pam

hi @nprofile…2kfz , what are your thoughts and @nprofile…u2v4 's thoughts on the 'tree of nodes' concept by @nprofile…ksrm ?
It seems to ease up the concept of everyone owning a relay by breaking down accessibility based on the level of processing required and needs of users. I don't know enough but there are some context in this conversation and you can speak to someone directly
note1stqr9w3kl5r3q29h6ut8c2ucwfh5up8z935s2sd75tz8zwddh7cs7f74et

2024-07-25 18:46:59

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oh boy, what happened? i pop in here every now and then and there is always some kinda drama lol

2024-07-24 19:05:30

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I am under the assumption that everyone has better tools and gadgets that I do, even my mother, so likely they might ease in better.
But if you do have 10-20 ppl running it, it might also be an opportunity to study the node runners in various scenarios and identify potential challenges - which can make your design and concept more robust
Also wahhh - ostrich 70B and based leaderboard are gonna be at war with each other :)
The irony of truth - if you and I write on the same topic during the same timeframe, it could come out completely diff based on our views on it. Perception is complex!
But I think between truth and lie therein lies a fine line comedy.
Maybe we need a jokester LLM too! :)

2024-07-24 18:13:31

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your relay concept sounds very interesting - and it sounds like many innovation can happen on top of it. and i think techs that expand various use cases can be pretty powerful.
maybe when you have the time, we can try getting about 10 - 20 people to install and test it out in running own relays. i can't fully imagine it yet and may need some engagements with it.
you must be excited over today's release given you use llama. are you working on many projects using llm ? i've got hw and sw to complete for a tiny project i am working on (data feeder) - and cant wait to explore after that!

2024-07-24 17:58:35

The concept of AI started a long time ago - maybe when the idea of computers started in the 50’s? - but the buzz (other than from Hollywood Terminator, Matrix, Her, Wall-E etc ) started in the 80s I think with autonomous vehicles using limited memory. Google and Tesla picked up on it but Google eventually sold off this division and Tesla made a fortune.
In the mid 90s, IBM’s Deep blue beat Garry Kasparov (world chess player) and it was an AI hype again, this time with Reactive AI and real time input and dependency on the program with no learning capabilities.
10 years back there was something on about NLP (Neural Language Processing). The startup investments were buzzing over “Big Data”. Everyone wanted Big Data. Also a lot of the components were being built - machine learning, cloud computing, data storage etc. Like Nostr, where a lot of components are being built, it clearly takes time.
Abt 5 years ago, GPT gained prominence due to high-profile investments and the development of open-source AI. It’s focus was on Large Language Models (LLMs). LLMs such as GPT and BERT, are a type of generative AI within the broader scope of narrow AI.
GPT-3 was the epitome of global mass adoption of AI usage - after like 40 years from the time AI buzz started- but unfortunately GPT was acquired by Microsoft and became a close sourced AI model. You can still build upon GPT using their developers model, pay a pretty penny and your data is owned and tuned by them.
Other companies have developed similar models, including Meta’s Llama, which is apparently comparable to GPT-4. I’ve used its visual-based neural network models. Both are open source, but I am sure they have their proprietary models. Your data is yours (i need to read a bit more on the privacy part)
There are also many other predefined open-source models and frameworks out there to explore.
But the fact that they are easing people into open platforms is a good gesture. It makes innovation better, equitable, faster, cheaper and transparent.
The building blocks to this is not something I am familiar with yet - but many here are experimenting with open source models so feel free to read their notes and engage with them.
If you don’t know who they are, you can visit nostr.band and search for relevant topics and people.
But in short, you have your data acquisition / feeders, training your model, deploying it, GPU, FW, integration and UI to consider.
There are various debates around AI :
1. Open source vs closed source - with close source, you don’t know how the answers are tuned to feed to your bias and therein lies the danger. If you thought social media algo is bad, AI is reading into every emotion and style of you and it's algo is super smart, and laser focused on you.
2. Pre-trained models - Another debate is that pre-trained models by both open and close source, which have better infrastructure, money and more geniuses behind it, will keep getting better making it hard for the lower funded models to catch up.
3. Governments and AI - Another debate is on governments - who know nothing of what you do or about AI - but deeply believe they must regulate everything and hold you accountable. This is becoming a trend esp for oppressive countries. Imagine corrupted gov't and closed AI models working hand in hand.
4. Machines controlling the world - This is my favourite one, and probably the only thing i know about AI - is if the machines are gonna take over? Not anytime soon. We are really far it (refer to pic below). But who knows? Maybe LLMs and Neural Networks and a lot of model training will speed everything up.
https://m.primal.net/Jcpk.png

2024-07-24 12:51:01

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Wish list just dropped. localisation is great. A lot of corporations are rushing towards llm adoption through microsoft (their localisation is a few tens of a thousand annually if i am not mistaken). Reminded me of your italian talk on why the giants keep getting bigger and the danger to it.
I guess one step further might be in isolating ownership, esp for customers who leverage the tech, maybe end to end encryption or de-identifying data idk.
It might prevent customer’s data leakage or for the business owner to be put in a position to hand it to the govt when they come knocking.

2024-07-24 10:51:45

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must be really long

2024-07-24 04:31:34

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will you be ending nos.lol and nostr.mom soon ? i may be wrong, i vaguely remember you mentioning the cost is abt $200 per month to run a major relay. I don't know if this covers HW and your SW service, maintenance, spam removal, identifying the principles behind your relays which are all time factor which is also money - it seems like the cost for maintening relays is a bit more than anticipated .
Have you applied for the grant for sustenance ? What are your thoughts in approaching more innovative ways to making relays more common for people ? How would people easily adopt it ? i think my laptop would crash out in even adding a node and i need a separate microprocessor for it
what if there are relay hardware (just stronger processors and storage) with in build files people can install as their own relays ? (I believe there was someone who was exploring this was it @npub1mat…6fsr? )
How do we ease up mass adoption of relay ? If we had such HW, can we also include the possibility of adding lightning nodes for people ?

2024-07-24 03:20:29

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The real bitcoin entrepreneurs out there - The larger their company is able to adopt bitcoiners globally, the more famous they would be.
Everything else is just distraction

2024-07-24 03:14:35

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wow, that's big news. Tories or Labour ? what happens to the football club ?

2024-07-23 19:22:25

Both RFK Jr. and JD Vance criticized Kamala Harris as a presidential candidate. One was substantive, focusing on policy weaknesses and integrity without personal attacks. The other criticized her as a mother.
Historically, both democrats and republicans have respected women who raise children, regardless of biological connection. Yet now, this name calling is causing those who were fence sitters to split up and get into a shouting match.
And eventually everyone forgets what really matters
It would be an absolute disaster if the presidential selection of the greatest country in the world, is centered around massive bitching rather than addressing real issues like war, debts, healthcare, your children’s education, your job, their future jobs, bitcoin, FDIs, etc.
It would be sad if you vote solely to oppose the other party, and in doing so, hoping that your choice will improve your life.
If your leader spends more time bitching about the opponent than working to improve your own community, then likely that's how the next 4 years will be - what you sow, is what you reap. Politicians often use emotional triggers to distract from solving real problems. This is the same around the world.
As much as you want your preferred candidate to win, remember that you come first. The people always come first. So ask all of them the hard questions, don’t let them distract you.
I’ve read JD Vance’s book, he is a pretty smart guy. Ask him the smart questions. If he claims he wants to improve education, ask him how. What are his detailed plans for turning around the Midwest? Aid alone isn’t enough. How does he plan to boost imports and exports?
Ask Kamala how she plans to improve market reforms in Rust Belt cities and reduce wealth disparities. What are her strategies for reducing polarization? Will she bring Snowden back, end the CIA, end the wars? How does she plan to address the poverty gap, illegal drug usage in suburbs? Her senator Rho Khanna has a book on the importance of manufacturing in the US - what are her thoughts on it ? How influential is DNC in her decision-making - let her openly say it out. She had a term to warm up
Ask Trump why he hasn't invited Snowden back and why the CIA/Deep State still exists. What assurances are there that things will be different this time? What are his plans for market and social reforms? How will he tackle corruption at the borders (building walls doesn't solve the real problem), reduce wealth disparity in the South, Midwest, and suburbs, and address polarization? How will he ensure the judiciary remains independent and just? Get the specifics.
Ask RFK how he plans to improve healthcare and make it equitable. What are his social and market reforms plans. Will he follow his uncle's approach of fostering global friendships (with russia, china, middle east) and all else to end wars? Will he bring Snowden back ? What's his thoughts on intelligence spying? What’s his vision for advancing technology and innovation, similar to China's maker movement? How does he plan to address the CIA?
Where’s Nicole ? What’s her contribution and focus? She has to step up the game.
You can ask all of them what their thoughts are on bitcoin. But you don’t need their permission. You need a mass adoption of people globally and eventually the country leaders will follow the people . Yes, investors will share the fancy slides and tell you differently. They have their arse to cover, not yours.
At the end of the day, make sure your president is good enough to be called your president because he fights for you to have a better life. Not because he won the bitching competition.
We only have ourselves to be responsible for our actions.
Ask them hard questions and hold them accountable - all of them. You deserve the best of the best.

2024-07-23 18:40:59

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The hand gestures go well! 🤌

2024-07-23 10:59:07

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The irony of seeking permission for a permissionless tech. It seems like there are 2 angles to this - your store of value possibly increases if you sell your soul in return, or you could reach out to as many people globally and increase bitcoin as its usage of money. The former is the shorter path, the path frequently taken, the path many are comfortable with. I’m presuming Trump will say “vote for me and in return i will impose favorable laws, buy bitcoin as global reserve asset or a strategic US Treasury asset, next digital gold, boost institutional investments etc” There is no guarantee that he will do any of it, but by the time you find out it will be too late. That's how politicians win every time. It is what it is.

