@ 0fa80bd3:ea7325de

The land that belongs to the indigenous peoples of Russia has been seized by a gang of killers who have unleashed a war of extermination. They wipe out anyone who refuses to conform to their rules. Those who disagree and stay behind are tortured and killed in prisons and labor camps. Those who flee lose their homeland, dissolve into foreign cultures, and fade away. And those who stand up to protect their people are attacked by the misled and deceived. The deceived die for the unchecked greed of a single dictator—thousands from both sides, people who just wanted to live, raise their kids, and build a future. Now, they are forced to make an impossible choice: abandon their homeland or die. Some perish on the battlefield, others lose themselves in exile, stripped of their identity, scattered in a world that isn’t theirs. There’s been endless debate about how to fix this, how to clear the field of the weeds that choke out every new sprout, every attempt at change. But the real problem? We can’t play by their rules. We can’t speak their language or use their weapons. We stand for humanity, and no matter how righteous our cause, we will not multiply suffering. Victory doesn’t come from matching the enemy—it comes from staying ahead, from using tools they haven’t mastered yet. That’s how wars are won. Our only resource is the **will of the people** to rewrite the order of things. Historian Timothy Snyder once said that a nation cannot exist without a city. A city is where the most active part of a nation thrives. But the cities are occupied. The streets are watched. Gatherings are impossible. They control the money. They control the mail. They control the media. And any dissent is crushed before it can take root. So I started asking myself: **How do we stop this fragmentation?** How do we create a space where people can **rebuild their connections** when they’re ready? How do we build a **self-sustaining network**, where everyone contributes and benefits proportionally, while keeping their freedom to leave intact? And more importantly—**how do we make it spread, even in occupied territory?** In 2009, something historic happened: **the internet got its own money.** Thanks to **Satoshi Nakamoto**, the world took a massive leap forward. Bitcoin and decentralized ledgers shattered the idea that money must be controlled by the state. Now, to move or store value, all you need is an address and a key. A tiny string of text, easy to carry, impossible to seize. That was the year money broke free. The state lost its grip. Its biggest weapon—physical currency—became irrelevant. Money became **purely digital.** The internet was already **a sanctuary for information**, a place where people could connect and organize. But with Bitcoin, it evolved. Now, **value itself** could flow freely, beyond the reach of authorities. Think about it: when seedlings are grown in controlled environments before being planted outside, they **get stronger, survive longer, and bear fruit faster.** That’s how we handle crops in harsh climates—nurture them until they’re ready for the wild. Now, picture the internet as that **controlled environment** for **ideas**. Bitcoin? It’s the **fertile soil** that lets them grow. A testing ground for new models of interaction, where concepts can take root before they move into the real world. If **nation-states are a battlefield, locked in a brutal war for territory, the internet is boundless.** It can absorb any number of ideas, any number of people, and it doesn’t **run out of space.** But for this ecosystem to thrive, people need safe ways to communicate, to share ideas, to build something real—**without surveillance, without censorship, without the constant fear of being erased.** This is where **Nostr** comes in. Nostr—"Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays"—is more than just a messaging protocol. **It’s a new kind of city.** One that **no dictator can seize**, no corporation can own, no government can shut down. It’s built on **decentralization, encryption, and individual control.** Messages don’t pass through central servers—they are relayed through independent nodes, and users choose which ones to trust. There’s no master switch to shut it all down. Every person owns their identity, their data, their connections. And no one—no state, no tech giant, no algorithm—can silence them. In a world where cities fall and governments fail, **Nostr is a city that cannot be occupied.** A place for ideas, for networks, for freedom. A city that grows stronger **the more people build within it**.

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued new guidance halting spending on most foreign aid grants for 90 days, including military assistance to Ukraine. This immediate order shocked State Department officials and mandates “stop-work orders” on nearly all existing foreign assistance awards. While it allows exceptions for military financing to Egypt and Israel, as well as emergency food assistance, it restricts aid to key allies like Ukraine, Jordan, and Taiwan. The guidance raises potential liability risks for the government due to unfulfilled contracts. A report will be prepared within 85 days to recommend which programs to continue or discontinue.

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

President Trump plans to withdraw 20,000 U.S. troops from Europe and expects European allies to contribute financially to the remaining military presence. Reported by ANSA, Trump aims to deliver this message to European leaders since taking office. A European diplomat noted, “the costs cannot be borne solely by American taxpayers.” The Pentagon hasn't commented yet. Trump has previously sought lower troop levels in Europe and had ordered cuts during his first term. The U.S. currently maintains around 65,000 troops in Europe, with total forces reaching 100,000 since the Ukraine invasion. Trump's new approach may shift military focus to the Pacific amid growing concerns about China. [Sauce](https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2025-01-24/trump-europe-troop-cuts-16590074.html)

@ 04c195f1:3329a1da

Last summer, I attended ***Dreamhack Summer*** in Jönköping with my 10-year-old son. It was, of course, for his sake that we went, but I have to admit I was a little curious to see how the event had evolved since I last attended back in 1999. I knew it would be different, of course, but what I encountered was a completely different beast. At the same time, the transformation seemed like such a clear parallel to broader societal changes that I couldn’t stop thinking about it throughout the evening. In this transformation, I see a microcosm of a broader societal trend—one where passion and community give way to commercialization and consumerism. What does Dreamhack’s evolution tell us about society at large? And why does it remind me so much of the development of Swedish football? Could it be that **Renaud Camus**—the French philosopher known for his writings on the Great Replacement—might help us understand this too? ## Dreamhack as a Demo Party Dreamhack began in 1994 as a demo party in the small town of Malung, Sweden, later [moving to Arena Kupolen in Borlänge](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXXmn5pWaFE). That’s where I attended in 1998 and 1999. Eventually, the event relocated to Elmia in Jönköping and the Stockholm Exhibition Center. But the real difference isn’t the venue—it’s the content. Dreamhack was originally a demo party, a gathering place for tech nerds competing in programming, music, and art. We thrived on the challenges presented by both modern and vintage computers, constantly trying to push the limits and prove who could create the most with the least. One notable example is the winning entry in the four-channel music competition, [“Logdans” by the artist d00m](https://ftp.modland.com/pub/modules/Protracker/Doom/logdans.mod). As the name suggests, the competition restricted participants to four audio channels and a very limited memory for storing sounds. Creating something that sounded good under such constraints required immense skill and creativity—that was the fun of it! The winner of the same year’s pixel art competition was “Fantasy Dolfin” by DarkOne.  But the real highlight of the event was the demo competitions, where creators showcased what they could achieve through programming. The challenges were further elevated by different classes with unique restrictions and platforms. The winner of the PC category that year was [“Off” by the Finnish group Doomsday](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F64vTr9uhhY&ab_channel=einokeino303). The demo scene was nerdy, unapologetically unpolished, wildly creative, and likely incomprehensible to outsiders. But it had soul. It was a grassroots movement that thrived on community and passion. ## Hypercommercialization and Unreachable Stars As Dreamhack grew, it gradually shifted focus—from grassroots creativity to a spectacle driven by sponsors, big budgets, and global recognition. Fast forward 25 years, and Dreamhack is no longer a demo party—not even as a niche component. It’s now a full-blown gaming festival, drenched in hyper commercialization. Everyone wants to be part of it: the military, the police, unions, recycling campaigns, and, of course, the major tech and gaming companies. It’s a sprawling exhibition with flashing lights and pounding music, each booth trying to sell you a product, service, or government initiative. This mirrors a broader trend in cultural events across the globe, where grassroots creativity often gives way to corporate interests. Whether it’s music festivals, art expos, or even traditional fairs, the focus increasingly shifts from fostering community to maximizing sponsorships and revenue streams. Dreamhack is a prime example of how these dynamics play out, prioritizing spectacle and profit over the authentic experiences that once defined such gatherings. On stage, you no longer see programming, music, or art. Instead, it’s all about esports tournaments. Star players hold “meet and greets,” while streamers sit in a row like caged attractions, with fans watching them broadcast their gameplay live. Change is inevitable, sure. But what’s changed here is the very soul of the event. What was once a grassroots movement fueled by passion and creativity has become a spectacle of consumerism and surface-level appeal. Gaming competitions with multi-million-dollar prize pools, “stars” showcasing themselves, and countless companies vying for your attention—it’s a far cry from what it once was. ## A Parallel with Swedish Football The transformation of Dreamhack reminds me of another evolution: the culture of Swedish football fans. Both examples highlight how grassroots culture, once driven by passion and community, has been overtaken by commercialization and corporate influence, leaving behind a focus on profit and spectacle. The transformation of Swedish football from the 1990s to today is staggering. Beyond the rules of the game itself, almost nothing is the same. The money involved is enormous, and the players are now celebrities. In the 1990s, Hammarby’s goalkeeper, **Per Fahlström**, worked as a local police officer in the same neighborhood where I grew up. Today, Hammarby’s goalkeeper, **Warner Hahn**, has been a full-time professional for his whole life. Players come and go like mercenaries, and the local connection of teams grows weaker. Many matches have moved from traditional stadiums like Söderstadion or Stockholms Stadion to spaceship-like arenas with names like Tele2 Arena, Platinum Cars Arena, or my favorite: Falcon Alkoholfri Arena (“Falcon Non-Alcoholic Arena”). Tickets have become prohibitively expensive. For example, in the past, children who participated in local youth football leagues in Stockholm were given free access to countless Allsvenskan matches as part of a community initiative. Today, however, even attending a single match can be a financial strain for many working-class families. Here too, the soul has been altered, or even stolen. What was once genuine and rooted in the community has been replaced by hyper commercialization. The bond between players and fans has eroded, replaced by idolatry and celebrity worship. ## Renaud Camus and the Theory of Replacement As I reflected on these changes, I couldn’t help but think of Renaud Camus, who wrote about the “tendency to replace everything with its normalized, standardized, interchangeable copy: the original with its replica, the authentic with its imitation, the true with the false…” Isn’t that exactly what we’re seeing with Dreamhack and Swedish football? At Dreamhack, attendees are no longer active participants contributing to the event’s creativity and culture. Instead, they’re treated primarily as consumers, bombarded with advertisements and encouraged to spend. Similarly, in Swedish football, fans are no longer part of a community tied to local teams but are instead paying customers idolizing distant celebrities. There’s something new here that young people today probably enjoy, but it’s an imitation of what once was. The participants in the stands or exhibition halls are now seen primarily as consumers, not as part of a movement. ## Where Can We Find Authenticity Today? Where, then, can we find the authentic today? The places untouched by commercial forces? I honestly don’t know. But as I watched my son take in Dreamhack 2024, I couldn’t help but wonder how he will look back on it in 25 years. Will he remember the flashing lights, the esports stars, and the endless booths as a vibrant celebration of gaming culture? Or will he, like me, feel the pang of something lost—a sense of community, creativity, and authenticity that has been replaced by consumerism? Perhaps he will reflect on how the event evolved further, or maybe he’ll be part of a countermovement reclaiming the spirit of the original Dreamhack. Only time will tell. History has shown us that authenticity has a way of resurfacing when people tire of imitation. Whether in gaming, sports, or other cultural arenas, I hope we’ll see a revival of the passion and creativity that once defined these spaces. I miss it deeply. But I hold onto the belief that, eventually, a countermovement will emerge. Anything less would mean the death of culture itself.

@ 6be5cc06:5259daf0

A seguir, veja como instalar e configurar o **Privoxy** no **Pop!_OS**. --- ### **1. Instalar o Tor e o Privoxy** Abra o terminal e execute: ```bash sudo apt update sudo apt install tor privoxy ``` **Explicação:** - **Tor:** Roteia o tráfego pela rede Tor. - **Privoxy:** Proxy avançado que intermedia a conexão entre aplicativos e o Tor. --- ### **2. Configurar o Privoxy** Abra o arquivo de configuração do Privoxy: ```bash sudo nano /etc/privoxy/config ``` Navegue até a última linha (atalho: **`Ctrl`** + **`/`** depois **`Ctrl`** + **`V`** para navegar diretamente até a última linha) e insira: ```bash forward-socks5 / 127.0.0.1:9050 . ``` Isso faz com que o **Privoxy** envie todo o tráfego para o **Tor** através da porta **9050**. Salve (**`CTRL`** + **`O`** e **`Enter`**) e feche (**`CTRL`** + **`X`**) o arquivo. --- ### **3. Iniciar o Tor e o Privoxy** Agora, inicie e habilite os serviços: ```bash sudo systemctl start tor sudo systemctl start privoxy sudo systemctl enable tor sudo systemctl enable privoxy ``` **Explicação:** - **start:** Inicia os serviços. - **enable:** Faz com que iniciem automaticamente ao ligar o PC. --- ### **4. Configurar o Navegador Firefox** Para usar a rede **Tor** com o Firefox: 1. Abra o Firefox. 2. Acesse **Configurações** → **Configurar conexão**. 3. Selecione **Configuração manual de proxy**. 4. Configure assim: - **Proxy HTTP:** `127.0.0.1` - **Porta:** `8118` (porta padrão do **Privoxy**) - **Domínio SOCKS (v5):** `127.0.0.1` - **Porta:** `9050` 5. Marque a opção **"Usar este proxy também em HTTPS"**. 6. Clique em **OK**. --- ### **5. Verificar a Conexão com o Tor** Abra o navegador e acesse: ```text https://check.torproject.org/ ``` Se aparecer a mensagem **"Congratulations. This browser is configured to use Tor."**, a configuração está correta. --- ### **Dicas Extras** - **Privoxy** pode ser ajustado para bloquear anúncios e rastreadores. - Outros aplicativos também podem ser configurados para usar o **Privoxy**.

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

Oregano oil is a potent natural compound that offers numerous scientifically-supported health benefits. ## Active Compounds The oil's therapeutic properties stem from its key bioactive components: - Carvacrol and thymol (primary active compounds) - Polyphenols and other antioxidant ## Antimicrobial Properties **Bacterial Protection** The oil demonstrates powerful antibacterial effects, even against antibiotic-resistant strains like MRSA and other harmful bacteria. Studies show it effectively inactivates various pathogenic bacteria without developing resistance. **Antifungal Effects** It effectively combats fungal infections, particularly Candida-related conditions like oral thrush, athlete's foot, and nail infections. ## Digestive Health Benefits Oregano oil supports digestive wellness by: - Promoting gastric juice secretion and enzyme production - Helping treat Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) - Managing digestive discomfort, bloating, and IBS symptoms ## Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects The oil provides significant protective benefits through: - Powerful antioxidant activity that fights free radicals - Reduction of inflammatory markers in the body - Protection against oxidative stress-related conditions ## Respiratory Support It aids respiratory health by: - Loosening mucus and phlegm - Suppressing coughs and throat irritation - Supporting overall respiratory tract function ## Additional Benefits **Skin Health** - Improves conditions like psoriasis, acne, and eczema - Supports wound healing through antibacterial action - Provides anti-aging benefits through antioxidant properties **Cardiovascular Health** Studies show oregano oil may help: - Reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels - Support overall heart health **Pain Management** The oil demonstrates effectiveness in: - Reducing inflammation-related pain - Managing muscle discomfort - Providing topical pain relief ## Safety Note While oregano oil is generally safe, it's highly concentrated and should be properly diluted before use Consult a healthcare provider before starting supplementation, especially if taking other medications.

@ b17fccdf:b7211155

The past 26 August, Tor [introduced officially](https://blog.torproject.org/introducing-proof-of-work-defense-for-onion-services/) a proof-of-work (PoW) defense for onion services designed to prioritize verified network traffic as a deterrent against denial of service (DoS) attacks. ~ > This feature at the moment, is [deactivate by default](https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/core/tor/-/blob/main/doc/man/tor.1.txt#L3117), so you need to follow these steps to activate this on a MiniBolt node: * Make sure you have the latest version of Tor installed, at the time of writing this post, which is v0.4.8.6. Check your current version by typing ``` tor --version ``` **Example** of expected output: ``` Tor version 0.4.8.6. This build of Tor is covered by the GNU General Public License (https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html) Tor is running on Linux with Libevent 2.1.12-stable, OpenSSL 3.0.9, Zlib 1.2.13, Liblzma 5.4.1, Libzstd N/A and Glibc 2.36 as libc. Tor compiled with GCC version 12.2.0 ``` ~ > If you have v0.4.8.X, you are **OK**, if not, type `sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade` and confirm to update. * Basic PoW support can be checked by running this command: ``` tor --list-modules ``` Expected output: ``` relay: yes dirauth: yes dircache: yes pow: **yes** ``` ~ > If you have `pow: yes`, you are **OK** * Now go to the torrc file of your MiniBolt and add the parameter to enable PoW for each hidden service added ``` sudo nano /etc/tor/torrc ``` Example: ``` # Hidden Service BTC RPC Explorer HiddenServiceDir /var/lib/tor/hidden_service_btcrpcexplorer/ HiddenServiceVersion 3 HiddenServicePoWDefensesEnabled 1 HiddenServicePort 80 127.0.0.1:3002 ``` ~ > Bitcoin Core and LND use the Tor control port to automatically create the hidden service, requiring no action from the user. We have submitted a feature request in the official GitHub repositories to explore the need for the integration of Tor's PoW defense into the automatic creation process of the hidden service. You can follow them at the following links: * Bitcoin Core: https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/issues/8002 * LND: https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/issues/28499 --- More info: * https://blog.torproject.org/introducing-proof-of-work-defense-for-onion-services/ * https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/onion-services/onion-support/-/wikis/Documentation/PoW-FAQ --- Enjoy it MiniBolter! 💙

@ 04c195f1:3329a1da

Dear Readers, I’ve written about the AI Act before—[you can read my full critique here](https://english.daneriksson.com/p/europes-ai-future-trapped-in-the)—but now, parts of this bureaucratic monstrosity are about to become reality. Starting February 2, it will be illegal to use AI tools at work in the EU unless you can prove you have something called “AI competence.” Let’s break this down. ## What Does ‘AI Competence’ Mean? No one knows. The EU has issued no practical guidance on how to define, evaluate, or measure this so-called competence. Yet, if you or your employees fail to meet this vague requirement, Brussels will be ready with the fines: up to €7 million or 1.5% of your company’s global revenue. This is classic EU policymaking. Sweeping, unclear rules that businesses are left scrambling to interpret, while bureaucrats pat themselves on the back for ‘leading the way’ in AI regulation. ## Who Does This Hurt Most? Small and medium-sized businesses, naturally. These are the companies least equipped to deal with vague mandates or pay for the training programs that might, possibly, meet the requirements. Meanwhile, big corporations will either move operations outside the EU or use their armies of lawyers to sidestep the rules entirely. The EU talks about fairness, but its policies always end up crushing the little guy while big players get a pass. ## The Bigger Picture AI is supposed to be the future. But while the US and China are racing ahead, the EU is busy tying businesses in regulatory knots. Is it any wonder that Europe is falling behind in innovation? This isn’t just bad for business; it’s a direct assault on sovereignty and national economies. Instead of letting countries tailor AI policies to their needs, the EU insists on centralizing everything. The result? Fewer startups, fewer breakthroughs, and a Europe that’s increasingly irrelevant in global tech. ## The Fight Ahead February 2 is just the start. The full AI Act rolls out in stages, with more draconian measures to come. If we don’t push back now, this regulatory nightmare will only get worse. National governments must reclaim control over AI policy before it’s too late. Europe’s future shouldn’t be dictated by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels. ## What Do You Think? How will these new rules impact Europe’s businesses and innovation? Reply to this read or shoot me a private message on Nostr. Together, we can shine a light on the EU’s overreach and fight for a Europe that values sovereignty and innovation over red tape. Stay informed, \ Dan Eriksson

@ 6be5cc06:5259daf0

## Bitcoin: Um sistema de dinheiro eletrônico direto entre pessoas. Satoshi Nakamoto satoshin@gmx.com www.bitcoin.org --- ### Resumo O Bitcoin é uma forma de dinheiro digital que permite pagamentos diretos entre pessoas, sem a necessidade de um banco ou instituição financeira. Ele resolve um problema chamado **gasto duplo**, que ocorre quando alguém tenta gastar o mesmo dinheiro duas vezes. Para evitar isso, o Bitcoin usa uma rede descentralizada onde todos trabalham juntos para verificar e registrar as transações. As transações são registradas em um livro público chamado **blockchain**, protegido por uma técnica chamada **Prova de Trabalho**. Essa técnica cria uma cadeia de registros que não pode ser alterada sem refazer todo o trabalho já feito. Essa cadeia é mantida pelos computadores que participam da rede, e a mais longa é considerada a verdadeira. Enquanto a maior parte do poder computacional da rede for controlada por participantes honestos, o sistema continuará funcionando de forma segura. A rede é flexível, permitindo que qualquer pessoa entre ou saia a qualquer momento, sempre confiando na cadeia mais longa como prova do que aconteceu. --- ### 1. Introdução Hoje, quase todos os pagamentos feitos pela internet dependem de bancos ou empresas como processadores de pagamento (cartões de crédito, por exemplo) para funcionar. Embora esse sistema seja útil, ele tem problemas importantes porque é baseado em **confiança**. Primeiro, essas empresas podem reverter pagamentos, o que é útil em caso de erros, mas cria custos e incertezas. Isso faz com que pequenas transações, como pagar centavos por um serviço, se tornem inviáveis. Além disso, os comerciantes são obrigados a desconfiar dos clientes, pedindo informações extras e aceitando fraudes como algo inevitável. Esses problemas não existem no dinheiro físico, como o papel-moeda, onde o pagamento é final e direto entre as partes. No entanto, não temos como enviar dinheiro físico pela internet sem depender de um intermediário confiável. O que precisamos é de um **sistema de pagamento eletrônico baseado em provas matemáticas**, não em confiança. Esse sistema permitiria que qualquer pessoa enviasse dinheiro diretamente para outra, sem depender de bancos ou processadores de pagamento. Além disso, as transações seriam irreversíveis, protegendo vendedores contra fraudes, mas mantendo a possibilidade de soluções para disputas legítimas. Neste documento, apresentamos o **Bitcoin**, que resolve o problema do gasto duplo usando uma rede descentralizada. Essa rede cria um registro público e protegido por cálculos matemáticos, que garante a ordem das transações. Enquanto a maior parte da rede for controlada por pessoas honestas, o sistema será seguro contra ataques. --- ### 2. Transações Para entender como funciona o Bitcoin, é importante saber como as transações são realizadas. Imagine que você quer transferir uma "moeda digital" para outra pessoa. No sistema do Bitcoin, essa "moeda" é representada por uma sequência de registros que mostram quem é o atual dono. Para transferi-la, você adiciona um novo registro comprovando que agora ela pertence ao próximo dono. Esse registro é protegido por um tipo especial de assinatura digital. #### O que é uma assinatura digital? Uma assinatura digital é como uma senha secreta, mas muito mais segura. No Bitcoin, cada usuário tem duas chaves: uma "chave privada", que é secreta e serve para criar a assinatura, e uma "chave pública", que pode ser compartilhada com todos e é usada para verificar se a assinatura é válida. Quando você transfere uma moeda, usa sua chave privada para assinar a transação, provando que você é o dono. A próxima pessoa pode usar sua chave pública para confirmar isso. #### Como funciona na prática? Cada "moeda" no Bitcoin é, na verdade, uma cadeia de assinaturas digitais. Vamos imaginar o seguinte cenário: 1. A moeda está com o Dono 0 (você). Para transferi-la ao Dono 1, você assina digitalmente a transação com sua chave privada. Essa assinatura inclui o código da transação anterior (chamado de "hash") e a chave pública do Dono 1. 2. Quando o Dono 1 quiser transferir a moeda ao Dono 2, ele assinará a transação seguinte com sua própria chave privada, incluindo também o hash da transação anterior e a chave pública do Dono 2. 3. Esse processo continua, formando uma "cadeia" de transações. Qualquer pessoa pode verificar essa cadeia para confirmar quem é o atual dono da moeda. #### Resolvendo o problema do gasto duplo Um grande desafio com moedas digitais é o "gasto duplo", que é quando uma mesma moeda é usada em mais de uma transação. Para evitar isso, muitos sistemas antigos dependiam de uma entidade central confiável, como uma casa da moeda, que verificava todas as transações. No entanto, isso criava um ponto único de falha e centralizava o controle do dinheiro. O Bitcoin resolve esse problema de forma inovadora: ele usa uma rede descentralizada onde todos os participantes (os "nós") têm acesso a um registro completo de todas as transações. Cada nó verifica se as transações são válidas e se a moeda não foi gasta duas vezes. Quando a maioria dos nós concorda com a validade de uma transação, ela é registrada permanentemente na blockchain. #### Por que isso é importante? Essa solução elimina a necessidade de confiar em uma única entidade para gerenciar o dinheiro, permitindo que qualquer pessoa no mundo use o Bitcoin sem precisar de permissão de terceiros. Além disso, ela garante que o sistema seja seguro e resistente a fraudes. --- ### 3. Servidor Timestamp Para assegurar que as transações sejam realizadas de forma segura e transparente, o sistema Bitcoin utiliza algo chamado de "servidor de registro de tempo" (timestamp). Esse servidor funciona como um registro público que organiza as transações em uma ordem específica. Ele faz isso agrupando várias transações em blocos e criando um código único chamado "hash". Esse hash é como uma impressão digital que representa todo o conteúdo do bloco. O hash de cada bloco é amplamente divulgado, como se fosse publicado em um jornal ou em um fórum público. Esse processo garante que cada bloco de transações tenha um registro de quando foi criado e que ele existia naquele momento. Além disso, cada novo bloco criado contém o hash do bloco anterior, formando uma cadeia contínua de blocos conectados — conhecida como blockchain. Com isso, se alguém tentar alterar qualquer informação em um bloco anterior, o hash desse bloco mudará e não corresponderá ao hash armazenado no bloco seguinte. Essa característica torna a cadeia muito segura, pois qualquer tentativa de fraude seria imediatamente detectada. O sistema de timestamps é essencial para provar a ordem cronológica das transações e garantir que cada uma delas seja única e autêntica. Dessa forma, ele reforça a segurança e a confiança na rede Bitcoin. --- ### 4. Prova-de-Trabalho Para implementar o registro de tempo distribuído no sistema Bitcoin, utilizamos um mecanismo chamado prova-de-trabalho. Esse sistema é semelhante ao Hashcash, desenvolvido por Adam Back, e baseia-se na criação de um código único, o "hash", por meio de um processo computacionalmente exigente. A prova-de-trabalho envolve encontrar um valor especial que, quando processado junto com as informações do bloco, gere um hash que comece com uma quantidade específica de zeros. Esse valor especial é chamado de "nonce". Encontrar o nonce correto exige um esforço significativo do computador, porque envolve tentativas repetidas até que a condição seja satisfeita. Esse processo é importante porque torna extremamente difícil alterar qualquer informação registrada em um bloco. Se alguém tentar mudar algo em um bloco, seria necessário refazer o trabalho de computação não apenas para aquele bloco, mas também para todos os blocos que vêm depois dele. Isso garante a segurança e a imutabilidade da blockchain. A prova-de-trabalho também resolve o problema de decidir qual cadeia de blocos é a válida quando há múltiplas cadeias competindo. A decisão é feita pela cadeia mais longa, pois ela representa o maior esforço computacional já realizado. Isso impede que qualquer indivíduo ou grupo controle a rede, desde que a maioria do poder de processamento seja mantida por participantes honestos. Para garantir que o sistema permaneça eficiente e equilibrado, a dificuldade da prova-de-trabalho é ajustada automaticamente ao longo do tempo. Se novos blocos estiverem sendo gerados rapidamente, a dificuldade aumenta; se estiverem sendo gerados muito lentamente, a dificuldade diminui. Esse ajuste assegura que novos blocos sejam criados aproximadamente a cada 10 minutos, mantendo o sistema estável e funcional. --- ### 5. Rede A rede Bitcoin é o coração do sistema e funciona de maneira distribuída, conectando vários participantes (ou nós) para garantir o registro e a validação das transações. Os passos para operar essa rede são: 1. **Transmissão de Transações**: Quando alguém realiza uma nova transação, ela é enviada para todos os nós da rede. Isso é feito para garantir que todos estejam cientes da operação e possam validá-la. 2. **Coleta de Transações em Blocos**: Cada nó agrupa as novas transações recebidas em um "bloco". Este bloco será preparado para ser adicionado à cadeia de blocos (a blockchain). 3. **Prova-de-Trabalho**: Os nós competem para resolver a prova-de-trabalho do bloco, utilizando poder computacional para encontrar um hash válido. Esse processo é como resolver um quebra-cabeça matemático difícil. 4. **Envio do Bloco Resolvido**: Quando um nó encontra a solução para o bloco (a prova-de-trabalho), ele compartilha esse bloco com todos os outros nós na rede. 5. **Validação do Bloco**: Cada nó verifica o bloco recebido para garantir que todas as transações nele contidas sejam válidas e que nenhuma moeda tenha sido gasta duas vezes. Apenas blocos válidos são aceitos. 6. **Construção do Próximo Bloco**: Os nós que aceitaram o bloco começam a trabalhar na criação do próximo bloco, utilizando o hash do bloco aceito como base (hash anterior). Isso mantém a continuidade da cadeia. #### Resolução de Conflitos e Escolha da Cadeia Mais Longa Os nós sempre priorizam a cadeia mais longa, pois ela representa o maior esforço computacional já realizado, garantindo maior segurança. Se dois blocos diferentes forem compartilhados simultaneamente, os nós trabalharão no primeiro bloco recebido, mas guardarão o outro como uma alternativa. Caso o segundo bloco eventualmente forme uma cadeia mais longa (ou seja, tenha mais blocos subsequentes), os nós mudarão para essa nova cadeia. #### Tolerância a Falhas A rede é robusta e pode lidar com mensagens que não chegam a todos os nós. Uma transação não precisa alcançar todos os nós de imediato; basta que chegue a um número suficiente deles para ser incluída em um bloco. Da mesma forma, se um nó não receber um bloco em tempo hábil, ele pode solicitá-lo ao perceber que está faltando quando o próximo bloco é recebido. Esse mecanismo descentralizado permite que a rede Bitcoin funcione de maneira segura, confiável e resiliente, sem depender de uma autoridade central. --- ### 6. Incentivo O incentivo é um dos pilares fundamentais que sustenta o funcionamento da rede Bitcoin, garantindo que os participantes (nós) continuem operando de forma honesta e contribuindo com recursos computacionais. Ele é estruturado em duas partes principais: a recompensa por mineração e as taxas de transação. #### Recompensa por Mineração Por convenção, o primeiro registro em cada bloco é uma transação especial que cria novas moedas e as atribui ao criador do bloco. Essa recompensa incentiva os mineradores a dedicarem poder computacional para apoiar a rede. Como não há uma autoridade central para emitir moedas, essa é a maneira pela qual novas moedas entram em circulação. Esse processo pode ser comparado ao trabalho de garimpeiros, que utilizam recursos para colocar mais ouro em circulação. No caso do Bitcoin, o "recurso" consiste no tempo de CPU e na energia elétrica consumida para resolver a prova-de-trabalho. #### Taxas de Transação Além da recompensa por mineração, os mineradores também podem ser incentivados pelas taxas de transação. Se uma transação utiliza menos valor de saída do que o valor de entrada, a diferença é tratada como uma taxa, que é adicionada à recompensa do bloco contendo essa transação. Com o passar do tempo e à medida que o número de moedas em circulação atinge o limite predeterminado, essas taxas de transação se tornam a principal fonte de incentivo, substituindo gradualmente a emissão de novas moedas. Isso permite que o sistema opere sem inflação, uma vez que o número total de moedas permanece fixo. #### Incentivo à Honestidade O design do incentivo também busca garantir que os participantes da rede mantenham um comportamento honesto. Para um atacante que consiga reunir mais poder computacional do que o restante da rede, ele enfrentaria duas escolhas: 1. Usar esse poder para fraudar o sistema, como reverter transações e roubar pagamentos. 2. Seguir as regras do sistema, criando novos blocos e recebendo recompensas legítimas. A lógica econômica favorece a segunda opção, pois um comportamento desonesto prejudicaria a confiança no sistema, diminuindo o valor de todas as moedas, incluindo aquelas que o próprio atacante possui. Jogar dentro das regras não apenas maximiza o retorno financeiro, mas também preserva a validade e a integridade do sistema. Esse mecanismo garante que os incentivos econômicos estejam alinhados com o objetivo de manter a rede segura, descentralizada e funcional ao longo do tempo. --- ### 7. Recuperação do Espaço em Disco Depois que uma moeda passa a estar protegida por muitos blocos na cadeia, as informações sobre as transações antigas que a geraram podem ser descartadas para economizar espaço em disco. Para que isso seja possível sem comprometer a segurança, as transações são organizadas em uma estrutura chamada "árvore de Merkle". Essa árvore funciona como um resumo das transações: em vez de armazenar todas elas, guarda apenas um "hash raiz", que é como uma assinatura compacta que representa todo o grupo de transações. Os blocos antigos podem, então, ser simplificados, removendo as partes desnecessárias dessa árvore. Apenas a raiz do hash precisa ser mantida no cabeçalho do bloco, garantindo que a integridade dos dados seja preservada, mesmo que detalhes específicos sejam descartados. Para exemplificar: imagine que você tenha vários recibos de compra. Em vez de guardar todos os recibos, você cria um documento e lista apenas o valor total de cada um. Mesmo que os recibos originais sejam descartados, ainda é possível verificar a soma com base nos valores armazenados. Além disso, o espaço ocupado pelos blocos em si é muito pequeno. Cada bloco sem transações ocupa apenas cerca de 80 bytes. Isso significa que, mesmo com blocos sendo gerados a cada 10 minutos, o crescimento anual em espaço necessário é insignificante: apenas 4,2 MB por ano. Com a capacidade de armazenamento dos computadores crescendo a cada ano, esse espaço continuará sendo trivial, garantindo que a rede possa operar de forma eficiente sem problemas de armazenamento, mesmo a longo prazo. --- ### 8. Verificação de Pagamento Simplificada É possível confirmar pagamentos sem a necessidade de operar um nó completo da rede. Para isso, o usuário precisa apenas de uma cópia dos cabeçalhos dos blocos da cadeia mais longa (ou seja, a cadeia com maior esforço de trabalho acumulado). Ele pode verificar a validade de uma transação ao consultar os nós da rede até obter a confirmação de que tem a cadeia mais longa. Para isso, utiliza-se o ramo Merkle, que conecta a transação ao bloco em que ela foi registrada. Entretanto, o método simplificado possui limitações: ele não pode confirmar uma transação isoladamente, mas sim assegurar que ela ocupa um lugar específico na cadeia mais longa. Dessa forma, se um nó da rede aprova a transação, os blocos subsequentes reforçam essa aceitação. A verificação simplificada é confiável enquanto a maioria dos nós da rede for honesta. Contudo, ela se torna vulnerável caso a rede seja dominada por um invasor. Nesse cenário, um atacante poderia fabricar transações fraudulentas que enganariam o usuário temporariamente até que o invasor obtivesse controle completo da rede. Uma estratégia para mitigar esse risco é configurar alertas nos softwares de nós completos. Esses alertas identificam blocos inválidos, sugerindo ao usuário baixar o bloco completo para confirmar qualquer inconsistência. Para maior segurança, empresas que realizam pagamentos frequentes podem preferir operar seus próprios nós, reduzindo riscos e permitindo uma verificação mais direta e confiável. --- ### 9. Combinando e Dividindo Valor No sistema Bitcoin, cada unidade de valor é tratada como uma "moeda" individual, mas gerenciar cada centavo como uma transação separada seria impraticável. Para resolver isso, o Bitcoin permite que valores sejam combinados ou divididos em transações, facilitando pagamentos de qualquer valor. #### Entradas e Saídas Cada transação no Bitcoin é composta por: - **Entradas**: Representam os valores recebidos em transações anteriores. - **Saídas**: Correspondem aos valores enviados, divididos entre os destinatários e, eventualmente, o troco para o remetente. Normalmente, uma transação contém: - Uma única entrada com valor suficiente para cobrir o pagamento. - Ou várias entradas combinadas para atingir o valor necessário. O valor total das saídas nunca excede o das entradas, e a diferença (se houver) pode ser retornada ao remetente como **troco**. #### Exemplo Prático Imagine que você tem duas entradas: 1. 0,03 BTC 2. 0,07 BTC Se deseja enviar 0,08 BTC para alguém, a transação terá: - **Entrada**: As duas entradas combinadas (0,03 + 0,07 BTC = 0,10 BTC). - **Saídas**: Uma para o destinatário (0,08 BTC) e outra como troco para você (0,02 BTC). Essa flexibilidade permite que o sistema funcione sem precisar manipular cada unidade mínima individualmente. #### Difusão e Simplificação A difusão de transações, onde uma depende de várias anteriores e assim por diante, não representa um problema. Não é necessário armazenar ou verificar o histórico completo de uma transação para utilizá-la, já que o registro na blockchain garante sua integridade. --- ### 10. Privacidade O modelo bancário tradicional oferece um certo nível de privacidade, limitando o acesso às informações financeiras apenas às partes envolvidas e a um terceiro confiável (como bancos ou instituições financeiras). No entanto, o Bitcoin opera de forma diferente, pois todas as transações são publicamente registradas na blockchain. Apesar disso, a privacidade pode ser mantida utilizando **chaves públicas anônimas**, que desvinculam diretamente as transações das identidades das partes envolvidas. #### Fluxo de Informação - No **modelo tradicional**, as transações passam por um terceiro confiável que conhece tanto o remetente quanto o destinatário. - No **Bitcoin**, as transações são anunciadas publicamente, mas sem revelar diretamente as identidades das partes. Isso é comparável a dados divulgados por bolsas de valores, onde informações como o tempo e o tamanho das negociações (a "fita") são públicas, mas as identidades das partes não. #### Protegendo a Privacidade Para aumentar a privacidade no Bitcoin, são adotadas as seguintes práticas: 1. **Chaves Públicas Anônimas**: Cada transação utiliza um par de chaves diferentes, dificultando a associação com um proprietário único. 2. **Prevenção de Ligação**: Ao usar chaves novas para cada transação, reduz-se a possibilidade de links evidentes entre múltiplas transações realizadas pelo mesmo usuário. #### Riscos de Ligação Embora a privacidade seja fortalecida, alguns riscos permanecem: - Transações **multi-entrada** podem revelar que todas as entradas pertencem ao mesmo proprietário, caso sejam necessárias para somar o valor total. - O proprietário da chave pode ser identificado indiretamente por transações anteriores que estejam conectadas. --- ### 11. Cálculos Imagine que temos um sistema onde as pessoas (ou computadores) competem para adicionar informações novas (blocos) a um grande registro público (a cadeia de blocos ou blockchain). Este registro é como um livro contábil compartilhado, onde todos podem verificar o que está escrito. Agora, vamos pensar em um cenário: um atacante quer enganar o sistema. Ele quer mudar informações já registradas para beneficiar a si mesmo, por exemplo, desfazendo um pagamento que já fez. Para isso, ele precisa criar uma versão alternativa do livro contábil (a cadeia de blocos dele) e convencer todos os outros participantes de que essa versão é a verdadeira. Mas isso é extremamente difícil. #### Como o Ataque Funciona Quando um novo bloco é adicionado à cadeia, ele depende de cálculos complexos que levam tempo e esforço. Esses cálculos são como um grande quebra-cabeça que precisa ser resolvido. - Os “bons jogadores” (nós honestos) estão sempre trabalhando juntos para resolver esses quebra-cabeças e adicionar novos blocos à cadeia verdadeira. - O atacante, por outro lado, precisa resolver quebra-cabeças sozinho, tentando “alcançar” a cadeia honesta para que sua versão alternativa pareça válida. Se a cadeia honesta já está vários blocos à frente, o atacante começa em desvantagem, e o sistema está projetado para que a dificuldade de alcançá-los aumente rapidamente. #### A Corrida Entre Cadeias Você pode imaginar isso como uma corrida. A cada bloco novo que os jogadores honestos adicionam à cadeia verdadeira, eles se distanciam mais do atacante. Para vencer, o atacante teria que resolver os quebra-cabeças mais rápido que todos os outros jogadores honestos juntos. Suponha que: - A rede honesta tem **80% do poder computacional** (ou seja, resolve 8 de cada 10 quebra-cabeças). - O atacante tem **20% do poder computacional** (ou seja, resolve 2 de cada 10 quebra-cabeças). Cada vez que a rede honesta adiciona um bloco, o atacante tem que "correr atrás" e resolver mais quebra-cabeças para alcançar. #### Por Que o Ataque Fica Cada Vez Mais Improvável? Vamos usar uma fórmula simples para mostrar como as chances de sucesso do atacante diminuem conforme ele precisa "alcançar" mais blocos: P = (q/p)^z - **q** é o poder computacional do atacante (20%, ou 0,2). - **p** é o poder computacional da rede honesta (80%, ou 0,8). - **z** é a diferença de blocos entre a cadeia honesta e a cadeia do atacante. Se o atacante está 5 blocos atrás (z = 5): P = (0,2 / 0,8)^5 = (0,25)^5 = 0,00098, (ou, 0,098%) Isso significa que o atacante tem menos de 0,1% de chance de sucesso — ou seja, é muito improvável. Se ele estiver 10 blocos atrás (z = 10): P = (0,2 / 0,8)^10 = (0,25)^10 = 0,000000095, (ou, 0,0000095%). Neste caso, as chances de sucesso são praticamente **nulas**. #### Um Exemplo Simples Se você jogar uma moeda, a chance de cair “cara” é de 50%. Mas se precisar de 10 caras seguidas, sua chance já é bem menor. Se precisar de 20 caras seguidas, é quase impossível. No caso do Bitcoin, o atacante precisa de muito mais do que 20 caras seguidas. Ele precisa resolver quebra-cabeças extremamente difíceis e alcançar os jogadores honestos que estão sempre à frente. Isso faz com que o ataque seja inviável na prática. #### Por Que Tudo Isso é Seguro? - **A probabilidade de sucesso do atacante diminui exponencialmente.** Isso significa que, quanto mais tempo passa, menor é a chance de ele conseguir enganar o sistema. - **A cadeia verdadeira (honesta) está protegida pela força da rede.** Cada novo bloco que os jogadores honestos adicionam à cadeia torna mais difícil para o atacante alcançar. #### E Se o Atacante Tentar Continuar? O atacante poderia continuar tentando indefinidamente, mas ele estaria gastando muito tempo e energia sem conseguir nada. Enquanto isso, os jogadores honestos estão sempre adicionando novos blocos, tornando o trabalho do atacante ainda mais inútil. Assim, o sistema garante que a cadeia verdadeira seja extremamente segura e que ataques sejam, na prática, impossíveis de ter sucesso. --- ### 12. Conclusão Propusemos um sistema de transações eletrônicas que elimina a necessidade de confiança, baseando-se em assinaturas digitais e em uma rede peer-to-peer que utiliza prova de trabalho. Isso resolve o problema do gasto duplo, criando um histórico público de transações imutável, desde que a maioria do poder computacional permaneça sob controle dos participantes honestos. A rede funciona de forma simples e descentralizada, com nós independentes que não precisam de identificação ou coordenação direta. Eles entram e saem livremente, aceitando a cadeia de prova de trabalho como registro do que ocorreu durante sua ausência. As decisões são tomadas por meio do poder de CPU, validando blocos legítimos, estendendo a cadeia e rejeitando os inválidos. Com este mecanismo de consenso, todas as regras e incentivos necessários para o funcionamento seguro e eficiente do sistema são garantidos. --- Faça o download do whitepaper original em português: https://bitcoin.org/files/bitcoin-paper/bitcoin_pt_br.pdf

