@ 85bdb587:7339d672

## Marty's Bent  Since mid-2022 the Fed has been reigning in its balance sheet via a process called quantitative tightening (QT), in which they allow some of the debt assets they hold to come to maturity without reinvesting in them. This leads to a reduction in the Fed's balance sheet and is done to remove the excess liquidity introduced to the markets during the COVID crisis so that inflation can be reeled in. On top of this, the Fed is hoping that the extraordinary measures it took to step in during a time of crisis allowed the banking system to get their houses in order in preparation for a period of relatively tighter liquidity. Ideally, everyone took the time and effort to clean up their balance sheets, properly manage their duration risk, and get themselves on solid footing to move forward without the Fed stepping in to prop up the market. At its peak, the overnight reverse repo facility had around $2.36T of liquidity in the form of debt instruments like treasuries and mortgage backed securities available to banks, money market funds and certain government enterprises. These entities lend the Fed cash for these instruments and get interest back in return. This acts as a mechanism the Fed can leverage to keep short-term rates in line with wherever their targets are at any given point in time. Over the last ~13 quarters the Fed has been slowly but surely letting these markets drain and, as of last Friday, they currently sit at $70.8B. At its current pace the reverse repo facility should be completely drained by the end of next month or beginning of April. The question on everybody's mind is, what happens once the reverse repo markets are empty? The last time the Fed embarked on QT was in October 2017. It drained the reverse repo over the course of a little less than two years before the market was drained and the overnight rates in the market spiked into the low teens in September of 2019. Many don't remember this, but it was a "holy shit" moment that forced the Fed to create new facilities overnight to band aid over the hemorrhaging. Coincidentally, a few months later COVID would overtake the world and the Fed had a convenient excuse to double the monetary base well above $6T. If September 2019 is an example of exactly what happens when the reverse repo market drains, we may be in for a liquidity crunch. However, the Fed is posturing that it has learned its lessons from the 2019 rate spasm and has adjusted some things accordingly to ensure a smoother transition from a state of excess liquidity to a state of significantly less liquidity. Particularly, more control over SOFR and how it interacts with this market. If we reach the point where the reverse repo markets have been successfully drained without a 2019-like spasm, the Fed will then move on to the excess liquidity sitting on the balance sheets of commercial banks and continue their journey to try to reel in inflation. President Trump certainly isn't making the Fed's job easier with promises of lower domestic taxes and the levying of aggressive tariffs, which could both be inflationary. I'm sure Jerome Powell is praying that DOGE continues their swift work and gets the signal out to markets that the US government is committed to getting its fiscal house in order to make treasuries more appealing to the market so that rates can float down. I have no idea exactly what is going to happen, but I have a feeling that a liquidity crunch is on the horizon. It may not be once the reverse repo market is drained. I would not be the least bit surprised if the work the Fed has done behind the scenes to ensure a spasm like we experienced in 2019 doesn't happen is successful. Though, it likely only buys some time and delays the inevitable. As my good friend Parker Lewis likes to say, "There's too much debt and not enough dollars." At some point, QT will hit a point where it cannot be sustained because too many dollars have been pulled out of a system with ever increasing amounts of debt that need to be serviced with dollars. Whether it happens when the reverse repo market is drained or at some point after the Fed starts unwinding the excess liquidity on bank balance sheets isn't really that important. We're getting early warning signs that a liquidity crunch may be near with the mad dash for bringing physical gold into the US, the VIX spiking above 20 earlier today and bitcoin "crashing" toward $90,000. Volatility is increasing at a time when the reverse repo market is almost tapped and the world is a bit uncertain as it tries to figure out the ramifications of Trump's blitzkreig his first month in office. For those scratching their heads about the price of bitcoin falling during a time like this, it is pretty typical. Bitcoin is traded 24/7/365, has a ton of liquidity, and is easy to buy and sell. When markets sense volatility, bitcoin is usually one of the first assets to be sold off as investors try to sure up their cash balances and pay off debts. It is usually the first and quickest to move lower, but also the first and quickest to move higher when the dust has settled. I find it hard to believe that the price of bitcoin will stay down long if it falls considerably. The fundamentals have never been stronger and too many people have been waiting for an opportune buying opportunity to pass it up. The question is how many of those looking for a buying opportunity will have dry powder and be liquid if and when it happens. ## Bitcoin's Institutional Moment: Big Players Are Entering the Game Bitcoin's journey into mainstream financial markets is accelerating. During our conversation last week, Peruvian Bull highlighted several key milestones, including Abu Dhabi's $430 million position in Bitcoin ETFs and regulatory progress with the SEC's SAB 122, which now allows banks to custody Bitcoin. This fundamental shift isn't just about price – it represents a structural change in how traditional financial institutions view Bitcoin as a legitimate asset class. "*This is a massive opportunity for bitcoin companies - go start a custody service and get a bunch of bitcoiners together and teach institutions how to safely custody their bitcoin.*" - [Peruvian Bull](https://x.com/peruvian_bull) As I've observed through our work at Ten31, there's a growing recognition that a Bitcoin treasury strategy makes sense for both public and private companies. We're seeing this with MicroStrategy, Tesla, Bitcoin miners, and potentially GameStop. More importantly, the infrastructure is being built by major institutions like State Street and Citibank to support this adoption. While gold has the established financial plumbing, Bitcoin's institutional rails are being constructed rapidly, setting the stage for the next wave of adoption. TLDR: Major institutions building Bitcoin infrastructure signals mainstream adoption Check out the [full podcast here](https://youtu.be/aHzPTDDPXfU) for more on gold market disruptions, GameStop's potential Bitcoin strategy, and the looming debt crisis that's creating perfect conditions for Bitcoin adoption. ## Headlines of the Day El Salvador Boosts Bitcoin Reserve - via [X](https://x.com/i/trending/1894181975528763539) Jamie Dimon Sold $233.7M in JPM Stock - via [X](https://x.com/MartyBent/status/1894175451209220205) Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming Rejected Bills for SBR - via [X](https://x.com/SimplyBitcoinTV/status/1894071294653604257) ## Bitcoin Lesson of the Day Bitcoin uses cryptographic **keys** to secure **transactions**. A private key, a secret random number, allows you to spend bitcoin, while a public key, derived from the private key, is used to receive bitcoin. The public key is hashed and encoded into a Bitcoin address (e.g., 1A1zP1eP5QGefi2DMPTfTL5SLmv7DivfNa), a shorter, user-friendly string shared to receive funds. Private keys must be kept secure—losing them means losing access to your bitcoin, and anyone with your private key can spend it. Addresses are generated from public keys via hashing (SHA-256 and RIPEMD-160) and include a checksum for error detection. Bitcoin wallets manage these keys, often using seed phrases to recover them. Understanding keys and addresses is fundamental to securely using Bitcoin. [Full Learnmeabitcoin.com post here](https://learnmeabitcoin.com/beginners/guide/keys-addresses/) ICYMI [Fold](https://foldapp.com/credit-card?r=BgwRS) opened the waiting list for the new Bitcoin Rewards Credit Card. Fold cardholders will get unlimited 2% cash back in sats. **[Get on the waiting list](https://foldapp.com/credit-card?r=BgwRS) now before it fills up!** $200k worth of prizes are up for grabs. Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed $150M across 30+ companies through three funds. I am a Managing Partner at Ten31 and am very proud of the work we are doing. Learn more at [ten31.vc/funds](https://ten31.vc/funds).

@ 6a6be47b:3e74e3e1

Hi frens, While drawing this fly 🪰 👇🏻 nostr:nevent1qgsx56ly0wcj7gwasrc7707l9px39g5nzn82p35akhkdqj448e6w8cgqyrrnhgtqqfvcvf007gtxmffrhd8zw5j0t93cuxc3yrykl2dzyp3tvj4hcjx I started thinking about how to make my art stand out. Maybe I should focus on making it more appealing—or at least improving its presentation. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against making my work more consumable, but the marketing side of things takes so much time away from actually creating art. It’s sad that sometimes it feels less about delivering high-quality work and more about turning it into “content.” Honestly, that can be exhausting. Like Fall Out Boy said, “all this effort to make it look effortless.”It’s not really my style to turn my art—or the process of creating it—into content. That’s why I sometimes struggle with crafting or presenting it in a way that fits today’s trends. Sometimes, the pressure to make my art presentable is so overwhelming that it makes me feel like not creating at all. And when it doesn’t yield the kind of recognition or financial support I hope for after all that effort, it can be really disappointing. It’s like watching all that hard work slowly erode my soul. It’s tough to keep going when it feels like my art isn’t being valued in the way I wish it could be. I want to be clear: this isn’t me dissing anyone. You do you, and I’ll do me. As Crowley would say, “Do what thou wilt.” What I’m really trying to figure out is how to find that sweet spot—where I can keep up with the times and make my art more appealing without losing my soul in the process. I’m trying my best, and I know I’ll make mistakes along the way, but I’ll keep going. I just wanted to share these thoughts with you because I’m usually pretty upbeat here—maybe even a little superficial at times—but this is me being _more_ real with you. Art is such a huge part of my life, and through my work, I’m already sharing something raw and personal with you. But now you also know why my presentation might sometimes feel simple or plain. I’m working on finding that balance, and I’ll get there eventually. Godspeed, my frens

@ eaef5965:511d6b79

Another quarter, another update on the global money supply. I remember three years ago yesterday, texting my Ukrainian friends for updates as they fled with their families for safety from Putin's full-scale, unprovoked attack on their country. Three years on, they continue to fight incredibly bravely, for if they do not, there will be no Ukraine. Europe has drip-fed them enough support to not lose, but not enough to win. America now demands repayment for its aid to the victim in the form of mineral rights, and will not recognize the aggressor as the aggressor. The era of Reagan-style, speak softly while carrying a big stick approach to dictators seems no more, for now, from the new US admin. The world order is changing rapidly, and Europe is quickly finding out what the Baltics and Poland have known for 200 years: the threat from the East does not share its values; it is simply uncompromising. As this next round of political theater plays out, and one can only hope for just, lasting peace and security with clear eyes from all democratic allies, the printing presses will do as instructed. But as we look through this update, you will see that we are actually at very low, relative-levels of money printing historically, even slight negative money growth. Bitcoin continues on, and as of 31 December 2024, its **$1.8 trillion market cap was 7.2% of the global monetary base**. That means that the global monetary base, for this update, is $25.5 trillion. ## **Why the global monetary base?** It is the only money supply that is economically analogous to bitcoins, digital store of value today, and to gold and silver ounces, store of values from the past. The monetary base is **central bank money**, comprised of two supplies: 1. **Physical currency**: Notes and coins, or “cash;” 2. **Bank reserves**: The “Master account” that each commercial bank holds with its central bank. Now, why do I refer to this as *Central bank money*? This is because, unlike all other money supplies in the fiduciary banking world (like M1/M2/M3), the Monetary base is the sole and ultimate money supply controlled by the central bank. It is, literally, the printing press. What follows won't be a lesson in reserve ratios or monetary economics. The point is that you simply understand that there is a money supply that central banks solely control, and of course (of course!) this is what Bitcoin's 21 million are up against. The monetary base is to the core of the entire fiat financial system, as 21 million bitcoins are to the core of the Bitcoin protocol. One is open and permissionless, and one is not. By the way, the monetary base is essentially (though not entirely) analogous to the total liabilities of a central bank, so we can (basically) say that the monetary base is the "balance sheet" of each central bank. **On cash**. Quick notes on the above. Certainly you understand what "cash" is, and it is indeed an instrument that has been fully monopolized by each central bank in each nation around the world--only they can print it. Even though it is true that banks in more free banking societies in the past could freely print and strike notes and coins, the central bank (or state) monopoly has been around for a long time. Kublai Khan was the first to do it 750 years ago. **On bank reserves**. Don't stress your brain on this too much, but this is the main "settlement money" that banks use between each other, when they want to settle their debts. It is digital now (Fedwire in US, CHAPS in UK), but it doesn't technically have to be, and of course before modern technology took over even a few decades ago, it was not. These two stacks of retail and wholesale cash, stacks of central bank money, are what make up the **Monetary base**. *This is the printing press*. Only this compares to 21 million bitcoins. And gold, and silver by the way. Final note, central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs, which are simply LARPing on Bitcoin's success, are indeed created by central banks, and they are indeed classified as Base money. They are going to be a "third rail." They are thankfully incredibly small, pilot projects today. We will see how far democracies will be tested, as autocracies no doubt will mainstream them; but for now, consider them, at least economically, to be inconsequential to the update below. It appears that central banks are actually cooling to them, as of this writing. With that review out of the way, onward to Q4 update for 2024. ## **Bitcoin is the 6th largest money in the world** This is unchanged from last quarter. In February 2024, it surpassed the monetary base of the United Kingdom; that is, its value was larger than the Bank of England's balance sheet, and it remains so to this day. As of 31 December 2024, it is only the balance sheets of the big four central banks that are larger than Bitcoin. These currencies are: 1. **Federal Reserve (dollar)**: $5.60 trillion 2. **People's Bank of China (yuan)**: $5.04 trillion equivalent 3. **European Central Bank (euro)**: $4.87 trillion equivalent 4. **Bank of Japan (yen)**: $4.20 trillion equivalent If we remove gold from the equation (and we shouldn't), then Bitcoin could be considered the fifth largest money in the world. Including gold, Bitcoin is the sixth. However, the all-important monetary metal throughout history that even a child knows about--gold--is still king at around **$17 trillion in value**, or 6 billion ounces worldwide. Note, this does not include gold lost/recycled through industry; in that case, it is estimated that about 7 billion ounces of gold have been mined throughout humanity. Silver, for what it's worth, is still a big "monetary" metal; though it is true, much more silver is gobbled up in industry compared to gold. There are about 31 billion ounces of non-industrial silver floating around the world (most of it in jewelry and silverware form) that is valued in today's prices at nearly $1 trillion. Bitcoin bigger. ## **State of the print: $25.5 trillion** This is down $1.5 trillion from last quarter! However, we must also remember that as currencies lose value against the best-looking horse in the glue factory; that is, the dollar, then this dollar value actually "dampens" the effect of the print. More on this below. If we consider **$25.5 trillion as the Big Boss** of central bank money, then Bitcoin at $1.8 trillion network value (December, quarter-end figure) indeed has some way to go. But as anyone who follows Bitcoin for a sustained about of time knows, this can change rapidly. We can also imagine how the Pareto distribution occurs even in money, if Bitcoin after only 15 years is already larger than every central bank money in the world except for four of them. Wild to ponder. ## **All-time supply (monetary) inflation: 12.7% per year compounded** This is a long-term, "smoothed" monetary inflation, or money growth figure. It is looking across all the 50 currencies in my sample, going back to 31 December 1969 for almost 40% of them, and for those that don't, simply adding them into the weighted basket as data becomes available. Roughly stated, it means that central banks on balance double their money supply every 5.8 years. This is a fact. However, this overall rate of increase is indeed declining, and has been since 2022. For example, if we looked at this headline figure from last year ending 2023, it blended to **12.9% all-time, or 0.2% higher than now**. Still, even though central banks have been trying to tighten from their overheated 2020-22 money print, the overall, net effects of money growth **in native fiat units** have not changed significantly. For more detail, we can look at the latest year. ## **Trailing 12-month money growth: -3.0%** What is very interesting, however, and alluded to above, is how all global currencies continue to decline in *relative value against the dollar*. According to the simple, USD-based trendline analysis for all global currencies in the dataset (see below), we should have a $34 trillion monetary base right now, based on past performance. We have a $25.5 trillion monetary base right now. We are actually *lower than the 2.5th percentile* on this trendline. But take note: What you are really seeing is actually *not that much less of money printing* (they have been letting up the gas, to be sure), but rather, a tremendous loss in purchasing power of all currencies versus the dollar! In other words, from 2023 to 2024: 1. The weighted average, native change in money base growth of all currencies was **-3.0% over the prior 12 months**; 2. The overall dollar value change was **-8.5% over the prior 12 months ($25.5 trillion vs. $27.8 trillion)**. This means that, in the last year, government money lost an **additional 5.5% per year in dollar purchasing power**, beyond its reduction of 3.0% in money print. Wild. ## **Since 2021 peak** I don't publicize this information as much, and I probably should. In dollar terms, in December 2021, global central bank money printing **peaked at $30.5 trillion**. Big number. Now, it is $25.5 trillion. So one would assume that the printing presses have cooled by 16.4% in the last three years. But again, as I have just described above, we are trying to see beyond Wittgenstein's Ruler here. This can be difficult, because we have 50 different currencies to contend with. It is true, in the last three years, the **dollar value** of the top 50 currencies in the world has fallen by 16.4%. *But does that mean that central banks are printing 16.4% less than before 2021?* No. In fact, when you look at the weighted average of each central bank's performance over the last three years, in their *native currency units*, you will find **that the weighted average decline in printing is only 2.4%**. Notice anything? This decrease over three years is actually *less* than the decline over the last 12 months, which was 3.0% (section above). And most obviously, **it is far less than 16.4%**. There are dollar values. These grow differently from all the **native currency units**, because of foreign exchange rates. **There are native currency units**. These grow differently from all the dollar values of these currencies, because of foreign exchange rates. Central banks are printing less over the last three years: **2.4% less overall**. But this is much less than the decline in the dollar value of 50 currency stocks over the last three years: **16.4% decline**. One must tear through the numbers to understand both ideas. I have provided you with both. ## **New data: China** Firstly, what I am about to say has nothing to do with what I've described above, except for a very small impact on the overall, headline figure of 12.7% money growth. This is a historical addition. I have added some important new monetary data this quarter, and that is from the quasi-transparent yet enormous economy of China. On the PBoC website, they publish balance sheet data back to only 31 December 1999. I have used this timespan for seven years now in my quarterly updates. However, I have now gone through some new figures from the book *China Financial Statistics (1949-2005)* and added additional data points all the way back to 1969 for China. It is published from PBoC sources. I am using M0 figures from 1969 until 1993 (only available, very compatible, as a subset of base money), and from 1993, they begin publishing full monetary base data. The break in growth metrics when switching from M0 to MB in 1993 is ignored. The changes from this new data--from a huge, growing economy such as China will, as expected, boost the overall inflation numbers in my dataset. These are the net effects of the new data, as of 31 December 2024: **China Monetary base average monthly growth for entire series:** 1. Old data from 1999: 0.85% 2. New data from 1969: 1.04% **China Monetary base compound annual growth for entire series:** 1. Old data from 1999: 10.73% 2. New data from 1969: 14.24% **Overall Monetary base compound annual growth for entire series:** 1. Before this additional China data: 12.56% 2. After this additional China data: 12.73% So the net effect on "global monetary inflation" with this additional data is 17 basis points, or 0.17%. I thought the overall effect could be higher, but one must remember these growth rates are weighted by the *relative USD value of each respective base money*, on a continuous basis, updating each month. In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, China was a much smaller proportion of the global economic pie than it is today. One final point with this new data, and with my monetary inflation data overall. I am fairly confident my headline number of **12.6-12.7% per year compounded** for global money growth is *conservative*. These are the top 50 currencies in the world. We just saw what new data did to the entire dataset, and from a huge country no less. If I were to add more currencies, such as those from Kenya or Morocco (and I will), these currencies will only marginally affect this headline money growth figure. What's more, this new data will by definition come from ***smaller, more volatile, higher inflation-producing*** currencies, so I would only expect my headline figure to creep higher, the further it is refined. ***Huge thanks to Eryn @reltbracco (npub1e2rd2k45ym2jmctnysfadxumrvrr57vqj69ck6trt2y62c40r0kqs9lx8t) for sifting through tons of Chinese historical content here, and for eventually finding a great book with Chinese historical monetary data that was in English!*** ## **The trends** The remainder of the report is an update on global trends in demographics, money, and economics. All of these trends are **exponential curves**. The sole exception, is Bitcoin. It's price and market cap action, across time, are **power curves**. One further change. I have allowed the 2.5 and 97.5 red percentile bands to evolve over time. I think this presentation allows the reader to see that trends indeed can change, across time. However, **the all-time trendline**, as of today, is the solid, black trendline. We are where we are. Plan accordingly, never financial advice. ## **Population** The world has grown exponentially at **1.7% per year** over the last 75 years. However, despite all the overpopulation myths you've probably heard, this rate of growth is actually falling, well below trend, and we only grow at **0.9% per year** at the moment, pulling the overall trend down every year. ## **US GDP** The United States has grown its economy at 5.2% compounded per year since the founding of the republic. We are at the higher end of this trend right now, $29 trillion output per year, growing at **5.3% per year**. As this is exponential growth, if I put it on log scale, it will become a straight line. ## **Stock market** Stocks grow exponentially as well, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The growth rate is **7.3% per year** for the S&P 500, the main US index that tracks more than 80% of total market caps. Currently, the market is well above trend. ## **Stock market: Dividends reinvested** *If you reinvest those dividends* into the same stock market, you'll earn more. The all-time compound annual growth increases by 2% to **9.3% per year** for the S&P. ## **Bonds** Bonds are supposedly safer than stocks (bondholders get paid back first), and more regular cash flowing. If you look at the longest running bond index in the US, it grows at **7.0% per year**, compounded. Notice how, in a rising interest rate environment (which we are in at the moment), bond prices will suffer. In this case, it's the Bloomberg Aggregate Bond Index. This has kept the bond market returns at the lower end of the range, since the global financial crisis in 2008. Not even 1% TTM return. ## **Base Money** As we've discussed, base money grows across the world at a weighted average of **12.7% compounded per year**. However, this trendline analysis looks at it differently than my headline figure. It simply looks at the USD value of the global monetary base (again, currently **$25.5 trillion**), and draws an exponential trendline on that USD equivalent growth for 50+ years. In other words, this is going to be *after all currency fluctuations* have played themselves out. **Slope of the trend is 10.2% compounded for this one.** This is further confirmation that, even though central banks around the world like to print at 12.7% compounded all-time in native unit terms, they will always lose value against the world's reserve currency, as that shakes out to around 10.2% compounded in USD-terms. And we really are scraping the bottom of this range. 0.7x the trendline, which ## **Silver supply** This is total ounces ever mined. They trend upward at **1.4% per year**. ## **Gold supply** This is total ounces ever mined. Gold trends upward at **1.7% per year**. Faster than silver. Surprised? Notice the R-squared (goodness of fit) for both silver and gold production increase. ## **Bitcoin supply** Bitcoins grow according to a basic logarithmic curve. Trying to draw percentiles is pointless here, and even measuring a trendline is relatively pointless, as everyone knows the bitcoins prescribed into the future, per the protocol. Better to just quote the trailing 12-month growth figure, and it is **1.2% per year** and falling, as of quarter end Dec-2024. Less than gold or silver. ## **Silver price** Since 1971 it's trended at 3.5% per year. Silver bug? ## **Gold price** Since 1971 it's trended at 5.1% per year. Gold bug? ## **Bitcoin price** Bitcoin's price (and market cap) grows according to a power trend. Did you notice that the prior exponential trends displayed themselves as straight lines on log scale? Well, with Bitcoin, the power trendline gradually falls across time, but the growth is still well larger than anything we've covered thus far. Now, we have finally arrived at something that grows differently than exponential. [As I've observed since 2018](https://x.com/1basemoney/status/1079740420438011905) . Why? Because you are viewing an *adoption curve*. This is how networks scale. Bitcoin's power trendline has grown **164% per year** since Bitcoin Pizza Day in 2010. Note that this is something akin to a "Lifetime Achievement" figure, and it will continue to fall every day. Over the prior 12 months ending 31-Dec-2024, Bitcoin grew **121.1%.** The compound growth of the power trend today is just under **44% per year**. By 2030 it will fall to "only" **31% per year**. You can find more dissection of the [power curve on my website here](https://www.porkopolis.io/thechart/) . Oh yes, and it is free (as in speech), open, and permissionless money. ## **To summarize** That was a lot of data across a lot of charts. I've compiled all these trendlines and data in a helpful table here for you to review at any time. These are the growth trends of the monetary and major asset world, as of year-end 2024: Again, a quick breakdown on why Bitcoin is so interesting, and confounding. Where most things in the financial and economic world grow *exponentially*, Bitcoin is actually a compilation of *three* different trend patterns: ## **Conclusion** Below is a detailed summary of all the input assets: 1. 50 fiat currencies: $25.5 trillion 2. Gold: $17.1 trillion 3. Silver: $1 trillion 4. Bitcoin: $1.8 trillion Print it out if you like! Thank you for reading. This takes a lot of time to put together each quarter. If you enjoyed, please consider zapping, and you can also donate to my [BTCPay](https://donations.cryptovoices.com/) on [my website](https://www.porkopolis.io/) if you'd like to help keep this research going. Take care.

