Hi, still alive and still here. The latest, I recently went to Humboldt County to visit a friend for a weekend (got away from the insanity of Car Week in Monterey Peninsula area), and am working on transitioning away from my current involvement in hardware store / supply chain work, by starting up my own online only ammunition and accessories store. It'll be run through AmmoReady and it's not live yet (still securing some business related licenses and getting the site up and running, and working on determining which distributors' products will be featured), but I will post a link when I eventually go live with it.

The State, vs #bitcoin - if people are choosing the former to vote for, isn't this just an example of natural selection? If the actions of the State / different countries are so extreme that what results are not only an abundance of violent conflict but also the most innovative people leaving certain countries and regions (and even migrating away from earthbound jurisdictions into outer space, similar to Blockstream's method) then that's just the logical end result of smarter choices to migrate away from massively unstable systems and stupid people with too much power.

Something through Nostr but also broadcast in outer space and designed to be a philanthropic development for people around the world, initially funded through

Geyser | Bitcoin Crowdfunding Platform

A Bitcoin crowdfunding platform where creators raise funds for causes, sell products, manage campaigns, and engage with their community.

and promoted via Market on Nostr / Coracle

I traveled to El Salvador in December of 2023. If anyone is curious about how things are right now in the country (in terms of security, business friendliness, pros and cons, etc.) simply reply here with any questions and I'll let you know. I lived there for a few years in 1998 - 2000 and have been there a few times since then (the #bitcoin friendly policies being a really recent development). Currently am in one of the worst places in the world to exist as a bitcoin person: California. Hoping to leave California permanently soon.

Posting without comment

Argentina elected Milei – who has become the world’s first anarcho-capitalist – Letters Of Liberty

@ hodlbod @🐈 @jack @jack mallers Some questions: in light of the WoS fiasco, what are the current best non-custodial apps here people are using (that enable us to work using Lightning / Nostr) and what would be the best way to ensure that they continue to offered to a growing userbase (rather than restricted to less and less countries, people and places)? Also: Are there some of the below apps below that you simple would recommend that I shouldn't use? I'm currently using a variety of things, including: - Strike https://strike.me/freethinkr - Flamingo - Vida (vida.io) -- https://vida.page/freethinkingperson - LifPay --

LifPay

The radically simple Bitcoin Lightning Wallet | LifPay

- Electrum (I have both mobile and desktop) - Zeus (I have it on my phone but haven't figured out quite how to use it) Note: I will also have MyNode running by end of 2023 (long before the US federal rule is finalized next year, at which point there is that question of whether or not the software will still be offered):

MyNode Product Comparinson

Run Bitcoin, Lightning, and more!

I also confirmed with Trezor that the latest product which they shipped out to me, which was a limited run bitcoin only Trezor, would indeed have the coinjoin suite feature

What is coinjoin?

Learn about CoinJoin, a privacy-enhancing technique in Bitcoin that combines multiple transactions into one, obscuring the origins and destinations...

(This was a concern of mine as I wonder if it will be phased out in the future for US buyers)

Thought for today: "You are imperfect, you are wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.” -- Brené Brown Obviously not only solutions out there, but: @Start9 (buy /DIY your own server) @OpenSecret (self-custodial wallet setup) and MyNode (not sure if they have a Nostr yet but their website is here

MyNode Product Comparinson

Run Bitcoin, Lightning, and more!

"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" -- Quinam illi sunt, qui tam audaces sunt, ut abiiciendis vinculis conentur, ad easque potestates provocandas, qui eas assumunt, constanter ac violenter aggrediantur omnes, quos infra se esse arbitrantur? Quis enim spectabit homines, qui terribilem potentiam conducunt, et quid tum fit, cum homines non solum spectare potentes, sed decernere iam non ad virtutem pertinet? Hae interrogationes sibi respondent.

Interesting article on the status / situation in El Salvador. Note: Bukele has registered to run for President again, but because of Salvadoran elections law and the Supreme Court decisions in El Salvador, it appears for him to run again (which he is doing), he will need to (at some point in the near future) step down (basically, take a break from office) at least six months before the next presidential term commences on June 1, 2024.

Bitcoin Magazine

Beyond Bukele: Sustaining El Salvador’s Orange Wave Of Freedom

An analysis of the inevitable political situation in El Salvador when Nayib Bukele can no longer hold the office of president.

Are we still doing all caps? I'VE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR FUCKING YEARS

Bitcoin Magazine

From Cyberspace To Outer Space: Will Fiat Imperialism Push Mining Off-Planet?

A serious consideration of the possibilities and motivations for orbital bitcoin mining platforms.

#bitcoin #GrowNostr

U.S. Federal Rule proposed against digital asset users, comments close 10/30

Federal Register

Gross Proceeds and Basis Reporting by Brokers and Determination of Amount Realized and Basis for Digital Asset Transactions

This document contains proposed regulations regarding information reporting, the determination of amount realized and basis, and backup withholding...

Another U.S. federal rule proposed, (even more significant than the above), attacks mixing, lightning, more, comments close 1/22/2024:

Regulations.gov

Please comment on both (as I'm sure these will both be rammed through to be finalized, but, any comments you make in these can be used in later court cases challenging the rules to oppose and possibly overturn them). In the meantime as I've mentioned before, innovators should consider (if they haven't already) prioritizing their activity elsewhere (other than the USA - in other countries and / or in space similar to what Blockstream has done).

ICYMI: 1. California's Gov. Newsom signed AB 39 (California's bitlicense) into law. If you think this won't impact you, you are wrong. This is a profoundly negative development for those who had hoped that the State of California might ultimately take a turn, learn, and become more welcoming to innovators, bitcoin developers and just thoughtful human beings in general. It was not to be. California is a shit heap with no redeeming quality, and its legislators will soon drive out those who have tried to make it a better place. 2. Odysee posted a thoroughly depressing post, but worth a read about the impact of the U.S. SEC on certain business models. It's titled "The End of Lbry Inc" and describes not only what will happen to Lbry, Inc., but what will happen to Odysee and the content of Odysee users.

Odysee

The End of LBRY Inc.

View on Odysee: The End of LBRY Inc.

3. There is a proposed U.S. federal rule that targets a huge swath of, well, basically everything. This includes not only coinjoins as they are classically understood but anything which could be understood by the U.S. government to be "mixing." You'll need to read this to understand why this regulatory proposal is so dangerous but like many developments of regulatory overreach, this proposed rule being rammed through is clearly targeting every bitcoin user and would certainly impact those utilizing 2nd layer (lightning) technology. I recommend you take the time to comment on it. Comments close on 1/22/2024, and even if the comments are largely disregarded the comments in the record can later be used by plaintiffs (those challenging any finalized rule) in a bid to overturn the federal rule in court once it becomes final.

Regulations.gov

The message that is being given by these clearly anti-innovation regulators is that they don't want bitcoin development or any innovation or even use of bitcoin to exist in the United States, even as growth of use occurs with bitcoin, value of the dollar continues to decrease and value of the bitcoin relative to the dollar continues to increase. But this is not so much the point, we know that when activities we want to perform become prohibitive or at least highly restricted in one place, we can shift gears and do them elsewhere where we are welcomed. That said, we should speak out against what the state of California, New York and U.S. federal government are doing. #bitcoin #lightning #GrowNostr #awareness

"No, it is a word. What matters is the connection the word implies. I see that you are in love. Can you tell me what you'd give to hold on to that connection?"

GitHub

ABISprotocol - Overview

"No, it is a word. What matters is the connection the word implies. I see that you are in love. Can you tell me what you'd give to hold on to that ...