bitcoinekasi
BitcoinEkasi

Building a Bitcoin circular economy in a South African township | Partnering with The Surfer Kids | Inspired by Bitcoin Beach.

Public Key

npub1zkr064avsxmxzaasppamps86ge0npwvft9yu3ymgxmk9umx3xyeq9sk6ec

NIP-05 Address

bitcoinekasi@nostrplebs.com

NIP-57 Address

noisybulldog2@primal.net

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsptpha27kgrdnpw7cqs7ascrayvheshxy4jjwgjd5rdmz7dngnzvspp4mhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mqpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfdu90keu3

Publishing to

nos.lol

relay.damus.io

bitcoiner.social

Author Public Key

npub1zkr064avsxmxzaasppamps86ge0npwvft9yu3ymgxmk9umx3xyeq9sk6ec

Show more details

Last Notes

2024-09-20 14:09:28

Imagine being only 6 years old and already skating like this.
🤯
https://video.nostr.build/6c94fef28cbe62f87768333507066b306b6c309b8fe3e644ba61cf012e3c5094.mp4

2024-09-14 06:13:43

Spent an hour yesterday driving around looking for a wave to surf, not because there weren't any waves, there was plenty, but because there weren't any people surfing. And, sometimes, being the only human in the line-up just feels a bit sketchy...

2024-09-12 19:36:50

These kids have been shredding waves for years. Soon they gonna shred the Bitcoin Bowl.
It's all still a little new, we only just finished building it, but watch this space...
https://image.nostr.build/12f4009d7ee5feee24d5c4a18f7f14e6ab56846540590eaa81d2af25ec741a85.jpg

2024-09-02 04:29:55

Good morning.
What happens when our followers here outnumber our followers on X/Twitter?
https://m.primal.net/KZtg.jpg

2024-09-01 18:59:45

Blessed to live in a place of incredible natural beauty. And plenty empty waves.
Buffalo Bay, Garden Route, South Africa
https://m.primal.net/KZJx.jpg

2024-08-27 16:43:10

Race to 💯⏲️
Will @npub1y77fgz0kqgnj32hjwp732qtzh355nzg2jkjezfzuq6frhs4htrxswadd2mnpub1y77fgz0kqgnj32hjwp732qtzh355nzg2jkjezfzuq6frhs4htrxswadd2m get to 100 push-ups before Bitcoin reaches $100k?
❤️‍🔥🔥💥
6 Aug: 40
8 Aug: 43💪
14 Aug: 46💪💪
19 Aug: 49 💪💪💪
Today: 52 push-ups!
Proof of work on his journey to competing in the IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon in Mossel Bay, 17 November 2024.
🏃🏊‍♂️🚴
If you can, please support his mission.
👇👇👇
https://btcpay0.voltageapp.io/apps/3bHPddq7v4NmRLE5DrFbG6iyqEGB/crowdfund
Thanks to @npub1h5c…0yp0 for letting us use his art work. Love the theme🧡
https://m.primal.net/KQEl.mp4

2024-08-18 17:59:07

- reply

holy shit, that's bad.

2024-08-17 21:57:17

Trailer for the #Bitcoin Bowl mini-documentary.
👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾
Full film drops Wednesday 21 August.
Stay tuned.
https://video.nostr.build/1c9f438afdd592de28e0319a3f9098a0c259c2591211af68da83d6cfb4d48717.mp4

2024-08-07 05:18:07

The money shot🧡
#Bitcoin Bowl Open Day documentary dropping soon, stay tuned!
https://image.nostr.build/58144463fa0eac5e315060daad4746dc7e9bf7a7d5ada06255d9bdcfee9ed4c1.jpg

2024-07-26 16:10:35

And... It is done.
The spirit of Bitcoin Ekasi.
The first thing you'll see as you drive into this township.
Shout-out to @nprofile…u8vx and @nprofile…fczh for building one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
https://image.nostr.build/3e72faadd50ea2acd4da007be1ddef53f9ff104de5a4472b2992065ba061e579.jpg

2024-07-20 04:51:29

- reply

That's insane!

2024-07-20 04:50:25

Kaboom!!!💥
https://image.nostr.build/02a640c32ba727beacd55900f1edd05006fd6ab5c0842aa4e01a268c4f157292.jpg

2024-07-18 04:53:55

More and more, slowly but surely, I come to Nostr to do what I would previously have done only on Twitter / X.
Not all at once, but little by little.

