pam

live simply, yet fully . love deeply . laugh often

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npub1pvgcusxk7006hvtlyx555erhq8c5pk9svw57snlxujpkgnkup89sekdx8c

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nprofile1qqsqkyvwgrt08hatk9ljr222v3msru2qmzcx820gflnwfqmyfmwqnjcpzemhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wd68ytnzv9hxgz62f7w

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relay.nostr.band

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npub1pvgcusxk7006hvtlyx555erhq8c5pk9svw57snlxujpkgnkup89sekdx8c

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Last Notes

2026-08-21 01:56:53 UTC

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That's super smart! How long does it take to rehydrate ?

2026-08-21 01:55:47 UTC

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Infrared. Ultrasonic has wider beam, temp sensitive and I am not sure how it reflects with all the bubblies. Also this sensor is wired underneath the lid so expect a lot of condensation with CO2 buildup. Other than the IR chip, everything else is coated with clear nail polish to prevent condensation damage. But for the long run need a proper clear cover for it

2026-08-21 01:52:27 UTC

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At the yeast phase, doubling consistently & hitting peak means ready for use. Triple is better. Often people use rubber bands to track. Great that the 24-hour cycle works, mine peaks and falls in just 8 hours without temp control! At the peak rise, wild yeast reaches max activity. When it falls, food is gone and lactic acid bacteria keep building up acidity. If starving for too long after falling, it can weaken the yeast. I try to feed at that transition when the drop happens and yeast is most active.
I started with 1:1:1 but now I use a 1:3:3 ratio for a more yeast-dominant starter, and later will split some off to make low-hydration stiff starters.

2026-08-20 14:07:40 UTC

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This sourdough monitoring device has been a fun hobby project. Hardware took 15 minutes and software took 5 . Right now it's in a mini DIY box with ice packs for temperature control, and it rises nicely.
I learnt that after every feed, the fermentation peaks like an asymmetrical bell curve. Once it drops, that's the best feeding time, so it sends me a notification on my phone. A mature starter doubles consistently and levain triples. Thank goodness fermentation is this mathematical because I would not have figured it out by just looking at the mason jar.
https://blossom.primal.net/d461a9818158c9feff86f81b17d31776af5821c42436d8bfd8c2b0c89de1e547.png
On the software side, I am using buzz.xyz for the first time. In about 5 minutes, Bumble built a dashboard, monitoring logic and structured files that would've taken me a day or two in Claude directly. And API cost a fraction of Fable.
Right now I've just been collecting and analysing data before the next code run. I might include prediction analysis which needs ML and maybe add CO2 and pH sensors for accuracy but I reckon in version 2 or 3.
I am so tempted to build a temp-controlled box which would only cost $15 but time is a factor right now
https://blossom.primal.net/17e7e41a65eb3c5814b3a7bacadda4e1ed34fb5fdb83049ecb9d2f3e224fb429.jpg
I shared this ugly DIY circuit on a breadboard in the cardboard inside this styrofoam container to a friend who started her sourdough business from home and just opened a cafe in Singapore. She is so excited and wants to connect me with pasta madre and panettone experts. It's always a nice feeling when people like what you build.
But now I gotta figure out how to make it more user friendly and less ugly looking =)
#nevent1q…756m

2026-08-19 05:20:55 UTC

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Thank you 🧡

2026-08-13 07:46:30 UTC

The Core vs. Knots dispute from OP_RETURN policy change (Core v30's - 2025) to BIP-110's failed consensus proposal days ago consumed an enormous amount of community attention and goodwill over what started as a relay policy disagreement and escalated into a fight over who sets those rules.
Both sides saw themselves as defending Bitcoin's infrastructure, one against data bloat and node costs, the other against censorship and precedent-setting restrictions. These are important concerns and the people who spent a year on them weren't being petty or frivolous.
For the people watching from outside, they witnessed the robustness of Bitcoin's consensus in real time. BIP-110 needed 55% miner support to lock in early, but it only got 2.5%.
Despite it all, I can't help but think that the energy spent on this governance fight with a two-block splinter chain and heated debates came at the cost of attention that would have otherwise gone into building the financial ecosystems Bitcoin was designed to enable.
I doubt we have even tapped into 1% of Taproot's potential for building financial infrastructure that can empower people, enable global trade, and benefit billions worldwide. It's easy to get caught up fighting but we should never lose sight of what matters.
Keep building. We have so much work ahead of us.

2026-08-06 16:11:59 UTC

After a failed sourdough starter attempt, building a kit to measure temperature + track its rise, with a bot to ping me when its time to feed (when it peaks). I’ve got ESP32 + ToF distance + temp/humidity + Telegram bot. Also testing buzz.xyz with goose harness + anthropic API to build the web dashboard. Buzz is fun. All in about $10 (hardware + api). My serendipitous kinda projects.
https://npub1pvgcusxk7006hvtlyx555erhq8c5pk9svw57snlxujpkgnkup89sekdx8c.blossom.band/b683e7a254274d3c7e15dcc69c29fb1eb36f028869bb27f98fea8733e1ed60d8.jpg
A starter is ready when it reliably doubles within a predictable window. But it goes through a phase. The first few days, bacteria rules and it stinks so bad. Then it has its moment of silence; you'll think it died. Finally the wild yeast wakes up and the smell shifts from sour to bready. Temperature, humidity, how much you feed all makes a diff.
Testing this, I was quite excited when it started pinging me but I was out all day and v1 fermented so hard it overflowed and coated the sensor. v2 sensor incoming with lessons learnt!

2026-08-01 07:34:40 UTC

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Congratulations Walker, big big hugs for Carla. This sweet little girl is gonna grow up knowing what a strong and loving momma she's got ♥️ what a journey!

