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Most important things

• Protein: Fast-absorbing clear whey ~20 g to reduce muscle breakdown and start recovery.
• Carbs: 20–40 g of simple/fast carbs for immediate high‑intensity fuel.
• Electrolyte balance: Sodium ~500–600 mg, Potassium ~300 mg, Magnesium ~200 mg — critical to prevent cramps and headaches and keep muscles firing.

Best single-serving stack

Use this stack ~15–30 minutes before training:

• Caffeine: 250–300 mg — strong energy and focus
• L-Citrulline Malate: 8 g — nitric oxide, blood flow, pumps
• Beta-Alanine: 3.2–4 g — buffers acid, improves endurance
• Creatine Monohydrate: 5 g — strength and power gains
• Taurine: 2 g — hydration and reduces jitteriness
• L-Arginine: 4 g — supports nitric oxide (or use citrulline)
• Niacin (B3): 10–20 mg — energy metabolism
• Electrolytes: Sodium 500–600 mg, Potassium ~300 mg, Magnesium ~200 mg
• L-Theanine: 200 mg — smooths caffeine
• Clear Whey Protein Isolate: ~20 g — fast-absorbing recovery protein
• Optional adaptogens: Rhodiola, Ginseng, or Ashwagandha

Safety & usage

• Start lower if you’re caffeine-sensitive; limit to one serving/day.
• Don’t stack with other stimulant drinks; stay hydrated.
• Not for under 18s, pregnant/nursing, or those on certain meds; consult your doctor.

The Two Types of Blockchain Mining

Currently there are two types of blockchain transaction mining and transaction verification: proof of work and proof of stake.

You can look deeper into each as it's a complex way to deal with cryptocurrencies but to dumb each one down:

• Proof of work uses complex math computations done by hardware GPUs and CPUs
• Proof of stake uses staking where the currency is deposited to earn more of it through validators that give more rewards

Let's see why each in long term might have a weird relation with centralization.

The Centralization Problem

When you think about centralization you think of a big giant entity that is responsible for most if not all of the certain subject: money, software, etc.

Now think about each type of proofing. In proof of work mining gets more complex as more devices are connected to the blockchain, which means if you own more hardware like GPUs and CPUs (depending on crypto - Bitcoin uses GPUs, Monero uses CPUs). If a certain entity decides to own or create or invest into mining facilities, such as OpenAI or any other decides to repurpose all their hardware from LLM to mining or anyone buys out the entire hardware creating a shortage for others as well as that entity having the ability to mine most of the crypto and own it (making the process more centralized).

Proof of Stake: Even Worse?

Proof of stake is no better in fact I would consider it worse. The more of the crypto you own the more you can earn in rewards which is centralization at its finest and scary enough there is a possibility for censorship.

Censorship Power (in theory)

If a few validators collectively own >33% (in some PoS systems like Ethereum), they can:

• Refuse to include certain transactions
• Delay finality by not voting for certain blocks

If they control >66%, they can:

• Completely censor any transaction they dislike
• Finalize only the blocks they approve
• Even rewrite short segments of chain history

That's why large staking pools are a real centralization threat - they could act like gatekeepers, even if it's just a few entities (e.g., Lido, Coinbase, Binance, Kraken) controlling >50% of staked ETH.

Example: Ethereum Today (as of 2025)

Roughly:

• Lido: ~30% of all staked ETH
• Coinbase + Binance + Kraken combined: ~20–25%

That's already >50% controlled by just 4 entities - meaning a small coordinated group could heavily influence transaction flow.

Final Thoughts

This is all to say that we still do not have a solution to crypto. As we innovate in the space we can only hope that better solutions are implemented.

The Illusion of Deletion

When you delete a file, your computer plays a clever trick. Instead of erasing the data:

• It simply marks that space as "available for use"
• Removes the pointers telling the system where to find the file
• Leaves the actual data untouched until it gets overwritten

Think of it like erasing the entry in a library catalog while leaving the book on the shelf. The book is still there; you just can't find it through the normal system.