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***When we speak of Sweden, what do we really mean? Is it a nation united by common traditions, language, and shared history – or has it been reduced to an anonymous administrative zone, open to all peoples of the world?*** In this article, I argue that Sweden as a nation-state no longer exists. This insight is crucial for us as nationalists to adapt our strategy to the reality we live in. ## Is Sweden a Place? Geographically, Sweden is a location with defined borders, but these borders have been fluid throughout history. During The Swedish Empire, Sweden encompassed parts of present-day Finland, Estonia, and areas in northern Germany. The northern parts of today's Sweden long remained outside the Swedish state's direct control and were gradually integrated during the 17th and 18th centuries. For our ancestors, loyalty to their own district, tribe, or clan was often stronger than to the idea of a larger nation. It was only with Gustav Vasa's centralization in the 16th century and the later emergence of national romanticism in the 19th century that a modern Swedish identity began to take shape. This process involved not only geographical consolidation but also the creation of common institutions, traditions, and a self-image that bound together the country's population. The nation of Sweden became the result of a conscious project – a national construction where language, culture, and history were woven together to create a common identity. But this national identity is not static. Just as Sweden's borders have changed throughout history, the nation's character has been reshaped by the circumstances of time. It is therefore relevant to ask: How strong is Swedish identity today, and what forces threaten or strengthen it? ## Is Sweden a Nation-State? According to Bonniers lexicon, a nation-state is defined as "a geographically defined state whose population largely shares the same origin, language, and culture." It is clear that Sweden, throughout much of its modern history, strived to be exactly this – a state where a common Swedish identity shaped both society and its institutions. The founding of the Swedish nation-state can be traced to times of national consolidation, such as the Reformation under Gustav Vasa and the political reforms of the Enlightenment. These efforts aimed to create a strong and unified nation, where citizens shared not only language and culture but also a common vision for the future. Today, however, this foundation has begun to crumble. The state's active decisions to prioritize multiculturalism and globalism have eroded the national community. Origin, language, and culture – the pillars that once supported Sweden's identity as a nation-state – have been weakened or entirely rejected. What we see today is a state that increasingly distances itself from its role as the bearer of a unified national identity. - **Origin:** According to demographic research, over 33% of Sweden's population had foreign background by 2020. In the age group 0-44 years, this figure exceeded 40%. Official statistics confirm that a majority of these individuals originate from countries and cultures radically different from Swedish culture. While some immigrants from neighboring countries may assimilate, this is not the case for many from races and cultures with significant differences from our own. - **Culture:** Swedish culture is actively undermined by political decisions that advocate multiculturalism and prioritize integration over assimilation. This means we no longer share a common culture in Sweden. - **Language:** While Swedish remains the strongest national factor, it is challenged by rapidly growing minority languages. Many municipalities report that languages other than Swedish dominate in certain areas. Without a common origin, culture, and unifying language, the state loses its fundamental ability to function as a nation-state. Instead, it becomes an arena for conflict, where different groups fight for their own interests rather than the common good. ## What is Sweden? Sweden today is, more than anything, an idea – a vision of a community built on a common origin, language, and culture. But this idea is under attack, not only from globalist forces but also from individuals who see no value in Swedishness. Understanding this is crucial for building nationalism adapted to our time. We can no longer rely on notions from an era when most people lived their entire lives within a few miles of their birthplace. Today, the world is smaller – people travel, communicate, and work globally. This requires nationalism rooted in our reality and offering security in a world where the foreign is constantly present. ## Practical Nationalism Nationalism for the 21st century must be both pragmatic and long-term. It's not about chasing short-term electoral results or approaching utopian ideas about a quick revolution. Instead, we as nationalists must regroup and start building where we stand – step by step, community by community. In this work, **Det fria Sverige** ([Free Sweden](https://www.detfriasverige.se/)) stands today as the standard-bearer for practical nationalism that focuses on creating something real and sustainable for the future. Since the organization's launch in late 2017, it has independently shown what is possible to achieve with limited resources but strong will and determination. In just seven years, thousands of Swedes have engaged in its activities. Two **Svenskarnas hus** (Houses of the Swedes) have opened – places where Swedish identity can flourish culturally, socially, and politically. The organization has arranged hundreds of political and cultural gatherings, published books and magazines, and created a platform for artists and musicians to share their work. Free Sweden has also been an active voice for Swedes in public debate, all without receiving a single penny in public funding. This achievement is remarkable and shows that it is possible to build an alternative community, even in a society where resources are unevenly distributed, and the establishment actively works against Swedes' right to organize. Imagine what we could accomplish if more people chose to join this work. If more gave their support, both through engagement and financial contributions, we could realize even more projects and create stronger communities across the country. The vision of a new Swedish renaissance begins with us – with our will to build a future where Swedishness can once again be a force to be reckoned with. Practical nationalism isn't just an idea – it's a strategy for creating real change, not in a hundred years, but here and now. ## The Future for Sweden While Sweden as a nation-state may be dead, the nation of Sweden lives on. It lives in our hearts, in our culture, and in our history – and in the vision we carry for the future. Building a new Sweden requires more than just remembering the past. It requires action, patience, and the will to create something lasting. We stand at a crossroads: to passively accept division or to actively choose community. Through Free Sweden, we already see today the beginning of a renaissance – a rebirth of Swedish identity that can become the foundation for tomorrow's strong communities. The future belongs to those who act, who dare to stand up for their ideals, and who invest in their people. By building community, protecting our culture, and supporting initiatives that strengthen Swedishness, we create a future where our children and grandchildren can live free, proud, and strong. It is no longer a question of whether we can succeed – it is a question of whether you are ready to be part of the solution. The time to begin is now. The choice is yours. The future is Swedish. *Note: This article was [originally published in Swedish](https://www.friasvenskar.se/c/artiklar/nationalstatens-fall-vad-ar-sverige-idag) for the organization Det fria Sverige (Free Sweden), of which I have been chairman since its founding in 2017.*

@ 3f770d65:7a745b24

The recent shutdown of TikTok in the United States due to a potential government ban serves as a stark reminder how fragile centralized platforms truly are under the surface. While these platforms offer convenience, a more polished user experience, and connectivity, they are ultimately beholden to governments, corporations, and other authorities. This makes them vulnerable to censorship, regulation, and outright bans. In contrast, Nostr represents a shift in how we approach online communication and content sharing. Built on the principles of decentralization and user choice, Nostr cannot be banned, because it is not a platform—it is a protocol. **PROTOCOLS, NOT PLATFORMS.** At the heart of Nostr's philosophy is **user choice**, a feature that fundamentally sets it apart from legacy platforms. In centralized systems, the user experience is dictated by a single person or governing entity. If the platform decides to filter, censor, or ban specific users or content, individuals are left with little action to rectify the situation. They must either accept the changes or abandon the platform entirely, often at the cost of losing their social connections, their data, and their identity. What's happening with TikTok could never happen on Nostr. With Nostr, the dynamics are completely different. Because it is a protocol, not a platform, no single entity controls the ecosystem. Instead, the protocol enables a network of applications and relays that users can freely choose from. If a particular application or relay implements policies that a user disagrees with, such as censorship, filtering, or even government enforced banning, they are not trapped or abandoned. They have the freedom to move to another application or relay with minimal effort. **THIS IS POWERFUL.** Take, for example, the case of a relay that decides to censor specific content. On a legacy platform, this would result in frustration and a loss of access for users. On Nostr, however, users can simply connect to a different relay that does not impose such restrictions. Similarly, if an application introduces features or policies that users dislike, they can migrate to a different application that better suits their preferences, all while retaining their identity and social connections. The same principles apply to government bans and censorship. A government can ban a specific application or even multiple applications, just as it can block one relay or several relays. China has implemented both tactics, yet Chinese users continue to exist and actively participate on Nostr, demonstrating Nostr's ability to resistant censorship. How? Simply, it turns into a game of whack-a-mole. When one relay is censored, another quickly takes its place. When one application is banned, another emerges. Users can also bypass these obstacles by running their own relays and applications directly from their homes or personal devices, eliminating reliance on larger entities or organizations and ensuring continuous access. **AGAIN, THIS IS POWERUFL.** Nostr's open and decentralized design makes it resistant to the kinds of government intervention that led to TikTok's outages this weekend and potential future ban in the next 90 days. There is no central server to target, no company to regulate, and no single point of failure. (Insert your CEO jokes here). As long as there are individuals running relays and applications, users continue creating notes and sending zaps. Platforms like TikTok can be silenced with the stroke of a pen, leaving millions of users disconnected and abandoned. Social communication should not be silenced so incredibly easily. No one should have that much power over social interactions. Will we on-board a massive wave of TikTokers in the coming hours or days? I don't know. TikTokers may not be ready for Nostr yet, and honestly, Nostr may not be ready for them either. The ecosystem still lacks the completely polished applications, tools, and services they’re accustomed to. This is where we say "we're still early". They may not be early adopters like the current Nostr user base. Until we bridge that gap, they’ll likely move to the next centralized platform, only to face another government ban or round of censorship in the future. But eventually, there will come a tipping point, a moment when they’ve had enough. When that time comes, I hope we’re prepared. If we’re not, we risk missing a tremendous opportunity to onboard people who genuinely need Nostr’s freedom. Until then, to all of the Nostr developers out there, keep up the great work and keep building. Your hard work and determination is needed. ###

@ cff1720e:15c7e2b2

**Einleitung**\ \ Schwierige Dinge einfach zu erklären ist der Anspruch von ELI5 (explain me like I'm 5). Das ist in unserer hoch technisierten Welt dringend erforderlich, denn nur mit dem Verständnis der Technologien können wir sie richtig einsetzen und weiter entwickeln.\ Ich starte meine Serie mit Nostr, einem relativ neuen Internet-Protokoll. Was zum Teufel ist ein Internet-Protokoll? Formal beschrieben sind es internationale Standards, die dafür sorgen, dass das Internet seit über 30 Jahren ziemlich gut funktioniert. Es ist die Sprache, in der sich die Rechner miteinander unterhalten und die auch Sie täglich nutzen, vermutlich ohne es bewusst wahrzunehmen. http(s) transportiert ihre Anfrage an einen Server (z.B. Amazon), und html sorgt dafür, dass aus den gelieferten Daten eine schöne Seite auf ihrem Bildschirm entsteht. Eine Mail wird mit smtp an den Mailserver gesendet und mit imap von ihm abgerufen, und da alle den Standard verwenden, funktioniert das mit jeder App auf jedem Betriebssystem und mit jedem Mail-Provider. Und mit einer Mail-Adresse wie <roland@pareto.space> können sie sogar jederzeit umziehen, egal wohin. **Cool, das ist state of the art!** Aber warum funktioniert das z.B. bei Chat nicht, gibt es da kein Protokoll? Doch, es heißt IRC (Internet Relay Chat → merken sie sich den Namen), aber es wird so gut wie nicht verwendet. Die Gründe dafür sind nicht technischer Natur, vielmehr wurden mit Apps wie Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, TikTok u.a. bewusst Inkompatibilitäten und Nutzerabhängigkeiten geschaffen um Profite zu maximieren.  **Warum Nostr?** Da das Standard-Protokoll nicht genutzt wird, hat jede App ihr eigenes, und wir brauchen eine handvoll Apps um uns mit allen Bekannten auszutauschen. Eine Mobilfunknummer ist Voraussetzung für jedes Konto, damit können die App-Hersteller die Nutzer umfassend tracken und mit dem Verkauf der Informationen bis zu 30 USD je Konto und Monat verdienen. Der Nutzer ist nicht mehr Kunde, er ist das Produkt! Der Werbe-SPAM ist noch das kleinste Problem bei diesem Geschäftsmodell. Server mit Millionen von Nutzerdaten sind ein “honey pot”, dementsprechend oft werden sie gehackt und die Zugangsdaten verkauft. 2024 wurde auch der Twitter-Account vom damaligen Präsidenten Joe Biden gehackt, niemand wusste mehr wer die Nachrichten verfasst hat (vorher auch nicht), d.h. die Authentizität der Inhalte ist bei keinem dieser Anbieter gewährleistet. Im selben Jahr wurde der Telegram-Gründer in Frankreich in Beugehaft genommen, weil er sich geweigert hatte Hintertüren in seine Software einzubauen. Nun kann zum Schutz **"unserer Demokratie”** praktisch jeder mitlesen, was sie mit wem an Informationen austauschen, z.B. darüber welches Shampoo bestimmte Politiker verwenden.   Und wer tatsächlich glaubt er könne Meinungsfreiheit auf sozialen Medien praktizieren, findet sich schnell in der Situation von Donald Trump wieder (seinerzeit amtierender Präsident), dem sein Twitter-Konto 2021 abgeschaltet wurde (Cancel-Culture). Die Nutzerdaten, also ihr Profil, ihre Kontakte, Dokumente, Bilder, Videos und Audiofiles - gehören ihnen ohnehin nicht mehr sondern sind Eigentum des Plattform-Betreibers; lesen sie sich mal die AGB's durch. Aber nein, keine gute Idee, das sind hunderte Seiten und sie werden permanent geändert. Alle nutzen also Apps, deren Technik sie nicht verstehen, deren Regeln sie nicht kennen, wo sie keine Rechte haben und die ihnen die Resultate ihres Handelns stehlen. Was würde wohl der Fünfjährige sagen, wenn ihm seine ältere Schwester anbieten würde, alle seine Spielzeuge zu “verwalten” und dann auszuhändigen wenn er brav ist? “Du spinnst wohl”, und damit beweist der Knirps mehr Vernunft als die Mehrzahl der Erwachsenen. \ \ **Resümee:** keine Standards, keine Daten, keine Rechte = keine Zukunft!  \ **Wie funktioniert Nostr?** Die Entwickler von Nostr haben erkannt dass sich das Server-Client-Konzept in ein Master-Slave-Konzept verwandelt hatte. Der Master ist ein Synonym für Zentralisierung und wird zum **“single point of failure”**, der zwangsläufig Systeme dysfunktional macht. In einem verteilten Peer2Peer-System gibt es keine Master mehr sondern nur gleichberechtigte Knoten (Relays), auf denen die Informationen gespeichert werden. Indem man Informationen auf mehreren Relays redundant speichert, ist das System in jeglicher Hinsicht resilienter. Nicht nur die Natur verwendet dieses Prinzip seit Jahrmillionen erfolgreich, auch das Internet wurde so konzipiert (das ARPAnet wurde vom US-Militär für den Einsatz in Kriegsfällen unter massiven Störungen entwickelt). Alle Nostr-Daten liegen auf Relays und der Nutzer kann wählen zwischen öffentlichen (zumeist kostenlosen) und privaten Relays, z.B. für geschlossene Gruppen oder zum Zwecke von Daten-Archivierung. Da Dokumente auf mehreren Relays gespeichert sind, werden statt URL's (Locator) eindeutige Dokumentnamen (URI's = Identifier) verwendet, broken Links sind damit Vergangenheit und Löschungen / Verluste ebenfalls.\ \ Jedes Dokument (Event genannt) wird vom Besitzer signiert, es ist damit authentisch und fälschungssicher und kann nur vom Ersteller gelöscht werden. Dafür wird ein Schlüsselpaar verwendet bestehend aus privatem (nsec) und öffentlichem Schlüssel (npub) wie aus der Mailverschlüsselung (PGP) bekannt. Das repräsentiert eine Nostr-Identität, die um Bild, Namen, Bio und eine lesbare Nostr-Adresse ergänzt werden kann (z.B. <roland@pareto.space> ), mehr braucht es nicht um alle Ressourcen des Nostr-Ökosystems zu nutzen. Und das besteht inzwischen aus über hundert Apps mit unterschiedlichen Fokussierungen, z.B. für persönliche verschlüsselte Nachrichten (DM → OxChat), Kurznachrichten (Damus, Primal), Blogbeiträge (Pareto), Meetups (Joinstr), Gruppen (Groups), Bilder (Olas), Videos (Amethyst), Audio-Chat (Nostr Nests), Audio-Streams (Tunestr), Video-Streams (Zap.Stream), Marktplätze (Shopstr) u.v.a.m. Die Anmeldung erfolgt mit einem Klick (single sign on) und den Apps stehen ALLE Nutzerdaten zur Verfügung (Profil, Daten, Kontakte, Social Graph → Follower, Bookmarks, Comments, etc.), im Gegensatz zu den fragmentierten Datensilos der Gegenwart.\ \ **Resümee:** ein offener Standard, alle Daten, alle Rechte = große Zukunft!  \ **Warum ist Nostr die Zukunft des Internet?** “Baue Dein Haus nicht auf einem fremden Grundstück” gilt auch im Internet - für alle App-Entwickler, Künstler, Journalisten und Nutzer, denn auch ihre Daten sind werthaltig. Nostr garantiert das Eigentum an den Daten, und überwindet ihre Fragmentierung. Weder die Nutzung noch die kreativen Freiheiten werden durch maßlose Lizenz- und Nutzungsbedingungen eingeschränkt. Aus passiven Nutzern werden durch Interaktion aktive Teilnehmer, Co-Creatoren in einer Sharing-Ökonomie **(Value4Value)**. OpenSource schafft endlich wieder Vertrauen in die Software und ihre Anbieter. Offene Standards ermöglichen den Entwicklern mehr Kooperation und schnellere Entwicklung, für die Anwender garantieren sie Wahlfreiheit. Womit wir letztmalig zu unserem Fünfjährigen zurückkehren. Kinder lieben Lego über alles, am meisten die Maxi-Box “Classic”, weil sie damit ihre Phantasie im Kombinieren voll ausleben können. Erwachsene schenken ihnen dann die viel zu teuren Themenpakete, mit denen man nur eine Lösung nach Anleitung bauen kann. “Was stimmt nur mit meinen Eltern nicht, wann sind die denn falsch abgebogen?" fragt sich der Nachwuchs zu Recht. Das Image lässt sich aber wieder aufpolieren, wenn sie ihren Kindern Nostr zeigen, denn die Vorteile verstehen sogar Fünfjährige.  \ **Das neue Internet ist dezentral. Das neue Internet ist selbstbestimmt. Nostr ist das neue Internet.** <https://nostr.net/> \ <https://start.njump.me/> **Hier das Interview zum Thema mit Radio Berliner Morgenröte** <https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-yxc36-17bb4be>

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

A new report from the National Sports Shooting Foundation (NSSF) shows that civilian firearm possession exceeded 490 million in 2022. The total from 1990 to 2022 is estimated at 491.3 million firearms. In 2022, over ten million firearms were domestically produced, leading to a total of 16,045,911 firearms available in the U.S. market. Of these, 9,873,136 were handguns, 4,195,192 were rifles, and 1,977,583 were shotguns. Handgun availability aligns with the concealed carry and self-defense market, as all states allow concealed carry, with 29 having constitutional carry laws.

@ f9cf4e94:96abc355

Para esse exemplo iremos usar: | Nome | Imagem | Descrição | | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------ | | Raspberry PI B+ |  | **Cortex-A53 (ARMv8) 64-bit a 1.4GHz e 1 GB de SDRAM LPDDR2,** | | Pen drive |  | **16Gb** | Recomendo que use o **Ubuntu Server** para essa instalação. Você pode baixar o Ubuntu para Raspberry Pi [aqui]( https://ubuntu.com/download/raspberry-pi). O passo a passo para a instalação do Ubuntu no Raspberry Pi está disponível [aqui]( https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/how-to-install-ubuntu-on-your-raspberry-pi). **Não instale um desktop** (como xubuntu, lubuntu, xfce, etc.). --- ## Passo 1: Atualizar o Sistema 🖥️ Primeiro, atualize seu sistema e instale o Tor: ```bash apt update apt install tor ``` --- ## Passo 2: Criar o Arquivo de Serviço `nrs.service` 🔧 Crie o arquivo de serviço que vai gerenciar o servidor Nostr. Você pode fazer isso com o seguinte conteúdo: ```unit [Unit] Description=Nostr Relay Server Service After=network.target [Service] Type=simple WorkingDirectory=/opt/nrs ExecStart=/opt/nrs/nrs-arm64 Restart=on-failure [Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target ``` --- ## Passo 3: Baixar o Binário do Nostr 🚀 Baixe o binário mais recente do Nostr [aqui no GitHub]( https://github.com/gabrielmoura/SimpleNosrtRelay/releases). --- ## Passo 4: Criar as Pastas Necessárias 📂 Agora, crie as pastas para o aplicativo e o pendrive: ```bash mkdir -p /opt/nrs /mnt/edriver ``` --- ## Passo 5: Listar os Dispositivos Conectados 🔌 Para saber qual dispositivo você vai usar, liste todos os dispositivos conectados: ```bash lsblk ``` --- ## Passo 6: Formatando o Pendrive 💾 Escolha o pendrive correto (por exemplo, `/dev/sda`) e formate-o: ```bash mkfs.vfat /dev/sda ``` --- ## Passo 7: Montar o Pendrive 💻 Monte o pendrive na pasta `/mnt/edriver`: ```bash mount /dev/sda /mnt/edriver ``` --- ## Passo 8: Verificar UUID dos Dispositivos 📋 Para garantir que o sistema monte o pendrive automaticamente, liste os UUID dos dispositivos conectados: ```bash blkid ``` --- ## Passo 9: Alterar o `fstab` para Montar o Pendrive Automáticamente 📝 Abra o arquivo `/etc/fstab` e adicione uma linha para o pendrive, com o UUID que você obteve no passo anterior. A linha deve ficar assim: ```fstab UUID=9c9008f8-f852 /mnt/edriver vfat defaults 0 0 ``` --- ## Passo 10: Copiar o Binário para a Pasta Correta 📥 Agora, copie o binário baixado para a pasta `/opt/nrs`: ```bash cp nrs-arm64 /opt/nrs ``` --- ## Passo 11: Criar o Arquivo de Configuração 🛠️ Crie o arquivo de configuração com o seguinte conteúdo e salve-o em `/opt/nrs/config.yaml`: ```yaml app_env: production info: name: Nostr Relay Server description: Nostr Relay Server pub_key: "" contact: "" url: http://localhost:3334 icon: https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u= https://public.bnbstatic.com/image/cms/crawler/COINCU_NEWS/image-495-1024x569.png base_path: /mnt/edriver negentropy: true ``` --- ## Passo 12: Copiar o Serviço para o Diretório de Systemd ⚙️ Agora, copie o arquivo `nrs.service` para o diretório `/etc/systemd/system/`: ```bash cp nrs.service /etc/systemd/system/ ``` Recarregue os serviços e inicie o serviço `nrs`: ```bash systemctl daemon-reload systemctl enable --now nrs.service ``` --- ## Passo 13: Configurar o Tor 🌐 Abra o arquivo de configuração do Tor `/var/lib/tor/torrc` e adicione a seguinte linha: ```torrc HiddenServiceDir /var/lib/tor/nostr_server/ HiddenServicePort 80 127.0.0.1:3334 ``` --- ## Passo 14: Habilitar e Iniciar o Tor 🧅 Agora, ative e inicie o serviço Tor: ```bash systemctl enable --now tor.service ``` O Tor irá gerar um endereço `.onion` para o seu servidor Nostr. Você pode encontrá-lo no arquivo `/var/lib/tor/nostr_server/hostname`. --- ## Observações ⚠️ - Com essa configuração, **os dados serão salvos no pendrive**, enquanto o binário ficará no cartão SD do Raspberry Pi. - O endereço `.onion` do seu servidor Nostr será algo como: `ws://y3t5t5wgwjif<exemplo>h42zy7ih6iwbyd.onion`. --- Agora, seu servidor Nostr deve estar configurado e funcionando com Tor! 🥳 Se este artigo e as informações aqui contidas forem úteis para você, convidamos a considerar uma doação ao autor como forma de reconhecimento e incentivo à produção de novos conteúdos.

@ 6389be64:ef439d32

## Black Locust can grow up to 170 ft tall ## Grows 3-4 ft. per year ## Native to North America ## Cold hardy in zones 3 to 8  ## Firewood - BLT wood, on a pound for pound basis is roughly half that of Anthracite Coal - Since its growth is fast, firewood can be plentiful ## Timber  - Rot resistant due to a naturally produced robinin in the wood - 100 year life span in full soil contact! (better than cedar performance) - Fence posts - Outdoor furniture - Outdoor decking - Sustainable due to its fast growth and spread - Can be coppiced (cut to the ground) - Can be pollarded (cut above ground) - Its dense wood makes durable tool handles, boxes (tool), and furniture - The wood is tougher than hickory, which is tougher than hard maple, which is tougher than oak. -  A very low rate of expansion and contraction - Hardwood flooring - The highest tensile beam strength of any American tree - The wood is beautiful ## Legume - Nitrogen fixer - Fixes the same amount of nitrogen per acre as is needed for 200-bushel/acre corn - Black walnuts inter-planted with locust as “nurse” trees were shown to rapidly increase their growth [[Clark, Paul M., and Robert D. Williams. (1978) Black walnut growth increased when interplanted with nitrogen-fixing shrubs and trees. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science, vol. 88, pp. 88-91.]] ## Bees  - The edible flower clusters are also a top food source for honey bees ## Shade Provider  - Its light, airy overstory provides dappled shade - Planted on the west side of a garden it provides relief during the hottest part of the day - (nitrogen provider) - Planted on the west side of a house, its quick growth soon shades that side from the sun ## Wind-break  - Fast growth plus it's feathery foliage reduces wind for animals, crops, and shelters ## Fodder - Over 20% crude protein - 4.1 kcal/g of energy - Baertsche, S.R, M.T. Yokoyama, and J.W. Hanover (1986) Short rotation, hardwood tree biomass as potential ruminant feed-chemical composition, nylon bag ruminal degradation and ensilement of selected species. J. Animal Sci. 63 2028-2043

@ 6389be64:ef439d32

Bitcoin is more than money, more than an asset, and more than a store of value. Bitcoin is a Prime Mover, an enabler and it ignites imaginations. It certainly fueled an idea in my mind. The idea integrates sensors, computational prowess, actuated machinery, power conversion, and electronic communications to form an autonomous, machined creature roaming forests and harvesting the most widespread and least energy-dense fuel source available. I call it the Forest Walker and it eats wood, and mines Bitcoin. I know what you're thinking. Why not just put Bitcoin mining rigs where they belong: in a hosted facility sporting electricity from energy-dense fuels like natural gas, climate-controlled with excellent data piping in and out? Why go to all the trouble building a robot that digests wood creating flammable gasses fueling an engine to run a generator powering Bitcoin miners? It's all about synergy. Bitcoin mining enables the realization of multiple, seemingly unrelated, yet useful activities. Activities considered un-profitable if not for Bitcoin as the Prime Mover. This is much more than simply mining the greatest asset ever conceived by humankind. It’s about the power of synergy, which Bitcoin plays only one of many roles. The synergy created by this system can stabilize forests' fire ecology while generating multiple income streams. That’s the realistic goal here and requires a brief history of American Forest management before continuing. # Smokey The Bear In 1944, the Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention Campaign began in the United States. “Only YOU can prevent forest fires” remains the refrain of the Ad Council’s longest running campaign. The Ad Council is a U.S. non-profit set up by the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Association of National Advertisers in 1942. It would seem that the U.S. Department of the Interior was concerned about pesky forest fires and wanted them to stop. So, alongside a national policy of extreme fire suppression they enlisted the entire U.S. population to get onboard via the Ad Council and it worked. Forest fires were almost obliterated and everyone was happy, right? Wrong. Smokey is a fantastically successful bear so forest fires became so few for so long that the fuel load - dead wood - in forests has become very heavy. So heavy that when a fire happens (and they always happen) it destroys everything in its path because the more fuel there is the hotter that fire becomes. Trees, bushes, shrubs, and all other plant life cannot escape destruction (not to mention homes and businesses). The soil microbiology doesn’t escape either as it is burned away even in deeper soils. To add insult to injury, hydrophobic waxy residues condense on the soil surface, forcing water to travel over the ground rather than through it eroding forest soils. Good job, Smokey. Well done, Sir! Most terrestrial ecologies are “fire ecologies”. Fire is a part of these systems’ fuel load and pest management. Before we pretended to “manage” millions of acres of forest, fires raged over the world, rarely damaging forests. The fuel load was always too light to generate fires hot enough to moonscape mountainsides. Fires simply burned off the minor amounts of fuel accumulated since the fire before. The lighter heat, smoke, and other combustion gasses suppressed pests, keeping them in check and the smoke condensed into a plant growth accelerant called wood vinegar, not a waxy cap on the soil. These fires also cleared out weak undergrowth, cycled minerals, and thinned the forest canopy, allowing sunlight to penetrate to the forest floor. Without a fire’s heat, many pine tree species can’t sow their seed. The heat is required to open the cones (the seed bearing structure) of Spruce, Cypress, Sequoia, Jack Pine, Lodgepole Pine and many more. Without fire forests can’t have babies. The idea was to protect the forests, and it isn't working. So, in a world of fire, what does an ally look like and what does it do? # Meet The Forest Walker  For the Forest Walker to work as a mobile, autonomous unit, a solid platform that can carry several hundred pounds is required. It so happens this chassis already exists but shelved. Introducing the Legged Squad Support System (LS3). A joint project between Boston Dynamics, DARPA, and the United States Marine Corps, the quadrupedal robot is the size of a cow, can carry 400 pounds (180 kg) of equipment, negotiate challenging terrain, and operate for 24 hours before needing to refuel. Yes, it had an engine. Abandoned in 2015, the thing was too noisy for military deployment and maintenance "under fire" is never a high-quality idea. However, we can rebuild it to act as a platform for the Forest Walker; albeit with serious alterations. It would need to be bigger, probably. Carry more weight? Definitely. Maybe replace structural metal with carbon fiber and redesign much as 3D printable parts for more effective maintenance. The original system has a top operational speed of 8 miles per hour. For our purposes, it only needs to move about as fast as a grazing ruminant. Without the hammering vibrations of galloping into battle, shocks of exploding mortars, and drunken soldiers playing "Wrangler of Steel Machines", time between failures should be much longer and the overall energy consumption much lower. The LS3 is a solid platform to build upon. Now it just needs to be pulled out of the mothballs, and completely refitted with outboard equipment. # The Small Branch Chipper  When I say “Forest fuel load” I mean the dead, carbon containing litter on the forest floor. Duff (leaves), fine-woody debris (small branches), and coarse woody debris (logs) are the fuel that feeds forest fires. Walk through any forest in the United States today and you will see quite a lot of these materials. Too much, as I have described. Some of these fuel loads can be 8 tons per acre in pine and hardwood forests and up to 16 tons per acre at active logging sites. That’s some big wood and the more that collects, the more combustible danger to the forest it represents. It also provides a technically unlimited fuel supply for the Forest Walker system. The problem is that this detritus has to be chewed into pieces that are easily ingestible by the system for the gasification process (we’ll get to that step in a minute). What we need is a wood chipper attached to the chassis (the LS3); its “mouth”. A small wood chipper handling material up to 2.5 - 3.0 inches (6.3 - 7.6 cm) in diameter would eliminate a substantial amount of fuel. There is no reason for Forest Walker to remove fallen trees. It wouldn’t have to in order to make a real difference. It need only identify appropriately sized branches and grab them. Once loaded into the chipper’s intake hopper for further processing, the beast can immediately look for more “food”. This is essentially kindling that would help ignite larger logs. If it’s all consumed by Forest Walker, then it’s not present to promote an aggravated conflagration. I have glossed over an obvious question: How does Forest Walker see and identify branches and such? LiDaR (Light Detection and Ranging) attached to Forest Walker images the local area and feed those data to onboard computers for processing. Maybe AI plays a role. Maybe simple machine learning can do the trick. One thing is for certain: being able to identify a stick and cause robotic appendages to pick it up is not impossible. Great! We now have a quadrupedal robot autonomously identifying and “eating” dead branches and other light, combustible materials. Whilst strolling through the forest, depleting future fires of combustibles, Forest Walker has already performed a major function of this system: making the forest safer. It's time to convert this low-density fuel into a high-density fuel Forest Walker can leverage. Enter the gasification process. # The Gassifier  The gasifier is the heart of the entire system; it’s where low-density fuel becomes the high-density fuel that powers the entire system. Biochar and wood vinegar are process wastes and I’ll discuss why both are powerful soil amendments in a moment, but first, what’s gasification? Reacting shredded carbonaceous material at high temperatures in a low or no oxygen environment converts the biomass into biochar, wood vinegar, heat, and Synthesis Gas (Syngas). Syngas consists primarily of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane. All of which are extremely useful fuels in a gaseous state. Part of this gas is used to heat the input biomass and keep the reaction temperature constant while the internal combustion engine that drives the generator to produce electrical power consumes the rest. Critically, this gasification process is “continuous feed”. Forest Walker must intake biomass from the chipper, process it to fuel, and dump the waste (CO2, heat, biochar, and wood vinegar) continuously. It cannot stop. Everything about this system depends upon this continual grazing, digestion, and excretion of wastes just as a ruminal does. And, like a ruminant, all waste products enhance the local environment. When I first heard of gasification, I didn’t believe that it was real. Running an electric generator from burning wood seemed more akin to “conspiracy fantasy” than science. Not only is gasification real, it’s ancient technology. A man named Dean Clayton first started experiments on gasification in 1699 and in 1901 gasification was used to power a vehicle. By the end of World War II, there were 500,000 Syngas powered vehicles in Germany alone because of fossil fuel rationing during the war. The global gasification market was $480 billion in 2022 and projected to be as much as $700 billion by 2030 (Vantage Market Research). Gasification technology is the best choice to power the Forest Walker because it’s self-contained and we want its waste products. # Biochar: The Waste  Biochar (AKA agricultural charcoal) is fairly simple: it’s almost pure, solid carbon that resembles charcoal. Its porous nature packs large surface areas into small, 3 dimensional nuggets. Devoid of most other chemistry, like hydrocarbons (methane) and ash (minerals), biochar is extremely lightweight. Do not confuse it with the charcoal you buy for your grill. Biochar doesn’t make good grilling charcoal because it would burn too rapidly as it does not contain the multitude of flammable components that charcoal does. Biochar has several other good use cases. Water filtration, water retention, nutrient retention, providing habitat for microscopic soil organisms, and carbon sequestration are the main ones that we are concerned with here. Carbon has an amazing ability to adsorb (substances stick to and accumulate on the surface of an object) manifold chemistries. Water, nutrients, and pollutants tightly bind to carbon in this format. So, biochar makes a respectable filter and acts as a “battery” of water and nutrients in soils. Biochar adsorbs and holds on to seven times its weight in water. Soil containing biochar is more drought resilient than soil without it. Adsorbed nutrients, tightly sequestered alongside water, get released only as plants need them. Plants must excrete protons (H+) from their roots to disgorge water or positively charged nutrients from the biochar's surface; it's an active process. Biochar’s surface area (where adsorption happens) can be 500 square meters per gram or more. That is 10% larger than an official NBA basketball court for every gram of biochar. Biochar’s abundant surface area builds protective habitats for soil microbes like fungi and bacteria and many are critical for the health and productivity of the soil itself. The “carbon sequestration” component of biochar comes into play where “carbon credits” are concerned. There is a financial market for carbon. Not leveraging that market for revenue is foolish. I am climate agnostic. All I care about is that once solid carbon is inside the soil, it will stay there for thousands of years, imparting drought resiliency, fertility collection, nutrient buffering, and release for that time span. I simply want as much solid carbon in the soil because of the undeniably positive effects it has, regardless of any climactic considerations. # Wood Vinegar: More Waste  Another by-product of the gasification process is wood vinegar (Pyroligneous acid). If you have ever seen Liquid Smoke in the grocery store, then you have seen wood vinegar. Principally composed of acetic acid, acetone, and methanol wood vinegar also contains ~200 other organic compounds. It would seem intuitive that condensed, liquefied wood smoke would at least be bad for the health of all living things if not downright carcinogenic. The counter intuition wins the day, however. Wood vinegar has been used by humans for a very long time to promote digestion, bowel, and liver health; combat diarrhea and vomiting; calm peptic ulcers and regulate cholesterol levels; and a host of other benefits. For centuries humans have annually burned off hundreds of thousands of square miles of pasture, grassland, forest, and every other conceivable terrestrial ecosystem. Why is this done? After every burn, one thing becomes obvious: the almost supernatural growth these ecosystems exhibit after the burn. How? Wood vinegar is a component of this growth. Even in open burns, smoke condenses and infiltrates the soil. That is when wood vinegar shows its quality. This stuff beefs up not only general plant growth but seed germination as well and possesses many other qualities that are beneficial to plants. It’s a pesticide, fungicide, promotes beneficial soil microorganisms, enhances nutrient uptake, and imparts disease resistance. I am barely touching a long list of attributes here, but you want wood vinegar in your soil (alongside biochar because it adsorbs wood vinegar as well). # The Internal Combustion Engine  Conversion of grazed forage to chemical, then mechanical, and then electrical energy completes the cycle. The ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) converts the gaseous fuel output from the gasifier to mechanical energy, heat, water vapor, and CO2. It’s the mechanical energy of a rotating drive shaft that we want. That rotation drives the electric generator, which is the heartbeat we need to bring this monster to life. Luckily for us, combined internal combustion engine and generator packages are ubiquitous, delivering a defined energy output given a constant fuel input. It’s the simplest part of the system. The obvious question here is whether the amount of syngas provided by the gasification process will provide enough energy to generate enough electrons to run the entire system or not. While I have no doubt the energy produced will run Forest Walker's main systems the question is really about the electrons left over. Will it be enough to run the Bitcoin mining aspect of the system? Everything is a budget. # CO2 Production For Growth  Plants are lollipops. No matter if it’s a tree or a bush or a shrubbery, the entire thing is mostly sugar in various formats but mostly long chain carbohydrates like lignin and cellulose. Plants need three things to make sugar: CO2, H2O and light. In a forest, where tree densities can be quite high, CO2 availability becomes a limiting growth factor. It’d be in the forest interests to have more available CO2 providing for various sugar formation providing the organism with food and structure. An odd thing about tree leaves, the openings that allow gasses like the ever searched for CO2 are on the bottom of the leaf (these are called stomata). Not many stomata are topside. This suggests that trees and bushes have evolved to find gasses like CO2 from below, not above and this further suggests CO2 might be in higher concentrations nearer the soil. The soil life (bacterial, fungi etc.) is constantly producing enormous amounts of CO2 and it would stay in the soil forever (eventually killing the very soil life that produces it) if not for tidal forces. Water is everywhere and whether in pools, lakes, oceans or distributed in “moist” soils water moves towards to the moon. The water in the soil and also in the water tables below the soil rise toward the surface every day. When the water rises, it expels the accumulated gasses in the soil into the atmosphere and it’s mostly CO2. It’s a good bet on how leaves developed high populations of stomata on the underside of leaves. As the water relaxes (the tide goes out) it sucks oxygenated air back into the soil to continue the functions of soil life respiration. The soil “breathes” albeit slowly. The gasses produced by the Forest Walker’s internal combustion engine consist primarily of CO2 and H2O. Combusting sugars produce the same gasses that are needed to construct the sugars because the universe is funny like that. The Forest Walker is constantly laying down these critical construction elements right where the trees need them: close to the ground to be gobbled up by the trees. # The Branch Drones  During the last ice age, giant mammals populated North America - forests and otherwise. Mastodons, woolly mammoths, rhinos, short-faced bears, steppe bison, caribou, musk ox, giant beavers, camels, gigantic ground-dwelling sloths, glyptodons, and dire wolves were everywhere. Many were ten to fifteen feet tall. As they crashed through forests, they would effectively cleave off dead side-branches of trees, halting the spread of a ground-based fire migrating into the tree crown ("laddering") which is a death knell for a forest. These animals are all extinct now and forests no longer have any manner of pruning services. But, if we build drones fitted with cutting implements like saws and loppers, optical cameras and AI trained to discern dead branches from living ones, these drones could effectively take over pruning services by identifying, cutting, and dropping to the forest floor, dead branches. The dropped branches simply get collected by the Forest Walker as part of its continual mission. The drones dock on the back of the Forest Walker to recharge their batteries when low. The whole scene would look like a grazing cow with some flies bothering it. This activity breaks the link between a relatively cool ground based fire and the tree crowns and is a vital element in forest fire control. # The Bitcoin Miner  Mining is one of four monetary incentive models, making this system a possibility for development. The other three are US Dept. of the Interior, township, county, and electrical utility company easement contracts for fuel load management, global carbon credits trading, and data set sales. All the above depends on obvious questions getting answered. I will list some obvious ones, but this is not an engineering document and is not the place for spreadsheets. How much Bitcoin one Forest Walker can mine depends on everything else. What amount of biomass can we process? Will that biomass flow enough Syngas to keep the lights on? Can the chassis support enough mining ASICs and supporting infrastructure? What does that weigh and will it affect field performance? How much power can the AC generator produce? Other questions that are more philosophical persist. Even if a single Forest Walker can only mine scant amounts of BTC per day, that pales to how much fuel material it can process into biochar. We are talking about millions upon millions of forested acres in need of fuel load management. What can a single Forest Walker do? I am not thinking in singular terms. The Forest Walker must operate as a fleet. What could 50 do? 500? What is it worth providing a service to the world by managing forest fuel loads? Providing proof of work to the global monetary system? Seeding soil with drought and nutrient resilience by the excretion, over time, of carbon by the ton? What did the last forest fire cost? # The Mesh Network  What could be better than one bitcoin mining, carbon sequestering, forest fire squelching, soil amending behemoth? Thousands of them, but then they would need to be able to talk to each other to coordinate position, data handling, etc. Fitted with a mesh networking device, like goTenna or Meshtastic LoRa equipment enables each Forest Walker to communicate with each other. Now we have an interconnected fleet of Forest Walkers relaying data to each other and more importantly, aggregating all of that to the last link in the chain for uplink. Well, at least Bitcoin mining data. Since block data is lightweight, transmission of these data via mesh networking in fairly close quartered environs is more than doable. So, how does data transmit to the Bitcoin Network? How do the Forest Walkers get the previous block data necessary to execute on mining? # Back To The Chain  Getting Bitcoin block data to and from the network is the last puzzle piece. The standing presumption here is that wherever a Forest Walker fleet is operating, it is NOT within cell tower range. We further presume that the nearest Walmart Wi-Fi is hours away. Enter the Blockstream Satellite or something like it. A separate, ground-based drone will have two jobs: To stay as close to the nearest Forest Walker as it can and to provide an antennae for either terrestrial or orbital data uplink. Bitcoin-centric data is transmitted to the "uplink drone" via the mesh networked transmitters and then sent on to the uplink and the whole flow goes in the opposite direction as well; many to one and one to many. We cannot transmit data to the Blockstream satellite, and it will be up to Blockstream and companies like it to provide uplink capabilities in the future and I don't doubt they will. Starlink you say? What’s stopping that company from filtering out block data? Nothing because it’s Starlink’s system and they could decide to censor these data. It seems we may have a problem sending and receiving Bitcoin data in back country environs. But, then again, the utility of this system in staunching the fuel load that creates forest fires is extremely useful around forested communities and many have fiber, Wi-Fi and cell towers. These communities could be a welcoming ground zero for first deployments of the Forest Walker system by the home and business owners seeking fire repression. In the best way, Bitcoin subsidizes the safety of the communities. # Sensor Packages ### LiDaR  The benefit of having a Forest Walker fleet strolling through the forest is the never ending opportunity for data gathering. A plethora of deployable sensors gathering hyper-accurate data on everything from temperature to topography is yet another revenue generator. Data is valuable and the Forest Walker could generate data sales to various government entities and private concerns. LiDaR (Light Detection and Ranging) can map topography, perform biomass assessment, comparative soil erosion analysis, etc. It so happens that the Forest Walker’s ability to “see,” to navigate about its surroundings, is LiDaR driven and since it’s already being used, we can get double duty by harvesting that data for later use. By using a laser to send out light pulses and measuring the time it takes for the reflection of those pulses to return, very detailed data sets incrementally build up. Eventually, as enough data about a certain area becomes available, the data becomes useful and valuable. Forestry concerns, both private and public, often use LiDaR to build 3D models of tree stands to assess the amount of harvest-able lumber in entire sections of forest. Consulting companies offering these services charge anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars per square kilometer for such services. A Forest Walker generating such assessments on the fly while performing its other functions is a multi-disciplinary approach to revenue generation. ### pH, Soil Moisture, and Cation Exchange Sensing  The Forest Walker is quadrupedal, so there are four contact points to the soil. Why not get a pH data point for every step it takes? We can also gather soil moisture data and cation exchange capacities at unheard of densities because of sampling occurring on the fly during commission of the system’s other duties. No one is going to build a machine to do pH testing of vast tracts of forest soils, but that doesn’t make the data collected from such an endeavor valueless. Since the Forest Walker serves many functions at once, a multitude of data products can add to the return on investment component. ### Weather Data  Temperature, humidity, pressure, and even data like evapotranspiration gathered at high densities on broad acre scales have untold value and because the sensors are lightweight and don’t require large power budgets, they come along for the ride at little cost. But, just like the old mantra, “gas, grass, or ass, nobody rides for free”, these sensors provide potential revenue benefits just by them being present. I’ve touched on just a few data genres here. In fact, the question for universities, governmental bodies, and other institutions becomes, “How much will you pay us to attach your sensor payload to the Forest Walker?” # Noise Suppression  Only you can prevent Metallica filling the surrounds with 120 dB of sound. Easy enough, just turn the car stereo off. But what of a fleet of 50 Forest Walkers operating in the backcountry or near a township? 500? 5000? Each one has a wood chipper, an internal combustion engine, hydraulic pumps, actuators, and more cooling fans than you can shake a stick at. It’s a walking, screaming fire-breathing dragon operating continuously, day and night, twenty-four hours a day, three hundred sixty-five days a year. The sound will negatively affect all living things and that impacts behaviors. Serious engineering consideration and prowess must deliver a silencing blow to the major issue of noise. It would be foolish to think that a fleet of Forest Walkers could be silent, but if not a major design consideration, then the entire idea is dead on arrival. Townships would not allow them to operate even if they solved the problem of widespread fuel load and neither would governmental entities, and rightly so. Nothing, not man nor beast, would want to be subjected to an eternal, infernal scream even if it were to end within days as the fleet moved further away after consuming what it could. Noise and heat are the only real pollutants of this system; taking noise seriously from the beginning is paramount. # Fire Safety  A “fire-breathing dragon” is not the worst description of the Forest Walker. It eats wood, combusts it at very high temperatures and excretes carbon; and it does so in an extremely flammable environment. Bad mix for one Forest Walker, worse for many. One must take extreme pains to ensure that during normal operation, a Forest Walker could fall over, walk through tinder dry brush, or get pounded into the ground by a meteorite from Krypton and it wouldn’t destroy epic swaths of trees and baby deer. I envision an ultimate test of a prototype to include dowsing it in grain alcohol while it’s wrapped up in toilet paper like a pledge at a fraternity party. If it runs for 72 hours and doesn’t set everything on fire, then maybe outside entities won’t be fearful of something that walks around forests with a constant fire in its belly. # The Wrap  How we think about what can be done with and adjacent to Bitcoin is at least as important as Bitcoin’s economic standing itself. For those who will tell me that this entire idea is without merit, I say, “OK, fine. You can come up with something, too.” What can we plug Bitcoin into that, like a battery, makes something that does not work, work? That’s the lesson I get from this entire exercise. No one was ever going to hire teams of humans to go out and "clean the forest". There's no money in that. The data collection and sales from such an endeavor might provide revenues over the break-even point but investment demands Alpha in this day and age. But, plug Bitcoin into an almost viable system and, voilà! We tip the scales to achieve lift-off. Let’s face it, we haven’t scratched the surface of Bitcoin’s forcing function on our minds. Not because it’s Bitcoin, but because of what that invention means. The question that pushes me to approach things this way is, “what can we create that one system’s waste is another system’s feedstock?” The Forest Walker system’s only real waste is the conversion of low entropy energy (wood and syngas) into high entropy energy (heat and noise). All other output is beneficial to humanity. Bitcoin, I believe, is the first product of a new mode of human imagination. An imagination newly forged over the past few millennia of being lied to, stolen from, distracted and otherwise mis-allocated to a black hole of the nonsensical. We are waking up. What I have presented is not science fiction. Everything I have described here is well within the realm of possibility. The question is one of viability, at least in terms of the detritus of the old world we find ourselves departing from. This system would take a non-trivial amount of time and resources to develop. I think the system would garner extensive long-term contracts from those who have the most to lose from wildfires, the most to gain from hyperaccurate data sets, and, of course, securing the most precious asset in the world. Many may not see it that way, for they seek Alpha and are therefore blind to other possibilities. Others will see only the possibilities; of thinking in a new way, of looking at things differently, and dreaming of what comes next.

