Тег: Notes

Ode to Bitcoin

This morning I discovered something terrible: in a drunken haze last night, I had lost my wallet, which contained all my cash reserves and my bank card.

Alone. In a foreign country. One with which Russia doesn’t even have diplomatic relations.

Naturally, I had plenty of options.

  • Get married urgently and stay in Georgia
  • Walk home on foot, racing against a Yakut shaman
  • Organize a meet-and-greet with readers in Batumi and ask for a loan
  • Learn the phrase “madam, monsieur, I haven’t eaten for six days” in Georgian

But instead, I started investigating whether there were any crypto ATMs in Batumi. I found only one, but that was all I needed. From there, it was just a matter of technique.

Approach the crypto ATM
Tap the screen, the menu appears, select Withdraw Cash
Select the desired currency, which in my case definitely means Bitcoin
Check the rate, select the amount
The crypto ATM generates a QR code, the code is scanned by a bitcoin wallet on a smartphone, an outgoing transaction is created; you need to choose a higher fee so that the bits arrive quickly, otherwise you’ll be stuck waiting in front of the crypto ATM for a long time.

Then the crypto ATM prints a receipt with a certain redemption code and a notification that cash can be claimed after the first transaction confirmation. When the confirmation arrives, you can go back to the crypto ATM again.

Enter that same redemption code
And that’s it, the crypto ATM dispenses the coveted cash

That’s how I played the part of a blacklisted extremist, and consequently, someone without access to banking services. As is easy to see, Bitcoin is a great help in such extreme situations.

Value the freedom of maneuver that cryptocurrencies grant us! This is exactly what they were designed for.

An outside look at Russia and the protests

I won’t venture to judge the details of another round of protests in Russia that took place yesterday, but I am glad that it has increased in size, and it seems to me that either people have learned how to avoid detention, or the Moscow authorities are no longer daring to be so fierce. Either way, there are fewer detainees than a week ago, and no particularly mass cruelty is visible in the photos.

In Georgia, everyone I talk to, upon learning that I am from Russia, immediately asks what is happening in Moscow, from which it can be concluded that in the information space, the protest has long since overcome local boundaries. Moreover, this cannot be attributed to biased coverage of the situation by Georgian media: I was asked questions by tourists from Turkey, Romania, and the Netherlands. I should also note that I am not at some political conference here—all around are carefree vacationers; one would think they wouldn’t care.

Naturally, the sympathy of the global public is on the side of the protesters. However, it is equally on the side of the protesters in Hong Kong, the yellow vests, the Venezuelan opposition, and so on. When volunteers are on one side and salaried employees are on the other, people sympathize with the volunteers. Even regarding the events in Kyrgyzstan, where it seems to be a matter of “the toad and the viper,” the mere fact that people are ready to voluntarily stand up for the former president and fight for him against the authorities already tells people that the government probably shouldn’t have started this whole assault.

I am also constantly assured that I have nothing to fear, that the attitude toward Russians here is still just as friendly. To be honest, this sometimes looks like a mantra for self-convincing. Evidence to the contrary also turns up. I won’t say much, I’ll just provide a few photos.

Suggesting not to feel at home
Ruining good drawings because of the author’s Russian language
But there are also statements that any Russian patriot would sign