Hal Finney: It seemed so obvious to me: "Here we are faced with the problems of loss of privacy, creeping computerization, massive databases, more centralization - and [David] Chaum offers a completely different direction to go in, one which puts power into the hands of individuals rather than governments and corporations. The computer can be used as a tool to liberate and protect people, rather than to control them." Still one of my favorite quotes.

Dr. Jiang Yanyong is one of the most badass historical figures in China. 1- Chief surgeon of the best hospital in Beijing, on shift during Tiananmen Square Massacre, saved the lives of soldiers and innocent civilians 2- Prevented SARS epidemic from spreading by whistleblowing about the hidden epidemic, leading to the resignation of Beijing's Mayor and China's Minister of Public Health 3- Used his senior position and the clout he gained from whistleblowing to ask China's leadership to readdress the Tiananmen Square Massacre and to apologize. His last letter personally sent to Xi Jinping on this topic landed him in house arrest for the rest of his life A hero and a patriot who deserved much better.

Me listening to a Mandarin Bitcoinish space: "Oh, wait you played with PlusToken - you're an OG!" "You made money on Neo?" Curb Your Enthusiasm music playing in my head..."PlusToken was a ponzi scheme that operated worldwide but mainly had investors in China and South Korea."

It was super cool to see that PubKey, like Funk Coffee Bar in Vancouver, is super great vibes and filled with non-Bitcoin people just trying to have a good time. That kind of vibe takes work. Hattip to @PUBKEY!

Gonna be a lot of fun meeting the Calgary Bitcoin community. One of the coolest things about being part of so many meetups is how unique each Bitcoin community is - and also how unique stories and perspectives drive towards privacy, freedom and stateless money. Also gotta give props for the event image haha.

Meetup

YYC Bitcoin (Would Mao Hold Bitcoin), Sat, Oct 5, 2024, 11:00 AM | Meetup

Join us for a special event and meet the author, Roger Huang who wrote the book “Would Mao Hold Bitcoin”. Learn about the conflict between Chin...

On the Block Rewards podcast, it was a pleasure talking on what gives me hope: even under some of the most repressive bans from China, there are still grassroots Github repos, discussions on Nostr and other places where freedomtech education happens.

People talk about not taking screenshots of your private keys. Once on an Internet-connected device, malware can target and recognize screenshots. Stay safe out there, anon.

The Hacker News

New Android SpyAgent Malware Uses OCR to Steal Crypto Wallet Recovery Keys

SpyAgent malware targets Android users, steals crypto wallet keys using OCR. Spreads via fake apps, evolves to use WebSockets. Expands from South Kore

From one of my favorite books, Zinky Boys, about real-life perspective from the Soviet soldiers who were staged in Afghanistan during the 1980s. “I still remember the way a twenty-year-old shouted, ‘I don’t want to hear about any political mistakes! I just don’t want to! Give me my two legs back if it was all a mistake.” “They were told they were on a holy mission and that their country would remember them. Now people turn away and try to forget the war, especially those who sent us there in the first place.” “It's three years since my son died and I haven't dreamt about him once. I go to sleep with with his vest and trousers under my pillow. 'Come to me in my dreams, Sasha. Come and see me!' But he never does. I wonder what I've done to offend him.”

One of the most gripping stories I've ever read about the realities of war journalism that absolutely pulls no punches. "Chris’ own stories were full of complicated people trying to pursue lives that had meaning, sometimes hurting others and themselves along the way. “Why did I come here?” he wrote in his journal in east Ukraine in 2015. “Many reasons I guess, but I don’t think I can hope to articulate them in a way which justifies my presence here, or the risks I’m willing to take, to an outsider.” “Death’s a bloody serious affair,” he wrote, quoting Graham Greene. “Indeed it is. But once we choose a path which takes us down this road, the part we play is for real. This is no stage play, but a life lived fully conscious of the consequences which may come with our decisions. This is part of what it truly means to choose, and therefore to live.”

HuffPost | Death of a Freelancer

Christopher Allen reported in some of the most dangerous parts of the world. Who was looking out for him?

Here are a few lessons I've learned selling physical goods for sats/Bitcoin. 1- Have multiple Lightning wallets up just in case something goes wrong with any of them. @`ZEUS`has a POS system that is useful if you're selling the same-priced items. Generally having this setup maximizes the ideal checkout experience (one QR code, quickly drawn out, quick scan). Make sure to do liquidity management if it's your own node before major events. 2- It's a powerful thing to offer items for sale with the default option for most people (cards) removed. 3- From what I can see people love paying for goods in sats, there's a rush to it, and it's a way to further orange-pill. Yes, there are abstract debates on store-of-value and medium-of-exchange, but try to beat the feeling of zapping someone magic Internet money for something that ends up in your hands that minute. 4- Bitcoiners love physical, tangible goods like books.

One of the things that really sobers me is all of these restrictions, bans and arrests are happening in relative peacetime. Imagine what will happen in a war where countries have their backs against the wall - and some countries will have to fight wars or will be more prone to wars based on economic parity/debt cycles. Best to prepare on Nostr and Bitcoin for what is likely to come in the next 10-20 years.

Welcome new users to Nostr! Probably the most helpful resources I've seen for those curious, for example in #introductions: 1- A lot of people will try to "zap" you. This means sending you Bitcoin for your posts via Lightning Network. If you set up a wallet, you'll get the sats and be able to send them. Probably the easiest way to do it is with @`Wallet of Satoshi`. I've heard that @`primal`has a setup for those in the United States. This guide covers how:

Set up your first zapping wallet

A guide to setting up a lightning wallet for zaps in Nostr.

2- Though people have been sharing their npubs, there is a way to create a more human-readable NIP-05 like the one I have (loki@nostr-verified.com) that can be easier to share. This guide covers how:

Get NIP-05 verified

How to verify your identity on Nostr to get a verification checkmark and an easier way to share your account.

3- If you're interested in running your own Lightning Node and relay, there are tools like @`Start9`and @`Umbrel ☂️` that can help.

Node Academy

Node Academy

Node Academy is an initiative of Vancouver Bitcoiners to help enthusiasts getting started with their own Bitcoin Lightning Network node. It is part...

from @`Leo` is a great resource on how to spin up a Lightning Node on your own.

Join Nostr

works for setting up a Nostr relay. The two together are immensely powerful - and show the fullest potential of Bitcoin and Nostr. Be your own social media, your own app store, and your own bank - censorship-proof.