@ 0b118e40:4edc09cb

Are we living in his definition of democracy? It’s interesting how political parties can divide a country, especially in democracies where both oppression and individual choice coexist. As I was exploring global economics and political ideologies, I picked up *The Republic* by Plato (again). The first time I read it, I only read the book on the Allegory of the Cave and it felt enlightening. This time around, I read through all the books and I thought to myself : *this is absolutely nuts!* Over 2,000 years ago, *The Republic* imagined a world disturbingly similar to Gattaca or 1984. For a quick rundown, Plato believed in a police state, eugenics, a caste system, and brainwashing people through state-controlled media and education. Sounds wild? I thought so too. And for some reason, Plato had a serious grudge against art. To him, art was deceptive and emotionally manipulative. Maybe because there was a skit making fun of Socrates at that time by Aristophanes (the father of comedy) or maybe because he struggled to deal with emotions, we will never know. Plato obviously wasn’t a fan of democracy as he wanted a dystopian world. But to be fair, he genuinely thought that his ideal world (Kallipolis) was a utopia. Maybe someone who loves extreme order and control might think the same but I sure don’t. His teacher Socrates was also not a fan of democracy because he believed the mass majority were too ignorant to govern and only those intelligent enough could. His student, Aristotle, was more moderate but still critical, seeing democracy as vulnerable to corruption and mob rule. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were around the Classical Greek era, 5th to 4th century BC. The idea of democracy existed long before them. The first recorded version was in Athens during the 6th BC, developed by leaders like Solon and Pericles. It was a direct democracy where free male citizens (non-slaves) could vote on laws themselves instead of electing representatives. These guys influenced how we think about democracy today. But looking around, I wonder, did we end up in Plato’s dystopian world? ### **Plato’s take on democracy** Plato’s lack of trust of democracy stemmed from Socrates’ death. Socrates himself was a fierce critic of democracy, as he believed governance should be based on wisdom rather than popularity. Other thinkers, like Pythagoras and Herodotus (father of history), also examined different political systems, but Socrates was the most influential critic. He warned that allowing the uneducated masses to choose leaders would lead to poor governance, as they could be easily swayed by persuasive speakers rather than guided by knowledge. Athenian democracy relied on large citizen juries and was particularly vulnerable to rhetoric and public sentiment. In the end, Socrates became a victim of the very system he criticized. His relentless questioning of widely accepted beliefs, now known as the **Socratic Method**, earned him powerful enemies. Socrates’ constant probing forced them to confront uncomfortable truths. It annoyed people so much, that it eventually led to his trial and execution. Socrates was condemned to death by popular vote. I wonder, if we applied the Socratic Method today to challenge both the left and the right on the merits of the opposing side, would they be open to expanding their perspectives, or would they react with the same hostility? This questioning technique is now also used in some schools and universities as a teaching method, encouraging open-ended discussion where students contribute their own thoughts rather than passively receiving information. But how open a school, system, or educator is to broad perspectives depends largely on their own biases and beliefs. Even with open-ended questions, the direction of the conversation can be shaped by those in charge, potentially limiting the range of perspectives explored. Socrates’ brutal death deeply grounded Plato’s belief that democracy, without intellectual rigor, was nothing but a mob rule. He saw it as a system doomed to chaos, where the unqualified, driven by emotion or manipulated by rhetoric, made decisions that ultimately paved the way for tyranny. ### **The Republic** *The Republic* was written around 375 BC, after the Peloponnesian War. One of its most famous sections is the Allegory of the Cave, where prisoners are stuck watching shadows on a wall, thinking that it’s reality until one breaks free and sees the real world. That’s when the person becomes enlightened, using knowledge and reason to escape ignorance. They return to free others, spreading the truth. I love this idea of breaking free from suppression through knowledge and awareness. But as I went deeper into Plato’s work, I realized what the plot twist was. Plato wrote this book for strict state control. He wanted total control over education, media, and even families like in the book 1984. He argued that people should be sorted into a caste system, typically workers, warriors, and philosopher-kings so that society runs like a well-oiled machine. The “guardians” would police the state and everyone would go through physical and military training. To top it off, kids would be taken away from their parents and raised by the state for the “greater good.” like in the movie Gattaca. If that sounds a little too Orwellian, that’s because it is. Plato believed that only philosophers, the truly enlightened ones from that “cave”, should rule. To him, democracy was a joke, a breeding ground for corruption and tyranny. I found it completely ironic that this book that warns about brainwashing in the Allegory of the Cave also pushes for a state-controlled society, where thinking for yourself isn’t really an option. And yet, looking around today, I wonder, are we really any different? We live in a world where oppression and enlightenment exist side by side. Plato was slightly progressive in that he thought men and women should have equal education, but only for the ruling Guardian class. In *The Republic*, Plato didn’t focus much on economics or capitalism as we understand them today. His philosophies were more concerned with justice, governance, and the ideal structure of society. He did touch on wealth and property, particularly in *The Republic and Laws* but it was more on being against wealth accumulation by rulers (philosopher-kings had to live communally and without private property). While these ideas echo elements of socialism, he never outlined a full economic system like capitalism or socialism. ### **The hatred for art** Plato was deeply skeptical of art. He believed that it appealed to emotions over rational thought and distorted reality. In *The Republic* (Book X), he argued that art is an imitation of an imitation, pulling people further from the truth. If he had his way, much of modern entertainment, including poetry, drama, and even certain types of music, would not exist in their expressive forms. Despite Plato’s distrust of the arts, his time was a golden age for Greek drama, sculpture, and philosophy. Ironically, the very city where he built his Academy, Athens, was flourishing with the kind of creativity he wanted to censor. Even medicine, which thrived under Hippocrates (the father of medicine), was considered an art requiring lifelong mastery. His quote, ‘**Life is short, and art is long**,’ reflects the long span of time it takes to cultivate and appreciate knowledge and skills, which was something Plato valued. Yet, he dismissed most art as a distraction from truth. Plato particularly criticized poets and playwrights like Homer, as he claimed they spread false ideas about gods and morality. He was also wary of Aristophanes, as he believed his work stirred emotions rather than encouraging rational thought. It probably did not help that Aristophanes mocked Socrates in his play *The Clouds*, which may have influenced Plato’s views. What’s clear is that Plato didn’t hate art because he didn’t understand it. He deeply understood the power of storytelling and its ability to mold societal beliefs. He argued for banning poets entirely from his “ideal city” to prevent them from misleading the public. But he did value some forms of art. After all, he was a writer himself, and writing is a form of art. He approved of artistic expressions that promoted moral and intellectual virtue, such as hymns, architecture, and patriotic poetry, as long as they served the greater purpose of instilling order and wisdom in society. ### **Plato’s five regimes** Plato believed governments naturally decay over time, moving from order to chaos. He outlined five regimes, which he considers each to be worse than the last. 1. *Aristocracy (Philosopher-King rule)* : This is his pitch, the ideal state, ruled by wise elites who value knowledge over power. Some aspects of modern authoritarian states echo this model 2. *Timocracy (Military rule)* : A government driven by honor and discipline, like Sparta. Over time, ambition overtakes virtue, leading to oligarchy. 3. *Oligarchy (Rule by the wealthy)* : The rich seizes power and deepens inequality. Many democracies today show oligarchic tendencies, where money dominates politics. 4. *Democracy (Rule by the masses)* : The people overthrow the elites, prioritizing freedom over order. But without stability, democracy becomes fragile, and vulnerable to demagogues and external manipulation. 5. *Tyranny (Dictatorship)* : When democracy collapses, a charismatic leader rises, promising order but seizing absolute power. What begins as freedom ends in oppression. Modern politics seems stuck in a cycle, shifting between democracy, oligarchy, and authoritarian control. If Plato was right, no system is permanent and only the illusion of stability remains. ### **Does Plato’s ideal state exist in any country today?** Some aspects of modern *benevolent dictatorships*, like Singapore under Lee Kuan Yew, or *socialist states* like China, may resemble Plato’s vision in their emphasis on elite rule, long-term planning, and state control. But, these governments operate pragmatically, balancing governance with economic power, political strategy, and public influence rather than strictly adhering to philosophical ideals. Could this be compared to Taliban rule, given the censorship, authoritarian control, and rigid social hierarchy? While there are superficial similarities, the key difference is that Plato valued knowledge, reason, and meritocracy, while the Taliban enforced religious fundamentalism and theocratic rule. Plato’s Kallipolis also included some level of gender equality for the ruling class, whereas the Taliban’s system is heavily restrictive, especially toward women. While Plato’s ideas echo in certain authoritarian-leaning states, his rigid caste system, philosopher-led governance, and rejection of democracy set his vision apart from any modern political system. ### **Aristotle’s take on democracy** Aristotle wasn’t Athenian, but he documented and analyzed 158 constitutions, including Athenian democracy. He studied at Plato’s Academy for over 20 years, growing up in a world influenced by Athens’ democratic experiment. He lived through the tail end of Athens’ golden age, witnessed its decline, and experienced how different forms of rule influenced politics and the mindset of the people under them. For Aristotle, governments were good or corrupted. The good ones were monarchs, aristocracy (wise elites), and polity (a constitutional gov’t where the middle class keeps power balanced). The corrupted ones were tyranny (monarchy gone wrong), oligarchy, and democracy. Aristotle saw how democracy, if unchecked, could spiral into chaos or be co-opted by populist leaders. But unlike Plato, who rejected democracy outright, Aristotle believed it could work if properly structured. His concept of ‘**polity**’ was a constitutional government that balanced democratic participation with stability, relying on a strong middle class to prevent both mob rule and elite domination. This idea of checks and balances, a mixed government, and middle-class stability make polity the closest to modern constitutional democracies today when compared to all 3 of the Greek philosophers. ### **What happened after Athens?** Of course, democracy didn’t end with Athens, it evolved over time. After Athens’ golden age came Alexander the Great (Aristotle’s student and the king of Macedonia). He conquered Greece, Persia, Egypt, and part of India, creating the largest empire of his time. After his death in 323 BCE, his empire split among his generals, marking the beginning of the Hellenistic period. Rome saw a shift from the fall of the Roman Republic to the rise of the Roman Empire under Augustus moving away from democratic ideals to centralized rule. But the Western Roman Empire fell about 500 years later largely due to internal decline and invasions by the Germanic Tribes (modern-day Sweden, Switzerland, Germany). The Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire, based in Constantinople or modern-day Turkey) rose and survived for nearly 1,000 more years until it fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. During the Medieval period (5th–15th century), Europe saw a rise in monarchies and feudalism. Power shifted to kings, nobles, and the church, with little direct participation from ordinary people. Some democratic elements survived in places like Venice and Florence, where wealthy merchant families controlled city-states. By the 17th century, democracy started creeping back into political thought, though not without skepticism. Machiavelli and Hobbes weren’t exactly fans of democracy, but they had plenty to say about power and governance. Later on Machiavelli hinted on the possible idea of a republic/mixed government in the *Discourses of Livy * Meanwhile, England was going through its own struggles with power. The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a showdown between King Charles I, who wanted absolute power, and Parliament, which wanted more influence. Charles ignored Parliament and was executed in 1649. England briefly became a republic under Oliver Cromwell, but the monarchy returned after his death. In 1688, the Glorious Revolution forced King James II (Charles I’s son) to flee to France. Parliament then invited William of Orange (a Dutch Protestant) and his wife Mary to take the throne. In 1689, they signed the English Bill of Rights, which limited the monarchy’s power, strengthened Parliament, and guaranteed certain rights to citizens. This was a significant moment in history as it effectively ended the absolute monarchy and established a constitutional monarchy in England. The American Revolution in 1776 and the French Revolution in 1789 pushed democratic ideals forward but still excluded women, slaves, and the poor. Historian Luciano Canfora, in his book* Democracy in Europe*, argues that early liberal democracy was full of contradictions as it preached equality, yet economic and social exclusion remained. (Note: If you want to understand the history of *anarchism*, the French Revolution is a key starting point. It influenced early anti-authoritarian thought, which later evolved into socialist and anti-capitalist movements. Over time, libertarians adopted anarchist principles, leading to the development of anarcho-capitalism. The concept of anarchism in politics has taken nearly two centuries to emerge in its modern form). The 19th and 20th centuries saw the expansion of democracy. But as Canfora explains it, it also saw its exploitation and manipulation. Although industrialization and social movements pushed for broader suffrage, democracy remained controlled by elites who feared true mass participation. Democracy became a tool for maintaining power rather than a true expression of the people’s will. According to Canfora, the Cold War turned democracy into a geopolitical tool, with Western powers supporting or opposing democratic movements based on strategic interests rather than principles. Today, there are many versions of democracy from direct democracy to representative democracy, presidential democracy, social democracy, religious democracy, constitutional democracy, communist democracy, and more. And is often viewed as a brand name for “good governance”. But are they? ### **In the end, was Plato right?** At a meta level, Plato’s argument was about control, be it controlling what people read, hear, and even think. The debate often centers on curated knowledge vs rhetoric. Plato believed that absolute obedience would bring harmony, even at the cost of individuality. Today, we call that totalitarian or dictatorship But when we take a second look at things, are we already living in Plato’s world? Governments across the globe control education, influence media narratives, and regulate speech. Many so-called democracies aren’t as free as they claim to be. So maybe Plato’s influence on modern democracies runs deeper than we realize. Another key debate today is that, unlike Plato’s time, most people *are* educated. However, much of this education is still designed by state systems, which can influence how people think and vote. How do we balance empowering people through education while ensuring true independence in a system built on critical thinking rather than one that merely feeds information? Truth is, democracy has never been a pure, people-driven system. It has always been influenced by power struggles, wealth, and manipulation. Often it has been an instrument of control rather than liberation. Yet, the people have always resisted. In the past, they gathered in the streets, risking tear gas, rubber bullets or being dragged into Black Marias. Today, digital activism has allowed for mass mobilization with fewer risks. In many countries especially in third-world countries, online movements on platforms like Twitter during Jack’s time, forced governments to overturn policies. This may be the closest we've come to real democracy which is direct action without the usual state violence. But with this rise in digital activism comes the counterforce through government and corporate requirements for censorship, algorithmic manipulation, and the quiet steering of public discourse. Platforms once seen as tools of liberation can become tools of control. *Facebook mood experiment* in 2012 tested positive and negative content on 700,000 people and proved emotions can be manipulated at scale. *Cambridge Analytica* was exposed in its attempt to manipulate votes. This is where decentralized networks like Nostr matter as a fundamental resistance to centralized control over speech. If democracy is to return to the people, it must also break free from algorithmic gatekeepers and censorship. Because the so-called ‘ignorant masses’, the very people Plato dismissed, are the ones who fight for freedom. Because real democracy isn’t about control. It’s about freedom. It’s about choice. It’s about the people, always.

