qasarmstrong
Qas Armstrong

https://www.hardmoneysoftmoney.com

Senior Penetration Tester | Physics | Bitcoin | Doctor Who

Public Key

npub18w8v9x97hk7fawx46xp7tjxxeng3g3gdlkfdut94daa0j96mhaasntdcc7

NIP-05 Address

qas@nostrplebs.com

NIP-57 Address

qasarmstrong@strike.me

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsrhrkznzltm0y7hr2arql9errve5g5g5xlmyk79j6k77hezadm77cpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduq3vamnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwwpexjmtpdshxuet5xt39rk

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

relay.primal.net

relay.nostr.band

Author Public Key

npub18w8v9x97hk7fawx46xp7tjxxeng3g3gdlkfdut94daa0j96mhaasntdcc7

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Last Notes

2024-11-16 14:38:35

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Yeh I feel the same way when I have to do this. Although, I have to lie so that I can store as much of my income into bitcoin as possible. Crazy that I can freely gamble 100% of my money but can’t put 10% of my annual income into Bitcoin 🙈

2024-10-31 13:23:15

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Welcome to Nostr!

2024-10-19 20:10:31

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Completely agree, left alone I believe people have a tendency to get along and work together for the good of their community.

2024-10-19 15:54:12

I had to read it to believe it. The absolute balls on them to spout this when their money printing has led to the finalisation of every commodity and asset at the detriment of the working and middle classes. Fuck the ECB and keep building the new system!
#note1whj…u980
https://m.primal.net/LbEv.png

2024-10-16 20:32:56

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Funnily enough I’ve got an order of tallow moisturiser and soap coming tomorrow from a local farm. I’ve struggled with eczema for years so hoping it makes a difference because the creams I’ve been prescribed most of my life certainly haven’t!

2024-10-16 16:54:19

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Agreed, SOC is for the more mature players which is why I’m hesitant to even offer that tbh. Consultancy and pen testing aren’t IMHO and can apply to more or less any project generally.
For the past couple years, I’ve been voluntarily testing a ton of projects/businesses (more in the Bitcoin space) and discreetly reaching out to them when I’ve found issues/vulnerabilities/logical failings. They’ve been responsive but whether there’s appetite to actually enlist people to do this professionally/regularly I’m unsure due to many of them being startups. That’s another reason why I want to enter the space because it’s so fucking expensive to get a basic security test.
You raise a good point regarding open POW. As I’ve always worked behind NDAs on projects (mainly to protect them), working open source hasn’t come second nature to me. But I definitely need to broaden my horizons more so will check out the above feature request! Cheers for being a sounding board too 😊

2024-10-16 16:24:31

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Penetration testing (Web, Mobile, API, External, Internal although albeit that’s becoming less common, Cloud Sec reviews, and so on). Consultancy (particularly in support of secure SDLCs). Governance support to help attain certifications for things like ISO, SOC 2, etc.
I think I’d leave things like SOC monitoring unless there was proper demand for it and I had the resources to do it properly 😊

2024-10-16 16:08:43

Instead of working in the fiat system, I want to migrate my time and skills into the systems that I want to come out on top. I’ve been toying with the idea of starting a cyber security company that exclusively worked with and supported people or businesses working on Bitcoin and/or Nostr. Ideally, all payments would be made in BTC/sats. Is there any appetite for this? Or if you felt that you needed cyber security services, would you only be interested in the big names like Crowdstrike or Darktrace? #asknostr

2024-10-15 13:30:35

This is by far one of the best podcast episodes I’ve listened to in a long, long time. @npub1cn4…3vle knocks it out of the park with this one!
https://www.tetragrammaton.com/content/jack-mallers

2024-10-12 19:28:23

Such a great message and one that seems lost nowadays. Focus on family, working at something you love and stacking sats.
#note1wr3…r3n3

2024-10-11 10:17:17

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Story of my life. Every time that I’ve felt that I can walk on water, life has humbled me big time!

