576
The internet giants go offline today and never return. What happens tomorrow?
577
The Lord of the Rings: a story where the social elite coerce a trust-fund kid's hard-working gardener into shouldering global risks.
Before it's over, he has to physically carry his useless employer (and their jewelry collection) up an active volcano.
Ahead of its time, really.
578
You think Sam got time and a half? Hazard pay?
Did Sam even get Dental?
579
people be like "well it worked out for Sam in the end" and I'm like hello survivorship bias
they tried to pay my man in exposure
581
Our monetary system is commanded by people who literally believe changing the "one dollar" stamp on a platinum coin to "one trillion dollars" is the solution to running out of money.
Imagine if you tried that with your student loans.
axios.com/trillion-dolla…
582
Issuing a currency is easy. Getting people to accept it is hard. twitter.com/viewsofac/stat…
583
My infant son has just discovered he can sit up on his own, and quickly went mad with power.
It's well past bedtime, but I still hear him trying to decree that the Age of Sleep has ended.
584
Zuckerberg responds to a global outage and national scandal by claiming @facebook is the real victim here, and modestly proposing Congress consider:
A) legally restricting teen use of internet services
B) identify verification mandates
C) limiting teen privacy
On-brand, really.
585
mark zuckerberg suggests congress consider limiting teen use of electricity
586
mark zuckerberg suggests congress consider limiting teen secretion of tears
587
for the three people who don't get it:
twitter.com/Snowden/status…
588
for the three people who don't get it:
twitter.com/Snowden/status…
589
Since 2004, Facebook has never cared about the law or "social equities." Don't fall for it.
Zuckerberg suggests Congressional action now only because he is confident the result will serve him—modestly burdening the affluent Facebook, but totally crushing its upstart competitors. twitter.com/Snowden/status…
590
On banking, bitcoin, and the future of money: a response to a governor of the Federal Reserve, Christopher J. Waller.
edwardsnowden.substack.com/p/cbdcs
591
Beginning with an increase in paper notes, continuing with the cancellation of the right to exchange them for the more precious coin, and culminating in the debasement of the coin itself, the State finally achieved “sovereign currency:” a handsome napkin.
edwardsnowden.substack.com/p/cbdcs
592
A CBDC is a perversion of cryptocurrency, or at least the founding principles and protocols of it—a cryptofascist currency, expressly designed to deny you the basic ownership of your money by installing the State at the center of every transaction. edwardsnowden.substack.com/p/cbdcs
593
Most of your money exists not as something folded in your wallet, but as an entry in a bank’s database, faithfully requested and rendered beneath the glass of your phone.
If someone else gets to decide *if* and *how* you can spend it, is it really yours?
edwardsnowden.substack.com/p/cbdcs
594
"Although virtual currencies are occasionally used for illicit transactions, the volume is small compared to the volume of illicit activity through traditional financial services."
You'll never believe who said it.
edwardsnowden.substack.com/p/cbdcs
595
After a couple months of using it, I've got to say—I'm glad @SubstackInc exists.
It's hard to find a more thoughtful collection of writers and readers right now, and harder still to find a platform committed to freedom of speech.
Halcyon days.
596
No. If you see one, it's fake. twitter.com/eduarjonam/sta…
597
What is a Central Bank Digital Currency, you ask? Oh, you know: just a "useful policy tool" for casually annihilating the savings of every wage-worker in the country if they don't spend them fast enough. twitter.com/adasound_io/st…
599
Why is "Civil War" trending? Are they bombarding Fort Sumter? Is there a massacre on Pratt Street? Is the infantry advancing on Gettysburg?
600
They'll own everything, and be happy.
edwardsnowden.substack.com/p/cbdcs
You can find me on #nostr @ pubkey: #npub1sn0wdenkukak0d9dfczzeacvhkrgz92ak56egt7vdgzn8pv2wfqqhrjdv9. (use Damus on iOS, Amethyst on Android, or snort.social)