@ 4d41a7cb:7d3633cc

Money is more abstract than most people think, as I will show in this article. Debt slavery stems from financial illiteracy, which occurs intentionally. The biggest secret is how bankers actually create **currency claims out of thin air and transfer the wealth of their clients (including nation states) to themselves for free without risking a cent, real money, or currency.** ## **MONEY** Money, one of the most important things in our lives, is so important that we exchange wealth to obtain it. Not because we want it but because we need it in order to buy food, shelter, clothes, etc. Money is not inherently bad, although some may argue that the love for money is the root of all evil, and I'll agree. If you are willing to sacrifice your soul, honor, reputation, family, or friends for money, it indicates a lack of morality and a willingness to engage in harmful actions to satisfy your greed and materialistic desires. **Money is a technology, a tool, and like any tool or technology, it is impartial**; it cannot be inherently good or bad. It can be used to help others or to destroy them. At the end of the day, it’s all about the intention behind human behavior. Money is not just a useful tool; it’s **the most important tool** to have for global commerce, division of labor, specialists, and the level of sophistication and comfort we achieve as humanity. All of this will not be possible without this tool working as a common medium of exchange and standard of value, a common language for all humanity: the language of monetary value. **Money is the cornerstone of civilization.** Money is the bloodstream of commerce, and commerce is the spine of civilization; it’s what made our civilization so prosperous, letting any one of us decide how we want to provide value to society. Money is half of every transaction, and since we will always need to intermediate between every exchange, money is the perfect intermediary to help achieve millions of different combinations of exchanges. It will be practically impossible to barter on a global scale; even in a small community with a few different products, it will be a mess. For example, if there were 10 products, there would be 45 combinations; if there were 100, there would be 4950 combinations. Imagine a scenario on a large scale, requiring the exchange of hundreds of thousands of products every second.. This issue **necessitated the development of a new technology: money, which in turn led to the emergence of moneychangers (v4v). Money is a tool to exchange, measure, and store wealth.** Wealth is anything we can sell: our labor (time and energy), our house, a car, a product, a service, etc. **Gold and silver were money for thousands of years** because of their unique characteristics of scarcity, durability, divisibility, and transportability. The most important characteristic of these metals is that they are scarce, and they can’t be created out of thin air or reproduced with no effort. **Only God can control the supply of gold and silver found in nature.** Men can only extract it, and it requires investment, work, time, and effort to find and mine it. So the common knowledge and the common sense of the people over thousands of years consensually chose gold and silver as money. And **this money is the only lawful money under common law.** > “Gold is money, everything else is credit” > > J.P. Morgan 1912 As an interesting fact, the word "money" is used 140 times in the King James Bible, the word "gold" is mentioned 417 times, and the word "silver" over 320 times. But the word “currency” is not mentioned a single time. The most important function of money is to **exchange and store your time and energy**. You work to acquire money and then use that money to acquire other goods and services. **Our time and energy is our real wealth** because it’s limited. We all have a limited time on earth, and we can do certain things in the 24 hours we have every day, so we have to be conscious about how we administrate and store the fruits of our labor. Money is a means to an end; we don't want money; we want what money can buy, and guess what, money cannot buy more time. ## **CURRENCY = FAKE MONEY** **Currency exists as a money substitute.** Currencies began as the opposite of money, the **promise to deliver money in the future: debt**. Currencies can be used to exchange wealth, but they are not a fair unit of account and are never a good way to store it because men are tempted to create more and dilute its value (a process known as inflation) Currencies have almost all the same characteristics of money, but there’s a big difference: **currency is not scarce and durable**. Missing the store of value characteristic of money, since **its supply can be manipulated by men.** For wealth preservation and measuring, modern currencies make no sense. Men control the supply of currency; **banks and governments can inflate or deflate it in any amount they please, giving them supreme power and control over wealth distribution.** This creates two classes of citizens: those who work to acquire currency and those who create it instantly and for free. International banks have stolen money (gold and silver) over the past century, replacing its supply with currency or fake money (paper receipts). \[1913, 1933, 1944, 1971\] Under this monetary game, those with "fixed income," savers, and creditors are the biggest losers, while debtors and asset owners are the winners.. The **most important distinction to keep in mind is that nature controls the money supply, making artificial inflation impossible.** On the other hand, men can inflate currency in unlimited amounts. It is **a manifestation of God's power on earth, as the mediums of exchange serve as the lifeblood of commerce, the backbone of our economic system, and facilitate the division of labor.** If someone can **inflate the currency supply, this has the same economic effect as counterfeiting,** and he’s effectively stealing from everyone contracting, trading, and saving in that currency. Manipulating the mediums of exchange in an economy enables manipulation of every security, industry, and business. This is the reason the founding fathers of the United States made gold and silver only lawful money for the payment of debts. To give everyone equal protection under the law and to get rid of the nobility and two types of citizens: bankers and workers or nobles and plebeians. > Bank-notes are not money. It 's currency. It’s unfair to take banks' currency as a standard for comparison. > > Bank-note currency is not “lawful money”. It never could be counted as part of banks cash reserves. ***It would be too much like a man writing and signing his own promissory note for a million and then claiming that this made him a millionaire.*** > > The very grave evils any currency depreciation always impose upon businesses and the people. > > Alfred Owen Crozier, US Money vs Corporate currency, 1912 So money has three very important functions that work as the pillars on which the wellness of our economic system and civilizations relies. Currency is not a store of value because its supply can be easily manipulated, men in power can create more of it, and so using this always-changing currency as a standard of value or a unit of account is like using an always-changing ruler to measure distance. A dollar today does not buy the same as a dollar one year ago. So yesterday prices are not equal to today's prices; this is an unfair business calculation. So money has three very important functions that work as the pillars on which the wellness of our economic system and civilizations rel**ies. Currency is not a store of value because its supply can be easily manipulated**, men in power can create more of it, and so using this always-changing currency as a standard of value or a unit of account is like using an always-changing ruler to measure distance. **A dollar today does not buy the same as a dollar one year ago**. So yesterday prices are not equal to today's prices; this is an unfair business calculation. There are several Bible verses that discuss the manipulation of weights and measures, emphasizing the importance of honesty and fairness in commercial dealings. 1. Leviticus 19:35-36 New International Version (NIV): "**Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight, or quantity.** Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. 2. Deuteronomy 25:13-15: Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light. Do not have two differing measures in your house—one large, one small. **You must have accurate and honest weights and measures**. 3. Proverbs 11:1—"A "**dishonest scale is an abomination to the Lord**, but a just weight is his delight." **Fake money (currency) is always and everywhere a dishonest scale.** So if you want a real measure of value or wealth use something with real value instead, like gold, commodities, products, times, etc. Bankers have redefined the word money to mean fake money, currency, or debt. And this is not the worst part. Let’s introduce another concept: credit. ## **CREDIT = FAKE CURRENCY** **Real credit is the promise to pay money in the future.** It involves delaying the payment of money. **Currency was born as credit**, as a money certificate or receipt. During the last century, banks gradually replaced 100% of the money with currency and bank credit to further boost their profits and control. \[1913, 1933, 1944, 1971\] But in order to achieve this goal, **bankers redefined the word money to mean the opposite of money: credit/debt. This is like calling a night a day or evil a good.** When you take out a loan from a friend, you receive credit from him, but you also incur a debt with him. You promise your friends that you will pay them (asset/right), and you owe them (liability/obligation). The asset and the liability are one and part of the same deal; they cannot exist without the other. There’s no credit with no debt, no debt with no credit, and no liability with no asset. Federal Reserve notes, commonly known as **“dollars,”** are a private corporate currency; they are **not money** because they are not gold or silver, nor receipts for these metals as many people still believe. They were not redeemable in money from the start, despite being created under the assumption. The “peso” (Spanish word for weight) used to be a standardized amount of gold or silver, but it’s not any more; it's just a debt denomination. And what's owing? Currency. **How can someone lend the opposite of money and charge interest? O**nly deceiving you into believing that he is lending you money. So they redefined the word money to mean the opposite of it. But redefining words does not change the economic effect of the transaction. When currencies first appeared, I can imagine people asking themselves, "How can people trust these paper certificates in exchange for their money?" Who will be that stupid?” And **nowadays, people don’t understand the difference between money and currency, to the point that bankers redefined the word "money" to mean the opposite of "money."** Lesson: Money is not just a medium of exchange; it is also a store of value and a unit of account. Currency, the opposite of money, is debt. Since it can be created in unlimited amounts, it can't work as a store of value because its value depreciates as more units are created; for this same reason, it is not fair to denominate values in currency units since one currency unit today does not buy the same as a year ago because of inflation, the loss of purchasing power. Summarize: While money, currency, and credit all serve as effective mediums of exchange, only money serves as a reliable store of value for saving. Currency and credit are not stores of value (not good to save), and there are not fair units of account (not good for price). In simple terms, money is not currency, because currency is just credit and debt. We can conceptualize it as a ledger, a record of who owes what to whom. Currency is fake money since it’s the opposite of a store of value; it's always depreciating in value while its supply is inflated. This is the definition of inflation. **Modern credit is not currency; it’s the opposite. It’s the promise to deliver currency in the future, the promise of a promise of money (in theory). But there’s no money behind. It’s an air loan.** But how did we get here? Is everyone stupid? No, we have been tricked, manipulated, and dictated to use these currencies, and this banking system was forced on us. They stole our money and replaced it with fake substitutes to boost their profits. ## **MODERN MEDIUMS OF EXCHANGE = MONOPOLY MONEY** **So nowadays we have fake money acting as cash/currency and fake currency acting as bank deposits or credit.** One is worse than the other, but both of them serve only as mediums of exchange. Those who store wealth with them will be robbed, and those who calculate business will be lied to. Today we use currencies (government notes), coins, bank deposits (currency claims), checks (bank deposit claims), credit cards, and debit cards. All of them are ‘monopoly money’ fake claims based on a big and global fraud. - *Government notes (government debt)* Since governments are under the control of central banks, they can only create currency by borrowing. Governments must issue bonds, or debt, and the central bank can generate credit, or currency, to purchase these bonds. The bond (government liability) is the counterpart of the ‘asset’ (the currency, a central bank asset). Bonds are debt, and currencies are credit. When the central bank creates currency to lend it to the government at interest, it has literally the economic effect of **transferring the wealth of the nation to the banks for free**. The banks are not lending anything that they had to labor to produce; instead, they are creating it by printing paper notes or digital currency. On the other side, governments have to collect money from citizens (producers, merchants, and workers) to pay the interest on the debt. Despite their best efforts, governments are unable to repay the debt due to interest, which makes it bigger than the amount of currency. Let’s say the debt is 100 at 1% interest. So there’s only 100 in currency. But at the end of the year, there’s going to be a debt of 101. In order for the system to keep working, someone else has to go into debt to create more currency units, and governments have to keep borrowing and at least only paying the interest and rolling the debt. The important thing is that if you have government currency debt free, you own it. This is the new ‘money.’. **Government currency is the ‘real’ cash, liquidity, or water.** - *Bank deposits (bank debt)* When you deposit your government currency in the bank, you are legally lending your currency to the bank, and the bank owes you the amount you deposit. This currency is not stored by banks until you request it. Banks use this currency as if it were theirs, and they do business with it. That’s why I said, **‘Your money in the bank’ is not yours; it’s not money; it’s not in the bank.** Its currency, its owe to you, is only registered on the bank ledger as a debt, not in a safe box. The numbers you get in the bank account, or your balance, are government currency substitutes; they are bank deposits. Your currency deposit is the asset, and the number on your bank account balance is the liability. But this is not the worst part. Banks lend around 10 times more currency than they have in deposits. So banks have more liabilities than assets (they are literally broke). People often treat bank deposits, also known as government currency substitutes or bank tokens, as legal tender, allowing banks to create them arbitrarily and 'lend' them to unsuspecting clients who mistakenly believe they are receiving currency. This is possible only because the bank's deposit has equal cash value. ***Government bonds, government currency, and bank deposits have equal value. But they are not the same.*** All of them have counterparty risk, but **cash, or government currency, is better** or safer than bonds or bank deposits. If interest rates rise, the value of bonds can decrease, and default on bank deposits can result in total loss, a scenario that has frequently occurred. Keep in mind that bank deposits represent the bank's debts, also known as liabilities. Business activities and risk-taking make your currency unsecured, and they don't compensate you enough for the loan and risk. - *Debit cards (bank deposit transfer)* Your bank deposit is your right to get your currency back. When you use a credit card to buy something, you are transferring that right to the seller so he can redeem that bank token for currency if he wishes. But you have to have had a deposit before you can spend it or transfer it. - *Checks (bank deposit transfer)* The same applies to checks. Your bank deposit is your right to get your currency back. When you use a check to buy something, you are transferring that right to the seller so he can redeem that bank token for currency if he wishes. - *Credit card (bank deposit creator)* Credit cards are different. When you use a credit card, you are creating a bank deposit backed by your promise of paying it back. By allowing the bank to create a currency substitute out of nothing and charge you high interest, you are essentially working for them for free. Not only this, but you are also letting them collect fees from the payments processing that cost them nothing and support their fake money as a medium of exchange. **Using credit cards is literally voting for financial slavery.** This is why companies make credit cards so convenient and offer benefits, with the intention of incentivizing and pushing people into the debt slavery system. ## **BANKS = MONEYCHANGERS** ‘Loans’ = exchanges **The history of money is the history of moneychangers**, money dealers, or bankers. Money is an inanimate object. Bankers are alive; they are the ones in charge of making the money, currency, and credit flow or stop. **They have been in existence for thousands of years**, from Egypt to Rome, where Jesus Christ himself threw them out of the temple and called them thieves, and he was not wrong. Moneychangers played a crucial role in facilitating trade by exchanging different forms of currency and commodities. The profession of moneychangers evolved over time, particularly during the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages when various currencies were in circulation. In these times, moneychangers would set up shop at markets or public spaces to provide their services and **help merchants convert their money into a form that could be used for transactions with other traders.** As banking systems developed over time, the role of moneychangers expanded to include more complex financial services. Today, moneychangers are still an essential part of the global economy, helping people exchange currencies and facilitating international trade. **The Knights Templars** were a Christian military order established in 1119 who played a crucial role in the establishment of the financial system in medieval Europe. They established **a gold-backed credit system** that laid the foundation for the modern banking system. Their financial services included deposit accounts, loans, and even a form of early traveler's checks. **The history of the goldsmiths** starts around 700 years ago in the year 1327. The company became responsible for hallmarking precious metals and played a significant role in regulating the quality and authenticity of gold and silver items. **In exchange for written acknowledgments or "receipts,"** they also provided gold deposit services. Both groups played significant roles in the development of these early financial instruments, with goldsmiths issuing written acknowledgments for deposited gold and the Knights Templar establishing banking institutions that facilitated the use of such receipts as a form of payment. This is a brief summary of the beginning of the moneychangers and how they discovered how to multiply money with paper receipts, better understood as counterfeiting. We now refer to it as fractional reserve banking, and let me tell you something: it's based on fraud. Not only do they create bank deposits when you deposit currency, but they also create them when you "take a loan." Banks do not lend money, and they do not lend currency; they lend bank deposits (bank tokens/IOUs/currency substitutes/ paper receipts). Banks had to redefine the word money to mean the opposite of money (debt) to trick the people. How can you lend the oposite of money and expect to be paid back plus interest? This took them thousands of years to achieve. **The fact is that this is not a loan but an exchange.** When you take a loan, you sign a contract that creates a promissory note, which is your promise to pay. The bank then takes this promissory note, without your permission (steals), and sells it for cash (if you requiere it) or government bonds (to earn interest). Your promissory note has equal value to cash and government bonds. And banks always need an asset to create a bank deposit (liability). So the banks literally steal your asset (promissory note) and sell them to create IOUs that they will ‘lend’ to you. They ‘lend’ the oposite of money and call it a loan. The truth is that they are acting as moneychangers, and they are exchanging your IOU (promissory note) for a bank IOU (bank deposit) without your permission and pretending that you pay it back, but they never pay back theirs… How is this possible? This is only possible because most people treat bank deposits (bank tokens, IOUs, and debts) as a medium of exchange because they trust the banks. This is the root of inequality under the law. While one group can create IOUs from nothing and steal others, the other must work for them or exchange wealth. If this bank defaults, its IOUs quickly vanish. This is a mathematical certainty; that’s why banks that are 'too big to fail' demand bailouts. **Every bank is bankrupt** since they have 7–10 times more liabilities than assets, and the assets they have are not theirs but their clients' assets. The only thing that keeps them alive is the trust of the public and the bailouts of the government. **This is legalized slavery and theft.** There’s no other name. Banks own every industry, government, public figure, actor, etc. They have the power of God on earth, and it's time to stop them. If we let the bank take our wealth for free, we will end up bankrupt, and they will end up owning everything. Every medium of exchange nowadays is an IOU or an IOU of an IOU. Ultimately, it is mathematically impossible to repay all of those IOUs, and banks pretend to keep all the assets. *Check: IOU = deposit; IOU = cash; IOU = bond; IOU + interest* The only way this system can continue is to keep creating new IOUs to pay the old ones, but even then (as it has been for over a century), the value of those IOUs keeps falling, causing hyperinflation. If banks and governments want to ‘avoid’ (imposible) or relent to hyperinflation, they need to incur a great confiscation. So heads you lose, tails they win, playing this game doesn't make any fucking sense. Buy Bitcoin, self custody, and fuck the government and the banking system. Live free or die trying.

@ f3873798:24b3f2f3

Estamos próximos a uma das principais premiações da indústria. Vemos não só a perversão de pautas woke e destruição de valores ocidentes, mas também um grande confronto entre o que mais forte o ativismo Lgbt ou o ativismo político entre as atrizes Fernanda Torres e Karla Gascon. Só evidência o caos que é os conflitos de interesse de diversas vertentes que a esquerda abraça e diz que é sua. Mas, o que mais impressiona é o fato do Oscar ter um filme no indicado que até o momento não ganhou nada, porém é notório a superioridade aos outros, este filme é Sing Sing. Porque o filme Sing sing foi ignorado pelos avaliadores? O filme tem uma narrativa de superação e como a arte pode mudar as pessoas e as realidades mais pertubadoras. Ele retrata o Sistema carcerário americano, onde realidade de vários presos é mudada atraves de um projeto de um teatro na prisão. Observando friamente a sintese do filme é uma história que se encaixa perfeitamente aos vies de bandidolatria, se não tivesse um questão, a ação transformadora da arte e deixando de serem vítimas e serem artistas. Porém apesar de ser uma obra de arte que estimula as pessoas pensarem sobre a vida e ter uma pegada inovadora e completamente diferente dos demais filmes que retratam o sistema carcerário, ele é totalmente ignorado por não ser suficientemente lacrativo.

@ 9171b08a:8395fd65

For the price tag on this room, I would've thought my death bed would be more comfortable. Since I've been admitted I've been in a perpetual state of discomfort despite the medicine that is supposed to keep me numb. The room is dark and I'm alone with the sounds of industry that keep this planet churning through the expanse of space. The unease goes deeper than the surface, beyond the 1000 thread count Earth cotton grating against my skin, deeper than the cracking sinews of my muscles, it lurks in the wake of the vibrations of my heart as it throbs its final throbs. The holoscreen comes to life at a thoughts command and quickly my unease turns to irritation as my name crawls across the screen. A woman points to the very hospital where I lay and expresses her sorrow as "One of the greatest men of this era awaits his death." I suppose it couldn't come quicker. I shut off the holoscreen. Plunge myself back into the darkness and simply watch the shadows of the freighter transports cast through the opaque vinyl shutter as they pass by. The light comes on. It blinds me and all I can hear are the footsteps that approach. The heels clatter loudly, soles of well made shoes. Expensive, probably Earth made like my sheets. "You don't have to go through with this old man." I know the voice well. My mentee, the man I've groomed to take over my empire speaks again, "It's not too late to take the regenerons. You'd be looking younger than me within the week." I don't care to explain myself. I turn away from him and he mutters something else then reaches over and rests a vase on the table in front of me.  Inside the vase float two scarlet tulips within a bouquet of gypsophila. The flowers smell freshly cut, a scent that instantly freshens my soul and harkens to a time before anyone could imagine I'd be known as "one of the greatest men of the era." My mentee speaks, but his voice is nothing more than the ruffling of my sheets as I sit up and draw closer to you. Precious tulips. Tulips like these, I picked in the endless fields of Verduia. I, like the others who'd been bred to work on that planet, toiled away endless days to pick flowers just like these for affluent people just like me at this very moment. I was never supposed to have the life I've lived. My biology was built to pick and die. To work, stay poor, and keep my head buried in the fields, that was my purpose. I worked hard. My hands pruned and nurtured roots in the dark soil. But I loved harder. The memory of your marble skin against the thick layer of dirt beneath my nails will never fade. I've amassed a wealth that is the envy of entire solar systems, but the memory of you is richer. My tulip, my eternal blossom. I'd run away from the task masters with you and hide in the tall sunflower fields where we'd make love. People like us weren't meant to be in love. When you passed, I felt no greater discomfort. I thought wealth could fill that void. It hasn't. Not even a millennia since could wash away the memory of you. Only the closure of time, the death of me can remove this ever long dread. Here the need to revive the feeling only you could inspire ends. -Art By Surenja Rajawat- Find him on instagram @suren.rajawat

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

 Galoy released a new product called Lana, a platform for bitcoin loans. The team will provide an introduction and then we'll dive into the design. To get you up to speed, check out the website, slide deck and podcast interview: - https://www.galoy.io/lana-bitcoin-loans-platform - https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1IQocefpCN5_wKX91EWtLa19IpMS_Ye8goNLAgGQbfdU/edit#slide=id.g31d536107ae_0_0 - https://stephanlivera.com/episode/634/ If you get a chance, please take a peek before the call. That makes the design reviews more useful because we need to spend less time going over the basics. On `Thu Feb 27th · 15:00 – 16:00 CET` Join from https://meet.jit.si/bitcoindesign Check your timezone https://everytimezone.com/s/998e22fc Track https://github.com/BitcoinDesign/Meta/issues/758 originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/896570

@ e5de992e:4a95ef85

The future of decentralized identity promises a digital landscape where users have full control over their personal data, privacy, and interactions. When users own their digital presence, several transformative changes could reshape the internet: --- ## Empowerment and Control ### Self-Sovereignty Users will manage their identities through cryptographic keys rather than relying on third-party platforms. This means you decide what data to share, how to share it, and with whom, eliminating reliance on centralized authorities. ### Data Portability Decentralized identity frameworks enable seamless movement of personal data across various services. Without vendor lock-in, you can maintain a consistent digital persona, regardless of the platform or application you choose to use. --- ## Privacy and Security ### Enhanced Privacy With decentralized identity, you control the amount and type of information you reveal. This minimizes exposure to data breaches, unauthorized surveillance, and privacy violations that are common in centralized systems. ### Stronger Security Cryptography plays a central role in decentralized identity, reducing the risk of identity theft and fraud. Since your identity is not stored in a single, vulnerable location, it's much harder for attackers to compromise your personal information. --- ## Interoperability and Innovation ### Interoperable Ecosystems Decentralized identity standards can pave the way for interoperable systems where different services and platforms recognize and trust your digital credentials. This can lead to smoother user experiences and increased innovation in digital services. ### New Economic Models Ownership of your digital identity might also enable new ways to monetize personal data. Instead of platforms harvesting data for profit, users could potentially control and even earn from the use of their own information. --- ## Social and Cultural Impact ### Democratizing the Digital Space A user-owned digital identity reduces the power imbalance between large tech corporations and individuals. It fosters a more democratic online environment where freedom of expression and personal autonomy are respected. ### Resilience Against Censorship Decentralized systems distribute data across multiple nodes, making it far more resistant to censorship. This ensures that your voice can be heard even in environments where centralized platforms might suppress it. --- ## Challenges Ahead ### Usability and Adoption While the potential benefits are significant, mainstream adoption will require overcoming technical and usability challenges. Managing cryptographic keys, for instance, may be daunting for non-technical users unless user-friendly solutions are developed. ### Regulatory and Standardization Issues As decentralized identity becomes more prevalent, there will be a need for clear standards and regulations to ensure interoperability, security, and consumer protection without stifling innovation. --- ## In Summary When users own their digital presence, the future of decentralized identity is marked by increased privacy, enhanced control, and a more open, interoperable digital ecosystem. This shift not only empowers individuals but also encourages the development of innovative technologies and business models that prioritize user rights and freedoms in the online world.

