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curt finch
npub1twan...xjqh
on alby
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big curt 4 months ago
At night I fall into slumber and often my last thoughts are the excitement I feel at the coffee I will have in the morning We have perfected the art of the perfect coffee
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big curt 4 months ago
I've decided to fire Donald Trump
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big curt 4 months ago
Crashing McCrashalot get out your wallets and start buying Do you think it goes below 100 because I hope so image
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big curt 4 months ago
Bitcoin is boring and it's only up 78% TTM image
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big curt 4 months ago
Be here now Go outside Don't take your phone
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big curt 4 months ago
Who's building nukes? If you zoom out over the last decade, nuclear new-builds cluster in a few hot spots: China, Russia, India, Korea, UAE. Here’s a timeline of the biggest ones: --- 2014–2015 Fuqing 3 & 4 (China) – CPR-1000 units. Shin Kori 3 (South Korea) – first APR-1400. 2016–2017 Novovoronezh II-1 (Russia) – first VVER-1200 Gen III+. Tianwan 3 & 4 (China) – VVER-1000 units. Shin Kori 4 (Korea) – APR-1400. 2018–2019 Barakah 1 (UAE) – first Arab world nuclear plant. Novovoronezh II-2 (Russia). Tianwan 5 & 6 (China). Rostov 4 (Russia). 2020–2021 Olkiluoto 3 (Finland) – EPR, Europe’s first new reactor in decades (finally online in 2021/2022 after years of delay). Kudankulam 3 (India) – VVER-1000. Barakah 2 (UAE) – 2021. 2022–2023 Barakah 3 (UAE) – 2022. Xudapu 6 (China) and other new Chinese builds. Ruppur 1 (Bangladesh) under construction; still not online yet. 2024–2025 Barakah 4 (UAE) – Sept 2024. Zhangzhou 1 (China) – Jan 2025. --- Patterns China dominates: 20+ reactors brought online in 10 years, usually CPR-1000, Hualong One, or VVER imports. Russia: steady buildout of VVER-1200 units, plus exports (Turkey’s Akkuyu, Bangladesh’s Ruppur). Middle East breakthrough: UAE’s Barakah plant = 4 units from 2020–2024. Western world: only Olkiluoto 3 (Finland, 2022) and Vogtle 3 & 4 (USA, 2023/2024) — the first new U.S. reactors in 30+ years. --- 👉 Do you want me to lay this out in a clean table with country, plant name, reactor type, and year (2014–2025)? It’d be easy to scan.
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big curt 4 months ago
Identifying the "most intelligent" Bitcoin skeptics requires focusing on individuals with well-reasoned, evidence-based arguments grounded in economics, technology, or policy, rather than emotional or uninformed criticism. Below, I outline notable skeptics with strong credentials and their best arguments, emphasizing recent perspectives where possible, based on available data and critical analysis. These skeptics are selected for their intellectual rigor and influence in academic, financial, or technical domains. ### 1. **Nouriel Roubini** - **Credentials**: NYU economist, famously predicted the 2008 financial crisis, known for macro-economic analysis. - **Key Arguments**: - **Lack of Intrinsic Value**: Roubini argues Bitcoin has no intrinsic value, as it generates no cash flow or dividends, relying solely on speculative demand. He contrasts this with fiat currencies, which are backed by government mandates for tax payments and legal tender status.[]( - **Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) Threat**: He posits that CBDCs, backed by governments, will outcompete cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin due to their stability, legal backing, and integration into existing financial systems. He argues this could render Bitcoin obsolete.[]( - **Illicit Use and Regulatory Risk**: Roubini highlights Bitcoin’s historical use in darknet markets and ransomware, noting that government crackdowns on anonymity (e.g., tracking Bitcoin ransoms in the 2021 Colonial Pipeline attack) undermine its appeal.[]( - **Strength**: His arguments are rooted in macroeconomic principles and government incentives, with a focus on systemic risks and regulatory trends. His 2008 prediction lends credibility to his warnings about speculative bubbles. - **Critique**: Roubini underestimates Bitcoin’s resilience as a decentralized network and its growing adoption by institutions (e.g., spot Bitcoin ETFs in 2024). His focus on CBDCs assumes governments can execute them effectively, which is uncertain. ### 2. **Nassim Nicholas Taleb** - **Credentials**: Author of *The Black Swan*, distinguished professor at NYU, expert in risk and probability. - **Key Arguments**: - **Zero Fundamental Value**: In a 2022 paper, Taleb argues that Bitcoin’s value is zero because it lacks any mechanism for generating revenue or dividends. He uses probabilistic analysis to assert that, without intrinsic yield, Bitcoin’s price depends entirely on subjective demand, which could collapse if miners cease operations or public interest fades.