@ d8c59f3c:984e482e

sfgdfgdfgdfgdfgdfg originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/459409

@ b83e6f82:73c27758

## Citrine 0.6.0 - Update dependencies - Show notifications when importing, exporting, downloading events - Change database functions to be suspending functions Download it with [zap.store]( https://zap.store/download), [Obtainium]( https://github.com/ImranR98/Obtainium), [f-droid]( https://f-droid.org/packages/com.greenart7c3.citrine) or download it directly in the [releases page ]( https://github.com/greenart7c3/Citrine/releases/tag/v0.6.0) If you like my work consider making a [donation]( https://greenart7c3.com) ## Verifying the release In order to verify the release, you'll need to have `gpg` or `gpg2` installed on your system. Once you've obtained a copy (and hopefully verified that as well), you'll first need to import the keys that have signed this release if you haven't done so already: ``` bash gpg --keyserver hkps://keys.openpgp.org --recv-keys 44F0AAEB77F373747E3D5444885822EED3A26A6D ``` Once you have his PGP key you can verify the release (assuming `manifest-v0.6.0.txt` and `manifest-v0.6.0.txt.sig` are in the current directory) with: ``` bash gpg --verify manifest-v0.6.0.txt.sig manifest-v0.6.0.txt ``` You should see the following if the verification was successful: ``` bash gpg: Signature made Fri 13 Sep 2024 08:06:52 AM -03 gpg: using RSA key 44F0AAEB77F373747E3D5444885822EED3A26A6D gpg: Good signature from "greenart7c3 <greenart7c3@proton.me>" ``` That will verify the signature on the main manifest page which ensures integrity and authenticity of the binaries you've downloaded locally. Next, depending on your operating system you should then re-calculate the sha256 sum of the binary, and compare that with the following hashes: ``` bash cat manifest-v0.6.0.txt ``` One can use the `shasum -a 256 <file name here>` tool in order to re-compute the `sha256` hash of the target binary for your operating system. The produced hash should be compared with the hashes listed above and they should match exactly.

@ d8c59f3c:984e482e

sdfsdfsdfsdfsdfsdf originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/459408

@ d8c59f3c:984e482e

gvfygtftyfftyf originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/459406

@ 16d11430:61640947

At the intersection of philosophy, theology, physics, biology, and finance lies a terrifying truth: the fiat monetary system, in its current form, is not just an economic framework but a silent, relentless force actively working against humanity's survival. It isn't simply a failed financial model—it is a systemic engine of destruction, both externally and within the very core of our biological existence. The Philosophical Void of Fiat Philosophy has long questioned the nature of value and the meaning of human existence. From Socrates to Kant, thinkers have pondered the pursuit of truth, beauty, and virtue. But in the modern age, the fiat system has hijacked this discourse. The notion of "value" in a fiat world is no longer rooted in human potential or natural resources—it is abstracted, manipulated, and controlled by central authorities with the sole purpose of perpetuating their own power. The currency is not a reflection of society’s labor or resources; it is a representation of faith in an authority that, more often than not, breaks that faith with reckless monetary policies and hidden inflation. The fiat system has created a kind of ontological nihilism, where the idea of true value, rooted in work, creativity, and family, is replaced with speculative gambling and short-term gains. This betrayal of human purpose at the systemic level feeds into a philosophical despair: the relentless devaluation of effort, the erosion of trust, and the abandonment of shared human values. In this nihilistic economy, purpose and meaning become increasingly difficult to find, leaving millions to question the very foundation of their existence. Theological Implications: Fiat and the Collapse of the Sacred Religious traditions have long linked moral integrity with the stewardship of resources and the preservation of life. Fiat currency, however, corrupts these foundational beliefs. In the theological narrative of creation, humans are given dominion over the Earth, tasked with nurturing and protecting it for future generations. But the fiat system promotes the exact opposite: it commodifies everything—land, labor, and life—treating them as mere transactions on a ledger. This disrespect for creation is an affront to the divine. In many theologies, creation is meant to be sustained, a delicate balance that mirrors the harmony of the divine order. Fiat systems—by continuously printing money and driving inflation—treat nature and humanity as expendable resources to be exploited for short-term gains, leading to environmental degradation and societal collapse. The creation narrative, in which humans are called to be stewards, is inverted. The fiat system, through its unholy alliance with unrestrained growth and unsustainable debt, is destroying the very creation it should protect. Furthermore, the fiat system drives idolatry of power and wealth. The central banks and corporations that control the money supply have become modern-day gods, their decrees shaping the lives of billions, while the masses are enslaved by debt and inflation. This form of worship isn't overt, but it is profound. It leads to a world where people place their faith not in God or their families, but in the abstract promises of institutions that serve their own interests. Physics and the Infinite Growth Paradox Physics teaches us that the universe is finite—resources, energy, and space are all limited. Yet, the fiat system operates under the delusion of infinite growth. Central banks print money without concern for natural limits, encouraging an economy that assumes unending expansion. This is not only an economic fallacy; it is a physical impossibility. In thermodynamics, the Second Law states that entropy (disorder) increases over time in any closed system. The fiat system operates as if the Earth were an infinite resource pool, perpetually able to expand without consequence. The real world, however, does not bend to these abstract concepts of infinite growth. Resources are finite, ecosystems are fragile, and human capacity is limited. Fiat currency, by promoting unsustainable consumption and growth, accelerates the depletion of resources and the degradation of natural systems that support life itself. Even the financial “growth” driven by fiat policies leads to unsustainable bubbles—inflated stock markets, real estate, and speculative assets that burst and leave ruin in their wake. These crashes aren’t just economic—they have profound biological consequences. The cycles of boom and bust undermine communities, erode social stability, and increase anxiety and depression, all of which affect human health at a biological level. Biology: The Fiat System and the Destruction of Human Health Biologically, the fiat system is a cancerous growth on human society. The constant chase for growth and the devaluation of work leads to chronic stress, which is one of the leading causes of disease in modern society. The strain of living in a system that values speculation over well-being results in a biological feedback loop: rising anxiety, poor mental health, physical diseases like cardiovascular disorders, and a shortening of lifespans. Moreover, the focus on profit and short-term returns creates a biological disconnect between humans and the planet. The fiat system fuels industries that destroy ecosystems, increase pollution, and deplete resources at unsustainable rates. These actions are not just environmentally harmful; they directly harm human biology. The degradation of the environment—whether through toxic chemicals, pollution, or resource extraction—has profound biological effects on human health, causing respiratory diseases, cancers, and neurological disorders. The biological cost of the fiat system is not a distant theory; it is being paid every day by millions in the form of increased health risks, diseases linked to stress, and the growing burden of mental health disorders. The constant uncertainty of an inflation-driven economy exacerbates these conditions, creating a society of individuals whose bodies and minds are under constant strain. We are witnessing a systemic biological unraveling, one in which the very act of living is increasingly fraught with pain, instability, and the looming threat of collapse. Finance as the Final Illusion At the core of the fiat system is a fundamental illusion—that financial growth can occur without any real connection to tangible value. The abstraction of currency, the manipulation of interest rates, and the constant creation of new money hide the underlying truth: the system is built on nothing but faith. When that faith falters, the entire system collapses. This illusion has become so deeply embedded that it now defines the human experience. Work no longer connects to production or creation—it is reduced to a transaction on a spreadsheet, a means to acquire more fiat currency in a world where value is ephemeral and increasingly disconnected from human reality. As we pursue ever-expanding wealth, the fundamental truths of biology—interdependence, sustainability, and balance—are ignored. The fiat system’s abstract financial models serve to disconnect us from the basic realities of life: that we are part of an interconnected world where every action has a reaction, where resources are finite, and where human health, both mental and physical, depends on the stability of our environment and our social systems. The Ultimate Extermination In the end, the fiat system is not just an economic issue; it is a biological, philosophical, theological, and existential threat to the very survival of humanity. It is a force that devalues human effort, encourages environmental destruction, fosters inequality, and creates pain at the core of the human biological condition. It is an economic framework that leads not to prosperity, but to extermination—not just of species, but of the very essence of human well-being. To continue on this path is to accept the slow death of our species, one based not on natural forces, but on our own choice to worship the abstract over the real, the speculative over the tangible. The fiat system isn't just a threat; it is the ultimate self-inflicted wound, a cultural and financial cancer that, if left unchecked, will destroy humanity’s chance for survival and peace.

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

On this Victory Monday, the triumphant Raiders are picking 6th. That win was pretty costly, but I'll never root for a loss. What can we do with the 6th pick? **Mock Draft** 6th Pick: QB Cam Ward 37th Pick: WR Emeka Egbuka 68th Pick: OT Emery Jones Jr. 73rd Pick: CB Denzel Burke 104th Pick: RB Ollie Gordon II 139th Pick: OG Charles Grant 181st Pick: LB Jay Higgins 212th Pick: DE Tyler Baron 216th Pick: DT Ty Hamilton 221st Pick: TE Terrance Ferguson Fortunately, we can still get one of the top 2 QB's. The next biggest needs are a WR1 and a tackle to replace Kolton Miller (who sucks now). Corner depth is the biggest issue on the defense. We have three solid starting caliber CB's, but no true CB1. That means they'll have to take a committee approach, until someone emerges. The running game was a disaster this season, so taking another swing on RB is a must. Improving the interior of the line is also a step in that direction. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/821703

@ d8c59f3c:984e482e

daadfdaadfdaadfddfdaadfdaadfdaadfddfdfdfdsdfdfdsdaadfdaadfdaadfddfdfdfdsdaadfdaadfdaadfddfdaadfdaadfdaadfddfdfdfdsdfdfdsdaadfdaadfdaadfddfdfdfds originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/459401

@ d8c59f3c:984e482e

daadfdaadfdaadfdaadfddaadfdaadfdaadfddfdfdfdsdfdsddaadfdaadfdaadfddfdfdfdsdaadfdaadfdaadfddfdaadfdaadfdaadfddfdfdfdsdfdfdsdaadfdaadfdaadfddfdfdfds originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/459400

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

The inspiration provided by @Jon_Hodl still flowing... @Public_N_M_E might be interested on this, as all the fans ~Music territory has been able to gather together.      FIY: @Msd0457890 @suraz @Roll @payingmantis @Lux @Kontext @craigwrong @jarjarships @stacksofsats @roadrunnah @jessikabtc Source file is available and welcoming edits and new banner creation: https://www.figma.com/design/ZL3FLItd9j48pzKVi4qlOy/Stacker.News-Media-Kit?node-id=173-167&t=am10v5YPSF2J3R3H-0 originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/821464

@ 8dac122d:0fc98d37

To commemorate the first one-year anniversary of the AGORA territory on Stacker News, here is an introduction that highlights the vibrant and electrifying community where stackers can discover a wide range of items through peer-to-peer transactions, merchants can sell various products, and offer unlimited services globally to receive back valuable sats securely, without intermediaries. A place where entrepreneurs can learn about and build businesses on bitcoin and innovative market practices. It is also the hub for marketers to connect with their audience, advertisers to reach a diverse and engaged community glued together by strong values, and curious visitors to explore new opportunities and ideas in a free and dynamic marketplace. A place to connect, where individuals from all walks of life, including stackers, cowboys, maxis, and hodlers, come together to exchange, trade, and innovate remotely, privately, and anonymously. The AGORA territory embodies the spirit of a traditional _agora_, where people gather to exchange goods, services, and ideas, fostering a community that is both socially and economically active. One year already since its [inception](https://stacker.news/items/363312/r/AGORA), the AGORA territory has become a thriving community where users can post anything they want to sell or buy, advertise their services and skill sets, and engage in various types of discussions about business, free market, value exchange, peer to peer deals, operating in the private and learn how to get rid of uncomfortable third parties. From physical items to digital services, the diversity of offerings is vast, and the community is open to feedback and suggestions to continuously improve and expand its capabilities. # 2024 Highlights Over the past year, the AGORA territory has seen significant activity, with numerous posts, comments, and transactions. Here are the highlights: ### 📜 Top 3 posts by **zaprank** Discover the most engaging posts based on stackers interactions. You can see them all [here](https://stacker.news/~AGORA/top/posts/year/r/AGORA)! - 🥇 https://stacker.news/items/597538/r/AGORA How to respond to illicit & immoral Payment Requests & Notices of Prosecution? by @supratic - 🥈 https://stacker.news/items/710616/r/AGORA Advice For Bitcoin Online Store? by @siggy47 - 🥉 https://stacker.news/items/791635/r/AGORA Darknet Market Archives of ~89 darknet markets & forums (2013-2015) by @aljaz ### 📜 Top 3 posts by **comments** Sparking the most out of the discussion. You can see them all [here](https://stacker.news/~AGORA/top/posts/year/r/AGORA?by=comments)! - 🥇 https://stacker.news/items/372065/r/AGORA [OFFER] I will leave a comment on your Bio [500 sats] 😎 by @Eobard - 🥈 https://stacker.news/items/723069/r/AGORA [SWAP] SN Cowboy credits by @DarthCoin - 🥉 https://stacker.news/items/806578/r/AGORA Buy Kratum With Bitcoin by @siggy47 ### 📜 Top 3 posts by **sats** Yes! Those that have earned the most sats from the community. You can see them all [here](https://stacker.news/~AGORA/top/posts/year/r/AGORA?by=sats) (excluding internals)! - 🥇 https://stacker.news/items/509450/r/AGORA I OWN NOTHING, and I'm the happiest I've ever been by @Lux - 🥈 https://stacker.news/items/505860/r/AGORA The first contract you did NOT sign and someone stealing you(r) baby at birth by @mo - 🥉 https://stacker.news/items/634874/r/AGORA The United States Corporation by @supratic ### 📜 Top 3 Boosts Learn about the posts that have gained significant attention supporting the territory. - 🥇 https://stacker.news/items/787489/r/AGORA BLACK FRIDAY: Borrow against your Bitcoin for a Virtual Visa - No Fees by @lendasat - 🥈 https://stacker.news/items/784376/r/AGORA SATOSH.EE - Gift Cards, Discounts, Loyalty Program by @Kontext - 🥉 https://stacker.news/items/750336/r/AGORA [OFFER] IPv4+IPv6 KVM VPS, from 1.75EUR/month (Stockholm/SE SWEDEN) by @skhron ### ⚖️ Top 3 SELLERS Recognize the most successful sellers in the community. - 🥇 https://stacker.news/items/367235/r/AGORA [SELL] 3 Chairs and 1 Standing Desk by @PlebLab - 🥈 https://stacker.news/items/673616/r/AGORA [SELL] 1 Million Products, Travel Agency, Concierge and Cars by @ShopinBit - 🥉 https://stacker.news/items/806603/r/AGORA Beeswax Dinner Candles For Sale by @kr ### 🖇 Top 3 OFFERS Explore the best service and product offers. - 🥇 https://stacker.news/items/813013/r/AGORA [OFFER][Graphic Design] by @gpvansat - 🥈 https://stacker.news/items/372801/r/AGORA [OFFER] Photoshoping by @tomlaies - 🥉 https://stacker.news/items/650741/r/AGORA [⚖️SELL] Hand-Made Flecktarn Pouch(es) by @Fabs ### 🤠 Top 3 Contributors Let's acknowledge the stackers who have contributed the most to the territory. - 🥇 @watchmancbiz with [36 Ad-posts](https://stacker.news/search/r/AGORA?amount=&q=~AGORA+%40watchmancbiz&what=posts) - 🥈 @supratic with [29 posts](https://stacker.news/search/r/AGORA?amount=&q=~AGORA+%40supratic&what=posts) - 🥉 @thebullishbitcoiner with [9 Listings](https://stacker.news/search/r/AGORA?amount=&q=~AGORA+%40thebullishbitcoiner&what=posts) ### 🤠 Top 3 SN Posts about **Business** Outside of the AGORA, we know people was talking about business and markets. Here the most interesting ones: - 🥇 https://stacker.news/items/242308/r/AGORA Why are there so few bitcoiner e-commerce businesses??? by @DeltaClimbs - 🥈 https://stacker.news/items/320474/r/AGORA What is the best lightning business idea that nobody else is doing? by @piecover - 🥉 https://stacker.news/items/363827/r/supratic Which businesses will pivot to Bitcoin / Lightning / Nostr? by @davidw Special kudos to @OPAGO_PAY for [onboarding so many new businesses](https://stacker.news/search/r/AGORA?amount=&q=%40OPAGO_PAY&what=posts) into #bitcoin. - - - # In Summary - A total of 📜 `823` posts - with a total of 💬 `2324` comments - stackers spent 🔫 `419.5`k sats - we stacked 🐎 `183`k sats - and a revenue of 🏆 `136.3`k sats way below the 1.2M sats spent until now! **So why keep going at a loss?** We are driven by a desire to create something meaningful and useful for us all. We aim to build a community that aligns with our interests and values, which for us, is a fulfilling and motivating factor itself. Operating the AGORA provides an opportunity for us to connect with like-minded individuals, share ideas, and learn from others. The sense of community and the potential for personal and professional growth is our second strong motivator. Moreover, Stacker News is continually improving and expanding with new features that enable this to happen. Planned features include seamless crossposting, creating sub-territories, and more economic parameters to incentivize a worldwide free market! - - - # AGORA initiatives During this year, we have played, experimented and had much fun launching several initiatives to support and enhance the AGORA territory, some of them have work, others need some more work, but overall we are really proud of the progress done until now. Check out our gems: - https://stacker.news/items/806159/r/AGORA STACKER NEWS Merch: T-Shirts & Cap [32100 sats + shipping] https://agora.ftp.sh/cat/stacker-news/ - https://stacker.news/items/711428/r/AGORA Introducing SN nostr Badges for Legendary Stackers and Honorary Cowboys - you can get some stickers from https://agora.ftp.sh/tag/badge/ - https://stacker.news/items/430501/r/AGORA 🌵🏜 NEW WILD WEST POSTERS published as one of the OpenDesign Contests @Design_r shared with us https://posters.btc.pub/ - - - # Try the ~AGORA Ifyou are still new in the AGORA, we suggest reading our intro guides, browse the community latest items or, why not, put a sats-value and post products and services you may have to offer? Click any of the links below to get started: - [[⚖️ SELL]](https://w3.do/b_v2wutP) your stuff - [[🛒 BUY]](https://w3.do/zvixtuSh) for sats - [[🧑‍💻 HIRE]](https://w3.do/_j0kpVsi) some stuff or skills - [[🖇 OFFER]](https://w3.do/EfWF8yDL) something - [[🧑‍⚖️ AUCTION]](https://w3.do/sbbCjZ0e) - [[🤝 SWAP]](https://t.ly/DgeHr) Peer to Peer - You could also give it for [[🆓 FREE]](https://w3.do/DdVEE1ME) - [[⭐ REVIEW]](https://w3.do/CAZ5JxCk) anything - - - # A Heartfelt Thank You We are grateful to @mo for initiating this territory, @AG for the amazing work done keeping an eye on the territory, running our weekly [🏷️ Spending Sunday!](https://stacker.news/search/r/AGORA?q=spending+sunday+%40AG&what=posts) and [The Magnificent Seven](https://stacker.news/AGORA/r/AGORA#the-magnificent-seven---of-all-times) newsletter, and @k00b, @ek, and all @SN contributors for building and maintaining Stacker News the way the community want and need. Your contributions have enabled us to add to our words and actions value, real value! - - - # Your Feedback Matters If you have suggestions or ideas on how we can improve or expand the AGORA territory, please leave your feedback in the comments below or DM the AGORA team on #Nostr: `npub`: [`npub13kkpytvjcxsqka9pdshw3094urgh8fxwx7ru258lved9wr7f35mspal584`](https://iris.to/agora_sn) `NIP-05`: [`agora_sn@iris.to`](https://iris.to/agora_sn) `link`: [`https://iris.to/agora_sn`](https://iris.to/agora_sn) Thank you, stackers, for making this year an incredible journey. We hope you enjoyed the ɅGOᏒɅ 🌵🏜️ experience and look forward to many more successful and joyful done-deals. - - - ## MAY EVERY DEAL ₿RING JOY TO YOUR ~AGORA AD-VENTURES! - - - originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/821255

@ a367f9eb:0633efea

I’ll admit that I was wrong about Bitcoin. Perhaps in 2013. Definitely 2017. Probably in 2018-2019. And maybe even today. Being wrong about Bitcoin is part of finally understanding it. It will test you, make you question everything, and in the words of BTC educator and privacy advocate [Matt Odell](https://twitter.com/ODELL), “Bitcoin will humble you”. I’ve had my own stumbles on the way. In a very public fashion in 2017, after years of using Bitcoin, trying to start a company with it, using it as my primary exchange vehicle between currencies, and generally being annoying about it at parties, I let out the bear. In an article published in my own literary magazine *Devolution Review* in September 2017, I had a breaking point. The article was titled “[Going Bearish on Bitcoin: Cryptocurrencies are the tulip mania of the 21st century](https://www.devolutionreview.com/bearish-on-bitcoin/)”. It was later republished in *Huffington Post* and across dozens of financial and crypto blogs at the time with another, more appropriate title: “[Bitcoin Has Become About The Payday, Not Its Potential](https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/bitcoin-has-become-about-the-payday-not-its-potential_ca_5cd5025de4b07bc72973ec2d)”. As I laid out, my newfound bearishness had little to do with the technology itself or the promise of Bitcoin, and more to do with the cynical industry forming around it: > In the beginning, Bitcoin was something of a revolution to me. The digital currency represented everything from my rebellious youth. > > It was a decentralized, denationalized, and digital currency operating outside the traditional banking and governmental system. It used tools of cryptography and connected buyers and sellers across national borders at minimal transaction costs. > > … > > The 21st-century version (of Tulip mania) has welcomed a plethora of slick consultants, hazy schemes dressed up as investor possibilities, and too much wishy-washy language for anything to really make sense to anyone who wants to use a digital currency to make purchases. While I called out Bitcoin by name at the time, on reflection, I was really talking about the ICO craze, the wishy-washy consultants, and the altcoin ponzis. What I was articulating — without knowing it — was the frame of NgU, or “numbers go up”. Rather than advocating for Bitcoin because of its uncensorability, proof-of-work, or immutability, the common mentality among newbies and the dollar-obsessed was that Bitcoin mattered because its price was a rocket ship. And because Bitcoin was gaining in price, affinity tokens and projects that were imperfect forks of Bitcoin took off as well. The price alone — rather than its qualities — were the reasons why you’d hear Uber drivers, finance bros, or your gym buddy mention Bitcoin. As someone who came to Bitcoin for philosophical reasons, that just sat wrong with me. Maybe I had too many projects thrown in my face, or maybe I was too frustrated with the UX of Bitcoin apps and sites at the time. No matter what, I’ve since learned something. **I was at least somewhat wrong.** My own journey began in early 2011. One of my favorite radio programs, Free Talk Live, began interviewing guests and having discussions on the potential of Bitcoin. They tied it directly to a libertarian vision of the world: free markets, free people, and free banking. That was me, and I was in. Bitcoin was at about $5 back then (NgU). I followed every article I could, talked about it with guests [on my college radio show](https://libertyinexile.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/osamobama_on_the_tubes/), and became a devoted redditor on r/Bitcoin. At that time, at least to my knowledge, there was no possible way to buy Bitcoin where I was living. Very weak. **I was probably wrong. And very wrong for not trying to acquire by mining or otherwise.** The next year, after moving to Florida, Bitcoin was a heavy topic with a friend of mine who shared the same vision (and still does, according to the Celsius bankruptcy documents). We talked about it with passionate leftists at **Occupy Tampa** in 2012, all the while trying to explain the ills of Keynesian central banking, and figuring out how to use Coinbase. I began writing more about Bitcoin in 2013, writing a guide on “[How to Avoid Bank Fees Using Bitcoin](http://thestatelessman.com/2013/06/03/using-bitcoin/),” discussing its [potential legalization in Germany](https://yael.ca/2013/10/01/lagefi-alternative-monetaire-et-legislation-de/), and interviewing Jeremy Hansen, [one of the first political candidates in the U.S. to accept Bitcoin donations](https://yael.ca/2013/12/09/bitcoin-politician-wants-to-upgrade-democracy-in/). Even up until that point, I thought Bitcoin was an interesting protocol for sending and receiving money quickly, and converting it into fiat. The global connectedness of it, plus this cypherpunk mentality divorced from government control was both useful and attractive. I thought it was the perfect go-between. **But I was wrong.** When I gave my [first public speech](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtVypq2f0G4) on Bitcoin in Vienna, Austria in December 2013, I had grown obsessed with Bitcoin’s adoption on dark net markets like Silk Road. My theory, at the time, was the number and price were irrelevant. The tech was interesting, and a novel attempt. It was unlike anything before. But what was happening on the dark net markets, which I viewed as the true free market powered by Bitcoin, was even more interesting. I thought these markets would grow exponentially and anonymous commerce via BTC would become the norm. While the price was irrelevant, it was all about buying and selling goods without permission or license. **Now I understand I was wrong.** Just because Bitcoin was this revolutionary technology that embraced pseudonymity did not mean that all commerce would decentralize as well. It did not mean that anonymous markets were intended to be the most powerful layer in the Bitcoin stack. What I did not even anticipate is something articulated very well by noted Bitcoin OG [Pierre Rochard](https://twitter.com/BitcoinPierre): [Bitcoin as a *savings technology*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BavRqEoaxjI)*.* The ability to maintain long-term savings, practice self-discipline while stacking stats, and embrace a low-time preference was just not something on the mind of the Bitcoiners I knew at the time. Perhaps I was reading into the hype while outwardly opposing it. Or perhaps I wasn’t humble enough to understand the true value proposition that many of us have learned years later. In the years that followed, I bought and sold more times than I can count, and I did everything to integrate it into passion projects. I tried to set up a company using Bitcoin while at my university in Prague. My business model depended on university students being technologically advanced enough to have a mobile wallet, own their keys, and be able to make transactions on a consistent basis. Even though I was surrounded by philosophically aligned people, those who would advance that to actually put Bitcoin into practice were sparse. This is what led me to proclaim that “[Technological Literacy is Doomed](https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/technological-literacy-is-doomed_b_12669440)” in 2016. **And I was wrong again.** Indeed, since that time, the UX of Bitcoin-only applications, wallets, and supporting tech has vastly improved and onboarded millions more people than anyone thought possible. The entrepreneurship, coding excellence, and vision offered by Bitcoiners of all stripes have renewed a sense in me that this project is something built for us all — friends and enemies alike. While many of us were likely distracted by flashy and pumpy altcoins over the years (me too, champs), most of us have returned to the Bitcoin stable. Fast forward to today, there are entire ecosystems of creators, activists, and developers who are wholly reliant on the magic of Bitcoin’s protocol for their life and livelihood. The options are endless. The FUD is still present, but real proof of work stands powerfully against those forces. In addition, there are now [dozens of ways to use Bitcoin privately](https://fixthemoney.substack.com/p/not-your-keys-not-your-coins-claiming) — still without custodians or intermediaries — that make it one of the most important assets for global humanity, especially in dictatorships. This is all toward a positive arc of innovation, freedom, and pure independence. Did I see that coming? Absolutely not. Of course, there are probably other shots you’ve missed on Bitcoin. Price predictions (ouch), the short-term inflation hedge, or the amount of institutional investment. While all of these may be erroneous predictions in the short term, we have to realize that Bitcoin is a long arc. It will outlive all of us on the planet, and it will continue in its present form for the next generation. **Being wrong about the evolution of Bitcoin is no fault, and is indeed part of the learning curve to finally understanding it all.** When your family or friends ask you about Bitcoin after your endless sessions explaining market dynamics, nodes, how mining works, and the genius of cryptographic signatures, try to accept that there is still so much we have to learn about this decentralized digital cash. There are still some things you’ve gotten wrong about Bitcoin, and plenty more you’ll underestimate or get wrong in the future. That’s what makes it a beautiful journey. It’s a long road, but one that remains worth it.

@ ec42c765:328c0600

この記事は前回の内容を把握している人向けに書いています（特にNostrエクステンション（NIP-07）導入） 前回：[Nostrのカスタム絵文字の使い方](https://yakihonne.com/article/_@lokuyow.github.io/xVMTZxHcV_NWKuTbDBUYs) # 手順 1. 登録する画像を用意する 2. 画像をweb上にアップロードする 3. 絵文字セットに登録する ## 1. 登録する画像を用意する 以下のような方法で用意してください。 * 画像編集ソフト等を使って自分で作成する * 絵文字作成サイトを使う（[絵文字ジェネレーター](https://emoji-gen.ninja/)、[MEGAMOJI](https://zk-phi.github.io/MEGAMOJI/) など） * フリー画像を使う（[いらすとや](https://www.irasutoya.com/) など） ### データ量削減 Nostrでは画像をそのまま表示するクライアントが多いので、データ量が大きな画像をそのまま使うとモバイル通信時などに負担がかかります。 データ量を増やさないためにサイズやファイル形式を変更することをおすすめします。 以下は私のおすすめです。 * サイズ：正方形 128×128 ピクセル、長方形 任意の横幅×128 ピクセル * ファイル形式：webp形式（webp変換おすすめサイト [toimg](https://toimg.kakechimaru.com/to-webp)） * 単色、単純な画像の場合：png形式（webpにするとむしろサイズが大きくなる） ### その他 * 背景透過画像 * ダークモード、ライトモード両方で見やすい色 がおすすめです。 ## 2. 画像をweb上にアップロードする よく分からなければ [emojito](https://emojito.meme/) からのアップロードで問題ないです。 普段使っている画像アップロード先があるならそれでも構いません。 気になる方はアップロード先を適宜選んでください。 既に投稿されたカスタム絵文字の画像に対して - 削除も差し替えもできない → [emojito](https://emojito.meme/) など - 削除できるが差し替えはできない → [Gyazo](https://gyazo.com/)、[nostrcheck.me](https://nostrcheck.me/)など - 削除も差し替えもできる → [GitHub](https://github.com/) 、セルフホスティングなど これらは既にNostr上に投稿されたカスタム絵文字の画像を後から変更できるかどうかを指します。 どの方法でも新しく使われるカスタム絵文字を変更することは可能です。 同一のカスタム絵文字セットに同一のショートコードで別の画像を登録する形で対応できます。 ## 3. 絵文字セットに登録する [emojito](https://emojito.meme/) から登録します。 右上の**アイコン** → **+ New emoji set** から新規の絵文字セットを作成できます。   #### ① 絵文字セット名を入力 基本的にカスタム絵文字はカスタム絵文字セットを作り、ひとまとまりにして登録します。 一度作った絵文字セットに後から絵文字を追加することもできます。 #### ② 画像をアップロードまたは画像URLを入力 emojitoから画像をアップロードする場合、ファイル名に日本語などの2バイト文字が含まれているとアップロードがエラーになるようです。 その場合はファイル名を適当な英数字などに変更してください。 #### ③ 絵文字のショートコードを入力 ショートコードは絵文字を呼び出す時に使用する場合があります。 他のカスタム絵文字と被っても問題ありませんが選択時に複数表示されて支障が出る可能性があります。 他と被りにくく長くなりすぎないショートコードが良いかもしれません。 ショートコードに使えるのは半角の英数字とアンダーバーのみです。 #### ④ 追加 **Add** を押してもまだ作成完了にはなりません。  一度に絵文字を複数登録できます。 最後に右上の **Save** を押すと作成完了です。  画面が切り替わるので、右側の **Options** から **Bookmark** を選択するとそのカスタム絵文字セットを自分で使えるようになります。 既存の絵文字セットを編集するには **Options** から **Edit** を選択します。 以上です。 ----------- # 仕様 [NIP-30 Custom Emoji](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/30.md) [NIP-30 カスタム絵文字（和訳）](https://github.com/nostr-jp/nips-ja/blob/main/30.md)

@ 04222fa1:634e9de5

In a room of 100 people 99% are Bitcoiners How many Bitcoiners need to leave the room, to bring that percentage down to 98%? originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/820455

@ 04222fa1:634e9de5

 originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/820247

@ c11cf5f8:4928464d

Let's hear some of your latest Bitcoin purchases, feel free to include links to the shops or merchants you bought from too. If you missed our last thread, [here](#) are some of the items stackers recently spent their sats on. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/820204

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Last month @grayruby finally gave up on his silly Pacers pick. Considering how many of our international stackers copied that pick, it may have been a brilliant bit of 4-D chess, especially with him telling me that he wanted to bail on the pick mere minutes before the end of the month, as we recorded our podcast. We also had @gnilma bail on Brunson and Wemby for All NBA 1st Team. Remember, older correct predictions are worth more than younger ones, so don't wait too long to get off your bad predictions. Here's the current state of the competition with your max possible score next to your nym: | Contestant | MVP | Champ | All NBA | | | | | |--------------|------|---------|----------|-|-|-|-| | @Undisciplined 69 | Luka | OKC | Jokic | Giannis | Luka | Ant | SGA | | @grayruby 65| Giannis| Pacers| Jokic | Giannis | Luka | Mitchell| Brunson| | @gnilma 62| SGA| OKC| Jokic | Giannis| Tatum | Luka | SGA| | @BitcoinAbhi 70 | Luka| Denver| Jokic | Giannis | Luka | Ant| SGA| | @Bell_curve 70 | Luka| Celtics| Jokic | Giannis | Luka | Ant| SGA| | @0xbitcoiner 70 | Jokic| Pacers| Jokic | Giannis | Luka | Ant| Brunson| | @Coinsreporter 49| Giannis| Pacers| Jokic | Giannis | Luka | Ant| Brunson| | @TheMorningStar 49| Luka| Celtics| Jokic | Giannis | Luka | Ant| SGA| | @onthedeklein 49| Luka| T-Wolves| Jokic | Giannis | Luka | Wemby| SGA| | @Carresan 49| Luka| Mavs| Jokic | Giannis | Luka | Wemby| SGA| | @BTC_Bellzer 49| Luka| Celtics| Embiid| Giannis | Luka | Tatum| SGA| | @realBitcoinDog 49| Luka| Lakers| Jokic | Giannis | Luka | Ant| SGA| | @SimpleStacker 42| SGA| Celtics| Jokic| Tatum| Luka | Brunson| SGA| | @BlokchainB 42| SGA| Knicks| AD| Giannis | Ant| Brunson| SGA| I'm still not quite ready to move on from Luka for MVP, but those Giannis picks are looking pretty good right now, as is that Jokic pick. **Prize** The pot should be around 5k after this post. If you want to join this contest, just leave your predictions for MVP, Champion, and All-NBA 1st team in the comments. See the [June post](https://stacker.news/items/585231/r/Undisciplined) for more details. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/819573

@ 30ceb64e:7f08bdf5

I'm prompted to write this after seeing that my part time job offers tuition reimbursement to full time workers, and that I could become a full time worker and get essentially get a full ride to complete my bachelors through flexible and remote courses. Shoutout to the advice I got from a few Stackers > Just know that degrees dont mean as much as they did in the past. If you invest this time in to school, will it pay off later? It depends on what degree you will be getting, and how quickly you can complete the coursework. @Satosora >I was in a similar grind a full-time gig and a side hustle while chasing my degree. Ended up specializing in cybersecurity and the degree definitely opened doors I hadn’t even considered. My tip structure is key. Treat your study time like a third job, and don’t skimp on self care. You’ve already got that hustle mindset, so you’re halfway there. Go for it, but keep the balance in check! Good luck! @Imyourfed >This is how I ended up becoming an economist. I had a couple of jobs, one of which offered tuition benefits, and I took a couple of classes a semester until I finished an econ degree. Then, off to grad school. I say you should do it, as long as you're confident you can handle the workload. @Undisciplined Among many others. Shoutout to the advice I got from a few Nostritches https://primal.net/e/note166vyza03rwqjq49dez2xktv7vfmq98s8hjf5kjxlcdjg85ffs2mq02243r https://primal.net/e/note1x93cuy2n90k2y4kms8hn5qwsffcapluw7elxty03jntau75m6rfq094f47 https://primal.net/e/note15z0xfzwm8llqqsgm5aq5j9t0955kt5htzkafhxas93gfd7yn5x2q37dapn The Nostr freaks were overall against it, while SN freaks were overall for it. I've reached a dilemma. The dilemma is "why am I doing this?" Are my intentions pure and honorable, or is this fiat credentialism rearing its ugly head. Is this me wanting to better myself and contribute value to the world or is this not staying humble Am I risking something that I cant see at the moment, should my energy be spent doing other things; starting a business, Freelancing harder, Contributing to open source harder, Spending more time with the wife and kid on the way. Over the past few years I've become grumbly shouting at friends and family about evil fiat and perfect perfect bitcoin. At what point do I pull a satoshi, and move on to other things. At what point do I take my own advice, realize that I probably have enough bitcoin, and enjoy life. I'll try to articulate my thoughts the best I can.......although this is a ramble I want to get a bachelors degree and potentially become a lawyer for the reasons below 1. Stick it to the haters. I naively jumped around telling a few family members what I would do with my life and thought becoming a lawyer wasn't too far fetched. They did, and thought I was crazy and couldn't do it. Fuck em. 2. I have 30 college credits to go towards a bachelors, a lot of time to complete classes, approaching 6 years of experience working at an IP law firm, a rinky dink paralegal certificate, and the possibility to have it all paid for without spending any sats. So the goal seems oddly obtainable. 3. LLM's are great at homework 4. It would make my wife and unborn child more proud of me, which I believe is good. 5. I want to excel in my career and have good job opportunities moving forward. With a bachelors I'd be able to obtain higher paying jobs and have a formidable resume to take advantage of more opportunities as they come by. 6. I have a growing interest in learning this stuff. I think about the samurai wallet boys and keep a side eye on the trial. I'm a sovereign individual thesis guy, and want to see the how the laws will bend to support a new technological paradigm. 7. I read "come and take it" by Cody Wilson and followed a bit of his journey and thought his fight and thoughts on the courts were pretty cool. In Conclusion, I'm typing these rambling thoughts while working on my part time job, which may become a 2nd full time, because I might head back to school to finish my bachelors, while recognizing that college degrees are mostly scams for suckers. Kids come out of highschool and are sold the lie that, this is the only path forward. That if you dont go to fancy university than your life is shit. Society looks down upon you with a mocking and judgmental glare. Your parents arent proud of you, and you need to give a very good explanation on why you're throwing your life away. So instead of facing a tidal wave of scrutiny, most kids who can end up going to college and getting into a crazy amount of debt, or dropping out essentially wasting their time while postulating like they were trying to "find themselves". The idea of school in fiat is a rough one anyway, the campuses are communist lgbtq government obediance propaganda training grounds siphoning first principle thinking from its victims with a spooky efficiency. Ah, wait that was supposed to be a conclusion. Let me try again. In Conclusion, College degrees are mostly scams for suckers, but maybe armed with better knowledge of what i'm getting into, a bit more focus and more realistic expectations; I can appropriately navigate through the treacherous marshes of keynsian brainwashing into the orange light of sticking it to the man. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/819302

@ 798d712f:d2bac2e3

Every year that is passing, we learn more things about Bitcoin, and we add more hours to our knowledge base. For me, this year I learned more about how Bitcoin can work as a company's and a country's reserve asset. So now I am excited about next year when many more companies and countries are considering to add Bitcoin to their balance sheet. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/819208

