Bitcoin op-sec

Bitcoiners learn about energy, work, electronics, computing, entropy, and order through the Bitcoin rabbit hole. AI devs learn about energy, work, electronics, computing, entropy, and order through the AI rabbit hole. If you have gone down both rabbit holes, you are at a major advantage.

Have a blessed Sunday.

Review of James Bond Series by Ian Fleming (1953 to 1965) Just finished the final book, and can confirm Fleming’s Bond novels are among the best you can read while on a beach on a tropical island, or in your living room seeking an escape from postmodern drudgery. The gentlemanly dialogue, the nuanced plot progression, the villains, the romance, and the action sequences are all highly enjoyable. It is classy, and by reading it you become somewhat like James Bond, which every modern man could use a bit more of. Bond is by no means the ideal role model. As a secret agent he cannot have a normal life with a wife, a family, and a stable future. But his cool, confident demeanor under pressure. His ability to be passionate and rational at the same time. These are attributes worth emulating. It is right-wing in the sense that men are men, women are women, the good guys win, and Bond gets the girl. Fleming wrote all 12 of his original books at his estate in Jamaica after serving as a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, consuming around seventy cigarettes and half a bottle of gin per day. He knows what he is talking about when it comes to spycraft, warfare, and the high life. Book 1 — Casino Royale I quite liked the first book, Casino Royale. It takes you through a surprisingly deep hero’s journey. And as the first book, it is the best for getting acquainted with 007. There are hardly any fight scenes, mostly maneuvering, and lots of card play, but it is immensely rewarding to read. Book 2 — Live and Let Die Live and Let Die is also good, and has better action sequences than Casino Royale. The underwater fight at the end of the novel is particularly thrilling. However, I didn’t feel it had the same level of depth as Casino Royale. Book 3 — Moonraker By the time one reads Moonraker, Bond is in his full element, and the world Ian Fleming creates feels alive and real. The stakes are higher too. And it has its first car racing battle sequence. The evil German villain trope is a bit one dimensional, and the broad strokes are a bit easy to predict, but the finer points of how the plot unravels are not, and the ending is satisfying as always. Book 4 — Diamonds Are Forever Diamonds Are Forever provides an interesting glimpse into American gangster culture. It has some good action sequences, too, particularly the fight on the Queen Mary at the end. But Bond is more of a fish out of water in his cover as a gangster underling in America than under his previous high-end covers in Europe, which makes this feel like somewhat less of a quintessentially Bond book. It’s good, but not as good as some of Fleming’s others. Book 5 — From Russia with Love His fifth book, From Russia with Love, is next level. Without a doubt this was my favorite novel thus far, though one would not be able to fully appreciate it without having read the prior ones first. This book has the most formidable of Bond’s adversaries, a man by the code name Granit. The first third or so of the story focuses solely on this villain’s backstory. Bond’s main ally, Kerim, is also one of the most multi-dimensional characters yet. The villain, the ally, the protagonist, and the girl all come off as deeply real, visceral people. And the build up and mystique leading to the final confrontation is masterfully done. This is the first book where Bond falls in love. It lands on a cliffhanger in a way no prior book does. And the setting of Istanbul is immersive. Book 6 — Dr. No Dr. No, Fleming’s sixth book in the series, is also world class. It has the most eccentric, cunning, mastermind villain of any book thus far. The wild island setting is a pleasant place for your mind to wander. And the trials that Bond goes through towards the end are some of the most gripping and awe-inspiring of all. This is my favorite Bond book in the series so far other than From Russia with Love, and it is a close second. Book 7 — Goldfinger The seventh book, Goldfinger, is the most interesting one from a Bitcoiner, goldbug, or monetary historian perspective. It takes the premise of a villain being driven by love of money, specifically gold, to its furthest extent. Bond is tasked with foiling Goldfinger’s plot to, among other things, ransack Fort Knox. This book also has the