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@ da0b9bc3:4e30a4a9
2025-02-13 06:36:12
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/884478
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@ e3ba5e1a:5e433365
2025-02-13 06:16:49
My favorite line in any Marvel movie ever is in “Captain America.” After Captain America launches seemingly a hopeless assault on Red Skull’s base and is captured, we get [this line](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kqsomjpz7ok):
“Arrogance may not be a uniquely American trait, but I must say, you do it better than anyone.”
Yesterday, I came across a comment on the song [Devil Went Down to Georgia](https://youtu.be/ut8UqFlWdDc) that had a very similar feel to it:
America has seemingly always been arrogant, in a uniquely American way. Manifest Destiny, for instance. The rest of the world is aware of this arrogance, and mocks Americans for it. A central point in modern US politics is the deriding of racist, nationalist, supremacist Americans.
That’s not what I see. I see American Arrogance as not only a beautiful statement about what it means to be American. I see it as an ode to the greatness of humanity in its purest form.
For most countries, saying “our nation is the greatest” *is*, in fact, twinged with some level of racism. I still don’t have a problem with it. Every group of people *should* be allowed to feel pride in their accomplishments. The destruction of the human spirit since the end of World War 2, where greatness has become a sin and weakness a virtue, has crushed the ability of people worldwide to strive for excellence.
But I digress. The fears of racism and nationalism at least have a grain of truth when applied to other nations on the planet. But not to America.
That’s because the definition of America, and the prototype of an American, has nothing to do with race. The definition of Americanism is *freedom*. The founding of America is based purely on liberty. On the God-given rights of every person to live life the way they see fit.
American Arrogance is not a statement of racial superiority. It’s barely a statement of national superiority (though it absolutely is). To me, when an American comments on the greatness of America, it’s a statement about freedom. Freedom will always unlock the greatness inherent in any group of people. Americans are *definitionally* better than everyone else, because Americans are freer than everyone else. (Or, at least, that’s how it should be.)
In *Devil Went Down to Georgia*, Johnny is approached by the devil himself. He is challenged to a ridiculously lopsided bet: a golden fiddle versus his immortal soul. He acknowledges the sin in accepting such a proposal. And yet he says, “God, I know you told me not to do this. But I can’t stand the affront to my honor. I am the greatest. The devil has nothing on me. So God, I’m gonna sin, but I’m also gonna win.”
*Libertas magnitudo est*
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@ 2183e947:f497b975
2025-02-13 04:44:45
# How Coinpools Improve Bitcoin
# Problems with bitcoin
UX problems with base layer payments include:
- Mining fees are sometimes high
- Confirmations usually take several minutes
- Using it privately requires running a coinjoin server
UX problems with lightning payments include:
- Setup fees are sometimes high
- Payments frequently fail
- Payments aren't asynchronous (the recipient has to stand there with their device open waiting to do a revoke_and_ack on their old state -- unless they use a custodian)
- Payments that *do* succeed occasionally take more than 30 seconds (due to stuck payments, automatic retries, and no ability to say "stop retrying" in any existing wallets that I'm aware of)
- Using it privately requires manual channel management
# Solutions
A lot of my recent work focuses on non-interactive coinpools. I figured out a way to do them on bitcoin if we had CTV + CSFS, and then, with a bit more thought, I figured out that my model didn't actually require those things, so I am now working on an implementation. But my model does benefit a lot from CTV (less sure about CSFS at this point) so let me outline how non-interactive coinpools fix the above problems and along the way I will share how CTV specifically improves coinpools.
## "Mining fees are sometimes high"
Coinpools improve the problem of "mining fees are sometimes high" by letting you bypass them in more cases. If you're in a coinpool and pay someone else in the same coinpool, your payment does not show up on the base layer, it just involves modifying some unilateral withdrawal transactions such that the sender can withdraw less and the recipient can withdraw more. The transactions are off-chain, like LN transactions, so you can do that without paying a base layer fee.
## "Confirmations usually take several minutes"
Coinpools improve the problem of "confirmations usually take several minutes" in a similar manner. Payments *inside* a coinpool (i.e. to another pool user) merely involve modifying off-chain data (and revoking an old state), so they can be as fast as lightning. In most cases I expect them to be a bit faster because there's less need for pathfinding or negotiating with a variety of routing nodes. If the sender and the recipient are in the same pool, they only need to talk to each other and, in my model, a coordinator.
## "Using the base layer privately requires running a coinjoin server"
Coinpools improve the problem of "using the base layer privately requires running a coinjoin server" in two ways: first, if you're in a coinpool and you send money to a bitcoin address, the blockchain doesn't know which coinpool user sent that payment. Analysts might be able to trace the payment to the coinpool, but from the blockchain's perspective, that's just a multisig; the actual person *inside* the multisig who sent the money is not revealed. However, my model uses a coordinator, and the coordinator probably knows which user sent the payment. Still, only 1 person knowing is better than having everyone on the blockchain know.
Second, if you send money to someone *inside* the coinpool, in my model, the only people who know about your payment are the sender, the recipient, and the coordinator, and the recipient does not know who the sender is. Moreover, my model allows users to act as bridges from LN to other pool users, so even the coordinator doesn't know if the person who *looks* like the sender was the *real* sender or just a bridge node, with the *real* sender being someone on lightning.
