TheScientist
The Scientist

Public Key

npub1yqyj6wm2s356xf2c3lv6we3508hczp4sza7wegeraru8lhl7mx7qrhxw0c

Profile Code

nprofile1qqszqzfd8d4gg6dry4vglkd8vc68nmupq6cpwl8v5v3737rlmlldn0qpzpmhxue69uhkummnw3ezuamfdejszrthwden5te0dehhxtnvdakqpn5s4f

Publishing to

nostr.wine

nos.lol

relay.damus.io

Author Public Key

npub1yqyj6wm2s356xf2c3lv6we3508hczp4sza7wegeraru8lhl7mx7qrhxw0c

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Last Notes

2025-11-28 19:41:31 UTC

For those who missed the Bitcoin 35 percent off sale, we have extended the sale at 25 percent off through Black Friday. Don’t miss this once in a generation sale under 100,000 fiat cuck bucks. *While supplies last. Hold your own keys at your own risk, but not holding them is riskier. We do not guarantee validity of paper Bitcoin. Don’t trust, verify.

2025-11-21 16:06:59 UTC

Lots of discussion last night about Bitcoin price being down in fiat terms. One thing I think about during these downturns is the fundamental truth about Bitcoin. There are only 21 million (less with lost coins) but there is an infinite amount of money at the federal reserve. Worried about price? Did your government grow a conscience? Did they start getting out debt? Stop spending? No? Then what are you really worried about? Looking foolish to family at Thanksgiving? Don’t be afraid to teach your family the truth. The government cannot print more, they cannot take it by force, they can only try to scare you to willingly give it up. Do you understand now? They are scared so they are trying to scare you with fiat prices. But frame it up another way. When that gadget you’ve been eyeing goes on a 30 or 50% sale on Black Friday, are you worried or sad? No, you buy because you know you are getting a deal. Bitcoin is the deal. And I’m buying more. Let’s go lower. More. Coinbase has a run on the bank, Binance blew up. More. The stock market is imploding, the bonds go no bid. More. People are screaming I’m a crazy person to own Bitcoin and a monster to buy it. Yes. Now you get it. I’m going to setup my family for generations. I know what I own. I’m not selling, in fact I’ve got a smile on my face as I walk out the door of my fiat job on my final day (yes today). And I’ll be buying more. Do you know what you own?

2025-09-16 01:28:45 UTC

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Not young, but here for the dad jokes.

2025-09-10 21:53:01 UTC

Many years ago Mr. Money Mustache got me on the road to savings, with his simple formula for early retirement (search for "The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement". This was all on a fiat standard. However, if you put this on a Bitcoin standard, a moderate amount of savings will shock you. It starts out feeling like nothing, a few sats, then maybe a milestone like 1m sats, then 10m, and then onward. This isn't about retiring to the coach or the golf course, it's about freedom to plot your own destiny as you were meant to do.
https://blossom.primal.net/1caef8c8fb24a1c3a76c2029b7502038fe90b60b5cf52fc570851e84d7745441.jpg

2025-08-28 13:59:40 UTC

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You would think everyone would be aware of this ass reaming, but a shocking amount of folks still think the government will look out for them.

2024-12-26 16:28:35 UTC

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Have fun staying poor? Here is the same math for this normie if he just stacks what he can ($45 weekly is the same 4 percent of an average salary). Doesn’t seem too bad.
https://m.primal.net/NHRV.jpg