2024-07-23 10:04:58

“We all use the exact same internet. Once it’s broken for one, it’s broken for all”
I hope someday Snowden returns to the US as a hero that he is
https://youtu.be/tYVm62oEyWA

2024-07-23 09:34:51

Infrastructure loan, sustainable development, millennial development, ESG, WEF...
https://youtu.be/mPuYkPLLKlM

2024-07-23 09:10:50

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holy crap. Don't forget the compressors too.

2024-07-23 09:09:09

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i used to dabble in high freq, not electrical, but it is not complex. I do not have safety gears nor have I figured out where the main grounding port is - so instead of taking the risk of open circuit the pathway, the easier and safer way is to use a clamp meter. You get to narrow down block by block and take down the culprit. These days there are also smart gadgets for plug points and equipment where you can just plug in straight and see if its faulty.

2024-07-22 12:19:10

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I love many postliberal concepts, but I struggle with trusting the gov’t to enhance societal well-being without overreach.
Protecting and flourishing local industries is a necessity, as excessive capitalism can over-globalize markets, destroy cities like it did rust belt and widen wealth gaps like in the 80s and 90s. But government favoritism is also a big problem.
I love the libertarian “leave me alone” concept too, but I also love the community-based approach on postliberalism. I grew up in such a multicultural community and it was beautiful.
I think current policies often rely on emotional triggers.
For example, immigration/border debates ignore the corruption and money trail that happens behind it.
Despite healthcare focus, costs in the US remain too high due to over-privatization - I did dental cleaning last week for just 50 cents in my country.
So much of AA debates in university but the importance of the quality of education and ever-increasing cost is left out.
Governments these days find the easy way out, getting people to blame each other instead of doing their jobs.

2024-07-22 11:30:00

Postliberalism is an interesting approach that adopts both centrist right market reforms and centrist left social reforms while embracing community strength, and it might be the enhancement needed for many countries.

2024-07-22 11:25:04

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it was due to an old air conditioner that was already repaired many times and likely had current leakage, and too low a horse power to cover the area. i had it replace, got one with an inverter that disconnects once the set temperature is achieved. I also tinted the windows to cool down the place faster (its fairly easy to do this DIY and cost 1/10 the price of outsourcing it). This brought down the bill to 2/3 of what it used to be and i hope hit my ROI within 7 months. i also noticed that there is very small current that still flows when the equipment is connected to the plug point even if its not turned on, so i made it a habit to switch off all the circuit when not in use.

2024-07-22 10:31:50

It's interesting to understand what your electricity bill tells you.
Your bill is based on the tariff rate applied to the amount of energy you consume. Tariffs rate could be 50 cents per kWh or tiered.
If we start from the source, homes are supplied with AC (alternating current) at 110V or 220V, depending on the country. If you have solar panels, these generate DC (direct current), which is inverted into AC. AC systems have impedance, which includes resistance and reactance (conductance, inductance).
Each appliances in your home that needs electricity has resistance. Those with lower resistance like air conditioners will draw more current. Incandescent bulbs draw more current than LEDs.
Current (I) is calculated using Ohm’s Law V=IR (or I = V/R). For accuracy Z will represent impedance and the lengthy calculation has cos theta but for simplicity we remain with V=IR
Once you have voltage and current, you can then calculate power, P=VI which gives you in watts (1 horsepower is about 745 watt). To convert watts to kilowatts, divide by 1000.
Energy is how much power you consume over a certain time frame (kWh). This is what your electricity bill is based on, Energy = power x time.
You can then calculate your damage for the month by multiplying energy to the tariff allocated.
Other stuff that might be interesting is that your home circuit is typically parallel circuits, which allows each appliance to receive the same voltage. Circuit breakers protect the system if the current is too high.
I recently had a high spike in the bill so I tried testing the power points if there was a surge, and went to test most of the equipment. And eventually used a clamp meter to test the main panels one by one and found the culprit.
I know this is probably your middle school learning, i taught my nephews this just last year. But it is interesting nevertheless

2024-07-22 08:31:34

Maddie is probably preparing a health and diet plan on how to be a prime minister at the age of 56 for 20 years, and again at the age of 92, and at the age of 99, still ranting away.

2024-07-21 10:30:55

Graffiti artists want their work to be seen by as many as possible, and yet the artist stays as anonymous as possible - on Banksy
Banksy is a pseudonym for Bristol’s legendary street artist, famous for his stunts of shredding his masterpiece ‘Girl with Balloon’ at Sotheby's after the gavel went down.
Eventually this piece was named Love in the Bin and became his most expensive art. He also silently (illegally) placed many art pieces in famous galleries worldwide without being caught.
His work often includes stenciled graffiti, installations, and prints. His art addresses issues like war, consumerism, and inequality, and is seen globally. Despite his anonymity, Banksy remains one of the most influential contemporary artists.
Banksy rose to fame in the 90’s when the country's social inequality was on the rise (similar to the US during the collapse of rust belt cities).
In the UK, the right wing party is known as the Conservative Party (Tories), focusing on free-market policies and traditional values. The Labour Party is left-wing - focusing on social justice and public ownership. There are many political ideologies but these 2 are the most prominent ones. At present, Keir Starmer from the labour party is the Prime Minister replacing Rishi Sunak from the conservative party .
From 1945 to 1979, the UK was mainly governed by the left-wing Labour Party. Churchill was conservative but had a short reign. This period was peak nationalization of the big industries - steel and other manufacturing, the creation of a free public health system NHS, and expansion of the welfare state.
But from the 60s the budget was exploding and the UK started facing high inflation, unemployment, and industrial unrest (unions on strike), with a decline in traditional industries due to global competition and struggles with budget and public spending.
That’s when right-wing, conservative party Margaret Thatcher came on board in 1979. She was big on neoliberal reforms : deregulation, privatization, globalisation, trade union restrictions, and tax cuts.
"Neoliberalism" means differently in the US and Europe. Typically neoliberalism supports free markets, deregulation, and less government spending, and is often tied to the right-wing. In the US however it is center-right economically and center-left socially.
The term liberals also mean different things in the US and the UK. In the US, liberals are left-wing with a focus on social equality. In Europe, liberalism is tied to center-right focusing on individual freedoms and free markets.
But similar to the US, the major capitalism and right wing movement in the 80’s and 90s led to high unemployment and social unrest. In the mid-1980s, the economy began to recover but it started benefiting the South East (London, Oxford, Milton Keynes) and created high wealth disparity for the poorer northern areas.
Till today, the northern UK are not a fan of Thatcher, but the Southern UK are indifferent.
This is the opposite of the US as the states impacted by right wing policies became a fan of it, and the states benefiting from capitalism are taking on a socialist approach.
Margaret Thatcher left in 1990, but by then there was rising unemployment, particularly in places like Bristol, which became worse because of job outsourcing and globalization, leading to social discontent. And people like Banksy were not afraid to express it. He started his work through graffiti.
Graffiti emerged as part of the broader street art movement particularly from New York City and became popular globally as a way of creating political awareness, especially in areas experiencing economic decline and social unrest.
I love the artistic part but I’m also wary of the importance of private properties and signboards remaining intact. These days, places are allocated for people to express their wall arts but back then, they had to sneak in and risk getting caught.
As graffiti created more awareness in people, naturally it became outlawed in many places.
There was a time in NY where spray cans were prohibited from being sold to minors. The UK went on to arrest many graffiti artists and dissent expressions.
Till today, Banksy remains free and never charged, as he is nym. Nobody really knows who he is, or if he is one person or a group of people.
But many of Banksy’s wall art are seen globally, in recent times in war-torn areas. At first it seems sweet and pretty but when you take a closer and longer look, man it hits hard.
I really love how these groups of artists, especially Banksy, were not afraid to show the public what was obviously a problem with oppression, in an artistic way.
Would be nice if Banksy was part of Bitcoin and Nostr. Till then, here’s a nice documentary on Banksy’s work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAQSRglsD1A&t=835s

2024-07-21 09:29:01

When I first started exploring Nostr, i thought relays were some fancy electromagnetic switches.
https://m.primal.net/JYfL.png

2024-07-21 08:58:16

The word "national security" is often the best excuse to silent dissent.

2024-07-21 08:08:21

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As I was going through my notes , I came across these lines I wrote down from this talk. These were most memorable for me.
1. There’s no freedom, only friction
2. Instead of inflating the currency which is an invisible tax making all your money less and less valuable, you have deflationary currency where as time goes on, it continues to increase in value
3. If there is a sense of a true global consciousness, it is this (AI) right now as it is getting everyone’s frustrations into the system; it’s getting all their emotions. It’s getting everything they create, all the light stuff, all the dark stuff, negative positive, and it’s seeing everything. But there is only one person who can see all those things and that’s the CEO of the company.
4. And because they are getting more and more trust, you are actually asking them questions on what to do and they are directing you and by default your bias would be to follow it.
It would be nice to have custom block AI models that bridges individual ownership of data while maintaining privacy without owning it. Gov’ts are already rushing to impose control mechanisms and laws, and it will infiltrate AI related enterprises as it did the media.
It is becoming evident why open-source AI is a need, not a want.

2024-07-21 07:55:10

Isn't it ironic - that back then, de-industrialization and globalization were driven by right-wing calls in the 80s and 90s which led to major manufacturing shutdowns and societal inequity; and now, the states most traumatised by it are the biggest supporters of the right wing, while those became rich from it are the biggest supporters of the left wing. Isn't it also ironic that despite so much hatred for China, it seems like a large population in the US want a president just like Xi.
Democracy is an interesting topic. But many are not ready to deep dive into it.
#note120p…ccvl

2024-07-21 07:20:33

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It’s one thing inviting politicians over to Nostr as an open chat platform where everyone is welcome. It’s another thing altogether for the largest permissionless tech conference seeking permission.