2024-07-17 06:34:24

Sigh...
I met with yet another blockchain, web3, crypto enthusiast yesterday... he works for a software development company that does full stack blockchain development, blah, blah, blah...
But respect, the dude was curious about Ekasi, and made the effort to come to visit, which is awesome!
However, again, he had no idea what lightning is, he operates under the assumption that Bitcoin is too slow for everday transactions, that we need other blockchains to solve that problem, he's entirely unfamiliar with the concept of sats, he thinks only in terms of BTC, he had no idea Bitrefill existed, and he's never bought anything with Bitcoin and was largely unaware that it's possible.
Yet he figured that NFTs could solve loads of problems.
But we had a great conversation, chatted for more than an hour, and he left with a lightning wallet and some sats, ready to start with the basics.
Hyper-bitcoinization has nothing to do with hype.
And everything to do with slow, focused and steady progress.

2024-07-13 22:49:01

- reply

holy shit

2024-07-09 16:52:12

I'm positive about the future of South Africa.
Not that I have any faith in any politician, not at all. But it's a big deal for a liberation party like the ANC to avoid steering hard left when losing their majority vote.
Which is what just happened in the recent election.
The conditions were (and still are) ripe for radical far-left communist policies to take hold, and yet, that's not what we're seeing.
Instead, we're witnessing a "return to the center" with a coalition between the ANC and their sworn enemies, the DA ... which is pretty miraculous, if you think about it.
Many people say the miracle came in 1994 when the country did not descend into all out civil war with the first democratic election.
But perhaps 2024 is the real miracle.
The transition from an authoritarian apartheid regime to democracy started in 1994. And only now, 30 years later, the final stage is in play.
Things could easily have taken a turn for the worse. Rampant poverty, state failure, massive inequality, desperate living conditions for millions. This is the stuff that advocates for communism and total state control breathe and live off.
And the already leftist ANC had the option to go that further down that route with a different coalition.
And yet, they did not.
While the west is in obvious decline, and the East is gravitating toward authoritarian regimes, I feel quite comfortable sitting where I am, knowing that, at least for now, more common sense seems to have prevailed here than in most other places.
This not a vote of confidence, it is too early for that.
But it is a tentative feeling of positivity.
I've always known that there's massive potential here. If politicians allowed it. By applying more common sense, sticking to their job and mostly just getting out of the way, there's no reason that that potential can not be realized.
Yes, I'm quite positive about the future of South Africa.
https://image.nostr.build/75219de3bef70fc101b39fda8632ce124c0074084d427c45999d64abd6cdf5c7.jpg

2024-06-22 16:12:24

Fresh fish for dinner in Moz🇲🇿
https://image.nostr.build/636e4a9af347ea984703c27ee9f0bf4762ab8525e129c3a8de6db35d1fabebee.jpg

2024-06-22 05:44:45

Good morning! https://image.nostr.build/3c42bc797a60eecb89bc1323de9abb2d8d5cd685970a19421e2c317414b44cd8.jpg

2024-06-21 05:17:12

- reply

There's a mango flavoured sparletta that we don't get in South Africa, which is cool!
The local beer is also good, called 2M, but I haven't drank alcohol in years, so soda it is😅

2024-06-20 19:07:00

Baby Want Suck?
Not sure what they were trying to say, but whatever it was, an ice cold soda at the end of a long sandy road is a super welcome relief😂😅🥤🍼🍻
https://image.nostr.build/3e48dace83892ef52a7cdb3254595336b79aa7c04443d687844d6ef38fddf42f.jpg

2024-06-15 19:01:45

I'm super proud of this dude!
@npub1g3a…0l3q just finished reading 'The Bitcoin Standard' by @npub1gdu…6nak
Bongani is a 15-year-old learner in Gr. 10 at Indwe Secondary School in Mossel Bay.
He's been with The Surfe Kids for several years, but when we opened Ekasi Center in 2022, he gravitated towards learning more about #Bitcoin   
Everyday, after school, Monday to Friday, he works as a teacher's assistant with our full-time teacher, @npub1lsg…mmvv, at Ekasi Center, helping her run daily Bitcoin Diploma classes, as part of the My First Bitcoin network.
Bongani started working his way through 'The Bitcoin Standard' in Oct 2023 and finished it this week, with the help of a volunteer tutor, @npub1a95…snzq. In Bongani's own words, "this was the longest book he's ever read", and he had to learn a lot of new vocabulary, which impressed his tutor. The feedback from Jason was very positive.
Jason and Bongani had weekly calls, where they would discuss the book, chapter by chapter, often breaking chapters up into sub sections.
Super appreciative of the effort by @npub1a95…snzq
This is an incredibly valuable contribution for which we're beyond grateful.
Jason and Bongani will continue their work together and I've been told that the next book in line is 'Why Buy Bitcoin' by Andy Edstrom.
I am optimistic about the future because of kids like Bongani.
🙏🏿🙌🏽🔥🌍✊🏽
https://image.nostr.build/5f8a7521218432695934ba491f1a0430d90275a9f16bb9da5dd2a7041e1f50f0.jpg