2024-10-11 10:16:02

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I think both videos are very strong. They’re light-touch and focus on what’s important to business owners - the potential to increase revenue and access an emerging customer base for no cost. IMO the case studies also lend a lot of credibility to your points.
The only tiny thing I can think of that could be helpful is touching on who these UK Bitcoiners are and what are the demographics that make up this customer base. That may help businesses weigh up if their offering is aligned to parts of this new customer base and stave off the idea that Bitcoiners are ‘crypto degens’. I’m not sure about the exact demographic data out there but from my personal experience a lot of young families, entrepreneurs, tradespeople, and generally people from a wide range of age groups and backgrounds are Bitcoiners in the UK.

2024-10-10 21:16:22

This isn’t good at all and probably one of the most significant developments of the year. This archive holds the history of the internet. Without it, that history can change to suit any agenda or narrative. With the way things are going, centralised entities are going to be targeted hard over the next few years. Decentralised protocols are the only option for all 8 billion on the planet to uphold truth and freedom. Just my 2 sats. #note19rw…k7tp

2024-10-10 15:39:41

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Congrats on the great feedback so far. Out of curiosity, do you reckon you’ll look to expand to delivering outside of the US at some point?

2024-10-10 15:32:55

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You too!

2024-10-10 06:05:54

GM Nostr from the UK 🇬🇧

2024-10-09 20:15:58

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Yeh just cold water! I feel like if I start off warm, I struggle to mentally psyche myself up to go cold then. So I just suffer with cold from the start haha!

2024-10-09 19:46:05

I’ve recently started having cold showers and feel so much more energetic as a result. I’ve noticed that my skin and hair seem a lot better too. It’s still a mental challenge each time but the sense of achievement I feel afterwards makes it worth it. #coldshowers #coldstr

2024-10-08 19:30:59

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Nice, I’ll definitely give this a read! Out of curiosity, how did you find launching the newsletter on Nostr?

2024-10-08 19:12:04

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Welcome to Nostr!

2024-10-06 06:08:16

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One of us, one of us!

2024-10-04 21:08:41

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Insane that if you want to have private conversations with people, you’re now automatically categorised as “far right”.

2024-10-04 06:47:59

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So true, love is definitely the answer. If we focused more on what unites us as opposed to what divides us then I believe we’d all be way better off

2024-10-03 20:57:03

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Yep! As Jeff Booth says, it’s hard for people to imagine a new system through the lens of an existing system. Unfortunately, that means we have a habit of sticking to the things we know even though everyone knows it’s broken.

2024-10-02 20:20:08

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Mind blown!

2024-10-01 20:54:13

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Love doing this. It reminds me how small we really are on this planet.

2024-09-26 06:10:27

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This is definitely me at family events!

2024-09-25 20:25:39

Goodbye X. Hello Nostr.
#nostronly
https://m.primal.net/LCFP.jpg

2024-09-23 16:34:41

Walking around Cardiff today, I actually came across a student-led pro-Communist parade/protest. It still blows my mind that after the last century, people still cling to the most vile and extreme ideologies of both sides of the spectrum.

2024-09-22 11:49:02

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When I see factual errors and bias in BBC reporting on things I know about, it definitely makes me wonder about the accuracy of their journalism on topics I’m not as familiar with. Unfortunately, there’s no opportunity cost for them to change their ways as we have to pay our TV licenses to fund them regardless. All we can hope for is that when we publicly challenge them about spreading misinformation, open-minded members of the public come across it and decide to form their opinions from sources other than the BBC.

2024-09-21 11:24:25

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Nice! I’ve never had Auracana eggs before, any good?

2024-09-18 15:53:25

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Wow, I honestly didn’t know this was a thing until I saw the comment section! Does your hair feel greasier since you’ve made the switch? Or does that level out after X number of days?

2024-09-17 09:51:17

Whether you like Elon or not, he is just one man. A man can be imprisoned or silenced whereas protocols cannot. Therefore, protocols always win in the end.
#note18uc…8dvz

2024-09-14 19:20:41

It’s been 6 months since I became a father and it’s honestly been the most fulfilling, happiest time of my entire life. #dadstr #nostr

2024-09-13 20:27:24

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Hell yes! This is the banking infrastructure I want to see my kids grow up with.