The Computer Science Behind Deletion

Let's get a bit technical. In your file system, files aren't stored as single, continuous chunks. Instead, they're split across different sectors of your drive, connected by pointers (think of them as digital breadcrumbs). Here's what actually happens when you "delete" a file:

• File Table Update: The file system's table (like FAT32 or NTFS) marks those sectors as "free" by updating a simple flag
• Pointer Nullification: The linked list of pointers connecting the file's fragments is disconnected, like cutting a thread holding beads together
• Data Persistence: The actual 1s and 0s of your file stay exactly where they were, just like variables in memory that lose their pointer reference but keep their values

Here's a visualization of what happens in your file system:

Before Deletion:
┌─────────────────┐
│ File Table      │
├─────────────────┤      ┌──────────┐
│ vacation.jpg    │─────►│ Sector 1 │
│ Location: 1,4,7 │      │[IMG DATA]│
└─────────────────┘      └────┬─────┘
                              │
                         ┌────▼─────┐
                         │ Sector 4 │
                         │[IMG DATA]│
                         └────┬─────┘
                              │
                         ┌────▼─────┐
                         │ Sector 7 │
                         │[IMG DATA]│
                         └──────────┘

After "Deletion":
┌─────────────────┐
│ File Table      │
├─────────────────┤      ┌──────────┐
│ [AVAILABLE]     │   ╳  │ Sector 1 │
│                 │      │[IMG DATA]│
└─────────────────┘      └────┬─────┘
                              │
                         ┌────▼─────┐
                         │ Sector 4 │
                         │[IMG DATA]│
                         └────┬─────┘
                              │
                         ┌────▼─────┐
                         │ Sector 7 │
                         │[IMG DATA]│
                         └──────────┘
(Data still exists, just "invisible" to the system)

As shown above, the actual image data remains intact in the sectors. Only the file table entry is marked as available, breaking the chain of pointers that led to your vacation photos. This is why recovery is possible until these sectors get overwritten by new data.

What Happens When New Files Are Added?

When saving new files, your system tries to be smart about which "empty" sectors to use. Here's a simplified look:

Your Hard Drive:
┌───────────────────────────┐
│     [1]  [2]  [3]  [4]   │
│   ┌──┐ ┌──┐ ┌──┐ ┌──┐    │
│   │XX│ │✓ │ │XX│ │✓ │    │
│   └──┘ └──┘ └──┘ └──┘    │  XX = In use
│     [5]  [6]  [7]  [8]   │   ✓ = "Deleted" (Available)
│   ┌──┐ ┌──┐ ┌──┐ ┌──┐    │
│   │✓ │ │XX│ │✓ │ │XX│    │
│   └──┘ └──┘ └──┘ └──┘    │
└───────────────────────────┘

When Saving a New File:
┌───────────────────────────┐
│     [1]  [2]  [3]  [4]   │
│   ┌──┐ ┌──┐ ┌──┐ ┌──┐    │
│   │XX│ │██│ │XX│ │██│    │  System picks sectors 2 & 4
│   └──┘ └──┘ └──┘ └──┘    │  because they're next to 
│     [5]  [6]  [7]  [8]   │  each other (faster access)
│   ┌──┐ ┌──┐ ┌──┐ ┌──┐    │
│   │✓ │ │XX│ │✓ │ │XX│    │  ██ = New file
│   └──┘ └──┘ └──┘ └──┘    │
└───────────────────────────┘

Key Facts About Sector Selection:

• Not Time-Based: The system doesn't track or care when sectors were marked as available
• Performance Focused: It prioritizes sectors that will give the best read/write performance
• Contiguous When Possible: It tries to use adjacent sectors to reduce fragmentation
• File System Dependent: Different file systems (NTFS, FAT32, ext4) have different allocation strategies

This is why data recovery can be unpredictable. Your recently deleted file might be overwritten immediately if its sectors are in an "optimal" location, while an older deleted file might survive longer if its sectors are in a less-frequently-used area of the drive.

