@ 62a6a41e:b12acb43

War is rarely (or if ever) the will of the people. Throughout history, wars have been orchestrated by political and economic elites, while the media plays a key role in shaping public opinion. World War I is a clear example of how propaganda was used to glorify war, silence dissent, and demonize the enemy. Today, we see similar tactics being used in the Ukrainian War. The media spreads one-sided narratives, censors alternative views, and manipulates public sentiment. This article argues that **wars are decided from the top**, and media is used to justify them. --- ## How the Media Glorified and Propagated WW1 ### The Media Sold War as an Adventure Before WW1, newspapers and propaganda made war seem noble and exciting. Young men were encouraged to enlist for honor and glory. Posters displayed slogans like *“Your Country Needs You”*, making war look like a duty rather than a tragedy. ### Demonization of the Enemy Governments and media portrayed Germans as "barbaric Huns," spreading exaggerated stories like the "Rape of Belgium," where German soldiers were accused of horrific war crimes—many later proven false. Today, Russia is painted as purely evil, while NATO’s role and Ukraine’s internal conflicts are ignored. ### Social Pressure & Nationalism Anyone who opposed WW1 was labeled a traitor. Conscientious objectors were shamed, jailed, or even executed. The same happens today—if you question support for Ukraine, you are called "pro-Russian" or "anti-European." In the U.S., opposing war is falsely linked to supporting Trump or extremism. ### Fabricated Stories During WW1, fake reports of German soldiers killing babies were widely spread. In Ukraine, reports of massacres and war crimes often circulate without verification, while Ukrainian war crimes receive little coverage. --- ## How the Media Promotes War Today: The Case of Ukraine ### One-Sided Narratives The media presents Ukraine as a heroic struggle against an evil invader, ignoring the 2014 coup, the Donbas conflict, and NATO expansion. By simplifying the issue, people are discouraged from questioning the full story. ### Censorship and Suppression of Dissent During WW1, anti-war activists were jailed. Today, journalists and commentators questioning NATO’s role face censorship, deplatforming, or cancellation. ### Selective Coverage Media highlights civilian deaths in Ukraine but ignores similar suffering in Yemen, Syria, or Palestine. Coverage depends on political interests, not humanitarian concern. ### Glorification of War Efforts Ukrainian soldiers—even extremist groups—are painted as heroes. Meanwhile, peace negotiations and diplomatic efforts receive little attention. --- ## War is a Top-Down Decision, Not the Will of the People ### People Don’t Want Wars If given a choice, most people would reject war. Examples: - **Before WW1:** Many workers and socialists opposed war, but governments ignored them. - **Vietnam War:** Protests grew, but the war continued. - **Iraq War (2003):** Millions protested, yet the invasion went ahead. ### Small Elites Decide War Wars benefit arms manufacturers, politicians, and corporate interests—not ordinary people. Public opposition is often ignored or crushed. ### Manipulation Through Fear Governments use fear to justify war: *“If we don’t act now, it will be too late.”* This tactic was used in WW1, the Iraq War, and is used today in Ukraine. --- ## Violence vs. War: A Manufactured Conflict ### Violence Happens, But War is Manufactured Conflicts and disputes are natural, but large-scale war is **deliberately planned** using propaganda and logistical preparation. ### War Requires Justification If war were natural, why does it need **massive media campaigns** to convince people to fight? Just like in WW1, today’s wars rely on media narratives to gain support. --- ## The Crimea Referendum: A Case of Ignored Democracy ### Crimea’s 2014 Referendum - Over **90% of Crimeans voted to join Russia** in 2014. - Western governments called it "illegitimate," while similar referendums (like in Kosovo) were accepted. ### The Contradiction in Democracy - If democracy is sacred, why ignore a **clear vote** in Crimea? - Other examples: Brexit was resisted, Catalonia’s referendum was shut down, and peace referendums were dismissed when they didn’t fit political interests. - **Democracy is used as a tool when convenient.** --- ## VII. The Libertarian Case Against War ### The Non-Aggression Principle (NAP) Libertarianism is fundamentally opposed to war because it violates the **Non-Aggression Principle (NAP)**—the idea that no person or institution has the right to initiate force against another. War, by its very nature, is the **ultimate violation of the NAP**, as it involves mass killing, destruction, and theft under the guise of national interest. ### War is State Aggression - Governments wage wars, not individuals. No private citizen would naturally start a conflict with another country. - The state **forces people to fund wars through taxation**, violating their economic freedom. - **Conscription**, used in many wars, is nothing more than **state-sponsored slavery**, forcing individuals to fight and die for political goals they may not support. ### War Creates Bigger Government - War expands state power, **eroding civil liberties** (e.g., WW1's Espionage Act, the Patriot Act after 9/11). - The **military-industrial complex** grows richer while taxpayers foot the bill. - **Emergency powers granted during wars rarely get repealed** after conflicts end, leaving citizens with fewer freedoms. ### Peaceful Trade vs. War - Libertarians advocate for **free trade** as a means of cooperation. Countries that trade are **less likely to go to war**. - Wars **destroy wealth and infrastructure**, while peaceful trade **increases prosperity** for all. - Many wars have been fought **not for defense, but for economic interests**, such as securing **oil, resources, or geopolitical power**. ### Who Benefits from War? - **Not the people**, who suffer death, destruction, and economic hardship. - **Not small businesses or workers**, who bear the burden of inflation and taxes to fund wars. - **Not individual liberty**, as war leads to **greater state control and surveillance**. - **Only the elites**, including **defense contractors, politicians, and bankers**, who profit from war and use it to consolidate power. ## Conclusion: The Media’s Role in War is Crucial Wars don’t happen naturally—they are **carefully planned and sold to the public** using propaganda, fear, and nationalism. - **WW1 and Ukraine prove that media is key to war-making.** - **The media silences peace efforts and glorifies conflict.** - **If people truly had a choice, most wars would never happen.** To resist this, we must **recognize how we are manipulated** and reject the forced narratives that push us toward war.