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

I've been pondering how LSPs (lightning service providers) might pan out over time and how that might affect fees, and I am wondering what everyone else is thinking. Some people will always prefer to manage their own channels, and for some specific use cases, that might be preferable. But I am thinking about the broad userbase that does not want to do that. We will need a massive LSP infrastructure to onboard people and to enable insane amounts of payments. LSPs will need to efficiently open and adjust channels for users, using their own liquidity or sourcing liquidity from other providers, using just-in-time channels, batching and/or splicing to reduce costs and wait times. Across all this, along with facilitating payments, they need to make their business model work and offer different options for users to pay for their services. Users might be able to: 1. Pay-as-you-go (pay X for Y more liquidity for Z amount of time) 2. Pay X per month for Y inbound liquidity 3. Pay X per month for unlimited liquidity 4. Nothing for liquidity, but higher transaction fees A wallet might also automatically choose an appropriate LSP based on what is the best and most appropriate deal at the time. Let's look at user scenarios: - If someone sends and receives the same amount every month, they will never need more liquidity. They just draw down the same channel and fill it up again. So they would only pay the LSP for them assigning that fixed amount of liquidity to them. Maybe options 1 and 2 are good for them. - If someone receives more than they send (they save a certain amount every month), they will need more and more inbound liquidity over time. They might choose option 2. - An online store that receives a ton and can't really estimate how much, might go for option 3. - For option 4, it depends if the higher transaction fees are fixed or percentage-based. It's a bit like choosing a data plan for your phone (or for internet at home). You can get a prepaid card, a regular plan with certain limits, or go unlimited. And there are separate plans for small and large businesses, etc. And there are massive amounts of complex infrastructure behind these service providers to make it all work. So when someone starts using a lightning wallet, maybe they have to first pick an LSP and a plan before being able to receive. Or maybe they get a first channel for free and pay higher fees, and are then prompted to choose a plan. Maybe they need to wait an hour until the LSP has enough channel opens for a batch/splice, to reduce costs. A complex market at work. Is that how things might pan out? Am I completely off? Is it worth mocking up different scenarios? ``` #bitcoin #LN #BTC #Lightning #LSP #service #zaps #sats #wallet ``` originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/896520

@ f4c59e4c:82f66850

## Introduction Dora Factory actively participated in governance across multiple blockchain ecosystems, including Cosmos Hub, dYdX, Injective, and Osmosis, by casting votes on key proposals. These decisions reflect Dora Factory’s commitment to supporting network upgrades, optimizing infrastructure, and ensuring responsible treasury and market management. Below is a summary of recent governance actions. --- ## Proposals ### Cosmos Hub [2025-02-14 Cosmos Proposal 988 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/cosmos/proposals/988) Dora Factory voted YES on Cosmos Proposal 987 to approve the Gaia v22 software upgrade. The upgrade includes updates to the Cosmos Hub binary and has been tested by Informal Systems and Hypha Co-op. ### dYdX [2025-02-04 dYdX Proposal 208 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/dydx/proposals/208) Dora Factory voted YES on dYdX Proposal 208 to add the dYdX Operations subDAO (DOS) signer as a market authority in the market map module and remove the 10% revenue share. This change allows DOS to update the market map while ensuring no fees accrue to Market Mappers, aligning with the community’s interests. [2025-02-08 dYdX Proposal 210 No](https://www.mintscan.io/dydx/proposals/210) Dora Factory voted NO on dYdX Proposal 210, which aimed to revive the dYdX client to Sifchain. The proposal was flagged as suspicious due to false claims of support from Informal Systems, lack of prior discussion, and potential security implications for dYdX Chain. [2025-02-10 dYdX Proposal 211 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/dydx/proposals/211) Dora Factory voted YES on dYdX Proposal 211, which recalls the Stride Liquid Staking Program. The proposal transfers control of stDYDX from the dYdX Community Treasury to the dYdX Treasury SubDAO, allowing it to redeem and manage the assets directly. ### Injective [2025-01-29 Injective Proposal 490 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/injective/proposals/490) Dora Factory voted YES on Injective Proposal 490, which aimed to recover the IBC client for Kopi chain. [2025-02-03 Injective Proposal 491 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/injective/proposals/491) Dora Factory voted YES on Injective Proposal 491, which aimed to increase the maximum gas amount per block to 150,000,000 to optimize on-chain transaction handling [2025-02-06 Injective Proposal 493 Abstain](https://www.mintscan.io/injective/proposals/493) Dora Factory ABSTAINED on Injective Proposal 493, which aimed to launch an on-chain S&P 500 Index market by introducing the SPY/USDT perpetual market across Injective Exchange dApps. [2025-02-12 Injective Proposal 494 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/injective/proposals/494) Dora Factory voted YES on Injective Proposal 494, which proposed the Nivara mainnet upgrade. The upgrade includes enhancements to the RWA oracle and module architecture, improved delegation controls, and security updates for the exchange module and Injective Bridge. [2025-02-12 Injective Proposal 495 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/injective/proposals/495) Dora Factory voted YES on Injective Proposal 495, which aimed to recover the IBC client used by the Kopi chain. The proposal passed with significant support. [2025-02-12 Injective Proposal 496 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/injective/proposals/496) Dora Factory voted YES on Injective Proposal 496, which aimed to modify the ticker for the TRADFI/USDT PERP market to reflect the appropriate ticker. [2025-02-20 Injective Proposal 498 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/injective/proposals/498) Dora Factory VOTED YES on Injective Proposal 498, which aims to launch the JNI/HDRO Spot Market for trading the JNI token in HDRO-denominated quote. ### Osmosis [2025-01-29 Osmosis Proposal 897 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/osmosis/proposals/897) Dora Factory voted YES on Osmosis Proposal 897, which aimed to recover the IBC client used by the Kopi chain. [2025-02-04 Osmosis Proposal 898 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/osmosis/proposals/898) Dora Factory voted YES on Osmosis Proposal 898, which aimed to reduce gas consumption for Mars contracts by pinning binary contracts and reducing resource usage. [2025-02-04 Osmosis Proposal 899 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/osmosis/proposals/899) Dora Factory voted YES on Osmosis Proposal 899, which aimed to increase the static limits for Alloyed BTC during its rapid growth phase. [2025-02-04 Osmosis Proposal 900 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/osmosis/proposals/900) Dora Factory voted YES on Osmosis Proposal 900, which requested $150,000 USDC from the Osmosis community pool to bootstrap DOGE liquidity by purchasing DOGE and adding it to a DOGE/USDC liquidity pool on Osmosis. [2025-02-07 Osmosis Proposal 901 Yes](https://www.mintscan.io/osmosis/proposals/901) Dora Factory voted YES on Osmosis Proposal 901, which authorized the purchase of BTC using 25% of Osmosis' non-OSMO taker fees. The January 2025 purchase was expected to be around 1.4 BTC. --- ## Conclusion Dora Factory’s recent votes demonstrate a strong focus on enhancing blockchain infrastructure, optimizing network efficiency, and ensuring responsible asset management. By supporting essential upgrades, market optimizations, and community-driven initiatives, Dora Factory continues to contribute to the long-term sustainability and innovation of these ecosystems.

@ bc575705:dba3ed39

Perfection is often held as the ultimate goal in many creative pursuits. But in music—particularly in the world of lo-fi and experimental genres—imperfections can be a source of magic. As a producer and artist, I’ve come to embrace the raw, unpolished elements in my compositions, finding that they add depth, character, and emotional resonance. In this post, I want to reflect on why imperfections are not just acceptable but essential to my music. ## **The Beauty of Imperfections** Imperfections in music—whether it’s a slightly out-of-tune note, the hiss of tape, or the ambient noise of a recording space—have a way of grounding the sound in reality. They remind us that music is a human endeavor, full of quirks and unpredictability. These imperfections don’t detract from the music; they enhance it by creating a sense of authenticity and intimacy. In my productions, I often incorporate elements like vinyl crackle, tape distortion, and ambient noise to evoke a feeling of nostalgia. These textures bring a warmth and organic quality to the music that can be hard to achieve with overly polished production. ## **Emotional Resonance Through Rawness** There’s something deeply emotional about hearing a piece of music that isn’t perfect. A wavering vocal, an unsteady rhythm, or a faint background hum can make a song feel more alive and relatable. Perfection can sometimes feel distant and unattainable, but imperfections invite listeners in, creating a connection that feels personal and genuine. For example, in one of my tracks, I left in the faint sound of my fingers brushing against piano keys as I played. It wasn’t intentional at first, but when I listened back, I realized it added a layer of intimacy—as if the listener was right there in the room with me. ## **Lo-Fi: A Celebration of Imperfection** Lo-fi music, by its very definition, is an embrace of imperfection. It revels in the hiss of cassette tapes, the crackle of vinyl, and the subtle flaws that traditional production methods might seek to eliminate. This aesthetic aligns perfectly with my philosophy as an artist: that music doesn’t need to be flawless to be impactful. Lo-fi’s imperfections are not limitations; they’re features that shape its character. By allowing these raw elements to shine, lo-fi creates an atmosphere of nostalgia and comfort—a reminder that beauty often lies in the imperfect and the incomplete. ## **Finding Freedom in the Flaws** When I stopped striving for perfection, I found freedom. Embracing imperfections allowed me to focus on the emotional core of my work rather than obsessing over technical precision. It’s in the rawness of a recording, the spontaneity of an improvised melody, or the unpredictable texture of a field recording that I find the most inspiration. This approach also opens the door to experimentation. When perfection is not the goal, creativity can flow freely. I’ve discovered new sounds and techniques simply by letting go of the need for everything to be “just right.” ## **A Reflection of Life Itself** Life is imperfect, and music that reflects this reality often feels the most honest. Just as our lives are filled with unexpected turns, small mistakes, and moments of vulnerability, so too can our music. By embracing these elements, we create art that resonates on a deeper level: music that feels human! ## **Final Thoughts** Imperfections are not flaws to be hidden; they are the soul of the music. They add character, depth, and emotion that can’t be replicated by pristine production alone. As a producer, I’ve found that some of my most meaningful work comes from leaning into the raw, unpolished moments and letting them shape the sound. To anyone creating music, my advice is this: don’t be afraid of imperfections. Embrace them, celebrate them, and let them tell their own story. You might just find that they hold the key to something truly beautiful.

@ 2063cd79:57bd1320

Ich stimme mit Anonymous überein, dass es Probleme mit der tatsächlichen Verwendung von digitalem Bargeld auf kurze Sicht gibt. Aber es hängt in gewissem Maße davon ab, welches Problem man zu lösen versucht. Eine Sorge, die ich habe, ist, dass der Übergang zum elektronischen Zahlungsverkehr die Privatsphäre einschränken wird, da es einfacher wird, Transaktionen zu protokollieren und aufzuzeichnen. Es könnten Profile angelegt werden, in denen das Ausgabeverhalten eines jeden von uns verfolgt wird. Schon jetzt wird, wenn ich etwas telefonisch oder elektronisch mit meiner Visa-Karte bestelle, genau aufgezeichnet, wie viel ich ausgegeben habe und wo ich es ausgegeben habe. Im Laufe der Zeit könnten immer mehr Transaktionen auf diese Weise abgewickelt werden, und das Ergebnis könnte einen großen Verlust an Privatsphäre bedeuten. Die Bezahlung mit Bargeld ist zwar immer noch per Post möglich, aber dies ist unsicher und umständlich. Ich denke, dass die Bequemlichkeit von Kredit- und Debitkarten die Bedenken der meisten Menschen in Bezug auf Privatsphäre ausräumen wird und dass wir uns in einer Situation befinden werden, in der große Mengen an Informationen über das Privatleben aller Leute existieren. Hier könnte ich mir vorstellen, dass digitales Bargeld eine Rolle spielen könnte. Stellt euch ein Visa-ähnliches System vor, bei dem ich für die Bank nicht anonym bin. Stellt euch in diesem Modell vor, dass mir die Bank einen Kredit gewährt, ganz so wie bei einer Kreditkarte. Allerdings, anstatt mir nur eine Kontonummer zu geben, die ich am Telefon ablese oder in einer E-Mail verschicke, gibt sie mir das Recht, bei Bedarf digitales Bargeld zu verlangen. Ich habe immer etwas digitales Bargeld beiseite, dass ich für Transaktionen ausgeben kann, wie bereits in früheren Beiträgen beschrieben. Wenn das Geld knapp wird, schicke ich eine E-Mail an die Bank und erhalte mehr digitales Bargeld (dcash). Jeden Monat sende ich einen Check an die Bank, um mein Konto auszugleichen, genauso wie ich es mit meinen Kreditkarten mache. Meine Beziehung zur Bank sind meinen derzeitigen Beziehungen zu den Kreditkartenunternehmen sehr ähnlich: häufige Überweisungen und eine einmalige Rückzahlung jeden Monat per Check. Das hat mehrere Vorteile gegenüber dem System, auf das wir zusteuern. Es werden keine Aufzeichnungen darüber geführt, wofür ich mein Geld ausgebe. Die Bank weiß nur, wie viel ich jeden Monat abgehoben habe; es könnte sein, dass ich es zu diesem Zeitpunkt ausgegeben habe oder auch nicht. Bei einigen Transaktionen (z.B. Software) könnte ich für den Verkäufer anonym sein; bei anderen könnte der Verkäufer meine wirkliche Adresse kennen, aber dennoch ist keine zentrale Stelle in der Lage, alles zu verfolgen, was ich kaufe. (Es gibt auch einen Sicherheitsvorteil gegenüber dem lächerlichen aktuellen System, bei dem die Kenntnis über eine 16-stellige Nummer und eines Ablaufdatums es jedem ermöglicht, etwas auf meinen Namen zu bestellen!) Außerdem sehe ich nicht ein, warum dieses System nicht genauso legal sein sollte wie die derzeitigen Kreditkarten. Der einzige wirkliche Unterschied besteht darin, dass nicht nachverfolgt werden kann, wo die Nutzer ihr Geld ausgeben, und soweit ich weiß, war diese Möglichkeit nie ein wichtiger rechtlicher Aspekt von Kreditkarten. Sicherlich wird heute niemand zugeben, dass die Regierung ein Interesse daran hat, ein Umfeld zu schaffen, in dem jede finanzielle Transaktion nachverfolgt werden kann. Zugegeben, dies bietet keine vollständige Anonymität. Es ist immer noch möglich, ungefähr zu sehen, wie viel jede Person ausgibt (obwohl nichts eine Person daran hindert, viel mehr Bargeld abzuheben, als sie in einem bestimmten Monat ausgibt, außer vielleicht für Zinsausgaben; aber vielleicht kann sie das zusätzliche digitale Bargel (digicash) selbst verleihen und dafür Zinsen erhalten, um das auszugleichen). Und es orientiert sich an demselben Kunden/ Verkäufer-Modell, das Anonymous kritisierte. Ich behaupte aber, dass dieses Modell heute und in naher Zukunft die Mehrheit der elektronischen Transaktionen ausmachen wird. Es ist erwähnenswert, dass es nicht trivial ist, ein Anbieter zu werden, der Kreditkarten akzeptiert. Ich habe das mit einem Unternehmen, das ich vor ein paar Jahren betrieben habe, durchgemacht. Wir verkauften Software über den Versandhandel, was die Kreditkartenunternehmen sehr nervös machte. Es gibt zahlreiche Telefonbetrügereien, bei denen Kreditkartennummern über einige Monate hinweg gesammelt werden und dann große Beträge von diesen Karten abgebucht werden. Bis der Kunde seine monatliche Abrechnung erhält und sich beschwert, ist der Verkäufer bereits verschwunden. Um unser Kreditkartenterminal zu bekommen, wandten wir uns an ein Unternehmen, das Start-ups dabei „hilft“. Sie schienen selbst ein ziemlich zwielichtiges Unternehmen zu sein. Wir mussten unseren Antrag dahingehend fälschen, dass wir etwa 50% der Geräte auf Messen verkaufen würden, was offenbar als Verkauf über den Ladentisch zählte. Und wir mussten etwa 3.000 Dollar im Voraus zahlen, als Bestechung, wie es schien. Selbst dann hätten wir es wahrscheinlich nicht geschafft, wenn wir nicht ein Büro im Geschäftsviertel gehabt hätten. Im Rahmen des digitalen Bargeldsystems könnte dies ein geringeres Problem darstellen. Das Hauptproblem bei digitalem Bargeld sind doppelte Ausgaben, und wenn man bereit ist, eine Online-Überprüfung vorzunehmen (sinnvoll für jedes Unternehmen, das mehr als ein paar Stunden für die Lieferung der Ware benötigt), kann dies vollständig verhindert werden. Es gibt also keine Möglichkeit mehr, dass Händler Kreditkartennummern für spätere Betrügereien sammeln. (Allerdings gibt es immer noch Probleme mit der Nichtlieferung von Waren, so dass nicht alle Risiken beseitigt sind). Dadurch könnte das System schließlich eine größere Verbreitung finden als die derzeitigen Kreditkarten. Ich weiß nicht, ob dieses System zur Unterstützung von illegalen Aktivitäten, Steuerhinterziehung, Glücksspiel oder Ähnlichem verwendet werden könnte. Das ist nicht der Zweck dieses Vorschlags. Er bietet die Aussicht auf eine Verbesserung der Privatsphäre und der Sicherheit in einem Rahmen, der sogar rechtmäßig sein könnte, und das ist nicht verkehrt. ----- Englischer Artikel erschienen im Nakamoto Institute: [Digital Cash & Privacy](https://nakamotoinstitute.org/library/digital-cash-and-privacy/here)

@ 2181959b:80f0d27d

أطلقت مايكروسوفت بهدوء إصدارًا مجانيًا من تطبيقات Office لأجهزة ويندوز، يتيح للمستخدمين تحرير المستندات دون الحاجة إلى اشتراك في Microsoft 365 أو ترخيص مدفوع. ومع ذلك، يأتي هذا الإصدار مع إعلانات دائمة وقيود على بعض الميزات الأساسية. **ما هي قيود الإصدار المجاني من تطبيقات Office؟** وفقًا لموقع Beebom، يعتمد الإصدار المجاني على التطبيقات المكتبية الكاملة لكنه يُقيد معظم الميزات خلف اشتراك Microsoft 365. وهذه القيود تتمثل في الآتي: 1: يتم عرض الإعلانات بشكل دائم داخل تطبيقات Word وPowerPoint وExcel أثناء العمل على المستندات. 2: يمكن حفظ الملفات فقط على OneDrive، دون دعم لتحرير الملفات المحلية. 3: لا يتوفر الإملاء الصوتي، والإضافات، والتنسيقات المتقدمة، وSmartArt، مما يجعله مناسبًا للمهام الأساسية فقط. https://image.nostr.build/bbfd97a76b189c9b826d98208537600ee607169f9ee98c0b3f3a99bb04f3b1f4.jpg **كيفية الوصول إلى الإصدار المجاني من تطبيقات Office؟** يمكن للمستخدمين تخطي طلب تسجيل الدخول عند تشغيل أحد تطبيقات Office لأول مرة، وبعد ذلك سيحصلون على خيار استخدامه مجانًا مقابل الإعلانات والميزات المحدودة. في هذا الوضع، يمكن فتح المستندات وعرضها وتحريرها، تمامًا كما هو الحال في إصدار Office على الويب. **هل هو متاح للجميع؟** حاليًا، يبدو أن هذا الإصدار لا يزال في مرحلة الاختبار المحدود، حيث لم يتمكن بعض المستخدمين من تجاوز شاشة تسجيل الدخول عند تشغيل Office. ومن المحتمل أن مايكروسوفت تختبر هذه النسخة في مناطق محددة أو مع مجموعة صغيرة من المستخدمين قبل إطلاقها رسميًا. حتى الآن، لم تُعلن الشركة رسميًا عن هذا الإصدار، ولم تذكره في مستندات الدعم الخاصة بها، لكن قد تكشف مايكروسوفت عن تفاصيل إضافية خلال الأيام أو الأسابيع المقبلة. [المصدر]( https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/office-365/microsoft-quietly-launches-free-ad-supported-version-of-office-apps-for-windows-with-limited-functionality)

