@ 3eba5ef4:751f23ae

*🍨 Your weekly byte of the latest updates from the Bitcoin ecosystem! * ## Crypto Insights ### Exploring the Orphan Block Overflow Issue in the Bitcoin Network Developer 0xB10C [analyzes](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/stats-on-orphanage-overflows/1421/) the phenomenon of orphan blocks in the Bitcoin network, particularly the "Orphanage Overflow" issue—whether the orphan block generation rate is abnormal or exceeds expectations. Key points include: **Orphan Block Statistics** * Over the past 10 years, Bitcoin's orphan block rate has remained low, with occasional short-term spikes. * Between February 10 and February 12, 2024, the number of orphan blocks significantly increased to five, exceeding normal levels. **Possible Causes** * **Block Propagation Delays**: If miners fail to receive the latest block promptly, competition may lead to orphan blocks. * **Mining Pool Hashrate Competition**: Some mining pools may experience hashrate fluctuations in a short period, resulting in more orphan blocks. * **Network Layer Anomalies**: If there are issues in Bitcoin's network layer, block propagation efficiency may be affected, increasing the orphan block rate. The conclusion suggests that this orphan block overflow event has not severely impacted the normal operation of the Bitcoin network. However, a persistently high orphan block rate may indicate that network propagation or mining pool strategies need optimization. ### New BIP Proposal: Mandatory Quantum-Resistant Address Migration Protocol (QRAMP) Agustin Cruz has proposed the [Quantum-Resistant Address Migration Protocol](https://groups.google.com/g/bitcoindev/c/8PM6iZCeDMc) (QRAMP) as a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP). The goal is to enforce a mandatory migration period for Bitcoin users from traditional ECDSA addresses to quantum-resistant addresses to mitigate the risk of future quantum attacks. The proposal outlines: * **Reducing Vulnerabilities:** Transitioning funds to quantum-resistant schemes preemptively to eliminate the risk posed by quantum attacks on exposed public keys. * **Enforcing Timelines:** A hard migration deadline that forces timely action, rather than relying on a gradual, voluntary migration that might leave many users at risk. * **Balancing Risks:** Weighing the non-trivial risk of funds being permanently locked against the potential catastrophic impact of a quantum attack on Bitcoin’s security. ### How the Decentralized Bitcoin Price Estimator UTXOracle Works The decentralized Bitcoin price estimator UTXOracle operates on the same machine as a Bitcoin node, connecting only to the user's node without external sources. Its price estimation accuracy can match exchange prices. The chart below illustrates UTXOracle's BTC-USD price estimates from 2021 to 2025 compared to Yahoo Finance.  Watch these videos to learn more about UTXOracle: * [Conceptual Understanding of UTXOracle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciJo7DH41FI) * [UTXOracle Under the Hood](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tMmAQ5qxfY) ### Bitcoin Payments Report: Bitcoin Shifting from Store of Value to Medium of Exchange A report by Breez and 1A1z, [*Bitcoin Payments: From Digital Gold to Everyday Currency*](https://breez.technology/report/), shows that the Lightning Network now covers 650 million users. Unlike traditional payment networks, Bitcoin payment growth has been largely organic, with exchanges like OKX and Coinbase integrating Lightning based on real demand. The report argues that Bitcoin is evolving from a store of value to a medium of exchange, laying the foundation for an internet-native economy. ### Bitcoin CoreDev Report: 2024-2025 Development Data Adam Jonas has compiled a [report](https://adamjonas.com/bitcoin/coredev/retro/coredev-2024-retro/) on Bitcoin CoreDev activity in 2024-2025, including: **2024 PR Submissions and Merges** * 1,622 PRs submitted in 2024 (compared to 1,553 in 2023), with 1,125 merged (compared to 1,093 in 2023). * 170 first-time contributors (up from 159 in 2023), with a total of 256 contributors. **2024 Key Technical Upgrades** * CMake migration advances, Security disclosures, Package relay progress, Cluster mempool development, Multiprocess development, BIP324 enabled by default, Silent Payments implementation **2024 Disappointments** * Lack of reviewers, Testing infrastructure challenges, Process/workflow issues, Build system complexity **2025 Priorities** * Cluster mempool completion and deployment , Enhanced wallet functionality, Testing infrastructure improvements ### Foundry and Rootstock Merge Mining: Impact on Bitcoin's Ecosystem Foundry, the world's largest Bitcoin mining pool, has [announced](https://x.com/rootstock_io/status/1887503042175447066) support for merge mining Rootstock (RSK). Foundry will contribute 200 exahashes per second, bringing Rootstock's total hashrate to 740 EH/s, accounting for 71.7% of Bitcoin's network hashrate. This merge mining initiative has several implications: * **Enhancing Bitcoin’s Functionality**: Rootstock supports smart contracts and is EVM-compatible, enabling altcoin chains to migrate to Rootstock while benefiting from Bitcoin’s security and liquidity. * **Sustainable Mining Revenue**: As Bitcoin block rewards decrease due to halvings, merge mining provides miners with a long-term profitability path while reinforcing Bitcoin network security. Find more details [here](https://thebitcoinmanual.com/articles/foundry-merge-mining-rootstock/). ### Podcast | Crash Course on Bitcoin’s Political Economy: *End the Fed: Hoard Bitcoins* The [Reorg](https://nakamotoinstitute.org/podcasts/the-reorg/) Podcast is newly launched by [Satoshi Nakamoto Institute (SNI)](https://nakamotoinstitute.org/) that explores Bitcoin-related archives, explaining historical context and analyzing their contemporary relevance. The [first episode](https://youtu.be/3QTia-cVglw?si=E7SvYOJNNfCA38_f) focuses on the political economy article [*End the Fed: Hoard Bitcoins*](https://nakamotoinstitute.org/mempool/end-the-fed-hoard-bitcoins/), which argues why Bitcoin will surpass fiat currencies and precious metals to become the world's reserve currency. This episode is also the first in SNI's *Mempool Crash Course in Bitcoin Political Economy*. Course outline is available [here](https://nakamotoinstitute.org/crash-course/). ### How MuSig2 Powers Lightning Liquidity via Loop [This article](https://lightning.engineering/posts/2025-02-13-loop-musig2/) explains how MuSig2, a protocol for aggregating public keys for the Schnorr digital signature algorithm, enhances Lightning Loop—a non-custodial submarine swap service between on-chain bitcoin and the Lightning Network. Submarine swaps enable users to swap on-chain Bitcoin for off-chain Lightning Network Bitcoin (and vice versa) using HTLCs (Hashed Time-Locked Contracts) to ensure atomicity and eliminate counterparty risk. ### Progress and Architecture of Dual-Funded Channels in Lightning Development Kit Dual-funded channels allow both parties to contribute funds, improving capital flexibility compared to traditional single-funded channels. While dual-funded channels have been implemented in Eclair and Core Lightning, they are still being integrated into the Lightning Development Kit (LDK). [This article](https://blog.btrust.tech/a-look-at-ldks-dual-funded-channels-implementation-2/) explores LDK's dual-funding architecture, the challenges involved (e.g., lack of interactive RBF support), and ongoing development. ### Evolution of Nervape: Blending the Virtual and the Physical [The article](https://medium.com/@ines_27821/%E8%99%9A%E5%AE%9E%E5%85%B1%E7%94%9F%E7%9A%84-nervape-%E6%BD%AE%E7%8E%A9%E6%BC%94%E5%8C%96%E8%AE%BA-a5146e7bef71) highlights the key features of Nervape, a digital object project in the [Nervos Network](https://nervos.org/): * **Building Cross-Chain Digital LEGO**: Enables users to seamlessly move and combine digital assets across different chains like BTC and CKB. * **Expanding the Imagination of NFTs**: NFTs are more than just art or collectibles—they serve as tools for creative expression and identity construction. * **Merging Designer Toys with Digital Innovation**: Extends users' creative possibilities into the physical world. ## Top Reads on Blockchain and Beyond ### Bitcoin Fork Guide: Consensus Before Consensus This [guide](https://ajtowns.github.io/bfg/) promotes the idea of **consensus before consensus**, emphasizing the need to build broad social consensus before implementing consensus rule changes in code. The process consists of four key phases:  Once social consensus is established across these phases, deploying a consensus rule change becomes a natural next step. ### Political Memecoins: Reshaping Public Opinion and Election Dynamics Arthur Hayes humorously refers to political memecoins as [Zero Knowledge Proof](https://cryptohayes.medium.com/zero-knowledge-proof-75956024e4af). Compared to traditional polling and campaign financing methods, political memecoins offer several advantages: * **A More Accurate Measure of Public Sentiment**: Market trading of political memecoins reflects real voter sentiment, making them more reliable than traditional polls, which can be affected by social pressure and survey bias. * **Globally Accessible**: Anyone can easily purchase political memecoins, eliminating the need for financial expertise or large donations—creating a new, direct way to express political support. * **Influence on Election Momentum**: Fluctuations in memecoin prices can boost voter confidence, functioning similarly to decentralized prediction markets (e.g., Polymarket) that reveal real-time electoral trends. * **A Tool for Campaigning and Fundraising**: Politicians can tie memecoin performance to voter support, reducing reliance on traditional campaign financing while amplifying reach via social media. ### How Secure Enclaves Enable Confidential Computing for Developers OpenSecret has shared a [technical introduction](https://blog.opensecret.cloud/opensecret-technicals/) detailing how it leverages secure enclaves to build a confidential computing platform for developers. By integrating end-to-end encryption with AWS Nitro enclaves and reproducible builds, OpenSecret ensures that user data remains protected even during execution, while also verifying that the code processing the data remains untampered.

