I'll keep updating here

it's sad to see how many 'bitcoiners' here are defending the IMF lately

but, that said, it's still an exciting space and El Salvador is def worth seeing. in fact, more than ever we need people here who are in Bitcoin to change the world

Day two of Bitcoin no longer being legal tender in El Salvador. Some updates...

There are a lot of people who seem to misunderstand what Legal Tender means and also how IMF loans work

Bitcoin is no longer legal tender, anyone claiming the contrary is at best misinformed. I've attached what the actual law changes are so you can read for yourself that the language was changed, removing all references as bitcoin as money or legal tender, plus the actual conditions, such as the govt accepting bitcoin for things such as taxes, are now prohibited. I've also attached a screenshot of what the definition of legal tender is

El Salvador will not be able to buy Bitcoin with the loan, either direct or indirect. This is just an ignorant cope from a lot of bitcoiners tbh. Yes, money is fungible but the IMF isn't evil because they are dumb. They set the terms and it is at their sole discretion if the sprit of those conditions are being met. This isn't my opinion this is literally how every IMF loan has been structured for decades. Read a book. I'm so tired of seeing this cope. I will once again offer this: if you think I'm wrong and that El Salvador will take this money and then use it, either direct or indirect, to buy bitcoin, then let's bet 1 Bitcoin on it. If you're right, I send you one bitcoin. If you're wrong, you donate one bitcoin to nostr:npub17cyatz6z2dzcw6xehtcm9z45m76lde5smxdmyasvs00r4pqv863qrs4ml3

What about the one bitcoin per day program? I don't know. The language of the draft agreement doesn't seem to prohibit the continuation of that program and therefore I would have presumed that it would continue. That said, the fact they have been skipping days for the first time ever and with zero explanation makes me wonder. There is a screenshot of a three day gap in purchases from earlier this week and you can look this all up yourself on the blockchain of course

Final thoughts: The IMF is the enemy. Yesterday, today, tomorrow and EVERY DAY. This isn't necessarily about the content of the changes it's about making a deal with the devil. If you lay down with dogs, you get fleas

As of today, Bitcoin is no longer legal tender in El Salvador

I'm sure Daddy IMF is pleased

generally the larger the state the more I'd be worried

so my level of worry for the US is very very high

I'm not worried about Bhutan stacking though, for example

super nuanced of course but just as a broad generalization

I agree, this is a smart move by the US govt

but it's not heading toward the future I want

I believe we are going to fall off a cliff if we stay on our current course

this does as much to keep current power dynamics as it does to course correct

I think it's a Trojan horse but the other way around--- a way for bitcoiners to support the growth of a centralized state

while, at least she's saying the quiet part out loud--that this is a path toward extending the US empire

that is NOT what I'm here for

'...that strengthens the US dollar...'

The US govt buying Bitcoin & the growth of USD stable coins will extend the US empire. They are literally saying that.

Is that what you want?

I sure as hell don't

I'm here to make the US empire irrelevant. Decentralization, empowering the individual & proof-of-work will be the foundation of a better future. US Govt stockpiles & pseudo CBDCs are the opposite of that

As nostr:npub1s05p3ha7en49dv8429tkk07nnfa9pcwczkf5x5qrdraqshxdje9sq6eyhe says, 'bitcoin is your enemies money.'

But that doesn't mean we have to encourage them

A decade ago, I was a journalist, paying for grad school in England by selling p2p bitcoin

This was one of the first articles I wrote for a mainstream outlet that was about bitcoin--or rather, it was about the Silk Road and how lessons there (it DECREASED violence in the drug trade) might apply to other illicit markets

Silk Road is such an important part of Bitcoin's early history. We wouldn't be here today without it, not even close

This is why I'm so passionate about #FreeRoss

He's a hero

Welcome home Ross!

As I leave Colombia I'm reflecting back

What a wild & inspiring few days...