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

## 🧠Quote(s) of the week: Bitcoin adoption: 1. Slow enough to confuse nearly everyone. 2. Fast enough to change your life if you can just stay focused for 4 years. Do you notice the higher your intellect grows (thanks to Bitcoin) the more unsocial you become, In real life. Or it's just me? 'First companies will add Bitcoin to their balance sheets. Then states will buy for their treasuries. And finally, sovereigns will hold it as a strategic asset. A natural progression that is already underway.' - James Lavish ## 🧡Bitcoin news🧡 After last week's dip, I want to share the following quote and picture. Just to keep you sharp & focused. SAIFEDEAN AMMOUS: "If you think in years, dips are opportunities—not problems. Zoom out." [](https://i.ibb.co/WW4XynYJ/Gkoc7-STXYAAR5mk.jpg) Bitcoin for Freedom: 'The Bitcoin dip is the best test to check if you understand Bitcoin. If you feel bad when it dips you don’t understand it. When you understand Bitcoin the fiat value doesn’t affect you and you have FOMO all the time.' On the 25th of February: ➡️REKT! $1.5 BILLION leveraged crypto positions liquidated in 24 hours as Bitcoin plunges below $87,000. Bitcoin is down ~$20K from its all-time high of $109,354. $755.59 million was liquidated from the BTC perpetual futures market in the past 24 hours. Just know for now Bitcoin is still following (with a 2-3 month lag) global liquidity. [](https://i.ibb.co/zpxG8py/Gkqkw4-KW0-AIPSr1.jpg) M2 is a measure of liquidity and has been declining since December, but has recently begun to inflect back up again. If history repeats the Bitcoin dip will soon come to an end and the recovery will be violent. Oh, and just one more thing on this topic: 'M2 money supply growth per cycle: 2013 cycle: +26% 2017 cycle: +22% 2021 cycle: +49% 2025 cycle: +0.5% We’ve seen this entire bull market happen with no new money in circulation.' - Bitcoin Isaiah ➡️Rep. Logan Manhart's bill, which aimed to establish a Bitcoin strategic reserver in South Dakota, failed in committee by a vote of 9-3. Manhart plans to reintroduce the bill next year. ➡️'Metaplanet has raised ~$47 million in equity at a market in the first four trading days of its “21m Plan,” with 5.54% of the plan completed to date.' - Dylan LeClair Metaplanet has purchased an additional 135 Bitcoin. ➡️'Germany’s €370 BILLION DekaBank is launching Bitcoin and crypto trading + custody for institutions. Their government sells BTC. Their citizens stack it.' - Bitcoin Archive ➡️At the end of the Weekly Recap, I always share a little gift, a podcast, an article, a report, or a newsletter. This week a report by River. Excellent report. Please give it a read. This is the most important graph in the entire document IMO; we're just getting started: [](https://i.ibb.co/Fk5Gyy08/Gkqx-Ltsbk-AET5-O.jpg) ➡️'31% of Australians have owned BTC or crypto, an all-time-high in adoption, per IRCI '25. 42.9% anticipate widespread future adoption, though 14.3% cite economic and regulatory concerns for not investing. 1 in 5 investors reported banking transaction delays or blocks.' - Bitcoin News ➡️'For years, Bitcoiners pushed exchanges to adopt Lightning. And guess what? It worked. Public Lightning volume is up 266% in about a year.' -Sam Wouters ➡️The Bybit hackers are bridging their stolen ETH to Bitcoin. ➡️ America’s largest publicly traded Bitcoin mining company, Mara, just acquired this 114-megawatt wind farm in Hansford County, Texas. ➡️ 'MicroStrategy has $8.2B debt against $43.4B of BTC. A leverage ratio of ~19%. Only $5B of CBs are below their conversion price, so the effective leverage ratio is more like ~11.5%. BTC would have to drop 80%-90% for MSTR to become insolvent. And none of this debt matures until 2028...' - Bitcoin Overflow [](https://i.ibb.co/W4gBw8yy/Gkp-GF-t-Ww-AIS4-U1.jpg) On the 26th of February: ➡️'The IMF today sent out a press release that says as per their agreement with El Salvador, "program commitments will confine" government purchases of bitcoin. This is the first time I've seen El Salvador's bitcoin reserve being implicated in the $1.4bn IMF deal.' - Pleditor ➡️'Unless bitcoin rebounds soon, it looks like the 4-year CAGR could dip below 10% for the first time ever.' - Wicked ➡️'This is currently who is selling. Short-term holders who