@ e3ba5e1a:5e433365

My blog posts and reading material have both been on a decidedly economics-heavy slant recently. The topic today, incentives, squarely falls into the category of economics. However, when I say economics, I’m not talking about “analyzing supply and demand curves.” I’m talking about the true basis of economics: understanding how human beings make decisions in a world of scarcity. A fair definition of incentive is “a reward or punishment that motivates behavior to achieve a desired outcome.” When most people think about economic incentives, they’re thinking of money. If I offer my son $5 if he washes the dishes, I’m incentivizing certain behavior. We can’t guarantee that he’ll do what I want him to do, but we can agree that the incentive structure itself will guide and ultimately determine what outcome will occur. The great thing about monetary incentives is how easy they are to talk about and compare. “Would I rather make $5 washing the dishes or $10 cleaning the gutters?” But much of the world is incentivized in non-monetary ways too. For example, using the “punishment” half of the definition above, I might threaten my son with losing Nintendo Switch access if he doesn’t wash the dishes. No money is involved, but I’m still incentivizing behavior. And there are plenty of incentives beyond our direct control\! My son is *also* incentivized to not wash dishes because it’s boring, or because he has some friends over that he wants to hang out with, or dozens of other things. Ultimately, the conflicting array of different incentive structures placed on him will ultimately determine what actions he chooses to take. ## Why incentives matter A phrase I see often in discussions—whether they are political, parenting, economic, or business—is “if they could **just** do…” Each time I see that phrase, I cringe a bit internally. Usually, the underlying assumption of the statement is “if people would behave contrary to their incentivized behavior then things would be better.” For example: * If my kids would just go to bed when I tell them, they wouldn’t be so cranky in the morning. * If people would just use the recycling bin, we wouldn’t have such a landfill problem. * If people would just stop being lazy, our team would deliver our project on time. In all these cases, the speakers are seemingly flummoxed as to why the people in question don’t behave more rationally. The problem is: each group is behaving perfectly rationally. * The kids have a high time preference, and care more about the joy of staying up now than the crankiness in the morning. Plus, they don’t really suffer the consequences of morning crankiness, their parents do. * No individual suffers much from their individual contribution to a landfill. If they stopped growing the size of the landfill, it would make an insignificant difference versus the amount of effort they need to engage in to properly recycle. * If a team doesn’t properly account for the productivity of individuals on a project, each individual receives less harm from their own inaction. Sure, the project may be delayed, company revenue may be down, and they may even risk losing their job when the company goes out of business. But their laziness individually won’t determine the entirety of that outcome. By contrast, they greatly benefit from being lazy by getting to relax at work, go on social media, read a book, or do whatever else they do when they’re supposed to be working.  My point here is that, as long as you ignore the reality of how incentives drive human behavior, you’ll fail at getting the outcomes you want. If everything I wrote up until now made perfect sense, you understand the premise of this blog post. The rest of it will focus on a bunch of real-world examples to hammer home the point, and demonstrate how versatile this mental model is. ## Running a company Let’s say I run my own company, with myself as the only employee. My personal revenue will be 100% determined by my own actions. If I decide to take Tuesday afternoon off and go fishing, I’ve chosen to lose that afternoon’s revenue. Implicitly, I’ve decided that the enjoyment I get from an afternoon of fishing is greater than the potential revenue. You may think I’m being lazy, but it’s my decision to make. In this situation, the incentive–money–is perfectly aligned with my actions. Compare this to a typical company/employee relationship. I might have a bank of Paid Time Off (PTO) days, in which case once again my incentives are relatively aligned. I know that I can take off 15 days throughout the year, and I’ve chosen to use half a day for the fishing trip. All is still good. What about unlimited time off? Suddenly incentives are starting to misalign. I don’t directly pay a price for not showing up to work on Tuesday. Or Wednesday as well, for that matter. I might ultimately be fired for not doing my job, but that will take longer to work its way through the system than simply not making any money for the day taken off. Compensation overall falls into this misaligned incentive structure. Let’s forget about taking time off. Instead, I work full time on a software project I’m assigned. But instead of using the normal toolchain we’re all used to at work, I play around with a new programming language. I get the fun and joy of playing with new technology, and potentially get to pad my resume a bit when I’m ready to look for a new job. But my current company gets slower results, less productivity, and is forced to subsidize my extracurricular learning. When a CEO has a bonus structure based on profitability, he’ll do everything he can to make the company profitable. This might include things that actually benefit the company, like improving product quality, reducing internal red tape, or finding cheaper vendors. But it might also include destructive practices, like slashing the R\&D budget to show massive profits this year, in exchange for a catastrophe next year when the next version of the product fails to ship.  Or my favorite example. My parents owned a business when I was growing up. They had a back office where they ran operations like accounting. All of the furniture was old couches from our house. After all, any money they spent on furniture came right out of their paychecks\! But in a large corporate environment, each department is generally given a budget for office furniture, a budget which doesn’t roll over year-to-year. The result? Executives make sure to spend the entire budget each year, often buying furniture far more expensive than they would choose if it was their own money. There are plenty of details you can quibble with above. It’s in a company’s best interest to give people downtime so that they can come back recharged. Having good ergonomic furniture can in fact increase productivity in excess of the money spent on it. But overall, the picture is pretty clear: in large corporate structures, you’re guaranteed to have mismatches between the company’s goals and the incentive structure placed on individuals. Using our model from above, we can lament how lazy, greedy, and unethical the employees are for doing what they’re incentivized to do instead of what’s right. But that’s simply ignoring the reality of human nature. # Moral hazard Moral hazard is a situation where one party is incentivized to take on more risk because another party will bear the consequences. Suppose I tell my son when he turns 21 (or whatever legal gambling age is) that I’ll cover all his losses for a day at the casino, but he gets to keep all the winnings. What do you think he’s going to do? The most logical course of action is to place the largest possible bets for as long as possible, asking me to cover each time he loses, and taking money off the table and into his bank account each time he wins.  But let’s look at a slightly more nuanced example. I go to a bathroom in the mall. As I’m leaving, I wash my hands. It will take me an extra 1 second to turn off the water when I’m done washing. That’s a trivial price to pay. If I *don’t* turn off the water, the mall will have to pay for many liters of wasted water, benefiting no one. But I won’t suffer any consequences at all. This is also a moral hazard, but most people will still turn off the water. Why? Usually due to some combination of other reasons such as: 1. We’re so habituated to turning off the water that we don’t even consider *not* turning it off. Put differently, the mental effort needed to not turn off the water is more expensive than the 1 second of time to turn it off. 2. Many of us have been brought up with a deep guilt about wasting resources like water. We have an internal incentive structure that makes the 1 second to turn off the water much less costly than the mental anguish of the waste we created. 3. We’re afraid we’ll be caught by someone else and face some kind of social repercussions. (Or maybe more than social. Are you sure there isn’t a law against leaving the water tap on?) Even with all that in place, you may notice that many public bathrooms use automatic water dispensers. Sure, there’s a sanitation reason for that, but it’s also to avoid this moral hazard. A common denominator in both of these is that the person taking the action that causes the liability (either the gambling or leaving the water on) is not the person who bears the responsibility for that liability (the father or the mall owner). Generally speaking, the closer together the person making the decision and the person incurring the liability are, the smaller the moral hazard. It’s easy to demonstrate that by extending the casino example a bit. I said it was the father who was covering the losses of the gambler. Many children (though not all) would want to avoid totally bankrupting their parents, or at least financially hurting them. Instead, imagine that someone from the IRS shows up at your door, hands you a credit card, and tells you you can use it at a casino all day, taking home all the chips you want. The money is coming from the government. How many people would put any restriction on how much they spend? And since we’re talking about the government already… ## Government moral hazards As I was preparing to write this blog post, the California wildfires hit. The discussions around those wildfires gave a *huge* number of examples of moral hazards. I decided to cherry-pick a few for this post. The first and most obvious one: California is asking for disaster relief funds from the federal government. That sounds wonderful. These fires were a natural disaster, so why shouldn’t the federal government pitch in and help take care of people? The problem is, once again, a moral hazard. In the case of the wildfires, California and Los Angeles both had ample actions they could have taken to mitigate the destruction of this fire: better forest management, larger fire department, keeping the water reservoirs filled, and probably much more that hasn’t come to light yet. If the federal government bails out California, it will be a clear message for the future: your mistakes will be fixed by others. You know what kind of behavior that incentivizes? More risky behavior\! Why spend state funds on forest management and extra firefighters—activities that don’t win politicians a lot of votes in general—when you could instead spend it on a football stadium, higher unemployment payments, or anything else, and then let the feds cover the cost of screw-ups. You may notice that this is virtually identical to the 2008 “too big to fail” bail-outs. Wall Street took insanely risky behavior, reaped huge profits for years, and when they eventually got caught with their pants down, the rest of us bailed them out. “Privatizing profits, socializing losses.”  And here’s the absolute best part of this: I can’t even truly blame either California *or* Wall Street. (I mean, I *do* blame them, I think their behavior is reprehensible, but you’ll see what I mean.) In a world where the rules of the game implicitly include the bail-out mentality, you would be harming your citizens/shareholders/investors if you didn’t engage in that risky behavior. Since everyone is on the hook for those socialized losses, your best bet is to maximize those privatized profits. There’s a lot more to government and moral hazard, but I think these two cases demonstrate the crux pretty solidly. But let’s leave moral hazard behind for a bit and get to general incentivization discussions. # Non-monetary competition At least 50% of the economics knowledge I have comes from the very first econ course I took in college. That professor was amazing, and had some very colorful stories. I can’t vouch for the veracity of the two I’m about to share, but they definitely drive the point home. In the 1970s, the US had an oil shortage. To “fix” this problem, they instituted price caps on gasoline, which of course resulted in insufficient gasoline. To “fix” this problem, they instituted policies where, depending on your license plate number, you could only fill up gas on certain days of the week. (Irrelevant detail for our point here, but this just resulted in people filling up their tanks more often, no reduction in gas usage.) Anyway, my professor’s wife had a friend. My professor described in *great* detail how attractive this woman was. I’ll skip those details here since this is a PG-rated blog. In any event, she never had any trouble filling up her gas tank any day of the week. She would drive up, be told she couldn’t fill up gas today, bat her eyes at the attendant, explain how helpless she was, and was always allowed to fill up gas. This is a demonstration of *non-monetary compensation*. Most of the time in a free market, capitalist economy, people are compensated through money. When price caps come into play, there’s a limit to how much monetary compensation someone can receive. And in that case, people find other ways of competing. Like this woman’s case: through using flirtatious behavior to compensate the gas station workers to let her cheat the rules. The other example was much more insidious. Santa Monica had a problem: it was predominantly wealthy and white. They wanted to fix this problem, and decided to put in place rent controls. After some time, they discovered that Santa Monica had become *wealthier and whiter*, the exact opposite of their desired outcome. Why would that happen? Someone investigated, and ended up interviewing a landlady that demonstrated the reason. She was an older white woman, and admittedly racist. Prior to the rent controls, she would list her apartments in the newspaper, and would be legally obligated to rent to anyone who could afford it. Once rent controls were in place, she took a different tact. She knew that she would only get a certain amount for the apartment, and that the demand for apartments was higher than the supply. That meant she could be picky. She ended up finding tenants through friends-of-friends. Since it wasn’t an official advertisement, she wasn’t legally required to rent it out if someone could afford to pay. Instead, she got to interview people individually and then make them an offer. Normally, that would have resulted in receiving a lower rental price, but not under rent controls. So who did she choose? A young, unmarried, wealthy, white woman. It made perfect sense. Women were less intimidating and more likely to maintain the apartment better. Wealthy people, she determined, would be better tenants. (I have no idea if this is true in practice or not, I’m not a landlord myself.) Unmarried, because no kids running around meant less damage to the property. And, of course, white. Because she was racist, and her incentive structure made her prefer whites. You can deride her for being racist, I won’t disagree with you. But it’s simply the reality. Under the non-rent-control scenario, her profit motive for money outweighed her racism motive. But under rent control, the monetary competition was removed, and she was free to play into her racist tendencies without facing any negative consequences. ## Bureaucracy These were the two examples I remember for that course. But non-monetary compensation pops up in many more places. One highly pertinent example is bureaucracies. Imagine you have a government office, or a large corporation’s acquisition department, or the team that apportions grants at a university. In all these cases, you have a group of people making decisions about handing out money that has no monetary impact on them. If they give to the best qualified recipients, they receive no raises. If they spend the money recklessly on frivolous projects, they face no consequences. Under such an incentivization scheme, there’s little to encourage the bureaucrats to make intelligent funding decisions. Instead, they’ll be incentivized to spend the money where they recognize non-monetary benefits. This is why it’s so common to hear about expensive meals, gift bags at conferences, and even more inappropriate ways of trying to curry favor with those that hold the purse strings. Compare that ever so briefly with the purchases made by a small mom-and-pop store like my parents owned. Could my dad take a bribe to buy from a vendor who’s ripping him off? Absolutely he could\! But he’d lose more on the deal than he’d make on the bribe, since he’s directly incentivized by the deal itself. It would make much more sense for him to go with the better vendor, save $5,000 on the deal, and then treat himself to a lavish $400 meal to celebrate. # Government incentivized behavior This post is getting longer in the tooth than I’d intended, so I’ll finish off with this section and make it a bit briefer. Beyond all the methods mentioned above, government has another mechanism for modifying behavior: through directly changing incentives via legislation, regulation, and monetary policy. Let’s see some examples: * Artificial modification of interest rates encourages people to take on more debt than they would in a free capital market, leading to [malinvestment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malinvestment) and a consumer debt crisis, and causing the boom-bust cycle we all painfully experience. * Going along with that, giving tax breaks on interest payments further artificially incentivizes people to take on debt that they wouldn’t otherwise. * During COVID-19, at some points unemployment benefits were greater than minimum wage, incentivizing people to rather stay home and not work than get a job, leading to reduced overall productivity in the economy and more printed dollars for benefits. In other words, it was a perfect recipe for inflation. * The tax code gives deductions to “help” people. That might be true, but the real impact is incentivizing people to make decisions they wouldn’t have otherwise. For example, giving out tax deductions on children encourages having more kids. Tax deductions on childcare and preschools incentivizes dual-income households. Whether or not you like the outcomes, it’s clear that it’s government that’s encouraging these outcomes to happen. * Tax incentives cause people to engage in behavior they wouldn’t otherwise (daycare+working mother, for example). * Inflation means that the value of your money goes down over time, which encourages people to spend more today, when their money has a larger impact. (Milton Friedman described this as [high living](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwNDd2_beTU).) # Conclusion The idea here is simple, and fully encapsulated in the title: incentives determine outcomes. If you want to know how to get a certain outcome from others, incentivize them to want that to happen. If you want to understand why people act in seemingly irrational ways, check their incentives. If you’re confused why leaders (and especially politicians) seem to engage in destructive behavior, check their incentives. We can bemoan these realities all we want, but they *are* realities. While there are some people who have a solid internal moral and ethical code, and that internal code incentivizes them to behave against their externally-incentivized interests, those people are rare. And frankly, those people are self-defeating. People *should* take advantage of the incentives around them. Because if they don’t, someone else will. (If you want a literary example of that last comment, see the horse in Animal Farm.) How do we improve the world under these conditions? Make sure the incentives align well with the overall goals of society. To me, it’s a simple formula: * Focus on free trade, value for value, as the basis of a society. In that system, people are always incentivized to provide value to other people. * Reduce the size of bureaucracies and large groups of all kinds. The larger an organization becomes, the farther the consequences of decisions are from those who make them. * And since the nature of human beings will be to try and create areas where they can control the incentive systems to their own benefits, make that as difficult as possible. That comes in the form of strict limits on government power, for example. And even if you don’t want to buy in to this conclusion, I hope the rest of the content was educational, and maybe a bit entertaining\!

@ 3f770d65:7a745b24

I’ve been using Notedeck for several months, starting with its extremely early and experimental alpha versions, all the way to its current, more stable alpha releases. The journey has been fascinating, as I’ve had the privilege of watching it evolve from a concept into a functional and promising tool. In its earliest stages, Notedeck was raw—offering glimpses of its potential but still far from practical for daily use. Even then, the vision behind it was clear: a platform designed to redefine how we interact with Nostr by offering flexibility and power for all users. I'm very bullish on Notedeck. Why? Because Will Casarin is making it! Duh! 😂 Seriously though, if we’re reimagining the web and rebuilding portions of the Internet, it’s important to recognize [the potential of Notedeck](https://damus.io/notedeck/). If Nostr is reimagining the web, then Notedeck is reimagining the Nostr client. Notedeck isn’t just another Nostr app—it’s more a Nostr browser that functions more like an operating system with micro-apps. How cool is that? Much like how Google's Chrome evolved from being a web browser with a task manager into ChromeOS, a full blown operating system, Notedeck aims to transform how we interact with the Nostr. It goes beyond individual apps, offering a foundation for a fully integrated ecosystem built around Nostr. As a Nostr evangelist, I love to scream **INTEROPERABILITY** and tout every application's integrations. Well, Notedeck has the potential to be one of the best platforms to showcase these integrations in entirely new and exciting ways. Do you want an Olas feed of images? Add the media column. Do you want a feed of live video events? Add the zap.stream column. Do you want Nostr Nests or audio chats? Add that column to your Notedeck. Git? Email? Books? Chat and DMs? It's all possible. Not everyone wants a super app though, and that’s okay. As with most things in the Nostr ecosystem, flexibility is key. Notedeck gives users the freedom to choose how they engage with it—whether it’s simply following hashtags or managing straightforward feeds. You'll be able to tailor Notedeck to fit your needs, using it as extensively or minimally as you prefer. Notedeck is designed with a local-first approach, utilizing Nostr content stored directly on your device via the local nostrdb. This will enable a plethora of advanced tools such as search and filtering, the creation of custom feeds, and the ability to develop personalized algorithms across multiple Notedeck micro-applications—all with unparalleled flexibility. Notedeck also supports multicast. Let's geek out for a second. Multicast is a method of communication where data is sent from one source to multiple destinations simultaneously, but only to devices that wish to receive the data. Unlike broadcast, which sends data to all devices on a network, multicast targets specific receivers, reducing network traffic. This is commonly used for efficient data distribution in scenarios like streaming, conferencing, or large-scale data synchronization between devices. > In a local first world where each device holds local copies of your nostr nodes, and each device transparently syncs with each other on the local network, each node becomes a backup. Your data becomes antifragile automatically. When a node goes down it can resync and recover from other nodes. Even if not all nodes have a complete collection, negentropy can pull down only what is needed from each device. All this can be done without internet. > > \-Will Casarin In the context of Notedeck, multicast would allow multiple devices to sync their Nostr nodes with each other over a local network without needing an internet connection. Wild. Notedeck aims to offer full customization too, including the ability to design and share custom skins, much like Winamp. Users will also be able to create personalized columns and, in the future, share their setups with others. This opens the door for power users to craft tailored Nostr experiences, leveraging their expertise in the protocol and applications. By sharing these configurations as "Starter Decks," they can simplify onboarding and showcase the best of Nostr’s ecosystem. Nostr’s “Other Stuff” can often be difficult to discover, use, or understand. Many users doesn't understand or know how to use web browser extensions to login to applications. Let's not even get started with nsecbunkers. Notedeck will address this challenge by providing a native experience that brings these lesser-known applications, tools, and content into a user-friendly and accessible interface, making exploration seamless. However, that doesn't mean Notedeck should disregard power users that want to use nsecbunkers though - hint hint. For anyone interested in watching Nostr be [developed live](https://github.com/damus-io/notedeck), right before your very eyes, Notedeck’s progress serves as a reminder of what’s possible when innovation meets dedication. The current alpha is already demonstrating its ability to handle complex use cases, and I’m excited to see how it continues to grow as it moves toward a full release later this year.

@ 23b0e2f8:d8af76fc

## **Necessário** - Um Android que você não use mais (a câmera deve estar funcionando). - Um cartão microSD (opcional, usado apenas uma vez). - Um dispositivo para acompanhar seus fundos (provavelmente você já tem um). ## **Algumas coisas que você precisa saber** - O dispositivo servirá como um assinador. Qualquer movimentação só será efetuada após ser assinada por ele. - O cartão microSD será usado para transferir o APK do Electrum e garantir que o aparelho não terá contato com outras fontes de dados externas após sua formatação. Contudo, é possível usar um cabo USB para o mesmo propósito. - A ideia é deixar sua chave privada em um dispositivo offline, que ficará desligado em 99% do tempo. Você poderá acompanhar seus fundos em outro dispositivo conectado à internet, como seu celular ou computador pessoal. --- ## **O tutorial será dividido em dois módulos:** - Módulo 1 - Criando uma carteira fria/assinador. - Módulo 2 - Configurando um dispositivo para visualizar seus fundos e assinando transações com o assinador. --- ## **No final, teremos:** - Uma carteira fria que também servirá como assinador. - Um dispositivo para acompanhar os fundos da carteira.  --- ## **Módulo 1 - Criando uma carteira fria/assinador** 1. Baixe o APK do Electrum na aba de **downloads** em <https://electrum.org/>. Fique à vontade para [verificar as assinaturas](https://electrum.readthedocs.io/en/latest/gpg-check.html) do software, garantindo sua autenticidade. 2. Formate o cartão microSD e coloque o APK do Electrum nele. Caso não tenha um cartão microSD, pule este passo.  3. Retire os chips e acessórios do aparelho que será usado como assinador, formate-o e aguarde a inicialização.  4. Durante a inicialização, pule a etapa de conexão ao Wi-Fi e rejeite todas as solicitações de conexão. Após isso, você pode desinstalar aplicativos desnecessários, pois precisará apenas do Electrum. Certifique-se de que Wi-Fi, Bluetooth e dados móveis estejam desligados. Você também pode ativar o **modo avião**.\ *(Curiosidade: algumas pessoas optam por abrir o aparelho e danificar a antena do Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, impossibilitando essas funcionalidades.)*  5. Insira o cartão microSD com o APK do Electrum no dispositivo e instale-o. Será necessário permitir instalações de fontes não oficiais.  6. No Electrum, crie uma carteira padrão e gere suas palavras-chave (seed). Anote-as em um local seguro. Caso algo aconteça com seu assinador, essas palavras permitirão o acesso aos seus fundos novamente. *(Aqui entra seu método pessoal de backup.)*  --- ## **Módulo 2 - Configurando um dispositivo para visualizar seus fundos e assinando transações com o assinador.** 1. Criar uma carteira **somente leitura** em outro dispositivo, como seu celular ou computador pessoal, é uma etapa bastante simples. Para este tutorial, usaremos outro smartphone Android com Electrum. Instale o Electrum a partir da aba de downloads em <https://electrum.org/> ou da própria Play Store. *(ATENÇÃO: O Electrum não existe oficialmente para iPhone. Desconfie se encontrar algum.)* 2. Após instalar o Electrum, crie uma carteira padrão, mas desta vez escolha a opção **Usar uma chave mestra**.  3. Agora, no assinador que criamos no primeiro módulo, exporte sua chave pública: vá em **Carteira &gt; Detalhes da carteira &gt; Compartilhar chave mestra pública**.  4. Escaneie o QR gerado da chave pública com o dispositivo de consulta. Assim, ele poderá acompanhar seus fundos, mas sem permissão para movimentá-los. 5. Para receber fundos, envie Bitcoin para um dos endereços gerados pela sua carteira: **Carteira &gt; Addresses/Coins**. 6. Para movimentar fundos, crie uma transação no dispositivo de consulta. Como ele não possui a chave privada, será necessário assiná-la com o dispositivo assinador.  7. No assinador, escaneie a transação não assinada, confirme os detalhes, assine e compartilhe. Será gerado outro QR, desta vez com a transação já assinada.  8. No dispositivo de consulta, escaneie o QR da transação assinada e transmita-a para a rede. --- ## **Conclusão** **Pontos positivos do setup:** - **Simplicidade:** Basta um dispositivo Android antigo. - **Flexibilidade:** Funciona como uma ótima carteira fria, ideal para holders. **Pontos negativos do setup:** - **Padronização:** Não utiliza seeds no padrão BIP-39, você sempre precisará usar o electrum. - **Interface:** A aparência do Electrum pode parecer antiquada para alguns usuários. Nesse ponto, temos uma carteira fria que também serve para assinar transações. O fluxo de assinar uma transação se torna: ***Gerar uma transação não assinada &gt; Escanear o QR da transação não assinada &gt; Conferir e assinar essa transação com o assinador &gt; Gerar QR da transação assinada &gt; Escanear a transação assinada com qualquer outro dispositivo que possa transmiti-la para a rede.*** Como alguns devem saber, uma transação assinada de Bitcoin é praticamente impossível de ser fraudada. Em um cenário catastrófico, você pode mesmo que sem internet, repassar essa transação assinada para alguém que tenha acesso à rede por qualquer meio de comunicação. Mesmo que não queiramos que isso aconteça um dia, esse setup acaba por tornar essa prática possível. ---

@ 1bda7e1f:bb97c4d9

### Tldr - Nostr is an open and interoperable protocol - You can integrate it with workflow automation tools to augment your experience - n8n is a great low/no-code workflow automation tool which you can host yourself - Nostrobots allows you to integrate Nostr into n8n - In this blog I create some workflow automations for Nostr - A simple form to delegate posting notes - Push notifications for mentions on multiple accounts - Push notifications for your favourite accounts when they post a note - All workflows are provided as open source with MIT license for you to use ### Inter-op All The Things Nostr is a new open social protocol for the internet. This open nature exciting because of the opportunities for interoperability with other technologies. In [Using NFC Cards with Nostr]() I explored the `nostr:` URI to launch Nostr clients from a card tap. The interoperability of Nostr doesn't stop there. The internet has many super-powers, and Nostr is open to all of them. Simply, there's no one to stop it. There is no one in charge, there are no permissioned APIs, and there are no risks of being de-platformed. If you can imagine technologies that would work well with Nostr, then any and all of them can ride on or alongside Nostr rails. My mental model for why this is special is Google Wave ~2010. Google Wave was to be the next big platform. Lars was running it and had a big track record from Maps. I was excited for it. Then, Google pulled the plug. And, immediately all the time and capital invested in understanding and building on the platform was wasted. This cannot happen to Nostr, as there is no one to pull the plug, and maybe even no plug to pull. So long as users demand Nostr, Nostr will exist, and that is a pretty strong guarantee. It makes it worthwhile to invest in bringing Nostr into our other applications. All we need are simple ways to plug things together. ### Nostr and Workflow Automation Workflow automation is about helping people to streamline their work. As a user, the most common way I achieve this is by connecting disparate systems together. By setting up one system to trigger another or to move data between systems, I can solve for many different problems and become way more effective. #### n8n for workflow automation Many workflow automation tools exist. My favourite is [n8n](https://n8n.io/). n8n is a low/no-code workflow automation platform which allows you to build all kinds of workflows. You can use it for free, you can self-host it, it has a user-friendly UI and useful API. Vs Zapier it can be far more elaborate. Vs Make.com I find it to be more intuitive in how it abstracts away the right parts of the code, but still allows you to code when you need to. Most importantly you can plug anything into n8n: You have built-in nodes for specific applications. HTTP nodes for any other API-based service. And community nodes built by individual community members for any other purpose you can imagine. #### Eating my own dogfood It's very clear to me that there is a big design space here just demanding to be explored. If you could integrate Nostr with anything, what would you do? In my view the best way for anyone to start anything is by solving their own problem first (aka "scratching your own itch" and "eating your own dogfood"). As I get deeper into Nostr I find myself controlling multiple Npubs – to date I have a personal Npub, a brand Npub for a community I am helping, an AI assistant Npub, and various testing Npubs. I need ways to delegate access to those Npubs without handing over the keys, ways to know if they're mentioned, and ways to know if they're posting. I can build workflows with n8n to solve these issues for myself to start with, and keep expanding from there as new needs come up. ### Running n8n with Nostrobots I am mostly non-technical with a very helpful AI. To set up n8n to work with Nostr and operate these workflows should be possible for anyone with basic technology skills. - I have a cheap VPS which currently runs my [HAVEN Nostr Relay](https://rodbishop.npub.pro/post/8ca68889/) and [Albyhub Lightning Node](https://rodbishop.npub.pro/post/setting-up-payments-on-nostr-7o6ls7/) in Docker containers, - My objective was to set up n8n to run alongside these in a separate Docker container on the same server, install the required nodes, and then build and host my workflows. #### Installing n8n Self-hosting n8n could not be easier. I followed n8n's [Docker-Compose installation docs](https://docs.n8n.io/hosting/installation/server-setups/docker-compose/)– - Install Docker and Docker-Compose if you haven't already, - Create your ``docker-compose.yml`` and `.env` files from the docs, - Create your data folder `sudo docker volume create n8n_data`, - Start your container with `sudo docker compose up -d`, - Your n8n instance should be online at port `5678`. n8n is free to self-host but does require a license. Enter your credentials into n8n to get your free license key. You should now have access to the Workflow dashboard and can create and host any kind of workflows from there. #### Installing Nostrobots To integrate n8n nicely with Nostr, I used the [Nostrobots](https://github.com/ocknamo/n8n-nodes-nostrobots?tab=readme-ov-file) community node by [Ocknamo](nostr:npub1y6aja0kkc4fdvuxgqjcdv4fx0v7xv2epuqnddey2eyaxquznp9vq0tp75l). In n8n parlance a "node" enables certain functionality as a step in a workflow e.g. a "set" node sets a variable, a "send email" node sends an email. n8n comes with all kinds of "official" nodes installed by default, and Nostr is not amongst them. However, n8n also comes with a framework for community members to create their own "community" nodes, which is where Nostrobots comes in. You can only use a community node in a self-hosted n8n instance (which is what you have if you are running in Docker on your own server, but this limitation does prevent you from using n8n's own hosted alternative). To install a community node, [see n8n community node docs](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/community-nodes/installation/gui-install/). From your workflow dashboard– - Click the "..." in the bottom left corner beside your username, and click "settings", - Cilck "community nodes" left sidebar, - Click "Install", - Enter the "npm Package Name" which is `n8n-nodes-nostrobots`, - Accept the risks and click "Install", - Nostrobots is now added to your n8n instance. #### Using Nostrobots Nostrobots gives you nodes to help you build Nostr-integrated workflows– - **Nostr Write** – for posting Notes to the Nostr network, - **Nostr Read** – for reading Notes from the Nostr network, and - **Nostr Utils** – for performing certain conversions you may need (e.g. from bech32 to hex). Nostrobots has [good documentation](https://github.com/ocknamo/n8n-nodes-nostrobots?tab=readme-ov-file) on each node which focuses on simple use cases. Each node has a "convenience mode" by default. For example, the "Read" Node by default will fetch Kind 1 notes by a simple filter, in Nostrobots parlance a "Strategy". For example, with Strategy set to "Mention" the node will accept a pubkey and fetch all Kind 1 notes that Mention the pubkey within a time period. This is very good for quick use. What wasn't clear to me initially (until Ocknamo helped me out) is that advanced use cases are also possible. Each node also has an advanced mode. For example, the "Read" Node can have "Strategy" set to "RawFilter(advanced)". Now the node will accept json (anything you like that complies with [NIP-01](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/01.md)). You can use this to query Notes (Kind 1) as above, and also Profiles (Kind 0), Follow Lists (Kind 3), Reactions (Kind 7), Zaps (Kind 9734/9735), and anything else you can think of. #### Creating and adding workflows With n8n and Nostrobots installed, you can now create or add any kind of Nostr Workflow Automation. - Click "Add workflow" to go to the workflow builder screen, - If you would like to build your own workflow, you can start with adding any node. Click "+" and see what is available. Type "Nostr" to explore the Nostrobots nodes you have added, - If you would like to add workflows that someone else has built, click "..." in the top right. Then click "import from URL" and paste in the URL of any workflow you would like to use (including the ones I share later in this article). ### Nostr Workflow Automations It's time to build some things! #### A simple form to post a note to Nostr I started very simply. I needed to delegate the ability to post to Npubs that I own in order that a (future) team can test things for me. I don't want to worry about managing or training those people on how to use keys, and I want to revoke access easily. I needed a basic form with credentials that posted a Note. For this I can use a very simple workflow– - **A n8n Form node** – Creates a form for users to enter the note they wish to post. Allows for the form to be protected by a username and password. This node is the workflow "trigger" so that the workflow runs each time the form is submitted. - **A Set node** – Allows me to set some variables, in this case I set the relays that I intend to use. I typically add a Set node immediately following the trigger node, and put all the variables I need in this. It helps to make the workflows easier to update and maintain. - **A Nostr Write node** (from Nostrobots) – Writes a Kind-1 note to the Nostr network. It accepts Nostr credentials, the output of the Form node, and the relays from the Set node, and posts the Note to those relays. Once the workflow is built, you can test it with the testing form URL, and set it to "Active" to use the production form URL. That's it. You can now give posting access to anyone for any Npub. To revoke access, simply change the credentials or set to workflow to "Inactive". It may also be the world's simplest Nostr client. You can find the [Nostr Form to Post a Note workflow here](https://github.com/r0d8lsh0p/nostr-n8n/blob/main/Nostr_Form_to_Post_a_Note.json). #### Push notifications on mentions and new notes One of the things Nostr is not very good at is push notifications. Furthermore I have some unique itches to scratch. I want– - **To make sure I never miss a note addressed to any of my Npubs** – For this I want a push notification any time any Nostr user mentions any of my Npubs, - **To make sure I always see all notes from key accounts** – For this I need a push notification any time any of my Npubs post any Notes to the network, - **To get these notifications on all of my devices** – Not just my phone where my Nostr regular client lives, but also on each of my laptops to suit wherever I am working that day. I needed to build a Nostr push notifications solution. To build this workflow I had to string a few ideas together– - **Triggering the node on a schedule** – Nostrobots does not include a trigger node. As every workflow starts with a trigger we needed a different method. I elected to run the workflow on a schedule of every 10-minutes. Frequent enough to see Notes while they are hot, but infrequent enough to not burden public relays or get rate-limited, - **Storing a list of Npubs in a Nostr list** – I needed a way to store the list of Npubs that trigger my notifications. I initially used an array defined in the workflow, this worked fine. Then I decided to try Nostr lists ([NIP-51, kind 30000](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/51.md)). By defining my list of Npubs as a list published to Nostr I can control my list from within a Nostr client (e.g. [Listr.lol](https://listr.lol/npub1r0d8u8mnj6769500nypnm28a9hpk9qg8jr0ehe30tygr3wuhcnvs4rfsft) or [Nostrudel.ninja](https://nostrudel.ninja/#/lists)). Not only does this "just work", but because it's based on Nostr lists automagically Amethyst client allows me to browse that list as a Feed, and everyone I add gets notified in their Mentions, - **Using specific relays** – I needed to query the right relays, including my own HAVEN relay inbox for notes addressed to me, and wss://purplepag.es for Nostr profile metadata, - **Querying Nostr events** (with Nostrobots) – I needed to make use of many different Nostr queries and use quite a wide range of what Nostrobots can do– - I read the EventID of my Kind 30000 list, to return the desired pubkeys, - For notifications on mentions, I read all Kind 1 notes that mention that pubkey, - For notifications on new notes, I read all Kind 1 notes published by that pubkey, - Where there are notes, I read the Kind 0 profile metadata event of that pubkey to get the displayName of the relevant Npub, - I transform the EventID into a Nevent to help clients find it. - **Using the Nostr URI** – As I did with my NFC card article, I created a link with the `nostr:` URI prefix so that my phone's native client opens the link by default, - **Push notifications solution** – I needed a push notifications solution. I found many with n8n integrations and chose to go with [Pushover](https://pushover.net/) which supports all my devices, has a free trial, and is unfairly cheap with a $5-per-device perpetual license. Once the workflow was built, lists published, and Pushover installed on my phone, I was fully set up with push notifications on Nostr. I have used these workflows for several weeks now and made various tweaks as I went. They are feeling robust and I'd welcome you to give them a go. You can find the [Nostr Push Notification If Mentioned here](https://github.com/r0d8lsh0p/nostr-n8n/blob/main/Nostr_Push_Notify_If_Mentioned.json) and [If Posts a Note here](https://github.com/r0d8lsh0p/nostr-n8n/blob/main/Nostr_Push_Notify_If_Post_a_Note.json). In speaking with other Nostr users while I was building this, there are all kind of other needs for push notifications too – like on replies to a certain bookmarked note, or when a followed Npub starts streaming on zap.stream. These are all possible. #### Use my workflows I have open sourced all my workflows at my [Github](https://github.com/r0d8lsh0p/nostr-n8n) with MIT license and tried to write complete docs, so that you can import them into your n8n and configure them for your own use. To import any of my workflows– - Click on the workflow of your choice, e.g. "[Nostr_Push_Notify_If_Mentioned.json](https://github.com/r0d8lsh0p/nostr-n8n/blob/main/Nostr_Push_Notify_If_Mentioned.json "Nostr_Push_Notify_If_Mentioned.json")", - Click on the "raw" button to view the raw JSON, ex any Github page layout, - Copy that URL, - Enter that URL in the "import from URL" dialog [mentioned above](#creating-and-adding-workflows). To configure them– - Prerequisites, credentials, and variables are all stated, - In general any variables required are entered into a Set Node that follows the trigger node, - Pushover has some extra setup but is very straightforward and documented in the workflow. ### What next? Over my first four blogs I explored creating a good Nostr setup with [Vanity Npub](https://rodbishop.npub.pro/post/mining-your-vanity-pubkey-4iupbf/), [Lightning Payments](https://rodbishop.npub.pro/post/setting-up-payments-on-nostr-7o6ls7/), [Nostr Addresses at Your Domain](https://rodbishop.npub.pro/post/ee8a46bc/), and [Personal Nostr Relay](https://rodbishop.npub.pro/post/8ca68889/). Then in my latest two blogs I explored different types of interoperability [with NFC cards](https://rodbishop.npub.pro/post/edde8387/) and now n8n Workflow Automation. Thinking ahead n8n can power any kind of interoperability between Nostr and any other legacy technology solution. On my mind as I write this: - Further enhancements to posting and delegating solutions and forms (enhanced UI or different note kinds), - Automated or scheduled posting (such as auto-liking everything [Lyn Alden](nostr:npub1a2cww4kn9wqte4ry70vyfwqyqvpswksna27rtxd8vty6c74era8sdcw83a) posts), - Further enhancements to push notifications, on new and different types of events (such as notifying me when I get a new follower, on replies to certain posts, or when a user starts streaming), - All kinds of bridges, such as bridging notes to and from Telegram, Slack, or Campfire. Or bridging RSS or other event feeds to Nostr, - All kinds of other automation (such as [BlackCoffee](nostr:npub1dqepr0g4t3ahvnjtnxazvws4rkqjpxl854n29wcew8wph0fmw90qlsmmgt) [controlling a coffee machine](https://primal.net/e/note16fzhh5yfc3u4kufx0mck63tsfperdrlpp96am2lmq066cnuqutds8retc3)), - All kinds of AI Assistants and Agents, In fact I have already released an open source workflow for an [AI Assistant](https://primal.net/p/npub1ahjpx53ewavp23g5zj9jgyfrpr8djmgjzg5mpe4xd0z69dqvq0kq2lf353), and will share more about that in my next blog. Please be sure to let me know if you think there's another Nostr topic you'd like to see me tackle. GM Nostr.

@ 3f770d65:7a745b24

Here are my predictions for Nostr in 2025: **Decentralization:** The outbox and inbox communication models, sometimes referred to as the Gossip model, will become the standard across the ecosystem. By the end of 2025, all major clients will support these models, providing seamless communication and enhanced decentralization. Clients that do not adopt outbox/inbox by then will be regarded as outdated or legacy systems. **Privacy Standards:** Major clients such as Damus and Primal will move away from NIP-04 DMs, adopting more secure protocol possibilities like NIP-17 or NIP-104. These upgrades will ensure enhanced encryption and metadata protection. Additionally, NIP-104 MLS tools will drive the development of new clients and features, providing users with unprecedented control over the privacy of their communications. **Interoperability:** Nostr's ecosystem will become even more interconnected. Platforms like the Olas image-sharing service will expand into prominent clients such as Primal, Damus, Coracle, and Snort, alongside existing integrations with Amethyst, Nostur, and Nostrudel. Similarly, audio and video tools like Nostr Nests and Zap.stream will gain seamless integration into major clients, enabling easy participation in live events across the ecosystem. **Adoption and Migration:** Inspired by early pioneers like Fountain and Orange Pill App, more platforms will adopt Nostr for authentication, login, and social systems. In 2025, a significant migration from a high-profile application platform with hundreds of thousands of users will transpire, doubling Nostr’s daily activity and establishing it as a cornerstone of decentralized technologies.