@ d360efec:14907b5f

**ภาพรวม BTCUSDT (OKX):** Bitcoin (BTCUSDT) แนวโน้มระยะยาว TF Day ยังคงเป็นขาลง แนวโน้มระยะกลาง TF 4H Sideway down และแนวโน้มระยะสั้น TF 15M Sideways Down **วิเคราะห์ทีละ Timeframe:** **(1) TF Day (รายวัน):**  * **แนวโน้ม:** ขาลง (Downtrend) * **SMC:** * Lower Highs (LH) และ Lower Lows (LL) * Break of Structure (BOS) ด้านล่าง * **Liquidity:** * มี Sellside Liquidity (SSL) อยู่ใต้ Lows ก่อนหน้า * มี Buyside Liquidity (BSL) อยู่เหนือ Highs ก่อนหน้า * **ICT:** * **Order Block** ราคาไม่สามารถผ่าน Order Block ได้ * **EMA:** * ราคาอยู่ใต้ EMA 50 และ EMA 200 * **Money Flow (LuxAlgo):** * สีแดง * **Trend Strength (AlgoAlpha):** * สีแดง แสดงถึงแนวโน้มขาลง * **Chart Patterns:** *ไม่มีรูปแบบที่ชัดเจน* * **Volume Profile:** * Volume ค่อนข้างนิ่ง * **แท่งเทียน:** แท่งเทียนล่าสุดเป็นสีแดง * **แนวรับ:** บริเวณ Low ล่าสุด * **แนวต้าน:** EMA 50, EMA 200 , Order Block * **สรุป:** แนวโน้มขาลง **(2) TF4H (4 ชั่วโมง):**  * **แนวโน้ม:** ขาลง (Downtrend) * **SMC:** * Lower Highs (LH) และ Lower Lows (LL) * Break of Structure (BOS) ด้านล่าง * **Liquidity:** * มี SSL อยู่ใต้ Lows ก่อนหน้า * มี BSL อยู่เหนือ Highs ก่อนหน้า * **ICT:** * **Order Block** ราคาไม่สามารถผ่าน Order Block ได้ * **EMA:** * ราคาอยู่ใต้ EMA 50 และ EMA 200 * **Money Flow (LuxAlgo):** * สีแดง แสดงถึงแรงขาย * **Trend Strength (AlgoAlpha):** * สีแดง แสดงถึงแนวโน้มขาลง * **Chart Patterns:** *ไม่มีรูปแบบที่ชัดเจน* * **Volume Profile:** * Volume ค่อนข้างนิ่ง * **แนวรับ:** บริเวณ Low ล่าสุด * **แนวต้าน:** EMA 50, EMA 200, Order Block * **สรุป:** แนวโน้มขาลง, **(3) TF15 (15 นาที):**  * **แนวโน้ม:** Sideway Down * **SMC:** * Lower High (LH) และ Lower Lows (LL) * Break of Structure (BOS) ด้านล่าง * **ICT:** * **Order Block:** ราคา Sideways ใกล้ Order Block * **EMA:** * EMA 50 และ EMA 200 เป็นแนวต้าน * **Money Flow (LuxAlgo):** * แดง * **Trend Strength (AlgoAlpha):** * แดง/ ไม่มีสัญญาณ * **Chart Patterns:** *ไม่มีรูปแบบที่ชัดเจน* * **Volume Profile:** Volume ค่อนข้างสูง * **แนวรับ:** บริเวณ Low ล่าสุด * **แนวต้าน:** EMA 50, EMA 200, Order Block * **สรุป:** แนวโน้ม Sideways Down, **สรุปภาพรวมและกลยุทธ์ (BTCUSDT):** * **แนวโน้มหลัก (Day):** ขาลง * **แนวโน้มรอง (4H):** ขาลง * **แนวโน้มระยะสั้น (15m):** Sideways Down * **Liquidity:** มี SSL ทั้งใน Day, 4H, และ 15m * **Money Flow:** เป็นลบในทุก Timeframes * **Trend Strength:** Day/4H/15m เป็นขาลง * **Chart Patterns:** ไม่พบรูปแบบที่ชัดเจน * **กลยุทธ์:** 1. **Wait & See (ดีที่สุด):** รอความชัดเจน 2. **Short (เสี่ยง):** ถ้าไม่สามารถ Breakout EMA/แนวต้านใน TF ใดๆ ได้ หรือเมื่อเกิดสัญญาณ Bearish Continuation 3. **ไม่แนะนำให้ Buy:** จนกว่าจะมีสัญญาณกลับตัวที่ชัดเจนมากๆ **Day Trade & การเทรดรายวัน:** * **Day Trade (TF15):** * **Short Bias:** หาจังหวะ Short เมื่อราคาเด้งขึ้นไปทดสอบแนวต้าน (EMA, Order Block) * **Stop Loss:** เหนือแนวต้านที่เข้า Short * **Take Profit:** แนวรับถัดไป (Low ล่าสุด) * **ไม่แนะนำให้ Long** * **Swing Trade (TF4H):** * **Short Bias:** รอจังหวะ Short เมื่อราคาไม่สามารถผ่านแนวต้าน EMA หรือ Order Block ได้ * **Stop Loss:** เหนือแนวต้านที่เข้า Short * **Take Profit:** แนวรับถัดไป * **ไม่แนะนำให้ Long** **สิ่งที่ต้องระวัง:** * **Sellside Liquidity (SSL):** มีโอกาสสูงที่ราคาจะถูกลากลงไปแตะ SSL * **False Breakouts:** ระวัง * **Volatility:** สูง **Setup Day Trade แบบ SMC (ตัวอย่าง):** 1. **ระบุ Order Block:** หา Order Block ขาลง (Bearish Order Block) ใน TF15 2. **รอ Pullback:** รอให้ราคา Pullback ขึ้นไปทดสอบ Order Block นั้น 3. **หา Bearish Entry:** * **Rejection:** รอ Price Action ปฏิเสธ Order Block * **Break of Structure:** รอให้ราคา Break โครงสร้างย่อยๆ * **Money Flow:** ดู Money Flow ให้เป็นสีแดง 4. **ตั้ง Stop Loss:** เหนือ Order Block 5. **ตั้ง Take Profit:** แนวรับถัดไป **คำแนะนำ:** * **ความขัดแย้งของ Timeframes:** ไม่มีแล้ว ทุก Timeframes สอดคล้องกัน * **Money Flow:** เป็นลบในทุก Timeframes * **Trend Strength:** เป็นลบ * **Order Block TF Day:** หลุด Order Block ขาขึ้นแล้ว * **ถ้าไม่แน่ใจ อย่าเพิ่งเข้าเทรด** **Disclaimer:** การวิเคราะห์นี้เป็นเพียงความคิดเห็นส่วนตัว ไม่ถือเป็นคำแนะนำในการลงทุน ผู้ลงทุนควรศึกษาข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมและตัดสินใจด้วยความรอบคอบ

@ d360efec:14907b5f

$OKX:BTCUSDT.P **Overall Assessment:** Bitcoin (BTCUSDT) on OKX is currently showing a bearish trend across all analyzed timeframes (Daily, 4-Hour, and 15-Minute). While the long-term trend (Daily) was technically an uptrend, it has *significantly weakened* and broken key support levels, including a major bullish Order Block and the 50-period EMA. The 4-hour and 15-minute charts confirm the downtrend. This analysis focuses on identifying potential areas of Smart Money activity (liquidity pools and order blocks), assessing trend strength, and looking for any emerging chart patterns. **Detailed Analysis by Timeframe:** **(1) TF Day (Daily):**  * **Trend:** Downtrend * **SMC (Smart Money Concepts):** * The Higher Highs (HH) and Higher Lows (HL) structure is *broken*. * Prior Breaks of Structure (BOS) to the upside, but now a significant and deep pullback/reversal is underway. * **Liquidity:** * **Sellside Liquidity (SSL):** Significant SSL rests below previous lows in the 85,000 - 90,000 range. * **Buyside Liquidity (BSL):** BSL is present above the all-time high. * **ICT (Inner Circle Trader Concepts):** * **Order Block:** The price has *broken below* the prior bullish Order Block. This is a *major bearish signal*. * **FVG:** No significant Fair Value Gap is apparent at the current price level. * **EMA (Exponential Moving Average):** * Price is *below* the 50-period EMA (yellow). * The 200-period EMA (white) is the next major support level. * **Money Flow (LuxAlgo):** * A *long red bar* indicates strong and sustained selling pressure. * **Trend Strength (AlgoAlpha):** * Red cloud, indicating a downtrend. No buy/sell signals are present. * **Chart Patterns:** No readily identifiable chart patterns are dominant. * **Volume Profile:** Relatively low volume. * **Candlesticks:** Recent candlesticks are red, confirming selling pressure. * **Support:** EMA 200, 85,000-90,000 (SSL area). * **Resistance:** EMA 50, Previous All-Time High. * **Summary:** The Daily chart has shifted to a downtrend. The break below the Order Block and 50 EMA, combined with negative Money Flow and Trend Strength, are all strong bearish signals. **(2) TF4H (4-Hour):**  * **Trend:** Downtrend. * **SMC:** * Lower Highs (LH) and Lower Lows (LL). * BOS to the downside. * **Liquidity:** * **SSL:** Below previous lows. * **BSL:** Above previous highs. * **ICT:** * **Order Block:** The price was rejected by a bearish Order Block. * **EMA:** * Price is below both the 50-period and 200-period EMAs (bearish). * **Money Flow (LuxAlgo):** * Predominantly red, confirming selling pressure. * **Trend Strength (AlgoAlpha):** * Red cloud, confirming downtrend. * **Chart Patterns:** No readily identifiable chart patterns. * **Volume Profile:** Relatively steady volume. * **Support:** Recent lows. * **Resistance:** EMA 50, EMA 200, Order Block. * **Summary:** The 4-hour chart is in a confirmed downtrend. Money Flow and Trend Strength are bearish. **(3) TF15 (15-Minute):**  * **Trend:** Downtrend / Sideways Down * **SMC:** * Lower Highs (LH) and Lower Lows (LL). * BOS to the downside. * **ICT:** * **Order Block** price is near to a bearish Order Block. * **EMA:** * The 50-period and 200-period EMAs are acting as resistance. * **Money Flow (LuxAlgo):** * Red * **Trend Strength (AlgoAlpha):** * Red/No signals * **Chart Patterns:** None * **Volume Profile:** * Relatively High Volume * **Support:** Recent lows. * **Resistance:** EMA 50, EMA 200, Order Block. * **Summary:** The 15-minute chart is clearly bearish, with price action, EMAs, and Money Flow all confirming the downtrend. **Overall Strategy and Recommendations (BTCUSDT):** * **Primary Trend (Day):** Downtrend * **Secondary Trend (4H):** Downtrend. * **Short-Term Trend (15m):** Downtrend/ Sideways Down. * **Liquidity:** Significant SSL zones exist below the current price on all timeframes. * **Money Flow:** Negative on all timeframes. * **Trend Strength:** Bearish on Day,4H and 15m. * **Chart Patterns:** None identified. * **Strategies:** 1. **Wait & See (Best Option):** The strong bearish momentum on all shorter timeframes. 2. **Short (High Risk):** This aligns with the 4H and 15m downtrends. * **Entry:** On rallies towards resistance levels (EMAs on 15m/4H, previous support levels that have turned into resistance, Order Blocks). * **Stop Loss:** Above recent highs on the chosen timeframe, or above a key resistance level. * **Target:** The next support levels (recent lows on 15m, then potentially the SSL zones on the 4H and Daily charts). 3. **Buy (Extremely High Risk - NOT Recommended):** Do *not* attempt to buy until there are *very strong and consistent* bullish reversal signals across *all* timeframes. **Key Recommendations:** * **Conflicting Timeframes:** The conflict is resolved toward the downside. The Daily is weakening significantly. * **Money Flow:** Consistently negative across all timeframes, a major bearish factor. * **Trend Strength:** Bearish on Day,4h and 15m. * **Daily Order Block:** The *break* of the bullish Order Block on the Daily chart is a significant bearish development. * **Sellside Liquidity (SSL):** Be aware that Smart Money may target the SSL zones below. This increases the risk of stop-loss hunting. * **Risk Management:** Due to the high uncertainty and volatility, *strict risk management is absolutely critical.* Use tight stop-losses, do not overtrade, and be prepared for rapid price swings. * **Volume:** Confirm any breakout or breakdown with volume. **Day Trading and Intraday Trading Strategies:** * **Day Trade (TF15 focus):** * **Short Bias:** Given the current 15m downtrend and negative Money Flow, the higher probability is to look for shorting opportunities. * **Entry:** Look for price to rally to resistance levels (EMAs, Order Blocks, previous support levels that have become resistance) and then show signs of rejection (bearish candlestick patterns, increasing volume on the downside). * **Stop Loss:** Place a stop-loss order above the resistance level where you enter the short position. * **Take Profit:** Target the next support level (recent lows). * **Avoid Long positions** until there's a *clear* and *confirmed* bullish reversal on the 15m chart (break above EMAs, positive Money Flow, bullish market structure). * **Swing Trade (TF4H focus):** * **Short Bias:** The 4H chart is in a downtrend. * **Entry:** Wait for price to rally to resistance levels (EMAs, Order Blocks) and show signs of rejection. * **Stop Loss:** Above the resistance level where you enter the short position. * **Take Profit:** Target the next support levels (e.g., the 200 EMA on the Daily chart, SSL zones). * **Avoid Long positions** until there's a *clear* and *confirmed* bullish reversal on the 4H chart. **SMC Day Trade Setup Example (TF15 - Bearish):** 1. **Identify Bearish Order Block:** Locate a bearish Order Block on the TF15 chart (a bullish candle before a strong downward move). 2. **Wait for Pullback:** Wait for the price to pull back up to test the Order Block (this may or may not happen). 3. **Bearish Entry:** * **Rejection:** Look for price action to reject the Order Block (e.g., a pin bar, engulfing pattern, or other bearish candlestick pattern). * **Break of Structure:** Look for a break of a minor support level on a *lower* timeframe (e.g., 1-minute or 5-minute) after the price tests the Order Block. This confirms weakening bullish momentum. * **Money Flow:** Confirm that Money Flow remains negative (red). 4. **Stop Loss:** Place a stop-loss order *above* the Order Block. 5. **Take Profit:** Target the next support level (e.g., recent lows) or a bullish Order Block on a higher timeframe. **In conclusion, BTCUSDT is currently in a high-risk, bearish environment. The "Wait & See" approach is strongly recommended for most traders. Shorting is the higher-probability trade *at this moment*, but only for experienced traders who can manage risk extremely effectively. Buying is not recommended at this time.** **Disclaimer:** This analysis is for informational purposes only and represents a personal opinion. It is not financial advice. Investing in cryptocurrencies involves significant risk. Investors should conduct their own research and exercise due diligence before making any investment decisions.

@ b8af284d:f82c91dd

Liebe Abonnenten, *„The Fourth Turning“ ist ein epochemachendes wie hellseherisches Buch von William Strauss und Neil Howe. Es erschien 1997 mit der These, wonach Geschichte in Zyklen von 80 bis 100 Jahren verlaufe. Jede Gesellschaft durchlaufe vier Phasen („Turnings“): **High, Awakening, Unraveling und Crisis**. Nach der Crisis kommt es zum „Fourth Turning“ - welches die Autoren in den Jahren 2020 bis 2030 prophezeiten. Das klingt nach esoterischer Science-Fiction-Literatur, ist es aber nicht: Der mittlerweile verstorbene Strauss war Historiker, Howl ist Ökonom. In „The Fourth Turning“ argumentieren sie demnach weitgehend wissenschaftlich. Die Argumentation hier wiederzugeben, würden den Rahmen sprengen. Aber nur soviel: Wir sind mittendrin. Abseits des turbulenten Tagesgeschehens beginnt sich, eine neue Finanzordnung abzuzeichnen.*  Musk und sein “[Department of Government Efficiency](https://x.com/DOGE)” drehen gerade jeden Stein um, den sie finden können. Alle Ausgaben der Regierung kommen auf den Prüfstand. Deswegen wurden sämtliche Zahlungen an die vermeintliche Entwicklungshilfe-Organisation USAID gestrichen. In die meisten Leitmedien schafften es nur Meldungen, wonach nun [Projekte zur Förderung von Beschneidungen in Mozambique und Biodiversität in Nepal ](https://x.com/DOGE/status/1890849405932077378)kein Geld mehr erhalten. Weniger war davon zu lesen, dass USAID als Deckorganisation für die CIA funktionierte und zum Beispiel[ die Forschung an pathogenen Corona-Viren in China](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/486983/usaid-wont-give-details-on-4-67-million-grant-to-wuhan-lab-collaborator-ecohealth-alliance/) mit 4,6 Millionen finanzierte. Auch mit dabei: [2,6 Millionen Dollar an ein Zensur-Programm namens “Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH](https://x.com/AllumBokhari/status/1892027594666541412))” und vieles mehr: eine gute Übersicht findet man hier auf der [Website des Weißen Haus](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/at-usaid-waste-and-abuse-runs-deep/)’. Die Einsparungen sind so hoch aktuell rund neun Milliarden US-Dollar, das darüber nachgedacht wird, einen Teil der Steuergelder wieder an die Bürger zurückzuzahlen: [Die “DogeDividend” könnte bei 5000$ pro Kopf liegen](https://x.com/DeItaone/status/1892182305487097877). (Wer sich noch an den Covid-Stimulus in Höhe von 1200$ erinnert, weiß, welche Rally die Zahlungen 2020 auslösten). Der Kassensturz umfasst aber längst nicht nur USAID, sondern betrifft sämtliche Staatsausgaben. Sämtliche Ausgaben und Vermögenswerte der USA werden erfasst und hinsichtlich ihrer Nützlichkeit überprüft. Im Rahmen von DOGE ließ Elon Musk kürzlich fragen, ob es nicht mal Zeit für eine Zählung der Gold-Reserven wäre. In Fort Knox, das die meisten wahrscheinlich aus James-Bond-Filmen oder Donald-Duck-Comics kennen, lagern mindestens 4800 Tonnen Gold - über die Hälfte der amerikanischen Reserven. Das heißt: Niemand weiß genau, wie viel es eigentlich sind. Die letzte Inventur fand 1953 statt. Dasselbe gilt für die Zahlungen in die Ukraine. Mindestens 270 Milliarden US-Dollar haben die USA an Kiew gezahlt. Das Resultat: vermutlich über eine halbe Million Tote, ein völlig zerstörtes Land und ein korruptes System. Nach der Rede von JD Vance bei der Münchener Sicherheitskonferenz ist Europa erst einmal in Schnappatmung gefallen. Am Dienstag darauf folgten zum ersten Mal seit Jahren direkte Gespräche zwischen Moskau und Washington in Saudi-Arabien. Europäer waren nicht eingeladen, die hielten stattdessen ein Krisentreffen in Paris ab.  Innerhalb der EU wird jetzt von einem neuen Militärfonds gefaselt, um die größte Aufrüstung des Kontinents seit 1933 zu finanzieren. [700 Milliarden Euro soll der umfassen, finanziert durch Steuererhöhungen](https://www.berliner-zeitung.de/wirtschaft-verantwortung/baerbock-verplappert-sich-nach-der-wahl-milliarden-fuer-ukraine-li.2295623), da ja der Schutz der USA jetzt wegfalle. Man kann nur hoffen, dass die EU-Bürokratie zusammen mit Selenski nicht auf die Idee kommt, den Krieg allein weiterzuführen oder den Friedensprozess zu sabotieren. Vielen dürfte allerdings klar sein, dass sich demnächst etwas grundsätzlich ändern wird. Die Trump-Administration ordnet die Welt neu, und damit auch die globale Finanzarchitektur. Was hat es damit auf sich? Und worum geht es eigentlich? Zur Erinnerung: Mit dem Beitritt Chinas zur Welthandelsorganisation 2001 wurde die industrielle Basis der USA nach und nach ausgehöhlt. Chinesische Waren waren billiger - und so verlagerten sich immer mehr Industrien nach China. Deutschland profitierte relativ länger von dieser Entwicklung, da die Automobilindustrie wettbewerbsfähiger war und deutsche Maschinenbauer chinesische Fabriken ausstatteten. \ Trump 1 versuchte diese Entwicklung mit Zöllen zu unterbinden. Bei Trump 2 geht es um mehr. Zölle sind nur noch die vorübergehende Waffe, die Ziele durchzusetzen. Ziel ist ein schwächerer Dollar.  Eine starke Währung klingt nett, bedeutet aber nichts anderes, als dass Importe aus anderen Ländern günstiger sind und Exporte in andere Länder vergleichsweise teurer sind. Eine schwächere Währung heißt dagegen, dass Exporte günstiger und damit wettbewerbsfähiger sind. Ein starker Dollar behindert deswegen den (Rück-)Aufbau der amerikanischen Industrie. Allerdings ist das eben auch genau der Preis, den ein Land für eine Leit- oder Reserve-Währung zahlen muss. Weil die Welt mit US-Dollar bezahlt - auch ein mexikanisches Unternehmen, das mit einem chinesischen handelt, wickelt das mit Dollar ab - ist die Nachfrage nach US-Dollar hoch, und die Währung damit stark: > *From a trade perspective, the dollar is persistently overvalued, in large part because dollar assets function as the world’s reserve currency. This overvaluation has weighed heavily on the American manufacturing sector while benefiting financialized sectors of the economy in manners that benefit wealthy Americans.* Die USA zahlten indirekt für dieses Privileg, indem sie es sich zur Aufgabe machten, internationale Handelswege zu schützen. Die US-Marine übernahm nach 1945 und besonders nach 1989 den Job der British Royal Navy, und bewacht seitdem alle wichtigen Schifffahrtswege weltweit, um freien Handel zu ermöglichen. \ *The U.S. dollar is the reserve asset in large part because America provides stability, liquidity, market depth and the rule of law. Those are related to the characteristics that make America powerful enough to project physical force worldwide and allow it to shape and defend the global international order. The history of intertwinement between reserve currency status and national security is long.*  Das System funktionierte auch deswegen, weil die allermeisten, befreundeten Staaten, ihr Überschüsse wieder in US-Dollar-Anleihen anlegten (US-Treasuries). Dieses Recycling aus “Amerikaner konsumieren und zahlen mit US-Dollar, die China, Japan und die EU wiederum in US-Anleihen anlegen” funktionierte lange gut. Das Problem ist seit einigen Jahren: Die Situation hat sich zuungunsten der USA verschoben. Man zahlt viel für das Militär, aber die Gewinne, die sich aus einer Leitwährung ergeben, sind gefallen. Kurz gesagt: Das Verteidigungsbudget wächst, während Arbeitsplätze verloren gegangen sind. Zwar konnten sich die USA in den vergangenen Jahren günstiger als andere verschulden. Trotzdem erdrückt die Schuldenlast mittlerweile den Etat, und immer weniger Staaten haben Lust, ihre Reserven in US-Treasuries anzulegen. Sie kaufen lieber Gold (und vielleicht auch bald Bitcoin).  Eine Neugewichtung des Deals ist notwendig. Daher der Kassensturz. Daher die ständigen Aufforderungen Trumps an Verbündete, künftig mehr zu zahlen. Die Lösung könnte ein „Mar-a-Lago“-Accord sein. Die USA befanden sich in den 1980er Jahren schon einmal in einer ähnlichen Situation: Japanische und deutsche Waren überschwemmten die amerikanischen Märkte. Nach einem verlorenen Krieg in Vietnam und hoher Inflation hatten sich innerhalb Gesellschaft große Spannungen aufgebaut. Ronald Reagan, übrigens ein Präsident, der ähnlich polarisierte wie Trump heute, sprach 1985 Klartext: Japan und in geringerem Maße die BRD, Frankreich und Großbritannien hatten ihre Währungen aufzuwerten. Damit wurde die Flut der Exporte in die USA gestemmt und die Finanzflüsse stabilisiert. Seit einigen Wochen gibt es relativ klare Pläne, wie diese neue Ordnung aussehen soll. Sie gehen zurück auf den Ökonomen Steve Miran, der bereits unter der ersten Trump-Administration eine Berater-Rolle hatte. Seit Dezember 2024 ist der Vorsitzender des Council of Economic Advisers. Miran wiederum steht [Zoltan Pozsar nahe, der 2022/23 zum Shooting Star der Macro-Economy-Nerds wurde](https://www.finews.ch/themen/guruwatch/58206-zoltan-pozsar-ex-uno-plures-resarch-dollar-zinsen-bretton-woods-ungarn). Worum geht es? Weiter geht es auf <https://blingbling.substack.com/p/der-mar-a-lago-accord>

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

­  @Voltage team will be building a simple implementation of a Lightning gated API service using a Voltage LND Node and the L402 protocol. 📅 Thursday, February 27th 4:00 PM CDT 📷 Live on Voltage Discord, on X, or on YouTube. - discord.gg/EN93fDfQ - https://x.com/voltage_cloud/status/1892938201980919985 - https://www.youtube.com/@voltage_cloud originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/896373

@ 6389be64:ef439d32

Biochar in the soil attracts microbes who take up permanent residence in the "coral reef" the biochar provides. Those microbes then attract mycorrhizal fungi to the reef. The mycorrhizal fungi are also attached to plant roots connecting diverse populations to each other, allowing transportation of molecular resources (water, cations, anions etc). The char surface area attracts positively charged ions like K+ Ca2+ Mg2+ NH4+ Na+ H+ Al3+ Fe2+ Fe3+ Mn2+ Cu2+ Zn2+ Many of these are transferred to plant roots by mycorrhizal fungi in exchange for photosynthetic products (sugars). Mycorrhizal fungi are connected to both plant roots and biochar. Char adsorbs these cations so, it stands to reason that under periods of minimal need by plants for these cations (stress, low or no sunlight etc.), mycorrhizal fungi could deposit the cations to the char surfaces. The char would be acting as a "bank" for the cations and the deposition would be of low energy cost. Once the plant starts exuding photosynthetic products again, signaling a need for these cations, the fungi can start "stripping" the cations off of the char surface for immediate exchange of the cations for the sugars. This would be a high energy transaction because the fungi would have to expend energy to strip the cations off of the char surface, in effect, an "interest rate". The char might act as a reservoir of cations that were mined by the fungi while the sugar flow from the roots was active. It's a bank. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/896340

