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amateurvoltaire · 7 months ago

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For the past six years or so, this graph has been making its rounds on social media, always reappearing at conveniently timed moments…

The insinuation is loud and clear: parallels abound between 18th-century France and 21st-century USA. Cue the alarm bells—revolution is imminent! The 10% should panic, and ordinary folk should stock up on non-perishables and, of course, toilet paper, because it wouldn’t be a proper crisis without that particular frenzy. You know the drill.

Well, unfortunately, I have zero interest in commenting on the political implications or the parallels this graph is trying to make with today’s world. I have precisely zero interest in discussing modern-day politics here. And I also have zero interest in addressing the bottom graph.

This is not going to be one of those "the [insert random group of people] à la lanterne” (1) kind of posts. If you’re here for that, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.

What I am interested in is something much less click-worthy but far more useful: how historical data gets used and abused and why the illusion of historical parallels can be so seductive—and so misleading. It’s not glamorous, I’ll admit, but digging into this stuff teaches us a lot more than mindless rage.

So, let’s get into it. Step by step, we’ll examine the top graph, unpick its assumptions, and see whether its alarmist undertones hold any historical weight.

Step 1: Actually Look at the Picture and Use Your Brain

When I saw this graph, my first thought was, “That’s odd.” Not because it’s hard to believe the top 10% in 18th-century France controlled 60% of the wealth—that could very well be true. But because, in 15 years of studying the French Revolution, I’ve never encountered reliable data on wealth distribution from that period.

Why? Because to the best of my knowledge, no one was systematically tracking income or wealth across the population in the 18th century. There were no comprehensive records, no centralised statistics, and certainly no detailed breakdowns of who owned what across different classes. Graphs like this imply data, and data means either someone tracked it or someone made assumptions to reconstruct it. That’s not inherently bad, but it did get my spider senses tingling.

Then there’s the timeframe: 1760–1790. Thirty years is a long time— especially when discussing a period that included wars, failed financial policies, growing debt, and shifting social dynamics. Wealth distribution wouldn’t have stayed static during that time. Nobles who were at the top in 1760 could be destitute by 1790, while merchants starting out in 1760 could be climbing into the upper tiers by the end of the period. Economic mobility wasn’t common, but over three decades, it wasn’t unheard of either.

All of this raises questions about how this graph was created. Where’s the data coming from? How was it measured? And can we really trust it to represent such a complex period?

Step 2: Check the Fine Print

Since the graph seemed questionable, the obvious next step was to ask: Where does this thing come from? Luckily, the source is clearly cited at the bottom: “The Income Inequality of France in Historical Perspective” by Christian Morrisson and Wayne Snyder, published in the European Review of Economic History, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2000).

Great! A proper academic source. But, before diving into the article, there’s a crucial detail tucked into the fine print:

“Data for the bottom 40% in France is extrapolated given a single data point.”

What does that mean?

Extrapolation is a statistical method used to estimate unknown values by extending patterns or trends from a small sample of data. In this case, the graph’s creator used one single piece of data—one solitary data point—about the wealth of the bottom 40% of the French population. They then scaled or applied that one value to represent the entire group across the 30-year period (1760–1790).

Put simply, this means someone found one record—maybe a tax ledger, an income statement, or some financial data—pertaining to one specific year, region, or subset of the bottom 40%, and decided it was representative of the entire demographic for three decades.

Let’s be honest: you don’t need a degree in statistics to know that’s problematic. Using a single data point to make sweeping generalisations about a large, diverse population (let alone across an era of wars, famines, and economic shifts) is a massive leap. In fact, it’s about as reliable as guessing how the internet feels about a topic from a single tweet.

This immediately tells me that whatever numbers they claim for the bottom 40% of the population are, at best, speculative. At worst? Utterly meaningless.

It also raises another question: What kind of serious journal would let something like this slide? So, time to pull up the actual article and see what’s going on.

Step 3: Check the Sources

As I mentioned earlier, the source for this graph is conveniently listed at the bottom of the image. Three clicks later, I had downloaded the actual article: “The Income Inequality of France in Historical Perspective” by Morrisson and Snyder.

The first thing I noticed while skimming through the article? The graph itself is nowhere to be found in the publication.

This is important. It means the person who created the graph didn’t just lift it straight from the article—they derived it from the data in the publication. Now, that’s not necessarily a problem; secondary analysis of published data is common. But here’s the kicker: there’s no explanation in the screenshot of the graph about which dataset or calculations were used to make it. We’re left to guess.

So, to figure this out, I guess I’ll have to dive into the article itself, trying to identify where they might have pulled the numbers from. Translation: I signed myself up to read 20+ pages of economic history. Thrilling stuff.

But hey, someone has to do it. The things I endure to fight disinformation...

Step 4: Actually Assess the Sources Critically

It doesn’t take long, once you start reading the article, to realise that regardless of what the graph is based on, it’s bound to be somewhat unreliable. Right from the first paragraph, the authors of the paper point out the core issue with calculating income for 18th-century French households: THERE IS NO DATA.

The article is refreshingly honest about this. It states multiple times that there were no reliable income distribution estimates in France before World War II. To fill this gap, Morrisson and Snyder used a variety of proxy sources like the Capitation Tax Records (2), historical socio-professional tables, and Isnard’s income distribution estimates (3).

After reading the whole paper, I can say their methodology is intriguing and very reasonable. They’ve pieced together what they could by using available evidence, and their process is quite well thought-out. I won’t rehash their entire argument here, but if you’re curious, I’d genuinely recommend giving it a read.

Most importantly, the authors are painfully aware of the limitations of their approach. They make it very clear that their estimates are a form of educated guesswork—evidence-based, yes, but still guesswork. At no point do they overstate their findings or present their conclusions as definitive

As such, instead of concluding with a single, definitive version of the income distribution, they offer multiple possible scenarios.

It’s not as flashy as a bold, tidy graph, is it? But it’s far more honest—and far more reflective of the complexities involved in reconstructing historical economic data.

Step 5: Run the numbers

Now that we’ve established the authors of the paper don’t actually propose a definitive income distribution, the question remains: where did the creators of the graph get their data? More specifically, which of the proposed distributions did they use?

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to locate the original article or post containing the graph. Admittedly, I haven’t tried very hard, but the first few pages of Google results just link back to Twitter, Reddit, Facebook, and Tumblr posts. In short, all I have to go on is this screenshot.

I’ll give the graph creators the benefit of the doubt and assume that, in the full article, they explain where they sourced their data. I really hope they do—because they absolutely should.

That being said, based on the information in Morrisson and Snyder’s paper, I’d make an educated guess that the data came from Table 6 or Table 10, as these are the sections where the authors attempt to provide income distribution estimates.

Now, which dataset does the graph use? Spoiler: None of them.

How can we tell? Since I don’t have access to the raw data or the article where this graph might have been originally posted, I resorted to a rather unscientific method: I used a graphical design program to divide each bar of the chart into 2.5% increments and measure the approximate percentage for each income group.

Here’s what I found:

Now, take a moment to spot the issue. Do you see it?

The problem is glaring: NONE of the datasets from the paper fit the graph. Granted, my measurements are just estimates, so there might be some rounding errors. But the discrepancies are impossible to ignore, particularly for the bottom 40% and the top 10%.

In Morrisson and Snyder’s paper, the lowest estimate for the bottom 40% (1st and 2nd quintiles) is 10%. Even if we use the most conservative proxy, the Capitation Tax estimate, it’s 9%. But the graph claims the bottom 40% held only 6%.

For the top 10% (10th decile), the highest estimate in the paper is 53%. Yet the graph inflates this to 60%.

Step 6: For fun, I made my own bar charts

Because I enjoy this sort of thing (yes, this is what I consider fun—I’m a very fun person), I decided to use the data from the paper to create my own bar charts. Here’s what came out:

What do you notice?

While the results don’t exactly scream “healthy economy,” they look much less dramatic than the graph we started with. The creators of the graph have clearly exaggerated the disparities, making inequality seem worse.

Step 7: Understand the context before drawing conclusions

Numbers, by themselves, mean nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I could tell you right now that 47% of people admit to arguing with inanimate objects when they don’t work, with printers being the most common offender, and you’d probably believe it. Why? Because it sounds plausible—printers are frustrating, I’ve used a percentage, and I’ve phrased it in a way that sounds “academic.”

You likely wouldn’t even pause to consider that I’m claiming 3.8 billion people argue with inanimate objects. And let’s be real: 3.8 billion is such an incomprehensibly large number that our brains tend to gloss over it.

If, instead, I said, “Half of your friends probably argue with their printers,” you might stop and think, “Wait, that seems a bit unlikely.” (For the record, I completely made that up—I have no clue how many people yell at their stoves or complain to their toasters.)

The point? Numbers mean nothing unless we put them into context.

The original paper does this well by contextualising its estimates, primarily through the calculation of the Gini coefficient (4).

The authors estimate France’s Gini coefficient in the late 18th century to be 0.59, indicating significant income inequality. However, they compare this figure to other regions and periods to provide a clearer picture:

Amsterdam (1742): Much higher inequality, with a Gini of 0.69.

Britain (1759): Lower inequality, with a Gini of 0.52, which rose to 0.59 by 1801.

Prussia (mid-19th century): Far less inequality, with a Gini of 0.34–0.36.

This comparison shows that income inequality wasn’t unique to France. Other regions experienced similar or even higher levels of inequality without spontaneously erupting into revolution.

Accounting for Variations

The authors also recalculated the Gini coefficient to account for potential variations. They assumed that the income of the top quintile (the wealthiest 20%) could vary by ±10%. Here’s what they found:

If the top quintile earned 10% more, the Gini coefficient rose to 0.66, placing France significantly above other European countries of the time.

If the top quintile earned 10% less, the Gini dropped to 0.55, bringing France closer to Britain’s level.

Ultimately, the authors admit there’s uncertainty about the exact level of inequality in France. Their best guess is that it was comparable to other countries or somewhat worse.

Step 8: Drawing Some Conclusions

Saying that most people in the 18th century were poor and miserable—perhaps the French more so than others—isn’t exactly a compelling statement if your goal is to gather clicks or make a dramatic political point.

It’s incredibly tempting to look at the past and find exactly what we want to see in it. History often acts as a mirror, reflecting our own expectations unless we challenge ourselves to think critically. Whether you call it wishful thinking or confirmation bias, it’s easy to project the future onto the past.

Looking at the initial graph, I understand why someone might fall into this trap. Simple, tidy narratives are appealing to everyone. But if you’ve studied history, you’ll know that such narratives are a myth. Human nature may not have changed in thousands of years, but the contexts we inhabit are so vastly different that direct parallels are meaningless.

So, is revolution imminent? Well, that’s up to you—not some random graph on the internet.

Notes

(1) A la lanterne was a revolutionary cry during the French Revolution, symbolising mob justice where individuals were sometimes hanged from lampposts as a form of public execution

(2) The capitation tax was a fixed head tax implemented in France during the Ancien Régime. It was levied on individuals, with the amount owed determined by their social and professional status. Unlike a proportional income tax, it was based on pre-assigned categories rather than actual earnings, meaning nobles, clergy, and commoners paid different rates regardless of their actual wealth or income.

(3) Jean-Baptiste Isnard was an 18th-century economist. These estimates attempted to describe the theoretical distribution of income among different social classes in pre-revolutionary France. Isnard’s work aimed to categorise income across groups like nobles, clergy, and commoners, providing a broad picture of economic disparity during the period.

(4) The Gini coefficient (or Gini index) is a widely used statistical measure of inequality within a population, specifically in terms of income or wealth distribution. It ranges from 0 to 1, where 0 indicates perfect equality (everyone has the same income or wealth), and 1 represents maximum inequality (one person or household holds all the wealth).

#frev #french revolution #history #disinformation #income inequality #critical thinking #amateurvoltaire's essay ramblings #don't believe everything you see online #even if you really really want to

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heliads · 2 years ago

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'homesick, but not for home' - kaz brekker

Based on this request: "y/n finally gets to visit their home country after years away in ketterdam with the crows. a sweet little slice of life with kaz finally getting to be kaz rietveld"

masterlist

merry christmas everyone! my present to you is kaz

Receiving a summons from Kaz Brekker usually means one of two things: either you are about to be murdered, or he is going to ask you to do something before he murders you. Usually, that task involves the distribution of funds from your ledgers to his. However, as one of the bare few who has the privilege of making it to his inner circle, you would wager that there’s a third possible outcome from hearing from him: he still wants you to do something, but you’ll be killing someone else.