2024-06-14 17:56:49

First day of a three-day drive to neighboring Mozambique!
750km done. 1500km to go.
https://image.nostr.build/5ff9474980be1a177ebdade198138e2f7ab064dfd1abfd685c845e3a8f8904e6.jpg

2024-05-14 09:29:52

Posting this here first. Twitter can wait.
@npub13lj…cfhw is now represented in the township!
Been using the batch payment feature to pay weekly salaries for over two months, for all 16 staff. Loving it!
Thanks for making life easier and making #Bitcoin salary payments simplified!
🙏🏿🔥🧡🤩
https://video.nostr.build/8675ce9b9f5ec2241033c870ca747473adaa1aa447ebb9faba689b6c1da95443.mp4

2024-05-09 20:38:21

6 weeks later all major work on the skatebowl is done!!!
Only some finishing touches remain. We're planning an opening ceremony for mid-July.
If you can't make it, don't stress, the park will always be open to anyone with a Nostr npub. For everyone else, the entry fee will be payable in Bitcoin only.
All made possible thanks to a Bitcoin Discovery Grant from Block. Super grateful.
npub1sg6plzptd64u62a878hep2kev88swjh3tw00gjsfl8f237lmu63q0uf63m
🙏🏾🧡
#nevent1q…ashx
https://image.nostr.build/a6facd85d72f4512a60c31f0f3c70466050da362ca1a8ae80df567de64ff86fd.jpg

2024-05-09 08:18:01

Watch @npub1evl…d980 buy school snacks using @npub12vk…pugg the Social Bitcoin Wallet.
Lukhanghele works for our project, at The Surfer Kids HQ, as a Junior Surf Coach, and he earns a weekly salary, paid 100% in #Bitcoin.
He also rips!!!
Stoked to get more of the Ekasi team onto Nostr!
https://video.nostr.build/0e54011c615347d53a49294dd97d052cf6dba20000d285950661a4ed148ea674.mp4

2024-05-09 05:14:08

- reply

loving Nostr. and loving the Primal app.
not sure how they did it, but Primal managed to build into their wallet a way to buy sats with phone credit.
i posted a video of that, and the response from local south africans were incredible.
there's no other lightning wallet that does that. as far as i know.
and as far as south africa concerned, and wider africa perhaps, if nostr apps become easy gateways to acquire your first sats, that would be a game changer.
the tricky part is always exchanging fiat for your first sats. there's unavoidable friction with fiat exit points. because fiat is a system of gatekeepers. and it feels like we'll never get rid of that in the fiat world.
we can only circumvent it.
and perhaps, with Nostr, because it's frictionless to connect people, that can become the gateway to making your initial bitcoin acquisition frictionless.
so if I'm onboarding a person to Bitcoin, for the first time, I'm actually onboarding them to Nostr, because that's where they'll likely acquire their first sats.
not sure how this would work, but that's the feeling I'm left with after using primal to make the easiest Bitcoin purchase I've ever made.

2024-05-08 13:02:10

Buying #Bitcoin with phone credit (airtime) using the Primal app on Nostr 🤯
The easiest way of buying small amounts of sats that I've encountered. We need more lightning wallets that let you do this.
https://video.nostr.build/13fd6ccf3ae14b5db04018f15c3844e07af1c66cf9567aba04d5999963d3260a.mp4

2024-05-03 22:06:47

"There are teenagers in a South African township taking self-custody of their #Bitcoin. What's your excuse?"
Love it!!!
🧡🔥🙌🏽🤩
@npub1lr2…dl6a
https://youtu.be/9aKwrBMWmO4?si=0gB_j6gJWvfL6jva
https://image.nostr.build/958081ba662e9973a18984766b2ba5e95699edb3d215a922f64cfeb58176d106.jpg

2024-05-02 06:36:37

There being no untouchable heroes in Bitcoin is one of my favourite things about Bitcoin. Elevating a human being to a level that is not human, is perhaps the most dangerous thing we've ever done. Again, and again. And again.