@ ef1744f8:96fbc3fe

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@ ef1744f8:96fbc3fe

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@ ef1744f8:96fbc3fe

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@ ef1744f8:96fbc3fe

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@ ef1744f8:96fbc3fe

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@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9

Here’s a revised timeline of macro-level events from *The Mandibles: A Family, 2029–2047* by Lionel Shriver, reimagined in a world where Bitcoin is adopted as a widely accepted form of money, altering the original narrative’s assumptions about currency collapse and economic control. In Shriver’s original story, the failure of Bitcoin is assumed amid the dominance of the bancor and the dollar’s collapse. Here, Bitcoin’s success reshapes the economic and societal trajectory, decentralizing power and challenging state-driven outcomes. ### Part One: 2029–2032 - **2029 (Early Year)**\ The United States faces economic strain as the dollar weakens against global shifts. However, Bitcoin, having gained traction emerges as a viable alternative. Unlike the original timeline, the bancor—a supranational currency backed by a coalition of nations—struggles to gain footing as Bitcoin’s decentralized adoption grows among individuals and businesses worldwide, undermining both the dollar and the bancor. - **2029 (Mid-Year: The Great Renunciation)**\ Treasury bonds lose value, and the government bans Bitcoin, labeling it a threat to sovereignty (mirroring the original bancor ban). However, a Bitcoin ban proves unenforceable—its decentralized nature thwarts confiscation efforts, unlike gold in the original story. Hyperinflation hits the dollar as the U.S. prints money, but Bitcoin’s fixed supply shields adopters from currency devaluation, creating a dual-economy split: dollar users suffer, while Bitcoin users thrive. - **2029 (Late Year)**\ Dollar-based inflation soars, emptying stores of goods priced in fiat currency. Meanwhile, Bitcoin transactions flourish in underground and online markets, stabilizing trade for those plugged into the bitcoin ecosystem. Traditional supply chains falter, but peer-to-peer Bitcoin networks enable local and international exchange, reducing scarcity for early adopters. The government’s gold confiscation fails to bolster the dollar, as Bitcoin’s rise renders gold less relevant. - **2030–2031**\ Crime spikes in dollar-dependent urban areas, but Bitcoin-friendly regions see less chaos, as digital wallets and smart contracts facilitate secure trade. The U.S. government doubles down on surveillance to crack down on bitcoin use. A cultural divide deepens: centralized authority weakens in Bitcoin-adopting communities, while dollar zones descend into lawlessness. - **2032**\ By this point, Bitcoin is de facto legal tender in parts of the U.S. and globally, especially in tech-savvy or libertarian-leaning regions. The federal government’s grip slips as tax collection in dollars plummets—Bitcoin’s traceability is low, and citizens evade fiat-based levies. Rural and urban Bitcoin hubs emerge, while the dollar economy remains fractured. ### Time Jump: 2032–2047 - Over 15 years, Bitcoin solidifies as a global reserve currency, eroding centralized control. The U.S. government adapts, grudgingly integrating bitcoin into policy, though regional autonomy grows as Bitcoin empowers local economies. ### Part Two: 2047 - **2047 (Early Year)**\ The U.S. is a hybrid state: Bitcoin is legal tender alongside a diminished dollar. Taxes are lower, collected in BTC, reducing federal overreach. Bitcoin’s adoption has decentralized power nationwide. The bancor has faded, unable to compete with Bitcoin’s grassroots momentum. - **2047 (Mid-Year)**\ Travel and trade flow freely in Bitcoin zones, with no restrictive checkpoints. The dollar economy lingers in poorer areas, marked by decay, but Bitcoin’s dominance lifts overall prosperity, as its deflationary nature incentivizes saving and investment over consumption. Global supply chains rebound, powered by bitcoin enabled efficiency. - **2047 (Late Year)**\ The U.S. is a patchwork of semi-autonomous zones, united by Bitcoin’s universal acceptance rather than federal control. Resource scarcity persists due to past disruptions, but economic stability is higher than in Shriver’s original dystopia—Bitcoin’s success prevents the authoritarian slide, fostering a freer, if imperfect, society. ### Key Differences - **Currency Dynamics**: Bitcoin’s triumph prevents the bancor’s dominance and mitigates hyperinflation’s worst effects, offering a lifeline outside state control. - **Government Power**: Centralized authority weakens as Bitcoin evades bans and taxation, shifting power to individuals and communities. - **Societal Outcome**: Instead of a surveillance state, 2047 sees a decentralized, bitcoin driven world—less oppressive, though still stratified between Bitcoin haves and have-nots. This reimagining assumes Bitcoin overcomes Shriver’s implied skepticism to become a robust, adopted currency by 2029, fundamentally altering the novel’s bleak trajectory.

@ f6488c62:c929299d

การที่สหรัฐอเมริกาปรับมูลค่าทองคำในคลัง (re-peg) จะมีผลกระทบที่สำคัญต่อทั้งระบบการเงินโลกและบิทคอยน์ ด้วยเหตุผลต่างๆ ที่อาจเกิดขึ้นดังนี้: ทองคำในฐานะสินทรัพย์เก็บมูลค่า: หากสหรัฐอเมริกาปรับราคาทองคำจาก 42 ดอลลาร์ต่อออนซ์เป็นราคาปัจจุบันที่สูงถึง 2,953.5 ดอลลาร์ต่อออนซ์ การปรับนี้จะทำให้ทองคำได้รับความนิยมและมีมูลค่าเพิ่มขึ้นอย่างมากในมุมมองของนักลงทุนทั่วโลก ส่งผลให้ทองคำมีบทบาทสำคัญขึ้นในระบบการเงิน อีกทั้งยังเป็นทางเลือกการลงทุนที่น่าสนใจมากขึ้นในฐานะ "safe haven" หรือสินทรัพย์ที่ปลอดภัย. ผลกระทบต่อตลาดดอลลาร์สหรัฐ: การประเมินมูลค่าทองคำใหม่จะทำให้ค่าเงินดอลลาร์อ่อนค่าลง เนื่องจากทองคำถูกมองว่าเป็นตัวบ่งชี้ความมั่งคั่งและเสถียรภาพทางการเงิน การอ่อนค่าของดอลลาร์อาจส่งผลให้บิทคอยน์เป็นที่น่าสนใจมากขึ้นในฐานะสินทรัพย์ที่ไม่ขึ้นกับเงินดอลลาร์และธนาคารกลางใด ๆ. การเติบโตของบิทคอยน์: เมื่อระบบการเงินดั้งเดิม (เช่น ดอลลาร์สหรัฐ) เริ่มสั่นคลอนหรือลดความน่าเชื่อถือ บิทคอยน์ซึ่งเป็นสินทรัพย์ดิจิทัลที่ไม่ขึ้นกับรัฐบาลหรือธนาคารกลางก็จะได้รับความสนใจมากขึ้นจากนักลงทุนที่ต้องการหลีกเลี่ยงความเสี่ยงในระบบการเงินแบบดั้งเดิม นอกจากนี้บิทคอยน์ยังถือเป็นสินทรัพย์ที่มีการจำกัดจำนวน (21 ล้าน BTC) ซึ่งถือว่าเป็นการป้องกันภาวะเงินเฟ้อที่มักจะเกิดขึ้นจากการพิมพ์เงินจำนวนมากโดยธนาคารกลาง. การปรับตัวของประเทศอื่นๆ: หากสหรัฐฯ ปรับมูลค่าทองคำใหม่ ประเทศอื่นๆ อาจจำเป็นต้องปรับเปลี่ยนมูลค่าทองคำของตนเองเพื่อตอบสนองต่อการเปลี่ยนแปลงนี้ และอาจเห็นการเคลื่อนไหวในการสนับสนุนสินทรัพย์ดิจิทัลอย่างบิทคอยน์มากขึ้นเพื่อกระจายความเสี่ยงจากการพึ่งพาระบบการเงินดอลลาร์สหรัฐ. สรุปได้ว่า หากการปรับมูลค่าทองคำของสหรัฐเป็นจริง การเคลื่อนไหวนี้อาจเป็นตัวกระตุ้นให้บิทคอยน์เติบโตขึ้น เนื่องจากนักลงทุนมองหาทางเลือกที่ปลอดภัยจากความไม่แน่นอนในระบบการเงินดั้งเดิม และเพิ่มการยอมรับในสินทรัพย์ดิจิทัลมากขึ้น.

@ 8da249fe:ecc00e09

Existem diversas corretoras onde você pode comprar e vender bitcoins e outras moedas. O ideal é sempre escolher empresas idoneas e com boa fama, para isso, antes de ir comprando bitcoin conheça pessoas que usam estas corretoras, veja os depoimentos destas pessoas sobre esta plataforma, isso é bem básico e serve para qualquer coisa. Geralmente estas exchanges (corretoras) exigem alguns dados pessoais, ou seja, são fontes de bitcoin por KYC. Para pessoas que querem ter bitcoin sem seus dados registrados é necessário a compra peer-to-peer, que é a compra direta por pessoas sem a uma "instituição financeira" mediando a transação. Dica número 1 : Nunca deixe seus bitcoins armazenados em corretoras.  Apesar do bitcoin ainda não ter nenhum tipo de regulamentação, as corretoras por serem consideradas "instituições financeiras" são reguladas pelo Sistema Financeiro Nacional, sendo vulneráveis as decisões governamentais. Além disso, as corretoras por movimentarem grandes quantidades de dinheiro, estão vulneráveis ataques hackears que são frequentementes. Dica número 2: Sempre deposite seus bitcoins em carteiras  As carteiras são locais de armazenamento seguros e alguns tipos com as cold Wallet não há gestão dos seus fundos por intermediários, logo a responsabilidade pelo seu dinheiro é totalmente sua. Sempre importante guardar e ter uma boa organização quanto as senhas de acesso, pois uma vez que perde não há nenhuma forma de recuperá-la. Algo que o economista Fernando Roxo fala no YT que concordo plenamente ,é , que não se deve deixar todos os ovos numa cesta só. O que aplico no universo bitcoin que não se deve colocar todos os seus bitcoin em apenas uma carteira. É muito importante dificultar o máximo para os criminosos roubarem, por isso devem ter várias carteiras. Dica número 3: Entenda que Bitcoin não é investimento, e sim uma solução econômica.  Não desista do bitcoin , só porque ele ocila de valor. O bitcoin não é um investimento a onde se aplica e você tem um lucro. O bitcoin é uma solução em decorrência da desonestidade dos governos que imprimem moedas sem valor agregado. Este conhecimento é extremamente importante para que não se iluda com promessa de ficar milionário ou algo do tipo. O bitcoin é uma moeda segura que tem o intuito de proteger o mercado financeiro em decorrência da má fé de estados, e também uma arma contra governos. Dica número 4 : Ajude a comunidade, comercialize em bitcoin. Quer você seja consumidor ou produtor, faça com que seus fundos estejam em bitcoin. Apesar de estamos engatinhando no mercado há muitas iniciativas como o Bitrefill, maquininhas e software para movimentações em bitcoin que tem facilitado as transações. Dica número 5: Conheça os termos técnico sobre este universo. Fique sempre atualizados com os termos da comunidade com KYC, cold wallet, hot wallet, fiat ... Assim você poderá seu um "agente" pró bitcoin e ajudar pessoas simples a entrarem neste universo e ter sua auto custódia e estarem imunes aos desgovernos.

@ d57360cb:4fe7d935

The moments and events that leave you lost. Shook. In Disbelief. Those are the moments you need most. They unlock something dormant in you. Feelings you didn't think imaginable. Journeys you thought unlikely to happen. Paths and roads filled with ups and downs. Uncertainties, roadblocks, long distances of absolutely nothing in sight. Periods of turmoil and absolute stillness. Don't mistake where you are for the finale. Embrace life, it gives you character.

@ 378562cd:a6fc6773

As someone deeply interested in decentralized technology, I’ve been closely following the rapid rise of the Nostr (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays) protocol. Although I've only just begun investigating it, I have already almost all but canceled my X, Facebook, and Truth Social accounts! Nostr is an exciting alternative to traditional social media and communication platforms. It is built on censorship resistance, user control, and interoperability principles. Given the growing concerns over centralized control, privacy breaches, and biased content moderation, I believe Nostr presents a compelling solution. In this ~~article~~ long note, I want to share my thoughts on how Nostr has evolved, its recent advancements, and its potential impact on the digital landscape. **Understanding Nostr** Nostr is a lightweight, open-source protocol that allows users like me and you to share notes, messages, and other digital interactions via relays rather than centralized servers. It’s designed to be simple, robust, and censorship-resistant. Instead of relying on a single platform or authority, Nostr operates on a peer-to-peer model. Users interact through cryptographic key pairs and publish content to relays that distribute the data across the network. Unlike traditional social networks like Twitter or Facebook, where all data is stored on centralized servers controlled by corporations, Nostr empowers me to truly own and control my digital identity. My data isn’t locked away by a single company or subject to the whims of ever-changing policies, government overreach, or arbitrary bans. Instead, I can run my own relay or connect to multiple independent relays, ensuring that my presence online remains resilient and censorship-resistant. Even if one or more relays shut down, my data is not lost—it remains accessible through the broader network. This decentralized structure not only protects free expression but also guarantees that no single entity has the power to dictate who stays online and who gets silenced. With Nostr, I am in control, and my data belongs to me—just as it should. Since its inception, Nostr has seen impressive development, both technically and in terms of adoption. Some of the advancements that excite me the most include: **Growing Ecosystem of Clients and Relays** Developers have built a diverse ecosystem of client applications, ranging from sleek web-based interfaces to powerful mobile apps, making accessing and interacting with the Nostr network easier than ever. Whether on a desktop, smartphone or even experimental hardware, users have a growing array of options to stay connected seamlessly. At the same time, the relay infrastructure has evolved rapidly, with new nodes optimized for speed, security, and regional accessibility. These relays ensure that messages are delivered efficiently while maintaining the network's decentralized and censorship-resistant nature. With relays distributed worldwide, Nostr continues to grow stronger, providing a resilient and open platform where users are free to communicate without relying on any single point of failure. **Enhanced User Experience** Early implementations of Nostr were simple and barebones, catering mostly to tech-savvy early adopters. However, the user experience has since evolved dramatically. Modern Nostr clients now feature sleek, intuitive UI designs, making navigation smooth and enjoyable. Enhanced media support allows for seamless sharing of images, videos, and other content, while improved interaction mechanisms—such as threaded conversations, reactions, and richer notifications—make engagement more dynamic and user-friendly. To further streamline the experience, user-friendly wallets and browser extensions have been introduced, simplifying secure key management and making onboarding far more accessible. Newcomers no longer need to wrestle with complex cryptographic keys; instead, they can leverage intuitive tools that ensure both security and ease of use. As Nostr continues to grow, the focus on refining UX is making it an increasingly viable and compelling alternative to traditional social networks. **Integration with Lightning Network** Integrating Bitcoin’s Lightning Network into Nostr is a game-changer, revolutionizing how value is exchanged within the network. With seamless microtransactions and tipping systems, I can directly support content creators, developers, and other users without relying on traditional ad-driven revenue models or third-party payment processors. This fosters a more organic, community-driven economy where creators are rewarded instantly and fairly for their contributions. By using Bitcoin for payments and interactions, Nostr enhances financial sovereignty, allowing users like me to transact in a truly decentralized manner—free from corporate gatekeepers, banking restrictions, or censorship. However, it’s important to remember that Nostr is still in its early days. While the potential is enormous, adoption and refinement take time. Content creators and users alike may need to be patient as the ecosystem matures, but those who embrace it early are helping to shape the future of open, censorship-resistant communication and finance. **Privacy and Security Enhancements** One of the most significant advancements in Nostr has been the introduction of end-to-end encrypted messaging, ensuring truly private and secure communication. Unlike traditional platforms that may scan, store, or even monetize user conversations, Nostr guarantees that only the intended recipient can decrypt and read messages. This level of privacy is a game-changer for those who value secure, censorship-resistant interactions. Beyond private messaging, new identity verification methods leveraging cryptographic signatures have also emerged, allowing users to confirm authenticity without sacrificing pseudonymity. This means that while I can prove I am who I say I am, I don’t have to tie my identity to a real-world name, giving me the best of both security and privacy in an increasingly surveilled digital landscape. Mainstream Adoption and High-Profile Endorsements As Nostr continues to gain traction, high-profile figures like Jack Dorsey have publicly supported and contributed to its development, lending credibility and visibility to the project. His endorsement, along with growing enthusiasm from privacy advocates, developers, and free speech supporters, has accelerated Nostr’s momentum. More developers and tech enthusiasts are now embracing Nostr as a viable alternative to corporate-controlled social networks, building innovative applications and expanding its ecosystem. While still in its early days, the rapid pace of development suggests that Nostr is on a trajectory toward becoming a mainstream, decentralized communication platform that challenges the dominance of traditional social media. **Challenges and the Road Ahead** Despite its rapid progress, Nostr still faces some hurdles that need to be overcome for it to achieve mainstream adoption: Scalability Issues: Maintaining a reliable and efficient relay system remains challenging as the number of users grows, which is understandable. User Adoption and Education: While I find the protocol exciting, helping non-technical users (like me in a lot of ways) understand its benefits and navigate its interface is an ongoing challenge. Without centralized control, Nostr relies on decentralized, user-driven solutions for spam and moderation. Relays set their own rules, allowing users to choose environments that match their preferences—some with strict moderation, others more open. Client-side filtering also plays a key role, with modern Nostr clients enabling users to block, mute, or filter unwanted content. Reputation-based systems and algorithmic filtering are emerging to help surface valuable discussions while minimizing spam. As Nostr evolves, these community-driven approaches will continue to refine the balance between free expression and a quality user experience. **Conclusion** The advancement of the Nostr protocol marks a major shift toward decentralized, censorship-resistant communication networks. By giving users like US full control over their data and interactions, Nostr presents a strong alternative to traditional social media platforms. As the protocol continues to evolve, its integration with other decentralized technologies, such as Bitcoin and cryptographic identity solutions, will further solidify its role in shaping the future of the Internet. While challenges remain, I firmly believe Nostr is redefining how we interact online by prioritizing freedom, privacy, and resilience in the digital age. I may be old, but I love Nostr and am glad I can participate at such an early stage. Let's learn together!

@ d34e832d:383f78d0

https://blossom.primal.net/af0bc86b52c7f91c26633ed0cba4f151bb74e5a5702b892f7f1efaa9e4640018.mp4 [npub16d8gxt2z4k9e8sdpc0yyqzf5gp0np09ls4lnn630qzxzvwpl0rgq5h4rzv] ### **What is Reticulum?** Reticulum is a cryptographic networking stack designed for resilient, decentralized, and censorship-resistant communication. Unlike the traditional internet, Reticulum enables fully independent digital communications over various physical mediums, such as radio, LoRa, serial links, and even TCP/IP. The key advantages of Reticulum include: - **Decentralization** – No reliance on centralized infrastructure. - **Encryption & Privacy** – End-to-end encryption built-in. - **Resilience** – Operates over unreliable and low-bandwidth links. - **Interoperability** – Works over WiFi, LoRa, Bluetooth, and more. - **Ease of Use** – Can run on minimal hardware, including Raspberry Pi and embedded devices. Reticulum is ideal for off-grid, censorship-resistant communications, emergency preparedness, and secure messaging. --- ## **1. Getting Started with Reticulum** To quickly get started with Reticulum, follow the official guide: [Reticulum: Getting Started Fast](https://markqvist.github.io/Reticulum/manual/gettingstartedfast.html) ### **Step 1: Install Reticulum** #### **On Linux (Debian/Ubuntu-based systems)** ```sh sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y sudo apt install -y python3-pip pip3 install rns ``` #### **On Raspberry Pi or ARM-based Systems** ```sh pip3 install rns ``` #### **On Windows** Using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) or Python: ```sh pip install rns ``` #### **On macOS** ```sh pip3 install rns ``` --- ## **2. Configuring Reticulum** Once installed, Reticulum needs a configuration file. The default location is: ```sh ~/.config/reticulum/config.toml ``` To generate the default configuration: ```sh rnsd ``` This creates a configuration file with default settings. --- ## **3. Using Reticulum** ### **Starting the Reticulum Daemon** To run the Reticulum daemon (`rnsd`), use: ```sh rnsd ``` This starts the network stack, allowing applications to communicate over Reticulum. ### **Testing Your Reticulum Node** Run the diagnostic tool to ensure your node is functioning: ```sh rnstatus ``` This shows the status of all connected interfaces and peers. --- ## **4. Adding Interfaces** ### **LoRa Interface (for Off-Grid Communications)** Reticulum supports long-range LoRa radios like the **RAK Wireless** and **Meshtastic devices**. To add a LoRa interface, edit `config.toml` and add: ```toml [[interfaces]] type = "LoRa" name = "My_LoRa_Interface" frequency = 868.0 bandwidth = 125 spreading_factor = 9 ``` Restart Reticulum to apply the changes. ### **Serial (For Direct Device-to-Device Links)** For communication over serial links (e.g., between two Raspberry Pis): ```toml [[interfaces]] type = "Serial" port = "/dev/ttyUSB0" baudrate = 115200 ``` ### **TCP/IP (For Internet-Based Nodes)** If you want to bridge your Reticulum node over an existing IP network: ```toml [[interfaces]] type = "TCP" listen = true bind = "0.0.0.0" port = 4242 ``` --- ## **5. Applications Using Reticulum** ### **LXMF (LoRa Mesh Messaging Framework)** LXMF is a delay-tolerant, fully decentralized messaging system that operates over Reticulum. It allows encrypted, store-and-forward messaging without requiring an always-online server. To install: ```sh pip3 install lxmf ``` To start the LXMF node: ```sh lxmfd ``` ### **Nomad Network (Decentralized Chat & File Sharing)** Nomad is a Reticulum-based chat and file-sharing platform, ideal for **off-grid** communication. To install: ```sh pip3 install nomad-network ``` To run: ```sh nomad ``` ### **Mesh Networking with Meshtastic & Reticulum** Reticulum can work alongside **Meshtastic** for true decentralized long-range communication. To set up a Meshtastic bridge: ```toml [[interfaces]] type = "LoRa" port = "/dev/ttyUSB0" baudrate = 115200 ``` --- ## **6. Security & Privacy Features** - **Automatic End-to-End Encryption** – Every message is encrypted by default. - **No Centralized Logging** – Communication leaves no metadata traces. - **Self-Healing Routing** – Designed to work in unstable or hostile environments. --- ## **7. Practical Use Cases** - **Off-Grid Communication** – Works in remote areas without cellular service. - **Censorship Resistance** – Cannot be blocked by ISPs or governments. - **Emergency Networks** – Enables resilient communication during disasters. - **Private P2P Networks** – Create a secure, encrypted communication layer. --- ## **8. Further Exploration & Documentation** - **Reticulum Official Manual**: [https://markqvist.github.io/Reticulum/manual/](https://markqvist.github.io/Reticulum/manual/) - **Reticulum GitHub Repository**: [https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum](https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum) - **Nomad Network**: [https://github.com/markqvist/NomadNet](https://github.com/markqvist/NomadNet) - **Meshtastic + Reticulum**: [https://meshtastic.org](https://meshtastic.org) --- ## **Connections (Links to Other Notes)** - **Mesh Networking for Decentralized Communication** - **LoRa and Off-Grid Bitcoin Transactions** - **Censorship-Resistant Communication Using Nostr & Reticulum** ## **Tags** #Reticulum #DecentralizedComms #MeshNetworking #CensorshipResistance #LoRa ## **Donations via** - **Bitcoin Lightning**: lightninglayerhash@getalby.com

@ 2181959b:80f0d27d

تخطط شركة قوقل لاتخاذ خطوة جديدة في تعزيز أمان حسابات Gmail، حيث ستتخلى عن رموز المصادقة عبر الرسائل النصية (SMS) لصالح التحقق باستخدام رموز QR، بهدف تقليل مخاطر الأمان والحد من الاعتماد على شركات الاتصالات. **لماذا تستبدل قوقل رموز SMS في Gmail؟** رغم أن المصادقة الثنائية (2FA) عبر الرسائل النصية تُعد طريقة عملية، إلا أنها تحمل مخاطر كبيرة، إذ يمكن اعتراض الرموز من قبل المخترقين، أو استخدامها في هجمات التصيد الاحتيالي، أو حتى تعرض الحساب للاختراق في حال تم استنساخ رقم الهاتف. كما أن أمان هذه الطريقة يعتمد بشكل أساسي على سياسات الحماية التي تتبعها شركات الاتصالات. https://image.nostr.build/9c8eda01e430425f1e379ffd975aea200d72746e8d8a31000c8bd0e013b8e449.jpg **كيف سيعمل التحقق عبر رموز QR؟** عند محاولة تسجيل الدخول إلى Gmail، سيظهر للمستخدم رمز QR على الشاشة بدلًا من استلام رمز عبر SMS. كل ما عليه فعله هو مسح الرمز باستخدام كاميرا الهاتف، ليتم التحقق من هويته تلقائيًا، دون الحاجة إلى إدخال رمز يدويًا، مما يقلل من مخاطر مشاركة الرموز مع جهات غير موثوقة. **متى سيتم تطبيق هذا التغيير؟** لم تحدد قوقل موعدًا رسميًا لاعتماد النظام الجديد، لكنها أكدت أنها تعمل على إعادة تصميم عملية التحقق من الهوية خلال الأشهر المقبلة.

