The unimportant news thread

[Spotted Horses]

Interesting thoughts and info.  So if you use bitcoin to buy something, there's an account of it?  As in like a credit card?

Some time ago, I remember reading an account of someone (a male in maybe his thirties...maybe American?) having lost the passcode to his wallet (think that it went into a landfill?)..ah, found it.  James Howells offering a reward to recover his hard drive.  From the UK.  https://www.businessinsider.com/james-howells-threw-away-bitcoin-dump-masterplan-get-back-2022-7?op=1

PD

In general terms it works like this. A bitcoin is an encrypted data packet that can only be accessed with a passcode. There is an open-source bitcoin server that anyone can run on a computer connected to the internet. If you want to make a bitcoin transaction you use some client software that sends a message, something like "user xxxx with password yyyy wants to transfer bitcoin zzzz with passcode aaaa to user bbbb. Then one of the bitcoin servers takes this message, validates the user and passcode, confirms that user xxxx owns bitcoin zzzz with valid passcode aaaa and that bbbb is a valid user. Then it enters the transaction in its ledger and the bitcoin has a new owner. It shares this with all of the other bitcoin servers, that maintain identical ledgers. When enough transactions have been accumulated they are packed into a "block" and added to the "blockchain," the exhaustive ledger. Each block contains the hashcode of the previous block. That way you can't alter a block to steal a bitcoin because the altered block's hashcode won't match subsequent blocks. You might legitimately want to run a bitcoin server because you get a little royalty for processing the transactions.

To make these transactions you need a "wallet," which is an application on your phone or computer that allows you to send to message to the blockchain servers. There are different wallet program available. You might want to use an exchange like FTX because it is more convenient and flexible than a wallet. That's the outline of it, to be taken with a grain of salt because I have never used a crypto currency.

So all transactions are there to see in the blockchain (which is enormous). But there is the possibility for someone to break into your account, or somehow hack the network to transfer someone else's bitcoin. The blockchain structure is supposed to make that impossible, but no one can protect you if you inadvertently publish or lose your bitcoin ID and password.

Of course, if there are people here who have a deeper understanding or experience with cryptocurrency, please correct any misconceptions here.

[Todd]

Straight from the EC: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

When is a tariff not a tariff?  When Eurocrats say so, evidently. 

And some people still believe we do not live in a mercantilist world.

[T. D.]

Latest on the great Rudy:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/judge-punishes-rudy-giuliani-flagrant-043332820.html

It's a gas!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Taylor Swift boosts local business.


https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231011-the-eras-tour-film-has-already-grossed-more-than-100m-the-taylor-swift-economy-is-unstoppable

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Taylor Swift boosts local business.


https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231011-the-eras-tour-film-has-already-grossed-more-than-100m-the-taylor-swift-economy-is-unstoppable

She strikes me as an amazing young woman...talented, creative, smart, and caring.  And her fans are loyal.

PD

[Todd]

From NPR: Australia votes against creating an Indigenous panel to advise Parliament

[Pohjolas Daughter]

From NPR: Australia votes against creating an Indigenous panel to advise Parliament

I heard of read that the other day; quite surprising to me from what I understand of the situation.

Why not get the advice as it could help prevent yet even more blunders in the future and hopefully correct/try to rectify some of the past ones?

PD

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Lina Khan, anti-trust warrior.


https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/16/tech/lina-khan-risk-takers/index.html

[T. D.]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/66996021

Rudie van Vuuren: Meet the 'Doc' who played at World Cups in two sports
By Piers Edwards
BBC Sport Africa

[Todd]

From AP: Electrical grids aren't keeping up with the green energy push. That could risk climate goals

The IEA assessment of electricity grids around the globe found that achieving the climate goals set by the world's governments would require adding or refurbishing 80 million kilometers (50 million miles) of power lines by 2040 — an amount equal to the existing global grid in less than two decades.

Annual investment has been stagnant but needs to double to more than $600 billion a year by 2030, the agency said.

Expect missed targets every year, forever.  Sucks for countries like Tuvalu.  Or does it?

From The Economist: Tuvalu plans for its own disappearance

[Iota]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-67180162

Not something you see every day! 

The sort of thing the witches might have warned Macbeth about, and leave him equally confident of his well-being as he was about Birnam Wood ...

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

The opposition is leading the poll in Venezuela.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/21/venezuela-oppostion-election-2024-nicolas-maduro-maria-corina-machado?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

[Pohjolas Daughter]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-67180162

Not something you see every day! 

The sort of thing the witches might have warned Macbeth about, and leave him equally confident of his well-being as he was about Birnam Wood ...

Wow!   

PD

[T. D.]

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/24/trump-2020-lawyer-jenna-ellis-pleads-guilty-in-georgia-election-case-the-latest-to-flip.html

It was the result of chemical poisoning! CONSPIRACY!!!

[Todd]

Miniature 'Star Wars' X-wing gets over $3 million at auction of Hollywood model-maker's collection

[Todd]

An Oregon union wants to end self-serve fuel, months after it began

Local stupid.

[Todd]

Deep Rifts at UN Loss and Damage Talks Cast a Shadow on Upcoming Climate Conference

Developing countries oppose the U.S.-led plan for the World Bank to host the new climate fund, and question the credibility of developed countries that have failed to deliver on other climate promises.

Loss and damage includes impacts like the permanent loss of lands and homes to sea level rise, the costs of rebuilding infrastructure damaged by flooding and the loss of revenue from agricultural crops destroyed due to drought. Globally, climate economists say the measurable annual cost to developing nations will reach an estimated $400 billion by 2030, and soar above $1 trillion by 2050.

I obviously can't speak for anyone else, but I have the utmost faith that the UN will get this mess all sorted and that the governments of advanced economies will cheerfully fork over tons of lucre to aid their poorer brethren.  If history has taught us anything, it is that large political entities act with kindness, amity, and an unfailing generosity of spirit.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Workers with in-office jobs spend about $31/day that they wouldn't working from home.


https://moneywise.com/employment/americans-spend-51-dollars-a-day-when-they-work-at-the-office-heres-what-employers-need-to-change?utm_source=syn_oath_mon&utm_medium=C&utm_campaign=35306&utm_content=oath_mon_35306_spend+about+%2431+more

[Todd]

From Reuters: This year 'virtually certain' to be warmest in 125,000 years, EU scientists say

Fortunately, consumers in high income economies avoid unnecessary consumption and the world has aggressively cut back on aggregate greenhouse gas emissions for the last several decades, so this should be a blip, never to occur again.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Figure on Led Zeppelin IV cover identified as Victorian Wiltshire thatcher.


https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/nov/08/led-zeppelin-iv-cover-photo-revealed-victorian-wiltshire-thatcher?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other