2026-07-29 09:41:45 UTC

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It's beautiful. Happy anniversary, Derek ♥️ Big hugs for Katie. Here’s to a lifetime journey of love, joy, peace and adventures!

2026-07-28 09:21:52 UTC

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dang those dumbbells are big. how heavy are those? i like the outdoor punching bag against bamboo fence, banana and coconut trees and mountain view. very zen

2026-07-24 07:44:06 UTC

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Its absolutely beautiful

2026-07-24 07:18:01 UTC

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Love this ♥️

2026-07-24 07:15:57 UTC

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Agreed! And dang that's awesome! I Mine was Slash/Myles Kennedy. Told them I will take them to a GnR concert when they are older. They are learning November Rain now.

2026-07-24 07:09:20 UTC

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this is super cute, love it! I think the heavy woodwork projects I learnt the most was building kitchen cabinet doors and an island. biggest learning is to not cut corners! any mistake early on will come back esp when alignment is concerned. I still haven't gotten that wood cutter yet, i just get them pre-cut. How's your workshop coming along?

2026-07-24 07:03:45 UTC

This girl needed some strength training alongside pilates and upgraded from pink dumbbells to pink kettlebells and whoa the burn. So good.
https://blossom.primal.net/ca5a92a1bba24caf69ef6ba1a40618fbf6f26111344a0b72c4f1390d45706c34.jpg

2026-07-24 07:00:28 UTC

My young twin nephews are at an age where they enjoy chess (and winning) and jamming to Sweet Child of Mine and Come as You Are, Smells Like Teen Spirit. Both are also grade 8 pianists. Fortunately, me attending Slash's concert in the past has made me a cool aunt now (though they have updated my playlist =) ). Told them I'll take them for their first Rock concert when they're older. My sister has done a fantastic job with them. Not easy homeschooling, so many sacrifices involved, but they have a fairly balanced life and turning out to be incredible humans ♥️
https://blossom.primal.net/f4b6edb96a365847ecd41cea5eb37c3e002ccc5abb6dbf9652ec5e26a6e43e86.jpg
https://blossom.primal.net/a37df4ed14870720b58b9e3927f8fe6303480e2679d77a607230cfd284a7da98.jpg

2026-07-24 06:53:24 UTC

Troubled by the state of the world. By what is happening to Iran. The deepening military ties between US and Israel - does this mean US commits genocide in Palestine if the Senate passes it? By the many global, transparent and public corruptions. By the downward economic trend. By super El Niño (I added a huge water tank for my mom's place 2 weeks back, just in case).
But with all things bad, there will also be healing. That's just the way of the world. And I look forward to that day.

2026-07-24 06:52:01 UTC

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So Malaysia decided to kick Balaji out, but now the US congress (a few pro Israel senates) is after Malaysia. Malaysia has not recognised Israel since 1966 and big proponents of Palestine nationwide. And as much as this seems like an Israel-Palestine thing, the real issue is that Malaysia alongside Indonesia and Singapore are caretakers of the Straits of Malacca that sees 40% of global import export through. And despite playing the neutral card, it has always been an attraction to both giants US and China, more so now.

2026-07-20 04:07:41 UTC

I love the idea of the libertarian movement. But like all ideologies when taken to an extreme, it tends to destroy more than it liberates. Network School by Balaji is built on the network state idea. On the surface it looks like bringing smart people in through startup cities that benefit the host country. But underneath, the real goal is to gather a group of ideologically aligned people, buy up land, and eventually create their own sovereign country and government.
Where it gets dirty is they don't do this in their own countries. They go to other countries and attempt to, for lack of a better word, colonise.
Malaysia is one of the prominent real-world experiments in the network state movement, sold as a “startup city”. At the present moment, Balaji is arrogantly threatening to pull out his $20M investment if he doesn't get what he wants, not realising that Malaysia is fairly rich and an established country. The controversy has sparked significant public backlash and Malaysians are more than happy to see him go. Nobody wants foreigners colonising their land.
We see the same playbook in Greenland where the same investors backing network states push "freedom cities" only to pave the way for Trump to want to own it. Plenty of others in this category like Honduras and Praxis.
At the end of the day, any ideology taken to the extreme backfires. Same goes for democracy and communism. What bums me out is that because these new age colonisers tie themselves to the libertarian movement, Bitcoin's reputation takes a hit too.

2026-07-15 22:04:58 UTC

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a good find! Every girl needs her little red dress

2026-07-15 21:45:49 UTC

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love it! I'd totally wear that too, so cute!

2026-07-15 21:39:40 UTC

Looks like it's gonna be an Israel-Palestine matchup for the World Cup finals!

2026-07-13 02:43:16 UTC

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GPS is just a passive listener. But its BFFs, the cell tower, satellite uplinks (for dead zones), and your modem over LTE, Wi-Fi, or LoRa, are all absolute snitches.

2026-07-12 05:15:48 UTC

Bitcoin folks, what Bitcoin wallets do you use? Be it custodial, self-custodial, sw or hw. And why?