@ 8bad797a:8461b4bc

This time from a laptop computer via Highlighter, from which the Merry Frankster can post long form content. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

@ a1c19849:daacbb52

## Details - ⏲️ Prep time: 20 min - 🍳 Cook time: 4 hours ## Ingredients - 1kg of chicken thighs - 3 large onions - 1 tablespoon garlic powder - 2 tablespoons brown sugar - 1.5 dl Ketjap Medja - 0.5 liter chicken broth - Pepper - Salt - Nutmeg ## Directions 1. Cut the onions and sauté them 2. Add the chicken thighs in pieces and bake for a few minutes 3. Add the garlic powder and the brown sugar and bake for a short time 4. Add the ketjap media and the chicken broth 5. Add some salt and pepper and nutmeg and let it simmer for 3 to 4 hours 6. Make sure all the moist evaporates but make sure it doesn’t get too dry. Otherwise add some extra chicken broth 7. Bon appetit!

@ 6e0ea5d6:0327f353

Of all the people you should fear, fear most the peaceful man in situations where anyone else would be aggressive. The strongest man is the one who masters his emotions in moments of rage and fury—who, even in anger, does not destroy everything around him, including himself. Remember: no man truly knows how evil he can be until he strives to be good in a corrupt world and, for that, is crushed by it. Anxiety makes a man suffer even before there is a concrete reason. The mere act of anticipating pain makes him feel it in its full intensity, even if it never materializes. On the other hand, anxiety leads to rash actions, driven by impulse or anger. And these decisions, in the end, can destroy him. The most harmful choices are usually made under stress, rage, or passion. Anxiety, in turn, is a formidable adversary, difficult to tame. Controlling it requires constant and gradual training. The key is to balance expectations—facing the future with serenity rather than allowing worries to corrode the present. Sometimes, it is necessary to abandon the life we planned to face the life that awaits us. Instead of acting impulsively in moments of deep stress, learn to reflect rationally on all possibilities before taking action. I recognize that, in theory, this advice is easy to give. Sono d’accordo, I know how difficult it is in daily life. But listen well: do not let your actions be driven by impulsiveness. Remember, stubbornness combined with anxiety is a direct path to a pit of regrets. Stubbornness, unlike persistence, makes a man insist on mistakes or ignore wise counsel. It forces him to act against logic, preventing him from learning from failures and reevaluating decisions. It is a silent source of suffering, robbing him of opportunities for change and growth. Just as a river reaches its destination by adapting to the course it encounters, a wise man must seek new approaches rather than persist in the same mistakes. Adapting, learning, and changing course are the keys to reaching one’s true destiny. Thank you for reading, my friend! If this message resonated with you, consider leaving your "🥃" as a token of appreciation. A toast to our family!

@ a1c19849:daacbb52

## Details - ⏲️ Prep time: 20 min - 🍳 Cook time: 4 hours ## Ingredients - 1kg of chicken thighs - 3 large onions - 1 tablespoon garlic powder - 2 tablespoons brown sugar - 1.5 dl Ketjap Medja - 0.5 liter chicken broth - Pepper - Salt - Nutmeg ## Directions 1. Cut the onions and sauté them 2. Add the chicken thighs in pieces and bake for a few minutes 3. Add the garlic powder and the brown sugar and bake for a short time 4. Add the ketjap media and the chicken broth 5. Add some salt and pepper and nutmeg and let it simmer for 3 to 4 hours 6. Make sure all the moist evaporates but make sure it doesn’t get too dry. Otherwise add some extra chicken broth 7. Bon appetit!

@ 037ebe13:93af01dc

Se você acompanhou o noticiário, deve ter visto que o ministro Alexandre de Moraes, do Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF), voltou a investir contra as redes sociais. Na sexta-feira (21), Moraes determinou a suspensão da rede social americana Rumble no Brasil. De acordo com o ministro, a rede social cometeu "reiterados, conscientes e voluntários descumprimentos das ordens judiciais, além da tentativa de não se submeter ao ordenamento jurídico e Poder Judiciário brasileiros" e que instituiu um "ambiente de total impunidade e 'terra sem lei' nas redes sociais brasileiras". No entanto, o CEO da Rumble, Chris Pavlovski, afirmou que Moraes exigiu que a Rumble cumprisse decisões que são ilegais segundo a legistação americana e passou um “aviso” ao ministro: “nos vemos no tribunal”. Não é de hoje que o STF e Moraes são acusados de promover um ambiente de “censura” através de uma suposta perseguição enviesada a perfis que criticam as atuações da corte e do ministro, inclusive exigindo a remoção de perfis por parte dessas redes – algo que contraria a legislação brasileira. Em 2024, o X chegou a ficar suspenso no Brasil por quase 40 dias, sendo que Moraes chegou a impor multas para quem tentasse acessar a rede via VPN, uma decisão contestada e vista por muitas pessoas como ilegal. Isso mostra que o poder do estado vai continuar agindo contra as redes sociais com o intuito de estabelecer algum tipo de restrição a essas plataformas. E tal poder tende a funcionar, pois estas plataformas são consideradas empresas e muitas têm representantes legais no Brasil, que são um vetor de ataque para eventuais suspensões. Felizmente, a criação do Bitcoin (BTC) levou a um avanço na forma como podemos manter nossa privacidade protegida da sanha autoritária dos estados. E isso chegou nas redes sociais com a criação do Nostr. Por isso, o protocolo descentralizado com foco em redes sociais é o tema da nossa newsletter de hoje. O que é o Nostr?## A palavra Nostr, que dá nome ao protocolo, é a sigla para Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays (Notas e Outras Coisas Transmitidas por Relés, em tradução livre). Esse protocolo surgiu em 2020 para criar uma “camada social” na rede do Bitcoin. Ou seja, permitir o desenvolvimento de aplicativos similares a redes sociais. No entanto, foi a partir de 2023 que o protocolo ganhou fama, a ponto de ficar conhecido como o “Twitter descentralizado”. Esse nome se deveu ao fato de que um dos aplicativos mais populares do Nostr era o Damus, que funciona como uma espécie de X. A principal diferença do Nostr para outros serviços é que os aplicativos criados pelos protocolos não podem ser censurados. Eles operam baseados em clientes e relés (relays) muito similares aos nós que rodam a rede do Bitcoin. Por isso, não adianta um governo tentar derrubar um nó: se os demais estiverem ativos, a rede seguirá funcionando livre de censura. Sistema de chaves## Da mesma forma que no Bitcoin, no Nostr cada usuário é identificado por uma chave pública. E também há uma chave privada, que ele usa para assinar as transações. Mas ao contrário do BTC, as chaves privadas não são formadas por sequência de palavras, mas sim por uma sequência de letras: chave pública: cada chave pública do Nostr começa com as iniciais “npub”. Ex: npub43tahY4T… chave privada: já as chaves privadas começam com os caracteres “nsec”. Ex: nsec4T6uyA4F… Para acessar os aplicativos do Nostr (como o Damus), você só precisa fazer o download e inserir a sua chave privada no app. Ele vai ler a chave e identificar que você de fato controla aquela conta, mas o aplicativo não armazena as chaves. Por isso elas não ficam sujeitas a roubos, mantendo o seu perfil seguro. Uma vez logado no aplicativo, cada vez que você publica algo (por exemplo, uma mensagem que publica, uma atualização da sua lista de seguidores, etc.), você assina uma transação. Os clientes validam estas assinaturas para garantir que estão corretas. Hoje, existem mais de 70 aplicativos criados para o Nostr, desde outros “Twitter descentralizados” até serviços de mensagem. E todos eles funcionam de forma integrada, o que significa que a sua chave privada funciona como uma identidade única. Isso permite que você acesse a todos os aplicativos com uma única senha, sem precisar fazer cadastros e deixar seus dados expostos em várias redes sociais. Esse protocolo foi criado por um brasileiro conhecido como fiatjaf, que preferiu se manter anônimo. O projeto fez tanto sucesso que recebeu um apoio massivo de Jack Dorsey, criador do Twitter, que chegou a doar 14,6 BTC para ajudar no desenvolvimento do Nostr. Hoje, esse valor corresponde a mais de R$ 8 milhões. Como fazer uma conta no Nostr## Antes de acessar os aplicativos, você deve criar suas chaves pública e privada no site oficial do Nostr. Basta acessar o [Endereço ]( https://nostr.com) e clicar na opção “create your Nostr account”. E pronto, o site gera as duas chaves automaticamente. A chave pública (npub) fica visível, enquanto a chave privada (nsec) aparece coberta. Basta clicar nos quadrados do lado esquerdo da chave privada que ele vai copiar automaticamente. Você também pode clicar em “show private key” para ver a chave privada, ou clicar em “download keys” para baixar ambas as chaves. Cabe frisar que essas chaves, sobretudo a privada, são essenciais para acessar qualquer aplicativo criado no Nostr. Por isso, assim que você salvá-las, guarde essas chaves em um lugar seguro e longe da internet, para evitar roubos. Por isso: jamais anote sua chave privada num bloco de notas; escreva a chave privada à mão num papel e guarde com bastante cuidado; nunca, sob qualquer hipótese, compartilhe sua chave privada em arquivos na nuvem ou por e-mail. Se você quiser ter ainda mais segurança, pode adquirir o NOSTR Signing Device, dispositivo que serve para assinar publicações com o Nostr e mantém sua chave privada segura. Ele é importado, mas custa apenas 20 euros (cerca de R$ 120) no site da [LNBits.]( https://shop.lnbits.com/product/nostr-signing-device) Redes sociais à prova de censura## Bem, agora vamos conferir as duas redes sociais que selecionamos entre os mais de 70 aplicativos do Nostr. Nelas você pode publicar qualquer coisa sem medo de sofrer com censura, bloqueios ou processos indevidos por causa de alguma acusação vaga como “promover discurso de ódio”. O primeiro dessas aplicativos é o [Primal]( https://nostrapps.com/primal), que é praticamente uma cópia do já citado Damus. Ele também se parece muito com o X e lá você pode publicar, mandar mensagens inbox para outro usuário, curtir, salvar, compartilhar e comentar. Ao contrário do X, o Primal não impõe limite de caracteres nas publicações e você não tem selos. O aplicativo também possui uma carteira Lightning onde você pode enviar e receber satoshis. E o melhor de tudo, o Primal possui a função “zap”, que permite que você possa enviar e receber satoshis por causa de suas publicações. Ou seja, se você escrever alguma coisa no Primal e as pessoas gostarem, elas podem te enviar “gorjetas” em satoshis. Isso significa que você consegue monetizar o seu conteúdo sem precisar assinar nenhum plano ou pagar para conseguir um selo. Você também pode enviar satoshis para seus criadores de conteúdo favoritos. Mas se você gosta de publicar artigos mais longos (como esta newsletter), o Nostr conta com o [YakiHonne]( https://nostrapps.com/yakihonne). Este “Substack descentralizado” permite que você publique notas como o Primal, mas também oferece a possibilidade de criar artigos em formato de newsletter. Você pode favoritar ou salvar os seus autores preferidos, facilitando a leitura de artigos. E o aplicativo também possui seções de curadoria específica. Com ela, você consegue acessar artigos por tópicos e ver o que está se destacando no YakiHonne naquele momento. Quer escrever sobre um tema polêmico? Faça seu artigo no YakiHonne sem ter medo de censura ou de ver seu texto desmonetizado. E caso ele faça sucesso, você pode receber satoshis como pagamento e monetizar seu trabalho recebendo em moeda forte. Infelizmente, os tribunais de censura seguem em crescimento no mundo e a liberdade de expressão em plataformas centralizadas seguirá ameaçada. Afinal, estas empresas visam o lucro e estão sujeitas às leis. E elas dificilmente farão frente ao poder do estado apenas para beneficiar seus usuários. Por isso, da mesma forma que você pode tirar o estado do seu dinheiro com o Bitcoin, você pode tirar a censura das suas palavras usando o Nostr. Afinal, como diz o personagem Ensei Tankado de “Fortaleza Digital”: “Todos temos o direito de guardar segredos. Um dia eu farei com que isso volte a ser possível.” Vale uma olhada## Matéria completa sobre o lançamento do Nostr no [CriptoFacil;]( https://www.criptofacil.com/nostr-conheca-protocolo-criado-por-brasileiro-que-utiliza-o-bitcoin-para-descentralizar-redes-sociais/) O canal dos tem um vídeo excelente falando sobre como criar e armazenar suas chaves privadas do Nostr usando o Signing Device. Vale a pena conferir.

@ 6e0ea5d6:0327f353

**Ascolta bene, amico mio.** The type of woman you choose reflects the type of man you truly are—or the one you hide from being. Don't deceive yourself: your choices are a mirror of your essence. If you constantly get involved with women who drag you into chaos, who manipulate or belittle you, that says more about your weaknesses than about theirs. *Chi sceglie male, paga il prezzo.* You cannot blame fate or the woman for your decisions. The responsibility is yours. If you are foolish enough to be swayed by superficial beauty or the need for approval, you are digging your own ruin. A real man, before loving, learns to understand women—not just one, but many. He observes, understands their motivations, and learns to distinguish between those who add value and those who destroy. If you choose wrong, don't blame the world. *Cazzo!* The mistake was yours, and so will be the consequence. Needy men, who let themselves be trapped by the first woman who offers crumbs of attention, end up being shaped by their circumstances. *"La donna non ti fa cane; sei tu che ti fai cane."* By choosing a woman without character, you reveal your own lack of discernment and courage. And, my friend, if you fear being alone, remember: loneliness next to the wrong woman is far more bitter. If you seek respect, start by choosing wisely. Those who cling blindly, out of fear or necessity, are doomed to suffer. Own your choices, learn from your mistakes, and be selective. The world does not forgive the weak, and excuses will not redeem your weakness. Thank you for reading, my friend! If this message resonated with you, consider leaving your "🥃" as a token of appreciation. A toast to our family!

@ 9bcc5462:eb501d90

Every generation loves to learn. However, our public schooling system has gone as far as it can take us. The abundance of easily accessible information on the internet, coupled with emerging tech like AI, decentralized protocols and bitcoin, means this is our time to innovate our learning infrastructure. A complete overhaul is due along with the development of a pilot program to test new and unconventional models. Let’s carve a path towards innovation by sparking discussion around this topic. Hence, this blueprint. It is a gauntlet for any person who genuinely wants to become a stakeholder for our country’s future. Entry points are: - Builders—Startups, developers and investors who will fund and create infrastructure. - Practitioners—Educators and researchers who will test models. - Supporters—Parents, donors and community members who want to contribute. **Where Do We Begin?** Let’s think about crafting the main components of a new pilot model. Below are suggested areas of focus: - DEFINITION - APPROACH - PHILOSOPHY - CULTURE - PHYSICAL DESIGN - OPERATIONAL ORGANIZATION - ACCOUNTABILITY METHODS - RISKS & CHALLENGES - STYLE - STAKEHOLDERS **How It Works** After researching your pedagogical ideas for current and future generations of scholars, it’s time to share your insights. Contribute  your viewpoint by structuring a blueprint—one page per section—in the following sequence: - Definition of your modern learning model with its key principles. - Description of the core learning approach. - Philosophy distilled into central concepts that will orient stakeholders. - Culture your modern learning model aspires to live by. - Potential challenges, risks and drawbacks. - Design of physical spaces and rationale. - Operational framework detailing adult and child learning organization. - Accountability methods to ensure skill growth and competency. - Style development and name of your model. - Skin in the game, sign your model with your first and last name (unite stakeholders). Perhaps if enough stakeholders come together, we can begin to actualize a more effective and updated way of learning. This is a challenge meant to separate those willing to engage in discourse, planning and laying foundations from those content to complain from the sidelines. **Why Now and Where Does the Money Come From?** After being a public educator for fifteen years, I learned you will not change the system, the system will change you. It’s time to design and build above and apart from the current model. 2025 is when courageous people step up to the plate and discuss our learning infrastructure. Whether it’s contributing out of the box thinking, modernizing curriculum, investing in startups or creating your own venture; there is no greater time than now. And no greater place than in the USA! (By extension, we also create the opportunity to influence our global allies including our neighbors to the North and South.) “But how!?” Learning Producers is figuring it out by asking not, “how?” but “who?” Who will unite together to develop our learning infrastructure? If you decide you want to participate and join our efforts, share your blueprint as well. For all stakeholders, this is an investment in an untapped market of a new learning economy. If not, you’re not alone. Some consider this just rhetoric, idealism, or wishful thinking. Additionally, it is unclear how such actions can be profitable or how such infrastructure building will be funded. Money talks. Bullshit walks, right? In that case, let’s talk, and let’s fine tune our BS detectors. Onward, with this call to action: - Share your own blueprint online or reach out to Learning Producers, Inc. ([Learningproducers.com](https://learningproducers.com/)). - Conduct research on an ideal location and team to lay foundations on a pilot program at small scale. - Engage in dialogue with investors interested in developing learning infrastructure for their own children and families. - Secure stakeholders to develop and test a real world pilot model (real location, real agreements, real timeline, real people). - Sponsor or donate resources to counter concerns over funding. Now, we leave you with our blueprint: PEDAGOGICAL WABI-SABI We hope you enjoy it. Sincerely, **Israel Hernandez** **Founder of Learning Producers** **\**[Read or download full blueprint here: <https://www.learningproducers.com/blog/pedagogical-wabi-sabiblueprint-for-developing-learning-infrastructure> \]

@ da0b9bc3:4e30a4a9

Hello Stackers! It's Monday so we're back doing "Meta Music Mondays" 😉. From before the territory existed there was just one post a week in a ~meta take over. Now each month we have a different theme and bring music from that theme. Welcome to Femmes Fatales 3!!! I absolutely loved doing this last year so I'm bringing it back for round 3! It's Femmes Fatales, where we celebrate women in ~Music. So let's have those ladies of the lung, the sirens of sound, our Femmes Fatales! Stackers, here's Avril Lavigne. https://youtu.be/dGR65RWwzg8?si=T5onrZ0T_zREhd-n Talk Music. Share Tracks. Zap Sats. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/895855

@ 2e8970de:63345c7a

> The highest-earning 10% of Americans have increased their spending far beyond inflation. Everyone else hasn’t.  > The top 10% of earners—households making about $250,000 a year or more—are splurging on everything from vacations to designer handbags, buoyed by big gains in stocks, real estate and other assets. Those consumers now account for 49.7% of all spending, a record in data going back to 1989, according to an analysis by Moody’s Analytics. Three decades ago, they accounted for about 36%. All this means that economic growth is unusually reliant on rich Americans continuing to shell out. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, estimated that spending by the top 10% alone accounted for almost one-third of gross domestic product. https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/us-economy-strength-rich-spending-2c34a571?mod=hp_lead_pos7 originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/895834

@ 2e8970de:63345c7a

> Air pollution tends to get worse before it gets better, but how can we accelerate this transition?   > I’m lucky to have grown up with far cleaner air than my parents or grandparents did. In fact, air quality in the United Kingdom is now better than it was for several generations [...] For younger generations in many other countries, this is not the case. Those living in cities like Delhi, Dhaka, or Accra breathe in some of the most polluted air in their country’s history. https://ourworldindata.org/cleanest-air-lessons originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/895817

@ 378562cd:a6fc6773

Bitcoin is an incredible innovation, a financial revolution, and an obsession for many. The idea of decentralization, financial sovereignty, and the potential for life-changing gains make it easy to get sucked into the never-ending cycle of price checks, news updates, and technical analysis. But here’s the reality: dedicating every waking moment to Bitcoin—or anything, really—is not sustainable. It’s not healthy. You need to breathe. You need to live. ### The Trap of Constant Focus It starts innocently enough. You buy your first bit of Bitcoin. You check the price. Then you check it again. Before long, you’re spending hours reading articles, listening to podcasts, watching charts, and diving into the latest market trends. The highs of a bull market fuel your excitement; the lows of a crash send you spiraling into despair. And soon, it consumes you. If you’re not careful, Bitcoin can become an all-encompassing mental trap, a black hole that sucks in every moment of your free time. You think about it when you wake up. You refresh your portfolio at lunch. You browse Twitter threads before bed. It’s an addiction that disguises itself as productivity. But the truth? It’s draining you. ### The Case for Letting Go Let’s be real—Bitcoin should not be your entire life. Your well-being, relationships, and overall happiness depend on balance. Financial freedom is meaningless if you sacrifice your health, your connections, and your experiences along the way. Here’s why you need to step back: 1. **Your Brain Needs a Break**—Constantly thinking about Bitcoin puts you under heightened stress. Markets are volatile, and living in reaction mode is exhausting. Give your brain space to rest, reflect, and reset. 2. **The Sun Exists—go Enjoy It.** Get outside, walk, breathe fresh air, and touch some grass, literally. Sitting in front of a screen tracking prices all day is not fulfilling. 3. **Love and Human Interaction Matter**. Your most valuable asset is not Bitcoin—it’s the relationships you build. Spend time with God, with friends, family, and loved ones. Share experiences. Have deep conversations that don’t involve blockchain technology. 4. **Automation is Your Best Friend** – Here’s a secret: You don’t need to manually buy Bitcoin every day or even every week. Set up an automated buying schedule and forget about it. Whether it’s once a week, biweekly, or monthly, let technology do the work while you focus on living. 5. **There’s More to Life Than Financial Gains** – Wealth is important, but so is joy. Read a book. Pick up a hobby. Travel. Laugh. Life is happening all around you—don’t miss it because you’re staring at a screen. ### Finding a Healthier Approach Bitcoin can be part of your life without becoming your life. Set boundaries. Schedule specific times to check in on the market, but outside of those moments, let it go. Treat it like any other long-term investment—buy, hold, and forget. Trust the process without obsessing over every tick in the chart. Most importantly, remember: You are a human being, not just an investor. You are here to experience, to love, to learn, and to grow. Bitcoin will be there whether you’re watching or not—but life won’t wait. So step away. Breathe. Live. ### Automate Your Bitcoin Strategy with River If you want to make Bitcoin a seamless part of your life without the stress, consider using **River**. It’s a platform I love because it allows me to deposit cash and earn a percentage back in Bitcoin on that cash balance and automatically execute a **daily dollar-cost averaging (DCA) strategy FEE-FREE**. Instead of constantly watching charts, my Bitcoin purchases happen automatically, drawing from my cash balance. It’s fully customizable, meaning you can adjust your buy schedule and even **automatically transfer part of your holdings to your own wallet**, ensuring you hold your own keys. For those concerned about security, River recently introduced **Forcefield**, an added layer of protection for your assets. If you’re interested in making your Bitcoin journey effortless, **sign up using my referral code** [here](https://river.com/signup?r=6DEZAJLR)—this earns us both free Bitcoin! Set it and forget it, and get back to living your life.

