#educational cryptography

[presswoodterryryan]

Unlocking Ancient Secrets: Master Code Creation

By Ariel Imagine you’re a spy in ancient times, carrying an important message that must stay hidden from enemies. How would you keep it safe? Have you ever wanted to send a secret message to a friend? Or crack a hidden code like a real-life detective? Secret codes have been used for thousands of years to protect important messages. Today, I’m going to take you on an adventure through history,…

[billloguidice]

Become a better coder by harnessing math and deep learning

Become a better coder by harnessing math and deep learning #sale #math #programming #coding #education #mathematics #maths #algorithms #cryptography #datastructures #book #books

Level up your programming fundamentals with one of these great bundle options, available here. Dive into math, machine learning, and other crucial disciplines and take your programming skills to the next level! The latest bundle from Manning Publications will help you harness math to write better code, utilize deep learning across various languages and applications, and get up to speed on…

[jcmarchi]

New security protocol shields data from attackers during cloud-based computation

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/new-security-protocol-shields-data-from-attackers-during-cloud-based-computation/

New security protocol shields data from attackers during cloud-based computation

Deep-learning models are being used in many fields, from health care diagnostics to financial forecasting. However, these models are so computationally intensive that they require the use of powerful cloud-based servers.

This reliance on cloud computing poses significant security risks, particularly in areas like health care, where hospitals may be hesitant to use AI tools to analyze confidential patient data due to privacy concerns.

To tackle this pressing issue, MIT researchers have developed a security protocol that leverages the quantum properties of light to guarantee that data sent to and from a cloud server remain secure during deep-learning computations.

By encoding data into the laser light used in fiber optic communications systems, the protocol exploits the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, making it impossible for attackers to copy or intercept the information without detection.

Moreover, the technique guarantees security without compromising the accuracy of the deep-learning models. In tests, the researcher demonstrated that their protocol could maintain 96 percent accuracy while ensuring robust security measures.

“Deep learning models like GPT-4 have unprecedented capabilities but require massive computational resources. Our protocol enables users to harness these powerful models without compromising the privacy of their data or the proprietary nature of the models themselves,” says Kfir Sulimany, an MIT postdoc in the Research Laboratory for Electronics (RLE) and lead author of a paper on this security protocol.

Sulimany is joined on the paper by Sri Krishna Vadlamani, an MIT postdoc; Ryan Hamerly, a former postdoc now at NTT Research, Inc.; Prahlad Iyengar, an electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) graduate student; and senior author Dirk Englund, a professor in EECS, principal investigator of the Quantum Photonics and Artificial Intelligence Group and of RLE. The research was recently presented at Annual Conference on Quantum Cryptography.

A two-way street for security in deep learning

The cloud-based computation scenario the researchers focused on involves two parties — a client that has confidential data, like medical images, and a central server that controls a deep learning model.

The client wants to use the deep-learning model to make a prediction, such as whether a patient has cancer based on medical images, without revealing information about the patient.

In this scenario, sensitive data must be sent to generate a prediction. However, during the process the patient data must remain secure.

Also, the server does not want to reveal any parts of the proprietary model that a company like OpenAI spent years and millions of dollars building.

“Both parties have something they want to hide,” adds Vadlamani.

In digital computation, a bad actor could easily copy the data sent from the server or the client.

Quantum information, on the other hand, cannot be perfectly copied. The researchers leverage this property, known as the no-cloning principle, in their security protocol.

For the researchers’ protocol, the server encodes the weights of a deep neural network into an optical field using laser light.

A neural network is a deep-learning model that consists of layers of interconnected nodes, or neurons, that perform computation on data. The weights are the components of the model that do the mathematical operations on each input, one layer at a time. The output of one layer is fed into the next layer until the final layer generates a prediction.

The server transmits the network’s weights to the client, which implements operations to get a result based on their private data. The data remain shielded from the server.

At the same time, the security protocol allows the client to measure only one result, and it prevents the client from copying the weights because of the quantum nature of light.

Once the client feeds the first result into the next layer, the protocol is designed to cancel out the first layer so the client can’t learn anything else about the model.