2026-07-12 05:08:00 UTC

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ahh the American in you. football, Kat. football

2026-06-24 09:36:04 UTC

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Nice app. I did one as workout timer but kept it as pwa. Glute bridge is great for core, and mix it up for that perky arse benefit. What do you do for strengthening core ? i added flutter kicks and dead bug to planks and the pilates hundred. Surprisingly dead bug was more effective than i anticipated

2026-06-16 15:47:55 UTC

I love that Nostr can be as simple as using 2-3 relays. It makes getting started easy, and honestly it has made my life easier. I have been a large relay girl from the get go.
But the more I think about building on Nostr, I also see the challenges of big relays. Without careful design, both users and conversations tend to centralize around the largest and most convenient relays. That feels like the opposite of what Nostr was meant to be. How much will client defaults and user inertia end up influencing the network?
The downside is what keeps me thinking. If I build on this, what are my users going to see? Porn? Political views they strongly disagree with? Is that the image I want associated with my brand? Do I then start censoring things? If I do, where do I draw the line? Am I suddenly deciding what people should and shouldn't see, and based on what, my own judgement? That doesn't feel right either.
I believe users should be able to choose for themselves. But right now the only real option is to mute or block after they've already seen it, not actually design their own ecosystem around their interests. Are users going to end up muting 500 content providers they don't like, or just leave Nostr altogether after the first 10? That pushes the onus back onto the client.
But without some form of filtering on the client side, do we end up back at an all-or-nothing centralized platform? I myself have been annoyed from time to time by the infighting and gender degradation. Do I want other people seeing that all the time?
And somehow I end up going around in circles on this.
But then there is also an incredibly attractive upside. Large relays make it viable to build serverless apps without needing to run your own infrastructure, which is a huge deal. These guys have been carrying a lot of the load for a long time now, for which I am grateful for. So there is a real trade off.
Then there is the UX hurdle. The cryptographic key based identity system is incredibly attractive (secp256k1 keys underneath, same curve as Bitcoin), but login is still a major barrier for non tech users. It is a problem we all know needs solving.
On the technical side, I am really excited about the possibilities of FROST for key security and projects like Pomegranate. It is great to see fiatjaf and other devs exploring tools in this space, even if they are still early. My only hope is that momentum holds and these early projects don’t lose steam before they mature.
Discovery is still a big open question, but that is also what makes this space exciting. The potential for building and solving these problems is what keeps a whole bunch of problem solvers coming back.
Honestly I was not thinking about building on Nostr until recently. But the more conversations I have been having with @nprofile…4tgc over the past few weeks, the more tempted I am to migrate what I have been building ("the other stuff" related). Some people see problems and complain. I have always believed that identifying problems is the first step toward finding solutions. To me, the bigger problem is not knowing what the problem is. And I may not know enough.
But the more I think about it, the more I see vast opportunities here.

2026-06-16 11:17:04 UTC

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that's awesome, congratulations to your wife! Back to my weekly swimming these days, there's is just something about the water that feels so good. Boracay has been on my mind, I'll keep you'll posted if it materializes

2026-06-16 10:55:32 UTC

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good reminder to take up that diving license, your undersea pics are great

2026-06-16 10:03:43 UTC

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do you not have your American citizenship anymore ?

2026-06-01 14:29:38 UTC

We are the outcome of the choices we make

2026-06-01 05:41:20 UTC

Testing a $4 ceramic patch antenna + receiver at 1.575GHz. In under 30 seconds it locked 8 satellites for a solid location fix. Makes you wonder how many thousands of satellites are out there. And if you have an antenna on you, how easily you could be tracked. This captures signals down to -160dBm
https://blossom.primal.net/8b4db4e0fd15f9467470c6f83bd7333ae27f44241eedcc8e6bda2639028c2aee.jpg

2026-06-01 05:30:25 UTC

Got a collection of Orwell to read. I've only read 1984 and Animal farm all these years. I learned that for Down and Out in Paris and London, he voluntarily lived as a tramp to fully experience poverty for the book. But what I find most ironic is that Orwell went to Eton. Who would have thought
https://blossom.primal.net/669d7a090899596eb40dd262e8f96164cb6c8f4ea8523ab1d1182b59a0dbfcfa.jpg

2026-05-26 02:18:13 UTC

In love we find out who we want to be
In war we find out who we are
- Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale

2026-04-08 10:54:56 UTC

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Big hugs to Carla and the little one. That must have been absolutely terrifying. I’m so relieved to hear they’re both safe. Sending you and your boy lots of strength. Hang in there ❤️

2026-04-07 00:43:14 UTC

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Well, ironically privacy is a protected right (PIPL - 2021) but historical heavy censorship is also a no brainer. And censorship will get worse, even globally. That’s not my point. The capability of bitchat as infrastructure covers a wider surface of use cases and innovation, including many encrypted tools that could be used within own products, internal groups that need privacy, etc or the products it exports. Right now it's seen as an activism tool that limits its tech growth opportunity. Also, understanding why Beijing is extremely sensitive towards how the world has treated it wouldn't hurt.

2026-04-06 04:48:28 UTC

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It might also help to differentiate between infra tools and foreign public opinion tools. Maybe if they viewed bitchat as a neutral infra like Linux or TCP/IP it might be fine. But they likely saw it as a US-aligned opinion tool.
A good 99% of replies from Nostr and twitter are quick to judge, vilify, and rarely question why or what led to it. Having a vantage point of seeing both east and west, terms like 'freedom of speech’, ‘liberation’, ‘democracy’ ,while incredibly necessary, have been heavily weaponized by orgs that act as extensions of Western intelligence - and it might explain the severe distrust.
I believe its important to actively differentiate between giving people agency vs. having ulterior motives, and being pro-people instead of pro-opposition.

2026-04-05 23:32:50 UTC

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this is where "national security" vs freedom of speech is at a constant battle. Not sure if timing is coincidence, but KMT and CCP are meeting this week for the first high-level talks in many years, where the stated policy goal of both sides (in principle) is a possible reunification. Its a big week for China, and heightened security is likely. That said, China and its developers are deeply involved in open source, so it would be interesting to see if a China fork of this project emerges.