bought the top are selling spot Bitcoin, this isn't leverage-driven, and perps aren't negative. That is why equities such as MSTR are green, they must have bottomed out or close to it. Just your old fashioned fire sale, in BTC.' - James van Straten [](https://i.ibb.co/fbqzDfz/Gkve3-Ma-XEAAGizm.png) More than 74% of realized Bitcoin losses came from holders who bought in the last month! Only the educated survive. ➡️Publicly traded Fold Holdings buys an additional 10 Bitcoins for $875,000. ➡️SEC closes its inquiry into Gemini without enforcement after a 699-day investigation. Cameron Winklevoss calls for accountability, suggesting agencies reimburse legal costs for investigations lacking clear guidelines. On the 28th of February: ➡️Matthew Sigel: List of Bitcoin corrections in the run-up to $20k in 2017: -41% -38% -29% -34% -41% -40% -27% List of Bitcoin corrections in the run-up to $69k in 2021: -21% -17% -31% -26% -55% (!!) -25% ➡️BlackRock adds its own Bitcoin ETF into its $150 BILLION model-portfolio universe - Bloomberg While Bitcoin is facing short-term pressure from economic fears as weak-ass paper hands are folding, long-term institutional adoption keeps rising. On the 1st of March: ➡️ Bitcoin dominance back above 61%. ➡️'Bitcoin mining/energy convergence spotted. Petrobras (Brazil) just started mining Bitcoin using flare gas (reduces methane emissions) They join oil companies already mining Bitcoin: Tecpetrol, YPF, Plus Petrol (Argentina), Gazpromneft (Russia), ExxonMobil & ConocoPhillips (US).' - Daniel Batten On the 2nd of March: ➡️President Trump has officially announced the US Strategic Crypto Reserve and Bitcoin is back above $94,000. In just 3 hours, crypto markets have now added over +$300 BILLION in market cap on the news. And you can't make this shit up. I couldn't agree more with Peter Schiff: "Bitcoin is digital gold, which is better than analog gold. So let's create a Bitcoin reserve...", "But what's the rationale for an XRP reserve? Why the hell would we need that?" Trump pumped and dumped a meme coin on the eve of his presidency. Of course, he wants shitcoins, XRP, SOL, and ADA, in the strategic reserve. This is basically all of our journeys from Bitcoin to shitcoins, back to Bitcoin, but on a national scale. Even Brian Armstrong, CEO of the biggest shitcoin casino in the world, Coinbase, thinks the Reserve should be Bitcoin only. Luke Broyles: 'My prediction: 1) Trump makes crypto reserve. 2) Reserve pumps all assets. 3) Retail and some companies get burnt in said pump. 4) Public outcry to crypto reserve along with other critiques of the Trump administration. 5) Crypto reserve is dumped in the next bear market. Massive downwards narrative catalyst. Back to no Bitcoin. 6) The government figures out the importance of Bitcoin PoW and goes BTC only soon afterward. 7) Other nations follow suit over years' Seems legit. Please read the following post by Parker Lewis: https://x.com/parkeralewis/status/1895550178184110217 “Bitcoin is the first form of money to ever exist that is also a currency.” It is both a protocol and network, as the currency is embedded within the code, and validated by the network. On the 3rd of March: ➡️Metaplanet has acquired 156 BTC for ~$13.4 million at ~$85,890 per bitcoin and has achieved a BTC Yield of 31.8% YTD 2025. As of 3/3/2025, we hold 2391 Bitcoin acquired for ~$196.3 million at ~82,100 per Bitcoin. ➡️Fidelity has bought $142.08 million Bitcoin for its ETF. ➡️Vietnam's Prime Minister has directed the Central Bank and Finance Ministry to draft a Digital Assets Framework by March. ➡️BlackRock’s model advisor team releases new Bitcoin report Key takeaways from “Why Bitcoin? A Perspective from Model Portfolio Builders”: • Bitcoin as a novel store of value and global monetary alternative • Hedge against USD hegemony and political instability • A play on the shift from offline to online commerce • Boosted by boomer-to-millennial wealth transfer • Potential for diversification and unique risk premia in portfolios • Intrinsic value expected to be increasingly recognized worldwide • Relevance grows in a debt-laden, digital-first, AI-entrenched world ➡️Meanwhile Ray Dalio tells Bloomberg that Bitcoin could be "a big part" of the restructuring of the global debt-based monetary system. Gold and Bitcoin are "store holds