@ c239c0f9:fa4a5015

`Block:` **`#875725`** `- Dec 2024` **The Monthly Thunderbolt Dispatch On LN innovations with the Best posts about the Lightning Network - Exclusively on [Stacker.News](https://Stacker.News/r/HODLR)**  Catch up with the latest features of the events and trends that are shaping the future of the Lightning Network. Each issue covers the latest and greatest advancements and trends dictating the future of the Lightning Network-the very first and most commented insights from around the LN world. In every issuance arrives expert analysis, in-depth interview, and breaking news of the most significant advancements in the Bitcoin Lightning Network. [Subscribe](https://stacker.news/HODLR/r/HODLR) and make sure you don’t miss anything about the Lightning Revolution! Special thanks today to our top contributors @Rsync25, @Roll, @BallLightning and @0xbitcoiner for regularly posting the latest softwares' updates, twats and news... Your contributions are invaluable 🙏 Now let's focus on the top five items for each category, an electrifying selection that hope you'll be able to read before next edition. Happy Zapping! - - - # Top ~Lightning posts Most _zapranked_ posts this month: 1. > [Ecash on Bitcoin - Gandlaf thoughts on ecash, after working on cashu for 2 years](https://stacker.news/items/793450/r/HODLR) by @supratic 4134 sats \ 30 comments \ 3 Dec on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) 2. > [Get ⚡11,000 free sats⚡-- Help us test our "disposable" ☁️ cloud lightning nodes](https://stacker.news/items/803740/r/HODLR) by @rizful_com 1554 sats \ 280k boost \ 49 comments \ 10 Dec on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) 3. > [why is my local balance changing without purpose](https://stacker.news/items/803341/r/HODLR) by @trieska 516 sats \ 9 comments \ 10 Dec on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) 4. > [ZEUS Pay Lightning Address Fees Slashed to zero](https://stacker.news/items/791836/r/HODLR) by @BitcoinPilgrim 721 sats \ 8 comments \ 2 Dec on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) 5. > [Is there a way to signal temporary downtime with a node](https://stacker.news/items/806557/r/HODLR) by @kepford 399 sats \ 13 comments \ 12 Dec on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) - - - # Top zapped posts 1. > [Breez SDK - Nodeless: Flutter Workshop + Video Tutorial](https://stacker.news/items/784896/r/HODLR) ⚡️ by @_ds 3746 sats \ 9 comments \ 27 Nov on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) 2. > [Lightning Routing Replayer · BlueMatt's Blog](https://stacker.news/items/780014/r/HODLR) by @Rsync25 2381 sats \ 0 comments \ 23 Nov on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) 3. > [Zeus wrapped lightning invoices expiration time](https://stacker.news/items/806327/r/HODLR) by @BallLightning 2096 sats \ 8 comments \ 12 Dec on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) 4. > [Irrevocable fees---stealing from LN using revoked commitment transactions](https://stacker.news/items/804417/r/HODLR) by @Rsync25 1913 sats \ 2 comments \ 11 Dec on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) 5. > [Ease of payment opinions - lightning vs card](https://stacker.news/items/810264/r/HODLR) by @BallLightning 1755 sats \ 2 comments \ 15 Dec on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) - - - # Top Lightning posts outside ~Lightning This month best posts about the Lightning Network outside ~Lightning territory: 1. > [How Bitcoin Scales w/o Forks: the Lightning, Liquid, On-Chain Triangle](https://stacker.news/items/790844/r/HODLR) by @028559d218 19.8k sats \ 10k boost \ 87 comments \ 2 Dec on [`~bitcoin`](https://stacker.news/~bitcoin/r/HODLR/) 2. > [What’s the general amount people send using the Bitcoin Lightning Network?](https://stacker.news/items/803181/r/HODLR) by @aliceandthewonderland 690 sats \ 14 comments \ 10 Dec on [`~bitcoin_beginners`](https://stacker.news/~bitcoin_beginners/r/HODLR/) 3. > [Falkvinge Criticizes Lightning (2018)](https://stacker.news/items/781635/r/HODLR) by @standardcrypto 357 sats \ 7 comments \ 25 Nov on [`~bitcoin`](https://stacker.news/~bitcoin/r/HODLR/) 4. > [Redditors hate Lightning. Probably because LN is banned in the US?](https://stacker.news/items/789382/r/HODLR) by @hyperfree 217 sats \ 23 comments \ 1 Dec on [`~bitcoin`](https://stacker.news/~bitcoin/r/HODLR/) 5. > [Dragtkings but with Bitcoin/lightning](url) by @jawsh 342 sats \ 17 comments \ 6 Dec on [`~Stacker_Sports`](https://stacker.news/~Stacker_Sports/r/HODLR/) - - - # Don't miss: Other relevant posts about the ~Lightning Network > [Lightning receiver privacy](https://stacker.news/items/807067/r/HODLR) by @BallLightning 569 sats \ 32 comments \ 12 Dec on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) > [Onboarding Bitcoin users via lightning](https://stacker.news/items/795080/r/HODLR) by @sirstackalot 641 sats \ 33 comments \ 4 Dec on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) > [Introducing Subaccounts in Alby Hub](https://stacker.news/items/765768/r/HODLR) by @0xbitcoiner with 4175 sats \ 20 comments \ 13 Nov on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) > 💰 [Setup suggestions for my personal lightning node](https://stacker.news/items/811982/r/HODLR) by @CheezeGrater 1015 sats \ 24 comments \ 16 Dec on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) > [Favourite lightning wallets on desktop?](https://stacker.news/items/789983/r/HODLR) by @stack_harder 288 sats \ 37 comments \ 1 Dec on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) - - - # Forever top ~Lightning _La crème de la crème_... 1. > [Lightning Wallets: Self-Custody Despite Poor Network - Apps Tested in Zimbabwe](https://stacker.news/items/403662/r/HODLR) by @anita 72.8k sats \ 38 comments \ 28 Jan on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) 2. > 📊 ["Lightning Network 📊 How often do you use Lightning for transactions?](https://stacker.news/items/387452/r/HODLR) by @localhost 1923 sats \ 34 comments \ 14 Jan on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) 3. > [Lightning privacy tips for beginners?](https://stacker.news/items/375022/r/HODLR) by @BountifulB 5617 sats \ 20 comments \ 3 Jan on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) 4. > [New Lightning Use Case Unlocked](https://stacker.news/items/379076/r/HODLR) by @kr 5528 sats \ 23 comments \ 6 Jan on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) 5. > [Will Pleb Hobby Lightning Nodes Be Big, Profitable Enterprises In The Future?](https://stacker.news/items/498302/r/HODLR) by @siggy47 4022 sats \ 37 comments \ 8 Apr on [`~lightning`](https://stacker.news/~lightning/r/HODLR/) - - - # Forever top Lightning posts outside ~Lightning When I'll see all the post below, posted on the ~Lightning territory I'll be happier :) 1. > [Rethinking Lightning](https://stacker.news/items/379225/r/HODLR/) by @benthecarman with 51.6k sats \ 137 comments \ 6 Jan on [`~bitcoin`](https://stacker.news/~bitcoin/r/HODLR/) 2. > [Zaplocker.com: a non-custodial lightning address server (no node needed!)](https://stacker.news/items/234331/r/HODLR/) by @supertestnet with 16.4k sats \ 57 comments \ 24 Aug 2023 on [`~bitcoin`](https://stacker.news/~bitcoin/r/HODLR/) 3. > [Lightning Prediction Market MVP - delphi.market](https://stacker.news/items/337637/r/HODLR/) by @ek with 34.1k sats \ 59 comments \ 4 Dec 2023 on [`~bitcoin`](https://stacker.news/~bitcoin/r/HODLR/) 4. > [Lightning Everywhere](https://stacker.news/items/213347/r/HODLR/) by @TonyGiorgio with 12k sats \ 27 comments \ 24 Jul 2023 on [`~bitcoin`](https://stacker.news/~bitcoin/r/HODLR/) 5. > [I'm Calle, a Physicist and Programmer who fell in love with Lightning - AMA](https://stacker.news/items/109473/r/HODLR/) by @calle with 110.7k sats \ 79 comments \ @calle 20 Dec 2022 on [`~bitcoin`](https://stacker.news/~bitcoin/r/HODLR/) - - -  ``` #bitcoin #lightning #LN #GM #zap #zapathon #plebs #satoshis #introductions #tech #asknostr #coffeechain #btc #村上さん生誕祭2024 ##bitcoin #plebchain #zaps #nostr #freedom #grownostr #proofofconcept #siamstr ``` originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/818969

@ 04222fa1:634e9de5

Spouse Mother-in-law Child $20m Dog originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/818843

@ 08ed25d0:ef053747

Another year is coming to a close, so it's time to take stock and look back on the year in Bitcoin in New Zealand in 2024\. In this article we'll summarize the highlights and happenings in the Bitcoin scene in 2024, provide a snapshot of the regulatory and political scene and share some thoughts about what will happen next year. Globally, this felt like a real year of important groundwork being laid and Bitcoiners around the world are daring to dream that this is the start of "hyper-bitcoinization". So how has that felt from New Zealand?Let's dive in and find out. ### **Article Contents & Quick Links** * [The Bitcoin Community in New Zealand](#the-bitcoin-community-in-new-zealand) * [Bitcoin Adoption in New Zealand](#bitcoin-adoption-in-new-zealand) * [Bitcoin Businesses in New Zealand](#bitcoin-businesses-in-new-zealand) * [Bitcoin Mining in New Zealand](#bitcoin-mining-in-new-zealand) * [Bitcoin Media in New Zealand](#bitcoin-media-in-new-zealand) * [Why do we need BItcoin in NZ \- House Prices, Consumer Prices & Monetary Inflation](#why-do-we-need-bitcoin-in-new-zealand-in-2024-and-beyond?) * [Government Finances and Political Landscape](#government-deficits-&-debt) * [Other Bitcoin Projects in New Zealand](#other-bitcoin-projects-&-initiatives-in-new-zealand) * [Bitcoin vs NZD](#bitcoin-vs-the-new-zealand-dollar) * [What will 2025 bring for Bitcoin in New Zealand?](#what-will-2025-bring-for-bitcoin-in-new-zealand) ### **The Bitcoin community in New Zealand** We'll start with the shining light on the Bitcoin scene in NZ, the community. As we explain to overseas Bitcoiners when they visit, there really is a "national Bitcoin scene" in New Zealand and it's not that hard to meet and get to know Bitcoiners from all over the country. We're all in the same time zone, travel times are short and all the events are open and welcoming. #### **Bitkiwi \- the heart and soul of the New Zealand Bitcoin community** If there is a heart of the Kiwi Bitcoin community, this is it. Bitkiwi has gone from strength to strength in 2024 with events in Queenstown (fast becoming the main event of the year), Wellington (the halving party) and Christchurch. Bitkiwi events are always free to anyone, relaxed and fun. You can buy beer and books with sats and meet other Kiwi bitcoiners. This year we had speakers, panel discussions and even a live feed with Melbourne bitcoiners for the halving party in April. We even had our own live performance from TipNZ at Bitkiwi VIII in Queenstown\!  In 2025, Bitkiwi will be on again in Queenstown (March), Auckland (July) and Wellington (October). [Find out more about Bitikiwi here.](https://kiwibitcoinguide.org/home/bitkiwi-meetups/) #### **Bitcoin meetups in New Zealand** There are now regular meetups in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. Other meetups and events are on in other places too, connect with Bitcoiners on X or Nostr to find one near you. [Bitcoin meetups and other events are posted here.](https://kiwibitcoinguide.org/#events) ### **Bitcoin adoption in New Zealand** A year on from our review of the Bitcoin scene in New Zealand in 2023, how is adoption looking now? Finding the exact number of people that hold bitcoin is difficult as it's a decentralized open protocol with no central authority running everything, so the best we can do is estimates. In mid 2024 a survey, New Zealand shitcoin casino Easy Crypto commissioned a survey which gives a good insight into the "crypto" adoption in New Zealand. The survey found that 14% of New Zealanders either own or are considering buying "crypto" assets. The number of people considering purchasing "crypto" is around 45%. This is a similar number to the figure we reported last year. The IRD (New Zealand's tax department) have identified 227,000 people as having made crypto trades on exchanges and one New Zealand exchange disclosed they have 250,000 customers. From an overall population of 5 million people, this is fairly low uptake and these numbers lump bitcoin and "crypto" in together, which we all know is not accurate. So this represents a similar level of ownership to last year. The launch of the Bitcoin ETFs in 2024 will make bitcoin exposure easier to New Zealanders as it's now possible for individuals to invest directly and Kiwisaver providers can now include ETSs in their fund. As of 2024 there was only one Kiwisaver provider who has included exposure to the Bitcoin ETFs in their fund and it is worth noting that had gains of 116% this year. [Source: Morningstar KiwiSaver Survey September 2024](https://www.morningstar.com.au/insights/funds/257124/kiwisaver-survey-september-quarter-2024) This fund (Koura) recently made the decision to only hold bitcoin in their "crypto" fund, and even change the name of the fund from "Koura Carbon Neutral Crypto Fund" to "Koura Bitcoin Fund". #### **Merchant adoption in New Zealand** For this metric, we used the proxy of BTCmap.org. In our 2023 review (written in October) there were 30 merchants in New Zealand on the map. This year 47 merchants are listed, a healthy increase. The South Island has 30 merchants and the North Island 17, an interesting mix considering the population differences. It's still early but community members regularly hear from merchants who are interested in accepting bitcoin, with community members doing the hard yards to help merchants and get them set up. The number of merchants accepting bitcoin in Queenstown has shown a good increase, and there was great work in Auckland getting a pharmacy from a national chain on board.  ### **Bitcoin merchants in New Zealand** Here's a comparison of other locations around the world with similar populations, from 2023 to 2024\. | | Oct 2023 | Dec 2024 | Change | | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | | New Zealand | 30 | 47 | \+57% | | Sydney | 23 | 22 | \-4% | | Ireland | 24 | 22 | \-8% | | Finland | 34 | 22 | \-35% | | Costa Rica | 54 | 81 | \+50% | Globally, it's still places like El Salvador and Lugano with the most merchant adoption. But it's worth noting rising merchant adoption in Africa and like last year, the Isle of Man punches way above its weight with 42 merchants for a population of 84,000. On a per capita basis, Lugano in Switzerland leads the way with 267 merchants for a population of 67,000. Source: [btcmap.org](https://btcmap.org/) ### **Bitcoin businesses in New Zealand** In terms of financial services for bitcoiners in New Zealand, 2024 was a breakout year with the launch of Lightning Pay, a Kiwi owned and operated business offering the quickest and easiest way to convert NZD into bitcoin and for merchants to accept bitcoin. For purchases Lightning Pay offers an API connection to your NZ bank account, making the transfer of NZD seamless, fast and cheap. They also support withdrawals on the Lightning network, meaning receiving your bitcoin is fast and at the lowest possible fee rate. Lightning Pay offers competitive rates and low fees, so it's a real change in the marketplace for Kiwis. [Read more about our recent test to find out where the best place to buy bitcoin in New Zealand is here.](https://kiwibitcoinguide.org/articles-and-guides/where-to-buy-bitcoin-in-new-zealand/) Lightning Pay also offers merchant services, allowing businesses to accept bitcoin payments at zero fees. This is the ultimate use case for bitcoin and lightning, getting rid of the legacy merchants and card fees charged by credit card companies and payment providers. [Find out more about Lightning Pay here.](https://lightningpay.nz/) ***Just before publishing this article, Lightning Pay won the Startup of the Year award from Web3 New Zealand.*** ### **Bitcoin mining in New Zealand** With an abundance of hydro power, New Zealand could adopt bitcoin mining and be a global leader. We also have one of the leading global voices on sustainable Bitcoin mining in Daniel Batten. Many people are surprised to hear that bitcoin mining using renewable electricity happens in New Zealand, with South Island company Gridshare partnering with Pioneer energy at Lake Monowai in Southland. Gridshare is the leading New Zealand bitcoin mining company, based in the South Island and uses 100% renewable energy for their data centres. Bitcoin mining is a global industry and Gridshare is partnering with C4 Capital (Daniel Batten's firm) to mine bitcoin at landfills in South America. This is an under reported but extremely strong case for bitcoin mining \- bitcoin miners located at landfills can mitigate the most polluting greenhouse gas of all, methane, while providing additional revenue to the landfill owner. [Listen to an update on Bitcoin mining in New Zealand with Sam Kivi from Gridshare here.](https://www.thetransformationofvalue.com/episodes/opportunities-for-methane-capture-and-bitcoin-mining-with-sam-kivi) #### **The world's leading voice on sustainable Bitcoin mining \- Daniel Batten** Featured in last year's article as one of the prominent Kiwi voices on the global Bitcoin stage, in 2024 Daniel Batten has continued to educate, challenge and engage media and the public about sustainable Bitcoin mining. His approach is data and research backed, it's very compelling and the way he communicates new ideas to critics is refreshing and polite. If there's one voice that Kiwis should listen to about Bitcoin mining, it's Daniel’s. [See Daniel's talk on Sovereign Wealth Fund interest in Bitcoin mining and Energy misinformation in October in Frankfurt.](https://youtu.be/7AN4JSfKW8g?si=-zJGTtnNAX5Nz_PP) The case Daniel makes in this talk is very compelling. The Bitcoin mining network is already using over 50% renewable energy and it would only take 35 more landfill mining sites to make the entire Bitcoin network a net reducer of atmospheric CO2.  ### **Bitcoin media in New Zealand** Independent outlets and media lead the way on Bitcoin coverage in New Zealand, although in 2024 we have started seeing more coverage of Bitcoin in mainstream outlets too. #### **The Transformation of Value Podcast** This is Kiwi Bitcoiner Cody Ellingham's podcast, now into its third year and over 100 episodes he's become the voice of Bitcoin in New Zealand. Cody will go deep with a wide range of guests such as international figures like Samson Mow, Allen Farrington and Max Hillebrand, ex Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash and of course many Kiwi Bitcoiners and personalities. ***Cody recently won the Educator and Advocate of the Year award from Web3 New Zealand.*** [Subscribe to the TTOV podcast on Fountain.fm here](https://fountain.fm/show/yeyKUxKjAw151iZAQhcw) #### **NZ Everyday Investor Podcast** While not strictly a Bitcoin podcast, host Darcy Ungaro is obviously a believer in Bitcoin and has been talking about how to introduce Bitcoin into your own investment mix for years. We love the fact Darcy puts it out there but just wonder how much his message is watered down by his mostly traditional client base and "crypto" sponsors. But he's doing the work and getting the message to new people so well done Darcy. [Listen to Darcy's recent interview with Australian Bitcoiner Peter Dunworth.](https://youtu.be/I5tcR27xXDI?si=1LZs1q-ZCPzVs5vJ) #### **Reality Check Radio** Also not a Bitcoin podcast, but definitely a new media channel with the balls to cover topics such as Bitcoin. A scroll through the episodes reveals a range of topics that would make your regular TVNZ & RNZ listener clutch their pearls in anguish. In a recent interview with Kiwi Bitcoin James Viggiano I was impressed with host Dieuwe de Boer's knowledge and understanding of Bitcoin as they discussed the opportunities Bitcoin represents for New Zealand. He's obviously done some work and understands the problems Bitcoin can solve. [Listen to James and Dieuwe's conversation about Bitcoin in New Zealand here.](https://realitycheck.radio/replay/james-viggiano-bitcoin-advocate-nzs-geothermal-mining-future-and-the-digital-cash-revolution-navigating-privacy-in-a-crypto-world/) One takeaway from me from this discussion was the framing of Bitcoin mining as an export opportunity. As an open global network anyone can participate in Bitcoin mining. All the Bitcoin currently bought by Kiwis is essentially imported and paid for with USD, what if we flipped that and started using our own energy resources to mine bitcoin and get paid foreign exchange (or bitcoin\!) to do so. #### **Markets with Madison Reidy** In terms of introducing Bitcoin to mainstream media in NZ in 2024, the award has to go to Madison Reidy. She has obviously done some research and has introduced the topic of Bitcoin this year on her "Markets with Madison" programme on the legacy mainstream media channel of the New Zealand Herald It was Madison's interview with Michael Saylor which he made the quip heard around the Bitcoin world about over zealous "crypto anarchists" insisting to hold their own keys. The Saylor interview was interesting for sure, but in terms of new people trying to find out more about Bitcoin, it just came across as a whole lot of financial engineering that would go over the heads of many regular people. The first interview she did with a well known Bitcoiner was late in 2023 with Larry Lepard, which I would actually recommend as a first take for NZ investors trying to understand how Bitcoin fits into the investment world. [Watch Madison's interview with Larry Lepard here.](https://youtu.be/FtWRAP_9jZo?si=87QAhBLbTpo51G0z) Full credit to Madison for doing the work and getting the Bitcoin message out to Kiwis. She sounds like a Bitcoiner and I've never heard her talk like a shitcoin apologist, although she started getting close in the Saylor interview when he started talking about the tokenization of assets. She even got Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr to bring up Bitcoin in an interview without mentioning it herself which was funny. #### **Unintended Kiwi Bitcoin Media star of the year** While we're talking about Adrian (full steam ahead) Orr, he wins the raspberry award for getting in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. During a presentation to the Parliamentary Select Committee in February, Mr Orr made the comment *"It’s a great business to be in central banking. You print money and people believe it. Touch wood,”*, to which the whole room laughed. This comment went around the Bitcoin world and reminded all of us that the ruling class do not share the same realities as most people, or even understand us. [Mr Orr walked back the statement afterwards, but watch and make up your own mind if you think it's funny that the currency that we have to work is being printed out of thin air.](https://www.tiktok.com/@keepthechangenz/video/7335238174962191634) #### **Tip\_NZ** If Mr Orr is the clown of the year, let us introduce you to the Queen, Tip\_NZ\! She's our own "Post Fiat Poet \- Exploring the Bitcoin universe with visual storytelling, sick beats & profound lyrics". Tip has taken global Bitcoin stages by storm in the last few years and her smiling face regularly brightens the room at Bitkiwi and Auckland meetups. She even gave us a live performance of "Dawn" at Bitkiwi VIII in Queenstown. [Haven't seen any of Tip's beats yet? Here's Dawn.](https://youtu.be/9T4Mj5nrQTQ?si=d_jtUW3G93ezhFr1) ### **Why do we need Bitcoin in New Zealand in 2024 and beyond?** If you're a Bitcoiner in New Zealand and talk to regular people in your life you are still likely to be met with the usual replies that the uninformed mass media patrons will offer you. But one thing everyone agrees on are the problems that need solving. What is happening in New Zealand on a wider scale that Bitcoin can help with? #### **House Prices** In a recent interview with Preston Pysh, James Check described the Australian house market as the most unaffordable in the world. Everything he explained applies equally to the New Zealand housing market. If you want one concrete example of how the fiat system is failing then just look at the median house price vs median household income in New Zealand. Whichever metric you use, housing is already unaffordable for working people in New Zealand. In 2024 the median house price is just under 7 times median household income, anything over 3 times is considered unaffordable. It never used to be this way and doesn't have to. Source: [Interest.co.nz](https://www.interest.co.nz/property/house-price-income-multiples) If Bitcoin is your unit of account, houses are actually getting more affordable, take a look for yourself. #### **NZ Median House Prices in NZD v Bitcoin from 2014 \- 2024** | | NZD Median House Price | Median House Price in BTC | YE NZD BTC Price | | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | | 2014 | $440,000 | 664.63 | $662.02 | | 2015 | $465,000 | 824.76 | $563.80 | | 2016 | $506,100 | 456.54 | $1,108.55 | | 2017 | $550,000 | 22.27 | $24,696.53 | | 2018 | $560,000 | 85.41 | $6,556.73 | | 2019 | $585,000 | 43.33 | $13,500.54 | | 2020 | $675,000 | 26.18 | $25,781.72 | | 2021 | $820,000 | 10.80 | $75,921.94 | | 2022 | $790,000 | 30.31 | $26,063.17 | | 2023 | $779,830 | 11.70 | $66,654.16 | | 2024\* | $795,500 | 6.57 | $121,146.59\* | | Source | REINZ | | CoinmarketCap | The 2024 NZD bitcoin price is taken from 31 Oct 2024, the last date for which median house prices were available. The takeaway here is clear \- the NZD is losing purchasing power in the housing market but Bitcoin is not. If you're saving in bitcoin and using that as your unit of account, houses are becoming more affordable. Kiwis choose real estate as the most common form of store of value. Imagine how much more affordable housing would be if housing was just required for its utility value, not as a proxy store of value because our base money won't do the job. #### **Consumer Prices** The Consumer Price Index is calculated every 3 months, with the most recent index in September 2024 showing a 2.2% increase, down from the 6-7% levels of 2021 \- 2023\. But is life more affordable for most Kiwis? What do you think, what do you see in your life? Source: [CPI figures on NZ Stats](https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/consumers-price-index-cpi/) Rates, insurance, healthcare and nutritious food all seem to be increasing way more than 2% to me. Why do we need inflation anyway? That's another rabbit hole but consider this \- at 2% inflation your money loses half its purchasing power in 36 years, at 3% inflation (the higher end of the RBNZ target) you lose half your purchasing power in 24 years. If we meet the official target inflation rate of the RBNZ this will ensure half of our purchasing power is eroded, so tell me again, why do we need inflation? And remember, CPI only includes a basket of arbitrarily determined goods and services. But we all live different lives, CPI cannot capture the goods and services different kinds of people need. If you're a university student, a family with young children, empty nesters or a retiree living in a retirement village the goods and services you require are very different. There's no way one single number calculated from an arbitrary selection of goods and services can be accurate for everyone. As with housing, when you start looking at prices in Bitcoin terms, that supermarket bill and fuel for the car gets more affordable, not less. #### **Monetary Inflation** After looking at housing and consumer price inflation, let's look at monetary inflation. What is this? It's how much the overall supply of money in the economy increases, i.e. how many NZD are floating around chasing goods. The more money there is, the more prices go up, its basic supply and demand. As the NZD is not backed by gold (or anything else) the quantity is not fixed and the more dollars issued by the RBNZ (as happened during Covid) and through lending by banks (as happens all the time), there's more money in the economy so prices will go up. Here's an interesting fact, since 1988 NZD base money (NZD notes & coins and commercial bank deposits with the RBNZ) has increased on average by 16% each year. This doesn't include the additional NZD issued by banks through lending, just the base money issued or held by the RBNZ. Another way of looking at this is that the supply of NZD has doubled every 5 years since 1988\. Source: [Porkopolis Economics \- Global Monetary Assets](https://www.porkopolis.io/topmoney/) That's why your dollars lose purchasing power every year, they're making more of them. It makes you think about why property goes up every year, in fact the amount of money supply increases over time matches really tightly to house price increases. Bitcoin is neutral money with a fixed supply and this is enforced by tens of thousands of bitcoin nodes around the world. Nobody can issue more bitcoin, the supply cap of 21 million bitcoin is baked into the code and protected by the world's largest and most powerful computer network. ### **Government Deficits & Debt** Government spending and debt are increasing significantly. In September 2024, our government debt was USD$99 billion (42.5% of GDP), an increase of $67 billion in just five years. The government deficit was USD$7.3 billion, $1 billion more than budgeted and the fifth year in a row the government is spending more than it takes in. A top line comparison to the figures from 2023 show that government debt has increased a lot, USD$11.3 billion in the last year. Sources: [Statement from the NZ Finance minister](https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/accounts-confirm-need-spending-restraint) [NZ government debt figures in USD on CEIC data](https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/new-zealand/national-government-debt#:~:text=New%20Zealand%20National%20Government%20Debt%20reached%20118.8%20USD%20bn%20in,bn%20in%20the%20previous%20quarter.) [NZ government financial statements on the NZ Treasury website](https://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/year-end/financial-statements-2024) ### New Zealand Regulatory and Political Environment for Bitcoin In our 2023 review, we reported that a parliamentary committee was reviewing the regulatory landscape for Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, with a view that new innovations in money would require a new approach to regulation. One year on from this and there has not been a lot of progress, a report has been presented and passed to parliament, the only response was an acknowledgement of the report and noted recommendations. The government issued a response in March. It was a general document, with an acknowledgement of the opportunities that exist with digital assets, recognition of the recommendations made and a statement that more work is required and prod for more work and a statement that New Zealand is following similar regulatory approaches to Australia and the UK. [Read the full response here.](https://www.mbie.govt.nz/dmsdocument/28149-government-responses-to-inquiries-by-the-finance-and-expenditure-committee-into-cryptocurrencies-and-banks-processes-and-consumer-protection-for-scams-proactiverelease-pdf) More broader work on the future of money and development of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is underway through the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. There are no dates visible on the RBNZ's website explaining the next steps, although in public they have committed to being transparent and offering the public multiple opportunities for feedback. So it really seems like we're in a holding pattern in terms of regulation and any political leadership on Bitcoin. The USA is now considering a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and this is proving to be a catalyst for other countries to consider their approaches. New Zealand will have to make some decisions soon on how we will adopt our economy and financial system to Bitcoin. Politicians all over the world are openly talking about Bitcoin and their strategies to it, but here in New Zealand the silence is still deafening. It's up to us to let them know it matters and it matters now. ### The Travel Rule now in place for Exchanges and Brokers One new regulatory development in 2024 was the implementation of OFAC’s “travel rule”, which means that Virtual Asset Service Providers (someone like Lightning Pay) is required to record details and parties of transactions if other Virtual Asset Service Providers outside of New Zealand are involved. Part of this requirement is that all transactions over NZD$1,000 must be submitted to the New Zealand Police Financial Intelligence Unit. If the parties are within New Zealand or for transfers to self hosted wallets then this requirement does not apply. [Read the full guidance for Virtual Asset Service Providers here.](https://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/Files/AML-CFT-2024/$file/VASP-Guidance.pdf) ### **Other Bitcoin Projects & Initiatives in New Zealand** #### **Orange Pill the New Zealand Parliament** An initiative to provide all members of New Zealand's Parliament with copies of the Bitcoin Standard or the Progressive Case for Bitcoin. Fundraising is complete and the books have been ordered, Simon Collins from Stackr and Lightning Pay is running this project. #### **Accept Bitcoin NZ** Another community initiative aimed at helping merchants in New Zealand accept Bitcoin. With the scene still nascent and Kiwis being the friendly folks we are, we even do house calls\! [Find out more about AcceptBitcoin.nz here.](http://acceptbitcoin.nz) ### **Bitcoin vs the New Zealand Dollar** Almost forgot, I'm putting the final touches on this draft the day bitcoin cracked USD$100,000 for the very first time, which translates to approximately NZD$175,000 per bitcoin. On 1 January 2024, 1 BTC was just under NZD$67,000, meaning the NZD has lost more than 250% of its purchasing power against bitcoin. This is pretty alarming, if you still haven't realized how weak the NZD is against a hard currency or asset you need to figure it out because it will affect you, then work out how you're going to deal with it because this is your purchasing power going down the drain. [See the latest NZD BTC price pair on Lightning Pay here.](https://app.lightningpay.nz/) ### **What will 2025 bring for Bitcoin in New Zealand?** It seems very clear that 2025 will be a watershed year for Bitcoin globally. All through 2024 the scene has been set, from the launch of the Bitcoin ETFs in January to the US election in November. December could bring even more developments, with Microsoft voting on whether to invest in Bitcoin or not at their shareholder's meeting. Bitcoin is here on the global stage, it's a USD 2 Trillion asset, a neutral, open, rules based digital monetary network outside the control of any one person, company or government. It's the future of money and every single one of us, from individuals to nation states need to work out how to engage with it. New Zealand has the same opportunity as any other country in front of us right now, we can open our economy and markets to Bitcoin or continue to use an inefficient and outdated monetary system which has inflation built in at the core which hurts all of us. It's on us now. #### **Resources & Articles** [The Bitcoin scene in New Zealand in 2023](https://kiwibitcoinguide.org/articles-and-guides/bitcoin-scene-new-zealand-2023/) [Where to buy Bitcoin in New Zealand in 2024?](https://kiwibitcoinguide.org/articles-and-guides/where-to-buy-bitcoin-in-new-zealand/) [RBNZ Governor Adrian Orr makes a cameo in a Central Bankers walk of shame video\!](https://youtu.be/7jQoSMhdFqw?si=MVoyzBcE-DXkw5tE) originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/818517

@ 31bdca15:aac01582

OpenAI released a new model called "o3" as part of their shipmas product release cycle 87.5% on ARC AGI (humans are rougly 85%), while the last generation o1 was suck in the 30%ish area  https://x.com/arcprize/status/1870169260850573333 originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/818027

@ f8d42124:ead0d4a2

Hello Stackers! What a delight to spend time with you all today. Excited to see what questions you ask. I'm aware that I'm not a big name in Bitcoin so here's a bit about me! I’m a research and interview journalist with a passion for Bitcoin. I love travel, surfing and adventure. I left mainstream reporting at Oxford Business Group and in 2020 to pursue real, source-based Bitcoin journalism. After three years as a reporter at Cointelegraph, I began sharing videos and stories under the name Joe Nakamoto. I also moonlight as an MC at Bitcoin and crypto conferences—sometimes I troll them—but most of my time is spent creating mini-documentaries for my YouTube channel. Subscribe to check out my work: @JoeNakamoto on Youtube. I am REALLY trying to grow Youtube to meet more and more crypto people and normies. Although I always try to share the links on here! originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/817928

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

This week, we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming. - We're going to recap the NBA Emirates Cup and our corresponding survivor pool (Congrats to @Carresan). - We also have updated NBA power rankings to argue about, plus early trade speculation and the new All Star Game format - We'll give our thoughts on the NFL playoff picture, plus why we're each hopeful about our loser teams. - Several ~Stacker_Sports contests are ongoing and upcoming: UEFA, Cricket, College Football, NFL Pick 'ems and fantasy playoffs - Something about Inside the NHL being renewed. I assume that's a show. - And, of course, updating everyone on our recent sports betting adventures in Degenerate Corner Share your thoughts about those or any other sports topics and we'll try to fit them into the conversation. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/817666

@ acc925af:db9fb0bb

https://x.com/everythingsats/status/1870092803226652867 In a "what-part-of-this-cycle-are-we-in" episode, we are literally witnessing a glitch in the matrix, cos this would leave a massive dent. I am here for all of it🍿🍿🤣🤣 originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/817580

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Here are the box score averages of two 6'6" NBA guards. Which one is Jordan and who is the other? | Player | eFG% | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks | |--------|--------|-------|-------------|--------|--------|---------| | 1 | 0.561 | 30.3 | 5.5 | 6.3 | 1.9 | 1.0 | | 2 | 0.547 | 31.5 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 2.7 | 1.0 | What's the significance of this comparison? originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/817115

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

After being on vacation with my parents, I have to wonder how people live like that. My parents are both great people and even better grandparents, but so much uninterrupted time together becomes immensely tedious. Maybe, over even more time together, you develop habits and patterns that smooth off some of the edges. We've been thinking about moving and part of that calculation is whether we should be preparing for the inevitability of having one of my parents move in with us, when that time comes. Hopefully, that day is far off in the future because 1. I love them and want them around for a long time, 2. I want my daughter to have a great relationship with them for a long time, and 3. I'd be annoyed out of my mind if I had to live with one of them. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/816929

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

The NBA All Star Game is no more. After last year's humiliation, Adam Silver has decided to shake things up. # Format Similar to the NHL, they are going to replace the All Star Game with a tournament. There will be five teams involved: three made up of the All Stars and two made up of the Rising Stars. The 24 All Stars will be drafted into three teams by the TNT crew, while the winner of the Rising Stars challenge will advance to the final four. There will then be a semifinals match, with the winners moving on to the championship round. The games are pickup style games to 30 points. # Thoughts I'm glad they're switching it up, but I don't know why the players would be expected to try any harder in this new format. The Rising Stars will be going all out, which might make whichever All Star team they face play a little harder. Eight players is too many for pickup. They should have split the All Stars into four teams of six and just play to 21 like normal. What do you all think about this new format? originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/816168

@ e968e50b:db2a803a

...except it's the [GM filter](https://nostrminusnostr.vercel.app/gm) you never wanted. [ONLY GM!](https://nostrminusnostr.vercel.app/gm) # nostrminusnostr For those unaware, [nostrminusnostr](https://nostrminusnostr.vercel.app/) is the nostr client for the countless nostr users who intent to use nostr for anything other than talking about nostr (or bitcoin). Not only is all nostr and bitcoin content totally filtered out, but so are smaller notes that don't really contain any substance worth reading. You can only zap one amount of 2000 sats at a time, forcing you to save your zaps for truly worthy content. In addition to the original [Pizza Party](https://nostrminusnostr.vercel.app/pizza) version (objectively the greatest UI in all of social media), the dev team at nostrminusnostr has worked hard to bring you: - [Sports](https://nostrminusnostr.vercel.app/sports) This is all of nostr's sports content. (mostly news from bots right now) - [Kittens](https://nostrminusnostr.vercel.app/kittens) This area actually **only** features notes about bitcoin and nostr, but those words are replaced with puppies and kittens, as are all the pictures. - [Alt Coints](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxjY_YTksKM) This is where all things alt coins are discussed. It is very popular among users of stacker news and will probably make you rich. - AND NOW INTRODUCING... # [GM](https://nostrminusnostr.vercel.app/gm) [This where you can go to see the TRILLIONS[^1] of posts of people just writing two letters for the world. Zaps are enabled here, although highly discouraged. All wishing of good morning and good night area included, opening you up to the wide world of nostr's obsession with the well-wishing of the day's bookends. It feature the same, visually stunning mastery users have grown to expect from nostrminusnostr and is now available at the click of a button.](https://nostrminusnostr.vercel.app/gm)  [^1]: as of August 2024, GMs on nostr have officially surpassed the dollar balance of the US national debt originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/816163

@ dbb19ae0:c3f22d5a

Inspired by a video on [youtube](https://youtu.be/OxPdPOsbxY8) I wrote a calculator with Perl: Beware the line my ($num1, $num2, $operator) = '@'_; should be my ($num1, $num2, $operator) = @_; But the markdown syntax needs to have the @ into quotes otherwise, well the rest of the program is missing #!/usr/bin/perl # calculator # use strict; use warnings; sub get_input { print "Enter number 1: "; chomp(my $num1 = <STDIN>); print "Enter number 2: "; chomp(my $num2 = <STDIN>); print "Enter operator (+, -, *, /): "; chomp(my $operator = <STDIN>); return ($num1, $num2, $operator); } sub calculate { my ($num1, $num2, $operator) = '@'_; my $result; if ($operator eq '+') { $result = $num1 + $num2; } elsif ($operator eq '-') { $result = $num1 - $num2; } elsif ($operator eq '*') { $result = $num1 * $num2; } elsif ($operator eq '/') { if ($num2 == 0) { die "Error: Division by zero\n"; } $result = $num1 / $num2; } else { die "Invalid operator\n"; } return $result; } # Get input from the user my ($num1, $num2, $operator) = get_input(); # Calculate the result my $result = calculate($num1, $num2, $operator); # Print the result print "$num1 $operator $num2 = $result\n"; originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/816121

@ b81776c3:4ef76c2a

**How To Sell Your Bitcoin** Selling Bitcoin isn’t just a transaction—it’s a strategy. Whether you're liquidating for necessity or rebalancing your portfolio, how you sell matters as much as why. **Understand the Market Dynamics** Bitcoin operates in a decentralised marketplace where prices are influenced by supply, demand, and holder behaviour. Unlike traditional assets, Bitcoin’s value is shaped by those with long-term conviction. **Sell With Discipline** The golden rule: never accept Bids unless absolutely necessary. Bids represent the buyer’s highest offer and the spread will undervalue your Bitcoin. Instead, set an Ask price at or above the current market bid. Patience is key; by holding your Ask, you let the market rise to meet you. **Timing Matters** Assess your financial needs and market conditions. Selling during periods of high volatility or at the height of media frenzy may result in suboptimal outcomes. Instead, focus on long-term trends and avoid impulsive decisions. **Use Reputable Platforms** Choose exchanges or platforms with high liquidity and strong security. Ensure you understand their fee structures and withdrawal policies to maximise your returns. **Tax Implications** In some jurisdictions, selling Bitcoin is a taxable event. Familiarise yourself with local tax laws, reporting requirements, and strategies to minimise your tax liability, such as holding periods for capital gains benefits. **The Strategic Hold** Sometimes, the best way to sell is not to sell at all. Bitcoin’s unique position as a deflationary asset often rewards those who can wait. By participating in the rise of the lowest Ask, you contribute to price stability and ensure a stronger market. **Conclusion** Selling Bitcoin is as much about mindset as it is about mechanics. By approaching the process with discipline, patience, and strategy, you can maximise your returns while respecting the broader market's integrity. Bitcoin, ultimately, rewards those with the resolve to see its long-term potential. --- originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/815334

