William K⚡Santiago🔑☢️

"What role do intermediaries—such as merchants, distributors, and traders—play in the market? Far from being mere profiteers, these intermediaries play an essential role in the division of labor. Without them, society as a whole could not function." -- Ulrich Fromy Bastiat’s long-forgotten case for middlemen is worth dusting off. Are banks, payment processors, platforms, and merchants actually the bad guys—or is the real issue that we handed them ownership of the very networks they operate? With Bitcoin, Lightning Network, and Nostr as working proofs, we can keep all the speed and convenience that intermediaries provide while stripping away their ability to control, censor, or extract rents. The question is no longer whether it’s possible; it’s what it will actually take to finish building that world. Article: Frédéric Bastiat: The Unseen Role of Intermediaries https://mises.org/mises-wire/frederic-bastiat-unseen-role-intermediaries

The future of real online privacy is on the darknet — the regular internet (clearnet) is already under total surveillance by governments and corporations. The reason mainstream media always paints the darknet as a pure criminal wasteland is deliberate: yes, illegal stuff obviously exists there, but there are also tons of legitimate uses, whistleblower platforms, uncensored libraries, and resources you’ll never find on the surface web. Tor basically is the uncensored internet. Just download Tor Browser and start exploring. If you’re new to Tor and the darknet, here are the essential rules to stay safe: 1. Only download Tor Browser from the official site → torproject.org and always verify the signature. 2. Never log into Google, Facebook, Discord, or any mainstream account while on Tor. 3. Don’t resize or maximize the browser window (it’s a fingerprinting risk). 4. No extensions, no plugins — ever. 5. Keep JavaScript on “Safer” by default; switch to “Safest” only on really shady sites. 6. For anything actually sensitive, use Tails OS (on a USB) or Whonix in a VM. 7. Never download files and open them outside Tor Browser. 8. Treat every .onion link as potentially malicious — get links only from trusted directories like dark[.]fail, tor[.]taxi, or the Ahmia .onion search engine. 9. Never use your real name, photos, location, or any personal info — ever. 10. Hit “New Identity” (or “New Circuit for this Site”) after anything sensitive. 11. If a site asks for phone/SMS verification, it’s either a scam or law enforcement — run. Safe browsing! Reliable link directories (clearnet + .onion): https://dark.fail darkfailenbsdla5mal2mxn2uz66od5vtzd5qozslagrfzachha3f3id.onion https://tor.taxi tortaxi2dev6xjwbaydqzla77rrnth7yn2oqzjfmiuwn5h6vsk2a4syd.onion https://ahmia.fi juhanurmihxlp77nkq76byazcldy2hlmovfu2epvl5ankdibsot4csyd.onion Always PGP-verify any .onion links or crypto addresses you plan to use seriously. Stay paranoid — it keeps you safe.

Japanese government bond yields keep rising, investors will stop treating Japan as a source of basically free fiat currency, and the whole carry-trade party will come to an end. Soon the US will be the only major central bank still cutting interest rates, effectively turning America into the new Japan – the world’s primary supplier of cheap fiat currency. With QT officially ending on December 1st, the Fed is now in full liquidity-reflood mode. And since the AI boom isn’t actually a bubble (it’s the new foundational infrastructure), the system will require endless amounts of this fresh fiat to keep growing – meaning the US now has to play global bailout provider for the entire AI buildout. The US will quietly start backing its endless fiat issuance with Bitcoin, gold, and other real assets, turning itself into a giant, sovereign version of what El Salvador is doing today. Once the rest of the world sees that the only way to escape terminal fiat debasement is to accumulate hard, verifiable collateral behind their own currencies, nations will have no choice but to follow America’s lead or get left behind in the biggest monetary reset in history.

How to earn Bitcoin Mining rewards from Ocean with Alby Hub Earn Bitcoin mining rewards directly in Alby Hub, your own self-custodial wallet. Learn how to set up Ocean’s BOLT12 bitcoin lightning payouts and receive mining rewards seamlessly into your on-chain or Lightning wallet. https://getalby.com/blog/how-to-earn-bitcoin-mining-rewards-from-ocean-with-alby-hub

This article brilliantly unpacks how Bitcoin and open-source code bring anarcho-capitalist ideas like voluntary property rights to life, proving that true innovation thrives without coercion or state mandates. It's a must-read for anyone curious about why Bitcoin isn't just money—it's a radical blueprint for a freer world. Bitcoin, Open Source, and the Radical Case for Voluntary Property Rights How anarcho-capitalist philosophy found its first real-world proof in Bitcoin and code https://privkey.substack.com/p/bitcoin-open-source-and-the-radical

"The best, simplest, ultimate form of collateral is something that can instantly be claimed and sold at any time when the debtor fails to make their payments. A house can take months, even years to sell. Stocks too have time restrictions, but Bitcoin doesn't." ~ The Ultimate Collateral The Ultimate Collateral written by Martin Connor https://braiins.com/books/bitcoin-the-ultimate-collateral This was an excellent piece that boils down to one killer insight: Bitcoin is the highest-quality collateral humanity has ever invented. Most people still rank houses, stocks, gold, or cash at the top, but that’s only because nothing better existed—so they never noticed how deeply flawed all of those are. Put the pieces together—true shared ownership via multisig, absolute digital scarcity, instant global portability, and a network with literally unmatched uptime—and Bitcoin stops looking like “digital gold.” It’s something entirely new. When any stranger on earth can verify it in seconds, move it in minutes, and it has a multi-decade track record of appreciating, are we still thinking too narrowly about what Bitcoin is really built for?