of wealth". ## 💸Traditional Finance / Macro: On the 26th of February: 👉🏽Nvidia stock soars after posting record quarterly revenue of $39.3 billion, above expectations of $38.0 billion. ## 🏦Banks:  👉🏽 no news ## 🌎Macro/Geopolitics: On the 24th of February: 👉🏽'US CPI inflation is on track to hit 4.6% over the next 6 months, according to Bank of America. CPI inflation has averaged +0.4% on a month-over-month basis over the last 3 months. If this trend continues, this puts year-over-year inflation on pace to hit 4.6% by July, the highest since April 2023. That would be more than DOUBLE the Fed’s 2% inflation target. Even if monthly inflation prints ease to 0.3%, year-over-year inflation would still rise to 3.8%. Inflation is accelerating.' - TKL On the 25th of February: 👉🏽After the ECB's massive losses, now Germany’s Central Bank. The Bundesbank reports a €19.2 billion loss for 2024—the first loss since 1979 and the largest in its history. It's not a good time for Central Bankers. Accountability anyone? 'This loss is primarily attributed to the sharp increase in interest rates initiated by the ECB since the summer of 2022 to combat high inflation. This led to higher interest expenses for the Bundesbank, as it had to pay more on deposits held by commercial banks. In 2023, the Bundesbank offset a loss of €21.6 billion by fully releasing its provision for general risk and drawing from other reserves. However, by the end of 2024, only €0.7 billion in reserves remained available, insufficient to cover the year's losses. This resulted in an accumulated loss of €19.2 billion, which will be carried forward to 2025.' - Wyatt J. Prescott 👉🏽 A typical politician, says one thing to get elected and does another, no wonder people are losing trust in the system. Leader of the CDU Friedrich Merz just completely went back on what was said during the election and announced that there will be NO TALK of shutting the borders to those without valid documentation. "I want to say it very clearly again. None of us will talk about border closures, no one, although this was claimed at times during the election campaign, none of us want to close the borders" Grok has fact-checked this. Merz DID say this during the election and has now reneged on it only ONE DAY after the election. 👉🏽'G-7 Debt/GDP forecast, we are entering a new era, it would be really naive to assume positive real interest rates as we go forward. Position your long-term investments and wealth protection accordingly.' -Michael A. Arouet [](https://i.ibb.co/QvHH5JNS/Gknj-C7-W0-AAGBP2.jpg) On the 26th of February: 👉🏽'Germany, where consumer sentiment has worsened again due to the weak labor market figures. The GfK Consumer Confidence Index dropped from -22.6 to -24.7, its lowest level since Apr 2024. Economists polled by Bloomberg had predicted an improvement to -21.6. This adds more pressure on the CDU/CSU and SPD to form a govt quickly and restore confidence in the economy.' - Holger Zschaepitz 👉🏽The US government spent $710 billion in the first month of the Trump presidency, up from $630 billion in the same period a year ago - Analysis 👉🏽[](https://i.ibb.co/Rkt1YTHJ/Gkv-WWa-SWk-AAqj-Dc.jpg) Funny how inflation works innit? And you still believe the 2% or 3% CPI? On the 27th of February: 👉🏽U.S. Credit Card Defaults soared to $46 Billion, the most since the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis. On the 28th of February: 👉🏽Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was just questioned if we're in a recession. "We're seeing the hangover from the excess spending in the Biden 4 years. In 6 to 12 months, it becomes Trump's economy." Translation: They want the market to crash soon. Great quote on this topic: 'It would be in their best interest to let it crash. If they implement QE, we will see massive inflation. It's better to get it out prior to the midterms and then implement QE and buy the midterms. At least that's what I would do. On the 1st of March: 👉🏽The White House announces that President Trump will host and speak at the first-ever White House Crypto Summit on March 7. The event will bring together top crypto founders, CEOs, investors, and members of the President’s Working Group on Digital Assets. 