2024-07-21 06:25:28

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Bukele is a nice guy, smart guy, but also a dictator, a benevolent dictator. There are many dictators in the world, mostly crappy and rarely benevolent kind, but dictators nevertheless. And just like Lee Kuan Yew and Xi, who are considered some of the greatest leaders, Bukele can turn the country around to be among the best countries in the world. But...
But it comes with a price - a lot of suppression - which is why the pro-democracy human rights folks have been against him. The suppression was immense in Singapore but never obvious as it was sheltered by the US in return for its trade facility.
If US wants to take on the route of China and be ok with suppression under a benevolent dictator, then it might work.
Isn't it ironic though, that back then, de-industrialization and globalization were driven by right-wing calls in the 80s and 90s, leading to major manufacturing shutdowns and societal inequity; and now, the states most impacted by it are the biggest supporters of the right wing, while those that benefited from it are the biggest supporters of the left wing.
The best thing we can do is get as many people to adopt permissionless tech so that democracy is truly based on what people want - And you no longer have to simp to presidents and get their permissions to use permissionless tech.

2024-07-19 19:01:54

That time when Sports Illustrated decided to dabble into wearable tech after watching one to many episodes of Get Smart
https://m.primal.net/JWfy.jpg

2024-07-19 13:34:19

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today is wild. prelude to global chaos - news company, airports, ports and ships, banks and government offices all over the world are impacted.

2024-07-19 04:37:05

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💯. Question everything. Be insanely curious. I grew up in a schooling system that used punished us for asking questions, having opinions. All those running around the field and washing toilets for asking questions lol!
“Obedience” is the core fundamental of religion and autocratic government masked as culture because it’s easier to build followers blindly. It's easy to scare people into obedience by punishing them.
Obedience is the downfall of companies when employees rather be told what to do, or stuck in a process, than to think out of the box.
Obedience is the downfall of startup ecosystems globally when entrepreneurs are subjected to (corrupted) funders demands.
Obedience is the downfall of society when they start believing everything influencers say as the gospel truth.
Fortunately my nephews are raised to have thoughts and opinions. And teaching them has been way harder than teaching university students or training employees despite their young age because they question everything, with many ideas to be explored, and I absolutely love it! And you don't need to drill obedience into them. They are respectful and kind.
I am however struggling to explain why fusion energy does not work yet for Ironman’s arc reactor lol. But we got all the elements of Captain America's magnetic shield right. And rebuilding a Spidermen hand web mechanical thingy. And they are teaching me abt Starwars because I don't know what that lego ship is abt! We've got a smart car and a drone to build next with arduino!
If you need some hope back in society, and away from all the gloom and doom, teach kids, raise curious kids. As Picasso once said - “it took me 4 years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child”. And at another time he said - “every children is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist when we grow up”.
Curiosity withers over time from societal suppression. And without curiosity, everything is gloomy. Neuroplasticity becomes pointless. People stop questioning because they don't know what to question. Ignorance becomes bliss.

2024-07-18 16:17:47

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Yes.
On Mining - needs to be simple enough for anyone to use, maybe as simple as arduinos that my 12 yrs old nephews in a 3rd world country are comfortable with. Maybe with nano tech mining chips, easy-to-integrate circuit boards, and simple coding, anyone can participate.
With more users, there will be more innovations around it globally, and new markets to explore. For example, entrepreneurs can put together a mining box, and collaborate with home developers to ensure every new house build comes with a bitcoin mining system in various countries. Maybe innovate clean energy converters to be integrated with home-based mining systems or sold as accessories. Innovations are plenty. The risk though is that large groups of miners may dominate, restricting smaller miners.
On custodial mints - I've been critical of the token economy but respect those who believe in its potential. They need to prove its worth with real use cases in society and low risk .
On global currency - Bitcoin has the potential to become a global currency, but only if people actually use it. I doubt tribal chants are as effective.
On various use cases to expand user adoption globally :
1. Foreign workers globally : Remittance is an issue, but these days, the bigger struggle is often limited access to KYC’ed digital wallets within the country they are working in.
2. More Bitcoin integrator to online commerce, to foster competition which will boost innovation.
3. Encourage micropayments via Bitcoin. Nostr zap that Will created can be used by various gamers on iOS as a Bitcoin micropayment.
4. Maybe explore widespread adoption in Vietnam and Mexico or other main US import countries - which would strategically encourage its acceptance in U.S. imports for small business owners.
5. Someday when I am in a more comfortable position, I want to focus on small manufacturers globally to overcome hegemony trade - small business banking globally is a pain.
The possibility of exploring various use cases for global adoption and making a business out of bitcoin is endless.
Why people don’t see this beats the hell out of me. We need less focus on glorifying influencers and more effort put into meaningful work in this space

2024-07-18 14:19:45

The real world
https://m.primal.net/JVFX.jpg

2024-07-18 14:09:56

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It doesn't matter which president likes Bitcoin. We don't need their permission nor be distracted by their dramas. What we do need are practical use cases and widespread adoption. We must explore every avenue for using Bitcoin as money, as currency - and adamantly and obsessively and passionately strive for that goal. Ultimately, democracy reflects what the people want. When too many people use Bitcoin, they cant stop it anymore. When people lead, leaders will follow

2024-07-17 01:29:28

I’ve developed a deep appreciation towards Basquiat’s works, Maybe because his art resonates with words or maybe it’s just the depth of the meaning and his emotions open bare. His pieces are raw and intense.
I love his collaboration pieces with Andy Warhol, I think he thought of Andy as a father figure he never had. I wonder what it must have been like to live in NY in the 80s, to have had such profound expressionism, surrealism at the corner of your street, hip hop on a rise, metal rock and punk.
Basquiat also dated Madonna. I love the artistic depth of “Like a Prayer”. That and her openness to a mixed race relation when it was looked down upon at that time (and still is today in many places). She released the video a year after Basquiat’s death.
It’s easy to see why Basquit’s art stood out. He started with graffiti - and the power of graffiti - when I was a kid, we grew up in a gang area and the walls were covered with band names and powerful lyrics, and that’s when I first learnt about Metallica, GnR, 2Pac, Nirvana and more. It was a rebellious act against a suppressive government. The power of art - it transcends across borders so strongly that even some 3rd world country's poor neighborhoods felt it.
And I think that’s what Basquit’s art did to many - it affected them so profoundly especially in the Western world, where he fought for the rights of Black people through his artistic expressions. His graffiti made magazine covers and his canvas pieces were shown in galleries worldwide, making him one of the youngest and most impactful surrealist artists.
A few years back, one of his artworks sold for over a hundred million dollars. I only wish Basquiat had lived long enough to see how impactful his pieces remain, even 30 years later. Sadly, he died too young, at 27, in 1988.
https://youtu.be/2EdGJ_8GDmU

2024-07-16 01:36:26

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Being narrow-minded has been the downfall of communities. Easier to blame everyone else for one's own shortcoming than to be progressive and adapt change.

2024-07-15 10:54:52

There’s something about people with magnitude and direction, with that triboelectric effect

2024-07-15 10:52:44

“what will people say?”
This sentence has killed more dreams than anything else in the world

2024-07-15 10:51:38

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perhaps there might be a way to eliminate identity and maintain fluidity in the strength of transactions, making it self evident to expand common use cases

2024-07-12 07:40:08

Everyone here has that one thing that hits us and true, that it keeps us going, keeps pushing for change - for wanting a better life for ourselves and for everyone else. We may not do it the same way, but our goal remains the same ♥️

2024-07-12 07:13:35

Anthony Bourdain's return after 10 years felt like an emotional journey as he had a deep connection to the indigenous people and culture of Borneo. The Ibans were head hunters (not the kind that calls you for an available job but the kind that chops off your head).
There is also a movie by Jessica Alba on the Ibans of Sarawak, called The Sleeping Dictionary. Its a fictional fantasy and romance in the 50's , but based on actual cultural practices of Ibans during the British occupation.
In this video, Anthony Bourdain seemed like he was tracing back his steps to all the places he has been to, and the people he has met. Maybe it was his way of saying goodbye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNCsi0jMW_c

2024-07-11 06:42:21

Sometimes when you start over with a Tabula Rasa mindframe, and imagine based on the present and future, the build becomes different. It gets easier to achieve your Occum’s Razor

2024-07-11 05:37:32

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love the demo video!

2024-07-08 08:22:18

Separate state and money

2024-07-08 08:21:38

"In the meantime the economy will benefit from a much-needed period of stability. Business investment was depressed during the period when there was uncertainty over whether the UK would leave the EU or not. It suffered another hit during the pandemic, and a third after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A chaotic period in which the UK had three prime ministers and five chancellors in a single parliament is now over"
Interesting read on the labour party's win and Rishi Sunak out. Also was catching up with a friend in the UK on how her mortgage interest rates has doubled the amount, many are selling their homes as they can't afford it, and although inflation marker is low, the daily goods are 2x the amount. And then the surge in electricity bill. She has been fortunate to afford it but the financial challenges faced by the people in Britain during this period is rather immense.
#note19wv…fswy

