The one who tries to take what is mine is the criminal. Lest we forget.

History doesn't look kindly on those who follow stupid rules.

Good morning from Vezelay

Who are these arrogant 'ruling' sods who think they know better than I do what is best for my family and me? Even I don't know what's best for my family and me! But at least my trial and error approach is done with infinite love and pure intentions.

A sick society is one that measures your success by what you have on your bank account.

While I agree that we have become hopelessly distracted, I would question whether there was/is a master plan for mass manipulation, or whether it is man's unfortunate preference for convenience over privacy that has got us where we are today. No one forced us to buy a laptop or a smart phone. We raced to be the first in line at the Apple store for the launch of each new model. No one mandated we use social media - the widespread human need for constant validation, the common fear of stillness and dopamine addiction soon had us joining multiple platforms and checking our devices hundreds of times a day. Sure the companies profited by making tech, foods, pharma as addictive as possible. Our society is driven by money. The bottom line is what matters. Making your consumers addicted to your products and services improves your bottom line. I have recently moved from apple to graphene OS and am constantly reminded of the balance between convenience and privacy. It's easy to blame others for our problems. It's more effective and powerful to look in the mirror for solutions.

Every online booking we make is a missed opportunity for a small human connection. Every online purchase. Every self-service checkout. Every meat purchase from the supermarket and not over the counter at the butcher. Every googlemap search rather than asking a local. Every train journey with our nose in our phone rather than striking up a conversation with the guy opposite. Every card-tap rather than paying the fare to the bus driver. Each of these missed opportunities for a small human connection may seem trivial. But they add up. Some of these small human connections could have turned in to insightful, moving, even profound conversations with a stranger. Some of these strangers may have become friends. How many humans now go through their day with no/next to no human to human interactions? The less you interact with your fellow humans, the less you are able to. The less you think you want to. While your soul slowly dies inside. Not every development for convenience sake is a win for humankind. In fact. Quite the opposite.

The Magna Carta. Written in 1215 by a bunch of barons pissed off by the heavy taxation by King John. Who forced the King to ratify it through threat of civil war. Arguably the most powerful document ever written. Whose influence is still found in many national constitutions today. The Bitcoin White Paper Written in 2008 by one or more cypher punks, pissed off by fiat money and the slow but steady erosion of individual privacy. Ratified by node runners the world over. Arguably the most powerful document ever written. Whose influence will be felt for centuries to come. Unless we fuck it up - by not understanding that we are all sovereign individuals first and foremost; - by not understanding that freedom/privacy trumps convenience; - by not understanding that there is no 'they' - unless we choose to relinquish our sovereignty to another human-being; - by being complacent. If we act accordingly, humanity can achieve the next level of civilsation. We live in the digital age so the journey to sovereignty starts with digital sovereignty. One step at a time. We've got this.

One by one, we bitcoiners find ourselves drawn back to the soil, back to the roots, back to mother nature. When we live life at the speed of nature, life is sustainable. Balanced. Enjoyable. When we think we can turbo charge life, sooner or later, it messes with our bodies, our minds and our souls. Find someone who lives life in tune with nature. It's life-changing. It's balm to the soul. @Heiner Willenborg You have walked the walk and talked the talk all your life. One of the first farmers in Germany to stop ploughing over 30 years ago, you have endured decades of at best being misunderstood and at worst being ridiculed. Of being deemed weird. A failure. Backwards. But you stuck to your guns. You remained true to your values and beliefs. For decades. And now - at long last - your time has come. It begins with the soil. If the microbiome of the soil isn't healthy, our food isn't healthy. In the same way that if our money isn't healthy, our society isn't healthy. Hand in hand. Yin yang. Stronger together. Magical.

When we started @Ebea.work, one of our goals was to 'help regulators and legislators develop an understanding' (bullshit speak for 'educate') on the potentials of bitcoin mining for the energy infrastructure of Europe. Oh, the naivety. I sat in precisely one meeting at the EU level, after which I thought buggar that goal. They were simply not interested. No matter the evidence presented. No matter the logic of the arguments. I can't bear wasting my time. It's too precious. I can't bear bullshit. See reason above. I have a strong dislike for inauthenticity. The ones who first understand a solution are the ones feeling the pain of the problem. Those whose job it is to spend other people's money don't feel pain. European energy companies that are not cushioned from reality by tax payers' money (tragically few) are feeling the pain. European businesses suffering the pain of overpriced electricity are feeling the pain. So that's where our work with @Ebea.work has been focussed for the last couple of years. And slowly but surely, we are seeing the fruits of our labour. Bulllish for Bitcoin mining in Europe and looking forward to the inaugural European Mining Summit in Helsinki in September. Bringing hashrate to Europe. For a prosperous, sovereign and abundant future. The time is ripe.

Getting upset about decisions made by the bureaucrats of the EU (or elsewhere) is a waste of your precious time and energy. They can legislate and regulate away to their heart's content. Removing your energy from the system and redirecting it to building the world you wish to live in is the most effective way. Opt out.

I don't usually make predictions but I've never felt more bullish on Europe than I do today. My day started with a 7.30 am visit to a 12th century priory ruin in the heart of England - mind-blowing. This followed a 2 day visit to Lincoln Cathedral and Lincoln Castle. My home many moons ago. And home to one of the four original magna cartas in existence. When you see the tyranny and corruption that the good people of Europe have risen up to and defeated, this current spot of woke and over-reach of governments is child's play. When I see the greatness Europeans have achieved in architecture, agriculture and far beyond, I have no doubt that we will again achieve new heights for civilisation. Within 1-2 years, Bitcoin mining will be in operation by European nation states, grid operators, power plants, renewable energy farms, and data center operators. Not because they want to mine bitcoin. But because bitcoin mining - aka flexible data centers - helps to solve their problems. This in turn will lead to sovereign, abundant and affordable energy for the good folk of Europe. And with sovereign, abundant and affordable energy, the sky is the limit. Add in to the mix unfuckwithable money, which will be a mere by-product of Europe's energy policy - there is no stopping us. But don't take my word for it. On 23rd September the first European Mining Summit is taking place in Helsinki. Invitation only. @Daniel Batten @BTCHEL 25.-26. SEPTEMBER @Terahash.space @Tanja @Ebea.work And the other genuine movers and shakers of integrated, sustainable European Bitcoin mining. You won't find us on social media. Because I hate it. It's all about human connections. Because they have always mattered. And they always will.