2026-03-03 00:30:06 UTC

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Trying to blur political alliances with bitcoin is an even worse angle than human rights. It's pretty much saying “We'll give you agency - but only if you agree with our politics first”
Mocking me or a position I didn't even claim is a straw man. It should be normal for a human rights org to be transparent.
You have every right to do what you want to do. I hope whoever is funding is fully aware of this political alliance's first policy, or maybe that's why they are funding you, I don't know. Good luck

2026-03-01 03:21:40 UTC

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Man, it's sickening. None of them - EU leaders, Canada (for all that bullshit of being remorseful just a month ago), Australia, have the basic dignity to be honest about who started this war. They make it seem Iran has gone rogue. Worse, Iran actually conceded to all the agreements, but US bombed anyway.
Same rhetoric as the first Gulf War. US asked Shias and Kurds to rise up against Saddam. And when they did, US quickly left the scene. But not before giving Saddam some choppers that would help him massacre the Kurds. And after that, US came riding in like a hero to save the day in those " Islamic terrorist" countries.
Same playbook in Libya. Afghanistan. Pakistan. Syria. Lebanon. Oh man, such heartbreak.
The entire Hague, where the International Criminal Court sits, was built from looting out of Indonesia. None of this is ok.

2026-03-01 02:41:30 UTC

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Maybe ask why the countries with the most resources - oil, gas, minerals, keep getting bombed, invaded, and sanctioned by western powers. Most of those "backwards" countries were stable until western powers carved them up, installed dictators, took their resources, and left. Hard to build infrastructures when they keep getting blown up by US and Europe.

2026-02-28 22:12:33 UTC

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Trying to sideline Russia, China and Iran and positioning them in the bucket of evil without talking about US and Europe government surveillance tactics makes me think HRF is one sided. Not openly talking about how the flaws of western democracy as it colonises and keeps the global south poor makes me wonder if this is a human rights organisation or a narrative arm for the American and Western world.
It also makes me wonder who's funding HRF. And whether it has ever penetrated countries and flipped governing bodies in ways that benefited America, all in the name of "human rights."
Big fan of your Bitcoin essays, Alex @nprofile…xncl but something doesn't feel right here.

2026-02-28 21:31:41 UTC

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take a walk outside your house, turn on your GPS, look up the sky and wave at its owners. Have a nice day

2026-02-28 15:12:04 UTC

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Its would have yielded the same outcome. You may not understand enough to get that.

2026-02-28 08:05:38 UTC

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The son of the guy US installed to ensure it had full supply of oil, after the CIA and MI6 took down a democratically elected leader Mossadegh, because he nationalised Iran's oil instead of letting BP control it. And who is actively pursuing US military intervention, one that can kill millions of innocent Iranian lives

2026-02-28 07:27:36 UTC

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heart breaking to see the war has begun. Iran did not have a chance. Innocent people will be killed so that US can loot, Israel can pursue it's "Greater Israel" plan, and Trump and Netanhanyu will continue their terms under "extraordinary" circumstances.
https://blossom.primal.net/f60dc77e2e9432048962deb079f144312d3d7031e15097122db5b0c8730b771a.png
#nevent1q…s8ru

2026-02-28 07:18:32 UTC

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What's really bizarre is that a multi-trillion dollar military industrial complex, from the greatest country in the world, is desperately and publicly strong-arming a startup. And so late in the game. Why did development fall behind? What were they doing ? Where did all the money go ? Or rather who has been pocketing it ? Even the tariff deals between countries were a ploy to force countries to buy more US military stuff, multi-billion dollar deals per country. Something doesn’t add up here. Gotta follow the money.

2026-02-28 02:29:23 UTC

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well, you are a classic example of someone trapped in an "us vs them" jar. The fact that you're obsessed with keywords and deeply believe that your government will protect your "path" by surveilling the shit out of you, proves my point.

2026-02-28 02:15:53 UTC

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at present Nostr socials feels too centralised, and far from the objectives of relays you started out with. But others like MDK + Marmot like white Noise and Bitchat make great application usages.

2026-02-28 02:07:14 UTC

Forcing companies to run surveillance on the American people (and the world) is not a left vs. right problem. It is an American problem.
This is how they try to divide you, distract you and take away your freedom - by putting you in "us vs them" jars. Don't fall for this. Forget labels, look into the policies and question it.
Americans left and right have to come together to build America again. America belongs to the American people - not the government, not the military, and definitely not the oligarchs.
https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2027497719678255148

2026-02-27 16:40:13 UTC

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There are no options. Only theatrics. The only solution being offered is for Iran to give up whatever is left of its sovereignty and willingly let robbery take place.

2026-02-27 16:25:02 UTC

It's incredibly important that the US does not attack Iran. It would cause a mass exodus of innocent people and repeat a tragic history.
The US has toppled a democratically elected leader in Iran (1953) to control its oil. It choked the country with sanctions for 40 years, and sanctions always hurts the poorest the most. Now Rubio want to seize their uranium, and we see the same playbook as "Kushner's Tehran 2030" that we're seeing in Gaza. If anyone thinks the US bombing Iran now would be for "humanitarian" purposes, they have lost the plot.
It's the same story again and again - Burkina Faso, Niger, Iraq, Libya, the list goes on. Label a country with an "evil government," bomb the crap out of them, then steal from them. This has been the modern colonization playbook post-WW2.
And worst of all, there is major damage to the world from decades of US carpet bombing. In Laos, 80 million unexploded bombs have left 40% of its land remaining unusable till today. How is this ok? Princess D campaigned against landmines in countries where bombs still hurt people decades later.
And let's talk about the political benefits, because war isn't just about resources. For Netanyahu and Trump, a massive conflict serves two purposes: it advances the "Greater Israel" narrative and allows both leaders to extend their presidential power during a time of uncertainty.
The Iranian people don't need "saving." Iran has more women in STEM than the US, more theoretical physicists than Caltech produces, and is a top developer of drone technology. Iranians are brilliant, capable people. They don't want a regime nor do they want foreign interference. They can figure out their own government if given the agency to do so.
Stop the sanction. Build tools to give them agency. But please, don't bomb the crap out of innocent people.
I am deeply disturbed by how brazenly rogue the US government has become.