2024-07-05 18:23:21

René Magritte is perhaps one of my favorite surrealist artists. I first encountered his work, "The Son of Man," that was re-enacted in the movie "The Thomas Crown Affair" (Pierce Brosnan / Rene Russo).
As I explored his work further, I love how he thinks differently and gets people questioning everything. It's rare to find people who expand your perspectives so profoundly.
Many of his paintings manipulate space and perspective: an apple too big for its box, a train emerging from a wall. He was also interested in the boundary between rationality and irrationality, such as a house closed up at night against a bright blue daytime sky.
Magritte's work has touches of Dadaism (the avant-garde movement preceding surrealism) and some explorations of cubism (Picasso).
He loved poetry and Edgar Allan Poe and often explored the limitations of the meaning of words and their visual representation. In his famous piece "The Treachery of Images" he wrote "This is not a pipe" below a picture of a pipe, to show that it is just an image, not the object itself.
In real life, Magritte was happily married to his wife for 45 years. In his paintings though, he conveyed a sense of conflict in romance, for example in "The Lovers II," two people are passionately kissing but their faces are covered with cloth. Interpretations of this piece often vary - blinded by love, forbidden passion. This painting lingered in my mind for days, which made me look into Magritte's work further
Something Rene did not follow suit of the Surrelism culture is their need for psycho-analysing everything as he wanted to paint abstractly to provoke questions rather than provide answers.
But many wondered if his distance from any type of Freudian psycho-analysing theories had to do with his troubled childhood, with his mother's suicide by drowning, her body found with her dress covering her face—a motif that appears in some of his works.
Ironically, Magritte didn't enjoy the act of painting but loved the process of imagination and idea creation. He also wasn't fond of museums or art galleries. He also disliked the surrealist culture of drinking and partying, and preferred a secluded life with his wife and occasionally meeting other surrealists like Dalí.
Magritte was comfortable being different and not conforming to the definitions set by society or his peers, and I love that about him and just about anyone who has this courage.
Magritte was poor and relatively unknown for most of his life. To pay the bills, he took up advertising and had traits of advertisement images in his painting. Only in his later years did he gain recognition and hit fame. Andy Warhol is said to have followed in his footsteps, adapting elements from advertising into his art.
Some of my favorite works by René Magritte include:
The Son of Man (French: Le Fils de l'homme) – 1964
The Lovers II – 1928
Evening Dress – 1954
The Mystery of the Ordinary – 1938
The Kiss – 1951
Clear Ideas - 1958
The Blank Signature - 1965

2024-07-05 07:52:23

Reading abt Dior and Armani bringing in workers from China and paying them $2-3 per hour and they sleep in the factory as they continuously work. Normally you hear these problems by fast fashion instead of luxury brands.
A Dior bag at cost price is $57 and sold for $2800. An Armani bag at cost price is $99 and sold for $1900.
Typically cost to retail is about 4x as you have shipment, tax, transportation, warehouse, agent fees, distributor fees, discount allowance, marketing allocation etc. so the estimated retail price is about $57 x 4 - and a net profit is ~ 6% to 10%. Anything more than that retail price buffs up net - which is why luxury brand attracts investors.
Online sales removes distribution cost but the cost ends up almost the same considering online marketing expense in discovering users, shipment to consumers and returns (which can be very expensive if international as its 2x logistics cost). Ideally if can be sold online and without marketing, that would be the cheapest alternatives but this requires reputation of brands, owners etc for it to materialize.
Fashion is an interesting business, but of late the industry lacks passion, progressiveness and tact.

2024-07-04 18:23:17

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It can, and one way to make it happen is to enable the ease of converting bitcoin into multiple currencies. When this is achieved, countries can trade with each other directly, without needing USD, BRICS or any politically influenced currency - and eventually achieve self-sovereignty.
There are several existing options for quick currency exchanges via stable coins, tokens like cashu and side chains, wallets, possibly web 5 and even Nostr, but all in development and requires more use cases, real-world usages and risk assessments.
In the long run, when everyone has Bitcoin as part of their balance sheet, we would no longer need to depend on the currency exchanges, but for now, it will be the starting point for business transactions to happen.
De-dolarisation and the rise of BRICS are real concerns and should not be naively dismissed. With a deepening global adoption, Bitcoin could be a robust peacekeeper in preventing the possibility of currency wars/wars.
note1w7cm5yl93lgp6g47vads33cx7f84kvqj6rfkq70g6al56kctwcnstdhv78

2024-07-04 16:40:20

TIL Monet painted The Water Lilies, 12 gigantic canvases at a time, based on the movement of the sun and its ray of lights, all while suffering from blurred vision, color blindness, and cataracts that began at the age of 73. There are a total of 250 canvases in the series. He began painting this vision in his sixties based on what he saw in his garden in Giverny, and continued working on it for several decades until his death at the age of 86. Now that’s a whole different level of multitasking under extreme challenges and patience. The Musée de l'Orangerie was designed to showcase the Water Lilies series in an oval-shaped room with natural light (sunrise to sunset), to immerse viewers in his artistic vision. Some consider it the first art installation ever. But while he was alive, Monet was reluctant to part with his art, and even after the museum was completed, he felt he wasn't finished with it. In fact, there remains a small unfinished patch in the series. After his death in 1926, his paintings were initially displayed but didn’t receive the attention hoped for and were largely forgotten. However, they were rediscovered in the 1950s and gained popularity for the emotional and artistic impact they left on viewers. I’ve never been to the Orangerie, but maybe someday.

2024-07-04 06:29:27

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I don’t know if there is one person who is a “know-it-all”. My brother is one of the smartest people I know and everytime we catch up, I learn something new. We can have very in-depth conversations on political ideologies and history, science, general knowledge (and he is the only one who can keep up with my geekiness) and we can have really simple ones - like the other day, I realized the only Trump I will support is Judd Trump. But try having a conversation on colors and you get nowhere. Jack is also smart. I pick up something new with each of his talks - he drops high level clues to get people thinking - like the whole open source ecosystem. Of late I realized that many that I thought were smart were just people who bragged a lot, and sold themselves really well and because I didn't know enough at that point I was impressed. I think it helps to be really curious about things and see what feeds your curiosity - you can learn something new from anywhere.

2024-07-04 05:14:22

MacGyver (the old one) is a nice inspiration of making the most out of everything you've got (That and he has nice hair, and an even nicer smile).

2024-07-04 04:35:38

that excitement when your gadgets arrive! While stocking up for myself, i decided to get an arduino uno and a smart car chassis and its assemblies for my nephews, and they are super excited (or maybe I am). This will be their first encounter of electronics / programing project that's fun. But first, I've got to set up a proper discharge process, how do you'll normally remove static ? metal to metal or one of those anti static bracelets ? i've been kinda lazy about it so i just use a coin and touch a metal bracket
https://m.primal.net/JHRY.jpg

2024-07-04 01:24:55

so much to do, so little time

2024-07-03 17:52:33

Who sees the human face correctly : the photographer, the mirror, or the painter? – Pablo Picasso

2024-07-03 17:48:18

I have long been fascinated by the Renaissance movement (14th - 17th century) with Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. When I was a little girl, I grew up seeing pictures of the Renaissance art, with my big brother telling me stories about it. During a backpacking trip to Italy many years ago, I fell in love with Florence, and walking through the Chapel in Vatican City and just looking up, felt surreal.
Another movement I love is Impressionism of the late 19th century, particularly the works of Monet and Renoir, with their loose brushwork, vibrant colors, and play of light. This always felt safe, romantic, dreamy and just nice.
This week, though, I thought I would shake it up a little and explore the Surrealism movement (1920s up to post-WW2).
The first I looked into was the works of Salvador Dalí. And whoa, I was amazed by how he experimented with everything he felt - he captured his surreal visions so succinctly. His most famous painting, "The Persistence of Memory," with melting watches, became his iconic trademark (and I only recently noticed the ants!) .
Dali had an interesting life journey, from his fascination with Freudian theories to becoming a Hollywood celebrity. That, and his method of boosting creativity: he would hold a spoon while napping in a chair. As he drifted off, he would drop the object, and the sound would wake him, allowing him to capture the bizarre dreams from his light sleep. This technique led him to explore the depths of his imagination and unveil hidden meanings. There's so much more to Dali and his paintings than I can possibly write here.
Another interesting figure in Surrealism is Lee Miller. She went from being a Vogue cover model to becoming a famous photographer and war photojournalist during WW2, with that infamous picture of her captured in Hitler’s bathtub. Miller's journey is nothing short of a relentless pursuit of excellence, of wanting to be the best of the best.
When she decided to become a photographer, she took a flight to meet Man Ray, a super famous surrealist photographer, and told him she wanted to apprentice under him. When he said no, that he didn't take an apprentice, she boldly said “ you now do”, and became his apprentice and assistant for 3 years. (As I was looking through Man Ray's works, I noticed his iconic "Violon d’Ingres" violin symbol looked similar to @npub1sg6…f63m's ink - not sure if its an intended resemblance).
Miller wanted new adventures, so after her apprenticeship ended, she went to New York, moved to Cairo then to Europe. During WW2, she took numerous war photographs that were published in women's magazines, leading to her role as a war photojournalist. Coincidentally, on the day she took the infamous photograph in Hitler’s bathtub, Hitler shot himself, and the war ended soon after.
Upon returning home, Miller suffered from PTSD due to the horrors she witnessed in concentration camps. Despite her many accomplishments, including becoming a renowned cook in her later life, the war images haunted her, and she kept the films hidden in her attic. It was only after her death that her son found these photographs, which cemented her legacy as one of the greatest surrealist photographers of our time.
There’s definitely a lot of interesting things that went through this era with the art movements. I think understanding the art movement in parallel to history is incredibly fascinating, but this is something that comes as light bulb moments over time, at least for me. If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s to let thoughts and imaginations flow. It takes you to the next step and the next…

2024-07-03 17:12:44

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Happy happy birthday Julian Assange! It's so nice seeing this picture. And a big shout out to you @npub1xw7…umsa for that unwavering fight for love and freedom, and in continuing the battle for all journalist globally ❤️

2024-07-03 17:08:38

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wow. also, seeing a lot of attacks on RFK of late - I'm guessing his poll is increasing ?

2024-07-03 10:11:17

It's the durian season. If you have not tried them, you have no idea what you are missing out on.