On Monday I sent out the 'Welcome Docs' to the brand new nostr:npub17cyatz6z2dzcw6xehtcm9z45m76lde5smxdmyasvs00r4pqv863qrs4ml3 Advisory Board and asked which dates everyone would be free in the next weeks for a call

Turns out all three--nostr:npub1s05p3ha7en49dv8429tkk07nnfa9pcwczkf5x5qrdraqshxdje9sq6eyhe, Mike Peterson & nostr:npub1mcea9vvq5arw9fg6e33tj3w3cfhy7ffkz7n8yy3qzy2q63lyu56s62c0py--would be attending the Medellín Bitcoin Cinference. I made some last minute arraignments and joined them so we could all meet in person

The meeting was insightful & inspiring. We have an opportunity to reimagine what's possible. We have a chance to avoid repeating all the same mistakes that brought the fiat world to it's current state

And it starts with introductory bitcoin education

It must have transparent funding sources that will align the incentives so that students learn how to think and NOT what to think. It must be decentralized

This is already what we have been building toward for 3+ years, but we are now entering a time when it will become ever more crucial. Bitcoin education must be independent. It must be impartial. It must be community-led

I left that meeting inspired, but two days later, I leave Colombia even more inspired

I met various Colombians who have these values and are already teaching the #BitcoinDiploma to their own communities, and met even more who are planning to begin

A better world isn't just coming, the foundations are already being laid

how many times do politicians have to show themselves to be part of the problem before we abandon electoral politics and put our energy into building a better world?

this system can be reformed

Bitcoin is a revolution

Electoral politics are fiat. Stop feeding the beast

Vision for 2025

For nostr:npub17cyatz6z2dzcw6xehtcm9z45m76lde5smxdmyasvs00r4pqv863qrs4ml3

This year is going to be massive for bitcoin adoption. Institutions and governments are coming in a big way. We need to be a counterweight to that.

We need to entrench the importance of grassroots bitcoin education in 2025, because 2026 may be too late. This is our year to show that, one, this is happening in El Salvador & around the world, two, it is growing, three (to our allies), it is extremely valuable and worth defending and supporting, three (to our adversaries), you can’t stop us.

This year we transform from a project into a movement.

The way we will primary do that is much of the same—proof of work. We need to keep SHOWING & building. In addition, we need to do a better job TELLING. And the later will manifest itself in several ways in addition to what we already do there, including a newsletter, media coverage, an updated website with the various boards and their notes, and writing our own history.

We also need to continue to build out global infrastructure for the movement. Our end goal is to make ourselves irrelevant—to live in a world where empowered individuals are the norm. An early step toward that is within the Node Network, and empowering others there rather than doing the work for them. This is one of the key ways we can transform from a project into a movement.

Another step on that journey is to build alliances and coalitions with others. One way to do this officially is via the Advisory Board and other governance layers such as the Board of Directors and the Assembly. Including people from ‘outside’ the project, but who are still ‘inside’ the movement will accelerate and entrench this.

We will scale, not by consolidating power & authority, but by giving it away.

We need to open-source everything.

This SHOWS that we are serious when we say the world can be different and we want to provide an example. The transparency that comes with this will hold us accountable and improve communication. It shows that this is about something bigger than us and transforms a project into a global movement. When adopted by others it entrenches the idea across borders and around the world and makes the movement more powerful and harder to stop.

love this

I'd love to see more BTC education in Ecuador

when do you get in to El Salvador? we should chat then

great

nostr:npub17cyatz6z2dzcw6xehtcm9z45m76lde5smxdmyasvs00r4pqv863qrs4ml3 does a weekly open house (afternoon) & meetup (evening) each Tuesday in San Salvador. it's suspended over the holidays but we'll be back in a couple of weeks. how long do you plan to stay?

being subservient to the same status quo that only serve a centralized elite

not clear

El Salvador says no

the definition of legal tender disagrees

the IMF is the enemy

I'm disapiunted many bitcoiners in El Salvador seem to think 'victory' means getting better terms in a dying world. the goal needs to be to build a better one

let's see what happens after the agreement is in force

the IMF has much more leverage afterwards, not so much now