character in "something". **Note:** * The specific behavior might vary slightly depending on the exact version of Windows and the regional settings. * You can often configure the command prompt to use different encodings, such as UTF-8, if needed.

@ dbb19ae0:c3f22d5a

**1. Byte Order Mark (BOM)** * **FF FE:** This indicates little-endian byte order for UTF-16. **2. Character Encoding** * **N:** 4E 00 * **o:** 6F 00 * **s:** 73 00 * **t:** 74 00 * **r:** 72 00 **Complete Hexadecimal Representation:** FF FE 4E 00 6F 00 73 00 74 00 72 00 This assumes little-endian byte order.

@ cf7ed325:050194cf

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@ c8cf63be:86691cfe

### Mark Fishers ‘Acid Communism’ und der ‘Capitalist Realism’ > “it is easier to kill the living than to kill the undead”[1] Die lebenden sind wir Menschen, *the undead* ist der gegenwärtige neoliberalismus[2] Mark Fischers Analyse über den bestehenden Zustand ist erschütternd: > “let’s say music hello just go on music in the last 10 years one thing > one single thing that couldn’t have come out in the 20th century”[3] Es gibt nicht neues unter dem Himmel, alle Kreativität ist erschöpft, “die Verdinglichung” von der Horkheimer und Adorno sprachen, “…, ist so dicht geworden,…” die Wirklichkeit des ‘Capitalist Realism’ ist manifest und undurchdringlich, die Löcher, die kleinen alternativen, sind versiegelt. Schon im Denken sind die alternativen versperrt und das Denken ist ein gemeinsames, niemand kann für sich alleine Denken oder kreativ sein. Denken und kreativ sein sind das Ergebnis einer Gesellschaftlichen Voraussetzung. Es gibt keine neue Musik mehr weil die Musik untot ist. In immer neuer Auflagen, in der mechanische Reproduktion, wiederbelebt man die Toten, und erstickt das lebendige. > “… but there’s nothing about us that was good or better than you > you’re anybody it’s just that we were lucky and you all are unlucky > …”[4] Wenn eine junge Frau auf seine Feststellung reagiert mit Unglaube und Abwehr. > “… so what you’re basically saying is that i guess your generation or > the previous generation was better because you had more time to pursue > your own projects and you also think that you were more creative or > the previous generation was more creative …”[5] Dann weil sie die Enge der Umstände nicht erkennen kann, und vielleicht auch weil sie die Dinge auf sich persönlich bezieht, wie es das gegenwärtige Denken nahelegt: Sowohl der kompetitive Vergleich als auch die individuelle Schuldzuordnung findet sich in der Aussage. Fischer hingegen erklärt dies mit den Herrschenden Umständen die es den Menschen unmöglich machen sich den *wahren Sachverhalt* klar zu machen und damit jede Alternative im Denken versperren: > “.. but okay let’s be clear about what i’m saying creativity isn’t a > property of individuals ever it’s a property of a social or collective > scene like that you know that’s so that it’s not like the individuals > are less creative than they used to be that’s just not how creativity > works creativity is possible because of is possible because of social > conditions and those social conditions have been removed …”[6] Fischers Aufmerksamkeit richtet sich auf die die Umstände vor dem Capitalism Realism, denn dieser ist seiner Meinung nach schon eine Reaktion, eine Reaktion auf die “Counterculture” auf das “spectre of a world which could be free”[7]. Wenn es ein Gründungsereignis des Capital Realism geben sollte wäre dies nach Fischer der Putsch Pinochets in Chile 1973.[8] Seiner Zeit voraus war Hunter S. Thompson, seine Drogengeschwängerten Reflexionen fassen den Kern sehr genau, für ihn war 1971 schon der Moment an dem er die revision verortet: > “… wir ritten auf dem Kamm einer hohen und wunderschönen Welle … Und > jetzt, weniger als fünf Jahre später, kannst du auf einen steilen > Hügel in Las Vegas klettern und nach Westen blicken, und wenn du die > richtigen Augen hast, dann kannst du die Hochwassermarkierung fast > sehen -die Stelle, wo sich die Welle schließlich brach und > zurückrollte.”[9] Acid! Die psychedelische Zeit: > “Instead of seeking to overcome capital, we should focus on what > capital must always obstruct: the collective capacity to produce, care > and enjoy.”[10] und weiter > “The overcoming of capital has to be fundamentally based on the simple > insight that, far from being about “wealth creation”, capital > necessarily and always blocks the production of common wealth.” Der Zauber der Psycedlischen Zeit war die ignoranz, das Verweigern des bestehenden Narativs. Oder wie Fischer sagt, die Frage nach dem Bewustsein und seiner Beziehung dem dem was wir als Wiklichkeit wahrnemen.