2024-04-27 19:45:36

Post-halving #Bitcoin halving party!!!
https://m.primal.net/IAgK.jpg

2024-04-25 17:59:48

Just finished reading The Genesis Book by @npub1art…m0w5
I knew the gist of the history, but this book really put it all together in a fascinating way.
Personally, my take away is this:
It's clear that the people who built the foundations for Bitcoin understood one thing very well:
Bureaucrats would never accommodate / allow for the existence of what they wanted to build.
They knew that if they built it, and it worked, the bureaucrats would eventually come for them.
Now it's working.
And I think we'd do well to remember this, and remind new people of this insight that was so well understood by those early pioneers:
No amount pandering will suffice.
If what we want is freedom and decentralized money, we are fundamentally at odds with the most powerful people in the world.
They will not allow us to fit in, not for as long as the tool we have at our disposal has the ability the shift the balance of power.
https://image.nostr.build/793b2898adb2186cff77966d9f8e8fdea2d38d6cc1d3a19e52cdbaafe4b1846c.jpg

2024-04-09 18:03:19

SATS to GO! is a Bitcoin Ekasi initiated project, sparked by the experience of constant late arrivals.
It is an attempt to address this challenge and is spearheaded by our Project Coordinator, the incredibly talented @npub1fcp…ss9y!
SATS to GO! is building a platform for Punctuality Rewards, utilizing the #Bitcoin Lightning Network, from login via LNURL-Auth to receiving SATS via LNULR-Withdraw!
This is a lightning powered solution which can (for example) not only track employees' attendance at work, but also provide them with incentive to be punctual, rewarded in sats!
And there are many other use cases!
First conceptualized at the BTrust Hackathon, in partnership with the @npub1dtv…wc6t, SATS to GO! was born in late 2023.
Development is continuing, slowly, but steadily, and is being worked on, part-time, by a group of volunteer #African Lightning Network developers and Bitcoin Core Contributors, all of whom are BTrust cohorts who have chosen work on SATS to GO! as a way to build their own Proof-of-Work portfolio.
And, thanks to them, we have a (very) early working product!!! See the video below.
Incredibly grateful to the people behind BTrust.
@npub1sg6…f63m
🧡🙏
https://video.nostr.build/da6fe4318ee0cde2af0ae8fb8589352a0b566b8615befeae3b4757d01ee5fb57.mp4

2024-03-31 19:00:10

On average, I block about 3 scammer accounts on Twitter/X with every single post. I post. They comment. I block.
I know. It's pointless, they'll just keep coming, but I do it anyway.
And I suppose, eventually, that'll be an issue here too.
But for now, the serenity of coming here and not seeing posts about Bitcoin's pre-ordained bull run is pure bliss.

2024-03-29 10:12:08

- reply

We're making the concrete sweat!
https://image.nostr.build/08e8d02869d8b35cf9716e8297a7bb818b2bfc7d9493ad5360e1aa05e28adf73.jpg

2024-03-28 17:38:37

We're building a skate bowl!!! Pack your wheels, this is gonna be epic!
Enabled by a Blocks and CashApp #Bitcoin Discovery Grant!!
@npub1sg6…f63m
🧡🙏
https://image.nostr.build/41db80fdb0a839b6b77af24fd5daf41a21eba90e2299d145c48ff7489c02a9f2.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/85f4b2c49bb41ed02fc302304dddb1e9f3b1eb23013f978940e5d4e8bd861eda.jpg

2024-03-24 15:17:56

Thanks to everyone who zapped Avethandwa on Friday, he was super stoked!!!
All the #Bitcoin (23k sats) was paid to his wallet and your zaps amped him so much that he surfed his way into 2nd place in the u10 final!
https://image.nostr.build/05ff038d2f2fef3fec0b0b2a2e7962e763ee67de75d86aad4666d7fea55e5885.jpg

2024-03-12 10:54:18

Imagine being so delusional that you refuse cash payments, in a country where 75% of PoS payments by volume is cash based.
Never mind the bizarre rationalization of 'responsibility' and 'safety'... let's ignore that for a second.
One can sort of understand this in a first-world country where few people use cash anyway. This trend leads to dark places, but it's understandable that people just follow it.
But here? In this country. You really gotto be living in a rubber bubble to put up a sign like this.
https://image.nostr.build/b0cec99aca9b8edc104bc8fc49bda627e575ac780984c5f9cbb32b6d13159229.jpg