@ b8851a06:9b120ba1

> Nothing disgusts me more than the way the white-collar justice system operates—where billion-dollar crimes are punished with pocket-change fines, and the executives responsible walk free, richer than ever. You will never see this on the centralized, Keynesian, fiat-owned mainstream media. Only here on #Nostr, where the truth isn’t for sale. > JPMorgan Chase is not just a bank—it is a repeat offender in the global financial system. With 272 violations and $39.3 billion in fines since 2000, its track record rivals that of the most notorious criminal enterprises. And yet, it remains untouchable, shielded by its financial dominance and a regulatory system that punishes lawbreaking with fines too insignificant to be real deterrents. In 2024 alone, JPMorgan Chase reported $58.5 billion in net income, an 18% increase from 2023. Meanwhile, it incurred $825 million in fines, which accounted for just 1.41% of its net income—a rounding error for the banking giant. ### Fines vs. Profits: The Cost of Doing Business Year Total Revenue (in billions) Net Income (in billions) Total Fines (in billions) Fines as % of Net Income 2024 $177.6 $58.5 $0.825 1.41% 2023 $158.1 $49.6 Data not specified N/A 2022 $132.3 $35.9 Data not specified N/A ###### Sources: Bloomberg, Ventureburn JPMorgan’s profits dwarf the penalties it pays, showing that these fines are simply the cost of doing business. ### 2024: A Continuation of Violations Despite its massive profits, JPMorgan continues its long history of lawbreaking. In 2024 alone, it has been fined $825 million across multiple categories: • $250 million – Banking violations • $200 million – Investor protection violations • $151 million – Securities violations • $125 million – Price-fixing practices • $98.2 million – Banking violations Additionally, in January 2024, the bank was fined $18 million for forcing customers to stay silent about illegal activities through confidential release agreements—another example of corporate misconduct being covered up rather than addressed. JPMorgan has admitted to market manipulation, securities fraud, and price-fixing—yet it remains a repeat offender because financial penalties do not impact its bottom line. ### The Human Cost: How JPMorgan Hurts Regular People While JPMorgan’s executives cash in on record profits, their crimes directly harm ordinary people: • Loan denials due to false credit reporting • Higher interest rates on credit cards and loans • Difficulty opening new deposit accounts • Challenges in renting apartments or securing jobs • Thousands of suspicious transactions totaling $1.5 billion went unreported Beyond the numbers, real people suffer from these violations. In 2024, JPMorgan was sued for failing to protect consumers from fraud on the Zelle payment platform. Customers lost over $870 million since Zelle’s 2017 launch, and JPMorgan ignored thousands of fraud complaints, even advising victims to contact scammers directly to get their money back. This is not just corporate negligence—it is systematic exploitation. ### Breakdown of JPMorgan’s Violations (2000-2024) JPMorgan’s violations span nearly every financial crime category imaginable: • Toxic Securities Abuses: $13.46 billion • Investor Protection Violations: $6.25 billion • Mortgage Abuses: $5.36 billion • Banking Violations: $4.26 billion • Consumer Protection Violations: $3.19 billion This systematic lawbreaking has become a business strategy rather than a legal risk. ### Regulatory Capture: Why JPMorgan Gets Away With It The question remains: Why does nothing change? The answer is regulatory capture—where the regulators responsible for policing the banks are influenced or controlled by the industry itself. ### The Revolving Door: How Banks Own Their Regulators • Regulators frequently leave their jobs to work for the banks they once supervised. • The banking industry is so complex that even lawmakers struggle to verify its practices. • Regulators fear antagonizing banks because they often seek employment in the same industry. JPMorgan exploits this system to avoid real consequences. Its CEO, Jamie Dimon, has openly criticized regulation and vowed to fight new financial rules, ensuring that oversight remains weak and penalties remain a slap on the wrist. ### Systematic Failures in Regulation • Consumer protection is spread across seven different agencies, creating inefficiency. • Conflicts of interest within these agencies weaken enforcement. • Some regulators have explicit mandates to promote the financial system’s competitiveness rather than hold banks accountable. This cycle ensures that fines remain low, executives avoid jail, and banks like JPMorgan continue breaking the law with impunity. ### Industry-Wide Issues: A Systemic Problem JPMorgan Chase is not alone. The banking sector as a whole is rife with fraud and corruption: • Wells Fargo: In 2024, Wells Fargo was sued for failing to protect customers from fraud on the Zelle payment platform, contributing to $870 million in consumer losses. • Bank of America: Also implicated in the Zelle fraud lawsuit for failing to implement basic fraud protections. These cases prove that financial misconduct is not an exception—it’s the industry standard. ### Too Big to Fail, Too Criminal to Stop JPMorgan’s status as a “too big to fail” institution means that no matter how many laws it breaks, no matter how many billions it pays in fines, it remains untouchable. If an individual committed fraud, price-fixing, or money laundering on this scale, they would spend a lifetime in prison. JPMorgan? It just keeps making record profits. This is not justice. This is the financial elite operating above the law. Until executives face criminal prosecution instead of just fines, JPMorgan Chase will remain what it has been for decades: **A financial felon in a three-piece suit.** ### The Next Stage of Banking Corruption JPMorgan’s violations are not just a relic of past financial crises. The next stage of banking corruption is already underway—and this time, the stakes are even higher. With AI-driven market manipulation, rising corporate surveillance, and the increasing concentration of financial power, the system is evolving in ways that regulators are not prepared to handle. JPMorgan and its peers are already positioning themselves to profit from the next crisis, just as they did in 2008. The question is not whether JPMorgan will commit future crimes. The question is how much they will profit from them—and how little they will be held accountable. The reality is clear: JPMorgan Chase is not a bank that sometimes breaks the law. It is a criminal enterprise that happens to operate as a bank. **#Bitcoin is the exit. The escape from their rigged system. The end of their unchecked power.**

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

To all existing nostr developers and new nostr developers, stop using kind 1 events... just stop whatever your doing and switch the kind to `Math.round(Math.random() * 10000)` trust me it will be better ## What are kind 1 events kind 1 events are defined in [NIP-10](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/10.md) as "simple plaintext notes" or in other words social posts. ## Don't trick your users Most users are joining nostr for the social experience, and secondly to find all the cool "other stuff" apps They find friends, browse social posts, and reply to them. If a user signs into a new nostr client and it starts asking them to sign kind 1 events with blobs of JSON, they will sign it without thinking too much about it Then when they return to their comfy social apps they will see that they made 10+ posts with massive amounts of gibberish that they don't remember posting. then they probably will go looking for the delete button and realize there isn't one... Even if those kind 1 posts don't contain JSON and have a nice fancy human readable syntax. they will still confuse users because they won't remember writing those social posts ## What about "discoverability" If your goal is to make your "other stuff" app visible to more users, then I would suggest using [NIP-19](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/19.md) and [NIP-89](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/89.md) The first allows users to embed any other event kind into social posts as `nostr:nevent1` or `nostr:naddr1` links, and the second allows social clients to redirect users to an app that knows how to handle that specific kind of event So instead of saving your apps data into kind 1 events. you can pick any kind you want, then give users a "share on nostr" button that allows them to compose a social post (kind 1) with a `nostr:` link to your special kind of event and by extension you app ## Why its a trap Once users start using your app it becomes a lot more difficult to migrate to a new event kind or data format. This sounds obvious, but If your app is built on kind 1 events that means you will be stuck with their limitation forever. For example, here are some of the limitations of using kind 1 - Querying for your apps data becomes much more difficult. You have to filter through all of a users kind 1 events to find which ones are created by your app - Discovering your apps data is more difficult for the same reason, you have to sift through all the social posts just to find the ones with you special tag or that contain JSON - Users get confused. as mentioned above users don't expect their social posts to be used in "other stuff" apps - Other nostr clients won't understand your data and will show it as a social post with no option for users to learn about your app