[](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/06/03/crypto-skeptics-growing/) - **Volatility and Instability**: Taleb notes Bitcoin’s extreme price swings (e.g., dropping from $60,000 to $30,000 in weeks in 2021) make it unreliable as a store of value, contradicting claims of it being “digital gold.”[]( - **Environmental Concerns**: He emphasizes Bitcoin’s energy consumption, which rivals that of entire countries like Argentina, arguing this inefficiency is unsustainable and could turn public opinion against it.[](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/06/03/crypto-skeptics-growing/) - **Strength**: Taleb’s probabilistic approach and focus on long-term sustainability provide a rigorous framework. His shift from calling Bitcoin an “organic currency” in 2018 to a skeptic by 2022 shows intellectual flexibility. - **Critique**: His zero-valuation model ignores Bitcoin’s utility for permissionless transactions and its fixed supply as a hedge against fiat debasement. Energy concerns are partly countered by Bitcoin mining’s shift toward renewables (e.g., 50%+ clean energy usage by 2021).[]( ### 3. **Robert Merton** - **Credentials**: Nobel Prize-winning economist (1997) for contributions to investment theory, professor at MIT. - **Key Arguments**: - **No Legal Tender Status**: Merton asserts that only government-controlled currencies have intrinsic value due to their mandatory acceptance for taxes and debts. Bitcoin, lacking this, cannot function as a true currency.[]( - **Speculative Bubble**: He compares Bitcoin’s value to gold, noting that even gold’s price is poorly understood, and Bitcoin’s reliance on speculative demand (akin to the “greater fool theory”) makes it vulnerable to collapse.[]( - **Blockchain Trust Issues**: Merton challenges the narrative that Bitcoin’s blockchain is trustless, arguing that the system’s reliance on code and miners introduces risks of flaws or backdoors, undermining its security claims.[]( - **Strength**: Merton’s arguments are grounded in traditional financial theory and skepticism of unproven systems. His Nobel laureate status adds weight to his critiques. - **Critique**: His dismissal of blockchain’s trustlessness overlooks its cryptographic security and 16-year track record of no major breaches. Bitcoin’s adoption by institutions (e.g., JPMorgan’s 2024 ETF investments) suggests growing legitimacy.[]( ### 4. **Molly White** - **Credentials**: Software engineer, creator of the “Web3 is Going Just Great” website, which documents crypto industry failures. - **Key Arguments**: - **Industry Misbehavior**: White catalogs scams, frauds, and collapses (e.g., Terra-Luna, FTX) to argue that Bitcoin and crypto are riddled with systemic issues, including Ponzi-like schemes and lack of accountability.[](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna37909) - **Social Harm**: She contends that Bitcoin’s speculative nature fuels inequality, with early adopters and whales benefiting disproportionately while latecomers face losses, especially in bear markets.[](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna37909) - **Lack of Practical Utility**: White argues Bitcoin’s slow transaction speeds (7 transactions per second) and high fees (median $20 in 2021) make it impractical for everyday use, undermining its currency claims.[](https://www.reddit.com/r/Buttcoin/comments/z1up6m/how_many_of_you_guys_were_crypto_skeptics_from/)[](https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-brutal-truth-about-bitcoin/) - **Strength**: Her evidence-based approach, focusing on real-world failures and technical limitations, resonates with those skeptical of crypto’s hype. Her work is accessible and influential in policy discussions. - **Critique**: White’s focus on scams and failures can overgeneralize, ignoring Bitcoin’s distinct decentralized model compared to centralized crypto projects. Solutions like the Lightning Network address scalability, though she questions their effectiveness.[](https://www.reddit.com/r/Buttcoin/comments/z1up6m/how_many_of_you_guys_were_crypto_skeptics_from/) ### 5. **Nicholas Weaver** - **Credentials**: Former UC Berkeley computer science lecturer, now a consultant, known for technical critiques of crypto. - **Key Arguments**: - **Technical Inefficiency**: Weaver argues Bitcoin’s proof-of-work (PoW) system is computationally wasteful, consuming vast energy for minimal transaction throughput compared to traditional systems like Visa (1,000+ transactions per second).