👉🏽[](https://i.ibb.co/BK7rvrMx/Gk50-XGGXg-AAfd-Xb.jpg) European victory plan: 1) Destroy gas supplies coming from Russia 2) Destroy the relationship with Russia 3) Make yourself dependent on US gas supplies 4) Destroy the relationship with the USA 5) Give all your money to Ukraine 6) … 7) Victory 👉🏽CarlBMenger: US national debt: Feb 28, 2025: $36.5 trillion Feb 28, 2024: $34.3 trillion Feb 28, 2023: $31.6 trillion Nothing is going to stop this train. “National debt is immoral and destructive, silently undermining the basis of the state; it delivers the present generation to the execration of posterity.” - Napoleon 👉🏽Italy’s government has approved a law to restart nuclear power, nearly 4 decades after a 1987 referendum shut it down. PM Meloni: "The government has approved another important measure to ensure clean, safe, low-cost energy that can guarantee energy security and strategic independence." If nuclear reaches 11% of the energy mix, Italy could save €17 billion in decarbonization costs by 2050. Source: Reuters 👉🏽Gold funds see record weekly inflows. Investors poured a staggering $4.7 billion into gold funds this week, marking an all-time high. On the 2nd of March: 👉🏽For the Dutch / EU readers amongst my followers: 'This chart always shocks me when I see it. Major European countries have unfunded pension obligations of 400 to 500% of GDP. Combined with collapsing demographics it’s a recipe for disaster. Who is supposed to pay for these pensions? - Michael A. Aouret [](https://i.ibb.co/HTq2w6ys/Gl-BJ5m-BXAAAf2e0.jpg) Got Bitcoin? 👉🏽'How bad has the US debt crisis become? US net interest payments as a percentage of federal revenue reached a whopping 18.7% in January, the highest since the 1990s. This is just 20 basis points below the all-time high of 18.9% posted in 1992. Furthermore, this share has DOUBLED in just 18 months as interest costs have skyrocketed. Interest expense hit a record $1.2 trillion over the last 12 months and is the second-largest government outlay after Social Security. The worst part? Net interest costs as a percentage of federal revenues are estimated to reach 34% by 2054, assuming there will be no recession over this period.' - TKL 👉🏽ARGENTINA'S ECONOMY SURGES—MILEI'S POLICIES DRIVE 7.1% GDP GROWTH PROJECTION GDP is expected to grow 7.1% interannually in Q2 2025. After a tough 2024, Milei’s austerity measures and economic freedom reforms are restoring confidence—just in time for the 2025 electoral cycle. Milei’s bold strategy is proving to be the right call. Source: Ramiro Castiñeira 👉🏽French President Emmanuel Macron today urged EU member states to agree on "massive, common funding" (ERGO: lending) to unlock investments of hundreds of billions of euros for European defense and security. Source: Politico Jippieee more debt, and who the F will be paying for all that? On the 3rd of February: 👉🏽Dutch inflation rose to 3,8% in February. 👉🏽Gold prices surge back above $2,900 as volatility rises and geopolitical tensions escalate. ## 🎁If you have made it this far I would like to give you a little gift: What’s Driving Bitcoin Adoption in 2025? Trust in Bitcoin has grown faster than that of any asset in history. While bitcoin is a form of money, its rate of growth mirrors that of the internet. River's new report is a deep dive into Bitcoin adoption. In this report: - Why this bull market is different - The current state of the Bitcoin protocol, network, and monetary system - Deep dives on institutional, business, & nation-state adoption - A fresh look at Lightning Network's growth - Why Bitcoin adoption is still very early You can find the report here: https://blog.river.com/bitcoin-adoption-2025/ Credit: I have used multiple sources! My savings account: Bitcoin The tool I recommend for setting up a Bitcoin savings plan: PocketBitcoin especially suited for beginners or people who want to invest in Bitcoin with an automated investment plan once a week or monthly. Use the code SE3997 Get your Bitcoin out of exchanges. Save them on a hardware wallet, run your own node...be your own bank. Not your keys, not your coins. It's that simple. ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ Do you think this post is helpful to you? If so, please share it and support my work with a zap. ▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃ ⭐ Many thanks⭐ Felipe - Bitcoin Friday! ▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