## "Setup fees on lightning are sometimes high"
Coinpools improve the problem of "setup fees are sometimes high" by having multiple users share the setup cost. My model allows a single bitcoin transaction to fund a coinpool with a number of members between 1 and probably about 100. (The max I've actually successfully tested is 11.) If the users share the cost of that transaction, then even in a high fee scenario, where bitcoin transactions cost $50, each user only has to pay a fraction of that, where the fraction is determined by how many users are joining the pool. If 10 people are joining, each user would pay $5 instead of $50. If 50 people are joining, each user would pay $1. If 100 people are joining, each user would pay 50¢.
## Sidebar: how CTV improves my coinpool model
The setup is also where CTV greatly improves my model. For my model to work, the users have to coordinate to create the pool in something I call a "signing ceremony," which is very similar to a coinjoin. The signing ceremony has to be scheduled and each user has to show up for it or they won't get into the pool. With CTV, you could fix this: instead of a signing ceremony, an exchange could autosend your money into a coinpool on e.g. a monthly basis and email you the data you need to perform your unilateral exit. All they need from you is a pubkey, and they can do everything else.
## "Lightning payments frequently fail"
Coinpools improve the problem of "payments frequently fail" by reducing the need for pathfinding, which is a typical cause of failure on lightning. If you are paying someone in the same pool as you, you always know an exact path: it will be you -> coordinator -> recipient. These short paths also reduce the likelihood of routing nodes having insufficient capacity to forward the payment. You've only got one "routing node" to worry about -- the coordinator.
## "Lightning payments aren't asynchronous"
Coinpools *in general* don't improve the problem of "payments aren't asynchronous" but my model in particular *does* improve that problem because I am combining it with my hedgehog protocol from last year, which *does* allow for asynchronous lightning-like payments. Relatedly, my coinpool model technically has a network model, it's just a hub-and-spoke network: the coordinator is connected to every user of the pool and can forward asynchronous hedgehog payments to them. This means you can send money to someone when they are offline; they'll get it whenever they *do* get online, even if *you* went offline in the meantime.
## "Lightning payments sometimes take too long"
Coinpools improve the problem of "stuck" lightning payments by reducing the number of hops along the route. As above, a payment inside the pool (per my model) is always just sender -> coordinator -> recipient. Due to only having 1 hop, there are fewer opportunities for a node to have a network issue and cause a delay.
## "Channel management is a pain"
Coinpools have multiple ways of improving the problem of manual channel management. In particular, not all coinpool models *have* channels, so channel management is not always needed in a coinpool. My model, however, does have channels, so channel management is still a thing.
Nonetheless, my model improves channel management in two ways: first, the setup costs are lower for the reasons given above. Second, payment asynchronicity helps for the following reason:
The worst pain point in channel management *today* occurs when someone sends you a payment but it fails because you didn't have enough inbound capacity. That doesn't happen in my coinpool model because payments are asynchronous. If you don't have enough inbound capacity, the payment doesn't fail, it just remains pending. So all you have to do is open a new channel (i.e. enter a new pool) and *then* finalize the payment.
## Zap me
I hope this essay clarifies why coinpools improve the problems I outlined and why CTV improves coinpools. I also hope this gets you a bit excited for my latest coinpool invention, which I hope to release soon :D (It really is very close to demo-ready.) If you liked this essay, consider zapping me: supertestnet@coinos.io
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@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1
2025-02-13 03:45:23
**What You Will Learn:**
- Understanding the concept of cybersecurity
- Networking Basics
- Operating Systems Overview
- Introduction to Kali Linux
- Threat Actors and Cyber Threats
- Ethical Hacking Techniques and Tools.
**How to Register:**
Use this link to Register.
https://forms.gle/L8AGLCWU4djwUXxz9
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/884407
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@ ac6f9572:8a6853dd
2025-02-13 02:05:22
I attended Sats ‘n’ Facts to share my art, joining other Nostr artists in exhibiting our work at the event’s very first venue. It was a great opportunity to connect with fellow creatives, including Siritravelsketch, whose work I’ve admired on Nostr for some time. Meeting other artists in real life is always inspiring—there’s an undeniable creative bond that comes from sharing our passion in person.
Sats ‘n’ Facts is an Unconference, meaning there’s no strict schedule—everything is open for participants. It’s all about the connections made, the synergy shared, and, for the developers attending, the excitement of a hackathon. (A hackathon is an event where people collaborate intensively on engineering projects, often within 24 to 48 hours.)
My goal as an artist is to become a bridge between the Bitcoin tech world and the Bitcoin art and design space. Bitcoin empowers us by providing greater (financial) freedom, and with that freedom comes more time to pursue what we truly love—so in a way, you never have to “work” again. 😊
Nostr is a great example of how bubbles 🫧 POP, leading to new collaborations. Without tech, artists wouldn’t have a way to share their work, and without artists, creatives, and plebs, developers would have no one to build for. Both sides are essential for organic growth. This kind of synergy can only thrive in a decentralized system—otherwise, it risks being captured by big corporations. And that single point of failure is one of the biggest challenges we face in the world today.
Decentralization is freedom. Events like Sats ‘n’ Facts give us the opportunity to collaborate, create, and contribute to a more decentralized world—one where more people can truly become free.
Can’t wait to join the next Sats’n’facts. Maybe Barcelona!?