[11] > “turn on, tune in, drop out” [12] oder noch klarer Ken Kesey: > “There’s only one thing to do . > .. there’s only one thing’s gonna do any good at all… > And that’s everybody just look at it, > look at the war, and turn your backs and say … Fuck it..” [13] Die Imagination des *wahren Sachverhaltes* “look at it” sagt Kesey, überzeugt euch selbst. Es braucht nicht mehr als das Schauen des Krieges, bei ihm der Viatnam Krieg, um zu verstehen das nur die Verweigerung, das “Fuck it” geeignet ist dem ganzen seine legitimität zu verweigern. Das war der Zauber der psychedelichen Zeit, auch der der 90’er, die als unpolitsch gelten. Aus dieser Perspektive ist klar das das unpolitsche, das politsche war. Die love-Parade war nicht unpolitisch und die gesellschaflichenr Verändeung die durch diese Psychedleische Zeit in Bewegung gesetzt wurden können wir noch heute fühlen. Die Canabis Legalisierung, die veränderte Wahrnehmng von Homosexualität. Das “chill out”. Die tribal Tattoos.[14] Und auch die wärmste Kampange der Europawahl 2024, “Fickt euch doch alle.”[15] ist erst durch die psychedelische Zeit der 90’er möglich, hier wurde die Sinnlichkeit gestiftet die es braucht damit dieser Satz seine wärme bekommt. Die Demokratesierung der Neurologie durch die verwendung von Halozinogenen rücken die Frage nach der Wirklichkeit und des wahren Sachverhaltes in den Mittelpunkt. > “what they mainstreamed was this psychedelic consciousness with its > key notion of the plasticity of reality”[16] Sie ist auch eine Sekularisierung, eine demokratisierung des Sakralen, das vorher durch Klassen wie Schamanen oder Druiden kontroliert wurde wird zugänglich und erfahrbar. > “…, there was actually a demystificatory and materialist dimension to > this.”[17] Was sich so aussprechen läßt: > *“Wenn Gott liebe ist, dann ist er eine MDMA geschwängerte, psycedelic > trance Party, anfang der 90’er jahre des letzten Jahrtausend.”* Es loht sich also für uns ältere an die nicht so ferne Zeit der frühen 90’er Jahre zurück zu denken in der die Welt offen schien, die Polarität des kalten Krieges vergangen war, das Ende der Geschichte ausgerüfen wurde.[18] Da war die Idee das dies nicht der Siegt des Kapitalismus ist, sondern ein Sieg der Menschen die die Spirale des Schreckens und der Eskalation durchbrechen real. Es schien wie ein transzendieren des gegebenen Spiels und seiner Regeln wie es die AI in “war games”[19] realisiert, stattzufinden. Auf “No future”[20] folgte “No Paradise? Create it.”[21], es fand ein “unforgetting”[22] der alten, in den 60’er entwickelten Formen statt: Die Modulierung der 303, das Dayglow und das Strobo, alles Elemente des Acid Test[23]. *“the collective capacity to produce, care and enjoy”* ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ### References: [1] Fisher, M., Mark Fisher - DOCH Lectures 1 2011: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-9nY5rboK8> 32m 42s [2] Fisher, M., How to kill a zombie: strategizing the end of neoliberalism 2013: <https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/how-to-kill-zombie-strategizing-end-of-neoliberalism/>. [3] Fisher, 1968., Mark, Cybertime Crisis 2013: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOQgCg73sfQ> ab 1h 42m 12s [4] Fisher, 1968., Mark, ebenda ab 1h 35m 30s [5] Fisher, 1968., Mark, ebenda ab 1h 42m 12s [6] Fisher, 1968., Mark, ebenda ab 1h 47m 20s [7] Fisher, 1968., Mark et al., K-punk : the collected and unpublished writings of Mark Fisher (2004-2016) 2018. Abs. 153.5 [8] Fisher, 1968., Mark et al., ebenda. Abs. 153.7 “If there was a founding event of capitalist realism, it would be the violent destruction of the Allende government in Chile by General Pinochet’s American-backed coup.” [9] Hunter S. Thompson “Fear and loathing” Seite 89 [10] Fisher, 1968., Mark et al., K-punk : the collected and unpublished writings of Mark Fisher (2004-2016) 2018. Abs. 153.5 Statz 3 [11] Fisher, 1968., Mark et al., ebenda. Abs. 153.46 [12] Timothy Leary in 1966, der damals gefährlichste Mann der Welt.