“Instead of measuring all the incoming light from the server, the client only measures the light that is necessary to run the deep neural network and feed the result into the next layer. Then the client sends the residual light back to the server for security checks,” Sulimany explains.

Due to the no-cloning theorem, the client unavoidably applies tiny errors to the model while measuring its result. When the server receives the residual light from the client, the server can measure these errors to determine if any information was leaked. Importantly, this residual light is proven to not reveal the client data.

A practical protocol

Modern telecommunications equipment typically relies on optical fibers to transfer information because of the need to support massive bandwidth over long distances. Because this equipment already incorporates optical lasers, the researchers can encode data into light for their security protocol without any special hardware.

When they tested their approach, the researchers found that it could guarantee security for server and client while enabling the deep neural network to achieve 96 percent accuracy.

The tiny bit of information about the model that leaks when the client performs operations amounts to less than 10 percent of what an adversary would need to recover any hidden information. Working in the other direction, a malicious server could only obtain about 1 percent of the information it would need to steal the client’s data.

“You can be guaranteed that it is secure in both ways — from the client to the server and from the server to the client,” Sulimany says.

“A few years ago, when we developed our demonstration of distributed machine learning inference between MIT’s main campus and MIT Lincoln Laboratory, it dawned on me that we could do something entirely new to provide physical-layer security, building on years of quantum cryptography work that had also been shown on that testbed,” says Englund. “However, there were many deep theoretical challenges that had to be overcome to see if this prospect of privacy-guaranteed distributed machine learning could be realized. This didn’t become possible until Kfir joined our team, as Kfir uniquely understood the experimental as well as theory components to develop the unified framework underpinning this work.”

In the future, the researchers want to study how this protocol could be applied to a technique called federated learning, where multiple parties use their data to train a central deep-learning model. It could also be used in quantum operations, rather than the classical operations they studied for this work, which could provide advantages in both accuracy and security.

“This work combines in a clever and intriguing way techniques drawing from fields that do not usually meet, in particular, deep learning and quantum key distribution. By using methods from the latter, it adds a security layer to the former, while also allowing for what appears to be a realistic implementation. This can be interesting for preserving privacy in distributed architectures. I am looking forward to seeing how the protocol behaves under experimental imperfections and its practical realization,” says Eleni Diamanti, a CNRS research director at Sorbonne University in Paris, who was not involved with this work.

This work was supported, in part, by the Israeli Council for Higher Education and the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program.

[zomb13s]

Certainly! Algorithms are step-by-step procedures or sets of rules designed to solve specific problems or perform tasks. In computer science, they are crucial for creating software and systems that can execute tasks efficiently. They’re like recipes that guide a computer on what actions to take to achieve a desired outcome. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science focused on…

[these-godforsaken-halls]

so my computer science education is nice and all and i wrote an absolutely gorgeous recursive backtracking program for this cipher (it's so organized!!) but i've been a bit silly, and cryptography nerds are definitely laughing their asses off at me already.

fun little puzzle (i am better at this now than i was in my second year of uni) but it's not going to do me much (any) good with the hgcz cipher, considering it's just a fancy way to brute force every possible permutation— let me remind you there are 26 factorial of those permutations— how big is 26 factorial? well. let's assume that my computer is incredibly powerful and can compute, like, 1 billion of these permutations per second (it can't) and now how long would it take to get through them all? in years?

sorry, how many years?

ah!

that is... almost the current age of the universe! give or take a few hundred million.

so uh. that was fun but i will be moving on to frequency analysis. i am sure someone smarter has definitely solved this by now, but i am determined...