2026-02-18 15:32:36 UTC

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awww, you two are the sweetest thing. Hope the southeast asian hospitality is warming your hearts 🩷

2026-01-24 06:25:21 UTC

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interesting, what have you implemented from the book to your daily practice? i generally prefer local source, homecooked and i am trying to expand my vegetable patch with whatever space i have, use diy pesticides, compost etc. A book that might correlate with yours, i’ve got fiber-fueled by Will Bulsiewicz on the list to read as i want to understand gut health better. it affects everything, your mood, immunity, energy, hormones, skin, brain, heart. i’m also curious about other diets, like how carnivore helps some with sibo and how keto reversed my mom’s diabetes.

2026-01-24 06:20:43 UTC

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congratulations on your book! I heard Jordon Peterson is very sick and i hope he is better. i like some of his work, disagree with some.
interesting bit on the bible by jack blanco. What are your thoughts on it? I've read the king james version, NKJV, NIV, and the extra chapters in the catholic bible. I see the writer is a seventh-day adventist, are you practicing? I saw a longevity documentary recently on Blue Zones, on how adventists in Loma Linda, California live so long through diet, community, and purpose. Is that part of your practice?
Btw, I saw your sourdough bread. I just started my own starter, any tips?

2026-01-23 06:33:11 UTC

What are you reading lately? Any must-reads to recommend?
https://blossom.primal.net/e5cdd84086c483652addcd131514ce58ebcf1075e26e5293efdcdc5ed0249e77.jpg

2026-01-16 09:38:59 UTC

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I like your political philosophy journey. Many are talking about the interregnum. Are we in this “era of monsters”? We are witnessing the new world forming in real time.
Global leaders have talked about world moving from unipolar to multipolar for a while now. America is increasingly adopting isolationist policies, reminiscent of its post WW1 stance.
More and more European leaders are opening doors back to Russia, which is the right move. And countries like Canada are openly working with China now. The world needs to find ways to work together, not fight with each other.
Next week is Davos, we’ll see the elites who influences governments. Greenland grab makes you wonder when “free market” started to look like modern-day colonialism
Perhaps the biggest lesson in all of this is just to keep building, especially when things feel unstable. So much energy goes into fighting, but the ones who end up standing out are usually those who were quietly building all along.
Looking forward to reading more. That precision touch is so German =)