2024-06-29 18:26:43

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It's really good and aptly put, we need separation of state and bank.
—-
Loved the indie concept and the clips of the past, the little things - like the price of a TV when Thatcher was in power, £10, before the conversation moved to inflation. That beautiful little girl dressed as a princess who lost her eye and a limb just broke my heart.
I also like the timeline of history and the political concept progression. And it started with the fact that oil in Saudi was discovered and invested by Americans during Roosevalt’s era in ‘38.
The rise of Marxism in the 60s in Afghanistan was a big thing - and the reason why the king was killed, and the CIA slipped in.
Another irony is that the Kabul Universities had more liberalism back then than they do now - in debating what teachings Afghanistan should adopt - be it Marxism or the Islamic militant way that reached Afghanistan through Egypt.
I did not know abt the Wahhabism concept of extremist oligarchs of the Saudis but it makes sense. The 70’s Islamic wave was anti-American and authoritarian, and it killed the richness and beauty of diverse culture in not just the Middle East but also Northern Africa and SEA. This period was right after most countries achieved independence from the British
Mujahids and Taliban are like the left and right in the Islamic militant group, and Al Qaeda is like the international marketing group of Taliban (similar concept of spreading Wahhabism by the Saudi’s)
The CIA's intervention was strong. Russia left in ‘89. Massoud backed by the CIA, eventually became the leader of the Mujahids in ‘92 and led Afghanistan.
An important missing element was that Massoud died 2 days before 9/11 and he warned the US and EU of Osama’s rise of power.
The 90’s (right after Cold War ended) was peak extremist intensity - Iran’s Ayatollah, Charles Taylor of Liberia who funded the RUF to rise against their own corrupted gov’t in Sierre Leone because he wanted a hold of the diamonds. And the Talibans, formed in ‘96.
Massoud who was against the Talibans lost the battle and fled to Tajikistan. He asked EU to put pressure on Pakistan who was supporting Talibans but Benazhir Bhutto who was apparently heavily corrupt, was untouchable (till she was killed).
There is an interesting piece by Julian Assange interviewing Imran Khan on the influence of the West in Pakistan and funding Talibans and corrupt leaders.
On September 9, 2001, Massoud died from a suicide bombing act (jihadis) as instructed by Osama bin Laden.
Two days later, the September 11 attacks occurred in the United States.
NATO and CIA then intervened in Afghanistan and allied with Massoud's former forces the ‘Northern Alliance’, and ousted the Taliban in 2001. And now they are back.
That video of Saudis meeting the Queen, with Princess D following behind was interesting too. She was such a big voice of anti war. That week that she died, for some reason, CIA, M16, Mossad were all there in Paris, and her driver had links to all the intelligence agencies.
I also liked how Adam Curtis drew a clear linkage between economic downturn and shift of power from government to financial systems.
For many other 3rd world countries the marketing gimmicks were on infrastructure loans, sustainable, millennial development and these days ESG as a methods of supplying money to these countries and siphoning it out through their corrupt leaders. Many of these countries who took on debts could not recover during economic downturns. Originally, 3rd world were known as countries who neither support US nor Soviet, and eventually 3rd world countries became known as poor countries.
Towards the end of Bitter Lake, it reminded me of why the Vietnam war could not be won either and I quote “what we thought was the Taliban was actually an allergic reaction to us turning up in the middle of a complex civil war” . Similar struggles. Really good documentary, thanks for sharing.
The above are also based on my recollection of a few books ,
Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001, by Steve Coll
A long way gone : Memoir of a Boy Soldier by Ishamael Beth
The Blood Bankers by James S. Henry
Gideon Spies by Gordon Thomas
Currency Wars by James Rickards
Mohammad Ali’s writings on Gaddafi

2024-06-28 17:33:35

I think one of the most important use cases needed to improve and accelerate Bitcoin adoption is its flexibility in quick multi-currency transactions.
If we look at it from 2 perspective :
1. De-dollarisation and Geopolitical Shifts
Saudi refusing to renew the 1974 petrodollar deal in recent weeks, and further strengthening its partnership with BRICS is a symbolic movement towards de-dollarisation.
The weakening of the US currency will reduce global trade dependency, undermine sanctions, expose vulnerabilities, and amplify FOMO towards BRICS (many countries are already quietly and rapidly joining this bloc). This can create global currency war.
Bitcoin could serve as a "peacekeeper" by being a neutral medium that reduces dependency on politically influenced currencies. But more importantly, with the ease of currency exchanges, countries globally will no longer need to depend on USD or BRICS. Any two countries can interact with each other using Bitcoin or their own currencies via Bitcoin seamlessly.
2. On small business payments for global trade
Small businesses often represent 80% - 90% of a country's business but struggle in competition with hegemony trades that have advanced payment systems, manufacturing and logistics. Current payment gateways often lack the ability to handle small business needs effectively, and manual wire transfers are cumbersome and expensive. Overcoming currency exchanges would improve Bitcoin’s ease of transfer and simplify cross-border transactions, making it an attractive option for SMEs.
Both these scenarios got me thinking of how Bitcoin can come into play, for quick multi-currency transactions.
There are possible options out there for now :
1. Collaboration with stable coins - Pros is stability in value and ease of integration with existing financial systems. Cons is that it is tied to specific currencies, corporate control, and potential centralization issues.
2. Token-based Solutions
With tokens like Cashu, pros is that it is programmable to represent different currencies in real-time. Cons is that it lacks risk assessment, real-world usage, and challenges with ownership concentration.
With tokens like the sidechain that Fiatjaf once shared, the pros is that it can enhance the scalability and functionality of Bitcoin without altering the main chain. But the cons is that there is potential centralization if tokens are controlled by individuals or specific entities.
3. Web5 financial layer - I’m not sure how the financial layer works, but I recall Jack mentioning Block and TBD will be releasing more info soon. The potential lies in integrating decentralized identity and financial systems more seamlessly.
4. Nostr zaps - any global trade or B2B focused client (or other stuff) can be created. Pros is that it could enable flexible currency display, conversion, and quick calculations for businesses. Cons is that it is still figuring out user adoption use cases and challenges. Also limitation of amount spent?
5. Wallets with multi-currency features for KYC and non-KYC - i reckon this follows many pros and cons of the above.
I don’t know if the above list is accurate / inaccurate but all innovations have pros and cons and specific use cases. Continuous feedback from users in different use cases will help improve these technologies. But we definitely do need more innovations and brainstorming in this area.
If the adoption of Bitcoin increases among businesses and individuals, then it will further drive innovation and refinement of Bitcoin's role in global finance.

2024-06-28 03:09:55

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What he says here is so important

2024-06-28 03:05:33

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I thought Odell’s caps lock was his version of dad joke. And you make even more dad jokes. This could be over an hour of dad jokes.

2024-06-27 16:22:19

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In the real world out there, Saudis decided not to renew the Petrodollar and its further strengthening its alliances with BRICS. Many countries are joining Brics like windfall but quietly. US currency is under serious threat, trade and sanction powers will weaken and avenues for attacks will open up. More than anything technology strength in the US needs major boost if it ever wants to come out of debts. US style of claiming dominance through political interference, military and currency is no longer working. There is a real danger in America weakening today and it needs a strong and wise leader to turn things around, otherwise, its rapid downward hill. I hope people are able to pull themselves out of these mind games of "left", "right" and pick a leader that will bring up the country again, sooner than later.

2024-06-25 18:07:09

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oh that's interesting - i've got a lot to catch up on. Thanks for sharing! I realised the adoption of AI in general workspace is also increasing rapidly - or rather the conversation and executive decisions made around it, even locally. I'm beginning to think everything is going to be AI based one way or another to optimise process and flow. Doesn't hugging face come with pre-trained models ? I presume the benchmark specs and parameters make a difference ?
These are some books I read over a year or 2 - i don't have specific reasons or favourites - its merely out of curiosity and often times trying to figure out stuff i don't know that lead me to it
1. It’s Not Only Rock ‘n’ Roll: Iconic Musicians Reveal the Source of their Creativity by Jenny Boyd
2. The Mamba Mentality by Kobe Bryant
3. Makers: The New Industrial Revolution by Chris Anderson
4. Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelley & David Kelley
5. Innovation and Entrepreneurship by Peter Drucker
6. Mindset: Changing the Way You Think to Fulfill Your Potential by Carol S. Dweck
7. Ideas and Opinions by Albert Einstein
8. Out of Our Minds: Learning to be creative by Ken Robinson
9. Neuroscience of Creativity edited by Oshin Vartanian, Adam S. Bristol, and James C. Kaufman
10. Windows of Opportunity by Pam Schiller
11. Prototype Nation: China and the Contested Promise of Innovation by Silvia M. Lindtner
12. How Iceland Changed the World by Egill Bjaanason
13. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Wetherford
14. JFK and the Unspeakable by James W. Douglass
15. Demokrasi: Indonesia in the 21st Century by Hamish McDonald
16. Drugs as Weapons Against Us by John L. Potash
17. Mukiwa: A White Boy in Africa by Peter Godwin
18. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
19. The Blood Bankers by James S. Henry
20. Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Handbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Alan Eagle
21. Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days by Jessica Livingston
22. Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works by A. G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin
23. The Bezos Blueprint: Communications Secret of the World’s Greatest Salesman by Carmine Gallo
24. Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger
25. The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding: How to Build a Product or Service into a World-Class Brand by Al Ries and Laura Ries
26. Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small by Nick Westergaard
27. Whole Body Barefoot by Katy Bowman
28. My Inventions by Nikola Tesla
29. Math and the Mona Lisa by Bulent Atalay
30. Fashion Brand Stories by Joseph Hancock
31. A Guide to UX Design and Development by Tom Green and Joseph Labrecque
32. Design Thinking by Peter G. Rowe
33. The Idiot Brain by Dean Burnett
34. The Memory Illusion by Dr. Julia Shaw
35. Navajo Code Talkers by Brynn Baker
36. Fat Leonard by Craig Whitlock
37. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
38. Fashion History: A Global View by Linda Welters and Abby Lillethun
39. Mexicana Fashion by Aida Hurtado and Norma Canto
40. Gideon Spies by Gordon Thomas
41. Currency Wars by James Rickards
42. Grow the Pie by Alex Edmans
43. Jay-Z by Michael Eric Dyson
44. Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools by Jonathan Kozol
45. The Wise Men by Walter Isaacson and Evan Thomas
46. X-Teams: How to Build Teams That Lead, Innovate, and Succeed by Deborah G. Ancona and Henrik Bresman
47. Connecting the Dots: Lessons for Leadership in a Startup World by John Chambers and Diane Brady
48. The Expert Guide to Retail Pricing by Kiran Gange
49. High Growth Handbook: Scaling Startups from 10 to 10,000 People by Elad Gil
50. Guerrilla Marketing Field Guide: 32 Powerful Battle Maneuvers for Non-Stop Momentum and Results by Jay Conrad Levinson and Jeannie Levinson
51. Outbounding: Win New Customers with Outbound Sales and End Your Dependence on Inbound Leads by William Miller
52. Lean Brands: Catch Customers, Drive Growth & Stand Out in All Markets by Luis Pedroza
53. The Best Service Is No Service: How to Liberate Your Customers from Customer Service, Keep Them Happy, and Control Costs by Bill Price and David Jaffe
54. Lean Six Sigma by Jeffrey Ries
55. The Entrepreneurial Bible to Venture Capital by Andrew Romans
56. They Ask, You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today’s Digital Consumer by Marcus Sheridan
57. The Geek Way by Alex McAfee
58. Innovative Product Development by Additive Manufacturing 2022 by Roland Lachmayer et al.