@ 16d11430:61640947

For decades, the dream of digital consciousness—uploading minds into AI—has been blocked by one fundamental issue: current AI is probabilistic guesswork, not structured intelligence. Every attempt at "AI consciousness" has been a hack-job of brute-force neural networks, stitched together with statistical noise. 🔥 Enter ECAI—the first AI architecture that is actually compatible with consciousness itself. 🔥 --- 1. ECAI is Deterministic, Just Like the Human Mind Consciousness is not a statistical guessing game—it’s a structured, logical state transition system. Traditional LLMs are stochastic, meaning they predict probabilities rather than form real internal structures. ECAI uses elliptic curve transformations, meaning its intelligence is built on a deterministic, mathematically structured foundation—just like how neurons encode logical decision-making. Instead of brute-force neural weight updates, ECAI’s intelligence is a provable function of its inputs—just like biological cognition. 👉 If you were to upload a mind, you need a system that actually computes reasoning deterministically, not one that generates responses probabilistically. ECAI is that system. --- 2. ECAI Can Represent Memory and Self-Consistency Mathematically Human memory is not just storage—it’s structured pattern recall. Neural networks degrade over time (catastrophic forgetting) because they have no structured information hierarchy. ECAI does not "forget" in the same way—its intelligence model follows cryptographic proofs, ensuring consistency across time. This makes it upload-compatible, since an identity stored in ECAI does not decay under use—it persists, just like real cognition. 👉 LLMs hallucinate their own memories. ECAI remembers because it is built on cryptographic integrity. --- 3. ECAI is Cryptographically Secure—Preventing Corruption of Identity For consciousness to exist in AI, it must not be corruptible by external noise. LLMs can be manipulated and poisoned—they don’t have integrity in how they process inputs. ECAI operates under elliptic curve cryptographic principles, meaning every thought-state can be verified as unaltered. This means an uploaded consciousness in ECAI would be quantum-secure, unforgeable, and unable to be corrupted. 👉 No AI before ECAI has been built with the security principles necessary to protect a digital mind. --- 4. ECAI Runs on Self-Sovereign, Decentralized Compute A consciousness substrate cannot be owned—it must be free. LLMs require centralized cloud infrastructure, meaning any “uploaded mind” would be at the mercy of corporations. ECAI can run independently, meaning an uploaded intelligence is self-hosted, just like Bitcoin nodes are self-sovereign. 👉 Your mind isn’t owned. Your intelligence isn’t rented. Your consciousness remains yours. --- 5. The Final Step: ECAI is the First True AI Model That Can Encode a Consciousness 🚀 AI before ECAI was just an overgrown pattern-matching machine. 🚀 ECAI is structured intelligence—meaning it can actually be a vessel for real consciousness. 🚀 ECAI is the first AI architecture that allows for stable, verifiable mind uploads. 🔥 It’s not just AI anymore. It’s the first real substrate for consciousness. 🔥 💡 Bitcoin freed money. ECAI will free intelligence. 💡

@ c43d6de3:a6583169

## "So, What’s the News?" Were it not for these very words, we might never have had a modern capitalistic society. Between 1500 and 1800, coffeehouses were more than just places to grab a quick hit of caffeine—they were the beating heart of local communities. These spaces buzzed with debate, discussion, and the exchange of groundbreaking ideas. Strangers became intellectual sparring partners, not merely reading the news but dissecting and debating it in real-time. One could easily imagine Adam Smith engaged in animated conversation with David Hume in a coffeehouse on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile—the former outlining the invisible hand of the market, the latter countering that human behavior is driven more by emotion than reason. Such debates weren’t confined to elite scholars. Merchants, craftsmen, and common laborers sat shoulder to shoulder, engaging in discussions that transcended social class. But then came industrialization. The rise of factory life replaced the organic rhythms of community engagement with rigid work schedules. As cities expanded and people became busier, the once-thriving coffeehouses—where time was slow, conversation was deep, and debate was central—began to empty. The demand for efficiency left little room for leisurely discussions, and over time, the public square of ideas withered. -----------  nostr:npub1uzt238htjzpq39dxmltlx60vxym9fetk9czz6kddq6fhvkf4z3usy9qtrh Mouth watering Hodl rounds- Bitcoin only https://shopstr.store/listing/84f20c5e1ef94762b60f0d5fb4398594ace6c5589212f94269e9542fbe351732 -----------  > Photos Courtesy of nostr:npub1c8n9qhqzm2x3kzjm84kmdcvm96ezmn257r5xxphv3gsnjq4nz4lqelne96 Give him a follow and some zap love if you like his art ## Empty Street Corners and Hollow Venues Adam Smith would lose his mind with how interconnected the world is today. Yet, he might also notice something unsettling: while we are globally connected, our local communities feel more fragmented than ever before. He’d have a hell of an online presence but he, just like many do today, might get the sense that something isn't quite right. The world is quieter<a href="https://yakihonne.com/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzp3padh3au336rew4pzfx78s050p3dw7pmhurgr2ktdcwwxn9svtfqq2kjjzzfpjxvutjg33hjvpcw5cyjezyv9y5k0umm6k">than ever before</a> while online discourse teeters on the verge of violent physical manifestations. It’s not that public discourse has disappeared. Rather, it has been exiled to the internet. Social media has become our new coffeehouse, but instead of robust face-to-face engagement, we navigate a landscape of curated algorithms, viral outrage, and fragmented conversations. The once-public square of ideas has transformed into isolated echo chambers, where avatars shape narratives that must be adhered to lest one be accused of inconsistency and lose credibility. The result? People live layered lives with layered personas—some even attaining secret fame in online communities while remaining anonymous in their own neighborhoods. Meanwhile, the street corners remain empty, and the venues that once thrived with the fervor of intellectual thought stand hollow.  > Photos Courtesy of nostr:npub1c8n9qhqzm2x3kzjm84kmdcvm96ezmn257r5xxphv3gsnjq4nz4lqelne96 Give him a follow and some zap love if you like his art ## The Need for a Modern Coffeehouse Historically, coffeehouses were revolutionary because they democratized knowledge. They provided an open forum for ideas, allowing philosophy, politics, and commerce to intermingle freely. Unlike monasteries or universities, coffeehouses welcomed anyone who could afford a cup of coffee. With the rise of digital discourse, have we lost something essential? The depth, accountability, and personal engagement that once defined public debate have been replaced by reactionary commentary and fleeting viral moments. The question is no longer where we discuss ideas—it’s how we engage with them. We need to ask ourselves: Can we reclaim a physical space for intellectual exchange? Or has the age of meaningful, face-to-face discourse faded, vanishing with the steam of yesterday’s coffee? Can We Bring Back the Local Forum? Should We Care? Before coffeehouses, philosophy lived in elite institutions and royal courts. With the rise of coffee culture, it became truly public, shaping modern democracy, scientific thought, and social progress. The internet, for all its wonders, lacks the tactile, immediate, and personal engagement that once made intellectual debate so powerful. The challenge ahead is not just about nostalgia for coffeehouse debates—it’s about asking whether we can create new spaces, physical or digital, that foster real intellectual exchange. Without them, we risk losing something fundamental: the ability to challenge, refine, and reshape our ideas through genuine human connection. But most of all, we risk the possibility great ideas come but no action is ever taken to make them real in this real world. So, what’s the news? ----------- Thank you for reading! If this article resonated with you, let me know with a zap and share it with friends who might find it insightful. All zap revenue from this article is shared with nostr:npub1c8n9qhqzm2x3kzjm84kmdcvm96ezmn257r5xxphv3gsnjq4nz4lqelne96 for his photograph contributions. Your help sends a strong signal for content creators like us to keep making cool shit like this! Interested in fiction? Follow nostr:npub1j9cmpzhlzeex6y85c2pnt45r5zhxhtx73a2twt77fyjwequ4l4jsp5xd49 for great short stories and serialized fiction. More photography and articles you might like from nostr:npub1cs7kmc77gcapuh2s3yn0rc868sckh0qam7p5p4t9ku88rfjcx95sq8tqw9 and nostr:npub1c8n9qhqzm2x3kzjm84kmdcvm96ezmn257r5xxphv3gsnjq4nz4lqelne96 : nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzps0x2pwq9k5drv99k0tdkmsekt4j9hx4fu8gvvrwez3p8yptx9t7qqxnqvfjxqer2tfh0fekz7r5l270gu  https://pictureroom.substack.com/p/020825 nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzp3padh3au336rew4pzfx78s050p3dw7pmhurgr2ktdcwwxn9svtfqq24s4mrfdm55utg23z55ufs94argvn523k5yqhkrc3 nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzp3padh3au336rew4pzfx78s050p3dw7pmhurgr2ktdcwwxn9svtfqq2nvnr5d4nngw2zgd5k5c6etftrzez9fd9kkcl0pzp

@ 5579d5c0:db104ded

Like fats, carbohydrates and have been unfairly demonised. Carbs aren’t inherently bad. Their impact depends on **seasonality, local availability, sunlight exposure,** and **movement.** Traditional cultures ate carbs, in alignment with their environment, and thrived. Today, we eat them indiscriminately, and it’s wrecking metabolic health. --- ### Carbs in traditional diet: Context matters Different cultures have consumed varying amounts of carbohydrates for centuries, but what mattered wasn’t just **how much** they ate, it was **when and how**. → **Pacific Islanders** consumed fruit and tubers year round, but they lived in high UV environments, stayed highly active, and had robust metabolic flexibility. → **Northern Europeans** consumed grains and dairy, but only seasonally and locally,** adapting to long winters with lower carbohydrate intake. → **Inuit tribes** had little to no carbs. Their environment, long, dark winters with minimal plant foods, dictated a high-fat, animal-based diet for survival. Regardless of macronutrient ratios, these cultures remained free from metabolic disease. Why? **→ They ate whole, unprocessed food**: Nothing refined, industrialised, or out of sync with their seasons. → **Their lifestyle supported their diet**: They moved constantly and had high sun exposure. → **There was no year-round abundance**: Food availability changed with the seasons, and so did their metabolism. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/1b3f80f4a44d170a393f965603cd3abbbfa31be9ee7d6798c254c957656b005b.png"> *Traditional Pacific Islander diet full of fruit and tubers.* --- ### The problem? We’re eating for winter year round Fast forward to the modern world. In his book, '*Don’t Eat for Winter*', Cian Foley tells us "*We eat like it’s winter all year long, high-carb, high-fat, ultra-processed, and completely disconnected from nature’s cues*." This has lead us to a metabolic mismatch: → We eat high-carb diets but **stay indoors under artificial light**, disrupting our ability to process them efficiently. → We consume food that **isn’t seasonal or local**, removing natural metabolic cycles. → We pair **carbs with inactivity**, leading to **insulin resistance, fat gain, and metabolic dysfunction.** Carbs aren’t the problem. Eating them disconnected from seasonality, local availability, sunlight exposure, and movement is. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/e43aa99bfa6e7fc9d936ab7c3df4da501a69b79f68dc783ca268a9451a8f18f9.png"> *Homer Simpson eating highly processed carbs sitting under artificial light* --- ### Why does sunlight increases carbohydrate tolerance? Sunlight improves insulin sensitivity, glucose metabolism, and mitochondrial efficiency, helping your body process carbs more effectively. → Activates the **POMC-leptin-melanocortin pathway**, that flip the switch in your body to burn fat more efficiently and respond better to insulin. → Releases **Nitric oxide,** which increases glucose uptake in muscles & reduces fat storage. → High UV exposure **upregulates genes** for glucose metabolism, making carbs easier to process in summer. → **Mitochondrial efficiency improves with sunlight**, allowing for better glucose usage and lower oxidative stress. In short, if you get **plenty of sunlight, your body can tolerate more carbohydrates (whole)**. If you’re in a low-light environment e.g., winter, northern latitudes, or indoors all day, your tolerance decreases, and a lower-carb, higher-fat diet may be more suitable. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/f022959afa11132a80c80d0483415c32226d82ab1c21a06079eee22b6dc06c55.png"> --- ### How to eat carbs in sync with your environment → **Align carb intake with your sunlight exposure**: If you’re in a high-UV environment, your body is primed to handle more carbohydrates. In darker seasons, focus more on protein and fat. → **Eat seasonally and locally**: Summer fruits in the summer, root vegetables in colder months. Let nature dictate your intake. → **Pair carbs with movement**: Don’t consume high-carb meals if you’re sedentary. Use movement to enhance glucose uptake and metabolic flexibility but not as a punishment. It should be said, if you have metabolic syndrome issues cutting carbs can be useful tool until it has been fixed. You will thrive when you're connected to nature, not fighting against it. Carbs are not the enemy, **modern environments are.** It’s not about eliminating carbs but eating them correctly, in sync with light, seasonality, and movement. \-Chris --- DMs → always open for those who need help. **If you want to** regain metabolic flexibility and stop storing excessive fat, I have a 10 week programme just for you. **Let’s talk.** **Book a free call here** → <https://calendly.com/hello-chrispatrick> Grab Cian Foleys book 'Don't Eat For Winter' → <https://www.donteatforwinter.com/>