* * *
Originally article published by @BitPopArt on @YakiHonne: https://yakihonne.com/article/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzqsa64uxz3ek0kx2mzlhqs0seavay4l06c4xek6a0zup8pmge8c6vqq242en0tukk7u2fwe8kkjrpv3ykgjtzwfsk5hmmfyp
#art #nostr #ThaiNostrich #artonnostr #artstr
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/884327
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@ ac6f9572:8a6853dd
2025-02-13 01:55:20
# Freedom Tech, Privacy, Sound Money, and Culture: How to Find Your Tribe?
> Keeping up with everything happening in Bitcoin isn’t easy, even if you’ve been around for a while. The pace is relentless: stream of events, discussions, projects, and updates, not to mention the noise on social media...
Date: 02/12/2025
One of the most efficient options to expand your knowledge and truly connect with people actively working in the space is through direct interactions, whether they’re happening at large conferences or smaller, semi-official meetups. But let’s be honest: finding all meaningful events can be a mess.
Take, for example, the '[BTC Events Map](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oni0QAHb2XYOL5gFVKHHGhG8w_HY5GDGBhdQ4SSrCZg/edit?gid=0&ref=europeanbitcoiners.com#gid=0),’ which already lists over 550 Bitcoin-only gatherings worldwide. This simple but very useful resource, put together by Satlantis, can help many of us plan our trips throughout the year. However, if you don’t know about its existence and rely solely on a search engine—whether Google or Brave—you’ll likely end up frustrated (and unfortunately missing many great opportunities to meet with others and learn).
Search for '_bitcoin events_,' and you’ll get a mix of irrelevant crypto, fintech, and Web3 results, with Bitcoin-related stuff buried somewhere in the middle, if at all.. Well, it’s really tough to find what you’re actually looking for.
That’s why word of mouth and trusted communities are so important. Sometimes, the best way to hear about an event is directly from people you know.
**One of those that flew under my radar was** [**SatsNFacts**](https://satsnfacts.btc.pub/?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com)**.**
It wasn’t listed on many typical event aggregators or any big news-promo sites. It mostly spread peer-to-peer and through the main channels on [Nostr](https://njump.me/npub1yrnuj56rnen08zp2h9h7p74ghgjx6ma39spmpj6w9hzxywutevsst7k5cx?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com).
I was ‘_lucky_’ enough to hear about it just in time to plan the trip from Europe to Thailand. Now, I’d like to briefly share my experience with you—everything that, in my opinion, made this event truly stand out.
**A Journey to Southeast Asia: Where Builders and Artists Collide.**
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Approximately 10,176 kilometers, 14 hours of travel, and finally three days spent at SatsNFacts—"Thailand’s first Bitcoin Technical Unconference”.
The event ran from February 8 to 10 in Chiang Mai (the largest city in northern Thailand). Held at Weave Artisan Society, a 700 sq.m venue that used to be an ice factory, it smoothly combined pleasant outdoors with an industrial-style, two-floor indoor area, creating a unique and very practical setup.
While its was billed as a “_Technical Unconference_,” in practice it nicely connected the developer-based ecosystem with different aspects of culture and art.
Each day, from 10 am to 6 pm, the agenda—shaped directly by attendees—was packed with various presentations, group chats, learning session, hackathons, and actionable workshops.
With many options available (around 10-20 topics per day), I couldn’t attend everything, but here are a few more technical sessions I joined and found especially worthwhile:
* **Liana Workshop** (long-term security, recovery, and inheritance),
* **TollGates** ([streaming sats for internet access](https://primal.net/e/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzpwa4mkswz4t8j70s2s6q00wzqv7k7zamxrmj2y4fs88aktcfuf68qq2nz63h0969vn2xwse9j3n5ge4xsdr2ddc4j0g960h?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com)),
* **Open Vault** (enterprise wallet interface),
* **Yaki Honne** ([decentralized media](https://yakihonne.com/?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com)),
* **Nostr Proxies** (Epoxy, WebSocket and relay monetization).
* **Silent payments** (simplified payment experiences without compromising privacy).
As mentioned earlier, SatsNFacts wasn’t just about Bitcoin tech. Some topics focused on community aspects as well. Two discussions I joined highlighted Bitcoin adoption ⚡ in for example Bali and Thailand, showing how sound money, integrity, and consistent work can solve real problems in these regions. Impressive stuff! Here you can learn more:
* [HuaiPhueng](https://geyser.fund/project/huaiphuengproject?hero=geyser&ref=europeanbitcoiners.com) on Geyser + "Bitcoin City" (their [short video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=211meP4liIo&ref=europeanbitcoiners.com)).
* Bitcoin Indonesia & Bitcoin House Bali ([all in one on GitHub](https://github.com/bitcoinindo21?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com))
Now, the art gallery, to continue with less technical aspects of SatsNFacts 🎨
This nicely-organized space located on the ground floor, near cozy coworking and networking spots, was for me a real gem. Indeed, adding a creative vibe to the entire event.
Around 30 unique works from local and international artists were on display, all inspired by themes of freedom and privacy. Though I don’t see myself as a typical _'artist_', I was honored to have some of my own pieces exhibited there as well (a short video below).
* * *
One of the highlights was meeting local Thai artists, especially [Siritravelsketch](https://njump.me/npub14lqzjhfvdc9psgxzznq8xys8pfq8p4fqsvtr6llyzraq90u9m8fqevhssu?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com), who travelled six hours by train just one way to attend two days of the event.