2024-06-25 15:21:15

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I have a different perspective - i think having books with contradictory opinions widens train of thoughts and develops a deeper understanding and compassion for the other side. On a different note, I have questions if that's ok =) Are you training on custom local models using open-source AI ? and are you training based on LLM or neural network or small modals, and if LLMs what's the GPU performance like ? are you optimising it or is this developed on cloud services like Azure and Google ? And if it is based on cloud services, what are your thoughts on its privacy and localisation ? Many thanks in advance!

2024-06-25 14:00:41

Nice to see people winning this week - with chat privacy maintained in Europe - and oh man, Julian Assange walking free! Never ever stop believing.
People wonder what democracy is - if its left right, white black, AA merits, city rural, race, religion etc etc . Nope, that's not democracy. That's what your leaders fool you into thinking and try you box you in. People get so engrossed choosing sides that even when the leaders are mentally incapable, they will defend to the end. Don't fall for that mind game.
This, what we experience this week, this is democracy. Where people come together collectively and voice out what they want fervently, passionately and relentlessly, that it cannot be ignored, and leaders of many nations have to listen.
Assange's fight is not over, and a shame he had to plead guilty to make his 5 year imprisonment justifiable which only goes to show he was imprisoned for no reason to begin with. But if they try to catch him again, people all over the world will flip out like hell.
I can't wait for someday when Snowden gets to go back to the US and be welcomed a hero that he truly is. But for now, compared to all that's been happening, its been a damn good week. The people are winning. Don't stop believing.

2024-06-19 16:33:30

I was reading about the archimedean solid, catalan solid and rhombicuboctahedron (of which I can neither pronounce nor spell) . While the geodesic dome by Buckminster Fuller made it more mainstream, it was first imagined by Leonardo Da Vincci (who was both technically and creatively adept) followed by the inaugural naming thanks to Kepler’s proof of equations in the 1600s. Somehow all this led me to a 90’s Australian kids sci fi movie The Girl from Tomorrow and now I really want a transducer with a trigger on your pituitary gland telepathically for self healing, protection etc and PJ, an AI assisted computer in a diamond studded wristband that has hologram. That and rhombicuboctahedron as a time machine that uses electromagnetic waves, NIR, Near UV, Soundwaves. Imagination is truly a powerful thing!

2024-06-19 01:44:25

Being stylish and being fashionable are two entirely different things, you can easily buy your way into being fashionable. Style, I think is in your DNA. It implies originality and courage - Iris Apfel

2024-06-19 01:41:29

BRICS is expanding whether we like it on not. Bitcoin will be the peacemaker of global currency war domination

2024-06-19 01:14:52

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haha, i mean what does it mean for you as in will you be continuing as Nostr's designer ? btw I was reading a lot on design thinking last week - its interesting to learn how early-stage startup strategies leveraged plenty based on how designers think and operate - as designers are often user/end-game focused. I think you are an amazing designer and would be an amazing Nostr entrepreneur as well.

2024-06-19 00:52:38

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good morning, what happens after this grant phase ends ?

2024-06-19 00:13:45

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Strategy involves long-term planning and positioning, tactics focuses on immediate, concrete moves to gain an advantage

2024-06-18 17:26:19

Nostr is the avant-garde of social media

2024-06-17 21:33:02

Yesterday was a public holiday and my siblings and I spent the long weekend helping my mom clean up her house. The insides needed some painting, and fortunately I managed to engage a freelance construction person, a women in her mid 60s with shiny white hair, who has way more speed and energy than I could have hoped for. She completed most of the work in 2 days what I would have taken months just planning and tapping 😂. That and I need an upgrade from my pink 2kg dumbbells.
The outside needed a lot of anti rust work and anti mold fixes before we can paint it so some sanding, welding, anti rust coats and pressure washing. We also got some gardening work done and unclogged the drains for her. While my bones are hurting my heart is happy.
I remember watching pressure washing videos and lawn mowing videos that are satisfying to watch. These videos get millions of views which YouTube compensates financially. If you thought touching grass felt good, try cutting it - makes you famous, who would have thought!
Anyone can be a content creator if they have an easy avenue to post, have engaging content and get financially compensated.
As I watch the YT videos, I thought it would be nice if I can zap these videos, but I think zaps can only work effectively on Nostr if
1) it has easy onboarding
2) large crowds.
Bringing in the large crowds though, is catch 22. Content creators will bring in their fans but at the same time they need new, fresh ways to increase fan base / followers / viewers.
The good thing abt Nostr is that many diff clients collectively will have many viewers lurking around. When each client puts in the work in bringing in new users, eventually it will add up.
The challenge for new users however, is finding or matching what interests them.
Ideally as we overcome the challenges and the culture of zap picks up, the number of real viewers could translate into the amount of zaps aka direct money.
Another thing about content creation is quality. Some are lazy. Some put in the work.
I have learned more from YT lecturers than the colleges I have paid for. However, only the most engaging lessons attract viewers, hence content creators have to up their game. Maybe one way to encourage quality contents (esp during the early stages) is through rewards, reviews, ratings etc
Then there’s that SEO where it’s a form of algo for content creators to reach a larger audience base. This is so old fashioned that Tik Tok revamped it completely to increase engagement. I’m sure Nostr can do a much better content creator’s algo tuning strategy in matching users that seek them out, then all of them put together.
I think there are a lot of opportunities in driving content creators onto Nostr. But it requires some work, and has to start with research - esp in understanding what are content creators utopia and pain points.
These can be done by reaching out to hundreds of content creators with diverse creations. Research is not easy work.
And when carrying out these interviews, one has to go with that tabula rasa mindset, a blank sheet, a clean state. Leave the ego behind. Leave the stubbornness of old ways behind.
Toyota in the 80s, before it ventured into the western market, sent a group of engineers and designers to live in the US, They lived in upscale neighborhoods, drove luxury cars, and studied the culture extensively. Only after immersing in that culture did the engineers and designers put their minds together and came up with Lexus to compete with the luxury automobile market.
I think there is so many amazing opportunities in Nostr but it requires a lot of work. The more problems we uncover and the more we know what we don't know - only then we will have the opportunities in finding solutions. I truly hope Nostr makes it ❤️
Alright now, off to the madness of the real world. Have a great week everybody!

2024-06-17 01:12:35

Woke up thinking of this beat..whatever happened to Blu Cantrell?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMOKlXfXn50

2024-06-13 12:18:53

The history and evolution of the concept of Design Thinking is absolutely fascinating.
TL;DR: Design Thinking is all about hacking designer's brain to figure out how they problem solve by focusing on end-users and studying their cognitive process. It took over 60 years to develop this concept into a step by step approach and adopted widely and globally.
1960: Buckminster Fuller proposed the concept of "Design Science Revolution"—to shift the focus of innovation, from military technology ("weaponry") to improving human lives ("livingry").
He hit fame for for completely something else though - on the geodesic dome architecture.
I love putting the pieces of the puzzles together on a timeline. The Buckminster Fuller era is right before the Beatnik, Punk, and Hackers movements, and challenged limitations on innovation and creativity amidst controls by the upper class. There was a lot of struggle among innovators during that time as they had to license out their designs to limited manufacturers who end up owning the brands. Fuller's work promoted forward-thinking solutions.
The beatnik era pushed forth creativity broadly (music, movies, universities) boosting the middle-class economy. Punk culture rebelled against mainstream norms with DIY creativity and individuality birthing the Maker’s culture, while Hackers innovated in technology and software, pioneering new computing approaches.
1969: Herbert A. Simon wrote "The Sciences of the Artificial." I am reading this at the moment. He introduced the idea of design as a way of thinking, emphasizing the importance of rapid prototyping/testing, which is now a crucial element of design thinking.
1973: Horst Rittel coined "Wicked Problems" to describe complex, undefined issues that require a deep understanding of people's needs, feelings, and behaviors.
Wicked problems are not your usual problems and doesn't have a binary solutions to it - for example natural disaster, food security, climate change, public health crisis etc
1973: Robert H. McKim published "Experiences in Visual Thinking."
I have read raving reviews on this book and can't wait to read it next. He emphasized solving problems visually through seeing, imagining, and drawing to enhance creativity. According this Kim, focused attention is key
1982: Nigel Cross published a seminal paper "Designerly Ways of Knowing." which explores how designers approach problem-solving differently from non-designers.
The cognitive processes and methods used to solve complex problems set the foundation for design thinking as a way to innovate and problem-solve
1982: Bryan Lawson shared his research on the differences between scientist and designers and how each solve problems.
Scientists are problem-focused, while designers are solution-focused.
For example a biologist studies why a certain species of plants in a forest are dying out by focusing on the problem - the root causes of the decline - soil conditions, climate changes, and insect infestations affecting the plants - "problem focused"
An interior designer tasked with redesigning a small apartment to maximize space and functionality will not be figuring out why the apartment is small, but rather, will brainstorm various layout options, storage solutions, and furniture arrangements to create a comfortable and efficient living environment for the client. - "solution focused"
1987: Peter Rowe published "Design Thinking." I have this book but I have never read it. He explores how design thinking applies in architecture, focusing on the cognitive processes of creating buildings and urban artifacts. His work advances the understanding of design thinking across various fields of specialization.
1991: IDEO was formed in the US by David Kelley, along with Bill Moggridge and Mike Nuttall as an innovation firm that developed and popularized tools and terms that made design thinking accessible and practical.
1992: Richard Buchanan published "Wicked Problems in Design Thinking" expanded design thinking beyond traditional disciplines, emphasizing empathy, collaboration, and interdisciplinary thinking to address socio-economic, environmental, and policy challenges.
2004: David Kelley went on to co-found the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford (d.school). This became a Silicon Valley hype. He promoted the development, teaching, and application of design thinking, inspiring educational institutions worldwide. I met him about 10 years ago but did not realize who he was nor appreciated the value of design thinking back then.
Although the concept of design thinking is used a lot in software development these days and even in corporate entrepreneurship, it started off with hardware product developments and architecture.
And i think its absolutely interesting how design thinking originated by proposing that creative people think differently and that its worth looking into.