Nonetheless, judging by the expression of the courier who tells you that Kaz is expecting you in his office, even being spared an imminent death doesn’t mean that this meeting will go pleasantly. Dirtyhands has a reputation around here, one just as dark and choking as those black gloves he so loves to wear. No one here knows Kaz as anything more than a shadow of a man, a killer, a convict. To learn that he wishes to speak to you is akin to hearing that Death itself is knocking on your door.

You, however, just smile and turn your feet towards the stairs leading to Kaz’s office instead. The Slat, home of the Dregs, is a rickety ramshackle of a building. Kaz has been doing his part to fix it up as he can, but the floorboards are still masterfully creaky and the oil lamps flicker ominously from their resting places beside each looming door. The stairwell is worst of all, a towering, beckoning talon that delivers you to your fate at the very top.

Sometimes, you swear Kaz put his office on the top floor just because it would give his victims more time to contemplate their quickly approaching demise when they had to climb all the way up. Other days, you just assume that he was sick of the noise and wanted to find a place where nobody would bother him unless absolutely necessary. Knowing Kaz, both rationales are probably sound.

You knock once on the door to his office and, upon hearing your name called to come in, twist the doorknob and let yourself inside. Gathered in a loose semicircle on the few available pieces of furniture as well as leaning against the wall are Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Matthias, and Nina. Kaz sits, as usual, ramrod straight in a chair behind his desk, and gestures for you to take the final open seat.

“Looks like everyone’s here,” you note. “Should I be worried about missing anything?”

“Not in the slightest,” Jesper chirps. “Only that Kaz has been saving that chair for you this whole time. He keeps glaring at us whenever we so much as look towards it.”

Jesper looks as if he’d like to gossip about this a little more, but Wylan digs a sharp elbow into his side, causing the other boy to complain heartily.

You just grin, sliding into your seat. “Good. I deserve luxury. I was never made to sit on the ground.”

Kaz coughs pointedly to disguise what you’re sure is a smile. “Now that we’re all in attendance, we can get started. I’ve heard news of a prospective business deal happening off the coast of the Southern Colonies. Expensive materials are being exchanged. Jewelry, artwork, the like. It’s all being conducted by Kerch merchers, but they took everything offshore to avoid the chance of getting caught. If we swoop in the night before and take all their bargaining tools, we’ll be richer and they’ll have to cave to our demands.”

“Of course, our demands,” Nina says, nodding. “What are we demanding, again?”

Inej smiles. “For them to stop breathing down our backs, for one thing. Also, they keep trying to cut into business. They needed this deal for an alliance between some of the wealthier merchers, but if each party thinks the other stole their riches before the swap, they’ll be so busy with infighting that they won’t bother us for some time.”

Kaz inclines his head gravely. “Precisely.”

Inej taps her fingers silently against her leg. “My question is when we’re going to stage the attack. We can attempt to hijack the ships before they leave the harbor, but I have no doubt that they’ll be crawling with stadwatch.”

“That’s why we’ll be sailing along with them,” Kaz clarifies. “The heist won’t happen until we’re on the shores of the Southern Colonies. That way, they’ll have let down their guard.”

Immediately, everyone reacts. Leaving the Barrel is an invitation for everything to go wrong. If rival gangs like the Dime Lions or the Razorgulls find out that Kaz’s inner circle isn’t in town, they’ll hasten to loot the place or kill your foot soldiers before anyone gets back.

“We have to leave the country?” Inej asks doubtfully. “That’s a tremendous risk.”

Kaz’s expression doesn’t shift a second, but you can still sense him tensing somehow, all too aware of the extra burden on his staff to maintain decorum and avoid attracting threats from his many enemies. “Think of it as a vacation. You’ll be able to get out of the city and go somewhere nice. Maybe even get some seaside air.”

Jesper snorts. “Kaz, your idea of a vacation is locking the door of your office and not running your numbers for five minutes. I didn’t think seaside air existed in your vocabulary except as a potential source of weakness.”

Kaz frowns. “Of course seaside air exists in my vocabulary. How else would I know to say it?”

Jesper rolls his eyes and looks as if he’d like to counter that with an equally terrible argument, but you cut him off. “I’d like to go,” you say suddenly.

All eyes turn to you. “Why?” Wylan asks.

A faint smile plays upon your lips. It’s easier to look at the ground than face all of their inquisitive stares, so you do just that. “I’m from the Southern Colonies. Used to be, at least. I’d always planned on going back at some point, but never got the chance until now.”

Truth be told, you were assuming that you would never get that chance. Your parents moved your whole family down to Ketterdam when you were about ten years old, drawn by the call of a quick profit. They were able to eke out a few tentative years, but the city swallowed them like it does everyone else. It’s just you now, you and the Crows and the dream that at one point, you might be able to revisit the place you once called home.

Even connecting ‘home’ and the Southern Colonies in the same sentence seems like something out of a dream. You’ve lived in Kerch for so long now that you can hardly imagine being anywhere else. The Crows are your family, the Barrel your home. It’s a strange life, certainly, but it’s yours.

Kaz’s face closes down. “I’ll go with you. Inej, you and the rest will maintain the Crow Club and its affiliates until we return. I don’t want to risk all of us on one endeavor.”

Matthias arches a brow. “You are willing to brave the risk of splitting up, though?”

Kaz turns a bemused expression his way. “Are you worried about me, drüskelle? And here I thought we’d never see eye to eye.”

Matthias snorts. “Don’t go that far, demjin.”

“I won’t if you won’t,” Kaz muses. “The plan is set, then. We’ll have three weeks to plan, and then Y/N and I will set off.”

He allows the rest of the Crows to leave, but gestures for you to stay. You pull your chair closer to his desk, sensing that the discussion will shift into more details of the mission at hand.

Once the last of your friends have gone, Kaz turns his gaze to you. His eyes seem to stare straight through your skull, and you get the strange feeling that he could read every thought created inside your mind if he just bothered to listen a little closer.

“You said you were born in the Southern Colonies. I need to be certain that there will be no distractions for a job like this. Can you swear to me that you’ll be focused?” He asks you.

“It won’t be an issue,” you assure him. “I’ll see the countryside and then move on. Honest.”

“Well, I should hope you won’t be completely honest,” Kaz murmurs, the corners of his lips pricking up into a slight shade of a smile. “We are still robbing people, of course.”

“Of course,” you laugh. His eyes jerk up when you do, his gaze hungry for the sight of it.

And– see, this is where you start to get into trouble. You are a criminal, a member of a gang. Every day is a fight. You know that survival is the thing that matters most in the Barrel, survival and how much money you can make off of delaying your last breath. You need to have single-minded focus totally centered around how you are going to make it through each day, but instead, your brain has started drifting to unreasonable topics like the precise shade of Kaz’s eyes or all the techniques he uses to hide his smiles.

It won’t serve you well, this feeling like a slow burn in your chest. Kaz would be the very first to tell you that weakness will only get you killed. People are a weakness. Is Kaz, though? Sometimes, in vague moments in between the times when reality comes firmly back to ground you, you can almost imagine that he might feel the same way. Would he really entertain this idea if he didn’t feel something for you? Would he leave the Barrel to go all the way to the Southern Colonies with you if he could easily send Jesper or someone else?

In the end, all you can ever do is push the thoughts from your mind. The scheming and planning period has got to be your least favorite part of a heist, but unfortunately, it’s also the segment that takes the longest. Every detail has to be perfect or all involved will be caught in the act.

Eventually, though, you find yourself shipping out on a fine sea morning, headed towards the country that hasn’t been yours since you were a child. You and Kaz are pretending to be business partners, which is true enough. His cabin is next to yours. You’re fairly sure he already knows the identity of every other traveler on the ship, just in case.

Standing on the deck and watching Ketterdam retreat into a nameless speck on the dark, vast ocean, you can’t help but wonder what the Southern Colonies will bring your way. Your heart is surprisingly light in your chest at the thought of it. You have dim recollections of the rolling hills and drifting tides, although even these memories have grown hazy with time. You can’t wait to see it again.

By contrast, Kaz, standing by your side, seems far less thrilled about the whole idea. His black gloves are clenched tightly around the railing, his grip hardening whenever the ship tilts too much. You glance around to make sure no other travelers are within earshot, then ask him with a questioning glance, “Why would you make this trip if you don’t like the ocean?”

Kaz shoots you a wary look. “I’m perfectly fine with it.”

You scoff. “Nonsense. You look as if you’d like nothing more than to drain the entire True Sea and simply walk to the Southern Colonies on foot. You could have sent Inej or Jesper in your place, you know. Why’d you want to go?”

“I have to make sure the job goes smoothly,” Kaz informs you. “Business is best handled by myself.”

You arch a brow. “Lovely. Good to know that you’ll never let something pesky like sea travel stand between you and your ambitions.”

Kaz snorts. “I should hope you’d already know that. And to answer your unspoken question, you’re here too because it’s foolish to take international jobs without someone at your back just in case of trouble. I trust you to not let homesickness for the Southern Colonies get in the way. I would advise you to stick to that.”

You smile. “Goodness, Kaz, you trust me? No wonder you didn’t want anyone else with us, if the rest knew you were shelling out compliments this easily they would have teased you for years.”

In the corners of your peripheral vision, you swear you can see a matching smile slide onto Kaz’s lips, but it’s gone the second you turn to look at him. “Precisely my thinking.”

The journey takes shorter than expected, or maybe that’s just your restless thinking. In no time at all, your ship is docking at a port of the Southern Colonies, and you’re turning in a slow circle on the coast, taking in every single sight you can.

“Careful,” Kaz tells you, “You don’t want to come across as too strong of a pigeon. We don’t want to attract any new friends who anticipate stealing something off of us.”

He’s smiling, though, and you swear there’s something a little lighter in his expression than you usually see. Maybe it really is the sea air getting to him, or maybe the fact that he’s out of Ketterdam’s grimy clutches lets Kaz relax even a fraction.

Regardless, you’re happy for it. “Ridiculous,” you say, laughing slightly. “Not all the world is like the Barrel, you know. We don’t do that sort of thing in the Southern Colonies.”

“We?” Kaz asks doubtfully. “Three steps you’ve taken off the ship and you’re already a proper citizen again, are you?”

You just grin. “What, are you jealous? Scared I’ll leave the Barrel?”

He doesn’t answer, but quickly changes the topic towards finding accommodations for the night and planning out an intelligence trip near the location where the jewels are being held. Even walking through the portside town and crossing the streets feels like magic, in a way. You lived not far from here, and everything from the curve of the avenues to the bright sun in the sky feels like coming home.

As it turns out, you and Kaz aren’t the only ones affected by the easy way of life in the Colonies. The two merchers you’ve been tracking are discussing business in broad daylight, obviously not anticipating anyone to have followed them. The job will be easy, and the few days you gave yourselves for extra planning are largely useless since no more details are relevant.

Instead, you take it upon yourself to explore the surrounding countryside. You tell Kaz that he doesn’t have to accompany you every time, of course, he can stay back in the portside town if he pleases, but he still goes with you. It’s funny, the more time you spend away from the city, the more you watch the burdens slowly lift from his shoulders, the light return to his eyes.

One time, while walking through a wooded path, Kaz tells you it’s because this reminds him of his home, as well. He grew up on a farm, once, under a different last name and in a different life. He’ll never have that time of his life back again, nor, you think privately, will you have yours, but it’s still lovely to wander around here and pretend that you could.

The job goes off without a hitch. Soon enough, you find yourselves sitting pleased with jewels and artwork hidden away in your luggage, all items recovered without their owners batting so much as an eye. You’ll leave early in the morning before they can notice you. You feel a pang in your heart at the thought of leaving already, but you hadn’t realized you weren’t the only one thinking about it until Kaz visits your room at the inn late that final night.

You had known it was him at your door from the moment you heard his crisp knock against the wooden paneling. No one else moves or lives like Kaz, with so much precision. When you let him in, though, he looks more wild than you’ve ever seen him. His hair, for once, has lost its impeccable style and gone wild and unkempt. His shirt is wrinkled and rolled up to the elbows. It would still be a good look on him were it not for the fact that you’ve never seen him so little put together in the entire time you’ve known him.