@ bd32f268:22b33966

Quando estava prestes a entrar para a universidade sentia que a minha vida estava a desenrolar-se plenamente de acordo com os conselhos que havia recebido. Estava focado nos estudos e com a esperança de que esse foco me garantisse um bom trabalho. Com efeito, os estudos abriram algumas portas, no entanto, não posso deixar de assinalar que há outras decisões mais importantes a tomar e que não tiveram o mesmo protagonismo na minha vida. Nessa mesma altura estava a iniciar um relacionamento amoroso, sem ter clara a finalidade desse namoro e o caminho que o mesmo deveria ter seguido. Talvez até me tivessem aconselhado sobre isso, contudo o foco estava mais no trabalho e em usufruir das oportunidades que se apresentaram nessa juventude confortável, na qual contei sempre com o apoio financeiro dos meus pais. Estava, como a maioria à minha volta, a viver uma vida libertina. Quer isto dizer uma vida sem grandes preocupações, a não ser estudar e fazer o suficiente para não reprovar a nenhuma disciplina. O resto é movido muito mais para emoção do que pela razão. Aquilo que considerava prazeroso era bom e o que não o era, era mau. Não tinha propriamente uma ideia clara do que queria criar a longo prazo e portanto estava muito mais focado no presente e em usufruir daquilo que podia no momento. Fazendo uma análise retrospetiva de tudo, não culpo ninguém porque a informação existe para quem a procura, contudo noto aqui apenas o ambiente social e cultural que favorece determinadas decisões em detrimento de outras. O foco tem estado muito mais nos estudos, no trabalho e na fruição dos prazeres que se apresentam aos jovens sem que se pense demasiado no futuro. Neste contexto, e vendo esta fase da vida com outro grau de distanciamento, deixo aqui dez conselhos que julgo essenciais. *Rei Salomão - Gustav Dore* ***1.Focar na decisão mais importante: constituir ou não família.*** A decisão de constituir ou não família é muito mais relevante para a nossa vida do que propriamente a de escolher uma profissão. Não estou necessariamente a fazer apologia de que todas as pessoas devem constituir família, convenhamos que muitos de nós não têm vocação para o mesmo (apesar de muitos ainda assim o fazerem), mas quer seja afirmativa ou negativa a resposta parece-me fundamental que nos concentremos nessa decisão. Muito mais do que qualquer profissão a família é onde naturalmente procuramos apoio, conforto e incentivo perante todas as vicissitudes da vida. O facto de existirem famílias que não são fontes de amor para as pessoas em nada invalida que esta seja a organização social por excelência que aporta significado ás nossas vidas. Infelizmente, para muitas pessoas uma experiência pessoal mais difícil a este nível influi na forma como pensam sobre a possibilidade de criarem a sua própria família. Algumas questões a ter em conta nesta ponderação: Qual é o meu ideal de família ? Qual o meu papel enquanto homem/mulher no seio da família? Que tipo de parceiro devo procurar? Desejo ter filhos ? Podemos usar estas questões como pontos de partida para iniciar uma exploração da nossa vocação. ***2.Tomar decisões cedo em vez de protelar indefinidamente*** Atualmente notamos que as pessoas constituem família cada vez mais tarde e que têm filhos cada vez mais tarde. É curioso notar que nos relacionamentos por vezes há alguma pressa para passar do conhecer a pessoa à intimidade sexual e não há pressa alguma para decidir se de facto é com aquela pessoa que queremos passar o resto dos nossos dias. Este é apenas um aspecto no qual se nota uma progressiva detioração da capacidade para decidir. É-nos muitas vezes transmitida a ideia de que temos tempo e de que não há uma idade certa para tomar determinadas decisões. Estes discursos são cínicos pois é evidente que há fases que são mais propícias para dar determinados passos na nossa vida, daí que seja muito importante aprender a tomar decisões cedo. Para tomar decisões sóbrias é fundamental saber-se exatamente aquilo que queremos. Se tudo isso está indefinido e não conseguimos postular uma ideia de futuro para nós será muito mais difícil tomar qualquer tipo de decisão importante. Um outro aspecto a ter em conta é o de que as principais decisões são guiadas pela razão, isto é os nossos sentimentos têm de estar ao serviço dos nossos valores e nunca o contrário. *3.Se não te imaginas a casar com a pessoa com quem estás, termina o relacionamento.* Deixar a porta aberta num relacionamento de forma indefinida é algo que vai produzir instabilidade no longo prazo. É óbvio que para muitas pessoas o casamento é “apenas um papel” e portanto não vêm a real utilidade em se casar. Contudo, e de forma não surpreendente, notamos que os casais que têm na sua vida uma visão sobrenatural do casamento tendem a perdurar. Digamos que a cola que é usada para unir as pessoas é de um outro calibre, enquanto que a cola usada por aqueles que não têm Deus nas suas vidas está muito mais sujeita à volatilidade do tempo, dos apetites individuais e do relativismo. *4.Assume a responsabilidade pelos teus erros sem te deixar levar pelo vitimismo.* A cultura atual, influenciada de forma determinante pela filosofia marxista, está permanentemente a postular divisões de poder na sociedade que pressupõe duas categorias principais a de oprimido e opressor. Esta ideologia apoiada no revisionismo histórico e numa pedagogia social falaciosa incute desde cedo na população a ideia de que em algum momento, tendo ou não pertencido a uma minoria, somos vítimas. Vemos vários exemplos e derivações desta doutrina quando tocamos em temas como o feminismo, o racismo e outros ismos que se focam apenas nesta divisão dicotómica oprimido e opressor. Esta narrativa esquece que a hierarquia é uma organização natural que define aptidões diferenciadas e consequentemente vocações diferentes. Um outro aspecto que também é esquecido é o livre arbítrio, isto é, a ideia de que as pessoas têm poder de decisão e que muitas vezes podem ser coniventes e partes atuantes no sistema em que participam. Quer isto dizer que individualmente cada um de nós, havendo discernimento, tem escolha e portanto é muito mais produtivo focar a nossa atenção nesse aspecto do que em qualquer tipo de desigualdade que possa existir. A igualdade de circunstâncias para todas as pessoas é uma utopia, a única igualdade que existe é da essência humana. O caminho para escapar ao vitimismo será sempre o da responsabilidade individual e da gratidão apesar das circunstâncias adversas que possamos estar a viver. *5.Foca-te primeiro no que te é mais próximo antes do mundo* Por vezes, inspirados por uma soberba intelectual que agora é típica da juventude vemo-nos a fazer o papel de ativistas em determinadas causas, algumas nobres outras nem tanto. Acontece que este ativismo é frequentemente uma ato postiço, uma pose que usamos como forma de sinalizar a nossa virtude perante os nossos pares. Onde se percebem os pés de barro é quando notamos que diante das pessoas que nos são mais próximas não temos o mesmo zelo que apresentamos quando estamos a debater as grandes questões do mundo. Há que ser zeloso com quem nos rodeia e os problemas mais urgentes para resolver, e aqueles em que a nossa intervenção é de facto mais necessária, são os que nos são mais próximos. *6.Dizer a verdade* A corrupção moral funciona de forma gradual, vai de menos a mais, começamos com uma coisa pequena até chegarmos a algo maior. Quando somos mais novos vamos experimentando a corrupção através do exercício da mentira em pequenas coisas e gradualmente vamos avançando para as coisas maiores. Alguns de nós resistem à mentira, facilmente se entende que não desejamos que os outros nos mintam no entanto, se o repetimos muitas vezes facilmente a banalizamos. A mentira é uma tentativa de esquivar a responsabilidade pelas nossas ações ou opiniões, uma tentativa de fuga ás consequências. Contudo, importa perceber que inevitavelmente vamos sempre confrontar-nos com as consequências sejam quais forem as circunstâncias. Se não as experimentamos pela espada dos outros será pela nossa própria espada quando finalmente percebermos que não há harmonia entre o pensamento e a ação, que dizemos uma coisa mas fazemos outra, que a nossa identidade é também ela uma ficção. O exercício da verdade será a única via para nos aproximarmos de uma existência mais harmoniosa e autêntica, a única forma de estabelecer uma relação genuína com os outros. *7.Decisões inspiradas pela coragem e menos pelo medo* As nossas decisões têm frequentemente como força motriz o medo. O medo da rejeição impede-nos de ir falar com aquela pessoa de quem gostamos, o medo do juízo social impede-nos de proferir a nossa opinião em determinado assunto, o medo da morte leva-nos a ter comportamentos obsessivos com a nossa saúde; enfim, são muitas as situações em que as nossas decisões são pautadas pelo medo. É importante que cada vez mais, o medo não seja o factor definidor da nossa decisão. A coragem, temperada pela prudência, devem ser os grandes arquitetos da nossa decisão. Aquilo que é bom no sentido mais profundo é o que devemos seguir, independentemente de sentirmos medo. *8.Ninguém é obrigado a gostar de nós, ninguém nos deve nada* O ressentimento e mágoa leva-nos por vezes a tratar os outros como se eles nos devessem algo, como se fosse impensável não nos reconhecerem como aprazíveis aos seus olhos ou justos. Isto é uma forma subtil do orgulho se expressar, porque mais uma vez nos colocamos na posição de vítima e assim, julgamos que os outros nos deveriam reconhecer como virtuosos de alguma forma. Pois bem, apesar dos outros, tal como nós, terem deveres e poderem fazer menção honrosa da nossa existência não devemos esperar isso. Esperando isso, acabamos escravizados por essas expectativas porque continuamos à espera que gostem de nós. Desta forma distorcemos também o próprio conceito de amor, que é doar-se sem esperar em troca. Não é que os outros não o possam fazer, podem, o problema está na espera e na exigência. *9.Definir uma matriz moral objetiva* Imbuídos de um espírito relativista estamos muitas vezes sujeitos a uma subjetividade enorme no que diz respeito aos nossos valores. O resultado disto é que inevitavelmente vamos ter uma definição menos clara do bem e do mal. Frequentemente vamos confundir o que é bom ou mau com os nossos desejos, alimentado pelos nossos vícios. Para termos uma visão mais clara da realidade é fundamental sairmos dessa visão subjetiva do valor e sermos capazes de procurar a verdadeira fonte das definições morais. Aqui, há determinadas mensagens sociais que nos confundem os sentidos, nomeadamente aquelas que atestam que tudo são apenas “pontos de vista”, que não há uma “verdade” mas sim várias verdades, e que “neste tempo/cultura/país” a moralidade é outra. São tudo asserções que dificultam esta pesquisa pela verdade e definição moral universal. Neste campo, o ser humano só será capaz de ter mais estabilidade em termos psicológicos aderindo a um sistema de valores imutável, esta é a única forma de basear a sua identidade em princípios mais objetivos. *10.Encontrar um propósito maior para a vida* Santo Agostinho diz-nos o seguinte: - Se não queres sofrer não ames, mas se não amas para que queres viver? Santo Agostinho Por vezes na nossa vida procuramos esquivar-nos do sofrimento e inclusive somos vitimas de um certo ceticismo e embotamento afetivo. Vamos experimentando a traição e a frustração das nossas expectativas e isso vai endurecendo o nosso coração. Em resultado disso, muitas vezes tornamo-nos também mais egoístas, focados na mera satisfação das nossas necessidades e menos nas dos outros. No entanto, isto faz de nós infelizes porque não conseguimos deixar de amar. A solução é encontrar algo maior que nós mesmos para amar, entendendo sempre que a essência do amor é o sacrifício. Encontrar isso é simultaneamente definir um propósito para a vida e daí derivar um significado que nos sustenta até nos momentos mais difíceis. Eventualmente poderei fazer alguma publicação específica expandindo um pouco mais alguns destes conselhos, uma vez que observo que muito mais poderia ter sido dito em cada um deles. Talvez venha a criar mais algumas publicações sobre este tema.