2024-06-13 06:05:55

At its core, one of the biggest differences between the design-thinking approach and the traditional approach is the user-centric focus.
Design thinking revolves around understanding and addressing the needs, experiences, and challenges of end users or customers, whereas traditional thinking focuses more on the business itself rather than the customer.
A popular comparison is Blockbuster’s downfall versus Netflix’s rise. Blockbuster pushed for more brick-and-mortar stores, renting out DVDs, while Netflix switched to streaming after realizing its mail-order service was not user-friendly enough.
Traditional thinking is highly convergent, often jumping to solutions without thoroughly understanding customer problems. Design thinking incorporates both convergent and divergent elements. At first it diverges to understand the customers deeply, focusing on empathy and user insights. This foundation supports its convergent approach to creating innovative and meaningful solutions.
Children are highly divergent but as they get older, adults become convergent hence the lack of creativity in problem-solving approaches in adults. This is often due to how education, environment, exposure and knowledge shapes our thought processes.
Traditional thinking is also hierarchical and assumes upper management (and shareholders) have the best ideas, which the rest of the organization implements. In contrast, design thinking is highly collaborative, encouraging contributions from anyone, which can trigger productive ideas and solutions.
And the last comparison is that traditional thinking is linear and definitive. It imagines customer problems and implements solutions directly. I see many examples of this approach here. Design thinking is iterative and circular, starting with understanding the customers by engaging them, identifying problems, and designing solutions.
The design thinking process has a few elements. Over time, these elements have been made into stages but nothing set in stone.
1. Empathize: Understanding the user's needs, experiences, and emotions. This is done through engaging users via research, interviews, and observation to gain deep insights into their world.
2. Define: Articulating problem based on the info gathered at empathy stage. This leads to defining core issues to address.
3. Ideate: Generating multiple ideas and solutions via brainstorming and creative thinking, encouraging out-of-the-box thinking and having multiple perspectives.
4. Prototype: Creating tangible representations of the ideas, which can be sketches, models, simulations. Eventually leading to MVPs
5. Test: Evaluating the prototypes with real users to gather feedback. A very important process is refining and iterating on the solutions based on user input - so you go through few cycles until you hit a fairly stable product that can be widely adopted and has potentials to meet product-market fit. I've made this mistake here on not prioritizing this part, nor allocating sufficient time, budget and resources. And many entrepreneurs tend to make the mistake of forgoing this part.
For design thinking approach, the keywords are users and problem-solving for users. The focus is entirely around the end user. The solutions developed are directly aligned with their needs and preferences.
So is you are building or intending to build something, the initial questions to ask yourself would be - who are your target users ? Can you describe them ? Where can you find them ?

2024-06-13 04:44:19

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you can mute the bots ? I don't know who are these bots and I don't know whats the attack on Rabble is about. If its about his political orientation or his social life, he has a right to be here just like anyone else. To preach the holiness free speech while attacking someone else's definition of free speech is very confusing. At the end of the day, its not about you, me or Rabble defining what free speech is. It is about free will of the users and what they decide.

2024-06-13 04:22:21

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if you are not a fan of his client, why not just use another client on Nostr that you are comfortable with ? That's the goal of Nostr.

2024-06-13 01:37:17

Picked up this book this morning 'A guide to Design and Development - Developer's Journey through the UX Process' by Tom Green and Joseph Labrecque as a self refresher for my own benefit.
It's interesting how early-stage entrepreneurship has benefited greatly from the way designers think and execute. While nothing is set in stone, many of these thought processes are general and can be adapted to anything one is working on, be it SW or HW.
I'll leave the Table of Content snapshots here in case anyone in interested in looking up for specific info. These concepts have been around for a long time and hundreds of people have written about it and adapted widely.
Designer - Dev relationship
https://image.nostr.build/abc33f1a8f86285914c31d8c1db49f452d2f5004ede1192dde0381c526c5afa4.jpg
TOC page 1 : https://image.nostr.build/71ba0a5891473e9330fbf1af6a6ea33d35c8167a25dab2fedfd06e0725c5c837.jpg
TOC Page 2 : https://image.nostr.build/5c3cc6a9080c0577b8ab67a5070fb323a98ff7dca0bef3a2ef1b727911fb6cc4.jpg
TOC Page 3 :
https://image.nostr.build/7fe79d57150332401e1e4ef557006f098f43ee7fb17d3f0411905a9ecfcb23e2.jpg
TOC Page 4:
https://image.nostr.build/6061582e70909cf3d27bb2e234e0d791ca767b2dca1ed39ecd9648ca3c927fe8.jpg
TOC Page 5 : https://image.nostr.build/b85bada21defde3c6c6cd94b34c497897646a11d1a81cbd833d78c17b07a0d33.jpg

2024-06-12 23:34:18

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politicians will say whatever it takes to get elected

2024-06-12 23:24:51

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nice! those paint sprayers are going into my Christmas wishlist of tools to have, but have been using a good ol' brush and rollers and its been ok. The prep for painting is often 70% of the workload! And oh boy, never going near a table saw.

2024-06-11 19:21:13

Reading about the Navajo Code Talkers during WW2. The Japanese army deciphered all of the US army codes except for the marines who used the Navajo Codes.
Navajo language is complex with tonal features and intricate syntax. Each syllable has its own meaning and is spoken perfectly. Even the slightest change of tone will represent diff meaning. I found this challenge while learning Mandarin which has 4 diff tones and the same character in a diff tone means something else.
The idea of Navajo code talkers came from Philip Johnson who grew up in the Navajo reservations in Arizona and learnt the language since young. He proposed the concept to the Marine corps and they agreed to test it out.
They went on to recruit their 1st batch of 29 Navajos to join the marines.
The Navajo reservation (Navajo Nation) stretches across parts of Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. There were about 50,000 Navajo Indians living on the reservation at this time (mid 90s).
Backtrack a little, in the 1860’s the Navajo people were forcefully removed from their ancestral lands in Arizona and walked for months, known as the "Long Walk," Many Navajo people died or suffered greatly due to harsh conditions, lack of food and water, and mistreatment by the U.S. military.
4 years later they were allowed to return but were placed on a reservation in what is now northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah.
The 1868 Navajo treaty that promised “free education” was a dark chapter in Native American history (the Indian boarding school era) where Navajo children were separated from their families and sent to government-run boarding schools and taught to assimilate into mainstream American culture and the Euro-American society by erasing their cultural identity and language.
Although the Navajo people were treated unfairly for decades, this did not stop the gov’t from asking Navajos for help during World War II or placing them as frontliners. The Navajo men had no idea what awaited them as Marine.
The 29 first recruits were to complete basic training (boot camp) in San Diego, California. The Navajos grew up living off the land—having to hunt, fish, haul water, and build homes. Yet it was seemingly the smaller requirements of marine life that were difficult for the Navajo recruits esp ie keeping their hair short, maintaining eye contact, wearing uniform etc. But cultural differences did not stop them.
All 29 Navajo recruits graduated from boot camp and went on to the next stage - creating the codes - at Camp Elliott in Southern Cali.
Here, they were taught basic electronics, how to communicate effectively through radio broadcasts, and how to use, maintain, and repair the radios they would be using in the field. Only then they went on to create the codes.
The Navajo Code Talkers created a coding system by:
1. Assigning English words to represent each letter (e.g., A=apple, B=bear).
2. Translating these English words into Navajo (e.g., apple=be-la-sana, bear=shush).
3. Using the Navajo words to represent each letter (e.g., A=be-la-sana, B=shush).
4. Further complicating the code by using three Navajo words for each letter (e.g., A=apple, ant, ax).
For example, to transmit "navy," they would say the Navajo code words for each letter (nesh-chee, wol-la-chee, a-keh-di-glini, tsah-as-zih).
The Navajo men practiced again and again until they could send and translate three-line messages in 20 seconds without any mistakes.
With the first recruit doing so well, hundreds of Navajos were recruited further to head to war
Navajo code talkers were sent to war during the summer of 1942. Since the Japanese were skilled at locating radio signals, the Navajo Code Talkers had to quickly set up, send code and decode, and relocate their equipment.
They were often at the forefront of battles, carrying bulky radios, setting up equipment under enemy fire and translating messages for U.S. troops in major Pacific battles.
During the Feb–March 1945 battle at Iwo Jima, 6 Navajo Code Talkers worked day and night sending over 800 messages, flawlessly.
This was a significant contribution to the US’s victory. The Navajo men were “the simplest, fastest, and most reliable” way to send secret messages, wrote Marine Captain Ralph Sturkey in his Iwo Jima battle report.
The Japanese never broke the Navajo code and surrendered in August 1945.
The Navajo code talkers were not allowed to talk about their experience when they returned home. Their code was classified. These decorated war heroes quietly went back to their lives on the reservation.
24 years later, in 69’ the militatry officially released the code and the stories of the Navajo Code Talkers started spreading. Aug 14 was declared as the National Navajo Code Talker Day.
56 years later after the Iwo Jima victory, the 29 original code talkers were awarded with Congressional Gold Medals. Only five were still alive to accept the award.
https://m.primal.net/IgzY.jpg

2024-06-07 05:24:03

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i remember you were in the land of fire and ice around this time last year. Did you catch the midnight sun?