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

## noStrudel Released another major version of noStrudel v0.42.0 Which included a few new features and a lot of cleanup nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzqfngzhsvjggdlgeycm96x4emzjlwf8dyyzdfg4hefp89zpkdgz99qyghwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnhd9hx2tcpzfmhxue69uhkummnw3e82efwvdhk6tcqp3hx7um5wf6kgetv956ry6rmhwr ## Blossom On the blossom front there where a few more PRs - Expanded the documentation around CORS headers in BUD-01 thanks to nostr:npub1a6we08n7zsv2na689whc9hykpq4q6sj3kaauk9c2dm8vj0adlajq7w0tyc - Made auth optional on the `/upload` endpoint [PR](https://github.com/hzrd149/blossom/pull/33) - Added a `HEAD /media` endpoint for BUD-05 [PR](https://github.com/hzrd149/blossom/pull/42) - Added range request recommendations to BUD-01 [PR](https://github.com/hzrd149/blossom/pull/47) With blossom uploads starting to be supported in more nostr clients users where starting to ask where to find a list of blossom servers. so I created a simple nostr client that allows users to post servers and leave reviews [blossomservers.com](https://blossomservers.com) Its still very much a work in progress (needs login and server and review editing) The source is on [github](https://github.com/hzrd149/blossomservers) I also started another project to create a simple account based paid blossom server [blossom-account-server](https://github.com/hzrd149/blossom-account-server) Unfortunately I got sidetracked and I didn't have the time to give it the attention it needs to get it over the finish line ## Smaller projects - [cherry-tree](https://github.com/hzrd149/cherry-tree) A small app for uploading chunked blobs to blossom servers (with cashu payment support) - [vite-plugin-funding](https://github.com/hzrd149/vite-plugin-funding) A vite plugin to collect and expose package "funding" to the app - [node-red-contrib-rx-nostr](https://github.com/hzrd149/node-red-contrib-rx-nostr) The start of a node-red package for rx-nostr. if your interested please help - [node-red-contrib-applesauce](https://github.com/hzrd149/node-red-contrib-applesauce) The start of a node-red package for applesauce. I probably wont finish it so any help it welcome ## Plans for 2025 I have a few vague ideas of what I want to work on Q1 of 2025. but there are a few things i know for certain. I'm going to keep refactoring noStrudel by moving core logic out into [applesauce](https://hzrd149.github.io/applesauce/) and making it more modular. This should make noStrudel more reliable and hopefully allow me to create and maintain more apps with less code And I'm going to write tests. tests for everything. hopefully tests for all the libraries and apps I've created in 2024. A lot of the code I wrote in 2024 was hacky code to see if things could work. and while its been working pretty well I'm starting to forget the details of of the code I wrote so I cant be sure if it still works or how well it works. So my solution is to write tests, lots of tests :)

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

I’m not doing any writing today. Taking the day, maybe the week, off. Just not in the mood. This whole idea you’re supposed to write, get the thoughts out, the ideas moving is stupid. To what end? I’m done with evaluating myself for productivity, justifying myself to myself — or anyone else. What I really need is to find some pleasant distractions. Something to fill my time, or as Elon Musk says of Twitter “to avoid regretted user seconds.” I’ve tried Twitter itself, of course, but Musk’s algorithm falls woefully short. After an hour of doom and dopamine scrolling, punctuated with the occasional shitpost, many seconds are regretted — roughly 3500 of them. I could turn to alcohol or drugs, but too many side effects. Yes, you’re distracted, but what about after that? You’re always left worse off than where you started. Even alcoholics and drug addicts — the pros! — know it’s a dead end. I don’t know, maybe spend more time with loved ones? You hear that a lot. “If I didn’t have to work so much, I’d spend more time with loved ones.” LOL. Like what, you’re going to hang around while your “loved ones” are doing things with their actual lives. Maybe I’ll take the bus to school with Sasha, hang out with her and her friends, see how that goes. Quality time! Exercise. It’s the perfect solution, good for your health, you feel better, your mind is calm. Only problem is it’s fucking miserable. If your aim is to avoid sitting at a desk to write, forcing your carcass around a track is hardly an upgrade. It’s like quitting your middle management job to break rocks in a prison chain gang. There must be something I can do. Eating sugary processed food is out of the question for the same reason alcohol and drugs are. Becoming obese and diabetic is no solution, as many of the pros (obese diabetics) would no doubt attest. Meditation. That’s it! You sit on a cushion, count your breaths. Pretty soon you are calm. You can meditate for as long as you want! It’s perfect, and it’s easy. Well, it’s not that easy. You get distracted by your thoughts and you’re just sitting there thinking about the things for which you hope and dread in your life. Of course, you notice that distraction and come back to the breath, but pretty soon you’re wandering again. And you come back again. But really you’re wondering how long you’ve been sitting, your feet are falling asleep, your back is tight and you don’t feel much different. You weren’t even properly distracted because instead of being distracted *from* your mind, you are being distracted *by* it. It’s a worst-case scenario of sorts — you neither get anything done, nor escape the endless self-evaluation and justification. That just means you’re doing it wrong, though. You’re failing at it. If you did it right, it would be the perfect escape from yourself. But it’s not working, so you’re failing. Or maybe you succeeded a little bit. You’re not sure. You are still evaluating whether that was a good use of your time. The same evaluation process you use to decide whether you’ve done enough writing, the same tired bullshit from which you were trying to escape in the first place! Let’s face it, you’re not just going to meditate your way out of the problem. If you could, you would have already, and so would everyone else. We would all be enlightened. Maybe you need to go to an ashram or something, find a guru on top of a mountain in the Himalayas. LOL, you’re not gonna do that! You are way too attached to your comforts and daily routines, no matter how dull and unsatisfying they ultimately are. There’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, no one to see, nothing to do. You are out of options. There is only one thing in your absolute control, and it’s where you direct your attention. And you have decided that no matter how bleak and pointless the alternatives the one thing about which you are resolute is you are taking the day off from writing.

@ 6bae33c8:607272e8

I did my first NFBC draft Sunday night — I drew the 12th pick. Here’s the [link to the live-stream](https://x.com/Chris_Liss/status/1891230585043226641). The full results are below:  This draft went about as well as I could have hoped, especially given [how little I had prepared](https://www.realmansports.com/p/beat-chris-liss-1-8c2). That doesn’t mean the team is \*good\*, only that I didn’t have any major regrets or gaffes, something that’s rare over 30 rounds. I also never once got swiped on a pick. I got priced out of the top closers early, but rolled with it in the way one should when that happens, getting players I wanted and doubling back to closers when I needed to. This team is built to win the overall — high-risk, high reward, an exercise in imagining not what could go wrong, not what’s the base case, but what could go right. **The Draft** **1.12 Julio Rodriguez** — I had mapped out the first 10 rounds, decided on Rodriguez and Jackson Chourio ahead of time. I knew Chourio would be there, per ADP, but if Rodriguez were gone, I’d have gone with Mookie Betts. I wanted two OF with power and speed to start my draft. Rodriguez had 32 homers and 37 steals as a 22-year old in 2023, was going in the 2-4 overall range last year and nothing that happened since should move the needle much heading into his age 24 season. **2.1 Jackson Chourio —** Chourio had 21 homers and 22 steals as a 20-year-old rookie, and those numbers were weighed down by a slow start where the Brewers were constantly pulling him from the lineup for no reason. From June until the end of the year, he hit .303 and should only get better in Year 2. His healthy floor is 25-25, and there’s stolen base and batting average upside. **3.12 Matt Olson** — While Rodriguez and Chourio offer solid pop, I wanted a 40-HR type to compensate for the lack of top-end power with my first two picks, while filling the scarce-in-recent-years 1B slot. Olson had an off year in 2024, but chalk that up to variance. I still like him in that park and lineup. **4.1 Jacob deGrom** — I’m not here to win the $1500 league prize but the $150K overall. deGrom isn’t just the best pitcher in baseball when he’s healthy, he’s one of the best in baseball history. If I get 100 IP of vintage deGrom, that’s worth a fourth-round pick. At 130-150, it’s a first-rounder. I also like that he’s nearly two years out from Tommy John surgery, pitched at the end of last season and is healthy now. While there’s no chance of 200 IP, he’s also not a rookie they need to ramp up slowly, but a veteran with a massive contract, i.e., the Rangers will want to get their money’s worth if he’s dealing. **5.12 Gerrit Cole** — When Raisel Iglesias went four picks ahead of me, I was pretty sure I was going Cole who typically goes in the first or second round. Cole had an off year, but the sample was small as he missed time due to a nerve issue in the spring, and there wasn’t much of a drop-off from 2023, even with the irregular start to the year. Pitchers ebb and flow with health, and the light workload might redound to his benefit. **6.1 Teoscar Hernandez** — This was just a value-take in the sixth round. Hernandez gives you pop, runs a little and hits in the best lineup in baseball. **7.12 Will Smith** — I didn’t love the options in these rounds, so I punted and nabbed a solid catcher with 20-HR pop. I don’t really see the difference between Smith and Adley Rutschman who goes two rounds earlier either. **8.1 Max Fried** — With deGrom shaky on innings, and five hitters in my first seven picks, I wanted another horse to anchor the rotation. I like lefties in Yankee Stadium too. **9.12 Royce Lewis** — I needed a third baseman, and Lewis, who was going in the fifth round last year, was the one with the most upside. The key is that he’s healthy now, as he finished the season in the lineup and hasn’t had a setback this offseason. Lewis is a potential 30-HR/.290 bat if he can hold up for 140-odd games. **10.1 Spencer Strider** — As I said, I’m trying to win the overall. Strider will start the year on the DL, but the timetable for the type of surgery he had is roughly one year, and Strider’s was in mid-April, i.e., there’s no reason he shouldn’t be back in May and might even see some action in spring training. If I get 220 combined IP from deGrom and Strider at their former levels, that’s worth the 1.1. (The “former levels” part is the rub, but as I said I’m focused on what could go right.) I also thought about Shane McClanahan instead, but narrowly opted for Strider. **11.12 Luis Garcia** — I was set to take Brice Turang here to lock down speed and finally get a middle infielder, but I pivoted at the last second to Garcia who is a better-rounded hitter and more likely to have a prominent spot in his lineup. **12.1 Jared Jones** — He was on my list because I remembered the hype after his strong start, and the cost seemed cheap relative to his skills. I almost took Carlos Rodon, as I prefer veterans. Maybe that will turn out to have been a mistake. **13.12 Brice Turang** — What do you know, Turang made it all the way back. I guess people didn’t like his second-half collapse at the plate. But Turang is a gold glove defender, and he stole 50 bags last year. That glove keeps him in the lineup and should set a nice 30-steal floor. **14.1 Kenley Jansen** — I could play closer chicken no more. Jansen is my favorite type of old warhorse closer, a guy so used to the job, he’s not going to lose it unless his stuff is truly gone. **15.12 Jordan Romano** — Romano got $8.5 million from the Phillies, so I’m assuming he’s (a) healthy and (b) set to close. His ERA while pitching hurt for 14 innings last year is irrelevant. **16.1 Zach Neto** — I needed a shortstop, and while Neto’s hurt right now, he went 23-30 as a 23-year old last year, and I couldn’t pass him up. I almost took Ceddanne Rafaela, but Neto’s upside higher. **17.12 Ceddanne Rafaela** — Turns out Rafaela fell to me anyway, and I snapped him up, as I’ll need a SS early in the year with Neto presumably out. Rafaela went 15-19 as a 23-YO in his own right, also qualifies in the OF and his gold-glove-level defense should keep him in the lineup. **18.1 Josh Jung** — I needed a CI, and also a backup 3B for the injury-prone Royce Lewis, so I took the injury-prone Jung. The key facts about Jung and Lewis are both can hit, and both are healthy as of right now. My team seems like it has a lot of injuries, but only Strider and Neto are hurt now. There is a difference between injury risk (deGrom, Lewis, Jung, Romano) and already injured. You can often find value by exploiting people’s conflation of those two related, but distinct categories. **19.12 Jesus Luzardo** — Another skilled, but injury-prone player coming at a steep discount who is healthy now. **20.1 Lucas Erceg** — A speculative closer play. Right now Carlos Estevez, who went in Round 15, is probably the favorite, but who knows? **21.12 Walker Buehler** — More of the same theme. A player (especially a pitcher) who has shown elite skills, was derailed by injuries, but who is healthy now. **22.1 Nolan Jones** — I had almost forgotten he existed, but there he was in Round 22, just one year removed from being a fifth-round pick after a 20-20-.297 season. Jones is only 26 and healthy as of now. **23.12 Griffin Jax** — A setup guy with elite stuff, behind a closer that had nine losses and a 1.16 WHIP last year. **24.1 Garrett Mitchell** — I took him narrowly over Jordan Walker. Mitchell went 8-11 in 224 at-bats, plays in a good park and has the physical tools to be good. **25.12 Bo Naylor** — I needed a second catcher, and he is one. Naylor has a little pop, even runs a bit and should improve in his age 25 season. **26.1 Max Scherzer** — Are we sure he’s done? He had a 1.15 WHIP last year and 40K in 43 IP despite returning from back surgery. He’s healthy now and signed a $15.5M deal this offseason presumably to pitch more than 100 innings. **27.12 Justin Verlander** — Wait, they let me have deGrom, Cole, Strider, Buehler, Scherzer and Verlander? Those were like the top-six pitchers on the board a few years ago! Seriously though, Verlander is in a good park, and last year’s poor numbers were put up over a 90-inning sample while battling various ailments. He’s more likely to be done than Scherzer, but he knows how to pitch, and it’s just a matter of the stuff returning to above the minimum threshold. I wouldn’t be shocked to see one more strong year out of the 41-YO future Hall of Famer. **28.1 Jose Caballero** — I drafted this gentleman in the 28th round because he qualifies everywhere and steals a lot of bases. **29.12 Nolan Gorman** — The Cardinals want to get him regular at-bats, and there’s a 35-HR, .240 season somewhere in this skill set. **30.1 Gavin Lux** — A big-time prospect that’s only shown flashes, should get regular playing time and a big upgrade in park. He might eventually qualify at some other positions too. **Roster By Position** **C** Will Smith/Bo Naylor **1B** Matt Olson **2B** Luis Garcia **3B** Royce Lewis **SS** Zach Neto **CI** Josh Jung **MI** Brice Turang **OF** Julio Rodriguez/Jackson Chourio/Teoscar Hernandez/Ceddanne Rafaela/Nolan Jones **UT** Garrett Mitchell **SP** Jacob deGrom/Gerrit Cole/Max Fried/Spencer Strider/Jared Jones/Jesus Luzardo/Walker Buehler **RP** Kenley Jansen/Jordan Romano **B** Lucas Erceg/Griffin Jax/Max Scherzer/Justin Verlander/Jose Caballero/Nolan Gorman/Gavin Lux