@ d61f3bc5:0da6ef4a

January 2025 will mark two years since we started building Primal. Our goal was to create the best possible user experience for Nostr and make it accessible to everyone. We reached a big milestone towards realizing that vision with the recent Primal 2.0 release. It’s still early days, a lot more work lies ahead, but we thought the timing was right to introduce the Premium tier. Let’s explore what it is, why we built it, what’s included, and how it will evolve moving forward. ## What Primal Premium Is The idea behind Primal Premium is simple: integrate all tools and services required for the best Nostr experience into a single package. For $7 per month, Premium users get a *Primal Name* and *Nostr Tools* built by Primal. We’ll cover those in more detail below, but first we should make a crucial point: by signing up for Premium, you are in no way locked in to Primal. Quite the contrary, you can pick and choose which Premium features you wish to enable and use within other Nostr products. Openness is Nostr’s killer feature. Any product that wishes to truly empower the user needs to interoperate with Nostr’s budding ecosystem. The feed marketplace is a great example. External feeds are first-class citizens within all Primal apps. Primal feeds are available in other Nostr clients. We are working on Premium feeds, which our users will be able to enjoy within Primal or other Nostr apps. Media hosting is another example. Our upcoming support for the Blossom protocol will make Primal Premium media hosting interoperable with other Nostr apps and media hosting services. The common theme here is user choice. Nostr offers the highest level of user agency, and the compounding effect of interoperable products and services is bound to make Nostr immensely powerful. ## Why We Built Premium and Why Now What is unfolding on Nostr right now is unique and special. The first truly self-sovereign network is being bootstrapped by this early cohort of users and builders. People are literally holding the keys to their online presence. Network infrastructure – relays, indexers, media hosting services, etc. – is being stood up organically and without any central planning or coordination. Hundreds of independent projects are adding new capabilities to Nostr without needing permission. The whole thing is truly a sight to behold. In addition to fixing the fundamentals of the network, it is equally important that we fix the broken incentives that plague the legacy Web. The status quo of monetization via advertising, which turns users into products to be farmed, has overstayed its welcome. At Primal, we don’t monetize user data. Our users are our customers. We only make money when the user decides that we are providing a valuable service – and pays for it. That means that our users’ interests are aligned with ours. It allows us to wake up every morning and work all day to make the product better for our users. Some might say that it is too early to try to monetize a Nostr product. We definitely need to be thoughtful about paywalling important features while the network is so young. For example, advanced search is a Primal Premium feature, but we enable it for all users up to 20 search results. That makes it quite usable for anyone on Nostr, but power users get the ability to save these searches and create powerful specialized feeds. It is crucial to have commercially successful projects on Nostr that have their incentives aligned with those of their users. We are working on new features and monetization methods that follow this philosophy. The more we experiment on Nostr, the faster we will learn what works and unlock the full potential of this network. I have a feeling that a lot remains to be discovered, and Primal Premium is just the first step. Now, let’s take a closer look at what is included in Premium: *Primal Name* and *Nostr Tools*. ## Primal Name  A Primal Name is a unique name on the primal.net domain that offers three features: 1. **Verified Nostr address (NIP-05)**. This signals to the Nostr network that your account (npub) has been verified by Primal. Note that we don’t perform identity verification; we are simply signaling that this is a Primal Premium user. Users can pay with sats, preserving their privacy while signaling to the network that this verified account is not a bot. 2. **Friendly Bitcoin Lightning address**. Primal’s built-in hosted wallet creates a randomly generated lightning address for every user. They look like this: bluedog25@primal.net. Premium users get to pick their name, so their lightning address is more personalized (e.g. preston@primal.net). 3. **VIP profile on primal.net**. This is simply a friendly URL to your profile on primal.net. We are working on adding profile customization features for Premium users; stay tuned! In summary, a Primal Name makes you easier to find on Nostr. You are free to use any of these three Primal Name elements as you see fit. If you wish to use your Primal Nostr address and/or Lightning address, simply update your Nostr profile with those entries. ## Nostr Tools  Nostr Tools is a collection of features that we think would be useful to any Nostr power user. We are continuously working on expanding these capabilities, but the initial set of features includes: - **Media management**. Primal Premium comes with 10GB of media storage (compared to 1GB for free accounts). We implemented a slick interface for managing all media you have on Primal. - **Contact list backup**. Many Nostr users have experienced the loss of their contact list (i.e., their follow list) when using different clients. We store the history of the contact list for Primal Premium users and make it easy to recover. - **Content backup**. Nostr users post their content to a collection of public relays. These relays typically don’t offer guarantees that they will store the content for any amount of time. We back up all content posted by Primal Premium users and make it easy to rebroadcast it to the specified relays at any time. ## Primal Legends  The idea for the Primal Legend tier was suggested to me by Gigi a couple of months prior to the launch of Primal 2.0. His argument was simple: “There are users on Nostr who really appreciate Primal and are willing to pay way more than $7 / month to support the project. You should *let them* pay and *recognize them* for doing so.” I am really glad that Gigi convinced me to introduce the Legend tier. Nostr is truly a special place. The early users are extremely passionate and mission driven. They care about growing and improving Nostr as much as the builders do. At first, I thought of the term “Legend” as a bit tongue in cheek, but then I met and chatted with some of these people. Man, they are incredible. They just wish to support the network and the builders of open source software in any way they can. So now I think the term is appropriate. We are humbled by the support we received. Our first Legend supporter was none other than Jack. He found this option in the product and paid for the Legend tier literally an hour after Primal 2.0 was released. Thank you, sir, and thank you to all the other Legends out there! 💜🫂 ## What Comes Next? We are delighted and encouraged by the market response to Primal Premium. It is already clear to us that we are on the right path. We will lean into it even harder from here. There will be MOAR Premium features, while at the same time we will make sure that the free product remains excellent. Since you, the user, are the customer, tell us what you would like to see added to Primal Premium. Pura Vida 🤙

@ eac63075:b4988b48

[🇧🇷 pt-br version](https://www.eddieoz.com/policing-by-design-como-os-novos-planos-de-vigilancia-da-ue-ameacam-a-privacidade-e-a-seguranca/) The European Union is at a crossroads. While digital innovation and security cooperation remain critical in a connected world, recent proposals to enhance police surveillance and data sharing are stirring deep concerns about individual privacy, data security, and democratic oversight. Two recent reports published by *Statewatch* shed light on troubling developments in the EU’s policing landscape, raising alarms among privacy advocates and civil rights organizations. The EU’s new plans to expand police surveillance could put your privacy and rights at risk and introduce risks far outweighing their potential benefits. This article will analyze these proposals, their implications, and the growing opposition from privacy and civil liberties defenders. [Listen the Podcast (Spotify)](https://open.spotify.com/episode/79NheodjVb0C87gCgaDVVE) [Listen the Podcast (Fountain)](https://www.fountain.fm/episode/Da4mQAi7n4I9ZoRswiL5) # **Surveillance Infrastructure: Policing by Design** The first *Statewatch* report, titled [“Policing by Design: The Latest EU Surveillance Plan”](https://www.statewatch.org/news/2024/june/policing-by-design-the-latest-eu-surveillance-plan/), outlines a concerning trend in the EU’s approach to law enforcement. The proposals advocate embedding surveillance tools directly into the design of new technologies, effectively creating an architecture where policing capabilities are integrated into the systems we use daily. From facial recognition cameras to AI-driven analytics, the EU plans to enhance cross-border police cooperation by ensuring technology is designed to facilitate surveillance from the outset. Known as “policing by design,” this strategy involves building surveillance features directly into technologies we use every day. Imagine a network of cameras or software that can automatically monitor people’s faces or behaviors without any extra installation — it’s like your everyday tech quietly doubling as a police tool. The goal is to enable seamless sharing of data across borders for criminal investigations, but the unintended consequences are alarming. ## **The Problem with “Policing by Design”** 1. Mass Surveillance Normalized: By embedding surveillance features into public and private infrastructure, society risks normalizing mass surveillance, where every movement, transaction, or online interaction is monitored and analyzed. 2. Threats to Privacy: Such initiatives inherently contradict the principle of *privacy by design*, which prioritizes privacy protections in the development of technology. Instead, citizens are being treated as subjects of perpetual suspicion. 3. Lack of Transparency and Accountability: A systemic lack of transparency surrounding these plans raises serious governance issues. Civil society organizations, journalists, and privacy advocates have pointed to a lack of democratic oversight and meaningful debate. 4. Risks of Abuse: Surveillance systems are often deployed under the guise of security but are susceptible to abuse. History shows that tools designed for law enforcement can easily be turned against dissenters, journalists, or marginalized communities. As the report highlights, these developments could establish a permanent surveillance infrastructure across Europe, enabling the collection of biometric, behavioral, and communications data on an unprecedented scale. ## **Flawed Justifications for Surveillance Expansion** Privacy advocacy organizations, including the European Digital Rights (EDRi) network, argue that much of the justification for these surveillance plans relies on flawed assumptions. The rhetoric of the *“Going Dark”* report, which claims that law enforcement is losing access to communications due to encryption, has been widely debunked. As EDRi points out, law enforcement already has extensive tools at their disposal to access data and track individuals, but the focus on encryption risks undermining secure communication for everyone. Instead of addressing systemic issues within law enforcement, these flawed reports have fueled calls for intrusive surveillance systems that risk eroding privacy while offering little evidence of improving public safety. # **Centralized Police Data: A Substantial Security and Privacy Threat** A second *Statewatch* report, titled [“EU Police Data Plans Pose Substantial Security and Privacy Threats”](https://www.statewatch.org/news/2024/december/eu-police-data-plans-pose-substantial-security-and-privacy-threats/), explores another equally concerning initiative: the EU’s push to centralize police data repositories and expand their use. The EU has already established several large-scale databases, such as the Schengen Information System (SIS), which stores data about individuals who may be denied entry into the EU, and the Europol Information System, which can hold details about millions of people, including those not suspected of crimes. For example, a traveler flagged mistakenly in the system could face unnecessary scrutiny, detention, or restrictions when crossing borders — highlighting the real-world risks of inaccurate or overreaching data collection. The new proposals aim to go further, creating an interoperable web of police data accessible to law enforcement agencies across member states. Proponents argue this is necessary for combating cross-border crime and terrorism, but the risks are immense. ## **Key Concerns with Centralized Police Data** 1. Massive Data Collection: The EU’s proposed systems would require the collection of highly sensitive data, including biometric information (fingerprints, facial recognition scans) and behavioral analytics, to track individuals’ activities across borders. 2. Data Misuse and Security Risks: Centralized data systems are prime targets for cyberattacks, data breaches, and misuse. The larger and more interconnected the system, the greater the risks of unauthorized access, theft, or corruption of the data. 3. As *Statewatch* points out, the systems lack robust safeguards to prevent misuse or to ensure that data is handled proportionately and lawfully. 4. Erosion of Trust in Law Enforcement: Building centralized data repositories without meaningful safeguards undermines public trust. Individuals may be less willing to engage with law enforcement if they fear their data will be stored indefinitely, shared across borders, or used inappropriately. 5. Impact on Fundamental Rights: Mass police databases can violate the principle of proportionality, a cornerstone of EU law. By collecting and sharing data indiscriminately, these systems erode fundamental rights, including the right to privacy, freedom of movement, and the presumption of innocence. ## **Civil Society Opposition and Democratic Accountability** In an open letter to EU institutions, over 30 civil society organizations — including EDRi — have criticized the lack of transparency in the High-Level Group’s (HLG) recommendations for data access. The letter highlights a concerning pattern: while industry stakeholders are included in key discussions, civil society voices remain sidelined. This exclusion undermines democratic accountability and reinforces fears that surveillance policies are being driven by corporate interests rather than public well-being. These organizations have called for the EU to prioritize transparency, include meaningful public debate, and ensure any law enforcement proposals respect proportionality and fundamental rights. # **Why Privacy Advocates Are Sounding the Alarm** The reports from *Statewatch* highlight a fundamental clash between security policy and individual rights. Privacy advocates are urging EU lawmakers to take a step back and critically examine the following issues: 1. Lack of Democratic Oversight: Proposals to integrate surveillance systems and expand police databases are being pushed forward without genuine public debate or oversight. Civil society organizations have been excluded from key discussions. 2. Failure to Uphold Privacy Laws: The EU has some of the strongest privacy laws in the world, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). However, these proposals risk undermining GDPR principles by enabling indiscriminate data collection and sharing. 3. Ignoring Proportionality: Surveillance systems must be targeted, necessary, and proportionate to their objectives. Embedding policing into technological design and centralizing data far exceeds what is justified for fighting crime and terrorism. 4. Setting Dangerous Precedents: The failure to fully ban harmful surveillance technologies like facial recognition in public spaces sets a troubling precedent. It risks not only eroding privacy within the EU but also encouraging other nations to adopt similar measures, undermining global human rights. # **A Call for Action: Safeguarding Our Privacy and Rights** As the EU pushes forward with these plans, the opposition from civil rights defenders grows louder. Policymakers must address the following key demands to prevent an erosion of fundamental rights: - Implement Privacy by Design: All new technologies must prioritize privacy protections at the design stage, ensuring they are not co-opted for surveillance. - Establish Robust Oversight: Any new policing tools or databases must be subject to democratic scrutiny, independent oversight, and clear legal frameworks to prevent misuse. - Reassess Interoperability Plans: Cross-border police cooperation is important, but it must not come at the cost of individuals’ privacy, security, and dignity. - Strengthen Export Controls: The EU must ban the export of surveillance tools that risk facilitating human rights abuses in authoritarian regimes. - Prioritize Data Security: Centralized systems require state-of-the-art security measures to protect sensitive data from breaches or misuse. The EU’s role as a leader in digital rights and privacy is now at stake. If these plans proceed without significant safeguards, Europe risks undermining its own foundational principles of freedom, security, and justice. # **Conclusion: The Price of Surveillance-Driven Security** The EU’s surveillance plans may be presented as necessary for security, but they come at a steep cost to privacy, trust, and individual freedoms. Embedding surveillance into our technologies and centralizing police data pose far-reaching risks that cannot be ignored. As privacy advocates, it is our responsibility to hold policymakers accountable and demand a security framework that upholds, rather than undermines, fundamental rights. Europe’s future must not be built on surveillance by design — but on privacy, democracy, and trust.

@ c239c0f9:fa4a5015

I guess you have been using ~lightning... How? How many newbies? or merchants? Which tool and wallets did you use? What was the strategy? Where? Tell us more! originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/814027

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

It's here! Who's going to walk away with the highly coveted Emirates Cup? I'm pretty sure the Thunder will prevail, but that's why they play the games. You can also live bet the game at [Predyx](https://beta.predyx.com/market/nba-cup-winner). Finally, a hearty congratulations to @Carresan, who won 60k in our survivor pool. (let me know if you got the payment) originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/813752

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

I wanted to share real quick something my daughter did that we were very impressed by. We were at an interactive kids' event. Our daughter was one of the younger kids at it, but there were a couple of younger ones. Towards the end of the event, she won some extra prizes. They were just a bunch of cheap little trinkets, but it was obvious that the other kids were jealous. I don't think she even noticed, and we certainly didn't say anything, but she immediately wanted to share her winnings with all the other kids. She walked all over the space looking for everyone, even kids who didn't know she had gotten the extra prizes, and gave a little bit to everyone. That certainly didn't come from either of her parents. Her instinctive generosity is all her. Are there any virtues you've observed in your kids that didn't obviously come from either parent? originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/813744

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

Finally another version of noStrudel. I keep telling myself I'm going to do more frequent releases but then time keeps getting away from me This release comes with a bunch of news features and most importantly a lot of cleanup ## Features ### Olas media posts You can now view a simple feed of media posts made on https://olas.app/ in the app and comment on them using NIP-22 comments  ### Simple gif picker This was mostly a test, but there is now a simple gif picker (and barely functional search) that is based on `k:1063` events If you want a better search and to help populate the nostr gif library you can use https://gifbuddy.lol created by nostr:npub1hee433872q2gen90cqh2ypwcq9z7y5ugn23etrd2l2rrwpruss8qwmrsv6  ### New support view The *(tiny)* support button at the bottom of the side menu now hides a zap leader board that shows top supporters and any custom messages they leave  ### Favorite DVM feeds You can now favorite DVM feeds in the discover view  ### Tools under notes There is now a simpler tools menu under notes and threads  ### Searching local cache relay If your using [nostr-relay-tray](https://github.com/CodyTseng/nostr-relay-tray) the search view will now use it by default for searching. which should make it a little faster and more reliable  ### Small features - Add "Proactively authenticate to relays" option to privacy settings, defaults to off - Add option for debug API - Add option to hide noStrudel logo in nav bar - Show unknown notifications in notification view - Add templates to event publisher ## Bug fixes - Show nostr mentions in markdown content - Fix delete events not getting published to outbox - Fix page changing from RTL when viewing some profiles - Refresh relay info on relay page - Fix bug with removing "about" in profile editor - Fix automatically disconnecting from authenticated relays ## Applesauce Over the past few months I've been doing tons of cleanup on the core of noStrudel *(677 changed files with 19,683 additions and 17,889 deletions)* and extracting it out into a friendly nostr SDK called [applesauce](https://hzrd149.github.io/applesauce/) Its very much a work-in-progress but the idea with these libraries is to help myself (and maybe others) build the UI layer of nostr apps and eventually make noStrudel just another app that is built with applesauce If your a developer and another nostr SDK sounds interesting to you. you can check out the [Getting Started](https://hzrd149.github.io/applesauce/introduction/getting-started.html) docs

@ 1cb14ab3:95d52462

*Originally written in October 2022 (Block: 757258 / USD: $20.1k / SatsDollar: 4961). Refined with slight edits for publishing on Nostr in December 2024 (Block: 875189 / USD: $106k / SatsDollar: 938 ). Banner image property of Hes. My journey down the rabbit hole has only intensified since the time of writing. Enjoy.* --- The Bitcoin time perspective is wild. Reflecting on it has been profoundly eye-opening, and once it has been seen— there is no returning to our prior ways. Ever since venturing down the rabbit hole that we call Bitcoin, I’ve started making significant life decisions and forming nuanced opinions on polarizing topics based on the implications of multi-generational timeframes. Before Bitcoin, I spent money recklessly, leading a fast-paced and impulsive lifestyle. Even in my early days of learning about Bitcoin, I hadn’t fully seen the light. I would still blow the occasional $500 bar tab or buy some flashy gadget I didn’t need. Living in the moment has its merits, but so does considering the time beyond our own lives. Now, I pause before purchases and decisions, always reflecting on how they might impact the future. When your money isn’t constantly being devalued before your eyes, you start seeing the world differently. You begin saving for the future with confidence, knowing that no central authority can endlessly print away your hard-earned time and energy. Inflation doesn’t just erode purchasing power; it steals time. It destroys the hours, days, and years of effort represented by a lifetime of savings. When governments print money to prop up failing banks or fund inefficient ventures, the impact ripples through generations. Those at the bottom of the ladder are hit the hardest, their ability to save and plan for the future undermined by forces beyond their control. Decisions become focused on surviving today instead of thriving tomorrow, leaving little room to consider the long-term implications of our choices. This system creates a mindset where we are incentivized to spend now, instead of save for later—an unnatural phenomenon that most of us have accepted as normal. For individuals who simply want to put away money for a rainy day, inflation is a relentless adversary. A dollar in 1900 has lost over 96% of its value. The countless hours of labor behind those savings have been stolen. Not only did the expansion of money destroy what they could buy, it stole our time and energy. Years of our lives—blood, sweat, and tears—washed away. This isn’t just a historical problem—it’s a recurring one that occurs every decade or so and is accelerating. At an average inflation rate of 3%, the value of cash halves roughly every 23 years. This means that even modest inflation rates gradually diminish purchasing power over time, forcing individuals to chase speculative assets like stocks, real estate, and gold—not because they want to, but because they have no choice. Personal inflation rates differ depending on consumer habits, but a glance at rising prices reveals they often outpace the 2% annual rate reported by the government, which poses a significant problem for individua;s, as highlighted in the table below: <aside> **Inflation Rate (%)** | **Purchasing Power Halving (Years)** - 2% | 35-40 years - 3% | 20-25 years - 4% | 15-20 years - 5% | 10-15 years - 6% | 7-12 years - 7% | 5-10 years - 8% | 4-8 years - 9% | 3-6 years - 10% | 2-5 years </aside> Corporations like McDonald’s understand this. Sitting on a prime corner lot in every major city is far smarter than stacking a pile of cash losing value. Even if the franchise is losing money, the building it operates in is guaranteed to “rise” in value over time. This mindset trickles down to everyday people. To protect themselves, they’re compelled to invest in assets—with real estate being the pinnacle savings instrument of our time. The financial system we’ve accepted as normal turns shelter into an investment vehicle and savings into a gamble. But here’s the irony: real estate is a lousy store of value—which is what we are all truly seeking. Properties require constant maintenance. Without care, assets deteriorate. We’ve all seen abandoned theme parks and overgrown cities. We’ve all dealt with broken pipes and creaky floorboards. Why should saving our hard-earned wealth require us to become housing market experts, landlords, or property managers? Why should we pay financial advisors to manage stock portfolios full of companies whose values or practices we might not even believe in, just to beat inflation? A flawed monetary system inflates bubbles in real estate and stocks, redirecting resources into speculative markets instead of productive investments. Imagine a world where people don’t have to read quarterly earnings reports after a long day of work to ensure their cash retains value. If the incentives driving these bubbles were removed, the financial landscape would dramatically shift. Inflation wouldn’t push people into markets like real estate or zombie companies; instead, they could focus on building or supporting businesses they genuinely care about. They could plan for the long term and make well-thought-out, rational decisions about their future. Bitcoin takes this entire dynamic and flips it on its head. It isn’t a tool for speculation as often misunderstood. It is the best form of saving humanity has ever seen. Unlike fiat currencies, Bitcoin’s fixed supply ensures scarcity, making it a refuge from the erosion of wealth caused by inflation. As weak currencies flow into stronger ones (a concept known as Gresham’s Law), Bitcoin’s role as a store of value becomes clearer. It’s not that Bitcoin has “gone up 19,000%”—it’s that people are exchanging weaker money for stronger money. The implications of a world on a Bitcoin standard extend far beyond monetary policy. It offers something unprecedented: a tool for transferring the value of labor and energy across time and space. Unlike fiat, Bitcoin allows time to be preserved across generations. It isn’t just a hedge against inflation—it reintroduces the idea of saving with confidence, of being able to store wealth in a form of money that cannot be manipulated or devalued. By saving in Bitcoin, individuals are no longer tethered to the uncertainties of fiat systems. The Bitcoin time perspective is about aligning our actions today with the future we want to build tomorrow. It’s about prioritizing long-term impact over short-term gains. When you embrace Bitcoin, you embrace a mindset that values time, energy, and the well-being of future generations. It’s not just a currency; it’s a revolution in thinking that will change you forever. The past, present, and future converge in this new paradigm, offering hope in an otherwise uncertain world. Bitcoin isn’t a bubble; it’s a beacon. --- ### More from Hes: [Art](https://hes.npub.pro/tag/art/) [Store](https://plebeian.market/p/517d6542a081d61ecd8900ad9e2640290e2cf06f516c5e5f3edadfbde446bff4/stall/1db0cdfe0e39c4bd81b903902eeda74e6aa0f0b56e30851f327e6d0c292c5c06) [Travel Guides](https://hes.npub.pro/tag/travel/) [Photography](https://hes.npub.pro/tag/photography)

@ dca6e1cc:ea7d1750

Hi y'all, I'd like to earn some sats instead of running the fiat treadmill. I have some digital graphic design and website front end skills I'd like to offer. DM me and I'll send you some of my work. Thanks! G originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/813013

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

 - Improved NFC UX for Android - New navigation menu for quick access to features like NFC, Payment requests, P2PK locks and more. Adjust quick access in settings. - Built-in numeric Keyboard, esp. useful for iOS. Disable/Enable keyboard in settings. - Improved look and animations `source:` `https://njump.me/note1kk7886xgdzef4p9xkny8pkxgrjjhm3lau8qrlhtdvw7p5lewrstq6v6q6a` originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/812850

@ c7fa4651:a777c885

The summary of this account rule change is this: Companies holding BTC must: 1. Measure crypto assets at fair value each reporting period 2. Recognize both gains and losses in net income 3. Report crypto assets separately from other intangible assets on the balance sheet Items #1 and 2 are the most crucial. This is in contrast to the current method, in which companies only report their BTC "value" which is the value they bought it, until this sell it then its newly valued as income. Perhaps #2 is the most important of these changes. What this means is that if you hold 100 BTC on your books and the price of BTC moves from 100K to 200K, this means you need to report "Income of $10,000,000" for that reporting period. Such a report will then automatically mean a higher stock valuation since now "earnings per share" is increasing. This creates a fortuitous feedback loop for companies that hold BTC. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/812834

@ 513d5051:8a622026

I got myself wondering what happens when a dollar doesn't buy a sat anymore? Well, there's nothing special about that number we'll continue to use fractions but the relationship will change. Of course for that to happen a single Bitcoin would need to be priced at $100 million which is about a thousand times more than the current price so it's not really a pressing concern. Moreover, at that price if all 21 million Bitcoin were in active addresses (which is impossible due to all the lost wallets over time) we would have a total market cap of 21 million Bitcoin because that would be a Bitcoin standard and it would be our unit of account, medium of exchange, and store of value. This is the right answer, the wrong answer would be about $2.1 quadrillion dollars, but who would measure wealth in terms of some random shitcoin that can't buy a sat with a single unit. Well, that's all I had to share for now, later. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/812207

@ 005bc4de:ef11e1a2

Political hot take prediction... ...Trump hasn't even become Trump 47 yet, and a lot (a LOT) can happen in three or four years, but here's a wild prediction I'll make...after 3 years as president in round two, Trump will resign to allow VP Vance to take over as president. My thinking...Trump will have done what he wants to do by then. He's enough of a narcissist (he's the biggest narcissist ever, the most beautiful narcissist ever, and the most humble person ever as well, both at the same time) he: (a) won't want to finish out as a sterilized lame duck and (b) will want to further cement his legacy and longevity. Stepping down and allowing Vance to get a year or so of presidential experience would largely help his chances at getting elected in his own right. That in turn would open the door for eight years of a President Vance and a continuation of "Trump 48 and 49", not to mention any Supreme Court nominees Vance might make. Remind me in three years. nostr note: https://njump.me/nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzqqzmcn0yrn7ttq8hrjkk46ysn2tk26rr8f8k4y7xkl74hlh3rcdzqy88wumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmv9uq3wamnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwwpexjmtpdshxuet59uqzp2q7wm8n206scx0v4aygcylp2qkx0pcz6r947deh032ql6l3wak6zapadw originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/812204

@ fe32298e:20516265

Today I learned how to install [NVapi](https://github.com/sammcj/NVApi) to monitor my GPUs in Home Assistant.  **NVApi** is a lightweight API designed for monitoring NVIDIA GPU utilization and enabling automated power management. It provides real-time GPU metrics, supports integration with tools like Home Assistant, and offers flexible power management and PCIe link speed management based on workload and thermal conditions. - **GPU Utilization Monitoring**: Utilization, memory usage, temperature, fan speed, and power consumption. - **Automated Power Limiting**: Adjusts power limits dynamically based on temperature thresholds and total power caps, configurable per GPU or globally. - **Cross-GPU Coordination**: Total power budget applies across multiple GPUs in the same system. - **PCIe Link Speed Management**: Controls minimum and maximum PCIe link speeds with idle thresholds for power optimization. - **Home Assistant Integration**: Uses the built-in RESTful platform and template sensors. ## Getting the Data ``` sudo apt install golang-go git clone https://github.com/sammcj/NVApi.git cd NVapi go run main.go -port 9999 -rate 1 curl http://localhost:9999/gpu ``` Response for a single GPU: ``` [ { "index": 0, "name": "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090", "gpu_utilisation": 0, "memory_utilisation": 0, "power_watts": 16, "power_limit_watts": 450, "memory_total_gb": 23.99, "memory_used_gb": 0.46, "memory_free_gb": 23.52, "memory_usage_percent": 2, "temperature": 38, "processes": [], "pcie_link_state": "not managed" } ] ``` Response for multiple GPUs: ``` [ { "index": 0, "name": "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090", "gpu_utilisation": 0, "memory_utilisation": 0, "power_watts": 14, "power_limit_watts": 350, "memory_total_gb": 24, "memory_used_gb": 0.43, "memory_free_gb": 23.57, "memory_usage_percent": 2, "temperature": 36, "processes": [], "pcie_link_state": "not managed" }, { "index": 1, "name": "NVIDIA RTX A4000", "gpu_utilisation": 0, "memory_utilisation": 0, "power_watts": 10, "power_limit_watts": 140, "memory_total_gb": 15.99, "memory_used_gb": 0.56, "memory_free_gb": 15.43, "memory_usage_percent": 3, "temperature": 41, "processes": [], "pcie_link_state": "not managed" } ] ``` # Start at Boot Create `/etc/systemd/system/nvapi.service`: ``` [Unit] Description=Run NVapi After=network.target [Service] Type=simple Environment="GOPATH=/home/ansible/go" WorkingDirectory=/home/ansible/NVapi ExecStart=/usr/bin/go run main.go -port 9999 -rate 1 Restart=always User=ansible # Environment="GPU_TEMP_CHECK_INTERVAL=5" # Environment="GPU_TOTAL_POWER_CAP=400" # Environment="GPU_0_LOW_TEMP=40" # Environment="GPU_0_MEDIUM_TEMP=70" # Environment="GPU_0_LOW_TEMP_LIMIT=135" # Environment="GPU_0_MEDIUM_TEMP_LIMIT=120" # Environment="GPU_0_HIGH_TEMP_LIMIT=100" # Environment="GPU_1_LOW_TEMP=45" # Environment="GPU_1_MEDIUM_TEMP=75" # Environment="GPU_1_LOW_TEMP_LIMIT=140" # Environment="GPU_1_MEDIUM_TEMP_LIMIT=125" # Environment="GPU_1_HIGH_TEMP_LIMIT=110" [Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target ``` ## Home Assistant Add to Home Assistant `configuration.yaml` and restart HA (completely). For a single GPU, this works: ``` sensor: - platform: rest name: MYPC GPU Information resource: http://mypc:9999 method: GET headers: Content-Type: application/json value_template: "{{ value_json[0].index }}" json_attributes: - name - gpu_utilisation - memory_utilisation - power_watts - power_limit_watts - memory_total_gb - memory_used_gb - memory_free_gb - memory_usage_percent - temperature scan_interval: 1 # seconds - platform: template sensors: mypc_gpu_0_gpu: friendly_name: "MYPC {{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu_information', 'name') }} GPU" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu_information', 'gpu_utilisation') }}" unit_of_measurement: "%" mypc_gpu_0_memory: friendly_name: "MYPC {{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu_information', 'name') }} Memory" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu_information', 'memory_utilisation') }}" unit_of_measurement: "%" mypc_gpu_0_power: friendly_name: "MYPC {{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu_information', 'name') }} Power" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu_information', 'power_watts') }}" unit_of_measurement: "W" mypc_gpu_0_power_limit: friendly_name: "MYPC {{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu_information', 'name') }} Power Limit" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu_information', 'power_limit_watts') }}" unit_of_measurement: "W" mypc_gpu_0_temperature: friendly_name: "MYPC {{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu_information', 'name') }} Temperature" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu_information', 'temperature') }}" unit_of_measurement: "°C" ``` For multiple GPUs: ``` rest: scan_interval: 1 resource: http://mypc:9999 sensor: - name: "MYPC GPU0 Information" value_template: "{{ value_json[0].index }}" json_attributes_path: "$.0" json_attributes: - name - gpu_utilisation - memory_utilisation - power_watts - power_limit_watts - memory_total_gb - memory_used_gb - memory_free_gb - memory_usage_percent - temperature - name: "MYPC GPU1 Information" value_template: "{{ value_json[1].index }}" json_attributes_path: "$.1" json_attributes: - name - gpu_utilisation - memory_utilisation - power_watts - power_limit_watts - memory_total_gb - memory_used_gb - memory_free_gb - memory_usage_percent - temperature - platform: template sensors: mypc_gpu_0_gpu: friendly_name: "MYPC GPU0 GPU" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu0_information', 'gpu_utilisation') }}" unit_of_measurement: "%" mypc_gpu_0_memory: friendly_name: "MYPC GPU0 Memory" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu0_information', 'memory_utilisation') }}" unit_of_measurement: "%" mypc_gpu_0_power: friendly_name: "MYPC GPU0 Power" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu0_information', 'power_watts') }}" unit_of_measurement: "W" mypc_gpu_0_power_limit: friendly_name: "MYPC GPU0 Power Limit" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu0_information', 'power_limit_watts') }}" unit_of_measurement: "W" mypc_gpu_0_temperature: friendly_name: "MYPC GPU0 Temperature" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu0_information', 'temperature') }}" unit_of_measurement: "C" - platform: template sensors: mypc_gpu_1_gpu: friendly_name: "MYPC GPU1 GPU" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu1_information', 'gpu_utilisation') }}" unit_of_measurement: "%" mypc_gpu_1_memory: friendly_name: "MYPC GPU1 Memory" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu1_information', 'memory_utilisation') }}" unit_of_measurement: "%" mypc_gpu_1_power: friendly_name: "MYPC GPU1 Power" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu1_information', 'power_watts') }}" unit_of_measurement: "W" mypc_gpu_1_power_limit: friendly_name: "MYPC GPU1 Power Limit" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu1_information', 'power_limit_watts') }}" unit_of_measurement: "W" mypc_gpu_1_temperature: friendly_name: "MYPC GPU1 Temperature" value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mypc_gpu1_information', 'temperature') }}" unit_of_measurement: "C" ``` Basic entity card: ``` type: entities entities: - entity: sensor.mypc_gpu_0_gpu secondary_info: last-updated - entity: sensor.mypc_gpu_0_memory secondary_info: last-updated - entity: sensor.mypc_gpu_0_power secondary_info: last-updated - entity: sensor.mypc_gpu_0_power_limit secondary_info: last-updated - entity: sensor.mypc_gpu_0_temperature secondary_info: last-updated ``` # Ansible Role ``` --- - name: install go become: true package: name: golang-go state: present - name: git clone git: repo: "https://github.com/sammcj/NVApi.git" dest: "/home/ansible/NVapi" update: yes force: true # go run main.go -port 9999 -rate 1 - name: install systemd service become: true copy: src: nvapi.service dest: /etc/systemd/system/nvapi.service - name: Reload systemd daemons, enable, and restart nvapi become: true systemd: name: nvapi daemon_reload: yes enabled: yes state: restarted ```

@ 04222fa1:634e9de5

I had an issue yesterday with Zeus wallet. All my fault by the way... I'd been doing some housekeeping with passwords and somehow reset or messed up the password lock to entry screen So without thinking and admittedly without having enough experience, I uninstalled the app and reinstalled it Thinking that would clear the password lock..... Which it did. But it also force closed the Ln channels Slight panic ensued and after a few minutes, the sats reappeared onchain queued in a tx The force close channels are still pending closure, after which they'll revert to onchain. So with so much discussion around custodial lsp's vs non custodial Quite a few plebs over on nostr were saying they wouldn't keep a 'significant' amount of sats on Ln What is significant to you? Do you feel like sats held non custodially on Ln are secure? Posting this in Bitcoin beginners which I assume includes lightning beginners originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/812131

@ c1e6505c:02b3157e

Hockey’s one of my favorite sports to play and watch, and I finally got the chance to photograph a game inside an arena. Charlotte Checkers took on the Iowa Wild and came out with a 3-0 win - two power-play goals and a shorthanded empty-netter. Solid game, and I think this was their fourth straight win.  I started shooting from the nosebleeds and worked my way down to ice level. Talked the guard into letting me in, and he was cool enough to let me wander into a few restricted areas. The main focus for me was the colors. I’ve been chasing this analog film look in my edits lately - no idea why, but it’s what I’m into right now. These were shot with my Leica M262 and edited with Lightroom and Dehancer. I’m happy with how they turned out, and that’s really all that matters. Here’s a few from the night        I’d like to shoot more things like this. If anyone here has any connections that could help me land a photography gig somewhere documenting sports, events or anything like that, I'd really appreciate it. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/812108

@ 30ceb64e:7f08bdf5

Hey Freaks, Looks like my career goals are shaping up to be something like: 1. Paralegal 2. Direct Support Professional 3. Open Source Contributor After I obtain paralegal certificate I should offer freelance paralegal services on nostr. I'd market myself on shopstr, SN, Kind1 notes, Long form notes, Zapvertising, NPUB.PRO blog. Setting up and waiting for the newbies to flood in, not looking for so many clients, just setting up and making things available. My expertise will grow as I grab more certifications use educational resources, listen to podcasts, read etc. Could Setup a Nostrocket and involve the freaks in building a non state involved business. Could operate under the open anarchist license as a free members association, and help business's with whatever legal assistance they may need, with a focus on Intellectual property law, Nostr, Bitcoin, Free open source software. Would offer services for cheap and build a web of trust offering things like free consultations. I have 5 years experience working at an IP law firm filing patents with the US Patent and Trademark office. The Nostr resume would look really nice. Could post frequently on the SN legal territory, create a quick and simple newsletter and or AI podcast about the legal space and how it pertains to stuff we care about. I want to stick with the coding, because the tools are getting better and my knowledge is increasing, would love to contribute more to open source projects, and want to see what maintaining my own project would be like. I'll get back around to setting up that SN dev environment and looking for low level issues to crack, this time with more experience under my belt. I wanted to sell something on shopstr, something that helps people working remotely, legal services never quite came to mind, but would be an interesting direction to take. I was thinking vinyl records and merch and clothes, but something more wanted or needed, or unique or specialized might be better. And having an online shop that ties into my main career seems like a two birds with one stone sort of situation. I just need to increase my knowledge and level of expertise while continuing the pursuit of "proof of work". 2024 (Current) Roadmap - Release Nostr Running App - Obtain Paralegal Certification - Offer freelance Paralegal services - DSP transition to full time - Contribute to SN development - Continued writing Yours truly, Hustle originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/812103

@ e968e50b:db2a803a

### Strike Bill Pay Follow-up __Part 2 - "Discovering" a lucky opportunity__[^1] [Original Post - Paying my car loan with Strike Bill pay](https://stacker.news/items/804931) [Part One of Follow-up - Watching the settlement thereof](https://stacker.news/items/806470) So Saturday, I paid my Discover card using the Strike Bill pay[^2]. First though, I set up a mock sell order with Strike to see how many sats it would cost to have sold at that point in time to check again and see what the difference would be. Well, as you may have seen, the dollar dipped hard yesterday, and since I had used bill pay instead of selling the bitcoin myself and waiting for it to transfer to my bank, by the time the charge hit my Strike account this morning, the difference was 21,332 sats __in my favor__. That is despite and after the $6.37 Strike fee. 21,332 sats. That's the amount one gets for writing a _flaming hot_ post on SN or maybe an hour of work at Chipotle. My point is, it's significant, but it's not nothing. The lesson: well nothing really, this is just kind of neat and maybe something worth thinking about. I'm not sure exactly what the take-home is, but at least we all have a better idea of how this service plays out in different scenarios. Ultimately, I was just lucky that the dollar dipped at this moment instead of bitcoin. Short term, either of them can change and that's just the risk of having to hold to pay certain bills with the currency backed by violence. Cheers to the day we can pay more bills direct with bitcoin. [^2]: I feel it may be important to clarify with all of these posts that I'm not holding millions of sats on my Strike, as that would be very insecure and irresponsible. I just try to put enough on there to make sure that these bills go through even if bitcoin has a 10% dip over the time frame between paying the bill and it settling. [^1]: Concerning the brutal pun in the title, no disclaimers, apologies, remediation, or repentance will be offered. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/811662

@ dca6e1cc:ea7d1750

Hi y'all, I have plenty of ideas and skills to get front end web application prototypes up and running. If you're skilled with web app back ends then I'd love to collaborate. Money: We can go 50/50 on any ROI or Pay me sats as part of your team Let's go! Thanks y'all G originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/811211

@ ee11a5df:b76c4e49

# Nostr 2? ## Breaking Changes in Nostr Nostr was a huge leap forward. But it isn't perfect. When developers notice a problem with nostr, they confer with each other to work out a solution to the problem. This is usually in the form of a NIP PR on the nips repo. Some problems are easy. Just add something new and optional. No biggie. Zaps, git stuff, bunkers... just dream it up and add it. Other problems can only be fixed by breaking changes. With a breaking change, the overall path forward is like this: Add the new way of doing it while preserving the old way. Push the major software to switch to the new way. Then deprecate the old way. This is a simplification, but it is the basic idea. It is how we solved markers/quotes/root and how we are upgrading encryption, among other things. This process of pushing through a breaking change becomes more difficult as we have more and more existing nostr software out there that will break. Most of the time what happens is that the major software is driven to make the change (usually by nostr:npub180cvv07tjdrrgpa0j7j7tmnyl2yr6yr7l8j4s3evf6u64th6gkwsyjh6w6), and the smaller software is left to fend for itself. A while back I introduced the BREAKING.md file to help people developing smaller lesser-known software keep up with these changes. ## Big Ideas But some ideas just can't be applied to nostr. The idea is too big. The change is too breaking. It changes something fundamental. And nobody has come up with a smooth path to move from the old way to the new way. And so we debate a bunch of things, and never settle on anything, and eventually nostr:npub180cvv07tjdrrgpa0j7j7tmnyl2yr6yr7l8j4s3evf6u64th6gkwsyjh6w6 makes a post saying that we don't really want it anyways 😉. As we encounter good ideas that are hard to apply to nostr, I've been filing them away in a repository I call "nostr-next", so we don't forget about them, in case we ever wanted to start over. It seems to me that starting over every time we encountered such a thing would be unwise. However, once we collect enough changes that we couldn't reasonably phase into nostr, then a tipping point is crossed where it becomes worthwhile to start over. In terms of the "bang for the buck" metaphor, the bang becomes bigger and bigger but the buck (the pain and cost of starting over) doesn't grow as rapidly. ## WHAT? Start over? IMHO starting over could be very bad if done in a cavalier way. The community could fracture. The new protocol could fail to take off due to lacking the network effect. The odds that a new protocol catches on are low, irrespective of how technically superior it could be. So the big question is: can we preserve the nostr community and it's network effect while making a major step-change to the protocol and software? I don't know the answer to that one, but I have an idea about it. I think the new-protocol clients can be dual-stack, creating events in both systems and linking those events together via tags. The nostr key identity would still be used, and the new system identity too. This is better than things like the mostr bridge because each user would remain in custody of their own keys. ## The nitty gritty Here are some of the things I think would make nostr better, but which nostr can't easily fix. A lot of these ideas have been mentioned before by multiple people and I didn't give credit to all of you (sorry) because my brain can't track it all. But I've been collecting these over time at https://github.com/mikedilger/nostr-next * Events as CBOR or BEVE or MsgPack or a fixed-schema binary layout... anything but JSON text with its parsing, it's encoding ambiguity, it's requirement to copy fields before hashing them, its unlimited size constraints. (me, nostr:npub1xtscya34g58tk0z605fvr788k263gsu6cy9x0mhnm87echrgufzsevkk5s) * EdDSA ed25519 keys instead of secp256k1, to enable interoperability with a bunch of other stuff like ssh, pgp, TLS, Mainline DHT, and many more, plus just being better cryptography (me, Nuh, Orlovsky, except Orlovsky wanted Ristretto25519 for speed) * Bootstrapping relay lists (and relay endpoints) from Mainline DHT (nostr:npub1jvxvaufrwtwj79s90n79fuxmm9pntk94rd8zwderdvqv4dcclnvs9s7yqz) * Master keys and revocable subkeys / device keys (including having your nostr key as a subkey) * Encryption to use different encryption-specific subkeys and ephemeral ones from the sender. * Relay keypairs, TLS without certificates, relays known by keypair instead of URL * Layered protocol (separate core from applications) * Software remembering when they first saw an event, for 2 reasons, the main one being revocation (don't trust the date in the event, trust when you first saw it), the second being more precise time range queries. * Upgrade/feature negotiation (HTTP headers prior to starting websockets) * IDs starting with a timestamp so they are temporally adjacent (significantly better database performance) (Vitor's idea) * Filters that allow boolean expressions on tag values, and also ID exclusions. Removing IDs from filters and moving to a GET command. * Changing the transport (I'm against this but I know others want to) ## What would it look like? Someone (Steve Farroll) has taken my nostr-next repo and turned it into a proposed protocol he calls [Mosaic](https://github.com/SteveFarroll/mosaic-spec). I think it is quite representative of that repo, as it already includes most of those suggestions, so I've been contributing to it. Mosaic spec is rendered [here](https://stevefarroll.github.io/mosaic-spec/). Of course, where Mosaic stands right now it is mostly my ideas (and Steve's), it doesn't have feedback or input from other nostr developers yet. That is what this blog post is about. I think it is time for other nostr devs to be made aware of this thing. It is currently in the massive breaking changes phase. It might not look that way because of the detail and refinement of the documentation, but indeed everything is changing rapidly. It probably has some bad ideas and is probably missing some great ideas that you have. Which is why this is a good time for other devs to start taking a look at it. It is also the time to debate meta issues like "are you crazy Mike?" or "no we have to just break nostr but keep it nostr, we can't dual-stack" or whatever. Personally I think mosaic-spec should develop and grow for quite a while before the "tipping point" happens. That is, I'm not sure we should jump in feet first yet, but rather we build up and refine this new protocol and spend a lot of time thinking about how to migrate smoothly, and break it a lot while nobody is using it. So you can just reply to this, or DM me, or open issues or PRs at [Mosaic](https://github.com/SteveFarroll/mosaic-spec), or just whisper to each other while giving me the evil eye.