@ e97aaffa:2ebd765d

Último dia do ano, momento para tirar o pó da bola de cristal, para fazer reflexões, previsões e desejos para o próximo ano e seguintes. Ano após ano, o Bitcoin evoluiu, foi ultrapassando etapas, tornou-se cada vez mais _mainstream_. Está cada vez mais difícil fazer previsões sobre o Bitcoin, já faltam poucas barreiras a serem ultrapassadas e as que faltam são altamente complexas ou tem um impacto profundo no sistema financeiro ou na sociedade. Estas alterações profundas tem que ser realizadas lentamente, porque uma alteração rápida poderia resultar em consequências terríveis, poderia provocar um retrocesso. # Código do Bitcoin No final de 2025, possivelmente vamos ter um _fork_, as discussões sobre os _covenants_ já estão avançadas, vão acelerar ainda mais. Já existe um consenso relativamente alto, a favor dos _covenants_, só falta decidir que modelo será escolhido. Penso que até ao final do ano será tudo decidido. Depois dos _covenants,_ o próximo foco será para a criptografia post-quantum, que será o maior desafio que o Bitcoin enfrenta. Criar uma criptografia segura e que não coloque a descentralização em causa. Espero muito de Ark, possivelmente a inovação do ano, gostaria de ver o Nostr a furar a bolha bitcoinheira e que o Cashu tivesse mais reconhecimento pelos _bitcoiners_. Espero que surjam avanços significativos no BitVM2 e BitVMX. Não sei o que esperar das layer 2 de Bitcoin, foram a maior desilusão de 2024. Surgiram com muita força, mas pouca coisa saiu do papel, foi uma mão cheia de nada. Uma parte dos projetos caiu na tentação da _shitcoinagem_, na criação de tokens, que tem um único objetivo, enriquecer os devs e os VCs. Se querem ser levados a sério, têm que ser sérios. > “À mulher de César não basta ser honesta, deve parecer honesta” Se querem ter o apoio dos _bitcoiners_, sigam o _ethos_ do Bitcoin. Neste ponto a atitude do pessoal da Ark é exemplar, em vez de andar a chorar no Twitter para mudar o código do Bitcoin, eles colocaram as mãos na massa e criaram o protocolo. É claro que agora está meio “coxo”, funciona com uma _multisig_ ou com os _covenants_ na Liquid. Mas eles estão a criar um produto, vão demonstrar ao mercado que o produto é bom e útil. Com a adoção, a comunidade vai perceber que o Ark necessita dos _covenants_ para melhorar a interoperabilidade e a soberania. É este o pensamento certo, que deveria ser seguido pelos restantes e futuros projetos. É seguir aquele pensamento do J.F. Kennedy: > “Não perguntem o que é que o vosso país pode fazer por vocês, perguntem o que é que vocês podem fazer pelo vosso país” Ou seja, não fiquem à espera que o bitcoin mude, criem primeiro as inovações/tecnologia, ganhem adoção e depois demonstrem que a alteração do código camada base pode melhorar ainda mais o vosso projeto. A necessidade é que vai levar a atualização do código. # Reservas Estratégicas de Bitcoin ## Bancos centrais Com a eleição de Trump, emergiu a ideia de uma Reserva Estratégia de Bitcoin, tornou este conceito _mainstream_. Foi um _pivot_, a partir desse momento, foram enumerados os políticos de todo o mundo a falar sobre o assunto. A Senadora Cynthia Lummis foi mais além e propôs um programa para adicionar 200 mil bitcoins à reserva ao ano, até 1 milhão de Bitcoin. Só que isto está a criar uma enorme expectativa na comunidade, só que pode resultar numa enorme desilusão. Porque no primeiro ano, o Trump em vez de comprar os 200 mil, pode apenas adicionar na reserva, os 198 mil que o Estado já tem em sua posse. Se isto acontecer, possivelmente vai resultar numa forte queda a curto prazo. Na minha opinião os bancos centrais deveriam seguir o exemplo de El Salvador, fazer um DCA diário. Mais que comprar bitcoin, para mim, o mais importante é a criação da Reserva, é colocar o Bitcoin ao mesmo nível do ouro, o impacto para o resto do mundo será tremendo, a teoria dos jogos na sua plenitude. Muitos outros bancos centrais vão ter que comprar, para não ficarem atrás, além disso, vai transmitir uma mensagem à generalidade da população, que o Bitcoin é “afinal é algo seguro, com valor”. Mas não foi Trump que iniciou esta teoria dos jogos, mas sim foi a primeira vítima dela. É o próprio Trump que o admite, que os EUA necessitam da reserva para não ficar atrás da China. Além disso, desde que os EUA utilizaram o dólar como uma arma, com sanção contra a Rússia, surgiram boatos de que a Rússia estaria a utilizar o Bitcoin para transações internacionais. Que foram confirmados recentemente, pelo próprio governo russo. Também há poucos dias, ainda antes deste reconhecimento público, Putin elogiou o Bitcoin, ao reconhecer que “Ninguém pode proibir o bitcoin”, defendendo como uma alternativa ao dólar. A narrativa está a mudar. Já existem alguns países com Bitcoin, mas apenas dois o fizeram conscientemente (El Salvador e Butão), os restantes têm devido a apreensões. Hoje são poucos, mas 2025 será o início de uma corrida pelos bancos centrais. Esta corrida era algo previsível, o que eu não esperava é que acontecesse tão rápido.  ## Empresas A criação de reservas estratégicas não vai ficar apenas pelos bancos centrais, também vai acelerar fortemente nas empresas em 2025.  Mas as empresas não vão seguir a estratégia do Saylor, vão comprar bitcoin sem alavancagem, utilizando apenas os tesouros das empresas, como uma proteção contra a inflação. Eu não sou grande admirador do Saylor, prefiro muito mais, uma estratégia conservadora, sem qualquer alavancagem. Penso que as empresas vão seguir a sugestão da BlackRock, que aconselha um alocações de 1% a 3%. Penso que 2025, ainda não será o ano da entrada das 6 magníficas (excepto Tesla), será sobretudo empresas de pequena e média dimensão. As magníficas ainda tem uma cota muito elevada de _shareholders_ com alguma idade, bastante conservadores, que têm dificuldade em compreender o Bitcoin, foi o que aconteceu recentemente com a Microsoft. Também ainda não será em 2025, talvez 2026, a inclusão nativamente de wallet Bitcoin nos sistema da Apple Pay e da Google Pay. Seria um passo gigante para a adoção a nível mundial. # ETFs Os ETFs para mim são uma incógnita, tenho demasiadas dúvidas, como será 2025. Este ano os _inflows_ foram superiores a 500 mil bitcoins, o IBIT foi o lançamento de ETF mais bem sucedido da história. O sucesso dos ETFs, deve-se a 2 situações que nunca mais se vão repetir. O mercado esteve 10 anos à espera pela aprovação dos ETFs, a procura estava reprimida, isso foi bem notório nos primeiros meses, os _inflows_ foram brutais. Também se beneficiou por ser um mercado novo, não existia _orderbook_ de vendas, não existia um mercado interno, praticamente era só _inflows_. Agora o mercado já estabilizou, a maioria das transações já são entre clientes dos próprios ETFs. Agora só uma pequena percentagem do volume das transações diárias vai resultar em _inflows_ ou _outflows_. Estes dois fenómenos nunca mais se vão repetir, eu não acredito que o número de _inflows_ em BTC supere os número de 2024, em dólares vai superar, mas em btc não acredito que vá superar. Mas em 2025 vão surgir uma infindável quantidade de novos produtos, derivativos, novos ETFs de cestos com outras criptos ou cestos com ativos tradicionais. O bitcoin será adicionado em produtos financeiros já existentes no mercado, as pessoas vão passar a deter bitcoin, sem o saberem. Com o fim da operação ChokePoint 2.0, vai surgir uma nova onda de adoção e de produtos financeiros. Possivelmente vamos ver bancos tradicionais a disponibilizar produtos ou serviços de custódia aos seus clientes. Eu adoraria ver o crescimento da adoção do bitcoin como moeda, só que a regulamentação não vai ajudar nesse processo. # Preço Eu acredito que o topo deste ciclo será alcançado no primeiro semestre, posteriormente haverá uma correção. Mas desta vez, eu acredito que a correção será muito menor que as anteriores, inferior a 50%, esta é a minha expectativa. Espero estar certo. # Stablecoins de dólar Agora saindo um pouco do universo do Bitcoin, acho importante destacar as _stablecoins_. No último ciclo, eu tenho dividido o tempo, entre continuar a estudar o Bitcoin e estudar o sistema financeiro, as suas dinâmicas e o comportamento humano. Isto tem sido o meu foco de reflexão, imaginar a transformação que o mundo vai sofrer devido ao padrão Bitcoin. É uma ilusão acreditar que a transição de um padrão FIAT para um padrão Bitcoin vai ser rápida, vai existir um processo transitório que pode demorar décadas. Com a re-entrada de Trump na Casa Branca, prometendo uma política altamente protecionista, vai provocar uma forte valorização do dólar, consequentemente as restantes moedas do mundo vão derreter. Provocando uma inflação generalizada, gerando uma corrida às _stablecoins_ de dólar nos países com moedas mais fracas. Trump vai ter uma política altamente expansionista, vai exportar dólares para todo o mundo, para financiar a sua própria dívida. A desigualdade entre os pobres e ricos irá crescer fortemente, aumentando a possibilidade de conflitos e revoltas. > “Casa onde não há pão, todos ralham e ninguém tem razão” Será mais lenha, para alimentar a fogueira, vai gravar os conflitos geopolíticos já existentes, ficando as sociedade ainda mais polarizadas. Eu acredito que 2025, vai haver um forte crescimento na adoção das _stablecoins_ de dólares, esse forte crescimento vai agravar o problema sistémico que são as _stablecoins_. Vai ser o início do fim das _stablecoins_, pelo menos, como nós conhecemos hoje em dia. ## Problema sistémico O sistema FIAT não nasceu de um dia para outro, foi algo que foi construído organicamente, ou seja, foi evoluindo ao longo dos anos, sempre que havia um problema/crise, eram criadas novas regras ou novas instituições para minimizar os problemas. Nestes quase 100 anos, desde os acordos de Bretton Woods, a evolução foram tantas, tornaram o sistema financeiro altamente complexo, burocrático e nada eficiente. Na prática é um castelo de cartas construído sobre outro castelo de cartas e que por sua vez, foi construído sobre outro castelo de cartas. As _stablecoins_ são um problema sistémico, devido às suas reservas em dólares e o sistema financeiro não está preparado para manter isso seguro. Com o crescimento das reservas ao longo dos anos, foi se agravando o problema. No início a Tether colocava as reservas em bancos comerciais, mas com o crescimento dos dólares sob gestão, criou um problema nos bancos comerciais, devido à reserva fracionária. Essas enormes reservas da Tether estavam a colocar em risco a própria estabilidade dos bancos. A Tether acabou por mudar de estratégia, optou por outros ativos, preferencialmente por títulos do tesouro/obrigações dos EUA. Só que a Tether continua a crescer e não dá sinais de abrandamento, pelo contrário. Até o próprio mundo cripto, menosprezava a gravidade do problema da Tether/_stablecoins_ para o resto do sistema financeiro, porque o _marketcap_ do cripto ainda é muito pequeno. É verdade que ainda é pequeno, mas a Tether não o é, está no top 20 dos maiores detentores de títulos do tesouros dos EUA e está ao nível dos maiores bancos centrais do mundo. Devido ao seu tamanho, está a preocupar os responsáveis/autoridades/reguladores dos EUA, pode colocar em causa a estabilidade do sistema financeiro global, que está assente nessas obrigações. Os títulos do tesouro dos EUA são o colateral mais utilizado no mundo, tanto por bancos centrais, como por empresas, é a charneira da estabilidade do sistema financeiro. Os títulos do tesouro são um assunto muito sensível. Na recente crise no Japão, do _carry trade_, o Banco Central do Japão tentou minimizar a desvalorização do iene através da venda de títulos dos EUA. Esta operação, obrigou a uma viagem de emergência, da Secretaria do Tesouro dos EUA, Janet Yellen ao Japão, onde disponibilizou liquidez para parar a venda de títulos por parte do Banco Central do Japão. Essa forte venda estava desestabilizando o mercado. Os principais detentores de títulos do tesouros são institucionais, bancos centrais, bancos comerciais, fundo de investimento e gestoras, tudo administrado por gestores altamente qualificados, racionais e que conhecem a complexidade do mercado de obrigações. O mundo cripto é seu oposto, é _naife_ com muita irracionalidade e uma forte pitada de loucura, na sua maioria nem faz a mínima ideia como funciona o sistema financeiro. Essa irracionalidade pode levar a uma “corrida bancária”, como aconteceu com o UST da Luna, que em poucas horas colapsou o projeto. Em termos de escala, a Luna ainda era muito pequena, por isso, o problema ficou circunscrito ao mundo cripto e a empresas ligadas diretamente ao cripto. Só que a Tether é muito diferente, caso exista algum FUD, que obrigue a Tether a desfazer-se de vários biliões ou dezenas de biliões de dólares em títulos num curto espaço de tempo, poderia provocar consequências terríveis em todo o sistema financeiro. A Tether é grande demais, é já um problema sistémico, que vai agravar-se com o crescimento em 2025. Não tenham dúvidas, se existir algum problema, o Tesouro dos EUA vai impedir a venda dos títulos que a Tether tem em sua posse, para salvar o sistema financeiro. O problema é, o que vai fazer a Tether, se ficar sem acesso às venda das reservas, como fará o _redeem_ dos dólares? Como o crescimento do Tether é inevitável, o Tesouro e o FED estão com um grande problema em mãos, o que fazer com o Tether? Mas o problema é que o atual sistema financeiro é como um curto cobertor: Quanto tapas a cabeça, destapas os pés; Ou quando tapas os pés, destapas a cabeça. Ou seja, para resolver o problema da guarda reservas da Tether, vai criar novos problemas, em outros locais do sistema financeiro e assim sucessivamente. ### Conta mestre Uma possível solução seria dar uma conta mestre à Tether, dando o acesso direto a uma conta no FED, semelhante à que todos os bancos comerciais têm. Com isto, a Tether deixaria de necessitar os títulos do tesouro, depositando o dinheiro diretamente no banco central. Só que isto iria criar dois novos problemas, com o Custodia Bank e com o restante sistema bancário. O Custodia Bank luta há vários anos contra o FED, nos tribunais pelo direito a ter licença bancária para um banco com _full-reserves_. O FED recusou sempre esse direito, com a justificativa que esse banco, colocaria em risco toda a estabilidade do sistema bancário existente, ou seja, todos os outros bancos poderiam colapsar. Perante a existência em simultâneo de bancos com reserva fracionária e com _full-reserves_, as pessoas e empresas iriam optar pelo mais seguro. Isso iria provocar uma corrida bancária, levando ao colapso de todos os bancos com reserva fracionária, porque no Custodia Bank, os fundos dos clientes estão 100% garantidos, para qualquer valor. Deixaria de ser necessário limites de fundos de Garantia de Depósitos. Eu concordo com o FED nesse ponto, que os bancos com _full-reserves_ são uma ameaça a existência dos restantes bancos. O que eu discordo do FED, é a origem do problema, o problema não está nos bancos _full-reserves_, mas sim nos que têm reserva fracionária. O FED ao conceder uma conta mestre ao Tether, abre um precedente, o Custodia Bank irá o aproveitar, reclamando pela igualdade de direitos nos tribunais e desta vez, possivelmente ganhará a sua licença. Ainda há um segundo problema, com os restantes bancos comerciais. A Tether passaria a ter direitos similares aos bancos comerciais, mas os deveres seriam muito diferentes. Isto levaria os bancos comerciais aos tribunais para exigir igualdade de tratamento, é uma concorrência desleal. Isto é o bom dos tribunais dos EUA, são independentes e funcionam, mesmo contra o estado. Os bancos comerciais têm custos exorbitantes devido às políticas de _compliance_, como o KYC e AML. Como o governo não vai querer aliviar as regras, logo seria a Tether, a ser obrigada a fazer o _compliance_ dos seus clientes. A obrigação do KYC para ter _stablecoins_ iriam provocar um terramoto no mundo cripto. Assim, é pouco provável que seja a solução para a Tether. ### FED Só resta uma hipótese, ser o próprio FED a controlar e a gerir diretamente as _stablecoins_ de dólar, nacionalizado ou absorvendo as existentes. Seria uma espécie de CBDC. Isto iria provocar um novo problema, um problema diplomático, porque as _stablecoins_ estão a colocar em causa a soberania monetária dos outros países. Atualmente as _stablecoins_ estão um pouco protegidas porque vivem num limbo jurídico, mas a partir do momento que estas são controladas pelo governo americano, tudo muda. Os países vão exigir às autoridades americanas medidas que limitem o uso nos seus respectivos países. Não existe uma solução boa, o sistema FIAT é um castelo de cartas, qualquer carta que se mova, vai provocar um desmoronamento noutro local. As autoridades não poderão adiar mais o problema, terão que o resolver de vez, senão, qualquer dia será tarde demais. Se houver algum problema, vão colocar a responsabilidade no cripto e no Bitcoin. Mas a verdade, a culpa é inteiramente dos políticos, da sua incompetência em resolver os problemas a tempo. Será algo para acompanhar futuramente, mas só para 2026, talvez… É curioso, há uns anos pensava-se que o Bitcoin seria a maior ameaça ao sistema ao FIAT, mas afinal, a maior ameaça aos sistema FIAT é o próprio FIAT(_stablecoins_). A ironia do destino. Isto é como uma corrida, o Bitcoin é aquele atleta que corre ao seu ritmo, umas vezes mais rápido, outras vezes mais lento, mas nunca pára. O FIAT é o atleta que dá tudo desde da partida, corre sempre em velocidade máxima. Só que a vida e o sistema financeiro não é uma prova de 100 metros, mas sim uma maratona. # Europa 2025 será um ano desafiante para todos europeus, sobretudo devido à entrada em vigor da regulamentação (MiCA). Vão começar a sentir na pele a regulamentação, vão agravar-se os problemas com os _compliance_, problemas para comprovar a origem de fundos e outras burocracias. Vai ser lindo. O _Travel Route_ passa a ser obrigatório, os europeus serão obrigados a fazer o KYC nas transações. A _Travel Route_ é uma suposta lei para criar mais transparência, mas prática, é uma lei de controle, de monitorização e para limitar as liberdades individuais dos cidadãos. O MiCA também está a colocar problemas nas _stablecoins_ de Euro, a Tether para já preferiu ficar de fora da europa. O mais ridículo é que as novas regras obrigam os emissores a colocar 30% das reservas em bancos comerciais. Os burocratas europeus não compreendem que isto coloca em risco a estabilidade e a solvência dos próprios bancos, ficam propensos a corridas bancárias. O MiCA vai obrigar a todas as exchanges a estar registadas em solo europeu, ficando vulnerável ao temperamento dos burocratas. Ainda não vai ser em 2025, mas a UE vai impor políticas de controle de capitais, é inevitável, as exchanges serão obrigadas a usar em exclusividade _stablecoins_ de euro, as restantes _stablecoins_ serão deslistadas. Todas estas novas regras do MiCA, são extremamente restritas, não é para garantir mais segurança aos cidadãos europeus, mas sim para garantir mais controle sobre a população. A UE está cada vez mais perto da autocracia, do que da democracia. A minha única esperança no horizonte, é que o sucesso das políticas cripto nos EUA, vai obrigar a UE a recuar e a aligeirar as regras, a teoria dos jogos é implacável. Mas esse recuo, nunca acontecerá em 2025, vai ser um longo período conturbado. # Recessão Os mercados estão todos em máximos históricos, isto não é sustentável por muito tempo, suspeito que no final de 2025 vai acontecer alguma correção nos mercados. A queda só não será maior, porque os bancos centrais vão imprimir dinheiro, muito dinheiro, como se não houvesse amanhã. Vão voltar a resolver os problemas com a injeção de liquidez na economia, é empurrar os problemas com a barriga, em de os resolver. Outra vez o efeito Cantillon. Será um ano muito desafiante a nível político, onde o papel dos políticos será fundamental. A crise política na França e na Alemanha, coloca a UE órfã, sem um comandante ao leme do navio. 2025 estará condicionado pelas eleições na Alemanha, sobretudo no resultado do AfD, que podem colocar em causa a propriedade UE e o euro. Possivelmente, só o fim da guerra poderia minimizar a crise, algo que é muito pouco provável acontecer. Em Portugal, a economia parece que está mais ou menos equilibrada, mas começam a aparecer alguns sinais preocupantes. Os jogos de sorte e azar estão em máximos históricos, batendo o recorde de 2014, época da grande crise, não é um bom sinal, possivelmente já existe algum desespero no ar. A Alemanha é o motor da Europa, quanto espirra, Portugal constipa-se. Além do problema da Alemanha, a Espanha também está à beira de uma crise, são os países que mais influenciam a economia portuguesa. Se existir uma recessão mundial, terá um forte impacto no turismo, que é hoje em dia o principal motor de Portugal. # Brasil Brasil é algo para acompanhar em 2025, sobretudo a nível macro e a nível político. Existe uma possibilidade de uma profunda crise no Brasil, sobretudo na sua moeda. O banco central já anda a queimar as reservas para minimizar a desvalorização do Real.  Sem mudanças profundas nas políticas fiscais, as reservas vão se esgotar. As políticas de controle de capitais são um cenário plausível, será interesse de acompanhar, como o governo irá proceder perante a existência do Bitcoin e _stablecoins_. No Brasil existe um forte adoção, será um bom _case study_, certamente irá repetir-se em outros países num futuro próximo. Os próximos tempos não serão fáceis para os brasileiros, especialmente para os que não têm Bitcoin. # Blockchain Em 2025, possivelmente vamos ver os primeiros passos da BlackRock para criar a primeira bolsa de valores, exclusivamente em _blockchain_. Eu acredito que a BlackRock vai criar uma própria _blockchain_, toda controlada por si, onde estarão os RWAs, para fazer concorrência às tradicionais bolsas de valores. Será algo interessante de acompanhar. ----------- Estas são as minhas previsões, eu escrevi isto muito em cima do joelho, certamente esqueci-me de algumas coisas, se for importante acrescentarei nos comentários. A maioria das previsões só acontecerá após 2025, mas fica aqui a minha opinião. Isto é apenas a minha opinião, **Don’t Trust, Verify**!

@ f9cf4e94:96abc355

Na era das grandes navegações, piratas ingleses eram autorizados pelo governo para roubar navios. A única coisa que diferenciava um pirata comum de um corsário é que o último possuía a “Carta do Corso”, que funcionava como um “Alvará para o roubo”, onde o governo Inglês legitimava o roubo de navios por parte dos corsários. É claro, que em troca ele exigia uma parte da espoliação. Bastante similar com a maneira que a Receita Federal atua, não? Na verdade, o caso é ainda pior, pois o governo fica com toda a riqueza espoliada, e apenas repassa um mísero salário para os corsários modernos, os agentes da receita federal. Porém eles “justificam” esse roubo ao chamá-lo de imposto, e isso parece acalmar os ânimos de grande parte da população, mas não de nós. Não é por acaso que 'imposto' é o particípio passado do verbo 'impor'. Ou seja, é aquilo que resulta do cumprimento obrigatório -- e não voluntário -- de todos os cidadãos. Se não for 'imposto' ninguém paga. Nem mesmo seus defensores. Isso mostra o quanto as pessoas realmente apreciam os serviços do estado. Apenas volte um pouco na história: os primeiros pagadores de impostos eram fazendeiros cujos territórios foram invadidos por nômades que pastoreavam seu gado. Esses invasores nômades forçavam os fazendeiros a lhes pagar uma fatia de sua renda em troca de "proteção". O fazendeiro que não concordasse era assassinado. Os nômades perceberam que era muito mais interessante e confortável apenas cobrar uma taxa de proteção em vez de matar o fazendeiro e assumir suas posses. Cobrando uma taxa, eles obtinham o que necessitavam. Já se matassem os fazendeiros, eles teriam de gerenciar por conta própria toda a produção da fazenda. Daí eles entenderam que, ao não assassinarem todos os fazendeiros que encontrassem pelo caminho, poderiam fazer desta prática um modo de vida. Assim nasceu o governo. Não assassinar pessoas foi o primeiro serviço que o governo forneceu. Como temos sorte em ter à nossa disposição esta instituição! Assim, não deixa de ser curioso que algumas pessoas digam que os impostos são pagos basicamente para impedir que aconteça exatamente aquilo que originou a existência do governo. O governo nasceu da extorsão. Os fazendeiros tinham de pagar um "arrego" para seu governo. Caso contrário, eram assassinados. Quem era a real ameaça? O governo. A máfia faz a mesma coisa. Mas existe uma forma de se proteger desses corsários modernos. Atualmente, existe uma propriedade privada que NINGUÉM pode tirar de você, ela é sua até mesmo depois da morte. É claro que estamos falando do Bitcoin. Fazendo as configurações certas, é impossível saber que você tem bitcoin. Nem mesmo o governo americano consegue saber. #brasil #bitcoinbrasil #nostrbrasil #grownostr #bitcoin

@ 16d11430:61640947

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

@ a367f9eb:0633efea

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

@ 7776c32d:45558888

I am still more censored than I was when Aaron Swartz was alive. For nostr to resist censorship, it would need a way for intellectuals to find each other and not be drowned out by anti-intellectual screeching. Nostr is currently so anti-intellectual that this propagandist gets multiple likes, probably enough to be in trending feeds, for a post (she's reposted herself) pretending the word "car" is the best example she can think of for media bias today.  Meanwhile, I get no engagement for bringing a valuable infographic about media bias over from X.  The same incoherent propagandist gets multiple likes on a post lying about Hawk Tuah token. She doesn't quote post my prior post about the same topic to give credit to me as a faster news reporter, because she knows I am not a fake news reporter, meaning I will correct her misinformation, and indeed my post already contradicts some of it (the part about Haliey herself being sued).  Notice the lack of likes on my replies calling out her misinformation; and also none on my earlier, more accurate post about the same topic. The dishonest propaganda gets all the likes while the actual reporting on the same topic, faster, gets none. When I've called out this retard's lies on the same topic in the past, getting almost no engagement has been the norm, but it's been negative engagement overall. Here's her and some reply guy gaslighting me and, as always, she did not follow up to actually address my points, apologize, or hold any attempt at genuine, good-faith discussion in general.  It's not like I'm cherry picking. Let's look at the statistics.  According to nostr.band this anti-intellectual dickhead has reposted 33 events (from 8 other npubs), and her posts have been reposted 666 times. I have reposted 367 events (from 214 other npubs), and mine have been reposted 108 times. But enough about her. The #pandemic hashtag has gone from being full of pandemic deniers to having more people talking about the next pandemic - bird flu - while still nobody on that hashtag is using nostr to talk about COVID, the ongoing pandemic we still have. nostr:nevent1qqs9gvuhvphwvxm96zl58ygxdp3w8jjpyl2hqhg0j2xhxfms73qls8sw7yhx3 I have stood for well over a year as the only person in the group of *English speakers smart enough to understand the importance of both the pandemic and decentralized digital networks*. That's so fucking depressing, enraging, and terrifying to me. This shit makes me bloodthirsty. Luckily I can get away with killing people sometimes; and more often, inconveniencing them, by stealing essential parts from the boxes of products they'll buy, or cutting them off in traffic, or other things like that, to vent my disdain for my fellow humans. People lie so much, the main comfort for me has been the brief time when Digit considered me a friend; she who seemed to also kinda see through all the lies. You know what's stopping me from hurting anyone right now? The hope that Digit is still alive, and I keep thinking about this thread, where she was mentioned.  Someone showed curiosity about her, and someone else said "thank you (and Digit) so much." That "thank you and Digit" has been keeping me going on less toxic energy for those few days.

@ 330516bf:ea23d292

*The self-declaration of identity is a philosophical open source project, hosted at [https://memdeklaro.github.io/](https://memdeklaro.github.io/)* ## Foreword ID documents do more harm than good and should not be seen as a solution for trust or authentication. Many economic and social interactions can be done anonymously. For other situations, trust can be achieved by simply saying your (self-chosen) name, using a web-of-trust, word-of-mouth reputation, vouches, memberships, escrows or cash deposits, and authentication can be achieved by using a password, cryptographic key pair (e.g. PGP, Monero) or physical key or code (such as house keys or a safe code). ## Background In recent years, more and more things are asking for proof of identity, from basic necessities like jobs, housing and healthcare, to smaller things like receiving mail, buying a sim card or joining a gym. However, it is not enough to write your name and address on a form. Instead, only government-issued IDs are accepted, which gives the state a “monopoly on identity”. Monopolies are dangerous in general due to the fact that if the service provider is harmful, inaccessible or otherwise problematic, you cannot choose a different provider, start your own provider, or go without. This particular monopoly is even worse, considering that access to government ID determines if you may participate in the economy (jobs, banking), society (housing, volunteer work, education, libraries, sports) or even exist (national borders). Many people have no access to government ID. This group includes some stateless people, refugees, people who weren’t registered at birth, and people who escaped from child abuse, domestic abuse or cult abuse. The state’s claimed solutions, such as asylum procedures, stateless determination procedures, delayed registration of birth, child protective services and witness protection, often cannot help in practice, as the victim is often ignored, accused of lying, blamed for the persecution, or worse sent back to the persecutors against their will. Despite issuing laissez-passer and Nansen passports in the past, the United Nations and Red Cross do not issue alternative IDs today. It would be a relief if these processes would work and allow vulnerable people to escape from undeserved and dangerous situations, but unfortunately this is not the reality. In addition, the collectivist concept of citizenship can be dangerous. For example, if someone does not identify with their birth culture, they should not be forced to follow it for life or identify themselves as a member of this culture. Instead, they should be free to dissent against this culture or leave this culture’s jurisdiction. Even worse is conscription — the cruel system where a nation-state can force someone against their will to kill or be killed, just because they happened to be born inside a certain territory. The world would be more free if people could exist as individuals, conscientious objectors against the fatalism of birth cultures and violence of statism, with freedom of association to leave hostile environments and join self-chosen communities. > “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” Self-declaration of identity gives people the power to decide their own fate. People are no longer the property of nations, governments, birth cultures or birth parents. The choice of your own name and renunciation of your circumstances of birth is a liberating act of individualism, where your ideals, actions and efforts matter more than the situation that you were arbitrarily born into. ## Self-declaration of identity Instead of requiring third parties such as birth countries, birth cultures and birth parents to define an individual’s identity, the self-declaration allows you to define your own name and eschews the concepts of birth countries and citizenship. The self-declaration is a CR-80 plastic card or paper business card (85.6mm x 54mm). The self-declaration is written in Esperanto and includes the Esperanto flag and symbol. Esperanto was chosen because it is anational (sennacieca = not associated with a specific country, culture or state) and was created as a borderless language of peace, built on voluntary free association. The design features artwork of a peace dove in a blue sky with clouds. As it is a self-declaration, it is not stored in a central database, does not require a third party’s permission and does not need to be issued by an authority. You are the authority over your own life. **The self-declaration includes the text:** - Title: Self-declaration of identity (Memdeklaro de identeco) - Location: Esperanto community (Esperantujo) - Issuer: EPO (ISO code for Esperanto) - Quote: One world, one humankind (Unu mondo, unu homaro) **The self-declaration of identity contains:** - Self-chosen first name (Antaŭnomo) and self-chosen surname (Nomo) → an individual should be able to freely choose their own name - Birth date (Naskiĝdato) → for declaration of age - Photo → Dimensions 35mm x 45mm - Signature (Subskribo) → sign your self-declaration - Notes field (Notoj) → a place to write a note, e.g. “the holder is a conscientious objector” (Portanto estas konscienca obĵetanto) - ID number (Numero), issuance date (Eldondato), expiry date (Limdato), issuer (Eldonisto), MRZ → bureaucratic boilerplate **The self-declaration of identity does not contain:** - Place of birth → allows people to cut ties with hostile environments and self-define their culture, beliefs and personal ties - Citizenship or stateless status → allows people to cut ties with hostile governments or cultures, and exist as an individual instead of as property of a state that they did not choose - Parents’ names → allows victims of child abuse to cut ties with abusers **To make your own:** - Use the generator at <https://memdeklaro.github.io/> or download the repo (<https://github.com/memdeklaro/memdeklaro.github.io/>) and open index.html in your browser - Alternatively download the front template (fronto.jpg) and back template (dorso.jpg) from the linked repo, and use an image editor such as GIMP to add your text (the font OCR-B.ttf is provided) and your photo and signature - Calculate the MRZ code here (TD1): <https://www.dynamsoft.com/tools/mrz-generator/> (Choose any country, then replace it with EPO) - Print it out as a business card and optionally laminate (dimensions: 85.6mm x 54mm) or order a CR-80 plastic card from a printing service **Example:**  **Note:** Unfortunately the self-declaration of identity cannot be used to bypass government ID requirements, such as for jobs, housing, healthcare, finances, volunteer work, contracts, receiving mail or buying a sim card. Other non-government IDs such as Digitalcourage Lichtbildausweis (<https://shop.digitalcourage.de/gadgets/lichtbildausweis-mit-selbst-waehlbaren-daten.html>) and World Passport (<https://worldcitizengov.org/what-is-the-world-passport/>) have the same limitations. Nation-states’ refusal to print IDs for undocumented, stateless and unregistered people (while forcing government ID requirements on employers, landlords, doctors and more) can and does put innocent people’s lives in danger. But unfortunately even the United Nations has not been able to change this, despite issuing conventions on statelessness and refugee status in the 1950s. ## Further Reading For further reading about identity (and why the state’s monopoly is harmful): Passports Were a “Temporary” War Measure — Speranta Dumitru <https://fee.org/articles/passports-were-a-temporary-war-measure> During World War II, we did have something to hide — Hans de Zwart <https://medium.com/@hansdezwart/during-world-war-ii-we-did-have-something-to-hide-40689565c550> The Little-Known Passport That Protected 450,000 Refugees — Cara Giaimo <https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/nansen-passport-refugees> With each person left living on the streets, we are losing as a society — Petr Baroch <https://www.statelessness.eu/blog/each-person-left-living-streets-we-are-losing-society> The rarely discussed dangers of KYC and what you can do about it — Anarkio <https://vonupodcast.com/know-your-customer-kyc-the-rarely-discussed-danger-guest-article-audio> Exclusion and identity: life without ID — Privacy International <https://www.privacyinternational.org/long-read/2544/exclusion-and-identity-life-without-id> Proving who I am: the plight of people in detention without proof of legal identity — Vicki Prais <https://www.penalreform.org/blog/proving-who-i-am-the-plight-of-people/> Establishing identity is a vital, risky and changing business — The Economist <https://www.economist.com/christmas-specials/2018/12/18/establishing-identity-is-a-vital-risky-and-changing-business> What’s in a name? The case for inclusivity through anonymity — Common Thread <https://blog.twitter.com/common-thread/en/topics/stories/2021/whats-in-a-name-the-case-for-inclusivity-through-anonymity> True Names Not Required: On Identity and Pseudonymity in Cyberspace — Der Gigi <https://dergigi.medium.com/true-names-not-required-fc6647dfe24a> Citizenship is obsolete — Samuela Davidova <https://medium.com/@DavidovaSamuela/citizenship-is-obsolete-c36a20056752> ## License Public Domain Source code: <https://github.com/memdeklaro/memdeklaro.github.io> ## Infographic <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/059fae3129d9b3aab4a3a93983914d58ed1fba577e11c73f48875995dd14cd6a.jpg"> # Translations (Machine translated)\ Memdeklaro de identenco: self declaration of identity, autodeclaración de identidad, autodeclaração de identidade, autodéclaration d’identité, autodichiarazione di identità, autodeclararea identității, Selbsterklärung zur Identität, eigen verklaring van identiteit, Selvdeklaration af identitet, självdeklaration av identitet, egenerklæring om identitet, henkilöllisyysvakuutus, Isikuandmete esitamine, identitātes pašdeklarēšana, savęs deklaravimas, önbevallás a személyazonosságról, własna deklaracja tożsamości, vlastní prohlášení o totožnosti, vlastné vyhlásenie o totožnosti, samoprijava identitete, самодеклариране на самоличността, самопроголошення ідентичності, самозаявление о личности, αυτο-δήλωση ταυτότητας, pernyataan identitas diri, öz kimlik beyanı, الإعلان الذاتي عن الهوية, 身份自报, 身份自報, 自己申告, 신원 자기 선언 ...

@ ece53feb:1edf277e


@ ece53feb:1edf277e

Hi there, Nostr! I'm an engineer and maker who likes to talk a lot about a lot of things. I'm made of opinions. Some of them are pretty good ones!

@ 6389be64:ef439d32

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

@ ece53feb:1edf277e

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/news/2024/12/upstate-ny-village-shuts-off-water-declares-state-of-emergency.html?utm_source=flipboard&amp;utm_medium=activitypub

@ e31e84c4:77bbabc0

*Bitcoin and Fixed Income was Written By Wyatt O’Rourke. If you enjoyed this article then support his writing, directly, by donating to his lightning wallet: ultrahusky3@primal.net* Fiduciary duty is the obligation to act in the client’s best interests at all times, prioritizing their needs above the advisor’s own, ensuring honesty, transparency, and avoiding conflicts of interest in all recommendations and actions. This is something all advisors in the BFAN take very seriously; after all, we are legally required to do so. For the average advisor this is a fairly easy box to check. All you essentially have to do is have someone take a 5-minute risk assessment, fill out an investment policy statement, and then throw them in the proverbial 60/40 portfolio. You have thousands of investment options to choose from and you can reasonably explain how your client is theoretically insulated from any move in the \~markets\~. From the traditional financial advisor perspective, you could justify nearly anything by putting a client into this type of portfolio. All your bases were pretty much covered from return profile, regulatory, compliance, investment options, etc. It was just too easy. It became the household standard and now a meme. As almost every real bitcoiner knows, the 60/40 portfolio is moving into psyop territory, and many financial advisors get clowned on for defending this relic on bitcoin twitter. I’m going to specifically poke fun at the ‘40’ part of this portfolio. The ‘40’ represents fixed income, defined as… > An investment type that provides regular, set interest payments, such as bonds or treasury securities, and returns the principal at maturity. It’s generally considered a lower-risk asset class, used to generate stable income and preserve capital. Historically, this part of the portfolio was meant to weather the volatility in the equity markets and represent the “safe” investments. Typically, some sort of bond. First and foremost, the fixed income section is most commonly constructed with U.S. Debt. There are a couple main reasons for this. Most financial professionals believe the same fairy tale that U.S. Debt is “risk free” (lol). U.S. debt is also one of the largest and most liquid assets in the market which comes with a lot of benefits. There are many brilliant bitcoiners in finance and economics that have sounded the alarm on the U.S. debt ticking time bomb. I highly recommend readers explore the work of Greg Foss, Lawrence Lepard, Lyn Alden, and Saifedean Ammous. My very high-level recap of their analysis: - A bond is a contract in which Party A (the borrower) agrees to repay Party B (the lender) their principal plus interest over time. - The U.S. government issues bonds (Treasury securities) to finance its operations after tax revenues have been exhausted. - These are traditionally viewed as “risk-free” due to the government’s historical reliability in repaying its debts and the strength of the U.S. economy - U.S. bonds are seen as safe because the government has control over the dollar (world reserve asset) and, until recently (20 some odd years), enjoyed broad confidence that it would always honor its debts. - This perception has contributed to high global demand for U.S. debt but, that is quickly deteriorating. - The current debt situation raises concerns about sustainability. - The U.S. has substantial obligations, and without sufficient productivity growth, increasing debt may lead to a cycle where borrowing to cover interest leads to more debt. - This could result in more reliance on money creation (printing), which can drive inflation and further debt burdens. In the words of Lyn Alden “Nothing stops this train” Those obligations are what makes up the 40% of most the fixed income in your portfolio. So essentially you are giving money to one of the worst capital allocators in the world (U.S. Gov’t) and getting paid back with printed money. As someone who takes their fiduciary responsibility seriously and understands the debt situation we just reviewed, I think it’s borderline negligent to put someone into a classic 60% (equities) / 40% (fixed income) portfolio without serious scrutiny of the client’s financial situation and options available to them. I certainly have my qualms with equities at times, but overall, they are more palatable than the fixed income portion of the portfolio. I don’t like it either, but the money is broken and the unit of account for nearly every equity or fixed income instrument (USD) is fraudulent. It’s a paper mache fade that is quite literally propped up by the money printer. To briefly be as most charitable as I can – It wasn’t always this way. The U.S. Dollar used to be sound money, we used to have government surplus instead of mathematically certain deficits, The U.S. Federal Government didn’t used to have a money printing addiction, and pre-bitcoin the 60/40 portfolio used to be a quality portfolio management strategy. Those times are gone. ### Now the fun part. How does bitcoin fix this? Bitcoin fixes this indirectly. Understanding investment criteria changes via risk tolerance, age, goals, etc. A client may still have a need for “fixed income” in the most literal definition – Low risk yield. Now you may be thinking that yield is a bad word in bitcoin land, you’re not wrong, so stay with me. Perpetual motion machine crypto yield is fake and largely where many crypto scams originate. However, that doesn’t mean yield in the classic finance sense does not exist in bitcoin, it very literally does. Fortunately for us bitcoiners there are many other smart, driven, and enterprising bitcoiners that understand this problem and are doing something to address it. These individuals are pioneering new possibilities in bitcoin and finance, specifically when it comes to fixed income. Here are some new developments – Private Credit Funds – The Build Asset Management Secured Income Fund I is a private credit fund created by Build Asset Management. This fund primarily invests in bitcoin-backed, collateralized business loans originated by Unchained, with a secured structure involving a multi-signature, over-collateralized setup for risk management. Unchained originates loans and sells them to Build, which pools them into the fund, enabling investors to share in the interest income. Dynamics - Loan Terms: Unchained issues loans at interest rates around 14%, secured with a 2/3 multi-signature vault backed by a 40% loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. - Fund Mechanics: Build buys these loans from Unchained, thus providing liquidity to Unchained for further loan originations, while Build manages interest payments to investors in the fund. Pros - The fund offers a unique way to earn income via bitcoin-collateralized debt, with protection against rehypothecation and strong security measures, making it attractive for investors seeking exposure to fixed income with bitcoin. Cons - The fund is only available to accredited investors, which is a regulatory standard for private credit funds like this. Corporate Bonds – MicroStrategy Inc. (MSTR), a business intelligence company, has leveraged its corporate structure to issue bonds specifically to acquire bitcoin as a reserve asset. This approach allows investors to indirectly gain exposure to bitcoin’s potential upside while receiving interest payments on their bond investments. Some other publicly traded companies have also adopted this strategy, but for the sake of this article we will focus on MSTR as they are the biggest and most vocal issuer. Dynamics - Issuance: MicroStrategy has issued senior secured notes in multiple offerings, with terms allowing the company to use the proceeds to purchase bitcoin. - Interest Rates: The bonds typically carry high-yield interest rates, averaging around 6-8% APR, depending on the specific issuance and market conditions at the time of issuance. - Maturity: The bonds have varying maturities, with most structured for multi-year terms, offering investors medium-term exposure to bitcoin’s value trajectory through MicroStrategy’s holdings. Pros - Indirect Bitcoin exposure with income provides a unique opportunity for investors seeking income from bitcoin-backed debt. - Bonds issued by MicroStrategy offer relatively high interest rates, appealing for fixed-income investors attracted to the higher risk/reward scenarios. Cons - There are credit risks tied to MicroStrategy’s financial health and bitcoin’s performance. A significant drop in bitcoin prices could strain the company’s ability to service debt, increasing credit risk. - Availability: These bonds are primarily accessible to institutional investors and accredited investors, limiting availability for retail investors.  Interest Payable in Bitcoin – River has introduced an innovative product, bitcoin Interest on Cash, allowing clients to earn interest on their U.S. dollar deposits, with the interest paid in bitcoin. Dynamics - Interest Payment: Clients earn an annual interest rate of 3.8% on their cash deposits. The accrued interest is converted to Bitcoin daily and paid out monthly, enabling clients to accumulate Bitcoin over time. - Security and Accessibility: Cash deposits are insured up to $250,000 through River’s banking partner, Lead Bank, a member of the FDIC. All Bitcoin holdings are maintained in full reserve custody, ensuring that client assets are not lent or leveraged. Pros - There are no hidden fees or minimum balance requirements, and clients can withdraw their cash at any time. - The 3.8% interest rate provides a predictable income stream, akin to traditional fixed-income investments. Cons - While the interest rate is fixed, the value of the Bitcoin received as interest can fluctuate, introducing potential variability in the investment’s overall return. - Interest rate payments are on the lower side Admittedly, this is a very small list, however, these types of investments are growing more numerous and meaningful. The reality is the existing options aren’t numerous enough to service every client that has a need for fixed income exposure. I challenge advisors to explore innovative options for fixed income exposure outside of sovereign debt, as that is most certainly a road to nowhere. It is my wholehearted belief and call to action that we need more options to help clients across the risk and capital allocation spectrum access a sound money standard. Additional Resources - [River: The future of saving is here: Earn 3.8% on cash. Paid in Bitcoin.](http://bitcoin%20and%20fixed%20ihttps//blog.river.com/bitcoin-interest-on-cash/ncome) - [Onramp: Bitcoin, The Emergent Asset Class](https://onrampbitcoin.docsend.com/view/j4wje7kgvw357tt9) - [MicroStrategy: MicroStrategy Announces Pricing of Offering of Convertible Senior Notes](https://www.microstrategy.com/press/microstrategy-announces-pricing-of-offering-of-convertible-senior-notes_09-18-2024) --- *Bitcoin and Fixed Income was Written By Wyatt O’Rourke. If you enjoyed this article then support his writing, directly, by donating to his lightning wallet: ultrahusky3@primal.net*

@ 94a6a78a:0ddf320e

The backbone of your Nostr experience lies in relays—servers that transmit your notes, zaps, and private messages across the decentralized network. Azzamo offers three specialized relays to suit different user needs, ensuring reliability, performance, and privacy. ### **1. Free Relay** - **URL:** `wss://nostr.azzamo.net` - **Overview:** Azzamo’s Free Relay is perfect for newcomers to Nostr. It’s open-access, reliable, and ensures fair use with moderate rate limits. - **Key Features:** - Free to use. - Notes older than one month are purged daily. - Accessible gateway for decentralized communication. --- ### **2. Paid Relay** - **URL:** `wss://relay.azzamo.net` - **Overview:** Designed for power users, the Paid Relay offers unmatched performance with 99.9% uptime and low latency. - **Key Features:** - Scalable for heavy users. - Fewer users for faster, consistent connections. - Premium support included for paid users. --- ### **3. Inbox Relay** - **URL:** `wss://inbox.azzamo.net` - **Overview:** Never miss a private message again with the Inbox Relay, optimized for secure, spam-free direct messaging. - **Key Features:** - Guaranteed message delivery. - Optimized for NIP-17 private messages. - Optimized for NIP-19 group chats. - Premium users enjoy advanced support. --- ### **Why Choose Azzamo Relays?** Life on Nostr is easier with Azzamo relays. They’re fast, reliable, and built to handle whatever you throw at them. The Paid Relay keeps your connections strong, the Inbox Relay makes sure no private message gets lost, and the Free Relay is always there to get you started. Supporting Azzamo by going premium helps keep this decentralized network growing—and you get priority support while you’re at it. Azzamo has your back on Nostr! 🔗 **Start now:** - Free Relay: `wss://nostr.azzamo.net` - Paid Relay: [azzamo.net/pay](https://azzamo.net/pay) - Inbox Relay: [azzamo.net/inbox](https://azzamo.net/inbox) Support the network and upgrade your experience—add time to your account via the [Azzamo Dashboard](https://azzamo.net/nostr-dashboard/). Choose Azzamo, and take control of your Nostr journey today!