FBI Warns That Hackers Are Posing As Fake Feds — What You Need To Know https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2025/11/27/fbi-warns-that-hackers-are-posing-as-fake-feds---what-you-need-to-know/ Never share passwords, 2FA codes, or login details with anyone who contacts you—real companies never ask. If you get a “fraud alert,” hang up and call your bank/exchange directly using a number you already trust. Bookmark official login pages; never Google them. Legit support will never demand your MFA code or remote access. Holding big money on an exchange? Move it off. A multi-signature wallet keeps your bitcoin fully under your control, off breach target lists, and safe even if one key gets compromised. Your keys, your bitcoins—done right.

Chat Control: EU lawmakers finally agree on the voluntary scanning of your private chats https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/chat-control-eu-lawmakers-finally-agree-on-the-voluntary-scanning-of-your-private-chats You can't just "slightly weaken" true end-to-end encryption without breaking it entirely. If a system is built to scan your messages before they're encrypted (like some proposed laws want), that capability can always be abused, broadened, or hacked by others later. Stick to messaging apps that offer real end-to-end encryption, where the code is fully open source and independently verifiable. And stay alert—bills and regulations like these are often attempts to sneak in backdoors that let governments (or anyone who compromises them) read your private conversations.

Voltage co-founder: Bitcoin’s Lightning Network is bringing crypto into daily life Voltage’s Aaron Bollinger said that Lightning payments are already being rolled out across Jack Dorsey’s Square network. https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/innovation/voltage-cofounder-bitcoins-lightning-network-is-bringing-crypto-into-daily-life A significant development in the adoption of Lightning, a Bitcoin payment system, has been buried in a recent article. According to a Voltage executive, all Square payment terminals will have Lightning integration by the end of the year. This is a substantial breakthrough, as it means many merchants will unknowingly have the ability to accept Bitcoin payments. Although some of these merchants may not retain the Bitcoin they receive, others who have been eager to use Bitcoin but lacked a compatible point-of-sale system may now be able to do so, potentially offsetting the difference.

You can refuse to let third parties control your cell phone, internet, or debit cards. That’s exactly what I do: • Phone: GrapheneOS with zero Google involvement • Internet: always-on VPN (including my own self-hosted VPN) • Payments: only local debit cards when necessary, and mostly https://thebitcoincompany.com — everything under my own control.

Always practice good crypto hygiene by properly securing your cryptocurrency secrets (seed phrases, private keys, etc.). The best way to do this is with offline, tamper-proof backups that protect against fire, water, hacks, or loss. Tools like Cryptosteel make it incredibly easy and reliable—for example, their metal backup plates (https://cryptosteel.com) are simply the best for sanitizing cryptocurrency secrets.

Why Chronic Irritation Might Actually Be a Superpower (Not a Glitch) From clunky file-sharing systems that waste everyone’s time, to cringe-worthy movie adaptations that butcher beloved books, to economic theories that blatantly contradict themselves—most of the world’s biggest breakthroughs and companies were born out of someone being relentlessly pissed off. What if the real question that predicts what you’ll spend your life on isn’t “What do you love doing?” but “What annoys you so badly that you simply refuse to let it stay broken?” Here’s a fantastic article that dives deep into exactly this idea: Thank you for being annoying https://www.experimental-history.com/p/thank-you-for-being-annoying

Lightning Network Graph Visualization https://sorukumar.github.io/ln-graph-viz/

The human brain runs on just ~20 watts of power, yet it effortlessly handles massive sensory input, runs countless automatic processes in the background, makes conscious decisions (even in rare edge cases), and controls a self-repairing body. That’s insanely advanced technology. Meanwhile, today’s best AI models that try to approach human-level performance need entire data centers consuming megawatts of power. Right now, data-center AI is the main event and will keep dominating for years. Human-like robots and humanoids will gradually play bigger roles in society, but we’re still a long way from anything that comes close to the efficiency and versatility of a biological brain.

Here are two straightforward video guides that show you how to turn your Bull Bitcoin app (paired with SeedSigner) into a proper multi-tier wallet setup — either as “Checking + Savings + Cold Storage” or as a classic “Hot + Warm + Cold” wallet: Video 1: Adding your SeedSigner to the Bull Bitcoin app https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BOLTvFIfOg Video 2: Sending transactions with the Bull app + SeedSigner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqkibQv7DyI These two short videos walk you through the complete process step-by-step.

When you buy Bitcoin, you are buying free-maintenance private property that no one can take or devalue from you, and you can pass this property to future generations. The value is handed over to future generations; this property will acquire 100% value because of Bitcoin's 100% scarcity

Corruption often sustains itself through the involuntary or unwitting participation of those it disadvantages. By consciously withdrawing support—whether through economic choices, civic disengagement from corrupt systems, or advocacy for transparent alternatives—one can contribute to diminishing its influence over time. This approach underscores the power of individual and collective agency in fostering systemic change. Opt out to Bitcoin and sound money.

Incorporating alternatives like Bitcoin Knots for L1 verification, alongside the inherent multi-implementation design of L2 solutions, would likely increase the overall robustness of the Bitcoin ecosystem by minimizing single points of failure and enabling proactive integrity checks.

Always Zoom Out!

Bullish Decoder: This helpful tool can decode any payment string, such as a Lightning invoice, BOLT12 offer, or Cashu token. This will be a useful debugging tool if you're creating any of these things, or better yet, several of these protocols. https://bullishdecoder.vercel.app/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email