2024-09-01 13:43:14

For my fellow British nostriches out there, does anyone know whether direct debit payments for bills, utilities, etc can be taken from your @npub1ex7…vyt9 account in the UK? They create a bank account for you so wondering whether it can be used as a primary bank account or not. #uk #bitcoin #asknostr

2024-08-30 18:40:57

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Wise words!

2024-08-30 10:48:36

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Thanks for letting me know, I’ll give him a follow now!!

2024-08-29 11:04:47

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Yeh if you could, I’d recommend it 😊

2024-08-29 11:04:00

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And there’s gift cards for basically everything you need in fairness!

2024-08-29 11:03:44

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Yeh I had no idea either. I was trying out the Strike app after it launched in the UK and within it, it allows you purchase gift cards via Bitrefill. Then I had a eureka moment that I could convert most of my payslips into Bitcoin each month and then when I needed to buy something, pay for gift cards in Bitrefill or Coincards using Lightning. The gift cards are emailed to you and you just use them in-store or online then 😊

2024-08-29 10:57:01

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It’s in the Mumbles, just west of Swansea 😊 one of the best coffees I’ve ever had in fairness!

2024-08-29 10:56:24

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Yeh I had no idea it did! I was staying in the Mumbles for the past week and spotted the Bitcoin sticker in their doorway so had I to try it out. Always love supporting businesses that accept bitcoin payments!

2024-08-29 10:54:38

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I’m probably slightly biased because I’m Welsh but I love Cardiff too. This place was called Mumbles Coffee and is in the Mumbles, just west of Swansea. It’s a lovely seaside area in fairness!

2024-08-29 07:26:35

After making the decision to go on a Bitcoin standard, I’ve relied a lot on @npub1m7r…ny2w & @npub1l49…62g8.
However, today I came across a lovely coffee shop in South Wales that accepts Bitcoin payments. Adoption in the UK is low but it’s great to start seeing small businesses getting onboard. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇬🇧
#uk #bitcoin
https://m.primal.net/KTGn.jpg
https://m.primal.net/KTGq.jpg

2024-08-20 09:22:35

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Yep. It’s your risk when you invest but their profit if your investment grows.

2024-08-19 15:30:53

Initially I struggled to kick the habit of scrolling on #X because I was still programmed to need the algorithm-driven dopamine hit. It took a month or so but after using #nostr more and more, I rarely feel any desire to look on #twitter or another social media platform. I feel less angry, more hopeful and more like I’ve connected with real people.

2024-08-19 15:21:42

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This basically sums up the UK right now.

2024-08-18 17:45:55

I’m not sure what it looks like to the outside world but from within the UK, it’s terrifying how wide sweeping the measures are to clamp down on freedom of speech and thought. What’s most shocking is the amount of people that are just going along with it. Conversation and dialogue are one of the most powerful tools in bringing people together and resolving differences. That’s impossible if you’re not allowed to openly speak what you think. In time, I think that a lot of people in the UK will turn to #nostr so that they can honestly express themselves.
#uk #freedomofspeech #plebchain

2024-08-17 18:45:09

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From somebody that did enlist, personally I wouldn’t recommend it. Contrary to what I thought at the time, every conflict I served in made that region worse, not better.

2024-08-16 07:09:58

GM #nostr from the UK

2024-08-16 07:09:18

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That’s absolutely incredible and thanks for sharing your story. I have persistent psoriasis and have just started carnivore this week 🤞

2024-08-13 16:07:36

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Haha I did this last year and have not regretted it one bit. I had a lot of hesitancy before I pulled the trigger but trusted my gut in the end. You just have to ask yourself what are the odds of the debt depreciating over time and then compare that to the odds of bitcoin appreciating within the same window.

2024-08-12 15:43:54

This is so true. I’ve always thought it’d be a cool idea to build an anonymous job board on top of nostr.
No KYC.
P2P payments.
Globally accessible.
Anonymous.
You build your reputation through reviews attributed to your npub.
You pay a small fee to the paid relay to post job postings.
Simple.
#asknostr - does anybody else think this is a worthwhile venture? Or completely unnecessary?
#note1gxz…s7zr

2024-08-09 11:19:05

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There’s even talk of bringing CGT in line with current income tax rates. Could mean some people would have to pay like 40% tax when they sell which is insane.