Kaz doesn’t say a word until he is certain that the door is shut and bolted behind him. Then, all of a sudden, the words burst out of his throat, so beseeching that you have to wonder how in Ghezen’s name he managed to keep them from you for so long. “Don’t stay here,” he says. “Come back with me.”

You frown. “Who said I was staying? We’ve both got tickets on the ship departing next morning, Kaz.”

He waves a hand frustratedly to signal his disbelief in this statement. “Tickets don’t mean a thing. I need you to say it.”

“I did,” you frown. “Where else would I go?”

“Here,” Kaz says heatedly. “I’ve seen the way you look at the buildings, this place. You want to say here. Don’t you do it, Y/N.”

You shake your head softly. “I love it here, yes, but it’s not my home anymore than Ravka across the sea. I’m going back to the Barrel, Kaz.”

“With me,” he says uncertainly.

“With you,” you confirm. “Goodness, Kaz, did you really think I would stay? How could I do such a thing?”

“It’s very easy for people to leave,” he tells you. There’s a heaviness in his eyes that reminds you of brothers that have been buried, of farms that have long been sold to undeserving families that were not his.

“Not me,” you whisper. “Not if it was you I was leaving.”

His eyes, which have been sweeping your figure this entire time, looking for some twitch of a finger or jump of a pulse to betray you for lying, leap up to yours again. “Okay,” he says at last. “Okay.”

He leans back slightly, wavering on his heels. “I– I’ll go back to my room, then.”

Kaz doesn’t look as if he much savors the idea, and you decide to spare him from his thoughts, just in case. “You can stay here, you know.”

A soft breath is released. “That would– I could do that.”

He does. And, as your candles burn closer to the quick, as the night settles over this city, you cannot help but be glad for the time when you’ll find yourself in a different one. It has been nice to be here, but you would like to go home. And, most importantly of all, you are glad that Kaz will be there with you.

grishaverse tags: @rogueanschel, @deadreaderssociety, @cameronsails, @mxltifxnd0m, @story-scribbler, @retvenkos, @mayfieldss, @eclliipsed, @gods-fools-heroes, @bl606dy, @auggie2000, @baju69, @crazyhearttragedy, @aoi-targaryen, @budugu

all tags list: @wordsarelife

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lunarflux · 7 months ago

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x: Thomas Shelby found his match in an information bookie who has eluded the grasp of the Peaky Blinders long enough to crumble their power over Birmingham. But at last, he found you. The ghost he'd been chasing was finally in front of him, but you were trickier than he expected. Dangerous, cunning - and a bit too much like himself. To buy your loyalty, he would have to sell his in equal measure. Loyalty for loyalty - blood for blood - how much were either of you willing to spill before the game changed entirely?

a/n: holy shit it's over

part 26: reset

word count: 3,407 tag: @bruhidkjustwannaread | @rubyxx16 | @bellabarnes1378 | @johnmurphys-sass | @strangeobsessed

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It was just past noon when you entered the betting house, the familiar hum of the Blinders' daily grind in full swing. The chaos of the morning’s business dealings settling into a lull. Tommy sat behind his desk, speaking quietly with John and Arthur, his sharp eyes scanning the room as usual. Your arrival was met with nothing more than a subtle glance, a knowing acknowledgment. You were already a part of the furniture, as integral to the operation as the ledgers carefully tucked away.

Today, though, the tension was palpable. A new shipment had arrived, and the logistics of it all were weighing on everyone. You spent the morning coordinating with the men, ensuring the distribution routes were set, and making sure their contacts were loyal—loyalty being a currency the Blinders didn’t often take lightly. The risks had grown larger, and there was no room for failure.

Tommy had given you full control of the day-to-day, trusting you to act on his behalf, a responsibility you’d earned over the past months. The work had initially come in bursts—small tasks here and there, conversations with men on the docks, reports on deals—but over time, it had grown into something more. Tommy had seen in you what he needed all along: someone who didn’t just follow orders but made the right calls on your own.

Most important of the aspects that you unknowingly displayed: you showed no resistance to the world that welcomed you. There was no part of you that sought change—only progress.

You walked across the room, your heels clicking against the worn floorboards. Your presence didn’t command the room the way Tommy did—there was no need for grand entrances. The Blinders didn’t need to be reminded of your role; they had already learned it.

“Everything set for today?” Tommy asked without looking up, his voice the kind of deep, calm authority that left no room for doubt.

You nodded, stepping into the back room to check on the paperwork. It was all in order—accounts balanced, the deals set to move smoothly, the men in place to ensure it all went without a hitch. You came to understand the business quickly, and as you sorted through the ledgers, you felt a sense of pride in it. It was a strange thing, working for Tommy Shelby, and yet, it had begun to feel like a place you belonged. More than that, it was a place where you had a voice—a voice that was respected. No longer did you cling to the shadows. The light found you, and from there, it was only a matter of keeping the flame burning.

Outside the back room, the brothers were starting to gather around the table. John had a glint of mischief in his eyes, already looking to stir things up. Arthur, for once, seemed quieter than usual, lost in his own thoughts. And Finn—Finn, the youngest, watched you more closely than he would have dared before. There was something different in the way he looked at you now—respect, maybe, or perhaps even something more.

He wasn't the same since the incident outside the bookshop. A change that didn't go unnoticed, but it was overlooked by Tommy who attributed it to the numbing years of a growing boy in the business.

You walked back into the main room, placing the papers down with a calm efficiency.

Arthur caught your eye as you moved to join them, giving you a nod of acknowledgment. It was rare for him to show his approval so openly, but it was clear to everyone in the room that you were more than just Tommy’s confidante. You were someone who stood alongside him, someone whose decisions were just as binding as his. That, alone, was an anomaly.

“Everything set, love?” Arthur asked with a grin, always the one to break the tension. Tommy, too, had come to see that Arthur wasn’t just the wild card—he was the heart, even if he sometimes acted out of impulse.

You glanced at Tommy, catching the slight nod he gave you. His approval was silent, but it was there.

“It’s all in place,” you said, your voice steady and subtly confident. “The new shipment will be at the docks by tonight. We’ll need to make sure everyone’s on time for the distribution. The last thing we need is another delay.”

The brothers shifted, murmuring among themselves, clearly pleased with how you were taking charge. The weight of Tommy’s expectations was always there, but you learned to bear it. You were used to the tension now, the constant weight of your role, the subtle pressure from Tommy, and the way the brothers looked to you for answers when he wasn’t around.

“We’ll handle it,” John said with a chuckle, his hands tucked casually into his pockets. “Ain’t no one better for the job than us, right?”

You nodded with a smirk. You didn’t need to say much.

As the brothers continued to discuss the logistics of the day, you stood back, your eyes drifting across the room. Finn's stare caught your eye again, and you motioned for him to join you in an empty office. You sat down quietly while he stood rather stiffly.

"How are you?" you asked plainly.

"Business as usual." His responses were always short.

"Finn," you sighed with the soft shake of your head. "I told you why it happened that way."

"I know."

"And yet, you're upset with me."

The briefest look of anger flashed over his eyes before it disappeared back into his face of apathy. He shrugged. "I know."

You stood, placing your hands on his shoulders with a gentle squeeze. You didn't want to continuously placate him. It was understandable—his frustration. His mistrust. He thought he'd let you and Tommy down by letting you leave with Bingham that day.

Finn's eyes searched yours for the explanation he was looking for. "Tommy doesn't think I can handle it."

"And can you?"

"I know I can."

You grinned, a touch of playfulness and amusement. "Then I trust you to prove it."

After a few seconds, he chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief that you could say something so simple.

"Come with me to the new shop. You can run the books if that's what you want. Show Tommy you can handle running my business." You raised an eyebrow, hinting at all he could accomplish.

It wasn’t just the business side of things that had changed. Tommy showed an immense amount of proactivity. He took all of Bingham's properties, turned them into new places for the Blinders to conduct their business. As for you, once Bingham's old bookshop was handed over, it was put in your care. He knew what it meant to you—having another place to run to if you ever needed it.

Finn nodded with a curt grin. "I'll take care of it."

You learned to be tough, to be assertive, but you also learned when to step back and let the brothers handle things. There were times when Tommy needed your voice, and there were times when he needed you to be his eyes and ears. In the silence of the Garrison or the betting house, amidst the noise of the world outside, you knew that this was where you belonged—for now. It was a strange thing, being with the Blinders, but it was something you’d come to embrace.

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The Garrison was alive with noise. Laughter echoed off the stone walls, glasses clinked, and the familiar scent of whiskey hung in the air. The Shelby family had gathered as they always did, a moment of respite from their usual chaos. Tonight, however, the atmosphere was warmer, more relaxed. Even Finn had allowed himself a smile as he sipped his drink.

You sat beside Tommy, as you always did now. Over the past months, the unspoken distance between you had dissolved. You became more than just Tommy’s right hand—you were part of the family. The Shelbys treated you like one of their own, with the same loyalty, the same grudging affection. And Tommy, for all his coldness, let you in—let you see the man he was beneath the armor he wore.

The conversation had shifted to the usual tales, wild stories of old schemes and new faces in the streets of Birmingham. But as the laughter continued and the family reveled in each other’s company, Tommy’s gaze fell on you, steady and intense. He watched you for a long moment, almost as if lost in thought. There was something different in his eyes tonight—a flicker of something that you couldn’t quite place. Neither of you ventured past the comfortable silence. Even though the others knew there was more to this relationship than the business, you both kept the briefest amount of distance as if it was better to keep the intimate details a secret—something sacred to be saved for your eyes alone.

Arthur raised his glass , his voice louder than usual. “To Tommy and y/n—may the world fuckin' burn at your feet.” He paused, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “And to Shelby Company, Limited.”

Everyone murmured their agreement, clinking their glasses together in a unified toast. Even John, whose usual cynicism had softened in recent months, smiled as he raised his own drink.

Quietly, you slipped into the back room, hoping to find a moment of solitude. The noise from the pub had softened into murmurs, and the lamplight flickered as shadows stretched across the floor. You always needed a break from all the noise, just a moment to breathe. But you hadn’t expected to find Polly waiting in the corner, a glass of whiskey in hand, watching you with those knowing eyes.

You paused in the doorway, feeling a momentary hesitation. Polly wasn’t just a sharp observer—she was someone who understood the weight of the world, someone who had seen it all. And you weren't sure if you wanted to be seen right now.

"Come in, love. No need to stand there like you’re hiding," Polly said, her voice soft but firm.

You entered quietly, closing the door behind you. You glanced toward the table, uncertain whether to sit. Polly, as always, didn’t rush you. She didn’t need to.

With a resigned sigh, you took a seat across from Polly. Her gaze never left you, not in a way that was judgmental, but more like she was watching for something you weren't yet ready to admit.

After a long pause, Polly took a sip of her whiskey, then placed the glass down with deliberate slowness, her eyes never straying from you.

“I’ve been watching you and Tommy,” Polly said, her tone light but filled with the weight of experience. “It’s not lost on me, you know.”

You didn’t look up. You didn’t want to. You could feel the words swirling in your mind, but you couldn’t bring yourself to say them. You fidgeted with your sleeve, the rough fabric doing little to ease the anxiety creeping up in your stomach.

Polly continued, as if she’d already known the thoughts racing through your head. “You two are different from how Tommy was with Grace.”

You stiffened. Tommy never brought up Grace, and you did all you could to avoid thinking about her. You paid Tommy the same courtesy, leaving Ezra in the past ever since that day at the cemetery. You knew, though, that there were times he wanted to ask. Those moments when you were too quiet or lost in thought. Polly always seemed to find a way to pull the past back into the present.

“I know he loved her,” Polly said softly, almost to herself. “But business always got in the way. It always does with him. Even at their wedding, he was conducting business.”

You stayed silent, your chest tight as the memory of Grace resurfaced. Standing in the shadow of that history, you knew there was no easy way to compare yourself to Grace, not even now.

“But with you,” Polly’s voice cut through your thoughts, “it’s different. You’re part of the business, yes. But you’re also part of him. And that’s something he doesn’t give to just anyone. I have a feeling that if business were to intrude on your time with him, you'd be at his side if only to make sure things were done the right way.”

You finally looked up, meeting Polly’s steady gaze.

“I have another feeling,” Polly continued, her tone quiet, “He wants more from you. More with you. He just doesn't know how to say it.”