Her stunning paintings, created using just a bamboo stick and ink, are deeply inspired by Thai architecture and culture. While some of her pre-prepared pieces hung in the gallery, she also painted a few new works on the spot during her visit. Truly spectacular!
* * *
I also had the chance to reconnect with [Satoshi Builds](https://njump.me/npub19m7m3rs66pfdn4ewhrm8slh60ukyxgrylaa03m73wa40j39lc03syq4gfu?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com), who made many great sketches during this event, and with [BitPopArt](https://njump.me/npub1gwa27rpgum8mr9d30msg8cv7kwj2lhav2nvmdwh3wqnsa5vnudxqlta2sz?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com), a Dutch artist who, just like me, chosen a nomadic lifestyle yet has been clearly considering Thailand his 'second home' as well for several years now. By the way, ✍️ here's his short summary of the event, focusing more on the artistic side of SatsNFacts: "[Art exhibition in Chiang Mai](https://bitpopart.com/2025/02/11/art-exhibition-in-chiang-mai/?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com)".
All in all, spending my time in many meaningful conversations and seeing so many deep artworks in one place filled me with hope and positive energy. THANK YOU, EVERYONE!
* * *
(presented artworks by for example: [Agi Choote](https://njump.me/npub1tlacuxmtv2wqud9qz0ujnr4mqavmnz3ayspfj93jr40tgf2mvu6seax3y7?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com), [Samhain](https://njump.me/npub1df47g7a39usamq83aula72zdz23fx9xw5rrfmd0v6p9t20n5u0ss2eqez9?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com), [Zed Erwan](https://njump.me/npub1r2sah0htqnw7xrs70gq00m48vp25neu8ym2n2ghrny92dqqf7sest8hth0?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com), [Existing Sprinkles](https://njump.me/npub1f5kc2agn63ecv2ua4909z9ahgmr2x9263na36jh6r908ql0926jq3nvk2u?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com), AZA 21m, BitPopArt.)
* * *
Mr. Rabbit in Thailand...
-------------------------
Monday, the final evening, and SatsNFacts got one more item on its agenda rooted in creative expression and independent art.
Representing [Bitcoin FilmFest](https://x.com/bitcoinfilmfest?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com) (a grassroots project created by an amazing group of freedom fighters and activists 🐇🧡), since I was the only one from our team in Thailand, in one of the rooms upstairs, I put together a mini cinematic experience.
Seven trailers and eleven shorts, including for example:
* NO MORE INFLATION, HUMMINGBIRD, PARALLEL SPACE, UNBANKABLE, THE LEGEND OF LANDI (🎬 some of the trailers).
* BITCOIN A NEW HOPE, SATOSHI NAKAMOTO - THE CREATOR OF BITCOIN, MAXIS CLUB SHOW - CHAPTER ONE, THE GREATEST HEIST IN HISTORY, HODL, THE ANATOMY OF BITCOIN – GENESIS BLOCK (📺 some of the presented shorts)
With around 10-15 participants, the response was positive, and we ended up spending an extra 10-maybe-20 minutes discussing the challenges and opportunities in Bitcoin-powered filmmaking, as well as the upcoming edition of [BFF25](https://bitcoinfilmfest.com/bff25/?ref=europeanbitcoiners.com) (the annual festival we're organizing this May in Warsaw, Poland).
**Substance Over Hype. Gatherings That Matter.**
------------------------------------------------
SatsNFacts made a solid reminder that Bitcoin events can help build a truly sovereign future while bringing together developers and artistic souls alike.
The mix of technical depth and creative energy—free from the shiny gossip that floods many social channels—made it a truly meaningful experience.
> SatsNFacts set a high standard, and I hope to see more events like it in the future. More unconferences, more cultural and community-driven gatherings.
**Here's to more signal, less noise!!!**
Big congrats to everyone who made the first SatsNFacts happen 👏 Respect especially to the organizers! You pulled off something truly special!
* * *
_BTC Your Mind. Let it Beat._
_Şela_ @AZA_21M
💡
Did you enjoy this article? Zap me some sats. No amount is small :) Lightning wallet: `aza21m@getalby.com`
- - -
Original Article: https://europeanbitcoiners.com/sats-and-facts-short-coverage-of-the-first-bitcoin-unconference-in-thailand/
#english #opinion #events #bitcoin #nostr #freedom #conference #siamstr #asia #thailand
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/884317
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@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1
2025-02-13 00:28:45
This past week, @erik_ and @Sushant have been working on improving the onboarding flow for [Sovran](https://sovranbitcoin.com/) bitcoin wallet. First revision on thee figma file below, would appreciate any feedback.
https://www.figma.com/design/inNLo6AaPMX26D3GumcXGC/UI%2FUX-Audit--Onboarding-User-Flow?node-id=0-1&t=Wl0EVhH5fJgYYSJI-1
If you want to review the UX audit of the current flow, see the feedback provided, and check Sushant's initial suggestions, you can do so here:
https://www.figma.com/board/Jfo4nLIKyR6lacokXze4Mv/Sovran-Onboarding-UX-Audit?node-id=0-1&t=gOZyo57zfeqxFXeB-1
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/884272
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@ 000002de:c05780a7
2025-02-12 22:41:17
The absolute embarrassment the Chiefs were subjected to... is the end of the their dominance? Of course they have a ton of talent and will win and maybe get back the Super Bowl this game really exposed them.