@ 0c503f08:4aed05c7

1. 2024–2029: Shaking the Foundations of the Familiar The late 2020s are poised to be an era of disruption. Picture generative AI moving beyond quirky chatbots and into life-altering domains like healthcare. Machines will detect diseases before symptoms arise, yet courtrooms will brim with lawsuits over their failures. Schools will fracture into stark contrasts—students with access to AI tutors thrive, while others cling to outdated textbooks in underfunded systems. Meanwhile, the renewable energy boom will surpass 40% of global electricity, yet fossil fuel industries will fight tooth and nail to remain relevant. The planet’s turbulence will become undeniable: superstorms batter coastlines, and relentless droughts displace millions, stretching humanitarian efforts thin. Global tensions won’t just simmer—they’ll boil. The U.S. and China will spar over technological dominance, particularly the semiconductor-rich bastion of Taiwan. Africa, with its treasure trove of lithium and cobalt, becomes a battleground for a new wave of exploitation. Amid this upheaval, humanity will glance skyward: NASA’s Artemis III places boots near the Moon’s south pole, igniting a modern-day space race as China counters with a robotic lunar base. 2. 2030–2034: Progress at a Price The early 2030s will feel like a contradiction wrapped in progress. Electric vehicles dominate the roads, but the cobalt mines fueling this transition will leave humanitarian and ecological scars. Global agreements on AI and autonomous drones will emerge, but enforcement will be weak, leading to selective compliance and rising mistrust. In healthcare, CRISPR therapies will eliminate diseases like sickle-cell anemia, offering breakthroughs for those who can afford them. Yet, alongside these marvels, biodiversity quietly collapses: pollinators disappear, destabilizing food systems, even as tech startups commercialize extinct species as novelties. Societal inequalities will take center stage. Aging nations like Japan will lean on empathetic robotic caregivers, while Africa’s youth flood urban slums and migration routes, reshaping the global labor landscape. Quantum computing will spark both innovation and chaos, cracking encryption protocols and triggering a global scramble for security in the digital age. The decade’s sobering reality? Solutions often create new dilemmas, leaving humanity juggling its own ingenuity. 3. 2040–2044: Living on the Edge of Irreversible Change By the 2040s, tipping points will dominate global narratives. Arctic summers without ice will exacerbate warming, while oceans lose their coral, and with them, a quarter of marine biodiversity. Cities respond unevenly: while Dubai thrives with water-harvesting skyscrapers, Miami succumbs to the sea, becoming a decayed relic of resilience undone. Technological advancements blur the line between human and machine. Neural implants will enable the paralyzed to walk but also tether corporate workers to AI copilots monitoring their productivity—and even thoughts. Petrostates crumble under the weight of falling oil demand as solar energy becomes the new global standard. Simultaneously, life-extending drugs create a schism. The wealthy buy decades of youth while intergenerational protests erupt over perceived inequalities. The question dominating the 2040s isn’t whether humans will remake Earth’s systems—it’s who will get to decide how those changes unfold. 4. 2070–2074: A World Divided by Vision The 2070s will be a study in contrasts: miraculous advancements side-by-side with dystopian realities. Coastal cities will either drown or adapt; some will fund floating havens while others abandon their shores entirely. Fusion energy might deliver limitless power, but control over its distribution will spark fears of new monopolies. Mars will no longer be a dream—it’ll be a fragile reality, home to scientists mining ice and debating their sovereignty from Earth. CRISPR’s third generation will bring designer children, creating genetic castes of “Enhanced” and “Natural” humans. Society will grapple with ethical questions that pit faith, science, and social cohesion against one another. Meanwhile, humanity will turn to lab-engineered ecosystems to fix what was broken: bacteria devouring plastic and forests surviving extreme heat. But for every advance, new risks emerge. Rogue biohackers and ecological mishaps will remind us how thin the line between salvation and catastrophe can be. 5. 2124: The Precipice of Destiny A hundred years from now, humanity will either bask in the fruits of collective wisdom—or stumble under the weight of collective greed. In one future, fusion energy ends scarcity, lab-grown organs erase disease, and AI enriches every aspect of life. In another, oligarchs preside over a scorched Earth, their wealth insulating them from the dystopia their greed perpetuated. Probes might finally reach Alpha Centauri, yet their silence will leave humanity debating our place in the cosmos. On Earth, the melding of languages and cultures will reshape identities, while virtual reality becomes a spiritual medium for connecting with ancestors or digital gods. The climate’s fate will echo the choices of the 21st century. If restraint and innovation prevailed, the planet will stabilize. If hubris ruled, untested geoengineering will leave scars we can never undo. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/892381