2024-08-08 21:31:47

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It does feel like it right now. I’ve tried to stay away from the news and X the past week to avoid constantly listening to the extremes of both sides.

2024-08-08 16:22:36

Living in the UK right now, all anybody seems to be talking about is the widespread rioting. Both sides tearing down their own communities, not realising that the public damage they’re causing results in more of the taxation and theft that caused all of this division in the first place.
To escape this media storm, I listened to @npub1s05…eyhe on @npub1gdu…6nak's podcast today and also caught up with @npub1uq7…u0c2's launch. I felt an overwhelming sense of hope. Through all of the noise, there are still people building life-changing value and freedom tools for all - and that’s beautiful.

2024-08-08 16:06:34

I felt such a sense of positivity and hope for the future watching this stream. @npub1uq7…u0c2 is going to do so much good for billions of unbanked people around the world.
#note1a2h…0eah

2024-08-06 11:07:02

Thanks to @npub1ex7…vyt9, today marks the first day that my wife has ever used #Bitcoin to pay for our weekly food shop. Very proud!

2024-08-01 13:54:55

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🤣 this is brilliant!

2024-08-01 13:25:27

Lower rates means more borrowing. More borrowing means more money created. More money created means higher inflation inbound 🚀
#boe #bankofengland #interestrates
https://m.primal.net/JlEM.jpg

2024-07-24 12:43:43

Finally got ‘Broken Money’ by the brilliant @npub1a2c…w83a for my birthday. Can’t wait to read!
https://m.primal.net/Jchd.jpg

2024-07-13 08:31:08

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Yeh it blows my mind how many cool things are being built at the moment!

2024-07-13 08:28:12

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Thanks for sharing these, they do a good job of explaining the premise of shared UTXOs which I didn’t understand before!

2024-06-28 15:38:12

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Couldn’t agree more. People have to work harder and harder year on year to afford the same things and simply survive, sacrificing precious time with family and friends. It’s crazy to think that if all of our productivity gains weren’t being stolen from us, how much more fulfilling lives we could all lead.

2024-06-25 17:16:48

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Congrats! I’ll be using a combination of @npub1ex7…vyt9 UK and your integration with Bitrefill to go bitcoin-only!!

2024-06-24 18:36:41

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That’s great to hear, thanks for sharing! This might be the perfect way for me to live more on the bitcoin standard.

2024-06-24 06:18:39

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Haha I’m only now realising that your first comment was a joke 🤣

2024-06-23 18:09:10

I’m looking to live more off #bitcoin as opposed to fiat (I.e. mainly earn and spend in BTC). Has anyone used Bitrefill? And if so, what did you think? I came across it in the Strike app and in theory it sounds like it solves most of my problems! #bitrefill

2024-06-22 10:30:09

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Nice one, build the world you want to see!

2024-06-21 18:03:25

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Huge congratulations, well deserved!

2024-06-21 14:29:22

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It definitely sounds less dodgy! Although, I’ve found people do sometimes read that as I test out pens for a living 🤣

2024-06-21 12:48:51

I’m blown away by the support from the #nostr community the past day or so! We’re all here for freedom and a better future!

2024-06-21 12:06:33

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In my day-to-day work, it’s such a common job title that I completely forget that to many people it sounds pretty creepy!

2024-06-20 19:48:42

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Yeh it’s a pretty dodgy sounding job title in fairness 🤣

2024-06-20 19:46:43

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❤️

2024-06-20 19:41:49

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In fairness, it generally depends on what I’m testing! That’s what I like really, every day can be completely different but always starts out by finding out how I can communicate with whatever I’m testing plus how it works and then make a plan from there 😊 I use Burp Suite a heck of a lot day-to-day though, simple but does the job!

2024-06-20 17:30:49

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This is definitely me 🤣

2024-06-20 17:25:43

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This is incredible. The stuff being built on top of Lightning and Nostr is insane!