@ a849beb6:b327e6d2

<img src="https://blossom.primal.net/e306357a7e53c4e40458cf6fa5625917dc8deaa4d1012823caa5a0eefb39e53c.jpg"> \ \ It was another historic week for both bitcoin and the Ten31 portfolio, as the world’s oldest, largest, most battle-tested cryptocurrency climbed to new all-time highs each day to close out the week just shy of the $100,000 mark. Along the way, bitcoin continued to accumulate institutional and regulatory wins, including the much-anticipated approval and launch of spot bitcoin ETF options and the appointment of several additional pro-bitcoin Presidential cabinet officials. The timing for this momentum was poetic, as this week marked the second anniversary of the pico-bottom of the 2022 bear market, a level that bitcoin has now hurdled to the tune of more than 6x despite the litany of bitcoin obituaries published at the time. The entirety of 2024 and especially the past month have further cemented our view that bitcoin is rapidly gaining a sense of legitimacy among institutions, fiduciaries, and governments, and we remain optimistic that this trend is set to accelerate even more into 2025. Several Ten31 portfolio companies made exciting announcements this week that should serve to further entrench bitcoin’s institutional adoption. AnchorWatch, a first of its kind bitcoin insurance provider offering 1:1 coverage with its innovative use of bitcoin’s native properties, announced it has been designated a Lloyd’s of London Coverholder, giving the company unique, blue-chip status as it begins to write bitcoin insurance policies of up to $100 million per policy starting next month. Meanwhile, Battery Finance Founder and CEO Andrew Hohns appeared on CNBC to delve into the launch of Battery’s pioneering private credit strategy which fuses bitcoin and conventional tangible assets in a dual-collateralized structure that offers a compelling risk/return profile to both lenders and borrowers. Both companies are clearing a path for substantially greater bitcoin adoption in massive, untapped pools of capital, and Ten31 is proud to have served as lead investor for AnchorWatch’s Seed round and as exclusive capital partner for Battery. As the world’s largest investor focused entirely on bitcoin, Ten31 has deployed nearly $150 million across two funds into more than 30 of the most promising and innovative companies in the ecosystem like AnchorWatch and Battery, and we expect 2025 to be the best year yet for both bitcoin and our portfolio. Ten31 will hold a first close for its third fund at the end of this year, and investors in that close will benefit from attractive incentives and a strong initial portfolio. Visit ten31.vc/funds to learn more and get in touch to discuss participating.\ \ **Portfolio Company Spotlight**  [Primal](http://primal.net/) is a first of its kind application for the Nostr protocol that combines a client, caching service, analytics tools, and more to address several unmet needs in the nascent Nostr ecosystem. Through the combination of its sleek client application and its caching service (built on a completely open source stack), Primal seeks to offer an end-user experience as smooth and easy as that of legacy social media platforms like Twitter and eventually many other applications, unlocking the vast potential of Nostr for the next billion people. Primal also offers an integrated wallet (powered by [Strike BLACK](https://x.com/Strike/status/1755335823023558819)) that substantially reduces onboarding and UX frictions for both Nostr and the lightning network while highlighting bitcoin’s unique power as internet-native, open-source money.  ### **Selected Portfolio News** AnchorWatch announced it has achieved Llody’s Coverholder status, allowing the company to provide unique 1:1 bitcoin insurance offerings starting in [December](https://x.com/AnchorWatch/status/1858622945763131577).\ \ Battery Finance Founder and CEO Andrew Hohns appeared on CNBC to delve into the company’s unique bitcoin-backed [private credit strategy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26bOawTzT5U). Primal launched version 2.0, a landmark update that adds a feed marketplace, robust advanced search capabilities, premium-tier offerings, and many [more new features](https://primal.net/e/note1kaeajwh275kdwd6s0c2ksvj9f83t0k7usf9qj8fha2ac7m456juqpac43m). Debifi launched its new iOS app for Apple users seeking non-custodial [bitcoin-collateralized loans](https://x.com/debificom/status/1858897785044500642). ### **Media** Strike Founder and CEO Jack Mallers [joined Bloomberg TV](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4z-2v_0H1k) to discuss the strong volumes the company has seen over the past year and the potential for a US bitcoin strategic reserve.  Primal Founder and CEO Miljan Braticevic [joined](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqR_IQfKic8) The Bitcoin Podcast to discuss the rollout of Primal 2.0 and the future of Nostr.  Ten31 Managing Partner Marty Bent [appeared on](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WwZDEtVxOE&t=1556s) BlazeTV to discuss recent changes in the regulatory environment for bitcoin.  Zaprite published a customer [testimonial video](https://x.com/ZapriteApp/status/1859357150809587928) highlighting the popularity of its offerings across the bitcoin ecosystem.  ### **Market Updates** Continuing its recent momentum, bitcoin reached another new all-time high this week, clocking in just below $100,000 on Friday. Bitcoin has now reached a market cap of [nearly $2 trillion](https://companiesmarketcap.com/assets-by-market-cap/), putting it within 3% of the market caps of Amazon and Google.  After receiving SEC and CFTC approval over the past month, long-awaited options on spot bitcoin ETFs were fully [approved](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bitcoin-etf-options-set-hit-082230483.html) and launched this week. These options should help further expand bitcoin’s institutional [liquidity profile](https://x.com/kellyjgreer/status/1824168136637288912), with potentially significant [implications](https://x.com/dgt10011/status/1837278352823972147) for price action over time. The new derivatives showed strong performance out of the gate, with volumes on options for BlackRock’s IBIT reaching [nearly $2 billion](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2024/11/20/bitcoin-etf-options-introduction-marks-milestone-despite-position-limits/) on just the first day of trading despite [surprisingly tight](https://x.com/dgt10011/status/1858729192105414837) position limits for the vehicles.  Meanwhile, the underlying spot bitcoin ETF complex had yet another banner week, pulling in [$3.4 billion](https://farside.co.uk/btc/) in net inflows.  New reports [suggested](https://archive.is/LMr4o) President-elect Donald Trump’s social media company is in advanced talks to acquire crypto trading platform Bakkt, potentially the latest indication of the incoming administration’s stance toward the broader “crypto” ecosystem.  On the macro front, US housing starts [declined M/M again](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-single-family-housing-starts-134759234.html) in October on persistently high mortgage rates and weather impacts. The metric remains well below pre-COVID levels.  Pockets of the US commercial real estate market remain challenged, as the CEO of large Florida developer Related indicated that [developers need further rate cuts](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-19/miami-developer-says-real-estate-market-needs-rate-cuts-badly) “badly” to maintain project viability.  US Manufacturing PMI [increased slightly](https://www.fxstreet.com/news/sp-global-pmis-set-to-signal-us-economy-continued-to-expand-in-november-202411220900) M/M, but has now been in contraction territory (&lt;50) for well over two years. The latest iteration of the University of Michigan’s popular consumer sentiment survey [ticked up](https://archive.is/fY5j6) following this month’s election results, though so did five-year inflation expectations, which now sit comfortably north of 3%.  ### **Regulatory Update** After weeks of speculation, the incoming Trump administration appointed hedge fund manager [Scott Bessent](https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2024/11/22/donald-trump-chooses-hedge-fund-executive-scott-bessent-for-treasury-secretary.html) to head up the US Treasury. Like many of Trump’s cabinet selections so far, Bessent has been a [public advocate](https://x.com/EleanorTerrett/status/1856204133901963512) for bitcoin.  Trump also [appointed](https://www.axios.com/2024/11/19/trump-commerce-secretary-howard-lutnick) Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick – another outspoken [bitcoin bull](https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2024/09/04/tradfi-companies-want-to-transact-in-bitcoin-says-cantor-fitzgerald-ceo/) – as Secretary of the Commerce Department.  Meanwhile, the Trump team is reportedly considering creating a new [“crypto czar”](https://archive.is/jPQHF) role to sit within the administration. While it’s unclear at this point what that role would entail, one report indicated that the administration’s broader “crypto council” is expected to move forward with plans for a [strategic bitcoin reserve](https://archive.is/ZtiOk). Various government lawyers suggested this week that the Trump administration is likely to be [less aggressive](https://archive.is/Uggnn) in seeking adversarial enforcement actions against bitcoin and “crypto” in general, as regulatory bodies appear poised to shift resources and focus elsewhere.  Other updates from the regulatory apparatus were also directionally positive for bitcoin, most notably FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg’s confirmation that he [plans to resign](https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/19/fdics-gruenberg-says-he-will-resign-jan-19-00190373) from his post at the end of President Biden’s term.  Many critics have alleged Gruenberg was an architect of [“Operation Chokepoint 2.0,”](https://x.com/GOPMajorityWhip/status/1858927571666096628) which has created banking headwinds for bitcoin companies over the past several years, so a change of leadership at the department is likely yet another positive for the space. SEC Chairman Gary Gensler also officially announced he plans to resign at the start of the new administration. Gensler has been the target of much ire from the broader “crypto” space, though we expect many projects outside bitcoin may continue to struggle with questions around the [Howey Test](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/howey-test.asp). Overseas, a Chinese court ruled that it is [not illegal](https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42103633/chinese-court-affirms-cryptocurrency-ownership-as-legal-as-bitcoin-breaks-97k) for individuals to hold cryptocurrency, even though the country is still ostensibly [enforcing a ban](https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-58678907) on crypto transactions.  ### **Noteworthy** The incoming CEO of Charles Schwab – which administers over $9 trillion in client assets – [suggested](https://x.com/matthew_sigel/status/1859700668887597331) the platform is preparing to “get into” spot bitcoin offerings and that he “feels silly” for having waited this long. As this attitude becomes more common among traditional finance players, we continue to believe that the number of acquirers coming to market for bitcoin infrastructure capabilities will far outstrip the number of available high quality assets.  BlackRock’s 2025 Thematic Outlook notes a [“renewed sense of optimism”](https://www.ishares.com/us/insights/2025-thematic-outlook#rate-cuts) on bitcoin among the asset manager’s client base due to macro tailwinds and the improving regulatory environment. Elsewhere, BlackRock’s head of digital assets [indicated](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE7cAw7oIeA) the firm does not view bitcoin as a “risk-on” asset.  MicroStrategy, which was a sub-$1 billion market cap company less than five years ago, briefly breached a [$100 billion equity value](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microstrategy-breaks-top-100-u-191842879.html) this week as it continues to aggressively acquire bitcoin. The company now holds nearly 350,000 bitcoin on its balance sheet.  Notably, Allianz SE, Germany’s largest insurer, [spoke for 25%](https://bitbo.io/news/allianz-buys-microstrategy-notes/) of MicroStrategy’s latest $3 billion convertible note offering this week, suggesting [growing appetite](https://x.com/Rob1Ham/status/1860053859181199649) for bitcoin proxy exposure among more restricted pools of capital.  The [ongoing meltdown](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/22/synapse-bankruptcy-thousands-of-americans-see-their-savings-vanish.html) of fintech middleware provider Synapse has left tens of thousands of customers with nearly 100% deposit haircuts as hundreds of millions in funds remain missing, the latest unfortunate case study in the fragility of much of the US’s legacy banking stack.  ### **Travel** - [BitcoinMENA](https://bitcoin2024.b.tc/mena), Dec 9-10 - [Nashville BitDevs](https://www.meetup.com/bitcoinpark/events/302533726/?eventOrigin=group_upcoming_events), Dec 10 - [Austin BitDevs](https://www.meetup.com/austin-bitcoin-developers/events/303476169/?eventOrigin=group_upcoming_events), Dec 19 - [Nashville Energy and Mining Summit](https://www.meetup.com/bitcoinpark/events/304092624/?eventOrigin=group_events_list), Jan 30

@ 97c70a44:ad98e322

This week I finally released Flotilla, a discord/slack-like client I've been working on for about three months. This project began as a NIP 29 client, and after 3 PRs, lots of discussion, a podcast, and a partial implementation, I decided to go my own way. This of course means that I broke compatibility with all the NIP 29 group clients out there, but I did it for good reasons. In this post I hope to explain those reasons, and speculate on how best to move forward with "relay-based" groups on nostr. To give you some quick context, NIP 29 and my approach to groups (which I'll dub "relays-as-groups" for clarity) are very similar, with a fundamental difference. Both have chat, join requests, group metadata, membership, moderation, etc. However, the basic unit of a NIP 29 group is a random group id string, while the basic unit of a Flotilla group is a relay itself. I believe this design difference emerged in part because of what we were attempting to build. NIP 29 groups tend to be more telegram-like, where groups function more like chat rooms, and users join each one individually. On flotilla, groups function more like Discord servers, or Slack workspaces, and users join an entire group of chat rooms at once. "Relays as groups" has four major advantages over "groups hosted by relays". # Decentralization First, using relays as groups supports decentralization better than hosting user-managed groups on relays. (To be clear here, I'm not referring to client-managed groups, which is a whole different approach that we've experimented with in the past, both with NIP 72 communities and with [NIP 87](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/875) encrypted groups. Both NIP 29 and relays-as-groups solve many of the consistency problems associated with attempting to have a linear, synchronous conversation across multiple relays. While both alternatives have a story for migrating or mirroring a group, both rely heavily on the host relay to not censor user messages.) I know what you're thinking. How can _reducing_ the number of relays _improve_ decentralization? Relays were originally introduced in order to create redundancy and spread trust across many actors, creating censorship resistance. This model was difficult for many bitcoiners to wrap their heads around, because it's a very different kind of decentralization than what a blockchain delivers. Communities are an essentially different use case from a broadcast network where content is delivered based on author or recipient relay selections. Every message to a community would have to be delivered to all members of the community. Sending each message to all members' personal inbox relays just doesn't make sense; there has to be some other inbox for the community to work off of. Additionally, online communities almost always have moderators and admins. This is even true of very public, open types of communities, like subreddits. The only type of community that doesn't have moderators is one that emerges naturally from social clustering. And even in that case there is loose consensus about who is in and who isn't, based on the actions/follows/mutes of the participants, whether these clusters are huge or tiny. Socially-emergent groups are served well by chat applications or broadcast networks. But the subset of online communities that do prefer to confer moderator status on certain members are _essentially centralized_. In other words, centralization and control is a feature, not a bug. Now, that doesn't mean there don't need to be considerations around credible exit and removing/adding moderators over time. But the fact is that moderator-led communities are always under the oversight of the moderators at any given time, even if the identity of those moderators changes and their power is limited. What this implies is that decentralization for moderator-led groups looks very different from decentralization for a broadcast network. There is nothing at all wrong with giving moderators full control over the group's communications (qua the group; DMs and public broadcast content between group members should happen outside the group's infrastructure, just as people also exist outside the communities they are a part of). What is important is that no one has control over groups that they aren't nominally the admin of. In concrete terms, what this all means is that community moderators should self-host their infrastructure. This is the same principle as motivates self-custody and home servers, but applied to communities. If community leaders manage their own relays, this means that no hosting company or relay admin can de-platform their community. Centralization of network infrastructure in this case aligns with the trust structure of the group. Applying this to our group dilemma, it's easy to see that NIP 29 groups are more vulnerable to censorship or data harvesting attacks by malicious relay admins, since many unrelated groups might live on a single relay. In contrast, if you treat relays as groups themselves, every group is forced to live on a separate relay, spreading risk across more hosting providers. Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that many "relays" aren't "virtual relays" managed by the same hosting provider. So I'll admit that even "relay-based" groups don't completely solve this problem. But I think it will tend to nudge community organizers toward thinking about community infrastructure in a more self-sovereign (or community-sovereign) way. # Investment in Relays While both NIP 29 and relays-as-groups rely heavily on relays to implement the features that support each specification, there's an important difference between the feature sets. In NIP 29, relay support is specific only to groups, and isn't applicable to other use cases. In contrast, every protocol feature added to support the "relays as groups" can be re-purposed for other types of relays. Take join requests for example. NIP 29's kind `9021` events allow users to request access to a group, and that's all. [Kind `28934` join requests](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1079) on the other hand allow users to request access to relays. Which in the relays-as-groups model means group access, but it also means custom feed access, inbox relay access, maybe even blossom server access. In fact, kind `28934` was originally proposed at the beginning of this year in order to support a different version of hosted groups, but remains as relevant as it ever was despite iteration on groups. The orthogonality of features added to relays to any specific use case will long-term result in simpler specs, and more interesting relay-based use cases being possible. Join requests are only one example. The same is true of 1984-based moderation, the proposed LIMITS command, AUTH, NIP 11 relay metadata, etc. We already have web of trust relays, feed relays, archival relays, and [many more](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/issues/1282). Being able to request access to closed versions of these is useful. Being able to signal federation between multiple instances of these, run by different people, is useful. And of course, relay metadata, reports, and LIMITS are self-evidently useful for normal relays, since they pre-date Flotilla. I've always said that relays are some of the coolest and most under-appreciated parts of nostr. This doesn't mean that we should add every possible feature to them, but features related to data curation and access control fit really well with what relays are good for. For more on the role of relays and what features should be added to them, see my nostrasia talk [Functional Relays](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-5DHymkfzw). # Declarative vs Imperative A common paradigm in programming is that of declarative vs imperative programming. Imperative programming focuses on "how" to achieve a given result, leaving "what" the code is doing to be inferred by the programmer. Declarative programming instead focuses on the "what", and allows some underlying implementation to solve the how. A good balance between these paradigms (and knowing when to use one over the other) allows programmers to work faster, make fewer mistakes, and produce less code. Another way to look at this is that a specification should contain as much ambiguity as possible, but without compromising the system attributes the specification is supposed to guarantee. It can get complex when figuring out what attributes are core to the specification, since sometimes the "how" does actually matter a lot. However, nostr in particular falls pretty far along the "declarative" end of this spectrum because of its decentralized nature. The only person who can say anything with any authority is the person who signs an event. This event is a "declaration", and any effects it has are necessarily up to the relays, clients, and people interpreting the event. However, what others do with an event is an expectation that must be taken into account by the publisher, forming a feedback loop. This dialectic is what creates stability in the protocol. In more concrete terms, no one can "tell" anyone else what they have to do by publishing an event like you might in a traditional, centralized RPC-type system. Any event whose semantics are a "command" rather than a "fact" or "request" is broken unless the counter party is fully committed to carrying out the command. An example of a "command" scenario on nostr is NIP 46 remote signing, in which the bunker is the agent of the user making the request. If the bunker implementation fails to carry out a valid command initiated by the user, its interpretation of that event is objectively incorrect. NIP 29 applies this same paradigm to relays, particularly in the area of moderation, membership edits, and group metadata. In other words, there are several "commands" which instruct the relay to do something. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it does increase the number of things the interface between the client and relay have to agree on. A regular relay may accept an `add-user` request, but then do nothing with it, violating the contract it has implicitly accepted with the user. The solution to this is feature detection, which is a whole other API to be specified and implemented. My ideal solution to this problem is to shift the semantics of events away from "commands" to "facts" - in other words, to make the interface more declarative. In fact, we already have an interface for moderation that works like this. Many clients support kind `1984` "report" events. Users sending these reports have no expectations about how they will be used. They are a "fact", a declaration of opinion with certain semantics. Other actors in the network may choose whether or not to pay attention to these. This same model is easily applied to communities. Without having to implement any feature detection (either for the relay's implementation, or for the user's role on that relay), anyone can simply send a "report". This goes into the black hole of the relay, and may subsequently be ignored, broadcasted, or acted on. The really nice thing about this model is that because there is no expectation for "how" reports are to be interpreted, any approach to moderation can be used depending on relay policy or client implementation. In NIP 29, if you issue a `delete-event`, it either happens or it doesn't and if it doesn't, you have to explain the failure to the user somehow. In the relays-as-groups model, e-tagging an event in a kind `1984` requires no user feedback, and therefore it can be interpreted however the relay prefer. This can result in insta-banning, manual review, thresholds based on number of reporters, a leaky-bucket social score algorithm, shadow banning, temporary banning, soft-moderation by allowing clients to request reports and respond to them by changing user interface elements, or anything else you can think of. The reason I think this is important is that community moderation is a _very_ hard problem, and baking certain semantics into the specification can result in the complete failure of the spec. NIP 72 should be considered an example of what not to do. Some NIP 72 communities have survived due to the dedication of the moderators, but many more have failed because of the rigid moderation model. We should try not to make the same mistake again. # Conclusion Now, having said all that, I think there is actually a lot of value to NIP 29. What finally clicked for me this week after releasing Flotilla is that the two approaches are actually complementary to one another. One of the most common feature requests I've already heard for flotilla is to have more complete support for rooms, which are currently implemented as not much more than hashtags. Better rooms (i.e., "nested groups") would require: authentication, membership, moderation, and pretty much everything else that exists for the top-level group. As much as I believe the relays-as-groups approach is superior to NIP 29 for top-level groups, it doesn't make any sense to try to "nest" relays to create sub-groups. Something like NIP 29 is needed in order to fully support rooms anyway, so I think the convergence of the two approaches is all but inevitable. In fact, fiatjaf has already merged a [PR](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1591) which will allow me to use the same event kinds in flotilla as exist already in NIP 29 clients. There are just a few more changes that are necessary in order for me to fully adopt NIP 29 in Flotilla: - [NIP 29 feature detection](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1604) - [Opaque ids for unmanaged groups prevent unmanaged groups from having human-readable names](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1603) - [We need a mechanism for building membership lists without relay support](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1602) - [Better handling for `9021` group join requests](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1601) I've opened PRs for each of these (linked above). Hopefully we can work through these issues and combine our powers to become the Captain Planet of group implementations.

@ 129f5189:3a441803

🚨 For the first time, a government is being overthrown by 3D-printed weapons 🔫 The longest-lasting civil war today took an unexpected turn... when the resistance adopted plastic weapons and cryptocurrencies. You NEED to know what's happening in Myanmar 👇 https://image.nostr.build/a2fdf9026e54b6b1da842627fb5b8c4bd194211838d838b3c0d791eb5db65441.jpg https://image.nostr.build/90c607aedae1666db44e2cdf10bfc325b857c46a8afaebebbe2752b7e1b23cca.jpg Myanmar has never had political stability since gaining independence 76 years ago. The latest coup was in 2021, banks were drained, and the local currency lost 60% of its value in the following months. Rebels have since been using CRYPTO to finance themselves. https://image.nostr.build/ddaac81e9555922d2c8940c90ccbc8f37c6f4e1b987a79282a8324377d0e1724.png They declared TETHER as the official currency 🏅 They launched a stablecoin and a crypto bank on the Polygon network that accesses Uniswap pools for buying and selling currencies. They even created a digital lottery and boycotted the national Myanmar lottery, which saw its revenue drop by 80% 📉 https://image.nostr.build/4fd9c942150d77ed2c032af07f7d6f785b35ec52806f9c76a523398a6fad93a7.png https://image.nostr.build/7d8e3303a2f7a823094c281d65fe926358158e4beea41ee7f8f0d740985e3e28.png The rebels have raised about $100 million in recent years. They even auctioned "revolutionary bonds": buyers could receive a share of a deposed general's mansion, for example. But this $100 million is nothing compared to the nearly $1 billion that the junta has invested in the war since the coup. https://image.nostr.build/eb9746cf073e54a643de3c70767aee6aa0be09634ae9af0578b67d5c902892c6.png https://image.nostr.build/fc6f73aa8cc85024cbe4667725066c98c5f3fdb1bbedde479b0b897fdfef4d2e.png This ASYMMETRY of resources suggests a protracted conflict with no end in sight. The junta is unable to eliminate all the decentralized insurgency hotspots... but it can exhaust them financially. However, the asymmetry is decreasing, thanks to DISSIDENT TECHNOLOGIES... https://image.nostr.build/93ff5fc270a0569fd2b314e37b46d713b868279b95d830f906c0ecfb3a633cd1.png JStark would be proud. In recent months, there have been reports of FGC9s in use in Myanmar. FGC9 is one of the most popular models of self-made firearms. FGC = Fuck Gun Control No one conquers a city with FGC9s. But it is certainly possible to... https://image.nostr.build/e71236550139189060f73e9c771bec5ad5c7ee6d74ff839519ec4f94dfaf8be4.jpg https://image.nostr.build/32dbf62496fc16bb532396d9c0f67348e616743d57a4b451927d610df2385e7a.jpg ... defend a mountain pass or a village surrounded by forest with them. Moreover, the resistance has mastered the art of producing and piloting homemade patrol drones. Check it out 👇 https://video.nostr.build/6455e3665450014e51e9c7ca96424c463741751239bfa6b8f059c90ac27fb6a8.mp4 https://image.nostr.build/aa0cdf1ebde058c7d6816499bb20eb220aa3e4825c12fc866deeb170f053711b.jpg https://image.nostr.build/863eec319106271697d818c28e730048ed45e7ff7990d30f9f4592202b77c467.jpg https://image.nostr.build/9f7d5a5a61ad4e979d6305dc4d2c124979e1ee49adac10a8ca9d18310857bd86.jpg The insurgents have already liberated ~50% of the territory. The military junta controls the most populous and economically significant areas. China supported the last coup in 2021. The West never had enough incentive to confront Beijing 🇨🇳 But in 2024, everything starts to change. https://image.nostr.build/56c5705a1c8f1e73685767d2b059cdf38d9002029369c667c4ce246a9090e595.png China's interest is economic. They need to be on the side of the "winner" to ensure access to Myanmar's strategic pipelines and ports. But in March of this year, Beijing lost its patience. Hold on to this: 😳 44,000 CHINESE were in Myanmar as "slaves"... https://image.nostr.build/faa92bf49b76a74367313ae9dc701a20800fef77c00a74676e9003f557211332.png ...and they were finally discovered and "returned." They were working in "ONLINE SCAM CENTERS" operating in the northern part of the country. They were lured with fake job advertisements. This is a scam center on the border with Thailand, packed with Chinese workers, scamming people worldwide 👇 https://image.nostr.build/2460a015b0beb3b775506b6e50e9c96c1ceb743e4214a3a1a1f4ebd6b3c00b20.jpg Think about this 👇 You’ve probably been targeted by some online profile trying to scam you, operated by one of the THOUSANDS of trafficked Chinese people working in centers like this. What year are we living in, folks?! 😳 https://image.nostr.build/ede9666bb2b241506214704e0f7b4585fc1adb5db438145c77e89a73b32ce65b.png The fight against tyranny still seems far from over. But the end appears to have already begun. The balance of power is shifting.

@ 87730827:746b7d35

Original: https://techreport.com/crypto-news/brazil-central-bank-ban-monero-stablecoins/ Brazilian’s Central Bank Will Ban Monero and Algorithmic Stablecoins in the Country =================================================================================== Brazil proposes crypto regulations banning Monero and algorithmic stablecoins and enforcing strict compliance for exchanges. * * * **KEY TAKEAWAYS** * The Central Bank of Brazil has proposed **regulations prohibiting privacy-centric cryptocurrencies** like Monero. * The regulations **categorize exchanges into intermediaries, custodians, and brokers**, each with specific capital requirements and compliance standards. * While the proposed rules apply to cryptocurrencies, certain digital assets like non-fungible tokens **(NFTs) are still ‘deregulated’ in Brazil**.  In a Notice of Participation announcement, the Brazilian Central Bank (BCB) outlines **regulations for virtual asset service providers (VASPs)** operating in the country. **_In the document, the Brazilian regulator specifies that privacy-focused coins, such as Monero, must be excluded from all digital asset companies that intend to operate in Brazil._** Let’s unpack what effect these regulations will have. Brazil’s Crackdown on Crypto Fraud ---------------------------------- If the BCB’s current rule is approved, **exchanges dealing with coins that provide anonymity must delist these currencies** or prevent Brazilians from accessing and operating these assets. The Central Bank argues that currencies like Monero make it difficult and even prevent the identification of users, thus creating problems in complying with international AML obligations and policies to prevent the financing of terrorism. According to the Central Bank of Brazil, the bans aim to **prevent criminals from using digital assets to launder money**. In Brazil, organized criminal syndicates such as the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho have been increasingly using digital assets for money laundering and foreign remittances. > … restriction on the supply of virtual assets that contain characteristics of fragility, insecurity or risks that favor fraud or crime, such as virtual assets designed to favor money laundering and terrorist financing practices by facilitating anonymity or difficulty identification of the holder. > > – [Notice of Participation](https://www.gov.br/participamaisbrasil/edital-de-participacao-social-n-109-2024-proposta-de-regulamentacao-do-) The Central Bank has identified that **removing algorithmic stablecoins is essential to guarantee the safety of users’ funds** and avoid events such as when Terraform Labs’ entire ecosystem collapsed, losing billions of investors’ dollars. The Central Bank also wants to **control all digital assets traded by companies in Brazil**. According to the current proposal, the [national regulator](https://techreport.com/cryptocurrency/learning/crypto-regulations-global-view/) will have the **power to ask platforms to remove certain listed assets** if it considers that they do not meet local regulations. However, the regulations will not include [NFTs](https://techreport.com/statistics/crypto/nft-awareness-adoption-statistics/), real-world asset (RWA) tokens, RWA tokens classified as securities, and tokenized movable or real estate assets. These assets are still ‘deregulated’ in Brazil. Monero: What Is It and Why Is Brazil Banning It? ------------------------------------------------ Monero ($XMR) is a cryptocurrency that uses a protocol called CryptoNote. It launched in 2013 and ‘erases’ transaction data, preventing the sender and recipient addresses from being publicly known. The Monero network is based on a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism, which incentivizes miners to add blocks to the blockchain.  Like Brazil, **other nations are banning Monero** in search of regulatory compliance. Recently, Dubai’s new digital asset rules prohibited the issuance of activities related to anonymity-enhancing cryptocurrencies such as $XMR. Furthermore, exchanges such as **Binance have already announced they will delist Monero** on their global platforms due to its anonymity features. Kraken did the same, removing Monero for their European-based users to comply with [MiCA regulations](https://techreport.com/crypto-news/eu-mica-rules-existential-threat-or-crypto-clarity/). Data from Chainalysis shows that Brazil is the **seventh-largest Bitcoin market in the world**.  In Latin America, **Brazil is the largest market for digital assets**. Globally, it leads in the innovation of RWA tokens, with several companies already trading this type of asset. In Closing ---------- Following other nations, Brazil’s regulatory proposals aim to combat illicit activities such as money laundering and terrorism financing. Will the BCB’s move safeguard people’s digital assets while also stimulating growth and innovation in the crypto ecosystem? Only time will tell. References ---------- Cassio Gusson is a journalist passionate about technology, cryptocurrencies, and the nuances of human nature. With a career spanning roles as Senior Crypto Journalist at CriptoFacil and Head of News at CoinTelegraph, he offers exclusive insights on South America’s crypto landscape. A graduate in Communication from Faccamp and a post-graduate in Globalization and Culture from FESPSP, Cassio explores the intersection of governance, decentralization, and the evolution of global systems. [View all articles by Cassio Gusson](https://techreport.com/author/cassiog/)

@ 5e5fc143:393d5a2c

Now test old reliable front end Stay tuned more later Keeping this as template long note for debugging in future as come across few NIP-33 post edit issues

@ af9c48b7:a3f7aaf4

## Chef's notes This simple, easy, no bake desert will surely be the it at you next family gathering. You can keep it a secret or share it with the crowd that this is a healthy alternative to normal pie. I think everyone will be amazed at how good it really is. ## Details - ⏲️ Prep time: 30 - 🍳 Cook time: 0 - 🍽️ Servings: 8 ## Ingredients - 1/3 cup of Heavy Cream- 0g sugar, 5.5g carbohydrates - 3/4 cup of Half and Half- 6g sugar, 3g carbohydrates - 4oz Sugar Free Cool Whip (1/2 small container) - 0g sugar, 37.5g carbohydrates - 1.5oz box (small box) of Sugar Free Instant Chocolate Pudding- 0g sugar, 32g carbohydrates - 1 Pecan Pie Crust- 24g sugar, 72g carbohydrates ## Directions 1. The total pie has 30g of sugar and 149.50g of carboydrates. So if you cut the pie into 8 equal slices, that would come to 3.75g of sugar and 18.69g carbohydrates per slice. If you decided to not eat the crust, your sugar intake would be .75 gram per slice and the carborytrates would be 9.69g per slice. Based on your objective, you could use only heavy whipping cream and no half and half to further reduce your sugar intake. 2. Mix all wet ingredients and the instant pudding until thoroughly mixed and a consistent color has been achieved. The heavy whipping cream causes the mixture to thicken the more you mix it. So, I’d recommend using an electric mixer. Once you are satisfied with the color, start mixing in the whipping cream until it has a consistent “chocolate” color thorough. Once your satisfied with the color, spoon the mixture into the pie crust, smooth the top to your liking, and then refrigerate for one hour before serving.

@ 41e6f20b:06049e45

Let me tell you a beautiful story. Last night, during the speakers' dinner at Monerotopia, the waitress was collecting tiny tips in Mexican pesos. I asked her, "Do you really want to earn tips seriously?" I then showed her how to set up a Cake Wallet, and she started collecting tips in Monero, reaching 0.9 XMR. Of course, she wanted to cash out to fiat immediately, but it solved a real problem for her: making more money. That amount was something she would never have earned in a single workday. We kept talking, and I promised to give her Zoom workshops. What can I say? I love people, and that's why I'm a natural orange-piller.

@ 0461fcbe:35a474dd

On Nostr, I am running several marketing accounts for my projects: Ditto, The Mostr Bridge, and Cobrafuma. But I want other people to be able to post from those accounts. In fact, I want to hire a "social media manager" someday (for when my wife is not available 😂). This is a pretty basic need for social media, but of course on Nostr it isn't basic at all, because private keys have nuclear potential if leaked. Even if you trust the person, a small mistake could be disastrous. To solve this, we need a bunker. ## What is a bunker? A bunker (aka "remote signer") allows you to store your keys on your computer, but give others access. Once the other person is granted access, they can send commands to your computer like `sign_event` and `get_public_key`, and your computer will perform those operations without needing to expose the actual key.  In reality the UX is not so technical. Your bunker generates a unique URI containing the connection details, and the other person pastes it into the login screen. Everything else happens automatically. As for the running the bunker, you can run it on a VPS, a laptop, an old computer in your house, a Raspberry Pi, or even an Android phone. The first bunker was an Android app called Nostr Connect. This lead to the creation of nsecBunker (a hosted service), nsec.app (a bunker that runs inside your web browser), and Amber (another Android app). These days nsec.app and Amber are the only ones being actively developed, but due to running in restricted environments (web and Android respectively), they don't offer the level of 24/7 reliability I wanted in a bunker. If you are a single user managing your own keys I still recommend Amber, but for doling out credentials to your team, you might want knox. ## Introducing Knox  knox is a command-line tool that manages keys, generates bunker URIs, and runs a bunker server. It is still beta software, but I am using it successfully today to post on Ditto. knox is inspired by the wonderful [`nak bunker`](https://github.com/fiatjaf/nak) command, which almost solved my problem but has no way to store credentials. So I created my own command-line bunker that you can run again and again.  Most notably, knox introduces a portable `.bunker` file format for storing keys and connection details. It's encrypted with a password, which you have to type every time you want to add or remove keys, generate new URIs, and when you start the bunker. With knox you can have one bunker file, or many. It is loosely inspired by the KeePass `.kbdx` idea. knox is written in TypeScript, but it's available as a precompiled executable on Linux, MacOS, and Windows thanks to `deno compile`. ## Getting Started To install knox, I've prepared a simple setup script that will detect your OS and install the knox command in your path: ```sh curl https://dl.soapbox.pub/install/knox.sh | sh ``` You can also grab a [precompiled binary](https://gitlab.com/soapbox-pub/knox#install) if you don't want to run the script. ## Commands Once installed, run `knox` to see a list of supported commands. It should look something like this: ``` Usage: knox [options] [command] Nostr bunker with encrypted storage. Options: -V, --version output the version number -f, --file <file> path to the bunker file (default: "knox.bunker") -h, --help display help for command Commands: init initialize a new bunker add <name> add a new key to the bunker remove <name> remove a key from the bunker uri [options] <name> <relay...> generate a bunker URI for a key revoke <secret> revoke an authorization pubkey [options] <name> show the public key of a secret key status [name] show the status of the bunker start start the bunker daemon change change the passphrase of the bunker export [options] export keys from the bunker update [options] [ref] update knox to the latest version help [command] display help for command ``` Run `knox init` to create a new bunker file. Then use `knox add alex` (replace with your own name) to add a key, then `knox uri alex` to get a connection string. Finally, run `knox start` to start the bunker. While the bunker is running, you can continue to run commands like `knox add` and `knox uri` in another tab, and the bunker will detect the file changes and automatically refresh.  Another good one is `knox status`, which shows a list of keys and whether any of their URIs are being utilized. `knox status <key>` can show the individual connections for a specific key, and `knox revoke <secret>` can revoke an individual connection. ## Bunker Where? knox needs internet connectivity to connect to relays, but it does not need to expose any ports to the outside world, so the ideal place might be on a desktop computer in your living room. This might be considered more secure than a VPS in a datacenter, depending on your circumstances.  I am running knox on an old Dell computer under my TV, which is a cheap and simple solution. It's connected to a backup battery in case the power flickers, but a prolonged outage would require starting the bunker again manually. I also suggest running the bunker in `screen` or a similar tool so you can reconnect and view the logs over ssh on your home network. It's not suggested to run knox in systemd, because knox requires manually entering the encryption password when it starts. Any solution to store the password to disk, or pass it through a command-line argument, would compromise security. ## What's Next? For now, knox is meeting my needs. As the idea evolves I expect to make more changes, and possibly improvements to the `.bunker` format if anyone else decides to use it. Feel free to drop any suggestions on [GitLab](https://gitlab.com/soapbox-pub/knox/-/issues)! Another interesting idea would be to build a UI to manage the `.bunker` file, or to offer hosted bunker (although I am kind of against this, unless the hoster is just cloud sync service and the bunker is decrypted locally within the browser, similar to KeeWeb).

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

## You have no idea I regularly read comments from people, on here, wondering how it's possible to marry -- or even simply be friends! -- with someone who doesn't agree with you on politics. I see this sentiment expressed quite often, usually in the context of Bitcoin, or whatever _pig is currently being chased through the village_, as they say around here.  It seems rather sensible, but I don't think it's as hard, as people make it out to be. Further, I think it's a dangerous precondition to set, for your interpersonal relationships, because the political field is constantly in flux. If you determine who you will love, by their opinions, do you stop loving them if their opinions change, or if the opinions they have become irrelevant and a new set of opinions are needed -- and their new ones don't match your new ones? We could see this happen to relationships en masse, during the Covid Era, and I think it happens every day, in a slow grind toward the disintegration of interpersonal discourse. I suspect many people do stop loving, at that point, as they never really loved the other person for their own sake, they loved the other person because they thought the other person was exactly like they are. But no two people are alike, and the longer you are in a relationship with someone else, the more the initial giddiness wears off and the trials and tribulations add up, the more you notice how very different you actually are. This is the point, where best friends and romantic couples say, _We just grew apart._ But you were always apart. You were always two different people. You just didn't notice, until now.  I've also always been surprised at how many same-party relationships disintegrate because of some disagreement over some particular detail of some particular topic, that they generally agree on. To me, it seems like an irrelevant side-topic, but _they can't stand to be with this person_... and they stomp off. So, I tend to think that it's less that opinions need to align to each other, but rather that opinions need to align in accordance with the level of interpersonal tolerance they can bring into the relationship. ## I was raised by relaxed revolutionaries Maybe I see things this way because my parents come from two diverging political, cultural, national, and ethnic backgrounds, and are prone to disagreeing about a lot of "important" (to people outside their marriage) things, but still have one of the healthiest, most-fruitful, and most long-running marriages of anyone I know, from that generation. My parents, you see, aren't united by their opinions. They're united by their relationship, which is something _outside_ of opinions. Beyond opinions. Relationships are what turn two different people into one, cohesive unit, so that they slowly grow together. Eventually, even their faces merge, and their biological clocks tick to the same rhythm. They eventually become one entity that contains differing opinions about the same topics. It's like magic, but it's the result of a mindset, not a worldview. Or, as I like to quip: > The best way to stay married, is to not get divorced.  My parents simply determined early on, that they would stay together, and whenever they would find that they disagreed on something that _didn't directly pertain to their day-to-day existence with each other_ they would just agree-to-disagree about that, or roll their eyes, and move on. You do you. Live and let live. My parents have some of the most strongly held personal opinions of any people I've ever met, but they're also incredibly tolerant and can get along with nearly anyone, so their friends are a confusing hodgepodge of _people we liked and found interesting enough to keep around_. Which makes their house parties really fun, and highly unusual, in this day and age of mutual-damnation across the aisle.  The things that did affect them, directly, like which school the children should attend or which country they should live in, etc. were things they'd sit down and discuss, and somehow one opinion would emerge, and they'd again... move on. And that's how my husband and I also live our lives, and it's been working surprisingly well. No topics are off-limits to discussion (so long as you don't drone on for too long), nobody has to give up deeply held beliefs, or stop agitating for the political decisions they prefer. You see, we didn't like that the other always had the same opinion. We liked that the other always held their opinions strongly. That they were passionate about their opinions. That they were willing to voice their opinions; sacrifice to promote their opinions. And that they didn't let anyone browbeat or cow them, for their opinions, not even their best friends or their spouse. But that they were open to listening to the other side, and trying to wrap their mind around the possibility that they _might just be wrong about something_.  We married each other because we knew: this person really cares, this person has thought this through, and they're in it, to win it. What "it" is, is mostly irrelevant, so long as it doesn't entail torturing small animals in the basement, or raising the children on a diet of Mountain Dew and porn, or something. Live and let live. At least, it's never boring. At least, there's always something to ~~argue~~ talk about. At least, we never think... we've just grown apart.