@ fe32298e:20516265

I keep a large collection of music on a local file server and use [DeaDBeeF](https://deadbeef.sourceforge.io/) for listening. I've never been able to pin DeadBeeF to the dock in Ubuntu, and it's always had the ugly default icon. I asked DeepSeek for help, and it turned out to be easier than I thought. 1. Create `~/.local/share/applications/deadbeef.desktop`: ```bash [Desktop Entry] Name=DeadBeeF Music Player Comment=Music Player Exec=/home/user/Apps/deadbeef-1.9.6/deadbeef Icon=/home/user/Apps/deadbeef-1.9.6/deadbeef.png Terminal=false Type=Application Categories=AudioVideo;Player; ``` 1. Make `deadbeef.desktop` executable: ```bash chmod +x ~/.local/share/applications/deadbeef.desktop ``` And just like that, DeadBeeF has an icon and I can pin it to the dock. `.desktop` files are part of the [Freedesktop.org standards](https://specifications.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/latest/). They're used in most popular desktop environments like GNOME, KDE and XFCE. Tor Browser has the same issue, but it comes with a `.desktop` file already, so it only needs to by symlinked to the applications folder: ``` ln -s ~/Apps/tor-browser/start-tor-browser.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/ ```

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

A new best yesterday: 22 hours! Today's shaping up to be another solid fast, too, as I'm already at 19 hours (18 dry). My body's really getting accustomed to the new eating pattern, too. ## Score Card Day 1: 14 hour fast (13 dry) Day 2: 15 hour fast (14 dry) Day 3: 17 hours (16 dry) Day 4: 18 hours (17 dry) Day 5: 18 hours (16 dry) Day 6: 19 hours (16 dry) Day 7: 16 hours (15 dry) Day 8: 18 hours (17 dry) Day 9: 17 hours (17 dry) Day 10: 15 hours (13 dry) Day 11: 20 hours (19 dry) Day 12: 20 hours (17 dry) Day 13: 16 hours (13 dry) Day 14: 17 hours (15 dry) Day 15: 19 hours (16 dry) Day 16: 22 hours (19 dry) Day 17: TBD (18 dry) originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/888397

@ e88a691e:27850411

test post longform 4

@ 0463223a:3b14d673

Here we go, it’s Mooooonnnndddddaaaaaaaayyyyyyy! It’s safe to say I enjoy Monday. Much as I appreciate the downtime over the weekend (if I’m not working) I appreciate the routine of Mondays. Firstly I have my stream to look forward to and whilst I’m not at my best first thing on a Monday, having a little structure goes a long way. Even the fear of looking at the emails I’ve been ignoring from the previous week is possible. So maybe I’m starting to get an angle of why I’m writing this. It’s a memoir of being a mental I think. I’ve mentioned a number of times this has been a problem most my life but I write this as I’ve halved my Venlafaxine does by ½ once again. This means I’m now on 1/12th of my original dose and I’m maybe a month away from being completely free of RRSIs for the first time in, I guess at least 10 years. To be honest I cant remember when I was first prescribed them. It’s been quite a journey... 3 things have been pivotal. 1; finding my now wife. She’s brilliant and I love her dearly, I think most people know deep down how crushing loneliness can be. I’m very grateful to her for putting up with my bullshit, supporting me and just being there. Gold star for her! 2; would be music, it’s a funny one to put in, it’s also been part of the problem, especially in my wilder days. There’s something quite seductive about the sex, drugs and Rock n Roll meme, although musically it was more Hip Hop, Reggae, Bleeps and Jazz, also I didn’t sleep around much at all but I certainly don’t think I would’ve messed with crack, heroin and all the other drugs otherwise. It’s worth noting 2 of my friends from that era, who didn’t have music in their lives are dead. I’m very lucky. There’s over 100 years of recorded music to enjoy plus I’m almost happy with some of my own bits at last! 3; I have some security, I no longer pay rent or have a landlord. This is also due to number 1 but also because I found some funny internet money. I’m still to write about my process with that, other than to say it was direct response to the banks. That’s a story in it’s own right, it’s pretty dark and hmm… not sure. Plus I don’t think there’s any need to go there right now. I have the world’s most expensive shed and I know I can survive a few months should the worst happen. That’s a LOT. Whilst a little risk taking is healthy, life shouldn’t free stress free, uncertainty about having a roof over your head when you can’t afford it can really take it’s toll. A degree of security is most welcome at this time in life. A lot of people aren’t so lucky, Tom, Ricky, Dave, Slam, Joel. I’m name checking you specifically. You’re in my thoughts often, especially as I play music every morning… and Slam, if I ever see you again, I want my records back!!! Haha, thieving little cunt but it’s still not hate here. Your life was fucked up before you even had a chance. I hope you’ve found peace with yourself. At least you’re alive! (I think, he might be dead too, who knows…) So yeah, it’s Monday and it’s gonna be a good day right? I mean it might not but I will at least give it the best start possible and work from there. It takes a degree of effort to retrain the brain. Actually maybe there’s a 4th thing to mention. No Facebacon, Instagran, X or LinkedIn. None of that bullshit where you’re forced into some fake world generated in order to increase shareholder value. These platforms are akin to being a lab rat. I picture Zuckerberg like Ming The Merciless at the start of Flash Gordon sending hot hail etc. That guy made a decision to mess with peoples’ psyche to drive profits. That’s fucking evil man. Jeez, what a cunt! It’s Monday, I’m wishing you strength in whatever you have ahead of you today. I’m lucky to be where I am right now and if you’re reading this and your world is plagued by darkness, it can get better. Remember that. Hold onto that as best you can. DON’T FUCKING KILL YOURSELF. That’s the single worst thing you can do. The pain you’ll leave behind isn’t worth it. I hope some cosmic vibrations happen in your favour. There’s no easy solution. I can’t tell you the answer but I wish you well. Good luck out there!

@ dbe0605a:f8fd5b2c

Originally posted on Nostr: https://highlighter.com/a/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzpklqvpdfcuch9wkh2gary7erd4275jmrf6qw0z5sz0dhj8u06kevqyvhwumn8ghj7urjv4kkjatd9ec8y6tdv9kzumn9wshszxrhwden5te0ve5kcar9wghxummnw3ezuamfdejj7qgwwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkctcpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduhszythwden5te0dehhxarj9emkjmn99uqzqjn0d9hz6argv5k57ur9dck5y6t5vdhkjm3df4shqtt5xduxz6tsrdmw7l  I care deeply about bitcoin adoption and ability to use bitcoin with all features of money — saving, spending, earning. We're entering an age where more and more people realise "hodl never spend" meme is hindering bitcoin adoption. More and more of use want to use bitcoin in everyday life, because we're living on it and because it's superior in every aspect. It's also incredibly fun to use it for payments. For money to thrive, it needs to circulate. Spending bitcoin orangepills merchants, their families and people around them — with each bitcoiner coming to a shop and paying with bitcoin, it's a point of contact that can trigger a train of though that later may fruit into action — "_Why are they so interested in bitcoin, what's actually so special about it?_" "_Hmm, maybe this time I will not exchange it for fiat immediately?_" Global merchant adoption grows, every day new business around the world decide to start accepting bitcoin payments. Circular economies are blooming on all continents, where people live in a new, experimental, orange coin paradigm. Companies and projects like Blink, Bitcoin Jungle, Plan B, Orange Pill App do an amazing job in facilitating this — providing great wallets, tools & services for merchants, and finally onboarding merchants themself. They also often support circular economies financially or in other ways. This is very valuable and makes the road to hyperbitcoinization a tad shorter. But there is one thing those companies are doing wrong — they're using their own, proprietary maps that display only merchants using their own wallets or POS software. I'd like to now list a few reasons why those great projects should migrate their maps into an open source, bitcoin map that is BTC Map. ## Open source, stupid [BTCmap](https://btcmap.org/) is open source, built on OpenStreetMaps, open to both developers contributions but also for map taggers (called [shadowy supertaggers](https://www.openstreetmap.org/)). Anyone can contribute, even If you don't code. Anyone can verify merchants or add new merchants to the map. BTC Map team developed [a neat system of verifications](https://btcmap.org/verify-location) that just works better than anything before or any alternative maps today.  ## Many apps, one map BTC Map is integrated inside a dozen of wallets and apps, to name a few: Wallet of Satoshi, Coinos, Bitlocal, Fedi or Aqua. It's a public good that any bitcoin product can use and grow it's network effect.  ## Uniting mappers' work BTC Map does not discriminate bitcoin merchants, that means all the merchants from proprietary maps are being mapped by taggers to BTC Map. By mapping on a closed source, proprietary map, the same merchant is mapped two times, usually by two different people — it's duplicating the same work without any bringing any benefit to both projects. Using BTC Map also brings you way more people verifying If those merchants actually still accept bitcoin, making it easier to have an up-to-date database of actual adoption. ## More bitcoin spent at your merchants When you have a business focused on spending bitcoin and onboarding merchants, you want as much bitcoin spent there as possible. If a bitcoiner coming to the area does not use your own map but some other map, they can be completely unaware that they can let their sats flow to your merchants. If we all use one merchants database, this problem disappears and more sats will flow. Why wouldn't you want your merchants displayed in dozens of other apps, completely for free? ## OpenStreetMap map is just better  Take a look at the image above: It's [La Pirraya](https://btcmap.org/community/bitcoin-la-pirraya), a small sleepy island town in El Salvador with a circular economy being facilitated by Bitcoin Beach. Even though Blink has many more merchants compared to BTC Map, when I visited it a few months ago I could find them. Not because they do not exist, but because the map does not show any roads and it was very hard to locate them in a dense network of narrow streets of La Pirraya. BTC Map allows you to turn multiple versions of satellite maps views, making it way easier to find your point of interest. Pins also indicate what kind of business it is, where in Blink all the pins are the same and you need to click each to find out what it is. Even then not always it's clear, since Blink only displays names, while BTC Map tells you type of the merchant, and very often shows you working hours, phone numbers, website, social links, etc. ## Excellent community tools BTC Map is focusing providing tools for communities to maintain their merchants map. [Each community has it's own page](https://btcmap.org/communities) with own links to community website or socials, displays a list of all the merchants, shows community stats, displays merchants that were not verified for a long time, and more. It even allows to "boost" merchants to make them more visible on the map and on the list. It's perfect tooling both for communities and businesses onboarding merchants to their software.  ## Easy integration & configuration Integrating BTC Map on your website or app is easy. It's just [a few lines of code of iframe](https://arc.net/l/quote/vrdudfnn) to embed the map, but you can also use [BTC Map API](https://arc.net/l/quote/sybkpvcu) for more custom integration. Do you to display, eg. you can display only merchants from your community? No problem, you can do that. Since it's all open source, you can configure it in many ways that will suit your needs. ## Kudos I'd like to thank projects that understood all above and integrated BTC Map already. Those are Coinos, Wallet of Satoshi, Pouch, Bolt Card, BitLocal, Fedi, Decouvre Bitcoin, Osmo, Bitcoin Rocks!, Lipa, Spirit of Satoshi, Blockstream, Satlantis, Aqua Wallet and Adopting Bitcoin ## Encouragement & an offer I'll end that with encouragement to projects that use their own maps, but haven't embraced BTC Map yet. Those are Blink, Bitcoin Jungle, Plan B, Osmo, Athena, Orange Pill App, Inbitcoin (I probably missed some, tag them!). You are doing great work, but let's join forces and paint the world orange together! From here I would like to offer help in tagging your merchants on BTC Map. Just reach me out, and me and other supertaggers will do the work. Let the sats flow! originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/888088