@ e5de992e:4a95ef85

One of the most common misconceptions about trading is that it's no different from gambling. This belief often comes from people who misunderstand the discipline, structure, and effort that go into becoming a successful trader. The truth is, trading couldn't be further from gambling when done right. It's about edges, calculated risks, consistency, and discipline. Let's break down the key differences and why trading, when approached correctly, is a professional skill—not a game of chance. --- ## Why People Think Trading Is Gambling 1. **Lack of Understanding:** Many assume trading is about guessing market direction or chasing quick profits, which mirrors gambling behavior. 2. **Emotional Reactions:** Traders who rely on instincts or impulsive decisions often resemble gamblers, reinforcing the stereotype. 3. **Stories of Losses:** Headlines about traders losing their life savings due to overleveraging or poor risk management create the illusion that all trading is reckless. --- ## What Trading Really Is ### 1. Trading is About Edges - **What It Means:** An edge is a systematic advantage that gives you a higher probability of success over time. It could be a proven strategy, a deep understanding of market patterns, or an ability to exploit inefficiencies. - **Why It's Not Gambling:** Gambling relies on pure chance or unfavorable odds (e.g., the house always wins). In trading, a well-researched edge tips the probability in your favor. ### 2. Trading Involves Calculated Risks - **What It Means:** Every trade involves assessing how much you're willing to lose relative to the potential gain. Risk management ensures no single trade can wipe you out. - **Why It's Not Gambling:** In gambling, you often bet more than you can afford to lose. In trading, calculated risks are taken with predefined stop-losses and position sizing to minimize potential damage. ### 3. Trading is an Emotional Fight - **What It Means:** Success in trading depends on mastering your emotions—fear, greed, impatience, and overconfidence can destroy even the best strategies. - **Why It's Not Gambling:** Gambling thrives on emotional highs and lows. Trading requires emotional discipline, where decisions are based on logic and planning, not impulse. ### 4. Trading Demands Consistency - **What It Means:** Successful trading isn't about a single big win—it's about executing your strategy consistently over hundreds or thousands of trades. - **Why It's Not Gambling:** Gambling often relies on luck and one-off results. Trading builds wealth through steady, disciplined application of a proven system. ### 5. Trading Focuses on Long-Term Goals - **What It Means:** Traders work towards sustainable growth over months and years, prioritizing capital preservation and compounding profits. - **Why It's Not Gambling:** Gamblers often aim for immediate gratification, while traders take a marathon approach, understanding that success is built gradually. ### 6. Trading Requires Countless Hours of Practice - **What It Means:** Traders spend countless hours backtesting strategies, studying market behavior, and improving their skills. - **Why It's Not Gambling:** Gambling involves minimal preparation or reliance on skill, whereas trading is a craft honed through continuous learning and refinement. --- ## Key Differences Between Trading and Gambling | **Aspect** | **Trading** | **Gambling** | |------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------| | **Control** | Follows a defined plan | Relies on chance | | **Risk Management** | Uses stop-losses and proper sizing | All-in mentality | | **Skill vs. Luck** | Based on skill and strategy | Primarily luck | | **Timeframe** | Focused on long-term growth | Instant gratification | | **Emotional Approach** | Requires discipline | Driven by highs and lows | --- ## Final Thoughts: Trading is a Profession, Not a Bet The idea that trading is gambling stems from a lack of knowledge about what trading truly entails. While both involve risk, trading is a calculated, skill-based profession that rewards preparation, discipline, and consistency. Gambling, on the other hand, is a game of chance with the odds stacked against you. If you want to succeed as a trader, focus on building edges, managing risk, and staying consistent over the long term. These principles separate professionals from gamblers—and turn trading into a sustainable path to financial growth. **Remember:** It's not about luck. It's about skill. ---

@ fd78c37f:a0ec0833

In this episode, we invited Alexandra from the Bitcoin Reach community to share insights on the development, challenges, and adoption strategies of the Bitcoin community in Zimbabwe. **YakiHonne**: Before we begin, let me briefly introduce YakiHonne. YakiHonne is a decentralized media client built on Nostr—a protocol designed to empower freedom of speech through technology. It enables creators to own their voices and assets while offering innovative tools like smart widgets, verified notes, and support for long-form content. Today we'll be exploring more about community building and management with our honorable guest Alexandra. Could you please introduce yourself and your community? **Alexandra**：I'm Alexandra, and I founded a community called Bitcoin Beach, which is a suburban community. One thing that really astonished me was that there were already many Bitcoin communities worldwide before us. Before getting into Bitcoin, I worked for a podcast called Global Bitcoin Fest, where I interviewed community leaders from different countries, innovators driving change, and those advocating for Bitcoin regulations. Through these conversations, I discovered that Bitcoin communities existed all over the world—yet, surprisingly, there wasn’t one in Zimbabwe. **Alexandra**：This was particularly shocking because Zimbabwe has experienced some of the highest inflation rates in history—the second-highest inflation rate of all time. Many people associate Zimbabwe with its 100 trillion-dollar banknotes, which symbolize our extreme hyperinflation. In fact, we have gone through six currency failures, yet many still don’t fully understand inflation or how it affects us. **Alexandra**：Our community was created to educate people about Bitcoin and financial sovereignty, helping them navigate economic instability and regain control over their finances through Bitcoin. **YakiHonne**: It seems like you have a lot of people who genuinely want to learn about Bitcoin. They are not only focused on improving Zimbabwe’s economy but also actively engaging with the Bitcoin ecosystem. **Alexandra**：I think one of the biggest challenges is that people don't truly understand how devastating a failed monetary system can be. If you look at it this way—money is involved in 50% of all transactions, meaning it plays a fundamental role in every economic activity. When money fails, one of the first consequences is the inability to calculate capital effectively, leading to high time preference decision-making. **Alexandra**：Why is this a problem? Well, in a stable monetary system, when people have strong purchasing power, they receive fair value for their economic output. This allows them to buy goods and services, invest in their future, pursue higher education, start businesses, and invest in assets like real estate and stocks. Essentially, good money gives people the time and ability to build a better future. **Alexandra**：However, when money does not store economic value, people only receive a fraction of what they produce. Instead of earning a full dollar for their work, they might get only two to three cents on the dollar. This means their income is barely enough for basic sustenance—just buying food, bread, and milk, and often, that isn’t even sufficient. **Alexandra**：As a result, people shift from long-term financial planning to immediate survival, making economic calculations purely about what they need right now rather than investing in the future. This is why so many places remain impoverished. Without stable money, real estate investments disappear, housing becomes inaccessible, and infrastructure like malls and gyms is nearly nonexistent. The only way to secure housing is outright purchase, which very few people can afford. This highlights the severe economic limitations caused by a broken monetary system.  **YakiHonne**: It seems like you've already answered our first question. I was going to ask what sparked your interest in Bitcoin, but I can see that many factors actually led you toward the Bitcoin ecosystem. So, I think you've already covered that. Now, one more thing—I’d love to know what motivated you to build a community around Bitcoin? **Alexandra**：Absolutely. Like I said, we observed communities all across Zimbabwe, but we noticed that nothing was really happening in terms of Bitcoin adoption. In fact, Zimbabwe's adoption rate is significantly lower than in most countries. While sub-Saharan Africa has the highest Bitcoin adoption rate, Zimbabwe itself has one of the lowest adoption rates. **Alexandra**：I realized that if no one else was willing to pave the way to make Bitcoin adoption more resilient and accessible, then I should step up and do the necessary work to facilitate the process. My goal was to connect the people who needed to be connected—whether it's miners, individuals looking to buy Bitcoin, or those who need help installing and using it. **YakiHonne**: How did Bitcoin Reach begin? How was your community formed, and how did you initially attract new members? **Alexandra**：it all started with just a few people. I was highly motivated and kept asking myself, how can we create an impact in Zimbabwe? Strangely enough, it began with me simply chasing leads. **Alexandra**：The turning point came when Anita Posch visited Zimbabwe. Through her visit, I connected with other like-minded individuals in the Bitcoin space. From there, we decided to create a WhatsApp group, which became the foundation of our community. With this small collective, I started reaching out to more people. Having even a modest level of influence allowed me to leverage connections and secure sponsorships. **Alexandra**：Our first sponsor was Booking for Fairness, followed by Money on Chain, Rootstock, and Global Bitcoin Fest. With this support, we started hosting regular meetups, organizing at least two meetups per month in different cities and countries. So far, we've held meetups in over eight cities across four different countries. At these events, attendance ranged from 25 to over 50 people, and at times, we even filled an entire restaurant with Bitcoin enthusiasts.  **YakiHonne**: That's really impressive! You started with just three people, and now you're hosting events with over 50 attendees—sometimes even filling an entire restaurant. That’s truly amazing. Alexandra, you and your team are doing incredible work in Zimbabwe—it's a massive achievement! What challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them? **Alexandra**： I think one of the major challenges that we do face is what we call an implicit ban, and some functions. Firstly, when we have what we call the negative order assumptions, a policy similar to what South Africa recently faced. Essentially, any country with bilateral relations with the United States must enforce the same sanctions imposed by the U.S. As a result, Zimbabwe is restricted from receiving goods and services from many companies. If you’re a Bitcoin business, you cannot provide Bitcoin services to Zimbabwe, cannot send hardware wallets, cannot hire people from Zimbabwe, and cannot offer sponsorships to Zimbabwean projects. This significantly limits the number of Bitcoin companies we could have collaborated with, which would have helped people earn Bitcoin and drive adoption. **Alexandra**：The second major challenge is implicit ban. If a Bitcoin company sets up in Zimbabwe, they cannot access on-ramps and off-ramps for funds. This means converting Bitcoin to physical cash is very expensive—normally, the cost should be around 2%, but due to the lack of formal channels, we have to buy Bitcoin at a 10% margin, making transactions extremely costly. As a result, it becomes difficult to establish a circular Bitcoin economy, and since we don’t have one, we struggle to secure funding. **YakiHonne**: What advice would you give to someone looking to start or expand a Bitcoin-focused community in today’s landscape? **Alexandra**：My advice would be to focus on the core issues, and the two most important ones are structure and education. Often, we get distracted by other elements when building a larger economy—such as organizing meetups, managing day-to-day operations, or maintaining WhatsApp groups for communication. However, for a community to truly grow and thrive, it needs a strong structural system and a functional circular economy. **Alexandra**：First, structure is key. If someone wants to learn about Bitcoin, where can they go? What courses or resources are available? Having clear educational pathways is essential for adoption. **Alexandra**：Second, building a circular economy is crucial. The first step is identifying people who are earning Bitcoin—whether through remittances, jobs, or services. Once there are enough Bitcoin earners, the next step becomes easier: figuring out where they can spend it. This is a far more practical approach than simply convincing businesses to accept Bitcoin without an existing customer base.For example, if you’re a vendor, shop owner, photographer, baker, or farmer, there are many potential Bitcoin customers who don’t want to cash out due to high fees. By accepting Bitcoin, businesses expand their clientele, which is a critical factor in establishing a sustainable Bitcoin economy. **YakiHonne**: Does your community engage in the technical or non-technical aspects of Bitcoin? Or perhaps do you guys do both? **Alexandra**：I think one of the biggest challenges is that we have people conducting thousands of dollars in Bitcoin transactions, yet they don’t understand what Lightning or Layer 2 is. Some even believe that Bitcoin has no real utility, despite using it regularly. There are people who are interested in the technical aspects, and we are gradually finding them. However, our community initially consisted mostly of people who used Bitcoin primarily for remittances. This is a common challenge in Africa—Bitcoin adoption grew rapidly because people saw it as a useful tool, not because they fully understood it. Unfortunately, we are currently more focused on the non-technical aspects, but we are actively working to change that. **YakiHonne**：Alexandra, how do you see the role of Bitcoin communities evolving as technology advances, particularly in areas like scalability, privacy, and adaptability? How do you think these communities will develop as these technologies mature? **Alexandra**：Yeah, I think Bitcoin communities play a crucial role in adoption and education. One of the most common things I hear when teaching people about Bitcoin is, “I wish I had learned about this from you first.” Many people's first encounter with Bitcoin was through scams, which led them to give up on it. Communities are essential because people are more likely to trust and engage with products when they come from a trusted source. **Alexandra**：When you build a community, every new member you bring in has the potential to influence five to ten others. These people are more likely to trust a friend’s recommendation when they say, “Bitcoin is good,” or when they explain how on-chain transactions might be slower or more expensive, but tools exist to enable faster, cheaper, and more private transactions. **Alexandra**：People buy into products they trust—or from people they trust. This is why communities are so important, even in a system built on "Don't trust, verify." Ironically, trust is still the first step for many newcomers. I think this is where Bitcoin might have missed the mark—there are so many incredible Bitcoin advocates, but if no one knows them personally, their messages, no matter how well-articulated, may not resonate. However, when the information comes from a trusted individual, people are much more receptive. **Alexandra**：Bitcoin communities serve as a solid foundation for introducing new solutions, including scalability, privacy, and other innovations. The key is communicating these ideas in a way that people trust and understand. Unlike expensive marketing campaigns, a passionate community can spread Bitcoin education almost for free—all they need are the right tools and resources to drive the movement forward. **YakiHonne**：As long as there is trust, expansion will happen more effectively. Every user, every community member is a stakeholder, as they have the ability to bring others into the community. I’m confident that Bitcoin Reach will continue to grow and make an impact. Now, moving on to my final question, is the government in your region supportive or opposed to Bitcoin? And how has that stance impacted your community so far? **Alexandra**：our government is against Bitcoin. As I mentioned earlier, they were the ones who imposed the implicit ban, making it very expensive for individuals to buy Bitcoin. Zimbabwe used to be one of the fastest adopters in sub-Saharan Africa, but as soon as the government banned Bitcoin, adoption plummeted from 100 to zero. This has made it much more challenging for people like me to build a community around Bitcoin. **Alexandra**：Now, people hold their own keys because they are all using hardware wallets, which is a major benefit. Since they don’t trust institutions, they have taken full control of their Bitcoin, which is a great step toward financial sovereignty. However, this also slows down adoption in some ways. For example, in South Africa, our neighboring country, Pick n Pay has over 1,500 stores where people can pay with Bitcoin. In Zimbabwe, however, there are almost no places to spend Bitcoin, making real-world usage extremely limited. **YakiHonne**：Thank you, Alexander.We've now reached the conclusion of today's interview, and I must say, I've learned so much from you. First, I truly admire how you were motivated by the low Bitcoin adoption rate in your country and took action to change that. I also appreciate your efforts to integrate economic growth with Bitcoin adoption, showing a deep understanding of both financial and technological progress. Your approach to community building is inspiring—you recognize that every community member matters, and the trust they bring is essential to the community’s success. It’s unfortunate that your government does not support Bitcoin, but with time, I believe that as Bitcoin’s influence continues to grow, they will eventually yield to its impact. I’m confident that there will be a stronger Bitcoin movement in Zimbabwe in the future.

@ 2f4550b0:95f20096

The role of a leader extends far beyond managing tasks or hitting targets. Great leaders don’t just steer their ships; they design environments where their teams can grow, adapt, and thrive. By wearing the hat of "learning architects," leaders can craft intentional, impactful learning experiences that empower their teams to take ownership of their development. This isn’t about spoon-feeding knowledge or enforcing rigid training programs. It’s about building a framework where learning feels natural, relevant, and self-directed, unlocking both individual potential and collective success. At the heart of this approach are two guiding principles: self-direction and relevance. Encouraging self-direction for your team will tap into the innate human drive to explore and grow when given autonomy. People don’t want to be told what to learn; they want to pursue learning that matters to them. Relevance, meanwhile, ensures that learning connects directly to real-world challenges, making it immediately applicable. When leaders weave these principles into their team’s growth strategy, they foster a culture of curiosity and resilience. Why does a learning architect mindset matter? Teams that prioritize learning are better equipped to navigate uncertainty. When leaders design growth opportunities, they signal trust in their team’s ability to evolve, boosting morale and performance. More importantly, in a world where skills can become obsolete overnight, fostering continuous learning isn’t optional; it’s a survival tactic. So, how can leaders build this learning ecosystem? Here’s a three-step blueprint to kickstart a team learning initiative that’s both practical and impactful: ## Step 1: Map the Terrain by Identifying Needs and Interests Start by understanding your team’s needs. What skills do they need to excel in their roles today, and what might they need tomorrow? Don’t assume; ask. Conduct one-on-one chats or a quick team survey to uncover your team members’ goals, pain points, and passions. For example, a marketing team might crave data analytics skills, while a product team might lean toward user experience design. Pair these insights with organizational priorities to find the sweet spot where individual interests meet business needs. This step ensures relevance by grounding learning in real-world demands, while inviting self-direction by giving team members a voice. ## Step 2: Build the Framework by Curating Flexible Learning Paths Once you’ve mapped the terrain, design lightweight, adaptable learning paths. Avoid heavy-handed mandates; instead, offer a menu of options. This could mean curating online courses from providers like Coursera or LinkedIn Learning, organizing peer-led workshops, or even setting up a book club tackling industry trends. The key is flexibility; let team members choose what resonates. For instance, if someone’s keen on leadership, point them to a podcast series, while a hands-on learner might shadow a senior colleague. Add structure with loose milestones (e.g., “Try one new resource this month”) to keep momentum without stifling autonomy. This balance of guidance and freedom fuels self-directed growth. ## Step 3: Encourage Reflection and Application Learning doesn’t stick unless it’s used. Create opportunities for your team to reflect on what they’ve learned and apply it. Host casual “share-back” sessions where they present key takeaways or test new skills on a small project. For example, a salesperson who studied negotiation tactics could role-play a contract negotiation scenario, while a developer might prototype a tool they’ve explored. Tie these efforts to real challenges, like improving a process or brainstorming a product tweak, to reinforce relevance and connect their learning to the organization’s strategy. As a leader, your role is to cheerlead, ask questions, and remove roadblocks. Being a learning architect isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about designing a system where growth becomes second nature. By anchoring your approach in self-direction and relevance, and following a simple blueprint (map needs, build paths, open space), you empower your team to take the reins. The result? A group that’s not just keeping up, but pushing forward, ready for whatever comes next. Start small, iterate often, and watch your team transform into a powerhouse of learners and top performers. **Leaders as Learning Architects: Designing Growth for Your Team** The role of a leader extends far beyond managing tasks or hitting targets. Great leaders don’t just steer their ships; they design environments where their teams can grow, adapt, and thrive. By wearing the hat of "learning architects," leaders can craft intentional, impactful learning experiences that empower their teams to take ownership of their development. This isn’t about spoon-feeding knowledge or enforcing rigid training programs. It’s about building a framework where learning feels natural, relevant, and self-directed, unlocking both individual potential and collective success. At the heart of this approach are two guiding principles: self-direction and relevance. Encouraging self-direction for your team will tap into the innate human drive to explore and grow when given autonomy. People don’t want to be told what to learn; they want to pursue learning that matters to them. Relevance, meanwhile, ensures that learning connects directly to real-world challenges, making it immediately applicable. When leaders weave these principles into their team’s growth strategy, they foster a culture of curiosity and resilience.  Why does a learning architect mindset matter? Teams that prioritize learning are better equipped to navigate uncertainty. When leaders design growth opportunities, they signal trust in their team’s ability to evolve, boosting morale and performance. More importantly, in a world where skills can become obsolete overnight, fostering continuous learning isn’t optional; it’s a survival tactic. So, how can leaders build this learning ecosystem? Here’s a three-step blueprint to kickstart a team learning initiative that’s both practical and impactful: **Step 1: Map the Terrain by Identifying Needs and Interests** Start by understanding your team’s needs. What skills do they need to excel in their roles today, and what might they need tomorrow? Don’t assume; ask. Conduct one-on-one chats or a quick team survey to uncover your team members’ goals, pain points, and passions. For example, a marketing team might crave data analytics skills, while a product team might lean toward user experience design. Pair these insights with organizational priorities to find the sweet spot where individual interests meet business needs. This step ensures relevance by grounding learning in real-world demands, while inviting self-direction by giving team members a voice. **Step 2: Build the Framework by Curating Flexible Learning Paths** Once you’ve mapped the terrain, design lightweight, adaptable learning paths. Avoid heavy-handed mandates; instead, offer a menu of options. This could mean curating online courses from providers like Coursera or LinkedIn Learning, organizing peer-led workshops, or even setting up a book club tackling industry trends. The key is flexibility; let team members choose what resonates. For instance, if someone’s keen on leadership, point them to a podcast series, while a hands-on learner might shadow a senior colleague. Add structure with loose milestones (e.g., “Try one new resource this month”) to keep momentum without stifling autonomy. This balance of guidance and freedom fuels self-directed growth. **Step 3: Encourage Reflection and Application** Learning doesn’t stick unless it’s used. Create opportunities for your team to reflect on what they’ve learned and apply it. Host casual “share-back” sessions where they present key takeaways or test new skills on a small project. For example, a salesperson who studied negotiation tactics could role-play a contract negotiation scenario, while a developer might prototype a tool they’ve explored. Tie these efforts to real challenges, like improving a process or brainstorming a product tweak, to reinforce relevance and connect their learning to the organization’s strategy. As a leader, your role is to cheerlead, ask questions, and remove roadblocks. Being a learning architect isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about designing a system where growth becomes second nature. By anchoring your approach in self-direction and relevance, and following a simple blueprint (map needs, build paths, open space), you empower your team to take the reins. The result? A group that’s not just keeping up, but pushing forward, ready for whatever comes next. Start small, iterate often, and watch your team transform into a powerhouse of learners and top performers.