Pro tip: If you accidentally delete something important, stop using that drive immediately! The file system's optimization choices make it impossible to predict which sectors will be overwritten next.

Data Recovery: Both Amazing and Alarming

With the right tools, supposedly "deleted" files can often be recovered. Popular recovery software includes:

• Recuva - Free tool for basic file recovery
• PhotoRec - Powerful open-source recovery software
• EaseUS Data Recovery - Professional-grade recovery tool

While this can be a lifesaver when you accidentally delete important files, it's also a privacy concern. Your sensitive data might still be accessible even after deletion.

Why Format Isn't Enough

Even formatting your drive isn't a guaranteed solution. Quick formatting only:

• Resets the filesystem tables
• Creates a new, empty file system
• Leaves most of the old data intact and potentially recoverable

It's like putting a new cover on a book without changing the pages inside.

How to Actually Delete Data

For truly sensitive information, you need secure deletion methods:

• Secure Erase Tools - Programs that overwrite data multiple times
• Full Format - Takes longer but actually writes to every sector
• Physical Destruction - For when you really need to be sure

The Takeaway

Your deleted files are like whispers that echo longer than you'd expect. For day-to-day files, regular deletion is fine. But for sensitive data like financial records, personal documents, or private communications, take the extra step of secure deletion.

Remember: In the digital world, nothing is truly gone unless you make sure it's gone.

Why It Matters

Not getting enough fiber is about more than just constipation. Low fiber intake is linked to:

• Higher risk of colon cancer
• Poor gut health, including weak gut bacteria and inflammation
• Digestive problems such as bloating, irregularity, and discomfort

The Trend

Colon cancer rates are rising in younger adults, and diet is a major factor. Research from the American Cancer Society in 2023 shows that low fiber intake contributes directly to this increased risk.

Bottom line

Western diets are stripping out fiber, and this is affecting our long-term health. Swapping in whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables can make a real difference for your gut, digestion, and overall wellness.

1. The "Secret Computers" in Your CPU

Inside almost every modern processor, there is a separate microcomputer that runs independently from your operating system:

• Intel Management Engine (ME) - A small subsystem inside Intel CPUs since 2008. It has deep access to memory, storage, and network interfaces, even when your computer is off but still plugged in.
• AMD Platform Security Processor (PSP) - AMD's equivalent. It handles "security tasks" like firmware signing and encryption but remains closed-source, which means no one outside AMD knows what it truly does.

These hidden components run below Linux, Windows, or macOS. Even if you encrypt your drive, format your disk, or boot a privacy-focused OS, ME or PSP will still operate in the background.

2. Why Privacy Advocates Are Concerned

Because these systems are closed-source, no one can independently verify what they are doing. Researchers have discovered vulnerabilities in Intel ME before, proving that these subsystems can be exploited. The concern is that they could potentially:

• Access files and encryption keys stored in memory
• Monitor network activity without your knowledge
• Communicate silently, bypassing firewalls and security software

If you do not control the firmware, you cannot fully control your device.

3. Government Surveillance and Palantir

Palantir, a company known for large-scale data collection, works closely with governments and law enforcement agencies worldwide. They aggregate information from multiple sources to build detailed profiles of individuals.

If your CPU silently leaks unique identifiers or telemetry through ME or PSP, this information can be combined with other metadata that Palantir and similar organizations already collect. Even if you use Linux, Tor, or Monero, you may still be trackable.

4. Special Hardware for Government Officials

Here is the shocking part. There have been verified reports that certain high-level government agencies, including the NSA, receive hardware with Intel ME disabled through a special configuration called High Assurance Platform (HAP). Intel created this mode specifically at the request of the U.S. government.

In other words, regular consumers get CPUs with always-on, closed-source microcontrollers, while certain government officials get versions without them. This shows that the capability to remove or disable ME exists but is intentionally restricted.