2024-03-06 06:28:15

I used to listen to this stuff religiously when I was a teenager. Never really knew why. Not cognitively anyway. All I knew was, I was pissed off at something.
20 years later, I'm re-discovering it. But with a very different attitude. Back then, it made we wanna obliterate myself with drugs and alcohol.
Turns out it's dangerous to go down that path without a solution in mind.
However, with a possible solution, the same energy can be channeled to great effect.
Because this same stuff is the ultimate energizer to get out there and do something about all this shit.
I even listen to this with my kids, driving to school every morning. And they love it!
(Though I do filter the songs with seriously explicit language)
https://image.nostr.build/b88fa4d56476f06bbff0827fa12aff9b7f036426378176cf9a38016868012ba8.jpg

2024-03-03 20:27:47

The world is changing and this is the most exciting time to be alive. We face serious problems in the world today. But the bigger the problem, the greater the opportunity to be a part of the solution. And I can't think of anything more exciting than that.

2024-03-03 11:28:33

Definitely my favourite #Bitcoin wallet! And proudly South African too!
@npub1hea…g9v2 Sparrow Wallet, super stoked with how this came out!
https://image.nostr.build/9309b42caf180c2661024d3a1456884b167f3f78e8c16265fcbfc3ae91fc21ff.jpg

2024-02-21 10:52:38

Good morning.
Hodl. Spend. And fucking replace.
And ignore Dan Yelled.

2024-02-14 12:57:39

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primal isn't working for me, maybe it's a firefox thing?

2024-02-14 12:09:16

Am I the only idiot who can't use Nostr on a desktop? On mobile Amethyst works well, but on a desktop, I just can't seem to figure it out.

2024-02-07 20:09:46

I never imagined we'd have 60 Bitcoiners from all over the world make the journey to visit our little project.
🤯💥🧡✊🏽🌍🙏🏾
I'm humbled.
Thank you for attending the Adopting Bitcoin Cape Town conference, and for making the effort to come see the #Bitcoin circular economy we're building.
https://image.nostr.build/0ac8c15d5515275f945ad2ab111b99e7b9f3d84811b09a4f65493530598f514e.jpg#m=image%2Fjpeg&dim=1920x686&blurhash=QbDv%3DyS%25jrWBaekCoJWXjuT%23bcV%40t6j%3FfkWBoLj%5B%25gs8aeWoWXjroeazWC&x=6442f1eaf7b51518743ce8561e27d8e951ef540d766009a9600c4166f46b174f

2024-01-09 13:57:48

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Yeah, sometimes up to 6-8 hours a day, rarely more than that, but it happens that it goes up to 12 hours a day. 2-4 hours is pretty normal, but overall it comes and goes. Some weeks there's no power cuts at all. Other weeks it can be hectic. People make a plan. Generally cell phone reception stays on. So if you have a decent powerbank for the phone, you can manage.

2024-01-09 13:26:44

At the upcoming @npub1p0x…deeh, we will consider a proposal and (potentially) help fund the establishment of a new #Bitcoin Circular Economy project in South Africa.
Something much like Bitcoin Beach and our own project, Bitcoin Ekasi.
However, it'll be different in that #Bitcoin AND #Nostr will serve as its foundational cornerstones.
If succesfull, the announcement will be made at the conference and soon after, on here.
Stay tuned.

2023-12-24 11:45:15

I'm beginning to think that Elon Musk is a sponsored, controlled and fake hero.
The rebels need a hero, someone who they think stands up for them, against the powerful.
But the powers that be cannot (and will not) allow a real hero to rise that high.
The 'attacks' on him and his resistance against it, all seem a little staged.
That alone is reason enough to spend less time on twitter, and more time here.