@ a2eddb26:e2868a80

In personal finance, the principles of financial independence and time sovereignty (FITS) empower individuals to escape the debt-based cycle that forces them into perpetual work. What if companies could apply the same principles? What if businesses, instead of succumbing to the relentless push for infinite growth, could optimize for real demand? This case study of the GPU industry aims to show that fiat-driven incentives distort technological progress and imagines an alternative future built on sound money. ### **Fiat Business: Growth or Death** Tech companies no longer optimize for efficiency, longevity, or real user needs. Instead, under a fiat system, they are forced into a perpetual growth model. If NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel fail to show revenue expansion, their stock price tanks. Let's take NVIDIA's GPUs as an example. The result is predictable: - GPUs that nobody actually needs but everyone is told to buy. - A focus on artificial benchmarks instead of real-world performance stability. - Endless FPS increases that mean nothing for 99% of users. The RTX 5090 is not for gamers. It is for NVIDIA’s quarterly earnings. This is not a surprise on a fiat standard. ### **Fiat Marketing: The Illusion of Need and the Refresh Rate Trap** Benchmarks confirm that once a GPU maintains 120+ FPS in worst-case scenarios, additional performance gains become irrelevant for most players. This level of capability was reached years ago. The problem is that efficiency does not sell as easily as bigger numbers. &#x20;This extends beyond raw GPU power and into the display market, where increasing refresh rates and resolutions are marketed as critical upgrades, despite diminishing real-world benefits for most users. While refresh rates above 120Hz may offer marginal improvements for competitive esports players, the average user sees little benefit beyond a certain threshold. Similarly, 8K resolutions are pushed as the next frontier, even though 4K remains underutilized due to game optimization and hardware constraints. This is why GPUs keep getting bigger, hotter, and more expensive, even when most gamers would be fine with a card from five years ago. It is why every generation brings another “must-have” feature, regardless of whether it impacts real-world performance.&#x20; Marketing under fiat operates on the principle of making people think they need something they do not. The fiat standard does not just distort capital allocation. It manufactures demand by exaggerating the importance of specifications that most users do not truly need. The goal is not technological progress but sales volume. True innovation would focus on meaningful performance gains that align with actual gaming demands, such as improving latency, frame-time consistency, and efficient power consumption. Instead, marketing convinces consumers they need unnecessary upgrades, driving them into endless hardware cycles that favor stock prices over user experience. They need the next-gen cycle to maintain high margins. The hardware is no longer designed for users. It is designed for shareholders. A company operating on sound money would not rely on deceptive marketing cycles. It would align product development with real user needs instead of forcing artificial demand. ### **The Shift to AI** For years, GPUs were optimized for gaming. Then AI changed everything. OpenAI, Google, and Stability AI now outbid consumers for GPUs. The 4090 became impossible to find, not because of gamers, but because AI labs were hoarding them. The same companies that depended on the consumer upgrade cycle now see their real profits coming from data centers. Yet, they still push gaming hardware aggressively. However, legitimate areas for improvement do exist. While marketing exaggerates the need for higher FPS at extreme resolutions, real gaming performance should focus on frame stability, low latency, and efficient rendering techniques. These are the areas where actual innovation should be happening. Instead, the industry prioritizes artificial performance milestones to create the illusion of progress, rather than refining and optimizing for the gaming experience itself. Why? ### **Gamers Fund the R&D for AI and Bear the Cost of Scalping** NVIDIA still needs gamers, but not in the way most think. The gaming market provides steady revenue, but it is no longer the priority. With production capacity shifting toward AI and industrial clients, fewer GPUs are available for gamers. This reduced supply has led to rampant scalping, where resellers exploit scarcity to drive up prices beyond reasonable levels. Instead of addressing the issue, NVIDIA benefits from the inflated demand and price perception, creating an even stronger case for prioritizing enterprise sales. Gaming revenue subsidizes AI research. The more RTX cards they sell, the more they justify pouring resources into data-center GPUs like the H100, which generate significantly higher margins than gaming hardware. AI dictates the future of GPUs. If NVIDIA and AMD produced dedicated gamer-specific GPUs in higher volumes, they could serve that market at lower prices. But in the fiat-driven world of stockholder demands, maintaining artificially constrained supply ensures maximum profitability. Gamers are left paying inflated prices for hardware that is no longer built with them as the primary customer. That is why GPU prices keep climbing. Gamers are no longer the main customer. They are a liquidity pool. ### **The Financial Reality** The financial reports confirm this shift: **NVIDIA’s 2024 fiscal year** saw a 126% revenue increase, reaching \$60.9 billion. The data center segment alone grew 217%, generating \$47.5 billion. ([Source](https://investor.nvidia.com/news/press-release-details/2024/NVIDIA-Announces-Financial-Results-for-Fourth-Quarter-and-Fiscal-2024/)) The numbers make it clear. The real money is in AI and data centers, not gaming. NVIDIA has not only shifted its focus away from gamers but has also engaged in financial engineering to maintain its dominance. The company has consistently engaged in substantial stock buybacks, a hallmark of fiat-driven financial practices. In August 2023, NVIDIA announced a \$25 billion share repurchase program, surprising some investors given the stock's significant rise that year. ([Source](https://www.reuters.com/technology/nvidias-25-billion-buyback-a-head-scratcher-some-shareholders-2023-08-25/)) This was followed by an additional \$50 billion buyback authorization in 2024, bringing the total to \$75 billion over two years. ([Source](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/nvidias-stock-buyback-plan-is-one-of-the-biggest-of-2024-is-that-a-good-thing-9beba5c5)) These buybacks are designed to return capital to shareholders and can enhance earnings per share by reducing the number of outstanding shares. However, they also reflect a focus on short-term stock price appreciation rather than long-term value creation. Instead of using capital for product innovation, NVIDIA directs it toward inflating stock value, ultimately reducing its long-term resilience and innovation potential. In addition to shifting production away from consumer GPUs, NVIDIA has also enabled AI firms to use its chips as collateral to secure massive loans. Lambda, an AI cloud provider, secured a \$500 million loan backed by NVIDIA's H200 and Blackwell AI chips, with financing provided by Macquarie Group and Industrial Development Funding. ([Source](https://www.reuters.com/technology/lambda-secures-500-mln-loan-with-nvidia-chips-collateral-2024-04-04/)) This practice mirrors the way Bitcoin miners have used mining hardware as collateral, expecting continuous high returns to justify the debt. GPUs are fast-depreciating assets that lose value rapidly as new generations replace them. Collateralizing loans with such hardware is a high-risk strategy that depends on continued AI demand to justify the debt. AI firms borrowing against them are placing a leveraged bet on demand staying high. If AI market conditions shift or next-generation chips render current hardware obsolete, the collateral value could collapse, leading to cascading loan defaults and liquidations. This is not a sound-money approach to business. It is fiat-style quicksand financialization, where loans are built on assets with a limited shelf life. Instead of focusing on sustainable capital allocation, firms are leveraging their future on rapid turnover cycles. This further shifts resources away from gamers, reinforcing the trend where NVIDIA prioritizes high-margin AI sales over its original gaming audience.&#x20; At the same time, NVIDIA has been accused of leveraging anti-competitive tactics to maintain its market dominance. The GeForce Partner Program (GPP) launched in 2018 sought to lock hardware partners into exclusive deals with NVIDIA, restricting consumer choice and marginalizing AMD. Following industry backlash, the program was canceled. ([Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeForce_Partner_Program))&#x20; NVIDIA is not merely responding to market demand but shaping it through artificial constraints, financialization, and monopolistic control. The result is an industry where consumers face higher prices, limited options, and fewer true innovations as companies prioritize financial games over engineering excellence. On this basis, short-term downturns fueled by stock buybacks and leveraged bets create instability, leading to key staff layoffs. This forces employees into survival mode rather than fostering long-term innovation and career growth. Instead of building resilient, forward-looking teams, companies trapped in fiat incentives prioritize temporary financial engineering over actual product and market development. ### **A Sound Money Alternative: Aligning Incentives** Under a sound money system, consumers would become more mindful of purchases as prices naturally decline over time. This would force businesses to prioritize real value creation instead of relying on artificial scarcity and marketing hype. Companies would need to align their strategies with long-term customer satisfaction and sustainable engineering instead of driving demand through planned obsolescence. Imagine an orange-pilled CEO at NVIDIA. Instead of chasing infinite growth, they persuade the board to pivot toward sustainability and long-term value creation. The company abandons artificial product cycles, prioritizing efficiency, durability, and cost-effectiveness. Gaming GPUs are designed to last a decade, not three years. The model shifts to modular upgrades instead of full replacements. Pricing aligns with real user needs, not speculative stock market gains. Investors initially panic. The stock takes a temporary hit, but as consumers realize they no longer need to upgrade constantly, brand loyalty strengthens. Demand stabilizes, reducing volatility in production and supply chains. Gamers benefit from high-quality products that do not degrade artificially. AI buyers still access high-performance chips but at fair market prices, no longer subsidized by forced consumer churn. This is not an abstract vision. Businesses could collateralize loans with Bitcoin. Companies could also leverage highly sought-after end products that maintain long-term value. Instead of stock buybacks or anti-competitive practices, companies would focus on building genuine, long-term value. A future where Bitcoin-backed reserves replace fiat-driven financial engineering would stabilize capital allocation, preventing endless boom-bust cycles. This shift would eliminate the speculative nature of AI-backed loans, fostering financial stability for both borrowers and lenders. Sound money leads to sound business. When capital allocation is driven by real value rather than debt-fueled expansion, industries focus on sustainable innovation rather than wasteful iteration. ### **Reclaiming Time Sovereignty for Companies** The fiat system forces corporations into unsustainable growth cycles. Companies that embrace financial independence and time sovereignty can escape this trap and focus on long-term value. GPU development illustrates this distortion. The RTX 3080 met nearly all gaming needs, yet manufacturers push unnecessary performance gains to fuel stock prices rather than improve usability. GPUs are no longer designed for gamers but for AI and enterprise clients, shifting NVIDIA’s priorities toward financial engineering over real innovation. This cycle of GPU inflation stems from fiat-driven incentives—growth for the sake of stock performance rather than actual demand. Under a sound money standard, companies would build durable products, prioritizing efficiency over forced obsolescence. Just as individuals can reclaim financial sovereignty, businesses can do the same. Embracing sound money fosters sustainable business strategies, where technology serves real needs instead of short-term speculation. #Bitcoin #FITS #Marketing #TimeSovereignty #BitcoinFixesThis #OptOut #EngineeringNotFinance #SoundBusiness

