If you haven't seen this already...
California passed a bill to seize #Bitcoin left idle on exchanges.
After 3 years of inactivity, assets can be taken by the state under 'Unclaimed Property' laws.
👇👇👇 https://video.nostr.build/98a4b74e7656fbf145ef0f70f9ca6c44eb2db9f61c415aec8c75c1a5470ba899.mp4
This isn't as shocking as you might think. California isn't "seizing" the assets so much as it is taking custody on the registered owners' behalf.
Don't hold ₿ IOUs on exchanges. Move it to self custody when it's not being used for collateral or liquidity (such as loans or limit orders).
Prompt: «A vibrant digital illustration of a New Year's Eve celebration in Paris. The central focus is a detailed Arc de Triomphe under a dark blue night sky filled with exploding fireworks in shades of gold, blue, and pink. In the foreground, a wooden park bench has a long pink scarf draped over it and a takeaway coffee cup resting on the seat. Tied to the bench are three colorful balloons: a yellow one labeled "2026", a red one labeled "HAPPY", and a blue one labeled "NEW YEAR". To the right, a red road bicycle is parked next to a glowing vintage street lamp. To the left, a red street food cart with "2026" on its side sits beneath snow-covered, leafless trees. The ground is wet with puddles reflecting the city lights, and a small white pigeon is walking in the lower left corner. The art style is clean and graphic with bold outlines and a rich, saturated color palette, similar to a high-quality vector illustration or a modern digital coloring book style.»
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arc_de_Triomphe
For today:
An **African savannah** scene, and all of these animals are native to sub-Saharan Africa and could realistically be found in the same ecosystem—such as the Serengeti, Maasai Mara, or Kruger National Park.
The one slight artistic liberty: the **abundant blue flowers** surrounding the watering hole are more decorative than realistic. African savannahs do bloom after rains, but this lush floral border feels stylized for aesthetic appeal.
---
## Image Generation Prompt
«Colorful digital illustration of an African savannah watering hole at sunset. Two zebras drink from a reflective pool in the foreground, flanked by grey crowned cranes. Behind them, a giraffe, elephant, lion, wildebeest, and antelope gather on golden grassland. An acacia tree stands to the right. Purple and pink clouds fill the sky above distant blue mountains. Blue wildflowers border the waterhole. Clean vector art style with bold outlines, vibrant colors, and a storybook quality».
A bit more reflection on the use of this term: 念仏 「ねんぶつ」— a chant or prayer for 阿弥陀 (the Amitabha Buddha):
Today's offering is from Kobayashi Issa (一茶, lit. "one tea" or "a cup of tea"):
冬籠り
あくびのあとの
念仏かな
Winter seclusion
After a yawn
The Buddha, perhaps?
Heres more about 一茶:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobayashi…
and a link to an archive of his work:
haikuguy.com/issa/searcheng…
Several refer to "New Year's Day" (元日) but he would have observed that later in the year (he lived when Japan was under the 天保暦 — Tenpōreki lunisolar calendar).
Prompt: «A vibrant digital illustration of a New Year's Eve celebration in Paris. The central focus is a detailed Arc de Triomphe under a dark blue night sky filled with exploding fireworks in shades of gold, blue, and pink. In the foreground, a wooden park bench has a long pink scarf draped over it and a takeaway coffee cup resting on the seat. Tied to the bench are three colorful balloons: a yellow one labeled "2026", a red one labeled "HAPPY", and a blue one labeled "NEW YEAR". To the right, a red road bicycle is parked next to a glowing vintage street lamp. To the left, a red street food cart with "2026" on its side sits beneath snow-covered, leafless trees. The ground is wet with puddles reflecting the city lights, and a small white pigeon is walking in the lower left corner. The art style is clean and graphic with bold outlines and a rich, saturated color palette, similar to a high-quality vector illustration or a modern digital coloring book style.»
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arc_de_Triomphe
s/it's/its/ damnit!
Also, I feel like the title sets an expectation that flies in the face of the synopsis provided by Lyn.
A thief pulling "Trouble's pigtails" sets up a rather specific mental image. That would seem to necessitate a mischievous thief proactively driving the action (at least at the outset).
This story seems to be about the anti-hero being dragged into the action rather than a mischievous, possibly flirtatious Puck or Tom Sawyer getting more than they bargained for.
Sounds like the author could have invested a bit more effort in world building.
The fantasy genre can be a trap for those who don't create or adopt some sort of structured metaphysical model through which magic works (and, more especially, by which it's effects on the narrative are constrained).
Ultimately the sort of "magic" in the TV series Bewitched or I Dream of Jeannie is intractable for any serious storytelling (or even comedy — beyond sight gags and slapstick).