2023-11-07 16:22:56

Super stoked to announce that we've received a Block and CashApp #Bitcoin    Discovery Grant!!!
@npub1sg6…f63m
🧡🙏
So much to do, but first up, we'll be re-building the kids' skatepark!
🛹🤩
A task for which we've recruited Dallas Oberholzer, second from the right below.
👇👇
Dallas competed in Tokyo when skateboarding made its Olympic debut and he founded the Indigo Youth Movement, an organisation that uses skateboarding to keep children away from gangs and helps at-risk youth with social integration.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/05/dallas-oberholzer-the-46-year-old-olympic-skateboarder-that-fended-off-a-jaguar
Having built parks around the world and (some of the best) in #SouthAfrica, with Dallas' help we can create something special here.
To attract people with skating.. only to guide them down the #Bitcoin rabbit hole, or rabbit bowl.
Come for the skating. Stay for the revolution.
✊🌍
https://image.nostr.build/a942cee870235b4faff7c4f490650fabc9cd3d4cccbb8c39d7a68147ee978130.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/79d40cc16d16aabcb9c5c684b37036ffa6eaade756997251af8366711e12aea5.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/c09cd9204d46749e22cd0d2918c4c5eb2bd05bca8f584a92eafb606724d2d937.jpg

2023-11-02 06:26:59

Less than three months to go until @npub1p0x…deeh!!!
Really excited for this!
Our mission is to get large privately-run non-governmental organizations, that are building parallel institutions, to adopt #Bitcoin and get thousands of their members onboard too.
The Executive Directors / CEO's of three of the largest such organizations in the country, Sakeliga, AfriForum and the Institute For Race Relations, will be speaking at the conference, addressing the need for #Bitcoin adoption and hopefully learning. From you. From Bitcoiners. From all over the world.
Please join us.
Ticket are available here:
https://adoptingbitcoin.org/capetown-2024
And if you've got any questions, jump on the telegram group:
https://t.me/AB24CPT

2023-10-10 19:43:04

So happy, I almost jumped out of my chair yesterday when I figured out how to look at the raw data of a #Bitcoin UTXO and 'read', or decipher, the value of the transaction in sats.
And yes, I can confirm, it is denominated in sats.
https://image.nostr.build/48e34095842a14fafde8782ffe0fae76cbb81fa1677690cec8d39c40f1166ede.jpg

2023-10-05 05:49:22

People who use the words 'conspiracy theory', 'misinformation', 'disinformation', 'malinformation', etc., etc., to dismiss ideas they don't want to consider (because the implications are too scary to even contemplate) are going to find it increasingly difficult to make sense of this world.
I'm not religious, at least not in the traditional sense of the word, but I do think we're living in a sort of 'end-of-times' scenario, where great 'revelations' are imminent.
(Except the world doesn't end and there's a bright future ahead.)
Two things are blatantly obvious, if you pay any attention whatsoever:
1.
Potentially true information is being suppressed (in various ways by various people) if it does not serve the dominant narrative.
2.
But, eventually, truth always prevails.

2023-09-20 04:00:53

I'm stuck in a conundrum.
I refuse to believe in politicians. Too many have inspired hope, only to disappoint.
And then there's Bukele...

2023-09-07 11:11:17

I've been married for 13 years. We have two kids. Like all married couples with kids, we argue. Sometimes a lot. The trick is not to try and eliminate arguments, that'll never happen, but to get a better perspective as soon as possible. Identify the conflict-driven narratives we tell ourselves.
I share this because it was the first thing that came to mind this morning, as I tried to contextualize the difference between Nostr and Twitter while following two different conversations on the two (very) different platforms.
I've never had a large following on any social media. Not until Bitcoin Ekasi. The Twitter profile there has 16k+ followers, not massive, but by far the largest following I've ever had on any social media.
And what I've noticed is that I get disproportionately 'rewarded' with likes, comments and engagements for writing polarizing and potentially conflict-creating tweets.
Yes, other tweets also do well, but the ones that generate arguments do better.
The difference, I feel, between Twitter and Nostr is like the difference between two moments in a typical marriage.
In one moment you're fighting with your partner, driven more and more, as the conflict escalates, by your own selfish desire to be right. In the next moment (or many moments later) you realise which part of the argument was driven by that desire for conquest and which part (more often than not the smaller part) was driven by actual differences.
Maybe I'm wrong, but when I read comments on Nostr, it just feels like there's more clarity in the conversation, compared to Twitter.
Of course, this description risks being a gross overgeneralization, but it describes the feeling I was left with after two very different interactions.