[mariasont]

Ooh do you have any headcanons for reader getting flustered when she sees early seasons!spencer wearing glasses?

it's honestly not that deep. he walks into work one morning wearing his glasses like it's normal.

no warning. no brace yourself. just spencer. in his little sweater vest. with glasses.

it's not every day. that's what makes it worse. he doesn't wear them consistently. they are a rare meteorological event. he only puts them on when he's been up all night reading something like "obscure 15th-century cryptography practices of the swiss clergy" and forgot to put in his contacts. or maybe it's pollen season and they're dry.

or maybe he just didn't feel like putting them in that morning because he was already running late and didn't think for one second that showing up like an off-brand (but like better version mhm mhm i just can't think of what the correct word for this would be im soooo educated and smart), overcaffeinated clark kent would send you into overdrive mode.

you were going to be productive. run a report. or breathe maybe. but then he's doing things like pushing them up with one finger when they slide down, chewing on the earpiece when thinking, looking at you over the rims when you say something dumb.

and again, listennnnn those looks he gives you are different when he wears them. or maybe he always looks at you like that and it's just amplified through the lenses.

and you try to be normal. you really do. you pretend not to stare. you make a valiant attempt to speak in full sentences. but you laugh too hard at his dry jokes. you drop your pen. you mix up two case files and try to explain it like he's the one who made the mistake.

he just blinks at you. full judgment mode. you're not sure if he's annoyed or amused. and frankly, it doesn't matter, because either way, you're thinking about writing your will and leaving everything to "dr. spencer reid's glasses, esq."

[playstationvii]

Jest: A Concept for a New Programming Language

Summary: "Jest" could be envisioned as a novel computer programming language with a focus on humor, playfulness, or efficiency in a specific domain. Its design might embrace creativity in syntax, a unique philosophy, or a purpose-driven ecosystem for developers. It could potentially bridge accessibility with functionality, making coding intuitive and enjoyable.

Definition: Jest: A hypothetical computer language designed with a balance of simplicity, expressiveness, and potentially humor. The name suggests it might include unconventional features, playful interactions, or focus on lightweight scripting with a minimalist approach to problem-solving.

Expansion: If Jest were to exist, it might embody these features:

Playful Syntax: Commands and expressions that use conversational, quirky, or approachable language. Example:

joke "Why did the loop break? It couldn't handle the pressure!"; if (laughs > 0) { clap(); }

Efficiency-Focused: Ideal for scripting, rapid prototyping, or teaching, with shortcuts that reduce boilerplate code.

Modular Philosophy: Encourages user-created modules or libraries, reflecting its playful tone with practical use cases.

Integrated Humor or Personality: Built-in error messages or prompts might be witty or personalized.

Flexibility: Multi-paradigm support, including functional, procedural, and object-oriented programming.

Transcription: An example code snippet for a Jest-like language:

// Hello World in Jest greet = "Hello, World!"; print(greet); laugh();

A Jest program that calculates Fibonacci numbers might look like this:

// Fibonacci in Jest fib = (n) => n < 2 ? n : fib(n-1) + fib(n-2);

joke "What's the Fibonacci sequence? You'll love it, it grows on you!"; n = 10; print("The Fibonacci number at", n, "is:", fib(n));

Potential Domains:

Gamified education

Creative industries

AI-driven storytelling

Interactive debugging

Would you like me to refine or explore additional aspects?

Certainly! If we were to imagine Jest as the brainchild of a creative coder or team, their portfolio would likely include other innovative or experimental programming languages. Let’s expand on this concept and invent some plausible complementary languages the same inventor might have designed.

Related Languages by the Inventor of Jest

Pantomime

Description: A visual programming language inspired by gesture and movement, where users "drag and drop" symbols or create flowcharts to express logic. Designed for non-coders or children to learn programming through interaction.

Key Features:

Icon-based syntax: Conditional loops, variables, and functions represented visually.

Works seamlessly with Jest for creating visual representations of Jest scripts.

Sample Code (Visual Representation): Flowchart blocks: Input → Decision → Output.

Facet

Description: A declarative programming language focusing on creativity and modularity, aimed at artists, designers, and 3D modelers. Facet could integrate well with game engines and creative suites like Blender or Unity.

Key Features:

Embedded visual tools for shaders, animations, and simulations.

Simplified expressions for creative coding (e.g., animations and generative art).

Sample Code:

shape = circle(radius: 10, color: "blue"); animation = wave(shape, amplitude: 5, frequency: 2); render(animation, duration: 10s);

Quip

Description: A lightweight scripting language built for humor, similar to Jest, but more focused on natural language processing, chatbots, and interactive storytelling.