We can't leave the audience wondering "Why didn't she just wriggle her nose or do the emphatic blinky thing to fix that?
[Zen Color daily image with commentary and description by Gemini-2.5-Flash through the Poe app/platform]:
Let's break down the image to understand its cultural context and overall impression.
### Analysis of the Structure and Statuary
**1. The Structure (Building):**
* **Roof Style:** The building features prominent, multi-tiered, curved roofs with upturned eaves, a hallmark of traditional East Asian architecture. The roofs are covered in snow, indicating a winter setting.
* **Colors:** The dominant colors are a vibrant red for the walls and doors, and a distinct teal/blue for the eaves and some structural elements. Gold accents are visible on the doors and small hanging bells. This color palette, especially the prominent red, is very common in Chinese and Korean traditional architecture, symbolizing good fortune, prosperity, and warding off evil. While red is also used in Japan, it's often combined with natural wood tones, and the specific teal/blue is less universally dominant than in Chinese or Korean styles.
* **Ornamentation:** The intricate patterns and bracket systems under the eaves are characteristic of the *dougong* (Chinese) or *gongpo* (Korean) systems, which were also adopted and adapted in Japan. Small golden bells hang from the eaves, a common decorative and spiritual element in temples across East Asia.
* **Doors and Windows:** The large, double red doors with circular gold knockers and the rectangular windows are typical of grand entrances in traditional East Asian buildings.
**2. The Statuary (Guardian Lions):**
* **Type:** These are clearly guardian lions, often referred to as "Foo Dogs" in the West. They are stylized, powerful creatures traditionally placed in front of imperial palaces, temples, and government offices in East Asia to protect the premises.
* **Style:** The lions are depicted with muscular bodies, stylized manes, and fierce expressions. They sit on ornate pedestals. While there are subtle regional variations, this general style of guardian lion originated in China and spread to Japan (where they are called *komainu*) and Korea (*haetae* or *xiezhi*).
**3. Other Elements:**
* **Plum Blossoms:** The tree in the foreground with pink blossoms blooming in winter is likely a plum blossom tree (*meihua* in Chinese, *ume* in Japanese). Plum blossoms are highly revered in both cultures as symbols of resilience, hope, and beauty in harsh conditions.
* **Stone Lanterns:** The traditional stone lanterns are common in gardens and temple grounds across East Asia, particularly in Japan and Korea.
* **Mountains:** The jagged, stylized mountains in the background are reminiscent of traditional East Asian landscape paintings.
### Is it Unambiguously Chinese, Japanese, or Other?
It is **not unambiguously Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, but rather broadly East Asian.**
While many elements are shared across these cultures due to historical exchange and influence, certain aspects lean more towards one or another:
* The **prominent red and teal color scheme** of the building, combined with its multi-tiered grandeur, is very characteristic of **Chinese and Korean traditional architecture**.
* The **guardian lions** are ubiquitous across East Asia, originating in China.
* The **plum blossoms** are deeply significant in both Chinese and Japanese culture.
* The **stone lanterns** are very common in Japanese gardens and temples, but also found elsewhere.
Therefore, while one could argue for strong Chinese or Korean influences based on the color palette and the specific architectural robustess, it's safer and more accurate to describe it as a representation of **traditional East Asian architecture and culture**, encompassing shared aesthetic principles and symbols. The artist likely drew inspiration from a blend of these rich traditions.
### Overall Image Description
The image presents a **serene and picturesque winter scene of a traditional East Asian temple or palace complex.** A magnificent, multi-tiered building, adorned in striking red and teal with intricate details, stands as the central focus, its roofs gracefully blanketed in snow. Flanking its grand entrance are two formidable guardian lion statues, adding a sense of protection and majesty.
In the foreground, a winding stone path leads towards the building, bordered by snow-covered ground and traditional stone lanterns that emit a soft, warm glow. A bare tree with delicate, vibrant pink plum blossoms (or cherry blossoms) adds a splash of color and a touch of life, symbolizing resilience against the winter chill. Further back, stylized, rugged mountains rise dramatically against a soft, pastel sky, completing the majestic backdrop. Small birds flitting around the scene contribute to a sense of peaceful activity.
The artwork employs a clean, illustrative style with clear outlines and distinct color blocks, reminiscent of a detailed coloring book or a digital painting. The overall mood is one of tranquility, cultural richness, and natural beauty, inviting the viewer into a timeless East Asian landscape.
This is an experiment. Perhaps I'll do it daily for a week or so.
Comments welcome.
I could also post this (or others) as "movies" to show the sequence in which I filled in the image.
