Bitcoin: Not So Decentralized

So, what’s new?  There’s a CONCESSIONAIRE CLASS at work here as in any financial construct.

From the New York Times:

How ‘Trustless’ is Bitcoin, Really?

The piece concludes with this:

“You have to be careful . . .  When you are encrypting private data and making it public, you cannot assume that it’ll be private forever.”

THERE ARE LEAKS TO EVERYTHING AND OFTEN TO SOME INSIDER’S ADVANTAGE.

Black Sea Grain Corridor

From Zero Hedge via Turkish media source, Daily Sabah:

Russian government plans to allow ships carrying grain supplies to leave the port of Odessa in Ukraine, according to a report, easing a blockade that has triggered fears of widespread shortages and hunger.

The Russian leadership has agreed with Kyiv and Ankara on a scheme to release grain shipments from Odessa, which has been subject to a blockade, the pro-government Izvestia reported, citing government circles.

“In the territorial waters of the neighboring country, Turkish military forces will take over the demining and they will also escort the ships as far as neutral waters,” Monday’s report said.

Russian warships would then escort the vessels carrying grain to the Bosporus.

And this:

So, as BRUTAL as this war is, it’s LESS THAN TOTAL.

Israel’s Iron Beam Laser

They’re claiming it’s a GAME CHANGER.

We’ll see.

Alderman Nails Lori Lightfoot

Yes, it’s ONE-SIDED-FOX, but the guy IS a Democrat and he’s talking COMPLETE SENSE.

Chicago Democrat Excoriates Lori Lightfoot

This woman is a disaster, and her personal behavior — a) accusing Lopez, her antagonist here, of being FULL OF SHIT when he demanded accountability at a Council meeting and b) refusing WHITE reporters access at a press briefing — tells you all you need to know about her character.

As for Lopez, he’s, as I said, a DEMOCRAT.  Not a democratic socialist or social democrat or progressive or BLM/Antifa sympathizer but a BREAD AND BUTTER DEMOCRAT.

Whereas Lightfoot — race provocateur that she is — is the LIVING EMBODIMENT of IDENTITY POLITICS.

And look what Chicago looks like today.  Luckily, in New York, we’ve elected ERIC ADAMS, an ex-cop, who actually knows WHAT THE REAL ISSUES ARE.

Putin’s Recent Speech Bareboned by Zero Hedge

Take these comments of his as you will, but this is what he said boiled down from the original via Reuters.

As for me, I’ve no reaction other than that what we’re seeing is — as in all wars — the WORST AND BEST of humanity.

When have we not had war?  And when has each side not believed in the NECESSITY of its cause?

Other than the CAPS, all emphases in what follows are mine.

  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS WE SEE ATTEMPTS TO BLAME RUSSIA FOR PROBLEMS ON GLOBAL FOOD MARKET
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS U.S. DECISION TO PRINT MONEY LED TO INCREASE IN GLOBAL FOOD PRICES
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS UNFAVOURABLE SITUATION ON GLOBAL FOOD MARKET IS LINKED TO SHORT-SIGHTED POLICY OF EUROPE IN ENERGY
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS EUROPE HAS EXAGGERATED SIGNIFICANCE OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS AT THE SAME TIME THEY DIMINISHED SIGNIFICANCE OF HYDROCARBONS
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES DID NOT KEEP LONG-TERM CONTRACTS FOR SHIPMENTS OF RUSSIAN NATURAL GAS
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS INCREASED FERTILISER PRICES HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA’S MILITARY OPERATION IN UKRAINE
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS OUR PARTNERS MADE LOT OF MISTAKES AND ARE NOW LOOKING FOR SCAPEGOAT
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS SITUATION WILL WORSEN DUE TO SANCTIONS ON OUR FERTILISERS
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS REPORTS THAT RUSSIA DOES NOT ALLOW GRAIN EXPORTS FROM UKRAINIAN PORTS ARE “A BLUFF”
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS OUR ESTIMATES SHOW THAT UKRAINE COULD EXPORT 5 MLN T OF WHEAT AND 7 MLN TONNES OF CORN
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA WILL INCREASE ITS GRAIN EXPORT TO 50 MLN T
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS WE ARE NOT BLOCKING EXPORTS OF GRAIN FROM UKRAINE
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS UKRAINE CAN EXPORT GRAIN FROM PORTS IT CONTROLS, SUCH AS ODESA
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS WE ARE READY TO GUARANTEE EXPORTS FROM PORTS IN AZOV SEA
  • RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS GRAIN FROM UKRAINE COULD BE EXPORTED VIA ROMANIA AND POLAND

What does any of this mean?  Is it true or false?  And if (mainly) the latter, is it propaganda strategically composed for DIFFERENT AUDIENCES?

It’s WAR TIME, right?  TRUTH DIES FIRST.

Still, what we have here are STRAIGHTFORWARD CLAIMS.

We’ll see or not if they WASH.