@ 6e0ea5d6:0327f353

The recipe for the downfall of a relationship is quite simple: marry someone with whom you have nothing in common. The exotic tends to be attractive, but how many times, in a fine restaurant, has a customer discreetly spat into a napkin what they had just chewed because the eye-catching appearance betrayed them with an unbearable taste? At the end of a hard day or a week of good results, we simply want to recline in a chair and celebrate in our own way what we have overcome. In the high phase of life, when the days are ripe for harvest, this desire will manifest with even greater intensity. And when your prosperity extends into the shade, and the days grow longer due to idleness, what will the two of you have to talk about? Will your mentalities align? Or will this person nestle on your shoulder and pour out a history of degeneration, drinking, parties, and casual relationships, because that is their only life experience? I do not speak only in the professional sense, but of progress as a whole: when you have overcome your flaws, will you want to share your life with someone who nurtures theirs and takes their own ego as a lover? Some are lucky to meet during the journey—a great privilege. But in general, the busy ones find each other after the work is done, and it is natural for both to want to enjoy in this peaceful phase what their efforts have granted them. At that moment, being beside someone whose travels or experiences are fresh and well-earned as rewards for their own sacrifices contrasts with sharing life with someone who has already been through it countless times, with the merit of a parasite. Opportunists and freeloaders exist on both sides. Do not take by the hand someone who is merely waiting for a winner at the finish line. It is easy to appear clean and unscarred when one has not run even a kilometer. Do not be unfair to your lifelong efforts; find someone who represents you in determination, ethics, and principles, and you will multiply your fruits here on Earth. Also, remember that old piece of advice: "be what you seek to have," so that your future demands are not those of a hypocrite. 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!