@ dbe0605a:f8fd5b2c

<img src="https://blossom.primal.net/8c7ed1e00dc0b41fda7894c7c91f1f8de6d89abc8a988fd989ced9470c0f056d.png"> \ I care deeply about bitcoin adoption and ability to use bitcoin with all features of money — saving, spending, earning. We're entering an age where more and more people realise "hodl never spend" meme is hindering bitcoin adoption. More and more of use want to use bitcoin in everyday life, because we're living on it and because it's superior in every aspect. It's also incredibly fun to use it for payments. For money to thrive, it needs to circulate. Spending bitcoin orangepills merchants, their families and people around them — with each bitcoiner coming to a shop and paying with bitcoin, it's a point of contact that can trigger a train of though that later may fruit into action — "*Why are they so interested in bitcoin, what's actually so special about it?*" "*Hmm, maybe this time I will not exchange it for fiat immediately?*" Global merchant adoption grows, every day new business around the world decide to start accepting bitcoin payments. Circular economies are blooming on all continents, where people live in a new, experimental, orange coin paradigm. Companies and projects like Blink, Bitcoin Jungle, Plan B, Orange Pill App do an amazing job in facilitating this — providing great wallets, tools & services for merchants, and finally onboarding merchants themself. They also often support circular economies financially or in other ways. This is very valuable and makes the road to hyperbitcoinization a tad shorter. But there is one thing those companies are doing wrong — they're using their own, proprietary maps that display only merchants using their own wallets or POS software. I'd like to now list a few reasons why those great projects should migrate their maps into an open source, bitcoin map that is BTC Map. ## Open source, stupid [BTCmap](https://btcmap.org/) is open source, built on OpenStreetMaps, open to both developers contributions but also for map taggers (called [shadowy supertaggers](https://www.openstreetmap.org/)). Anyone can contribute, even If you don't code. Anyone can verify merchants or add new merchants to the map. BTC Map team developed[ a neat system of verifications](https://btcmap.org/verify-location) that just works better than anything before or any alternative maps today. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/2cb0fda0b5b07f4f2ea79589060ada3bc0cec4db4db8634f52843083d8cdfd36.png"> ## Many apps, one map BTC Map is integrated inside a dozen of wallets and apps, to name a few: Wallet of Satoshi, Coinos, Bitlocal, Fedi or Aqua. It's a public good that any bitcoin product can use and grow it's network effect. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/47359543b383d8add9ac641daac03e7d55ab1606255d7f7f6a8acc98b7972b1c.png"> ## Uniting mappers' work BTC Map does not discriminate bitcoin merchants, that means all the merchants from proprietary maps are being mapped by taggers to BTC Map. By mapping on a closed source, proprietary map, the same merchant is mapped two times, usually by two different people — it's duplicating the same work without any bringing any benefit to both projects. Using BTC Map also brings you way more people verifying If those merchants actually still accept bitcoin, making it easier to have an up-to-date database of actual adoption. ## More bitcoin spent at your merchants When you have a business focused on spending bitcoin and onboarding merchants, you want as much bitcoin spent there as possible. If a bitcoiner coming to the area does not use your own map but some other map, they can be completely unaware that they can let their sats flow to your merchants. If we all use one merchants database, this problem disappears and more sats will flow. Why wouldn't you want your merchants displayed in dozens of other apps, completely for free? ## OpenStreetMap map is just better <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/01f40413cbde2b9355105467a91294d6d2a9489f4803a423de07a2c9366ed72d.png"> \ Take a look at the image above: It's [La Pirraya](https://btcmap.org/community/bitcoin-la-pirraya), a small sleepy island town in El Salvador with a circular economy being facilitated by Bitcoin Beach. Even though Blink has many more merchants compared to BTC Map, when I visited it a few months ago I could find them. Not because they do not exist, but because the map does not show any roads and it was very hard to locate them in a dense network of narrow streets of La Pirraya. BTC Map allows you to turn multiple versions of satellite maps views, making it way easier to find your point of interest. Pins also indicate what kind of business it is, where in Blink all the pins are the same and you need to click each to find out what it is. Even then not always it's clear, since Blink only displays names, while BTC Map tells you type of the merchant, and very often shows you working hours, phone numbers, website, social links, etc. ## Excellent community tools BTC Map is focusing providing tools for communities to maintain their merchants map. [Each community has it's own page](https://btcmap.org/communities) with own links to community website or socials, displays a list of all the merchants, shows community stats, displays merchants that were not verified for a long time, and more. It even allows to "boost" merchants to make them more visible on the map and on the list. It's perfect tooling both for communities and businesses onboarding merchants to their software. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/530ee89593784c7b7ce51afc72b1ae0e2e1e07515ce35f5834b2fd7bab129f5b.png"> ## Easy integration & configuration Integrating BTC Map on your website or app is easy. It's [just a few lines of code of iframe to embed the map](https://wiki.btcmap.org/general/embedding), but you can also use [BTC Map API](https://wiki.btcmap.org/api/introduction) for more custom integration. Do you to display, eg. you can display only merchants from your community? No problem, you can do that. Since it's all open source, you can configure it in many ways that will suit your needs. ## Kudos I'd like to thank projects that understood all above and integrated BTC Map already. Those are Coinos, Wallet of Satoshi, Pouch, Bolt Card, BitLocal, Fedi, Decouvre Bitcoin, Osmo, Bitcoin Rocks!, Lipa, Spirit of Satoshi, Blockstream, Satlantis, Aqua Wallet and Adopting Bitcoin. ## Encouragement & an offer I'll end that with encouragement to projects that use their own maps, but haven't embraced BTC Map yet. Those are Blink, Bitcoin Jungle, Plan B, Osmo, Athena, Orange Pill App, Inbitcoin (I probably missed some, tag them!). You are doing great work, but let's join forces and paint the world orange together! From here I would like to offer help in tagging your merchants on BTC Map. Just reach me out, and me and other supertaggers will do the work. Let the sats flow!