@ 2f5de000:2f9bcef1

This Week I immersed myself in Bitcoin from multiple angles-technical, societal and personal. The journey included a marathon 32-hours of listening to [Rabbit Hole Recap (RHR)](https://fountain.fm/show/VDaMppQRUBZioj2XkaLn), an essential resource for Bitcoin insights. It's worth noting that I started from the begining and plan to make my way through the whole catalogue. Marty and Matt's timestamps, along with contributions from their guests, served as my roadmap. Using Fountain to stream, I also streamed sats-a small but extraordinary feature that allows users to stacks sats while compensating cretors directly through fractional donations. ## Revisiting Speculative Attack by Pierre Rochard (2014) Now that [*Speculative Attack Season 2*](https://nakamotoinstitute.org/mempool/speculative-attack-season-2/) *(which I've not read yet)* has been released. I took the time to read Pierre Rochards influential essay, [*Speculative Attack*](https://nakamotoinstitute.org/mempool/speculative-attack/) and reflected on its timeless insights. Rochard argues that Bitcoin adoption isn't dependent on technological advancements or consumer preferences, but on economic realities. As fiat currencies weaken, Bitcoin won't enter the mainstream by persuasion but by necessity. Critics continue to underestimate Bitcoin's inevitability due to their fiat biases and lack of financial insight. This year alone, mainstream media has been compelled to discuss Bitcoin-notably to Trump's endorsement of 'crypto.' Despite their attempts to shape narratives to suit their ideal visions, they've had no choice but to engage with Bitcoin's growing influence.\ \ As Parker aptly puts it 'Gradually, The Suddenly' ## Wassabi Wallet and the Privacy Imperative An RHR interview (from early in the catalogue) with guest Adam Ficsor, CTO and Co-founder of Wassabi Wallet, sparked a deeper consideration of my digital footprint. Like many, I've spent years online neglecting privacy in favour of convenience. The discussion on CoinJoins reminded me of the importance of prioritising privacy, not just romanticising it. Improving operational security (opsec) is now a personal focus. Resources like Jameson's *Cypherpunk Cogitations* and the Bitcoin Optech newsletter offer valuable guidance. While I've exercised caution, I recognise a need to address my laziness with opsec and take meaningful steps to protect my privacy. Time will reveal the results of these efforts. ## Caribbean Slavery amd Centralised Platforms While exploring historical systems of control, I delved into the brutal realities of [New World slavery in the British Caribbean](https://aeon.co/ideas/how-did-slaveholders-in-the-caribbean-maintain-control). Enslaved elites, like drivers, were granted limited privileges to maintain order, creating divisions within the community. This divide-and-rule strategy highlights the fragility of oppressive frameworks, which began to crumble with events like the Hatian Revolution and humanitarian activism. Interestingly, similar dynamics are visible with centralised plaforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Verified accounts (the "blue checks") act as mordern day 'elites' with perceived freedoms. However, their autonomy is limited by the platforms centralised authority. Challenging the rules risks censorship and cancellation, proving their freedom is an illusion subject to the will of their overseers. Enhancing the argument further for protocols like Nostr to help people win back their freedoms.

@ 30ceb64e:7f08bdf5

I'm working with autistic teens and adults, and I still have the knee jerk temptation of orange pilling them. They do not have the ability to run a node. The central banking cartels and downstream effects of a control economy are so outside of their purview, that bringing it up would be ridiculous. But. I am here to help them gain independence. Sovereignty is a ladder and regardless of where someone is on the ladder, it would be my job to guide them into more of it. Not everyone can run a node, some people have intellectual disabilities, physical limitations and higher priorities. Funnily enough I think it would be easier than one might assume to run a node, I have a client who could do it and have a semblance of what it means. The client has the ability to work, and when he sees trump on the screen, he knows he's the president, and he knows politicians are liars. I have a few other clients that don't have the ability to work or take care of themselves at all. Running a node is plugging something into the wall, making sure the light is on, and attaching your wallet to it. I aint talkin about a lightning node btw I'm talking about core. It boggles my mind on what people find so insurmountable about running bitcoin core. I think it might just be people projecting their own bias or inserting their own objections the thing. Start9 and Umbrel can be set up by a loved one, an assistant or nurse can make sure the thing continues being on and that the internet bill is paid. Is it harder managing the persons Bank of America account or is it harder attaching a wallet to your node and leaving the thing on? Would be cool if I took one of these guys to a bitcoin meetup with a node in a phone and had them teach fools how to conduct a peer to peer transaction. Could even get real fancy, and have them send a freak some e-cash. When I was at bitcoin Miami an OG pulled me to the side and explained what a peer to peer transaction was using hand signals...... So here we are at another conclusion, Sovereignty is a ladder that every last human being on the planet should attempt to climb and regardless of the rung you find yourself in, don't let others pontificate about how you "can't" because its probably just them being retarded. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/810401

@ 6f6b50bb:a848e5a1

Che cosa significherebbe trattare l'IA come uno strumento invece che come una persona? Dall’avvio di ChatGPT, le esplorazioni in due direzioni hanno preso velocità. La prima direzione riguarda le capacità tecniche. Quanto grande possiamo addestrare un modello? Quanto bene può rispondere alle domande del SAT? Con quanta efficienza possiamo distribuirlo? La seconda direzione riguarda il design dell’interazione. Come comunichiamo con un modello? Come possiamo usarlo per un lavoro utile? Quale metafora usiamo per ragionare su di esso? La prima direzione è ampiamente seguita e enormemente finanziata, e per una buona ragione: i progressi nelle capacità tecniche sono alla base di ogni possibile applicazione. Ma la seconda è altrettanto cruciale per il campo e ha enormi incognite. Siamo solo a pochi anni dall’inizio dell’era dei grandi modelli. Quali sono le probabilità che abbiamo già capito i modi migliori per usarli? Propongo una nuova modalità di interazione, in cui i modelli svolgano il ruolo di applicazioni informatiche (ad esempio app per telefoni): fornendo un’interfaccia grafica, interpretando gli input degli utenti e aggiornando il loro stato. In questa modalità, invece di essere un “agente” che utilizza un computer per conto dell’essere umano, l’IA può fornire un ambiente informatico più ricco e potente che possiamo utilizzare. ### Metafore per l’interazione Al centro di un’interazione c’è una metafora che guida le aspettative di un utente su un sistema. I primi giorni dell’informatica hanno preso metafore come “scrivanie”, “macchine da scrivere”, “fogli di calcolo” e “lettere” e le hanno trasformate in equivalenti digitali, permettendo all’utente di ragionare sul loro comportamento. Puoi lasciare qualcosa sulla tua scrivania e tornare a prenderlo; hai bisogno di un indirizzo per inviare una lettera. Man mano che abbiamo sviluppato una conoscenza culturale di questi dispositivi, la necessità di queste particolari metafore è scomparsa, e con esse i design di interfaccia skeumorfici che le rafforzavano. Come un cestino o una matita, un computer è ora una metafora di se stesso. La metafora dominante per i grandi modelli oggi è modello-come-persona. Questa è una metafora efficace perché le persone hanno capacità estese che conosciamo intuitivamente. Implica che possiamo avere una conversazione con un modello e porgli domande; che il modello possa collaborare con noi su un documento o un pezzo di codice; che possiamo assegnargli un compito da svolgere da solo e che tornerà quando sarà finito. Tuttavia, trattare un modello come una persona limita profondamente il nostro modo di pensare all’interazione con esso. Le interazioni umane sono intrinsecamente lente e lineari, limitate dalla larghezza di banda e dalla natura a turni della comunicazione verbale. Come abbiamo tutti sperimentato, comunicare idee complesse in una conversazione è difficile e dispersivo. Quando vogliamo precisione, ci rivolgiamo invece a strumenti, utilizzando manipolazioni dirette e interfacce visive ad alta larghezza di banda per creare diagrammi, scrivere codice e progettare modelli CAD. Poiché concepiamo i modelli come persone, li utilizziamo attraverso conversazioni lente, anche se sono perfettamente in grado di accettare input diretti e rapidi e di produrre risultati visivi. Le metafore che utilizziamo limitano le esperienze che costruiamo, e la metafora modello-come-persona ci impedisce di esplorare il pieno potenziale dei grandi modelli. Per molti casi d’uso, e specialmente per il lavoro produttivo, credo che il futuro risieda in un’altra metafora: modello-come-computer. ### Usare un’IA come un computer Sotto la metafora modello-come-computer, interagiremo con i grandi modelli seguendo le intuizioni che abbiamo sulle applicazioni informatiche (sia su desktop, tablet o telefono). Nota che ciò non significa che il modello sarà un’app tradizionale più di quanto il desktop di Windows fosse una scrivania letterale. “Applicazione informatica” sarà un modo per un modello di rappresentarsi a noi. Invece di agire come una persona, il modello agirà come un computer. Agire come un computer significa produrre un’interfaccia grafica. Al posto del flusso lineare di testo in stile telescrivente fornito da ChatGPT, un sistema modello-come-computer genererà qualcosa che somiglia all’interfaccia di un’applicazione moderna: pulsanti, cursori, schede, immagini, grafici e tutto il resto. Questo affronta limitazioni chiave dell’interfaccia di chat standard modello-come-persona: - **Scoperta.** Un buon strumento suggerisce i suoi usi. Quando l’unica interfaccia è una casella di testo vuota, spetta all’utente capire cosa fare e comprendere i limiti del sistema. La barra laterale Modifica in Lightroom è un ottimo modo per imparare l’editing fotografico perché non si limita a dirti cosa può fare questa applicazione con una foto, ma cosa potresti voler fare. Allo stesso modo, un’interfaccia modello-come-computer per DALL-E potrebbe mostrare nuove possibilità per le tue generazioni di immagini. - **Efficienza.** La manipolazione diretta è più rapida che scrivere una richiesta a parole. Per continuare l’esempio di Lightroom, sarebbe impensabile modificare una foto dicendo a una persona quali cursori spostare e di quanto. Ci vorrebbe un giorno intero per chiedere un’esposizione leggermente più bassa e una vibranza leggermente più alta, solo per vedere come apparirebbe. Nella metafora modello-come-computer, il modello può creare strumenti che ti permettono di comunicare ciò che vuoi più efficientemente e quindi di fare le cose più rapidamente. A differenza di un’app tradizionale, questa interfaccia grafica è generata dal modello su richiesta. Questo significa che ogni parte dell’interfaccia che vedi è rilevante per ciò che stai facendo in quel momento, inclusi i contenuti specifici del tuo lavoro. Significa anche che, se desideri un’interfaccia più ampia o diversa, puoi semplicemente richiederla. Potresti chiedere a DALL-E di produrre alcuni preset modificabili per le sue impostazioni ispirati da famosi artisti di schizzi. Quando clicchi sul preset Leonardo da Vinci, imposta i cursori per disegni prospettici altamente dettagliati in inchiostro nero. Se clicchi su Charles Schulz, seleziona fumetti tecnicolor 2D a basso dettaglio. ### Una bicicletta della mente proteiforme La metafora modello-come-persona ha una curiosa tendenza a creare distanza tra l’utente e il modello, rispecchiando il divario di comunicazione tra due persone che può essere ridotto ma mai completamente colmato. A causa della difficoltà e del costo di comunicare a parole, le persone tendono a suddividere i compiti tra loro in blocchi grandi e il più indipendenti possibile. Le interfacce modello-come-persona seguono questo schema: non vale la pena dire a un modello di aggiungere un return statement alla tua funzione quando è più veloce scriverlo da solo. Con il sovraccarico della comunicazione, i sistemi modello-come-persona sono più utili quando possono fare un intero blocco di lavoro da soli. Fanno le cose per te. Questo contrasta con il modo in cui interagiamo con i computer o altri strumenti. Gli strumenti producono feedback visivi in tempo reale e sono controllati attraverso manipolazioni dirette. Hanno un overhead comunicativo così basso che non è necessario specificare un blocco di lavoro indipendente. Ha più senso mantenere l’umano nel loop e dirigere lo strumento momento per momento. Come stivali delle sette leghe, gli strumenti ti permettono di andare più lontano a ogni passo, ma sei ancora tu a fare il lavoro. Ti permettono di fare le cose più velocemente. Considera il compito di costruire un sito web usando un grande modello. Con le interfacce di oggi, potresti trattare il modello come un appaltatore o un collaboratore. Cercheresti di scrivere a parole il più possibile su come vuoi che il sito appaia, cosa vuoi che dica e quali funzionalità vuoi che abbia. Il modello genererebbe una prima bozza, tu la eseguirai e poi fornirai un feedback. “Fai il logo un po’ più grande”, diresti, e “centra quella prima immagine principale”, e “deve esserci un pulsante di login nell’intestazione”. Per ottenere esattamente ciò che vuoi, invierai una lista molto lunga di richieste sempre più minuziose. Un’interazione alternativa modello-come-computer sarebbe diversa: invece di costruire il sito web, il modello genererebbe un’interfaccia per te per costruirlo, dove ogni input dell’utente a quell’interfaccia interroga il grande modello sotto il cofano. Forse quando descrivi le tue necessità creerebbe un’interfaccia con una barra laterale e una finestra di anteprima. All’inizio la barra laterale contiene solo alcuni schizzi di layout che puoi scegliere come punto di partenza. Puoi cliccare su ciascuno di essi, e il modello scrive l’HTML per una pagina web usando quel layout e lo visualizza nella finestra di anteprima. Ora che hai una pagina su cui lavorare, la barra laterale guadagna opzioni aggiuntive che influenzano la pagina globalmente, come accoppiamenti di font e schemi di colore. L’anteprima funge da editor WYSIWYG, permettendoti di afferrare elementi e spostarli, modificarne i contenuti, ecc. A supportare tutto ciò è il modello, che vede queste azioni dell’utente e riscrive la pagina per corrispondere ai cambiamenti effettuati. Poiché il modello può generare un’interfaccia per aiutare te e lui a comunicare più efficientemente, puoi esercitare più controllo sul prodotto finale in meno tempo. La metafora modello-come-computer ci incoraggia a pensare al modello come a uno strumento con cui interagire in tempo reale piuttosto che a un collaboratore a cui assegnare compiti. Invece di sostituire un tirocinante o un tutor, può essere una sorta di bicicletta proteiforme per la mente, una che è sempre costruita su misura esattamente per te e il terreno che intendi attraversare. ### Un nuovo paradigma per l’informatica? I modelli che possono generare interfacce su richiesta sono una frontiera completamente nuova nell’informatica. Potrebbero essere un paradigma del tutto nuovo, con il modo in cui cortocircuitano il modello di applicazione esistente. Dare agli utenti finali il potere di creare e modificare app al volo cambia fondamentalmente il modo in cui interagiamo con i computer. Al posto di una singola applicazione statica costruita da uno sviluppatore, un modello genererà un’applicazione su misura per l’utente e le sue esigenze immediate. Al posto della logica aziendale implementata nel codice, il modello interpreterà gli input dell’utente e aggiornerà l’interfaccia utente. È persino possibile che questo tipo di interfaccia generativa sostituisca completamente il sistema operativo, generando e gestendo interfacce e finestre al volo secondo necessità. All’inizio, l’interfaccia generativa sarà un giocattolo, utile solo per l’esplorazione creativa e poche altre applicazioni di nicchia. Dopotutto, nessuno vorrebbe un’app di posta elettronica che occasionalmente invia email al tuo ex e mente sulla tua casella di posta. Ma gradualmente i modelli miglioreranno. Anche mentre si spingeranno ulteriormente nello spazio di esperienze completamente nuove, diventeranno lentamente abbastanza affidabili da essere utilizzati per un lavoro reale. Piccoli pezzi di questo futuro esistono già. Anni fa Jonas Degrave ha dimostrato che ChatGPT poteva fare una buona simulazione di una riga di comando Linux. Allo stesso modo, websim.ai utilizza un LLM per generare siti web su richiesta mentre li navighi. Oasis, GameNGen e DIAMOND addestrano modelli video condizionati sull’azione su singoli videogiochi, permettendoti di giocare ad esempio a Doom dentro un grande modello. E Genie 2 genera videogiochi giocabili da prompt testuali. L’interfaccia generativa potrebbe ancora sembrare un’idea folle, ma non è così folle. Ci sono enormi domande aperte su come apparirà tutto questo. Dove sarà inizialmente utile l’interfaccia generativa? Come condivideremo e distribuiremo le esperienze che creiamo collaborando con il modello, se esistono solo come contesto di un grande modello? Vorremmo davvero farlo? Quali nuovi tipi di esperienze saranno possibili? Come funzionerà tutto questo in pratica? I modelli genereranno interfacce come codice o produrranno direttamente pixel grezzi? Non conosco ancora queste risposte. Dovremo sperimentare e scoprirlo!Che cosa significherebbe trattare l'IA come uno strumento invece che come una persona? Dall’avvio di ChatGPT, le esplorazioni in due direzioni hanno preso velocità. La prima direzione riguarda le capacità tecniche. Quanto grande possiamo addestrare un modello? Quanto bene può rispondere alle domande del SAT? Con quanta efficienza possiamo distribuirlo? La seconda direzione riguarda il design dell’interazione. Come comunichiamo con un modello? Come possiamo usarlo per un lavoro utile? Quale metafora usiamo per ragionare su di esso? La prima direzione è ampiamente seguita e enormemente finanziata, e per una buona ragione: i progressi nelle capacità tecniche sono alla base di ogni possibile applicazione. Ma la seconda è altrettanto cruciale per il campo e ha enormi incognite. Siamo solo a pochi anni dall’inizio dell’era dei grandi modelli. Quali sono le probabilità che abbiamo già capito i modi migliori per usarli? Propongo una nuova modalità di interazione, in cui i modelli svolgano il ruolo di applicazioni informatiche (ad esempio app per telefoni): fornendo un’interfaccia grafica, interpretando gli input degli utenti e aggiornando il loro stato. In questa modalità, invece di essere un “agente” che utilizza un computer per conto dell’essere umano, l’IA può fornire un ambiente informatico più ricco e potente che possiamo utilizzare. ### Metafore per l’interazione Al centro di un’interazione c’è una metafora che guida le aspettative di un utente su un sistema. I primi giorni dell’informatica hanno preso metafore come “scrivanie”, “macchine da scrivere”, “fogli di calcolo” e “lettere” e le hanno trasformate in equivalenti digitali, permettendo all’utente di ragionare sul loro comportamento. Puoi lasciare qualcosa sulla tua scrivania e tornare a prenderlo; hai bisogno di un indirizzo per inviare una lettera. Man mano che abbiamo sviluppato una conoscenza culturale di questi dispositivi, la necessità di queste particolari metafore è scomparsa, e con esse i design di interfaccia skeumorfici che le rafforzavano. Come un cestino o una matita, un computer è ora una metafora di se stesso. La metafora dominante per i grandi modelli oggi è modello-come-persona. Questa è una metafora efficace perché le persone hanno capacità estese che conosciamo intuitivamente. Implica che possiamo avere una conversazione con un modello e porgli domande; che il modello possa collaborare con noi su un documento o un pezzo di codice; che possiamo assegnargli un compito da svolgere da solo e che tornerà quando sarà finito. Tuttavia, trattare un modello come una persona limita profondamente il nostro modo di pensare all’interazione con esso. Le interazioni umane sono intrinsecamente lente e lineari, limitate dalla larghezza di banda e dalla natura a turni della comunicazione verbale. Come abbiamo tutti sperimentato, comunicare idee complesse in una conversazione è difficile e dispersivo. Quando vogliamo precisione, ci rivolgiamo invece a strumenti, utilizzando manipolazioni dirette e interfacce visive ad alta larghezza di banda per creare diagrammi, scrivere codice e progettare modelli CAD. Poiché concepiamo i modelli come persone, li utilizziamo attraverso conversazioni lente, anche se sono perfettamente in grado di accettare input diretti e rapidi e di produrre risultati visivi. Le metafore che utilizziamo limitano le esperienze che costruiamo, e la metafora modello-come-persona ci impedisce di esplorare il pieno potenziale dei grandi modelli. Per molti casi d’uso, e specialmente per il lavoro produttivo, credo che il futuro risieda in un’altra metafora: modello-come-computer. ### Usare un’IA come un computer Sotto la metafora modello-come-computer, interagiremo con i grandi modelli seguendo le intuizioni che abbiamo sulle applicazioni informatiche (sia su desktop, tablet o telefono). Nota che ciò non significa che il modello sarà un’app tradizionale più di quanto il desktop di Windows fosse una scrivania letterale. “Applicazione informatica” sarà un modo per un modello di rappresentarsi a noi. Invece di agire come una persona, il modello agirà come un computer. Agire come un computer significa produrre un’interfaccia grafica. Al posto del flusso lineare di testo in stile telescrivente fornito da ChatGPT, un sistema modello-come-computer genererà qualcosa che somiglia all’interfaccia di un’applicazione moderna: pulsanti, cursori, schede, immagini, grafici e tutto il resto. Questo affronta limitazioni chiave dell’interfaccia di chat standard modello-come-persona: Scoperta. Un buon strumento suggerisce i suoi usi. Quando l’unica interfaccia è una casella di testo vuota, spetta all’utente capire cosa fare e comprendere i limiti del sistema. La barra laterale Modifica in Lightroom è un ottimo modo per imparare l’editing fotografico perché non si limita a dirti cosa può fare questa applicazione con una foto, ma cosa potresti voler fare. Allo stesso modo, un’interfaccia modello-come-computer per DALL-E potrebbe mostrare nuove possibilità per le tue generazioni di immagini. Efficienza. La manipolazione diretta è più rapida che scrivere una richiesta a parole. Per continuare l’esempio di Lightroom, sarebbe impensabile modificare una foto dicendo a una persona quali cursori spostare e di quanto. Ci vorrebbe un giorno intero per chiedere un’esposizione leggermente più bassa e una vibranza leggermente più alta, solo per vedere come apparirebbe. Nella metafora modello-come-computer, il modello può creare strumenti che ti permettono di comunicare ciò che vuoi più efficientemente e quindi di fare le cose più rapidamente. A differenza di un’app tradizionale, questa interfaccia grafica è generata dal modello su richiesta. Questo significa che ogni parte dell’interfaccia che vedi è rilevante per ciò che stai facendo in quel momento, inclusi i contenuti specifici del tuo lavoro. Significa anche che, se desideri un’interfaccia più ampia o diversa, puoi semplicemente richiederla. Potresti chiedere a DALL-E di produrre alcuni preset modificabili per le sue impostazioni ispirati da famosi artisti di schizzi. Quando clicchi sul preset Leonardo da Vinci, imposta i cursori per disegni prospettici altamente dettagliati in inchiostro nero. Se clicchi su Charles Schulz, seleziona fumetti tecnicolor 2D a basso dettaglio. ### Una bicicletta della mente proteiforme La metafora modello-come-persona ha una curiosa tendenza a creare distanza tra l’utente e il modello, rispecchiando il divario di comunicazione tra due persone che può essere ridotto ma mai completamente colmato. A causa della difficoltà e del costo di comunicare a parole, le persone tendono a suddividere i compiti tra loro in blocchi grandi e il più indipendenti possibile. Le interfacce modello-come-persona seguono questo schema: non vale la pena dire a un modello di aggiungere un return statement alla tua funzione quando è più veloce scriverlo da solo. Con il sovraccarico della comunicazione, i sistemi modello-come-persona sono più utili quando possono fare un intero blocco di lavoro da soli. Fanno le cose per te. Questo contrasta con il modo in cui interagiamo con i computer o altri strumenti. Gli strumenti producono feedback visivi in tempo reale e sono controllati attraverso manipolazioni dirette. Hanno un overhead comunicativo così basso che non è necessario specificare un blocco di lavoro indipendente. Ha più senso mantenere l’umano nel loop e dirigere lo strumento momento per momento. Come stivali delle sette leghe, gli strumenti ti permettono di andare più lontano a ogni passo, ma sei ancora tu a fare il lavoro. Ti permettono di fare le cose più velocemente. Considera il compito di costruire un sito web usando un grande modello. Con le interfacce di oggi, potresti trattare il modello come un appaltatore o un collaboratore. Cercheresti di scrivere a parole il più possibile su come vuoi che il sito appaia, cosa vuoi che dica e quali funzionalità vuoi che abbia. Il modello genererebbe una prima bozza, tu la eseguirai e poi fornirai un feedback. “Fai il logo un po’ più grande”, diresti, e “centra quella prima immagine principale”, e “deve esserci un pulsante di login nell’intestazione”. Per ottenere esattamente ciò che vuoi, invierai una lista molto lunga di richieste sempre più minuziose. Un’interazione alternativa modello-come-computer sarebbe diversa: invece di costruire il sito web, il modello genererebbe un’interfaccia per te per costruirlo, dove ogni input dell’utente a quell’interfaccia interroga il grande modello sotto il cofano. Forse quando descrivi le tue necessità creerebbe un’interfaccia con una barra laterale e una finestra di anteprima. All’inizio la barra laterale contiene solo alcuni schizzi di layout che puoi scegliere come punto di partenza. Puoi cliccare su ciascuno di essi, e il modello scrive l’HTML per una pagina web usando quel layout e lo visualizza nella finestra di anteprima. Ora che hai una pagina su cui lavorare, la barra laterale guadagna opzioni aggiuntive che influenzano la pagina globalmente, come accoppiamenti di font e schemi di colore. L’anteprima funge da editor WYSIWYG, permettendoti di afferrare elementi e spostarli, modificarne i contenuti, ecc. A supportare tutto ciò è il modello, che vede queste azioni dell’utente e riscrive la pagina per corrispondere ai cambiamenti effettuati. Poiché il modello può generare un’interfaccia per aiutare te e lui a comunicare più efficientemente, puoi esercitare più controllo sul prodotto finale in meno tempo. La metafora modello-come-computer ci incoraggia a pensare al modello come a uno strumento con cui interagire in tempo reale piuttosto che a un collaboratore a cui assegnare compiti. Invece di sostituire un tirocinante o un tutor, può essere una sorta di bicicletta proteiforme per la mente, una che è sempre costruita su misura esattamente per te e il terreno che intendi attraversare. ### Un nuovo paradigma per l’informatica? I modelli che possono generare interfacce su richiesta sono una frontiera completamente nuova nell’informatica. Potrebbero essere un paradigma del tutto nuovo, con il modo in cui cortocircuitano il modello di applicazione esistente. Dare agli utenti finali il potere di creare e modificare app al volo cambia fondamentalmente il modo in cui interagiamo con i computer. Al posto di una singola applicazione statica costruita da uno sviluppatore, un modello genererà un’applicazione su misura per l’utente e le sue esigenze immediate. Al posto della logica aziendale implementata nel codice, il modello interpreterà gli input dell’utente e aggiornerà l’interfaccia utente. È persino possibile che questo tipo di interfaccia generativa sostituisca completamente il sistema operativo, generando e gestendo interfacce e finestre al volo secondo necessità. All’inizio, l’interfaccia generativa sarà un giocattolo, utile solo per l’esplorazione creativa e poche altre applicazioni di nicchia. Dopotutto, nessuno vorrebbe un’app di posta elettronica che occasionalmente invia email al tuo ex e mente sulla tua casella di posta. Ma gradualmente i modelli miglioreranno. Anche mentre si spingeranno ulteriormente nello spazio di esperienze completamente nuove, diventeranno lentamente abbastanza affidabili da essere utilizzati per un lavoro reale. Piccoli pezzi di questo futuro esistono già. Anni fa Jonas Degrave ha dimostrato che ChatGPT poteva fare una buona simulazione di una riga di comando Linux. Allo stesso modo, websim.ai utilizza un LLM per generare siti web su richiesta mentre li navighi. Oasis, GameNGen e DIAMOND addestrano modelli video condizionati sull’azione su singoli videogiochi, permettendoti di giocare ad esempio a Doom dentro un grande modello. E Genie 2 genera videogiochi giocabili da prompt testuali. L’interfaccia generativa potrebbe ancora sembrare un’idea folle, ma non è così folle. Ci sono enormi domande aperte su come apparirà tutto questo. Dove sarà inizialmente utile l’interfaccia generativa? Come condivideremo e distribuiremo le esperienze che creiamo collaborando con il modello, se esistono solo come contesto di un grande modello? Vorremmo davvero farlo? Quali nuovi tipi di esperienze saranno possibili? Come funzionerà tutto questo in pratica? I modelli genereranno interfacce come codice o produrranno direttamente pixel grezzi? Non conosco ancora queste risposte. Dovremo sperimentare e scoprirlo! Tradotto da:\ https://willwhitney.com/computing-inside-ai.htmlhttps://willwhitney.com/computing-inside-ai.html

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

We have a winner!!! After some legal challenges, @Carresan has rightfully emerged victorious. I hope everyone enjoyed playing. Let me know what you thought of the contest, including any tweaks you'd be interested in seeing next year. Also, how do you like the Emirates Cup tournament? Are there any changes you'd like to see the NBA implement. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/810331

@ 04222fa1:634e9de5

Would he put two slices of bread on your head and call you an idiot sandwich!? Or would he say, that's a nice microwave!? Or would he say something else? What would Gordon say to you? originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/810315

@ c11cf5f8:4928464d

Let's hear some of your latest Bitcoin purchases, feel free to include links to the shops or merchants you bought from too. If you missed our last thread, [here](https://stacker.news/items/800128/r/AG) are some of the items stackers recently spent their sats on. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/810124

@ 30ceb64e:7f08bdf5

Bitcoin is a medium of exchange, store of value, and unit of account. The unit of account piece really throws people through a loop. Freaks say, but its too volatile, mimicking the financial advisors of yesteryear, not acknowledging the evident decay of their trusty accounting method, the method that dilutes your reality with the notion of inflation vs deflation. We live in a deflationary world, its only inflationary if your accounting metric sucks. If your not using bitcoin as a method to view prices, your method of viewing prices has been skewed, and skewed on purpose. What's really interesting is how, our unit of measurement is exactly backwards. The fiat way of viewing finances is 180 degrees away from the reality of sound money price deflation that bitcoin brings. And at this point I would say that it is unstoppable. if your stacking bitcoin but pricing it in dollars and making dollar type moves, your stack will diminish due to your own inability to adapt. You'll give in to leverage schemes and strange loans, your attitude towards risk and gain will be off kilter. In a lot of cases people will fail to realize that they've already won, and now they just need to pull a satoshi, leave their life stacking to go on and do other things. We've been conditioned to be on a hamster wheel where we need to constantly think about growing our money at all cost and no matter how much we stack it will never be enough. I find bitcoin to be the exact opposite, where at some point, you might have stacked too much, you might find yourself with wealth so large that it breaks your mind, it might enlarge your ego, destroy your family. This sounds suspiciously like absolute power corrupts absolutely, which is something that I've become a bit more awry of, but to a certain extent......how much is enough anon? At what point does the ring of power consume you. In conclusion "God Candle Approacheth" staying humble and stacking sats, while accounting for your stack in dollars, will give those freaks a rush of exhilaration unlike any they've likely had before. They will be awash in fortunes gained through the lazy doubt of haters, they will be vindicated and in most cases the fortune that they earned will be just and because they followed truth and because they had discipline and foresight and sugar and spice, and everything nice. The acceleration from lower middle class to top 1% will be a whiplash strong enough to sway the humbleness of most men. In conclusion again (and hopefully this is the last one) Use bitcoin as a unit of account. You likely have already won the game. Stay humble and brace for impact on the moon. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/809878

@ c1e6505c:02b3157e

I created PictureRoom to share my photography work and offer insights into my editing process. I've always been drawn to watching other photographers edit their work (such as Kyle McDougall’s YouTube channel) as there's always something new to learn and incorporate into my own craft. It's important to never assume you have it "all figured out." Remaining open to learning keeps our skills fresh and evolving.  I published a video on my YouTube channel where I demonstrate how I edit my photographs using a preset I've developed. This preset has become the foundation for most of my recent work, and I'm excited to share it with others. In the video, I delve into some nuanced editing techniques that I believe many will find interesting. Please note that this preset isn't a one-size-fits-all solution.  You'll need to adjust it for each individual photograph, tweaking elements such as exposure, blacks, whites, highlights, shadows, temperature, and tint. However, it should get you most of the way there. As I explain in my YouTube video, this preset works well with both Leica and Fujifilm files. I'm offering this preset on a donation basis. If you find it valuable, I greatly appreciate any support you can provide for my efforts. Your generosity helps me continue creating and sharing resources like this. Of course, you can always send some sats here as well if you'd like. You can download the preset here and try it for yourself: https://czerwinskiphoto.gumroad.com/l/lightroom-preset-1 Feel free to check out the video for a detailed walkthrough, and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about using the preset: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52pOCphNSTc Like and Subscribe as well to the YouTube channel, or find me on nostr. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/809797

@ eac63075:b4988b48

BlueSky, a social network built on the decentralized AT Protocol (Authenticated Transfer Protocol), is revolutionizing content moderation by empowering users and communities to manage their own experiences. Unlike traditional platforms that centralize control, BlueSky adopts a modular and customizable approach, balancing freedom of expression with safety. https://www.fountain.fm/episode/mtp0RxPeuBpCozcSgfct ### The Jesse Singal Case and the Community’s Response Recently, the account @jessesingal.com was accused of publishing content considered homophobic and transphobic. Although some users questioned whether these posts violated BlueSky’s Terms of Service, the platform chose not to ban the account. Instead, it relied on community tools to limit the reach of these posts. Individual users blocked the account and subscribed to community-managed block lists, significantly reducing the visibility of Jesse Singal’s content. This decentralized approach demonstrated the effectiveness of a model in which the community regulates content without centralized intervention. ### BlueSky’s Five Layers of Moderation BlueSky implements a multi-layered moderation system, offering users tools to customize their experiences practically and efficiently: 1. **Personal Blocking and Muting**\ Users can block or mute unwanted accounts, individually adjusting the content they wish to see. 2. **Community Block Lists**\ By subscribing to block lists created by the community, users can share common moderation criteria, optimizing content filtering. 3. **Curated Feeds**\ Subscribing to personalized feeds allows users to consume content filtered by curators or algorithms, creating a safer and more tailored experience. 4. **Account Removal on the Personal Data Server (PDS)**\ In extreme cases, servers can directly delete accounts from their databases, preventing them from publishing or accessing the network. 5. **Ozone: Advanced Moderation Tool**\ Ozone is an integrated tool that enables advanced moderation strategies, combining various resources for greater efficiency. ### BlueSky’s Moderation Architecture Moderation on BlueSky is based on an open labeling system. This architecture allows anyone to assign labels to content or accounts, such as “spam” or “NSFW” (not safe for work). These labels can be automatically generated by third-party services or manually applied by curators and administrators, offering flexibility for communities and individuals to customize their experiences. ### The Role of the Community in Content Regulation In decentralized platforms like BlueSky, the community plays a central role in self-regulation, minimizing reliance on a centralized authority to moderate content. This decentralization distributes responsibilities and reduces the risks of institutional bias, often seen in centralized companies that may reflect specific interests at the expense of plurality. Centralized platforms often censor or promote content based on corporate agendas, compromising user trust. BlueSky’s model prioritizes autonomy, allowing the community itself to determine what is relevant or acceptable. With 25 million users registered within weeks, BlueSky remains committed to its mission of regulating not freedom of expression, but the reach of certain publications. Tools like block lists, curated feeds, and Ozone are tangible examples of how the platform is building a decentralized and inclusive ecosystem. ### Challenges and Opportunities of Decentralization Despite its merits, decentralization presents challenges. Educating users about available tools and protecting vulnerable communities from harmful content are complex tasks, especially in a rapidly growing environment. On the other hand, the decentralized model offers significant advantages. It enhances transparency, fosters trust among users, and reduces reliance on a central authority. On BlueSky, users shape their own experiences, ensuring greater freedom without sacrificing safety. ### Conclusion BlueSky is paving the way for a new era in social networks with a decentralized moderation model that empowers users and promotes shared responsibility. Aligned with principles of freedom and inclusion, BlueSky combines advanced technology and community collaboration to create a safer, more democratic, and adaptable space. Although still in its early stages, BlueSky offers a promising model for the future of social networks, where reach—not freedom of expression—is the true focus of regulation.