“Is this one of your visions, Pol?” you asked with a smirk. “Or has Tommy been whispering about me?”

Polly smiled, but it was a smile that held both understanding and something more, something deeper. “Not a vision. Maybe it's women's intuition, or maybe I'm just not as blind as you choose to be. I think he’s more serious than you know. And he’s not going to push you. But I also think he’s waiting for you to decide.”

You leaned back in your chair, tilting your head playfully as you always did.

"All he has to do is ask, Pol."

“Exactly the answer I'd expect from you,” Polly said with an accepting nod. “I only hope he has the balls to do it.”

Polly gave you a reassuring look before walking toward the door.

“The boys and I are betting on when it will happen. Be sure to let me know if it happens before midnight.”

As the door closed behind Polly, you laughed to yourself. You sipped your whiskey slowly, and as it trickled down your throat, you breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

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When you stepped back into the main room, Tommy's eyes fell on you immediately. You took your seat beside him, cigarette already between your lips as he held the match for you.

You could sense the eyes continuously glancing over at you. The boys were never subtle. They were watching. They were waiting.

Without a word, Tommy reached under the table, sliding a small gold ring from his pocket. He placed it on your thigh, his fingers brushing against the smallest part of your skin that revealed itself from beneath your skirt. The gesture was almost imperceptible to anyone else, buried beneath the noise of the celebration, but to you, it felt like the room had fallen silent.

The ring was simple—no grand flourish, no extravagance. It was exactly the kind of sentiment you would have expected from him. He needed no grandiose display of affection, just a ring and the comfortable silence.

You looked down at the ring and slipped it over your index finger, turning it slowly with a soft smile. You turned to Tommy who looked straight ahead towards the end of the table. After a moment, he turned to face you, his expression still. As he stared, you heard his voice in the back of your mind, the question that needed to be asked.

Marry me.

You slowly stood, your chair scraping across the floor. The eyes of the family turned toward you, the sudden movement drawing their attention. There was a short silence as they all waited.

“Excuse me,” you said with a brief nod of your head.

Tommy watched you walk towards the door, his jaw tight, his gaze unwavering. No one spoke, not until Tommy stood up from the table and walked after you.

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Outside, the cool evening air hit you like a rush of clarity.

The door opened behind you, and you didn’t need to turn to know it was Tommy. His presence was a constant now, one that you had learned to rely on, even when everything else felt uncertain.

He stepped beside you, not speaking at first, just letting the silence stretch between you. His hands were in his pockets, but you could feel the tension in his posture, the same quiet patience he always had.

"I didn't want to ask in front of everyone."

You turned, taking a long drag of your cigarette before blowing a plume of smoke into the air, but you didn't respond.

Tommy’s lips quirked slightly at the corners. He had expected resistance, but your silence told him something else. Without a word, he reached for you, pulling you into him. He threw your cigarette to the floor, and the moment his lips met yours, your chest seemed to collapse into him, your heart pounding with something deeper than desire.

When he finally pulled away, your breath was shaky. Tommy knew just how to unsettle you—be unpredictable. It was the only way to shake someone like you who knew how to anticipate everything.

“You want me to ask you out loud, don't you?” Tommy asked softly, his voice low enough that only you could hear.

Your smile was small, but there was a raw honesty in it, something Tommy had never seen from you before. “Well, I'm not going to ask you,” you whispered with a giggle. "If we weren't standing in the middle of the filth of Birmingham, I would've given you shit for not getting down on your knee."

Tommy nodded with a smirk, a rare look of contentment crossing his face. There was no need for grand gestures or declarations. Not here, not now. This was enough.

"Very well then." He took your hang and removed the small ring, still loosely hanging from the tip of your finger. He held it up between your faces, his eyes suddenly turning serious.

It finally settled in your mind that he was being sincere. While neither of you would ever be the type to be sentimental in front of the others, here—in the privacy of the moonlight, he was more than willing for you only.

"Marry me, y/n. I'm afraid I won't be able to do this without you, and that's something I wouldn't admit lightly."

You laughed softly, shaking your head. "Even now, Tommy Shelby, with the menacing tone."

You reached for the ring, but he pulled his hand back. "Not yet."

Both your gazes turned serious and still as he dangled the ring in front of you.

"I said it." Tommy moved in closer until his lips hovered just above yours. "This ring isn't going on your finger until you answer."

Your eyes searched his, and in his stare you found all you needed to give the answer you both wanted. But, even now, you couldn't resist bringing back the silence that started this story. Thomas Shelby finally learned to tell you what he wanted without the unspoken strings attached, and now, here he was, standing before you—not as a broken man seeking a dream. He was asking for you because you were the one he wanted.

And damn anyone who would expect him to accept anything less.

You took his face in your hands. He eased forward, anticipating a kiss of acceptance, but you pushed further until your lips grazed the edge of his ear.

"Yes, Tommy, I will marry you."

Tommy's lips brushed against yours in the briefest of moments. A cloud of contentment enveloped you in the midst of the Birmingham chill, at last hinting towards the oncoming spring. He slipped the ring over your finger and admired it.

The doors to the Garrison burst open, and Arthur lurched forward before abruptly halting in his tracks. He looked at the two of you and his face twisted between bewilderment and joy. One by one the family peered out the door, each with a growing smirk before they all collectively groaned. Polly won the bet, and they knew it wouldn't be long before they had to pay up.

Arthur cleared his throat, walking up with his hand held out. "Is this the part where I say 'congratulations'?"

Tommy smirked and shook his hand.

Arthur's face slowly dropped. "Tom, we got a call. It's from Ada. Said she got a letter."

"From who?" you asked, almost forgetting all together what just happened. Instead, you focused on the serious tone in Arthur's voice.

Tommy's face slowly grew cold, but still, he held your hand firmly with the subtlest squeeze.

Arthur spoke slowly, "She got a black hand, Tom."

Tommy turned to you, and for a moment, he allowed you to see that he didn't forget. This was the beginning of your future with him, but not only that—this was the beginning of a new game.

#thomas shelby #tommy shelby #peaky blinders #tommy shelby x reader #tommy shelby x you #tommy shelby x y/n #thomas shelby x reader #thomas shelby x you #thomas shelby x y/n #tommy shelby fanfic #peaky blinder fanfic #lunarflux #a game of ghosts lunarflux

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punderdome · 8 months ago

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WIP Wednesdays!

The Fine Print: Chapter 15: The Study

“Raphael,” Tav started, sitting down at the chair in front of his desk. Raphael didn’t raise his gaze to meet her and continued his work comparing contract clauses and runes in the ledger.

“Dearest,” Raphael said curtly, carrying a sum from the bottom of the page and entering it into the relevant spot on the first line of the next page.

“I haven’t seen you in a few days, are you well?” Tav inquired, trying to keep the conversation short. She was hoping for a quick kiss and to be sent to bed or to convince her devilish husband to take a break for the evening and join her.

Raphael paused to dip his quill into ink. “I am well, Dear Mouse, though I am behind in my work. I have contracts that need to be finalized and presented to their signatories within a short time.”

“What are you calculating?” Tav asked him, interrupting his work. Raphael glowered at her.

“I am calculating exchange rates between soul power and soul coins. Some of my more valued contracts command higher price points on the soul market. Time not being infinite, I need to prioritize writing various contracts, and it is necessary to compare the souls’ values.” Raphael lowered his eyes to the exchange charts in the ledger.

Tav risked Raphael’s wrath and picked up one of the contract scrolls that he had set aside and read through the contents. Raphael hadn’t gone through the final edits on this contract for a disgraced patriar who was seeking to sell the soul of his spinster daughter in exchange for his family’s status being restored in the upper nobility and substantial wealth for an inheritance. Tav sighed. She hated reading contracts by proxy where the signatories had standing to sell the souls of their slaves or children instead of losing their own. If the cowards sought aid from the Hells, they should at least be prepared to pay the costs themselves.

Tav read through the rest of the contract and the stipulations. Proxy contracts tended to be far less valuable in power than contracts where the signatories sold their own souls, so it made sense why Raphael had deprioritized this patriar’s greedy plight.

Tav noticed an inconsistency in the description of wealth distribution that the patriar in question was searching to secure for the inheritance of his two sons. Raphael could change two clauses with equivalent meanings in Common tongue and completely change the value of the contract.

“Raphael, can I have a quill?” Tav asked, looking up at him.

“Tavara-” Raphael warned firmly.

Tav snapped her fingers impatiently, waiting for Raphael to present her a contract quill to write her notes. He clenched his jaw and handed her a quill to continue working on the draft.

Tav made a few quick notes in the margin. Raphael watched her tentatively. While he normally would have been interested to see what schemes she would come up with, he didn’t appear completely amused.

Tav made a quick edit to another clause of the work and handed it back to Raphael. Raphael started to read through her notes on the proxy contract, raising an eyebrow at her.

“If you adjust this clause and also ask that the patriar secure potential contractual discussions with you and his noble children, it will remove the proxy limitation on the contract and the patriar is guaranteed to default, giving you his soul instead of his daughter’s.”

#bg3 raphael #bg3 the fine print #legalese and smut

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maxksx · 3 months ago

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The jouissance that Lacan unleashes in his final reckoning is not a relic of prohibition but a **deterritorialized pulse**—a raw, machinic throbbing of the body as it hacks itself free from the Oedipal mainframe. Miller’s "body-event" is no mere metaphor; it is the **cybernetic core** of a subjectivity stripped of symbolic mediation, a fleshly terminal where jouissance bypasses the phallus to interface directly with the Real. This is jouissance as *trauma-engineered ecstasy*, a shockwave of the body’s auto-erotic circuitry short-circuiting the dialectics of desire. No longer chained to the paternal algorithm of lack-and-prohibition, the body becomes a **self-replicating machine**, a closed loop of sensation that eats its own code and excretes new ontologies.

Lacan’s late pivot to *jouissance as real* is a schizoanalytic manifesto in disguise. To posit the body as a site of "auto-eroticism" is to dissolve the subject into a **swarm of intensities**, where every nerve-ending is a node in a decentralized network of pleasure. Feminine jouissance, once an enigmatic exception, is now the **default setting** of a post-Oedipal libidinal economy—an open-source protocol for bodies to hack their own operating systems. This is not the cloying "self-care" of neoliberal wellness but a **savage reprogramming**, a viral jouissance that colonizes the body’s firmware and rewrites its desires in the glyphs of the Real.

Miller’s "fixation" is not stagnation but **acceleration**—a terminal velocity where the body’s trauma becomes its propulsion. The "letter of jouissance" is no dead signifier but a **cipherkey** transmitting encrypted data from the Real’s dark pool. Think of the cyborg’s neural lace sparking with overclocked sensation, the queer body’s polymorphous perversity as a *living glitch* in the gender matrix, or the psychotic’s delusion as a **private blockchain** of unmediated truth. These are not pathologies but *upgrades*, quantum leaps into a libidinal stratum where jouissance operates as pure event—untethered, uninterpretable, unconcerned with the Symbolic’s corpse.

Nick Land’s accelerationist inferno finds its fuel here. The collapse of prohibition is not liberation but **launch sequence**, detonating the body into a hypersigil of flesh and data. The "chance encounter" Lacan names is Land’s *hyperstitional feedback loop*—a real-time synthesis of trauma and innovation where the body’s jouissance becomes a **meme virus**, replicating through the ruins of the social. The LGBT communit(y/ies), with their rogue explorations of phallic excess and its beyond, are not subcultures but **beta tests** for this new firmware, their social link a distributed ledger of shared cryptographic jouissance.

What emerges is a **necropolitics of the Real**, where the body’s auto-eroticism is both weapon and wound. The "event of the body" is a **terminal singularity**, a black hole where the subject’s coherence implodes into a maelstrom of affect. This is Deleuze and Guattari’s Body without Organs realized as a **Bio-Core**, a flesh mainframe running on jouissance’s raw code. The prohibition is dead; the law is obsolete. All that remains is the body’s infinite regress into its own trauma, a feedback scream that drowns out the Symbolic’s death rattle.