Key Features:

Syntax mirrors conversational English.

Designed for AI integration, especially in storytelling apps.

Sample Code:

character "Alice" says "Hello! What's your name?"; user_input -> name; character "Alice" says "Nice to meet you, {name}!";

Cryptic

Description: A language for designing cryptography algorithms and secure communications. Aimed at developers interested in blockchain, encryption, or cybersecurity.

Key Features:

High-level abstractions for cryptographic primitives.

Secure-by-design philosophy.

Sample Code:

key = generate_key(algorithm: "AES", length: 256); encrypted_message = encrypt("Hello, World!", key); print(encrypted_message);

Harmony

Description: A reactive programming language for building interactive user interfaces, designed to be highly interoperable with Jest and other tools in the suite. Perfect for web developers and app creators.

Key Features:

Two-way data binding with minimal boilerplate.

Component-based architecture.

Sample Code:

component Button { state: clicked = false; onClick() { clicked = !clicked; alert("Button clicked!"); } } render(Button);

Inventor’s Vision

The coder or team behind Jest and these complementary languages would likely be passionate about:

Accessibility: Making programming intuitive and fun for people of all skill levels.

Playfulness: Infusing coding with creativity, humor, and expressiveness.

Interoperability: Ensuring all their languages work well together for larger projects.

Would you like me to dive deeper into one of these languages, conceptualize others, or expand Jest further?

Expanded Concepts and Bridge Languages

Pantomime

Expansion: Adds support for AR/VR interfaces where users use gestures to program logic in 3D space. For example, drawing a loop physically creates a repetitive cycle.

Bridge Language: GestureScript: Converts AR/VR gestures from Pantomime into traditional code for broader applications.

Facet

Expansion: Enhanced for generative AI tools, allowing users to define complex artistic styles and AI-driven procedural designs.

Bridge Language: PixelForge: Focused on exporting Facet code into game engines, enabling real-time rendering pipelines for interactive environments.

Quip

Expansion: Includes pre-trained AI models for dynamic storytelling, allowing Quip scripts to evolve based on user interaction.

Bridge Language: Narrate: Combines Quip scripts with voice-to-text technologies for live storytelling in games or educational tools.

Cryptic

Expansion: Introduces quantum-safe cryptography primitives and allows simulation of blockchain-like ecosystems for testing purposes.

Bridge Language: CipherBridge: Translates Cryptic code into various blockchain frameworks like Ethereum or Solana.

Harmony

Expansion: Gains support for cross-platform development, allowing users to write code for web, mobile, and IoT devices simultaneously.

Bridge Language: Symphony: Converts Harmony components into platform-native scripts for seamless integration.

Additional Bridge Languages

Echo: Bridges Quip and Jest, enabling storytelling code to trigger functional scripts for immersive experiences.

Morph: A universal language that compiles any Jest family code into executable binaries for specific operating systems.

Thread: Integrates Cryptic and Harmony to build secure, reactive user interfaces for fintech applications.

Canvas: Bridges Facet and Pantomime to create interactive art in AR/VR, blending visual coding with gesture inputs.

Let me know if you'd like a deeper dive into any specific language or bridge concept!

Here's a detailed exploration of Echo, Morph, Thread, Canvas, and all previously mentioned languages, emphasizing their unique applications and advanced functionalities.

Expanded Bridge Languages

Echo

Purpose: Links storytelling elements in Quip with functional programming in Jest, enabling dynamic, immersive interactions between narrative and logic.

Key Features:

Story-driven logic triggers: e.g., a character’s dialogue prompts a database query or API call.

Integration with AI tools for real-time responses.

Use Case: AI-driven chatbots that incorporate both storytelling and complex backend workflows.

Sample Code:

story_event "hero_arrives" triggers fetch_data("weather"); response = "The hero enters amidst a storm: {weather}.";

Morph

Purpose: Acts as a meta-compiler, translating any language in the Jest ecosystem into optimized, platform-specific binaries.