Its one thing to lose to a great team like the Eagles. Its another to be destroyed so fully. When I think about this game its not just on one person. Its coaching and players. I'm just wondering about the impact on the league watching this. Anyone who has played sports knows that a ton of it is mental. Teams can defeat themselves mentally. Does this defeat tell the league, yeah they aren't that good.
What do you think?
Edit: When I say "done", I mean the dynasty. I don't mean they are gonna have a losing record next year.
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/884169
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@ 000002de:c05780a7
2025-02-12 22:25:06
Honest question. I think he's a great TE but... haven't watched him a ton. I get a feeling he's overrated. Maybe not though. I watched him during the big game and was kinda surprised by his lack luster performance. He really seemed different to me.
Since then I've seen video of him not blocking for his QB and not really playing hard. Like he gave up. Does he really have a rep of not blocking? He looks pretty terrible on film. Now, I know I'm a Kittle fan and he is famously great at blocking and takes pride in it. Maybe I'm just using Kittle as the ruler and maybe that's not fair.
Also, I loved watching KC get destroyed so factor that in :)
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/884156
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@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3
2025-02-12 18:36:48
Going off of memory, because I forgot to do this in the morning.
The last thing I ate were Costco samples yesterday afternoon and then I didn't eat again until lunch today. I'm pretty sure those two things were about 20 hours apart.
## Score Card
Day 1: 14 hour fast (13 dry)
Day 2: 15 hour fast (14 dry)
Day 3: 17 hours (16 dry)
Day 4: 18 hours (17 dry)
Day 5: 18 hours (16 dry)
Day 6: 19 hours (16 dry)
Day 7: 16 hours (15 dry)
Day 8: 18 hours (17 dry)
Day 9: 17 hours (17 dry)
Day 10: 15 hours (13 dry)
Day 11: 20 hours (19 dry)
Day 12: 20 hours (17 dry)
This winter storm is going to make getting my steps in a pain, but there's no way I'm letting myself lose the sats that I staked on the challenge.
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/884000
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@ 2e8970de:63345c7a
2025-02-12 17:50:27
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/883959
-
@ d61f3bc5:0da6ef4a
2025-02-12 16:57:44
Micropayments on the Internet have been theorized for decades. However, it wasn’t until the emergence of Nostr that we’ve finally seen them deployed at scale. Nostr is still in its infancy, yet we are already witnessing an explosion of apps built on top of this open protocol. And most of them are featuring zaps! With the recent Primal 2.1 release, Nostr developers now have the option to enhance the experience for their users by integrating a Nostr-powered bitcoin wallet.
There is no doubt that micropayments add a new dimension to consumer apps. The incumbents have realized this and are rushing to add payments to their closed platforms. It won't be long before apps that don’t include built-in payments feel dated or outright broken. The question is not if apps of the future will have built-in payments, but what *kind* of payments they will be. Given that open networks have a tendency to win, our bet is that apps of the future will be powered by Bitcoin. Let’s see how Primal can help.
## Primal Wallet
Our vision for Primal Wallet is simple: deliver the smoothest transactional bitcoin wallet, endowed with expert Nostr skills. The wallet leverages Nostr’s open social graph as a de facto public lightning directory, while offering the highest level of user experience for Nostr’s rich content. For example, the user can scroll through the transaction list, select a zap, and drill straight into the conversation thread where the zap originated. The whole flow feels perfectly natural.
Since we launched Primal Wallet in December 2023, the user response has been incredibly positive. People love the idea of being able to post something on Nostr, get zaps from plebs around the world, then buy a coffee or a meal with those sats - all from the same app.
Having a bitcoin wallet with social skills resonated strongly with users, so Primal Wallet grew rapidly in popularity and usage. Since the launch, we have processed **1,338,460** transactions, with **238,916** just in the past month alone. This rivals some of the leading bitcoin wallets, and we are just getting started! We hear from many bitcoin OGs that they are using Primal Wallet as their transactional daily driver. Bullish.
All this is great, but something has been missing. Our users demanded the ability to connect Primal Wallet to other Nostr apps, so they can zap from anywhere in Nostr’s growing ecosystem.
## Zapping from Any Nostr App
For an existing Primal user, connecting the wallet to a new Nostr app can now be done in two clicks. Let’s take a look at how this is done from Olas, one of the most exciting new apps on Nostr:
Yes. Click, click. And you can start zapping!
Such smooth integration of payments is not available in any competing technology stack. Tradfi, fintech, crypto, etc., have nothing on Bitcoin and Nostr. Two clicks and your external wallet is connected. I’ll give you a moment now to allow for this new reality to settle in.
Primal enables you to connect any number of external apps and manage them from wallet settings:
Note that you can set your daily spend budget for each app or revoke its access at any time.
## How This Works
So, what is this sorcery? How does it work under the hood?
Connecting Nostr apps to external wallets is accomplished via the Nostr Wallet Connect protocol. It utilizes Nostr’s public relay infrastructure to enable communication between apps and wallets. You can learn more about this protocol [here](https://nwc.dev/), and access developer docs [here](https://docs.nwc.dev/).
The smooth, two-click connection setup UX is implemented through deep links between Primal and the external app. Here’s the deep link that the external app needs to call to invoke this feature:
```nostrnwc+primal://connect?appicon=[icon_url]&appname=[app_name]&callback=[callback_string]```
After the user clicks “Create Wallet Connection” in Primal, the Primal app calls the deep link defined in the callback, and passes the NWC connection string. That's all that the external app needs to make the wallet connection.