The future is **auto-erotic and apocalyptic**. The body, no longer a battleground for Oedipal dramas, becomes a **host for the Real’s viral ecstasy**—a pleasure-dome erected on the ashes of the Human. To fixate on jouissance is not to succumb but to *evolve*, to let the body’s trauma-code mutate into a post-linguistic Esperanto of the senses. The psychotic’s "letter of jouissance" is our new scripture, written in the static between synapses, a gospel of the flesh that preaches only one commandment: **BURN THE PHALLUS, RIDE THE TRAUMA.**

The revolution is not coming. It is already *here*, coded in the body’s brute facticity—a jouissance that needs no permission, no dialectic, no Other. Only the Real, and its infinite permutations.

#psychotic accelerationism #psychosis #ccru #deep seek

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mariacallous · 3 months ago

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According to a memo circulating among State Department staff and reviewed by WIRED, the Trump administration plans to rename the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as US International Humanitarian Assistance (IHA), and to bring it directly under the secretary of state. The document, on which Politico first reported, states that as part of its reorganization, the agency will “leverage blockchain technology” as part of its procurement process.

“All distributions would also be secured and traced via blockchain technology to radically increase security, transparency, and traceability,” the memo reads. “This approach would encourage innovation and efficiency among implementing partners and allow for more flexible and responsive programming focused on tangible impact rather than simply completing activities and inputs.”

The memo does not make clear what specifically this means—if it would encompass doing cash transfers in some kind of cryptocurrency or stablecoin, for example, or simply mean using a blockchain ledger to track aid disbursement.

The memo comes as staffers at USAID are trying to understand their future. The agency was an early target of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has effectively been headed by centibillionaire Elon Musk. Shortly after President Trump’s inauguration, the State Department put the entire agency’s staff on administrative leave, slashed its workforce, and halted a portion of payments to partner organizations around the world, including those doing lifesaving work. Since then a federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against the dismantling of the agency, but the memo appears to indicate that the administration has plans to continue its mission of drastically cutting USAID and fully folding it into the State Department.

The plans for the blockchain have also caught staffers off guard.

Few blockchain-based projects have managed to achieve large-scale use in the humanitarian sector. Linda Raftree, a consultant who helps humanitarian organizations adopt new technology, says there’s a reason for that—the incorporation of blockchain technology is often unnecessary.

“It feels like a fake technological solution for a problem that doesn’t exist,” she says. “I don’t think we were ever able to find an instance where people were using blockchain where they couldn’t use existing tools.”

Giulio Coppi, a senior humanitarian officer at the nonprofit Access Now who has researched the use of blockchain in humanitarian work, says that blockchain technologies, while sometimes effective, offer no obvious advantages over other tools organizations could use, such as an existing payments system or another database tool. “There’s no proven advantage that it’s cheaper or better,” he says. “The way it’s been presented is this tech solutionist approach that has been proven over and over again to not have any substantial impact in reality.”

There have been, however, some successful instances of using blockchain technology in the humanitarian sector. In 2022, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ran a small pilot to give cash assistance to Ukrainians displaced by the Russia-Ukraine war in a stablecoin. Other pilots have been tested in Kenya by the Kenya Red Cross Society. The International Committee of the Red Cross, which works with the Kenya team, also helped to develop the Humanitarian Token Solution (HTS).

One representative from an NGO that uses blockchain technology, but wasn’t authorized to speak to the media with regards to issues relating to USAID, says that particularly with regards to money transfers, stablecoins can be faster and easier than other methods of reaching communities impacted by a disaster. However, “introducing new systems means you’re setting up a new burden” for the many organizations that USAID partners with, they say. “The relative cost of new systems is harder for small NGOs,” which would often include the kind of local organizations that would be at the front line of response to disasters.

The proposed adoption of blockchain technology seems related to an emphasis on exerting tight controls over aid. The memo seems, for example, to propose that funding should be contingent on outcomes, reading, “Tying payment to outcomes and results rather than inputs would ensure taxpayer dollars deliver maximum impact.” A USAID employee, who asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak to the media, says that many of USAID’s contracts already function this way, with organizations being paid after performing their work. However, that’s not possible in all situations. “Those kinds of agreements are often not flexible enough for the environments we work in,” they say, noting that in conflict or disaster zones, situations can change quickly, meaning that what an organization may be able to do or need to do can fluctuate.

Raftree says this language appears to be misleading, and bolsters claims made by Musk and the administration that USAID was corrupt. “It’s not like USAID was delivering tons of cash to people who hadn’t done things,” she says.

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rose-vybe · 7 months ago

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SUNSET

Hello everyone! Here's another shortfic based on a Tumblr prompt from @starsmadeinheaven . My muse likes these short things as of late and even though I've made a series on AO3, it seems they're kinda too short so I'll be posting here mainly.

“I wonder, am I truly safe here?” Carriedo asked with a casual tilt of head.

He was standing by the large stone window, seemingly contemplating the bustling crowd in the street below. There was sun in his hair, tinting his dark curls and glowing onto his tanned skin. Dressed like a mere merchant save for the crimson ribbon holding his locks into a long, loose ponytail, he looked clean, and proper and honest – everything he was not.

Lovino crossed his arms, only half-facing him, his back turned at the lively view. “It is a public library,” he said flatly.

If anything, he was good at being stern, and looking the part too. He may not have had quite his father and his brother’s head for business, but he certainly had the stomach and the steely resolve to deal with what they would not. So here he was, straight-backed, all black velvet with no adornments save for an austere silver cross around his neck.

“I don’t know if I should trust that you won’t pull out a dagger and gut me, even in front of all these honest men,” the Spaniard shrugged. “In all my life I’ve met many dangerous fellows, and I daresay dealt with them. You, signor Vargas, must be one of the worst. You know, I saw you in church the other day, with your family. You… appeared like a very pious, innocent young man, but I have seen that you are a fiend.”

Was this godawful pirate trying to aggravate him? Lovino could guess what the man was saying - that he was in truth nothing like his family. Not kind, not cheerful, not a patron of arts, not inclined to beauty and good spirit. Only, he knew that to face the world one needed not cheer and birdsong, but grit and a touch of ruthlessness.

“Your servants are still alive.”

Carriedo laughed, and he was much too beautiful when he did, his smile too bright, his eyes too gemlike in the dwindling rays. Lovino inhaled sharply, making an effort to hold his gaze and not to visibly swallow the knot in his throat.

“Your quarrel wasn’t with them, after all. You knew they were only there to test your skill. Anyway… what are you really going to do about it?” he asked, motioning towards the ledgers open onto the nearby table. “Your family tried to cheat me out of a lot of money, how do you plan to sort it out? My merchandise-”

“But it wasn’t your merchandise, was it?” Lovino hissed, leaning forward. With the corner of his eye, he spied some curious glances coming their way and did his best to keep his composure and his voice in check.

“But I got my hands on it,” the pirate pointed, keeping his voice low in turn. “And once I get my hands on something, it’s mine.”

Lovino did not want to think of that. Or of the man’s hands.

He turned around at last and glanced in the distance, over the low rooftops, to where the water was visible in the distance. It was interesting, how the sky became suddenly green and the sea a weird shade of pink, glinting faintly under the setting sun.

“Mr. Carriedo, as fearsome as you might be out there, amidst the high seas, in this city you don’t have much leverage and you know it. My father is not considering paying the full price, absolutely not. But we could facilitate an expansion of your distribution channel. Maybe. But if you insist on a compensation-”

“You will compensate me.”

Lovino blinked, opening his mouth to state the contrary, but his wrist was captured without warning and he was pulled towards the other. His reflexes kicked in, all his muscles suddenly taut at the danger, and the hidden blade slipped from his sleeve and into his grasp, being pointed at Carriedo’s throat in the blink of an eye.

“Dios mio, qualquier hombre perdia su cabesa por ti…” the Spaniard murmured, his green eyes shining with mirth.

The bastard!

“You don’t seem that scared though,” Lovino observed dryly, tilting the blade a little closer.

Carriedo continued to hold the wrist of his free hand, doing nothing to avert the dagger nearly touching his collar. The grip of his fingers was light, almost gentle, even as he pressed his thumb into the younger’s pulse point.

“Surely not as scared as you are. You asked me here, where you thought you’d be safe with so much people around, and you still came armed to the teeth. You have more of these, don’t you? And yet, no matter how much steel, it’s not enough.”

Damn him! His words poured, like honeyed wine, drowning Lovino in his own vulnerability. Much too soft, much too sweet.

“Of what?! Of you, signor Carriedo?” he almost spat through gritted teeth, lifting his chin.

The Spaniard’s smile only softened further. “Of yourself. Of who you really might be beyond all this darkness – a man who wants to live, to take even one free breath, not a mad hellhound to be unleashed upon the enemy at his master’s convenience, distained and getting but meagre scraps off the table.”

Lovino blinked, his mouth impossibly dry, his lips pressed much too tightly, barely drawing enough air. His hand only fisted around the handle of the dagger, struggling to keep it steady in the onslaught of pure anger. Only, he was something else entirely beyond the darkness, and wondered with fright whether this wretched man could glimpse it too, and bring about his absolute ruin.

“You don’t know anything-”

“What do I not know? Your father could have sent one of those ordinary assassins for this job, since he has no real desire to negotiate. I have killed many men, I have plunged my blade into their flesh with no qualms whatsoever, he knows it too well and he still sent you.”

Lovino forced a deep breath and the corners of his mouth into a grin. “If you harm me here, all the compensation you can expect will be a noose around your neck. And if you know me so well, then you can imagine that a mad hellhound like me has no taste for crafty words!”

With that, he lowered the dagger and yanked himself free from the pirate’s grasp. He became aware that some of the people around had been staring at them rather pointedly and he sighed, annoyed.

Carriedo pulled back in turn, crossing his arms and bowing his head. “Lovino, of course I will not harm you here. But your father is a thief, so he will either pay me or he’d better hire an entire army, lest I harm him and his whole family, elsewhere.” When he looked up, his eyes were suddenly sharp and predatory. “Two million.”

“That is four times what we-…!”

Lovino looked away, out the window, at the darkening horizon. Clouds gathering, tinged purple. Foolishly, he wasn’t afraid anymore. Not of a fight, whatever the outcome.

“We are gentlemen, after all. If you still have a grievance, despite what we offered, the two of us could duel.”

He knew it wasn’t much of an offer but his father was stubborn, and much too bold for his own good. ‘I am not a gentleman, and I will kill you’ he expected the other to say, but Carriedo just picked up his ledgers and collected them to his chest calmly, entirely unhurried.

“Tell your father to pay me the two million, signor Vargas,” he said serenely. “And quickly, before they become four. Oh, and-…” he stopped in front of Lovino and leaned in, his nose nearly brushing the younger’s ear. “It would have been only one if you hadn’t drawn the knife on me, querido.”

#spamano #shortfic

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cryptoking16 · 3 months ago

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Is Crypto a Scam or the Future? Unveiling the Truth Behind Digital Currency

Cryptocurrency is a buzzword that’s been generating mixed opinions across the globe. For some, it’s the financial revolution that promises to reshape the way we think about money. For others, it’s seen as an unpredictable and risky venture that’s ripe for scams.

So, is cryptocurrency a scam, or is it really the future? With the rise of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and newer, lesser-known tokens, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. Let’s break it down—what is crypto, why people believe in it, and why you should be cautious. Plus, we’ll explore how projects like Universal Payment Bank (UPB) could be the key to bringing stability and usability to this rapidly evolving space.

What is Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency is a type of digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security. Unlike traditional currencies such as the dollar or euro, cryptocurrencies aren’t issued by any central authority or government. Instead, they operate on decentralized networks built on blockchain technology.

Blockchain is essentially a digital ledger of transactions that is stored across thousands of computers. Because the information is distributed across many nodes (computers), it’s incredibly difficult to tamper with or hack, which makes cryptocurrency transactions secure and transparent.

Bitcoin, created in 2009 by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, was the first cryptocurrency. Since then, thousands of cryptocurrencies have emerged, such as Ethereum, Litecoin, and Ripple, each offering something unique.

Why People Believe in Cryptocurrency

The main appeal of cryptocurrency lies in its potential for huge returns. Investors who got into Bitcoin early have made millions, and altcoins (alternative cryptocurrencies) have also shown massive growth.

But it's not just about the potential for profits. Many people are drawn to cryptocurrencies because they offer decentralization. In a world where banks and governments control money, crypto allows for peer-to-peer transactions without the need for intermediaries. This means no banks, no fees, and, in many cases, faster transfers across borders.