5. How This Impacts Cryptocurrency Security

If you hold crypto like Bitcoin or Monero, these hidden systems can create additional risks:

• Private keys are loaded into memory when you unlock your wallet. ME or PSP could theoretically capture them.
• Hardware fingerprints can link your wallet activity to your real-world identity.
• Agencies like the IRS and Europol already use companies like Palantir to deanonymize crypto transactions by combining blockchain analysis with metadata from devices.

If you are using a regular laptop or desktop for crypto storage, your hardware may be part of your threat model without you realizing it.

6. Why Linux Alone Does Not Solve the Problem

Linux protects you at the software level, but Intel ME and AMD PSP operate below the kernel. This means:

• Full-disk encryption can be bypassed
• Firewalls and VPNs do not matter if data leaks at the hardware level
• Even hardened Linux distributions like Tails or Qubes cannot fully protect you unless ME or PSP are disabled

Linux improves your privacy, but it does not make you immune.

7. The Takeaway

Modern CPUs from Intel and AMD include hidden subsystems that we cannot fully control. While many concerns around Intel ME and AMD PSP remain theoretical, it is important to understand that these components operate at a level below your operating system.

Even if you are using open-source software like Linux, you are not completely immune. The best thing you can do is stay informed about these technologies and how they affect privacy, security, and cryptocurrency. Awareness is the first step toward making better decisions in this space.

Where Is All This Sodium Coming From?

It is not just the salt shaker. Roughly 70 to 75 percent of sodium in the Western diet comes from processed and restaurant foods. Here are some of the biggest culprits:

• Bread
• Deli meats
• Cheese
• Canned soups
• Sauces
• Fast food

Even foods that do not taste particularly salty can pack in hundreds of milligrams per serving.

The Health Impact of Excess Sodium

The side effects of all this excess sodium are hard to ignore:

• High blood pressure: Excess sodium causes the body to retain water, increasing blood volume and putting more pressure on blood vessels.
• Heart disease and stroke risk: Long-term high blood pressure is one of the strongest predictors of cardiovascular problems.
• Kidney strain: Sodium makes the kidneys work harder, which can worsen or lead to kidney disease.
• Bone health issues: High sodium intake is linked to calcium loss, which weakens bones over time.
• Bloating and water retention: Even in the short term, extra sodium can leave you feeling sluggish and puffy.

What Can We Do About It?

Most people do not realize how much sodium is hidden in everyday foods. Here are some steps you can take:

• Read nutrition labels carefully
• Cook more meals at home
• Reduce processed food consumption
• Choose fresh ingredients over packaged ones
• Be mindful of portion sizes at restaurants

These simple changes can significantly lower your intake and reduce your long-term health risks.

Bitcoin as Digital Gold

Bitcoin is often praised for its fixed supply: 21 million coins. That means no inflation, no printing, no gradual erosion of value like we see with fiat currencies. It's become a sort of digital gold, a store of value that can't be tampered with.

But this same feature brings serious challenges:

• Hoarding, not spending: Once all 21 million bitcoins are mined, the fixed supply means if demand grows, people will hold rather than spend, expecting its value to rise.
• Bad for daily use. Because of this hoarding tendency, Bitcoin becomes more like a vaulted asset than money you'd use for everyday purchases like a sandwich.
• Slow and expensive. Transactions can be slow and costly, especially when the network is busy, making it impractical for quick payments. Like think about it, if you try to just buy a coffee you are not trying to wait 10 minutes for the transaction to go through.
• Public and traceable. Every transaction is recorded publicly and can be tracked by anyone, offering little privacy.
• Mining challenges ahead. After mining ends (around 2140), miners will rely only on transaction fees. If fees aren't high enough, fewer miners may stay, causing slower confirmations and higher costs.