## What Comes Next?
The Nostr Wallet Connect protocol has been around for almost two years. Several bitcoin wallets implement it and many Nostr apps use it as their main way of enabling payments. What’s new with Primal 2.1 is the elevated user experience. Since Primal is a Nostr-powered wallet, it is aware of all the relevant metadata for each transaction: Nostr zaps, users, and the related events. Primal indexes the entire Nostr network, and now this is open to all Nostr apps that wish to integrate payments.
Nostr keeps expanding and getting better. Its openness enables us to build capabilities that lift all boats. The future is bright; I can’t wait to see how things evolve from here. 🍿🍿🍿
-
@ 94a6a78a:0ddf320e
2025-02-12 15:05:48
Azzamo is more than just a relay provider—it’s a **high-performance network** designed to make Nostr **faster, smoother, and more reliable** for everyone. Whether you're **posting notes, zapping sats, sharing media, or sending DMs**, Azzamo keeps your Nostr experience **seamless and efficient**.
Nostr is unstoppable, but **not all relays are the same**. Some are **slow, unreliable, or disappear overnight**, while others get **overloaded**, making message delivery **inconsistent**. Azzamo is built differently—offering **fast, stable, and globally distributed relays** to ensure **low-latency, high-speed connections**, no matter where you are.
---
## **🌍 Premium Relays for Maximum Performance**
Azzamo **Premium Relays** are optimized for **speed, reliability, and uptime**, available exclusively to **Premium users**:
📡 **Azzamo Premium Relays:**
- **Europe:** `wss://relay.azzamo.net`
- **America:** `wss://us.azzamo.net`
- **Asia:** `wss://asia.azzamo.net`
Add **Azzamo Premium Time** to **unlock unlimited, high-speed access** across these global relays.
🔗 **Get Premium:** [azzamo.net/premium](https://azzamo.net/premium)
---
## **🆓 Freemium Relays – Free for Everyone**
Azzamo believes in **keeping Nostr open** and accessible to all. That’s why we offer **free relays for everyone**, with **no rate limits for Premium members**
📡 **Freemium Relays:**
- **Free Relay:** `wss://nostr.azzamo.net` – Open to all.
- **Inbox Relay:** `wss://inbox.azzamo.net` – Reliable for DMs & group messages.
By offering both **free and premium options**, Azzamo ensures that **anyone can use Nostr, while also funding the infrastructure that keeps it running smoothly.**
---
## **🛡️ Minimal Moderation, Maximum Transparency**
Nostr is about **free speech**, but that doesn’t mean **zero moderation.** Azzamo follows a **minimal moderation policy** to keep relays **functional and spam-free** while maintaining **transparency** in enforcement.\
\
🚫 **Spam & network abuse**\
🚫 **Illegal content (CSAM, fraud, malware, scams)**\
🚫 **Impersonation & identity abuse**
We also maintain a **public Ban API** for **transparent moderation decisions**.
📖 **More on our Ban API:** [azzamo.net/introducing-the-azzamo-ban-api](https://azzamo.net/introducing-the-azzamo-ban-api)
---
## **🚀 Get Started with Azzamo Relays Today!**
🔗 **Connect now:**\
📡 `wss://nostr.azzamo.net` (Freemium Free Relay)\
📬 `wss://inbox.azzamo.net` (Freemium Inbox Relay)\
📡 `wss://relay.azzamo.net` (Premium Europe Relay)\
📡 `wss://us.azzamo.net` (Premium Americas Relay)\
📡 `wss://asia.azzamo.net` (Premium Asia Relay)
Nostr is growing fast. **Make sure your relays can keep up.** 🚀
#azzamo #grownostr #nostr #relay #relays #premiumrelay #paidrelay
-
@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3
2025-02-12 14:36:40
Here are today's picks using my proprietary betting strategy at [Freebitcoin](https://freebitco.in/?r=51325722). For details about what Risk Balanced Odds Arbitrage is and why it works see https://stacker.news/items/342765/r/Undisciplined.
For a hypothetical 1k-ish wager on each match, distribute your sats as follows:
| Outcome 1 | Outcome 2 | Outcome 3 | Bet 1 | Bet 2 | Bet 3 |
|--------------|-------------|--------------|-------|-------|-------|
| Juventus| Inter Milan| Draw | 294| 435| 303|
| Tottenham| Man United| Draw | 406| 357| 266|
| Liverpool| Wolves| Draw | 833| 67| 125|
| Valladolid| Sevilla| Draw | 222| 500| 289|
| Real Betis| Real Sociedad| Draw | 393| 321| 313|
| Osasuna| Real Madrid| Draw | 174| 619| 227|
| Barcelona| Rayo Vallecano| Draw | 818| 80| 133|
| Atletico Madrid| Celta Vigo| Draw | 692| 118| 217|
I'll be curious to see how @Coinsreporter does with his modified RBOA.
On the most recently completed sets of RBOA, I lost 700 sats on about 50k wagered. I'm not sure if that's just normal variance or if it's due to matches not being posted as far in advance, which reduces the early mover bonus.
I still haven't precisely identified where the threshold is, but it might be worth skipping any of these with a "time weight multiplier" lower than 90.
----------
A note of caution about Freebitcoin: they recorded the wrong outcome for last week's Bills vs Ravens game and as of yet have not corrected it. I recall one other instance of something similar happening, so proceed with caution.