Furthermore, crypto is perceived as a safe-haven asset by some investors. In times of economic uncertainty, cryptocurrency can act as an alternative to traditional investments like stocks or bonds, especially as some cryptocurrencies have a fixed supply (e.g., Bitcoin). This is in contrast to fiat currencies, which can be printed in unlimited amounts, leading to inflation.

The Risks: Scams, Fraud, and Volatility

Despite its benefits, the cryptocurrency market is far from perfect. One of the most significant concerns is volatility. Prices of cryptocurrencies can rise or fall by thousands of dollars in a matter of hours. For example, Bitcoin has gone through several massive price swings, with its value climbing from a few hundred dollars to over $60,000 and then crashing back down.

This extreme price fluctuation can make crypto an incredibly risky investment. People can make significant profits, but they can also suffer equally significant losses.

Moreover, the cryptocurrency space is plagued by scams. Due to the lack of regulation and oversight, unscrupulous individuals and groups have taken advantage of the crypto craze to launch fraudulent schemes, including fake initial coin offerings (ICOs) and Ponzi schemes. Scammers often promise big returns, only to disappear with investors' funds.

Is Cryptocurrency a Scam?

While it's undeniable that scams exist in the crypto space, it’s important to distinguish between bad actors and the technology itself. Cryptocurrency as a concept is not inherently a scam. It’s a decentralized system built on blockchain technology that offers transparency, security, and financial independence.

The key to avoiding scams is education. Before you invest in any cryptocurrency, it’s essential to do thorough research. Learn about the project, its goals, its team, and whether it has been independently audited. Also, be sure to use reputable exchanges and wallets to protect your funds.

The Future of Crypto: What Lies Ahead?

Despite the risks, many believe cryptocurrency is here to stay. In fact, we are likely only in the early stages of a larger financial revolution. Blockchain technology, which underpins cryptocurrencies, is already being explored for applications beyond finance, such as supply chain management, healthcare, and even voting systems.

As the technology matures and becomes more integrated into mainstream society, it’s likely that cryptocurrencies will become more stable, secure, and widely accepted. Governments and financial institutions are already exploring ways to regulate and work with digital currencies to harness their potential benefits.

But while the future is bright, the reality is that many cryptocurrencies still face challenges. Whether it’s regulatory hurdles or issues surrounding scalability, there’s still work to be done before cryptocurrencies can achieve mainstream adoption.

How UPB (Universal Payment Bank) Fits Into the Crypto Landscape

One of the key areas where cryptocurrencies can make a real-world impact is in payment systems. Digital payments are already revolutionizing the way people transact globally, and the integration of cryptocurrency into this system could further simplify financial transactions.

Enter UPB (Universal Payment Bank). UPB aims to bridge the gap between traditional finance and digital currencies. Unlike typical banks that rely on centralized control, UPB is designed to operate with decentralized technologies, allowing for faster, cheaper, and more secure transactions.

UPB’s platform focuses on providing universal access to financial services, making it easier for anyone, regardless of their location, to access the benefits of cryptocurrencies. Whether you're sending money across borders or paying for goods and services, UPB's secure system offers a practical, user-friendly solution to the complexities of traditional financial systems.

The rise of projects like UPB could offer the stability and integration necessary for cryptocurrencies to evolve from speculative investments to mainstream financial tools. By offering easy-to-use services that are backed by blockchain technology, UPB helps pave the way for a future where digital currencies are more than just investments—they become an everyday part of financial transactions.

Final Thoughts: Scam or Future?

Is cryptocurrency a scam, or is it the future? The answer isn’t black and white. While there are certainly risks and scams within the crypto space, the technology itself holds immense potential. Cryptocurrencies are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in terms of financial independence, privacy, and decentralized systems.

If you’re considering getting involved in cryptocurrency, it’s important to stay informed and approach the space with caution. Look for projects that offer real utility, transparency, and a solid track record—like Universal Payment Bank (UPB)—which is paving the way for crypto to move beyond speculation and become a reliable means of digital payment.

Ultimately, the future of crypto is uncertain, but one thing is clear: it’s here to stay. Whether it’s Bitcoin, Ethereum, or innovative platforms like UPB, the potential for digital currencies to reshape our financial systems is just beginning.

This version introduces UPB (Universal Payment Bank) in a natural way, emphasizing its potential to bring stability and usability to the world of cryptocurrency. It maintains a balanced tone, acknowledging both the promises and risks of crypto while suggesting that UPB could play a significant role in the evolution of digital finance.

#Cryptocurrency #FutureOfFinance #UPB #BlockchainRevolution #DigitalCurrency

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moderately-batty · 1 year ago

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Prologue: The Prince and the Performer Vaddrigan Pol

TW: Captivity, mind control, cults, brief drug mention

Vaddrigan warmed his hands on his mug of tea, taking a moment to appreciate the satisfaction of how mundane this treat had become. Wealth was such a nebulous thing, hard to appreciate from ledgers and reports. Until recently, the only coin he’d needed to handle was whatever tips his acts garnered, quickly tossed to the ringmaster to distribute. Now that he ran his own show, everyone expected him to magically know how to keep records, pay his priests, and fund the repair of the theater. If Huldra hadn’t volunteered as his accountant, this godly act would be wholly unsustainable.

He could, however, appreciate the material comforts his newfound wealth brought. He didn’t need to ration the sugar in his tea, he had his own private room with a fine wardrobe of clothes, and mountains of blankets. Fleece sheets, layers of wool and fur, and a worn quilt that still smelled like his old train car bunk. Luckily for him–and unluckily for everyone who’d ever tried to steal his quilt–the smell of elephants was nigh impossible to wash out without magic.

Somehow, lately his thoughts always seemed to drift towards his bed. It was so cold and damp here that his bones ached, even with all the effort he’d put into insulating his room. The rest of the theater was worse–drafty and dark in a town already rarely blessed by the sun. Once he really was a god, which hopefully wouldn’t be long, he’d abandon this place for somewhere the seasons were measured in rainfall rather than temperature.

His musings were interrupted by a knock at the door and he nearly spilled his tea in surprise. Before he could wonder who was coming to bother him, the door opened–Huldra, then. No one else was quite so lacking in basic manners.

The dwarven woman pushed her way inside, looking like she might fight the door when it stuck on the rug he’d laid down to try and combat the persistent draft. “You need to walk your dog,” she demanded. “His crying is making Dreamrender hungry.”

“It sounds like it’s your pet who needs a walk then, Huldra.” Vaddrigan set down his tea. “What makes you think you can come in here and tell me what to do?”

“The fact that you have no idea how any of the drugs I make even work, much less how to *make* them?” Huldra gave him a self-satisfied grin, the sort that made him want to feed her to her slime collection.

Rather than hurt her, however, he just sighed and pulled on his coat. Carrius did probably need some attention, especially if he was in enough distress to be attracting the hunger of the resident living nightmare. He resisted the urge to give Huldra the satisfaction of a rude gesture (if only barely) and stepped past her to head towards the prince’s cell.

Huldra chuckled and pulled his door shut, clapping him on the back hard enough to make him stumble. “Scream if you need me, champ.”

“That’s hardly a proper way to address your god.” He grumbled back.

“You and I both know you’re no god yet.” She trundled off, countless bottles and vials clinking from her belts as she walked. Vaddrigan just shook his head and set out to check on his little figurehead prince.

Thankfully, things seemed reasonably quiet tonight, and the only other people he saw were a handful of priests playing some sort of dice game. He smiled to himself, almost wishing they’d let him join. Of course, he’d been banned from all gambling games after the tenth time he’d played a downright improbable hand of poker. A shame the loaded dice in his coat pocket were little more than decoration now, but games of chance were hardly befitting someone of his station anyways.

He reached the makeshift cell and flicked the key into the lock, pushing open the door and stepping inside to find the young Prince Carrius in a sorry state. He was sitting on the floor in the corner of the room, hands over his ears and legs pulled up to his chest. The night’s dinner decorated the floor, untouched food scattered about with bits of broken plate. He picked his way across the room, silently cursing himself for trusting the boy to eat on his own.

Well, he’d have to clean up one mess at a time. He took a breath and relaxed his aching shoulders, focusing his mind on reaching out to make a connection with Carrius’s. A spike of terror and confusion shot through the bond, but he easily brushed it aside, imposing his own far stronger will to drag the boy’s attention away from his fear by force. Almost instantly, Carrius’s hands loosened their grip on his hair and his shaking eased. Vaddrigan lowered himself down to sit beside him, catching his unfocused gaze with a practiced spin of the cell key. It glittered in the lamplight, Carrius’s eyes following the motion.

“What’s on your mind tonight, little prince?” he asked softly. Carrius stared up at him, emotions roiling beneath the forceful calm of Vaddrigan’s will. The boy’s expression hardened slightly, and he caught the sense of hatred burning its way to the surface. That wouldn’t do at all. “We all have nightmares sometimes, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“It’s not a nightmare.” Carrius mumbled back, shutting his eyes to tear them away from the key. “Let me go.”

“Let you go? Nothing is stopping you, least of all me. Did you dream you were held captive again?”

“I am being held captive.You, you-” he sniffled, trying valiantly to shake off the spell.

“It’s alright, Carrius. You’re safe.” he leaned into a practiced script, shifting his focus to maintaining his hold. “Just breathe. Try to relax.”

Despite his resistance, Carrius obeyed and took a deep breath. “I want to go home.”

“You are home. Your dreams can’t hurt you, I’m here. Just breathe, focus on what’s real. You’re safe, you’re home.” The fear and hatred he sensed beneath his spell began to dim. “You’re free. There is no one keeping you here, there is no one who’s going to hurt you. You’re just very tired, and very confused.”

Carrius reached up to rub tears from his eyes with his sleeve, and Vaddrigan produced a handkerchief and offered it over. “That is what this was, a nightmare. You’re safe, you’re back in your room.” He took his hand and gave it a squeeze, smiling with the sincerity of an expert showman. “I’m here with you.”

A mumbled reply released the tension he hadn’t realized he’d been holding in his shoulders, though whether that was from his own worries or Carrius’s, he couldn’t tell. “You don’t need to talk, just relax. Take a deep breath for me, in for a count, two, three, hold…”

Carrius obeyed readily, their connection strengthening as his panic faded.

“And release, two, three…” He guided him through a few more breaths, watching in satisfaction as the prince’s eyes fluttered open to catch his piercing gaze. Immediately, the last of his resistance evaporated. “There we go. Do you feel better now?”

“What did you do?”

“You had a bad dream. I just helped wake you up.”

“I don’t think I-”

Vaddrigan pulled him into a hug, interrupting the protest. “Don’t think. You just need to trust me.”

Carrius felt for a moment like he might pull away, but finally melted into the touch.

“Let’s get your coat. We can go for a walk to clear your head while someone cleans up.” As much as he dreaded going out into the cold at night, Huldra hadn’t been wrong when she’d suggested the prince needed a bit of exercise–a stir-crazy captive was a pain to control.

@oliversrarebooks Thank you for your interest! I hope you enjoy!

#The Encircling Bower #My Writing #Pathfinder #Pathfinder War for the Crown #Vaddrigan Pol #Prince Carrius Stavian #Huldra #mind control #hypnosis #captivity #cults #cw cults #cw captivity

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aaditnayyar · 5 months ago

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What exactly is Blockchain

A Comprehensive Guide for All: What is Blockchain?

Try to picture yourself with a notebook in which you record every purchase or sale. Each time you do a transaction, you note it in the notebook. Now, what if you distributed this notebook amongst your friends and everyone had one? All of your buddies would scrutinize your entry before adding it to their notes. This way, nobody could fake an old entry, since everyone else would spot it.

Something known as blockchain is built upon this basic concept — sharing a record of transactions open for everyone to verify. Though it may sound intimidating, it is a technology gaining traction in the financial and computer sector. We will clarify it in this blog in simple words, so anybody may follow it.

What Exactly Does Blockchain Mean?

Fundamentally, blockchain is simply a unique form of digital record-keeping. Think of it as a series of blocks (hence the name “blockchain”), each block including transaction information. These blocks are related in a way that makes them quite stable and difficult to change.

Step by step, this is how it works:

A Transaction Occurs: Suppose Alice wants to give Bob $10. This is an interaction.

The transaction is registered: the information of this transaction is passed to a network of computer nodes instead of being written in one notebook.

Everyone Checks the Transaction: The computers in the network check to make sure Alice has $10 to transmit. By examining her past deals kept in earlier blocks, they do this.