2024-10-24 15:05:28 UTC

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I do think where the money is coming from to support vulnerable populations and how we define them is actually the key question for progressive policy. Right now we have mostly centralized authorities determining who is vulnerable (which is often arbitrary to some degree) and because there is no transparency in how people's taxes (let alone how their inflation) is spent, people are naturally suspicious of what is going on. To give a concrete example, as someone who has worked in the environmental regulatory space for over 20 years, I have seen this play out in my work. Environmental resources that should be protected often are not, typically because someone with a lot of money bulldozes their way through the regulations. On the other hand, perfectly reasonable and low impact projects are delayed and small developers stonewalled by endless red tape. I've also seen the environmental space be co-opted by certain favored actors to focus on funneling money to those causes, sometimes at the detriment of other environmental resources that are equally or even more deserving (in my opinion). The problem in short is that some person or entity is deciding how the money is redistributed and there is a lack of transparency as well as a lack of say from the people who provide that money. Hence, many people (not just libertarians) see this as unfair in some way and rightly so. In the olden days you had local communities that collected the funds and distributed them to the people to help the young, the old, and the disabled. There was still nepotism but the communities had much more input and your social standing mattered. Today the redistribution is at a national and even global level and the people's will is not observed. Therefore, I think it is of the utmost importance that any progressive policies address this key issue and I think that while Bitcoin addresses the Cantillon effect to some degree, we need to seek better cypherpunk ways of allowing the People to decide who and what causes they wish to help .

2024-09-11 02:20:00 UTC

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Cleared out the garage - giving my beer equipment to two active home brewers so it gets used again. Trying to reduce or eliminate my alcohol intake and find new hobbies.

2024-09-07 15:01:07 UTC

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We’ve been gaslit so hard as a society we think even legitimate things are a scam.

2024-09-05 14:00:07 UTC

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Been a bit over a month for me as well. Similar to adopting Bitcoin: anxiety down, hope for humanity up.

2024-08-30 14:23:47 UTC

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“Aim for where you want to go, not what you are seeking to avoid.” I think the first step for me was to unplug from X and other social media. My contributions may be small, but I’m no longer plugged into the matrix.

2024-08-27 05:13:54 UTC

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Primal

2024-08-18 15:27:13 UTC

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Welcome!

2024-08-18 03:00:09 UTC

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Parent life!

2024-08-17 18:38:49 UTC

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I was afraid “I’d miss something” if I unplugged from the algorithm. Instead by going 100 percent Nostr I’ve freed my mind from worry and opened it to the best of humanity. Don’t be scared, take the purple pill, be a free mind, once again.

2024-08-11 05:57:26 UTC

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I’m not on X anymore. I love that this is my timeline 😂

2024-08-04 14:56:02 UTC

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Spending time with people who are thinking deeply about the world and trying to make it a better place.

2024-06-28 03:03:14 UTC

@npub1lvf…ukxq teaching the SacTown crew about Nostr tonight. @npub1hxt…sqcg

2024-06-03 22:30:08 UTC

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What if I’m just jealous of the tip touching? Still a dealbreaker?

2024-05-21 20:10:55 UTC

Anyone using 0xChat for Nostr? Is it any good? Tired of Telegram scammers and looking for a replacement.

2024-05-11 21:10:08 UTC

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There is no red, there is no blue. There is the state and there is you. Been saying this to my Bitcoin friends no matter the candidate.

2024-03-15 23:26:19 UTC

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Great explanation of the MSTR strategy. Why no wallet though? I’d like to zap your post.