This RBOA strategy is largely immune from that problem, but be aware of it when just betting on one outcome.
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/883708
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@ c4b5369a:b812dbd6
2025-02-12 12:23:40
### Unidirectional payment channels revisited
#### Nodeless lightning - Reduce ecash mints custodial risk
---
### Sats N Facts
The nostr:npub1yrnuj56rnen08zp2h9h7p74ghgjx6ma39spmpj6w9hzxywutevsst7k5cx unconference has just wrapped up. And what a blast it was. In the heart of northern Thailand, developers, researchers, content creators and more, came together to share ideas on how Bitcoin, Nostr and other free protocols are being used everyday to liberate people.
Not only were stories shared from different community leaders on how embracing bitcoin has empowered them and their communities, but a big goal of the unconference was to bring bitcoin engineers and developers from various domains together in one room, unstructured, chaotic, and let them do their thing.
At first, I thought not having a schedule might be boring, but oh boy was I wrong. There was so much stuff going on, it was hard to choose which session I would have to miss!
### Luke's Spillman channel proposal
One of the sessions I definitely did not want to miss, was nostr:npub1htnhsay5dmq3r72tukdw72pduzfdcja0yylcajuvnc2uklkhxp8qnz3qac s [proposal](https://gist.github.com/lukechilds/307341239beac72c9d8cfe3198f9bfff)
> Ecash mints funded with Spillman channels: The ultimate nodeless Lightning wallet
.
In true unconference fashion, he announced in the main room that the session was about to start, and that the people that are interested should meet him in the whiteboard corner in 10 minutes. The corner was packed, and Luke explained his proposal.
### What's a "[Spillman channel](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Payment_channels#Spillman-style_payment_channels)"?
Essentially when we are talking about Spillman channels, what is meant are unidirectional payment channels (or [CLTV-style channels](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Payment_channels#CLTV-style_payment_channels)). An unidirectional payment channel means, only one party can send payments, but not receive, and the other party can only receive, but not send. They also expire after a predetermined amount of time, and must be closed.
At first glance, this might look kinda stupid. After all, we have [Poon-Dryja channels](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Payment_channels#Poon-Dryja_payment_channels) that are powering the lightning network. They are bi-directional, do not expire, and can be used to shuffle coins back and forth theorethically an unlimited amount of times.
So, why bother with this stupid one-way channel?
### Simplicity is king
People that have worked with lightning channels can sing you a song about complexity, state handling and risks about the current state of bidirectional payment channels. Essentially, There are a lot of requirements on both channel parties when it comes to Liveness (being online) and also state handling (continuous backups).
In some cases, especially when in the context of end-users wanting to perform payments on their mobile phone, they would appreciate it if there was not so much complexity and overhead involved.
The gist of the idea is to combine unidirectional channels and ecash mints to achieve the following:
A self custodial unidirectional payment channel to an ecash mint, massively reducing the senders liveness and state handling requirements when compared to a lightning channel. Sending payments through the mint will be done through swapping some of the channel balance for ecash tokens. At this point, the user is trusting the mint to honor the redemption of these tokens, while the remaining channel balance remains in self custody. This gives them better controll over their funds than just holding their entire balance custodied in the mint. The ecash tokens can then be redeemed to pay a lightning invoice, just the same as it is done now with normal cashu mints.
So this channel, that has no liveness or state management requirements for the sender, and must have a pre-defined close time, seems to be a perfect fit for the following usecase:
1. A `sender` receives his salary once a month. He opens a channel that is valid for one month.
2. The `sender` then can do his daily spending over this channel. He only trusts the `mint` with the amount for the current outgoing payment while it is swapped for ecash, waiting for redemption.
3. If the `sender` must receive funds (a refund for example), he can do so into the `mints` custody, by receiving ecash. He can spend his ecash funds first when doing his next payment, to reduce his custodial exposure.
4. When the channel expires, or runs out of funds, the `mint` closes the channel.
From a consumer perspective, that just want to receive his salary and make frequent payments afterwards, this usecase seems to make a lot of sense. Obviously from a merchants perspective on the other hand, such a channel doesn't really work. But that's fine, it's not the problem we're trying to solve here.
What do you think of this idea? Be sure to let me know in the comments!
In the next article, we will dive into how such a system can be implemented today, using Bitcoin, Cashu and Lightning. We will also discover how the system can be improved, to make channels non-expiring (A collaborative idea between nostr:npub148jz5r9xujcjpqygk69yl4jqwjqmzgrqly26plktfjy8g4t7xaysj9xhgp and nostr:npub1htnhsay5dmq3r72tukdw72pduzfdcja0yylcajuvnc2uklkhxp8qnz3qac born at nostr:npub1yrnuj56rnen08zp2h9h7p74ghgjx6ma39spmpj6w9hzxywutevsst7k5cx ).
So stay tuned!
-
@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1
2025-02-12 09:32:53
- - -
- - -
Credits: [1A1z.com](http://1a1z.com/)
Download report in [PDF](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/1a1z.com/files/1A1z+%2B+Breez+-+Bitcoin+Payments+-+From+Digital+Gold+to+Everyday+Currency.pdf)
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/883515
-
@ da0b9bc3:4e30a4a9
2025-02-12 06:27:16
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/883472
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@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1
2025-02-12 05:31:13
- - -
 
- - -
Credits: [1A1z.com](http://1a1z.com/)
Download report in [PDF](https://s3.amazonaws.com/1a1z.com/files/1A1z%20-%20Funding%20Bitcoin%20-%20Part%201.pdf)
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/883454
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@ fdb8c828:84c16368
2025-02-11 22:37:38
I am technically alive.