2026-01-05 14:37:22 UTC

Random observations on countries around the world from stuff I read and conversations I had.
On Japan :
Ethnicity and culture can be worlds apart. In the 80s, to encourage the ethnic population, the Japanese government invited ethnic Japanese (nikkeijin) from Latin America, mostly Brazil. However, they were culturally so different that they could not assimilate. By 2009, the gov’t offered them a one-way ticket to return. Same color or heritage doesn’t mean the same world.
For historical context, in the 1920s thousands of Japanese left for Latin America in search of plantation work and a better life. Generations later, they might still be Japanese on paper, but only on paper. Brazil is now home to the largest Japanese diaspora outside Japan.
On Palestine :
What’s often forgotten is that Palestine is multi-faith, home to Sunni Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Iran has the largest Jewish population in the Middle East outside of Israel and Russia has one of the largest Jewish diasporas in the world.
The world is not binary, yet politicians often make it seem that way. Oppressing Palestinians or anyone is never acceptable.
On Indonesia :
Indonesia’s biggest turnaround of the century is the decentralization of its government. With 17,500 islands and over 200+ ethnic groups, Jakarta distributed power to 300 districts, and sectors like healthcare, education, and investment improved significantly. There is power in trusting the people.
Sukarno standardized the language (Malay - Bahasa Indonesia), Suharto brought unity and capitalism, but it was Habibie who introduced decentralisation and autonomy to the people.
When Suharto came to power, Indonesia and Myanmar were of similar economic capacity. Similarly when Lee Kuan Yew came to power, Singapore and Jamaica had similar economic and population capacity.
It’s interesting to see how political leaderships can impact a country drastically
On Malaysia :
A country to visit, food to indulge in, people to meet, and nature to love. On the Malaysia–Singapore debate, everything in Malaysia is better than Singapore.
On Thailand :
When Thaksin came to power, he was already a billionaire, yet instead of siding with elites, he ensured that the rural poor benefited from extended loans to farmers, overseas scholarships, government-subsidized housing, and healthcare insurance for just $1 per visit. The elites were so angry that they overthrew him in a military coup.
He certainly had flaws, and there were some recent hints of corruption, but once you empower the poor, the country can take off. I wouldn’t be surprised if Thailand becomes the first modern country in the region to let go of the royals.
On Vietnam and communism market :
Vietnam began introducing free-market reforms in the 1980s. It’s interesting that a communist country has become one of the US’s largest trading partners. When you travel to China, you’ll find plenty of American capitalists doing business there. Outside the US, it seems that whether a country calls itself capitalist or socialist doesn’t really affect how business is done.
On Lee Kuan Yew (Singapore) :
His book One Man’s View of the World is well worth reading. I may not agree with LKY on every point, but he was a wise man nonetheless. The book was published 12 years ago, yet it clearly shows how deeply he thought through the subjects. His clarity and originality are rare these days.
On Pavaroti and Deng Xiao Ping :
Listening to the beautiful o sole mio by Pavarotti. Lee Kuan Yew wrote saying it was Deng Xiao Ping, one of China’s greatest transformational leader’s fav song. When we look past politics, it’s beautiful how the world appreciates each other’s culture.
Also, if you want to understand capitalism in China, start with Deng.
On Xi (as written by Lee Kuan Yew) :
"He struck me as a man of great breadth, what the Chinese call da qi, as opposed to xiao qi. He is not narrow-minded. He thinks through problems deeply and does not feel the need to display his knowledge. He lacks the bonhomie of Jiang Zemin and is not as formalistic as Hu Jintao, but he has gravitas. That was my first impression.
Consider further the trials and tribulations he has endured. As a young man, he was rusticated and sent to Sha’anxi province in 1969. From there, he worked his way back up slowly, never complaining, never grumbling. I would place him in the Nelson Mandela class of individuals."
China vs Taiwan :
In the 1930s, the CCP and KMT rose to fight foreign invaders (Japan, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, the US, and Italy), local warlords and eventually each other. When the CCP won, the KMT moved to govern Taiwan. The CCP remained socialist but began embracing market reforms in the 1970s. The KMT established a democratic system and a long-standing defense alliance with the US. Today, this geopolitical rivalry is becoming increasingly intense.
On North Korea :
A large portion of North Koreans genuinely believe they are the greatest nation in the world, thanks to the Kim dynasty. If you cut off or tightly control external communications and block market reforms, a country can remain trapped under oppressive leadership for generations.
Then again, the capture of Venezuela’s president shows that maybe only North Korea understood the assignment when it comes to nuclear missiles.
I have a long book review somewhere here on North Korea especially during the famine era, and my favourite Korean series (the only one I’ve seen) is Crash Landing on You.
US economy :
America began by adopting European engineering, then went on to build its own manufacturing base, and eventually became an innovation leader. At its peak, it shifted toward globalization and financialization, a move that disproportionately benefited a narrow set of shareholders rather than broad-based productive capacity.
Neoliberalism is often treated as a fixed ideology but in practice shifts depending on who defines it. What has remained constant is the cumulative concentration of output and power over the past fifty years.
Despite current rhetoric, meaningful decentralization of the US economy is not yet visible in policy. In this context, renewed calls for open-source systems are necessary to liberate innovation from entrenched bottlenecks.
The US maintains a trade-to-GDP ratio of roughly 25% on a $28 trillion economy. With services accounting for nearly 80% of output and supported by strong domestic markets, the country struggles to broaden its export base. Bilateral trade concessions tend to funnel gains toward selective industries. A strong dollar reinforces this imbalance by attracting imports while making exports less competitive.
Europe :
The euro is opposite: one monetary policy, one too many fiscal policies. Since the euro era, much policy energy has gone into preservation. Economically, Europe has transitioned from innovation-led growth to manufacturing and globalization, and now prioritizes survival over dynamism.
On France :
France is rather international. French fries is from Belgium, French press is from Italy, French manicure from America
On a nation’s strength :
A nation’s industrial capacity determines its national strength, not just how advanced its military weapons are. Sustenance comes through its economic capacity.
On Racial purity :
There is no such thing as racial purity. Modern humans (Homo sapiens) evolved in Africa. When some groups migrated out of Africa around 60,000 to 70,000 years ago, they interbred with other human species already living beyond the continent, most notably Neanderthals and Denisovans.
On Migration :
Humans have, from the test of time, migrated from one location to another to find a place to call home. When you zoom out, everyone is an immigrant. What makes a diff is a time stamp and the (in)ability to assimilate

2026-01-04 16:06:34 UTC

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Thank you! Wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year too! Were the Dobermans ok with the fireworks ? Boracay must have been packed over the year end. My mom is heading over next month but likely Malachi and another place. I was looking as some holiday pictures from Taal from a few years ago, such a beautiful place, def one to visit again.

2026-01-04 16:02:35 UTC

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What comes next is that a few Exxon executives will go back to being obscenely rich, while Venezuelans remain poor after losing control over 80% of their oil reserves.
There is no country from which the US forcefully seized or restructured control over oil that ended up better off in the long run.
Gaddafi nationalized oil and ensured Libyans had free healthcare, free education, and one of the highest standards of living in Africa. Heck, he bridged left and right, something US has not been able to do. But instead the US army sodomized him to death in the name of “liberation from the dictator”, seized the oil and made Libya the poorest in the region.
Ironically, this Venezuela incident would have been a good moment for bitcoin influencers to say “bitcoin fixes this,” because the root of the issue drills down to currency war. Not justifying theft

2026-01-04 07:12:42 UTC

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Oh Odell.
The American gov't has been killing innocent Venezuelan fishermen for months, leading to this.
Julian Assange filed a criminal complaint over the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, poised to take over the new gov't. She has actively and publicly supported Trump’s attacks to remove Maduro and assume power. She has also backed attacks on Palestinians.
It’s been going on for a while.
US has a long history of intervention through opposition leaders, military force, coups, covert CIA operations, economic pressure, and diplomatic coercion across the Global South, all to protect its economic interests.
This was a template move.
There are many narratives depending on which convinces you to justify this act, just pick one. Drugs. Peace. Liberation. Socialism. China etc etc. It worked during the Cold War. In today’s information era, the world sees right through it and people are pissed.
If the American gov’t put the same effort into developing real competence at home, things would look very different. You don’t need to steal another country's oil and minerals.
I’m afraid America still doesn’t get how strong the world is without it. European gov’t are just as weak, that’s what happens when you take away their financial sovereignty. Today, if the Eastern world or the Global South strikes back, leadership could flip but they are choosing peace, calm, and respect for international law.
What troubles me is the disconnect between advocating for Bitcoin and individual sovereignty while ignoring how state power systematically undermines the sovereignty of other nations.
Wanna liberate people? Empower them to build and defend their own systems, not coerce them from the outside.