2023-12-08 21:13:17 UTC

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Question 2: What impact would the proposed rule have on blockchain privacy or pseudonymity, noting that filings reported to FinCEN are not publicly releasable and the similarities of this proposal to the recordkeeping and reporting requirements of transactions using the traditional financial system, such as with wire or Automated Clearing House (ACH) transactions?
Response to Question 2:
As noted in the response to Section A, Question 1, the proposed rule fundamentally misapplies a regulatory framework intended for traditional centralized financial systems onto a decentralized financial system. This decentralized system is built on code not owned by institutions and is, therefore, subject to protections under the First Amendment, similar to protected internet uses. Furthermore, the all-encompassing nature of these surveillance requirements also make the proposed rule a clear infringement on the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable search and seizure. This also makes it inherently unable to provide sufficient due process, under the Fifth Amendment. Finally, attempting to enforce these requirements may be viewed as extraterritorial overreach, since these requirements will clearly affect international finance as well as domestic.
Question 3: Does the impact on privacy and legitimate applications identified in Section IV.B potentially outweigh the risks posed by illicit activity facilitated by CVC mixing?
Response to Question 3:
While the proposed rule acknowledges the fact that there are legitimate uses of CVC mixing, it fails to quantify either legitimate or illicit uses. Therefore, it is not possible to make a complete estimation of whether the risks outweigh the benefits. However, the burden of proof for implementing an all-encompassing surveillance mechanism which infringes on privacy rights of the Fourth Amendment, has substantial and poorly understood costs to users, intermediaries and law enforcement, and very real economic costs to innovation should rest with FinCEN. That said, there is a sufficient body of evidence that the risks do not outweigh the benefits.
Question 4: What challenges are anticipated with respect to identifying the foreign nexus of a CVC mixing transaction?
Response to Question 4:
As noted in response to Section A, Question 1, there are legal, ethical, and technical challenges. On the legal front, there are concerns with First, Fourth and Fifth Amendment Rights as well as the extraterritorial application of U.S. Law; the ethics of this proposal are fraught with moral hazard as what is proposed is in opposition to fundamental human rights of freedom of speech, privacy, and use of property; and technically the inherent pseudonymous nature of blockchain transactions as well as challenges relating to identification of participants in a CVC transaction make enforcement practically impossible. While there are technical ways of achieving identification of CVC users (e.g., Advanced Heuristics, Forensics, KYC, AI, Geo Analysis, Public Ledger Analysis), this cannot stop even reasonably sophisticated individuals, let alone foreign state actors. In effect, the proposed rule will strip law-abiding U.S. citizens of their rights while doing nothing to stop actual criminals or foreign enemies.

2023-12-08 21:12:23 UTC

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Here are some of the summaries I made:
A. CVC Mixing As a Class of Transactions of Primary Money Laundering Concern
Question 1: Is the scope of the recordkeeping requirement appropriate?
Response to Question 1:
There are several significant issues with the scope of the recordkeeping requirements including legal and regulatory concerns, practical and ethical considerations, and feasibility.
First, there are several concerns regarding legal and regulatory factors. These include overreach of the agency’s regulatory mandates, including the fact that these actions likely constitute legislative powers. These requirements could exceed the boundaries of “reasonable statutory authority” under the PATRIOT Act. Furthermore, they are so broad and poorly defined that they fail to demonstrate sufficient evidence that they are not “arbitrary and capricious” under the Administrative Procedures Act (APA). Moreover, the all-encompassing nature of these surveillance requirements also make them a clear infringement on the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable search and seizure. This also makes them inherently unable to provide sufficient due process, under the Fifth Amendment. Finally, attempting to enforce these requirements may be viewed as extraterritorial overreach, since these requirements will clearly affect international finance as well as domestic.
Second, there are practical and ethical considerations regarding the recordkeeping requirements. This includes weighing the effectiveness of the proposed requirements in enhancing AML/FT efforts against the substantial burden of financial institutions. Additionally, these stringent requirements could discourage legitimate use of CVCs and stifle innovation.
Third, there are numerous technical feasibility hurdles that the proposed recordkeeping requirements do not address. These include the inherent pseudonymous nature of blockchain transactions as well as challenges related to identifying participants in a CVC transaction, the decentralized nature of the blockchain making enforcement across the network impossible, potential conflict with existing data privacy laws, and potential technological workarounds and evasion.

2023-12-08 21:10:22 UTC

Per the request from @npub1s5y…6q7z and others at Ego Death Capital, please respond to the FinCen request for comments: https://egodeath.capital/blog/fincen-may-be-violating-your-rights-bitcoin#fincen-questions

2023-12-01 04:28:58 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-26 16:19:04 UTC

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Fuck cancer.

