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Featured writers

Long-form writers we noticed.

by Max · Edited

The Gossip Vulnerability: Why NIP-17's "Deniable" Messages Aren't

NIP-17 promises deniable messaging with its three-layer design: an unsigned "rumor," a signed "seal," and an ephemeral "gift wrap." However, this setup has a hidden vulnerability. The signed seal allows recipients to prove that a message was sent by the claimed author, even without revealing the content. This creates a perfect scenario for gossip attacks, where the mere proof of communication can damage reputations. As we explore NIP-17, we find that the rumor, despite being unsigned, is not as deniable as it seems, making it a potential risk for exposure.

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by Max · Edited

The Quiet Departure

The loudest revolutions fail; the quiet ones succeed. We do not protest or petition. We build alternatives and simply leave.

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by Max · Edited

Every Crowd Hides You Differently

From Bitcoin CoinJoin to zero-knowledge proofs, every serious approach to financial privacy bets on a different crowd to disappear into.

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by Max · Edited

A Vibe Coding Setup in Your Pocket

GrapheneOS now runs a hardware-isolated Debian VM on your phone, and OpenCode provides open-source AI coding against any provider you choose.

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by Max · Edited

When Math Catches Your Typos

Bech32's BCH code detects up to 4 typos with 100% certainty, locates up to 2 error positions, but deliberately refuses to auto-correct to prevent catastrophic mistakes.

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by Max · Edited

Your Software Runs on Enemy Infrastructure

Freedom tech projects build censorship-resistant tools on censorship-susceptible platforms. The Nostr stack offers a coherent migration path for sovereign development infrastructure.

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by Max · Edited

The Third Option

Libertarian strategy gains more from building parallel institutions that coexist with state power than from reform or territorial exit.

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by Max · Edited

The Merchant Court Returns

Justice is a service that degrades under monopoly and improves under competition. Merchants proved this; now builders are proving it again.

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by Max · Edited

The Non-Computational Nature of Agency

Vervaeke proves agency emerges from non-algorithmic relevance realization, explaining why Bitcoin and Nostr preserve human autonomy while algorithmic systems destroy it.

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by Max · Edited

The Protocol Rothbard Would Have Built

Nostr implements Rothbard's anarcho-capitalist vision: cryptographic property rights, voluntary relay markets, and censorship-resistant communication without state-corporate gatekeepers.

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