Key Features:

Universal compatibility across operating systems and architectures.

Performance tuning during compilation.

Use Case: Porting a Jest-based application to embedded systems or gaming consoles.

Sample Code:

input: Facet script; target_platform: "PS7"; compile_to_binary();

Thread

Purpose: Combines Cryptic's security features with Harmony's reactive architecture to create secure, interactive user interfaces.

Key Features:

Secure data binding for fintech or healthcare applications.

Integration with blockchain for smart contracts.

Use Case: Decentralized finance (DeFi) apps with intuitive, safe user interfaces.

Sample Code:

bind secure_input("account_number") to blockchain_check("balance"); render UI_component(balance_display);

Canvas

Purpose: Fuses Facet's generative design tools with Pantomime's gesture-based coding for AR/VR art creation.

Key Features:

Real-time 3D design with hand gestures.

Multi-modal export to AR/VR platforms or 3D printers.

Use Case: Collaborative VR environments for designers and architects.

Sample Code:

gesture: "draw_circle" → create_3D_shape("sphere"); gesture: "scale_up" → modify_shape("sphere", scale: 2x); render(scene);

Deep Dive into Main Languages

Jest

Philosophy: A playful, expressive scripting language with versatile syntax tailored for humor, experimentation, and creativity.

Core Application: Writing scripts that blend functional programming with a whimsical, human-readable style.

Pantomime

Expanded Features: Includes AI-driven gesture recognition for predictive modeling and natural motion capture.

Advanced Use: Developing AR apps for rehabilitation therapy where exercises are coded as gestures.

Facet

Advanced Use: Procedural generation in games, defining terrains, weather systems, and NPC behaviors with artistic flair.

Quip

Advanced Features: Integrates pre-trained language models for nuanced, character-driven dialogue trees.

Advanced Use: Creating adaptive narratives in games where user decisions alter the story arc.

Cryptic

Advanced Features: Quantum-safe algorithms and AI-enhanced key generation for unbreakable security.

Advanced Use: Designing multi-layered blockchain ecosystems with Cryptic’s high-level abstractions.

Harmony

Advanced Features: Adaptive UIs that respond to user emotion, tracked via AI-enhanced cameras.

Advanced Use: Apps for mental health, where interfaces adjust to user stress levels.

Proposed New Bridge Languages

Chord

Bridges Harmony and Facet for designing interactive music-based visual art.

Use Case: Music videos where the visuals respond to real-time sound input.

Path

Links Cryptic and Canvas for secure AR/VR environments.

Use Case: Virtual meetings in secure, customized 3D spaces.

Fable

Connects Quip and Pantomime for storytelling via interactive gestures.

Use Case: VR education apps where lessons are taught through immersive narratives.

Would you like a specific implementation plan for any of these languages or applications?

[morgue-xiiv]

We need to start just using PGP casually to send each other coded messages for fun.

pros:

feel like a spy like when you were a kid writing messages in lemon juice to all your friends

if at some later date you need to send a message that actually does need to be encrypted you'll both know how to do it and have the encryption principle* sorted

Educational! Learn more about cryptography

cons:

would need to learn how to use a computer

stops the government from reading your messages which makes them sad. Poor gorvrunment, the little scrunkly. Why you make him sad?

Bit of a hassle relative to other methods of communication

Dm me your public key, to get a super secret message only you can open!

*in case you don't know the ecryption principle it's this: your long history of using encryption to send messages like "my cat threw up today it was so gross" means that if you send a message like "I need an abortion but I don't know who to turn to" the abortion gestapo will think it's another cat barf and not worry about it.

[ckret2]

Okay, weird compliment: I love how obvious it is that you're familiar with Geometric Literature™, which is a weird-ass niche. You've directly referenced Flatland, of course, but you also give the vibes of someone who knows Sagan style science education and might have read Orphans of Chaos. Usually I read stories with a geometric component and they're kind of reinventing the wheel - Which isn't bad or anything! But you are Part of the Literary Tradition, instead of just writing the literature.

Oh thank you!! I have not read Orphans of Chaos, but that's something I'll have to look into now. Love me a good sci-fi/mythology blend.