@ 4ba8e86d:89d32de4

Tutorial feito por Grom mestre⚡poste original abaixo: http://xh6liiypqffzwnu5734ucwps37tn2g6npthvugz3gdoqpikujju525yd.onion/240277/tutorial-criando-e-acessando-sua-conta-de-email-pela-i2p?show=240277#q240277 Bom dia/tarde/noite a todos os camaradas. Seguindo a nossa série de tutoriais referentes a tecnologias essenciais para a segurança e o anonimato dos usuários, sendo as primeiras a openPGP e a I2P, lhes apresento mais uma opção para expandir os seus conhecimentos da DW. Muitos devem conhecer os serviços de mail na onion como DNMX e mail2tor, mas e que tal um serviço de email pela I2P. Nesse tutorial eu vou mostrar a vocês como criar a sua primeira conta no hq.postman.i2p e a acessar essa conta. É importante que vocês tenham lido a minha primeira série de tutoriais a respeito de como instalar, configurar e navegar pela I2P nostr:nevent1qqsyjcz2w0e6d6dcdeprhuuarw4aqkw730y542dzlwxwssneq3mwpaspz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduhsygzt4r5x6tvh39kujvmu8egqdyvf84e3w4e0mq0ckswamfwcn5eduspsgqqqqqqsyp5vcq Esse tutorial é um pré-requisito para o seguinte e portanto recomendo que leia-os antes de prosseguir com o seguinte tutorial. O tutorial de Kleopatra nostr:nevent1qqs8h7vsn5j6qh35949sa60dms4fneussmv9jd76n24lsmtz24k0xlqzyp9636rd9ktcjmwfxd7ru5qxjxyn6uch2uhas8utg8wa5hvf6vk7gqcyqqqqqqgecq8f7 é complementar dado que é extremamente recomendado assinar e criptografar as mensagens que seguem por emails pela DW. Sem mais delongas, vamos ao tutorial de fato. ## 1. Criando uma conta de email no hq.postman Relembrando: Esse tutorial considera que você já tenha acesso à I2P. Entre no seu navegador e acesse o endereço hq.postman.i2p. O roteador provavelmente já contém esse endereço no seu addressbook e não haverá a necessidade de inserir o endereço b32 completo. Após entrar no site vá para a página '1 - Creating a mailbox' https://image.nostr.build/d850379fe315d2abab71430949b06d3fa49366d91df4c9b00a4a8367d53fcca3.jpg Nessa página, insira as credenciais de sua preferências nos campos do formulário abaixo. Lembre-se que o seu endereço de email aceita apenas letras e números. Clique em 'Proceed' depois que preencher todos os campos. https://image.nostr.build/670dfda7264db393e48391f217e60a2eb87d85c2729360c8ef6fe0cf52508ab4.jpg Uma página vai aparecer pedindo para confirmar as credenciais da sua nova conta. Se tudo estiver certo apenas clique em 'Confirm and Create Mailbox'. Se tudo ocorrer como conforme haverá uma confirmação de que a sua nova conta foi criada com sucesso. Após isso aguarde por volta de 5 minutos antes de tentar acessá-la, para que haja tempo suficiente para o servidor atualizar o banco de dados. https://image.nostr.build/ec58fb826bffa60791fedfd9c89a25d592ac3d11645b270c936c60a7c59c067f.jpg https://image.nostr.build/a2b7710d1e3cbb36431acb9055fd62937986b4da4b1a1bbb06d3f3cb1f544fd3.jpg Pronto! Sua nova conta de email na I2P foi criada. Agora vamos para a próxima etapa: como acessar a sua conta via um cliente de email. ## 2. Configurando os túneis cliente de SMTP e POP3 O hq.postman não possui um cliente web que nos permite acessar a nossa conta pelo navegador. Para isso precisamos usar um cliente como Thunderbird e configurar os túneis cliente no I2Pd que serão necessários para o Thunderbird se comunicar com o servidor pela I2P. Caso não tenha instalado o Thunderbird ainda, faça-o agora antes de prosseguir. Vamos configurar os túneis cliente do servidor de email no nosso roteador. Para isso abra um terminal ou o seu gestor de arquivos e vá para a pasta de configuração de túneis do I2P. Em Linux esse diretório se localiza em /etc/i2pd/tunnels.d. Em Windows, essa pasta se localiza em C:\users\user\APPDATA\i2pd. Na pasta tunnels.d crie dois arquivos: smtp.postman.conf e pop-postman.conf. Lembre-se que em Linux você precisa de permissões de root para escrever na pasta de configuração. Use o comando sudoedit <nome_do_arquivo> para isso. Edite-os conforme as imagens a seguir: Arquivo pop-postman.conf https://image.nostr.build/7e03505c8bc3b632ca5db1f8eaefc6cecb4743cd2096d211dd90bbdc16fe2593.jpg Arquivo smtp-postman.conf https://image.nostr.build/2d06c021841dedd6000c9fc2a641ed519b3be3c6125000b188842cd0a5af3d16.jpg Salve os arquivos e reinicie o serviço do I2Pd. Em Linux isso é feito pelo comando: ``` sudo systemctl restart i2pd ``` Entre no Webconsole do I2Pd pelo navegador (localhost:7070) e na seção I2P Tunnels, verifique se os túneis pop-postman e smtp-postman foram criados, caso contrário verifique se há algum erro nos arquivos e reinicie o serviço. Com os túneis cliente criados, vamos agora configurar o Thunderbird ## 3. Configurando o Thunderbird para acessar a nossa conta Abra o Thunderbird e clique em criar uma nova conta de email. Se você não tiver nenhum conta previamente presente nele você vai ser diretamente recebido pela janela de criação de conta a seguir. https://image.nostr.build/e9509d7bd30623716ef9adcad76c1d465f5bc3d5840e0c35fe4faa85740f41b4.jpg https://image.nostr.build/688b59b8352a17389902ec1e99d7484e310d7d287491b34f562b8cdd9dbe8a99.jpg Coloque as suas credenciais, mas não clique ainda em Continuar. Clique antes em Configure Manually, já que precisamos configurar manualmente os servidores de SMTP e POP3 para, respectivamente, enviar e receber mensagens. Preencha os campos como na imagem a seguir. Detalhe: Não coloque o seu endereço completo com o @mail.i2p, apenas o nome da sua conta. https://image.nostr.build/4610b0315c0a3b741965d3d7c1e4aff6425a167297e323ba8490f4325f40cdcc.jpg Clique em Re-test para verificar a integridade da conexão. Se tudo estiver certo uma mensagem irá aparecer avisando que as configurações do servidores estão corretas. Clique em Done assim que estiver pronto para prosseguir. https://image.nostr.build/8a47bb292f94b0d9d474d4d4a134f8d73afb84ecf1d4c0a7eb6366d46bf3973a.jpg A seguinte mensagem vai aparecer alertando que não estamos usando criptografia no envio das credenciais. Não há problema nenhum aqui, pois a I2P está garantindo toda a proteção e anonimato dos nossos dados, o que dispensa a necessidade de uso de TLS ou qualquer tecnologia similar nas camadas acima. Marque a opção 'I Understand the risks' e clique em 'Continue' https://image.nostr.build/9c1bf585248773297d2cb1d9705c1be3bd815e2be85d4342227f1db2f13a9cc6.jpg E por fim, se tudo ocorreu como devido sua conta será criada com sucesso e você agora será capaz de enviar e receber emails pela I2P usando essa conta. https://image.nostr.build/8ba7f2c160453c9bfa172fa9a30b642a7ee9ae3eeb9b78b4dc24ce25aa2c7ecc.jpg ## 4. Observações e considerações finais Como informado pelo próprio site do hq.postman, o domínio @mail.i2p serve apenas para emails enviados dentro da I2P. Emails enviados pela surface devem usar o domínio @i2pmai.org. É imprescindível que você saiba usar o PGP para assinar e criptografar as suas mensagens, dado que provavelmente as mensagens não são armazenadas de forma criptografada enquanto elas estão armazenadas no servidor. Como o protocolo POP3 delete as mensagens no imediato momento em que você as recebe, não há necessidade de fazer qualquer limpeza na sua conta de forma manual. Por fim, espero que esse tutorial tenha sido útil para vocês. Que seu conhecimento tenha expandido ainda mais com as informações trazidas aqui. Até a próxima.

@ 20986fb8:cdac21b3

**Hey Nostriches! ** Thrilled to launch the latest YakiHonne update—Simpler, Easier, Faster! After a lot of hard work, we bring you a highly optimized, user-friendly decentralized media experience on both web and mobile. This version focuses on two main aspects: **1. Complete Redesign:** Our UI/UX now puts simplicity first, minimizing technicalities for creators and social users alike. Here’s what’s new: • Onboarding: Easily create a non-custodial wallet with Npub & Nsec, experience zapping (Lightning payments), or browse as a guest. • Home & Discover: “Discover” is designed for creators, focusing on rich formats like long-form content, videos, and curated works. “Home” offers a social feed with short notes and curated contents, making it quick and easy for creators to share their work. • Wallet: Simple setup with easy creation, direct YakiHonne node linking, and multi-wallet support. • Dashboard: Manage all published and drafted content, check stats, and pick up right where you left off—all in one place. • Notifications: Reactions, Reposts, Mentions, Zaps, Comments, and Follows now appear in clear, categorized cards. • Settings: Completely revamped for simplicity, now including profile customization, appearance, relay settings, and wallet management. **2. Enhanced Performance:** Our re-engineered core now supports the outbox model with extensive functionality. Furthermore, Thanks to @PabloF7z we now have seamless data fetching, caching, and full support of the NDK implementation. Hope you enjoy the new decentralized media experience! 🌐✨Try it out here: **•Web**: yakihonne.com **•App Store (iOS)**: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yakihonne/id6472556189 **•Google Play (Android)**: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yakihonne.yakihonne&hl=en Thank you for your incredible support on this decentralized media journey! https://v.nostr.build/Uu1uXf8P5D9KkBw6.mp4

@ a39d19ec:3d88f61e

##### What do you even print with it besides decorative objects? This kind of question still is a common one when talking about 3d printing. With this series of long-form notes I will show you some of the practical and useful 3d printed things, that I use a lot. Let me start the series with a nice little print consisting of two parts. ## Laptop riser There are many designs of laptop risers available online. But I like that the parts are small and interlocking, so that the are always together when not in use. The riser fits all laptops in our house. Particularly when working in Fusion360 my laptop needs lots of fresh air. I use the raiser regularly about 3 times a week. Sadly I don't know where I downloaded it from, so I cannot provide a link to it. 

@ a39d19ec:3d88f61e

**October's daily driver is the ana-digi Casio ABX-53 Twincept with module 1326. It features are world time, stopwatch, alarm and a databank for contacts.**  ## Design I have the gold/silver colored variant with a metal band. The watch has an analog clock and a floating display with the features listed above. Best thing is the "slider" mode that switches digital functions permanently. ## Storytime My log tells me that i bought the watch 6 years ago on a local flea market for close to nothing. It was in a bad condition and needed a new battery and some love. Sure enough it works fine since then. Most badass feature is that the analog hands are moved electronically not mechanically. Fun fact is that even my wife likes the floating display. First time she saw it I heard her say "Das ist echt cool", meaning "thats really cool".

@ 8b51905d:641078f6

# 1. Una plataforma de mensajería instantánea segura - Explicación de la seguridad end-to-end y cómo protege tus mensajes - Detalles sobre grupos con millones de miembros y su funcionalidad # 2. Telegram: más allá del chat estándar - Introducción a características avanzadas como bots, canal de noticias y integración con otras plataformas - Explicación de cómo Telegram es una "herramienta" versátil para tus necesidades > Citación: > Telegram es una nueva forma de comunicación instantánea, más segura, más eficaz y mucho más divertida. | Funcionalidad | WhatsApp | Telegram | | - | - | - | | Seguridad | Standard | End-to-end | | Grupos | 256 miembros| Millones | | Canales | No | Sí | | Bots | No | Sí | | Código abierto | Parcial | Sí | ```python from telegram import Update, Bot from telegram.ext import Updater, CommandHandler def start(update: Update, context: CallbackContext): update.message.reply_text('Hola, soy un bot de Telegram') def main(): updater = Updater(token='<TOKEN_DE_BOT>', use_context=True) dp = updater.dispatcher dp.add_handler(CommandHandler("start", start)) updater.start_polling() updater.idle() if __name__ == '__main__': main() ``` Picture: Una imagen que muestre la interfaz de Telegram en móvil y ordenador 

@ bb0174ae:75f7239a

What is Cyphermunk House? It is everything that is unprovided. It is the education that is never taught. It is the culture that is never commissioned. It is the space for the community that was never allowed to flourish because an equitable economy was never allowed to grow. It is a space to BE YOUR OWN BANK and a space to STAY HUMBLE. Cyphermunk House is London’s Bitcoin beacon. Providing sanctuary from the mainstream; from the politics of division, the brainwashing of legacy media, the predictive programming of film, the ‘three-quarter reptiles’ of music, the ‘shock value, indignation and existential angst’ of modern art and the centuries long corruption and exploitation of central banking. It is counter culture in extremis. A hotspot of no fear. A 21st space where fiat pastimes are secondary and pleb living is primary. What is bitcoin? Cross the threshold. How do you obtain it? Take a seat. Want to stack? Let’s begin. Dive into the mathematics of hope, the code of change and the magic of self-sovereignty. In here we educate, providing knowledge to match the student whether you are a stone-cold newb or a humble stacktivist. In return we learn that there are still so many who are yet to realise that money is broken, issuance matters and a bitcoin can be divided into things called sats. In other words, there is work to be done. Work that is evolving like that which inspires us. Can we educate? Can we provide space for people from all walks of life? Can we provide the seeds for discussion, the platform for ideas and the spectacle that confronts the issues in our society? Can we get a former Minister of State to laser eye his image?  So far, we are meeting these challenges, with more newbs through our doors than we could ever imagine, lured in by the rabbit of an upended banknote and their own curiosity. What the hell is that? And what's going on inside this rabbit warren of a building a mile’s crow flight from the life supported heart of British financial might. The ‘what’ is huge. Education. Culture. Freedom. And community. That same orange cocktail that bitcoin is pouring all over the world. Standing in direct opposition to the trends of indoctrination, centralisation and isolation that have pushed the group to the fringe and questioned the very idea that humans are social beings. In our world, meetups, conferences and real-world spaces are thriving. Education is pleb-led and free. And our culture is king.  I have witnessed the artistic offerings of this capital a lifetime over; dance on rooftops, songs beneath the river and Shakespeare performed by a man and a cast of sheep. In three short decades I have worked across music, theatre, film and art, and now find myself at the helm of Cyphermunk House. What is being created within these walls is more inspiring and exciting than anything the Tate has ever shown me, or the West End, or the Dome. This is the edge of the cultural moment. Lightning sharp and electric. Because our culture does more than entertain. It informs. And transforms. And it is happening everywhere, simultaneously. And in this tiny postcode of West Central London, it is happening hard. We _are_ 'Privacy Defenders'. We _will_ expose 'The Ugly Reality of War Crimes' and _we will_ declare that 'Coin Mixing is My Right' and yours too as we work towards a 'Humanity in Consensus'. Inspired? Come along and chuck it on the walls in the paradise paint of a world being built from the ground up. For this is the culture of code and it will not be put back in the box.  And yes the space is temporary, six more months perhaps, but its temporality is tangible forever, nostr makes it so. Our records permanent, our doors always open. Always sharing knowledge, wisdom and advice. While in these moments of tangibility, these blocks of time in meters of space, we will fire up the beacons and summon the zaps, for bitcoiners, artists, outcasts and dreamers to the temporal dance of rebellion that burns behind these doors. > “In the same way El Salvador felt way ahead of its time – a nation state adopting bitcoin as legal tender. This feels like it’s a cycle too early too. Surely, we shouldn’t have something this good till the 6th epoch." - Si, Bitcoin Events UK > And when we close our doors and move to pastures new, we will not forget the power we are finding - the power to redefine the rules. For this is how to use bitcoin and release the burden on the current system. It stands as a testament to the power of code that you can run an entity, without barriers, without red tape, without announcing your names or identity, where you create the rules. And so we invite you to the Bitcoin Culture Festival at Tooting Market, The Dockside Vaults and Cyphermunk House, and an explosion of culture from the We Are 2140 collective. Together we will host a brand-new exhibition; the Culture of Code and stamp a sequence of blocks with so much creativity that no Londoner will miss it. These are the signals of hope found in a civilisation mathematically backed by a money that extracts nothing from you. Embrace them. Support them - your fellow plebs and meetups. Network, connect and build. There is so much more to do and so much more to learn, but for now I've learnt this much - align your passions with bitcoin and every moment is a pill. Onward plebs. FIND OUT MORE [bitcoinculturefestival.london](https://bitcoinculturefestival.com) [2140.wtf](https://2140.wtf) [cyphermunkhouse.com](https://cyphermunkhouse.com) OUR PARTNERS / SPONSORS [ANGOR](https://angor.io) [BITCOIN EVENTS HQ](https://bitcoinonly.events/) [YAKIHONNE](https://yakihonne.com/) [GEYSER](https://geyser.fund/)

@ dc4cd086:cee77c06

Have you ever wanted to learn from lengthy educational videos but found it challenging to navigate through hours of content? Our new tool addresses this problem by transforming long-form video lectures into easily digestible, searchable content. ## Key Features: ### Video Processing: - Automatically downloads YouTube videos, transcripts, and chapter information - Splits transcripts into sections based on video chapters ### Content Summarization: - Utilizes language models to transform spoken content into clear, readable text - Formats output in AsciiDoc for improved readability and navigation - Highlights key terms and concepts with [[term]] notation for potential cross-referencing ### Diagram Extraction: - Analyzes video entropy to identify static diagram/slide sections - Provides a user-friendly GUI for manual selection of relevant time ranges - Allows users to pick representative frames from selected ranges ## Going Forward: Currently undergoing a rewrite to improve organization and functionality, but you are welcome to try the current version, though it might not work on every machine. Will support multiple open and closed language models for user choice Free and open-source, allowing for personal customization and integration with various knowledge bases. Just because we might not have it on our official Alexandria knowledge base, you are still welcome to use it on you own personal or community knowledge bases! We want to help find connections between ideas that exist across relays, allowing individuals and groups to mix and match knowledge bases between each other, allowing for any degree of openness you care. While designed with #Alexandria users in mind, it's available for anyone to use and adapt to their own learning needs. ## Screenshots ### Frame Selection  This is a screenshot of the frame selection interface. You'll see a signal that represents frame entropy over time. The vertical lines indicate the start and end of a chapter. Within these chapters you can select the frames by clicking and dragging the mouse over the desired range where you think diagram is in that chapter. At the bottom is an option that tells the program to select a specific number of frames from that selection. ### Diagram Extraction  This is a screenshot of the diagram extraction interface. For every selection you've made, there will be a set of frames that you can choose from. You can select and deselect as many frames as you'd like to save. ## Links - repo: https://github.com/limina1/video_article_converter - Nostr Apps 101: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flxa_jkErqE ## Output And now, we have a demonstration of the final result of this tool, with some quick cleaning up. The video we will be using this tool on is titled Nostr Apps 101 by nostr:npub1nxy4qpqnld6kmpphjykvx2lqwvxmuxluddwjamm4nc29ds3elyzsm5avr7 during Nostrasia. The following thread is an analog to the modular articles we are constructing for Alexandria, and I hope it conveys the functionality we want to create in the knowledge space. Note, this tool is the first step! You could use a different prompt that is most appropriate for the specific context of the transcript you are working with, but you can also manually clean up any discrepancies that don't portray the video accurately. nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzp5r5hd579v2sszvvzfel677c8dxgxm3skl773sujlsuft64c44ncqy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyv9kh2uewd9hj7qgwwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkctcpzemhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumt0wd68ytnsw43z7qghwaehxw309aex2mrp0yhxummnw3ezucnpdejz7qgewaehxw309aex2mrp0yh8xmn0wf6zuum0vd5kzmp0qqsxunmjy20mvlq37vnrcshkf6sdrtkfjtjz3anuetmcuv8jswhezgc7hglpn Or view on Coracle https://coracle.social /nevent1qqsxunmjy20mvlq37vnrcshkf6sdrtkfjtjz3anuetmcuv8jswhezgcppemhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mp0qgsdqa9md83tz5yqnrqjw07hhkpmfjpkuv9hlh5v8yhu8z274w9dv7qnnq0s3

@ 2dd9250b:6e928072

Para Anselmo, todo o sistema cristão poderia ser deduzido a partir dos e pelos princípios necessários da lógica. Ao contrário de Anselmo, os modernos racionalistas não acreditavam que o conteúdo das Escrituras possa ser provado verdadeiro apenas pela lógica. Devido esse embaraço em relação as primeiras premissas o Racionalismo de Descartes, Espinosa e Leibniz caiu em descrédito no final do século XX.

@ 2dd9250b:6e928072

Há de fato uma certa semelhança entre entre o Batman e o Charada. Tanto o Bruce, quanto o Edward foram prejudicados pelo Falcone, que mandava na Cidade de Gotham, pagando o Prefeito, a Polícia, os Juízes e Desembargadores, para que a impunidade continuasse e os criminosos mais perigosos não fossem presos. O Bruce e o Edward tinham o mesmo objetivo: Punir esses criminosos. Só que o Edward entendeu todo o esquema primeiro e resolveu usar o Bruce para chegar nos Traficantes que mandavam na cidade. O Bruce só punia os bandidos comuns. Até que foi descobrindo todo o esquema através das charadas do Edward. Só que tanto o Edward quanto o Bruce, de certa forma rivalizavam, ou melhor, competiam com o Estado. O Bruce porque era mais eficiente do que todo o departamento de polícia de Gotham, e o Edward porque sempre estava a um passo a frente da Polícia, eliminando os Estatistas do Colarinho Branco, um por um. Por isso eles eram perseguidos. Por isso o Edward diz ao Bruce que eles eram iguais. Os dois usavam máscara e buscavam vingança contra o Sistema. Dois jovens atormentados pelo parasitismo Estatal que faliu a cidade e desintregou a esperança de qualquer melhora por parte de seus cidadãos. Apesar de tudo isso, Bruce resolveu se voltar contra Edward porque ele ainda tinha fé no Estado. Acreditava que existiam policiais incorruptíveis como o Comissário Gordon. Bruce tinha fé de que a cidade poderia se reerguer a partir dos cidadãos de Gotham, e acreditava que as pessoas poderiam melhorar, escolher o bem aos invés de violar a propriedade privada alheia, roubar etc, se tivessem um símbolo de esperança para seguir (o Batman). Para o Batman de Robert Pattinson, o malvadões são somente os Políticos Corruptos e os grandes empresários que ajudam esses Estatistas (mafiosos como o Pinguim). Já Edward não tinha mais esperança em absolutamente ninguém de Gotham, por isso tentou inundar a cidade toda simbolizando o Dilúvio Bíblico. O Charada é descrito como um ex-contador que participava de uma comunidade online, onde recrutava seguidores para a sua causa. É quase impossível não enxerga-lo como um INCEL que vive no Reddit, ou no 4chan, se imaginando como um gênio revolucionário. No final, o Super Herói decide ajudar as pessoas para que todos não sejam puxados pela água e morram afogados, enquanto o Super-Vilão é preso. Mas o verdadeiro vilão da história continua impune. Perceba que o filme começa com Edward passando o Prefeito da cidade (um homem branco). Depois, o longa mostra de forma sutil que ele ameaçou de morte a candidata que estava na frente das pesquisas eleitorais. E sabendo que ela iria ganhar, ele planeja mata-lá no dia da eleição, já que ela apareceria em público para fazer um discurso. Como o plano falhou, Gotham tem uma nova Prefeita que encerra o filme com um discurso de renovação e "nova política". E os cidadãos de Gotham vão acreditar nisso. Afinal de contas, não há a menor possibilidade da cidade voltar ao que era antes. Porque agora o Prefeito é uma mulher negra. Geralmente, o Batman é mais admirado pelos Conservadores por dar porrada em bandido. E com esse filme não foi diferente. Mas para mim, foi mais do mesmo, um filme que se propõe a ser "inteligentinho" mas não passa de mais um produto da Warner com ESG e Progressimo. O Super-Herói que apresenta melhor uma aproximação com a Direita Norte-Americana é o Demolidor da Netflix.

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

# Nostr: a quick introduction, attempt #2 Nostr doesn't subscribe to any ideals of "free speech" as these belong to the realm of politics and assume a big powerful government that enforces a common ruleupon everybody else. Nostr instead is much simpler, it simply says that servers are private property and establishes a generalized framework for people to connect to all these servers, creating a true free market in the process. In other words, Nostr is the public road that each market participant can use to build their own store or visit others and use their services. (Of course a road is never truly public, in normal cases it's ran by the government, in this case it relies upon the previous existence of the internet with all its quirks and chaos plus a hand of government control, but none of that matters for this explanation). More concretely speaking, Nostr is just a set of definitions of the formats of the data that can be passed between participants and their expected order, i.e. messages between _clients_ (i.e. the program that runs on a user computer) and _relays_ (i.e. the program that runs on a publicly accessible computer, a "server", generally with a domain-name associated) over a type of TCP connection (WebSocket) with cryptographic signatures. This is what is called a "protocol" in this context, and upon that simple base multiple kinds of sub-protocols can be added, like a protocol for "public-square style microblogging", "semi-closed group chat" or, I don't know, "recipe sharing and feedback".

@ 469fa704:2b6cb760

## The Evolution of Web 3.0: Bitcoin's Role in Decentralizing the Internet ### Introduction to Web 3.0 Web 3.0, often referred to as the decentralized web, represents the next phase in the evolution of the internet. Unlike its predecessors, Web 3.0 aims to redistribute control from centralized entities back to individual users through technologies like blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and decentralized applications (dApps). This shift promises a more democratic internet where users control their data, identity, and digital destiny. ## The Bitcoin Protocol: A Foundation for Web 3.0 ### Bitcoin's Influence on Decentralization Bitcoin, introduced in 2008, can be seen as a precursor to Web 3.0 due to its decentralized nature. The Bitcoin protocol introduced the world to blockchain technology, a decentralized ledger that records all transactions across a network of computers. This technology underpins Web 3.0's ethos by: * **Promoting Decentralization**: Bitcoin's network operates without a central authority, showcasing how internet services could run on similar principles, reducing the power of centralized tech giants. * **Enhancing Security and Privacy**: Through cryptographic means, Bitcoin ensures that transactions are secure and pseudonymus, a feature integral to Web 3.0's vision of user-controlled data. ### Scalability and Functionality Challenges However, Bitcoin's protocol wasn't designed on the base layer with the complex applications of Web 3.0 in mind. Its primary function as a digital currency means: * **Scalability Issues**: Bitcoin's blockchain has limitations in transaction speed and volume, which might not suffice for a fully realized Web 3.0 environment where millions of micro-transactions could occur seamlessly. * **Limited Smart Contract Capabilities**: Bitcoin's scripting language isn't as versatile as platforms like Ethereum, which are designed to support a broader range of decentralized applications. ### Expanding Bitcoin's Role with Layer 2 Solutions To bridge these gaps, developers are working on Layer 2 solutions like the Lightning Network for faster transactions, and projects like Stacks aim to bring smart contract functionality directly to Bitcoin. These innovations suggest that while Bitcoin might not be the sole backbone of Web 3.0 yet, it can significantly contribute to its infrastructure. In the long term, the question is whether we need more than one network, I mean, we don't have multiple Internets today. The market will probably decide in favor of the strongest and most secure network, and Bitcoin is by far that. ## Web 3.0 Beyond Bitcoin ### A Broader Blockchain Ecosystem At the moment Web 3.0 encompasses by far more than just Bitcoin. It includes: * **Ethereum and Smart Contracts**: Ethereum's introduction of smart contracts has been pivotal, allowing for decentralized applications that can interact in complex ways, far beyond simple transactions. * **Other Blockchains**: Platforms like Solana, Sui, and Near are gaining traction for their high throughput and lower costs, addressing some of Bitcoin's limitations on the base layer. ## The Cultural and Economic Shift The move towards Web 3.0 isn't just technological but cultural. There's a growing sentiment, reflected in posts on platforms like X, that users are ready for a change where they own their digital presence. Here's some background based on general knowledge and trends up to 2024: ### Cultural Shift: * **Distrust in Centralized Institutions**: There's been a growing distrust in traditional centralized institutions like banks, governments, and large corporations. This distrust stems from various scandals, data breaches, privacy concerns, and perceived inefficiencies or corruption. Posts on platforms like X or even more on Nostr reflect this sentiment, where users often discuss the diminishing trust in these institutions. * **Rise of Individual Empowerment**: Culturally, there's a move towards empowerment of the individual, facilitated by technology. Social media, blockchain, and other decentralized technologies give individuals tools to bypass traditional gatekeepers in finance, media, and more. This shift champions the idea that individuals should have more control over their data, finances, and digital identity. * **Identity and Community**: Decentralization also touches on identity politics and community governance. There's a trend towards localism or regionalism where communities seek more control over their governance, which can be seen in movements for local autonomy or even secessionist sentiments in various parts of the world. * **Cultural Movements**: Movements like the maker culture, DIY (Do It Yourself), open-source software, and even the gig economy reflect a cultural shift towards decentralization where individuals or small groups can produce, create, or work independently of large entities. ### Economic Shift: * **Decentralized Finance (DeFi)**: DeFi represents one of the most tangible shifts, aiming to recreate and potentially improve financial systems outside of traditional banking. This includes lending, borrowing, and earning interest in a trustless, permissionless environment, primarily using blockchain technology. * **Cryptocurrencies and Tokenization**: The rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum symbolizes a move away from centralized monetary systems. Tokenization of assets, from art (NFTs - Non-Fungible Tokens) to real estate, embodies this shift, allowing for fractional ownership and reducing the barriers to investment. * **Globalization vs. Localism**: While globalization has interconnected economies, there's a counter-trend where economic decentralization supports local economies. This can be seen in the push for local currencies, community-supported agriculture, or local energy production like solar microgrids. * **Work and Employment**: The gig economy, remote work, and digital nomadism are part of this economic shift. Platforms enabling freelance work decentralize employment, moving away from traditional office environments and 9-to-5 jobs. ### General Observations: * **Technology as an Enabler**: Blockchain, the internet, and advancements in communication technology are pivotal in this shift. They provide the infrastructure necessary for decentralization to occur at scale. * **Political Implications**: Economically, this shift maybe challenges existing power structures, potentially leading to regulatory battles as seen with cryptocurrencies. Culturally, it might lead to a redefinition of nationalism, community, and individual rights in the digital age. * **Challenges**: Despite its promise, decentralization faces hurdles like scalability issues, regulatory pushback, the digital divide, and the potential for new forms of centralization (e.g., large crypto exchanges becoming new central authorities). ## Conclusion: Bitcoin's Place in Web 3.0 Bitcoin's protocol ignited the spark for a decentralized internet, but Web 3.0 is evolving into a multifaceted ecosystem where Bitcoin might play a crucial, though not yet exclusive, role. The integration of Bitcoin with newer technologies and platforms could see it becoming a fundamental layer in the Web 3.0 stack, particularly in areas of value transfer and as a store of value within decentralized finance (DeFi). As we progress, the synergy between Bitcoin's proven security and stability, combined with the innovation of other blockchain technologies, might just be the blend needed for Web 3.0 to achieve mainstream adoption, ensuring the internet becomes more open, secure, and user-centric. *As stated before, the market will probably decide in favor of the strongest and most secure network, and **Bitcoin** is by far that.*

@ 469fa704:2b6cb760

## Money Printing in general First of all, we need to make a distinction between money creation by central banks and fractional-reserve banking. Usually, the term money printing or “printer goes brrrrrr” refers to the creation of new central bank money, which is primarily created by central banks through: * **Open Market Operations**: Buying government securities, which injects money into the banking system by increasing bank reserves. This is often done electronically, not by physically printing money. * **Quantitative Easing (QE)**: Purchasing assets to inject money directly into the economy, aiming to stimulate economic activity by increasing the money supply. * **Setting Reserve Requirement**s: Although less about creating money, lowering reserve requirements can indirectly influence money creation by allowing banks to lend more, but as of recent policy changes, this has been set to zero in some systems, shifting focus to interest rates. * **Interest on Reserves**: By adjusting the interest rate paid on reserves, central banks influence how much banks are willing to lend, thereby indirectly affecting money creation. This is the first step of money creation, although printing money is usually connected to one of the aforementioned processes, the second step creates much more money through the expansion of credit. ## The Mechanics of Fractional-Reserve Banking ### The Concept In fractional-reserve banking, banks accept deposits from customers and only keep a small fraction of these deposits in reserve, lending out the rest. This practice essentially creates new money because: * **Deposits**: When you deposit money, say $1,000, into a bank, that money doesn't just sit there. * **Reserves**: If the reserve requirement is 10%, the bank keeps $100 as reserves. * **Loans**: The remaining $900 can be loaned out. Here's where money creation begins. Note: Current reserve requirements of the FED ([Source](https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/reservereq.htm)) and the ECB ([Source](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/ecb-and-you/explainers/tell-me/html/minimum_reserve_req.en.html)) are set at 0% respectively 1%. ### Example Calculation of Money Creation 1. **Initial Deposit**: You deposit $1,000 into Bank A. 2. Bank A's Action: * Keeps $10 (1%) as reserve. * Loans out $990 to another customer. 3. **The $990 Loan**: This $990, when spent, might end up in Bank B as someone's deposit. 4. **Bank B's Action**: * Keeps $9.9 (1% of $990) as reserve. * Can loan out $980.1 5. **Continuation**: This process repeats, with each cycle creating new deposits from loans. The **Deposit Multiplier** (m) can be calculated as: * m = 1 divided by Reserve Ration = 1 / Reserve Ration If the reserve ratio is 1%: * m = 1 / 1% = 1 / 0.01 = 100 This means, theoretically, an initial deposit of $1,000 could expand to: * $1,000 times 100 = $100,000 * However, in practice, this is tempered by factors like cash holdings, loan demand, and banks holding excess reserves. ### Historical and Economic Context * **Evolution from Goldsmiths**: The system has its roots in the practices of goldsmiths who issued notes for gold deposits, which eventually circulated as money. This practice evolved into the modern banking system where notes (now digital entries) represent claims on money. * **Regulation and Central Banking**: Over time, central banks like the Federal Reserve in the U.S. were established to regulate this process, provide stability, and act as lenders of last resort. The Fed's tools include setting reserve requirements, though this has become less relevant with the shift to a 0% reserve requirement. ### Criticisms and Alternatives * **Risk of Bank Runs**: Critics argue that fractional-reserve banking makes the system vulnerable to bank runs, where too many depositors demand their money back at once, which the bank cannot cover since most of the money is loaned out. * **Vollgeld Initiative and Full-Reserve Banking**: Movements like Switzerland's Vollgeld Initiative have proposed shifting to full-reserve banking, where banks must hold 100% of deposits in reserve, preventing them from creating money through lending. However, this would significantly alter how banks operate and make profits. *** Modern Adjustments**: The move to a 0% reserve requirement in the U.S. reflects a shift towards using other monetary policy tools like interest rates on reserves to control money creation and economic stability. ### Real-World Implications * **Money Supply Control**: While banks create money through loans, central banks like the Federal Reserve influence this through monetary policy, adjusting how much money banks can create. * **Economic Stability**: The zero reserve requirement might seem to allow infinite money creation, but in reality, banks are constrained by capital requirements, risk assessments, and economic conditions. ## Conclusion Fractional-reserve banking is a dynamic system that significantly influences economic growth by expanding the money supply through debt. While it allows for economic expansion, it also introduces risks of instability, which central banks attempt to mitigate through various policy tools. Understanding this system helps demystify how money flows and grows within an economy, showcasing both its capacity for economic stimulation and its inherent risks. As we move forward, debates continue on how best to balance these aspects to foster economic stability and growth. In 2009, a new system called Bitcoin emerged that could redefine the rules for money creation.

@ 469fa704:2b6cb760

## Unified Login Across Platforms With Nostr, you use one login for all services, and your followers are seamlessly integrated. So you don't have start anew on every single platform. I think this is a real advantage of Nostr even for people not accustomed to Bitcoin or decentralization in general. ## Value for Value (V4V) Model Embrace the V4V principle where value is exchanged directly between users. Meaning if you find something useful or anohter nostr user was able to help you then you can simply zap him or her some Sats. ## Blogging Platforms * **Habla or Yakihonne**: Since joining Nostr 8 days ago, I've started blogging using Habla, which I found incredibly user-friendly. You can check out my articles directly on some clients like noStrudel, where they appear under my profile. Habla also serves as a great community explorer. Yakihonne, another comprehensive client with an integrated blog editor, caught my eye too, although it didn't sync all my Habla posts, possibly due to relay issues. * **Highlighter.com**: Offers a sleek interface for reading articles. On noStrudel, articles are tucked away under the "More" menu. ## Presentations * **Slidestr.net**: This tool transforms your notes into a slideshow, making revisiting old notes quite entertaining. ## Video Content * **Flare.pub**: If you're looking for a YouTube-like experience, Flare.pub is the closest you'll get on Nostr. You can upload, watch videos, and curate playlists. Remember, since Nostr is fundamentally text-based, videos are hosted on traditional servers, but the interface remains decentralized. There's definitely room for more video content, so start creating! ## Live Streaming * **Zapstream**: Offers a smooth streaming experience with a fee of 10 Sats per minute to cover server costs. You can watch streams on clients like Amethyst or noStrudel. ## Music and Podcasts * **Wavlake and Tunestr**: Ideal for artists to share music or podcasts. Listeners can enjoy content freely or support creators via zaps, adhering to the V4V model. ## Lists and Grouping * **Listr**: A tool for organizing everything from regional user groups to thematic notes or hashtags. You can also follow lists created by others in the Nostr community. ## Culinary Arts * **zap.cooking**: A haven for aspiring or seasoned chefs, offering a plethora of recipes in a blog format. It's well-organized, allowing you to browse through different categories of recipes. ## Marketplaces * **Plebian Market**: Reminiscent of eBay's early days, this marketplace allows easy buying and selling among users. ## Community Features * Many clients like noStrudel, Habla, and Amethyst support community functionalities, enhancing user interaction within Nostr.

@ 3b7fc823:e194354f

Encryption is the promethium fire that the cypherpunks secured from heaven for me and you. It is our sacred duty to use and advance that in the world. Encryption is so powerful that governments tried to keep it away from the people and to this day have tried to weaken and backdoor it at every turn. So what is encryption? It is a deep deep rabbit hole and involves a lot of numbers but in a nutshell it uses math to scramble up the data of your file so it is gibberish and can't be read without decrypting it back to regular data. Encryption technology has continued to advance over time and cracking technology to break the encryption has as well. For our purposes all you really need to remember is to use modern cyphers and your encryption is really only going to be as good as the password (use a passphrase) strength you are using to lock it down with. > BEGINNER LEVEL - Encrypt your phone and computer. People walk around with their whole lives on their phone. Protect it. -phone: Congratulations, if you already have a lock screen set on either your iPhone or Android device then device encryption is enabled. If your lock screen password is only 4 digits then we still have work to do. Four digits is only about 10,000 combinations and fairly easy to crack. I believe it only took them about 40 minutes to crack the iPhone of the attempted Trump shooter. Go into settings and set it up for 6 digits or for extra credit use a alphanumeric password. After your phone then your personal computer probably has the most important data to you. Banking records, tax documents, photos, etc. Encrypt your drive. -Windows: from Settings, select Privacy security -> Device encryption. Just follow the prompts. -Apple: from Apple icon, select System Preferences -> Security & Privacy icon. Click "Turn On FileVault". -Linux: most distros gives you the option during installation. If you didn't do so then search for how to enable it after the fact based on your distribution. Awesome sauce. You have achieved minimum status. > ADVANCED LEVEL - Encrypt individual files. You already encrypted your computer but guess what, once you start up your computer and log in the key is stored in RAM for as long as it stays on. The beginner level encryption protects your computer when it is off and it means no one can just steal your hard drive and access your files. This is good, but what if someone grabs you while you're sitting there working on it? What if you leave it in sleep mode and not turned off? Then that whole disk encryption is not really going to help you. What if you had individual files that you consider more secret than the others? That finance spreadsheet or that special pic your spouse sent you? That's where individual file encryption comes in. You are just scrolling nostr when they grab you, your computer is on, and unlocked, but those special files are still safely encrypted. I will share with you one of my favorite small programs: Picocrypt. Download the Paranoid pack and store it in multiple drives, email accounts, and cloud storage. That way you will always have a copy to decrypt any files that you stored away. Use it to encrypt any files that you feel need extra attention. It is also very useful for encrypting any files that you intend to store online in cloud storage. You do encrypt your files that are stored online don't you? Yes, even with the company that offers "encrypted" storage. Don't trust their encryption, use your own. > EXPERT LEVEL - Encrypt containers and hidden containers. What if you want to encrypt several files and keep them all together in like a folder or container? That's where Veracrypt comes in. Free, open source, cross platform, and powerful. Veracrypt allows you to create encrypted containers from any file that act like individual drives that can be mounted or unmounted as needed. You can name these files anything that you want, move them around or delete like any file, and make as many as you want. This allows you to have compartmentation of your files and drives. Next trick, Veracrypt allows you to create a hidden container inside that container. Enter one passphrase and you open the encrypted container. Enter a different passphrase and you open a different hidden container. This allows deniability. When they grab you and start pulling your fingernails off until you tell them the password to open the encrypted container, give it to them. They don't have to know that there is another hidden one under that. These features allow you to do all sorts of interesting things only limited by your need and imagination. What if you have a container named as some random config file in your /etc folder? What if you just encrypted a removable storage drive? What if you have multiple hard drives on your computer that have multiple containers and hidden containers? What if you have a hidden container that can only be accessed from booting up in a amnesiac OS like Tails leaving no trace that the files exist or trail that they were ever accessed? Go crazy, have fun. > NEMO - Failsafe Nemo has no files, encrypted or otherwise. If they did you couldn't prove it. Nemo does use something like Tails that retains no memory from boot to boot. Nemo also uses a failsafe. A simple lanyard attached to the flashdrive running the OS and the other end around their wrist while they work. When you try to separate them from the computer the flashdrive pulls out and everything is gone. > > Using these programs you can create a layered and compartmentlized approach to your encryption scheme. There are also plenty of other encryption programs to check out such as Cryptomator, AES Crypt, etc > Last point and most important: Encryption is only as good as the passphrase you use to lock it down. Use a shitty password and it doesn't matter how uncrackable your encryption is.