2024-06-19 16:11:22

This! If you know the existing system is insolvent, rather than waste your energy screaming at it and making it stronger, focus your time and energy on building the lifeboats (#Bitcoin ecosystem) for when it inevitably crumbles.
#note1kl3…2ylv

2024-06-19 15:32:50

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LFG!

2024-06-19 15:27:55

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This is X is a nutshell 🤣

2024-06-19 15:22:02

Adopt a money that doesn't need to be invested and just save it. #Bitcoin

2024-06-18 22:04:40

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It certainly feels like this in the UK at the moment. Funnily enough, all parties seem to forget to disclose that all of their pledges result in higher taxes, more inflation and more borrowing from the future

2024-06-18 21:59:15

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Every day haha. I wouldn’t swap being a father and husband for the world but balancing it with life, health, day job and trying to work towards financial independence whilst doing well at all of them can be pretty relentless in fairness! Family makes it work it though

2024-06-18 15:56:27

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Hey Daniel, you may be in touch with some Bitcoin startups and early founders who may have relatively little funding to allocate to security. Therefore, if anybody on your programs requires any cyber security advice or testing then feel free to send them my way. I’m an experienced penetration tester/cyber security consultant and would do this voluntarily to help smaller/younger entrepreneurs get off the ground, if they needed.

2024-06-17 21:16:08

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Yep, it’s inevitable. Infinite returns are far more likely than diminishing returns when comparing BTC to fiat.

2024-06-17 15:29:37

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Agreed! The solution is really difficult to understand until you grasp what the problems are first.

2024-06-17 15:20:55

#Bitcoin is hope. #nostr is truth.

2024-06-16 19:05:45

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Speaking from somebody that fell for this type of propaganda and served in Afghanistan, war leads to more war, hatred and loss of innocent lives. I joined under a misguided belief I was doing good in the world but now I’d advise any child (including my own) to focus on building towards a free and peaceful society. Killing each other isn’t the answer, the sooner we realise that the better.

2024-06-14 21:19:05

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Yeh I love that about #nostr. You only grow your network by having meaningful conversations and chatting to people, not from closed-source algorithms that push certain narratives for clicks.

2024-06-14 21:16:48

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I did not know that! It gives a glimpse into how all of these decentralised protocols can be used together for both free speech and financial freedom.

2024-06-13 16:06:45

Hey #nostr, I’m an experienced penetration tester/cyber security consultant who wants to voluntarily help out #nostr or #Bitcoin projects. If you need security testing to make sure what you’ve built is secure or want security advice throughout development then I’m your man. I’m always happy to sanity check designs/concepts at earlier stages too. If you or someone you know is building then DM me or kindly re-post so that someone who is building sees! I want a future for my family where financial freedom and freedom of speech prevail so this is my way of contributing. LFG!

2024-06-10 15:30:38

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That’s amazing, thank you for sharing those resources!

2024-06-10 15:29:54

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Definitely. Everybody seems a lot more authentic and positive on here compared to other platforms

2024-06-10 15:28:43

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Thank you! Glad to be here

2024-06-10 12:38:51

Hey #introductions, I’m not brand new to #nostr but never got round to doing this. Looking forward to connecting with fellow plebs on here!
I’m also really passionate about volunteering my cyber security/pen testing skills to Nostr and #Bitcoin projects (big or small) to do my bit. So if anyone’s building and needs support, advice or security testing then hit me up!

2024-06-09 16:40:11

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Best wishes to the family, hope he has a great day! I’ve just become a dad and it’s completely transformed my life. Cannot wait to see what kind of man my little boy grows into but also scary to know he won’t be my little boy forever!

2024-06-08 22:12:42

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My background is penetration testing so if you ever needed a volunteer to help support from a cyber security perspective (advice, security testing, etc) then just let me know! Always happy to support new solutions in the Bitcoin space as they’re being built out

2024-06-08 18:35:34

Love this. You are what you focus your energy on. I’ve now started to focus a lot of my time on family, #nostr and #bitcoin (rather than being bogged down by all the wrong in the world) and I feel way better for it. #note15m8…zhwm