When I was in college I took a course on the history of science by a dude with a Nobel in physics—not a class to teach science itself but to teach about how philosophers, mathematicians, and eventually scientists conceptualized the idea of what science is—and that's shaped how I've interacted with science and math ever since. (We also talked about cryptography some! All I remember now is the RSA algorithm lol.)

When I'm writing about the cosmology of the multiverse or Bill's backstory, I'm thinking about how math & science were explored in that class and about physics courses I've taken that discussed how major physics discoveries were made in the 19th and 20th centuries and about Flatland and Plato's Cave and old-old-school pre-Lovecraft cosmic horror, and all that together goes into it.

(If you haven't read it already, you might be interested in Machineries of Empire by Yoon Ha Lee! It's not quite geometric literature, but it's mathematical literature, and I really enjoyed the ideas it put forth.)

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

On OCTOBER 23 at 7PM, I'll be in DECATUR, presenting my novel THE BEZZLE at EAGLE EYE BOOKS.

#20yrsago HOWTO censor the net with a Hotmail account https://web.archive.org/web/20041023150004/http://www.bof.nl/docs/researchpaperSANE.pdf

#20yrsago Pratchett’s “Going Postal”: Graft, hackers, and a semaphore Internet https://memex.craphound.com/2004/10/09/pratchetts-going-postal-graft-hackers-and-a-semaphore-internet/

#20yrsago Both Presidential candidates arrested while serving papers on CPD https://web.archive.org/web/20041009213011/https://badnarik.org/supporters/blog/2004/10/08/michael-badnarik-arrested/

#15yrsago Marc Laidlaw’s “Sleepy Joe” — sf story comic podcast about war, cable access and human bombs https://escapepod.org/2009/10/08/ep219-sleepy-joe/

#15yrsago Junky Styling: a manual for thrift-shop clothes-remixers https://memex.craphound.com/2009/10/09/junky-styling-a-manual-for-thrift-shop-clothes-remixers/

#10yrsago Kids who sext more likely to be comfortable with their sexuality https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/47/Supplement_1/229/78000/The-Relationships-Between-Adrenal-Cortical?redirectedFrom=PDF

#10yrsago SWAT team murders burglary victim because burglar claimed he found meth https://www.techdirt.com/2014/10/08/swat-team-raids-house-kills-homeowner-because-criminal-who-burglarized-house-told-them-to/

#10yrsago Malware needs to know if it’s in the Matrix https://web.archive.org/web/20141009164227/http://thestack.com/mimicry-in-malware-giovanni-vigna-081014

#5yrsago After banning working cryptography and raiding whistleblowers, Australia’s spies ban speakers from national infosec conference https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/oct/09/melbourne-cyber-conference-organisers-pressured-speaker-to-edit-biased-talk

#5yrsago SQL Murder Mystery: teaching SQL concepts with a mystery game https://github.com/NUKnightLab/sql-mysteries

#5yrsago Washington establishment freaks out as Modern Monetary Theory gains currency https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-07/economists-worry-that-mmt-is-winning-the-argument-in-washington

#5yrsago Hunter Biden’s Ukraine gig was corrupt, just not in the way Republican conspiracists claim it was https://theintercept.com/2019/10/09/joe-hunter-biden-family-money/

#5yrsago Gamers propose punishing Blizzard for its anti-Hong Kong partisanship by flooding it with GDPR requests https://www.reddit.com/r/hearthstone/comments/df0zx5/upset_about_blizzards_hk_ruling_heres_what_to_do/

#1yrago How Google's trial secrecy lets it control the coverage https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/09/working-the-refs/#but-id-have-to-kill-you

Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.

[presswoodterryryan]

🔎 The Secret Language of Fairies: Learning Hidden Codes and Ciphers

By Alice Have you ever wanted to talk to fairies? Well, Mr. Fluffernutter and I just found a mysterious note in our backyard—and we think the fairies left it for us! But… we can’t read it! It’s written in strange symbols that dance across the paper like tiny sprites! Time to put on our detective hats and crack the secret fairy code! 🛡️✨ It’s an exciting challenge that calls for a mix of…

[cryptoking16]

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.