@ 469fa704:2b6cb760

In traditional investment wisdom, diversification is the mantra chanted by financial advisors worldwide. It's the strategy to spread risk across various assets to mitigate losses. However, when it comes to Bitcoin, some argue this principle might not apply in the same way. Here's why: ## 1. Bitcoin's Unique Value Proposition Bitcoin, often dubbed "digital gold," has several attributes that set it apart from other investments: * **Finite Supply**: With a cap at 21 million coins, Bitcoin's scarcity is programmed into its code, mirroring the scarcity of gold but with even more certainty. This scarcity can drive value as demand increases over time, especially in an economic environment where fiat currencies are subject to inflation. * **Decentralization**: Unlike stocks or real estate, Bitcoin isn't tied to any central authority or physical asset that can fail or be manipulated by a single entity. This decentralization reduces the risk of systemic failure that affects traditional markets. * **Global Liquidity and Accessibility**: Bitcoin can be bought, sold, and transferred anywhere in the world, 24/7, with internet access. This global liquidity means Bitcoin can be more easily converted to other assets if needed, somewhat reducing the need for diversification. ## 2. The Risk-Reward Balance * **Volatility as Opportunity**: While Bitcoin's volatility is often cited as a risk, for the informed investor, this volatility represents opportunities for significant gains. Those who understand Bitcoin's cycles might prefer to ride these waves rather than dilute potential gains through diversification into less volatile assets. * **Long-term Appreciation**: Historical data suggests Bitcoin has provided substantial returns over the long term compared to most traditional investments. If one believes in Bitcoin's future as a dominant store of value, holding a diversified portfolio might mean missing out on Bitcoin's potential upside. ## 3. Bitcoin as a Diversifier Ironically, Bitcoin itself serves as a diversification tool within traditional investment portfolios. Its price movements have shown low correlation with stocks, bonds, and even gold at times, suggesting that Bitcoin can diversify an investment portfolio on its own. ## 4. The Philosophical Shift * **Trust in Code Over Corporations**: Investing heavily in Bitcoin might reflect a philosophical shift towards trusting mathematical algorithms over corporate governance or government policy. Here, diversification within the crypto space might seem less necessary if one views Bitcoin as the pinnacle of what cryptocurrency should be. * **A Bet on a New Financial System**: Holding Bitcoin exclusively can be seen as a bet on a new financial paradigm where Bitcoin becomes the standard. In this vision, diversification into other assets might be counterproductive. ## 5. Potential Result Upon reviewing the arguments and characteristics, one might conclude that Bitcoin is pursuing a dual trajectory. Firstly, its value increases partly because it remains a novel asset, not yet mainstream among the general populace. Secondly, Bitcoin is poised to absorb the value preservation function from other assets. This means that individuals who invest in stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities, etc., primarily for their value storage capabilities rather than their intrinsic utility (such as residing in a property), might transition to Bitcoin. This shift could consequently diminish the demand for these traditional assets and increase the value of Bitcoin respectively. ## 6. Caveats and Considerations * **Not Without Risks**: This approach isn't without its perils. Bitcoin's future is not guaranteed, and regulatory, technological, or market shifts could impact its value negatively. * **Liquidity Needs**: Individual financial situations might require liquidity or income generation that Bitcoin alone might not provide efficiently. * **Emotional Discipline**: A Bitcoin-only strategy requires immense discipline and conviction, as the emotional toll of not diversifying can be high during market downturns. ## Conclusion The argument for not diversifying if you hold Bitcoin hinges on its unique properties, the potential for high returns, and its role as a hedge against inflation and traditional financial systems. However, this strategy suits those with a high risk tolerance, a deep understanding of Finance, Economics and Investments, and a belief in Bitcoin's future dominance. For everyone else, while Bitcoin can be a significant part of a portfolio, traditional diversification might still offer peace of mind and stability. Remember, investment strategies should align with personal financial goals, risk tolerance, and market understanding. Always consider consulting with a financial advisor for personalized advice.

@ 469fa704:2b6cb760

***I joined Nostr a week ago and wanted to recap it for myself and also give other newbies a simple introduction. Maybe this will help you get started too.*** ## Step 1: Create your identity and get your private key for a browser extension I started with the Snort client on my local home server. It created my private/public key pair and I was good to go. Then I transferred the private key to Amethyst, a pretty good Android-based client. Before looking at various clients and other nostr-based websites, I tried transferring my private key into a browser extension. I looked at Alby and nos2x. I chose the latter because I wanted to keep my Lightning wallet separate from my identity management. You don't have to, I just found it easier. ## Step 2: If you're confused, always check your feed settings I tried many different clients and was very confused at first. Due to its decentralized nature, Nostr relies on relays, which are just small servers, and to each one you can connect to, all your data is stored. When you post a message, write a note, an article like this or simply who you follow. The main reason and benefit for this is that there is no single point of failure or server-like entity that could be censored. The side effect of this, combined with using different clients, was that not only did it look different everywhere, but the content was also very different. This was simply because I wasn't connected to all my different clients with the same relays. But the main reason why each feed looks different on each client is usually because you can choose different variations of feeds and some clients even offer filters for the feeds. Scroll down to get a small overview of the clients I've tried. ## Step 3: Set up your lightning wallet with something like Wallet of Satoshi I made my Bitcoin Lightning wallet independent of my identity. That's why I just went with the number one Lightning wallet on the market: Satoshi's Wallet. It's very simple and provides you with a Lightning address that resembles and has the format of an email address. You can add this address to your Nostr profile description and you're ready to receive Sats. Anyone can send them to you, e.g. for a good message or something else they find valuable on Nostr (like a podcast, a video, an article, ...). Just be aware that Satoshi's wallet contains your key and the sats you have there are not really your sats. So only leave a small amount there or no more than you need for your nostr experience. ## Step 4: Set up your Nostr address I set up a unique NIP-05 identifier that is human readable and also looks like an email address. For me, that's tobiya@nostrplebs.com, also called a nostr address. It's much easier to read, share and remember than your public key, which is just a long, unwieldy string of characters. Some popular services are: * NostrVerified * Alby * Iris * Primal * Snort * nostrplebs.com Most offer free services or at least a free tier. I chose nostrplebs.com because it links my Nostr address (tobiya@nostrplebs.com) to my Lightning wallet. ⚡ ## Brief overview of the clients (I have tested) ### Web/Browser: * **Primal**: Fast, user-friendly, nice looking, easy to use * **Coracle**: Focuses on decentralized reputation, privacy and trust metrics. Also well organized and structured * **noStrudel**: The most comprehensive I've found, has everything * **Rabbit**: Designed like X (Twitter) Pro, focuses on everything at once * **Nostter**: Clearly structured, easy to find what you're looking for * **Snort**: Fast web client for those who prefer simplicity and speed. ### iOS I'm not an iPhone user, but everything I've discovered says that Damus is the best app for iOS. ### Android: * **Amethyst**: Feature rich for Android, I only tried this program because it gives me everything I currently need on my phone. * **Primal**: Works seamlessly with Primal on the web, which is a pretty convenient starting point if you only want to use one client. As for the web clients, I'm still figuring out which one will be my favorite. But I think they're all good in their own way. In the time of writing, I am mainly using Primal on Android and Web, Amethyst and noStrudel. ### Let's have fun!!

@ 469fa704:2b6cb760

## Side jobs and passive sources of income To increase your income, it is often necessary to be creative and develop different income streams: * **Freelancing**: platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr or Freelancer offer a variety of tasks, from graphic design to programming work to marketing. According to a study by Statista, freelancers in Germany earn between 20 and 50 euros per hour on average, depending on their expertise. * **Part-time jobs**: You can take on a part-time job alongside your main job. Think about jobs that are flexible, such as driving services (e.g. Uber, Bolt), delivery services (e.g. Deliveroo, Gorillas) or tutoring. According to the Federal Employment Agency, part-time jobs can be tax-free up to 450 euros per month, which is an attractive option. * **Passive income**: This requires work or capital initially, but can generate income in the long term: * * **Real estate**: real estate investments offer regular rental income. According to the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), the return on residential real estate in Germany can be between 3% and 5%. * * **Dividend stocks**: Invest in companies that pay dividends. Companies such as Siemens or Deutsche Telekom have a long tradition of distributing dividends. * * **Digital products**: Create e-books, online courses or apps. Once created, these products can generate continuous income. * * **Affiliate marketing**: Partner with brands and earn through sales commissions. Amazon Associates is one of the best-known platforms for this. ## Reduce expenses Another way to have more capital for investments such as Bitcoin is to reduce expenses: * **Budgeting**: create a detailed budget. Apps like YNAB or Mint can help categorize expenses and analyze where savings can be made. * **Food**: Plan your shopping, buy seasonal products and cook more yourself. According to a study by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, households spend an average of around 25% of their income on food.Conscious shopping can significantly reduce these costs. * **Energy costs**: Use energy-saving light bulbs, switch off appliances completely and insulate your home better. According to the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA), simple energy-saving measures can reduce costs by up to 20%. * **Subscriptions and memberships**: Review regular subscriptions (gym, streaming services).Many people pay for services they rarely use. A survey by Statista showed that on average 10-15% of monthly spending is used for subscriptions. * **Transportation**: Use public transportation or car sharing services instead of owning a car.Owning a car can cost several thousand euros a year, including insurance, maintenance and fuel. * **Second-hand and upcycling**: Buy second-hand clothes or furniture.The second-hand market is booming and you can often find high-quality products at a fraction of the original price. ## Investing, or rather saving, in Bitcoin After you have accumulated more Dollar or other paper money by increasing your income and reducing your expenses, you can invest in Bitcoin: * **Bitcoin**: As the first and best-known cryptocurrency, Bitcoin has a high market capitalization and acceptance. Investors see Bitcoin as a “digital gold” alternative, especially in times of inflation. * **Risk and volatility**: Bitcoin is known for its high volatility. It is important to only invest money that you don't need in the immediate future. In the long term, bitcoin is destined to rise in price in dollar terms due to its unique characteristics. * **Long-term perspective**: Many investors hold Bitcoin as a long-term investment, similar to stocks. Historically, Bitcoin has shown positive returns over longer periods of time, despite high volatility. ## Practical steps to increase income and reduce expenses: 1. **Analyze income**: Make a note of all your sources of income and consider how you can increase them. This could be through salary increases, side hustles or new passive income streams. 2. **Review expenses**: Make a list of your monthly expenses and identify areas where you can cut back. Set specific goals for reduction. 3. **Investment plan**: After you have accumulated more capital, create an investment plan. For Bitcoin, this could mean investing small amounts regularly to take advantage of the average cost effect (dollar-cost averaging). 4. **Education and networking**: Invest time in education and build a network. This can lead to new income opportunities and increase your financial intelligence. ## Idea to get Ahead: Create a budget and set a monthly savings goal for your Bitcoin investments. Calculate how much you can generate by reducing expenses and generating additional income. Research and choose a Bitcoin only platform to buy Bitcoin (e.g. [Relai](https://relai.app/), [Coinfinity](https://coinfinity.co/), [21Bitcoin](https://21bitcoin.app/), [Pocket Bitcoin](https://pocketbitcoin.com/) ). Learn the basics of trading and start with a small investment.

@ 469fa704:2b6cb760

## The basics of financial planning Financial education is the first step to financial independence. Here are the core principles you need to understand: * **Income vs. expenses**: The core of any financial plan is to earn more than you spend. This requires not only discipline, but also a clear overview of your financial comings and goings. * **Budgeting**: Create a detailed budget plan. A budget helps you to see where your money is going and where you can save. It's a living document that you should adjust regularly. * **Emergency fund**: An emergency fund is a buffer against unforeseen events. Experts recommend keeping at least three to six months of your expenses in cash or easily liquidated assets. * **Set goals**: Define clear financial goals. These can be short-term (e.g. a new cell phone), medium-term (e.g. a car) or long-term (e.g. retirement). Each type of goal requires different strategies and time frames. * **Debt management**: Distinguish between good debt (e.g. investments in education or real estate) and bad debt (e.g. credit cards with high interest rates). A debt repayment plan is often just as important as a savings plan. ## Understanding investments Investing is the way to make your money work for you. Here are some basic concepts you should understand: * **Interest and Compound Interest**: Interest is the compensation you receive or pay when you invest or borrow money. Compound interest is particularly powerful as it means you earn interest on your interest, which can lead to exponential growth over time. * **Risk and return**: Investments with higher returns are often associated with higher risk. It's important to find a balance that suits your personal risk profile. Diversification can help manage this risk. * **Diversification**: Spread your money across different asset classes (equities, bonds, real estate, commodities) and regions to minimize risk. This protects you from a total loss if one investment performs poorly. *** Long-term perspective**: Investing is not a short-term game. It requires patience and a long-term perspective.Short-term market fluctuations should not lead to panic selling. This is true for every asset, even Bitcoin. * **Costs and fees**: Pay attention to the costs and fees associated with investing. These can have a significant impact on your returns over time. Especially important are taxes. ## Practical steps to financial education: * **Books and courses**: Invest in your financial education.There are many resources available, from classics like Rich Dad Poor Dad to online courses on platforms like Coursera or Udemy. * **Financial apps and tools**: Use apps like Mint, YNAB (You Need A Budget), or Personal Capital to track your budget and investments. These tools can help you monitor your finances in real time. Even a good old spread sheet can work wonders. * **Seek advice**: If possible, consult a financial advisor. They can provide personalized advice tailored to your specific situation. Make sure they offer independent advice. * **Podcasts and blogs**: Follow financial podcasts or blogs to get the latest trends and tips. You can find also a lot of execellent stuff on Youtube, especially Bitcoin education. * **Self-study**: Learn the basics of stock markets, bonds, real estate investing and other forms of investing. Websites like Investopedia or Khan Academy offer free knowledge. * **Study Bitcoin**: Nothing teaches you so much about finance, investing, money and wealth than bitcoin. If you are eager to understand it even more, it will teach you also thermodynamics, cryptography (math), economics, philosophy and maybe a lot more. ## Practice for application: Create a simple budget for the next month. Write down all expected income and expenses. Identify areas where you can save. Use an app or Excel spreadsheet to do this. Research an investment opportunity that interests you (e.g. ETFs, shares, real estate funds). Understand the basics and think about how you could get started. Create a small investment plan.

@ 469fa704:2b6cb760

## What does beeing rich mean? Wealth is a term that has different meanings for many people. For some, it means owning a big house and multiple cars, for others it means the freedom to travel whenever they want, or simply the security of not having to worry about the monthly bills. So before one can dive into the strategies on how to get rich, it makes much sense to define what wealth could mean: * **Material wealth**: possession of money and material goods. * **Temporal wealth**: The freedom to use your time as you wish. * **Emotional wealth**: contentment, happiness and healthy relationships. * **Health wealth**: A healthy life without the burden of disease. --- ## Developing the right mindset The first step to real wealth starts in the mind. Here are some principles you should internalize: 1. **Abundance thinking**: believe that there is enough for everyone. Wealth is not limited; it can be created. 2. **Take responsibility**: Your financial situation is the result of your choices. Take responsibility for it and be prepared to change it. 3. **Think long-term**: Short-term pleasures can sabotage long-term wealth. Think in terms of decades, not days or months. 4. **Continuous learning**: The path to wealth is an educational path. Keep learning, be it about finances, investments or new skills. 5. **Resilience**: Setbacks are inevitable. Rich people see failures as lessons, not the end. 6. **Network and relationships**: Wealth is often influenced by the people you know and how you interact with them. 7. **Create value**: Wealth often comes from creating more value for others than you consume yourself. 8. **Discipline**: Taking in more than you spend, although this may sound trivial, it is a necessary condition. --- ## Paths to wealth Getting rich is a goal that many people strive for, and there are several ways to achieve it. Here are some ways that are often discussed: 1. Education and career: A good education in an in-demand field can lead to high-paying jobs. Careers in technology, finance, medicine or law are good examples. 2. Entrepreneurship: Starting your own business can be very lucrative. This can include anything from tech startups to traditional businesses to innovative services. 3. Investments: * Stocks and securities: long-term investments in stocks, ETFs or mutual funds can lead to wealth through compound interest and dividends. * Real estate: Real estate investments, whether through rental or appreciation, are classic ways to build wealth. * Bitcoin: Although still very young and not directly classifiable as an asset, commodity or security, the only truly decentralized cryptocurrency has very interesting characteristics that (could) lead to a perpetual appreciation. 4. Saving and smart financial management: Save regularly and invest the money wisely. The compound interest effect can turn small amounts into large fortunes over decades. 5. Passive income: By building sources that generate passive income, such as writing books, patents, YouTube channels, or developing apps. 6. Networking and relationships: Contacts with influential or helpful people can open doors that would otherwise remain closed. 7. Inheritances and profits: Although unpredictable, inheritances or winnings such as lottery prizes can lead to instant wealth. 8. Lifelong learning and adaptability: Continuing to learn and adapt to market changes can lead to success in many fields. 9. Willingness to take risks: High risks can bring high rewards, whether by investing in new technologies or starting a business in a new market. 10. Mindset and discipline: Developing a promising mindset focused on growth, learning and perseverance. Discipline in financial activities is also crucial In practice, it is usually a combination of several of the things mentioned above, e.g. a person who has achieved a high income through education (e.g. a CEO) with discipline (continuous saving) over a long period of time can build up a considerable fortune. Basically, however, it is very difficult or almost impossible without a willingness to take risks. The more risk you are prepared to take, the faster you can succeed. If you don't have any assets yet, you have to take risky paths in order to make some progress. If you have already built up some assets, you can't take any risks. There is a great risk of starting from zero again and you are better advised to save continuously and invest conservatively. If you are already wealthy, you can of course continue to invest with as little risk as possible and this should also apply to the majority of your assets. However, you can then “gamble” again with 10% to a maximum of 20%. You can then easily afford a little fun and thrills. Long-term preference involves planning for and valuing future outcomes over immediate ones. This approach requires patience, discipline, and the ability to foresee the benefits of delayed gratification. An example would be investing in education or health now for better career opportunities or well-being in the future. In general becoming rich means to develop a long-term preference. Usually Bitcoiners are able to defer gratification because they learned to believe in a better future for themselves. *Why?* Because Bitcoin could be the best possible tool to store your purchasing power in the long run. ***Exercise in self-reflection***: Take a moment to write down what wealth means to you. Be specific. What does a rich life look like to you? What would you do if money were no object? This vision will be your guiding star.

@ 460c25e6:ef85065c

If you don't know where your posts are, you might as well just stay in the centralized Twitter. You either take control of your relay lists, or they will control you. Amethyst offers several lists of relays for our users. We are going to go one by one to help clarify what they are and which options are best for each one. ## Public Home/Outbox Relays Home relays store all YOUR content: all your posts, likes, replies, lists, etc. It's your home. Amethyst will send your posts here first. Your followers will use these relays to get new posts from you. So, if you don't have anything there, **they will not receive your updates**. Home relays must allow queries from anyone, ideally without the need to authenticate. They can limit writes to paid users without affecting anyone's experience. This list should have a maximum of 3 relays. More than that will only make your followers waste their mobile data getting your posts. Keep it simple. Out of the 3 relays, I recommend: - 1 large public, international relay: nos.lol, nostr.mom, relay.damus.io, etc. - 1 personal relay to store a copy of all your content in a place no one can delete. Go to [relay.tools](https://relay.tools/) and never be censored again. - 1 really fast relay located in your country: paid options like http://nostr.wine are great Do not include relays that block users from seeing posts in this list. If you do, no one will see your posts. ## Public Inbox Relays This relay type receives all replies, comments, likes, and zaps to your posts. If you are not getting notifications or you don't see replies from your friends, it is likely because you don't have the right setup here. If you are getting too much spam in your replies, it's probably because your inbox relays are not protecting you enough. Paid relays can filter inbox spam out. Inbox relays must allow anyone to write into them. It's the opposite of the outbox relay. They can limit who can download the posts to their paid subscribers without affecting anyone's experience. This list should have a maximum of 3 relays as well. Again, keep it small. More than that will just make you spend more of your data plan downloading the same notifications from all these different servers. Out of the 3 relays, I recommend: - 1 large public, international relay: nos.lol, nostr.mom, relay.damus.io, etc. - 1 personal relay to store a copy of your notifications, invites, cashu tokens and zaps. - 1 really fast relay located in your country: go to [nostr.watch](https://nostr.watch/relays/find) and find relays in your country Terrible options include: - nostr.wine should not be here. - filter.nostr.wine should not be here. - inbox.nostr.wine should not be here. ## DM Inbox Relays These are the relays used to receive DMs and private content. Others will use these relays to send DMs to you. **If you don't have it setup, you will miss DMs**. DM Inbox relays should accept any message from anyone, but only allow you to download them. Generally speaking, you only need 3 for reliability. One of them should be a personal relay to make sure you have a copy of all your messages. The others can be open if you want push notifications or closed if you want full privacy. Good options are: - inbox.nostr.wine and auth.nostr1.com: anyone can send messages and only you can download. Not even our push notification server has access to them to notify you. - a personal relay to make sure no one can censor you. Advanced settings on personal relays can also store your DMs privately. Talk to your relay operator for more details. - a hidden, but public relay if you want DM notifications from our servers. Make sure to add at least one public relay if you want to see DM notifications. ## Private Home Relays Private Relays are for things no one should see, like your drafts, lists, app settings, bookmarks etc. Ideally, these relays are either local or require authentication before posting AND downloading each user\'s content. There are no dedicated relays for this category yet, so I would use a local relay like Citrine on Android and a personal relay on relay.tools. Keep in mind that if you choose a local relay only, a client on the desktop might not be able to see the drafts from clients on mobile and vice versa. ## Search relays: This is the list of relays to use on Amethyst's search and user tagging with @. **Tagging and searching will not work if there is nothing here.**. This option requires NIP-50 compliance from each relay. Hit the Default button to use all available options on existence today: - nostr.wine - relay.nostr.band - relay.noswhere.com ## Local Relays: This is your local storage. Everything will load faster if it comes from this relay. You should install Citrine on Android and write ws://localhost:4869 in this option. ## General Relays: This section contains the default relays used to download content from your follows. Notice how you can activate and deactivate the Home, Messages (old-style DMs), Chat (public chats), and Global options in each. Keep 5-6 large relays on this list and activate them for as many categories (Home, Messages (old-style DMs), Chat, and Global) as possible. Amethyst will provide additional recommendations to this list from your follows with information on which of your follows might need the additional relay in your list. Add them if you feel like you are missing their posts or if it is just taking too long to load them. ## My setup Here's what I use: 1. Go to [relay.tools](https://relay.tools/) and create a relay for yourself. 2. Go to [nostr.wine](https://nostr.wine/) and pay for their subscription. 3. Go to [inbox.nostr.wine](https://inbox.nostr.wine/) and pay for their subscription. 4. Go to [nostr.watch](https://nostr.watch/relays/find) and find a good relay in your country. 5. Download Citrine to your phone. Then, on your relay lists, put: Public Home/Outbox Relays: - nostr.wine - nos.lol or an in-country relay. - <your.relay>.nostr1.com Public Inbox Relays - nos.lol or an in-country relay - <your.relay>.nostr1.com DM Inbox Relays - inbox.nostr.wine - <your.relay>.nostr1.com Private Home Relays - ws://localhost:4869 (Citrine) - <your.relay>.nostr1.com (if you want) Search Relays - nostr.wine - relay.nostr.band - relay.noswhere.com Local Relays - ws://localhost:4869 (Citrine) General Relays - nos.lol - relay.damus.io - relay.primal.net - nostr.mom And a few of the recommended relays from Amethyst. ## Final Considerations Remember, relays can see what your Nostr client is requesting and downloading at all times. They can track what you see and see what you like. They can sell that information to the highest bidder, they can delete your content or content that a sponsor asked them to delete (like a negative review for instance) and they can censor you in any way they see fit. Before using any random free relay out there, make sure you trust its operator and you know its terms of service and privacy policies.

@ 449e6ef7:9ed84d87

Wed, 21st Week in Ordinary Time_                       _Matthew 23:27-32_ **I**t is clear from today’s first reading that Paul was anxious not to be a financial burden on the young church in Thessalonica, ‘_We worked night and day, slaving and straining, so as not to be a burden on any of you’_. It was Paul’s policy to earn his keep by working at his trade as a tentmaker, so as to be able to preach the gospel free of charge. Paul is also concerned about some members of the church becoming an unnecessary financial burden on the community, when, in reality, they were well capable of working to support themselves. Elsewhere in his letters Paul says to the members of the church to ‘_bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ’_ (Gal 6:2), which is the law of love. We are called to help to carry the burden of others, while not becoming an unnecessary burden on others.In the gospel reading, Jesus highlights one way people can become a burden on others, namely, when they give the appearance of ‘_good honest people’_ but, in reality, are full of ‘_hypocrisy and lawlessness_’. Elsewhere, Jesus uses the image of wolves in sheep’s clothing. We would all find such people burdensome, as we try to discern whether or not to rely on them and believe what they tell us. **A**t the end of the first reading, Paul writes his name in his own handwriting as a ‘_mark of genuineness’_. The genuine person is never a burden. Their honesty and truthfulness, their transparency and lack of deceit, is burden lifting rather than burden imposing. Jesus was the supremely genuine person; he revealed God’s truth to the full. He offered himself as the one who can lift our burdens, ‘_Come to me all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens’._ He wishes to continue this burden lifting work as risen Lord in and through each one of us.

@ 449e6ef7:9ed84d87

Wed, 21st Week in Ordinary Time_                       _Matthew 23:27-32_ **I**t is clear from today’s first reading that Paul was anxious not to be a financial burden on the young church in Thessalonica, ‘_We worked night and day, slaving and straining, so as not to be a burden on any of you’_. It was Paul’s policy to earn his keep by working at his trade as a tentmaker, so as to be able to preach the gospel free of charge. Paul is also concerned about some members of the church becoming an unnecessary financial burden on the community, when, in reality, they were well capable of working to support themselves. Elsewhere in his letters Paul says to the members of the church to ‘_bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ’_ (Gal 6:2), which is the law of love. We are called to help to carry the burden of others, while not becoming an unnecessary burden on others. **I**n the gospel reading, Jesus highlights one way people can become a burden on others, namely, when they give the appearance of ‘_good honest people’_ but, in reality, are full of ‘_hypocrisy and lawlessness_’. Elsewhere, Jesus uses the image of wolves in sheep’s clothing. We would all find such people burdensome, as we try to discern whether or not to rely on them and believe what they tell us. **A**t the end of the first reading, Paul writes his name in his own handwriting as a ‘_mark of genuineness’_. The genuine person is never a burden. Their honesty and truthfulness, their transparency and lack of deceit, is burden lifting rather than burden imposing. Jesus was the supremely genuine person; he revealed God’s truth to the full. He offered himself as the one who can lift our burdens, ‘_Come to me all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens’._ He wishes to continue this burden lifting work as risen Lord in and through each one of us.

@ 449e6ef7:9ed84d87

Wed, 21st Week in Ordinary Time_                       _Matthew 23:27-32_ **I**t is clear from today’s first reading that Paul was anxious not to be a financial burden on the young church in Thessalonica, ‘_We worked night and day, slaving and straining, so as not to be a burden on any of you’_. It was Paul’s policy to earn his keep by working at his trade as a tentmaker, so as to be able to preach the gospel free of charge. Paul is also concerned about some members of the church becoming an unnecessary financial burden on the community, when, in reality, they were well capable of working to support themselves. Elsewhere in his letters Paul says to the members of the church to ‘_bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ’_ (Gal 6:2), which is the law of love. We are called to help to carry the burden of others, while not becoming an unnecessary burden on others. **I**n the gospel reading, Jesus highlights one way people can become a burden on others, namely, when they give the appearance of ‘_good honest people’_ but, in reality, are full of ‘_hypocrisy and lawlessness_’. Elsewhere, Jesus uses the image of wolves in sheep’s clothing. We would all find such people burdensome, as we try to discern whether or not to rely on them and believe what they tell us. **A**t the end of the first reading, Paul writes his name in his own handwriting as a ‘_mark of genuineness’_. The genuine person is never a burden. Their honesty and truthfulness, their transparency and lack of deceit, is burden lifting rather than burden imposing. Jesus was the supremely genuine person; he revealed God’s truth to the full. He offered himself as the one who can lift our burdens, ‘_Come to me all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens’._ He wishes to continue this burden lifting work as risen Lord in and through each one of us.

@ 449e6ef7:9ed84d87

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

@ aad03c9f:8e1ae2aa

#Bitcoin Seeing a lot of hate for the Orange B on #Nostr lately.. What's up with that??

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

> NOTE: this is just a quick technical guide. sorry for the lack of details ## Install NodeJS Download it from the official website https://nodejs.org/en/download Or use nvm https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm?tab=readme-ov-file#install--update-script ```bash wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.7/install.sh | bash nvm install 20 ``` ## Clone example config.yml ```bash wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hzrd149/blossom-server/master/config.example.yml -O config.yml ``` ## Modify config.yml ```bash nano config.yml # or if your that type of person vim config.yml ``` ## Run blossom-server ```bash npx blossom-server-ts # or install it locally and run using npm npm install blossom-server-ts ./node_modules/.bin/blossom-server-ts ``` Now you can open http://localhost:3000 and see your blossom server And if you set the `dashboard.enabled` option in the `config.yml` you can open http://localhost:3000/admin to see the admin dashboard

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

# Nostr is not decentralized nor censorship-resistant Peter Todd has been [saying this](nostr:nevent1qqsq5zzu9ezhgq6es36jgg94wxsa2xh55p4tfa56yklsvjemsw7vj3cpp4mhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mqpr4mhxue69uhkummnw3ez6ur4vgh8wetvd3hhyer9wghxuet5qy8hwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnddaksz9rhwden5te0dehhxarj9ehhsarj9ejx2aspzfmhxue69uhk7enxvd5xz6tw9ec82cspz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduq3vamnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwdehhxarj9e3xzmnyqy28wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfnsz9nhwden5te0wfjkccte9ec8y6tdv9kzumn9wspzpn92tr3hexwgt0z7w4qz3fcch4ryshja8jeng453aj4c83646jxvxkyvs4) for a long time and all the time I've been thinking he is misunderstanding everything, but I guess a more charitable interpretation is that he is right. Nostr _today_ is indeed centralized. Yesterday I published two harmless notes with the exact same content at the same time. In two minutes the notes had a noticeable difference in responses:  The top one was published to `wss://nostr.wine`, `wss://nos.lol`, `wss://pyramid.fiatjaf.com`. The second was published to the relay where I generally publish all my notes to, `wss://pyramid.fiatjaf.com`, and that is announced on my [NIP-05 file](https://fiatjaf.com/.well-known/nostr.json) and on my [NIP-65](https://nips.nostr.com/65) relay list. A few minutes later I published that screenshot again in two identical notes to the same sets of relays, asking if people understood the implications. The difference in quantity of responses can still be seen today:  These results are skewed now by the fact that the two notes got rebroadcasted to multiple relays after some time, but the fundamental point remains. What happened was that a huge lot more of people saw the first note compared to the second, and if Nostr was really censorship-resistant that shouldn't have happened at all. Some people implied in the comments, with an air of obviousness, that publishing the note to "more relays" should have predictably resulted in more replies, which, again, shouldn't be the case if Nostr is really censorship-resistant. What happens is that most people who engaged with the note are _following me_, in the sense that they have instructed their clients to fetch my notes on their behalf and present them in the UI, and clients are failing to do that despite me making it clear in multiple ways that my notes are to be found on `wss://pyramid.fiatjaf.com`. If we were talking not about me, but about some public figure that was being censored by the State and got banned (or shadowbanned) by the 3 biggest public relays, the sad reality would be that the person would immediately get his reach reduced to ~10% of what they had before. This is not at all unlike what happened to dozens of personalities that were banned from the corporate social media platforms and then moved to other platforms -- how many of their original followers switched to these other platforms? Probably some small percentage close to 10%. In that sense Nostr today is similar to what we had before. Peter Todd is right that if the way Nostr works is that you just subscribe to a small set of relays and expect to get everything from them then it tends to get very centralized very fast, and this is the reality today. Peter Todd is wrong that Nostr is _inherently_ centralized or that it needs a _protocol change_ to become what it has always purported to be. He is in fact wrong today, because what is written above is not valid for all clients of today, and if we [drive in the right direction](bc63c348b) we can successfully make Peter Todd be more and more wrong as time passes, instead of the contrary. --- See also: - [Censorship-resistant relay discovery in Nostr](nostr:naddr1qqykycekxd3nxdpcvgq3zamnwvaz7tmxd9shg6npvchxxmmdqgsrhuxx8l9ex335q7he0f09aej04zpazpl0ne2cgukyawd24mayt8grqsqqqa2803ksy8) - [A vision for content discovery and relay usage for basic social-networking in Nostr](nostr:naddr1qqyrxe33xqmxgve3qyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823cywwjvq)

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

# Pequenos problemas que o Estado cria para a sociedade e que não são sempre lembrados - **vale-transporte**: transferir o custo com o transporte do funcionário para um terceiro o estimula a morar longe de onde trabalha, já que morar perto é normalmente mais caro e a economia com transporte é inexistente. - **atestado médico**: o direito a faltar o trabalho com atestado médico cria a exigência desse atestado para todas as situações, substituindo o livre acordo entre patrão e empregado e sobrecarregando os médicos e postos de saúde com visitas desnecessárias de assalariados resfriados. - **prisões**: com dinheiro mal-administrado, burocracia e péssima alocação de recursos -- problemas que empresas privadas em competição (ou mesmo sem qualquer competição) saberiam resolver muito melhor -- o Estado fica sem presídios, com os poucos existentes entupidos, muito acima de sua alocação máxima, e com isto, segundo a bizarra corrente de responsabilidades que culpa o juiz que condenou o criminoso por sua morte na cadeia, juízes deixam de condenar à prisão os bandidos, soltando-os na rua. - **justiça**: entrar com processos é grátis e isto faz proliferar a atividade dos advogados que se dedicam a criar problemas judiciais onde não seria necessário e a entupir os tribunais, impedindo-os de fazer o que mais deveriam fazer. - **justiça**: como a justiça só obedece às leis e ignora acordos pessoais, escritos ou não, as pessoas não fazem acordos, recorrem sempre à justiça estatal, e entopem-na de assuntos que seriam muito melhor resolvidos entre vizinhos. - **leis civis**: as leis criadas pelos parlamentares ignoram os costumes da sociedade e são um incentivo a que as pessoas não respeitem nem criem normas sociais -- que seriam maneiras mais rápidas, baratas e satisfatórias de resolver problemas. - **leis de trãnsito**: quanto mais leis de trânsito, mais serviço de fiscalização são delegados aos policiais, que deixam de combater crimes por isto (afinal de contas, eles não querem de fato arriscar suas vidas combatendo o crime, a fiscalização é uma excelente desculpa para se esquivarem a esta responsabilidade). - **financiamento educacional**: é uma espécie de subsídio às faculdades privadas que faz com que se criem cursos e mais cursos que são cada vez menos recheados de algum conhecimento ou técnica útil e cada vez mais inúteis. - **leis de tombamento**: são um incentivo a que o dono de qualquer área ou construção "histórica" destrua todo e qualquer vestígio de história que houver nele antes que as autoridades descubram, o que poderia não acontecer se ele pudesse, por exemplo, usar, mostrar e se beneficiar da história daquele local sem correr o risco de perder, de fato, a sua propriedade. - **zoneamento urbano**: torna as cidades mais espalhadas, criando uma necessidade gigantesca de carros, ônibus e outros meios de transporte para as pessoas se locomoverem das zonas de moradia para as zonas de trabalho. - **zoneamento urbano**: faz com que as pessoas percam horas no trânsito todos os dias, o que é, além de um desperdício, um atentado contra a sua saúde, que estaria muito melhor servida numa caminhada diária entre a casa e o trabalho. - **zoneamento urbano**: torna ruas e as casas menos seguras criando zonas enormes, tanto de residências quanto de indústrias, onde não há movimento de gente alguma. - **escola obrigatória + currículo escolar nacional**: emburrece todas as crianças. - **leis contra trabalho infantil**: tira das crianças a oportunidade de aprender ofícios úteis e levar um dinheiro para ajudar a família. - **licitações**: como não existem os critérios do mercado para decidir qual é o melhor prestador de serviço, criam-se comissões de pessoas que vão decidir coisas. isto incentiva os prestadores de serviço que estão concorrendo na licitação a tentar comprar os membros dessas comissões. isto, fora a corrupção, gera problemas reais: __(i)__ a escolha dos serviços acaba sendo a pior possível, já que a empresa prestadora que vence está claramente mais dedicada a comprar comissões do que a fazer um bom trabalho (este problema afeta tantas áreas, desde a construção de estradas até a qualidade da merenda escolar, que é impossível listar aqui); __(ii)__ o processo corruptor acaba, no longo prazo, eliminando as empresas que prestavam e deixando para competir apenas as corruptas, e a qualidade tende a piorar progressivamente. - **cartéis**: o Estado em geral cria e depois fica refém de vários grupos de interesse. o caso dos taxistas contra o Uber é o que está na moda hoje (e o que mostra como os Estados se comportam da mesma forma no mundo todo). - **multas**: quando algum indivíduo ou empresa comete uma fraude financeira, ou causa algum dano material involuntário, as vítimas do caso são as pessoas que sofreram o dano ou perderam dinheiro, mas o Estado tem sempre leis que prevêem multas para os responsáveis. A justiça estatal é sempre muito rígida e rápida na aplicação dessas multas, mas relapsa e vaga no que diz respeito à indenização das vítimas. O que em geral acontece é que o Estado aplica uma enorme multa ao responsável pelo mal, retirando deste os recursos que dispunha para indenizar as vítimas, e se retira do caso, deixando estas desamparadas. - **desapropriação**: o Estado pode pegar qualquer propriedade de qualquer pessoa mediante uma indenização que é necessariamente inferior ao valor da propriedade para o seu presente dono (caso contrário ele a teria vendido voluntariamente). - **seguro-desemprego**: se há, por exemplo, um prazo mínimo de 1 ano para o sujeito ter direito a receber seguro-desemprego, isto o incentiva a planejar ficar apenas 1 ano em cada emprego (ano este que será sucedido por um período de desemprego remunerado), matando todas as possibilidades de aprendizado ou aquisição de experiência naquela empresa específica ou ascensão hierárquica. - **previdência**: a previdência social tem todos os defeitos de cálculo do mundo, e não importa muito ela ser uma forma horrível de poupar dinheiro, porque ela tem garantias bizarras de longevidade fornecidas pelo Estado, além de ser compulsória. Isso serve para criar no imaginário geral a idéia da __aposentadoria__, uma época mágica em que todos os dias serão finais de semana. A idéia da aposentadoria influencia o sujeito a não se preocupar em ter um emprego que faça sentido, mas sim em ter um trabalho qualquer, que o permita se aposentar. - **regulamentação impossível**: milhares de coisas são proibidas, há regulamentações sobre os aspectos mais mínimos de cada empreendimento ou construção ou espaço. se todas essas regulamentações fossem exigidas não haveria condições de produção e todos morreriam. portanto, elas não são exigidas. porém, o Estado, ou um agente individual imbuído do poder estatal pode, se desejar, exigi-las todas de um cidadão inimigo seu. qualquer pessoa pode viver a vida inteira sem cumprir nem 10% das regulamentações estatais, mas viverá também todo esse tempo com medo de se tornar um alvo de sua exigência, num estado de terror psicológico. - **perversão de critérios**: para muitas coisas sobre as quais a sociedade normalmente chegaria a um valor ou comportamento "razoável" espontaneamente, o Estado dita regras. estas regras muitas vezes não são obrigatórias, são mais "sugestões" ou limites, como o salário mínimo, ou as 44 horas semanais de trabalho. a sociedade, porém, passa a usar esses valores como se fossem o normal. são raras, por exemplo, as ofertas de emprego que fogem à regra das 44h semanais. - **inflação**: subir os preços é difícil e constrangedor para as empresas, pedir aumento de salário é difícil e constrangedor para o funcionário. a inflação força as pessoas a fazer isso, mas o aumento não é automático, como alguns economistas podem pensar (enquanto alguns outros ficam muito satisfeitos de que esse processo seja demorado e difícil). - **inflação**: a inflação destrói a capacidade das pessoas de julgar preços entre concorrentes usando a própria memória. - **inflação**: a inflação destrói os cálculos de lucro/prejuízo das empresas e prejudica enormemente as decisões empresariais que seriam baseadas neles. - **inflação**: a inflação redistribui a riqueza dos mais pobres e mais afastados do sistema financeiro para os mais ricos, os bancos e as megaempresas. - **inflação**: a inflação estimula o endividamento e o consumismo. - **lixo:** ao prover coleta e armazenamento de lixo "grátis para todos" o Estado incentiva a criação de lixo. se tivessem que pagar para que recolhessem o seu lixo, as pessoas (e conseqüentemente as empresas) se empenhariam mais em produzir coisas usando menos plástico, menos embalagens, menos sacolas. - **leis contra crimes financeiros:** ao criar legislação para dificultar acesso ao sistema financeiro por parte de criminosos a dificuldade e os custos para acesso a esse mesmo sistema pelas pessoas de bem cresce absurdamente, levando a um percentual enorme de gente incapaz de usá-lo, para detrimento de todos -- e no final das contas os grandes criminosos ainda conseguem burlar tudo.