@ dd664d5e:5633d319

 Christmas season hasn't actually started, yet, in Roman #Catholic Germany. We're in Advent until the evening of the 24th of December, at which point Christmas begins (with the Nativity, at Vespers), and continues on for 40 days until Mariä Lichtmess (Presentation of Christ in the temple) on February 2nd.  It's 40 days because that's how long the post-partum isolation is, before women were allowed back into the temple (after a ritual cleansing).  That is the day when we put away all of the Christmas decorations and bless the candles, for the next year. (Hence, the British name "Candlemas".) It used to also be when household staff would get paid their cash wages and could change employer. And it is the day precisely in the middle of winter.  Between Christmas Eve and Candlemas are many celebrations, concluding with the Twelfth Night called Epiphany or Theophany. This is the day some Orthodox celebrate Christ's baptism, so traditions rotate around blessing of waters.  The Monday after Epiphany was the start of the farming season, in England, so that Sunday all of the ploughs were blessed, but the practice has largely died out.  Our local tradition is for the altar servers to dress as the wise men and go door-to-door, carrying their star and looking for the Baby Jesus, who is rumored to be lying in a manger.  They collect cash gifts and chocolates, along the way, and leave the generous their powerful blessing, written over the door. The famous 20 * C + M + B * 25 blessing means "Christus mansionem benedicat" (Christ, bless this house), or "Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar" (the names of the three kings), depending upon who you ask. They offer the cash to the Baby Jesus (once they find him in the church's Nativity scene), but eat the sweets, themselves. It is one of the biggest donation-collections in the world, called the "Sternsinger" (star singers). The money goes from the German children, to help children elsewhere, and they collect around €45 million in cash and coins, every year.  As an interesting aside: The American "groundhog day", derives from one of the old farmers' sayings about Candlemas, brought over by the Pennsylvania Dutch. It says, that if the badger comes out of his hole and sees his shadow, then it'll remain cold for 4 more weeks. When they moved to the USA, they didn't have any badgers around, so they switched to groundhogs, as they also hibernate in winter.

@ 04222fa1:634e9de5

Cancel culture? participation trophies? short attention spans? lack of sarcasm? influencers? Or the death of the mall? What's yours? originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/809232

@ 005bc4de:ef11e1a2

Nostr is changing fast, and that's a good thing. I made a "Nostr Wiki" a bit over a year ago (https://nostrwiki.vercel.app), but recently I've realized that a fair amount of the content is already outdated. Stuff has been happening and changing so quickly that a good deal of editing/omission is needed. That's actually a good thing. Means nostr is growing/maturing/evolving. Nothing worse than a project becoming stagnant. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/808964

@ c1e6505c:02b3157e

Test post coming from stacker.news  originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/808769

@ deba271e:36005655

#### Background **The free Alby account is going away** by Jan 3rd 2025. With this users have options to switch to either self hosted Alby Hub or hosted Alby Hub for 21k sats per month (see https://albyhub.com/). Unfortunatelly neither of these options work for me. - I'm currently traveling a lot without a single base home, so I can't just run some server "at home" and I want to be able to use it even when I'm in the midst of moving between locations. - 21k sats/month for Alby Hub is too steep just for using it for Nostr zaps. I'd pay more for the service than what I ever get in zaps. I'm happy to support projects, but the math just doesn't work out. - Running lightning node, etc in VPS is also prohibitively expensive for this usecase, but I may end up eventually doing this for other reasons. Getting VPS strong enough for self hosted node is around $80/month, but there are also options like https://nodana.io/ for $10/month. (Shill me better options if you have) If there is a way to run a selft-custodial solution with these requirements (i.e. no "home" node, cheap for small amount zapping), let me know, otherwise this will do and we'll have to wait for BOLT12 in lnd. ## Tutorial So here's the plan - Get coinos.io account - Connect it with Amethyst via NWC - Install Alby Go to make it easier to use the account on the go Here are the steps to do on your Android phone. iOS will be similar - Get [Amethyst](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vitorpamplona.amethyst&hl=en&gl=US) nostr app installed - Go to https://coinos.io/ , register new account and sign in. - On the main screen click on the settings gear icon and get the connection code  - Reveal and copy the connection strings (tap on Copy) - Open Amethyst and hold the lightning icon under any post - Tap the "paste" button (see the screenshot)  - Now click on Save and that's it - Zapping should now work natively in Amethyst and it will use the hosted wallet Optional - One extra thing you can do here is to install Alby Go (https://albygo.com/) and use the same "connection string" to connect it to your coinos.io account. This way you will have a mobile native wallet that's connected to this account (which makes it easier to pay with it, etc) originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/808573

@ 31bdca15:aac01582

Normally you'd assume stuff like this would stay in niche media and on Twitter. But the mysterious drones over New Jersey are now in all msm outlets. [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/07/nyregion/new-jersey-drones.html), [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2024/12/11/fbi-drones-new-jersey/7e9df7ca-b7f0-11ef-8afa-452ab71fe261_story.html), [Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/more-20-days-phenomenon-public-no-answers-about-origins-mysterious-nj-drones), [France 24](https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20241212-alarming-us-mystery-drones-confound-officials-scare-locals), [BBC](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crrwz91wqd9o), [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/12/why-are-mysterious-drones-flying-over-new-jersey).  What is going on? I feel like I'm in a Tintin comic. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/807597

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Based on my super secret, highly secure record keeping we are down to relatively few options. # Remaining Options | Stacker | Hawks | Bucks | Thunder | Rockets | |---------|---------|-------|------------|---------| | @supercyclone | | | | x | | @Carresan | | | | x | | @grayruby | x | x | | x | It's looking pretty bleak for @grayruby. His best hope might be everyone taking the Thunder now and getting lucky with a Rockets upset. Taking the Thunder now might be a good idea for @Carresan and @supercyclone, since they'd be guaranteed to still have the winner of Bucks vs Hawks available and not taking the Thunder is the only way to possibly lose to @grayruby. I was hoping the remaining strategies would be more interesting, but unless someone goes rogue this is heading towards a tiebreaker between at least @Carresan and @supercyclone. # 1st Tiebreaker Since we're coming down to the wire, and a tie is plausible, the survivors need to submit their tiebreaker predictions. **Who will win the NBA Emirates Cup MVP award?** Best of luck everyone! originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/807344

@ 372da077:518ec7ac

One of my favorite art pieces. an engraving from an 1888 astronomy book. Often depicted fully colorized, apparently this is the original.  originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/806953

@ e968e50b:db2a803a

Yesterday, I paid my months car payment in bitcoin for the first time ever. I was so psyched that it actually worked that I frantically ripped open SN and spewed forth this post: https://stacker.news/items/804931 Little did I know, (but of course realized later) @j7hB75 had actually just a handful of hours earlier written this thoughtful analysis of the program: https://stacker.news/items/804386 You should check it out for a less spazzed-out take on the service. Anyway, I said that I'd follow up on how different what I expected it would cost (493,555 sats) and what it actually cost. Well I got an email from Strike at 12:15 this morning and the difference is...drum roll... S U S P E N C E  192 sats That's right! I would have had to sell 493,555 sats to get $493.89 for my car loan payment and then either wait three days or pay an additional instant transfer fee. Instead, I spent 493,747 and my bill was paid instantly. Now, when I go into the Strike app and look at the transaction in my history, it says that they included a $3.93 fee, so it sound like I did just get kind of lucky with some accidental arbitrage. That being said, this is the exact fee level I would have had to pay to sell the bitcoin anyway, so all in all, this makes the bitcoin-maxi life WAY more easy for Americans. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/806470

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

We knew our party would take losses this round, but no one expect such a massacre. Legendary Knicks villain Trae Young eliminated them from the tournament, and consequently @realBitcoinDog, @siggy47, and myself were made the fools for believing in them. After an epic battle, @Carresan and @supercyclone prevailed over @gnilma, when the Rockets barely pulled off a win over the Warriors. That gets us down to three contestants: @grayruby, @supercyclone, and @Carresan. I'll do the semifinals picks post later today and dive into some of the scenarios. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/806387

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

There's a ton at stake tonight. Three of us have the Knicks, but more importantly there's a head-to-head(-to-head) showdown. @gnilma has staked his future on the late-empire Warriors vs @supercyclone and @Carresan who have the Rockets. Let the games begin! originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/805607

@ 000002de:c05780a7

I'm sure many of you have heard about Google's claim to have broken records with their quantum computer project. Its very impressive. I was listening to a local radio talk show talk about it and my BS meter was breaking. This morning I saw @petertodd [shared](https://primal.net/e/note1g5f25fjdv9ud3qpyxwzmggk7qwsvqqnxks9tjamr0ysxy7syzq3qcrcs52) a [post from Sabine Hossenfelder](https://x.com/skdh/status/1866352680899104960) where she explains a bit of the context missing from Google's press release. It confirmed some suspicions I've had. Here is what she wrote. > I see a lot of confusion about Google's Monday press release about quantum supremacy, so let me try to clarify a few things. > They say they did a computation on a ca 100 qubit chip much faster than a conventional (super)computer could do. The particular calculation in question is to produce a random distribution. The result of this calculation has no practical use. > They use this particular problem because it has been formally proven (with some technical caveats) that the calculation is difficult to do on a conventional computer (because it uses a lot of entanglement). That also allows them to say things like "this would have taken a septillion years on a conventional computer" etc. > It's exactly the same calculation that they did in 2019 on a ca 50 qubit chip. In case you didn't follow that, Google's 2019 quantum supremacy claim was questioned by IBM pretty much as soon as the claim was made and a few years later a group said they did it on a conventional computer in a similar time. > So while the announcement is super impressive from a scientific pov and all, the consequences for everyday life are zero. Estimates say that we will need about 1 million qubits for practically useful applications and we're still about 1 million qubits away from that. > Also, it's been a recurring story that we have seen numerous times in the past years, that claims of quantum "utility" or quantum "advantage" or quantum "supremacy" or whatever you want to call it later evaporate because some other group finds a clever way to do it on a conventional computer after all. Take it from someone that has been around the tech world for a while. You need to ALWAYS keep your skeptical hat on. Not to take away from the work these people are doing there are always incentives to frame things in a way that makes them appear more favorable. This happens with every business but for some reason people are extra gullible with tech business news. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/804998

@ e968e50b:db2a803a

### One-hundred K, One-schmrundred K # I'm now paying off my Honda Odyssey with bitcoin! So [Strike](https://strike.me/) announced last week that you could pay pay bills in bitcoin from their app. I signed up for [Bitcoin Well](https://bitcoinwell.com/) for this very reason only to find out that you can't do it in the US yet, so I ready for the other shoe to drop when I tried it out with Strike. But that didn't happen today! ## Background I've been bitcoin only since ready [Hidden Repression](https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Repression-Exploitation-Development-Gladstein/dp/B0C1JK6MG7). It turned me from a passionate hobbyist into a radical psychopath with less than 0 dollars (through loans like my loan with Honda). I had around 800 credit for almost fifteen years and have body slammed that to the low 600s (it's recovered a bit) in my effort to short the dollar. That said, it's been super stressful. My wife, who is actually more libertarian than me, has definitely gotten pretty annoyed by how inconvenient it's been to not have any money easily accessible. I get paid via CashApp and PayPal a lot, so there's always this fear that a transfer won't get to the bank account in time. Almost all of the bitcoin is in multi-sig wallets, so there's no escape valve when things like this happen, and what I do keep in Strike takes EONS to transfer if you don't like paying fees. ## Now we wait... OK, here's why I'm sharing / what may be good for you to know: - I had some bitcoin in Strike. - I had no dollars in the bank. - The bill was due on the 12th. - Today is the 11th. - I could sell my bitcoin at a fee and then pay an __additional__ fee to make sure I can pay my bill on time. ...or use the bill pay, which I did. It worked...BUT nothing has been acknowledged in my Strike account yet. This is significant because my $493.89 car note was 493,555 sats at the time of payment, but I don't know yet if that's going to be what I'll actually be charged in sats. Will the conversion rate be different at the time of settlement? Could this be an arbitrage opportunity for savvy stackers? Will the fees from Strike just be so high that it all works out the same? I can't find any documentation for any of this. I love the fact that Strike is just throwing something crazy up against the wall before they even have easy to find documentation for it[^1]. I'll let stackers know what happens with me. In the meantime, it's an experiment that I'm willing to take on and consider it a victory on at least one level no matter what. Has anybody else tried this? [^1]: except this one sentence, which is informative but not really a comprehensive explanation of when all of this plays out - "Bitcoin price volatility: If your default balance is bitcoin, any price drops could leave your balance too low to cover a bill." originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/804931

@ e83b66a8:b0526c2b

Can I suggest you read my book, it will tell you a lot. It is important you understand what Bitcoin is before you invest anything into it. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CLJP6R3F/ Firstly, Bitcoin is not like anything else you have ever experienced in your life. Everything else is based on trust and there is a higher authority you can always turn to. If you loose access to your bank account, you can walk in to a branch with your ID papers and within half an hour or so, your account access will be restored by them. The bank control your account and the money held within it. If you loose your passport or driving license, the government can issue you new ones. They control your identity. If you get locked out of your house, you can call a locksmith and they will break in, legally, for you. Bitcoin is different, it is permissionless and trustless. Nobody can stop you spending your money and you can send it to anyone anywhere in the world instantly without having to trust a third party to authorise payment for you. By that same token, if you make a mistake and send it to the wrong address or if you lose the keys that secure your Bitcoin, it is gone, nobody can help you. You need to understand and be comfortable with that. As for Bitcoin as a store of value, this is the first stage that all new Bitcoiners go through, but if you do it properly, it will eventually be the least significant feature. However, as for Bitcoin price cycles. Every 4 years the supply is automatically halved. This happened on the 20th April this year, you probably saw we were in Warsaw at a halving party. It happened at 3:09am European time, so we were asleep. Nothing actually happens for around 6 months of the halving, but from 6 - 18 months after the halving, the price rises significantly to adapt to the new supply and scarcity. So, from the start of November the price has started to rise and will continue to do so in a saw tooth pattern for around the next year. The price rise often overshoots the new natural price level and so expect a crash around the end of next year, it will be significant and will take a year or so to recover, but will eventually settle to a new price. In 4 years time, around April 2028, the cycle will happen again. Bitcoin is not a short term investment, don’t invest unless you are prepared to hold for a minimum of 4 years. Holding bitcoin for 8 years can produce generational wealth. The three core tenets of Bitcoin are: Not your keys, not your coins - in other words, don’t leave them on exchanges Don’t trust, verify - which leads to: Do your own research Study Bitcoin, it will give you back far more than you can imagine.

@ e83b66a8:b0526c2b

I watched Tucker Carlson interview Roger Ver last night. I know we have our differences with Roger, and he has some less than pleasant personality traits, but he is facing 109 years in jail for tax evasion. While the charges may be technically correct, he should be able to pay the taxes and a fine and walk free. Even if we accept he did wrong, a minor prison term such as 6 months to 2 years would be appropriate in this case. We all know the severe penalty is an over reach by US authorities looking to make the whole crypto community scared about using any form of crypto as money. The US and many governments know they have lost the battle of Bitcoin as a hard asset, but this happened as a result of the Nash equilibrium, whereby you are forced to play a game that doesn’t benefit you, because not playing that game disadvantages you further. I.e. Governments loose control of the asset, but that asset is able to shore up their balance sheet and prevent your economy from failing (potentially). The war against Bitcoin (and other cryptos) as a currency, whereby you can use your Bitcoin to buy anything anywhere from a pint of milk in the local shop, to a house or car and everything in-between is a distant goal and one that is happening slowly. But it is happening and these are the new battle lines. Part of that battle is self custody, part is tax and part are the money transmitting laws. Roger’s case is also being used as a weapon of fear. I don’t hate Roger, the problem I have with Bitcoin cash is that you cannot run a full node from your home and if you can’t do this, it is left to large corporations to run the blockchain. Large corporations are much easier to control and coerce than thousands, perhaps millions of individuals. Just as China banned Bitcoin mining, so in this scenario it would be possible for governments to ban full nodes and enforce that ban by shutting down companies that attempted to do so. Also, if a currency like Bitcoin cash scaled to Visa size, then Bitcoin Cash the company would become the new Visa / Mastercard and only the technology would change. However, even Visa and Mastercard don’t keep transaction logs for years, that would require enormous amount of storage and have little benefit. Nobody needs a global ledger that keeps a record of every coffee purchased in every coffee shop since the beginning of blockchain time. This is why Bitcoin with a layer 2 payment system like Lightning is a better proposition than large blockchain cryptos. Once a payment channel is closed, the transactions are forgotten in the same way Visa and Mastercard only keep a transaction history for 1 or 2 years. This continues to allow the freedom for anybody, anywhere to verify the money they hold and the transactions they perform along with everybody else. We have consensus by verification.

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Other than @grayruby potentially getting eliminated, there's not a lot at stake tonight. However, considering we all have the Thunder remaining, a Mavs upset would be pretty impactful. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/804061

@ 468f729d:5ab4fd5e

<div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;max-width:100%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V_fvmyJ91m0?enablejsapi=1" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

@ e968e50b:db2a803a

The increasingly inaccurately named weekly crossword puzzle is up! [The results](https://stacker.news/items/802463) are in[^1], and this week's theme is [Christmas!](https://stackernewscrosswordpuzzle9.vercel.app/) This is an easy one and themed off of a famous holiday (at least in the Western world, sorry international folks, lemme know if there's a theme you'd like to see). Share it with your friends who like newspaper puzzles and hopefully they'll stumble into some bitcoin stuff.[^2] [week 9 puzzle](https://stackernewscrosswordpuzzle9.vercel.app/)  [week 9 puzzle](https://stackernewscrosswordpuzzle9.vercel.app/) I made a more normie-friendly url for you to orange pill people with: https://christmascrossword.vercel.app/ Last week's puzzle: https://stackernewscrosswordpuzzle8.vercel.app/ Shout out to @dagny761, who proofreads all of these and was pissed for not getting credit in my little pole yesterday... [^1]: Technically, there are four hours left, but Christmas is WAY ahead of every other theme, so I'll just eat crow if it loses. [^2]: I feel as if the orange-pilly nature of this endeavor justifies sharing it in the bitcoin territory. Downzap as you see fit, grinches! originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/803584

@ 000002de:c05780a7

I think most stackers probably use a password manager of some sort. If you reuse the same password or a few passwords everywhere stop reading this and go sign up for a free Bitwarden account. But how many people in your family and social circle still just have terrible password practices? Use terrible pin codes? Leave their phone laying around unlocked? Security is a sliding scale but I doubt my experience with this is unique. Most people I know would be VERY easy to hack. The numbers reported online about password manager usage is higher than I would think at 36% of US adults. I suspect this is off on the high side. But with hacks every day and data breaches you would think more people would figure it out. Password management is so easy now. You can download a free open source password manager that is encrypted at rest and in transit. You can even self host it. You can keep it offline if you like. There are so many good options now. What's my point? Do we really think the masses are ready for bitcoin? Do we really think they are ready to self custody? I don't. Am I wrong? I'm not saying they will never be ready but as I have thought for a long time bitcoin is generational. Not just on the wealth side of things but also on the adoption side. What do you think? originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/803522

@ 6f170f27:711e26dd

In my laymen understanding of common law it should be possible for the jury in the murder trial against the murderer of the United Health CEO to be acquitted of the charges if the jury finds him not guilty. From Wikipedia: > In the United States, jury nullification occurs when a jury in a criminal case reaches a verdict contrary to the weight of evidence, sometimes because of a disagreement with the relevant law.[1] It has its origins in colonial America under British law. The American jury draws its power of nullification from its right to render a general verdict in criminal trials, the inability of criminal courts to direct a verdict no matter how strong the evidence, the Fifth Amendment's Double Jeopardy Clause, which prohibits the appeal of an acquittal,[2] and the fact that jurors cannot be punished for the verdict they return.[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_nullification https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_nullification_in_the_United_States It does seem tho that the selection of the jury in the state of New York is heavily controlled to select individuals that want to vote according to the law instead of emotional sense of justice. Here is a viral tweet about pretending one does not even know what Jury nullification is: > Hello New York: the first rule of jury nullification is: you do not talk about it. You have never heard of that. You DO NOT talk about it. The second rule is, no matter WHAT a judge says: it is YOUR decision that is BINDING. If you say not guilty, that's the ballgame https://x.com/LolOverruled/status/1866181597562593539 One could argue here if that's right or wrong. On one hand, taking jurors that actually believe in the law seems like a common sense basic fundamental. On the other hand taking any bias in is against the the underlying democratic values why jury trials even exist. One could even go that far and say vox populi vox dei is the reason why jury trials exist, it was created to weigh a sense of justice over laws written on paper. Which is crazy because it would imply the British wanted to legalize a murder if it's very popular - crazy, not my words, just a possible extreme interpretation of the underlying values in common law. With that said, here are my wild guess predictions what will happen 1. **Murder acquitted**. The healthcare system is very hated in the US by both the right and the left for different reasons. You can see this by the insane ratios of United Health Facebook post: it seems like out of millions of views there were only a two digit number of people having sympathy with the victims family. This is less than one would expect missclicks. Very hard to find an un-emotional jury here. 2. **Pay of CEOs** in all fortune500 companies but especially in healthcare sector dramatically increase over the next 5 years. This is the opposite of what the populous out there wants. These economics are always a function of risk and reward. Any risk to physical life and liberty increases pay. Acquitted basically means that there is some percentage chance that murdering a CEO can be legal if it's particularly popular... or at least that's it will be the talking point used to justify pay raises. Please tell me in the comments if this is possible, if there is a flaw in my logic here or if would see point (2) coming here too originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/803206

@ 2063cd79:57bd1320

Wir sprechen oft über Bitcoin im Zusammenhang mit Geld oder Währungen. Bitcoin funktioniert als Zahlungsmittel, als Wertspeicher und als Recheneinheit - doch macht das Bitcoin zu Geld? Also, was ist Geld überhaupt und was macht ein Gut erst zu Geld? Und warum gibt es gutes Geld und weniger gutes Geld? Es gibt viele Arten von Geld, Warengeld, Notenbankgeld, Fiatgeld, usw. Doch wollen wir uns erstmal ganz von Anfang an mit der Funktionen und den Eigenschaften von Geld im Allgemeinen beschäftigen. --- #### Was ist Geld? Ohne auf die Geschichte von Geld zum drölftausendsten Mal einzugehen (dazu kann man so ziemliches jedes Buch über Geld, Bitcoin, Ökonomie, etc. bis Seite 75 lesen und bekommt ganz genau die gleichen Infos), ist es sinnvoll sich kurz zu klarzumachen, dass niemand bestimmt oder definiert, was Geld ist. Geld kann im Endeffekt alles sein. Jeder, der Kindern schon mal beim Spielen zugesehen hat, wird erlebt haben, wie kurzerhand aus Steinen, Stöcken, DUPLO-Steinen oder eigentlich allem, was man in der Reichweite von Kindern so findet, plötzlich Geld wird. Denn ohne es zu wissen, verstehen Kinder sehr intuitiv, wie Geld funktioniert. Geld ist Sprache. Geld ist wahrscheinlich sogar eine Sprache, die sich vor unserer modernen kommunikativen Sprache entwickelt hat. Selbst vor Urzeiten, als verschiedene Völker und Stämme auf den verschiedensten Winkeln der Erde herum zogen und sich somit erstmal verteilten und dann wieder vermischten, entwickelten sie unterschiedliche Arten der Kommunikation. Die eine gemeinsame Sprache jedoch, war die des Handels. Kurzes Szenario: Homo Sapiens 1 hat einen Sack voller selbstgeschnitzter Pfeilspitzen in der Hand und betritt eine Lichtung, auf der Homo Sapiens 2 gerade eine Antilope grillt. Homo Sapiens 1: Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (zeigt auf die Antilope). Homo Sapiens 2: Ahhhhhhhhhhhh (wehrt mit den Händen wedelnd ab und springt in verteidigender Haltung auf). Homo Sapiens 1: Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (öffnet seinen Sack mit den Pfeilspitzen und legt 10 davon so hin, dass Homo Sapiens 2 versteht, dass HS1 diese zum Tausch anbietet). Homo Sapiens 2: Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa (reißt eine saftige Keule von der Antilope ab, schmeißt diese HS1 vor die Füße und schnappt sich die Pfeilspitzen). <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/d4b2fbfa7981a52ff6ee3204efe86873c57733f3f9608598748dad8eb3923aba.gif"> Handel ist also älter als Schrift oder Sprache. In dem Szenario hat Homo Sapiens 1 gegenüber Homo Sapiens 2 einen Vorteil, denn er hat einen Sack dabei, in dem sich ein Wirtschaftsgut befindet, das andere Personen bereit sind, gegen ihre Besitztümer zu tauschen. So entsteht über einen gewissen Zeitraum Geld. Dabei sind die Funktionen von Geld immer die gleichen, egal welches Mittel gewählt wird. Das Mittel hängt im Wesentlichen von der lokalen Verfügbarkeit (bzw. der Begrenztheit dieser) ab. #### Funktionen von Geld Geld muss im Wesentlichen drei Funktionen erfüllen können: Es muss als Tausch- oder Zahlungsmittel funktionieren, es sollte ein Wertaufbewahrungsmittel sein und als Recheneinheit dienen. In dem Szenario mit den beiden haarigen Protagonist//innen, sind diese drei Funktionen sehr leicht identifizierbar. HS1 hat selbstgeschnitzte Pfeilspitzen in einem Sack mitgeführt, da diese als Zahlungs- oder Tauschmittel verwendet werden können (HS2 hat bereitwillig feinstes Antilopen-Filet dafür eingetauscht), die Pfeilspitzen sind insofern Wertaufbewahrungsmittel, als dass sie (anders als das Fleisch) über Zeit nicht verderben und somit (zunächst) wertstabil sind - und damit HS1 incentiviert wird Pfeilspitzen zu sammeln (sparen) - und es war HS2 schnell möglich 10 Spitzen abzuzählen und somit seinem/ihrem Produkt einen Gegenwert beizumessen, sie dienen also auch als Recheneinheit. Dies ist nur ein Beispiel, denn wie gesagt, Geld kann alles sein, das diese drei besprochenen Funktionen erfüllt und wenn sich mindestens zwei Parteien darauf einigen können, dass es sich bei dem verwendeten Mittel auch um ein Geld-würdiges Mittel handelt. Hätte HS1 kurzerhand 10 Steine vom Boden aufgehoben, um diese gegen das Fleisch zu tauschen, hätte HS2 laut "Uhhhhhhhhhh!" gerufen und mit dem Kopf geschüttelt, denn 10 Steine aufheben kann er/sie auch. Doch die Pfeilspitzen haben in diesem Moment einen intrinsischen Wert für HS2 und es ist erstmal egal, ob es sich hierbei um einen Tausch im direkten Sinne handelt (also Fleisch gegen Pfeilspitze), weil HS2 weiss, dass er/sie damit neues Fleisch jagen kann, oder einen indirekten Tausch, also eine Zahlung (also Fleisch gegen Geld), weil HS2 weiss, dass er/sie damit einen hippen Kakadu-Federn-Hut kaufen kann. Geld ist älter als Sprache, bla! Geld ist Sprache, say what?! Geld ist, was Geld sein kann, auch wertloses Papier? <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/009b4b9a2f3cda788e8dfef0d60408f7faee3a3c427a13c82600d5205d2a3982.gif"> Aber wieso sind die 10 Pfeilspitzen Geld, bzw. warum sind sie begehrenswert und die 10 Steine nicht? Oder warum tauscht HS1 Pfeilspitzen gegen Antilopen-Frikadellen und nicht andersherum? Damit ein Gut, ein Mittel, ein Gegenstand, eine Idee zu Geld werden kann, muss es nicht nur die drei Hauptfunktionen erfüllen, es sollte zusätzlich auch einige Voraussetzungen erfüllen. #### Eigenschaften von Geld Über viele tausende von Jahren haben schon die verschiedensten Gegenstände und Mittel als Geld hergehalten. Ob Eichhörnchen Pelze, Parmesan Räder, Kakao Bohnen, Zigaretten, Walzähne, oder irgendwelche inseligen Steine - alle diese Objekte haben gemeinsam, dass sie zu einem gewissen Zeitpunkt in einem gewissen System die nachfolgenden Kriterien erfüll(t)en. Während einige dieser Kriterien immer faktisch die gleichen bleiben, gestalten sich andere wiederum etwas komplizierter und situationsabhängiger. **Teilbarkeit (Divisibility)** Ob etwas zum Beispiel teilbar ist, ist unbestreitbar nachweisbar. Wenn man etwas gegen eine Kuh oder ein Kamel eintauschen möchte, das aber nur den Wert einer halben Kuh oder eines halben Kamels hat, dann ist es eher unpraktisch die Kuh oder das Kamel zu teilen, da dann das gesamte Tier seinen eigentlichen Wert verliert. Ähnlich würde man auch kein halb-großes Kamel benutzen, da der Wert des Tieres nicht an seiner Größe bemessen ist. Bei Gold ist dies z.B. nicht der Fall. Eine halb so große Goldmünze ist nur halb soviel wert, wie eine normal große Goldmünze. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/eb48455f5c654e70abd913834cb1c5498bdc56653edeacb2a4b8fb632e43b004.gif"> Ein Zahlungsmittel oder Gut sollte also in verschiedene Größen unterteilbar sein, ohne seine ursprüngliche Eigenschaft und damit seinen Wert nicht verlieren. Andersrum lässt sich auch argumentieren, dass ein Gut klein genug sein kann, dass es problemlos kombinierbar ist, um so einen größeren Tauschwert zu erhalten, ohne die Transportfähigkeit durch zu hohes Gewicht oder Volumen zu beeinflussen. **Transportfähigkeit / Portabilty** Die Transportfähigkeit ist nämlich bei Geld - in den meisten Fällen - besonders wichtig. Je weniger Aufwand betrieben werden muss, um das Zahlungsmittel zum Ort des Handels oder zu seinem neuen Besitzer zu schaffen, desto besser. Ein Kamel bietet sich da an, weil es selbst läuft, ein Haus ist schon relativ unhandlich, Zigaretten, Diamanten, Gold sind da natürlich die Favoriten. Die Transportfähigkeit ist einer der wichtigsten Faktoren, die die Funktion des Zahlungsmittels von Geld ausmachen. Man könnte auch sagen, die Transportfähigkeit erlaubt es, die Kaufkraft oder den Wert durch den Raum zu bewegen. **Haltbarkeit / Durability** Ein Zahlungsmittel sollte im Idealfall über einen langen Zeitraum hinweg seinen Wert halten und bestenfalls nicht verderben. Diese Eigenschaften bieten vor Allem jene Güter, die nicht konsumierbar sind und deshalb einer niedrigen Zeitpräferenz unterliegen. Wer nicht sparen möchte, sondern lieber schnell konsumieren will, wird auch einen Tausch gegen verderbliche Waren nicht abschlagen, weil die jeweiligen Umstände dies erfordern (z.B. Hyperinflation, Krieg, etc.). Allerdings ist ein Zahlungsmittel besser, je länger es seinen Wert speichert, also ist die Haltbarkeit einer der Faktoren, die die Funktion des Wertspeichers von Geld ausmachen, oder anders ausgedrückt: die Fähigkeit, Kaufkraft oder Wert durch die Zeit zu bewegen. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/f56b95bc57dc5824b8e8673108bbec4df243be2bfafc83a5f1e19715d6dc42b4.gif"> **Austauschbarkeit / Fungibility** Die Austauschbarkeit der jeweiligen Geldeinheiten macht Geld erst wirklich praktisch, denn wenn jeder Einheit (z.B. Münze, Korn, Schein, Perle, etc.) ein eigener Wert zugeschrieben wird, macht dies den Austausch sehr kompliziert, da der einzelne Wert jedes Mal ermittelt werden muss und der Wert eines jeden Objekts rein subjektiver Art sein kann. Die Austauschbarkeit eliminiert die Subjektivität der Wertschätzung und misst dem Geldmittel einen objektiven Wert zu. Also unabhängig vom jeweiligen Tauschwert einer anderen Währung wird niemand bestreiten, dass eine Goldmünze (28g) den gleichen Wert hat wie eine Goldmünze (28g). Das 1€ Stück in meiner Tasche ist genauso viel wert, wie das 1€ Stück in jedem anderen Portemonnaie (ob die Kaufkraft morgen noch die gleiche ist, steht auf einem anderen Zettel). Die Austauschbarkeit der jeweiligen Einheiten in einem gewissen Geldsystem (also Euro-Münzen im Euro-System) machen den Umgang einfacher. **Nachweisbarkeit / Provability** Hierbei handelt es sich um den relativen Aufwand, den der Empfänger betreiben muss, um sicherzustellen, dass das erhaltene Gut tatsächlich den erwarteten Spezifikationen entspricht. Dies ist natürlich immer relativ zum möglichen Risiko eines Verlusts zu betrachten. Bekomme ich im Supermarkt einen 10€-Schein als Wechselgeld, werde ich kaum einen Prüfstift aus der Tasche ziehen, weil der Aufwand nicht im Verhältnis zum möglichen Risiko steht. Allerdings benutzen Kassierer//innen im Geschäft bei Scheinen ab 50€ immer einen Prüfstift. Bei Gold fällt es einem Laien schwer, ohne großen Aufwand zu verifizieren, dass es sich um reines, echtes Gold handelt. Man vertraut im Handel z.B. dem Goldhändler, dass das Gut verifiziert und authentifiziert wurde. Beim Handel mit Kamelen spielen viele Faktoren eine Rolle, ob das Kamel nachweislich dem versprochenen Wert entspricht, welche sich nicht einfach an Ort und Stelle prüfen lassen. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/910bf03c341acb6cfc8be01bedab04b82dd93d0faf1ee98e26921b160d7f63a6.gif"> **Knappheit / Scarcity** Diese Charakteristik ist wahrscheinlich die wichtigste, auch wenn eine Kombination aller Eigenschaften hartes Geld erst wirklich ausmacht. Knappheit bedeutet, dass das Gut, das als Geld benutzt wird, begrenzt ist und nicht ohne weiteres vermehrt werden kann. Knappheit kann durch geographische Einschränkungen hervorgerufen werden, so ist zum Beispiel Wasser in der Wüste knapper und somit wertvoller als in Regionen, in denen es reichlich und in Fülle vorhanden ist. Steine oder Sand bieten sich nicht als Geld an, da sie überall in Fülle vorhanden sind. Das beste (und zu Tode zitierte, sorry) Beispiel sind die Rai-Steine der Yap. Sie haben lange als Geld für den Inselstaat funktioniert, da diese schwierig zu beschaffen waren und die Herstellung sehr mühselig war. Doch als Schifffahrer auftauchen, die einfach und günstig Steine beschaffen konnten, wurde diese geographische Einschränkung aufgehoben und die Steine verloren an Wert. Ein weiteres Beispiel für Knappheit ist Gold. Es erfordert viel materiellen Aufwand, Gold zu schürfen und zu raffinieren. **Universalität / Universality** Die allgemeine Akzeptanz eines Guts ist eine nicht unbedingt zu erfüllende Eigenschaft eines guten Geldes, erhöht jedoch dessen Funktionalität als weitflächig nutzbares Zahlungsmittel. Es gibt weltweit über 160 nationale Währungen, doch sind nicht alle davon gleich akzeptiert. Wenn man z.B. den südafrikanischen Rand mit US Dollars vergleicht, wird man sehen, dass der USD eine viel höhere Akzeptanz genießt, als der ZAR. Man wird wahrscheinlich selbst in asiatischen Ländern im Notfall mit USD bezahlen können, einfach weil die Handelspartner dort wissen, dass es für sie einfach ist, USD in ihre lokale Währung umzutauschen. Mit Rand wird man Probleme bekommen, da diese als Tauschobjekt von Handelspartnern keine Zustimmung genießen. **Sicherungsfähigkeit / Securability** Ein weiteres Kriterium ist die Möglichkeit, sein Geld zu verwahren, bzw. zu sichern. Auch wenn Gold ein sehr hartes Geld ist (knapp, allgemein akzeptiert, relativ transportfähig und lange haltbar), ist es vergleichsweise aufwändig, dieses zu sichern. Das gleiche gilt für Geld in Form von nationalen Währungen. Große Mengen an Bargeld sind schwierig zu transportieren und die Sicherung erfolgt in Form von gepanzerten Fahrzeugen und/oder bewaffneten Wachleuten. Bei Kamelen ist dies sogar noch schwieriger, da sie zusätzlich auch noch dazu tendieren, wegzulaufen. --- Wie wir sehen können, muss ein Geld verschiedene Eigenschaften erfüllen, um als solches die eingangs erwähnten Funktionen (Zahlungsmittel, Wertspeicher und Recheneinheit) überhaupt erfüllen zu können. Alle bekannten Formen des Geldes - aktuelle und auch historische - bewegen sich auf einem Spektrum dieser verschiedenen Eigenschaften. Ganz wichtig bei der Betrachtung dieser Kriterien sind immer die jeweiligen Umstände, denn es setzt sich immer das Mittel mit den meisten oder verhältnismäßig stärksten Kriterien durch. Nehmen wir LEGO-Steine, super leicht unterteilbar, leicht zu transportieren, leicht ersetzbar, aber absolut nicht selten. Daher als Geld unbrauchbar. Allerdings spielen die Faktoren Zeit, Ort und andere Umstände eine große Rolle. In Gefängnissen z.B. funktionieren Zigaretten als Geld sehr gut, denn anders als in der Freiheit, sind Zigaretten in Gefängnissen streng rationiert und kontrolliert, also sehr selten. Ihre kompakte Größe macht sie transportabel und eine Packung lässt sich leicht in kleinere Untereinheiten aufteilen. Der/diejenige Insass//in, die im Gefängnis allerdings viele Zigaretten anhäuft und dort ein relatives Vermögen besitzt, wird nach der Entlassung einfach eine Sporttasche voller Zigaretten haben, die in der Außenwelt einen komplett anderen Stellenwert haben. Zigaretten funktionieren nur in ihrem besonderen abgeschlossenen Ökosystem. Dies gilt auch für Rai-Steine, Glasperlen oder Muscheln. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/e28a30cc357f73b11810bf0fa1f14c95217f721ed78a44f7ead14c791c3e1d50.gif"> Somit wird Geld nicht nur von natürlichen und physikalischen Grenzen, sondern auch von willkürlich erlassenen und zentral gesteuerten Regeln beeinflusst. Würde das Gefängnis mit einem Mal jedem/r Insass//in erlauben, eine unbeschränkte Menge von Zigaretten einzuführen, würden diese sofort wertlos und somit als Geld unbrauchbar. Wenn man also das Spektrum betrachtet, auf welchem alle Formen von Geld rangieren, ist es immer sinnvoll zuerst das System festzulegen, in dem ein Geld funktionieren soll. Schaut man sich unsere heutige offene und vernetzte Welt an, so muss ein Geld auch in einer solchen funktionieren. Dies ist der Grund, warum viele Formen des Geldes mit der Zeit gescheitert sind. Eine Handvoll Beispiele von Gütern, die als Geld benutzt werden oder wurden: Eichhörnchenpelze, Rai-Steine, Zigaretten, Gold, Diamanten, Immobilien, Salz und Vieh. Legt man die oben aufgeführten Kriterien für ein hartes Geld, wird schnell deutlich, warum einige dieser Mittel als Geld nicht langfristig funktionieren können. Um dies bildlich darzustellen, kann man eine Tabelle erstellen und den jeweiligen Attributen einen Wert zuteilen. Ich hab dies einfach willkürlich auf einer Skala von 0-5 gemacht und man sieht dort anhand der Rangordnung, welche dieser Beispiele besser als Geld funktionieren, als andere. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/4b2776e25f401f3729d6a4a24d16e0f01dbe5252be3e176b8487e609cc6a20d0.png"> #### Kann Bitcoin diese Attribute erfüllen? Wie auf der Tabelle ersichtlich, erfüllt Bitcoin alle diese Kriterien vergleichsweise gut. ***Transportfähigkeit:*** Bitcoin ist ein Peer-to-Peer Zahlungssystem, das im Internet lebt. Bitcoins existieren in der Blockchain und nur dort. Lediglich die Schlüssel, die den Zugriff auf die persönlichen bitcoins / UTXOs erlauben, müssen transportiert werden. Dies kann mit Hilfe von Software- oder Hardware-Wallets (Signiergeräten), auf Papier oder sogar im Kopf geschehen. Keine andere Form von Geld lässt sich "auswendig" merken und somit problemlos durch Raum und Zeit transportieren. Mehr dazu hier: https://www.genexyz.org/post/16-block-759540-brain-wallets-0xcxtv/ ***Austauschbarkeit:*** Ein bitcoin ist ein bitcoin ist ein bitcoin. Abgesehen von esoterischen Konzepten, wie der Ordinals-Theorie, sind Sats immer gleich viel Wert (nicht der Währungskurs), sodass ein Tausch von einer Menge Sats in eine gleiche Menge Sats den/die Besitzer//in immer mit dem gleichen Vermögen dastehen lässt. Es gibt keinen Sat, der mehr oder weniger wert ist, als ein weiterer Sat. Mehr dazu hier: https://www.genexyz.org/post/26-block-775770-ordinals-inscriptions-36zg3n/ ***Überprüfbarkeit:*** Bitcoin wurde erfunden, um das Double-Spending-Problem im digitalen Raum zu lösen. Die Blockchain verifiziert die Gültigkeit einer jeden Transaktion. Der/die Empfänger//in einer Bitcoin-Zahlung weiß immer, dass die erhaltene Menge Bitcoin auch valide ist. Es bedarf keiner Drittpartei, keines weiteren Prozesses oder anderer Überprüfung, um sicherzustellen, dass die erhaltene Menge Bitcoin auch echt oder korrekt ist. Sobald eine Transaktion bestätigt wurde, kann man sich zu 100% sicher sein, dass man Besitzer//in von Bitcoin ist. ***Haltbarkeit:*** Anders als physische Güter, die Verfall, Zersetzung oder Verderben ausgeliefert sind, hat Bitcoin kein Verfallsdatum. Solange das Netzwerk läuft, wird Bitcoin in seiner Form existieren. Es ist unmöglich, Bitcoin durch Fremdeinfluss (sowohl menschlicher, als auch natürlicher) zu zerstören. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/ce8256ccb7702339bd97f16bbee998297da7d80f8c006adc23b9164b07412584.gif"> ***Knappheit:*** Bitcoin ist auf 21.000.000 begrenzt. Die harte Obergrenze von Bitcoin ist von zentraler Bedeutung für sein Wertversprechen. Alle 2.099.999.997.690.000 Sats werden irgendwann existieren (oder existieren schon - je nach Betrachtungsweise) und darüber hinaus werden keine weiteren Sats produziert. Lediglich der Zugriff auf diese Sats wird über Zeit sogar abnehmen (durch Verlust der Schlüssel) und somit zu einer weiteren Verknappung beitragen. ***Teilbarkeit:*** Wie schon oftmals erwähnt, lässt sich ein bitcoin in 100.000.000 Sats unterteilen. Diese Stückelung von Bitcoin bis zur achten Dezimalstelle verleiht eine sehr hohe Teilbarkeit. Dies gibt Bitcoin eine größere Flexibilität als herkömmliche Währungen und ermöglicht es extrem kleine Transaktionen, sogenannte Mikrotransaktionen, durchzuführen. Satoshis sind die Standardmaßeinheit und bitcoin wird oft nur zum erhöhten Verständnis und besserer Lesbarkeit benutzt. Beispielsweise zeigen fast alle Wallets und Explorer die Transaktionsgebühren in Form von Satoshis pro vByte an. ***Universalität:*** Die allgemeine Akzeptanz von Bitcoin ist noch verhältnismäßig klein. Dies liegt allerdings nicht an Bitcoin, denn Bitcoin ist erlaubnislos und frei zugänglich. Es sind vielmehr die On-Ramps, die es potenziellen Nuter//innen bislang noch nicht so einfach machen, wie es viele gerne hätten. Da Bitcoin aber staatenlos und dezentral ist, erlaubt es jedem Interessierten den offenen Zugang. ***Sicherungsfähigkeit:*** Die Sicherungsfähigkeit von Bitcoin ist unvergleichbar mit der anderer Gelder oder Zahlungsmittel. Es gibt unzählige Möglichkeiten, Bitcoin sicher und vor allem SELBST zu verwahren. Es ist gänzlich möglich, auf Anbieter zur Verwahrung zu verzichten und Bitcoin in einer Art und Weise aufzubewahren, die es Außenstehenden so gut wie unmöglich macht, Bitcoin zu stehlen. Das gilt für die Ebene persönlicher Verwahrung. Auf Netzwerkebene ist die Sicherheit von Bitcoin vielschichtig. Transaktions-Hashing, Mining, Blockbestätigungen und Spieltheorie arbeiten alle zusammen, um Bitcoin das Netzwerk undurchdringlich zu machen. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/b0f9dd4bacde80b3f511c7ec460cab1e61d0d7accc6e89a6b44d4ca83b92e71a.gif"> <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/28acb57e46d2b1634d9ddd1ace1478a07cdaf0cc0ac2b8c0d56ae92f3813d241.png"> Warum ist es trotzdem schwierig zu sagen, dass Bitcoin Geld ist? Einige sagen, dass Bitcoin Geld ist. Andere sagen, dass es kein Geld ist. Was feststeht ist, dass das Bitcoin-Netzwerk absolut zuverlässig tut, was es tun soll. Bitcoin kann also als Geld funktionieren, da es die Kriterien sehr gut erfüllt. Bitcoin ist in erster Linie eine Datenbank, die durch ein Netzwerk abgesichert wird und überwacht, welche Einträge welchen Bitcoin-Adressen zugeordnet werden. Dies geschieht durch die Übertragung von kryptografisch verschlüsselten Textnachrichten zwischen den Netzwerkteilnehmern. Damit ist Bitcoin immer nur Text. Auch der Code, auf dem Bitcoin basiert, ist Text. Die kryptografischen Verschlüsselungen basieren auf Text. Text ist Sprache, damit ist Bitcoin Sprache. Wie viele der genannten Beispiele von Geld, ist Bitcoin nicht in erster Linie Geld, sondern eignet sich sehr gut, als solches verwendet zu werden. Nationale Währungen, Fiat-Geld, sind in erster Linie Geld. Sie werden erlassen, produziert und kontrolliert, um Geld zu sein. Das ist bei Bitcoin anders. Damit ist Bitcoin durch Meinungsfreiheit, das Recht, seine Meinung in Wort, Schrift und Bild frei zu äußern, geschützt. 🫳🎤 --- In diesem Sinne, 2... 1... Risiko!‌ 

