GM 🌴🫡

The scale of the unfunded pension liabilities globally is almost incomprehensible. Hundreds of millions of people around the world expecting to retire comfortably will see their pensions worth pennies on the dollar or their currencies completely debased.

Good evening.

Although the region itself was inhabited for a long time by Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and more, what we generally think of as “Cairo” is considered to have been founded by the Fatimids in the 10th century.

When it was founded, they built stone walls and gates, and a number of mosques. Cairo has expanded to become one of the biggest cities in the world since then, but this smaller area of “Old Cairo” still stands within the city, and you’ll find among the densest collections of medieval Islamic architecture within a couple kilometer area.

Driving up to it is surreal, because on one side of the street there’s a thousand year old fortress wall, and on the other side of the street there are decades-old buildings with brutalist architecture.

Inside of the walls there are markets, restaurants, hotels, etc. The marketplace/streets are quite loud and hectic and messy, and yet some of the restaurants and hotels are absolutely amazing.

So like you park, get hounded by an informal-looking guy for parking money (sometimes they are legit and sometimes not), walk through the thousand year old gate, there’s tons of music and street food and aggressive merchants, stray cats and dogs, you might have to dodge the random motorcycle or get pooped on by a pigeon (happened to me), a man in a Sufi-style dress is whirling around, there’s a sickly-thin toothless man asking for money as a group of teenagers race by, etc. But then right amid that there will be a beautiful entrance to a luxury boutique Ottoman-style hotel with professional staff, intricate handmade furniture and an amazing Egyptian restaurant on the roof that overlooks the area. A sea of contrasts.

As you walk along the cobblestone roads of this old portion of Cairo, you pass by various buildings that range from the 10th century to the 19th century and were built under four different dynasties (Fatimids, Ayyubids, Mamluks, and Ottomans). Then there are also some more recent brutalist buildings. It’s all woven together, so for example there will be an 800-year old stone archway with an active cafe under it. There will be a merchant selling cheap metal pyramid trinkets made in China underneath an intricate wooden 500-year old medieval window.

Anyway, some friends and I went there for the second time yesterday to eat at that rooftop restaurant. Some pics.

A “liberal democracy” that relies on theft from others in order to survive is “monetary imperialism” dressed up in a words that disguise what is really happening.

#Bitcoin

#Nostr

#nostr accounts shouldn't be called accounts as they aren't accounts. What's a better word? #asknostr

Ice fishing with nostr:npub1kndtw0ejlpmt5n93a8lrhrexa9eny8sptjkwxlgp77e6getffrrsf2xf02 a few days before taking off to Madeira!

Was stuck on an old version of Damus. Can upload photos now! 😜

I miss including messages in my zaps.

Is this gone or can I do this somehow?

If you add an LNURL (Lightning address) into your profile you’ll be able to receive “zaps”, LN tips, on your posts. A little lightning bolt shows up next to all of your posts once you’ve added it.

Cutting negative people out of your life is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

Eat as much FAT as possible. Tallow and eggs, ghee stir-fried greens, straight whipping cream, +++ cheese. Be ready to gain a bit of weight until the cravings and headaches subside (ibuprofen and water). Chew licorice root for a sweet mouthfeel treat (scrap bark and split with jackknife into kindling toothpicks). Then when the sugar cravings are gone, start fasting to lose the weight. I’ve kicked a 40 year addiction. I feel amazing now and really hate sugar. Good luck Ben!!

What are your best resources, books, videos, tips on kicking sugar addiction?