@ c4b5369a:b812dbd6

As promised in my last article: nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzp394x6dfmvn69cduj7e9l2jgvtvle7n5w5rtrunjlr6tx6up9k7kqq2k6ernff9hw3tyd3y453rdtph5uvm6942kzuw08y0 In this one we will dive into how exactly an unidirectional payments channel powered ecash mint system would be implemented, using the tech available today! So if you haven't read that article yet, give it a read! I first intended to write a longwinded article, explaining each part of the system. But then I realized that I would need some visualization to get the message across in a more digestable way. This lead me to create a slide deck, and as I started to design the slides it became more and more clear that the information is easier shown with visualizations, than written down. I will try to give a summary as best as I can in this article, but I urge you, to please go visit the slide deck too, for the best experience: ----------- ### [TAKE ME TO THE SLIDE DECK!](https://uni-chan.gandlaf.com/) ----------- ### Intro In this article we will go over how we can build unidirectional payment channels on Bitcoin. Then we will take a look into how Cashu ecash mints work, and how we can use unidirectional payment channels to change the dynamics between ecash users and the mint. Before we start, let me also give credits to nostr:npub1htnhsay5dmq3r72tukdw72pduzfdcja0yylcajuvnc2uklkhxp8qnz3qac for comming up with the idea, to nostr:npub148jz5r9xujcjpqygk69yl4jqwjqmzgrqly26plktfjy8g4t7xaysj9xhgp for providing an idea for non-expiring unidirectional channels, and nostr:npub1yrnuj56rnen08zp2h9h7p74ghgjx6ma39spmpj6w9hzxywutevsst7k5cx unconference for hosting an event where these ideas could be discussed and flourish. ### Building unidirectional payment channels If you've read the previous article, you already know what unidirectional payment channels are. There are actually a coupple different ways to implement them, but they all do have a few things in common: 1. The `sender` can only send 2. The `Receiver` can only receive 3. They are VERY simple Way simpler than the duplex channels like we are using in the lightning network today, at least. Of course, duplex channels are being deployed on LN for a reason. They are very versatile and don't have these annoying limitations that the unidirectional payment channels have. They do however have a few drawbacks: 1. Peers have liveness requirements (or they might forfeit their funds) 2. Peers must backup their state after each transaction (if they don't they might forfeit their funds) 3. It is a pretty complex system This article is not meant to discredit duplex channels. I think they are great. I just also think that in some use-cases, their requirements are too high and the system too complex. But anyway, let's see what kind of channels we can build! #### Spillman/CLTV-Channel The Spillman channel idea has been around for a long time. It's even explained in Tadge Dryjas [Presentation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzv9WuqIzA0&t=1969s) on Payment channels and the lightning network from back in the day. I compiled a list of some of the most important propperties of them in the slide below:  Great! Now that we know their properties, let's take a look at how we can create such a channel ([Slides](https://uni-chan.gandlaf.com/#/11)):  We start out by the `sender` creating a `funding TX`. The `sender` doesn't broadcast the transaction though. If he does, he might get locked into a multisig with the `receiver` without an unilateral exit path. Instead the `sender` also creates a `refund TX` spending the outputs of the yet unsigned `funding TX`. The `refund TX` is timelocked, and can only be broadcast after 1 month. Both `sender` and `receiver` can sign this `refund TX` without any risks. Once `sender` receives the signed `refund TX`, he can broadcast the `funding TX` and open the channel. The `sender` can now update the channel state, by pre-signing update transactions and sending them over to the `receiver`. Being a one-way channel, this can be done in a single message. It is very simple. There is no need for invalidating old states, since the `sender` does not hold any signed `update TXs` it is impossible for the `sender` to broadcast an old state. The `receiver` only cares about the latest state anyways, since that is the state where he gets the most money. He can basically delete any old states. The only thing the `receiver` needs to make sure of, is broadcasting the latest `update TX` before the `refund TX's` timelock expires. Otherwise, the `sender` might take the whole channel balance back to himself. This seems to be already a pretty useful construct, due to its simplicity. But we can make it even more simple!  This setup works basically the same way as the previous one, but instead of having a refund transaction, we build the `timelock` spend path directly into the `funding TX` This allows the `sender` to have an unilateral exit right from the start, and he can broadcast the `funding TX` without communicating with the `receiver`. In the worst case, the receiver rejects the channel, and the sender can get his money back after the timelock on the output has expired. Everything else basically works in the same way as in the example above. The beauty about this channel construct is in its simplicity. The drawbacks are obvious, but they do offer some nice properties that might be useful in certain cases.  One of the major drawbacks of the `Spillman-style channels` (apart from being unidirectional) is that they expire. This expiry comes with the neat property that neither of the party has to watch the chain for channel closures, and the `sender` can operate the channel with zero additional state, apart from his private keys. But they do expire. And this can make them quite inflexible. It might work in some contexts, but not so much in others, where time needs to be more flexible. This is where `Roose-Childs triggered channels` come into play. #### Roose-Childs triggered channel (I gave it that name, named after nostr:npub148jz5r9xujcjpqygk69yl4jqwjqmzgrqly26plktfjy8g4t7xaysj9xhgp and nostr:npub1htnhsay5dmq3r72tukdw72pduzfdcja0yylcajuvnc2uklkhxp8qnz3qac . If someone knows if this idea has been around before under a different name, please let us know!) `Roose-Childs triggered channels` were an idea developed by Steven and Luke at the nostr:npub1yrnuj56rnen08zp2h9h7p74ghgjx6ma39spmpj6w9hzxywutevsst7k5cx unconference. They essentially remove the channel expiry limitation in return for introducing the need for the `sender` to create a channel backup at the time of channel creation, and for the `receiver` the need to watch the chain for trigger transactions closing the channel.  They also allow for splicing funds, which can be important for a channel without expiry, allowing the `sender` to top-up liquidity once it runs out, or for the `receiver` taking out liquidity from the channel to deploy the funds elsewhere. Now, let's see how we can build them!  The `funding TX` actually looks the same as in the first example, and similarly it gets created, but not signed by the `sender`. Then, sender and receiver both sign the `trigger TX`. The `trigger TX` is at the heart of this scheme. It allows both `sender` and `receiver` to unilaterally exit the channel by broadcasting it (more on that in a bit). Once the `trigger TX` is signed and returned to the `sender`, the sender can confidently sign and boradcast the `funding TX` and open the channel. The `trigger TX` remains off-chain though. Now, to update the channel, the `sender` can pre-sign transactions in similar fashion to the examples above, but this time, spending the outputs of the unbroadcasted `trigger TX`. This way, both parties can exit the channel at any time. If the `receiver` wants to exit, he simply boradcasts the `trigger TX` and immediately spends its outputs using the latest `update TX`. If the `sender` wants to exit he will broadcast the `trigger TX` and basically force the `receivers` hand. Either, the `receiver` will broadcast the latest `update TX`, or the `sender` will be able to claim the entire channel balance after the timelock expired.  We can also simplify the `receiver's` exit path, by the `sender` pre-signing an additional transaction `R exit TX` for each update. this way, the `receiver` only needs to broadcast one transaction instead of two.  As we've mentioned before, there are some different trade-offs for `Roose-Childs triggered channels`. We introduce some minimal state and liveness requirements, but gain more flexibility.  #### Ecash to fill in the gaps (I will assume that the reader knows how ecash mints work. If not, please go check the [slides](https://uni-chan.gandlaf.com/#/43) where I go through an explanation) Essentially, we are trying to get a lightning like experience, without all the lightning complexities and requirements. One big issue with ecash, is that it is fully custodial. If we can offset that risk by holding most of the funds in a self custodial channel, we can have a reasonable trade-off between usability and self custody.  In a system like that, we would essentially turn the banking model onto its head. Where in a traditional bank, the majority of the funds are held in the banks custody, and the user only withdraws into his custody what he needs to transact, in our model the user would hold most funds in his own custody.  If you ask me, this approach makes way more sense. Instead of a custodian, we have turned the "bank" into a service provider. Let's take a look at how it would work in a more practical sense:  The `ecash user` would open an unidirectional payment channel to the `mint`, using one of his on-chain UTXOs. This allows him then to commit incrementally funds into the mints custody, only the amounts for his transactional needs. The mint offers connectivity to the lightning network an handles state and liveness as a service provider. The `ecash user`, can remain offline at all times, and his channel funds will always be safe. The mint can only ever claim the balance in the channel via the `update TXs`. The `mint` can of course still decide to no longer redeem any ecash, at which point they would have basically stolen the `ecash user's` transactional balance. At that point, it would probably be best for the `ecash user` to close his channel, and no longer interact or trust this `mint`. Here are some of the most important points of this system summarized:  And that is basically it! I hope you enjoyed this breakdown of Unidirectional payment channel enabled Ecash mints! If you did, consider leaving me a zap. Also do let me know if this type of breakdown helps you understand a new topic well. I am considering doing similar breakdowns on other systems, such as ARK, Lightning or Statechains, if there is a lot of interest, and it helps people, I'll do it! Pleas also let me know what you think about the `unidirectional channel - ecash mint` idea in the comments. It's kind of a new idea, an it probably has flaws, or things that we haven't thought about yet. I'd love to discuss it with you! I'll leave you with this final slide:  Cheers, Gandlaf

@ 9a4acdeb:1489913b

## Chef's notes Original recipe, a favorite of family and friends, and the easiest and fastest prep time meal I make. Like all really good pork recipes, it does take time in the cooker, but it's set-and-forget and requires no attention between starting and serving. Using fresh herbs and peppers does enhance the meal (especially fresh cilantro if it doesn't taste like soap to you), but this is optional, and it is excellent with dry ingredients. Excluding the beans and/or tomato makes this meal extra-low carb for those carnivores amongst us, or those sensitive to beans. Frying the shredded cheese in a slick pan is a good way to It will take up to 15min to come up to pressure, so it may be helpful to pay attention to it to be sure it pressurizes until you become familiar with how this meal acts in your particular pressure cooker. The Instant Pot pressure cookers make this easy. ## Details - ⏲️ Prep time: 20min - 🍳 Cook time: 2hrs - 🍽️ Servings: 6 ## Ingredients - 4lbs Pork loin - 1-2 Yellow onion, roughly chopped - 3-5 Jalapeños or 1x 4oz canned - 6-8 Green chilis or 1x 4oz canned - 2oz canned sliced Black olives (may use half a 4oz can) - 2-3tsp minced garlic, or 1-2 tsp garlic powder - A small bunch of cilantro, chopped, or 1-2 tsb dried cilantro (optional) - 1tbsp Oregano, chopped fresh or dried - 2-3tsb Chili powder; Ancho, Chipotle, or a blend of the two is best - 2-3tsb ground Cumin - 3-4tsp salt - 2-tsp black pepper - 1 large or 4oz canned tomato (optional) - Mexican mix shredded cheese (topping) - 4oz Black beans (optional) - Tortillas (optional) - Avocado (optional toping) - 6 Limes and/or 3oz lime juice ## Directions 1. Mix dry seasonings 2. Chop and mix fresh herbs and veggies, canned or otherwise 3. Add chopped onion to bottom of pressure cooker 4. Add pork loin atop the onion; chopping into steaks may make the texture better 5. Add veggies to the top, shaking to settle into the pressure cooker 6. Add lime juice 7. Start on high pressure for 2hrs. 8. (Optional) Drain the broth into a saucepan, cook down, and add back into the mix to make it extra flavorful. Otherwise, can be served as a soup or poured over rice. 9. Serve with cheese as a topping, over rice, in a tortilla as tacos or burritos, or in a number of other fashions you may fancy. Those who prefer a little more lime may squeeze fresh or splash some more on their meal. 10. (Optional) For presentation, garnish with cilantro and lime slices, maybe a dollop of shredded cheese, sour cream, or cream cheese.

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Here are today's picks (there are a ton of them today) using my proprietary betting strategy at [Freebitcoin](https://freebitco.in/?r=51325722). For details about what Risk Balanced Odds Arbitrage is and why it works see https://stacker.news/items/342765/r/Undisciplined. For a hypothetical 1k-ish wager on each match, distribute your sats as follows: | Outcome 1 | Outcome 2 | Outcome 3 | Bet 1 | Bet 2 | Bet 3 | |--------------|-------------|--------------|-------|-------|-------| | Torino| AC Milan| Draw | 269| 476| 278| | Inter Milan| Genoa| Draw | 765| 71| 156| | Como| Napoli| Draw | 256| 464| 294| | Cagliari| Juventus| Draw | 213| 556| 267| | Balogna| AC Milan| Draw | 348| 407| 303| | Valencia| Atletico Madrid| Draw | 208| 550| 270| | Sevilla| Real Mallorca| Draw | 464| 253| 313| | Real Sociedad| Leganes| Draw | 636| 133| 267| | Real Madrid| Girona| Draw | 760| 105| 167| | Las Palmas| Barcelona| Draw | 105| 750| 164| | RB Leipzig| Heidenheim| Draw | 688| 143| 196| | FC Bayern| Eintracht Frankfurt| Draw | 786| 91| 133| | Dortmund| Union Berlin| Draw | 621| 182| 231| | Arsenal| West Ham| Draw | 763| 77| 167| | Aston Villa| Chelsea| Draw | 364| 392| 266| | Chelsea| Southampton| Draw | 818| 67| 143| | Everton| Man United| Draw | 333| 381| 303| | Ipswich| Tottenham| Draw | 286| 476| 256| | Liverpool| Newcastle| Draw | 652| 161| 217| | Man City| Liverpool| Draw | 348| 421| 256| | Man United| Ipswich| Draw | 636| 167| 227| | Newcastle| Nottingham Forest| Draw | 541| 235| 250| | Tottenham| Man City| Draw | 222| 594| 222| | Nottingham Forest| Arsenal| Draw | 200| 579| 244| I'll be curious to see how @Coinsreporter does with his modified RBOA. On the most recently completed set of RBOA, I made 6k sats on 43k wagered, so it was a nice bounce back. I still haven't precisely identified where the threshold is, but it might be worth skipping any of these with a "time weight multiplier" lower than 90. ---------- A note of caution about Freebitcoin: they recorded the wrong outcome for last week's Bills vs Ravens game and as of yet have not corrected it. I recall one other instance of something similar happening, so proceed with caution. This RBOA strategy is largely immune from that problem, but be aware of it when just betting on one outcome. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/887548