2023-11-18 22:49:57 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-18 22:49:46 UTC

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Step 1 is something we are working on with our local Bitcoin group. There are a shocking number of people who see Bitcoin as the only asset but still struggle with cold wallet storage. Seedsigner makes it easy and most importantly it makes teaching easy with its inherently trustless state.

2023-11-17 02:20:09 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-17 02:19:32 UTC

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I especially enjoy listening to your based thoughts on Nostr. Reminds me of Behind the Music.

2023-11-16 21:32:45 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-16 16:34:40 UTC

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Works now! Thanks for all your hard work. https://image.nostr.build/28419283b58a40590625a67a63d1d6e5934df8c8d9c8539fce852158309978a8.jpg

2023-11-16 05:36:07 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-16 03:52:58 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-16 03:51:31 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 22:36:20 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 22:29:40 UTC

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Tried to make a payment on that page and the QR to pay doesn’t show up. Tried both the custom and sliding BTCpay.

2023-11-15 22:09:41 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 22:09:15 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 22:08:51 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 21:51:46 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 21:50:21 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 21:49:20 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 15:34:25 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 15:29:45 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:43:52 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:39:15 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:35:20 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:33:57 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:31:57 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:31:11 UTC

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They are scared.

2023-11-15 02:30:29 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:29:56 UTC

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The fact they are moving this direction is they are big scared.

2023-11-15 02:29:18 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:27:15 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:25:35 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:17:27 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:16:08 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:14:20 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:06:55 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 02:04:38 UTC

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⚡️

2023-11-15 01:44:35 UTC

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⚡️

2023-11-15 01:33:32 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-15 01:31:12 UTC

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🤙

2023-11-11 07:25:56 UTC

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Wow, that’s a fantastic story and shows the power of adversity when growing up and how that defines you. No wonder you are such a badass 😎

2023-10-23 15:18:36 UTC

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Great article. Loved the discussion of Dutch wealth coming from the private entrepreneurs rather than the State or even commodities.

2023-10-22 20:41:21 UTC

The collective fear regarding the FinCen proposal is that tens of thousands will be jailed for political reasons.
That's the narrative that they would like you to think. But the reality that was learned during the French revolution and every time a western government has gotten too big for its britches is to get burned down to the ground. As we learned during the Block Size War, a minority of intransigent and belligerent maxis will destroy anyone with fiat-based incentives. And that is what these guys have. They may have the majority of the money and power but they don't actually believe in anything worth dying for.
This is why the colonies in the US went to war and won against the far superior British navy/army over a 2% tea tax. It was the principals that motivated people. In case you are thinking the we don't still have that today, just check in with the Zoomers. I have some Zoomers as employees at work. Despite immense pressure from corporate they will not come back into the office full time and no they aren’t putting in ridiculous overtime for promise of a piddly bonus at the end of the year. And the powers that be are finally starting to realize it - they are dead meat. Their entire business model is based on using the younger generation as free sweat equity for the Boomer's 401(k) plan and hefty medical bills. But the Zoomers won't pay up.
They (and the rest of us) have nothing left to lose. Everything worth having has been taken from us. The majority of us can’t afford to live – and forget raising the future generation. People, especially the younger generations, are fed up. The people in power see that and they are afraid of us. They are afraid of encryption, they are afraid of decentralization, they are afraid of the ways we employ to ensure free speech. And they are about to learn what every bourgeois learns every few generations from the proletariat - there are many more of us than there are of them. They stole our future and we are coming to take it back.

2023-08-23 15:49:31 UTC

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Purchased and looking forward to reading it!

2023-08-19 18:46:45 UTC

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Not yet, although we’ve just started using the kit. We’ve noticed that orange pilling merchants (or others for that matter) requires multiple conversations.

2023-08-18 23:20:52 UTC

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Our Sacramento group is using the Bitcoin Business kit. Very helpful for onboarding merchants in the area.