2026-01-02 09:15:20 UTC

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Thank you, Jonathan, happy new year to you too! I think when you’re passionate about life, quiet consistency comes naturally =) Last year brought a lot of growth and peace, it wasn’t easy but it was worth every bit. I’m looking forward to this year and to more adventures. PS loving the guitar. Any expert tips?

2026-01-01 09:11:17 UTC

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year @nprofile…9qsr ! Wishing you and your family lots of love and a wonderful year ahead

2026-01-01 08:58:08 UTC

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I try to pop in now and then, but wow, you’ve had a complete makeover! =) Have a great one Kat, with lots of good food and nature!

2026-01-01 08:30:35 UTC

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Happy New Year Kat!

2026-01-01 08:24:12 UTC

Happy New Year everybody ❤️
Looking back, 2025 was a year of laying the groundwork for me. It was so far from any breakthrough, let alone glamorous, and so far from any outcomes. But it was a necessary one. Over the years, I’ve learnt that hustle works best with alignment, and simplicity ties it all together.
In recent times I’ve come to understand courage more deeply.
For me, inward courage has looked like staying present with the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s been a form of emotional self-leadership.
Outward courage hasn’t meant confrontation. More often, it’s been alignment between what I value and how I act, sometimes through non-participation.
Cognitive courage has been letting uncertainty sit without rushing to resolve it.
In work and building, courage has shown up as consistency rather than intensity.
And in love and relationships, courage has meant staying open without self-abandonment, choosing honesty over reassurance, protecting your peace, and trusting others to walk their own path. It’s about creating a shared space for growth and calm, rather than feeding negativity or drama.
I’m looking forward to 2026 as a year of building and growth.
I wish everyone a beautiful year filled with peace, growth, new adventures, and good memories.

2025-12-01 00:14:00 UTC

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One year 🤍
#nevent1q…swa2

2025-11-16 10:11:59 UTC

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That’s fascinating. I wish Malaysia recognized the Bajau, who have traditionally lived at sea and did not adopt any religions. Borneo is home to over 200 indigenous groups and they form a majority in Malaysian Borneo. Many Kadazan and Dusun people I know are Roman Catholic.
Sabah is a wonderful place, with lovely people, beautiful beaches, amazing seafood, and of course Mt Kinabalu. It has faced challenges because much of its oil revenue was taken by the federal gov't, but things are changing. Sarawak has also grown a lot in recent years. I once went to a rainforest festival at the foot of Mount Santubung, sipping rice wine and listening to jazz and country bands from around the world. It was a cultural experience like no other.
Thanks for sharing about Malaysian Borneo, I love it.

2025-10-25 16:07:24 UTC

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love this

2025-09-29 09:33:15 UTC

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based in KL?

2025-08-28 00:56:08 UTC

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Congratulations and big hugs to Laura. Welcome little Maya ❤️

2025-01-21 01:58:58 UTC

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I’m glad you liked the piece. I agree with ch 11 on specifics like carnal desires as something natural and sexual fulfillment as a therapeutic agency. Intimacy can be powerful when fulfilled both sexually and emotionally.
But the challenge I have with his book (as well as absolute meditation without reality check) is blurring the lines between confidence vs ego, manipulation, obsession etc - which can position one as “I know more”, “I am right”, “I’m telling you what you need (not what I need)” - and all these can make a person overly dominating and encroach on someone else’s space and peace of mind, that hinders their growth. I find the book to be heavy on the “I” instead of “We”
When it comes to strengthening emotional anchoring, I find emotional detachment incredibly powerful especially concepts from stoicism and general attachment theories. If you like to explore this further, there’s a really powerful book by Dr Amir Levine called “Attached” identifying if you an anxious, avoidant or secure partner and how to move towards a secured space emotionally. And if you pair that with metta loving kindness, I think it’s a powerful emotional anchoring trait without the ego.
It’s the ability to love and respect someone else and being love and respected back to the fullest, by first loving and respecting yourself. I think once the base is solid, pair that with an intelligent, independent, resilient trait and it makes a woman, a force to be reckon with ❤️