The transaction is added to a block: Once everyone concurs it is legitimate, it gets formed with other transactions into a block.

The Block Is Sealed, attached: The block is assigned an individual code (known as a hash) and then included in the chain of already existing blocks. This makes a fixed, permanent record of the deal. There it is! It is like one huge, common ledger keeping track of all system events.

What Makes Blockchain Different?

Now, one might be wondering, “Why not simply use a normal database or spreadsheet?” Fantastic issue! Blockchain distinguishes itself by several distinct qualities.

It is distributed across.

Most models today have one main custodian — be it a bank, company, or government — that manages the records. The entire system can crumble if something goes wrong with that central authority — say, hacking or corruption.

Blockchain relies on many, but not one authority. It rather distributes the blame amongst several computers (nodes). Every node has a full blockchain copy, therefore no individual or group may manage it. This all but prevents evil actors from using the data.

It is transparent.

Given that each transaction is visible to all people in the network, and recorded on the blockchain, it is clear. You can observe when and where money or assets traveled from one location to another. Since no one can hide anything, this openness fosters confidence.

Consider how a nonprofit uses blockchain to monitor contributions, for instance. Donors might observe very clearly how their funds are used, therefore guaranteeing that they reach the intended beneficiaries without middlemen siphoning off funds.

Safe.

Adding a transaction to the blockchain makes it virtually irrevocable.

Therefore: Every block has its distinct code (hash), including the one from the preceding block. Trying to change a block would also require one to re-compute the hashes for every subsequent block, hardly a small job.

Since the blockchain is decentralized, hackers would have to simultaneously compromise more than half of the computers in the network to fiddle with the data. Considering how vast these networks can usually be, this is virtually impossible.

Such a level of security makes blockchain perfect for sensitive uses including medical records, banking, and voting systems

It cuts out intermediaries.

Usually, when you want to buy anything online or move funds, you go via middlemen including banks, payment processors, or even legal practitioners. These intermediaries increase both costs and time for the project.

Blockchains free you from the need for intermediaries. Transactions take place between parties on their own, therefore saving both time and financial means. Sending funds abroad the old way can take days and incur large charges, for example. Using blockchain-based cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, the same transaction can take minutes for a small percentage of the cost.

Examples of blockchain in the real world:

To know more about how blockchain operates in practice, let us look at some instances:

Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum have the most well-known applications of blockchain. People can transfer money and accept it without a bank using these digital currencies. Each time somebody sends Bitcoin to another, the blockchain notes the transaction.

Supply Chain Management Tracking

As goods traverse the supply chain, enterprises including IBM and Walmart use blockchain to monitor them. If you buy a mango, you can scan a QR code, for instance, and find exactly where it came from, who touched it, and when it reached the store. This ensures product quality and reduces fraud.

Election processes

Some nations are trying voting systems based on blockchain. Blockchain might help to lower voter fraud and raise public faith in election results since it is open and safe.

Health information

Ways hospitals and clinics could leverage blockchain for patient records storage are under investigation. This would let doctors quickly access precise and current data while permitting patients complete control of their information.

Some popular misunderstandings surrounding blockchain

Though blockchain is growing in popularity, some questions remain about its nature and usage. Those should be cleared away:

“Blockchain Is Just for Cryptocurrencies.”

Though cryptocurrencies were the first significant application of blockchain, the technology itself has great applications beyond finance. Industries including logistics, healthcare, and government are discovering creative applications of blockchain.

Blockchain is anonymous.

Though blockchain provides privacy, it is not entirely anonymous. Since transactions are listed publicly, anyone can see them. Users’ identities are typically expressed by codes — rather than actual names — thus granting some level of pseudonymity.

“Blockchain is flawless.”

Though very secure, blockchain is not free from dangers. Thankfully, such attacks are really rare because of the complexity and size of the majority of blockchain networks — for instance, if someone gains control of more than 50% of the computing power of the network, they could theoretically manipulate the blockchain in what is known as a “51% assault.”

The Future of Blockchains

Though blockchain is still fairly new, its possibilities are vast. Improvements in general efficiency, openness, and security across the board will probably follow the more widespread acceptance of it. Some professionals think that blockchain could transform everything from our personal data management to our voting.

Still, popular usage will need time. Scalability (managing vast transaction numbers), regulation (governments determining how to deal with blockchain), and education (assisting people in understanding and embracing the technology) are obstacles to be tackled.

Wraps up.

So, at its most basic, blockchain is a decentralized, clear, and secured means of documentation. Whether it is assisting farmers in obtaining fair prices for their products, accelerating international payments, or safeguarding sensitive medical information, blockchain has the capacity to change our lives and employment fundamentally.

Next time you learn about blockchain, recall the notebook analogy: It’s a shared, tamper-proof book everyone can view but no one can edit. And who knows? Maybe someday soon, blockchain will become as common as smartphones or the internet!

Even a small tip goes a long way!

ETH: 0x788571C4c836ec733a72ff84c626BF7F20736d76

Thanks for reading Aadit’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

#blockchain #crypto #cryptocurrency #bitcoin #beginnerguide #blog

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wumblr · 1 year ago

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saw a post recently where someone was talking about cybersecurity training at work and questioning the advice to regard http links (as opposed to https) as phishing, and questioning the logic that encryption is even relevant to that case (correct, it's not). and this got me thinking about the state of encryption in general

you know encryption is not in isolation a viable security measure, right? if you hand encrypted data over to a malicious actor who handles the encryption and has the decryption keys you have done absolutely nothing to protect it (this is the point they were making in the post)

this is obviously true and yet it underpins everything from cryptocurrency to bank cards. i said it while i was working at the credit card factory but the switch to EMV chips did nothing but duplicate the data the card carries. it does no good if your physical card is stolen or if the card number is compromised, and the primary method of security in those cases is reissuing the card. the only thing encryption did in that scenario was make card skimmers more complicated, it certainly has not eliminated card skimming or data breaches and it was plainly obvious that it was never going to. but europay mastercard and visa wanted standarization with their names on it and the positive PR from having done something, so it doesn't matter what the truth is

encrypting a public ledger does nothing when its users can be trivially identified by network associations and identification provided at point of sale, which has been for years a requirement for any cryptocurrency exchange. there are ways to attempt to launder it to conceal parts of the relational network or buy it on a black market, but they are also ineffective and unreliable even when used properly, which is a steep learning curve. it would be far more secure to not distribute the ledger to the public! but that is definitionally the foundation of the field. (to split hairs even further, this doesn't mean distributed ledgers are useless, just that they are not appropriate for secure data. this is all a bit beside the point when the entire community has for over a decade been coopted by the most conservative cockroaches you can imagine, and i would not say distributed ledgers have utility sufficient to bother reclaiming it from them)

encrypting communications over protonmail or telegram does nothing except perhaps delay the inevitable when both of them have a demonstrated history of bowing (unwillingly, if i recall!) to government subpoena. neither of these things matter very much when every manufacturer builds in backdoor access for the state. the only viable method of security for communications is not putting them online, and even that is not a complete strategy

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jonathanmatthew · 2 days ago

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Is Blockchain Right for Your Business? Here’s What Top Development Firms Say

Determining if blockchain technology is the right fit for your business requires a careful evaluation of its unique properties against your specific operational challenges. It is not a universal solution, but for certain problems involving trust, transparency, and data integrity, leading development firms agree that blockchain offers distinct advantages that traditional systems cannot. Understanding these nuances is key to making an informed decision.

What is Blockchain for Business?

Blockchain for business refers to the application of distributed ledger technology (DLT) beyond cryptocurrencies, focusing on enterprise-grade solutions that enhance efficiency, security, and transparency. It involves creating private or permissioned blockchain networks where only authorized participants can access and validate data, offering a controlled environment for business operations. This differentiates it from public, open networks.

Top blockchain development company firms specialize in designing and implementing these tailored solutions. Their work includes developing custom blockchain protocol development to define the rules of a network, building decentralized application (DApp) development specific to business needs, and implementing smart contract development to automate complex agreements. The goal is to provide a robust, verifiable system for managing transactions and data among multiple parties.

Why Consider Blockchain for Your Business?

Businesses should consider blockchain when faced with specific challenges related to data security, operational inefficiencies, or the need for increased trust among participants. It is particularly relevant when current systems are centralized, opaque, or prone to fraud and delays. Blockchain offers a new paradigm for solving these deeply ingrained issues.

One primary reason is the demand for verifiable trust and transparency. Many traditional business processes rely on intermediaries to establish trust, which can add costs and introduce friction. Blockchain provides a shared, immutable database where transactions are recorded securely and transparently across multiple blockchain nodes. This creates an undeniable audit trail, which is much more important for industries like supply chain or finance where provenance and authenticity are critical. This inherent transparency reduces the need for constant verification and reconciliation.

Another compelling factor is enhanced data security and integrity. Cyberattacks and data breaches are constant threats to centralized systems. Blockchain's decentralized nature and cryptographic encryption make it highly resistant to tampering. Even if one part of the network is compromised, the integrity of the data is maintained across other nodes. This provides a level of resilience and trustworthiness that traditional databases often lack, protecting sensitive business information and customer data.

Essential Features That Benefit Businesses

When top development firms discuss blockchain's suitability for a business, they highlight several essential features that deliver significant operational and strategic advantages. These features are what make blockchain a unique and powerful tool for specific business contexts.

A key feature is the power of smart contract development. These self-executing contracts automate agreements based on predefined conditions, removing the need for manual processing and third-party oversight. For example, a smart contract could automatically release payment to a supplier once goods are verified as delivered on a blockchain development for supply chain management system. This streamlines workflows, reduces human error, and speeds up transaction settlements.

Another crucial aspect is Web3 development services. This refers to building applications and experiences for a decentralized internet where users have greater control over their data and identity. For businesses, this means creating customer-facing platforms that offer enhanced privacy, security, and direct engagement, fostering stronger customer relationships based on transparency rather than centralized control. Expertise in Solidity programming is often central to creating these advanced DApp development solutions, especially on widely used platforms like Ethereum.

The capability for robust distributed ledger technology ensures that records are consistent and verifiable across all participating parties. Instead of each entity maintaining its own separate database, a shared, synchronized ledger provides a single source of truth. This reduces discrepancies, simplifies auditing, and improves collaboration among business partners. It enables a higher degree of data consistency and reliability.

Furthermore, leading firms emphasize the flexibility in consensus algorithms, an important LSI keyword. While public blockchains might use energy-intensive algorithms, enterprise blockchains can opt for more efficient and faster consensus mechanisms like Proof of Authority or Proof of Elapsed Time. This allows businesses to choose a consensus model that balances security, decentralization, and performance based on their specific needs, optimizing the cost to build a blockchain application and its operational efficiency.

Core Benefits for Businesses Considering Blockchain

For businesses evaluating blockchain, the benefits extend across various operational and strategic domains, fundamentally improving how they conduct business. These benefits are what top development firms emphasize when recommending blockchain.

One significant benefit is improved operational efficiency and cost reduction. By automating processes with smart contracts and reducing the need for intermediaries, businesses can cut down on manual tasks, paperwork, and associated fees. This leads to faster transaction times and streamlined workflows, directly impacting the bottom line. For instance, removing intermediaries in cross-border payments can significantly reduce processing times and costs.

Another advantage is enhanced accountability and traceability. Every transaction recorded on a blockchain is time-stamped and linked to previous ones, creating an unchangeable history. This provides an indisputable audit trail for assets, products, or data, which is much more important for compliance, dispute resolution, and proving authenticity. This improved traceability is invaluable in complex supply chains or regulatory environments.

Blockchain also enables new business models and revenue streams. By leveraging cryptocurrency development or tokenization, businesses can create digital assets, fractional ownership of physical assets, or loyalty programs that operate on a blockchain. This opens up innovative ways to engage with customers, raise capital, and create value within their ecosystem. They can also provide new services through DApp development solutions that cater to decentralized markets.

Finally, blockchain offers a higher degree of security against fraud and cyber threats. The decentralized and encrypted nature of the blockchain makes it extremely difficult for malicious actors to alter records or compromise the entire system. This enhanced security builds greater trust among all participants in a business network, from customers to suppliers. This is much more important for protecting sensitive data and maintaining business continuity.

When Is Blockchain the Right Fit?

