Couple of additions. “They” change the meaning of words, ala “1984,” to confuse us.

Newspeak was a language favored by the minions of Big Brother and, in Orwell's words, "designed to diminish the range of thought." Newspeak was characterized by the elimination or alteration of certain words, the substitution of one word for another, the interchangeability of parts of speech, and the creation of words for political purposes. The word has caught on in general use to refer to confusing or deceptive bureaucratic jargon.

Inflation is the increase in money supply, not the subsequent nominal price increase. That’s why, albeit manipulated, the CPI is actually the Consumer Price Index.

Inflation in a debt based system is simply increase in total debt. Government, State and Local, business and private. Currently $80 trillion in the US. So, rate of inflation would technically be the rate of increase in debt. Looking at their own data (see below) debt has doubled over the last 15 years.

Now, we also have productivity increases due to innovation and technological advances. Let’s say you go to McDonalds, there used to be three employees taking orders. Now there are three iPads. So the price of your burger should go down. Some literature estimates the productivity increases at 6-8% per year since ww2.

So “they” are really stealing your tax rate, let’s say 29%, plus productivity, 7%, plus real inflation, 7%. And yes, compound that every year. Crazy.

The CPI is meaningless, as it swaps out good quality goods for bad ones, reflects only delayed trickle down price effects of inflation and doesn’t include productivity increases.

It’s far worse than you describe. And believe it, “them” using the term inflation for everything confuses everyone on purpose.

That’s why everything has gone to 💩. See pics :)

Understanding Inflation - A Short Explanation

You need to understand the rate of inflation alone is not enough. That lower inflation rates doesn't equal prices going down at all, even a little bit.

Year one, inflation at 8%, a 1 dollar item is now 1.08

Year two, inflation at 12%, a one dollar item from year one, is now 1.21

Year three, inflation at 14%, a one dollar item from year one, is now 1.38

Year four, inflation goes "down" to only 3%, yay we win right?, A one dollar item from year one, is now 1.42.

Inflation is now "low" but the price is cumulative as is the true inflation. The true inflation rate here over 4 years is 42%.

The TV will say "inflation is going down", it isn't a lie, it also isn't the truth. Not to mention what happens if you get a "bad year" next, say just going back to 8% in the next year.

1.42 x 1.08 = 1.53

In year one 8% was 8 cents on the dollar, in year 5 it is 11 cents on the dollar of the previous year. And a total of 53% over 5 years.

Now do it on everything you buy and have to pay for, food, energy, housing, clothing.

Inflation is an at will unregulated tax on every thing you own, buy, sell, etc. It makes the income tax seem benevolent.

If you read this far you now understand the problem more than most so called "economic experts". Those who didn't read this far are likely wondering why things are so bad if the TV people say inflation is down.

yeah, like how many people are still watching cable TV when there is now Youtube/X. And now X is melding into Nostr. (Not sure where Youtube ends up).

growth/degrowth for the different markets will just take a long time, but right now it looks like Nostr>Twitter>legacy media ?

🫡

Take a leap of faith. 🙏

Soon

nutsack.me has a funny mint selection, where you have to click on the text, not the checkbox to select a mint.

The "Next" Button does not react, but is doing something. Some time later it displays a wallet. I send 10 sats using lightning. It displays 20 sats. Great. Went to higlighter.com/wallet. No wallet to see. After some time three wallets... all with zero balance.

Back to nutsack.me the wallet has disappeared. After selecting the same mint and clicking next, again waiting minutes the wallet shows up again. With zero balance.

If something does not work already, one should not post it to the public, made it available to the public, promote it.

Sure!

This piece is a culmination of symbols and themes I’ve been drawn to and experiencing lately.

Many of the elements present (Gothic styles, feminine imagery, snakes/serpents, moons) relate to connecting with your “shadow self” (or darker aspects that may be uncomfortable, scary, suppressed and/or painful like grief/trauma). They relate to deepening one’s intuition, inner wisdom and mysteries. All of these ideas connect to the “divine feminine” archetypes, in this case particularly with Hekate/Hecate and Medusa.

The serpent asks us if we are choosing to poison or heal ourselves, for both options are available in its venom. The serpent is also representative of kundalini energy (the “coiled serpent” at the base of our spine waiting to be awakened, our untapped deeper wisdom and greater potential, ready to uncoil and slither up through our being, activating and awakening our energy centers and opening us up for a deeper transcendent connection to our higher selves or spirit. The serpent is the shedding of one’s old skin (outmoded ways of thinking, behaving, etc. that no longer serve our highest potential and calling) and being essentially rebirthed and transformed to a new life, a “new you”.

As a whole, this piece represents the experience of retreating inward to a meditative space to receive deeper wisdom and intuitive connection to one’s innate strength and natural empowerment.

It is about choosing to face and even embrace the dark despite the fear of it to understand it on the deepest possible level. This gives the power and courage to walk through the dark in order to grow more whole and to create a torch from within to light the way. It is about facing one’s fears, pains and uncertainties with courage, and by so doing allowing oneself to be empowered rather than defeated by these things.

I’m so glad that I’ve learned enough about bitcoin and been in it long enough to recognize this upcoming Babylon staking scheme for what it is: a mini FTX style rug in the making.

Anyone here do meditation?

What kind?

Can’t recall who said it: “You’re not the product, you’re the fuel.” ⛽️

The only correction I'd make is if it's CENTRALIZED and free, you're the product. An important distinction considering bitcoin node software is free. You're not the product if it's free and open source.

This thought reminds me of a text I've read of people in Weimar when inflation started a little but before the hyperinflation. Everybody was trading something, you name it. And many thoght they were good at it. Until everyone realized that the things you really want are just outperforming you.

I've been in the gambling industry working the worlds biggest operators for 7+ years. Business is booming during times of financial downturn, as desperation drives users to gamble beyond their means to cover that overdue rent and to afford their ever increasing expenses - the chat transcripts from customer contacts contain everything from begging for free bets to suicide threats). When times get worse for the individual they get better for gambling companies - only the most destructive industries get that privilege during a recession.

Gambling operators don't rob you straight away, so it's very slipper slope the more you play. Their RTP usually hangs just a single-digit% under 100. You win a spin, you loose a couple more then win again, but over time you're loosing 6-9% monthly. [When Facebook saw this, they understood that a seemingly random win/loose pattern keeps a human engaged as they're waiting for that next win, and the anticipation of that release the dopamine that's going to form the habit. So they decided to move from their chronologically ordered news feed, into a 'algorhytm drivern' one and now you're seeing one relevant post, then 2 more that seem total BS, then an AD, then another good post... Keeps you scrolling just like the RNG with crafted Pay Lines on a slot keeps you spinning.]

The removal of the online gambling prohibition in the US has been a huge source of revenue and it's easy to see why: online gambling means there are no barriers to entry, you don't have the stigma associated with going into a retail place, nor the distance to keep you away, there's no business hours as it runs 247 etc. At the same time, it's added another plague to the already battered American spirit - just more proof that government and it's agencies don't care about the individuals.

The regulators are in kahoots with the oeprators; legislation they draft is known beforehand and whilst it looks like it's meant to protect customers it's actually helping operators to keep you on for longer (ex: UKGC upcoming ruling a max spin of 2;5 GBP on slots isn't a barrier to overspend but rather a way to prolong session lenght).

Oh one last thing, because they are online, most gambling companies are in fact tech companies and the level of delusion within is something else (internally, our divisions are called gaming not gambling - hilarious).