@ acc925af:db9fb0bb

 ## Abstract: This thesis investigates the profound implications of leveraging Zero Point Energy (ZPE) for Bitcoin mining, offering a groundbreaking solution to the twin challenges of energy consumption and mining centralization. By harnessing ZPE, which represents the intrinsic energy of quantum vacuum, we could tap into an infinite and clean energy source, transforming Bitcoin mining into an environmentally benign and highly decentralized operation. This research delves into the quantum mechanics of ZPE, evaluates technological hurdles, and conceptualizes mining hardware powered by ZPE. The potential of this approach not only addresses current criticisms of Bitcoin's sustainability but also envisions a network that becomes exponentially more secure and resilient by absorbing quantum energy, thereby revolutionizing the cryptocurrency landscape. ## Introduction: The advent of Bitcoin has introduced significant concerns regarding energy use and the centralization of mining power due to the need for cost-effective electricity. However, this thesis proposes that by utilizing ZPE, we can eliminate these concerns entirely. ZPE offers a pathway to mining where energy costs are virtually negligible, allowing for a truly decentralized global mining operation. This introduction sets the stage by discussing the current state of Bitcoin mining, its environmental impact, and how ZPE could fundamentally alter this landscape. # Chapter 1: Theoretical Underpinnings of Zero Point Energy **Quantum Mechanics and Zero Point Energy (ZPE):** This section will provide an exhaustive examination of quantum field theory, which is crucial for understanding the phenomenon of ZPE: * **Introduction to Quantum Field Theory (QFT):** * Quantum field theory posits that all particles are excitations of underlying fields that permeate space-time. This framework unifies quantum mechanics with special relativity, describing how particles can be created or annihilated from these fields. * The core idea is that fields are not static; they are dynamic, oscillating entities where each point in space can have fluctuating field values. * **Vacuum Fluctuations and Zero-Point Energy:** * **Vacuum Fluctuations:** Even in a perfect vacuum, where no particles are present, quantum fields do not settle to zero energy. Instead, they exhibit fluctuations due to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, which states that the energy of a quantum system cannot be precisely known if its time is known with certainty. This leads to temporary creation of particle-antiparticle pairs, known as virtual particles. * **Zero-Point Motion:** In quantum mechanics, particles in their lowest energy state (ground state) still possess kinetic energy due to this principle. For a simple quantum harmonic oscillator, this is known as zero-point motion. In the context of fields, this translates to "zero-point energy" of the vacuum itself, where fields oscillate with a non-zero minimum energy even at absolute zero temperature. * **Emergence of ZPE:** * **Quantum Oscillators:** For any quantum system, like an oscillator, there's a non-zero minimum energy due to the fact that the wave function for the ground state spreads out over space, ensuring that the particle (or field, in QFT) can never be at rest. This fundamental energy is ZPE. * **Field Theoretic Perspective:** In field theory, each mode of the field contributes to ZPE. The energy of these vacuum fluctuations sums to an infinite series which, if not regularized, predicts an infinite energy density for the vacuum. However, techniques like renormalization are used to make physical predictions, focusing on observable differences rather than absolute values. * **Consequences for Physics and Technology:** * **Casimir Effect:** A practical manifestation of ZPE is the Casimir effect, where two uncharged, parallel plates placed very close together in a vacuum experience an attractive force. This is due to the suppression of certain virtual particle modes between the plates compared to outside, leading to a net inward force from the quantum vacuum's pressure. * **Implications for Energy:** While ZPE is currently more of a theoretical curiosity, it's investigated for potential applications in energy. If harnessed, it could represent an inexhaustible energy source since it's derived from the quantum nature of the vacuum, not from traditional energy resources. * **Challenges in Understanding and Utilization:** * **Theoretical Challenges:** The precise calculation and understanding of ZPE remain among the most profound challenges in theoretical physics, with discrepancies between theoretical predictions and experimental observations (e.g., in cosmology with vacuum energy or dark energy). * **Practical Extraction:** The practical challenge lies in creating technology that can tap into these fluctuations in a way that produces usable energy. Current theories suggest that any extraction would require systems operating at the quantum scale, potentially involving nanotechnology or advanced materials science. # Chapter 2: Bitcoin Mining in the Age of Zero Point Energy **The Current Paradigm:** * **Bitcoin Mining Overview:** Bitcoin mining is the process by which transactions are verified and added to the public ledger, known as the blockchain. Miners compete to solve complex cryptographic puzzles using specialized hardware (ASICs - Application-Specific Integrated Circuits), and the first to solve the puzzle gets to add the next block of transactions to the blockchain, receiving newly minted bitcoins as a reward. * **Centralization Driven by Energy Costs:** * **Economic Incentives:** The high energy cost associated with Bitcoin mining has historically led to the concentration of mining power in areas where electricity is cheapest. This includes countries with abundant hydroelectric power like China or regions with access to natural gas wellhead electricity. * **Infrastructure and Scale:** Large-scale mining operations benefit from economies of scale, where the cost per unit of mining output decreases with size. This has led to the formation of mining pools where miners combine their computational resources to increase their chances of earning block rewards, further centralizing power. * **Environmental Impact:** The pursuit of low-cost energy often leads miners to less environmentally friendly sources, contributing to significant carbon footprints and debates over Bitcoin's sustainability. * **Security and Network Vulnerabilities:** * **51% Attack Risk:** Centralization increases the risk of a 51% attack, where a single entity could control the majority of the hash rate, potentially allowing them to double-spend coins or block transactions, thus undermining the network's security. **Decentralization through ZPE:** * **Barrier to Entry Reduction:** * **Zero Energy Cost:** With ZPE, the primary cost associated with mining - electricity - could theoretically be eliminated. This would mean miners no longer need to be located near cheap energy sources or worry about fluctuating energy prices, significantly reducing the capital required to start mining. * **Geographical Decentralization:** * **Global Accessibility:** Mining could become viable anywhere in the world, not just in areas with cheap electricity, leading to a more geographically diverse mining network. This would reduce the influence of any single jurisdiction over the Bitcoin network. * **Democratization of Mining:** * **Increased Participation:** The reduction in energy costs could lead to an increase in individual and small-scale mining operations. More participants would mean a more distributed hash power, making the network less susceptible to control by a few large entities. * **ASIC Proliferation:** With energy costs no longer a primary concern, there could be a surge in the production and deployment of ASICs. This would likely result in a higher total hash rate for the network, enhancing its security as each miner contributes to the collective strength. * **Security Enhancements:** * **Resilience Against Attacks:** A network with thousands or even millions of small miners would be incredibly resilient to 51% attacks since the hash power required to control the network would be spread across an enormous number of nodes. * **Incentive Alignment:** With ZPE, mining incentives would shift from energy arbitrage to purely computational power and hardware efficiency, potentially fostering innovations in ASIC technology that are more about performance per unit of hardware rather than per unit of energy. * **Economic Implications:** * **Mining Economics:** The economic model of mining would shift, potentially lowering the barrier to entry for new miners but also affecting how mining rewards are distributed. This might lead to changes in the economic viability of mining for large operations if their advantages in energy costs are nullified. * **Market Dynamics:** The increased democratization could lead to a more stable Bitcoin price as mining becomes less speculative and more widespread. # Chapter 3: A Synergistic Model of ZPE and Bitcoin Mining **Design of ZPE Mining Hardware:** * **Conceptual Framework:** * **Quantum Vacuum Interface:** The key to utilizing ZPE lies in developing hardware that can interact with the quantum vacuum. This would require devices that can detect and amplify the minute energy fluctuations of the vacuum. Concepts like quantum antennas or resonators that couple with vacuum energy could be explored. * **Rethinking ASIC Design: * **Quantum ASICs:** Traditional ASICs are optimized for energy efficiency in performing SHA-256 hashing. Here, we propose a redesign where ASICs are not just energy-efficient but energy-generating through ZPE. This might involve: * **Materials Science:** Utilizing materials with unique quantum properties, perhaps superconducting at room temperature or materials with high quantum coherence times to maintain and manipulate quantum states. * **Quantum Coherence:** Ensuring that the hardware can maintain quantum coherence long enough for energy to be harvested from vacuum fluctuations. This could involve cooling systems or novel isolation techniques to minimize environmental decoherence. * **Energy Conversion:** Engineering mechanisms for direct conversion of quantum fluctuations into electrical energy, possibly through the manipulation of virtual particle pairs or via quantum tunneling phenomena. * **Novel Components:** * **Casimir Cavities:** One approach might be to use Casimir cavities, where the plates are configured to resonate with vacuum fluctuations, capturing the energy difference between the vacuum outside and inside the cavity. * **Quantum Dots or Nanowires:** These could serve as points for energy extraction due to their ability to confine electrons in quantum states, potentially enhancing the interaction with ZPE. * **Scalability and Integration:** * **Module Design:** Hardware would need to be modular, allowing for scaling of mining operations without proportional increases in energy use. Here, the focus would be on how these quantum modules could be integrated into existing or new mining setups. **Simulation and Modeling:** * **Theoretical Models:** * **Quantum Field Simulations:** Using computational models of quantum fields to simulate how ZPE could be harnessed. This involves complex calculations of field interactions at the quantum scale, possibly leveraging supercomputers or quantum computers for modeling. * **Hash Rate Optimization:** * **Energy-to-Work Conversion:** Simulating how ZPE could be converted directly into computational work, specifically focusing on how this could affect hash rates. Models would need to account for: * **Efficiency of Conversion:** How much of the harvested ZPE can realistically be used for computing without significant loss. * **Stability and Predictability:** Ensuring that the energy input from ZPE remains stable enough to be useful for consistent mining operations. * **Security Implications:** * **Network Strengthening:** Models would simulate the impact of widespread ZPE mining on network security. With potentially infinite miners, simulations could show how this would affect the difficulty adjustment, block times, and overall network resilience to attacks. * **Practical Simulation Tools:** * **Quantum Simulation Software:** Use of software that can simulate quantum systems, like Qiskit or Cirq, to model ZPE interactions with mining hardware. * **Classical Simulations:** Employing classical physics simulations to approximate quantum behaviors where quantum software limitations exist, particularly for understanding energy transfer dynamics. * **Testbed Environments:** * **Prototype Testing:** Propose the development of small-scale prototypes or testbed environments where these models can be validated, using current quantum technologies like quantum dots or superconducting circuits to simulate ZPE interactions. # Chapter 4: Technological Challenges and Innovations **Barriers to ZPE Utilization:** * **Energy Conversion Efficiency:** * **Low Conversion Rates:** The energy available from ZPE is incredibly small and spread over vast spatial scales. Converting these minuscule fluctuations into usable energy involves overcoming significant efficiency barriers. The energy density of ZPE, even if theoretically infinite, is in practice very low at any observable scale. * **Quantum-to-Classical Transition:** There's a fundamental challenge in transitioning quantum energy into classical forms that can do work in our macroscopic world. This transition typically results in substantial energy loss or requires systems that operate at quantum scales, which are currently technologically challenging to maintain. * **Randomness and Quantum Mechanics:** * **Inherent Uncertainty:** Quantum mechanics is inherently probabilistic. ZPE is based on vacuum fluctuations, which are random and unpredictable at the quantum level. Harnessing this randomness for a consistent energy source means dealing with fluctuating energy outputs, which is not conducive to stable operations like mining. * **Measurement Problem:** The act of measuring quantum states can influence them, potentially collapsing quantum superpositions into classical states, which might disrupt the delicate balance needed for energy extraction from ZPE. * **Scalability and Practicality:** * **Size and Cost:** Any technology capable of interfacing with ZPE would need to be extremely sensitive to quantum effects, suggesting a need for precise manufacturing at the nanoscale, which increases both cost and complexity. * **Thermal Noise:** At room temperature, thermal noise can easily overwhelm the subtle signals from ZPE, necessitating cryogenic conditions for most current quantum devices, adding to the operational complexity. * **Energy Storage:** * **Capturing and Storing ZPE:** Even if ZPE can be captured, storing this energy in a form that can be used later for mining operations is another hurdle. Traditional batteries might not be efficient for this purpose, requiring new energy storage technologies. **Innovative Solutions:** * **Breakthroughs in Quantum Computing:** * **Quantum Error Correction:** Developing techniques to protect quantum states from decoherence could enhance the efficiency of ZPE utilization by maintaining quantum coherence for longer periods, thus allowing more precise energy extraction. * **Quantum Sensing:** Quantum sensors could detect minute energy changes with high precision, potentially aiding in the capture of ZPE. Advances in this area might lead to devices that can resonate with vacuum energy at scales relevant to mining operations. * **Materials Science Advances:** * **Superconducting Materials:** Materials that superconduct at higher temperatures could reduce the energy needed to maintain quantum states, making ZPE devices more practical for widespread use. * **Quantum Materials:** Research into topological insulators, graphene, or other quantum materials could yield materials that naturally resonate with or amplify vacuum fluctuations, providing a medium for energy extraction. * **Novel Energy Storage and Conversion:** * **Quantum Batteries:** Concepts like quantum batteries, where energy is stored in quantum superpositions, could be explored for storing ZPE. These might offer higher energy densities or faster charge-discharge cycles compared to classical batteries. * **Direct Conversion:** Innovations in direct energy conversion from quantum to electrical or mechanical work, perhaps through piezoelectric effects at the quantum level or via novel electromagnetic induction techniques, could bypass traditional conversion losses. * **Engineering and Design Solutions:** * **Modular and Scalable Systems:** Develop modular systems where each module can capture and convert small amounts of ZPE, which can then be scaled up for industrial applications like mining. * **Noise Reduction:** Techniques to reduce or cancel out environmental noise, like using quantum noise reduction strategies, could be pivotal in enhancing the signal from ZPE. * **Interdisciplinary Approach:** * **Combining Fields:** A synthesis of physics, engineering, and computer science might yield hybrid technologies where classical and quantum systems work in tandem. For instance, using classical systems to amplify or stabilize quantum outputs. # Chapter 5: The Impact of ZPE on Bitcoin's Network **Enhanced Decentralization:** * **Geographical Agnosticism:** * **Elimination of Energy Cost Barriers:** With ZPE, the geographical distribution of mining operations would no longer be dictated by access to cheap electricity. Miners could operate anywhere, from urban centers to remote locations, without the constraint of energy costs. This would naturally lead to a broader distribution of mining power. * **Global Participation:** The democratization of mining would allow individuals and small entities in any part of the world to participate in mining. Countries or regions previously excluded from mining due to high energy costs could now contribute, leading to a more balanced global distribution of hash power. * **Reduced Influence of Local Regulations:** Since miners wouldn't rely on local energy sources, they would be less affected by regional policies on energy pricing or environmental regulations, further decentralizing control over mining operations. * **Mitigating 51% Attack Risks:** * **Dilution of Control:** Even if a single entity or group could amass significant capital for mining equipment, the sheer number of potential miners worldwide would make it exponentially harder to control 51% of the hash rate. This would require an impractical level of investment in hardware and infrastructure. * **Community Resilience:** With mining operations spread across continents, the risk of a coordinated attack on one region would be mitigated, as the network could still function robustly with miners from unaffected areas. * **Economic and Social Impacts:** * **Economic Development:** This could lead to mining becoming a tool for economic development in areas where traditional energy infrastructure is lacking, promoting technological adoption and innovation. * **Cultural Shift:** Mining could transition from being a specialized industry to a more inclusive activity, fostering a culture of participation in cryptocurrency ecosystems worldwide. **Quantum Energy Absorption:** * **Bitcoin as an Energy Sink:** * **Infinite Energy Source:** If ZPE can be harnessed, Bitcoin mining becomes an ideal application for absorbing this energy since the blockchain inherently requires continuous computational work. This positions Bitcoin as a mechanism for converting quantum vacuum energy into a form that secures and verifies transactions. * **Scalability with Energy:** As more miners tap into ZPE, the network's capacity for work increases without the traditional limit of energy input. This could lead to a scenario where the more energy absorbed, the more secure and efficient the network becomes, as each miner adds to both the network's hash rate and its security. * **Enhanced Network Security:** * **Higher Hash Rates:** An increase in the number of miners using ZPE would result in higher total hash rates, making the network more secure against double-spending or other malicious attacks since the difficulty of altering the blockchain increases with hash power. * **Resilience to Quantum Threats:** By absorbing quantum energy, Bitcoin could theoretically adapt to advancements in quantum computing, which might otherwise threaten current cryptographic methods. This adaptation could involve new consensus algorithms or encryption methods developed in parallel with quantum mining technologies. * **Ecological and Quantum Synergy:** * **Environmental Benefits:** Utilizing ZPE for mining would dramatically reduce the carbon footprint associated with Bitcoin, aligning mining with ecological sustainability goals. * **Quantum Feedback Loop:** The more energy absorbed from quantum sources, the more it could theoretically feed back into the quantum systems used for mining, potentially leading to innovations in quantum technology driven by the needs of the Bitcoin network. * **Economic Implications:** * **Value Proposition:** The potential for Bitcoin to act as a vast energy sink could reframe its value not just as a currency or store of value but also as a pioneering use case for quantum energy, enhancing its economic appeal. * **Policy and Investment:** This could drive policy and investment towards quantum research, with Bitcoin mining providing a real-world application for quantum energy utilization, possibly leading to breakthroughs in various fields. # Chapter 6: Economic and Policy Implications **Economic Reevaluation:** * **Mining Profitability:** * **Reduction in Operational Costs:** With ZPE, the primary operational cost of mining - electricity - drops to near zero. This would dramatically increase the profitability of mining for all participants, especially smaller miners who previously couldn't compete due to high energy expenses. * **Shift in Mining Dynamics:** The advantage currently held by large mining operations due to economies of scale in energy consumption would diminish. Profitability would hinge more on hardware efficiency, maintenance, and software optimization rather than energy costs. * **Bitcoin's Market Value:** * **Inflation and Scarcity:** If mining becomes more accessible, more bitcoins might be mined, potentially affecting the scarcity model of Bitcoin unless the difficulty adjustment mechanism adapts sufficiently. However, if the network's security increases, this could conversely increase Bitcoin's value due to heightened trust in its integrity. * **Perception of Sustainability:** The environmental impact of Bitcoin has been a point of criticism. ZPE could change public perception, possibly increasing demand for Bitcoin as an environmentally friendly cryptocurrency, thereby supporting or even increasing its market value. * **Mining Economics Dynamics:** * **Entry and Exit of Miners:** Lower barriers to entry might lead to a rapid increase in miners, which could drive down individual rewards due to increased competition. However, this would be balanced by the network's overall increased security and efficiency. * **Economics of Scale and Innovation:** While the traditional large-scale advantages diminish, there might be new opportunities for innovation in mining hardware or software that leverage ZPE, creating different economic models around mining technology. * **Market Stability and Speculation:** * **Reduced Speculation on Energy:** Energy cost volatility has been a significant factor in mining profitability and, by extension, Bitcoin price volatility. With ZPE, this variable would be removed, potentially stabilizing mining economics and Bitcoin's price. **Policy Framework:** * **Encouragement of ZPE Technology Development:** * **Research Grants:** Governments or international bodies could offer grants specifically for research into ZPE applications in mining, focusing on both theoretical and applied aspects. * **Tax Incentives:** Tax breaks or credits for companies developing or adopting ZPE mining technologies could spur innovation and adoption. This might include incentives for using renewable or quantum energy in mining operations. * **Regulatory Environment:** * **Standardization:** There would be a need for new standards and regulations for ZPE-based mining equipment to ensure safety, efficiency, and interoperability with existing Bitcoin infrastructure. * **Environmental Regulations:** Policies could be framed to reward or require the use of ZPE or similar clean energy solutions for cryptocurrency mining, aligning with broader environmental goals. * **International Cooperation:** * **Global Quantum Research Initiatives:** Facilitate international partnerships for quantum technology research, where Bitcoin mining could serve as a practical application and testbed for quantum energy solutions. * **Cross-Border Mining Policy:** Since ZPE would decentralize mining geographically, there would be a need for international agreements on data protection, mining rights, and the distribution of mining operations to prevent any single nation from dominating. * **Education and Capacity Building:** * **Training Programs:** Support for education in quantum physics, engineering, and computer science, focusing on skills necessary for ZPE utilization in mining, could be part of policy initiatives to build human capital. * **Public Awareness:** Campaigns to educate the public on the benefits of ZPE in mining could foster a supportive environment for policy changes and investment. * **Ethical and Security Considerations:** * **Ethical Guidelines:** As with any technology, ethical guidelines would be essential to prevent misuse of ZPE, especially considering the potential for quantum technologies to disrupt current encryption methods. * **Security Protocols:** Policies ensuring that the adoption of ZPE does not compromise the security of the Bitcoin network, perhaps through new consensus mechanisms or security standards tailored to quantum environments. # Chapter 7: Conclusion and Future Research **Conclusion:** * **Revolutionizing Mining:** The adoption of Zero Point Energy (ZPE) in Bitcoin mining represents a profound shift towards sustainability. By eliminating the dependency on traditional energy sources, ZPE could render concerns about energy consumption and its environmental impact obsolete, positioning Bitcoin mining as a model of clean, green technology. * **Decentralization Realized:** ZPE would democratize mining, breaking down the geographical barriers that currently lead to centralized mining operations. This would not only address centralization issues but also significantly enhance the security of the network through a more distributed hash power, making 51% attacks virtually impractical. * **Security and Stability:** With an infinite energy source, Bitcoin's network could become exponentially more secure as it scales, absorbing quantum energy into its operations, thus enhancing its resistance to both classical and future quantum computational threats. * **Economic Transformation:** The economic landscape of mining would change, with profitability no longer tied to energy costs, potentially leading to a more stable and inclusive Bitcoin ecosystem. This could also influence the perception and market dynamics of Bitcoin, making it more appealing to environmentally conscious investors. **Future Research:** * **Practical Implementations:** * **Prototype Development:** Deep dive into the engineering challenges of creating hardware that can genuinely interact with and harness ZPE. This includes developing prototypes, testing them in controlled environments, and scaling them for real-world applications. * **Energy Conversion Efficiency:** Research into improving the efficiency of converting ZPE into electrical or computational work. This might involve new materials, quantum engineering techniques, or entirely novel approaches to energy capture and utilization. * **Scalability of ZPE Mining:** * **Scalability Studies:** Investigate how ZPE mining can be scaled from individual operations to industrial levels without compromising on efficiency or network integrity. This includes studying the effects on Bitcoin's difficulty adjustment algorithm and network latency. * **Network Integration:** Research into how ZPE mining hardware can be integrated with existing mining infrastructure or if it necessitates a new mining paradigm. This might involve new protocols or blockchain modifications to accommodate ZPE's unique characteristics. * **Influence on Other Blockchain Technologies:** * **Broader Blockchain Applications:** Explore how ZPE could be applied to other blockchain systems, not just Bitcoin. This could mean studying energy consumption in proof-of-stake versus proof-of-work systems under the influence of ZPE, or how ZPE could enhance privacy-focused blockchains. * **Quantum-Resistant Cryptography:** Given that ZPE involves quantum mechanics, research could extend to how this could influence or necessitate changes in cryptographic methods to ensure blockchain security in a post-quantum computing world. * **Interdisciplinary Research:** * **Quantum and Classical Synergy:** Studies focusing on how quantum technologies can work alongside or enhance classical systems in blockchain contexts. This could open up new avenues for both technology and theoretical physics. * **Environmental and Economic Modelling:** Long-term studies to model the economic impacts, environmental benefits, and potential shifts in global energy policies as ZPE becomes viable for mining. * **Ethical and Policy Frameworks:** * **Ethical Implications:** Research into the ethical use of ZPE, considering the potential for significant power shifts in the mining community and the broader implications for privacy and security in digital currencies. * **Policy Development:** Work towards creating frameworks for the governance of ZPE mining, including international cooperation, standardization of technology, and addressing potential security concerns. ## References: **Zero Point Energy (ZPE) and Quantum Mechanics:** * Milonni, P. W. (1994). The Quantum Vacuum: An Introduction to Quantum Electrodynamics. Academic Press. * Casimir, H. B. G. (1948). "On the attraction between two perfectly conducting plates". Proceedings of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 51, 793-795. * Lamoreaux, S. K. (1997). "Demonstration of the Casimir Force in the 0.6 to 6 mm Range". Physical Review Letters, 78(1), 5-8. * Jaffe, R. L. (2005). "Casimir effect and the quantum vacuum". Physical Review D, 72(2), 021301. * Puthoff, H. E. (1987). "Ground State of Hydrogen as a Zero-Point-Fluctuation-Determined State". Physical Review D, 35(10), 3266-3269. **Bitcoin Mining and Energy Consumption:** * de Vries, A. (2018). "Bitcoin’s growing energy problem". Joule, 2(5), 801-805. * Mora, C., et al. (2018). "Bitcoin emissions alone could push global warming above 2 °C". Nature Climate Change, 8(11), 931-933. * Stoll, C., et al. (2019). "The carbon footprint of Bitcoin". Joule, 3(7), 1647-1661. * Li, J., et al. (2019). "Energy consumption of cryptocurrency mining: A study of electricity consumption in mining cryptocurrencies". Energy, 168, 160-168. * Truby, J. (2018). "Decarbonizing Bitcoin: Law and policy choices for reducing the energy consumption of Blockchain technologies and digital currencies". Energy Research & Social Science, 44, 399-410. **Technological Aspects and Innovations:** * Aste, T. (2016). "The fair cost of bitcoin proof of work". SSRN Electronic Journal. * Yazcı, A. F., & Olcay, A. B. (2019). "A framework for maintaining sustainable energy use in Bitcoin mining through switching efficient mining hardware". ScienceDirect. * Song, Y-D., & Aste, T. (2020). "The Cost of Bitcoin Mining Has Never Really Increased". Frontiers in Blockchain. **Decentralization, Security, and Economic Implications:** * Houy, N. (2014). "The Bitcoin Mining Game". SSRN Electronic Journal. * Luther, W. J. (2018). "Getting off the ground: The case of bitcoin". Journal of Institutional Economics, 15(2), 189-205. * Nakamoto, S. (2008). "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System". Available at bitcoin.org. * Jones, B. A., Goodkind, A. L., & Berrens, R. P. (2022). "Economic estimation of Bitcoin mining’s climate damages demonstrates closer resemblance to digital crude than digital gold". Scientific Reports, 12, 14512. **General Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Studies:** * Narayanan, A., et al. (2016). Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies: A Comprehensive Introduction. Princeton University Press. * Böhme, R., et al. (2015). "Bitcoin: Economics, Technology, and Governance". Journal of Economic Perspectives, 29(2), 213-238. **Theoretical and Practical Considerations:** * Various articles and papers from Nature, Science, Physical Review Letters, and other leading journals in quantum physics and computer science would also be consulted for foundational knowledge on quantum effects, computation, and energy. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/802628

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Mercifully, I didn't have to watch this week's disastrous performance. The silver lining is that we now have the top pick and don't have to worry about not getting our guy. Of course, the last time the Raiders took a QB at #1, he turned out to be the biggest bust in NFL history. # The Picks: - 1: QB Shedeur Sanders - 34: WR Emeka Egbuka - 65: OT Marcus Mbow - 69: IOL Donovan Jackson - 103: DT Jordan Burch - 139: LB Lander Barton - 178: CB Domani Jackson - 212: RB D.J. Giddens - 216: DE Fadil Diggs - 217: DT Joshua Farmer With such premium draft capital, it's time to get serious about improving the offense. No messing around in this draft: plug the holes. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/802721

@ 6389be64:ef439d32

Resilience is the ability to withstand shocks, adapt, and bounce back. It’s an essential quality in nature and in life. But what if we could take resilience a step further? What if, instead of merely surviving, a system could improve when faced with stress? This concept, known as anti-fragility, is not just theoretical—it’s practical. Combining two highly resilient natural tools, comfrey and biochar, reveals how we can create systems that thrive under pressure and grow stronger with each challenge. ### **Comfrey: Nature’s Champion of Resilience** Comfrey is a plant that refuses to fail. Once its deep roots take hold, it thrives in poor soils, withstands drought, and regenerates even after being cut down repeatedly. It’s a hardy survivor, but comfrey doesn’t just endure—it contributes. Known as a dynamic accumulator, it mines nutrients from deep within the earth and brings them to the surface, making them available for other plants. Beyond its ecological role, comfrey has centuries of medicinal use, earning the nickname "knitbone." Its leaves can heal wounds and restore health, a perfect metaphor for resilience. But as impressive as comfrey is, its true potential is unlocked when paired with another resilient force: biochar. ### **Biochar: The Silent Powerhouse of Soil Regeneration** Biochar, a carbon-rich material made by burning organic matter in low-oxygen conditions, is a game-changer for soil health. Its unique porous structure retains water, holds nutrients, and provides a haven for beneficial microbes. Soil enriched with biochar becomes drought-resistant, nutrient-rich, and biologically active—qualities that scream resilience. Historically, ancient civilizations in the Amazon used biochar to transform barren soils into fertile agricultural hubs. Known as *terra preta*, these soils remain productive centuries later, highlighting biochar’s remarkable staying power. Yet, like comfrey, biochar’s potential is magnified when it’s part of a larger system. ### **The Synergy: Comfrey and Biochar Together** Resilience turns into anti-fragility when systems go beyond mere survival and start improving under stress. Combining comfrey and biochar achieves exactly that. 1. **Nutrient Cycling and Retention**\ Comfrey’s leaves, rich in nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, make an excellent mulch when cut and dropped onto the soil. However, these nutrients can wash away in heavy rains. Enter biochar. Its porous structure locks in the nutrients from comfrey, preventing runoff and keeping them available for plants. Together, they create a system that not only recycles nutrients but amplifies their effectiveness. 2. **Water Management**\ Biochar holds onto water making soil not just drought-resistant but actively water-efficient, improving over time with each rain and dry spell. 3. **Microbial Ecosystems**\ Comfrey enriches soil with organic matter, feeding microbial life. Biochar provides a home for these microbes, protecting them and creating a stable environment for them to multiply. Together, they build a thriving soil ecosystem that becomes more fertile and resilient with each passing season. Resilient systems can withstand shocks, but anti-fragile systems actively use those shocks to grow stronger. Comfrey and biochar together form an anti-fragile system. Each addition of biochar enhances water and nutrient retention, while comfrey regenerates biomass and enriches the soil. Over time, the system becomes more productive, less dependent on external inputs, and better equipped to handle challenges. This synergy demonstrates the power of designing systems that don’t just survive—they thrive. ### **Lessons Beyond the Soil** The partnership of comfrey and biochar offers a valuable lesson for our own lives. Resilience is an admirable trait, but anti-fragility takes us further. By combining complementary strengths and leveraging stress as an opportunity, we can create systems—whether in soil, business, or society—that improve under pressure. Nature shows us that resilience isn’t the end goal. When we pair resilient tools like comfrey and biochar, we unlock a system that evolves, regenerates, and becomes anti-fragile. By designing with anti-fragility in mind, we don’t just bounce back, we bounce forward. By designing with anti-fragility in mind, we don’t just bounce back, we bounce forward.