The Problem with Gold (and Bitcoin as the New Gold Standard)

Some Bitcoiners treat it like the rebirth of the gold standard, a fixed-supply, value-backed system. But here's the thing: the gold standard failed, and many don't understand issues with the gold standard.

• Countries with the most gold controlled global trade.
• Smaller, resource-poor nations were left powerless.
• Economic imbalances led to exploitation, wars, famine and collapse during global crises, the printing of money is seen as a bad thing "inflation" but it is key during huge economic distress to recover.

Monero: The Privacy Coin That Actually Works

If Bitcoin is digital gold, Monero is digital cash, and maybe the only real version of it that exists.

Here's what makes Monero different:

• Privacy by default: Every transaction is hidden using ring signatures, stealth addresses, and confidential amounts.
• Fungibility: All coins are equal. No "tainted" coins, no blacklisting.
• Scalable and usable: It's fast, cheap, and accessible to mine with a normal CPU.
• Tail emission. Unlike Bitcoin, Monero emits a small, steady amount (0.6 XMR per block) indefinitely. Although this means slight inflation, it's at a very low and predictable rate that prevents harmful inflation while ensuring miners stay incentivized and coins keep circulating.

Why Monero Will Likely Never Go Mainstream

Monero is too good at what it does: it gives you actual financial privacy.

Governments and institutions, who rely on transparency and control to enforce regulations, don't like that. Monero has already been banned or delisted from several exchanges, even though it has no history of scams or centralization.

Without the coorporation from government nothing can go mainstream.

Everything Else Is Just a Tech Startup in Disguise

Let's be honest: most other coins are nonsense.

• Ethereum? Centralized under Proof-of-Stake, where the rich get richer and protocol changes are made by insiders.
• Altcoins? Often premined, VC-funded, or forked clones with no real innovation.
• Even coins that claim to be private or fast usually rely on trusted third parties, bridges, or custodians, which defeats the purpose of decentralization.

Final Thoughts: Ask the Bigger Questions

Bitcoin and Monero aren't perfect. But they ask better questions than the rest:

• Should money be spendable or storeable?
• Should financial privacy be a right or a threat?
• Can we build systems that don't require permission, trust, or surveillance?

These are big ideas, and you don't need to agree with me. But if you're even mildly interested in what crypto was supposed to be, you owe it to yourself to look into Bitcoin and Monero. Read, question, dig.

Because the future of money isn't just about tech, it's about who gets to control it.

Why does this matter?

Political thinkers from very different backgrounds like Karl Marx who criticized centralized capitalist control and classical liberals like John Locke or Thomas Jefferson who emphasized individual rights and limited government believed that power should be accountable and that people must have ways to resist unjust authority.

A real example: in 2022, during the trucker protests in Canada, the government froze bank and crypto accounts on the spot using emergency powers pushed by Trudeau. That showed how fragile centralized systems can be.

Top 3 reasons for decentralization:

• Freedom – No one can block your money or access.
• No Middleman – Send, receive, and own directly.
• Privacy – You control your own data and identity.

But what's the downside?

• No recovery if you lose your wallet or keys.
• Scams and theft are common, and there's no support line.
• No fraud protection, unlike most banks.

The Reality: A Spectrum, Not a Binary Choice

Here's the truth that often gets overlooked: complete decentralization or centralization doesn't exist in practice. We exist on a spectrum between these two extremes. Even Bitcoin, often celebrated as fully decentralized, relies on mining pools that concentrate power, while traditional banks are adopting some decentralized features through open banking APIs.

The key is finding the right balance for each use case:

• Financial systems might benefit from more decentralization to prevent abuse of power
• Emergency services need some centralization for quick, coordinated responses
• Social networks could use a hybrid approach, with decentralized data ownership but centralized content moderation

Final Thoughts

This is a super simplified overview of a massive topic. I'm not saying centralized systems are evil or telling you to switch, just be aware. Understanding that we're working with shades of gray, not black and white, helps us make better choices about which systems to use and how to improve them. These things impact everyone, and it's worth learning about.