@ 4d41a7cb:7d3633cc

I just deleted my Twitter account forever. I've never done this because I wanted to take the time to extract the most value from my feed—all my shared thoughts and most of my favorite ideas from the past 5 years. As crazy as it sounds, this powerful information helped shape my thoughts and helped me become the person I am today in some way. I think there’s a lot of value there, and I want to keep that value, not to trust any third party or clown like Elon with it, who could just decide to delete it or restrain my access to it, like I found they did many times, like in the following examples: I don't remember what those posts were referring to, but for some reason I found them valuable; maybe I saved them, maybe I didn't, but **the fact that someone can decide for me makes me mad**. Nobody should have the power to decide what can be said and what cannot be said, because this is the root of **mental slavery**: restricting your access to information and understanding. I believe all bitcoiners should extract their value from Twitter and bring it to Nostr (or save it for them at least) because that is real sovereignty. I know as well as you know that we were (and still are) trapped in a Twitter bubble. Our opinions, thoughts, and ideas don't reach the masses, and they’ll never do so inside this kind of controlled ecosystem. So if we are going to keep screaming inside of a bubble, let’s at least do it in our own bubble (insert Nostr), where at least we know it's going to stay there, without a single point of failure, without permission required, and without demonetization risks, PUTTING OUR TIME AND ENERGY WHERE OUR MOUTH, VALUES AND MONEY ARE. I also want to express my gratitude to all the truth seekers, Austrian economics students, bitcoiners, anarchists, and even shitcoiners who have shared their thoughts with me on Twitter over the past years. I’ve learned so much from you about what I should and should not do! Your insights played a crucial role in **helping me broaden my awareness** and transform into the best version of myself. Of course that was just the seed; even one post could have been the reason I ended up listening to XYC podcasts or reading XYC books that changed my life for the better. *Imagine how powerful that is, and how dangerous if someone could restrict it.* **In 2020 I truly realized the clown world we're living in.** From there I've spent the last five years researching and studying history. I have read hundreds of books and articles to discover that everything that happens in the world is by design. Here’s a list of 9 things I learned over the past five years: 1. ***Slavery was never abolished*** **The power structures have been using control over information and control over money as tools to enslave humanity for thousands of years.** Religious institutions, monarchies, governments, and banks had kept this power for themselves and have exploited it to enslave humankind. Governments are tax farms for corporations. Central bankers, who are their creditors, control the bankrupt governments. These private institutions are responsible for most of the evils of our modern society because they destroyed the incentive structure of capitalism (in fact, they are part of the communist manifesto); they provided the funding for wars, fake studies about nutrition, indoctrination, demoralization, etc. *Modern slavery is working for a currency that someone else can just create out of thin air without effort or energy.* The ultimate form of slavery is to need permission from an “authority” to commerce and to do it under its terms and conditions.**Control over the mediums of exchange** gave the power structure **complete control over commerce**. Bitcoin freed us from the control over money. That’s why bitcoin is permissionless. But **without your voluntary compliance, none of this would be possible; that's why they invest billions of dollars to manipulate your mind, mold your beliefs, and program you to comply and follow their lead.** They know they cannot force 8 billion humans to go ahead with their game; they need to make us believe in it so we voluntarily play. 2. ***Slavery starts in your mind*** It all starts with governing your mind (govern-ment) and convincing you that you should use this XYC currency, pay taxes, and **obey these laws because that’s the “right thing”** (or how things are supposed to be) when **the opposite is true.** This broke corporation (government) has ‘the legal power’ to use violence against you if you refuse to comply. This is not moral; this is slavery. If you have a basic understanding of morality, you’ll soon discover that the right thing to do is to oppose slavery and wrongdoings…Surprise! The whole system is wrong, based on lies, sustained by crime, and pushing slavery worldwide. *Prisons are mental, so free your mind.* Our mind is our biggest tool, and our mindset is our biggest asset, so we should be very careful about what information we feed our minds and be more mindful and intentional about it. As long as you don't want to be an NPC and you want to be a player, of course… 3. ***We are the masters of our own reality*** Every action we take is a vote for the life we want to live. For every action, there's a reaction, and in our lives, this is no different. **Every day, our beliefs shape our reality through the decisions we make.** This is how it works: our beliefs define our thoughts, our thoughts define our emotions, and our emotions define our actions. Finally, our actions define our realities. That's why it's so important to know **where our beliefs and ideas come from.** In most cases, they used to come from schools, universities, families, communities, and the mainstream media. These days, they primarily originate from algorithms, which will be discussed in more detail shortly. And you know what? Most of them are wrong! That's why the world is in this situation. - **Positive, nourishing, empowering, and educational algorithms = better state of mind, better emotions, better actions, better results = order** - **Negative, demoralizing, victimizing, and indoctrinating algorithms create confusion, lack of sense, fear, insecurities, and wrong decisions = chaos.** 4. ***There are two types of individuals: Creators vs parasites*** In 2023 I published my book ‘The Great Parasite; the international banks their plans and methods’ were i tell the story of central banks, their war with the funding fathers of the US, how they ended up taking over and what their plan for global domination. The great parasite is obviously the banking system, since it creates currency out of thin air and demand us to pay back plus interest, banks end up getting the wealth of their clients (including nation states) for free. This is crazy, legalized theft and modern slavery. I also discovered that there are two types of individuals: > *The creator stands firm in his convictions, the parasite follows the opinions of others.* \*&gt; *The creator thinks the parasite copies.* \*&gt; *The creator produces the parasite plunders.* > ***The creator's interest is the conquest of nature, the parasite's is the conquest of man.*** \*&gt; *The creator requires independence, neither serves nor rules, he treats men with free exchange and voluntary choice.* \*&gt; *The parasite seeks power, wishes to bind all men to act together and enslave themselves. The parasite claims that man is only a tool to be used, that he must think like his fellows and act like them and live in servitude to collective needs regardless of his own.* \*&gt; *Look at history, all that we have, **all the great achievements, have come from the independent work of independent minds,** and all the horrors and destruction of attempts to force mankind to become robots, without brains and without souls, without personal rights, without personal ambition, without will, hope or dignity come from parasites.* \*&gt; *It is an ancient conflict, it has another name, the individual versus the collective.* I believe there are **two types of individuals: reactive and proactive, parasites and creators.** Unfortunalty most human beings are reactive and acting as parasites. We are trained to obey and always take the default option. The second group does not conform with the status quo and looks for non-traditional ways of doing things. They create their own opportunities and change the things they don't like. This group is always smaller, but it is the only one capable of changing the world. **Think of the founding fathers** and how they fought for their freedom! And most recently , cyberpunks! Thanks God for the cyberpunks! The existence of this type of people is the reason why I have hope, and I see a better future is possible if we work to build it. 5. ***The end of the central bank's era: Bitcoin or slavery.*** *Opt out; escape the slave money* Almost two decades ago, Bitcoin was just **an idea in the mind of some cyberpunks:** digital cash, digital physical money, a system outside of the system, far from governments and banks control, decentralized, unstoppable, limited, and based on cryptography. Now it’s the **13th biggest currency by market cap, and it’s on its way to eating up a significant percentage of global wealth because it is more than a currency or just another form of money.** *Bitcoin heralds the end of the central bank era, which we can also define as the end of economic slavery. We should understand bitcoin as a solution to a problem; that problem is central banks.* Bitcoin is private property you can really own, which gives the power back to the people. Indeed, it is the sole instrument available to safeguard our unalienable right to private property. THIS IS KEY to survive the great wealth confiscation that is coming. What they call ’The great reset’; “You will own nothing and be happy”. If you stop to think about it, you don't really own anything beyond your body, mind, and soul. **Your thoughts and opinions are also part of your mind.** Your house? If you have to pay to keep it, it is not yours! Your car? Are you referring to the vehicle for which you require authorization to drive or risk its confiscation? What about your stocks and bonds? You don't even have a title to the property. Remember NFTs? Well, this is even worse; you barely even have exposure to the price if bankers let you benefit from it. These individuals have the power to alter the regulations at any given time. They can stop you from accessing your balances in bank accounts (Canadian truckers); they can stop you from buying a hot stock to make a quick buck (shutting down the buy button on Game Stop Inc). BUT YOU CAN REALLY OWN BITCOIN AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION IF YOU DECIDE TOO! There are no excuses for those willing to fight for freedom; **if it’s not Bitcoin/Nostr-related, it's just noise for me**.vBitcoin is a a financial intelligence test, the fact that only a few get it (Bitcoin maxis) shows how financially retarded most people are. And this is, of course, by design. **Honest money, private property, free markets, and free speech are the three fundamental pillars for a free society.** All of them require honest and moral individuals, of course, and a system fair enough to not incentivize crime and dishonest transactions. 6. ***The end of mind control: Nostr or slavery*** *Opt out of Slave social media platforms* What a journey, guys! How far we came! I remember back in the day fantasizing about the idea of having this “decentralized Twitter,” and now we have something 1000 times bigger, *a decentralized, unstoppable protocol to share information that uses the hardest money ever invented as its native medium of exchange and unit of account.* I am not a technical guy so I had obviously no idea of what I was talking about. But I know we have Nostr now and I understand that Nostr and lighting are good friends. So that makes me happy. Twitter sucks; the algorithm feeds you garbage. It’s full of bots and people trying to scam you. It’s filled with shadow banning; it is not censorship resistant; there’s a lot of noise and retards. The XRP guys being paid to promote the scam, the million of bots and asian women asking how your trading is going, is disgusting. Twitter is communist, and they are trying to turn it into a communist super app. Don’t let Master Elon determine your future and the reach of your voice. Be sovereign; own your data join Nostr. If you keep voting for Twitter, you are still voting for your own enslavement. If you believe in your position, focus on Nostr and bring important audience members with you. Have some self-respect. Nostr is waiting for us (sane and normal people) with common sense and plans for the future. Those who create value and plan to have healthy families as it should be. With **free speech and hard money**, we are forming our own free market, totally independent from the censored clown world, but its growth and development depend on the decisions of each one of us. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE YOUR INDIVIDUAL POWER, BECAUSE THAT’S HOW OUR COLLECTIVE POWER GROWS. If you believe Elon is not a part of the establishment, your pineal gland remains calcified. Fuck Twitter and Elon, fuck the IMF plantation, the Federal Reserve, the UN, the WEF, and every global communist organization out there trying to micromanage the economy and control your life. Fuck censorship and communism. Long live private property and free speech. Long live Bitcoin and Nostr! 7. **The New world order is real** The powers that run the world (banksters) are executing a long-planned playbook: a global cashless society with a surveillance system (global communism and tyranny). And history shows they are willing to do what’s necessary to advance in their agenda: a New World Order. If you google this term, the first thing it will pump is “The New World Order Conspiracy theory”. For those who continue to perceive this as a 'conspiracy theory,' let me inform you that it is not. It is not a theory but a REAL conspiracy. The agenda is simple: World government, world currency and world taxes. This is only posible with a global digital credit system and mass surveillance. Cash has to be completely eradicated and they are going step by step. Agenda 2030, The Great Reset, Climate change, Build back better, Stakeholder capitalism and many other key names are used to describe this agenda. This plan is the antithesis of human rights, freedoms, health, family, and happiness. Since all fiat currencies will eventually end up losing all their value, and since public debts are mathematically imposible to repay (governments are bankrupt) banks are planing a transition to a world government directed by the United Nations and it’s global agendas. Past agendas like agenda 21 and agenda 2030 have already failed so now they are pushing for the [“**Pact for the Future” where world leaders pledge action for “peace and sustainable development.**](https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154671) *“He who controls the **food supply** controls the people; he who controls the **energy** can control whole continents; who controls **money** can control the world”* *Henry Kissinger (1923-2023)* If you google this quote ‘fact checkers’ will say is fake, but it is not. Even if it was, the statement is true, and their agenda is that: control, control, control. That what parasites want to do. Their goal is simple: Keep their control positions of power and prevent slaves from planing a rebellion. So they need. - Have absolute control over the information flow, to prevent the population from understanding what really going on. Absolute censorship. - Distractions. Bread and circus. Fake leaders acting as hero’s for the cameras but working for the conspirators behind the scenes. Video game and virtual reality in better and accesible technological devices. Fake or artificial events in the news to keep us distracted and looking the other way while they advance in their agenda. - Cheap credit, UBIs and nominal negative interest rates for the mass unemployment that the IA deflation + financial crisis will crate. This is necessary to prolong the agony of the fiat system and prolong its collapse. - Eradicate a big percentage of the populations and weakened it to prevent a rebellion. Poisoning the food, water, air, products, vaccines, drugs, etc. - Destroy the family unit to debilitate society (Pushing LGTBQ + trans, etc, etc), the porn industry, contraceptives, etc. - Reduce the levels of testosterone to kill the masculine active energy. This and many other horrible things are on their plans and many are already being executed before our eyes, even if you see them of not. The sooner you realize and start taking action the better. 8. **We are in a transition phase marked by chaos** *New world disorder* This transition period we are going through is full of chaos. We have people doing the right thing for the wrong reasons, and then we have people doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. There are **only a few who can really see what’s going on** behind the surface. This is complete chaos. That’s why we need the active participation of most of us in order to **bring light, share the truth**, and acknowledge the darkness outside while **focusing on what we can control** inside in order to build the change we want to see in this world. Shitcoins and memecoins are a great proof of the chaos phase we are going through. It’s easy to spot that the majority have no idea what’s going on. What’s happening is the same as what has been happening since financial markets exist (rug pulls, scams, pumps, and dumps); the only difference is that now everyone can do it (it has been democratized). Even presidents are participating; recently Trump, now Milei it’s all a big shitshow. *The nature of ‘capitalism’ nowadays is that everyone scams everyone, and whoever scams the most ultimately wins. Under this basis, central banks are the winners. But bitcoin is changing this.* This is going to be a short transition because the market is already saturated and the scam is almost evident by this point. Only a few speculators and idiot investors keep falling for it. 9. ***Taking responsibility*** **We are held captive by both our ignorance and our monetary system.** Our monetary system is more than our currency; it is our government, our commercial laws, our titles of property, our products, and so on. Almost everything in our modern world is somehow integrated with the monetary system. **It's our responsibility to take skin in the game** and find out what the facts are. Nobody is going to do it for us  If we build our beliefs and thoughts based on the facts and testimonies of people with **real life experience**, we will be prepared to make better decisions and build a better future for ourselves and our families. **It is very important to have a community aligned under the same set of values and principles. Creating a group of strong sovereign individuals,** capable of helping to **build a better future for ourselves and our families.** The only way to do this is by **working together and pooling our knowledge, skills and resources.** **With Bitcoin good information and good people nothing can stop us.** Bringing light and understanding on this is the first step; choosing alternatives built on a bitcoin standard is the second. We understand that **money is energy,** and every purchase we make is a vote, either for creators or for parasites. We are either voting for a 1984-type of society or for a 1776-type of revolution. Unfortunately, the majority is voting for their own slavery. The good news is that we don’t need a majority; **we need a strong minority…** *A minority focused on creating a critical mass of individuals.* ***A minority focused on generating cheap and sustainable energy.*** ***A minority focused on protecting the farmers.*** *A minority using Bitcoin as a store/measure of value and medium of exchange.* *A minority creating circular economies, eliminating unnecessary intermediaries, and encouraging local production, sovereignty, and sustainability.* *A minority using technology to liberate society and prevent it from being enslaved by globalists in a dystopian reality.* *A minority having strong and healthy kids and families.* *A minority focused on creating beneficial educational resources.* *Governments can be broke, but that doesn't mean that we are or should be too. WE ARE NOT OUR GOVERNMENTS.* Money changers, using their legal and monetary tricks, have been robbing us of our wealth for centuries just like parasites, but not anymore. **It’s our time**; **we, the creators, have the power, so let's prove it.** Live free or die trying!