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

# Drivechain Understanding Drivechain requires a shift from the paradigm most bitcoiners are used to. It is not about "trustlessness" or "mathematical certainty", but game theory and incentives. (Well, Bitcoin in general is also that, but people prefer to ignore it and focus on some illusion of trustlessness provided by mathematics.) Here we will describe the basic mechanism (simple) and incentives (complex) of ["hashrate escrow"](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0300.mediawiki) and how it enables a 2-way peg between the mainchain (Bitcoin) and various sidechains. The full concept of "Drivechain" also involves blind merged mining (i.e., the sidechains mine themselves by publishing their block hashes to the mainchain without the miners having to run the sidechain software), but this is much easier to understand and can be accomplished either by [the BIP-301 mechanism](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0301.mediawiki) or by [the Spacechains mechanism](https://gist.github.com/RubenSomsen/5e4be6d18e5fa526b17d8b34906b16a5). ## How does hashrate escrow work from the point of view of Bitcoin? A new address type is created. Anything that goes in that is locked and can only be spent if all miners agree on the _Withdrawal Transaction_ (`WT^`) that will spend it for 6 months. There is one of these special addresses for each sidechain. To gather miners' agreement `bitcoind` keeps track of the "score" of all transactions that could possibly spend from that address. On every block mined, for each sidechain, the miner can use a portion of their coinbase to either increase the score of one `WT^` by 1 while decreasing the score of all others by 1; or they can decrease the score of all `WT^`s by 1; or they can do nothing. Once a transaction has gotten a score high enough, it is published and funds are effectively transferred from the sidechain to the withdrawing users. If a timeout of 6 months passes and the score doesn't meet the threshold, that `WT^` is discarded. ## What does the above procedure _mean_? It means that people can transfer coins from the mainchain to a sidechain by depositing to the special address. Then they can withdraw from the sidechain by making a special withdraw transaction in the sidechain. The special transaction somehow freezes funds in the sidechain while a transaction that aggregates all withdrawals into a single mainchain `WT^`, which is then submitted to the mainchain miners so they can start voting on it and finally after some months it is published. Now the crucial part: _the validity of the `WT^` is not verified by the Bitcoin mainchain rules_, i.e., if Bob has requested a withdraw from the sidechain to his mainchain address, but someone publishes a wrong `WT^` that instead takes Bob's funds and sends them to Alice's main address there is no way the mainchain will know that. What determines the "validity" of the `WT^` is the miner vote score and only that. It is the job of miners to vote correctly -- and for that they may want to run the sidechain node in SPV mode so they can attest for the existence of a reference to the `WT^` transaction in the sidechain blockchain (which then ensures it is ok) or do these checks by some other means. ## What? 6 months to get my money back? Yes. But no, in practice anyone who wants their money back will be able to use an atomic swap, submarine swap or other similar service to transfer funds from the sidechain to the mainchain and vice-versa. The long delayed withdraw costs would be incurred by few liquidity providers that would gain some small profit from it. ## Why bother with this at all? Drivechains solve many different problems: ### It enables experimentation and new use cases for Bitcoin Issued assets, fully private transactions, stateful blockchain contracts, turing-completeness, decentralized games, some "DeFi" aspects, prediction markets, futarchy, decentralized and yet meaningful human-readable names, big blocks with a ton of normal transactions on them, a chain optimized only for Lighting-style networks to be built on top of it. These are some ideas that may have merit to them, but were never _actually_ tried because they couldn't be tried with real Bitcoin or inferfacing with real bitcoins. They were either relegated to the shitcoin territory or to custodial solutions like Liquid or RSK that may have failed to gain network effect because of that. ### It solves conflicts and infighting Some people want fully private transactions in a UTXO model, others want "accounts" they can tie to their name and build reputation on top; some people want simple multisig solutions, others want complex code that reads a ton of variables; some people want to put all the transactions on a global chain in batches every 10 minutes, others want off-chain instant transactions backed by funds previously locked in channels; some want to spend, others want to just hold; some want to use blockchain technology to solve all the problems in the world, others just want to solve money. With Drivechain-based sidechains all these groups can be happy simultaneously and don't fight. Meanwhile they will all be using the same money and contributing to each other's ecosystem even unwillingly, it's also easy and free for them to change their group affiliation later, which reduces cognitive dissonance. ### It solves "scaling" Multiple chains like the ones described above would certainly do a lot to accomodate many more transactions that the current Bitcoin chain can. One could have special Lightning Network chains, but even just big block chains or big-block-mimblewimble chains or whatnot could probably do a good job. Or even something less cool like 200 independent chains just like Bitcoin is today, no extra features (and you can call it "sharding"), just that would already multiply the current total capacity by 200. Use your imagination. ### It solves the blockchain security budget issue The calculation is simple: you imagine what security budget is reasonable for each block in a world without block subsidy and divide that for the amount of bytes you can fit in a single block: that is the price to be paid in _satoshis per byte_. In reasonable estimative, the price necessary for every Bitcoin transaction goes to very large amounts, such that not only any day-to-day transaction has insanely prohibitive costs, but also Lightning channel opens and closes are impracticable. So without a solution like Drivechain you'll be left with only one alternative: pushing Bitcoin usage to trusted services like Liquid and RSK or custodial Lightning wallets. With Drivechain, though, there could be thousands of transactions happening in sidechains and being all aggregated into a sidechain block that would then pay a very large fee to be published (via blind merged mining) to the mainchain. Bitcoin security guaranteed. ### It keeps Bitcoin decentralized Once we have sidechains to accomodate the normal transactions, the mainchain functionality can be reduced to be only a "hub" for the sidechains' comings and goings, and then the maximum block size for the mainchain can be reduced to, say, 100kb, which would make running a full node very very easy. ## Can miners steal? Yes. If a group of coordinated miners are able to secure the majority of the hashpower and keep their coordination for 6 months, they can publish a `WT^` that takes the money from the sidechains and pays to themselves. ## Will miners steal? No, because the incentives are such that they won't. Although it may look at first that stealing is an obvious strategy for miners as it is free money, there are many costs involved: 1. The cost of **ceasing blind-merged mining returns** -- as stealing will kill a sidechain, all the fees from it that miners would be expected to earn for the next years are gone; 2. The cost of **Bitcoin price going down**: If a steal is successful that will mean Drivechains are not safe, therefore Bitcoin is less useful, and miner credibility will also be hurt, which are likely to cause the Bitcoin price to go down, which in turn may kill the miners' businesses and savings; 3. The cost of **coordination** -- assuming miners are just normal businesses, they just want to do their work and get paid, but stealing from a Drivechain will require coordination with other miners to conduct an immoral act in a way that has many pitfalls and is likely to be broken over the months; 4. The cost of **miners leaving your mining pool**: when we talked about "miners" above we were actually talking about mining pools operators, so they must also consider the risk of miners migrating from their mining pool to others as they begin the process of stealing; 5. The cost of **community goodwill** -- when participating in a steal operation, a miner will suffer a ton of backlash from the community. Even if the attempt fails at the end, the fact that it was attempted will contribute to growing concerns over exaggerated miners power over the Bitcoin ecosystem, which may end up causing the community to agree on a hard-fork to change the mining algorithm in the future, or to do something to increase participation of more entities in the mining process (such as development or cheapment of new ASICs), which have a chance of decreasing the profits of current miners. Another point to take in consideration is that one may be inclined to think a newly-created sidechain or a sidechain with relatively low usage may be more easily stolen from, since the blind merged mining returns from it (point 1 above) are going to be small -- but the fact is also that a sidechain with small usage will also have less money to be stolen from, and since the other costs besides 1 are less elastic at the end it will not be worth stealing from these too. All of the above consideration are valid only if miners are stealing from _good sidechains_. If there is a sidechain that is doing things wrong, scamming people, not being used at all, or is full of bugs, for example, that will be perceived as a bad sidechain, and then miners can and will safely steal from it and kill it, which will be perceived as a good thing by everybody. ## What do we do if miners steal? Paul Sztorc has suggested in the past that a user-activated soft-fork could prevent miners from stealing, i.e., most Bitcoin users and nodes issue a rule [similar to this one](https://twitter.com/LukeDashjr/status/1126221228182843398) to invalidate the inclusion of a faulty `WT^` and thus cause any miner that includes it in a block to be relegated to their own Bitcoin fork that other nodes won't accept. This suggestion has made people think Drivechain is a sidechain solution _backed by user-actived soft-forks for safety_, which is very far from the truth. Drivechains must not and will not rely on this kind of soft-fork, although they are possible, as the coordination costs are too high and no one should ever expect these things to happen. If even with all the incentives against them (see above) miners do still steal from a _good sidechain_ that will mean _the failure of the Drivechain experiment_. It will very likely also mean _the failure of the Bitcoin experiment_ too, as it will be proven that miners can coordinate to act maliciously over a prolonged period of time regardless of economic and social incentives, meaning they are probably in it just for attacking Bitcoin, backed by nation-states or something else, and therefore no Bitcoin transaction in the mainchain is to be expected to be safe ever again. ## Why use this and not a full-blown trustless and open sidechain technology? Because it is impossible. If you ever heard someone saying "just use a sidechain", "do this in a sidechain" or anything like that, be aware that these people are either talking about "federated" sidechains (i.e., funds are kept in custody by a group of entities) or they are talking about Drivechain, or they are disillusioned and think it is possible to do sidechains in any other manner. ### No, I mean a trustless 2-way peg with correctness of the withdrawals verified by the Bitcoin protocol! That is not possible unless Bitcoin verifies all transactions that happen in all the sidechains, which would be akin to drastically increasing the blocksize and expanding the Bitcoin rules in tons of ways, i.e., a terrible idea that no one wants. ### What about the Blockstream sidechains whitepaper? Yes, that was a way to do it. The Drivechain hashrate escrow is a conceptually simpler way to achieve the same thing with improved incentives, less junk in the chain, more safety. ## Isn't the hashrate escrow a very complex soft-fork? Yes, but it is much simpler than SegWit. And, unlike SegWit, it doesn't force anything on users, i.e., it isn't a mandatory blocksize increase. ## Why should we expect miners to care enough to participate in the voting mechanism? Because it's in their own self-interest to do it, and it costs very little. Today over half of the miners mine RSK. It's not blind merged mining, it's a [very convoluted process that requires them to run a RSK full node](https://developers.rsk.co/rsk/architecture/mining/implementation-guide/). For the Drivechain sidechains, an SPV node would be enough, or maybe just getting data from a block explorer API, so much much simpler. ## What if I still don't like Drivechain even after reading this? That is the entire point! You don't have to like it or use it as long as you're fine with other people using it. The hashrate escrow special addresses will not impact you at all, validation cost is minimal, and you get the benefit of people who want to use Drivechain migrating to their own sidechains and freeing up space for you in the mainchain. See also the point above about infighting. ## See also * [Podcast episode with Ruben Somsen and Aaron van Wirdum explaining Drivechain](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhU6nsB5Z-0) * [Alternatives to Drivechain](nostr:naddr1qqyrqenzvvukvcfkqyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823csjg2t6) * [Drivechain comparison with Ethereum](nostr:naddr1qqyx2dp58qcx2wpjqyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823cane7px)

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# A Causa o Princípios de Economia Política de Menger é o único livro que enfatiza a CAUSA o tempo todo. os cientistas todos parecem não saber, ou se esquecer sempre, que as coisas têm causa, e que o conhecimento verdadeiro é o conhecimento da causa das coisas. a causa é uma categoria metafísica muito superior a qualquer correlação ou resultado de teste de hipótese, ela não pode ser descoberta por nenhum artifício econométrico ou reduzida à simples antecedência temporal estatística. a causa dos fenômenos não pode ser provada cientificamente, mas pode ser conhecida. o livro de Menger conta para o leitor as causas de vários fenômenos econômicos e as interliga de forma que o mundo caótico da economia parece adquirir uma ordem no momento em que você lê. é uma sensação mágica e indescritível. quando eu te o recomendei, queria é te imbuir com o espírito da busca pela causa das coisas. depois de ler aquilo, você está apto a perceber continuidade causal nos fenômenos mais complexos da economia atual, enxergar as causas entre toda a ação governamental e as suas várias consequências na vida humana. eu faço isso todos os dias e é a melhor sensação do mundo quando o caos das notícias do caderno de Economia do jornal -- que para o próprio jornalista que as escreveu não têm nenhum sentido (tanto é que ele escreve tudo errado) -- se incluem num sistema ordenado de causas e consequências. provavelmente eu sempre erro em alguns ou vários pontos, mas ainda assim é maravilhoso. ou então é mais maravilhoso ainda quando eu descubro o erro e reinsiro o acerto naquela racionalização bela da ordem do mundo econômico que é a ordem de Deus. _em scrap para T.P._

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# idea: Rumple _a payments network based on trust channels_ This is the description of a Lightning-like network that will work only with credit or trust-based channels and exist alongside the normal Lightning Network. I imagine some people will think this is undesirable and at the same time very easy to do (such that if it doesn't exist yet it must be because no one cares), but in fact it is a very desirable thing -- which I hope I can establish below -- and at the same time a very non-trivial problem to solve, as the history of Ryan Fugger's Ripple project and posterior copies of it show. Read these first to get the full context: 1. [Ryan Fugger's Ripple](nostr:naddr1qqyxgenyxe3rzvf4qyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823c8pp8zu) 2. [Ripple and the problem of the decentralized commit](nostr:naddr1qqyrxcmzxa3nxv34qyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823cjrqar6) 3. [The Lightning Network solves the problem of the decentralized commit](nostr:naddr1qqyx2vekxg6rsvejqyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823ccs2twc) 4. [Parallel Chains](nostr:naddr1qqyxzd3hx5uryvmrqyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823ca5e585) ## Explanation about the name Since we're copying the fundamental Ripple idea from Ryan Fugger and since the name "Ripple" is now associated with a scam coin called XRP, and since Ryan Fugger has changed the name of his old website "Ripplepay" to "Rumplepay", we will follow his lead here. If "Ripplepay" was the name of a centralized prototype to the open peer-to-peer network "Ripple", now that the centralized version is called "Rumplepay" the peer-to-peer version must be called "Rumple". ## Now the idea Basically we copy the Lightning Network, but without HTLCs or channels being opened and closed with funds committed to them on multisig Bitcoin transactions published to the blockchain. Instead we use pure trust relationships like the original Ripple concept. And we use [the blockchain commit method](http://ripple.ryanfugger.com/Protocol/BlockChainCommitMethod.html), but instead of spending an absurd amount of money to use the actual Bitcoin blockchain instead we use a parallel chain. ## How exactly -- a protocol proposal attempt It could work like this: ### The parallel chain, or "Rumple Chain" 1. We define a parallel chain with a genesis block; 2. Following blocks must contain ``` a. the ID of the previous block; b. a list of up to 32768 entries of arbitrary 32-byte values; c. an ID constituted by sha256(the previous block ID + the merkle root of all the entries) ``` 3. To be mined, each parallel block must be included in the Bitcoin chain according [as explained above](nostr:naddr1qqyxzd3hx5uryvmrqyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823ca5e585). Now that we have a structure for a simple "blockchain" that is completely useless, just blocks over blocks of meaningless values, we proceed to the next step of assigning meaning to these values. ### The off-chain payments network, or "Rumple Network" 1. We create a network of nodes that can talk to each other via TCP messages (all details are the same as the Lightning Network, except where mentioned otherwise); 2. These nodes can create trust channels to each other. These channels are backed by nothing except the willingness of one peer to pay the other what is owed. 3. When Alice creates a trust channel with Bob (`Alice trusts Bob`), contrary to what happens in the Lightning Network, it's A that can immediately receive payments through that channel, and everything A receives will be an IOU from Bob to Alice. So Alice should never open a channel to Bob unless Alice trusts Bob. But also Alice can choose the amount of trust it has in Bob, she can, for example, open a very small channel with Bob, which means she will only lose a few satoshis if Bob decides to exit scam her. (in the original Ripple examples these channels were always depicted as friend relationships, and they can continue being that, but it's expected -- given the experience of the Lightning Network -- that the bulk of the channels will exist between users and wallet provider nodes that will act as hubs). 4. As Alice receive a payment through her channel with Bob, she becomes a creditor and Bob a debtor, i.e., the balance of the channel moves a little to her side. Now she can use these funds to make payments over that channel (or make a payment that combines funds from multiple channels using [MPP](https://ln.dev/read/04-onion-routing#basic-multi-part-payments)). 5. If at any time Alice decides to close her channel with Bob, she can send all the funds she has standing there to somewhere else (for example, another channel she has with someone else, another wallet somewhere else, a shop that is selling some good or service, or a service that will aggregate all funds from all her channels and send a transaction to the Bitcoin chain on her behalf). 6. If at any time Bob leaves the network Alice is entitled by Bob's cryptographic signatures to knock on his door and demand payment, or go to a judge and ask him to force Bob to pay, or share the signatures and commitments online and hurt Bob's reputation with the rest of the network (but yes, none of these things is good enough and if Bob is a very dishonest person none of these things is likely to save Alice's funds). ### The payment flow 1. Suppose there exists a route `Alice->Bob->Carol` and Alice wants to send a payment to Carol. 2. First Alice reads an _invoice_ she received from Carol. The invoice (which can be pretty similar or maybe even the same as [BOLT11](https://ln.dev/read/11-payment-encoding)) contains a payment hash `h` and information about how to reach Carol's node, optionally an amount. Let's say it's 100 satoshis. 3. Using the routing information she gathered, Alice builds an onion and sends it to Bob, at the same time she offers to Bob a "conditional IOU". That stands for a signed commitment that Alice will owe Bob an 100 satoshis if in the next 50 blocks of the Rumple Chain there appears a block containing the preimage `p` such that `sha256(p) == h`. 4. Bob peels the onion and discovers that he must forward that payment to Carol, so he forwards the peeled onion and offers a conditional IOU to Carol with the same `h`. Bob doesn't know Carol is the final recipient of the payment, it could potentially go on and on. 5. When Carol gets the conditional IOU from Bob, she makes a list of all the nodes who have announced themselves as miners (which is not something I have mentioned before, but nodes that are acting as miners will must announce themselves somehow) and are online and bidding for the next Rumple block. Each of these miners will have previously published a random 32-byte value `v` they they intend to include in their next block. 6. Carol sends payments through routes to all (or a big number) of these miners, but this time the conditional IOU contains two conditions (values that must appear in a block for the IOU to be valid): `p` such that `sha256(p) == h` (the same that featured in the invoice) and `v` (which must be unique and constant for each miner, something that is easily verifiable by Carol beforehand). Also, instead of these conditions being valid for the next 50 blocks they are valid only for the single next block. 7. Now Carol broadcasts `p` to the mempool and hopes one of the miners to which she sent conditional payments sees it and, allured by the possibility of cashing in Carol's payment, includes `p` in the next block. If that does not happen, Carol can try again in the next block. ## Why bother with this at all? 1. **The biggest advantage of Lightning is its openness** It has been said multiple times that if trust is involved then we don't need Lightning, we can use Coinbase, or worse, Paypal. This is very wrong. Lightning is good specially because it serves as a bridge between Coinbase, Paypal, other custodial provider and someone running their own node. All these can transact freely across the network and pay each other without worrying about who is in which provider or setup. Rumple inherits that openness. In a Rumple Network anyone is free to open new trust channels and immediately route payments to anyone else. Also, since Rumple payments are also based on the reveal of a preimage it can do swaps with Lightning inside a payment route from day one (by which I mean one can pay from Rumple to Lightning and vice-versa). 3. **Rumple fixes Lightning's fragility** Lightning is too fragile. It's known that Lightning is vulnerable to multiple attacks -- like the [flood-and-loot](https://www.coindesk.com/bitcoins-lightning-network-is-vulnerable-to-looting-new-research-explains) attack, for example, although not an attack that's easy to execute, it's still dangerous even if failed. Given the existence of these attacks, it's important to not ever open channels with random anonymous people. Some degree of trust must exist between peers. But one does not even have to consider attacks. The creation of HTLCs is a liability that every node has to do multiple times during its life. Every initiated, received or forwarded payment require adding one HTLC then removing it from the commitment transaction. Another issue that makes trust needed between peers is the fact that channels can be closed unilaterally. Although this is a feature, it is also a bug when considering high-fee environments. Imagine you pay $2 in fees to open a channel, your peer may close that unilaterally in the next second and then you have to pay another $15 to close the channel. The opener pays (this is also a feature that [can double as a bug](https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/lightning-dev/2020-October/002804.html) by itself). Even if it's not you opening the channel, a peer can open a channel with you, make a payment, then clone the channel, and now you're left with, say, an output of 800 satoshis, which is equal to zero if network fees are high. So you should only open channels with people you know and know aren't going to actively try to hack you and people who are not going to close channels and impose unnecessary costs on you. But even considering a fully trusted Lightning Network, even if -- to be extreme -- you only opened channels with yourself, these channels would still be fragile. If some HTLC gets stuck for any reason (peer offline or some weird small incompatibility between node softwares) and you're forced to close the channel because of that, there are the extra costs of sweeping these UTXO outputs plus the total costs of closing and reopening a channel that shouldn't have been closed in the first place. Even if HTLCs don't get stuck, a [fee renegotiation event during a mempool spike](https://twitter.com/renepickhardt/status/1321862538859073548) may cause channels to force-close, become valueless or settle for very high closing fee. Some of these issues are mitigated by Eltoo, others by only having channels with people you trust. Others referenced above, plus the [the griefing attack](https://twitter.com/joostjgr/status/1308414364911841281) and in general the ability of anyone to spam the network for free with payments that can be pending forever or a lot of payments fail repeatedly makes it very fragile. Rumple solves most of these problems by not having to touch the blockchain at all. Fee negotiation makes no sense. Opening and closing channels is free. Flood-and-loot is a non-issue. The griefing attack can be still attempted as funds in trust channels must be reserved like on Lightning, but since there should be no theoretical limit to the number of prepared payments a channel can have, the griefing must rely on actual amounts being committed, which prevents large attacks from being performed easily. 4. **Rumple fixes Lightning's unsolvable reputation issues** In the Lightning Conference 2019, Rusty Russell promised there would be pre-payments on Lightning someday, since everybody was aware of potential spam issues and pre-payments would be the way to solve that. Fast-forward to November 2020 and these pre-payments have become an [apparently unsolvable problem](https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/lightning-dev/2020-October/002826.html)[^thread-402]: no one knows how to implement them reliably without destroying privacy completely or introducing worse problems. Replacing these payments with tables of reputation between peers is also an unsolved problem[^reputation-lightning], for the same reasons explained in the thread above. 5. **Rumple solves the hot wallet problem** Since you don't have to use Bitcoin keys or sign transactions with a Rumple node, only your channel trust is at risk at any time. 6. **Rumple ends custodianship** Since no one is storing other people's funds, a big hub or wallet provider can be used in multiple payment routes, but it cannot be immediately classified as a "custodian". At best, it will be a big debtor. 7. **Rumple is fun** Opening channels with strangers is boring. Opening channels with friends and people you trust even a little makes that relationship grow stronger and the trust be reinforced. (But of course, like it happens in the Lightning Network today, if Rumple is successful the bulk of trust will be from isolated users to big reliable hubs.) ## Questions or potential issues 1. **So many advantages, yes, but trusted? Custodial? That's easy and stupid!** Well, an enormous part of the current Lightning Network (and also onchain Bitcoin wallets) already rests on trust, mainly trust between users and custodial wallet providers like ZEBEDEE, Alby, Wallet-of-Satoshi and others. Worse: on the current Lightning Network users not only trust, they also expose their entire transaction history to these providers[^hosted-channels]. Besides that, as detailed in point 3 of the previous section, there are many unsolvable issues on the Lightning protocol that make each sovereign node dependent on some level of trust in its peers (and the network in general dependent on trusting that no one else will spam it to death). So, given the current state of the Lightning Network, to trust peers like Rumple requires is not a giant change -- but it is still a significant change: in Rumple you shouldn't open a large trust channel with someone just because it looks trustworthy, you must personally know that person and only put in what you're willing to lose. In known brands that have reputation to lose you can probably deposit more trust, same for long-term friends, and that's all. Still it is probably good enough, given the existence of MPP payments and the fact that the purpose of Rumple is to be a payments network for day-to-day purchases and not a way to buy real estate. 2. **Why would anyone run a node in this parallel chain?** I don't know. Ideally every server running a Rumple Network node will be running a Bitcoin node and a Rumple chain node. Besides using it to confirm and publish your own Rumple Network transactions it can be set to do BMM mining automatically and maybe earn some small fees comparable to running a Lightning routing node or a JoinMarket yield generator. Also it will probably be very lightweight, as pruning is completely free and no verification-since-the-genesis-block will take place. 10. **What is the maturity of the debt that exists in the Rumple Network or its legal status?** By default it is to be understood as being payable _on demand for payments occurring inside the network_ (as credit can be used to forward or initiate payments by the creditor using that channel). But details of settlement outside the network or what happens if one of the peers disappears cannot be enforced or specified by the network. Perhaps some standard optional settlement methods (like a Bitcoin address) can be announced and negotiated upon channel creation inside the protocol, but nothing more than that. [^thread-402]: Read at least the first 10 messages of the thread to see how naïve proposals like you and me could have thought about are brought up and then dismantled very carefully by the group of people most committed to getting Lightning to work properly. [^reputation-lightning]: See also the footnote at [Ripple and the problem of the decentralized commit](nostr:naddr1qqyrxcmzxa3nxv34qyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823cjrqar6). [^hosted-channels]: Although that second part can be solved by [hosted channels](https://gist.github.com/btcontract/d4122a79911eef2620f16b3dfe2850a8).

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# litepub A Go library that abstracts all the burdensome ActivityPub things and provides just the right amount of helpers necessary to integrate an existing website into the "fediverse" (what an odious name). Made for the [gravity]() integration. - <https://godoc.org/github.com/fiatjaf/litepub> ## See also -

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# Veterano não é dono de bixete "VETERANO NÃO É DONO DE BIXETE". A frase em letras garrafais chama a atenção dos transeuntes neófitos. Paira sobre um cartaz amarelo que lista várias reclamações contra os "trotes machistas", que, na opinião do responsável pelo cartaz, "não é brincadeira, é opressão". Eis aí um bizarro exemplo de como são as coisas: primeiro todos os universitários aprovam a idéia do trote, apoiam sua realização e até mesmo desejam sofrer o trote -- com a condição de o poderem aplicar eles mesmos depois --, louvam as maravilhas do mundo universitário, onde a suprema sabedoria se esconde atrás de rituais iniciáticos fora do alcance da imaginação do homem comum e rude, do pobre e do filhinho-de-papai das faculdades privadas; em suma: fomentam os mais baixos, os mais animalescos instintos, a crueldade primordial, destroem em si mesmos e nos colegas quaisquer valores civilizatórios que tivessem sobrado ali, ficando todos indistingüíveis de macacos agressivos e tarados. Depois vêm aí com um cartaz protestar contra os assédios -- que sem dúvida acontecem em larguíssima escala -- sofridos pelas calouras de 17 anos e que, sendo também novatas no mundo universitário, ainda conservam um pouco de discernimento e pudor. A incompreensão do fenômeno, porém, é tão grande, que os trotes não são identificados como um problema mental, uma doença que deve ser tratada e eliminada, mas como um sintoma da opressão machista dos homens às mulheres, um produto desta civilização paternalista que, desde que Deus é chamado "o Pai" e não "a Mãe", corrompe a benéfica, pura e angélica natureza do homem primitivo e o torna esta tão torpe criatura. Na opinião dos autores desse cartaz é preciso, pois, continuar a destruir o que resta da cultura ocidental, e então esperar que haja trotes menos opressores.

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# questo.email This was a thing done in a brief period I liked the idea of "indiewebcamp", a stupid movement of people saying everybody should have their site and post their lives in it. From the GitHub postmortem: > questo.email was a service that integrated email addresses into the indieweb ecosystem by providing email-to-note and email-to-webmention triggers, which could be used for people to comment through webmention using their email addresses, and be replied, and also for people to send messages from their sites directly to the email addresses of people they knew; Questo also worked as an **IndieAuth** provider that used people's email addresses and **Mozilla Persona**. > > It was live from December 2014 through December 2015. Here's how the home page looked:  - <https://github.com/fiatjaf/questo.email> ### See also - [jekmentions](nostr:naddr1qqyrvcmxxgmn2cnpqyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823crzww00), another thing related to "indieweb"

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# Personagens de jogos e símbolos A sensação de "ser" um personagem em um jogo ou uma brincadeira talvez seja o mais próximo que eu tenha conseguido chegar do entendimento de um símbolo religioso. A hóstia consagrada é, segundo a religião, o corpo de Cristo, mas nossa mente moderna só consegue concebê-la como sendo uma representação do corpo de Cristo. Da mesma forma outras culturas e outras religiões têm símbolos parecidos, inclusive nos quais o próprio participante do ritual faz o papel de um deus ou de qualquer coisa parecida. "Faz o papel" é de novo a interpretação da mente moderna. O sujeito ali _é_ a coisa, mas ele ao mesmo tempo que é também sabe que não é, que continua sendo ele mesmo. Nos jogos de videogame e brincadeiras infantis em que se encarna um personagem o jogador _é_ o personagem. não se diz, entre os jogadores, que alguém está "encenando", mas que ele _é_ e pronto. nem há outra denominação ou outro verbo. No máximo "encarnando", mas já aí já é vocabulário jornalístico feito para facilitar a compreensão de quem está de fora do jogo.

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# neuron.vim I started using this [neuron][neuron] thing to create an update this same [zettelkasten](nostr:naddr1qqyrwwfh8yurgefnqyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823c7qmjrw), but the [existing vim plugin](https://github.com/ihsanturk/neuron.vim) had too many problems, so I forked it and ended up changing almost everything. Since the upstream repository was somewhat abandoned, most users and people who were trying to contribute upstream migrate to my fork too. - <https://github.com/fiatjaf/neuron.vim> [neuron]: https://github.com/srid/neuron

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# Splitpages The simplest possible service: it splitted PDF pages in half. Created specially to solve the problem of those scanned books that come with two pages side-by-side as if they were a single page and are much harder to read on Kindle because of that.  It required me to learn about Heroku Buildpacks though, and fork or contribute to a Heroku Buildpack that embedded a [mupdf][mupdf] binary. - <https://github.com/fiatjaf/splitpages> - <https://splitpages.herokuapp.com/> [mupdf]: <https://mupdf.com/>

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# tempreites My first library to get stars on GitHub, was a very stupid templating library that used just HTML and HTML attributes ("DSL-free"). I was inspired by <http://microjs.com/> at the time and ended up not using the library. Probably no one ever did. - <https://github.com/fiatjaf/tempreites>

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# On "zk-rollups" applied to Bitcoin ZK rollups make no sense in bitcoin because there is no "cheap calldata". all data is already ~~cheap~~ expensive calldata. There could be an onchain zk verification that allows succinct signatures maybe, but never a rollup. What happens is: you can have one UTXO that contains multiple balances on it and in each transaction you can recreate that UTXOs but alter its state using a zk to compress all internal transactions that took place. The blockchain must be aware of all these new things, so it is in no way "L2". And you must have an entity responsible for that UTXO and for conjuring the state changes and zk proofs. But on bitcoin you also must keep the data necessary to rebuild the proofs somewhere else, I'm not sure how can the third party responsible for that UTXO ensure that happens. I think such a construct is similar to a credit card corporation: one central party upon which everybody depends, zero interoperability with external entities, every vendor must have an account on each credit card company to be able to charge customers, therefore it is not clear that such a thing is more desirable than solutions that are truly open and interoperable like Lightning, which may have its defects but at least fosters a much better environment, bringing together different conflicting parties, custodians, anyone.

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# Boardthreads This was a very badly done service for turning a Trello list into a helpdesk UI. Surprisingly, it had more paying users than [Websites For Trello](nostr:naddr1qqyrydpkvverwvehqyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823c9d4yku), which I was working on simultaneously and dedicating much more time to it. The Neo4j database I used for this was a very poor choice, it was probably the cause of all the bugs.  -<https://github.com/fiatjaf/boardthreads>

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# Webvatar Like **Gravatar**, but using profile images from websites tagged with "microformats-2" tags, like people from the indiewebcamp movement liked. It falled back to favicon, gravatar and procedural avatar generators. No one really used this, despite people saying they liked it. Since I was desperate to getting some of my programs appreciated by someone I even bought a domain. It was sad, but an enriching experience. - <https://github.com/fiatjaf/webvatar.com> - <http://webvatar.com> ### See also - [jekmentions](nostr:naddr1qqyrvcmxxgmn2cnpqyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823crzww00) - [questo.email](nostr:naddr1qqyrvvpnveskzvnrqyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823ce8mca6)

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# The problem with ION [ION](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/identity-standards-blog/ion-we-have-liftoff/ba-p/1441555) is a [DID method](nostr:naddr1qqyrjwrpv93rjcf4qyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823cuxp7vx) based on a thing called "Sidetree". I can't say for sure what is the problem with ION, because I don't understand the design, even though I have read all I could and asked everybody I knew. All available information only touches on the high-level aspects of it (and of course its amazing wonders) and no one has ever bothered to explain the details. I've also asked the main designer of the protocol, Daniel Buchner, but he may have thought I was trolling him on Twitter and refused to answer, instead pointing me to an incomplete spec on the Decentralized Identity Foundation website that I had already read before. I even tried to join the DIF as a member so I could join their closed community calls and hear what they say, maybe eventually ask a question, so I could understand it, but my entrance was ignored, then after many months and a nudge from another member I was told I had to do a KYC process to be admitted, which I refused. **One thing I know is**: - ION is supposed to provide a way to _rotate keys_ seamlessly and automatically without losing the main identity (and the ION proponents also claim there are no "master" keys because these can also be rotated). - ION is also _not a blockchain_, i.e. it doesn't have a deterministic consensus mechanism and it is decentralized, i.e. anyone can publish data to it, doesn't have to be a single central server, there may be holes in the available data and the protocol doesn't treat that as a problem. - From all we know about years of attempts to scale Bitcoins and develop offchain protocols it is clear that _you can't solve the double-spend problem without a central authority or a kind of blockchain_ (i.e. a decentralized system with deterministic consensus). - _Rotating keys also suffer from the double-spend problem_: whenever you rotate a key it is as if it was "spent", you aren't supposed to be able to use it again. The logic conclusion of the 4 assumptions above is that ION is flawed: it can't provide the key rotation it says it can if it is not a blockchain. ## See also - [Excerpt of discussion about DIDs and ION](nostr:naddr1qqyrydtpx33nsvpcqyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823ccx33ee)

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bolt12 problems =============== - clients can't programatically build new offers by changing a path or query params (services like zbd.gg or lnurl-pay.me won't work) - impossible to use in a load-balanced custodian way -- since offers would have to be pregenerated and tied to a specific lightning node. - the existence of fiat currency fields makes it so wallets have to fetch exchange rates from somewhere on the internet (or offer a bad user experience), using HTTP which hurts user privacy. - the vendor field is misleading, can be phished very easily, not as safe as a domain name. - onion messages are an improvement over fake HTLC-based payments as a way of transmitting data, for sure. but we must decide if they are (i) suitable for transmitting all kinds of data over the internet, a replacement for tor; or (ii) not something that will scale well or on which we can count on for the future. if there was proper incentivization for data transmission it could end up being (i), the holy grail of p2p communication over the internet, but that is a very hard problem to solve and not guaranteed to yield the desired scalability results. since not even hints of attempting to solve that are being made, it's safer to conclude it is (ii). bolt12 limitations ------------------ - not flexible enough. there are some interesting fields defined in the spec, but who gets to add more fields later if necessary? very unclear. - services can't return any actionable data to the users who paid for something. it's unclear how business can be conducted without an extra communication channel. bolt12 illusions ---------------- - recurring payments is not really solved, it is just a spec that defines intervals. the actual implementation must still be done by each wallet and service. the recurring payment cannot be enforced, the wallet must still initiate the payment. even if the wallet is evil and is willing to initiate a payment without the user knowing it still needs to have funds, channels, be online, connected etc., so it's not as if the services could rely on the payments being delivered in time. - people seem to think it will enable pushing payments to mobile wallets, which it does not and cannot. - there is a confusion of contexts: it looks like offers are superior to lnurl-pay, for example, because they don't require domain names. domain names, though, are common and well-established among internet services and stores, because these services have websites, so this is not really an issue. it is an issue, though, for people that want to receive payments in their homes. for these, indeed, bolt12 offers a superior solution -- but at the same time bolt12 seems to be selling itself as a tool for merchants and service providers when it includes and highlights features as recurring payments and refunds. - the privacy gains for the receiver that are promoted as being part of bolt12 in fact come from a separate proposal, blinded paths, which should work for all normal lightning payments and indeed are a very nice solution. they are (or at least were, and should be) independent from the bolt12 proposal. a separate proposal, which can be (and already is being) used right now, also improves privacy for the receiver very much anway, it's called trampoline routing.

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# doulas.club A full catalog of all Brazilian doulas with data carefully scrapped from many websites that contained partial catalogs and some data manually included. All this packaged as a _Couchapp_ and served directly from **Cloudant**. This was done because the idea of doulas was good, but I spotted an issue: pregnant womwn should know many doulas before choosing one that would match well, therefore a full catalog with a lot of information was necessary. This was a huge amount of work mostly wasted. Many doulas who knew about this didn't like it and sent angry and offensive emails telling me to remove them. This was information one should know before choosing a doula. ### See also - [About CouchDB](nostr:naddr1qqyrwepevf3n2wf5qyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823c0jq39e)

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# idea: Hosted-channels Lightning wallet that runs in the browser Communicates over HTTP with a server that is actually connected to the Lightning Network, but generates preimages and onions locally, doing everything like the [Hosted Channels protocol](https://github.com/btcontract/hosted-channels-rfc) says. Just the communication method changes. Could use this library: <https://www.npmjs.com/package/bolt04>

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# Eltoo Read [the paper](https://blockstream.com/eltoo.pdf), it's actually nice and small. You can read only everything up to section 4.2 and it will be enough. Done. Ok, you don't want to. Or you tried but still want to read here. Eltoo is a way of keeping payment channel state that works better than the original scheme used in _Lightning_. Since Lightning is a bunch of different protocols glued together, it can It replace just the part the previously dealed with keeping the payment channel. Eltoo works like this: A and B want a payment channel, so they create a multisig transaction with deposits from both -- or from just one, doesn't matter. That transaction is only spendable if both cooperate. So if one of them is unresponsive or non-cooperative the other must have a way to get his funds back, so they also create an **update** transaction but don't publish it to the blockchain. That update transaction spends to a **settlement** transaction that then distributes the money back to A and B as their balances say. If they are cooperative they can change the balances of the channel by just creating new **update** transactions and **settlement** transactions and number them like 1, 2, 3, 4 etc.  _Solid arrows means a transaction is presigned to spend only that previous other transaction; dotted arrows mean it's a floating transaction that can spend any of the previous._ ## Why do they need and update and a settlement transaction? Because if B publishes **update2** (in which his balances were greater) A needs some time to publish **update4** (the latest, which holds correct state of balances). Each **update** transaction can be spent by any newer **update** transaction immediately or by its own specific **settlement** transaction only after some time -- or some blocks. Hopefully you got that. ## How do they close the channel? If they're cooperative they can just agree to spend the funding transaction, that first multisig transaction I mentioned, to whatever destinations they want. If one party isn't cooperating the other can just publish the latest **update** transaction, wait a while, then publish its **settlement** transaction. ## How is this better than the previous way of keeping channel states? Eltoo is better because nodes only have to keep the last set of update and settlement transactions. Before they had to keep all intermediate state updates. ## If it is so better why didn't they do it first? Because they didn't have the idea. And also because they needed an update to the Bitcoin protocol that allowed the presigned **update** transactions to spend any of the previous **update** transactions. This protocol update is called `SIGHASH_NOINPUT`[^anyprevout], you've seen this name out there. By marking a transaction with `SIGHASH_NOINPUT` it enters a mystical state and becomes a _floating transaction_ that can be bound to any other [transaction](nostr:naddr1qqyr2e34xycnyephqyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823cun2wfz) as long as its unlocking script matches the locking script. ## Why can't update2 bind itself to update4 and spend that? Good question. It can. But then it can't anymore, because Eltoo uses `OP_CHECKLOCKTIMEVERIFY` to ensure that doesn't actually check not a locktime, but a sequence. It's all arcane stuff. And then Eltoo **update** transactions are numbered and their lock/unlock scripts will only match if a transaction is being spent by another one that's greater than it. ## Do Eltoo channels expire? No. ## What is that "on-chain protocol" they talk about in the paper? That's just an example to guide you through how the off-chain protocol works. Read carefully or don't read it at all. The off-chain mechanics is different from the on-chain mechanics. Repeating: the on-chain protocol is useless in the real world, it's just a didactic tool. [^anyprevout]: Later `SIGHASH_NOINPUT` was modified to fit better with Taproot and Schnorr signatures and renamed to `SIGHASH_ANYPREVOUT`.

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# The Lightning Network solves the problem of the decentralized commit Before reading this, see [Ripple and the problem of the decentralized commit](nostr:naddr1qqyrxcmzxa3nxv34qyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823cjrqar6). The Bitcoin Lightning Network can be thought as a system similar to Ripple: there are conditional IOUs (HTLCs) that are sent in "prepare"-like messages across a route, and a secret `p` that must travel from the final receiver backwards through the route until it reaches the initial sender and possession of that secret serves to prove the payment as well as to make the IOU hold true. The difference is that if one of the parties don't send the "acknowledge" in time, the other has a trusted third-party with its own clock (that is the clock that is valid for everybody involved) to complain immediately at the timeout: the Bitcoin blockchain. If C has `p` and B isn't acknowleding it, C tells the Bitcoin blockchain and it will force the transfer of the amount from B to C. ## Differences (or 1 upside and 3 downside) 1. The Lightning Network differs from a "pure" Ripple network in that when we send a "prepare" message on the Lightning Network, unlike on a pure Ripple network we're not just promising we will owe something -- instead we are putting the money on the table already for the other to get if we are not responsive. 2. The feature above removes the trust element from the equation. We can now have relationships with people we don't trust, as the Bitcoin blockchain will serve as an automated escrow for our conditional payments and no one will be harmed. Therefore it is much easier to build networks and route payments if you don't always require trust relationships. 3. However it introduces the cost of the capital. A ton of capital must be made available in channels and locked in HTLCs so payments can be routed. This leads to potential issues like the ones described in <https://twitter.com/joostjgr/status/1308414364911841281>. 4. Another issue that comes with the necessity of using the Bitcoin blockchain as an arbiter is that it may cost a lot in fees -- much more than the value of the payment that is being disputed -- to enforce it on the blockchain.[^closing-channels-for-nothing] ## Solutions Because the downsides listed above are so real and problematic -- and much more so when attacks from malicious peers are taken into account --, some have argued that the Lightning Network must rely on at least some trust between peers, which partly negate the benefit. The introduction of [purely trust-backend channels](https://gist.github.com/btcontract/d4122a79911eef2620f16b3dfe2850a8) is the next step in the reasoning: if we are trusting already, why not make channels that don't touch the blockchain and don't require peers to commit large amounts of capital? The reason is, again, the ambiguity that comes from [the problem of the decentralized commit](nostr:naddr1qqyrxcmzxa3nxv34qyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823cjrqar6). Therefore [hosted channels](https://gist.github.com/btcontract/d4122a79911eef2620f16b3dfe2850a8) can be good when trust is required only from one side, like in the final hops of payments, but they cannot work in the middle of routes without eroding trust relationships between peers (however they can be useful if employed as channels between two nodes ran by the same person). The next solution is [a revamped pure Ripple network](nostr:naddr1qqr8yatdwpkx2qg3waehxw309anxjct5dfskvtnrdaksygpm7rrrljungc6q0tuh5hj7ue863q73qlheu4vywtzwhx42a7j9n5psgqqqw4rsfyk3p9), one that solves the problem of the decentralized commit in a different way. [^closing-channels-for-nothing]: That is even true when, for reasons of the payment being so small that it doesn't even deserve an actual HTLC that can be enforced on the chain (as per the protocol), even then the channel between the two nodes will be closed, only to make it very clear that there was a disagreement. Leaving it online would be harmful as one of the peers could repeat the attack again and again. This is a proof that [ambiguity, in case of the pure Ripple network](nostr:naddr1qqyrxcmzxa3nxv34qyghwumn8ghj7enfv96x5ctx9e3k7mgzyqalp33lewf5vdq847t6te0wvnags0gs0mu72kz8938tn24wlfze6qcyqqq823cjrqar6), is a very important issue.

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# The monolithic approach to CouchDB views Imagine you have an app that created one document for each day. The docs ids are easily "2015-02-05", "2015-02-06" and so on. Nothing could be more simple. Let's say each day you record "sales", "expenses" and "events", so this a document for a typical day for the retail management Couchapp for an orchid shop: ``` { "_id": "2015-02-04", "sales": [{ "what": "A blue orchid", "price": 50000 }, { "what": "A red orchid", "price": 3500 }, { "what": "A yellow orchid", "price": 11500 }], "expenses": [{ "what": "A new bucket", "how much": 300 },{ "what": "The afternoon snack", "how much": "1200" }], "events": [ "Bob opened the store", "Lisa arrived", "Bob went home", "Lisa closed the store" ] } ``` Now when you want to know what happened in a specific day, you know where to look at. But you don't want only that, you want profit reports, cash flows, day profitability, a complete log of the events et cetera. Then you create one view to turn this mess into something more useful: ``` function (doc) { var spldate = doc._id.split("-") var year = parseInt(spldate[0]) var month = parseInt(spldate[1]) var day = parseInt(spldate[2]) doc.sales.forEach(function (sale, i) { emit(["sale", sale.what], sale.price) emit(["cashflow", year, month, day, i], sale.price) }) doc.expenses.forEach(function (exp, i) { emit(["expense", exp.what], exp.price) emit(["cashflow", year, month, day, i], -exp.price) }) doc.events.forEach(function (ev, i) { emit(["log", year, month, day, i], ev) }) } ``` Then you add a reduce function with the value of `_sum` and you get a bunch of useful query endpoints. For example, you can request ``` /_design/orchids/_view/main?startkey=["cashflow", "2014", "12"]&endkey=["cashflow", "2014", "12", {}] ```

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# WelcomeBot The first bot ever created for Trello. It invited to a public board automatically anyone who commented on a card he was added to. - <https://github.com/fiatjaf/welcomebot> - <https://trello.com/welcomebot>

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# On the state of programs and browsers Basically, there are basically (not exhaustively) 2 kinds of programs one can run in a computer nowadays: 1.1. A program that is installed, permanent, has direct access to the Operating System, can draw whatever it wants, modify files, interact with other programs and so on; 1.2. A program that is transient, fetched from someone else's server at run time, interpreted, rendered and executed by another program that bridges the access of that transient program to the OS and other things. Meanwhile, web browsers have basically (not exhaustively) two use cases: 2.1. Display text, pictures, videos hosted on someone else's computer; 2.2. Execute incredibly complex programs that are fetched at run time, executed and so on -- you get it, it's the same 1.2. These two use cases for browsers are at big odds with one another. While stretching itsel f to become more and more a platform for programs that can do basically anything (in the 1.1 sense) they are still restricted to being an 1.2 platform. At the same time, websites that were supposed to be on 2.1 sometimes get confused and start acting as if they were 2.2 -- and other confusing mixed up stuff. I could go hours in philosophical inquiries on the nature of browsers, how rewriting everything in JavaScript is not healthy or where everything went wrong, but I think other people have done this already. One thing that bothers me a lot, though, is that computers can do a lot of things, and with the internet and in the current state of the technology it's fairly easy to implement tools that would help in many aspects of human existence and provide high-quality, useful programs, with the help of a server to coordinate access, store data, authenticate users and so on many things are possible. However, due to the nature of UI in the browser, it's very hard to get any useful tool to users. Writing a UI, even the most basic UI imaginable (some text input boxes and some buttons, or a table) can take a long time, always more than the time necessary to code the actual core features of whatever program is being developed -- and that is considering that the person capable of writing interesting programs that do the functionality in the backend are also capable of interacting with JavaScript and the giant amount of frameworks, transpilers, styling stuff, CSS, the fact that all this is built on top of HTML and so on. This is not good.