Is #olas down or is it me

Every time I buy ₿itcoin, the price drops. I’m sorry. Or, you’re welcome. Depending on how you look at it.

Meta is ending fact checking. Funny, because nearly everything on Facebook and Instagram was lies already.

I told my son it would be funny if there was a Lego SpaceBalls set and boy did he deliver

The mainstream seems to have no idea how influential bitcoiners were in the 2024 election.

Hayao Miyazaki on AI-generated art: “I am utterly disgusted… I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself. I feel like we are nearing the end of times. We humans are losing faith in ourselves.”

“Gravitic propulsion systems” Does that explain the US Navy UFO sightings over the Atlantic? View quoted note →

The former Green Beret that blew up the cyber truck in Vegas was suffering from PTSD, confirmed by police reports today. View quoted note →

It could be better. Too melodramatic. The reenactments are weird. The style of footage in general looks fake, not relatable. Some feels like stock or AI footage. It’s a strange montage sequence. And the monologue is bitcoiners talking to themselves instead of meeting the general public where they’re at. But it could be worse too. Voice over casting of an older guy counters the crypto bro narrative. Staying away from celebs was a good choice after FTX fallout. Overall, I think it’s forgettable as an advertisement but might be remembered simply for talking about something people aren’t expecting to see in a Super Bowl ad. View quoted note →

Siri was spying on you

AP News

Apple to pay $95 million to settle lawsuit accusing Siri of eavesdropping

The alleged recordings occurred even when people didn’t seek to activate the virtual assistant with the trigger words, “Hey, Siri.”

First #Olas post. Shot on Fuji xpro1 w/70-300mm lens just yesterday.

Which is most correct: A) Most US elected politicians don’t understand bitcoin. B) A US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is imminent. I don’t think both can be true at the same time.

Two former Army members, maybe suffering from brain damage related to their active duty service, attacked people with vehicles yesterday. Obviously the cybertruck explosion outside of Trump hotel was intended symbolism.

A Letter to Ezra Klein: I’ve become a regular listener to your podcast over the past year. I think you do a good job of extending yourself, your show and your guests beyond the mainstream liberal bubble. You create space for challenging viewpoints and avoid conforming to popular opinions. However, I think you may have a blind spot for Bitcoin. Bitcoin was a large, mostly unrecognized influence in the 2024 election cycle. I felt one or two steps ahead of everyone in the media because I was paying attention to the voices in the Bitcoin space via podcasts and the Bitcoin-friendly social media network, Nostr. I would encourage you to dedicate a show to Bitcoin and really dig into it, in a way that the New York Times hasn’t so far. Here are just a few things I think you will learn: • Bitcoin should not be conflated with “Crypto”. There’s Bitcoin, and then there are thousands of other cryptocurrencies, most of them being outright get-rich-quick scams or ill-conceived attempts to replicate the success of bitcoin. The common misunderstandings of Bitcoin exist because mainstream media fails to differentiate between Bitcoin and Crypto and instead always lumps them into the same category. • Despite being widely misunderstood, Bitcoin’s social influence has grown exponentially. Anyone listening to Bitcoin podcasts or reading about Bitcoin in 2023-2024 would have known that Trump was going to win the election. Bitcoiners were predicting the Joe Biden withdrawal months before his debate debacle. Bitcoiners had early hunches about Trump and RFK junior teaming up. Bitcoiners had huge political influence in 2024, something that has not been reported on in a serious way in any mainstream media outlet. • Serious Bitcoiners are not the libertarian / tech bro caricatures they’re portrayed as. They are more politically practical than they are partisan. They are human rights activists. They are well-versed in macro economics. They have values rooted in family, fairness, conservative spending and saving for the future. They have long term outlooks. They preach humility and responsibility. For the past 15 years, Bitcoiners have been watching their predictions for the asset come true over and over. Bitcoin has grown to a $2T market cap. Bitcoin is now held by the biggest financial institutions the US, such as Black Rock and Fidelity. Nations such as El Salvador and the Bhutan are actively stockpiling bitcoin. US Senators have proposed a bill to create a US National Bitcoin Reserve. It’s growing influence is undeniable, which is why you owe it to your audience to report on Bitcoin with honesty, curiosity and an open mind. Some great places to start: The Bitcoin Policy Institute

Bitcoin Policy Institute | Research & Advocacy Think Tank

Non-partisan think tank studying Bitcoin's future through rigorous research. Advancing US leadership in digital currency policy and financial innov...

Rabbit Hole Recap with Matt Odell and Marty Bent

RHR

What Bitcoin Did with Danny Knowles

WHAT BITCOIN DID

WHAT BITCOIN DID

Can Nostr replace Instagram?

One of the best biographies I’ve read. George Packer is an amazing storyteller. Also a great explainer of Vietnam and the Balkans conflicts.