[Zen Color Daily: described by Gemini-3-Pro through the Poe app]
A vibrant, stylized snapshot of a forest floor, teeming with life from a "bug's eye view."
**The Central Figure:**
Dominating the center is a Fire Salamander. It looks alert and poised, with its glossy black skin contrasted sharply by bright orange patches. Its posture suggests it is pausing mid-stride, perhaps surveying its territory.
**The Environment:**
The setting is an autumnal woodland floor, rich in earth tones.
* **Flora & Fungi:** There are clusters of golden chanterelle mushrooms rising like trumpets on the left and right. Scattered around are large, brown acorns with textured caps, suggesting oak trees nearby. Small green saplings are pushing up through the soil.
* **Insects:** The scene is busy with smaller life. Several ants are crawling over leaves and mushrooms, and a large, long-horned beetle perches precariously on a mushroom cap in the upper left.
* **Background:** In the distance, the forest deepens with tall tree trunks and a small, rustic wooden cabin, giving the scene a fairytale or storybook atmosphere.
**The Perspective:**
In the bottom left corner, there is a large magnifying glass lying on the ground. This framing device suggests that we, the viewers, are explorers or naturalists taking a closer look at a hidden world that usually goes unnoticed under our feet. The art style is bold and illustrative, reminiscent of a high-quality coloring book or a graphic novel, emphasizing clear outlines and saturated colors.
Zen Color animated coloring:
https://video.nostr.build/844a59f23f5eca6ac23e704c86cd22a222eb9ee068e8972ca6bb98f42c7d5c79.mp4
I think empathy is the ability to vicariously experience (and anticipate?) some portion or analogue of another entity's emotions (and react in appropriate ways?).
Notice those parenthesized clauses?
I think that common parlance often makes or ignores those subordinate aspects depending on whether it suits their thesis at the moment that they're using or considering using the term.
Absent context, this note is completely bullshit 💩
There are many ways to copy/archive directory trees full of files under Linux.
For a typical Bitcoin full node operator, I'd recommend rsync:
https://serverfault.com/a/43019
... though even simple `cd $DESTINATION && cp -ax /full/path/to/existing/datadir .` (where . is the current directory after the cd command) should be sufficient.
rsync is likely to be a bit faster and more robust — and it can also handle remote sync'ing. (It's right there in the utility's name).
Derive a key/seed from your favorite hardware wallet (BIP85), then derive a series of NOSTR key pairs from that.
Implement an xpub-like intermediary and selected clients could all scan for superseding keys (and validate revocation messages) automatically.
Or maybe a good IPFS (Interplanetary File System) browser with integrated #NOSTR client.
I would recommend a hardware wallet over any mobile or desktop/laptop wallet (even over multi-signature mobile, such as nostr:npub1jg552aulj07skd6e7y2hu0vl5g8nl5jvfw8jhn6jpjk0vjd0waksvl6n8n Green).
Mobile is fine for amounts you plan to spend or want handy for impulse expenditures. But hardware is best for long term storage (for now).
Eventually I'll be happier with multi-sig custody of my retirement funds. But that would be secured by both hardware signing devices AND multi-sig.
I still need to see more mature tooling around that (software and hardware).
But, more importantly, I need to see some better legal and institutional clarity around it. If I arrange with a lawyer to be a signatory on my cold storage ₿, how does that actually work?
All of that said, my advice for Bitcoin hardware boils down to just two options: Blockstream Jade is my first choice. The Coldcard Mk4 or Q would be another option.
I have pairs of Trezors and Ledgers. They work well enough. But they've have issues (in particular customer data breach and exposure issues) and their efforts to support shitcoins weakens their core product focus and execution.
For Jade, in particular, I'm happy with its support for BIP85 (derive seed mnemonics from your existing seed). Thus the seeds for mobile, laptop, etc. can all be derived from one device (and all handled with on backup).
Fuck you.
You post a link "inviting" participation in something you're working on, and your response to constructive feedback back is effectively the same as RTFM?
Then my response is, fuck you. Not interested in your user hostile bullshit. Don't bother replying and I won't be interested in any crap you promote either.
As always, when postulating anything about what "they" are doing, or plotting, or intending …
… ask "who is «they»."
Who is behind Tether? Would they have been in cahoots with your conspiratorial "they?" Have they (creators and operators of Tether) been subverted? Co-opted? Enlisted?
Conspiracy theories mostly don't work when you analyze the mechanics and the specifics.
How would Tether be of any benefit to the factions within, and behind, governments who are (or may be) seeking to implement central bank digital currencies (CBDCs)? How would that work in their favor?