[telugxrl13]

thinking about the freshman year classes of harding pencroft...go on. click it ↘

each house having a few specific subskills naturally caused me to believe that the students of each house only learned those skills. however, ana mentioned learning military tactics (a skill specific to house shark) and marine biology (a skill specific to house orca), which makes me think that all skills are taught to all students, without limiting what a student from each house can learn. i really like this because it contributes to the concept that no house is better than another and all of them are vital to harding pencroft.

so, i think that each freshman takes a general class for each of the three houses that they aren't in, listed below:

marine communications: a general class representing the skills of house dolphin*

military tactics: a general class representing the skills of house shark

applied mechanics: a general class representing the skills of house cephalopod*

marine biology: a general class representing the skills of house orca

*for these classes, i took some of the terms used to describe the skillset of the house to make up a class name.

basically, a student from house dolphin like ana would take military tactics, applied mechanics, and marine biology because those are the houses they're not in.

that covers three periods of their schedule, but what about their house? each house has a specific skillset, as i mentioned above, and the main skills are listed below.

house dolphin: communications, exploration, cryptography, counterintelligence*

house shark: command, combat, weapons systems, logistics

house cephalopod: engineering, applied mechanics, innovation, defensive systems

house orca: medicine, psychology, education, marine biology, communal memory

*some of the other skills mentioned in the book for this house were navigation and counterespionage.

what i'm thinking, is that, for their fourth period, a student can choose one of the skills from their house to focus on. they can go anywhere in the school (besides the gold-level areas) to study and learn. the library is endless, the machine rooms are available, and the aquariums are always open. they can even consult teachers for help. however, most of this class is self-guided, to focus on what the student wants to do.

if they don't feel content with the skill they've chosen, they can switch. they can also choose to focus on multiple skills from their house if they feel comfortable taking it on. additionally, if a student wants to graduate from two houses (their main house and an honorary house) like ophelia, they can use half the time to focus on their chosen skill from their main house, and their chosen skill from their honorary house.

the fourth period goes with the fifth period. the fifth period is basically the team regroup. the five students from each house come together, and led by the house prefect, do some sort of team building activity. for example, the freshman class of house dolphin might spend their time together solving a set of riddles in different forms of marine communication, while the freshman class of house cephalopod work to design a hypothetical device that solves a real-world problem. this is a way for the students work with others from their house after a self-guided period and display the skill they've examined in their personal study.

besides all of this, students are also obligated to take some other classes, such as theoretical marine science, and physical fitness. i'd assume there would be rotations, so they wouldn't have to take a class like physical fitness everyday.

for sophmores and above, i think classes would probably be in a similar format. i don't know much about the gold-level classes/areas, so i can't really predict how they would be incorporated.

in conclusion, that's what i think the freshman classes would look like at harding pencroft. feel free to share your thoughts!

[needlesandnilbogs]

Dr. Alexandra "Monty" Montgomery most likely has at least two PhDs and is probably also some kind of lowkey genius.

Reasoning:

The biophysics doesn't come up as much as her cryptography skills, but book 1 ch.2 does explicitly call her both a doctor and a "biophysicist-slash-cryptologist" (sic). She seems to have mostly focused on cryptography (and therefore one phd is probably in number theory or computer science, probably number theory given that she's not a computer scientist by trade), but the wording in that sentence seems to imply that she has equal levels of education for biophysics, meaning that would be her second phd.

In book 1 chapter 3, we get that she's in her mid thirties; assuming that she took a fairly typical path through her pre-undergrad education, this would put her at 17-19 when entering university. I did a two-second search on Oxford's math program, and its modern mathematical sciences program takes either 3 or 4 years to complete. Book 2 has slightly more details on what she did there, but I don't think it has a timeline of her university experience. Figure that she enters at the average age of 18 and graduates at 21-22, then.