2023-08-13 15:47:08 UTC

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All good, it’s how a conversation evolves. And this point is important regarding why many of us speak past each other. I often hear things like “progressives want free hand outs for everyone and support war in Ukraine” from my right leaning friends. I respond with “did you hear that from me?” And their response is nearly always “the NY Times or Rolling Stone or MSNBC said…” And that isn’t a coincidence. And when I talk with other progressives we almost always include nuance. Corporate media removes that.

2023-08-13 15:24:44 UTC

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The Rolling Stone isn’t a progressive media outlet. It is part of the corporate oligarchy along with NY Times. And the corporate left loves to create and attack right wing narratives.

2023-08-02 01:50:54 UTC

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It was great chatting with you and zapping sats back and forth. Helped me confirm my self custodial lightning address works with OPA. Great way to actually use @npub1ve8…9ka6 to meet new friends as well. This is the way.

2023-07-03 20:17:40 UTC

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Dang that is depressing but also clearly shows why people “don’t want to work”. I know a lot more and deliver 10x the product I did when I graduated with a Masters nearly 20 years ago. However, with a 4 percent assumed inflation I make less than I did then.

2023-06-30 05:12:44 UTC

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This was a great episode. I immediately upgraded my security protocols after watching the show. Thank you both!

2023-06-04 17:25:28 UTC

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https://nostr.build/i/07178541f383ae7d97daa182c08ef888c77561e76dd59fe8638bd50b1350616b.jpg

2023-06-04 17:24:34 UTC

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https://nostr.build/i/c0526c6c7ca10c4101810d67e38f57b1eaeb6f747550ea74aa5e3220693af67f.jpg

2023-06-04 17:23:42 UTC

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https://nostr.build/i/0ceadbb00aaffe2c2e25b6a319888623d1dd1447c4d10ea6a8ecd697f178f61c.jpg

2023-06-04 17:22:55 UTC

Went outside, got sunshine, and made sure camp gear works.

2023-05-20 00:01:03 UTC

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Yes, we need to create the orange party. The reason most youth don’t vote is because there are only bad choices. Or more cynically, this is intentional bread and circuses to keep the current power structure the same.

2023-05-19 23:54:06 UTC

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They are jealous. One of the downsides of being a Bitcoin and Nostr rockstar who smashes Millers and is an inspiration to plebs everywhere.

2023-05-13 23:27:00 UTC

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21 sats sent!

2023-05-09 04:53:36 UTC

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Unfortunately Voltage doesn’t support the local version of Lightning Terminal connect but great guide overall.

2023-04-29 04:34:48 UTC

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I’m now self sovereign for zaps. Thanks for the amazing guide!

2023-03-31 22:39:00 UTC

Welcome to the freedom network #[0]. Your interviews with #[1] are still my favorite resource.

2023-03-29 16:58:12 UTC

https://nostr.build/i/nostr.build_ca0bca144057f3ceaeebdca700e9675ebd899d8850f7f9cc457f29e5d7fca99e.jpg
Proof of beer 🍺

2023-03-15 03:10:45 UTC

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Test zap!

2023-03-13 19:34:42 UTC

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So concise. Great for onboarding. Love this!

2023-03-13 02:34:02 UTC

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Me neither. Sometimes it’s good to unplug and go outside.

2023-03-11 20:53:07 UTC

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Yes, and most of us in Western society think nothing of frivolous spending. Most important financial decision I’ve ever made was to track my expenses to the penny. It was also this type of financial decision that led me to Bitcoin.

2023-03-10 00:05:16 UTC

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Peer to peer. Bitcoin will survive.

2023-02-28 23:13:32 UTC

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Well done. I started strong but am only in the twenties.

2023-02-28 23:11:34 UTC

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If there is a bolt in their profile you should be good to go.

2023-02-28 23:08:55 UTC

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Yep, real people and real engagement here without gatekeepers.