(Richard Nixxon) [13] Wolfe, Tom., The electric kool-aid acid test. 1999. Seite 360 [14] Christmann, K., Gruppen-Tattoo-Termin im Bundestag: 19 Abgeordnete zeigen vollen Körpereinsatz 2024: <https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/gruppen-tattoo-termin-im-bundestag-19-abgeordnete-zeigen-vollen-korpereinsatz-11665559.html>. [15] DiePartei, Fickt euch doch alle! (DINA1) 2024: <https://www.parteibedarf.de/Fickt-euch-doch-alle-DINA1/SW10115>. [16] Fisher, M., all of this is temporary: Mark Fisher 2016: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deZgzw0YHQI> 8 m 31 s [17] Fisher, 1968., Mark et al., K-punk : the collected and unpublished writings of Mark Fisher (2004-2016) 2018. Abs. 153.48 4. Satz [18] Fukuyama, F., The End of History and the Last Man 1992: <https://books.google.de/books?id=6KZmAAAAMAAJ>. [19] Parkes, L.L.F., WarGames: <https://www.imdb.com/de/title/tt0086567/> “A strange game. The only winning move is not to play.” [20] Wikipedia, No Future: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Future>. [21] Spirit zone https://www.platekompaniet.no/musikk/cd/space-tribe-shapeshifter-cd [22] Fisher, 1968., Mark et al., K-punk : the collected and unpublished writings of Mark Fisher (2004-2016) 2018. Abs. 153.21 Letzter Satz [23] Wikipedia, Acid Tests: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid-Tests>.

@ 10f7c7f7:f5683da9

“Perhaps a man really dies when his brain stops, when he loses the power to take in a new idea” ([Orwell in “Coming up for Air”, 1939](https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200031h.html))  While George Bowler enjoyed visiting a retired schoolmaster (Porteous), having had some time to reflect on his own life realised that if the old professor only ever delivered the same monologues, there really wasn’t any point in going to visit him, other than for a late-night glass of whisky and soda. The same point is also raised with bitcoin, if it is too resistant to change, uses too much electricity or takes too long to process transactions, it is a dinosaur, a relic that demonstrated digital scarcity was possible, but overtime could become outdated. While at the start of anyone’s journey down the bitcoin rabbit hole, these appear valid points to justify the newest, shiniest protocol. However, once you realise that the founding team of your beloved coin, or still worse “token”, assigned the majority of coins to themselves, you will hopefully return, cap in hand, to the mothership.  I admit, I went on that very same journey, but looking back, while some purchases were motivated by more than 5 minutes of YouTube based research, as my knowledge matured, bitcoin gradually subsumed my portfolio (well that and the [Canadian Truckers Protests](https://www.foxnews.com/world/canadian-style-trucker-protests-spread-world)). However, it was not until one of the reviewers of my first academic paper on bitcoin asked the question “*why are you only focusing on bitcoin*?”, that I really began to formulate my own answer. This early version of the paper was rejected from the conference so there was no immediate need to respond to this point, but as an academic, compared to maybe an enthusiastic keyboard warrior, taking offence to such a *no coiner* comment, I should be able to answer this question. The 4 point, 766-word response that resulted, then answered the questions of both why there is only one digital asset worth researching and for me, only one digital asset worth holding, bitcoin. Subsequently, further reviewer comments and the excessive length of the paper ultimately resulted in this section coming to rest on the cutting room floor, but what I learnt from this stayed with me. From this point, I no longer needed to trust other’s logic for why they are bitcoin only, but from a logical argument, I felt like I had verified why I had to be bitcoin only.  At the foundation of this was bitcoin’s resistance to change. Within broader, organisational development literature, this is frequently viewed as a negative, preventing organisations from adapting to make use of new information. However, for bitcoin, specifically in relation to its ability to act as a store of value, unless it resists changes, its store of value characteristics could be affected (such as requests for “tail emissions” or “changes to the hard cap”). A similar argument was then raised in terms of using too much energy due to the proof-of-work algorithm, [Ethereum now uses 99.95% less electricity](https://www.home.saxo/content/articles/cryptocurrencies/one-year-later---how-proof-of-stake-has-changed-ethereum-21092023), but what did this change do to the Ethereum mining industry? If there was the slightest risk that one day all the publicly and privately owned miners could be put