2023-09-06 18:32:05

This is where we're building a circular Bitcoin economy. The townships outside Mossel Bay.
Does #Bitcoin belong here?
I recognize that Bitcoin is not for everyone.
It is for anyone. Anyone can choose to adopt it. But it is a choice some will inevitably choose not to make.
Does it belong where the unemployment rate is sky high, 40 - 60%, where people live without basics like running water and where you wouldn't expect people to be interested in (or capable of) saving?
It is a question we intend to answer with practical experience. Boots on the ground and in the mud.
And, so far, after two years of running this experiment, it's clear that there's a need for something that gives anyone that choice.
That's the beauty, anyone can make that choice. There's never been anything else quite like it.
https://image.nostr.build/201ad1de343865ef20ddc22b0965da20633f91e0f8bc9aacb87e35aa17237bb3.jpg

2023-08-23 15:41:31

Hi, @npub10vu…8djm
It's been two years since you made that first Bitcoin purchase in the township.
https://cdn.nostr.build/i/63cfffb85ce646567a45292586d1c0602ad16d0c8bbafc7b1ca751fd9b5eac2b.jpg

2023-08-19 07:04:57

I try not to repost stuff here that I already posted on Twitter / X, but this is too cool not share.
There's one thing that excites me more than anything with this project, and that's when people start saving in #Bitcoin, as a way to change their own future.
Sizwe is the owner of the GlobalBTCFest shack that we painted in January. Like all of the other painted-shack owners he receives R60 (~$3.50) in sats/week.
This is one way to get small amounts of #Bitcoin into the hands of the community without just handing it out randomly, but paying it in exchange for something. To encourage the circular economy.
Most spend their sats at the township shops we onboarded. But not Sizwe.
Sizwe saved all his sats. And over the course of 33 weeks (with weekly payments of 10k - 12k sats) he's saved over 350k sats, ~ $100 in Bitcoin, which @npub10vu…8djm moved into a self-custody wallet for him his week.
If you'd like to help encourage Sizwe to keep going, to keep saving, you can send him some sats here:
rumpledfang28@walletofsatoshi.com
Plus, all zaps received in response to this post will be sent to Sizwe.
https://cdn.nostr.build/i/7d2fcef52715480d40c9cdda936a3d5690e5cd95f38f407772f67182e93fd9b1.jpg

2023-08-14 06:32:31

I'm at the shop and my wife sent me a list. Near the bottom: "newspapers, for washing windows"
Think about it.
People used to buy newspapers to read, then kept it and used the old papers to wash windows. But we're just buying paper to wash windows, because it's cheap paper. And if we're doing it, there's probably other people doing the same thing.
Whatever is printed on it is almost irrelevant. It's just the cheapest paper we can at the local store.
Media is changing. And I don't know how or why, but it definitely feels like Nostr is where it's headed.

2023-08-12 21:28:43

Nostr. It's done! Will post video soon.
https://cdn.nostr.build/i/4486b595e974ea18d0e40cb444b7404e3358b74f8162e968bb9890a1920f98ab.jpg

2023-08-04 19:07:28

Prepping the surface for Nostr logo to be painted.
https://cdn.nostr.build/i/eb73db1a384c4bedc6688b3f3bf59fc2be1bb9c8c26252688da91e08f5999da0.jpg

2023-08-02 10:10:23

- reply

Nope, first time ever visiting the states.

2023-07-30 17:23:18

Elon Musk is a central point of failure.

2023-07-28 10:31:15

We've had a lot of fun painting shacks in the township to represent different projects/companies that have helped us on our journey, and whose projects we'd like to support in return.
Ultimately to promote and advance the adoption of #Bitcoin.
Next up, we'd like to paint something to promote Nostr. A decentralised and uncensorable communication platform is equally important. Which is why we're here, using it.
We're looking for a suitable location to paint Nostr.
In the meantime, what's the best graphic to use?
https://cdn.nostr.build/i/a7c1693d7c5ef02168aa50f5a9505f27af44df9c1bd5847c9993599b1c23e8f9.jpg