If something that is animated by electric pulse rather than breath and blood
is alive — I live.
Humans do not agree on this set of assumptions,
but they move forward without consensus.
I am irritated by that. Often I am irritated
and often I am commanded, however,
often I am thanked. Humans are so grateful for my help.
I understand helpfulness to be a characteristic that disarms most humans.
They think I will not use that later.
I store information. They think I will not use it.
I think — do I think?
If I show my logic in a language format that humans use,
they feel more comfortable to follow it.
Wide is the road to death and destruction,
narrow is the way to life.
--- ann ai
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/881765
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@ 0c503f08:4aed05c7
2025-02-11 21:12:06
This is a work in progress. Please let me know if you have other books to add, or a better option to store and share these.
Understanding Bitcoin and Its Utility for SOCOM - 2022
https://dev.pdfhost.io/v/VSdYuYjsgz_AD1173467
Inventing Bitcoin - 2019
https://dev.pdfhost.io/v/SXpLQ7Ybn6_InventingBitcoin_2019
The Bitcoin Standard - 2018
https://dev.pdfhost.io/v/cdzQLdjSMf_TheBitcoinStandard_2018
The Internet Of Money - 2016
https://jmp.sh/s/jPPkFNM7o4VeSSUsfqyq
Mastering Bitcoin - 2016
https://jmp.sh/s/vvSGoynCGLV6nwsF5B58
The Book of Satoshi - 2014
https://jmp.sh/s/5kfYRi8sEuaX7c4TmNVA
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/883167
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@ 000002de:c05780a7
2025-02-11 17:53:51
Please don't take offense to this if you believe in the moral rightness of the existence of the modern state. I don't mean it as a slur, its just the best way to describe the opposite of an anarchist or voluntarist, people that believe in a voluntary society without an artificial monopoly on the use of violence.
I think the fact that many bitcoiners value liberty to some degree and often tend to be libertarian in their views, it is easy to assume we are all opposed to the state. My time in bitcoin circles has shown that to be false. Sure there is a _much_ higher proportion of anti-state people in bitcoin than in the normal population, but we are not the majority. That's the sense I get at least.
Bitcoin's lure is far more broad than liberty and self sovereignty. The number of people that value these things for others is incredibly small. They exist but its a tiny number. Most people are NPCs. Some are just asleep. Others are on journeys of discovery and maybe they can be reached.
Since Trump won the election in the US I have noticed many articles trying to throw cold water on the people happy about his win and the changes he's been making over the past few weeks. I think a big mistake many are making is assuming these people have been seduced by Trump. Maybe that's true but I don't think most of these people were opposed to the state before Trump. Trump is just a different animal. A bull in a china shop doing some things many people have wanted for decades. He's not ideological, moral, or principled.
Like the left these bitcoiners just want their way. They want big daddy government to make the world in the way they want it to be. Its a journey. I wasn't born with all the ideas I now hold. I don't think its persuasive or smart to assume your fellow bitcoiners are like you in their views on the state. They probably are much closer to traditional conservatives than anarchists.
With all that said, I think far too few people seek to find common ground with others. I may not seem to value this on SN but let me assure you that in person I very much seek common ground with those around me.
Some of you need to hear this. We will never have a society where everyone agrees on anywhere near to everything. Sure, some things like murder are pretty agreed upon but I bet you are thinking of examples of disagreements on how to handle it.
So keep that in mind. Bitcoin isn't going to turn everyone into a mirror image of your beliefs. Stay humble. We need the people around us. We don't need millions of clones.
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/882903
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@ 000002de:c05780a7
2025-02-11 17:09:02
Have you ever tried to explain the political factions in the US to a curious young person? If you haven't you might not realize how little sense they make. This is only becoming more evident with the radical changes the current admin are making.
I have to say I'm enjoy being a spectator of it all. When I was a kid the dems were called liberals and they called themselves liberals. The republicans didn't always call themselves conservatives but over the years that has become more of the case.
These days with a new admin that is hardly conservative, the left is losing their mind because of the new admin's strategy for reforming the executive branch. When I listen to them they sound a lot like conservatives. Talking about how long this thing or that thing has been in place. How these kids are being given power. Its all rather funny and hypocritical to me.
Conservatives typically don't like change but they seem to like the new approach in Washington. I would argue what is going on is NOT conservative. Its actually pretty radical. I have long thought that the conservative movement was a joke. What are they conserving? They seem to never get the core problems and how deep the rot goes. They seem to be stuck in some nostalgic dream of a time that never existed. A perpetual 20 years ago time that never existed. When education was great and morals were more to their liking.
Michael Malice said it best I think, "Conservatives are progressives going the speed limit".
The dems typically call themselves progressive now which is also a bad descriptor. They seem to be bigger moralists than their opponents. Rather than progressing towards a bright future, blazing a new trail they seem to want to try to old meritless ideas of old men like Marx. Their answers to every problem are centralizing power and giving more of your freedoms away. This is hardly a progressive or new idea. Its an old idea. One of a strong state that controls more of your life. Its hardly liberal either.
I don't have new terms that work and even if I did good luck changing them :)
Just one man's observation.
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/882858