out of business due to a change in consensus algorithm, and being left with much less useful equipment, miners would need to consider this before investing in the industry. While not technically “application specific”, due to their ability to provide verifiable randomness to web applications, ([thanks Bob](https://twitter.com/boomer_btc)), rational miners would likely look elsewhere to deploy their resources. Developments within the broad mining community interestingly reflect such business and regulatory risks, with some bitcoin miners diversifying into [Artificial Intelligence service provision](https://www.forbes.com/sites/colinharper/2024/05/31/revenue-from-ai-could-be-a-game-changer-for-bitcoin-miners--but-can-they-make-it-work/). Although this may be viewed a prudent risk management, it shows that public miners’ focus is unsurprisingly on regulatory compliance and revenue generation, compared to focusing wholly on the Bitcoin Network. As a result, if the risk of a change in consensus algorithm increased, these miners would be well placed to refocus their efforts elsewhere. For these reasons, bitcoin’s resistance to change can be viewed as critical to be able to have confidence when holding it for long periods of time.  While I was very pleased with myself, it was not until a flippant tweet involving [CalleBtc](https://twitter.com/callebtc), that I was put back in place, *bitcoin has not already won*. Bitcoin’s resistance to change and so, tendency for ossification (the process of bone formation or opposed to change), is important in terms of certain attributes (hard cap and proof of work), but potentially less essential in terms of other parts of the protocol. For example, SHA256 is a great proof-of-work consensus algorithm for the moment, but what happens if quantum computers break the algorithm (actually a relatively small risk, when compared to the cracking of nuclear launch codes)? Alternatively, what happens if there is a confluence of events and transaction attributes, enabled by a previous soft-fork that prevent blocks being added to the proof-of-work chain? In either situation, it will be both necessary for the bitcoin community to cooperate and reach consensus on an upgrade quickly, that may require a soft or hard-fork, in order for bitcoin to remain operational and secure. This was clearly articulated by Vijay Boyapati:  “I would say I’m an ossification maximalist….. the only situation which I think bitcoin should change is under gravest extreme and that is when there is a critical bug or something that breaks bitcoin… say SHA256 is broken ” ([Vijay Boyapati, 2023)](https://swansignalpodcast.com/episodes/the-state-of-the-bitcoin-bull-market-with-vijay-boyapati-brady-swenson-ep-151)  As a bitcoin user, to believe that if you are able to receive, securely store and send bitcoin, it has sufficient functionality, there may be a tendency to think there is limited value in contributing to bitcoin developers, bitcoin already does what you need it to do. While bitcoin developers work tirelessly reviewing the code to identify bugs and clear up the code, there is a risk that developers may have ulterior motives, such as getting a piece of their code uploaded to mainnet or actively blocking particular proposals ([thank you GrassFedBitcoin](https://open.spotify.com/episode/6tMTAXUJca21JhWd6eMlpx?si=74ac84961d714d5a)). While extensive review processes aim to prevent there being any negative outcomes of malicious or ego-centric upgrades, the more resources directed to bitcoin developers mean the more time and effort that can be given to checking the code prior to upgrades going live. However, extra resources alone may not be sufficient, *the devil makes work for idle hands*. If all developers do is check, recheck and test the work of others, in my view, this creates at least 2 problems. Number 1; this could become a touch monotonous over time, if becoming a bitcoin developer primarily involves auditing and quality assurance, the best and brightest minds may go elsewhere. Number 2; if bitcoin developers are only refining what is already there, who is developing the skills, capabilities, competence and craft to write the code that overcomes the quantum computing threat (who will be the next [Shaolin Fry](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/5zsk45/i_am_shaolinfry_author_of_the_recent_user/?rdt=59545))?  