@ 6389be64:ef439d32

Resilience is the ability to withstand shocks, adapt, and bounce back. It’s an essential quality in nature and in life. But what if we could take resilience a step further? What if, instead of merely surviving, a system could improve when faced with stress? This concept, known as anti-fragility, is not just theoretical—it’s practical. Combining two highly resilient natural tools, comfrey and biochar, reveals how we can create systems that thrive under pressure and grow stronger with each challenge. ### **Comfrey: Nature’s Champion of Resilience** Comfrey is a plant that refuses to fail. Once its deep roots take hold, it thrives in poor soils, withstands drought, and regenerates even after being cut down repeatedly. It’s a hardy survivor, but comfrey doesn’t just endure—it contributes. Known as a dynamic accumulator, it mines nutrients from deep within the earth and brings them to the surface, making them available for other plants. Beyond its ecological role, comfrey has centuries of medicinal use, earning the nickname "knitbone." Its leaves can heal wounds and restore health, a perfect metaphor for resilience. But as impressive as comfrey is, its true potential is unlocked when paired with another resilient force: biochar. ### **Biochar: The Silent Powerhouse of Soil Regeneration** Biochar, a carbon-rich material made by burning organic matter in low-oxygen conditions, is a game-changer for soil health. Its unique porous structure retains water, holds nutrients, and provides a haven for beneficial microbes. Soil enriched with biochar becomes drought-resistant, nutrient-rich, and biologically active—qualities that scream resilience. Historically, ancient civilizations in the Amazon used biochar to transform barren soils into fertile agricultural hubs. Known as _terra preta_, these soils remain productive centuries later, highlighting biochar’s remarkable staying power. Yet, like comfrey, biochar’s potential is magnified when it’s part of a larger system. ### **The Synergy: Comfrey and Biochar Together** Resilience turns into anti-fragility when systems go beyond mere survival and start improving under stress. Combining comfrey and biochar achieves exactly that. 1. **Nutrient Cycling and Retention** Comfrey’s leaves, rich in nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, make an excellent mulch when cut and dropped onto the soil. However, these nutrients can wash away in heavy rains. Enter biochar. Its porous structure locks in the nutrients from comfrey, preventing runoff and keeping them available for plants. Together, they create a system that not only recycles nutrients but amplifies their effectiveness. 2. **Water Management** Biochar holds onto water and releases it slowly during dry periods. This makes soil not just drought-resistant but actively water-efficient, improving over time with each rain and dry spell. 3. **Microbial Ecosystems** Comfrey enriches soil with organic matter, feeding microbial life. Biochar provides a home for these microbes, protecting them and creating a stable environment for them to multiply. Together, they build a thriving soil ecosystem that becomes more fertile and resilient with each passing season. Resilient systems can withstand shocks, but anti-fragile systems actively use those shocks to grow stronger. Comfrey and biochar together form an anti-fragile system. Each addition of biochar enhances water and nutrient retention, while comfrey regenerates biomass and enriches the soil. Over time, the system becomes more productive, less dependent on external inputs, and better equipped to handle challenges. This synergy demonstrates the power of designing systems that don’t just survive—they thrive. ### **Lessons Beyond the Soil** The partnership of comfrey and biochar offers a valuable lesson for our own lives. Resilience is an admirable trait, but anti-fragility takes us further. By combining complementary strengths and leveraging stress as an opportunity, we can create systems—whether in soil, business, or society—that improve under pressure. Nature shows us that resilience isn’t the end goal. When we pair resilient tools like comfrey and biochar, we unlock a system that evolves, regenerates, and becomes anti-fragile. By designing with anti-fragility in mind, we don’t just bounce back, we bounce forward. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/802554

@ 000002de:c05780a7

Much has been written about SoV vs. MoE. I'm not trying to re-hash it here. But as bitcoin's exchange price in US dollars has cracked 100k the investment Slack channel at work started talking about bitcoin. A long while back I started a bitcoin only channel and we have been growing slowly but with this new discussion we've had kind of a spike in new people. I'm answering a lot of basic questions but something occurred to me this morning. I see a pattern repeating. I will start by trying to roughly group people. ## The Crypto People The crypto people are usually talking about all the limitations bitcoin has and largely ignoring the reasons, tradeoffs, and benefits. Most of their "arguments" come from ignorance. One thing they don't really say but is implied is that bitcoin will never work as a medium of exchange. Of course, they usually have never heard of Lightning let alone used any of the tech being developed. I rarely hear any of these types of people talk about SoV. They realize that bitcoin is a great store of value. The other thing they talk about of course are those 10x gains. _Minor side note. I have a friend that's into XRP who told me a few weeks ago that bitcoin won't 10x again. I have a reminder set to remind him of what he said in 5 years._ ## The No Coiners I've been seeing many questions around bitcoin's adoption and utility as a medium of exchange from the no-coiners in Slack. I assume they are no-coiners based on their questions. They may have "bought" some bitcoin on some service but they are at least new and are clearly not "crypto" people. They also seem to have latched on to this idea that bitcoin is only good for investment. They don't really believe in the SoV but that is really the only thing they are even thinking bitcoin might have going for it. They seem to think of it like a stock. Obviously it would never be a currency. I've pushed back on these thoughts with my own experience with bitcoin and had positive responses. You see, what both of these types of people think is that bitcoin **can't** work as a currency. As a medium of exchange. Its not just that they don't think it will be widely adopted as an investment property. ## The Vanguard This is the group you and I fall into. I consider most SN people to be a part of a group I think of as the Vanguard of bitcoin. Some are earlier adopters than others. None of us are late. We believe there is a real _need_ for bitcoin. We are people that have long looked at the world and wondered what was wrong on a very deep level. We have varied political views and ideas about how things should be but we all have deep conviction about bitcoin being a key aspect of making a better future. We are in it for the long term. Its not primarily a way to get rich. Its not about investing. Its about a better world. We are very different from the average person out there. Some of you might not yet realize this because you are young. You might actually think you are just smarter or special. Of course you are probably smart. Probably smarter than myself but its deeper. You are very different from the average person. If you're like me you will realize that you think about thing most of the people around you do not think about. You think in different ways as well. You question many things others take for granted. I'm not trying to say you are better than others or they are better than you. We are different. We all have value and a role to play in society. ## My Thoughts on MoE A medium of exchange is something widely acceptable in exchange for goods and services. The vanguard will often claim that bitcoin is a medium of exchange. That's true and not true. It can function as one. It is a medium of exchange in certain subcultures but in reality one can't directly exchange it for most goods and services today. Not because the tech doesn't support it but rather because the masses have not adopted it. They don't even understand that it _can be used_ as a MoE. In case this isn't clear let me explain with an example. Sea shells are not a medium of exchange. No one to my knowledge is using them for this today. I have read that they have been used as currency in the past in certain places. Cigarettes are not a medium of exchange... unless you are in prison. In prisons cigarettes do often function as a medium of exchange in place of fiat paper. This is what I mean. 1. Bitcoin can function as a medium of exchange today 2. Bitcoin does function as a medium of exchange today in smaller markets or subcultures just like other things(cigarettes) 3. Bitcoin is not a medium of exchange like the US dollar... yet So, of these three which is least important? The last one. We all know what bitcoin is and can do. I would argue 99.9% of humans don't even understand bitcoin's value. But, they wonder about MoE. That's the right instinct. I believe outside of the supply cap the ability to transact without a third party is the most important thing bitcoin offers. Without it the supply cap is pretty meaningless. But how do we get there? How do we get to a society where bitcoin is a widely accepted form of payment and exchange? ## My View I say my view because its what I believe. Many have stated this before. Bitcoin in my view will first be seen by most of the world as a good SoV before it will become a MoE. It seems so obvious to me. Granted there are and will be places where MoE is more important or at least equally important but I'm referring to societies where wealth is concentrated. The people in wealthy nations don't really yet see the need for a new MoE. They do see the need for a place to store their financial energy. But even this SoV aspect isn't widely accepted yet. We haven't even made it that far yet. Kinda mind blowing when you look at the exchange rate today isn't it? As a significant number of people(who knows what number that is) have bitcoin and value it for its savings properties then they will be more open to its other uses. Right now you have a chicken egg problem. People would not accept something they don't value or understand. People would not spend something they do not have or few accept. This is why I think it is SO DUMB to argue about SoV vs MoE. Bitcoin can be both. It needs to be both and it will be both. We should be working as members of the vanguard in making sure the ecosystem is ready. Making sure we know the answers to questions. Have written documents. Have produced guides. Have used the tools. Know which ones will work for the people we know. IMO we still have a long way to go before the average person will "adopt" bitcoin. I do think there is a intentional attempt to pigeonhole bitcoin as only a SoV. There are a few different reasons for this. * Shitcoiners know they can't compete on SoV but think they can compete on other things * Statists don't want to lose fiat control over society. SoV seems to be less of a threat to their power. * Bitcoiners that run public companies don't want a target on their heads so they downplay bitcoin as currency(Mike Saylor) * Deep state wants to make bitcoin into just another asset like gold. Paper bitcoiners. Something they can regulate. Its largely a psyop vs. direct attack. Just realize these are not all the same people and some have different motivations. ## Action Steps Don't be reactionary. Don't get sucked into the wrong arguments. It is easy to do. We all fall into this sometimes but try not to. Focus on these things. * Bitcoin can be _the currency_ of the world. It will work. We don't need another crypto * No coiners are not like you. They are almost always believers in the state. They may have more in common with you but they likely aren't ideological about money * Focus on removing mental blocks. The troupes * Don't push. Ask questions and answer questions. * Don't preach to much. You start sounding like a nut or a scammer. These are my thoughts. I'm still learning and observing. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/802472

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

To preview the mediocre NFC West showdown between the Rams and 49ers, we're going to have @realBitcoinDog join as our first ever guest. I'm sure we'll talk about the NBA Emirates Cup Survivor Pool, as well as getting his impressions of Stacker News and ~Stacker_Sports. Let us know what you'd like to get out of our first ménage à trois. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/802364

@ c3f12a9a:06c21301

***Dear friends,*** **The European Union** is at a crossroads, and the stakes could not be higher. A new proposal threatens to undermine one of our most fundamental rights—**our privacy**. This initiative, called **"Chat Control,"** would require the scanning of private messages and emails across Europe, even in services that are end-to-end encrypted. If this passes, our ability to communicate freely and securely in the digital world will be a thing of the past. This is not just a theoretical issue—it’s happening now. The Council Presidency is pushing the proposal forward, with discussions planned for *December 6, 2024.* It’s crucial that we act now to protect our rights and freedoms before it’s too late. As a united community, we’ve already proven what we can achieve. In the Czech Republic, we recently secured a Bitcoin tax exemption by working together and pressuring our politicians with constructive requests. If we mobilize on a European scale, we have a chance to stop this dangerous proposal in its tracks. Let’s join forces, write to our representatives, and let them know that we won’t stand for mass surveillance. Let’s also spread the word to those around us—our friends, families, and networks. Together, we can make a difference. — ***Situation Summary:*** The European Union is considering a proposal to mandate the scanning of all private messages and emails to combat child sexual exploitation material (CSEM). This initiative, known as "Chat Control," would apply even to end-to-end encrypted services, effectively ending digital privacy. The proposal also includes measures such as network blocking, scanning personal cloud storage, mandatory age verification, and app store censorship, potentially excluding minors from the digital world. Despite significant opposition from citizens, experts, and some Members of the European Parliament, the proposal is moving forward, with the last discussion few days ago at December 6, 2024. Critics argue that this constitutes mass surveillance and severely undermines fundamental rights. Thank you for standing up for privacy and freedom. Wondrej source- https://www.patrick-breyer.de/en/posts/chat-control/ https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/domaci-politika-eu-chce-povinnou-kontrolu-chatu-265958 originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/802048

@ 2063cd79:57bd1320

Eines der interessantesten Themen im immer mehr Facetten umfassenden Bitcoin-Bereich ist und bleibt das Mining. Erst diese Woche wurde wieder ein neues ATH erreicht und die Nachrichten der letzten paar Wochen zeigen, dass es immer noch ein Bereich ist, der sich nach wie vor neu erfindet und stets im Wandel ist. Besonders die Formierung neuer immer größer werdender Mining-Pools, die damit einhergehenden Überlegungen rund um Stratum V2, aber auch die ständige Veränderung der grossen, an Börsen gelisteten Minern sind immer wieder Gesprächsthemen und erzeugen viele Nachrichten. Bevor wir uns diese letzten Neuigkeiten anschauen, ist es jedoch einmal wert, einen Schritt zurückzutreten und sich genau zu vergegenwärtigen, was Miner eigentlich tun - also wie der Mining-Prozess abläuft. --- ### Die Mining-Lotterie Die meisten Menschen missverstehen oder verstehen nicht ganz, was Bitcoin-Miner tatsächlich tun, um neue Blocks zu produzieren. Es wird hauptsächlich über den hohen Energieaufwand gesprochen, was dazu führt, dass fälschlicherweise angenommen wird, dass die gesamte aufgebrachte Energie in jeden neu produzierten Block fließt. Die Analogie zum herkömmlichen Bergbau, oder Goldschürfen, trägt teilweise zur Verwirrung bei. Denn beim Bergbau arbeiten viele Maschinen gleichzeitig daran, wertvolle Stoffe aus der Erde zu ziehen, dabei können parallel weltweit Edelmetalle geborgen werden und viele Faktoren spielen dabei eine Rolle, wie erfolgreich in Bergbau-Unternehmen arbeitet (z.B. Menge des Equipments, die in der Lokalität vorhandene Menge an wertvollen Stoffen, usw.). Beim Bitcoin-Mining ist dies nicht ganz der Fall. Denn einfach ausgedrückt ist Mining eine Lotterie, um neue Blöcke in der Bitcoin-Blockchain zu erstellen. Dabei ergeben sich zwei Effekte: 1) Jeder neue Block fügt Transaktionen der Blockchain hinzu und sichert damit zusätzlich vorherige Blöcke und die darin enthaltenen Transaktionen ab (sichert also das gesamte Netzwerk ab). 2) Erhalten erfolgreiche Miner eine Belohnung (den Blockreward) für die getane Arbeit und für die aufgewendeten realen Ressourcen (z. B. Strom, Hardware, OpEx). Aber was ist genau mit Lotteriesystem gemeint? Man stelle sich vor, dass alle Miner im Bitcoin-Netzwerk das gleiche Lotto spielen. Doch in unserem Lottospiel werden die 6 richtigen Zahlen nicht am Ende gezogen, sondern sind am Anfang jeder Runde gesetzt (es gibt keine Möglichkeit zu schummeln, denn es gibt niemanden, von dem man die richtigen Zahlen erhalten kann, bis sie gefunden wurden). Alle Lotto-Teilnehmer setzen sich also hin und fangen an, so schnell wie nur eben möglich Lottoscheine auszufüllen, denn es geht darum, die richtigen 6 Zahlen für die jeweilige Runde als erstes zu finden. Derjenige Spieler, der am schnellsten Scheine ausfüllen kann, hat höhere Chancen, die richtigen Zahlen auch als erstes zu erraten. Sobald ein Spieler die richtigen 6 Zahlen hat, ist die Runde sofort beendet und alle Mitspieler können sich den Gewinner-Schein ansehen und mit den veröffentlichten 6 Zahlen vergleichen, um damit zu validieren, dass der Gewinner auch tatsächlich übereinstimmende Zahlen hat. Der Gewinner bekommt den Jackpot und die nächste Runde beginnt. Einziger Unterschied ist, dass man sich mit dem Jackpot keine Kartbahn in den Garten bauen kann. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/745242a0f9b6ddf1ea2d9c5201b6e7b43a11e00d738d7756e50c62daf091032a.gif"> Da dieses Lottospiel sich immer größerer Beliebtheit erfreut kommen immer mehr interessierte Spieler hinzu, aber auch die existierenden Spieler fangen an, Freunde dazuzuholen, die ihnen helfen sollen, noch schneller Lottoscheine auszufüllen. Durch die steigende Anzahl an Spielern würde jede Runde schneller vorbei sein, da ja viel mehr Spieler gleichzeitig Scheine ausfüllen und damit die Wahrscheinlichkeit steigt, dass die 6 Richtigen schneller gefunden werden. Da die Lotterie nur eine begrenzte Menge von Kapital zur Ausschüttung als Jackpots bereithält, muss sie das Spiel so anpassen, dass die Runden möglichst gleich lang dauern. Dazu wird jede Runde die Schwierigkeit erhöht. Mussten die ersten Spieler nur 6 Richtige aus einer Zahlenreihe von z.B. 49 Felden erraten, wird die Anzahl der möglichen Zahlen erhöht, sodass eine Runde im Durchschnitt immer 10 Minuten dauert. Verlassen Spieler die Runde, wird die Zahl der möglichen Felder genauso wieder reduziert. Im Bitcoin-Netzwerk wird die stetige Ausschüttung von neuen bitcoins genauso reguliert. Damit im Durchschnitt alle 10 Minuten ein neuer Block produziert wird, müssen alle 2016 Blöcke (ca. alle 2 Wochen) die Schwierigkeit angepasst werden, um die Blockzeit bei 10 Minuten zu halten. Treten innerhalb dieses Zeitraums von ca. 2 Wochen mehr Miner dem Netzwerk bei, steigt die Hashrate und infolgedessen muss die Schwierigkeit angepasst werden. Alle Miner im Netzwerk verwenden ASIC (Mining-Equipment, oder Rigs) - spezialisierte Computer, die nur darauf ausgelegt sind, Hashes so schnell wie möglich zu berechnen. Einen Hash berechnen bedeutet, eine zufällige Eingabe in eine mathematische Funktion einzufügen und eine Ausgabe zu erzeugen. Technisch bedeutet dies, dass ein Block von Transaktionen erstellt wird und in eine SHA256-Hash-Funktion eingegeben wird. Wenn die Ausgabe mit der "Gewinnerzahl" übereinstimmt, hat der Miner gewonnen und kann den neuen Block in die Blockchain schreiben und kann seinem Block das Preisgeld (die Subsidy) hinzufügen, die an den Miner ausgezahlt wird. Dann beginnt die nächste Runde. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/41588d7ad6c0c730de1a2a3334f2bfd92731a1cc90af2a927c0afcd257291d83.gif"> Mehr Hashes pro Sekunde entsprechen mehr ausgefüllten Lottoscheinen pro Sekunde und damit einer größeren Erfolgswahrscheinlichkeit. Beim Hashing (mehr dazu ⬇️) wird immer eine Ausgabe mit einer festen Größe erstellt (in unserem Beispiel 6 Zahlen), die als Hash bezeichnet wird. Entgegen der landläufigen Meinung handelt es sich hierbei nicht um komplexe Mathematik, sondern nur um eine sehr schnelle Wiederholung der immer gleichen Berechnung mit neuen Eingaben, bis das erhoffte Ergebnis gefunden wird. ASICs sind darauf ausgelegt, diese eine Berechnung (die SHA256-Hash-Funktion) so schnell und effizient wie möglich zu erledigen, und nicht um komplizierte Rechenaufgaben oder mathematische Probleme zu lösen. Es geht dabei einzig und allein um Schnelligkeit. Anders als beim analogen Bergbau können verschiedene Teilnehmer also nicht parallel wertvolle Stoffe erwirtschaften, sondern pro Spiel immer nur einer. Der Gewinner bekommt alles und alle anderen Teilnehmer haben ihre aufgewendete Arbeit "umsonst" getan, das heißt wie beim herkömmlichen Lotto haben sie nur für die Teilnahme an der Runde bezahlt (in Form von Rechenleistung, Strom, usw.), bekommen aber vom Gewinn nichts ab. Der Anreiz besteht also darin, bei der nächsten Runde mehr Glück zu haben und die Wahrscheinlichkeit eines Gewinnes zu erhöhen. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/5bbd424893a9163fde0a639e088cdf21802e53ddae148ed3b3aa3eeedf10b231.gif"> In jeder anderen Branche schwankt das Angebot je nach Nachfrage. Wenn die Nachfrage nach einem wertvollen Stoff steigt, werden die Teilnehmer die Produktion entsprechend der Nachfrage erhöhen. Das bedeutet, mehr Equipment wird hinzugefügt, um schneller mehr des Produkts zu erwirtschaften. Bei Bitcoin ist das Angebot im Code festgelegt (neue bitcoins alle 10 Minuten) und kann sich auch bei steigender Nachfrage nicht ändern. Aufgrund seiner genehmigungsfreien Natur ist es jedem gestattet, von überall auf der Welt Bitcoin zu produzieren, also an der Lotterie teilzunehmen. Die Lotterie schließt niemanden aus - einzig und allein Staaten oder andere Gerichtsbarkeiten können ihren Bürgern (versuchen zu) verbieten, an der Lotterie teilzunehmen. Dies führt dazu, dass sich Bitcoin-Miner überall auf der Welt ansiedeln, wo es für sie am wirtschaftlichsten ist am Netzwerk zu partizipieren (stabile und günstige Energieversorgung, rechtlich abgesicherte Eigentumsrechte, keine Verbote, usw.). Gerade die ersten beiden Punkte (Energie und Eigentumsrechte) führen dazu, dass sich Bitcoin-Mining in Staaten wie den USA, Kanada oder Kazakhstan besonders konzentriert und in Ländern wie China oder Russland (durch Mining-Verbote) abnimmt - so in der Theorie. Denn heute stammen angenommen immer noch ca. 20% und 5% der weltweiten Hashrate aus [China und Russland](https://chainbulletin.com/bitcoin-mining-map/). Theorien dafür gibt es viele und besonders die letzten - fast unverhältnismäßigen - Anstiege der Hashrate führen zu vielen Spekulationen darüber, dass der russische Staat insgeheim seine [eigene Mining-Infrastruktur ](https://cryptoslate.com/russian-government-gives-the-green-light-to-crypto-mining-operation-in-siberia)ausbaut. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/7b38ee7c666e740dce76e32ca0bf20fa4a4888bfce3b467922bd5ba4cd25e8be.gif"> ### Hashing vs. kryptografische Verschlüsselung Das Bitcoin-Netzwerk bedient sich vieler verschiedener Elemente, um die verschiedenen Eigenschaften oder Funktionen zu bedienen. Oft wird dabei das Hashing (z.B. verwendet beim Mining-Prozess und der Erstellung von Adressen) mit kryptografischer Verschlüsselung / Encryption (z.B. beim Erstellen von Keys) verwechselt oder in einen Topf geworfen. Hashing: Das Hashing ist eine bestimmte Form der Kryptografie. Beim Hashing wird eine Eingabe (eine beliebig lange Datenkette) zu einer festen Ausgabegröße transformiert. Die Eingabe kann alles sein, z.B. viele Namen aneinandergereiht, oder jeder Straßenname irgendeiner Stadt aneinandergereiht, usw., es kann ziemlich alles sein, was man sich vorstellen kann und in Form einer Folge von Zeichen dargestellt werden kann. Der Hashing-Algorithmus funktioniert im Wesentlichen als Einbahnstraße, die die Eingabe in eine feste Folge von Buchstaben und Zahlen umwandelt. Ein bekannter Anwendungsfall für diese Art von Algorithmus ist die Passwort-Speicherung auf Webseiten. Wenn Benutzer ein Passwort anlegen, errechnet der Computer automatisch einen Hash, welcher hinterlegt und beim Einloggen abgefragt wird. So werden bei einem Hack der Webseite nur nicht rückgängig zu machende Hashes der Passwörter gestohlen. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/c5fa29fd4320e29edfc030dde32432d66ae6e7ea6f90d267dc3b65cc078f5a49.gif"> Kryptografische Verschlüsselung: Bei der kryptografischen Verschlüsselung handelt es sich auch um eine Form der Kryptografie, doch anders als beim Hashing, handelt es sich hier um einen bidirektionalen Algorithmus, also eine Zweirichtungsstraße. Das bedeutet schlicht, dass der Algorithmus eine Eingabe verschlüsselt, die verschlüsselte Ausgabe mit dem passenden Schlüssel jedoch wieder entschlüsselt werden kann. Somit kann der Besitzer des Schlüssels herausfinden, was die ursprüngliche Eingabenachricht war. Ein bekannter Anwendungsfall für diese Art von Algorithmus ist die Ende-zu-Ende-Verschlüsselung bei verschiedenen Messenger-Diensten. Nachrichten werden verschlüsselt versendet und nur der Empfänger hat den nötigen Schlüssel, um die Nachricht wieder zu öffnen. Das passiert bei den Messenger-Diensten ganz automatisch, ohne dass ein Nutzer mit den Schlüsseln herumhantieren muss. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/2016f574d24b47f6d88eeb96148c9790008fa36eff24144ead4eb447513bef95.gif"> > 💡Dieser Unterschied ist ganz wichtig: Beim Hashing ist es unmöglich Anhand der Ausgabe die ursprüngliche Eingabe durch eine Rücktransformation zu erhalten. Man kann nur Daten eingeben und erhält dann eine feste Ausgabe. Verwendet man den selben Algorithmus bei der gleichen Eingabe erhält man immer eine identische Ausgabe. Hashing beim Mining: Hashing ist im Wesentlichen die Art und Weise von Bitcoin, das gesamte Netzwerk zu koordinieren, um einen bestimmten Hash zu finden, der eine bestimmte vom System festgelegte Schwierigkeit erfüllt. Diese Schwierigkeit stellt sicher, dass egal ob die Hälfte der Miner im Laufe des nächsten Jahres verschwindet, oder ob sich die Anzahl der Miner im Laufe des nächsten Jahres verdreifacht, im Durchschnitt dafür Sorge getragen wird, dass das Bitcoin-Netzwerk immer ziemlich stabil ist und weiterhin etwa alle 10 Minuten ein neuer Transaktionsblock erscheint. Es ist also essentiell, den Unterschied zwischen Verschlüsselung und Hashing zu verstehen und mit dem Mythos aufzuräumen, dass Mining "komplizierte, mathematische Probleme" löst. Ein weiterer viel verbreiteter Mythos ist, dass der Energieverbrauch zunehmen wird, je mehr Nutzer//innen Bitcoin Transaktionen ausführen. Es braucht nämlich nicht mehr Miner, um mehr Transaktionen zu verarbeiten. Die Anzahl der Transaktionen ist begrenzt durch die Blockgröße und die Anpassung der Schwierigkeit, die dafür sorgt, dass Blocks alle 10 Minuten produziert werden. Dies ist der Fall, wenn es auf der Welt nur noch einen einzigen Miner gäbe, genauso wie dies der Fall ist, wenn sich die Mining-Hashrate verhundertfacht. Eine Erweiterung der Gesamt-Hashrate führt allerdings zu einer höheren Sicherheit des Netzwerks, da ein potentieller Angriff auf das Netzwerk nur funktionieren kann, wenn der Angreifer mehr als 51% der gesamten Hashrate auf sich vereinigt. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/cd7fa544ebee363b203d5210385c70124e726b1d4fac9f21db9a8709917cc630.gif"> 🫳🎤 --- In diesem Sinne, 2... 1... Risiko!‌ 

@ 2063cd79:57bd1320

Eine hitzige Debatte wird momentan in der Bitcoin-Welt über NFTs (sagen die einen) bzw. unnötigen Datenmüll (sagen die anderen) auf der Bitcoin-Blockchain geführt. Anlass zur Debatte hat ein von Casey Rodarmor entwickeltes System gegeben, das es ermöglicht mit Hilfe seines speziell dafür entwickelten Protokolls jedem Satoshi (Sat) eine einzigartige Folgenummer (Ordinal) zuzuweisen und somit nachverfolgbar zu machen. Dies erlaubt dann das Schreiben von Dateien direkt in die Witness Sektion eines Blocks, also direkt in die Blockchain, eine sogenannte Inscription. Das Thema erhitzt die Gemüter, jeder hat eine Meinung dazu und entweder ist man im Lager der Supporter oder der Gegner. Oder man hat schon beim Lesen dieser Einleitung nicht ein Wort verstanden. Für diese Gruppe soll diese Übersicht funktionieren, in der die Funktionsweise von Ordinals und Inscriptions erklärt wird und was die Pro- und Kontra-Argumente der jeweiligen Lager sind. --- Daten in die Bitcoin-Blockchain zu schreiben, die nicht direkt etwas mit der Funktionsweise des Systems zu tun haben, ist nichts Neues. Es gibt seit jeher verschiedene Möglichkeiten Nachrichten, Dateien oder andere Informationen in Blocks zu packen. Sogar der Genesis Block enthält die Nachricht "The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks" in der Coinbase, das Whitepaper von Satoshi Nakamoto wurde bereits 2013 in Block 230009 verewigt, OP_Returns ermöglichen das Schreiben kurzer (80 Zeichen) Nachrichten, und auch Protokolle, die auf Bitcoin laufen, wie z.B. [Counterparty ](https://www.counterparty.io)und u.a. den Handel mit [Rare Pepes](https://scarce.city/marketplace/digital) ermöglichen, existieren bereits seit 2014. Dennoch scheint etwas an der neuen, von Casey Rodarmor vorgestellten Methode anders zu sein, dass es die Gemüter so sehr erhitzt. Das Konzept ist ein zweigeteiltes, zunächst wird eine Theorie, oder Konvention, beschlossen, der zufolge jeder Sat in der Blockchain einzigartig und nachverfolgbar wird. Damit werden die einzelnen Sats im weitesten Sinne schon zu NFTs. Darüber hinaus ermöglicht diese Konvention das Verschmelzen dieser einzigartigen Sats mit hochgeladenen Daten. Denn - um beim obigen Beispiel des Whitepapers zu bleiben - ist die hochgeladene PDF Datei für immer in Block 230009 festgeschrieben, aber sie gehört niemandem, denn ein Block gehört niemandem per se, ein Block ist ein öffentliches Register aller stattgefundenen Transaktionen zu dieser Blockzeit. Indem man Dateien mit Sats verbindet, lassen sich diese verschicken und handeln, denn Sats haben (der Ordinal Theory zufolge) immer eine/n Besitzer//in. Doch um besser verstehen zu können, wie dieses neue Protokoll funktioniert, muss man sich wie immer ein paar verschiedene Konzepte annehmen. Wir brechen diese erstmal der Reihe nach auf. ### SegWit (Segregated Witness) Bevor wir uns mit Ordinals und Inscriptions beschäftigen machen wir einen kurzen historischen und technischen Ausflug, denn Inscriptions wären ohne SegWit nicht möglich. Deshalb lohnt es sich besser zu verstehen, was man unter diesem Transaktionsformat versteht. SegWit wurde 2017 erdacht, um in erster Linie zwei existierende Probleme zu lösen: 1) [Transaction Malleability](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malleability) und 2) die Effizienz von Blöcken zu erhöhen. Bis dato hatten Blöcke eine effektive maximal Größe von 1MB und bestanden aus dem sogenannten Header (Basisdaten: Signaturen und Skripte) und den Transaktionsdaten (Inputs und Outputs). Diese Headerdaten (auch Witness-Daten genannt) nahmen einen Großteil der zur Verfügung stehenden Größe ein, was zu ineffizienten und oftmals mit hohen Transaktionsgebühren versehenen Blöcken führte. Mit Hilfe des SegWit Protokolls konnte eine Skalierung von Bitcoin erreicht werden, ohne die offizielle in den Code geschriebene Blockgröße von 1MB zu verändern. Dazu kommt, dass diese Lösung keinen Hard-Fork benötigte und ganz nebenbei (aber offiziell in erster Linie) auch das Problem der Malleability löste. Ohne auf die Details von Hard- und Soft-Forks einzugehen, ist dies ein wichtiges Detail, denn 2017 tobten die sogenannten Blocksize-Wars und führten schließlich zur Abspaltung von Bitcoin Cash und seinen 8MB-Blöcken. SegWit wurde im Juli 2017 mit Block 477120 aktiviert. Wie der Name Segregated Witness schon impliziert, werden die Witness-Daten (Signaturen und Skripte) getrennt und in einer separate Datenstruktur (Witness Merkle Tree) geführt, sodass der Hauptteil des Blocks weniger Basisinformationen enthält und somit mehr Platz für Transaktionsinformationen lässt, Blöcke also effizienter macht und damit Gebühren niedriger hält. Der Zaubertrick dabei ist, dass es immer noch derselbe Block ist, allerdings mit zwei Sätzen von Datenstrukturen (Transaktionsabschnitt und Basisinformationsabschnitt), und somit den Protokollregeln entspricht und eine Blockgröße von 1MB eigentlich nicht überschreitet. Dieser mathematische Kniff führt dazu, dass für die Einführung kein Hard-Fork benötigt wurde (nur einen Soft-Fork), was eine Abwärtskompatibilität gewährleistet und somit auch Adressen und Wallets, die unter dem Legacy-System arbeiten ohne Probleme funktionieren. Der mathematische Kniff hat allerdings eine seltsame Neuerung zur Folge, denn Blöcke werden seitdem in Gewicht statt Größe gemessen. Ein voller Block von ca. 1MB Größe und 4 Millionen WU Gewicht Bitcoin hat nun also eine sogenannte Blockgrößengrenze (1MB) und eine Blockgewichtsgrenze (4 Millionen Gewichtseinheiten (WU), was ca. 4MB entspricht). Darüber hinaus wurden mit dem SegWit-Soft-Fork die heute gängigen bc1-Adressen (im Gegensatz zu den alten 1- und 3-Adressen) eingeführt. Ein weiterer Nebeneffekt, neben der Reduzierung der Gebühren durch Kapazitätsverbesserung und Lösung der Transaktionsformbarkeit (Malleability), ist dass Layer-2-Lösungen, wie unter anderem Lightning, ermöglicht wurden, da Zahlungskanäle davon abhängen, dass unverformbare Transaktionen bestehen. Für die Skalierbarkeit und Dezentralisierung von Bitcoin hat die relativ kleine Blockgröße den Vorteil, dass der Betrieb von privaten Nodes erleichtert wird. ### Taproot Mit dem Wissen über SegWit müssen wir uns auch kurz mit Taproot beschäftigen, einem weiteren Soft-Fork, das mit Block 709632 im November 2021 aktiviert wurde. Taproot hat viele Neuerungen mit sich gebracht, die es hier zu besprechen den Rahmen sprengen würde, doch wichtig ist, dass Ordinals das Input-Feld von Taproot-Transaktionen nutzen, das seit dem SegWit Update getrennt wurde. Auch wichtig ist, dass es seit Taproot keine Regel gibt, die die Größe von Inputs begrenzt und damit Daten beliebig viel Platz (bis zur Blockgrößenbegrenzung von 4MB) beanspruchen können. Dies ermöglicht im Endeffekt die Öffnung des Protokolls zur Verwendung von Skripten, wie bei Ordinals geschehen und somit das Hochladen von großen Dateien, die die volle Blockgröße einnehmen können. ### Ordinals Das Protokoll besteht aus zwei Konzepten. Auf der einen Seite Ordinals (engl. Ordnungszahlen) und auf der anderen Seite Inscriptions (engl. Inschriften). Ordinals an sich funktionieren losgelöst von Inscriptions, Inscriptions benötigen aber Ordinals, um zu funktionieren. Man könnte also von einer Pfadabhängigkeit bei Inscriptions sprechen. > 💡Pfadabhängigkeit: Bei pfadabhängigen Vorgängen bauen die einzelnen Prozesse auf einander auf und das Resultat ist davon abhängig, welche Reihenfolge gewählt wird. Einfaches Beispiel: Ein Bad nehmen (Prozess 1) und dann mit dem Handtuch abtrocknen (Prozess 2) führt zu einem komoplett anderen Ergebnis, als sich mit dem Handtuch abzutrocknen und dann ein Bad zu nehmen. Ordinals können also unabhängig von Inscriptions verstanden werden. Es handelt sich dabei um eine vom Programmierer erfundene Konvention, einzelne Sats durchzumummerieren. > “Satoshis are numbered in the order in which they’re mined, and transferred from transaction inputs to transaction outputs in first-in-first-out order.” - Casey Rodarmor Das Prinzip ist dabei recht einfach: Es wird angenommen, dass jeder bitcoin aus 100.000.000 Sats besteht und damit Sats durchgezählt werden können. Die Sats werden mit dem Genesis Block (Block 0) beginnend in der Reihenfolge, in der sie produziert wurden, nach dem FIFO-Prinzip (First in first out) durchgezählt und markiert. Der erste jemals produzierte Block (Genesis Block) enthielt 50 bitcoins und damit 5.000.000.000 Sats. So lassen sich die Sats durchzählen: der erste Sat ist #0, der zweite hat die Ordnungszahl #1 und der letzte Sat dieses ersten Blocks hat die Ordnungszahl 4.999.999.999. Um dies umzusetzen wurde ein spezieller Block Explorer geschrieben, der dieser Konvention folgt und den jeweiligen Sats einen "Namen" zuweist, um diese leichter nachverfolgen zu können. So lässt sich so tun (!), als ob sich einzelne Sats von UTXO zu UTXO bewegen würden. Um UTXOs besser verstehen zu können, empfehle ich diesen vorherigen Artikel: https://www.genexyz.org/post/25-block-774775-utxos-fee-management-v3ulch/ Die Konvention täuscht also vor, dass Sats nicht ausgegeben oder verbrannt werden, sondern, dass diese in einer Art Kette von Bitcoin-Atomen existieren und diese Kette beim Versenden von Transaktionen nur aufgebrochen und die einzelnen Atomversatzstücke andernorts wieder auftauchen und nicht, wie eigentlich der Fall, eingeschmolzen / verbrannt werden. Umgesetzt wird das alles durch ein Open-Source-Protokoll namens ord, das auf dem Bitcoin Core Protokoll läuft. Dies bedeutet, dass keine Veränderungen am Bitcoin Protokoll selbst vorgenommen werden, sondern eine Programm entwickelt wurde, das die Daten in der Blockchain benutzt, um eine andere Sicht zu erzeugen, die es ermöglicht, einzelne Sats zu benennen und nachzuverfolgen und somit jeden einzelnen Sat "einzigartig" aussehen zu lassen. Es ist also völlig freiwillig, sich auf diese Konvention und die Namensgebung einzulassen. Folgt man jedoch dieser Konvention, so ergeben sich natürlich Spielereien, wie z.B. Seltenheit einzelner Sats beruhend auf dem Block, in dem sie enthalten waren oder sind, welche laufende Nummer sie haben, etc. Es ist in etwa so, als hätte ich eine Million kleiner Kieselsteine in meiner Einfahrt. Für jeden, der einfach vorbeigeht, ist jeder Kieselstein einfach nur eines von vielen Steinchen. Ich habe aber ein System gefunden, um jeden einzelnen Stein einzeln zu benennen, und damit ergeben sich "besondere" Steine, z.B. Stein #1 oder Stein #69. Nur wer meinem System der Nummerierung folgt, sieht, dass dies besondere Steine sind, jeder andere sieht einfach nur Steine. ### Inscriptions Bei Inscriptions handelt es sich um eine von Ordinals zunächst losgelöste separate Funktion. Hierbei wird die eigentliche Datei in die Blockchain geschrieben, allerdings im Einklang mit Ordinals wird dieser Datei ein einzigartiger Sat zugeschrieben. Dies funktioniert auch wieder nur, wenn man der willkürlichen Konvention des Protokolls Folge leistet, denn beim Schreiben der Datei in die Blockchain wird natürlich eine Transaktion erstellt. Diese Transaktion enthält (mindestens) einen UTXO, der/die aus mehreren Sats bestehen und deshalb legt das Protokoll fest, dass eine Inscription beim Mining mit dem ersten Sat des ersten UTXO der Transaktion verschmolzen wird. Damit wird die Inscription (also die Datei) dauerhaft und auf ewig markiert und kann somit von anderen Sats unterschieden wird. Unter Verwendung dieser Konvention (und der dazu nötigen Wallets) können UTXOs, die ein Sat-Inscription-Paar enthalten, gefunden und ihre Bewegungen und ihr Eigentum über Transaktionen hinweg verfolgt werden. Dies führt dazu, dass diese Sats, bzw. die Inscriptions, gehandelt, verschenkt, gekauft und verkauft werden können. Dabei entstehen also digitale Artefakte, oder anders genannt NFTs. Inscriptions sind naturgemäß größere Dateien und nehmen daher mehr vom begrenzten Platz in jedem Block ein (daher die langen Erklärungen zu SegWit und Taproot). Die Benutzer//innen, die Inscriptions erstellen bzw. hochladen, müssen die dazu erforderlichen (höheren) Gebühren zahlen. Dieser Punkt ist für die folgende Diskussion wichtig. ### Diskussion Okay, soweit so gut, soweit so scheiße. Kurzum: Es gibt ein System, das das Benennen einzelner Sats ermöglicht (wenn man daran glaubt) - Ordinals. Es besteht die Möglichkeit, Dateien in Blöcke zu schreiben und diese mit den benannten Sats zu verknüpfen - Inscriptions. Die beiden Theorien oder Konventionen sind nicht gleich, brauchen aber einander. Ordinals alleine schaden nicht. Es ist das Hinzufügen digitaler Artefakte in Transaktionen, das die größere Debatte entflammt. Denn Inscriptions verlagern ein Risiko direkt in die Blockchain. Ein OP_Return z.B. kann 40KB (also 80 Zeichen) beinhalten und somit z.B. einen Link zu einer Datei darstellen (einen Pointer). Eine Datei mit fragwürdigem oder kriminellem Inhalt, würde also immer auf einer externen Website liegen und somit würde auch das Risiko vom Betreiber getragen werden. Inscriptions öffnen die Tür, Dateien, die bis zu 3MB pro Block groß sind, direkt in die Blockchain zu schreiben. Hier eröffnen sich Korridore für Reputationsangriffe auf Bitcoin. Ordinals (ich fasse jetzt Ordinals und Inscriptions mal zusammen) eröffnen neue Wege, mit Bitcoin zu interagieren. Es bietet "Spaß" mit Bitcoin und fügt eine neue Schicht hinzu, Bitcoin mit Kunst und Kultur zusammenzubringen ist. Es könnte außerdem die Akzeptanz erhöhen und neue Interessenten für Bitcoin begeistern, die für die Bildchen kommen, aber wegen der bahnbrechenden Technologie und den fundamentalen Mehrwerten von Bitcoin bleiben. --- Die Hauptargumente gegen Ordinals berufen sich auf die größeren Datenmengen, die von Nodes validiert werden müssen und darauf, dass Blöcke mit "unnötigem Müll" gefüllt werden und damit wichtige und relevante Transaktionen nicht schnell genug verarbeitet werden. Allerdings muss man dazu sagen, dass Ordinals nicht die Blockgröße erhöhen, sondern im schlimmsten Fall dafür sorgen, dass das Blocklimit öfter erreicht wird. Ein normaler Block sieht meist so aus: Man sieht, dass das Gewicht von 4 MWU nicht ganz erreicht wurde und 2.675 Transaktionen einen Platz gefunden haben. Im Vergleich dazu wurden im folgenden Block lediglich 648 Transaktionen untergebracht, die pro Transaktion viel größer sind (schaut man sich die jeweiligen Transaktionen an, stellt man fest, dass so gut wie jeder dieser großen Blöcke den gleichen Betrag von 0.0001 BTC aufweist, was darauf schließen lässt, dass die Ordinals-Transaktionen sind). Fürsprecher von Ordinals argumentieren oft damit, dass diese "nutzlosen" Transaktionen auch bezahlt werden müssen, um andere "wertigere" Transaktionen zu verdrängen, da Miner diese sonst nicht dem Block hinzufügen würden. Hier muss man aber sagen, dass diese Transaktionen relativ geringe Transaktionsgebühren von 4 Sat/vB bezahlt haben. Da wir wissen, dass Transaktionsgebühren basierend auf der Größe der Transaktion berechnet werden und nicht auf dem Wert der Transaktion in Bitcoin, werden für diese 0.0001 BTC Transaktionen dennoch Gebühren im Bereich von 150.000 bis 250.000 Sats (ca. $50 bei aktuellem Kurs) fällig (es sei denn man hat Nick Luxor als Freund). Die Marktkräfte innerhalb des Bitcoin-Netzwerks werden also zeigen, wie lange diese Art von Transaktionen einen Großteil des vorhandenen Platzes einnehmen werden. Die Debatte um Transaktionsgebühren ist eine sehr wichtige, denn gibt es immer wieder Theorien darüber, wie Miner zukünftig profitabel sein können, wenn die Subsidies immer irrelevanter werden und auch das Sicherheitsbudget von Bitcoin gewährleistet werden muss. Befürworter von Ordinals bringen dies als ein weiteres Pro-Argument für einen weiteren Use-Case und gesteigertes Interesse an On-Chain Transaktionen an. https://x.com/BitcoinPierre/status/1622744824896970753 Natürlich erleben Ordinals gerade einen Hype und so ist es nicht verwunderlich, dass vor zwei Tagen über 50% des vorhandenen Platzes von Ordinals-Transaktionen eingenommen wurde. Diese Zahl ist heute schon auf unter 25% gesunken, was einen klaren Hype und keine Regel aufweist. Unabhängig davon, ob Inscriptions als „wertvolle“ Verwendung von Bitcoin angesehen wird oder nicht, wird der Markt über die angemessene Gebührengestaltung darüber entscheiden, ob Nutzer weiterhin das System für diese Art von Spielerei nutzen wollen. Sollten sich Inscriptions als langlebig erweisen, werden Transaktionsgebühren unweigerlich steigen und somit mehr Absender kleinerer Bitcoin-Transaktionen auf Layer-2-Protokolle wie Lightning ausweichen. Puristen sind gegen Inscriptions, da sie argumentieren, dass das Speichern großer Daten auf dem Bitcoin Ledger den Blockplatz für keinen wirklichen Zweck verschwendet und nur Stress für Nodebetreiber verursacht. Blocks, wie der folgende, führen dazu, dass sich ihnen die Nackenhaare aufstellen und neben der Verschwendung von Platz wird häufig das Reputationsrisiko als Kritik angebracht. Denn Inscriptions, die einmal in die Blockchain geschrieben wurden, lassen sich nicht mehr entfernen und damit auch nicht der Inhalt der hochgeladenen Dateien. Unmoralische und kriminelle Inhalte eröffnen so einen Korridor für Zensur, allerdings sollte auch beachtet werden, dass es auch einen speziellen Block Explorer benötigt, der Inscriptions darstellt, und diese Explorer haben natürlich die Möglichkeit Bilder mit moralisch und rechtlich fragwürdigen Inhalten zu zensieren, bzw. nicht darzustellen (wie in Inscription #668 passiert). https://cointelegraph.com/news/bitcoin-ordinals-creators-look-for-fix-after-first-instance-of-shock-porn Um das Hochladen dieser "schlechten" Inhalte zu vermeiden, müssten die Bitcoin-Konsensregeln geändert werden. Und wenn diese verändert werden können, um Menschen davon abzuhalten, Bilder in das Bitcoin-Netzwerk zu laden, können die Regeln auch verändert werden, um z.B. Nutzer//innen mit politischen Interessen oder kritischen Meinungen davon abzuhalten, Bitcoin zu nutzen, wie sie es für richtig erachten. Denn am Ende ist Bitcoin ein System von Regeln, nicht von Vorurteilen oder Gefühlen und Meinungen, und der Schiedsrichter darüber, was darf und was nicht darf, bleibt der Code. Im besten Fall können Inscriptions den Nicht-Bitcoin-NFT-Markt aushebeln und NFT-Fans den Spiegel vorhalten, dass ihre teuren Bildchen und die zugrunde liegende Technologie fast wertlos sind. Welchem Camp man auch angehören mag, es bleibt festzuhalten, dass die ganze Ordinals-Theorie auf einer willkürlichen Annahme beruht und nur funktioniert, wenn man der Theorie folgt, dass Sats (ähnlich wie Atome bei Gold oder Nukleotide bei DNS) feste Bestandteile darstellen, die sich einzeln nachverfolgen lassen und nicht - wie ich denke - eine Maßeinheit darstellen. Zu sagen, ein UTXO besteht aus n-Menge Sats und jeder Sat ist einzigartig, ist genauso sinnvoll, wie zu sagen, dass man einen Eimer Wasser hat und sich jedes Milliliter Wasser einzeln nachvollziehen lässt. Liter ist eine Maßeinheit und nicht die Grundform, aus der Wasser besteht. 🫳🎤 --- In diesem Sinne, 2... 1... Risiko!‌ 