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

The financial landscape has been dramatically reshaped with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) landmark approval of the first-ever batch of spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This pivotal moment not only signifies a major leap forward for the cryptocurrency realm but also marks a significant evolution in traditional investment methodologies. The integration of Bitcoin into the ETF framework heralds a new era of digital asset investment, blending the innovative world of cryptocurrencies with the stability and familiarity of traditional financial markets. This article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of Bitcoin ETFs, their profound implications for the investment community, and the transformative potential they hold for the future of financial diversification and strategy. **Table of Contents** - What is a Bitcoin ETF? - The Significance of SEC’s Approval - Impact on the Cryptocurrency Market - Benefits for Investors - Enhanced Accessibility - Portfolio Diversification - Regulatory Safety Net - Challenges and Considerations - Conclusion - FAQs **What is a Bitcoin ETF?** A Bitcoin ETF represents a seismic shift in investment opportunities, offering a bridge between the cutting-edge realm of cryptocurrencies and the established world of stock market investing. It functions as an investment fund that closely tracks the value of Bitcoin, allowing investors to buy shares that mirror the performance of the digital currency. These shares are traded on conventional stock exchanges, akin to stocks, thereby democratizing access to Bitcoin investment. This innovative approach eliminates the technical barriers and security concerns associated with direct cryptocurrency investments, such as understanding blockchain technology, managing digital wallets, and safeguarding private keys. By simplifying the investment process, Bitcoin ETFs are poised to attract a diverse range of investors, from seasoned stock market enthusiasts to newcomers intrigued by the potential of digital currencies. **The Significance of SEC’s Approval** The SEC's approval of Bitcoin ETFs is a watershed moment, signaling a paradigm shift in the financial sector's approach to digital assets. It's a recognition of Bitcoin's growing relevance and maturity as an investment asset, and a nod to its potential to integrate seamlessly into the broader financial system. This move is not just about regulatory compliance; it's a strong endorsement of the legitimacy and viability of cryptocurrencies. The involvement of heavyweight financial institutions in sponsoring these ETFs is a testament to the growing confidence in Bitcoin's future. This development is expected to catalyze further innovations in the cryptocurrency space, encouraging more rigorous standards, enhanced security protocols, and greater transparency, all of which are essential for mainstream acceptance and long-term growth. **Impact on the Cryptocurrency Market** The launch of Bitcoin ETFs is set to revolutionize the cryptocurrency market. By offering a regulated, familiar, and accessible investment vehicle, these ETFs are likely to attract a new demographic of investors, including those who have been on the sidelines due to the perceived complexities and risks of cryptocurrencies. This broader investor base could lead to increased market capitalization and liquidity for Bitcoin, potentially reducing volatility and fostering a more stable pricing environment. Moreover, the introduction of Bitcoin ETFs could serve as a catalyst for the development of similar products for other cryptocurrencies, paving the way for a more diverse and robust digital asset market. This could also spur innovation in blockchain technology and crypto-related services, further integrating these into the mainstream financial ecosystem. **Benefits for Investors** **Enhanced Accessibility** Bitcoin ETFs represent a democratization of cryptocurrency investment, making it accessible to a wider audience. This inclusivity extends beyond individual investors to institutional ones, who may have been hesitant to invest in cryptocurrencies due to regulatory concerns or logistical complexities. By trading on major stock exchanges, Bitcoin ETFs offer a familiar and regulated environment, lowering the entry barrier for those new to digital currencies. **Portfolio Diversification** The introduction of Bitcoin ETFs offers a novel avenue for portfolio diversification. Historically, investors seeking diversification would turn to a mix of stocks, bonds, and commodities. Bitcoin ETFs add a new dimension to this mix, providing exposure to an asset class that has shown a low correlation with traditional markets. This diversification can be particularly appealing in times of economic uncertainty or inflationary pressures, where Bitcoin has often been touted as a 'digital gold'. **Regulatory Safety Net** Trading within the regulated framework of stock exchanges, Bitcoin ETFs offer a level of oversight and consumer protection not typically available in direct cryptocurrency investments. This regulatory safety net can be particularly reassuring for risk-averse investors and those concerned about the legal implications of cryptocurrency investments. Simplified Investment and Taxation Process: Investing in Bitcoin directly involves a complex maze of tax implications and ownership challenges. Bitcoin ETFs streamline this process, offering a straightforward investment vehicle that fits neatly into existing tax and investment frameworks. This simplification is a boon for both individual investors managing their portfolios and financial advisors seeking to incorporate digital assets into their clients' strategies. **Challenges and Considerations** While Bitcoin ETFs offer numerous advantages, they are not without their challenges and risks. The cryptocurrency market, known for its volatility, presents a unique risk profile that may not be suitable for all investors. The price of Bitcoin can be influenced by a range of factors, from regulatory news to technological developments, and investor sentiment. Therefore, while ETFs provide a more accessible route to Bitcoin investment, they do not shield investors from the inherent price volatility of the underlying asset. Additionally, as with any emerging investment vehicle, there is a learning curve associated with understanding how Bitcoin ETFs fit into a broader investment strategy. Investors should conduct thorough research, consider their long-term investment goals, and possibly consult with financial advisors to understand how Bitcoin ETFs align with their risk tolerance and investment objectives. **Conclusion** The introduction of Bitcoin ETFs is a landmark development in the financial world, bridging the gap between traditional investment mechanisms and the burgeoning world of digital currencies. This innovation not only expands the accessibility of Bitcoin to a broader range of investors but also enhances the overall credibility and stability of the cryptocurrency market. As the financial landscape continues to evolve, Bitcoin ETFs stand as a beacon of the growing synergy between conventional finance and digital asset innovation, offering a glimpse into a future where such collaborations are not just possible but are a cornerstone of investment strategy. As we move forward, Bitcoin ETFs will likely play a pivotal role in shaping the dynamics of investment portfolios, offering a unique combination of innovation, accessibility, and diversification. **FAQs** **What is a Bitcoin ETF?** A Bitcoin ETF is an exchange-traded fund that tracks the price of Bitcoin, allowing investors to buy shares in the ETF on traditional stock exchanges, without directly purchasing and managing Bitcoin. **How does a Bitcoin ETF differ from buying Bitcoin directly?** Unlike direct Bitcoin purchases, which require a cryptocurrency exchange account and a digital wallet, a Bitcoin ETF allows investors to trade shares representing Bitcoin on conventional stock exchanges, simplifying the investment process. **Are Bitcoin ETFs safe investments?** While Bitcoin ETFs offer the safety of regulated stock exchanges and eliminate the need for digital wallet management, they still carry the inherent volatility and risks associated with Bitcoin prices. **Can Bitcoin ETFs be included in retirement portfolios?** Yes, Bitcoin ETFs can be included in various investment portfolios, including retirement plans, offering a way to diversify with a new asset class. **What are the tax implications of investing in a Bitcoin ETF?** Bitcoin ETFs simplify tax reporting compared to direct cryptocurrency investments. However, investors should consult with a tax professional to understand specific implications. **That's all for today** **If you want more, be sure to follow us on:** **NOSTR: croxroad@getalby.com** **X: @croxroadnews.co** **Instagram: @croxroadnews.co** **Youtube: @croxroadnews** **Store: https://croxroad.store** **Subscribe to CROX ROAD Bitcoin Only Daily Newsletter** **https://www.croxroad.co/subscribe** ***DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.***

@ 0463223a:3b14d673

I’m in a weird space of nostalgia. 24 hours without any pharmaceutical help for mood and anxiety problems. As mentioned previously, I’ve been boshing RRSIs and the like for 10 plus years. They’re very addictive to be honest. For context I’ve given up nicotine, amphetamines, crack cocaine and heroin in the past so I think I’m a decent benchmark for a drug’s addictive qualities... Top, without question was nicotine. Not for the side effects but the fact it took many years to kick and a lot of on/off usage. I can’t remember the last time I smoked a cigarette so it’s been quite a few years now. Heroin was fun…. Well if you call fun having a horrible case of flu where you also hallucinate, that sort of fun. But RRSIs have been very tough and it’s only been 24 hours (after slowly reducing the dose over 6 months). I feel pretty shit to be honest but I’ll get through today. I’ve also quit Pregabalin today which, as I understand, is an anti-psychotic so I can’t rule out the possibility of psychopathy today… I tried once before and it came close to ending my relationship with my wife (not for psychopathy I hasten to add, just an absolutely foul, unstable mood). This time I’ve taken the process a lot slower. I’ve been trapped in a weird feeling of nostalgia these last 24 hours, it’s odd as it is being trapped inside the perception of a piece of music. I don’t think I can describe the feeling well but the track is from a cassette I had as a kid. The true origins of the tape I don’t know. I taped it from a friend who told me it was from the club we frequented in 1991, a place called Slammers. Still without doubt the best club I ever went to. It was tiny, like not much bigger than an average house in the UK, in fact probably smaller, depends on your perception of house sizes. I’m going by turn of the century terraced houses common in the UK. The club coincided with a particularly good run of ecstasy tablets in the UK. The downstairs of the club was truly mental. There were no lights at all. Pitch black, the only lighting being from the turntables and mixer. It was nuts. It was a life changing experience. Being broke I only ever went a handful of times but the idea the tape originated from there was good enough for me. The in house DJ crew were the Get Down Crew from Bethnal Green (at least I think this is what I remember). Namely two guys by the names of Wigs and Easy T. The music played was a lot of what paved the way for Jungle in 1993 and the term Jungle Techno was being used by us around this time. Now the tape may not have been Wigs and Easy T, part of me wonders if it was DJ Rap (Or Fabio???). Whist the tunes were great, the mixing wasn’t amazing and reminiscent of Rap’s style (sorry DJ Rap!) but it exists in my memory, a very real artefact. So this tape was another source for me to find records, most that I really liked I identified over the years but some eluded me. One was Virtual by The Black Dog (ironic), that I found on night online, probably a few glasses of wine in… And I now know that there were only 500 copies of that record made, copies go for around £100 these days. Worst is I actually nearly bought it at the time but the dude in the record shop said it probably wasn't my thing!?!?!?!? Even back in 1991 the song sounded like some ancient artefact. Such a warm noise. “World World World, I sit in my room imagine the future”. Damn. The other track I only recently found out, and it was on the B Side from a group I already loved and had some of their records. However, unlike The Black Dog, it’s not rare, just overlooked as the group were more known for their Hip Hop output. It was The Cash Crew all along?! Fuck!!!! Now since finding I play on my streaming show a lot and given I’d listened so much on cassette too, I know that record inside out! Well no I don’t!??! After editing for a mixtape, I noticed layers of vocals I never knew existed and I’m also now trapped in this nostalgic frame and it feels immeasurably sad. The fact is I never actually heard that record in a club, despite it being on a tape that I help as an ultimate reference point for a moment in time that I never actually experienced. That sums up the feeling of coming off RRSIs. Maybe this all sounds frivolous but music has always make up a core of my identity, more so than being a fucking spastic ever did. Now I own the record, I am old as fuck and millions of miles away from a moment that never existed. I can’t explain. Cash Crew – HUMP https://video.mxtthxw.art/w/dQHPt96bXwMP8Ggyjrcq8x

@ e7bc35f8:3ed2a7cf

Contrary to what its multi-million dollar [international PR campaign]( https://youtu.be/D_MZKRG3frQ) would have you believe, the "White Helmets" are not a group of volunteer search-and-rescue workers that sprang spontaneously out of the Syrian soil. In November 2017, journalist Vanessa Beeley gave a [groundbreaking presentation]( https://www.youtube.com/live/lC7ZxdFzdzQ) to the Swiss Press Club in Geneva on the so-called "Syria Civil Defence" (better known as the "White Helmets"), which presents itself as an impartial group of volunteer search and rescue workers working "_to save lives and strengthen communities in Syria._" In her presentation, Beeley demonstrated the connections between this supposedly "neutral" organization, recognized terrorist groups operating in Syria, and the UK government. VANESSA BEELEY > During my time working in East Aleppo, it was clear that the councils were working hand in hand with [Al] Nusra Front. Their centers in each district were always next door to Nusra Front headquarters and White Helmet centres, i.e., they always formed an integrated complex. Less than three weeks later, [The Guardian]( https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/18/syria-white-helmets-conspiracy-theories) released a report painting all skeptics of the White Helmets, including Beeley and other "anti-imperialist activists", as proponents of a Russian propaganda campaign directed by the Kremlin. This is no coincidence. The White Helmets are in fact part of a coordinated propaganda campaign. But that campaign is not being directed by the Kremlin, but the western governments which have been responsible for the founding and funding of the White Helmets. And the ones promoting that propaganda are not independent journalists like Beeley, but establishment mouthpieces like The Guardian. The White Helmets won an Oscar at the 2017 Academy Awards. This is, after all, an organization that thrives on the magic of movie-making to make themselves into heroes. Surely any movie that could turn a group funded by the US and UK governments, associated with western intelligence operatives, and embedded with Al Qaeda terrorists, into a group of crusading heroes is as worthy of an Academy Award as any similarly fictitious movie about superheroes saving the world. It was also fitting that the leader of the group, Raed Saleh, [was not at the ceremony]( https://youtu.be/EJ5uFsEMLGw) to help accept the prize as originally planned. 🔸NPR REPORTER: > Hi, I 'm wondering…um, I thought the White Helmets we’re gonna be here, or the leader and the cinematographer who shot a lot of this film. What happened? 🔸ORLANDO VON EINSIEDEL: > Well, Raed Saleh, who’s the leader of the White Helmets, he couldn’t come in the end because the last couple of days in Syria the violence has really escalated and he does life-saving work[…]. Our cinematographer, I mean, you know we’re confused about this, too. The last two weeks have been very difficult. He had a US visa, he tried to board a plane, and he wasn’t able to come, so we - you know, we’re very sad about that. What Orlando von Einsiedel, the director of the film, neglected to mention is that this was not the first time that Raed Saleh, the leader of the White Helmets, failed to appear in the US. In April of 2016, InterAction, an alliance of NGOs, held a gala dinner in Washington, where it planned to honour Saleh and the work of the White Helmets in Syria. However, Saleh [was refused entry]( https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/21/world/middleeast/leader-of-syria-rescue-group-arriving-in-us-for-award-is-refused-entry.html?_r=0) into the country when he arrived at Washington’s Dulles Airport.  Declining to talk about the details of the case, a [State Department spokesman]( https://youtu.be/ehdAVgmPODY) merely said, "_The U.S. government’s system of continual vetting means that traveler records are screened against available information in real time_". 🔸MATT LEE: > You commend this group, you’re going to continue to support them, and yet you revoked the visa of their leader? I don’t…that makes zero sense to me. […] 🔸MARK TONER: > ...unfortunately, we can’t speak to individual visa cases. I think broadly speaking, though on any visa case we are constantly looking at new information, so-called 'continually vetting' travel or records and if we do have new information that we believe an individual would pose a security risk we’ll certainly act on that. 🔸LEE: > I’m saying that it just strikes me as a bit odd that you’re saying that this group is wonderful and does such a great job and you’re commending them for their heroism, and yet you’re doing this just 10 days after the leader of this group, who was supposed to be, you know…got his visa revoked or wasn’t allowed to travel here. […] 🔸TONER: > Well, he’s one individual in the group, and any individual—again, I’m broadening my language here for specific reasons—but any individual in any group suspected of ties or relations with extremist groups, or that we have believed to be a security threat to the United States, we would act accordingly. But that does not by extension mean we condemn or would cut off ties to the group for which that individual works for. So how is this possible? How could the leader of such a valiant team of crusading do-gooders himself be denied a visa to enter the United States as a potential security threat with ties to terrorists? The multi-million dollar PR campaign that surrounds the White Helmets, after all, portrayed the group as being pure as the driven snow. A perfect example for this is [the story]( https://youtu.be/L5ULObu2ByM) about the boy named Omran Daqneesh. A story that eventually turned to be totally [fake news]( https://www.mintpressnews.com/mintpress-meets-father-iconic-aleppo-boy-says-media-lied-son/228722/).  But what is always left out of these glowing mainstream media puff pieces is any actual information about the organization. Where did it come from? Who founded it? Where does it get its funding? And why did it operate exclusively in terrorist-held areas of Syria? The first clues about the real nature of the group come from their name itself. Calling themselves the "Syria Civil Defence" is misleading in multiple ways. First, it implies that the group was founded in Syria by Syrians. It was not. The group was in fact founded in March 2013 in Turkey, by James Le Mesurier, a former British military intelligence officer then doing contract work for the US and UK governments. None of this information is even controversial. This is the story as told by [Le Mesurier]( https://youtu.be/sw3NMEyMSTw) himself. The name "Syria Civil Defence" was also a lie because there was a [real Syria Civil Defence]( https://21stcenturywire.com/2016/09/23/exclusive-the-real-syria-civil-defence-expose-natos-white-helmets-as-terrorist-linked-imposters/) that has been operating in the country for 65 years. The actual Syria Civil Defence, a volunteer search and rescue organization, was established in Syria in 1953. Unlike the White Helmets, the [real Syria Civil Defence]( https://icdo.org/) was a member of the International Civil Defence Organisation and (again, in contrast to the White Helmets) had an emergency number (113) that can be called in Syria by those needing assistance. But thar Syria Civil Defence does not enjoy the glitz and glamour of Oscar-winning documentaries, the constant attention of the international press, or the [more than $60 million]( https://web.archive.org/web/20170103120950/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2mWdvgCOqs) in [funding]( https://21stcenturywire.com/2017/12/02/white-helmets-local-councils-uk-fco-financing-terrorism-syria-taxpayer-funds/) by [foreign governments]( https://web.archive.org/web/20170730064327/http://www.adamsmithinternational.com/explore-our-work/middle-east-north-africa/syria/building-the-capacity-for-governance-in-communities-across-opposition-contr/) that have been bestowed on the [White Helmets]( https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/may/08/gazientep-turkey-tamkeen-quest-to-rebuild-syria).  But even more disturbing than the unusual founding of the group is the evidence demonstrating that the White Helmets, far from their official claim to political neutrality, are in fact intimately embedded with known and listed terrorist organizations in Syria. Again, the most damning evidence in this regard is not controversial in the slightest. It comes directly from the White Helmets themselves. Numerous videos and photos have surfaced showing the White Helmets parading on the dead bodies of Syrian government forces and flying the flags of known terrorist organizations. An in-depth report on "The Syrian War Blog" in 2017, examined the social media profiles of 65 different White Helmets-connected figures and found numerous posts in support of ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra, Ahrar al-Sham and other listed terrorist organizations. Some even [posted pictures]( https://syrianwar1.blogspot.com/2017/11/white-helmets-exposed-as-extremists-65.html?m=1) of themselves with known terrorist leaders or waving the flag of terrorist groups like ISIS, and many proudly displayed images of dead Syrian soldiers. Most of this evidence is explained away as "bad apples" in the organization acting on their own. Some of these "bad apples" are then castigated in public displays, like when one White Helmet was fired when footage surfaced showing him [disposing the mutilated corpses]( https://www.newsweek.com/oscar-win-white-helmets-syria-volunteer-dump-bodies-rebels-628407) of Syrian government fighters. When a graphic video of the White Helmets [overseeing]( https://x.com/BenjaminNorton/status/865033499950145538?t=Ru67QyFS7hgqWRJWLuEb0g&s=19) [the execution]( https://web.archive.org/web/20170627003514/https://twitter.com/Ali_Kourani/status/877287658472472579) of a man in terrorist-occupied Daraa surfaced, the group actually [defended the workers]( https://web.archive.org/web/20170613015828/http://syriacivildefense.org/sites/syriacivildefense.org/files/18%20May%202017%20-%20.pdf) while acknowledging that they "did not fully uphold the strict principle of neutrality and impartiality". But incredibly, Le Mesurier, the former British intel officer who founded the White Helmets in 2013, defended the workers [caught in one bloody video]( https://web.archive.org/web/20190502060841/https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=fd8_1430900709&comments=1) from May 2015. The Middle Ground, a Singaporean website, ran a story [featuring Le Mesurier’s take ]( https://web.archive.org/web/20180212075744/http://203.211.130.27/2017/04/18/white-helmets-terrorists-fake-news-syria-assad-nobel-oscars/)on the incident. In opposition to the deafening mainstream media silence over this incredible mountain of evidence against the White Helmets standed only a handful of independent researchers, universally ignored or marginalized from the mainstream discussion on the issue. These independent researchers include [Vanessa Beeley]( https://youtu.be/NQL3rX6xWRg), a British researcher who has been one of the few journalists to report extensively on the ground in areas like East Aleppo over the last two years, and Eva Bartlett, a Canadian freelancer who has gained notoriety for using her own on-the-ground reporting from Syria to speak out against the mainstream narrative about the White Helmets. Given that there were so few voices speaking up against the White Helmets, it should come as no surprise that when "The Guardian" finally deigned to address what they termed the "conspiracy theories" about the organization, they turned their attention on these very researchers. In "How Syria’s White Helmets became victims of an online propaganda machine", The Guardian turned to Olivia Solon to dismiss all opposition to the White Helmets as the work of "anti-imperialist activists", "conspiracy theorists" and "trolls with the support of the Russian government". The choice of Solon to report on this story is especially odd; a "technology reporter" in San Francisco, Solon has no background of any sort in geopolitics or combat zone reporting and, as far as can be determined, has never set foot in Syria. Instead, she relied exclusively on sources such as the [murky PR lobbying firm]( https://web.archive.org/web/20170110212932/https://www.alternet.org/world/inside-shadowy-pr-firm-thats-driving-western-opinion-towards-regime-change-syria), The Syria Campaign, to praise the White Helmets and [castigate their detractors]( https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/18/syria-white-helmets-conspiracy-theories). Bizarrely, the report devotes a great deal of attention to the White Helmets’ [Mannequin Challenge video]( https://youtu.be/Zgl271A6LgQ), footage of an admittedly fake and staged "rescue" operation released by the group in an attempt to cash in on a viral internet video trend taking place at the time. The inference of the video is obvious: that the group is perfectly capable of staging incredibly realistic and completely fake "rescue" operations at any time. These fake videos, stripped of their context, would be uncritically promoted as authentic by mainstream outlets like The Guardian in the exact same way that the completely fictitious video of a "Syrian" boy rescuing his sister under sniper fire was uncritically accepted by the mainstream media…until it was admitted to be a [fake video produced in Malta]( https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-30057401) by a Norwegian film crew "_to see how the media would respond to such a video_". The Guardian’s headline when the fake Norwegian film production was released? "[Syrian boy 'saves girl from army sniper]( https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2014/nov/12/syrian-boy-saves-girl-from-army-sniper-video)' – video." Strangely, Solon’s report does not mention that incident. The majority of The Guardian's report focuses on why the innocent and virtuous White Helmets would be so viciously attacked by independent journalists and how all opposition to the group is connected to the Kremlin. This is supposedly demonstrated in an utterly meaningless "infographic" of colored dots showing precisely nothing of substance. Unsurprisingly, Solon's contact with the reporters whose work she was set to impugn displayed her biases from the very start. [Bartlett exposed the conversation]( https://www.globalresearch.ca/how-the-mainstream-media-whitewashed-al-qaeda-and-the-white-helmets-in-syria/5624930) she had with Olivia Solon and the emails received from her, where you can see her real [dishonest intentions]( https://ingaza.wordpress.com/2017/01/28/those-who-transmit-syrian-voices-are-russian-propagandists-monitors-of-fake-news-negate-syrian-suffering/). Olivia Solon contacted Beeley as well. Her attempt to put them in a position of having to defend themselves [becomes obvious]( https://youtu.be/NQL3rX6xWRg). Of course what would you have expected from The Guardian? [In 2016 it lobbied]( https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/05/the-guardian-view-on-the-nobel-peace-prize-give-it-to-syrias-white-helmets), effectively, for the White Helmets to win the Nobel Peace Prize, and when it was inundated with negative comments it simply closed comments. Researchers like Beeley, Bartlett and Professor Tim Anderson, also mentioned in Solon’s report, are easy enough targets for The Guardian. Independent journalists taking it upon themselves to counter the Syria narrative, they would never be taken seriously by establishment media circles in the first place. Curiously omitted from The Guardian article, however, are the award-winning, internationally respected journalists who have similarly expressed skepticism about the White Helmets, their backers, and the PR campaign that surrounds them. There is [Gareth Porter]( https://web.archive.org/web/20170104164043/https://www.alternet.org/grayzone-project/how-syrian-white-helmets-played-western-media), the award-winning journalist who has contributed to Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, The Nation, Al Jazeera, Salon, The Huffington Post, Alternet and countless other outlets, who wrote "How a Syrian White Helmets Leader Played Western Media" in November 2016. There is [Philip Giraldi]( https://www.unz.com/pgiraldi/the-fraud-of-the-white-helmets/), a former CIA counter-terrorism specialist and military intelligence officer who wrote "The Fraud of the White Helmets" in July of 2017. There is [Stephen Kinzer]( https://www.theguardian.com/profile/stephenkinzer), former New York Times correspondent who tweeted his [congratulations to "al-Qaeda and Syrian jihadists"]( https://x.com/stephenkinzer/status/836216952913809409?t=1hqvhtGMQn1FYbz7OL7y6Q&s=19) when the film about "their PR outfit, the White Helmets", won the Oscar. So the issue here is not merely one of PR and propaganda, as appalling as the uncritical reporting about the White Helmets has been. What is worrying is that the so-called Syrian Civil Defence is, as we have seen, not Syrian at all. Founded, funded and promoted by foreign governments, foreign contractors and foreign lobbyists and PR agencies, the White Helmets are not a spontaneous Syrian search-and-rescue operation, but a template. A template that, if successful, can and will be employed anywhere and everywhere that those same foreign powers want to destabilize targeted governments in the future.