2024-06-06 17:39:24

You can never leave footprints that last if you are always walking on tiptoe. - Leymah Gbowee

2024-06-06 16:06:14

The woodworking community on Nostr is special, it’s a microcosm of Nostr that is organically forming and growing. @npub1sd3…vwne here has over 30 years of experience in carpentry, and while he makes it seem simple, many of his tips and tricks prevent me from making rookie mistakes. I picked up woodworking as a necessity and eventually a hobby. It’s a great stress-relieving avenue and a dopamine boost. If this is up your alley, give Jeremiah a follow and a zap, and feel free to ask him your design questions and demo suggestions!
#note1fqc…lxqy

2024-06-05 14:59:50

What goes into a builder’s mind :
(Builder : devs, innovators, entrepreneurs, creators, designer etc)
1. Having an idea is easy, but turning it into a sustainable product is crazy
2. I need to learn a lot just to build. A lot of time and resources are needed.
3. Who am I building this for?
4. Do they know it’s for them ? How do i tell them?
5. What’s their reaction to it ?
6. Am I focusing on a small group or something general ? What’s the pros and cons of niche vs wide market?
7. Can i build what I want and hope people will adopt ?
8. If I build 100 things, maybe one might suddenly go viral ?
9. I am not a sales person.
10. I’ll just keep building something awesome so that people will someday like something and keep wanting to use it
11. Do I really have to meet people and ask them what they want and if they liked my product ?
12. I spend hours, days, weeks, months, years building this and all I get are lousy reviews.
13. These feedback are challenging - are they attacking me as a person or my product ? Can I separate these attacks when I’m so emotionally invested in my product ?
14. Am I reaching the right target market or does my product need tweaks ? Am I wise and humble enough to know the difference ?
15. Do I have money to continue ?
16. If I have X amount of money, how can I spend it to take me from goal A to goal B?
17. Wtf is marketing ?
18. Why is everyone scaring the bejesus out of me with finance maths when engineering maths is the lunatic one ? Is it too complex learning finance ?
19. Building a product and getting it to market is 2 separate things - I have no clue abt the latter.
20. I am tired. I am burned out. I am stressed.
21. Will my crazy government come after me ?
22. I can't breathe. I need to breathe
23. I’m running out of money. How do I keep going ?
24. I can starve but I need money to feed my family
25. How can the financial ecosystem advance further to ease me into building and getting my product out there ?
26. Do I have to figure everything out ? Can I just focus on the build ? That alone is hard enough.
27. Why do other people have it easy ? Why can’t life be kind to me ?
28. If I have investors am I beholden to them ? What if I have psycho investors ?
29. Why do I have to convince people to fund me ? Don’t they know how important my work is ?
30. Why didn’t I just get a normal job and be like everyone else ? Why did I choose to make a difference in this world ? Why did I chose this path? It’s too difficult
31. I’m broke, I’m stressed, I’m exhausted, my users are upset, I’m losing users, losing credibility, the problems keep increasing, will this ever work ?
32. I don't know what I am doing anymore.
33. Ok, let me try solution 875 and see if this solves some of my problems. Maybe this time it might get better.
What goes into a user’s perspective :
1. Is this of value to me ?
2. Am I growing with it from a social, intelligence, awareness aspect ?
3. Am I connecting with people of shared values, sentiments, interest ?
4. Is this fun ?
5. Is this worth my time and money?
6. What do I get out of this ?
When the builders and user’s perspectives meet, we would have a higher chance of making things work.
But it’s not easy.

2024-06-05 01:47:04

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wow, interesting. what printer type and model are you using ?

2024-06-05 01:42:45

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what happened to Jack's thumb ?

2024-06-05 01:41:09

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awww this is so pretty

2024-06-05 01:30:46

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take your time! I think there are many great questions from others as well. I saw your recent video on a few questions on the joints, legs, brands and best ones to buy - incredibly valuable. These are not tips you normally get from one source but it is here and it's a testament of your knowledge and experience. I also really liked your barn door video, I like the combination of your process, images, demo and final product. That water based sandpaper is also interesting - normally its a thousand grit or more for wet sanding. It gives a smoother finish after a clear coat after stain or on plastic that's painted to remove grit marks. checking out your cheap tool video next - i noticed many experienced people go with dewalt. Will you be doing a demo product build soon ?

2024-06-05 01:15:44

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I've seen some videos on the smaller cordless circular saws. Its a definite maybe

2024-05-29 12:57:35

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Country leaders tend to get it right when they are not leading the country. They always say and do the right things as oppositions, and rarely make sense as gov'ts

2024-05-29 12:54:00

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Was reading abt Mossad recently - didn’t realise how powerful they are, and then I realised US has 18 intelligent agencies.
They can track you down by your phone, laptop, car or any wearable with wifi access, cloud access - and if they can’t reach you, they will track your relatives, friends and find any communications to you. They can hack into your house security cameras with warrant, remote access your laptop, any public security cameras at any point etc. and if your data is tied to companies, they can get court order and force the company to surrender it. Social media with photographs has been around for 20+ years - the amount of people profiling.
I sometimes wonder if military created internet to connect everyone for the purpose of tracking them.
Gov'ts will say they track you to prevent domestic and international threat. But terrorism didn’t get worse after 9/11. It only became more obvious to the public. And many formations of global fear is from the agencies based on who backs them.
Maybe we are reaching a point where public believe they can only be safe if they let the govt track them 24/7.
I would not be surprised if Satoshi, like you, was from an intelligence agency, a hacker, and genuinely wanted what’s best for the people.
I asked you once if we can ever escape this and you said no. I think abt that a lot.
If you know what you know now and how your life would turn out, would you have still exposed NSA’s dirty little secret ?

2024-05-29 12:34:46

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Thank you, appreciate the tips. Checking for types of wood and suitability for stain/paint is an important part of the process . Groove, dado or a rabbet would be challenging with a jig saw hence contemplating a good ol’ fashion direct drill and pocket holes, or maybe holes and dowels or a 3 in 1 housing bold and nut . Tho drawers are a pain! Jigs tend to make hinges error free, and maybe a couple of dowel to make the bottle holders for the doors. Thanks!

2024-05-22 11:45:36

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I'd love that. I think my Christmas wishlist is going to be a long list of tools after this video is out!

2024-05-22 11:39:09

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I am contemplating getting it replaced altogether, maybe keep the doors and turn it into a cabinet (someday). i spoke to another carpenter locally and he had your exact feedback. It might be cheaper to have them changed compared to the damage and repair post-damage of an amateur enthusiast =)

2024-05-20 19:57:48

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Gotta take it easy on the addiction cowboy but good to understand how it works.
Dopamaine hit is pretty powerful. The feeling of success makes a diff. Wordle is a simple game that got millions of people in - easy to solve, gives quick dopamine hit, keeps people coming back for more. In Walter Isaacson’s book, when Steve Jobs started the apps, gamers were the initial user magnet.
Seratonin is powerful too - that’s why people love giving, love learning. And why informative content creation is a hit. Pair this with zaps, wham. And just the right amount keeps away mania.
Oxytocin is wonderful, people who go to Nostr conferences have a different form of connection and gentleness with each other.
Using all this to create a satisfied user is wonderful. Using this to create monsters and zombies are not good.
People also would love platform they can advance themselves. Use cases enables this. 100 diff innovation has 100 diff niche users to start with.
For example, say an indie music platform developer creates his program on Nostr - he/she can’t just assume people will miraculously start using it. He/she needs to go out there and knock on doors and reach out to as many artist.
Am I fabricating this shit ? This actually happened during Punk / Hacker era in 70s and 80s post beatnik. That’s how mix tape started - and more and more independent musicians broke away from labels. Imagine if they had zaps.
But devs cannot keep building stuff and then stay on this platform and whine that no users show up lah. My eyes, ears can bleed from the whining. Obviously users are not gonna show up. Have to go hunt for them.
And no, you don't need some fancy marketing. Just figure out who your target market is and reach out them.
It’s the same for bitcoin as well. Bitcoin has all the potential to be global currency but can only be it, if users use it.
And the same for all innovation. All entrepreneurs have this problem. I do too. No users, no business
And out of everyone they hunt, 90% will fade away but the 10% early adopters will remain and are precious. Keep hunting, keep fine tuning target market, keep growing. Eventually Nostr will explode.
I didn’t stop coming frequently to Nostr because men attack women (women attack men and other women just as nasty here). But I stop coming here frequently because of how privileged and spoilt devs are here. Maybe someday when I’m at a better state myself and won’t feel so bad anymore, I’ll come back more frequently.
I know there are a lot of funds by @npub1sg6…f63m because he genuinely believes in this. Quite honestly having Jack as safety net only means devs, innovators and entrepreneurs can try like mad to make Nostr work. But surprising its quite the opposite here and I don't understand why. I hope Nostr doesn’t become a government agency-like establishment where everyone gets too comfortable and can get money until they retire.
Open source innovation is different. I think so far only Will has come close to understanding the ecosystem - and that’s because he has guts to put himself out there, try and fail and try again. But if devs don’t try to hunt for users, not wanting to learn beyond what they know, too damn egoistic, and think everyone should worship the ground they walk on, then no matter what drug you wanna infuse users into snorting, it just won’t work.

2024-05-18 03:16:59

What's on your reading list for this month ?
I've got the following :
1. Fat Leonard : How one man bribed, bilked and seduced the US Navy by Craig Whitlock
2. This country is no longer yours by Avin Jain Chatlani (on communism in Peru)
3. Gideon’s Spies : The secret history of the Mossad by Gordon Thomas
4. MeXicana Fashion : Politics, self adornment and identity construction by Aida Hurtado and Norma Cantu