[](https://davidgolumbia.medium.com/everything-about-the-cryptocurrency-grift-faed1308ace7)[](https://www.reddit.com/r/Buttcoin/comments/z1up6m/how_many_of_you_guys_were_crypto_skeptics_from/) - **Criminal Facilitation**: He asserts Bitcoin’s pseudonymous nature enables ransomware and darknet markets, with traceability (e.g., FBI tracking Colonial Pipeline funds) exposing its weaknesses as a private currency.[]( - **Speculative Hype**: Weaver views Bitcoin’s price as driven by hype and manipulation (e.g., Tether’s alleged unbacked issuances), predicting a crash when public trust erodes.[](https://davidgolumbia.medium.com/everything-about-the-cryptocurrency-grift-faed1308ace7) - **Strength**: His technical expertise provides a detailed critique of Bitcoin’s scalability and security trade-offs, appealing to those with a tech background. - **Critique**: Weaver’s energy critique overlooks Bitcoin’s role in incentivizing renewable energy (e.g., monetizing excess power). His focus on criminal use ignores data showing only 0.61% of Bitcoin transactions were illicit in 2013–2017.[]( ### Why These Skeptics Stand Out These individuals are distinguished by their credentials (Nobel laureates, academics, technologists), their ability to articulate arguments using economic or technical frameworks, and their influence in shaping public or policy discourse. Their critiques focus on: - **Economic Fundamentals**: Lack of intrinsic value or cash flow (Roubini, Taleb, Merton). - **Regulatory and Systemic Risks**: Government crackdowns, CBDCs, and illicit use (Roubini, Weaver). - **Technical Limitations**: Energy consumption and scalability issues (Taleb, White, Weaver). - **Speculative Nature**: Reliance on hype and the greater fool theory (Merton, White). ### Counterpoints to Consider Bitcoin proponents counter these arguments by emphasizing: - **Intrinsic Utility**: Bitcoin’s permissionless, decentralized payment system serves those excluded from traditional finance (e.g., unbanked populations).[]( - **Regulatory Resilience**: Its decentralized nature makes outright bans difficult, as seen in failed attempts (e.g., China’s 2021 crackdown).[]( - **Energy Narrative**: Mining incentivizes renewable energy adoption, with studies suggesting Bitcoin could boost green energy monetization.[]( - **Adoption Trends**: Institutional embrace (e.g., JPMorgan’s 2024 Bitcoin ETF investments, El Salvador’s Bitcoin City) signals growing legitimacy.[]( ### Final Note While these skeptics offer compelling arguments, Bitcoin’s 16-year survival, $1.5 trillion market cap (as of 2021), and institutional adoption challenge their predictions of collapse. Skeptics like Roubini and Taleb have been wrong on price forecasts (e.g., Taleb’s zero-valuation claim vs. Bitcoin’s $112,000+ price in 2025), but their focus on systemic risks and technical limitations remains relevant for critical evaluation. For further exploration, check White’s “Web3 is Going Just Great” for ongoing critiques or Roubini’s writings on Project Syndicate. Always approach both skeptic and proponent claims with critical scrutiny, as narratives can be biased by ideology or vested interests.[](https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-brutal-truth-about-bitcoin/)[](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna37909)
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big curt 4 months ago
Check out testfol.io Modify any of the preset portfolios to include 1% gbtc which goes all the way back to a long time ago to see how a little bit of Bitcoin changes your investment success It's fun to play around with portfolio theory and change the rebalancing to monthly
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big curt 4 months ago
Highly recommend that you guys go watch this Bono thing on Apple TV It mystifies me how one man can hold inside his body the amount of emotion and spirit without exploding image
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big curt 4 months ago
I started screwing around with crypto in early 2015 It took me 8 years to become a maxi Very slow learner
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big curt 4 months ago
My four year old grandbaby loves K-pop demon hunters
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big curt 4 months ago
I have a idea for a meme but I'm too lazy to make it You take buzz lightyear You take the face of the guy that Trump's going to appoint to replace powellr because he's not printing money fast enough apparently You put the face of the guy on buzz lightyear =And you have the two infinity and beyond quote on there That's it that's my idea Somebody who has the energy can go do that
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big curt 5 months ago
Thank God for Bitcoin Thanks Satoshi And his friends