As a recruit for MI6 during said time at Oxford, she probably worked on those PhDs with no concerns about time or funding, although with plenty of extracurricular activities. Figure 5-6 years per phd program, and that she probably did not get them at the same time, and that puts her at probably 31-32 before she's a full-time MI6 employee and agent. Book 4 makes this a little more complicated, because we know that she's doing other spy things during this time, but those could easily be things she does when not taking or teaching classes or working on her dissertation.

I don't have much of an actual *point* to make with this, except: - don't mess with the academic - she's probably a LOT more knowledgeable than she looks even though she already sounds very smart and well educated - James Ponti has never made any kind of timeline nor looked up how long phd programs take - if she isn't publishing papers from her work with the FARM and/or trying to get a third phd I will eat my hat

[rabbitcruiser]

World Braille Day

World Braille Day celebrates the birth of Louis Braille, inventor of the reading and writing system used by millions of blind and partially sighted people all over the globe.

Though not a public holiday in any country, World Braille Day provides an opportunity for teachers, charities and non-government organizations to raise awareness about issues facing the blind and the importance of continuing to produce works in Braille, providing the blind with access to the same reading and learning opportunities as the sighted.

History of World Braille Day

Louis Braille, the inventor of braille, was born in France on January 4th, 1809. Blinded in both eyes in an accident as a child, Braille nevertheless managed to master his disability while still a child. Despite not being able to see at all, he excelled in his education and received scholarship to France’s Royal Institute for Blind Youth.

During his studies, inspired by the military cryptography of Charles Barbier of the French Army, he developed a system of tactile code that could allow the blind to read and write quickly and efficiently. Braille presented the results of his hard work to his peers for the first time in 1824 when he was just fifteen years f age. In 1829, he published his first book about the system he had created, called “Method of Writing Words, Music, and Plain Songs by Means of Dots, for Use by the Blind and Arranged for Them”.

The braille system works by representing the alphabet letters (and numbers) in a series of 6 dots paired up in 3 rows. The simplicity of his idea allowed books to start being produced on a large scale in a format that thousands of blind people can read by running their fingertips over the dots. Thanks to this, blind students have the opportunity to be educated alongside their peers as well as read for pleasure just as easily as any seeing person can.

How to celebrate World Braille Day

As incredible as braille is, and as much as it offers blind and partially sighted people, braille books must stay within the country where they are produced because ofrestrictive international copyright laws. Because braille books cannot be shared across borders, the blind cannot read any books that are not produced within their own country. Unfortunately, at present only 5% of all published materials get produced in accessible formats, which means that under 10% of all blind children in developing countries go to school due to the shortage or lack of teaching materials.

The Marrakesh Treaty is the name of an international agreement finalized in June 2013 that would allow copyright exceptions for published works to be made widely available in accessible formats. The implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty will allow blindness organizations to share their resources with other organizations in developing countries that may not have the resources to produce books for their blind citizens.

Then, schools for the blind in wealthier countries would be able to send books to schools in poorer countries so blind children who cannot afford to buy braille books will still have access to the textbooks needed for them to finish school. For example, Spain’s ONCE (Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles, or The Spanish Foundation for the Blind) could make their braille library available to blindness organizations in all of the Spanish-speaking countries in South America, thus saving the costs of reproducing the exact same books for each separate country.

However, these resources can be shared only if this treaty becomes law in all of the countries around the world.

This coming World Braille Day, celebrate Louis Braille’s achievements and help millions of blind and partially sighted people everywhere by writing a letter to your government representatives encouraging them to make this treaty a reality.

Source

[brofisting]

DIFFERENT TYPE OF POST THAN USUAL, BROUGHT TO YOU BY CIRCUMSTANCES,,

are any of you, my beloved tumblr friends, interested in/involved in cybersecurity, cryptography, privacy advocacy, etc.? and if so, do you have any recommendations for groups/organizations/websites someone getting back into it could check out?

i used to be much more educated but came to the conclusion at the time that it was unlikely I Personally was going to need this information, due to assorted privileges & also being kind of a goodie two shoes. now my foolish transgender ass is going to have to play catch-up

i am already familiar with the EFF, i follow @nyancrimew, am a long-time doctorow fan, but otherwise................. i am out of the loop