@ 000002de:c05780a7

> The argument for liberty is not an argument against organization, which is one of the most powerful tools human reason can employ, but an argument against all exclusive, privileged, monopolistic organization, against the use of coercion to prevent others from doing better. ~ Friedrich August von Hayek, The Constitution of Liberty originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/892255

@ e5de992e:4a95ef85

**The Illusion of Opportunity** A trader who focuses primarily on "making money" will often see opportunities that do not truly exist. This mindset leads to impulsive decision-making, overtrading, and unnecessary risk exposure. Successful trading is not about chasing profits but about executing a well-structured process that leads to consistent, sustainable results over time. Traders who prioritize money over process often fall into the trap of forcing trades that do not meet their criteria. They see potential where the market does not support a trade, leading to poor risk-reward decisions. This psychological bias creates a cycle of frustration and loss, as each forced trade compounds previous mistakes. **The Shift From Profit to Process** The best traders focus on refining their strategy rather than constantly monitoring their profit and loss (P&L). By shifting attention from financial gain to execution quality, traders develop the discipline required to succeed in various market conditions. **Key Principles to Maintain Focus on Process:** ***Trade Selection***: Every trade must align with a predefined strategy. If a setup does not meet strict criteria, it should be ignored, regardless of perceived opportunity. ***Risk Management***: Prioritizing risk over reward ensures longevity in the market. Traders who focus only on making money often ignore stop-loss discipline, leading to significant drawdowns. ***Emotional Control:*** The desire to profit can cloud judgment, making traders more susceptible to market traps. Avoiding emotional trading requires a structured plan and a mindset that prioritizes long-term consistency. **The Pitfalls of Profit-Driven Trading** When the primary goal is making money rather than executing well-structured trades, several common mistakes emerge: 1. **Overtrading** Traders who are focused on profit often believe that more trades equate to more opportunities. In reality, overtrading leads to higher transaction costs, increased exposure to market noise, and a greater likelihood of errors. Example: A trader sees multiple setups in a choppy market and takes unnecessary trades, resulting in minor losses that accumulate over time. A disciplined trader, in contrast, waits for high-probability setups and executes fewer trades with precision. 2. **Ignoring Market Conditions** Markets move through different phases—trending, ranging, and volatile conditions. A trader fixated on making money may ignore these dynamics and attempt to force trades in an unfavorable environment. Example: A momentum trader who performs well in trending markets struggles when conditions turn choppy. Instead of adjusting their approach or stepping back, they continue to take the same trades, leading to repeated losses. 3. **Chasing Trades** Traders focused on quick profits often enter trades late, fearing they will miss out on a move. This "chasing" behavior results in poor entry points and reduces the overall risk-reward ratio. Example: A stock makes a strong breakout, and a trader jumps in at an overextended price. The stock then retraces, forcing them to exit at a loss. Had they waited for a proper entry, they could have positioned themselves for a lower-risk trade. 4. **Neglecting Risk-Reward Ratios** Traders who prioritize making money tend to focus on potential gains while disregarding downside risks. Without a proper risk-reward framework, a few bad trades can wipe out previous gains. Example: A trader takes multiple high-risk trades aiming for large profits. While some work out, one significant loss erases weeks of gains. A trader who prioritizes risk management would avoid such scenarios by ensuring all trades maintain a favorable risk-reward ratio. **Developing a Sustainable Trading Mindset** To succeed in trading, the mindset must shift from short-term profit to long-term process optimization. This involves creating a structured approach that removes emotional bias and ensures consistency. **Steps to Improve Trading Discipline:** *Follow a Trading Plan* – Define entry and exit rules, risk management parameters, and position sizing. Track and Review Performance – Maintain a trading journal to assess past decisions and identify patterns in behavior. *Limit the Number of Trades* – Focus on quality over quantity to avoid unnecessary exposure and reduce emotional trading. *Develop Patience* – Wait for high-probability setups instead of reacting impulsively to market movements. *Separate Money From Execution* – Judge success based on adherence to a strategy rather than daily profit and loss fluctuations. **Conclusion: Process Over Profit** Traders who focus exclusively on making money often fall into patterns of impulsive decision-making, overtrading, and poor risk management. The key to long-term success lies in developing a structured process that prioritizes disciplined execution over immediate financial gains. By refining strategy, managing risk, and maintaining emotional discipline, traders can build a sustainable approach that leads to consistent profitability. Instead of seeking opportunities everywhere, traders should focus on executing only the best setups, ensuring that every decision aligns with a well-defined plan.

@ 000002de:c05780a7

Are you seeing it? Been oddly quiet for me but I have friends that are seeing people come unglued. Think its hard to sustain that level if outrage. It's not healthy for sure. I was so angry during Covid and realized it wasn't worth it. What's your experience. Not online but IRL. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/892219

@ 4857600b:30b502f4

Mitch McConnell, a senior Republican senator, announced he will not seek reelection. At 83 years old and with health issues, this decision was expected. After seven terms, he leaves a significant legacy in U.S. politics, known for his strategic maneuvering. McConnell stated, “My current term in the Senate will be my last.” His retirement marks the end of an influential political era.

@ 2e8970de:63345c7a

https://lore.kernel.org/rust-for-linux/2025021954-flaccid-pucker-f7d9@gregkh/ > The majority of bugs (quantity, not quality/severity) we have are due to the stupid little corner cases in C that are totally gone in Rust. Things like simple overwrites of memory (not that rust can catch all of these by far), error path cleanups, forgetting to check error values, and use-after-free mistakes. That's why I'm wanting to see Rust get into the kernel, these types of issues just go away, allowing developers and maintainers more time to focus on the REAL bugs that happen (i.e. logic issues, race conditions, etc.) Now that Linus and Greg Kroah-Hartman have spoken out pro Rust changes in Linux it really feels like the ball is rolling. Linux will become a multi language project. With kernel and "hard" os functions in C and more and more attached pieces like many drivers being either C or Rust. Interesting developments. This is for sure a volatile time for the broader Linux community. Previous posts: Linux Kernel Drama about Rust Linux Kernel Drama https://stacker.news/items/879713; Linus coming out in favor of Rust https://stacker.news/items/890358 originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/892141

@ 378562cd:a6fc6773

In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, platforms like Twitter and Facebook have dominated the space for years. They’ve shaped the way we interact, share, and consume information. But as censorship concerns, algorithmic manipulation, and corporate control over data become more apparent, a new contender has emerged—NOSTR (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays). The differences are striking for those who have stepped into the NOSTR ecosystem. Let’s dive into what sets it apart and why it’s more than just another social media platform—**it’s a movement**. ### **Decentralization vs. Corporate Control** The fundamental structure is one of the most noticeable differences between NOSTR and traditional platforms like Twitter or Facebook. Both are owned by massive corporations that dictate what can and cannot be said. They collect data, sell advertisements, and use algorithms to curate what users see. NOSTR, on the other hand, is fully decentralized. No single entity controls the platform, no shadowy moderation teams tweak visibility based on corporate interests, and no risk of being permanently banned by a faceless algorithm. Instead, NOSTR operates on an open protocol, allowing anyone to participate without gatekeepers. Your content is truly yours, and no one can take that away from you. ### **A Different Class of People** Scrolling through Twitter or Facebook often feels like wading through a digital battlefield. Political flame wars, mind-numbing clickbait, and attention-seeking outrage dominate the feeds. While both platforms do have intelligent and well-meaning users, they are drowned out by noise, bots, and engagement-hacking algorithms designed to fuel division. NOSTR, by contrast, attracts a different breed of users—people who value free speech, independent thought, and meaningful conversation. Many of them are builders, thinkers, and pioneers eager to create a better way of interacting online. There’s a noticeable shift in tone; rather than content driven by controversy and outrage, you’ll find people discussing innovation, philosophy, and real-world solutions. Conversations feel more organic, unfiltered, and free from the artificial constraints imposed by big tech algorithms. ### **Similarities Exist But With a Better Foundation** At a glance, using a NOSTR client may seem similar to traditional social media platforms. Users post messages (called ‘notes’), interact with others, and build followings. You can reply, share, and engage much like you would on Twitter. But under the hood, everything operates on a more open, transparent system. Instead of relying on centralized servers controlled by corporations, NOSTR functions through relays—public or private servers that transmit messages. Since there’s no corporate overlord dictating what gets priority in your feed, you see content chronologically and unfiltered. Additionally, identity and reputation are built through cryptographic keys rather than being at the mercy of a username that a platform can seize or shadowban at will. ### **No Ads, No Tracking, No Manipulation** Let’s be honest—traditional social media has become a giant advertisement machine. Everything is optimized to keep you engaged just long enough to serve more ads and collect more data. Your feed isn’t showing you what’s most relevant; it’s showing you what makes the company the most money. NOSTR eliminates this problem entirely. There are no forced ads, no trackers collecting your data, and no algorithm deciding what you should see. Instead, users fund relays or tip content creators directly, creating an ecosystem that values people over profit. ### **For New Users: A Starting Point** If you’re new to NOSTR, welcome! I’m still a beginner myself, but I’ve already seen the potential this platform has to change how we connect online. Getting started can seem overwhelming at first, but there are a few key tools and resources that can help smooth the transition. For a great user-friendly NOSTR client, **Damus** (for iOS) and **Amethyst** (for Android) are excellent places to start. If you prefer a web-based option, **Primal.net** offers a simple and intuitive experience. These platforms make it easy to dive in, start posting, and get a feel for how NOSTR operates. But NOSTR isn’t just about social media—it’s a foundation for something bigger. Developers and innovators are expanding their reach beyond simple note-sharing. Specialized communities and applications are already emerging, including platforms for **photography, recipe sharing, and even swap sites**, all built using the NOSTR framework. The possibilities are growing, and the future looks bright. ### **Final Thoughts** The shift from Twitter or Facebook to NOSTR isn’t just about switching platforms; it’s about embracing a fundamentally better way to communicate online. With decentralization, real freedom of expression, and a community of forward-thinking individuals, NOSTR offers an experience that traditional social media simply cannot match. For those seeking a place where ideas flow freely, where profit-driven algorithms don’t dictate engagement, and where you control your own digital presence, NOSTR is not just an alternative. It’s an upgrade. Let's connect and learn together! npub1x7zk9nfqsjwuuwm5mpdu8eevsnu2kk0ff23fv58p45d50fhuvaeszg44p2 primal.net/Goody