This reminded me of some work by [Dorothy Leonard-Barton](https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=72), who provided fascinating counter arguments to the earlier, and highly influential work of [Gary Hamel and C.K. Prahalad](https://hbr.org/1994/07/competing-for-the-future). These three authors emphasised the need for businesses to develop core competences in order to build a long-term competitive advantage. However, Leonard-Barton suggested that unless companies balanced their learning and development activities between refining, variation reducing forms of improvement and more exploratory, innovative development activities, a firm could develop what they termed *core-rigidities*. Rather than providing firms with a sustainable competitive advantage, they trapped firms in path dependencies, where they were only able to develop better versions of products that customers no longer wanted (see Kodak, Polaroid, Blockbusters and maybe even [Vanguard - in the near future](https://corporate.vanguard.com/content/corporatesite/us/en/corp/articles/no-bitcoin-etfs-at-vanguard-heres-why.html)). Risks arise from developments focusing upon improvements with shorter payback periods and lower chances of failure, that prevent those in the system seeing value in improvements that may displace current [cash cows](https://www.bcg.com/about/overview/our-history/growth-share-matrix). Blockbusters didn’t like the idea of closing down stores in a similar manner to Bitmain and MicroBT disliking fundamental changes to chip or ASIC architecture.  From this position, contributing to bitcoin development does not have to only be about providing remuneration for those checking, monitoring and editing code that will move directly into changes to the bitcoin protocol. Contributing to bitcoin development also doesn’t have to mean that developments move off the base chain to layer 2 or 3, although both remain critical for the continual development of the bitcoin eco-system. Contributing to bitcoin development can instead relate to exploratory projects, that may not themselves change bitcoin core, but may contribute to learning, knowledge and the development of new capabilities that may be useful in the future. Such learning and progress is as much about trying, testing and finding out what doesn’t work, as it is about confirming your ideas were right. [James Dyson](https://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2020/01/30/its-not-failure-that-sets-you-back-its-failing-to-risk-more-of-it/#:~:text=Less%20known%20is%20that%2C%20while,his%20failed%20experiments%20as%20failures.) had 5,126 failed patents while developing his now famous motor and vacuum cleaner business, not to mention the[ digital cash projects that failed before bitcoin](https://store.bitcoinmagazine.com/products/the-genesis-book). Bitcoin development can take a similar approach, with the protocol not only representing the quality of the BIPs that have been implemented, but also reflecting the learning that results from all the unsuccessful BIPs, that were ultimately rejected. [BIP 300](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/BIP_0300) may never get implemented, but if its limitations provide inspiration for alternative solutions, the BIP can be viewed has valuable even if Sidechains are never brought to the base layer.  Contributions to bitcoin developers could then be distributed more widely than only those working on core, reviewing BIPs and building protocols, but also to the wider community, to those learning about the system, integrating their own knowledge and proposing new BIPs. Only through such a process can novel ideas find their way into the system that will test and challenge developers to build their capabilities and competences ready for [black swan](https://www.britannica.com/topic/black-swan-event) scenarios or new consensus algorithms that can withstand a quantum attack. If developers are not supported in working on projects that will almost certainly fail in the short term, they may miss the stepping-stones to the next project, choosing to only focus upon variation reducing changes. While reducing the short-term risk of introducing unintended consequences to the bitcoin protocol, there may be longer-term consequences that bitcoin will lose the capacity to “take in a new idea”, ossify, and become exposed.  