most memorable henchman of any novel in the series, Oddjob. And Fleming explores the gadgetry of 007 on a deeper level. It also has thrilling card playing and golf sequences. Thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying. Book 8 — For Your Eyes Only The next book, For Your Eyes Only, is a collection of short stories rather than a single narrative. They are decent but in my opinion are skippable, at least until after you’ve read the main books in the Bond series. Some are a bit boring and devoid of action. Others do have action and intrigue, but still lack the build up, crescendo, and high stakes that the full novels have. Good but not great. Book 9 — Thunderball Thunderball is fantastic. I love the evolution from SMERSH into SPECTRE, and how there are evil agents to counter 007 and the other British and American agents. Feels like an even match up. It also has some of the best underwater fight scenes in the series, with sharks, barracudas, and scuba divers battling with knives, CO2 guns, and via hand to hand combat. The plot is mature and nuanced and believable. Interestingly also, you can glimpse the devolution of England and the West vs the early Bond books. There is lots of talk about the quality of food and drinks being sub par and overly priced compared to what they have been used to. And the British empire being a shadow of its former self. Book 10 — The Spy Who Loved Me I strongly disliked book 10. I was surprised by how much I disliked it. Not because it is badly written. It is well written. Though it is the only book written not from Bond’s perspective. Instead it is from that of his romantic interest. This itself is not why it’s so unpleasant. It is unpleasant because bad thing after bad thing happens to her. There are no redeeming characters other than Bond, who doesn’t appear until the very end. In most other Bond novels, even the villains are likable in their own way. In this one, the villains and non villains alike are detestable. I simply don’t enjoy hearing about all the terrible things that happen to this poor woman. I’d recommend skipping it, or at least reading all the others first. Book 11 — On Her Majesty’s Secret Service Good news is that Book 11, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, is among Fleming’s best, if not the best, of all. It is one of those masterfully written books that comes full circle, from the first scene to the last. And throughout it has some of the most dramatic settings, from the beach to the Alps, with thrilling battle sequences on skis, on bobsleds, in cars, and on foot. Bond’s cover story as a representative of the College of Arms is also fascinating. And the plot Bond unravels is intricate and compelling. He also falls in love for only the second time in the entire series, and more deeply than From Russia with Love. The book reaches emotional highs and lows moreso than any other Bond novel. It is my favorite. Book 12 — You Only Live Twice The final book in the canon, You Only Live Twice, is also phenomenal. It may be considered the best to those with a fondness for Japan and Japanese culture. It also is the most reflective on England’s lost empire, and Japan’s subjugation, post WWII. It has it all, a hidden castle in the wilderness, deadly plants and creatures and environments, ninja warfare, and Bond’s final confrontation with his arch nemesis. All in all, Fleming’s Bond series outdoes any of the movies that are based on it. Highly recommend.

The Coldcard hack was a wake-up call for many in two respects: 1. Time to level up your Bitcoin-related operational security. 2. Time to prepare, more broadly, for the AI revolution and its implications. The time is now.

The way out is through.

The best thing Knots can do is continue to offer a viable alternative to Core on the longest chain. Forking off into irrelevance accomplishes nothing.

Stay humble. Stack sats.

Steve was spot on about this.

Bitcoin is hard to change. Core expanded the default mempool-policy OP_Return limit and it resulted in 20%+ of nodes moving to Knots. RDTS attempted to impose tighter Op_Return consensus constraints, but did not succeed. Bitcoin is hard to change. And that is the point.

Check your hubris. This is the Way.

Tick tock, next block.

There is only one Bitcoin network.

“Things are as they are.” — Alan Watts, Game of Yes and No

The longest chain won. C'est la Bitcoin.

Good read

Citadel21

The Paranoid Wallet — Citadel21

Well, after this week, nobody thinks Bitcoin is boring.

PSA

Super Bowl this weekend for Bitcoiners. Non-Bitcoiners entirely unaware.

Good ep