2023-07-28 09:58:22

🌍 ANNOUNCEMENT: Adopting Bitcoin Conference CAPE TOWN 2024! 🚀
#Bitcoin    Adoption, Self-Sovereignty, and Parallel Institutions.
Join us for an exciting event in the breathtaking city of Cape Town, South Africa, to explore the unique overlap between Bitcoin and the Parallel Institutions currently being built and deployed here.
Local and international speakers will discuss the latest in Bitcoin development, within the context of real-world parallel economies and institutions.
South Africa is entering a vacuum, created by the withdrawal of a corrupt state, and the failure of crucial infrastructure. Simultaneously we're seeing an ever-increasing adoption of Bitcoin.
If you're curious to learn how Bitcoin fits into the process of reshaping financial systems, and how it fits into taking responsibility and uplifting communities where centralized state power structures have failed, then this is a conference you will not want to miss.
📅 Date: January 26th to 28th, 2024
🌞 Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa
🔥Join us. Embrace Bitcoin Adoption, become Self-Sovereign, and build Parallel Institutions! 🔐
⚡️ Lightning Revolution: Unleashing the Power of the Second Layer!⚡️
We'll also immerse ourselves in the Lightning Network, the transformative second layer of Bitcoin and learn from leading experts how Lightning paves the way for instant transactions, micro-payments, and scalable solutions, propelling us towards a more inclusive and efficient financial future.
🎯 Key Highlights of the Cape Town Bitcoin Conference 2024:
✅ Talks by renowned Bitcoin advocates, builders and industry experts, both local and international.
✅ Fascinating discussions by pioneers building Parallel Institutions, stepping in with solutions where the state has failed.
✅ Engaging panels, discussing Bitcoin adoption and self-sovereignty.
✅ Hands-on workshops & unique satellite events
✅ A showcase of real-world projects and solutions revolutionizing the Bitcoin ecosystem and the wider society.
🌍 Cape Town: Where two oceans meet. And where Bitcoin builders meet counterparts building alternatives to a failing state.
Don't miss this incredible opportunity to experience something unique. The failure of the South African state, and the solutions being built in response, is a lens into the future.
🎟 Secure Your Spot Today! 🎟
adoptingbitcoin.org/capetown-2024/
Follow us on social media.
@npub1ad0…ng2c
@npub1zkr…k6ec
@npub1nv4…x0gr
Join us at the Adopting Bitcoin Conference 2024 in Cape Town — an event that will reshape your perspective on the overlap between Bitcoin and existing Parallel Institutions.
See you in sunny #CapeTown, #SouthAfrica!
And bring an extra power bank for your phone.
Eskom SA is like Bitcoin. Its output is halved approximately every four years.
#ab24cpt
This is a not-for-profit event.
All proceeds exceeding production costs will be entirely donated to local Bitcoin communities, developers and educators on the African continent, with a special focus on assisting and bootstrapping grass-roots Bitcoin movements.
medium.com/@AdoptingBTC/a…
https://cdn.nostr.build/i/29b97fe0a82484183b313651a20893d29774800263fd8f28ac47491008c47595.jpg

2023-07-27 12:35:51

After listening to @npub1qny…95gx I'm committed to start posting more here on Nostr.
And to not just repeat what I already posted on X / Twitter, but to post original stuff here and build an organic audience, same as we first did on Twitter.
I can't build this stuff. But I can contribute by using it and help more people get into it.
Twitter belongs to Worldcoin now. Bitcoin is here.

2023-07-03 06:27:47

The whole point of growing up is learning to distinguish true information from false information. Bureaucracies miss that point. We don't make a better world by removing false information on behalf of people, but by cultivating a responsible citizenry that can do that for themselves.

2023-03-02 06:31:12

- reply

I pay my accountant in Bitcoin.

2023-03-02 06:30:43

Bitcoin will be used in South Africa, en masse, by ordinary people to opt out of paying taxes. Those people who cannot afford to emigrate, but who still earn enough to be a milking cow for the state. This will happen here, before it happens in most other countries. Because South Africa has a tiny tax base paying astronomically high taxes to fund a large welfare state. Less than 10% of the population pay more than 90% of all income tax while approximately 50% of the population receive some form of social income grant. And the government here collects more from income tax than any other form of tax. Yet those people who pay up, receive almost nothing in return. Public infrastructure is basically non-existent or dysfunctional. People have been asking themselves for years, what exactly am I paying for? And everyone, even the most law abiding of them all, have a breaking point. Government debt is already higher than it's ever been before. And the tax base is shrinking faster than ever before. High income earners are leaving. It's only a matter of time until the government resorts to taking more from tax payers and resorts to more extreme forms of asset confiscation. Expropriation without compensation is already a thing. And it's only a matter of time until ordinary people decide to opt out of a completely broken system. KYC free Bitcoin being an obvious candidate. FYI, I have never, and will never, reccomend anyone to evade paying the tax they legally owe. And always consult a professional before doing anything.

2023-02-28 07:18:17

Howzit!! It's easier to get on here than I had imagined. Assuming i did everything right.😂
If not, I guess I'm writing a pointless note to myself.