@ 000002de:c05780a7

 I was reminded of this comic this morning. Very relevant to this day. The losers suddenly fear the government. Or rather the current administration. Those that used to fear the government falsely believe they can wield it to do "good". This is an illusion. Like the Ring of Power it has no master. The only winner is the state. It grows more powerful. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/903795

@ e968e50b:db2a803a

[The Bitcoin Trail](https://thebitcointrail.space/) your tombstone - 1000 sats - the player will run into it along the trail just like the original game, your nym from stacker.news will be featured and I might write you an epitaph your tombstone with baller epitaph - 5000 sats - same thing, but I promise to put some time into writing your epitaph and you can make some requests about it Just shoot me a dm with the amount of sats and your requested epitaph if it applies. https://thebitcointrail.space/ originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/903776

@ e968e50b:db2a803a

# Spoiler Alert Please do not read this post if you have not read The Three Body Problem or The Dark Forest by Liu Cixin and ever intend to. ## Now that you've been warned... I just finally finished The Dark Forest, the middle book of the three body trilogy. Boy howdy!!! How cool were those last 50 pages!? So, there's much to discuss for bitcoiners concerning the parallel between the dark forest and the byzantine generals' dilemma, but, for now, can we just talk about the ultra-brief mention of lasers in that chaotic part after the destruction of Starship Earth? If I got it right, in that era, the general population possesses en masse handgun style lasers. These lasers are powerful enough for self defense, but individually, not powerful enough to take down a spaceship trying to launch. HOWEVER, and this is the cool part, all together they CAN take down a spaceship because...you know, how lasers work and stuff. They compound their energy together or something like that. Correct me here science nerds.  _{like this, but with lasers, right?} What an interesting, but basically-just-mentioned-in-passing idea! I feel like the implications of this could have been fleshed out a whole lot more, although I can see how it was just a creative idea he came up with to serve a totally different story. Anyway, it reminded me of bitcoin...but violent. I've long had an idea in the back of my head for a fantasy story in which the magic system is decentralized, but Cixin Liu came up with a really great sci-fi equivalent here. I wonder if some creative storyteller might want to jump on a similar idea? ...and yeah, I know, a WAY bigger discussion could be had about how the dark forest and the byzantine generals' dilemma are similar and the implication that a bitcoiny response could shed light in the dark forest. I just think this whole laser thing is more of a cool parallel right now. originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/903753

@ 1ac0c5ab:77ca82f9

If you're looking for a paid Nostr relay but don't want to spend a lot of sats, try one of these. All of these relays are under 5000 sats for lifetime access. This list was manually complied from [nostr.watch](https://nostr.watch), and I removed anything over 5000 sats or dead (503 error or unable to generate invoices). Here's the list. None of these relays are run by me, and I'm not benefiting in any way from sharing these. * relay.nostr.sc * nostream.macewan.nz * paid.nostrified.org * nostr.karmickoala.info * yestr.me * nostr.bitcoinvn.io * relay.nostr.wf * relay.nostr.nu * nostr.sats.li To purchase and use the relay: 1. Copy and paste the URL above 2. Enter your npub (NOT your private key) and accept the terms 3. Pay the invoice with your lightning wallet 4. Copy and paste the wss:// URL into your favorite Nostr client 5. Enjoy increased reliability, better performance, longer data retention, and less spam! If you know of any other cheap Nostr relays, feel free to share below! originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/903683