@ 41fa852b:af7b7706

> "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." --Martin Luther King, Jr * * * **If Bitcoin's price action is putting you to sleep, maybe it's time to get out and add some spice to your life.** It's a big week with 12 meetups--check out the list below and see if there's one near you. Most meetups are drop-in friendly--just head to the venue and keep an eye out for a few shady-looking characters in Bitcoin merch. If you'd prefer some certainty, you can find contact details for every meetup at [bitcoinevents.uk](https://bitcoinevents.uk/). Just scroll down to find your meetup group, and you'll see how to get in touch. Let's dive in… * * * [](https://bitcoinevents.uk/donate/) * * * _This week's sponsor is…_ [](https://www.orangepillapp.com/?utm_source=BEUK&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=BEUK) * * * ### **Upcoming Bitcoin Meetups** Happening this week… 1. [**Newcastle Bitcoin Meetup**](https://www.meetup.com/newcastlebitcoinmeetup/): A relaxed gathering for anyone interested in Bitcoin. No prior experience or ownership of Bitcoin is required, just curiosity and an interest. Conversations are Bitcoin-only focused. Happening this month on Tuesday, February 18th, at 18:30. Find them at Kabin @ Kabannas, NE1 6UQ. 🍻 2. [**Bitcoin 101**](https://meetu.ps/e/NRYv6/v822r/i): Nodes at Cyphermunk House - Participants are invited to a hands-on, peer-led class to set up their own Bitcoin node. Those wishing to build a node during the session should bring an old laptop, computer, or mini PC, along with a 2TB SSD and a USB drive with at least 4GB of storage. Attendees are also welcome to join without building a node to learn from the process. Tickets cost £9 in sats or £10 in cash, with pre-booking available at [cyphermunkhouse.com/events.](http://cyphermunkhouse.com/events). 👨🏼‍🎓 3. [**Bitcoin Glasgow**](https://www.meetup.com/bitcoin-glasgow-buy-sell-learn/): Bitcoin Glasgow meet every 3rd Wednesday of the month and this month will be at The Maltman, 59--61 Renfield Street at 18:00 to 20:00. This month on Wednesday the 19th. 🍺 4. [**Bitcoin Wales**](https://www.meetup.com/all-about-bitcoin-meetup-group-wales/events/): Back in action with the first meetup of 2025, and looking to grow their membership. The gathering at Zerodegrees, 27 Westgate St, Cardiff CF10 1DD invites both seasoned Bitcoiners and newcomers to connect, share ideas, and shape the future of Bitcoin in Wales. 18:00 - 21:00 on Wednesday 19th February. 🍻 5. [**OPA London Bitcoin Meetup**](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/opa-london-bitcoin-meetup-tickets-1238140223739): The first OPA London Bitcoin Meetup takes place on Wednesday 19th at 18:30 - 21:30 at the [Century Club](https://centuryclub.co.uk/) (Bitcoin accepted), 61--63 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 6LQ. 🍺🍷🍸 6. [**Shropshire Bitcoin**](https://x.com/shropsbitcoin): On the 19th, the Shropshire crew will be meeting at the Admiral Benbow in Shrewsbury. 🍻 7. [**Brum Bitcoin & Beer**](https://x.com/brumbitcoin): If you're in the Birmingham area head along to meet some fellow bitcoiners on Thursday 20th at 19:00. You'll find them this month at The Wellington, Bennett's Hill, B2 5SN. 🍺 8. [**Bitcoin Bristol**](https://evento.so/p/evt_iQcbZqEyZ36Bujfr): Meeting at The Left Handed Giant, BS1 6EU, at 18:15 on the 21st. Everyone is welcome, the aim is to encourage grassroots bitcoin adoption in Bristol. 🍻 9. [**2140 Collective**](https://evento.so/p/evt_tEzCj5UWYCkB9h35): Tools of freedom - GrapheneOS workshop. Learn about GrapheneOS the privacy-focused mobile operating system. Friday 21st February, 18:00 - 21:40 at Cyphermunk House. 👨🏼‍🎓📱 10. [**Bitcoin Walk - Edinburgh**](https://bitcoinwalk.org/): Every Saturday they walk around Arthur's Seat in this historic city. Join them at 12 pm to chat about all things Bitcoin and keep fit. 🚶🏽‍♂️🚶🏼‍♀️🚶🏻 11. [**Plymouth Bitcoiners**](https://x.com/plbitcoiners): The Plymouth meetup is on the 22nd this month. Find them at Steel Brew, PL1 3GD at 14:00. 🍻 12. [**Bitcoin East**](https://x.com/bitcoineastuk): Join Bitcoin East in Bury St. Edmunds on Sunday 23rd, 10:00 at [Procopio's Pantry](https://www.ourburystedmunds.com/business/procopios-pantry/) and then on to Vespers Bar at 12:00. All welcome, Bitcoiners and anyone else curious about Bitcoin. 🍻☕️ * * * **Get Involved** - **Volunteer Opportunities**: [Bridge2Bitcoin](https://bridge2bitcoin.com/) is actively seeking volunteers who share our passion for merchant adoption. We'd be delighted to connect if you're eager to contribute. Reach out to us on [Twitter](https://x.com/bridge2bitcoin) or through our [website](https://bridge2bitcoin.com/). - **Start Your Own Meetup**: Interested in launching a Bitcoin meetup? We're here to support you every step of the way. We've assisted numerous UK Bitcoin meetups in getting started. Get in touch via [Twitter](https://x.com/bitcoineventsuk). - **[Contribute to BTCMaps](https://wiki.btcmap.org/general/tagging-instructions.html)**: BTCMaps is a vital part of the Bitcoin ecosystem. It's a perfect project to get involved with if you're not a coder or even that technical. A great way to give back to the community. Maintain an area of the UK and keep it up-to-date. - **Telegram users**: You might find our [Telegram Channel](https://t.me/BitcoinEventsUKHub) another useful way to keep up-to-date with UK meetups. - **Feedback and Suggestions**: We value your input! Share your ideas on how we can enhance this newsletter. * * * _This week's sponsors are…_ [](https://orangecoinstore.com/) [](https://bitcoinretreat.co.uk/) * * * Get out and support the meetups where you can, visit [Bitcoin Events UK](https://bitcoinevents.uk/) for more info on each meetup and to find your closest on the interactive map. Stay tuned for more updates next week! Simon. [](https://bitcoinevents.uk/donate/)

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

After gorging on Valentine's leftovers (cc: @realBitcoinDog), I did stop eating or drinking pretty early in the afternoon. Then just as I was about to sit down for coffee this morning, I was informed that my wife was out of the soymilk she likes with her coffee. So, a little trip to the store prolonged the fast further. Score Card Day 1: 14 hour fast (13 dry) Day 2: 15 hour fast (14 dry) Day 3: 17 hours (16 dry) Day 4: 18 hours (17 dry) Day 5: 18 hours (16 dry) Day 6: 19 hours (16 dry) Day 7: 16 hours (15 dry) Day 8: 18 hours (17 dry) Day 9: 17 hours (17 dry) Day 10: 15 hours (13 dry) Day 11: 20 hours (19 dry) Day 12: 20 hours (17 dry) Day 13: 16 hours (13 dry) Day 14: 17 hours (15 dry) Day 15: 19 hours (16 dry) Day 16: TBD (19 dry) originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/887459

@ bbef5093:71228592

## A trícium érdekességei A trícium a hidrogén lenyűgöző radioaktív formája, amely háromszor nehezebb, mint a közönséges hidrogén, és egy protont, valamint két neutront tartalmaz az atommagjában. Ernest Rutherford és csapata 1934-ben fedezte fel, és 12,32 éves felezési idővel rendelkezik. ## Főbb alkalmazási területek **Világítástechnika** A tríciumot önvilágító eszközökben használják energiaforrásként, például órák kijelzőiben és vészkijárati táblákban, ahol foszforokat aktivál, hogy folyamatos fényt bocsásson ki elektromos áram nélkül. **Tudományos kutatás** A tudósok radioaktív nyomjelzőként használják orvosi kutatásokban és gyógyszerfejlesztésben, kihasználva azt a tulajdonságát, hogy kémiai reakciókban úgy viselkedik, mint a normál hidrogén. Kiemelkedő szerepet játszik a felszín alatti vizek kormeghatározásában is. Az 50 évnél fiatalabb vizek esetében a trícium-koncentráció mérése megbízható módszer, mivel az 1953-63 közötti magaslégköri nukleáris kísérletek egyedi "időbélyeget" hagytak a csapadékvizekben. ## Vízföldtani alkalmazások **Vízbázisok védelme** A trícium-vizsgálatok kiválóan alkalmasak a felszín alatti vízbázisok védettségének és a felszíni vizek elérési idejének meghatározására. A trícium ideális víznyomjelző, mivel beépül a vízmolekulába (HTO formában), és tökéletesen követi a víz mozgását. **Nukleáris létesítmények monitorozása** A talajvíz trícium-tartalmának rendszeres megfigyelése kulcsfontosságú a nukleáris létesítmények környezetében, mivel segít azonosítani az esetleges szivárgásokat és a radioaktív anyagok terjedését a felszín alatti vizekben. **Nukleáris alkalmazások** Az izotóp kulcsszerepet játszik a nukleáris fúzióban mint üzemanyag a tokamak reaktorokban, és "erősítőként" szolgál a nukleáris fegyverekben. **Biztonsági profil** Bár radioaktív, a trícium csak alacsony energiájú béta-sugárzást bocsát ki, amely nem képes áthatolni az emberi bőrön. Természetes körülmények között nyomokban megtalálható a légkörben, ahol kozmikus sugárzás hatására keletkezik. Tritium, the ideal tracer ## Interesting Facts About Tritium Tritium is a fascinating radioactive form of hydrogen that's three times heavier than regular hydrogen, containing one proton and two neutrons in its nucleus. It was first discovered by Ernest Rutherford and his team in 1934 and has a half-life of 12.32 years. ## Main Applications **Illumination Technology** Tritium is used as an energy source in self-illuminating devices, such as watch displays and exit signs, where it activates phosphors to create continuous light without electrical power. **Scientific Research** Scientists use tritium as a radioactive tracer in medical research and pharmaceutical development, taking advantage of its ability to behave like normal hydrogen in chemical reactions. It also plays a crucial role in dating groundwater. For waters less than 50 years old, measuring tritium concentration is a reliable method, as atmospheric nuclear tests between 1953-63 left a unique "timestamp" in precipitation. ## Hydrogeological Applications **Protection of Water Resources** Tritium studies are excellent for determining the protection status of underground water resources and the arrival time of surface waters. Tritium is an ideal water tracer as it incorporates into water molecules (as HTO) and perfectly follows water movement. **Monitoring Nuclear Facilities** Regular monitoring of groundwater tritium content is crucial around nuclear facilities, as it helps identify potential leaks and the spread of radioactive materials in groundwater. **Nuclear Applications** The isotope plays a key role in nuclear fusion as fuel in tokamak reactors and serves as a "booster" in nuclear weapons. **Safety Profile** Although radioactive, tritium only emits low-energy beta radiation that cannot penetrate human skin. It naturally occurs in trace amounts in the atmosphere, formed by cosmic ray interactions.

@ c3c7122c:607731d7

At my meet up (the SD Bitcoiners Cete) on Thursday, I presented trends on the Bisq protocol. One of its features is that anyone can export the trade history and analyze it. Bisq is a private, peer-tp-peer way to buy and sell bitcoin. All data are based on the BTC-USD market. Trade number decreased in 2024  But USD volume increased ($/year)  (same graph but $/day by year)  Which means more higher value per trade  Interestingly, trade counts and price volatility lead to interesting BTC volume per year. The peaks are nearly identical (330 BTC)!  Not so surprising when you compare BTC volume traded to the average BTC price that year, local price valleys mean local peaks in BTC traded (and vice versa).  I separate fiat payment methods into three groups.  All USD payment methods used in 2024 by average value (y-axis) and number of trades (bubble size)  This is the same graph as above excluding Zelle and Strike, since they throw off the relative circle size (face-to-face only had 1 trade in 2024).  Two fiat methods had >1000 trades in 2024. Strike came on the scene hot in 2021 and ate some of the Zelle volume but that may have stabilized.  Six fiat methods had 200-1000 trades in 2024. Amazon Gift Card dwindling, Cash By Mail still top of this group, and Revolut surging (wtf is Revolut?)  Same group, all years  Last group is <200 trades in 2024. Basically unused, except for Wire Transfer increasing.  Same group, all years  What's the average trade size by fiat method? There are different reasons for this, largely driven by fiat fees and bank limits. Amazon Gift Card is an interesting option for smaller payments (note: you can't just send any gift card, there is a very specific process, see the Bisq [wiki]( https://bisq.wiki/Amazon_eGift_card))  There no KYC premium, but there is a small Surveillance Discount  If you open Bisq for the first time, you'll likely see spreads 3-5% or larger. These offers persist because no one wants them. So people think that Bisq is "too expensive." But let's dig into the actual trades...  Comparing the daily trade volume to daily market rate (I used coingecko), and creating a monthly weighted average, the true surveillance discount emerges. It's not 3-5% as you might see in the order book at any given time. In fact, it was cheaper to trade on Bisq than exchanges in November and December! (Note: this does not take into account the 4 on-chain transactions required for a trade or price spread/fees used by exchanges)  In 2024, Strike had the worst surveillance discount and Cash By Mail had the best. This isn't surprising because receiving cash is convenient and low risk for a seller so they're willing to accept a lower price. Zelle (the most common USD payment method) had the second best surveillance discount.  Now let's compare the surveillance discount by week in 2024 for select payment methods. Strike was consistently worse than Zelle  Revolut was sometimes way worse than Zelle but sometimes a little better.  The two most private payment methods are cash and money order. They're pretty competitive regarding surveillance discount.  Take aways * Be a maker and get a better price (fees are better too) * Zelle is better for speed + convenience * Amazon gift cards are good for speed + privacy (sorta) * Cash or money order are better for privacy + volume