2025-01-19 08:51:05 UTC

The roles that women have played throughout history is truly incredible.
The first shift in feminist movement probably happened during Jesus of Nazareth period as he gave as equal power to become his followers. The second trigger might be during the industrial wave 19th century when women started working in factories and contributed to contribute to household finances. The third shift which is a huge contributor to the modern feminist movement would be the knowledge-based movement in the 20th century when power and wealth shifted from muscular-needs to knowledge-based.
Taking a closer look into history...
When we look back way before the old testament circa 3000 BC, physical strength was needed for survival, so men naturally took up the role of lead and provision while women were confined to domestic roles in a patriarchal structure. Evolution has a lot of contribution on the women-men dynamics and it should not be discarded.
As time went on, during Old testament period 400 BC, there were the rise of women like Miriam (Moses’s sister), Ruth (one of my fav chapters - on love, loyalty and redemption), Queen Esther and Deborah, a judge and prophetess who brought peace to Israel through Barak. But there remain social constraints like Hagar who was given to Abraham by Sarah and birth Ismael which led to religious tensions till today and Tamar who was passed on from one son to another until she decided to get knocked up through the father instead.
Between the old and new Testament, the Catholic Bible covers this period well - this is called the second temple era. This is the whole Athenian Greek culture under Alexander the Great and later by the Romans, the Peloponnesian war which marked the starting point of democracy. Spartan women had more freedom culturally compared to Greek women. Judith, from the Catholic bible (book of Judith), fought to protect her people.
The New Testament (1st century AD) perhaps triggered the first revolutionary rise of women’s recognition as equals based on how Jesus would engage with them (Samaritan woman, Mary Magdalene, his mother). Women and men don’t speak to each other in public, let alone treat strangers or diff social status with respect and kindness. For Jesus, all were welcome to be his followers. I think Phoebe was identified as the first nurse and deacon in the bible.
The early christian era (1st - 4th century) saw a rise of faith-based women leadership, there were women martyrs and saints but churches remain a patriarchal structure.
During the medieval period (5th - 15th century) the elites played a crucial role in bringing some form of education to their children and although women were educated at home, there were more opportunities for women to expand their roles as theologians, scientists, and artists. But they remain largely restricted to marriage and motherhood outside religious institutions.
The 15th century to the 18th century was the renaissance and enlightenment era. Thinkers like Mary Wollstonecraft (A Vindication of the Rights of Woman), Christine de Pizan (a medieval court writer) or Artemisia Gentileschi (a Renaissance artist) began advocating for women’s rights.
(I am in my Jane Austen era at this moment - his pride and her prejudice - dang this movie never gets old).
The industrial revolution perhaps triggered the second revolutionary rise of women’s recognition and importance. There were more women who started working in factories despite low wages and poor working conditions, and brought money home - which changed the dynamics of a home welfare that was once absolutely dependent on men (and taxation of course).
The 20th and 21st century transformed the women's roles drastically mainly due to survival during wars and the rise of knowledge based industries. Knowledge does not require physical strength but it can pay the bills. The shift of dynamics in the importance of women’s role vs the patriarchal stubborn need to not be equals has seen the rise of various feminist waves from flapper moment to workplace equality to harassment etc in the last century.
I love how in today’s world, women are empowered to make conscious choices. Modern feminism has made significant stride in offering women more options and challenging outdated societal norms.
But what I find to be damaging is how modern feminism is sometimes boxed in by political moments - and it become too focused on specific political stances or identity categories which sidelines the broader, more inclusive aspects of feminist thought.
To me a highly valued woman is not what the ‘left’ or ‘right’ expects her to be. She is not defined based on what society defines her but the respect she gives herself and the dignity she carries. Her values are intrinsic and not based on anyone’s validation. A highly valued woman does not contribute to dynamics that feel performative, manipulative, attention-seeking or lack genuine connection. She seeks relationships rooted in honesty and growth.
I also deeply believe that the support structure of men is fundamentally important in how women rise and grow. And it works both ways. This could be seen from the times of Marie and Pierre Curie and their shared love for science and reading, to examples set by even our own parents on mutual support. A highly valued woman can be the emotional anchor a man needs to continually grow and pursue his dreams, and vice versa.
As we look back throughout history, the dynamics between men and women have definitely changed but what's beautiful in today’s world is that respect comes from within because you want to, not because you have to.

2024-12-01 17:21:39 UTC

I lost my good boy today. My heart is beyond broken. His spirit was strong and he tried so hard to stay on, but his organs started failing him.
Up until yesterday I refused to let emotions get the better of me and was trying so many different things to bring his toxic level down. But last night as I was taking a shower, Fido had a surge of anxiety and tried to go up the stairs to look for me. He has been so weak that I have been camping in the hall with him and we have not gone up to the room this week. That’s when I knew. They said when it's time, they will look for their person - and he came looking for me. After that he went on rapid decline.
We had his home administration of sub cut infusion, his gastric concoction, various liquid food, even vanilla ice cream to soothe his throat, his vet has been on back to back house calls - but he was no longer responding.
All I could do was to give him his belly rubs and gentle massages but emotions came rolling in. I told him to take his time and I think he didn't want to let me go just as much as I wanted him to stay. Even until his last breath he wanted me to pet him.
He has been my happy moments even when times were hard, and a constant joy. He is my shadow and side kick in everything I do and I cannot imagine a day without him in it.
Last lesson from Fido - when you love, just love.

2024-10-31 06:31:57 UTC

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More thoughts - if you are a pawn ♟️, don’t stand behind someone - you get nowhere. Don’t stand in isolation, you are not as effective. Stand next to each other on an adjacent file, you help each other move forward
If you’ve played both sides, you’ll realise that your perspective of opponents from where you are and from the other end is very diff. If you have competitors, might help to put yourself in their shoes and understand their game plan before taking them out
#note1nga…fr0w

2024-10-22 00:14:27 UTC

Chess is a game that needs you to think with both structure and creativity. Leveraging long-term strategy and short-term tactics. And relentlessly guarding what’s most vulnerable and precious to you, while attacking just as hard.
To win you have to work as a team. Each strength is understood and maximised in ways that benefits the overall team - sometimes some shine more while others are baits or distractions. Some are shield, and others go for the kill - but all play a role for the end game.
Positioning matters - some bring out their best when they have more freedom of movement and options, while others do poorly if limited. If you want to gain influence, you need to put yourself in a place of opportunity.
You must be adaptable and flexible - think long-term while making short-term moves - zooming out to see the big picture and zooming in to constantly survive.
If you are smart and smooth, you will not show how you are coming for them . Sometimes subtlety and unpredictability keeps them guessing, making it harder to anticipate your strategy.
Also the Queen is one powerful warrior who it out there protecting the King - just saying.

2023-11-02 06:47:21 UTC

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Thank you for the sacrifice, @npub1sn0…jdv9. I remember being on Penang Island in South East Asia when the story about you exposing America spying on the world came out. Everyone was talking about it. In recent years I understood abusive gov’t better and grew to truly appreciate the sacrifice you made.
But people are openly tracked now – online, live cameras on the roads, CBDC kicking in - and marketing gimmicks masking its influence on their lives.
What are your thoughts on how this will play out in the next 5-10 years?