@ 434a234c:0a2f68b4

***To Review Part 5 (https://stacker.news/items/731090/r/AndyAdvance)*** ***Scoring rubric is as follows:*** 5 - This law promoted 360 degrees of freedom. Bitcoiners around the world would champion this 4 3 2 1 - This bill is something straight out the communist/socialist playbook very anti freedom. Leads to forever wars endless spending and bad wellbeing for the american people Now a look at the sixth bill that became law. ***Public Law No: 111-232** (08/16/2020) # H.R.2097 - Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Act Source( https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/2097?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22lummis%22%7D&s=3&r=51) ## The Bill in Summary: Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Act - (Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins and $1 silver coins in commemoration of the bicentennial of the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner. (Sec. 4) Requires a coin design emblematic of the War of 1812, and in particular of, the Battle for Baltimore that formed the basis for the Star-Spangled Banner. (Sec. 5) Limits the period for coin issuance to calendar year 2012. (Sec. 7) Imposes a surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coins and $10 per coin for the $1 coins, which shall be distributed to the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission for the purpose of supporting bicentennial activities, educational outreach activities, and preservation and improvement activities pertaining to the sites and structures relating to the War of 1812. # The Score (2/5) Yawn another coin bill. Sen. Lummis loves her coin bills. This one honors the war that established the Star-Spangled Banner song. Once again glorifying war on precious metals that was once used for money. The mark up on these coins go to some special interest group (of course) that doesn't impact 99.999% of Americans. I gave it a two because this does nothing to improve freedom and the well being of the American people. Another bill Sen. Lummis supported was used to line the pockets of a special interest group that honors some war that most Americans don't even know happened. I understand wanting to honor our fallen and the great men and women who paid a price for me to type these words today but enough is enough. All of this time and resources wasted on these types of bills is ridiculous when they could be working on real laws that can have an impact to improve the lives of all Americans. # Total Score (15/30) After six bills Sen. Lummis has 15 points out of a total 30. ***That is good for 50% freedom score.*** These coin bills are pretty lame. Besides collectors and war historians these bills do nothing for almost all the people in this nation yet they get drafted voted on and signed into law all because a special interest group wants to capitalize off the back of US tax payers to mark up gold and silver coins on a war that no one remembers or even cares about due to all the forever wars recent american generations have lived through. Come on Sen. Lummis do better! # NOTE Since I started this series. Sen. Lummis had 3 more bills become law which brings the total to 56 bills. All bills will be reviewed in time. But the name of the series will remain until all 53 bills are analyzed. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/800668

@ c11cf5f8:4928464d

 Here we are again with our monthly [Magnificent Seven](https://stacker.news/AGORA#the-magnificent-seven---of-all-times) summary, giving you a hit of what you missed in the ~AGORA territory. - - - ### Top-Performing Ads This week, the most engaging ones are: * `00` [Sewing Machine](https://stacker.news/items/800506/r/AG) by @Fiat_Revelation * `01` [SATOSH.EE - Gift Cards, Discounts, Loyalty Program](https://stacker.news/items/784376/r/AG) by @Kontext * `02` [The Shop Hustle](https://stacker.news/items/782173/r/AG) by @TheWildHustle * `03` [SATS'N'FACTS - Bitcoin Technical Unconference - Merch and tickets NOW available](https://stacker.news/items/771203/r/AG) by @catoshi * `04` [[SELL] NWC Straight Outta Alby T-Shirt](https://stacker.news/items/782806/r/AG) by @thebullishbitcoiner * `05` [Sell Google Pixel 7a | Satstash Auction](https://stacker.news/items/784373/r/AG) by @jbschirtzinger (https://stacker.news/items/784603/r/AG) @TinstrMedia * `06` [[SELL] Two new lowkey designs added to The Bullish Shop](https://stacker.news/items/778780/r/AG) by @thebullishbitcoiner * `07` [[SELL] Old Dell Laptop - CHEAP! | SatStash](https://stacker.news/items/776522/r/AG) by @watchmancbiz - - - ### Services accepting sats * https://stacker.news/items/775383/r/AG Color Grading (Styling) Your Pictures as a Service by @TinstrMedia * https://stacker.news/items/773557/r/AG MATHS TUTOR 50K SATS/hour English global by @MamaHodl * https://stacker.news/items/792650/r/AG Mercadillo²¹ now available on Plebeian.Mmarket by @VEINTIUNO * https://stacker.news/items/784603/r/AG [FREE (Limited)] Want Your Thanksgiving Photos Color Graded By a Colorist? by @TinstrMedia * https://stacker.news/items/794137/r/AG Lightning Markets - Stores with LN Payments enabled for Products, Services & ... by me! ###### In case you missed Here some interesting post, opening conversations and free speech about markets and business on bitcoin: - https://stacker.news/items/791635/r/AG Darknet Market Archives of ~89 darknet markets & forums (2013-2015) by @aljaz - https://stacker.news/items/782196/r/AG Are you a Merchant? Share your BTC onboarding story on SN by me! - https://stacker.news/items/798569/r/AG Plebmall - A Place to Find Vendors that Accept BTC plebmall.com/ by @4bf3a31378 - https://stacker.news/items/797680/r/AG The Sat Market - White Diamond Conference Centre on Dec 15, 2024 - Calgary 🇨🇦 by me! ###### 🏷️ Spending Sunday is back! Share your most recent Bitcoin purchases of just check what other stackers are buying with their sats! Read more https://stacker.news/items/800128/r/AG - - - ###### Just a reminder for you all This territory aims to connect stackers and curious buyers for IRL P2P Bitcoin deals. Have fun checking what else stackers are shilling globally in the ~AGORA. This is a great time for you to make some space un-dusting some stuff that has been sitting there for too long and get some sats for it! - - - ### Create your Ads now!  Looking to start something new? Hit one of the links below to free your mind: * [💬 TOPIC](https://stacker.news/~AGORA/post?type=discussion) for conversation, * [\[⚖️ SELL\]](https://w3.do/b_v2wutP) anything! or, * if you're looking for something, hit the [\[🛒 BUY\]](https://w3.do/zvixtuSh)! * [\[🧑‍💻 HIRE\]](https://w3.do/_j0kpVsi) any bitcoiner skill or stuff from bitcoiners * [\[🖇 OFFER\]](https://w3.do/EfWF8yDL) any product or service and stack more sats * [\[🧑‍⚖️ AUCTION\]](https://w3.do/sbbCjZ0e) to let stackers decide a fair price for your item * [\[🤝 SWAP\]](https://w3.do/V_iP4lY5) if you're looking to exchange anything with anything else * [\[🆓 FREE\]](https://w3.do/DdVEE1ME) your space, make a gift! * [\[⭐ REVIEW\]](https://w3.do/CAZ5JxCk) any bitcoin product or LN service you recently bought or subscribed to - - - Or contact @AGORA team on [nostr DM](https://iris.to/agora_sn) and we can help you publish a personalized post. . `#nostr` `#stuff4sats` `#sell` `#buy` `#plebchain` `#grownostr` `#asknostr` originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/800656

@ eac63075:b4988b48

Imagine a large public square, illuminated by intense spotlights, where every individual who dares to approach the center is immediately recognized, photographed, and cataloged. In this square, every word spoken becomes indelibly tied to its speaker. Under such conditions, many would hesitate before speaking, fearing not only the disapproval of the audience but also the potential punishments that could follow the mere act of expressing an idea. Now, imagine a second square, where anyone can cover their face with a mask, allowing their voice to echo without revealing their identity. It is in this second square that true freedom of expression flourishes, and this metaphorical mask represents anonymity. https://www.fountain.fm/episode/MweciiR21hySxjdsNa7u In debates about freedom of expression—one of the fundamental pillars of democratic societies—anonymity often emerges as a controversial element. For some, it serves as a refuge for digital criminals or slanderers. For others, it is an indispensable tool, capable of protecting dissenting voices and inspiring authentic debates, with ideas judged on their merits rather than the messenger’s reputation. This article aims to explain, in a clear and instructive manner, why anonymity is essential to genuine freedom of expression, illustrating its value with metaphors, real-life examples, and historical references. ## **The Protective Mask: Avoiding Retaliation and Threats** Just as a navigator uses guiding instruments to avoid jagged rocks at sea, anonymity functions like a shield, allowing bold voices to navigate oppressive reefs without foundering. There are countless examples of individuals who have risked their lives to expose crimes and injustices—from whistleblowers in authoritarian governments to investigative journalists uncovering the complex machinations of organized crime. Without the possibility of anonymity, many of these stories would never have come to light. Organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and other digital rights advocacy groups emphasize that the ability to speak without revealing one’s identity is crucial when the cost of speaking out is dangerously high. In censorship-ridden regimes, criticizing the government can lead to imprisonment, torture, or even death. Human rights activists, LGBTQIA+ communities in hostile countries, and journalists investigating illicit dealings all rely on anonymity to continue their work without putting their own lives at immediate risk. In this context, anonymity is not a whim—it’s the chance to survive one’s own opinion. ## **The Voice of the Invisible: Empowering Marginalized Groups** Think of anonymity as an invisible microphone placed at the disposal of those who, without it, would never dare to take the stage. Historically, marginalized groups have always faced additional barriers to making their voices heard. Women in patriarchal societies, ethnic minorities facing discrimination, or individuals persecuted for their sexual orientation find in anonymity a safe space to speak out, claim their rights, and share their experiences without fearing public humiliation or physical violence. This “invisible microphone” not only gives voice to those who once remained silent but also transforms the arena of public debate into a more equitable space. By removing the link between idea and identity, it reduces the risk of immediate prejudice against the messenger. As a result, society can assess arguments more impartially. Here, ideas are judged on their content, not on the face that speaks them. ## **The Strength of History: The Precedent of the Federalist Papers** History offers a famous example of the power of anonymous words: the Federalist Papers. Published between 1787 and 1788, these essays supported the ratification of the United States Constitution and were written under the pseudonym “Publius” by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. The reason for concealing their identities was clear: to ensure that their ideas would be judged on their argumentative strength rather than the prestige or fame of the authors. The precedent set by the Federalist Papers is emblematic. It shows that, in the building of one of the first modern democracies, anonymity was used as a legitimate tool to establish fundamental concepts. If the founders of the nation that prides itself on its First Amendment—the one that protects freedom of expression—resorted to anonymity, we should recognize that this resource is not only defensible but also an essential part of the framework of healthy public debate. ## **Faceless Messages: The Democracy of Pure Ideas** In an ideal world, we would judge a message purely on its content. In reality, however, names, faces, social status, and economic position influence how we receive and interpret a person’s words. Anonymity removes these superficial layers, allowing the message to present itself bare, subject to rational evaluation without the veils of prejudice. In this sense, anonymity acts as a “filter of equality”: by concealing the source, it prevents us from assigning credibility (or discredit) based on stereotypes, prejudices, or personal rivalries. Thus, ideas previously dismissed out of hand can now be heard with greater attention, opening paths to social innovation, political reflection, and challenges to the status quo. A contemporary example is online forums that allow anonymous posts. While we acknowledge that such spaces can be misused, we cannot ignore their potential to give voice to those who would never feel safe speaking under their own name in public. ## **Privacy, Intimacy, and the Freedom to Whisper** Anonymity is not limited to the public or political sphere. In personal and professional relations, the ability to speak anonymously can allow someone to seek help or reveal extremely sensitive matters. Imagine a patient who needs to consult a doctor about a stigmatized health issue, or a person seeking legal advice in a delicate situation. The “mask” of anonymity offers a safe haven for sharing information without the anguish of being judged or exposed. Thus, anonymity also safeguards our “right to whisper,” that is, the ability to exchange information, secrets, and confessions without the constant glare of a spotlight. Real or perceived surveillance can stifle communication and inhibit creativity, reporting, and the exchange of ideas. By shielding individuals from forced exposure, anonymity reinforces the very fabric of freedom of expression, preventing the fear of identification from silencing words before they are spoken. ## **Anonymity in the Digital Age: Between Encryption and Censorship** In the digital age, the issue of anonymity becomes even more relevant. With the expansion of online surveillance and the growth of social networks, maintaining anonymity can be challenging. Social media platforms increasingly request personal data, and governments attempt to impose barriers against anonymity, often justifying them as measures of national security or crime prevention. However, according to reports and documents from human rights organizations, such as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), encryption and anonymity are key tools for freedom of expression in the digital environment. Without these resources, citizens and journalists, for instance, become more vulnerable to persecution. In various countries, the existence of anonymous and encrypted channels enables information to circulate, grievances to be reported, and societies to remain informed, even in the face of heavy censorship. ## **Legal Protection: Judicial Recognition of Anonymity** The United States Supreme Court, as well as other constitutional courts around the world, recognizes anonymity as an integral part of the right to free expression. In the United States, the First Amendment has been applied in cases that defended the right to anonymous speech, viewing it as a bulwark against the tyranny of the majority. When minorities are protected by anonymity, personal reprisals against those who dare to question dogmas or denounce abuses are prevented. This judicial understanding reinforces the legitimacy of anonymity and its direct association with the strengthening of democracy. After all, a robust democracy requires not only the absence of formal censorship but also the guarantee that minority or unpopular voices can speak out without fear. ## **Conclusion: The Cloak That Protects Freedom** If freedom of expression is the heart of democracy, anonymity is the cloak that shields that heart from the poisoned darts of fear, persecution, and prejudice. It creates the right environment for ideas to flourish freely, for courageous voices to emerge from silence, and for society to debate its most complex issues in the light of reason rather than beneath the shadow of intimidation. In a world where surveillance and political tensions are ever-present, anonymity preserves the essence of free speech: humanity’s ability to question, propose, denounce, criticize, and create without shackles. By recognizing the importance of this resource, we safeguard not only individual voices but also the very principle that makes democracy worthy of its name. ## **Selected References:** - Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): <https://www.eff.org/issues/anonymity> - Freedom Forum: <https://www.freedomforum.org/anonymous-speech/> - Association for Progressive Communications (APC): <https://www.apc.org/> - The First Amendment Encyclopedia: Anonymous Speech: <https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/anonymous-speech/> - The Federalist Papers: Historical context available at [Library of Congress](https://www.loc.gov/) and various printed and digital compilations. --- Cover Photo by [Redd Francisco](https://unsplash.com/@reddfrancisco?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit)

@ 219857c6:7e39c471

From the coin clipping of ancient Rome to the rise of electronic payments, this article explores the recurring failures of money throughout history. We delve into why gold, paper, and even digital payments fall short and what lessons they hold for creating better systems. Can Bitcoin succeed where others have failed? Read on to find out. They say that men can’t stop thinking about the fall of the Roman Empire. Explore more in detail in my first edition of the newsletter 'New Money Matters': https://newmoneymatters.substack.com/p/why-does-money-fail-part-1 originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/800190

@ c11cf5f8:4928464d

Let's hear some of your latest Bitcoin purchases, feel free to include links to the shops or merchants you bought from too. If you missed our last thread, [here](https://stacker.news/items/789759/r/AG) are some of the items stackers recently spent their sats on. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/800128

@ c67cd3e1:84098345

<div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;max-width:100%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/div>?enablejsapi=1" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

@ b4403b24:83542d4e

🇷🇺 Russia holds elections The West: "Russia is a dictatorship" 🇺🇦 Ukraine doesn’t hold elections The West: "Ukraine is a democracy" 🇷🇴 Romania cancels the election The West: "Romania is defending democracy" originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/799896

@ 6f170f27:711e26dd

> The #NobelPrize in Physics 2024 for Hopfield & Hinton turns out to be a Nobel Prize for plagiarism. They republished methodologies developed in #Ukraine and #Japan by Ivakhnenko and Amari in the 1960s & 1970s, as well as other techniques, without citing the original inventors. https://x.com/SchmidhuberAI/status/1865310820856393929 # Tangent I won't say anything about Physics Nobel Prizes but this reminded me of two anecdotes: People here love Cryptography. One of the most groundbreaking and fundamental ideas in cryptography was when Shannon "invented" the One-Time-Pad in the 40s. Unfortunately there already was a guy called Vigenère in the 1500s who discovered the same thing. The story is not quite as interesting as the next anecdote because Shannon was aware of Vigenère and bitwise xor is only kind of the same thing as letter permutations but nonetheless a rediscovery of a thing that already existed. | Shannon | Vigenère | | ------------- | ------------- | |  |  | Second anecdote is the Fast Fourier Transform. You might know what FFT is because it was groundbreaking in the 60s. It revolutionized everything. From wireless communication to earthquake detection to weather to chemistry - the FFT algorithm is EVERYWHERE.... Except it wasn't discovered in the 60s. Our old friend Mr Gauß discvoered/invented it in 1805 but it was in Latin | J. W. Cooley and John Tukey | Gauss | | ------------- | ------------- | |  |  | # Conclusion Anyway, I won't say anything about whether Schmidhuber discovered blatant plagiarism in this years NobelPrize in Physics or if mankind is just doomed to rediscover and rediscover and rediscover stuff from the 60s but let me say this: My personal favorite way out of this dilemma is building AGI. Let us build an artificial intelligence that surpasses human intelligence. That can discover things and write papers such that humans spend their time reproducing results and verifying is instead. An all knowing computer that will tell us everything about a subject such that the smartest people on earth (like Nobel Prize winning physicist) don't waste decades of their lives with stuff that was already discovered - these things should be 1 Google search or AI prompt away, not decades. Anyway, here are some pics from Neon Genesis Evangelion so you guys can feel as inspired as I am |  |  | | ------------- | ------------- | |  |  | originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/799320

@ e6817453:b0ac3c39

I started a long series of articles about how to model different types of knowledge graphs in the relational model, which makes on-device memory models for AI agents possible. We model-directed graphs Also, graphs of entities We even model hypergraphs Last time, we discussed why classical triple and simple knowledge graphs are insufficient for AI agents and complex memory, especially in the domain of time-aware or multi-model knowledge. So why do we need metagraphs, and what kind of challenge could they help us to solve? - complex and nested event and temporal context and temporal relations as edges - multi-mode and multilingual knowledge - human-like memory for AI agents that has multiple contexts and relations between knowledge in neuron-like networks ## MetaGraphs A meta graph is a concept that extends the idea of a graph by allowing edges to become graphs. Meta Edges connect a set of nodes, which could also be subgraphs. So, at some level, node and edge are pretty similar in properties but act in different roles in a different context. Also, in some cases, edges could be referenced as nodes. This approach enables the representation of more complex relationships and hierarchies than a traditional graph structure allows. Let’s break down each term to understand better metagraphs and how they differ from hypergraphs and graphs. ## Graph Basics - A standard **graph** has a set of **nodes** (or vertices) and **edges** (connections between nodes). - Edges are generally simple and typically represent a binary relationship between two nodes. - For instance, an edge in a social network graph might indicate a “friend” relationship between two people (nodes). ## Hypergraph - A **hypergraph** extends the concept of an edge by allowing it to connect any number of nodes, not just two. - Each connection, called a **hyperedge**, can link multiple nodes. - This feature allows hypergraphs to model more complex relationships involving multiple entities simultaneously. For example, a hyperedge in a hypergraph could represent a project team, connecting all team members in a single relation. - Despite its flexibility, a hypergraph doesn’t capture hierarchical or nested structures; it only generalizes the number of connections in an edge. ## Metagraph - A **metagraph** allows the edges to be graphs themselves. This means each edge can contain its own nodes and edges, creating nested, hierarchical structures. - In a meta graph, an edge could represent a relationship defined by a graph. For instance, a meta graph could represent a network of organizations where each organization’s structure (departments and connections) is represented by its own internal graph and treated as an edge in the larger meta graph. - This recursive structure allows metagraphs to model complex data with multiple layers of abstraction. They can capture multi-node relationships (as in hypergraphs) and detailed, structured information about each relationship. ## Named Graphs and Graph of Graphs As you can notice, the structure of a metagraph is quite complex and could be complex to model in relational and classical RDF setups. It could create a challenge of luck of tools and software solutions for your problem. If you need to model nested graphs, you could use a much simpler model of Named graphs, which could take you quite far.  The concept of the named graph came from the RDF community, which needed to group some sets of triples. In this way, you form subgraphs inside an existing graph. You could refer to the subgraph as a regular node. This setup simplifies complex graphs, introduces hierarchies, and even adds features and properties of hypergraphs while keeping a directed nature. It looks complex, but it is not so hard to model it with a slight modification of a directed graph. So, the node could host graphs inside. Let's reflect this fact with a location for a node. If a node belongs to a main graph, we could set the location to null or introduce a main node . it is up to you  Nodes could have edges to nodes in different subgraphs. This structure allows any kind of nesting graphs. Edges stay location-free ## Meta Graphs in Relational Model Let’s try to make several attempts to model different meta-graphs with some constraints. ## Directed Metagraph where edges are not used as nodes and could not contain subgraphs  In this case, the edge always points to two sets of nodes. This introduces an overhead of creating a node set for a single node. In this model, we can model empty node sets that could require application-level constraints to prevent such cases. ## Directed Metagraph where edges are not used as nodes and could contain subgraphs  Adding a node set that could model a subgraph located in an edge is easy but could be separate from in-vertex or out-vert. I also do not see a direct need to include subgraphs to a node, as we could just use a node set interchangeably, but it still could be a case. ## Directed Metagraph where edges are used as nodes and could contain subgraphs As you can notice, we operate all the time with node sets. We could simply allow the extension node set to elements set that include node and edge IDs, but in this case, we need to use uuid or any other strategy to differentiate node IDs from edge IDs. In this case, we have a collision of ephemeral edges or ephemeral nodes when we want to change the role and purpose of the node as an edge or vice versa.  A full-scale metagraph model is way too complex for a relational database. So we need a better model. Now, we have more flexibility but loose structural constraints. We cannot show that the element should have one vertex, one vertex, or both. This type of constraint has been moved to the application level. Also, the crucial question is about query and retrieval needs. Any meta-graph model should be more focused on domain and needs and should be used in raw form. We did it for a pure theoretical purpose.

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Hey folks! Today, let’s dive into the intriguing world of neurosymbolic approaches, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and personal knowledge graphs (PKGs). Together, these concepts hold much potential for bringing true reasoning capabilities to large language models (LLMs). So, let’s break down how symbolic logic, knowledge graphs, and modern AI can come together to empower future AI systems to reason like humans. ## The Neurosymbolic Approach: What It Means ? Neurosymbolic AI combines two historically separate streams of artificial intelligence: symbolic reasoning and neural networks. Symbolic AI uses formal logic to process knowledge, similar to how we might solve problems or deduce information. On the other hand, neural networks, like those underlying GPT-4, focus on learning patterns from vast amounts of data — they are probabilistic statistical models that excel in generating human-like language and recognizing patterns but often lack deep, explicit reasoning. While GPT-4 can produce impressive text, it’s still not very effective at reasoning in a truly logical way. Its foundation, transformers, allows it to excel in pattern recognition, but the models struggle with reasoning because, at their core, they rely on statistical probabilities rather than true symbolic logic. This is where neurosymbolic methods and knowledge graphs come in. ## Symbolic Calculations and the Early Vision of AI If we take a step back to the 1950s, the vision for artificial intelligence was very different. Early AI research was all about symbolic reasoning — where computers could perform logical calculations to derive new knowledge from a given set of rules and facts. Languages like **Lisp** emerged to support this vision, enabling programs to represent data and code as interchangeable symbols. Lisp was designed to be homoiconic, meaning it treated code as manipulatable data, making it capable of self-modification — a huge leap towards AI systems that could, in theory, understand and modify their own operations. ## Lisp: The Earlier AI-Language **Lisp**, short for “LISt Processor,” was developed by John McCarthy in 1958, and it became the cornerstone of early AI research. Lisp’s power lay in its flexibility and its use of symbolic expressions, which allowed developers to create programs that could manipulate symbols in ways that were very close to human reasoning. One of the most groundbreaking features of Lisp was its ability to treat code as data, known as homoiconicity, which meant that Lisp programs could introspect and transform themselves dynamically. This ability to adapt and modify its own structure gave Lisp an edge in tasks that required a form of self-awareness, which was key in the early days of AI when researchers were exploring what it meant for machines to “think.” Lisp was not just a programming language—it represented the vision for artificial intelligence, where machines could evolve their understanding and rewrite their own programming. This idea formed the conceptual basis for many of the self-modifying and adaptive algorithms that are still explored today in AI research. Despite its decline in mainstream programming, Lisp’s influence can still be seen in the concepts used in modern machine learning and symbolic AI approaches. ## Prolog: Formal Logic and Deductive Reasoning In the 1970s, **Prolog** was developed—a language focused on formal logic and deductive reasoning. Unlike Lisp, based on lambda calculus, Prolog operates on formal logic rules, allowing it to perform deductive reasoning and solve logical puzzles. This made Prolog an ideal candidate for expert systems that needed to follow a sequence of logical steps, such as medical diagnostics or strategic planning. Prolog, like Lisp, allowed symbols to be represented, understood, and used in calculations, creating another homoiconic language that allows reasoning. Prolog’s strength lies in its rule-based structure, which is well-suited for tasks that require logical inference and backtracking. These features made it a powerful tool for expert systems and AI research in the 1970s and 1980s. The language is declarative in nature, meaning that you define the problem, and Prolog figures out **how** to solve it. By using formal logic and setting constraints, Prolog systems can derive conclusions from known facts, making it highly effective in fields requiring explicit logical frameworks, such as legal reasoning, diagnostics, and natural language understanding. These symbolic approaches were later overshadowed during the AI winter — but the ideas never really disappeared. They just evolved. ## Solvers and Their Role in Complementing LLMs One of the most powerful features of **Prolog** and similar logic-based systems is their use of **solvers**. Solvers are mechanisms that can take a set of rules and constraints and automatically find solutions that satisfy these conditions. This capability is incredibly useful when combined with LLMs, which excel at generating human-like language but need help with logical consistency and structured reasoning. For instance, imagine a scenario where an LLM needs to answer a question involving multiple logical steps or a complex query that requires deducing facts from various pieces of information. In this case, a **solver** can derive valid conclusions based on a given set of logical rules, providing structured answers that the LLM can then articulate in natural language. This allows the LLM to retrieve information and ensure the logical integrity of its responses, leading to much more robust answers. Solvers are also ideal for handling **constraint satisfaction problems** — situations where multiple conditions must be met simultaneously. In practical applications, this could include scheduling tasks, generating optimal recommendations, or even diagnosing issues where a set of symptoms must match possible diagnoses. Prolog’s solver capabilities and LLM’s natural language processing power can make these systems highly effective at providing intelligent, rule-compliant responses that traditional LLMs would struggle to produce alone. By integrating **neurosymbolic methods** that utilize solvers, we can provide LLMs with a form of deductive reasoning that is missing from pure deep-learning approaches. This combination has the potential to significantly improve the quality of outputs for use-cases that require explicit, structured problem-solving, from legal queries to scientific research and beyond. Solvers give LLMs the backbone they need to not just generate answers but to do so in a way that respects logical rigor and complex constraints. ## Graph of Rules for Enhanced Reasoning Another powerful concept that complements LLMs is using a **graph of rules**. A graph of rules is essentially a structured collection of logical rules that interconnect in a network-like structure, defining how various entities and their relationships interact. This structured network allows for complex reasoning and information retrieval, as well as the ability to model intricate relationships between different pieces of knowledge. In a **graph of rules**, each node represents a rule, and the edges define relationships between those rules — such as dependencies or causal links. This structure can be used to enhance LLM capabilities by providing them with a formal set of rules and relationships to follow, which improves logical consistency and reasoning depth. When an LLM encounters a problem or a question that requires multiple logical steps, it can traverse this graph of rules to generate an answer that is not only linguistically fluent but also logically robust. For example, in a healthcare application, a graph of rules might include nodes for medical symptoms, possible diagnoses, and recommended treatments. When an LLM receives a query regarding a patient’s symptoms, it can use the graph to traverse from symptoms to potential diagnoses and then to treatment options, ensuring that the response is coherent and medically sound. The graph of rules guides reasoning, enabling LLMs to handle complex, multi-step questions that involve chains of reasoning, rather than merely generating surface-level responses. Graphs of rules also enable **modular reasoning**, where different sets of rules can be activated based on the context or the type of question being asked. This modularity is crucial for creating adaptive AI systems that can apply specific sets of logical frameworks to distinct problem domains, thereby greatly enhancing their versatility. The combination of **neural fluency** with **rule-based structure** gives LLMs the ability to conduct more advanced reasoning, ultimately making them more reliable and effective in domains where accuracy and logical consistency are critical. By implementing a graph of rules, LLMs are empowered to perform **deductive reasoning** alongside their generative capabilities, creating responses that are not only compelling but also logically aligned with the structured knowledge available in the system. This further enhances their potential applications in fields such as law, engineering, finance, and scientific research — domains where logical consistency is as important as linguistic coherence. ## Enhancing LLMs with Symbolic Reasoning Now, with LLMs like GPT-4 being mainstream, there is an emerging need to add real reasoning capabilities to them. This is where **neurosymbolic approaches** shine. Instead of pitting neural networks against symbolic reasoning, these methods combine the best of both worlds. The neural aspect provides language fluency and recognition of complex patterns, while the symbolic side offers real reasoning power through formal logic and rule-based frameworks. **Personal Knowledge Graphs (PKGs)** come into play here as well. Knowledge graphs are data structures that encode entities and their relationships — they’re essentially semantic networks that allow for structured information retrieval. When integrated with neurosymbolic approaches, LLMs can use these graphs to answer questions in a far more contextual and precise way. By retrieving relevant information from a knowledge graph, they can ground their responses in well-defined relationships, thus improving both the relevance and the logical consistency of their answers. Imagine combining an LLM with a **graph of rules** that allow it to reason through the relationships encoded in a personal knowledge graph. This could involve using **deductive databases** to form a sophisticated way to represent and reason with symbolic data — essentially constructing a powerful hybrid system that uses LLM capabilities for language fluency and rule-based logic for structured problem-solving. ## My Research on Deductive Databases and Knowledge Graphs I recently did some research on modeling **knowledge graphs using deductive databases**, such as DataLog — which can be thought of as a limited, data-oriented version of Prolog. What I’ve found is that it’s possible to use formal logic to model knowledge graphs, ontologies, and complex relationships elegantly as rules in a deductive system. Unlike classical RDF or traditional ontology-based models, which sometimes struggle with complex or evolving relationships, a deductive approach is more flexible and can easily support dynamic rules and reasoning. **Prolog** and similar logic-driven frameworks can complement LLMs by handling the parts of reasoning where explicit rule-following is required. LLMs can benefit from these rule-based systems for tasks like entity recognition, logical inferences, and constructing or traversing knowledge graphs. We can even create a **graph of rules** that governs how relationships are formed or how logical deductions can be performed. The future is really about creating an AI that is capable of both deep contextual understanding (using the powerful generative capacity of LLMs) and true reasoning (through symbolic systems and knowledge graphs). With the neurosymbolic approach, these AIs could be equipped not just to generate information but to explain their reasoning, form logical conclusions, and even improve their own understanding over time — getting us a step closer to true artificial general intelligence. ## Why It Matters for LLM Employment Using **neurosymbolic RAG (retrieval-augmented generation)** in conjunction with personal knowledge graphs could revolutionize how LLMs work in real-world applications. Imagine an LLM that understands not just language but also the relationships between different concepts — one that can navigate, reason, and explain complex knowledge domains by actively engaging with a personalized set of facts and rules. This could lead to practical applications in areas like healthcare, finance, legal reasoning, or even personal productivity — where LLMs can help users solve complex problems logically, providing relevant information and well-justified reasoning paths. The combination of **neural fluency** with **symbolic accuracy and deductive power** is precisely the bridge we need to move beyond purely predictive AI to truly intelligent systems. Let's explore these ideas further if you’re as fascinated by this as I am. Feel free to reach out, follow my YouTube channel, or check out some articles I’ll link below. And if you’re working on anything in this field, I’d love to collaborate! Until next time, folks. Stay curious, and keep pushing the boundaries of AI!

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## Introduction: Personal Knowledge Graphs and Linked Data We will explore the world of personal knowledge graphs and discuss how they can be used to model complex information structures. Personal knowledge graphs aren’t just abstract collections of nodes and edges—they encode meaningful relationships, contextualizing data in ways that enrich our understanding of it. While the core structure might be a directed graph, we layer semantic meaning on top, enabling nuanced connections between data points. The origin of knowledge graphs is deeply tied to concepts from linked data and the semantic web, ideas that emerged to better link scattered pieces of information across the web. This approach created an infrastructure where data islands could connect — facilitating everything from more insightful AI to improved personal data management. In this article, we will explore how these ideas have evolved into tools for modeling AI’s semantic memory and look at how knowledge graphs can serve as a flexible foundation for encoding rich data contexts. We’ll specifically discuss three major paradigms: RDF (Resource Description Framework), property graphs, and a third way of modeling entities as graphs of graphs. Let’s get started. ## Intro to RDF The Resource Description Framework (RDF) has been one of the fundamental standards for linked data and knowledge graphs. RDF allows data to be modeled as triples: subject, predicate, and object. Essentially, you can think of it as a structured way to describe relationships: “X has a Y called Z.” For instance, “Berlin has a population of 3.5 million.” This modeling approach is quite flexible because RDF uses unique identifiers — usually URIs — to point to data entities, making linking straightforward and coherent. RDFS, or RDF Schema, extends RDF to provide a basic vocabulary to structure the data even more. This lets us describe not only individual nodes but also relationships among types of data entities, like defining a class hierarchy or setting properties. For example, you could say that “Berlin” is an instance of a “City” and that cities are types of “Geographical Entities.” This kind of organization helps establish semantic meaning within the graph. ## RDF and Advanced Topics ## Lists and Sets in RDF RDF also provides tools to model more complex data structures such as lists and sets, enabling the grouping of nodes. This extension makes it easier to model more natural, human-like knowledge, for example, describing attributes of an entity that may have multiple values. By adding RDF Schema and OWL (Web Ontology Language), you gain even more expressive power — being able to define logical rules or even derive new relationships from existing data. ## Graph of Graphs A significant feature of RDF is the ability to form complex nested structures, often referred to as graphs of graphs. This allows you to create “named graphs,” essentially subgraphs that can be independently referenced. For example, you could create a named graph for a particular dataset describing Berlin and another for a different geographical area. Then, you could connect them, allowing for more modular and reusable knowledge modeling. ## Property Graphs While RDF provides a robust framework, it’s not always the easiest to work with due to its heavy reliance on linking everything explicitly. This is where property graphs come into play. Property graphs are less focused on linking everything through triples and allow more expressive properties directly within nodes and edges. For example, instead of using triples to represent each detail, a property graph might let you store all properties about an entity (e.g., “Berlin”) directly in a single node. This makes property graphs more intuitive for many developers and engineers because they more closely resemble object-oriented structures: you have entities (nodes) that possess attributes (properties) and are connected to other entities through relationships (edges). The significant benefit here is a condensed representation, which speeds up traversal and queries in some scenarios. However, this also introduces a trade-off: while property graphs are more straightforward to query and maintain, they lack some complex relationship modeling features RDF offers, particularly when connecting properties to each other. ## Graph of Graphs and Subgraphs for Entity Modeling A third approach — which takes elements from RDF and property graphs — involves modeling entities using subgraphs or nested graphs. In this model, each entity can be represented as a graph. This allows for a detailed and flexible description of attributes without exploding every detail into individual triples or lump them all together into properties. For instance, consider a person entity with a complex employment history. Instead of representing every employment detail in one node (as in a property graph), or as several linked nodes (as in RDF), you can treat the employment history as a subgraph. This subgraph could then contain nodes for different jobs, each linked with specific properties and connections. This approach keeps the complexity where it belongs and provides better flexibility when new attributes or entities need to be added. ## Hypergraphs and Metagraphs When discussing more advanced forms of graphs, we encounter hypergraphs and metagraphs. These take the idea of relationships to a new level. A hypergraph allows an edge to connect more than two nodes, which is extremely useful when modeling scenarios where relationships aren’t just pairwise. For example, a “Project” could connect multiple “People,” “Resources,” and “Outcomes,” all in a single edge. This way, hypergraphs help in reducing the complexity of modeling high-order relationships. Metagraphs, on the other hand, enable nodes and edges to themselves be represented as graphs. This is an extremely powerful feature when we consider the needs of artificial intelligence, as it allows for the modeling of relationships between relationships, an essential aspect for any system that needs to capture not just facts, but their interdependencies and contexts. ## Balancing Structure and Properties One of the recurring challenges when modeling knowledge is finding the balance between structure and properties. With RDF, you get high flexibility and standardization, but complexity can quickly escalate as you decompose everything into triples. Property graphs simplify the representation by using attributes but lose out on the depth of connection modeling. Meanwhile, the graph-of-graphs approach and hypergraphs offer advanced modeling capabilities at the cost of increased computational complexity. So, how do you decide which model to use? It comes down to your use case. RDF and nested graphs are strong contenders if you need deep linkage and are working with highly variable data. For more straightforward, engineer-friendly modeling, property graphs shine. And when dealing with very complex multi-way relationships or meta-level knowledge, hypergraphs and metagraphs provide the necessary tools. The key takeaway is that only some approaches are perfect. Instead, it’s all about the modeling goals: how do you want to query the graph, what relationships are meaningful, and how much complexity are you willing to manage? ## Conclusion Modeling AI semantic memory using knowledge graphs is a challenging but rewarding process. The different approaches — RDF, property graphs, and advanced graph modeling techniques like nested graphs and hypergraphs — each offer unique strengths and weaknesses. Whether you are building a personal knowledge graph or scaling up to AI that integrates multiple streams of linked data, it’s essential to understand the trade-offs each approach brings. In the end, the choice of representation comes down to the nature of your data and your specific needs for querying and maintaining semantic relationships. The world of knowledge graphs is vast, with many tools and frameworks to explore. Stay connected and keep experimenting to find the balance that works for your projects.