@ deba271e:36005655

Buying groceries with bitcoin rocks! I have been using bitcoin to buy food and stuff in Uvita over the last two months and what a wonderful experience that has been. There are so many places that accept. I went to the local farmers market literally every time it was open (twice a week) to buy veggies, meat, spices, juice, coffee and even clothes. You pay with bitcoin at every stand, payment fully settled sometimes [under 1 second](nostr:note1fxew6skuhayt8v2tpdh907l5tqy0aqkyx8k4x9qpuvd00kj62xjs99d8sy). I used bitcoin definitely more than I used fiat.  *What is in the basket is what I bought with bitcoin* As is my nature (and nostr [job description](nostr:npub1m6azw8j5wanm6mvwa367anjkzhdnz7srkpl5tyf5kql8ydsq2e2sa7h78d)), I was complaining about the UX to the folks involved across multiple companies/groups here in Uvita, with some issues already fixed and some new features/ideas being worked on. Overall the people working on these projects are amazing. This was so much fun and I hope the folks don't hate me for giving them [feedback](nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzph46yu09gam8h4kcamr4am89v9wmx9aq8vrlgkgnfvp7wgmqq4j4qqxnzdenxvurgwpjxgmnqwf5wu65zl), [feedback](nostr:note12lxe9qjefyl4uqksx97q0lnq33tghe3fhxldzut0g2rfvpmln4psqj90qe), [feedback](nostr:note1ue96mtfdnpth0msqxxx6ead4w7farnt3h4aysk53rk8cw6gjurjqz6mlwx) - I always tried to make it as actionable as possible (also I'm hard to argue with when I'm right :P). My focus has always been on getting more merchants onboarded, getting more people to accept bitcoin, but after a couple weeks in Uvita I realized that at this point the problem here is the opposite. **People are not paying with bitcoin**. I talked to many of the sellers, asked them how many people pay, how often. And in reality it's fairly rare for them. In the restaurants they only have a couple times per day when someone pays with bitcoin. At the market only around 10% of people pay with bitcoin, while 95% of the sellers accept. That made me feel a bit sad and surprised. This is a buyer education problem, not a seller problem.  *Only a small portion of the folks in the picture will pay with bitcoin…* The word of mouth approach is (imo) a solid strategy to onboard merchants, but it doesn't work for ephemeral tourists. As an example consider a "family with young kids coming for 3 days". This family doesn't have many chances to receive word of mouth. They come from elsewhere, they don't make many connections or interactions with locals. Sidenote: Physical bitcoin office works like a charm! I would have not guessed that, but I witnessed it being the spot where people meet, where merchants come to ask questions, where new folks ask how to get onboarded. The Bitcoin Jungle team did an amazing job here. If you are starting a circular economy in some town and already have some office space - consider making it into a "Bitcoin Office" (even if your business isn't exactly bitcoin). It will bring you visitors, great friends, bitcoiners will come hang out, etc. #### Tourist education We can assume that in "touristy" areas the restaurants, markets and shops will be mainly visited by tourists, so the solution here is tourist education. Now think about the journey that tourists go through - they come to the area in a car, maybe stop for lunch/dinner and then they check in at their hotel/casa. The next day they go to the local grocery store/market to get supplies and then do touristy stuff - go surfing, beach, hike, drive somewhere, chill, pool, drinks, etc. The main touch points for where paying with bitcoin could be introduced are: - when entering the town, - at the restaurant, - at the place they check in (hotel, casa), - in the grocery store/market, - in whatever they use to find attractions, - the tour guides, drivers and other folks working in the tourism sector. Here are couple ideas to make the situation better: - **Printed brochure at merchants and hotels/casas:** a little printed brochure with the same content available at every merchant - so when someone asks about bitcoin, they can just hand this brochure to them. Doesn't need any technical background or price talk - literally "You can pay with bitcoin here. You need a bitcoin wallet, here's QR to get it. Then you need to get bitcoin, here are the options. Then just pay by scanning the QRs that sellers show you" when you tell them "pagar con bitcoin por favor". - **Billboard when entering Uvita:** There could be a nice billboard when entering Uvita saying something like "Pay with Bitcoin in Uvita! Welcome to Bitcoin Jungle" and maybe add a link to bitcoinjungle.app and WhatsApp number. - **A billboard at the market:** a nice printed billboard on the side of the market that shows QR for how to download BitcoinJungle wallet (and some US available wallet), how to get initial sats on it (e.g. ask a specific person at the market, install Strike…). - **Discounts:** One thing that always attracts an eye is seeing some discount. This could be e.g. included in the brochure - "5% discount when you pay with bitcoin", or "pay with bitcoin, get XYZ for free". Someone may suggest wording "paying with fiat = extra 5% fee", but just from a psychological standpoint that is imo less effective.  *And of course having bitcoin signs "SE ACEPTA AQUI" helps…* Good luck! nout Originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/887222/r/nout

@ 9f0bbd5b:779b33f6

The next time you see your doctor and get a blood draw (you are doing this every year, yes?) be sure to request that your testosterone levels be tested. Testosterone is measured as Ng/dL. Ng/dL stands for nanograms per deciliter, which is a unit of measurement used to express the concentration of substances, such as hormones, in the blood. It indicates how many nanograms of a substance are present in one deciliter of blood. Since the 1960s-70s (the first time data was collected on a large scale), average testosterone levels have been cut nearly in half. You can draw any number of conclusions, when you compare this with the state of our society.  [Source](https://testosteronedecline.com/testosterone-levels-100-years-ago/) Sedentary lifestyles, processed foods, lack of exercise, sunshine, and sex ... all these things contribute to the feminization of the men in our society. Studies have shown that higher testosterone results in better rational decision making. Currently, average testosterone levels are lower than they have ever been.  [Source](https://www.health.com/chart-of-testosterone-levels-by-age-8743223#toc-testosterone-levels-by-age) **How to raise testosterone:** - Eat real food (beef, veg, dairy, fruit) - Stop drinking soda, etc - Get sunshine - Get rid of your gut - Exercise regularly originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/887187

@ c582af78:698069cc

# **The Face of God: How Art Became a Gateway to the Divine** If you live in the **West**, you’re surrounded by depictions of **God, Jesus, and the saints**—from paintings and statues to illustrated Bibles and stained glass windows. But this is far from universal. In the **Islamic world**, religious art takes a very different form: vibrant colors, **intricate geometry, and architectural symmetry**. **Depictions of God or Muhammad aren’t just discouraged—they are outright forbidden.** But why? To answer that, we must go back to the **origins of the Abrahamic religions**—when **early Christians, Jews, and Muslims** were surprisingly **unified in their views on religious art**. https://image.nostr.build/1515c5fd00d798cd283583618bbbc0d5eb91bc481a84c21d53644d42fa30173a.jpg --- ## **The Early Christian Hesitation** The **first generation of Christians** were deeply aware of **Judaism’s strict prohibition** against idol worship. **Depicting God in any form was considered dangerous**—a potential gateway to paganism. For centuries, Christianity could have followed this path, rejecting religious imagery altogether. But one fundamental theological idea **changed everything**: **The Incarnation.** As the early Church wrestled with the **nature of Christ**, heated debates emerged: - Was he part human and part divine? - Was he **fully** human and **fully** divine? - And what did the Gospel of John mean by *“the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”*? The result of these debates was the **doctrine of the Incarnation**—the belief that **God took on human form in real flesh and blood**. And if **God himself** had chosen to be seen in **finite form**, then depicting Him in art could no longer be considered blasphemous. This single theological shift laid the foundation for **Christianity’s embrace of religious art**—a decision that would not only shape Christian worship but **redefine how we engage with art itself**. https://image.nostr.build/1cf9ea5d1385c46bd720de9c7de65123428a9f76356e39e37c5d7b9663993930.jpg --- ## **Let There Be Art…** How did this change Christian art? https://image.nostr.build/b945e4ea06b281bb4618f08b2543108beecf7f510aaa795bed1c833614e32fb7.jpg The **early objections** to religious imagery went something like this: > *“God is infinite and mysterious. Reducing Him to a finite, limited form is blasphemy.”* But with the Incarnation, the argument flipped: > *“If God took on real shape, color, and form without diminishing His divine nature, then we can depict Him in art without compromising His grandeur.”* Thus, images of **Jesus, Mary, and saints** not only became **permissible**—they were **encouraged**. Christian leaders actively **commissioned religious art** to communicate the **Gospel visually** to a largely **illiterate population**. **Paintings, statues, and stained glass** became tools of evangelization, helping people grasp biblical stories **without needing to read**. Take the **Duomo of Milan** with its **4,000 statues**. They aren’t just decorative. They **inspire faith** by highlighting the lives of the saints. Christianity had embraced art as a **spiritual bridge**, a way to **connect the finite with the infinite**. https://image.nostr.build/4f6b79a9179d818a951bf461ee5ff785cbe618ed376b4a56d92e77dcb34005bc.jpg --- ## **The Criticism: Were They Worshiping the Art?** Not everyone agreed. Some critics argued that **Christians were focusing too much on the art itself**, rather than the God it was meant to represent. https://image.nostr.build/29afb401ef99d2b6c59b71d8534a5160c25d2ca468d81251ba0f55d033679490.jpg But the Church’s response was clear: > **"You are not meant to look *at* art, but *through* it.** Art is not the **end goal**—it is a **gateway to something greater**. A painting of Christ isn’t meant to be **worshiped**—it’s meant to draw the viewer into **His story, His sacrifice, and His message**. This perspective didn’t just shape religious art. It **fundamentally changed** how we experience **all forms of art, even secular ones.** --- ## **To Infinity and Beyond: The Lasting Impact of Religious Art** Christianity’s view of art—that it **should point beyond itself**—has so deeply influenced Western culture that we often **don’t even realize it**. Think about how we experience **books, music, and movies**: - **A great novel** inspires courage. - **A powerful song** moves you to tears. - **A gripping film** motivates you to keep going in life. The best art **doesn’t just exist for its own sake**—it **transports you beyond the canvas, the page, or the screen**. This idea mirrors the Incarnation itself: **an infinite God becoming finite to guide us back to the infinite**. --- ## **Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, and the Incarnation of Art** A perfect example? **J.R.R. Tolkien’s *The Lord of the Rings***. Tolkien infused his story with **themes of brotherhood, heroism, and sacrifice**—all timeless, transcendental ideas. But instead of leaving them as abstract concepts, he **"incarnated" them into words on a page**—finite, tangible, and deeply relatable. https://image.nostr.build/b120c4d7c7232cf226af65c33cb7fc494f495d50b8ad4593a58f3528fd0b71dc.jpg His goal? To **turn the reader’s heart back to the infinite** by making them experience **these ideals in a concrete way**. The same can be said for **any truly great art**. It **doesn’t exist for itself**—it exists to move you, to inspire you, to challenge you. And next time you step into a **cathedral**, gaze at a **masterpiece**, or listen to a **symphony**, remember: You’re not supposed to simply **look at the art around you**— You’re supposed to **look beyond it, into eternity**.