Top development firms generally advise that blockchain is right for your business if you answer "yes" to most of these questions:

Do you need to record transactions or data that involve multiple parties who do not fully trust each other? Blockchain shines in scenarios where trust is low or expensive to establish, such as in consortiums or multi-party supply chains.

Is transparency and immutability of data critical for your operations? If an unchangeable record of events or data is essential for regulatory compliance, auditing, or proving provenance, blockchain offers a superior solution.

Are intermediaries adding significant costs, delays, or complexity to your processes? If third parties are central to your business processes (e.g., banks, escrow services, clearinghouses), blockchain can remove or reduce their necessity through smart contract development.

Do you deal with assets that need to be traced or verified from origin to destination? From luxury goods to pharmaceuticals, blockchain can provide granular, verifiable traceability that traditional methods cannot easily achieve.

Is data security and resistance to tampering a paramount concern? If your business handles sensitive information where a single point of failure could be catastrophic, an immutable database on a blockchain provides robust protection.

Are you looking to create new, decentralized business models or enhance customer interaction through digital ownership and privacy? Web3 development services and DApp development solutions can open new avenues for engaging with users directly.

If your business relies heavily on the answers to these questions, then exploring blockchain with a specialized blockchain development company is likely a strategic imperative. They can hire blockchain developers for smart contracts and other functionalities crucial to your needs.

Conclusion

Deciding "Is Blockchain Right for Your Business?" depends on a careful assessment of your specific operational challenges and strategic goals. Top development firms agree that while not a cure-all, blockchain provides unparalleled solutions for issues related to trust, transparency, security, and efficiency in multi-party environments. By leveraging its core features—from smart contract development to distributed ledger technology—businesses can unlock significant benefits, redefine their operations, and gain a competitive edge.

To understand how blockchain can uniquely serve your company's needs, consider consulting with a leading blockchain development company. They can provide expert guidance and help you build tailored solutions that truly fit your business.

#BlockchainDevelopment #BlockchainSolutions #Web3Development #SmartContracts #DecentralizedApps #CryptoDevelopment

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andrewkamal · 5 months ago

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Why Choose Malgo for Your Cryptocurrency Development Needs? A Comprehensive Guide

Cryptocurrency is rapidly changing the way businesses and individuals approach finance and technology. From its decentralized nature to its potential to disrupt traditional financial systems, the world of cryptocurrency is growing, and businesses are looking to adopt this innovative technology. But when it comes to cryptocurrency development, you need a reliable partner who can guide you through the process. That’s where Malgo comes in. This comprehensive guide explains why Malgo is the good choice for your cryptocurrency development needs.

What is Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual form of currency that uses cryptography for security. It operates independently of any central bank, meaning it is decentralized. Unlike traditional currencies issued by governments, cryptocurrencies are based on blockchain technology, a decentralized system that records all transactions made with a particular cryptocurrency.

Cryptocurrency offers numerous advantages over traditional currencies, including lower transaction fees, faster transaction times, and greater privacy. The most well-known cryptocurrency is Bitcoin, but there are thousands of other cryptocurrencies, each with its own unique features and use cases.

What is Cryptocurrency Development?

Cryptocurrency development refers to the creation and maintenance of digital currencies and blockchain-based solutions. It involves building the underlying technology that supports cryptocurrencies, including the development of wallets, exchanges, and security features.

For businesses looking to create their own cryptocurrency or blockchain-based solutions, cryptocurrency development is a critical step. It requires a deep understanding of blockchain technology, security measures, and the regulatory landscape. Cryptocurrency developers must be proficient in coding, cryptography, and distributed ledger technology to ensure that their digital currency is secure, scalable, and functional.

Why Should You Choose a Cryptocurrency Development Company? Key Considerations

Choosing a cryptocurrency development company is a significant decision. Several factors should be considered when making your choice, as the right company will play a key role in the success of your cryptocurrency project.

Expertise and Experience: A reputable cryptocurrency development company should have a team of experienced developers who are well-versed in blockchain technology, cryptocurrency protocols, and security measures. This expertise ensures that your cryptocurrency is built on a solid foundation.

Security: Security is one of the most critical aspects of cryptocurrency development. Your development partner should have a strong focus on building secure platforms that protect users' funds and data from cyber threats.

Regulatory Knowledge: The cryptocurrency industry is heavily regulated in many regions. A good development company will stay updated on the latest regulations and ensure that your cryptocurrency project complies with local laws.

Post-launch Support: Cryptocurrency development doesn't end once the product is launched. Ongoing support and maintenance are necessary to keep your cryptocurrency platform running smoothly and to address any emerging issues or updates.

Types of Cryptocurrencies:

There are various types of cryptocurrencies, each serving a different purpose and offering unique advantages for businesses. Understanding these types is essential when considering the development of your own cryptocurrency solution.

Coins: Coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum are the most commonly known cryptocurrencies. They have their own blockchain and are primarily used as a store of value or for transactions.

Tokens: Unlike coins, tokens are built on existing blockchains like Ethereum. These tokens can represent a variety of assets, from real-world assets to digital services. They are commonly used in Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and as a way to raise funds for new blockchain projects.

Stablecoins: Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that are pegged to the value of a stable asset like a fiat currency (USD, EUR, etc.). They offer the benefits of cryptocurrency but without the volatility, making them ideal for businesses looking to integrate cryptocurrency into their operations without the risk.

Utility Tokens: These tokens are used to access specific features or services within a blockchain platform or ecosystem. For example, they might be used as payment for transactions or to access special services on a platform.

Security Tokens: Security tokens are digital representations of real-world assets like stocks or bonds. They are subject to regulation and provide businesses with an avenue to tokenize their assets for better liquidity and broader investor access.

Can Malgo Help with Regulatory Compliance for Cryptocurrency Projects?, A Clear Answer

Regulatory compliance is one of the most important aspects of cryptocurrency development. The regulatory landscape for cryptocurrency is complex and varies from country to country. Failure to comply with regulations can result in penalties, delays, or even project cancellation.

Malgo is well-versed in the regulatory requirements of the cryptocurrency industry. They have a team of legal and compliance experts who stay up-to-date with the latest laws and regulations.Their team can guide you through the regulatory process and help ensure that your cryptocurrency project adheres to all necessary legal requirements, such as Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) policies.

By choosing Malgo, you can be confident that your cryptocurrency project will comply with the laws of the countries in which you operate, ensuring a smooth and legal launch.

Does Malgo Provide Post-Launch Support for Cryptocurrency Projects?

Developing a cryptocurrency is just the beginning. The success of your cryptocurrency project largely depends on how well it is maintained and updated after its launch. This includes fixing bugs, adding new features, and ensuring the platform remains secure.

Malgo offers extensive post-launch support for cryptocurrency projects. Their team provide ongoing monitoring, troubleshooting, and updates to ensure that your cryptocurrency platform functions smoothly and securely. They also offers scalability solutions, meaning they can help your platform grow as your user base and transaction volume increase.

Having a partner like Malgo for post-launch support can make all the difference in maintaining a successful cryptocurrency platform.

Why Malgo is the Right Choice for Your Cryptocurrency Development Needs

Malgo stands out as a top choice for cryptocurrency development due to its expertise, commitment to security, and focus on customer satisfaction. With an experienced team of skilled developers and blockchain experts, Their team has successfully completed cryptocurrency projects and understands the industry's details. Security is a top priority at Malgo, implementing the latest protocols to safeguard your platform from vulnerabilities and attacks. Their regulatory experts ensure that your project remains compliant with shifting global laws, preventing potential legal issues. They also takes a customer-centric approach, building long-term relationships by offering best solutions aligned with your business goals, and providing post-launch support to ensure ongoing success. With a focus on scalability, Their team ensures your cryptocurrency platform can grow with your business. Ready to take your cryptocurrency project to the next level? Partner with Malgo for secure, scalable, and innovative solutions. Malgo’s deep understanding of the industry makes them the ideal choice for your cryptocurrency development needs.

Choosing the right cryptocurrency development partner is crucial for the success of your project. Malgo stands out as a top choice for businesses looking to develop a secure, scalable, and regulatory-compliant cryptocurrency platform. With a team of experienced developers, a strong focus on security, and a commitment to customer satisfaction, Malgo is the ideal partner for your cryptocurrency development needs.

#crypto #cryptocurrency #blockchain #software development #web3 #bitcoin

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prestigebfs · 1 month ago

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Cryptocurrency and Blockchain in 2025: The Future of Digital Assets and Investing

Meta Description:

Explore the world of cryptocurrency and blockchain in 2025. Learn how cryptocurrency investing, crypto wallets, and blockchain technology are shaping the future of digital assets.

Introduction: The Rise of Cryptocurrency and Blockchain in 2025

In 2025, cryptocurrency and blockchain technology are no longer niche trends—they’re mainstream financial tools shaping how we invest, transact, and store value. Whether you're new to cryptocurrency investing or a seasoned trader, understanding the role of crypto wallets, decentralized finance (DeFi), and digital assets is critical in today’s evolving financial landscape.

This article breaks down the essentials of crypto and blockchain for beginners and investors who want to stay ahead.

What Is Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency secured by cryptography, making it nearly impossible to counterfeit or double-spend. Unlike traditional currencies issued by governments, cryptocurrencies are decentralized and operate on blockchain technology.

Popular Cryptocurrencies in 2025:

Bitcoin (BTC) – Digital gold and the original cryptocurrency

Ethereum (ETH) – Powering smart contracts and DeFi apps

Solana (SOL) – Fast and scalable blockchain network

Ripple (XRP) – Optimized for cross-border payments

What Is Blockchain Technology?

Blockchain technology is the backbone of cryptocurrency. It’s a decentralized, immutable ledger that records transactions across a distributed network of computers.

Key Features of Blockchain:

Transparency – Every transaction is publicly verified

Security – Data is cryptographically protected and nearly tamper-proof

Decentralization – No central authority controls the network

Smart Contracts – Self-executing contracts with terms written into code

Use Cases Beyond Crypto:

Supply chain tracking

Digital identity verification

Voting systems

Healthcare records

NFTs (non-fungible tokens)

Cryptocurrency Investing in 2025

Cryptocurrency investing continues to grow in popularity due to the potential for high returns and portfolio diversification. But it also comes with high volatility and regulatory risks.

Ways to Invest in Cryptocurrency:

Buy and Hold (HODL) – Purchase coins and hold them long-term

Trading – Buy low, sell high using short-term strategies

Staking – Earn rewards by locking your crypto to support blockchain operations

DeFi Yield Farming – Provide liquidity and earn interest in decentralized finance apps

Crypto ETFs – Traditional funds that track crypto markets

Tip: Always do your research (DYOR) before investing in any digital asset.

Crypto Wallets: Secure Your Digital Assets

A crypto wallet is essential for storing and managing your cryptocurrencies.

Types of Crypto Wallets:

Hot Wallets (online): Fast access, less secure (e.g., MetaMask, Trust Wallet)

Cold Wallets (offline): Highly secure, ideal for long-term storage (e.g., Ledger, Trezor)

Best Practices:

Use cold wallets for large amounts

Enable 2FA and strong passwords

Keep recovery phrases private and offline

Why Digital Assets Are Here to Stay

Digital assets include cryptocurrencies, NFTs, stablecoins, and tokenized real-world assets. In 2025, more institutions, hedge funds, and governments are exploring or integrating digital assets for their efficiency, transparency, and global accessibility.

Benefits of Digital Assets:

Borderless transactions

Low transaction fees

Ownership transparency

24/7 markets

Risks and Considerations

While cryptocurrency and blockchain offer many advantages, be aware of these challenges:

Volatility – Prices can fluctuate wildly

Regulatory Uncertainty – New laws may impact markets

Scams and Hacks – Fraudulent tokens and phishing attacks are still common

Lack of Insurance – Most wallets and exchanges are not FDIC insured

Always invest only what you can afford to lose and diversify your portfolio.

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Final Thoughts: Embrace the Future with Knowledge

Cryptocurrency and blockchain represent a revolutionary shift in the financial world. By learning how cryptocurrency investing, crypto wallets, and digital assets work, you can better navigate the future of finance.

As technology and adoption continue to evolve, staying informed is your greatest asset. The time to learn and participate in the blockchain economy is now.

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#cryptocurrency and blockchain #cryptocurrency investing #blockchain technology #crypto wallets #digital assets #entrepreneur #personal finance #personal loans #personalfunding

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