I don’t want any changes to the hard cap (ever), I don’t want any changes to the consensus algorithm (now), I don’t want to have to increase the storage capacity of my node (in the medium term). However, the idea of watching from the side lines as code auditors and quality assurance experts fumble to write new code to fix a mission critical bug would be much worse, as humanity’s best hope of escaping fiat enslavement becomes a valueless *pet rock*. Contributing to the developer ecosystem to build, test and prepare solutions to scenarios before they are needed feels like a good use of resources. Celebrating the work of these, often unsung heroes of bitcoin, may then provide motivation for new entrants, offsetting the carrot of getting *their*code implemented. This reflects some recent discussions across ‘X’, Nostr and popular [podcasts](https://www.whatbitcoindid.com/podcast/bitcoin-is-forever-money) that are worth having with major holders and influencers in the field: <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/b850f3066e003806574adeb3b6daa7254592a23f88cebb5f08842c529d544fe1.png"> The long-term consistency of bitcoin as an asset is fundamental for it to maintain relevance as a store of value, but both limiting investment and signalling to others of the need to ossify the protocol misses an important mid to long-term risk. Organisations, such as [Opensats](https://opensats.org/), play an important role in channelling donations across the eco-system, to help ensure that exploratory forms of learning and capability development receive the support they deserve. Gold’s low stock to flow and physical properties made it THE store of value before the invention of the telegraph. However, physics and chemistry then meant gold had already ossified, its physical nature prevented it from adapting to a global world, and ultimately becoming a less relevant (soon to be irrelevant) store of value. Bitcoin doesn’t have these limitations, it can change to reflect the dynamic world in which it exists, so it and the skills of the developer community cannot ossify if it is to remain relevant and valuable in an ever changing, developing and learning world. This led me to an analogy for balancing ossification against bitcoin development. If one is against changes being made to bitcoin unless they address extreme and mission critical issues, but also say that contributing to developers introduces unnecessary risks, appears a touch contradictory. For instance, if you know that someday, there will be a 40 yard dash, but, as a community, you neither know who will run the race (the proposed solution) or who they will be running against (the attack), with failure to win the race being catastrophic (the end of bitcoin), a choice needs to be made in terms of how to approach this risk. Would the sensible option be to say *we’ll just know who’s best on the day* or *let’s get in shape, start practicing and support our best athletes (coders) shine for when/if that day arrives*? From this position, while making and implementing the change can be viewed as a short sprint, the preparation for the sprint may need to be viewed as anything but. And so to return back to where we started, [Old Porteous’s](https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200031h.html) views reflected a by-gone age, knowledgeable and intelligent, able to regurgitate monologues that had been presented to his students countless times over the years, in an authoritative *Oxfordy way*. However, without taking in new knowledge, that reflected technical and societal developments, *the last two thousand years – just oughtn’t to have happened*. This appears very similar to Kodak’s [*Advanced Photo System*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Photo_System), that while adding features, was outdated even before it was released in 1996. Bitcoin doesn’t have to change to remain relevant and have value, but that doesn’t mean those in the system should not be striving to gain the necessary capabilities to make changes when the need arises. Thank you to the various podcasters and articles that have helped me form my ideas, in particular [Shinobi](https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/why-bitcoins-ossification-will-be-necessary) for his work on ossification and highlighting the need to [give our braincells something to](https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/dogma-kills-brain-cells) do, just because we are dogmatic about certain aspects of bitcoin, our laser eyed focus doesn’t have to trap us in a by-gone age.  As per usual, views are my own, I'm not a financial advisor, none of this should be taken as financial advice..... Peace.