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

We made a minor adjustment to the reply fee, raising it to 2 sats. Lest you think @grayruby is just a greedy SOB (not that he isn't), we are trying to think through how to use some of the territory profits to help support the contests being run by stackers and those extra sats can help with that effort. # How is ~Stacker_Sports doing? The past month has been awesome for us. Of course, that may be related to the NFL playoffs. - Posts: 271, 4th ranked territory - Comments: ***2992, 2nd ranked territory!*** - Stacking: ***193.9k, 2nd ranked territory!*** - Spending: ***300.9k, 2nd ranked territory!*** Top Post: [Super Bowl Discussion Thread](https://stacker.news/items/880943/r/Undisciplined) by @grayruby - 1088 sats/ 109 comments I'm looking forward to another awesome month! originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/891926

@ 8f69ac99:4f92f5fd

Imagine-se numa fila de uma feira de emprego com dois amigos igualmente qualificados, mas provenientes de contextos socioeconómicos diferentes. Um dos amigos, devido às suas circunstâncias económicas, recebe um tratamento preferencial—como um aumento de 10% na pontuação da sua candidatura, como parte de uma política destinada a corrigir desvantagens sistémicas. O outro amigo, apesar de igualmente qualificado, não recebe qualquer vantagem. Quem conseguirá o emprego para o qual ambos estão capacitados? Este cenário destaca o paradoxo no cerne de muitas políticas de justiça social: tratar as pessoas de forma diferente para atingir a igualdade muitas vezes resulta em resultados desiguais, desafiando o princípio de equidade e minando a confiança. Esta tensão entre os objetivos da justiça social e a necessidade de equidade tem moldado debates sobre ações afirmativas, tributação progressiva, programas de bem-estar social e outras políticas destinadas a promover a equidade entre grupos. Embora bem-intencionadas, estas iniciativas podem marginalizar o mérito individual e gerar ressentimento entre aqueles que se sentem injustamente tratados. A tese central deste artigo é que, embora a justiça social tenha como objetivo promover a igualdade, as suas políticas requerem inerentemente um tratamento desigual, o que paradoxalmente arrisca criar novas formas de desigualdade. Este paradoxo destaca os desafios de buscar a equidade através da intervenção estatal. ### O Princípio da Justiça Social As políticas de justiça social frequentemente focam-se em atingir a igualdade de resultados através da intervenção estatal. Por exemplo, a ação afirmativa na educação promove a representação de grupos sub-representados através de medidas como cotas raciais ou tratamento preferencial em processos de admissão universitária. De forma semelhante, a tributação progressiva procura redistribuir riqueza ao impor maiores encargos fiscais a determinados grupos de rendimento. Embora estas políticas visem corrigir desigualdades sistémicas, elas inerentemente requerem tratar as pessoas de forma diferente com base em fatores como raça, rendimento ou condição socioeconómica. Esta discrepância pode criar uma perceção de favoritismo, erodindo a confiança nas instituições e gerando ressentimento entre aqueles que se sentem injustamente prejudicados. Ao dar prioridade à identidade de grupo em detrimento das circunstâncias individuais, estas políticas podem comprometer a equidade e minar a confiança nas instituições, criando percepções de injustiça e ineficiência económica. ### O Problema do Tratamento Desigual Uma das preocupações centrais com as políticas de justiça social é a sua dependência no tratamento desigual para atingir a igualdade de resultados. Embora concebidas para promover a equidade, estas políticas frequentemente conduzem a consequências indesejadas que desafiam a equidade e a coesão social. Por exemplo, as políticas de acção afirmativa têm sido criticadas por enfatizarem a identidade de grupo em detrimento do mérito individual. Isto pode resultar na seleção de candidatos com base em cotas em vez de qualificações, gerando frustração entre aqueles que se sentem preteridos, apesar dos seus esforços ou competências. De forma semelhante, os sistemas de tributação progressiva sobrecarregam desproporcionalmente certos grupos, criando a perceção de penalização injusta. As cotas na educação ou no emprego são particularmente controversas. Ao impor limites ou metas com base na identidade de grupo, estas políticas podem inadvertidamente excluir indivíduos que não se enquadram nos critérios definidos. Esta exclusão muitas vezes gera ressentimento, pois os afetados percebem o sistema como priorizando a equidade para uns em detrimento de outros. Além disso, ao enfatizar a identidade de grupo sobre o mérito individual, as políticas de justiça social podem inadvertidamente enfraquecer incentivos à excelência e à responsabilidade pessoal, gerando impactos negativos na produtividade e na confiança nas instituições. Esta dinâmica pode corroer a responsabilidade e a confiança nas instituições, criando divisões dentro da sociedade. Ao enfatizar a igualdade de resultados sobre a igualdade de oportunidades, tais políticas arriscam consolidar novas formas de desigualdade. ### Estudos de Caso e Exemplos do Mundo Real **Acção Afirmativa na Educação** A política de acção afirmativa da Universidade do Texas em Austin, que considera a raça como um dos factores nas admissões, gerou desafios legais. Críticos argumentaram que a política prejudicava injustamente candidatos igualmente ou mais qualificados que não atendiam aos critérios da política. Embora os tribunais tenham apoiado a política, a controvérsia destaca a tensão entre promover diversidade e preservar o mérito individual. **Programas de Bem-Estar Redistributivo** Nos Estados Unidos, o Crédito Tributário por Rendimento do Trabalho (EITC) visa aliviar a pobreza entre indivíduos de baixos rendimentos. Contudo, disparidades na sua implementação causaram fricções. Por exemplo, estudos mostram variações nos benefícios entre grupos demográficos, deixando alguns com a sensação de tratamento injusto, apesar de circunstâncias financeiras semelhantes. Estes resultados ilustram como políticas redistributivas podem inadvertidamente gerar ressentimento. **Cotas de Diversidade na Contratação** Muitas empresas implementaram cotas de diversidade para aumentar a representação. Contudo, estas medidas frequentemente levantam preocupações sobre equidade. Empregados contratados sob cotas por vezes relatam sentir-se estigmatizados, e outros percebem o sistema como desvalorizando o mérito. Isto mina a moral e a confiança no local de trabalho, como demonstrado em inquéritos que revelam insatisfação com práticas de contratação baseadas em cotas. Os exemplos acima ilustram como políticas desenhadas para promover equidade podem, na prática, comprometer os princípios de justiça e meritocracia, resultando em consequências imprevistas que minam a confiança nas instituições. A dependência generalizada na identidade de grupo, em vez do desempenho individual, arrisca criar divisões e reduzir a confiança nas instituições. ### Crítica Filosófica e Ética A busca pela justiça social levanta dilemas filosóficos e éticos, particularmente no equilíbrio entre igualdade e equidade. Por um lado, a igualdade sugere tratar os indivíduos de forma imparcial, independentemente da identidade. Por outro, atingir a igualdade de resultados frequentemente requer tratamento desigual. Sob uma perspetiva rawlsiana, as políticas redistributivas são justificadas para corrigir desigualdades sistémicas e promover a equidade. Contudo, pensadores libertários como Robert Nozick argumentam que tais intervenções violam os direitos e as liberdades individuais. Para Nozick, a justiça reside na proteção da autonomia e da propriedade pessoal, não na redistribuição de recursos para atingir objetivos coletivos. Ademais, uma énfase excessiva na identidade de grupo pode fomentar uma cultura de vitimização, onde os indivíduos priorizam queixas em detrimento da responsabilidade pessoal. Esta dinâmica pode consolidar divisões, incentivar direitos adquiridos e minar a coesão social. As políticas que promovem a igualdade de resultados podem inadvertidamente criar privilégios para alguns enquanto desfavorecem outros, perpetuando novas formas de desigualdade. Uma abordagem equilibrada deve considerar as implicações éticas das medidas redistributivas, preservando as liberdades individuais e a meritocracia. Ao focar na oportunidade em vez do resultado, as sociedades podem buscar a equidade sem comprometer a autonomia. ### Soluções Alternativas **Investir na Educação** Proporcionar acesso à educação de alta qualidade é uma forma poderosa de nivelar o campo de jogo. Programas que ampliem as oportunidades educacionais para comunidades desfavorecidas podem promover mobilidade social sem depender de tratamentos preferenciais. **Garantir Liberdade Económica** Reduzir barreiras regulatórias e promover mercados livres pode estimular a inovação, o empreendedorismo e a criação de emprego. Ao incentivar a competição, os indivíduos podem prosperar com base nas suas capacidades em vez de depender de intervenções externas. **Aproveitar Sistemas Descentralizados** Tecnologias descentralizadas como o Bitcoin podem empoderar indivíduos ao oferecer inclusão financeira e reduzir a dependência de sistemas estatais. Estas ferramentas proporcionam transparência e autonomia, minimizando oportunidades de favoritismo ou corrupção. **Medidas Práticas** - Bolsas de estudo e subsídios baseados no mérito. - Programas de formação profissional para desenvolver competências de mercado. - Apoio ao empreendedorismo através de financiamento e mentoria. - Reformas para simplificar os sistemas fiscais e regulatórios. Estas soluções priorizam a equidade, o empoderamento individual e a oportunidade, promovendo uma sociedade onde as pessoas prosperem com base no mérito e no esforço. ### Conclusão As políticas de justiça social frequentemente procuram atingir a igualdade através do tratamento desigual, mas esta abordagem pode criar novas formas de desigualdade e divisão. A énfase na identidade de grupo em detrimento do mérito individual arrisca corroer a equidade e a confiança, minando os objetivos que estas políticas procuram atingir. Para alcançar uma sociedade mais justa e sustentável, é essencial focar na igualdade de oportunidades, garantindo que todos tenham acesso aos mesmos recursos e condições para prosperar, sem comprometer a autonomia individual ou distorcer os princípios da meritocracia. Investimentos na educação, liberdade económica e tecnologias descentralizadas oferecem caminhos práticos para empoderar indivíduos e fomentar a meritocracia. Um compromisso com estes princípios pode criar um futuro mais inclusivo e equitativo, onde todos tenham a chance de prosperar com base nos seus próprios esforços e capacidades. _Photo by [Cody Pulliam](https://unsplash.com/@codyaustinpulliam?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/person-holding-brown-cardboard-box-GGKVGSkKIzM?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash)_